The Gateway Spring 2021

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A P U B L I C AT I O N O F C H A R L E S TO N DAY S C H O O L

CDS TRADITIONS CONTINUE Kindergarten dresses as 101 Dalmatians to celebrate 101 days.

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The (Reimagined) CDS Experience

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35th Annual Dottie Rhett Speech Contest

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Celebrating Books and Reading

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| IN TEG R I TY | R ES P EC T | R ES P ONS I BI L I TY

Alumni Spotlights

Students in grades 1-8 often eat lunch on the terrace when the weather permits.

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From the Head of School Dear Charleston Day School Families,

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ecently, I was listening to a podcast hosted by clinical psychologist Dr. Wendy Mogel.

Dr. Mogel, a New York Times bestselling author and international public speaker, defines her mission in life as, “the protection and promotion of self-reliance, resilience, accountability and exuberance in children.” She has a no-nonsense approach to helping parents navigate parenting during a time when there is a great deal of uncertainty. Something that she said in that Judith Foley Arnstein podcast was immediately burned into my brain.

She stated, “One of the best things that parents can do is to surround their child(ren) with interesting and inspiring adults.” I recognize that this seems obvious, but I, for one, had not really thought about making a concerted effort to do that. Inspiration can come from so many different places – whether it is art, music, cooking, history, world language, design, math, gardening – the list goes on. And while exploring each of those subjects, you will discover interesting and inspiring people.

Schools are filled with inspiring people. At Charleston Day School, in particular, I am constantly amazed by the depth and breadth of our outstanding faculty. Just when I think I know someone, I find out that they owned a dance studio, thought about law school, can bake an award-winning cake, or are a competitive swimmer. There are wicked senses of humor, published authors and master gardeners. The scope and richness of the lives of our faculty is astonishing. These are interesting people! And our students get to be with them every day. So, in choosing to be part of the Charleston Day School community, you are doing exactly what Dr. Mogel recommends – surrounding your child with interesting and inspiring adults. It goes without saying that they are also outstanding and caring educators.

Over the past year, we have been fortunate that this dedicated (and inspiring!) group of individuals has focused on allowing our school to be open for in-person learning. This issue of The Gateway celebrates our community’s dedication to in-person learning at a time when that was not an option for so many children in Charleston and across the United States. Here’s to celebrating the creativity, persistence and sheer will of the people that turn Charleston Day School from a group of buildings into a school. Thank goodness for this group of interesting people!

As you enjoy the magazine, please be sure to read the Alumni Spotlights that feature Alexandra Mack Macon ’05 and Eliot Leadem ’14. Their stories are a testament to the many paths, options and successes that our graduates enjoy. As always, thank you for your support and partnership as we continue to focus on upholding Charleston Day School’s mission of fostering scholarship, integrity, respect and responsibility in our students.

With Gratitude,

Table of Contents Letter from Head of School

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Eighth graders play table tennis at recess in the repurposed parking lot, pages 4-5.

The (Reimagined) CDS Experience

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The Legacy of Mrs. Dottie Rhett

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First, second and third place winners of the Dottie Rhett Speech Contest stand with the judges and Head of School, pages 10-11.

The 35th Annual Dottie Rhett Speech Contest

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Excellence in Teaching Award

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Celebrating Books and Reading

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Alumni Spotlight: Alexandra Mack Macon ’95

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Alumni Spotlight: Eliot Leadem ’17

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Alumni News 20

About the Cover Dressed as 101 Dalmatians, Lydia Bruce and Rose Williams celebrate 101 days with their Kindergarten class.

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CHARLESTON DAY SCHOOL

The (Reimagined) CDS Experience Rising Above the Challenges of the 2020-2021 Year

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t Charleston Day School, opening our doors to inapp. Performances were no longer in person but put on class learning five days per week in August was video. Monday Assembly was live in the gym with eighth necessary, a privilege and full of the unknown. Following graders but shared with the rest of the school via Zoom. the guidelines of the CDC and MUSC’s Back to Business But much stayed the same. program, changes and precautions Every student continued to be were put into place to protect our “There have been changes and greeted personally by the Head school community while offering the same exemplary education as silver linings, but the one constant of School each morning. Every student remained known and loved. always at Charleston Day. The task that has endured is the strength of The teachers and administrators may have seemed insurmountable except for the unending efforts of a community and spirit that defines continued to give 101%. The resilience, problem solving and talented group of behind-the-scenes Charleston Day School.” flexibility of students and teachers administrators and faculty who was on full display day after day. The made up the COVID Task Force. garden remained a favorite spot for outdoor classes and We wanted to open our doors and get back to some sort of activities. Smiles, instruction, encouragement and laughter normalcy for our students. Open our doors, we did! still abounded, even behind the masks. Words of the month The changes were many. continued to inform our days — compassion, gratitude, Face masks were required for all. Temperatures were generosity, sportsmanship, perseverance, inclusion and taken at the door, and hands were washed before entering empathy. Friendships flourished. Bigs and Littles remained the school at newly built washing stations. Social distancing connected. CDS traditions carried on with innovations. moved desks further apart, and some classrooms were And in all, educators at Charleston Day continued to instill moved. Students were organized into cohorts, and schedules scholarship, integrity, respect and responsibility in our for those cohorts were altered for more exercise breaks and students. Perhaps now, more than ever. recesses. The parking lot became a playground!

“At a time when large parts of the country, and many Special area classroom teachers came to their students’ homerooms, pushing carts with supplies. Students at home or in quarantine accessed synchronous classes via Zoom in a new Alternative Learning Plan (ALP) featuring a classroom iPad and easel. Meals were brought to the classrooms instead of being eaten in the Student Commons. The Commons was reserved by teachers for science, language and art labs. Afternoon carpool utilized a new PikMyKid

students in Charleston, remain in remote learning, our community has been able to sustain in-person learning. I do not take the sacrifices that everyone has made lightly,” said Head of School Judith Foley Arnstein. “Both students and faculty have had to adjust to a new landscape. There have been changes and silver linings, but the one constant that has endured is the strength of community and spirit that defines Charleston Day School.”

☛ OPPOSITE PAGE, Top Left to Bottom Right:

Eighth graders are the only audience members at Monday Morning Assembly, which is Zoomed to the classrooms.

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Some students were Photoshopped into the eighth grade class mural; digital art was taught in seventh and eighth grades for the first time; basketball clinics were socially distanced; Mrs.Tobin’s sixth grade created a Bebop with Aesop clay animation film; students washed hands at new hand washing stations; the parking lot became a playground; the Parents’ Council’s Halloween Carnival was arranged by cohorts.

Students in grades 1-8 often eat lunch on the terrace when the weather permits.

Eighth graders participate in the Gibbes Museum of Art Junior Docent program.

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The (Reimagined) CDS Experience continued from page 5

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BELOW: Top Left to Bottom Right Head of School Judith Foley Arnstein greets students each morning sans the handshake; first graders enjoy PE class; The Second Grade Fairy Tale Festival is as charming as ever!; K-2 Read Across America Parade; Bigs and Littles enjoy getting together.

The Third Grade Read-a-thon raised a whopping $12,873.58 for charities!

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The (Reimagined) CDS Experience continued from page 6

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Passport Day for prospective students and their families went virtual with a school map and QR codes to teacher videos. Scan the QR codes below to enjoy the same videos our visitors viewed from home.

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Fourth graders Scottie Parker and Hayes McLaurin enjoy the outdoors and a good book.

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The Legacy of Mrs. Dottie Rhett Speech given by Middle School Head Ms. Marianne Clare (’89) at Assembly, March 2021 When Mrs. Arnstein asked me to talk about Mrs. Dottie Rhett in recognition of Women’s History Month this morning, I was at first a little reticent.

Women’s History Month was created to commemorate and encourage the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. Was Mrs. Rhett an Eleanor Roosevelt? No. She wasn’t a Marie Curie, a Rosa Parks or an Amelia Earhart. And by that, I mean she didn’t make sweeping changes in the world that affected millions of people.

Those are the kinds of people we think of when we think of Women’s History Month. But, when I stopped to think about it, Mrs. Rhett did have a vital role in my life and in the lives of every Charleston Day student, even the ones she never taught.

When we entered fifth grade, my classmates and I were astounded by the sheer height and perfection of Mrs. Rhett. She was, by far, one of the tallest people I had ever met, and she was always dressed impeccably. She wore high heels, straight skirts, and her hair was always styled so perfectly, that we almost wondered if she wore a wig. There was never a hair out of place. Mrs. Rhett was the epitome of southern grace and calm demeanor.

She never spoke loudly or too excitedly, even when we knew she was excited or frustrated with us. Her voice was always a calm, soothing presence in the room. I remember that many of us thought we would never relate to this tall new teacher as she wasn’t one to jump in and act like a friend to her students. She had that reserved nature that made us all think she would always be distant.

Boy, were we wrong. Now, that reserved personality was always there.

She never was the teacher who was going to play games in class or get down and dirty on the playground, but we quickly realized how important it was

to her that we all learned in her class.

We felt like she invested in our learning more than any other teacher had, and she always worked to target each of our individual strengths and improve our weaknesses.

Mrs. Rhett’s passion was teaching us to write. Every week, we wrote a composition in her class. She would teach us a grammar or writing skill on Monday, and we would work on a composition over the course of the week with the final draft due every Friday. And then all weekend, we would think about those compositions being graded. We knew that we would get them back on Monday, and class on Mondays was always filled with a special buzz. Before handing back the compositions, Mrs. Rhett would always pick four or five to read out to the class.

I can remember sitting in my chair each

week, hoping to hear the first few words of my composition read to the class.

We always knew what our friends had written as well, and as soon as the first sentence of a composition was read, we would burst into smiles, turning to say to our classmates, “Oh, it’s yours!” After reading each of those compositions, Mrs. Rhett would explain what stood out about those works — a particularly impressive description or a variety of sentence structures.

But the most anticipated moment of each Monday happened as she handed out those papers. As soon as we received the paper, we would scan it, not looking for the grade, but looking for the allimportant word, “BOARD” written on it. Not bored as in, “I was bored” reading your paper, but BOARD as in “Bulletin Board.” Because “Making Board” was the best compliment one could receive from Mrs. Rhett. The six papers marked BOARD would be placed on the bulletin board, and everyone in the class would read those compositions over and over during the course of the week.

As soon as I got home on Mondays, the first question my parents would ask would always be, “Who made board this week?” It was that big of deal.

Now, it’s important to note that before we all started in fifth grade, most of us weren’t thrilled about writing compositions, and especially not about writing compositions every week. But, Mrs. Rhett, with her calm demeanor, made us all want to please her with our best writing because she made it so incredibly important. She made writing “cool” to us, and we always wanted to impress her with those descriptive words that would make her pause in appreciation or with creative dialogue that would make her chuckle SPRING 2021

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Mrs. Dottie Rhett continued from page 9

the calmest of laughs or with complex grammar rules she had taught us during the week.

Over the course of the year, Mrs. Rhett taught us so many lessons aside from writing.

She taught us the importance of looking people in the eye as we talked to them.

She taught us to slow down, to be mindful of everyone around us. She taught us the importance of poise and grace, and if we ever bumped into someone, she would stare at us until we looked that person right in the eye, asked if they were okay, and then apologized. And one of the most important lessons I learned from her that I still use today is the knowledge that calm responses can often be a lot more effective than excited ones. If you notice, the lessons that she was imparting to us were the important tenets of the Charleston Day mission.

That spring, Mrs. Rhett decided to hold a speech contest, so my class was the first fifth grade to ever compete in the speech contest.

We were all excited to write a speech for Mrs. Rhett. We worked on them for weeks, and then, just as we do now, we presented them to our classmates. During our practices, Mrs. Rhett reminded us constantly about poise and grace, about looking at an audience and standing tall — all the lessons she had been slowly teaching us all year. I was chosen to be a finalist in the official school-wide speech contest. I didn’t win, and at first I was disappointed in myself. But then, Mrs. Rhett looked me right in the eye and told me how proud she was of me and all of the hard work I had shown. Immediately, I knew that I had done everything I could, and that I should be proud of my accomplishment.

Since that year, every single fifth grader at Charleston Day has written and presented a speech. The fifth graders are reminded of the same important lessons I learned years ago — that strong writing and grammar can result in great compositions, that looking people in the eye when you talk to them can affect the way that they view you, and that poise and grace will always win. And that’s a legacy that certainly makes Mrs. Rhett worthy of being mentioned during Women’s History Month.

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The 35th Annual Dottie Rhett Speech Contest

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very Charleston Day graduate can claim public speaking as a core competency. Public speaking instruction is woven throughout Charleston Day’s curriculum beginning in Kindergarten. Those skills were demonstrated in March as the fifth grade participated in the 35th Annual Dottie Rhett Speech Contest.

The contest was started in 1986 by language arts teacher Mrs. Dottie Rhett, who firmly believed that public speaking was a skill that every child should acquire. The contest was named in her honor after her death in 2014. We were honored to have her husband, the Rev. Dr. William Rhett Jr., in attendance again this year.

The speech contest is a favorite tradition of Charleston Day students and alumni. Students in fifth grade choose a topic of interest to them, research it and write a speech to be delivered in front of the class and in-house judges. This event follows months of preparing their speeches in class during a Writers Workshop. Students learn skills such as taking notes, forming outlines, and citing sources, following MLA style. From there, six finalists are selected to present their speeches in front of three external judges. Each fifth grader plays an important role, whether making formal introductions, acting as the Master of Ceremonies or giving a dramatic reading while the judges deliberate.

Scan this QR close to watch the winning speeches in the 2021 Dottie Rhett Speech Contest.

Dottie Rhett Speech Contest continued from page 10

What They Researched The topics from the six finalists included Big Wave Surfing (Merris Dukes, 1st place winner), The Boykin Spaniel (Will Bradley, 2nd place winner), The Importance of the Honeybee (Emily Manuel, 3rd place winner), Deep Sea Legends, Kobe Bryant: A Biography and The History of CocaCola.

Dramatic readings ranged from excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a Dream” speech and Amanda Gorman’s “Chorus of the Captains” to poems by Shel Silverstein and Presidential speeches

by Dwight D. Eisenhower and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Speech Contest Memories This year, the second place winner of the Dottie Rhett Speech Contest was Will Bradley. His mother, Mary Atmar Owings Bradley (’89), placed third when she was in the Speech Contest in 1986 (right). Our alumnus judge, Mr. Thomas Rogers (’09) was also the third place winner in his fifth grade Dottie Rhett Speech Contest!

1986 CDS Speech Contest

Our Judges We would like to thank our esteemed judges including: Mr. Mark Stacy, Corporate Treasurer for William M. Bird & Company, Inc. and its parent company, Southern Diversified Distributors, Inc. as well as president of the Holy City Toastmaster’s Club; WCBD Channel 2 News Anchor Mrs. Sofia deSaussure; and CDS Alumnus Mr. Thomas Rogers (’09), Financial Advisor with the Chakeris Rogers Group of Merril Lynch in Charleston.

BELOW: Rev. Dr.William Rhett Jr. stands with this year’s finalists, opener and Master of Ceremonies.

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Excellence in Teaching Award C

ongratulations to eighth grade language arts teacher and Director of High School Placement, Mr. Andy Willits, who was named the 2020 recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award. Our school is filled with exemplary educators and each year seeks nominations from parents, faculty members and alumni for this prestigious award.

“Andy Willits demonstrates excellence every single day,” said Head of School Judith Foley Arnstein.

“He is a dedicated practitioner in the classroom while maintaining both high standards and a deep sense of

empathy for students and parents. Mr. Willits understands that the academic success of a student is just one part of a student’s profile and that character, curiosity and citizenship are all critical attributes of a well-rounded individual.

He embodies our mission of respect, responsibility, integrity and scholarship in all that he does.”

a regular basis. He makes his subject matter come to life in a way that few teachers are able to. I vividly remember Mr. Willits’ class many years later, but more than anything else, what sticks out to me about him is that every time he has seen me since I have graduated, he smiles and asks me how I am with the same care and compassion that he had when I was a student.” ~ a former student

Andy Willits was recognized by many for his facilitation of the high school placement process and the care that he takes in successfully guiding both parents and students through that challenging process. In the words of an alum, “His work on behalf of his students is unmatched.”

“Mr. Willits’ dedication to learning and positive approach are invaluable. His curricular choices are terrific and of the caliber that we’ve come to expect for CDS. His enthusiasm, dedication to learning and positive approach are invaluable.” ~ a parent

“Mr. Willits is not only one of the greatest teachers I have ever had, but he is also the most caring. I have never seen a teacher care so much about the well-being of his or her students and go out of his way to check in with students on

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The Excellence in Teaching Fund was established in 2016 by a Charleston Day school alumni family who wanted to recognize and show appreciation for faculty members. Last year’s recipient was French teacher Madame Brigitte Morin.

In January, CDS first and third graders enjoyed lunch from Chick-Fil-A James Island to celebrate 100% parent participation in their grades to the Annual Fund, Gateway Giving.

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Read Across America

Kindergarteners parade in front of the school, dressed as their favorite book characters and led by our own Mr. Eric Getter’s mini marching band.

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CHARLESTON DAY SCHOOL

Check It Out! The CDS Library Celebrates Books and Reading Since arriving at Charleston Day School in August of 2018, our school media specialist Sarah Young has added almost 3,000 new books to the school library, with everything from fresh biographies and coding books, to new fiction and easy reader series.

Students and teachers are encouraged to recommend new books to add to our shelves, helping to make sure students feel a sense of ownership in their school library. Mrs. Young is particularly excited to bring more diverse stories to our school. “Publishers have finally realized that in order for young Author Gary M. Schmidt visits with the sixth grade. readers to experience both ‘windows and mirrors,’ they need great books library so that they to reflect their own lives and issues, as could all be accessed well as to view the world from different online via Destiny perspectives.”

Discover. This proved Last year, Mrs. Young and a group of to be a fortuitous undertaking because dedicated parent volunteers took on the with COVID-19 protocols in place this formidable challenge of re-cataloging year, CDS students, no longer able to the more than 16,000 books in our browse the library shelves, were able to find and place holds on books. Mrs. Young checked the holds list and delivered books to the students in their classrooms, usually on the same day. Families with students at home learning with the ALP (Alternative Learning Plan) picked up books from the front desk.

sixth grade literature classes finished a study of The Wednesday Wars and then enjoyed a visit with the author himself, Newbery Honor recipient Gary D. Schmidt. He regaled the students with real-life stories that inspired his writing. In March, Charleston Day School celebrated Read Across America Day with virtual visits with Jennifer L. Holm, New York Times bestselling author and recipient of three Newbery Honors. The author of Turtle in Paradise, the Babymouse series, Squish, Full of Beans and other books tailored two programs to grades K-4 and grades 5-8, plus gave a separate faculty presentation on how to use graphic novels in the classroom.

The finale to the week was the annual Read Across America parade, when students in grades K-2 dressed as their favorite characters and paraded with music and fanfare in front of the school!

Author Jennifer L. Holm visits with the fourth-eighth grades.

In April, the library opened its doors once again to book-browsing classes, sanitizing in between.

A great way to encourage readers and inspire budding writers has been to invite published authors to visit the school.

This year was no different, albeit the visits were virtual Mrs. Sarah Young delivers a book to an eager reader. over Zoom. In February, the SPRING 2021

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Alexandra Mack Macon ’95 1. You’re currently a contributing editor at Vogue.com and the founder of the weddings focused e-commerce website Over The Moon. You’ve also worked for Ralph Lauren, Brides.com, Domino Magazine, and Interview Magazine.

Please describe some highlights and favorite assignments you’ve worked on in your career.

I always wanted to be an editor and feel very lucky that I’ve been able to work for magazines and brands that I love. Career highlights have included: Starting out as an assistant at Vogue in the early 2000s, launching Vogue.com in 2010, attending and reporting from the Met Gala, covering Serena Williams’s wedding in New Orleans and Caroline Wozniacki’s wedding in Italy, traveling to Scotland to write about Outlander, which is one of my favorite TV shows, and then finally, starting my own website.

2. After earning your Bachelor’s degree in English from Vanderbilt University, what did you do next? Has your career been a straight path?

After graduating from Vanderbilt, I actually went and taught English in Japan for a year through the JET Program. I had been dating a guy in college who thought it would be fun for us both to join the program. We applied and then he broke up with me and got back together with his high school girlfriend! I was ultimately accepted into the program, and he wasn’t — it felt like a sign, so I decided to go on my own.

I lived in Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu and worked at Shuyukan High School. It was one of the hardest, most challenging years of my life — but also an incredible experience that I will never forget.

My time in Japan led to my first job in New York City. I started out filling in for the head of international marketing at Ralph Lauren while she was on maternity leave. Her main market was Asia, and I had just returned.

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from maternity leave, I moved over to the advertising department before landing a job as the assistant to the managing editor at Vogue. After that, I went to Domino magazine, which sadly folded at the start of the financial crisis, and then Andy Alex with her daughters, Warhol’s Interview Catherine (’29) and Eleanor (’27). magazine. Ultimately, I returned to Vogue in 2010 as the managing editor of the website.

3. How has the wedding industry, and therefore your writing, changed in the past year since the pandemic began?

Unsurprisingly, the pandemic has had a huge impact on the wedding industry. Couples have had to downsize, postpone, and cancel their weddings and vendors, planners, and photographers have had to figure out ways to pivot their businesses. On Over The Moon, we’ve shifted our coverage so that we’re highlighting the safe ways couples are choosing to celebrate right now.

We’ve also tried to provide as much information, support, and even escapism as we can for couples having to navigate this difficult time.

4. Can you talk a little bit about Over The Moon — the lifestyle and wedding shopping website you started?

Illustrator LouLou Baker and Alex Macon promoting a book collaboration.

I originally started Over The Moon back in 2015 as a blog while I was the managing editor at Vogue. com because I thought there was a hole in the market for authentic, fashion-forward wedding content focused on

real couples that felt aspirational but also attainable. This past September, we re-launched the site as an e-commerce shopping platform with 130 brands and 4,000+ SKUs. We still produce content, but now we also have a curated assortment of products from tried and true, established brands, small businesses, and niche artisans, as well as exclusive collaborations that embody the OTM aesthetic across the categories of fashion, bridal, jewelry/ accessories, kitchenware, homeware, and a little bit of maternity and baby. Even amidst the pandemic, the response has been incredible, and now we’re gearing up to launch our wedding registry this spring.

5. When you were a student at Charleston Day School, what do you remember most? Were there teachers and/or events that helped shape you into who you are today?

Attending CDS had a large impact on my life, and I have so many fond memories: Learning to love reading with Mrs. Cathcart’s pirate map in second grade, how to really write in fifth grade with Mrs. Rhett, the speech contest, working on The Clarion and The Scorpion, engaging in service via a “Clean Up Colonial Lake”

project in seventh grade, the responsibility list, and painting a class mural in the gym are memories I look back on fondly and feel had a direct impact on the career path I chose and the person I’ve become.

6. Your daughters will be ettending Charleston Day in the fall in first and third grades. What advice would you have for a CDS student?

Enjoy and take advantage of the small class sizes and the nurturing environment—and thank your parents!

7. What do you do in your free time?

There isn’t a lot of free time right now as I’m pregnant with my third child and due at the beginning of April, but I love to go to the beach, horse back ride, and play with my two daughters.

8. Last question: Red or Blue—which are you?

Blue Team Forever!

Alex Macon reporting from the Met Gala in 2019.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Eliot Leadem ’14 1. As a junior at Wake Forest University, majoring in German and Political Science & International Affairs with a minor in Global Trade & Commerce Studies, what has this past year of the pandemic been like for you, a college student?

As with all students, I am quick to say the pandemic hasn’t been the easiest to navigate. Moving to online class and having fewer social interactions weren’t exactly how I expected my college experience to be. However, there definitely has been a silver lining to it. I’ve taken a lot of time to pursue my own interests – history being a primary one. I’ve also spent a considerable amount of time off campus, as I now live in a house a few miles from Wake Forest. It has been great to, well, “live like an adult,” and I’ve felt an inordinate amount of growth in a short time.

2. Expressing yourself through the written word seems to be important to you. You were the editor of your high school newspaper, Academic Magnet’s The Talon, and you have shared your opinions through letters to the editor for the Post & Courier. Share with us your writing training and influences.

Is writing something you hope to continue?

I find that I am usually better on paper than with words! CDS really taught me to write with passion, a skill I will forever keep. Now, I spend much of my college career writing for both my German and Political Science majors. Part of what attracted me to a German major was the unique structure in which the language is written.

Shoutout to Madame Morin for allowing me to gain a love for foreign languages! In a recent internship with a Germany-based office, it was great to apply writing in both English and German in communicating with European companies. I hope to continue this, potentially in consulting or business development overseas!

every day that scares you.” It’s a quote that I am striving to live by, even during the sedentary times of a Eliot with his dog Lilly. pandemic.

Though this is no long-term plan, I intend on embodying this notion in both personal endeavors and my career. After college, I intend to work or do research abroad, ideally in a German-speaking country, challenging myself in environments unknown to me. Also, I still keep a bucket list next to my bed that I made when I was a wee third grader at CDS. Though I’ve managed to cross off a few, such as skiing a black diamond and flying in a Dreamliner, there are quite a few I still hope to cross out. The top one of those for me is to go to a World Cup. 4. Recently, your mother, Susan Leadem, found a letter you wrote when you were at Charleston Day. You mentioned the playground and sports as favorites. When you were a student at CDS, what do you remember most? Were there teachers or events that helped prepare you for what you are doing today?

Personally, I loved PE and recess, as do most students, I would guess. What CDS taught me most of all though, is rewarding yourself for Recently, Eliot’s mother, Mrs. Susan Leadem, found a letter Eliot hard work in the classroom.

Being diligent and attentive in had written at CDS as a third grader. the classroom stimulated my interests in so many subjects at CDS. As I made my way to upper school, I started to appreciate my teachers who would encourage 3. What are your plans for your future? What goals have you this learning for the sake of learning. British History with Mrs. set for yourself?

Wells and Literature with Mr. Willits are classes I still reflect back on to this day. And of course, Ms. Loretta’s smile and enthusiasm Many years ago I heard Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote, “Do one thing 18

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every day is something that I cherished greatly and what helped make CDS so special.

and German leagues. I guess it’s fair to say that sports make up a majority of my free time, both following and playing.

5. What’s the best advice a family member has given to you?

7. Last question: Red or Blue—which are you?

Both of my parents have instilled a lot of wisdom in me over the years, but one stands out – that is, you can be successful at whatever you work towards if you are passionate and hard-working. It is easy to frown at lengthy paper assignments and time-consuming homework, but taking the time do them thoughtfully benefits you the most as an individual. My advice for any students looking ahead to college: pick a major you love and don’t give up on it!

Find a subject, hobby, or anything you find interesting and pursue it. Don’t give up at it because it will help you grow as a person and may be very beneficial to you in the long run!

The Leadems will forever and always be… RED!

6. What do you do in your free time?

I’ve picked up a few hobbies in the pandemic that consume a large amount of my free time nowadays. A recent addition is disc golf, combining my interests of frisbee and golf (which I also play a lot). I also follow a lot of sports, mostly soccer in the British

Eliot Leadem’s class mural for 2014.

☛ Scan this QR code to view

photos of all the class murals!

Eliot with his siblings, Madeline (’10), Matthew (’12) and Anthony (’16) SPRING 2021

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BEYOND THE GATES:

Alumni Notes Class of 1995 Gervais Hagerty signed a book deal with HarperCollins. Her debut novel, IN POLITE COMPANY, will be released this August. Gervais’s 7th and 8th grade homeroom teachers, Anne Cleveland and Cindy Masters, were among the first to pre-order her book!

Ms. Hagerty has received some exciting advance praise, including the following blurb from Lauren Weisberger, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada and When Life Gives You Lululemons: “This terrific debut lifts the veil on the charming old city of Charleston and a prominent Lowcountry family to deliver an entertaining story about becoming yourself without totally rejecting your past.

Plus: debutante balls! I loved this novel.”

Class of 2005

Charlotte Williams and her mother started a bread business, Knead-it. “My earliest memories are of mom

and me baking in the kitchen together. My brothers and I were raised on her homemade sourdough bread, which we often baked for Christmas gifts or for friends around the neighborhood just because! We realized how much we loved sharing our home baked breads, and we were happy to discover there was a demand for it!

With the help of family members, we set up Knead-it just before the pandemic hit Charleston. We offer a variety of sweet and savory breads, from brown sugar cinnamon to seeded whole wheat. Each loaf is baked out of our downtown home! Follow along on our Instagram @knead.it_chs. Order a loaf or two, we know you knead it!

Class of 2007

In November, CDS welcomed back to campus Gerverus Flagg and his sister, Savannah Flagg (’15), a student at Howard University. Gervarus was the speaker at Morning Assembly and brought his wisdom full-circle with the mission of CDS to instill scholarship, integrity, respect and

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Do you have news you’d like to share in the next Gateway?

Contact Mary Baarcke at mary.baarcke@charlestonday.org or submit your alumni news online at www.charlestondayschool.org/submit-class-note/. responsibility. Mr. Flagg lives in New York where he works for the National Football League with the Brand Partnerships and Influencers Marketing Team. He has a bachelors degree from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and a masters in sports management from Columbia University.

Class of 2009

Thomas Rogers recently served as a judge in the 35th Annual Dottie Rhett Gerverus Flagg (’07) and Speech Contest at Charleston Savannah Flagg (’15).

Day School. He is currently employed with Merrill Lynch, where he is a Financial Advisor with the Chakeris Rogers Group in Charleston. He holds his Series 7 and Series 66 licenses and carries a Certified Financial Planner designation. Mr. Rogers resides in Mount Pleasant and enjoys spending his free time on the waters of the Lowcountry with his dog, Blue, a one-year-old chocolate lab.

Class of 2017

Lewis Bragg, a senior at Porter Gaud, started his own paracord wrap business.

Bragg’s Wraps is a paracord wrapping business serving the boating and fishing community in the greater Charleston area. “I started

this wrapping service two years ago by researching the knots required to wrap a steering wheel. The fishing community is very extensive in Charleston, and the majority of these boaters are on Instagram, so that is where I do all of my marketing.

People took an interest in my business quickly, and word travels fast in Charleston, so I developed a following. I am looking forward to expanding my production and spreading my wraps all over the boating community this Spring and Summer.” Follow on Instagram @ Braggs_wraps!

Seventh graders jump rope at recess on the repurposed parking lot turned playground. The space was outfitted with play equipment to allow students more daily breaks outside for the 2020-2021 school year.

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scholarship

Mark Your Calendar

Already made your 2020-2021 Gateway Giving Gift?

Thank you!

If you make an additional gift, you can help us reach our 100+ donors goal.

Every dollar counts! *Gifts are tax-deductible.

| integrity | respect | responsibility

Charleston Day School Alumni GivinG Week Scan this QR code to watch how two friends from the Class of 2005 are honoring their classmate through The CDS Spirit Fund.

100+

100 Donors Hours! in

April 27-30, 2021

Alumni, Keep your Scorpion Spirit Strong!

Don’t want to wait until April 27?

Make yourW gifteek online at Join your fellow Scorpions for Alumni GivinG Tuesday, April 27www.charlestondayschool.org/makeagiftnow - Friday, April 30

#scorpionstrong

100+ Donors in 100 Hours

Show your Scorpion Spirit!

Every gift, large or small, makes a difference.

Honor the spirit of CDS and give to the CDS Spirit Fund today!

Because once a Scorpion...always a Scorpion!

Here’s HoW you cAn pArticipAte:

Make a gift and challenge friends and classmates to do the same. Get points for Red Team/ Blue Team!

Earn fun CDS swag by becoming a Giving Day Scorpion Advocate!

Learn more at www. charlestondayschool.org.

Spread the Word! Share on social media why you support CDS with #scorpionspirit and follow the fun by commenting, tagging friends and sharing posts by CDS on social media.

While our Alumni Giving Week starts officially on April 27th, any gift given now until April 30th will be included in our goal.

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B

equest and other planned gifts have a lasting impact on Charleston Day and serve as a continuing source of support. The correct plan balances what you wish to accomplish for yourself, your family and your charitable interests in your overall estate and financial plans.

There are innovative and creative ways to include Charleston Day School in your plan. To learn more about giving strategies that allow you to make a meaningful charitable gift, please contact the Advancement Office at 843.266.9797 or Caroline.Moore@charlestonday.org.

Eighth grader Mac Grubb walks to class on the Alumni Walk where former students may have their names engraved on bricks.

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Non-Profit Organization Charleston, SC Permit No. 180

15 Archdale Street | Charleston, SC 29401

The eighth grade enjoys a day off campus at a ropes course.

CDS is Charleston’s Choice!

2020 “Best Private School”

2020 Finalist 24

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