The Galax (Summer 2015 Issue)

the

galax

CHRIST SCHOOL Asheville, North Carolina

An Episcopal Boarding and Day School for Boys, grades 8 – 12 800-422-3212 | www.christschool.org

Summer 2015

a publication of christ school

from cuba to christ school Finding Solace and Mentors in the Mountains of Western North Carolina 

Boys in the Trees: Conner Allison ’15 and Addison Fulford ’16 create their own spectator area at a lacrosse game.

Summer | 2015 Editor: Donna Kinney Design: Steve Parker Design Editorial Contributions: Kathy Belk, Kirk Brown, Kendra Castle, Guy Campbell ’00, Garrison Conner, Ben Dowling, Doug Embler, Vanessa Giuliani, Pat James, Malik Johnson ’15, Leslie June, Ken Kiser, Olga Mahoney, Jeff Miles, Mark Moroz, Joe Mouer, Sandy Powers, Mitzi Purvis P’15, Emily Pulsifer, Isaac Rankin, Ron Ramsey, Burt Siders, Denis Stokes, Eric Thorp, Paige Wheeler, David Williams, Mark Whitney ’80, Laneal Vaughn

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Photographic Contributions: Dan Akers P’16, Michael Amato, Kirk Brown, Vanessa Giuliani, Donna Kinney, Olga Mahoney, Jerry Mucklow, Mitzi Purvis P’15, Ron Ramsey, Jill Schwarzkopf of Realities Photography, Eric Thorp The Christ School magazine, The Galax, is published two times a year by the Christ School Advancement Office: Denis Stokes, Director of External Affairs; Donna Kinney, Director of Communications; Kathryn J. Belk, Annual Loyalty Fund Director; Dan Stevenson ’72, Director of Alumni Affairs and Major Gift Officer; Paige Wheeler, Campaign Manager.

Send submissions to: The Galax Editor, Christ School, 500 Christ School Road, Arden, NC 28704 or call 828-684-6232, ext. 104. You can also submit information through our web page at www.christschool.org or to Donna Kinney at dkinney@christschool.org.

Christ School admits boys in grades eight through twelve based on academic ability, personal qualifications, and recommendations without regard to race, color, creed, religion, or national and ethnic origin.

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Feature Story: “A Friendship That Defies Distance and Time”: José Stuntz and Hugo Hartenstein at age 9 in Cuba.

table of contents from the head 4 discover asheville 5 in & around yard a 14 under the lights 36

the great outdoors

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beyond the gate house 51 class notes 59

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ringing true & standing Still Nate Williams ’17 catches some big air on the turn around Pingree.

Cultivating Hope

Paul and Beth Krieger after Commencement 2015

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from the head A LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER

If you want to reach teenage boys, I suggest the following steps to all teachers, coaches, and mentors: 1. Build a relationship of trust with your students first and foremost.

2. Introduce topics and subject matter with which they can identify.

3. Present themes that are relevant to them, that emphasize an element of conviction, courage, and redemption.

4. Avoid the suggestion that students share “guilt by association” with characters or groups of people who model less than noble traits; instead encourage them to rise above.

5. Teach each student to think critically, to form an informed opinion; but be sure it’s not your opinion they settle for.

Sometimes I sit back and think about the changes in our culture over the past 50 years, especially as it relates to our middle and high school classrooms. In so many ways the tone and tenor of methodology has necessarily become more sophisticated and complex, demanding greater ethnic, historical, racial, cultural, and geographic awareness; and this is good. But with this complexity comes unintended consequences. Consider that today’s high school students were born around 2000, so they have grown up in the shadow of 9/11. The news has been filled with any number of wars and conflicts, waged with no sense of resolution or end in sight. A significant recession has occurred, which has meant job loss for relatives, while employment opportunities appear uncertain. Add to that the normal “storm and stress” of the adolescent years, and I think we can all agree that “reality” has done a commendable job of finding them. Perhaps our job as educators is to demonstrate that there are ways to combat hard times. We need to let them in on what increasingly seems to have become too much of a secret: there are ways to overcome life’s unpredictable and, at times, unfair obstacles. Faith, resilience, hard work, fortitude, and a healthy dose of optimism are countermeasures to most problems that have led so many to pessimistic resignation. These are critical core values that will not only endure, but will also provide hope for others.

Clinical studies have shown that optimism is closely linked to academic and occupational success, as well as positive physical health outcomes, such as increased longevity and fewer emotional disorders. Those with an optimistic outlook are more likely to adopt lifestyles that promote health and happiness; they are more likely to experience more favorable outcomes while battling diseases. Given all these benefits, it is important that creating and cultivating an optimistic attitude in children begins early in life. The cumulative effects can be profound. Giving children hope is not only our goal, but it is our responsibility.

Teaching boys about themselves through the experiences and stories of other very real boys and men is one key component to such development: boys and men, who, though flawed, somehow emerge selfless and even heroic, are important positive models of hope. Twenty years ago, when I taught a 6th grade honors English class, I was given the list of novels we were to read. First on that list was Shabanu, a Newberry Book Award winner. The story tells of a 12-year-old Pakistani girl, sold into marriage to an older man who already has three other wives. Rape, incest, murder, and poverty are all a part of her travails. There I was, teaching 12-year-olds about the big, wide world, hoping that they would learn to be empathetic to the plight of others. All I could really think about was the possibility of having to attend (with my young students) the post-traumatic stress counseling sessions that seemed sure to follow. Where was the hope? Where was the trajectory to something noble?

What I now believe is that victimhood has become a theme so wide-spread in our culture and classrooms that I wonder how that translates into tomorrow’s adulthood. Bizarrely, it seems as if victimhood has become the preferred – or worse – desired state of being. Does this speak to a subtle culture-wide insistence that the sooner young impressionable adolescents learn what an unfair, corrupt, racist, evil, and mean world they live in, the more educated they will have become? We lack a balance between teaching “reality” and a healthy optimism that should be a guiding principle. If you want to broaden the minds of young adults, teach them first about themselves. That will create a launching pad to learn about and appreciate others.

We will do well to consider the messages our students hear all around them, and then to provide them with the skills that will cultivate hope amidst all the despair.

Sincerely, Paul M. Krieger Headmaster

Culinary The waitress laid upon the table a platter of bones, cut on an angle to reveal the marrow, crisped and steaming. Five boys leaned in for a closer look, but none of them betrayed anything other than incredulity. Sophomore Frank DeRonja said matter-of-factly, “That looks horrifying.” Junior William Keenan took the toast point that Mr. Dowling handed him and said, “I’m allergic to mushrooms,” and passed it on to Patrick Cunnigham, who shrugged and threw it down the hatch. “Wow,” Patrick marveled, “I shouldn’t be surprised, but that was really good.” After all the boys had tried it, the consensus was that L’os à moelle braise, braised beef bones topped with a mushroom and onion marmalade, were, in fact, incredible and another plate was necessary.

When Mr. Ben Dowling, who teaches freshman History, began the Christ School Supper Club four years ago, the goal was not necessarily to make students eat the most exotic foods that could be had in the Western North Carolina dining scene – but that often seems to be what happens.

John Cheney first started going to the monthly events at the start of his freshman year and admits, “I’m really a meat and potatoes guy. I don’t really like some of that stuff. But I figure if it is on the menu, it must be good. So, I always try to have something a little different.” Freshman Davis Crook of Waynesville had only been to one other event this year, but going to Bouchon, a French restaurant in downtown Asheville, reminded him that there were a lot of places he had not tried before. “I’m definitely going to join Supper Club next year,” he said.

For the size of this region, Asheville’s dining scene is superb; in fact, locals have coined their own phrase: Foodtopia. A thriving farm-to-table green scene, a growing network of family farms and farmer markets, and an expanding roster of award-winning chefs, combine to create the ideal food climate. Students are not the only ones who benefit from the Asheville dining scene, Christ School parents look forward to sampling

Asheville the local fare when visiting their sons. As Sarah Beard, mother of John ’18, says “We love our trips to Asheville not only to see our son, but also to get the opportunity to try another one of Asheville’s wonderful restaurants. No matter what we are craving, we can find a restaurant that not only specializes in it, but actually takes it to a higher level than we have experienced before. Depending on our mood, you might see us somewhere as casual as Moe’s Barbecue or as eclectic as The Junction in the River Arts District.

The important point is, if you have a free night in Asheville, you need go on your own adventure and start your list of favorites!”

For his part, Mr. Dowling says that Supper Club has been one of the most satisfying things he has had an opportunity to do at Christ School. “It is great to see students of all kinds getting together for camaraderie. Sitting around a table, having good food, good conversation, are all part of becoming an adult.”

“Plus,”adds Patrick Cunningham ’17, “we always stop at Krispy Kreme before we go back to school.”

Top Photo: The Christ School Supper Club dine at Bouchon’s outdoor Crêperie. Bottom Photo: Asheville’s vital dining scene at the Grove Arcade.

For the size of this region, Asheville’s dining scene is superb; in fact, locals have coined their own phrase: Foodtopia.

HAPPENINGS IN AND AROUND ASHEVILLE

discover asheville

By Ben Dowling

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CUBA

A FRIENDSHIP THAT DEFIES TIME & DISTANCE From Coconut Ice Cream to Cola

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By Donna Kinney

feature story

and Moon Pies, From

Cuba to Christ School, From Childhood to Manhood: A Lifelong Journey of Shared Memories

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Class of 1953 graduates Hugo Hartenstein and Jose Stuntz have been friends since they were toddlers. It’s fascinating enough that they have managed to stay close and connected all these years, despite living in different parts of the country and having professions that have taken them all over the world, but what’s even more interesting is that the root of their friendship began in Cuba, during a carefree and innocent time, just before the political tide changed from the rule of Batista to that of Castro.

Above: Stuntz and Hartenstein shared an idyllic childhood in Cuba.

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Top Photo: Stuntz leafs through his 1953 Angelus in his Fairfax, VA home.

Bottom Left: A young Stuntz on the front porch in Marianao, Cuba.

The more I reached out to and learned about Hartenstein and Stuntz, the more former students’ names came up with ties to Cuba, including two from the ’60s, John Hine and Romi Gonzalez (see page 12). I began to notice some common threads: They had all enjoyed a peaceful, idyllic childhood in Cuba; they and their families had all in some way been affected by the political turmoil in Cuba; and they all found in Christ School a place to grow into manhood under the positive influence of coaches and teachers.

Foremost among those influences was headmaster (from 1927 to ’67) David Page Harris, “Mr. Dave,” whom they all described as a largerthan-life figure, “The Man,” someone who taught them life skills that remained relevant throughout their adult lives.

Jose Stuntz: The Early Years Although Stuntz was born in Italy, when he was 2 his parents sent him and his sister, Ann, to the relative safety of Cuba (his father, an AP correspondent, was constantly followed and once beaten by Mussolini’s men) on a German tramp steamer to live with his grandparents. He and Hugo became inseparable from an early age, and immediately began calling each other the Spanish feminine derivatives of their nicknames: Chipa and Pepa. “We have carried on this joking insult

into manhood to this day,” says Stuntz.

Stuntz recalls his early days in Cuba as carefree, full of neighborhood baseball games that went from dawn to twilight. “In those days, all we needed was a ball and a bat. You can put a rag with a rock on top for bases, scratch a line in the dirt for base paths, and put mosquito net around the poles behind the plate to catch wild pitches.”

After school, he and Hartenstein would catch the trolley from their homes in the suburb of Marianao to downtown Havana. “Just as the trolley pulled out, we’d run alongside, grab on to a piece of railing below the window level, and get a free 30-minute ride into old Havana, by the port where the great ships lay, with Morro Castle lying menacingly in the background.”

There they would take in the sights and delicacies including carne asada (fried meat strips), enchiladas, and coco glace (coconut ice cream in a coconut shell). “To this day, that stands out to me as one of the treats of all time.”

They would get updates on World War II in the upper balcony of the Candido Theater, watching Movie Tones up-to-the-minute newsreels.

Both attended the Cathedral School, where lessons were taught in both English and Spanish.

It was there that they learned the Cuban and American national anthems by heart. Stuntz says they would listen attentively to their elders to learn more about Cuba. “Granddad

José knew many prominent Cubans, as did Granddad Stuntz, so there were many evenings of conviviality with Cuban friends.”

In one story, his grandfather’s sugar refinery construction business was doing well enough to buy his son (Stuntz’s dad) a fire-red Stutz Bearcat.

The story goes that one day his grandmother caught him doing donuts on the beach. “It is the stuff of family legend that somewhere in La Habana there rests a pristine fire engine-red Stutz Bearcat in an old warehouse,” says Stuntz.

Later, in his early teens, while his family was living in Venezuela, Stuntz told his parents that he needed more discipline. “I told my parents that I was getting worthless, needed to work, needed to study, needed to grow up, and then I forgot about it, but they didn’t.” And so he was sent off to Christ School, which his mother described as “a six-form [grades 7-12] preparatory school modeled after Trent School in New England.”

Stuntz likened it to the world of Andy Griffith and Opie. “In our imaginations, we walked that road to Mayberry every time we were permitted to go to the country store at a crossroads behind the school to get a cola and a moon pie.” He was struck by the rock facing that covered all of the buildings: “The sandstone rock, indigenous to the area, is a light tan color conveying both a rugged but light look, the virtue of which is the appearance of strength and cleanliness, important virtues that were emphasized in both physical and mental ways at Christ School.” [These are reflections he included in an autobiography he is writing to leave his grandchildren.]

The Christ School Years Initially, Stuntz found the rigorous routine of room inspections, Chapel services, classes, and twice-a-day jobs very challenging. Being a small Third Former, Stuntz realized he had to fight back to avoid daily beatings from a resident bully.

He was able to use his small size to his advantage for maneuverability and leverage, and ended up breaking the bully’s nose – which didn’t go unnoticed by Mr. Dave.

Mr. Dave’s advice to Stuntz after beating his nemesis surprised him. “He had it coming,” he recalls the headmaster saying. “I don’t want you to be ashamed of defending yourself, but I do want you to remember that beating a bully sometimes makes you turn into one. If that

happens, you haven’t learned anything.”

Mr. Dave encouraged Stuntz to talk things through, then shake hands. “In my over 30 years of command and supervision, Mr. Dave’s advice has stood the test. It never hurts to have an olive branch handy. You make your point and then let it go.”

Like many alumni from the Harris years, Stuntz speaks of Mr. Dave with awe and reverence, He writes: “He was a taciturn, understated, aesthetic, and handsome man who more than anyone I’ve ever known let actions speak for him.…

He was a workingman who taught boys, and I mean he taught them everything. He was always presentable to visitors, but you had to give him time to freshen up because, with the exception of his classes, most of the time he’d just been caught doing something physically demanding; his fingernails were never completely clean.”

“You can’t teach the efficient way to dig, to mix concrete, to lay brick, to shuck corn, to balance a treadle, to drive a truck, to change a spark plug, or to fix a flat and stay lily white. You can’t teach the intellectual demands of learning, such as study habits, patience, method, logic, perseverance, or natural law, morals, faith, loyalty, and love without getting down and dirty. He did it all without ever losing his cool.”

There were other role models who left a lasting impression on Stuntz. He remembers history teacher Robert Harding Reid, “Captain Reid,” at the head of his table (back when the school had seated meals). Stuntz admits that he angled to get a seat at Capt. Reid’s table, to talk history.

“Captain Reid was a brain. He was a repository of knowledge with a forehead the size of Kansas – an affable, large man with a booming laugh [who] retained the title he earned fighting in World War I.” On one occasion, after the dishes were cleared, Captain Reid recreated Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo on the table with peas, cauliflower, and toothpicks. On that table, he showed, tactically, that Napoleon’s defeat needn’t have happened.

Stuntz credits Father Webster with “calming [his] apprehension of the sudden and overwhelming presence of the high Episcopal church.” He adds, “He was handsome, but in a non-slick manly way, and he was infinitely understanding of a young boy entering into what seemed like an alien culture. I credit him with opening my mind to Christ.”

“In our imaginations, we walked that road to Mayberry every time we were permitted to go to the country store at a crossroads behind the school to get a cola and a moon pie.”

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“There is something profound about the attachment to guys you

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compete with in the classroom and on the playing field when you are just beginning to achieve some power of mind and body.”

And then there was Coach Fayssoux, “a gnarled 50/60ish old guy, bald, fit as a 20 year-old, in his ball cap.” He was head coach of baseball and football and an algebra teacher. A World War I veteran, he was also a strict disciplinarian “who didn’t hesitate to put his unpadded body on the line to show the tackle how to block the guy in front of him.”

“It was ‘Fessor’ who one day, as we were lining up on offense, screamed, ‘I told you to follow your nose right in there, knees bent, back straight, shoulders square, and hit him in the middle!

Driving, driving, driving your legs like pistons until your man goes down! Break off, then move it, move it into your route, catch the ball, and get as much yardage as you can!’” From that day on, Stuntz was known as “Hose Nose.”

Stuntz attributes his Christ School years for giving him the foundation, the right stuff, to eventually be a leader and enter an extremely challenging profession as an Air Force B-52 bomber and fighter pilot. “The physical changes in all of us were remarkable. There is something profound about the attachment to guys you compete with in the classroom and on the playing field when you are just beginning to achieve some power of mind and body. The changes create a strong attachment to your buddies, to the teachers that inspire development, and to the place where it all happened.”

Hartenstein Joins Stuntz at Christ School Stuntz sang the praises of Christ School to Hartenstein’s father, and Hartenstein arrived for his junior year. He says today that it was a good time to leave Cuba: “The political situation in Cuba was not good in 1951, though not impossible. There were certain manifestations that were not especially inviting. My father was more than delighted to have me encounter new experiences.”

Hartenstein found Christ School challenging.

“Academically, I was challenged, but it was the work program that had the most impact upon me…. After an easy life, it taught me the virtue and benefits of work and concentration, intermingled with academic challenges.”

But what made the most lasting impression on Hartenstein was the legendary Mr. Dave. “Mr. David Page Harris made more of an impact on me than perhaps anybody in my life except my

father,” he says.

“He was a man of an unbendable will. He was very sentimental, but managed to conceal it with a rather stern exterior.” In his khakis and L.L. Bean boots, Mr. Dave was an unlikely but rugged trendsetter. “You could see his shadow float across campus about 5:30 in the morning with this ever-present burning cigarette in his mouth.”

Despite his stern, no-nonsense demeanor, Mr. Dave managed to ingratiate himself into the hearts and souls of the students, teaching lessons that extended beyond the classroom – though the classroom lessons themselves could be tough enough. “He would walk into the classroom in the morning and go over to the window, fling it open in the middle of winter, take the cigarette out of his mouth, flick it out the window, and with his back turned to the class say, ‘Hartenstein to the board.’”

Like so many other students, Hartenstein learned to love “The Man.” “He never did anything without a reason. I think he was the fairest person I’ve ever met.”

As they had been in their Cuban childhood, Hartenstein and Stuntz were close friends at Christ School. They roomed together in Sixth Cottage, where they slept on the back porch throughout their junior year, even when it snowed, to avoid having to make their beds for room inspection. Along with pitcher and classmate Tudor Hall, they were a winning combination on the baseball diamond: Hartenstein in left field and Stuntz at shortstop.

For school vacations, they boarded a Greyhound bus for Miami, a trip that then took 24 hours.

From there, it was a small DC-3 passenger plane – $20 from Key West to Havana.

The College Years and Beyond Stuntz went on to major in journalism at UNCChapel Hill, where he joined the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps and roomed with fellow ’53 CS graduates Tommy Kirkland and Jack Hamilton. To support himself, he sold sandwiches and juice to fraternities in the evenings and then landed a job as The Durham Herald’s courthouse reporter, thanks to Bill Frue, who had been one year ahead of him at CS. After graduation, it was on to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and then flight school in Winter Haven, Florida. He had one

assignment close to Christ School when he was one of four test pilots to put the F-102 through its final testing before turning it over to the National Guard.

“A lot of times when I accepted an airplane – we still had plenty of fuel after I did one of the test tops – I’d go beat up Christ School.” By “beat up,” he meant make high-speed passes over the Administration Building. “I hit it at about 500 K and not more than 100 feet over the rooftops, and I’d yank it up and put it into afterburner to dot the T.” Mr. Dave got so used to Stuntz’s flyovers that he would simply say to prospective families touring the campus, “That’s just José Stuntz, one of our graduates; he drives us crazy.”

Stuntz often chides Hartenstein who served in the 82nd Airborne Army Infantry: “Why would you be so stupid to jump out of a perfectly good airplane?”

Hartenstein went on to Dartmouth College and then graduate school at the University of Colorado. He taught for 40 years: Spanish, English, English Literature, and Latin American history. He also coached track and cross-country.

He now works in real estate, renting apartments to students in Boulder, where he lives with his wife, Olivia, also a Cuban native.

Eventually, his parents left Cuba, moving to California. “My father went to Cuba in 1901 after the Spanish-American War and got out after the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. They caught the last commercial Pan American flight.” While Stuntz has been back to Cuba on several church group

trips, Hartenstein doesn’t envision going back under the current regime.

On his last trip, Stuntz took pictures of his old house and Hartenstein’s, which was confiscated

by Castro and is now a public preschool.

When asked how he feels about the recent lift of the trade embargo with the U.S., Stuntz says, “If it will help the Cuban people, I’m all for it, because they need some relief from the pure poverty they live in,” adding, “They don’t know they are poor and are some of the happiest people I have met.”

While his wife Franki works as a senior vice president of the National Ocean Industries Association in Washington D.C., Stuntz is now in retirement, and his routine is much calmer than it was in his flying days. He regularly walks his neighbor’s German Shepherd, whose owner is a bomber pilot, aptly named Bomber. On a walk in January, he composed a prayer for the clergy of his church, Floris United Methodist Church, in Fairfax, Virginia, with whom he often prays before Sunday services.

“Heavenly father, as I walk my new neighbor’s 3-year-old shepherd in the minus 10 wind-chill, the song ‘I’ve got your love to keep me warm’ became a prayer to Jesus. I thought it was my prayer until I looked down at Bomber.

He was on point, ears perked and prancing to our song.… Happiness is shared moments of warmth, love, compassion, and humility laced with time-tested truth.” n

Top Photo: Hugo and José and their wives, Olivia and Franki, join other members of the Class of 1953 for their 60th Reunion in 2013.

Bottom Photo: Team and classmates Tudor Hall (pitcher), Hugo Hartenstein (left-fielder), and José Stuntz (shortstop).

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THE CUBAN CONNECTION

He and his once nemesis, Clark Blackman, are now friends.

Romi Gonzalez ’65 and John Hine ’67, P’07 Share with Hugo Hartenstein and Jose Stuntz Similar Stories of Departing Cuba and Joining the Christ School Fraternity.

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Gonzalez is a New Orleans lawyer and president of the International Cuba Society, an organization committed to improving relations between the U.S. and Cuba. This March, he helped organize and lead an unprecedented gathering in Havana of business executives, attorneys, and civic leaders from the two countries called the Cuba Hoy (Cuba Today) Conference. The conference addressed educational, cultural, and business interests.

Hine, an oil executive based in Louisiana, grew up in Cuba attending Ruston Academy, the headmaster of which organized the “Pedro Pan” effort to get children out of Cuba to escape Castro’s regime. His grandfather and father were in the sugar business, and in 1959 what began as a routine Christmas vacation to visit family in the U.S. ended up being the last time Hine and his siblings would see their Cuban home.

On Coming to Christ School Gonzalez: Gonzalez’s father was bishop of the Episcopal Church in Cuba. In 1961 – in light of the imminent Bay of Pigs invasion and after speaking with Christ School 1963 classmate Rick Braddock’s father, Daniel M. Braddock, who had served as counselor and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Havana – his father sent him to the U.S. to attend Christ School. Although Gonzalez’s parents stayed behind in Cuba to help the church stay together, his father welcomed the opportunity for his son to attend a school nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where tuition was kept low because students did all the work on campus and ran a farm.

Although Gonzalez only attended Christ School for his 9th and 10th grade years (he transferred to Sewanee Military Academy after sophomore year), the experience left a lasting impression on him. He, like many of his Cuban classmates, was a natural baseball player, but wrestling was new to him his first year.

“There’s a funny story,” Gonzalez recalls. “It was our first real wrestling match. We played Spartanburg Country Day School, and I had no idea what I was doing, and I pinned this guy in 30 seconds. The school wrote this great article about how this novice wrestling team had beat Spartanburg. Years later when I was at Sewanee, The University of the South, I met the guy I beat in my fraternity!”

Gonzalez then learned that his victory was due to prejudice, not skill. “He said that everyone had kidded him that he was going to be wrestling this Cuban gorilla, and all he wanted to do was to get off the mat as fast as he could, so he threw himself on his back.”

Hine: “We came out and never went back,” Hine says, “although my parents went back and got 45 pounds of luggage and $200 out of the bank.

My mother used to tell the story about, ‘My little Tiffany vase stays, the copper baby shoes go, the knickknack from Marshall Fields in Chicago stays, the baby pictures go …’”

Hine joined Christ School’s Form I and stayed through senior year. “I was 12; I weighed 89 pounds and there were eight of us eighth graders.

Four of us went all the way through.” His family settled in Louisiana.

Life at Christ School Gonzalez on The Job Program, Mr. Dave, and Coach Fayssoux: “I think what my father liked best about Christ School was the job program,” Gonzalez says. He was assigned to the furnace in Harris House.

“Back then, the sophomores got the furnaces,” he says. “That was a good job because it was what they called a permanent job back then. You didn’t have to switch every Sunday and you got to live in Harris,” which was otherwise for juniors and seniors. But having grown up in Cuba, Gonzalez was not well acquainted with furnaces.

“First of all, why do they assign a Cuban to a furnace? I had never seen a furnace nor knew anything about it.” A cold snap arrived in the fall.

“That evening, I went to look at it and it looked fine. I did not check what they call the worm that feeds the furnace to see how much coal it had. I didn’t know the temperature was about to drop.

It did, and of course when it burned all that

Hine, a Christ School trustee, discusses his past on a recent visit to campus.

coal, the worm was exposed and then the smoke backed up, and a young history teacher, Mr. Beatty, and his wife and two babies were smoked out of their Harris House apartment.” Gonzalez earned himself his first work list.

But he didn’t mind it, because it meant a week of walking with Mr. Dave. “I basically walked with him all week. He knew that I didn’t know what I was doing with a furnace and that I had never had a work list before. I walked with him and he talked to me. He was such a nice guy.… Mr. Dave was a tough guy, and we didn’t mind it.”

“Fayssoux had a rule in baseball. If you didn’t swing at a third strike, you had to run around the athletic compound, which was a mile, four times.

Bob Henry ’64 struck out without swinging four times one day. He had to run 16 laps after practice every day. We’d go and pack up and get showered and he’d still be there.” The rule was that you had run every afternoon until the next game. “We had a long spell without a game, and Fayssoux never let him off. He wanted to make a point.”

Gonzalez and Henry went on to become fraternity brothers at Sewanee. “We would be sitting around having a beer and I’d say, ‘Why didn’t you swing?’”

Hine on Mr. Dave, Captain Reid, and Coach Fayssoux: “I sat next to Mr. Dave in the Dining Hall, and my mother was getting these horrible Monday letters from me about the food. Mr. Dave made me sit next to him for two weeks, and I never complained about the food again.”

His first year, Hine won the Merrimon prize for the highest grades in the school. He went on to UNC-Chapel Hill, much to Latin teacher Captain Reid’s dismay. “Captain Reid lectured about the Civil War and was famous for creating battles with his potatoes on the table. He was crushed I didn’t go to Davidson to pole vault.”

Hine played football, basketball, and track. “I talked so much, I was quarterback for the football team and a point guard when little guys could play basketball, and my mother shipped bamboo poles so I could pole vault, because I was too little to carry a steel pole.”

He was a UNC-Chapel Hill Morehead-Cain finalist but was up too late the night before his interview making the final free throws to win the varsity basketball conference tournament.

Coach Fayssoux said to him, “You know, Hine,

academics for you is just an inconvenient interlude between athletic endeavors.”

But clearly the classroom had made an impression on him: At UNC, as the only freshman in a senior Latin class, he proved to already know everything the class had to offer, and received 15 hours of credit. “Same thing in math.” He credits his preparation to the teaching of Mr. Deason in math and Captain Reid in Latin.

On Cuba Today Gonzalez: When I spoke with Gonzalez in February, he was excited and hopeful about the bridges that would be built from the Cuba Hoy Conference. After the conference, he told me that the trip was a great success: “We found men on the street in Havana filled with hope, something which has been sadly missed for many years. They refer to December 17,” the day of the joint announcements in Washington and Havana of the lifting of the trade embargo, “as a day to be revered. We had lunch at the auditorium of the Cathedral School next to the Episcopal Cathedral. We discussed many topics, including the plans for Camp Blankenship Conference Center in the mountains of central Cuba. This might be a great future project for CS students during school breaks.”

Of the situation in Cuba today, Gonzalez says: “I’m just hoping they get it right this time. It is really a second revolution.… They are going to form their own way, and that’s going to take some time. I’m optimistic.”

Hine: I’m sure my mother’s 1959 Dodge Rambler, which is full of Hugo and Chevrolet parts, is still rambling around there.”

Hine hasn’t returned and has given up on getting his families’ possessions back.

“I believe that their government is going to be highly resistant to a wave of people going in there with their laptops and their MasterCards. Suddenly, those people are going to realize that they don’t have to live that way. Because when you live in a place where the information is controlled, you can’t imagine what you don’t know.”

“One of the sayings I have in my office is, ‘There is no greater disinfectant on most things than a little sunlight.’ People are going to realize that living in squalor is no longer OK, that they deserve to have up-to-date information through the Internet and quality produce and meats in the grocery store.

“I can remember in my old office, this woman from Cuba came to the States and went into a Kroger supermarket and said, ‘This can’t be real; it must be an exhibit for visitors!’” n

Gonzalez in his New Orleans law office.

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Below: The CS Peru group pose above Machu Picchu.

Spring Service Learning 14

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Work and Adventure in Nicaragua Christ School’s trip to Nicaragua marked our fifth year of service work and adventure in Central America. We continued our partnership with the Fabretto Center, the country’s leading non-profit organization that focuses on improving education throughout Nicaragua.

Nine Christ School students, Liam Pulsifer ’15,

Cole Dowdle ’16, Belk McDill ’16, Jonathan Harris ’17, Sage Holley ’17, Holden Hutto ’17, Will Hulsing ’17, Nicky Anixter ’17, and Lawrence Freeman ’18, and two teachers, Director of Residential Life Isaac Rankin and Science Chair Ron Ramsey, ventured from Managua to the town of Somoto in Northern Nicaragua. The 2015 trip focused on adding a second classroom to the same central building, continuing the tradition begun by the 2014 trip.

Most of the work involved digging holes for the foundation of the room. In addition to breaking, digging, and removing the dirt, they focused on building the rebarb structures and mixing and pouring concrete that would also serve in planting a firm foundation for the classroom.

The days were also marked with visits to

English classes and soccer matches with the local students on the slanted and dirt-packed field below the school. The evenings brought the simple pleasure of authentic local cuisine, offering a variety of cooked meats, served with rice, beans, vegetables, and lots of Coca Cola.

The adventures of their final 48 hours in Nicaragua were breathtaking and exhilarating.

They sailed on inner tubes through the hidden gem of Somoto Canyon, not far from El Rodeo, then travelled south to the historic lakeside city of Grenada. They zip lined at the base of Mombacho Volcano, flying through the trees that overlook Grenada and Lake Nicaragua. They spent the last afternoon on the shores of Laguna de Apoyo, a crater lake with rich blue waters.

Students emerged buoyed up by both the accomplishments of their labor and the joy and laughter of the students they met. Each day they questioned what they had learned, and how they could be better servants tomorrow, a question they carried back with them to Christ School. n

Peruvian Pleasures “The trip to Peru surpassed even our loftiest expectations,” says Foreign Language Chair Vanessa Giuliani, who along with Coordinator of Student Life Outreach Travis Harris led twelve students, Russel Chen ’15, Fabrice Dallies ’16, Henry Guthery ’16, Christian Nichols ’16, Trevor Murrah ’16, Quinn Cone ’17, John Helton ’17, Wade Mouer ’17, Felix Raithel ’17, Adam Pollard

The CS Nicaragua crew stand at the new classroom foundation.

’18, William Smoots ’18, and Hunter Vines ’18, through Peru. The beauty of the Andes Mountains, the kindness of the Peruvian people, and the historic treasures that awaited them added to the incredible richness and depth of their experiences.

Two of the students had never been out of the country and this opportunity was life changing for them. However, the most specular thing about the trip to South America was the culture of the Peruvian cities and their people.

They began their tour in Lima, the capital city of 10 million. The city of Lima is like none other: culturally diverse, with beautiful landscapes and rich history, on a grand scale. From there they traveled by plane to Cusco, a smaller city nestled 12,000 feet above sea level in the heart of the Andes Mountains. Cusco provided more of the same enchantment but on a smaller scale, filled with hospitality and a small town atmosphere.

Their excursions included a day trip to the mystical Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, horseback riding on the Incan Trail, and a train ride through the Sacred Valley.

Machu Picchu, from a historical context, along with the beauty of breathtaking architecture and backdrop, was everything they could have imagined!

Beyond the sights, the food, music, arts, and history made for a very well-rounded trip, and our students had the chance to experience everything Peru had to offer.

Shortly after returning home from the trip, Henry Guthery tweeted, “That was the best week of my life.” n

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All Roads Lead to

ROME 16

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The old adage is true: all roads do lead to Rome. During Father Brown’s summer 2014 Van Every Foundation sponsored trip to Rome, he and wife Shelley’s decision to visit friend Austin Rios who serves as rector of the Episcopal Church in Rome planted the seed for a Christ School service trip over Spring Break. St. Paul’s Within the Walls houses an ambitious and successful outreach program for political refugees, coordinated by Austin’s wife, Jill. What seemed a far-fetched dream of bringing students back one day became a reality just a few months later, thanks to the hard work of Jill and Olga Mahoney, Director of Service Learning – not to mention the work of the Holy Spirit!

In March, 10 students (Will Buckner ’15, Patrick Grace ’15, Marcellos Allison ’16,

The CS Rome crew in front of the Vatican.

Devon Johnson ’16, Cal Jansen ’16, Andrew Muller ’16, George Thornton ’16, Jackson Hill ’16, Henry Hawthorne ’17, and Morgan MacDonald ’17) dedicated themselves to offering hospitality to political refugees at the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center – a ministry of St. Paul’s Within the Walls Episcopal Church in Rome. This trip presented an opportunity to learn about the biggest humanitarian crisis gripping the world, to explore the history of Rome, and to travel to Assisi, Naples, and Pompeii.

On their first day in Rome, they were given a detailed orientation about their work at JNRC and were deeply touched by the words of their guide, a refugee who arrived in 2012 from Mali. He walked them through a day in the life of a refugee – from camping at the train station, to looking for food and shelter, to washing clothes in a fountain in the park. This was only the beginning of what proved to be a transformative trip.

They spent their mornings at the Center, a very lively place where about 100 young people find peace and respite from the pain and hardship of being a refugee. Here they get coffee, toiletries, and clothing, watch news, play cards, chess, and foosball, and engage in English and Italian classes. In the afternoons they toured Rome. Additional weekend excursions in Assisi and Pompeii introduced students to the culture and history of Italy.

According to Mrs. Mahoney, the students brought energy, empathy, and enthusiasm to the Center (along with some much needed clothes and games). One evening, over an Afghan dinner at the refugee center, they helped celebrate some refugees’ news regarding their asylum status. Refugees shared their stories and artwork. Creating baskets, jewelry, and placemats helps them heal and to give back to the Center. During the trip, our group made time for intentional reflection on their experiences and repeated our familiar Chapel prayer, the Prayer of St. Francis. n

Weight Loss Challenge: A Lose-Win Initiative

Christ School’s 2nd Habitat for Humanity Student Build Project Christ School participated in the “Wall-Raising Ceremony” on Friday, March 27, to commence building Christ School’s second Habitat home in the last three years. More than 60 boys, along with faculty, family, and friends of the school, joined our partners from Asheville Christian and Carolina Day School to celebrate the start of building for partner family Trish Wolfe and her two sons. Students at Christ School have raised more than $18,333 to support the student build, meeting our goal for the 2014-2015 school year. Official building began on Thursday, March 26, and between then and the end of the school year, students from all three schools contributed more than 1000 hours of service to build the house, which should be completed over the summer.

Christ School and Asheville Christian Academy participated in the first Habitat Student Build in Swannanoa, building a home with Tammy Haynie and her family during the 2012-2013 school year.

Robert Bonds ’16, who helped lead this service project, gave a brief speech at the ceremony, stating: “we all want a better world for everyone. We hope to make a difference, whether for millions, or for one family... So let us raise this wall with hope, willing to learn and work as team, alongside the most important volunteers of all, the Wolfe family, to build this home together.” n

This January, post holiday break, English teacher and varsity football coach Mark Moroz introduced a school-wide project called the Weight Loss Challenge to benefit a local organization, MANNA Food Bank, that helps feed the hungry in Western North Carolina.

Students and faculty weighed in in January and again in May. For every pound lost, Christ School agreed to donate fifty cents to MANNA. The school raised close to $300, with one student losing 38 pounds. n

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Kiffen Loomis ’16 Takes First Place in Three Music Competitions

Co-Valedictorians Conrad Ma and Liam Pulsifer pose with Director of Curriculum and Academics Joe Mouer.

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Liam Pulsifer Accepted into University Scholars Program at Duke University On April 8, Liam Pulsifer ’15 was welcomed into the University Scholars Program at Duke University. The University Scholars Program offers 100% tuition, plus room, board, and other mandatory fees for all four years of his undergraduate degree. There are also opportunities for fully-funded study abroad trips or other research and study options funded

by Duke, such as Duke Engage, the Dean’s Summer Research Fellowships, or the Howard Hughes Undergraduate Program for scientific research.

Earlier this year, Liam was also a National Merit Scholar finalist as well as a semifinalist for the Morehead-Cain, one of the most prestigious scholarships a student can earn in the United States, based solely on merit.

At Christ School, Liam was the Honor Council Chair, an AP Scholar with Distinction, a High Honors Scholar, and Day Student Prefect. He is also an athlete and musician named MVP of the tennis team and a member

of the North Carolina All State Band. He shares his musical talent with the service learning group Notes from the Soul, a Christ School student-outreach program. Liam is the first student Chief Editor of the school’s literary magazine, Struan, and was awarded the Vth Form Book Prize for maintaining the highest GPA among all students in 11th grade. Liam was also co-Valedictorian of the senior class and the 2015 Commencement Speaker. “Liam possesses that rare blend of character, skill, curiosity, and determination – all prerequisites for someone destined to do great things at the university level and beyond,” observed Kirk Blackard, Director of College Guidance. n

Conrad Ma ’15 Named Morehead-Cain Scholar Conrad Ma ’15 has been selected as a MoreheadCain Scholar at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. The Morehead-Cain Scholarship is the oldest merit based scholarship program in the country. It is considered one of the most highly selective programs in the country with only three percent of candidates gaining admission to the program each year.

Conrad arrived at Christ School from Yantai, China as a sophomore and quickly began making an impact across campus. Conrad served as a Senior Prefect, Honor Council Representative, and as a member of the service organization Notes for the Soul.

An accomplished beat-boxer, Conrad has traveled all over the world sharing his gifts and talents, including recently at a TEDx event in Greenville, SC. The Morehead-Cain Scholarship fully funds tuition, books, room and board, a computer, and four summer experiences. Conrad is Christ School’s second student in three years to be named a Morehead-Cain Scholar (Chambers Loomis ’13). n

Gilbert Browne ’15 Receives Gold Key at Scholastic Art Awards The 2015 Scholastic Art Awards, co-sponsored by the Asheville Art Museum and the Asheville section of the American Institute of Architects, held the judging of the regional competition on January 17. About 800 artworks were entered by students from all public and private schools in 21 counties of western North Carolina. The awards ceremony was held on February 15 at the art museum.

From the 800, 120 pieces were chosen for display in the gallery of the museum from January 24 to March 8, 2015. These pieces all received Honorable Mention citation. Then, a further choice of 20 pieces were awarded Gold Key awards and were entered into a national competition. Gilbert received Honorable Mention for his portfolio of eight digital photographs, and an individual photo, entitled “Boy In the Sandstorm” was awarded a Gold Key. At Christ School, Gilbert has run cross country and track, participated in Notes from the Soul and a service trip to Nicaragua, added his excellent baritone to the choir, and helped compile and edit Struan and The Angelus.

His advisor, Emily Pulsifer, reflected on Gilbert’s photography and portraiture and explained “Gilbert’s always been able to identify what makes each individual an individual. He pays close attention to the quirks and affects that reveal character. His photography shows this sensitivity and prods us to consider things we think we know in new and often better ways.” n

Christ School junior and pianist Kiffen Loomis won three competitions since January of this year, earning him the opportunity to play as a soloist with three symphony orchestras throughout North Carolina.

On January 24, he competed against 40 musicians from all over the state in the Concerto Competition hosted by the Charlotte Symphony Guild. He won first place and will perform as a soloist with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra on April 29, 2015.

Following that success, Kiffen came in first place again in a competition against 80 students in the Peter Perret Youth Talent Search, giving him the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra on March 14, 2015. In February, he won the Hendersonville Symphony Young Artist Concerto Competition, and performed with the Hendersonville Symphony on May 2, 2015.

At Christ School, Kiffen is the president of Notes from the Soul, the outreach group of student musicians that teaches and performs for children in Western North Carolina. He has been on the high honor roll every term, and has taken 8 AP classes. He has been named an AP Scholar based on his scores on the exams from the last two years. Last year, Kiffen won the Physics Award and for three consecutive years he has won the Form Award for having the highest GPA in his form (2012, 2013, 2014). He has also been a valuable member of the varsity tennis team since his arrival in 8th grade, playing in the top five positions his last three years. Additionally, he is an Eagle Scout. His advisor, Mike Mohney, reflects that Kiffen “has provided invaluable leadership” during his time as a Boy Scout and at Christ School. Kiffen’s family lives in Asheville. n

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faculty

Student Created App:

ENV LVE Junior Liam McCann contributed to the creation of a private group messaging app named envolve by helping with market research and formulating a go-to-market plan for his demographic; the app was designed by Trunk Media to make communication in his soccer league more stream-lined and efficient. As a member of the Asheville Highland Football Club, he appreciates the way envolve improves the distribution of schedule and practice information between coaches, parents, and players. Liam says, “I am so honored to have been a part of one of the area’s largest startup companies, and certainly one of the few in the tech sector. It is truly exciting to see this new development that will hopefully increase. With release of the app right around the corner, I can assure you everyone is very busy, but also very excited. I have certainly learned a lot from the fantastic people at Trunk Media, and wish them only great success.” n

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in & around yard a NEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS

cruising to victory The Ultimate Dorm Wars Competition

The 2015 Cardboard Regatta marks the end of the school year at Christ School, but it is also a 10-year tradition that marks the transition in leadership on campus. Newly tapped prefects and proctors in the dorms work alongside house members to compete in the ultimate Dorm Wars competition. The rules are simple: each dorm receives cardboard, duct tape, and paint. They must construct a vessel, buoyant and leak-proof enough to race to one end of “The Lake” and back with two rowers. Designs this year included rafts, standard cardboard

canoes, and square vessels with aerodynamic fins. As always, students and faculty gathered on a Sunday May afternoon for the 2:00 p.m. start. The anticipation and rivalry culminates in a 3-minute race filled with strategy and sinking. This year, Cuningham House broke away from the pack “at the turn” and cruised to a victory over Noland House. Harris House finished in third. Sadly, Harris, South Carolina, and Young House did not finish the race. Cuningham not only took the title for the second year in a row, they also won the Dorm Wars trophy for the year!

New Athletic Department Leadership Christ School is pleased to announce the hiring of Scott Willard as our new Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach effective July 1, 2015. Scott comes to us after being the Athletic Director at Louisville Collegiate and brings a plethora of experience to the Christ School community. He served as Athletic Director, Head Boys Basketball Coach, and economics teacher at the Miller School in Charlottesville, VA. Scott previously worked at the Tilton School (NH) where he served as an instructor of mathematics, dorm parent, and head boys’ basketball and soccer coach.

Scott formerly served as head basketball coach at Lesley University (Cambridge, MA) and was Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, WY. Scott is a highly motivated, experienced administrator, who is driven by his ability to work with adolescents, coaches, and faculty.

He will oversee our entire athletic program as well as develop a faculty-wide Wellness Program.

Scott graduated from Kenyon College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Plymouth State University. Scott is married to Rachel and has three daughters; Samantha (7), Haley (3), and Lexi (1).

Additionally, we are happy to introduce Bobby Long as our new Associate Athletic Director and Associate Head Basketball Coach effective July 1, 2015. Bobby was most recently the Athletic Director at Chinquapin Prep School (Houston, TX) as well as head basketball coach, dorm parent, and AP U.S. History teacher. Bobby will also teach a history course. Bobby graduated from Grinnell College in 2008 and was a four-year starter on the men’s basketball team and was 5th in the nation his senior year for 3-point shooting and free throws. He also played professionally in Europe for the Rattelsdorf Independents.

Bobby’s ability to work with and motivate young people is remarkable and we welcome him and his fiancée, Stephanie Marzuola, to the Christ School family.

Duncan Parham, current Interim Athletic Director, will become Assistant Athletic Director for Programs and Facilities. Duncan will continue to head up our strength and conditioning program as well as oversee our expanding athletic facilities. Christ School will be building a state-of-the-art indoor athletic facility complete with a second floor weight and conditioning room with an indoor athletic space and running track. Duncan will also be instrumental in assisting Scott Willard in developing a new school-wide Wellness Program for both students and faculty.

Duncan’s organizational skills, intuitional knowledge, and ability to bring confidence to young people will remain at the forefront of his responsibilities. n

Willard

James Uhler to Serve on AP Standards Setting Panel The College Board selected History teacher James Uhler to serve on the Standards Setting Panel for the AP United States History Exam in June 2015. He was one of 15 AP US History teachers and college professors chosen to serve on the panel. With the ongoing redesigns of AP courses, the College Board created the Standards Setting Panels to align student performance on the exams with comparable college courses. As part of the panel, James will review achievement expectations on exam questions and translate points earned by students into the scaled scores of 1-5 given on AP Exams. Since the AP US History Course was redesigned for 2015, James will have the opportunity to serve on the first of such panels for this exam. n

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Long

Uhler

Speaking the

Same Language[s]

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What has been the best thing about this class so far?

The best thing about this class so far is that it has helped me figure out what languages I may possibly take in the future.

Would you recommend this class to new 8th graders next year? Why or why not?

I would most certainly recommend this class to other 8th graders for the future. I say this because it not only helps the students figure out what languages that they want to take, but it also teaches them about the culture and world issues that are tied to each language. It was great to see the teachers in their own classrooms.

in & around yard a NEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS

Has this class given you insight to other languages that you may not have considered learning?

Yes it did, because it made me realize other things that were associated with the language and it also gave me a new appreciation for these languages.

Jacob Dowler (answered in paragraph form): This course was more or less what I expected it to be. I didn’t expect as much history as

The World Languages Department expanded its course offerings in the spring of 2015 with an Introduction to Languages and Cultures class. This course was created so that 8th grade students with little experience in a second language would have the opportunity to be exposed to each of the languages offered at Christ School.

In this way they will be better able to make an informed decision when it comes time to select a language in 9th grade. The students spend approximately four weeks learning about each language: Arabic, Latin, Mandarin, and Spanish. During this time, students acquire basic speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills as they address everyday topics in a cultural context.

In the words of Evan Hoyle: Was this course what you were expecting it to be? If not, it what way is it different?

Yes it was in many ways much as I expected.

I thought that we would just be learning more about the language, but I really did like the fact the we were also exposed to the culture and world issues that are linked to these languages.

was involved, but was pleasantly surprised by it. I was not considering taking Arabic as a language, but while in the class I decided that Arabic was my favorite language. I would have otherwise wasted a year on another language that I did not enjoy. I thoroughly enjoyed the cultural part of these classes. It has provided me with an insight into what life in these countries is really like. I would definitely recommend this class to eighth graders. n

Top photo: Students take notes in Mr. Stump’s Latin class.

Bottom Left: Mrs. Chung conducts a Mandarin Chinese lesson.

Bottom Right: William Dodenhoff reviews the handout.

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Speaker Series Presents

DAVID

GERGEN

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Headmaster Krieger and students Will Fleming ’17, Matt Halvorsen ’17, Christian Nichols ’16, and John Fulkerson ’16 greet Gergen after his speech.

David Gergen addressed a crowd of over 600 that included students, faculty, and visitors April 2nd as part of the Christ School Speaker Series. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, as well as a veteran of the United States Navy, Mr. Gergen served four presidents from both political parties during his political career (Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton). Since leaving politics, Mr. Gergen has had an extensive career in journalism – acting as chief editor for US News and World Report and appearing regularly on CNN as a senior political analyst. In 1999, Mr. Gergen joined the Harvard faculty, where he is also the Director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

After his speech, Mr. Gergen took questions from the audience and then spoke with over fifty students individually. Bennett David ’18 (Asheville, NC) commented “Mr. Gergen painted a very informative and enlightening picture of United States politics from his point of view as a four-time presidential advisor.

He encouraged all of us to continue to work to make America a better place through a commitment to service.”

Thomas Clarity ’16 (Piney Flats, TN) added, “While having an easy sense of humor, Mr. Gergen gave us a rare perspective from someone with a nonpartisan view explaining the past and current state of our government in a very realistic way.”

Christ School was proud to welcome Mr. Gergen, a Durham native, back to North Carolina. Other recent speakers include Louie Zamperini, Former North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue, Ross Perot, Wes Moore, and Marcus Luttrell. n

Christ School Students Compete in the State Quiz Bowl Tournament Christ School’s Quiz Bowl team, coached by math teacher Sandy Powers and History Chair Ben Dowling, started with 16 members last year. Since then, they built a competitive team that made it to the state tournament this year.

The team participates in the North Carolina Association of Scholastic Activities (NCASA) with 230 other schools. This year, Christ School competed in their first NCASA regional tournament, held on March 7 during spring break. They placed 3rd, qualifying for the state tournament.

Christ School’s Quiz Bowl team, comprised of mainly freshmen and sophomores, competed against upperclassmen in the state tournament on Saturday, March 28. After fielding 640 questions, the team placed 14th. Their goal for next year is to make it back to the state level and place even higher. Head coach Sandy Powers is ready for the opportunity: “We know

what we have to do, and will work hard to accomplish that goal.”

In honor of their achievements this year, the Greenies wrapped up this season with a special school-wide tournament; team members, non-team members, faculty, and staff were all invited to compete. Basing it on March Madness, the team created a bracket competition with 64 students, faculty, and staff participating. The championship match was held in Pingree Auditorium and staged like a nationally televised competition. It was an exciting time as Patrick Cunningham ’17 and Liam Pulsifer ’15 competed against English teacher Mr. Joe Dalton and chemistry teacher Mr. Justin Thompson. It was a close battle, and the final score ended up being decided by one question – Mr. Dalton and Mr. Thompson were the victors. n

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Top Left: Ben Dowling presents trophies to CS Quiz Bowl champions Mr. Dalton and Mr. Thompson.

Top Right: The 2015 Quiz Bowl team.

2015 Spring Concert

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in & around yard a NEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS

PAR Christ School is pleased to announce its newly completed Disc Golf Course. This past fall eighth grader Nick Dee teamed up with senior Jones Barton to pitch the idea to Director of Student Life Jeff Miles and Headmaster Paul Krieger as a way to capitalize on our beautiful 500-acre campus, while offering a new athletic option for students. The 9-hole course, which was completed in January, begins at the entrance to the former Lower Soccer Fields and ends just above the old Hay Field. It offers two different levels of T-Pads – one for Beginners and one for Experts.

During the 2015-16 school year, the Greenies will have its first Disc Golf team during both the fall and spring seasons, coached by new science teacher Chris Loan,

Founders Nick Dee ’19 and Jones Barton ’15 try out the new course.

The 2015 Spring Concert took place on Fayssoux Field on a beautiful afternoon in early April. The outdoor concert has featured a variety of faculty and student performers who open for professional bands from across the Southeast. This year, Christ School performers included student-rapper Matt Betts ’15 and a band led by Andrew Stevenson ’15. Both performances opened for The Haley and Alexis Band, a country duo out of Nashville. Christ School families and students shared the event with young ladies from our sister schools, Chatham Hall and Salem Academy, as well as friends from the Asheville area. Beyond the music, students enjoyed Rita’s Ice and an array of inflatable obstacle courses, velcro walls, and bounce rooms. The annual event also includes the tradition of a slip-and-slide on the hill behind the Science Wing. n

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The Three Musketeers

and will compete with local schools as part of the Western North Carolina Disc Golf League (WNCDG). We will also host several tournaments on our course. According to Jay McCarthy, the head of North Carolina’s Disc Golf league, our course is “the premiere course in Western North Carolina, both due to its challenging terrain and its scenic vistas.” n

Christ School Theater’s spring production was The Three Musketeers. The adaptation by Ken Ludwig was based on the timeless swashbuckler by Alexandre Dumas, a tale of heroism, treachery, close escapes, and above all, honor. It is the story of D’Artagnan (James Turley ’17) who sets off for Paris in search of adventure with his sister, Sabine (Kaitlin Rose Jencks, Asheville). His encounters with the famous Musketeers, Athos (Trevor Murrah ’16), Porthos (Daniel Beale ’17), and Aramis (Beau Simmons ’18), in addition to tangles with Cardinal Richelieu (Davis Grubb ’18) and his minions, Rochefort (Dave Warriner ’15) and Milday (Louise Cummins, Hendersonville) gallop along with humor, excitement, and lots of fun. The Christ School students were joined

by Amy Mayer, Devin Hickman, and Julie Youtz, girls from the Asheville and Hendersonville area. Students worked with Hamilton Goodman, a professional fight director, to learn stage combat and fencing techniques and wielded authentic metal swords and daggers rented from a company that supplies the theater and film industry. Playing D’Artagnan’s father was Mr. Jose Martin, a CS teacher and coach, in his first speaking role. The play was a hit and everyone enjoyed this epic production. n

Above: Scott Ullstein ’16 launches down the slip-and-slide.

Below: Ben Pearce ’16 hits the target and dunks Mr. Kaneft.

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Saturday Scrabble with Ms. Pulsifer

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2015 mother/ son weekend On the weekend of April 24 more than 100 Greenies and their moms celebrated Christ School’s Mother/Son Weekend. Moms and sons alike enjoyed a fun and exciting weekend both on campus and in and around Asheville.

Friday evening kicked off the fun with dinner catered by Greenie favorite Moe’s BBQ under a tent by the athletic fields. Gifts of an Angelus embellished green pashmina for ladies and Greenie designed t-shirts for the boys were given out, while moms and sons enjoyed visiting

by Mitzi Purvis P’15

and cheering on our teams throughout the afternoon. After dinner, moms enjoyed a lovely wine and champagne hour at the Kriegers’ home, while the boys held the first-ever Christ School Lip Sync Contest in Pingree Auditorium.

Saturday morning we were treated to a wonderful breakfast on campus followed by a choice of hiking on the beautiful grounds of Christ School, participating in community service with the boys, or competing in a fast-paced game of disc golf on the new campus course. The rest of the afternoon was spent enjoying the many attractions Asheville has to offer.

The moms had rave reviews about the

special weekend. One mom said “the beauty of Mother/Son weekend is the joy of watching all these young men interact with their moms in such a caring and respectful way. They truly enjoy the company of all the moms!” Another happy mom echoed these sentiments,“the fun of Mother/Son Weekend is the opportunity to concentrate your energy and spoil your son without the interruption of other family members or family obligations.”

Co-coordinators Darrin Blevins P’16, P’18 and Mitzi Purvis P’15 thank the many mothers and CS staff members who made the second Mother/ Son Weekend such a smashing success! n

The Scrabble competition was fierce in Intro to Genres, Christ School’s 9th grade English class offering, this spring.

On Saturdays starting in January (Christ School holds Saturday classes one weekend each month), students in Ms. Pulsifer and Mr. Moroz’s classes showcased their vocabulary and spelling (and occasionally their poker faces) during an epic tournament.

Students enjoyed hot cocoa and tea while racking up high-scoring words. The top five scorers, McKinley Bell, Gabe Blevins, Bennett David, Carson Jones, and Jackson Zemp, received Barnes & Noble gift certificates – and bragging rights. n

Brian Li, Luke Brazinski, and Walker Vasey pause during play.

2o15 Commencement 30

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DARE to Disturb the Universe!

2o15 graduation weekend

The festivities began with senior night, a rollicking roast of the Class of 2015 led by Master of Ceremonies and History Chair Ben Dowling. Seniors and families were celebrated by underclassmen Doug Bland ’19 and Stockton Burke ’16 and by classmates Miles Bowser and Malik Johnson. Highlights of the evening included a moving poem by Malik entitled “Optimistic Calamity” and the choir’s rendition of “Brown Eyed Girl” that brought the audience to its feet. After Saturday evening’s Awards Ceremony, seniors, families, students, and faculty gathered on Yard A on the morning of Sunday, May 17 for Christ School’s 115th Commencement Ceremony. Speaking to the 51 graduates were Co-Valedictorian Liam Pulsifer and Science teacher and Teacher of the Year David Williams. Liam urged his classmates to “dare to disturb the universe… go! Live, love,

succeed, fail, eat, sleep, do, be, and don’t forget to remember…it has to start somewhere, it has to start sometime. What better place than here, what better time than now?” He was followed by Mr. Williams who quoted Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” to support his claim that “youth is not an age, but a time.” He also re-phrased the Prayer of St. Francis (one that is commonly said in Chapel) as a charge to the Class of 2015: “Use the gifts from your youth to make this a better world.

Where you find sadness, bring joy; where you find need, rise to meet it; where you find hurt, be quick to console, where you find the downtrodden, lift them up; where you find corruption, shine on it the light of blazing truth.” Following the speeches, diplomas and Bibles were presented to each graduate by Headmaster Paul Krieger, Director of Academics Joe Mouer, and Chaplain Kirk Brown.

Congratulations Class of 2015! n

Optimistic Calamity

By Malik Johnson ’15

Plant a flower in a trailer park, people will question why you try to make trash pretty Give a homeless man a cent, people say he’ll just drink it, he’s not worth your penny With negative eyes people don’t realize how petty pretty is when it comes to living life like this See a pessimist is acidic because the lower they’re willing to go, the more dangerous they can be But see, an acidic pessimistic mentality fighting an exciting optimistic reality can only end in a truly realistic calamity Let me say it again, but slower An acidic pessimistic mentality fighting an exciting optimistic reality can only end in a truly realistic calamity Two of the three mind states in which I stated are considered to be real, Optimistic and calamity but truthfully, there’s only one reality, though it won’t happen easily, only you can decide which state your mind will be, let me remind you, it’s not what you look at but what you see.

Christ School has only one entrance but there’s two ways to enter View the gates as an opening to a new life or prison bars that you dream of escaping each night We experience the tune of a perfectly orchestrated community with a band of more than brothers We experience lonely nights that help us realize how much we truly love our mothers We experience breath taking moments that when we recollect, it still smothers.

Opportunity isn’t given, it’s taken.

If you’re looking for a handout this isn’t this place for you No one can give you a clear-cut answer to life, but here, they at least give a clue.

I’ve decided that for me, everything in life is double sided Every time one door closed, pain was imposed.

If I couldn’t find another door, I began searching for windows.

The window of opportunity has been sweet to me because I wouldn’t allow myself to be smothered in fear which for some, has become a chronic disease Fear is always going to steer the mind to a pessimistic approach We complain when it’s dark because our eyes can’t see, so we fear But there’s a bright side to darkness as well, God is always here, he is the wind, we are the kite, so fight to keep your mind right because without night we won’t appreciate Sunlight.

Thank God for every milestone and mistake in life, The beauty is we only get one chance, but every morning is another opportunity to make it right.

congratulations seniors!

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Above: Father Brown presents Miles Bowser with his Bible.

Below: Faculty and staff gather before the ceremony.

o 2 15

senior night

Above: Andy Wang sings a solo with the choir.

Below: Senior poet Malik Johnson.

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Headmaster Commendations Alejandro Arguindegui ’18 Doug Bland ’19 Gabe Blevins ’18 Finn Bridgeford ’18 Patrick Cunningham ’17 Bronson Gatts ’18 Thomas Hoefer ’17 Carson Jones ’18 Justin Rhode ’17 Vance Stiles ’17 Jackson Zemp ’18

awards

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in & around yard a

Leadership Awards Valedictorians.................................................................. Conrad Ma ’15 and Liam Pulsifer ’15 The Headmaster’s Cup.................................................... Antonio Vaglica ’15 The Big Brother Award.................................................... Jack Purvis ’15 The Philip Tilghman Memorial....................................... John Fulkerson ’16 The PH Broyhill Award................................................... John Fleming ’15 The Class of 1941 Award................................................. Malik Johnson ’15 The Moltke-Hansen School Spirit Trophy...................... Robert Foster ’15 Scholarship Awards James Gibbon Merrimon Scholastic Prize....................... Kiffen Loomis ’16 Carlton Davies Walker Scholarship................................ Liam Pulsifer ’15 David L.M. Taylor Award & Scholarship........................ Nick Dee ’19 Switzer-Wise Scholarship................................................. Conner Allison ’15 Academic Awards Dartmouth Club Book Award......................................... Thomas Clarity ’16 Harvard Club Book Award.............................................. Kiffen Loomis ’16 Randolph College Award................................................ Harris Smoots ’16 Sewanee Award for Excellence........................................ Devon Johnson ’16 Yale Club Book Award.................................................... Devon Johnson ’16

Graduate Alex Dunn sits with his proud parents.

Departmental Awards Robert McWhorter Creative Writing.............................. Liam McCann ’16 Redwood Senior English Prize........................................ Liam Pulsifer ’15 Edward E. Ford Foundation Award................................ Kiffen Loomis ’16 Pen & Plate Award........................................................... Reid Motter ’15 Robinson Journalism Award........................................... Andrew Muller ’16 Angelus Award (Yearbook).............................................. Fabrice Dallies ’16 Grayson Cole Mathematics Award.................................. Jerry Lu ’15 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute...................................... Karl Yuan ’16 Biology Award.................................................................. Coleman Davis ’18 Chemistry Award............................................................. Chester Zhao ’18 Physics Award................................................................... Kiffen Loomis ’16 Environmental Science Award........................................ Wes Reinhardt ’16 Sacred Studies Award...................................................... Thomas Clarity ’16 Technology Programming Award.................................... Liam Pulsifer ’15 Technology Service Award............................................... Chris Schiebout ’16 NC Council Social Studies Award.................................. Jennings Milholen ’15 History Department Award............................................. Sam Sinsky ’15 Global History Awareness Award.................................... Will Smoots ’18 International Studies Award ........................................... Andy Wang ’15 Arabic Award................................................................... Jack Purvis ’15 Robert H. Reid Latin Cup............................................... Conner Allison ’15 and Kiffen Loomis ’16 Mandarin Award.............................................................. Nicky Anixter ’17 Spanish Award................................................................. Will Keenan ’16 English as a Second Language Award.............................. Daniel Zhang ’17 Art Award........................................................................ Gilbert Browne ’15 Sumner Pingree Theatre Award...................................... Trevor Murrah ’16 TheatreTechnical Award.................................................. Chalmers Carr ’15 Lawton Ingle Music Award.............................................. Andy Wang ’15 Service Learning Award................................................... Kiffen Loomis ’16 Servant Leadership Award............................................... Robert Bonds ’16

Athletic Awards Harris Award: Jack Purvis ’15 Reid Motter ’15 Sewell Hustle Award: McKinley Bell ’18 Pat James Award: Will Fleming ’17 Knighton Sportsmanship Award: Sage Holley ’17 Senior Athletic Cup: Anthony Vaglica ’15

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Form Book Prizes Second Form Award........................................................ Graham Hooker ’19 and Wyatt Gildea ’19 Third Form Award........................................................... Will Smoots ’18 and Bennett David ’18 Fourth Form Award......................................................... Zach Pulsifer ’17 Fifth Form Award............................................................ Kiffen Loomis ’16 Sixth Form Award............................................................ Liam Pulsifer ’15 The Successus Fidelitate Award The Second Form Prize................................................... Doug Bland ’19 The Third Form Prize...................................................... John Beard ’18 and Jack Hecimovich ’18 The Fourth Form Prize.................................................... Morgan MacDonald ’17 The Fifth Form Prize....................................................... Zach Ayotte ’16 Form Citizenship Awards The Second Form Award ................................................ Evan Hoyle ’19 The Third Form Award................................................... Luke Brazinski ’18 The Fourth Form Award................................................. Henry Hawthorne ’17 The Fifth Form Award..................................................... Will Keenan ’16 The Sixth Form Award.................................................... Sam Sinsky ’15

Top photo: Paul Krieger presents Robert Foster ’15 with the Spirit Trophy.

Bottom photo: Ben Dowling presents Will Smoots ’18 with The Third Form Prize.

Coaches: Eric Thorp Tiger Norman Captains: Miles Bowser ’15 Will Buckner ’15 John Caldwell ’15 Most Valuable Player: John Fulkerson ’16

under the lights

Most Improved Award: Christian Nichols ’16 John Caldwell ’15 All-Conference: John Fulkerson ’16 Justin Rhode ’17 John Caldwell ’15

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under the lights VARSITY BASKETBALL

Building for the Future

Champs The 2014-2015 varsity basketball team set their season goals to win the Carolinas Athletic Association (CAA) regular season championship, along with the CAA Tournament Championship, and also to make a run in the NCISAA State Tournament. The team accomplished all three. Lead by their senior captains the team rallied behind interim Head Coach Eric Thorp to post a 10-1 record in January to help accomplish those goals.

Finishing the season with an overall record of 25-9 (11-1, CAA), the Greenies beat Asheville Christian Academy three times this season, avenging their three losses to them last year, including the CAA Tournament championship game in mid-February. The Greenies would go on to win two games in the NCISAA 3A State Tournament, beating Southlake Christian in the 1st Round 71-59, followed by a Quarter-

Final victory over Ravenscroft by the score of 68-51. The season ended the following night in the Semi-Finals with a hard fought loss again the top seeded Wesleyan Christian Trojans 79-71.

The Greenies have a solid core of players returning for next season that include lettermen Will Fleming ’17, John Fulkerson, Matt Halvorsen ’17, Morgan McKay ’17, Christian Nichols ’16, Justin Rhode ’17, and Zach Reeves ’16. n

Above: John Caldwell ’15 pushes the ball on a fast break. Below: The always spirited and original Greenie cheering section.

The 2014-2015 varsity wrestling season proved to be a rebuilding year for the Greenies. With a starting line-up of one eighth grader, five freshmen, two sophomores, two juniors and one senior, the team match record was 8 and 23 for the season, finishing second in the CAA conference and 16th at the NCISAA State Tournament.

Senior Dave Warriner gave a solid contribution at both the 160 and 170 lbs. weight classes. The team also saw great improvement in freshmen Powell Forshaw (113 lbs.) and Will Lucas (152 lbs.), along with sophomore Will Hulsing (160 lbs.).

Other strong performances this season came from Reed Jordan ’19 (120 lbs.), Flynn Cruse ’18 (132 lbs), David Lehr ’18 (126 lbs.) and heavy-weight Chester Zhao ’18. The future is bright for the 2015-2016 season, as the Greenies will be returning all but one of their starters.

Coach Kiser and the wrestling program says goodbye to seven-year assistant coach Trevor Thornton who had been invaluable with his hands-on instruction. n

Lot Turner ’16 moves to take down his opponent.

Coaches: Ken Kiser Jamie Auch Trevor Thornton Captains: Grant Watson ’16 Lot Turner ’16 Kels Peterson ’17 Nicky Anixter ’17

Most Outstanding Wrestler: Grant Watson ’16 Most Improved Wrestler: James Turley ’17 All-Conference: James Turley ’17 Grant Watson ’16

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VARSITY WRESTLING

Riding a Wave of Success

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under the lights

The swim team enjoyed a successful 13-3 dual meet record, a second place finish in the CAA, and was eleventh out of 18 teams at the state meet. With the exception of a formidable Asheville School team, this small but talented group defeated every team it faced including Carolina Day School, Cannon School, and Asheville Christian Academy, along with West Henderson and Asheville High Schools. Out of 16 swimmers, 11 qualified for NCISAA State Meet held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center: Jack Fleming ’15, Duncan Jones ’16, Frank DeRonja ’17, Zachary Pulsifer ’17, Morgan MacDonald 17, David Shainberg ’18, Adam Pollard ’18, Beau Simmons ’18, Paul Gao ’18, Ian Song ’18, and Henry Simril ’18. At the State Meet every qualifier swam a personal best in individual or relay events.

Senior and captain Jack Fleming’s leadership and support of the younger swimmers was vital to the group’s overall success. With 10 state qualifiers returning, Greenie swimmers will ride this wave of success into a fast, competitive 2015-16 season. n

VARSITY SWIMMING

under the lights

Slicing the Slopes The Christ School ski and snowboard team showed a lot of heart and determination on the slopes this season. Every Wednesday night the team competed in the Cataloochee Interscholastic Race League located in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. The participants are also ranked on a national level using the NASTAR racing program at Cataloochee. The team always had a great time on the slopes despite fighting off record cold temperatures.

The Greenies were a very young team and the coaching staff looks forward to everyone coming back to improve on their skills in the 2016 season. n

Co-Head Coaches: Emily Pulsifer James Uhler Captain: Jack Fleming ’15 Most Valuable Swimmer: Frank DeRonja ’17 Most Improved Swimmer: Duncan Jones ’16

Top photo: Freshmen Beau Simmons, Paul Gao, and Adam Pollard catch their breath at the wall.

Middle photo: David Shainberg ’18 competes in the butterfly.

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SKI AND SNOWBOARD TEAM Coaches: Mark Moroz Michael Amato Most Valuable Performer: Jake Johnson ’17 Most Improved Skier: Nick Dee ’19

Thomas Clarity ’16 warms up for the competition by catching some pre-race air.

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under the lights VARSITY BASEBALL

A Stellar Season WOW! What a ride and a terrific spring for the Christ School baseball program. The varsity team posted a 19-3 record, while the JV team recorded an 11-2 mark.

The Greenies were the CAA Conference Co-Champions with a 9-1 conference mark and advanced to the NCISAA 3A state playoffs, for the fourth year in a row, earning the number four seed.

The Greenies took two from Asheville School beating the Blues 13-0 on the road and 9-0 at home on Alumni Day. In the playoffs, Christ School hosted Providence Day and with Zak Lintz ’16 hurling a masterful five innings, the Greenies held a 3-2 lead after six innings. The Chargers struck for a run in the seventh to tie it up and send it to extra innings. William Fleming ‘17 retired the Chargers, before starting the uprising with a single in the bottom of the

eighth inning. Anthony Vaglica ’15 followed with a single and Ryan Zwier ’16 connected for the walk off single to send the Greenies to the semi-finals. A tough afternoon at top ranked Wesleyan Christian saw the season end with a 10-3 loss.

Although seven seniors bowed out of their baseball careers following this stellar season, the cupboard is not bare as the Greenies return 11 lettermen. n Coaches: Pat James Dick Fusco Joe Mouer Captains: Sam Grabenstein ’15 Quincy Grant ’15 Joe Keeler ’15, Anthony Vaglica ’15 Most Valuable Player: Anthony Vaglica ’15 Most Improved Player: Quincy Grant ’15

Christ School lacrosse finished the season with an overall 13-4 record, advanced to the NCISAA state semi-finals for the seventh time in nine years, and completed their 12th consecutive winning season. The team had key wins over Providence Day, Cannon School, Charlotte Christian (twice), and Greensboro Day, while losing in double overtime to Charlotte Country Day. Defensively, the team was led by goalie Jack Ruch ’15 and team captain Wilson Smith who emerged as a leader and shut down defenseman. Also instrumental in the solid team defense was Jonah Roberts ’16 and Jack Hecimovich ’18, along with Scott Ullstein ’16. Offensively, the Greenies were led by attackmen Riley Smith ’17, Joey Cinque ’17, and Will Iorio ’17, who accumulated 160 points between them. The trio of Zach Ayotte ’16, Hunter Vines ’18 and Cole Davis ’15 formed one of the most athletic midfield groups in the state.

We will miss our seven seniors (Patrick Grace, Oakley Miller, Jack Ruch, Jerome Glowacki, Cole Davis, Wilson Smith, and Robert Foster) who played a big part in our success, but we also look forward to returning seven starters and eighteen lettermen. The future continues to look bright. n

Coaches: Warner Blunt Mike Donecho Jeff Miles Robert Roth

Another Solid Performance

All-State: Jack Ruch ’15 Most Valuable Player: Jack Ruch ’15 Most Improved Player: Scott Ullstein ’16

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VARSITY LACROSSE

All-Conference Player of the Year: Anthony Vaglica ’15 All-Conference: Zak Lintz ’16 David Easterling ’16 Ryan Zwier ’16 Sam Grabenstein ’15 All-State: Anthony Vaglica ’15 WNC Leading Hitter: Ryan Zwier ’16

Top photo: Graham Hooker ’19 works on a shutout. Bottom photo: Quincy Grant ’15 rounds third.

Captains: Zach Ayotte ’16 Cole Davis ’15 Jack Ruch ’15 Wilson Smith ’15

Top photo: Riley Smith’17 dodges a defender. Bottom photo: Hunter Vines ’18 practices his cradling technique.

Game. Set. Match.

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The tennis team earned a spot in the NCISAA 3A playoffs and won a 1st round match for the 5th straight year. The 2015 squad was the #7 seed and defeated #10 Forsyth Country Day, but lost in the quarter finals to end the season with an overall record of 9-5. The Greenies were 4-2 in Carolina Athletic Conference play.

Head Coach Laneal Vaughn awarded Dunn (8-6 in singles action) the Most Valuable Player award and Liam Pulsifer ’15 was named the Most Improved Player. The team lost two senior leaders and assistant coach Thomas Daubert, but the future looks good with solid underclassmen players for next year. n

under the lights

Fore!

under the lights

The varsity golf team played a competitive regular season schedule to prepare for the State Championship, which the Greenies won the previous year. Although the team was unable to successfully defend the 2014 State Championship, the second place finish in the 2015 State Tournament, 28 shots ahead of third place Charlotte Christian, was still a season to be proud of for Head Coach Eric Thorp. The team was lead all year by senior Jonathan Rector, who has signed to play at Clemson University. Rector finished the two-day State Tournament tied at even par and won the individual State Championship with a birdie on the first playoff hole to earn a position on the NCISAA 3A All-State Team.

In addition to the runner up finish in the State Tournament, this year’s team won the CAA Conference that included a school record round of 274 in a match at the Waynesville Inn and Golf Resort (Par 70).

Despite losing three seniors (Rector, Jennings Milholen and Henry de St. Aubin), the golf team returns seven lettermen to make another run at a State Championship. n

VARSITY TENNIS

Coaches: Laneal Vaughn Thomas Daubert Captains: Alex Dunn ’15 Liam Pulsifer ’15 All-Conference: Alex Dunn ’15 Fabrice Dallies ’16 Most Valuable Player: Alex Dunn ’15 Most Improved Player: Liam Pulsifer ’15

Top photo: Fabrice Dallies ’16 follows through on a serve. Bottom photo: Liam Pulsifer ’15 attacks his serve.

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VARSITY GOLF Coach: Eric Thorp

Most Valuable Player: Jonathan Rector ’15

State Champion: Jonathan Rector ’15

Most Improved Players: Aaron Graham ’16, Carson Ownbey ’18

NCISSA 3A All-State: Jonathan Rector ’15 All-Conference: Jonathan Rector ’15 Chris Akers ’16 Thomas Garbee ’16 Carson Ownbey ’18 Aaron Graham ’16

Top photo: Greenies on the green. Bottom right: Teammates congratulate Jonathan Rector ’15 on his state championship.

Sept 12th – 11 a.m. Kickoff BBQ Lunch Afterwards Odd vs. Even Years New this Year: CS Alumni Kids Game Details Provided Later Contact Guy Campbell ’00 for more information: guycampbell@carolinacolortones.com 828-779-0023

COME BACK FOR ANNUAL ALUMNI SOCCER GAME! 44

under the lights VARSITY TRACK

Coaches: Doug Embler Emily Pulsifer Matt Chisholm Captains: Will Buckner ’15, Marcellos Allison ’16 All-Conference: Matthew Lowe ’15 Marcellos Allison ‘16 Most Valuable Performer: Payton Lange ’16

A Big Turnout The track team had another big turnout that enabled Christ School to fill up all 18 track and field events. The team worked hard and improved greatly over the course of the season as evidenced by some outstanding individual performances.

The coaches noted that Payton Lange ’16 could do basically any event asked of him and do it well. He participated in the team relays, 300m hurdles, Long Jump and Pole Vault and he qualified for the NCISAA 3A State meet in all three events.

Senior Matt Lowe had an outstanding season throwing the Shot Put and Discus for us. He won the Shot Put event at the CAA Championships and finished the season with a personal best throw of 44’10” to finish in 5th place at the NCISAA Championships.

Senior Miles Bowser was one of our top jumpers qualifying for the State meet in the Long Jump, Triple Jump and the High Jump. He finished runner-up in the CAA Championships in both the Long Jump and the Triple Jump. n

Most Improved Award: Marcellos Allison ’16 Graham Lail ’15 Top photo: Miles Bowser ’15 jumps to runner-up finish in conference championship. Bottom photo: Wade Mouer ’17 receives the relay baton.

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the great outdoors THE OUTDOOR PROGRAM

by Ron Ramsey

Blaze your own trail

The Outdoor Program at Christ School prepares young men to be active in the outdoors through instruction and discovery. Students have the opportunity to explore many disciplines, including cross country mountain biking, whitewater paddling, fly fishing, backpacking, rock climbing & bouldering, and other outdoor skills such as wilderness survival, land navigation, search & rescue, and first aid. The focus of our work is to develop leadership through the various activities and give students the opportunity to organize activities and teach skills. We are so blessed with an experienced and trained staff who themselves have connected physically, emotionally, and spiritually to the outdoors.

Leadership through Example Throughout the season, students are asked to step into leadership roles that give them the opportunity to share their passions and interests with others. This takes the form of being a mentor, a guide, a teacher, and a coach.

Several students gracefully transitioned into the role of leader this year, and not only grew in their abilities, but also helped to anchor the Outdoor Program around leadership development. Every group has the guy who has been around forever and has had the opportunity to do everything. These young men become the cultural memory for an organization and provide a tether to the past, while helping push the program into new areas.

Senior Jerry Lu is such a leader. With his quiet, but confident presence, Jerry was able to share his skills and vast knowledge of the area with

new and old alike. His leadership was one of example. Students looked to Jerry to set the bar and he responded to the challenge.

Another young man who confidently lead by example was Jack Purvis ’15. Jack’s example of cheerful service instantly gained respect.

He was the first to climb the bus ladder to load kayaks and the first to offer to lead a group through a land navigation evolution as the snow blew and gathered on the ground.

Because of his willingness to work and the experience gained through years of ranch life in Texas, Jack became our trail foreman, as we added a half mile of new trail to the campus trail system. His confident and skilled example gave each student who crewed with him the opportunity to work hard and accomplish the goals for the day.

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Leadership through Service This past February students and faculty had the opportunity to work in partnership with Landmark Learning and take their Community Relief Medic course. For two days, students and faculty worked as a team to learn about providing medical care and assistance in preparation for the service learning trips taken by Christ School over spring break. They learned patient assessment, recognition of common medical emergencies, treatment of muscular skeletal injuries, and basic

disaster preparations and water procurement. The Outdoor Program is developing ways for Christ School to serve the community during times of crisis with the development of a Community Response Team. Additional opportunities for training will be offered throughout the school year. As our program expands we hope to develop student leaders who are able and willing to serve their communities. As we are called to serve we are reminded by the words given in Isaiah 6:8, “Here am I. Send me!”

Leadership for the Future As the Outdoor Program continues to grow, we are excited to see the young men who will be leading the program into the future. Mountain biker Hans Chen ’17 has a passion for cycling.

He embarks in lengthy conversations with Mr. Thompson about bike mechanics, fitness, and training regimes. He pushes himself to be the best in all that he undertakes. His discipline has begun to rub off on those boys that ride the trails of DuPont or Mills River with him.

He is quick to lead or to help make an adjustment on a derailleur. We have seen his confidence as a rider grow as he engages those around him as a mentor and coach. With young men like Hans willing to step up into leadership roles, the future of the Outdoor Program at Christ School is in good hands. n

The Bead-Headed Greenie

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This Wooly Bugger Variation was inspired by Jones Barton’s ’15 love of tying flies. He tyed and fished many versions of wooly buggers before settling on this pattern. The Bead-Headed Greenie was very productive this spring on the Little, Mill, and Davidon Rivers.

the great outdoors

Hook: Streamer Hook Size 2-12.

Bead: Gold, 4mm Thread: Black or Olive, 6/0 Weight: Lead-free Wire, .02 Tail: Black or Olive Marabou Body: Black or Olive Chenille.

Trim: Green Flashabou Hackle: Grizzly

THE OUTDOOR PROGRAM

The mountain bikers gear up for a trail ride.

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on, in, and around moving water

by Outdoor Leader David Williams

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the great outdoors THE OUTDOOR PROGRAM

My favorite outdoor activity has changed over time, and is hard to nail down. But it definitely occurs on, in, and around moving water. In the days when my knees bent on demand, whitewater canoeing was far and away my favorite pastime. I spent 50-60 days a year negotiating a 17-foot, shoe-keel Grumman aluminum canoe down the Green, the Keowee, the Nantahala, the Nolichucky, and Sections III and IV of the Chattooga.

My paddling career began in 1959 and grew through training at Camp Mondamin, Camp High Rocks, and the Washington Canoe Club.

Ray Eaton and John DeLabar, both memorialized at the NOC, were my primary instructors and

David Williams and son Kevin.

formed in me my whitewater dispositions, values and priorities.

Because I grew up in summer camps (five in my parents’ and grandparents’ generations) and on the border with what is now Dupont State Forest, it meant that the natural world was my entire immediate environment. The people who lived in it, full or part-time, were my companions.

I admired them as a boy, emulated them as an adolescent, and joined them as a young man: Ray Eaton, John DeLabar, Pat Leverette, Horace Holden, Frank “Chief” Bell, Mike Stevenson, Hugh Caldwell, John Burton; and in my generation, David Mason, Pat Stone, Will Leverette, and a host of other Mondamin and High Rocks campers and staff.

Today, with a body that doesn’t act like it did in those days, I prefer to fly fish. That still gives me the immersion in this planet’s life force, moving water, which is my connection, my spirit, my peace. I love nothing more than the feel of a river, and find the riparian zone embodies the heart of life when views from the water.

My son, Kevin, whom I love and admire immensely, taught me the pleasure of BlueLining; fishing streams and very small rivers in their upper reaches. I haven’t really found a favorite, though the Yellowstone Prong and Looking Glass Creek come immediately to mind.

Both are stunningly beautiful and have native Southern Brook trout in them.

My most memorable adventure with other people’s children was leading the first camp descent of Chattooga IV in 1968. Paddling those 17-foot Grummans, we worked our way carefully down the Section, lining or carrying the boats through or around what were called then “the 5 falls.” Moving those boats safely through very challenging water in the days before helmets and life jackets required us to truly know the water, and to have great skill in moving a boat through it. I know I can speak for all when I say the satisfaction and pride we enjoyed that day have lasted a lifetime, and the character we built has mattered ever since. n

beyond the gate house FROM THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

Nat Hyde ’74 Steps Down from the Driver’s Seat as Chairman of the Board Meetings, conference calls, events, and visits to campus were only some of the many ways Nat Hyde ’74 generously gave of his time during his tenure as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

In a phone interview several weeks after his chairmanship ended, Nat admitted that it was unusual not to have as much Christ School work on his plate as he has had during the past six years. In addition to his Christ School leadership role, Nat serves as a Managing Director and Market Trust Executive for US Trust in Charlotte.

Nat was quick to start the conversation by giving a great deal of credit to those with whom he has served on the board and especially the board chairmen who preceded him: Larry Miller ’66, Robert Stolz ’81, and Bill Underwood ’55.

He also acknowledged the importance of his close working relationship with Headmaster Paul Krieger. “When dealing with an issue, Paul and I may not have always started out on the same page, but we always landed on the page that’s best for

Christ School in the end,” said Nat. He also credited a “talented and dedicated board of trustees.”

Nat commends the growth of the Parent Council and the rejuvenation of the Alumni Council as being two things he is very happy to have seen during his tenure as Chairman. He believes in the strength of Christ School’s commitment of carrying no debt. He acknowledged the generous Christ School donors who have supported fundraising projects funded by the Parent Council auctions as well as projects like the new dining hall. These projects are part of the $10 million worth of campus renovations since 2009.

He is grateful to his parents who taught him and his brother Russell to always give back. His volunteer days began with the Durham Jaycees and Triangle Hospice. He has also been involved in leadership positions with United Way and with YMCAs in Durham, Charlotte, and Kansas City; he has also served as a member of the Campbell University Trust Education Foundation. In 2012, Nat was awarded the Bank of America Global Wealth Management David Brady Award for leadership, mentoring, partnering, and community service. Nat was also honored with the George Williams Award from the YMCA of Greater Charlotte for his volunteer efforts at Camp Harrison.

Asked about his feelings on passing the torch of leadership to the next Board Chairman, Nat states, “I cannot think of a more fitting leader and executive at this time than Bert Scott P’08.” n

For six years Nat Hyde ’74 has moved the campus forward.

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beyond the gate house beyond the gate house GRACE COTTAGE - FALL 2015

2015

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THANK YOU Thanks to the generosity of Laura and Michael Grace P’15 and Jena and Steve Young ‘82, Christ School will have two new faculty cottages ready by fall 2015.

ALUMNI WEEKEND

FROM THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

FROM THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

PEACHTREE COTTAGE - FALL 2015 If funding becomes available, a third faculty house will be constructed. We continue to make attracting quality faculty a priority, and since 80 percent of faculty live on campus and contribute to the round-the-clock running of the school, it is important that we offer them quality housing on our grounds. These attractive new cottages are situated just past the water tower and close to where the original Struan House once stood.

Alumni Weekend 2015 brought alumni back on campus to experience, once again, some of the timehonored traditions of being a Greenie. On Friday evening, prior to the Headmaster’s Cocktail Party, the Class of 1975 rang the Angelus Bell, bringing back many memories for those in attendance. The weekend included the Annual Memorial Eucharist in St. Joseph’s Chapel, the Alumni Lacrosse game, and of course, alumni touring campus recounting specific dorm rooms, events, or stumps!

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ALUMNI WEEKEND 2015

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beyond the gate house FROM THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

SAVE THE DATE: Next Christ School Alumni Weekend, May 6-7, 2016

55 Kicking off the weekend, 24 former trustees were treated to a luncheon in their honor. Paul Krieger updated them about the many successes Christ School now enjoys thanks to their leadership in years past.

The CS track long distance squad and coaches joined alumni in the Third Annual “Big R” 5K Fun Run on Friday afternoon. Reed Finlay’s daughter Lucretia and granddaughter Senna cheered from the sidelines and the Allison Family – father Shannon Allison ’79 and his two sons Brandon ’10 and Conner ’15 – ran the course side-by-side. Jay Curwen ’84 won the race for the 2nd year in a row, followed by Graham Lail ’15 and Vance Stiles ’17 from the track team.

Two special dedications were held on Saturday morning. West House officially became Young House through the generosity of Steve Young ’82. The Class of 1975 dedicated the Reed Finlay Memorial Plaza, located in the commons area between Cuningham and South Carolina Houses.

Alumni and guests gathered in Pingree Auditorium to hear Headmaster Paul Krieger’s Christ School Update prior to the Alumni BBQ Luncheon. Under a tent on Fayssoux field, over 200 alumni and guests enjoyed BBQ and the Alumni Awards Ceremony.

Saturday afternoon the action moved to the baseball and lacrosse fields. While the varsity baseball team shut out Asheville School 9-0, the varsity lacrosse team beat the alumni 13-9. Fifteen alumni and several coaches and faculty members joined in the spirited game.

Saturday evening Class gatherings were held off campus, taking advantage of Asheville’s many dining establishments and watering holes (see 1965 and 1975 Class Notes for more details). n

Top left photo: Alumni and families make their way to the BBQ Luncheon. Top right photo: Andrew King, Jr. ’82 strolls the sidelines with son Andrew, who will join CS as a freshman in the fall.

Photos (clockwise from top left): Marshall Plumlee ’11 presents Headmaster Paul Krieger with Duke championship basketball; Finlay family and Class of 1975 dedicate the Reed Finlay Plaza; Former biology teacher Bruce Stender and wife Jeanette arrive at the Headmaster’s Reception; an exciting start to the Third Annual “Big R” 5K Run; students take the lead over alumni on the lacrosse field.

ALUMNI AND CONTRIBUTOR AWARDS

56

beyond the gate house FROM THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

Robert F. Shuford ’55

The Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Robert F. Shuford ’55. This award is the highest honor bestowed upon a Christ School alumnus. It recognizes significant professional and personal accomplishments and contributions to society in general and Christ School in particular.

Even from the beginning, Robert F. Shuford has always been intertwined with life at Christ School. Robert was born on August 1, 1937 just two miles from the Christ School campus in Arden, NC to Elsie and Charles Shuford (’22).

Following the footsteps of his father, his uncles, his brothers, his cousins, and aunts, he entered Christ School in the 2nd Form (8th grade).

Robert was the Sacristan during his Senior Year, before heading off to University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He graduated with a BS in Business Administration in 1959 and served in the US Navy from 1959-1961.

Robert has been a long time generous donor to Christ School and is a member of the David Page Harris Society for remembering Christ School in his estate. He has contributed annually to Christ School for decades, including the Cornerstone Society. Two of the 11 new windows in St. Joseph’s Chapel were given in memory of Shuford family members, including one donated

by Robert and his brothers, Charles and David,

in memory of their father and mother Charles L. and Elsie F. Shuford. Robert also established and funded the Charles L. Shuford Scholarship in his father’s name, served as a Class Agent, and was a member of the South Carolina House campaign committee.

In 1965, Mr. Shuford joined the Old Point National Bank team as Vice President and was appointed a member of the Board of Directors.

Soon after in 1967, at the age of 30, he was promoted to President & Trust Officer. Today, Mr. Shuford serves as Chairman, President, & CEO of Old Point Financial Corporation and Chairman of the Board of Old Point National Bank. The organization is known for its charitable heart and this reputation has had far-reaching effects in the Hampton Roads community. Among his many civic accomplishments, he is the past Chairman of the Peninsula Salvation Army, past president of the Hampton Rotary Club, past Co-Campaign chairman of the Hampton History Museum, and past board member of the Peninsula Habitat for Humanity.

Robert has been honored with multiple awards for his dedication to volunteerism, including the National Conference of Christians & Jews Award (now the Humanitarian Award, 1985), a Paul Harris Fellow with the Hampton Rotary Club (1985), the Phoebus Civic Association Community Service Award (1972), the Salvation Army “Others” Award (1983), the Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA’s Outstanding Leadership Award for the Capital Development Program (1986), the YMCA of the USA Distinguished Leadership Award (1991), the Volunteer Center’s Volunteer of the Year (2006), and Thomas Nelson Community College’s Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy (2006). In 2013, by resolution of the Senate of Virginia, he was commended for being named the recipient of the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizen Award. Most recently, he received the Thomas Nelson Medallion in 2015 honoring citizens who exemplify the spirit and highest ideals of Thomas Nelson Community College.

Today, Mr. Shuford lives in Hampton with his wife, Frances Ann, of 55 years. His daughter

Anne, son Rob, daughter-in-law Lori, and three grandchildren, Megan, Taylor, and Nicole, join in celebrating Mr. Shuford’s commitment to the success of Christ School and her students.

Robert F. Shuford has spent his life trying to exemplify the Christ school motto “Successus Fidelitate” and his efforts will continue well into the future.

The Robert B. Moore Young Alumnus Award was awarded to Morgan Kennedy Herterich ’04. This award has been given since 2006 to a young alumnus who demonstrates the potential for future leadership at Christ School because he embodies honor, integrity, citizenship, potential for leadership and even humor – the characteristics that distinguished Robert Moore ’90, the alumnus whom this award memorializes.

Morgan graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2009 with a degree in Business.

He has been active in community service and philanthropy since his days at Christ School.

He is the Chairman of Camp Happy Days’ Board of Directors and has been instrumental in reorganizing the entire non-profit dedicated to assisting children with pediatric cancer attend a camp experience. Morgan is also a member of his family’s foundation, The Ethel and W. George Kennedy Family Foundation.

Additionally, he is the National Trustee for South Carolina at the National Symphony Orchestra at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., where he is the youngest member.

This year’s Headmaster’s Award was presented to J. Douglas Wilkins P’05. This award was given to an individual as a means of expressing appreciation and honor to someone who has greatly supported Christ School but did not attend the school.

Douglas is in his eighth year as a Christ School trustee and he serves as treasurer and chairman of the Finance Committee. In those capacities, he provides significant insight and guidance to the school as it enjoys unprecedented growth.

The Wilkins family has a long term Christ School connection. His father, James S. Wilkins and son, John D. Wilkins, Jr., are members of Christ School classes 1952 and 2005, respectively.

William E. “Willie” King ’75 was presented with the Bill Sewell Service, which is awarded to an alumnus who exemplifies commitment through significant accumulative service and contributions to the school.

Willie’s contributions to Christ School are numerous and always accompanied by enthusiasm. He is a past member of the Board of Trustees, past member of the Alumni Council, Class Agent since 1975, and is responsible for the spearheading the Class of ’75 Scholarship. Willie has also been instrumental in the effort that culminated in the dedication of the Reed Finlay Plaza.

The Reverend James K. Polk Van Zandt ’70 was the recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award, which is given in recognition of attainment of noteworthy accomplishments in professional and personal activities.

Currently, Polk is the Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee where he has served since 2008. In addition to having been graduated from Christ School, Polk was also graduated from The University of the South, Sewanee from which he earned both an undergraduate degree and a Masters of Divinity. He was ordained an Episcopal Priest on December 3, 1994. Throughout his life, Polk has always served his community whether it was his University as a student trustee, various Lay positions within the Episcopal Church prior to becoming a priest. He also served on the board of the Episcopal Prison Ministry at Parchman Penitentiary. As a priest, has served in leadership roles on numerous committees in both Alabama and Tennessee.

Polk was the principal organizer of the West Point/Clay County food pantry and treasurer and board member of Project Homestead.

Before being ordained, Polk farmed for seventeen years in the Mississippi Delta.

Currently, Polk serves as a Clerical Trustee to the University of the South, a longtime Class Agent and a 37-year supporter of the Annual Fund.

Robert F. Shuford was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. n

Morgan Kennedy Herterich ’04

J. Douglas Wilkins P’05

William E. “Willie” King ’75

The Reverend James K. Polk Van Zandt ’70

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1948

Bill Kennedy ’48 and wife Nancy called Atlanta home until February of 1968 when they went to Beech Mountain, NC to ski. They bought a lot and built a ski chalet that summer and have divided their time between the two locations.

Ever since Bill’s career in investment banking ended they have been skiing, playing tennis, hiking, biking, and playing some golf. They also travel quite a bit between visits to Atlanta.

Son Clarke lives at Beech Mountain full-time and son David and wife Hannah live in Boone, NC with their nine children. Daughter Denis is married to Atlanta Attorney George Koenig, whom she met at Vanderbilt, and they have three daughters at University of Georgia and two teenage sons at St. Pious School in Atlanta.

Clarke is not married and does missionary work and David developed a rental business, Carolina Cabin Rentals, managing Bill and Nancy’s chalet along with about 135 resort homes. Bill writes: “Classmates, please send e-mail or just show up and come see us!”

Marshall Plumlee ’11:

A Blue Devil to a Black Knight, But Always a Greenie

58

beyond the gate house FROM THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

It was a big year for Marshall Plumlee ’11. The third Plumlee graduate to pair a high school state championship with an NCAA Basketball Championship – brothers Miles and Mason also won prep titles at CS and national championships at Duke – Marshall admirably carried on the family tradition.

But from there, he’s charting his own course.

While his brothers are now in the NBA, Marshall is joining the U.S. Army. Back in 2010, when Marshall was playing on the U.S. team competing in the Albert Schweitzer International Youth Basketball Tournament in Germany, he met Lt. Gen Robert Brown, who had been a shooting guard on one of Mike Krzyzewski’s first teams at West Point.

Brown did a little recruiting. The end result was that Marshall officially agreed this past January to join Brown’s team too. Surrounded by his teammates on the Cameron Indoor Stadium floor, in front of an American flag held by Blue Devil players Quinn Cooke and Amile Jefferson, Plumlee recited his enlistment oath and signed an Army Reserve Officer Training Corps contract.

Then came March Madness, and Duke taking home its fifth NCAA Basketball Championship win in the team’s history.

Although Plumlee will remain at Duke next year as a graduate student, and play one more year of basketball, he marched with the 2015 graduates, and subsequently slam-dunked in cap and gown.

Despite all the hype and excitement, a humble Marshall Plumlee cast his long shadow on the Christ School campus this Alumni Weekend. He arrived Friday night to present headmaster Paul Krieger with a basketball signed by his teammates.

During the season, Coach K had asked each of his players to write down the names of people who were special to them, so that in the event the team won the national championship each person, or group of people, would get a ball signed by the entire Duke team.

Marshall chose Christ School, his family, and Lt. Gen. Brown.

Tom Beard ’51 with grandson John Jr. ’18 and his classmates, Sean Lynch, Jack Hecimovich, and Stephen Saye.

1951

Tom Beard ’51 attended his 60th reunion at Davidson College in June. On a recent visit to Christ School he took his grandson, John Beard, Jr. ’18, and classmates out to dinner.

Ginger and Charlie Webb ’53 on their 56th wedding anniversary.

1953

Charlie Webb ’53 writes: “Mid-summer, Ginger and I will be moving to The Jefferson, an independent living facility in Arlington, VA. Two years ago we moved from Raleigh, NC to Arlington to be closer to our three daughters.

We miss North Carolina, but we need to be closer to our daughters and three grandchildren.

Much to my pleasure, when my grandson had the opportunity to select a language to take in high school, he chose Latin. I think he is much better at it than I was. I think a very powerful formative force – during my first week at Christ School, and from then on – was having to either learn my Latin vocabulary or shovel coal. I wish I could hear Capt. Reid laugh when I admitted as much to him.”

1954

Mitchell P. Borden ’54 wrote in December: “I just finished watching the 81st Service of Lessons & Carols (I don’t recall it being named that when I participated in the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th versions) and what a host of memories it brought back to me as I tiptoed down the hallways of reverie as both an acolyte and a choir member. Thank you for taking a feather duster to some long-unused memories!

Nancy and Bill Kennedy ’48 at the top of Tougnete in Meribel, France.

class notes NEWS FROM ALUMNI

59

1959

Richard L. Dobson ’59, P ‘82 writes: “I am working on my last grandson, telling him about the fun and values of Christ School. Will keep you posted. My Father was Class of 1929.”

1963

Jim Sturges ’63 writes: “My wife and I are completely and firmly retired now. I’ve just finished my last study for the National Academy of Science (on Engineering Education) and am dividing time between our eight grandchildren local to Greenville, SC, and photography, amateur radio, and travels around the East Coast. In the fall we will travel to Austin, TX, where our younger son lives. We are both grateful for modern medicine and hired help.”

Jim Sturges ’63

1965

Tom Youngblood ’65 reports on Alumni Weekend:

60

class notes NEWS FROM ALUMNI

“Attending from the Class of 1965 were the following: Gordon and Jeanie Coleman, Chuck Conkling, Terence and Linda Fitz-Simons, Romi and Sara Gonzalez, Charlie and Et Hacskaylo, John Holler, Joe Massey and Eleanor Washburn, Jim McCullough and Dabney Johnson, Lyston Peebles, Jenks and Anna Pressly, Jack and Annelise Simmons, Jeff and Donna Sparks, Charles and Julie Stark, Chip and Patti Webster, David and Anne Marie Wells, Joe Workman, and Tom and Brenda Youngblood.

A drop-in was held on Friday night at the Youngblood’s. Saturday night was dinner at Rezaz in Asheville with special guests Croom and Meriwether Beatty.”

1967

The North Carolina Chapter of the ACLU awarded The Paul Green Award, which recognizes extraordinary efforts to abolish or limit the death penalty in the state, to Chapel Hill-based attorneys Bill Massengale ‘67, P’06 and Marilyn Ozer, who have been representing capital defendants on appeal since 1991. Massengale and Ozer have saved at least six individuals from execution and worked to increase public awareness of capital punishment’s many injustices.

1975

Willie King ’75 reports on Alumni Weekend: “Needless to say, the Class of 1975 had a stellar turnout. Here is a list of the classmates that returned to campus: Tom McCarty, Willie King, Broadus Stewart, Richard Yow, Ziggy Payne, David Watters, Marshall Culp, David Lanaux, Scott Gwyn, Ned Badgett, Richard Baker, Joe Helms, George Donald, Clarke Bourne, Satch Lawrence, TD Page, Roger Meyland, Dace McPherson, Greg Busdicker, John Mell, Jock Folley, Si Amick, and Herb Butler. We had a total of 24 who made the effort to return for our 40th reunion.

It was also a special weekend as the Class of 1975 dedicated the Reed Finlay Plaza. Another exciting part of the weekend was to share the news that we reached the $100,000 milestone in support of our class scholarship in memory of our deceased classmates: Matt Williamson, Greg Counce, Charles Mengedoht, Lloyd Goode, Chris Tulloch, and Beep Felder.

The Class of 1975 had two class dinners.

After the Headmaster’s Reception on Friday evening the group gathered at 131 Main in Biltmore Park. On Saturday, everyone gathered at Travinia Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar for a cocktail party while watching the Kentucky Derby. After all of the bets were placed, Herbie Butler walked away with the winnings. The Italian dinner was served family style and everyone enjoyed it, as it was a reminder how we were served 40 years ago at Christ School.

As Nat Hyde ’74 mentioned in his speech at the barbeque, our class was one of the greatest classes to ever attend CS. He was spot on! We are a proud group, and this was evident as we dedicated the Finlay Plaza and helped the school even more while exceeding our goal for the Class of 1975 Scholarship Award.

One more thing – Ned Badgett was “challenged” to ring Angelus prior to the Headmaster’s party and he absolutely nailed it. By doing so, our class raised an additional $1,000 that will go to our scholarship.

David Lanaux brought each class member a magnetic refrigerator sticker with their senior picture embossed on it. It was very clever of David to do this, and it certainly brought a lot of laughs.”

1979

Class of 1965

Class of 1975

Jack Margeson, Jr. ’79 writes: “My wife of almost 30 years, Margaret, and I have three children.

Jack III, Sarah and Robert. Jack III is finishing business school at Kennesaw State University after spending four years with a helicopter squadron in the Navy with three tours to the Persian Gulf on two different Aircraft Carriers.

(Truman & Enterprise). Our daughter Sarah is an ICU nurse at Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in Atlanta, graduated from University of South Carolina, and is getting married to Barrett Green on June 20 in Atlanta. Robert graduated from Ole Miss this year and begins

Children of Jack Margeson, Jr. ’79: Jack III, Sarah, and Robert.

his career with CNA in June. I have been in the financial services industry for 25 years and work with business owners, professionals, and families. I have many fond memories from my three years at CS and stay in touch with several of my classmates and other CS alumni.”

1980

Trey Feeley ’80 who lives in Rock Hill, SC writes: “I was looking at the history of the Greenie page and wanted to give another account of where the Greenies came from. Long time coach Richard “Fessor” Fayssoux told us the following: The first high school football game played in the Asheville area was between Christ School and Asheville School. Football was in its infancy at the high school level. There were few rules and little equipment for kids.

The coach of Christ School and the coach from Asheville School got together and came up with an idea to tell who was on what team. CS would dye some white t-shirts green and AS would dye theirs blue. That is why we are the Greenies and AS is known as the Blues.”

1983

Eric Walker ’83 and his family are in Morocco where he is heading up a construction project for Jacobs Engineering. He reports his daughter is now fluent in Arabic and French!

1987

Andy ’87 and Shannon Taylor had a little boy named Harrison Hall Taylor. They have also just moved to Bethesda, MD.

SAVE THE DATE: Christ School Auction April 23, 2016

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1991

John G. Briggs III ’91 writes: “I am a partner now in my firm; I’m still concentrating in real estate matters, but have expanded into complicated loan transactions. We have another addition to the family, Zelda Jean Bynum Briggs, who is now 10 months old, making for a total of three wonderful girls! I still think about my time at Christ School every day and I am very thankful for the opportunities and friends afforded by such. Go Greenies! Beat Asheville School!”

Doug Waddington ’91 has been working for an offshore oil rig company in the Gulf – 28 days on the rig and 14 off. He is looking forward to his 25th reunion in 2016.

1995

62

class notes NEWS FROM ALUMNI

Jason D. Kechijian ’96 pictured with one of his solar panel installations.

Ed Reynolds ’95 and his girlfriend Abby stopped by campus in December. Ed remembered being in the first play on the stage in the then new Pingree Auditorium.

Zach Landis ’95 is a risk manager for State Farm in Florida; he and Amanda have been married for almost nine years and they have an awesome 6-year-old daughter Cora Lillian.

1996

Jason D. Kechijian ’96 writes: “I am currently the Head of Systems & Engineering at SolBright Renewable Energy in Charleston, SC and a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™. I am responsible for all design and engineering aspects of commercial and utility scale solar electric (PV) systems/plants around the United States. We have enjoyed expansive growth of the past few years and were named fastest growing company in South Carolina in 2013, runner-up in 2014, and were ranked 32nd of Top 100 Commercial Solar Contractors nationally in 2014. I have been in the solar industry since 2008 and love what I do. I currently live in Mount Pleasant, SC. In my spare time I enjoy boating, being with my friends, family, my boxer Layla, and going to Widespread Panic shows.”

Jason Lemann ’96 and his wife were in Argentina in March, returned home briefly, but then left for Tokyo for an undetermined amount of time.

1998

John ’98 and Belle Montgomery welcomed into this world, and just in the nick of time, Worth Belton Montgomery, born December, 31 2014.

1999

Will Perry ’99 is an Air Force officer/pilot, and he, his wife Sarah, and 2-year-old daughter Elizabeth have moved from Great Falls, MT to Washington, D.C., where he is stationed at Andrews AFB. They are expecting their second child in January.

2000

Dustin Pulliam ’00, Hajo Engelke ’00, and Eric Thorp ’01 enjoyed dinner together at Bouchon in downtown Asheville in May. Hajo and wife Jenny, who stopped by Asheville during a visit to the U.S., live in Stuttgart, Germany and are expecting their first child, a boy, in September.

The couple had a chance to visit campus, and spend some time in downtown Asheville.

Dustin stays busy as owner of the Twisted Crepe in downtown Asheville and also Bratburger, a new restaurant in North Asheville.

2006

Chris Locke ’06 writes: “I am currently living in Charlotte and working at Discovery Place. I am the lead programmer for our Science on the Rocks adult night events. I also conduct many interviews to promote events and the museum.

I still enjoy doing artwork, which is a passion of mine that began at Christ School. My fiancé and I will be getting married in May.” Jack Smallpage ’06 became the proud father of Dorothy “Dottie” Louise on May 2, 2015.

2008

John Yanick ’08 married Ellen Anne Curtis August 30, 2014. His brother Mark Yanick ’04 was the best man and Sam Redmond ’08 was a groomsman. John and Ellen Anne live in Winston-Salem, NC, where John is in his fourth

Chris Locke ’06 is a lead programmer for Discovery Place in Charlotte, NC.

Hajo Engelke ’00, Dustin Pulliam ’00, and Eric Thorp ’01 dine alfresco in Asheville.

year at Wake Forest School of Medicine with hopes of pursuing orthopedic surgery. Ellen Anne is an 8th grade math teacher at Jefferson Middle School and is working on a master’s in Instructional Technology.

2010

Brad Dunn ’10 graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in May 2014. He is currently working for a commercial real estate firm in Atlanta as an analyst.

Ben England ’10 is in graduate school at Georgia Tech. This summer he is interning with the firm Altair in Boston.

2011

Headmaster Paul Krieger ran into Vince Draddy ’11 at the Asheville Airport; Vince reported that after graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill this spring he is heading to Boston to work for the software company Oracle.

John Yanick ’08 and bride Ellen Anne Yanick outside the Chapel after their 2014 wedding.

63

working for Meritor in Fletcher, NC. They manufacture heavy-duty vehicle differentials and I work with their process engineering department. Next fall I’m set to spend a semester in Europe taking classes at Georgia Tech’s overseas campus in Metz, France (the program is known as Georgia Tech Lorraine).

I’m also still active with the crew team here and competed with them in Philadelphia this spring in a national competition known as the Dad Vail Regatta.”

Grady “Greg” Gideon Byrd, III ’80, P’07, P’11 October 15, 1961 – May 8, 2015

by Mark Whitney ’80

2014 Daniel Murchison ’11 and Brandon Allison ’10 caught up with Marshall Plumlee ’11 after Duke won in Houston.

Daniel Murchison ’11 and Brandon Allison ’10 caught up with Marshall Plumlee ’11 after Duke’s Elite 8 game in Houston, TX.

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class notes

2013

Nick England ’13 says “I’m just finishing up my second year at Georgia Tech. For the second summer in a row I will be have an internship

NEWS FROM ALUMNI

Camrin Opp ’14 with Col. Turner and Brigadier General Trainor, the Dean of the Academic Board at West Point.

Kirk Blackard and UVA sophomore Bailey Will ’14 in Charlottesville, VA.

Camrin Opp ’14 was admitted to West Point Academy. He finished his freshman year at The College of William and Mary, where he actively participated in ROTC and then returned to London to train for a marathon in Brighton “to prepare myself mentally for the challenges ahead.” He will begin West Point July 2015.

College Counselor Kirk Blackard caught up with Bailey Will ’14 on his way to his high school reunion in Charlottesville, VA. Bailey is doing great at UVA.

There are times in our lives when we are faced with tragic news that is more than we believe we can bear.

News that causes our lives to come to a screeching halt and perhaps question our faith, our purpose, and our future. Such a day occurred for many people on Friday, May 8th.

Greg Byrd was my best friend and he was a lot of people’s best friend. What a tribute to a man that never met a stranger.

I loved sharing his friendship with others, allowing them to enjoy his laughter, adventurous spirit, and boundless energy, as I have for the past 38 years. Greg deeply loved his family, his friends, and his girlfriend Theresa. He selflessly gave of his time when anyone needed a hand, or for him to lend an ear. There were many passions that he pursued; one might say he was a Renaissance man because he did and accomplished so much.

A multi-rated pilot, a licensed boat captain, an accomplished mountain biker, a successful business owner and landlord, a sometimes decent golfer, a want-to-be ballooner, and a retired officer with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, Greg lived life to the fullest.

The void that Greg leaves behind is huge; his presence in our lives is irreplaceable. Only in loss does one realize how much is taken for granted. My comfort lies in the fact that I’m a better person for having known Greg, and that he will go on living in my heart as he will in many others.

So allow me to conclude with the Christ School blessing that was shared during the homily at Greg’s memorial service.

It never gets repetitive, and is so spot on: “Life is short, and we do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the dark way with us; so be swift to love, and make haste to be kind. And may God, Who is beyond our ability to fully know, but Who made us, and Who loves us, and Who travels with us, Bless us and keep us in peace. And the Blessing of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – be with you now and forever. Amen.”

I love you, brother. Rest in Peace.

Mark

Pictured Above: Mark Whitney ’80, Tom Mackie ’80, and Greg Byrd ’80