Perspectives Spring 2022

Perspectives CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

A World of Possibilities Athletics and Arts Champions Newest Honorary Alumni Sally Sasz ’17 Endowment

Ready to Excel Country Day READY

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.

Contents

18 36 11 New Honorary Alumni 14 A Closer Look at “Belonging” 18 A World of Possibilities 36 Remembering Sally Sasz ’17 DEPARTMENTS

3 Head of School’s Message 4 News & Notes 16 Overheard

39 Alumni Matters 41 Class Notes

Perspectives EDITOR Lee-Anne Black CONTRIBUTORS Katharine Atkins Tianna Butler Danielle S. Ferguson Alexis Hall Alivia McAtee Merrill Mills PHOTOGRAPHY Lee-Anne Black Stephanie Chesson Shannon Drosky Alexis Hall Joe Hernick Lisa Hernick The Professional Photography Group DESIGN Windtree Studios/Robert Locklear

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.

ADDRESS UPDATES: Send address changes to updates@charlottecountryday.org.

2021–22 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OFFICERS: Scott R. Stevens, Chair Mary Claudia Belk Pilon ’92, Vice Chair R. Glenn Sherrill Jr. ’89, Vice Chair Andrew W. Tate, Secretary-Treasurer William H. Zimmern ’95, Vice Chair

MEMBERS: Howard C. Bissell* Luther J. Blythe Jr. ’96 Dr. Lauren I. Browne Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer George S. Dewey IV ’90 Ronald E. Eliasek Jr. Samuel E. Farnham Sr. Alex D. Funderburg Samuel B. Hood ’96 Shanon Jones Dr. Tiffani M. Jones Dr. Gary L. Little J. Scott Mattei Stanton D. McCullough Sally Cannon Saussy ’67* Stoney D. Sellars Stephenson P. Shuford Dr. Lisa M. Toppin Jennifer Ward

ALUMNI: Visit charlottecountryday.org/alumniupdate.

You can also send address changes to alumnirelations@charlottecountryday.org.

*Life trustee

CURRENT PARENTS: Visit the Parent Portal to update your profile.

David Mancos, Interim Head of School and CFO Katharine Atkins, Director of Advancement Shannon Drosky, Director of Marketing and Communications Nancy Ehringhaus, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Joe Hernick, Director of Educational Technology Matthew Less, Head of Upper School David Lynn, Director of International Studies Bill Mulcahy, Head of Lower School Warren Sepkowitz, Head of Middle School Masanori Toguchi, Director of Athletics Scott Waybright, Assistant Head of School Brian Wise, Director of Diversity Planning

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF: You received Perspectives addressed to someone who no longer maintains a permanent residence at your home.

OR You have multiple community members at the same address, but you would prefer to receive only one copy for your household.

Send requests to updates@charlottecountryday.org.

On the Cover

Fifth-graders Evelyn Fisher and Malina Bharti are all smiles on a warm fall day.

Inside Cover

Sophie Davis ’22, Kennedy Wallace ’22, and Jack Cooper ’24 in the state championship production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

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School Leadership

PERSPECTIVES

2021–22 ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL

Message from the Interim Head of School

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OVER THE PAST eight months, I have had the opportunity to connect more regularly with students, see

our faculty and staff perform at the highest levels, and witness the energy and commitment of parents and alumni. I can honestly say, I am prouder than ever to be on Country Day’s team!

While we managed through the unknowns of this pandemic, mission and what’s best for students remained central to every decision. Though modified for our health situation at the time, events like Spirit Week, the Halloween Parade, and athletic and fine arts performances brought much joy and connection for students, parents, and faculty and staff. A highlight for me this year was greeting more than 670 Lower School students in December to distribute the traditional gingerbread cookies—this year, one class at a time and with the singing of festive songs held outdoors.

Though it looked a little different, we kept the tradition alive. If the past two years have taught us anything, it is that while we can’t always predict what’s to come, we know we are a school community that can successfully manage through our challenges.

We also have much to be proud of in our students’ achievements. In this issue, you’ll read about our state championship athletic teams, award-winning theater program, students winning national awards and preparing for academic competitions, and those serving others through their good works. This issue also includes profiles of just a few students and alumni who are following their passions and reaching their full potential. They all point to specific teachers, coaches, and administrators who helped them discover their talents and shape them into the people they are today. Country Day’s faculty and staff are second to none, and I can’t thank them enough for their dedication and commitment to our students.

We look forward to the opening of the new Harris Performance Gym and the Klein Aquatic Center. These facilities complete the final phase of a transformative campus improvement project that will meet our students’ academic needs and support their well-being for decades to come. We are tremendously grateful to the Bissells, Dowds, Kleins, and Pilons for making this state-of-the-art facility a reality and the opportunities it will provide for our student-athletes. Look for more in our next issue.

I would also like to thank Scott Stevens, who is in his final year as Board Chair, for his unrivaled leadership and support, not just this past year, but throughout his tenure as chair. He has steadfastly led us through tremendous growth, change, and challenge over the past few years. We are financially solid, our enrollment/reenrollment numbers are robust, and philanthropic giving is widespread. Our next Head of School will be starting from a position of great strength thanks to Scott and our Board of Trustees, as well as the leadership of our Administrative Council.

In closing, thank you to everyone in our Country Day community for your trust and partnership this year. I am proud and humbled to serve this great institution.

Respectfully,

David Mancos Interim Head of School and CFO

SPRING 2022

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News & Notes

How to Thrive, Not Just Survive the College Process

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By Alivia McAtee | published in Axios Charlotte, November 18, 2021

FOR PARENTS AND TEENS alike, the college admissions

process can be full of anxiety, uncertainty, and stress.

It’s something that Catherine Odum, director of College Counseling at Charlotte Country Day School, is familiar with from her 18 years at Country Day and her first-hand experience with her daughter this year.

We asked Catherine a few questions about how to thrive (not just survive) the process.

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Q: What is your number one piece of advice?

Keep an open mind. There are so many great colleges and universities, and there are so many places where students can be happy and successful.

I don’t believe there’s one ‘perfect fit’ for students. They may think there is, and their parents may think there is, but really there are so many schools where they could achieve their academic and personal goals.

This process is so fraught with anxiety. I get it, I’m actually living it personally. But if you can shift your perspective it really can be a fun process.

are the most important factors to consider Q:inWhata school?

There’s a catchphrase out there right now: ‘Can I get in, will I fit in, and can I afford it?’

We try to help students find their best matches in a few areas, including academics, social life, location, size, and finances.

This is a highly individualized process, so every student and family’s concerns are different.

Q: What resources do you recommend to students?

The college web sites: Looking at course offerings and majors.

Meet with college admissions representatives: There’s even a lot of virtual material out there.

Guidebooks: I really like the Fisk Guide to Colleges and The Insider’s Guide to the Colleges. They make these accessible for teenagers, so they’re fun to read.

Free online resources: The College Board, The College Foundation of North Carolina, and Scoir. The best resources out there are the ones that are free.

not a reflection of their self-worth or a prediction of their future success.

Just be there to support, encourage, and make sure they know that you’re disappointed for them, not in them.

Help them realize that they’re going to be happy and successful at a number of different schools, but let them own their disappointment and then help them adjust and move forward.

Q: Do you have any application essay tips?

A college essay is really a student’s chance to tell their story. We tell students to think of their essay as if they were telling someone a story about themselves. And, of course, get a counselor, teacher, parent, or just somebody to read it and give them feedback. I also think it’s great when peers read each other’s essays.

Q: Any other advice?

Financial aid is available, so I encourage everybody, whether they think they’ll qualify or not, to apply for financial aid and see what might happen.

And pay attention to deadlines. Try to get your college applications done early so you aren’t stressed out with schoolwork, extracurriculars, and submitting applications at the last minute and not putting your best work out there.

How many schools should students Q:apply to?

There’s really not a perfect number. What we advise students is to have at least two schools in each of these categories: • Schools that you think are really hard to get into, but you’re going to give them a shot.

• Schools where you aren’t a sure thing, but you have a reasonable shot at getting in.

• Schools where you’re pretty sure you can get in.

What advice would you give to a parent whose Q:child didn’t get into their dream school?

Give them a big hug and tell them that you are proud of them, that you love them, and that what a college admissions office says to them is

SPRING 2022

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“Be a Goldfish” The Mantra to a Championship

By Alexis Hall, Sports Information Director

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YOU READ THAT RIGHT—be a goldfish. For Coach Kayleigh Ferlan and the varsity field hockey team, this became a statement to embody and live by this season. Coach Ferlan states, “A goldfish is the most amazing animal—it has a 15-second memory.

Move on, next play, next moment.”

However, Coach Ferlan remembers the exact moment.

The Bucs were up 1–0 against rival Providence Day, and the bench was counting down from 10 in the fourth quarter of the NCISAA Championship game. As the horn blew, she hugged her assistants Beth Erb and Mary Beth Luxton as her team stormed the field and the dog pile in front of their goal happened in a blink.

Since Coach Ferlan arrived in 2017, her teams, have secured a place in the championship games in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, with wins in 2019 and 2021.

She tells her players to “think of the game chunked in 15 seconds. Win every 15 seconds. Win every quarter. Win every half. Making us win every game. This mantra not only helped them clinch the championship this season but has helped lead to victories in seasons prior.”

But it can be easy to harp on a bad play, a missed opportunity.

Coach Ferlan has created a strong mentality behind her program, instilling in her players how to let go of these moments and move on.

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“We have a very special couple of practices before the state championship every year,” she explains. “We have a Team Olympics, dinner at my house, and we do meditation on the field the night before the championship.” These team rituals helped build leadership and determination, especially for the seniors who helped lead these bonding experiences. “The seniors were incredible this year. Driven, hardworking, and passionate—they all had the same goal and did everything they could do to put themselves in the state championship game.”

For anyone who attends field hockey games, you know that the team has a way of making the mundane feel special, and overall fun. “For most games, I tell a pregame story that has nothing to do with sports (but focuses on other life aspects),” explains Coach Ferlan. “I use stickers and motivational quotes.

“During states, we read a story called “Warm Fuzzies” and we use mini pom-pom balls as warm fuzzies for the entirety of the tournament.

We put them in our shin guards and behind the goal cages. It is a reminder that everyone on your team has your back and cares about you.”

A championship win against a conference rival is big. But having built mentally strong young athletes who learn from their mistakes, forget them, and move on for themselves and their teammates…well that is a little bigger than anything else, isn’t it?

The instant the horn blared that morning at Providence Day, you could see how cherished that split-second was. It was the only moment where they were not goldfish—they were simply champions and would remember that flash of joy forever, because they achieved it together.

News & Notes

Girls’ Cross Country Stays Ready to Win Championship

By Alexis Hall, Sports Information Director

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THE BELIEF THAT “if you stay ready, you never have to get ready” embodies how championships are won. Cross Country Coach Matthew Elliott has built the program through this mindset and created consistency. And this mindset has paid off. His teams finished the fall 2021 season with: • Girls’ team first CISAA Cross Country Championship, and girls’ and boys’ individual CISAA Championships, • Five All-State runners and six All-Conference runners, • A girls’ team first NCISAA Championship and a girls’ individual NCISAA Championship, • 41 personal best times teamwide, and • An undefeated season for the girls’ team.

“We prepared in such a way that led to good training and racing in August, September, and October, so nothing needed to be changed the week of the state meet,” explains Coach Elliott.

“These student-athletes are all so smart, gifted, and wonderful people, so empowering them to take ownership of their goals and allow them to be in the driver’s seat of the program is our best pathway to success. They are more than capable; and sometimes taking a step back on my end to facilitate and be more of a guide, allowing more autonomy for the athletes, has been life-giving and life-changing for everyone involved.”

Coach Elliott oversaw not only the first championship for the girls’ cross country team at Country Day, but the first state championship program wide. This is an immense accomplishment in and of itself, but it is important to note

that the NCISAA is becoming increasingly competitive. “This accomplishment shows that these girls are not only exceptional runners, but they are tremendous athletes,” Elliott said when reflecting on the skill required to be successful in this sport.

“My sense of gratitude is at an all-time high as I have a frontrow seat watching these student-athletes grow up and transform the face of our program with passion, joy, and true love for the sport and one another. The memories from this season will be instilled in my mind forever, and my hope is to foster an environment for this experience to be felt by all who join our team.

“Our seniors have set the bar so high when it comes to leadership, which has enhanced our team dynamic in so many ways, from pacing workouts to giving rides, to smoothie outings, cross-training buddies, sharing clothes, glitterthemed race accessories, and so much more.

Our seniors are irreplaceable. This doesn’t mean that our underclassmen won’t shine as they do; it just means that what they have done is indescribable.

Our team is forever better, our staff is forever better, and our program is forever changed because of who they are and what they have given—their whole selves.

“If you stay ready, you never have to get ready,” Coach Elliott reminds. “The point is to take care of you and, in turn, you will have the ability to take care of your team. Our girls’ team did this every minute of every hour of every day of every week and created an opportunity for each other through our sport.”

SPRING 2022

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Lower School Extracurricular Play

The Show Must Go On

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Every Lower School student has a chance to shine on stage in class and grade-level plays. In January, third and fourth graders interested in taking theater beyond their class productions, got to be part of the extracurricular play Willy Wonka Kids. Drama teachers Krista Maggart and Katy Johns led practices with the students every day after school for more than a month. Congratulations on a spectacular show.

LIVE THEATER IS BACK at Country Day and better than ever. From innovative presentations and award-winning shows, students in all divisions have had opportunities to shine on stage. Beginning in junior kindergarten, students perform in front of peers, parents, and faculty. Lower School plays, which are often curriculum-based, help students build confidence and develop communication and public speaking skills. The progression of performance skills builds in Middle School with a fall play and spring musical. By Upper School, students may choose from 10 different theater arts courses and audition for awardwinning productions.

Carolina Theatre Conference, including first place. At the state competition, Country Day won: • North Carolina High School Play Festival Distinguished Play • Excellence in Acting: Aaryan Chopra, Jack Cooper, Sophie Davis, Lance Toppin, and Kennedy Wallace • Barbizon Production Award Excellence in Stage Management: Katie Sluder • Excellence in Choreography • Daniel A. Seaman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Theatre • John W. Parker Award for Excellence in Directing

See You at Nationals

The ensemble headed to the national competition in March (too late for us to report on in this issue). No matter the result, we are so proud of this talented group. Congratulations on their accomplishments so far.

The Upper School Theater Department put on a stellar production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream this past fall.

In addition to delighting Country Day audiences, the cast and crew took home multiple awards at the regional North

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News & Notes

Middle School Innovates

In October, Middle School theater students, under the direction of Aaron Mize, put on a wonderful and innovative performance of Myth Adventures.

Audience members were escorted through five one-act plays at various outdoor sites on Bissell Campus.

Everyone had a great time learning why they might not want to shake hands with King Midas, why Narcissus can’t pull himself away from that pool of water, and just how high Icarus can fly before he falls.

Anastasia a Hit

In February, Upper School put on an amazing production of Anastasia, The New Broadway Musical. A few weeks before the show, Christy Altomare, who played the original Anastasia for the Broadway production, conducted a workshop for cast members. Country Day was proud to host and appreciated her efforts to help our students find success on the stage!

SPRING 2022

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News & Notes

Wellness Fair Helps Students Gain Skills to Cope with Stress

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ACCORDING TO Tarik Sloussi, a licensed clinical Mental Health Counselor at Southeast Psych and regular speaker in our parent education programming, episodes of anxiety and depression have tripled since we’ve all been managing life with COVID-19.

Middle School Counselor Janani Buford has seen this increase in our own community and has been working with our students to help them process their anxiety, worries, fear, and stressors. She took her efforts further by organizing a Wellness Fair for our seventh and eighth graders on November 4.

“Kids are dealing with so much that I wanted to find a way to be proactive instead of reactive,” she explained. “My goal was to put together a program to show students in tangible “Kids are dealing ways the various coping skills with so much they can use to help manage that I wanted to and deal with stress.” find a way to be “Before COVID-19 officially entered into our mindset proactive instead in March of 2020, Country of reactive.”

Day was already discussing – Janani Buford, Middle School counselor emotional wellness,” said Head of Middle School Warren Sepkowitz. “Janani spent many hours organizing a wonderful Wellness Day for our seventh and eighth graders, and our hope is that some of our students will be healthier for it.”

All students rotated through four sessions, delivered by 16 different wellness professionals. The topics and strategies covered included mindfulness, coping skills, art therapy, yoga, self-care, exercise, nutrition, and balance. After the sessions concluded, all students, including fifth and sixth graders, had a chance to pet baby llamas, cows, pigs, goats, and bunnies during recess. It was a great way to conclude an uplifting day.

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All in for

THE COUNTRY DAY FUND Join 100% of faculty and staff, 100% of trustees, and nearly 70% of current parents who have already given or pledged their support of the 2021–22 Country Day Fund. Together, we can give students and teachers the very best opportunities to be Country Day Ready!

This year’s Country Day Fund concludes June 30.

Please make your gift today!

CHARLOTTECOUNTRYDAY.ORG/GIVEFORCOUNTRYDAY

Honorary Alumni Association

Honoring Distinguished Service

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EVERY YEAR, Country Day hosts the Honorary Alumni Association Dinner, an evening celebrating distinguished service to Country Day. This tradition includes inducting new members of the Honorary Alumni Association as well as awarding the Alumni of the Year and the David L. Hood Jr. Award for Volunteer Service.

Because the event was rescheduled this fall due to COVID-19, Country Day recognized the Alumna of the Year, Dr. Neely Kaydos-Daniels ’91, at a special alumni event on September 23, 2021. The David L. Hood Jr. Award recipients and newest Honorary Alumni were recognized and celebrated at the rescheduled event on March 10, 2022, at Quail Hollow Club. Congratulations to all our award recipients. You can see videos from the event at charlottecountryday.org/HonoraryAlumni.

Honorary Alumnus: Mark Reed

Country Day inducted former Head of School Mark Reed to the Honorary Alumni Association for his distinguished service and extraordinary impact on the school. During Mark’s 12-year tenure, his inspired leadership and unwavering commitment to the community made a transformational impact on our school.

From his intentional approach to the 1:1 technology initiative rollout to the $92.5 million comprehensive campaign to transform Cannon Campus, Mark always kept his student-centered

approach. He added significant DEIB programming and renewed focus on student wellness while also adding 72,000 square feet of educational space.

However, Mark’s impact at Country Day goes well beyond facts, figures, and programs. He helped propel Country Day into a position of incredible strength for the future, and the school will be forever grateful and better for his leadership. Mark continues his relationship with Country Day as a current parent of Olivia ’26.

As the head of a school this large, it is unique to say that Mark is known to his students, and he is admired by his students. He always puts in the effort, shows up to everything, and he truly cares. I really admire the work Mark has done and I’m thankful for getting to know Mark. Mark is a great person and a great friend, and we miss him.”

— Wellford Tabor

Mark Reed with his wife, Laura, and daughter, Olivia ’26.

SPRING 2022

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Honorary Alumnus: Bob Plyler Country Day inducted Bob “Buzzy” Plyler, beloved teacher, compassionate student advisor, and dedicated coach, into the Honorary Alumni Association. As the longest tenured employee at Country Day, Bob has been part of the school’s faculty for a remarkable 45 years.

When selecting how to describe Bob Plyler, words come easily. He is a true gentleman and friend who is positive, kind, thoughtful, and caring. These are but a few that stand out. Perhaps the single choice, if I had to make one, is loyal. Bob is steadfastly loyal to Country Day and the students and athletes he has taught, advised, and coached, as well as those with whom he shared his teaching and coaching duties. Bob has made a positive impact on Country Day, and I thank him for that.” –Ed Walton

Since Bob joined the Upper School history department in 1976, he has been instrumental in the growth and evolution of the history curriculum at Country Day. He partnered with other departments to create and implement the American Studies program. He also played a key “I remember Mr. Plyler as one of my few adult role in the friends when I was a teenager. I don’t think I development of realized it at the time, but he was somehow political science able to give me advice without me realizing it. and Advanced Placement history Bob’s been a steadying and calming presence; courses, including I’d liken that presence to maybe a beacon or buoy that marks the harbor for a returning U.S. History and Government and sailor. It’s reliable, signals calm waters ahead, and it welcomes you home.” —Todd Gorelick ’82 Politics.

Known to many who love him as Coach Plyler, Bob has coached Varsity Golf, JV Football, and both JV and Varsity Boys’ Basketball. Under his leadership, Varsity Boys’ Golf has won nine state championships and dozens of his student-athletes have continued to play at the collegiate level. In 1987 and 2003, Bob received the Carl Bolick Coach’s Award, which recognizes coaches who best exemplify the qualities of a character builder who develops student-athletes into better people.

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PERSPECTIVES

“I met Bob Plyler my freshman year on the Varsity Golf team in 1988, and we won the State Championship. Like many alumni, I have learned so much from him over the years, and he has made a huge impact on my life as a great role model and mentor. He has always been there for me in my life, following my career at WFU and as a professional; he was there when my father passed away, he was at my wedding, and he was excited for me when my children were born.

From the bottom of my heart I love Coach Buzzy.”

—Stephanie Neill Harner ’91

News & Notes Bob has served as a mentor and advisor for generations of Country Day students, often the children of his former students. In 2016, Bob was recognized with the Alumni Association Distinguished Faculty Award.

A lifelong Charlottean, Bob earned a BA from UNC-Charlotte. He and his wife, Jeannette, have two daughters who both attended Country Day, Adrienne ’98 and Megan ’04.

“Bob Plyler always puts the kids first. When I was playing basketball, he and I would sit in his office on occasion after games just talking for 20–30 minutes. That was a long time ago, but he could communicate and connect. Now fast forward, and he taught my daughter history one year, then he taught and coached my son two or three years later. It doesn’t matter who you are or what age you are, he can relate.”

–Patrick Hobson ’89

David L. Hood Jr. Award for Volunteer Service: Dave ’85 and Lauren Benson Country Day recognized Dave and Lauren Benson with the David L. Hood Jr. Service award for their exemplary service to Country Day, demonstrating their active belief in the school and its mission, tireless energy, positive determination, and heartfelt commitment to the betterment of our students’ experiences and opportunities.

Between the two of them, Lauren and Dave have served in countless ways to support the school since becoming Country Day parents in 2004.

One of the hallmarks Lauren has served in various of Country Day is our roles for the Parents’ Association, including as president community, and Lauren in 2015–16. Dave has served and Dave are both such as a Trustee 2011–21, most strong community builders. recently leading the DEIB Both are inclusive people.

Committee as co-chair in They draw other people 2020–21. Lauren and Dave in, they’re always positive, have both served as volunteers outgoing, personable, and for the Boosters Club and the they know how to make Country Day Fund for years. connections with people.

Their three children are They’re the kind of parents Country Day lifers and that make us such a strong graduates: daughter Ryan ’17, community.” —Leigh Moran son Gus ’19, and son Cal ’21.

SPRING 2022

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A Closer Look at

“Belonging”

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By Tianna Butler, Associate Director of Diversity Planning

COUNTRY DAY RECENTLY added the word “belonging” as an overarching goal to its work around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEIB). You may be wondering why and how the addition of this word is relevant to the work we do at school to build community. In many ways, “belonging” is not additive, but rather elevating to our work in building a climate and culture of understanding, empathy, and acceptance.

A sense of belonging encapsulates the meaning and day-to-day intention of our Affirmation of Community. It means that students, faculty, and staff at Country Day feel secure and supported because there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity. Creating a sense of belonging is more than a moral and

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PERSPECTIVES

ethical way to behave as a community.

Research shows us that students learn best when they are known, seen, and valued for who they are and have a strong sense of security and belonging in the classroom.

Rebecca Patterson, early childhood director, explains: “Creating a sense of belonging is a lens through which we view all our practice, not something separate from the high-quality instruction and curriculum we offer.

We want kids to feel known and seen at school. We seek to maintain their eager curiosity about difference and build their empathy and understanding of the world.”

In Lower School, through readings, class discussion, and playtime activities,

children learn to see out “windows” into the experiences of others, as well as look into “mirrors” of their own reality.

These skills are preparing our students for the future, as cultural competency and empathy are two of the top skillsets today’s employers are seeking.

For instance, in junior kindergarten students read three different versions of the popular tale “The Three Little Pigs.”

The different versions allow students to experience different perspectives from this classic tale from the pigs’ perspective and the wolf’s perspective, telling two very different sides of what happened. This work also fosters critical thinking and media literacy skills.

These skills are elevated when students are taught to view history and current events, literature, artwork, music, and so forth, from multiple perspectives— a point made across every division, in developmentally appropriate ways.

From a very early age, students learn

News & Notes to ask essential questions to see, receive, and analyze information from a variety of viewpoints: • Whose voice is represented here?

Who is telling this story?

• Whose voice is missing? How might they understand this story differently than this author?

• Is the issue being presented in a balanced way? Do I need to consult another source of information in order to round out my understanding?

• Why is the story being told this way?

Who does this benefit? Disadvantage?

Windows and Mirrors

While the work of embedding components of belonging starts in the Lower School, it continues throughout the middle years as well. Individual classes may explore similar themes of windows and mirrors in their respective rooms, and the Middle School community comes together to discuss the importance of community— specifically our Affirmation of Community. Country Day’s Affirmation of Community is unique not only to our school but is a rarity among other independent schools in the nation.

To enhance belonging among students in the Middle School, DEIB coordinators Shaunta Davis and Bina Neumann developed a Nearpod lesson for teachers and students to use during advisory to discuss what it means to truly be a part of our community.

Students defined what a community is with their peers and advisor, and then took time to read through the Affirmation of Community, defining words, identifying themes, and determining ways they can live out the Affirmation in thought, action, and practice.

In Upper School, the chance to further explore windows, mirrors, and belonging is evident in the work of the Diversity Awareness Forum (DAF).

The DAF consists of a variety of groups such as the Black Student Union (BSU), Asian Affinity Group, International Club, Interfaith Club, Amig@s, SWAG (Super Women’s Affinity Group), and PRISSM (Promoting Respect, Inclusion, and Safety for Sexual Minorities). Each

BELONGING

is defined as the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a certain member of a group or a place.

DIVERSITY says, “I am glad you’re here.”

INCLUSION says, “I am glad we are here together.”

EQUITY says, “How can I best support you and your needs?”

group hosts several forums each year that focus on a topic related to their group, belief, and/or identity. All Upper School students and faculty are invited to attend these events, which usually also include a period for questions and discussion. In these spaces, students are provided a chance to examine themselves personally through the topics being discussed or in relation to another group that may be presenting.

Once again, the themes of belonging and windows and mirrors are critical in developing a wider range of perspectives, a healthy understanding of self, empathy, and the ability to fully understand another perspective or belief. We encourage students to examine those similarities and differences, not for categorization but for ways in which they can foster a respectful appreciation of each other, whether same or different.

At Country Day, we want to make sure our students are provided with the richness of experiencing a variety of stories and voices out in the world, and then are allowed to utilize their own critical thinking skills in healthy ways.

BELONGING says, “I know I am both welcomed and included.”

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“I have such sweet memories of Coach Pearman leading us singing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas,’ then ‘We Wish You a Happy Chanukah,’ then ‘We Wish You a Happy Kwanzaa,’ 25 years ago in Ms. Gragg’s living room!”

–Comment by Laura-Nelle Parnell Hurst ’06 on a post about the Lower School holiday visit to the Head of School’s house. December 8, 2021.

MATT HAS SHAPED SO MANY KIDS, BOTH ON AND OFF THE COURSE, WITH HIS LEADERSHIP, MENTORING, AND COACHING. –Comment by Ashley Kleiderer on a post announcing Cross Country Coach Matt Elliott as NCISAA Coach of the Year. November 19, 2021.

“You can jump at the sun, no matter what.”

–Advice to Middle School students from our Distinguished Diversity Guest Author Alicia D. Williams (Genesis Begins Again, which received the Newbery and Kirkus Prize honors).

October 27, 2021.

Overheard This was such a wonderful event!!!!

Such a gift to your kiddos. Thank you!!

We loved being a part of it. Y –Comment by Juliet Kuehnle, Mental Health Therapist (@yepigototherapy) on post about the Middle School Wellness Fair. November 16, 2021.

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“Thank you for your leadership and commitment to our kids and community. It means a lot and you are having an impact.”

–Response by Brad Murr, to Interim Head of School David Mancos’s Thanksgiving e-mail. November 18, 2021.

I HOPE YOUR REFLECTIONS FOR TODAY INSPIRE YOU TO CONTINUE TO CREATE CHANGE FOR TOMORROW. –Comment by former Head of School Mark Reed as part of the Middle School’s Martin Luther King Jr. programming.

January 20, 2022.

“I give back because Country Day holds a very special place in my heart. My experience and education prepared and shaped me immensely for the chapters in life that would follow.”

–Sammy Hood ’96, Country Day Fund chair, at the Selwyn Society Reception.

November 17, 2021.

“College feels infinitely less stressful as a result of the IB program.”

As a former science teacher and science department chairman at Country Day from 1967 through 1974, I frequently look back at my time there with fond memories and wonder where my former students are now and how they are doing.

I hope that life has been good for them and that they also have fond memories of our time together. Life is good.”

–Message from Roger Cannon. August 8, 2021

“The work we did made me feel helpful and allowed me to realize how such a small act of kindness can make such a huge difference.”

–Reflection by Mia Schuth (eighth grade), after volunteering with the Arts Empowerment Project with teacher Dwayne Wilson, who is on the board.

December 12, 2021.

–Anonymous comment by a member of the Class of 2021 in the International Baccalaureate self-study.

November 2021.

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A WORLD OF

By Lee-Anne Black, editor

It’s our school’s mission to develop fully the potential of every student. At Country Day, students are known and loved by their teachers, coaches, and advisors. Because of this culture of nurturing and individualized attention, students have the support they need to discover and pursue new passions, and they develop the skills that make them ready to tackle challenges and lead with heart.

The journey from a young learner to a Country Day graduate who is exceptionally well-prepared for college and a purposeful life is filled with hundreds of intentional steps in the classroom and opportunities for growth outside it.

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Country Day teachers deliver an extraordinary academic program that also shapes students into confident, healthy, well-rounded adults who are comfortable and successful in diverse settings.

Turn the page to meet eight individuals who are pursuing their passions and making an impact. The common thread, no matter whether still in school or pursuing a rewarding career, is the nurturing support they experienced at Country Day. In so many ways, Country Day teachers, coaches, and advisors open their students’ eyes to a world of possibilities.

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Meera Clark ’11:

Forbes 30 Under 30

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Meera Clark ’11, a principal at Obvious Ventures in San Francisco, where she focuses on companies in healthcare, fintech and employment, was recently named a Forbes 30 Under 30 for Venture Capital. Forbes wrote, “Of 30 investments from its $272 million third fund, she worked on 12, sourced four and serves as a board observer for three. Clark leads her firm’s diversity initiatives, participating in HBCUvc’s Bay Area programming and setting sourcing and hiring strategies.”

Forbes also recognized Meera for her work as a Steering Committee member for the All Raise Annual Summit, her board membership on the Stanford Professionals in Finance, and her writings on the topic of enhancing economic empowerment for women.

“While being named as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree certainly came as a surprise, the most exhilarating discovery of them all was finding myself surrounded by so many humans I admire and respect,” says Meera. “I’ve come to realize that so much of success is defined by having the talent and network to actualize scale. Accordingly, Forbes’ ability to identify, and more importantly, amplify the voices of emerging leaders excites because it empowers us to collectively accelerate the change we wish to see.”

Meera credits her mother, who immigrated to North Carolina from India at age 26, for instilling in her the idea to never allow convention to dictate her path. “I was fortunate to grow up with a working mother who taught me what could be,” she says. “While I had my mom pushing me, supporting me, and advising me during each step of my professional journey, many do not.”

That’s why, while working at Morgan Stanley, Meera scaled the firm’s early-stage technology accelerator, the Multicultural Innovation Lab, focused on female and multicultural entrepreneurs. And All Raise, the venture capital industry’s response to #MeToo, has afforded Meera the opportunity to “use my voice, ideas, and connections to support the next generation of underrepresented founders and investors in their quest to upend the status quo. It is my hope that the momentum these organizations build today will ripple through to the professional landscape that today’s Buccaneers inherit tomorrow.”

Meera says that her people-first, pay it forward mentality was nurtured at Country Day. “Country Day is unique in its ability to partner with students at all stages of their development and facilitate the growth of relationships that stand the test of time. We were taught to value one another over isolated achievements, that the most meaningful outcomes require dedication and deliberacy, and that the opportunity to ignite change is ours to capture. While my time at Stanford taught me technical skills like coding and my career has shaped my approach to personal branding, it is my Country Day core that has served as a grounding truth throughout my journey— and for that I am grateful.”

The power of those relationships was tested for Meera midway through Upper School. As a result of the 2008 financial crisis, her family was forced to make challenging decisions. Her mother moved to Denver for work and Meera headed to Virginia for boarding school as a new junior.

“To frame it in its most flattering light,” says Meera, “it was a shock to the system. Gone was the diversity of perspectives I had come to view as core to the classroom, absent were the

We were taught to value one another over isolated achievements, that the most meaningful outcomes require dedication and deliberacy, and that the opportunity to ignite change is ours to capture. advisors who understood my ambition and aspirations, and lacking was this new home when it came to a sense of love.”

Fortunately, her concerns were heard and for senior year, Meera found herself in the “warmth of the CCDS community welcoming me back to the world in which I felt I belonged. I feel lucky to have learned so much about what matters most to me during this year of transition, for it is frequently during these periods that feel like mayhem that we exhibit the most gratifying growth.”

In addition to the classroom, Meera credits her time on the Country Day lacrosse field as “seminal to my development as an employee, teammate, and leader.”

She explains: “Making the team as a freshman was both an honor and terrifying. I felt in over my head surrounded by seniors older than I, stronger than I, and more practiced at the sport than I. Yet, despite the imposter syndrome, I was inspired every day to fall forward into my potential. Whether strength training with Coach (Darnell) Clark, upping my technical skills with Coach (Kristy) Boyles, learning leadership in the classroom with Coach (Brad) Touma, or celebrating on the sidelines with my teammates, I felt myself progressively growing into the human I am today.

“By senior year, nothing felt sweeter than winning my first State Championship. It marked the taste of true excellence— a standard I have since consistently strived toward, be it on the trading floor at Morgan Stanley or in pursuit of the next generation-defining companies as an investor today.”

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Emery is truly such a light on our stage and around our campus. It is an honor to teach such inspiring students like him.

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Emery Tillman ’30:

Budding Actor Emery Tillman is only in fourth grade, but he has had two opportunities this year to play a leading role on stage in the Gorelick Family Theater. First, he was Baloo in his class’s performance of The Jungle Book. His success in that role, combined with his enthusiasm for theater, led Krista Maggart, Lower School theater director, to cast Emery as Willy Wonka in the Lower School’s first extracurricular play for third and fourth graders.

While Emery has been in class plays since kindergarten, being in Willy Wonka Kids was a chance to perform alongside students in different grades and classes. Every day after school, he practiced with those students, Ms. Maggart, and Drama Assistant Katy Johns.

“Ms. Maggart encourages me, and she is always nice,” he says. “Like if I get a line wrong, she shares a story about a time she messed up. She’s funny and she tries to make us feel better.”

“Mrs. Johns is very helpful and she’s the one who gets our mouths warmed up when we’re about to sing.

I think Ms. Maggart and Mrs. Johns are really good at working together.”

Ms. Maggart, who is working on her graduate degree to bring social emotional learning and educational psychology into her theater curriculum, says: “Emery is truly such a light on our stage and around our campus.

It is an honor to teach such inspiring students like him.”

In addition to his Lower School teachers, Emery’s love of theater has been influenced by family friend Lance Toppin ’23, who has performed in Country Day theater for many years. “Lance has been in a lot of musicals, and he has pushed me to want to be in school plays. I really look forward to seeing him in the school musicals. I like seeing how the actors express themselves and how they fit their character. It’s a lot like seeing a movie, but better!”

The hardest part about acting for Emery is memorizing his lines. His strategy is to read them over and over. He says that being on stage “feels a little scary. Then once you’re in the

middle of a play, you’re like ‘I got this’ and you just keep doing it.”

This summer, Emery plans to attend theater camp and prepare for Middle School auditions. “I’m looking forward to having more practice doing my plays in Middle School, because what I’m really looking forward to is doing the high school plays. They are longer and they have more details, so you Emery Tillman practicing have to learn more lines.” his leading role with Drama Teacher Krista Maggart.

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Features

Bill D’Alessandro ’04:

Entrepreneur In 2019, when Bill D’Alessandro ’04 was named Small Businessperson of the Year by Charlotte Agenda (now Axios Charlotte), his business, Elements Brands, had 24 employees working out of their Charlotte warehouse.

The company, which Bill started in 2011 at age 25, buys small retail brands, beefs up their e-commerce capabilities, and makes them bigger and more profitable. Since 2019, the company has nearly tripled its work force and quadrupled its annual sales.

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While the pandemic has brought challenges, it’s also been very good for business. “We already had a strong 2019 and had just purchased what is now our largest brand, Natural Dog Company. I feel very lucky to have been in the right place at the right time,” says Bill. “The right place being e-commerce and the right time being the 2020 lockdown when online shopping really took off and 11 million people got new dogs.”

But the tailwinds Elements Brands caught also have a lot to do with Bill’s entrepreneurial business skills. In early 2020, through connections in China, he came to realize ahead of many others “maybe this COVID thing is real.” So, in February, he pulled forward a year’s worth of inventory and sent as much as possible to Amazon to piggyback on their logistics should Charlotte get locked down and his warehouse be unable to ship. Those two decisions put Elements Brands in a strong position to weather the pandemic.

“But there was still a lot of uncertainty,” says Bill. “Yes, we doubled in 2020 both in headcount and revenue, but it’s been a real challenge figuring out how to keep our in-person warehouse employees safe and how to bring on new employees on the administrative side when we are still operating primarily remotely.” The plus side is that Bill now recruits talent from across the nation, but he also sees the value in teamwork, collaboration, and the stronger relationships that come from working together in an office.

And for Bill, “the people” are the most rewarding aspect of running Elements Brands. He proudly recounts the story of a graphic designer he hired five years ago straight out of college who now leads a team of 17 people. “Just watching people like her come along and be able to lead others and make good decisions without my help is really cool. It used to be that Elements Brands was me and I was Elements Brands, but now there are other people also at the center of gravity.

It’s fun to watch.”

That ability to see his employees’ potential and give them space to grow is something Bill appreciates about his teachers and coaches at Country Day. He points to people like his advisor Marsha Newton-Graham. “She treated me like an adult very early in life, which I think helped me to become an adult. My teachers knew me and knew what I needed. They allowed me to pursue my interests in a way that maybe colored outside the lines a bit, and that allowed me to strengthen that entrepreneurial muscle that now guides my life.”

For example, he points to teachers like Anne Edwards who recognized that his constant

That ability to see his employees’ potential and give them space to grow is something Bill appreciates about his teachers and coaches at Country Day.

mucking around with the settings and software (mild hacking) on the library computers was not something to be punished, but rather an interest in technology to be nurtured. He and his friends were set up with a computer in a closet that they could mess around with. That experience led to AP Computer Science with Erin Springfield who helped him “stoke a love of computers and programming,” which he majored in at Wake Forest University.

Similarly, Darrell Bach taught Bill to love math. And he and his friends were fully supported when they broached the idea of entering mathematical modeling competitions. Admittedly, as a teen he liked the idea of getting out of class for the day, but also appreciates that the school administration trusted him and his friends to sit in a room in the library for eight hours trying to solve a mathematical problem. “We felt totally independent and couldn’t ask for help. There are parallels to entrepreneurship in that.”

On the athletic side, Bill says he learned about the value of teamwork, ethics, and sportsmanship from Coach Bob Witman, and values the safe space to hang out provided by Stephanie Miller and Mary Beth Luxton in the training room.

Now at 36, with a wife, two small children, and a thriving business, Bill is feeling blessed with his life and all the potential ahead of him.

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Josh Porter ’24:

Builder and Coach

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Sophomore Josh Porter has always liked building things. So, when he heard Middle School science teacher Janice Palmer talk about Science Olympiad at a morning meeting when he was in fifth grade, he knew that was something that might interest him. After the first meeting, he was hooked.

“Of the events Mrs. Palmer gave us, I was really intrigued by the idea of building a plane out of wood and tissue paper that could fly for a few minutes,” says Josh. Since then, not only has Josh placed in the state competition for flying balsa wood planes, but he is also sharing his expertise as a coach for the current Middle School team.

Science Olympiad is a team competition in which students compete in up to two dozen events pertaining to various fields of science.

Wright Stuff is an event in which teams design, construct, and test free-flight, rubber-powered monoplanes to achieve maximum time aloft.

“When you wind the propeller, it gives you the power to release, but the wings have to be built and angled correctly so you get the right loft,” explains Josh.

“It’s flown in a gym, so you want your plane to be able to climb, circle, and come back down. It requires a lot of mathematical calculations to get the right weight and angle. The experience has definitely helped me develop problem-solving skills and logical ways to find a solution.”

Josh competed all four years in Middle School in the category. Even though he admits that his first plane was not very good (it flew for eight seconds), it was good enough for him to compete on the “varsity” team as a fifth grader. In sixth grade, Josh and his teammates faced a challenge when they realized their plane was going to be too heavy. Josh enjoys figuring things out by researching online, reading articles, and watching instructional YouTube videos. So, he found a plane that used carbon fiber and was more aerodynamic. With that plane, the team placed third regionally and tenth in the state.

“Mrs. Palmer has always been there to support me with whatever I needed,” says Josh. “If she doesn’t know, she says ‘let me find out.’ She’s always been happy to see my success... sometimes even happier than I am to see the plane fly! She has had a big impact on me.”

When Josh reached out to Mrs. Palmer this year to see if she needed any help with Science Olympiad, she recognized that since Josh knows more about building and flying competition planes than she does, he could do more than just help—she asked him to be a coach. So, now Josh continues to share his love of flying and competing as coach for the current Wright Stuff team, sixth-graders Khloe McIntosh-Jordan and Selah French. Every Wednesday afternoon, he drives down to Bissell Campus and spends about two hours helping the younger students learn to build and fly their planes.

For me, it’s easy to read something online and know what to do. It’s more challenging to articulate the skills on how to do this to someone else.

“It’s been interesting because I get to see the other side,” he says. “For me, it’s easy to read something online and know what to do. It’s more challenging to articulate the skills on how to do this to someone else. I’ve enjoyed helping this new team make their first plane...it’s definitely better than the first plane I ever made.”

Josh adds that Science Olympiad Coach David Sanders has also been very influential. “He has been very helpful to me in developing my leadership skills and how to problem-solve.”

“I am so proud of Josh for sharing his passion and expertise to help others find their passion,” says Mrs. Palmer. “I remember the all-thumbs little fifth-grade boy getting super glue on my lab tables and himself. And now I see the soft-spoken young man effortlessly demonstrating how to cut and glue balsa wood wing ribs. His enthusiasm is contagious and is more than inspiring. My former student is soaring and is now the teacher!”

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Hangling Liu ’19:

Storyteller Warm and personable, Hangling Liu finds it easy to strike up conversations with just about everyone she meets on the campus of Vanderbilt University, where she is currently a junior studying economics, computer science, and Spanish. She is drawn to the power of storytelling that enriches human connections via lenses, sounds, and movements—a concept that inspires her photography and starting her own podcast to celebrate everyone’s unique journey and stories in life.

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During her sophomore year in college, Hangling found herself in a headspace like never before. “When you are in college, it could be easy getting caught up in what other people are doing,” she says. “I began to look deeper within myself and question the ‘why’ behind the things I do.”

Soaking in the crisp autumn air during her golden hour runs and skateboarding rides, Hangling found intimate connection with nature. She tuned in to the artistic expression within her, from capturing emotions via songwriting, crafting photography and cinematography; and taking time to pause, reflect, and spend time with people around her.

During that time, Hangling also found herself listening to lots of podcasts and connecting with others via storytelling.

Hangling remembers fondly the “Radio Ambulante” podcast she was introduced to in Orietta Babb’s class her junior year at Country Day and her passion for storytelling in podcasts like this.

It came to her during the winter break to embark on this new adventure: “Why don’t I start a podcast to celebrate these stories,” she wondered. Now in its second season on Spotify and Apple, her “6-to-8” podcast explores people’s side hustles, passions, and other interests outside of their 9-to-5 work lives.

“By diving into people’s stories, I strive to celebrate our diverse experiences and empower others to pursue their own 6-to-8 journeys,” she explains. “For me, it is much more than just a podcast, but a community of people.”

“6-to-8” podcast features guests from all walks of life: a medical student who is also a plant mom, a software engineer as a powerlifter, a Victorian literature professor as a yoga instructor. Some episodes feature her Country Day classmates and their pursuits as college students, such as Lauren Moïse’s creativity as a jewelry and fashion entrepreneur, Romberg York’s passion for crafting food, and Jack Homesley’s character comedy journey in New York City.

“It is beautiful, in a way, that we are drawn to different things with our unique interests. This is exactly what I want to celebrate in this podcast and empower people to look within themselves,” she says. “What I also realized is that life is not just about reaching a whatever place. What makes life so beautiful is the ups and downs, joys and hardships, as well as the unexpectedness and spontaneity along the journey. That’s what I love about these conversations—they are so personal, raw, and deeply rooted in humanity and life.”

Hangling says the courage to pursue her passions, along with a strong sense of character and ethics, are traits that were nurtured at Country Day. She joined the

The courage to pursue her passions, along with a strong sense of character and ethics, are traits that were nurtured at Country Day. school as a sophomore and says, “Country Day felt like a family to me. It wasn’t just the teachers who cared and were invested in me. I felt so supported by the whole community: my friends, coaches, librarians, nurses; the Admissions, International Studies, and IT offices; and so many people.”

Hangling shares about her relationship with Mary Beth Luxton, the Information Systems assistant, for her tremendous impact. A visit by Hangling to the IT Help Desk sophomore year led to the discovery that she and Mary Beth share a birthday and their relationship grew from there. Mary Beth became a dear friend and family for Hangling. She encouraged Hangling to pursue her interests and inspired her in many aspects of school, sports, and life. Mary Beth took Hangling to visit Vanderbilt before making her college decision. “She is always there for me, and I would not have been where I am today without her,” says Hangling.

Librarians Ann Butz and Karen Oldham, who are now both retired, are close with Hangling. Ann went on weekend bike rides with Hangling and hosted lunches for her friends and family. In junior year, Coach Al Pearman helped her to learn how to run hurdles and perform high jump, often beyond regular practice time. Hangling had never done either before, and she ended up making the state competition. Lisa Gardner never taught Hangling yet invited her home and celebrated her 16th birthday with a homemade panda cake after school.

“There are so many stories like that,” says Hangling.

She carried on the warmth of support she felt from the Country Day community to her community at Vanderbilt.

For the past two years, she has been a VUceptor, a university program in which a selective group of upperclassmen partner with a professor to mentor a group of 18 first-year students through weekly classes. “It’s a big part of my Vanderbilt experience. I love being there for my mentees and watching them grow. When you are given the kind of support I received at Country Day, you really cherish how much that has meant to your own development and you want to do the same for other people.”

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Sam Farnham ’22:

Global Leader Ever since his first Country Day international experience visiting Cabo San Lucas in sixth grade, senior Sam Farnham has been drawn to global engagement opportunities. He followed up the Cabo experience with an exchange to Southampton, England, in eighth grade. When Sam moved to Upper School, that quest for international immersion was further fueled by the many opportunities available through the Office of International Studies, and the tailored support of its director David Lynn.

Brooke Keane, Science teacher

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Ana Chapman, Psychology teacher

Sam’s work was so impactful that upon successful completion of his internship, the Steering Committee unanimously voted to have him join their ranks as the first full-voting student member.

A conversation Sam had with Mr. Lynn more than two years ago, just a few months before anyone knew the pandemic would shut down international travel, gave the then-sophomore an opportunity to continue to flex his passion for global affairs and grow significantly as a leader. In fact, in the fall, Sam was named as the recipient of the 2021 Youth Leadership Award for Sister Cities International (SCI). “This is a significant honor and one in which Sam is most deserving,” says Mr. Lynn.

That early 2020 conversation involved Mr. Lynn asking Sam if he was interested in serving as a volunteer summer intern to help reestablish Charlotte Sister Cities as a nonprofit.

At the same time, Sam was also excited about the upcoming service-learning trip to Hungary. While the latter got cancelled, Sam spent much of the COVID lockdown creating the organization’s website. The task involved extensive research on Charlotte’s seven sister cities, as well as interviews with many community leaders.

According to Mr. Lynn, “Sam’s work was so impactful that upon successful completion of his internship, the Steering Committee unanimously voted to have him join their ranks as the first full-voting student member.” Sam subsequently created the Charlotte Sister Cities Youth Leadership Committee, which he co-chairs alongside a sophomore at Davidson.

The group of 12 students representing public and private schools across Charlotte is developing a third-grade curriculum with a unit for each of the seven sister cities. “We are trying to bring an authentic perspective to teach children about these unique cultures and cities,” explains Sam. Additionally, they are

To see the website Sam built, visit charlottesistercities.org.

working with teachers at CMS and area private schools, professors at UNC Charlotte, and curriculum development leaders to ensure the lessons integrate literacy and math skills, along with state standards.

“It’s been tough, but also fulfilling,” says Sam who spent the greater part of this past summer on the project and continues into the school year. “At first it was difficult for me as the leader to figure out how to take this huge project and break it down into smaller chunks with reasonable goals. But now we have a great system in place and all the students on the team are creative and driven.”

Though Sam has spent more than two years working on projects to elevate Charlotte Sister Cities, he is humbled by the national award he won. “As I was doing the volunteer work for Charlotte Sister Cities, I never really thought about winning an award for it,” he says. “For me, it kind of underscored the impact I was having on my community in Charlotte. It made me feel very proud of my effort and very thankful for Mr. Lynn—for his leadership and mentorship because I couldn’t have done any of these things without him and his connections.”

Sam also credits his Spanish language teachers starting in fifth grade. “They are so passionate about their cultures and that has really inspired me to be internationally minded.”

Sam also loves science and is interested in pursuing a career in biochemistry or biotech. “I hope to someday have a job in the sciences overseas and be able to use what I’ve learned to adapt and adjust to another culture and use my language fluency. The great thing about international studies is that it can be applied to any future career.”

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Charles Marshall ’88:

Always Prepared

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In 2019, when Charles Marshall ’88 was tapped to be vice chancellor and general counsel for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Raleigh attorney brought a wide range of professional experience and legal knowledge to his alma mater.

He holds two degrees from Carolina; after studying political science and history, Charles earned a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in 1992. He went on to receive his Doctor of Law degree with honors in 1996.

When Charles was a young lawyer, he had the opportunity to work in all three branches of the federal government in Washington, D.C. “The jobs themselves were not glamorous, but they gave me a ground-floor view of government, law, and policy from three different perspectives,” he says.

Prior to UNC, Charles was a partner at Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, where his work focused on a wide range of topics, including data privacy, digital media, business litigation, and election law. While Charles won accolades from his peers and from publications like Best Lawyers in America and North Carolina Super Lawyers, he says his career is not built upon any specific achievements or specialized knowledge.

“Rather, it’s been a journey of having to learn new subjects and skills at each new job—from tax law to Congressional politics to media law and organizational management; and, now, higher education law and policy. Through the interesting turns that I’ve taken in my legal career, I’ve learned that the value of earning the trust and respect of the people you work with far outweighs the value of being the smartest person in the room.”

Being prepared for what comes next is a lesson Charles learned at Country Day. He vividly recalls retired history teacher Ed Kelly’s mantra about the singular relationship between preparation and performance: “If you have thoroughly mastered the material, you will do well.”

“That was always true for me at Country Day,” says Charles, “and it’s been true for me in law and life generally. My biggest failures in a courtroom, on a stage, pursuing a hobby, or even in planning for a family adventure, are all because I didn’t devote enough time or attention to preparation.

“My parents emphasized the value of being well-rounded, and my teachers and coaches at Country Day encouraged me in that same direction. They pushed me into different spaces to learn different life skills—researching, writing, public speaking, being a leader on a team—that had nothing to do with achieving the highest grade in a class or being the most valuable player. Country Day also helped me learn how to take chances and deal with failure.

My advisors challenged me to take classes beyond my comfort zone, and even though I didn’t perform as well in those classes, I became a stronger student because of them. I failed at public speaking many times as a student, and sometimes in a very public way, but working through those failures and the stresses that accompanied them helped make it so much easier to tackle tough audiences with more confidence as I grew older.”

In addition to Ed Kelly, Charles remembers the influence Marsha Newton-Graham had on him in Upper School. “She was as much of a life coach as a teacher to me; she taught me important lessons about leadership, taking chances, and learning how to be an adult.

Roger Coulombe taught me how to study history and write essays in ways that I still use all the time.”

While Charles feels fortunate and privileged to have a happy and healthy family, it is not without challenge. About a year ago, he suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling off a golf cart. “The strain it put on my wife and children and colleagues—and the stress of trying to recover back to my normal self—taught me so much about humility, gratefulness, the illusion of control, and the sanctity of my marriage,” he says.

When asked about his advice for today’s students trying to figure it all out, this accomplished professional suggests keeping it all in perspective: “Slow down, be present, and surround yourself with people that you respect.”

My parents emphasized the value of being well-rounded, and my teachers and coaches at Country Day encouraged me in that same direction.

Photo Credit: Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill SPRING 2022

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Sadie Ward ’23:

Athletic Leader Junior Sadie Ward loves to play lacrosse and was looking for a way to share her passion with others as part of her National Honor Society service project. So, this past September, she and her friend Greta Hines planned and hosted a lacrosse clinic at Grier Heights Community Center for 20 girls ranging from elementary to high school age. Many had never picked up a stick before.

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It’s really scary being so small and inexperienced with upperclassmen on the field. But Coach Boyles pushed me out of my comfort zone and showed me how to be a leader.

“I have so much love for this sport, but I never would have found this passion if I hadn’t been given the opportunity for lacrosse to be introduced to me,” says Sadie, who has played on Country Day’s varsity team since her freshman year.

“I wanted other girls to be able to explore a sport that may be new to them.”

During the clinic Sadie and Greta used games to teach the girls basic skills like catching, throwing, and cradling the ball while running. While it was challenging to keep such a large group engaged, it was also rewarding. “A few of the girls were super into it asking us for more skills and drills,” explains Sadie.

“This moment was definitely the most rewarding because I knew that feeling when you are introduced to something you never knew about and now want to pursue it.”

Since age six, Sadie was very involved in ballet. But in seventh grade, she decided to pursue team sports instead.

After making the Middle School lacrosse team, she remembers, “I would do wall ball after school and get my dad to throw the ball really fast to help me with my hand-eye coordination.

Toward the end of my eighth-grade season I had seriously improved and could see how all my practice had paid off.”

Sadie’s passion for lacrosse grew even stronger when the eighth-grade team was invited to practice with Country Day’s JV and varsity teams. “I remember that practice so vividly and how impressed I was with the players and coaches,” she says.

Coach Kristy Boyles sent Sadie’s mom, Jenny, an e-mail that evening expressing how well the practice had gone. “I felt so grateful to have someone give me that confidence and support,” remembers Sadie. Later that summer, Sadie was invited to join the traveling team for the Queen City Stars, the lacrosse club

team directed by Coach Boyles, where her skills improved so rapidly, she earned a starting position on the varsity team her freshman year.

“It’s really scary being so small and inexperienced with upperclassmen on the field,” Sadie shares. “But Coach Boyles pushed me out of my comfort zone and showed me how to be a leader. As a sophomore I felt more confident in my leadership role on attack; even though I was playing with girls one to two years older than me, I was voicing my opinions and strategies.

This year, as a junior, I feel fully confident in my leadership role on the team, but also off the field in school settings and at club lacrosse. Coach Boyles has greatly influenced my confidence and leadership abilities while supporting my academic and athletic goals.”

In addition to Coach Boyles, Sadie is equally grateful to retired Coach Ed Burnam, who still supports the team regularly at practice. “He lifts me up when I’m having a bad game and knows how to get me refocused when I’m in my head too much.”

“Both coaches have equally influenced me as a player and as a person and I owe my lacrosse success to them both.”

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Sally Sasz, an adored member of the class of 2017, was one of those rare people who touched every person she encountered in a positive way.

At Country Day, her accolades were numerous, and in many ways, she was a living expression of our school’s mission. With a smile that could light a room, she was an authentic, genuine, kind, and passionate leader, athlete, artist, and scholar.

Sally was president of the National Art Honor Society, a Big Sister mentor at Rama Road Elementary, a member of the art and literary magazine staff, and a member of both the varsity basketball team and the four-time state championship varsity tennis team. Upon graduation, she was honored as the Top Scholar for the Year and won the Mary Allen Todd English Award and the Suzanne Pardee Hynes Spanish Award.

Sally Sasz Remembering

Endowed Scholarship Fund Established in Her Memory

By Katharine Atkins, Director of Advancement

Her drive and myriad talents landed her the prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she continued to excel as a double arts history and English major, played club tennis, and served as an Art Ambassador for UNC Arts Everywhere. She also was a DJ at UNC XYC Radio and director of Art + Life, a campus wide organization that fostered arts programming for disadvantaged youth. However, what made Sally stand out the most was her kindness, her authentic enthusiasm, and her genuine love and concern for those around her.

It was with deep sadness that our community learned of Sally’s passing in July 2020, while she was hiking in Utah.

Due to the pandemic and gathering restrictions at the time, the Sasz family was limited in their ability to host the type of service and attendance Sally surely would have garnered. But these pandemic restrictions did not stop the outpouring of love and support for the Sasz family from the multitudes of people Sally has touched and befriended over the years.

Country Day is honored to be one such avenue in which people have expressed their adoration for Sally and for the Sasz family—her parents Steve and Nancy Hanes Sasz ’85, and her sisters Patsy ’20 and Lulu ’22.

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Features

A Scholarship in Sally’s Memory

The collective memorial gifts of hundreds of families and classmates near and far have come together in support and creation of the Sally Sasz ’17 Memorial Scholarship Endowed Fund. This new scholarship will be awarded annually to a deserving Upper School student who shares some of Sally’s wonderful characteristics: “A student who has a compassion for others, a purity of heart, an authenticity of spirit, and a love of life—one who endeavors to make the most of every minute.”

It has been deeply touching to witness the classes of 1985 and 2017, along with numerous other friends, family members, and Country Day alumni, come together to honor Sally in this way.

The McLawhorn/Johnson family shared: “Sally was special to us in so many ways; a family connection that spans decades, a teammate, a classmate, and above all a forever friend. Nancy and Steve’s vision to help provide a Country Day experience to a student with Sally’s qualities and love of life struck a chord with each of us. It was an easy decision for our family to offer support. Sally made our community so much better and so will these students!”

An Artist’s Legacy

In addition to the Sally Sasz ’17 Memorial Scholarship Endowed Fund, Sally’s beautiful and profound art continues to be a legacy that carries forward.

In September 2020, Country Day’s Fine Arts Department installed a feature gallery wall of Sally’s work throughout the entryway of the Hance Fine Arts Gallery. As part of this install, the school was able to display pieces of Sally’s art that are part of the school’s permanent art collection as well as from Sally’s personal collection.

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“We are humbled and blessed by the outpouring of love and support from the Country Day family."

—The Sasz Family

“Through her art, Sally is able to continue teaching and sharing, connecting people with their community and with their creativity,” says Tom Delaney, chair of the Upper School Fine Arts Department.

The Upper School Art Purchase Award was renamed in Sally’s honor.

Each year moving forward, a Country Day senior will be selected to carry

forward the Sally Sasz Memorial Purchase Award.

Most recently, pieces of Sally’s art were featured in the Alumni Art Show, which ran January 25-March 3 on Cannon Campus. Her pieces were showcased alongside works by her sisters Patsy and Lulu, an especially moving tribute.

While our community continues to mourn the loss of an extraordinary life cut far too short, Sally’s legacy continues to inspire our community across generations and throughout our community.

We are forever grateful for Sally and all the ways she shined and showed us how to live an exemplary life.

Alumni Matters

Alumni Art Show

The first Alumni Art Show was held in 2017 during the celebration of our school’s 75th Anniversary. Over the last 80 years, Country Day has benefitted from a rich legacy of creative expression, and the Hance Family Gallery has exhibited works from notable collections and by renowned artists like Romare Bearden, Phil Moody, Linda Foard Roberts, and Charles Williams. This year, in an exhibit that ran from January 24–March 4, we showcased the work of our talented alumni artists, including: Grayson Cassels ’18 Thomas Cluderay ’03 Anne Harkness ’74 Evie Horton ’19 Katana King ’20 Madison Letts ’15 Grant LoParo ’08 John O'Neil ’08 Holly Patton ’73 Katie Sawyer Rose ’92 Dalia Saleeby ’17 Lulu Sasz ’22 Patsy Sasz ’20 Sally Sasz ’17 Bennett Stowe ’15 Anne Harkness Colby Trenkelbach ’06 Colby Trenkelbach

Close Family Courtyard This winter, siblings Baxter Close Petrone ’08 and Claude Close ’10 stopped by campus to check out the many new and updated facilities on our Cannon Campus, including the Close Family Courtyard outside the new John and Claudia Belk Upper School Learning Center (unfortunately, brother Craddock Close ’13 had a work conflict). We are so grateful to The Springsteen Foundation and the Close family for their generosity and support of the school’s Forefront Campaign, which made The Close Family Courtyard possible. Nearly every day, faculty, staff, and students can be seen enjoying the beautiful and welcoming outdoor space!

The Close family has been an integral part of Country Day for many years. Baxter, Claude, and Craddock’s father, Derick Springsteen Close ’77, served on the Board of Trustees from 1999–2005 and was honored as our Alumnus of the Year in 2013. We are grateful for the Close family’s continued partnership and devotion to Country Day and for all they do for our greater Charlotte community as well.

Holly Patton

Thank you to Exhibit Chairs Sybil Wornall Godwin ’99 and Lauren Harkey ’05.

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Alumni Matters

Alumni Book Club This past fall, alumni and friends from Charlotte, California, New Mexico, and Maryland met on Zoom for a book discussion with retired English teacher Mary Allen Todd. Over four months, the book club discussed The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration.

Participants considered themselves lucky to have a masterclass taught by a Country Day legend. Several reflected on what the experience meant to them.

“I never had the pleasure of taking a class with Ms. Todd while at Country Day, but I remembered how much my friends enjoyed her courses, so I jumped at the chance to join a book club with her. It was every bit as interesting as I hoped it would be. The Warmth of Other Suns was an intriguing book choice

but hearing the other members’ insights about the text was the best part. I miss our meetings and our lively, thoughtful, and thoughtprovoking conversations. Since we finished the book, I have continued to correspond, via the mail, with Ms. Todd which has been really lovely.”

– Tracey Kelly ’86 “The alumni book club was such a treat! While I suspect I would have enjoyed reading The Warmth of Other Suns on my own, our group discussions created an even richer experience. I was really able to

Alumni Weekend / MAR 26 – APR 2

We are excited that Alumni Weekend is coming back bigger than ever! This year, leading up to the weekend, we encouraged Bucs to come together for days of service, giving, parties, and athletic pride. There will be multiple opportunities to give time, talents, and treasure. Join the challenge at charlottecountryday.org/bucstogether

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engage with the historical period, our country’s legacy of racism, the characters, and the writing. Making the experience even more special was the opportunity to reconnect with Ms. Todd and meet some other alumni who were just as passionate about reading and learning as I am.

Thanks to Danielle Ferguson and Ms. Todd for organizing, and for all the alumni who participated!”

– Jill Blumenthal ’93

Connect To The Country Day Alumni Group on LinkedIn More than 800 people are networking in our alumni LinkedIn group. Help us grow that number and connect with fellow alums. Simply search for Charlotte Country Day School and request to join this great community of alumni.

The group provides an alumni directory, and creates an online forum for sharing information about alumni news and events, and career-related advice and networking.

Class Notes

CLASS NOTES Stay in Touch

We want to know and help you celebrate your big and small milestones.

Share your professional, volunteer, and community news in a variety of ways: Tag your social posts #BucsforLife Post updates on the Alumni LinkedIn Group Page E-Mail us at alumnirelations@charlottecountryday.org Update your information and send photos via the form at charlottecountryday.org/alumniupdate

1974 1 Arthur Whedon saw retired employees Sallye

Richards and Roger Cannon at a remembrance for beloved teacher Norma Mackenzie who passed away in August 2021. Norma taught science at Country Day for 34 years before retiring in 2006.

1978 2 It is with great sadness that we say goodbye

and celebrate the life of Susanne Robicsek. She fought a courageous fight against cancer that unexpectedly took her life on January 15, 2022.

Susanne was an accomplished, smart, and talented bankruptcy attorney in Charlotte. She will always be remembered for her unconditional kindness, generosity, and infectious laugh. Susanne will be missed by friends and family throughout the Country Day community.

1981 After 30 years as a high school Spanish teacher, Alice Griffin Shrader retired from teaching in 2018. Eighteen months later, she went back to work teaching in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Her husband, Mike, is semi-retired, working part-time at Stonebridge Golf Course, and occasionally doing educational testing with the state of North Carolina.

Alice’s five children are doing well. Her stepdaughter Erica lives in Raleigh and works as director of strategic initiatives in the NC General Assembly.

Erica’s brother, Jonathan, is a district attorney in Winston-Salem and has three children. Emily is a history teacher and learning specialist at Providence Day School. Dallas works for Redis Labs and just moved back to Charlotte with his wife Rachel.

Lastly, Ian is a senior at App State and majoring in supply chain management.

1987 3 Laurie Goldman Smithwick is having the

time of her life as a full-time working artist of four years. During a 2021 visit with Larry Dew at his

new home in St. Thomas USVI, she booked a solo exhibit at 81C Gallery, where she showed 46 new works. In August, Laurie began a residency in mural arts and has since completed four new murals around Charlotte. She’s excited to have some of her art out there in the wild helping to make Charlotte more of an art city. On the opposite end of the public art spectrum, she currently has three pieces on exhibit in a group show at the Mint Museum.

1988 Charles Marshall wrote an essay about the annual tradition he created with his sons. Over 10 years, the threesome drove to a different college football game in a different college town to experience some of the richest traditions, largest stadiums, bitterest rivalries, and most exciting game-day environments. 10 years, 10 stadiums, 10 games.

Charles said, “What matters are the memories that we made together: late nights in tiny hotel pools, the glories of a breakfast bar, listening to a high school football game on the radio, and those long car rides where, just as I’d hoped, my boys began to talk about things that really mattered.” Read Eternally Fall: A Football Tradition at https://bit. ly/3qKSQDi

1991 4 Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer and women’s

golf standout Stephanie Neill Harner was the Open the Gate honoree for the Demon Deacons Week Five matchup with Louisville. During her four years at Wake, she shattered records and set a new standard for women’s golf. Stephanie played at a time when Country Day did not have a women’s golf team, so she played on the boys’ team.

In 1988, as a freshman, she helped us win an NCISAA state championship victory. After earning her BA from Wake Forest University, Stephanie spent time on the LPGA tour. Stephanie now works at Country Day teaching Latin and coaching our girls’ golf team.

Richard Worrell Jr., a managing partner of Northwestern Mutual, was recently honored with Charlotte Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO Award. Consideration was given to established leaders in their fields who are making significant contributions to the greater Charlotte area. Richard shared, “Building a financial practice built around courage, growth, family, accountability, and integrity has been the key to the Worrell District’s success.

We are a team dedicated to being catalysts who enrich and impact our communities by delivering a lifetime of financial security to our clients.”

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Class Notes

1995 5 It was a busy fall for our former alumni director Jonsie Evans Moore and her husband, John.

In September they moved to Asheville, with their son, Townes (2), and they welcomed a baby girl, Elizabeth “Libby” Twitty Moore, in October.

1998 6 Margaret Brown Conger, her husband Seth,

their son, Atlas (4.5), and hybrid dog, Cooper (11) moved to Golden, Colorado, in 2020. After having their son, they were seeking an environment aligned with some of their core interests to raise their family—outdoor adventures, exploring, a laid back and welcoming social scene, and fun! Colorado and the mountains were calling. Margaret works remotely as a clinical consultant for Bio-Botanical Research, a botanical supplement company, and Seth also works remotely as COO of Freedom Practice Coaching, a business coaching program for medical practices and doctors. Though they miss their family and friends in Charlotte, they are thriving in Colorado and embracing all it has to offer from skiing, trail running, shows at Red Rocks, and socializing with friends. Oh, and Atlas is elated to become a big brother in August!

1999

President Biden nominated Jainey Bavishi, climate adaptation expert, to serve as one of the two top deputies to NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad. Jainey is currently the director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate Resiliency, which tackles the challenge of climate change through science-based analysis, policy and program development, and capacity building.

She previously served as the associate director for Climate Preparedness at the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Barack Obama. Read the alumni profile where Jainey credits Country Day with helping her shape and pursue her goals. https://bit.ly/3fWtvQO

2001 Nancy Donaldson Gauss is an associate managing editor for The New York Times, where she leads the video department. Her team’s project, A Day of Rage about the January 6 attack on the Capitol building, was one of 15 films shortlisted for the

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Oscar’s Documentary Short Subject category. This is a first for The New York Times to have a reported documentary out of the newsroom receive recognition from the Academy Awards. When the attack unfolded, the Visual Investigations team broke story after story of what happened that day. Several weeks later they published a comprehensive reconstruction of the events that unfolded, edited entirely out of footage shot by participants and bystanders.

Her team took an innovative approach to collect, analyze, and storyboard thousands of videos and other material seen in Day of Rage.

7 Kate Turnbull Rullman and Nate Rullman

welcomed their third child, Betsy, on October 21, 2021. Betsy joins big sister, Sally (age 9), and big brother, Jack (age 4).

2002 8 Brantley Anders Templeton and her husband,

Ryan, welcomed their fourth son, Wade Woodard Templeton, on May 17, 2021. Big brothers Henry and Everett love being Buccaneers and Tommy and Wade hope to join them on campus in a few years!

2003 Blakely Offutt Infante and her husband, Nicolas, welcomed a little girl, Charlotte Dorothea, on March 17, 2021. She joins big brother, William, and big sister, Evelyn.

Rick Jordan was announced as the new director of real estate for the Carolinas for Lidl on November 15, 2021. His duties include expansion strategies, site selection, and acquisitions as Lidl prepares to expand its stores in the Carolinas.

9 Charles and Katherine Wood Melvin welcomed their fourth daughter, Eloise Bowman Melvin, on June 15, 2021. Proud Big Sisters Barrett, Lucy, and Mills are totally in love with their new baby.

q Martha Loftin Snell and her husband, Adam,

are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Janie. Martha Jane Snell was born on November 14, 2021.

2005 Lauren Harkey, owner/director at Hodges Taylor, was named Outstanding Emerging Philanthropist by the Association of Fundraising Professionals at this year’s National Philanthropy Day luncheon.

Lauren believes that it is important to engage with the community by finding common bonds that allow you to get outside your bubble. She is a past president of the Country Day Alumni Council and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the YWCA of the Central Carolinas, and Center City Partners’ South End Board Committee. Lauren appreciates how these organizations have stayed true to their missions at a time when they could not operate from a business-as-usual mindset.

George Hodgin recently joined an IB Psychology class via Zoom and discussed the educational and career development that led to the creation of Biopharmaceutical Research Company, which he leads. George shared his experience advocating for mental health treatment alternatives at the policy and federal levels and discussed ways he envisions company research on cannabis as being an alternative and accessible treatment for all. He focused on the scientific research and benefits of cannabis while acknowledging it is not a product appropriate for all patients, especially not adolescents given the implications this has on the developing brain.

Joseph Wheeler is starting his chiropractic career in Athens, Georgia.

2008 r Katie Premo Hottel, her husband, David, and

big brother, Lewis, welcomed little brother Bodie Mackay Hottel into their family on January 7, 2021.

t Alison Schiffli Orshoski and her husband,

Curt, joyfully welcomed their daughter, Crawford, in September 2021.

Baxter Close Petrone and John Petrone ’06 celebrated the birth of John Springs Petrone on April 20, 2021. Jack has completely and totally stolen their hearts.

2009 Caroline Davis relocated from New York City to Columbia, South Carolina, in 2020. She works for Boston Scientific on the Interventional Cardiology team as a clinical specialist.

In a move that will allow Reid’s to better serve its customers and support higher-end events, Reid’s Fine Foods has acquired a majority stake in Francie & Co., the boutique catering company of Francie Rudolph.

Hill Hamrick shared details about his service career for the Upper School Veteran’s Day presentation via a Zoom conversation with Brad Touma.

Hill served five years as a Marine Corps human intelligence officer and deployed twice to Afghanistan as a detachment commander supporting Special Operations Forces and an aide-de-camp to a Marine general. Hill was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Navy Commendation Medal for his service. After his Marine Corps career, Hill attended Harvard Business School where he graduated as a Baker Scholar, the highest academic achievement given by Harvard Business School. He currently is the co-founder of Thomas Street Partners.

2007

y Lauren Harbury and her Feminist Goods

w Ryan “RJ” Johnson married Jasmin Jones on

September 4, 2021, at Twickenham House, Ashe County, North Carolina.

2006

e Sarah Faggart Gisbrecht married Kyle

Gisbrecht on September 25, 2021, at Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago. The couple honeymooned in The Seychelles and lives in Chicago with their bernedoodle, Brody.

Co. brand, known for accessories, coffee mugs, hats, and clothing with cheeky or uplifting sayings, are now a part of Madewell’s Hometown Heroes collective.

u Tricia Teter and Alex Hale were married in

Roaring Gap, North Carolina, on June 5, 2021.

Country Day alumni in attendance include Gordon Teter ’14, Rodney Pitts ’64, Barbara Miller Pooley ’78, Stacy Collins Lynch ’79, Elizabeth Dickens ’81, Al Dickens ’81, Lauren Menichella Artigue ’09, Betsy Bryan Mandl ’09, Bess Dickens Kelpin ’09, Lindsey Miller Socha ’09, Tyler Munson ’09, Hal Froelich ’17, and Ella Froelich ’11.

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Class Notes

2010 i Earl McLaurin III has transitioned to civilian life from that of a naval officer after six years of service.

He and his wife,Stacy, returned to Charlotte and recently welcomed a baby to the family.

Keller Sipe married Katherine Thomas Sipe on October 9, 2021, in Charlotte.

2011 Meera Clark was recently recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Meera joined Obvious Ventures in 2019, where she focuses on companies in healthcare, fintech, and employment opportunities.

2013 Mattie Newsome Gardner was recognized on the 30 Under 30 list by the American Volleyball Coaches Association after completing her first year as the Mountain Brook High School volleyball coach. Following a stellar career at Country Day, Mattie played as a defensive specialist/libero for the Samford University Bulldogs from 2013–17 and served as team captain in her junior and senior seasons. During her collegiate career, Samford won two Southern Conference championships and made two NCAA Tournament appearances.

o These classmates reconnected for an oyster

roast in New York on December 4. Pictured from top left: Tripp Mulligan, Jimmy Kleitches, Doug Bell, Henry Gorelick, Avery Portland, Maggie Whitley, James Howe ’12. From bottom left: Caroline Taylor, Anna Kate Smith, Mauricio Arnal, Robert Engel, Adelaide Cummings.

2015 Currie Engel was selected as a journalism fellow for the 11th Annual New England First Amendment Institute by the New England First Amendment Coalition. The institute features many of the country’s elite reporters, editors, and media attorneys.

p Rene Touma met up with her middle school exchange buddy, Inès Vallet, in Paris.

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2016

2019

While working toward her MBA at UNC-Chapel Hill, Anna Shuford launched BOOMROOM, an online fitness platform that helps simplify the process for fitness instructors teaching live virtual workouts.

The site provides scheduling, booking, and payment tools for trainers; plus analytics, direct communication channels with their clients, and integration with Spotify. Read the article at https:// unc.live/3ArDUNL

Gus Benson has produced a song for his first album. Check it out at https://spoti.fi/3nTfhEL

2018 Upon graduation from UNC-Chapel Hill, William Hamil will move to Boston to begin his career as an analyst within Citizens Bank’s Debt Capital Markets Group.

Lawson Park (@jambylawson) just started a business called Jam by Lawson; a clothing brand on a mission to spread sweet vibes. She makes sweatshirts, jewelry, and bags.

Last summer, Baldwin Sappenfield spent time working at Netflix in Los Angeles. While there, she had the opportunity to work on the English dubbing of the Norwegian film The Trip, which is now officially streaming on Netflix.

Hangling Liu created a Podcast called 6-to-8. It’s all about people’s side-hustles, passions, and other interests outside of their 9-to-5 work lives. Several Country Day alumni, including Jack Homesley, Lauren Moïse, and Romberg York, have made guest appearances. You can find episodes on Spotify and Apple.

2021 In September, Taylor LaFar and Patrick Dellinger ’18 appeared via Zoom with the soccer program to talk about leadership and their college experience.

Sam Hedrick, Elle Lewis ’20, Kimai McPhee ’20, and Kendall Addison ’18 addressed the current junior and senior classes at the annual Alumni College Forum in January. The panelists shared insights on the college search and transition process and answered several questions about higher education during COVID.

Home for the Holidays After a hiatus in 2020, we revived the tradition of Home for the

Holidays in 2021. Alumni and parents from the classes of 2017 and 2018 met at Legion Brewing SouthPark in December for a few hours of camaraderie. For many classmates, it had been a long time since they last gathered. The college seniors are eagerly anticipating spring graduation, while members of the class of 2017 are adjusting to new jobs, cities, and master’s programs.

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

384,285 Gallons of water to fill the warm-up and competition pools in the Klein Aquatic Center, opening this spring.

135

Number of Upper School students who visited the new community and belonging room in the month of November.

7

Number of 3-D printers used to complete student projects across all divisions

1,300

Pairs of men’s boxer briefs (plus 400 blankets) collected by the Interact Club at the Holiday “Gathering for Good” event and donated to Roof Above.

263 Number of seventh and eighth graders who participated in the Wellness Fair.

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Nonprofit Org. US Postage

PAI D

Charlotte, NC Permit No. 984

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

The Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey team took home the NCISAA State Championship trophy in October. Read about their winning season inside.