CANNON THE MAGAZINE OF CANNON SCHOOL
WINTER/SPRING 2022
Letter from the Head of School Dear Cannon, A fascinating part of serving as Cannon’s Head of School is hearing people's origin stories. They are about teachers who had never considered teaching in an independent school and then found Cannon the ideal professional community. They are about alumni who never fit in their previous schools and then are reminded upon returning to Cannon how quickly they belonged here. They are about families forced to move away for other reasons and then finding any reason to get back to Cannon where their children were loved and nurtured without question. Cannon is a place of familiarity for all of us that call it home. Even in the disruptive conditions of the past two years, the comforts of connection and care have remained tangible to those seeking them. Cannon is a place to build belonging for all of us that call it home. Even in the face of a broader culture that wished to label us for our perspectives or our backgrounds, the fast friendships and inherent value of the individual drove our spirits. Even in a time where we could seize upon defeat and victimhood during this centennial challenge, the choice to own our actions and be accountable to one another proved our courage. For each of us Cannon School is a place to proudly claim as home. Thank you for spending time with these pages learning more about our beloved Cannon School. Each story you will read speaks to the sense of belonging and care we experience here. It reminds us of the responsibility we have to steward the strong community and singular culture that make Cannon home. Warmly,
G. Christopher Jones Head of School
EDITOR
ADMINISTRATION
Amy Reiss Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
HEAD OF SCHOOL G. Christopher Jones
EDITORIAL STAFF
CANNON MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2022 Cannon Magazine is published semiannually by the Office of Advancement. Send address changes to rriemersma@cannonschool.org.
Beth Levanti Director of Marketing and Communications CONTRIBUTORS Sydney Ross Kayce Campurciani ‘24 Skylar Couture ‘23 Ainsley Edmiston ‘23 Aubrey Haas ‘23 Maya McCorkle ‘24
HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL Dr. Regina Nixon HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL Carla M. Moyer HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL Debra Otey
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Katie LaRue DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE Whit G. Brown DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING Dr. Beth Wilner
DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION William Diskin
DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL TECHNOLOGY Bill Donovan
DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT Todd W. Hartung Jr.
DIRECTOR OF STUDIES Fabio A. Hurtado
Contents
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From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 This is Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Another Successful Winterm . . . . . . . . . . 14 This is Home Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Talking with One of Cannon’s First Families, the Morrisons . . . . . . . . . . 18 Cannon Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
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News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Athletics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Alumni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Cover: Upper School students “attempt” to roll out our new hashtag, #ThisIsHome, at the Homecoming pep rally in October. For more, turn to pg. 4. Photograph by Greg Newberry and Ellen Loflin.
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Additional photography by Amy Reiss, Sydney Ross, and Rob Walley, Sr.
Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 3
Our failed attempt at creating the new hashtag for a drone shot. Definitely a learning experience!
From the Editor, Amy Reiss When looking at this issue’s cover, you may notice how evenly spaced each square is; how perfectly aligned the words “This is Home” are spelled out. That’s because it’s Photoshopped. You can see the real attempt on the back cover. The story of the hashtag reveal, #THISISHOME, is important to share here because it also inspired the theme of this issue. In addition to being editor of Cannon Magazine, my role includes social media and marketing. I had already been thinking about introducing a new hashtag to join our well-loved #YOUBELONGHERE mantra, and I kept coming back to the idea that simply calling Cannon a community didn’t do this place justice. It’s more like a family. A home. And suddenly—a hashtag. #THISISHOME Our Homecoming celebration was a few weeks away, which I thought would be the perfect time to announce the new hashtag—in style. I enlisted the help of Mrs. Ellen Loflin, Upper School Media Arts Teacher, and we set about creating an art file of the hashtag, divided into sixty-five squares, and printed it onto canvas using her large-scale printer. After numbering, marking, and laying each square on the stadium steps, we were ready for “the big reveal,” during the Homecoming pep rally. What ensued could only be described as chaos. We had not taken into account the lack of rigidity of the squares, combined with how students could best “match up” to create the correct letters. Plus, the day was really hot. And frankly, it was just never going to work, despite my desperate pleas for the Upper Schoolers to “Hold it taut! TAUT!” I left the scene feeling like a failure, but I was quickly greeted by a lot of kind feedback. “Don’t worry about it, Mrs. Reiss,” the kids and faculty said. “It makes for a good story.” And I realized—it did. Because in a place that feels like a home, surrounded by people who feel like family, we can make mistakes, laugh, learn, and move on. That day became the inspiration for this entire issue, so we are telling stories of how Cannon is home—a place to learn, grow, and thrive. A place that is a home.
Amy Reiss Amy Reiss Editor
In the the first week of January, our Upper School students engaged in Winterm, a weeklong experiential learning program that engages students outside of the traditional classroom and provides exposure to the world beyond Cannon. This year, our juniors learned professional skills and explored career opportunities. Skylar Couture, Ainsley Edmiston, and Aubrey Haas all spent a week shadowing Mrs. Amy Reiss, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications. In addition to creating social media posts and a marketing video, the three interns also did some writing for this publication. Read on to learn more about faculty members who make Cannon feel like home to them, as well as some personal reflections.
Special thanks to Sarah Leonard ’23, who was supposed to partake in the Winterm, but was not able to attend at the last minute. That didn’t stop her writing her own personal reflection of why #THISISHOME!
What Cannon Means to Me
#THISISHOME
by Sarah Leonard ’23
I’ve driven into Cannon’s familiar tree-lined drive most mornings for the past six years. First as a passenger in my parents’ car throughout Middle School, and now as a driver in eleventh grade. Each time I drive by the maroon brick buildings and white columns, similar thoughts fill my mind about how grateful I am for the people and opportunities Cannon has brought me. My first memories of Cannon are in the classroom. I remember Mrs. Northrup’s science class in seventh grade and the transformative learning experiences she led. From experiments in the lab to dissections, I was motivated to learn due to Mrs. Northrup’s passion for teaching. I remember debating Supreme Court cases in Mr. Cooke’s history class. I found my love for English in Mr. Smith’s ninth grade English class, where we discussed the philosophical themes in books that we read. I learned to enjoy learning purely for the sake of learning. I believe that Cannon has made me a critical thinker and has given me a desire to understand more about the world around me. While the academics at Cannon have prepared me very well to apply and attend college soon, more importantly, the curriculum has equipped me with the social and emotional skills I need to thrive in the world. At the time, I couldn’t appreciate the long written reflections I had to write during Middle School. In retrospect, I see how those activities have shaped me into the purpose-driven and intentional student that I am. Additionally, I have learned so much about myself as a student and person through the Clifton StrengthsFinder and personality tests that I’ve done in high school. Reflecting on the purpose of each of my experiences at Cannon has enabled me to understand the “why” behind the classes and extracurricular activities I engage in. Knowing my purpose motivates me to work harder and hopefully reach my full potential. My teachers value my personal well-being and health far more than they value me for my grade in their class. This is something I have really appreciated. As I’ve grown up alongside my peers, I have gone through significant life events like graduating eighth grade, learning how to drive, and beginning the college search process. I’ve had many difficult days at school, but I’ve always felt supported. There was never a doubt in my mind that someone on the other side of the door was happy to see me. The advisory system has also
allowed me to have an automatic community of peers, and an advisor who encourages me and desires to see me thrive. Another thing that I am so grateful for are all of the opportunities that I’ve been exposed to while attending Cannon. There is something for everyone here, and a hobby or club for every interest. I even started my own creative writing club to find a community of writers and continue enjoying my passion for fiction writing. I participate in a team of students called the Peer Support Team that learns about mental illness and how to support our peers as we all navigate life challenges. I have attended leadership lunches learning from successful members of the community about topics ranging from how to sustain lifelong friendships to the importance of grit. Cannon has enabled me with the opportunity to participate in seasons of volleyball, swimming, and track. I’ve made friends with students across all grade levels and teachers in many different departments. The last six years, I have been able to hone my passions and learn more about what interests me on a personal, academic, and athletic level. I have noticed that Cannon fosters a community of students eager to get involved. Although I always strive to work hard at school, there have been many opportunities for fun both in and outside the classroom. I always enjoy events like House Games and Project Wrap-In, but there are also moments of laughter within my classes every day. I love having the ability to have discussions with my friends during collaborative classes. I think that one of the things that enables me to thrive in school is being able to have some fun and lighten up in between the sometimes very challenging course work. Cannon has really begun to feel like home to me because of the relationships I’ve made, the classes I’ve become passionate about, and the extracurriculars I’ve been able to participate in that enrich my life. With the education I’ve received and the core values I’ve adopted, I know that I am prepared for whatever my future holds! Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 5
Treasured Traditions: Why Cannon is Home by Aubrey Haas ’23
In my household, one of my favorite Christmastime traditions includes an ornament pickle. Each year, right before Christmas dinner, my grandfather hides the ornament around the house for our family members to find. When we find the pickle, we choose a prize, whether it be a toy for my younger brothers or a gift card for my aunts and uncles. Without the yearly excitement of this tradition, it truly would not feel like Christmas to me or my family.
Aubrey and Spot at the JrK Teddy Bear Picnic, 2010
When asked how I associate #THISISHOME with Cannon, I immediately thought of our school’s traditions. As a lifer, Cannon has quickly become home, with many traditions since Junior Kindergarten. One of my first memories at Cannon was the JrK Teddy Bear Picnic. Every year, Junior Kindergarteners bring in their favorite stuffed animals to be rewarded with a special award from the Head of School. This event was so special to me. I remember bringing a tiny dalmation stuffed animal named Spot, and I was so proud after he received “The Cutest” award from Mr. Gossage. Recently, the Cannon Instagram posted pictures in honor of the event, and as I looked through the pictures, it reminded me of how much I loved and looked forward to that day. Another treasured tradition I experienced throughout my time in Lower School was Gold and Maroon Day. Every year, the Lower School is divided into two teams as students participate in games such as baton-relays and tug of war. This was always a favorite among my class; we would spend hours preparing decorations, posters, and face paint for the day. One of my favorite parts of Gold and Maroon Day throughout the years was that at the end of the day, parents were called to compete in their own game of tug of war. Even if we may have been competitive throughout the events, we all would come together in excitement for our parents to participate. Lastly, one of my most beloved Cannon traditions is the infamous Project Wrap-In: a tradition I have experienced for the past thirteen years. On this day, JrK through twelfth graders bring in presents to wrap together and give to numerous charities. Whether I was a Junior Kindergartener wrapping presents with my Senior Buddy, or a sophomore wrapping presents with my advisory, I have always loved getting in the Christmas spirit and giving back to the community.
Aubrey today, as a junior at Cannon School 6 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
Like my family’s pickle, these traditions and experiences truly make our community home, whether experiencing them as a junior kindergartener or a junior. Not only are these traditions fun and unforgettable experiences, but they also have the ability to bring our community together, as a class and as a school.
Mrs. Julie Reulbach by Skylar Couture ’23
When I was asked what made Cannon feel like home, I thought of the teachers. And there was one teacher who immediately came to mind, Mrs. Julie Reulbach. She has been at Cannon School since August 2014, teaching math in the Upper School. This year, she teaches AP Calculus AB and in the past has taught Geometry, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Precalculus. In addition to teaching math, Mrs. Reulbach is an advisor for a group of girls who will be graduating in 2022. Mrs. Reulbach is an integral part of the Cannon community and makes Cannon feel like a home for so many students, including myself. Q: What inspired you to be a teacher, and to teach math specifically? A: I had terrible math teachers up until my junior year in high school. In my junior and senior years I had an amazing teacher for precalculus and AP Calculus. Her name was actually Mrs. Miracle! She spent time with me before and after school catching me up during my junior year, since my previous math teachers were so terrible and I started out behind in precalculus. She helped me not only understand math but start to love math. She really cared about me, and all of her students. Q: What drew you to Cannon? A: I wanted a K-12 school so my three boys could be at the same school. A friend told me that she had heard good things about Cannon. I loved the look of the campus.
#THISISHOME
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Q: What or who made you feel welcome when you came to Cannon?
Q: I am amazed by the energy you radiate; how do you stay so positive?
A: Mrs. Laura Huffman. She was also a freshman advisor with me my first year. She took me under her wing on the freshman trip, as I had not been an advisor before and she was an amazing advisor.
A: I absolutely love teaching more than anything. So, I think that when you get to do what you love everyday it makes you very happy! It gives me great joy to help students understand math, which can be such a difficult subject in high school. Most students come to me not liking math at all, so I try to make it fun and entertaining to ease the pain, lol! I also hope that I can help some students love math, or at least realize that they ARE good at math, and not hate it so much! Math can be a roadblock in college, and I do not want any of my students’ future plans to be derailed by a math class in college.
Q: What is your favorite memory at Cannon? A: Definitely the Disney trip with the senior class. The seniors are an amazing group of students, and that made the trip especially enjoyable. I also loved going to Disney with the team of educators that I went with. They are all so easygoing, positive, and professional, and some of my dearest friends. Q: Your advisory is about to graduate. What has been the most rewarding part of being an advisor? A: I love being an advisor and it has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job. I have three boys at home, so it is wonderful to get to connect with amazing young women. They are like the daughters that I always wanted but never had! I love that we are with the same ladies for four years, as we really get to know each other. I love giving them advice, helping them make decisions about classes and pushing them to do what I know they are capable of. But most of all, it is just so much fun talking with them and hanging out with them.
Q: I understand that you are involved in teaching outside of Cannon. Can you tell me more about that? A: Yes! Outside of Cannon I teach math teachers how to teach math. I write a blog for math teachers called “I Speak Math” where I share my lessons and ideas. I go to other schools and run professional development sessions and present at conferences to give instructions, tips and hints at how to teach math. I also do webinars, and I have been a keynote speaker at several conferences. When I give a keynote speech I try to encourage other teachers. Teaching math can be a tough job, as so many students do not like math. So I try to inspire them and let them know that they are doing a great job and that they “are enough."
I also teach other math teachers how to effectively use Desmos in their classes. I am going to New Orleans in February to give a presentation on Desmos at NCTM.
Mrs. Reulbach poses with her advisory in 2019
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#THISISHOME
Mr. Mike Hoffman by Ainsley Edmiston ’23
Q: How many years have you been at Cannon? A: This is my twenty-fourth year at Cannon, and I have always taught eighth grade. My first few years I taught all humanities (language arts, Latin, and history – which has varied from American history to geography and cultures, back to US history again). Q: Describe yourself in 5 words or less. A: Energetic, challenging, compassionate, empathetic. Q: I know a huge change during your time here was moving the eighth grade from the Outback to the new building. Can you describe this change? A: I was in the Outback for twelve years (before that I was in a room that is now part of the locker rooms in the gym!), so it was quite a change to be back in “the main building.” My new room is on the second floor; the first time in my thirty-two year teaching career that I have not been on the ground floor! Mrs. Huffman calls my room the “Executive Suite” since I’m upstairs with a corner view. I have four giant windows looking out on Coddle Creek and The Mill and athletic fields. All that said, the best thing is the environment it gives the students. It is a bright, pleasant space with lots of room for movement, which, as you know, we do often. Q: What makes Cannon feel like home to you? A: Cannon feels like home to me because we are a community in the true sense of the word. We look out for each other. We challenge each other to be our best selves. We celebrate each others accomplishments. We
learn why we believe the way we do, while at the same time trying to understand other points of view. We try to separate our knowledge and intellect from our feelings, while acknowledging both. For the most part, I believe we succeed at these, but it is a continuing challenge. Q: What excites you most about teaching? A: I’ve said this many times, but the BEST part about teaching is witnessing the “aha” moment when a student, or students, “get it.” Often we are well into a time period or an event, and I can figuratively see a light bulb go off in their heads and their eyes widen. It’s still an exciting moment even when it happens multiple times a year over many years. Q: How do your students inspire you? A: My students inspire me with their ability to persevere. Their eighth-grade year is not their easiest, but most students push themselves to accomplishments they may not have thought possible. This is not just one or two students, but most. Q: Do you have any teaching philosophies? A: Our Middle School social studies department lives by the philosophy that our goal is to teach students to read, think, and write like historians. This approach, I think, brings history alive for students and prepares them to study and learn from history as they grow up. I also think we all learn more when we can talk about our learning, so discussions in both small and large groups are important in my classroom.
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Mrs. Laura Huffman by Aubrey Haas ’23
When asked who helped make Cannon feel more like #THISISHOME for her, intern Aubrey Haas '23 immediately thought of Mrs. Laura Huffman, Upper School history teacher. Mrs. Huffman taught Aubrey her freshman and sophomore year,and has been teaching at Cannon since 2006. "In the two years I had her as a teacher, it was clear to me her commitment and passion for not only her subject, but also her students," said Aubrey. "Going to her class each day, I looked forward to her kindness; I knew I could always go to her if I had any questions or needed help. Mrs. Huffman truly encompasses our theme, #THISISHOME, by her understanding and dedication to her community and students." Audrey created this Q&A with Mrs. Huffman in hope that others could learn more about her. Q: What or who inspired you to become a teacher? A: My mother always told me not to have any regrets, and to try anything I might remotely be interested in, so I did. When I graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Institute of Film and Television with a degree in Dramatic Writing, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I worked in higher ed, as a Congressional Intern, as a journalist, and I taught playwriting and screenwriting. I really liked that, so decided to go back and get my master’s degree at UNC-Charlotte after I moved to NC, During that time, I worked for an engineering firm (how I met my husband), for the Department of Social Services, as a freelance writer (I eventually became an education columnist for The Charlotte Observer once I began teaching) and I even managed a rock band! By the time I earned my MA, I tried teaching high school history. I was 30 years old and had never had a job lasting more than 2.5 years. This is my 22nd year in the classroom. 10 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
As for a person, I had a magical 9th grade social studies teacher, for a class called Afro-Asian Culture Studies, Mr. Vincent Rosa. He loved teaching, and loved his subject, and loved his students, and I aspire to be like him. Q: What excites you the most about teaching? A: I love being able to help students understand the world around them by examining what came before and got us here, making those connections, and having a lot of fun doing it! Q: Do you have a teaching philosophy you live by? A: Kindness is everything. The teachers students remember are the ones who treated them poorly (I had a sixth grade teacher who told me I was so stupid I’d never make it through junior high) and those who treated them with kindness and respect, grace and humor, as the precious beings they are (like Mr. Rosa), I know which one I want to be. Q: What has been your favorite part of the Cannon community beyond the classroom? A: Being a Cannon parent! My son, Carter, has been at Cannon since JrK, so I’ve also got to experience everything from the Teddy Bear Picnic to holiday concerts to high school football games, since he’s a coaching intern. It’s been such a gift to also have that aspect of my experience at Cannon. Q: On the first day of your class, you introduced us to the expression “Trust the Huff.” What is the meaning behind this phrase? A: One of my former Cannon students, Davis Nelson '16, came up with that mantra when I was still teaching AP Euro. On the surface level, I think it means that I know what I’m doing, and to listen to my suggestions for help/ improvement. On a deeper level, to me it means that students can trust me because I trust them. We’re all learners together!
Q. How long have you been at Cannon, and in what roles?
Q. Do you have a favorite memory from your time here?
A. This is my twenty-second year at Cannon. I started as a science and math teacher, moved into the Dean of Seventh and Eighth Grade role in 2008 when I continued to teach math, and I became the Head of Middle School in 2014.
A. I have so many memories, but the most special one was the dedication of the Hoffman Riley court in January of 2019. A team of eighth grade students worked together to make that event one of the most memorable and touching events I have ever been part of at Cannon. The smiles and surprise on the faces of Mr. Hoffman and Mr. Riley are embedded in my heart forever.
Q. What made you want to become a Head of School? A. I felt that I had more to offer the Middle School than I could as a dean, so I applied as an internal candidate for the role when my predecessor and mentor, Matt Rush, left to become a head of school. I was ready for the next challenge, I loved the school and didn’t want to leave, and I wanted an opportunity to work with all of the amazing faculty members, not just those on my teams. It has been a wild ride, a fun challenge, and a growth opportunity in so many ways. Q. What is the most important lesson your students have taught you? A. Middle School students have a way of giving honest feedback that helps you grow. I have learned that listening to what kids are saying—and truly hearing them—makes me a better educator. I learn so much from one-on-one conversations with our amazing Middle School students.
Q. In your opinion, what makes Cannon a community? Why does it feel like #THISISHOME? A. I love that I can get to know kids in JrK and then see them walk across our graduation stage as seniors. We truly watch young people grow up and go out into the world, and it is even more special that we get to see them come back to visit, volunteer, or be a parent here (that’s crazy!). Q. Why is Cannon home to you? A. I love my work, and I love spending time on this campus with our incredible faculty, students, and families. Our students are loved as if they are our own, and my colleagues are always here to support me. Like any “home,” there are tough times and challenges, but working through those together makes it all that much more sweet.
Mrs. Carla Moyer
#THISISHOME Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 11
Mr. Stuart Coale has been at Cannon for fifteen years—as a Lower School Substitute and interim PE Teacher for one year, a Second Grade Assistant for one year, and a First Grade Assistant for 13 years.
Q: What is your favorite part about working with first grade?
Q: What made you want to go into education?
Q: In your opinion, what makes Cannon a community? Why does it feel like #THISISHOME?
A: After staying home with my sons for several years, I realized how much I enjoy teaching young students. Q: Your two sons are Cannon alumni. What do you remember most fondly about your time here with them? A: My sons, Austin ’16 and Alex ’18 were “Lifers” at Cannon. Working at Cannon while they were here, I felt intimately connected to their educational journey. I especially enjoyed being able to attend their academic, music, and sports events during the day.
Mr. Stuart Coale
#THISISHOME
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A: I love being a part of my students’ first grade year and the significant progress they make in reading, math, and interacting with others.
A: What makes Cannon a community is we are a fellowship of students, families, faculty, and staff, striving to provide our students with an excellent education and develop their character through following our core values of courage, teamwork, respect, integrity, passion, and kindness. This feels like home because of the love and support we give each other and the core values we share. Q: Why is Cannon home to you? A: Cannon is home to me because I believe in our mission and our core values, and I think of my colleagues and students as family.
#THISISHOME
Mrs. Suzanne Howard Q: How long have you been at Cannon and in what capacity? A: This is my nineteenth year at Cannon. I began as an Administrative Assistant in the front office, helping in whatever capacity was needed. It wasn’t too long before we needed more help on the “business” side and purchasing and helping with budgets became part of my duties. My position hasn’t changed that much over the years. Some responsibilities have been added, some moved to other departments as we have grown. Q: You are certainly a person who makes this place feel like home for others! Do you have a favorite memory from your time here? A: What a sweet thing to say! One of my favorite memories involved a former student. I was sitting with him in the lobby waiting on Mom who was running late. After chatting a bit, he looked up at me and said very sincerely, “I wish you were younger so you could be in my class.” My heart melted. And of course, the now infamous falling Christmas tree! Q: Tell us about what your typical day looks like. A: There is nothing typical about a day at Cannon! We start with the students coming in and saying hello, all so excited to be here. I’ll get attendance started, handle parent calls and direct questions to the right people. Greeting parents
and vendors, being sure they get signed in properly, and that they know where to go. (I love telling people where to go, LOL!) Most of the day is just being ready for anything and everything, and making sure things get done. Just helping wherever help is needed. Q: What is your favorite Cannon tradition? A: Ooh. So many! But graduation is at the top of the list. I’ve only missed two in nineteen years. Q: What has been the most rewarding aspect of being here for so many years? A: Gosh, the relationships with my coworkers, staff, and faculty. The best of the best. And knowing that parents trust us with their children every day. It makes me so proud. But watching these young men and women get that diploma! Especially the Lifers. I’ve watched them grow up, from Jrk meltdowns and Lower School silliness to tween/teen emotions in Middle School, to finding themselves in Upper School. I hope they all felt that we made a difference in their life while at Cannon. That we were there for them. Whether we took them a forgotten lunch or gym bag, reminded them to ride the bus, or printed that report for them minutes before class. We just did whatever was needed. And maybe they’ll remember and do the same in someone else’s life. Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 13
#THISISHOME
Another Successful Winterm By Maya McCorkle ’24 and Kayce Campurciani ’24
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Over Winterm, sophomores and budding journalists Maya McCorkle and Kayce Campurciani learned the essentials of news reporting: ethics, conducting interviews with sources, and writing without bias. As part of their week, the two wrote the following article about Winterm. Freshmen and sophomores broadened their horizons as they engaged in Winterms to help others and expand their views about real life. Winterm topics ranged from crosswords to coding with titles as diverse as “Marvel Madness” and “You Gotta Be Knitting Me.” However, it was not all fun and games; students tackled important social issues, engaged in critical thinking, learned to work together, and set personal goals. Social Issues In the Winterm, Marvel Madness, English teacher Mark Dunn introduced students to political and social issues that are found in different Marvel movies that relate to the real world. Students were able to dive deeper into movies such as “X-Men” and “Captain America: Civil War” with Dunn facilitating conversations. “When people watch some of these movies, they only think about you know the cool powers, and it’s kind of cool to think about some of the political and social issues that come to these movies that I never thought about,” said Isaac Szilagyi ’24. Students in “Star Wars for Storytellers” had a similar experience with history teacher Laura Huffman. Students examined social issues through the lens of Star Wars and looked at a myriad of the film’s aspects. “We’re looking at different types of archetypes and correlations between different films,” said William Lomax ’24 said. Personal Goals Meanwhile, the Winterms Genius Hour and “Farm to Table” had students working on personal goals. Students in Genius Hour could choose their own projects to work on and complete by the end of the week with the support of science teacher Hilary Smith. Jimmy Anderson ’24 said, “My personal goal is to learn a new craft…and right now that’s leatherworking.”
By the end of the week, students were expected to incorporate their newfound knowledge. Meadow Campurciani ’24 said, “My goal is to cook a meal for my family and know where every ingredient came from.” Critical Thinking The participants of the Crossword Winterm practiced adaptive expertise, “hit[ting] all but two of the habits,” as their teacher Richard Smith put it, during their time in the classroom. “They’re trying to teach us that crosswords are not only about having a lot of vocab. It’s more like problem-solving, trying to teach how to solve problems, using critical thinking,” Sun Lee ’24 said. Teamwork for Community Restoration The Winterms, “You Gotta Be Knitting Me,” “Something That Matters,” and “Diamond in the Ruff,” focused on community restoration with all of them donating to local charities. Their work required them to work together, too. Lili Booker ’24 said of her experience in “You Gotta Be Knitting Me,” “One [goal] is to learn how to knit of course, and then we will take the blankets that we made ourselves and donate them.” Students are knitting one blanket together, which will go to My Very Own Blanket, a nonprofit that provides blankets to children in foster care. “Diamond in the Ruff ” is also making a donation, theirs of funds. They plan to auction off their upcycled items and donate the proceeds to a charity to be named. Nayak Duggal ’24 said, “Upcycling is taking old furniture and basically refurbishing it for others.” Students in “Something That Matters” made the ultimate donation: their time. The group volunteered at Habitat for Humanity to help with the process of building houses for the homeless. Isaiah Henry ’25 said of his experience, “We try to help homeless people and try to give back, and [I’m] and restoring my community with my classmates.”
While for Stephen Equan ’24, his personal goal was to “create an Olympic game society” in the form of a video game.
Conclusion
In Farm to Table, teachers Heather Oswald and Jenny Weakland took students to different farms where to learn about the food they eat and then to farm-to-table restaurants to eat.
Throughout this week of Winterm, students showed that they gained a deeper understanding of social issues, critical thinking, personal goals, and compassion that they will carry with them through the rest of their time at Cannon and beyond. Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 15
THIS IS HOME
16 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 17
Morrison Family Tree E.L. (Ed) Morrison*
John* and Helen Morrison
John and Peg Morrison
Bill and Jenny Morrison
Harris ’92 and Kate Morrison
Mary ’19
Knox ’94 and Betsy Morrison
Hugh and Mary Margaret Morrison
Margaret ’97 and Waldo Bradley
Holt ’91 and Anne ’90 Morrison
Helen ’98 and Ben Collins
Hunter ’96 Morrison
John ’26
Carter
William
Anna Ruth ’20
Judd
Grace ’27
Katharine ’27
Lawrence
Jack
Molly ’21
Maggie
Eliza ’31
Margaret ’32
Edward ’29
Helen
Hugh ’28
Ike
*indicates deceased
18 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
#THISISHOME
Talking with One of Cannon’s First Families, the Morrisons The Morrison family represents three generations of Cabarrus Academy and Cannon School. Mrs. Peg Morrison began the “dynasty” when she started teaching Latin at the 65 Union Street location, back in 1972. Her sons, Harris and Knox, along with her daughter, Margaret, attended Cabarrus Academy with their cousins, Holt, Helen, and Hunter. The lineage continued with eleven Morrison grandchildren attending Cannon, along with cousin Mary. For a magazine with the theme of #THISISHOME, we knew we had to get the Morrison take on life on Union Street to now!
Mrs. Peg Morrison’s yearbook picture, the first year she taught at Cabarrus Academy.
MRS. PEG MORRISON How did you wind up in Concord?
“I married a local boy in 1971. We rented a duplex down on South Union and I met a new friend – Jane Spainhour. She was teaching Latin at Cabarrus Academy. I think I taught ’72 – ’74, when my first baby was born. I taught Latin (laughing), and I don’t know, don’t you just think of an old hag of teaching Latin?”
Mrs. Morrison had a baby boy this morning.’ And that was Harris. Knox came eighteen months later, then Margaret.” Five years later, Harris went to kindergarten at Cabarrus Academy, just up the road from his house. Peg began her tenure on the Board of Trustees, and the group hired Dick Snyder as the new Headmaster.
If you had to describe Cabarrus Academy in a word, what would it be?
At what point did people start talking about growing and changing location?
“Home. It looked like a home, which was nurturing and warm. We did so little to alter the look of the home. We’d just put up a chalkboard, and close sliding doors that separated a living room and a dining room. There were desks, beautiful wood floors, science in the kitchen, kindergarten in the back sunroom. Art was down in the basement. And it felt like a home.”
“We knew we needed to raise the money to build a new school. And that was when I came on board as a Development Director. It was exciting to move from 65 Union Street to the current location--we had new amenities, like a cafeteria, and all the spaces we needed. Before the moms had to bring in the lunches!”
About how many kids are there in ’72 –’74 when you were there?
“It was a pretty full house. I taught until the day my first baby was born – I just didn’t show up for work that day. One of the student’s daddies was my obstetrician. And she said, ‘I’m gonna call Daddy’s office. And so she did, and they said, ‘Yes!
Even after her retirement, Peg stayed involved with the school by serving on various committees. She recently returned to campus to give a talk to staff, alongside Dick Snyder and Marie Morgann ’01. She is also often on campus to see her grandchildren! Other members of the Morrison family were quick to weigh in on their time at Cabarrus Academy/Cannon School as well! Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 19
impactful women on my early years, probably because she saw past the rambunctious little boy I was through to the sensitive kid she nurtured. It’s wonderful knowing that each of my children can ride by and look at the old Cabarrus Academy building with pride (and some disbelief !) and tell their friends their parents went to school back when Cannon was in a house in downtown.
Holt married another Cabarrus Academy alum – Anne Wampler ’90. Here the two enjoy an alumni event.
For the Morrison family, FAMILY has always been a “core value” imparted by my grandparents and taken to heart with each successive generation. So, to see all of us partake of an institution that values that same sense of “#youbelonghere” is both humbling to watch and something to cherish as our family has experienced it over the years. Cannon is, at its core, an extension of family.
ANNA RUTH MORRISON ’20
KNOX MORRISON ’94
While Cannon felt like home in a lot of ways, having family members who also attended Cannon while I was there made it feel like home on an even deeper level. The fact that my school and family lives had the opportunity to mix was something so unique and special. No matter where I was going, nine times out of ten I would hear, “Ruthie!” echo down the hallway and my cousins’ pounding footsteps coming towards me before being tackled by a hug. It always made my day a little brighter.
So much has changed since I started kindergarten with Mrs. Zuccarello at Cabarrus Academy in 1981. Of course, the old house on Union Street in Concord has no resemblance to today’s sprawling, proper campus. Kids at school with me were much more local to the Concord area than today’s regional representation. Sports, performing arts, and the core values all come to mind while contemplating the improvements and growth since my days.
HOLT MORRISON ’91 When I was at Cabarrus Academy, I recall feeling like a king the day it was my turn to walk to the basement (really a dark cellar) and get the milk, juice and ice cream for the class. And because we didn’t have a cafeteria, lunches were often brought in by mothers en masse from local restaurants. I also recall walking as a class to the library a couple of blocks away for books and being bussed to what was then the Boys Club for PE by Mr. Lockwood—an institution in the day! When my daughters (Anna Ruth ’20 and Molly ’21) began, Gay Roberts was Head of the Lower School. Gay had been my first-grade teacher, and one of the most
“Cannon is, at its core, an extension of family.” — Holt Morrison 20 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
The most obvious common thread tying Cabarrus Academy to Cannon School in these forty years is the caring faculty and staff. Our bus driver, Mr. Lockwood, Mrs. Nancy Smith at the front desk and Coach Safrit all have near clones in Mr. Ken McQueen, Mrs. Suzanne Howard, and Coach Gardin; it brings me great joy to reflect on these folks’ similarities and my children, Carter, Lawrence, and Edward’s friendships with them. Always focused outside the classroom during my years in school, reflecting now through the eyes of a parent highlights the love offered me by Gay Roberts and Anne Turner Gibson, to name a few, compared to my children’s Barb Falkenbury, Deanna Dobbins, Kristen Stephens, Chase O’Brien, Mr. B (Paul Borowicz), and Carla Moyer, only naming a few. Betsy and I will always cherish these relationships. Bright futures were built at Cabarrus Academy and they are still being formed today at Cannon School. I will always be thankful for my involvement with the school in these two phases of my life. Betsy and I are so appreciative of this love and care and look to the future for another exciting chapter.
MARY MORRISON ’19 It made me proud to be at Cannon, knowing much of my family had too, as if I was where I was meant to be and continuing the legacy. It always felt very comforting to see them around school! Cannon raised me in more ways than one! Truly thankful for the person it helped shape me into today. I feel more prepared and more optimistic about the obstacles in life because of the lessons and support I received while there.
GRACE MORRISON ’27
“Cannon raised me in more ways than one! Truly thankful for the person it helped shape me into today.” — Mary Morrison
I love that I always see my cousins in the halls, and that one is actually in the same grade as me, so we hang out all the time. Also, it’s really special that every night when we drive home, we pass the house that my dad went to school in, when it was Cabarrus Academy. I even have one of his old shirts that says Cabarrus Academy, which is really cool!
Two generations of the Morrisons posed for us back in 2018 - the one school year that all third-generation Morrisons were at Cannon at the same time!
Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 21
The Cannon Fund
OUTFITTING
the arts studio Instruments FOR THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT
ACADEMICS PRINTand ONLINE RESOURCES
for our libraries
equipment and chemicals
LAPTOPS & IPADS
FOR THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
UPDATED
Textbooks
FINANCIAL AID FOR STUDENTS FOR
Stipends ATHLETICS COACHES
ATHLETICS
22 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
Make your gift today by visiting www.cannonschool.org/cannonfund
ALUMNI PROGRAMMING
OUR EDUCATORS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR
A vibrant Cannon Fund enhances the educational opportunities for our students today but also protects and increases the value of a Cannon degree in the future. Gifts enrich the Cannon experience for every student and faculty member by providing critical operating support that is not covered by tuition alone. Help us reach our goal of $650,000 by making a gift or pledge today Here are examples of Cannon Fund dollars at work:
ARTS
News Middle School Award to Be Named for Mr. John Riley At this year’s eighth grade graduation, the Leadership Through Service Award will be renamed in honor of the late Mr. John Riley, who served Cannon as a teacher, coach, and mentor for nearly two decades. The peer-nominated award champions values such as reliability, trustworthiness, leadership, kindness, and enthusiasm. “This is the perfect award to be named in John’s honor, because he exemplified all those characteristics,” said Head of Middle School Mrs. Carla Moyer. “The fact that the kids get to choose the two recipients is a perfect way to honor John, since he was someone who cared so deeply about other people and was always his students’ biggest cheerleader,” Moyer said. The award will be given to students at this May’s Middle School Commencement.
Piece Commissioned for Former Head of School Matt Gossage to be Performed this Spring The two-year pandemic certainly brought life to a screeching halt in many ways, including Cannon events. Yet, this April, we will have the chance to “make up for lost time,” with our Arts Jam, which we have rescheduled from 2020. It was nearly four years ago that Director of Music Arts, Mr. Rob Burlington, was looking ahead to our 50th anniversary and the impending retirement of Mr. Matt Gossage, our Head of School at the time. Mr. Gossage had been a fixture in his classroom for years, talking with students about the poetry of music. As a parting gift and to celebrate our 50th birthday, Mr. Burlington asked Mr. Gossage to pick a poem he loved. He then turned to composer Andrea Ramsey, who took the piece and turned it into a song. The piece will be performed by the Upper School Chorus, Varsity Chorus, faculty, staff, and alumni at the upcoming Arts Jam this spring. We are excited for the premiere of this amazing gift!
Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 23
News Belongingness at Cannon School “You Belong Here” is not just a tagline at Cannon School, but words our community strives to incorporate into our culture each day. To us, belongingness means every person, in celebration of their background and perspectives, is welcomed, accepted, and living our mission and core values. In addition, "You Belong Here" means that each person's voice is welcomed. We truly believe that we are better together, and we have built our community on valuing each person’s contributions. In that spirit, and arising from our Strategic Design, a committee for Diversity, Belongingness, and Engagement was formed last spring. The committee’s tasks for this year include: • Interpret and present to faculty and staff the findings from our community-wide Inclusivity Index.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Belongingness, and Engagement: Many Individuals, Many Perspectives; One Mission, One Set of Core Values; Knowing We Belong Here. Our Individual Agreements: We listen, learn, and grow. We read and think critically to seek understanding. We model and practice curiosity. We welcome and engage in difficult conversations. We value proximity and practice perspective-taking.
• Finalize, publish, and educate our community about our Board of Trustees' adopted Commitment to Belongingness and Engagement (see at right).
We question ideas; we nuture people.
• Refresh and re-imagine our partnership with Parents At Cannon group Cannon Cultures.
We seek fairness.
• Study and evaluate the value of a dedicated role on campus to support efforts in the areas of community engagement and belongingness. The committee looks forward to continuing work that will unite and strengthen our greater Cannon community! 24 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
Out Community Agreements:
We confront and address behavior that is harmful and hurtful. We use processes that ensure identities do not predict outcomes. We explore decisions together, inclusive of many perspectives. We welcome all voices and share our experiences.
News
Ohana Means Family in the Middle School
Check out our Newest Video! Our newest website video is a great way to experience Cannon School…without ever leaving your couch! Simply scan this QR code to catch some familiar faces…and learn why #YouBelongHere!
Each year, the Middle School faculty pick a theme for the year and weave the concept into their programming. Below, Middle School Dean of Innovation and Technology, Mr. Leigh Northrup, tells us how they arrived at “Ohana,” a concept that plays perfectly with the theme of this issue of Cannon Magazine! “The concept of ohana came up over the summer as we were thinking about how our Middle School has always felt and acted like a family, and how we always take care of each other. But we wanted to somehow have a cool message and saying around that feeling.” “We always take a goofy Middle School faculty picture before school starts, and this year we chose Hawaiian print shirts and dresses. That got us thinking about the Polynesian culture, and the movie “Lilo and Stitch” with the really awesome quote of ‘Ohana means family and family means nobody ever gets left behind.’ That really resonated, because of how our Middle School kids take care of each other, how our Middle School teachers take care of our kids, and sometimes how our Middle School kids take care of our teachers. Here, we really are a family.” Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 25
Second-year Coach Jamie Bolton gives the team a congratulatory message after the win.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Warriors’ win over Harrells Christian means they walk away as state champions By C. Jemal Horton, The Independent Tribune Photos by Rob Walley, Sr. HARRELLS – The turnaround is complete. The program that won two games just a few seasons ago has its state championship. On Friday night, the Cabarrus Warriors won a back-and-forth duel against highly regarded Harrells Christian Academy, 3431, avenging an earlier loss to the Crusaders to claim the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II title. 26 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
The Warriors (10-2) only came into existence three years ago when Cannon School and Concord Academy surprisingly combined to build the co-op football program. After going 2-8 in their maiden season, the Warriors lifted their helmets as state champions Friday night, celebrating with busloads of fans who made the trip, all on Harrells’ Murphy-Johnson Field at Gary Lewis Athletic Complex. As the seconds wound down from the scoreboard minutes earlier, second-year Warriors head coach Jamie Bolton began to realize what might have been the unimaginable back in 2019 had become the program’s new reality. “It’s kind of hard to put into words,” Bolton said during a telephone interview with the Independent Tribune. “We’re down there, and we know we’ve got it sealed up after (converting) a big third-and-1. We knew that we had won the game. And to watch our fans, to watch our families, to watch our kids with the biggest smiles on their faces and to watch those seniors play their last football game was amazing.”
“They were on this team two years ago, and nobody gave them a shot. To do what we’ve done this year, we may be the best story in private-school football history.” The Warriors’ title is the first state championship for a Cabarrus County private-school football team since 2011, when Concord Academy (then known as Concord First Assembly) took the NCISAA Division II crown. Moving into such elite company was not a simple accomplishment in the state championship, especially since the Warriors were facing Harrells (11-2), a team that has beaten them twice over the last two seasons – once in last year’s state semifinals, and once this year to hand Cabarrus its first loss of the season. But victory ensued, and the Cabarrus players first stormed the field in exaltation, but then they ran over to the fence to their rabid fans to celebrate. “It’s an incredible feeling,” said Warriors senior linebacker Josh Reid. “Just winning it with my brothers, means everything. We worked so hard for this. Since, like, May, we’ve been going at it every day. “I don’t even know what to say. I’m just speechless. I’m just so proud of all the seniors, all the coaches. I was here when we went 2-8. It’s been a heck of a journey. It’s just been a real good ride.”
The Warriors only lost twice this season, home games to Indian Trail Metrolina Christian and Harrells, but they had to go through both those teams in the postseason to win their state title. It was the perfect way to end the season, the perfect way to put 2-8 in the distant past. “The way things have been for this program, we were kind of on the rise last year, and this year we had all the expectations,” Bolton said. “But to do it the way that we did this year, where Metrolina beat you at home, Harrells beat you at home ... and then having to play Metrolina (in the second round) and beat them in a close one, having to go to Harrells and beat them in a close one, nobody can ever say anything different. “We were glad the brackets worked out the way that they did, where Harrells was down (to Division II), because if we had won a state championship any other way, people would have said, ‘Well, if Harrells was down, they would have beat you.’ Well, they WERE down, and we beat THEM at THEIR place. “For us, it was the greatest opportunity in the world, and our kids made the most of their opportunity.”
During a phone conversation on the bus ride back to Concord, Bolton took inventory of what the Warriors had accomplished this season. They had taken the hard road to glory.
The Cabarrus Warriors took home their first-ever state championship this past November— an amazing milestone for an incredible team!
After the victory, fans (two busloads full!) swarmed the field to congratulate the players.
Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 27
Cougar senior basketball players pose together.
Our state championship football team is celebrated with a banner ceremony in January.
Kenan Bullard ’25 and Fiona Chen ’23 rally the crowd at the Homecoming game.
Chase Erdin ’23 skillfully takes on an opponent.
28 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
Phenix Brown ’25 was part of an excellent Aquacougs team.
Mary Patrick Folds ’22 gets an early lead at a cross-country race at McAlpine Park.
Cougar senior basketball players pose together. Dylan Kellman ’22 leads his JrK buddy, Grant Robinson ’35 at the start of soccer’s Senior Night.
Many thanks to Rob Walley, Sr. for these incredible photos!
Girls’ varsity volleyball enjoyed an excellent 12-1 season. Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 29
Coming Back Home
Cannon is more than just a school, we are a community. Cannon is more than just a school, we are a community. It continues to be home for new students every year, with more and more Cannon alumni headed out in the world. Yet nothing has demonstrated just how connected to Cannon our alumni are than this past January.
Sydney Ross Manager of Alumni and
Alumni Parent Relations
The first week after winter break, eighteen alumni came back home to share their expertise with our Upper School students during Winterm. Winterm, which began in 2014, is a week-long program for students to experience different interests and try things outside their comfort zones. Our first and second-year experiences saw Joseph Hurtado ’20 donning a Spider-Man costume, helping students prep for court in Rebecca Eury’s “Superhero Justice” course where they explored what laws superheroes would be subject to under U.S. law. In Laura Huffman’s “Star Wars for Storytellers,” students heard from Patrick Dodds ’19 and Griffin Jones ’20, two current film students, as they analyzed the film Star Wars: A New Hope and how it follows Joseph Campbell’s work, The Hero’s Journey. During the junior experience, students got to jump into different career areas such as business and law, STEM, the arts, social sciences, medicine, and more. This is where our alumni shined, offering their career insights and knowledge. Barclay Sparrow ’13 shared stories and lessons from her career in the Broadway theater industry, opening the imaginations of our arts students to the multitude of career possibilities, while Joel Marburger ’19 toured the STEM students around the Concord Airport to discuss flying, private lessons, ground school, and more. Alexandria Mills ’17 gave valuable insight into the law school application process and expectations of being an L1 student at Wake Forest Law School and Eric Fromke ’14 prepped our students to understand the med school experience with his time in med school at UNC Chapel Hill. While each of these interactions was a smaller piece of the whole week for our students, the impact will last far beyond. It’s the relationships and experiences like these that make Cannon home to so many and we look forward to welcoming more alumni back as we continue to make history.
Manager of Alumni and Alumni Parent Relations
30 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
Brandon Wade ’15
Barclay Sparrow ’13
Joseph Hurtado ’20
Alexandria Mills ’17
Joel Marburger ’19
Patrick Dodds ’19 and Griffin Jones ’20
Kevin Ross ’12
Hailey Foreman ’13
Paul Anderson ’13 Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 31
THIS IS HOME We asked our alumni…why does Cannon School still feel like home to you? #YouALWAYSBelongHere
“Cannon is home for me because on top of all the amazing friends and faculty I had there, I also had my whole family there, too. I was lucky enough to have both parents work at Cannon and my siblings attend Cannon as well. I loved getting to be around my family all the time; my mom was my swim coach and my dad was my math teacher and track coach. Cannon was home for all of us!”
“Knowing everyone on a somewhat personal level is so subconsciously supporting, and I didn’t realize that until I left. I could tell you a fun fact about every one of my peers and teachers! The power of knowing people is ‘home.’” — Chloe Winchester ’21
“I met lifelong friends at Cannon, and we frequently reminisce on our shared memories. Whenever I come back to campus it feels like nothing has changed, and I look forward to seeing and catching up with former teachers!”
— Jane Campbell ’12
“Cannon was where I made my first friends in North Carolina with whom I’m still close to this day. The school gave me the support system I needed as a teenager to grow and develop into the man I am now.” — Sam Clemence ’08
— Hailey Foreman ’13
“Cannon helped me fall back in love with learning. It’s full of so many faculty and staff members I consider friends, mentors, and role models.”
— Zack Olguin ’17
32 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
“Although I have unique memories from 2004 as a student and 2010 as a teacher, there have been changes at Cannon and in my life since those times. Still, I feel at home and accepted when I’m on campus.” — Eddie Alcorn ’04
"Cannon is home because it brought me lifelong friendships, valuable lessons learned, and memories that I will hold onto forever." — Erin Mason ’16
“Attending Cannon was a life-altering experience that allowed me to flourish academically and individually by equipping me with the confidence to strive for excellence in every avenue of life. The genuine love and support expressed by my classmates and teachers still keep me anchored during difficult times and I am eternally grateful for the unique community that I was a part of building.” — Nehmiah Broadie ’20
"Cannon School is home because of the faculty and staff who give the students a sense of belonging by being some of the most influential, caring, and kind individuals out there. They create safe spaces, cultivate community, and celebrate each student." — Sydney Wood ’21
“With many of the faculty from 2008 still on campus and alumni in the community, every interaction feels very familiar, even after fourteen years.” — Colin York ’08
“Cannon has always felt like home to me. It’s a place where you feel loved, supported, and celebrated. Throughout high school, especially once my dad began working as an English teacher, Cannon quickly became my safe space where I had family and teachers who were so dedicated to watching us succeed and grow.” — Zoë Smith ’19
“Cannon School is home to me because I know that there are teachers, past and present, who will always be there to support me on my journey through life.” — Rachel Cooke ’20
“Cannon is home to me because it is where I met friends that I will love for the rest of my life; they are now, and forever will be, my family.”
— Vicky Bruce ’12
Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 33
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Creating a Legacy Many students filled the rooms of the old house on Union Street and have walked the halls of the Craig Acres campus here on Poplar Tent Road over our fifty years of history. For some of our alumni, as they’ve grown and started families of their own, the impact this school made was something they wanted to pass along. We are excited to see our legacy families growing as we continue paving our way. We define our legacies as students whose parents or grandparents attended Cabarrus Academy and/or Cannon School. In this edition of the magazine, which celebrates how and why Cannon School has been home to so many, we wanted to spotlight our alumni who have brought their children back to Cannon School to have an experience similar to their own.
CARRIE ALLEN ’11, mom to Kai ’34 Are there things at Cannon School today that remain the same from your time here? Are there things that stand out as different?
Cannon has evolved in many ways since my graduation in 2011. There are more buildings, new teachers, and new staff—yet I am floored by the number of things that remain the same in spirit and form. Many of the same teachers are there (with just as much enthusiasm). It’s like I’m sharing a piece of myself with Kai when he walks through the same doors I remember walking through at dropoff each morning. What makes Cannon School home to you and your family?
From my first day at Cannon in the third grade to my graduation in 2011, Cannon School was home. It was the constant in my life during my transformative and awkward years, and it gave me a sense of confidence in who I am and what I was capable of. Now that my son, Kai, is embarking on his own journey at Cannon, it’s like returning home and sharing my roots with my family. Beyond the sense that it’s all so familiar—it’s a place I feel we are all cherished as part of the community. And, as it turns out, that doesn’t end at graduation. 34 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
Alumni
WILL CANNON ’01, son to Bill Cannon ’73 and dad to Eli ’30 and Emma ’32 FORD CRAVEN ’96, dad to Kindred ’35
What was it like being a legacy to now having your own children attend Cannon?
What is a favorite memory from your time at Cabarrus Academy?
My wife and I wanted an educational environment where our children would be safe, nurtured, and challenged. I remember feeling this way as a student at Cannon and clearly see the same experience in my children.
Hard to pinpoint one memory but field days and field trips were always awesome. The school was downtown then, so we would walk to the library and I could ride my bike to school. The school itself was one of Concord’s most historic homes and I always thought how cool it was that our classes were in bedrooms, kitchens, and closets. Art class was a favorite of mine and Halloween was always fun because the teachers and parents made a haunted house in the basement. Are there things at Cannon today that remain the same from your time at Cabarrus Academy? Are there things that stand out as different?
What makes Cannon School home to your family?
Well, it was originally housed, literally, in a Cannon family home. My father grew up there and attended Cannon at that location. My children are the third generation of our family to attend. I can’t possibly list all of my extended family members who have attended or still attend Cannon. Despite the familial connection, Cannon is home because it is an academic institution that fosters whole-child growth.
I’ve only had since August to start experiencing this school again but one thing that is similar is that Head of School Christopher Jones ushers his students out of the pick-up line with a wave or a nod. My Head of School, Richard Snyder, would always be at the front door in the mornings to shake every student’s hand as they came in. What’s different? Sounds crazy but we didn’t have much in the way of organized sports. We had PE down at the Boys Club and a boys and girls basketball team. Well, a few of us did have the original Nintendo that we played after school and on the weekends, so I guess we were Cannon School’s first esports team! Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 35
Alumni Events
Our Alumni Swim Meet brought alumni Aquacougs back to the YMCA for fun relay races with the varsity team and breakfast back on campus. Thank you to Leigh Northrup for helping to put together a great morning.
Alumni Jazz Jam was hosted on Tuesday, December 28 at Cabarrus Brewing Company. Thanks to Brad Davis and the alumni for providing the entertainment!
We hosted one of our largest Alumni Soccer Games with thirty alumni taking on our varsity team back at the beginning of August. Thank you to our new coach, Matt Denton, for helping to make the day a success!
Upcoming Events
Class Reunions Saturday, June 25, 2022 | Cannon School 5 Year Reunions: Class of 2015, 2016, and 2017 10 Year Reunions: Class of 2010, 2011, and 2012 15 Year Reunions: Class of 2005, 2006, and 2007 20 Year Reunion: Class of 2002 Co-Ed Alumni vs. Varsity Lacrosse Game Monday, May 23, 2022 | Randy Marion Field
36 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
Class Notes 2004 Alissa Mroz has returned to Charlotte as the Senior Administrative Assistant at Varo Bank, the first consumer fintech to be granted a national bank charter. She spent the past five years in Arizona working for PwC.
2009 Curt Black and Elaine Martin got married in July 2021 in Stowe, Vermont! They were lucky to celebrate with a great group of friends and family, including many attendees from Cannon. Curt and Elaine met in Washington, DC, in 2015 while Curt was working for Google’s U.S. Elections team and Elaine was at Curt Black Georgetown Medical School. Curt and Elaine now live in Newport Beach, CA. Curt recently left Google to join Aktify, a Conversational AI company, as their Head of Growth. Elaine is a third-year Otolaryngology resident at UC Irvine. Please reach out if you’re ever in the Orange County area! Alexandra Ramdin Thompson married longtime love, Patrick Thompson, in Temecula, CA on September 11, 2021. Jacquelyn Ramdin ’12 was the maid of honor and Savannah Sipperly ’09 was in attendance and did a reading during the ceremony. Alexandra and Patrick have since moved to South Lake Tahoe, CA where they reside with their dog, Vince.
Alexandra Ramdin Thompson
2010 Brooke Matherly Corley recently graduated from Arizona State University with her Master’s of Sustainable Tourism. After graduating, she accepted a remote position as a Training and Development Coordinator with Cloudbeds, a leading hospitality software company.
Brooke Corley ’10 and sister, Blair Matherly ’13
Lauren Hunstad will marry Michael Conners at the Mint Museum Uptown on April 23, 2022. Lauren and Michael are both lawyers living in Charlotte, NC. The wedding party includes the maid of honor Megan Hunstad ’11 and bridesmaids Rosemary Sirois ’10 and Rianna Das Barnhouse ’10.
2011 Marissa Deddens and Conor Larkin celebrated their marriage with family and friends at The Venues at Langtree on October 23, 2021. Marissa and Conor began their relationship over twelve years ago when they met during their freshman year of high school at Cannon. They moved back to Charlotte in Marissa Deddens and Conor Larkin August of 2021 where Marissa is a speech-language pathologist with LKN Speech-Language Pathology and Conor is the Lead Commercial Engineer with Fluid USA. They are looking forward to their new chapter together in Charlotte! Cannon alumni in the bridal party included best man Austin Larkin ’13, matrons of honor Kelci Deddens Pozzi ’08 and Bri Wyatt Tysinger ’12, and bridesmaids Laura Oddo Goettel ’11 and Catherine Petok Coyle ’11. Cannon alumni in attendance included Thomas Goode ’13, Zack Tysinger ’12, Jarett Andretti ’11, MacKenzie Dickerman ’11, Winston Felker ’11, Andrew Mikita ’11, Jackson Sipperly ’11, Laura Oddo Goettel ’11, Catherine Petok Coyle ’11, Royden Goode ’10, and Virginia Goode Ourisman ’08. Olivia Osborne met her fiancé, Brett, when she was crossing the street in the rain in Miami, where she is earning her Ph.D. and he is doing his MD/Ph.D. A year later, he proposed while they were sailing in the Florida Keys. They are planning their wedding for December 2022 in Rome. After graduation, Olivia Olivia Osborne will attend law school for intellectual property law and Brett will complete his surgical residency. Joan Palumbo is the current Advancement Coordinator at Trinity Episcopal School. She has been serving in this role since September 2020. Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 37
Class Notes 2012 Cassie Calvert got engaged to her fiancé, Tyler Cherigo, in November 2021. Cassie also recently launched a brand new podcast with the Baltimore Ravens called the Purple Chair Podcast where she gives a new view into the Ravens organization, sharing what life is like for women in the NFL. You can listen to the podcast on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Tim Gruber is teaching second and third grade in Victor, Idaho in the shadow of the Tetons! If anyone is ever out skiing in Jackson Hole, feel free to reach out!
Davis Kiger married Jenna Smith in July 2021. Davis and Jenna met at High Point University where Davis played golf and Jenna played volleyball.
Cassie Calvert
Tim Gruber
Will Keenan got engaged to Candice Brown on November 17, 2021. They will be celebrating their wedding on January 21, 2023. Last August, Jason Willix took a new job teaching weight training and PE at Middle Creek HS in Apex, NC and moved up as an Offensive Coordinator and Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for their football team. In his first season, they went undefeated in the conference and won the conference championship for the first time since 2016. On December 30, Jason got engaged to his fianceé, Sierra Smith.
2015
Will Keenan
Jason Willix
Tyler Haritan finished up naval primary flight training and was selected to fly jets. He is headed to Meridian, MS for a year of advanced jet training. He will then be off to the fleet where he will fly either the F-35C or the F/A-18 Super Hornet.
2016
Davis Kiger
David Ratté
Rachel Harris will be touring with Parsons Dance, a worldwide touring company based in New York City. She is a company dancer and has recently been promoted to Director of Apprenticeship and Education and Diversity Liaison between the dancers and staff. Additionally, she has choreographed and directed a Rachel Harris dance film by way of the Gibney Dance Converge2Emerge Grant which will premiere later in 2022, and a music video for artist Alicia Walter. She looks forward to performing, choreographing, and building trust in communities both in and outside the dance studio. Jordan Lauher was welcomed back to the Cannon School team this winter as the Enrichment Programs Assistant with Cannon’s Enrichment Programs. She will work directly with the After School Program during the school year and then assist with Camp Cannon throughout the spring and summer. Aspen Stevanovski got engaged to Michael Stalls on July 24, 2021.
Tyler Haritan 38 | CANNON | Winter/Spring 2022
David Ratté married Margo Kane on December 10, 2021, in Scranton, PA. David and Margo met in Atlanta, where they both moved for work. They now live in Atlanta together with their Pomeranian, Theo. David also had five Cannon graduates as his groomsmen: Troy Terveer ’15, Uday Uppal ’15, Jacob Johnson ’15, Kody Huseby ’15, and Erdogan Long ’15.
Aspen Stevanovski
Class Notes 2018
2019
Rohan Handa was drafted by the San Fransisco Giants in the 2021 MLB Draft during Round 5 as the 146th overall pick. Rohan previously pitched for Yale University.
Joshua Doolittle is a first-year graduate student in High Point University’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy where he is pursuing his PharmD degree. Joshua spent this past summer between his undergraduate sophomore year and Joshua Doolittle the start of graduate school as a Research Assistant with Dr. Sangmin Lee working on NextGeneration Diabetic Drug Development. He is also a Dean’s List student, First Violinist in the High Point University Community Orchestra, and member of the eSports Team.
Carter Jones was named one of Spotify’s Hot Country Artists to Watch for 2022!
Rohan Handa
Alon Parker was recognized as one of High Point University’s Extraordinary Leaders. These students are recognized for excellence and service performed inside and outside Carter Jones the classroom. They are nominated by faculty, staff, and fellow students for striving to make a difference in the larger community. Alon is a May 2022 graduate majoring in sales, and following graduation, he will be working as a demand generation representative for Amazon Web Services in Arlington, Virginia. At High Point, he has served as a Alon Parker diversity mentor, event coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Student Government Association, president of Pi Theta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, and as a member of the Senior Leadership Cabinet. Michael Sanders recently got engaged to his girlfriend of over two years. He is in his senior year of college at LSU on the men’s golf team and has one more year of eligibility for golf and will attend grad school at LSU to play. He and his fiancée, Madison, will be getting married next year in Louisiana and plan on moving back to North Carolina after grad school!
Mitchell Skolaris will be interning at Advance Auto Parts at their corporate office in Raleigh, NC as an Environmental Sustainability Intern for summer 2022. His passion for environmental science began his junior year in Mrs. Mattsson’s AP Environmental Science class. When speaking of this internship, Mitchell states, “This provides the exciting opportunity to work with persons across all levels of management to identify major sources of carbon emissions and inefficiencies across AAP’s operations, then developing solutions to remedy these issues.”
2021 Amanda Sambach has qualified and been invited to the Augusta Women’s Amateur which will take place March 30, 31, and April 1. This will be her second year competing in the event, stating she is, “very excited to be able to go back and set higher expectations for me in the event. It is such an honor to be invited to one of the most prestigious amateur events in the world with the most talented women and I can’t wait!”
Amanda Sambach
Michael Sanders
Winter/Spring 2022 | CANNON | 39
Sometimes things don’t go as planned…
…take, for example, our new hashtag release. Even though we had the best intentions, we just couldn’t make this one work, so we needed a little Photoshopping (as you can see from our cover pic!). Read our THIS IS HOME intro to learn the story behind the photo!