FRA 4700 Magazine Spring/Summer 2017

4700 I AM forever

Discover how our Interim program is providing our students with

a new perspective

Spring / Summer 2017

Mission Statement:

2017-18 BOARD

Franklin Road Academy provides a challenging educational experience in an inclusive Christian

Mr. Mark Weeks Chair

community with an unwavering commitment to

Mrs. Melanie Jackson Secretary

develop leaders of integrity and purpose.

Mr. Eddie Alexander Vice-Chairman Mr. Michael Lindseth ’88 Treasurer Mr. Jeb Beasley Mr. Roger Brown

NEW TRUSTEES

Mr. Rafael A . Calderon Ms. Laura Campbell

Greg Hagood is co-founder of Nephila Capital, a fund manager dedicated to constructing portfolios of catastrophe reinsurance risk on behalf of institutional investors. Since its inception in 1997, he has been involved in all aspects of the business, and today his primary focus is on strategic direction and investor relations at the firm. A member of the FRA strategic planning committee and capital campaign steering committee, Greg brings his entrepreneurial vision and strategic planning expertise to the Board of Trustees. He and his wife Barbara have two children at FRA – Ava, a rising freshman, and Jackson, a rising junior.

Mr. Randy Chase

Steve Maggart is a CPA and the managing partner at Maggart & Associates, P.C. He has diversified experience in accounting, auditing, and tax matters for commercial, construction, real estate, financial institutions, individuals, and not-for-profit clients. Steve has also served as an assistant instructor for accounting at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and as an instructor for courses and seminars for the Tennessee Society of CPAs. He has served on various boards, including as director of Richland Country Club and chairman of its finance committee. Steve has served as the grandparent chair of the FRA Annual Fund, and he brings a unique grandparent perspective to the Board of Trustees. He has two grandsons at FRA – Matthew, a rising sophomore, and Will, a rising freshman.

Ms. Christina Smith

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S

Mr. Jay Dalton ’88 Mrs. Tobi Jane Frankfather Mr. Daron Hall Mr. Greg Hagood Mrs. Patti Hudgins Ms. Kimberly Jackson Mr. Steve Maggart Mrs. Ann McKinney Mr. Steven H. Medes Mr. John Mick Mr. Clif Tant ’94

E X- O F F I C I O S Mr. Sean R. Casey Mrs. Ritchey Graham ’94 Mr. Charley Williamson ’88

LEADERSHIP TEAM Sean Casey Head of School John Murray Dean of Academic Affairs Prentice Stabler Head of Upper School

Christina Smith is a first vice president and senior financial advisor with Wells Fargo in Nashville, specializing in corporate and institutional retirement plan space and in personal wealth management for senior executives and retirees. She brings extensive board experience to the Board of Trustees, including serving as chairman of the Metro Parks and Recreation Board, founding the Nashville Parks Foundation, and serving as a member of the Plan to Play Committee. Christina is an active member in the FRA parent community and has served as an annual fund parent volunteer and on the parent advisory board. She has two children, Taylor, a rising freshman, and Garrett, a rising seventh grader.

C

Ryan Harris Head of Middle School Rick West Head of Lower School Laura Turner

Director of Finance & Operations

Jill Johnson Director of Advancement Courtney Williamson Director of Admission

Kris Palmerton Director of Athletics Brandon Albright Director of Spiritual Life Brenda Huff

Director of the Center for Philanthropic Studies

M

to moving forward, respectful of our

sense of purpose and consider how

history, yet constantly considering

they can provide hope for others.

how to best to serve today’s FRA

Finally, you will read more about the

students and provide an educational

outcome of an FRA education through

experience that will best prepare

our alumni. They are the ultimate

them for their tomorrow. As you read

manifestation of our mission, and

the articles inside, I hope you gain

theirs is a lifetime membership! While

a sense of our commitment to being

we are proud of the accomplishments

a dynamic educational community

of our most recent alumni, the Class

devoted to cultivating a sense of

of 2017, as they head off with a sense

innovation, curiosity, and leadership

of adventure to colleges in 18 different

in our students. With the opening of

states literally from coast-to-coast,

our new, 2,000-square-foot, state-

we are also proud of our alumni who

of-the-art Innovation Lab and new

graduated 10, 20, 30, and soon-to-be 50

courses in design thinking, coding,

years ago. They are both accomplished

and the study of innovation across

in their own right and committed

My father would

the curriculum, we continue to move

to helping FRA move forward for

often tell me, “you

forward and expand the educational

generations to come. I hope you enjoy

are either moving

opportunities for our students. We

this latest issue of the 4700 and can

forward or you are

want our students to have a sense

sense the ongoing momentum in

moving backward, there is no such

of possibility and hopefulness that

the FRA community. As a parent of a

thing as standing still. If you think

they can and should try to pursue

graduate for the second year in a row,

you are standing still, you are likely

their passions. In similar fashion, our

our family is blessed to be part of this

moving backward.” He believed this

Spiritual Life program continues to

community, and I am eager to see

advice applied to most areas life,

grow as we challenge our students to

what is to come!

including relationships, education,

make a meaningful difference in the

and how we grow in our faith. As I

lives of people around them, as well

reviewed this latest edition of the

as to consider the needs of others

4700 magazine, my father’s words

across the globe. Ultimately, we are

were ringing in my ears. FRA is a

encouraging our students to put faith

community of educators committed

into action as they develop their own

Sincerely,

SEAN R. CASEY

Contents CLASS OF 2017

LS CODING

1

F E AT U R E

1

Class of 2017

DISTRICT CHAMPIONS

AT H L E T I C S

49

Winter Recap

55

Spring Recap

9

ACADEMICS

9

LS Coding, MS Design Thinking, Innovations, Introducing Innovation Lab, Summer Innovation Institute

19

Senior Spotlight

23

Retirements

SUESSICAL, JR.

49

ARTS

63

63

Winter & Spring Highlights

COPYRIGHTED 2017 BY FRANKLIN ROAD ACADEMY. Franklin Road Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, religion, or ethnic origin, or the administration of its educational and admission policies, scholarships, athletic, and other school-administered programs. Franklin Road Academy is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Southern Association of Independent Schools. The 4700 is a bi-annual publication of the communications ofďŹ ce.

EDITOR / Leah Davis Glenn. CREATIVE DIRECTOR / Courtney Williams. COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR / Chloe Coley. PHOTO CREDITS / Jessica McIntosh, Mike Straisinger, Kianush Dixon, Jill Johnson, LifeTouch, Peyton Hoge, Ross Bolen, Kelley Tansil, Michelle Medes. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / Nina Dobbs, Shannon Murphy, Kelly Huddleston, Rod Jones, Carrie Tillis, Lauren Patten, Chad Stearns, Rob Miller, Anderson Kenny, Martha Grace Scripps, Rachel Brown, Luke Harnen, Alison Carpenter Bueschen, Ed Zaborowski.

4700 I AM FOREVER FRA

F E AT U R E

25

A NEW PERSPECTIVE

I Am Forever FRA

S TA R S & G U I TA R S

EVENTS

71

35

25

SPIRITUAL & SERVICE LIFE

35

A New Perspective

43

MS Trip Week

44

Spiritual Emphasis Week

45

Turner Fellowship

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

71

Daddy Daughter Dance, Highland Games, Songwriters Night, Spring Fling, Stars & Guitars

ALUMNI

73

73

Class Notes

75

Births, Weddings, In Memory

77

Event Highlights

85

Donor Spotlight

OPEN MINDED UNCONVENTIONAL DARING COURAGE CARING EXCELLENCE ENTHUSIASTIC ENTREPRENEURIAL REBELLIOUS CREATIVE INDEPENDENT PIONEERS PASSIONATE EVOLVING FAITHFUL ACCOMPLISHED INSPIRING BOLD EXAMPLES LEADERS HAPPY THANKFUL FORWARD THINKING UNIQUE A COLLECTIVE COOL ENTHUSIASTS ENCOURAGERS SUPPORTIVE HOPEFUL PROUD FAMILY AUTHENTIC LOVING FEARLESS CONFIDENT GENUINE SPECIAL ENCOURAGING FRIENDSHIP

CLASS OF BEAUTY FUTURE APPRECIATIVE LOVE COMMITTED LOYAL SELFLESS ADMIRED BRAVE CONSISTENT 2017

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F E AT U R E

257

100%

3,800+

College

Acceptance to

Hours of

Acceptances

Four-Year Schools

Community Service

21 12-Year Club Members

3+ Million in Scholarships & Grants

11 Superior Ratings at MTVA Choral Adjudication & ACDA State Adjudication Festival

8 Cum Laude Society Inductees

5

12

To Play

Turner Fellows

Collegiate Athletics

Spring / Summer 2017 | 4700

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Matriculations Acceptances

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES Appalachian State University Aquinas College Auburn University Baldwin Wallace University Ball State University Baylor University Belmont University Boston University Butler University Capital University Cincinnati Christian University Clark Atlanta University Clemson University Coastal Carolina University College of Charleston Colorado State University Columbia University Davidson College Denison University DePaul University Earlham College East Tennessee State University Eckerd College Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Emerson College Emory University Empire Beauty School Fisk University Florida State University Fordham University Franklin & Marshall College Furman University George Washington University Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Southern University Guilford College Hampton University High Point University Hofstra University Howard University

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4700 | Spring / Summer 2017

Indiana State University Indiana University, Bloomington Ithaca College Kentucky Christian University Lake Forest College Lindsey Wilson College Lipscomb University Long Island University, Post Louisiana State University Loyola University, New Orleans Marymount Manhattan College Miami University, Oxford Middle Tennessee State University Mississippi State University Mount Holyoke College Muhlenberg College Ohio University Ouachita Baptist University Pace University, New York City Pennsylvania State University Point Park University Purdue University Rhodes College Rider University Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rutgers University, New Brunswick Samford University Savannah College of Art & Design School of Visual Arts Shenandoah University Simmons College Southern Methodist University Southwestern University Spelman College St. Edward’s University St. Olaf College Syracuse University Tennessee Technological University Texas Christian University Texas Lutheran University The New School

Tufts University Tuskegee University University of Alabama University of Alabama, Birmingham University of Alabama, Huntsville University of Arizona University of Arkansas University of California, Irvine University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz University of Central Missouri University of Cincinnati University of Colorado, Boulder University of Hartford University of Kentucky University of Memphis University of Mississippi University of Missouri, Columbia University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill University of North Carolina, Charlotte University of North Carolina, Greensboro University of North Carolina, Wilmington University of Notre Dame University of Richmond University of San Francisco University of South Carolina University of Tampa University of Tennessee, Chattanooga University of Tennessee, Knoxville University of Texas, Austin University of Vermont University of Virginia Ursinus College Valparaiso University Vanderbilt University Villanova University Virginia Commonwealth University Washington University, St. Louis Webster University Western Kentucky University Wofford College

MATRICULATIONS BY STATE ALABAMA

INDIANA

OHIO

Auburn University Will Frankenfield Sean Hensley Maddie Medes James Munn Samford University Kole Akers Justin Cox Alex Hernandez Caleigh McClung Martha Grace Scripps Hale Williamson University of Alabama Mary Grace Burton Brennan Crook Christian Drake Adam Kennedy Ashley Talbert

Butler University Hope Holmes Indiana State University Camille Kinloch University of Notre Dame C.J. Fayne Valparaiso University David Chandler

Capital University, Oxford Adrian Roper Miami University, Oxford Emma Murray Tyler Roop Ohio University Sydney Malham

KENTUCKY

Coastal Carolina University Catherine Disspayne

CALIFORNIA

Louisiana State University Carrigan Corsi

University of California, Irvine Chris Zhang

COLORADO Colorado State University Julia Scott University of Colorado, Boulder Miller Malone

FLORIDA Eckerd College Ashley Kromer

GEORGIA

University of Kentucky Kassidy Jones Selden Mathews Abby Mick Western Kentucky University Cole Sesler

LOUISIANA MASSACHUSETTS Mount Holyoke College Kari Meko

MISSISSIPPI University of Mississippi David Bryan Will Ezell Charlotte Hill

NEW YORK

ILLINOIS

Columbia University Riley Casey Pace University Pablo de la Torre Alvarado Syracuse University Micah Frizzell The New School Yasamine Mousavi Erynn Quirk

DePaul University Eli Frizzell

NORTH CAROLINA

Emory University Wes Thompson Georgia Institute of Technology Ponder Thurmond Savannah College of Art & Design Conor Ireland

High Point University Matt Cannata University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Alison McKinney

SOUTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE Belmont University Victoria Zirilli East Tennessee State University Ryan Madondo Lipscomb University Hamilton Jones Rhodes College Jade Wong Tennessee Technological University Taylor High University of Tennessee, Chattanooga Maeve Kelly Jackson Wilson University of Tennessee, Knoxville Will Elliott Jackson Thomas Zach Walker Vanderbilt University Angela Hua

TEXAS Southern Methodist University Jaron Tannehill University of Texas Jamie Kendrick

VIRGINIA Hampton University Carly Stearns University of Richmond Jack Doherty Katie Wall

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4700 | Spring / Summer 2017

who dared to have their own lawn mowing company, and someone who dared to score a goal even though she was the keeper.

Call it rebellion, call it creativity, call it independence, whatever this quality is, it has led our class to accomplish plenty of firsts for FRA , such as bringing the Girls Cross Country team to State for the first time, following our passions in the innovations class for the first time, or advancing to the Robotics Worlds competition for the first time, and winning the THINK Award no less. If nothing else, I hope this is the legacy that the Class of 2017 leaves at FRA — that we have inspired the underclassmen to be bold and forge their own lives, wherever that may take them. So, Class of 2017, we’re not ready, but we’re making that leap

VALEDICTORY ADDRESS KATIE WALL

anyway, across 18 states from California to New York, and I know our creative, rebellious, bold, independent spirit will take each and every one of us exactly where we want to be.

And wherever that is, we will all be happy to be there.

Does anyone else remember what their younger self imagined their life would be like in high school? I certainly do. I remember thinking that when I was in high school, I would have a nice car, a Motorola Razr flip phone, and that I would have my life completely figured out by then with no doubts in my mind. Fast forward, and my car seems to need a new repair every two months, I have a cracked iPhone C, I have maybe one percent of my life figured out, and I know I could not have been happier even if my eight-year-old dreams did come true. The friendships I have made and the bonds I have formed over the years have made me happier than any of my dreams could have.

You always have a plan, an image on how your life will go and how it will turn out, what you think would be the absolute best case scenario for you. But then life throws some curve balls at you, and your best laid plans get off track. So what do you do? Keep an open mind, and no problem will be too great for you to overcome.

Not that I’m worried about our class keeping an open mind to the possibilities. I believe the Class of 2017 never did

SALUTATORY ADDRESS ALISON MCKINNEY

quite stick to the status quo, and this is where all of you

I have been a student at FRA for 13 years—much like a lot

have actually taught me quite a bit. Although some of these

of the members of our grade—and, thanks to my sisters

unconventional ideas may not have been the best choice

who started at FRA when I was a year old, I have really

at the moment, like daring to dance even though there are

been on this campus for my entire life. FRA has been my

shards of glass in your shoe, or daring to shake up a root

home for longer than I can remember, so next year will be a

beer, or our entire class daring to show up to school in

completely new adventure and a big awakening leaving this

pajamas, we still had the courage to venture out and forge

bubble. Looking back on my time at FRA , I have realized

our own paths. Our class had someone who actually dared

just how much this place has meant to me and its impact on

to care about being a good, enthusiastic mascot, someone

the person I have become. Speaking for all of us, I can say Spring / Summer 2017 | 4700

6

that FRA has shaped each and every one of us differently

big things in the future. My challenge for our class is to

and helped make us into who we are today. Although a lot

continue to stay true to ourselves because that is what

of us have been here since kindergarten, we have had peers

makes us special, and that is the legacy that we should be

come and go throughout the years, and our grade’s dynamic

proud to leave behind.

has continually evolved into what it is today. Each person contributes to our collective identity, and each student plays a role in the greatness of our class.

I could share endless anecdotes that exemplify the ways in which our grade is unique— for instance: Ty winning every election we’ve ever had without running…even homecoming queen; our attempt at a week-long senior prank; or even that we proved to all it was cool for everyone to attend the inaugural Battle Bots competition during lunch. Possibly my favorite part of our grade is that we take such little, seemingly unimportant things and can all band together to make them special. We combat the high school stereotype of putting forth facades by encouraging and supporting each other despite what the world tells us is “cool.” We are proud to set that example for those behind us as a part of our legacy. The remarkable memories we have all made during our time here has brought us together and

BACCALAUREATE ADDRESS JOHN PIERCE

I was posed a question the other day that I want to ask of you. I want you to imagine God is looking at you……what expression does he have on his face? If I am honest with myself, I answer by saying God looks at me with a look of frustration or disappointment, wondering why I can’t get my act together and why I can’t get a grip on that sin that just won’t go away. I have this feeling that I am trying to earn God’s love by obeying his law – and I am not doing a very good job of it. But in reality, God has a look of total

really molded us into a family.

acceptance and love when he looks at me, not because of

Our strength in our identities and our fearless authenticity

my place. This is called the Gospel of Grace.

have made us prepared for whatever may come. Hold onto that confidence fiercely, regardless of the new circumstances your next chapter may bring. Be proud of the legacy you left behind here, and begin forging a new legacy

what I do or don’t do, but because of what Jesus has done in

We experience the grace of God everyday of our lives. It is His grace that gives us Radnor Lake, or a crystal clear night where you can see the stars and moon, or the ability

of your own.

to throw a football or run down the street. It is the grace of

Our grade’s authenticity is what has made us unique,

on your face. It is this grace that the Apostle John writes of

and continuing this genuineness will allow us all to do

when he says, “From the fullness of his grace we have all

God that you can even hear me speaking or can feel the sun

received one blessing after another.” I want to encourage you to notice these gifts that God gives to us – even though we don’t deserve them. We deserve punishment because of the ways we have turned our backs on God and tried to do things for our own glory, but instead he provides us with creation, art, friendships, and beauty.

I have no doubt that in this senior class there will be great successes – future politicians, doctors, lawyers, businessmen and women, missionaries, thriving marriages, and families. But I also know that you will all fail many times and go through painful tragedy in your life, and I want to encourage you by saying that the grace of God will be there to pick you up and wrap His arms around you as you pull yourself together. I love how Anne Lamott puts it, “Grace falls to earth, rises from the ground, pools around the afflicted. Grace pulls people back to their feet. Bodies 7

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and souls are fed. Bones and lives heal. New blades of grass

Hope — You have experienced thousand of hours of service

grow from charred soil. The sun rises.”

during spiritual emphasis week, service Saturdays and

Thank you, class of 2017. God loves you, and so do I.

mission trips. You have watched your classmates invest time to make a difference in the lives of others and have witnessed firsthand how to take action on behalf of others who need hope. That hope and encouragement are powerful forces, particularly when you provide it for others.

Finally, I hope you have sensed the power of LOVE. Not the ephemeral love of awkward middle school crushes, but that selfless sense of love where someone puts your needs and concerns first, and you are willing to put their needs and concerns before your own. I hope you have had a teacher, coach, advisor, or some other adult in this community who has let you know that he/she is your biggest fan. I hope you recognize that you are loved by a God exactly as you are, and this love allows you to be brave and BOLD! That is what I hope for and what I will remember when I think about the class of 2017. You are fiercely independent;

COMMENCEMENT REMARKS SEAN CASEY

you are bold; you are brave. You are not a class of followers but comfortable in your own skin and eager to be heard.

You are engineers, artists, and athletes who will pursue your college careers in 18 different states around the

I am confident that you are prepared for the next activity

country because you are prepared to blaze your own trail

or purpose as it relates to writing papers, or completing a

and chart your own course.

lab, or taking part in a socratic seminar. I am confident that you have continued to hone the gifts God has given you, and you have learned to appreciate the gifts and talents of others around you. While you may have a gift of writing or painting or singing, or of building a robot, or running fast or shooting a basketball, I hope we have also planted seeds in your life so you appreciate that, while all gifts are

Remember what you have learned and seen during your time at FRA . Remember that your gifts and talents are valuable, and when infused with FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE, you will tend to use your gifts and talents on behalf of others. That is when they are multiplied in ways that are hard to comprehend.

valuable, there are more important gifts that will have the

Remember God’s promise in the book of Jeremiah “For I

greatest impact on your life.

know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to

In his letter to the Corinthians, Apostle Paul talks about the most important gifts — Faith, Hope, and Love.

Faith — You have witnessed firsthand the commitment and loyalty of a career well-served in people like Jerry Williams, who has displayed a faithfulness to this community for over three decades. You have seen what loyal friends look like when you see the ties that bind Coach Williams with Mr. Zab, Coach Tucker, and the late Coach Weicker. Their display of faith and commitment is a shining example for all of us to admire.

prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Remember to be consistently who you are because God loves you that way, and it is simply easier to live a life of consistency. Remember you are loved, and you are unique.

Don’t be average; God did not make you that way. He did not make you to fit in but to stand out. And, stand out you will. Be faithful when others lose faith; be hopeful when others have none; and, most importantly, give and receive love freely. That is how to stand out.

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LS CODING BY

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NINA DOBBS, lower school media specialist

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ACADEMICS

The type of knowledge and skills our students need to succeed is ever-changing. By now you’ve probably heard the words “Makerspace” or “Innovation Lab” in educational contexts and know the importance of providing opportunities for our students to explore and practice design thinking skills, whether that be learning about computer programming or designing and making products to meet a need.

So what does that look like in FRA’s lower school?

To find out, take a look in the Media Center. Yes, that’s right, the library! In our library, we LOVE books, and I am always encouraging children to The type of check out books knowledge that they are and skills our interested in, books that students need will take them to succeed is on magical ever-changing adventures, or books where they can soak up knowledge.

It is my hope that as our children read, they wonder; I want them to wonder how and why and what if. Wondering and thinking lead to exploring, innovating, and creating. With that in mind, I want our Media Center to be a place where children can build knowledge not only through books and digital tools, but also through hands-on learning experiences.

If you visit the library, you will see students learning about coding and robotics. If you ask our preschoolers about “code-a-pillars” and our kindergartners about mouse robots, they’ll be excited to tell you how they program the code-a-pillar to travel around the library or how they program the

mouse to move through a maze and get the cheese. As they explore these hands-on activities, they are beginning to learn about the logic of programming and coding. All students in K - grade 4 have been taking coding lessons through an online curriculum from Code.org.

They have learned how to build code by dragging and dropping code blocks into a strategicallyconstructed list in order to make an animated character complete a task. They have learned how to use “loops” in their algorithms to make their code much more efficient, and when their code fails, they have learned how to trouble shoot, or debug, in order to fix the problem and succeed.

In addition to coding and robotics, our students have been able to show their creative abilities through a variety of S.T.E. A .M challenges (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). I have really enjoyed watching groups of children work together to design and construct marble runs, using only straws, tape, and cardboard. It was great to see their designs and ideas become a reality and to see how each group approached the task in a different way. Some groups were so pleased with their products that they were trying to work out how they could take them home to show their parents! We’ve also really enjoyed working with Lego Education construction kits to build simple machines. Through these fun, hands-on activities, students have learned about mechanisms such as gears and pulleys and the concepts of force and balance.

The Media Center has been full of new and exciting challenges this semester, and I hope to build on this excitement in the next school year.

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At FRA , students’ curiosities are sparked in unique ways, regardless of their interests and learning styles, through a series of projects that incorporate various topics and types of learning. Our fifth graders participate in Design Thinking, a nine-week, project-based course centered around a four-step problem-solving process: The course begins with simple problems, such as how to build the tallest tower out of a piece of tin foil or how to create a tin-foil boat that floats and holds the weight of dimes. The class splits into groups of about three students, who are given time to plan their ideas, execute them, and reflect on their work. These early projects allow students to learn teamwork while also discovering the strengths of each team member.

Throughout the semester, projects progress into building a website and coding as a way of exposing our youngest middle school students with a heavy dose of technology.

One of the most rewarding projects for our students is our inventions unit, where they must identify a need someone has off of our campus and then create an invention to help that person. It’s really amazing to see these kids begin by thinking only of inventions that they as middle school students would find useful and then progress into thinking of the many issues that exist in this world and how they could make a difference. This year, I’ve seen inventions to assist people who are unable to see, a design to help dispose of trash, and an “Ironator,” a tool to help a student’s mother with ironing. It’s a natural progression from thinking of their own needs to those of others, and it’s so rewarding to watch it take place.

MS DESIGN THINKING BY

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SHANNON MURPHY, middle school media specialist

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1 Identify Identify the problem

2 Empathize Empathize with the user

3 Experiment Experiment with different ways of improving the problem

4 Create Create a prototype and produce examples to improve the real-life situation

The coding unit is incorporated because coders are given an objective and must create a code to complete that objective. If it doesn’t work the first time, students must repeat the process until a solution is found. Many of our students have never been exposed to coding, and some prefer other interests over technology. It’s fascinating to see those same students pursue coding after the unit is over, or come to my classroom during study hall and after school because they found such an interest in the topic. This is why the Design Thinking course works – because minimal exposure to coding in fifth grade could be all it takes for a student to become the next Bill Gates!

The school improvement project is unique because the class as a whole selects difference spaces on campus they believe can be enhanced, and they create a prototype of the new space and its new function.

There have been redesigns of the middle school atrium, the fifth grade hall, the library, and the dining hall, and sometimes the students are able to present their ideas to different leaders around the school!

Design Thinking is a class that will benefit students for the remainder of their educational experience and even into their careers. Fifth grade is a great year for students to learn course topics such as problem-solving skills and teamwork because it is the

introductory point to middle school. So much changes at this age – students become more responsible for schoolwork, and they have more of a say in what they are learning. Design Thinking establishes a project-based platform that can be built upon in the other grades.

Design Thinking exists to grow and encourage future leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs, and our students are energized and excited to be able to use the equipment in the Innovation Lab to print on the 3D printers, build websites, and work on their projects in a space that encourages the designthinking process.

The various content and hands-on approach of Design Thinking sparks a lifelong love of learning in our fifth graders. While the projects students work on in this course seem small in significance, the purpose of Design Thinking aligns greatly with our mission to create servant leaders. We are providing students with problem-solving skills; and, more importantly, we are developing young adults who have the tools to recognize a problem in the world, and a mind developed and trained to analyze and resolve that problem.

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IF STUDENTS LEAVE SCHOOL LESS CURIOUS THAN WH EN TH EY AR ST TE D, WE VE

HA I FA LE D TH EM

BY

KELLY HUDDLESTON, upper school innovations instructor

Q How did the idea for this class come about?

A The idea for Innovations came about from a friend of

Q

mine, Don Wettrick. He and I met in 2011 at Microsoft’s

and turns it on its head. In a traditional classroom

Innovative Educators Forum and remained in touch

experience, students ask of the teacher: What do you

via Facebook. In 2014, he published a book, Pure Genius:

want me to do, and how do you want me to do it? The

Building a Culture of Innovation and Taking 20% to the Next

Innovations classroom has the teacher asking her

Level. I bought the book and immediately asked myself:

students: What do you want to do, and how do you

How might we do this at FRA?

plan to accomplish it? Our students, our future leaders,

As part of our professional development initiative, in the fall of 2015 I visited Wettrick’s classroom and spent time talking with his Innovations students. I brought back to FRA all I had learned, and with the approval of

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Why do we offer this to our students / What is

the benefit? A Innovations takes traditional education

are not used to this question, but it is becoming more vital to our society as complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity become highly valuable skills employers seek.

the administration, immediately set about creating the

Traditional education is exemplary in teaching students

Innovations course which we piloted this year.

how to become passive learners and consumers of

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learning. Through FRA’s Innovations program, our

immersing Innovations students in the DEEPdt design

students are learning to become creators and

thinking process (Discover, Empathize, Experiment,

life-long learners.

Produce). We did a lot of brainstorming, creative

Innovations is a year-long elective devoted to design thinking and experiential learning. From start to finish, students take the lead in this project-based, passiondriven course. Students design their projects. Students define how success will be measured. Students find their own mentors. Students plan how to implement their ideas.

Innovations is also a place where students are encouraged to fail forward. Failure and success are rewarded equally, while inaction is admonished. As those of us with a few more years of life experience know, some of our greatest moments of learning came about through a perceived failure.

One of our inaugural Innovations students, Sydney Malham '17, wrote on her application: “I love to fail because when you fail you think about it more than if you get it right the first time. If I mess up, it’s easier for me to remember how to do it and then fix it rather than doing it once and moving on. I want to struggle and then show something amazing from that struggle.”

Innovations provides a safe place for our kids to “fail” without it hurting their grades.

Q What types of projects do our students do?

A Some of the projects the Innovations students have worked on this year include: a school podcast (Incoherent Mumblings can be found on SoundCloud),

sparking, and two FlashLabs. The first FlashLab involved trying to solve a problem directly affecting FRA students. For the second FlashLab, Brenda Huff brought in Couture for a Cause, a local non-profit, and the Innovations students worked with one of their board members to apply the DEEPdt process to helping their non-profit rethink their marketing strategy, redesign their logo, and increase their social media reach to a younger demographic they were having a difficult time reaching. The students only had eight days from the initial interview to when they presented their ideas, and everyone walked away in awe. In such a short time frame, these students came up with several incredible ideas that the Couture for a Cause owner and board member were excited about and which could be implemented immediately and at a very low cost.

The foundation of the DEEPdt design thinking process is what Innovations students are now applying to their individual projects, and they are all at different stages.

Q

Anything else you think our readers would want

to know? A Our goal at FRA , and especially with our

new Innovation Lab, is to inspire curiosity, creativity, and resourcefulness. To quote George Couros, author of The Innovator’s Mindset, “We forget that if students leave school less curious than when they started, we have failed them.” Innovations takes this challenge to heart, and we will succeed.

fashion design, 3D animation and printing, EDM production (Electronic Dance Music), jet engine safety, programming, robotics, redesigning school athletic wear, and redesigning a fly fishing reel.

We are looking for more non-profits and for-profit

Q

If you are interested, please contact Kelly Huddleston at

By the end of the class, what are students able to

create, and what is the process to getting there?

A

organizations to partner with for our FlashLabs.

HuddlestonK@FranklinRoadAcademy.com.

The first nine weeks of the class were spent

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INTRODUCING

INNOVATION LAB 2,000-SQ-FT DEDICATED EXCLUSIVELY TO FOSTER

INNOVATION AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AT FRA

In 2017, the best education incorporates experiential learning, working in teams and those critical thinking components. The fact that our MNPS students are going to be able to come here for summer camps — what a gift. As a city, we have to connect our technology students so they graduate with industry certifications and can go onto college and be successful. Thank you to Franklin Road Academy for opening your doors to our Metro students so they can experience this amazing Innovation Lab. – Mayor Megan Barry

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ROBOTICS TEAM COMPETES IN VEX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP; WINS THINK AWARD

Challenging Today Preparing for tomorrow This March, FRA , along with Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, unveiled the Innovation Lab, a 2,000-square-foot space dedicated to innovation and experiential learning, featuring state-of-the-art equipment, including two 3D printers, laser cutter, robotics arena, and 3D carver.

Students, faculty, parents, other schools, and community members attended the opening, which featured student demonstrations, remarks by Mayor Barry and FRA Head of School Sean Casey, and a special announcement of the Summer Innovation Institute, a program bringing students from three Metro Nashville Public Schools to the Innovation Lab for weeklong camps where students and teacher may work alongside FRA’s students and teachers to create, build, and innovate.

For the first time, the Franklin Road Academy robotics team competed in the Vex Robotics World Championship, a huge feat for a program in only its third year. The team, consisting of students David Chandler, Conor Ireland, Sydney Malham, Lea Anna Chen, Pablo Ramos, James Munn, Spencer Guy, Justin Cox, and Tennent Grace Smith, was selected for the THINK award, which is given to the program in each division whose students show design, coding, class, engineering, and professional excellence.

In education, it is often difficult to find truly authentic activities that demonstrate the principles we teach in the classroom.

With STEAM activities such as robotics, we have found this platform, and our students have embraced what started as a small flame and turned it into a raging inferno. Using our Innovation Lab and classes such as our Innovation Class, we have put students 100 percent in the driver’s seat of furthering their own education and passions. I consider it the greatest achievement when the students have far exceeded their teacher in their understanding, application, and depth of knowledge. This is exactly what we have been able to create at FRA. – Dr. James Weeks, robotics instructor

Whether building robots or designing a hover craft on a 3D printer, we hope this space inspires our students to consider what is possible and bring it to life. Today in this space they are building a robot for a competition and using laser cutters and 3D printers for printing parts for their innovation projects. Tomorrow they may be printing human organs for transplant or building and programming robotic arms to conduct brain surgery on young children with laser-guided precision as they work with colleagues around the globe to solve the challenges of their time.

– Sean Casey Spring / Summer 2017 | 4700

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R E M M SU

N O I T E A T V U O T N I T IN S N I ecto ES, dir N O J D

BY R O

The foundation

Innovation and leadership are two of the most important words in society right now. From New York Times bestsellers to Nashville news, the push for these two character traits can be found everywhere.

Educators throughout the world are embracing this by creating road maps for students to navigate this time in history. Technological breakthroughs and disruptive innovations come along every year and shift the world around us

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r of Sum

ovatio mer Inn

n Instit

ute

“It was rewarding to help these students work toward an end goal and watching the joy they had when presenting their products on the final day,” said Smith. Recent graduates David Chandler ’17 and Emily Nance ’16 also joined the team, bringing with them a multitude of experience in innovative technology.

in dramatic ways. At FRA , we are excited to jump feet first into this culture and lead with our very own Innovation Lab. Thanks to a generous grant from the Scarlett Family Foundation, FRA was able to build a new innovation space and use it as a training center for our students, as well as for students and teachers from the Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS).

“The support from the Scarlett Family Foundation has allowed us to pioneer a model for our community where we share this space, without cost, to MNPS schools. As the teacher of these camps, the impact and enthusiasm of the students and their parents has been tremendous.

i ffe re n t many d e h t drive n o de and ience r o e c p y x r e t o n hance t riends hands-o k with f e got a c a t r u ly e s e W u . w s e s v i m a h ek g e progra reat to spend t This we s oftwar d n a was g s e h i n g s.” w e ll . I t s machin a s t esting t o r b e t o r n i l o d o n r e a ll y c y new a so man n ol r a le and d le S c h o d i M e r . Moo e n t a t J.T – a stud

The Summer Innovation Institute is a fully subsidized program offered to students in the MNPS system. The main goals for these workshops is for the MNPS students to create a time where they can interact with innovative technologies and provide them experience and insight into possible careers in STEM-related fields.

The Students

We began working with J.T. Moore, Oliver, and Croft Middle Schools in January, and they were very eager to be part the inaugural Summer Innovation Institute. The selected students, a mixture of girls and boys, came in interested in pursuing innovation and scientific discovery.

FRA students and alumni worked with the students, assisting them with the design elements of their projects and helping them navigate the various machines and software programs to complete their ideas. FRA sophomores Tennent Grace Smith and Campbell Jeffery wanted to be part of this summer program because of how much they loved learning about all of these STEM-related ideas, and they wanted to pass that onto younger students who do not have the chance to work in a space like this.

Without a doubt, these camps have been a transformative experience for the MNPS students as well as the FRA students and alumni who have helped me run these camps,” said Dr. James Weeks, upper school science teacher and robotics coach.

Dr. Weeks and the student teachers who ran this Summer Innovation Institute together went far beyond any expectation set before them. Each day they gave so much energy, care, and thought into making the students experience something that will stay with them for a long time. Everyone involved in this program is very excited to welcome more students here for years to come.

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SENIO R SP OT L I G H T D AVI D CHANDL ER My favorite senior memory was… Auditioning and being accepted to play in both All-Midstate Concert Band and All-Midstate Jazz Band this year. This is the first year I have made both bands, and it was a lot of fun to perform with such expert players.

The thing I’m going to miss most about FRA is… The trusting relationships I have built with my teachers.

It has allowed me to further my education in so many ways and has provided me access to resources and equipment that otherwise would be out of reach. Some people may feel exposed by being in a small classroom environment, but it is in this type of environment that allows more hands-on education which, in my opinion, is the best type.

The one thing FRA has taught me that I will carry with me is… To not be afraid to push myself because if I live in fear of going further and welcoming change, I will never be able to reach my goals. One example of this was being the robotics team captain this year. If I were afraid to push the team and myself, we would not have qualified for the world championships. Because we pushed ourselves to be the best we could be, we were able to go all the way in the biggest robotics competitions in the world.

After graduation, I plan to… Study mechanical engineering at Valparaiso University.

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I love FRA because… I have been able to make an impact and help the community here. Whether it be through lighting the productions, helping Dr. Weeks start the Innovation Lab, working at the tech desk in the summers, running AV during convocations every day, helping setup for band, dance, and choir performances, to pretty much anywhere I wanted to become involved these past four years, I have been able to make an impact.

How long have you attended FRA? 14 years.

Describe yourself in three words. Calm, determined, and technological.

What is your hidden talent? I guess a talent many people would not know about me is that I have been FRA’s light designer for the past two and a half years.

So just about every production for the past two and a half years, I have either designed or worked with a professional light designer on creating the light sets.

C J FAY N E My favorite senior memory was… The basketball season as a whole. We lost one of the best players to come out of this school the year before, and everyone doubted our team the whole year. However, the team believed in and loved each other, and that allowed us to have another successful season and make it back to the TSSAA State Championship.

I feel prepared for my first year of college because… I know what it takes to succeed when challenges arise. FRA has taught me that life is full of challenges one must overcome, and how one overcomes those challenges really forms that person’s character. I know I am going to have a lot of times where I am overwhelmed academically, but I also know that I am very prepared to take on these tasks.

The one thing FRA has taught me that I will carry with me is… To find a way to balance my life. Be it sports, academics, or any other extra-curricular activity, FRA demanded my best in it all and that really taught me to learn how to balance these things.

This will be a very essential trait to keep with me as I journey onward to college.

My biggest accomplishment during my time at FRA has been… The accomplishment of building a strong relationship with God. The daily devotions really have allowed me to become a stronger believer.

This, more than any other thing I’ve done in high school, will be what I think is the biggest takeaway from my experience at FRA .

After graduation, I plan to… Study accounting with a focus in finance at the University of Notre Dame.

Afterwards, I hope to continue graduate school at Notre Dame.

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My biggest accomplishment during my time at FRA has been… My biggest accomplishment in my time at FRA came my junior year. I was the mascot at school, and after a wearing the same old gross suit, I decided I’d look into getting a new one. Turns out, navy blue panthers are not common and therefore had to be custom made. The suit was going to be really expensive, but I was still encouraged by the people in the community who knew the importance of the panther to me to try to fundraise anyway. I went for it and sent out some emails and put out signs, and in no time I had enough for the panther.

It was a cool time for me to see people invest time and money into something I love doing because they know the importance of the mascot to me and to the school.

J A M I E K ENDR I C K My most memorable experience/moment at FRA is… As funny as it may sound, my most memorable experience at FRA would probably be my transition into high school. This is a terrifying time for almost everyone, and I was no exception. I was on the soccer team, so I had the opportunity to meet some upperclassman in the weeks leading up to school.

They were all so supportive and accepting of my new role on the team, and they also became some of my closest friends. I will never forget on the first day of school my new junior friends came down to the freshman hallway to take pictures with me and ask how my first day of high school was going. My new team and friends made my transition into high school so smooth, and that is something I will remember.

I feel prepared for my first year of college because… FRA has taught me how to be independent.

Going 863 miles away from home, my ability to be independent is going to be very important if I want to succeed. However, it’s also vital that I know how to ask for help when I need it. FRA has taught me that it’s good to be able to make it on my own, but just as important, I have also been taught that it is perfectly acceptable to go to people and build relationships that will help me throughout my first year of college and the rest of my life.

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I love FRA because… I truly believe there’s no other place in the world like it. It’s a place I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of hours growing up, building relationships, and being supported. I can’t imagine life without having FRA as a foundation for everything I am today. FRA is my home, and I absolutely love it.

Describe yourself in three words. Competitive, loyal, and practical.

What is your hidden talent? Guitar Hero.

If you could be a teacher for a day, what would you teach? Government.

WI L L EL L IOT T My favorite senior memory was… The Senior Parade on Homecoming Friday. For 13 years, I had imagined what it must be like to be in that parade and look over the whole school, and that day I finally got that feeling.

The thing I’m going to miss most about FRA is… How could I possibly narrow it down to one thing that I will miss about this place after 14 years? I will miss Friday nights on The Hill. I will miss seeing the Panthers in Allen Arena in March fighting for a state championship. I will miss seeing Mr. Williams every day. I will miss the individual care you receive from each teacher. I will miss late afternoons on the soccer field. I will miss messing around in the hallways after lunch. I will miss everything about this place, and it will be hard to say goodbye.

The person who has taught me most at FRA is… Mr. Climer, my advisor, has taught me that there are two sides to everything. I have also learned to respect others’ views even when I may not agree with them.

My most memorable experience/moment at FRA is… Torrey Smith’s buzzer beater to go to the state championship my freshman year, followed by the court storming.

The one thing FRA has taught me that I will carry with me is… Deep and meaningful relationships will be much more satisfying in life than shallow friendships.

Describe yourself in three words. Energetic, loud, and fun-loving.

What is your favorite thing to eat in the cafeteria? Burger Bar.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

Barbara Anderson

Mike Street

Janice Martin

13 YEARS OF SERVICE

23 YEARS OF SERVICE

26 YEARS OF SERVICE

Barbara Anderson has been a mainstay in the middle school since 2004. During her time at FRA , she has taught sixth grade science and served as the math club sponsor. A favorite among students, Barbara has been named Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers twice during her teaching career.

Mike Street has been part of the FRA family since 1994. He has taught physical education in the lower school, assisted with fifth and sixth grade football, and served as the lower school representative for the Center for Philanthropic Studies. During his time at FRA , Mike was named a recipient of the William Campbell Excellence in Teaching Award, given each year to a faculty member who creates an atmosphere where each child is comfortable to create, to learn, and to thrive.

Janice Martin has been a pillar in the FRA community since 1991. She has selflessly served countless students and families as the director of extended day/ after-school enrichments and as director of summer camps during her tenure.

B

“Barbara, you brought science to life every day for all of your students. You made earthquakes, stars, weathering, erosion, and many other topics all interesting and relevant, and you also brought a great sense of humor to your students and fellow faculty members. I will miss the fun we have shared the last 13 years, but I wish you the best in your next adventure.”

— Chris Hart

M

“Mike, it has been an honor to work with you these last 17 years. You have contributed to FRA and especially the lower school in so many ways. I will miss you in PE; the faculty will miss your food and fun; and most importantly, the students will miss Coach Street.”

— Coach Ken McDonald

J

“Janice, long before I was in the FRA admission office, I was an 18-year-old girl who you gave the opportunity to work in the summer camp program.

What a wonderful gift it was to work for you and with you. Thank you for taking a chance on me all of those years ago and for loving my boys so well. Who would have known then that the same person who I learned so much from would get to teach my own boys! On behalf of all the working parents out there who did not have to worry because they knew their children were being loved on, thank you. You are a blessing. Your influence will be felt for many years to come. Please know how much you are appreciated… today and always.”

— Holly Koogler ’95

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32 YEARS OF SERVICE

My Friend, Jerry Williams BY

ED ZABOROWSKI

As one of only three faculty members who have been at Franklin Road Academy for over 30 years, I have come to know Jerry Williams in a unique way. Not only have I taught with Jerry since he came to FRA 32 years ago, but I have known him for 41 years, since we both started school at Vanderbilt University. I have even known him two years longer than I’ve known my wife, Cathy, so what do you think that says about our relationship?

A

Jerry and I met in the fall of 1976, when he was a star catcher on the Vanderbilt baseball team, and he is very much the same man today as he was then. There is never any pretense with him; what you see is what you get. He has always been eager to help a friend, player, or student when he or she needs it. And for 32 years, he has loved and dedicated thousands of hours to Franklin Road Academy.

When the news that Jerry Williams was retiring got out several months ago, emails came pouring in from former students, each one complimentary of the teaching they received in Mr. Williams’ classes.

While Jerry will always be remembered for his service to FRA and his impact on over three decades of FRA students, it is difficult to think of his time here without remembering his contribution to the baseball team or his relationship with Coach George Weicker. My favorite memory has to be from the mid-1980s when Headmaster Dr. Bill Campbell was brainstorming ways to get students involved in an ongoing capital campaign. The result was a homerun derby, where students could pay $1 to miss eighth period study hall to watch Jerry and George go head-to-head in the competition. Jerry asked a Vanderbilt baseball player to pitch, and out of 50 swings each, George hit 34 homeruns and Jerry hit somewhere around 25. To this day Jerry would tell you George cheated somehow, and if I’m being honest, it was probably true.

Another memory I will always cherish was when Jerry was driving the baseball team’s bus home from an away game, and everyone was getting anxious to get back to school, as it was getting late. The whole bus, even George, was giving Jerry grief for driving too slow, and Jerry must have had enough of it. Everyone groaned as Jerry took the wrong exit, but instead of turning toward FRA , he turned right into the Wendy’s drive-thru, ordered some food for himself, and pulled into a parking spot to eat his meal. After he finished eating (very slowly, might I add), he turned around and said, “Never yell at me again.” I think his message was heard loud and clear. Jerry was always a magnet for practical jokes from the rest of the coaching staff, but he never did stand for the abuse.

As much as I kid with Jerry, he was an invaluable member of the coaching staff back when I was the athletic director and well beyond those years. He ran the clock at basketball games, scouted opponents for the varsity teams, and held many assistant coaching positions. People who work behind the scenes like Jerry rarely receive the recognition they deserve, but he never sought it out, either.

In all honesty, there is nothing we can do to thank Jerry for his 32 years of service to Franklin Road Academy. To retire his number along with George’s is only a small manner of expressing how thankful the FRA community is for the impact he has had on this school. In his classes, Jerry desires to create students with a love of writing and a passion for making a mark on the world. He encourages students to find what they want to do, and he helps them develop the tools necessary to do it. I could teach twice as long as Jerry and maybe never have the effect he has had on his students, but I will always use him as an example of a teacher, coach, and friend.

The FRA family greatly appreciates Jerry Williams for all his years of service. He will be missed, and he will always be loved.

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I AM forever

I am so thankful to FRA for teaching me the meaning of scholarship, integrity, and balance and for instilling those values in me.

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F E AT U R E

CHAD STEARNS CLASS OF ’15

Being an alumnus of Franklin Road Academy is truly an honor, privilege, and more importantly, a blessing. What most people don’t realize is when you graduate from FRA you are automatically a step ahead of the game. FRA teaches you the skills you need to know before going to college, and ultimately, the “real” world. When I was attending FRA a few years ago, the three core values that FRA stressed were scholarship, integrity, and balance.

During my first semester in college, I thought back to these three things that the faculty would say consistently throughout my four years at FRA. After thinking about them, I applied them to my life, and it made my college life 150 times better than before.

Scholarship is excelling in school and putting academics first. I am a junior and majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting & Finance, and two minors in Aeronautical Science (flight) and Forensic Accounting at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Since enrolling I have been on the Dean’s List every semester and hold a cumulative 3.6 GPA. As FRA teaches you, putting your academics first leads to great things. This summer, I have the honor of working with The Boeing Company as a Contracts Intern. During this internship, I will be working in the Contracts department for the Airborne Surveillance Command and Control (ASC2) aircrafts for Boeing’s Defense, Space, & Security division in Oklahoma City.

Integrity is being honest, admitting mistakes, and having strong moral principles. What I’ve learned thus far in college is that it is so important to be yourself. In order to be yourself, you have to find yourself. It’s important to remember that you are going to make mistakes, some big and some small. But being yourself and keeping your morals during those times will make all the difference.

And finally, balance. Balance is being able to keep everything together and not overextending yourself.

Since I have been at ERAU, I have been involved in a variety of different activities, including College of Business Representative & Executive Director of Operations for the Student Government Association, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Business Eagle Program, Phi Beta Lambda (Competitive Business Honors Society), a Peer Mentor for University 101 classes, a Resident Advisor, and the Vice Chairman for the EmbryRiddle College Republicans.

These three core values not only helped me through college, but they have helped me through life this far.

So, needless to say, ERAU has been treating me very well, and I am only expecting it to get better. Without FRA’s help and education, I’m not sure where I would be in school. I can remember first hearing those three words during Dr. Wade’s speech on my first day at FRA in 2011. However, I did not ever expect those words would end up sticking with me through college. I can’t wait to see what is to come during my internship this summer and throughout my remaining two years in college. I am so thankful to FRA for teaching me the meaning of scholarship, integrity, and balance and for instilling those values in me. It truly makes me proud that I can look back on my time at FRA and say I truly enjoyed my high school experience and learned a lot along the way. Most college students can’t say that about their high schools, but God blessed me with being able to attend FRA as a proud member of the Class of 2015.

I Am Forever FRA!

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I AM forever

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ANDERSON KENNY CLASS OF ’89

I told Coach Weicker I was nervous before one of our games. He looked at me, replied with, “Good,” and walked away. We won that night. After the game he followed up his initial comment with, “When you get nervous or scared, ride it out. Courage is being scared and doing it anyway.”

In 1981, we moved from our farm in Franklin to a former farmhouse on Franklin Road. My parents had recently split, my mother began working full time, my siblings went to boarding school, and I started the fifth grade at Franklin Road Academy. It was a lot of change in a short period of time.

At that time, the middle and elementary schools were in a two-story building about where the Turner Quad is now. It had a chapel and a lunch room with a stage, and the lunch room also served as the gym. There was a dress code – boys wore coats and ties on picture day, and we dressed in uniforms for PE. We were the Rebels then. And to my 10-year-old mind, rebels were the courageous who stood up against evil, intergalactic empires. This was all brand new to me, and I was in awe of it.

I was an average student and a bit shy. I was pretty good at football and loved to draw, and that made a for few fast friends. One of those was our art teacher, Coach Tucker.

The art studio was at the bottom of a narrow, spiral staircase near the front of the library. I don’t remember how often we had art class, but I was in the studio as much as possible. Sometimes after school I’d help Coach Tucker straighten up. We’d talk about football and drawing and religion. One day he asked me where I went to church. I explained that I didn’t go to church because my father was an atheist. Such things were out of the question. Sensing my embarrassment, he gingerly followed up, “Did you ask him why?” The short answer was no. As curious as I was about it all, fearing the response kept me from questioning it. I thought, however, I could do something about it.

On a spring, Sunday morning I snuck out of the house, went to the garage, put on a button-down and tie that I had stashed there the night before. I was motivated.

I rode my bike down Franklin Road to the First Presbyterian Church. I knew nothing about the church except that it was across the street from school, and I liked the architecture. I hid my bike in the woods near the sanctuary, ducked behind a bush and waited. A big family congregated near the front. Pretending to be part of their brood, I slipped in behind them and sat in the rear.

After the message I exited with the crowd, rode home, changed in the garage, and snuck back in the house. I’m not sure how many Sundays I rode my bike to church, but I was certain that all of this was completely covert. Of course, it was not. One of my uncles also attended First Presbyterian. He noticed me in the congregation and figured out what I was doing. Going forward I rode to church with him.

I often think about what motivated that fifth grader.

Curiosity. Fear. Embarrassment. Wanting to connect better with my art teacher. For the last 15 years, I’ve lived and worked in New York City. It’s a place in constant motion. I remind myself daily of Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” A few years ago, I launched my own practice after years of working for other industry leaders. Many days it feels a long way from Franklin Road Academy. Recently, I had a meeting on Wall Street with a group of developers, financiers, and lawyers. These were smart, powerful people who sense fear. To sell my idea, I knew I would need to have cat-like reflexes, like a panther. I was nervous before going into the meeting. I took a deep breath, said a prayer, and I thought of Coach Weicker’s words: “When you get nervous or scared, ride it out. Courage is being scared and doing it anyway."

My son asked me once, “Daddy, where did you go to school?” I said, “Franklin Road Academy.” He thought for a moment, “What did Franklin ride?” I smiled. “I’m not sure what Franklin rode, son. Maybe a bike.”

My experience at Franklin Road Academy was a wonderful ride.

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I AM forever

LAUREN PATTEN CLASS OF ’00

In 1986, Robert Fulghum published a book of short essays cleverly titled, All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten.

As far as life is concerned, I largely agree with Mr. Fulghum. Kindergarten teaches us the importance of kindness, sharing, to be responsible for one’s own crayon box, and the importance of a well-timed nap. As far as my career is concerned, however, all I really need

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to know I learned in Jerry Williams’ AP United States history class my junior year at FRA. Allow me to explain. I am an attorney at Butler Snow, LLP in Nashville, and I specialize in commercial litigation. What does that mean?

Well, I represent companies – large and small – that find themselves in disputes which cannot be resolved without legal intervention in one form

or another. Such disputes might involve disagreements over the interpretation of a contract; conflicts between a corporation and shareholders and/or a partnership and partners; arguments involving real property; and cases having to do with trade secrets, restrictive covenants, or non-compete agreements.

Becoming a lawyer was not an easy road. Law school is hard; that is no secret. One’s ability to succeed in law school depends entirely upon the ability to absorb vast amounts of information and the concomitant talent for analyzing that information from a variety of angles and perspectives. In other words, one must take a group of seemingly unrelated facts and figure out how they fit together. Alternatively, if you change the perspective from which you are looking, what does that do to the outcome?

Every day I perform this calculus dozens of times as it relates to my cases, and law school certainly honed my ability to do so. Mr. Williams, however, first taught me what it means to think critically and analytically and how to do it – an immeasurable gift, the value of which I only came to appreciate fully later in life.

Growing up, I did well in school. Given enough time and a compulsively perfectionistic personality, I had the ability to memorize substantial amounts of information. The ability served me well throughout elementary and middle schools, and I fancied myself a good student. That was until I met Mr. Williams.

With his wild hair, blue eyes, and infectious personality, Mr. Williams is a legend in his own time. Before beginning junior year, I had heard tales from Mr. Williams’ former students – including my sister – which included everything from Mr. Williams’ bestowing of hilarious (and apt) nicknames to students to his utilization of what I later came to understand to be the Socratic Method to his well-known hatred for gum-chewing. With an innate love for history, I looked forward to starting Mr. Williams’ class and what promised to be a wild and entertaining ride.

Well, AP U.S. History was more than my 16-year-old self had bargained for. I dutifully attended class and finished all of my reading assignments. When it came time for our first test, I was not nervous. I knew the material – or at least, I thought I did. I was mistaken.

In his examinations, Mr. Williams does not simply ask his students to recite the dates of certain events or to define who certain historical figures are. A comprehensive understanding of that information is a prerequisite and a foregone conclusion. Instead, he has the audacity to have students explain the meaning of certain events within

a broader historical context. Alternatively, Mr. Williams requires students to compare and contrast two seemingly disparate events and then explain the historical significance of the similarities and differences between them. Before being in Mr. Williams’ class, I never had been asked such questions, especially in an academic context, and my resulting grade on the first test plainly evidenced that. My performance was unimpressive, at best.

Unsurprising to anyone who knows him, Mr. Williams did not give up on me. Instead, he pushed me. He pushed me to see what we learned in class as more than just a list of factoids, but as people, places, and events that fit within a larger picture. He taught me to think critically about the information we were learning and to evaluate it from different points of view. In short, Mr. Williams taught me how to think critically and to think analytically, skills without which surviving law school would have been entirely impossible.

With a lot of hard work and more than a few late nights, I started to “get” what Mr. Williams was asking from us. I learned to evaluate and analyze the material we covered in class. I learned to ask, “What does this mean?” – a question that I ask myself dozens of times a day in my work.

At the end of junior year, Mr. Williams handed me my graded final exam, and I saw “BOOM!!” scrawled across the top in his distinctive handwriting. For anyone who knows Mr. Williams, “BOOM” is all you can ask for, the pinnacle of success. The grade was irrelevant. BOOM was all I needed, and I was thrilled.

At the end of the day, the truth of the matter is that Mr. Williams taught me far more than just how to be an analytical, critical thinker. He taught me the importance of hard work. He taught me the importance of continuing to try, even after you have failed – more than once! He taught me that hard work and dedication do pay off. He taught me that things worth knowing and things worth doing often are hard.

As Teddy Roosevelt said, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”

BOOM!

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I AM forever

And almost everything I do now can be traced back to life lessons that began at FRA.

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you were willing to work hard, you could still be part of a team and develop your potential.

ROB MILLER CLASS OF ’82 My first year at Franklin Road Academy, the city of Montreal hosted the 1976 summer Olympic Games, and the movie Rocky won best picture at the Oscars. The year I graduated, Chariots Of Fire took home the top award for best film, and the San Francisco 49ers won the Super Bowl.

I mention these seemingly random facts because my job now revolves around directing the action for sports movies and consulting on major sporting events.

And almost everything I do now can be traced back to life lessons that began at FRA. Franklin Road Academy was no longer a start-up by the time I arrived in sixth grade, but it was still clearly the evolving dream of founder and Headmaster Bill Bradshaw. The school was housed in only one building, and we watched as the upper school we later attended was built. Like any good entrepreneur, Mr. Bradshaw wore lots of hats, from leading impromptu assemblies to mowing the grass, from organizing fundraisers to starting Spiritual Emphasis Week. On the day I graduated, he handed each of my classmates and me a copy of his favorite poem entitled IF by Rudyard Kipling. That copy is still hanging in my office today, and the poem still inspires me with its message, just as the man who gave it to me did when I was growing up.

FRA was definitely a small family dedicated to producing well-rounded students. I was blessed with a number of amazing teachers, each leaving their imprint upon who I am today. All of them helped instill not only a little knowledge, but a lifelong love of learning. I will always be grateful. Thank you!

Outside of the classroom I had great coaches.

Unfortunately for them, I had limited athletic talent to develop. However, the best thing about FRA was that if

I played football, ran track, and learned to box. I looked up to my coaches, especially Head Coach Gene Andrews.

He was a man of many talents. Zaborowski and Tucker were new young football coaches (well, a little younger than they are now), and Coach Weicker was still fresh from playing professional baseball. All of them had an impact on me, along with our Assistant Track Coach Tom Robertson.

Ironically, one of my best experiences was doing hard labor at the school for my summer job. I worked alongside some of my teachers, coaches, and a few other students. We painted the bleachers, sodded the football field, and cleared the land where the practice fields and track are now located. I would run in the mornings before work with Coach Robertson, and after work, I would train in the weight room or on the football field. To top it all off, most days I would sprint up and down that Peach Orchard Hill. In the movies there is often a memorable speech, but my teachers and coaches motivated me by demonstrating who they were on the field of play, in the classroom, and on those long, hot summer days working to make FRA a better place. That was also the summer my lifelong passion for sports performance training began.

I went on to pursue an undergraduate degree in sports medicine and play football in college. My coaches will be happy to know I did improve slightly. I then went to graduate school to study health and human performance, and became a strength and conditioning coach. As a result, I spent a number of years training elite athletes to reach their potential, and eventually I landed a job with the Olympics, where I helped stage and broadcast sports competitions around the world. Now our company, ReelSports Entertainment, helps tell sports-themed stories that inspire athletes and fans. We also work on staging big events like the Super Bowl. I’m sure I never properly thanked all my coaches for the positive influence they have been on my life. If it makes them feel any better, I have channeled bits of each of them on athletic fields and movie sets over the years.

When I graduated in 1982, I felt ready to take on new challenges, but I was not ready to leave all my friends. So while life has moved on and has been filled with lots of great adventures and a loving family, I’ve never stopped missing all my friends at FRA. I am sure I never told most of them how much they meant to me. My nickname was Stone, after all.

One of the principles I preach on athletic fields and movie sets is everyone has the will to win, but the will to prepare is what counts. FRA prepares its students to win.

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I AM forever

CARRIE TILLIS CLASS OF ’90 Girl With a Fox - Zao Fox Village, Japan. Painted by Carrie Tillis.

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On my way to FRA to deliver paintings for the student/alumni art show, I decided to take the route I had driven so many times growing up.

Driving slowly down Hill Road I passed my family home reminiscing. Feelings of nostalgia, then became relief, and I couldn't help but smile.

intriguing to me, and as I refined what exactly that meant, it came down to recognizing that somewhere in my life I had been consistent. And in the ways that life becomes a roller coaster— whether exciting or arduous—I realized a consistency was a success.

The nostalgia wasn’t surprising as I was already knee deep in memories that forever marked my youth. But it was the sense of relief that was

My backstory… When I was five years old, I answered the door to our Hill Road home for a family friend, and upon meeting for the first

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time, introduced myself, “Hi! I’m Carrie and I’m an artist.”

Our home was a haven of creativity, and my mother, Doris, always nurtured that spirit for not only herself and her children, but anyone who crossed the threshold. I always worked alongside my mother and found my own creative inclinations and strengths by following her lead or her latest medium.

And the other great creative influence in my life has been my father, Mel. For the last 20 years, professionally, I have made the stage my home. In the world of musical theatre and symphony concerts, I was able to take my dad’s indelible imprint and have the courage to venture into the different musical arenas I loved.

From these two very dynamic people, I was created and shaped. And it was wonderful, creative chaos that was a gift… that also needed balance. My parents knew that and filled in the gaps with two places that would be my backbone in so many ways. Camp Crestridge for Girls, where I joyously spent every summer growing up and then my education at FRA—where I spent every other waking minute.

During my 12 years at FRA, I always felt recognized for the individual I was—my teachers and coaches recognizing my strengths and encouraging those and challenging me where I needed to grow. And, alongside the typical angst of youth, I had a wonderful whirlwind of figuring it out with a solid education in a place where I felt safe, supported, and encouraged. I know not everyone gets that experience, but I did.

As field day ribbons fade, MVP trophies collect dust, and the carnation from Homecoming falls apart, most of us are relegated to the memory of teachers and friends. Life is harrowing, and we lose family; we become unemployed; we land on grief and insurmountable circumstances; and whatever our beautiful gifts and successes, they become dulled and sometimes lost completely. And that is where we are all the same.

That human experience brings me back to that idea of consistency, not just in our individual way, but our consistency to each other.

I’ll explain. I had been living in New York for five years and traveling the country doing musical theatre. I was working hard and exhausted, and I remember vividly the moment I decided to put my suitcase down and to come home and have dirt under my feet. I also remember wondering how I would do my type of work in Nashville. But I was fortunate enough to quickly land a role in Tennessee Rep’s production of Big River. And one particular night proved the point of consistency for me as far as FRA is concerned.

As we were taking bows one evening performance, the theatre lights came up just enough to see audience members and quickly my eyes landed on three beautiful faces that I knew so well. My teachers, Carole Pieratt, Brenda Gideon, and Linda Ballew had the biggest smiles on their faces as they applauded, and I lost all professional composure. I think I waved from stage and then came my profoundly grateful tears.

We had the most wonderful reunion in the lobby afterwards. And then I saw June Austin, my sixth-grade teacher! And a few nights later I received a card from Charlotte Farrar, my second-grade teacher, that said she had been in the audience. And I was overwhelmed with the feeling, after all these years, that I was still supported.

My teachers still cared. They were consistent in their love and support from the beginning and it was no more important to me as a child as it coming full circle when I truly needed it as an adult.

So, my consistency is that I have always known I was an artist, and I followed through with those dreams. And for FRA—my dedicated teachers and coaches who day in and out make for such a difference in young lives—what an awesome responsibility and opportunity. But it was the beautiful expression of joy from these teachers years later that made me feel like I had achieved success and showed where they were consistent in how they cared. To me, that is a profound ‘follow through’ and what counts.

Delivering my paintings that day, I was able to visit with Coach Tucker and talk art and friends and family. The studio doors were always open for me over the years when I showed up, and Coach Tucker always had a welcoming smile on his face. I’m forever thankful for his guidance and friendship. Coach Zab, even though I was horrible at Algebra back in the day, had enthusiastically been following my artwork and was the one who brought me back to show my paintings. Leigh Brown showed me all over campus, making sure I saw the new theatre and music rooms—and the old one where I was in band.

I laughed with Coach Williams and met new coaches, stepping into the gym where I played so many games.

And I could go on with the many memories and a luxury of a school that continues to grow and give students a chance to know what they’re good at and excel. I’m proud of all of that.

To my teachers, coaches, and classmates who had so much heart and are still in my corner encouraging and loving me, and cheering my successes today—often when I need it the most—thank you. Never underestimate what it means when you show up.

Thank you for being so consistent.

PICTURED / Carrie Tillis in Studio Tenn's The Cash Legacy at the Ryman Auditorium. Photo courtesy of Ma2La.

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A New Perspective Our Interim program offers the education only experience can provide.

These programs shape our students by taking them beyond the walls of FRA

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SPIRITUAL & SERVICE LIFE

Interim is a week-long experience for our upper school students to serve the community, explore the world, work in professional settings, or learn a craft.

Mission: Provide students with exceptional learning opportunities and vocational exposure while integrating meaningful, mission-appropriate service.

This year, our students traveled the world – from a mission trip to Nicaragua, an art experience in Europe, and football in England to a vocal ensemble performance at Disneyland, work study opportunities, and in-town experiences such as Eat, Pray, Yoga and Do It Yourself.

Managua, Nicaragua Martha Grace Scripps

played with and loved on the children, continuing to form relationships through Hope Road. We attended two church services on Sunday, played with kids in an orphanage and transition home, and helped with the demolition of a building in a rough area called Cristo Rey. This building was going to become a sports recreation center for kids.

Working with the different communities could not have been more rewarding. When we arrived at the first community, they threw us a fiesta! At first we didn’t really know how to interact with the people, but we quickly jumped right in, grabbing coloring books and soccer balls to engage with the children. From then on, once the team arrived at a community, we immediately knew exactly what to do, like it was second nature. I was amazed how the language barrier did not matter. Nicaragua is a Spanish-speaking country, and I took Spanish my freshman and sophomore years, yet speaking the language in person was a challenge. The kids did not care about our lack of Spanish-speaking skills; all they wanted to do was play with the “gringos,” or Americans. Some kids would try to teach me words in Spanish by pointing at objects. When I said, “Hablo un poco espanol, lo siento” (I only speak a little Spanish, I’m sorry), some people would just laugh and keep talking to me anyways. And if I messed up some Spanish, they were still very patient and understood the basis of what I was trying to say.

It’s hard to choose just one experience from this trip to call my favorite, but if I had to choose one thing it would be visiting the school at Cristo Rey. We went there three different days, and two of those days I met and played with Kimberly. Kimberly was a six-year-old girl who just picked me from the group and wanted to play tag, dance, climb on my back, and just be in my presence all the time. She left an impact on me because she was just so excited about life and the fact that Americans were playing with her. On the first day, I had to rotate from playing with the kids and going to the construction site

¡Hola! ¿Como estás? Hello! How are you? For Interim this year, I had the amazing opportunity to be part of the mission trip to Managua, Nicaragua, to serve with a ministry called Hope Road. I chose this trip mainly because I have never gone on a mission trip before and have always wanted to, and I wanted to serve the Lord in a different way in an unfamiliar country. In the past, I have participated in the local art, Best Buddies, and Chicago arts Interim trips. All of my past Interim experiences were in the United States, and I really wanted to travel abroad this year and step out of my comfort zone.

The team left on March 10, and we served the people in Nicaragua for five full days. Mainly our group went to different communities all over the Managua area and Spring / Summer 2017 | 4700

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across the street. While I was taking a break near our bus in front of the school, Kimberly ran out and sat down with me to talk some more.

Then on Wednesday, we went back to Cristo Rey for the final time, and once Kimberly saw me sitting on the ground in the group, she came over and tackled me down with a hug. We continued to play all that afternoon, and leaving her on the last day was one of the hardest parts of the trip.

Throughout the mission trip, I feel like I grew in my relationship with the Lord, but I also watched as the FRA students on the trip grew closer. As a group, we got to encourage each other all the time and also walk through the same unique experiences that were such a blessing. I learned that our definition of contentment versus the Nicaraguans’ definition is very different. I was completely humbled by how little everyone had, yet the people were all so joyous, happy, and did not complain at all. That was something I noticed immediately, because most of the areas we visited were extremely poor living conditions, most of the time without running water or a toilet. This opened up my eyes to how much I complain about little things that don’t matter and how our society stresses about having everything new and expensive because we think it will make us happy in life.

The kids in Nicaragua did not need the newest technology to make them happy; it was as simple as a coloring book and crayons.

Without FRA’s Interim week, I would not have been able to go on this life-changing trip. It was truly one of the best weeks of my life, and I know without all of my Interim trips in the past, my high school experience would have been different because I have met some of my best friends on those trips. This year I was so very grateful to end my FRA Interim experience serving the Lord and being His hands and feet in Nicaragua.

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England David Bryan

I chose the England trip because my friends on the soccer team were all going, and it was a great chance for us to get closer as a team. We went to the Manchester United stadium, the Chelsea stadium, the Liverpool stadium, and we were able to go to a Liverpool game, which was my favorite part of the trip. In addition to learning a lot about the game of soccer, the upperclassmen were able to build relationships with some of the younger guys on the team. All of my other Interim experiences had been on campus, so it was great travel abroad with my friends and teammates my senior year.

Europe

Jake Slipkovich

I chose the European trip because art is something I am passionate about, and the entirety of the trip was about art and history in Paris, Normandy, Florence, and Rome. My favorite part of the trip was when we went to the Museum De’Orsay in Paris, when we had the opportunity to see both of the Naissance de Venus paintings, which are my favorite paintings.

I gained an appreciation for statues, which I did not expect to love as much as I did, and museums, which were overwhelming. I wanted to appreciate every second of each museum that I didn’t even finish looking through a single one!

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Hawaii Rachel Brown

For Interim this year, I went to Hawaii, and it was unlike any trip I have ever experienced. To be honest, I was not planning to go on the trip until one of my best friends, Sabrina LaFaye, told me she was going and wanted me to go as well. Once I realized what the trip entailed, there was no way I was going to turn down the opportunity.

This was not my first trip out of the country for Interim.

My freshman year, I went to Jamaica on the mission trip with Coach Albright, and it was absolutely life-changing.

This year, though, I wanted to go somewhere I’d never been before, and I’m so glad I did.

As soon as we landed in Honolulu, we hit the ground running – we wanted to make the most of the rest of the first day. To start our Hawaiian journey, we hiked Diamond Head Crater. It was the most challenging part of this whole trip – we were so tired from the plane, and I felt very dehydrated. But, it was worth it because the views from the top were breathtaking, and we could see almost the whole town on Waikiki.

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CMT

work Study

Luke Harnen

Throughout the week, we visited different Hawaiian landmarks. We went to the Polynesian Culture Center, which was full of information about the islands that make up Polynesia, including Hawaii. We learned how to hula dance and play the ukulele! We also visited Pearl Harbor, where we learned about our country’s past and one of the biggest attacks on United States’ soil.

We continued our adventure by taking a plane to Big Island. There, we hiked the Hawaiian volcanoes, went zip lining, visited the Dole pineapple plantation and a coffee plantation, and went snorkeling with manta rays.

My favorite part of the trip was on Big Island when we hiked to a green sand beach. The hike there was on the most mars-like terrain I had witnessed, and there was red sand everywhere! The beach was in the middle of a volcano that was eroded halfway in by the ocean. It was the most unique and beautiful beach I had ever seen.

This experience taught me the importance of culture and also to value other cultures. It has made me want to learn about as many different cultures as I can. My Interim experience enhanced my year at FRA because it’s something different that I got to experience with my friends instead of just learning in a classroom. I can’t wait to see where my next Interim experience takes me!

When I was introduced to Interim my freshman year, I laid out a four-year plan where I would try to get a taste of all fields of the music industry. As a freshman, I shadowed a record executive at the major record label, Big Machine Label Group. My sophomore year, I shadowed a producer and songwriter, Joey Moi, who has worked with Florida Georgia Line and Nickelback. I had the opportunity to see all that goes into recording a song when Brian Kelly from Florida Georgia Line came into the studio and recorded a song he wrote for the upcoming album. This year, as a junior, I chose to spend a week shadowing several industry executives at Country Music Television (CMT).

This year was unique because I was able to shadow someone different each day. On Monday, I spent the day with Rory Levine VP of Marketing, who showed me how network marketing works and where he likes to spend and save money when advertising. I also got to experience how CMT’s artist development program works, and I got to sit in a little room with other CMT employees and listen to a new artist Chris Bandi play his songs in hopes to get CMT’s support.

On Tuesday, I spent the day with Jennifer Meyer, who works on the editing of CMT’s Hot 20 Countdown. She walked me around the building as she checked in on

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the editing bays, where they edit news packages for the network. On Wednesday, I got to hang with Stacy Cato, who works in Music Strategy.

We spent the day in a conference room, and I saw a slew of music videos and discussed whether they would be put on the air or not.

Preceding the discussions, Stacy gave me an in-depth tour of the building, showing me where Cody Allen records his show, editing booths, and a description of all the photography that is posted on the walls of the building.

My final day, Thursday, I spent the day with three different people – Lewis Bogach, Ellie Chandler, and John Miller Monzon. Lewis had me read a script to a TV that was pitched to him and provide my feedback on it. Ellie and I discussed music and music on CMT for a while, and then she took me down to an editing bay, where I got to see the final editing process for CMT’s next installment of Crossroads.

Finally, to close out my last day, John and I spent two hours talking about music television and college, and he gave me some great advice.

Vocal Ensemble Trip to Disneyland

Eat, Pray, Yoga

My favorite part of the whole experience, aside from all the great information, was the in-depth look at the buildings photography with Stacy. I love photography and music history, and these images were full of it. This experience really got my eye on the ball with what I want to do later in life, and I received great advice that I will take with me wherever I go.

The one thing that surprised me most about the experience was the amount of meticulous work that goes into the editing of a show and how fixing one problem can create another. Watching a team of people solve a problem was very intriguing.

Women in Science

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The Creative Process

PHOTOGRAPHY

I am not 100 percent sure this is something I want to choose as a career path, but getting this exposure into the world of media was amazing.

Nashville Adventures

Next year, I would like to shadow a touring artist. Interim week has greatly enhanced my overall experience at FRA because I cannot think of any other school that allows its students to go out into the real world and experience work for a week. And I am so thankful for that.

Do It Yourself

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8th

7th

6th

MS Trip Week While the upper school students are taking part in Interim, our middle school students are participating in trip week, a time designated for experiential learning. Eighth graders explored the sights and sounds of our nation’s capital; seventh graders visited Camp McDowell in Alabama; sixth graders participated in Greek Week; and fifth graders went to JA Biztown.

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5th

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

ROMANS 12:9-10

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MAKING MEMORIES AND MOVING FORWARD WITH NEW UNDERSTANDING

TURNER FELLO CLASS OF 2017 45

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OWS

One of the best memories does not involve me running around but rather relaxing with my campers. There was one outdoor adventure called the hammock hike. The hammock hike is a walk straight up into the woods where we had hung about 30 Enos. When we made it to the hammocks and got settled, the kids were asked to be quiet and just listen to nature. What made it even better was at the end of the day I asked my campers what their favorite thing we did that day was, and one of them said the hammock hike because they got to sit quietly and think about the Bible stories I had told them in the week. This was very gratifying because I felt like I had made a difference in this camper’s life.

“One great that happened during my Turner Fellow Internship was being on a panel for service learning at Vanderbilt University in the class of one of my favorite teachers, Mr. Salato! I was in his eighth grade advisory, and I’ll always remember him pulling me aside and telling me he saw great potential in me.

This single statement motivated me throughout my high school experience.

At the Vanderbilt presentation, it was really awesome to see Mr. Salato and to discuss my experiences in service learning, my internship, and about CPS. It was awesome to discuss the opportunities to lead and serve that I have had at FRA and through this Turner Fellowship!

JUSTIN COX Barefoot Republic

WES THOMPSON Salvation Army Area Command

Fannie Battle has a summer reading program where each child has a reading log. In these reading logs, they write down each book they read along with a teacher’s signature for proof – in order to receive prizes for their progress at the “book store.”

I was helping the teachers give signatures in the kids’ books, when I stumbled upon a child who asked me to sign his reading log. I told him he needed to write down the book he read before I could sign it, and he responded, "I don’t know how to write." Language is something I want to prosper in my later life, so hearing this broke my heart. I instantly responded, ‘I will buy you a book, so you can learn how to write’ without even thinking. My passion for language instantly chipped in. I do not understand why amazing kids like these do not have the opportunity to prosper in reading and writing like I did, but I know this: I have a strong desire to help.

The one new experience I had was actually outside the gardens when I got the chance to help hand out food to people in the community. It was incredible to see the difference getting one meal and some extra food made in these people’s lives as well as how my work in the gardens was really helping people. Having this experience truly enhanced the entire internship for me. I could not have asked for a better internship experience as I learned so much and got to help so many people even if I didn’t realize it at the time.

KATIE WALL Nashville Food Project

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I’ll always remember that what people say about ‘time flies when you are having fun’ is true! I had such a good time with the students during the learning activities and playtime. I discovered new talents I did not know I had thanks to this internship.

VICTORIA ZIRILLI Bethlehem Centers I’ll always remember feeling blessed to have an excellent supervisor, to work with a great group kids, and to intern with a great organization.

RYAN MADONDO Preston Taylor Ministries

I’ll always remember how my internship pushed me to be my best and step outside my comfort zone.

CARRIGAN CORSI First Steps Because of the great ways Best Buddies events and activities build up people and value relationships, I’ll always remember the importance of not stereotyping people. Everyone should be recognized as a person with special talents and a lot to offer.

After working on a caring and talented team at Preston Taylor Ministries, I’ll always remember the importance of getting along well with co-workers. I loved my co-workers and learned something new from them every day. They opened my mind, shared teaching techniques, and strengthened my faith.

TAYLOR HIGH Preston Taylor Ministries

HALE WILLIAMSON Best Buddies

TURNER FELLOW ALUMNI

MEMORIE

Turner Fellow 2012, Bethlehem Centers of Nashville

JON RYDBURG

Most interesting Community Engagement/ Volunteer Work you have been part of since your Turner Fellow Internship: I was the Chief Financial Officer of the Jubilee Initiative for Financial Inclusion. Our organization, which was a non-profit run entirely by Notre Dame undergraduates, offered small, low-interest loans to low-income individuals in the South Bend community, acting as a cheaper alternative to payday lenders. Our loans were often used to fund car repairs, cover the costs of moving to a safer apartment, finance the purchase of new appliances that would save money in the long-term, and a variety of other important needs of our clients.

How has the Turner Fellowship enhanced your leadership/community service work?: During my Turner Fellowship, I was given a meaningful level of responsibility that helped me understand that I didn’t have to be an expert in a field to be useful. I was forced to adopt an attitude of decisive action and realized that, even as a high

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school student, I was capable of much more than I gave myself credit for. As I continued my education and extracurricular activities in college, I was much better equipped to make a decision, lay out a plan, and see it through to completion rather than wait for someone else to take charge.

Best Turner Fellow memory: One of the many hats I wore was that of a Meals on Wheels delivery person, and I will never forget the smiles I got from the people I gave food to. Seeing a friendly face and knowing someone cared about them was a small bit of joy that made a huge difference for the people we were serving.

Where I am now: I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Notre Dame with a degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship and am starting in July as an Operations Coordinator in Uber’s new Uber FREIGHT division.

I’ll always remember working with the babies in the food bank and the development office. Through this internship I realized all the components and behind the scenes work that go into non-profit organizations and community centers.

I remember making a commitment to stay connected to this type of community work even when the internship ended.

JADE WONG Martha O’Bryan Center

I’ll always remember the way I felt God’s grace and presence as I got accustomed a whole new environment and leadership role through my internship. It was daunting coming into a new place where I wouldn’t know anyone, where I would be in charge of large groups of kids all day long, where I and would spend six full weeks dedicating my life to God through ministry and service, but when I walked in the first day I knew that I was in the right place, and for that I am so grateful.

I’ll always remember attending a leadership conference in downtown Nashville with my supervisor. This gave me perspective on the big picture and long range planning that goes into running a large organization like the YMCA. I appreciate how our day– to-day work was connected to a larger mission.

ERYNN QUIRK Maddox Family YMCA

JULIA SCOTT St. Luke’s Community House (Preston Taylor Ministries)

ES FOR A LIFETIME Turner Fellow 2013, St. Luke's Community House

EMMA LAWSON

Most interesting Community Engagement/ Volunteer Work you have been part of since your Turner Fellow Internship: Last summer (Summer 2016), I had the opportunity to spend a little over a week volunteering in a village in Fiji with the organization Volunteer Eco Students Abroad. A group of around 24 students, including myself, stayed in a village (we stayed with host families in the village - 2 students per family), and we helped to refurbish their school, which had been damaged by Cyclone Winston. It was great getting to know students from all across America while experiencing the Fijian culture first hand, and helping the villagers all at the same time.

How has Turner Fellowship enhanced your leadership/community service work?: As a Turner Fellow, I learned early on the importance of treating a volunteer job as a true job. The organization I was working for was completely dependent on my generosity, and I learned that no matter how much/if any money I was receiving, I

needed to be as reliable as I would be if I were the highest paid employee there. I am currently working as an unpaid intern in Sydney, Australia, but I treat my job the same as I would if I were relying on it to pay the bills. My boss depends on me, so whether he is paying me or not I need to be reliable.

Best Turner Fellow memory: I worked as a camp counselor at a day camp, but at the end of the summer we went away for a weeklong sleep-away camp. While there, I was able to really truly get to know the kids I had seen every day. I still keep in touch with many of them to this day and wouldn’t trade those friendships and relationships I formed that week for anything.

Where I am now: I am a rising senior at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, and I am currently interning at Abrahams and Associates Law Firm in Sydney, Australia, for the summer.

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SPORTS ACCOLADES WINTER RECAP 2016

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AT H L E T I C S

WRESTLING TYMON MITCHELL

TYMON MITCHELL

State Tournament – 5th Place, 285-pound weight class

DREW WHITE

State Tournament – 5th Place, 152-pound weight class

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BASKETBALL RILEY CASEY

GIRLS

REGULAR SEASON DISTRICT CHAMPIONS

RILEY CASEY

All-District MVP; TSWA All-State; All-District Tournament; All-Region Tournament

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BRENNAN CROOK

BOYS REGULAR SEASON DISTRICT RUNNER UP; REGION TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS; STATE TOURNAMENT RUNNER UP JACK DOHERTY

TSWA All-State; All-District; All-District Tournament; All-Region Tournament MVP; All-State Tournament

BRENNAN CROOK

All-District; All-District Tournament; All-State Tournament

TYLER ROOP

All-Region Tournament; All-State Tournament

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1,000-POINT CLUB

SWIMMING

NAOMI NICHOLAS

JACK DOHERTY, RILEY CASEY, BRENNAN CROOK

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BOWLING

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SPORTS ACCOLADES SPRING RECAP 2017

SOFTBALL

JESSE HELDMAN

JESSE HELDMAN All-District

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SPRING RECAP

BASEBALL J ROSS

J ROSS

ZACH WALKER

WHIT HAGAN

CHRISTIAN DRAKE

All-Region All-Region

All-District All-District

PONDER THURMOND All-District

WALKER PALMERTON

All-District

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BOYS SOCCER RYAN MADONDO

DISTRICT CHAMPIONS RYAN MADONDO

District MVP, All-District, All-Region, All-State

JUSTIN COX

All-District, All-Region

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PABLO RAMOS All-District

MASON CHAMBLISS All-District

PABLO DE LA TORRE ALVARADO All-District

TENNIS

WES THOMPSON

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CAMPBELL CARROLL

TRACK & FIELD ERIC STOXSTILL-DIGGS

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CAMPBELL CARROLL

State Meet – 3rd Place, High Jump

ERIC STOXSTILL-DIGGS State Meet – 4th Place, Hurdles

2017 COLLEGE SIGNEES JACK DOHERTY

SYDNEY MALHAM

MAEVE KELLY

RYAN MADONDO

University of Richmond – football University of Tennessee Chattanooga – soccer

Ohio University – soccer

East Tennessee State University - soccer

RILEY CASEY

Columbia University – basketball

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MS BASKETBALL 61

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GIRLS & BOYS

HVAC CHAMPIONS

GIRLS

Kennedy Cambridge, Campbell Carroll, Lexi Cole, Kennedy Connell, Jaclyn Corbin, Ansley Cummiskey, Emma Flegel, Jada Greer, Sophie Hart, Kimi Hashimoto, Iris Heldman, Christiana Martin, Caroline Matthews, Isabelle Matthews, Olivia McFerrin, Sophia McFerrin, Macie Medes, Kaila Scott, Taylor Smith, Anna Takahashi

BOYS

Alex Aufdenkamp, Michael Blackburn, RJ Casey, Van Christian (III), William Cooper, Jackson Cummiskey, Ryan Dalton, Gavin Dawson, Currey Douglass, Jeremiah Greer, Josiah Jackson, Will Johnson, Alex Mick, Breonus Mitchell Jr., Jack Norris, Carter Oliff, John Pierce, Wake Sizemore, John Somers, Tyler Speed, Jeffery Vercher, Eli Warrix

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arts 63

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ARTS

E ve n i n g with the Arts Our middle and upper school students put on a spectacular showcase of vocal, instrumental, and performing arts at Evening with the Arts.

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C a n’ t S t o p t h e F e e l i n g

dance

Middle and upper school dancers dazzled with ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and hip hop routines.

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music

Ja z z C a f ĂŠ Our FRA jazz ensembles and middle school jazz band provided a night of fabulous music on the beautiful Turner Quad, performing songs from the libraries of Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Earth, Wind and Fire, Van Morrison, and more.

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S e u s s i c a l , J r.

Middle school students brought magic to the stage in a colorful journey comprised of various beloved Dr. Seuss characters to celebrate the beauty and joy of salvation through selfless sacrifice.

theater

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M u c h Ad o Ab o u t No t h i n g Upper school students performed their dramatic interpretation of the famous Shakespearean play.

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A d ve n t u r e s i n O z Lower school students transported us to Oz with music, scenes, and dances from The Wizard of Oz, Wicked, and The Wiz.

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EVENTS

DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE Lower school girls and their dads danced the night away at the Daddy Daughter Dance.

HIGHLAND GAMES

FRA, as well as other schools from the community, enjoyed track and field events, along with Scottish music and games at the 19th annual Highland Games.

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EVENTS

SONGWRITERS NIGHT

SPRING FLING

Songwriters Rodney Clawson, Ross Copperman, Ryan Follese, and Craig Wiseman performed at the annual Songwriters Night, an intimate event held at Homestead Manor.

Lower school families enjoyed games, bounce houses, and face painting at this year’s Spring Fling.

S TA R S & G U I TA R S More than 470 FRA parents, alumni, faculty, and friends enjoyed Stars & Guitars, which raised more than $370,000 for the school.

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CLASS NOTES

Jonathan Rydburg ’13 graduated Magna Cum Laude from Notre Dame on May 21 and was awarded the Charles G. Morrow Award for Business Excellence.

Given to one or more graduating seniors in the Mendoza College of

PICTURED / Jonathan Rydburg ‘13

Business, this award recognizes business excellence through documented service, leadership, and personal integrity.

Sam Burrus ’13 was recognized as one of the Gulf South Conference “Top Ten” award winners. These awards are based on athletic, academic, and extracurricular achievement during the 2016-17 academic year. Sam is on the women’s golf team at Lee University.

PICTURED / Sam Burrus ‘13

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ALUMNI

PICTURED / Dane Carder Studio

Dane Carder ’90 launched the Dane Carder Studio this summer at Houston Station in the Wedgewood/Houston arts district. He will be displaying his own artwork, as well as exhibiting art from other artists. For more information, visit danecarder.com.

Lake Union Publishing released Amanda

Hunt

Callendrier’s ’94 debut novel, Camino Beach, in May.

Amanda teaches creative writing at Webster University in Geneva, Switzerland. She visited campus recently and dropped off a copy of Camino Beach for the FRA Crockett Library.

Heather Osteen Mathias ’97 , Principal, Hastings Architecture Associates, was a headliner in Interior Design PICTURED / Scott Looney ‘12

Scott Looney ’12 will be attending

magazine. The “Nashville’s Got Talent” article featured Heather’s design of the WME office near Music Row.

Harvard Law School in the fall. He is

Mollie Dingler ’00 founded House of Honeybee.

completing his masters in political

She curates unique, locally-handmade products to support

communication from George

independent designers. Look for her pop-up shops and DIY

Washington University this summer.

demonstrations at houseofhoneybee.co.

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PICTURED / Clockwise from top left: Charles Fisher Cook and David Wiley Cook, Fisher Hall Draughon, Oliver Miller, Allie Jean Price.

PICTURED / Left to right: Gardner-Hodge, McCaslin-Edwards, Hancock-Rudesheim.

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BIRTHS

Haden Wiley Cook ’03 and husband, Brian, welcomed twin boys Charles Fisher Cook and David Wiley Cook on May 21, 2017.

Sara Fisher Draughon ’09 and husband, Trent, welcomed Fisher Hall Draughon on April 21, 2017.

Anna Zaborowski Miller ’03 and husband, Nicholas, welcomed Oliver Miller on September 22, 2016.

Jessi Brown Price ’00 and husband, Brian, welcomed Allie Jean Price on November 16, 2016.

Allie Jean joins big brother and sister, Asa and Avalynne.

IN MEMORY

Beverly Alderson ’83 Sam Dennis ’09 Bethany Workman Philbin ’95

WEDDINGS

Lauren Gardner ’01 married Stephen Hodge on October 22, 2016.

John Adam McCaslin ’09 married Carley Edwards on June 3, 2017.

Tyler Hancock ’09 married John Rudesheim on March 25, 2017.

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EVENTS

Golf Classic Over 100 alumni, parents, grandparents, faculty, and sponsors played in the FRA Golf Classic this June. The Classic raised over $50,000.

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Alumni Weekend FRA alumni from classes 1979-2011 enjoyed drinks and hors d’oeuvres at Wine, Beer & FRA Cheer on the Turner Quad to kick off Alumni Weekend.

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Reunions Alumni from classes 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012 gathered for their alumni weekend in June.

’07

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’12

’82

’02

’92

’97

’92

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Legacy Celebration honoring Coach Jerry Williams & Coach George Weicker FRA honored the legacies of Coach Jerry Williams and the late Coach George Weicker in a ceremony filled with laughter, tears, and the retiring of the coaches’ numbers, 20 and 24, respectively.

Art Showcase

College Alumni Panel

The Alumni and Student Art Showcase featured alumnae Alison Carpenter Bueschen ’85, Carrie Tillis ’90, and Melanie Dickerson Oliva ’95.

Audrey Ney ’13, Ben Jackson ’16, Ezekiel Hall ’16, Kiran Thawardas ’15, and Allison Hallmark ’14 visited our seniors to discuss college life.

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Easter Egg Hunt FRA families enjoyed a morning of fun with Easter eggs, moon bounce, balloon artist, and games!

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Mrs. Hessey’s 100 th Birthday In April, we celebrated Mrs. Hessey’s 100th birthday with breakfast and cake.

UT Campus Visit We recently visited students currently attending the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, for dinner and conversation.

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Alison Carpenter Bueschen ’85 MOTHER OF WILL ELLIOTT ’17

As an FRA Alumna, past staff member, and parent of an FRA Alumnus, I have experienced FRA at many different levels.

While working at FRA , I realized that the faculty and staff not only cared about their currents students, but that they never stopped caring about their former students. Long after graduation, teachers and administrators continued to celebrate the successes of their former students and offer support to them in difficult times. I saw that the FRA family never stopped giving back and that led to my desire to give back to FRA in return.

A

I decided to make a commitment now through planned giving and hope that other parents and alumni will join me in supporting this school that is so worthy of our support.

I truly believe that FRA plays an important role in the Nashville community. FRA is able to combine a strong educational experience with a caring, compassionate, studentcentered atmosphere that sets it apart from other options in town. I believe that this leads to the family feel at FRA , and I will always be proud to call myself part of the FRA family .

The Peach Orchard Hill Society is laying the foundation for future generations of FRA students. We would like to recognize and celebrate alumni and friends who have made provisions for FRA in their estate plans. If you have made a gift plan in support of FRA, or if you would like to become a member of the Peach Orchard Hill Society, please contact Jill Johnson at 615-369-4656.

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NEW SCHOOL YEAR NEW LOOK... designed just for you

NEW WEBSITE COMING IN AUGUST!

FranklinRoadAcademy.com

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1093 Nashville, TN

We hope to see you at these fall community events!

Friday, August 18 All-Community Tailgate | 6 p.m. | Kennon Track & Field Friday, September 22 Homecoming Game v. Nashville Christian School | 7 p.m.

Thursday, November 9 – Saturday, November 11 Shrek, Upper School Fall Musical Thursday & Friday – 7 p.m.; Saturday 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Middle School Theater Thursday, November 16 Spaghetti Supper | 5 p.m.| Lower School Dining Hall Saturday, November 18 Service Saturday | 9 – 11 a.m. | Lower School Dining Hall Tuesday, November 21 Grandparents Day (Lower and Middle Schools) 8:30 a.m. | Middle School Gym Friday, December 1 Santa is Coming | 5 p.m. | L.M. Crockett Library Cocoa & Carols | 7 p.m. | Middle School Theater Monday, December 4 Christmas Band Concert | 7 p.m. | Middle School Theater Thursday, December 7 Christmas Choral Concert | 7 p.m. | Middle School Theater

Visit our website for a complete list of events