Westminster Magazine Fall/Winter 2018

ies to A speaker ser nity ideas share commu

Designs for outdoor equipment that is accessible to all

A study

center f or girls in Peru

t s tha e c i v el ser er p a h C e oth t a r po s incor erest t n i nts’ stude

A playground designed by pre-first graders for different ty pes of play

Record ing a r ap song in Spain

t captures A ski boot tha and uses it to kinetic energy feet warm keep a skier's

Bright students,

BIG ideas

A production-ready iPad case tha t meets the needs of students in Love Hall ow Using a campus garden to gr ries and vegetables for food pant

es mak t a h t club g n i k unity m A ba m o for c ll s t a e to se s tr n o ti niza a g r o

An app that improves medical care

A blanket to keep people who

are homeless warm and dry

fruits

CONTENTS

CONTRIBUTORS Executive Editors Liz Ball Emilie Henry

12

Managing Editor Erin Dentmon Editorial Staff Justin Abraham Jennifer Liu Christy Oglesby Stacie Davis Rapson ’83

4

Contributors Jane Lauderdale Armstrong ’74

20

Brooke Boothby Frances Brown ’18

Be the Catalyst

...for a lifetime of discovery.

Lauren Brown ’18 Betty Emrey Keith Evans Katie Long Laney ’03 Pamela Nye Ali Gray Prickett ’05 Caroline Rothschild Katie Trainor Bailey Ward Susan Ayres Watson ’83 Art Direction & Design Ridge Creative, Inc.

At Westminster, our students’ insatiable curiosity meets unparalleled opportunity. Wildcats make discoveries every day—about themselves, their ideas, and the world. Your generosity powers a student experience that serves as a catalyst for artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, financiers— change-makers. Inspire possibility through your gift to The Westminster Fund today.

Photography Clyde Click Gemshots Student, faculty, staff, and parent photographers The Lewis H. Beck Archives at Westminster Printing

MAKE YOUR GIFT TODAY BY VISITING WESTMINSTER.NET/GIVING

Perfect Image

FEATURES

4

Carter Roberts: Taming Environmental Threats

Protecting the dwindling rhino population and saving forests that purify our air, Carter Roberts ’78 remains relentless as the CEO of the World Wildlife Fund. He must. After all, there is no Planet B.

12 Westminster: A Very Big Idea A million dollar dream. Unfilled tables for the fundraising dinner. A consultant’s prediction for certain failure. None of that derailed the dreamers and schemers determined to build a school whose students could, and would, change the world.

20 Bright Students, Big Ideas Westminster students excel in asking questions as deftly as they master giving answers. Their big, bright ideas provide solutions to challenges like “How can we bring a global program to our campus?” or “How can we protect people who are homeless from frigid temperatures?”

DEPARTMENTS 2

From the President

28 Faculty and Staff 42 Commencement 52 Wildcat Den 56 Wildcat Tracks 66 Alumni News 78 Class Notes

COMMENTS TO THE EDITOR: Please address postal correspondence to: Liz Ball Director of Marketing and Communications Westminster 1424 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 Email: lizball@westminster.net Phone: 404-609-6259

CONTENTS

CONTRIBUTORS Executive Editors Liz Ball Emilie Henry

12

Managing Editor Erin Dentmon Editorial Staff Justin Abraham Jennifer Liu Christy Oglesby Stacie Davis Rapson ’83

4

Contributors Jane Lauderdale Armstrong ’74

20

Brooke Boothby Frances Brown ’18

Be the Catalyst

...for a lifetime of discovery.

Lauren Brown ’18 Betty Emrey Keith Evans Katie Long Laney ’03 Pamela Nye Ali Gray Prickett ’05 Caroline Rothschild Katie Trainor Bailey Ward Susan Ayres Watson ’83 Art Direction & Design Ridge Creative, Inc.

At Westminster, our students’ insatiable curiosity meets unparalleled opportunity. Wildcats make discoveries every day—about themselves, their ideas, and the world. Your generosity powers a student experience that serves as a catalyst for artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, financiers— change-makers. Inspire possibility through your gift to The Westminster Fund today.

Photography Clyde Click Gemshots Student, faculty, staff, and parent photographers The Lewis H. Beck Archives at Westminster Printing

MAKE YOUR GIFT TODAY BY VISITING WESTMINSTER.NET/GIVING

Perfect Image

FEATURES

4

Carter Roberts: Taming Environmental Threats

Protecting the dwindling rhino population and saving forests that purify our air, Carter Roberts ’78 remains relentless as the CEO of the World Wildlife Fund. He must. After all, there is no Planet B.

12 Westminster: A Very Big Idea A million dollar dream. Unfilled tables for the fundraising dinner. A consultant’s prediction for certain failure. None of that derailed the dreamers and schemers determined to build a school whose students could, and would, change the world.

20 Bright Students, Big Ideas Westminster students excel in asking questions as deftly as they master giving answers. Their big, bright ideas provide solutions to challenges like “How can we bring a global program to our campus?” or “How can we protect people who are homeless from frigid temperatures?”

DEPARTMENTS 2

From the President

28 Faculty and Staff 42 Commencement 52 Wildcat Den 56 Wildcat Tracks 66 Alumni News 78 Class Notes

COMMENTS TO THE EDITOR: Please address postal correspondence to: Liz Ball Director of Marketing and Communications Westminster 1424 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 Email: lizball@westminster.net Phone: 404-609-6259

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Friends, Capital “B” Big Ideas each have a unique origin and trajectory. Some survive to realization looking much as they did when they were conceived; others shapeshift along the way and bear little resemblance to their original form. Pablo Picasso observed, “I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else.” An idea that is Big enough is many things at once—a seed, a platform, a container.

But most of all, a Big Idea is both inspiring and unpredictable. That’s what makes it exciting.

Westminster was founded in a Big Idea—that a student experience characterized by challenging academics and aspirational values would produce leaders who would commit themselves to something larger than themselves.

That Idea worked out pretty well and, in keeping with Picasso’s insight, it was a beginning that became something else. Our School today is still animated by the same Big Idea, yet what it has become, and the impact Westminster has made, would certainly exceed the imaginations of our founding fathers and mothers.

Perhaps the most important and lasting consequence of Westminster’s Big Idea is that it gave rise to a school where ideas of all shapes and sizes matter. While much of American K-12 education increasingly equates excellence with standardization, we have moved in the opposite direction.

Creativity, idiosyncrasy, initiative, independence—these are markers of leaders who create inflection points rather than merely respond to them.

On campus, that looks like pre-first graders having a hand in designing a new playground at Love Hall or Lower Schoolers creating a new productionready iPad case. It looks like Middle Schoolers in a Shark Tank with Westminster alums challenging their business concepts or Upper School students

erasing boundaries between disciplines and redefining their campus to include the city of Atlanta and, indeed, the world.

And there was more. As last school year came to a close and summer began, I finally got around to cleaning off my desk. Like sedimentary layers you might see in a rock formation, the piles on my desk represented a year’s worth of ideas at Westminster. In this folder were two letters from seventh graders with recommendations about how to decrease our impact on the environment. In that notebook was an iteration of the campus plan we liked—but not until we improved on it. Under that stack was an article describing the good work of a peer school in reshaping their curriculum.

Deeper through the layers there were more ideas—many executed, some dormant for now. All of them were evidence of the restless minds of Wildcats on campus, as well as the many who took that restlessness into the world.

We move forward because of Big Ideas that take hold and capture our imagination. Westminster students and alumni have generated more than their share of these catalysts and promise to accelerate that trend going forward.

In this edition of Westminster, we are excited to share with you the inside, outsized story of our Big Ideas.

ADMINISTRATION

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

EMERITUS TRUSTEES

Keith A. Evans President

Joel T. Murphy ’76, Chair Elizabeth Kilcullen Blake, Vice Chair Rosalind G. Brewer Samuel G. Candler William Clarkson IV Harold A. Dawson Jr. ’82 Michael J. Egan ’74 Jason Fritz Rebecca Olson Gupta Rand Glenn Hagen ’95 Scott D. Hawkins Katharine W. Kelley ’82 Stephen S. Lanier ’96 Janet M. Lavine Sukai Liu David M. Love ’90 Lisa Olivetti McGahan R. Brand Morgan ’94 Floyd C. Newton III ’73 Thomas Noonan Rahul Patel William T. Plybon Kelly A. Regal B. Clayton Rolader ’72 Louise S. Sams ’75 Stephen L. Schoen ’80 S. Stephen Selig ’61 Jeffrey P. Small Jr. ’85 Steven D. Smith Jay Yadav

James S. Balloun Betsy Barge Birkholz ’69 Lisa Borders ’75 James E. Bostic Jr. David E. Boyd Peter M. Candler ’60 Richard W. Courts II ’55 Ann Draughon Cousins Suzanne LeCraw Cox ’71 Joseph M. Craver F. T. Davis Jr. ’56 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. George H. Lane III J. Hicks Lanier ’58 Dennis M. Love ’74 Gay McLawhorn Love Margaret Sheffield Martin WS ’44* Carolyn Cody McClatchey ’65 Terence F. McGuirk Larry L. Prince Olga Goizueta Rawls ’73 Margaret Conant Reiser ’73 John W. Rooker ’56 Kenneth S. Taratus L. Barry Teague John A. Wallace D. Scott Weimer 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

WESTMINSTER FUND REPRESENTATIVE Allen Moseley ’87 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVE Susan Ayres Watson ’83

*deceased

Best Wishes,

Keith Evans President

2 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 3

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Friends, Capital “B” Big Ideas each have a unique origin and trajectory. Some survive to realization looking much as they did when they were conceived; others shapeshift along the way and bear little resemblance to their original form. Pablo Picasso observed, “I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else.” An idea that is Big enough is many things at once—a seed, a platform, a container.

But most of all, a Big Idea is both inspiring and unpredictable. That’s what makes it exciting.

Westminster was founded in a Big Idea—that a student experience characterized by challenging academics and aspirational values would produce leaders who would commit themselves to something larger than themselves.

That Idea worked out pretty well and, in keeping with Picasso’s insight, it was a beginning that became something else. Our School today is still animated by the same Big Idea, yet what it has become, and the impact Westminster has made, would certainly exceed the imaginations of our founding fathers and mothers.

Perhaps the most important and lasting consequence of Westminster’s Big Idea is that it gave rise to a school where ideas of all shapes and sizes matter. While much of American K-12 education increasingly equates excellence with standardization, we have moved in the opposite direction.

Creativity, idiosyncrasy, initiative, independence—these are markers of leaders who create inflection points rather than merely respond to them.

On campus, that looks like pre-first graders having a hand in designing a new playground at Love Hall or Lower Schoolers creating a new productionready iPad case. It looks like Middle Schoolers in a Shark Tank with Westminster alums challenging their business concepts or Upper School students

erasing boundaries between disciplines and redefining their campus to include the city of Atlanta and, indeed, the world.

And there was more. As last school year came to a close and summer began, I finally got around to cleaning off my desk. Like sedimentary layers you might see in a rock formation, the piles on my desk represented a year’s worth of ideas at Westminster. In this folder were two letters from seventh graders with recommendations about how to decrease our impact on the environment. In that notebook was an iteration of the campus plan we liked—but not until we improved on it. Under that stack was an article describing the good work of a peer school in reshaping their curriculum.

Deeper through the layers there were more ideas—many executed, some dormant for now. All of them were evidence of the restless minds of Wildcats on campus, as well as the many who took that restlessness into the world.

We move forward because of Big Ideas that take hold and capture our imagination. Westminster students and alumni have generated more than their share of these catalysts and promise to accelerate that trend going forward.

In this edition of Westminster, we are excited to share with you the inside, outsized story of our Big Ideas.

ADMINISTRATION

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

EMERITUS TRUSTEES

Keith A. Evans President

Joel T. Murphy ’76, Chair Elizabeth Kilcullen Blake, Vice Chair Rosalind G. Brewer Samuel G. Candler William Clarkson IV Harold A. Dawson Jr. ’82 Michael J. Egan ’74 Jason Fritz Rebecca Olson Gupta Rand Glenn Hagen ’95 Scott D. Hawkins Katharine W. Kelley ’82 Stephen S. Lanier ’96 Janet M. Lavine Sukai Liu David M. Love ’90 Lisa Olivetti McGahan R. Brand Morgan ’94 Floyd C. Newton III ’73 Thomas Noonan Rahul Patel William T. Plybon Kelly A. Regal B. Clayton Rolader ’72 Louise S. Sams ’75 Stephen L. Schoen ’80 S. Stephen Selig ’61 Jeffrey P. Small Jr. ’85 Steven D. Smith Jay Yadav

James S. Balloun Betsy Barge Birkholz ’69 Lisa Borders ’75 James E. Bostic Jr. David E. Boyd Peter M. Candler ’60 Richard W. Courts II ’55 Ann Draughon Cousins Suzanne LeCraw Cox ’71 Joseph M. Craver F. T. Davis Jr. ’56 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. George H. Lane III J. Hicks Lanier ’58 Dennis M. Love ’74 Gay McLawhorn Love Margaret Sheffield Martin WS ’44* Carolyn Cody McClatchey ’65 Terence F. McGuirk Larry L. Prince Olga Goizueta Rawls ’73 Margaret Conant Reiser ’73 John W. Rooker ’56 Kenneth S. Taratus L. Barry Teague John A. Wallace D. Scott Weimer 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

WESTMINSTER FUND REPRESENTATIVE Allen Moseley ’87 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVE Susan Ayres Watson ’83

*deceased

Best Wishes,

Keith Evans President

2 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 3

The Wild AMBITIONS OF CARTER ROBERTS ’78

WORLD WILDLIFE FUND CEO TACKLES THE ENVIRONMENT’S BIG ISSUES

BY ERIN DENTMON, CREATIVE SERVICES AND PUBLICATIONS MANAGER

4 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 5

The Wild AMBITIONS OF CARTER ROBERTS ’78

WORLD WILDLIFE FUND CEO TACKLES THE ENVIRONMENT’S BIG ISSUES

BY ERIN DENTMON, CREATIVE SERVICES AND PUBLICATIONS MANAGER

4 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 5

LEADING WITH OPTIMISM Longtime English teacher David Lauderdale had a habit of trying to predict the futures of the senior boys who filled his Campbell Hall classroom. In 1978, an 18-year-old Carter Roberts was dreaming of the international business he might lead. Mr. Lauderdale, though, thought Carter would end up leading something more familiar: Westminster. “I never did get that job,” Carter laughed when he returned to campus for his 40th Reunion this past April.

Carter Roberts ’78 gets acquainted with a resident of the Amazon Rainforest, an area that spans eight countries and contains half of the planet’s tropical forests.

Fast forward 40 years, and he’s CEO of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the world’s leading conservation organization. It’s complex work—combining science with global policy, inspiring action from local communities and international leaders alike, and delivering innovative solutions that are good for both nature and humanity. But that’s where Carter thrives.

Based in Washington, DC, Carter travels all over the globe in search of solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. For his world-changing work, Carter was inducted into Westminster’s Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame this April, the day before Reunion Weekend. Six weeks later, he was in Mexico celebrating an agreement to protect half of the country’s rivers by allocating sustainable volumes of water for people, for nature, and for business.

That moment of celebration was the culmination of 12 years of work between scientists, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations—only one example of WWF’s work to protect people and nature.

“You have to build an organization that is there and present and working so you can seize the opportunities when they present themselves,” Carter says, noting that the scientists on the ground in Mexico had worked doggedly for a dozen years to bring the agreement to fruition.

He refers to his work at the helm as “connecting the dots;” talk to him for just a few minutes, and it’s clear his experiences, his strengths, his passions, and his ambitions make him the ideal person for bringing disparate groups together under the common cause of protecting the environment. Carter’s mission is to build WWF’s capacities to make major progress against the world’s most challenging, most complex environmental goals in areas like the availability of water, child mortality and infant health, the stabilization of employment, and climate change, to name a few.

6 | Fall/Winter 2018

And when a big goal is met, like the agreement in Mexico—what’s that feeling? It’s like winning the World Series, he says. “It is the most palpable rush. It’s not something you experience alone—it’s something you experience with all the people who made it happen. It’s a chill down your spine, and you think, ‘My God, how lucky am I to work with these amazing people?’”

Carter, it seems, has an inner wellspring of hope—a necessity when your life’s work is to lead solutions for problems many would categorize as unsolvable and that some say are headed for inevitable catastrophes.

The urgency in his voice audible, Carter explains that humans are using 1.5 years’ worth of Earth’s resources every single year—a number that increases with each passing

CARTER, IT SEEMS, HAS AN INNER WELLSPRING OF HOPE—A NECESSITY WHEN YOUR LIFE’S WORK IS TO LEAD SOLUTIONS FOR PROBLEMS MANY WOULD CATEGORIZE AS UNSOLVABLE AND THAT SOME SAY ARE HEADED FOR INEVITABLE CATASTROPHES.

But the work is never done. On stage in Mexico, Carter made a promise to bring the ideas that made a difference in Mexico to Cape Town, South Africa, to the Andes, and to other places around the world where people are on the brink of not having enough water to survive. Part of his mission is to go beyond solving isolated problems and create solutions that work on a global scale.

“You will always have more success if you set big goals than if you set safe goals you can easily achieve. It happens to be true. That’s what gets you out of bed in the morning,” he says. “I love proving people wrong when they say these things can’t be done.”

Take WWF’s work in Nepal. In the beginning, the situation was grim: rhinos were being poached, the tiger population was rapidly decreasing, entire forests were being cut down, and people were suffering because of environmental destruction. In 2006, seven of the organization’s staff members, along with government officials, journalists, aid workers, and crew members, died in a helicopter crash in the Himalayas. From that place of grief and despair, Carter assembled a new team to rebuild WWF’s programs in Nepal. In the last 12 years, the team has worked with communities to install more than 24,000 cookstoves in homes designed to burn wood efficiently, easing women’s burden of traveling far distances to collect firewood and also helping forests recover. Tiger populations have doubled, and no rhino poaching has been reported in the country in three years. “That gives me hope,” Carter says. “I have seen us bring things back to life that people declared were dead. It is a magnificent thing when that happens.”

year. “With the world’s population expected to grow to 11 billion by the end of this century, the demands on nature are going to increase dramatically. The only way we’re going to keep the planet intact is if we set really big goals and innovate like crazy using new technologies and new approaches to find breakthroughs.”

Despite the statistics, Carter sees opportunity everywhere he looks. “I continue to see in my work all these really amazing things we can invent with others. I can see all these possibilities. I do not go to bed at night having nightmares about the world. I go to bed at night obsessed with this: I don’t want to miss all the opportunities that are in front of us to do something about it.”

WWF’s innovative technical operations include missions like using artificial intelligence and satellite photography to track illegal fishing or using thermal imaging cameras to upend sophisticated poaching networks in Tanzania.

Partnerships Carter has formed with tech giants like Apple, Google, Facebook, and less widely known companies at the leading edge of technology are changing the way conservation work gets done. “Instead of saying, ‘We have a solution,’ and then asking for money, we throw an issue on the table and work with their engineers to help solve that problem together—that’s how we’ve earned a lot of their support,” he says.

One way WWF works to change the trajectory for Earth’s natural resources is by nudging consumers toward buying sustainable products—and businesses toward manufacturing and stocking them. For WWF, it’s another WESTMINSTER | 7

LEADING WITH OPTIMISM Longtime English teacher David Lauderdale had a habit of trying to predict the futures of the senior boys who filled his Campbell Hall classroom. In 1978, an 18-year-old Carter Roberts was dreaming of the international business he might lead. Mr. Lauderdale, though, thought Carter would end up leading something more familiar: Westminster. “I never did get that job,” Carter laughed when he returned to campus for his 40th Reunion this past April.

Carter Roberts ’78 gets acquainted with a resident of the Amazon Rainforest, an area that spans eight countries and contains half of the planet’s tropical forests.

Fast forward 40 years, and he’s CEO of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the world’s leading conservation organization. It’s complex work—combining science with global policy, inspiring action from local communities and international leaders alike, and delivering innovative solutions that are good for both nature and humanity. But that’s where Carter thrives.

Based in Washington, DC, Carter travels all over the globe in search of solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. For his world-changing work, Carter was inducted into Westminster’s Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame this April, the day before Reunion Weekend. Six weeks later, he was in Mexico celebrating an agreement to protect half of the country’s rivers by allocating sustainable volumes of water for people, for nature, and for business.

That moment of celebration was the culmination of 12 years of work between scientists, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations—only one example of WWF’s work to protect people and nature.

“You have to build an organization that is there and present and working so you can seize the opportunities when they present themselves,” Carter says, noting that the scientists on the ground in Mexico had worked doggedly for a dozen years to bring the agreement to fruition.

He refers to his work at the helm as “connecting the dots;” talk to him for just a few minutes, and it’s clear his experiences, his strengths, his passions, and his ambitions make him the ideal person for bringing disparate groups together under the common cause of protecting the environment. Carter’s mission is to build WWF’s capacities to make major progress against the world’s most challenging, most complex environmental goals in areas like the availability of water, child mortality and infant health, the stabilization of employment, and climate change, to name a few.

6 | Fall/Winter 2018

And when a big goal is met, like the agreement in Mexico—what’s that feeling? It’s like winning the World Series, he says. “It is the most palpable rush. It’s not something you experience alone—it’s something you experience with all the people who made it happen. It’s a chill down your spine, and you think, ‘My God, how lucky am I to work with these amazing people?’”

Carter, it seems, has an inner wellspring of hope—a necessity when your life’s work is to lead solutions for problems many would categorize as unsolvable and that some say are headed for inevitable catastrophes.

The urgency in his voice audible, Carter explains that humans are using 1.5 years’ worth of Earth’s resources every single year—a number that increases with each passing

CARTER, IT SEEMS, HAS AN INNER WELLSPRING OF HOPE—A NECESSITY WHEN YOUR LIFE’S WORK IS TO LEAD SOLUTIONS FOR PROBLEMS MANY WOULD CATEGORIZE AS UNSOLVABLE AND THAT SOME SAY ARE HEADED FOR INEVITABLE CATASTROPHES.

But the work is never done. On stage in Mexico, Carter made a promise to bring the ideas that made a difference in Mexico to Cape Town, South Africa, to the Andes, and to other places around the world where people are on the brink of not having enough water to survive. Part of his mission is to go beyond solving isolated problems and create solutions that work on a global scale.

“You will always have more success if you set big goals than if you set safe goals you can easily achieve. It happens to be true. That’s what gets you out of bed in the morning,” he says. “I love proving people wrong when they say these things can’t be done.”

Take WWF’s work in Nepal. In the beginning, the situation was grim: rhinos were being poached, the tiger population was rapidly decreasing, entire forests were being cut down, and people were suffering because of environmental destruction. In 2006, seven of the organization’s staff members, along with government officials, journalists, aid workers, and crew members, died in a helicopter crash in the Himalayas. From that place of grief and despair, Carter assembled a new team to rebuild WWF’s programs in Nepal. In the last 12 years, the team has worked with communities to install more than 24,000 cookstoves in homes designed to burn wood efficiently, easing women’s burden of traveling far distances to collect firewood and also helping forests recover. Tiger populations have doubled, and no rhino poaching has been reported in the country in three years. “That gives me hope,” Carter says. “I have seen us bring things back to life that people declared were dead. It is a magnificent thing when that happens.”

year. “With the world’s population expected to grow to 11 billion by the end of this century, the demands on nature are going to increase dramatically. The only way we’re going to keep the planet intact is if we set really big goals and innovate like crazy using new technologies and new approaches to find breakthroughs.”

Despite the statistics, Carter sees opportunity everywhere he looks. “I continue to see in my work all these really amazing things we can invent with others. I can see all these possibilities. I do not go to bed at night having nightmares about the world. I go to bed at night obsessed with this: I don’t want to miss all the opportunities that are in front of us to do something about it.”

WWF’s innovative technical operations include missions like using artificial intelligence and satellite photography to track illegal fishing or using thermal imaging cameras to upend sophisticated poaching networks in Tanzania.

Partnerships Carter has formed with tech giants like Apple, Google, Facebook, and less widely known companies at the leading edge of technology are changing the way conservation work gets done. “Instead of saying, ‘We have a solution,’ and then asking for money, we throw an issue on the table and work with their engineers to help solve that problem together—that’s how we’ve earned a lot of their support,” he says.

One way WWF works to change the trajectory for Earth’s natural resources is by nudging consumers toward buying sustainable products—and businesses toward manufacturing and stocking them. For WWF, it’s another WESTMINSTER | 7

Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame Nancy Beane remembers her father tinkering in their living room with experiments in the evenings after work: “He was a true renaissance man in every sense of the word. He was dedicated to his family and his work, he was a brilliant chemist, and also a talented writer. My dad never stopped exploring; he had a naturally curious mind that still inspires me to this day.” In 2005, Nancy, Associate Director of College Counseling, and her husband, John, sought to honor the memory of her father, John Will Thompson, at Westminster. A research chemist with Tennessee Eastman, the predecessor company to Eastman Chemical Company in Nancy’s hometown of Kingsport, Tennessee, Mr. Thompson held 25 patents in a variety of chemical research fields.

Together with their daughter, Kathryn ’97, the Beanes made a gift to create the Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame in memory of Nancy’s beloved father and to honor Westminster alumni who have made significant contributions to a professional field related to the sciences, medicine, or engineering. Nominees are considered based on career accomplishments. Recipients are individuals who demonstrate Westminster’s values, namely “... personal excellence, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learners caring for and serving the world.”

Dr. Philip Alvelda ’82 became the first inductee of the Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame in 2006. Dr. Alvelda was a Program Manager at DARPA’s Biologic Technologies Office, where he developed national-scale research and development programs and technologies at the intersection of engineering and biology. He is also the founding Chairman of WiseTeachers, a nonprofit helping K-12 schools extend STEM education with an emphasis on creativity and innovation.

Other recipients include: ●

Dr. J. Philip Saul ’74 (2008), Executive Vice President, Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics, West Virginia University

●

Dr. Marc Lipsitch ’87 (2009), Professor of Epidemiology at Harvard University’s Chan School of Public Health

●

Dr. Laurie Lee Humphries ’62 (2013), Nationally recognized psychiatrist and consultant to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

Westminster is proud to welcome Carter Roberts ’78 to this esteemed group.

multi-pronged approach: give consumers the tools to identify sustainable choices, work with governments to create a regulatory framework for businesses to operate within, and secure commitments from companies to only sell sustainable products. “At the end of the day, if we’re going to save the planet, we want all the things people buy to be sustainable, and we want businesses to offer nothing but sustainable choices,” Carter says. Businesses, he explains, are seeing increased pressure from their customers, their investors, and their boards to take responsibility for their role in environmental issues.

Solving global issues in this way is a marriage of ambition and passion for Carter. Even at age 18, sitting in David Lauderdale’s classroom, he knew he wanted to change the world.

In a college application essay in the form of letters between his future self and his father, Carter imagined himself in the emerging global economy. “The work I wanted to be doing was working with businesses in navigating the different geographic and political realities in different parts of the world and helping launch products that made a difference in the world,” he reflects.

After earning an undergraduate degree at Princeton and an MBA from Harvard, Carter entered the business world for a while, working in marketing management for Procter & Gamble and Gilette. In 1988, in the early days of the digital economy, he and a partner tried starting a Bostonbased business that would enable mothers to go online to buy products that were good for their children and good for the environment. The business ran into two roadblocks: In 1989, people weren’t confident in using the internet yet. And, many of the laundromats they hoped to partner with had deep mob connections and weren’t interested in outside partnerships.

When the business closed, it was Carter’s partner who told him about an opportunity doing land deals for The Nature Conservancy. The partner had been interviewing for the position but told Carter he would be a better fit for the job, beginning Carter’s journey in the conservation world.

“The moral of that story is: always be nice to your partners in business and your partners in life,” Carter says. “No matter what relationships you’re in, treat people well.”

Carter Roberts (second from left) joins President Keith Evans, Associate Director of College Counseling Nancy Beane, and her husband, John, in front of the Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame. The Beane Family created the Hall with a gift in memory of Nancy’s father, John Will Thompson.

8 | Fall/Winter 2018

Students gather after Carter’s Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame induction to ask him questions about his work protecting the environment.

RETURNING TO THE WILDCAT NATION

The day before Reunion Weekend, he graciously shared wisdom from his career all over campus—from being interviewed on the McCain stage for a Bolch Science Talk to joining science faculty for lunch to viewing wildlifeinspired artwork created by Lower Schoolers.

With a busy travel schedule (and three teenagers!), Carter hadn’t been back to Reunion Weekend in many years.

Fortunately, his lifelong friend John Spalding ’78 was more than happy to open up a guest room for him. “Carter was really well-rounded in school,” John remembers. “He did pretty much everything—co-editor of the Lynx, Ensemble, soccer, skiing—except football, which he had the good judgement to avoid. It was Carter’s well-rounded nature and curiosity that prepared him for his career.” During Reunion Weekend, Carter also reconnected with classmates he hadn’t seen in many years. “I learned a lot and took a lot of encouragement from the various people I ran into, but more than anything we had a lot of laughs,” Carter says.

Following the afternoon ceremony, a group of students, most of them members of Westminster’s Environmental Campus Organization (ECO), stayed back to ask more questions. With the students wanting to know how they could make a difference immediately, Carter told them: do what energizes you. Then he told the students how to contact him. A few of them did, with ideas about markets, incentives, and technology that Carter has been following up on.

Students asked Carter over and over again how they could use their future careers to make a difference. Carter told them where a career starts is not as important as the ability to cross disciplines. “What does matter is your

WESTMINSTER | 9

Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame Nancy Beane remembers her father tinkering in their living room with experiments in the evenings after work: “He was a true renaissance man in every sense of the word. He was dedicated to his family and his work, he was a brilliant chemist, and also a talented writer. My dad never stopped exploring; he had a naturally curious mind that still inspires me to this day.” In 2005, Nancy, Associate Director of College Counseling, and her husband, John, sought to honor the memory of her father, John Will Thompson, at Westminster. A research chemist with Tennessee Eastman, the predecessor company to Eastman Chemical Company in Nancy’s hometown of Kingsport, Tennessee, Mr. Thompson held 25 patents in a variety of chemical research fields.

Together with their daughter, Kathryn ’97, the Beanes made a gift to create the Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame in memory of Nancy’s beloved father and to honor Westminster alumni who have made significant contributions to a professional field related to the sciences, medicine, or engineering. Nominees are considered based on career accomplishments. Recipients are individuals who demonstrate Westminster’s values, namely “... personal excellence, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learners caring for and serving the world.”

Dr. Philip Alvelda ’82 became the first inductee of the Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame in 2006. Dr. Alvelda was a Program Manager at DARPA’s Biologic Technologies Office, where he developed national-scale research and development programs and technologies at the intersection of engineering and biology. He is also the founding Chairman of WiseTeachers, a nonprofit helping K-12 schools extend STEM education with an emphasis on creativity and innovation.

Other recipients include: ●

Dr. J. Philip Saul ’74 (2008), Executive Vice President, Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics, West Virginia University

●

Dr. Marc Lipsitch ’87 (2009), Professor of Epidemiology at Harvard University’s Chan School of Public Health

●

Dr. Laurie Lee Humphries ’62 (2013), Nationally recognized psychiatrist and consultant to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

Westminster is proud to welcome Carter Roberts ’78 to this esteemed group.

multi-pronged approach: give consumers the tools to identify sustainable choices, work with governments to create a regulatory framework for businesses to operate within, and secure commitments from companies to only sell sustainable products. “At the end of the day, if we’re going to save the planet, we want all the things people buy to be sustainable, and we want businesses to offer nothing but sustainable choices,” Carter says. Businesses, he explains, are seeing increased pressure from their customers, their investors, and their boards to take responsibility for their role in environmental issues.

Solving global issues in this way is a marriage of ambition and passion for Carter. Even at age 18, sitting in David Lauderdale’s classroom, he knew he wanted to change the world.

In a college application essay in the form of letters between his future self and his father, Carter imagined himself in the emerging global economy. “The work I wanted to be doing was working with businesses in navigating the different geographic and political realities in different parts of the world and helping launch products that made a difference in the world,” he reflects.

After earning an undergraduate degree at Princeton and an MBA from Harvard, Carter entered the business world for a while, working in marketing management for Procter & Gamble and Gilette. In 1988, in the early days of the digital economy, he and a partner tried starting a Bostonbased business that would enable mothers to go online to buy products that were good for their children and good for the environment. The business ran into two roadblocks: In 1989, people weren’t confident in using the internet yet. And, many of the laundromats they hoped to partner with had deep mob connections and weren’t interested in outside partnerships.

When the business closed, it was Carter’s partner who told him about an opportunity doing land deals for The Nature Conservancy. The partner had been interviewing for the position but told Carter he would be a better fit for the job, beginning Carter’s journey in the conservation world.

“The moral of that story is: always be nice to your partners in business and your partners in life,” Carter says. “No matter what relationships you’re in, treat people well.”

Carter Roberts (second from left) joins President Keith Evans, Associate Director of College Counseling Nancy Beane, and her husband, John, in front of the Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame. The Beane Family created the Hall with a gift in memory of Nancy’s father, John Will Thompson.

8 | Fall/Winter 2018

Students gather after Carter’s Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame induction to ask him questions about his work protecting the environment.

RETURNING TO THE WILDCAT NATION

The day before Reunion Weekend, he graciously shared wisdom from his career all over campus—from being interviewed on the McCain stage for a Bolch Science Talk to joining science faculty for lunch to viewing wildlifeinspired artwork created by Lower Schoolers.

With a busy travel schedule (and three teenagers!), Carter hadn’t been back to Reunion Weekend in many years.

Fortunately, his lifelong friend John Spalding ’78 was more than happy to open up a guest room for him. “Carter was really well-rounded in school,” John remembers. “He did pretty much everything—co-editor of the Lynx, Ensemble, soccer, skiing—except football, which he had the good judgement to avoid. It was Carter’s well-rounded nature and curiosity that prepared him for his career.” During Reunion Weekend, Carter also reconnected with classmates he hadn’t seen in many years. “I learned a lot and took a lot of encouragement from the various people I ran into, but more than anything we had a lot of laughs,” Carter says.

Following the afternoon ceremony, a group of students, most of them members of Westminster’s Environmental Campus Organization (ECO), stayed back to ask more questions. With the students wanting to know how they could make a difference immediately, Carter told them: do what energizes you. Then he told the students how to contact him. A few of them did, with ideas about markets, incentives, and technology that Carter has been following up on.

Students asked Carter over and over again how they could use their future careers to make a difference. Carter told them where a career starts is not as important as the ability to cross disciplines. “What does matter is your

WESTMINSTER | 9

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LOOKING TO THE FUTURE At age 29, Carter amended the dreams he wrote about in his college applications in the form of a bucket list of sorts. “It had the usual things on it—I imagined it would be great to be married, to have a bunch of kids, to live in a neighborhood with big trees and sidewalks and front porches,” he says. “And I also had on it that I wanted to have seen the Himalayas, the Arctic, the Amazon, and Africa. I wanted to write a book, I wanted to become fluent in a language, and I wanted to lead a group of people saving the most important places on Earth.”

The list resurfaced during a spring cleaning spree about five years ago, and he called his board chair and friend Neville Isdell, who previously served as Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Companies. “I said, ‘What do you do when you find a list you made when you were a lot younger, and you’ve accomplished a lot of those things?’ He said, ‘Well, it’s clear what you need to do: you need to make a new list.’”

Carter’s not revealing the entirety of his new list, but writing a book is still on it, as are collaring a snow leopard in the Himalayas, playing a round at Augusta National, and traveling to the few places in the world he’s never seen.

Carter and his wife, Jackie Prince Roberts, enjoy a safari at sunset.

ability to connect the dots with the other sectors,” he explained during his Hall of Fame Induction. “The people who are the geniuses in our work that are making the biggest difference are people who have not stayed in one place. Instead they have jumped and have acquired the knowledge and experience to understand science, to know how businesses bring products to market, and to design regulations that can make it easier for businesses to do the right thing. Not to put too much pressure on you, but we are really counting on you to acquire a set of skills across disciplines, to invent new things, and then to think about how whatever you do relates to the planet, because at the end of the day, the planet is our home.”

Returning to campus made an impression on Carter, too. He barely recognized it in many ways. “I was blown away by the diversity. Here are people from all walks of life and all corners of the world. I deal with global issues

10 | Fall/Winter 2018

in different corners of the world right now, and people who understand different cultures, different geographies, different religions, different parts of society are the ones who are making the biggest difference in my field.”

His visit over Reunion Weekend gave Carter time to reflect on the impact the School has had on his life and career.

One of his fondest memories was his participation in Ensemble, a group that continues to take a European tour every Spring Break. “I am grateful for the chance to come back to Westminster. This was a place where I grew up, where I got to take classes from extraordinary teachers, and where I had the chance to go on a singing tour in 1977 to Moscow and St. Petersburg and all kinds of other places and see how open the world was—a privileged experience which helped inspire what I do today, so I’m grateful to Westminster for providing that kind of perspective.”

He thinks a lot about his legacy. To that end, he describes success as having made a measurable difference in the world. For him, that means preserving the natural world, empowering future generations to do so, and having a family in which every member is flourishing.

Bolch Science Talks Carter Roberts ’78 was the most recent in a line of internationally recognized experts and speakers who have come to campus through the Bolch Science Talk Series. Thanks to the generosity and vision of the Bolch family through the endowed Bolch Family Fund for Science Education, students in all three divisions have enjoyed a wide array of leaders in the fields of science, technology, medicine, and engineering. Bolch Science Talk speakers have included Dr. Edward Kim, an oncologist at MD Anderson, Dr. Adam Bjork of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Global HIV/AIDS Division, and Dr. Derreck Kayongo, founder of the Global Soap Project.

“Our motivation to establish the Bolch Science Talks was to reach those students who feel distant from the sciences, who ask themselves, ‘What does science have to do with me?’” shares Susan Bolch. “We sought to help Westminster students of all ages understand the connections that scientific fields have with everyday life and find a new appreciation for science in and out of the classroom.” Together with her husband, Carl E. Bolch Jr., and their children Natalie Bolch Morhous ’01, Melanie Bolch Isbill ’02, and Jordan Bolch, Susan and her family remain active with the Fund and the speaker series.

Melanie and Susan were delighted to visit with Carter this year after he spoke to the entire Upper School during an assembly. “Carter is exactly the type of person we envisioned when we made our gift almost 25 years ago,” Susan reflects. The Bolch Family Fund for Science Education also provides critical support for curriculum development grants in the sciences in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, as well as the School’s cross-curricular science offerings in JanTerm.

“To me, success would be that long after I’m gone, those places are still around and still providing water and food for people, stabilizing our climate, and supporting forms of life that are wondrous—and that my grandkids could go and visit those places and be filled with awe.”

Will Smith ’18 and Will Spillman ’18 moderate a Bolch Science Talk in McCain Chapel about the environment and Carter’s career the day before Reunion Weekend.

WESTMINSTER | 11

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LOOKING TO THE FUTURE At age 29, Carter amended the dreams he wrote about in his college applications in the form of a bucket list of sorts. “It had the usual things on it—I imagined it would be great to be married, to have a bunch of kids, to live in a neighborhood with big trees and sidewalks and front porches,” he says. “And I also had on it that I wanted to have seen the Himalayas, the Arctic, the Amazon, and Africa. I wanted to write a book, I wanted to become fluent in a language, and I wanted to lead a group of people saving the most important places on Earth.”

The list resurfaced during a spring cleaning spree about five years ago, and he called his board chair and friend Neville Isdell, who previously served as Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Companies. “I said, ‘What do you do when you find a list you made when you were a lot younger, and you’ve accomplished a lot of those things?’ He said, ‘Well, it’s clear what you need to do: you need to make a new list.’”

Carter’s not revealing the entirety of his new list, but writing a book is still on it, as are collaring a snow leopard in the Himalayas, playing a round at Augusta National, and traveling to the few places in the world he’s never seen.

Carter and his wife, Jackie Prince Roberts, enjoy a safari at sunset.

ability to connect the dots with the other sectors,” he explained during his Hall of Fame Induction. “The people who are the geniuses in our work that are making the biggest difference are people who have not stayed in one place. Instead they have jumped and have acquired the knowledge and experience to understand science, to know how businesses bring products to market, and to design regulations that can make it easier for businesses to do the right thing. Not to put too much pressure on you, but we are really counting on you to acquire a set of skills across disciplines, to invent new things, and then to think about how whatever you do relates to the planet, because at the end of the day, the planet is our home.”

Returning to campus made an impression on Carter, too. He barely recognized it in many ways. “I was blown away by the diversity. Here are people from all walks of life and all corners of the world. I deal with global issues

10 | Fall/Winter 2018

in different corners of the world right now, and people who understand different cultures, different geographies, different religions, different parts of society are the ones who are making the biggest difference in my field.”

His visit over Reunion Weekend gave Carter time to reflect on the impact the School has had on his life and career.

One of his fondest memories was his participation in Ensemble, a group that continues to take a European tour every Spring Break. “I am grateful for the chance to come back to Westminster. This was a place where I grew up, where I got to take classes from extraordinary teachers, and where I had the chance to go on a singing tour in 1977 to Moscow and St. Petersburg and all kinds of other places and see how open the world was—a privileged experience which helped inspire what I do today, so I’m grateful to Westminster for providing that kind of perspective.”

He thinks a lot about his legacy. To that end, he describes success as having made a measurable difference in the world. For him, that means preserving the natural world, empowering future generations to do so, and having a family in which every member is flourishing.

Bolch Science Talks Carter Roberts ’78 was the most recent in a line of internationally recognized experts and speakers who have come to campus through the Bolch Science Talk Series. Thanks to the generosity and vision of the Bolch family through the endowed Bolch Family Fund for Science Education, students in all three divisions have enjoyed a wide array of leaders in the fields of science, technology, medicine, and engineering. Bolch Science Talk speakers have included Dr. Edward Kim, an oncologist at MD Anderson, Dr. Adam Bjork of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Global HIV/AIDS Division, and Dr. Derreck Kayongo, founder of the Global Soap Project.

“Our motivation to establish the Bolch Science Talks was to reach those students who feel distant from the sciences, who ask themselves, ‘What does science have to do with me?’” shares Susan Bolch. “We sought to help Westminster students of all ages understand the connections that scientific fields have with everyday life and find a new appreciation for science in and out of the classroom.” Together with her husband, Carl E. Bolch Jr., and their children Natalie Bolch Morhous ’01, Melanie Bolch Isbill ’02, and Jordan Bolch, Susan and her family remain active with the Fund and the speaker series.

Melanie and Susan were delighted to visit with Carter this year after he spoke to the entire Upper School during an assembly. “Carter is exactly the type of person we envisioned when we made our gift almost 25 years ago,” Susan reflects. The Bolch Family Fund for Science Education also provides critical support for curriculum development grants in the sciences in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, as well as the School’s cross-curricular science offerings in JanTerm.

“To me, success would be that long after I’m gone, those places are still around and still providing water and food for people, stabilizing our climate, and supporting forms of life that are wondrous—and that my grandkids could go and visit those places and be filled with awe.”

Will Smith ’18 and Will Spillman ’18 moderate a Bolch Science Talk in McCain Chapel about the environment and Carter’s career the day before Reunion Weekend.

WESTMINSTER | 11

DREAMERS, SCHEMERS, and

True Believers WESTMINSTER: A VERY BIG IDEA

Malon Courts, Dr. William Pressly, Mrs. George Hoyt, and Fritz Orr study the plans for Westminster’s development on the original land.

By Erin Dentmon, Creative Services and Publications Manager 12 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 13

DREAMERS, SCHEMERS, and

True Believers WESTMINSTER: A VERY BIG IDEA

Malon Courts, Dr. William Pressly, Mrs. George Hoyt, and Fritz Orr study the plans for Westminster’s development on the original land.

By Erin Dentmon, Creative Services and Publications Manager 12 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 13

On a wooded plot of land, on the undeveloped northern border of Atlanta, Westminster’s founders began to hatch a vision that would forever change the city’s educational landscape. They imagined a school experience unlike anything seen in Atlanta—or the Southeast—at the time. Together, they dreamed of a vibrant environment imbued with challenge that would propel students into the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities and eventually propel the city of Atlanta onto the national stage.

As with all big ideas, the path to building a school that is recognized today as one of the country’s finest independent K-12 institutions wasn’t always smooth. The early visionaries and their supporters encountered trials and setbacks along the way, but their commitment to providing an outstanding education for young Atlantans was steadfast and saw them through the hard but important work of always moving the needle. In subsequent years, this commitment has been evident in myriad ways, from integration during the Civil Rights era to pioneering academic programs and robust international experiences.

Today, we continue to benefit from the courage of those who came before us. We are inspired by their aspirations and continue to build upon them as we seek to fulfill the School’s mission of launching young men and women of conscience into a world that needs them.

CITY LEADERS DREAM OF EXCELLENCE

for Atlanta

As the 20th century approached its midpoint, the president of Agnes Scott College, James Ross McCain, along with many others, bemoaned the lack of a strong independent school in Atlanta. So when North Avenue Presbyterian School (NAPS), of which he was a board member, was

14 | Fall/Winter 2018

set to close, McCain and other city fathers and mothers instead decided to create the school Atlanta longed to have.

McCain approached Dr. William Laurens Pressly, then one of three headmasters at McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to help recruit a founding headmaster. Dr. Pressly submitted only one name for consideration: his own.

Starting the new school was an extraordinary gamble for Dr. Pressly—he was deeply enmeshed in school life at McCallie, and there was no guarantee the new school would be a success. But as he described in his memoir, The Formative Years, “ambition at last reached a crossroads with opportunity.” Dr. Pressly jumped on the chance to start a school in Atlanta that would usher in a new educational era, sparked in part by the energy of the Board of Trustees and the belief of Atlanta civic leaders that the venture would succeed.

Askew Halls were planned to be stately, with an aura of permanence. Separate buildings for boys and girls were an obvious need at the time, given the School’s method of holding single-sex academic classes for boys and girls.

The buildings were designed by Frances Daves, an expert architect in the Georgian and Neoclassical styles.

The campus plan intentionally echoed that of the University of Virginia, which Thomas Jefferson designed in alignment with Greek principles related to the development of democracy.

But these buildings were just a dream in 1951. As Dr. Pressly connected with fellow dreamers across the city, the vision for Westminster came to life. The “enterprising and visionary” Board of Trustees laid the groundwork for the School. “You need ample help from a ‘brain trust’— people who aren’t just technocrats but are dreamers and schemers and true believers,” Dr. Pressly wrote. He found those and more in the group that gathered around the big idea of Westminster.

With Fritz Orr’s generosity and vision for the land he’d sold to the School, Laurence Kent’s engineering expertise, Welborn Cody’s legal knowledge, Mrs. James Malone’s can-do spirit, Dr. James Ross McCain’s vision for academic excellence, and Vernon Broyles’s faith that Westminster would be “one of God’s miracles,” the campus began to take shape.

The ambitious plan to start a school unlike any other and build a campus to suit it required commitment both broad and deep. To bring the campus to fruition, Westminster’s leaders set out to raise $1 million while still holding classes on property owned by NAPS. “But would a goal of $1 million intimidate Atlantans who would be asked to help

establish the school?” Dr. Pressly questioned. “After all, we’d barely scratched up enough dollars to start classes in buildings that already existed.” It was a new era for education in Atlanta—homework on weekends and a $1 million campaign. But invested Atlantans would rise to the occasion again and again.

You need ample help from a ‘brain trust’—people who aren’t just technocrats but are dreamers and schemers and true believers.

-Dr. William Pressly

Of course, it didn’t always seem that they would. In spring 1952, responses to invitations for a dinner to kick off the campaign came in at a painfully slow pace—so slow, in fact, a fundraising consultant helping the board raise money declared the campaign destined to fail and said he saw no reason to continue. Dr. Pressly vowed to do everything possible to fill the ballroom of Piedmont Driving Club, rallying a group of volunteers who made round-the-clock phone calls to potential donors.

To the relief of this dedicated group, guests filled every table in the ballroom for the fundraiser. “Impassioned pleas on behalf of high-quality education” from the presidents of Oglethorpe University and Agnes Scott College intensified the audience’s desire for a school of excellence in Atlanta.

The superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools came to support the idea. Even Coca-Cola’s Robert Woodruff, who’d previously told Dr. Pressly he stood behind the

In 1951, Dr. Pressly and a small cohort of city leaders walked along land formerly belonging to Fritz Orr’s summer camp at 1424 West Paces Ferry Road. They dreamt and planned for what the sloping acreage alongside Nancy Creek could one day become. Upon seeing the ridges rising from the landscape, the group decided that the longest ridge should become home to the buildings planned for Westminster’s new campus.

If the school were to lead in Atlanta the way they envisioned, it would need to look the part. From the first drawings, the buildings that would become Campbell and

Askew Hall, built as the Girls School, was the first building to rise on Westminster’s campus. Campbell Hall followed a few months later. Dr. Pressly reflected in The Formative Years that he and Marion Keenan worked amid the screech of buzz saws, dodging puddles on rainy days, during those intervening months.

WESTMINSTER | 15

On a wooded plot of land, on the undeveloped northern border of Atlanta, Westminster’s founders began to hatch a vision that would forever change the city’s educational landscape. They imagined a school experience unlike anything seen in Atlanta—or the Southeast—at the time. Together, they dreamed of a vibrant environment imbued with challenge that would propel students into the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities and eventually propel the city of Atlanta onto the national stage.

As with all big ideas, the path to building a school that is recognized today as one of the country’s finest independent K-12 institutions wasn’t always smooth. The early visionaries and their supporters encountered trials and setbacks along the way, but their commitment to providing an outstanding education for young Atlantans was steadfast and saw them through the hard but important work of always moving the needle. In subsequent years, this commitment has been evident in myriad ways, from integration during the Civil Rights era to pioneering academic programs and robust international experiences.

Today, we continue to benefit from the courage of those who came before us. We are inspired by their aspirations and continue to build upon them as we seek to fulfill the School’s mission of launching young men and women of conscience into a world that needs them.

CITY LEADERS DREAM OF EXCELLENCE

for Atlanta

As the 20th century approached its midpoint, the president of Agnes Scott College, James Ross McCain, along with many others, bemoaned the lack of a strong independent school in Atlanta. So when North Avenue Presbyterian School (NAPS), of which he was a board member, was

14 | Fall/Winter 2018

set to close, McCain and other city fathers and mothers instead decided to create the school Atlanta longed to have.

McCain approached Dr. William Laurens Pressly, then one of three headmasters at McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to help recruit a founding headmaster. Dr. Pressly submitted only one name for consideration: his own.

Starting the new school was an extraordinary gamble for Dr. Pressly—he was deeply enmeshed in school life at McCallie, and there was no guarantee the new school would be a success. But as he described in his memoir, The Formative Years, “ambition at last reached a crossroads with opportunity.” Dr. Pressly jumped on the chance to start a school in Atlanta that would usher in a new educational era, sparked in part by the energy of the Board of Trustees and the belief of Atlanta civic leaders that the venture would succeed.

Askew Halls were planned to be stately, with an aura of permanence. Separate buildings for boys and girls were an obvious need at the time, given the School’s method of holding single-sex academic classes for boys and girls.

The buildings were designed by Frances Daves, an expert architect in the Georgian and Neoclassical styles.

The campus plan intentionally echoed that of the University of Virginia, which Thomas Jefferson designed in alignment with Greek principles related to the development of democracy.

But these buildings were just a dream in 1951. As Dr. Pressly connected with fellow dreamers across the city, the vision for Westminster came to life. The “enterprising and visionary” Board of Trustees laid the groundwork for the School. “You need ample help from a ‘brain trust’— people who aren’t just technocrats but are dreamers and schemers and true believers,” Dr. Pressly wrote. He found those and more in the group that gathered around the big idea of Westminster.

With Fritz Orr’s generosity and vision for the land he’d sold to the School, Laurence Kent’s engineering expertise, Welborn Cody’s legal knowledge, Mrs. James Malone’s can-do spirit, Dr. James Ross McCain’s vision for academic excellence, and Vernon Broyles’s faith that Westminster would be “one of God’s miracles,” the campus began to take shape.

The ambitious plan to start a school unlike any other and build a campus to suit it required commitment both broad and deep. To bring the campus to fruition, Westminster’s leaders set out to raise $1 million while still holding classes on property owned by NAPS. “But would a goal of $1 million intimidate Atlantans who would be asked to help

establish the school?” Dr. Pressly questioned. “After all, we’d barely scratched up enough dollars to start classes in buildings that already existed.” It was a new era for education in Atlanta—homework on weekends and a $1 million campaign. But invested Atlantans would rise to the occasion again and again.

You need ample help from a ‘brain trust’—people who aren’t just technocrats but are dreamers and schemers and true believers.

-Dr. William Pressly

Of course, it didn’t always seem that they would. In spring 1952, responses to invitations for a dinner to kick off the campaign came in at a painfully slow pace—so slow, in fact, a fundraising consultant helping the board raise money declared the campaign destined to fail and said he saw no reason to continue. Dr. Pressly vowed to do everything possible to fill the ballroom of Piedmont Driving Club, rallying a group of volunteers who made round-the-clock phone calls to potential donors.

To the relief of this dedicated group, guests filled every table in the ballroom for the fundraiser. “Impassioned pleas on behalf of high-quality education” from the presidents of Oglethorpe University and Agnes Scott College intensified the audience’s desire for a school of excellence in Atlanta.

The superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools came to support the idea. Even Coca-Cola’s Robert Woodruff, who’d previously told Dr. Pressly he stood behind the

In 1951, Dr. Pressly and a small cohort of city leaders walked along land formerly belonging to Fritz Orr’s summer camp at 1424 West Paces Ferry Road. They dreamt and planned for what the sloping acreage alongside Nancy Creek could one day become. Upon seeing the ridges rising from the landscape, the group decided that the longest ridge should become home to the buildings planned for Westminster’s new campus.

If the school were to lead in Atlanta the way they envisioned, it would need to look the part. From the first drawings, the buildings that would become Campbell and

Askew Hall, built as the Girls School, was the first building to rise on Westminster’s campus. Campbell Hall followed a few months later. Dr. Pressly reflected in The Formative Years that he and Marion Keenan worked amid the screech of buzz saws, dodging puddles on rainy days, during those intervening months.

WESTMINSTER | 15

Teachers who would become legends were all-in for Westminster, as Dr. Pressly wrote in The Formative Years: Succeeding generations of Westminster students would owe debts of gratitude to these early faculty members who shared our vision that the new school would not be provincial and would strive to rank among the nation’s very best. These outstanding people were intrigued by the idea of helping start something.

On Saturday mornings, most of Westminster’s teachers couldn’t resist the urge to return to the School... They swapped foibles, sharing the realization that they’d gambled on the new school with their own careers and vowing that the gamble would pay off. None of us who lived through these heady days will ever doubt they were the high moments of our lives.

Having opened Askew and Campbell in 1953 (and having successfully raised the $1 million that once seemed an insurmountable sum), school leaders embarked on a second major campaign in 1954. This time, investments were needed for an elementary school and an on-campus home for the president.

SPIRIT AND GENEROSITY CREATE

a New Experience As buildings went up, questions about construction from students and parents poured in for Dr. Pressly, who found himself a frequent visitor in the offices of the architect and contractors, ensuring the School’s buildings would be suitable for its aspirations.

16 | Fall/Winter 2018

“This swirl of activity helped reaffirm my own belief that headmastering is one of life’s greatest callings—it all never seemed like work; rather, it was tantamount to opening a Cracker Jack box each day, or to Magellan or Robinson Crusoe embarking on yet another fantastic voyage. You wondered about the surprises, the challenges, the treasures and pleasures that lay beyond the next reef or isthmus,” Dr. Pressly reflected.

Westminster’s student experience was rapidly taking shape, too. From the first class of eighth graders, Westminster students had contagious school spirit, an eagerness to learn, pride in their own and each other’s achievements, and a healthy competitiveness, drawing out the best in one another. They quickly adjusted to homework, too, something most students in Atlanta didn’t have at the time.

Thanks largely to Ivan Allen, who accompanied me to make personal visits to 60 key prospective donors, the campaign surpassed its goal. And up, up, up went the foundation of the elementary school building. When the walls were only three feet high, we invited each child to buy a brick for 25 cents and put his or her name on it.

Every pupil in the elementary school participated. At a ceremony, each child excitedly handed his or her brick to a bricklayer, who laid the brick—signature inward—in the wall. Years later, many Westminster alumni would tell me, “I remember which brick is mine. I could take you to it today.”

This swirl of activity helped reaffirm my own belief that headmastering is one of life’s greatest callings—it all never seemed like work; rather, it was tantamount to opening a Cracker Jack box each day, or to Magellan or Robinson Crusoe embarking on yet another fantastic voyage.

You wondered about the surprises, the challenges, the treasures and pleasures that lay beyond the next reef or isthmus.

-Dr. William Pressly

Scott Hall, the original Elementary School, was the third building built on Westminster’s campus. Students eagerly contributed bricks to the project. Pressly Hall came shortly after, and the space between the buildings became a “lively quadrangle” that has served as the center of campus for many years.

idea of a high-quality independent school but would be devoting his resources to Emory University’s medical school instead, contributed $50,000 in the subsequent months.

Dr. Pressly recalled:

Pressly Hall was designed to provide spaces where the entire student body could experience school life together—a library, a chapel, and dining facilities, in addition to administrative offices.

Its position between Campbell and Askew and across from Scott is demonstrative of its purpose.

The ingenuity and generosity of the School’s founders would prove invaluable time and time again—like the time Board Member Malon Courts called on an anonymous foundation to purchase $178,000 of land adjacent to campus when the Board had decided other priorities had to take precedence. With a beginner’s resources and only a few years into its existence, Westminster began to rival academic institutions in the northeast with decades-longer histories, millions-higher endowments, and acres-larger campuses.

As our students’ and teachers’ eagerness and ambition continued to steadily grow over the years, Westminster quickly established itself as a leader not just in Atlanta,

WESTMINSTER | 17

Teachers who would become legends were all-in for Westminster, as Dr. Pressly wrote in The Formative Years: Succeeding generations of Westminster students would owe debts of gratitude to these early faculty members who shared our vision that the new school would not be provincial and would strive to rank among the nation’s very best. These outstanding people were intrigued by the idea of helping start something.

On Saturday mornings, most of Westminster’s teachers couldn’t resist the urge to return to the School... They swapped foibles, sharing the realization that they’d gambled on the new school with their own careers and vowing that the gamble would pay off. None of us who lived through these heady days will ever doubt they were the high moments of our lives.

Having opened Askew and Campbell in 1953 (and having successfully raised the $1 million that once seemed an insurmountable sum), school leaders embarked on a second major campaign in 1954. This time, investments were needed for an elementary school and an on-campus home for the president.

SPIRIT AND GENEROSITY CREATE

a New Experience As buildings went up, questions about construction from students and parents poured in for Dr. Pressly, who found himself a frequent visitor in the offices of the architect and contractors, ensuring the School’s buildings would be suitable for its aspirations.

16 | Fall/Winter 2018

“This swirl of activity helped reaffirm my own belief that headmastering is one of life’s greatest callings—it all never seemed like work; rather, it was tantamount to opening a Cracker Jack box each day, or to Magellan or Robinson Crusoe embarking on yet another fantastic voyage. You wondered about the surprises, the challenges, the treasures and pleasures that lay beyond the next reef or isthmus,” Dr. Pressly reflected.

Westminster’s student experience was rapidly taking shape, too. From the first class of eighth graders, Westminster students had contagious school spirit, an eagerness to learn, pride in their own and each other’s achievements, and a healthy competitiveness, drawing out the best in one another. They quickly adjusted to homework, too, something most students in Atlanta didn’t have at the time.

Thanks largely to Ivan Allen, who accompanied me to make personal visits to 60 key prospective donors, the campaign surpassed its goal. And up, up, up went the foundation of the elementary school building. When the walls were only three feet high, we invited each child to buy a brick for 25 cents and put his or her name on it.

Every pupil in the elementary school participated. At a ceremony, each child excitedly handed his or her brick to a bricklayer, who laid the brick—signature inward—in the wall. Years later, many Westminster alumni would tell me, “I remember which brick is mine. I could take you to it today.”

This swirl of activity helped reaffirm my own belief that headmastering is one of life’s greatest callings—it all never seemed like work; rather, it was tantamount to opening a Cracker Jack box each day, or to Magellan or Robinson Crusoe embarking on yet another fantastic voyage.

You wondered about the surprises, the challenges, the treasures and pleasures that lay beyond the next reef or isthmus.

-Dr. William Pressly

Scott Hall, the original Elementary School, was the third building built on Westminster’s campus. Students eagerly contributed bricks to the project. Pressly Hall came shortly after, and the space between the buildings became a “lively quadrangle” that has served as the center of campus for many years.

idea of a high-quality independent school but would be devoting his resources to Emory University’s medical school instead, contributed $50,000 in the subsequent months.

Dr. Pressly recalled:

Pressly Hall was designed to provide spaces where the entire student body could experience school life together—a library, a chapel, and dining facilities, in addition to administrative offices.

Its position between Campbell and Askew and across from Scott is demonstrative of its purpose.

The ingenuity and generosity of the School’s founders would prove invaluable time and time again—like the time Board Member Malon Courts called on an anonymous foundation to purchase $178,000 of land adjacent to campus when the Board had decided other priorities had to take precedence. With a beginner’s resources and only a few years into its existence, Westminster began to rival academic institutions in the northeast with decades-longer histories, millions-higher endowments, and acres-larger campuses.

As our students’ and teachers’ eagerness and ambition continued to steadily grow over the years, Westminster quickly established itself as a leader not just in Atlanta,

WESTMINSTER | 17

When we demand excellence in education and work toward that goal, the result isn’t just better schools but a world of fulfillment and hope and brighter tomorrows.

-Dr. William Pressly Today’s students and teachers are embracing collaborative, connective learning that equips them to lead in a rapidly changing world. Middle School architecture students are designing and building spaces to help local nonprofits realize their missions. Exchange groups are staying connected year-round to peers who live on the other side of the world. First graders find inspiration at every turn, growing lessons like observing birds for art class into projects like an original, scripted puppet show. JanTerm gives our students the opportunity to tackle real-world problems, like the student who researched, created, and implemented an app to help medical teams manage patient care. The possibilities for learning are endless when our bright, ambitious students are paired with high-caliber teachers ready to guide them to and beyond their highest aspirations.

Current students enjoy adaptable spaces, like the Smythe Gambrell Library’s flexible areas for independent and group learning in the Lower School and the Middle School Innovation Space (pictured), which allows all Middle Schoolers to explore any academic subject in depth through immersive, cross-disciplinary projects.

but among all independent schools in the nation. The tradition of generosity that began in the School’s earliest days continued, with the community answering the call to help Westminster launch young men and women into lives as leaders of conscience.

Westminster’s founding idea, that the School could provide opportunity for young people through excellent education, has continued on and grown throughout the years. In The Formative Years, Dr. Pressly noted that “the brightest minds... exist throughout the community, and Westminster is obligated to seek them out and give them its unique intellectual challenge.” With an ever-expanding footprint in Atlanta and across the globe, Westminster has remained committed to understanding what it takes to build leaders for our city. Upon hearing Harvard’s admissions director praise the School in the late 1980s, Dr. Pressly reflected on his dream, our School, and the growth of both: “His words stand in celebration of a small boy’s fantasy decades ago

18 | Fall/Winter 2018

in a small-town schoolhouse, of countless Americans who shared his hopes many years later, of a school whose report card today shows that dreams can indeed come true.”

OUR CAMPUS AS

a Catalyst

In our buildings, students’ hearts and minds have awakened to new ideas, connected to the world’s needs, and discovered their true passions. From those first exciting days when Westminster was just beginning to imprint on the city’s map to pioneering Advanced Placement classes and today’s globally focused, interdisciplinary opportunities, Westminster’s campus has been a launch pad for generations of leaders.

Westminster has always been a community that, at its core, is contemptuous of complacency. Our timeless values continue to guide us as we prepare students to be the bold, creative leaders the world needs. As Dr. Pressly concluded in the epilogue of The Formative Years: “When we demand excellence in education and work toward that goal, the result isn’t just better schools but a world of fulfillment and hope and brighter tomorrows.” A school’s spaces can be a catalyst for empowering students to bring those brighter tomorrows to the world.

Our Board of Trustees has approved a campus plan (see sidebar) designed to take us even further in fulfilling our mission in a way that meets the world’s needs while honoring our historic commitments. Our campus plan envisions spaces that will serve as teachers, fostering connections and giving students and faculty the flexibility to learn, collaborate, and innovate.

Dr. Pressly walked the ridges of our wooded plot of land in 1951 with a big dream in mind. We feel the same sense of possibility today as we envision the game-changing journeys yet to start here.

A CAMPUS PLAN SHAPED

by Our Values

The Westminster community has been thinking about the evolution of our campus for some time. The impact our buildings and grounds have on teaching and learning was a common thread throughout our strategic plan, For College and For Life. The strategic plan recognizes the world is changing rapidly: it is more global and interconnected, increasingly leverages technology, and embraces new methodologies of teaching and learning.

Seizing these challenges and opportunities requires studies that integrate rather than separate; problems that require critical thinking, creativity and collaboration; and schedules and spaces that fit 21st century learning.

Just as a Westminster education needs to respond to these challenges, so too does the campus setting. To that end, Westminster completed a comprehensive campus planning process during the 2017-18 school year that included a number of activities—research, data collection, analysis, and benchmarking—to assess where the School is now.

Most importantly, the process included a broad crosssection of the Westminster community, in wide-ranging conversations, to identify where the School wants to be in the future, particularly around student experience and leading in academic excellence.

Five key themes emerged from the campus planning process that will guide the continued evolution of our campus: • We are committed to expressing our founding values in our community and our campus.

• We will deepen the impact of Westminster’s unique student experience.

• We will build community and foster connection.

• We will learn in transparent and flexible settings designed to serve as catalysts for an engaging academic program.

• We will serve Atlanta and develop leaders of conscience for our city, nation, and world.

These themes will be top of mind as Westminster reenvisions and creates spaces that function as teachers, enablers, and catalysts for our students, continuing to fulfill our mission.

WESTMINSTER | 19

When we demand excellence in education and work toward that goal, the result isn’t just better schools but a world of fulfillment and hope and brighter tomorrows.

-Dr. William Pressly Today’s students and teachers are embracing collaborative, connective learning that equips them to lead in a rapidly changing world. Middle School architecture students are designing and building spaces to help local nonprofits realize their missions. Exchange groups are staying connected year-round to peers who live on the other side of the world. First graders find inspiration at every turn, growing lessons like observing birds for art class into projects like an original, scripted puppet show. JanTerm gives our students the opportunity to tackle real-world problems, like the student who researched, created, and implemented an app to help medical teams manage patient care. The possibilities for learning are endless when our bright, ambitious students are paired with high-caliber teachers ready to guide them to and beyond their highest aspirations.

Current students enjoy adaptable spaces, like the Smythe Gambrell Library’s flexible areas for independent and group learning in the Lower School and the Middle School Innovation Space (pictured), which allows all Middle Schoolers to explore any academic subject in depth through immersive, cross-disciplinary projects.

but among all independent schools in the nation. The tradition of generosity that began in the School’s earliest days continued, with the community answering the call to help Westminster launch young men and women into lives as leaders of conscience.

Westminster’s founding idea, that the School could provide opportunity for young people through excellent education, has continued on and grown throughout the years. In The Formative Years, Dr. Pressly noted that “the brightest minds... exist throughout the community, and Westminster is obligated to seek them out and give them its unique intellectual challenge.” With an ever-expanding footprint in Atlanta and across the globe, Westminster has remained committed to understanding what it takes to build leaders for our city. Upon hearing Harvard’s admissions director praise the School in the late 1980s, Dr. Pressly reflected on his dream, our School, and the growth of both: “His words stand in celebration of a small boy’s fantasy decades ago

18 | Fall/Winter 2018

in a small-town schoolhouse, of countless Americans who shared his hopes many years later, of a school whose report card today shows that dreams can indeed come true.”

OUR CAMPUS AS

a Catalyst

In our buildings, students’ hearts and minds have awakened to new ideas, connected to the world’s needs, and discovered their true passions. From those first exciting days when Westminster was just beginning to imprint on the city’s map to pioneering Advanced Placement classes and today’s globally focused, interdisciplinary opportunities, Westminster’s campus has been a launch pad for generations of leaders.

Westminster has always been a community that, at its core, is contemptuous of complacency. Our timeless values continue to guide us as we prepare students to be the bold, creative leaders the world needs. As Dr. Pressly concluded in the epilogue of The Formative Years: “When we demand excellence in education and work toward that goal, the result isn’t just better schools but a world of fulfillment and hope and brighter tomorrows.” A school’s spaces can be a catalyst for empowering students to bring those brighter tomorrows to the world.

Our Board of Trustees has approved a campus plan (see sidebar) designed to take us even further in fulfilling our mission in a way that meets the world’s needs while honoring our historic commitments. Our campus plan envisions spaces that will serve as teachers, fostering connections and giving students and faculty the flexibility to learn, collaborate, and innovate.

Dr. Pressly walked the ridges of our wooded plot of land in 1951 with a big dream in mind. We feel the same sense of possibility today as we envision the game-changing journeys yet to start here.

A CAMPUS PLAN SHAPED

by Our Values

The Westminster community has been thinking about the evolution of our campus for some time. The impact our buildings and grounds have on teaching and learning was a common thread throughout our strategic plan, For College and For Life. The strategic plan recognizes the world is changing rapidly: it is more global and interconnected, increasingly leverages technology, and embraces new methodologies of teaching and learning.

Seizing these challenges and opportunities requires studies that integrate rather than separate; problems that require critical thinking, creativity and collaboration; and schedules and spaces that fit 21st century learning.

Just as a Westminster education needs to respond to these challenges, so too does the campus setting. To that end, Westminster completed a comprehensive campus planning process during the 2017-18 school year that included a number of activities—research, data collection, analysis, and benchmarking—to assess where the School is now.

Most importantly, the process included a broad crosssection of the Westminster community, in wide-ranging conversations, to identify where the School wants to be in the future, particularly around student experience and leading in academic excellence.

Five key themes emerged from the campus planning process that will guide the continued evolution of our campus: • We are committed to expressing our founding values in our community and our campus.

• We will deepen the impact of Westminster’s unique student experience.

• We will build community and foster connection.

• We will learn in transparent and flexible settings designed to serve as catalysts for an engaging academic program.

• We will serve Atlanta and develop leaders of conscience for our city, nation, and world.

These themes will be top of mind as Westminster reenvisions and creates spaces that function as teachers, enablers, and catalysts for our students, continuing to fulfill our mission.

WESTMINSTER | 19

Bright students,

BIG ideas

By Justin Abraham, Digital and Media Strategies Manager

Westminster’s innovative programs and teaching inspire students to become leaders inside and outside the classroom.

That inspiration leads them to create the extraordinary and change the world for the better.

20 | Fall/Winter 2018

Lower School:

Blankets for People in Need This tight-knit trio—Rivers McCord ’26, Naomi Fleming ’26, and Brayden Watt ’26—embarked on a mission to help people who are homeless in Atlanta after Rivers asked his grandmother, “What do the homeless do when it’s cold outside?” Discovering the greatest need was a warm and waterproof blanket, the students put the skills they learned in Design Thinking classes to the test: they provided questionnaires to people at a homeless shelter, brainstormed methods to construct the blankets,

and tested various fabrics. The group raised enough money from family and friends to design and produce more than two dozen handmade blankets and donated them to the Central Outreach and Advocacy Center. The friends credit Lower School Director of Student Life Becky McKnight’s “inspiring speeches” and her enthusiastic support for helping them bring their idea to life. Brayden, Naomi, and Rivers aren’t done yet—the group plans to paint a superheroes mural at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“I looked at how many people were homeless in the world and wanted to do something about it.”

-Rivers McCord ’26 Design Thinking classes inspired Rivers McCord ’26, Naomi Fleming ’26, and Brayden Watt ’26 to create blankets that are waterproof and warm—two characteristics people who are homeless told them were important in a blanket.

WESTMINSTER | 21

Bright students,

BIG ideas

By Justin Abraham, Digital and Media Strategies Manager

Westminster’s innovative programs and teaching inspire students to become leaders inside and outside the classroom.

That inspiration leads them to create the extraordinary and change the world for the better.

20 | Fall/Winter 2018

Lower School:

Blankets for People in Need This tight-knit trio—Rivers McCord ’26, Naomi Fleming ’26, and Brayden Watt ’26—embarked on a mission to help people who are homeless in Atlanta after Rivers asked his grandmother, “What do the homeless do when it’s cold outside?” Discovering the greatest need was a warm and waterproof blanket, the students put the skills they learned in Design Thinking classes to the test: they provided questionnaires to people at a homeless shelter, brainstormed methods to construct the blankets,

and tested various fabrics. The group raised enough money from family and friends to design and produce more than two dozen handmade blankets and donated them to the Central Outreach and Advocacy Center. The friends credit Lower School Director of Student Life Becky McKnight’s “inspiring speeches” and her enthusiastic support for helping them bring their idea to life. Brayden, Naomi, and Rivers aren’t done yet—the group plans to paint a superheroes mural at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“I looked at how many people were homeless in the world and wanted to do something about it.”

-Rivers McCord ’26 Design Thinking classes inspired Rivers McCord ’26, Naomi Fleming ’26, and Brayden Watt ’26 to create blankets that are waterproof and warm—two characteristics people who are homeless told them were important in a blanket.

WESTMINSTER | 21

Middle School:

Spinning Records in Spain The world is a Wildcat’s classroom. Students on a trip to Spain in summer 2018 took their opportunity to the next level, combining their interests in music and Spanish for a recording session. Dean Cureton ’22, Quinton Ezzard ’23, Toby Liu ’22, Daniel Nunez ’22, Elijah Patterson ’22, Anastasia Waid ’23, and Margaret Williams ’22 all have musical backgrounds, but they were inspired by Spanish teacher Zeke Hoyos to build upon those interests. The group worked with a well-known Spanish producer, Sunday Panic, and

hip-hop artist Angel Mañana to create an instrumental track, write lyrics, lay vocals, and edit a full song. The collaboration provided the perfect opportunity to “learn a lot about rapping and music in general...and to actually create a professional-sounding song,” says Dean. The experience “definitely makes me want to do more in the future,” says Toby. “It’s really incredible to combine all different sorts of talents together to make something that we were all a part of.”

Students explore the recording studio of Sunday Panic in Valencia, Spain.

Toby Liu ’22 works with Spanish music producer Sunday Panic to record a violin track.

Sed et facidem aliquatur sim re rem dolupti scitate mquatibusa quas de preseque quidelenimus molliquibus qui dolecto quidelenimus molliquibus

“Mr. [Zeke] Hoyos really helped our group be able to share our passions with each other through the amazing activities he made possible for all of us.”

-Anastasia Waid ’23

22 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 23

Middle School:

Spinning Records in Spain The world is a Wildcat’s classroom. Students on a trip to Spain in summer 2018 took their opportunity to the next level, combining their interests in music and Spanish for a recording session. Dean Cureton ’22, Quinton Ezzard ’23, Toby Liu ’22, Daniel Nunez ’22, Elijah Patterson ’22, Anastasia Waid ’23, and Margaret Williams ’22 all have musical backgrounds, but they were inspired by Spanish teacher Zeke Hoyos to build upon those interests. The group worked with a well-known Spanish producer, Sunday Panic, and

hip-hop artist Angel Mañana to create an instrumental track, write lyrics, lay vocals, and edit a full song. The collaboration provided the perfect opportunity to “learn a lot about rapping and music in general...and to actually create a professional-sounding song,” says Dean. The experience “definitely makes me want to do more in the future,” says Toby. “It’s really incredible to combine all different sorts of talents together to make something that we were all a part of.”

Students explore the recording studio of Sunday Panic in Valencia, Spain.

Toby Liu ’22 works with Spanish music producer Sunday Panic to record a violin track.

Sed et facidem aliquatur sim re rem dolupti scitate mquatibusa quas de preseque quidelenimus molliquibus qui dolecto quidelenimus molliquibus

“Mr. [Zeke] Hoyos really helped our group be able to share our passions with each other through the amazing activities he made possible for all of us.”

-Anastasia Waid ’23

22 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 23

Upper School:

“From teachers to administrators, everyone at Westminster got behind the idea and supported me.”

-Dickson Bowman ’20

TEDx

Many Westminster students take a small idea global, but in September 2017, Dickson Bowman ’20 took the opposite approach with remarkable success. After taking Kate Guyton Morgens ’91’s public speaking class, where students learned the mechanics of a TED talk, Dickson approached her about bringing a localized version of TED to campus. With help from Kate (“She’s a big champion and always behind you,” Dickson says) and administrators, Dickson and several student volunteers hosted TEDxTheWestminsterSchools, a

one-day event with talks, outdoor activities, and food trucks. “It was definitely a success and we had a lot of fun,” he says. The event featured talks by students, teachers, and alumni with topics such as “Why We Need Grit,” “#adulting,” and “Taking Responsibility.”

Westminster’s TEDx returned to campus this fall.

Dickson brought even bigger ideas to the second iteration, making it a global event by incorporating Westminster’s sister school in Beijing.

Student volunteers were essential to the success of TEDxTheWestminsterSchools.

Dickson Bowman ’20 rallied speakers and volunteers to bring a TEDx event to Westminster’s campus.

24 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 25

Upper School:

“From teachers to administrators, everyone at Westminster got behind the idea and supported me.”

-Dickson Bowman ’20

TEDx

Many Westminster students take a small idea global, but in September 2017, Dickson Bowman ’20 took the opposite approach with remarkable success. After taking Kate Guyton Morgens ’91’s public speaking class, where students learned the mechanics of a TED talk, Dickson approached her about bringing a localized version of TED to campus. With help from Kate (“She’s a big champion and always behind you,” Dickson says) and administrators, Dickson and several student volunteers hosted TEDxTheWestminsterSchools, a

one-day event with talks, outdoor activities, and food trucks. “It was definitely a success and we had a lot of fun,” he says. The event featured talks by students, teachers, and alumni with topics such as “Why We Need Grit,” “#adulting,” and “Taking Responsibility.”

Westminster’s TEDx returned to campus this fall.

Dickson brought even bigger ideas to the second iteration, making it a global event by incorporating Westminster’s sister school in Beijing.

Student volunteers were essential to the success of TEDxTheWestminsterSchools.

Dickson Bowman ’20 rallied speakers and volunteers to bring a TEDx event to Westminster’s campus.

24 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 25

Urban EdVenture Urban EdVenture, a yearlong philanthropy course for fifth graders, uses student-designed projects to teach teamwork, leadership, and philanthropy.

Students drive the entire process: they select organizations to support, learn from their community partners, and find ways to give back. Recently, fifth graders assisted with English classes for refugees at the International Rescue Committee and provided a Mother’s Day brunch to the women and children at the center.

THE

ideas

Shark Tank Each year, groups of eighth grade economics students pitch what could be the “next big thing” to a panel of Sharks—alumni who provide real-world expertise and insight.

The students’ business ideas range from trash cans that can separate recyclables to an attendance-tracking mobile app that allows students to check in once they’re on campus and everything in between! The project gives students a unique opportunity to experience every aspect of becoming an entrepreneur, from generating an idea to marketing and advertising their products.

ARE ENDLESS

A Medical App that Aids Cancer Patients

Engaging with Atlanta

During his first JanTerm internship in 2017, Lucas Najera ’19 observed patient flow at the University of South Alabama’s Mitchell Cancer Center and proposed adjustments that ultimately resulted in higher quality patient care. A year later he returned to study patient flow more deeply, prompting the creation of a mobile app to help medical staff expedite patient appointments without sacrificing care. The app launched at the Mitchell Cancer Center this year and is expected to expand to other medical facilities in the future. Lucas presented the app with his internship mentor at the Oncological Palliative Care conference in October.

Each year, the week before students arrive on campus, all faculty and staff gather for Forum. The weeklong event consists of informative assemblies, critical team-building sessions, and this year, EngageATL. For one day, faculty and staff fanned out across north and central Georgia, journeying to 20 organizations and community groups. Among the places faculty visited were the Shepherd Center, Refuge Coffee Co. in Clarkston, Turner Broadcasting, and Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden. The experiences—created by classroom teachers and staff members from all over the School—were aimed at inspiring teaching and fortifying Westminster’s connection with partners in education in hopes of creating a better Atlanta.

Audrey’s Angels Audrey’s Angels—Mary Kent Bowen ’24, Audrey DeShetler ’24, Laura Gracey ’24, Ellie McCollum ’24, and Mary Campbell Pope ’24—are fighting pediatric cancer, one aluminum can at a time. As Audrey was fighting cancer during her years in the Lower School, the group of friends, inspired by first grade teacher Andrea Haan, started transforming soda cans into angels to raise money for Solving Kids Cancer, a nonprofit that funds cancer research, and Camp Sunshine, a refuge where children who are receiving treatment can ride horses, swim, and do other camp activities. Since starting the project in 2015, the friends have raised more than $25,000.

26 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 27

Urban EdVenture Urban EdVenture, a yearlong philanthropy course for fifth graders, uses student-designed projects to teach teamwork, leadership, and philanthropy.

Students drive the entire process: they select organizations to support, learn from their community partners, and find ways to give back. Recently, fifth graders assisted with English classes for refugees at the International Rescue Committee and provided a Mother’s Day brunch to the women and children at the center.

THE

ideas

Shark Tank Each year, groups of eighth grade economics students pitch what could be the “next big thing” to a panel of Sharks—alumni who provide real-world expertise and insight.

The students’ business ideas range from trash cans that can separate recyclables to an attendance-tracking mobile app that allows students to check in once they’re on campus and everything in between! The project gives students a unique opportunity to experience every aspect of becoming an entrepreneur, from generating an idea to marketing and advertising their products.

ARE ENDLESS

A Medical App that Aids Cancer Patients

Engaging with Atlanta

During his first JanTerm internship in 2017, Lucas Najera ’19 observed patient flow at the University of South Alabama’s Mitchell Cancer Center and proposed adjustments that ultimately resulted in higher quality patient care. A year later he returned to study patient flow more deeply, prompting the creation of a mobile app to help medical staff expedite patient appointments without sacrificing care. The app launched at the Mitchell Cancer Center this year and is expected to expand to other medical facilities in the future. Lucas presented the app with his internship mentor at the Oncological Palliative Care conference in October.

Each year, the week before students arrive on campus, all faculty and staff gather for Forum. The weeklong event consists of informative assemblies, critical team-building sessions, and this year, EngageATL. For one day, faculty and staff fanned out across north and central Georgia, journeying to 20 organizations and community groups. Among the places faculty visited were the Shepherd Center, Refuge Coffee Co. in Clarkston, Turner Broadcasting, and Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden. The experiences—created by classroom teachers and staff members from all over the School—were aimed at inspiring teaching and fortifying Westminster’s connection with partners in education in hopes of creating a better Atlanta.

Audrey’s Angels Audrey’s Angels—Mary Kent Bowen ’24, Audrey DeShetler ’24, Laura Gracey ’24, Ellie McCollum ’24, and Mary Campbell Pope ’24—are fighting pediatric cancer, one aluminum can at a time. As Audrey was fighting cancer during her years in the Lower School, the group of friends, inspired by first grade teacher Andrea Haan, started transforming soda cans into angels to raise money for Solving Kids Cancer, a nonprofit that funds cancer research, and Camp Sunshine, a refuge where children who are receiving treatment can ride horses, swim, and do other camp activities. Since starting the project in 2015, the friends have raised more than $25,000.

26 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 27

Welcome New Faculty

1.

10.

2.

11.

Nate Adkins Upper School, Science “I travel all across the country shooting competitive archery at the semi-pro level.”

Margaret Arnett Middle School, Permanent Substitute “When I was younger, I was selected to be a ‘ball kid’ for the 1996 Olympics and served as one of the youngest volunteers that year.”

3.

Diana Bondy Lower School, Learning Strategist “I climbed Mount Washington with my father twice and also rode a bicycle from Massachusetts to Canada with a program called Overland.”

4.

1 27

FACULTY AND STAFF

23

9

19

20

24

15

21 16 3

13

18

5

22

26

5.

2

14

25

Scott Cain Middle School, Physical Education; Coordinator of Coaching Development “I am a big believer in the power of positive thinking. I listen to positive affirmations every night with headphones as I fall asleep.”

4

11

William Carvajal Upper School, Spanish “I have a passion for running and dream about participating in the Boston Marathon one day.”

6.

7 8

Chuisien Chan Upper School, Science “I am a certified hypnotist.”

7.

12

28

10

6

Mahnaz Charania Director of The Glenn Institute “Early in my career, I worked as a Behavioral Scientist for the CDC and got the opportunity to work extensively ‘in the field’ creating and assessing the impact of programs designed to curb HIV/AIDS acquisition.”

8.

Peter Chen Upper School, Science “Once I watched my dad do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on my pet guinea pig, who had gotten entangled in a leash.”

9.

Toi Curry Middle School, Learning Strategist “I have a passion for woodworking and furniture building.”

28 | Fall/Winter 2018

Dione Davis Upper School, Learning Strategist “I enjoy all things crafty. I bake; I crochet; I do weddings.”

Chelsea Edwards Middle School, Special Needs Facilitator “I am passionate about nutrition and discovering new ways to contribute to a healthy, holistic lifestyle.”

12.

Kelly Fitzgerald Lower School, Third Grade “I once biked a hundred miles in Mexico and have climbed the most active volcano in Central America more than 150 times.”

13.

Cason Wilson Given ’05 Middle School, Learning Strategist “I attended Westminster for 13 years as a student, and 13 years have passed since my graduation. I’m excited to be back!”

14.

Mitchell Griest Upper School, Computer Science “I love writing music for short films. This began when my best friend and I entered a one-week competition in college.”

15.

LB Joel ’09 Upper School, Permanent Substitute “I competed in wrestling and track at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.”

16.

Joanna Kay Middle School, Physical Education; Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development “I worked with NFL football players at an NFL Youth Football Camp.”

17.

Lindsey Kwok (not pictured) Upper School, Science “Growing up, my family’s favorite thing to do was go hiking in the Colorado mountains. I also love stargazing!”

18.

Sophie Newsom MacColl ’08 Middle School, Math “I love outdoor activities – soccer, swimming, tennis, running, hiking, biking, and more.

The most unique of my outdoor activities is recumbent biking on the Silver Comet Trail.”

19.

Heather McCulley Upper School, Librarian “I am a huge fan of Christmas. The holiday season, music, decorations—I love it all! Last year I had three large Christmas trees and about a dozen small trees.”

20.

Amanda Meagher Upper School, Math “I was a gymnast for nine years.”

21.

Matthew Munday Upper School, History “I fancy myself a fitness enthusiast and have recently picked up CrossFit as a hobby.”

22.

Michael Rondeau Upper School, Math “I make jewelry out of coins: rings, pendants, earrings, cufflinks, you name it!”

23.

Dena Scott Upper School, Counselor “I have a love for interior decorating and house hunting.”

24.

Sarah Stephenson Lower School, First Grade “I am one-quarter Japanese.”

25.

Brian Trinh Lower School, Fifth Grade “One of the most interesting things I’ve done in my educational journey is teaching reading to adults in downtown San Jose.”

26.

Sydney Wasdin Upper School, Counseling Fellow “I enjoy scuba diving and am a certified diver.

I have dived in Florida and Cozumel, Mexico.”

27.

Chris White Middle School, Physical Education “I am a morning person and wake up ready to dance!”

28.

Melissa Williams Lower School, Pre-First Grade “I was my childhood idol, Dolly Parton, for two Halloweens in a row. Whenever asked, I would break out in song with all her top hits.”

WESTMINSTER | 29

Welcome New Faculty

1.

10.

2.

11.

Nate Adkins Upper School, Science “I travel all across the country shooting competitive archery at the semi-pro level.”

Margaret Arnett Middle School, Permanent Substitute “When I was younger, I was selected to be a ‘ball kid’ for the 1996 Olympics and served as one of the youngest volunteers that year.”

3.

Diana Bondy Lower School, Learning Strategist “I climbed Mount Washington with my father twice and also rode a bicycle from Massachusetts to Canada with a program called Overland.”

4.

1 27

FACULTY AND STAFF

23

9

19

20

24

15

21 16 3

13

18

5

22

26

5.

2

14

25

Scott Cain Middle School, Physical Education; Coordinator of Coaching Development “I am a big believer in the power of positive thinking. I listen to positive affirmations every night with headphones as I fall asleep.”

4

11

William Carvajal Upper School, Spanish “I have a passion for running and dream about participating in the Boston Marathon one day.”

6.

7 8

Chuisien Chan Upper School, Science “I am a certified hypnotist.”

7.

12

28

10

6

Mahnaz Charania Director of The Glenn Institute “Early in my career, I worked as a Behavioral Scientist for the CDC and got the opportunity to work extensively ‘in the field’ creating and assessing the impact of programs designed to curb HIV/AIDS acquisition.”

8.

Peter Chen Upper School, Science “Once I watched my dad do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on my pet guinea pig, who had gotten entangled in a leash.”

9.

Toi Curry Middle School, Learning Strategist “I have a passion for woodworking and furniture building.”

28 | Fall/Winter 2018

Dione Davis Upper School, Learning Strategist “I enjoy all things crafty. I bake; I crochet; I do weddings.”

Chelsea Edwards Middle School, Special Needs Facilitator “I am passionate about nutrition and discovering new ways to contribute to a healthy, holistic lifestyle.”

12.

Kelly Fitzgerald Lower School, Third Grade “I once biked a hundred miles in Mexico and have climbed the most active volcano in Central America more than 150 times.”

13.

Cason Wilson Given ’05 Middle School, Learning Strategist “I attended Westminster for 13 years as a student, and 13 years have passed since my graduation. I’m excited to be back!”

14.

Mitchell Griest Upper School, Computer Science “I love writing music for short films. This began when my best friend and I entered a one-week competition in college.”

15.

LB Joel ’09 Upper School, Permanent Substitute “I competed in wrestling and track at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.”

16.

Joanna Kay Middle School, Physical Education; Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development “I worked with NFL football players at an NFL Youth Football Camp.”

17.

Lindsey Kwok (not pictured) Upper School, Science “Growing up, my family’s favorite thing to do was go hiking in the Colorado mountains. I also love stargazing!”

18.

Sophie Newsom MacColl ’08 Middle School, Math “I love outdoor activities – soccer, swimming, tennis, running, hiking, biking, and more.

The most unique of my outdoor activities is recumbent biking on the Silver Comet Trail.”

19.

Heather McCulley Upper School, Librarian “I am a huge fan of Christmas. The holiday season, music, decorations—I love it all! Last year I had three large Christmas trees and about a dozen small trees.”

20.

Amanda Meagher Upper School, Math “I was a gymnast for nine years.”

21.

Matthew Munday Upper School, History “I fancy myself a fitness enthusiast and have recently picked up CrossFit as a hobby.”

22.

Michael Rondeau Upper School, Math “I make jewelry out of coins: rings, pendants, earrings, cufflinks, you name it!”

23.

Dena Scott Upper School, Counselor “I have a love for interior decorating and house hunting.”

24.

Sarah Stephenson Lower School, First Grade “I am one-quarter Japanese.”

25.

Brian Trinh Lower School, Fifth Grade “One of the most interesting things I’ve done in my educational journey is teaching reading to adults in downtown San Jose.”

26.

Sydney Wasdin Upper School, Counseling Fellow “I enjoy scuba diving and am a certified diver.

I have dived in Florida and Cozumel, Mexico.”

27.

Chris White Middle School, Physical Education “I am a morning person and wake up ready to dance!”

28.

Melissa Williams Lower School, Pre-First Grade “I was my childhood idol, Dolly Parton, for two Halloweens in a row. Whenever asked, I would break out in song with all her top hits.”

WESTMINSTER | 29

2018 FACULTY AND STAFF AWARD RECIPIENTS

FACULTY AND STAFF

Mark Cutbirth Alumni Fellows Award

Liz Davidson Alumni Fellows Award

Liza Farley Alumni Fellows Award

Henrik Malmberg Alumni Fellows Award

Rick Byrd Bob Ward Catbacker’s Award

Tai Hart The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Ginny Lovern The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Camille May The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Saundria Zomalt The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Alison George The Schoen Faculty Excellence Award

Kasia Kaufman The Alan Ashley Lewis Endowed Chair of Science

Matt Myers The Bobo Family Award

Lauren Davis The Bromley Professorship in English

John Terry Goizueta Foundation Professorship

Judith Maisonneuve Goizueta Foundation Professorship in Language

Greg Hendrix The Schoen Faculty Excellence Award

Allison Hudak The Schoen Faculty Excellence Award

Erin Morrison The Schoen Staff Excellence Award

Sarbeth Fleming The William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award

Adam Fry The William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award

David Dwyer Goizueta Foundation Professorship in Spanish

Steven Stodghill The Goizueta Foundation Faculty of Distinction

Robin-Lynn Clemmons The Joseph and Amelia Craver Endowed Professorship

Lauren Flores The Mary DuPriest Award for Staff Excellence

Laurie Hyde The Mary DuPriest Award for Staff Excellence

Taylor Stegall The William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award

Colleen Varner The William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award

Robert Cochran The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award (Seventh Grade Student)

Katie Argall The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award (Eighth Grade Student)

Reanna Ursin The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award (Ninth Grade Student)

Chad Laney ’95 The McGuirk Family Professorship

Brenda Cobler The Merrill Award

Alicia Henson The Merrill Award

Neema Salimi The Merrill Award

Sandi White The Merrill Award

Manuela Kelly The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award (Tenth Grade Student)

Emily Horne The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award (Eleventh Grade Student)

Jen Dracos-Tice Dr. William L. Pressly Endowed Chair of English

Chanisse Fitchett The Wilson Family Professorship for the Lower School

Stephen Addcox The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Jennifer Baker The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Gary Brown The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Mario Chard The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Laura Drewicz Ewing ’00 The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

30 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 31

2018 FACULTY AND STAFF AWARD RECIPIENTS

FACULTY AND STAFF

Mark Cutbirth Alumni Fellows Award

Liz Davidson Alumni Fellows Award

Liza Farley Alumni Fellows Award

Henrik Malmberg Alumni Fellows Award

Rick Byrd Bob Ward Catbacker’s Award

Tai Hart The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Ginny Lovern The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Camille May The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Saundria Zomalt The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Alison George The Schoen Faculty Excellence Award

Kasia Kaufman The Alan Ashley Lewis Endowed Chair of Science

Matt Myers The Bobo Family Award

Lauren Davis The Bromley Professorship in English

John Terry Goizueta Foundation Professorship

Judith Maisonneuve Goizueta Foundation Professorship in Language

Greg Hendrix The Schoen Faculty Excellence Award

Allison Hudak The Schoen Faculty Excellence Award

Erin Morrison The Schoen Staff Excellence Award

Sarbeth Fleming The William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award

Adam Fry The William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award

David Dwyer Goizueta Foundation Professorship in Spanish

Steven Stodghill The Goizueta Foundation Faculty of Distinction

Robin-Lynn Clemmons The Joseph and Amelia Craver Endowed Professorship

Lauren Flores The Mary DuPriest Award for Staff Excellence

Laurie Hyde The Mary DuPriest Award for Staff Excellence

Taylor Stegall The William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award

Colleen Varner The William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award

Robert Cochran The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award (Seventh Grade Student)

Katie Argall The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award (Eighth Grade Student)

Reanna Ursin The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award (Ninth Grade Student)

Chad Laney ’95 The McGuirk Family Professorship

Brenda Cobler The Merrill Award

Alicia Henson The Merrill Award

Neema Salimi The Merrill Award

Sandi White The Merrill Award

Manuela Kelly The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award (Tenth Grade Student)

Emily Horne The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award (Eleventh Grade Student)

Jen Dracos-Tice Dr. William L. Pressly Endowed Chair of English

Chanisse Fitchett The Wilson Family Professorship for the Lower School

Stephen Addcox The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Jennifer Baker The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Gary Brown The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Mario Chard The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Laura Drewicz Ewing ’00 The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

30 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 31

Faculty and Staff

FACULTY AND STAFF

Farewells

She worked with Tim to launch QPR, a suicide prevention training program that teaches coaches and other athletics personnel how to question, persuade, and refer students who exhibit signs of suicidal behavior. “I had previous involvement with that program, but previous involvement doesn’t mean it will be successful,” Tim says. “Brenda was helpful in planning how we would do the program so that people would understand its value. She was so committed to the student athlete experience and how we honor that.”

Brenda Brodie

Gift Management Specialist, Office for Institutional Advancement 2012-2018 Although Brenda Brodie supported or held at least a dozen roles within the Westminster community before her retirement from the Office for Institutional Advancement (OIA), she wishes for just one more: Wildcat student. “I have often said that I’d like to be a student at Westminster these days,” says Brenda, whose introduction to the School happened 20 years ago when her children enrolled. “There are so many positive changes, from the physical beauty of the campus to all the exciting new classes, groups, and initiatives happening through the wise, thoughtful, and forward-thinking leadership of President Keith Evans.”

In 1998, Brenda and her husband, Hall, moved to Atlanta after living in Saudi Arabia for 20 years, and the couple became stalwart Westminster supporters almost upon arrival.

Both signed on as Westminster Fund volunteers and held every role from class callers up through parent chairs. She also served PAWS in various roles every year her children were at Westminster. Some of Brenda’s favorite memories are those from when Kyle ’03 and Layne ’08 were members of the Wildcat basketball and swim teams, respectively.

One of Brenda’s life mantras flips an old adage: “I say, ‘If it’s not broken, make it better!’” she says. Because of that, she was excited to partner with Director of Athletics Tim Downes when he arrived in 2016 through an initiative pairing advancement staff with faculty across campus. “I wanted to know how he was going to make the department better and how I could be a small part of helping him,” says Brenda.

32 | Fall/Winter 2018

In retirement, Brenda plans to focus on her favorite roles—being wife to Hall, the man she met more than 40 years ago while they were both students at Virginia Tech, being mother to Kyle and Layne, and being grandmother to Kyle’s daughter, Grace Abigale Brodie, who arrived on Brenda’s birthday this year. Brenda also plans to continue her favorite pastimes of cooking and baking, which benefit many beyond her family. Once a month, she prepares dinner for youth who are homeless at Covenant House, and previously she cooked meals for homebound members of her church, Northside United Methodist Church, and the men of Trinity Community Ministries. This year, Brenda and Hall have been making baked goods for patients, nurses, and doctors at Piedmont Cancer Institute, where she’s undergoing care.

While Brenda’s love for Westminster drove her volunteer efforts, that wasn’t what led her to join the OIA staff. “I got to know many of the people who worked in OIA, and I used to get calls to help them with projects,” she says. “A little over six years ago, I got a call one night to see if I was available to help out the next day because an employee was leaving. The employee gave me four hours of training, and the rest is history.”

“As a parent, I learned how valuable a Westminster education was. As a Westminster Fund volunteer, I learned what was important to other parents and why they were willing to give back,” Brenda says. And “as an employee in OIA, the circle was completed. I got to be a part of some things that drive Westminster to greatness and to see how it all happens on a daily basis year-round. At this point, being a member of the Westminster family is forever ingrained in my heart.”

President Keith Evans’s farewell to Brenda praised her widereaching commitment. “Brenda did more than exemplify our values,” Keith wrote as he announced Brenda’s retirement. “She influenced others to do the same.”

-Christy Oglesby

led the history department. “He always put students first and always served the students’ best interests.”

Rick Byrd

Upper School Director of Studies; history teacher; basketball and squash coach 1982-2018 Free of commitments, a young Rick Byrd prepared to jettison Nashville in 1982 for a teaching post in a Gulf Coast city famous for letting good times roll. “I was single, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna enjoy living in New Orleans,’” Rick remembers with a smile. “I had done everything except sign the contract, and I was on my way to do that Monday.”

Then Friday derailed his adventure.

“Wade Boggs called and said, ‘Are you still looking for a job?’ Instinctively, I was smart enough not to commit. I didn’t know anything about Westminster,” Rick recounts.

After a weekend of interviews, Rick had an offer.

“They offered me a 47 percent raise over what I was making. I was living in an attic apartment. I had two and half degrees and was doing manual labor in the summer to make my car payment,” Rick says. “I thought, ‘I can actually live in an apartment where I can see people. What’s not to accept?’ So I came.”

Thirty-six years later, as the Alabama native recalls his time as a teacher, two-sport championship-winning coach, and Director of Studies, few of his vignettes focus on his accomplishments.

“Rick was the consummate defender of academic freedom,” says Linda Cherniavsky, who worked closely with Rick when she chaired the performing arts department and he

Initially, Rick opted not to apply for the Director of Studies position. He relished witnessing the cataclysmic moment when seemingly unrelated historic events meld in a student’s mind and prompt deeper questions. Why would he leave that to complete an academic sudoku on steroids— scheduling classes for 800 Upper School students and their teachers? “I have a lot of curiosity, and I enjoy learning.

Making the schedule is like solving a puzzle, and while I was never a math genius, I Iike solving problems,” Rick says. “A big part of that job was protecting my colleagues’ ability to do what they do well. I hope I did that, and I’ve got some evidence from my kids and colleagues that I managed to do it sometimes.”

Much of that evidence exists in large boxes labeled “Personal,” which he’d stacked in his office in preparation for his departure. They’re filled with expressions of gratitude from former students and co-workers he received after working with them. “That’s what matters most to me,” he says. “My mom was a nurse, and I grew up with this model of someone who helped people. I want people to remember me as someone who actually did help his students and players.”

Rick’s players include championship-winning boys and girls basketball teams and nationally ranked squash teams. He became head coach for the squash team much the way he found his job at Westminster. “Bill Clarkson called me in and said they’d put squash courts in Turner Gym: ‘We’re going to have a squash program. I need a coach, and I understand you play.’ I said, ‘Bill, let’s be very clear. I played squash for recreation when I was in graduate school.’” Bill acknowledged his lack of skill and informed him there would be a community coach “who is superb and who can do the technical stuff.”

“The program got built because we had Tom Rumpler. He is one of the finest teachers of the game in the country. I have tried to hammer that through to people who want to give me credit for things. Do I feel like I contributed? I do. And did I help build it? Yes, I did. But a lot of what I did was listen to the right people and be surrounded by the right people,” he says. “And I cannot stress enough that the girls program has achieved the level that it has because of

WESTMINSTER | 33

Faculty and Staff

FACULTY AND STAFF

Farewells

She worked with Tim to launch QPR, a suicide prevention training program that teaches coaches and other athletics personnel how to question, persuade, and refer students who exhibit signs of suicidal behavior. “I had previous involvement with that program, but previous involvement doesn’t mean it will be successful,” Tim says. “Brenda was helpful in planning how we would do the program so that people would understand its value. She was so committed to the student athlete experience and how we honor that.”

Brenda Brodie

Gift Management Specialist, Office for Institutional Advancement 2012-2018 Although Brenda Brodie supported or held at least a dozen roles within the Westminster community before her retirement from the Office for Institutional Advancement (OIA), she wishes for just one more: Wildcat student. “I have often said that I’d like to be a student at Westminster these days,” says Brenda, whose introduction to the School happened 20 years ago when her children enrolled. “There are so many positive changes, from the physical beauty of the campus to all the exciting new classes, groups, and initiatives happening through the wise, thoughtful, and forward-thinking leadership of President Keith Evans.”

In 1998, Brenda and her husband, Hall, moved to Atlanta after living in Saudi Arabia for 20 years, and the couple became stalwart Westminster supporters almost upon arrival.

Both signed on as Westminster Fund volunteers and held every role from class callers up through parent chairs. She also served PAWS in various roles every year her children were at Westminster. Some of Brenda’s favorite memories are those from when Kyle ’03 and Layne ’08 were members of the Wildcat basketball and swim teams, respectively.

One of Brenda’s life mantras flips an old adage: “I say, ‘If it’s not broken, make it better!’” she says. Because of that, she was excited to partner with Director of Athletics Tim Downes when he arrived in 2016 through an initiative pairing advancement staff with faculty across campus. “I wanted to know how he was going to make the department better and how I could be a small part of helping him,” says Brenda.

32 | Fall/Winter 2018

In retirement, Brenda plans to focus on her favorite roles—being wife to Hall, the man she met more than 40 years ago while they were both students at Virginia Tech, being mother to Kyle and Layne, and being grandmother to Kyle’s daughter, Grace Abigale Brodie, who arrived on Brenda’s birthday this year. Brenda also plans to continue her favorite pastimes of cooking and baking, which benefit many beyond her family. Once a month, she prepares dinner for youth who are homeless at Covenant House, and previously she cooked meals for homebound members of her church, Northside United Methodist Church, and the men of Trinity Community Ministries. This year, Brenda and Hall have been making baked goods for patients, nurses, and doctors at Piedmont Cancer Institute, where she’s undergoing care.

While Brenda’s love for Westminster drove her volunteer efforts, that wasn’t what led her to join the OIA staff. “I got to know many of the people who worked in OIA, and I used to get calls to help them with projects,” she says. “A little over six years ago, I got a call one night to see if I was available to help out the next day because an employee was leaving. The employee gave me four hours of training, and the rest is history.”

“As a parent, I learned how valuable a Westminster education was. As a Westminster Fund volunteer, I learned what was important to other parents and why they were willing to give back,” Brenda says. And “as an employee in OIA, the circle was completed. I got to be a part of some things that drive Westminster to greatness and to see how it all happens on a daily basis year-round. At this point, being a member of the Westminster family is forever ingrained in my heart.”

President Keith Evans’s farewell to Brenda praised her widereaching commitment. “Brenda did more than exemplify our values,” Keith wrote as he announced Brenda’s retirement. “She influenced others to do the same.”

-Christy Oglesby

led the history department. “He always put students first and always served the students’ best interests.”

Rick Byrd

Upper School Director of Studies; history teacher; basketball and squash coach 1982-2018 Free of commitments, a young Rick Byrd prepared to jettison Nashville in 1982 for a teaching post in a Gulf Coast city famous for letting good times roll. “I was single, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna enjoy living in New Orleans,’” Rick remembers with a smile. “I had done everything except sign the contract, and I was on my way to do that Monday.”

Then Friday derailed his adventure.

“Wade Boggs called and said, ‘Are you still looking for a job?’ Instinctively, I was smart enough not to commit. I didn’t know anything about Westminster,” Rick recounts.

After a weekend of interviews, Rick had an offer.

“They offered me a 47 percent raise over what I was making. I was living in an attic apartment. I had two and half degrees and was doing manual labor in the summer to make my car payment,” Rick says. “I thought, ‘I can actually live in an apartment where I can see people. What’s not to accept?’ So I came.”

Thirty-six years later, as the Alabama native recalls his time as a teacher, two-sport championship-winning coach, and Director of Studies, few of his vignettes focus on his accomplishments.

“Rick was the consummate defender of academic freedom,” says Linda Cherniavsky, who worked closely with Rick when she chaired the performing arts department and he

Initially, Rick opted not to apply for the Director of Studies position. He relished witnessing the cataclysmic moment when seemingly unrelated historic events meld in a student’s mind and prompt deeper questions. Why would he leave that to complete an academic sudoku on steroids— scheduling classes for 800 Upper School students and their teachers? “I have a lot of curiosity, and I enjoy learning.

Making the schedule is like solving a puzzle, and while I was never a math genius, I Iike solving problems,” Rick says. “A big part of that job was protecting my colleagues’ ability to do what they do well. I hope I did that, and I’ve got some evidence from my kids and colleagues that I managed to do it sometimes.”

Much of that evidence exists in large boxes labeled “Personal,” which he’d stacked in his office in preparation for his departure. They’re filled with expressions of gratitude from former students and co-workers he received after working with them. “That’s what matters most to me,” he says. “My mom was a nurse, and I grew up with this model of someone who helped people. I want people to remember me as someone who actually did help his students and players.”

Rick’s players include championship-winning boys and girls basketball teams and nationally ranked squash teams. He became head coach for the squash team much the way he found his job at Westminster. “Bill Clarkson called me in and said they’d put squash courts in Turner Gym: ‘We’re going to have a squash program. I need a coach, and I understand you play.’ I said, ‘Bill, let’s be very clear. I played squash for recreation when I was in graduate school.’” Bill acknowledged his lack of skill and informed him there would be a community coach “who is superb and who can do the technical stuff.”

“The program got built because we had Tom Rumpler. He is one of the finest teachers of the game in the country. I have tried to hammer that through to people who want to give me credit for things. Do I feel like I contributed? I do. And did I help build it? Yes, I did. But a lot of what I did was listen to the right people and be surrounded by the right people,” he says. “And I cannot stress enough that the girls program has achieved the level that it has because of

WESTMINSTER | 33

FACULTY AND STAFF

Liza Cowan. She played squash at Harvard, and Liza gets how to motivate and work with young women.”

Rick says he’ll miss all the lessons squash taught him.

But he’s eager to finally get to the Gulf Coast. Not single this time—he’ll have Martha, his bride of 35 years. And not New Orleans—they’re headed to Fairhope, Alabama.

Martha will do a bit of consulting in commercial real estate, and Rick hopes to volunteer at the local historical

FACULTY AND STAFF

museum and work as an adjunct professor at the regional college. Together they plan to kayak in different waterways across the world and travel to see tennis grand slams, where he hopes to run into former colleague Scoot Dimon ’70.

“Martha and I play mixed doubles together, so we will play an enormous amount of tennis,” he says.

-Christy Oglesby

volunteering and taking classes. Mary is going through the process of becoming a Zoo Atlanta volunteer. She hopes to join the enrichment team and make toys and playthings for animals that encourage their natural behaviors. Sounds like those lucky animals will benefit from Mary’s creativity

there from the basement of Broyles Arts Center, where few people saw the art. Together with former and current Heads of Middle School, Bo Adams and Danette Morton, Mary says she “used the halls and walls to create a showcase to inspire and honor our student artists.” More than 550 pieces of Middle School student art are on display in the Middle School Permanent Art Collection. Mary also braved the dangers of painting from a two-story lift to contribute an image of a teapot to the large mural in the Art and Science Commons.

Mary Cobb

Middle School art teacher 1995-2018 Two years ago, multi-talented art teacher Mary Cobb attempted to retire from her long and illustrious career in the classroom, only to be lured back to Westminster to co-teach a brand new class: Art & Architecture. This time around, Mary’s retirement is official.

Mary arrived at Westminster in 1995 to teach two sections of Upper School ceramics, bringing with her 29 years of experience teaching art and pottery at public schools and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Westminster gradually increased her schedule to include seventh grade art, and in her third year, she was asked to teach full-time. “I was not sure at all, for I loved teaching part-time and being a potter at the same time. I am so glad I was convinced to give it a try as I loved it and ultimately asked to teach only in the Middle School,” Mary says. “I have really had a sense of belonging in the Middle School and felt at home.”

And she set about making that home even more inviting and inspiring than she found it. When Clarkson Hall opened in 2005, Middle School art classes were moved

34 | Fall/Winter 2018

Prior to 1995, Mary had never had any association with an independent school. The thought of students attending the same school for up to 13 years amazes her, and that longevity contributes to the sense of Wildcat identity, she says. “Wildcats are everywhere…I have three different Wildcats living within a block of my home, and I have taught three of my former art students in my Callanwolde pottery class. And they come back to teach at Westminster!

I loved having some of my former students as colleagues in the Middle School.”

Friend and colleague Trisha Dodt, assistant to the Head of Middle School, describes Mary as an “Energizer Bunny who lives, loves, and teaches art. She is incredibly innovative, while also being detail-oriented and impeccably organized, which are wonderful accompaniments to her free-spirited, artistic talents.” Trisha shares that she will miss Mary’s constant smile and willingness to take on any task or project with enthusiasm, citing the Art & Architecture class as an example of Mary’s fearless and adventurous spirit, even in the closing years of her career.

Retirement 2.0 will find Mary spending more time with Dande, her adorable terrier mix. The two of them volunteer together once a month with Pet Pals, visiting King’s Bridge Retirement Community. She also looks forward to doing some projects on her Virginia Highland home and spending far more time at Callanwolde

just as Westminster students have for the past 23 years.

With gratitude for her inspirational service to our School, we wish Mary many more years of joy in sharing her talents with others.

-Stacie Davis Rapson ’83

excitement to reading and writing.

Diane has always loved a good story, and so did her students. She dedicated afternoons to the writing club, inspiring young learners to write anything and everything without limits. She encouraged them to explore writing fiction with their full imaginations, believing that it allowed her students to write from their hearts. “Children are natural storytellers,” she says. “And for kids—that is the perfect opportunity for reading and writing.” Diane held her students’ stories dear, turning many into teaching tools to inspire students in moments of challenge.

Diane Dalbo

Lower School teacher 2001-2018 Diane Dalbo first found herself part of Westminster’s community as a parent of three Wildcats, Ansley ’95, Raegan ’98, and Austin ’03.

Previously a volunteer tutor, she saw Westminster as the perfect full-time opportunity to further her impact on young people.

In her 16 years teaching at Westminster, Diane says she felt blessed to have worked with talented co-teachers including Elizabeth Hemphill and Patricia Shande. “The co-teaching model is so beautiful because it’s like parenting,” she says.

“You’ve got someone to bounce ideas off of, and it’s great for the children because it gives them more one-on-one time. I wish all schools could have this model.”

Through collaborating with other faculty, Diane discovered teaching methods that worked for her, giving her the drive to take risks and try new things. “Collaboration made me become a better teacher and better person,” she says.

“I felt energized the most when embracing the model of letting my students dive right in.” It brought creativity and

Having taught second, fourth, and fifth grades, Diane thrived when teaching students who were ready to learn more deeply, like fourth graders: “They begin to realize that things are not just black and white. And, they start to characterize how they feel, what interests them, and how they can work with others,” she explains.

One of the most rewarding experiences of Diane’s teaching career was working with Middle School English teacher Judy Gale. When Diane took a year off from Westminster to attend graduate school, she spent several weeks observing and learning from Judy. When Diane returned to Westminster, Judy invited her fourth graders to pair with her sixth graders for peer editing. Judy says: “I first began hearing about Diane through students coming into my sixth grade English class. They raved about how she taught them to write and how writing mattered. Although she treasured their stories, she made her students feel treasured first.”

Every year, Diane cherished watching her previous students walk proudly across the stage during commencement. “It’s like church for me—a time for self-reflection and a very spiritual, rewarding experience,” she says. Having watched her own children work so hard and thrive at Westminster, she knows the sense of accomplishment students feel at that point.

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Liza Cowan. She played squash at Harvard, and Liza gets how to motivate and work with young women.”

Rick says he’ll miss all the lessons squash taught him.

But he’s eager to finally get to the Gulf Coast. Not single this time—he’ll have Martha, his bride of 35 years. And not New Orleans—they’re headed to Fairhope, Alabama.

Martha will do a bit of consulting in commercial real estate, and Rick hopes to volunteer at the local historical

FACULTY AND STAFF

museum and work as an adjunct professor at the regional college. Together they plan to kayak in different waterways across the world and travel to see tennis grand slams, where he hopes to run into former colleague Scoot Dimon ’70.

“Martha and I play mixed doubles together, so we will play an enormous amount of tennis,” he says.

-Christy Oglesby

volunteering and taking classes. Mary is going through the process of becoming a Zoo Atlanta volunteer. She hopes to join the enrichment team and make toys and playthings for animals that encourage their natural behaviors. Sounds like those lucky animals will benefit from Mary’s creativity

there from the basement of Broyles Arts Center, where few people saw the art. Together with former and current Heads of Middle School, Bo Adams and Danette Morton, Mary says she “used the halls and walls to create a showcase to inspire and honor our student artists.” More than 550 pieces of Middle School student art are on display in the Middle School Permanent Art Collection. Mary also braved the dangers of painting from a two-story lift to contribute an image of a teapot to the large mural in the Art and Science Commons.

Mary Cobb

Middle School art teacher 1995-2018 Two years ago, multi-talented art teacher Mary Cobb attempted to retire from her long and illustrious career in the classroom, only to be lured back to Westminster to co-teach a brand new class: Art & Architecture. This time around, Mary’s retirement is official.

Mary arrived at Westminster in 1995 to teach two sections of Upper School ceramics, bringing with her 29 years of experience teaching art and pottery at public schools and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Westminster gradually increased her schedule to include seventh grade art, and in her third year, she was asked to teach full-time. “I was not sure at all, for I loved teaching part-time and being a potter at the same time. I am so glad I was convinced to give it a try as I loved it and ultimately asked to teach only in the Middle School,” Mary says. “I have really had a sense of belonging in the Middle School and felt at home.”

And she set about making that home even more inviting and inspiring than she found it. When Clarkson Hall opened in 2005, Middle School art classes were moved

34 | Fall/Winter 2018

Prior to 1995, Mary had never had any association with an independent school. The thought of students attending the same school for up to 13 years amazes her, and that longevity contributes to the sense of Wildcat identity, she says. “Wildcats are everywhere…I have three different Wildcats living within a block of my home, and I have taught three of my former art students in my Callanwolde pottery class. And they come back to teach at Westminster!

I loved having some of my former students as colleagues in the Middle School.”

Friend and colleague Trisha Dodt, assistant to the Head of Middle School, describes Mary as an “Energizer Bunny who lives, loves, and teaches art. She is incredibly innovative, while also being detail-oriented and impeccably organized, which are wonderful accompaniments to her free-spirited, artistic talents.” Trisha shares that she will miss Mary’s constant smile and willingness to take on any task or project with enthusiasm, citing the Art & Architecture class as an example of Mary’s fearless and adventurous spirit, even in the closing years of her career.

Retirement 2.0 will find Mary spending more time with Dande, her adorable terrier mix. The two of them volunteer together once a month with Pet Pals, visiting King’s Bridge Retirement Community. She also looks forward to doing some projects on her Virginia Highland home and spending far more time at Callanwolde

just as Westminster students have for the past 23 years.

With gratitude for her inspirational service to our School, we wish Mary many more years of joy in sharing her talents with others.

-Stacie Davis Rapson ’83

excitement to reading and writing.

Diane has always loved a good story, and so did her students. She dedicated afternoons to the writing club, inspiring young learners to write anything and everything without limits. She encouraged them to explore writing fiction with their full imaginations, believing that it allowed her students to write from their hearts. “Children are natural storytellers,” she says. “And for kids—that is the perfect opportunity for reading and writing.” Diane held her students’ stories dear, turning many into teaching tools to inspire students in moments of challenge.

Diane Dalbo

Lower School teacher 2001-2018 Diane Dalbo first found herself part of Westminster’s community as a parent of three Wildcats, Ansley ’95, Raegan ’98, and Austin ’03.

Previously a volunteer tutor, she saw Westminster as the perfect full-time opportunity to further her impact on young people.

In her 16 years teaching at Westminster, Diane says she felt blessed to have worked with talented co-teachers including Elizabeth Hemphill and Patricia Shande. “The co-teaching model is so beautiful because it’s like parenting,” she says.

“You’ve got someone to bounce ideas off of, and it’s great for the children because it gives them more one-on-one time. I wish all schools could have this model.”

Through collaborating with other faculty, Diane discovered teaching methods that worked for her, giving her the drive to take risks and try new things. “Collaboration made me become a better teacher and better person,” she says.

“I felt energized the most when embracing the model of letting my students dive right in.” It brought creativity and

Having taught second, fourth, and fifth grades, Diane thrived when teaching students who were ready to learn more deeply, like fourth graders: “They begin to realize that things are not just black and white. And, they start to characterize how they feel, what interests them, and how they can work with others,” she explains.

One of the most rewarding experiences of Diane’s teaching career was working with Middle School English teacher Judy Gale. When Diane took a year off from Westminster to attend graduate school, she spent several weeks observing and learning from Judy. When Diane returned to Westminster, Judy invited her fourth graders to pair with her sixth graders for peer editing. Judy says: “I first began hearing about Diane through students coming into my sixth grade English class. They raved about how she taught them to write and how writing mattered. Although she treasured their stories, she made her students feel treasured first.”

Every year, Diane cherished watching her previous students walk proudly across the stage during commencement. “It’s like church for me—a time for self-reflection and a very spiritual, rewarding experience,” she says. Having watched her own children work so hard and thrive at Westminster, she knows the sense of accomplishment students feel at that point.

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FACULTY AND STAFF

Although Diane has retired, it is no surprise that she wants to remain connected to Westminster. She plans to dedicate time for writing children’s books of her own and traveling with her husband. She also wants to return to Westminster as a long-term substitute someday. “Hopefully this isn’t a goodbye,” she says, “but a see you again soon. It would be a perfect world if I can find the right balance for teaching

FACULTY AND STAFF

Just like the stories of her students, Diane’s story at Westminster will continue. As she carries memories of young Wildcats with her, the graduates of her classroom are sure to remember her fondly throughout their lives.

-Jennifer Liu

Ever optimistic and dedicated to his profession, Rick enthusiastically shares that he has always “loved the start of a new school year and a new sports season.” He credits legendary Westminster coaches—and his personal mentors—Harry Lloyd and Pete Higgins with modeling a fulfilling life in teaching and coaching. As for how he was able to sustain the energy and enthusiasm for his work, Rick beams with affection: “The kids keep me happy and active.

They are why I was able to do this through age 70!”

Rick Hughes

Middle School PE teacher; basketball, softball, and soccer coach 1976-2018 If you want to know who to thank for beloved PE teacher and coach Rick Hughes’s 36 years of dedicated service to Westminster, the credit goes to Wanda, his wife of 42 years.

After his stint in the Army during the Vietnam War and a brief foray into teaching US history, Rick earned a master’s degree in physical education and embarked on his career as a PE teacher and coach. Rick was teaching at Sandy Springs Middle School in 1976, where his classes included as many as 75 students, and viewed it as his mission to serve those students. When he received a call from Westminster with the offer of an interview, Rick politely declined and hung up the phone. Overhearing the exchange, Wanda promptly instructed him to pick up the phone and call right back.

Fortunately for generations of Westminster students, he did as he was told!

Upon joining Westminster’s faculty, Rick embraced a calling that extended well beyond his work as a teacher and multisport coach. He brought his faith, character, and kindness to campus each day, serving as a role model for students and teachers alike. He is known for countless moments of grace, from providing transportation to school for a student in need to thoughtful mentoring for new colleagues.

36 | Fall/Winter 2018

years away from how we used to teach.” Her favorite moments are when she can see “all of the light bulbs go off” as students learn and retain new information.

and writing, traveling with my husband, and spending time with my two grandkids.”

Rick’s colleagues speak in superlatives when asked about him.

Former Middle School PE teacher Kasey Stout calls him “the greatest man I have ever met.” Lower School PE teacher and varsity softball coach Brent McGuire says he treasures the years spent with Coach Hughes: “I am a better coach, but most importantly a better person, for having the opportunity to serve on his staff.” Wayne Dabbs, former Middle School PE teacher and current head varsity football coach at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, cites Rick as “truly one of the best men I’ve ever had the privilege to be around.”

Indeed, Coach Hughes has made a lifetime impact on colleagues and students alike with his caring approach to bringing out the best in others through loving encouragement and support. One only had to look around his memorabilia-filled office to see that the impact goes both ways. Rick proudly displayed photos with students, baby and wedding announcements from former colleagues and team members, and notes of thanks, all of which he says are incredibly meaningful.

Going forward, Rick will be able to spend much more time with his family, including daughter Karen, a flight attendant based in Denver, and son Allen and his wife Amanda, who are parents to five boys under age nine. He will be conducting regular PE classes for his rambunctious grandsons as part of their homeschooling curriculum.

Sounds like Coach Hughes will be in the team-building business for a long time to come!

Our heartfelt thanks go out to Coach Hughes for a career well spent in the service of others and in the pursuit of all that is good and honorable. We wish him Godspeed as he embarks on this exciting new chapter of life.

-Stacie Davis Rapson ’83

Vicki Norman

Upper School librarian 1983-2018 Vicki Norman has served Westminster as a dedicated librarian, advisor, and teacher. She loved surrounding herself with all kinds of literature, but she says her greater love for the students kept her here for 35 years. She accepted the librarian position in 1983 and since then has found joy in transforming how the library functions within the School.

At the beginning of her Westminster career, Vicki embraced the digital revolution. “At first, we were a pencil and paper library with no computers,” she explains. After about two years of behind-the-scenes work and training staff, Vicki succeeded in leading efforts to automate all the library’s catalogs—the first project of that magnitude she’d faced in her career. “It was a fun challenge... And, it was great to see the results,” she says.

Vicki is known for always being at the forefront of collaboration and inclusion. She enjoyed immersing faculty in research and inspiring students to create their own content. Her favorite academic highlights include transforming the basement of Askew Hall into a replica of the apartment setting of Raisin in the Sun with English teacher Jen Dracos-Tice. She also enjoyed research projects about cotton’s impact on history, politics, and race across the South with AP US History teacher Rick Byrd, collaborating with Tom Curtis and John Roberts in teaching New Testament exegesis, and curating a museum project with history teachers Julie Pace and Mark Labouchere.

“Seeing the students become even more invested in their work because of our collaboration is so rewarding,” she explains, noting that one of her goals as a librarian was to create research experiences that would stick with students.

“This is the modern way of learning,” she says. “And light

Vicki’s presence has been felt in school culture beyond the walls of the library. Having taught choral music and music theory, she also shaped homeroom advisories. “She relished her time as a homeroom advisor, truly knowing and helping each of her kids,” says Jen Dracos-Tice. “And, it made me see just how special the role of an advisor was.”

Vicki also advocated for diversity and servant leadership, having served as a group advisor for Girls Empowered for Relationships, Leadership, and Service (GERLS).

Westminster presented her with The William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award in 2009 and The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award in 2015 because of her devotion to her work and thoughtful mentoring.

Many of Vicki’s fondest memories at Westminster involve her one-on-one time with students. “I see the library as the hub of the School,” she says. “And, if you aren’t involved with the classroom, the curriculum, and the students, you can’t consider yourself the hub.”

Students in the library call her the “go-to” person who helps with any and every sort of project. Upper School student Emma Kate Lill ’19, one of Vicki’s most frequent visitors, says, “I’ve been lucky enough to know Ms. Norman since my freshman year at Westminster. She was beyond helpful with my research paper. Since that time, I always do my homework on the third floor of the library because I know if I need assistance she will be beyond happy to help.”

Having retired just after watching her last homeroom class of three years walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, Vicki’s retirement plans include spending time with family, friends, and her local neighborhood. As a native Atlantan (just like her parents), she hopes to put her heart into the community by volunteering at the Central Outreach and Advocacy Center at her church and the Global Village Project, a small school in Decatur for refugee girls. She also plans to do some research of her own by collecting prose by her great-grandmother, a published poet. And, as an avid reader, Vicki hopes to join a book club (or two).

As for her legacy at Westminster, Vicki will be remembered as someone who never failed to make another person’s day. “She has been such a comforting presence during my time at Westminster,” says Emma Kate. “And she is truly irreplaceable.”

-Jennifer Liu WESTMINSTER | 37

FACULTY AND STAFF

Although Diane has retired, it is no surprise that she wants to remain connected to Westminster. She plans to dedicate time for writing children’s books of her own and traveling with her husband. She also wants to return to Westminster as a long-term substitute someday. “Hopefully this isn’t a goodbye,” she says, “but a see you again soon. It would be a perfect world if I can find the right balance for teaching

FACULTY AND STAFF

Just like the stories of her students, Diane’s story at Westminster will continue. As she carries memories of young Wildcats with her, the graduates of her classroom are sure to remember her fondly throughout their lives.

-Jennifer Liu

Ever optimistic and dedicated to his profession, Rick enthusiastically shares that he has always “loved the start of a new school year and a new sports season.” He credits legendary Westminster coaches—and his personal mentors—Harry Lloyd and Pete Higgins with modeling a fulfilling life in teaching and coaching. As for how he was able to sustain the energy and enthusiasm for his work, Rick beams with affection: “The kids keep me happy and active.

They are why I was able to do this through age 70!”

Rick Hughes

Middle School PE teacher; basketball, softball, and soccer coach 1976-2018 If you want to know who to thank for beloved PE teacher and coach Rick Hughes’s 36 years of dedicated service to Westminster, the credit goes to Wanda, his wife of 42 years.

After his stint in the Army during the Vietnam War and a brief foray into teaching US history, Rick earned a master’s degree in physical education and embarked on his career as a PE teacher and coach. Rick was teaching at Sandy Springs Middle School in 1976, where his classes included as many as 75 students, and viewed it as his mission to serve those students. When he received a call from Westminster with the offer of an interview, Rick politely declined and hung up the phone. Overhearing the exchange, Wanda promptly instructed him to pick up the phone and call right back.

Fortunately for generations of Westminster students, he did as he was told!

Upon joining Westminster’s faculty, Rick embraced a calling that extended well beyond his work as a teacher and multisport coach. He brought his faith, character, and kindness to campus each day, serving as a role model for students and teachers alike. He is known for countless moments of grace, from providing transportation to school for a student in need to thoughtful mentoring for new colleagues.

36 | Fall/Winter 2018

years away from how we used to teach.” Her favorite moments are when she can see “all of the light bulbs go off” as students learn and retain new information.

and writing, traveling with my husband, and spending time with my two grandkids.”

Rick’s colleagues speak in superlatives when asked about him.

Former Middle School PE teacher Kasey Stout calls him “the greatest man I have ever met.” Lower School PE teacher and varsity softball coach Brent McGuire says he treasures the years spent with Coach Hughes: “I am a better coach, but most importantly a better person, for having the opportunity to serve on his staff.” Wayne Dabbs, former Middle School PE teacher and current head varsity football coach at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, cites Rick as “truly one of the best men I’ve ever had the privilege to be around.”

Indeed, Coach Hughes has made a lifetime impact on colleagues and students alike with his caring approach to bringing out the best in others through loving encouragement and support. One only had to look around his memorabilia-filled office to see that the impact goes both ways. Rick proudly displayed photos with students, baby and wedding announcements from former colleagues and team members, and notes of thanks, all of which he says are incredibly meaningful.

Going forward, Rick will be able to spend much more time with his family, including daughter Karen, a flight attendant based in Denver, and son Allen and his wife Amanda, who are parents to five boys under age nine. He will be conducting regular PE classes for his rambunctious grandsons as part of their homeschooling curriculum.

Sounds like Coach Hughes will be in the team-building business for a long time to come!

Our heartfelt thanks go out to Coach Hughes for a career well spent in the service of others and in the pursuit of all that is good and honorable. We wish him Godspeed as he embarks on this exciting new chapter of life.

-Stacie Davis Rapson ’83

Vicki Norman

Upper School librarian 1983-2018 Vicki Norman has served Westminster as a dedicated librarian, advisor, and teacher. She loved surrounding herself with all kinds of literature, but she says her greater love for the students kept her here for 35 years. She accepted the librarian position in 1983 and since then has found joy in transforming how the library functions within the School.

At the beginning of her Westminster career, Vicki embraced the digital revolution. “At first, we were a pencil and paper library with no computers,” she explains. After about two years of behind-the-scenes work and training staff, Vicki succeeded in leading efforts to automate all the library’s catalogs—the first project of that magnitude she’d faced in her career. “It was a fun challenge... And, it was great to see the results,” she says.

Vicki is known for always being at the forefront of collaboration and inclusion. She enjoyed immersing faculty in research and inspiring students to create their own content. Her favorite academic highlights include transforming the basement of Askew Hall into a replica of the apartment setting of Raisin in the Sun with English teacher Jen Dracos-Tice. She also enjoyed research projects about cotton’s impact on history, politics, and race across the South with AP US History teacher Rick Byrd, collaborating with Tom Curtis and John Roberts in teaching New Testament exegesis, and curating a museum project with history teachers Julie Pace and Mark Labouchere.

“Seeing the students become even more invested in their work because of our collaboration is so rewarding,” she explains, noting that one of her goals as a librarian was to create research experiences that would stick with students.

“This is the modern way of learning,” she says. “And light

Vicki’s presence has been felt in school culture beyond the walls of the library. Having taught choral music and music theory, she also shaped homeroom advisories. “She relished her time as a homeroom advisor, truly knowing and helping each of her kids,” says Jen Dracos-Tice. “And, it made me see just how special the role of an advisor was.”

Vicki also advocated for diversity and servant leadership, having served as a group advisor for Girls Empowered for Relationships, Leadership, and Service (GERLS).

Westminster presented her with The William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award in 2009 and The William A. Parker Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award in 2015 because of her devotion to her work and thoughtful mentoring.

Many of Vicki’s fondest memories at Westminster involve her one-on-one time with students. “I see the library as the hub of the School,” she says. “And, if you aren’t involved with the classroom, the curriculum, and the students, you can’t consider yourself the hub.”

Students in the library call her the “go-to” person who helps with any and every sort of project. Upper School student Emma Kate Lill ’19, one of Vicki’s most frequent visitors, says, “I’ve been lucky enough to know Ms. Norman since my freshman year at Westminster. She was beyond helpful with my research paper. Since that time, I always do my homework on the third floor of the library because I know if I need assistance she will be beyond happy to help.”

Having retired just after watching her last homeroom class of three years walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, Vicki’s retirement plans include spending time with family, friends, and her local neighborhood. As a native Atlantan (just like her parents), she hopes to put her heart into the community by volunteering at the Central Outreach and Advocacy Center at her church and the Global Village Project, a small school in Decatur for refugee girls. She also plans to do some research of her own by collecting prose by her great-grandmother, a published poet. And, as an avid reader, Vicki hopes to join a book club (or two).

As for her legacy at Westminster, Vicki will be remembered as someone who never failed to make another person’s day. “She has been such a comforting presence during my time at Westminster,” says Emma Kate. “And she is truly irreplaceable.”

-Jennifer Liu WESTMINSTER | 37

FACULTY AND STAFF

Catching Up with Retired Faculty

by Jane Lauderdale Armstrong ’74

Retired math teacher Jerry Carnes is an avid outdoorsman with passions for hiking and volunteering along the Appalachian Trail.

Whether in a classroom off West Paces Ferry Road, in Europe, or in rural North Georgia, teaching is part of the DNA of many retired Westminster faculty members.

Judy Smith and Jerry Carnes both retired in the 2000s after being part of decades of growth for the School and helping launch initiatives that continue in some form today.

While neither commands a formal classroom these days, both continue to pass on wisdom and knowledge.

38 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 39

FACULTY AND STAFF

Catching Up with Retired Faculty

by Jane Lauderdale Armstrong ’74

Retired math teacher Jerry Carnes is an avid outdoorsman with passions for hiking and volunteering along the Appalachian Trail.

Whether in a classroom off West Paces Ferry Road, in Europe, or in rural North Georgia, teaching is part of the DNA of many retired Westminster faculty members.

Judy Smith and Jerry Carnes both retired in the 2000s after being part of decades of growth for the School and helping launch initiatives that continue in some form today.

While neither commands a formal classroom these days, both continue to pass on wisdom and knowledge.

38 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 39

FACULTY AND STAFF

Judy Smith Judy Smith understands the importance of home— creating a sense of belonging for others has been a theme throughout her life.

Judy grew up in Murrayville, Georgia, just north of Gainesville. At age 16, she entered North Georgia College, where she earned a double major in English and Modern Foreign Languages. Although she wanted to become a teacher like her mother, she was just 19 when she graduated—too young to obtain teaching certification in Georgia. A neighbor knew about a new junior high school opening in Florida that was looking to fill teaching positions, so Judy applied for a job and was hired sight unseen. For the next five years, Judy was the only person in the state teaching modern foreign language to students not yet in high school. When a teachers’ strike resulted in a reshuffling of personnel, Judy decided it was time to come home to Georgia and found herself teaching at Sequoyah High School in DeKalb County. The summer before teaching at Sequoyah, Judy studied in France through a selective US government program designed to bolster foreign language instruction in our country. Her return to Georgia and her participation in the program found an intersection when one of her instructors recommended her to Dr. Pressly the following year.

Judy Smith being interviewed by Lower School students during her Westminster days.

Judy remembers driving onto Westminster’s campus for her interview. She was awestruck by the beauty of the grounds and buildings. While she expected to be questioned about her teaching credentials, Dr. Pressly was particularly

40 | Fall/Winter 2018

FACULTY AND STAFF

interested in her experience in France. “He had a passion for all things French,” she recalls. Dr. Pressly offered her a job, and she began teaching at Westminster in the fall of 1967, incorporating healthy doses of French culture into her curriculum. Attending her class was like spending an hour on the Champs Elysees, eating French delicacies and singing along to phonograph records of French chanteuse Edith Piaf.

Jerry Carnes

In 1972, shortly after Judy joined the faculty, Westminster launched summer abroad programs for course credit in Spain, France, and England. Judy handled language instruction for students in France, while colleague Ellen Fleming taught French history and Mary Alice Love managed the business details. Today, Westminster offers more than a dozen global study opportunities for Upper and Middle School students—all can trace their roots to this pilot venture.

After college, Jerry taught math in the DeKalb County School District and began work on a master’s degree from Emory University. At that time, Ken Keisler, chair of the math department for Westminster’s Boys School, was looking for a rising star to add to his department. Ken contacted a friend at Emory to ask for recommendations, and that’s when Jerry’s name came up—the friend was one of Jerry’s professors. Jerry interviewed for the position, and Ken quickly snapped him up. Jerry began teaching at Westminster in 1966.

In addition to teaching, Judy served as the Girls’ Dean of Students for 20 years. Offering healthy doses of wit and wisdom, Judy’s office was a haven for students who needed a place to talk things over or even just to relax. Judy describes the Westminster faculty, students, and parents as a family, saying, “I had everything I needed to have a good life.”

After she retired in 2001, Judy returned to Murrayville, where she lives in the same house in which she grew up.

The house needed some work when Judy moved in, and she has had fun renovating it over time. Her return home also gave her the chance to spend quality time with her mother before she passed away. These days, Judy is socially and politically engaged in the Gainesville area in numerous ways. Through her church, she teaches English to several immigrant communities and tutors children who struggle in school because English is their second language. She teaches citizenship classes and helps applicants negotiate the paperwork and interview process as they seek to make the United States their new home. She also volunteers with Meals on Wheels and Stephen Ministries, a Christian care organization. Additionally, she is on the board of Literacy Alliance of Hall County, helping adults earn their GEDs. Judy has also become something of an unofficial adoption agent for abandoned pets. She estimates that over the past 17 years she has found homes for more than 40 animals.

Most have been taken in by her friends and acquaintances, but the lucky ones have come to live with her.

Reflecting on all her years of teaching, the ever-optimistic Judy says: “I can never be worried about the future because of the wonderful kids I have taught!”

Jerry Carnes grew up in the picturesque town of Clayton in the North Georgia mountains. He attended Young Harris College and later graduated from the University of Georgia, where he met a certain art major: his future wife, Gina.

The hire turned out to be doubly fortuitous for Westminster. Dr. Pressly believed that visual and performing arts are critical components of a well-rounded education and wanted to start an art program at the elementary level.

When he learned about Gina’s credentials, Dr. Pressly reached out to her, and she, too, joined the faculty.

on the Appalachian Trail, maintaining the trail and training others to become volunteers. Recently, he ran into Westminster alum Jeb Howell ’72 while leading a training session. This inveterate teacher continues to practice his craft through a program that teaches school groups about trail preservation, camping practices, and the leave no trace concept.

Additionally, Jerry has traveled extensively and has been a regular participant in summer hikes sponsored

by National Geographic. During the winter months, he heads south to the beach house Gina and he bought at St. George Island, Florida.

Jerry also enjoys spending time with his daughter, Stephanie Carnes Young ’93, who lives with her husband and three children in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and works as an elementary school counselor.

Jerry sums up his retirement this way: “I am happy, and I am staying busy!”

Jerry’s teaching career at the School spanned 40 years.

During that time, he taught all levels of high school math—from ninth grade algebra to the most advanced levels of calculus. While he enjoyed all the courses he taught, he found 10th grade particularly fun. During his tenure, Jerry held the position of math department chair for 25 years.

Only a few years into his long tenure, this “new kid on the block” went to Dr. Pressly with a big idea. He wanted to introduce a course in computer programming at Westminster as a way to teach logical thinking. This was in the early 1970s, and no one else was doing it. Dr. Pressly caught Jerry’s vision and gave him his full support. The following summer, Jerry spent eight weeks studying at the University of Oregon preparing to launch the course.

Meanwhile, Dr. Pressly found the funds to purchase the equipment necessary to offer the course and create a computer lab.

Jerry Carnes at the dedication of an Appalachian Trail kiosk in Hiawassee.

After retiring from Westminster in 2006, Jerry returned to the mountains of North Georgia, completing a home in Hiawassee he and Gina started. Sadly, Gina died from cancer in 2008. Most days, you won’t find Jerry at home.

He is a regular volunteer with the US Forest Service

WESTMINSTER | 41

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Judy Smith Judy Smith understands the importance of home— creating a sense of belonging for others has been a theme throughout her life.

Judy grew up in Murrayville, Georgia, just north of Gainesville. At age 16, she entered North Georgia College, where she earned a double major in English and Modern Foreign Languages. Although she wanted to become a teacher like her mother, she was just 19 when she graduated—too young to obtain teaching certification in Georgia. A neighbor knew about a new junior high school opening in Florida that was looking to fill teaching positions, so Judy applied for a job and was hired sight unseen. For the next five years, Judy was the only person in the state teaching modern foreign language to students not yet in high school. When a teachers’ strike resulted in a reshuffling of personnel, Judy decided it was time to come home to Georgia and found herself teaching at Sequoyah High School in DeKalb County. The summer before teaching at Sequoyah, Judy studied in France through a selective US government program designed to bolster foreign language instruction in our country. Her return to Georgia and her participation in the program found an intersection when one of her instructors recommended her to Dr. Pressly the following year.

Judy Smith being interviewed by Lower School students during her Westminster days.

Judy remembers driving onto Westminster’s campus for her interview. She was awestruck by the beauty of the grounds and buildings. While she expected to be questioned about her teaching credentials, Dr. Pressly was particularly

40 | Fall/Winter 2018

FACULTY AND STAFF

interested in her experience in France. “He had a passion for all things French,” she recalls. Dr. Pressly offered her a job, and she began teaching at Westminster in the fall of 1967, incorporating healthy doses of French culture into her curriculum. Attending her class was like spending an hour on the Champs Elysees, eating French delicacies and singing along to phonograph records of French chanteuse Edith Piaf.

Jerry Carnes

In 1972, shortly after Judy joined the faculty, Westminster launched summer abroad programs for course credit in Spain, France, and England. Judy handled language instruction for students in France, while colleague Ellen Fleming taught French history and Mary Alice Love managed the business details. Today, Westminster offers more than a dozen global study opportunities for Upper and Middle School students—all can trace their roots to this pilot venture.

After college, Jerry taught math in the DeKalb County School District and began work on a master’s degree from Emory University. At that time, Ken Keisler, chair of the math department for Westminster’s Boys School, was looking for a rising star to add to his department. Ken contacted a friend at Emory to ask for recommendations, and that’s when Jerry’s name came up—the friend was one of Jerry’s professors. Jerry interviewed for the position, and Ken quickly snapped him up. Jerry began teaching at Westminster in 1966.

In addition to teaching, Judy served as the Girls’ Dean of Students for 20 years. Offering healthy doses of wit and wisdom, Judy’s office was a haven for students who needed a place to talk things over or even just to relax. Judy describes the Westminster faculty, students, and parents as a family, saying, “I had everything I needed to have a good life.”

After she retired in 2001, Judy returned to Murrayville, where she lives in the same house in which she grew up.

The house needed some work when Judy moved in, and she has had fun renovating it over time. Her return home also gave her the chance to spend quality time with her mother before she passed away. These days, Judy is socially and politically engaged in the Gainesville area in numerous ways. Through her church, she teaches English to several immigrant communities and tutors children who struggle in school because English is their second language. She teaches citizenship classes and helps applicants negotiate the paperwork and interview process as they seek to make the United States their new home. She also volunteers with Meals on Wheels and Stephen Ministries, a Christian care organization. Additionally, she is on the board of Literacy Alliance of Hall County, helping adults earn their GEDs. Judy has also become something of an unofficial adoption agent for abandoned pets. She estimates that over the past 17 years she has found homes for more than 40 animals.

Most have been taken in by her friends and acquaintances, but the lucky ones have come to live with her.

Reflecting on all her years of teaching, the ever-optimistic Judy says: “I can never be worried about the future because of the wonderful kids I have taught!”

Jerry Carnes grew up in the picturesque town of Clayton in the North Georgia mountains. He attended Young Harris College and later graduated from the University of Georgia, where he met a certain art major: his future wife, Gina.

The hire turned out to be doubly fortuitous for Westminster. Dr. Pressly believed that visual and performing arts are critical components of a well-rounded education and wanted to start an art program at the elementary level.

When he learned about Gina’s credentials, Dr. Pressly reached out to her, and she, too, joined the faculty.

on the Appalachian Trail, maintaining the trail and training others to become volunteers. Recently, he ran into Westminster alum Jeb Howell ’72 while leading a training session. This inveterate teacher continues to practice his craft through a program that teaches school groups about trail preservation, camping practices, and the leave no trace concept.

Additionally, Jerry has traveled extensively and has been a regular participant in summer hikes sponsored

by National Geographic. During the winter months, he heads south to the beach house Gina and he bought at St. George Island, Florida.

Jerry also enjoys spending time with his daughter, Stephanie Carnes Young ’93, who lives with her husband and three children in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and works as an elementary school counselor.

Jerry sums up his retirement this way: “I am happy, and I am staying busy!”

Jerry’s teaching career at the School spanned 40 years.

During that time, he taught all levels of high school math—from ninth grade algebra to the most advanced levels of calculus. While he enjoyed all the courses he taught, he found 10th grade particularly fun. During his tenure, Jerry held the position of math department chair for 25 years.

Only a few years into his long tenure, this “new kid on the block” went to Dr. Pressly with a big idea. He wanted to introduce a course in computer programming at Westminster as a way to teach logical thinking. This was in the early 1970s, and no one else was doing it. Dr. Pressly caught Jerry’s vision and gave him his full support. The following summer, Jerry spent eight weeks studying at the University of Oregon preparing to launch the course.

Meanwhile, Dr. Pressly found the funds to purchase the equipment necessary to offer the course and create a computer lab.

Jerry Carnes at the dedication of an Appalachian Trail kiosk in Hiawassee.

After retiring from Westminster in 2006, Jerry returned to the mountains of North Georgia, completing a home in Hiawassee he and Gina started. Sadly, Gina died from cancer in 2008. Most days, you won’t find Jerry at home.

He is a regular volunteer with the US Forest Service

WESTMINSTER | 41

Commencement

COMMENCEMENT

Congratulations, Class of 2018!

Class of 2018 Senior Honors Abbey Pan, Alex Palacios................................................................................................ Valedictorians Phoebe Liu, Justin Schaufele...........................................................................................Salutatorians Julie Street.............................................................................................Performing Arts - Band Award Caroline Stewart..................................................................... Performing Arts - Vocal Music Award Courtney Frank, Ramsey Clyde........................................ Performing Arts - Theatre Arts Award Phoebe Liu.................................... Performing Arts - Norma Allen Gaebelein Orchestra Award Frances Brown, Taylor James, Worth Talley...................................................... Visual Arts Award Delaney Graham, Truman Jones.....................................................................Senior Athlete Award Albert Zhang................................................................... The Goizueta Foundation Chinese Award Casey Monyak..................................................................The Goizueta Foundation French Award Bryan Weselman............................. The Goizueta Foundation Lazaro Herrera Spanish Award Grace Nichols........................................... George R. Lamplugh Excellence in American History Frances Mize................................................................... Gwendolyn M. Cleghorn Memorial Award Alan Xu................................................................................ David T. Lauderdale Jr. Memorial Award Anna Wilkinson, Alex Palacios...................... Leila Mason Venable Eldridge Memorial Award Abbey Pan, Adam Liang.......................................................Robert M. Sims Math/Science Award Briana Resuta............................................................... The Branham Award for Greatest Progress

Grade Chair John Monahan leads the Class of 2018 boys to Pressly Patio.

Scoot Dimon ’70 gives a big thumbs up for the Class of 2018.

Ethan Denning happily crosses the stage to receive his diploma from President Keith Evans.

Andrew Oglesby.......................................................................................................Berry Senior Award Zaria Franklin........................................................................................................................ Dean’s Award Mary Chapman Miller, Rains Draper........ Vernon S. Broyles Jr. Christian Leadership Award Xavier Holliday................................................................The President’s Volunteer Service Award Lara Kassabian............................................................................................Community Service Award Isabel Morgan, John Abernathy........................................................................................ Spirit Award Claire Bergman, Matt Howard...............................Croft Family Service and Fellowship Award Meghna Patel.........................................................................................Head of Upper School Award

Bryson Rorie, Yessica Velasquez, and Devin Lamar enjoy the feeling of being graduates.

Alex Cann.........................................................................................Atlanta Journal-Constitution Cup Raeba Roy..........................................................................................Thyrza S. Askew Nobility Award Kelsey Russell...............................................................................Judith A. Smith Citizenship Award Truman Jones..............................................................................James G. Patton Citizenship Award Grace Staes....................................................................... Frances Isabelle Outler Memorial Award Senior Class Co-President Isabel Morgan addresses her class.

Cyan D’Anjou is all smiles after getting her diploma and Bible.

Caroline Stewart and Julie Street listen intently to commencement speaker Brittany Merrill Underwood ’02.

Meghna Patel, Lily Canfield, and Elizabeth Trense share an Alpha Omega moment together.

42 | Fall/Winter 2018

David Vroon and Julian Mason shake hands to congratulate one another.

Ryan Costley.......................................................................................Richard L. Hull Memorial Award

WESTMINSTER | 43

Commencement

COMMENCEMENT

Congratulations, Class of 2018!

Class of 2018 Senior Honors Abbey Pan, Alex Palacios................................................................................................ Valedictorians Phoebe Liu, Justin Schaufele...........................................................................................Salutatorians Julie Street.............................................................................................Performing Arts - Band Award Caroline Stewart..................................................................... Performing Arts - Vocal Music Award Courtney Frank, Ramsey Clyde........................................ Performing Arts - Theatre Arts Award Phoebe Liu.................................... Performing Arts - Norma Allen Gaebelein Orchestra Award Frances Brown, Taylor James, Worth Talley...................................................... Visual Arts Award Delaney Graham, Truman Jones.....................................................................Senior Athlete Award Albert Zhang................................................................... The Goizueta Foundation Chinese Award Casey Monyak..................................................................The Goizueta Foundation French Award Bryan Weselman............................. The Goizueta Foundation Lazaro Herrera Spanish Award Grace Nichols........................................... George R. Lamplugh Excellence in American History Frances Mize................................................................... Gwendolyn M. Cleghorn Memorial Award Alan Xu................................................................................ David T. Lauderdale Jr. Memorial Award Anna Wilkinson, Alex Palacios...................... Leila Mason Venable Eldridge Memorial Award Abbey Pan, Adam Liang.......................................................Robert M. Sims Math/Science Award Briana Resuta............................................................... The Branham Award for Greatest Progress

Grade Chair John Monahan leads the Class of 2018 boys to Pressly Patio.

Scoot Dimon ’70 gives a big thumbs up for the Class of 2018.

Ethan Denning happily crosses the stage to receive his diploma from President Keith Evans.

Andrew Oglesby.......................................................................................................Berry Senior Award Zaria Franklin........................................................................................................................ Dean’s Award Mary Chapman Miller, Rains Draper........ Vernon S. Broyles Jr. Christian Leadership Award Xavier Holliday................................................................The President’s Volunteer Service Award Lara Kassabian............................................................................................Community Service Award Isabel Morgan, John Abernathy........................................................................................ Spirit Award Claire Bergman, Matt Howard...............................Croft Family Service and Fellowship Award Meghna Patel.........................................................................................Head of Upper School Award

Bryson Rorie, Yessica Velasquez, and Devin Lamar enjoy the feeling of being graduates.

Alex Cann.........................................................................................Atlanta Journal-Constitution Cup Raeba Roy..........................................................................................Thyrza S. Askew Nobility Award Kelsey Russell...............................................................................Judith A. Smith Citizenship Award Truman Jones..............................................................................James G. Patton Citizenship Award Grace Staes....................................................................... Frances Isabelle Outler Memorial Award Senior Class Co-President Isabel Morgan addresses her class.

Cyan D’Anjou is all smiles after getting her diploma and Bible.

Caroline Stewart and Julie Street listen intently to commencement speaker Brittany Merrill Underwood ’02.

Meghna Patel, Lily Canfield, and Elizabeth Trense share an Alpha Omega moment together.

42 | Fall/Winter 2018

David Vroon and Julian Mason shake hands to congratulate one another.

Ryan Costley.......................................................................................Richard L. Hull Memorial Award

WESTMINSTER | 43

COMMENCEMENT

COMMENCEMENT

Mapping the

Future

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER (3) UNIVERSITY OF DENVER

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS (3)

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (2)

UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME (5)

WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY

COLBY COLLEGE BOSTON COLLEGE (3) BOSTON UNIVERSITY (5) HARVARD UNIVERSITY (4)

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE (4)

BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY

BROWN UNIVERSITY (4)

CORNELL UNIVERSITY (4) UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (3)

YALE UNIVERSITY (3) UNITED STATES COAST GUARD ACADEMY UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT (2)

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY (4) NEW YORK UNIVERSITY LAFAYETTE COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (7)

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY (2) AMERICAN UNIVERSITY (2) UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA (8) WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY

The members of the Class of 2018 will continue their educational journeys at 67 colleges and universities across the United States and the United Kingdom.

We wish each of them well as they take this next step!

COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY (2) HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY STANFORD UNIVERSITY (3)

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY (4) CLEMSON UNIVERSITY (3)

DAVIDSON COLLEGE (2)

GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (2) UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (5)

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (14)

COLORADO COLLEGE (2) SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY (3)

DUKE UNIVERSITY (4) ELON UNIVERSITY (2) NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL (8)

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (2)

TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (3) UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN (7)

AUBURN UNIVERSITY (6)

RHODES COLLEGE (3) TULANE UNIVERSITY (4)

RICE UNIVERSITY (3)

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA (4)

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY (7) BELMONT UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY (2)

SEWANEE: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH

EMORY UNIVERSITY (3) GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (9) UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA OCONEE

OVERSEAS

KING’S COLLEGE LONDON

GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

44 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 45

COMMENCEMENT

COMMENCEMENT

Mapping the

Future

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER (3) UNIVERSITY OF DENVER

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS (3)

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (2)

UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME (5)

WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY

COLBY COLLEGE BOSTON COLLEGE (3) BOSTON UNIVERSITY (5) HARVARD UNIVERSITY (4)

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE (4)

BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY

BROWN UNIVERSITY (4)

CORNELL UNIVERSITY (4) UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (3)

YALE UNIVERSITY (3) UNITED STATES COAST GUARD ACADEMY UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT (2)

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY (4) NEW YORK UNIVERSITY LAFAYETTE COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (7)

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY (2) AMERICAN UNIVERSITY (2) UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA (8) WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY

The members of the Class of 2018 will continue their educational journeys at 67 colleges and universities across the United States and the United Kingdom.

We wish each of them well as they take this next step!

COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY (2) HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY STANFORD UNIVERSITY (3)

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY (4) CLEMSON UNIVERSITY (3)

DAVIDSON COLLEGE (2)

GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (2) UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (5)

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (14)

COLORADO COLLEGE (2) SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY (3)

DUKE UNIVERSITY (4) ELON UNIVERSITY (2) NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL (8)

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (2)

TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (3) UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN (7)

AUBURN UNIVERSITY (6)

RHODES COLLEGE (3) TULANE UNIVERSITY (4)

RICE UNIVERSITY (3)

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA (4)

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY (7) BELMONT UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY (2)

SEWANEE: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH

EMORY UNIVERSITY (3) GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (9) UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA OCONEE

OVERSEAS

KING’S COLLEGE LONDON

GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

44 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 45

COMMENCEMENT

COMMENCEMENT

Ties That Bind

The “Ties That Bind” the Westminster community together are strong and far-reaching.

A beloved Westminster tradition, new graduates gather with their family members who are also alumni of Westminster, NAPS, or Washington Seminary after the Commencement ceremony each year.

Maya Bradford ’16, Ella Bradford ’18

Kate Canfield ’07, Lily Canfield ’18, Patrick Canfield ’12

Faith Cho ’16, Hope Cho ’18

Andrew Abernathy ’84, John Abernathy ’18

Ashley Ahn ’18, Kelly Ahn ’85

Isabelle Aldridge ’18, Gee Aldridge ’86

Cathy Catanzaro Clark ’79, Julia Clark ’18, Ben Clark ’12

Sophie Clyde ’16, Ramsey Clyde ’18

Kensey Cochran ’16, Micayla Cochran ’18

Jimmy Balloun ’17, Jack Balloun ’18, Mark Balloun ’84

Jacqueline Baltz ’15, Raymond Baltz ’18

Sam Barkin ’14, Robyn Rieser Barkin ’81, Katie Barkin ’18, Erik Montag ’18, Alice Montag Tisch ’81, Ned Montag ’85, John Montag ’86

Win Collier ’08, Ella Collier ’18, Shelton Collier ’12

Ed Croft ’60, Ward Croft ’18, Stockton Croft ’87, Addie Croft ’16

Cyan D’Anjou ’18, Liana D’Anjou ’99

Rachel Beavers ’13, Creed Beavers ’18, Lyle Beavers ’15

George Bird ’88, Presley Bird ’18

Brantly Black ’18, William Black ’15

John Dolan ’81, Gabi Dolan ’18, Josh Dolan ’15

Laura Whitner Dorsey ’62, Rains Draper ’18, Laura Rains Draper ’86, Margaret Rains Howell ’60, Henry Howell ’56

John Egan Jr. ’11, Chaz Egan ’13, Jake Egan ’12, Jill Shoffner Egan ’84, John Egan ’84, Joe Egan ’18, Moira Egan ’72, Cole Egan ’79, Mike Egan ’74, Jackson Egan ’14

46 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 47

COMMENCEMENT

COMMENCEMENT

Ties That Bind

The “Ties That Bind” the Westminster community together are strong and far-reaching.

A beloved Westminster tradition, new graduates gather with their family members who are also alumni of Westminster, NAPS, or Washington Seminary after the Commencement ceremony each year.

Maya Bradford ’16, Ella Bradford ’18

Kate Canfield ’07, Lily Canfield ’18, Patrick Canfield ’12

Faith Cho ’16, Hope Cho ’18

Andrew Abernathy ’84, John Abernathy ’18

Ashley Ahn ’18, Kelly Ahn ’85

Isabelle Aldridge ’18, Gee Aldridge ’86

Cathy Catanzaro Clark ’79, Julia Clark ’18, Ben Clark ’12

Sophie Clyde ’16, Ramsey Clyde ’18

Kensey Cochran ’16, Micayla Cochran ’18

Jimmy Balloun ’17, Jack Balloun ’18, Mark Balloun ’84

Jacqueline Baltz ’15, Raymond Baltz ’18

Sam Barkin ’14, Robyn Rieser Barkin ’81, Katie Barkin ’18, Erik Montag ’18, Alice Montag Tisch ’81, Ned Montag ’85, John Montag ’86

Win Collier ’08, Ella Collier ’18, Shelton Collier ’12

Ed Croft ’60, Ward Croft ’18, Stockton Croft ’87, Addie Croft ’16

Cyan D’Anjou ’18, Liana D’Anjou ’99

Rachel Beavers ’13, Creed Beavers ’18, Lyle Beavers ’15

George Bird ’88, Presley Bird ’18

Brantly Black ’18, William Black ’15

John Dolan ’81, Gabi Dolan ’18, Josh Dolan ’15

Laura Whitner Dorsey ’62, Rains Draper ’18, Laura Rains Draper ’86, Margaret Rains Howell ’60, Henry Howell ’56

John Egan Jr. ’11, Chaz Egan ’13, Jake Egan ’12, Jill Shoffner Egan ’84, John Egan ’84, Joe Egan ’18, Moira Egan ’72, Cole Egan ’79, Mike Egan ’74, Jackson Egan ’14

46 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 47

COMMENCEMENT

COMMENCEMENT

Cindy Couch Ferguson ’84, Emily Ferguson ’18, Elizabeth Ferguson ’15

Cammy Bethea ’85, Maggie Fowler ’18, Patton Bethea Fowler ’83

Brock Galyardt ’18, Jackson Galyardt ’15

Peyton Kelley ’13, Raegan Kelley ’18, Layne Kelley ’12

Scott Rees ’77, Julie Rees Kelly ’82, Courtney Kelly ’14, Scottie Kelly ’18, Spencer Rees ’09

Matthew Levenson ’15, Caroline Levenson ’18

Alex Gracey ’18, Louise Tanner Gracey ’84

Katie Greene ’18, James Greene ’18

Greg Hagood ’86, Will Hagood ’18, Matt Hagood ’15

Morgan McCamey ’18, Chandler McCamey ’15

Charlie McCollum ’18, Yancey Lanier McCollum ’88

Allie Smith Miller ’17, Mary Chapman Miller ’18, Hamilton Miller ’15

Zach Hay ’18, Will Hay ’17

Abigail Henegar ’15, Emily Henegar ’18

Paget Hines ’92, Tanner Hines ’18

Lily Morgan ’16, Isabel Morgan ’18

Tripp O’Connor ’87, Claire O’Connor ’18, Maggie O’Connor ’16, Katie O’Connor Herzfeld ’89

Meg Panetta ’13, Ellie Panetta ’18

Xavier Holliday ’18, Edward Holliday ’17

Wirt Jones ’85, Addison Jones ’18

Ladd Jones ’80, Cary Tregellas Jones ’77, Luke Jones ’18, Leslie Jones ’87, Mary Dana Tregellas Leverett ’79

Ishaan Patel ’14, Meghna Patel ’18

Amanda Polhemus ’14, Jack Polhemus ’18

Imran Ramji ’05, Jehan Ramji ’18, Nabilah Jiwani ’09, Aleem Ramji ’03

48 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 49

COMMENCEMENT

COMMENCEMENT

Cindy Couch Ferguson ’84, Emily Ferguson ’18, Elizabeth Ferguson ’15

Cammy Bethea ’85, Maggie Fowler ’18, Patton Bethea Fowler ’83

Brock Galyardt ’18, Jackson Galyardt ’15

Peyton Kelley ’13, Raegan Kelley ’18, Layne Kelley ’12

Scott Rees ’77, Julie Rees Kelly ’82, Courtney Kelly ’14, Scottie Kelly ’18, Spencer Rees ’09

Matthew Levenson ’15, Caroline Levenson ’18

Alex Gracey ’18, Louise Tanner Gracey ’84

Katie Greene ’18, James Greene ’18

Greg Hagood ’86, Will Hagood ’18, Matt Hagood ’15

Morgan McCamey ’18, Chandler McCamey ’15

Charlie McCollum ’18, Yancey Lanier McCollum ’88

Allie Smith Miller ’17, Mary Chapman Miller ’18, Hamilton Miller ’15

Zach Hay ’18, Will Hay ’17

Abigail Henegar ’15, Emily Henegar ’18

Paget Hines ’92, Tanner Hines ’18

Lily Morgan ’16, Isabel Morgan ’18

Tripp O’Connor ’87, Claire O’Connor ’18, Maggie O’Connor ’16, Katie O’Connor Herzfeld ’89

Meg Panetta ’13, Ellie Panetta ’18

Xavier Holliday ’18, Edward Holliday ’17

Wirt Jones ’85, Addison Jones ’18

Ladd Jones ’80, Cary Tregellas Jones ’77, Luke Jones ’18, Leslie Jones ’87, Mary Dana Tregellas Leverett ’79

Ishaan Patel ’14, Meghna Patel ’18

Amanda Polhemus ’14, Jack Polhemus ’18

Imran Ramji ’05, Jehan Ramji ’18, Nabilah Jiwani ’09, Aleem Ramji ’03

48 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 49

COMMENCEMENT

COMMENCEMENT

Alixandria Resuta ’15, Brianna Resuta ’18

Elizabeth Lockerman Rooney ’84, Mason Rooney ’15, Allen Lockerman ’87, Peter Rooney ’18, Peter Arthur Rooney ’80

Laura Frantzlin Jacques ’78, Kevin Dixon Jacques ’77, Nancy Dixon Bellow ’54, Dixon Rothschild ’18, Sallie Bellows Rothschild ’86, Kate Bellows Hudson ’92

Emi Shaffer Gragnani ’95 , Caroline Shaffer Vroon ’87, David Vroon ’18, Bryan Vroon ’80

Joseph Withrow ’10, Max Withrow ’18, Brooks Withrow ’13

Raeba Roy ’18, Ruben Roy ’16

Jerome Russell ’80, Kelsey Russell ’18

Will Schramm ’18, Laura Schramm ’16

Molly Wright ’16, Mason Wright ’18

Jon York ’79, Katherine York ’13, Jonathan York ’10, Peter York ’18, Kelly York Hays ’09, Peter York ’82

Denton Shamburger ’88, Ella Shamburger ’18, Logue Shamburger ’16

Collins Speed ’15, Bennett Speed ’18

Evelyn Stafford ’18, Jeanne Byrd Howell ’63

Alexis Woodhouse ’14, Sam Woodhouse ’18

Class of 2018 graduates with their alumni parents.

Michael Taylor ’14, Margot Taylor ’12, Katherine Taylor ’18, Daniel Taylor ’11, Andrew Taylor ’16

50 | Fall/Winter 2018

Alexa Tomaras ’18, Miranda Tomaras ’16

Elizabeth Trense ’18, Charlie Trense ’15

WESTMINSTER | 51

COMMENCEMENT

COMMENCEMENT

Alixandria Resuta ’15, Brianna Resuta ’18

Elizabeth Lockerman Rooney ’84, Mason Rooney ’15, Allen Lockerman ’87, Peter Rooney ’18, Peter Arthur Rooney ’80

Laura Frantzlin Jacques ’78, Kevin Dixon Jacques ’77, Nancy Dixon Bellow ’54, Dixon Rothschild ’18, Sallie Bellows Rothschild ’86, Kate Bellows Hudson ’92

Emi Shaffer Gragnani ’95 , Caroline Shaffer Vroon ’87, David Vroon ’18, Bryan Vroon ’80

Joseph Withrow ’10, Max Withrow ’18, Brooks Withrow ’13

Raeba Roy ’18, Ruben Roy ’16

Jerome Russell ’80, Kelsey Russell ’18

Will Schramm ’18, Laura Schramm ’16

Molly Wright ’16, Mason Wright ’18

Jon York ’79, Katherine York ’13, Jonathan York ’10, Peter York ’18, Kelly York Hays ’09, Peter York ’82

Denton Shamburger ’88, Ella Shamburger ’18, Logue Shamburger ’16

Collins Speed ’15, Bennett Speed ’18

Evelyn Stafford ’18, Jeanne Byrd Howell ’63

Alexis Woodhouse ’14, Sam Woodhouse ’18

Class of 2018 graduates with their alumni parents.

Michael Taylor ’14, Margot Taylor ’12, Katherine Taylor ’18, Daniel Taylor ’11, Andrew Taylor ’16

50 | Fall/Winter 2018

Alexa Tomaras ’18, Miranda Tomaras ’16

Elizabeth Trense ’18, Charlie Trense ’15

WESTMINSTER | 51

Wildcat Den

Spring 2018 Sports Round-Up

By Katie Trainor Assistant Director of Athletics

It was a successful spring season as every state-level varsity team had a playoff run, with the Wildcats earning four state championships to bring the 2017-18 total to eight. The success of the spring teams catapulted Westminster to the top of the Georgia Athletic Director’s Association’s Director’s Cup standings, earning the Cats their 18th cup in 19 years.

Westminster finished with 1,477 points, nearly 300 points ahead of runner-up Lovett. The Wildcats also had more overall points than any school across Georgia High School Association classifications. The Wildcats also won the separate boys and girls cups.

Baseball The BatCats had a successful spring, making a run for the state championship. After starting the season 7-11 with a punishing non-region schedule, the Cats went on an 18-game winning streak to finish the season 25-13! The team came up short against Lovett in the third game of the championship series. At the plate, Parks Harber ’20 led the team in average and home runs, and Ryan Miller ’18 and Peter York ’18 led in other important offensive categories. Parks was named as the only sophomore to the all-metro all-star team recognized by the Atlanta 400 Baseball Club. Head coach Chad Laney ’95 was named the club’s coach of the year for metro Atlanta.

Crew

The CrewCats traveled throughout the Southeast to compete in regattas against tough opponents. A highlight for the rowers was the Williams Island Regatta in Tennessee, where the Novice 4-A boat came in first place. In the other regatta races, the Wildcat boats finished third. Similarly, at the Mid-South Scholastic Championship in Chattanooga, the Novice 8, Novice 4 (A and B boats), and the Second Varsity 4 boat all placed third in their events.

Boys Golf The team took a decisive victory in the Class AAA state championship, besting the runner-up by 10 strokes to earn the program’s second state title in three years. Sam Lape ’19 led the Wildcats to victory by shooting one under, claiming the AAA individual title. The Wildcats set records along the way—winning a program-high five tournaments, tying the lowest competitive round in school history at the area tournament, and shooting the lowest two-day state tournament score in school

52 | Fall/Winter 2018

history. Sam, Drew Lingle ’18, and David Dickey ’20 were named to the Georgia High School Golf Coaches Association all-state team; Sam was unanimously named the state AAA player of the year.

Girls Golf After placing fourth in the Region 4-AAA area tournament, the Wildcats finished their season competing in the GHSA state tournament. The Cats earned an eighth-place finish and were led by Ashley Jian ’20, who finished 14th out of the field of 64 players. Katherine Hennessy ’19, Kelly Hanratty ’19, and Eva Batelaan ’19 all had a strong tournament, finishing among the top 45 golfers.

Gymnastics Varsity gymnastics had another great year, improving on their scores through the season. A highlight for the team was scoring higher than rival Lovett during the Lions’ meet. Caroline Lingle ’20 and Emme Payne ’21 represented Westminster in the GHSA state qualifying meet at the end of the season. The team will retain its entire squad heading into next season, so the future is bright for these Cats!

Boys Lacrosse Coming off their 2017 state title, the boys lacrosse team knew it would be a tough road to to repeat as champions. They faced a schedule designed to test and prepare them for the state tournament. The Cats battled Lambert, the eventual 6-7A state champion, and had a big win over 6-7A quarterfinalist Allatoona. The boys beat Buckhead rivals Lovett and Pace (10-7 and 10-6, respectively) and squeaked out an important area win against Kell. The LaxCats advanced to the A-5A semifinals before falling short to Greater Atlanta Christian.

Girls Lacrosse Girls lacrosse finished the season strong, advancing to the final four of the state tournament after a close win over Pinecrest and an upset of top-seeded Marist. Led by their six seniors, the Wildcats faced a challenging national schedule. Highlights included sweeps of local rivals Pace and Lovett. For their efforts over the course of the season, eight Wildcats earned Georgia Athletic Director’s Association A-AAAAA all-state honors.

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Wildcat Den

Spring 2018 Sports Round-Up

By Katie Trainor Assistant Director of Athletics

It was a successful spring season as every state-level varsity team had a playoff run, with the Wildcats earning four state championships to bring the 2017-18 total to eight. The success of the spring teams catapulted Westminster to the top of the Georgia Athletic Director’s Association’s Director’s Cup standings, earning the Cats their 18th cup in 19 years.

Westminster finished with 1,477 points, nearly 300 points ahead of runner-up Lovett. The Wildcats also had more overall points than any school across Georgia High School Association classifications. The Wildcats also won the separate boys and girls cups.

Baseball The BatCats had a successful spring, making a run for the state championship. After starting the season 7-11 with a punishing non-region schedule, the Cats went on an 18-game winning streak to finish the season 25-13! The team came up short against Lovett in the third game of the championship series. At the plate, Parks Harber ’20 led the team in average and home runs, and Ryan Miller ’18 and Peter York ’18 led in other important offensive categories. Parks was named as the only sophomore to the all-metro all-star team recognized by the Atlanta 400 Baseball Club. Head coach Chad Laney ’95 was named the club’s coach of the year for metro Atlanta.

Crew

The CrewCats traveled throughout the Southeast to compete in regattas against tough opponents. A highlight for the rowers was the Williams Island Regatta in Tennessee, where the Novice 4-A boat came in first place. In the other regatta races, the Wildcat boats finished third. Similarly, at the Mid-South Scholastic Championship in Chattanooga, the Novice 8, Novice 4 (A and B boats), and the Second Varsity 4 boat all placed third in their events.

Boys Golf The team took a decisive victory in the Class AAA state championship, besting the runner-up by 10 strokes to earn the program’s second state title in three years. Sam Lape ’19 led the Wildcats to victory by shooting one under, claiming the AAA individual title. The Wildcats set records along the way—winning a program-high five tournaments, tying the lowest competitive round in school history at the area tournament, and shooting the lowest two-day state tournament score in school

52 | Fall/Winter 2018

history. Sam, Drew Lingle ’18, and David Dickey ’20 were named to the Georgia High School Golf Coaches Association all-state team; Sam was unanimously named the state AAA player of the year.

Girls Golf After placing fourth in the Region 4-AAA area tournament, the Wildcats finished their season competing in the GHSA state tournament. The Cats earned an eighth-place finish and were led by Ashley Jian ’20, who finished 14th out of the field of 64 players. Katherine Hennessy ’19, Kelly Hanratty ’19, and Eva Batelaan ’19 all had a strong tournament, finishing among the top 45 golfers.

Gymnastics Varsity gymnastics had another great year, improving on their scores through the season. A highlight for the team was scoring higher than rival Lovett during the Lions’ meet. Caroline Lingle ’20 and Emme Payne ’21 represented Westminster in the GHSA state qualifying meet at the end of the season. The team will retain its entire squad heading into next season, so the future is bright for these Cats!

Boys Lacrosse Coming off their 2017 state title, the boys lacrosse team knew it would be a tough road to to repeat as champions. They faced a schedule designed to test and prepare them for the state tournament. The Cats battled Lambert, the eventual 6-7A state champion, and had a big win over 6-7A quarterfinalist Allatoona. The boys beat Buckhead rivals Lovett and Pace (10-7 and 10-6, respectively) and squeaked out an important area win against Kell. The LaxCats advanced to the A-5A semifinals before falling short to Greater Atlanta Christian.

Girls Lacrosse Girls lacrosse finished the season strong, advancing to the final four of the state tournament after a close win over Pinecrest and an upset of top-seeded Marist. Led by their six seniors, the Wildcats faced a challenging national schedule. Highlights included sweeps of local rivals Pace and Lovett. For their efforts over the course of the season, eight Wildcats earned Georgia Athletic Director’s Association A-AAAAA all-state honors.

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Girls Tennis

The Wildcats were crowned the GHSA AAA state champions! The team finished their best season yet with an undefeated record of 22-0-1 and their second consecutive state title. In a thrilling final, Danny DeSouza ’19 scored with three minutes left to lift Westminster to a 1-0 victory over Calhoun. This marked the program’s 13th state title, and the team ended the season ranked third in the nation by USA TODAY Sports. The Wildcats had big wins over nationally ranked opponents and extended their winning streak over Lovett to 12 years.

Though it was the first season without legendary coach Scoot Dimon ’70, the Wildcats successfully defended their state title under the leadership of new head coach Jennifer Timmis. After falling to Lovett in the region final, the Cats avenged their loss at the state championship, defeating the Lions to win the title. The road to the championship was a total team effort as 11 different players stepped up to compete in matches throughout the five rounds of the state tournament.

Girls Soccer The Wildcats are state champions for the fourth consecutive year! The program won its 12th state title—the most in GHSA girls soccer history— following a thrilling matchup against Lovett that ended in penalty kicks. The Wildcats came out on top with goals by Smith Patton ’20 and Merritt Smith ’19 and successful penalty kicks from Annie Bernot ’18, Tori Penn ’20, Emma Tordella ’18, and Madeline Langley ’19. USA TODAY Sports ranked the team 20th in the nation.

Boys Tennis The Wildcats finished the season as the state runner-up with a remarkable 17-3 record. The team played a challenging regular season schedule and earned victories against rivals Pace and Lovett as well as Class 7A runner-up Walton.

The Cats rode a seven-match win streak into the championship matchup against Lovett, where they battled a tough Lions team and came up short. The Wildcats look forward to regaining the title again in 2019!

54 | Fall/Winter 2018

Wildcat Den

Boys Soccer

Boys Track and Field

The boys track and field team had a stellar season, finishing as state runner-up at the AAA state championship meet, just six points behind state champion Cedar Grove. The team earned 13 top10 finishes at the state meet. In all of Class AAA, Paris Howland ’18 was the highest individual point winner. Paris won the state championship in the high jump event, and Will Wallace ’19 was the state champion in the 3,200-meter run. During the season, a senior quartet of sprinters—Paris, Miles Davis, Bryson Rorie, and Sam Woodhouse—broke the Westminster school record in the 4x400.

Girls Track and Field

The girls track and field team, led by Delaney Graham ’18 and Naima Turbes ’19, earned a third-place finish at the AAA state championship meet. The team earned nine top-10 finishes and three state titles. Delaney is the state champion in the 3,200-meter run, and Naima is the champion in the 1,600- and 800-meter runs. In the 800-meter event, Naima broke a 30-year state record by more than a second. Over the course of the season, the team rewrote the Westminster record book, breaking 10 existing records.

WESTMINSTER | 55

Girls Tennis

The Wildcats were crowned the GHSA AAA state champions! The team finished their best season yet with an undefeated record of 22-0-1 and their second consecutive state title. In a thrilling final, Danny DeSouza ’19 scored with three minutes left to lift Westminster to a 1-0 victory over Calhoun. This marked the program’s 13th state title, and the team ended the season ranked third in the nation by USA TODAY Sports. The Wildcats had big wins over nationally ranked opponents and extended their winning streak over Lovett to 12 years.

Though it was the first season without legendary coach Scoot Dimon ’70, the Wildcats successfully defended their state title under the leadership of new head coach Jennifer Timmis. After falling to Lovett in the region final, the Cats avenged their loss at the state championship, defeating the Lions to win the title. The road to the championship was a total team effort as 11 different players stepped up to compete in matches throughout the five rounds of the state tournament.

Girls Soccer The Wildcats are state champions for the fourth consecutive year! The program won its 12th state title—the most in GHSA girls soccer history— following a thrilling matchup against Lovett that ended in penalty kicks. The Wildcats came out on top with goals by Smith Patton ’20 and Merritt Smith ’19 and successful penalty kicks from Annie Bernot ’18, Tori Penn ’20, Emma Tordella ’18, and Madeline Langley ’19. USA TODAY Sports ranked the team 20th in the nation.

Boys Tennis The Wildcats finished the season as the state runner-up with a remarkable 17-3 record. The team played a challenging regular season schedule and earned victories against rivals Pace and Lovett as well as Class 7A runner-up Walton.

The Cats rode a seven-match win streak into the championship matchup against Lovett, where they battled a tough Lions team and came up short. The Wildcats look forward to regaining the title again in 2019!

54 | Fall/Winter 2018

Wildcat Den

Boys Soccer

Boys Track and Field

The boys track and field team had a stellar season, finishing as state runner-up at the AAA state championship meet, just six points behind state champion Cedar Grove. The team earned 13 top10 finishes at the state meet. In all of Class AAA, Paris Howland ’18 was the highest individual point winner. Paris won the state championship in the high jump event, and Will Wallace ’19 was the state champion in the 3,200-meter run. During the season, a senior quartet of sprinters—Paris, Miles Davis, Bryson Rorie, and Sam Woodhouse—broke the Westminster school record in the 4x400.

Girls Track and Field

The girls track and field team, led by Delaney Graham ’18 and Naima Turbes ’19, earned a third-place finish at the AAA state championship meet. The team earned nine top-10 finishes and three state titles. Delaney is the state champion in the 3,200-meter run, and Naima is the champion in the 1,600- and 800-meter runs. In the 800-meter event, Naima broke a 30-year state record by more than a second. Over the course of the season, the team rewrote the Westminster record book, breaking 10 existing records.

WESTMINSTER | 55

Wildcat Tracks

WILDCAT TRACKS

The STARs Among Us Seniors Phoebe Liu and Alan Xu were named Westminster’s 2017-18 STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) students by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Foundation. The program identifies seniors who post the highest SAT scores and rank among the top 10 percent in their class in grade-point average. Phoebe and Alan, in turn, selected Upper School math teacher Nurfatimah Merchant and Upper School English teacher Jen Dracos-Tice as their STAR teachers.

Showering the Shelters with Supplies Lower School students collected items for six Atlanta-area shelters during the weeklong Shower for the Shelters. Students sorted the donated supplies and loaded them into cars for delivery.

THYME TO GIVE BACK

NO OBJECTIONS HERE!

The Westminster garden produced more than 70 pounds of food during the 2017-18 school year for the food pantry at Collins United Methodist Church. Growing that much food was a school effort—students, teachers, and families from all divisions helped in the garden!

The Upper School mock trial team placed first at the Georgia High School Mock Trial regional competition in February. In addition to the team’s first-place finish, Henry Alford ’18 and Catherine Cole ’18 won outstanding attorney awards, and Madeline Langley ’19 took home an outstanding witness award.

56 | Fall/Winter 2018

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Wildcat Tracks

WILDCAT TRACKS

The STARs Among Us Seniors Phoebe Liu and Alan Xu were named Westminster’s 2017-18 STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) students by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Foundation. The program identifies seniors who post the highest SAT scores and rank among the top 10 percent in their class in grade-point average. Phoebe and Alan, in turn, selected Upper School math teacher Nurfatimah Merchant and Upper School English teacher Jen Dracos-Tice as their STAR teachers.

Showering the Shelters with Supplies Lower School students collected items for six Atlanta-area shelters during the weeklong Shower for the Shelters. Students sorted the donated supplies and loaded them into cars for delivery.

THYME TO GIVE BACK

NO OBJECTIONS HERE!

The Westminster garden produced more than 70 pounds of food during the 2017-18 school year for the food pantry at Collins United Methodist Church. Growing that much food was a school effort—students, teachers, and families from all divisions helped in the garden!

The Upper School mock trial team placed first at the Georgia High School Mock Trial regional competition in February. In addition to the team’s first-place finish, Henry Alford ’18 and Catherine Cole ’18 won outstanding attorney awards, and Madeline Langley ’19 took home an outstanding witness award.

56 | Fall/Winter 2018

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WILDCAT TRACKS

WILDCAT TRACKS

Made with Love The Middle School Service Council collected empty shoe boxes and donations for its annual Bucks in a Box event. The boxes and donations were then transformed into Valentine’s Day care packages that were distributed to homeless shelters around Atlanta.

Students and Teachers Shine at STEAM Exhibit and WestFest The sixth annual STEAM Exhibit and Faire opened in March, showcasing dozens of innovative projects from students and teachers in every division. Following the fair, the community gathered for WestFest, which featured live music, games, and food trucks.

THE MAGIC OF HISTORY After wrapping up their study of the biography genre, second graders portrayed their favorite historical figures, including Harry Houdini, Jane Goodall, and Cleopatra, in a living museum for parents and teachers.

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WILDCAT TRACKS

WILDCAT TRACKS

Made with Love The Middle School Service Council collected empty shoe boxes and donations for its annual Bucks in a Box event. The boxes and donations were then transformed into Valentine’s Day care packages that were distributed to homeless shelters around Atlanta.

Students and Teachers Shine at STEAM Exhibit and WestFest The sixth annual STEAM Exhibit and Faire opened in March, showcasing dozens of innovative projects from students and teachers in every division. Following the fair, the community gathered for WestFest, which featured live music, games, and food trucks.

THE MAGIC OF HISTORY After wrapping up their study of the biography genre, second graders portrayed their favorite historical figures, including Harry Houdini, Jane Goodall, and Cleopatra, in a living museum for parents and teachers.

58 | Fall/Winter 2018

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WILDCAT TRACKS

WILDCAT TRACKS

CHRISTIAN EMPHASIS WEEK Every division celebrated Christian Emphasis Week, a tradition since Westminster’s earliest days, with a variety of activities. Lower Schoolers focused on “JOY: Jesus, Others, You,” while Middle School students immersed themselves in a “Blessed” theme. In Upper School, students dove into “Joy Through Purpose.”

WiredCats Continue to Collect Accolades The WiredCats clinched the state title at the Georgia FIRST Robotics Peachtree State Championship. The win earned the team a berth at the world championship in Houston in April. During the 2017-18 season, the WiredCats also won the coveted Judges Award at the state championship and Team Spirit Award at the world championship. The awards celebrate the team’s extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit through exceptional partnership and teamwork.

Field Day—It’s Not Just for Little Kids!

Teachers by Day, Poets by Night

The Upper School held its inaugural Field Day with competitions like tug of war, water balloon toss, diving, relays, and dodgeball.

Upper School teachers Jesse Breite, Maggie Bailey, and Mario Chard read from their poetry books at the Westminster Faculty Poets reading in April.

Finding the Joy in Life Students from all divisions participated in the Joy Through Purpose Expo, which took place during the Upper School’s Christian Emphasis Week. The expo gave students the opportunity to interact with dozens of local organizations that perform engaging work throughout the community. Fifth grade Urban EdVenture students shared volunteer opportunities with Upper Schoolers as part of the fair.

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Blessing of the Blankets and Backpacks During a Middle School day of service, students crafted blankets for Project Linus, which provides seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need children with blankets and afghans.

They also stuffed backpacks for Odyssey Atlanta students. After their service projects, Rev. Tina McCormick led the students and faculty in a blessing of the backpacks and blankets.

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WILDCAT TRACKS

WILDCAT TRACKS

CHRISTIAN EMPHASIS WEEK Every division celebrated Christian Emphasis Week, a tradition since Westminster’s earliest days, with a variety of activities. Lower Schoolers focused on “JOY: Jesus, Others, You,” while Middle School students immersed themselves in a “Blessed” theme. In Upper School, students dove into “Joy Through Purpose.”

WiredCats Continue to Collect Accolades The WiredCats clinched the state title at the Georgia FIRST Robotics Peachtree State Championship. The win earned the team a berth at the world championship in Houston in April. During the 2017-18 season, the WiredCats also won the coveted Judges Award at the state championship and Team Spirit Award at the world championship. The awards celebrate the team’s extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit through exceptional partnership and teamwork.

Field Day—It’s Not Just for Little Kids!

Teachers by Day, Poets by Night

The Upper School held its inaugural Field Day with competitions like tug of war, water balloon toss, diving, relays, and dodgeball.

Upper School teachers Jesse Breite, Maggie Bailey, and Mario Chard read from their poetry books at the Westminster Faculty Poets reading in April.

Finding the Joy in Life Students from all divisions participated in the Joy Through Purpose Expo, which took place during the Upper School’s Christian Emphasis Week. The expo gave students the opportunity to interact with dozens of local organizations that perform engaging work throughout the community. Fifth grade Urban EdVenture students shared volunteer opportunities with Upper Schoolers as part of the fair.

60 | Fall/Winter 2018

Blessing of the Blankets and Backpacks During a Middle School day of service, students crafted blankets for Project Linus, which provides seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need children with blankets and afghans.

They also stuffed backpacks for Odyssey Atlanta students. After their service projects, Rev. Tina McCormick led the students and faculty in a blessing of the backpacks and blankets.

WESTMINSTER | 61

WILDCAT TRACKS

WILDCAT TRACKS

Advocating for an Accessible Atlanta Fifth grade Urban EdVenture students visited the Shepherd Center as part of the class’s advocacy project. Students discussed the accessibility of sidewalks along Peachtree Road with patients and Director of Community Services and Risk Management Jamie Shepherd ’98.

“All the world’s a stage” for this Cat!

A HOWLIN’ GOOD TIME! All dogs big and small were welcome on Pet Day as seniors showed off their furry family members on Pressly Plaza.

Andrew Oglesby ’18 was one of just 60 students from across the country to compete in the National Shakespeare Competition at Lincoln Center in New York after winning the Atlanta regional competition. Participants are judged on their ability to read, analyze, perform, and recite Shakespearean monologues.

Students Excel at State Science Fair Ten students earned honors at the 70th annual Georgia Science and Engineering Fair. Nithya Guthikonda ’22, Will Jenkins ’22, Ishan Sheth ’22, Avi Singh ’22, and Michael Tye ’22 received First Honors and qualified for Broadcom MASTERS, a national science competition held in Washington, DC.

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WILDCAT TRACKS

WILDCAT TRACKS

Advocating for an Accessible Atlanta Fifth grade Urban EdVenture students visited the Shepherd Center as part of the class’s advocacy project. Students discussed the accessibility of sidewalks along Peachtree Road with patients and Director of Community Services and Risk Management Jamie Shepherd ’98.

“All the world’s a stage” for this Cat!

A HOWLIN’ GOOD TIME! All dogs big and small were welcome on Pet Day as seniors showed off their furry family members on Pressly Plaza.

Andrew Oglesby ’18 was one of just 60 students from across the country to compete in the National Shakespeare Competition at Lincoln Center in New York after winning the Atlanta regional competition. Participants are judged on their ability to read, analyze, perform, and recite Shakespearean monologues.

Students Excel at State Science Fair Ten students earned honors at the 70th annual Georgia Science and Engineering Fair. Nithya Guthikonda ’22, Will Jenkins ’22, Ishan Sheth ’22, Avi Singh ’22, and Michael Tye ’22 received First Honors and qualified for Broadcom MASTERS, a national science competition held in Washington, DC.

62 | Fall/Winter 2018

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WILDCAT TRACKS

WILDCAT TRACKS

ART AND LITERATURE HONORED ON A NATIONAL LEVEL

Ensemble Goes to Spain

Five Upper School students were recently honored with national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Out of a record-breaking 346,000 works submitted this year, less than 1 percent of entrants are honored at the national level. Award recipients were honored at a ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York and their visual and literary works were displayed at an exhibition.

The Upper School Ensemble traveled to Spain for its annual European spring break tour. In addition to touring the Spanish countryside, the group performed at La Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona, La Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, and Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey in Catalonia.

Cyan D’Anjou ’18

Meimei Xu ’20

Eva Batelaan ’19

Gold medal “Lucifer (Matchsticks)” (sculpture)

Gold medal “Southern Symbolism: Conversations in the Westminster Upper School after Charlottesville” (journalism)

Silver medal “Homage to Sweeney 2” (sculpture)

The Envelope Please…

Ananya Ganesh ’20

Albert Zhang ’18

Silver medal “My Grandmother’s Bones” (personal essay & memoir)

Silver medal “One World, One Dream: The Politico-economic and Sociocultural Dimensions of Beijing National Stadium” (critical essay)

64 | Fall/Winter 2018

The WCAT team was recognized for its broadcasting talent by two organizations. WCAT won a 2018 Student Production Award from The National Academy of Television Arts and Science Southeast Chapter for live sports event. Since 2014, WCAT has won nine regional Student Production Awards from NATAS, the organization that hosts the EMMY Awards. In addition, WCAT is the recipient of the NFHS Network’s “Best Original Programming” award. The honor is given to the school that produced the best original programming based on content, features, audio quality, camera work, writing, editing, and other production elements.

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WILDCAT TRACKS

WILDCAT TRACKS

ART AND LITERATURE HONORED ON A NATIONAL LEVEL

Ensemble Goes to Spain

Five Upper School students were recently honored with national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Out of a record-breaking 346,000 works submitted this year, less than 1 percent of entrants are honored at the national level. Award recipients were honored at a ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York and their visual and literary works were displayed at an exhibition.

The Upper School Ensemble traveled to Spain for its annual European spring break tour. In addition to touring the Spanish countryside, the group performed at La Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona, La Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, and Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey in Catalonia.

Cyan D’Anjou ’18

Meimei Xu ’20

Eva Batelaan ’19

Gold medal “Lucifer (Matchsticks)” (sculpture)

Gold medal “Southern Symbolism: Conversations in the Westminster Upper School after Charlottesville” (journalism)

Silver medal “Homage to Sweeney 2” (sculpture)

The Envelope Please…

Ananya Ganesh ’20

Albert Zhang ’18

Silver medal “My Grandmother’s Bones” (personal essay & memoir)

Silver medal “One World, One Dream: The Politico-economic and Sociocultural Dimensions of Beijing National Stadium” (critical essay)

64 | Fall/Winter 2018

The WCAT team was recognized for its broadcasting talent by two organizations. WCAT won a 2018 Student Production Award from The National Academy of Television Arts and Science Southeast Chapter for live sports event. Since 2014, WCAT has won nine regional Student Production Awards from NATAS, the organization that hosts the EMMY Awards. In addition, WCAT is the recipient of the NFHS Network’s “Best Original Programming” award. The honor is given to the school that produced the best original programming based on content, features, audio quality, camera work, writing, editing, and other production elements.

WESTMINSTER | 65

Alumni News

ALUMNI NEWS

to mission work, as mothers and fathers, in government and diplomacy, as Peace Corps volunteers, or as teachers and coaches.

Katie Long Laney ’03, Susan Ayres Watson ’83, and Brooke Boothby

Dear Alumni, Each school year, Westminster students and teachers find themselves exchanging ideas and challenging one another with renewed passion. Young minds are learning to think in an environment that encourages them to question and be questioned, to dare to dream, to step outside their comfort zones, to experience both success and failure.

Students learn that a single thought can grow into a big idea that will inevitably be analyzed and criticized. They learn that big thinkers initially may be ridiculed by some and ignored by others. But they also learn the habits and skills necessary to overcome these obstacles and make a meaningful difference in their world.

Indeed, Westminster alumni around the globe are making a difference every day. Against the odds, we are innovating in technology, medicine, and engineering. We are inspiring in the arts, sports, and education. We are shifting the paradigm in energy, economics, and the environment.

And many of us are also called to serve—in the military or

Founding headmaster Dr. William Pressly led the way with big thinking for Westminster when he and a visionary group of citizens recognized that Atlanta needed a school dedicated to college preparatory academics and Christian principles. They set the tone for the indomitable spirit that is necessary to achieve a big idea. It will always involve hard work, optimism, discipline, solution-oriented thinking, the ability to listen, and the drive to never, ever give up.

As our alumni community continues to tackle big ideas and realize even bigger dreams, I am excited to formally welcome Brooke Boothby, our new Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement. Brooke brings a wealth of alumni experience from her roles at the College of William and Mary and Old Dominion University. Her leadership will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen the impact of the Wildcat Nation across the globe! We cannot thank Katie Long Laney ’03 enough for her inspiring leadership and support of Westminster’s alumni programs over the past decade. I know each of you joins me in wishing our fellow alumna the very best as she takes on the role of Leadership Giving Officer in Westminster’s Office for Institutional Advancement.

Let us continue to recognize and celebrate the enduring legacy of our Westminster education and those big ideas that may indeed change the world!

Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00 President-Elect Allen Moseley ’87 Alumni Giving Chair Wab Kadaba ’87 Recording Secretary Susie Soper ’64 Ellen Hale Jones ’81 Billy Levine ’88 Charlie Henn ’91

Save the date for our upcoming 2018-19 alumni events—we’d love to see you!

See a full calendar of events at westminster.net/alumni-events

Friday, December 21, 2018

Thursday, April 4, 2019

College Holiday Lunch (Classes of 2015-2018) 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Malone Dining Hall, Pressly Hall

Golden Wildcat Reception 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Atlanta History Center

Friday, December 21, 2018

Reunion Weekend Classes of 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009

Messiah Performance and Reception 6:30-8:30 p.m.

McCain Chapel, Pressly Hall

Saturday, December 22, 2018 Class of 2013 Five Year Reunion 8:00-11:00 p.m.

Five Seasons Brewing Westside

Friday-Saturday, April 26-27, 2019

Friday, April 26, 2019 Alumni Kickoff BBQ 7:00-10:00 p.m.

Love Patio

Saturday, May 18, 2019 Commencement and Ties That Bind Photos 8:00-11:00 a.m.

Susan Ayres Watson ’83 Alumni Board President

2018-19 YOUNG ALUMNI COUNCIL

2018-19 ALUMNI GOVERNING BOARD Susan Ayres Watson ’83 President

Save the Date

Bianca Camac Bell ’94 Chris Suh ’95 Anna Driver Wick ’95 Dominique Holloman ’97 Walter McClelland ’97 Wade Rakes ’98 Andrew Blaisdell ’99 Kennedy Hicks ’01 Beau Allen ’05 Hannah Grady Jones ’08 John Jones ’74 Honorary Member and Board Historian

Nellie Black Brewer ’04 Beau Allen ’05* Mary Lowell Downing Pettit ’06 John Gray Seiler ’06 Katie Sturniolo Cruce ’07 Hannah Grady Jones ’08* Matt Lunati ’08 Ross Conway ’09 Ross Erskine ’10 Kealy Hartman ’10 Saharsh Chordia ’11 Chapman Wilkinson ’12 Grace Caswell ’13 Emma Reifenberger ’14 Adam Sanders ’14 *Denotes Co-Chair and Alumni Board Member

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Alumni News

ALUMNI NEWS

to mission work, as mothers and fathers, in government and diplomacy, as Peace Corps volunteers, or as teachers and coaches.

Katie Long Laney ’03, Susan Ayres Watson ’83, and Brooke Boothby

Dear Alumni, Each school year, Westminster students and teachers find themselves exchanging ideas and challenging one another with renewed passion. Young minds are learning to think in an environment that encourages them to question and be questioned, to dare to dream, to step outside their comfort zones, to experience both success and failure.

Students learn that a single thought can grow into a big idea that will inevitably be analyzed and criticized. They learn that big thinkers initially may be ridiculed by some and ignored by others. But they also learn the habits and skills necessary to overcome these obstacles and make a meaningful difference in their world.

Indeed, Westminster alumni around the globe are making a difference every day. Against the odds, we are innovating in technology, medicine, and engineering. We are inspiring in the arts, sports, and education. We are shifting the paradigm in energy, economics, and the environment.

And many of us are also called to serve—in the military or

Founding headmaster Dr. William Pressly led the way with big thinking for Westminster when he and a visionary group of citizens recognized that Atlanta needed a school dedicated to college preparatory academics and Christian principles. They set the tone for the indomitable spirit that is necessary to achieve a big idea. It will always involve hard work, optimism, discipline, solution-oriented thinking, the ability to listen, and the drive to never, ever give up.

As our alumni community continues to tackle big ideas and realize even bigger dreams, I am excited to formally welcome Brooke Boothby, our new Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement. Brooke brings a wealth of alumni experience from her roles at the College of William and Mary and Old Dominion University. Her leadership will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen the impact of the Wildcat Nation across the globe! We cannot thank Katie Long Laney ’03 enough for her inspiring leadership and support of Westminster’s alumni programs over the past decade. I know each of you joins me in wishing our fellow alumna the very best as she takes on the role of Leadership Giving Officer in Westminster’s Office for Institutional Advancement.

Let us continue to recognize and celebrate the enduring legacy of our Westminster education and those big ideas that may indeed change the world!

Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00 President-Elect Allen Moseley ’87 Alumni Giving Chair Wab Kadaba ’87 Recording Secretary Susie Soper ’64 Ellen Hale Jones ’81 Billy Levine ’88 Charlie Henn ’91

Save the date for our upcoming 2018-19 alumni events—we’d love to see you!

See a full calendar of events at westminster.net/alumni-events

Friday, December 21, 2018

Thursday, April 4, 2019

College Holiday Lunch (Classes of 2015-2018) 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Malone Dining Hall, Pressly Hall

Golden Wildcat Reception 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Atlanta History Center

Friday, December 21, 2018

Reunion Weekend Classes of 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009

Messiah Performance and Reception 6:30-8:30 p.m.

McCain Chapel, Pressly Hall

Saturday, December 22, 2018 Class of 2013 Five Year Reunion 8:00-11:00 p.m.

Five Seasons Brewing Westside

Friday-Saturday, April 26-27, 2019

Friday, April 26, 2019 Alumni Kickoff BBQ 7:00-10:00 p.m.

Love Patio

Saturday, May 18, 2019 Commencement and Ties That Bind Photos 8:00-11:00 a.m.

Susan Ayres Watson ’83 Alumni Board President

2018-19 YOUNG ALUMNI COUNCIL

2018-19 ALUMNI GOVERNING BOARD Susan Ayres Watson ’83 President

Save the Date

Bianca Camac Bell ’94 Chris Suh ’95 Anna Driver Wick ’95 Dominique Holloman ’97 Walter McClelland ’97 Wade Rakes ’98 Andrew Blaisdell ’99 Kennedy Hicks ’01 Beau Allen ’05 Hannah Grady Jones ’08 John Jones ’74 Honorary Member and Board Historian

Nellie Black Brewer ’04 Beau Allen ’05* Mary Lowell Downing Pettit ’06 John Gray Seiler ’06 Katie Sturniolo Cruce ’07 Hannah Grady Jones ’08* Matt Lunati ’08 Ross Conway ’09 Ross Erskine ’10 Kealy Hartman ’10 Saharsh Chordia ’11 Chapman Wilkinson ’12 Grace Caswell ’13 Emma Reifenberger ’14 Adam Sanders ’14 *Denotes Co-Chair and Alumni Board Member

66 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 67

ALUMNI NEWS

ALUMNI NEWS stock that is the basis of Westminster’s endowment today. During his tenure, the School also achieved alumni giving participation of more than 50 percent, a mark matched or exceeded by only a handful of schools nationally.

Following Zach’s successful career at Westminster, he went on to serve as the Headmaster at Wesleyan School, moving it from Sandy Springs to Peachtree Corners, adding the high school, and building out the 87-acre K-12 campus.

Distinguished Alumni Award winner and Commencement speaker Brittany Merrill Underwood ’02, Distinguished Alumni Award winner Bobby Rashad Jones ’97, President Keith Evans, Alumni Service Award winner Zach Young ’68, then Chair of the Board of Trustees Mike Egan ’74, and Alumni Board President Susan Ayres Watson ’83

2018 Award Winners

Westminster recognizes outstanding alumni at Commencement each year. The following awards were presented by President Keith Evans and Susan Ayres Watson ’83, President of the Alumni Board, on May 19, 2018.

Alumni Service Award The Alumni Service Award is presented annually to an alumnus who has given exceptional service to the School.

Zach Young ’68 Zach Young is a proud member of the Class of 1968, son and nephew of North Avenue Presbyterian alumnae, father of two Westminster alumni, and a beloved former faculty member.

68 | Fall/Winter 2018

For the past 50 years, Zach has been a leader involved in all aspects of the School. He has volunteered his time as the 1978-79 Alumni Fund Co-Chair and the 1979-80 Co-President of the Alumni Board, as well as helping with all his class reunions, most recently his 50th Reunion this past spring. In addition to Zach’s volunteer service, he also served the School as a Bible and economics teacher

and most notably as the first Vice President and Assistant Headmaster of External Affairs, overseeing admissions, public relations, and development from 1980 until 1996.

Under his leadership, Westminster’s Development Office was established.

He oversaw several significant fundraising accomplishments, including the George Woodruff bequest of $14 million of Coca-Cola

In addition to his service at Westminster, Zach serves as Headmaster Emeritus at Wesleyan School, a member of the Atlanta Rotary Club since 1983, trustee of Fernbank Natural History Museum, trustee of Historic Oakland Foundation, a member of the Board of Advisors of the Cherokee Garden Library of the Atlanta History Center, trustee of the J. Bulow Campbell Foundation, advisory trustee of RoadSafe America, and advisory trustee at Atlanta Youth Academy.

Distinguished Alumni Awards Each year, Westminster recognizes and honors outstanding personal, business, or professional achievement by two alumni with the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Bobby Rashad Jones ’97 Commander, United States Navy Commander Bobby Rashad Jones graduated from Westminster in 1997.

He participated in band, ensemble, football, basketball, and track and field, culminating in his induction to the Breithaupt Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 2001, where he was a member of the football team, track team, and gospel choir.

He received a master’s degree from the United States Naval War College in National Security and Strategic Studies.

Commander Jones’s sea tours include service onboard USS Germantown, USS Harpers Ferry, USS Normandy, USS Stethem, and USS Anzio where he participated in operations Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle, Inherent Resolve, and other national tasking.

His shore tours include Annapolis, the Missile Defense Agency, Military Sealift Command, and the United Nations Mission in Liberia. Commander Jones has also been selected to command Coastal Riverine Squadron 4.

Brittany Merrill Underwood ’02 Founder and CEO, The Akola Project Brittany Merrill Underwood is a 2002 graduate of Westminster and has made an extraordinary impact through her dedication to transforming the lives of impoverished women and families through the Akola Project over the last 12 years. Akola operates a social business within a nonprofit framework designed to empower women in disadvantaged communities through training, employment, and holistic care.

Akola jewelry became the first nonprofit to retail in the luxury space with its every-store launch through Neiman Marcus in 2016. Since that time, the brand has created impact product lines for other big box retailers including JCPenney, Walmart, and the Home Shopping Network.

One hundred percent of Akola’s profits are reinvested in its mission to empower women both locally and globally. Akola is a full-impact brand that offers at-risk women opportunity through the creation of raw materials, the assembly of product, and its distribution center that acts as a

second-chance job program. Akola has created a new model for social business that is setting the bar for millennialrun businesses that seek to make the world better.

Brittany was named among The World’s Top 10 CEOs in Inc. Magazine in 2017, the “Best Person in the World” by Yahoo in 2014, and was honored by clothing manufacturer Levi’s as one of 50 women around the globe who have changed the political, cultural, and spiritual shape of the future. She was awarded the Emerging Leader Award from Southern Methodist University in 2013, the Young Leader Award from the Dallas Women’s Foundation in 2014, and a silver medal from the Business & Interfaith Peace Award given by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation. Brittany has been featured in the likes of Forbes, Katie with Katie Couric, CNN, and Fox Business; her jewelry has been featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Town & Country.

In 2014, Brittany was asked to join the mentoring class for the Laura Bush Women’s Initiative and joined the faculty of Southern Methodist University as an adjunct professor in 2015, where she teaches a new course on social innovation. Brittany continues to devote her life to creating a brand that empowers women through economic and holistic development as CEO of the Akola Project.

According to Inc. Magazine, Brittany is “a clear example of a servant leader practicing conscious capitalism to transform the lives of impoverished women and families.”

WESTMINSTER | 69

ALUMNI NEWS

ALUMNI NEWS stock that is the basis of Westminster’s endowment today. During his tenure, the School also achieved alumni giving participation of more than 50 percent, a mark matched or exceeded by only a handful of schools nationally.

Following Zach’s successful career at Westminster, he went on to serve as the Headmaster at Wesleyan School, moving it from Sandy Springs to Peachtree Corners, adding the high school, and building out the 87-acre K-12 campus.

Distinguished Alumni Award winner and Commencement speaker Brittany Merrill Underwood ’02, Distinguished Alumni Award winner Bobby Rashad Jones ’97, President Keith Evans, Alumni Service Award winner Zach Young ’68, then Chair of the Board of Trustees Mike Egan ’74, and Alumni Board President Susan Ayres Watson ’83

2018 Award Winners

Westminster recognizes outstanding alumni at Commencement each year. The following awards were presented by President Keith Evans and Susan Ayres Watson ’83, President of the Alumni Board, on May 19, 2018.

Alumni Service Award The Alumni Service Award is presented annually to an alumnus who has given exceptional service to the School.

Zach Young ’68 Zach Young is a proud member of the Class of 1968, son and nephew of North Avenue Presbyterian alumnae, father of two Westminster alumni, and a beloved former faculty member.

68 | Fall/Winter 2018

For the past 50 years, Zach has been a leader involved in all aspects of the School. He has volunteered his time as the 1978-79 Alumni Fund Co-Chair and the 1979-80 Co-President of the Alumni Board, as well as helping with all his class reunions, most recently his 50th Reunion this past spring. In addition to Zach’s volunteer service, he also served the School as a Bible and economics teacher

and most notably as the first Vice President and Assistant Headmaster of External Affairs, overseeing admissions, public relations, and development from 1980 until 1996.

Under his leadership, Westminster’s Development Office was established.

He oversaw several significant fundraising accomplishments, including the George Woodruff bequest of $14 million of Coca-Cola

In addition to his service at Westminster, Zach serves as Headmaster Emeritus at Wesleyan School, a member of the Atlanta Rotary Club since 1983, trustee of Fernbank Natural History Museum, trustee of Historic Oakland Foundation, a member of the Board of Advisors of the Cherokee Garden Library of the Atlanta History Center, trustee of the J. Bulow Campbell Foundation, advisory trustee of RoadSafe America, and advisory trustee at Atlanta Youth Academy.

Distinguished Alumni Awards Each year, Westminster recognizes and honors outstanding personal, business, or professional achievement by two alumni with the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Bobby Rashad Jones ’97 Commander, United States Navy Commander Bobby Rashad Jones graduated from Westminster in 1997.

He participated in band, ensemble, football, basketball, and track and field, culminating in his induction to the Breithaupt Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 2001, where he was a member of the football team, track team, and gospel choir.

He received a master’s degree from the United States Naval War College in National Security and Strategic Studies.

Commander Jones’s sea tours include service onboard USS Germantown, USS Harpers Ferry, USS Normandy, USS Stethem, and USS Anzio where he participated in operations Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle, Inherent Resolve, and other national tasking.

His shore tours include Annapolis, the Missile Defense Agency, Military Sealift Command, and the United Nations Mission in Liberia. Commander Jones has also been selected to command Coastal Riverine Squadron 4.

Brittany Merrill Underwood ’02 Founder and CEO, The Akola Project Brittany Merrill Underwood is a 2002 graduate of Westminster and has made an extraordinary impact through her dedication to transforming the lives of impoverished women and families through the Akola Project over the last 12 years. Akola operates a social business within a nonprofit framework designed to empower women in disadvantaged communities through training, employment, and holistic care.

Akola jewelry became the first nonprofit to retail in the luxury space with its every-store launch through Neiman Marcus in 2016. Since that time, the brand has created impact product lines for other big box retailers including JCPenney, Walmart, and the Home Shopping Network.

One hundred percent of Akola’s profits are reinvested in its mission to empower women both locally and globally. Akola is a full-impact brand that offers at-risk women opportunity through the creation of raw materials, the assembly of product, and its distribution center that acts as a

second-chance job program. Akola has created a new model for social business that is setting the bar for millennialrun businesses that seek to make the world better.

Brittany was named among The World’s Top 10 CEOs in Inc. Magazine in 2017, the “Best Person in the World” by Yahoo in 2014, and was honored by clothing manufacturer Levi’s as one of 50 women around the globe who have changed the political, cultural, and spiritual shape of the future. She was awarded the Emerging Leader Award from Southern Methodist University in 2013, the Young Leader Award from the Dallas Women’s Foundation in 2014, and a silver medal from the Business & Interfaith Peace Award given by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation. Brittany has been featured in the likes of Forbes, Katie with Katie Couric, CNN, and Fox Business; her jewelry has been featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Town & Country.

In 2014, Brittany was asked to join the mentoring class for the Laura Bush Women’s Initiative and joined the faculty of Southern Methodist University as an adjunct professor in 2015, where she teaches a new course on social innovation. Brittany continues to devote her life to creating a brand that empowers women through economic and holistic development as CEO of the Akola Project.

According to Inc. Magazine, Brittany is “a clear example of a servant leader practicing conscious capitalism to transform the lives of impoverished women and families.”

WESTMINSTER | 69

3

4

ALUMNI NEWS

Events

Our spring alumni events spanned from coast to coast. Alumni inspired their fellow Wildcats at CATtalks, Beyond the Gates, chapter events, and the Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame Induction. The Alumni Association welcomed the Class of 2018 into the fold with a variety of events. Community members reminisced with old friends and discovered new friendships at receptions, happy hours, and Reunion Weekend events. Join us at an upcoming event to connect with your Westminster family!

Alumni Events 1.

Squash Reunion Honoring Rick Byrd Saturday, February 10, 2018

2.

CATtalks featuring Jarrett Blanc ’93 and Laurie Dhue ’86 Wednesday, February 28, 2018

3.

Girls Lacrosse 20th Anniversary and Reunion Tuesday, March 20, 2018

4.

6

7

8

9

10

8.

Spring Young Alumni Happy Hour Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Spring Beyond the Gates at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Friday, May 4, 2018

5.

9.

San Francisco Alumni Reception Thursday, March 22, 2018

Alumni Board Senior Luncheon Wednesday, May 16, 2018

6.

10.

Golden Wildcat Reception Friday, April 20, 2018

7.

North Avenue Presbyterian School and Washington Seminary Luncheon Wednesday, May 2, 2018

1

70 | Fall/Winter 2018

5

Alpha Omega Party and Lower School Reunion Wednesday, May 16, 2018

2

WESTMINSTER | 71

3

4

ALUMNI NEWS

Events

Our spring alumni events spanned from coast to coast. Alumni inspired their fellow Wildcats at CATtalks, Beyond the Gates, chapter events, and the Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame Induction. The Alumni Association welcomed the Class of 2018 into the fold with a variety of events. Community members reminisced with old friends and discovered new friendships at receptions, happy hours, and Reunion Weekend events. Join us at an upcoming event to connect with your Westminster family!

Alumni Events 1.

Squash Reunion Honoring Rick Byrd Saturday, February 10, 2018

2.

CATtalks featuring Jarrett Blanc ’93 and Laurie Dhue ’86 Wednesday, February 28, 2018

3.

Girls Lacrosse 20th Anniversary and Reunion Tuesday, March 20, 2018

4.

6

7

8

9

10

8.

Spring Young Alumni Happy Hour Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Spring Beyond the Gates at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Friday, May 4, 2018

5.

9.

San Francisco Alumni Reception Thursday, March 22, 2018

Alumni Board Senior Luncheon Wednesday, May 16, 2018

6.

10.

Golden Wildcat Reception Friday, April 20, 2018

7.

North Avenue Presbyterian School and Washington Seminary Luncheon Wednesday, May 2, 2018

1

70 | Fall/Winter 2018

5

Alpha Omega Party and Lower School Reunion Wednesday, May 16, 2018

2

WESTMINSTER | 71

11

12

ALUMNI NEWS

13

14

Events Alumni Events

Community Events

11.

15.

Senior Brunch with President Evans Friday, May 18, 2018

PAWS 40th Birthday Celebration Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Chapter Events

16.

12.

Washington, DC Chapter: United States Capitol Tour Friday, April 20, 2018

18.

1951 Circle Celebration Wednesday, April 11, 2018

19.

Parent Volunteer Appreciation Coffee Tuesday, March 20, 2018

17.

Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame Induction Thursday, April 26, 2018

20.

Westminster Fund Parent Volunteer Appreciation Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Principals’ Circle Dinner Wednesday, March 28, 2018

13.

New York City Chapter: Inside the NBA with Lisa Borders ’75 and Malcolm Turner ’89, moderated by Michael Russell ’12 Monday, April 30, 2018

14.

15

16

17

18

72 | Fall/Winter 2018

Washington, DC Chapter: Reception featuring Stacey Davis Stewart ’81 Tuesday, May 8, 2018

19

20

WESTMINSTER | 73

11

12

ALUMNI NEWS

13

14

Events Alumni Events

Community Events

11.

15.

Senior Brunch with President Evans Friday, May 18, 2018

PAWS 40th Birthday Celebration Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Chapter Events

16.

12.

Washington, DC Chapter: United States Capitol Tour Friday, April 20, 2018

18.

1951 Circle Celebration Wednesday, April 11, 2018

19.

Parent Volunteer Appreciation Coffee Tuesday, March 20, 2018

17.

Thompson Science and Technology Hall of Fame Induction Thursday, April 26, 2018

20.

Westminster Fund Parent Volunteer Appreciation Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Principals’ Circle Dinner Wednesday, March 28, 2018

13.

New York City Chapter: Inside the NBA with Lisa Borders ’75 and Malcolm Turner ’89, moderated by Michael Russell ’12 Monday, April 30, 2018

14.

15

16

17

18

72 | Fall/Winter 2018

Washington, DC Chapter: Reception featuring Stacey Davis Stewart ’81 Tuesday, May 8, 2018

19

20

WESTMINSTER | 73

School Days:

School Traditions Memories of school traditions are one of the connecting threads binding the alumni of Westminster and our predecessor schools, North Avenue Presbyterian School and Washington Seminary. Thinking back on your school days, you will remember classes, teachers, and friends, but you will also remember significant

events that link you to a part of a greater whole.

The archives would love to collect images and stories from these and other traditions in the School’s history. Please contact Pamela Nye at archives@westminster.net if you have any you’d like to share.

ALUMNI NEWS

May Day May Day was an honored tradition at both NAPS and Washington Seminary. The first May Court at Washington Seminary was in 1917. It soon became one of the largest social events of the season, attended by faculty, parents, and alumnae. May Day was also celebrated at NAPS, first known there as “Class Day,” and was part of commencement activities. At Westminster, May Day began again in 1954 and was held in front of Askew Hall.

At all three schools, the program included songs and dances to celebrate spring and the crowning of a May Queen. Some of the beautiful handmade dresses the participants wore are now in the archives collection. In 1971, the senior girls voted to cease the celebration.

Washington Seminary, 1951: May Court with Barbara Carter as May Queen

Washington Seminary, 1947: May Court with Mary Budd as May Queen

Westminster, 1955: “The Sea Dance” performance

Mardi Gras NAPS, 1946: The “Nut Cracker Suite” float: Gwen McLeroy (leading lady), Mary Kent (Duke and Prince), Barbara Ward, Margaret Strauss, Pat Pound, and Margaret Mowery

NAPS, 1931: Kit Hartrampf, Louise Hancock

Thyrza Askew, in her memoir, NAPS: 1909-1951, recalled that Mardi Gras was established by Miss Josephine Walker for the PE Department and was first held the evening of April 8, 1932. On March 14, 1941 it morphed into a sophomore class stunt, but the senior class took over the following year. Mrs. Askew said: “Oh, what colorful occasions these were, growing so an accustomed feature of the year that Westminster has continued the project. The old gym was entirely too small, and floats pushed spectators ruthlessly out of the way as the afternoon affair featured the Junior High, and even more as the night brought out followers of the Senior High.”

The tradition continued at Westminster until 1992.

Westminster, 1954: The prize-winning freshman float, “Greeting Cards.” Ellen Schutze, Mary Wayne, and Deedie Gunnin

74 | Fall/Winter 2018

1988: Jim Willingham ’89 and Nils Thompson ’89

1991: English teachers David Purdum and Frank Finthswait help serve dinner.

2011: JV cheerleaders Maggie Borders ’15 and Kakki Meyer ’15

1999: Cameron Simon ’10

Pigskin Picnic The annual Pigskin Picnic has the hallmarks of a much older tradition, but this football season celebration was first held September 25, 1981. In the November 1981 issue of “PAWS Print,” the hospitality committee noted that the picnic “was quite a success thanks to our many volunteer welcoming parents: Helene Baird, Peggy and Joe Cooper, Kate Felton, Ginny Hopkins, Mimi and Robert McCallum, Sally and Arthur Merrill, Weezie and Tom Roberts, and Allison and Jerry Schyenerman. This was such a successful ‘first’ that we think it will become another Westminster tradition!

(Over 700 eclairs were served!) Thanks also to our PAWS and Catbacker board members for their grand support.” In 1987, the format changed from a tailgate event to a prepared dinner.

WESTMINSTER | 75

School Days:

School Traditions Memories of school traditions are one of the connecting threads binding the alumni of Westminster and our predecessor schools, North Avenue Presbyterian School and Washington Seminary. Thinking back on your school days, you will remember classes, teachers, and friends, but you will also remember significant

events that link you to a part of a greater whole.

The archives would love to collect images and stories from these and other traditions in the School’s history. Please contact Pamela Nye at archives@westminster.net if you have any you’d like to share.

ALUMNI NEWS

May Day May Day was an honored tradition at both NAPS and Washington Seminary. The first May Court at Washington Seminary was in 1917. It soon became one of the largest social events of the season, attended by faculty, parents, and alumnae. May Day was also celebrated at NAPS, first known there as “Class Day,” and was part of commencement activities. At Westminster, May Day began again in 1954 and was held in front of Askew Hall.

At all three schools, the program included songs and dances to celebrate spring and the crowning of a May Queen. Some of the beautiful handmade dresses the participants wore are now in the archives collection. In 1971, the senior girls voted to cease the celebration.

Washington Seminary, 1951: May Court with Barbara Carter as May Queen

Washington Seminary, 1947: May Court with Mary Budd as May Queen

Westminster, 1955: “The Sea Dance” performance

Mardi Gras NAPS, 1946: The “Nut Cracker Suite” float: Gwen McLeroy (leading lady), Mary Kent (Duke and Prince), Barbara Ward, Margaret Strauss, Pat Pound, and Margaret Mowery

NAPS, 1931: Kit Hartrampf, Louise Hancock

Thyrza Askew, in her memoir, NAPS: 1909-1951, recalled that Mardi Gras was established by Miss Josephine Walker for the PE Department and was first held the evening of April 8, 1932. On March 14, 1941 it morphed into a sophomore class stunt, but the senior class took over the following year. Mrs. Askew said: “Oh, what colorful occasions these were, growing so an accustomed feature of the year that Westminster has continued the project. The old gym was entirely too small, and floats pushed spectators ruthlessly out of the way as the afternoon affair featured the Junior High, and even more as the night brought out followers of the Senior High.”

The tradition continued at Westminster until 1992.

Westminster, 1954: The prize-winning freshman float, “Greeting Cards.” Ellen Schutze, Mary Wayne, and Deedie Gunnin

74 | Fall/Winter 2018

1988: Jim Willingham ’89 and Nils Thompson ’89

1991: English teachers David Purdum and Frank Finthswait help serve dinner.

2011: JV cheerleaders Maggie Borders ’15 and Kakki Meyer ’15

1999: Cameron Simon ’10

Pigskin Picnic The annual Pigskin Picnic has the hallmarks of a much older tradition, but this football season celebration was first held September 25, 1981. In the November 1981 issue of “PAWS Print,” the hospitality committee noted that the picnic “was quite a success thanks to our many volunteer welcoming parents: Helene Baird, Peggy and Joe Cooper, Kate Felton, Ginny Hopkins, Mimi and Robert McCallum, Sally and Arthur Merrill, Weezie and Tom Roberts, and Allison and Jerry Schyenerman. This was such a successful ‘first’ that we think it will become another Westminster tradition!

(Over 700 eclairs were served!) Thanks also to our PAWS and Catbacker board members for their grand support.” In 1987, the format changed from a tailgate event to a prepared dinner.

WESTMINSTER | 75

Friday Night BBQ • Saturday Campus Picnic • Class Parties

eunion Weeken

Save the Date

April 26-27, 2019

Classes: 1969 1974 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 Catch up with old friends!

Want to help make your class’s reunion great?

Volunteer by emailing alumni@westminster.net!

WESTMINSTER | 77

Friday Night BBQ • Saturday Campus Picnic • Class Parties

eunion Weeken

Save the Date

April 26-27, 2019

Classes: 1969 1974 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 Catch up with old friends!

Want to help make your class’s reunion great?

Volunteer by emailing alumni@westminster.net!

WESTMINSTER | 77

Class News 1960

Peter Stelling writes, “Our Class of 1960 luncheon planning committee members (Ed Croft, John Howells, George McCarty, Ryland Scott, and yours truly) continue to enjoy our frequent brainstorming sessions and good fellowship over lunch at the Cross Creek Café.”

CLASS NEWS

Friends from the Class of 1956 (Tread Davis, Henry Howell, Fay Pearce, Dwight Bronnum, Jack Rooker, Frank Maier, and Barksdale Collins) at their monthly lunch

1961 Annette Granger Allyn Aguilar writes, “Happy to celebrate my eighth wedding anniversary on August 10 to my husband, Roger. I am also loving teaching folks the intricacies of knitting at Michael’s on Saturdays.

And it goes without saying how proud I am of my daughter, Lindsey O’Shields, who not only painted scenery for Westminster plays, but illustrated the wall of murals in the Square of Marietta. Kudos also to my son-in-law, James O’Shields ’90.”

1964

Susie Soper writes, “Members from the Class of 1964 had a great time catching up at Cross Creek for our reunion celebration in April!”

Cindy Perryman writes, “Spending glorious time painting, gardening, having quiet family time with my husband, Randy Beard, away from the city, and traveling primarily to France for inspiration, with future plans for Portugal and Spain.”

1966

David Hudson writes, “Retired from full-time work. Shuffling between Ware Heck, Virginia (farming) and Whistler, Canada (skiing and hiking).”

78 | Fall/Winter 2018

Bruce Montgomery ’58 with grandson Bruce Renner (son of Anne Montgomery Renner ’86) at McCallie’s commencement ceremony

Wildcats from the Class of 1964 at their reunion celebration

Celebrate Your Past.

Invest in the Present.

Build the Future.

If you are 70½ years old or older, you can give to Westminster and receive tax benefits in return through an IRA Charitable Rollover.

Mac Mackey ’69 performing one of his last operations (with daughter Dr. Emily Mackey) before stepping down as Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair of Surgery at Tufts University School of Medicine

● Your

gift is put to use today, allowing you to see the difference you are making.

● You

can donate up to $100,000 to Westminster directly from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA); the distribution will not be treated as taxable income.

● Any

amount distributed will count toward your annual required minimum distribution.

Please contact Lauren Flores at 404-609-6438 or laurenflores@westminster.net if you would like to discuss this opportunity. You may also visit westminster.planmygift.org to learn more about this or many other ways you and your family can support Westminster through your estate plans.

WESTMINSTER | 79

Class News 1960

Peter Stelling writes, “Our Class of 1960 luncheon planning committee members (Ed Croft, John Howells, George McCarty, Ryland Scott, and yours truly) continue to enjoy our frequent brainstorming sessions and good fellowship over lunch at the Cross Creek Café.”

CLASS NEWS

Friends from the Class of 1956 (Tread Davis, Henry Howell, Fay Pearce, Dwight Bronnum, Jack Rooker, Frank Maier, and Barksdale Collins) at their monthly lunch

1961 Annette Granger Allyn Aguilar writes, “Happy to celebrate my eighth wedding anniversary on August 10 to my husband, Roger. I am also loving teaching folks the intricacies of knitting at Michael’s on Saturdays.

And it goes without saying how proud I am of my daughter, Lindsey O’Shields, who not only painted scenery for Westminster plays, but illustrated the wall of murals in the Square of Marietta. Kudos also to my son-in-law, James O’Shields ’90.”

1964

Susie Soper writes, “Members from the Class of 1964 had a great time catching up at Cross Creek for our reunion celebration in April!”

Cindy Perryman writes, “Spending glorious time painting, gardening, having quiet family time with my husband, Randy Beard, away from the city, and traveling primarily to France for inspiration, with future plans for Portugal and Spain.”

1966

David Hudson writes, “Retired from full-time work. Shuffling between Ware Heck, Virginia (farming) and Whistler, Canada (skiing and hiking).”

78 | Fall/Winter 2018

Bruce Montgomery ’58 with grandson Bruce Renner (son of Anne Montgomery Renner ’86) at McCallie’s commencement ceremony

Wildcats from the Class of 1964 at their reunion celebration

Celebrate Your Past.

Invest in the Present.

Build the Future.

If you are 70½ years old or older, you can give to Westminster and receive tax benefits in return through an IRA Charitable Rollover.

Mac Mackey ’69 performing one of his last operations (with daughter Dr. Emily Mackey) before stepping down as Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair of Surgery at Tufts University School of Medicine

● Your

gift is put to use today, allowing you to see the difference you are making.

● You

can donate up to $100,000 to Westminster directly from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA); the distribution will not be treated as taxable income.

● Any

amount distributed will count toward your annual required minimum distribution.

Please contact Lauren Flores at 404-609-6438 or laurenflores@westminster.net if you would like to discuss this opportunity. You may also visit westminster.planmygift.org to learn more about this or many other ways you and your family can support Westminster through your estate plans.

WESTMINSTER | 79

CLASS NEWS

CLASS NEWS

Class of 1968: 50th Reunion

Class of 1973: 45th Reunion

Class of 1978: 40th Reunion

The Class of 1968 had a great time celebrating their 50th Reunion. Reunion Committee members were: Dan Aldridge, Terry Currie Banta (Events Co-Chair), Frank Block, Pat Sharkey Brooks, Eleanor Ringel Cater, Emily Clement Davenport, Howard Daniel, Mike Egan, Caroleta Garrett (Reunion Book Co-Chair), Brad Hayes, Davis Hewitt, Warner Hudson, Sally Crumley Lanigan, Nan Levin Lippincott, Martha Livezey McCutcheon, Candace Collins Morgan, Betty Parham Nichols, John Parrott, Katie Phelps (Events Co-Chair), Ted Plomgren (Treasurer), Susan Lundeen Smith, Randy Thrower, Martha Thwaite Weeks (Reunion Book Co-Chair), Carolyn Williams, Marguerite Ramage Wyche, Danny Yates, Zach Young

The Class of 1973 celebrated 45 years since their Westminster graduation! Reunion Committee members were: Jeff Lewis (Event Co-Chair), Robert Patterson (Fundraising Co-Chair), David Protiva (Adult Beverages Chair), Margaret Conant Reiser (Fundraising Co-Chair), Mary Susan Jackson Stacy (Event Co-Chair), Luck Gambrell Davidson, Don Dennard, Sam DuBose, Vivian Noble DuBose, Wade Goetz, Helen Milner Gordon, Cathy Goodhart Henson, Bill Horton, Olga Duffy Howell, Hill Jeffries, Cindy Love Jernigan, Florence LeCraw, Floyd Newton, Leslie Parham, Win Pound, Neal Scott, Ben Simms, David Towles, John Withers

The Class of 1978 had a blast while celebrating their 40th Reunion. Reunion Committee members were: John Adams (Fundraising Co-Chair), Lillian Cousins Giornelli (Fundraising Co-Chair), Kyle Jenks (Event Co-Chair), Elizabeth Kahn Jump (Event Co-Chair), Liz Cooper (Treasurer), Cynthia Briscoe Brown, Lynn Myrick Dudley, Len Al Haas, Sheffield Hale, Hollis Rawson Hawkins, Matt Hawkins, Cynthia Wilburn Hendon, Kim Levy Huhman, Comer Jennings, Missy McGrew Kaish, Bill McGinnis, John McIntyre, Martha Mattingly Payne, Lee Perkins, Kevin Smith, John Spalding, Oran Woodall

1973

Marty Gray Herb writes, “I recently retired in July and have returned to Lake Oconee to live.”

Win Pound writes, “It has been a busy past couple of years. In addition to my plastic surgery office in Atlanta, I also opened a practice in the Blairsville/Blue Ridge area. The idea is that my wife and I will ultimately retire up in the mountains. I am also still active in beach volleyball, even at my advanced age of 63. I just finished playing in my 28th Emerald Coast Volleyball tournament in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and was inducted into their hall of fame. My team, “Three Studs and a Dud,” made it to the third round of the playoffs before falling. Later this year, I will be making my 20th medical trip to South/Central America to operate on little kids.”

Sidney Anderson Tucker writes, “My husband, Stan, retired from Westminster and I from Wesleyan in the spring of 2016. That July, we sold everything and moved to Buenos Aires. We would love to hear from anyone headed our way! Contact us via email: stucker1370@gmail.com.

We love to show off our adopted city.”

Mac Mackey writes, “After 36 years at Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, the last 18 as Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair of Surgery, I will step down later this year. I recently performed one of my last surgeries with my daughter, Dr. Emily Mackey, as my assistant. How cool is that?!”

80 | Fall/Winter 2018

Alice Lovejoy Carnahan writes, “I have written three books about dogs (mostly German Shepherds), cats, and horses that I and my husband/best friend of 42 years have known, owned, and/or loved. I hope to come to the 50th Reunion!”

1972

Bruce Bryant and his wife, Jan, had dinner at their favorite restaurant in Amsterdam with fellow Wildcat Tim Mescon ’72 and his wife Lauren.

Tim is the COO for Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International covering Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

Win Pound ’73 with his volleyball team, “Three Studs and a Dud,” at a tournament in Florida

Friends from the Class of 1975 (Dale Smith Jowers, Jack Wilcox, Stuart Oglesby, Margaret Dykes Stickney, Cherie Smith Van Winkle, Scott Young, and Kell Harper) together at a party in April

1975

Retired Marine officer Robert Pringle became the oldest person to graduate from Radford University in May at age 62.

1969

Classmates Bruce Bryant ’72 and Tim Mescon ’72 enjoy dinner in Amsterdam

1978

Valerie Ravan Andrews writes, “We continue to love and live life in Northern Michigan. Four glorious seasons. Our two oldest daughters are out of the nest, finishing various stages of college. Our youngest extrovert is a freshman at St. Francis High School.

Two great canine companions keep Tom and I good company!”

Westminster alumni and parents (Joe Thompson ’85, Kelly Ahn ’85, Wirt Jones ’85, Robyn Rieser Barkin ’81, and Laura Rains Draper ’86) at a Westminster prom picture party at the home of Laura Rains Draper in April

WESTMINSTER | 81

CLASS NEWS

CLASS NEWS

Class of 1968: 50th Reunion

Class of 1973: 45th Reunion

Class of 1978: 40th Reunion

The Class of 1968 had a great time celebrating their 50th Reunion. Reunion Committee members were: Dan Aldridge, Terry Currie Banta (Events Co-Chair), Frank Block, Pat Sharkey Brooks, Eleanor Ringel Cater, Emily Clement Davenport, Howard Daniel, Mike Egan, Caroleta Garrett (Reunion Book Co-Chair), Brad Hayes, Davis Hewitt, Warner Hudson, Sally Crumley Lanigan, Nan Levin Lippincott, Martha Livezey McCutcheon, Candace Collins Morgan, Betty Parham Nichols, John Parrott, Katie Phelps (Events Co-Chair), Ted Plomgren (Treasurer), Susan Lundeen Smith, Randy Thrower, Martha Thwaite Weeks (Reunion Book Co-Chair), Carolyn Williams, Marguerite Ramage Wyche, Danny Yates, Zach Young

The Class of 1973 celebrated 45 years since their Westminster graduation! Reunion Committee members were: Jeff Lewis (Event Co-Chair), Robert Patterson (Fundraising Co-Chair), David Protiva (Adult Beverages Chair), Margaret Conant Reiser (Fundraising Co-Chair), Mary Susan Jackson Stacy (Event Co-Chair), Luck Gambrell Davidson, Don Dennard, Sam DuBose, Vivian Noble DuBose, Wade Goetz, Helen Milner Gordon, Cathy Goodhart Henson, Bill Horton, Olga Duffy Howell, Hill Jeffries, Cindy Love Jernigan, Florence LeCraw, Floyd Newton, Leslie Parham, Win Pound, Neal Scott, Ben Simms, David Towles, John Withers

The Class of 1978 had a blast while celebrating their 40th Reunion. Reunion Committee members were: John Adams (Fundraising Co-Chair), Lillian Cousins Giornelli (Fundraising Co-Chair), Kyle Jenks (Event Co-Chair), Elizabeth Kahn Jump (Event Co-Chair), Liz Cooper (Treasurer), Cynthia Briscoe Brown, Lynn Myrick Dudley, Len Al Haas, Sheffield Hale, Hollis Rawson Hawkins, Matt Hawkins, Cynthia Wilburn Hendon, Kim Levy Huhman, Comer Jennings, Missy McGrew Kaish, Bill McGinnis, John McIntyre, Martha Mattingly Payne, Lee Perkins, Kevin Smith, John Spalding, Oran Woodall

1973

Marty Gray Herb writes, “I recently retired in July and have returned to Lake Oconee to live.”

Win Pound writes, “It has been a busy past couple of years. In addition to my plastic surgery office in Atlanta, I also opened a practice in the Blairsville/Blue Ridge area. The idea is that my wife and I will ultimately retire up in the mountains. I am also still active in beach volleyball, even at my advanced age of 63. I just finished playing in my 28th Emerald Coast Volleyball tournament in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and was inducted into their hall of fame. My team, “Three Studs and a Dud,” made it to the third round of the playoffs before falling. Later this year, I will be making my 20th medical trip to South/Central America to operate on little kids.”

Sidney Anderson Tucker writes, “My husband, Stan, retired from Westminster and I from Wesleyan in the spring of 2016. That July, we sold everything and moved to Buenos Aires. We would love to hear from anyone headed our way! Contact us via email: stucker1370@gmail.com.

We love to show off our adopted city.”

Mac Mackey writes, “After 36 years at Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, the last 18 as Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair of Surgery, I will step down later this year. I recently performed one of my last surgeries with my daughter, Dr. Emily Mackey, as my assistant. How cool is that?!”

80 | Fall/Winter 2018

Alice Lovejoy Carnahan writes, “I have written three books about dogs (mostly German Shepherds), cats, and horses that I and my husband/best friend of 42 years have known, owned, and/or loved. I hope to come to the 50th Reunion!”

1972

Bruce Bryant and his wife, Jan, had dinner at their favorite restaurant in Amsterdam with fellow Wildcat Tim Mescon ’72 and his wife Lauren.

Tim is the COO for Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International covering Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

Win Pound ’73 with his volleyball team, “Three Studs and a Dud,” at a tournament in Florida

Friends from the Class of 1975 (Dale Smith Jowers, Jack Wilcox, Stuart Oglesby, Margaret Dykes Stickney, Cherie Smith Van Winkle, Scott Young, and Kell Harper) together at a party in April

1975

Retired Marine officer Robert Pringle became the oldest person to graduate from Radford University in May at age 62.

1969

Classmates Bruce Bryant ’72 and Tim Mescon ’72 enjoy dinner in Amsterdam

1978

Valerie Ravan Andrews writes, “We continue to love and live life in Northern Michigan. Four glorious seasons. Our two oldest daughters are out of the nest, finishing various stages of college. Our youngest extrovert is a freshman at St. Francis High School.

Two great canine companions keep Tom and I good company!”

Westminster alumni and parents (Joe Thompson ’85, Kelly Ahn ’85, Wirt Jones ’85, Robyn Rieser Barkin ’81, and Laura Rains Draper ’86) at a Westminster prom picture party at the home of Laura Rains Draper in April

WESTMINSTER | 81

CLASS NEWS

1979

Martha Lyle Gangemi writes, “Our youngest child graduated from Georgetown in May, which marks our last tuition payment as we celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. We have enjoyed spending the winter months getting to know and explore Atlanta again and escape New England weather. It is a different city from 1979!”

1983

Daniel Lebey writes, “I continue to practice law as a partner at Vinson & Elkins. My eldest daughter, Kathryn (20), is a sophomore at Davidson College. My second daughter, Isabelle (18), is a senior at The Collegiate School in Richmond.”

1986

Anne Montgomery Renner writes, “My son Bruce graduated from McCallie this past spring and is headed to UVA in the fall!”

1987

Suzette Shipp received her master’s degree in cell and molecular biology from San Francisco State in May 2017 and is working in a lab at Stanford University. She celebrated her 49th birthday in Honolulu in May 2018.

1990

Laura Richards of Carrollton received a Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of West Georgia and spoke at their commencement ceremony in May. This culminated years of health impact research with UWG’s Departments of Anthropology and Sociology regarding the Carrollton GreenBelt (an 18-mile linear park trail, partly on their campus), which she founded in 2011.

82 | Fall/Winter 2018

CLASS NEWS

From Westminster to Washington and Back Again Lisa Branch ’86, Britt Cagle Grant ’96, Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00 The Westminster connection transcends both generations and geography. Lisa Branch ’86, Britt Cagle Grant ’96, and Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00 all attended Westminster—but they didn’t actually meet until their career paths converged in Washington, DC, when they were all working in the George W. Bush White House. They became fast friends almost immediately: “an instant feeling of family,” Britt says.

Even though they didn’t attend Westminster at the same time, Lisa says it felt like they had grown up together.

of getting to the right answer. For Sarah, there were so many teachers who stepped up to play pivotal roles in her development and success. “We had great opportunities back then,” she says, “but it’s even better now with programs like JanTerm, where students who want to explore the law can connect with people like Lisa, Britt, and me.”

Whether we’re talking about ideas, opportunities, or individuals, there are literally hundreds of Westminster stories that illustrate the positive power of connection.

Although Lisa, Britt, and Sarah attended Westminster in different years, their personal and professional connection

was facilitated by a common foundation. Sarah says they remain connected to Westminster and want to give back to the School because “Westminster has so invested in us.” Even more Westminster connections are in the making—Britt’s daughter is now in first grade in Love Hall. “It’s exciting to see her there and to know she’ll have the same opportunities and positive challenges that helped me become the person I am,” she says.

For these three graduates, like so many in our community, the Westminster connection continues.

-Betty Emrey

Over the years, their personal and professional connections have grown stronger as they’ve followed remarkably similar and overlapping career paths. In addition to serving in the White House, all three clerked for federal judges and then practiced in large law firms. Lisa then began serving as a judge for the Court of Appeals of Georgia. Britt later became Georgia’s Solicitor General, and Sarah took over some of her cases in DC before also returning to Atlanta as Deputy Solicitor General of Georgia. When Britt was appointed to Georgia’s Supreme Court, Sarah stepped into the Solicitor General role. All three made big moves this year: Lisa and Britt were both confirmed as judges for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and Sarah has been appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia. Through it all, Lisa says, “We have always been there to talk, give advice and support, and to applaud each other.”

Lisa, Britt, and Sarah all say Westminster helped prepare them to handle the challenging responsibilities of judicial life, which Sarah describes as “the intersection of career at the highest level and being in service to others.” Lisa says Westminster instilled a work ethic and willingness to learn that prepared her for college, law school, and—ultimately—for the judiciary. Britt appreciates growing up in a school culture where girls were challenged as much as boys, and she credits Westminster for making her into someone who doesn’t shy away from the hard work

Britt Cagle Grant ’96, Lisa Branch ’86, and Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00, President-Elect of Westminster’s Alumni Board, have remained connected throughout their legal careers, from working together in the White House to now all holding judicial appointments.

WESTMINSTER | 83

CLASS NEWS

1979

Martha Lyle Gangemi writes, “Our youngest child graduated from Georgetown in May, which marks our last tuition payment as we celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. We have enjoyed spending the winter months getting to know and explore Atlanta again and escape New England weather. It is a different city from 1979!”

1983

Daniel Lebey writes, “I continue to practice law as a partner at Vinson & Elkins. My eldest daughter, Kathryn (20), is a sophomore at Davidson College. My second daughter, Isabelle (18), is a senior at The Collegiate School in Richmond.”

1986

Anne Montgomery Renner writes, “My son Bruce graduated from McCallie this past spring and is headed to UVA in the fall!”

1987

Suzette Shipp received her master’s degree in cell and molecular biology from San Francisco State in May 2017 and is working in a lab at Stanford University. She celebrated her 49th birthday in Honolulu in May 2018.

1990

Laura Richards of Carrollton received a Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of West Georgia and spoke at their commencement ceremony in May. This culminated years of health impact research with UWG’s Departments of Anthropology and Sociology regarding the Carrollton GreenBelt (an 18-mile linear park trail, partly on their campus), which she founded in 2011.

82 | Fall/Winter 2018

CLASS NEWS

From Westminster to Washington and Back Again Lisa Branch ’86, Britt Cagle Grant ’96, Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00 The Westminster connection transcends both generations and geography. Lisa Branch ’86, Britt Cagle Grant ’96, and Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00 all attended Westminster—but they didn’t actually meet until their career paths converged in Washington, DC, when they were all working in the George W. Bush White House. They became fast friends almost immediately: “an instant feeling of family,” Britt says.

Even though they didn’t attend Westminster at the same time, Lisa says it felt like they had grown up together.

of getting to the right answer. For Sarah, there were so many teachers who stepped up to play pivotal roles in her development and success. “We had great opportunities back then,” she says, “but it’s even better now with programs like JanTerm, where students who want to explore the law can connect with people like Lisa, Britt, and me.”

Whether we’re talking about ideas, opportunities, or individuals, there are literally hundreds of Westminster stories that illustrate the positive power of connection.

Although Lisa, Britt, and Sarah attended Westminster in different years, their personal and professional connection

was facilitated by a common foundation. Sarah says they remain connected to Westminster and want to give back to the School because “Westminster has so invested in us.” Even more Westminster connections are in the making—Britt’s daughter is now in first grade in Love Hall. “It’s exciting to see her there and to know she’ll have the same opportunities and positive challenges that helped me become the person I am,” she says.

For these three graduates, like so many in our community, the Westminster connection continues.

-Betty Emrey

Over the years, their personal and professional connections have grown stronger as they’ve followed remarkably similar and overlapping career paths. In addition to serving in the White House, all three clerked for federal judges and then practiced in large law firms. Lisa then began serving as a judge for the Court of Appeals of Georgia. Britt later became Georgia’s Solicitor General, and Sarah took over some of her cases in DC before also returning to Atlanta as Deputy Solicitor General of Georgia. When Britt was appointed to Georgia’s Supreme Court, Sarah stepped into the Solicitor General role. All three made big moves this year: Lisa and Britt were both confirmed as judges for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and Sarah has been appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia. Through it all, Lisa says, “We have always been there to talk, give advice and support, and to applaud each other.”

Lisa, Britt, and Sarah all say Westminster helped prepare them to handle the challenging responsibilities of judicial life, which Sarah describes as “the intersection of career at the highest level and being in service to others.” Lisa says Westminster instilled a work ethic and willingness to learn that prepared her for college, law school, and—ultimately—for the judiciary. Britt appreciates growing up in a school culture where girls were challenged as much as boys, and she credits Westminster for making her into someone who doesn’t shy away from the hard work

Britt Cagle Grant ’96, Lisa Branch ’86, and Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00, President-Elect of Westminster’s Alumni Board, have remained connected throughout their legal careers, from working together in the White House to now all holding judicial appointments.

WESTMINSTER | 83

CLASS NEWS

Class of 1983: 35th Reunion

Class of 1988: 30th Reunion

Class of 1993: 25th Reunion

84 | Fall/Winter 2018

CLASS NEWS The 35th Reunion of the Class of 1983 was an occasion not to be missed! Reunion Committee members were: Hank Bremer (Co-Chair), Susan Ayres Watson (CoChair), Thomas Baynes, Debbie McCurdy Cushing, Adolphus Drain, John Dunn, Patton Bethea Fowler, Lyn Rogers Knapp, Mac McGrew, Rachel Nicol O’Neal, David Shelton, JT Singh, Beth Hall Thrasher, Rob Tolleson, Pam Byerly Watkins, Betsy McIlvaine Wood

Thirty years after graduation, the Class of 1988 is as fun-loving as ever! Reunion Committee members were: Elisabeth Ayres (Event Chair), Matt Tarkenton (Fundraising Chair), Patricia Wilson Batelaan, Lindsay Bishop, Molly Pinkerton Caine, Will Farr, Jason Foss, Curt Gill, Brian Huber, Stewart Lathan, Billy Levine, Yancey Lanier McCollum, Thad Persons, Scott Peterzell, Helen Wilson Stewart, BJ Winfrey

The Class of 1993’s 25th Reunion was a party not to be missed! Reunion Committee members were: Chris Giovinazzo (Fundraising Co-Chair), Amy Musarra Kramer (Event Co-Chair), Thomas Morse (Event CoChair), Steve Tye (Fundraising Co-Chair), Dana Letson Carpenter (Treasurer), Courtney Hastings Anglin, Anne Berry Pomeroy Butler, Elena Chang, Jason Goode, Kim Nelson Musierowicz, Erica Pendleton, Andrew Rodbell, Kimberly Clower Tye, Ron Zazworsky

1991

Walter Roberson writes, “I retired from the United States Army after 26 years of service and transitioned into my next career as a senior analyst for Torch Technologies, a defense contracting firm. It was a long journey from first day at West Point to my last day in uniform. Always challenging and rewarding, leading the sons and daughters of our great nation was an honor and privilege.

My wife, Lisa, and I settled on the emerald coast of Florida in Destin.”

Stephanie Jones Gray ’97 in her classroom with David White ’86

Elizabeth Ezzell Perry ’04 and Jeff Perry ’96 with children Ben and Jack

1993

Linda Min Lee writes, “I have my own consulting practice helping nonprofits and foundations.”

1997

Stephanie Jones Gray writes, “David White ’86 and I had the opportunity to connect when he visited my class in fall 2017 as an expert on the issue of foster care. David is the founder of Fostering Great Ideas in Greenville, South Carolina. He shared his expertise on influencing outcomes for children in foster care by looking at them as the focus of a business model—seeing them as the customer in an entrepreneurial solution. He and his family also have personal experience with the challenges and joys of fostering. As a sixth grade teacher at Lead Academy in Greenville, I am working on ways to extend education far beyond the walls of our school, and partnering with David and his organization is teaching our students about making a difference in the lives of children in their community by leveraging their voices for change.”

Nancy Smith-Mather ’98, Shelvis Smith-Mather ’97, and Phil Dimon ’99 in Africa

Jenny Coyne McIntosh ’00 and Eric McIntosh pictured with baby Thomas Payton McIntosh and proud big brother Will

WESTMINSTER | 85

CLASS NEWS

Class of 1983: 35th Reunion

Class of 1988: 30th Reunion

Class of 1993: 25th Reunion

84 | Fall/Winter 2018

CLASS NEWS The 35th Reunion of the Class of 1983 was an occasion not to be missed! Reunion Committee members were: Hank Bremer (Co-Chair), Susan Ayres Watson (CoChair), Thomas Baynes, Debbie McCurdy Cushing, Adolphus Drain, John Dunn, Patton Bethea Fowler, Lyn Rogers Knapp, Mac McGrew, Rachel Nicol O’Neal, David Shelton, JT Singh, Beth Hall Thrasher, Rob Tolleson, Pam Byerly Watkins, Betsy McIlvaine Wood

Thirty years after graduation, the Class of 1988 is as fun-loving as ever! Reunion Committee members were: Elisabeth Ayres (Event Chair), Matt Tarkenton (Fundraising Chair), Patricia Wilson Batelaan, Lindsay Bishop, Molly Pinkerton Caine, Will Farr, Jason Foss, Curt Gill, Brian Huber, Stewart Lathan, Billy Levine, Yancey Lanier McCollum, Thad Persons, Scott Peterzell, Helen Wilson Stewart, BJ Winfrey

The Class of 1993’s 25th Reunion was a party not to be missed! Reunion Committee members were: Chris Giovinazzo (Fundraising Co-Chair), Amy Musarra Kramer (Event Co-Chair), Thomas Morse (Event CoChair), Steve Tye (Fundraising Co-Chair), Dana Letson Carpenter (Treasurer), Courtney Hastings Anglin, Anne Berry Pomeroy Butler, Elena Chang, Jason Goode, Kim Nelson Musierowicz, Erica Pendleton, Andrew Rodbell, Kimberly Clower Tye, Ron Zazworsky

1991

Walter Roberson writes, “I retired from the United States Army after 26 years of service and transitioned into my next career as a senior analyst for Torch Technologies, a defense contracting firm. It was a long journey from first day at West Point to my last day in uniform. Always challenging and rewarding, leading the sons and daughters of our great nation was an honor and privilege.

My wife, Lisa, and I settled on the emerald coast of Florida in Destin.”

Stephanie Jones Gray ’97 in her classroom with David White ’86

Elizabeth Ezzell Perry ’04 and Jeff Perry ’96 with children Ben and Jack

1993

Linda Min Lee writes, “I have my own consulting practice helping nonprofits and foundations.”

1997

Stephanie Jones Gray writes, “David White ’86 and I had the opportunity to connect when he visited my class in fall 2017 as an expert on the issue of foster care. David is the founder of Fostering Great Ideas in Greenville, South Carolina. He shared his expertise on influencing outcomes for children in foster care by looking at them as the focus of a business model—seeing them as the customer in an entrepreneurial solution. He and his family also have personal experience with the challenges and joys of fostering. As a sixth grade teacher at Lead Academy in Greenville, I am working on ways to extend education far beyond the walls of our school, and partnering with David and his organization is teaching our students about making a difference in the lives of children in their community by leveraging their voices for change.”

Nancy Smith-Mather ’98, Shelvis Smith-Mather ’97, and Phil Dimon ’99 in Africa

Jenny Coyne McIntosh ’00 and Eric McIntosh pictured with baby Thomas Payton McIntosh and proud big brother Will

WESTMINSTER | 85

CLASS NEWS

CLASS NEWS

Westminster alumni celebrate the wedding of Sarah Rollins and Taylor Moister ’02 in Sea Island, Georgia

Class of 1998: 20th Reunion

Class of 2003: 15th Reunion

Friends and teammates from the Class of 1998 cross country team (Gus Davis, Tim Dunagan, John Friberg, Coach Joe Tribble, Parker Burke, Jeff Glass, and Mike Glass) joined Coach Tribble for “practice” during Reunion Weekend in April.

1998 Friends and family celebrate the marriage of Miriam McCrackin ’04 and Andy Lochridge ’04

Parker Burke writes, “Seven of the guys from the Class of 1998 cross country team came from across the country and got together with Coach Tribble for ‘practice’ on Saturday morning during Reunion Weekend.

It was a great opportunity for the group to get back together, relive many of the memories from our time together on the team, and thank Coach Tribble for the life lessons he taught us along the way.”

Katie Blaska Dodd writes, “My husband Billy Dodd ’98 and I are excited to be celebrating our third wedding anniversary this June—we still can’t believe it was just five years ago that we reconnected at our 15th Reunion! I am also excited to announce that I am practicing law

86 | Fall/Winter 2018

The Class of 1998 loved reconnecting and celebrating 20 years during Reunion Weekend! Reunion Committee members were: Emily Cherry Bentley (Treasurer), Nancy Paek Glover (Fundraising Co-Chair), Elizabeth Mann Hogan (Event Co-Chair), Wade Rakes (Fundraising CoChair), Bronson Smith (Event Co-Chair), Ernie Wetzler (Fundraising Co-Chair), Anna Margaret Griffin Woods (Fundraising Co-Chair), Doug Aldridge, Brandon Ansley, Parker Burke, Danica Leach Griffith, Dean Hanlon, Becca Dott Jackson, Nathan Kitchens, Steele Thomas Marcoux, John Rooker, Mimi Scaljon, Daniel Yates

The Class of 2003 loved catching up after 15 years!

Reunion Committee members were: Catherine Humann Callaway (Fundraising Co-Chair), Kyle Garcia (Event Chair), Elizabeth Oswald (Fundraising Co-Chair), Ashley Rapson Cronk (Treasurer), Sam Adams, Adair Howell Arnold, Callie Ellis Beebe, Shani Boston, Julia Bailey Carter, Fred Castellucci, Ralson Goetz, Nancy Hicks, Connie Towles Hodges, Catherine Love Kraft, Katie Long Laney, Bart Layton, Ryland McClendon, Aleem Ramji, Glenn Hilliard Shaw, Katie Calhoun Terrell, Kelsey Martin Thompson

with my brother and father at the Blaska Law Firm, LLC.”

2004

Elizabeth Ezzell Perry writes, “I welcomed my second son, Jack, in April of this year. With a precocious basset hound and two boys under two, I have my hands full!”

2005

Liz Rich recently graduated Cum Laude from Lincoln Memorial College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, she will be moving with her fiancè to Port St Lucie, Florida, to begin companion animal general practice.

Trent McNatt writes, “I am pleased to announce the completion of my Masters of Business Administration

from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan in May 2018, my joyous marriage to Lisa Peterson of Northville, Michigan, on June 9, 2018, and my promotion and relocation with my new wife to Frankfurt, Germany, in July 2018. I currently serve as a Senior Manager of European Corporate Development and Global Mergers & Acquisitions for General Motors. We look forward to some rest and relaxation after a very busy three months!”

2006

Casey Woodward Albin and Bryce Albin welcomed a son, Nicholas “Nick” Sands Albin in May. Their classmate, Caitlin Sacha ’06, an OBGYN in Boston, delivered baby Nick!

WESTMINSTER | 87

CLASS NEWS

CLASS NEWS

Westminster alumni celebrate the wedding of Sarah Rollins and Taylor Moister ’02 in Sea Island, Georgia

Class of 1998: 20th Reunion

Class of 2003: 15th Reunion

Friends and teammates from the Class of 1998 cross country team (Gus Davis, Tim Dunagan, John Friberg, Coach Joe Tribble, Parker Burke, Jeff Glass, and Mike Glass) joined Coach Tribble for “practice” during Reunion Weekend in April.

1998 Friends and family celebrate the marriage of Miriam McCrackin ’04 and Andy Lochridge ’04

Parker Burke writes, “Seven of the guys from the Class of 1998 cross country team came from across the country and got together with Coach Tribble for ‘practice’ on Saturday morning during Reunion Weekend.

It was a great opportunity for the group to get back together, relive many of the memories from our time together on the team, and thank Coach Tribble for the life lessons he taught us along the way.”

Katie Blaska Dodd writes, “My husband Billy Dodd ’98 and I are excited to be celebrating our third wedding anniversary this June—we still can’t believe it was just five years ago that we reconnected at our 15th Reunion! I am also excited to announce that I am practicing law

86 | Fall/Winter 2018

The Class of 1998 loved reconnecting and celebrating 20 years during Reunion Weekend! Reunion Committee members were: Emily Cherry Bentley (Treasurer), Nancy Paek Glover (Fundraising Co-Chair), Elizabeth Mann Hogan (Event Co-Chair), Wade Rakes (Fundraising CoChair), Bronson Smith (Event Co-Chair), Ernie Wetzler (Fundraising Co-Chair), Anna Margaret Griffin Woods (Fundraising Co-Chair), Doug Aldridge, Brandon Ansley, Parker Burke, Danica Leach Griffith, Dean Hanlon, Becca Dott Jackson, Nathan Kitchens, Steele Thomas Marcoux, John Rooker, Mimi Scaljon, Daniel Yates

The Class of 2003 loved catching up after 15 years!

Reunion Committee members were: Catherine Humann Callaway (Fundraising Co-Chair), Kyle Garcia (Event Chair), Elizabeth Oswald (Fundraising Co-Chair), Ashley Rapson Cronk (Treasurer), Sam Adams, Adair Howell Arnold, Callie Ellis Beebe, Shani Boston, Julia Bailey Carter, Fred Castellucci, Ralson Goetz, Nancy Hicks, Connie Towles Hodges, Catherine Love Kraft, Katie Long Laney, Bart Layton, Ryland McClendon, Aleem Ramji, Glenn Hilliard Shaw, Katie Calhoun Terrell, Kelsey Martin Thompson

with my brother and father at the Blaska Law Firm, LLC.”

2004

Elizabeth Ezzell Perry writes, “I welcomed my second son, Jack, in April of this year. With a precocious basset hound and two boys under two, I have my hands full!”

2005

Liz Rich recently graduated Cum Laude from Lincoln Memorial College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, she will be moving with her fiancè to Port St Lucie, Florida, to begin companion animal general practice.

Trent McNatt writes, “I am pleased to announce the completion of my Masters of Business Administration

from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan in May 2018, my joyous marriage to Lisa Peterson of Northville, Michigan, on June 9, 2018, and my promotion and relocation with my new wife to Frankfurt, Germany, in July 2018. I currently serve as a Senior Manager of European Corporate Development and Global Mergers & Acquisitions for General Motors. We look forward to some rest and relaxation after a very busy three months!”

2006

Casey Woodward Albin and Bryce Albin welcomed a son, Nicholas “Nick” Sands Albin in May. Their classmate, Caitlin Sacha ’06, an OBGYN in Boston, delivered baby Nick!

WESTMINSTER | 87

CLASS NEWS

CLASS NEWS

Class of 2008: 10th Reunion

Class of 2012: 5th Reunion

2008

Jeffrey Timmons writes, “I graduated with a Masters of Divinity on May 18, 2018, from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.”

2009

Ashley Newman writes, “I competed at the International Powerlifting League Drug-Tested Nationals on June 23, 2018, in West Virginia. I set four world records and won the 82.5 kilo class. I am a powerlifting coach and personal trainer at Ashley Newman Fitness.”

88 | Fall/Winter 2018

Can you believe it’s been a decade for the Class of 2008?! Reunion Committee members were: Elizabeth Smith Edwards (Co-Chair), John Hamilton (Co-Chair), Helen Harris (Treasurer), Elizabeth Allan, Laughlin Kane Allen, Will Booth, Hunter Chapman, Smith Haverty, Omar Ingram, Hannah Grady Jones, Katie Kelley, Matt Lunati, Will Miller, Carly Hinchman Milyo, Tommy Noonan, Adlai Pappy, Caroline Rawls, Kathryn Jungman Saini, Andrew Sugrue

Our youngest ReunionCats, the Class of 2012, had a great celebration for their Five Year Reunion in December 2017. Reunion Committee members were: Ellie Lee (Event Co-Chair), Michael Russell (Event CoChair), Elizabeth Silcox (Fundraising Chair), Hays Bynum (Treasurer), Wiley Ballard, Dray Ensor, Chris Greenberg, Virginia Hamilton, Mary Sims Hershey, Graham Hill, Sydney Laseter, Scott Peters, Catherine Shook, Chapman Wilkinson

Nigel Walker ’13 Travels the World to Research Fatherhood Nigel Walker embraces the role of an “internationally minded leader” every day in the wake of his recent year traveling around the world. He was part of Vanderbilt’s Keegan Fellows program, which awards a graduating senior the opportunity to travel while focusing on a specific topic: one they cannot study in a typical college classroom. Having never been out of the country before, Nigel emphasized, “the more the unknown, the more courageous you have to be.”

valued the diversity of its citizens. Nigel’s most memorable experiences included witnessing the vastness of the Jordan River, the preservation of the Great Wall of China, and the beautiful chaos of Brazil’s Carnival, admiring each landscape’s deep connection with its community.

Nigel references his Westminster education as the source of his persistent attitude. While his mother and grandmother worried about Nigel’s ability to thrive during his first year as a Wildcat, from the moment he walked into Clarkson Hall, he recognized that Westminster “was not a place of anxiety.” With regular service opportunities, Nigel’s seven years here helped him realize his capacity to be an advocate for change.

Over the course of his 22-country journey, Nigel studied the impact and perception of fatherhood worldwide, motivated by the absence of his own father from a young age. From Jamaica to Antarctica, Nigel’s interviews with locals inspired him to think critically about his identity, his character, and the relationship with his father.

“The relationship between a father and child is utterly important to childhood development. I have seen them as agents of encouragement, emotional support, and simply cultural education,” he says. Interviewing anyone from his host parents to local workers, Nigel began each interview with a simple “tell me about your father.”

Current political climates have inspired Nigel to further explore the meaning and interpretation of human rights all over the world. But first, Nigel is back in Atlanta. He has joined Teach For America, an organization whose mission is to enlist, develop, and mobilize young adult leaders to improve educational equity and excellence. For the next two years, he will focus on liberating kids from systemic educational inequality as a teacher at Benjamin Banneker High School in southern Fulton County. Nigel aims to be “an agent of progress for male influence” and believes that his strong convictions are “founded in the opportunity to impact children in this generation.”

Nigel cites his time in South Africa and India as the most fascinating. He admired South Africa’s growth in the face of tenuous race relations and how deliberately India

To learn more about Nigel’s travels, visit nigel-walker.format.com.

-Lauren Brown ’18

2015

Laura Russell writes, “I’m currently a rising senior at the University of Southern California double-majoring in linguistics and communication.

Recently, three papers of mine were published in undergraduate journals: two linguistics papers in the interdisciplinary journal Scribe and one communications paper in the Journal of Law and Society. I also won first place in the Professional Ethics category in the Levan Ethics Essay contest for my paper “Linguistic Conmen: Issues and Ethics on the Witness Stand.” Fight on and Go Cats!”

Nigel Walker ’13 views the sun rising over the Himalayas while in India as part of a yearlong traveling fellowship.

WESTMINSTER | 89

CLASS NEWS

CLASS NEWS

Class of 2008: 10th Reunion

Class of 2012: 5th Reunion

2008

Jeffrey Timmons writes, “I graduated with a Masters of Divinity on May 18, 2018, from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.”

2009

Ashley Newman writes, “I competed at the International Powerlifting League Drug-Tested Nationals on June 23, 2018, in West Virginia. I set four world records and won the 82.5 kilo class. I am a powerlifting coach and personal trainer at Ashley Newman Fitness.”

88 | Fall/Winter 2018

Can you believe it’s been a decade for the Class of 2008?! Reunion Committee members were: Elizabeth Smith Edwards (Co-Chair), John Hamilton (Co-Chair), Helen Harris (Treasurer), Elizabeth Allan, Laughlin Kane Allen, Will Booth, Hunter Chapman, Smith Haverty, Omar Ingram, Hannah Grady Jones, Katie Kelley, Matt Lunati, Will Miller, Carly Hinchman Milyo, Tommy Noonan, Adlai Pappy, Caroline Rawls, Kathryn Jungman Saini, Andrew Sugrue

Our youngest ReunionCats, the Class of 2012, had a great celebration for their Five Year Reunion in December 2017. Reunion Committee members were: Ellie Lee (Event Co-Chair), Michael Russell (Event CoChair), Elizabeth Silcox (Fundraising Chair), Hays Bynum (Treasurer), Wiley Ballard, Dray Ensor, Chris Greenberg, Virginia Hamilton, Mary Sims Hershey, Graham Hill, Sydney Laseter, Scott Peters, Catherine Shook, Chapman Wilkinson

Nigel Walker ’13 Travels the World to Research Fatherhood Nigel Walker embraces the role of an “internationally minded leader” every day in the wake of his recent year traveling around the world. He was part of Vanderbilt’s Keegan Fellows program, which awards a graduating senior the opportunity to travel while focusing on a specific topic: one they cannot study in a typical college classroom. Having never been out of the country before, Nigel emphasized, “the more the unknown, the more courageous you have to be.”

valued the diversity of its citizens. Nigel’s most memorable experiences included witnessing the vastness of the Jordan River, the preservation of the Great Wall of China, and the beautiful chaos of Brazil’s Carnival, admiring each landscape’s deep connection with its community.

Nigel references his Westminster education as the source of his persistent attitude. While his mother and grandmother worried about Nigel’s ability to thrive during his first year as a Wildcat, from the moment he walked into Clarkson Hall, he recognized that Westminster “was not a place of anxiety.” With regular service opportunities, Nigel’s seven years here helped him realize his capacity to be an advocate for change.

Over the course of his 22-country journey, Nigel studied the impact and perception of fatherhood worldwide, motivated by the absence of his own father from a young age. From Jamaica to Antarctica, Nigel’s interviews with locals inspired him to think critically about his identity, his character, and the relationship with his father.

“The relationship between a father and child is utterly important to childhood development. I have seen them as agents of encouragement, emotional support, and simply cultural education,” he says. Interviewing anyone from his host parents to local workers, Nigel began each interview with a simple “tell me about your father.”

Current political climates have inspired Nigel to further explore the meaning and interpretation of human rights all over the world. But first, Nigel is back in Atlanta. He has joined Teach For America, an organization whose mission is to enlist, develop, and mobilize young adult leaders to improve educational equity and excellence. For the next two years, he will focus on liberating kids from systemic educational inequality as a teacher at Benjamin Banneker High School in southern Fulton County. Nigel aims to be “an agent of progress for male influence” and believes that his strong convictions are “founded in the opportunity to impact children in this generation.”

Nigel cites his time in South Africa and India as the most fascinating. He admired South Africa’s growth in the face of tenuous race relations and how deliberately India

To learn more about Nigel’s travels, visit nigel-walker.format.com.

-Lauren Brown ’18

2015

Laura Russell writes, “I’m currently a rising senior at the University of Southern California double-majoring in linguistics and communication.

Recently, three papers of mine were published in undergraduate journals: two linguistics papers in the interdisciplinary journal Scribe and one communications paper in the Journal of Law and Society. I also won first place in the Professional Ethics category in the Levan Ethics Essay contest for my paper “Linguistic Conmen: Issues and Ethics on the Witness Stand.” Fight on and Go Cats!”

Nigel Walker ’13 views the sun rising over the Himalayas while in India as part of a yearlong traveling fellowship.

WESTMINSTER | 89

Marriages

CLASS NEWS

Liz Rich ’05 after her graduation ceremony from Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine

1999

2009

2002

Sara Snell and Sheldon Taylor, July 22, 2017

Mary Beth Drake and John Muong, March 16, 2018 Sarah Rollins and Taylor Moister, May 26, 2018

2004

Community, Faculty, and Staff

2005

Lindsey Kwok (Upper School faculty) and Thomas Kwok, July 28, 2018

Miriam McCrackin and Andy Lochridge, April 8, 2017

Wildcat alumni celebrate the marriage of Mary Beth Drake ’99 and John Muong

Tom Marine (Lower School faculty) and Mary Marine, June 24, 2018

2006

Clark Meyer (Middle School faculty) and Sheila Meyer, November 19, 2017

2007

Katie Sturniolo and Bryan Cruce, March 10, 2018

2008

Maggie Allen and Jake Philpotts, July 15, 2017 Kimberly Stockwell and Scott Souders, October 7, 2017

2.

Sarah Rollins and Taylor Moister ’02

3.

Miriam McCrackin ’04 and Andy Lochridge ’04

Lisa Peterson and Trent McNatt, June 9, 2018 Sarah Ohr and Jack Brown, December 9, 2017

Frances Brown ’18, Lauren Brown ’18, and Ella Collier ’18 worked as interns in Westminster’s Office for Institutional Advancement this summer! Special thanks for their contributions to annual fund initiatives, storytelling, graphic design, the new Wildcat Web, and alumni engagement planning.

1.

Rebecca Kahn and Kahul Nayak, June 23, 2018

Francisco Simbaña (Middle School faculty) and Elena Del Rey, June 29, 2018 Matthew Spaulding (Upper School faculty) and Melanie Wagner Spaulding, July 21, 2018 Catherine Zidow (Middle School faculty) and Robert Cochran (Middle School faculty), April 2, 2018

3 Casey Woodward Albin’06, Bryce Albin ’06, and baby Nick with Dr. Caitlin Sacha ’06, who delivered the baby

Ashley Newman ’09 pictured at the International Powerlifting League DrugTested Nationals

SUBMIT YOUR CLASS NEWS

1

The deadline for Class News for the spring 2019 issue of Westminster Magazine is February 7. Please submit Class News at westminster.net/classnews.

You may also send class news to: Westminster Attention: Class News 1424 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 or email: classnews@westminster.net

2

This issue reflects submissions received before July 20, 2018.

90 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 91

Marriages

CLASS NEWS

Liz Rich ’05 after her graduation ceremony from Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine

1999

2009

2002

Sara Snell and Sheldon Taylor, July 22, 2017

Mary Beth Drake and John Muong, March 16, 2018 Sarah Rollins and Taylor Moister, May 26, 2018

2004

Community, Faculty, and Staff

2005

Lindsey Kwok (Upper School faculty) and Thomas Kwok, July 28, 2018

Miriam McCrackin and Andy Lochridge, April 8, 2017

Wildcat alumni celebrate the marriage of Mary Beth Drake ’99 and John Muong

Tom Marine (Lower School faculty) and Mary Marine, June 24, 2018

2006

Clark Meyer (Middle School faculty) and Sheila Meyer, November 19, 2017

2007

Katie Sturniolo and Bryan Cruce, March 10, 2018

2008

Maggie Allen and Jake Philpotts, July 15, 2017 Kimberly Stockwell and Scott Souders, October 7, 2017

2.

Sarah Rollins and Taylor Moister ’02

3.

Miriam McCrackin ’04 and Andy Lochridge ’04

Lisa Peterson and Trent McNatt, June 9, 2018 Sarah Ohr and Jack Brown, December 9, 2017

Frances Brown ’18, Lauren Brown ’18, and Ella Collier ’18 worked as interns in Westminster’s Office for Institutional Advancement this summer! Special thanks for their contributions to annual fund initiatives, storytelling, graphic design, the new Wildcat Web, and alumni engagement planning.

1.

Rebecca Kahn and Kahul Nayak, June 23, 2018

Francisco Simbaña (Middle School faculty) and Elena Del Rey, June 29, 2018 Matthew Spaulding (Upper School faculty) and Melanie Wagner Spaulding, July 21, 2018 Catherine Zidow (Middle School faculty) and Robert Cochran (Middle School faculty), April 2, 2018

3 Casey Woodward Albin’06, Bryce Albin ’06, and baby Nick with Dr. Caitlin Sacha ’06, who delivered the baby

Ashley Newman ’09 pictured at the International Powerlifting League DrugTested Nationals

SUBMIT YOUR CLASS NEWS

1

The deadline for Class News for the spring 2019 issue of Westminster Magazine is February 7. Please submit Class News at westminster.net/classnews.

You may also send class news to: Westminster Attention: Class News 1424 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 or email: classnews@westminster.net

2

This issue reflects submissions received before July 20, 2018.

90 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 91

10.

4.

4

5

Members of the Class of 2006 celebrate the marriage of Sarah Ohr and Jack Brown ’06

Tom Marine (Lower School faculty) and Mary Marine

5.

Sara Snell ’09 and Sheldon Taylor ’09

Wildcat alumni celebrate the marriage of Katie Sturniolo ’07 and Bryan Cruce

6.

6

7

Maggie Allen ’08 and Jake Philpotts

7.

Westminster alumni celebrate the marriage of Rebecca Kahn ’09 and Kahul Nayak

8.

Clark Meyer (Middle School faculty) and Sheila Meyer

12

11.

12.

Francisco Simbaña (Middle School faculty) and Elena Del Rey

13.

Matthew Spaulding (Upper School faculty) and Melanie Wagner

14.

Robert Cochran (Middle School faculty) and Catherine Zidow (Middle School faculty)

9.

Lindsey Kwok (Upper School faculty) and Thomas Kwok

11

9

92 | Fall/Winter 2018

8

13

10

14

WESTMINSTER | 93

10.

4.

4

5

Members of the Class of 2006 celebrate the marriage of Sarah Ohr and Jack Brown ’06

Tom Marine (Lower School faculty) and Mary Marine

5.

Sara Snell ’09 and Sheldon Taylor ’09

Wildcat alumni celebrate the marriage of Katie Sturniolo ’07 and Bryan Cruce

6.

6

7

Maggie Allen ’08 and Jake Philpotts

7.

Westminster alumni celebrate the marriage of Rebecca Kahn ’09 and Kahul Nayak

8.

Clark Meyer (Middle School faculty) and Sheila Meyer

12

11.

12.

Francisco Simbaña (Middle School faculty) and Elena Del Rey

13.

Matthew Spaulding (Upper School faculty) and Melanie Wagner

14.

Robert Cochran (Middle School faculty) and Catherine Zidow (Middle School faculty)

9.

Lindsey Kwok (Upper School faculty) and Thomas Kwok

11

9

92 | Fall/Winter 2018

8

13

10

14

WESTMINSTER | 93

Births 1996

John Royce “Jack” Perry, April 4, 2018, son of Elizabeth Ezzell Perry and Jeff Perry

1997

Eleanor Anne Wheatley, April 20, 2018, daughter of Kara and Joe Wheatley

1998

Isobel Ivy Chambless, April 24, 2017, daughter of Sarah Fergusson Chambless and Chris Chambless

1999

West Eleanor Blaisdell, March 7, 2018, daughter of Ali and Andrew Blaisdell Emily Paige Charles, June 5, 2018, daughter of Natalie Johnson Charles and Matthew Charles Owen Thomas Edelen, March 14, 2018, son of Kate Strother Edelen and Barnett Edelen

2000

Sebastian Joseph Drewicz Ewing, June 4, 2018, son of Laura Drewicz Ewing and Brad Ewing

2002

William Porterfield “Porter” Ezzell, June 15, 2018, son of Caitlin and William Ezzell Audrey Hope Middendorf, May 5, 2018, daughter of Meggie McGuirk Middendorf and David Middendorf Catherine Crosby Wise, May 16, 2018, daughter of Leila Brumby Wise and Aaron Wise

2003

Grace Abigale Brodie, March 8, 2018, daughter of Meghan and Kyle Brodie Julia “Pace” Callaway, February 28, 2018, daughter of Catherine Humann Callaway and TJ Callaway Catherine “Simms” Farmer, June 11, 2018, daughter of Christie and Hank Farmer Avery Evelyn Foroobar, April 13, 2018, daughter of Kristen Dunbar Foroobar and Michael Foroobar Daly Carolyn Johnson, April 25, 2018, daughter of Katie and Ben Johnson

Thomas Payton McIntosh, February 22, 2018, son of Jenny Coyne McIntosh and Eric McIntosh

Margaret Clare “Molly” Schwanda, June 2, 2018, daughter of Mimi Hobart Schwanda and Peter Schwanda

2001

2004

Anna Claire Barrett, April 4, 2018, daughter of Allison Cobb Barrett and Austin Barrett

McKell Virginia King, April 27, 2018, daughter of Lauren Horton King and Denton King

Henry Mason Chapple, October 26, 2017, son of Lidiya and Mason Chapple

Rian Blaise Kohli, January 19, 2018, son of Brittany Blaise Kohli and Rohan Kohli

John Edward Noble Heckman, June 24, 2018, son of Ginger DuBose Heckman and James Heckman

Lucy Alexandra Palmer, April 4, 2018, daughter of Aisling and Justin Palmer

Lila Grace Hocutt, February 10, 2018, daughter of Jennifer White Hocutt and John Hocutt

John Royce “Jack” Perry, April 4, 2018, son of Elizabeth Ezzell Perry and Jeff Perry

94 | Fall/Winter 2018

Jack Belo Rankin, March 11, 2018, son of Mary Elizabeth and Claude Rankin

2005

Richard Holden Leet, May 28, 2018, son of Elise and T.H. Leet Henry Benjamin Littman, March 22, 2018, son of Katie Grien Littman and Mark Littman

2006

Nicholas “Nick” Sands Albin, May 18, 2018, son of Casey Woodward Albin and Bryce Albin James Wingfield Kameen, February 15, 2018, son of Ellie Brissette Kameen and Alex Kameen

2009

Peter Kenneth Menendez, December 13, 2017, son of Catherine and John Menendez

2011

Lucy Evelyn Collins, April 11, 2018, daughter of Jaris Turner Collins and Luke Collins

1.

John Royce “Jack” Perry, son of Elizabeth Ezzell Perry ’04 and Jeff Perry ’96

2.

Eleanor Anne Wheatley, daughter of Kara and Joe Wheatley ’97

3.

West Eleanor Blaisdell, daughter of Ali and Andrew Blaisdell ’99

4.

Emily Paige Charles, daughter of Natalie Johnson Charles ’99 and Matthew Charles

1

5.

Owen Thomas Edelen, son of Kate Strother Edelen ’99 and Barnett Edelen

6.

Sebastian Joseph Drewicz Ewing, son of Laura Drewicz Ewing ’00 (Upper School faculty) and Brad Ewing

7.

Thomas Payton McIntosh, son of Jenny Coyne McIntosh ’00 and Eric McIntosh

2

3

4

5

6

7

Community, Faculty, and Staff

Oakliss Eve Christensen, July 21, 2018, daughter of Meagan Christensen (Upper School faculty) and Andrew Christensen Sebastian Joseph Drewicz Ewing, June 4, 2018, son of Laura Drewicz Ewing ’00 (Upper School faculty) and Brad Ewing Cohen Kelley Hart, March 5, 2018, son of Tai Hart (Lower School faculty) and Jason Hart Hannah Faulders Jordan, June 28, 2018, daughter of Laura Jordan (staff) and Dennis Jordan

WESTMINSTER | 95

Births 1996

John Royce “Jack” Perry, April 4, 2018, son of Elizabeth Ezzell Perry and Jeff Perry

1997

Eleanor Anne Wheatley, April 20, 2018, daughter of Kara and Joe Wheatley

1998

Isobel Ivy Chambless, April 24, 2017, daughter of Sarah Fergusson Chambless and Chris Chambless

1999

West Eleanor Blaisdell, March 7, 2018, daughter of Ali and Andrew Blaisdell Emily Paige Charles, June 5, 2018, daughter of Natalie Johnson Charles and Matthew Charles Owen Thomas Edelen, March 14, 2018, son of Kate Strother Edelen and Barnett Edelen

2000

Sebastian Joseph Drewicz Ewing, June 4, 2018, son of Laura Drewicz Ewing and Brad Ewing

2002

William Porterfield “Porter” Ezzell, June 15, 2018, son of Caitlin and William Ezzell Audrey Hope Middendorf, May 5, 2018, daughter of Meggie McGuirk Middendorf and David Middendorf Catherine Crosby Wise, May 16, 2018, daughter of Leila Brumby Wise and Aaron Wise

2003

Grace Abigale Brodie, March 8, 2018, daughter of Meghan and Kyle Brodie Julia “Pace” Callaway, February 28, 2018, daughter of Catherine Humann Callaway and TJ Callaway Catherine “Simms” Farmer, June 11, 2018, daughter of Christie and Hank Farmer Avery Evelyn Foroobar, April 13, 2018, daughter of Kristen Dunbar Foroobar and Michael Foroobar Daly Carolyn Johnson, April 25, 2018, daughter of Katie and Ben Johnson

Thomas Payton McIntosh, February 22, 2018, son of Jenny Coyne McIntosh and Eric McIntosh

Margaret Clare “Molly” Schwanda, June 2, 2018, daughter of Mimi Hobart Schwanda and Peter Schwanda

2001

2004

Anna Claire Barrett, April 4, 2018, daughter of Allison Cobb Barrett and Austin Barrett

McKell Virginia King, April 27, 2018, daughter of Lauren Horton King and Denton King

Henry Mason Chapple, October 26, 2017, son of Lidiya and Mason Chapple

Rian Blaise Kohli, January 19, 2018, son of Brittany Blaise Kohli and Rohan Kohli

John Edward Noble Heckman, June 24, 2018, son of Ginger DuBose Heckman and James Heckman

Lucy Alexandra Palmer, April 4, 2018, daughter of Aisling and Justin Palmer

Lila Grace Hocutt, February 10, 2018, daughter of Jennifer White Hocutt and John Hocutt

John Royce “Jack” Perry, April 4, 2018, son of Elizabeth Ezzell Perry and Jeff Perry

94 | Fall/Winter 2018

Jack Belo Rankin, March 11, 2018, son of Mary Elizabeth and Claude Rankin

2005

Richard Holden Leet, May 28, 2018, son of Elise and T.H. Leet Henry Benjamin Littman, March 22, 2018, son of Katie Grien Littman and Mark Littman

2006

Nicholas “Nick” Sands Albin, May 18, 2018, son of Casey Woodward Albin and Bryce Albin James Wingfield Kameen, February 15, 2018, son of Ellie Brissette Kameen and Alex Kameen

2009

Peter Kenneth Menendez, December 13, 2017, son of Catherine and John Menendez

2011

Lucy Evelyn Collins, April 11, 2018, daughter of Jaris Turner Collins and Luke Collins

1.

John Royce “Jack” Perry, son of Elizabeth Ezzell Perry ’04 and Jeff Perry ’96

2.

Eleanor Anne Wheatley, daughter of Kara and Joe Wheatley ’97

3.

West Eleanor Blaisdell, daughter of Ali and Andrew Blaisdell ’99

4.

Emily Paige Charles, daughter of Natalie Johnson Charles ’99 and Matthew Charles

1

5.

Owen Thomas Edelen, son of Kate Strother Edelen ’99 and Barnett Edelen

6.

Sebastian Joseph Drewicz Ewing, son of Laura Drewicz Ewing ’00 (Upper School faculty) and Brad Ewing

7.

Thomas Payton McIntosh, son of Jenny Coyne McIntosh ’00 and Eric McIntosh

2

3

4

5

6

7

Community, Faculty, and Staff

Oakliss Eve Christensen, July 21, 2018, daughter of Meagan Christensen (Upper School faculty) and Andrew Christensen Sebastian Joseph Drewicz Ewing, June 4, 2018, son of Laura Drewicz Ewing ’00 (Upper School faculty) and Brad Ewing Cohen Kelley Hart, March 5, 2018, son of Tai Hart (Lower School faculty) and Jason Hart Hannah Faulders Jordan, June 28, 2018, daughter of Laura Jordan (staff) and Dennis Jordan

WESTMINSTER | 95

8

9

19

BIRTHS

8.

17.

9.

18.

10.

19.

Anna Claire Barrett, daughter of Allison Cobb Barrett ’01 and Austin Barrett Henry Mason Chapple, son of Lidiya and Mason Chapple ’01

10

11

12

John Edward Noble Heckman, son of Ginger DuBose Heckman ’01 and James Heckman

11.

Lila Grace Hocutt, daughter of Jennifer White Hocutt ’01 and John Hocutt

12.

William Porterfield “Porter” Ezzell, son of Caitlin and William Ezzell ’02

13.

Audrey Hope Middendorf, daughter of Meggie McGuirk Middendorf ’02 and David Middendorf

14

16

17

18

96 | Fall/Winter 2018

20.

McKell Virginia King, daughter of Lauren Horton King ’04 and Denton King ’04

21.

Rian Blaise Kohli, son of Brittany Blaise Kohli and Rohan Kohli ’04

22.

Lucy Alexandra Palmer, daughter of Aisling and Justin Palmer ’04

15.

24.

16.

25.

Grace Abigale Brodie, daughter of Meghan and Kyle Brodie ’03

22

20

Margaret Clare “Molly” Schwanda, daughter of Mimi Hobart Schwanda ’03 and Peter Schwanda

23.

Julia “Pace” Callaway with big sister Jane, daughters of Catherine Humann Callaway ’03 and TJ Callaway

15

Daly Carolyn Johnson, daughter of Katie and Ben Johnson ’03

14.

Catherine Crosby Wise, daughter of Leila Brumby Wise ’02 and Aaron Wise

13

Avery Evelyn Foroobar, daughter of Kristen Dunbar Foroobar ’03 and Michael Foroobar

Jack Belo Rankin, son of Mary Elizabeth and Claude Rankin ’04 Richard Holden Leet, son of Elise and T.H. Leet ’05

21

Henry Benjamin Littman, son of Katie Grien Littman ’05 and Mark Littman

23

24

25

WESTMINSTER | 97

8

9

19

BIRTHS

8.

17.

9.

18.

10.

19.

Anna Claire Barrett, daughter of Allison Cobb Barrett ’01 and Austin Barrett Henry Mason Chapple, son of Lidiya and Mason Chapple ’01

10

11

12

John Edward Noble Heckman, son of Ginger DuBose Heckman ’01 and James Heckman

11.

Lila Grace Hocutt, daughter of Jennifer White Hocutt ’01 and John Hocutt

12.

William Porterfield “Porter” Ezzell, son of Caitlin and William Ezzell ’02

13.

Audrey Hope Middendorf, daughter of Meggie McGuirk Middendorf ’02 and David Middendorf

14

16

17

18

96 | Fall/Winter 2018

20.

McKell Virginia King, daughter of Lauren Horton King ’04 and Denton King ’04

21.

Rian Blaise Kohli, son of Brittany Blaise Kohli and Rohan Kohli ’04

22.

Lucy Alexandra Palmer, daughter of Aisling and Justin Palmer ’04

15.

24.

16.

25.

Grace Abigale Brodie, daughter of Meghan and Kyle Brodie ’03

22

20

Margaret Clare “Molly” Schwanda, daughter of Mimi Hobart Schwanda ’03 and Peter Schwanda

23.

Julia “Pace” Callaway with big sister Jane, daughters of Catherine Humann Callaway ’03 and TJ Callaway

15

Daly Carolyn Johnson, daughter of Katie and Ben Johnson ’03

14.

Catherine Crosby Wise, daughter of Leila Brumby Wise ’02 and Aaron Wise

13

Avery Evelyn Foroobar, daughter of Kristen Dunbar Foroobar ’03 and Michael Foroobar

Jack Belo Rankin, son of Mary Elizabeth and Claude Rankin ’04 Richard Holden Leet, son of Elise and T.H. Leet ’05

21

Henry Benjamin Littman, son of Katie Grien Littman ’05 and Mark Littman

23

24

25

WESTMINSTER | 97

26

27

BIRTHS

26.

Nicholas “Nick” Sands Albin, son of Casey Woodward Albin ’06 and Bryce Albin ’06

27.

James Wingfield Kameen, son of Ellie Brissette Kameen ’06 and Alex Kameen Peter Kenneth Menendez, daughter of Catherine and John Menendez ’09

29.

Oakliss Eve Christensen, daughter of Meagan Christensen (Upper School faculty) and Andrew Christensen Cohen Kelley Hart, son of Tai Hart (Lower School faculty) and Jason Hart

NAPS 1935

1960

Jean Ray Murray, March 13, 2018

Robert “Bobby” Whipple III, July 24, 2018

1939

1961

1947

Cassius Lee Peacock, August 1, 2017

Mildred Alice Wartmann Waldon, May 23, 2018

28.

30.

In Memoriam

31.

1962

1950

Mary Kent Shepherd, February 26, 2018

Dorothy “Dottie” Cunningham Gilmer Rooker, July 1, 2018

Washington Seminary

1963

29

Charles Sterling Jernigan II, February 20, 2017

Mary Clapp Woelper, May 30, 2018

1965

1942

Hill Parks Redwine II, June 3, 2018

Hollis Rawson Easley, March 16, 2018

Hannah Faulders Jordan, daughter of Laura Jordan (staff) and Dennis Jordan

William “Davies” Owens III, March 11, 2018

Jocasta “Jo” Chenault Mattes, March 9, 2018

1939

28

Joseph Arthur Haas, February 28, 2018

Betty Howell Traver, June 23, 2018

1944

Anne Jackson Ragan Morrison, May 27, 2018

1948

Martha Smith Bogle, May 30, 2018

1949

Joan Elizabeth Sinclair Sites, July 12, 2018

1950

Dulane Upshaw Ponder, June 18, 2018

1969

Harold “Hal” Murphy Crow Jr., February 28, 2018

1978

Emily “Emmy” Jean Knobloch, May 18, 2018

1989

Charles Andrew Bevington, July 5, 2018

1997

Britney Barge, May 8, 2018

Katherine “Paddy” Verdery Carley, March 12, 2018

1951

Kathryn Tomlinson “KT” Bridges, April 24, 2018

1952 31 30

Guerry Graham Gordon, February 23, 2018

Westminster 1954

Betty Constance Kapetanakos, March 20, 2018

1956

Caroline Cole Gordy, July 24, 2018

1957

Frances Shropshire Stribling, March 9, 2018

98 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 99

26

27

BIRTHS

26.

Nicholas “Nick” Sands Albin, son of Casey Woodward Albin ’06 and Bryce Albin ’06

27.

James Wingfield Kameen, son of Ellie Brissette Kameen ’06 and Alex Kameen Peter Kenneth Menendez, daughter of Catherine and John Menendez ’09

29.

Oakliss Eve Christensen, daughter of Meagan Christensen (Upper School faculty) and Andrew Christensen Cohen Kelley Hart, son of Tai Hart (Lower School faculty) and Jason Hart

NAPS 1935

1960

Jean Ray Murray, March 13, 2018

Robert “Bobby” Whipple III, July 24, 2018

1939

1961

1947

Cassius Lee Peacock, August 1, 2017

Mildred Alice Wartmann Waldon, May 23, 2018

28.

30.

In Memoriam

31.

1962

1950

Mary Kent Shepherd, February 26, 2018

Dorothy “Dottie” Cunningham Gilmer Rooker, July 1, 2018

Washington Seminary

1963

29

Charles Sterling Jernigan II, February 20, 2017

Mary Clapp Woelper, May 30, 2018

1965

1942

Hill Parks Redwine II, June 3, 2018

Hollis Rawson Easley, March 16, 2018

Hannah Faulders Jordan, daughter of Laura Jordan (staff) and Dennis Jordan

William “Davies” Owens III, March 11, 2018

Jocasta “Jo” Chenault Mattes, March 9, 2018

1939

28

Joseph Arthur Haas, February 28, 2018

Betty Howell Traver, June 23, 2018

1944

Anne Jackson Ragan Morrison, May 27, 2018

1948

Martha Smith Bogle, May 30, 2018

1949

Joan Elizabeth Sinclair Sites, July 12, 2018

1950

Dulane Upshaw Ponder, June 18, 2018

1969

Harold “Hal” Murphy Crow Jr., February 28, 2018

1978

Emily “Emmy” Jean Knobloch, May 18, 2018

1989

Charles Andrew Bevington, July 5, 2018

1997

Britney Barge, May 8, 2018

Katherine “Paddy” Verdery Carley, March 12, 2018

1951

Kathryn Tomlinson “KT” Bridges, April 24, 2018

1952 31 30

Guerry Graham Gordon, February 23, 2018

Westminster 1954

Betty Constance Kapetanakos, March 20, 2018

1956

Caroline Cole Gordy, July 24, 2018

1957

Frances Shropshire Stribling, March 9, 2018

98 | Fall/Winter 2018

WESTMINSTER | 99

IN MEMORIAM

Westminster Families Susan “Britney” Barge, May 8, 2018, daughter of John Barge ’64 and brother of Brooks Barge ’99 Kathryn Tomlinson “KT” Bridges, April 24, 2018, mother of Kathryn Bridges Miller ’74, William Bridges ’76, Elwyn Bridges ’79, Walter Bridges ’82, and Mary Kate Bridges Hewes ’86 Charles Thomas Brown, February 15, 2018, husband of Donna Evans Brown ’64 George Edward “Ned” Case III, April 15, 2018, husband of Betty Fuller Case ’72 and father of George Case ’01 J. Gordon Davis, March 6, 2018, father of Tad Davis ’80 and Griff Davis ’85 Charles F. Easley Sr., May 23, 2018, father of Chuck Easley ’82 and Tammy Easley ’89 Guerry Graham Gordon, February 20, 2018, mother of Guerry Fain Drey ’79 Jacquelyn Simmons Gow, May 5, 2018, mother of Bruce Gow ’76 and Lori Gow Haley ’78 Joseph Arthur Haas, February 28, 2018, father of Danielle Haas-Laursen ’89 Jesse Watson Hill, May 13, 2018, father of Michael Hill ’95, Jeff Hill ’97, Richard Hill ’00, and Elizabeth Hill Newman ’04

Joan Elizabeth Sinclair Sites, July 12, 2018, mother of Chip Sites ’74 and Paul Sites ’77 Susan Marten Torras, November 15, 2017, mother of Deborah Torras ’77 Gail Marion Tribble, March 9, 2018, mother of Lucy (Grace) Tribble ’11 Mary Clapp Woelper, May 30, 2018, mother of Betsy Woelper Moore ’63 Smithuel Franklin Wyatt, April 10, 2018, father of Sarah Wyatt Patterson ’90 and Elizabeth Wyatt Bennett ’95 H. Lane Young II, June 12, 2018, father of Lane Young III ’98

Community, Faculty, and Staff J. Gordon Davis, March 6, 2018, husband of Billie Davis (retired faculty) Robert “Bobby” Henderson Rimmer IV, March 9, 2018, husband of Kimberly Booth Rimmer ’87 (Lower School faculty) Gail Marion Tribble, March 9, 2018, wife of Joe Tribble (Upper School faculty) Jere Hudson Link, March 15, 2018 (former faculty) Curtis Goings, March 20, 2018 (Upper School faculty) Fred Runde III, April 17, 2018 (retired staff)

Charles Sterling Jernigan II, February 20, 2017, brother of Ann Jernigan Chalmers ’60

Kenneth John Brook, May 15, 2018, husband of Tami Jordan Brook (Lower School faculty)

Kerry Glen Ketchum, June 5, 2018, husband of Caroline Lide Ketchum ’78

Howard Denwell Lamson “Pat” Kichline, July 19, 2018, husband of Mabel Griffin Kichline (retired faculty)

Wilton Denny Looney, June 1, 2018, father of Sylvia Looney Dick ’65 Kwang Kyu Pak, March 20, 2018, father of Linda Pak Chabinsky ’81, James Pak ’83, Christina Pak Hanratty ’85, and Stephen Pak ’87 Cassius Lee Peacock, August 1, 2017, brother of Lorena Peacock Castles ’72 Robert “Bobby” Henderson Rimmer IV, March 9, 2018, husband of Kimberly Booth Rimmer ’87 and father of Morgan Rimmer ’16 Renee Shackelford, February 11, 2018, mother of Claire Shackelford Reid ’73, Elisabeth Shackelford ’74, and Frank Shackelford ’76

100 | Fall/Winter 2018

The Last Look

Started in 2011 by Director of Student Support Dr. Anna Bacon Moore ’89, the Blessing of the Backpacks welcomes the freshman class to the Upper School on the first day of classes. Surrounded by family and faculty, the Class of 2022 took a moment to reflect on the path that brought them to Westminster and asked for blessings for their journey through the Upper School and beyond.

WESTMINSTER | 101

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