2024 The Hawk Eye Senior Edition

Teachers love apples, but some students get inspired by role models named after them... See page 1 for the fruitful info!

Make sure you get their signatures in your yearbooks—these kids are headed for the Great White Way! See page 6 to spot the rising stars!

There’s nothing rocky about this gravity-defying duo’s success! See page 21 to climb your way to the story!

What’s s’more fun than a summer spent with best friends in the great outdoors?

See page 14 to find out!

Vol. 44 No. 1

9502 Providence Road Charlotte, NC 28277

May 2024

This is one tough Puff—find out how the Lady Hawks put the “Pow” into Powderpuff! See page 18 for more!

THE HAWK EYE

The Student Newspaper of Charlotte Latin School

THE SENIOR EDITION 2024

By Stewart Langley

Words Matter:

We’re online! clshawkeye.press Follow us on Instagram! @clsjournalism

StuCo president challenges class of 2024 to question, understand and englighten the world

Gazing down at the projector screen and hearing Mr. McIntosh’s voice echo across the gym floor, reciting the school’s old mantra “Words Matter,” I sat, bouncing on the edge of my chair, deaf to the invaluable advice presented before me. Through the perspective of a Lower Schooler (or specifically, the perspective of this Lower Schooler), the phrase “Words Matter” never quite materialized. Whether it was daydreaming about recess or simply being too young to capture the value buried beneath his words, I failed to grasp Mr. McIntosh’s broader message. I could have contemplated his speech, questioning which words mattered and how words have a deeper meaning, but instead, I questioned what words were so

important that I had to sit still listening to him, further daydreaming about recess and running back to the Lower School with the significance of his words dissolving behind me.

When presented with the opportunity to write a charge for the class, I set out to construct a narrative that could capture a glimmer of the past yet resonate with my peers as we transition towards our collegiate endeavors. I racked my mind for days, pulling on Lower School memories and future professional ambitions, until finally, “Words Matter” returned to me. This time, though, I ran towards Mr. McIntosh’s words, burying myself

in their complexities. Since my previously recess-consumed mind failed to recollect his original explanation, I had to personally interpret the phrase “Words Matter,” analyzing the adage amongst my own experiences and reconstructing them in a manner that inspires my peers.

Our greatest power in life is word choice. Latin ensures that every student graduates as successful writers with the skills necessary to present clear arguments. While each of us can craft ten page analytical essays that seem to span entire novels, we never pause to question the impact of each word etched onto the pages. For us, phrases like “I hate you” or “I love you” may appear as casual, everyday sayings used to praise or condemn any minor

inconveniences or benefits that confront us, but for many, these three words reflect a deeper meaning, striking into their hearts, shredding them apart or filling them whole.

In three words, we have the power to completely alter someone’s thoughts, feelings and behavior. This immense power is often discarded, suppressed under the laughs of a joke or the casual environment of friends hanging out. Never forget your power.

In the digital age, the interpretation of our words becomes increasingly more dangerous. While we instantly embrace new terms, ingraining their text patterns into our fingers, spamming them to our friends, we never consider how these three letter acronyms, typed and sent in mere milliseconds, can be interpreted and understood. Through a text screen, we only have words, no facial expressions or voice fluctuations to express our meaning. These words, difficult to decipher, can be misconstrued, deriving alternative connotations, and with a name next to them, will serve as

examples of your character. Whether through a screen or face-to-face, remember, your words present you to the world and define how others perceive you. Your words construct your reality. You are your words.

Thankfully, the Class of 2024 lives by this message, proudly embodying their words. A class who is culminating their senior year by extending friendship in all directions, including one another and finding unity. The class’s camaraderie is a testament to the kindness of our words. While this moral is occasionally forgotten, with moments of brief disputes, the class, through our words, has transitioned from peers to friends, and when the familiar melody of “Pomp and Circumstance” carries us through the gym doors, we will graduate as a family. That ending seems too conclusive, too final. Rather, I present to you, the Class of 2024, a challenge. Your words have built your reality at Latin, shaped who you are and how others see you. As we transition to the next stage of our lives,

surrounded by new people, perspectives, and ideas, continue using your words; continue questioning their meaning. You are the curator of your own reality. We have spent hundreds of hours in the Inlustrate Orbem, or as we call it, the “I.O.” Many of us, including myself, disregard the name as a mouthful, some strange Latin term, without considering its meaning; however, through translation, students can unveil the phrase “Enlighten the World,” which has served as Charlotte Latin’s motto since its founding.

In your next steps to college I implore you to question all words, understand all meanings, and enlighten your world.

Seniors, Stewart Langley, Cora Wickham, Cooper Kasimov and Noelle Okland pose proudly for a picture outside Thies Auditorium at Convocation on September 1, 2023.

Senior players Stewart Langley and Mack Hutcheson capture the moment with friends after their last-ever varsity soccer game at Matthews Sportsplex on October 17, 2023.

2 Remember When?

By Collin Degenhardt

Class president Degenhardt’s simple question conjures memories that unify seniors

As we were often told would happen throughout Upper School, we actually did become a lot closer as a senior class. I cannot count how many times this year so far, and I am writing this in February, that I have interacted with classmates that I haven’t before, eaten lunch with a different group or walked to class with someone new. It really does make me wonder why it wasn’t always like this, since we remained as many separate groups instead of just one. I know I speak for many when I say that this has made school infinitely more enjoyable, and the reasoning for this change could be attributed to a single theme.

One theme that could describe our class would be “memories,” and I feel like what makes this senior year so special are the common memories such a large number of us have shared since we started school. I would like to go over some of our class’s favorite memories from our time at Charlotte Latin.

Lower School fun was somewhat dictated by how

much recess time we had. It is hard to remember that far back, but I know that most of us remember some times we had on the playground. Whether it was basketball on the blacktop, football on the sharp wood chips, fairy houses in the forest or talent shows in the treehouse, we all had a really good time. Another is how legendary and special the song “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond is to us. We heard that repeatedly in Lower School, singing at assemblies, games and even during fun PE activities.

Middle School was largely dominated by one thing, and I know the guys in our grade would think of it right away: Fortnite. This game determined friend groups, kept us connected outside of school and allowed for conversation at lunch. It is weird to say— but true—that I have made most of my closest friends throughout high school from playing video games during these times. Another funny memory that I thought would be nice to throw in here was the Founders’ Day celebration

on the 50th anniversary of our school. It was a decent day (except for the two hours we were standing on Patten in the blazing sun).

People still talk today about how hot it was that day and how it was amplified by the navy blue shirts we had to wear, standing in formation to get some drone footage. I know everyone must be sick of hearing about how COVID affected us, but it is worth mentioning as it was a big part of the end of Middle School and beginning of Upper School for us. There was

literally nothing better than waking up at the end of eighth grade, having maybe four Google Meets a week and sparse assignments. Although we lost much of the personal connection and growth that is needed during those years, I know that our class came out strong and made good use of our remaining time in high school.

High school has definitely not been easy, but we have finished strong. The rumors we always heard about how much homework there was,

extracurriculars, college application stress and other anxiety-inducing factors of high school were definitely true; yet our class managed all of them. To be honest, I enjoyed our hybrid freshman year, as we got off easy on some of the hardships of being a freshman. We enjoyed the schedule, the ease of completing classwork through mostly virtual means, and eating lunch in weird places due to social distancing.

But now in senior year, looking at what my

other classmates have accomplished or are going to do, I feel nothing but pride and satisfaction in the fact that we as a whole have succeeded. Just look at the senior Instagram page for all of the amazing schools the Class of 2024 is headed in the fall. Among our class are Fab Lab graduates, collegiate athletes, theater stars, published authors, award-winning artists and medical researchers (this is actually true). I hope everyone else feels proud of the fact that we are the Class of 2024 and have

accomplished so much. I am also writing this to spark conversation within our class. It is not just the fact that we have so many memories together that made our class come together in our final year. I believe that there is also the intention to make more memories with the people we have been surrounded by for so long, yet haven’t made the effort to interact with.

When enjoying the new friendships and camaraderie that comes with being a senior, and the fact that we are all pretty much friends now, remember your favorite memories from Charlotte Latin and share them. When walking to class or sitting at lunch, tell your new friends your favorite memories.

We can make many more memories by finding common connections between our pasts by a simple question: “Remember when…?”

Nathan Moreland, Collin Degenhardt and Holden Reimers pose after a talent show at May Day Play Day. (Sherilyn Degenhardt)

Collin Degenhardt served as senior class president. He will attend Auburn University in the fall.

The senior class at the white party in Jamaica on the unofficial senior trip on spring break. (Sherilyn Degenhardt)

By Jaya Iyer

A Leader by Heart:

Sophia Cartafalsa bridges communication gaps to create community connections

If anyone ever needed advice from a friend, Sophia Cartafalsa was the one to call. Leading four clubs at Latin (HLSA, Book Club, Reading Buddies and Geography Club) as well as being a member of the softball team, the orchestra and Model UN allowed for many connections with Hawks from diverse areas. Cartafalsa brought together all of these different groups, always with a welcoming smile inviting to everyone.

Cartafalsa joined Model UN in Middle School and, after a gap during COVID, continued it from tenth through twelfth grades. Throughout her years of dedication, she gained experience researching different perspectives of world events, wrote resolutions for major world problems, defended assigned viewpoints she may (or may not) have agree with and learned how to compromise with others. From the French Revolution to the rights of indigenous peoples in Ecuador, she debated it all. After advocating on behalf of the Ecuadorian

government at a Model UN Chapel Hill (MUNCH) conference her sophomore year, Cartafalsa said, “Ecuador has made improvements to help their indigenous populations, but they’re still not as keen on helping them as I personally would do, so that was a conflict of my

opinion and the Ecuadorian government’s opinion.”

However, Cartafalsa explained that arguing for the beliefs of others has broadened her scope of topics for conversation outside of the conference hall as well as expanded her mind to see multiple angles of a problem. “I’ve learned

had nothing to do with the work. “What I’ve found is seeing everyone having fun. Fun is the most rewarding part because model UN should be fun, and you’re supposed to create a bond with your delegates,” Cartafalsa said.

Cartafalsa’s leadership also extends into Latin’s Department of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI). After attending HLSA meetings throughout her Upper School experience to honor her Peruvian

heritage, Cartafalsa became a leader her senior year. She and her co-leaders (Emy Pacheco Ramirez ‘24 and Alessandra Martin ‘25) chose topics they deemed relevant to modern day life, such as successful Hispanic entrepreneurs and Latinos that have greatly helped the Latinx community. While modern Spanish music played in the background, her club incorporateed traditions that everyone participated in, such as eating 12 grapes with

each chime of the clock on New Year’s or playing La Lotería. Reflecting on preparing club meetings, Cartafalsa said, “My two other co-leaders and I plan our theme and make a slideshow about it and engage the audience to have them do their own research into it or do conversation pieces.”

Because of her role in DEI at Latin, Cartafalsa was invited to several leadership conferences around the country. Cartafalsa traveled

how to debate and come to a conclusion in a medium with another person,” Cartafalsa said. She has her strategy down: research the opinions of the other countries in the committee before the conference, quickly establish her stance at the start of the conference, and pass notes

to Greensboro, where she connected with other students with similar backgrounds. “I got to talk to a whole group of people not only about my identity and how people identify, but it was more about our morals and how we are leaders and how you bring people into a group and teach them when sometimes they struggle to learn something new or

to form allies as she begins drafting her resolution. Cartafalsa’s favorite part was writing a resolution because she can be creative, and she felt a sense of accomplishment when she successfully passed a resolution as a chair. The best part of Model UN, according to Cartafalsa,

want to learn something and don’t know how to go about it,” Cartafalsa said. Cartafalsa’s participation in leadership impacted multiple areas of her involvement. “I’ve learned a lot more skills and gained more contacts and information about how to be a better leader not just in the DEI department but also overall in all of my clubs,” Cartafalsa said.

Cartafalsa celebrates the commencement of Hispanic Latinx Month with senior HLSA leaders Alessandra Martin and Emy Pacheco Ramirez. (Vernette Rucker)

After the 2024 diversity conference in Greensboro, Cartafalsa documents the event with fellow DEI participants.

Cartafalsa attends a session of the Model UN conference at UNC-Chapel Hill in March of 2023 with fellow debaters.

Cartafalsa dines with fellow Latin Model UN participants and faculty advisers, Robin Siczek and Luke Ivey, following a long night of traveling to the 2023 MUNCH conference.

By Robby Gette

A World-Class Culture Shock:

Hawks leave Latin bubble to engage in cultural exploration, study and enrichment

All children have daydreamed about waking up in a fantasy world where they could live their lives free of the cares they had back at home. Worlds where they could live independently, curiously and happily. Last year, two seniors turned their daydreams into a reality when they stepped off of planes from Charlotte into a year abroad. They attended school just like everyone else, took tests, did homework and made friends during that time, but they spent their free time exploring the wondrous nations around them. They indulged in the foods, learned the languages, adapted to the cultures, navigated the lands and came across unique peoples, places and experiences far beyond the North Carolina bubble.

Hope Gottschling spent her year in a remote part of France. “I was just outside a small city called Rennes,” she said. “I would take the bus to the city 30 minutes every day to and from school.”

Aside from the

looked sparser than the American schedule. “They have a lot of vacation time. About every six weeks,

obvious culture shock, Gottschling noted a significant difference in the French school schedule compared to her one at home, starting with lunch. “We had lunch for an hour and a half every day,” Gottschling said. “Younger kids would actually go home during lunch and eat with their families.” Additionally, the students had a half day every Wednesday.

“You would leave for lunch, and you would just have the rest of the afternoon off,” Gottschling said. She would use this time to indulge further in the Francophile experience. “That was a cool opportunity—more time to hang out with friends, explore the city, and get to know French culture,” Gottschling said. At her school, specifically, Thursdays would also be spent out and about. “We would do field trips, or we would do something around the city, learning through doing,” Gottschling said.

The broader scope of Gottschling’s schedule also

they have two weeks of break,” Gottschling said. As the year progressed, the students were granted

freer reign with how they would spend their time off. “We were able to travel wherever we wanted to

with our friends. That was a cool opportunity, to independently see whatever we wanted,” Gottschling said. Gottschling particularly noted the simplicity of life in France. “No matter where you live, you’re able to walk out of your house and go to a boulangerie and get a baguette,” Gottschling said. She also enjoyed the ease of travel. “I really loved the public transportation. Younger kids who can’t drive can just take the bus, and that independence is very freeing,” Gottschling said. However, she missed the comfort of the American way of life. “There are so many amenities we have that they don’t,” Gottschling said. Finally, Gottschling said that this adventure broadened her horizons, making her interested in exploring the world. “I love France—the food,

Gottschling enjoys the spectacular view above the city in Nice.

Gottschling visits the Paris Opera House.

the fashion—but this made me want to find out about more cultures,” Gottschling said. She looks forward to the prospect of studying

fashion further in college.

Ellison Dolan spent her year in Viterbo, Italy. “It’s a small town, surrounded by medieval walls, with lots of

Tuscan history,” Dolan said. This medieval atmosphere further augmented the cultural aspects of her year abroad. “It was so cool to

be surrounded by so much history,” Dolan said.

According to Dolan, the daily school schedule in Italy was similarly sparse to Gottschling’s schedule in France. “One day, I’d have two blocks open in the morning so I could sleep in and then come in around 9:30, which was great,” Dolan said.

Like Gottschling’s experience in France, Dolan enjoyed more freedom during lunch periods. “We would either go to the communal cafeteria or go throughout the city and look for a pizza spot,” Dolan said. Additionally, her school had an unorthodox Wednesday schedule. “I miss the school not knowing what to do with us on Wednesdays, so they’d send us to Rome for a day,” Dolan said. Unfortunately, Dolan’s school didn’t seem to offer

the same extended breaks as Gottschling’s school. “It was pretty much the same, because it was an American school in Italy,” Dolan said. She particularly loved the cuisine in Italy. “My host mom was the best cook,” Dolan said. Overall, Dolan’s experiences were quite positive in Italy. “I miss almost everything about it, really. I miss the people, I miss the food, I miss the friends that I have there,” Dolan said. On the flip side, she also missed food back home when she left. “I missed Mexican food so, so much,” Dolan said. Ultimately, her appreciation for America came down to the minutiae. “Sometimes just little aspects I missed. Access to medicine was a bit more difficult there, including things such as basic Advil,” Dolan said. This did not deter her love of her time abroad. “I did not miss a lot from America, besides some of the foods, frankly,” Dolan said.

Gottschling and Dolan were fortunate enough to go on some of the most incredible adventures for their school year abroad. They built new lives around new cultures and lived fairytales which the rest of us can only see as a dream.

Environmentalism through Poetry:

By Max Thompson

Gabe Carpenter, a jack of all trades, maintained excellent grades, led his

Carpenter crafts verses to influence climate activism

peers as captain on the wrestling team and wrote Scholastic Writing Award-

winning poetry. But most Hawks aren’t aware Carpenter originally comes from Brazil, and he travels there frequently whenever he can. So, how does he navigate all these different aspects of his life?

Writing poetry is one of Carpenter’s greatest passions, and he uses it as a way to express many interests in his life.

Carpenter routinely won acclaim for his writing, and just this year received a prestigious Gold Key for his poem, “Graphite Bodies.”

Last year, he wrote his Silver Keywinning work about one of his favorite activities.

“It was based on my experiences scuba diving; it’s a big hobby of mine and I go scuba diving almost every summer,” Carpenter

said.

However, he added a unique twist to this already interesting perspective.

Carpenter said, “It came from a climate activist place, using symbolism.”

Conservationism is close to Carpenter’s heart, and he feels quite strongly about the not-so-great direction in which the world’s climate is heading. “I try to do what I can, and I definitely like writing poetry about it,”

Carpenter said.

One reason why Carpenter loves poetry is that he finds it an outlet that is personal and healing.

“It feels like I’m putting a part of myself on a piece of paper and something about that is therapeutic,” Carpenter said. In the future, Carpenter plans on enrolling in college classes to improve his poetic ability.

While Carpenter was born in Brazil and began his education there in an American school, he noted that school was slightly different than it is here.

Most notably, he thinks the

athletic atmosphere is quite different here compared to Brazil. “Sports are very different here because soccer is the one big sport there and we’re very passionate about that. But here we’re passionate about many sports with all the different options offered by the school,” Carpenter said.

At Latin, Gabe discovered a passion for wrestling. Carpenter, a team captain, believed that his role on the wrestling team impacted him profoundly. “This year, I’ve realized I have to be more accountable for my actions and there are teammates that look to seniors to embody how they should be acting, so I’ve just tried to be the best role model that I can and inspire the team in any way I can,” Carpenter said.

As a Mat Hawks leader, scholar and conservationist who strives to elicit change through his poetry, Carpenter hopes to leave a lasting legacy at Latin. He may be a jack of all trades, but he excels in them all.

Carpenter prepares to ride a donkey in Monte Alegre de Goiás, Goiás, Brazil in June 2023. (Gabe Carpenter)

Dolan strikes a dramatic pose against the equally dramatic backdrop of the island of Capri.

By Ana Burk & Lori Davis

Triple Threats:

Three seniors bring three times the talent to a

By Ana Burk

Ryan Samii: Making time for his love of the stage

If you’ve spent more than fifteen minutes talking at Charlotte Latin, it’s hard not to have heard about Ryan Samii. Everyone knows him and he’s practically everywhere. He’s nice, he’s smart, he dresses way cooler than half of the students and everyone has something good to say about him. He’s worked incredibly hard and he’s made Latin a better place for it.

While Samii is proud that being a Latin Lifer

who were vastly different from his own personality, was a bit harder. “I struggled with portraying them to the best of my ability while still remaining authentic to myself,” Samii said. However, Samii rose to the challenge both times and delivered amazing performances. He also played the Nurse in “Romeo and Juliet,” a female character played as a male. “I got to bring to life this traditionally feminine character as a flamboyant male character. It taught me so much about performance, character work and storytelling.” Samii said.

Theater taught Samii more than a love of performing. “Through theater I learned how to

represents one part of his identity, he admits that sometimes it can be extremely challenging.

Samii said, “It can be hard to figure out identity because it’s hard to change stuff about yourself when you're surrounded by the same people who have known you for so long.”

The struggles Samii faced with this and the understanding he gained is why Samii has worked hard during his time in the Upper School to provide a place for people to find themselves and their confidence through the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA).

Samii was a part of the club as a freshman, he loved what it provided for students and wanted to be the one providing it too, so he applied to be a leader and was accepted. “So many

prioritize things,” Samii said. “And I learned about myself and how I worked as a person.” He applied this to his academics, knowing what to prioritize, what to do later and what to allot more time for. He also participated in chorus since the fifth grade.

Samii will attend Northwestern University and plans to major in theater and biochemistry. “Throughout high school, science has been my favorite class every year,” Samii said. He’s very excited to participate in theater in any way he can in college. Since Upper School students can only take one elective course and Samii always took choir, he hasn’t taken a theater class since Middle School; he is eager to take one again. He also plans to participate in student productions, department shows and even explore technical theater more.

people have such different experiences with their identities. Ways to be there for one person or help one person might not work for another. Being supportive throughout those moments is extremely important,” Samii said. Samii, and the other GSA leaders, worked hard to make Charlotte Latin a more supportive place. For National Coming Out Day in 2022, they stood outside Founders’ Hall and gave out bags that had candy, stickers and information.

Clearly, Samii has tremendous passion to improve Latin for other students, but he also wants to share his passion for

very young age, and she learned to embrace it the moment she saw the show that changed her life forever at nine years old: “Finding Neverland” put Wasko on her path to the stage, and once she realized it was her destiny to land there, she vowed “never” to give up on her dream.

“I started taking voice lessons at nine, and I still take them. I always loved singing, but when I saw ‘Neverland’ in the sixth grade at the Blumenthal, everything was sealed. I was

Anna Wasko: Never giving up on her dreams

The word “never” became part of Anna Wasko’s vocabulary at a

going to work my butt off to achieve my goals,” Wasko said. However, Wasko fell

future in the theater arts

theater. After a violin lesson in second grade, Samii overheard the owner of his studio talking to another teacher about auditions they were holding. As a naturally curious young boy, Samii asked about the details and learned they were for “Frosty the Snowman”; his teacher suggested that he audition, as well. He did and fell in love with the stage and performing.

Theater has taken Samii many places over the years, including dance. Samii has always liked dancing. “Being able to move to the music and the feeling of being in sync with the music was different and freeing,” Samii said. However, it was not always something that came easily to him. In Lower and Middle Schools, he struggled with it. In Middle School, he took lessons. “Dancing was necessary for my career as a performer,” Samii said. Now, reflecting on his experiences in Latin’s Upper School theater productions, his hard work and dedication paid off: Samii has an impressive

in love with acting, too— she participated in as many performances as she could and never got tired of it, no matter how hard she had to work. Little did Wasko realize the hard work was just beginning, because once she determined that she would pursue her dream by honing her craft in college, it would be the hardest thing she would ever do.

acting resume, with dance solos and roles in “Bright Star,” “Shrek” and even a tap solo as Damian in “Mean Girls.”

Samii shares his passion for musical theater beyond Latin’s campus, as well. His dance teacher was friends with the owner of Lumy’s School of Musical Theater and he heard about them doing a summer production of “Into the Woods.” Samii reached out to see if he could help, they said yes and he worked with them for the summer. He did so well he was offered the Assistant Director/Stage Manager role for the next show, “Annie.”

Throughout his theater career at Latin, Samii excelled at playing many different types of characters. For his most recent role as Damian in “Mean Girls,” he found it fun because it was like taking his own personality and elevating it. However, finding his way into the mindset of an ogre while playing Shrek in “Shrek the Musical” or Jimmy Ray in “Bright Star,” two characters

Wasko explained how the grueling process of applying to musical theater programs affected her, but it wasn’t just the applications; the rejection was difficult to take emotionally. “This has probably been the hardest year of my life. All of the rejection took such a toll,” Wasko said. Wasko auditioned for 19 schools in total, all of those being BFA programs (except for Northwestern which, was a BA). Wasko noted that applying for musical theater required submitting a “prescreen,” then a dance video clip; these performances

Samii in the 2023 Southeastern Summer Theatre Institute’s “A Chorus Line.” (Southeastern Summer Theatre Institute)

Samii performs as “Shrek” in Latin’s 2023 performance of “Shrek the Musical.” (St John Photography)

Wasko, as Regina George in “Mean Girls,” gets her burn on with the Burn Book.

Meet The Plastics: Avery Youse ‘26, Wasko, Caroline Hughes ‘26 and Lucy House ‘27 (background) in “Mean Girls.”

Wasko and her “bestie dragon puppet” in “Shrek the Musical” in 2023.

Samii gives his all as Damian in “Mean Girls.” (St John Photography)

cont. below

cont. from above

must be letter-perfect, so applicants work extremely hard to be sure their prescreens reflect their best work. “I had a song coach, monologue coach, dance coach—I really had to grind. I worked with them until I felt that I had them just as good as I could get them, and then waited for the schools to call me back. If they didn’t call me back, then I was denied,” Wasko said. Interestingly, unlike traditional programs, musical theater tracks do not provide hard dates by which they notify students if they are accepted; Wasko said this definitely contributed to the stressful process. “While I was lucky that I had a lot of auditions to go to, it was also terrifying to have so many. I did get really behind on my schoolwork. I was in New York and Chicago—but I was doing what I loved. And the waiting game was the worst part. You just have to wait until they get back to determine the rest of your life.”

Amidst all of the anxiety and rejection, Wasko held firm to her dream, though; she worried initially when she didn’t get into some of the more traditional college campuses, but then she

shows I have done. It was a great senior show, and we tried really hard to foster an environment that was fun and welcoming and that would also allow us to get the job done. I have never felt so good and confident about a show. Everyone just hit their marks. I was never worried that anyone was going to mess up,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence also remembers this show for another, more personal reason. “I got to wear a red wig (it’s now a part of me— I’ve worn them before), and it was just overall a great experience.”

However, it was an experience outside of Latin’s program that changed her whole point of view of theater. “When I did the Blumeys, that changed my perspective. It’s when I was doing theater with people outside of Latin. It just felt like a different world.” It was following that participation that Lawrence really focused; she used her summer to study and grow. “During the summer, I never did a show—I didn’t do summer stock or summer theater camp. I went to intensives.

pivoted. When she returned to visit Marymount Manhattan College, she knew it was the place for her. “I initially thought I wanted the traditional college experience, but when I didn’t get into those big, D1 schools, I realized maybe that wasn’t my path. Every time I’m in New York City, I realize I get such a rush, and I have family there, and I can intern with companies and don’t have to take a plane to get to the theaters.”

As Wasko reflected on her experiences applying to these programs, she believes she learned a great deal about herself and how much it means to her to become a professional performer. “I just have to keep my head up because being in the spotlight and doing what I love is all worth it. They say the ratio is 49 auditions to one job, and to me, it’s worth it. I think getting rejected builds character and makes you more confident. You learn to take your confidence internally and not look to someone else to give that to you. I’m ready, and while I think it will be hard, I feel the college application rejections helped me understand what this will be like. I’m more well-

I went to two week summer intensives in New York City and a two week program at the University of Michigan,” Lawrence said. Lawrence believed her time there would help her development as an artist. “I felt it would be beneficial for me to be with people at the other side of the table at the college process and I felt it would be helpful for me not to worry about memorizing lines but instead to work on building my craft, and I also got to live in New York for two weeks, which was crazy! It was AMDA (Academy of Music and dramatic Arts), and it was very fulfilling to work and be seen in the city. You had to audition, so it was kind of like being cast in a musical, and I learned a lot, and I feel like it made me a better actor and a better student.”

Lawrence was “all-in” when it came to the right-fit program (acting/musical theater concentration). “I applied to a lot of schools (BA and BFA), and the BAs didn’t require auditions, so I didn’t have to audition or I could just send in recordings,” Lawrence said. Regardless, the rejection

Profiles

rounded as a result of it, and I will evolve.”

Beyond the long road finding her way to Manhattan, Wasko did find time to enjoy her happy place—Thies Auditorium. “My favorite show was definitely ‘Mean Girls.’ It was such fun playing Regina George. It’s everyone’s dream role, and I got the chance to do it. Vocally, I had such a blast. Getting to sing those songs was great—there was so much power getting to sing them. In the musical theater world, ‘World Burn’ has such a mystical power around it, and it’s a little like ‘Defying Gravity’ from ‘Wicked.’ I’ll never forget it.”

As Wasko leaves Latin’s theater troupe for the Big Apple, she carries with her memories of that first play that ignited her love for live performances. “Something about ‘Finding Neverland’ sparked a passion inside of me (it sounds cheesy, I know), but I knew I would be fulfilled doing this for the rest of my life.”

music was as multifaceted as the various characters she has portrayed on stage. “I always knew I wanted to major in theater—since I was eleven years old and knew what college was.”

Participating in children’s theater growing up, Lawrence remembered doing “Aladdin,” but she didn’t feel that it was necessarily a seminal moment. “It sort of grew for me. It wasn’t like this one moment I thought I would do this for the rest of my life, but it did sort of take over. And then I did more and more classes and shows…yes, it did sort of take over!”

in New York and my first Broadway show), and it introduced me to the world of professional theater, and I thought, ‘I have to be a part of it.’ Even though

‘Cats’ is sort of a cheesy and weird play, it’s always been there for me. I will stand by it. I love it.”

As Lawrence considered the significant moments in her theater life, she recalled her first Broadway show. “On my eleventh

Sydney Lawrence: Leaving a legacy behind

Sydney Lawrence grew into her love of the stage, even though her journey to a life of scripts and sheet

made her stronger, and Lawrence (like Wasko) learned to be resilient. “The rejection was hard. When you send in your prescreen, there are often two rounds of rejection whereas other seniors just have one. For some schools you could get into the school but not the program. It’s kind of a lonesome process. I think I handled it well, and I made it through the darkness,” Lawrence laughed. “I got waitlisted more than I got rejected in the end, so I feel like that’s okay.”

Lawrence committed to

birthday, my mom and grandma took me to the ‘Cats’ revival (my first time

Boston University, where she will graduate with a BFA in performance with a concentration in musical theater. “It’s why I liked BU because it was different and allowed me to study more than just singing and dancing.”

Lawrence recognizes that she’s lucky to have a built-in fan base behind her, and she knows she’ll feel that love every step of the way. “My parents are very supportive, thank goodness!”

Looking forward, Lawrence is excited to

But “Cats” wasn’t the only play that solidified Lawrence's realization that she was meant to pursue the stage; even though she had been submitting applications and hearing from schools by the time the curtain went down on the last performance, “Mean Girls” definitely left a lasting (and positive) impression. “‘Mean Girls’ was the play that I loved the most out of all of the

begin her career as a professional actor. “I can’t wait to start working and get into the real deal and how to build my craft and how to network and learn the industry. Hopefully, that will put me on the path to being a working actor in New York that’s able to sustain my lifestyle there.”

For a program with as prestigious a reputation as Latin’s, Lawrence hopes to leave an enduring legacy, especially considering the contributions she plans to make to the theater world in the future. “I see a lot of talent coming up in the program here at Latin, and I always felt like there was a legacy Kate McCracken (‘22) left behind that someone had to fill,” Lawrence said.

Clearly, Lawrence possesses the humility that will make her a valuable addition to any future acting team. “I tried my hardest to try and make this space the most inclusive it can be, but I feel that this senior class of actors is very friendly, and we worked hard collectively to leave that as our legacy. Personally, I think mine would just be that red wig!”

Lawrence (left) performs at the Blumey Awards in the Belk Theater. Lawrence was honored as a Best Actress finalist, and as part of that selection, she participated in the yearly awards show with other school finalists from the surrounding area.

Lawrence speaks at a Junior Ambassador Program at the Blumenthal Uptown. Lawrence shared her experiences with the program and how she enjoyed ushering for shows. Pictured with Ryan Samii.

cont. from above

cont. from p. 6

Profiles 8

By Casey Cupps-O’Sullivan & Ben Goldman

Diving into Sucess:

Seniors make a splash to foster tight-knit team community in the pool

Charlotte Latin’s swim team is the definition of a fun and connected community. The Latin swim Hawks routinely brought high school students together each year to face tough competitions and long hours of hard work. With a huge roster this year, the seniors had to work especially hard to maintain this sense of unity amongst the swimmers. Despite swim being an extremely individual sport, the team is known throughout Latin as one of the most unified on campus. From their pregame chant to the passionate speeches leading up to meets, the camaraderie and unbreakable bonds between the senior swimmers successfully helped lead them to win four state championship titles in a row.

Each of these swimmers found their passion for swimming in unique ways. Lucy Ratterree said, “I began swimming when I was five and then did summer league too. It is really what made me fall in love with sports.” On the other hand, Michael Neltner-Devine actually quit swimming in seventh grade before coming back for his senior year. Early on, swimming instilled values of hard work and determination in them. Ryan Urquhart quickly learned that the core principles of swimming actually applied

to all aspects of her life and helped her throughout her high school years at Latin. “Swimming teaches you that failures only push you forward if you have the right line of thinking,” Urquhart said. No matter how they discovered swimming, the lessons they learned early on taught them how to work together in a team atmosphere that each member will carry

with them for the rest of their lives.

Every year they have swum the team has been incredible, but this year it was historic. From the boys’ team scoring the most points ever in a NCISAA championship meet to the girls’ team overcoming two losses to Providence Day during the regular season and beating them out for second place at

states, this year was huge for the Hawks. Ivy Monk said, “With everyone joined together by a sense of pride for our school, we were able to work together to face our rivals and finish strong as the winners.”

There were also a lot of personal bests this year. Neltner-Devine dropped time in both of his events at states, jumping up ten spots in the one-hundred yard freestyle and nine spots in the one-hundred breaststroke. Monk said, “This year my goal was to put my best foot forward again and bring that same energy and competitiveness

to continue on our winning streak.” The boys’ team was one to remember this year. Although they had a tough loss during the season with many year round swimmers out, they went undefeated the rest of the year and broke records in the NCISAA state championship, including the record for points. The girls’ team took a little while to heat up but came on strong in the state championships, coming in second beating out rival Providence Day. It was also a year of transitions for many seniors. Nikhil Ashri and

The senior boys on the 2023-2024 Latin swim team pose for a photo with their families on Senior Night. (Angel Trimble)

Lucy Ratterree smiles with her mother on Senior Night. (Angel Trimble)

Charley Floyd butterflies through the water in the 2024 State Championship. (Angel Trimble)

Ryan Urquhart both made the switch from year-round club swim to seasonal swim. Ashri said “The transition from year round to seasonal swim was hard, but the energy and team atmosphere of seasonal

swim was so fun.” Many wimmers who participated in both club and the Latin team noted how stressful the time commitment is to do both and the benefits to focusing on the Latin team. Urqhuart said, “Seasonal

Ashri agreed. “I will at least say ‘hi’ to everyone from the swim team in the halls, and a lot of my friends are from swimming.”

Compared with other sports, swimming already has the advantage of being co-ed, bringing the team together even more. Lucy Ratterree said, “I feel that with most teams that are both boys and girls it is easy for the team to feel very separated, but with our team, we don’t really have that separation. We are all

swim at Latin is different than club because we still have the competitiveness, but we have more time to connect with all the members of the team and meet people from school.”

One of the hardest things about being a swimmer is the time commitment. Seasonal swimmers have to show up to practice every weekday and also show up to the weight room before school multiple times per week. For year round swimmers, this intensity ramps up even more with nine practices per week as

well as many weight room sessions. Being dedicated to a sport that requires this much effort takes a student and athlete who is willing to put in the work. Gabe Piscitelli said, “Swimming has given me a lot of discipline because you have to show up every day and do a really hard practice, and nobody is making you go yet you still show up.”

Despite the tight knit community on the swim team, swimming can often feel like an individual sport.

Charley Floyd said, “You’re racing against other people,

but you’re also racing against yourself, too.”

In addition to the mental strength it takes to swim competitively, swimming’s time commitment also has a significant effect on an athlete’s social life. The Latin swim team accommodates this issue by fostering an environment where the swimmers can meet new friends through the team. Monk said, “The friends that I made this year and the bonds I built with people from different grades and friend groups really got me through.”

friends and we always cheer each other on.”

Despite the challenges they faced this year, both teams of seniors were able to put it all together at the right time. With a first place finish for the guys, and a second place finish for the girls, this swim team dominated. It was thanks to the swim team’s uplifting and supportive community that made it possible for these Hawks to bring the same energy and grit to every aspect of their lives.

Nikhil Ashri prepares to step into the pool for warmups at a regular season meet. (Angel Trimble)

Michael Neltner-Devine comes up for a deep breath while swimming breaststroke. (Angel Trimble)

Ivy Monk powerfully pulls during her breaststroke race. (Angel Trimble)

Wiley Spinner dives into the water at the start of his freestyle race. (Angel Trimble)

By Sophia Smith

Educating to Inspire:

Meghan DuPuy prepares to pay her Latin experiences forward

Meghan Dupuy was born for the classroom— and that’s not just because she is a Latin Lifer and has beome ingrained in all-things Hawk, from the theater to choir to service that benefits the community.

DuPuy explored a variety of interests at Latin before ultimately finding her passion working with young Hawks in the Lower School. She participated in theater productions for years, developed a love for choir and became a leader with the Misty Meadows Mitey Riders club outside of school, an organization that provides therapeutic horseback riding for children with disabilities. However, her

desire to teach rises to the top of all of these activities. DuPuy demonstrated her dedication to helping youth (as well as her love for the field of education) by interning in the Lower School, and she strived to inspire her young charges in other ways, as well. When she was growing up, people always told DuPuy that she would make a good teacher, but she found her calling last year when she began her internship. “As soon as I heard about that opportunity, I wanted to do it. I love working with kids, period,” DuPuy said. Since she began, she has interned in every grade in Lower School. DuPuy had the opportunity to support students outside of the classroom, too. “For a while I got to go watch my fifth graders when they were in choir,” DuPuy said. Part of her hope to give back to these young Hawks stemmed from DuPuy’s legacy as a Latin Lifer; she wanted to ensure that future generations had the same positive experience she did moving through the divisions.

Growing up a Hawk, DuPuy enjoyed learning from many teachers who inspired her to work hard and pursue her interests. One of the most significant influences in DuPuy’s educational journey was her seventh grade English teacher, Mr. Jeff Jacobs. As for Upper School, Señor Hugo Caraballo served as her Spanish teacher both freshman and junior years, and he got to know her well. He inspired her to go into teaching. DuPuy said, “I think the biggest thing that inspired me to pursue something in teaching now was actually last year in my Spanish class.” DuPuy especially recalls a documentary Caraballo showed about inequities in the United States’ educational system and how that made such an impact on her. “There were a couple of elementary schools that had teachers that cared so much and put so much into the kids and were doing well with what they had,” DuPuy said. DuPuy had an epiphany after viewing that film. “That was so inspiring to me. It was just this spark

that I needed to really go for it.”

DuPuy looks forward to giving back and becoming a role model in a similar way to the Latin teachers to whom she found professional inspiration. “I’ve had so many teachers that have impacted me so positively, and I will forever remember them as these amazing figures and having such formative experiences in their classes,” DuPuy said. DuPuy hopes to provide the same enlightenment and help to young people one day, too. “Teaching makes me feel like I’m helping people,” she said. Now that she had the chance to spend time

with a variety of age groups, DuPuy felt confident with her decision to pursue elementary education, and she found kindergarten and first grade were her favorite grades to teach. She thought about being a high school English teacher, but once she did the internship, she knew her path. “I either wanted intellectual or more of the social developmental side,” DuPuy said. She wants to specialize in teaching young children how to interact with their classmates and focus character development. “I want to focus on less academic stuff and more on the social developmental side of things.”

As DuPuy leaves her Hawk life and moves on to become a Davidson College Wildcat, she takes with her thirteen years’ and three divisions’ worth of experiences and interactions that she plans to share with a new generation of younger students. The future “Ms. DuPuy’s” classes can look forward to an enthusiastic and dedicated educator. After all, she had the best role models.

Capturing Memories and Camp Counseling:

By Tommy Beason

Sam Howard commits to a life viewed through his own unique lens

Whether through taking pictures or mentoring the future of Latin’s Upper School, Sam Howard has stepped into an unrealized niche on campus. After Colman Freno ‘23 graduated, his absence left a need for someone to capture the excitement in various athletic events each school year brings. Enter Sam Howard, a Latin senior with a strong passion for photography.

Howard stormed on the scene right off the bat and determined to offer his abilities to highlight the athletic prowess of his classmates. In his final year of high school, he proved that dedication to his craft

as he rarely missed an opportunity to snap the Hawks while in action.

In 2020, Howard found his dad’s camera and decided to explore his neighborhood for potential photographable subjects. He first began focusing on animals, taking pictures of various local creatures. These snapshots officially started his affinity for photography. Over time, he started to learn valuable life lessons from taking pictures, including the importance of hard work. His favorite picture he’s ever taken was born out of a peculiar day with little exterior promise.

After biking 12 miles to a completely abandoned island with a singular path, he found a snowy egret looking out over the ocean, just waiting to be captured by his camera’s lens. Howard said, “I came to the end of the path and there was this bird waiting for me. I quickly pulled my camera out and snapped the picture. It was one of the

most rewarding experiences I can remember.”

Howard eventually found his calling with sports photography, shooting an array of teams and athletes for Charlotte Latin. In the fall of 2022, his friend, Neil Salvage ‘24, asked him to take pictures at a home football game. From that moment on, Howard took every opportunity possible to support his Hawk peers, ensuring they had pictures and videos of themselves in action. Howard met a few other Latin students who shared the same passion, and together they became a tight-knit community. “My attachment to photography has developed relationships between me and the other photographers on campus like Henry Holland ‘26 and Fielding White ‘26.” A simple hobby seemingly brought together a group of people who may have never interacted without it. The support Howard showed for the Latin community did not end

with photography; in reality, his consistent contributions of time and effort extended to the Latin summer camps, as well.

Beginning the summer before his sophomore year, Howard devoted many hours of his summer break towards working at camp. During those times, he learned many lessons, the most valuable being the inequality between people who live in the same area.

“There are a lot of people in less fortunate situations that have different needs than people who are completely

cared for at home,” Howard said. He paid attention to his campers, made sure that they felt cared for and comfortable. He also experienced a slew of memorable moments while working at camp, such as interacting with animals brought to campus. “My favorite memory from camp came when Latin brought a traveling zoo from Darby Acres. They brought a monkey that all the kids and counselors had a lot of fun playing with,” Howard said.

Moving forward, Howard plans to hone in on whatever college community he joins and to continue serving others as he transitions onto the next chapter in his life. Additionally, he plans to return back to Latin and not give up on the Hawks after he leaves home.

As Howard’s time at Latin winds down, he pledged to make the most of it to do his part to help develop the next generation of Charlotte Latin Hawks.

DuPuy holds a baby goat at the Latin Fly Day fundraiser (Meghan DuPuy).

A snowy egret peers calmly out over the water in a Howard photo. (Sam Howard )

Howard shows some love to one of his Latin campers during the summer of 2022. (Jake Creamer ‘24)

DuPuy and her Upper School Spanish teacher, Hugo Caraballo, in Argentina in June of 2023. (Serena Hu ‘24)

Profiles 11 Building Bonds:

By Alessandra Martin

Serena Hu stays connected through extracurricular dedication

From Charlotte to Argentina to the volleyball court, Serena Hu proved that a Hawk can fly in many different directions while impacting others in interesting—and various— ways.

Hu’s first step in exploring her identity at Latin began with the Asian Student Alliance (ASA). Although Hu started ASA as a club participant, she ended it as a leader when they needed someone to step in and take control of their social media.

“Sophomore year I started going to the meetings, and then last year, I reached out to the leaders and offered to run their Instagram. This year I’m an official leader,” Hu said. ASA provided Hu the opportunity to connect with others who shared her cultural background. Hu said, “I feel like throughout high school in Latin there is a big journey of identity. During that, I felt like I wanted to connect more to my heritage so I joined ASA.”

Through ASA, Hu

By Jaya Iyer

Music speaks to Alden Fletcher. Playing the viola and the guitar has helped him find his voice in the Latin community.

Fletcher has participated in the Latin orchestra since sixth grade when every student was required to choose between orchestra, band and choir. Because his older brother and sister were in the orchestra playing the violin and the cello, he decided to learn the viola. Fletcher likes the viola because it is the middle instrument— sometimes it plays the melody and other times the background. His

formed strong friendship bonds in addition to greater cultural awareness. Hu said, “I got closer with Jasmine Zheng ‘24. The other two leaders, Ryan Kim ‘25 and Anish Thota ‘25, I think we are definitely friends.” Hu also created new relationships with the other leaders of her club. Hu said, “There is definitely a strong sense of community between us and the club members.”

Hu’s dedication to the volleyball team brings another dimension to her contributions to the Latin community. Hu spent three enthusiastic years on the varsity squad. However, Hu recalled how nerveracking it was to be an underclassman in her first year on the team. “I was definitely nervous then. We are not like this now, but three years ago Charlotte Latin’s record was 0-20. Also, my upperclassmen, I loved them my sophomore year. One of them, Julie Derraik ‘22, I still keep in touch with,” Hu said. Playing a varsity sport on top of advanced classes was certainly difficult, though. “During every

volleyball season, especially my junior and senior years, I was like dead. There was no functioning brain activity,” Hu said. Hu found the sacrifices worth the exhaustion and mental fatigue. “I think just being with everyone made it worth it. Volleyball is a very big team sport. Sometimes, practice is torture. It makes us closer as a team because we’re all suffering together.”

Hu also went beyond Latin’s campus as part of her mission to embrace and seek out cultural experiences. As part of an exchange trip her junior summer, she participated in the Argentina threeweek program. Spending nearly three weeks in a foreign country can be both exhilarating and daunting, and there are always things you miss when it is over. “I definitely missed the friends I made from Argentina. I miss them so much. For some reason, within literally two months, they became some of my closest friends. You know when you just connect with someone? It was like that.”

Trips are temporary, but the memories can last a

Finding His Voice:

Alden Fletcher shares his passion for music

dedication was finally recognized his senior year when he was selected for the Western Regional Orchestra, an orchestra of high school students that convenes at Appalachian State for two days in February. Thinking about the difficult work required for the position, Fletcher said, “They give you a piece that’s way too hard and then you have to learn scales that you probably wouldn’t normally do. On a Saturday morning you go and there are three rooms—you play the scales, you play a part from the piece, and then you sight-read after looking at the piece for 30 seconds.”

During COVID, the boredom of the quarantine piqued Fletcher’s interest in learning the guitar, an instrument he had always wanted to master but never found the time to start.

“My mom had a guitar that had been under my sister’s bed for years. I just dusted it off and used YouTube videos,” Fletcher said. He added, however, that his experience in the orchestra

helped him learn more quickly. In 2022, after he and some friends from elementary school had a music jam session at his friend’s house, they decided to form a band.

His band, Maelk, writes their own songs (with instrumentals and lyrics), and they define their genre loosely. “We are mostly a rock band, but we have a diverse style—we like to try out different styles of music. My friend liked this Spanish-sounding scale, so we wrote a song with that, and we’ve had some other pop-rock songs,” Fletcher said.

During his junior and senior years, Maelk performed several concerts at venues and in the garage of a band member’s house. Despite his quiet personality, Fletcher has gained the confidence to play the guitar in front of hundreds of people, both with his band and in Concert in the Quad, and to even take the lead singing. To him, performing at a live concert

lifetime, and part of those memories of course include the local cuisine. Hu said, “There was this milanesa from my host mom’s freezer which was really yummy. But also, in El Rancho, the empanadas we had were actually top notch.”

While Hu admits she loved her entire time in Argentina, some memories surpass all others. “My favorite part was just being there, having so much freedom, seeing the different cultures and making friends with all the people there. But I especially loved the culture. It was so welcoming and I loved talking with everyone as well as going to their school. Everything was great,” Hu said.

As she flew south for the summer, Hu demonstrated that she was willing to take risks and explore new lands. To her, being a Hawk meant soaring through the sky to search for her purpose, and as part of the journey, she left a lasting impression behind. Now that she has flown to so many different destinations, the question stands: Where will she fly to next?

enhances the music with its energy from the audience.

“It was a pretty important part of me developing socially. I realized that I don’t have to be outgoing because I’m not naturally outgoing, but that I should be in the things that I’m interested in and that I enjoy doing,” Fletcher said. For Fletcher, his love of music is the reason why he pushed himself beyond his initial comfort level. “Music is supposed to be performed so everyone can enjoy it. Even if I’m not playing to anyone, I’ll enjoy it. I think it’s cool to be able to listen to something that I play,” Fletcher said. Although Maelk will be

going to different places after high school, Fletcher plans to continue music in college. He remains committed to both the viola and the guitar, but he prefers the individual freedom that the guitar allows in contrast to the confinements of the sheet music in the orchestra. Fletcher said, “I’ve been interested in doing orchestra in college. I definitely do want to start a band in college and write my own songs. I’d like to find my own way to do stuff.”

Fletcher plays the guitar solo for Maelk’s original song “Box Light Blues” at their Christmas show in 2022.

Hu enjoys her hotel room during a trip to the city of Buenos Aires. (Nicole Reed ‘25)

Fletcher plays his guitar at the Infamous Ink Tattoo Parlor in 2022.

Fletcher sings “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd at his first show in September of 2022.

*As of May 14, 2024

William Adams Virginia Tech

Nikhil Ashri Rice University

Carter Babcock University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Lindsay Baker University of Wisconsin

Aditya Banerjee Appalachian State University

Addie Barlow University of Alabama

Tommy Beason University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Lydia Berens University of Notre Dame

Anna Bly The University of Tampa

Mac Brownlow Auburn University

Max Brumfield

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Kelly Budzichowski

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Nathan Butler Wofford College

Gabe Carpenter Boston College

Sophia Cartafalsa Northeastern University

Kaitlin Caruso Appalachian State University

Moné Cary University of St Andrews, Scotland

Brooks Casey Wake Forest University

Arthur Cavalcanti University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Avery Cheatwood University of Georgia

Katie Clark University of Mississippi

Matt Cohen University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Ellé Collier Rollins College

Luke Coppage Queens University of Charlotte

Jake Creamer University of New Hampshire

John Dauska Texas Christian University

Collin Degenhardt Auburn University

Lucy Dempsey University of Mississippi

Payton Desai Clemson University

Jackson DiRoma Bucknell University

Ellison Dolan Belmont University

Brian Dong Northeastern University

Jack Donnelly Auburn University

Katherine DuBose University of Arkansas

Meghan DuPuy Davidson College

Alicia Edwards University of Virginia

Lilly Egan Elon University

Calvin Ehrenberg University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Rollins Elliott University of Colorado Boulder

Alden Fletcher University of Georgia

Austin Flowers Indiana University

Charley Floyd Tulane University

Spencer Frost Elon University

Ben Gathers Catawba College

Robby Gette University of Rochester

George Glassner Washington and Lee University

Max Godwin University of Mississippi

Lulu Gorelick Wake Forest University

Hope Gottschling University of Delaware

Edward Guggenheimer Davidson College

Noah Guggenheimer Davidson College

Anna Gustafson University of Georgia

James Harper University of Colorado Boulder

Talbot Harris Hampden-Sydney College

Pari Hathiram University of Rochester

Kate Hampton Haynie Wake Forest University

Ardyn Henry University of California, Berkeley

Charlotte Latin

Hill The University of Tennessee

Keller Hitzemann University of South Carolina

Ben Hodge University of South Carolina

Ansley Hoffman North Carolina State University

Marina Horiuchi Auburn University

Tyler Horiuchi New York University

Sam Howard Virginia Tech

Caroline Howley University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Serena Hu New York University

Neely Hume University of Georgia

Mary Stewart Hunter Wake Forest University

Mack Hutcheson

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Cameron Hutchinson University of Virginia

Jaya Iyer Elon University

Aidan

Latin School 2024

Andrew Jiang Cornell University

Cooper Kasimov University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Kadence Johnson Lehigh University

Andrew Kreissl University of Mississippi

Stewart Langley University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Leif Lanzillotta University of Amsterdam

Landon Lashley Texas Christian University

Ryan Latta Texas Christian University

Sydney Lawrence Boston University

Nicholes Levy Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte

Elizabeth Lewis

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Evan Li Brown University

Joy Lokas Virginia Tech

Thomas Lucas

The University of Alabama

Ashley Malone The University of Alabama

Alexa Marcus Washington University in St. Louis

Natalie Massardo Virginia Tech

Evie McMahan University of Virginia

Lydia McNichols Auburn University

Lauren McRae University of North Carolina Wilmington

Miles Miller The Ohio State University

Ivy Monk University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Nathan Moreland University of Vermont

Olivia Morgan The University of Texas at Austin

Jack Mosrie Wofford College

Rohan Nadkarni University of Georgia

Michael Neltner-Devine High Point University

Toryn Nichols North Carolina State University

Nicholas Niles Rochester Institute of Technology

Gabi Nolan University of North Carolina at Asheville

Kathryn Ogbata Rochester Institute of Technology

Noelle Okland Auburn University

Emy Pacheco Ramirez Colgate University

Jordan Pence Hampden-Sydney College

James Peters Wofford College

Neesa Phadke University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Abi Piotrowski Virginia Tech

Gabe Piscitelli University of Colorado Boulder

Owen Porter University of Kansas

Ethan Randall Wake Forest University

Cassi Ratterree North Carolina State University

Lucy Ratterree University of South Carolina

Holden Reimers Appalachian State University

Christopher Rogers University of Miami

Henry Roper

Sewanee: The University of the South

Neil Salvage University of South Carolina

Ryan Samii Northwestern University

Aditi Satish

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Kristie Shams Northeastern University

Vanathi Shanmuganathan American University

Carter Siegel

Sewanee: The University of the South

Hayden Smith

Sewanee: The University of the South

Bennett Snelsire The College of Wooster

Zachary Spicer Emory University

Wiley Spinner Northwestern University

Stephanie Strean Virginia Tech

Leah Tewolde New York University

Kwasi Thornhill The Ohio State University

Alex Troni Tulane University

Murphy Tye Furman University

Ryan Urquhart Undecided

Tori Vona University of Miami

Zachary Warmath Boston University

Olivia Warren Undecided

Anna Wasko

Marymount Manhattan College

Cora Wickham University of Georgia

Sloan Wooster Clemson University

Jasmine Zheng Brown University

Photo by St John Photography

By Lydia McNichols

Connecting Communities:

How Noelle Okland creates full-circle moments

In her seven years as a Hawk, Noelle Okland fostered connections—as an athlete, a performer and a club leader, Okland sought to embrace as many different people within her circle as possible.

Okland’s first step to forging connections began in Middle School on the field hockey team. Okland believed the unity, teamwork and sportsmanship she learned there factored into her development as a varsity Hawk. She specifically recognized her coach, Joey Prestidge, for his impact in her love for the sport and

of warmth to her classmates earned her this recognition her sophomore, junior and senior years. Receiving a vote from her peers was a great honor for Okland as well as a thrilling memory. “Getting to dress up and walk out on the field with my dad was very exciting. I loved sharing this special moment with him, although it would get scary walking in grass with heels on,” Okland said. She found her position on the homecoming court as more than a moment to get dressed up. It was a reminder to stay true to herself and to continue to put smiles on others’ faces as well as her own.

As her time at Latin drew to a close, Okland remained proud of the many lessons she learned from the small community that Latin holds. “I have gotten to know so many different types of people at Latin because of its tightknit community and I will carry my experience here with me to college so I can continue meeting all types of people and being curious,” Okland said.

team. “Our coach is definitely the best coach I ever had. He cares about our well being and the community amongst the team while also caring about the sport and supporting us to a win,” Okland said. Okland noted that the team’s memorable moments together helped define their relationships and bonds. “One time at a tournament we went to Build-A-Bear to build Victor E Hawk. Our coach was so excited about it, and this full team bonding session really displayed how fun being on the team is,” Okland said. Okland noted that above all, she felt most grateful for these life lessons.

Eager to try something new that included her love for singing, Okland began to participate in the Upper School musicals

her junior year. As a viewer of musicals, I can confirm that her talent and friendly demeanor led her to enter the world of stage performing with ease. Although intimidating, Okland would not take back the decision she made to participate. Her first musical experience in the Upper School production of “Shrek” taught her numerous lessons about creativity and trying new things. “Shrek gave me much creative liberty because I was playing a fairytale character. It was so fun and a perfect introduction into musicals as it allowed me to think outside the box,” Okland said. She looked forward to extending her musical horizons into her senior

By Katherine Webb & Julia Stinson

year by participating in the production of “Mean Girls.” Its extreme contrast to “Shrek” was a thrilling factor for her. Okland said, “‘Mean Girls’ was a more conventional musical in comparison to ‘Shrek’ which made it a valuable experience. It was also quite exciting to be a part of this my senior year because I love the ‘Mean Girls’ movie.”

Okland drew her senior year to a “fetch” end by playing an impressive Ms. Norbury: an empathetic, funny and essential character to the musical’s plot. Through all the friends, memories and experience she gained, Okland felt forever thankful for her decision to participate in the musical productions. With an interest in mental health and creating a connected community at Latin, Okland became a part of the Students for Students club when it was soft-launched her sophomore year. Okland explained her overall job as a leader was to guide activities and conversations within her small group.

Happy Campers:

Her senior year, Okland was determined to lead her small group with purpose in order to create a safe environment for her peers, similar to what she experienced as an underclassman. “For me personally, it is very important to have another place such as my Students for Students group where I can be myself and know I have people that care about me,” Okland explained. This is the caring disposition that earned Okland three years on the homecoming court.

Selected by their peers, homecoming court representatives are kind, selfless and hardworking individuals. Unsurprisingly, Okland’s noticeable display

Girls spend summers unplugging, getting close to nature & each other

Avery Cheatwood has attended Camp Illahee summer camp in Brevard, North Carolina first as a young camper and is now a counselor. She is drawn back

year after year because of the strong connections and friendships that she has made.

Illahee, an all-girls camp, allows space for everyone to learn from and look up to the counselors for advice. At Cheatwood’s most recent time at camp, she was in charge of the youngest campers. “Watching the youngest kids have fun at camp really reminds me of myself and makes me excited for their futures.”

Cheatwood shared that going full-circle from camper to counselor was an incredible experience. “I have gone from being the youngest to the oldest and I now get to teach young campers the things that I once learned. I cherish moments with the young girls at Illahee because I know how much they looked up to me.”

Now that Cheatwood is going into her freshman year of college, her

time at summer camp is over, but she is eternally grateful for the lifetime of memories and lessons she has learned.

For Elizabeth Lewis, camp feels a lot like Latin in that everyone a a friend. “If you see someone in the hallway, you say hi and you keep in touch with them even if they aren’t in your friend group,” Lewis said. Lewis explained that the many and varied activities llahee provides pulls her back every year, with the synchronized swim show (which she used to participate in) and is now an instructor,

Ryan Samii, Alexa Marcus, Okland and Sydney Lawrence pose after a showing of the 2023 production of “Shrek.” (Eydie Okland)

Okland and her friends pose in their graduation gowns after Convocation. (Cameron Hutchinson)

Hutchinson (third from right) takes part in a fun challenge day activity with her cabin mates. (Camp Greystone)

Cheatwood and her young camper are all smiles as they celebrate the Fourth of July with an exciting game of capture the flag. (Camp Illahee)

Cheatwood and some campers take a break after an eventful tennis lesson. (Camp Illahee) cont. on p. 15

how spending time in nature and being surrounded by a supportive community of like-minded young women and girls helped increase her selfconfidence.“Being around people who are just as happy as you helps you be yourself without being judged,” Lewis said.

way to spend their summers, Lewis looks forward to the opportunity to unplug and recharge.“It’s just like a place to get away from my phone and have a reset before the school year starts,” Lewis said. “If someone asks me who I am, Ilahee is a part of me,” Lewis said. She is thankful for all the experiences that she had, friends she made, and how she, as a person, has changed.

being a special one. Lewis’s experiences as a veteran girls’ camper reinforce

One of the key characteristics of most summer camp experiences is that all campers disconnect from social media and their phones entirely. While many teenage girls might find this an unappealing

Camp Greystone has been Cameron Hutchinson’s happy place since she was just seven years old. Similar to Illahee, Greystone is an all girls camp in Zirconia, North Carolina. The bonds between many of the older campers are very close as they have been going there since elementary school. Hutchinson’s earliest memory of camp was enjoying the numerous activities such as metal jewelry, landsports, riflery and swimming. There are so many special traditions at Greystone that keep Hutchinson coming back year after year. Her favorite moment is towards the end of camp when the campers gather at the dock, light candles, and sing camp songs. Hutchinson said, “It is always just such a special moment and ends

in sentimental tears every time.” She carries her Greyston experiences with her throughout the school year and thinks often think about the lifelong friendships she has made. Hutchinson said, “These girls are my best friends in the world and I talk to my camp friends probably every day.” Although camp only happens each summer, being a part of a community, leading others and cherishing small moments will remain with these camp girls forever.

Hathiram finds inspiration to achieve from family, friends and others

Pari Hathiram’s life started internationally— she was born in India and lived in Hong Kong, and those years shaped her into the determined, hard working person she is today. She credits her first friend group with many of the character attributes that shaped her work ethic. They included girls many years older (and younger) than she was, and all of them taught her important lessons: they showed her how to take calculated risks, modeled ways to interact with others and pushed her to become more outgoing.

Hathiram doesn’t concern herself with other people’s opinions when she chooses a path to follow in her actions and activities.

“I do the things that I want and do not worry about what other people think,” Hathiram said. Sophomore year

Hathiram embarked on one of her hardest journeys, the Fab Academy. This Fab Academy is an optional, very rigorous after school engineering course that is open to sophomores in the winter and through the end of the school year. Hathiram’s commitment to the Fab Academy taught her discipline and most of her time management skills. She even spent countless nights sacrificing family dinners, sleep and her social life. Hathiram came out of this challenge learning many different lessons. “Once I choose something I have to get it done. And no matter what it takes, I will get it done,” Hathiram said.

As a self-described “driven person,” Hathiram proved this time and again in the Fab Academy. After completing a required project every week and working weekends and throughout the summer, Hathiram completed her Fab Lab requirements with her project, The Magic Mirror, an AI driven mirror aimed at helping young girls wake up, look at themselves, and feel confident. The mirror is programmed to tell the time, the weather, the news and most importantly, provide compliments about the person using the mirror.

Hathiram found inspiration for this project in her Spanish class with Mrs. Kate Wheeler, where they talked about how detrimental poor body image is to young girls.

Hathiram also participated in other ways with the Fab Academy by assisting as a counselor with the Young Engineers of Today camp. As part of her role, Hathiram helped

young, aspiring engineers learn engineering basics: laser cutting, vinyl making, 3D printing, sticker making and much more.

Beyond engineering, Hathiram stretched herself with other activities; at the start of her freshman year, Hathiram took a huge risk and tried out a new sport, golf. Hathiram’s previous sport, squash, had become challenging to play due to COVID, so Hathiram emailed the golf coach, and that began her golf career. During Hathiram’s sophomore year, she took on a leadership role and became a team captain. This was only her second year on the team, but Hathiram learned to lead by example during this time. “You don’t have to be the best on the team to be captain. I led by example and I think that’s more important.” She demonstrated honesty, good sportsmanship and how to have a positive mindset throughout each match.

Hathiram credits her

parents as her greatest inspiration in life. “My parents always pick me up when I fall, they understand my long hours of dedication to the Fab Academy and they were my rock my entire life.” With their help, Hathiram thrived at Latin.

Facing her fears of trying something new, Hathiram was inspired by the faith Coach Robin Griffith had in her to succeed. With this new confidence, Hathiram excelled in her golfing career and even made States as a sophomore. To underclassman girls, Hathiram strives to act as an example and a leader: “Be kind, be empathic, and try your best,” Hathiram said.

Hathiram assesses her distance from the hole during a match.

Hathiram and her family in India.

Cheatwood and Lewis celebrate the Fourth of July with other fellow junior counselors. They were all put on different teams based on their cabins. (Camp Illahee).

On the first day of camp, campers and counselors (wearing their whites) take cabin photos. Lewis spent four weeks with these girls. (Camp Illahee)

Hutchinson (left) and her friend Charlotte (right) enjoy a sweet moment as they lead the closing of the vespers ceremony. (Camp Greystone)

Junior counselor Lewis and her friends spend their day off at the Illahee farm, Hannah Ford Farm. cont.

Profiles 16 Together As One:

By Elyse Glassner, Alara Lowe & Aiyanna West

Senior lady laxxers create bonds to win championships & leave legacies of greatness

For four consecutive years, the Lady Hawk girls’ lacrosse team have been NCISAA State Champions

This strong, cohesive and connected team only reached this milestone through hard work and dedication. Four of the seniors committed to D1 and D2 college lacrosse teams to further their careers.

Evie McMahan, an impressive and powerful attacker, committed to the University of Virginia; Ardyn Henry, a fierce and competitive midfielder and draw specialist, will play for the University of California at Berkeley; Natalie Massardo, an aggressive and speedy defender, joins Virginia Tech’s roster; and last but not least, Ellé Collier, the hardworking and passionate goalie, is headed to Rollins College.

These successful girls all play different parts of the field but are crucial to their well-oiled team and work cohesively together to achieve their goals. Success is achieved through hard work and passion, but team chemistry is a vital part of formula, and in their three years of working together, that chemistry has been the secret to their victories.

Team chemistry definitely connected the team for Collier and she attributed it to how bonded they have been. Collier said, “It’s like being on a team with all of your best friends.” The team shared lunches, pregame hype music and team workouts, but one of the most predominant things that keeps the team together

is the head coach, Nikki Williams. Good coaching makes for good teams, and the girls agreed that the coaches held them to high standards. “The coaches are tough, but we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Massardo said.

To bring up their spirits and calm their nerves before a game, the varsity girls have a locker room dance party to some of their favorite songs including “Never Not Gonna Dance,” By Pink, “High Hopes,” by Panic at the Disco, “Levitating By Dua Lipa and “Rather Be.” by Clean Bandit and Jess Glynae. “The best bonding rituals are when we spend time together in the locker room before practices and games, along with going to Panera before the state championship,” Henry said.

As these four seniors head to college this fall, there’s so much to look forward to and many new beginnings and experiences. Massardo said, “ I am most looking forward to all of my hard work paying off and having the amazing feeling and knowledge of knowing that I made it to the next level.” Collier says “I am looking forward to playing cont. on p. 17

Cooling down after a hard (but fun) practice, the 2021-2022 girls’ lacrosse team takes a silly photo on the Charlotte Latin lacrosse fields. (Dawn Collier)

Ellé Collier and Natalie Massardo celebrate a Latin victory. (Dawn Collier)

Following the 2023 lacrosse State Championship, Natalie Massardo takes a moment for a celebratory hug with Coach Nikki Williams. (Dawn Collier)

Natalie Massardo and Addie Barlow show some love for their State Championship trophy. (Dawn Collier)

cont. from p. 16

at the next level or a higher level than high school and learning new things and meeting new people that I have already known for a while.” McMahan was looking forward to meeting new people. McMahan said, “I am most excited about meeting new people and friends because as a D1 athlete your main friend group is automatically your teammates because you spend most of your time with them.” While Henry was also happy about the prospect of making new friends, she was focused on being challenged with even more outstanding athletes.

“I am also excited to play with dedicated and talented players that care as much as I do,” Henry said.

Although all four seniors may have started playing lacrosse at different ages, most began at a young age. McMahan started at an older age and began playing club lacrosse with Charlotte Style her freshman year.

“Although it was a little hard to start older, it was also motivating because it pushed me to catch up with my fellow teammates,” McMahan said. But it also gave her an advantage in the recruiting process

Profiles

because of the tremendous growth in such a short amount of time. Collier was happy she started later because she felt it helped to avoid burnout or boredom.

The Latin lacrosse program is continuously growing, and there are many young girls who want to play on this team with Coach Williams. Williams coaches club teams for many of the fifth and sixth grade girls at Latin. McMahan offers wise advice to those younger Hawks rising up in the program: “Enjoy and

cherish every single day because it will go by quicker than you know.” Massardo encourages the up-andcoming ranks to keep the legacy of excellence alive, but try to keep it all in perspective. “Don’t lose, keep winning more state championships, don’t take it so seriously to the point that you are losing sleep and stressing yourself out.”

These seniors found camaraderie and success together, and while next year they go their separate ways, the countless lax memories they share will unite them as Hawks forever.

After their 2022 State Championship win, Class of 2024 seniors Ellé Collier, Ellison Dolan, Arden Henry, Natalie Massardo, Evie Macmahan, Addie Barlow and Madilyn Wargo squad up with their trophy. (Dawn Collier)

The Lady Hawks cheer together to celebrate a win. (Dawn Collier)

Ellé Collier and Evie McMahan relax and enjoy the glory of the State Championship. (Dawn Collier)

Natalie Massardo and Addie Barlow take a bite out of the victory of their State Championship win. (Dawn Collier)

Ardyn Hentry, Evie McMahan, Natalie Massardo and Addie Barlow proudly display their State Championship medals. (Dawn Collier)

Natalie Massardo, Coach Patty Hunter, Addy Barlow and Coach Bridget Alberts pose to document the the team’s 2023 State Championship win. (Dawn Collier)

Profiles 18

By Lindsay Baker & Lucy Dempsey

Play Like a Girl:

Senior girls make history in Latin’s first Powderpuff

Tie game. Seniors versus sophomores. Powderpuff championship on the line. The seniors line up in a wild trick play in their chance to win it all. As center Addie Barlow snaps the ball to quarterback Mary Stewart Hunter, the wide receivers disperse. Eventually, Hunter finds Avery Cheatwood in the

endzone, and the Class of 2024 goes down as the firstever winners of the Latin Powderpuff Games.

The fall of 2023 marked the first year that Latin has ever had a powderpuff: a tournament featuring girls from each class competing against each other for the title of best female football players. For the

coaches designed. Other players, like Charley Floyd and Neely Hume, were stars on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage, pulling off flags left and right. “Once we got the hang of running the plays, it all came pretty easily for us,” Hume said. “We proved that we were a really dynamic team really quickly.”

After mercilessly beating the freshmen in the semifinals, the seniors were set to face the sophomores, who had narrowly beaten the juniors in the other

semifinal game. The seniors knew that the sophomores, with their many athletic players and several coaches, would be a tough opponent. But they were determined to win. “There was no chance we were going to let the sophomores have all the glory and bragging rights,” Horiuchi said, and added, “I think we all knew that even though it wasn’t that serious, we all wanted to win so in a way, we played for each other.”

The game was a well-set match from the first snap, and the back and forth

the seniors, who dubbed themselves the Sparkly Grizzly Bears, hyped each other up for the games. “We all got together and customized our shirts and put paint on us,” DuBose said. After chanting “SGB on three!” the seniors took to the field, ready to take action.

The seniors were coached by experienced Latin football players Jordan Pence, Neil Salvage, John Dauska, Thomas Lucas and Jack Mosrie. But they found coaching a very different experience from being players. “It

was difficult for all of us coaches to explain what we were trying to run and accomplish in simple terms because we knew the girls did not know every detail of the sport,” Salvage said. “It is easy to come up with play ideas in your mind but being able to execute it is something different.” But the girls executed well. Mary Stewart Hunter threw the ball far and fast to her teammates, and Natalie Massardo and Avery Cheatwood were stellar wide receivers who successfully ran routes and trick plays which their

Class of 2024, losing was not an option. Senior team member Marina Horiuchi said, “We were determined to win the first powderpuff championship as seniors, because we knew this was the one chance we’d get to participate in something like this.” Another team member, Katherine DuBose, recalled how

possessions kept all of the audience members on their toes. Just before the end of a nearly scoreless first half, the sophomores went up by a touchdown, leaving the seniors frustrated as they went into their halftime team meeting. Instead of getting down on themselves and each other, they hyped each other up and were even more determined going into the second half than at the beginning of the game. After even more back

and forth possessions in the second half, the sophomores were up by a touchdown—but not before the seniors tied the game on their final drive. Now going into overtime, the stakes for the seniors were higher than ever. Hume recalls, “The guys said to us, ‘Y’all have a chance to do something that none of us will ever get: winning a football championship.’ I think that’s what really got us into a determined mindset against the

sophomores: we wanted to win for the senior class as a whole.”

The overtime drives may have been just as much of a toss up as regulation, but the tension was much higher than before. DuBose said, “It was a very stressful time to be honest. It was honestly a back and forth situation where I was not sure who was going to come out with the dub.” In the fourth round of overtime, the sophomores failed to get into the endzone, giving

Wide receiver Avery Cheatwood scores the winning touchdown, winning the Powderpuff for the Seniors, just before players, coaches and fans stormed the field. (Ernie Cutter)

The seniors circle up and chant “SGB on three!” together to get hype for their first matchup against the freshmen in the semifinals. (Ernie Cutter)

The seniors celebrate after Mary Stewart Hunter keeps the ball to get into the endzone, tying the championship game just before the end of regulation. (Ernie Cutter)

The senior players and coaches pose on Patten with their new hardware: the Powderpuff trophy. (Ernie Cutter)

the seniors an opportunity to win it all. In the huddle before the snap, the coaches showed the players a new play they’d be running: a trick play that starts with the players in a single file line behind the center. Neil Salvage, who created the play, said, “Since we were in overtime for so long and nothing was working, I knew we had to take a risk on a crazy play and see

what happens. I had drawn up the play as a joke when I made the playbook.” When Addie Barlow snapped the ball to Mary Stewart Hunter, the wide receivers dispersed into various spots in the endzone, and Hunter made a pass to Avery Cheatwood in the back corner, scoring the gamewinning touchdown for the seniors and claiming the first-ever Powderpuff title.

By Sia Gullapalli & Caroline Jin

Evan Li communicates with the world through many different lenses. Everything he does connects with a unique part of his life creating a very interesting outlook of the world. The way that he presents his view of the world differs greatly from what others may see around him, and he expresses his perspective through the various unique things that he does and, much like the photographs he takes, he documents those perspectives in various ways.

rest of the team, the coaches and peers who came to cheer the seniors on stormed the field in celebration, relishing being the Powderpuff champions. DuBose said, “When we won I was super excited and it kind of felt like this sport was something that I was seriously committed to— winning was a big deal.” The seniors had finally earned the right to hoist

the Powderpuff Championship trophy and proudly wear the “Powder Champ” hats, the first of what will be many teams to follow. “It was such an exhilarating mix of emotions—I was relieved, happy, excited and ecstatic for my team to win. It just felt right

Life through Lenses:

How Evan Li communicates with the world

Li began his creative journey with a camera in his hands. Li said, “I can’t draw well but I also wanted to do art stuff, so I thought photography was the best choice.” Although Li didn’t consider himself an actual “artist,” he felt the need to express his creative energy and realized that facial expressions, and people in general, held endless opportunities for him to do so. Li said, “I like photographing people and

faces; I think faces are the most interesting.”

While Li also attempted landscape photoraphy, he decided to focus primarily on photographing faces and was inspired by Jiro Onuma, a Japanese photographer who took twelve famous photos, mostly portraits of other people, during his imprisonment at Topaz, a Japanese internment camp.

In addition to his love for photography, Li also enjoys writing. He loves writing in different genres and has even won awards for his writing. One such piece, “Ekphrastic for Asian Melancholy,” his essay about the exploration of immigration through psychoanalysis, won recognition for the “Coming of Age: 2022 New York Times Multimedia Competition.”

Not only does Li enjoy writing and taking pictures, but he also enjoys reading and admiring others’ pieces. Li is a lead editor for the “Blue Review,” Charlotte Latin’s nationally recognized Upper School literary and arts magazine.

for the seniors to win the first Powderpuff,” Hume added.

After a trip to Homecoming, the Powderpuff trophy took its rightful place among the other Latin trophies: in the SAC display case. Now cemented as a Latin tradition, the Powderpuff will surely bring unity to girls in each grade during Spirit Week. This year, it brought the girls in the Class of 2024 closer, and they have set an important precedent for future senior classes to work together, to never give up and to have faith in one another.

Li joined the staff and became editor as a freshman, and over the years made his way up to lead editor. His involvement illustrates how much he enjoys sharing his own appreciation for art and writing and celebrating his peers’ work, as well. “My favorite part about ‘Blue Review’ is that one big meeting that we do where we go through all the submissions. Talking about it, editing it, arguing about it is just really fun.”

Bilal Butt, the Director of Speech and Debate. Li said, “He’s just so fun and caring and wants his students to succeed.” Li enjoys participating in the Lincoln Douglas event and was drawn to the philosophical and one vs. one aspect of this event.

Li is also a member of the debate team, where he enjoys expressing his voice and perspectives in another way. Li first became motivated to join the team because of his older brother. Li has been with the team since eighth grade and has formed close bonds with the debate teacher, Mr.

As he heads off to Brown University in the fall, Li brings with him a unique perspective and a creative spirit. Through his sharp eye and thoughtful pen, he presents stories that make people think and see the world in new ways, and Latin has been made richer for the experience.

The World School Team at the Arizona NSDA National Speech and Debate Tournament in June of 2023. (Bilal Butt)

Evan Li celebrates with his medal after winning top 64 at the Arizona, NSDA National Speech and Debate Tournament in June 2023. (Jennie Fan)

The seniors pose victoriously for a selfie with their new trophy and hats after winning the championship in quadruple overtime. (Ernie Cutter)

Li’s “Coming of Age: 2022 New York Times Multimedia Competition” awardwinning photo. Li depicted his mother to complement his essay, “Ekphrastic for Asian Melancholy,” which was an exploration through psychoanalysis.

The

The seniors’ quarterback Mary Stewart Hunter prepares to make a hand off in the championship game. (Ernie Cutter)

cont. from p. 18

Profiles

Mr. Latin:

By Jacob Filpi

A teammate shares how Jordan Pence inspires younger generations of Hawks

As the senior varsity football players pass out beads before the pep rally starts, the Lower and Middle School sections see one person and begin going crazy—so crazy that you would have thought a celebrity had entered the SAC. In reality, it was Charlotte Latin’s own Jordan Pence. There is no official title for Mr. Latin, but if there was, Jordan Pence would be a frontrunner.

A Latin Lifer, captain for both varsity football and basketball and Hampden Sydney football commit,

By Neely Hume Moné

not many people are more connected to Charlotte Latin School than Jordan. But besides his athletic abilities, Jordan has one trait that stands out: Jordan possesses a connection that few others share with all three divisions of the school. From classroom visits to school-wide pep rallies, Lower and Middle School students do everything but riot when Jordan makes an appearance.

Jordan says that this connection is so important to him because growing

up, his brother, John Pence ‘22, and cousin, Ben Anderson ‘22, had it too, and he always looked up them. “That connection is important to me because growing up, all through Latin, I looked up to older kids. I was the youngest in my family and my whole family went to Latin. So it was cool seeing them growing up and them being role models for me. But now that I’m at this stage, my brother actually had a connection with all the Lower School kids,” Jordan said.

However, Jordan’s brother and cousin were more than just role models for younger Hawks; throughout his Latin sports career, they inspired him to work his hardest and strive for greatness. Both Jordan’s brother and cousin are Latin football legacy players, and Jordan learned not only invaluable athletic skills but soft skills from them both. “I really looked up to them both. They sacrificed everything for this football program, and they showed me what it meant to be disciplined,

what family truly meant outside of your own family, and how to be a better person,” Jordan said. Jordan knew that Hampden Sydney was the right place to continue his football journey. “When I started playing varsity football, I fell in love with it and that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to play in college. So kind of just getting some looks from some DIIIs, a little bit of DIs,” Jordan said. However, his recruiting quickly picked up. “Then the coach came by Latin, asked me if I wanted to come on a visit in the summer. And I went on it not knowing anything besides it being an all-guys college.” But HampdenSydney quickly made an impression. “Once I got there, witnessed the environment, the atmosphere, the beautiful landscape, I just fell in love with it. It honestly holds a special place in my heart already,” Jordan said. Jordan has been an inspiration to many of his Latin teammates and a hero to the younger Latin students, and while the

The World Is Her Canvas:

most important impact on him was undoubtedly left by his brother and cousin, he has a few pro inspirations also. “Brian Burns for the Panthers. That’s my man, a guy that I’ll turn on, watch him, see what he does, try to pick it up…I’m a huge Carolina fan, so RJ Davis. That dude’s lighting it up in the NCAA, and we’ll probably win the national championship this year.”

While Jordan will continue his football career at Hampden-Sydney (and undoubtedly will become the same celebrity he was here at Latin), Hawk fans can relax and take faith in the knowledge that Mr. Latin will remain a Hawk for life. After all, it’s in his blood.

Cary’s colorful masterwork represents an extension of her many talents

Viewing one of Moné Cary’s canvases is a sensory experience that serves as a metaphor for the artist’s own life: each pop of color, each twirling texture, every symbolic nuance she adds to her pieces, illuminates the way she sees the world around her.

Before coming to Latin, Cary had not fully embraced her true artistic capabilities. “When I came in ninth grade I had only doodled, but my art teachers got me into painting and guided me on where to go so I soon started spending all of my time in the art room,” Cary said. For Cary, what started as a simple hobby soon grew into a passion. Her art is beautiful, creative and extraordinary. With her largest and first realistic piece, “Neurotic,” Cary earned a Gold Key from the Mid Carolina Regional Scholastics Art Awards last year. “My inspiration was a depiction of an atom being split, but I took it as a more abstract approach,” Cary

said. This year, she earned another Regional Mid Carolina Gold Key for her piece “Mzansi” which was inspired by a place in South Africa. In her future, Cary does not plan on studying art but rather continuing with it for fun and seeing how much more she can improve.

Cary’s career of Latin activities extended beyond art, where she continued to incorporate aspects of her varied interests onto the

canvas of her life. As a four year member of the varsity tennis team, Cary won two state championships, was named CISSA First Team All Conference for three years, and earned NCISSA All State for three years. Additionally, Cary and her doubles partner, Kate Hampton Haynie, went undefeated during the regular season with a record of 11-0. Cary was a leader for the Hawks (and even served as a member of the Student Athletic Leadership Team (SALT). As a tennis captain Cary helped guide her team to an overall successful season. She also participated on the track and field team where she thew discus.

Throughout her life, Cary added yet another dimension to her life through the many languages she speaks. “I have three under my belt, English and Afrikaans are fluent (that is my first language) Spanish I can speak it if I don’t feel pressure. French is easy; I don’t practice

much but I can get by. I also know some Chinese and Japanese. I want to continue learning those and maybe a few more,” Cary said. Cary’s whole family lives in South Africa, so she often goes to visit them, which is where she picked up Afrikaans. English is her most frequently spoken language as a United States citizen. Unlike most Latin students, Cary takes French and Spanish. She also spent a month of her 2023 summer in Palma de Mallorca in Mallorca, Spain where she studied marine biology, specifically Mediterranean ecosystems and sustainability. Next year, Cary will attend the University of St. Andrews in St. Andrews,

Scotland and to play tennis. In her future, Cary plans to travel the world, stopping in specific destinations where she can speak the local languages, and study marine biology.

Cary paints her life as a picture with many different colors, dimensions and hues, all of which add to her artistic perspective on life.

Pence, Aaron Logan ‘23, Jacob Snyder ‘23 and Aditya Banerjee ‘24 celebrate a big play.

(Jordan Pence)

Cary poses for a picture with her family in South Africa. (Liezl Cary)

Mr. Latin makes a cameo at the fall 2023 pep rally and hands out spirit beads in the SAC. (Lori Davis)

Cary and her host family in Palma de Mallorca, Spain last summer. (Denis Lopez)

By Ben Goldman

Up on the Wall: Fellow enthusiast shares how Glassner & Harper climb their way to building a community

You see them swinging from hold to hold and taking crazy jumps across the wall on any given day. Many try climbing, but not many stick with it. For James Harper and George Glassner, it’s a lifestyle.

Although both James and George took to climbing after their first experience with the activity, James didn’t need any encouragement to get started; however, George did. James started climbing

and James participate in the same activity, they tend to focus on specific areas of interest for different reasons and take advantage of leaders in the climbing community for inspiration. While George prefers bouldering because it allows him to do more in a shorter period of time,

the winter of his junior year and has loved it ever since. “I started climbing because my swim group took me as a bonding activity, and I just enjoyed doing it… and I just kept going over and over again.” George required a push, but when he got started, he was hooked. “James started climbing, I’d say about six months before me. Once he started climbing, he was haggling me, trying to get me out there just to try it. The first time I tried it was after my junior year, and I just loved it and rolled with it ever since.”

One of their favorite parts of climbing is how easy it is to make friends in the gym. James said, “You meet new people every day in the climbing gym, and the community is super-welcoming. There’s always something to talk about too.” Something else they both appreciate about climbing is the mental aspect of the sport. George said, “I really enjoy just sitting there and staring at the holds. Every new boulder is a problem you have to solve.” For James,

guys who inspire them most are the ones who are climbing right next to them. James said, “I look up to the local gym superhero Hayes Kimball and my boy Parker as well. Those are the people who inspire me.” This is reflective of the climbing community as a whole. George said, “The most underappreciated part of climbing is the community. Everyone’s laid back and down to climb with anyone.”

climbing provides contrast to the repetitive activity of swimming. “Climbing just adds a new feature unlike swimming, where you always know what’s next. You have to guess and make adjustments based off of previous attempts.”

George currently climbs mainly V3s and V4s, while James mainly stays in the V4 to V6 range, but he loves trying harder climbs as well.

Not only does George enjoy challenging himself

mentally and physically and met great people along the way. George will be attending Washington and Lee University next year, where he will swim and climb as often as he can. James is headed to the University of Colorado-Boulder, and

but also he likes performing cool moves on the wall to post on his Instagram page, @curiousgeorgeclimbing. He was inspired to create the page when he used a climbing workout tool called a Tension Board and saw others posting videos of their completed climbs. One of the main focuses of his Instagram is having fun, and he frequently shows off acrobatic stunts in the videos he posts. Although both George

he plans on joining the climbing team there. One thing is for certain, I hope I’ll get the chance to climb with them when they return home for breaks; they will always be down to climb. As George said, “Everyone respects the climb.”

James actually prefers lead climbing because of the connection it gives someone to their partner.

“I like how your climbing partner can call out various holds to you and support you throughout the whole climb,” James said. They have many heroes in the climbing world, but the

Climbing is a completely different ecosystem than Latin, and that contrast adds a lot of appeal for James and George. They often took friends from school climbing, and I climbed with them multiple times. My relationship with them has definitely been strengthened through climbing, and while we were never close before, I always said “hi” to them when I saw them in the halls after we bonded over climbing. Through the climbing community, James Harper and George Glassner joined a community that strengthened their relationship with each other. They improved

Glassner poses for a photo pointing at the wall he is about to climb. (George Glassner)

Harper brings his foot above his hands while climbing a wall at Inner Peaks. (Parker Rubinacchi)

Harper reaches up for the next hold. (Parker Rubinacchi)

Harper and Glassner hang upside down for a fun picture. (James Harper)

By Lindsay Baker & Casey Cupps-O’Sullivan

Profiles 22 Smells Like Senior Spirit:

An electric USA-themed student section celebrates as the Hawks get their first score of Touchdown Tailgate.

“As a senior it was super important to me to go to as many sporting events as possible, because I know that I’ll never get to do something like this again,” Mary Stewart Hunter said (front row, second from right). “I want to be able to show my peers that they have support—that’s what school spirit is all about.” (St John Photography)

How the class of 2024 shows their senior pride never subsides

Latin seniors show their support for the football team with “ROLL HAWKS” painted on their chests at the annual Homecoming game alongside Victor E Hawk. Hayden Smith (center) said, “Going to athletic events has brought me a lot closer with my classmates. It’s great to get to support my friends at their sporting events, especially the big ones like Homecoming. Just having everyone all together having a good time makes all the difference.” (Angel Trimble).

Donning their pink poms for the pinkout theme, senior cheerleaders Hope Gottschling (left), Lindsay Baker (middle) and Tori Vona (right) rally the crowd during their last game cheering on Patten’s track. “I would say that cheerleading has had a significant impact on my life, not just as a sport that I have been able to grow in and foster love for, but also as an engagement within both a team community and the greater school community that has brought me so much joy,” Gottschling said.

“When I graduate, I hope I can leave an example of team spirit, mutual support, kindness, and positivity and that others will be able to experience the same attitude of openness and encouragement that I was welcomed with.” (Amy Baker)

Homecoming king Ryan Samii crowns the queen, Cassi Ratterree on the football field at the Homecoming game. “Through my participation in Charlotte Latin school spirit, I have learned the true definition of what it means to be a part of a strong community. As I go off to college, I feel that the amazing sense of community I have at Latin will better lead to me to look for a group of people who hold these same values,” Ratterree said.

is always the most fun game to go to, especially this year because I get to see my friends get celebrated. Having it as the last home game makes it special because everyone is there and we get to end the season on a good spirit note.” (St John Photography)

The senior cheerleaders pose in their decorated locker room as they prepare to cheer on their Senior Night. Tori Vona (center) learned so much more than tumbling and chants in her years as a member of varsity cheer. “I think adapting to fit everyone’s specific needs has been a great skill that I will carry with me through college and beyond. I didn’t expect this to be a skill I learned in cheer, but it was very valuable to learn.” (Piper Piscitelli)

Senior dance team captains Lydia McNichols (left) and Olivia Morgan (right) strike their final pose on Patten in their last dance of the fall season on Senior Night. “I think bonds with the members of my team are unique because we have worked through different struggles and experiences together that have made us stronger as a whole,” Morgan said. (St John Photography)

Seniors in the student section smile as they cheer on the Hawks in their last home game of the season against their cross-town rival, Charlotte Country Day. Sloan Wooster (center) said, “Senior Night

Talbot Harris (left) and Max Brumfield (right) run out onto Patten Stadium for the final time as Latin football players just before the game against Charlotte Country Day, which sadly resulted in a loss for the Hawks, 21-7. However, it was about more than a score for these seniors. Brumfield hoped to leave a lasting legacy behind for the players to come. “The most important thing that I want to leave behind for my teammates is a great attitude. A great attitude is infectious and makes everyone’s day better and can change everything for people like their work ethic, perspective and effort,” Brumfield said.

Aditya Banerjee paves the way to a first down for his running back. Banerjee said, “Football taught me discipline. It will benefit me because if there is a day where I don’t feel like doing something I know the discipline I learned from football will allow me to do it anyways.” (St John Photography)

other sporting events like our basketball games and support my friends,”

Jordan Pence takes a minute to to commemorate a game wellplayed with his squad of senior boys from the varsity team on Senior Night. “This group of guys had been through it all and played for each other no matter what happened,” Pence said.

Center Ben Hodge assesses the field before a play in the Touchdown Tailgate game against Carver. Hodge learned valuable lessons as a result of his time on the fields as a Hawk. “A moment in my athletic career that I found impactful was my first start in both football and lacrosse,” said Hodge. “This will carry into my future because it also showed me that working hard can take you a long way.” (St John Photography)

Senior captain Neil Salvage breaks a tackle as he runs with the ball, trying to get a first down for the Hawks.

“Being able to start on varsity as a freshman helped my development because I had to earn the respect of the upperclassman and work extra hard to be able to keep up. This will help me next year playing in college because I will be right back at the same spot I started at as a freshman in high school so I know a little bit what it will be like,” Salvage said. (St John Photography)

Senior lineman Jack Mosrie keeps his eye on the offensive line ready to make the play. “Even though the season didn’t go the way we wanted, just being out there with those guys was rewarding enough for me,’ Mosrie said. ‘We were ready to go to battle for each other and that’s proof that the people really make the place.’”

Thomas Lucas (far right), John Dauska (second from right), Jordan Pence (second from left) and Neil Salvage (far left) walk arm-in-arm to do the coin toss for the final time on their home field. “Getting to see most of my friends at our football games was super awesome and made me want to perform to the best of my ability. Because of their support I was more willing to go to

Lucas said. (St John Photography)

By Tommy Beason & Jaya Iyer

Cheers to an Age of Exploration:

Hawk

Eye co-ediors in chief illustrate the change they learned to embrace

Sitting down to write this article may be our first joint piece over four years of taking the same journalism course; however, we have been split apart by the pandemic, the graduation of former senior staffers, and the infusion of new journalism students.

On the other hand, our collaborations extend beyond journalism. Whether stirring toxic chemicals together in chemistry class, peerediting essays, debating historical events, o hablando en español, we always work well together and support each other in all endeavors. We have carried this attitude into the journalism classroom as we worked towards building our own journalism family.

Despite the pandemic threatening to divide our class during our freshman year, we still found a way to come together and form unforgettable bonds. We will always remember freshman year during hybrid learning when the five students in class taught Mrs. Davis how to play Among Us

while Jaya was writing her “Murder: Is This the New Quarantine Obsession?” article. Despite being spread out physically in the classroom and with some classmates at home, we had so much fun laughing and learning about each other’s personalities from the game.

The team aspect of journalism is one of the factors that has made it so great over the four years, so when we found out that our senior year would be filled with one big class, we were overjoyed. Our current staff is full of dynamic personalities from grades 9-12 who have coalesced to form a giant friend group full of diverse opinions and interests. Being in a class with four different grade levels creates an interesting vibe that allows for different perspectives and creates a community that can support everyone in their different Upper School journeys. This is the biggest journalism group we have ever experienced, and while it may pose certain challenges at times, the plentiful discourse and

launch of new content on our newspage has produced a great way for us to sign off.

After all of the hard work and attention to detail we have put in over the four school years, we have been rewarded with fun times to celebrate our achievements together. We hold two parties a year and have enjoyed delicious dishes from Panera, Vicious Biscuit and Papa John’s. Following a successful deadline met, we always appreciate an array of food to eat as we take a break from our normal work. These moments remind us that our dedication to “The Hawk Eye” means something. With lots of different pieces published to the news site, we are very proud to know that we have left our mark on this community by providing forms of entertainment and education.

In addition to the content we have produced on our news site, we have also worked hard to interact with the Latin community, to spread positivity and kindness. Last year we

watched the movie, “Pay It Forward,” which centered our attention on passing forward kindness to others. Afterwards, we sat around on the carpet like we did in elementary school and read a few stories with the same message. To put it all together, we went down to a Lower School classroom and shared one of the books that we read to the young students. We used the story to teach the lesson of spreading positivity, following up with an activity where we had each student write an act of kindness that they could complete on a little rock and place it in the water feature in Anna’s Garden so they could visit it and see it later. This activity showed how our small family can interact with other communities and have an impact on Latin, outside of just our articles.

While the school year is not quite over yet, it is hard not to reflect on all the good times from the past four years that journalism has provided for us. In the next few months we will pass down our

responsibility and move on to new homes, both less than three hours from Charlotte Latin. Journalism has turned into a class to enjoy, as our friends have turned into a big family. Despite our many differences, this class has come together in a great way and one we will never forget.

In the future when we think back on this class we will remember the accomplishments, the great class bonding and the daily excitement that always seemed to make every school day more enjoyable.

Beason, along with a large group of Latin seniors, show off their best outfits before their senior Sadie’s. (Christine Moore Malone) wsdf

Beason and Iyer give their best thumbs ups as they get ready to write their first article together. (Alessandra Martin ‘25)

Beason poses for Adam Sandler day during Spirit Week. (Sallie Beason)

Tommy Beason served as senior co-editor in chief of “The Hawk Eye” newspaper. He will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall. Jaya Iyer served as senior co-editor in chief of “The Hawk Eye” newspaper. She will attend Elon University in the fall.

STAFF: Senior Co-Editors in Chief: Tommy Beason, Jaya Iyer

Associate Editors in Chief: Lindsay Baker, Ana Burk, Casey CuppsO’Sullivan, Lucy Dempsey, Ben Goldman, Sophia Smith

Staff Reporters: Caroline Fahrney, Jacob Filpi, Robby Gette, Elyse Glassner, Sia Gullapalli, Neely Hume, Caroline Jin, Alara Lowe, Alessandra Martin, Lydia McNichols, Julia Stinson, Max Thompson, Katherine Webb, Aiyanna West

Contributors: Collin Degenhardt, Stewart Langley

Faculty Adviser: Lori Davis

Beason smiles big with his famly as they celebrate Convocation. (Miles Miller ‘24)

Iyer celebrates the start of her senior year at Convocation with her parents, Drs. Sanjay and Jennifer Iyer.