Issuu

THE PODIUM Winter 2013

Alumni Magazine of Sayre School

Sayre graduate David Frommer, “Answering the Call to Serve” PAGE 15

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Campus News

Fast Facts

Make Your Mark

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Letter From the Head of School

Alumni Events and Calendar

Giving Challenge and Alumni Council

Faculty Profile: Tom Grunwald

Spartan Athletics

Alumni Profile: David Frommer ’00

Alumni Profile: Laura Clay ’65

Alumni Class Notes

Greetings from Old Sayre! When I wrote to the alumni last summer asking you to share your Sayre Story with me, many of you responded—in person and in writing—with anecdotes about inspirational faculty, fond memories of school, and details about where life after Sayre has led you. Ultimately, I learned what you already know—that Sayre holds a special place in your heart and that your experiences here have played a pivotal role in your development. At the center of many of your stories was loving praise for Tom Grunwald. Tom has impacted the lives of countless students during his tenure that reaches 50 years in October 2013. We will celebrate his remarkable dedication to Sayre next year (details to come in the spring). I owe Tom an enormous thank you for sharing with me the details of Sayre’s history and facilitating meetings with so many members of our community. I look forward to continuing my work with him in his role as Director of Alumni Emeritus. Sayre Alumni have made their mark in the world in a myriad of impressive ways. My goal is to celebrate and share your accomplishments with our community while finding meaningful ways to connect you with old friends and engage you with current students. With that objective in mind, last October, during Reunion Weekend, I introduced a series of alumni-focused initiatives.

• We will launch the Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series to allow our community to gain insight from the personal and professional experiences of our alumni. • We will participate in the 2013 Gallery Hop as part of our goal to open up our campus to the downtown community. Our first Gallery Hop is scheduled for April 19, 2013, and will feature alumni art. • We will develop an “Our Alumni” page for our website which will feature alumni bios to showcase your achievements. This page will be located on the first tab of our website where prospective families turn for information about Sayre. When they learn about our faculty and our programs, they will also learn about our greatest source of pride, our graduates.

our program through the purchase of 10 additional iPads for the Lower School. Lastly, we gave the cupola a makeover and opened it up to our community. The first function was a reception for young Alumni during Reunion Weekend. In fact, some of your fellow alums have renewed the old tradition in which students sign the walls with warm sentiments of their years at Sayre! I hope on your next visit to Sayre that you will contribute to this tradition. In the meantime, I wish you and your loved ones the very best in 2013. Stephen Manella Head of School

I hope that you will join us for these new events in the coming year. As we begin the second semester, I find myself filled with gratitude. I want to thank the Alumni Council for warmly welcoming my family to Sayre and Lexington and, more importantly, continuing to support our students in numerous ways. This year, iPad technology was introduced to our Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and 1st Grade students. Last fall, the Alumni Council’s generous gift of $6,000 enabled the school to expand the reach of 3 2

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Campus News Sayre Launches Academic Services Program

Sayre Academic Services is a newly designed program that serves students across campus and includes the Personal Learning Program (PLP), a Lower School Reading Specialist, and a Lower School Math Specialist. The exciting program allows students to receive additional support and enrichment as well as acceleration. A 5th grade accelerated math class was launched earlier this year.

iPad Program Launches in the Lower School

iPads have arrived and are being incorporated in the Preschool and Lower School curriculum in order to augment and support academic learning for our youngest learners.

Capstone Program for 8th Grade Students

Middle School students will have the opportunity to take part in a new initiative, the 8th Grade Capstone Year. Student volunteers, led by Tim Corkran and Jason Nahra ’96, will design their own project which engages them on multiple levels: community service, project planning, and collaborating with classmates. It is a chance for them to use their blooming leadership skills and sense of independence to enhance our community experience and community spirit. One initial idea involves a class overnight “lock-in” with a charity project.

80% of Sayre AP Students Score 3 or Better This past spring, 93 students took the 2012 AP exams. Eighty percent of the tests taken by our students earned the credit-earning score of three or better (the national average for credit-earning scores is approximately 60%). 100% of the students in AP Environmental Science, AP Physics, and AP Calculus AB and BC, 93% in English Language and Literature and 92% for US History passed with college credit-earning scores.

Students Excel in DELF Test

Five juniors took the DELF Test in Atlanta last year. The DELF is an international test of language competency offered by the French government and is a lifelong certification. All five passed the exam and became the first high school students in the southeast region to pass the exam. Our DELF Test students photographed below, Colleen Craven ’13, Abby Clayton ’13, Ben Tucker ’13, Geneveve Borrowdale-Cox ’13, Mia Chalhoub ’13.

Responsive ClassroomTM Training for Lower School Faculty

The Lower School faculty completed their training in the Responsive ClassroomTM program this summer. The program helps to increase the effectiveness of classroom instruction by enhancing students’ interpersonal skills leading to a more productive classroom environment. The five Responsive ClassroomTM practices emphasized in the training this summer were: Guided Discovery, Academic Choice, Classroom Organization, Working with Families, and Collaborative Problem-Solving.

Middle School Performs “Monsters Under My Bed” The Middle School play was “Monsters Under My Bed” and was performed for audiences of younger children by a host of almost exclusively sixth graders with eighth graders serving as Directors for the production.

Don Jacobs Seminars

The Don Jacobs Seminars, now in their eighth year, offers seminars for the senior class to explore topics ranging from Earnings, Savings and Investing, Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy, to Civic Responsibility. The program involves mentors who lead small group activities, and several alumni are involved in this year’s program. 4 3

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Fast Facts Our Mission

Sayre School provides an innovative and inclusive learning environment that empowers students to achieve academic excellence, embrace challenge, and cultivate integrity in order to lead purposeful lives in an ever-changing world.

Student and Faculty 512 15 6:1 60% 22% 14

Students Preschool through 12th Grade Average class size Student-to-teacher ratio Faculty holding advanced degrees Students from diverse racial backgrounds Central Kentucky counties represented

Affordability •

25% of students receive financial assistance totaling over $1.27 million

Our Program

• Rigorous college-preparatory curriculum unfolds incrementally across grade levels fostering critical thinking skills in a nurturing classroom setting • Small class size provides unique opportunities for seminar-style class discussions, extensive writing expectations, and individual help from teachers before, during or after school • 16 Advanced Placement courses offered in the Upper School • Public speaking emphasis embedded in all levels of the curriculum • World Language instruction begins in Preschool • Technology integration begins with iPad usage in Preschool and culminates with a 1:1 laptop program in the Upper School

College Counseling • • • •

100% of students accepted to four-year colleges/universities 85% of 2012 graduates received merit scholarships totaling $3.9 million 70% of students attend out of state colleges/universities

2012 AP Results Highlights

• 80% of students received a score of 3 or above on AP exams in 2012 (compared to the national pass rate of 57% and the state pass rate of 49%) • 100% pass rate for Calculus AB & BC Physics and Environmental Science • 93% pass rate for English Language and Literature • 92% pass rate for History

Athletics • • • • •

73% of Middle and Upper School students participate in school-sponsored athletics 35 sports teams offered at the Varsity, Junior Varsity and Middle School level 50 acre athletic complex 25% of 1st - 5th graders participate in Future Spartans Athletic Program

Student athletes have the opportunity to compete at a high level and reap the rich personal rewards that come from being part of a team • Sayre graduates have competed collegiately at the Division I, II and III level

Fine Arts

• Visual arts, music, and drama are integrated into the curriculum at all levels as a core part of the academic experience, not just as electives • Performance and exhibit opportunities offered at Lower, Middle, and Upper School levels

Accreditation

• Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) • Kentucky Non-Public School Commission (KNPSC) • National Council for Private School Accreditation (NCPSA)

Memberships

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National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Kentucky Association of Independent Schools (KAIS) National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC) Secondary School Admission Test Board (SSATB) National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)

Sayre’s college counseling process (beginning in 9th Grade) aims to identify colleges/universities where students will grow and thrive

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2011-2012 Alumni Events Forever Spartans Basketball Game

Alumni who played basketball while at Sayre returned to participate in the annual Forever Spartan Alumni Basketball Game. Players and audience members alike enjoyed a great game before sharing dinner provided by Robo Sutherland and Billy’s BBQ.

Feedback received during these interviews was used to clearly define the Sayre Difference— those benefits and experiences that are unique to the educational experience at your alma mater. The following statements are a summary of those unique offerings:

Golf Scramble proceeds have provided equipment and uniforms for the athletics department and teams, financial support for senior class programs such as Jr-Sr Dinner Dance and the senior class breakfast, funded grants for diversity and website enhancements, as well as provided awards to graduates. This year the proceeds provided iPads for the Lower School.

Experience a School That Truly Knows You. The continuity of the Sayre experience, which nurtures a child from

Learn to Achieve. Sayre class sizes are carefully managed, maximizing a student’s one-on-one time with teachers so that

together they can recognize and revel in strengths, focus and improve on challenges, and gradually but methodically build a student’s self-confidence through achievement, whether that means finally understanding French verb conjugations – bien fait! – or attaining national recognition as an AP Scholar.

The 2012 Reunion Weekend offered something for everyone. Young alumni enjoyed Cocktails in the Cupola. The traditional Reunion Cocktail party included comments by Stephen Manella, Head of School, Tom Grunwald, Director of Alumni Emeritus, and a special performance by Ann Francis Backer, ’14. Ann Francis spent last summer in Nashville recording an album. Reunion Weekend concluded with the Sayre Golf Scramble hosted by the Alumni Council. This event serves as the primary fundraiser for the Sayre School Alumni Council. Funds raised through this event are used to help support Sayre School and underwrite alumni events. A brisk morning gave way to a sunny afternoon that provided alumni, current parents and friends with the chance to enjoy a great day of golf.

During the last twelve months, Sayre School has launched a rebranding process. Sayre School hired Ovus Ater, a strategic marketing firm from Boston, MA, to assist with the research process and conduct interviews with current parents, faculty,staff and alumni to inform our rebranding process.

preschool all the way through high school, enables Sayre to continually assess and enhance each student’s day-to-day and year-toyear cognitive and emotional development, meticulously refine how best to personalize and apply diverse school resources to their needs, and individually build meaningful and long-term partnerships with students and parents alike.

Reunion Weekend

Senior Breakfast

The Alumni Council hosted their annual Senior Breakfast for members of the senior class and their parents. President Buck Prewitt ’74 shared comments on behalf of the Alumni Council.

The Alumni Council would like to acknowledge the hard work of the members of the Golf Scramble Planning Committee. We are very appreciative of our golfers and sponsors for this year’s event and want to express our gratitude to Langdon Shoop ’93 and Frank Shoop Inc. for serving as our presenting sponsor for the 2012 event.

Golf Scramble Planning Committee: Manny Robertson ’95, Chair Scotty Robertson ’90 Tyler Nahra ’93

Think for Yourself. Beyond mastering a challenging curriculum in an environment of high standards and even higher

expectations, Sayre students learn to think for themselves, even if their ideas differ from the norm. They learn to speak for themselves, even when others remain silent, ultimately leading to the formation of a young adult who not only knows the right answers, but has the personal character to ask the right questions.

Stephanie Nahra Johnson ’91 Buck Prewitt ’74, Alumni Council President

Transform Lexington Into Your Classroom. As the only Preschool - Grade 12 school located in the heart of

downtown Lexington, Sayre seamlessly melds the School’s innovative learning environment with the cultural resources of the surrounding cityscape, opening wide students’ hearts and minds through only-in-the-city experiences like performing a school musical in an iconic theatre, holding a mock trial in a real courthouse, or learning firsthand about environmental sustainability through planting and harvesting fresh food in a community garden.

Discover Something Unexpected. Sayre actively encourages each student to step across their self-imposed

boundaries and engage in one or more of the School’s growing number of clubs, councils, societies and athletic teams, so that maybe – just maybe – they might unexpectedly discover something new and wonderful about their world, their classmates, or about themselves.

Make Your Mark. Whether or not they choose to follow a path similar to past alumni and become a national leader for

equal rights, a Nobel Prize winner, an educational innovator, or even a Hollywood actor, each young man and woman leaves Sayre empowered to make their own unique and indelible mark, and no matter their pursuit, no matter how famed or how humble, the world is sure to be better for it.

At Sayre, we are proud of the collective accomplishments of our alumni and know that each of you serves as an inspiration to our students as they explore the ways in which they hope to make their mark while at Sayre and after graduation as they move through life. Make Your Mark captures those achievements and will serve as our tagline found within our new logo in the days ahead. 8 57

Strawberry Reception

Immediately following graduation, the Class of 2012 along with family and friends enjoyed a Strawberry Reception. A Legacy Photo was taken with graduates and other members of their family who are Sayre alumni as well.

Upcoming Alumni Events March

8 Sayre Spectacular Dinner and Auction 12 Founder’s Day Celebration 24 Alumni Dinner and Phonathon 25 Alumni Dinner and Phonathon

April

19 Alumni Senior Breakfast 19 Alumni Art Exhibit at Sayre as part of Lexington Gallery Hop

Note to Alumni Parents:

If this issue of The Podium is addressed to your son or daughter, who no longer resides at your home, please notify srushing@sayreschool.org of his/her new mailing address. Thank you!

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Tom Grunwald, a Lifetime of Service to Sayre

The Sayre Fund Challenge! Fellow Alumni, A new era of Sayre School has arrived! Mr. Stephen Manella, Sayre’s fourth Head of School during the modern era, is in the stern, studying the map, and planning our course. There are going to be numerous obstacles on our journey, but as Stephen paddles us down the correct route, without too many tough portages, we will arrive. We, as alumni, can help determine our journey’s fate by being good bowmen for Stephen and keeping him out of the rapids and off the rocks. Stephen needs, and deserves, a good crew. As we, the Alumni Council, reach out, it is with the idea of making Sayre School a better place for our current students and our future alumni. We want to always strive for improvement. There are different groups of Sayre alumni. We have the happy alumni that give and support Sayre in many ways. To those we say: “Thank you. It’s greatly appreciated. Please keep it up!” We have alumni whose lives do not include Sayre. To those we say: “We’re sorry, and we hope you reconsider as we start a new journey. We would love to have you along for the ride.” Lastly, we have the alumni standing on the shore questioning whether to join in, or not? To those we say: “Step in...the water’s fine, and with your help we will navigate more proficiently.” When the Alumni Council asks for help, it can of course mean through dollars, but it can also mean so much more. Alumni monetary giving is effective, but more importantly, our participation will provide students the opportunity to have an experience at Sayre School that exceeded our own. Our new steersman, Stephen Manella has an open door and has already developed a true affection for our school’s past and its future. Stop by, call, text, email, or send him smoke signals. Be heard and be involved! In closing, we would like to invite all alumni to attend the next Alumni Council meeting on April 25th at 5:30 p.m. in the Upper School’s atrium. We will begin socializing with light hors d’oeuvres and beverages with the business meeting starting around 6:oo p.m. The goal of this meeting is to decide the Alumni’s future endeavors and where our participation will be most effective. Please contact Tom Grunwald at (859) 254-1361 ext. 205 or tgrunwald@sayreschool.org or Laurel Martin at (859) 254-1361 ext. 203 or lmartin@sayreschool.org if you plan to attend. Enjoy the first edition of The Podium! Thanks, Buck, Robo and Andrew – your Alumni Council Officers

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Sayre Celebrates Grunwald’s New Role as Director of Alumni Emeritus After 49 years of service to our school, Tom Grunwald has accepted yet another role at Sayre. Sayre School created the position of Director of Alumni Emeritus and formally bestowed the title upon him at the 2012 Reunion Weekend. This position honors the special relationship that has been established over nearly 50 years between Mr. Grunwald and the Sayre community. Mr. Grunwald was hired to work at Sayre School in 1963 and has served as a history teacher, Chair of the History Department, College Counselor, Director of the Upper School and, most recently, Alumni Director.

2012-2013 Alumni Council

Buck Prewitt ’74, President Robo Sutherland ’98, Vice President Andrew Grunwald ’89, Secretary W. L. Wilson ’68 Leslie Parrish Isaacs ’69 Cathy Hancock Comley ’70 Gay Nuckols Barnett’72 Jay Hollingsworth ’72 Carson Asbury ’73 Ann Bakhaus McBrayer ’74 Richard Turnbull ‘74 J.P. Cordray ’75 Gail Knapp Reynolds ’75 Becky Ballard DiLoreto ‘77 Tish Hollingsworth Gray ’81 Joe Murphy ’87 Laura Calloway Crume ’88 Elizabeth McGee ’89 Stephanie Nahra Johnson ’91 Tyler Nahra ’93 Beth Veal Pitman ’96 Charlie Dalton ‘98 Chris LeMaster ’00 W.K. Prewitt ’11 Jamie Sutherland ’11

Emeritus Alumni Council Members

Mo Ethington ’59 Lisa Underwood ’77 Barry Stilz ’81

Director of Alumni Emeritus

Where did you grow up?

I lived for the first seven years of my life in Lebanon, Kentucky. Following my father’s death, my mother, sister, and I moved to St. Matthews, a suburb of Louisville. Most of my time during those years was spent living with my grandmother, Mrs. Josephine Grunwald, who lived in the county outside of Middletown, Kentucky. She was a Jefferson County elementary teacher who taught for over fifty years in that system and was the most important influence in my early life.

Where did you attend college?

In 1960, I was in the first graduation Class of Waggener High School and a swimmer. The University of Kentucky offered me a small grant in aid to join the swimming team, which I accepted. My best strokes were free style and butterfly, although I could manage all events.

Can you share any bragging points about your athletic career?

I briefly held several Kentucky collegiate swimming records and participated in a number of SEC and national meets competing against world record holders like Mike Troy (world record butterfly champion). Needless to say, I was not in his league, but it was a privilege to compete against such talent.

What did you think you wanted to do when you graduated?

Tom Grunwald

2011-2012 Top 10 Classes with Giving Percentages Class

Tom has shared longstanding relationships with students, alumni and their families for many years. We recently sat down with him and asked him a few questions about some of his favorite memories through the years.

Donors Out Of % Participation

’35

100.00%

’54

100.00%

’58

50.00%

’96

35.00%

’70

30.95%

’65

30.00%

’42

25.00%

’85

24.44%

’98

24.32%

’71

23.81%

See the 2011-2012 Honor Roll of Donors online at www.sayreschool.org

I was uncertain about my future when I graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1965. I decided to enter a graduate program at Eastern Kentucky University studying history. The program was new that year and the University offered me a graduate assistantship for 1965-1966. I also continued to work part-time at Sayre. I was ineligible for the military draft because of my broken leg and because Judy and I had married the previous year.

How did you come to work at Sayre?

In the summer of 1963, I undertook a 2,000 mile canoe trip from Lake Superior to Hudson Bay with two other young men. The trip was a year in the planning and our progress in the wilderness was reported by the Courier Journal in Louisville. That fall, another UK graduate and friend, Kirk Meuse, who had followed the progress of the canoe trip, saw me in the Alumni Gymnasium at UK, and asked if I was interested in working part-time at a local private school. Mr. Meuse had just taken the job at Sayre as the “Sports Director.” He said that the position paid $1,000 for the year. That was “big money” for an undergraduate who came from a modest family and needed money to complete his undergraduate education. I accepted the job and came to Sayre in August 1963.

Was your first job as a history teacher?

My first job at Sayre was working in the “Sports Department,” as it was then called. I coached football and basketball to the 4th and 5th grade boys. At that time, all boys from the 4th grade to the newly created Upper School were required to play football, so there were a number of teams. We practiced at the old field on the Paris Pike, in the space where the Lower School now stands, and also between the fire station and cemetery on Third Street. Among the players on those early teams were Jay Hollingsworth ’72 and Carson Asbury ’73. In later years, depending on my other school duties, I coached the varsity swimming, track, and cross-country teams. 194 North Limestone Lexington, KYKY 40507 ∙ www.sayreschool.org 194 North Limestone Lexington, 40507 ∙ www.sayreschool.org

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Why do you love history?

History is a reflective subject open to many interpretations. It is a subject that allows a person time to think and, if lucky, to learn something from the past.

When did you meet Judy?

In the spring of 1963, two of our mutual friends married. Judy was asked by her sorority sister to act as the Maid of Honor, and I was asked by the boy, a fraternity brother, to be the Best Man. We met at their wedding, began dating, and I proposed in May. That summer, I left for the long canoe trip to Hudson Bay and Judy took a job at WVLK, a local radio station. Upon returning from Canada, we both had jobs at Sayre and began planning a February wedding - a year and three days after we met. Of course, neither of us knew at that time that I would be in a full leg cast from a motorcycle accident.

You have described your relationship as a true partnership. Can you share a few things that she has done through the years for the Sayre Community and the students?

Judy Faucette Grunwald was the first secretary of the Upper School, or Fourth Form, as it was then called. She served in that position from September 1963 until the summer of 1968. In that position, she wrote and published the Sayre Quarterly, a publication sent out four times a year, handled all college applications, began the tradition of taking the Senior Class pictures in their robes, and dealt with all other high school responsibilities. In later years, she served as a chaperone on student trips to Europe (we took the first Sayre group to go abroad for six weeks), Wyoming, and went on wilderness canoe trips in Canada with Wilderness Canoe Base. For years, she chaperoned the Junior Class trips to Washington, Williamsburg, and Jamestown. On those latter trips, she usually had to spend the night sleeping in a sleeping bag on a gym floor in the schools which allowed us to stay. We slept in schools along the way so that every student could afford the price of the trip which usually ran about $250 including food and transportation. I drove the Sayre bus to keep the cost of the trip low. She loves Sayre and is the only person who has attended every graduation since the re-creation of the Upper School in 1965. She has attended every Sayre Junior-Senior Dance except one.

What are a few things that you love about teaching?

First, I love the subject and making the connections within a historical period. Secondly, I love that “ah ha” moment students have when they finally make some connection in whatever is being discussed. Lastly, I greatly enjoy “hands on history”— showing how people worked and lived in the past— from constructing log buildings, to cooking with original recipes over an open fire, to firing flintlock weapons. Of course, that was a big part of Wilderness Canoe Base canoe trips. For thirty-five years, Buck Prewitt, Richard Turnbull, myself, and others, guided kids on canoe trips in Canada, including long trips to Hudson and James Bay. Those trips were designed to be primitive adventures: cooking over open fires, taking minimal gear, learning how to be comfortable in a wilderness environment. Those adventures also provided the perfect opportunity to talk about American history: the fur trade, Native Americans, wildlife, and lots of other topics.

What are a few of the things that you loved about being a division head?

I enjoyed helping solve all of those little problems that students have when they are in their “teens.” Nearly all of the kids that I have had the privilege to teach or work with grew up to be productive, good, and talented people. I always had faith that my students would be “good people” and successful in their chosen careers.

What are a few things that you have loved about being the Director of Alumni?

Most of all, I greatly enjoyed seeing how the kids that I taught, and were responsible for, turned out. It has also been a delight to see the “second generation” of those I taught come to Sayre.

What do you think makes Sayre such a special place?

The tradition of the school is important, but along with that tradition are the people who have labored to make it a great institution. Those wonderful personalities include Donn Hollingsworth, Bill Williams, Amos Lawrence, Dorothy Hancock, Steve Bullard, Bernice Hopkins, Libby Kikuchi, Nancye Thompson, Ruby Ponder, Bobbie Parsons, Fran Marsh, Becky Hollingsworth, John and Carolyn Hackworth, Jim Shropshire, M.L.L. Short, Ben Willis, and Carol Nahra. That list is not exclusive and there are many others who devoted their careers to this school. Their labor, time, and talents combined to make Sayre a special place.

Sayre is delighted to have Tom Grunwald move into the role of Director of Alumni Emeritus. In this role, created specifically for him, you can expect to see him helping introduce the new Head of School to our alumni, welcoming alumni back to campus for special events or attending school events to support his granddaughter, Abby Grunwald, Class of 2021.

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Ray Brewer ’13 and Cammie Croney-Clark ’13 will join 14 other Sayre Alumni who are currently playing collegiate sports.

Spartan Athletics Sayre Spartan Athletics had another successful year in 2011-2012. Our crosscountry teams were among the top five teams in the state, lacrosse advanced to the semi-final game of the state tournament and members of the tennis, track, golf and swimming teams received individual accolades.

Class of 2012: Headley VanMeter plays lacrosse at Birmingham-Southern College

Class of 2011:

Today, Sayre offers ten interscholastic sports to male and female students in Grades Nine through Twelve. Sayre’s open participation policy ensures that any student can be a part of a team. 73% of Middle and Upper School students participate in schoolsponsored athletics. Our Future Spartans program allows our Lower School students to begin learning the fundamentals of each sport and to gain exposure to different sports as early as Pre-Kindergarten.

Conrad Bandoroff plays soccer at The University of the South Griffin Miller plays soccer at The University of the South Bea Cameron plays soccer and is on the track and field team at Georgetown College Ann Eason runs track and cross country at Eastern Kentucky University Clay Goodman runs track at Queens University of Charlotte Spencer Strup plays golf at DePauw University Michael Waltman runs track and cross country at Macalester College

Our student athletes excel in the classroom and within their chosen sport. On September 27, 2012, students in the Upper School gathered for a signing ceremony as Ray Brewer ’13 committed to playing baseball next year when he attends Cornell.

Class of 2010: Allison Hancock plays golf at Centre College Maggie Wilson runs cross country at Georgetown College

On January 3, 2013, Cammie Croney-Clark ’13 committed to playing college soccer as a scholarship athlete at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort, at her signing ceremony in the Upper School Atrium.

Class of 2009:

Devon Bradley plays soccer at Ohio Wesleyan University Kathryn Graves swam for Centre College Dougie Hilliard plays lacrosse at Centre College Anthony Eason runs cross country at Eastern Kentucky University

Ann Eason ’11 was named 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Cross-Country Female Athlete of the Year in a vote of league head coaches. Ann, who was ninth in the OVC Championships last season, led the Colonels and posted the top 5K (17:37:26) and 6K (21:26:10) times in the Conference in 2012. Along the way she earned a pair of Adidas OVC Runner of the Week honors, including the last week of the season after establishing the top 6K time at the NCAA Pre-Nationals meet.

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Answering the Call To Serve

students in the process of adjudicating cases. The existence of the Honor Council taught all of us an important lesson: integrity is not something imposed from the top down, but rather something that we should demand of each other, and that we are all responsible for upholding.”

After graduating from Sayre in 2000, David Frommer attended Yale where he graduated with honors in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in History. He went on to attend seminary at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem and New York and received his Masters in Sacred Music in 2011. He is currently serving as a cantor in the Jewish clergy. While he may not have grown up aspiring to be a cantor, he found himself drawn to the music and melodies in Jewish worship services. He remembers sitting with cassette recordings of Jewish worship services and learning the Hebrew prayers despite the fact that he couldn’t understand Hebrew and had no idea what they meant. David shared that he considered a career in finance while at Yale. While the work itself may not have been a passion for him, he felt like it would offer him the chance to make enough money so that he could make financial gifts to the schools and synagogues that had made such an impact on his life. Frommer credits the woman he was dating with helping him re-examine his career goals. David shared a defining interaction when she offered him two gifts: a CD of Jewish worship music and an issue of Forbes Magazine. “When I had the option to choose either one of them and I immediately reached for the CD, she said, “This should tell you something.” After that, he knew he should pursue becoming a Cantor. David was commissioned in April 2008 into the Army as a Second Lieutenant and was promoted to the rank of Captain while on his first deployment. He is the first Jewish cantor ever to serve as US military chaplain as all previous Jewish military chaplains were rabbis. David has come to see his current role in military chaplaincy and the Jewish clergy as a calling. However, he is quick to share that he wasn’t always familiar with that term and vaguely associated it with burning bushes or angelic messengers. Today, he can say that he keeps coming back to the intangible feeling that it just seems to be the right thing for him to be doing with his life at the moment. “I have come to understand that such a feeling describes a calling just as much as miraculous events and booming voices. When we feel called to a certain mission, that feeling sits at the intersection between faith and reason.” That combination of faith and reason gave him the strength to leave his wife and all his friends and family while being stationed overseas. He was stationed at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and concluded his deployment in mid-December 2012. During the Passover holiday, he was also stationed at Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan, to provide extra religious support to the community of Jewish military and civilian personnel serving there. David states that “the values of service that Sayre emphasizes are a big reason why I joined the military.” He credits his experiences at Sayre School with preparing him for his current position and appreciates how the community emphasized the values of service and integrity. David feels that this was particularly exemplified by the Honor Council, which he served on his senior year. “While many schools have honor codes, Sayre involved its

“Ultimately, when I was trying to decide whether I should volunteer for an overseas deployment, I thought back to my years at Sayre. I thought of my baseball teammate Chase Comley, who was killed in Iraq while serving with the Marines, and realized that if Chase were to appear before me and ask why I didn’t volunteer to serve as well, I wouldn’t have any acceptable answer to give him. Sayre taught me that just because something requires sacrifice and isn’t easy doesn’t mean you should avoid it if it’s the right thing to do.” While many of his classmates from seminary are working in synagogues where they can affect the lives of hundreds or even thousands of Jewish families every day, David has been called to make his mark in a different setting. While the number of Jewish personnel in the military is not large by some standards, he understands that his role will be measured by the quality of his ministry to those soldiers he does serve.

solider occurring memorable moments as a st mo his of e on bes cri David des and remember lanterns were lit to honor ry mo me en wh y Da l ria on Memo the line of duty. soldiers who had fallen in

David Frommer is pictured with Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Kentucky Secretary of Stat e, during her recent visit to troops stationed at Cam p Arifjan.

When David Frommer’s grandmother Evelyn Baker Hymson passed away in 2012, she left a gift to Sayre School. At the end of year faculty luncheon in 2012, then Head of School Clayton G. Chambliss presented Randy Mills with a plaque that expressed her appreciation for the college placement process and the collective impact the faculty had on David’s experience at Sayre. The plaque reads: “In recognition of a generous gift from the Estate of Evelyn Baker Hymson given in gratitude for the faculty and staff for creating an outstanding academic environment. With special appreciation for Mr. Randy Mills, College Placement Counselor, who provided a supportive college search process for her grandson. David Frommer Sayre Class of 2000 Yale University Class of 2004 17 16

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Laura Clay ’65

Alumna, Women’s Rights Activist and Presidential Nominee When guests arrive to tour Old Sayre, they are encouraged to step into the Head of School’s office and see several of the diplomas from alumnae who graduated in the late 1800’s. Laura Clay’s diploma from the Class of 1865 hangs among them.

The 2012 presidential election brought Laura Clay’s name to mind for many of us at Sayre. Ms. Clay dedicated her life to public service and was the first woman in history to have her name placed in nomination for president of the United States by a major political party when her name was put forward by the Democratic Party in 1920. Laura Clay was born February 9, 1849, at White Hall estate near Richmond, Kentucky, the daughter of emancipationist Cassius Marcellus Clay and Mary Jane Warfield Clay. Laura graduated from Lexington’s Sayre School in 1865. She also attended Hoffman’s Finishing School in New York, the University of Michigan, and the University of Kentucky. Laura was parented in large part by her mother, as her father was absent much of the time while pursuing his career. In 1878, after forty-five years of marriage, Cassius and Mary Jane divorced. Although Mary Jane had managed White Hall in her husband’s absence, she was left with no share in the property. Witnessing this injustice led Laura to a lifelong support of women’s rights and may explain why she never married. She and her sisters—Mary Barr Clay, Annie Clay, and Sallie Clay—all became supporters of the woman suffrage movement. Laura became financially independent through the management of a 300-acre farm in Madison County that she leased from her father and later owned after his death. She spent much of her income in support of women’s rights. In 1888 Clay founded the Kentucky Equal Rights Association (KERA) and served as its president until 1912. During its first decade KERA achieved a number of legislative victories, successfully lobbying the Kentucky General Assembly for laws granting married women the right to control their own property and wages, the right of co-guardianship of minor children, requiring female physicians in state female insane asylums, and admitting women to several state colleges and universities. In 1912 KERA successfully lobbied for a law allowing women to vote in school elections.

• Born February 9, 1849, at White Hall, near Richmond, Kentucky, the daughter of emancipationist Cassius Marcellus Clay and Mary Jane Warfield Clay. • Graduated from Lexington’s Sayre School in 1865; attended Hoffman’s Finishing School in New York, the University of Michigan, and the University of Kentucky. • Managed a 300-acre farm in Madison County to support herself and her work for women’s rights. • Embraced the cause of women’s rights as her life’s work after the1878 divorce of her parents left her mother without a stake in White Hall, which she had run for years in her husband’s absence. • Founded the Kentucky Equal Rights Association (KERA) in 1888 and served as its president until 1912. • Achieved in 1890s through the lobbying efforts of KERA several laws improving the legal rights of women. • Served as an officer in the Kentucky Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. • Served as auditor of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and campaigned for woman suffrage across the country, becoming one of the best-known southern suffragists. • Became vice president of a new organization called the Southern States Woman Suffrage Association in 1916. • Withdrew from NAWSA and KERA in 1919 in opposition to a federal suffrage amendment.

Laura Clay also served as an officer in the Kentucky Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and used these organizations to further women’s rights. As a member of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), she campaigned for suffrage in Oregon, Oklahoma, and Arizona. During the 1890s she became one of the leading suffragists in the South and helped found nine suffrage societies in southern states. For fifteen years she served as auditor of NAWSA. In 1916 she became Vice President of the Southern States Woman Suffrage Association, which was dedicated to winning woman suffrage only by state constitutional amendment. Meanwhile, she continued to support NAWSA, but as it increasingly advocated an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, she became estranged from the organization and withdrew in 1919. A strong advocate of states’ rights, she likewise withdrew from KERA after its board endorsed the federal amendment, which provided that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any States on account of “sex” and gave Congress the “power, by appropriate legislation, to enforce the provision of this article.” Ironically, she then turned her energies toward defeating the federal amendment, arguing that it would provide Congress with the opportunity to intervene in state elections for purely political purposes.

• Opposed the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that prevented state and federal governments from denying a citizen the right to vote “on account of sex.” • Helped organize the Democratic Women’s Club of Kentucky and supported women’s rights in the Episcopal Church. • Became in 1920 the first woman to have her name placed in nomination for president of the United States at a major political party’s convention. • Died on June 29, 1941, and is buried in the Lexington Cemetery.

After the suffrage amendment’s ratification as the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Laura continued her pursuit of women’s rights by helping to organize the Democratic Women’s Club of Kentucky in 1920. That year she also became the first woman in history to have her name placed in nomination for president of the United States by a major political party. She ran unsuccessfully for the state senate in 1923 and in 1928 made speeches on behalf of Democratic presidential nominee, Alfred E. Smith, vigorously denouncing national prohibition. When Kentucky voted for repeal of prohibition in 1933, she served as temporary chair of the ratifying convention. She carried her belief in women’s rights into her church associations, helping women win the right to serve in the vestry and synod of the Episcopal church. Clay disappeared from the public scene in the 1930s to live the rest of her life in privacy. She died on June 29, 1941, and is buried in the Lexington Cemetery. Sayre School wishes to express its appreciation to The Madison County Historical Society for their willingness to share this information and promote Laura Clay’s legacy.

Laura Clay’s diploma was generously donated to Sayre School by the Honorable H. Foster Pettit.

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Sayre School Alumni Class Notes Thank you to all our alumni who have submitted notes for this magazine. Please continue to submit your news and photos to alumni@sayreschool.org or mail them to the Office of Advancement.

1961

Sarah Nancy Hall ’61 has retired from the University of Kentucky where she worked in IT. Recently, Sarah came across a photo from her second grade play where she played a shepherd. In this photo, she is the third shepherd from stage left standing just behind Mary. She lived across the street from the Sayre campus as a child and continues to live downtown today.

1973

Ike Lawrence ’73 writes that his family is doing great. Oldest son Brad (25) is attending Harvard’s M.B.A. program; daughter, Shelby (22) graduated from Washington and Lee University and has a job in Atlanta; youngest son, Evan (18) won the top G.P.A. award for the 4th year in a row and is college bound. Ike still manages rental property in Lexington.

1975

Brynn Gallaher ’75 writes from Florida that she is doing well. Brynn co-taught Becoming Conflict Competency courses at the Center for Conflict Dynamics at Eckerd College and is doing independent conflict consulting as well. She says that…“life is full, rich, and highly textured! I am so grateful to have made it to 54 and be in a place where I can appreciate and savor my past. And, I am thankful for everyone who has accompanied me on this journey.”

1976

Peggy Rose Wheeler, RN, ’76 has organized the Central Baptist Hospital’s Breast Cancer Empowerment Series. Peggy helps “navigate” breast cancer patients through the sometimes confusing healthcare system of pathology reports, surgery, and follow-up treatments. She puts medical speak into understandable terms and offers an open door if patients need to ask questions. The series of seminars answers questions thanks to a grant from Susan G. Komen for the Cure and a partnership with Bluegrass Health Psychology. The programs are free.

1989

Taylor Miles Ward ’89 was married to Whitney Celeste Neuman on March 31, 2012, at the Walnut Hill Presbyterian Church. Serving as Taylor’s best man was his son, Harrison Miles Ward. The couple resides in Lexington.

1991

Louis Terah Haggin Gaver ’91 and Vicki Mouchet were married on April 28, 2012, at the First Presbyterian Church in Lexington. John M. Gaver III, brother of the groom, served as best man and William N. Offutt ’91 served as groomsman. Thomas David Dean ’88, Scott P. Dean ’90, John E. Johnson ’90, William M. Arvin, Jr. ’85, and Joseph B. Murphy ’87 all served as ushers. The couple resides in Lexington.

1992

Clifford M. Denny, Jr. ’92 and Corie Denny were married on December 24, 2011, in Negril, Jamaica.

1997

Lyndy Franklin Smith ’97 and her husband Jeromy are the proud parents of John Bennett Smith born on November 27, 2011. Ben weighed 4 lbs. 1 oz. and was 18 inches long. Lyndy and Jeromy moved back to Paris, Kentucky, from New York and are the Executive Directors of the Town and Village School of Dance. They also teach at the University of Kentucky in the theatre department.

1998

Ben Kesling ’98 received the Deborah Orin Scholarship Award at the annual Dinner of the White House Correspondents Association on April 28, 2012, in Washington, D.C. Ben received his recognition from President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. The scholarship benefits qualified students who show exceptional interest and potential in the field of journalism at the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, Chicago. This summer, Ben had an internship for the Dow Jones Wall Street Journal in Chicago.

1999

Melissa Smith White ’99 graduated from the University of the Cumberlands with her Master of Arts in Teaching in August 2011. She graduated with a Master of Arts in Christian Studies from the University of the Cumberlands in December 2012.

2001

Laura Sims Graham ’01 and Jamey Henderson Holt were married on January 14, 2012, at Windjammer Landing Resort in St. Lucia, British West Indies. The bride was presented by her cousin, William Hunter Simms ’03. The maid of honor was Elizabeth Whitney Simms ’05, cousin of the bride. The couple resides in Birmingham, Alabama.

2002

John Hansford Thomas IV ’02 and Mary Emily Powell were married on December 10, 2011, at Second Presbyterian Church. Zachary Davies Thomas ’04, brother of the groom, served as the best man. Serving as groomsmen were Gunner de la Cour ’02 and Gary Edwards Hilliard ’02. John graduated from Rhodes College and the University of Kentucky College of Law and is employed with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The bride is a graduate of Samford University and is a Registered Nurse with the Neonatal Transport Team at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.

2004

Sarah Gay Barnett ’04 and James Stewart Boswell were married on June 23, 2012, at the Midway Presbyterian Church. Sarah Gay received her undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and recently earned her M.Ed. from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. Mr. Boswell is a graduate of Woodberry Forest School and Davidson College. He attends the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University.

2011

Conrad Bandoroff ’11 was inducted into the Order of the Gownsmen at the University of the South during Sewanee’s fall semester convocation. To become a member of this honorary student organization, founded in 1873, students must achieve a superior grade-point average. Conrad invited Charlie Dalton, Sayre ’98 and Sewanee ’02, his AP Spanish teacher at Sayre to present him with his gown during the ceremony. Charlie Dalton said, “ It was an honor to present him with his gown. I am proud of his academic accomplishments while at Sayre and I am humbled that he asked me to take part in this great Sewanee tradition which is evidence that he has continued to do what he does best, excel.” Last year, Charlie Dalton presented a gown to Nick Klus, ’10 during his induction to the Order of the Gownsmen. Nick Klus ’10, and Conrad Bandoroff ’11 pose for a picture with Charlie Dalton ’98

Jessica Lynn Martin ’04 married William Allen Gwatney on August 18, 2012.

2006

John-Michael Lorton ’06 and wife Kimberly are the proud parents of Samuel Michael Lorton born on July 31, 2011. Samuel weighed 6 lb. and 15 oz. All are doing well in the family.

2009

The Bluegrass Charity Ball celebrated its 50th anniversary on December 29, 2012, in the ballroom of the Lexington Convention Center. Fourteen debutantes were presented at the Ball including Courtney Baughman ’09, Caroline Langley ’09, Kathryn Graves ’09, Elise DeCamp ’09, Eliza Purcell van Dissel ’09, Mary Hood Paulson ’09, and Lauren Virginia Albert ’09.

In Memoriam: Thomas Burks Kessinger died on May 2, 2012. Mr. Kessinger attended Sayre and graduated from Henry Clay High School and the University of Kentucky Law School before entering the investment business. He served in World War II in the U.S. Air Corps in the Pacific theater of operations. Mr. Kessinger served on the Sayre Board of Trustees from 1973 to 1980.

Arnold William Steinbrenner, Jr. ’70 died on May 28, 2012, in New Orleans, LA. Following his graduation from Sayre, Arnie attended Western Kentucky University and Tulane University. He worked for the City of New Orleans in the Revenue and Finance Departments. A memorial reception was held in New Orleans with his ashes spread in Kentucky.

John Starks Burgin ’69 passed away on Monday, July 2, 2012. After graduating from Sayre, he received his B.A. at Transylvania University and his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law. He was one of the original sixteen attorneys who founded the law firm, Ogletree Deakins, Labor and Employment Law.

Mary Bridgforth Oldham Betz ’84 died on November 22, 2011. Mary attended St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, VA, and graduated from Sayre. She earned her electrical engineering degree from the University of Texas and worked on the Galileo Project for NASA. A memorial service was held at Ascension Episcopal Church in Mt. Sterling.

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“Fresh snow at Sayre School” Photo taken by Jason Nahra ’96

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