Wesleyan School Spring 2019 Magazine

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 xv, issue ii

SPRING 2019

T A B L E

4 Letter from the

Head of School 5 Thank you, Rob Binion 6 College Statistics 10 Graduation 14 Lasting Legacies

Board of Trustees Rob Binion Chairman Mark Adent Charlotte Beltrami Land Bridgers Chris Brown Mark Chapman Dan Cowart Jamie Hamilton Erika Laughlin Tom Menefee Billy Milam Mike Nicklaus Stephanie Powell

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Drew Prehmus ’04 Todd Ratliff Yumi Shim Danny Strickland Anna Tanner DeVane Tidwell Chris Cleveland Ex-Officio Becky Cardwell Board Assistant Emeritus Trustees Sherri Austin Howard Bowen

O F

Life Skills The Squirrel After Care Team Omicron Community Coaches Fine Arts Mission Trips

Betty Crawford Gerald Daws Neal Freeman Chip Groome Helen Kenwright Alice Ramsey Paul Robertson H. Bronson Smith Jim Stephenson Raymond Walker William C. Warren Bob Worthington Headmaster Emeritus Zach Young

C O N T E N T S

46 Faculty 48 Faculty Announcements 50 Retirees

Magazine Staff Brooke Dant '12 Creative Director

Jennifer Copeland

Assistant Head of School for External Affairs

Bradley Gossett '12

Communications Director

Cara Grace Hildebrand Digital Media Director

Chris Cleveland Head of School

54 Alumni 56 Toyota Superbowl 61 Alumni Babies 62 Alumni Weddings 65 Class Notes 68 Morgan Keller '17 71 Alumni Events

Photographers Cara Grace Hildebrand Hannah Graham Brian L. Morgan

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.

Proof Readers Becky Cardwell Abby Holmes Chad McDaniel Shelley Noble Sylvia Pryor Mitzi Ritchie

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 Brooke Dant, Creative Director, bdant@wesleyanschool.org.

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

LETTER from the HEAD OF SCHOOL CHRIS CLEVELAND Dear Wesleyan Family and Friends, Thank you for your continued interest in, and support of, Wesleyan School and for taking the time to read this edition of the Wesleyan Magazine. Spring is a busy time in the life of any school, and Wesleyan is no exception. The events of spring are often the ones that place an emphatic exclamation point on the year, culminating with the celebration of that year’s graduating class with the Baccalaureate service and Commencement exercises. But perhaps no other spring event galvanizes the entire K – 12 community at Wesleyan more than our annual slate of mission trips.

I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in a number of mission trips that have taken me all over the world with Wesleyan. I have helped build a house in the Musicians Village in New Orleans following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. I had the opportunity to share the gospel in Scotland in public schools that opened their doors before the United States was a country. I have dug latrines in a village in Guatemala and built stoves and poured concrete floors in Nicaragua's rural homes.

However, my experience in Brazil, on a medical mission on a boat traveling on the Amazon River, was a life-changing one. One particular day, our team split into smaller groups, some working with village children in a Vacation Bible School setting and others going door to door in the village to share the gospel. I took an interpreter and three students, hopped in a smaller boat, and went further up the river to the last house in the village.

We exited the boat and walked up a short path to a small house.

Standing outside of the house we encountered two men, Carlos and Benito. Carlos was holding two young children and Benito was preparing a calf to be cooked and eaten. Our interpreter began making small talk with Carlos and explained who we were and why we were in his front yard. He began to talk to us and seemed to be open to hearing more about the gospel.

It soon began to rain, and Benito invited all of us into his house.

The interpreter continued to talk to him about Jesus. At one point, Benito went into a back room of his house and came back with a tattered Bible. He told us that he wanted a new Bible. Benito told us that he wasn’t sure if he knew Jesus, but he had been thinking about it, and he wanted to be sure.

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Our interpreter prayed with him, and he accepted Christ as his Savior. I asked the interpreter to please tell Benito that now we were all brothers and sisters in Christ. Benito hugged all of us.

We wanted to stay with Benito and Carlos all day, but we had to leave in order to stay on schedule. After stopping at several other houses on our way back, we made it to the boat with about 30 minutes to spare before we had to leave to go to another village.

The interpreter and I made the decision that we had to take a new Bible to Benito. We quickly grabbed two Bibles and some donated clothes and shoes we had brought with us and started making our way back to Benito’s house.

We made good time and arrived at Benito’s house in about 10 minutes.

When we arrived at his house, we found Benito and Carlos on the back porch, along with Benito’s wife and the children, eating the calf that Benito had killed earlier that day.

The interpreter had a great idea – instead of just handing them a new Bible, why not personalize it by writing each man’s name in it. The interpreter wrote in one Bible: “To Carlos from Gleysson and Chris.” He handed Carlos the Bible.

Carlos just stared at it and the expression on his face is difficult to describe. He looked up and said, “This is the best gift I have ever received. May the God of this book watch over you and protect you for the rest of your life.”

As you read this issue of the Wesleyan magazine and learn about many of the wonderful events that happen each spring on our campus, I hope you will pause and give thanks, as I do, for being part of a community that places such a high value on the importance of the main thing at Wesleyan: the life-changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

For His Glory,

CHRIS CLEVELAND Head of School

THANK YOU for your SERVICE ROB BINION

After 20 years of service as the chairman of Wesleyan’s board of trustees, Rob Binion stepped down from the role at the end June. Rob has been an integral part of the Wesleyan community for 29 years and helped lead the school through a move to a new campus, hiring two heads of school, raising over $130 million to build the entire campus, maintaining the board’s commitment to Wesleyan remaining debt free, and fiercely advocating for the school’s Christian mission and Christian-only hiring policy. The mark left on our community by Rob and Cathy Binion will be felt for generations to come. Thank you both for all that you’ve done to serve the Lord in our community!

“Rob’s greatest legacy is the thousands of Wesleyan students who were exposed to the life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.

He will be quick to point out that many others have played significant roles in the growth of Wesleyan - and he is right - but someone has to lead. Rob’s consistent, unflappable, and stable leadership has been a gift to the employees and families of Wesleyan School.”

Rob Binion and Zach Young ca. 1999 “Rob would never tell you this, but when he talks of the many miracles that led to Wesleyan being the place it is today, HE is among those miracles. Board chairs do not serve for 20 years in independent schools!

Rob’s willingness to serve, the stability that he provided our community, and his steadfast focus on Wesleyan being the Lord’s school is a great gift and miracle in and of itself.”

Chris Cleveland, Head of School

Rob Binion and Land Bridgers

Land Bridgers, Wesleyan School Board Chair

Bob Worthington, Raymond Walker, and Rob Binion Rob Binion, Hannah Binion '15, Barrett Binion '09, and Robert Binion '05

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CLASS OF 2019

C O L L E G E S TAT I S T I C S

$6.8 Million in scholarships offered to the class of 2019 (Does not include HOPE or Zell Miller)

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SCHOLARSHIPS INCLUDE: Stamps President’s Scholar at the Georgia Institute of Technology Chancellor’s Scholar at Texas Christian University Posse Scholar at the College of Wooster United States Coast Guard Academy Scholars Program

AUBURN UNIVERSITY

93% Wesleyan Acceptance Rate vs.

84% Overall Auburn Acceptance Rate

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

89% Wesleyan Acceptance Rate vs.

51% Overall Clemson Acceptance Rate

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

56% Wesleyan Acceptance Rate vs.

45% Overall UGA Acceptance Rate

GEORGIA TECH 61% Wesleyan Acceptance Rate vs.

40% GT In -State Acceptance Rate

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WE MAD

E IT!

CONGRATS!

CLASS OF 2019!

S E V L O W FOREVER COLLEGE, HERE WE COME! 8

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C O L L E G E A C C E P TA N C E S & DECISIONS *Students are matriculating to schools indicated in bold Agnes Scott College, UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, Appalachian State University, A r i z o n a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , A U B U R N U N I V E R S I T Y , B AY L O R U N I V E R S I T Y , B e l m o n t University, Berry College, BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN COLLEGE, Boston College, Brandeis University, UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, Bryant University, University of Cincinnati, CLEMSON UNIVERSITY, Colorado School of Mines, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER, University of Colorado Denver, Colorado S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , C O L U M B U S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y , C o r n e l l U n i v e r s i t y , D a v i d s o n College, ELON UNIVERSITY, Emerson College, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida State University, University of Florida, FURMAN UNIVERSITY, GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY, George Mason University Korea, THE G E O R G E WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y , G E O R G I A C O L L E G E A N D S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y , GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, G E O R G I A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y , U N I V E R S I T Y O F G E O R G I A , H a m p d e n - S y d n e y C o l l e g e , University of Hawaii at Manoa, High Point University, University of Houston, University of Idaho, University of Iowa, Indiana University Bloomington, James M a d i s o n U n i v e r s i t y , K E N N E S AW S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y , U n i v e r s i t y o f K e n t u c k y , Lee University, Long Island University Post, Louisiana State University, Loyola Marymount University, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University New Orleans, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, MERCER UNIVERSITY, University of Miami, Miami University, Michigan State University, UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI, U n i v e r s i t y o f M i s s o u r i , M O N TA N A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y , T H E N E W S C H O O L , U n i v e r s i t y o f N o r t h C a r o l i n a A s h e v i l l e , U N I V E R S I T Y O F N O R T H C A R O L I N A AT CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME, Oglethorpe University, The Ohio State University, University o f O k l a h o m a , O X F O R D C O L L E G E O F E M O RY U N I V E R S I T Y , P a c e U n i v e r s i t y , Pennsylvania State University, University of Pennsylvania, Pepperdine University, University of Pittsburgh, Purdue University, Rhodes College, Saint Mary’s College, SAMFORD UNIVERSITY, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University, S AVA N N A H C O L L E G E O F A R T A N D D E S I G N , S e w a n e e : T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f t h e S o u t h , Siena College, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, Southern Methodist University, Spelman College, Stetson University, SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE, University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY, UNITED S TAT E S C O A S T G U A R D A C A D E M Y S C H O L A R S P R O G R A M , U n i v e r s i t y o f T u l s a , VA L D O S TA S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y , VA N D E R B I LT U N I V E R S I T Y , V i l l a n o v a U n i v e r s i t y , V I R G I N I A T E C H , U N I V E R S I T Y O F V I R G I N I A , WA K E F O R E S T U N I V E R S I T Y , W i n g a t e University, University of Wisconsin - Madison, WOFFORD COLLEGE, THE COLLEGE OF WOOSTER, and Young Harris College.

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C ON G R AT UL AT I O N S

Class of 2019

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Billy Coxhead

Baccalaureate Address

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Hanging on my bulletin board in my office is a quote by a man named G.K. Chesterton.

'There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more.

The other is to desire less.' I love that... if you desire less, you will have enough, and you will have a greater ability to be generous, and if you are generous, you will be honoring God with your resources, and God says He will bless you overflowingly.

Remember, hold on to the stuff that you have with an open hand, not a clinched fist.

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Dan Cowart

Commencement Address

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Each of you has your own story. Some of you are athletes. Many of you are scholars.

Some of you come alive on the stage. Or express meaning through poetry, song, or a paintbrush. Some of you don't quite know what your 'thing' is, but you are a steadfast friend, or you have been gifted with such a brilliant mind that you find yourself struggling to relate to others. Whether you are sitting here today with a concrete vision of who you are and who you were meant to be, or you are sitting here a little unsure, you are made in the image of God and have a divine purpose.

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Mary Ann Manley Salutatorian Address

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Now, the time has come for us to move forward with our lives and dip our toes into the water of the adult world. Wesleyan, we will miss you. We will miss the hours spent in teachers’ classrooms having the most ridiculous of conversations and the genuine ones, too. We will miss supporting each other in state championships, winter musicals, and band performances. We will miss the mini-bus rides, the Monday Morning Meetings, and, of course, the SAGE-crafted chicken tenders. But most of all, we will miss the people — the first grade teachers who never fail to remember your name and recount memories from your class twelve years ago, the cross-country coaches who will celebrate with you in your victories and uplift you in your defeats, the Christian Life leaders whose doors are open all hours of the day to discuss everything under the sun, and the classmates who are a constant source of joy and companionship — because these relationships are what make Wesleyan so incredible.

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Jennifer Nolan Valedictorian Address

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I hope that it will help you to remember that there is nothing in this world that can hold you back. That your perseverance is what will drive you towards all the accomplishments and accolades waiting ahead for you. And that when you do find yourself on the other side, rejoicing in all that you have achieved, you have an entire family sitting amongst you right now who cannot wait to share in that joy with you.

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LASTING LEGACIES Nishuchukwu Afobunor and Afoma Afobunor '15

Megan Bielan and George Bielan '18

Darby Coxhead '12, Beck Coxhead '16, Liam Coxhead, Cort Coxhead '14, and Billy Coxhead (Faculty)

Ansley Harper, Tyler Harper '16, and Elise Harper

Kristopher Moratti '14, Isabelle Moratti, and Matthew Moratti '17

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Mary Elizabeth Burke '15 and Caroline Burke

Madison Darsey '17, Hunter Darsey, and Edress Darsey (Former Trustee)

Mark Chapman (Trustee), Davis Chapman, and Grace Chapman '17

Kendall Dearth '16 and Harrison Dearth

Susanna Healy '15, Kathy Healy (Former Faculty), Meg Healy, and Caitlin Healy '12

Mike Nicklaus (Trustee) and Michael Nicklaus

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Ashley Doran and Bill Doran '17

Nathaniel Jackson and Dean Jackson (Faculty)

Carson Guess '15, Jack Norris, and Karen Guess (Former Faculty)

Michael Parks (Former Trustee) and Landon Parks

Each spring at graduation, we take time to honor graduates who have alumni siblings and parents or grandparents who serve as faculty, staff, trustees, or advisory trustees.

Chris Cleveland (Faculty) and Kyle Cleveland

Kelly Dunlap '17 and Stephen Dunlap (Not pictured: Linda Dunlap Schultz, Former Faculty)

Payton Kaloper '18 and Quinn Kaloper (Not pictured: Zack Kaloper '15)

Will Parrish and Rachel Parrish '17

Ansley Cotter and Josh Cotter '17

James Cowart '08, Daniel Cowart '05, Luke Cowart '14, Mary Cowart '16, Annie Cowart, Dan Cowart (Trustee), Grace Cowart Brown '10, Emily Cowart Woodruff '12, Sarah Beth Cowart '06, and Davis Brown '10

Harrison Feininger '18, Ansley Feininger, and Sterling Feininger '13

Olivia Larner '16 and Harrison Larner

Lindsay Gomes '17 and Ryan Gomes

Samantha Laurite '17 and Kris Laurite

Jeff Plunk (Faculty), Matthew Plunk, and Jennifer Plunk (Faculty)

Garrett Hangartner '18 and Chloe Hangartner

Chad McDaniel (Faculty), Betsy McDaniel, and Stephanie McDaniel (Faculty)

Andrew Pridgen and Franklin Pridgen (Faculty)

Kirstie Reeves '08, Wood Reeves, Amanda Reeves '14, Amy Reeves (Faculty), and Don Chapman (Advisory Trustee)

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Jamie Roberts and Jessica Roberts '17

Jana Smith and Jessie Smith '17

Anna Tanner (Trustee), Katie Tanner, and Will Tanner '17. (Not pictured: Bill Tanner, Advisory Trustee)

Tyler Sommer '18 and Savannah Sommer

Grace Tyler and Clay Tyler '16

Sofia Vallejo and Guillermo Vallejo (Faculty)

Not pictured: Jordan Weaver '16 and Callie Weaver

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Jared Wildermuth and Alexis Wildermuth '17

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Dawson Carr and David Carr (Faculty) JD Kavel and Jameson Kavel '17 Alex Watkins and Emma Watkins '18

Matthew Stainback and Ashley Stainback (Faculty)

Laura Von Bargen and Katie Von Bargen '17

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EQUIPPING STUDENTS FOR LIFE One of the questions Wesleyan school leaders pose to current and prospective parents each year is, “Who do you want your child to be in 10, 15, or 20 years?” This question is aimed at keeping the community focused not only on the day to day details of education, childhood, and parenting, but also on the big picture – the future men and women we are helping mold every day.

While Wesleyan is first and foremost focused on the spiritual and academic health of our students, we also know that part of equipping students for life beyond school is building a foundation of social and life skills to help them navigate the world into which they will graduate. With that in mind, Wesleyan’s division principals and faculty incorporate

developmentally appropriate life skills training into each student’s day to day experience at Wesleyan.

That training starts in the lower school where the basic foundation of manners and social skills are reinforced. “We believe that learning to relate to peers and showing respect to adults is a critical first step in students’ preparation for life outside the classroom,” said Jason Erb, Lower School Principal. “God created us to be in relationship with one another, and we see our role as reinforcers of this as we teach students to thrive in their relationships with friends and adults.”

Lower school students are taught to treat one another with respect and are given chances to work together

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on various tasks both inside and outside of the classroom. Students are taught to look adults in the eye when speaking, respond with “Yes ma’am" or "Yes sir,” and greet adults - and one another - by name. “We believe that by reinforcing these expectations throughout the lower school, we are setting our students on a trajectory that will continue when they interact with people throughout their lives,” said Erb. When students begin middle school in fifth grade, the faculty continues to build on the foundations of manners and relationships that students learned in lower school. Fifth graders participate in a Life Skills class for nine weeks. Taught

by Middle School Counselor Sean Nestor, this class tackles everything from the importance of being organized at home and at school, to hygiene, and to tying a necktie.

“It’s funny how we are often just reinforcing what parents have been teaching at home, but because it comes from a different adult, it sometimes starts to sink in!” laughed Nestor.

The entire middle school also participates in grade-level and division-wide assemblies where the administration discusses other issues that all play a part in developing young men and young women who are respectful and ready to take on the world.

“We find that in middle school, students often need to be reminded about things like how to maintain a conversation, which side of the hallway to walk on, or how to talk to a teacher outside of a school setting,” said Joseph Antonio, Middle School Principal. “Recently, in a division-wide assembly, we talked with students about making an effort to

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continue a conversation with someone.

We literally threw a ball back and forth with students to demonstrate asking a question, answering, and then asking another question to keep the conversation rolling. It seems obvious to us as adults, but for a middle school student, common social practices can be challenging. Helping them see this skill and how it plays out is a great opportunity to help students realize that even something like having a conversation takes intentional effort.”

As students transition into high school, the conversations shift into areas like personal finance, safe driving, personal safety, and time management. “In the high school, we have speakers on campus throughout the year to talk with our students about decisions they will make in all areas of life,” said Heidi Lloyd, High School Counselor. “At this age, wise decision making is an area we focus on heavily.”

High school students also have access to Naviance Student and YouScience, two software programs that help students understand more about their learning styles, personalities, and aptitudes. This information helps them as they continue to identify their own strengths and weaknesses and how those realities play into their decision making.

“This year, we also partnered with the alumni office and hosted Adulting 101 author, Pete Hardesty, to work with seniors and their parents on getting ready for the decisions that are ahead of them in college,” shared Jeff Plunk, High School Principal. “Wesleyan alumni participated in the workshop and shared their own experiences to help seniors and their parents anticipate how to prepare for college.”

Intentionally layering life skills at each division is Wesleyan’s effort to supplement the firm spiritual and academic foundation students receive over the years.

The school’s hope is that the lessons Wesleyan students are learning today will be visible in the years to come.

Wesleyan’s goal is that alumni feel empowered when they are employees and employers, spouses, parents, and impactful members of each of their own communities.

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HE SQUIRREL WENT BERSERK The day started off normally when Carey Morgan, Calendar Coordinator and Library Assistant, arrived in Chapman Library early one December morning. However, what she saw shocked her.

“It was either a large rat or a squirrel hiding in the reference section.”

Morgan’s initial reaction was to call her husband, Brian Morgan, Director of Technology, who also has an office in the library. After some investigation they discovered it was, in fact, a squirrel, and it was very much alive. “The squirrel was almost acting like a little kid. He thought if I couldn’t see his eyes he was safe, so he would peek out from behind the shelves to see if I was still there,” remarked Mr. Morgan.

The next call was to Director of Facilities, Spencer Cornett. He assessed the situation and decided

to reach out to an exterminator to capture the squirrel. However, once he was in contact with the exterminator, Cornett learned it would be several hours before anyone could get there.

Students were set to arrive on campus within the next hour for final exams. It quickly became apparent that Wesleyan employees would have to take matters into their own hands.

Noted outdoorsman, Jason Scheer, who is also the Assistant Director of Admissions and Director of Strategic Initiatives, was the next to be called into duty. Unfortunately, Dr. Scheer could not divert his full attention to catching the intruder as he was in the middle of grading AP exams. What he did provide were tools to aid in the capture of the elusive rodent. Two fishing nets and a throw net were gifted to the recently formed Squirrel Capture Squad, now consisting of four members.

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At this point, the squirrel had been loose for quite some time and had successfully evaded the searching eyes of our squad. Due to the vast expanse of Chapman Library and its many nooks and crannies for the squirrel to hide, the rest of the Facilities cavalry was called in to assist with the search.

Within minutes, the scandalous squirrel was spotted again in the reference corner of the library.

With little time to think, our heroes hatched a plan to catch the menace by gradually forcing him into a corner until he entered a cardboard box with a cutout hole. The squirrel, however, did not agree with the plan.

As the squirrel was being backed into the corner, he went berserk. He darted and dove through the bookshelves, avoiding the would-be captors and their nets by mere inches. The squirrel continued to run in circles as the capture effort turned into a free-for-all. Finally, facilities team member, Carlos Guerrero, a jack-of-

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all trades who typically helps with gutters, painting, pressure washing, carpool, and just about anything else on campus, made a goalie-style save, catching the squirrel with his hands.

However, the jubilation was only momentary, as the squirrel slipped through Guerrero's hands while in transfer to one of the fishing nets. The hunt was on again as the clock ticked closer to the time when students would begin arriving.

Guerrero again cornered the squirrel underneath the circulation stand.

With hearts beating fast, Guerrero acted quickly, and he impressively grabbed the rodent with his hands one

more time. This time he did not let go until the squirrel was safely released onto the campus grounds.

We may never know why the squirrel decided to enter our midst that winter morning. Guerrero suggested it was looking for a warm place to sleep, while others suggested the squirrel, perhaps, was looking for a book in the reference section regarding where to store acorns. What we do know is that, thanks to our fast-acting team, the squirrel was captured before students started exams. We also have an amazing security cam video that will live in Wesleyan history. To re-live the event, visit our social media accounts on Vimeo, Facebook, or Instagram.

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CAN I STAY FOR AFTER CARE TODAY?

This is a request that lower school families are hearing frequently these days, thanks to after care and after school enrichment. In recent years, the program has been reimagined and expanded to meet the needs of Wesleyan families.

“On any day at 3:00 pm in the lower school, we typically have 50-60 students staying after school for either an

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enrichment class, after care, or other activity,” reports Jason Erb, Lower School Principal. “Over the past five years, we have heard from our families that they want additional options for their children to continue experiencing Wesleyan beyond the normal school day. Whether it be child care for a dual working family, an extracurricular activity their child wants to explore, or some combination, parents continue to affirm the expansion of this program.”

Students have the option of participating in a wide range of enrichment classes that have included drawing, learning to ride a bike, chess, Legos, triathlon, swimming and diving, sewing, cooking, fencing, and even forensics.

Each class is taught by a current Wesleyan faculty member.

“The variety of classes offered each session is really great for kids,” said Erb. “This is an excellent way to allow children to sample different topics and learn various skills that they may have never considered in the past. In the afternoons, we’ve had kids doing everything from perfecting their dive for swim team, to sewing blankets, to learning to gather fingerprints.”

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Lower School Science Teacher Sara Cooper taught the forensics class and pulled out all the stops. “One day I had to send our families and faculty an email letting them know not to be alarmed if they encountered the Gwinnett County Crime Division van on campus,” recalled Mrs. Cooper. “The kids had a blast solving mysteries and learning about the science behind that process.”

The numbers support the conclusion that the after school enrichment program has been a hit with the Wesleyan community.

“We estimate that this school year, almost 200 lower school families – or over 65% of students K-4 – will enroll in an enrichment class at least once during the school year,” reports Kelly Weatherly, Director of Auxiliary Programs and the driving force behind the growing enrichment offering. “Our vision is to be here for families beyond

“We have found aft er care t o be an import ant part of Yishan’s ex perie n ce at Wesleyan. I t is a mix of out door so ci al t ime and indoor educat ional playt i me.

Bot h complement Yishan’s regular school work and keep her act ive. Th e aft er care st aff are great facilit at ors.

T hey allow kids t o independent ly ch oose act ivit ies while ensuring t heir saf et y and collegialit y. T he Wesleyan aft er care program provides us peace of min d . ” -- J ing Yang, mot her of Yishan (1st g rad e)

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the hours of 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and to provide valuable experiences that enhance the school day.”

When students are not in an enrichment class, they can spend time with friends and classmates in after care. “After care is a real value-add for our families,” noted Weatherly. “It provides a fun, supportive environment for children to play and get their homework done before being picked up. With the reality of dual working families and parents transporting children in various directions after school, we hope after care meets our families where they are and provides a service they need to make it all work.”

Parents and students agree. “The after care program is a blessing,” says Bunmi Pitan, mother to Dara (3rd grade) and Tara (5th grade).

“It allows us flexibility to pick up our children later when needed, and peace of mind knowing they are in great hands. They get their homework done, play, and have fun. Mrs. Tumy, Mrs. Cowart, and all the staff are amazing with the children. It’s so good that my kids beg us to pick them up as late as possible every day!”

Second grade mother Amanda Hene also appreciates the support of the after school program. “We have children at two schools on opposite sides of the metro area this year and timing carpool for both is impossible,” she says. “I have peace of mind knowing that I don't have to worry about being in two places at one time. Hampton

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AFTERNOONS AT WESLEYAN

(Check online for details and registration.)

After Care Program

Students have a snack, receive help on homework, play on the playground, enjoy table activities, and play board games. Available 3:00pm until 6:00pm. Cost - $400 per semester, $30 daily drop in.

After School Enrichment

Six-week sessions offered four times during the school year.

Classes range in topic and take place once a week. Classes are taught by Wesleyan faculty members. After care is available before and after class and is included in the cost of the class. Prices vary.

absolutely loves going to after care and asks to stay, even on the days we do not need him to be there. I am always picking up a happy kid who would love to stay even later if our schedule allowed.”

Hampton agrees with his mom. "I love after care because I get extra recess time on the playground, and the teachers are super nice,” he says. “Enrichment classes are fun.

I especially liked learning how to play chess. It was a smaller group of kids, and I got one-on-one help from the teacher. Now, I challenge my teenage cousins, my dad, and my grandfather, and I win!"

kids can volunteer to help with the enrichment classes. Our sixth grade student, Sadie, has enjoyed helping with the sewing and art classes.”

“You know you are having an impact when students are begging to stay longer!” laughed Weatherly. “We’re thrilled to have met this need in our community and are looking forward to continuing to offer creative programming for our students.”

Even though after care and after school enrichment are catered to grades K-4, Alyson Durke, mom to Harrison (2nd grade) and Sadie (6th grade), explains, “We have taken part in after care since our first day at Wesleyan,” reports Alyson. “It is a great resource for working parents. Our kids have always enjoyed the extra playtime with their friends and like the time dedicated to homework, too. One thing people may not know is that older

“ We a r e ver y gratef ul to the wonderful t eachers i n a f te r c a re f or prov iding a s af e, caring and fun e nvi ro nm e nt f or our K indergarten s tudent during tho se c r uc i al hours between the end of school and pi ck up ti m e. B oth m y hus band and I are account ant s, a nd o ur s ch edules can becom e quite hect ic. Mrs. Tum y i s so good w ith our s on and gives us t he peace o f m i nd that he is well cared f or, and we are ver y gra t e f ul f o r that. The level of s er v ice provided is unpa ra l l e l e d to any we have experienced before.”

-- Ta ni a S i l va, m other of Sanula ( K indergart en)

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SERVI CE AT WESLEYAN

TEAM OMICRON It’s a Tuesday afternoon at Village Park, a full service senior living facility. A group of students arrive, greet the usual attendees, set up a net, and start a game of volleyball by tossing a beach ball between the divided room of seated guests. Students mingle with the residents updating them on their family, school, sports, and even discussing their faith. The beach ball taps over the net as everyone counts aloud how long they’ve kept the ball in the air.

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This was the winter routine of Team Omicron, Wesleyan's student service club. Village Park residents grew to love Wesleyan’s visits. Team Omicron’s hope is to form meaningful relationships while also helping the facility with activities, socials, and events. Although a simple volleyball game may seem insignificant, it has a great impact on the residents. While residents play, they are exercising both their bodies and their minds. Tossing the ball back and forth engages their hand-eye coordination and counting their rally out loud works their mind.

In addition, forming relationships with students helps the residents engage in social interaction and expand their interests and connections, bringing them a life beyond their residential community. To say Wesleyan makes an impact at Village Park would be an understatement. Team Omicron faculty sponsor, Kali Sessions said, “When we started visiting Village Park there were only a few residents showing up. But now the room is full.” Village Park is one of several communities Team Omicron serves.

The JOY (Jesus, Others, Yourself) motto at Wesleyan is the source of the group's identity in service. The word “omicron” is the Greek letter for O. Team Omicron exists to serve the O in our motto, Others, and is an open group that invites middle school and high school students to serve the community gladly throughout the winter season. In light of the example of Jesus Christ, the mission of Team Omicron is to encourage discipleship through the practice of service.

“EACH DAY AFT ER SCHOOL I HAVE A B U S Y SCHEDULE AN D T HI N GS I N EED TO G ET D O N E, BUT T EAM OMI CRON HAS TAUGHT M E TO H ELP T HOSE I N N EED BEFORE I DO MY OW N TAS K S .

I T HAS ALSO TAUGHT ME HOW TO I NCO R PO R ATE SERVI CE I N TO MY DAI LY LI FE BY PUTTI N G OT HERS BEFORE MYSELF.”

-- MEGAN B I ELAN , 12TH Team Omicron has grown to serve multiple organizations including: Ronald McDonald House Charities, Corners Outreach, Lazarus, Norcross Cooperative Ministry, Family Heritage Foundation, and Village Park Senior Living; all organizations that serve the local community.

Ask a member of Team Omicron how it has impacted them, and they will not shy away from telling you how much they love being a part of this team. Senior Megan Bielan says, “Joining Team Omicron was one of my best decisions in high school. During the season, I looked forward to Team Omicron every day.

When I see the students I volunteered with, they put a smile on my face the whole time I am with them. There are so many opportunities to join sports teams or academic groups, but Team Omicron is one of the only opportunities to be a

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part of a service team. Team Omicron is one of the things I will miss most when I go to college.” All members agree that being a part of the team is a special experience. However, the most impactful part about Team Omicron is that it plays a key, irreplaceable role in the success of partner organizations.

For example, at Corners Outreach, Team Omicron assists low income students with tutoring after school. Students are partnered one-on-one with elementary and middle school children. Wesleyan’s partnership with Corners Outreach aides the success of the organization and like most non-profits, it relies on grants and donations for funding. Wesleyan helps provide support to the organization in a way that helps them fulfill their mission in a zero-cost, high impact way.

Additionally, Team Omicron partners with Family Heritage Foundation (FHF), a Christian ministry focused on serving refugee families and at-risk children in Clarkston. Clarkston is a community approximately 11 miles from Wesleyan's campus. FHF offers after school programs that Team Omicron assists by helping the refugee children catch up on school work and basic English skills. FHF helps

“ THE VA L U E O F W E S L E YA N ’ S PA RT N E R S H I P W IT H OUR OR G A N IZ AT IO N S I S V E RY S I G N I F IC A N T B E CA US E W E A R E A B LE TO HE L P T H E M D O T H E IR HOM E WO R K O R G IV E THE M OP P O RT U N IT IE S TO D O THI NG S T H AT W IT H OU T US T HE Y WO U L D N ’ T B E AB L E TO D O ” - - GRA C E K E N N E DY, 1 2TH 32

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refugee parents by allowing them to focus on one less thing while they are re-settling in a new country. “I don’t think students even realize how much of an impact our partnership provides, and how needed they are,” said Kali Sessions. For some of the children being tutored, this may be one of the only times of the day when they are being spoken to in English, which provides them with necessary exposure to enhance their language abilities.

Senior Haden Jones relates to this experience saying, “I have learned to be patient in all that I do. Often, communicating with people of different ages and/or languages can be exhausting and confusing, but once you find a way to understand each other, the outcome is beyond worth it.”

While Team Omicron plays a key role for all of its partner organizations, it also provides invaluable lessons to its members. Senior Lexi Jerding expressed it best saying, “The impact that we can have on these people’s lives in such a short time is extremely humbling. While this is very cliché, the people we serve often have a huge impact on the members of our team in return.”

“ T H E G OA L O F V O LLEYBA LL WA S N OT TO B EAT TH E OTH ER TEA M B U T TO WO R K TO G ETH ER TO G ET T H E H IG H ES T S C O R E. IT WA S S O F U N H A NG ING O U T W ITH TH E M E N A ND WO M EN A ND JU S T L I S T E N I NG TO TH EIR S TO R IES W H I L E P LAYING V O LLEYBA LL A N D B U I LD ING EA C H OTH ER U P.” -- S O P H IE ZETZSC H E, 12TH

Team Omicron’s focus of serving is right here in our local community. Senior Sophie Zetzsche says this provided her perspective on how she can serve. She says, “I learned that you don’t need to go out of the country or out of the state to serve people. There are people that need help right here in our own community, and getting to serve them and build lasting relationships with them is something that is so impactful”.

Jennifer Nolan, another senior, shares her insight saying, “I find the value of these experiences when a child I have tutored or an elder I’ve spent time with recognizes me, is excited by my presence, and knows that I genuinely care about them, which in turn, makes them care about me. It is great to be a part of such a beautiful cycle.” The students who participate in Team Omicron might not win trophies or break records, but they are gaining hearts that are willing to serve and friendships that can last a lifetime.

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COMMUNITY COACHES 34

At a school with a high level of participation in the athletics program across a wide variety of sports, the need for quality coaches who have sportspecific knowledge and experience at the next level is in high demand.

Blessed with a faculty and staff of 146, Wesleyan is able to fill around 80% of the 95 to 100 coaching slots needed each school year with our dedicated full-time staff members. The remaining 20% are filled by community coaches.

These coaches spend countless hours each season investing in our studentathletes, which is why Wesleyan takes the vetting process for community coaches seriously.

The athletics program strives to ensure we have qualified coaches who also align with the school’s mission.

To become a community coach, applicants must have completed two Georgia High School Association (GHSA) classes: a four hour class on first aid and an eight hour class on the principles of coaching. Next, the candidates interview with the athletic director, director of christian life, associate head of school for academic affairs, and head of school. Athletic Director Marc Khedouri said, “We want to ensure the process is thorough and that we are not just meeting an athletic need, but that the coaches align with the Christian mission of the school.

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It doesn’t matter if you are an alumni or just a member of the community, everyone goes through the same process.”

One of the benefits of utilizing community coaches is the luxury of niche experience in certain sports.

Jonathan Nye has been the diving community coach since the early years of the swim and dive program and has played a large part in the program’s 13 individual state championships in addition to numerous other GHSA state swim and dive meet qualifications.

“You can tell how committed he is to the entire program by how much time he invests with the kids. Just the other day he was telling me that he was trying to figure out how to get more time in with the middle school divers, which shows how forward-looking Jonathan is,” Khedouri says of Nye. Nye commented on his coaching career saying, “Each year that I’ve coached is different from the previous years. I’ve coached some students from when they began diving in the 7th grade all the way up until they graduated and then moved on to dive in college. That’s very special to me, and being able to watch these students each season mature and develop into successful divers means the world to me.”

AT H L E T I C S

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COMMUNITY COACH AND A STAFF COACH CAN BE DISCERNED BY THE NAMES. WHILE A STAFF COACH IS A WESLEYAN FACULTY MEMBER, A COMMUNITY COACH COMES FROM THE BROADER WESLEYAN COMMUNITY. THERE ARE CERTAIN GHSA RULES PERTAINING TO HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY COACHES (GHSA DOES NOT GOVERN MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS).

FOR INSTANCE, COMMUNITY COACHES CANNOT BE A HEAD COACH, AND THEY MUST BE PAIRED WITH A FACULTY MEMBER. IT IS THE JOB OF THE COMMUNITY COACH TO BE A SUPPORT TO OUR HEAD COACHES AND, WITHOUT THAT SUPPORT, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR PROGRAMS TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS THEY ARE.

In lacrosse, a sport experiencing significant growth in Georgia, having a coach with collegelevel experience like Brooke Wagner has been a great support to the lacrosse coaches on staff.

Wagner played lacrosse at nearby Brookwood High School before attending Tusculum University where she played all four years.

“Playing lacrosse had been my life for eight years, and it was hard to walk away from,” says Wagner. “Now, instead of saying goodbye to the sport, I get to coach some great girls at Wesleyan in their journey through the sport that I love.”

Another lacrosse community coach is Frankie Kelly, husband to fourth grade teacher Acacia Kelly. Coach Kelly has played lacrosse since he was five years old and played college lacrosse at UNC Chapel Hill. “I enjoy getting to interact with the boys each day. The hope is to balance challenging them and encouraging them. I want to build them up to play the sport to the best of their ability and to the glory of God,” says Kelly on his coaching style. Varsity coach Lee Rider reflected on Kelly saying, “Frankie is a diamond in the rough. He grew up in Baltimore, which is a hotbed for great lacrosse, and he played at North Carolina, a powerful NCAA Division I lacrosse school.

But the best thing about Frankie is that he understands the mission of Wesleyan and he lives and breathes it every day to our players.

The players really love his knowledge because they know what he has done, and they know that he cares for them.”

Most of Wesleyan's community coaches already have a connection to the school, either through a spouse working at the school, a child enrolled, or by being an alumnus. “It has been particularly fun to see alumni give back to the school through giving time to a team they played on while they were here,” says Khedouri. Alumni community coaches for the 2018-19 school year include Daniel Cardwell ’10 (baseball), Andrew Frerking ’11 (football and basketball), Kevin O’Leary ’10 (baseball), Maddie Pickard ’16 (lacrosse), Nick Salyers ’12 (swimming), Kelby Smith ’08 (wrestling), and Colin Sylvester ’08 (tennis).

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make the sacrifice worth it. For Wesleyan dad, Stanley Davenport, a community coach and running backs coach for Varsity Football since 2014, the most rewarding part of being a coach is “being able to talk to young men about the stage of life they are in. I remember being in their shoes, and it’s funny to see how your perspective on what is important in life changes over time.” Davenport is also extremely qualified, having played running back for Northwestern University in the late 1980’s. The perspective of someone who has played at the next level can be very beneficial for the athletes.

Non-alumni, like Wagner, remember playing against Wesleyan in high school, “I remember how beautiful the campus was and how fun it was to play here. You can tell just by walking around the campus that this is a great place to be.”

Many might find it unfathomable that these coaches donate over a hundred hours away from their jobs and families during their sport seasons. But to the community coaches, the relationships they build with the athletes and the knowledge they pass down

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Despite not being full time faculty members, community coaches have a significant impact on our students and programs. The middle school baseball program has benefited greatly over the years from the influence of community coaches, particularly Bob Worthington, who became the first community coach inducted into the Wesleyan Athletics Circle of Honor in January.

Ultimately, the investment of time and effort a community coach makes is a gift to the school and to the athletic program. Bringing in these quality coaches is a continuation of the school’s mission to provide authentic Christian leaders and role models for students on and off the field.

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FINE ARTS

WANT TO CATCH A SHOW? One of the many benefits of being part of the Wesleyan community is having access to fine arts student shows and performances throughout the year. Each year, the Fine Arts department invites the community to support students sharing their talents.

“Our visual art shows, theater performances, and band and chorus concerts are an excellent opportunity for our families to experience the arts in a familiar environment,” noted Meg Foster, Director of Fine Arts. “Art shows and concerts are free to everyone, and each Wesleyan student receives three free tickets to each theater production every year.”

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Wesleyan’s fine arts program is known for the top-notch student work it cultivates, and these events are the community’s chance to see that talent on display.

“Attending the visual arts show, for example, is a way to expose younger students to what an art show is like,” says Foster. “And enjoying a band concert in Powell gives them a larger theater experience while a performance in the black box theater allows them to see a play in an up close and personal environment.”

Fine arts events take place throughout the year and are entirely student focused.

“My husband and I want our children to live their best lives, and we believe that this means trying new things

in the hopes that they will discover more about who they are and what gifts they possess,” said Lee Callahan, mother to Jules (7th Grade) and Jack (5th Grade). “The Wesleyan Fine Arts Department gives children the freedom and opportunity to express themselves and share their gifts with others. It

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is a safe place for them to explore the arts where they are encouraged and empowered to be themselves.”

Callahan continued, “Performing in the arts teaches so many great life skills like poise, being a part of a team, working toward a common goal, and overcoming the fear of being in the spotlight. All of the events that Wesleyan hosts, whether it be chorus concerts, plays, or band concerts bring families together to celebrate each other and the community that we are a part of at Wesleyan.”

One of the goals of the fine arts team, in addition to providing students with a quality foundation in the arts and opportunities to showcase their talents, is to expose the rest of the community to the experience of participating in the arts as a theater goer, concert attendee, or guest at an art show opening.

“We work hard to provide something for everyone during the school year. Parents are encouraged to bring their children to the fine arts events and shows during the year, and parents of younger students can always check the fine arts website to learn more about the content of the show or event,” Foster says.

Student artists enjoy the support of the community as well.

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“It makes me feel good that people actually care about what we’ve been doing in class and come to see how it pays off,” said Carter Hubbell, a student in Mrs. Foster’s 6th grade chorus class. “I love it when my friends come and congratulate me after the performance.”

For parents of younger students looking for opportunities to teach their children about art, theater, and music, these events are the perfect solution. At the visual arts show, students can see everything from pottery to painting to photography. The concerts showcase chorus and band, while the theater productions range from serious dramas to hilarious musicals. At the musicals, theater goers are also treated to a live orchestra.

“We hope everyone in the Wesleyan community will attend at least one fine arts event each school year,” says Foster. “It is a great encouragement to our students and faculty, and it is a really valuable experience for attendees as well.”

ACCESS TO EVENTS Visual Arts Shows and Band/Chorus Concerts:

Free and no ticket is needed.

Middle and High School Theater:

Each Wesleyan student receives three free, reserved tickets per production.

Tickets can be reserved online at www.wesleyanschool.org and the student user name is the code to receive free tickets. Additional tickets are $10.

2019-2020 FINE ARTS EVENTS 9/26/2019-9/28/2019 – Middle School Fall Play: Wagon Wheels a- Rollin' 10/7/2019 – Middle/High School Fall Chorus Concert 10/24/2019-10/26/2019 – High School Fall Play: 10 Ways To Survive The End Of The World and 10 Ways To Survive The Zombie Apocalypse (2 Acts) 11/13/2019 – Lower School Veteran’s Day Program* 12/9/2019 – Middle/High School Chorus Christmas Concert 12/11/2019 – Middle/High School Band Christmas Concert 2/5/2020-2/8/2020 – High School Winter Musical: Tuck Everlasting 4/1/2020-4/3/2020 – High School Spring Play: Sense and Sensibility 4/8/2020 – Middle/High School Visual Arts Show Opening 4/17/2020 – High School Band Spring Concert* 4/21/2020 – High School Chorus Spring Concert* 4/30/2020-5/2/2020 – Middle School Spring Musical: Wizard of Oz 5/7/2020 – Middle School Band Spring Concert 5/11/2020 – Midde School Chorus Spring Concert *indicates events held during the school day

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MIS SIO NS

THE GIFT OF DIGNITY AFTER DESTRUCTION

Over spring break 209 students and 51 faculty members embarked on trips all over the world to various communities to show the love of Christ through service. The destinations ranged from local cities, such as Atlanta and Chattanooga, to international countries including Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic (SCORE and Makarios), Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and an additional group that served in South Africa at the start of summer break.

Some of these trips are Wesleyan staples; locations that welcome our mission teams year after year. Others, like this year’s coed Puerto Rico trip, were brand new. Traveling to Puerto Rico was not the initial plan for this trip.

Missions coordinator, Alex Bufton said, “We had originally planned to go to Nicaragua again, but due to a variety of factors in the country, we decided to make a quick change.

God orchestrated all of the details from the very beginning and it was amazing to see it come together so quickly. God was clearly in control, and He took care of things.”

The Puerto Rico trip partnered with an organization called HOI. Through HOI, the team served alongside a church in Maunabo, Puerto Rico, and a pastor named Pastor Johanna. In 2017, the town of Maunabo was damaged significantly by Hurricane Maria and even more than a year later,

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there was still much work to be done rebuilding and repairing homes. Wesleyan students scraped, painted, and cleaned three local Puerto Rican homes as well as the church buildings. One of the leaders on the trip, 6th grade girls chair and middle school teacher, Laura Siron remarked, “Painting a home may seem like a small task in a bigger picture of rebuilding after a hurricane. However, what we quickly saw was that providing a fresh coat of paint inside and outside a house makes it feel more like home for the family living there. It gives the gift of dignity after destruction.”

Another leader on the trip, middle school math teacher, Jennifer Plunk stated that one of her favorite things to witness on the trip was the community that was formed within their team. Plunk said, “Students eagerly volunteered for jobs that needed doing and then happily talked with whomever they ended up working with.

This is so strikingly different from the typical response of grabbing a friend first and then a job. I overheard so many conversations, ranging from silly to deep, all in an effort to get to know each other better, crossing friend groups and even generations. I watched as this

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PUERTO

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team grew together in a deeper way than I’ve ever experienced, and their courage empowered me to ask deeper questions as well.”

Siron shared that the team’s unanimous desire was for the families they worked with to know that over a year later, their needs have not been forgotten by our Heavenly Father. She said, “He sees them in whatever stage of rebuilding they are in and continues to love and provide. We gave a Bible and a bookmark to the families we worked with that read ‘El Roi. El Dios que me ve.’

Which means ‘The King. The God who sees.’ (This is referencing one of the names of God found in Genesis.) Not only were the homes of locals, Katharine, Sylvia, and Gertrude, transformed but the hearts of each member of our team were transformed as well.”

RICO

The team left with an appreciation for the relationships that were formed and the opportunity to know the person of God through a different and deeper lens. The blessings that the team humbly bestowed upon the people of Puerto Rico were simply a small part of the work that God will continue to do in the beloved city of Maunabo.

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FA C U LT ROBERT ZACHERY HOLMES married ABIGAIL BENNETT JOHNSON on December 22, 2018 in Savannah, GA

years of service

5

10

Top: Jason Erb, Dustin Wolf, Adam Griffin, David Carr, and Justin Krueger. Middle: Stephen Mihalko, Robin Godard, Kelly Weatherly, Jennifer Copeland, and Selvin Bono.

Bottom: Stephanie McDaniel, Lisa Williams, Susannah Smith, Jennifer Russell. Not pictured: Kerri Dobo, Monica Macia, Tracey McIntosh, and Lori Stromie.

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Joseph Tamel, Michael Tablada, and Shannon Loftis.

Not pictured: Katie Wischerth

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George Dudu, Mari Beth King, Ashley Stainback, Shonda Duke, and Steven Broyles. Not pictured: Pam Miller, Pam Smith

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Claire Graham, Donna Dixon, Barbara Lewis, and Eric Damm

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Linda Schutte

TY ISAAC JACOB NESTOR March 11, 2019 | 7lbs 13oz Son of Casey & Sean Nestor

SLOANE WEST KING December 10, 2018 6lbs 14oz | Daughter of Anna & Tyler King '05 Granddaughter of Mari Beth King

weddings + babies

BROOKS MILLIKAN ESPY November 7, 2018 | 7lbs 15oz Son of Stuart and Lauren Espy Grandson of Andrea Shupert

WILSON DWIGHT MOODY

October 12, 2018 8lbs 2oz | Son of Miles and Sarah Kate Moody

TRUDY JOY VAN DER SLUYS

September 28, 2018 | 6lbs 9oz Daughter of Nathan and Lauren Van Der Sluys Granddaughter of Jack Van Der Sluys

AIDEN BASTIAN VAN DER SLUYS

July 11, 2018 | 6lbs 14oz Son of Matthew and Ashlee Van Der Sluys Grandson of Jack Van Der Sluys

THOMAS ALLEN CARTER

March 7, 2019 | 8lbs 0oz Son of Chris and Allison Carter

I N M E M O R I U M Sally Petzke Lower School Teaching Assistant from 1991 - 2005 WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

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FA ANNE JACKSON 1986-2019 DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AT WESLEYAN OVER THE YEARS:

I began teaching the three-day, three-year old program at Wesleyan Day School in 1986. The next year, I moved up to Kindergarten and continued teaching Kindergarten for 13 years, including after the move to Peachtree Corners. In 1999, I began teaching 2nd grade, where I have been ever since. I have served under three heads of school across two campuses, worked with a total of seven principals (saving the best for last), taught with at least 18 different teammates, worked with countless assistants along the way (including our infamous Judy Hughes for nine years), and probably taught somewhere in the neighborhood of about a 1,000 children or more!? Some are grown with families of their own now and a few who even teach here (Scott Schroer and Madison Thomas)! With all honesty, I can say that these have been some of the most memorable and fulfilling years of my life.

I initiated the first Girls Running Club in 2009. This activity was to encourage young girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through exercise. The goal was to promote physical as well as emotional, and spiritual character development. The “club” encompassed nutrition, body image, friendship, feelings, and team work.

The goal was to promote a stronger sense of identity, a greater acceptance of themselves, good eating attitudes/ behaviors, a healthier body image, and an understanding of what it means to be a part of a team. Later, this activity became an after school enrichment program Girls Walk n’ Talk which included young girls who were not necessarily “runners” but were interested in being with friends and participating in fitness activities with similar principles.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN RETIREMENT?

There are so many things I am most excited about; traveling, spending more time with my little grandchildren, June and Grant, moving into a new house closer to family, gardening, kayaking and swimming (since I’ll be 20 minutes from Lake Allatoona), and of course riding my bike…who knows…perhaps even training for my next triathlon!?

CAN YOU SHARE A FAVORITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TIME AT WESLEYAN?

I have so many memories. One special memory was in 2002, when I was honored with the STAR Teacher Award by a former Kindergarten student, Amy Haygood. This distinguished award was usually bestowed upon a high school teacher, so it was quite a surprise to me and others. Amy was an amazing student who remembered being profoundly influenced by learning to read in her first year at Wesleyan. She continued to be an excellent student throughout her years at Wesleyan and has continued to keep in touch!.

"Anne has joyfully served the students and parents of Wesleyan School for 33 years. Her impact and wisdom can never be erased. Anne has the amazing ability to connect and form lasting relationships with her students allowing for a classroom founded on mutual respect and love. Her students always know that she is their biggest cheerleader who truly believes in the potential of each individual student."

Juliette Ball, Second Grade Teacher

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C U LT Y retirees

CLAIRE GRAHAM 1999-2019 DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AT WESLEYAN OVER THE YEARS:

When Wesleyan relocated to Peachtree Corners I was the mother of a first grader. I served on the Capital Campaign, was a room mother, worked on the Gala/Auction committee, and served as co-chair of Moms in Touch which is now Moms in Prayer. This was all prior to twenty years of teaching first grade and serving as Grade Chair for five of those years.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN RETIREMENT?

I gave up a weekday Bible study when I accepted the full-time teaching job. I look forward to starting this again, along with some mentoring. I have a love for interior design, creativity, connecting people, and travel with friends. My friends have been extremely gracious to plan trips around my work calendar so I look forward to the freedom retirement will provide with my schedule.

CAN YOU SHARE A FAVORITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TIME AT WESLEYAN?

I don’t have one best friend or one favorite color so I guess it makes sense that I don’t have one favorite memory. My time at Wesleyan has been filled with co-workers who have enabled me to teach, love, and encourage first graders for twenty years. I loved being at the same school that my son was attending for ten of those years, and knowing the teachers who poured into him with such knowledge, wisdom, and servants' hearts. Having had the trust from the administration and parents to teach precious first graders has truly been an honor as well as a calling. The scripture that is displayed above my desk is from Hebrews 13:20-21. It states: "And now may the God of peace… equip you with all you need for doing His will." God has graciously placed me here in the perfect place for me to serve him. My time here has been an honor as well as a privilege. The people I’ve had the opportunity of knowing, teaching, and serving alongside are gifts beyond measure.

"Claire Graham modeled prayer each day and before parent/teacher conferences. She would tell stories about how the Holy Spirit led her discussions and how important it was to share the positive and not so positive about each of her students. Because she exemplified such deep, authentic faith, I asked her to be my mission trip 'Prayer Buddy.' I was comforted to know God was listening intently to my buddy’s prayers."

Mari Beth King, Director of Admissions

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FA C U LT retirees

PA M M I L L E R 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 1 9 DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AT WESLEYAN OVER THE YEARS:

I have spent the last 15 years working as a teacher assistant in the lower school (12 years working in kindergarten and three years working in Pre-First). I support the teachers I work with by doing anything they need me to do so that they can have a successful day and year.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN RETIREMENT? I’m looking forward to not being on a schedule, resting, and getting well.

CAN YOU SHARE A FAVORITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TIME AT WESLEYAN?

I have many WONDERFUL memories of my years at Wesleyan. This is a broad memory but it is my favorite. The Wesleyan School family is a community of children, faculty, parents, and friends who are some of the nicest, most generous, and supportive friends I have ever met. I will always remember my time at Wesleyan as one of the best, if not the best, time in my life. I have always looked forward to coming to school every day and working in an environment that feeds my soul.

"Working alongside Mrs. Pam Miller has been the biggest blessing. Her positive attitude and perseverance is inspiring. She is a genuine, dedicated, and amazing friend to all the people in her life, and she makes work so much fun with her story telling, great taste in music, and determination to keep it real!

I get to work with my best buddy every day!"

Jamie McNearney, Kindergarten Teacher

R I C H A R D S TA Z 1996-2019 RICHARD'S ROLE AT WESLEYAN OVER THE YEARS:

Richard worked for many years on the facilities staff before moving over to the Fine Arts Department as a Theater Shop Supervisor. Richard spent much of his time building sets for Wesleyan theater performances and doing any construction as needed.

"Richard Staz is the most humble and kind hearted person you will ever meet. He is a model of Christ’s lesson to love others. Regardless of how busy he is, he will drop everything to help someone in need. He is so talented and full of knowledge; though he will never tell you or admit it. Anyone in the school who has had something break knows that Richard will find a solution to fix it. If I ever needed to know how something is done or really SHOULD be done, Richard had the answer. And if I ever had a bad day he was always patient to listen, and he always had a way of teaching me that I should be grateful for the blessings rather than focused on the negatives. I hope he realizes that he has touched many lives through his kindness and love."

Michael Tablada, High School Art Teacher

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JANE WIDNER 20052019 DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AT WESLEYAN OVER THE YEARS:

DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AT WESLEYAN OVER THE YEARS:

ANNETTE PA R K S TUMY 1993-2019

I have provided a safe and caring environment after school for the children and peace of mind for their parents. My goal was always to make after care a fun and happy place.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN RETIREMENT?

I am looking forward to the summer break, a little more traveling, and the beginning of a new adventure.

CAN YOU SHARE A FAVORITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TIME AT WESLEYAN?

I began working for Wesleyan in Sandy Springs at “Little House.” I have loved seeing the growth and changes of our beautiful campus. It makes me so happy when I have a high school student come down to say hello and chat about the days when they were in after care. Another great memory is all of the games! We play a lot of games in after care. Those are some of the best memories with the children. Many years ago I lost in a game of Hangman. I learned that day the correct spelling of the word photo was/is “fowdow”! I have so many stories and so many memories I could fill a book. My husband has said to me over the years when I get home from work, “Tell me a fun story.” And I always had one.

"Annette has served the students of Wesleyan School tirelessly for over 25 years.

Her heart is truly with these children she has seen grow up before her eyes.

Annette was instrumental to the success of our after care program in a time of growth and change. She took the challenging hours of 3:00 pm-6:00pm and made them fun, safe, and comforting to numerous Wesleyan families. We are grateful for her commitment to these children and to Wesleyan for these many years."

Kelly Weatherly, Director of Auxiliary Programs

I started at Wesleyan in 2004 as a long-term substitute teacher in kindergarten. I then worked as a third grade teachers assistant for eight years before moving to first grade where I’ve been for the last six years. I recently came full circle completing another long-term substitute teaching role this past spring with my current first grade class.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN RETIREMENT?

I am excited to travel with my husband and spend more time with family and friends. I also plan to get involved with volunteer work and substitute teach here at Wesleyan.

CAN YOU SHARE A FAVORITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TIME AT WESLEYAN?

I have so many great memories it’s difficult to choose, but I treasured the weekly Lower School Chapel. I loved the tradition of convening first thing each Wednesday morning with the entire Lower School community in prayer and worship. The music, sound of children singing, and closing recital of our alma mater and Psalm 24 was so energizing and uplifting! In Chapel several years ago, the Lower School faculty performed skits for the students to teach core values and Bible stories and I laugh thinking back at the many characters I played! A few of my favorite roles included an angel at heaven’s gate, a secret agent spy, and “Mama Dan,” former Facilities Director Phil Stalvey’s elderly mother. What special memories!

"It has been a joy to work alongside Jane Widner for the past six years! She has been a dedicated and dependable teaching partner to me, and she is the hardest worker I know.

Consistently contributing her creative ideas, she makes learning come alive for the children. She brings intentionality and humor to her relationships with students, and they absolutely adore her!"

Jenna Ramsey, First Grade Chair

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ALUMNI: to submit an announcement for the next magazine, please email snoble@wesleyanschool.org WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

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ALUMNI

EN BEHIND T M E HE H T

SUPERBOWL COMMERCIALS

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LARKI NS

HANCOCK

When Super Bowl LII was played in Atlanta this past February at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, many in the Wesleyan community became familiar with David Andrews ’11 and his success with the New England Patriots. But the Super Bowl is not must-watch television solely because of the game on the field. Many spectators are equally as excited about watching Super Bowl commercials as they are the game itself. Two Wesleyan alumni, Matt Larkins ’05 and Brian Hancock ’05, played large roles within Toyota to create ad spots for the Toyota Supra and RAV4 respectively. We caught up with them both to learn more about their paths to the Super Bowl television screen.

SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR STORY AND HOW YOU ENDED UP AT TOYOTA IN THE POSITION YOU ARE IN NOW. MATT: I graduated from Wesleyan in 2005 and attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.

While at TCU, I evaluated multiple majors including business, politics, and advertising. I graduated in 2009 with an international communications degree with a focus on advertising and public relations.

My professional career has a common thread of an automotive theme. My first job out of TCU was at Moroch, an advertising agency in Dallas.

While there I primarily worked on an automotive service account. Three years later, I had the opportunity to shift to an advertising agency for General Motors. Specifically, I was working on the regional Buick and GMC advertising with our General Motors clients.

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After a couple of years with General Motors business, I decided to go back to school and get my MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business.

However, just before I began the MBA program, Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (the North American Headquarters of Toyota) announced their corporate relocation to the Dallas, TX area from California.

Approximately halfway through my MBA program in 2016, I joined Toyota in the Vehicle Marketing and Communications department.

BRIAN: Wesleyan gave me the educational foundation to succeed in college, which enabled me to get a job in a field I was passionate about. I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a living in high school, but the skills I took from Wesleyan ensured that I could successfully move toward whatever career I ended up choosing.

A few of the primary roles of this department, among many, is to create, manage, strategize, and evaluate all consumer facing marketing communications of any specific vehicle or sub brand. Specifically, the team I work on is responsible for the Tundra truck, the TRD Pro sub brand, and the new Supra sports car.

MATT: When I returned to Wesleyan in 10th grade I had incredible experiences with my friends at Wesleyan. I made friends through the Wesleyan soccer, track and field, and cross country teams. In my junior and senior years, our entire class began to click. Our senior trip to Colorado was a special time for me. It represented the culmination of the hard work of everybody in our class as we prepared to take the next step and go to college.

BRIAN: I graduated from University of Georgia with a degree in marketing in 2009 and started working at an agency in Dallas, TX called The Richards Group. While there, I was a Brand Manager for two years working on the Honey Baked Ham account when I was offered an opportunity from GameStop to manage their national marketing programs launching new video games. After three years with GameStop, I started a job with Toyota managing the national marketing for Tundra, Tacoma, and 4Runner. Two years into that role, I transitioned to work on launching the all-new RAV4.

WHAT INFLUENCE DID WESLEYAN HAVE (IF ANY) ON YOUR CHOICE TO PURSUE ADVERTISING? ON WHO YOU ARE TODAY? MATT: Karen Walker (2nd Grade) and Lauren Papadakis (4th Grade) were two amazing teachers that I had during my time at Wesleyan. They had a profound impact on making my time at Wesleyan a positive experience. During high school, the math curriculum was also great and fed my desire to learn and improve my quantitative skills, which has continued to be important in my job today.

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ARE THERE ANY STORIES FROM YOUR DAYS AT WESLEYAN YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? FAVORITE TEACHERS, COACHES, TIME WITH FRIENDS?

DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING ON A SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL. WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE? HOW DID YOU ACHIEVE THE OPPORTUNITY? MATT: Super Bowl ads typically require some significant news, or they include a message that requires extreme reach, which only the Super Bowl can deliver. One of our major messages this year (2019) is announcing the highly anticipated return of the Toyota Supra.

The responsibility of our department is to create the marketing communications for the Supra, so we had the opportunity to work with an advertising agency to develop the Super Bowl ad.

Being a part of the reintroduction of the Toyota Supra has been very exciting for me.

This was an iconic sports car that had been out of the marketplace for over 20 years.

Knowing all the work that went into creating the marketing plan and how we would go to market with the vehicle later this year, it was a very proud moment for me to see all this work come together in a Super Bowl spot.

MATT'S ROLES IN THE SUPRA COMMERCIAL: • Evaluate the commercial concepts and land on the final concept that set the car in a pinball shot.

• Review and select the production companies and directors that we were going to use for the spot.

• Agree upon the type of style we wanted for the pinball machine (Retro vs. Futuristic).

• Select the color of the car (landed on the Phantom Matte Gray).

• Review, adjust the script.

• Approve story boards and scenes to confirm which shots/scenes we needed to complete the spot.

• Select the location of filming (from a recommended list).

• Go to the filming on location (we filmed in December of 2018). The entire commercial was shot over a few nights so that made for some very long days/nights!

• On set, we reviewed vehicle imagery and how the vehicle looked in the images to make sure that they aligned with our desired angles.

• Once we wrapped, the advertising agency would begin cutting together the spot.

Periodically, they would check in with us to present the progress to make sure that we were on track for the final 60 second spot.

• After a few rounds of review, we landed on the final spot for the Super Bowl.

BRIAN: My role started with creating a marketing strategy, which typically starts 18 months before the vehicle is on sale (in this case, 20 months before the Super Bowl).

We start with a lot of research about the current buyers of the vehicle to understand their needs, driving habits, and perceptions of our product. That allows us to make any adjustments to the product to ensure we’re meeting those needs, and it also allows us to start to build a marketing strategy around the RAV4. Included in a marketing strategy is a messaging communications plan, which defines what we want to say about our vehicle brand and who we want to reach. Once that was set, we decided that a Super Bowl spot was the right way to kick off our advertising campaign. We also produced a wide variety of content such as TV commercials, social media videos, digital content, and radio ads. One of our communication goals was to change the perception of what a Hybrid RAV4 is, so we thought partnering with the first woman to achieve a football scholarship was a great opportunity for the Super Bowl spot.

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ANY ANECDOTAL STORIES FROM THE PRODUCTION OF SUCH A “HIGH PROFILE” COMMERCIAL? BRIAN: More than four years ago, Toyota adopted a cohesive marketing approach, inclusive of multicultural marketing, bringing together its agencies into a total market model called Total Toyota or T2. The Total Toyota team, includes Saatchi & Saatchi, Burrell Communications, Conill Advertising & interTrend, with Zenith placing TV and outdoor media buys.

For this year’s Superbowl, Burrell Communications created and produced Toni’s story, with additional support from both Saatchi & Saatchi and Zenith Media.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU IN YOUR CAREER, IN LIFE? MATT: One of my professional goals was to work for a car company at some point in my career. Now that I have been able to fulfill this goal by working at Toyota, I hope to be able to grow and experience more of the automotive industry. There are many other groups within Toyota that I hope to be able to move into while continuing to progress and grow within Toyota.

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While in Texas, I was very fortunate to have met my wife, Amanda. We have a 19 month old daughter, Linde, who is absolutely amazing! We have settled in Dallas and can picture us living in Dallas for the foreseeable future.

BRIAN: I just accepted a new role within Toyota’s technology company, Toyota Connected, as Senior Manager of Strategy and Business Enablement.

EXCERPT FROM BRIAN'S RAV4 COMMERCIAL PRESS RELEASE The Super Bowl spot, which will appear toward the end of the second quarter, features the 2019 RAV4 HV (XSE HV grade, specifically), a hybrid that will defy expectations and redefine what it means to be a hybrid.

Performance-wise, the 2019 RAV4 HV is truly the nocompromise crossover sport utility vehicle thanks to its enhanced power and acceleration.

“The 2019 RAV4 HV is the vehicle that will shatter perceptions of hybrids, much like how Toni is shattering perceptions of a football player,” said Ed Laukes, group vice president, Toyota Marketing, Toyota Motor North America. “We’re excited to highlight Toni’s inspirational story during the Big Game and remind viewers that assumptions should always be challenged.”

James Samuel Ball

(pictured with big sister, Evie) August 28, 2018 | 8lbs 11oz Son of Sarah & Sam Ball '07

Elizabeth Lanier Edwards

Benjamin Davis Brown

December 14, 2018 | 8lbs 2oz Daughter of Clayton & Emily Jackson Edwards '05

August 1, 2018 | 8lbs 10oz Son of Leland & Sarah Moye Brown '05

John Wilton "Tripp" Hicks, III November 12, 2018 | 8lbs 6oz Son of Morgan & John Hicks, Jr. '01

Cruz Leon Callon

November 21, 2018 | 8lbs 1oz Son of Ben & Nikki Luckhurst Callon '04

Sloane West King

December 10, 2018 6lbs 14oz | Daughter of Anna & Tyler King '05

babies

Caroline Grace Dawson

February 6, 2019 | 7lbs 3oz Daughter of Andrew Dawson '04 & Kristina Mohme Dawson '04

Ryan Lake & Leo Frederick Clark

February 18, 2018 | 5lbs 3oz & 4lbs 1oz Sons of Brad & Elizabeth Koepke Clark '06 WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

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weddin gs

Ross Thomas '11 married Brittney Baumert on October 20, 2018 in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, Georgia. Alumni in attendance included Rebecca Thomas '08, Reed Thomas '17, Aaron Patrick '11, Bobby Struble '11, Katie Vansant '10, and Matt Cole (former faculty).

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Megan Tribble '04 married Omar Hakim on July 5, 2018 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Alumni in attendance included Kat Turner Hoffman '04, Mary Stephenson '04 (Faculty), and Holly Stewart Boever '04. Omar is also a Georgia native. They currently live in Washington, D.C. where Megan is an ESL teacher for D.C. Public Schools, and Omar is a Legal Vice President at MidCap Financial.

Webb Worthington '05 married Georgia Davis

The couple wed on February 9, 2019 in Alys Beach, Florida. Alumni in attendance included Bobby Worthington '09, Will Worthington '09, Matt Karempelis '08, Emily Worthington Karempelis '08, Amanda Meng '04, Tyler King '05, Mark Goshdigian '05, Lauren Olson Nilan '05, Taylor Nilan '05, Maggie Worthington Lawrence '06, Carter Brunelle '05, Crystal Cross '05, and Linda McElwaney (Faculty).

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Ali Watt Chapas '06 married Shaun Chapas

The couple wed on July 7, 2018 at The Stave Room in Atlanta, Georgia. Alumni in the wedding party included maid of honor, Ashley Watt Beam '03, Kelly Hall Stafford '07, Carolyn Whitney '06, Elise Whitney Steelman '06, Nikki Luckhurst Callon '04, and Kat Owen Plagman '06 . In attendance were, Michael Beam '99, Chad Hall '04, Meghan Breslin Sawyer '06, Trent Sawyer '04, Callen Boggs '06, Kristie Arnold Connor '06, Rachel Zimmerman Davis '07, Brad Zimmerman (former student), and Jenny Hall Winter '02.

Emily Cowart Woodruff '12 married Frazier Woodruff on November 10, 2018 at Neverland Farms in Cleveland, Georgia. Alumni in the wedding party included maid of honor, Mary-Sanford Anheuser '12, Marcela Guerra '12, Jenna McConnico '12, Sarah Beth Cowart '06, Grace Cowart Brown '10, Mary Cowart '16, Daniel Cowart '05, James Cowart '08, Luke Cowart '14, Annie Cowart (12th) and Waverly Cowart (Faculty). Emily was escorted down the aisle by her father, Dan Cowart, Wesleyan Board Member. The wedding was officiated by Davis Brown '10. In attendance were Catherine Cropper '12, Kristin Davis '12, Kennington Groff '10, Alex Raabe '12, Zander Yost '12, Meagan Brooker (faculty), and Tally Sanders (former faculty).

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Scotty Vanderlip '07 married Lacie Normandy on August 18, 2018 in Roswell, Georgia. Alumni in attendance included brother of the groom, Drew Vanderlip '04 (best man), Jon Depiano '06, Madeline Depiano '08, Eric Karaszewski '04.

Kat Turner Hoffman '04 married Nick Hoffman on October 20, 2018. Mary Stephenson '04 (faculty), Becky Abrams '04, Holly Stewart Boever '04, Megan Tribble Hakim '04, and Nichole Dixon (former faculty) were in the wedding party. Other Wesleyan attendees included Eddie Turner '01, Amanda Meng '04, Sarah Tullis Nawrocki ‘04, Jake Dale ‘04, and Callie Wilson Mahaffey ‘04.

Taylor Panther Cummins '15 married Tim Cummins

The couple wed on December 16, 2018 at Little River Farms in Milton, Georgia. The wedding party included Lindsay Panther Brooks ’13 (matron of honor), Eric Panther ’17 (groomsmen and ceremony music), Ella Dekreek (5th) and Emery Dekreek (3rd) (junior bridesmaids), and Callie Weaver (12th) (ceremony music). Those in attendance included Davis Brooks ’12, Crawford Brooks ’13, Kayla Pierce ’15, Regan Lochmandy ’15, Ryan Davis ’15, Hope Morgan ’15, Katie McLaughlin (former student), Kylie Reed ’16, Ryan Hughes ’16, as well as faculty members, Chris Cleveland, Jason Scheer, Chris Yoder, Rich Billing, Guillermo Vallejo, Megan Trotter, Stephanie McDaniel, Amanda Cheatwood, and Meg Brooks.

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class notes Laura Weathers Miller '02 has been

living in the Washington, D.C. area for 13 years and met her husband, Barry, in 2009. They have 5 year old identical twin girls, Charlotte and Blythe, and a two and a half year old son, Colin. Laura is an OBGYN Registered Nurse and her husband works for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Her best friend from Wesleyan, Caroline Kramer '02, lives in the area as well and is the godmother to Laura and Barry's children.

Sarah Meng '02 is a licensed professional counselor working in the counseling center at Georgia State University.

On February 8th, David Joyner '05 was awarded a Regents' Teaching Excellence Award by the University System of Georgia. The award is the highest teaching honor given to college professors and instructors in the state. The award was presented by Sarah-Elizabeth Reed, the former first lady of Atlanta, and the event was attended

by Governor Brian Kemp and former first lady of Georgia, Sandra Deal, as well as the Presidents of most colleges in the state.

Nils Daniel Roed '06 was recently

promoted to Captain at United Airlines (on the Boeing 737). Up until now, he has been flying the Boeing 767 internationally as a First Officer and has been employed with United for the past 6 years. This achievement makes Nils currently one of the youngest captains at United Airlines, one of the largest airlines in the world.

Jeannie Kinnett DeLoach '08, her husband, and

their dog moved from NYC to San Francisco last summer. When they moved, Jeannie got a new job as a User Experience Researcher at Google. She has been enjoying the opportunity to catch up with Lindsay Bever Breithaupt ‘08 and Colleen Horne ‘07, both of whom also live in San Francisco!

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Daniel Cardwell '10 celebrated

one year of business with his father, Eric Cardwell at Farmers Insurance: The Cardwell Agency in Marietta.

Dr. Megan Coole '10 graduated cum laude from Auburn University’s Harrison School of Pharmacy with a PharmD degree.

Holly Boyd '11 is well established in her

career as a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in Atlanta. It is Holly's personal commitment to go beyond the call of duty for all of her clients. She loves being able to welcome each and every one of her clients to their dream home!

Darby Coxhead '12 and Katie Williams '12 are

trying to visit as many national parks as possible before the age of 30. Their love of camping and hiking started with the Wesleyan Outdoors Club (WOC) during high school, and since then they have visited 11 different parks. They take annual trips to check the parks off their bucket list.

Hannah Duane '12 returned to her alma mater, Wake Forest University, in October 2018

as a project coordinator in University Advancement. She is working on a project known as "Call to Conversation," which is a movement to build a stronger community among alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and students and to ultimately create a culture of more meaningful conversation.

In July, Meagan Hall Ellerman '12 started a new job at her alma mater, Samford University. She works in the Office of Admission and serves as the Special Events Coordinator and Birmingham Recruiter. Meagan especially enjoys getting to talk to Wesleyan students who are interested in Samford and come to tour the campus!

Katie Williams '12 has transformed what started as a

creative outlet for friends and family into a small flag business. The first flags were hand sewn and painted on the hardwood floor of her kitchen. As the requests starting piling up (and the trips to the fabric store became more frequent), Banderas was born. Now, all flags are hand sewn individually and screen printed locally in Atlanta!

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Christian Stark '15 attended the 2019 New York Athletic Club Samford University Alumni Event. Current Wesleyan 6th grade student, Jack McNeil's grandfather, Tom Caradine, is one of the Chaplains for Samford and invited Jack and Bo Powell (6th) as guests of the University.

Christian spent time talking to the boys about his amazing Wesleyan experience.

Beck Coxhead '16 is a social work major with a human services minor at the University of Georgia. While in Athens, she also serves as a YoungLife leader at Athens Academy where she gets to invest in the lives of local high school students. She has been the assistant cross country coach for Athens Academy the past two years and has been back to Wesleyan for meets many times.

Eric Panther '17 became an Ironman on November 18, 2018 in Cozumel, Mexico. Eric, the youngest male participant, placed 3rd in his age group.

circle of honor

ATHLETIC CIRCLE OF HONOR: Chris Duvall '10, Katie Frerking '13, Holli Wilkins '12, and Bob Worthington (Community Coach).

FINE ARTS CIRCLE OF HONOR: Angela Whited Petit '10 WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

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CLASS OF 2017

Morgan Keller ‘17 is currently a student at Georgia Tech. She is pursuing a degree and career in the biomaterials industry that was inspired by her time at Wesleyan, and the recovery from an injury she sustained several years ago. Keller tells us more about her story below.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING NOW. I am currently in my second year at Georgia Tech, studying Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) with a concentration in Biomaterials. I am involved in several organizations, two of which relate to materials science - our MSE mentoring program as well as the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineers.

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WHAT ROLE, IF ANY, DID WESLEYAN PLAY IN YOUR CURRENT PURSUITS? At Wesleyan, I was able to explore science and discover my passion for chemistry. I believe Wesleyan played a pivotal role in empowering me to pursue my studies at Georgia Tech. There are too many people to name, but every teacher, coach, Bible study leader, and mission trip leader was a mentor to me. These faculty members not only pushed me to new heights, but they led with love and exemplified what working through faith truly looks like.

Because of the devoted faculty at Wesleyan, I had the drive and confidence to focus on my dream school, Georgia Tech, and my love for materials science and engineering.

FAVORITE MOMENTS IN THE WESLEYAN SCIENCE DEPARTMENT? I absolutely loved spending time in the Wesleyan science labs for classes like biology, physics, and chemistry. Each time I applied my course knowledge to a tangible realworld setting, my passion for STEM grew even more. I specifically remember enjoying a project in AP Chemistry in which we identified unknown substances by a series of experiments. It was a blast!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR INJURY AND RECOVERY. I first knew something was off over five years ago when I played volleyball at Wesleyan in the fall of my freshman year. Originally, we had no idea it was a herniated disc, so I continued to play on it and the pain eventually became unbearable. Once I had an MRI, we discovered the herniation in my L5/S1 lumbar disc. I attempted to play again the following year, but my back pain continued to worsen. For over four years, I tried every non-invasive treatment I could. I tried physical therapy, electric stimulation therapy, and various lumbar steroid injections, but my pain continued to dictate my day-to-day life. After many years of searching for the right doctors and treatments, I finally was able to see a surgeon at Emory who had a passion for tackling strange cases like mine. This past summer, I was finally able to have anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) surgery. I am ecstatic to say that ever since the bone was successfully fused, I don’t have anymore pain from my disc and have started returning to being active through physical therapy!

HOW HAS THIS JOURNEY OF TREATMENT IMPACTED OR INSPIRED YOU? As I continued to learn more about the medical industry and my condition specifically, I witnessed firsthand that there is so much work still to be done in our world to improve medical treatment.

I was absolutely fascinated by the science of the available treatments and technology, and I loved learning more about anatomy and the fascinating complications of my condition from my

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doctors. My eyes were opened to the infinite possibilities of materials science and how every piece of technology in our world is currently limited by the materials we have at our fingertips. We continually need materials with increasing strength and durability to use in the body. My surgery was only possible due to the engineering of various materials to build the fusion cage implant such as titanium and various polymers.

When we improve the materials used in science and technology, specifically in the medical industry, the possibilities are endless!

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE THROUGH RESEARCHING BIOMATERIALS? My goal is to create longer-lasting materials that can withstand time in the body, so that more people like myself can have sustainable treatment options and a higher quality of life. This summer, I am lucky enough to be working as a research assistant at Georgia Tech in a materials science and engineering high strain rate lab where I'm researching how to use quantum dots to image materials.

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WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO A CURRENT WESLEYAN STUDENT WHO IS TRYING TO FIND WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE? I believe that students don’t often know what their possible interests could be unless they give it a try.

If I didn’t take AP Chemistry at Wesleyan, despite hearing the course was very difficult, I may not be pursuing a career in biomaterials.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST IN THE CLASSROOM? I believe students find more value in learning when they realize how that knowledge has the power to impact our world. I absolutely loved when my science and math teachers took extra time to explain the real-world applications of the concepts, such as learning about environmental issues in chemistry or how geometry appears in nature.

Alumni Events

A LUM NI

PARTY

The second annual alumni Christmas Party was a huge success! We had over 300 alumni, parents of alumni, and Wesleyan faculty join us at Monday Night Brewing's Garage on Sunday, December 16th to celebrate "Christmas Vacation" style. Over 20 years of alumni and beloved faculty enjoyed an evening full of friends, food, and Christmas cheer. Thanks to Candler Baxley and Chad McDaniel for being this year’s spokesmodels and to everyone who attended for making it a wonderful occasion. See y’all next year...can’t wait to find out what the theme will be!

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ROA D S HO WS

This fall the Alumni Office gathered some faculty and hit the road to visit some of our favorite college alumni! Our UGA alumni took over Alan Pope ’04’s restaurant, The Place, in Athens. We treated our AUBURN alumni to BBQ at Moe’s and entertained SAMFORD alumni and Birmingham area alumni at Soho Social in Homewood. There is nothing like bringing Wesleyan family love to our recent graduates. Where should we go next year?

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WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

On April 6, 2019 alumni with small children were invited to campus to join us for the 2nd Annual Wesleyan Alumni and Family Easter Egg Hunt. Over 600 colorful eggs filled with Easter cheer for little hands to discover, covered Wesleyan’s quad. The Easter Bunny kicked off the event and stayed for hugs and pictures. Lower school teachers Laura Scheer, Paige Glass, and Laura Jensen, led crafts for the children. High school art teacher, Meagan Brooker, hosted a family photo booth to capture all the memories. Alumni spent time catching up with old friends and letting their children enjoy the beauty of Wesleyan’s campus.

Several of our current middle school students volunteered to play with children, assist with crafts, and make sure everyone had a wonderful time. If you are a parent or grandparent of a little wolf, we hope to see you next year!

T O U R NAM E NT

On December 19th, 30+ players on nine highlyesteemed teams gathered for the prestigious and annual alumni 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Yancey Gymnasium.

Legendary squads with names ranging from Teachin' Lessons, Stockton Stuffers, Dean's Disciples, Pero Antic, Beat Army, Big Baller Brand, and TTC participated in round robin play and then a singleelimination tournament.

Big Girls Don't Kawhi won a thrilling victory over Team Frerking.

Congratulations to Brittany Stevens '13, Michael Cornelius '08, Cedric Lynch '16, Grace Leah Baughn '11, and Jahmai Jones '15 on being this year's champions. Thanks to all the participants this year for making it such a fun Wesleyan evening together!

Special thanks to Blake Bowen '04 for running the clock and designing the tournament bracket.

We look forward to seeing everyone again next2019 year. | SPRING 73 WESLEYAN SCHOOL MAGAZINE

EASTER EG G HU N T

B A S K ETB A LL

WESLEYAN SCHOOL

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID NORCROSS, GA PERMIT NO. 130

Office of Communications 5405 Spalding Drive Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 (770) 448-7640

Parents of Alumni: If this issue is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, or if you would like to add a Class Note to the next magazine, please notify the Alumni Office (Shelley Noble 678-223-2280 or snoble@wesleyanschool.org) or submit via www.wesleyanschool.org/alumniupdates.

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