Perspectives, Winter 2016

Perspectives CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016

COME AS YOU ARE STUDENTS SEE CUBA AT A CROSSROADS CALL OF THE WILD: BRAD JOSEPHS ’94 LIBERIA’S SON: YU-JAY HARRIS ’95

Ready to Dominate Country Day READY

Contents 20 Call of the Wild: Brad Josephs ’94

FEATURES

10 12 16 18 23 26 28 30

Frank Johnson: American “Dad” Meet Our Students William Byron ’16 is Racing to Success A Trip into History: Students See Cuba at a Crossroads Come As You Are: Our Affirmation of Community Students Respond to Global Refugee Crisis Liberia’s Son: Yu-jay Harris ’95 Retired Faculty Member Louise Cobb

DEPARTMENTS 3 Head of School’s Message 4 News & Notes 32 Alumni Scrapbook 34 Class Notes

Perspectives EDITOR Lee-Anne Black CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jonsie Evans ’95 CONTRIBUTORS Ann Doss Helms Beth Lawing David Lynn Natalie Pruett PHOTOGRAPHY Lee-Anne Black Doug Drew Jonsie Evans FJ Gaylor Photography Lisa Hernick Brad Josephs Beth Lawing David Lynn Brian Osborne Photography Peter Zay DESIGN Windtree Studios/Robert Locklear

Our Mission

Through excellence in education, Charlotte Country Day School develops the potential of each student by fostering intellectual curiosity, principled character, ethical leadership, and a responsibility to serve.

Affirmation of Community

Charlotte Country Day School is committed to living as an authentic, inclusive community.

Our pursuit of this commitment to community recognizes and affirms the richness brought by difference and discovered through commonality.

For more information about our Mission, Key Values, and Affirmation of Community, please visit charlottecountryday.org/mission.

CONNECT WITH US WEB: charlottecountryday.org

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facebook.com/charlottecountryday facebook.com/charlottecountrydayalumni Perspectives is published twice a year by the Marketing and Communications Office for alumni, parents, staff, and friends of Charlotte Country Day School. Please send questions, comments, or story ideas to lee-anne.black@charlottecountryday.org.

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PERSPECTIVES

On the cover

It took more than 750 photos of our students and teachers to create this mosaic symbol of the strength we have as a community when we share similarities and celebrate differences.

Inside cover

Let’s hear it for the girls! The varsity girls’ tennis team earned its third straight NCISAA state title, capping a perfect 20-0 season.

Message from the Head of School School Leadership 2015–16 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OFFICERS: Arthur C. Roselle, Chair Louis A. Bledsoe III ’77, Vice Chair Todd A. Gorelick ’82, Vice Chair Dr. James W. Roberts, Vice Chair A. Wellford Tabor, Vice Chair Scott R. Stevens, Secretary-Treasurer

MEMBERS: Dr. Adelle Anthony-Williams David M. Benson ’85 Howard C. Bissell* Christi Byron Edison P. Cassels ’87 Theresa Drew Kenneth V. Garcia Mike James Dr. Ameesha P. Kansupada Kathleen Knox Krupa Leigh F. Moran James H. McLawhorn Amy Fonville Owen ’81 Mary Claudia Belk Pilon ’92 Walker L. Poole Steven L. Purdy ’87 Sally Cannon Saussy ’67* Laura A. Schulte Glenn Sherrill ’89 Catherine Stempien William H. Zimmern ’95 Mark E. Reed (Ex-officio) *Life trustee

2015–16 ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL Mark Reed, Head of School Scott Waybright, Assistant Head of School Matthew Less, Head of Upper School Warren Sepkowitz, Head of Middle School Adele Paynter, Head of Lower School Joe Hernick, Director of Educational Technology David Lynn, Director of International Studies Brian Wise, Director of Diversity Planning Abe Wehmiller, Director of Athletics Nancy Ehringhaus, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Lauren Batten, Director of Advancement David Mancos, Chief Financial Officer

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hen reflecting about what makes Country Day such a strong school, it’s natural to reference our exceptional faculty, our motivated students, our talented administrators, and our dedicated parent partners. As Head of School, I also think about the tremendous impact of our forward-thinking Board of Trustees.

Country Day was founded nearly 75 years ago by some of the best and brightest leaders in Charlotte. Their vision to create the city’s first independent school has been followed by a legacy of leadership that has continued through the decades and into my tenure over the past seven years.

Today’s students are thriving in an atmosphere of stability and opportunity as a result of exceptional Board leadership. The Board takes seriously the investment Country Day families make through tuition and philanthropy and they have wisely guided the school in ways that have protected that investment, while moving academic programs forward.

For instance, thanks to the Board’s sound planning, and the generosity of many, during my tenure our endowment has grown from $15.6 million to more than $50 million. Furthermore, for seven years running, including next school year, our annual tuition adjustment has remained at 1.5 percent—below our area competitor schools and the national average for independent schools. Erskine Bowles, our keynote speaker Meanwhile, continuous improvement of curriculum, at the All-School Convocation, may be best known as the White House program, and facilities remains steady and in line with chief of staff to President Clinton and the Shared Strategic Visions developed through our president of the UNC system, but he community-wide planning process several years ago. An was also chair of the Country Day Board of Trustees. example of just one result, among many, of the Board’s prudent financial planning and leadership, is the full implementation of a 1:1 technology program. Thanks to Board planning and a growing Annual Fund, costs have not been passed on to parents. The Board has also approved and is moving forward on a long-range master facilities plan that prioritizes new math and science, dining, and student learning centers on Cannon Campus. You can read more about these critical capital projects on page 9.

The strength of the Board was just one of many reasons that drew me to Country Day in 2009. The school’s Mission and Affirmation of Community also resonated deeply with me as important components of the Mark and current Board chair community I would want to lead. We are one of the only Art Roselle schools in the country that has articulated a vision for creating an ideal community in which students and teachers can learn and live. I hope you will read “Come As You Are” on page 23, which takes a deep look at our Affirmation and its impact. Several other articles throughout this issue also reflect how we live every day as an authentic, inclusive, and inviting community—a community that I am proud to serve and lead.

Sincerely,

Mark Reed Head of School

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News & Notes

Remembering Win Robinson A beloved educator, mentor, and friend

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n November 29, long-time faculty member Win Robinson passed away peacefully after battling multiple myeloma since fall 2013.

His legacy at Country Day is deep and broad, and he will forever be remembered for his bright spirit, passion for his craft, and genuine care and concern for students.

Win was one of our longest-serving faculty members, dedicating more than 40 years of teaching at Country Day. Over the years, he had been recognized with numerous awards and honors for his

Many of those who loved and admired Win—and there are legions—eloquently captured the essence and the impact of this incredible educator on the tribute page we created in his honor (charlottecountryday. org/winrobinson). Here are just a few excerpts: “I’ve known Win since he first showed up on campus 40+ years ago and am blessed that three of my four sons had him as a teacher. Quite simply, what an example he set—of how to live—and how to die.

Godspeed, Señor Robinson.” –Watts Hamrick ’77 “Mr. Robinson was truly the best teacher I ever had, at Country Day and beyond. Due to his wonderful support and teaching, I was inspired to major in Spanish while in college and eventually became a Spanish teacher myself.” –Anne Felkner Rogers ’91

contributions to our school, including the Alumni Distinguished Faculty Award last year and Honorary Alumnus in 2009.

His tremendous impact was felt by the generations of students in his Spanish, French, and Latin courses; in the clubs he advised and service learning opportunities he championed; on the many travel experiences he led; and on the multiple athletic teams he coached.

“Win fully and completely embraced school life, and our school community embraced him,” said Head of School Mark Reed.

“He was the embodiment of what makes Country Day such a great place—passionate about his subject, easily approachable, encouraging, and so many other things.

Every class, every conversation, every interaction I had with Mr. Robinson was wonderful. I will never forget his warmth and his spirit.” –Graham Mazeine ’14 “He was the person who got me through my toughest struggles and was there for me whether it was to sit and talk for an hour, or just pat our backs when we thought C’s were the end of the world. He was my biggest supporter and fan, and even throughout his chemo, he was always on the sidelines cheering for me at every sporting event he could attend. He was the strongest person I’ve ever known, and words will never describe how much we loved him.”

–Anna Comer ’15

“He inspired in me an interest in languages and connecting with people from other cultures. If I’ve been at all successful in what I have done and what I am doing, I owe much of it to Win for starting me down the path I’m on and giving me the tools to succeed. He was so many of the things that makes a great teacher: smart, encouraging, funny, engaging, caring, and completely genuine. His is an example worth emulating.”

–Sam Rizzo ’05 “From hosting progressive dinners, to his lively classes, to overseeing the Spanish Club and its annual fundraiser for the Special Olympics, Mr. Robinson had a passion and creativity that was unmatched by other faculty members. As a student, you could almost have called him a friend, though not quite, given the respect we had for him as a mentor and advisor.” –Mike Maletic ’90 “Mr. Robinson was an intrinsic part of the Country Day community. At every event, there he would be—a wry smile, a helping hand, and perfectly chosen words of encouragement.” –Chris Corwin ’88

Win and his family after he received the Alumni Distinguished Faculty Award in 2015.

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News & Notes

The Art of Problem Solving

By Beth Lawing

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any of us are quick to thank the doctors, mechanics, and police officers in our community when they solve problems on our behalf. Perhaps we should also thank their elementary school art teachers.

Lower School art teacher Kandise Hayes and her teaching colleague, Sarah Clarke, believe that young artists need to be given the gift of flexibility. “Having the ability to take calculated risks and to see ideas from a broader perspective is crucial in art because it gives our students the freedom to puzzle their way through different ideas as they work to solve problems,” she says.

“Creative thinking is definitely a desired job skill in today’s world,” she continues.

“Art provides the opportunity to see that when we’re faced with a problem, there’s more than one right answer for how to solve it. Sometimes in our culture, people have the tendency to get fixated on the notion that there’s only one right answer.”

Our Lower School Fine Arts Department is in good company in their forward-thinking approach and recognition that tomorrow’s careers will demand competency in visual thinking and creative problem-solving skills.

For instance, Harvard, Cornell, and Yale Universities have all added graduate-level art classes in recognition that medical students with more “right brain” qualities (traits related to imagery, visual, and drawing skills) are often more successful in their observational and diagnostic skills in today’s digital, image-based world of medicine.

Mrs. Clarke and Mrs. Hayes teach visualthinking skills to our children through close observation and special questioning techniques. The questioning might sound something like this: • “Here is a painting by Claude Monet. What do you think the weather is like in this painting?”

• “I don’t see the sun, so what clues in the painting make you think it’s sunny even if there’s no sunshine painted in the picture?”

Jack Sumich, second grade

“Art provides the opportunity to see that when we’re faced with a problem, there’s more than one right answer for how to solve it.”

Emma Grace Hefner, second grade

“Some children may explain how they notice shadows in the picture. Others might mention how several light colors have been used in the painting,” says Mrs. Hayes. “As art teachers, we further their ‘ah-has’ by introducing new concepts into the discussion, such as contrast or color choice. In this particular case, Monet used lots of yellow and yellow-green color in his painting to convey the idea of a sunny day.”

While young artists at Country Day are given general assignment parameters, they are also given a great deal of freedom to choose how they want their pieces to look from a creative standpoint.

“In our Cityscape project, second graders designed a layered city skyline. They chose whether it’s a real city or an imaginary one, and whether it’s daytime or nighttime,” Mrs. Hayes explains. “All of the second

graders designed, drew, colored, cut, glued, painted, and sprinkled glitter for this project. But they got to use their own artistic interpretation for how to create a harmonious picture.”

The result? One second grader drew the Charlotte skyline at night using Carolina Panthers colors while another traveled through time and created a skyline with space portals. Yet another second grader who had been following current events in the news imagines what a city skyline would look like during a hurricane.

“The best part of my job at Country Day is that I present art lessons to five different sections of children, and they end up bringing me 120 different solutions,” Mrs. Hayes attests. “It’s truly inspiring to see how young children see the world and then create their own meaning artistically.”

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News & Notes

Fifth Graders Explain Everything

with iPad App

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ntil recently, middle school multiplication homework often consisted of solving a worksheet full of similar equations. Even when students “showed their work,” it wasn’t always easy for a teacher to know if the student truly understood the logic behind the math or was simply good at memorizing the process of “how” to solve the equation.

Thanks to the full integration of 1:1 technology this year in grades 3–12, teachers have more interactive tools to help them deepen student understanding and better assess progress.

For instance, with the guidance of Michele Rosen, the Middle School educational technologist, fifth-grade math teachers Tara Bobb and Tom Fredenberg have started using an iPad application called Explain Everything. This interactive screencasting whiteboard app allows Mrs. Bobb and Mr. Fredenberg to ensure each student is applying mathematical concepts rather than rote mechanics to solve problems.

“Explain Everything is

a powerful learning tool because it allows students to ‘show what they know’ in a creative and tactile way,” says Ms. Rosen.

“It offers multiple tools to plot, draw, record, animate, and share, so teachers can actually see and hear the thought process that goes into solving an equation.

For students, the process of explaining a single math equation in a detailed and creative way provides deeper understanding than just computing a series of equations.”

Earlier this year, “Explain Everything fifth-grade students is a powerful learning were given this tool because it allows real-world problem students to ‘show what to solve: Call people in three different they know’ in a creative countries to sell and tactile way.” raffle tickets to an event of your choosing. In the first country, they had to make 25 calls, in the second country 103 calls, and in the third country 2,045 calls.

Then, they had to figure how many total digits they

would push after placing these calls.

The students had the freedom to choose their three countries, which required research to find out the calling code for that country. Using the Explain Everything app, they then added photos of their event— everything from Broadway shows to football games to music concerts. Through animation, drawings, and voice recordings they then showed how they set about calculating the total number of digits pushed for all three countries. Once complete, they easily saved and shared their digital file with their teachers.

“Students having 1:1 technology, in our case iPads, has transformed the way we can think about planning our lessons,” says Mrs. Bobb. “We already enjoyed differentiating for Middle School mathematics and filling students’ needs to a great degree, but now we can do so at the highest level. In addition, our students are completely motivated to use the iPads for any task asked of them. It has put 21st century learning at their fingertips, as we integrate ‘their world’ at school.”

News & Notes

BucsNet Is for Everyone charlottecountryday.org/BucsNet

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t’s now easier for everyone–including alumni, parents of graduates, and grandparents–to stay up to date about Country Day happenings. This past summer, we redesigned BucsNet, our online resource for school news, announcements, calendars, and athletics schedules. You can also learn about the latest goings on within arts, college counseling, international studies, and parent education programs without having to log in to a password-protected site.

Highlights of BucsNet include: • Calendar Subscriptions—subscribe to and download iCal feeds. Choose from several categories, including all school, team schedules, and holidays and closings.

• News Alerts—sign up to receive e-mail alerts and subscribe to a number of news categories, including all school, alumni, arts, athletics, and more.

• BucsBlog (charlottecountryday.org/bucsblog)—read thoughts from our leadership, including Head of School Mark Reed, Head of Lower School Adele Paynter, Head of Middle School Warren Sepkowitz, and others.

To subscribe to news and calendar feeds, scroll to the bottom of the Calendar listing and follow the prompts.

1941–2016:

CELEBRATING

75 YEARS

Be sure to visit charlottecountryday.org/BucsNet to catch up on impressive student achievements in academics, arts, and athletics. Read more about: • Seniors Recognized for College Commitments —In the first of three signing ceremonies, seven seniors announced plans to take their game to the next level at Furman, Colgate, Cornell, Dartmouth, NC State, and UNC-Chapel Hill.

• Spirit Week/Upper School Community Service Day—Our student “reporters” shared their positive experiences spending several hours helping our community partners, including the USO, U.S. National Whitewater Center, Refugee Support Services, and Carolina Raptor Center.

• Digital Citizenship Week—Students and parents heard from Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the nation’s leading experts on K–12 school technology issues, about changing the narrative surrounding technology from fear to empowerment. His visit coincided with Digital Citizenship Week activities.

• Professional Development Grant—Sixth-grade faculty member Adam Lawrence explains how winning a travel grant to Iceland made him a better person and a better science teacher.

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EXT SCHOOL YEAR, we will commemorate Country Day’s 75th Anniversary.

A planning committee is already hard at work to incorporate the celebration of this special year into existing school traditions and events. They also plan to develop new ideas in which to foster an even deeper sense of community. Look for more details in the summer Perspectives on how you can help: • Honor our history • Celebrate our present • Share a vision for the future

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News & Notes Meet Our Newest Trustees Christi Byron and her husband, Will Byron ’85, are cofounders and regional managing directors of NFP Corporate Services (SE), which provides diversified advisory and brokerage services to companies and high net worth individuals. She received her BA from Furman University. Christi has been active in the Boosters Club and Parents’ Association, serving as treasurer in 2010–11.

She began volunteering with the school’s Annual Fund in 2010, serving as campaign chair in 2013–14, and has served on the Advancement Committee since 2012. The family created a named endowment fund in 2013. Christi and Will are parents of a tenth-grade son.

Colton Ward ’03, David Box ’03, and Lucas Fries ’08

Honoring the Legacy of Evan M. Fries ’03

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n Friday, September 25, Country Day dedicated recent enhancements to campus accessibility made possible through generous donations to the Evan M. Fries Memorial Fund.

Evan, a 2003 graduate, passed away in April 2013, after courageously battling muscular dystrophy for many years.

Although his adversity was a daily reminder of how difficult the struggle with “Evan had the MD would become, Evan remained upbeat and strength to cultivated great bonds overcome all of with classmates and the obstacles teachers throughout that were put in the 13 years he spent front of him.” at Country Day. At the dedication ceremony, Evan’s brother, Lucas Fries ’08, spoke about the mark Evan made on our school: “Evan had the strength to overcome all of the obstacles that were put in front of him.

He had the strength to accept his situation, but still find humor in all the trials and tribulations he went through. He had the strength to find enjoyment in his own life, to find entertainment in the world 8

PERSPECTIVES

around him, to succeed in his schooling, to contribute to society, and Evan had the strength to genuinely find pleasure in the good fortune of others. Evan’s true mark was his strength, and it was a gift to all of us.”

Colton Ward ’03, a classmate and dear friend of Evan’s, led the fundraising effort for the Class of 2003. Another classmate, David Box ’03, helped identify accessibility improvements that would make the most immediate impact.

Thanks to their leadership and the generosity of many, we recently installed automated exterior doors in three primary buildings on Cannon Campus: the Hance Fine Arts Center, Bruton Smith Athletic Center, and the Levine Center. These enhancements perpetuate Evan’s legacy and exemplify our school’s Affirmation of Community to be a welcoming and inclusive community that values and embraces diversity in all forms.

We’d also like to recognize and thank the family of the late George Ivey, who chose to designate gifts given to Country Day in his memory to Evan’s memorial fund. These additional gifts helped make the automated doors a reality this fall.

Mike James is a founding partner (now retired) of Wedge Capital, a capital management firm with more than $12 billion in investments. He previously served Country Day for eight years on the Board of Trustees, with two years as chair. He and his wife, Katie, have three daughters who are Country Day graduates. Mike earned his BA from Wofford College and is currently a trustee after chairing their recent search for a new president.

Glenn Sherrill ’89 serves as president and COO of SteelFab, a steel manufacturing company founded by his grandfather. He received a BA from NC State University.

He is a past director of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and served as the Center’s corporate campaign chair. Glenn is serving on the board of the Southern Association of Steel Fabricators as past president, is a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and is also a director of the N.C. Economic and Development Board. He has served the Country Day Annual Fund as alumni chair and as a gradel-level representative. Glenn and his wife, Lisa, have two sons in third and sixth grades.

Catherine Stempien is senior vice president of Corporate Development at Duke Energy Corporation, overseeing the recent merger with Piedmont Gas. She earned a JD degree, magna cum laude, from Boston University School of Law, a BA in government from Dartmouth College, and graduated from the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. Catherine is a member of the Country Day Advancement Committee and has a daughter in tenth grade and a son in eighth grade.

News & Notes

Dowd Student Center on the Horizon Generous $3 million investment helps bring Strategic Plan to life

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n early January, Head of School Mark Reed and Board Chair Art Roselle announced that the Dowd Foundation, in conjunction with a personal commitment from Frank ’74 and Janis Dowd and support from Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, made a $3 million pledge to support Country Day’s key strategic priorities.

This generous investment helps bring to life the collective vision that resulted from a lengthy, inclusive planning process.

Together, our community determined that a significant investment must be made to support math and science, dining, and learning centers on Cannon Campus in order to advance our students’ success, while also continuing to secure our financial future through increased support

of the endowment and the Annual Fund.

The architectural design phase will begin shortly and will include representatives of all school constituents.

To be called the Dowd Student Center, this new facility will be a focal point for all students on Cannon Campus and will provide flexible, multiuse spaces for students and teachers to interact and collaborate, as well as much-needed contemporary dining areas that promote nutritional health and overall wellness for our community. Frank and Janis have also generously established an endowed fund.

In making these contributions, Frank commented, “Generations of Dowd family members have attended Charlotte Country Day School. This gift recognizes the extraordinary education Country Day has

provided both for our family and for thousands of other alumni. We are delighted to give back by making this commitment.”

Mr. Reed wrote in a letter to the community: “As one of the founding families of Country Day, the Dowds are perpetuating their legacy as we shape our future. Their gift provides tremendous momentum as we secure additional support for the Dowd Student Center and other strategic priorities over the next several years.”

Construction on this series of capital projects is likely to begin in summer 2017 as we conclude our celebration of the school’s 75th anniversary.

If you would like to learn more about Country Day’s strategic priorities and comprehensive funding plan, please call Lauren Batten at (704) 943-4539.

“Country Day has been good to our family and the Charlotte community, and we are delighted to give back by making this commitment.”

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Through a community-wide, strategic planning process, these capital priorities surfaced: · New Upper School math/science building · New Upper and Lower School Learning Centers to include Extended Day · New Upper and Lower School Student Center (cafeteria) · Endowment (to support program, financial aid, faculty professional development, operations) · Continued strength of the Annual Fund

Conceptual rendering SUMMER 2015 9

Features

Frank Johnson:

American “Dad”

By David Lynn, Director of International Studies

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hen Frank Johnson traveled to Rome in the summer of 2014, he was greeted by more than 20 European “sons” eager to reunite with their American “dad.” As Country Day’s most steadfast host to foreign exchange students, Frank is making a difference in the lives of young people on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

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I met Frank for the first time when I arrived in Charlotte in the summer of 2013, and he was eagerly enrolling two yearlong exchange students at Country Day. I noticed him throughout my first year at athletic matches, parents’ night, and other school events. It was soon clear to me that Frank was a host-father of the highest order. He has opened his home to more than two dozen yearlong students from abroad for over 15 years. He is fueled by a deep and infectious passion for fostering intercultural understanding while providing these students with fatherly guidance and exposure to life in the United States.

Features He is fueled by a deep and infectious passion for fostering intercultural understanding while providing these students with fatherly guidance and exposure to life in the United States.

Hosting international students is a mix of challenges and rewards. Frank takes each step in stride, ensuring that his host sons are nurtured and offered an opportunity to grow holistically as students. While Frank’s first students attended Myers Park High School, in 2009 he came into contact with Director of Admissions Nancy Ehringhaus while trying to assist one of his Norwegian students interested in Country Day’s athletic program. Nancy quickly recognized that Frank’s “approach with students was a match with our school philosophy.”

His devotion to his host sons soon became readily apparent and helped to ensure a long-term partnership with the school. Frank has gone on to host nearly a dozen Country Day students from six nationalities including current students Giovanni Fanara (Italy) and Aksel Kjaerstad (Norway).

Millie Cox, former director of International Studies noted that Frank is “a giver in every sense of the word” and “one of Charlotte’s greatest gifts.”

According to Mathias Tangenes, one of Frank’s former Country Day host students, “The real love he feels for his exchange students/sons is one of a kind and always makes you feel welcome and secure.”

Lifelong Family Ties By day, Frank is a first vice president and senior financial advisor with The Rutherford Group at Merrill Lynch. He became a volunteer with American Field Services (AFS) in 2000, an organization committed to providing intercultural learning experiences.

Frank, who is divorced and the father of an adult son with special needs, receives no financial compensation for hosting.

Yet he is rewarded greatly as he notes: “The entire experience has added so many dimensions to my life that just wouldn’t be there otherwise.”

In addition to bonding with his host sons, he develops close friendships with their parents, working in partnership with them in ensuring the success of their children’s experiences in Charlotte. Frank eagerly follows the developing lives of his former host sons, some of whom have gone on to study medicine, business, and aeronautical engineering. It has become a recent tradition that Frank visits Europe every two years and hosts a reunion.

The first was in Vienna, followed by Rome.

They will reunite again this summer in Lisbon.

The students Frank hosts have added in so many ways to the classroom experience, success on the sports fields, participation in drama and service, and an overall sense of community. Frank compares Country Day to an “educational oasis,” noting that everyone is so accommodating and fully devoted to student well-being. “Being a part of Country Day certainly makes my life more pleasant and makes the lives of so many young people blossom.”

In addition to his generosity as a host parent, Frank has made significant financial contributions to the school’s Annual Fund, helping to ensure the continued growth of our global learning environment.

Frank Johnson with junior Giovanni Fanara (gray sweater) and his family when they visited campus in January.

“We are so appreciative of Frank’s generosity toward Country Day,” says Lauren Batten, director of Advancement.

“The entire student body benefits when the learning environment reflects voices and experiences from all over the world.”

Inspiring Others This past summer, junior Liza Furr spent several weeks at an AFS homestay study abroad experience in Japan. According to her mother, Frances Furr, “Frank was instrumental in providing us with a sense of trust and comfort in the program.”

Their positive experience resulted in the Furr family being inspired to host junior Paulina Lopez from Chile for this academic year.

We are so thankful Frank is a part of the Country Day community. He models generosity for others both through his hospitality and financial commitment toward programs in which he believes deeply.

To Learn More Country Day students are eligible for grants that enable them to participate in study abroad programs, and seven Country Day families are currently hosting students from other countries. To learn more about traveling or hosting, contact David Lynn at david.lynn@charlottecountryday.org.

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MEET OUR STUDENTS 12

PERSPECTIVES

Features

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favorite section of our Web site highlights students at every level who are finding their passions and leading by example. Here we share the stories of a few juniors and seniors. You can read more student stories at charlottecountryday.org/students.

Discovering a Passion for Science Katherine Owensby ’16

“I think Country Day offers students boundless opportunities to really succeed in what they’re interested in.”

To say that Katherine Owensby has a wide range of interests is certainly an understatement. She is a passionate chemistry student who is just as comfortable reciting her poetry during the fall play as she is sharing her power tools and dance moves during Spirit Week.

“I think Country Day offers students boundless opportunities to really succeed in what they’re interested in,” Katherine says. “All it takes is finding what you love and having the drive to pursue it.” Katherine’s passion for chemistry helped her land a job working in a graduate lab at UNC-Charlotte during the summer, where she teamed up with other young scientists to create a new anticancer compound. “I examined how ruthenium-based drugs can tackle a wide range of cancers,” Katherine explains. “Prostate and lung cancers are the most common targets of these molecules.”

When Katherine was a rising junior, she thought the graduate lab environment was sink or swim. “I swam I guess, because I made a brand new chemical compound that might be able to fight cancer!” Remarkably, Katherine’s compound came from the recrystallization of a solution she had almost discarded and her results were conclusive after she conducted follow-up tests. “UNC-Charlotte is going to continue the research and hand it over to the biology labs to perform further tests,” she says.

Katherine credits the exceptional faculty at Country Day for helping to ignite her passion for learning. “My teachers have opened so many doors for me by introducing me to opportunities—like working in the lab, writing for the play, and teaching Latin in Boston. These opportunities have let my passions grow and thrive. Without their positive encouragement, I know I wouldn’t have accomplished nearly as much in so little time.”

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Features Leading by Example

Bank of America on board to help us with donations for the care packages. Meanwhile, the teachers in Lower and Middle School also supported us by getting hundreds of students to make cards for the troops to include in the care packages.

It’s easy to follow your passion in such a supportive community!”

Michael and Peter have both learned how important it is to lead by example.

They believe that it’s not what you do during your time at Country Day, but the legacy you leave behind that truly makes you a role model for the next generation of students.

“I want others to know that if they have an idea, the administration is happy to help them fuel their dreams.”

Positive Leader

Peter Pittroff ’16 and Michael Krupa ’16 Lifelong friends Michael Krupa and Peter Pittroff have always shared an interest in the military. During their Middle School years, Michael and Peter fondly remember swapping Navy Seal books and counting down the days until the next military movie came out. “Those stories stuck with us,” Michael says.

“We’ve always been interested in knowing more about people willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.”

In tenth grade, they acted on their desire to help those serving in the

military by collaborating on the creation of the school’s Military Appreciation Club (MAC). Additionally, a growing interest among students in supporting the troops inspired Michael and Peter to help found MAC. “It took a lot of hard work and planning,” remembers Michael. “Last year we led the freshmen class during Community Service Day and organized the logistics to make more than 1,000 care packages for our troops. We sent the care packages to Camp Lejeune where our former football coach, Hill Hamrick ’09, was stationed.”

The project continued this year as well.

“I want others to know that if they have an idea, the administration is happy to help them fuel their dreams,” says Peter. “Mr. Wall, the assistant dean of students, spent tons of time and energy helping us with all the logistics for our project, like getting

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PERSPECTIVES

Irene Bao ’16 Irene Bao, a Chinese citizen, enrolled at Country Day as an exchange student for her junior and senior years. Over the past 18 months, she has excelled in science, helping to organize the school’s Science Bowl competition and placing first in the Physics Olympiad competition. In the summer of 2015, Irene attended Stanford University’s Summer College to study organic chemistry and the history of democracy.

As she reflects on the American educational system, Irene is full of positive remarks. “It’s such a fascinating experience to live in different cultures and have friends from all different walks of life,” she says, “and Country Day has been so inclusive to its international students. The school offers great

opportunities for everyone to learn about international relations.”

Feeling welcome in such a rigorous academic environment has given Irene the opportunity to flourish as a standout student.

“In AP Biology, we’ve spent a lot of time studying bioengineering,” she says.

“I loved learning about how scientists can change the genetic makeup of different organisms to improve human’s health conditions. This is definitely something I want to study in the future.”

Irene also joined the school’s Speech and Debate Club and participated in several speech tournaments as a way to improve her English skills. She enjoyed the experience so much that she started a Mock Trial Club at Country Day. Irene credits her school friends, teachers, and administrators with making Country Day’s international students feel welcome from the start. “My teachers and classmates helped me to smoothly transition to different study styles from what I’m used to in China. I think it would be really scary to be an exchange student in a completely new environment without this kind of terrific

“It’s such a fascinating experience to live in different cultures and have friends from all different walks of life.” help and all these friendly Country Day faces! And everyone has been so kind in their corrections when I make a mistake.”

Irene knows her intense work ethic has been a perfect fit with a Country Day education. “In China, I really learned the spirit of working hard, and I’ve been able to bring that spirit to Country Day.

Features My teachers are preparing me extremely well, and I’m so impressed with them that I plan to apply to several colleges throughout the United States.”

Committed to Inclusion

Julia Meyarzum ’17 When Julia Meyarzum began Country Day in ninth grade, she was pleasantly surprised to discover just how many different clubs and organizations she could join. Julia’s desire to see equity and justice throughout the world led her to join the school’s Diversity Awareness Forum (DAF) and Black Student Union

“I like how forwardthinking the school is and how we are evolving.”

(BSU), where she began taking on leadership roles from the start.

Brian Wise, director of Diversity Planning, was so impressed with Julia’s initiative that he invited her to go to Indianapolis with several upperclassmen to attend the National Association of Independent Schools Student Diversity Leadership Conference, a multicultural gathering of high school leaders focused on building community.

Julia is a champion for the less-visible and less-acknowledged in our society. As a student facilitator at Upper School faculty meetings and at the Middle School ACT Diversity Conference, Julia has educated many in the Country Day community about “micro-aggression,” a term used to describe the everyday indignities that minorities experience that are committed

unintentionally by the majority.

Julia also loves planning activities for Inclusion Day, a day in Upper School spent examining social issues related to race, religion, gender, and privilege. “I’m so thankful Country Day has opened my eyes to these opportunities. I love putting myself out there in the world and trying my hand at new things,” says Julia.

“We are working really hard with the administration for a more inclusive Country Day,” she says. “I like how forward-thinking the school is and how we are evolving. Still, there is work to be done.”

Julia credits Country Day with setting a passion for academic excellence within her, particularly within the humanities. She thinks she may be interested in pursuing a career in human rights or social justice after she graduates.

“Country Day has exposed me to a whole new world of possibilities. The standards that my teachers set are so high, and I know they are preparing all of us well for college.”

Innovative Artist

Ted Lathrop ’17 Being a student in Sculpture I, II, and III has given Ted Lathrop the opportunity to blend his passions for the arts and sciences in meaningful ways. His sculpture teacher describes Ted’s work in the studio as “innovative and amazing.” Ted credits his Country Day teachers with helping him learn how to manage his time wisely so he

can juggle his demanding academic workload and give him the ability to pursue other passions in life. Ted joined the varsity golf team as a tenth grader and recently finished his Eagle Scout Project: building benches at Rama Road Elementary School, where he participates in Country Day’s partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“When I started taking Sculpture at the beginning of my freshman year, I didn’t know what to expect. I learned quickly how much fun Sculpture was at Country Day because we get to work with all kinds of materials: glass, clay, metal, wood, and even soapstone,” he says.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the freedom that comes in the art studio. For me, it’s like a recovery period during the day when I can take a bit of a break and be a more independent thinker. When my art teacher gave us the kinetic sculpture assignment, I used my background knowledge from science and Boy Scouts to wire a sculpture with motors. I created my own metal letter opener with a rope grip that I know I’ll have forever. I’ll never forget how much patience, precision, and sanding it took to engineer the perfect design.”

“That’s what’s been so neat about these sculpture classes,” Ted continues. “You get to step up, think on your own, and do something yourself.

These are valuable skills that are going to help me succeed for the rest of my life.”

“I’m so thankful Country Day has opened my eyes to these opportunities. I love putting myself out there in the world and trying my hand at new things.”

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WILLIAM BYRON ’16 IS

RACING TO SUCCESS

By Lee-Anne Black, editor

The senior won NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series East championship as a rookie, will drive full-time for Kyle Busch Motorsports’ Truck team in 2016, manages classes at both Country Day and Liberty University, and just earned his Eagle Scout award.

Features

At 17

, William Byron has

All the while, he is completing his senior

already reached his goal of competing in

year at Country Day, where his favorite

one of the top NASCAR series. Beginning in

subjects are math, history, and psychology.

February, he will race full-time for Kyle Busch

“It becomes difficult, but I use my free periods

Motorsports’ Truck team. This comes after a

to get ahead on my extra work or meet with

dream rookie season in NASCAR’s K&N

teachers,” says William. “I always let my

Pro Series East, in which William won the

teachers know in advance when I am going

championship in early October and was

to be out, and they have been supportive.

named Rookie of the Year.

I stay focused because I have to.”

William, who began racing late-model

Added to the load are online classes at

and Legends cars in 2013 (and winning

Liberty University, William’s primary sponsor,

championships in every division he’s raced),

where he will pursue a degree in business/

realizes that many of his Country Day peers

marketing analytics starting next fall. He’ll

know a lot more about football or basketball

enter college with five courses under his belt.

than racing. To the uninitiated, he describes

That will allow him to take one less course each

his career ascension this way: “Late-model

semester so he can travel on Thursdays to the

racing is like the equivalent of high school

23 weeks of truck series races he’ll have.

play. The K&N series is like a development

“It can be tough to manage,” he says, “but

league, so you could compare it to college-

it’s part of the deal” of Liberty’s sponsorship.

level play or a baseball farm team. The truck

While William’s future looks bright in the

series is one of the top three stages, along

world of racing, he says of attending college:

with Xfinity, then the Cup series.”

“I want the confidence to know that I

Moving into this top tier of racing means national publicity and live racing coverage on

don’t have to put all my eggs in one basket

FUN FACT: William’s interest in motorsports began at six years old when he watched a stock car race on television. As a young teen, he was a regular on the iRacing simulator with nearly 300 top-five finishes in online competition. In 2012, William and his father, Bill, began exploring how to economically fulfill his passion of driving a real racecar.

To learn more, visit williambyron.com.

“I always let my teachers know in advance when I am going to be out, and they have been supportive. I stay focused because I have to.”

with racing.”

channels like Fox Sports and ESPN. Google William Byron and you’ll see that he is a rising star in NASCAR circles.

As publicity has increased this fall, more and more of William’s friends and classmates have started asking him about his racing.

William, who is friendly, humble, and polite, says, “I don’t talk about it unless they ask.

I try to stay normal.”

Yet, William’s typical week is a bit fuller than your average high school student.

Racing is a year-round sport that requires frequent travel to tracks around the country Friday through Sunday for practice, qualifying rounds, and the race, along with media obligations. “It’s a full schedule; I’m very locked in and focused on the race and my team the entire time,” he says.

William celebrates with parents Bill and Dana Byron.

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A Trip into

HISTORY

CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY STUDENTS SEE CUBA AT A CROSSROADS Editor’s Note: This Charlotte Observer article by Ann Doss Helms appeared in the December 23, 2015, edition and is reprinted here with permission.

Overseas trips are practically routine at Charlotte Country Day School, a private school with a strong international studies program. But a recent student trip to Cuba, a communist country that has just begun opening to American trade and travel, is not only a first for the school but possibly for the state.

The 22 Country Day high school students who visited Thanksgiving week were fascinated by everything from streets filled with vintage cars to Cuba’s take on the conflict that shut down relations with the U.S. for more than 50 years.

“It’s like going back in time,” said 17-year-old Ansley Hardison.

Country Day already had more than a dozen international trips planned for its middle and high school students this school year. But when President Barack Obama loosened travel restrictions for Cuba, students approached International Studies Director David Lynn about planning a trip. While tourism isn’t completely open, educational activity is among 12 purposes authorized for travel.

The cars, carefully preserved from before the communist revolution and the

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PERSPECTIVES

service, tourism, learning, and dancing during a week in Havana, Santa Clara, Jibacoa, Trinidad, and Cienfuegos.

‘Cretins Corner’

end of U.S. auto imports, are the most visible sign of the island nation’s isolation. But students were eager to delve deeper into a world that’s mostly untouched by American commerce and Western culture.

“I think it’s incredibly important to go now,” 17-year-old Lee Cohen, a political science aficionado, said before the trip. His goal is to return in another 10 to 15 years and see what changes.

Andy Gong, a 17-year-old exchange student from China, was part of the group.

Visiting a communist country wasn’t a big deal to him, but China opened up to commerce and travel before he was born.

Based on what his parents have told him, “It feels like Cuba is a 1980s China,” Gong said after the group returned.

Some of the group’s most ambitious visions, such as meeting President Raúl Castro and visiting the reopened U.S. Embassy, didn’t materialize. But they blended

Not surprisingly, the students quickly saw a different view of the Cuban revolution, the United States’ attempted invasion at the Bay of Pigs, the showdown over nuclear missiles in Cuba, and the decades of frozen relations that followed.

One of the first sights that greeted them at the Museum of the Revolution in Havana was “El Rincon de los Cretinos,” or Cretins Corner, featuring unflattering caricatures of U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush, along with deposed Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista.

“The Cuban perspective can be so different than the U.S.’s,” Gong and fellow student Camila Saavedra wrote in the class journal for the first day. “It reminds us that before making a judgment, we should fully understand the picture and the interest of the rival parties.”

More Than a Garden The group’s first service project was at La Riviera organic garden, in the heart of the city of Santa Clara. They pulled some weeds, the students say, but spent far more time listening to Anastacio Capote, who ran the garden. He talked about his pride in the

Features revolution and how the garden continues that spirit by growing healthy food for the community. Their guide later told them that Capote was a decorated veteran of the revolution and a friend of the Castros and Ché Guevara.

The next day, at a memorial to Guevara, they spotted a photo of Guevara with Capote.

When half a dozen students gathered to recount their trip, Capote figured large in their reports. “You don’t have to like or be in support of the revolution to be in awe of his contributions,” said Mark Emilio Suris, 17.

Family Connection Suris and his sister, 16-year-old Ramona, have a personal connection to Cuba: Their father’s family fled after the revolution.

The whole group visited Colón Cemetery in Havana, where they located the grave of the siblings’ great-grandfather. The huge cemetery includes tombs that look like pyramids, homes, and churches, as well as a towering memorial to firefighters.

During the trip, Abby McGahan also connected with her family’s past when she ducked into a cafe to re-create a photo of her grandmother, taken when she visited that same spot before the revolution. It all added up to a sense of traveling back in time as well as space.

Student Life The students say they got a consistently warm welcome despite the political tension between the two countries. They met students Initial awkwardness quickly turned into animated conversation at the Capitán Roberto Rodriguez School in Santa Clara.

THE 22 UPPER SCHOOLERS WHO TRAVELED TO CUBA OVER THANKSGIVING BREAK WERE THE FIRST GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA TO EXPLORE THIS NEWLY OPENED COUNTRY.

at Capitán Roberto Rodriguez School in Santa Clara, where the initial awkwardness quickly turned into animated conversation.

The Country Day students, whose daily routines include hours of homework squeezed in around sports, clubs, and other planned activities, were struck by the independence of their Cuban counterparts.

When school is done, the Cuban teens walk or take public transportation, hanging out with their family at home or with friends in dance clubs.

And while Cuban students were familiar with American pop music, most of what the visitors heard in clubs and on the streets was traditional music. The trip included several Cuban dance lessons, which the students recall with delight and a good bit of ribbing about each other’s skills.

They seemed to relish the challenge, converging in whichever room had working showers that day.

The group spent Thanksgiving at Hotel Ancón in Trinidad, on the Caribbean coast.

They had hot showers with good water pressure, went for a swim, played Frisbee on the beach, and returned to a Thanksgiving

Challenge and Gratitude

Mark Emilio Suris at the grave of his great-grandfather at Colón Cemetery in Havana.

The Country Day students say travelers to Cuba should be prepared for hotels that are rustic by U.S. standards. They encountered their share of cold showers and plumbing that didn’t work. Meals tended to be repetitious: Pork or chicken, rice, and pineapple at almost every meal.

Lynn, who was one of the adult trip leaders, along with Upper School teachers Zhenya Arutyunyan and Denise Spruill, said he was impressed that the students didn’t complain.

feast prepared by the hotel staff: Turkey, vegetables, rice, and French fries. For dessert there was a cake with a short message in icing: “Happy.”

They were struck by how much they have to be grateful for, Hardison says, at home and on their trip. Several mentioned the optimism they heard from Cubans. “The spirit of the revolution, not the actual revolution, is what lives on,” Cohen said.

WINTER 2016

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Features

CALL WILD OF THE

EXPEDITION LEADER BRAD JOSEPHS ’94

By Jonsie Evans ’95, Director of Alumni Relations

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PERSPECTIVES

Features

Brad photographed two grizzlies fighting over a fish on the Katmai Coast in Southern Alaska.

Brad Josephs’ innate fascination with the natural world has taken him to remote locations across the globe in search of the wild, beautiful, and rare.

For almost 20 years, Brad has guided expeditions in Alaska for grizzly bears, Manitoba for polar bears and northern lights, China for giant pandas, and, most recently, in Borneo for primates and pygmy elephants.

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21

Features

B

RAD’S APPRECIATION FOR wildlife, particularly bears, started at a very young age and has continued to grow. Brad explains, “Bears are powerful, intimidating, and demand respect, so I have always admired them for that. Bears are also comical, beautiful, and extremely intelligent. They have big personalities and are as charismatic as any animal on the planet.”

After graduating from Country Day, Brad attended the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and earned a BS in wildlife biology in 1999. He worked as a wildlife researcher for various agencies throughout Alaska, including the Institute of Arctic

his role as an educator as much as a guide and focuses on teaching others the value of intact ecosystems and wildlife populations living in their natural habitat.

Beyond the actual expeditions, Brad promotes the importance of wildlife conservation through his stunning photography, videos, and writing shared on his blog and YouTube channel (his videos have over 11.5 million views), as well as feature articles in publications like Alaska Magazine. In 2009, he was inducted into the Natural Habitat Hall of Fame, which recognizes one guide out of hundreds worldwide each year.

“Bears are powerful, intimidating, and demand respect, so I have always admired them for that.”

Biology, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game at the McNeil River Brown Bear Sanctuary.

In 2005, Brad became an expedition leader for Natural Habitat Adventures, a highly respected wildlife travel company that partners with the World Wildlife Fund to support responsible ecotourism. He sees

Proboscis monkey in Borneo.

22

PERSPECTIVES

In addition to guiding for Natural Habitat Adventures, Brad leads expeditions on the coast of Katmai National Park for numerous professional photographers, such as Art Wolfe and Andy Rouse, and film crews for Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, BBC, and IMAX. One of his most memorable professional

Polar bear in Churchill, Manitoba.

experiences to date was working on the BBC documentary series, “Great Bear Stakeout,” alongside top wildlife cinematographers and natural history film producers (creators of “Planet Earth” and “Frozen Planet”). Brad served as one of three bear experts for the series, which depicts the grizzlies' struggle for survival in the Alaskan wilderness. Brad shares, “What makes the [“Great Bear Stakeout”] truly unique is the use of remote cameras to see the world of grizzlies super-close and when no humans are watching. This was one of my major roles in the filming.”

This fall, Brad guided two 14-day expeditions in Borneo, observing the great biodiversity and exotic primates found there.

He is currently working on developing a trip in Sri Lanka and hopefully Siberia in the near future. But whatever opportunities he explores, Brad’s primary goal is to give back to wildlife which has given him so much. alaskabearsandwolves.com

COME AS YOU ARE

By Lee-Anne Black, editor

The Affirmation of Community guides us in sharing our similarities and celebrating our differences

n sharing his wish for the academic year at the All-School Convocation in August, Student Body President Christien Williams encouraged his fellow students to be open-minded. He said, “Some of the words that are sometimes associated with this are tolerance or acceptance, but a word that I think should come before this is willingness. Be willing to hear other people’s ideas and opinions.

This doesn’t mean that these other ideas are right, or better than yours; it means that they exist, and sometimes, you may learn something from them.”

That’s wise advice that will serve our students well. Consider that today’s students have never known a world without global conflict—9/11 and the Paris attacks are the bookends of the Class of 2016’s entire lives. At the same time, they’ve taken part in global outpourings of empathy and support for victims of natural disasters and personal tragedies all over the world. They are inheriting a complex and fast-changing world that can seem both increasingly intolerant and

more accepting all at once. So how do we make them ready to successfully navigate, participate, and lead in diverse local and global communities? The journey begins close to home.

Country Day’s Affirmation of Community guides us daily on issues of inclusion,

Student Body President Christien Williams spoke about open-mindedness during the All-School Convocation.

similarity, and difference. Our affirmation reads: Charlotte Country Day School is committed to living as an authentic, inclusive community. Our pursuit of this commitment to community recognizes and affirms the richness brought by difference and discovered through commonality.

Head of Upper School Matt Less told students at the opening assembly in August: “I love the simplicity of this message.

We are better as a community when we celebrate our differences and share our similarities. When we realize what we have in common, we are able to learn from how we differ. It makes us all better.”

The Affirmation of Community was developed in 2007 thanks to the efforts and recommendations of a special School Culture and Climate Committee comprised of trustees, faculty, staff, and parents. This forward-thinking committee challenged us to strive for the ideal learning community in order to best prepare our students for WINTER 2016

23

Yussra Mahmud shares her family homeland, Somalia, with students in the Around the World after-school program.

the future. The end result was a revised Mission Statement and a new Affirmation of Community that defined how our academic community should live and learn.

Brian Wise, director of Diversity Planning, says that we are one of the few schools in the country that has developed such a specific, yet aspirational roadmap for living as an authentic, inclusive community.

“Embracing difference is an active process,” he says. “It’s a journey which engages us in personal and institutional self-assessment and reflection. That, in turn, leads to openness, growth, and change.”

That vision resonates with educators and serves as a draw for attracting top talent to our school. “The Affirmation of Community is one of the reasons I came to Country Day,” says Head of Middle School Warren Sepkowitz, echoing the sentiments of other administrators.

“I know that many people helped cultivate it, including former Head of School Margaret Gragg Bissell, Brian Wise, and Board member Iris Cheng. They dreamed 24

PERSPECTIVES

it, believed it, articulated it, and now we are the beneficiaries so that everyone—be it students, parents, faculty, or staff—can be here as they are. We don’t ask anyone to check various parts of them self at the gate.”

Acceptance and Respect At the heart of our Affirmation of Community is the idea that as a school community, we accept and respect difference. “It is the lens through which we expect teachers, staff, students, and parents to view how we live and learn together,” says Head of School Mark Reed.

“Creating that environment doesn’t just happen. Like any behavior or habit, it’s something we need to practice and we need to approach with intentionality.

We’re human and we make mistakes, but the Affirmation guides us to always strive to be a better, more inclusive community for all of our members.”

Mr. Reed spoke in-depth about the Affirmation of Community at the faculty/ staff opening meeting in August, challenging

employees to actively seek to understand and appreciate perspectives different from their own and model that behavior for students. “Our students come from different faith, socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, and they all bring their own passions, talents, and personalities,” he said. “In order for ALL of our students to feel valued, they need to feel understood and supported.”

For instance, the Affirmation calls on teachers and administrators to continually assess and revise curriculum to ensure what and how we teach is equipping students to think critically and sensitively to the needs of others.

Head of Lower School Adele Paynter says, “As a bit of a curriculum nerd, I appreciate the fact that our Affirmation propels us to ask questions like, ‘Whose voices and perspectives do you hear and see in the curriculum? Whose voices and perspectives are missing from the curriculum? How do we create a fuller understanding for our students so they have a broader sense of the world?’”

That kind of questioning led seventhgrade geography teachers Jessica Demeter and Kelly Zander to reshape their curriculum to bring in numerous speakers from around the world to personally connect students with the countries they study.

Guest speakers representing more than 30 countries include Country Day teachers, Upper School students, and parents, along with community members from organizations like the JCC, CPCC, the Rotary Club, and the World Affairs Council.

In Upper School, senior English electives give students the option to dive deep into courses such as The Harlem Renaissance, which explores the literature, arts, and history from this important historical time period; Literature and Gender, an investigation of the ways that men and women in the Western World represent gender; and African American Writers, where students explore the concepts of identity and perspective as they read works from authors of color.

Features Expressions Large and Small Outside of the classroom, the Affirmation of Community is present for students in ways large and small throughout the JK–12 experience. Here are just a few examples of how Country Day students experience community: • Around the World: This popular afterschool program is facilitated by David Lynn, director of International Studies and Dina Stolpen, Lower School guidance counselor, but the stars are the students who share their cultural insights and knowledge. For example, when senior Yussra Mahmud presented her family homeland, Somalia, it was clear through the many deep questions that the younger students asked that they were truly interested in understanding Yussra’s culture. This fall, they also learned about South Africa, France, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Colombia, and Mongolia.

• Walk for Hope: This expression of care for others began at the Middle School six years ago and takes place on the Monday before Thanksgiving. Each grade collects money from individual sponsors to walk and jog laps around the track in support of various community causes. This November, students raised money for The Salvation Army’s

flood relief efforts in South Carolina.

Money collected in past years has gone to other worthy causes such as breast cancer research, the Humane Society, our sister school in Cabo, Rohr Rockstars, and the Maddie Rucker Scholarship Fund.

• Diversity Awareness Forum (DAF): DAF is the umbrella community for multiple Upper School clubs and organizations that promote general respect for people’s differences. This year, student leaders are hosting smallgroup conversations with the entire Upper School student body to create open-minded dialogue about empathy and inclusion for all people, ideas, and cultures.

The values of accepting and respecting others are not reserved for the classroom, however. At all Country Day events, from sporting matches and fundraisers to volunteer planning meetings and traditions like Big Saturday, we strive to model the best values of the term “community” for our students. As Mr. Reed wrote in his opening letter to parents in August, “Our shared experiences, fellowship, and understanding of one another will make us an even stronger community and model for our children the power of living as an authentic, inclusive community.”

Affirmation of Community Charlotte Country Day School is committed to living as an authentic, inclusive community. Our pursuit of this commitment to community recognizes and affirms the richness brought by difference and discovered through commonality.

Our pursuit of this commitment manifests itself in: • Building and sustaining a community diverse in membership.

• Acceptance and respect for differences in age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, sexual orientation, physical ability, or socioeconomic circumstances.

• Curriculum which equips students to think critically, to act respectfully, and to show sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others.

• Curriculum which educates for the future and which prepares students for participation in local and global communities.

• Faculty and staff who know and affirm each individual child, who actively seek to understand and appreciate perspectives different from their own, and who model for their students the valuing of diversity.

• Accountability for behaviors which convey disrespect for others and courage and trust to acknowledge and grow from missteps and misunderstandings in our personal interactions within our diverse community.

• Inclusive school events which seek to create common experiences, fellowship, and understanding.

• School culture and climate which allow each member to feel valued and affirmed and thereby promote belonging and foster community ownership.

• Awareness that living in community and embracing diversity are an active process, a continual journey which engages us in personal and institutional self-assessment, reflection, and openness to growth and change.

School events like the annual Lower School Lemonade Party create fellowship and shared experiences.

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Features Leaning in for others

A Recipe for the Greater Good Assistant Head of School Scott Waybright brings communities together over an apple press

By Beth Lawing

Scott Waybright fondly recalls his family’s tradition of pressing apples while growing up in West Virginia. “We had apple trees on our property, and Dad would always collect a crop to put through his special apple press,” he remembers. “Every year, my mom and dad would invite friends over to make cider, and then everyone got to take some home.”

In 2002, just before the senior Waybright passed away, Scott asked his father for the family’s apple press in hopes of recreating the tradition. Since that time, Scott and his wife, Cyndy, have welcomed countless neighbors, church friends, and Country Day students and colleagues to their home for Cider Day. Appreciative participants regularly offered to purchase the cider. While Scott politely declined, he began to wonder whether his passion for making apple cider could also help to support a good cause.

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PERSPECTIVES

“During these same years, Cyndy and I became close friends with several Latino families,” explains Scott. “Through their stories, I learned that many were essentially living in ‘shadow communities.’ And I remember one day reading a newspaper article with Cyndy about a Burmese couple in town who were expecting a baby and had no resources. These experiences made me wonder, ‘What if I personally had not won the lottery at birth—the lottery of being born in America?’ Cyndy and I decided to reach out and help this Burmese couple so that they would have the baby nursery that they needed for this child.”

In time, Scott decided to become involved with the Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency (CRRA), an organization that works in tandem with the U.S. Department of State to cover basic services for UN-sanctioned refugees during their initial period of resettlement. The goal is to make the refugees as self-sufficient as possible.

“I stay out of the politics,” Scott, a six-year board member of CRRA, notes.

“For me personally, this is what I call ‘The Philanthropy of Seeing.’ I’m never going to be a multimillion-dollar philanthropist, but I do know that all people want to be seen, recognized, and noticed. I also know that all people want to have a connection with others. That led me to connect my passion for CRRA with Cider Day. It’s as if worlds collide because people from all walks of life can share in the fun. Cider Day also provides a venue for direct donations to help the refugee families here in our community for those who want to contribute.”

This annual tradition that began 10 years ago as a small gathering in the

Features Waybright driveway has evolved into something far more magnificent than the Waybrights could have imagined.

The event now raises more than $3,000 a year for CRRA and draws more than 160 people, including many Country Day faculty members and students from all three divisions, as well as the Country Day grounds crew and cafeteria staff.

Cider Day is also the biggest annual fundraising event that CRRA has.

OurBridge, a local organization that offers after-school programming to children of refugees, brings three van-loads of children to Cider Day so that they can have fun

Responding to the Global Refugee Crisis In just a few short months, our oldest students witnessed the global media dialogue surrounding Syrian refugees move from one of empathy for desperate families pouring into Europe to the political dynamics of such a massive migration to safety concerns after the Paris and San Bernadino terrorist attacks. Country Day administrators and teachers nimbly navigated this fast-changing global issue in ways that serve our mission and affirm community. Here are two examples.

the hashtag #USCommunityService. It’s clear from the selected screen captures on this page that they understood and appreciated the impact they made.

As did the partner groups at the Galilee Center. In a thank you letter, the program director wrote: “We appreciate not only your work, but all the spirit in which you offered your time and energy. Your interaction with the children and adults we serve greatly encouraged our regular volunteers.”

Juniors Assist Refugee Support Services

working the cider press and sampling all the juice. There in the driveway, everybody feasts on hot dogs grilled by the Waybrights as they join forces with kids—refugees,

“There’s just something about that press. People’s differences just seem to disappear when the juice begins to come out.” neighbors, and Country Day Buccaneers— to make the delicious cider from 60 bushels of apples.

“There’s just something about that press,” Scott muses. “People’s differences just seem to disappear when the juice begins to come out. It makes me feel good to see everyone gathering apples, placing them in the press, twisting the mechanisms, and sharing in the satisfying common experience of creating fresh cider.”

As German teacher Kinga Zay, the new Upper School Community Service coordinator, was looking for agencies that could accommodate the entire junior class for the annual service day during Spirit Week, she also hoped to broaden and deepen students’ experiences. She found just that in partnership with Refugee Support Services of Charlotte, which operates in conjunction with the Galilee Center.

Prior to Community Service Day, International Baccalaureate (IB) juniors visited the Galilee Center to learn more about the refugee population in Charlotte and help organize and plan the various activities they and their classmates would undertake—everything from creating a community garden and cleaning up the kitchen, to researching countries of origin for a flag display and painting a welcome mural. “The experience fit nicely with our IB core, which is at the heart of the IB experience and calls on students to reflect on their creativity, activity, and service (CAS),” says Frau Zay, who is also the IB co-CAS coordinator.

On Community Service Day, more than 120 juniors gave fully of themselves to make a difference in the lives of people who have been forced to leave their countries in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. A group of student “reporters” helped to share the story through their eyes on social media using

COMMUNITY FORUM: On October 29, thanks to the leadership of David Lynn, director of International Studies, Country Day hosted “Refugees in Europe—Facts & Solutions.” The program featured Klaus Becker, honorary consul of the Federal Republic of Germany to North Carolina, along with panelists Chris Domeny, honorary consul of the Republic of Hungary to North and South Carolina, and Petr Vašicko, honorary consul of the Czech Republic to North and South Carolina. More than 130 community members attended and held thoughtful discussion on this global issue.

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Liberia's Son Yu-jay Harris ’95

From Liberian refugee to successful marketing professional in Charlotte, Yu-jay Harris’ story is one of resilience, hope, and determination.

By Jonsie Evans ’95, Director of Alumni Relations

At age 14, Yu-jay already knew what it felt like to come face-to-face with his own mortality. As he and his family stood outside their home in Monrovia, Liberia, assault rifles pointed at them, and their fate left to government soldiers, Yu-jay prayed and made his peace with God. They were innocent people caught in the horror of the first Liberian civil war. And although they survived this brush with death—thanks to the strength of his mother, Rosetta, and the mercy of the soldiers—they lost the life they had known, joining more than a million Liberians displaced during the conflict between 1989 and 1996.

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PERSPECTIVES

Features Over the next few months, Yu-jay, his mother, and younger brother, Jared, lived in a constant state of fear, struggling to survive with little to eat and without water or electricity. Yu-jay describes their experience: “We were unprepared for survival in a civil war. We did not have stockpiles of food and water, no flashlights with extra batteries, or much of anything.

What little we had, we had to share with 13 other people who had fled their homes to take refuge with us. Life in a war zone meant we barely slept because of the incessant sounds of gunfire and explosions from hand- or rocket-propelled grenades or other bombs.”

Eventually the family moved to an area controlled by rebel forces and were later smuggled into the neighboring country, Ivory Coast. Within six months, Yu-jay had gone from being a typical school boy with a supportive and loving community to a vulnerable refugee in a foreign country.

Thankfully, with the help of Mary Ann and Tom Taylor, he and his family moved to Charlotte in April 1991. The Taylors were also instrumental in orchestrating the opportunity for Yu-jay to attend Country Day, beginning in August 1992.

“When I arrived on campus, I was 18 months removed from the civil war, but still haunted by the memories of the atrocities I saw and survived,” he remembers.

“My family had gone from a good life to a horrifying life in Liberia, to starting all over here in Charlotte. But for the three years I was a student at Country Day, I experienced more and more of the best of humanity, as I made new friends and was embraced by this community.”

Twenty years after he first came to Country Day, Yu-jay returned to share his story and advice with the Class of 2012 at their Senior Convocation. In his speech, he reflected on three significant lessons learned during his time here.

The first is that being different is good.

Yu-jay shared, “I quickly realized that my accent, my story, and life experiences were

way more appreciated than my horrible attempt to sound Southern or anything else I tried to do to fit in…My difference became an asset and remains so today…I encourage each of you to get to know what makes you unique, embrace it, and embrace the differences in others. You’ll be surprised at the pleasant returns being different can deliver.”

The second is the importance of dreaming big. “Thinking big is personal.

from Davidson College in 1999 with a BA in psychology and was honored as one of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. He went on to earn his MBA at Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Yu-jay has enjoyed a successful marketing career working for Kraft Foods, The CocaCola Company, Snyder’s-Lance, Inc., and now Bank of America. And he’s always made it a priority to help others when possible, including directing a tutoring “I quickly realized that my accent, program for less privileged elementary my story, and life experiences were students and sponsoring children through the humanitarian organization way more appreciated than my World Vision. Most recently, Yu-jay horrible attempt to sound Southern cofounded a nonprofit organization or anything else I tried to do to fit focused on mentoring adopted Liberian in…My difference became an children who, like him, lived through the civil war. But without a doubt, his greatest asset and remains so today.” passion—second only to his faith in God— is his family. Yu-jay and his wife, Nena, While it can be influenced by what others have four children: Kyle (10), Olivia (8), are doing, it must be about you, your Sophia (6), and Gabriel (4). abilities, interests, and passions. It is not about keeping up with anyone. It is about being your best self,” he continued.

“The last, but most important, lesson is that people matter above anything else.

Living through the civil war taught me that possessions come and go. What matters most are the people in our lives— our family, classmates, friends, neighbors, and colleagues.”

For Yu-jay, these are not just words. He embodies these principles and puts them into action in his own life. He graduated

You can read more about Yu-jay’s story in the recently published book, Liberia’s Son, written

by Dave Verhaagen PhD, ABPP with Yu-jay Harris. herohousepublishing.com/product/liberias-son

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LOUISE COBB AND HER ROMAN REPUBLIC

By Jonsie Evans ’95, Director of Alumni Relations

In early January, I had the privilege of joining former Board chairs and classmates Louis Bledsoe ’77 and Watts Hamrick ’77 on a visit with retired faculty member Louise Cobb, a beloved Latin teacher at Country Day from 1965–1988.

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PERSPECTIVES

Features

W

hen I pulled up with Mrs. Cobb to meet Louis and Watts, the look on their faces showed equal parts excitement and affection. As with many of her students, Louis and Watts are devoted admirers of Mrs. Cobb and have been since they first walked into her classroom in eighth grade. Both of them continued studying Latin under Mrs. Cobb throughout Upper School. The five years she taught them were a highlight of their high school experiences at Country Day and instilled in both a love for the language, history, and culture of the Roman Republic.

Over lunch, the three reminisced about the fun they had in her class, and I was amazed at Mrs. Cobb’s clear memory of so many small, but significant details. At 90 years of age, she is still quick-witted, lively, and a joy to be around. Perhaps it’s the Latin literature which she continues to read that keeps her sharp as a tack.

Mrs. Cobb recalled a class field trip to the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh to see a Sicilian funeral urn that had been recently acquired. She said she went in to speak with then Headmaster Bill Pfeifer about the trip and told him, “You send the football team all over the state, so why can’t we go to Raleigh?”

Mrs. Cobb has always fought for what she believes in, and if she had her way, everyone would “be interested in Latin roots, because if you have that background, you can figure out any word.”

Her former students nodded in agreement. Watts added, “To this day, [Latin] influences how I speak and write.”

Louis, a superior court judge, continued, “It requires you to think in a linear and logical way, which has great application to so much of what we do, certainly to the work I do now.”

We laughed as they shared other stories about their Latin class with Mrs. Cobb, including the students carrying her around the quad in a chariot built as part of a class

project, and the time they enacted Pyramus and Thisbe, with Louis as Pyramus and Watts as the wild beast. (Watts claims he was typecast after playing a bear in the Lower School theater production of “Little Red Riding Hood.”)

Mrs. Cobb loved to celebrate the birthdays of famous Romans and, on the occasion of Virgil’s birthday, told her students to bring white sheets to wear as togas for the party.

This turned into an unusual scene, since floral sheets were all the rage in the early 1970s and solid white sheets nonexistent.

As evidenced by the above, Mrs. Cobb’s class was anything but dull. But more than the fun times, both Louis and Watts agree that it was Mrs. Cobb’s love for her students and for Latin that made the biggest impression on them. Louis says, “We always knew she loved us.”

Watts follows, “It was clear—her absolute, unfiltered love of the language, and that was so contagious. There was no question whether you would take Latin or not, because it was a given. You wanted to.”

“And you wanted to do well,” Louis continues, “There was nothing more terrible than to disappoint her.”

Before their graduation in 1977, Mrs. Cobb’s senior Latin class made a plan to meet at the Roman Forum on July 4, 1999. Although that plan was never realized, Mrs. Cobb has remained in touch with many of her former students to this day and regularly attends alumni events.

Mrs. Cobb has been a gift to our Country Day community for more than 50 years, and we are grateful for her passion for Latin and for the life that she has shared with us.

“It was clear—her absolute, unfiltered love of the language, and that was so contagious. There was no question whether you would take Latin or not, because it was a given. You wanted to.”

The 1976 Latin Club yearbook photo. Louis is standing on the far left, Watts is wearing the number 44 jersey, and Mrs. Cobb is standing on the far right.

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Alumni Scrapbook

Make plans to join us for

REUNION WEEKEND April 8–9, 2016

Featuring events for ALL alumni and their

ALUMNI SOCCER GAME We celebrated 40 years of boys’ varsity soccer at Country Day at the Alumni Soccer Game. Former longtime faculty member Win Robinson started Country Day’s soccer program, which began as a club sport, and then served as Head Coach of our first varsity team in 1975. Win is pictured here with soccer alumni, Mark Weir ’85, who helped organize the game, and Eric Law ’76, who played on Win’s first team.

families, parents of alumni, and current and former faculty/staff, plus class reunions for the 1s and 6s. Don’t miss the 3rd annual BBQ & Oyster Roast on Saturday, April 9.

This multigenerational, family-friendly event is fast becoming a favorite tradition.

See the full schedule of events at charlottecountryday.org/reunion

ALUMNI LEGACY FAMILY COOKOUT Alumni families in Lower School enjoyed beautiful weather and good company at the annual Alumni Legacy Family Cookout, including three generations of the Starnes family: Ginny and Justin Starnes ’93 with their children, Covie Jane (1st), Sam (JK), and Peter; and Justin's parents, Laura Jane and Allan Starnes.

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PERSPECTIVES

Alumni Scrapbook

VETERANS DAY On Veterans Day, we welcomed back alumnus Lieutenant Colonel (ret.) Steven Cole ’91 for a special assembly at Middle School. Quite a few of Steven’s former teachers were present for his speech, including Dianne Lawing, Kevin Daly, and Margaret Gragg Bissell.

ALUMNAE FIELD HOCKEY GAME It’s not unusual for our field hockey alumnae to play against their daughters in the Alumnae Field Hockey Game, as was the case this year for Ellen Gibson Moseley ’81, pictured here with her former field hockey coach, Julie Shaw.

HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME Before the Homecoming varsity football game, former Head Coach Bob Witman was recognized for his 25 years of service to the school, and it was announced that an endowed fund was named in his honor. He is pictured with his wife, Donna, who has also worked at Country Day for more than two decades.

To view all event photos, visit charlottecountryday.org/alumnigallery For a list of upcoming events, visit charlottecountryday.org/alumnievents

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Class Notes

CLASS NOTES 1965 The Class of 1965 celebrated our 50th Class Reunion on September 19 with a progressive dinner at the homes of Patty O’Herron Norman and Kathy Blythe Southerland.

Caroline Folger passed away on December 11, 2015, surrounded by her loving family.

1966 REUNION TIME - The Class of 1966 will celebrate our 50th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Visit Web site for more details.

The Class of 1966 offers our sincere condolences to Alice Folger for the passing of her sister, Caroline Folger ’65, in December.

1968 John Fielder was featured on “CBS Sunday Morning” in August. Not only is John an amazing photographer, he uses his breathtaking, and sometimes decades in the making, photographs to encourage people to protect our natural resources and environment. johnfielder.com

1970 Rosalie Steele McKenna retired to a farm in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. She serves on the chapter board of the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault and volunteers at Hospice of Chesterfield County with her therapy dog Sassy.

CLASS OF

1965 REUNION

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PERSPECTIVES

1971 REUNION TIME - The Class of 1971 will celebrate our 45th Class Reunion on April 28-29, 2016. Visit Web site for more details.

The Class of 1971 offers our deepest condolences to Jeff Adams for the passing of his mother, Helen Adams, in November.

1972 Brandon Boyd stays busy selling real estate with Helen Adams Realty in Charlotte. She loves being a grandmother to four, plus one on the way!

1973 Last summer, Chip Hunter retired from his professorship at the University of New Mexico.

Now, he and his wife, Katie, work in the field with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), based out of the Geneva office. In November, Chip left for the Nyarugusu/Nduta refugee camp complex in Northern Tanzania to serve as the manager of mental health activities.

The population of this camp has recently exploded to become the third largest in the world, with over 230,000 refugees from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, so he’ll have plenty to do in “retirement.”

1974 This fall, Anne Pell Harkness was in a two-person show at Providence Gallery in Charlotte.

You can view her work at Providence Gallery and Crossnore Art Gallery in Crossnore, North Carolina. She is excited to be pursuing her career as an artist.

Lucinda Nisbet Lucas continues to write and perform songs in her unique style that ranges from folk and Americana to alternative, rock, and country. She recently recorded and released a song about her mom, Betty Porter, and her first

love and husband, Charlie Burnette, titled “The Picture.” lucindalucas.com Since 1983, Ginny Newell has owned and worked as the chief conservator at ReNewell Inc. Fine Art Conservation, in Columbia, South Carolina, conserving oil paintings and art on paper. renewellinc.com

1975/76 REUNION TIME - The Classes of 1975 and 1976 will celebrate their combined 40th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Visit Web site for more details.

Wells Williams ’75 and his wife, Karen, returned to the Lower 48 after 29 years in Alaska. They now reside in Spokane, Washington.

1977 The Class of 1977 offers our sincere condolences to Craig Hill for the passing of his brother, Van Hill, in December.

Amy and Peter Hitchens enjoy being empty nesters. Last year, they moved into a house in Myers Park that Peter had built a decade earlier. Peter is busy in commercial real estate investments and specializes in apartment syndications. Their oldest son is in Jacksonville, Florida, and their middle son is in Dallas, Texas. The youngest, a daughter, is a RN with Hallmark Care in Charlotte.

Mark and Mary Lu Kelly Leatherman downsized to a townhouse last spring and enjoy the community pool and not having to do yardwork. They love spending time with their grandson, Luke, who will be two in April and are excited that he will have a baby brother joining him in April.

Nina Dooley McLean and her husband, Dickson, still live in Wilmington, North Carolina. Both of their daughters are in college now. Nancy Lee

Class Notes

Molly Wilmer Barker’s Red Boots Are Made for Talking

M

olly Wilmer Barker ’78 is best known as the founder of Girls on the Run, but lately she’s received national attention for her new project, the Red Boot Coalition (RBC), which she created as a response to her frustration with the increasing polarization, anger, and fear so prevalent in our country today.

More of a social movement than an organization, RBC’s mission is to teach compassionate listening and honest sharing. It’s based on an 11-step process that Molly developed, that serves as a framework for regular, one-hour RBC meetings, chaired by trained Red Boot guides. The Red Boot 11 Steps are designed to help people listen more and judge less, ultimately creating an atmosphere for genuine interaction. The hope is that when participants connect with one another in a profound and meaningful way, they start to challenge their own biases and assumptions as well as learn new things about themselves and others. They also gain skills to engage other community members through empathy-based rather than agenda-driven conversations.

Since Molly hosted the first RBC meeting in October 2014 in Charlotte, many more meetings have started in the city and around the country, as the movement gains traction. Just recently, her Facebook post about a conversation with a Muslim man in the Minneapolis airport went viral, accumulating over 69,000 likes and

studies engineering at NC State, and Rebecca is at Appalachian State playing field hockey and majoring in psychology. They love their girls, but enjoy being empty nesters.

The Class of 1977 continues to send good wishes to Marion Hanes Rutsch and her family for the continued, steady recovery of her son, Henry, who suffered a brain injury in the fall. Henry is an amazing young man and has made remarkable progress.

The Class of 1977 offers our deepest condolences to Beth Cunningham Wood for the passing of her husband, Casey Wood, in August, and her father, Ray Cunningham, in October. Beth’s daughter, Libby, plans to move back to Gainesville, Florida, to start graduate school at the University of Florida.

1979 Cam Goodman and his wife, Lori, recently relocated their family to Charlotte. His children, Merrit and Raker, are thrilled to be close to their grandparents.

1980 On September 9, Erica Portnoy Aronin went in for a routine annual checkup, at which her internist noticed a spot on her lung and sent her to have a CT scan. Erica was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine atypical carcinoid of the lung and had half of her left lung and nine lymph nodes

18,000 shares, which just goes to show the power of getting out of your comfort zone and connecting with someone different than you.

> theredbootcoalition.org

removed on September 24. One node tested positive which led to chemotherapy. Her last chemo treatment was on December 30, and she was excited to kick off 2016 with perfectly clean and strong cells! Erica says the Emory Winship Cancer Institute has been amazing and given her all the support she needs. In light of her recent experience, she strongly encourages everyone to get a chest X-ray each year.

Katherine Edwards joined the Helen Adams Realty team in November as a licensed Broker/ Realtor in North and South Carolina. She works at their Randolph office with Jeff Adams ’71 and two of his children, Laurens Adams Threlkeld ’04 and Frank Adams ’06.

Ray Jones is in his tenth year as a flight instructor and charter pilot with Quality Aviation, Inc., at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in Atlanta. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate and a Gold Seal Certified Flight Instructor certificate, and he has logged approximately 6,000 hours. In addition to instructing students and providing recurrent pilot training, Ray flies customers on trips throughout the Southeast and Midwest. He and his wife, Ellen, have two sons. Allen is a junior at Duke University majoring in public policy and a member of The Pitchforks, Duke’s premier male a cappella group. Bradley is a junior at The Westminster Schools where he enjoys cross-country and playing guitar.

Marty Glenn celebrated eight years of owning Core Centric Pilates, located in the Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte.

After founding Crumley Roberts & Hayes almost 20 years ago, Marcus Hayes decided to step out on his own and get back to a more hands-on law practice. In November, he opened Hayes Law PLLC (hayeslawnc.com) located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Marcus will continue to focus on personal injury and is accepting cases from across the state. His sons, Marc and Parker, graduated from UNC-Wilmington last year. Marc now works in Charlotte, and Parker works for Barclays in New York City. His daughter, Caroline, is a sophomore at UNC-Wilmington.

On November 21, 2015, Jay Martin officiated the wedding of his oldest son, Graham, at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and his three younger sons were all groomsmen. Graham graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2013. Second son James is a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Third

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Class Notes 1980 Continued

son Win is a senior in high school, and fourth son Sam is a freshman. Jay’s wife, Jeanne, is an associate professor at East Carolina University’s College of Nursing. Jay continues to pastor a church and works part-time as a residential Realtor.

Brian Robinson still works at BWXT in Lynchburg, Virginia, as a Six Sigma Black Belt and is married to Pam Robinson from Appomattox, Virginia, who also works at BWXT. They have five children (ages 24, 25, 26, 27, and 30), one grandson (almost 2), and another on the way in July 2017! In his “spare” time, Brian coaches varsity girls’ soccer at Appomattox County High School. After remodeling a house in Appomattox years ago, Brian and Pam are embarking on remodeling another home in historic Edenton, North Carolina (sweat equity!). They get back to Charlotte often for Panthers games. Keep Pounding!

Marla Shapiro enjoyed reuniting with classmates at her first Country Day reunion this year. At 53, she has come to terms with the fact that she is not wired to toe the company line and has returned to self-employed private practice.

Her company, Independent Neuropsychology Consultants, provides general clinical neuropsychology services and concussion management for children, adolescents, and young adults, working with families, schools, allied health care providers, and teams in the metro Atlanta area. Anyone else going to be at Ironman Puerto Rico? Follow @ DrMShapiroGA Betsy and Bill Whedon have lived in upstate New York for almost 10 years. Bill enjoys working as a project manager for Corning Inc, his employer for more than 30 years. Betsy is part-owner of a local antique shop. Their son, Ben, is a sophomore at Washington and Lee University and is involved with editing a political newsletter and the University Singers.

1981 REUNION TIME - The Class of 1981 will celebrate our 35th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Visit Web site for more details.

Holly Fielder recently became engaged to Steve Shore, and the couple plans to marry in 2016.

Holly lives in Matthews, North Carolina, and has been working at Blackhawk Hardware in Charlotte for the past three years.

Susie Tracy Roberts and her husband, Ben, moved from Greensboro, North Carolina, to Fancy Gap, Virginia, in January 2015, to open Fancy Gap Medical Clinic on the ground floor of their home. They love exploring the mountains of Southwest Virginia. Susie is a nurse practitioner and her husband is the practice manager. They are still partially involved with their restaurant, Undercurrent, in Greensboro, but Ben took on partners who now manage it. Their two children, Dylan (21) and Savannah (19), attend Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina.

Lee Vaughn’s wife, Carla, lost her battle with cancer and passed away on November 20, 2015.

The Class of 1981 offers our sincerest condolences to Lee and their children, Charlotte, Sarah, and Reilly, and the entire Vaughn family.

1982 Pringle Pipkin Franklin recently published Hope & Healing in Marriage, True Stories of Renewed Love, a book comprised of interviews with eight couples who have overcome issues such as loss of affection, abuse, alcoholism, chronic illness, adultery, loss of a child, and childlessness. Each story is a testimony of hope. The book is available on Amazon.

PERSPECTIVES

In April 2015, Tracey Kelly won her third Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for “The Bold and the Beautiful.” In December 2015, “The Bold and the Beautiful” writing team received their first ever nomination for the Writers Guild of America Award. The WGA Awards ceremony is in February 2016.

Tena Rosser was honored at the 2015 Children’s Tumor Foundation Gala with a medical Children’s Humanitarian Award for her contributions in clinical patient care and commitment to supporting NF patients and their families. In addition to her role as associate professor of Clinical Neurology and Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Tena has served on the CTF Clinical Care Advisory Board since 2005 and has been a cochair of the Clinical Research Award Committee since 2010. She was also a cochair of the NF Patient and Family Forum held in New Orleans in 2012. She is a strong supporter of her local Los Angeles Children’s Tumor Foundation chapter, organizing annual educational family symposiums and participating in many other CTF activities.

1987

1983 The Class of 1983 offers our deepest condolences to Michael “Toby” Pardue, whose father, Sherman Pardue, passed away on June 25, 2015.

Toby and his wife, Wendy, live in Roswell, Georgia, with their daughter, Kira Miranda Pardue.

1985 The Class of 1985 offers our sincere condolences to Donna Grimaldi Steakley for the passing of her mother, Norma Grimaldi, in December.

1986 REUNION TIME - The Class of 1986 will celebrate our 30th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Visit Web site for more details.

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Nestor de la Cruz-Munoz is the only Florida surgeon and one of a handful of surgeons in the U.S. trained to perform the newly approved ORBERA Intragastric Balloon procedure, which helps adult patients suffering from obesity. He practices at University of Miami Hospital, where he is the medical director of Bariatric Surgery. Nestor is also the codirector of the Center of Excellence for Laparoendoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery and an associate professor of surgery at the Miller School of Medicine.

Brian Huskey, who lives in Los Angeles and has been working as an actor for the past 15 years, has landed a series regular role on the new TBS comedy “The Group,” directed by the creator of the American version of “The Office” and “King of the Hill.” The show focuses on a support group for people who think they have been abducted by aliens. With over 100 film, commercial, and television credits, Brian has recurring roles on such shows as HBO’s “Veep,” Fox’s “Bob’s Burgers,” Adult Swim’s “Childrens Hospital” and Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” but this is his first official series regular role. Brian also recently released and starred in “A Better You,” an independent movie he wrote with Matt Walsh of “Veep,” which follows a low-rent hypnotherapist who thinks he can fix everyone else, but can’t fix

Class Notes himself as his marriage falls apart. “A Better You” can be viewed on all the major video on demand platforms. abetteryoumovie.com

Catherine Brown Paterson’s colorful interior design project was featured in the September issue of House Beautiful magazine. catherinebrownpaterson.com This past summer, Steve Purdy joined his family’s health care private equity investment firm, Cadrillion Capital. Prior to his new role, he helped start and build a pharmacy delivery company, DeliverCareRx.

1988 After three years with Gap Inc. at their headquarters in San Francisco, Chris Corwin joined the Gymboree Corporation and manages production for all three of their brands: Gymboree, Crazy 8, and Janie and Jack. He still commutes from Outer Richmond to downtown and loves it.

Clint Echols is completing his seventh year as a pastor at First Baptist Church in Zeeland, Michigan. His oldest son, Avery, is a placekicker at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. His younger son, Wesley, will graduate from high school this summer and plans to play college football as well. Daughter, Caroline, is in eighth grade and already longs to become an elementary school teacher one day. Heather, his wife of 22 years, works for a travel agency that creates Bible study trips to Israel, Turkey, and Greece.

Anne Tracy Emerson is the showrunner (aka supervising producer) for “Chicken Soup For the Soul’s Hidden Heroes,” that premiered on CBS in October. It’s a hidden-camera show aimed at teens and hosted by Brooke Burke-Charvet. Each episode of the series reveals acts of amazing goodwill, secretly capturing everyday heroes in action as they demonstrate kindness, compassion, and commitment to others. Her husband, Patrick, started a new wine distribution company for South Carolina restaurants and retailers called Curated Selections.

Shelly Nuttall Gardner enjoys living on Daniel Island, South Carolina, with her son Jack (17) and daughter Anna Kate (15). Between college visits and high school sports, Shelly runs her event management firm, Wheelhouse Inc., which keeps

her busy and traveling throughout the year. She would love to catch up with classmates who visit Charleston anytime!

Jason Levergood and Miako Charlotte Smith became engaged in November while hiking the icy cliffs of the Icelandic Western Peninsula between the towns of Hellnar and Arnastapi. Miako is from London, England. The couple met at a wedding in Peru in March 2012. In his role at Grant Thornton International, Jason works with global industry leaders from around the world on the 2020 global industries strategy. He led a public sector industry session and will have an opportunity to share outputs at the GTI Annual Conference in Athens, Greece, in October.

Carroll Rogers Walton and her husband, Gus, celebrated their first anniversary. They were married on November 14, 2014, at the Dairy Barn at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina. A number of classmates attended the wedding, including Lissa Diaz Ecker, Laura Williams Hunter, Ashley O’Neill Kleiderer, Stacey Moore, Bernie Nabors, Pebbles Glenn Nix, and Jackie Olmert Sidoti.

1989

The Class of 1988 offers our sincere condolences to Edwin Peacock for the passing of his mother, Gail Peacock, in July.

Craighill Redwine and his wife, Katherine, moved to Charleston, South Carolina, and love it. He is running equity capital markets for the Seaport Group, and Kat still works in philanthropic giving for Bank of America.

Mama Kerry Reichs and big brother Declan welcome to the world the elegant (and unexpectedly early) Hazel Inara Reichs, born on July 20, 2015. Declan excels at being an enthusiastic and loving big brother, and Hazel shows a tolerance that will serve her well throughout her life. The family resides in Washington, DC. Kerry continues to write full-time and is currently working on another episode of the television drama “Bones” in addition to her fourth novel.

Eric Strumpf is retiring from the Air Force in summer 2016 and plans to move back to Charlotte.

Paige Gunter Robertson presented in five art shows in Charlotte this year, including two at Christ Episcopal Church and a benefit at the Duke Mansion. pgroilpaintings.com Dave Tompkins recently accompanied Project Baseline, a conservation nonprofit documenting underwater sewage pipes and their harm to the coral ecosystem, on a submarine dive in South Florida. The story will run in Slate magazine. He recently wrote about director John Carpenter for Paris Review and 2 Live Crew’s Luther Campbell for the ESPN sub-site Grantland.

1990 Ed Cash received three Grammy nominations in the Contemporary Christian Music category.

He was part of the songwriting team for “Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains),” performed

by Crowder, and “Because He Lives (Amen),” performed by Matt Maher. He also produced Chris Tomlin’s album, “Love Ran Red.” In October, Alicia Morris-Rudd was promoted to director of community engagement for the College of Health and Human Services at UNC-Charlotte.

Alicia oversees a team responsible for alumni and donor relations, development, community partnerships, and events for the College of Health and Human Services.”

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Class Notes 1991 REUNION TIME - The Class of 1991 will celebrate our 25th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Visit Web site for more details.

Eric Draper lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with his wife and five-year-old daughter, Cannon.

He is the owner of Charleston Real Estate Group.

1992 The Class of 1992 offers our sincere condolences to David Peacock for the passing of his mother, Gail Peacock, in July.

Rachael Schwartz is happy to announce the birth of her daughter, Abigail Louise Schwartz, on May 22, 2015.

1993

Justin Starnes and his wife, Ginny, joyfully announce the birth of third child, James Peter Starnes, on June 12, 2015. Big sister Covie Jane (7) and big brother Sam (5) are thrilled with the new addition and are quite helpful!

1994 The Class of 1994 offers our sincere condolences to Lisa Kornstein Kaufman for the passing of her mother, Sandy Kornstein, in October.

1995 The Class of 1995 offers our sincere condolences to our classmates who lost parents this year, including Henry Carter, whose mother, Jennie Carter, passed away in October; David Kornstein, whose mother, Sandy Kornstein, also passed away in October; and Courtney Raines, whose father, Jim Raines, passed away in August.

Lindsay Hance McCullough and her family recently moved to Charlotte from New York City.

She and her husband, Stanton, welcomed their third child, a daughter named Evelyn Darling McCullough, on November 9, 2015. Her oldest son, Smith (6), is in kindergarten at Country Day, and her son, Vaughan (4), is in preschool. Lindsay looks forward to continuing her architecture practice in Charlotte.

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PERSPECTIVES

Stacy Blumenthal Leff lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband, two daughters (8 and 5), and geriatric dog. She is an independent representative for Wildtree (mywildtree.com/stacy). Stacy also serves as Board chair and an active volunteer for Food Bus, a nonprofit that recovers uneaten, unopened food from elementary school cafeterias for local food pantries or hungry families within the school. Food Bus feeds people, reduces food waste that would end up in landfills, and educates kids, parents, and teachers about the needs in their communities. In October, Stacy and two of her colleagues won the Community Volunteer of the Year Award given by the McLean Chamber of Commerce. facebook.com/FoodBus Brandon Pracht and his wife, Susan, welcomed a daughter, Willa Bergen Pracht, on August 30, 2015. Willa joins big brothers, Archer (6) and Holland (3), and everyone is happy and healthy.

Mara Prandi-Abrams and her husband, Will White, welcomed a second son, Emery Giovanni Wallace White, on May 28, 2015. Their oldest, Liam, loves being a big brother.

Sarah Dorminey coached Country Day’s JV field hockey team for the fourth season in a row. The team did a great job this year. Go Bucs! Sarah works at Whole Foods and loves it. She says come by the coffee bar and see her anytime.

Thomas Reyer, his wife, Ruhee, and daughter, Sophia, welcomed Maximilian “Max” Thomas Reyer on November 25, 2015.

After four years in the Caribbean, Greg Kahn, his wife, Sam, and their two island dogs set sail for Florida in late June, arriving mid-July, and completing their west-to-east coast cruise. Nine thousand nautical miles and 17 countries/islands later, he says it’s good to be home! Greg accepted a guidance counselor position that quickly turned in to an assistant director position at a charter high school in Clearwater, Florida. The school focuses on dropout prevention, a tough but rewarding area in education.

Brooke Easton Grindle and her husband, Clayton, recently relocated from Hong Kong to Charlotte and welcomed a little boy, Hezekiah Charles Augustus Grindle, on December 14, 2015.

Brooke is excited to be back in town and eager to reconnect with old friends.

As VP at Vornado, Reid Weppler works on special projects, strategic relationships, and “outside-thebox deals.” Vornado is a real estate investment trust with a concentration of premier office and retail assets in New York City and Washington, DC.

1996 REUNION TIME - The Class of 1996 will celebrate our 20th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9. Visit Web site for more details.

Class Notes

David Walker ’97 Talks Hornets’ Buzz

A

s co-host of the weekly podcast, “Hive Talk Live,” David Walker gets to discuss the topic which he is most passionate about—basketball, and specifically the Charlotte Hornets and the NBA. For one hour on Tuesday evenings, David and his cohost, Doug Branson, dissect, analyze, and debate what’s happening with the Hornets and around the NBA. “We try to have a conversation in a fun, smart way, like a lot of fans might have with their friends every day,” explains David. They often have guests join them on the show, including team personnel and sports writers, like Tom Sorenson, longtime Charlotte Observer sports columnist, and Adi Joseph, NBA editor for Sporting News.

David and Doug have also partnered with atthehive.com, the SBNation Charlotte Hornets’ Web site, to feature their podcasts. This past summer, they created a video series breaking down new additions to the Hornets and were able to have Country Day’s boys’ basketball Head Coach Dwayne Cherry ’93 on as a guest. One of their videos about Jeremy Lin has had more than 19,000 views on YouTube. Most recently in January, the podcast began a partnership with ESPN 730 in Charlotte to broadcast from their studios with guests from the station.

At its core, the show is set up to be a one-stop shop for Hornets’ fans to get the best of coverage about the team. David says, “There is a great sports culture developing in Charlotte right now, but it’s tough to cover everything about every team. For Hornets fans really looking for something dedicated solely to that team, we provide that focus.”

Between his day job as a business consultant, his podcast, and family responsibilities, David is grateful to have a supportive wife, his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth Sanders Walker ’97.

> hivetalklive.com

They enjoy all that the Boston area has to offer, including biking through the notorious traffic.

Beth Roemer Jack and her husband, Ryan, joyfully announce the birth of their daughter, Katherine “Katie” Miller Jack, on July 20, 2015.

1997

Eric Kuester and his wife, Katie Ball Kuester ’99, welcomed their third son, Robert “Bo” Faison Kuester, who joins big brothers, Wells (6) and Ford (4).

Last October marked the two-year anniversary since Elizabeth Raley Osterberger’s open heart surgery. She has a thriving and successful business, Elope to Savannah, specializing in planning and photographing elopement-style and small weddings in Savannah, Georgia. Elizabeth is also halfway through Clinical Pastoral Education, a program that certifies people as chaplains in clinical settings. The training takes place in a hospital, and she enjoys being the only secular humanist chaplain on the team.

Harris Parnell and her wife, Meredith Small, welcomed their daughter, Eva Frances “Frankie” Parnell-Small, on May 13, 2014. In August 2015, after spending much of the summer on the road visiting friends and family up and down the east coast, the family settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Meredith began her first year at Harvard Law School. Harris continues her work as a philanthropic advisor and fundraising consultant.

Elizabeth Sanders Walker and David Walker joyfully announce the birth of their second son, James Sanders Walker. James was born on November 19, 2015, and joins big brother William (2).

Erin Stone Zelickson and David Zelickson welcomed a son, Everett “Rett” McCall Stone Zelickson, on November 7, 2015.

WINTER 2016

39

Class Notes 1998 The Class of 1998 offers our deepest condolences to our classmates who lost a parent in 2015.

Win Robinson, beloved longtime faculty member and father to Helen Robinson Ambrose, passed away in November, and Ashley Moore Smith’s mother, Caroline Folger ’65, passed away in December.

Brook Tucker Buck and her husband, Trey, are proud to announce the birth of their son, James Clifton Buck IV, born on November 25, 2015.

They were thankful that he arrived in time for Thanksgiving, and everyone is doing great.

Jay and Morgan Harrison Everett welcomed a daughter, Jane Morgan Everett, on April 14, 2015. Big brothers, Luke and Mac, are in love with their little sister.

Ralls Finch married Katie Lindsey on May 2, 2015, in Birmingham, Alabama, at Samford Chapel. The couple honeymooned in Anguilla and live in Jupiter, Florida. Ralls works as a territory manager for Boston Scientific in their Neuromodulation division.

2000

John Bourgeois and Sarah Dickson Bourgeois ’03 joyfully announce the birth of their first child, John “Jack” Pierce Bourgeois, on November 13, 2015.

Katie Ball Kuester – See Eric Kuester ’97 for note.

Stacy and Brett Gray welcomed their daughter, Reynolds Pearce Gray, on July 27, 2015.

2001 On November 8, 2014, Jenny Tuttle and Charles Rollyson were married at The Gasparilla Inn, in Boca Grande, Florida. Bucs in attendance included the bride’s sister, Brinley Tuttle Huntley ’01, and her classmates Giordana Andretta, Matt Cochrane, Margaret Brown Conger, Sally Harrell Conner, Anne Figge Gardner, Kensley Davis Nelson, Garrik Sturges, and Buck Teal. Julian Andretta ’03 and Bryan Conner ’94 were also at the celebration.

On February 16, 2015, Sharon Hodde Miller gave birth to her second son, Coen Teague Miller.

Sharon and her family live in Holly Springs, North Carolina, where her husband, Ike, is a pastor, and Sharon works from home as a writer.

REUNION TIME - The Class of 2001 will celebrate our 15th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Visit Web site for more details.

Liz Barrett moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to do marketing for the outdoor apparel brand, Stio.

1999 Rebecca Barrett Levell and her husband, Jay, welcomed their second son, Webb Tobin Levell, on June 8, 2015. Webb joins big brother Graham (2).

The Class of 1999 offers our deepest condolences to Liz Moore Uecker for the passing of her mother, Caroline Folger ’65, in December.

Barbara Margaret Crane surprised her parents, Joe and Margaret Donaldson Crane, by arriving a month early on July 19, 2015.

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PERSPECTIVES

Krystian Dennis joined New York Life Insurance Company as an agent with the Greater New York General Office. She works to empower and educate New Yorkers financially and create solutions to support her clients in all financial stages of life.

Class Notes David Clark, father of Sally Clark, wrote a book titled A Long Walk with Sally: A Grieving Father’s Golf Journey Back to Life, about coping with the loss of his daughter.

In September, Trent Hawthorne married Joanna Williams-Schlitz of Huntington, New York. The two met while working in London and currently live in Charlotte.

Ingrid Easton Wilson and her husband, Jonathan, joyfully welcomed a daughter, Sedley Savannah Wilson, on December 2, 2015. Sedley was delivered by her dad and joins big brother Oak (1).

2003

John and Caroline Smith Irwin welcomed their daughter, Isabelle “Izzy” Dorothy Irwin, on May 20, 2015.

Paige Ierardi Johnson, her husband, Erik, and big brother, Brek, welcomed Miles Abbott Johnson to the family on October 9, 2015.

McRea Daniel and Crawford Brakefield were married at the High Hampton Inn in Cashiers, North Carolina, on May 16, 2015. McRea teaches second grade at Country Day.

Brooke Daly Adler and her husband, Justin, welcomed their second son, Merritt Henry Adler, to the world on August 11, 2015.

Katherine Zollinger and Bill Edwards of Chicago are engaged to be married! The proposal took place in Prescott, Arizona, during a hike around Watson Lake. The wedding will take place in October 2016 in Charlotte.

2002 Pooja Bavishi earned a MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. She lives in New York City and recently started an ice cream company, Malai, which was featured in The New York Times in August. Pooja is hoping to bring Malai to Charlotte soon.

Drayton Henderson and his wife, Elizabeth, welcomed a baby boy, Drayton Landrum Henderson Jr., on July 13, 2015.

Patrick Dougherty accepted a new position as the sole information technology administrator at The Best of Beers, LLC, an Anheuser Busch craft wholesaler and distributer in Hickory, North Carolina. Since beginning work in April, he has overseen a major upgrade and migration to the main delivery and accounting system. Patrick has also begun to set up for a complete delivery route overhaul by implementing a new route logistics software, which could potentially amount to a six-figure savings for the company. He looks forward to continuing to find ways to make the business more efficient with leading technologies and IT processes.

Heath Evans married Boone Neligan on September 12, 2016, at the High Hampton Inn in Cashiers, North Carolina.

Alden Alexander and Kevin Costello were married on October 24, 2015, at First Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, with a reception following at the Mint Museum Uptown. Their honeymoon was spent hiking, biking, and eating their way across Peru. The couple met in Chicago (Kevin’s hometown) on an intramural softball field while the two were working and living in the city. They moved to Manhattan in 2013. Alden is a member of New York and American Yacht Clubs and continues to spend her free time on and around the water.

She recently began working in yacht sales and brokerage.

Sarah Dickson Bourgeois – See John Bourgeois ’00 for note.

Blakely Offutt Infante and her husband, Nick, recently relocated to Charlotte from New York City and welcomed a son, William Sumner Infante, on November 5, 2015.

Ivan Mothershead married Ashleigh Casey on September 22, 2015, in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. Before their wedding, many Country Day alums joined them for a send-off reception at Quail Hollow Country Club. Ivan and Ashleigh recently moved to Charlotte and bought a house in the Providence Park neighborhood.

WINTER 2016

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Class Notes 2003 Continued

Taylor and Adam Russ welcomed a baby boy, William Harris Russ, on May 22, 2015. Harris is happy and healthy, and the family is grateful for this blessing.

2005

Katie Forshag Morton and her husband, Frank, welcomed their baby boy, Olie Franklin Morton III, on August 21, 2015. The family lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.

2004 The Class of 2004 offers our deepest condolences to Laura Hill Dunning for the passing of her father, Van Hill Sr., in December.

Reid Culp, president of TAGStone Capital, Inc. in Charlotte, has earned his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. The CFA charter, the most respected and recognized investment credential in the world, represents a tradition of upholding the highest standards of education and integrity in the investment profession.

Nozomi Imamura ’09 is a Hard Core Classical Trumpet Player

H

“

ard core” and “classical trumpet” are two phrases you don’t expect to hear together. But that’s how Nozomi Imamura describes his passion for musical performance. When you consider his impressive resume, it’s easy to see why.

This past fall, Nozomi began his master’s degree in trumpet performance on a full scholarship at Yale University. He was also offered admissions to Julliard. This follows his spring graduation from Curtis Institute of Music with a bachelor’s in trumpet performance, and a stint with the Aspen Music Festival.

Nozomi’s path to the pinnacle of arts education began when he was just three years old. While still living in Japan with his family, he took piano lessons. He tried his first brass instrument at 10, shortly before his family moved to Charlotte. Nozomi came to Country Day in seventh grade, after spending his first year in Charlotte at Quail Hollow Middle School and taking up the trumpet. Naturally, he joined the Middle School band.

From eighth grade all the way through graduation, Nozomi was named to all-district and all-state performance groups. But it’s not the awards he remembers most about his time at Country Day. Nozomi says, “Country Day was the place where my journey as a musician started. I have met my greatest mentors and friends, Stacey Mills and Chris Rydel. If I didn’t meet them, I probably would have chosen a different path. They encouraged me, gave me confidence, and taught me how to stay positive in stressful

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PERSPECTIVES

situations. They helped me realize what I really love and taught me the joy of making music.”

Upon graduation, Nozomi attended Temple University for two years on a full music scholarship. He transferred to Curtis in 2011, where all students attend on full scholarship and admission is extremely competitive for the four-year degree program—just 3.2 percent of those who audition are admitted, making it the most selective institution of higher learning in the United States.

“Coming from Temple, at first I felt I really had to push myself every day to catch up with my peers,” says Nozomi.

“But being around all that talent, I was inspired by my friends and my classmates every single day.”

He found further inspiration after winning a fellowship to the Pacific Music Festival and School. It’s regarded as one of the top classical music festivals in the United States, noted both for its concert programming and its musical training of mostly young-adult music students. Nozomi says that some 1,500–2,000 musicians from around the world audition for a seat and 70–90 are chosen.

After completing his master’s at Yale, Nozomi looks forward to joining a top orchestra. “I am open to every opportunity,” he says.

“But, I would really love to someday play with the Philadelphia Orchestra. I lived there for six years and it’s one of the best in the country.”

Class Notes

Jake Yochem ’10 Doesn’t Fiddle With a Good Thing

J

ake Yochem and his band, Bull Moose Party, are quickly becoming a staple in the Southeast music seen. Jake plays the fiddle and upright bass for the bluegrass, folk, and country band out of Asheville, North Carolina, and finds inspiration from many mountain fiddlers of the past.

While the band was formed in 2012, the story of Bull Moose Party actually goes back to Jake’s time at Country Day. During Upper School, Jake and his friend, Eli Winkenwerder, started Sunny Side Up, a high school band that was popular with Country Day and Myers Park students at the time. The two friends and bandmates later became roommates at Warren Wilson College and joined up with other students on their hall to form the school’s official bluegrass band.

Both history majors, Jake and Eli’s affinity for Theodore Roosevelt (despite his imperialist tendencies and racism) inspired the name of the band. Jake explains, “Bull Moose Party seemed to represent both our interests in history and having a good time.

And the early 20th century theme lends itself well to an Appalachian string band.”

Bull Moose Party plays all over Western North Carolina and the Southeast and is planning a tour of the U.S. this summer. Currently, the band is doing a series of shows with Moose Kick, a band out of Charleston, South Carolina, whose lead singer, Caleb Coker ’10, was a classmate of Jake’s and the lead singer of Sunny Side Up.

Lovell Holder works as a writer, director, and producer. Most recently, he directed the feature film “Loserville,” which he cowrote and produced alongside Tony Award winning, “Grey’s Anatomy” star Sara Ramirez. The ensemble film stars Darby Stanchfield (“Scandal”), Matt McGorry (“How To Get Away With Murder”), Jamie-Lynn Sigler (“The Sopranos”), and Jonathan Lipnicki (“Jerry Maguire”). Set at a small high school, the comedy tells the story of a dorky teenage boy who is torn between his friendships with a pair of two feuding sisters. Lovell also produced the upcoming drama “Some Freaks,” which features rising stars Thomas Mann (“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”) and Lily Mae Harrington, along with Tony Award nominee Marin Ireland. Lovell lives in Los Angeles and goes on hikes every chance he gets.

Emily Brown Maxwell joined the faculty at Country Day this school year as the Lower School music teacher.

2006

> facebook.com/bullmoosepartybluegrass

tember, she worked in Italy as an au pair for an Italian family. Upon her return to the U.S., Sarah moved to Chicago to begin her career as a medical speech-language pathologist (and experience her first “true” winter).

The Class of 2007 offers our sincere condolences to Van Hill for the passing of his father, Van Hill Sr., in December.

Jordan Swaim married Evan Overington on June 13, 2015, in Charlotte. Her bridesmaids included classmates Karen Bernstein, Alex Marchyshyn, and Anna Moore. The couple resides in the Research Triangle, where Jordan works as a television producer.

2007 Jason Coker married Tasha Cameron on May 5, 2015, in Airlie Beach, Queensland, Australia. The couple lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

2008 In fall 2015, Max Cohen began a PhD program in American Studies at New York University.

Katie Plyler is engaged to Jesse Mendes and they look forward to a June wedding. The couple met through mutual friends while they were student-athletes at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Alex Sturges moved to Dallas, Texas, in August, after accepting a new job in private equity. Since his move, Alex has entered many debates regarding the superiority of North Carolina barbecue.

REUNION TIME - The Class of 2006 will celebrate our 10th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Visit Web site for more details.

2009

The Class of 2006 offers our sincere condolences to Anna Moore for the passing of her mother, Caroline Folger ’65, in December.

2011

Henry Gass graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina in May 2015 and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.

He is stationed in Portsmouth, Virginia, where he is in an orthopedic residency program.

Anna Epstein is the press secretary for 2016 Presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina.

Sarah Faggart graduated from Western Carolina University in May with a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. From June to Sep-

REUNION TIME - The Class of 2011 will celebrate our 5th Class Reunion over the Thanksgiving holiday in November 2016. Stay tuned for more details.

WINTER 2016

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Class Notes 2011 Continued

SHARE YOUR NEWS Submit a Class Note

Emma Oakley graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BA in digital and mass communications and a minor in history. She was accepted to City Year AmeriCorps and plans to start in August. City Year is an education organization fueled by national service that partners with urban public schools in high-poverty communities to help keep students in school and on track to graduate.

Tim Reid graduated Cum Laude from NC State in May. He accepted a fully funded offer from Syracuse University to pursue a PhD in school psychology. His research will focus on improving test accommodations, ADHD assessment, and the role of technology in these areas.

After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill with an impressive field hockey and academic career, Loren Shealy is now in residency training with the U.S. Women’s National Team in Manheim, Pennsylvania. This October, Loren was selected to travel with the U.S. team to play four test matches against Great Britain.

Jake Vitale became an agent for The Next Step Realty, a leading Manhattan brokerage firm that helps recent college grads and young professionals find homes in New York City.

2012

online at charlottecountryday.org/classnote, or contact your Class Agent.

William Roberts, a member of the Yale men’s rugby team, trained in Hamilton, New Zealand, over the summer with the coaching staff of the Chiefs Investec Super Rugby Team (back-to-back Super Rugby League Champions in 2012 and 2013). William also played with the storied Hamilton Marist rugby club.

2013 Ben Kepley, junior punter for Dartmouth, was named second team All-Ivy League for the second year in a row.

Alex Kim founded and now serves as president for the NC State chapter of Musical Empowerment, a nonprofit, student-led organization that provides free music lessons and instruments to underserved children. Alex also performs regularly with the Raleigh Civic Symphony.

Last summer, Lauren McFayden interned with the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), an executive office of the President.

She worked in their office of public affairs, whose role is to inform the White House’s stance on and creation of drug policy.

2014 UNC-Chapel Hill sophomore Evan Kitchen is a member of the Clef Hangers, the University’s oldest a cappella group.

Retired Coach Bob Witman traveled to Williamstown, Massachusetts, in November, to watch James Howe play his final game at Williams College against rival Amherst College. A four-year starter for the Ephs, James ended his football career serving as co-captain and leading the team in defense. He will graduate in June with a double major in economics and history.

As a sophomore defensive back for the Washington and Lee University Generals, Michael Shields’ one-handed interception against Randolph-Macon earned him the top spot in the seventh week of the ODAC Football Play of the Week fan poll.

Raina Johnson, senior forward on the University of South Carolina women’s soccer team, finished her last season as a Gamecock on a high note.

Raina ranked second on the team in points with 18 on the year, as she tallied six points and six assists to her ledger including a pair of gamewinning goals. Raina also earned second-team All-SEC honors.

As a freshman, Currie Engel earned a spot in the Princeton a cappella group, The Tigressions.

Cornell senior rower Conor Jones and his teammates won the gold medal in the lightweight fours at the 51st Head of the Charles. Their boat crossed the line in a time of 16:45.915, besting the field by 35 seconds.

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2015 Megan Mahoney is a freshman defender on Middlebury College’s field hockey team. This season, the Panthers went 20–0, set a record for most wins and most shutouts in a season, and won their first Division III National Championship in 17 years.

In his first semester as a freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill, communications major Jacob Wishnek presented two award-winning films on campus and serves as the vice president of a brand new club, the Carolina Film Association.

1966 - Millie Dalton Cox - milliedcox@gmail.com 1972 - Dorothy Tull Mothershead dotmothershead@gmail.com 1977 - Mary Lu Kelly Leatherman - marylul@bellsouth.net 1980 - Katherine Edwards - keedwards@live.com 1980 - Karen Culbreth Weatherly kweatherly@charlottenc.gov 1981 - Alice Griffin Shrader - aliceshrader@gmail.com 1982 - Chip Knox - charles@knoxgroupinc.com 1982 - Wanda Culbreth Townsend wtownsend@jahlaw.com 1983 - Betsy Downs McIntyre bmcintyre@lincolnharris.com 1984 - Debbie Ostrow Vitale - dovnc@aol.com 1985 - Nancy Hanes Sasz - nancysasz@icloud.com 1986 - Melissa Gibson Estes mgibsonestes@carolina.rr.com 1987 - Laurie Goldman Smithwick laurie@leapdesign.com 1988 - Edwin Peacock - edwin.peacock@nmfn.com 1989 - Melia Northcott Hunt - meliahunt@msn.com 1990 - Mary Beth Tice McIntyre marybeth@belleproperties.com 1991 - Steven Cole - steven.cole@mail.com 1992 - Jenny Hall Robeson - jennyhall1@yahoo.com 1993 - Jaime Morris Pearman jaimepearman@carolina.rr.com 1994 - Sarah Nichols Hughes - shughes@wlu.edu 1995 - Jill Triana - jtriana76@gmail.com 1996 - Karen Hutchinson Ridout karen.ridout@charlottecountryday.org 1997 - David Walker - davidbwalker@gmail.com 1997 - Betsy Currie Zarzour - betsyzarzour@gmail.com 1998 - Holly Walker Hunter - ehwhunter@gmail.com 1999 - Logan Chalk Foose - lfoose@cchrealtors.com 2000 - Kara Hager - kara.hager@gmail.com 2001 - Amanda Lemonds Tomlinson amandaltomlinson12@gmail.com 2002 - Brantley Anders Templeton brantley.templeton@gmail.com 2003 - Blakely Offutt Infante - blakely.offutt@gmail.com 2003 - Ivan Mothershead - imothershead@gmail.com 2004 - Sarah Bell Farber - sarah.b.farber@gmail.com 2005 - Caroline Henderson henderson.caroline1@gmail.com 2006 - Sarah Schweppe sarah.schweppe@wellsfargoadvisors.com 2007 - Carver Morrow - carvermorrow@gmail.com 2008 - Anne Howard Dooley annehowarddooley@gmail.com 2009 - Caroline Davis - carolinelenoradavis@gmail.com 2010 - Gatesy Hill - shghill@gmail.com 2011 - Lindsey Freedman - lfreedman11@gmail.com 2012 - Alli Smith - smithal1@sewanee.edu 2013 - Caroline Allbert - ceallbert@gmail.com 2014 - Megan Schlernitzauer m.schlernitzauer14@gmail.com 2015 - Shannon Baker - shanbake@live.unc.edu

BUCSNOTES A ROUND-UP OF FUN FACTS EVERY BUC MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW.

120

The number of Monarch butterflies released by Lower and Middle School students this fall, the highest since our Monarch study began in 2011.

1,085

The total hours students in K–8 spent learning to write code during Hour of Code Week in December.

7

236

The number of Lower School art pieces hung in Dalton Gallery and other campus locations this fall by Friends of the Arts (FOTA) volunteers.

The number of seniors to date who have committed to play college sports at NCAA Division I schools, including baseball at Furman; women’s lacrosse at Dartmouth, Cornell, and UNC-Chapel Hill; men’s lacrosse at Colgate; field hockey at UNC-Chapel Hill; and women’s soccer at NC State.

100%

For the past five years, Country Day faculty and staff have given back with their full support to the Annual Fund. (For the previous 13, the participation rate was 98 percent or more.) You can do your part by visiting charlottecountryday.org/annualfund.

Ella Grace Parsons, second grade

Nonprofit Org. US Postage

PAI D

1440 Carmel Road Charlotte, NC 28226-5096 charlottecountryday.org

255 Likes

We were so excited for our students and teachers leaving for Cuba that we captured this photo just before they headed to the airport. They were the first group of high school students in North Carolina to explore this newly opened communist country. Read about their experience on page 18.

Charlotte, NC Permit No. 984