The Journey Magazine - Spring 2018

spirit gallery

In honor of our 25th Anniversary, students show their school spirit celebrating Spirit Day on the 25th of every month!

Dear Davis Academy Families:

INjust a few short weeks, the 2017-2018 school year will come to a close. It has certainly been a year full of spirit, learning, laughter, and much celebration. As we reflect on all that has taken place, we are proud and grateful for what we have accomplished not only in this school year, but also over the course of our incredible 25-year history.

Soon, we will celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2018, who will join over 1,000 graduates who have made their journey through the halls of The Davis Academy and who are now scattered across Atlanta’s high schools, our nation’s colleges, and around the globe. Couple this celebration with the spirit days celebrated on the 25th of every month in honor of our 25th anniversary, our schoolwide Day of Menschlichkeit on 2/5 and our 25th anniversary all-school Kabbalat Shabbat and Marquee Celebration, and this year will certainly be one to remember.

One of the most satisfying aspects of this extraordinary year was connecting with so many special people in our community who are linked by our shared history. It was an opportunity to offer our appreciation to those who built our school from the ground up—from our visionaries and founders to pioneer families, past presidents, former professional and lay leadership, alumni and their families. Generations of leaders and supporters have helped us reach this milestone and we are forever grateful for their vision, their time, dedication and belief in our school. The Davis Academy is not only a place that is unique, relevant and forward thinking, it is also a place that changes lives. Now those are things worth celebrating!

As we close out this 25th anniversary year, we thank each of you for your trust, involvement, and support, all of which enable us to ensure that The Davis Academy remains a jewel in our Jewish community, a model for other communities, and a school that is known not only in Atlanta, but also throughout the country for excellence, innovation, and success. That’s what we set out to do 25 years ago, and it’s what we’ll continue to strive for 25 years from now. Thank you for being a part of our past, our present, and our future.

We hope that you enjoy this special 25th Anniversary Issue of The Journey Magazine, which includes a snapshot of the happenings and events at The Davis Academy and a special Alumni Journeys insert, celebrating and highlighting the successes of all of our graduates.

Amy Shafron Jon Leven Head of School President, Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

President

Jon Leven

Vice Presidents

Mara Berman

Jeff Hopkins

Evan Toporek

Secretary

Carol Rubin

Treasurer

Billie Greenberg

Immediate

Past President

Debbie Kurzweil

Trustees

Karl Altmann

Abby Bechler-Karsch

Dana Bernath

Melinda Cobb

Ann Davis

Elizabeth A. Davis

Laura Dinerman

Mark Edelstein

Russell Falkenstein

Lisa Freedman

Scott Galanti

David Goldberg

Lisa Haynor

Hope Kaufman

Jami Kohn

Mark Kopkin

Kevin Levingston

Brian Mand

Arlene Marcus

Bobbi Perlstein

Barbara Pollock

Dulcy Rosenberg

Edwin Rothberg

Bill Rothschild

Stanley Sonenshine

Sam Tuck

Art Wildstein

Trustees for Life

William Breman (z”l)

Jay Davis

Sid Kirschner

Past Presidents

(in order of service)

Jan Epstein

Carol Nemo

Dean Benamy

Harriet Zoller

Bryan Fields

Ben Sillins

Billie Greenberg

Tonia Sellers

Sam Tuck

Debbie Kurzweil

Amy Shafron

Jon Leven

HAPPENINGS

Making an Impact

The Davis Academy PTO Tzedek Committee launched a shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls, a non-profit social enterprise that creates sustainable jobs and provides relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world. The collection was a success with the final count of 634 pairs of shoes to be donated by Davis families to the organization.

Different Faiths. Common Humanity.

Fifth Grade students from The Davis Academy hosted their peers from Mount Vernon Presbyterian School for a half-day of interfaith dialogue and learning. With the help of teachers and administrators from both schools, students were given a chance to get to know one another and also teach one another about their respective faith traditions, all in a fun and interactive way.

A Race to the Finish

Congratulations to all of our Track & Field athletes, who ended a spectacular season at the MAAC Championships in April. The Boys team took home 2nd place overall while the Girls team took home 5th place. The season was full of excellent performances, personal records, and team camaraderie!

Davis Academy Day at The Hawks

The Davis Academy Magical Melodies set the tone for an exciting game as they performed the National Anthem center court at Philips Arena in advance of the Atlanta Hawks game vs. the Chicago Bulls.

Joining Together

Student leaders from The Davis Academy and The Marist School honor our many years of interfaith partnership by playing a leadership role at the Atlanta office of the American Jewish Committee’s first ever “Unity Seder.” Joined by faith leaders from dozens of churches, synagogues, and organizations, local government officials and diplomats from India to Argentina, and more than 400 attendees, the students opened the Seder by singing an original melody of the words “Hinei Mah Tov” that was written specifically for interfaith gatherings and occasions.

Tech Fair News

The Davis Academy was the top winning school at the Georgia Independent & Home Schools Regional Technology Competition in January. First Place winning students went on to participate in the State Technology Competition in March: Maggie Deutsch (3D Modeling7th & 8th), Amit Rau & Matthew Szabo (Mobile Apps- 7th & 8th), Ori Gal (Digital Photo Production- 7th & 8th), Eran Krug (Graphic Design- 7th & 8th), Noah Diamond (Video Production- 5th & 6th), Sarah Menis (Robotics- 5th & 6th), Micah Kopelman (Digital Photo Production5th & 6th), Ben Collins (Digital Game Design- 5th & 6th), Avi Nebel & Josh Weiss (Project Programming- 5th & 6th), Nora Perez-Rubio & Charlie Berss (3D Modeling- 5th & 6th), Raphael Saitowitz (Technology Literacy Challenge- 3rd & 4th). Additionally, The Davis Academy brought home twelve 2nd place ribbons and thirteen 3rd place ribbons.

Makerspaces: Making Space for Diversity

On March 5, Davis Academy’s 21st Century Learning Coordinator, Stacy Brown participated in a panel presentation at SXSWedu in Austin, TX, a highly renowned segment of the South by Southwest conference geared toward innovation in learning. The panel topic: “Makerspaces: Making Space for Diversity” introduced ways to appeal MakerEd activities to varied cultures, ages, genders, and socioeconomic groups, cultivating a broader understanding of the world around us and creating a deeper learning experience for students.

Power of One

Davis Learning Center Teacher, Stacey Prusak, M.ED, AOGPE/A was honored by The Jewish Abilities Alliance and the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta at the annual Power of One Reception on February 11, 2018. The Power of One Reception recognizes individuals who have impacted inclusion in the Atlanta community. Stacey has been an important member of the faculty at The Davis Academy for 3 years, and we are very proud that she received this well-deserved accolade.

Honoring our Faculty and Staff

We are proud of our faculty and our 98% faculty retention rate. Below we recognize faculty and staff who have worked at least 10 of the last 25 years at The Davis Academy:

10+ Years

Matthew Barry

Davona Benzel

Stacy Brown

Leanne Edison

Susan Fields

Dusty Huff

Nina Israel

Marlo Klorfein

Micah Lapidus

Andra Lefkovits

Lori London

Rich O’Dell

Kendrick Phillips

Jennifer Rainbow

Dana Richin

Amy Shafron

Michele Shapiro

Michelle Stein

Dawn Watkins

Orna Willis

15+ Years

Joanne Bucovetsky

Gwen Dickerson

Sharon Ferrar

Drew Frank

Suzanne Friedman

Evelyn Grinberg

Susan Jay

Sara Measroch

Shelia Miller

Lisa Mirsky

Wendy Pakula

Loren Spaulding

Sigal Tzoref

Bonnie Vavra

Julie Weiser

20+ Years

Marilyn Dubovsky

Janice Durden

Julie Kramer

Galia Sabbag

Stacy Schleicher

Michele Shear

A Fantastical Musical Extravaganza!

Under the direction of Kendrick Phillips, Director of Visual and Performing Arts at The Davis Academy, 150 cast and crew members took to the stage of the Rosenberg Performing Arts Theatre to tell an imaginative compilation of Dr. Seuss stories in the entertaining and clever musical, Seussical JR.

The work of Dr. Seuss strongly encourages peaceful living and confronts hard-hitting issues we face in society today such as intolerance, human rights, protection of the planet, and personal freedom. In Horton’s story, journeys of faith are explored, as he ventures to save the tiny people and village of “Whoville”, constantly reminding those that ridicule him that “A person is a person, no matter how small”. As difficult situations are faced throughout the play, Seussical JR. promotes the important values of Gevura (courage), Chochmah (wisdom), and Kavod (respect)—values that are instilled in students at The Davis Academy every day.

The performances involved all grade levels at The Davis Academy, giving theatrical opportunity to students ranging from ages four through fourteen. “Working with children of all ages, I have learned when children imagine something, it is not less important to them because it is imagined”, said Ms. Kendrick. “Children can make imagined experiences real experiences. It is for this reason that I am certain of theatre’s immeasurable power to produce a lasting effect on their emotional, social,

and spiritual development. Theatre for children is truly life-changing.”

In addition to the opportunity to participate in the school musical as a current Davis student, Davis graduates are also invited to come back to join the team as Davis Academy alumni mentors. In this role, the alumni help cast members with choreography, they make props, glue costumes and assist the children during rehearsals. For the Seussical JR. performance, twenty-five alumni participated in the production, each using their own experiences to help guide and execute the production while mentoring the next generation of The Davis Academy.

Of the twenty-five alumni who participated in the show throughout the five-month musical journey, 22 appeared in the 2009 Davis Academy production of Seussical the Musical as either members of the cast or crew. “The survival of theatre relies on the mentoring of one generation to the next,” said Ms. Kendrick. “Our alumni mentors have become a critical component of the production and they will forever have a stage with us where they can step into the spotlight and help shape, grow, and inspire other children.”

PLAY BY NUMBERS

Audience Members

Crew Members

Rehearsal Hours

Parent, Grandparent, and Staff Volunteers

The Impact of

The Davis Academy Celebrates 25th Anniversary with a School-Wide Day of Service.

In honor of the 25th Anniversary of The Davis Academy, special programming has been incorporated throughout the school year, offering opportunities for the entire community to celebrate in unique and spirited ways. On February 5th (2-5), Davis students, faculty and staff participated in a school-wide “Day of Menschlichkeit,” a full day of community outreach and service. This day was designed to recognize the importance of giving back to the

community, which has been an integral component of The Davis Academy’s mission since its doors opened 25 years ago. Offering students the hands-on experience of serving causes that they care about, while providing them with an opportunity to support community organizations that serve the greater good, continues to be at the heart of a Davis Academy education.

“At The Davis Academy, we give back because we are blessed and because we know that the value of Tzedek is one of the most important lessons that we can teach our students and families,” said

Rabbi Micah Lapidus, Director of Jewish and Hebrew Studies. “While a number of grade-level activities came to life on our Day of Meschlichkeit, students at The Davis Academy are making a difference with acts of tzedek and tikkun olam in the world every day.”

Lower school grade level initiatives included students reading to therapy dogs from Canine Assistants as part of the K-9 Kids Reading Program, creating celebration cards for the elderly in the community with Jewish Family & Career Services, and visiting with Davis parent, Andy Lipman, who shared his story about

“It was a great day to not only learn about different organizations in need, but it was also a great opportunity to take action and give back to those causes with my classmates.”

— Sasha Wildstein (left), 8th Grade

what it’s like to live with a disability. Middle School activities included working with The Daffodil Project to plant a daffodil garden in honor of the children who perished in the Holocaust, participating in an “Ask the Rabbi” panel discussion with Rabbi Ron Segal, Rabbi Joshua Heller, Rabbi Alex Shuval-Weiner, and Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Crane, and presenting car seats to the Sandy Springs Police Department to help with the transportation of young children as needed, which were purchased with the proceeds collected from a Middle School Penny War competition that was held the week prior.

In addition to the student activities, faculty prepared baked goods for the Sandy Springs Police Department and

EMS, who came by the school to enjoy sweets and coffee as a thank you for their service throughout the year, and the Middle School Faculty made bag lunches for The Zaban Paradies Shelter, an organization that helps couples transition from homelessness to independent living.

Davis Academy students make meaningful contributions of time, talent and resources to dozens of organizations each year, locally, nationally, and in the international community. The Davis Academy commitment of Tzedek is a powerful way of honoring the great visionaries who founded the school and a profound way of guaranteeing the legacy continues.

“It was rewarding to see the results of our Penny Wars and how our hard work helped to support the needs of the Sandy Springs Police Department.”

Matthew Szabo (4th from right), 8th Grade, Student Government Vice President

“My favorite part of the day was making ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘Get Well Soon’ cards for people who may not usually get them. I hope the cards will make the people who receive them smile.”

Lucy

The Davis Academy’s 25th Anniversary Celebration was a night to remember. With a sold out crowd, record fundraising success, dinner, dancing, and incredible spirit, the evening brought together the entire Davis Academy community, from the first pioneer families, including members of the very first class, to former heads of school, current and past faculty, current and past board members, current and alumni families, current and past grandparents, and caring community members—all in one place in celebration of The Davis Academy. Thank you to all of you for your continued support and commitment to our incredible school. A special thank you to our 25th Anniversary Year Co-Chairs, Mara and Justin Berman, our Marquee Celebration Co-Chairs Abby Karsch, Dana Bernath, and Billie Greenberg, and all the volunteers who worked alongside our outstanding advancement staff to organize such a stellar celebration.

Bluegrass and Blue Jeans

Davis Academy faculty and staff gathered for an intimate, warm and festive house concert featuring Jewish Bluegrass band, Nefesh Mountain, at the home of Rabbi Micah and Rabbi Loren Filson Lapidus. It was a special night celebrating and saying thank you to an incredible and caring team of people who continue to make The Davis Academy shine.

25th Anniversary All-School Shabbat

Our 25th anniversary celebration weekend kicked off with a special school-wide Shabbat ceremony led by our Middle School students. In addition to honoring many of the visionary leaders of our past and present, our Shabbat celebration featured special guests, Nefesh Mountain. Pioneers of Jewish Bluegrass, Nefesh Mountain inspired our entire school community with their unique blending of traditional Jewish prayers and awesome bluegrass melodies and instruments. Since their visit, Nefesh Mountain has gone on to have a song reach the top 10 of Billboard’s Country Music charts. Everyone enjoyed their visit, including members of the band who were “blown away” by the tremendous ruach of The Davis Academy.

Photos courtesy of Scenesations Photography & Harold Alan Photographers.

Alumni HAPPENINGS&events

Lion Pride

Davis Academy Alumnae Caroline Patterson (2008), Catherine Solmson (2005), Alana Schube (2006), and Victoria Goldstein (2008) continue to proudly walk the halls of The Davis Academy as members of our incredible faculty.

High School Trivia Night

Phone Phever® trivia stretched the minds, fingers and mobile devices of our high school alumni during our High School Trivia Night, while providing a fun night of competition, conversation, and laughter!

Senior Send-Off

We welcomed back our Class of 2014 for our annual Senior Send-Off event. It was an incredible reunion with over 100 attendees including our college bound alumni, their parents and our faculty and staff. As always, it’s incredibly heartwarming to see how much they care about each other, the Davis teachers, and the Davis community.

Let’s Go Lions

We love it when our alumni drop in to cheer on our Davis Lions. Pictured here with Coach Spaulding supporting our basketball teams.

Davis Fans Around The World

Davis Academy alumni celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Davis Academy all over the world! Clockwise from top left: Ari Whiteman (2005), Panama City; Jordan (2006) and Alex (2008) Edelstein, Sausalito, California; Melissa Chalef Hyman (2002) and Amy Chalef Tolman (2000), New York City; Stephen Rusnak (2017) with sister, Rachel (6th grade), Johannesburg, South Africa.

Forever Friendships

Davis Academy friendships never fade. Our alumni continue to find each other during their college years, around town and around the world.

TOP: Members of the class of 2006, Brett Gelfand, Louis Galanti, Simon Ludwig, Alana Schube, Michael Gunter, and Jared Kahn, cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs. BOTTOM: Kyle Takeuchi, Jason Miller, Stephanie Goldstein, Dana Berger, Leo Falkenstein, and Joe Hassett, members of the class of 2005 enjoying a beautiful day at a festival in Atlanta.

Davis Academy Alumni Making a Difference

The Davis Academy established the Alumni Tzedek Grant in 2016 to recognize and support outstanding charitable projects that fulfill the school’s Menschlichkeit value of Tzedek, a Hebrew word which means righteousness or justice. The grant opportunity was originally open to high school-aged alumni, but for the 2017-2018 school year, this opportunity has been extended to include college students as well. In year two of this meaningful grant program, The Davis Academy is proud to honor three recipients:

David Antonino, Class of 2014, Nikki Berne, Class of 2010 and Zoe Light, Class of 2012. Antonino, Berne, and Light will be presented with a grant, which will be used to advance their charitable initiatives.

David Antonino: Homelessness

Currently a senior at Riverwood High School, Antonino has a passion for writing. After publishing his first novel, The Mystery Girl: or The One-Sided Love Affair, he quickly realized that wherever his journey takes him after graduation, writing will be a primary component.

In January 2018, Antonino walked out of an interview to find that his car had been vandalized. A man named Sheldon approached him and asked if he needed help. It turned out that Sheldon is homeless and lives on the streets in Midtown Atlanta. Inspired by the time that they spent together over the course of a single evening, and overwhelmed by Sheldon’s willingness to help, Antonino developed the concept for his next project, uncovering the stories of the homeless in Atlanta. By conducting interviews, Antonino plans to develop these stories into excerpts to help modern society relate to and understand the

homeless’ situations. “Even in what appeared to be the toughest of times, Sheldon was an incredibly positive person. He went out of his way to help me, and I want to help tell his story and the story of the many others who are living on the streets,” said Antonino.

society on the issues

of homelessness in Atlanta and across Academy as one that provided him with a solid foundation

and the right toolset to develop into a sympathetic and compassionate human being. Building on this foundation, he has learned to appreciate people from various backgrounds and he is eager to continue to learn more and continue to connect with the greater world around him. Launching his new project this summer, Antonino plans to conduct a series of interviews with homeless people in Atlanta. He will be using the funds from the Tzedek grant to help pay for a meal with interviewees as well as to offer compensation for the time they spend with him on the project. “My hope is that with the release of my new novel I can be the voice for those who are not able to have one for themselves,” said Antonino.

Nikki Berne: Miracle Children

Nikki Berne is a senior at Georgia State University. Berne has a passion for helping children with serious illnesses, disabilities and other life challenges. She attributes much of her desire to help others to her early years at The Davis Academy. “At The Davis Academy I learned a lot about leadership and the importance of making the world a better place,” said Berne. For the past four years, Berne has been a devoted volunteer for Camp Twin Lakes, a year-round, fully accessible, and intentionally designed camp that teaches campers to overcome obstacles, while creating shared experiences with other children who face similar challenges. Inspired to support these children outside of her volunteer work with Camp Twin Lakes, in the fall of 2016, Berne co-founded the Georgia State University Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Dance Marathon, benefitting

the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital (CMNH), Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

The Dance Marathon is a one-day event that involves dancing, entertainment, games and stories for “Miracle Children” who have benefited from CMNH services. Berne had a desire to help others, and she used her leadership skills, confidence, and drive to make her dream a reality. Berne will be using the funds from the Tzedek grant to help underwrite the costs of The Dance Marathon, which includes food, activities, a bouncy house, drinks, family gift baskets, and more for the Miracle Children and their families to enjoy. “I am very passionate about these children,” said Berne, “I want to do everything in my power to help and support them and what better way than throwing a big party for them, while we fundraise on their behalf at the same time.”

This year, the event took place on April 14th and was once a great success. To date, Berne and her organization have raised over $10,500 for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Zoe Light: Green Team

Zoe Light is currently attending the University of Oregon, where she is the Sustainability Chairwoman for her sorority and the Green Chair for the Oregon Hillel. The Hillel Green Team was established last year in an effort to bring more sustainable practices to the organization. Through their partnership with Hazon, an organization that works to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community, Light and her team have replaced a large majority of the cutlery and dishes used for weekly Shabbat dinners with reusable glass and metal, and they are in the process of implementing a recycling program throughout the Hillel house to decrease waste. Their goal is to become the first zero waste religious organization at the University of Oregon.

“I strive to live by the values that I learned during my time at The Davis Academy,” said Light, “Gratefully, through my position on the Hillel Green team, I have been able to make a meaningful impact on my community.

Combining my two passions, Judaism and environmentalism, has been incredibly rewarding. I do not know who I would be without the grounding of my Jewish values, and I am proud to be able to bring change to a community that means so much to me.”

Light plans to use the Tzedek grant to help fund the final steps needed to create a zero waste Shabbat dinner experience. “With these funds, Hillel will purchase glass, reusable cups, and cloth napkins,” said Light. “The grant will benefit the Hillel community through building a culture of sustainability, inspiring others to give back to the earth, which ultimately represents our core value of Tikkun Olam.”

“During their years at The Davis Academy many sacred seeds are planted in the hearts and souls of our students. This grant is intended to signal to our alumni as well as our current students, that The Davis Academy is eager to nourish these seeds as they take root and grow, even after our students have graduated and continued on their amazing journeys.”

— Rabbi Micah Lapidus, Director of Jewish and Hebrew Studies

In reflecting

upon the Davis

Alumni Tzedek Grant, Rabbi Micah notes:

“I strive to live by the values that I learned during my time at The Davis Academy…”

Zoe Light

The Davis Academy Graduates through the Years

theyWhere are n w

Lives in Decatur, Georgia. Rochelle became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in December, and now works as a Bereavement Coordinator at Crossroads Hospice, providing one on one counseling and support groups. She also volunteers for the organization, Bright Pink, providing individual and group support for young women who are high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.

Our First Graduates: Class of 2000

Twenty-five years ago a vision was brought to reality when The Alfred & Adele Davis Academy opened its doors in the basement of The Junior Achievement Building on Abernathy Road. At the time, there were two classrooms (kindergarten and first grade) and twenty bright-faced children and their families willing to take a chance on a brand new school with a special mission. Throughout their early years, these students witnessed pivotal moments in Davis Academy’s history, including the groundbreaking of the first permanent site for the school on Roberts Drive in 1995, followed by the opening of the phase 1 building, which welcomed 180 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. In 1999, these students enthusiastically welcomed the second phase of the schools growth, which included the opening of the Leffler Middle School wing and the Selig Family Gymnasium, both housed in what is now referred to as the Lower School building. This first group of pioneer students continued to grow alongside the school, and in 2000, students, families, friends, and faculty and staff joined together to celebrate The Davis Academy’s first Eighth Grade Graduation. Throughout the years, we have remained connected to members of our first graduating class. We are proud to have helped raise them during elementary school, provide guidance through their fascinating middle school years, and served as their home away from home before they headed off to the next stage of their journey. Now, they each have their own story to tell. Where are they now?

Lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband John, daughter Eva (3), and son James (1). Sarah is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for trauma. She is a Clinician at JF&CS providing therapy to adults and adolescents.

“I am thankful for the experience that I received during my years at The Davis Academy. It wasn’t just a school to me, it was a community and it provided me with the small nurturing environment that I needed during those formative years.”

Rochelle Schube

Sarah Baker French

Lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her fiancé Lyle Passink and works as a Stylist for Moda Operandi, an online luxury retailer.

“I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to watch so many dedicated and passionate leaders in our community bring to life their vision of a Jewish Day School. As a student in the first class at The Davis Academy, my parents took a leap of faith and now I am part of the history of our Jewish Community.”

Lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama with her husband Andy, daughter Emery (3), and son Bennett (2). Brittany and her family are members of Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El, where she is serving on the Educator Search Committee, co-chairing the 2018 Gala, and is involved in the temple’s preschool: The Discovery School.

Vice President of the Investment Team for Madison International Realty in New York City.

Recently celebrated her eighth year anniversary with Aramark, where she is now a Business Process Manager for 200+ Higher Education accounts across the company. She, her husband, Brian, and her son, Griffin (1) recently moved back to Atlanta after being in Chicago for seven years.

“From an academic perspective, my years at Davis gave me confidence in areas where I excel and made me aware of the skills I needed to develop. Learning this early on set me up for success through high school, college and far into my adult/professional life.”

Lives in New York City with his wife, Paige and son, Aiden (2). Adam works as a Senior Director/Audience Development for FanDuel.

Lives in Atlanta where she works at an MRI Imaging Facility.

11

Living in New York City with her husband and 15 month-old son.

Lives in Atlanta, where he is a Software Engineer at Pindrop, a security company developing the use of biometrics and phoneprinting to prevent fraud and strengthen user authentication in call centers. In his free time, Joseph enjoys making podcasts about current philosophical thoughts and theories.

“I credit my teachers at Davis for instilling a love for math, computer programming and philosophy, which continues to fascinate me today.”

Amy Chalef Toman

12 Joseph Weissman

Brittany Benamy Saag

5 Omer Ben-Zur

Ali Lewis

Adam Kaplan

8 Natalie Kaplan

9 Emily Sinsheimer

10 Adam Topaz

Ila Galanti Fennie

The Class of 2000 pictured with former Head of School, Rabbi Steven Ballaban. (Not pictured: Diana Pritsker).

Inaugural Mechina Class

The Davis Academy Mechina: Kindergarten Prep program was established in 2004 with the goal of providing a nurturing and encouraging environment that would challenge and support the intellectual, social, emotional and physical development of young children. The program was designed to prepare these students for success in an elementary school setting during the critical year of growth prior to Kindergarten. Due to an increased interest and demand for a full-day academic program, what started as a single classroom for young five year olds, has now expanded to two classrooms and is open to eligible four year olds who are ready to join The Davis Academy’s full day academic program. Now in its 14th year, the Mechina program continues to grow and is proud to offer young students more: more subjects, more enrichment, more field trips, more playtime, more teacher hugs, more individualized education and more time for students to acclimate to elementary school before starting their Kindergarten year.

This year, as The Davis Academy is celebrating 25 years, the students from the first Mechina class are graduating high school and moving on to the next phase of their journey. Where are they now and how did their years at The Davis Academy, and specifically as members of the Mechina program, help to shape who they are today?

The Emet Society —

In 2014, after 10 years of growth and success in the Mechina program, the Emet Society was created to honor the first graduating class of students who began their Davis experience during the inaugural year. In Hebrew, the word Emet means truth. Beginning with the letter Aleph and ending with the letter Tav, Emet symbolically encompasses the entire alphabet from beginning to end, much like the graduates who have completed their Davis journey from beginning to end.

Zachary Cohen

High School: North Springs Charter High School

Planned College: S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University

Reflection: The Mechina program enabled the ‘learner’ inside of me. When I graduated, I felt confident in the knowledge and skills that I had gained from my Davis journey and I felt prepared for the future ahead.

Eli Katz

High School: The Weber School

Planned College: Georgia Tech

Reflection: The Davis Academy was instrumental in providing me with strong Jewish values and it helped me to understand the importance of a good education.

Maqueline Weiss

High School: Mount Vernon Presbyterian School

Planned College: Elon University

Reflection: One of my favorite memories from Mechina is working on the notecard project. Each day a notecard was created illustrating what we worked on that day. At the end of the school year, we were able to reflect on the entire year. Those memories are still with me to this day.

Aaron Rice

High School: North Springs Charter High School

Planned College: University of Georgia

Reflection: Starting as early as Mechina, Davis taught me the importance of hard work. Nothing is guaranteed and you have to fight for what you want. Davis also provided me with a strong foundation that I believe prepared me for high school and everything that is yet to come.

Isaac Weissman

High School: The Weber School

Planned College: Williams College

Reflection: I remember playing with multicolored connecting blocks with my classmates in Mechina. At the time, we were just playing and creating, but this sense of being on a team has stayed with me throughout my middle and high school years. In fact, I continue to work with my current classmates, many who are Davis alum, and our teamwork has been the key to our success.

Dima Arkhipov

High School: The Weber School

Planned College: Georgia College and State

Reflection: Davis provided me with a great foundation and helped me to develop a strong work ethic and a strong moral compass.

Class Notes

Alumni Journeys by Class Year

2000:

Ila Galanti Fennie recently celebrated her eighth year anniversary with Aramark, where she is now a Business Process Manager for 200+ Higher Education accounts across the company. She, her husband, Brian, and her son, Griffin (1) recently moved back to Atlanta after being in Chicago for seven years.

Sarah Baker French lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband John, daughter Eva (3), and son James (1). Sarah is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for trauma. She is a Clinician at JF&CS providing therapy to adults and adolescents.

Adam Kaplan lives in New York City with his wife, Paige and son, Aiden (2). Adam works as a Senior Director/Audience Development for FanDuel.

Natalie Kaplan lives in Atlanta where she works at an MRI Imaging Facility.

Ali Lewis lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her fiancé Lyle Passink and works as a Stylist for Moda Operandi, an online luxury retailer.

Brittany Benamy Saag lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama with her husband Andy, daughter Emery (3), and son Bennett (2). Brittany and her family are members of Birmingham’s Temple EmanuEl, where she is serving on the Educator Search Committee, co-chairing the 2018 Gala, and is involved in the temple’s preschool: The Discovery School.

Rochelle Schube lives in Decatur, Georgia. Rochelle became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in December, and now works as a Bereavement Coordinator at Crossroads Hospice, providing one on one counseling and support groups. She also volunteers for the organization, Bright Pink, providing individual and group support for young women who are high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.

where he is a Software Engineer at Pindrop, a security company developing the use of biometrics and phoneprinting to prevent fraud and strengthen user authentication in call centers. In his free time, Joseph enjoys making podcasts about current philosophical thoughts and theories.

Omer Ben-Zur is Vice President of the Investment Team for Madison International Realty in New York City.

2001:

Leslie Mintz Friedenthal lives in Ashburn, Virginia with her husband Johnathan Friedenthal. She works as The Director of Media and Communications at the United States Eventing Association.

Samuel Rosenstein lives in Tallahassee, Florida, where he is pursuing a PhD in Art Administration at Florida State University.

Elan Spanjer is currently a law student at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago, Illinois. He serves as the Deputy Editorin-Chief of the Northwestern University Law Review. After law school, he plans to practice corporate law in New York City.

Ashley Tarica works as an Advertising Sales Executive at Pandora Radio in Atlanta, Georgia. She also volunteers with Ellevate, a global professional women’s network emphasizing the positive impact of women in business.

2002:

Rebecca Schleicher Cunningham lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband Drew Cunningham, where she works as a Reporter and Anchor at NewsChannel 5 Nashville.

Michelle Profis lives in New York City with her husband Ben CollinsBlake, where she is a Deputy Editor at Country Living Magazine and Woman’s Day Magazine.

Abigale Reisman is a violinist, composer, and educator. She is a member of the International Jewish Music Festival award-winning band,

Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band. Abigail earned her Bachelor’s degree at The Manhattan School of Music and received her Master’s degree at The New England Conservatory Improvisation. 1

Jeremy Schube married Talia Rachman on May 28, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. After their wedding, the couple moved from New York to Atlanta where Schube is an ER Doctor at Gwinnett Medical Center.

Inga Shvartsman lives in Atlanta, Georgia and works at DeKalb Medical Center as a Licensed Physical Therapist. Inga graduated from Georgia State University with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in May 2017. 2

2003:

Pamela Chaliff graduated from Columbia University with an MBA in May 2017. Pamela is now a Consultant at Bain & Company in New York City.

Michael Fields graduated from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2017. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife Francie, they are expecting their first child in August.

Mollie Rosenberg Friedman lives in Studio City, California with her husband, Corey Friedman, where she is an elementary school behavioral aid.

Andrew Marsh lives in Washington DC, where he is the Assistant General Counsel at SoFi, a FinTEC firm.

Josh Rosenstein lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he is pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Administration at UNC Chapel Hill, while performing as a Stand Up comedian and country folk musician.

Sally Galanti Rovinsky lives in Cleveland, Ohio with her husband Jeffrey Rovinksy, where she is a School Psychologist.

Raina Sayer is the Director of The Music Class, China where she is in charge of overseeing the business and adapting The Music Class curriculum for use in China. Currently, The Music Class has 375 locations across China with over 1000 teachers. 3

Rebecca Schneider is completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Colorado – Boulder and plans to complete the final step of the PhD program with an internship at Stanford Children’s Hospital. Rebecca is engaged to Frederick Wellborn. The wedding will take place on September 22, 2018.

Photo by Mark Wylie.

2004:

Jordan Edelstein lives in Manhattan and works as a Manager at East Coast Sales for Electronic Arts.

Kelsey Rogut works in Learning and Development for The Home Depot corporate office, where she builds leadership training programs. She is also the Chair of the Development Committee within Home Depot’s internal women’s organization. Outside of work, Kelsey volunteers with The Society of Human Resources Management - Atlanta, where she has chaired an organization event and was named “Exemplary Volunteer of the Year”.

2005:

Leo Falkenstein is the Co-Founder, Executive Producer at Consume Media, a creative video service based out of Atlanta. Consume Media was founded in 2012 with Co-Founder and Creative Director, Michael Rosenberg (2005) and recently welcomed Louis Galanti (2006) to the team as the Lead Editor/Animator.

Stephanie Goldstein lives in Atlanta, where she is a Social Worker at Peachford Hospital, a hospital that offers resources for those suffering from emotional, psychiatric, and addictive disease in Dunwoody.

Rebecca Lewis Leslie is currently living in Chicago with her husband, Ben Leslie, where she is doing a pre-doctoral internship at Northwestern’s counseling center. She will be graduating from a doctoral program in clinical psychology from Nova Southeastern University in June,

and will then do her post-doctoral work with a private practice specializing in emotional eating, binge eating and weight loss.

Alison Marsh is a first grade teacher in Chicago, Illinois.

Lauren Profis is a Product Marketing Specialist at Zillow Group in New York City. Lauren is engaged to Matthew Resnick. The couple will get married in May 2019.

Jared Slaff is living in Atlanta as he pursues his MBA from Mercer University. Jared has obtained his Series 7 and 66 licenses, insurance licenses, and completed 50% of the coursework for the Certified Financial Planning designation. Jared also works part time as a financial planning consultant, managing financial plans for clients.

Lindsay Tuchman is an Anchor/ Reporter at NY1 in New York City.

Ari Whiteman recently returned from Panama City as a Smithsonian fellow. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he is a PhD candidate in Global Health at University of North Carolina – Charlotte.

2006:

Hannah Bock is graduating from George Washington University with a Masters in Interior Architecture in May 2018.

Leah Goldman is a Communications, Operations, and HR Manager at Schneider Hammers LLC in Atlanta. Outside of work, Leah recently went on Birthright and is a Staff Writer for the Junior League of Atlanta’s Peachtree Papers Magazine.

Catherine Patterson is a Nightside Reporter and Weekend Anchor at WBRC FOX 6 News in Birmingham, Alabama. 1

2007:

Ryan Goldstein lives in Atlanta and works at Jeckil Promotions as an Account Manager where he sells branded products.

Jessica Jacobs is the Hillel Director of Engagement at UCLA in Los Angeles, California.

Joseph Neder is living in Austin, Texas, where he works as an Account Executive in Tech Sales. Joseph volunteers with Food 2 Kids, feeding underprivileged youth in Clark County and with Austin Sunshine Camp, where he helps support fundraising efforts to send underprivileged youth in Central Texas to summer camp for a week free of charge.

Lindsey Rosenberg earned her Master of Health Science in Occupational Therapy from Augusta University in August 2017. Lindsey was the 2017 recipient of the Dr. Nancy D. Prendergast Award, an accolade given to a student who has made significant contributions to the development of occupational therapy. Additionally, Lindsey volunteers with Atlanta Buddy Walk.

Jason Schwarz is a medical student at Emory School of Medicine (Class of 2019). He is engaged to Melissa Fuhrman. Max Shafron works in the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC, managing the program’s daily operations and strategic planning as well as providing research for transatlantic defense and security initiatives. He received the CSIS-Baumgartner Employee Recognition Award and in the fall, will begin his pursuit of a Master’s Degree in International Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.

In Memoriam

We lovingly remember the life of Brian Alan Waronker, Davis Academy Class of 2007. Brian passed away on December 29, 2017 in Atlanta, GA. Brian was an extraordinary young man who will be deeply missed.

Ally Sillins lives in San Francisco and consults with Silicon Valley Tech Firms in the design and delivery of their data centers. In her spare time, she competes in impromptu public speaking competitions through Toastmaster’s.

2008:

Zack Beagle works as an Investment Banking Analyst in New York City.

Mariah Berkowitz is a Stage Manager, working on theatre events and fashion in New York City.

Alex Edelstein is the Associate Product Marketing Manager at Google in Mountain View, California.

Jacob Fryer lives in Atlanta where he is a Business Development Executive at YourLeaderBoard, a company that designs and builds leaderboards for hand scoring at golf events.

Marlee Jones works for Sigma Kappa, as an Extension Specialist, where she networks with campus professionals and students to help prepare Sigma Kappa for franchising to new college campuses.

Sam Lack is the Associate Producer in the Buffalo Bills Media Department in Buffalo, New York.

Sarah Spiegel is the new Owner of the fitness studio Pure Barre –Brookhaven. 2

Rachel Stein is pursuing a career in arts administration, and recently secured an internship with Horizon Theatre Company. Rachel is writing a children’s opera, Snow, a retelling of Snow White and will soon be publishing a young adult fantasy novel. Additionally, Rachel is a volunteer at the Atlanta Humane Society.

Jaclyn Turner is the Associate Editor of Home Furnishing News/ Media in New York City.

Rachel Whiteman will be making her Off-Broadway debut later this year in SHE, an original play dealing with sexual assault and discrimination against women.

2009:

Danielle Altman graduated from The University of Georgia with a Finance degree in May 2017. Danielle now lives in Tel Aviv, Israel, where she works for an Israeli advertising startup, Wazimo. This year, Danielle has traveled to Jordan and Germany and has plans to spend

six months traveling Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, before returning to The USA.

4

Elli Bock graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Marketing. Elli is now living/ traveling in New Zealand.

5

Alec Brown graduated from The University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. He is currently living in Wazuka, Japan, where he works as an Environmental Consultant on a Tea Farm. In the fall, Alec will begin The University of Minnesota Entomology graduate program.

Sara Weiss-Cowie is a Kindergarten Teacher at Meeting Street Academy in Charleston, South Carolina.

Rebecca Galanti is a Communications Associate at a political consulting firm, developing and executing communications strategies for a host of issue advocacy campaigns. Rebecca graduated from George Washington University in 2017 with a degree in International Affairs.

Haley Greenberg graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Marketing. While attending UGA, Haley was the President of Food 2 Kids, an organization that packs and distributes non-perishable foods from The Food Bank. She now works as an On Premise Sales Representative at National Distributing Company.

Jacob Greenberg graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Government. He is currently a Residential Advisor for Experiential Learning – (LUISS Dartmouth College Exchange) at LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome.

Lindsey Kraun is attending Georgia State University as a graduate student, where she is studying occupational therapy.

Paige Licenberg is in her first year of Rabbinical School at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. She is currently living in Israel and will return to Los Angeles to complete her studies. 6

Molly Minnen graduated from The University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is currently enrolled in the Industrial/Organizational psychology PhD program at Virginia Tech.

Class Notes

5

Alex Nash graduated from Vanderbilt University, where he studied Economics, Finance, and Corporate Strategy. Alex is now a Technology Project Manager at Cox Communications in Atlanta. Outside of work, Alex traveled to Eastern Europe for a month with fellow alumni Matthew Palay (2009) and is a Habitat for Humanity Service Leader.

Megan Pelts lives in Atlanta and is pursuing her Masters of Taxation at Georgia State University. Megan will be working at Aprio in January 2019 and plans to travel to Europe this fall after her graduation.

Mila Saitowitz graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and is now living in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she works as a Business Development Representative.

Joe Schaffer graduated from The University of Georgia with a degree in Finance. He now works as a Financial Analyst in Atlanta.

Rebecca Shafron is a Grant Making Fellow in the Washington, DC office of The Charles & Lynn Schusterman Foundation. Rebecca works to support the Foundation’s national Jewish agenda of organizations and initiatives that empower young Jews to embrace the joy of Judaism, build inclusive communities, support the State of Israel, and repair the world.

Hailey Winter graduated from Elon University with a degree in Sports Management. She is currently living in Atlanta, working at The Icebox as a project manager.

Evan Young moved back to Atlanta after graduating from the University of Georgia. He now works as a Financial Analyst for

6 7

Carter’s Inc. Prior to starting his job, Evan went on Birthright in June.

2010:

Sara Beagle graduated from Georgia Tech with Finance and Mechanical Engineering degrees. Sara will start working at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey in July.

Cameron Frostbaum is a senior at Emory University, where he double majored in Political Science and Theater Studies. Inspired by the theatre he experienced when traveling to Salamanca, Spain, Cameron based his honors thesis research on Microtheatre or short plays performed for small audiences in flexible spaces. This past fall, Cameron produced the first Microtheatre event at Emory University and intends to continue to introduce Microtheatre to the Atlanta community post-graduation.

7

Cayla Harris attended The University of Alabama and majored in both Biology/Genetics and Business. Cayla will pursue a Master of Science in Biomedical Health and Sciences at University of Alabama - Birmingham. Outside of school, Cayla began a civilian support organization for Air Force detachment at University of Alabama. Cayla will travel to Israel on Birthright this summer with sibling and Davis Academy Alumni Sammy Harris (2012).

Emily Karsch is attending The University of Pennsylvania, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Emily has plans to work in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Children’s National Health System in Washington, DC starting in August 2018.

Jenna Perlman studied Journalism and Public Relations at Boston University. Jenna plans to go into TV News reporting with goals to be either an on-air correspondent or news producer after graduating in May 2018. Jenna is currently an Investigative Intern at Boston 25 News Station, an Anchor/Producer for Good Morning BU, Boston University’s live morning show, and the Campus Ambassador for Gift of Life National Bone Marrow Registry. 1

Evan Rosenthal studied abroad in Spain in May 2017. Evan will graduate from The University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing in May 2018.

Kayla Schwarz is attending University of Alabama, where she is pursuing a degree in Communications.

2011:

Jami Bohrer studies Economics and History at The University of Michigan.

This semester, Jami is studying abroad at Tel Aviv University.

Carly Edlin studies Communications and Public Relations at Tulane University. Outside of school, Carly is the Director of Marketing at The Boot, Philanthropy chair of Kappa Kappa Gamma Beta Omicron chapter, and Outreach and Development intern for Top Box Foods New Orleans.

Scott Eisenberg is attending The University of Georgia pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Scott is a Presidential Scholar at UGA, board member of Student Health Advisory Committee, a Leonard Leadership Fellow, and a volunteer at Mercy Care Hospital. Additionally, Scott recently studied Medical Spanish in Argentina and Chile.

Jordy Frankel is a junior at the University of Colorado Boulder studying English with an emphasis on literature, minoring in Spanish, and pursuing a licensure in elementary education. Jordy served as The Vice President of Membership of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, sang with her choir program at Carnegie Hall, and is a member of Student Ambassadors, the tour guide organization at CU. Additionally, Jordy volunteers with a program called “Reading Buddies,” where

she reads to kindergarten students from the community.

Tennessee (Nesya) Lieberman made Aliyah this year. In Israel, Nesya will live on Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu prior to volunteering for a year of national service. 2

Matthew Nathan is attending The University of Georgia, where he studies Political Science. This year, Matthew spent a study abroad semester in Verona, Italy.

Alison Schutzberg is studying Mechanical Engineering and Business at Georgia Tech. This summer, Alison will intern for an acoustic prototyping team at Apple.

Adam Sillins is a junior Finance major at University of Florida also pursuing a Master of International Business degree. Adam will be in Ho Chi Minh City this summer analyzing foreign business affairs as a part of his MIB program.

Andrew Stein is pursuing a career in stand-up comedy, having performed in clubs throughout Georgia, including Relapse Theater, The Punchline, Laughing Skull, HighWire, and many others.

Morgan Underhill is attending Georgia Southern University, where she studies Criminal Justice/ Psychology. In addition to school, Morgan works as The Bulloch County Barn Director.

2012:

Meredith Galanti is studying Political Science and Social Policy at Tulane University. Meredith is a recipient of the Dean’s Honor Scholarship: a four year full-tuition merit scholarship, Dean’s List, Green Wave Ambassador, member of Sigma Delta Tau, and School of Liberal Arts Undergrad Senator. Rachel Kaufman is attending George Washington University and studying exercise science. Rachel is also the varsity coxswain on GW’s D1 Women’s Rowing Team, where she led the team to a bronze medal finish at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship. Additionally, Rachel is the coach for The Grass Roots Project, where she teaches innercity middle schoolers about safe sex and HIV.

Zoe Light is a second year Environmental Studies major at The University of Oregon, where she received both the Summit Scholarship and the General Fund Scholarship. Zoe is Chi Omega’s Sustainability Chairwoman, a member of the pre-law society, and The Green Chair at The University of Oregon Hillel. Additionally, Zoe is a Hebrew school teacher to 6th grade students.

Rachel Nemeth is attending University of Pennsylvania, where she is studying Nursing & Healthcare Management.

2013:

Emily Brothman is an undergraduate student studying Elementary Education and Public Policy at the University of Maryland. Emily is involved in the College Park Scholars Living Learning Community, where she serves as an ambassador for prospective students to the program. Additionally, Emily works as the Executive Vice President of Terps Against Hunger, an oncampus nonprofit which aims to eliminate local hunger. 3

Neta Gal moved to Israel last August and was drafted to the Israel Defense Force in November. Neta is now serving as a combat soldier in the Search and Rescue Unit. 4

Jenna Grossman is attending University of Wisconsin – Madison. Sammie Hardy will be studying abroad/interning for a non-profit

organization in Budapest this summer for nine weeks. The study abroad program is centered around sustainability and educating students on entrepreneurship and leadership in sustainable businesses/communities.

Jacob Karsch is a premedical student at University of Pennsylvania studying Biological Basis of Behavior. Jacob is pledging Phi Delta Theta at Penn and is also a member of DREAM, a community service group that walks to a local Philadelphia neighborhood project on Friday afternoons and mentors the children who live there.

Emily Kurzweil graduated from The Weber School in 2017 and is now attending The Honors College at College of Charleston. Emily is also in the cast of The CofC musical: Into the Woods and volunteers with Trident Literacy, where she tutors adults as they prepare to earn their GED. Emily plans to travel with The College of Charleston to Poland, The Netherlands, and Germany on a trip titled “Tracing the Holocaust”.

2014:

David Antonino is graduating from Riverwood International Charter School. David published a 120-page novel on Amazon titled The Mystery Girl: or the One-Sided Love Affair and also became an Eagle Scout. Dima Arkhipov is graduating from The Weber School in May 2018 and plans to study medicine or computer programming in college. Outside of school, Dima is the team captain for the Atlanta Fire hockey team.

Ben Bernstein committed to playing baseball at Oberlin College. Marshall Berton was selected by North Springs Charter High School faculty to be one of seven members of the North Springs AntiDefamation League Committee, working to reduce religious/racial tensions. The seven students on the committee attended the Empowering Young Leaders: No Place for Hate Summit with the Atlanta ADL chapter.

Jared Coffsky will attend Georgia Tech in fall 2018. At North Springs Charter High School, Jared was named National Merit Semifinalist, Star Student, Valedictorian, Varsity Tennis Co-Captain, and a “Top 10” student. 5

Zach Cohen was crowned first Greater Atlanta Region King (BBYO) at Greater Atlanta Winter Formal. This fall, Zach will attend S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

Sammy Weiss-Cowie was named The Weber School Class of 2018 Valedictorian.

Hazel Durbin is graduating from North Springs Charter High School and will be attending the Berklee College of Music in the fall. She was selected for and performed in The Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra, chosen to join The Fulton County

SIMCHAS

Honor Orchestra, and is First Chair Bass in the North Springs Orchestra. She also is being inducted into the National Music Honor Society.

Jared Hopkins is graduating from North Springs Charter High School and plans to study Finance and Sports Management at The University of Georgia next year.

Eli Katz is graduating from The Weber School and will attend Georgia Tech in the fall, where he plans on studying environmental engineering and Spanish. Eli is the captain of the Weber baseball team and active in The Rally foundation, Peace by Piece, Green Team, Peer

Rebecca Schleicher Cunningham (2002) married Drew Cunningham on October 22, 2017. The couple lives in Nashville Tennessee. A

Michelle Profis (2002) married Ben Collins-Blake on October 14, 2017 at Summerour Studio in Atlanta. Fellow Davis Academy classmate: Melissa Chalef Hyman (2002) was in attendance at the wedding and signed Michelle’s Ketubah. The couple lives in New York City.

Jeremy Schube (2002) married Talia Rachman on May 28, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. After their wedding, the couple moved from New York to Atlanta. B Mollie Rosenberg Friedman (2003) married Corey Friedman on May 13, 2017 in Atlanta. The couple now lives in Studio City, California. C

Class Notes

Leadership Program, and The National Honors Society.

David Leven is graduating from Pace Academy, where he played varsity tennis all four years. He will be attending Tulane University in the fall, studying Architecture.

Scott Leven is graduating from Pace Academy, where he played 4 years of varsity football, including a State Championship, and 3 years of varsity lacrosse. He will be attending Tulane University.

Zach Leven is graduating from Pace Academy and will attend Tulane University in the fall.

Zach was a member of the Pace basketball state champion team.

Rebecca Lewis Leslie (2005) married Ben Leslie. The couple lives in Chicago. D

Ben Joseph (2003) married Jessica Menkin

Joseph on September 10, 2017 at The Peachtree Club in Atlanta, where fellow Davis Academy alumni

Max Miller (2003) officiated the ceremony. The couple now lives in Atlanta. E

Josh Rosenstein (2003) married Kathleen McDonald on July 8, 2017. The couple now lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Sally Galanti Rovinsky (2003) married Jeffrey Rovinksy on December 31, 2017 in Atlanta. The couple lives in Cleveland, Ohio. F

Berklee

Elon University

Emory University

Florida State University

George Washington University

Georgia College & State University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Southern University

Georgia State University

Indiana University

Louisiana State University

Northeastern University

Oberlin College

Ohio State University

Syracuse University

Tulane University

Union College

University of Alabama

University of Arizona

University of Delaware

University of Georgia

University of Maryland

University of Michigan

University of Pennsylvania

University of Texas Williams College

Jacob Lewis was named Grand Aleph S’gan (Vice President of Programming) for The International BBYO board, where he coordinated International Convention for 3,500+ teens in Orlando, Florida. In addition, Jacob was named a Top 10 North Springs Charter High School student.

Valerie Light is serving her second term as both President of the Student Ambassadors at Walton High School and NFTY Southern Area Region Communications Vice President. Valerie is also Chair of The Guidance Advisory Council and a Student Ambassador to the Secretary of State. Valerie plans on studying Advertising/Fashion Merchandising in college in the fall of 2018.

Cara Miller is graduating from North Springs Charter High School and will attend The University of Georgia in the fall. Cara was crowned first Greater Atlanta Region Queen (BBYO) at Greater Atlanta Winter Formal. In addition, Cara’s artwork was one of 143 chosen pieces to be presented at Atlanta’s Dogwood Festival out of 648 submitted art pieces.

Eric Miller was named National Merit Semifinalist as well as North Springs Charter High School Salutatorian, STAR student and “Top 10” student. 1

Jessica Mishkoff is graduating from North Springs Charter High School, and in the fall, Jessica will attend University of Pennsylvania.

Jessica was awarded the National Charity League Ticktocker

Leadership Award, given to the member who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership throughout 2017-2018.

Aaron Rice is graduating from North Springs Charter High School and will be attending The University of Georgia in the fall, where he wants to study business. Additionally, Aaron is captain of the North Springs cross country team.

Max Rubenstein is graduating from The Galloway School and will attend Northeastern University in the fall. Max was named the winning high school student for the Prudential Spirit of Community Award 2018, received Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation’s Channel Kindness Award, and was selected as the Georgia winner for the AXA Achievement $10,000 college scholarship for the work of Game Givers, the organization he founded, which donates video games and consoles to children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses across the country. 2

Mia Schwartz was named a Top 10 North Springs Charter High School student.

Maqueline Weiss is graduating from Mount Vernon High School and aspires to study medicine when she starts college in the fall so that she can become an endocrinologist. Additionally, Maqueline was one of five panelists in the nation selected to speak about transformational education at the EdLeader21 Conference in Atlanta and is involved in The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a Camp Kudzu volunteer, as well as secretary of The National Honor Society.

Isaac Weissman will attend Williams College next fall. During high school, Isaac was National Merit Finalist and involved in Mock Trial, Math Team, Literary Magazine, Quiz Bowl, and National Honor Society.

2015:

Zachary Baylin was accepted into the Dual Enrollment program with Georgia Tech, and completed his first semester studying Linear Algebra. Additionally, Zachary works for Fulton County Schools as a Network Engineer intern.

Ben Finkelstein is attending The Weber School, where he plays soccer and was honored with the

Congratulations to the members of The Davis Academy Class of 2014, who are planning to attend the following colleges and universities:

Class Notes

Varsity Soccer Defensive MVP award. Ben also made the All-Region 1st team for GHSA Varsity Soccer.

Eliza Frankel is attending The Galloway School. She was named as one of nine Lynne & Howard Halpern Atlanta delegates for the Anti-Defamation League 18th annual Grosfeld Family National Youth Leadership Mission to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.

Jacob Rogow completed a semester program this fall with the Alzar School in Cascade, Idaho, which included a six week immersion in Chile. In addition to his High School curriculum, Jacob also received his Wilderness First Aid Certification, completed the Capstone Leadership course, and learned to navigate up to class 4 white water in a Kayak as part of the program. Jacob returned to Dunwoody High School for the spring semester. 3

Jeffrey Rosen is currently a junior at The Galloway School and is the President of the Model UN, an educational simulation for students to learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations.

Sloane Warner is attending The Weber School, where she is the

Alumni Leaders

Editor in Chief of The Weber RamPage (online school newspaper). Sloane recently attended The School of the New York Times Summer Writing Program. Hannah York is a sophomore at Riverwood High School, where she is a member of the National Honor society.

2016:

Mya Artzi participated in Student Government at North Springs Charter High School. She and another Davis alum, Ethan Goldberg (2016), started a new club at North Springs this year: The Young Entrepreneurs Club. Mya was selected to join the American Jewish Committee’s Leaders for Tomorrow program, a national program that provides opportunity to learn more about being a knowledgeable advocate for Israel. Mya is attending Alexander Muss High School in Israel from April –June, 2018.

Abbie Barkan is a sophomore at The Weber School, where she lettered in 3 sports. She earned the “Ram Tough Award” and The Coach’s Award in cross country. Abbie also participated in the 2017 Close Up Foundation’s Washington D.C. trip.

Zoe Bober is a sophomore at Alpharetta High School, where she is captain of the junior varsity soccer team. Zoe also volunteers with JF&CS Artscape.

Caroline Goldman is a sophomore at The Weber School, where she is active in Weber’s Theatre Program. Outside of school, Caroline is involved with the non-profit Creating Connected Communities.

Isaac Goldman is a sophomore at The Weber School, where he is a part of the cross country, basketball, and tennis teams. Additionally, Isaac serves on the board of non-profit Creating Connected Communities as the Events Chair.

Dara Grocer attends Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, where she was one of two sophomores to make the varsity tennis team.

Zachary Leaf is a sophomore at North Springs Charter High School, where he is on the school honor roll and varsity baseball team. Outside of school, Zachary volunteers with Amy’s Holiday Party.

Jonah Medoff is a sophomore at The Westminster Schools where he tutors through both the Agape tutoring program and Mu Alpha Theta math tutoring program.

Lindy Feintuch (2016), Ryan Gold (2015), Austin Margol (2016), Alisa Steel (2016), Leah Tuck (2015), Jordyn Rosenberg (2016), and Jack Pines (2015) were inducted into the 2017-2018 Youth Leadership Sandy Springs Class. They are seven of thirty six students selected for Youth Leadership Sandy Springs Class of 2016-2017 a program offering yearlong leadership training and civic education for 10th-11th graders living in/going to school in Sandy Springs.

Jennifer Rice was accepted to Governor’s Honors Program for Visual Arts. Jennifer will be spending four weeks at Berry College as a part of the program this summer.

2017:

Talia Barras is a freshman at Riverwood Charter High School.

Derek Coffsky and Tyler McMahon won first place at the 2018 Georgia Student Technology Competition on March 10th in the video production category for their “We Need to Get FBLA” video.

Jacob Frank tutors underprivileged children and teaches English to Spanish-speaking students.

Halli Friedman is the Freshman Class Secretary at Riverwood Charter High School.

Will Hopkins is a freshman at North Springs Charter High School. Outside of school, Will is active in fundraising initiatives for Habitat for Humanity.

Grace Kirschner attends North Springs Charter High School, where she is the Vice President of the freshman class, on the varsity lacrosse team, and Cinderella in the Spring Musical: Into the Woods Alana Kramer is a part of the gymnastics team at Dunwoody High School and teaches gymnastics at the JCC. Alana is a member of Creating Connected Communities, the organization that organizes Amy’s Holiday Party each December.

Max London and Nicholas West, members of the band Current Situation, performed at “Rockin’ for Relief” Concert, a benefit concert geared toward helping the victims of Hurricane Harvey and Irma.

Grant Miller is a freshman at North Springs Charter High School.

Samantha Miller attends Chattahoochee High School, where she made the varsity basketball and varsity lacrosse teams as a freshman. Be

8105 Roberts Drive

Atlanta, GA 30350

Parents: If this issue is addressed to your child who no longer maintains his or her permanent address at your home, please notify The Davis Academy Alumni Office at alumni@davisacademy.org of the new mailing address. Because college addresses change so frequently, we are unable to use them for general mailing.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE DAVIS ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION:

The Davis Academy Class of 2018

Nate Artzi

Anna Baylin

Olivia Bercoon

Shelby Bercoon

Rachel Binderman

Brandon Bohrer

Asher Bressler

Logan Bucovetsky

Stuart Cohen

Ashley Costley

Samuel Durbin

Evan Feintuch

Hannah Ferrar

Sammy Finkelstein

Joshua Forman

Harrison Frank

Alexa Freedman

Jack Goldstein

Sarah Greenberg

Annalise Hardy

Amalia Haviv

Kady Herold

Rachel Hertz

Noah Hirschfield

Kaden Husney

Joshua Isaacs

Samuel Isaacs

Shoshana Katz

Margo Kaye

Daniel Kobrinsky

Veronica Kogan

Maya Laufer

Sydney Leahy

Andrew Levingston

Jordan Levy

Ezra Mahle

Max Martin

Matthew McCullough

Seth Meiselman

Daniel Menis

Mai Miller

Jacob Mirsky

Sophia Mokotoff

Gabrielle Murray

Alex Newberg

Jordan Palgon

Emma Perlstein

Sy Polekoff

Amit Rau

Matthew Richmond

Ellie Rifkin

Alon Rogow

Daniel Rosen

Alec Rosenberg

Jessica Schulhof

Zoe Shapiro

Eric Sherman

Jason Sherman

Brooke Stanley

Ava Stark

Lily Stark

Virginia Sullivan

Matthew Szabo

Datya Voloschin

Alexa Warner

Eli Weiser

Hailey Weiss

Sasha Wildstein