800 CHATHAM HALL CIRCLE campus

Community Members Explore New Interest During January Term

For the first two weeks of January, the Chatham Hall community set aside its regular schedules and curricula to follow its passions in the second annual January Term.

“January Term is a chance for students and teachers alike to explore a topic that is of interest to them, and may not be offered or offered as in depth during our semester curricula,” said Dr. Francis Yun, director of music and January Term.

“This year we were able to offer fifteen courses, everything from Quilting to Biochemistry Techniques to Ethics in the Equine Industry, as well as daily programming for each of our four grades. In the evenings we were lucky enough to have guest visits, lectures, and group discussions on a variety of different topics.”

Among the evening activities was a community concert given by Dr. Yun and guest artists Dr. Nermis Mieses, associate professor of oboe at Michigan State University and faculty at Sewanee Music Festival, and pianist Mr. Xavier Suarez. Dr. Jonathan C. Friedman, professor of history and director of graduate Holocaust and Genocide Studies at West Chester University, Zoomed with students to discuss the concepts of his book Haunted Laughter: Representations of Adolf Hitler, the Third Reich, and the Holocaust in Comedic Film and Television.On weekday mornings, each grade met to explore topics related to life skills and Living Well. The Class of 2026 focused on health and wellness, and the sophomores learned about personal finance. The Class of 2024 jumped into the college process including taking a practice ACT, while the seniors got a taste of many topics to prepare them for life after graduation.

Several alumnae volunteered their time to speak with the Class of 2023 during their grade-level programming. Dasia Moore ’14 spoke with seniors via Zoom about finding your path and setting your own expectations for yourself. On campus, licensed social worker Mary Elizabeth Wilkes Chand ’03 presented about beliefs, boundaries, and balance, while Claire Mayo ’15 shared the story of her life after Chatham Hall. Mayo also visited the FRC Robotics January Term course as a TuTu Turtles alumna.

“January Term classes focus on the little interests or fixations people have and expand on them. Classes are engaging and they explore the complexities of a seemingly simple topic,” said Elinor Harrison ’24, who

IEA Season Extends to Nationals

This year’s Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) riders were a strong group of hardworking athletes who came together as a team.

“What I loved most about coaching this group of riders this year was their overall positive attitude,” said Director of Riding Ally Doyon. “We went into the show ring every time with the understanding that it does not matter what ribbon you come away with, but rather that you accomplished your goals and rode your best.”

While the team missed out on qualifying for IEA Regional Finals due to a heartbreaking tiebreaker, participated in the History & Politics in the Middle East and All That Jazz courses. “In January Term, students get to dive into a new educational experience without worrying about what they should already know.”

Carolyn Whatley ’23, Elle Reeves ’25, and Lainey Risley ’26 qualified as individuals. While Reeves finished just out of the running for Zone Finals with a third place ribbon, both Whatley and Risley qualified to move on to Zone Finals at which Risley earned placings in the top three, awarding her the opportunity to represent Zone 3 at IEA National Finals.

As a National qualifier, Risley is amongst the top 18 riders in the nation in the JV Novice Division, and she was one of only eight riders nationally to qualify as an individual for both the flat and over fences sections of her division.