The Next Generation of Excellence

STRATEGIC PLAN

Letter from the Head of School

Dear Charlotte Country Day community, Throughout our school’s long history of educational leadership, we have looked to the future while honoring the traditions that make us strong. For every generation of Country Day students, committed teachers, administrators, parents, and trustees have delivered an academic experience that readies students for success in college and beyond.

As we all know, the world is changing at an ever faster pace. And so we must ask not just “How do we prepare students for the world they will inherit?” but also, “How do we give students the skills they will need to confidently and successfully navigate the changes they will experience over their lifetimes?” How do we prepare the next generation for excellence?

As a community, we have answered that question with four shared strategic visions. We will:

• Prepare Students to Lead and Thrive in a Changing World

• Instill Personal Integrity and Well-Being

• Inspire a Love of Learning Through Exceptional Faculty and Staff

• Create a Distinctive and Sustainable Learning Environment

This comprehensive plan is helping us align resources, programs, facilities, and

practices and enabling us to make choices with a well-informed, well-balanced perspective. As you’ll see on the following pages, our shared visions are guiding our decisions as we work to combine tradition and innovation to create an unparalleled

experience. And through the student stories,

clear that we are preparing a

of

are ready to thrive as

Day graduates. Thank you for all you do to support Country Day and its students. Together, we are preparing the next generation for excellence.

Sincerely,

“When I was here as a student, Charlotte Country Day was a great school with truly inspiring teachers. As a parent and a trustee, I believe that we are an even stronger school today. This Strategic Plan ensures that we will continue to be a forward-thinking school that brings out the best in every student.”

– Louis Bledsoe ’77 Chair, Board of Trustees

student

it’s

diverse community

scholars who

Country

Mark Reed Head of School

Board Led. Community Involved. Student Focused.

The Strategic Planning process began in the fall of 2011 by asking questions. We asked the Country Day community about our most valued qualities and traditions, our priorities for the future, and how a fast-changing world affects those priorities. Then we listened. Your collective insight, intelligence, and imagination affirmed the qualities we value most about Country Day and helped shape four shared visions focused on preparing students for life.

LEADERSHIP

2013–14 Board of Trustees

Officers:

Louis A. Bledsoe III ’77, Chair

Shannon W. McFayden, Past Chair

Dr. Cheryl D. Courtlandt, Vice Chair

Todd A. Gorelick ’82, Vice Chair

Vicky C. Mitchener, Vice Chair

Andrew D. Plepler, Vice Chair

Dr. James W. Roberts, Vice Chair

Arthur C. Roselle, Vice Chair

Gary R. Wolfe, Secretary-Treasurer

Members:

David M. Benson ’85

Howard C. Bissell*

Edison P. Cassels ’87

D. Ann Caulkins

Patrick L. Diamond

Dwight L. Hollier

Dr. Ameesha P. Kansupada

Kathleen Knox Krupa

Leigh F. Moran

James H. McLawhorn

Amy F. Owen ’81

Walker L. Poole

Sally C. Saussy ’67*

Laura A. Schulte

A. Wellford Tabor

Ronald A. Veith

Mark E. Reed (Ex-officio)

* Life trustee

2013–14 Administrative Council

Mark Reed

Head of School

Matthew Less

Head of Upper School

Warren Sepkowitz

Head of Middle School

Peggy Otey

Head of Lower School

David Mancos

Chief Financial Officer

Nancy Ehringhaus

Director of Admissions

Lauren Batten

Director of Advancement

Monica Erb

Interim Director of Athletics

Brian Wise

Director of Diversity Planning

David Lynn

Director of International Studies

Strategic Planning Steering Committee

Mark Reed, Head of School

Ann Caulkins, Co-chair

Scott Waybright, Co-chair

Lauren Batten

Brian Bedrick

Debbie Biggers

Lee-Anne Black

Amos Branson

John Burke

Cheryl Courtlandt

Nancy Ehringhaus

Jessica Flaxman

Charle LaMonica

David Mancos

Sheila McGrail

Leigh Moran

Peggy Otey

Amy Owen

Scott Perper

Natalie Pruett

Sandra Raymore

Warren Sepkowitz

Jane Showalter

Annemarie Shuman

Brooks Williams

Brian Wise

LISTENING SESSIONS

700+

COMMUNITY MEMBERS OFFERED THEIR IDEAS

- Parents

- Faculty

- Staff

- Students

- Alumni

- Parents of alumni

- Grandparents

- Current/former trustees

600+ ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS OFFERED FEEDBACK FROM ONLINE SURVEY

>10,000 RESPONSES GENERATED

- Diverse student body

- Academic rigor

- Health and well-being

- Culture of excellence

- Engaged citizenship

- Global mindedness

- Durable traditions

- Seamless technology

- Fiscal responsibility

- Sustainable buildings

- Exceptional faculty

- Innovation

- Community partnerships

4 Prepare students to lead and thrive in a changing world

SHARED VISIONS

Instill personal integrity and well-being

The Strategic Planning Committee, Administrative Council, and Board of Trustees formulated four studentcentered goals, which became our Shared Visions.

Inspire a love of learning through exceptional faculty and staff

Create a distinctive and sustainable learning environment

Our City. Our Nation. Our World.

What will the world look like when today’s kindergarten students graduate college? How are we preparing the next generation for both the opportunities and challenges they will encounter as young adults?

U.S. POPULATION BY RACE/ETHNICITY

Mecklenburg County

1,027,000 g 1,281,000*(2022)

United States

317,000,000 g 373,468,000**(2035)

World

7,167,268,000 g 8,424,937,000***(2030)

GLOBAL ECONOMY

Emerging economies are projected to account for the majority of global economic growth through 2031.*

The minority population is projected to become the majority population in 2043.

CAREER FORECAST

• 19 of the 30 fastest-growing occupations through 2022 require postsecondary education.

• Jobs will grow 1% annually through 2022 (compared to .2% 2002–12)

• The sectors with the most growth: Health care, construction, software development and application

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

TECHNOLOGY

1,500 experts were asked how technology will impact life in 2025 and their predictions were quite consistent:

• The internet will become like electricity—less visible, yet more deeply embedded

• A continued proliferation of “smart” sensors and software

• Portable/wearable/implantable technologies capable of “augmenting reality”

• Disruption of traditional business models including finance, entertainment, publishing, and education

THE NEXT GENERATION OF EXCELLENCE

From global interconnectedness, to shifting demographics, to ever accelerating technological advances, the world our graduates will inherit is changing at an unprecedented rate. And so we must ask, how do we best prepare the next generation for college and beyond. How do we get them ready for life?

Our four shared visions ensure that embedded within the curriculum and core academic programming our students are also learning necessary skills like critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, resiliency, initiative, strong written and oral communication, and the ability to access and analyze information. Our programs and technology will continue to expand the classroom beyond our campuses and create opportunities to comprehend the wider world and lead by example. For nearly 75 years, Country Day has led the way in education. We honor tradition and embrace change. While our shared visions will guide our decisions in the coming years, they are also, in many ways, a reflection of the ideals and values we have ascribed to over time. As you will see on the following pages, instilling excellence in our graduates has been and will continue to be our mission.

Source: Pew Research Center and Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center: Digital Life in 2025

Preparing Students to Lead and Thrive in a Changing World

When it comes to awareness about events taking place in the Middle East, interest runs high in Annie Whitney’s family. Much of her mother’s family resides in Egypt. In addition, Annie’s father, the Honorable Frank Whitney ’78, spent 2011 serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait as a military judge in the American Courts Martial Program.

Annie, who was at camp during part of her father’s deployment, asked her cabin mates to write letters to her father. “It was very touching to read so many letters from Annie’s friends,” Frank remembers. “I posted them on my office wall in Kuwait and left them there until I came home.”

Knowing how much the letters meant to her dad, Annie decided to embark on an even more ambitious campaign at Country Day. As Community Service director in 2012, Annie worked with teachers and peers to organize a letterwriting drive for deployed troops. “We were so excited to collect over 300 thank you notes, which were distributed to soldiers and military personnel,” she says.

That connection to service and the Middle East continues for Annie next

year as she heads to France to take part in Columbia University’s competitive BA program in conjunction with Institut d’Etudes Politiques, also known as SciencesPo. While in Menton, a small town on the Mediterranean Sea, Annie will focus on Mediterranean and Middle East studies. She will return to Columbia University for her third and final year of college, and hopes to pursue a career in foreign policy.

Annie is especially excited about learning Arabic. “I’ve always wanted to learn a challenging language that has an entirely different alphabet from ours,” Annie explains. “By studying Arabic, I can learn about the language of my family, and it’s spoken in such an important part of our world.”

Annie feels well prepared for the future. “I love how Country Day brings together students and teachers from around the world,” she says. “That focus on international relations has definitely helped inspire me to study abroad for the next two years.”

SHARED VISION

• Maintain the highest standards of academic rigor through teachers who are well-prepared and well-equipped to support students and challenge them to achieve their very best.

• Inspire the development of critical thinking, resiliency, and problem-solving skills through academics, the arts, and athletics.

• Use technology, experiential learning, and collaboration to foster innovation and creativity both within and beyond classroom walls.

• Attract and enroll a student body that is multicultural in scope and innovative in spirit.

• Create experiences and opportunities that lead to cultural awareness and encourage relationships across cultural lines.

• Facilitate opportunities for students and faculty to engage in and comprehend the wider world.

• Support a culture of excellence through regular evaluation of all school programs.

ANNIE WHITNEY ’14

France bound, community service leader, sailing instructor, half-marathon runner

Every year since fifth grade, McNair has been elected into Student Council; this year he served as Student Body president. What makes McNair so respected by his classmates that they reaffirm his leadership year after year?

“My parents and Country Day have played a huge role in developing my integrity,” he says. “Both have taught me great lessons, like how to voice opinions without being too aggressive and how to be open-minded.”

During his Upper School years in student government, McNair has put his stamp on everything from Homecoming to Powder Puff Football to Teacher Appreciation Days.

When McNair was a rising freshman, Head of School Mark Reed asked the Student Senate to consider how Country Day could be even more welcoming to the school’s international students. Under McNair’s leadership, the annual Community Tailgate was created. For the past four years, the Student Senate has welcomed international students with an American-style picnic before a varsity football home game.

MCNAIR

a community that’s been so awesome to me. I love watching the school improve, and I love seeing people happy.”

That kind of relationship building may be one reason why McNair won the prestigious Robertson Scholarship, a joint, full-ride merit scholarship and leadership development program at Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill, where he will attend next year.

McNair is grateful to Country Day for helping him cultivate his gifts in all areas. Thanks to encouragement from his teachers, McNair decided to enroll in AP Sculpture his senior year, and his work has placed in a few competitions. “It’s rewarding to see my sculptures on display in the Hance Gallery,” he says. “That’s one of the greatest aspects about attending Country Day. I’ve definitely become more of a risk-taker and developed a willingness to step out of my comfort zone to try new things.”

“I’m glad the Community Tailgate is still going strong, because it’s a great way to make friends outside of the classroom,” McNair says. “It makes me feel good to give back to

VISIONS IN ACTION

• Country Day is the first American school to join an innovative partnership of schools from Australia, Singapore, France, Germany, and Switzerland in providing educational enrichment and support for students in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa. Students will travel to South Africa next summer to teach English to sixth-grade students in the village of Loopeng, a community just south of the Botswana border.

• Students use mobile devices to reinforce handwriting in kindergarten, capture and analyze real-time data in physics and engineering classes, and practice fluency in foreign language classes, just to name a few ways technology is an everyday part of learning. In August 2014, students in grades 3–12 will begin to receive school-issued personal computing devices. By blending the best elements of traditional teaching—strong student/teacher relationships—with the inventive nature of digital learning, we help further student understanding and deepen connections.

• Through relationships initiated with several public charter schools, including Sugar Creek Charter and KIPP, we are enriching our community through greater diversity of talent and ethnicity.

MITCHENER ’14

Class leader, Eagle Scout, Robertson Scholar, sculptor, recreational biker

Through McNair’s leadership, the Community Tailgate encourages relationships across cultural lines.

Instilling Personal Integrity and Well-being

Jonathan distinctly remembers feeling something special during a sermon that his minister delivered during his sophomore year. “My minister was talking about embracing the life you have and not wasting opportunities,” explains Jonathan. “On that day, I decided to take ownership of my education and not simply ‘go with the flow.’”

Jonathan, a self-proclaimed “non-outdoorsy type,” found the courage to take a leap of faith. He applied to spend a semester living in a cabin on a farm at the Chewonki School in Wiscasset, Maine. “I’d never even been camping before, but I wanted to go on an adventure alone and try something new,” he says.

JONATHAN LEE ’14

“I am incredibly thankful that Country Day offers such awesome opportunities,” says Jonathan. “The experience changed me and translated directly into the courses I decided to take my senior year.” For instance, Jonathan found the English electives incredibly unique and interesting, and so chose to take Dystopian Literature and Fairy Tales rather than AP English. “Also, the rigorous academic environment in areas such as my Practical Chemistry class have disciplined me and pushed me into taking my education into my own hands,” he says.

Risk-taker, thespian, active church member, comic book enthusiast

After being accepted into the program, Jonathan spent the first semester of his junior year waking up at 6:00 am to learn all about farm life: planting, harvesting, composting, cleaning pens, mending fences, and taking care of livestock. The experience was so worthwhile that Jonathan returned to Maine as one of the school’s summer field hands.

Jonathan is looking forward to discovering more opportunities for personal growth at Davidson College. While it is safe to say that he does not intend to pursue a career in agriculture, he does plan to use the wisdom he has acquired in high school to guide the decisions he makes about his course selections in college. “I never want to regret NOT trying something new,” he says.

SHARED VISION

• Cultivate a community that is shaped by genuine respect for individual differences and that values inclusivity, equity, and compassion.

• Promote the fundamental importance of health and well-being in a balanced, fulfilling life.

• Foster a climate where all members of the community can safely learn and grow.

• Instill a lifelong desire in each student to contribute to the greater good, both locally and globally.

• Encourage service and leadership by example.

Through unique opportunities in Upper School, Jonathan developed an appreciation for balance and well-being.

As Jocelyn reflects back on her 13 years at Country Day, she says she is most proud of the fact that she can sit in the Senior Lounge and have a conversation with anyone. That may not seem particularly noteworthy, but it speaks volumes about Jocelyn’s commit ment to cultivating genuine respect within our school community and the value of her leadership through attendance at the national Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC). “In Middle School, I pretty much stuck with my friends, my clique,” she explains. “But I learned through the communitybuilding training at SDLC that when I am stuck in my ways that takes away from me and it takes away from others.”

While Jocelyn was at her first SDLC conference, her freshman year, she received devastating news–her father had died suddenly of a heart attack. “I felt like I was losing myself,” she remembers. “But being so far away at SDLC was, in a way, a blessing. People, strangers, were so nice and kind and comforting to me. It was so genuine and speaks a lot about how good people can be. We are all humans before race and gender.” This year, Jocelyn addressed the entire conference–1,500 students and teachers–about how SDLC has impacted her.

VISIONS IN ACTION

Since that first conference, which is attended every year by 10—15 Country Day teachers and students, Jocelyn has been a leader in moving Country Day forward in its commitment toward inclusivity, equity, and compassion. She helped establish the Affirming Community Together Conference–an annual program in which Upper School students from Country Day, Charlotte Latin, and Providence Day lead public and private middle school students in activities that promote confidence, respect, and community. “It’s a way for those of us who have attended SDLC to pass our training on to others in the community,” she explains. “The goal is to teach and articulate the values of acceptance and diversity without being preachy.”

JOCELYN PURDIE ’14

Advocate for social justice, cheerleader, poet, exuberant leader

Losing her father three years ago has made Jocelyn a stronger and more committed young adult. As she heads to Queens University, where she received a cheerleading scholarship, she is looking forward to meeting new people and pursuing a degree in creative writing or teaching. “Whatever I do, whether that’s writing or teaching, or both, I want to bring attention to social justice. I want to impact young people and how they view the world.”

• Through a community partnership with Friendship Gardens, an organization that helps feed those with limited access to healthy food, the Lower School donates organic produce from its Community Garden. Throughout the year, students help plant, weed, water, and harvest a variety of vegetables.

• Inspired by Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In, a group of female students and advisors actively sought out opportunities to learn more about leadership and personal fulfillment. The group met with female leaders at Bank of America and RedVentures, for example.

• Our Parent Education Program offers a wide range of opportunities, including guest speakers, educational workshops, and community book discussions, to foster balance and well-being with students and their families. In fall 2014, we will host New York Times bestselling author Rosalind Wiseman, who wrote Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World; and Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World.

Inspiring a Love of Learning Through Exceptional Faculty and Staff

When Ellie was awarded a scholarship to sail around the world with West Island College International Class Afloat, she was filled with excitement for this unprecedented opportunity, as well as apprehension about how it would affect her college prospects. After all, many of the 50 other students sailing onboard the Sorlandet, the world’s oldest actively sailing Tall Ship, were high school graduates pursuing gap year experiences.

“I have always felt comfortable going to my teachers for advice,” says Ellie. “My advisor Mr. Loiseau and other teachers like Frau Zay gave me the encouragement I needed to do something so completely different from what I had planned when I entered high school.”

Ellie credits the strong, personal letters of recommendation written on her behalf by Zhenya Arutyunyan, Tim Waples, and Stewart Peery with helping her to win the Class Afloat scholarship. “They really know me as a person, and I think that helped me to stand out,” she says.

From a practical standpoint, Ellie conferred with teachers on how she could spend her entire year abroad without

sacrificing the strong academic record she had worked so hard to maintain. For instance, she worked with Kaoru Lan to complete Chinese III as an independent study course while on the ship. She also received tremendous support from her College Guidance counselor. “Mrs. Odum helped me to understand that colleges would see the trade-offs and appreciate the sacrifices I was making in missing my junior year at CCDS, like not taking AP courses or serving as a club leader,” explains Ellie. Even while sailing the ship eight hours each day as the “watch” schedule demanded, crossing the equator three times, and visiting 22 countries on five continents, Ellie continued to excel academically. She founded a new club and received several awards, including the Founders Award for Global Citizenship, one of Class Afloat’s highest honors. Now, Ellie is headed to UNC-Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar. “I am humbled by this award and looking forward to all the new opportunities I’ll have at UNC,” says Ellie. “Class Afloat was a tremendous amount of work–maintaining and sailing an antique ship while simultaneously attending class.

But it was also tremendously rewarding. I’ve learned that when you take chances, great things happen.”

SHARED VISION

• Recruit, retain, develop, and support a diverse faculty and staff who are passionately committed to creating meaningful learning experiences for each student.

• Provide faculty and staff opportunities and resources to fully support their professional development and education.

• Maintain competitive compensation packages for faculty and staff.

ELLIE TELLER ’14

Adventurer, club founder, Ultimate Frisbee enthusiast, Morehead-Cain Scholar

Exceptional teachers, who know Ellie well, encouraged and supported her decision to take part in a truly meaningful learning experience.

Afamily trip to Russia in sixth grade opened Graham’s eyes to international relations, and his teachers at Country Day helped to fuel that interest throughout Middle and Upper School. “The trip awakened something inside of me–an interest in other cultures and an understanding that not everyone is exactly the same,” explains Graham.

While Graham took advantage of Country Day’s sister school exchanges to Chile and Germany, he also credits great teachers for bringing the world to the classroom. For instance, eighth-grade teacher Aaron Cooper fueled Graham’s passion for history. “Mr. Cooper is a really great, hard teacher. He really upped the writing expectations for all of us,” says Graham. He also greatly admired Katie Wells as his World Cultures and AP U.S. History teacher. “Ms. Wells was so passionate about the subject matter and so easy to approach outside of class with questions.”

History Department chair

Zhenya Arutyunyan taught Graham Honors European History during his sophomore year. “Ms. A definitely lived up to her reputation of being an incredible history teacher,” Graham says. “She helped our WorldQuest team win the regional competition and advance to nationals. She fostered a love of global issues and a love of being aware of what’s going on in the world.”

VISIONS IN ACTION

When Ms. Arutyunyan invited U.S. diplomat Julie Ruterbories to class, Graham found his calling. “When I was younger, I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I figured it out that day,” he remembers. “I want to join the foreign service and become a diplomat.”

Graham plans to study at Oxford University in the fall. “I want to have a global perspective on matters. So much of history is conflicting opinions from a variety of historians. I feel like the American ethos is all the same, so I’m looking forward to studying at Oxford and gaining a more international perspective–I should also admit that I’m an incredibly huge European soccer fan!”

Graham is especially grateful to the exceptional faculty at Country Day. “They really taught me how to write an eloquent paper with a coherent argument. I already know that college will be easier because Country Day’s faculty has prepared me so well.”

• The incoming faculty and staff for 2014–15 is the most diverse group in the school’s history. Over the past five years the school has made a concerted effort to hire and retain a diverse group of educators who look more like the world our students will enter.

• The Board of Trustees annually reviews our school’s compensation and benefits package to ensure we are meeting our mission to deliver excellence in education by supporting a world class faculty. We are committed to providing our students with leading educators who are ready to help them thrive.

• At all schools, the strongest indicator of student success is the degree of professional development and growth faculty receives on a regular basis. The Country Day community—from parent groups to Annual Fund donors to the Board of Trustees—supports teachers through the funding of opportunities that allow teachers to hone best practices, as well as bring innovative and engaging curriculum back to the classroom.

GRAHAM MAZEINE ’14

Global traveler, political junkie, future diplomat, soccer enthusiast

Graham feels exceptionally well-prepared for college because of the teachers passionately committed to his education.

Creating a Distinctive and Sustainable Learning Environment

Classmates affectionately refer to their Top Scholar as “the science guy,” yet Hunter Ubersox doesn’t want to focus all of his attention on his passion for science. “Country Day has given me a great education in the liberal arts, too,” says Hunter. He credits his own hard work, combined with exceptional teachers and lifelong friendships, with helping him maximize his potential within the Country Day learning environment.

His favorite academic memories come from time spent in the science labs. Hunter took Honors and AP Chemistry with Science Department chair Tom Collins. “Mr. Collins has been awesome. He’s been through the whole college process with me, advising me every step of the way,” says Hunter. “Our labs involved activities such as synthesizing aspirin in a two-step process using oil of wintergreen and salicylic acid. I really enjoyed discovering the process behind such an important synthesis.”

explains Hunter. “It’s not something that’s usually done at the high school level, but it’s definitely been my most challenging chemistry class. In second semester Practical Chemistry, we used special equipment and materials to conduct lab tests on OTC medicines to identify the individual drug compounds. It’s amazing to see the breakdown of these medicines.”

attend Georgia Institute of Technology as a President’s Scholar–a competitive, full-ride merit scholarship. He aspires to become a mechanical engineer and possibly pursue a career in patent law.

HUNTER UBERSOX ’14

Science guy, community volunteer, dedicated runner, Observer All-Star Scholar

Hunter also liked experimenting with mirrors and electricity during his Honors and AP Physics classes with Ron Curtin, whom he admires greatly. “Mr. Curtin uses a lot of lab materials that are great at demonstrating the topics we are discussing, and he’s excellent at breaking down difficult concepts,” says Hunter.

SHARED VISION

Hunter spent first semester taking Organic Chemistry alongside five of his peers. “Organic Chem is unique because it involves visual thinking,”

Lasting friendships are just as important to Hunter as exceptional faculty. “My three best friends and I are often called ‘The Quadruple Alliance.’ We’ve shared a competitive streak since Middle School, and the four of us mutually strive toward excellence. We work on projects and study together, and we’re all in the same classes.”

A devoted member of the cross-country and track teams, as well as an Honor Council representative, Hunter will

• Ensure financial sustainability through prudent fiscal management.

• Inspire charitable giving to ensure minimal tuition increases.

• Strengthen community and programs through investment in thoughtfully designed, environmentally responsible facilities.

Hunter has excelled in challenging, college-level courses, like Organic Chemistry, where exceptional teachers and unique lab activities are fully supported through a culture of philanthropy.

In February, after the last rehearsal for the Upper School musical, Amelia began to cry. “The black box theater has been my home for four years, and there are just so many good memories for me,” she explains. “It was a happy, sentimental moment.” From classes in her favored humanities and club meetings, to choir practice and her award-winning directorial debut, Amelia has truly flourished in the Hance Fine Arts Center.

Another Country Day home for Amelia is the Gorelick Family Theater. Every year since first grade, when she had her first solo, she has delivered memorable performances. “I remember how transformed I felt that first time on stage,” she says. “I was so excited. My first lead role was as Medusa in fourth grade. It was a huge deal to audition, and I appreciate Dr. Duckworth for recognizing talent and giving students a chance to tryout.”

Over the years, Amelia has been an orange, a tango dancer, Willy Wonka, Rapunzel, Ariel from Footloose, Medusa, and Anita from 101 Dalmations. She has also sung countless times as a member of the A cappella and Chamber choirs, and she has performed with Charlotte Children’s Theater and Opera Carolina.

was recognized for Excellence in Acting by the North Carolina Theatre Conference (NCTC) as a sophomore. “It was such an emotionally demanding script,” she says of the play about a true-life hate crime. “Good theater has the ability to move views on human rights forward and promote greater tolerance. That’s important to me, and it was rewarding to help tell a story that can encourage empathy.”

Amelia was also recognized by NCTC this year for Excellence in Student Direction for Cagebirds. “Since I first started acting, I’ve wanted to also direct,” says Amelia. “I took everything I’ve learned from others over the years and incorporated it into my own work.”

This fall, Amelia heads to Northwestern University where she will most likely major in English, history, or journalism. “For me, theater is incredible therapy,” says Amelia. “It’s a source of joy and while I’m not pursuing a degree in theater, I will continue to be involved in some way in college and beyond.”

Award-winning performer and director, editor, human rights advocate

Among all those performances, the favorite for Amelia was The Laramie Project, in which she had three roles and

VISIONS IN ACTION

Amelia has thrived in the Hance Fine Arts Center, a state-of-the-art facility that supports exceptional programming.

• In order to fully support innovative and creative academic programming, a five-year Master Facilities Plan was approved by the Board of Trustees in May 2014. The plan recognizes the need for flexible learning and gathering spaces, supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), and addressing students’ well-being in all aspects of student life.

• A multi-year marketing and communications strategy has been created with emphasis on refreshing the Country Day brand. By developing a plan that is intentional, strategic, and research based, we will tell the Country Day story more consistently with one voice.

• A financial sustainability model has been developed to support the educational programming necessary to prepare students for college and beyond. Through prudent fiscal management and generous philanthropic support, the school has been able to minimize tuition increases, even while the cost of delivering an exceptional education continues to rise.

AMELIA BROWN ’14

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.

The Next Generation of Excellence is a publication of the Communications Office, June 2014.

Photography: Peter Zay, Zayphoto.com

Design: Windtree Studio, Robert Locklear