Amidst the Trees - Fall 2020

Amidst Trees L

The Magazine of Forsyth Country Day School

FCDS Class of 2020 FALL 2020

FCDSMagazine

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A MESSAGE

from Gardner Barrier ’97 Head of School

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Forsyth Country Day School 5501 Shallowford Road Lewisville, NC 27023 336-945-3151—fcds.org

LEARNING #TOGETHER APART

How we learned & supported one another during the pandemic this spring

Head of School

Gardner Barrier ’97

Associate Head of School for Teaching and Learning Director of the Middle School Michelle Klosterman, Ph.D.

Associate Head of School for Student Life Director of Admission Nathan Battle

Associate Head of School for Finance and Operations Andrea Matney

Director of the Preschool Harriet Jennings

JUNIOR’S PASSION FOR SERVICE LEADS TO POSITIVE CHANGE

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CAMPUS NOTES

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WHO WE ARE: THE CLASS OF 2020

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FURY IMMUNOLOGIST COMBATS COVID-19

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CLASS NOTES

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CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2020

Student news from campus (real and virtual)

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Meet Sarina Horner

Director of the Lower School Ann Parke Muller

Director of the Upper School Scott Pohjola

Director of the Johnson Academic Center Ashley Clark

Director of Advancement Andy Clifton

Athletic Director Doug Esleeck

Amidst the Trees Editor

Priscilla St. John

Publication Design

Scarlett Jessup, ROODcreative

Printed by

Slate Marketing

Contributors & Special Thanks

Meet the resilient group of young alumni we honor in this issue

We catch up with Dr. James Crowe ’79

On the cover: Congratulations to the Class of 2020!

Jan DiBlasio, Tom Howell, Cate Reece Lynch ’03, Beth Mack

Parents, alumni, and friends of Forsyth Country Day School are encouraged to contribute articles, photographs, and other items of interest to Amidst the Trees. Please send them to: priscillastjohn@ fcds.org or Editor, Amidst the Trees, Forsyth Country Day School, Attn: Editor, Amidst the Trees, 5501 Shallowford Road, Lewisville, NC, 27023.

Alumni, alumni families, faculty, and friends of the school are encouraged to send Class Notes updates and pictures as well as birth notes and items for In Memoriam to alumni@fcds.org.

Amidst the Trees is published twice annually and sent free of charge to parents, alumni, and friends of Forsyth Country Day School. POSTMASTER: please send address changes to Amidst the Trees, 5501 Shallowford Road, Lewisville, NC, 27023.

Forsyth Country Day School is committed to cultivating an inclusive learning community free from discrimination.

The School prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex in the administration of its educational policy and practice, admission and financial aid policy and practice, and other school administered programs.

Thank you to our corporate partners!

Throughout this issue of Amidst the Trees, you’ll see sponsorships from companies who support the school. Their generosity allows us to better fulfill our mission of being a community of learners dedicated to preparing students for what’s ahead, and their contributions directly support our students through the Forsyth Fund, the Fury Club, and the Arts Alliance.

To learn more about how your company can become a corporate partner, please contact Andy Clifton, our Director of Advancement, at andyclifton@fcds.org or call 336.978.3941.

Graduations, weddings, and babies...oh my!

a message from

Gardner Barrier Dear Furies, The year 2020, we can safely say, was unprecedented in recent history. A global pandemic, a stricken economy, and protests for racial justice changed the life we knew to a new life in the blink of an eye.

It was a surreal time for every one of us, but whenever we were forced to cancel another event (the orchestra trip to New York, Prom, internships, concerts, Baccalaureate, our traditional Commencement in the Childress Activities Center), I grew more saddened for our seniors. They were missing so many things I had cherished when I was preparing to graduate, and I grieved for the time they were losing on campus and off with their friends.

And then I started talking to those kids, many of whom I had the pleasure of teaching or getting to know in other ways.

Were they disappointed? Sure. Was it the senior year they’d imagined? Definitely not. But were they consumed with despair?

Not remotely.

The Class of 2020 will live forever in my memory, and the memory of everyone who works at this school, as true leaders in a time of crisis. Instead of bemoaning their losses (and who would blame them?), they shrugged their shoulders and carried on. They embraced every little good thing that happened, like the signs the school put on their lawns congratulating them. A

Head of School Gardner Barrier ’97 with valedictorian Halle Kincaid

socially distanced lifer lunch. The small cap and gown ceremony in the parking lot. Through it all, they smiled and modeled an incredibly positive attitude that made the most of a less-than-ideal situation. They showed what we’ve always said we hoped to instill in our graduates: resilience.

To this exceptional Class of 2020, we dedicate this issue of Amidst the Trees. We salute you for your leadership in a truly unprecedented time. We celebrate you for your positive spirit and for the way you embodied every value we dreamed of instilling in you - far better than we ever could have imagined. We thank you for modeling for all of us how to cope when life hands you a whole lot of lemons, and for setting that “making lemonade” example for your younger peers.

Congratulations! We can’t wait to see what you’ll do with your lives, and the incredible impact you will - jointly and individually - have on this world.

Take care,

Gardner Barrier ’97

Class of 2020 at Spirit Rock

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Learning #together apart

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FCDS’s mission to prepare our students for what’s ahead has never been more important. The flexibility, curiosity, and resourcefulness that our mission fosters allowed both teachers and students to transition successfully to virtual learning in spring 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic first forced the world as we knew it into a world we never imagined.

“Our faculty did an outstanding job of playing the hand that we were dealt this spring,” said Head of School Gardner Barrier ’97. “They rolled up their sleeves, they studied, they learned new tools, and they did an outstanding job of serving our students.”

One of the keys to FCDS’s success in the virtual learning environment is its flexibility as an independent school.

“The novel coronavirus hit us suddenly, and we were able to adapt quickly,” Mr. Barrier said. “Students started spring break early and our teachers dived into training. When we all came back from break, our staff threw themselves into the work.”

Associate Head of School for Teaching and Learning Dr. Michelle Klosterman agreed. “Feedback from parents and students alike across divisions has been overwhelmingly positive,” she said.

“Because we know our families and our students so well, we could differentiate extremely well. We could hone in on equity in differentiation, and we did what was right for the individual student.”

Rather than seeing an increased number of students struggle academically in the virtual world, Dr. Klosterman saw no increase. “It was surprising,” she said.

“Some students who typically struggle actually did a lot better virtually.” She believes this is due to fewer distractions from peers and, for those with ADHD, the increased ability to self pace and move more at home.

In addition to providing content delivery and academics, Forsyth was able to preserve its sense of community—even through a Zoom screen. Traditions including State Fair, the Middle School Spring Fling talent show, student government elections, assemblies, a theater club play, and the virtual athletic awards brought Furies together online. Community Wednesdays in Middle and Upper School provided time to talk to teachers one on one and to customize the student experience with enrichment, remediation, or even just conversation.

“That time allowed us to provide extra support, fill in gaps, or provide enrichment in a customized way, and we pulled that off really, really well,” Dr. Klosterman said.

Mr. Barrier agreed. “I was most impressed with how attuned our faculty were to the social-emotional AND aca-

It was definitely

hard - very hard!

But when it was especially difficult, I thought of all of the ‘off book’ lessons our kids learned and it gave me so much hope for our future. I think we will see a more compassionate, inspired, resilient, and creative ‘pandemic’ generation emerge as leaders - divergent thinkers who have learned to just ‘roll with it’ and are positioned to be real agents of change in the world.”

— Rebecca Craps, fifth grade teacher

demic needs of our students,” he said.

“The fact that we weren’t on campus together didn’t diminish how much the faculty care, and they did such a fantastic job of supporting students and families alike.”

Nizar, the father of two FCDS preschoolers, agreed. “I just want to thank you all for an amazing job ... in e-learning. You guys did a huge leap and adaptation to computer-based learning,” he said. “Our kids are learning and having fun. [I] appreciate all of you in this great work.”

Upper School parent Beth said she was beyond grateful. “Having school be O.K., having school have a plan, having school be constant and grounded ... that is something powerful and beyond words that you all have given our children and our community,” she said. “Thank you for the hours and hours of work I am sure you all have done ... Education is of utmost importance, but it pales in comparison to the life lessons of strength, perseverance, and quiet determination that [my son] is seeing in his school.”

School started back, on campus and in person, on August 19. Until there’s a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, the “now” normal includes mask-wearing, social distancing, increased use of outdoor space, and daily health and temperature checks, as well as the readiness to flip back to virtual learning if need be.

“What we were able to do this spring was remarkable because we’d never done anything like it before—no one had,” Mr. Barrier said. “We’ve learned so much since then, and we’re ready for our students and families no matter what’s ahead.”

We have a stated mission to put learning in the students’ hands. By providing tools they could use independently, we didn’t just hand out materials so parents could teach. The students took ownership in their learning from day one of the online experience. We encouraged them to not sweat the small stuff. After all, it is the lessons in perseverance and making the most out of a tough situation that will be remembered more than math and reading lessons years from now. We will remember the morning meetings where we met a duckling, a turtle was saved from a swimming pool, dogs and cats wanted to join, and the greetings of ‘Good morning’ to start our day.”

— Tina McSwain, third grade

Screenshots: Learning #together apart What follows are “screenshots” of exemplary teachers, lessons, and students who thrived in the brave new virtual world - as well as teacher’s thoughts on how it went and what it means for what’s ahead.

Craps said. “They did it together and were the only ones to do a full blackout of all 25 activities.” Totally impressive!

In Madeline Stambaugh’s art classes, creativity bloomed.“It’s a joy to see my students up to various challenges of creating using simple household items and the outdoors as their tools,” she said. “With all my classes, we had some great discussions

focus on the social aspect of kindergarten, while incorporating play and creativity,” Mrs. Wolfe said. “Our students have found great success and really enjoy socializing with their peers, whom they miss dearly.”

Nasia Ballas, left, and Darby Stubblefield share a fun virtual Buddy Day.

PRESCHOOL In Isabel Wiest’s preschool classes, she used short 10-or 15-minute lessons featuring interactive Google slides on topics like counting in Spanish. “I regularly used the slides for my videos,” she said. “I sang and danced while incorporating the target language.”

Chelsea Eller (transitional 4s) provided different types of opportunities to extend student learning from their circle and showcased them all with everyone, which allowed flexibility for parents to use what they had materials and time for. “It’s absolute differentiation for families,” Preschool Director Harriet Jennings said.

LOWER SCHOOL Kindergarten Kindergarten loved “Wonderful Work Together Wednesday”!

Teachers Kendra Wolfe and Leslie Faraci had students sign up for slots to interact with their peers through virtual play. Activities included Lego Challenges (building and sharing creations) and Creation Exploration, where students chose art media and created their masterpieces together. All the action was shared via Zoom in groups of no more than five. “It truly allowed us to

Carolyn Sutton’s students went on an Odyssey! Students conferenced 1:1 with Mrs. Sutton to discuss how they were progressing on their Odyssey essays. With conferences set up at seven-minute intervals, students had to carefully monitor their time and come to Mrs. Sutton’s Zoom Room when it was their turn. “Every single ninth grade student came back for their conference on time as scheduled,” she reported. “I was SO proud, and we were able to have some really meaningful discussions about their papers.”

Mrs. Boone takes a Zoom class selfie.

Mrs. Snow’s sixth grade poetry cafe.

Third Grade Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a perennial third-grade favorite, so teachers Tina McSwain and Jenni Wright came up with a diary activity for the times in which we live: “Diary of My Weird Third Grade Spring”. In it, students reflected on questions like, “What is something you’re looking forward to when this is over?”, “What is something you’ve learned in your time at home?”, as well as reflections on their moods or feelings. “We are blessed to have children who want to learn and parents who make that possible for them,” Mrs. McSwain said. “As we look for silver linings, I think that we both agree that we have had the opportunity to get to know this class like no other group of students we have ever had the pleasure of working with.”

on how everything around us can be used for art and how objects get a new meaning when we use them together in a new setting.” Projects have included a Found Objects Color Wheel, Recyclable Robots, and a nature inspiration art challenge inspired by the work of Andy Goldsworthy.

UPPER SCHOOL In U.S. History, they continued to ask the hard questions and think critically about dark periods in our history. Ed McBride and his students used Zoom Breakout Rooms to examine primary sources from the Stanford History Education Group on why the U.S. government put Japanese-Americans in internment camps during World War II. Each student became the expert on one document and shared their ideas on internment in a Google doc.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Making artistic masterpieces with Mrs. Wolfe and Mrs. Faraci.

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Rebecca Craps’s fifth graders, who were studying Human Geography and how both ancient peoples and people today impact the earth, played Earth Day Bingo - 25 activities to get them thinking about our relationship with the environment (and take them outside!). Activities included an indoor/outdoor nature scavenger hunt (items in nature vs. items indoors that came from nature), creating a model of the layers of earth using sand, DIY binoculars (from those ever-elusive toilet paper rolls) and then using them for bird watching, leaf and other nature rubbings, spring collages (both photo and from found materials outdoors), and planting gardens. “I do want to give a special shoutout to Maddox Harrell and his little sister, Skylar,” Mrs.

Ed McBride’s class.

Ashton Trawinski’s A.P. Environmental Science class created solar ovens one long weekend to explore themes around solar energy. “The purpose of the project wasn’t to create a perfect oven, although some got close, but rather to chronicle their attempt to make one with only what they already happened to have at home,” Dr. Trawinski said.”The kids made videos of their attempts and then had to discuss what worked well, what didn’t, and what they would would modify going forward. They had a lot of fun with the project.”

Working on the Middle School Drama Club play

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S E T O N S U P M A C Lilly Chase and Haley Stock were accepted to Governor’s School for English.

Lucas Zhang, Ray Wang, Karthik Lalwani, Landon Greenwood, and Max Drucker (Joshua Howard and Sophie Scherer not pictured)

provide alternative benefits and recognition to these deserving students.

Congratulations to Lilly and Haley on this incredible accomplishment!

Upper Schoolers Ace the AMC 10 & 12

State champions! The Fury girls’ varsity swim team after their NCISAA win

Girls’ Swimming Wins NCISAA State Championships

Congratulations to the Fury girls’ swim team, which won the NCISAA State Championship on Monday, February 10.

The girls’ win, Coach Rachel Baker ’13 (who was joined by fellow alumna coach Meredith Spaid ’13) said, was a team effort. “The depth on our girls’ side is unreal - this was a true team win,” she said. “We had someone on the podium in almost every event and at least two swimmers scoring in every event. This win is a goal the girls have been working towards since last year, and everyone gave it their absolute all. As coaches, we could not be prouder.”

The girls’ final score was 367 - a decisive victory over Southlake Christian Academy at 201 and third-place finisher Asheville School at 194.

Highlights from the Girls’ Events

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Relays Carstyn Klosterman, Lexie Breitling, Avery Dew, and Eva Hollar took first place in the girls’ 200 medley.

Avery Dew, Saanvi Pawa, Eva Hollar, and Carstyn Klosterman placed first in the girls’ 200 free.

Individual Carstyn Klosterman came in second in the 200 free and third in the 500 free.

Avery Dew placed second in the 50 free and second in the 100 fly.

Eva Hollar took second place in the 100 free.

Saanvi Pawa placed second in the 100 back.

Lexie Breitling finished third in the 100 breast.

The young boys’ team placed third in the state with only eight swimmers and broke six school records. “These boys are only sophomores, so we anticipate more records to fall in the coming years!” Coach Baker said.

2020 STATE TEAM Avery Dew, Lexie Breitling, Eva Hollar, Carstyn Klosterman, Mary Gray Speakman, Lydia Tyrrell, Chris Bannigan, Steven Insixiengmay, Nathan Jao, Katherine Li, Sonya McNatt, Saanvi Pawa, James Snyder, Jonah Guerra, Ryan Reynolds, Alec Jin, Rae Klosterman, Ryan Nichols, Megan Coates, Anika Pawa, Madeleine Stark, and Addison Winter

Twenty-five questions. 75 minutes. The American Mathematics Contests are multiple choice examinations in high school mathematics designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem-solving skills.

Administered around the country, these competitions provide an opportunity for high school students to develop positive attitudes towards analytical thinking and mathematics that can assist in future careers. The AMC 10 and 12 are the first in a series of competitions.

On January 30, 38 FCDS students competed in the AMC 10A and the AMC 12A. Congratulations to the following students for their achievement: AMC 10A First Place: Max Drucker Second Place: Landon Greenwood & Ray Wang (tied) Third Place: Sophie Scherer AMC 12A First Place: Joshua Howard (AIME Qualifier) Second Place: Lucas Zhang (AIME Qualifier) Third Place: Karthik Lalwani Special recognition goes to Joshua Howard and Lucas Zhang.

They scored in the top five percent of all AMC 12 participants nationally and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination. The AIME is an intense, 15-question, three-hour contest scheduled in March.

Congratulations to all the students who competed and to faculty advisor Charlotte Phillips.

Two FCDS Students Accepted to Governor’s School

Lilly Chase and Haley Stock were accepted to attend Governor’s School for English this summer.

“Governor’s School has historically been nothing short of a life-changing event for our students. I know that both Lilly and Haley will soak up the opportunities offered and return with broader perspectives to offer our community,” said Governor’s School advisor Tamara Harrington.

She also noted that FCDS has had a 100 percent acceptance rate over the last several years - impressive given the fact that only 42 percent of applicants are accepted.

Unfortunately, the five and a half week experience was cancelled this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction plans to

From left: Sonya McNatt, Sherry Li, Duncan Hart, and Clyde Morton earned chairs to the N.C. Western Regional Orchestra Festival.

Four FCDS Students Win Chairs to the Western Regional Orchestra Festival

Junior Sherry Li (violin), sophomore Sonya McNatt (cello), and freshman Clyde Morton (double bass) represented FCDS in the Repertory Orchestra while senior Duncan Hart (violin) earned a chair in the Honors Orchestra.

Auditions were held at Hough High School in Cornelius, N.C. on Saturday, January 18, 2020. The Western Regional Orchestra Festival took place from February 28-March 1, 2020 at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.

Congratulations to these talented students!

The Students Have Spoken: Meet Your 2020-2021 SGA

Nothing - not even a transition to virtual learning - can disrupt the democratic process at FCDS. Via Zoom, Upper and Middle School students listened to candidate speeches and cast their votes during homeroom or advisor groups.

The Upper School Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Council is: Student Body President - Jack Hutcherson Executive Secretary - Lilly Chase Treasurer - Jesiah Allen VP for Spirit, Clubs, & Service - Mary Gray Speakman VP for Social Events - Emily Masten VP for Judicial Board - Nathan Hutchins Secretary for Judicial Board - Jacques Hall.

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The Middle School SGA Executive Council is: President - Andreas Kazakos Vice-President - Carter Nance Secretary - Addison Winter Treasurer - Dean Ballas Congratulations to all of these duly-elected Furies!

Meet your Upper School SGA Executive Council. From left, top row: Lilly Chase, Jesiah Allen, Mary Gray Speakman, Emily Masten. From left, bottom row: Nathan Hutchins, Jacques Hall, Jake Hutcherson

Honors Orchestra: Violin II Olivia Gornik Alec Jin Viola Sam Speakman Cello Dylan Gendrachi Jack Sweeney The following students earned chairs to the Repertory Orchestra: Violin I Olivia McNatt Asmithaa Vinukonda Viola Owen Fowler Cello Harris Breitling Marlena Hall “This was by far one of the most competitive years,” said Orchestra Director Aaron Craven. It was especially hard for violinists, as more than 155 students scoring more than 167 points at the contest. “It’s a great honor to be selected to either orchestra, and I couldn’t be more proud of our students and our program.”

The Middle School SGA Executive Council. From left, top row: Addison Winter, Dean Ballas. From left, bottom row: Andreas Kazakos, Carter Nance.

Fury athletes and their families prepare to sign National Letters of Intent.

FIVE Fury Athletes Sign to Play College Sports

Congratulations to Gracie Fowler (Roanoke College - Track & Field), Tommy Aguilar (Lenoir-Rhyne University - Lacrosse), Will Andrews (Wake Forest University - Baseball) and Phillip Clifton (Williams College - Golf), Zach Moore (Washington & Lee - Cross Country) for this incredible achievement.

It is a great honor to be chosen as a scholarship athlete, and we are extremely proud of these talented and hard-working seniors - soon to be college athletes!

Middle School students pack meals for Rise Against Hunger

FCDS Middle Schoolers Rise Against Hunger Middle School MathCounts team: From left, back row: Alec Jin, Andrew McBride, Ethan Xiao, and Yuze Tian. From row from left: Luca Pass, Yutonia Tang, Anika Pawa, Asmithaa Vinukonda, Ava Claire Scherer, and Grant Faraci.

Four Middle Schoolers Place in Top 20 at MathCounts

MS Jr. Western Regional Orchesta Chairs. Back row, from left: Sam Speakman, Olivia Gornik, Owen Fowler, Alec Jin, Asmithaa Vinukonda, Olivia McNatt.

Front row from left: Dylan Gendrachi, Marlena Hall, Harris Breitling, and Jack Sweeney.

Ten Middle School STUDENTS Win Chairs to Elite Orchestra

Ten FCDS Middle School students won chairs to the elite N.C. Jr. Western Regional Orchestra. These talented musicians competed for only 170 spots against more than 454 orchestra students, and FCDS earned more chairs than any other school in the region.

The following students earned chairs to the top group, the

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Four FCDS Middle School students placed in the top 20 at the February MathCounts competition at Wake Forest University, with FCDS placing fifth in the contest. Congratulations to Asmithaa Vinukonda (fourth place), Anika Pawa (eighth place), Andrew McBride (tenth place), and Alec Jin (eleventh place).

Asmitha, Andrew, Alex, and Ethan Xiao represented FCDS during the Team Round, with Ethan going head to head against students from other schools during the Countdown Round. All students also competed as individuals. Andrew was called up as a Wild Card competitor, and he and Ethan did a great job of taking on students from 15-20 other schools during the buzzer round.

The FCDS MathCounts team was: Asmithaa, Andrew, Alec, Anika, Ethan, Yuze Tian, Luca Pass, Grant Faraci, Ava Claire Scherer, and Yutonia Tang. Congratulations to all of the competitors on their excellent performances!

“We’re proud of all of the students for all of their hard work,” said MathCounts Coach Charlotte Phillips.

One small plastic bag full of rice, soy protein, dried vegetables, and a vitamin and mineral supplement packet. It doesn’t seem like much. But to the food insecure, that one bag provides more than just a meal. It provides hope for survival and a better future.

On January 23, FCDS Middle School students - sponsored by the school’s dining service, Flik Independent Schools - joined with Rise Against Hunger to give hope to hungry people by packing more than 10,000 bags to be shipped to international areas of need.

In the Tierney Gymnasium, the fifth and sixth graders (and later the seventh and eighth graders) donned red hairnets and listened to Rise Against Hunger Community Engagement Manager Blane Maxwell talk about what they’d be doing and who they’d be helping.

“Each bag contains the equivalent of six meals,” he said.

“Think about that one bag being a meal for six people.”

The food would go across the world to kids in countries like Haiti, Malaysia, Burundi, and Cambodia, to name a few. It might go to schools, hospitals, orphanages, or other community organizations, but each box, which contains 36 bags, is designed to feed one child for a year.

“You’re helping to break the cycle of malnutrition and undereducation, and you’re empowering these communities to feed themselves,” Mr. Maxwell told the students. “We could not do that without you.”

Students took up stations based on their assigned roles as fillers, weighers, sealers, runners, and boxers. The fillers donned gloves and filled the bags with a scoop of rice, a scoop of soy protein, a portion of dried vegetables, and a packet of 20 vitamins and minerals. Runners - the only students who could move among stations - took the bags to be weighed by another set of students to ensure that each contained enough for six portions. Once the weight was verified, another runner would take the bag to the sealers, and then to the boxers, so that the bags could be properly sealed and, finally, packed in the boxes.

The room hummed with energy as the students, overseen by roving teachers, did their part. Energetic music blared, and every time 1,000 bags were filled, a huge gong was struck and a loud cheer went up from the crowd.

Nancy Walker, Flik’s regional vice president and an FCDS alumni parent, was on hand to witness the program she’d helped to spearhead in coordination with the team at Flik and Middle School Director Dr. Michelle Klosterman. Mrs. Walker was inspired to get involved at her daughter’s graduation last year after hearing Yasmin Horner speak about the Forsyth Backpack Program. “It resonated with me when I heard Yasmin say that Forsyth County is sixth in the country for food insecurity,” Mrs. Walker said. “I wanted to do something that these students could really learn from and appreciate.”

Fifth grader Ben Tucker got the message. “I thought it was fun and I felt that I was part of something bigger,” he said. He served as a runner between the sealing station and the boxing station, and his favorite part was ringing the final gong - meaning that his group had reached their target of 5,000 bags in the first hour. “I was just so happy. It felt really good, honestly.”

Sixth grader Emma Cuthrell, who served as a filler, also enjoyed the experience. “It was fun, and it was for a good cause,” she said. Once while she was filling a bag, she almost dropped it. “I kind of screamed,” she said. “I was thinking, ‘I don’t want to waste this food!’”

Ben and Emma weren’t the only students who enjoyed the day and felt the impact of their service. “When we surveyed students about Middle School Exploration Day, they said they wanted to do Rise Against Hunger again next year,” Dr. Klosterman said. “They kept saying how fun it was and asking if they’d hit the target, ‘Did we hit 10,000’?” [They actually surpassed it, filling 10,152 bags.] The event was so well organized, so every single one of them had a sense of contributing. I think they really felt responsible and understood that they were helping other kids like them.”

FCDS Announces 2019-2020 Varsity Athletics Award Winners Congratulations to the FCDS student-athletes who were recognized at the virtual Athletics Awards.

Most Valuable Player Awards: Boys’Cross Country: Zachary Moore & Will Scott Girls’ Cross Country: Nicky Chung Field Hockey: Sarah Grace Clifton Girls’ Golf: Ana Calderon Girls’ Tennis: Halle Kincaid Boys’ Soccer: Caelan Smith Volleyball: Grace Fowler Boys’ Basketball: Jay Mitchell Girls’ Basketball: Nasia Ballas Cheerleading: Savannah McQuilkin Girls’ Swimming: Carstyn Klosterman Boys’ Swimming: Nathan Jao Wrestling: Aidan Baydush

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All-State Competitors Cross Country: Will Gray, Will Scott, and Zachary Moore Boys’ Soccer: Jesse Gargis and Caelan Smith Boys’ Swimming: Nathan Jao, Steven Insixiengmay, Chris Bannigan, and James Snyder Girls’ Swimming: Lexie Breitling, Avery Dew, Eva Hollar, Carstyn Klosterman, and Saanvi Pawa Boys’ Varsity Cross Country State Champions Thomas Bennett, Will Gray, Sam Scott, Will Scott, James Snyder, Carter Sullivan, Elliott Sullivan, and Zachary Moore Girls’ Varsity Swimming State Champions Lexie Breitling, Avery Dew, Eva Hollar, Carstyn Klosterman, Saanvi Pawa, Mary Gray Speakman, Lydia Tyrrell, Katherine Li, Sonya McNatt, Rae Klosterman, Megan Coates, Anika Pawa, Madeleine Stark, and Addison Winter Individual State Championship Awards: (also All-State) Boys’ 200 IM: Nathan Jao Boys’ 100 Butterfly: Nathan Jao Boys’ 100 Breaststroke: Steven Insixiengmay Boys’ 200 Medley Relay: Chris Bannigan, Steven Insixiengmay, Nathan Jao, and James Snyder Girls’ 200 Medley Relay: Lexie Breitling, Avery Dew, Eva Hollar, and Carstyn Klosterman Girls’ 400 Freestyle Relay: Avery Dew, Eva Hollar, Carstyn Klosterman, and Saanvi Pawa FCDS Sports Awards-Special Awards: Margaret Venable/Ralph Nesbit Award for Outstanding Faculty Spirit: Melanie Nance The Award for Outstanding Sportsmanship Female: Nasia Ballas

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The Award for Outstanding Sportsmanship Male: Zachary Moore Jim Tobias Award for Excellence in Coaching: Monty Gray The John Danforth Award for Outstanding Student Spirit: Kevin Dunn Under Armor partnership announcement and Women of Will Award: Grace Fowler Most Outstanding Female Athlete: Avery Dew Most Outstanding Male Athlete: John Peterson

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Junior's Passion foR Service Leads tO Positive Change

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Serving others has always been important at FCDS, and many students are involved in giving back to the greater community. Few are as dedicated as junior Sarina Horner.

Sarina, who turned 16 in May, recently won one of only 10 federal Youth Service Zone Grants through Youth Service America (YSA) for her efforts to increase youth volunteerism in Forsyth County, which involves creating a website and an app.

This spring, she also earned the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for Forsyth County in the youth category.

These awards recognize a commitment to helping others that started when Sarina was in fifth grade.

She attended a public elementary school before transferring to FCDS that year, and she saw a lot of students benefit from the Forsyth Backpack Program, which her sister (Yasmin Horner ’19) was involved with. “I was raised with the notion that you always need to help others,” she said. “Nothing bad can come from helping other people. You’re helping them and fulfilling yourself when you’re doing that.”

Sarina’s award recognized her work with Yasmin with the FCDS Forsyth Backpack Program Club, of which Sarina is now president, her co-founding of the Forsyth County Young Leaders Program, her creation of a $250 grant program to recognize youth who are dedicated to service called, “If Not You, Who?”, and her work to allow Winston-Salem bus riders to carry more than two bags when riding.

Sarina started working on the bus project last summer. “I heard [Councilwoman] D.D. Adams speak about it and I heard other adults mention the two-bag limit, so I started doing my own research,” she said.

If you don’t ride the bus, you might not know what Sarina discovered: that riders can only carry two bags total when riding. “Basically for families that are struggling and have kids at home, they have to get a babysitter, which is expensive, they

might have to take more than one trip or take more people with them,” she said.

If you’ve got a purse, as pretty much every woman grocery shopping does, that counts toward the limit, Sarina said.

Further, the transit authority allowed the bus drivers to choose whether to enforce the rule, so a shopper wouldn’t know if he or she might be able to get away with three bags on one route but not when they change buses to finish their trip. “I know for me that would be a really big stress,” Sarina said. “Why put that limitation on people when there are already enough limitations as it is?”

Sarina proposed a 90-day trial waiver of the rule, and to her delight, the Winston-Salem Transit Authority (WSTA) adopted the measure. “They actually waived the rule. That was pretty cool to me,” she said.

She didn’t stop there, though. Sarina proposed waiving bus fares for 90 days during the coronavirus outbreak and sent a letter to the mayor and city council outlining the benefits of her proposal. A recent report in the Winston-Salem Journal indicated that it’s being considered, though it had not been waived at press time.

“I really like doing service. I do a lot,” Sarina said. “I keep my grades up, but if I’m not at school, I’m doing some sort of service.”

Sarina said that her drive to serve is rooted in her family. “I think my grandparents are pretty cool. They’re a really big part of why I do service. My grandfather always says, ‘If not you, who? If you don’t do it, who’s going to do it’?”

With the transit authority project mostly complete, Sarina is in search of her next way to serve. “I think I’m just going to keep on finding a way to help the community as much as I can.”

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We Are The Class of 2020

We wanted to highlight every member of this exceptional class, so we reached out to teachers, administrators, and to the students themselves to get a snapshot of this incredible class of 50 individuals. Each of these students made so many contributions to the life of the school, and all of these recent alumni will long be remembered as the class that led Forsyth during its most trying year on record with grace and positivity. Go Furies!

Tommy Aguilar Tommy came to FCDS as a sophomore. He is known for his great work ethic, his dedication to his family, and his willingness to be creative and take risks. He’s helpful and teachers say his smile “brings sunshine into the room.”

Tommy’s favorite memory at FCDS is playing lacrosse with “the Brotherhood”, and his favorite teacher is Mr. Kildahl. “He is a great man,” he says.

Fun fact: I do not like horses.

Tommy attends Lenoir Rhyne University.

Will Andrews Will, who came to FCDS in fifth grade, always wants to do his best and isn’t afraid of a challenge. He is curious and loves exploring other cultures.

Favorite quote: “No matter what field you’re in, work ethic matters most” - Julian Edelman Will attends Wake Forest University.

Nasia Ballas Nasia, who came to Forsyth in sixth grade, is thoughtful, kind, and tenacious. She is an “old soul” who cares deeply about all that she does and strives to truly connect with others.

“FCDS gave me the opportunity to participate in multiple sports and activities. I learned how to manage my time so that I could challenge myself in classes while being a part of many groups offered through the school,” she said. “I’m really grateful to be able to take the lessons I’ve learned from my awesome teachers, coaches, and administrators into the next chapter of my life.”

Fun fact: My name - Athanasia - means “eternal life”.

Nasia Ballas attends High Point University

Katelyn Barnes Katelyn, who came to Forsyth in sixth grade, is kind, selfless, and compassionate. She is known for always seeking to include others.

“Mrs. Lopez is my favorite teacher. Mrs. Lopez has always been there for me whenever I needed her,” Katelyn said. “I am truly grateful for everything she has done for me and I do not know how I can ever repay her. I will truly miss her next year.”

Fun fact: I have danced ever since I was little. I enjoyed gymnastics for three or four years. My love for dance and gymnastics brought me to my love of cheer. I competed with the Yadkin Valley All Stars and later joined my local Middle School team and FCDS`s team.

Katelyn attends the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

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Mayleigh Carvana

Mayleigh, who came to FCDS as a junior, is a hard worker who is passionate about all that she does. She is not afraid to speak up and share her thoughts or feelings. “My favorite memory was the school play She Kills Monsters,” Mayleigh said. “It was my first time acting and I was so happy to have experienced that.”

Fun fact: I’m an artist. I draw, sketch, paint, sculpt, etc. I love doodling throughout the day when I have the time.

Mayleigh will attend Agnes Scott College after taking a gap year.

Skye Cheng Skye came to FCDS as a senior. She has a wonderful sense of humor and is passionate about what she believes in. “I am looking forward to majoring in business.”

Favorite quote: “There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.” - Socrates Skye attends the University of California at Irvine.

Alexa Clegg Alexa, a lifer, is a quiet leader who possesses a fun, understated sense of humor. “My favorite FCDS memory was the eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C. I loved traveling on the bus around the city to different monuments and touring museums such as the Air and Space museum and the Smithsonian National History Museum. This trip was my first to D.C. and the city is definitely one my favorites to visit now.

Fun fact: I love art and ceramics and have taken classes at Sawtooth.

Alexa attends Duke University.

Phillip Clifton Phillip, a lifer, is a natural leader. An intellectual (but low key about it), Phillip thinks deeply and has a big heart. He enjoys hunting.

“FCDS has prepared me for my next steps by making me learn time management. I feel that I will be able to handle college golf and academics because of FCDS’s preparation.”

Favorite quote: “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” - Robert Byrne Phillip attends Williams College.

Peter Cromie Peter came to Forsyth in fourth grade. He loves the arts and comes alive onstage. He is a deep, progressive thinker with great compassion.

“My favorite teacher is Mrs. Harrington, who has been my advisor for three years and is one of the most supportive and caring people I have ever met,” Peter said. “I can truly say that without a doubt Mrs. Harrington has changed my life and I will always be thankful for her.”

Favorite quote: “We’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that’s all.” -The Breakfast Club Peter attends Elon University.

Nick Budd

Avery Dew

Nick came back to Forsyth for his senior year. He has a calm sense about him that’s pretty unusual for a person his age, and he is known for his kindness to other people.

Favorite quote: “One.” - Nick Budd (Yes, we’re curious, too.)

Nick attends High Point University.

Avery, a lifer who came to FCDS in pre-k, is known as fun-loving, but she’s also a hard worker who accomplishes more in a day than most people do in a week. “My favorite memory is winning the state championship meet in swimming and setting a new school record for the 400 Free Relay,” she said.

Fun fact: Avery started her own hand-made jewelry business, Avery’s Accessories, during her sophomore year in high school. You can follow her on Instagram at @averys_accessories.

Avery is majoring in business and economics at Wofford College.

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Rebecca Drucker

Tommy Jing

Rebecca, a lifer who came to Forsyth in pre-k, is a brilliant young woman who is always seeking to do more and better. She goes out of her way to help and is known for her work behind the scenes in theater. She loves a challenge, is motivated, and truly appreciates differences. “I’m looking forward to new experiences and new people,” she said. “It’s very exciting.”

Fun fact: I can knit hats and nothing else.

Rebecca attends Wesleyan University.

A creative thinker, Tommy came to Forsyth as a junior. He is a skilled and passionate engineer.

He attends Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Kevin Dunn

Riley Johnson

Kevin, who attended FCDS from grade 2-4 and returned as a junior, is an innovative young man who actively seeks out challenges, then rises to meet those challenges.

“Mr. McBride’s AP US History Class was my favorite class at FCDS. Every day was both fun and informative,” said. “FCDS has prepared me educationally for what’s ahead with great AP classes with amazing teachers. FCDS has also given me friends for life that will be with me for what’s ahead.”

Fun fact: I was elected Student Body President after only six months.

Kevin is doing a post-graduate year at Choate Rosemary Hall.

Riley joined the Forsyth community as a freshman. A creative thinker and writer, he is known as a true and loyal friend. “My favorite memory is when I played JV Basketball with my friends,” he said. “We weren’t any good but we had fun!”

Fun fact: There is a baby picture of Riley etched on the granite memorial walls at Epcot in Disney World.

Riley attends Eastern Carolina University.

Gracie Fowler

Halle Kincaid

Gracie, a lifer who came to FCDS in pre-k, is a leader and a role model for her peers. A young woman of grace, she already is known for having grit as well. “I have too many favorite memories to choose from, but cheering for the 4x400 track relay teams at the end of the meets has always been one of my favorite things about the FCDS track team,” Gracie said. “I also remember having so much fun during our fifth grade Feast of the Gods celebration.”

Fun fact: I love baking and ceramics.

Gracie attends Roanoke College (Honors College).

Halle, who came to Forsyth in seventh grade, is a deep thinker who is always seeking to improve. She was named class valedictorian.

Modest about her achievements, she is a great leader who gets people to give their best. “One of my favorite FCDS memories was writing scripts and filming our own in-house movie for the last three years I’ve taken French with Dr. McCann,” Halle said. “The end product was always funny and entertaining for the entire Upper School.”

Fun fact: I enjoy performing on the flying trapeze.

Halle attends the University of Pennsylvania.

Duncan Hart

Karthik Lalwani

Duncan came to FCDS in eighth grade and was born in Pasadena, California. Duncan is kind, polite, and always fun to talk to. An exceptional violinist, he always goes out of his way to help other musicians and to lead with his positive example. “My favorite FCDS memory was the making and unveiling of each FCDS French film,” Duncan said. “It was awesome to see most of the student body laughing and enjoying something I played a large part in creating. It also helped me feel like a significant part of the FCDS community.”

Favorite quote: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” - Oscar Wilde Duncan attends Washington and Lee University.

Karthik, who came to FCDS a junior, is a brilliant young man of great integrity. He is hard-working, focused, and looks out for others.

“My favorite teacher at FCDS is Dr. Sponholtz. Not only does he have an endless amount of fascinating stories and experiences, but he also piqued my interest in chemistry because of how passionate he is as an educator,” Karthik said. “I will definitely treasure all the amazing memories from his class.”

Fun fact: I have gone to six different schools across the country in the past 10 years.

Karthik attends the University of Richmond.

Christopher Hungate

Jason Mack

Christopher, who came to FCDS in third grade, is a resilient and determined young man. Christopher’s favorite memory at FCDS is making the varsity baseball team in eighth grade. His favorite teacher is Daniel Calderon, who teaches Advanced Functions. “He makes learning fun even though he teaches math,” Christopher said. “He has really taught me a lot of math.”

Favorite quote: “If you’re going to play at all, you’re out to win. Baseball, board games, playing Jeopardy, I hate to lose.” - Derek Jeter Christopher attends the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Jason, an FCDS lifer, is a thoughtful young man who doesn’t just look for answers - he looks for the “why”. “Mr. McBride, Mr. Trotter, and Mr. Craven are three of my favorite teachers because they care about the students,” Jason said.

Fun fact: Need advanced statistics on more than 3,000 pro football players? Jason’s got you covered.

He attends College of Charleston.

Dell Jennings

Mackayla Meng

Dell, who came to FCDS in fourth grade, is creative and artistic. He has a great sense of humor. “My favorite teacher is Mrs. Clark because she always believed in me,” he said. His favorite memory? “The class trips we always took at the beginning of each year were a highlight for me.”

Mackayla came to FCDS as a sophomore. She is unafraid of a challenge and always strives to improve. She is also giving and kind.

Favorite quote: “I’m not small! It’s the world that’s too big!!” - Edward Elric Mackayla attends Washington University in St. Louis.

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Max Michalek

Audrey Patrick

Max joined the Forsyth community as a sophomore. He is a genuinely kind person who is always looking out for others.

Favorite quote: “Never say never because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.” - Michael Jordan Max attends the University of Kentucky.

Audrey joined the FCDS community as a sophomore. She’s a deep thinker with creative ideas and a clever, quiet sense of humor.

Favorite quote: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill Audrey attends Johns Hopkins University.

Zachary Moore

John Peterson

Zach came to FCDS in ninth grade. He is described as a young man of integrity who loves to learn. He has a great sense of humor and is able to laugh at himself. “My favorite memory from my time at FCDS would have to be bringing home the state championship trophy for cross-country,” he said. “I view this accomplishment as the culmination of lots of effort as well as a representation of the camaraderie of a great team.”

Fun fact: He has never been to Taco Bell.

Zach attends Washington and Lee University.

John has been at FCDS since third grade. He embodies the phrase “still waters run deep” and is known for his sweet smile.

“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” - William Wallace John attends the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Spencer Muller

David Sanchez Valencia

Spencer came to FCDS in sixth grade, and he’s described as a hard-working, creative team player with a great sense of humor. His favorite FCDS memory was winning the state semifinal soccer game at Cary Christian in his junior year as huge underdogs, and his favorite class was Mrs. Harrington’s Freshman Seminar.

Fun fact: Spencer once took part in a 100-McNugget challenge with Blake Parker, Kyle Sudler, Max Michalek, and Tommy Aguilar. And yes, they ate them all.

Spencer attends the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

David, who came to Forsyth in eighth grade, seeks connection with others. He’s well known as a DJ (since eighth grade) and loves languages and cultures. “What I’m most looking forward to in college is diversity and different mindsets, as well an enjoyable experience and making a lot of friends,” David said.

Favorite quote: “Not all who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien David attends George Washington University.

Yu Otaki

Will Shultz

A talented artist, Yu came to FCDS in sixth grade, left, and returned in ninth grade. She is kind, compassionate, and mature beyond her years. “I loved hanging out in College Counseling and eating their candy,” Yu said. “I also loved chatting with Mrs. Hogan and Mrs. Miles. I miss them so much!”

Fun fact: During my quarantine, I learned how to play a new instrument - the kalimba!

Yu attends Tufts University.

Will, who came to FCDS in his sophomore year, is polite, sincere, and an explorer at heart.

“I am looking forward to making new friends and learning about how to live on my own,” Will said.

Fun fact: I love to play lacrosse and backpack.

Will attends High Point University.

Blake Parker

Jason Shi

Blake, who came to Forsyth in first grade, has a great sense of humor and can adapt to work well with anyone. “My favorite teacher is almost a tie among three, but Mr. Trotter is probably the teacher I’m closest to after having three consecutive years of dedicated study under him,” Blake said. “FCDS has supplied me with social and technical skills I do not think I would get anywhere else, as well as opportunities I believe are exclusive to our name and reputation. I’m most looking forward to a new place to study and to all the different opportunities that will arise in Charlotte.”

Fun fact: My favorite hobby is snowboarding.

Blake attends the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Jason, who came to Forsyth as a junior, is willing to seek feedback and apply it in order to improve himself in all he does. “FCDS has prepared me well for what’s ahead by teaching courses in-depth on a college level,” he said. “Teachers are very responsible for each student, and I believe that with those preparations, I can be successful in college.”

Fun fact: I have attended five schools from grade 1 to 12.

Jason attends Northeastern University.

Ashley Parsons

Quinlan Smith

Ashley came to FCDS in seventh grade. A great leader, she loves the stage. She knows how to get things done, and she’s always deeply appreciative and willing to express her gratitude. “My favorite memory was the first day of senior year,” she said. “I loved riding around the school on scooters, having a parade, and celebrating with my friends.”

Fun fact: I love to nap.

Ashley attends the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Quinlan, an FCDS lifer, has a rare quality in young people his age: self-awareness. He is also known for his generosity.

Favorite quote: “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” - Ricky Bobby Quinlan attends Miami University in Ohio.

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Katie Steffen

Lauren Turner

Katie, who has been at FCDS since first grade, is a dedicated performer with a great sense of self. An independent thinker, Katie rises above challenges and excels. “In college I’m excited to make new friends and meet new people with different backgrounds and cultures,” she said. “Most importantly, I’m excited to explore Boston.”

Fun fact: I have a cat whose full name is Stormy Golden Lightning Shark.

Katie attends Boston University.

FCDS lifer Lauren is an incredible friend who loves the beach, hot weather, and summer. “In college, I am most looking forward to meeting new friends and going to a different school for the first time since pre-k,” she said.

Favorite quote: “You can overcome anything if and only if you love something enough.” - Lionel Messi Lauren attends the University of South Carolina

Sid Subramanian

Meghan Turner

Sid, who came to Forsyth as a sophomore, is known for his intelligence and willingness to seek out and apply constructive criticism.

“My favorite memory at FCDS has to be my senior year YAG [Youth and Government] experience!” he said. “I was a part of Mock Trial as an attorney and witness on an arson case, but more importantly, I got to meet others from all across the state.”

Fun fact: I have been playing piano ever since seventh grade.

Sid attends Wake Forest University.

Meghan, an FCDS lifer, has a big heart for children. “My favorite FCDS memory would probably be the Calvary games - especially the volleyball game my sophomore year. The soccer game had gotten cancelled so both student sections were packed and our game went into five sets and we ended up winning.”

Favorite quote: “Don’t compromise even if it hurts to be yourself.” - Toby Keith Meghan will attend North Carolina State University beginning in January.

Kyle Sudler

Jozy Unal

Kyle, who came to FCDS in freshman year, is a natural entrepreneur. He has a great sense of humor and gets along well with others.

Favorite quote: “Knowledge is power.” - Stephen Sudler Kyle attends Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

FCDS lifer Jozy, who came to FCDs in kindergarten, is always working to improve herself and grow as a human being. “My favorite teacher is [art teacher and advisor] John Kildahl. He is always there for his students,” she said. “Every Thursday, he would bring our advisory group bagels and homemade orange juice. He would also read us a poem to have a positive start to our days.”

Fun fact: I am half Turkish.

Jozy attends Wake Forest University.

Andrew Szvetitz

Rece Vaughn

Andrew, who came to FCDS in fifth grade, put himself on the front lines every day working at Harris Teeter. This hard-working young man is known for contributing positively to class. “I am looking forward to being me and being able to make a name for myself. Forsyth has taught me how to be myself and now in college I’m so excited to see where life takes me.”

Fun fact: I have played baseball for 12 years, seven of which I played at Forsyth along with other teams for club and travel.

Andrew attends the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Rece came to FCDS in tenth grade. He has a great sense of humor and is fun to be around, but teachers say he can also grind out great work when he needs to. “My favorite memory was beating Calvary this year in overtime at home,” he said. “Mrs. Stoltz was my favorite teacher, and I believe FCDS has prepared me well for the future.”

Favorite quote: “Be the best.” - John Tillman Rece is attending Guildford College.

Aiden Tate

Miranda Wang

Aiden, who came to Forsyth in seventh grade, is a true intellectual who is quiet but always thinking.

Favorite quote: “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” - J.R.R Tolkien Aiden attends Brevard College.

Miranda, who came to FCDS as a freshman, is a confident and independent worker who is willing to take on a challenge. In college, Miranda looks forward to meeting more like-minded people from around the globe.

Favorite quote: “Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” - Farrah Gray Miranda attends New York University.

Billy Tessien

Bella Wiese

Bill joined the FCDS community as a senior. He’s committed to and very talented at biking.

Favorite quote: “The antidote in this age of distraction just might be gravity.” - Brandon Semenuk Billy attends High Point University.

FCDS lifer Bella has a kind smile, and she’s a true leader in the classroom, on the court, and in life. “My favorite FCDS memory was seeing PT in the cafe every morning. She would always greet everyone with a smile and often times a hug,” Bella said. “She is probably the most caring person I have ever met.”

Fun fact (look away, USC): I am going to sneak a bunny into my dorm room in college and no one can stop me.

Bella (and her bunny?) attend the University of South Carolina.

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Sally Yang Sally, who came to Forsyth as a junior, is a true artist, and her creativity is only matched by her kindness.

Favorite quote: “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the universe.” - Albert Einstein Sally attends Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Kael Zhang Kael, who came to FCDS as a sophomore, is independent-minded and strives to be his own person. He is a talented violinist who loves music.

Favorite quote: “Be slow to fall into friendship, but when thou art in, continue, firm and constant.” - Socrates He attends the University of Massachusetts - Amherst.

Lucas Zhang Lucas came to Forsyth as a sophomore. He is an amazing problem-solver who has become a confident speaker and writer.

Favorite quote: “To conquer the sky what you need is not a pair of wings, but a dream to fly.” - Unknown He attends the University of California at San Diego.

Thank you to the amazing FCDS Teachers & staff for your dedication to our children! Your love and support has shown your commitment in preparing our children “For What’s Ahead”.

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Fury Fury Immunologist Immunologist Combats Combats COVID-19 COVID-19 Many Fury alumni and parents work on the medical front lines in the fight against the novel coronavirus. Dr. James Crowe ’79, a Professor of Pediatrics and of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology took a break from his work as head of the Crowe Lab at Vanderbilt University, where he and his team are engaged in finding a treatment for COVID-19, to discuss this crucial work.

“My laboratory has developed advanced methods for isolating single immune cells from the blood that are reacting to a particular virus,” Dr. Crowe said. “We have used these techniques to make antibodies that will potentially prevent or treat coronavirus infection.” In order to do this, the team acquired blood samples from people who survived COVID-19 in December or January.

After sorting through the many antibodies they isolated, several have proven to be contenders. “A lot of our antibodies are very promising,” he said. “We have shown that they protect several types of animals against infection. Several companies are developing these antibodies for humans, and clinical trials [began] this summer.”

Before the coronavirus hit, Dr. Crowe and his team were already engaged in simulations to fight a pandemic as part of the Pandemic Prevention Platform. “This program is a major research funding effort from the Department of Defense.

The idea was to provide large grants so that innovative research groups could develop technology platforms that would enable them to make antibodies within 60 days that could be used for humans.”

Dr. Crowe’s team at Vanderbilt got a $28 million-dollar grant to develop technology platforms. “We have been testing this in simulated situations in the past, but in January they asked us to launch a real discovery effort to find antibodies for coronavirus, and that’s what we’ve done.”

Coronaviruses are nothing new, but the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is unusual. “We were worried as we saw it rapidly spreading in China, but when it hit the United States in the third week of January, we knew this was going to be a very big problem,” Dr. Crowe said. Because it’s a respiratory virus, it spreads very easily from person to person. “Also, it’s very unusual in that people can spread the virus from person to person even before they know they’re infected, before they have any symptoms,” Dr. Crowe said.

Although there is no vaccine or cure yet, Dr. Crowe urged patience.“It’s understandable that people want some kind of drug or treatment that will work right away,” Dr. Crowe said.

“But one of the central concepts of medical research is that we

don’t really know if things work until we’ve done a controlled clinical trial. We have to test things compared to placebo, and the researchers and the subjects cannot know what is happening during the study. That is called a blinded study. Without that, it’s impossible to know if something is working or not.

Almost every intervention has some potential for side effects if used improperly, so it doesn’t make sense to use the truck or other kind of treatment unless we know it works and is safe.”

“I suspect there will be two or three things that are known to partially help people who have been hospitalized,” he said. At press time, he cited remdesavir and steroid treatments for the critically ill.

Early Career After graduating Forsyth Country Day, James Crowe earned his bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and his medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he completed his residency in pediatrics. After that, he did five years of post-doctoral training at the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH.) He finished his infectious diseases fellowship training at Vanderbilt University in 1996, and he’s run an independent lab at Vanderbilt since then.

“I trained as a pediatrician and then as an infectious diseases expert,” he said. “Of course it’s important to learn how to treat people who have infections, but I started thinking that it would be more rewarding for me to develop ways to prevent infection altogether. That led me to a research career in which I have committed decades of work to develop vaccines or antibodies for infectious diseases.”

Fighting diseases like Marburg virus, chikungunya virus, Zika virus, and others through the antibody treatments he has developed has been the most rewarding part of Dr. Crowe’s career thus far. “Making treatments that might help people in extreme situations has been very rewarding,” he said.

The Forsyth Experience Although he’s worked at Vanderbilt for decades, Dr. Crowe still has Fury Pride. “I got an amazing education at Forsyth, not only in the typical academic pursuits, but also just in the process of learning how to think,” he said. “I think most importantly, in terms of skills, I learned to write under the teaching of Pattie Stoltz and others. Writing is one of the most important cognitive skills for any field of endeavor. I am a scientist, but I spend most of my time writing or communicating in some way. AP English was a gateway to expression.”

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CLASSNOTES

Alex Polychron Collins ’00 was named a Winston Under 40 Leadership recipient. The award honors 20 young professionals who exemplify qualities of strong leadership and community service.

Collins works at Visit Winston Salem

Margaret Jones Proegler ’03 and husband Adam Proegler

Riley Didier ’16

Elliot Bitting Kon, son of Jason Kon ’06 and Addison Ruffin Kon ’06 Bride Mary Katherine Clemens ’13 with matron of honor Amy Clemens Yates ’07 , left, and Kelly Clemens ’10, right

Whitley Vogler Sheffield ’03 and Parker Sheffield ’05

Whitley Vogler Sheffield ’03 and Parker Sheffield ’05 were married on September 28, 2019. The ceremony was at the Vogler family home followed by dinner and dancing with family and friends at Old Town Club. They live in Winston-Salem.

Lisa Waugh Gibson ’08 and husband Tom Gibson

Margaret Jones ’03 married Adam Proegler on Sea Island, Georgia on December 27, 2019 in an intimate family ceremony. They live in Chicago. Margaret is the granddaughter of Bill and Peggy Taylor, who were founders of FCDS.

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Parker Kelly Tegeler ’05 and Chris Tegeler ’05 welcomed a son, Stanhope “Stan” Charles Tegeler on March 11, 2020. He has a big brother, Jack.

Jason Kon ’06 and Addison Ruffin Kon ’06 welcomed a son, Elliot Bitting Kon, on May 17, 2020. He joins a big brother, Blanton.

Best. Valentine. Ever. Kalen Rearden Karahalios ’08 and her husband Matthew welcomed Lyons Poppy Karahalios on February 14, 2020.

Taylor Boone ’10 earned his master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado - Denver. He is working for Fidelity Investments Rachel Baker ’13 and Meredith Spaid ’13 coached the Fury girls’ swim team to a state championship.

Mary Katherine Clemens ’13 married Levi Bannerman on November 9, 2019

Lathan Verwoerdt ’16 earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2020.

He lives in Washington, D.C. and works as a staff assistant in the Management Office at the White House.

William Verwoerdt ’16 graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2020. William commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy and will go to Pensacola, Florida for his training to become a naval aviator.

Avery Dew ’20, daughter of Mike Dew ’85 graduated from Forsyth Country Day this spring. She attends Wofford College.

Halle Kincaid ’20, daughter of Dr. Shiva Jarrahi Kincaid ’86, joined the ranks of Fury alumni. The valedictorian of the FCDS Class of 2020, Halle attends the University of Pennsylvania.

Will Schultz ’20, son of John Schultz ‘86, graduated from FCDS this spring and attends High Point University.

Tanner Beason ’15

Kalen Rearden Karahalios ’08 and her husband Matthew with new baby Lyons Poppy Karahalios

Jack Tegeler holds baby brother Stanhope “Stan” Charles Tegeler. They are the children of Parker Kelly Tegeler ’05 and Chris Tegeler ’05.

Jacob Martin ’16 graduated from NC State this spring.

Lisa Waugh Gibson ’08 and her husband Tom welcomed a son, Max Wilder Gibson on March 10, 2020.

Two Fury alumni were admitted to the Fury Athletic Hall of Fame! Congratulations to Jon Rubenstein ’01 for track and soccer, and Ryan Hsu ’04 for wrestling.

Ryan can’t get enough of FCDS; he’s currently a coach for the FCDS wrestling team

at The Gardens at Fearrington Village.

Amy Clemens Yates ’07 was matron of honor and Kelly Clemens ’10 was maid of honor. The couple lives in Raleigh.

Megan Rogers ’13 earned her second degree from NC State in December - a master’s degree in elementary education.

Riley Didier ’16 graduated from Syracuse University with a major in broadcast and digital journalism with a minor in sport management this spring. She plans to attend graduate school at Syracuse University for Television, Radio and Film with a Sports Media concentration.

Lathan Verwoerdt ’16, left, and William Verwoerdt ’16

Tanner Beason ’15 was selected twelfth overall in the Major League Soccer draft by the San Jose Earthquakes during the 2020 Superdraft. He’s the first and only Stanford Cardinal to be drafted in the first two rounds of the Superdraft..

Tanner earned his bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 2018.

Elizabeth Stockton ’16

Elizabeth Stockton ’16, daughter of Kathy ’81 and Hill Stockton ’78 , graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and works for Deloitte Consulting in Washington, D.C.

McKinnon Reece ’15

McKinnon Reece ’15 earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in Chinese from Clemson University. He was named a Fulbright Scholar to Taiwan for 2020-2021.

Philip Clifton ’20, son of Chris Clifton ’88, became an FCDS alumnus on May 30. He attends Williams College.

Gracie Fowler ’20, daughter of Kim Cotter Fowler ’92 and the late Roger Fowler ’90, joined her parents as Fury alumni this spring. She attends Roanoke College.

Got news? Keep us in the loop by sharing the latest with us at alumni@fcds.org.

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Congratulations to the Class of 2020 Our newest alumni (turn to page 23 to read all about them) earned $4,365,156 in college scholarships and awards and made priceless contributions to all of us at FCDS. We already miss them and are wishing them all the best for what’s ahead.

They decided to matriculate at the following colleges and universities:

Thomas Edward Aguilar - Lenoir-Rhyne University William Thomas Andrews - Wake Forest University Athanasia Angela Ballas - High Point University Katelyn Rachel Barnes - University of North Carolina at Greensboro Nicholas David Budd - High Point University Mayleigh LoRen Carvana - Agnes Scott College Qiao Cheng - University of California - Irvine Alexa Catherine Clegg - Duke University Phillip Max Clifton II - Williams College Peter John Cromie - Elon University Avery Scott Dew - Wofford College Rebecca Lily Drucker - Wesleyan University

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Kevin Patrick Dunn - Choate Rosemary Hall (Post Graduate Program) Grace Ann Fowler - Roanoke College Duncan John Hart - Washington and Lee University Christopher Lawrence Hungate - University of North Carolina at Greensboro William Dell Hartt Jennings Zhequan Jing - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Riley Joseph Johnson - East Carolina University Halle Jarrahi Kincaid - University of Pennsylvania Karthik Lalwani - University of Richmond Jason Holden Mack - College of Charleston Fuming Meng - Washington University in St. Louis

Michael Andrew Michalek - University of Kentucky Zachary Thomas Moore - Washington and Lee University Spencer Thomas Muller - University of North Carolina at Wilmington Yu Otaki - Tufts University Blake Jacob Parker - University of North Carolina at Charlotte Ashley Hanna Parsons - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Audrey Ellen Patrick - Johns Hopkins University John David Peterson - University of North Carolina at Wilmington David Felipe Sanchez Valencia - George Washington University William Loesch Schultz - High Point University Haoyuan Shi - Northeastern University Quinlan Michael Smith - Miami University (Ohio) Katherine Rebecca Steffen - Boston University Siddarth Subramanian - Wake Forest University

Kyle Dean Sudler - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Andrew Peter Szvetitz - University of North Carolina at Charlotte Aiden Gregory Tate - Brevard College William Richard Tessien - High Point University Lauren Stanford Turner - University of South Carolina Columbia Meghan Elaine Turner - North Carolina State University Jozanne Lirik Unal - Wake Forest University Rece Chester Vaughn - Guildford College Xiao Wang - New York University Isabella Michelle Wiese - University of South Carolina Columbia Chunbaixue Yang - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Hanlin Zhang - University of Massachusetts - Amherst Ruojiang Zhang - University of California - San Diego

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Forsyth Country Day School 5501 Shallowford Road Lewisville, NC 27023

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