The magazine for friends & family | Spring 2016
A Class Gift
for Classes to Come
Statement of Philosophy Trinity School is an independent co-educational school serving preschool and elementary age children. Founded in 1951 by Trinity Presbyterian Church and grounded in the ethical framework of the Christian faith and its Jewish heritage, Trinity accepts children of diverse backgrounds and provides experiences that foster mutual respect, trust, and cooperation among students, faculty, and parents.
Mission Statement The mission of Trinity School is to create a community of learners in which each child can acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to achieve his or her unique potential and become a responsible, productive, and compassionate member of the expanding global community.
Non-Discriminatory Statement The School does not discriminate based on race, color, gender, religion or creed, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or family composition in the administration of our admission and educational policies, in the extension of financial aid, or other school administered programs.
Flourish Magazine is published bi-annually and mailed free of charge to students, parents, faculty, alumni, grandparents, and friends of Trinity School. For more information about Trinity, please call 404.231.8100 or visit our website at trinityatl.org.
Contents
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LEADING THE WAY Early Elementary Division Head Rhonda Mitchell announces exciting changes for Trinity’s youngest learners for the 2016-17 school year.
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A CLASS GIFT FOR CLASSES TO COME The Class of 2015 leaves behind a special gift and a challenge for Trinity students.
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DESIGN THINKING Trinity Teachers participate in the Atlanta K-12 Design Challenge, and facilitate Design Thinking throughout the Trinity community.
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THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AND COUNTING! Spotlight on Art celebrates its 35th Anniversary in style.
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THE BONDS OF BROTHERHOOD Blake and Tyler Gilikin ’10 reflect on their successes on and off the football field.
EDITOR Liz Ball
ASSOCIATE EDITORS Margaret Douglas Katie Rosengren
ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Ridge Creative, Inc.
CONTRIBUTERS Liz Ball Thomas Benefield
Maryellen Berry Sarah Bristow Nina Chamberlain Erin Collini Jill Gough Sarah Hanzman Marsha Harris Kevin Howard Joe Marshall Becky Maas Rhonda Mitchell
Kato Nims Brooke Ovorus Khette Plyler Lauren Rose Alice Trahant
PHOTOGRAPHERS Billy Howard Paul Ward
Help Trinity flourish with the gift of a lifetime. As a founder of Trinity School, Reverend Allison Williams helped guide the School’s vision of providing a challenging academic program for elementary students in a nurturing environment that fostered mutual respect, trust, and cooperation among students, faculty, and parents. Allison’s vision of Trinity is an inspiration, encouraging each of us to follow in his footsteps and create our own legacy. Members of the Allison Williams Legacy Society invest in the future of Trinity by making a gift with the School as a named beneficiary. This special form of financial support helps ensure that Trinity School can offer a rich educational experience to students for generations to come. For more information about how you can become a member of the Allison Williams Legacy Society, contact Alison Short, Director of Major Gifts, at 404.760.4407 or ashort@trinityatl.org. Additional information can also be found on Trinity’s Planned Giving website: http://trinityatl.plannedgiving.org.
ethos of being forward thinking and innovative. Our faculty discussions around enhancement of our program built upon this strong foundation as we strive to become an even more exemplary school committed to the needs of elementary school students and reflective of changing societal needs.
Trinity is accredited by SAIS (Southern Association of Independent Schools). The five-year accreditation cycle contains a number of criteria, including evidence of compliance to SAIS membership qualities and of continuous program enhancement. The culmination of the SAIS accreditation cycle is an evaluation team visit and written report with commendations and recommendations. Trinity then provides biannually a written explanation of its implementation of accreditation report recommendations. If that sounds daunting, it’s really not. As SAIS explains in its Accreditation Guide, “Accreditation allows each school to tell its story, to set its goals, and to be independent, while still fulfilling the stringent and focused compliance requirements of our process. SAIS accreditation focuses on each school and its efforts to fulfill its unique mission.” Having been in independent school education for thirty-five years at four schools with different accrediting organizations, I have always found the accreditation process valuable and beneficial to schools, particularly, affording a school the time to take stock of what it does well and what it plans to focus on to become an even better school. As we embarked on this SAIS accreditation cycle, it was evident how outstanding Trinity already is: a proud and successful history, ample resources, constituent congruence, enthusiasm, and a cultural
Accreditation really began last year when the Board of Trustees developed and approved a new Strategic Plan, which focused on how finances and operations over the next five years will support our ongoing program enhancements. This year, faculty focused on answering the following questions from SAIS: where is Trinity today, where is the school going, and how will it get there. Faculty began by discussing the following overarching question: As we build our students’ academic and character foundation to flourish in school and life, how are we also cherishing their childhood, empowering them in their learning, and deepening their educational experience? As they answered this question, faculty brainstormed an exhaustive list of strengths (i.e., where is Trinity today?). A few highlights were deep commitment to well-rounded education; systems and structures that offer opportunities to develop character (and study skills); classroom, grade-level, divisional, and all-school child-centered ‘rites of passage’; commitment to the uniqueness of each student (versus a one-size fits all model); opportunities for students to think and demonstrate critical and creative thinking; emphasis on a variety of instructional techniques, particularly problem-based learning and cooperative learning; student leadership and reflection opportunities (e.g., student-led conferences and My Learning Digital Portfolios). After identifying and celebrating our program strengths, faculty then looked at what areas we need to devote more time and attention to over the next five years.
What emerged as most critical is to ensure optimal balance in three principal areas: • high expectations of the content we teach and the feedback on and assessment of learning with individual student needs. • a growth-mindset approach to developmentally-appropriate behavior with accountability. • essential knowledge acquisition with experiences, events, and school traditions. These three areas focus on how teachers individually and the School as a whole must remain cognizant of finding the appropriate balance between the more traditional and the more progressive, and continuously adjust as needed. As Trinity places itself roughly in the middle of the traditional/progressive continuum, it follows that our ‘ongoing enhancement’ focuses on ensuring ‘appropriate balance’ in the above areas. Particularly as an elementary school, Trinity has the important goal of developing basic student academic and character foundational skills, attitudes, and habits, while also building upon the natural curiosity students bring to school in their first years and fostering lifelong enthusiasm toward learning. Just as Trinity strives to find the optimal balance in these three areas within its curriculum, so must our teachers in the countless classroom choices and decisions they make daily. Most satisfying to me as Head of School in SAIS accreditation is the support of process. The discussions faculty have had this year about Trinity’s program and instructional techniques and areas we need to give more overt attention to over the next few years have helped us be clearer as a school about where we currently are and where we are going!
Joseph P. Marshall Head of School
Early Elementary Division Program Changes
Leading the Way
By: Rhonda Mitchell, Early Elementary Division Head
Trinity’s early elementary division has long been well regarded for maintaining the elements of a high-quality early childhood program, including excellent teachers, abundant resources, and developmentallyappropriate curriculum that aligns with and supports the elementary years. In keeping with the forward-looking practices that have allowed Trinity to remain a leader across the education community, we are excited to incorporate some changes to the Early Learners (formerly known as the Threes) and Pre-Kindergarten Programs for the 2016-17 school year. The most salient of these changes is the extension in length of day to 12:30 PM for Early Learners and 2 PM for PreKindergarten. This expansion of the school day for Trinity’s youngest learners
reflects the value we place on a range of knowledge and skills, including rich learning experiences in world languages, science, art, music, and physical education as well as in the core subjects of literacy and math. Extending the day will allow us to continue providing an unmatched array of learning opportunities, while granting the time needed to truly develop a depth of knowledge and skill that is only possible with a consistent, less concentrated schedule. A defining characteristic of any early childhood education program is how it balances play-based learning and robust academic preparation. While some programs choose just one or the other, Trinity believes in a balance of play and preparation. The two approaches
are not mutually exclusive, and are in fact intimately linked in the process of developing a child’s fullest potential. The key to creating a program that is both joyful and productive is a deep understanding of children, a clear vision of learning goals, and the ability to employ a variety of methods. Trinity teachers know the children in their care and orchestrate learning experiences that form a well of essential knowledge, skills, habits, and attitudes from which children will draw upon throughout school and life. Such a holistic view of development and learning is a hallmark of Trinity School and is cherished by faculty who understand the rare opportunity to teach from that perspective.
DESCRIPTION
EXAMPLES
FREE PLAY
Child-directed exploration and discovery that builds independence, creativity, and problem-solving skills
• Classroom free choice before the start of the school day
Play-based or projectbased learning experiences embedded with specific learning objectives in which students may have some level of input and/or choice; a form of experiential learning that develops content, skills, and independent thinking
• Building with blocks while working together to notice the shapes that are constructed and deconstructed
Teacher-led, targeted instruction in a whole group, small group, or one-on-one structure; important to discrete skill development
• Small group mini lesson in letter formation
Students work independently to solidify previously taught concepts or skills; provides opportunities to integrate and/or apply skills
• Learning centers with letters, math, or fine motor activities
GUIDED PLAY
DIRECT INSTRUCTION
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
For more than sixty years, since the School’s founding as Trinity Nursery School in 1951, Trinity has been a pillar in the Atlanta community. From its beginnings, the School has worked to remain at the forefront of independent school education and to meet the needs of the community by providing an outstanding and evolving early childhood and elementary program. Along the way, the School grew to include a Seventh Grade; acted as pioneer during the Civil Rights Movement by becoming the first independent school in Georgia to integrate its student body; and carefully chose to discontinue both the Two-YearOlds and Seventh Grade programs as the Atlanta educational landscape changed. Always grounded in its convictions, Trinity has led change when change was needed.
• Recess
SCHOOL NEWS
TEACHING METHOD
• Researching then pretending to be an animal living through winter in order to learn about hibernation
• Interactive read aloud focusing on rhyming words
• Journal writing/drawing to tell a story
As with all significant changes at Trinity, the School’s leadership and Trustees are committed to ensuring that the essence of the Trinity community remains the same. Trinity School continues to be a leader in early childhood and elementary education, providing programming that is joyful and robust, rich and deep. We believe the changes designed for the Early Learning and Pre-K programs will not only better meet the needs of our youngest learners at Trinity, but they will influence the educational landscape of the broader community, just as the School has for decades.
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STUDENTS
A Class Gift for Classes to Come By: Maryellen Berry, Upper Elementary Division Head
Each year, the Sixth Grade Leadership Class earns money at the Fall Festival and Kids’ Night Out. The proceeds earned at these two events fund an end-of-year gift for the School. As I met with the Class of 2015 last spring to discuss potential gift opportunities and to listen to their thoughts about what the School needs, their thoughtful ideas flowed. Houston Alford ‘15 presented a unique and interesting idea to his peers. He mentioned how much his class loved River Kids in Fifth Grade and how the area in Discovery Woods used for the River Kids program needed updating. It was suggested that this year’s Fifth Grade could design a space in the woods with the help of the Class of 2015’s gift. The vision of the Class of 2015 launched an exciting venture for this year’s Fifth Graders. The project began early in the fall of 2015. Science teacher Becky Maas and math teacher Vicky Eyles used their SMATH (science and math) class time to work on the project with Fifth Graders. Together they led students in design thinking opportunities that incorporate math and science. Designing a learning space for Discovery Woods and Trinity Creek created the perfect platform for engaging work for the students.
Empathy is the first stage of design
thinking. One must know and understand what people want and need before launching into a design. So, for the first session of the class, the SMATH teachers asked Huston Alford from the Class of 2015 to visit the current Fifth Graders and share what he and his classmates envisioned for this space.
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Equipped with this knowledge,
Fifth Graders formed two groups comprised of those who would make decisions to use the space and those who would learn in the space. After brainstorming questions, one group interviewed students about what they would want in Discovery Woods. The results were interesting to say the least, and even included the desire to ride a wolf in the space! The second group created a survey to give to teachers to determine reasons why they currently use Discovery Woods and the impediments to its use. The students learned that faculty wished there was a place to have an academic class in the woods. There was also significant interest in a play place and ‘tools’ to use such as nets, magnifying glasses, and measuring tapes.
Identifying potential sites became
the next task in the process. Students walked to Discovery Woods and looked for a space large enough for a classroom of children and teachers – a minimum size of 15x17 feet. The potential sites were marked and measured. Another trip to the sites was needed to identify the positive and negative components of each potential space. Back in the classroom, each person listed one pro and one con for each of the four sites. After thorough analysis of the feedback, a site was selected.
STUDENTS
The design process
continued as groups were formed, representing the outdoor classroom, the playscape, and the bridge to connect the two areas. Each group sketched and fashioned a model of their design. After several weeks, the students were ready to share their presentations with administrators who served as judges. Listening to the presentations, one could hear passion for their ideas, their thoughtfulness as they incorporated natural elements into their designs, and the desire to create something meaningful. Some groups designed flexible storage, some had researched costs of materials, and others had created playful elements sure to entice student interest.
Projects like this empower learners in myriad ways. The process of designing a Discovery Center for learning, a playscape, and a fun bridge to connect the new spaces results in a rich opportunity that incorporates the ideas of students and provides them with a multitude of opportunities to make decisions. Giving students voice and choice is a hallmark of a Trinity School education. The new spaces are in their infancy of development, but with continued thoughtful planning, the Class Gift of 2015 will enable classes well into the future to learn in beautiful spaces designed by students for students.
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FACULTY
Design Thinking By: Trinity School’s Atlanta K-12 Design Challenge Team
AK12DC Members: Thomas Benefield (Fifth Grade Lead Teacher), Nina Chamberlain (Art Teacher), Erin Collini (Pre-K Lead Teacher), Jill Gough (Director of Teaching and Learning), Marsha Harris (Director of Curriculum), Kevin Howard (Engineering Specialist), Becky Maas (Science Teacher), Kato Nims (Fourth Grade Lead Teacher), Lauren Rose (Science Teacher)
Solving Real Problems for Real People! How do we teach our students to take risks and go after authentic, wicked problems? Innovation is KEY! At Trinity, we are teaching our students to solve problems in our immediate community and around the world through a human-centered approach called Design Thinking. The premise of Design Thinking is to build empathy around our target users by learning about them and their needs. Students begin to understand the art of questioning and collaborate with one another to brainstorm possible prototypes that will solve authentic problems. This aligns with our mission of inquiry-based problem solving and collaborative learning.
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This year, we have formed a team of seven teachers to participate in the Atlanta K-12 Design Challenge (AK12DC). Through this challenge, Trinity has partnered with a group of Atlanta public and private schools to find solutions to problems that are happening in education. Member teams offer feedback to one another and work as a larger community so that we begin to see impact in our work and growth in our students.
A core concept of Design Thinking is that we “Fail hard and fail fast!” Design thinking helps us iterate over and over again so that we can get closer to the solution. We know that innovation isn’t linear. It is a journey, and it is absolutely
messy! How do we allow students and teachers to be alright with this? Through hard work! Design thinking is happening throughout Trinity’s campus. In the iHub, students are designing prototypes of playground equipment to solve problems for obesity. In the Science Lab, students are designing toys from recycled materials and creating enclosures to keep the turtles from escaping from their tank. Fourth Graders have incorporated design thinking in literacy and created a pen in the woods for Shiloh. Our Pre-K students have even used design thinking in their hunt for the Gingerbread Man! All over Trinity, students are asking questions, prototyping, ideating, failing, and asking more questions!
FACULTY
Our official Atlanta K-12 Design Challenge is beginning to take shape, and our students and teachers are thinking through the needs of our community. We are perfecting the art of asking questions to get to the root of problems. This is truly HUMAN-centered problem solving at its finest!
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FACULTY
Teachers
By: Sarah Bristow (First Grade Lead Teacher), Sarah Hanzman (Second Grade Lead Teacher), and Brooke Ovorus (Fourth Grade Lead Teacher)
Take Over! As teachers, we encourage our students to become lifelong learners and to embrace the knowledge that is readily available to them. Through our life experiences, we celebrate the joy of acquiring knowledge from the world around us, and we remind students that learning is an incredible adventure. This year, the Think Tank Committee devised a new initiative for our talented faculty called “Teacher Takeover.� The program provides Trinity teachers with opportunities to share personal interests
and firsthand experiences with students in classes and grades with which they do not typically interact. The program has enabled students to make new connections and become more familiar with our community’s talented faculty. Most importantly, the program provides a new perspective for students to consider. Teachers are also learners in the school of life, and students embrace the notion that learning is not limited to reading from textbooks and classroom projects and activities.
First Grade Teacher Sarah Bristow shared her passion for yoga and mindfulness with Kindergarten students by teaching them yoga poses and breathing techniques to calm their bodies and minds throughout the school day.
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The Teacher Takeover Program enables students and teachers to delve into learning in ways that are distinct and memorable. Educators recognize the significance of making real-life connections and keeping students actively engaged. Teachers draw from their learning experiences and educate students through personal experiences. In return, students explore and obtain knowledge from experts. This knowledge serves as inspiration and encouragement for students to embrace new understandings about the world around them.
In conjunction with Miss Elise and Miss Jennifer’s Kindergarten class’ study of France, UED Art Teacher Pat Kerner shared her experience of building a medieval castle at Guedelon in the Burgundy area of France by using only tools and building techniques from the Thirteenth Century.
FACULTY
EED Science teacher Lauren Rose adopted Fifth Grade Teacher Laura McRae’s class for a science investigation.
Second Grade teacher Kerry Coote led First Grade students through an exciting activity in which they used used pentominoes (geometric figures joined by five squares) to build Georgia skyscrapers, which they had learned about while studying the Piedmont region of Georgia. P.E. Teacher Brian Balocki spent time with First Grade discussing (and demonstrating!) his passion for cycling. He turned some heads when he rolled both his road and mountain bikes into the classroom!
Fifth Grade Teacher Thomas Benefield shared his love of live music with First Graders.
Second Grade Teacher Sarah Hanzman visited both First Grade and World Languages to teach students about dance rhythms around the world. One of the many perks of being a First Grade Teacher invited to go on the Sixth Grade trip to the Georgia Coast is coming home and sharing all you have learned with your own class. First Graders spent the fall semester delving deep into a Social Studies unit all about Georgia, so Mr. Pileggi was well received when he came home with photos, artifacts, and personal narrative of his recent experience.
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An Intentional Approach to the Accreditation Process FACULTY
By: Jill Gough, Director of Teaching and Learning
The reaccreditation process is an ongoing responsibility of any independent school. And while it is an important exercise for a school community, it can often seem daunting at the outset. Trinity began the self-study phase of our reaccreditation with the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) this fall. But instead of facing this large task ahead of us with apprehension, our Academic Leadership Team and faculty chose to take advantage of the opportunity and do what our community does best – collaborate, reflect, and learn from one another’s perspectives. While this approach may not have been as efficient as parsing out the various elements of the study and then weaving our findings together into one large report, it has proved to cultivate powerful and invaluable discoveries into who we are as a school and what we are trying to
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accomplish on behalf of the students and families we serve. Our weekly faculty meetings proved to be an ideal setting for much of our self-study work, and ensured that every faculty member’s expertise and perspective was taken into account. We began this fall by answering the following questions from SAIS: 1. Where is Trinity today? 2. Where is the school going? 3. How will it get there? These questions are intentionally broad in scope and the faculty worked to find a way to focus each one through the lens of our school’s mission and teaching philosophy. We came up with an overarching question that helped to put our responses into meaningful perspective:
As we build our students’ academic and character foundation to flourish in school and life, how are we also cherishing their childhood, empowering them in their learning, and deepening their educational experience? Throughout the fall, faculty met to discuss these questions and create extensive lists of strengths and opportunities for growth. Our overarching question helped us to take into consideration the child-like innocence, curiosity, and creativity of our learners at every age. We grappled with how to have balance between learning to play and playing to learn. Teams worked to find additional common ground and share our differences as we deepened our understanding of what it means to build upon the academic and character foundations of our students.
celebrations of the 100th and 101st days of school all the way to the commerce and social entrepreneurship of Spotlight on Art.
common language about our goals, strategies, and hopes for our young learners.
Our faculty commits to plan, set goals, and take action concerning academic and character foundation building, cherishing childhood, empowering children, and deepening learning. We believe that we must meet every child where they are developmentally and help them grow just as we meet and help each other.
I have learned much from my colleagues and teammates through this process and have been amazed with the engagement of all members of our community as we roll up our sleeves and do the hard, reflective work to set new goals and learning trajectories for our entire community.
FACULTY
We looked at the Trinity experience from myriad perspectives, across grade levels and departments and through the various subject matters. What made sense for our youngest learners sometimes seemed out of place for our Leadership Class. However, in working together, we learned that our hopes and dreams are not very different, but the process varies appropriately with the age of our learners. For example, we cherish childhood in many ways. What looks like play for our Early Learners, sets a foundation for cooperative learning and social skills that are a hallmark of our Sixth Grade Leadership Class. How often do we notice and name how the Nursery Rhyme Parade connects to Reader’s and Writer’s Workshops and a love of presenting one’s knowledge in a public venue such as The Nutcracker or the Sixth Grade Opera? The language of mathematics grows from our
Every high functioning team works from a common playbook. Our parts and positions may be different, but we serve on the same team and work toward common goals. As our team of faculty, staff, and administration work together to complete the SAIS self-study, we grow in our understanding and develop stronger
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FACULTY
Mindfulness in Schools By: Joe Marshall, Head of School
The practice of mindfulness has become increasingly popular throughout schools across America over the past few years. Just Google ‘mindfulness in schools’ and see how many article hits you get. My interest in and use of mindfulness began when I was a student in a Quaker school on Long Island. We never used the term “mindfulness,” but we did have a weekly Quaker meeting, which, in essence, was a time to quietly think, privately reflect, and simply take a ‘time-out’ from the hectic pace of our lives. As a student and then as an adult, I was indelibly shaped and influenced by these weekly Quaker meetings. In high school, I always looked
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forward to my thirty minutes of solitude each week. Over the years, however, I forgot about Quaker meeting and stopped taking time to think quietly or meditate. Then, about two years ago, I began reading numerous education articles about mindfulness and its potential benefits in schools. Although most of us have probably heard or read about mindfulness, defining it can be elusive and difficult to understand. The most common definition is “paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally, to the unfolding of experience moment to moment.”
I am a very pragmatic person and educator. So, for me, this definition is a bit too cryptic. I would venture to guess that this esoteric type of description is often what prevents more schools from utilizing mindfulness in the classroom.
“Mindfulness is really relaxing. It makes me think about my feelings. It calms my nerves.” ~Trinity School Sixth Grader
I see mindfulness as a teaching tool for schools that can help students enhance their focus and concentration, reduce stress and anxiety, temper impulse control, develop conflict resolutions skills, and increase self-awareness, empathy, and understanding of others. At its most basic form, mindfulness is being aware of the present moment. For many, this is accomplished by being aware of one’s
“In my classroom, the students look forward to our mindfulness time. It is a way for us to calm down after exciting events or hectic transitions. Together, we reflect on our practice by sharing what works for us during focused time. The children love sharing and learning about new ways of being mindful from their fellow classmates. At the end of each session, the students seem calmer and more ready for what is coming up next in our day.” ~Trinity Second Grade Teacher
breathing and thoughts. By becoming more aware, one then can begin to consciously choose how to respond or react to what one will be doing in the next moment. For many, mindfulness is as simple as taking a few deep breaths. For a student, this can help in transitioning from one school activity to another. Think about how difficult it can be to move from outdoor recess to math class. With practice, mindful breathing and meditation can remind students to pause for a second before reacting or responding out of anger or frustration to a peer, teacher, or parent. Current brain research also supports the benefits of mindfulness. For those of us who have had or are currently living with a teenager, we are quite aware that the prefrontal cortex (the area of the brain that enables us to think and react rationally) in the average teen is far from developed. Rather, teens rely on their amygdala, which supports us in emergencies (e.g., fight or flight responses). A number of high schools have found that through mindful practice, teens develop a greater awareness of their feelings and emotions by engaging their prefrontal cortex and are able to pause and reflect before speaking or acting.
FACULTY
“Taking time to be present and to focus on breathing helps my students’ transition from recess back to the classroom. After recess, they sit or stand at their table spot and focus on their breathing by thinking in, as they breath in, and thinking out, as they breath out. We only take a minute or so, but just as this helps me re-center and refocus, it’s helpful for my students too.” ~Trinity Third Grade Teacher Our Trinity community is in the very early stages of learning about mindfulness. A number of teachers have taken a course in mindfulness and are now in the process of making mindfulness a regular part of their day. A few teachers have begun to pilot mindfulness in their classroom. Mindfulness continues to grow in schools based on its demonstrated effects and emerging research of its benefits. Trinity, like other schools across the country, is slowly beginning to see how mindfulness can help students be more successful learners and as caring, thoughtful young adults.
Through mindfulness, students begin to learn about themselves, their emotions, and their feelings. They become accomplished in choosing to slow down, breathe, and focus and then begin to see what’s happening both in and around them more clearly. As mindfulness helps inwardly (becoming more conscious of inner thoughts and emotions), it also helps outwardly (becoming more aware of the outer world and how to interact with others).
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PARENTS
Thirty-Five Years and Counting! By: Alice Trahant, Director of Special Events and Alumni Relations
From our Preview Market at Neiman Marcus, to the Artists Market on Trinity’s campus, to our culminating Auction and Gala at American Spirit Works, our 35th Anniversary year of Spotlight on Art proved to be a great success! Spotlight is a beloved fixture of Trinity School and the Atlanta community at large. It is a wonderful way to come together and celebrate our special community, while hosting and publicizing the artwork of more than 350 seasoned artists. It is truly an event unlike any other. Our partnership with Neiman Marcus was a great success again this year. The Lenox Square store hosted our Preview Market on the main floor of their retail space for the second year in a row. Neiman Marcus also selected Spotlight on Art as the 2016 recipient of an annual financial grant through the Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation. As Neiman Marcus’ sponsorship priorities focus on children’s education and the arts, this relationship proves to be a perfect association for Trinity School. AWAC was again magically transformed into 6,000 square feet of gallery space for our annual Artists Market on Trinity’s campus. Keeping with our enhanced 2015 Market layout, our volunteers worked tirelessly to showcase and rotate the amazing art curated for sale. Boasting sales of approximately 1,000 pieces of artwork
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daily, the Market takes many volunteers and hours of hard work. We continue to be amazed by the dedication and energy of our wonderful parents, faculty, and friends! This year’s Auction and Gala was again a great close to the Spotlight season. American Spirit Works provided a wonderful backdrop for a fun and exciting evening. The Gala began with an inaugural tasting in the newly completed American Spirit Whiskey Tasting Room and continued with a very exciting live auction. The evening ended with great music from the Brownstone band that got everyone up and on the dance floor. It was truly a night to remember! Congratulations to our entire Spotlight on Art volunteer team on a job well done, especially our 2016 Spotlight on Art Leadership Team; Sarah Williams (Spotlight on Art Chair), Kim Musierowicz (Spotlight on Art Chair-Elect), Dallas Nevins (Auction Chair), Kelly Buschmann (Market Chair), Alli Richardson (Market Chair), Dayton Velarde (Market Chair). 2016 was a wonderful culmination of thirty-five years of Spotlight on Art at Trinity School. We look forward to many, many more years to come!
The AWAC was again transformed into the 6,000 square foot Artists Market.
PARENTS
35 YEARS Participating artist Audrey Allman at the Preview Market at Neiman Marcus Lenox Square.
Spotlight on Art 2016 Chair Sarah Williams and Head of School Joe Marshall lead a toast to Trinity School at the Auction and Gala.
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PARENTS
Breathing How did you two get involved with the Clean Air Campaign?
How big of a difference can one person (or one car!) really make?
During Trinity School Parent Association (TSPA) meetings a few years ago, we started talking about Clean Air as part of a larger carpool discussion. Many other parents shared our concern about the amount of idling on our campus, so we decided to get involved in the issue.
We are so glad you asked this question! If ONE car eliminates just five minutes of idling a day, it saves a cup of gasoline each day, and over the course of a year, saves twenty gallons of gas and eliminates 440 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from the air we breathe!
Why do you feel this cause is important for the Trinity community? Trinity parents are known for their dedication and involvement within the school community. They are always willing to give their time and talents for the benefit of students, faculty, and staff. Ashley Friedan and Taylor Wright are wonderful examples of this amazing volunteer spirit. Over the past two years, they have championed the Clean Air Campaign, an important cause that has proved to better not only the Trinity community’s health but the environment as well.
Q&A What is the Clean Air Campaign? The Clean Air Campaign is part of a school-wide initiative to raise awareness of Trinity’s No Idle Policy. The policy asks that all drivers turn off their engines while waiting for any afternoon carpool to begin, as well as when they are parked in our school parking lots.
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We believe that Trinity’s students, faculty, staff, and parents deserve the healthiest environment possible. Exposure to air pollution has been associated with an increased risk of developing a number of health conditions, including asthma and attention problems. Eliminating idling on our campus is an easy way to have a healthy impact on the entire Trinity community. How did the Clean Air Campaign become a formal TSPA Committee? Jenny Latz, who was serving as TSPA President at the time, was part of our initial conversation about the excess pollution on Trinity’s campus. Jenny worked with us and the School’s Administration to collect initial data on our community’s air quality and recognized the need for a formal committee to implement and publicize the No Idle Policy. We love that Trinity is constantly evolving and always putting the child at the center. The School is willing to listen to parents, and parents are willing and excited to get involved in causes that resonate with them. Parent involvement at Trinity is truly phenomenal. We are so grateful to the entire community for supporting the No Idle Policy!
Did You Know? • Automobile air filters do not remove significant levels of air pollutants. A family idling in carpool and using their air conditioning to keep cool will be exposed to about 80 percent of the pollution generated by another idling car in front of them. Once inside a car, pollutants become trapped, and the concentration of harmful exhaust can quickly become much higher inside your car than outside. • The EPA estimates that just one minute of idling in your car produces more toxic carbon monoxide than the smoke from three packs of cigarettes. • According to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA), Georgia’s rate of asthma cases in children is one of the highest in the nation, affecting about nine percent of children under the age of 18. Asthma complications are the number one reason for admission to CHOA. A variety of studies have found air pollution to be associated with an increased risk of developing asthma, as well as with aggravating existing asthma conditions.
PARENTS
Easier Car fumes have been shown to extend up to
1.5 MILES
downwind from their source, so harmful emissions from idling cars in our carpool line are easily reaching the School’s playgrounds and fields.
Children breathe
50% MORE
air per pound of body weight than adults, and therefore take in proportionately higher doses of any present air pollutants as a result.
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ALUMNI
The Bonds of Brotherhood By: Khette Plyler, Director of The Trinity Fund and Alumni Relations
Blake and Tyler Gilikin ’10 Reflect on their Successes On and Off the Field After graduating from Trinity School in 2010, Blake and Tyler Gillikin went on to make their mark at The Westminster Schools. Now Seniors at Westminster, the brothers, who describe themselves as “the most competitive siblings ever,” have certainly made an impression and are very well-respected student athletes, both on Westminster’s campus and throughout the Atlanta community. The twins recently played integral roles in Westminster’s memorable State Football Championship win, and are both headed to the Big Ten Conference in the fall. Tyler will attend Northwestern University and play on the school’s football team. Blake is headed to Pennsylvania State University’s Schreyer Honors College and will also play on the football team. I recently sat down with Blake and Tyler to talk about their time at Trinity and the impact that experience has had on their lives since they graduated. What are some of your favorite Trinity memories? (Blake) Looking back on my elementary school years, I can’t imagine being anywhere other than Trinity. The memories I have from Pre-K through Sixth Grade are incredible, and so much of my
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life has been shaped by what I was taught at Trinity. Some things I’ll never forget are the Oregon Trail in Fourth Grade, the Greek Olympics in Fifth Grade, the Opera, my Capstone Project on anesthesia in Sixth Grade, and just the unbelievable support I always had from my teachers and the rest of the faculty. (Tyler) I can sincerely say that my eight years at Trinity were full of fun and excitement. There were so many things that I was able to do during those years that I enjoyed and that opened my mind to different activities. For example, the Math Team with Ms. Horton was something I always enjoyed. I also loved writing and delivering the speech that Blake and I gave at an admissions open house during our Sixth Grade year. But some of my fondest memories were the plays that our class put on throughout Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade. I enjoyed the entire experience from singing to performing with my classmates for the parents and the entire school. How did your time at Trinity help you in middle and high school? (T) I think the biggest thing that Trinity helped me with as I transitioned to Westminster was in preparing me to
study correctly and effectively through the use of study skills. In Fifth and Sixth Grade, I still remember the classes we took concerning study skills. In each class, we were taught how to use notecards, how to talk through problems with peers, and how to condense what the teachers taught into concise, effective notes. In Seventh Grade at Westminster, I leaned heavily on notecards but as I have grown older, I have used many other techniques that I was taught at Trinity. (B) I think one thing Trinity really helped me with was learning to manage my time. Particularly in Sixth Grade, having to balance the Opera with our Capstone project was extremely difficult, but the experience taught me how to prioritize and value the time I was given. You are both three-sport athletes at a time when many students focus on one or two sports. Was this intentional? What is your favorite sport? (T) I don’t believe playing three sports was intentional, and to be honest, if I could play four or five I would. Ever since I was young, I’ve always enjoyed being on a team and the camaraderie that comes out of that experience. I am very glad
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that I stuck with three sports throughout my childhood because my favorite sport has changed over time. At the end of my Eighth Grade football season, I was struggling with the decision of whether to play football the next year or not. I loved the team, but football really didn’t click for me until that next fall. Looking back now, I am thankful I kept with it because I have learned so much about leadership and how to be a team player that I wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. (B) From the beginning, my parents were always supportive of Tyler and me playing multiple sports rather than focusing on just one and quite frankly, I probably wouldn’t know what to do with the free time if I had an off-season. At one point, I was asked to play on a high-level travel soccer team, which would have made it impossible to keep playing basketball and football. Looking back on that moment in time, I am so thankful that my parents didn’t allow me to specialize in one sport, because with each different team comes new experiences and new memories. I’d have to say my favorite sport is football. It is something I’ve developed a passion for over the years and it’s an unbelievable feeling being able to continue playing the sport I’m passionate about in college.
What is your best advice for Trinity’s student athletes? (B) I would advise them not to specialize in a particular sport. My mind has changed multiple times about which sport I enjoy the most, and if you cut yourself off from other opportunities, you will never get them back. I have loved being busy and the structure that high school sports force you to create for yourself. (T) Everything you do in the classroom is so much more important than anything you’ll accomplish in athletics. There’s a reason why “student” comes first in the phrase “student athlete.” Push yourself to be the best both in athletics and in the classroom.
Outside of school and off the field, the guys enjoy hanging out with friends and being a part of their church’s youth group. Tyler says that performing in the Sixth Grade Opera left a big impression on him. He now likes singing in the Trinity Presbyterian Church choir and Westminster’s a cappella group. Although their paths will lead the boys in two different geographic directions next year, they will continue to compete against one another on the football field in the Big Ten conference and perhaps in the classroom as well. Tyler plans to major in Biology and follow the Pre-Med track at Northwestern. Blake plans to study Biology or Kinesiology at Penn State. Either way, we can be sure that Blake will be rooting for Tyler, and Tyler will be cheering on Blake.
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Pursuing Her Passion Julia Simmons ‘12 is Recognized for Her Captivating Photo
Earlier this year, Julia Simmons ’12 (now a Junior at The Paideia School) was selected as one of thirty finalists in the 2015 Backroads Guest Photo Contest. More than 10,000 photographers entered the competition, but it is clear to see why Julia’s photo, called “Crater Lake Night Sky,” was chosen as one of the best. We recently sat down with Julia to hear more about this stunning image, how she has honed her photography skills, and what she has been up to since graduating from Trinity in 2012. Have you always had an interest in photography? Cameras have always been in my house. I have been exposed to photography since I was little because of my dad, but I honestly cannot remember when my real interest began. I do remember taking photos on 24
vacation alongside my dad since I was seven or eight. How did you accomplish this amazing picture? Well, there was definitely a little luck involved. This shot was taken at Crater Lake National Park in early August when Oregon was having lots of forest fires. When we were driving to the park the day before I took this photo, the smoke was so thick that I couldn’t see the trees along the side of the road. Fortunately, the wind changed directions and blew the smoke out. There was a small window between sunset and moonrise without clouds. It had been cloudy until about 10 PM, but it was clear by 10:30 PM. This photo was taken just outside the park lodge about 10:40 PM. Another stroke of luck occurred when a car drove
by down the road during the exposure, which is why some of the landscape is lit. But, technically, this was taken with a Fuji X-E2 using a Rokinon 12mm lens, using a tripod with f/2.0, ISO 3200, and a 28 second exposure. Tell us about your Sixth Grade Capstone project. Were you able to use photography and math concepts that you learned from that project when you were capturing this image or others? Definitely! I covered a lot of concepts in my Sixth Grade Capstone project, and the project really gave me an intuitive understanding of the relationship of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. When you take a night sky shot like this, you only have about 30 seconds before the stars will start leaving star trails (lines) instead
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of points of light. This is because of the earth’s rotation. That means you need a really large aperture, because you want to get as much light in the camera as fast as possible. So the main variable is ISO, and you want that to be as low as possible to keep down “noise” in the image. This shot was taken at an aperture of f/2.0 with a shutter speed of 28 seconds and an ISO of 3200. My Capstone Project taught me about all of these settings, so instead of focusing on how to technically take the photo, I could focus on the composition and on getting back into the warm lodge before my fingers froze!
Helen Kim, is amazing. I also love playing lacrosse. In the fall, I was lucky to get a chance to play on a club team since Paideia does not have a school team.
In addition to photography, what are some of your other interests?
Well, I got lucky. My Capstone mentor was Katie Chapman, who is a great photographer. She was a real help in learning a lot of the fundamentals. But I have learned the most by just shooting a lot. I have attended some photography
Violin, lacrosse, literature, math. I’ve had an incredible time this year playing in my school orchestra and the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra. My violin teacher,
What are some of your favorite memories from your time at Trinity? There are, of course, just too many . . .The Opera (Carmen), the Sixth Grade trip to Jekyll, dying at Snow Pass on the Oregon Trail are a few that come to mind. What advice would you give Trinity students who are interested in photography?
workshops over the last few years. At one, the instructor said that taking photographs required daily practice, just like playing a musical instrument. He said that he feels like he needs to take 1,000 photos a week to keep on top of his skills. I definitely don’t do anything like that, but I think it is true that you learn fastest by experimenting and taking lots and lots of images. Also, going ahead and making myself learn the mathematical concepts behind photography has been a huge help. Sure, I could probably snap an okay image without knowing the math behind the camera, but in order to do anything effectively, the math is a necessity. It has been incredibly rewarding to have learned the technical aspects of photography so I can spend my time focusing on the artistic side.
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Alumni Even
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ents Spotlight on Art Alumni Cocktail Hour All Trinity alumni over the age of 21 were invited to the the School’s new Community Room for a special cocktail hour prior to the start of Cocktails and Canvases. Along with wine and cheese, alums caught up with former classmates
and friends. Guests were encouraged to leave their favorite Trinity memories in our audio “memory booth” showcasing Trinity’s state-of-the-art sound studio.
Seventh Grade Reunion As their first official reunion as Trinity alumni, Trinity’s most recent graduates were invited back for a pizza party and an opportunity to see how their school has changed with the newly unveiled Overend Learning Commons.
For some, this was the first time they had seen each other since graduation and for all, it was a great opportunity to share stories of their summers and the first few weeks at their new schools.
Seventh and Eighth Grade Bowling Party On December 6, 2015 Trinity graduates in Seventh and Eighth Grade gathered at Brunswick Lanes for an afternoon of
bowling and snacks with their Trinity friends. There were strikes, spares, and lots of laughs.
Class of 2010 Reunion The Class of 2010 reunited on the Trinity playground this spring for a Mexican fiesta. Alums and their parents enjoyed seeing former classmates, friends, teachers, and the School. Students who attended
Sixth Grade at Trinity were given the letter they had written to themselves at Camp Twin Lakes six years ago!
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Class 1
Michael McDaniel ’87 was given the Rising Star Award at the White Coat Grady Gala for leading the effort to build a new treatment program at Grady for the most dangerous form of heart attacks, known as STEMIs, in which the coronary artery is completely blocked and patients are at the highest risk for cardiac arrest.
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Lindsey Rochow Nelson ’94 and her husband welcomed their second child, a daughter on January 11, 2016. Eliza Lee Nelson joins big brother Brooks and is a perfect addition to their family.
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Peyten Dobbs Williams ’95 and her husband, Stan, welcomed their second child, Catherine Cabyle, in December 2015. Peyten currently teaches middle school English at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta. Their oldest child, Bond, is now two years old. The family currently resides in Brookhaven.
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Christy Maddox ’93 got married this fall to Robert Thornton Haile. Robert is from Savnanah, Georgia. The couple is living in Brooklyn, New York.
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Catherine Overend Stewart ’95 married Peter Stewart in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on August 29, 2015. Catherine is a recruiter with Korn Ferry and specializes in Supply Chain Management roles. Her husband Peter works for BNY Mellon. The couple lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Emily Nolan Vavrichek ’96 and her husband David welcomed their first child, a daughter, Lily Clare Vavrichek on December 4, 2015. They live outside Seattle, Washington.
Emily Head David ’97 and her husband Britt welcomed baby girl, Lucy Kathryn David, on July 12, 2013. Lucy was 6 pounds 15 ounces and 20 inches long. She joins big brothers Rhodes and Jackson.
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Katie Long ’99 married John McCauley in May 2015. Miss Emily Winship, Katie’s Kindergarten Teacher at Trinity, read The Velveteen Rabbit as a part of the wedding ceremony.
Kathryn Boyd ’02 has joined Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty. Kathryn is a proven leader in the real estate profession, representing distinctive properties across Atlanta in all price ranges. Kathryn is a third generation Realtor in her family, following her mother Kim Boyd and her grandmother Holly Boyett.
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Class 8
Emily Nicole Evans ’02 and Adam Daniel Schifter were married on March 19, 2016. The wedding ceremony took place at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Atlanta and was followed by a reception at the Capital City Club in Brookhaven. The couple honeymooned in Argentina, visiting the capital city of Buenos Aires and the wine region of Mendoza. The couple resides in Atlanta. After attending Pace Academy, Emily graduated with Distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2012 with a double major in English and Journalism. While at UNC, Emily served as Copy Editor of The Daily Tar Heel, was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, was involved with the Fund Raising Groups Dance Marathon and Heel Raisers, and worked as a summer Intern at both CNN and People Magazine.
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Emily graduated Magna Cum Laude form the University of Georgia School of Law in May of 2015. While in law school, she served as a Dean’s Ambassador, a Teacher’s Assistant, and Editor-in-Chief of the Intellectual Property Journal. She worked as an Intern at Georgia Lawyers for the Arts and Turner Broadcasting. Emily was recently inducted into the Georgia Chapter of the Order of the Coif. Emily is currently working as a law clerk for Walter E. Johnson, a federal magistrate judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in Rome, Georgia. She will join the Troutman Sanders Law firm in August of 2017.
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Laura Fellwock ’06 has accepted a position with the American Junior Golf Association as a Communications Coordinator upon graduation and will move back to Atlanta to start this May!
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This special group of girls from the Trinity class of 2008 has remained close through the years. They get together to eat, play, and vacation. Here they are vacationing in Palmetto Bluff. All the girls are happy, healthy Sophomores in college. Their lifelong friendship began in First Grade at Trinity School.
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Madeline Hill (Washington and Lee), Helen Johnson (University of Georgia), Lucy Saltmarsh (Joint degree program from The College of William and Mary and St. Andrews University, currently studying in St. Andrews in Scotland), Elyse Ensor (University of Texas), Wellie Delmer (University of Georgia), Emma Reifenberger (Auburn University)
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Ian Gipson ’09 is a freshman at Washington and Lee University. He earned a ScholarAthlete award for achieving a 3.9 GPA for the fall semester of 2015. Ian played linebacker and special teams in multiple games for the Generals Football Team. The Generals were 10-0 in the regular season (10-1 overall) and 2015 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Champions.
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12 Sarah Richard ’09 is currently a freshman at Stanford University.
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These Trinity alums from the class of 2010 will all graduate from The Lovett School this year. The only Trinity alum from the Lovett senior class missing from the photo is Ian Herbert.
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Caroline Saltmarsh ’10 signed a letter of intent during North Atlanta’s signing day ceremony to play soccer at Vanderbilt University.
Congratulations are in order for Julie Street ’12 who was named one of Atlanta INtown’s 20 Under 20 honorees, which recognizes students and graduates from Atlanta’s public and private schools who are giving back to the community in extraordinary ways. In Seventh Grade, Julie found the perfect outlet for her love of serving in the National Charity League (NCL), a motherdaughter service organization committed to community service and leadership. Through NCL, she has volunteered hundreds of hours to help organizations such as Operation Gratitude, Agape, Furkids, Buckhead Christian Ministries, Ronald McDonald House, Hospice Atlanta, Atlanta Food Bank, and Atlanta Botanical Garden.
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Pictured below are Trinity alumni who were a part of the Westminster 2015 AAA Football State Championship.
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Trinity Alums Sadye Sumter ’14 and Caroline Mithem ’14 on a school trip to Quebec, Canada. It was four degrees!
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Top Row: Matt Howard ’12, Jordan Robinson ’11, Paris Howland ’12, Miles Davis ’12 Middle Row: Michael Wilson ’10, Chase Williams ’10, Tyler Gillikin ’10, Rankin Woley ’10, Blake Gillikin ’10 Bottom Row: Cheerleaders: Courtney White ’11, Isabelle Wyant ’11, Sabrina Sparks ’10, Alison Nichols ’10
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