Green & Gold Vol. XXVII, Issue VII

Green & Gold

A Publication of Wesleyan School

The 2023 Artist Market invites the Wesleyan community to attend this year

Audrey Pursell

On April 28 and 29 the Wesleyan artist market, which is open to the public, takes place in Yancey Gym where a variety of student and professional artists will share their talents. Some proceeds go to Wesleyan, while some of the proceeds go to the students themselves. The student artists are particularly special as they are balancing creating their art as well as managing schoolwork. The student artists this year will display a variety of talents ranging from paintings to boba tea.

Junior Taran Young is making prints in varying forms of media such as landscapes, movie posters, and cityscapes. He came up with the idea from just what was most fun for him to paint, which was scenery. His pieces will sell for around $10 to $40. Young says, “I wanted to make art that showcased my talent but also pieces that appealed to broad audiences.” He made most of the pieces just for fun, but some were made with the artist market in mind. Young has made a dozen different items that he will be selling. He anticipates that his most successful item will be the “Spi-

Wesleyan celebrates Governor’s Honors Program finalists

Lauren Tucker

Congratulations to juniors Papa Ohemeng-Mensah, Tengle Wang, Elizabeth Tian, and sophomore Norah Mukana for being named as finalists to participate in the Governor’s Honors Program at Georgia Southern this summer. The Governor’s Honors Program is a 4-week residential camp where students choose different concentrations of academic study. The students each selected a major area of study, and then they choose an additional elective.

Ohemeng-Mensah will be studying computer science, Wang will be studying science, specifically concentrating on biology and environmental science, Tian (cont’d on pg. 4)

Pg. 5

Pg.12

Pg. 14-15

derverse Movie Poster” because it has sold the most in previous festivals. The biggest struggle for him has been getting all of his work out before the deadline. Young has decided to be in the artist market because he finally started taking his art seriously and wants to showcase it to his peers.

(cont’d on pg. 6 )

Students can serve their city this summer with Love Atlanta

Caitlin Bridgers

Love Atlanta is a volunteer organization based out of Passion City Church that provides service projects during a week in the summer for anyone looking to give back to their city.

During the week of June 12-17, Love Atlanta is partnering with 75 organizations by providing more than 275 projects. There are projects all over Atlanta, up to Cumming, out to Douglasville, and goes as far south as Newnan. Community Relations Coordinator Corey Ruff said about Love Atlanta, “The hope is to be a vehicle to get people who may not know about a certain organization the opportunity to serve in organizations around their city. Hopefully they will fall in love with the organization and mission, and

(cont’d on pg. 11 )

Admissions season wraps up as Wesleyan welcomes its newest wolves

Jack Hobgood

Several families have been celebrating their status of Newest Wesleyan Wolves the past few weeks as admission decisions for the 20232024 school year were released April 1, 2023.

Although the application for Fall 2023 didn’t go live until October 1, 2022, the admissions department, which includes Mari Beth King (Director of Admissions), Meredith Jamieson (Assistant Director of Admissions), and Monica Macia (Admissions Assistant), has been running at a full sprint since August. Throughout August and September, the admissions team prepared for the upcoming admissions season by preparing for all events and editing their new print materials while also recovering from the previous admissions season as there’s little downtime in between.

Junior Taran Young has worked hard to make prints of his art in various forms of media that he will sell at Artist Market.

Morgan

“My challenge to the class of 2025 was to enjoy school.”

High school students had restful and fun

The high school band and Chamber Singers had successful spring concerts.

Wesleyan’s spring sports head into the later parts of their seasons and the playoffs.

Editor-in-chief Caroline Croley reminds the high school of the challenges she gave them for the year.

Pg. 2

Love Atlanta volunteers serve ministries around the city to make life better for others. Ruff Wolfie welcomes

Mari Beth King serves as the Director of Admissions.

G.H.P. will be held at Georgia Southern this summer. gosa.georgia.gov

Remember to rest, enjoy, and branch out in the last weeks

Dear Wesleyan family,

As the year begins to wind down and the seniors prepare to leave school tomorrow after senior chapel, I know the underclassmen are eagerly awaiting the shorter lunch lines, the use of the junior/senior lounge, and new parking privileges. I know I did when the seniors left last year. But even though the school year is almost over and all you underclassmen can feel the freedom of summer, I want to remind you all of the challenges I posed to each grade in the beginning of the year.

senior year is no joke. Applying for colleges is time consuming and stressful, the AP class choices become more rigorous, and leadership roles come with their own set of challenges. If you get into the mindset now of taking care of yourself, the first semester will not be as hard as you think it will be.

next school year.

My challenge to the freshmen class was to meet new people and make new friends. I hope you all took my advice, but I know it’s probably not the case. I have a feeling that you all have separated into groups on the second floor of Cleghorn and keep to these distinct groups. I hope that in these last few weeks of school, you all decide to venture out and talk to other people. Sophomore year is the best year because the pressures of preparing for college have not started and the one thing that could make the next school year better is getting to know the rest of your classmates.

Rising seniors, I challenged you all to sleep. Junior year is a busy, busy time with all the AP courses you are piling on and the college advising meetings where you decide on the colleges you are going to be applying for, which makes a stressful year even more stressful. However, I urge you more than ever to take these last few weeks of school to just breathe and relax. Acing your AP exams and your end of the year exams are important, but it is also important to take care of your mind and your body. Take this time to practice unwinding in a healthy way because I guarantee you that first semester

My challenge to the class of 2025 was to enjoy school. I hope you have heeded my challenge because I guarantee you are not going to like junior year. Your AP and honors classes are going to go up in rigor and everything will now be about college. And while I don’t say that to scare you, it is the reality of junior year. While I would say that the first semester of senior year is one of the hardest times of high school, I would say that the entirety of junior year is just as hard. This is because once the first semester is done, the seniors can check out and breeze by, but you all still need to be working hard even though you see your classmates taking it easy. So even if you haven’t spent this entire year enjoying school, I urge you to take this time before summer break to enjoy not having the pressures of college and classes that begin

My challenge to the freshman class was to meet new people and make new friends.

As you all prepare for the next school year, please remember these challenges I have posed to you for success in school.

Good luck next year!!

Caroline Croley Editor-in-Chief

Solve this fun-filled Easter crossword

Lauren

Across

4. How many states recognize Good Friday as a holiday?

5. Who visits kids each Easter?

10. What is the number of countries that celebrate Easter?

11. This is the special thing that kids look for in an egg hunt.

14. Where was Easter first celebrated?

Green & Gold Staff

Editor-in-Chief............................................................Caroline Croley ‘23

Co-Editor-in-Chief.......................................................Audrey Pursell ‘23

Section Editors................................Henley Davis ‘24, Lauren Tucker ‘25 Staff writers...............................Riley Cavanugh ‘23, Caitlin Bridgers ‘23

.......................................................Jack Hobgood ‘23, Charlie Rickell ‘23

.....................................................Walker Huckaby ‘23, Mason Strang ‘23

.......................................................Elsa Moore ‘23, Elizabeth Hodges ‘24 Advisers……....................….………………………..Meredith Jamieson …….....……………………………................……….…Andrea Shupert

Editorials represent the opinion of the individual writer. The Green & Gold welcomes letters to the editor, and reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity, and content. Email greenandgold@wesleyanschool.org or place letters in Mrs. Shupert’s box.

Down

1. This is the most bought type of candy during Easter.

2. Easter competes with this holiday for most candy sold.

3. Easter celebrates the resurrection of this person.

6. What is the White House’s Easter tradition?

7. Peeps were first made in this state.

8. The tradition of painting eggs came from this country.

9. What are the marshmallow candies that are popular during Easter?

12. Which country did the Easter bunny come from?

13. What is the main symbol of Easter?

I urge [the juniors] more than ever to take these last few weeks of school to just breathe and relax.

Tucker

[Rising juniors] all still need to be working hard even if your classmates are taking it easy.

Chocolate Bunnies vs. Peeps

She said/She said

Riley Cavanaugh

Chocolate bunnies have been an Easter classic for generations. They are superior to Peeps in many ways but especially in taste, popularity, appearance, nutrition, and consistency.

Chocolate is a classic flavor. Its sweet milky flavor appeals to the masses because of its variety and scrumptious taste, and since bunnies also come in these flavors, they appeal to many people.

White chocolate appeals to those who prefer a sweeter and more subdued cocoa flavor. Milk chocolate is a common bunny flavor. It has the perfect mix of creamy, sweet, and cacao flavors for all chocolate lovers to enjoy. Another great bunny flavor is dark chocolate. Its tarte and tangy flavor is sure to please even those without a sweet tooth, not to mention dark chocolate helps support a healthy heart!

The milk used to help flavor these delicious treats as well as the cacao provide nutritional value to this delectable snack. This nutritional value cannot be found in processed and dyed foods like Peeps. Although Peeps also have a variety of flavors, these flavors are manufactured by synthetic flavors and unhealthy corn syrup, so their quality and taste hail in comparison to chocolate bunnies.

The eye-catching appearance of chocolate bunnies is also superior to the bright colors of unnatural dyes and hard sugars that coat Peeps. Even the packaging of the bunnies is better than Peeps. Most bunnies are wrapped carefully in a shiny gold foil that is lovely to look at. Peeps are cased in plastic and sit in another plastic rack to hold them in place. Not only is this uninteresting to look at, but it will end up in a landfill or ocean where it will stay for decades because of plastic’s extended decomposition time thus plaguing the Earth and harming ecosystems.

The physical chocolate bunny is also stunning in appearance. Not only does the anatomically correct portrayal of a bunny contrast with the legs, fur, and ears a Peep’s resemblance to a chick, but the plain look of a Peep is contrasted by the beautifully decorated bunny. Bunnies often appear with hair strokes, ears, eyes, a mouth, and a tail intricately carved onto the snack unlike a Peep which only appears with small black dots described as eyes.

The constancy of a chocolate bunny is more enjoyable than that of a Peep. The soft creamy consistency of a chocolate bunny is smoother and more natural while a Peep’s sticky and crunchy texture feels unnatural and uncomfortable to eat. The lovely hollow treat shaped as the symbol of Easter known as the chocolate bunny is an Easter staple and is far superior to a Peep because of its taste, appeal, look nutrition and consistency. This Easter is a wonderful time to indulge in this tasty treat!

Elsa Moore

Some people’s favorite holiday might be Christmas, for some Halloween, Thanksgiving, or even the Fourth of July. However, for the people who appreciate the world’s best candy, Peeps, towering far above its rival the chocolate bunny, their favorite holiday is Easter. Easter, a day filled with candy eggs, egg tosses, ham and turkey, and the welcoming of spring. Not only is this day and season filled with family gatherings and exciting events, but it is also welcomed by Easter ’s superior candy, Peeps.

Peeps, a delicious marshmallow candy, covered in yellow sugar and decorated like a chick or even a bunny rabbit rings in the spring holiday perfectly. Biting into a Peep can be compared to the first sip of lemonade after a long day in the sun, the first bite of a Chipotle bowl after craving it for hours, or even the joy of a warm chocolate chip cookie. The gooey marshmallow flavor when combined with the sugar-coated top makes for the world’s best candy and the most delicious treat. They can be purchased in packs of four, six, or eight, or even “value” packs for the biggest peeps fanatics. Not only does the Peep company sell their candy to the public, but they also sell merchandise, such as stuffed animals, hats, socks, cups, keychains, and more. Peeps also come in a variety of colors and flavors; these colors range from vibrant blues to pastel pinks to spring-like greens. The flavors range from cotton candy to the most bizarre flavors like Dr. Pepper.

Although Peeps is obviously the Easter Bunny’s favorite candy, many may argue that a chocolate bunny would be its first pick. However, I disagree with this statement. The chocolate bunny, the world’s plainest and most predictable candy, makes its mark in stores with a wide variety of three whole flavors, milk, dark, and white chocolate. If that weren’t plain enough, then the never changing use of the bunny mold is. The bunny never changes position or its expression unlike peeps. The chocolate bunny is also a sweet treat that many may never find themselves finishing due to its richness and size that even those with the biggest, sweet tooth may never surface.

Unlike the chocolate bunny, peeps come in many different shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. The vibrant colors of Peeps, colors that exemplify Easter’s lively mark on the season, make it the perfect statement candy.

Overall, Peeps take the cake when it comes to the best Easter candy. Would it be more enjoyable to have a colorful, sweet, refreshing, and fun candy? Or would a bland colored, typical shaped, and possibly molded candy be better?

The Fine Arts community hosts the 14 annual Visual Arts Exhibit

Henley Davis

Wesleyan hosted the 14 annual Visual Arts Exhibit in the Fine Arts building on March 30, which featured art work from students grades 5-12 to celebrate the hard work of art students this year and especially focused on the AP Art portfolios.

The exhibit also celebrated the Circle of Honor inductees. Head of School Chris Cleveland gave a speech, and Fine Arts Director Meg Foster gave them their plaques. Teachers and inductees had to attend a dinner, where remarks were given about their contributions to the Fine Arts program.

The exhibit was open and free to all students, parents, and friends who wanted to view the original art

that Wesleyan students created. Snack food and beverages were provided for guests to enjoy while they viewed the art.

Foster said, “The Visual Arts Exhibit displayed at least one piece of artwork from every student in an art class although some students may have had more work in the exhibit based off the difficulty level of their class.” For example, students in advanced may have had three or more pieces on display. AP students had a special showcase of all of their artwork from the year that celebrated all of the work that went into their portfolios.

Foster said, “[The exhibit] covered all three floors of the Fine Arts building, and photos of digital art were

on a slideshow on the television on the second floor.” Foster said, “It was an opportunity for every student to have art on display and feel proud of themselves.” This tradition provided a source of recognition of students’ artwork, as well as a valuable outlet for inspiration and learning experiences as students view others’ work.

Admissions season wraps up as Wesleyan welcomes its newest wolves

(cont’d from pg. 1)

Wesleyan is a member of the Atlanta Area Association of Independent Schools (AAAIS), which is a group consisting of 68 private/independent schools in metro-Atlanta that uses common forms and dates.

As part of the AAAIS application, a common teacher evaluation form is used. The Wesleyan application indludes that as well as a parent application, a student form, a transcript consisting of two-and-a-half years’ worth of grades, standardized test scores as well as a behavior report. All prospective students must complete an on-campus interview with faculty members and high school students as well as take the SSAT to be considered and reviewed for admission to Wesleyan.

Wesleyan hosted several admissions events for prospective families and students including tours, parent

preview days, shadow days, and, of course, open house. “We always want to roll out the red carpet for families and let them know that they’re so welcome here with these events,” said King. Following the interview and testing days in January/early February, the admissions team began reading files and started making decisions at the end of February.

With an increasing number of competitive applicants, making final admission decisions is not an easy task. Each division has a committee in place to make these decisions. These committees consist of King, Jamieson, Head of School Chris Cleveland, Assistant Head of School for Advancement Mark Khedouri as well as the principal and a teacher from the division. With admissions decisions having come out just a

couple weeks back at the beginning of the month, King said, “The ball is in their [the family’s] court.” Once those decisions have been made, the admissions department will pull some off the waitlist if needed.

While Wesleyan has reached max-enrollment for now, King would like to see a continued increase in interest and applicants to Wesleyan. “It’s kind of a double-edged sword,” said King. “You have so many applications and you’re going to be putting kids on the waitlist, but that’s very healthy.” In fact, Wesleyan has already seen such an increase in applicants that kindergarten has a waitlist for the first time in many years this year among other grade levels like fifth grade, sixth grade, and ninth grade, which are some of the competitive grade levels.

Wesleyan celebrates Governor’s Honors Program finalists

(cont’d from pg. 1)

will be pursuing visual arts, and Mukana will be participating in the theater program.

The students were nominated to the program. Once selected as a semi-finalist, they had to interview with a specialist from their chosen field of study at Georgia Southern in February. During the interviews, the students had to complete questions or present a project related to their field. About 4,200 students were nominated to the state level, and 1,500 participated in the state interviews and auditions. Only about 20% of the original 4,200 applicants were chosen as finalists. Last year, 700 people were chosen as finalists. Students accepted into the program covers all costs of tuition, housing, and fees.

The program participants will have morning and afternoon classes that focus on their chosen areas, but there are

no grades in the program. The program offers instruction and activities that are significantly different from high school classrooms. The participants will learn in Georgia Southern’s classrooms and labs. Each person will have a roommate, which will give them a glimpse into college life. There are a variety of social and instructional evening activities and lots of free time for the participants.

Being accepted into the Governor’s Honors Program is a huge accomplishment, and all the nominated students and finalists worked extremely hard throughout high school to be considered. Congratulations again to Ohemeng-Mensah, Wang, Tian, and Mukana.

(t to b, l to r) Juniors Elizabeth Tian, Tengle Wang, Papa Ohemeng-Mensah, and sophomore Norah Mukana are Wesleyan’s GHP finalists.

@wesleyaninsta

Photography teacher Dru Phillips and junior Kailey Zavitz celebrate the work that has been completed in Mr. Phillip’s class.

Senior Freddie Reinhard celebrates her hard work with her own section of the exhibit while explaining her AP art focus. Davis

Band concert showcased students’ talent

Caitlin Bridgers

The annual band concert was held April 18 during the school day in Marchman Gym, performed by the high school band and directed by Band Director Jeff Foster. The band has had an incredible year by working hard on their competition, called Large Group Performance Evaluation, which was held at Buford High School on March 9. They began practice for the evaluation at the start of the second semester, which took up all the time in class. So, the band only had four weeks to prepare for one of their best concerts yet. Foster, when asked about the preparation for this concert said, “The goal is to challenge every player. What is unique about our band is that we have standard, honors, AP, and beyond all in one classroom. Some kids are barely above beginner level and others are intending to play in college. We played hard music, so it required a lot of outside practice, and we had to use every second of class time to make this performance incredible.”

Twenty-five high school students are a part of the band with eight seniors. The band has six percussionists, nine woodwinds, and ten brass players. The band performed this specific concert three times, once each for the lower, middle, and high schools. When asked about what he hopes the school took away from their concert, Foster said,

and junior Brady O’Shields, who were featured on a song called “My Body is a Cage.” Senior Daniel Guo had a marimba, an instrument similar to a xylophone, solo. Foster featured all of the seniors in some special way in a song or in a solo. One of the band’s favorite songs they played was a jazz piece from Super Mario called “Bob-omb Battlefield.” Foster said, “This was a complicated piece to learn, and we had to start it right after spring break. It took a lot of outside practice, too.”

The big finale was “The Silence” by Manchester Orchestra, a secret the members of the band have been keeping from the student body. The four teachers who performed were Spanish teacher Philip Hart on base guitar, English teacher Joe Tamel on drum set, and English teachers Brooks Hanrahan and Dawson Zimmerman on guitar and singing. There were also ten brass players, six percussionists, and nine woodwind players, who played cymbals and other percussion instrumentalists and came in for the final chorus. Foster said, “Our goal was for this to feel like State Farm Arena with how loud it is. Our metric for how good the finale was to see if we could get the ceiling tiles to start falling down because we were so loud.”

“I hope that this was a phenomenal concert to watch, but that the finale completely surprised people and made the show even more entertaining.”

The band had to work to black out Marchman Gym in hopes of getting a concert feel. Two of the songs they performed were from their evaluation in March. The other six were completely new songs. The opening song was the “Top Gun” anthem where the percussionists were featured. Some highlighted students were senior Jack Thomas

Senior Nick Barnes will miss his time in band. He said, “I enjoyed playing the timpani during a few of our pieces for the concert. I have been in band for six years, and it has been very fun. I would like to give a thanks to Mr. Foster and Dr. Colgrove for helping me through the years with percussion.” These eight seniors will be very missed by the band next year.

This band concert was very well done and an exciting performance to watch. The high school loved getting to see their classmates show off their skills while also getting to hear some good music and see some of their teachers also perform.

Talented chorus performs sing-off for students

The high school chorus performed a concert for the high school on Friday, April 21, during flex time to showcase their talent in Powell. The chorus has had an exciting semester of performing at Large Group Performance Evaluation, which is a performance evaluation with the seventh and eighth grade chorus. They sang in front of judges and then did a sight reading with different parts (soprano, alto, and baritone) where they then had a few minutes to study and then had to sing all together. They received a superior rating, the highest honor, for this performance. The high school and seventh and

eighth grade chorus also performed at Southern Star, a competition associated with Six Flags, where they were awarded Silver Standard, the second highest honor.

Five songs were performed at the high school concert: three songs were live, and two songs were on video for the sing-off. One of the songs performed live was an Alicia Keys’ song and another from Pitch Perfect. When asked about why he chose the songs he did, high school Chorus Director Brad Meyers said, “Our spring concert is generally more pop and contemporary music than the other concerts and competitions because we want the student audience to know the songs we are singing.”

For the sing-off, the chorus, which consists of nine high schoolers, got together, chose a song, and created a music video. This project was started in January as the students learned their chosen song and started figuring out how to record different sections. The sing-off was a fully student-run project where the students had full creative ability, so they could learn video skills as well as get to have fun making up a music video. The high school student body then got to vote on which music video was better: the chorus students or the special guest music video which was created by Meyers.

The high school chorus this year is incredibly talented even though they only have nine people. Many have been asked to sing in tenor, alto and soprano all in one concert. The chorus has been incredibly flexible this year and has continued to perform well in their compe-

titions and concerts. For this concert, the chorus began learning the songs they would perform live on March 29. They worked hard and were well prepared to give a great performance. In response to what he hopes the high school saw from the concert, Meyers said, “I want the concert to give high school students a window into something different that is going on at the school and excite people to try new things and have fun doing those things.” This chorus concert was one of the best yet and entertained the high school.

(l to r) Sophomores Allison Reding, Ellie Simmons, and Norah Mukana sang “Mama Who Bore Me” from the musical “Spring Awakening.” Croley

(l to r) Freshmen Lacie Jones and Izzy-A Mensah enjoyed singing at their first chorus concert. Croley

Caitlin Bridgers

Senior Nick Barnes is a percussionist in the band. The band worked hard to put on an incredible show for the high school. @wesleyaninsta

(l to r) Junior Dorothy Park and senior Steven Guyer showcased their skills during the quartet piece at the band concert. @wesleyaninsta

High school leads children during summer camps

Wesleyan will have five weeks of summer camps on the weeks of June 12, 19, and 26, and July 10 and 17. The camps are open to the public for children from ages 3 to 14 and Wesleyan students in kindergarten through 8 grade. Wesleyan hires Wesleyan high school students to be counselors at the camps. The Wesleyan summer camp program this year includes camper favorites such as sports camp, fun camp, and art camp. Wesleyan offers half-day and full day programming for summer camps.

Wesleyan high school students are an integral part of making camps so memorable for the younger kids. The students work as counselors to lead children, coach camps, and clean up after the camps. Often, friendships formed between campers and counselors last throughout the school year. The Wesleyan camps are a fun experience for all the people involved, and they are a highlight of many children’s summers.

Director of Auxiliary Programs and Outreach Kelly Weatherly says, “It’s important to host summer camps each year because it completes the 12-month experience that we offer our families. A lot of our families are dual working parents, and Wesleyan summer camps allow them to feel confident and comfortable with childcare.” The camps are also open to the public, which allows prospective families to get a glimpse of what Wesleyan is like should they apply.

High school summer camp counselor positions are open to sophomores-seniors. Freshmen can apply and interview to be counselors-in-training for a couple of weeks. Counselors are encouraged to work multiple weeks throughout the summer at different camps. Weatherly says, “I love seeing high schoolers work year after year and form relationships with the younger kids.” Academic camps usually employ one high school coun-

selor; individual sports camps such as tennis and baseball often hire three high schoolers, and sports camp has as many as thirteen high schoolers work from all different sports teams. Counselors with previous experience working at Wesleyan can make up to $400 in a week.

Camp can be a very fun experience for the counselors as well. Junior Hannah Brewster’s favorite memory from camp last summer was when the counselors went on the blow-up slip and slide after the campers. Brewster says, “I look forward to working at different camps each summer. I enjoyed getting to know the kids at each camp.” Brewster worked at sports camp and Minecraft camp last summer. Brewster loved seeing all the different children she had as campers when school started again in the fall.

There are a few new additions to the summer camp program at Wesleyan this year. They are the Junior Wolves camp, video game design camp, cheerleading camp, and theater camp with Assistant Technical Director Serena Wright. Junior Wolves is a camp open to children beginning at age 3. It allows more kids to experience camp because Wesleyan camps in the past have started at ages 5 to 6. Theater camp with Assistant Technical Director Serena Wright will be following the format of a 15-hour play. This means that during the camp, campers will have 15 hours to learn their roles and practice the play before they perform it. Campers will be assigned roles on the first day of camp, practice

their parts throughout the week, and then perform their play on the last day of camp. The performance will last for about an hour.

The most popular camp each summer is sports camp, which is run by science department chair and science teacher Anna Myrick and health and physical education department chair and health and physical education teacher Chip Myrick. Sports camp offers a variety of sports such as soccer, baseball, and lacrosse to kids in grades kindergarten to 4 grade. The camp picks a sport to teach in the morning, and then another sport to focus on in the afternoon. Weatherly says, “Sports camp is so fun for the campers because it doesn’t require a particular skill set, and it allows campers to try many different sports.” Campers are outside the entire day during sports camp.

Summer camps at Wesleyan are a great way for lower and middle school students to improve in sports or their Fine Arts abilities. It allows high school students to gain job experience. Summer camps are the largest community outreach that Wesleyan offers, and they are a great way to showcase all the great things Wesleyan has to offer. All high school students are encouraged to sign up to be a counselor at summer camp. Students can work as counselors for only one week or as many as five weeks. Students can contact Mrs. Weatherly at KWeatherly@ wesleyanschool.org to schedule a meeting about becoming a counselor this summer.

The 2023 Artist Market Begins with a Success

(cont’d from pg. 1)

Freshman Mike Hughes will be making boba tea in the artist market. He came up with this idea because he loves boba tea and wanted to try to make it for himself. The boba teas will be $5 each. Hughes thinks that the black milk tea will be the most successful item. Hughes says, “The biggest struggle has been getting together all the right ingredients.” He decided to be a part of the artist market this year because he wanted to make and spread his love for boba to the community.

Senior Bekah Harshaw is making paintings, rock murals, bathroom tile décor, custom shoes, and custom portrait commissions. She loves painting and being able to sell her work at the market has been something she has wanted to do for all of her high school years. There are some large paintings she is selling for $400 and there are smaller items selling for $15. She made many of these of her works in art class and will be selling some of her favorite art from a couple of years ago. Harshaw says, “My Wesleyan-themed art and Christian-themed art will sell the best.” The larger paintings are more

difficult as they take many hours and multiple days to complete. Harshaw decided to do the artist market this year because it is her last year as a Wesleyan student, and she doesn’t want to miss out on the opportunity.

Each student artist is excited to share their gift with visitors, so please give them your support and check out this year’s Wesleyan Artist Market. There is something for everyone to enjoy.

HS STUDENT ARTISTS

Lindsay Bobo ‘25 - Jewlery

Rebekah Harshaw ‘23 - Acrylic Paint on Tiles and Canvas, Figure Drawings, and Wesleyan Landscapes.

Bree Hill ‘26 - Painings and Animal Sculptures

Mike Hughes ‘26 - Boba Tea

Charley Jackson ‘25 - Sugar Cookies

Rebekah Niemann ‘25 - Puppy Chow

Freddie Reinhard ‘23 - Digital Prints, Buttons, and Paintings

Anna Sue Smith ‘25 - Cupcakes, Brownies, and Rice

Krispy Treats

Makenna Wazevich ‘25 - Sewing Products

Taran Young ‘24 - Various Art (Acrylic and Water-

with Penwork)

Lauren Tucker

When at camp last summer, Wesleyan summer camp attendees had a special visit from the ice cream truck. Blanchard

Freshman Rhiannon Clary works with a camper to build legos. Blanchard

Sophomore Rebkah Niemann’s muddy buddies will be for sale at the Artist Market. Croley

color

High school students lead lower school sports clinics

Walker Huckaby, Charlie Rickell, & Mason Strang

BASKETBALL

The Wesleyan lower school basketball clinic is a camplike event for all students in kindergarten to fourth grade to improve skills and introduce students to the sport. The students able to attend the camp are not limited to Wesleyan students. It is structured so that players receive sound fundamental instruction in a competitive and organized environment focusing on skill development and teamwork. English teacher and Basketball Coach Ellen Paroli said “the goal is for children to learn how to play the game of basketball the correct way in a fun setting.

The clinics were held on Saturdays in the lower school in Grace Gymnasium. The camp was eight weeks long. It started up in November and goes through the first week in February.

Paroli, lower school physical education teacher Eric Damm, middle school physical education teacher Lindsey Castleberry, special events manager Cairo Booker, and middle school counselor and life skills teacher Sean Nestor helped with this year’s camp. A few high school students helped out as well including senior Morgan Damm, freshman Tanner Damm, junior Chit Chat Wright, and junior Eva Garabadian. Paroli said “the multitude of helpers helped the camp run sensationally.”

Over the course of the camp, a new skill is introduced every week. For the younger group, grades K-1, each session involves fundamentals, station rotation, skill building, and 3-on-3 game time. For the older group, grades 2-4, each session involves core skill building, station rotation and 5-on-5 game time. Paroli said “We spend time each week working on plays in real-time game situations.” The various skills taught include triple threat stance, jump-stopping, defense, shooting form, passing, cutting, and movement without the basketball. The campers were equally divided among the different baskets inside Grace Gym. There, the kids worked with individual coaches to improve their skills. The students were awarded prizes as incentives for improving their talents.

am and ends 12 am. Seniors Nick Follett and Mason Strang, juniors Jackson Sullenberger and Isabella Bailliard, sophomores Lauren Tucker, Trent Hilton, and Ali Di Lenardo and freshmen Bianca Woomer and Reeves Moore are working the tennis clinics this spring. seventh grade English teacher Ashley Kuehne and eighth grade math teacher and varsity tennis coach Jonathan Sykes are in charge and help facilitate the drills.

FOOTBALL

From 9:00 to 10:30 am kindergarten through second grade has drills and from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm third grade through fourth grade has drills. Kuehne says, “I love teaching the youth the game of tennis because playing the game when I was young brought me so much joy.” Each high school student leads a specific drill and the lower schoolers are separated into groups.

Every 15 minutes the groups rotate and learn a different skill in a new drill. Some specific drills focus on volleying, agility, serving and ground strokes. Follett said,

The lower school football clinic was a special time on Saturday mornings for lower school and community students to learn, play, and compete against one another to enhance their skills in the game of football. They were led by high school students who served as coaches. It is a great experience for both players and coaches to come together and bond with a different group of people. The Green & Gold sat down with seniors Nick Schaller and Thomas Chipman and Assistant Athletic Director Lee Rider to discuss the clinic. Rider is one of the directors for the flag football clinic. There were two divisions for the league: first through fourth and fifth through sixth. This clinic took place every Saturday for 8 weeks. For the first hour, the kids were taught specific skills and drills. They were instructed on how to throw and catch, run routes, and to pull an opponent’s flag. The second hour the kids split into their respective teams. They played two games every Saturday, which led up to championship Saturday on the last day of the season.

Rider wanted to be a part of this clinic because of his love of football, and it’s a good way to work with children in a positive way to help build a love for the sport. He also enjoys it because it lets kids, who might someday be a lineman, play with the ball in their hands. He said, “It gives them a chance to throw, catch, and play positions they might not get to later down the road.” Rider shared that his favorite part of the season is championship Saturday. The energy and excitement from players and coaches on this day makes it like no other.

The lower school students have fun learning basketball during the clinics.

The camp will be happening next school year as well during the same period of time. Paroli said “This year was the best and most organized year that we have had. Lots of kids not only got better but had a good time.” Director of Auxiliary Programs and Outreach Kelly Weatherly runs the camp, and she will send out an email about registration later on in the year, so stayed tuned.

TENNIS

The boys and girls tennis teams host the annual tennis clinics for kindergarten through fourth grade. They happen on March 25, April 1, April 15, April 22, April 29,, and May 6 on the Strickland courts. The clinic starts at 9

Sykes

“My favorite thing about doing the clinics is playing with the couple older kids who are really good. It’s fun to talk with them and try to make them better players.” The high school students are paid twelve dollars an hour, but Follett said, “The money is a great incentive to work, but I was never too worried about the money because I just enjoy playing with the kids.”

The clinic has had a great turnout for this year even though the clinics have been in Hoover gymnasium because of rain. Sykes plans on hosting these clinics every year for the future lower schoolers to start playing tennis at an earlier age.

Schaller, Head Coach of the Jets, his lower school flag football team,had a team made up of a solid mix of sixth, fifth, and fourth graders. When asked about his motivation for coaching, Schaller said that he wanted to “inspire the youth and drive their love for football while allowing them to have a good time.” He had a great time coaching the team for all four years.

Schaller shared that he learned the importance of patience and understanding as the children looked up to him as a role model. He recommends coaching to others and said, “It is a good time and provides an opportunity to impact the lives of young guys positively.” His favorite memory was winning the championship with his team and sophomore assistant coach Luke Madison. The playoff run was spectacular with an overtime win over sophomores Will Jamieson and Harris Carroll and a dominant performance in the championship game against the Steelers, defeating senior Thomas Chipman and juniors Sam Sermonet and Hayden

Senior Thomas Chipman and junior Will Brammer teach lower school students football.

Jamieson

Freshman Reeves Moore hits with a Wesleyan lower school student.

Sykes

Senior

Ray Homan

What colleges are you applying to or going to? Auburn, UTK, UofSC, Clemson, Miami, UGA, FSU, and Alabama

Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere right now? I would want to go to Santorini, Greece.

Who is somebody famous you’d want to be stranded on an island with? Kevin Hart

What’s your most embarrassing moment at Wesleyan? Falling asleep on a Zoom call with my camera on.

What is one thing you will miss about high school? My friends

What did you want to be as a child? Professional athlete

Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Riley Cavanaugh

If you could watch one TV series for the rest of your life, what series would it be? “Seinfeld”

Corban Kwon

What colleges are you applying to or going to? UGA, Baylor, Auburn, SMU, and Clemson

Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere right now? Turks and Caicos

Who is somebody famous you’d want to be stranded on an island with? I would want to be with Morgan Wallen.

What’s your most embarrassing moment at Wesleyan? Too many

What is one thing you will miss about high school? I will miss the teachers, friends, and all of the many sports.

What did you want to be as a child? A mailman

Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Anslee Davidson

If you could watch one TV series for the rest of your life, what series would it be? I would want to watch “Jessie.”

Caden Stanton

What colleges are you applying to or going to? I am going to Auburn.

Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere right now? I would go to Berlin, Germany if I could go anywhere.

Who is somebody famous you’d want to be stranded on an island with? Pedro Pascal

What’s your most embarrassing moment at Wesleyan? Falling asleep in Mr. Hanrahan’s class junior year

What is one thing you will miss about high school? The campus

What did you want to be as a child? Videogame designer

Who was your first Wesleyan crush? I plead the fifth.

If you could watch one TV series for the rest of your life, what series would it be? “The Mandalorian”

What is the theme song of your life? “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” AC/DC

Cady Triplett

What colleges are you applying to or going to? Auburn or Ole Miss

Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere right now? Italy

Who is somebody famous you’d want to be stranded on an island with? I would want to be with Matthew McConaughey

What’s your most embarrassing moment at Wesleyan? Freshman year, I was on the JV cheer team and during the homecoming game, I was a step behind everyone.

What is one thing you will miss about high school? I will definitely miss playing soccer with my best friends the most.

What did you want to be as a child? A chef

Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Dominick Scalese

If you could watch one TV series for the rest of your life, what series would it be? “Survivor”

Daniel Guo

What colleges are you applying to or going to? I’m going to Virginia Tech.

Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere right now? I would want to travel to the Maldives or Cancun.

Who is somebody famous you’d want to be stranded on an island with? I would want to be with Steven Guyer.

What is one thing you will miss about high school? My friends and off-campus lunch

What did you want to be as a child? A pilot

If you could watch one TV series for the rest of your life, what series would it be? I would watch “Family Guy.”

What is the theme song of your life? My theme song is “Always Crashing in the Same Car” by David Bowie.

Audrey Pursell

Spotlights

Steven Guyer

What colleges are you applying to or going to? I have applied to Belmont, Columbia, and Emory; I’m currently awaiting a couple responses.

Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere right now? I would go to Super Nintendo World in Tokyo.

Who is somebody famous you’d want to be stranded on an island with? I would want to be with Daniel Guo.

What is one thing you will miss about high school? I will miss Mr. Foster and the band the most.

What did you want to be as a child? I wanted to be a paleontologist.

Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Kenzie Gartland in 5th grade

If you could watch one TV series for the rest of your life, what series would it be? “Gravity Falls”

What is the theme song of your life? “Man Without Love” by Engelbert Humperdinck

Jake Rodenhiser

What colleges are you applying to or going to? Georgia Tech

Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere? Rome, Italy

Who is somebody famous you’d want to be stranded on an island with? I would want to be with Bear Grylls.

What’s your most embarrassing moment at Wesleyan? Accidentally pulling the fire alarm freshman year in front of everyone

What is one thing you will about high school? My friends

What did you want to be as a child? Astronaut

Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Lauren Van Wie

If you could watch one TV series for the rest of your life, what series would it be? I would watch “Peaky Blinders.”

Carlos Lopez

What colleges are you applying to or going to? Mercer or Kennesaw State

Who is somebody famous you’d want to be stranded on an island with? I would want to be with Blake Lively.

What’s your most embarrassing moment at Wesleyan? Probably my truck breaking down in the senior lot

What is one thing you will miss about high school? I think I am going to miss high school sports the most.

What did you want to be as a child? Firefighter

Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Ireland Riley

If you could watch one TV series for the rest of your life, what series would it be? I would watch “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Will Hillegass

What colleges are you applying to or going to? Auburn

Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere right now? I would definitely go to Hawaii for a vacation.

Who is somebody famous you’d want to be stranded on an island with? I would want to be with Ryan Reynolds.

What is one thing you will miss about high school? Playing sports

What did you want to be as a child? When I was younger, I really wantd to be a professional baseball player.

Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Ireland Riley

If you could watch one TV series for the rest of your life, what series would it be? I would want to watch the “The Office.”

Lindsay Friedman

What colleges are you applying to or going to? UGA, Clemson, or South Carolina

Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere right now? I would want to go to Santorini, Greece

Who is somebody famous you’d want to be stranded on an island with? I would want to be with Ryan Reynolds.

What’s your most embarrassing moment at Wesleyan? I was in bible class freshman year, and someone made me laugh while I was drinking my coffee and it came out of my nose.

What is one thing you will miss about high school? My friends and sports

What did you want to be as a child? Veterinarian

Who was your first Wesleyan crush? Walker Huckaby

If you could watch one TV series for the rest of your life, what series would it be? “New Girl”

& gold

Lower schoolers perform the Easter play for the high school

On April 3 and 4, Wesleyan fourth graders participated in the annual tradition of performing the Easter play for the high school students to spread the word of God. The fourth grade also had separate performances for their parents, the middle school, and the rest of the lower school through the same week.

Each part of the play is assigned to different classes. Fourth grade teacher Emma Grace Burns’ class performed the scenes in the temple and the parables, fourth grade teacher Acacia Kelly. Fourth grade teacher Ahreum Park’s classes performed the scenes from the last super to the garden of Gethsemane up to right before the crucifixion, and fourth grade teacher Meghan Smith’s class performed the scenes during the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The classes all casted and

which includes having good stage presence in class pre sentations and a student being a part of chapel actors, where the students have the opportunity to act out scenes from the Bible during lower school chapel. Teachers use this information to assign parts to the students.

After students were assigned their parts, they were tasked with memorizing their lines before they got back from spring break on March 21. That week, each class did a read through to get familiar with the play. The next week, the week before the performances, they rehearsed on the stage on March 17, 28, 30, and 31 to prepare for the play.

Leading up the performances, the lower school stu dents were excited to perform for the high schoolers. Fourth grader Olivia Hall said, “I love acting, and it’s a big story to tell.” Hall played Bartholomew in the Kel ly-Park section of play. Fourth grader JT Ashe said he was, “excited to sleep in the Garden of Gethsemane” and “get more attention next to Jesus.” Ashe played James in the Kelly-Park section of the play. Both Hall and Ashe have performing experience through chapel actors.

To start the process, teachers assigned students their parts based on interest, experience, and stage presence

The Easter play is the only lower school performance that is shown to the entire school. Kelly said, “I think they do it because it is what Wesleyan is all about; the Lord the Bible and what he had done for us.” She feels the kids sharing the truth of the Gospels is important and the lower school Easter play show cases that. Fourth grader Landon Brousseau said, “I think it’s really fun doing rehearsals and sharing the story of God and his son.” Brousseau had the leading role of Jesus in the Kel ly-Park section of the play.

Wesleyan community celebrates the Earth

Riley Cavanaugh

Earth Day is on April 22, which is a wonderful opportunity for the Wesleyan community to consider how to best support the Earth by reducing their carbon footprint. From using reusable grocery bags to recycling efficiently, students and teachers are making a conscious effort to better the Earth and to ensure their favorite places are protected from the effects of climate change.

Senior Ella Gilley said, “Saving the Earth is important because the Earth is our home and without it we would not be able to survive.” She uses metal straws and reusable grocery bags to help eliminate plastic waste. Gilley’s favorite place on Earth is her grandparents’ backyard in Hawaii, which is full of beautiful plant life and fruit trees. She thinks it is important to protect areas like this to ensure future generations will be able to appreciate their beauty.

resources we God have us on Earth.” Fowler does her part in reducing landfill waste by recycling and encourages her students to do so as well. She also receives most of her mail electronically to further reduce her waste.

The most beautiful place on Earth Fowler has visited are the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. She thinks having restrictions on waste and activities in parks is important to preserving the Earth because they limit the disruptions humans cause to ecosystems and help protect their natural beauty. Fowler said, “I think part of what God created was a lot of beauty, and if we don’t take care of it, its beauty will be negatively affected.”

Earth Day is important to senior Kaleb John. He said “The health of our environment is something we all take for granted. If we don’t work to support the planet we live on, then we’ll destroy it.” He encourages peo-

a healthy planet. He said, “One person by themselves seemingly can’t make an impact, but without that person initiating change, large scale action can’t be taken.”

The most beautiful place John has been are the Iguazu Falls in South America. Water pollution is a big problem there, so John hopes measures will be taken to protect the beauty of the falls for future generations to enjoy.

ple to reduce littering and to pick up litter when they see it to help eliminate waste that harms ecosystems. John encourages others to take measures to help support

Earth Day serves as an important reminder of the impact humans have on the ecosystems around them. Taking steps to ensure this impact isn’t destructive is important no matter how small. Using reusable bags, picking up trash, recycling, and reducing plastic use are all easy ways a single individual can help support the health of the Earth. This Earth Day is a great time to start taking steps to protect the Earth and its beauty.

Elizabeth Hodges

High school biology teacher Dr. Indyasia Fowler also takes steps to protect the Earth. She said, “Earth Day is a reminder to me to do my part in preserving the

Senior Ella Gilley visits her grandparent’s lush backyard in Hawaii, which is her favorite place on Earth. Gilley

Senior Kaleb John visits Iguazu Falls in South America. John

Fourth grader Landon Brousseau, playing Jesus, prays. Smith

Fourth grader JT Ashe, playing James, sleeps in the Garden of Gethsemane scene of the Easter play. Smith

Opportunities abound for students to serve their city

(cont’d from pg. 1)

they will want to go back on their own. Love Atlanta exists to inspire people toward a lifestyle of service.” This mission is shown through the tagline of Love Atlanta which is “Rising together to serve our city.”

Lighthouse Retreats is an organization Love Atlanta partners with for this week. They serve families who have been impacted by childhood cancer by hosting retreats at Seaside for those families. The volunteers get to build care packages for the retreats and write letters to the kids who will attend those retreats. Another organization students could get involved in is a dinner and game night at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. Volunteers serve families who have children in the hospital by serving them dinner and then playing games, laughing, and bringing joy and light into the lives of those families.

City of Refuge is another organization Love Atlanta partners with where volunteers get to spend their time with the kids in the heart of Atlanta. The mission statement of City of Refuge is “A faith-based environment that helps individuals and families transition out of crisis.” So by supplying food, housing, healthcare, and the ability to learn new skills, City of Refuge helps those in under-served areas thrive in new communities. City of

streets of Atlanta at night meeting men and women who are homeless or struggling with addiction. Frontline Response also works with those who are being sex trafficked to bring them hope and a future outside of the position they are currently in. The volunteers are able to bring the tangible love of Jesus through food, clothing, and conversation. This opportunity to serve is typically late at night, which gives the volunteers a whole new perspective and a chance to meet people living in their city.

For students who want to get involved this summer and serve their city, the place to sign up is loveatlanta.com which has listed all 275 projects and partnering organizations. Throughout the week in June, there are opportunities to serve morning, afternoon, and evening. Each day has different types of organizations, different days and times, the hope being that everyone would be able to find their place.

Responding to why high school students should get

involved, Ruff said, “As a student, serving will help you set the foundation for life as a college student and life as an adult. This is the one thing that will never go away,

Refuge hosts an annual summer camp, which the volunteers get to be part of for a day by playing games, working in the classroom, and doing other fun activities with the kids who come. Multiple opportunities exist throughout the week with separate morning and afternoon timeslots for students to sign up for. Students, through City of Refuge, would have the opportunity to show kids in under-served communities that they are seen, valued, and cared for.

Another organization students could partner with is Frontline Response, although the age requirement is 18 years or older. This organization focuses on the under-served communities of Atlanta. Love Atlanta offers a project that partners with Frontline Response’ Compassion Night where volunteers get to walk along the

people have needs. Where you can establish a foundation of service, you gain humility to help others which is an important aspect of life.” Ruff put into perspective why we serve when he said, “If you really put yourself in the shoes of a person who needs help, you realize we are all a few steps away from being a person who needs someone to help us. You come to find out it is not as much about you, and your perspective is expanded.” Students are encouraged to serve their city and expand their perspectives through joy-filled service during this week in the summer.

VOLUNTEER WITH LOVE ATLANTA TODAY / / Love Atlanta invites student volunteers to a project on April 29. The Mothers’ Advocacy Project is hosting a MAP Family Festival. Students will help with serving food and playing games with the mothers and children, who are the most vulnerable in our city. The project takes place from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. in Dunwoody. If students would like to sign up, they can visit loveatlanta.com

Volunteers through Love Atlanta can help organize spaces for ministries, making it easier for a ministry to live out their mission. Ruff

This volunteer group worked with City of Refuge at their annual summer camp. They had a great afternoon spending time with kids and putting on fun activities. Ruff

These volunteers helped set up an outdoor picnic and spent time with kids by leading activities. Ruff

Some projects require physical labor and volunteers to work landscaping projects for a ministry. Ruff

green & gold Students celebrate Easter break with family and friends

Henley Davis

(l to r) Senior Kevin Andrews, Grady Andrews, Mrs. Andrews, Mr. Andrews , and junior Norah Kate Andrews celebrate Easter together at Lake Oconee. Andrews

Senior Ireland Riley picks flowers to celebrate the spring season. Riley

Junior Libby Wenz and senior Bella Wadkins go to Lake Oconee for the weekend. Wadkins Freshman Ava Singh travels to the beach for Easter break. Singh

(l to r) Freshman Shayla Bahr, junior Cash Bahr, and alumni Gracie Taylor (‘21) go skiing over their break. Bahr

Sophomore Tatum Terwilliger and 8th grader Kellan Terwilliger celebrate Easter at the Atlanta Athletic Club. Terwilliger (l to r) Junior Papa Mensah, senior Roman Reynolds, juniors Hudson Reynolds and Daniel Lim, and senior Kaleb John visit Emory University. Lim

“Little Women” closes out the high school theater season

Caroline Croley

On March 30, 31, and April 1, the high school theater department performed their last show of the season: “Little Women.” “Little Women” is a play set in Massachussets and follows the March girls - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy - and Marmee, their mother during the Civil War, which their father is fighting in. The girls are all very different in their personalities and wants. Meg is maternal and strives for perfection, and she wants to fall in love, get married, and have kids. Jo is the tomboy; halfway through the show, she stops wearing skirts and dons only pants. Beth is the shy and quiet middle child. Her life revolves around her plants and piano. Amy is fiery and passionate. She wants to become a lady and marry a prince. While the girls are all very different and fight a lot, they still love each other and that love was evident on stage. Through these tales of requited and unrequited love, heartbreak, fear, and death, “Little Women” was a touching tale that resonated with everyone in the audience.

THE CAST OF “LITTLE WOMEN”

Jo March—Emily Samples ‘23

Meg March—Caroline Croley ‘23

Beth March—Katelin Browder ‘26

Amy March—Ellie Simmons ‘25

Marmee—Katerina Vassileva ‘23

Theodore “Laurie” Laurence—Cole Creel ‘26

John Brooks—Larry Men ‘26

Mr. Laurence/Mr. March—Caden Stanton ‘23

Hannah (Housekeeper)—Allison Reding ‘25

Aunt March/Mrs. Mingott—Norah Mukana ‘25

Mr. Dashwood—RJ Devlin ‘23

(l to r) Brooks (freshman Larry Men), Mrs. Mingott (sophomore Norah Mukana), Meg (Croley), and Jo (Samples) attend a ball at the Mingott’s house.

(l to r) Amy (Simmons) develops a crush on Laurie (freshman Cole Creel) and tries to kiss him under the mistletoe during their Christmas dinner.

(l to r) Amy (sophomore Ellie Simmons), Marmee (senior Katerina Vassileva), Meg (senior Caroline Croley), Beth (freshman Ellie Simmons), and Jo (senior Emily Samples) celebrate Christmas even in the midst of money problems and the raging war.

Pictures courtesy of Brian Morgan.

(l to r) Meg (Croley), Amy (Simmons), and Jo (Samples) embrace Father (senior Caden Stanton), who has come home early from the war.

(l to r) Mr. Dashwood (senior RJ Devlin) tells Jo (Samples) that he will not publish her book.

(back row: l to r) Aunt March (Mukana), Meg (Croley), Brooks (Men), Laurie (Creel), Amy (Simmons), and Hannah (sophomore Allison Reding) join (front row: l to r) Jo and Beth to say goodbye as Beth dies.

Spring athletes run, kick, throw, serve, SPORTS

Caroline Croley & Elizabeth Hodges

As the varsity golf, soccer, baseball, tennis, track, and lacrosse teams enter their mid-season and the state championship playoffs, the teams need to keep performing their best to make it all the way to the state championships by practicing hard and working together as a team. With the postseason starting and the regular season ending, the teams work hard to make the most of the end of the season and make it as far in region and state playoffs.

VARSITY GOLF

iiiiThe girls’ and boys’ varsity golf teams have grown a lot this season.

This year’s girls’ varsity golf team has many new and young golfers on the team and only have four returning players from last year. However, head coach Cameron Alexander said, “The girls have grown tremendously in skill, knowledge, and confidence.” Junior Julia Weatherly has seen improvement in her game this year since moving up from the junior varsity team this year and said, “I’ve improved this season by getting a better understanding of the game. There’s so many rules and guidelines in golf, and I’m starting to understand them all.”

Alexander said that the most improved player this year has been sophomore Makenna Wazevich. She has never played high school golf before, but in the match against Mt. Pisgah, she was the lowest scorer with a 46. Alexander said that this score was made possible with the time and energy Wazevich has been putting into improving.

Alexander hopes that the rest of the season will reflect the team’s improvement. She said, “In the new classification and our new area, it’s hard to say what our post-season will look like, but I’m really hopeful and confident in our team’s ability to show everyone what we’re capable of.”

So far in the season, the boys’ varsity golf team has won two out of three tournaments that they have played in and are undefeated in matches. Head coach Andy Free said that this record is due to the hard work the team put in the off season by practicing and playing in travel tour-

naments. Free also said, “We have some new players, too, who are adding strength to the team.”

Free was excited to go down to Elbert County on April 14 for the weekend tournament the Granite City Classic. Free said, “We stayed in a rental house, cooked our food, played cards and frisbee golf, and had a great time bonding as team.”

Free would also like to recognize the only senior on the team: Ben Jackson. Free said, “Jackson is doing a good job leading the underclassmen, being positive, and staying in the moment.”

VARSITY SOCCER

After becoming region champs on March 31, the varsity soccer teams are looking forward to the rest of their seasons.

The girls’ varsity soccer team had a rough start in the beginning of their season due to many girls being out due to winter sports and injuries. Head coach Glenn Archer said, “Now that everyone is back from basketball, swim, and injuries, we are playing very well as a team.” This team connection was displayed in the team’s win against White County on March 9. Senior Hannah Fears said, “The White County game was my favorite because it was the first game we had everyone back for and it felt like we came together as a team.”

Archer said that a few of the most improved players are sophomore Emma Glazier, seniors Alex Edgar and Kensington Freeman. About Glazier, Archer said, “All of us coaches and players are amazed at how much faster she’s become and her technical skill – her footwork, dribbling, passing, and strength of her shot – have become drastically better.” Edgar has improved by rising from backup goalie last year to the starting goalie this season. Archer said, “Her instincts and hand-eye coordination have been excellent.” Freeman had two ACL surgeries and those are very hard to come back from. However, Freeman has put in the hard work necessary to become an excellent player this year.

The team started as the first seed in the state championship playoffs due to their win against Dawson County to become region champs. Archer hopes to get to the state championship but said in order to do achieve that goal, the team must continue to play unselfishly as a team and celebrate their teammates along the way.

The boys’ varsity soccer team won the region championship on March 31 for the first time since 2017. Head coach Guillermo Vallejo said, “The key to success for this team was our improved passing skills and the seniors’ leadership.” Without these and the team chemistry, the team might not have been able to become region champs. Senior Thomas Cook said, “We have worked hard to get to where we are.”

When asked about the most improved players, Vallejo said that senior Roman Reynolds – who has scored 26 goals this year – and freshman Red Smith are just two of

the most improved. “However,” Vallejo said, “the whole team has been performing at a high level.”

Vallejo also said, “This year it has been amazing to coach with our new assistant coach Sergio Magana and high school English teacher Joe Tamel.” Vallejo is looking forward to the rest of the state playoffs and is expecting to go all the way, even though the competition is strong.

VARSITY BASEBALL

iiiiiiAfter the state championship win last year, the baseball team spent the first part of their season getting used to the new players on the team after the class of 2022 graduated. Head coach Brian Krehmeyer said, “It took us a while to figure out what type of team we are and what roles everyone fills.”

Both the team and the players have improved this year. Senior Dominick Scalese said, “Our team has improved this year by learning to play for one another and not for yourself.” Krehmeyer also said that one of the players that has improved a lot is junior Bo Britt. Krehmeyer said, “Britt has put together a pair of outstanding weeks.” However, the most improved player is senior Will Tucker. Last year, Tucker suffered a hip injury during his junior season of football. But he has recovered and is taking over the role of catcher that was previously held by alum Bryce Hubbard (’22). Krehmeyer said, “Tucker is coming back into a position that requires a lot of squatting and is doing well, which is a pleasant surprise.”

As the team enters the playoffs, Krehmeyer said, “We have recalibrated our goal to get better each day and to be playing our best when the playoffs begin.” Krehmeyer also said that the recent men’s NCAA tournament has shown them that the seedings don’t predict the outcome of games in the playoffs. “Instead,” Krehmeyer said, “it’s the teams that are playing the best that can make a long run in the playoffs.”

The coaches and players are hopeful for a successful end to their season.

(l to r) Junior Julia Weatherly, sophomore Makenna Wazevich, junior Elizabeth Hodges, and sophomore Cece Miller prepare to take on their opponents in their match. Weatherly

(l to r) Seniors Carlos Lopez, Roman Reynolds, and Thomas Cook enjoy their last season on the boys’ varsity soccer team. Brianography

(l to r) Seniors Kensington Freeman, Hannah Fears, Morgan Perry, Alex Edgar, Cady Triplett, Anna Sparks, and Bella Wadkins were celebrated on April 4, for their senior night. Archer

Senior Ben Jackson carefully putts the ball towards the hole. Brianography

Senior Will Tucker has done an amazing job as the catcher this year. Adent

and score into area and state playoffs

VARSITY TRACK

VARSITY TENNIS

iiiiiThe varsity girls and boys track team has had a great season so far. The season started on January 30 with region on April 25 and 27, sectionals on May 6, and state on May 11 through 13.

Students will have the chance to individually qualify for sectionals from the region meet to represent their team. The top 4 in each event will make it to sectionals, then the top 8 from each event in sectionals will make it to state.

The distance team is the one of the strongest parts of the track team. Track captain senior Kate O’Shields said, “I have enjoyed bonding with my teammates and coaches and having one last season with them and seeing them working really hard to us improve.” She has been on the team since freshmen year and is a crucial member of the distance part of the track team.

The boys track team has also done well this year. Eighth grade history teacher and track coach Candler Baxley said, “We have been doing really well. Good start to the season. We are excited about the improvement and getting ready for region.” The team has been working hard to prepare for region and are expected to do well.

iiiiiiThe team has improved their ground ball game this year by making it a defining piece of their team. Lacrosse coach and eighth grade boys grade chair Connor Breslin said, “I have enjoyed just watching us grow into the successful team that we are. It is awesome to see young people work so hard for something that they want.”

The girls’ team also won area. The team has been led by captains seniors Kendall Bowen, Caitlin Bridgers, Lily Nydam, and junior Eva Garabadian. Bowen said, “I love getting to hang out with my friends every day and be outside, and I love playing in games and working together to win.”

The team hopes to do well in the state tournament this year. The state tournament begins at the end of April and continues throughout the first half of May.

The boys’ and girls’ tennis teams have both done week this year as both won the region tournament and hope to contend in state. The teams had their last match against Marist and Whitfield on April 4, and the rest of the season will be their run in the state tournament. Practice started for both teams on January 30 and the season will last until late April or early May, depending on how far they make it in the state tournament.

The girls team this year has a deep roster. The team is led by captain senior Caroline Scott, and the roster stretches deep to the strong freshmen players. Eighth grade math teacher and varsity tennis coach Jonathan Sykes said, “I enjoy the relationships. I enjoy getting to know the kids and watching them have fun on the court.”

Senior Amanda Mola said she loves playing with Kate Stolle this year. They are doubles partners and were undefeated through region. Both Mola and junior Kate Stolle have been on the team since their freshmen years and have been an integral part of the team.

The guys’ team also has a deep roster. Sophomore Landon Clement has been the most improved player this year, leading a group of strong underclassmen on the team. He has improved greatly from last year, and he has become an asset to the team’s success.

The guy’s team is led by captains seniors Grayson Balloon, Nick Follett, and Connor Hewitson. Follett says he enjoys the team because “the atmosphere of the tennis team is super positive and lots of fun at practice.”

VARSITY LACROSSE

Both the girls’ and boys’ lacrosse teams have had a great season so far.

This season, the boy’s lacrosse team has been at the top of 4A. The team won the area tournament. The team has been led by captains seniors Lawson Jones, Nick Schaller, Carter Hayes, and junior Matt Blanton. The team hopes to continue their playoff run with the state tournament starting April 22 and the championship on May 12.

Junior Abigail Glover, Sophomore Ansley Voss, Senior Kate O’Shields, and sophomre Caroline Trice cheer on their teammates at the track meet. Glover

Senior Connor Hewitson hits a forehand in a tennis match. Godfrey

Senior Paul Weidle pole vaults over the bar in the track meet. Morgan

Senior Nick Schaller gets ready to defend the goal in lacrosse game. Breslin

(l to r) Seniors Lily Nydam, Kendall Bowen, and Caitlin Bridgers are ready for their final lacrosse season. Adent

(l to r) Seniors Caroline Scott, Jennifer Noel, and Amanda Nola enjoy their last season on the tennis team. Godfrey

Hall Talk: Wesleyan students share Easter traditions

What is your favorite Easter Tradition?

Elsa Moore

Senior Carter Hayes says, “My favorite Easter tradition is going to a sunrise service on Easter morning.”

Moore

Senior Chris Izzo says, “My favorite Easter tradition is doing an Easter egg hunt with my family.”

Moore

College Advising Administrative Assistant Megan Harper says, “My favorite Easter tradition is going to church with my family and then having a big brunch afterwards.”

Moore

Senior Kevin Andrews says, “My favorite Easter tradition is waking up and having Easter breakfast in the morning.”

Moore

Senior Lindsay Friedman says, “My favorite Easter tradition is having Easter lunch with my family.”

Moore

Senior Ryley Kutter says, “My favorite Easter tradition is dressing up as an E-aster bunny for my younger cousins.”

Moore