Fall 2017

WESLEYAN t h e m a g a z i n e o f w e s l e ya n s c h o o l

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volume xiv, issue i

FALL 20171

WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | FALL 2017

C O N T E N T S Community

Lower School

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Middle School

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Fine Arts

Faculty

64

27

Athletics

74

77

2017-18 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Rob Binion, Chair Land Bridgers, Vice Chair Mark Adent Charlotte Beltrami Chris Brown Dan Cowart Mark Chapman Steve Deaton

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Diane Duane Dan Kane Erika Laughlin Tom Menefee Mike Nicklaus Stephanie Powell Drew Prehmus '04 Todd Ratliff

WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | FALL 2017

Mary Ramsey Frank Simpson Bill Stark Danny Strickland Anna Tanner Bill Warren Chris Cleveland, Ex-Officio

EMERITUS TRUSTEES Sherri Austin Betty Crawford Alice Ramsey Bronson Smith Raymond Walker HEADMASTER EMERITUS Zach Young

High School

Feature Story

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Magazine Staff

Photographers

BROOKE DANT

HANNAH GRAHAM BRIAN L. MORGAN

Graphic Designer

CHELSEY MODDE

Director of Communications

LAURA BRESLIN

Communications Specialist

JENNIFER COPELAND

Alumni

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Proofreaders JOE TAMEL KENDRA MORRIS

Assistant Head of School for External Affairs

CHRIS CLEVELAND Head of School

OUR MISSION: Wesleyan’s mission is to be a Christian school of academic excellence by providing each student a diverse college preparatory education guided by Christian principles and beliefs; by challenging and nurturing the mind, body, and spirit; and by developing responsible stewardship in our changing world.

Special appreciation goes out to the alumni, faculty, parents, and staff of Wesleyan School whose contributions make this magazine successful. Comments, inquiries, or contributions should be directed to Chelsey Modde, Director of Communications, cmodde@wesleyanschool.org.

Wesleyan Magazine is published by the Communications Department of Wesleyan School and printed by Bennett Graphics.

WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | FALL 2017

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LETTER from the HEAD OF SCHOOL

C HRIS

C L E V E L A N D

Dear Wesleyan Family, Thank you for reading this edition of the Wesleyan magazine and for your continued interest in our beloved school. This fall has been yet another remarkable example of the strength of our community and blessings of our Lord as lives continued to be changed as a result of the work He is doing in and through the lives of students, parents, alumni, and faculty. It is a tremendous privilege to be able to serve this community and to be reminded daily of God’s faithfulness and unconditional love as we seek to educate the mind, body, and spirit of our children.

There are so many things I love about Wesleyan. The J.O.Y. motto. Psalm 24. Missions trips. Class retreats.

But the one aspect of our school that continues to fuel my enthusiasm for the work we do each day is the Wesleyan Mission Statement. More specifically, it the opening line of that statement, which reads, “Wesleyan seeks to be a Christian school of academic excellence…”

Sixteen years ago this fall, I came to Wesleyan’s campus to interview for the position of Middle School Principal. I did not quite know what to expect, but following a full day of interviews, I walked away with tremendous excitement, energy, and enthusiasm.

That day, I had found a place whose mission was my mission.

The world tells us that to be a Christian school and to pursue academic excellence is w waste of time. The world tells us that faith and intellect are not only incompatible, but are in conflict with one another. The world tells us that the narrow-minded tenets of the Christian faith do not align with the broad thinking of intellectualism.

What drew me to Wesleyan 16 years ago is what still draws me to Wesleyan today: the unapologetic belief that we can be a school that is authentically Christ-centered while also seeking to provide an outstanding academic education.

In fact, we do not simply believe that faith and intellect can coexist; we believe that faith and intellect enhance one another and when combined with a caring and engaging faculty, create a vibrant school culture that seeks to follow Christ while also challenging students to think critically.

Faith and intellect. A Christian school of academic excellence.

This is who we are and who we seek to be in the future. My hope is that in the pages of this magazine, you will see this mission lived out in our students, parents, faculty, and alumni.

The things they do each day continue to amaze and humble me.

Thank you for your continued support of Wesleyan School!

For His Glory,

Head of School 4

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INSIDE GWINNETT BEST K-12 SCHOOL

Gwinnett residents have dubbed Wesleyan the BEST HIGH SCHOOL and BEST K-12 SCHOOL this year.

Each year, Inside Gwinnett magazine collects tens or thousands of votes to determine the top organizations in the community. This fall, it was announced the school nabbed the “Best High School” recognition again this year, and also picked up the “Best K-12 School” within the “Best Private Schools” category.

#Day1Wesleyan Students weren’t the only ones feeling social on the first day of school! Wesleyan families and teachers kicked-off the 20172018 school year by sharing back to school photos using #Day1Wesleyan to foster a sense of community across campus.

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WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | FALL 2017

FILL THE GILL

Wesleyan’s newest football tradition, Fill the Gill, made its return this fall – bringing even more fun and opportunity for the entire community to enjoy time together.

The community tailgate features great food, lawn games, inflatable obstacle courses, friendly competitions between divisions, and performances from the marching band and cheerleaders before home football games. This year, fans were also treated to a special concert by Wesleyan’s own Brad Williams and his band, The Delivery Men. The event is a chance for alumni, lower school, middle, school, and high school families to enjoy time together before cheering on the wolves!

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W O LV E S W AT C H T H E S K Y

SOLAR ECLIPSE “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.” Psalm 24:1 It was truly a Psalm 24 kind of day as the Wesleyan community took in the glory of our Creator’s world during the 2017 Eclipse.

The faculty incorporated classroom learning with fun, adding solar system themed music in between classes, special science lessons throughout the week across each division, guest speakers, special treats, and a pep rally before the event. During the eclipse, students K-12, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and friends gathered in Henderson Stadium to view this special occasion.

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BUS SHUTTLE SERVICE KEEPS ON ROLLING AT WESLEYAN! The school announced new afternoon routes for the 2017-2018 school year. Last year, Wesleyan began offering morning shuttles to Suwanee, Duluth, Johns Creek, Roswell, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, Decatur, and Stone Mountain as a chance to better serve the community.

With that same goal in mind, the school expanded the shuttle service this year by adding afternoon routes to Suwanee, Duluth, Johns Creek, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven.

NEW

AFTERNOON ROUTES

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SUMMER CAMPS This summer marked a first for Wesleyan - creating camps designed for 4-yearolds! Prior to summer 2017, camp options, which are open to Wesleyan students and non-Wesleyan students, were only available for children 5-yearsold through middle school.

them, as well as assist in preparing their child for school, we thought it wise and helpful to create a 4-year-old program. It is a win-win for everyone!”

The move was part of the school’s continued commitment to serve local families in the most convenient way possible.

The school offered multiple camps for these junior campers, including, Summer Day Camp: Discover an Adventure, Summer Day Camp: Xtreme STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics), Summer Sports Camp, and Big Fun Day Camp.

“Adding 4-year-old options was an easy decision,” said Kelly Weatherly, Director of Auxiliary Programs at Wesleyan School. “More families have duel working parents and in order to support

Not only did the school add options for 4-year-old campers this year, but Wesleyan also saw the highest number of campers this summer than any previous year.

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On-Site Summer Camps Available to K-9 Students Across Metro-Atlanta

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students over 6 weeks in 2017

LOWER SCHOOL LEAGUES Wesleyan introduced a new flag football league this fall! The league, open to both Wesleyan and non-Wesleyan students, is an opportunity for kindergarten through fifth grade boys and girls to learn the fundamentals of football in a fun, safe, and encouraging environment.

“For the community, the league allows children to learn football skills, develop teamwork abilities, and play in a safe, nurturing environment regardless of where they attend school,” said Kelly Weatherly, Director of Auxiliary

Programs and Outreach. “For our current families, the new league serves as part of our continued commitment to offer a convenient, 12-month experience rather than having to take your children to another league across town.”

The new flag football program is the newest addition to the school’s community league program. Wesleyan also hosts a basketball league, now in its 15th year, where hundreds of elementary-aged students play.

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HOMECOMING Homecoming celebrations stretched across each division and beyond this year, with special activities planned in the lower school, middle school, high school, and for alumni and alumni parents!

Along with the annual student versus faculty basketball game, powderpuff tournament, and senior Homecoming court pageant, students spent the week showing their school spirit and getting into character to match this year’s theme: Ancient Civilizations: A Celebration for the Ages.

The Wesleyan community closed out the week with the annual homecoming parade. Students and faculty K-12 lined Zach Young Parkway and cheered as floats, banners, and classmates made their way throughout campus. Every student joined the procession with the event ending in a K-12 pep rally in Hoover.

As the school day ended, Wesleyan was thrilled to welcome alumni and their parents back to campus for a special tailgate before the football game. The celebratory week was capped off with a win against the Holy Innocents’ Bears!

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HOEDOWN Homecoming traditions wouldn’t be complete without the annual Homecoming Hoedown! The event, specifically designed for the younger students on campus to get in the homecoming spirit, is always a community favorite. During the celebration, the quad is transformed into a fall-themed carnival, complete with games, food trucks, rock climbing, and a mechanical bull.

First grade students help provide dĂŠcor, creating scarecrows with their parents and teachers the day before the event.

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ON THE Backs of

GIANTS Wesleyan lost two of its giants over the summer in CHARLIE DAVIDSON (father of Reid, grandparent of Skip '03, Tyler '05, Price ‘08), (father of Rob and grandparent of Carley) and JUDGE WILLIAM O’KELLEY (grandfather of Clark '12 and Brandt '14 and father in law of Melanie, Head Librarian).

Charlie Davidson was an emeritus member of the Advisory Committee, although living in Naples and Cashiers, made it difficult for him to attend meetings of the Board.

The Davidson family had long been in the rock and aggregate business and had land in Forsyth and Dawson county. The donation of that land was the key gfit for Davidson Natatorium, which is named for Charlie.

More than that, Charlie was always an enthusiastic supporter of Wesleyan in the early years. He always was proclaiming its strengths and was a huge champion of its mission.

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Judge O’Kelley was the longest serving ‘active’ federal judge in the United States when he died, having been appointed as a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia in 1970.

The Judge was an active member of the Advisory Board and attended every meeting until his illness.

Judge O’Kelley having served on the Emory University Board of Trustees had wonderful with his insight into the governance and financial roles of the school. He was at every event where Brandt and Clarke where participating and we saw him often.

Judge O’Kelley always had a smile on his face especially when he was at Wesleyan watching the O’Kelley boys.

Wesleyan will miss them both. Both what we will miss most is their leadership both in terms of dollars and service to the School. Their vocal support of Wesleyan’s mission and its governance laid the groundwork for the school we have today. Whatever we do today, we are truly standing on the shoulders of these two giants.

JUDGE WILLIAM O'KELLEY

CHARLIE DAVIDSON

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T

his fall Wesleyan was honored to host Representative Scott Hilton as part of Take Your Legislator to Work Day.

The special day, sponsored by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, is aimed at raising awareness about the benefits of hiring people with learning differences. Jack Prettyman, who is diagnosed with Down Syndrome and has worked at Wesleyan for the past year, invited Rep. Hilton to join him on campus as part of the initiative. Not only is Rep. Hilton Jack’s Peachtree Corner’s representative, he’s also a Wesleyan parent.

During the visit Jack led Rep. Hilton, along with a representative from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, his career coach, his parents, and his Wesleyan job coach, Kelly Weatherly, on a tour of campus. Jack also gave an overview on what he is responsible for during his work hours and provided a firsthand look at why job coaching programs are so beneficial to an employee, an employer, and the entire community.

“This is exactly why Georgia ought to continue to invest in early intervention, therapy programs, and job coaching organizations,” Rep. Hilton wrote on Facebook. “Jack is a happy and productive Georgian. I am so proud of our family’s school, Wesleyan School, for giving Jack the opportunity.

Wesleyan is truly fulfilling its mission to Change lives...Change the World.”

"I am so proud of our family’s school, Wesleyan School, for giving Jack the opportunity. Wesleyan is truly fulfilling its mission to Change lives...Change the World.”

Rep. Hilton 16

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LOWER SCHOOL

CHI LD RENS BO O K I L L U S T RATOR

Wesleyan School lower students received a first-hand lesson on illustration this month.

The school hosted professional illustrator, MICHAEL P. WHITE, for a special presentation about his field of work. Michael, who lives in Brookhaven, demonstrated his air-brush painting technique and had students participate in a hands-on drawing activity during the presentation.

White encouraged students to use art as a means of expression to ask lots of questions.

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SHANA WHITE Shares Innovative Insight for Teachers Across the Country

Wesleyan’s new lower school physical education teacher, Shana White, is sharing her passion for innovative education with teachers across the country.

This fall, Shana was asked to present at Discover Education’s 2017 Day of Discovery Conference in North Carolina. Her presentation, “STEM is a Mindset: Creating Engaging Lessons for Any Content Area”, was an opportunity for her to share her expert insight on how to integrate STEM principles and creative lessons in the classroom.

Shana, who is a member of the Discovery Education Leadership Council, also writes articles for DISCOVERY EDUCATION. She’s been involved with the organization for more than two years now, but became full immersed in the programs when she was selected as the PBS Digital Lead Innovator for the state of Georgia in 2016.

Along with getting lower school students up and moving in imaginative ways, like a virtual workout with the Minnesota Vikings, Shana also leads the Makers Coding after school enrichment class.

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ALL SCHOOL CHAPEL

The first all-school chapel opened with a favorite Wesleyan tradition: members of the senior class escorting the kindergartners into their first Wesleyan chapel!

Each year, “evergreen� seniors, those who started at Wesleyan in kindergarten, walk the youngest members of the Wesleyan community into all-school chapel and sit with them throughout the worship and devotion time.

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BOOK CHARACTER DAY

Lower school students transformed into their favorite book characters this October as part of Book Character Day. The day is a creative way for the youngest students on campus to get engaged with reading through rotating read-aloud sessions followed by a parade showing their peers which persona they chose to portray.

This year, students also had a visit from guest author, and Wesleyan alumna Beth (Haun) Coetzee ’98. Beth shared with students her book “No Electronics! A Pot Luck of Poems”, and she also answered the numerous questions that the students had about the writing and publishing process. Many students were inspired to become authors and illustrators themselves, and we look forward to seeing the creative works that our students produce.

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VET E THE WESLEYAN LOWER SCHOOL students participated in a musical tribute to all Veterans on Wednesday, November 8, 2017. The program opened with the Presentation of Colors by 4th grade Boy Scouts, who also led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star-Spangled Banner. Select 3rd and 4th graders served as Narrators, carrying the program from a Colonial march, “Chester”, which was performed by all 4th grade students on their recorders and written by America’s earliest composer, William Billings to a Patriotic singalong by all students and families. Kindergarten expanded their learning of the calendar with their

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RANS DAY

song, “Eleven, Eleven” – performing it with big smiles and flowing red, white, and blue scarves, while 3rd grade sang about the meaning of those same colors on our American flag with “Our Red, White, and Blue”. A traditional favorite, “Yankee Doodle” was performed by 1st graders in their home-made Yankee Doodle hats, and Pre1st stole the show with their rousing rendition of “I’m Glad That I Live in America.” An especially poignant moment came with 2nd graders singing “Taps” after narrators taught of the song’s history and how it came to be a traditional song played at our military funerals. Other highlights included a video filmed by Michael Mann, “Love and Freedom”, featuring fathers in our community who’ve served in the military, a slide show by Megan Rappe showcasing all the extended relatives in our community who have served, and finally: a tribute to every Veteran in our audience who was recognized when their branch of military was called. WE WERE PROUD TO SAY, “THANK YOU” TO THEM ALL, NEAR AND FAR.

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LOWER SCHOOL TEAM INTRODUCES STUDENT-DRIVEN DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS

stats From September to October...

6,256 pieces of student uploaded content 2,303 comments from parents and teachers 8,363 likes from parents and teachers

The lower school team introduced the innovative SeeSaw program to students and parents for the first time this fall. The app is a student-driven digital portfolio that empowers each child to independently document what they’re learning each day and allows them to capture their learning in multiple forms – they can use photos, videos, drawings, text, or web links to “show what they know.”

6,525 total parent visits

An added bonus? It’s giving parents a peek into what their children are doing during the day and is extending the learning conversation after children leave school for the day.

“Parents love to see what their children are learning and it’s as easy as using an Instagram feed to scroll through and see their work in all classrooms,” said Michael Mann, the lower school instructional technology teacher. “I feel it’s 50% student digital journal and 50% encouraging tool.”

Encouraging in the sense that parents and teachers can “like” and “comment” under a child’s work in an uplifting way that also starts to teach proper social media engagement.

The entire lower school team has found creative ways to use the tool in their classrooms. Whether it is special events at school, writing assignments, or oral read-a-louds, teachers are finding ways to replace handouts with digital voice-overs, videos, and annotations.

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RETREATS

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5TH & 6TH In August, 5th and 6th grade students travelled to Woodlands Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Cleveland, Georgia for their annual overnight retreat. Middle schoolers had plenty of free time to explore the Woodlands property. The ropes course offered both high and low elements for students to attempt. The waterfront was the site of the waterslide and the blob; the 8-acre lake provided a perfect landscape for activities like canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding. Some of our more competitive students opted for recreational games on the field and inside the gymnasium.

There were endless opportunities for the group to pass the time with their classmates and teachers.

This Wesleyan tradition is made even better by the high school students that volunteer to serve. A select number of high school students from the junior class volunteered to attend the retreat and help faculty members lead small groups. This aspect of the retreat reflects Wesleyan’s desire to foster the K-12 community by encouraging students of all ages to form meaningful relationships with one another.

THANK YOU HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEER LEADERS!

7TH & 8TH

Students had the opportunity to connect with Jesus through prayer, music, writing, silence, scripture, and even paint

Students returned to SharpTop Cove for this year’s 7th and 8th grade retreat. Upon their arrival, students were entertained with a skit and a game organized by faculty members, Robert Holmes and Mitchell Mayfield. Then, members from the high school led worship as Ms. Bufton, Dead of Student Ministries, prepared to talk to the middle schoolers about finding their identity in Jesus. Unique to this year’s retreat, students were encouraged to explore different forms of worship.

Ms. Bufton created stations for the students to participate in experiential worship. Students had the opportunity to connect with Jesus through prayer, music, writing, silence, scripture, and even paint; they were free to encounter Jesus in a way that was unique and meaningful to them.

In between each talk, the middle schoolers were given free time to enjoy the beautiful camp nestled in the mountains of Jasper, Georgia. The weather was perfect for zip lining, volleyball, and pool games. The students even competed in a group scavenger hunt. The fun continued into the evening with smores and a camp fire. This year’s, 7th and 8th grade retreat was truly an exceptional experience!

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HE AD OF SCHOOL for the Day,

KEV I N AN D RE W S

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On October 25, Wesleyan 7th grader KEVIN ANDREWS had the opportunity to put his own stamp on the school when he served as dead of school for the day. After signing his one-day contract presented by board of trustees chairman Rob Binion, Kevin spent time shadowing Chris Cleveland, actual head of school, throughout the day.

Kevin got a behind the scenes tour of campus including a windy trip to the roof of Yancey Gymnasium, a tour of the new data center, and more. He attended a cabinet meeting, met with donors (and yes, got the gift!), made a super secret off campus dash to QT for a little head of school sustenance, and ended the day hosting an ice cream social for the entire middle school.

Flexing the muscles of his authority for the day, Kevin also selected the lunch menu for the day and declared a jeans day for the following school day.

Head of school for the day was an item up for bid in the live auction at the JOY Gala in spring 2017. After the fun that Mr. Andrews and Mr. Cleveland had, this one will be a big item in spring 2019 for sure!

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T E S T I M O N I A L S 32

“I would like to lend Kudos to the 7th grade teachers for actively engaging and being creative in their daily teachings. When I was in middle school, it was so structured and not relaxed at all which made learning not so fun. Lauren is excited about her teachers and look forward to school every day. Many thanks to the team for creating a love for school and instilling it in the students.

My family is extremely happy to be a part of the Wesleyan family. It feels good to know your child is being educated from a biblical standpoint and loving every moment of her day. Thank you for your partnership team!”

KIMBERLY NELSON

“On our drive to school this morning, Morgan and I spoke about what she likes most about Wesleyan. I expected her to say something about the teachers, the other students, etc., but her response blew me away! She said that the environment at Wesleyan has made her think more about her relationship with God. She has always gone to church, but said that she never really felt close to God. She said that being at Wesleyan where everyone prays, worships and puts Jesus front and center has inspired her to want to grow closer to God. This revelation solidified our decision to have her at Wesleyan. Please feel free to pass along. The work that Wesleyan does is important, and it really resonates with the kids!”

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AUTUMN AKIN

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ETHAN MOON

DANIEL BAISIER

KELSEY RAPPE

GRANT BEATY

HENRY BELTRAMI

SUTTON WEST

SUZANNE GODARD

ERIN MCCONNELL

N AT I O N A L MERIT

CARSON PAVELEC

DAVID THROWER

EMMA WATKINS

Three Wesleyan Seniors were named National Merit Semifinalists this fall. ETHAN MOOD, KELSEY RAPPE, and SUTTON WEST are among the 1% of high school seniors nationwide receive this recognition based on their PSAT scores. These students will now submit essays in the hopes of becoming finalists and earning scholarship money.

In addition, Wesleyan has eight National Merit “Commended” students. Roughly 3% of seniors nationwide receive this recognition. Our Commended students are DANIEL BAISIER, GRANT BEATY, HENRY BELTRAMI, SUZANNE GODARD, ERIN MCCONNELL, CARSON PAVELEC, DAVID THROWER, and EMMA WATKINS.

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HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HELP WITH BEFORE CARE Sent request to Jason Erb and Lynn McArthur for list of students and quotes about what this means to LS; will reach out to students to get their input as well. “These wonderful students give selflessly every Wednesday morning. They forfeit the opportunity to take advantage of late arrival (sometimes even days off) in order to provide support for our Lower School Before Care. The children absolutely love all of them and greatly anticipate their arrival on Wednesday mornings. Their impact as leaders and role-models for our young students is huge, and we are so grateful that they have chosen to invest their time and energy into the lives of these children. Their dedication and enthusiasm in building relationships with our Lower School students is heartwarming and a blessing to us all.� Lynn McArthur

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COLLEGE TOUR

Forty-eight students joined the College Advising office over fall break for the annual college tour, where they explored schools of various sizes and settings across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. As part of the tour, students visited the campuses of WAKE FOREST, VIRGINIA TECH, WASHINGTON & LEE, ELON, DAVIDSON, FURMAN, AND CLEMSON. Students toured each campus, met with admissions staff, ate in dining halls, and had the opportunity to speak with Wesleyan alumni currently attending each school. “Whether or not the students discovered specific schools they loved, they all started to learn a little more about what they do and don’t want in a college experience – which will be incredibly valuable as they search for the right fit,” said Ken Connor, Director of College Advising for Wesleyan. “Moreover, we loved seeing all our Wesleyan alumni so happy at their respective schools.”

Special thanks to the Ken Connor,

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Matt Cole, Andrea Shupert, and Dayna Thomson in college advising for chaperoning the trip; and to Caroline Baisier and Sam Laurite (Wake Forest); Shane Moore, Eric Panther, Chapman Pendery, and Alex Tuner (Virginia Tech), Ellie Bradach and Will Tanner (Washington & Lee); Callen Davidson (Davidson); Olivia Larner (Furman); and Emily Greer, Drew Masters, Ryan Preston, Mitchell Robinson, and Charis Thompson (Clemson) for meeting our group and showing our students around your campuses!

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GRAYSON RAGSDALE Last February when athletic director, Marc Khedouri, challenged high school students to “Do Something Beautiful for God,” he hoped that students would take their $100 and make an impact in their community. Grayson Ragsdale was a junior at the time and she decided that a joint effort would make an even bigger impact. Grayson organized over twenty of her classmates to join forces to stock the entire teaching kitchen at Mercy Care clinic in Chamblee. Combined with other contributions, the students presented a check to Mercy Care for $3,000 to help launch the Mercy Care Health Promotion program in Chamblee.

In addition to the contribution, Grayson has also organized a service project for her classmates to donate coats and outerwear for Mercy Care.

Over 750 coats were collected and students made over 100 scarves and blankets. Students wrote notes of encouragement to be placed in the pockets of the coats to be distributed to metro Atlanta’s homeless neighbors.

DO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL FOR GOD

In recognition of this initiative along with the other volunteer work that Grayson, now a senior, has done with Mercy Care she won 2nd place for the Greater Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Teen Volunteer Aware for National Philanthropy Day. Way to go Grayson and the other students who took part in this impactful act of service!

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Feature Story

THE INNOVATIVE WORK OF

FACILITIES When you hear about the “Wesleyan way”, there’s a good chance the school cleaning practices aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, for Director of Facilities, Spencer Cornett, this sector of the school is no different. Over the years, the Wesleyan facilities team has intentionally implemented “green cleaning” processes and practices because they believe these habits align with core values and principles of safety and good stewardship at Wesleyan.

As green goes mainstream, schools across the country are ditching chemical-filled products and implementing environmentally friendly processes in the name of safety.

be effective, he says the ultimate objective is to make sure the indoor air quality around campus isn’t being hampered by cleaning products.

But at Wesleyan, these strategies aren’t anything new.

“All of the methods of cleaning at Wesleyan have been aimed at doing things the 'green way' – which I still want to call the 'right way'.” Cornett shared.

When SPENCER CORNETT makes a decision on the best way to keep the school clean, his main goal is, and has been, how safe it is for students. While the products must 40

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Because of this mindset, every cleaning product on campus is free of any caustic

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Feature Story

components. For example, the facility team uses a hydrogen peroxide solution, Oxy, most frequently to keep Wesleyan germfree. It’s “Green Seal Certified”, which means that it meets strict sustainability and safety standards and is considered so green, it’s one of the products approved for use in buildings that have earned a “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” seal, a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council.

The team also uses Bio Based cleaners that are “Design For the Environment Certified”, which gets its certification from the Environmental Protection Agency.

This is another certification, like “Green Seal”, that shows the products meet the sustainability requirements to be considered green.

This intentional effort across campus isn’t just about which products the team choses to use, but also their process and equipment. The facilities team uses Auto Scrubbers for hard surfaces that have a proprietary ec-H2O NanoClean technology – which means no chemicals are added to the water. Cornett says that not only does this technology effectively clean the school and is certified by the NFSI to improve floor traction and reduce the risk of slip and fall accidents, it also avoids leaving chemical residue around campus and significantly reduces the impact of energy, Co2 emissions, ozone, smog, acid, eutrophication, and particulates during the cleaning process.

“I am really excited about some of the new methods of cleaning that we are implementing,” Cornett said. “The desire is to produce a cleaner and healthier facility 42

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while gaining advantages in costs and safety.

The desire, and studies shows, that a properly disinfected and cleaned institution can reduce absenteeism from both students and staff. That is a benefit that can be felt both academically and financially.”

So what’s next for this green team? By the end of the year, they’re changing the cleaning solutions used on campus to a self-contained chemical generator called GenEon. It uses Electro-Chemical Activation Technology that uses salt and a small electrical charge to make a chemical-free solution that kills 99.999% of common germs in less than 60 seconds, including Listeria, MRSA, Staph, VRE, Pseudomonas, Norovirus, H1N1, Salmonella, and E.coli O157:H7 bacteria – which the team hopes translates to more students healthy and in the classroom than home sick.

ALL OF THE METHODS OF CLEANING AT WESLEYAN HAVE BEEN AIMED AT DOING THINGS THE "GREEN WAY" – WHICH I STILL WANT TO CALL THE “RIGHT WAY”

2016-17 ANNUAL FUND

$1,048,000+ raised in the 2016-17 Annual Fund

96%

Over 160 Families

Parent Participation

$38,000+ Average alumni gift increase from $62.17 to $96.97

Increased their gift from the year before

of the Annual Fund was given by Alumni

30%

Alumni Participation

SCHOOL MAGAZINE | FALL 2017 43 For an update on the 2017-18 Annual Fund, please visitWESLEYAN www.wesleyanschool.org/give

ALUMNI at Welseyan

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THE COWART FAMILY

The Cowarts are all in at Wesleyan. Dan Cowart was the original land donor to the school and has been on the Board since its inception. With seven alumni and one current student, the Cowarts are wolves through and through. Grace Cowart '10 even married a fellow alumni, Davis Brown '10.

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AUDREY ANDERSON '12 married Andrew Gabrielsen on June 3, 2017 in Colbert, Ga. Alumni included in the wedding party were Brooke Dant ’12 (matron of honor), Shannon Felts ’12, and Megan Walker ’12. Wesleyan staff that attended the wedding were Marc Khedouri and Billy Coxhead. Other alumni at the wedding were Abby Daws ’12, Mackenzie Hediger ’12, Savannah (Newman) Kimberlin ’12, Robert Law ’09, and Julie Rodriguez ’12. The couple lives in Athens, Ga.

KYLE HAGENAU ‘08 married Caroline Stephens of Atlanta on June 24, 2017 at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church. A reception followed at Ivy Hall at Roswell Mill.

Hampton Wilson '08 and JP McLaughlin '08 were groomsmen. Other Wesleyan alums in attendance were Jessica (Ragland) Watson, Katie Herrig, Kathryn Seeley, Ryan Smith, Taylor Smith, Kyle Patrick and Zach Radermacher.

Kyle and Caroline live in Atlanta.

BROOKE ASHLEY BLEWS ’07 married Roger McCartney Budd, III on October 7, 2016. They were wed in a private ceremony at their home on Saint Simons Island, Georgia during hurricane Matthew.

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CONNOR BRESLIN '11 married LAURA CARVER '11 on August 19th at Monday Night Brewing in Atlanta Georgia. Alumni in the wedding party were Alex Bauer '11, Alex Bufton '06, Harrison Cheeley '11, Cliff Bell '11, Trent Sawyer '04, Meghan Sawyer '06, Sam Carver '13, and Monica (Carver) Mills '07. Other alumni in attendance included Taylor Blair '11, Garrett Busch '12, Brooke Dant '12, Shannon Felts '12, Cate Fithian '11, Drew Fithian '09, Holly Fry '11, Carter Garrison '10, Merritt Hall '11, Kyle Karempelis '11, Patrick Luckhurst '07, Courtney (Parker) McCants '06, Clark O'Kelley '12, Presley (Kuehn) and Brinson Porter '11, Anderson Porter '10, Jake Sixour '11, Ali Stall '16, and Colin Stone '11. Also in attendance were wesleyan students Matt Adent (12), Molly Bradach (12), Payton Kaloper (12), and Jack Mills (12). As well as faculty Marc Khedouri, Greg Lisson, Chad and Stephanie McDaniel, Linda McElwaney, Chelsey Modde, Kali Sessions, Megan Trotter, Land and Katie Bridgers (Board Member) and Headmaster Emeritus, Zach and Studie Young.

ASHBY FOLTZ ’07 and BRENDA MORALES ’07 were married on June 10, 2107 at Cator Woolford Gardens in Atlanta, GA. Maggie (Patrick) Parsley ’07 and Lauren Morales ’17 were bridesmaids, and Ivan Morales ’10 was a groomsman. The couple was happy to have Matt Cole attend the occasion.

JAY BOWEN ’11 married Elizabeth Wheeler at The Hunt’s Barn in Dacula on June 24, 2017. Jonathan Cheng ’11 was a groomsman. Other alumni in attendance were Aaron Patrick ’11, Spencer Short ’11, Ryan McClanahan ’11, Souvana Saya ’11, Jenai Washington ’11, Adrienne Ramos ’11 and Kerri Metz ’11. Faculty member Kevin Kadzis & his family were also in attendance. Jay and Elizabeth live in Alpharetta.

CAT LEWIS '08 married WILLIAM DYER on July 29, 2017 at Flint Hill, Norcross. Whitney Warren Jones '08 was a bridesmaid. Ruthie Colgrove and Felicia Wang played the ceremony music. Also in attendance: Kaitlin Kress Campbell '08, the Stainback family, Franklin and Amy Pridgen, Mary Ann Lacy, Paige Burgess, Terri McCarren, and Laura Archer. The Dyer's live in Tonkawa, OK.

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Births

GENEVIEVE NICOLE MAZZOLINI Daughter of Olivia (Liv Taveras-Koranda) ‘02 and Nick Mazzolini Little sister to Roman May 9, 2017 | 6 lbs 13 oz

CLAIRE MCKAY PATTERSON Daughter of Robert and Hanna Patterson ’04 June 13, 2016 | 7 lbs 11 oz

GEORGIA PORTER GOEBEL Daughter of Paul and Jenni (Berryhill) Goebel ‘03 April 2, 2017 | 7 lbs 7 oz

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ETHAN RYAN WALKER Son of Clark and Jennifer Walker ’01 July 31, 2017 | 7 lbs 15 oz

MARY WYNN SMITH ADAIR (AGE 4) + JANE ENGLAND PRIMROSE ADAIR Daughters of Erica Smith ‘05 May 16, 2017 | 8 lbs 7 oz

ROGER MCCARTNEY BUDD IV Son of Roger and Brooke Blews-Budd ‘08 July 22, 2017 | 6 lbs 2 oz

in Memoriam of

DANIEL EVANS, class of 2005 WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | FALL 2017

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BRETT BUFTON '06 // FIXER UPPER WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO SINCE YOUR TIME AT WESLEYAN AND HOW DID YOU END UP IN WACO? After Wesleyan, I had en excellent experience at Baylor University! I established lifelong friendships and found my wife. It’s a great Christian school with a lot of great people. After graduation, I began teaching and coaching at a small school in East Texas when we received the opportunity to come back to Baylor. Kristen and I both loved Baylor and Waco, and we had always said that if we got the opportunity to return, that we would.

WHAT DO YOU AND YOUR WIFE DO FOR A LIVING? BRETT: I am the Associate Director of Equipment for Baylor. My primary role is to help manage our Nike contract, manage orders, and serve the needs of our coaches and student athletes.

KRISTEN: I am a lead designer for the Magnolia Homes team working on the Fixer Upper projects to support Joanna in her designs.

We both love our jobs, but we work to support our two girls. They are everything to us and have brought so much joy and purpose to our lives. We both work for amazing employers that respect family time and let us put our children first.

DESCRIBE THE SERIES OF EVENTS THAT LED TO YOU AND KRISTEN BEING SELECTED TO APPEAR ON FIXER UPPER. It’s kind of a funny story. We originally bought the house and were planning on fixing it up ourselves in our spare time (ha). Then, we found out we were pregnant with Avery. Chip and Joanna heard we were going to do the renovation ourselves and knew we would be racing the clock to move in before Avery arrived. They insisted to help us and let it be one of the episodes on Fixer Upper.

We agreed, knowing that it would be the best decision, and it certainly was! We could have never pulled off this size renovation on our own.

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WHAT WAS THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH A REMODEL ON TELEVISION REALLY LIKE? ON THE SHOW, IT APPEARS THAT IT’S NOT THAT DIFFICULT, ALL HAPPENS PRETTY QUICKLY AND EVERYONE STAYS IN GOOD HUMOR. HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO REALITY? It was actually a fairly easy process. Luckily, Kristen is normally on the other side of the curtain, so we knew what to expect with the timelines and what not. They were able to help us stay in budget and get the house exactly how we wanted it with a quick turnaround. Kristen has worked for them for the last 6 years, so we have a great relationship with them. That made it a simple process for us as we went through the renovation.

MUCH OF THE HGTV WATCHING WORLD THINKS CHIP AND JOANNA ARE SOME OF THE MOST FUN PEOPLE EVER. HOW MUCH OF THEIR PERSONALITIES COME OUT IN THE MAKING OF THE SHOW? DO YOU HAVE ANY ANECDOTAL STORIES TO SHARE? What you see on TV is what you get. That is who they are.

Chip is just as goofy as he appears. They are great people who truly care for and have a passion to bring new life into old houses. They are great family people and truly care for the people that work for them. The most fun scene to film was demo day. I actually got to help Chip with demo that day. He wore some gear that I brought over from the football facility and we had a great time.

WHEN WAS THIS FILMED VS. WHEN IT AIRED? ARE YOU GUYS STILL IN LOVE WITH THE HOUSE? HAVE YOU CHANGED MUCH THAT WAS DONE IN THE REMODEL? The renovations began end of March (2016) and revealed to us beginning of June (2016). It aired on HGTV January 31st 2017. The house is everything we could have asked for. We still love it and are constantly reminded how lucky we are.

We have not changed anything that was done in the remodel.

It was all exactly what we wanted and hoped for.

“THEY ARE GREAT PEOPLE WHO TRULY CARE FOR AND HAVE A PASSION TO BRING NEW LIFE INTO OLD HOUSES"

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2001

CLASS NOTES Brittany Hewitt was recently named Best Marriage/Relationship Counselor for “Best Self Atlanta” magazine’s “Best of 2017” issue. Brittany has built a thriving therapy private practice in Buckhead where she counsels teens, adults and couples.

2006

Russell Macklin produced Electronic Dance Music for SeaWorld Orlando. You can hear (and dance to) his tunes every night at their new show, Electric Ocean.

2007

2008

Brendan Patterson ’07 received his PhD in Material Science Engineering from University of Florida in December 2016. The last 18 months were in Ann Arbor as a visiting scholar at University of Michigan. Brendan accepted a research and development position at the US Army Research Laboratory in Aberdeen, MD. He is working in the Composite and Hybrid Materials Branch.

Ryan Matherly was ordained into Ministry on September 10th, 2017 at Pleasant Valley North Baptist Church in Rome GA, where he serves as Minister to Students. Wesleyan faculty member Greg Lisson also participated in the service, delivering the Ordination Prayer.

2011

2013

David Short graduated from the University of West Georgia in Spring 2016, where he received a BBA in Economics and Finance. He is now a fully licensed financial advisor with Waddell & Reed in the Buckhead area.

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Shelby Masters graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia in May with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the Grady School of Journalism and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences . She has been accepted at multiple law schools and has chosen The University of Mississippi School of Law which she will attend on a full academic scholarship.

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2014

Ali Godwin participated in the University of Georgia's Study Abroad Program in Italy where she taught in Modena. Ali will complete the UGA dual degree program with Undergraduate and Masters degrees in Early Childhood Education this May.

2015

On August 3rd, Student Led Worship (SLW) had a “Summer Sunset SLW” inviting current students and alum together for a night of worship and fellowship. Andrew Sabonis-Chafee ’15, Jay Bell ’15, Lexi Mellott ’18 and Emily Willis ‘18 shared devotions. Joseph Berney ’17 and Jon Hunt ’18 led worship. Members from the classes of 2015 through 2022 enjoyed worshipping on the quad.

2017

Ashley Godwin was recently chosen to be a member of the Furman University Student Activities Board.

2015

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CA L DE R J U S T I CE ' 0 2

P U RP O S E O N T A P

Calder Justice ’02 and Wesleyan parent Tucker Yates, along with three of their buddies, launched PURPOSE ON TAP in February of 2017. What began as a few guys in a Bible study with a heart to reach their unchurched friends, is now a monthly gathering of over 150+ men who meet at Monday Night Brewing, to learn what it means to live life to the fullest. Purpose On Tap is a catalyst for spiritual acceptance and growth through new friendships and renewed faith.

In the words of Tucker Yates, “We have a generation starving for true community, real relationships with real people, not a screen or a social media outlet. They are dying for relationships that are authentic, face to face, and intentional. A lot like the relationship that Christ wants to have with each one of us.” That’s why each week Tucker, Calder and the other founders spend hours

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“WE HAVE A GENERATION STARVING FOR TRUE COMMUNITY"

planning, strategizing, and connecting with the men who show up on Mondays. They believe God has prepared them “for a time such as this (Esther 4:14)” The board spent ten months assembling the foundation of a truly unique ministry. They wanted to be unique in the aspect of seeing what has not worked for their friends.

The monthly and weekly gatherings allow men to enter a completely non-threatening environment, and interact with other men who are on the same search. Purpose On Tap hopes to challenge these men and educate them on how, through living a Christ centered life, they can find their purpose.

“We are seeing first-hand the positive impact this is having on guys, who 6-12 months ago had never thought about pursuing their faith or thought about their

purpose in life. Watching guys get off of the 'fence' and into our monthly or weekly gathering at Monday Night Brewery or Smokebelly, is where the rubber hits the road. The joy I receive from seeing the growth of old friends and new friends, is worth all of the spreadsheets and backend work that it takes to make Purpose On Tap a success” said Calder Justice ’02.

The guys from Purpose On Tap recently launched POTbelly – a Wednesday morning gathering before work at Smokebelly (see how they combined those two names?) for those who want scratch below the surface. They have been blown away with the interest of young men searching to learn more about living a Christ centered life.

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B R E N D A N A B E R N ATHY '15

LIGHT BR IGA DE

LIGHT BRIGADE is a band built on a good time. Our mission in each show is to have so much contagious fun on stage that the crowd can’t help but leave more joyful than they came in.

We just released our debut EP, which has required hours of work writing, perfecting, recording, and now marketing. Thankfully, fellow 2015 alum, Holly Shinn is a huge help, calling radio stations, magazines, and helping us with our social media presence.

Wesleyan ignited a passion inside of me for seeing people realize who they were created to be, and I believe that music is an amazing way to fill people with the joy integral in freeing them from the ordinary to pursue the extraordinary and the eternal.

Light Brigade is Brendan Abernathy, Atys Cope, Ryan Dubuys, Michael Morgan, and Andrew Shuford, and it would mean the world to all of us if you‌ Check us out on SPOTIFY and APPLE MUSIC. Follow us on Instagram @lightbrigademusic.

Like us on Facebook. Thank you for your support, and WE LOVE YOU!

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ALUMNI EVENTS HIGHLIGHTS

ATLANTA UNITED On Sunday, September 23, 2017 Wesleyan alumni filled the stands of Mercedes Benz stadium. Over fifty alumni gathered to watch Chris Duvall ’10, who plays for Montreal Impact, take on Atlanta United. Who to cheer for: Atlanta’s home town team, or a fellow wolf? The struggle, indeed, was real.

GOLF TOURNAMENT On Saturday, June 16, Wesleyan Alumni Association hosted it’s first annual Alumni and Alumni Parent Golf Tournament at Bears Best in Suwanee. Seventy one golfers had a fantastic day on the course. Generations of alumni from Class of 2001 all the way down to the Class of 2017 enjoyed time on the green.

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PARENTS OF ALUMNI This year we hosted our First Annual Parents of Alumni tailgate, complete with food trucks, popsicles and cowbells. Over 100 of you came back to reconnect, enjoy a beautiful evening and reminisce about your days on Wesleyan’s campus. If you weren’t able to make it, we are planning to offer it again next year. So be on the look-out because this annual tradition was a fantastic time.

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MOM'S COFFEE We hosted moms from all of our classes celebrating their five, ten and fifteen year reunions the Friday morning of Reunion Weekend. Mom’s from the classes of 2002, 2007 and 2012 gathered on Scott Patio. Lovely weather, endearing conversation, the start of the Homecoming Parade and a chance to see how the campus has changed, made for a wonderful morning.

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REUNION CLASS PICNIC Members from all classes celebrating reunions were invited back on campus for a complimentary BBQ lunch, kids camp for alumni children and a campus tour.

Current students from our Omicron Service Society helped entertain alumni children with bouncy houses, corn hole, sidewalk chalk, and games.

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HOMECOMING TAILGATE Keeping in step with tradition, we hosted our annual Alumni Tailgate just before the Homecoming Football game. Alumni Caroline Mitchell ’15 returned to campus to sing the National Anthem as part of the pre-game performance. Newly Ordained Ryan Matherly ’08 prayed before the game. Alumni of all ages gathered on the track, mingled with their favorite faculty and enjoyed remembering “back in the day.”

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M O L LY H AW K I N S RU IZ '08

GO O D S AM A R I T A N

HOW DID YOU DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN WORKING AT GOOD SAMARITAN?

I started working as a dentist at the Good Samaritan Health Center in July 2017; however, this is not when my interest in Good Sam began. In my fourth year of dental school, I had the opportunity to go on rotation here for two weeks. During this time, I was moved by the mission of Good Sam which is to spread Christ’s love through quality health care to those in need.

After my rotation, I knew I wanted to be a part of this organization. Luckily, they were looking to hire another dentist!

CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING NOW?

There are so many aspects of the Good Samaritan Health Center that make it a truly unique place to work. Every morning, the entire staff gathers for devotion. After devotion, we begin seeing patients. Interesting fact: the average life expectancy for many of our patients at Good Sam is 13 years less than that of their neighbors in other areas of Atlanta.

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So, Good Sam provides these patients, that otherwise would not have access to quality healthcare, the high level of service they need and deserve. Each day I do restorative dentistry including fillings, crowns, bridges, dentures, partials, root canals and extractions.

It has truly been a privilege to provide dental care to this underserved community each and every day.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST EXCITING/ REWARDING PART ABOUT WORKING AT GOOD SAMARITAN?

I would have to say the most exciting and rewarding part of working at Good Samaritan has been participating in our “Friday Clinic.” While all the patients at Good Sam are significantly below the poverty level, “Friday Clinic” is our name for a day dedicated to serving the homeless exclusively. This clinic was started two years ago in an effort to restore hope for our homeless neighbors.

Each patient receives a complete medical, mental health, and dental assessment. This assessment is followed by treatments tailored to each patient’s

needs free of charge. A patient, on any given Friday, will experience up to four encounters with a healthcare professional. Not only does our staff provide the medical and dental expertise, we also provide a bus service to pick up each patient at different locations and shelters around the city. Upon arriving at Good Sam, each patient receives breakfast followed by the needed medical and dental care.

Fridays are always very exciting, rewarding and extremely busy days!

ANY ANECDOTAL STORIES?

One day, I was working on a patient and a heard a familiar voice from my past outside of my office. I rolled my chair back, and there was Matt Cole himself walking through the hallway of Good Sam. It’s not every day that you see your eighth grade history teacher at work. Mr. Cole serves on the board at Good Sam, and we are lucky to have him!

WHAT ROLE, IF ANY DID WESLEYAN PLAY IN YOUR DECISION TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT AT GOOD SAMARITAN?

Actually, Wesleyan did play a role in my decision to work at Good Samaritan!

While I was on my rotation, I realized that Atlanta is in fact a very small world. It turns out, the founder and CEO of Good Samaritan, Dr. Bill Warren, sent his son to Wesleyan. I see many similarities between the environment of Wesleyan and Good Sam, and I believe that the emphasis on Christ-centered service is what makes them both so unique. Wesleyan gave me such a great foundation for my faith and instilled in me the JOY model. I had always wanted to incorporate service into my role as a dentist, and Good Sam gives me the opportunity to serve patients every single day. I am thankful for all that Wesleyan and Good Samaritan stand for, and I am so grateful that I can call myself a Wesleyan alumnus who is now a part of the amazing organization that is the Good Samaritan Health Center.

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our FACULTY rocks

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Brad Meyer

Scott Schroer

HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY

HIGH SCHOOL CHORUS

HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS

Robert Holmes

Annie Jestus

Katie Kelemen

MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL SCIENCE

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

2017-18 NEW FACULTY 66

FACULTY FELLOW

Isiah Hill

HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH

FACULTY FELLOW

Whitney Duffie

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Acacia Kelly LOWER SCHOOL TA

FACULTY FELLOW

FACULTY FELLOW Avery Weatherford

Tiffany Bennett

Indysia Fowler

Jamie Hemken

HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE

MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH

Orlena Encinas

Paige Glass

MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR

LOWER SCHOOL TA

KINDERGARTEN TEACHER

Kristine Hall LOWER SCHOOL TA

FACULTY FELLOW

Sean Nestor

Martha Schull

Liz Smith

Candy Stirling

Shana White

LOWER SCHOOL

3RD GRADE TEACHER

LOWER SCHOOL TA

LOWER SCHOOL PE

John Marshall

Jennifer Pinkett Smith

Johnny Turner

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR DEVELOPEMENT

DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY & LS ENRICHMENT

CONTROLLER

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DR. JENNIFER PINKETT SMITH

DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY This semester, Wesleyan welcomed Jennifer Pinkett-Smith as its new Director of Diversity. In a short time, she’s already made an impact at Wesleyan, bonding with students, leading faculty discussions about cultural awareness and diversity, and embracing the Wesleyan community whole-heartedly.

ROLE: Director of Diversity DEPARTMENT: Christian Life

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PREVIOUS ROLE: Prior to joining Wesleyan, Jennifer spent the past 15 years as a teacher and administrator in Christian schools within the Atlanta area. Most recently, she was at Whitefield Academy where she worked in many roles, including the Middle School Dean of Students, Professional Development Coordinator, Academic Support Coordinator, and in the Office of Student Life.

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s Degree from Morris Brown College, Master’s Degree from Central Michigan University, and both Specialist and Doctoral Degrees from Georgia State University in Educational Leadership.

WHAT DREW YOU TO WESLEYAN? “Having the opportunity to do some doctoral research at Wesleyan a few years ago, I had the chance to witness community and support in a very short time. The environment was inviting and the faculty and staff were very supportive. I also heard great things about the school from families who have been positively impacted by Wesleyan so I prayed the right opportunity would be available and God answered my prayer.”

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE SO FAR? “My experience has been amazing. There is not a day that goes by that someone is not asking me how I’m doing, giving me a word of encouragement or offering a word of prayer. The students are great and I am enjoying our daily interactions; from the smiles and hugs in the lower school, to the short conversations with the middle and high school students. Parents have also been supportive and offer to assist in any way possible. The faculty and staff are a joy to work with each and every day which confirms that I am in the right place.”

WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN GOALS FOR THE YEAR? “My goals for this year are to get to know the Wesleyan community and support faculty and students in the area of diversity whether with resources to use in the classroom or general conversations. I have introduced myself to parents, shared resources with faculty and staff on cultural awareness, and met with students during lunch to learn more about them and hear about their Wesleyan experience.”

Please join us in welcoming Jennifer to Wesleyan!

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ROSE MARIE RICHELLE MODDE Daughter of Chelsey and Roger Modde November 13, 2017 | 6 lbs. 13 oz.

Babies

HUDSON CHRISTOPHER SIMMONS Son of Chad and Stephanie Simmons June 2, 2017 | 7 lbs. 13 oz.

CAROLINE MORGAN CHEATWOOD Daughter of Stewart and Amanda Cheatwood September 2, 2017 | 7 lbs. 0 oz.

GREY TOURE BURGESS Daughter of Paige and Ramiel Burgess November 12, 2017 | 8 lbs. 10 oz.

JOSEPH PARKER MOORE Grandson of Guillermo Vallejo Son of Chris and Lauren Moore November 5, 2017 | 7 lbs. 1 oz.

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RILEY PARKER ESPY Grandson of Andrea Shupert Son of Stuart and Lauren Espy March 11, 2016 | 8 lbs. 16 oz.

JUNIPER DIXIE JACKSON (JUNIE) Granddaughter of Anne Jackson Daughter of Rob and Dixie Jackson June 1, 2017 | 6 lbs. 9 oz.

LAURA CARVER BRESLIN '11 married Connor Breslin '11 August 19, 2017

WHITLEY DENNEY married Brett Denney June 10, 2017

Marriages

INDYASIA FOWLER married Kenneth Fowler Jr. June 25, 2017

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CAROLINE PRIDGEN married Daniel Pridgen July 8, 2017

LIZ SMITH married Sean Smith July 8, 2017

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ACACIA KELLY married Frankie Kelly July 29, 2017

SARAH KATE MOODY married Miles Moody July 17, 2017

SUMMER

S A B B AT I C A L ON THE FRONT LINES OF REDEMPTION “I had the opportunity to be on the front lines of work being done to redeem God’s creation.” – Sara Cooper Just five hours from Wesleyan, a dedicated team of staff members, volunteers, and AmeriCorps members at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) are using outreach, research, and field-work to help rehabilitate and save sea turtles on Jekyll Island. This summer, lower school science teacher, Sara Cooper, was able to join their ranks.

For the entire month of June, Sarah worked with this conservation and education program to help sea turtles. Whether it was patrolling the beach at night and at dawn to monitor nesting and hatching, helping the hatchings make it out of the nest and to the water, working on educational outreach programs, or caring for injured turtles, Sarah was able to participate in this conservation effort and share information with her students.

A FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE OF CLASSROOM LESSONS “It is essential to live the culture and experience the material that we discuss in the Spanish classroom. Having first-hand experience about the places we discuss is a must.” – Pam Sanchez For Pam Sanchez, the summer was spent immersing herself in the Spanish culture she teaches her students.

For nearly a month, the middle school Spanish teacher explored Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Valencia, and Ibiza. She was able to see the neighborhoods and tourist areas that her students research each year, which has given her the chance to help her students better understand the nuances of the culture.

“Each year the eighth graders read a Spanish novel. Beyond what we’ve discussed from the pages, I can now describe the feel of the sidewalks, the heat of the air, public transportation, etc. with them.”

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Lower School

Middle & High School

Middle School

The second grade kicked off the Lower School play season with their presentation of “Camp Learned-a-Lot” on Friday, September 29 in Bowen Cafetorium. The play centers around a summer camp where campers learn about the love and peace of Jesus. Each class sang a song, complete with hand motions, and the whole grade joined together at the end to sing “Teaching Peace.” Congratulations to the second grade students, homeroom teachers Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Walden and Mrs. Ball, assistants Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Kelly, and music teacher Mrs. McNearney. Also thank you to Mrs. Ables for her help with the artwork that so beautifully decorated the stage and Mr. Piedra for running sound!

Congratulations to the middle school choruses and high school Chamber Singers for a beautiful Fall Concert! Singers shared several songs that coincided with the Wesleyan Christian Life theme for the year, One. The seventh and eighth Grade Chorus joined forces with the Chamber Singers and guitarist Braden Thorne to present “One Voice,” a song about both unity and uniqueness. The fifth and sixth grade chorus showed off their solfege skills with a light hearted song entitled “Solfege Symphony,” and then tugged at all of our heart strings by closing with “We Are One.” Congratulations to all singers, directors Brad Meyer and Meg Foster, and accompanist Monte Nichols on an excellent performance!

Middle School Band Night was held September 15, and over 70 band students joined the Marching Wolves to cheer on the football team to victory against Our Lady of Mercy.

The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade band members performed the National Anthem at the start of the game. For the fifth grade band, it was their first performance of the year.

The Wesleyan marching band took home multiple top awards at one of the most competitive high school marching band competitions in the country, The Bands of America Atlanta Super Regional competition. More than 30 bands competed, but Wesleyan’s talented musicians swept their division, earning first place in Class A and also earning the BEST IN CLASS FOR MUSIC, BEST VISUAL, and BEST GENERAL EFFECT awards.

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High School

Middle School

High School

The Wesleyan Marching Band competed in the Oconee Classic Marching Band Competition at Baldwin High School in Milledgeville, Saturday, September 30. The band elected to move up a division to AA for competition, even though they were the smallest band in the contest and the only band with middle school students participating.

The competition was made up of 19 bands in the following division sizes: five in 1A, three in 2A, including Wesleyan, two in 3A, four in 4A and five in 5A; 5A bands have over 100 woodwinds and brass. Wesleyan ended the day with the 3rd highest band score, above all 1-4A bands and three of the five 5A bands. The marching band also had the highest “General Effect” score in the entire competition!

Mark you calendar for the first Wolf Jr. Players production of the year, Comic Book Artist, running Friday, October 20 at 4:30 and 6:30 pm, Saturday, October 21 at 2:00 and 4:00 pm, Thursday, October 26 at 4:30 pm, and Friday, October 27 at 4:30 and 6:30 pm in Lencke Theater. Tickets are available for online reservation here.

Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Odyssey for a successful start of the theater season. Don’t miss the next Wolf Players production, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, opening Thursday, February 1 at 7:00 pm in Powell Theater. The show will continue Friday, Febraury 2 at 7:00 pm, and Saturday, February 3 at 2:00 and 7:00 pm. Tickets will be available for online reservation starting January 4th at 12:00 pm at www.wesleyanschool.org.

Congratulations to our Marching Wolves for taking first place in division and placing third out of all 19 bands competing!

Check out Wesleyan’s award winning marching band at their next competition in the Bands of America Super Regional at Mercedes Benz Stadium on Saturday, October 28.

Stanley Leonardo Sappovitz is an aspiring comic book artist. Although he is a mere janitor at Wonder Comics, he wants nothing more than to be recognized by his boss for his true passion and artistic talent. When the staff at Wonder Comics create their next superhero, they did not expect him to come to life due to a shipment of magical pens. Doctor Shock Clock and his Minutos declare themselves to be villains instead of heroes and begin to wreak havoc all over the city. Stanley steps in and, with the magic pens, creates Star Guy, Triple Time, Blossom, and Wombat Woman.

Together, with Stanley, these superheroes combat Doctor Shock Clock and rescue the city from destruction. Along the way, Stanley understands the importance of standing up for oneself and not being afraid to unleash one’s God-given potential, creativity, and talent.

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Visual

WESLEYAN

In the lobby of the Fine Arts building hangs a new installation made of reclaimed wood, paint, layers of multi-toned writing, and large metallic letters that read: “JOY.” Inspired by an installation at Gwinnett Church, the visual arts teachers developed a collaborative plan to have the entire school create a “JOY banner” during Fine Arts day last spring. The art teachers combined the need for a permanent work of art in the Fine Arts building along with the annual Fine Arts day project, which culminated in a huge installation based on the school motto: Jesus, Others, Yourself.

All lower, middle, and high school art students have been preparing artwork to be showcased on personalized notecards that will be available to purchase starting mid-October. This year, the artwork theme is “JOY.” Cards can be printed with the option of a Christmas verse for Christmas cards or a “JOY” themed verse for cards to be used year round. Both verses are selected by Chris Cleveland at the start of each year. You will be able to choose from 2 different size cards and will have the option to personalize the cards with your family’s name. The back of each card will include the Wesleyan logo, year, and the artist’s name and grade.This year, card designs can be previewed on Blackbaud and ordered online. All orders will be delivered before Thanksgiving break and all proceeds benefit the Wesleyan Arts Alliance. Be on the lookout for announcements when the cards are available for preview and ordering.

Students in every division were given a stained board and markers and asked to respond to a prompt related to the theme. Lower school students wrote the word joy.

Fifth and sixth graders wrote out bible verses related to the theme of joy. Seventh and eighth graders focused on the “Jesus” aspect of the motto by writing out the various names of Jesus. Ninth and tenth grade focused on “others” by responding to ways in which we can focus on others before ourselves, reflecting on compassion, grace, and forgiveness. Eleventh and twelfth graders focused on “yourself,” specifically who they are in Christ: redeemed, child of God, a new creation. These collective words weave the boards together into a beautiful reflection of how our community strives to uphold the motto: Jesus, Others, Yourself.

DISNEY'S

February 1-3 Powell Theater Tickets available at www.wesleyanschool.org

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ATHLETICS WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | FALL 2017

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FALL TEAM AWARDS

SOFTBALL – Class A State Champion, Region 5-A Champion, Gwinnett Diamond Club Team of the Year GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY – Final Four State Meet (4th place) BOYS CROSS COUNTRY – Final Four State Meet (4th place)

FALL INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

MADISON LLOYD Area Player of the Year, All-County, Volleyball KAT HUGHES All-County, Volleyball CASSIE HENNING Gwinnett Diamond Club All-County, Region Pitcher of the Year, Softball ANN-MARGARET JONES Gwinnett Diamond Club All-County, Softball JAHNI KERR Gwinnett Diamond Club All-County, Region Player of the Year, Softball MADISON KERPICS Gwinnett Diamond Club All-County, Softball AMAYA REGISTER GDP Super Six, Basketball HANNAH WASMUTH GDP Super Six, Swimming BANKS RAMSEY Gwinnett Touchdown Club All-County, Football

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MADDIE LLOYD – Cedarville University, Volleyball SUTTON WEST – Furman University, Basketball

2017 SIGNEES

AMAYA REGISTER – Old Dominion University, Basketball CASSIE HENNING – Georgetown University, Softball MOLLY BRADACH – Wofford College, Lacrosse

MARY STEPHENSON Gwinnett Diamon Club Coach of the Year, Region Coach of the Year

COACHING AWARDS

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WESLEYAN SCHOOL

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Parents of Alumni: If this issue is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office of the new mailing address. (Shelley Noble) 678-223-2133 or snoble@wesleyanschool.org.

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WESLEYAN ARTIST MARKET

APRIL 26-28, 2018