FWCD Falconer - Volume 14, Issue 1

Convocation kicked off the new school year with fun and games.

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Eric Lombardi Head of School

Chelsy Beninate

Director of Fine Arts

Trey Blair

Head of Lower School

Stephen Blan

Head of Middle School

Leigh Block Athletic Director

Joe Breedlove ’78

Executive Director of Breakthrough Fort Worth

Caroline Corpening Lamsens ’99

Director of Admission

Nicole Masole Director of Community Engagement and Inclusion

Tom Mitchell

Chief Financial and Operations Officer

Sandra Tuomey Director of Advancement

Steve Uhr Director of Technology

Peggy Wakeland

Head of Upper School

EDITOR

Shannon Rossman Allen

ART DIRECTOR

Lisa Koger

CONTRIBUTORS

Elizabeth Baxter

Paige Farris Chisholm ’87

Yolanda Espinoza

Caren Handleman

Debby Jennings

Reggie Johnson

Renee Pierce

Patrick Powers ’05

Whitney Truax

Sandra Tuomey

Lisa Wallace

Geraldine Williams

Questions? Concerns? Comments?

Contact Shannon Allen at shannon.allen@fwcd.com

Send address changes to:

Fort Worth Country Day

Advancement Office

4200 Country Day Lane Fort Worth, Texas 76109 or email advancement@fwcd.com

© FWCD 2023

The Magazine of Fort Worth Country Day

FEATURES

16 FWCD Celebrates New Fields with Dedication Ceremony

A community ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony on November 30, 2022, marks another athletic milestone.

28 Loving the Middle School Life

Stephen Blan leads the Middle School with care and comedy.

34 FWCD Launches New Website

Nearly a year in the making, FWCD’s redesigned website launched in October 2022.

38 The Traeder Magic

Butch Traeder H’16 left his mark on FWCD and on the lives of many Falcons.

The Falconer is published biannually for Fort Worth Country Day families, alumni and friends by the Advancement Office. Opinions represented may not necessarily be the position of the Board or administration. Fort Worth Country Day has an institutional commitment to the principles of diversity. In that spirit, FWCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability or national origin in admissions, the administration of its educational policies, financial aid, athletics and other School-administered programs.

Cover photo by Glen Ellman: Seniors Vivian Todora and Jeremy Henderson were crowned Homecoming Queen and King.

View From My Window

Dear Falcon Family,

Eight years ago, Shannon Young Ray ’80 played her role as Board Chair in introducing me to the Fort Worth Country Day student body one division assembly at a time. It was March 2015; I would take on the Head of School role in June. Soon after those gatherings with students, I was led to the FDP for my first campus meal. I did not get to eat much. Out of nowhere, students from all three divisions formed a line for the sole purpose of shaking my hand and welcoming me to “your” school.

Since that moment, for Debra and me, “your” school has turned into “our” school, and I have regularly invoked the memory of that first lunch, describing us as a handshaking community. At FWCD, we believe in looking someone in the eye and giving them a firm grip as we meet for the first time or hundredth time.

A good handshake speaks to a person’s pride. You give a good handshake because you want someone to get a positive first impression of you, and you want the other person to know that you are showing them respect.

It is the pride in themselves and in the School that I felt so much in that 2015 spontaneous receiving line in the FDP. It is pride for our school that is at the heart of so much of what we do. The pride of an alum leads them to return to campus with a friend or spouse or child of their own and show them around, introducing them to their teachers. A student's pride makes them tell their neighbors about where they go to school. A parent's pride makes them put a “From Here, Anywhere” sticker on their car bumper.

With a routine we inaugurated in 2019, Shannon Allen, Communications Manager, and I assembled what we call our Points of Pride again this January. What a “stand tall” feeling those points give me. Any one of the items we choose in a given year impresses me; the whole assemblage simply wows me. I hope, whether alum, past or current parent or grandparent, past or present faculty or student, you have that same sense of, “Wow, Fort Worth Country Day does amazing things and has amazing people!”

And with articles you read in this always excellent publication, I hope your pride extends to people, events and accomplishments over our many years. Sixty years, to be exact: A milestone we will be celebrating throughout the 2023-24 school year. The story on Butch Traeder H’16, for instance, reminds us of an educator who impacted so many lives in his 30 years as a Falcon. While we mourn his passing, we celebrate the many impressive people who comprise our community and who make us all Falcon proud.

Sincerely,

Eric Lombardi

Jenna Bush Hager Visits FWCD

Jenna Bush Hager keeps her promises, even two years later. Hager was planning to visit FWCD in April 2020, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she had to change her plans, just like everyone else. On September 16, 2022, Hager kept her promise and attended two FWCD events, a breakfast program at River Crest Country Club and a Lower School reading on campus.

Approximately 330 people attended the River Crest ticketed event to hear Hager discussing her book, Everything's Beautiful in Its Time, which she wrote the year she lost her grandparents. She shared with the audience how everything is beautiful in its time, even in your deepest grief, which is how she determined the book title. The 45-minute question-and-answer session was moderated by NBC 5 Today morning co-anchor Deborah Ferguson. Hager reminisced about her fond memories of her grandparents and how her grandmothers were such strong female role models for her and her twin sister, Barbara Pierce Bush, growing up.

Hager also shared her story about being in Scotland for The Today Show when Prince Charles III, now King Charles, was informed that Queen Elizabeth II was ill, just hours before the monarch passed away. She was there to interview Queen Consort Camilla.

Following the breakfast event, Hager visited the Lower School to read her book The Superpower Sisterhood, cowritten with her sister, to the students. Hager, a former teacher, engaged with

the students and teachers throughout the reading and took some questions at the end. She even shared a little secret about the White House ghost. Each Lower School student went home with a copy of The Superpower Sisterhood

The events and Lower School books were made possible by Kit Tennison Moncrief ’70 and Gloria Moncrief Holmsten ’00. Funds raised from the River Crest ticketed event benefited the Moncrief Library.

Making a Global Connection

FWCD partnered with Trinity Valley School to host 12 German exchange students and two teachers from Auguste-Viktoria-Gymnasium, through Fort Worth Sister Cities International. Yoad Levy, Judith Schwickerath, Clara Marie Willman, Robin Schafer, Jakob Arens and Anne Schaaf (Teacher) became members of the Falcon family the moment they arrived. The students from Trier, Germany, attended Upper School classes and multiple events with their host families from September 27 through October 7.

Perfect Score

Eliana Garcia ’23 set herself apart on the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam in May 2022. Her score was so superior that it falls into the select category of a perfect score. She is one of only 63 students (out of 155,931) to earn every possible point on the exam, achieving the maximum score on each portion.

“Eliana is an amazing young woman; it has been my pleasure and honor to teach her. She is extraordinarily bright, enthusiastic and fully engaged in her Spanish studies. Some might be tempted to chalk up her perfect score on the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam to her Spanish experience outside of class. But it would be selling her short to do so,” said Alison Robinson, Perry and Nancy Lee Bass Distinguished Teaching Chair in Upper School, Upper School Spanish Teacher, and Modern and Classical Languages Department Chair. “Eliana deserves a huge shout-out for her willingness to write and rewrite essays, ask outstanding questions to test her understanding, practice her reading and speaking skills, take constructive criticism, apply her hard-won knowledge to the world outside the classroom, and simply roll up her sleeves and work. I can think of no one who deserves this recognition more than Eliana, and I am so proud of her!”

Kristin Larsen, Director of College Counseling and AP Coordinator, shared, “This is incredible! I have never seen this accolade in my 18 years at FWCD. Eliana’s performance places her among the best in the world on this exam.”

Senior Recognized as 2022 Borlaug Scholar and Global Youth Institute Delegate

Alexis Rollings ’23 was recognized as a 2022 Borlaug Scholar by the World Food Prize Foundation for her extensive research on soil degradation in South Africa. She was also chosen to serve as a delegate for the 2022 Global Youth Institute. The GYI is a weeklong academic conference focused on youth efforts to address global food security issues. This year’s GYI took place October 16-21, 2022. Students had the opportunity to present their research, engage with their peers, and learn from leaders on issues related to food security and sustainability.

New Campus Sign

Through its many fundraisers during the 2021-22 academic year, FWCD’s Parent Faculty Association (PFA) allocated $200,000 back to the School. Funds were used to purchase a new electronic sign by the pond, just past the Bryant Irvin entrance.

FWCD Scholars

Twenty-three juniors and seniors earned honors from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and the College Board during the 2022-23 Fall Semester.

National Merit Semifinalists

Seniors Christopher Baker, Tommy Weaver, Rob Batton, Eliana Garcia, Seth Mayhue and Alexis Rollings (pictured above) were named National Merit Semifinalists. These outstanding students are among the more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 68th National Merit Scholarship Program. They are six of the 1,571 Semifinalists named in the state of Texas.

National Merit Commended Students

Seniors Matthew Lobo, Caroline Readinger, Luke Rollins and Gil Wroten were among the 34,000 students named National Merit Commended Students in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2023 competition.

College Board National Recognition Program

Thirteen FWCD students earned 2022-23 academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. Rachel Nelson ’23 was awarded the National African American Recognition Award; Alexis Espino ’23, Andrea Andrade ’24, Brock Bethea ’23, Andy Booth ’24, Emma Hargrove ’23, Eti Lois ’23, Isa Rios ’23, Ricky Espino ’24, Tucker Grubbs ’24 and Zachary Willars ’24 were awarded the National Hispanic Recognition Award; and Claire Dodson ’24 and Jackson Grace ’23 were awarded the National Indigenous Recognition Award. These juniors and seniors are among the 62,000 students from across the country to earn this honor by having a GPA of 3.5 or higher; excelling on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 or earning a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams; and are African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous, and/or attend school in a rural area or small town.

“I am very happy for the recognition these students have received for their academic accomplishments,” said Head of Upper School Peggy Wakeland. “Additionally, they contribute to our school in many areas: athletics, 4-H, visual and performing arts, service learning, and participation in international travel. These students represent themselves, their families and our school in remarkable ways.”

Head of School Eric Lombardi echoed Wakeland’s sentiments. “We are a school that believes in the importance of all three A’s, academics, arts and athletics. That said, the “A” for academics is the single most important; we like to say it is in a bigger font than the other two A’s,” Lombardi said. “Seeing the recognition for such impressive academic achievement of so many of our students, many of whom also show up on our stages and on our fields, makes us all proud.”

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154 Full-Time Faculty

27 New Faculty Members

Photo Caption: (Front row) Isa Rios ’23, Andrea Andrade ’24, Rachel Nelson ’23, (second row) Emma Hargrove ’23, Claire Dodson ’24, Ricky Espino ’24, (third row) Alexis Espino ’23, Jackson Grace ’23 and Zachary Willars ’24. (Not pictured) Andy Booth ’24, Brock Bethea ’23, Eti Lois ’23 and Tucker Grubbs ’24

Denver Edmunds Retires

Outdoorsman. Friend to animals. Longstanding caregiver to the campus. That’s Grounds and Irrigation Specialist Denver Edmunds, and his footprints are all over the FWCD campus.

Edmunds came to Fort Worth Country Day in 1993. A licensed irrigator, he was overseeing work with a contractor for the School. He became such a tremendous resource that he was asked to apply for a Plant Operations position. While his primary impact has been designing and maintaining irrigation systems throughout campus, his love for the natural beauty and resources of the campus has driven his work.

“I love all of the outdoor learning opportunities at Country Day,” Edmunds shared. “I grew up on a farm,

so I know firsthand how much there is to learn when you study outdoor life. Nature will teach you a lot about how things work and can impact other things along the way. Our students have this big outdoor classroom here, and we must ensure it stays in place and thrives for them.”

Over his 29-year career, Edmunds has redesigned irrigation systems for the athletic fields, migrated to utilizing the pond for campus-wide irrigation and helped implement the computerization of FWCD’s irrigation system.

His care extended beyond irrigation: He fed fish and animals, tended to athletic field areas, and tracked wildlife on campus. From ducks and turkeys to coyotes, hawks and roadrunners, he has photographed some incredible wildlife at FWCD. “I had an aunt who took pictures of life on the farm, and I think I developed the passion for documenting those moments from her,” he said. “I’m glad I can leave that for others to see all we have had to enjoy here.”

The Magic of the Library

“We teachers are rather good at magic, you know.” Professor McGonagall (Head Librarian Tammy Wolford) welcomed students to another magic year at the Lower School Library. On the first day of school, the Professor greeted students as they experienced the transfiguration of the library. Professor McGonagall hopes this theme will encourage students to feed their boundless imaginations through the magic of reading. Wingardium Leviosa!

If you can’t tell, the Lower School Library theme for 2022-23 is Harry Potter! Throughout the year, students will meet various Hogwarts faculty members as they promote the library and build goodwill in the community. FWCD’s Library Department is committed to educating students and fostering their love of reading.

AP Statistics students tested the preparation time required for Velveeta Shells & Cheese after learning about the class action lawsuit stating the time it takes to make the meal is longer than what is listed on the package (3.5 minutes). A woman from Florida proposed a $5 million class action lawsuit against Kraft Heinz Foods Company, alleging the food producer’s Velveeta Shells & Cheese takes longer to prepare than advertised. Intrigued by this, Upper School Math Teacher David Hoppe and his students tested the theory by timing how long it takes to open the container, add the water, microwave the pasta and add the cheese. After multiple tests, the students concluded with 95% confidence that it takes between 4 minutes and 3 seconds up to 4 minutes and 17 seconds to prepare. Students and Hoppe will join the class action lawsuit by submitting a full write-up of the analysis to

Velveeta Shells & Cheese Experiment Pumpkin Patch Delights

the law firm filing the suit. They will also send their results to Kraft Heinz in hopes of being rewarded with mountains of free Kraft Heinz products.

The Parent Faculty Association netted approximately $30,000 at its annual Pumpkin Patch Sale and Faux Pumpkin Auction on October 12-13, 2022. Central Market donated nearly 550 pumpkins to this year’s patch. Co-Chairs Janie Skillman and Carley Cagle oversaw the volunteer artists and pumpkin painting. This year’s Faux Pumpkin Auction featured 14 different pumpkins by 13 artists, all FWCD art teachers, parents or grandparents. Artists for this year’s auction were Mandy Lofquist (Clumsy Witch), Daniel Blagg (Blue Star), Margery Gossett (Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat), Julia Gadberry (Fall Flutter and TCU Gameday), Tinker Class (Professor Tinker), Leigh Taylor Bornitz ’95 (Blue Vines in Bloom), Emily Nichols (Confetti Pumpkin), Valorie Flaherty (Creature Feature), Pamela Lancaster (Flowers in the Fall), Cindi Holt (After Matisse), Sue Walker (Simply Sweet and Fall Splendor), Chelsy Beninate (Feathered Owl) and Dorrine DeChant (Ultimate Fan). “We love how Pumpkin Patch brings the FWCD community together, especially the Lower School,” Skillman and Cagle said. “We had so many amazing volunteers that made this year so special. We have a really talented and creative community here at FWCD!”

Giving Back

Project Lovie Brings Comfort

Lovies have been bringing love and comfort to local children since 2015, thanks to some Fort Worth Country Day Falcons. Savannah Low Freeman ’30, Arabella Lightbound ’30 and former Falcon Greer Pettit ’30 (Arabella’s cousin) learned about “lovies” when they were preschool students at Kinderplatz. Students were allowed to bring one “lovie,” a favorite stuffed animal that brings about a feeling of comfort and security when away from home, to school each day.

“I had a little lovie called Betsy, a bunny with an attached blanket,” Freeman said. “I remember loving to cuddle my Betsy, and she was always with me.”

Lightbound would bring a different lovie to school each day because her main lovie was too big to take to school. “My special lovie was a big pillow that I called Lamby, but it is a cow,” she said. “I got it when I was 4 years old. It is very important to me because it belonged to my greatgrandmother.”

These lovies and their experiences at preschool with them made the girls think about how much joy they bring. They began to wonder if all kids have a stuffed animal of their own, prompting them to start collecting stuffed animals from their friends to give others the same sense of love, security and comfort.

With two additional best first friends (who now attend Trinity Valley School), Annabella Teague and Siena Teague, and the help of their mothers, Anne Low, Amber Lightbound, Laura Pettit and Maria Capua, the girls launched Project Lovie. They asked families to join them at Bass Hall’s musical production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by purchasing a ticket and inviting them to a pre-performance party in the Green Room. The “tickets” for entrance to the party were new, unwrapped lovies to share with patients at Cook Children’s Medical Center. Santa Claus even attended to thank the children for helping him out and spreading holiday cheer. They gathered approximately 100 that first year. Those lovies were dropped off at Cook Children’s and given to the children by the medical center staff.

Since that inaugural event, Project Lovie has grown. Freeman and Lightbound returned to Bass Hall for two more years, following the same template: Ask families to purchase tickets for Rudolph and donate a lovie at the pre-party. Since 2016, the lovies have been given to children in the Presbyterian Night Shelter. The 2018 celebration turned into a pajama party at Mira Vista Country Club. The stuffed animal served as the entrance ticket, and the children watched a movie, FWCD’s Falcon Flyers sang, and a dance team performed. In 2019, they partied at Altitude Trampoline Park. Each year, they collected nearly 200 plush lovies.

The pandemic did not stop the girls. “We wanted to bring a smile to children’s faces during a lonely time,” the girls shared. So they created a sign-up online and collected donations to purchase stuffed animals in 2020 and 2021.

Over the years, Project Lovie’s circle has grown to include friends from Trinity Valley School, All Saints’ Episcopal School, Fort Worth Academy, and FWCD.

This year, Freeman and Lightbound collected in person and hosted a breakfast at the Presbyterian Night Shelter. They gave lovies to 90 children and 19 infants who had been living in the shelter for six months to a year.

“It was so fun to hand out the lovies to the children,” Lightbound said. “To see their smiles and excitement was so nice. We showed them a few lovies, and they got to pick theirs.” The girls had created piles by age: The babies (ages 0-2) received small cuddlies, ages 2-8 picked from medium stuffed bears and little Squishmallows, and those ages 9+ chose from the large Squishmallows and Teddy bears.

Since 2015, Freeman and Lightbound estimate they have collected nearly 1,500 lovies, and they are already thinking of next year. “We have so much,” Freeman said. “To give to others and see the happiness it brings them is the best feeling.”

with Névine Watkins and Q A

Why do you teach?

I teach because I am passionate about sharing my home, Paris, France, with students and empowering them to learn and speak my first language. I enjoy opening their minds to a new culture and a new way of seeing the world around them. And what a privilege it is to evolve professionally in a place where many before me have worked tirelessly to ensure that the French program is recognized with honors by the American Association of Teachers of French.

How do you engage students in learning a new language?

Learning should be fun yet focused on the learners. I use a simulated immersion approach. Immersing students in the target language in a native speaker environment is the best way for students to understand and speak a new language. My teaching philosophy is student-centered. It’s all about the students and how to bring out the best out in them. Their potential is still unfolding, and being a part of their academic and personal growth in another language brings me joy and satisfaction.

What do you love about teaching French at FWCD?

I love teaching at FWCD because our students begin their second language acquisition in kindergarten by taking a semester of French and a semester of Spanish. The School sets the stage for such positive things to happen. I enjoy collaborating with my fellow teachers and creating special cultural programs like the Taste of Paris, la Toussaint, Mardi Gras and International Day. These events foster community, give our Falcons an opportunity to experience diverse cultures, and engage and inspire them to grow into world-ready adults.

Hearing our enthusiastic young Falcons speaking French to me during carpool or in the cafeteria is one of the best rewards. I work with the best team of teachers and have the opportunity to interact with all levels of French students. Our Upper School students visit to read French books to the Lower Schoolers, and our Middle School students help enhance our special events. Watching them having fun while learning is unmatched!

What makes FWCD students stand out?

FWCD students come from different cultures and have different personal experiences that bring so many perspectives and benefits to the community and enhance student learning experiences, especially in our modern language classes. Our students are hungry for knowledge, and the School’s foundational core values are regularly on display, so we, as teachers, see each student blossom as they mature.

Clint Hagen

What drew you to teach Latin?

I loved Latin from day one of ninth grade. But more than anything else, I loved my high school Latin teacher. Mrs. Giles was my second mom. As it turned out, I also had a talent for it, and I went to college with several scholarships that required me to keep studying Latin. Sometime in my sophomore or junior year of college, I knew I wanted to teach Latin.

Why FWCD?

I came to FWCD in 2015 at a difficult time in my life. I had spent the previous year teaching part-time and working as a website developer, but I knew I wanted to return to full-time teaching. I applied to many schools, but FWCD seemed like a good fit. I could tell that the Middle School faculty was a tight-knit and supportive group, and that’s important as a teacher. It’s also one of the reasons I stay at FWCD. But the biggest reason I stay is because there is so much potential for the growth of Latin at FWCD, and I’m a person who likes building programs. I want to establish a Latin program known across the state and nation for its excellence.

How do you engage students in the classroom?

Life in middle school is never boring. I love the students’ energy, enthusiasm, and openness to trying new things. They also regularly roast me, which I find hilarious. By far the best roast was the kid who said that me going to a barber was like charging your phone when it’s already at 100%! My classroom is a place where I’m willing to talk about almost anything related to Latin or the ancient world, even if it derails the lesson a bit. I created animated videos that teach Latin grammar (which can be a little dry) with some humor, and I’ve written two textbooks we use in class -- one of Roman history and one a Latin textbook that tells the story of a Roman family who encounters wizards, zombies and werewolves. One of my favorite projects uses TEAM Room equipment to build a scale model of ancient Rome.

What is the value of learning Latin or any modern language?

Language is the best way to understand how people from another culture think and perceive the world. Latin, in particular, enriches our understanding of the modern world in ways that a modern language cannot. So much of modern American culture has its origins in ancient Greece and Rome. You want to study politics? Democracy, representative government, imperialism, colonization and fascism all have their roots in Rome. You like literature and entertainment? From Shakespeare to the Simpsons, our ideas about tragedy and comedy come from ancient Rome. The same can be said about western religions, military strategy and about 50% of English words – to say nothing of the Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian languages.

Athletics

An integral part of the FWCD experience is participation in athletics. FWCD Falcons demonstrate a high regard for sportsmanship, effort, health, fitness and school spirit.

Rob Batton Wins Davey O’Brien Scholarship

Rob Batton ’23 is the winner of the prestigious $30,000 Davey O’Brien High School Scholarship. The award is named after legendary Heisman trophy-winning TCU quarterback Davey O’Brien. One of four finalists, Batton was chosen based on scholastic achievement, community service, character, leadership and varsity sports participation.

“Personally, I didn’t think it was going to be me. Everyone in the room was worthy of the award,” said Batton in a January 18 Star-Telegram article. “It was an honor to be one of the finalists, so it came as a surprise, a wonderful surprise, and I’m so excited.”

A National Merit Semifinalist, AP Scholar and member of the Cum Laude Society, Batton has been a fouryear member of the School’s Honor Council (elected by his peers), serving as President for the past two years. He is a member of the football, wrestling, and track & field teams at Country Day. He received All-Southwest Preparatory Conference honors and was Team Captain as a two-way starter on both the offensive and defensive lines. In his spare time, Batton writes songs, poetry and short stories. He plans to attend the University of Virginia and study creative writing.

Head of School Eric Lombardi said, “Rob is the ultimate model of a Falcon. He embodies FWCD’s core values. The examples are numerous. Scholarship is clear. Integrity as head of our Honor Council is unquestioned. He has them all. I would note one: Rob is the football player who knocked opponents down, hard, and who never failed to help them up afterward. To compete while maintaining a commitment to the best sportsmanship sets Rob apart in the areas of respect and kindness. We can all be proud to have Rob representing us.”

Coach Connaughton Inducted into PEI Hall of Fame

Track & Field Program Director/Head

Coach Jared Connaugton, a two-time track and field Olympian, was inducted into the Prince Edward Island (PEI) Hall of Fame in Summer 2022. Connaughton, a PEI native, ran the 4x100m relay and 200m in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics for his home country, Canada. He also is a three-time senior World Championship team member, a 2007 Pan American Games 4x100m relay silver medalist and a two-time 2005 Canada Games champion (100m, 200m) – making him PEI’s first-ever double gold medalist. At the beginning of the academic year, Coach Connaughton spoke with Upper School students, sharing his Olympic experiences and the importance of perseverance.

FWCD Celebrates New Fields

Fort Worth Country Day crossed the finish line on November 30, 2022, celebrating a milestone with a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for the athletic track and turf fields that were renovated. The dedication was attended by community members, Upper School students and many of the 21 donors who made the upgrades possible. The upgrades included excavating one of the School’s two field hockey fields, Rosacker Stadium field and Barrett Havran Track, and superseding them with international-caliber surfaces and technologies rivaled by no other high school in North Texas. The field hockey field transitioned into a “wet” field, only the third such field in Texas and the first in the DFW area.

At the dedication, Athletic Director Leigh Block kicked off the celebration, welcoming everyone to Howard Family Field in Rosacker Stadium and highlighting how the new facilities will set the School apart from other schools and what makes them unique.

“Since May, I have had a front-row seat to watch the progression of this project,” Block said. “In just six months, we added a state-of-the-art field hockey field, the all-purpose turf field behind me and this new first-class track.”

Student-athletes Rachel Nelson ’23 and Paul Ray ’23 followed, sharing what the new facilities mean to them and how they will benefit Falcons in the future.

“Leading up to my senior year of football, we only had three scheduled [home] games because of the construction of the field, which was difficult to process since it’s our last season on this field,” Ray said. “When we had our first practice after it was finished, the whole football team agreed the wait was well worth it.

“I was granted the opportunity to play three times on this incredible field and, after every game, regardless of the outcome, I was so grateful that I was able to go to a school where I could compete on such incredible facilities and receive such a great education,” Ray continued. “One of my favorite memories on this field was our senior night and our toughest loss. After the game, the seniors went out to the middle of the field and sat on the new logo, and we talked about our favorite memories throughout our career.”

Head of School Eric Lombardi thanked everyone involved with the project. He then spoke directly to the students. “Upper Schoolers, you are not the only students who will benefit from these amazing facilities. There are generations of Country Day athletes who will think it is normal to have a state-of-the-art track and field facility, lacrosse, soccer, field hockey and football turfs,” he said. “Beyond our own Falcons, there are athletes from other schools who will compete here and benefit from our good fortune and will envy what you get to have as your home field and home track advantage.

“You all get how big a deal it is to have these facilities because you ran on patchwork tracks that lost one foot of elevation from one end to the other. You all played on a soccer field in which you had to postpone games because of bad field conditions. You all get how big a deal these facilities are because you played field hockey on a field that is half the speed of top field hockey fields,” Lombardi continued. “Your presence here today, Upper Schoolers, is important and symbolic. Instead of writing a thank-you note to the 21 families who made these projects possible, you’re here to say thank you in person.”

The students shared their enthusiasm with applause before Lombardi introduced the Howard family, the project donors.

“We were all excited when we got the opportunity to help with this,” said Robert Howard. “It wasn’t just us; there were 21 families. It takes everybody. We’re excited to see where it’s at today. It’s a gorgeous facility.”

Closing out the remarks was Board of Trustees President Randy Eisenman ’93. “In the spirit of gratitude, I would like to acknowledge some very special people who made these extraordinary athletics facilities a reality, '' Eisenman said. “First, I would like to thank Venessa and Robert Howard. Robert, when you spoke at our groundbreaking ceremony last spring, you described this project as transformational … thank you for your leadership and generosity in helping transform our athletic facilities into a truly elite caliber.”

The track was completed in January and is ready for the 2023 track & field season. FWCD hosted its first meet on the new track on March 4.

with Dedication Ceremony

Project donors cut the ribbon and dedicate the new field hockey field.

Head of School Eric Lombardi addresses the crowd.

Student-athletes Rachel Nelson ’23 and Paul Ray ’23 enjoy the event.

Robert Howard (speaking) and his family, Venessa, Sutton ’23 and Sloan ’25, were project donors. Howard Family Field is named in their honor.

Photo by Glen Ellman

Photo by Glen Ellman

Photo by Glen Ellman

Senior Signees

Six student-athletes signed their National Letter of Intent to bring their games to the next level. Seniors Rachel Nelson (track & field), Connor Henry (golf), Caroline Grebe (field hockey), Sutton Howard (track & field), Paxton Matthews (baseball) and Jeremy Henderson (track & field).

Nelson, a 13-time AAU and USA Track & Field AllAmerican (100m, 200m, 400m), a five-time Texas Southwest Preparatory Conference Champion and a three-time National Champion, will attend Stanford University. She is the only athlete in SPC history to win the 100m, 200m and 400m in the same championship meet. “Rachel's impact on the FWCD track & field program is unmatched,” said Jared Connaughton, Program Director/Head Coach. “While her excellence is immeasurable, her commitment to leadership, academics and faith are what set her apart.”

Henry, 2021 SPC Golf Champion, will attend the University of Oklahoma. “Connor's work ethic and commitment to the game has allowed him to take his talents to the next level with an outstanding golf program,” said Preston Miller, Varsity Boys Golf Coach.

Howard, 2022 SPC Champion in the shot put and runnerup in discus, will attend Oklahoma State University. “Sutton exemplifies coachability, fierce competitiveness and a tireless commitment to athletic excellence,” Connaughton said. “She has emerged as FWCD's greatest thrower and one of the preeminent throwers in the SPC history.”

Grebe, an SPC All-Conference Honorable Mention as a freshman and junior, will attend Wake Forest University. “We’re so happy to have Caroline representing FWCD in the ACC,” said Athletic Director Leigh Block

Matthews, third base, catcher and outfield, will attend the University of the South in Tennessee. “I couldn’t be more excited for Paxton and his journey ahead. He has earned this opportunity through hard work and dedication. Our program has benefited from his example,” said Michael Settle ’99, Baseball Program Director and Varsity Head Coach.

Henderson ’23 will attend Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He runs the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100 and 4x400

relays and is a long-jumper. “Jeremy exemplifies everything a student-athlete should aspire to be: tough, smart, a great leader, excellent performer under pressure and an incredibly supportive teammate,” Connaughton said. “The turnout at Jeremy's signing day is a testament to his impact on his community, his sport and school.”

Rachel Nelson (track & field) Stanford University

Sutton Howard (track & field) Oklahoma State University

Connor Henry (golf) University of Oklahoma

Caroline Grebe (field hockey) Wake Forest University

Paxton Matthews (baseball) The University of the South

Jeremy Henderson (track & field) Cornell University

FWCD Earns Fall Season SPC Sportsmanship Awards

For the second consecutive year, FWCD’s varsity boys volleyball team (coached by Patrick Powers ’05) earned the Southwest Preparatory Conference Fall 2022 Team Sportsmanship Award. Individual SPC Sportsmanship Awards went to Harini Mukka ’23 (cross country) and Liam Callahan ’23 (boys volleyball).

“It is a great honor to win the boys volleyball North Zone Sportsmanship Award two years in a row,” said Leigh Block, Athletic Director. “It’s a credit to Coach Powers, the entire coaching staff and our terrific student-athletes who represent FWCD so well.”

The SPC bestows two Sportsmanship Awards each season: team and individual. Team awards are selected by SPC coaches. The individual athletic awards are determined by school, and two student-athletes at each SPC school (one male, one female) earn them each season.

“Harini has exemplified all the qualities a coach looks for in a studentathlete: compassion, communication, personality, work ethic and toughness,” said Cross Country Program Director/ Head Coach Jared Connaughton

“Harini improved week-in and week-

out through her time with the FWCD Cross Country program, and her spirit has had a profound impact on my experience as her coach.”

Powers is proud of Callahan, who served as captain. “On the volleyball court, Liam always demonstrated himself as a person of high integrity. He encouraged his teammates, played the game fairly and consistently displayed how to be a good leader through example.”

“SPC has always committed member schools to the highest expectations regarding sportsmanship,” said Head of School Eric Lombardi. “I am proud to be a part of that league, proud that they saw fit to created these awards, and especially proud of the recognition for Harini, Liam and the boys volleyball team.”

Harini Mukka ’23 (cross country)

Liam Callahan ’23 (boys volleyball)

The Arts

The City of Fort Worth is internationally known for its vibrant arts scene. At FWCD, we inspire innovation and excellence through our celebrated ballet program, visual arts classes, choral programs, band, orchestra, drumline, performing arts and technical theatre.

Ava Desmond ’35

Michelle Wilkinson ’23

Olivia Miller ’26

Izzy Boenker ’36

Thomas Readinger ’28

Addie Miller ’24

FWCD Artists Take on the FWSSR

Students can win big at the Fort Worth Rodeo & Stock Show without owning livestock. The Stock Show Art Contest offers Texas students ages 5-18 the opportunity to enter their original artwork expressing the Texas culture and western environments.

FWCD Art Teachers Holly Clifford, Lesley Francis and Pamela Lancaster used the art contest and its theme as a class assignment to engage students in traditional, abstract, realism, contemporary or impressionism styles that depicts or expresses the culture of Texas and western environments, both contemporary and historical.

Lancaster chose to create themes for grade levels in order to allow students to connect with the art without feeling overwhelmed by the possibilities and to build esteem and artistic confidence. Themes were pigs (kindergarten), roosters/chickens (first), boots (second) and llamas (third). Lancaster chose entries from among the four grade levels.

Middle School had the option to enter the art contest. “We were in our prehistoric art unit when it was time to make art for this contest,” Francis said. “We looked at pictures of native Texas animals and drew them in the style of prehistoric cave art.” Francis shared the competition with all her classes and those interested entered.

Clifford’s class assignment allowed Upper School students to choose their own medium. “I encouraged them to build upon projects and lessons learned from this year in Painting and Drawing,”

she said. “It was up to them to select their concept and choose a medium that best supported that, and one they felt most comfortable working with on a tight deadline.” All Upper School students who completed their project by the submission deadline (November 12) were entered into the contest.

In total, 24 student works were entered into the 2023 contest. FWCD’s representing artists are:

Nara Acuna Guba ’25

Annie Berkes ’32

Nathalie Mae Blair ’30

James Bornitz ’33

Madison Chan ’27

Jack Cimo ’24

Kate Daly ’24

Nathaniel DeLaughter ’29

Major Factor ’28

Olivia Marentes ’29

Helena McClanahan ’30

Brynn McCord ’32

Philippa Nghi ’30

Fiona Payne ’28

Emily Proell ’29

Dottie Quisenberry ’34

Minnie Royer ’35

Drake Shields ’33

Coco Stein ’35

Isabella Sweeney ’24

Isabella West ’34

Belle Xu ’24

Evelyn Young ’25

Hudson Youngblood ’33

There was no entry fee, and each piece entered received two one-day passes to gain admission to the FWSSR grounds. The overall top 6 entries were auctioned off at the Junior League Grand Entry

Gala to increase scholarship amounts. Champion, Reserve Champion, first through fourth place, and High School Classroom Champion were invited to a one-day art workshop hosted by the Cowboy Artists of America during the 2023 FWSSR. More than $80,000 was given away in cash and scholarships to winners, and teachers were eligible to earn money for their classrooms. All the contestants’ work was on display during the Stock Show and Rodeo, with an awards ceremony on Saturday, January 27, 2023.

FWCD artists are regularly involved in the FWSSR Art Contest, and students have placed in the past. “The value of competition like this is creativity within constraints,” Clifford shared. “Students must reflect on the theme and rules, then see where they can insert their creative voice.”

Francis used the art show as an opportunity to talk about the importance of the Stock Show and Rodeo to the Fort Worth community, sportsmanship and trying something new. “The Middle School art teachers are proud of the hard work all the students put into their projects this year, especially the ones who chose to take it a step further and enter this contest,” Francis said. “We try not to focus on winning awards, but there is the fact that they can't win if they don't enter. We also want the students to learn how to be happy for other students who might win an award when they don't. The students are learning to have good sportsmanship, and not to be afraid to try.”

Art Competition

Kate Daly ’24

Isabella Sweeney ’24

Nara Acuña Guba ’25

Upper Schoolers Tackle Shakespeare

FWCD’s 2022 Upper School play this year was William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring 18 student actors and 13 student crew. The comedy, likely written between 1594 and 1596, was published in 1600 and originally performed in 1605.

“I've always loved Shakespeare and this play, in particular,” said Siouxsie Easter, Upper School Theatre Director. “I knew we had the right mix of comedic and dramatic actors to tell this story. In addition, I want our students to experience a variety of acting styles. I'm so proud of the way they took on this challenge!”

With the prominent theme of love, A Midsummer Night's Dream chronicles four Athenians who run away to the forest only to have Puck (a fairy) make Demetrius and Lysander fall in love with the same girl, Helena. As a result, Hermia has lost her two suitors. The four traipse through the forest,

pursuing each other while Puck helps his master play a trick on the fairy queen. In the end, Puck reverses the magic, and the two couples reconcile and marry.

Shakespeare’s work regularly focuses on love and how people tend to fall in love with those who appear beautiful on the outside. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream mixes up the worlds of the rich, working class, and fairies to show that true love and friendship are probably right beside you,” Easter said. “You just need to take a moment to look.”

The elaborate staging was exciting for the technical theatre students. When exploring design for any show there are often options: attack with minimalism, relying on the actors doing all the work; stage very literally; or find a balance in the two. “FWCD has traditionally put more resources into our musicals, and that is normal. Musicals have much more complex requirements by

nature,” said Eric Tysinger, FWCD Scott Theater Manager and Technical Theatre Director. After talking with our students and collaborating with our Guest Artist Scenic Designer Bob Lavallee, we found ourselves wanting to create a larger world for the return of Shakespeare to the FWCD stage.”

The FWCD Theatre Department hadn’t done a piece like this in a while, so they decided to go big. “Midsummer’s biggest gesture is probably the forest, so we started there,” Tysinger said. “How do we create a forest within our budget and not just use boring ol’ wood. We ended up with a forest of fabric trees that I think was quite effective. Then we had to come up with a palace … and that means lots of trim and detail work. It was definitely an undertaking, but I wanted to take advantage of the amazing technical theatre class this year. This group is in attack mode on all projects.”

Fine Arts Senior Signs with Berklee College of Music

Rocco Leoni ’23 participated in the first inaugural Fine Arts Signing during announcements on January 23. Leoni will attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he will study music production and music business. He received a merit scholarship as a result of his audition in November 2022. Family and friends, as well as the entire Upper School student body, celebrated Leoni’s announcement in the Upper School Commons.

“There are never enough ways to celebrate students deciding to continue their artistic passion and major in an arts field. Rocco is one of the most musically talented students I have ever had the privilege to know in my time in education,” said Chelsy Beninate, Director of Fine Arts. “Watching him work is magical. He has perfect pitch and timing. He knows what to do and when and makes musical decisions far beyond his years. He makes difficult things look easy, but there is no question that Rocco oozes talent and professionalism. Look for Rocco on a stage with his name in lights soon.

“I am so proud that Rocco is the first student we have been able to celebrate with an arts signing,” Beninate continued. “We will continue signings for any student who majors in an artistic field beyond the berm.”

Middle School Choir Students

Represent in TPSMEA Honor Choir

Fourteen Middle School choir students represented FWCD in the Texas Private Schools Music Educators Association (TPSMEA) Middle School Honor Choir on November 12. These students auditioned for the choir by submitting a recording for judging and were accepted into the choir. They spent the day working with clinicians on selected music and shared their work in a concert at Trinity Christian Academy Performing Arts Center in Addison. Congratulations to the following students. TPSMEA Honor Choir members were sixth graders Avery Bell, Burkley Massey, Sarah Mitchell McMillan, Carrick McPadden, Caroline Midkiff, Lilliana Moody-Radle, Lucy Sell, Ivy Sullivan; seventh graders Leo Hatem, Chase Hatfield, Oliver Horsch, Andrew Michalove; and eighth graders Emily Simpson and Blake Wood

A Passion for the Stage

In October, Priscilla Lambis ’25 and FWCD Technical Director Eric Tysinger were hard at work on the Upper School fall play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Outside of school, they were immersed in The Hollow by John Rapson and Jeremy Landon Hays, which premiered on the main stage of the Amphibian Stage Fort Worth (October 12-November 6).

Tysinger got involved in the play after one of his favorite collaborators, Joel Ferrell, was contacted by Jeremy Landon Hays. “Jeremy and I met at FWCD when he came for an interview. Turns out it’s a small world, and one of Jeremy’s mentors was Joel, a long-time collaborator of mine. Joel is like DFW theater royalty. Anyone in DFW in this business knows Joel Ferrell," Tysinger said. “So that started the relationship … then they asked me to join the conversation about the production at Amphibian, and we all just hit it off. In about 20 minutes, we were like let’s do this thing.” Tysinger signed on as a producer and production stage manager.

Lambis said she got a role as an apparition – by sheer happenstance. “I was talking with Mr. Tysinger one day when he told me one of his director friends needed a woman of color to play a ghost. So he took a photo of me and sent it to Mr. Jeremy, and they wanted me,” Lambis said. “In early October, The Hollow crew and a few more actors met in the Martin Center, where they filmed me as the ghost.

“They loved my scream so much, they wanted to use it as well,” Lambis continued. “Mr. Tysinger and Ms. [Erin] Ypya drove me to Amphibian Stage, where I saw the set and recorded my scream.”

In his role at FWCD and with his extensive stage management career, Tysinger is always looking for ways to include students in the opportunities in which he is involved. “There was a specific character mentioned in one of the ghost stories in The Hollow, and one day it just hit me,” Tysinger continued. “Priscilla was this character. I could see her doing this cameo perfectly.”

While not a big role, it allowed her to meet with Broadway stars. “Priscilla’s scream in our first session captivated the creative team, so we brought her back for some sound work. She was a true pro, and when she said to me, ‘This is how it can all start, Mr. T.,’ I couldn’t help but feel proud. Connecting students to the real world, giving them a professional network … that’s what it’s all about!”

Lambis has been involved in every Upper School show since she came to FWCD in eighth grade. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, she played Philostrate. She loves performing for an audience. “It’s terrifying, exciting, it’s also a release of things that you may have been going through. It really is a rush,” she said. “I love presenting a side of me that I don’t show, especially singing. I love it when my face turns

red from belting and the feeling of pride. I can always feel the ear-toear grin on my face. That smile isn’t just for me and about me, it’s for the cast working together to create an incredible show.”

Tysinger has been stage managing for 21 years and continues to do so in his “downtime.” His resume reads like a “Who’s Who” of music and theater and includes him working with Joe Mantello, Sting, Alec Baldwin, and on the national tour of Hamilton. One thing he enjoys most is doing new work. “It’s hard to birth a piece of theater from scratch. It needs attention, it’s cranky, it makes you tired. All the analogies are true in working on new works,” Tysinger shared.

The producer part is new for Tysinger. He is one of four producers who fundraised for the show and has an elevated level of input into the creative process. “Stage managers don’t usually have an opinion. We are facilitators only. So this has been a new journey for me, and so far, I’ve enjoyed it,” he said. “You know what they say: with no risk comes no reward.”

Tysinger hopes the next phase for The Hollow is a stint at a larger regional theater. “We need a step between here and New York City. The goal is to get to Off-Broadway in 2024,” he said. “I can’t wait. It’s going to be a wonderful journey.”

Loving Middle School Life the

For Stephen Blan, FWCD is a family affair. Stephen has been a member of the FWCD family since the 2016-17 academic year, first as a Middle School History Teacher, adding, in 2018, the role of being the School’s first Director of the Center for International Studies, and, in 2019, being named by then Head of Middle School John Stephens as Assistant Head of Middle School. He became the Head of Middle School in the 2021-22 academic year. In the 2019-20 academic year, Sarah Blan was hired as Upper School Librarian. Sarah and Stephen’s children are also Falcons: Evie ’27, Nate ’26 and Simon ’31. Anyone who interacts with Stephen, knows that he is a humble man who is all about relationships. He cares deeply for FWCD’s community, its students, faculty, staff and parents. Building upon last issue’s feature on Head of Upper School Peggy Wakeland, the Falconer posed questions to Stephen so the community can learn more about the person at the helm of the Middle School.

Paint a picture of you as a middle schooler …

I was the quintessential middle school nerd … a short, skinny kid with big dreams to play in the NBA. Basketball in Kentucky, where I grew up, is like football in Texas. Well, clearly, I only grew taller. The middle school years were important in my life. I enjoyed classes and my teachers. It was my entire social scene. This was pre-cell phone era, so school was central to everyone’s social life. School was a place where you forged relationships and caught up with friends. My favorite classes were math and history. Math was just easy for me and I loved numbers. There were no Honors tracks or elevated math classes, but I’m pretty sure I would have been in them had they existed. I had an innate ability to remember facts. History was always full of interesting facts – I am a trivia guy at heart. When I was in school, there was a lot of rote memorization of facts, a lot of names and dates, that I could easily recall. Remembering that information has raised my Trivial Pursuit game!

What compelled you to pursue a career in education?

During my senior year in high school, I completed a project similar to FWCD’s Capstone Project. I chose to focus on education. I planned and taught a third grade lesson about dinosaurs. At that point in time, I realized that I enjoyed being around young people.

In college at Campbellsville University (Kentucky), I majored in sociology and educational ministries. I still wasn’t convinced I’d be a teacher. I worked as an after-school program counselor at a local middle school and eventually ran the program. I took the students off campus to different places in the city to get them connected with their community and out of their element. Being in school all day long and then adding an after-school program component makes for a long day for students. These kids needed to have some fun and let off some steam. We of course, focused on homework and remedial work with the students, but middle schoolers are highly social and need to capitalize on that.

I did not have anyone in my life telling me to be considering gainful employment when I was in college. My parents did not go to college; I was the first in my family to attend a four year university. I studied what I enjoyed; I didn’t know I was supposed to be fostering a career through my studies. As a result, I very much loved what I was learning and had so much fun throughout my college experience.

It was also in college that I discovered I loved traveling to other countries and immersing myself in their cultures and traditions. My trip to Jordan was significant. I fell in love with the Middle East and decided if I ever had a chance to live there I would go for it. My travels were truly incredible and opened up the world to me. Growing up in rural Kentucky, global perspectives and travel were not part of my experience. In fact, I had never even seen the ocean until the summer after graduating high school. However, thanks to some adventurous friends in college my world view began to expand, and I found myself bitten by the travel bug.

What drew you to be involved in FWCD’s Mexico Homestay program?

I ended up getting my wish working and living abroad in Turkey for three years with Sarah. Nate was born there. I taught conversational English through small group instruction and private lessons and assisted with translation and tourism projects in the eastern part of the country. We were immersed in the culture and community.

As a result, I learned that a global perspective is not developed in one class, one trip, one experience. It takes a JK-12 commitment. There is immeasurable value in spending time with people of another culture in their homes and communities. It makes us better citizens, both globally and in our own communities. Also, the likely trend is for the global economy to continue to become more interconnected. Having the ability to communicate with and understand people different from you will be even more vital.

When FWCD launched the Center for International Studies in 2018, our goal was to develop our students’ capacity to thrive in an ever-changing global community. We do this by assisting teachers in weaving global perspectives into their curriculum and providing

students with meaningful travel and hosting exchange opportunities, like this reciprocal homestay with students at Instituto CENCA. Partnering with experts and organizations is crucial for having an accurate understanding of the world and how we can make a significant positive impact.

The CENCA partnership will provide annual hosting and exchange opportunities for Upper School and Middle School students. Students from Mexico are coming here for a couple weeks in early 2023, and we will send our students to Metepec in May or June. When the CIS launched in April 2018, the School committed to do more than offer students opportunities to travel: We want to cultivate global competence in all students by weaving global perspectives into the curriculum and providing meaningful hosting opportunities.

What is great about being an administrator at FWCD?

If Hester Burdman hadn’t spent a year in Singapore, I never would have moved into the Assistant Head of Middle School position. I blame both John Stephens [former Head of Middle School] and Hester! In all seriousness, I love teaching. I love the classroom. I love the students and our interactions in the classroom. Now the interactions are a bit different, but I am still in a teaching role. I help teach kids how to navigate social situations, our core values, respect for others and so much more.

Teaching for years with John as Middle School Head showed me what is important in a leader at FWCD. I value his mentorship and the trust he placed in me as Assistant Head. I think Hester and I are a good leadership team, good partners. Hester is incredible, the kindest person I’ve ever met. Wicked smart, she works hard and genuinely embodies the School’s core values. Her “How can I help?” attitude really ensures we are truly getting things done. The faculty/staff team at FWCD is second to none. I mean, we all have to conjure our middle school selves in this job, and the result is a quirky, fun and dedicated bunch who care deeply for the students.

If I had to guess what Hester might say about me, it would most likely be, “He has too many tabs open on his computer and his desk is messy.” You have to laugh at work … with the students and with your colleagues. I’m blessed to have that.

What advice do you have for those thinking of pursuing a career in education?

Teaching is hard work. I feel that most days, the purpose and the meaning behind my work is so easy to see. Young people are just wonderful to work with. Job fulfullment in my vocation is through the roof. To me, it makes all the tough seasons, days, conversations worth it. I enjoy making a positive impact on people and families. At the end of the day, I can rest more peacefully in that. If that’s important to you, teaching is for you.

What is your educational philosophy?

Relationships are at the heart of my Middle School philosophy. Administrators and teachers must be intentional about building positive relationships with their students, and they must partner with parents for the best success. Leveraging these relationships enables us all to push students beyond their self-perceived capabilities. In addition to positive relationships, I believe providing innovative and creative teaching and programming that builds global competency in students is foundational. These positive relationships coupled with engaging and relevant classroom experiences develop students’ critical-thinking skills and prepare them for the rigors of Upper School and the challenges facing our global community.

The greatest strength of FWCD’s Middle School is its faculty and staff. For the school to move to the next level of greatness, the faculty and staff must be supported and challenged – supported in their attempts to create inclusive learning environments that push students to higher levels of thinking and challenged to continually strive to push themselves to be more creative and innovative. With this as a priority, while maintaining a playful atmosphere, the FWCD middle school will continue to be the educational leader in our community.

Parents are integral to students’ growth and learning and we must partner together, fostering a mutual assumption of goodwill through communication and positive interactions that allow the school and parents to work together toward the development of the whole child.

Launches

Nearly a year in the making – Monday, October 24, 2022, was mission launch. FWCD’s new website debuted as a proud representation of Fort Worth Country Day, an exceptional “school of significance.” The site (fwcd.org) builds upon the School’s admission viewbook and theme, “From Here, Anywhere ….” The brand-new site features a Community Hub for our current families and alumni, continued easy access to MyFWCD, and a media wall that incorporates FWCD’s social media and other content channels. Designed by United Kingdom-based Interactive Schools (IS), FWCD’s site is the first site in Texas to be created by the organization. A dynamic “living viewbook,” the new website gives families an authentic glimpse into the School experience. Websites are constantly evolving, but the parents’ desires to see their children’s learning experiences at school will not change.

With the goal of creating a “wow experience” to inform the community and draw in prospective families, FWCD’s website serves as the School’s most important marketing tool. It is more than a “pretty face”; it is a hub for FWCD marketing, communications, admission, advancement, content, and strategy for current and prospective families. First impressions are made at fwcd.org, and these first

impressions are important. According to website management company SWEOR, it takes approximately .05 seconds for site visitors to decide whether they like your website and whether they will stay or leave. And those first impressions are designrelated 94% of the time.

Website Goals

A lot has changed in the realm of websites, digital media and marketing since the School’s last redesign more than 10 years ago. The redesign process provides an opportunity to rethink the School’s existing sitemap and reevaluate and purge content to simplify the user experience. Beyond a visually appealing and easy-to-navigate website, site visitors are looking for authenticity, personalization, dynamic visuals, immersive online experiences, integration (multi-channel content coordination), and a mobile-first mentality. Today, according to Statcounter, a web traffic analysis website, 60 percent of web traffic comes from mobile devices versus desktop or laptop computers, while 92 percent of internet users access the internet from their mobile devices.

From the beginning of the redesign process, the goal was to create a magical experience for prospective families, current

New Website

FWCD families, faculty/staff, alumni and friends. Significant design and content outcomes included:

• Eliciting pride from the FWCD community and enhancing their experience

• Telling the Fort Worth Country Day story

• Enabling prospective families to make personal connections with FWCD’s admission team to foster admission inquiries

• Supporting the School’s brand reputation

• Educating about how an FWCD Fund donation helps to transform the lives of young people in their educational journey

• Increasing job applications from highly qualified candidates

Digital Media and Content Manager Reggie Johnson and Communications and Constituent Relations Manager Shannon Allen began the redesign process by researching potential partners who could elevate the FWCD website experience and meet those goals. After months of research and meetings, three vendors were identified, with one rising to the top of the list. Johnson and Allen presented their top choice to Director of Admission Caroline Corpening Lamsens

’99 and Director of Advancement Sandra Tuomey to obtain the green light needed to seek ultimate approval and budget finalization from Head of School Eric Lombardi, Chief Financial and Operations Officer Tom Mitchell and Director of Technology Steve

Uhr

“The communications team did a great job doing what we aim to do in all of our work at FWCD: taking something good and making it better,” Lombardi said. “They even met our 2018 strategic goal head on: They prioritized innovation and excellence.”

United Kingdom-based Interactive Schools is committed to creating the best websites for the world’s leading schools. Their goal is to inspire schools to tell their story and partner with them: “We fill the intersection between art and science. We call this ‘Wonder,” is a quote pulled from the IS website. Of all providers, IS was most in line with the future of technology and digital communications. They test and benchmark their sites against Google’s Pagespeed insights before launching, are current on all legal policies, and prioritize accessibility, adhering to the latest accessibility and privacy guidelines. The new site achieves a score of 98 for accessibility.

FWCD’s Redesign Partner

The team at Interactive Schools promotes a content strategy in which the School puts its content where the target audiences are and then uses the website as a hub for all of that content. That content is pulled from existing platforms, such as FWCD’s various social media channels; Vidigami, FWCD’s photo management system; Vimeo, the School’s video-sharing system; and the website’s news channel. The content is then curated and categorized in a customizable manner that allows for integration and personalization.

“I was impressed with Interactive Schools’ content distribution plan and how it aligns with the future of web content as I see it,” Johnson said. “There are so many amazing learning experiences being captured on our campus every day which need to be more broadly distributed. These stories provide an authentic and immediate look into our school and what we’re all about. Our new website’s media wall and social media integration highlight these learning experiences, gathered in one place for everybody to enjoy and share.”

The process to create the redesigned look kicked off in fall 2021 with meetings with the IS team as they immersed themselves in understanding the School. With 10 years of institutional knowledge, Allen had the 3A’s in mind as meetings moved forward, advocating for the Division Heads (academics) and the Fine Arts and Athletic Directors. With admission and advancement being front and center on the redesigned site, Lamsens and Tuomey were involved in initial stakeholder meetings, adding their institutional knowledge from the parent and alumni perspectives. Lombardi was instrumental in giving the IS team the FWCD story in his meetings. The School’s graphics standards guide, logo vector art, photography, and promotional pieces added value to the get-to-know-you process.

“Our plan had always been to build off the admission viewbook that had gone through a redesign in Summer 2020,” Allen said. That publication showcases our stellar campus and the many opportunities the School provides to students. It was important to us that the website carry on our inspiring theme ‘From Here, Anywhere ….’”

Design and Content

In January 2022, the IS design team presented three options, with Allen and Johnson working back and forth via Zoom meetings to hone in on the final design and approve it so it could be built out. Their design connected the website with the admission viewbook and provided the most impressive and immersive experience.

The site options incorporated existing photography for placement purposes. Later in August 2022, the School employed freelance photographer Ralph Lauer to spend a day on campus to capture new images with current students, faculty and staff. “Ralph’s images are striking and truly capture the essence of FWCD and its offerings,” Allen said. “The daylong shoot had Ralph shooting all aspects of FWCD’s 3A’s, and the resulting images populated our final website. It was so nice to have fresh, never-before-seen photography to surprise our community with when we finally revealed the new site.”

With design direction solidified, a new IS team led the content strategy portion of the redesign. Giving current and prospective families an authentic look at the school’s day to day activities was the priority. FWCD’s mission, philosophy, core values, inclusivity statement, and commitment to the 3A’s remained the moral compass guiding the copywriting and editing. It was essential to show how students learn and teachers teach at FWCD and how the School transforms students into confident and well-rounded individuals, empowered to succeed, lead and serve in college, the workplace, and the global community. For families, it was necessary to show commitment to the local community, inclusion, equity, diversity and FWCD’s close-knit community feel.

“Our hope for the redesigned site is that it better serves the needs of our current community while creating an inviting experience and simplified workflow for our prospective families,” noted Lamsens.

“ Our hope for the redesigned site is that it better serves the needs of our current community while creating an inviting experience and simplified workflow for our prospective families.”

~ Caroline Corpening Lamsens ’99

Exciting New Aspects

Exciting aspects of the site include a Community section with a Community Hub; an informative media wall; and parent, alumni and faculty profiles.

The Community Hub (fwcd.org/hub) is a special place for current members of the FWCD community to find items of interest they need without logging into the MyFWCD portal, which remains the same. Those at-your-fingertips items include lunch menus, master calendar, School news, academic support, health and wellness, SOAR Aftercare and Enrichment, Moncrief Library resources and more.

The media wall (fwcd.org/media) pulls all FWCD news together in one place: FWCD’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter social media channels; news stories; Vimeo; and more. As well as increasing engagement and reach on social channels, the media wall inspires fresh content and helps to keep visitors to the site engaged longer.

“Our new hashtagging strategy allows us to categorize content so it can be used in contextually relevant ways on our website and elsewhere. For example, if look at the Ballet page. You’ll see social media posts and digital media from an array of sources all related to ballet at the bottom of the page in the Related Stories section,” Johnson said. “The effect of this content management plan will be staggering as time goes by and categories begin to burst at the seams with years of amazing, relevant content. Just think about the ability of a user to research what ballet at FWCD is like in a couple years with the power of content categorization via hashtagging over time.”

Profiles are the pieces of the puzzle that further tell the FWCD story in a person’s own words. Currently, four profiles are highlighted: Lower School French Teacher Névine Watkins, Upper School Science Teacher Christy Alvear, FWCD parents Emily and Reid Shackelford ’93, and Upper School Photography Teacher Sil Azevedo. Their stories touch on the “why” behind their choice to work or send their students to FWCD. More profiles will be added over time.

Sophisticated images, a dynamic, forward-thinking design and compelling copy draw in the visitor. Interactive Schools created a masterful custom site that looks like no other. This redesign further builds upon the School’s “From Here, Anywhere …” brand and moves FWCD’s digital presence another step forward.

MyFWCD MyBackpack Lunch Menus

Calendar News Stories

Campus Map Textbooks

School Uniforms

Campus Store

The Falcon Quill Falconer Magazine

Vidigami Parent Faculty Association Supporting CAST

Falcon Club Alumni Employment

Giving Health & Wellness Academic Support

SOAR Aftercare & Enrichment Ballet Conservatory Music Conservatory

Summer Camps Center for International Studies Breakthrough Fort Worth

Community Partners Paycom (for current faculty & staff) Moncrief Library Resources

Lower School Library Resources FWCD Techie Forms Documents & Downloads

Community

Alumni News

The Traeder Magic

Fort Worth Country Day lost a beloved Falcon on September 8, 2022. William Traeder H’16 – Butch as he was affectionately known – was a cherished brother, uncle, godparent, coach, teacher and friend.

Born in Midland, Texas, Traeder attended Midland Lee High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas Permian Basin. Traeder’s first job out of college became his only job. Head Athletic Trainer and Associate Athletic Director Ed Chisholm relayed the story: “Colonel [Rocky] Rosacker [H’00] asked Butch [in the interview] what he would do in a situation when one of his players didn’t want to play because they were hurt or sore. Butch told the Colonel, ‘I would tell them that if they feel pain, then that means they are alive, and then tell them to get back to work.’ Butch reported that the Colonel hired him on the spot.”

Traeder began his career at FWCD in 1979, teaching math for 10 years before taking on the full-time PE Teacher and Coach role. During his tenure, Coach Traeder served as Head Coach for the girls volleyball (1979-2015) and basketball teams (10 years) and Assistant Coach for Middle School girls basketball (1994-2015), Middle School track (1979-2015), Middle School football (1979-80), and Upper School Track (19792015). Coach Traeder approached his coaching duties with a great passion for the game.

Cultivating a fashion sense that was uniquely his own, typified by sweatpants, a T-shirt, and his letter jacket, Coach Traeder was well-known for his quick wit, one-liners and “Traederisms.” Some phrases students have connected with over the years include “If you feel pain that means you’re alive,” “When the why is big enough, the how is easy,” and “You’re not sweating – you’re glowing,” among others.

“Coach Traeder taught a lot more than just volleyball. He focused on instilling in his players a personal drive to win and succeed that would outlive our high school volleyball careers,” said Annabeth Reeb ’13. “One of greatest things about having Coach Traeder as a leader was how much he trusted his

team and his captains – he guided and mentored, but wanted his players to take as much initiative as they could. That was huge for me, and I know it made an impact on a lot of other girls. He will be missed, but his influence will live on for years.”

Coach Traeder’s magic was knowing the delicate balance between pushing an athlete to their full potential and providing emotional support and comfort. “I remember as a sixth grader being new to the School and afraid to go to

Some forget that Coach Traeder began his stint at FWCD in the classroom as a Middle School Math Teacher. When he began coaching, he fostered commitment to academics in his student-athletes.

the lunchroom for fear of having to sit alone,” said Elyse Stolz Dickerson ’93. “In those moments, Coach Traeder would sit on the floor of the Round Gym with me while I ate my lunch. He would fill my head with positive thoughts and encourage me to be brave.”

Coach Traeder said his success centered around his athletes. He believed in challenging and empowering players to become the best version of themselves. He believed in his players before believing in themselves. As a result, he has had a lasting impact on them.

“I will never forget a conversation I had with Butch in my first few months at the School,” said Head of School Eric Lombardi. “ We were standing in front of the SPC Champions board in the gym hallway. I commented on how many championships he had. He corrected me. Those weren’t his championships, he said, those were the kids’ wins. He was so clearly all about challenging and empowering and building students into the best versions of themselves. He was not looking for credit for any of those kids’ accomplishments.”

But a great team needs a strong leader, and Coach Traeder certainly was that. Throughout his coaching career, Coach Traeder and his teams accumulated seven Division I SPC volleyball titles, two Division I girls basketball titles, four volleyball TAPS titles, two TISC volleyball titles, two MISC volleyball titles, and one TAPS girls basketball title.

Coaching volleyball at the middle school level was essential in creating a dominant varsity team year after

“ It is pretty incredible when you think of how many women he empowered over the course of his 40-plus years of service.”

~ Tracy Carrington ’95

year. Coach Traeder developed the fundamental physical and mental skills needed to succeed at the varsity level and in life. Building a community across all ages, Coach Traeder inspired student-athletes who bonded over grit, sweat, bad jokes and love of the sport.

“Coach Traeder began working with me as a Middle Schooler and was part of my life until the day he died,” said Tracy Carrington ’95. “I think people often underestimate the impact teachers and coaches play during this stage of development. It is pretty incredible when you think of how many women he empowered over the course of his 40-plus years of service. He shaped who I am and why I am in my current profession. Less than a week before he passed, he was still able to recount pieces of the time when he coached me. He was dying, and yet he was still trying to motivate me, get me to laugh, and help me be my best … that is just the kind of man he was.”

Coach Traeder did more than teach volleyball or basketball skills and to run fast; he taught teamwork. “He taught us to be teammates – looking out for each other while holding each other accountable. He taught us to be athletes – to push boundaries and leave it all on the court or track, but to win and lose with grace,” said McKenna Keller Michel ’94. “He taught us mental toughness and what it really takes to win.”

Martha West ’98 shared that Coach Traeder exemplified a coaching style that balances kindness with intensity, laughter with dead-serious focus, and passion with understanding. “He knew that it was just a game at the end of the day, but man, did we hate to lose. He hated to lose,” she said. “Coach Traeder believed that the sacrifices one has to make for being the best were worth it, and he wanted everyone to reach their best.”

The Class of 1990 dedicated Flight ’90 to Coach Traeder.

“I am forever grateful to have known, learned from, been coached by and to have loved Coach Traeder. I was a grateful senior in 1990, editor of the yearbook and thrilled to dedicate it to a coach who had a profound impact on me during my 13 years at FWCD,” said Meg Kendall Lehman ’90, looking back on that day and announcement. “Through my involvement in sports and under the coaching of Traeder, I developed physically and mentally. I left for college with confidence that I could shape my future and gratitude for the experiences that got me to that point. As young athletes,

he believed in us, pushed us to be our best, and helped us develop life skills and leadership qualities that I still draw upon today.”

When Coach Traeder unexpectedly collapsed on campus in the fall of 2015, he remained in the ICU for many weeks. Once he was communicating again, his spirit and sense of humor never wavered. During seven months of extensive rehabilitation, physical therapy, and working with professionals at various rehab hospitals, he learned all over again how to speak, walk and care for himself. As soon as he could in the spring of 2016, he returned to the FWCD campus – his home away from home – to continue being involved in the life of the School.

He was honored by the FWCD Alumni Association in 2016 with its highest honor, Honorary Alumnus. A man of few words but with great appreciation for his Falcon family, Coach Traeder responded to the following questions via an interview.

How did FWCD prepare you for your career? “It was my career.” What does FWCD mean to you? “Family. The School has been a great support during a very hard time. Country Day has been a dream place to work.”

Dickerson was there with Coach Traeder’s family and friends to celebrate this milestone. “I had the privilege of staying in contact with Coach Traeder over the years. I was finally able to say thank you for the positive impact he had on my life,” Dickerson said. “As his body failed, I was able to be with him. And on the day of his death, I was able to hold his hand and tell him how much I loved him.

“The most powerful testament to the impact Coach Traeder had on his players were the scores of players, from decades past, that showed up to visit him in his last few weeks of life. I witnessed countless women thanking Coach Traeder for planting the seeds needed for success in life. So, it turns out that his ‘magic’ was not magic at all. He was simply a dedicated coach that loved his school and his players like his own. His legacy lives on in all the strong and brave women he helped create.”

Note from the editor: Thank you to all who shared their Coach Traeder memories with me. There are so many, and I was unable to include them all in the article. They have all been shared with Butch’s family.

Building a Legacy of Giving

As a young adult, Whitney Baggett Creel ’04 watched her parents fight courageous battles with cancer. Her father, David, died of lung cancer when she turned 16. Diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma in 2014, her mother, Kimberly, endured grueling chemotherapy, a short remission, and a successful stem cell transplant in just over two years before her body simply could handle no more. After these traumatic losses, it became important to Whitney that children whose parents are diagnosed with life-altering illnesses have the emotional and financial support they need to navigate their situations.

Whitney’s husband, Todd, has a different passion. Graduating at the top of his high school class in Newcastle, Todd was fortunate to garner financial scholarships to attend college – a dream many children cannot fulfill due to the ever-increasing cost of tuition across the country. He accepted a fullride to Texas A&M University. Todd values education and opportunity and does not want students to feel that money is a barrier to achieving their college dreams. While it is important to him that students have access to higher education, he also is focused on supporting students emotionally through one-on-one career mentorship.

Profoundly impacted by their individual experiences, Whitney and Todd have combined these different yet equally valuable missions to form Creel Family Philanthropies (CFP) in 2021. They strive to cultivate generational involvement as it supports community organizations focused on education and life-altering illnesses.

“It is essential to us to instill a sense of benevolence in our four boys, Kolt ’32, Kase ’34, Kix ’37, and Krew,” Whitney said. “By allowing families to become involved on both the financial and elbow-grease levels, we can encourage future generations in Fort Worth to give back to our community and

Todd Creel, Whitney Baggett Creel ’04, Kate Strickland Jennings ’04

J Mack Slaughter ’02 and Courtney Corbeille Krauss ’06

make a difference.” To accomplish these dual goals, CFP will host an annual family-friendly event and an adults-only cocktail gala.

The Creels hired Kate Strickland Jennings ’04 as Executive Director. Kate worked at Cook Children’s Medical Center in psychiatry for 11 years, is a Licensed Professional CounselorSupervisor with a private practice (@thebugandbee), and had massive success with her now-annual event @craftfortworth, when she worked with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. (She is also Whitney’s best friend since FWCD kindergarten!) “As a result of my varied experience, I am connected with many grassroots underdog agencies in our area,” Kate said. “Many of these groups fit our mission, and we can partner to share what they are doing and make a bigger impact.”

The trio hit the ground running and began planning their inaugural event, Cowtown’s Summer Soiree, on June 4, 2022, at the Fort Worth Zoo, benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Sponsorships sold out two months before the event: Originally, the event was maxing out at 500, but it was increased to 650.

As emcees, J Mack Slaughter ’02 and Courtney Corbeille Krauss ’06 brought the fun to the gala, which included cocktails, dinner, a short program and dancing with a live band – Signed, Sealed Delivered. Both impacted by cancer, Slaughter and Krauss touched on the heartstrings by sharing the stories of various honorees battling cancer. These Honored Heroes were Lucy Garza, diagnosed with Acute

Lymphoblastic Leukemia at 3; Cline McMurry, diagnosed with a rare blood disorder (Neutropenia) at 6 months old then later suffering from Acute Myeloid Lymphoma that took his life at only 13 years old; and Kristee Walker, diagnosed with aggressive Diffuse-large B Cell Lymphoma when she was eight weeks pregnant.

The inaugural family-friendly event took place in December 2022. Families participated by donating items to local nonprofit agencies as their “admission ticket,” and children created crafts to benefit the same nonprofits. At one station, children gathered to decorate flower pots to give to someone as an act of kindness. At another, they decorated frames for the grieving children clients of The WARM Place to hold photos of their lost loved ones. The children watched videos to learn what they were doing, why, and how they were assisting others. “We want to raise children with giving hearts who help others who aren’t as fortunate as they are,” Whitney said. “There are limited opportunities for children to give back, and we want to change that.”

The inaugural event blew CFP’s goals out of the water, raising $650,000 for LLS (Whitney’s goal was $500,000) and added 65 people to the DKMS Bone Marrow Registry. “It was important to me that we share the wealth,” Whitney said. “Our goal is to make a difference. Every single penny went to the LLS. No money went toward the event. This is how all our events will be.”

Ninety percent of the attendees were 45 years old and younger. “Our generation wants to give back,” Todd said. “Giving is in their hearts. It is our turn to step up and take on the challenge of making things better for others.”

The purpose of Creel Family Philanthropies is to get people involved. “You don’t have to give financially, but you do have to give with your heart,” Todd said. “Whether you give time, money, or attend an event, we hope to instill in our children how to be humble and kind, and at the same time, we want to do the same for our peers and allow them to do the same for their children.” Todd is currently working to create a scholarship fund to aid those in need who want to attend college, as well as looking into creating scholarships for private school education.

For the Creels, it all comes down to family. “Our logo, which Todd drew, represents our family and our four boys and the foundation we are forging in pursuit of making a difference in the lives of others.”

Former Faculty Named to Wall of Honor

For the first time in School history, Wall of Honor accolades were presented at the Alumni Awards. Head of School Eric Lombardi announced that Beverly Anne Robinson H’18 and Lt. Colonel Rocky Rosacker H’00 earned 2022 honors. Both were honored posthumously.

Beverly Anne Robinson H’18 (Faculty 1971–2007)

Passionate about developing young minds to think critically, English Teacher Beverly Anne Robinson H’18 enjoyed challenging FWCD Upper School students for 37 years as they examined thought-provoking literature and philosophies. In 1990, she took a legacy step for students and faculty by leading the charge to establish a faculty scholarship program, which was later named to recognize her service. Today, the Beverly Anne Robinson Faculty Endowed Scholarship supports Country Day’s tuition assistance and honors scholars chosen by the faculty for their embodiment of the School’s core values.

Lt. Colonel R.C. “Rocky” Rosacker H’00 (Faculty 1969–1981, 1990–1996)

Touted by alumni as a profound influence on their lives, Lt. Colonel R.C. “Rocky” Rosacker H’00 is known to many as the “father of Country Day’s athletic program.” In his role as Athletic Director beginning in 1969, “The Colonel” initiated FWCD’s colors of red and blue, turned a pasture into sports fields, and amplified the founding vision that athletics teach students participation and respect. Rosacker will be forever known for instilling in FWCD students the sense of “belonging to something constructive and bigger than themselves.”

“Both of these former faculty members at FWCD are getting the School’s most prestigious honor, becoming members of our Wall of Honor,” Lombardi said. “They are the eighth and ninth people in the School’s 59-year history to be named and will have their bronze plaque placed on that wall in the Lou and Nick Martin Campus Center.”

Alumni Association Bestows Honors

FWCD’s Alumni Association hosted its 16th Alumni Awards Dinner on September 22, 2022, to honor the Alumni Award winners. The evening felt extra special since the last awards ceremony took place in 2018. Asad Dean ’90, Alumni Council President, introduced each recipient with kind words about what makes them special and why they deserved each award. The 2022 Alumni Award winners are:

Dr. Jay Herd ’79, Fort Worth Ob/Gyn –Distinguished Alumni

When presented with his award, Dr. Herd said, “I really want to thank Fort Worth Country Day for all they have done for me … being a shy, young student and being accepted into the community. As a [college] preparatory school, I think it prepared me … academically, athletically, socially and everything else, to become a leader and do the things that are required to do the different jobs I have now. I want to end with a quote from Eddie Schenecker, Founding Trustee: ‘To the students who remain, I offer the challenge to continue this era of excellence and to set the example for those to follow in your footsteps, to participate, to lead in a positive manner and to maintain, or even improve upon, those standards of citizenship and academic achievement set by those who preceded us.’”

Andy Cordell, Former Upper School Science Teacher – Honorary Alumni

“It has always been my pleasure to teach students,” Cordell shared, “I enjoyed teaching at every place that I taught, but Country Day is a family. I found that out not too long ago when my wife had an accident. The people of FWCD were the ones that responded with help, calls and bringing food. They are truly family.”

Laura Bonnell Alexander ’88, HilltopSecurities Senior Managing Director – Jean Webb Service to Alma Mater

Bonnell shared: “I am honored to be a recipient of this year’s Service to Alma Mater Award, and I am proud to be associated with the distinguished list of former recipients.

I had a wonderful experience as a 13-year student at Fort Worth Country Day. As a result, I have tried to make giving back to the School a priority in life over the subsequent 30plus years, and I have worn many different hats as a Falcon volunteer. Serving this school as an alum has, in some ways, been a continuation of my student years at FWCD with the opportunities to learn, to grow, even to compete. Fort Worth Country Day has long been, and always will be, an intricate part of who I am. It has been a privilege to contribute my abilities toward the betterment of such a wonderful institution.”

Jill Klabzuba Ahrens ’97, American Film Producer and Founder and Principal of Argent Pictures –Falcon Star

Ahrens was unable to attend the ceremony. Her award was delivered to her in California.

Dr. Jay Herd ’97, Fort Worth Ob/Gyn, was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award, and Andy Cordell, former Upper School Science Teacher, received the Honorary Alumni Award.

Alumni Return to Campus for Friendl

It is always great to have alumni on campus. Field hockey and volleyball played in Fall Alumni Games on September 24, 2022. The Winter Alumni Games featured basketball and soccer on December 17, 2022. Email alumnirelations@fwcd.com to participate in FWCD’s Spring Alumni Games: Baseball and Softball on Saturday, April 15. More information coming soon!

Field Hockey

Girls Basketball

Keri Tsai ’09, Ava Vanderpoel ’26, Roeser Thomas ’26, Olivia Kersh ’24, Sydney Airheart ’23, Head Coach Shelley Rains, Alex Peeples ’21, Kylie Carter ’24, Hannah Peeples ’18, Assistant Coaches Amanda Watts and Kaynee McLeod

(Standing) Amanda Killinger Lewis ’97, Amanda Dunlap Witherow ’97, Whitney Baggett Creel ’04, Taylor Ray ’13, Haddy Self ’13, Riley Genua ’12, Elizabeth Hill Deegan ’00, (kneeling)

Kate Nolan ’17, Megan Ray ’13, Paige Farris Chisholm ’87, Katy Thompson Hobbs ’97, Tara Gordon ’12

Boys Basketball

(Back row) Jack McConnell ’17, Joseph Breedlove ’17, Patrick Powers ’05, Jack Mock ’17, Mike Bowman ’14, Drew Chilcoat ’19, Charlie Bynum ’22, Ned Newton ’20, Carter Daly ’22, Santiago Del Pozzo ’20, Femi Adedokun ’22, (front row) Rush Olson ’86, Josh Tipton ’17, Robby Reeb ’07, Ryan Jordan ’07, Alex Espinoza ’11, Harris Podell ’18, Alex Khammar ’19, Jack Carmichael ’22, Colin Fredian ’21. Not pictured but played: Ryan Prince ’17, Phillip Herd ’17; production crew: Nolan Sanchez ’20, Sam Rios ’22

y Competition

Boys Soccer

Volleyball

(Back row) Gage Zoota ’26, Dylan Short ’26, Mohid Sadiq ’23, Wyeth Smith ’26, Tucker Grubbs ’24, Head of School Eric Lombardi, Robby Reeb ’07, Ryan Jordan ’07, Patrick Powers ’05, Ryan Miller ’09, Kevin Murphy ’12, Sarah Aktar Smith ’91, John Holt Smith ’87, (seated) Zach Pakis ’25, Liam Callahan ’23, Brock Bethea ’23, Andrew Vallance ’24, Brett Miller ’06

Girls Soccer

(Back row) Coach Mark Lichaj, Kyra Gibbons ’24, Reese Packer ’25, Mary Kathryn King ’25, Caroline Homan ’23, Hailey Seiden ’26, Margaret Watler ’24, Sadie Peterson ’25, Audra Thomas ’25, Elizabeth Dike ’25, Campbell Beebe ’23, Lauren Mitchell ’23, Alexis Del Pozzo ’25, Finleigh Ashburn ’25, Coach Sean Maloney, (seated) Margaret Anderson ’25, Eleanor Holm ’26, Avery Bleich ’26, Carly Walker ’24, Caroline King ’25, Vivian Todora ’23, Allie Stewart ’20, Sadie Schuster ’22

(Back row) Noe Guevara ’07, Peter Alcorn ’01, Peter More ’04, James Stein ’98, Immy Khan ’01, Jay Decker ’89, (front row) Erick Ritter ’12, Josh Martinez ’11, Andrew Geesbreght ’98, Thomas West ’05, Justin Holt ’00, Oliver Cristobal ’21, Humberto Zamorano ’21, Sawyer Parker ’22, Charlie Ozaeta ’22, Joe Atkinson ’19, Santiago Del Pozzo ’20, Greg Khammar ’19, Nate Wallace ’18, Briggs Kelly ’21, Philip Herd ’17, Ryan Prince ’17, Tyler Becan ’22 (not pictured)

Meggan Craft ’93, Ph.D.

An Infectious disease ecologist, Meggan Craft ’93, Ph.D., is committed to understanding infectious disease dynamics in animal and human populations. An Associate Professor (Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota), she tests hypotheses regarding disease spread and consequent control.

During the pandemic, she did math model work, simulating the spread of COVID-19. UofM was trying to determine if social distancing would work so undergraduates could return to the research lab. “At the height – no one knew what would work and how to reduce spread,” she said. “I created math models to prevent the ‘mixing’ of students. We found that your risk was less if you went straight to the research lab and home. That is super obvious now but, at the time, was pretty groundbreaking.”

Drawn to science, she took all the AP classes FWCD offered. “Our Big Bend trip with Sharon Foster and Jim Aldridge, the AP Bio trip to Port Aransas, and the Outdoor Club advised by Karen Giles are some of my greatest School memories,” Craft said. “Seeing, touching, smelling biology; learning science outdoors; and camping and hiking were impactful. As a result, I became a field biologist.”

Craft followed a pre-med/pre-vet track at Brown University. “Country Day prepared me well, but it was a reality check. Coming from the top of the class at CDS to a pool where everyone is at the top of the class was a motivating environment,” she said. “Going away to college was eyeopening and humbling.”

A study abroad wildlife management field study in Kenya as a junior changed Craft’s life. “We were living outside Nairobi on a game ranch for gazelle, ostrich, wildebeest, zebras, learning about wildlife behavior, economics and management, taking expeditions to game reserves and national parks,” she said. “I fell in love with wildlife and connecting with new people and cultures.”

Following graduation from Brown, Craft returned to Kenya as a field study intern. Subsequently, Dr. Craig Packer (UofM) called her about a job with Serengeti lions. They met in Nairobi; Dr. Packer gave her $20 and told her to get to Serengeti. She monitored 300 individually known lions with two other researchers. When the year concluded, Craft started a Safari company in East Africa, sharing her love of the indigenous animals, culture and activities. Dr. Packer contacted her again, asking her to lead the Serengeti lion program and begin graduate school at UofM.

In 2003, Craft started doctoral work in ecology evolution behavior, which morphed into wildlife diseases. For five years, she worked on her degree and studied lions in Serengeti. Specifically, she looked at the spread of canine distemper virus among the lions. Craft found that hyenas got the disease from domestic dogs, and the lions ate the hyenas. She partnered with those studying domestic dogs to vaccinate for rabies, which saved the lions.

Earning her doctorate in 2008, Dr. Craft spent time at the University of Glasgow as a fellow before returning to Minnesota. Now, she is working on a project involving deer and how they can get SARS-CoV-2 from humans and transmit it among their population. “Ultimately, we are concerned that the virus could mutate inside the deer and be transferred back to humans, becoming a new variant,” Dr. Craft said. “We will learn a lot from this study, deer behavior in urban areas, deer movement, and how and when they transmit the disease.”

The seeds for her love of science were planted at FWCD. “I am so grateful to Country Day for helping launch my career,” Dr. Craft said. “I received a world-class education there that propelled me into academics and allowed me to attend an Ivy League university that further opened doors for me.”

Class of 1990 Wins Peer-to-Peer Giving Challenge

During a 48-hour period from November 11-12, 2022, Class Agents and Alumni Council members were encouraged to reach out to their classmates to give to The FWCD Fund, the School's annual fund. Participation was the key! The reward? The class with the highest giving percentage earned a lunch on campus! Congratulations to the Class of 1990 with a 50% participation rate! The runnerup was the Class of 1967 at 29% participation.

“In a fast-paced world where everyone is incredibly busy I took the advice of ‘Ma Bell’ and that was via phone to reach out and touch as many of my friends and classmates in pursuit of the prize in the peer-to-peer challenge,” said Asad Dean ’90, Alumni Council President. “By investing time in reaching out actively and directly,

our class stepped up beyond my expectations. In the process I had plenty of wonderful conversations and learned about their lives. We pulled together on behalf of FWCD, and I am so proud of the class of 1990.”

There is still time for alumni to boost their class percentages: consider a gift in the amount of your graduation year. For example, if you graduated in 2005, a gift of $20.05 makes a big difference. Visit fwcd.org/give today.

FWCD 60th Anniversary Book: Oral History Project

To celebrate FWCD’s 60th anniversary, the School has partnered with Publishing Concepts, Inc., to create a special book to capture memories from all community members in celebration milestone. PCI representatives are reaching out to alumni and other FWCD community members via a yellow postcard, a phone call and/or an email to gather stories and offer special packages to purchase a book. There is absolutely no requirement to purchase anything, but your memories are integral to the depth of the book, so please participate! Email alumnirelations@fwcd.com with any questions.

Head of School Eric Lombardi, Farhan Ali, Chris Cotham, Jennifer Wilemon Verdecchia, Meg Kendall Lehman, Alumni Association President Asad Dean, Natalia Castro Hanson

Retired Faculty –Where are They Now?

By Debby Jennings

Rex Bozarth

MS/US Orchestra, 2006-21

Since his retirement in 2021, Rex has been concentrating on musical performance and composing, and he is the house bassist at Casa Mañana. This year, he was in the stage band for the new Dolly Parton musical, Here You Are Again, and next year will play in Miss Saigon and Beautiful. Rex has an in-home studio for practice, composing and recording. In February 2023, he will be back at FWCD, in the pit, playing for The Lightning Thief, and he hopes to see many of his former students in action. On Sundays, Rex plays for Unity of Dallas Church and, with his wife, Aimee, continues to perform for the TCU Department of Theatre.

In other areas of life, Rex enjoys visiting his grandsons in Austin, working on the yard and house, and dreaming up new recipes in the kitchen. He has a rescue chihuahua, Louie, and regularly walks him in his Ryan Place neighborhood.

Rex’s FWCD memories are many. “Highlights include our orchestra performance of Civil War-era music in Vicksburg, Mississippi; the all-Beethoven concert celebrating the 250th anniversary of his birth; and the emotional responses we received from visiting Japanese students and their sponsors upon hearing our musical program of their native folk songs and national anthem,” he shared. Rex also says he felt well supported by parents and the administration and loved the freedom to grow a vibrant orchestra program in both the Middle and Upper Schools.

When asked if he had any words of wisdom for former students, he advised, “Follow your dreams and strive to make the world around you a better place.”

Barbara Jiongo Director of Admission, 1991-2014

Barbara is active in her retirement. She works out regularly and serves three different organizations: The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever, LINK-Ed (formerly The Learning Center of North Texas), and The Net. Barbara credits her daughter, Maddie Jiongo Abbott ’14, for getting her involved at The Net as an advocate for women who have been trafficked.

Barbara and her husband, Mike, travel extensively, having visited Vail, Carmel (Vermont), Boston and Russia and taken cruises to Quebec, France and the Baltic. Her travel highlight is taking 13 family members on an Alaskan cruise. Barbara’s family has a ranch in south Texas, and she enjoys spending weeks there and in her Mira Vista home.

Originally hired in 1986 as a Private Educational Diagnostician for standardized kindergarten testing, Barbara said, “I enjoyed being in the ‘Dinosaur Room’ as the ‘Dinosaur Lady’ with 4- and 5-year-olds who make you laugh and smile.” She is also proud of building the financial aid program to diversify and support families who want to attend FWCD. When Barbara retired, she and Mike established the Dorothy and A.B. Waldron Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Barbara enjoys spending as much time as possible with her kids and grandchildren. Dr. Meredith Grant Qualls ’03 is a Pharmacist in Houston; Maddie is working on a master’s degree in Christian counseling and lives in Birmingham; and John Jiongo ’12 works for Lockheed Martin. He and his wife are expecting a son in May. “We can’t wait to have a grandchild in Fort Worth,” Barbara said.

2’s and 7’s Enjoy Class Reunions during

Falcon connections happened all over Fort Worth during Homecoming Weekend in September 2022. Classes ending in 2 and 7 celebrated at Joe T. Garcias, The Rim, Double R Ranch, Blue Mesa, Heim BBQ and Tinie’s. Members of the Class of 1972 commemorated their 50th reunion at the home of Richard Garvey. It is always great to see FWCD friends back together!

Peter Graves, Alexine Graves, Scott Summers, Larry Kleuser, Robin Clayton, Cris Clayton, Richard Garvey, Tera Garvey, Bruce Gilbert, Sharon Foster H’05 and Patrick Powers ’05.

There was a large turnout for the Class of 2017! This class met up at The Rim in Waterside. Pictured are (back row) Colin Douglas ’06, Jack Carvalho, Joseph Breedlove, Reilly Clark, George Marlow, Phillip Herd, Ross Biggs, Ryan Prince, Brian Evans, Jonathen Wilks, Savannah Grammer, Sam Paschall, (front row), Sara Teegarden, CeCe Brants, Mia Pulido, Mia Diaz, Brooklyn Theesfeld, Sydney Stripling, Jared Imber.

The Class of 1972 celebrated their 50th reunion at the Garvey residence in Fort Worth. In attendance were (front row) Steve Tatum, Nenetta Carter Tatum, Lewis (Duke) Cutter, Tori Olin Ross, (back row) Head of School Eric Lombardi,

The Class of 2007 reconnected at Zolis. Pictured are (back row) Ryan Jordan, Robby Reeb, Brett Epstein, Ben Heinzelmann, Thompson Purvis, (front row) Amanda Scully Peterson, Courtney Cruz Scott, Mallory Myers Vincent, Kimberly Sotman Garrett.

Homecoming 2022

The Double R Ranch was the Class of 1982’s meeting spot. PIctured are (third row) Craig Holmes, Kay Lowrance Moreland, Dan Meeker, Philip Trew, Brian Bascom, Andrea Payne Halbach, Ricky Robinson, Melissa Thompson Deufel, Robert Simon, Jeff Rattikin, Steve Nolan, Mark Bunting, (second row) Mike Beckman, Mindy Martin Pointevant, Susanne Ruff Warner, CeCe French Miles, Lisa Fanning, Juli Lewis Bledsoe, Renee Rimmer Mesecher, Sara Armstrong Richardson, Leslie Anderson Atkinson, Nancy Sumner Froman, Sally Herr Hollenbeck, Susie Sankary Benson, Jeff Posey, (front row) Amy Aguilar Havranek, Jenny Holt, Darla Thornton and Melissa Miteff Kirtley.

Blue Mesa was the place to be for the Class of 2012! Pictured are (back row) Peter Bowden, Blake Waltrip, Harrison Genua, Kevin Murphy, Julia Murphy, Chase Kaplan, Nate Lancaster, Sydney Darrow, Dave Atkinson, Ryan Madigan, Patrick Powers ’05, Head of School Eric Lombardi, (middle row) Phillip Diffley, Whit Maddox, Chris Burton, Hunter Vick, Kyle Kahn, Shelby Roberts Kahn, Ashley Parker, Josh Cross, Riley Genua, Marylynn Smitherman, Elise Chernosky Atkinson, James Levinson, Brittany Alexis, Ashley Escobedo, Jalyn Gordon, Erin Parker-Williams, Ginny Greene Boland, Westin Boland, Errett Williams, (front row) Kate Wall, Daniel Paschel, Jenna Lee Cross, Audrey Laker Madigan and Francesa Roberts Levinson.

Tinie’s was the place to be for the Class of 1997. Pictured are (front row) Zareen Khan Brendel, Matt Brendel, Katie Malone Peterson, Sommer Swindle, Eugenia Fan, Alan Bosell, Evelyn Chu, Blair Chappell, Richard Chu, Wade Chappell, Emily Hoffman, Chad Feehan, Nikki Reynolds Farris, Chris Morris, Sarah Philipps Morris, Joe Kosek, Katy Thompson Hobbs, Sam Hobbs, Amanda Dawson, Rachel Tobey (back row) Meagan Anderson, Kurt Anderson, Dan Cherkassky, Claiborne Peterson, David Tremblay, Jason Siegel, Danielle Siegel, Maureen Wiseman, Andrew Billingsley, Cully Wiseman, Kristen Kirkley, Danny Savitz, Shannon Kelly Wallace, Melissa LeBus O’Neal, Allie Nikolaisen, Adam Farris and Nathan Kite.

enjoyed their reunion at Joe T. Garcias. Pictured are (back row) Geof LeBus, Henry Dollahite, Hank Lattimore, J Mack Slaughter, Kevin Donahue, (front row) Anne Kelly Lewis, Melissa Flory Mathis, Carolyn Forswall Dollahite, Clayvia Yates-Ford, Stacy Bourne and Michaella Dietrich.

The Class of 1987 connected at Heim BBQ. Pictured are John Holt Smith, Lisa Gluck Karpel, Scott Wysong, Elizabeth Freese, Jeff Fraley, Scott Fortney, Blair Hyde Hamburg, Leah Fulkerson Shaw, Chip Dickey, Wendy Davis Gerrish, Charlie Gibbs, Paige Farris Chisholm, Harry Ward, Missy McAdams Huffman, Jim McCoy, Mary Katherine Nolan.

The Class of 2002

Class Notes

Do you have great news to share with fellow FWCD alumni? To submit information for Class Notes and Alumni News, email alumnirelations@fwcd.com.

1960s

Class Agents

1967 – Bill Curtis curtis@acm.org

1967 – Bill Landreth blandreth@liferoy.com

1968 – Paul Stouffer pstouffer@sbcglobal.net

1969 – Steve Geis stgeis@hotmail.com

1969 – Gail Widmer Landreth gaillandreth@sbcglobal.net

Dr. Bill Curtis ’67 has been elected a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery, the leading professional society for people involved in computing. He has also been appointed an Executive Fellow of Woxsen University in Hyderabad, India.

1970s

Class Agents

1971 – Terry Siegel htsiegel@bvc.com

1972 – Richard Garvey richard@jagee.com

1976 – Brad Nowlin brad@bradnowlin.com

The Colonel’s Playbook, written and directed by Tim Williams ’78, was a showcase feature film at the Lonestar Film Festival on November 10, 2022, in the Cowtown Isis Theater. This documentary about FWCD’s former Athletic Director, Colonel Rocky Rosacker H’00, has been Tim’s passion project for years.

1980s

Class Agents

1981 – Martha Cox marthaccox@yahoo.com

Colleen Kleuser ’76 gathered with some fellow

for a 1976 girls night out dinner/reunion party. “It was a wonderful evening of our Country Day friendship, memories and fun,” she noted. Pictured are (front row) Beth Newberry Phillips, Caroline Abbot Ziegler, Colleen Kleuser, Tracy Aguilar Teel, Melanie Clayton Moncrief, Cathy Edens Rainwater, Susan Sherwood Clayton, (back row) Mary Blair Clarke.

1981 – Dan Tatum danltatum@live.com

1990s

Class Agents

1992 – Craig Christopher craig@tarranttech.com

1995 – Alison E. McManus amcmanus@post.harvard.edu

1997 – Zareen Khan zareen@briggsfreeman.com

Greg Riley ’90 is teaching English in Barcelona, Spain. In addition, Greg is doing online teaching and translating for the American Embassy in Madrid, made possible by a recent grant. He and his wife, Eva, are parents of a 7-year-old daughter.

James Stein ’98 was hired by CBRE

as a Senior Vice President on its advisory and transaction services team in the DFW area. His responsibilities include representing tenants in leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, as well as providing consulting services to office occupiers. A native of Fort Worth, Stein began his career as a commercial real estate attorney at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, before making the transition into brokerage at Cushman & Wakefield. Stein has over 14 years of experience advising law firms, corporations and financial institutions in commercial real estate transactions, including relocations, portfolio management and lease expansions. He has represented such clients as Dyson, Coca-Cola and Mastercard.

Falcons

CLASS NOTES

2000s

Class Agents

2001 – Craig P. Barbolla craig.barbolla@gmail.com

2001 – Susanna Gorski Bartolomei susannagb@protonmail.com

2002 – Ashley Stein astein@briggsfreeman.com

2003 – Will Northern will@northernrealtygroup.com

2004 – Kate Strickland Jennings kjennings610@gmail.com

2006 – Rachel Holt Hausser rachelhausser@gmail.com

2007 – Anne Hargis Olson christina.roxanne@gmail.com

2007 – Stephanie Stouffer stephaniestouffer@gmail.com

2009 – Mary Dambro marydambro@mac.com

2009 – Brittany Jenkins brittanyajenkins07@gmail.com

2009 – Margaret Harper mpalmerharper@aol.com

score, retain clients and employees, and improve processes to ensure maximum client retention for a minimum cost. With over 15 years of experience in the customer service industry, including the secondary ticket market, e-commerce, financial technology and healthcare, Chris is dedicated to improving the quality of customer service for small to medium-sized businesses.

Daniel Owens ’03 is an Advertising Manager for Weis Markets. A 2008 graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design with a degree in graphic design, Daniel is responsible for ensuring delivery and installation of creative projects at Weis. He also manages individual relationships and material projects on behalf of the advertising and marketing teams.

Travis Clayton ’05 is a Regional Sales Manager at Johnson Controls, a world leader in smart buildings, creating safe, healthy and sustainable spaces.

Former Faculty member Dan Foust recently attended the national convention of the Reserve Organization of America. Lt. Col. Wendy Buckingham ’00 was on a panel discussing Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). Dan shared, “It was great to see, after so many years, and to know that she’s involved in supporting reserve force members who have issues with their civil employers.”

Chris Remington ’00 is the owner of Optimum CS Experiences LLC, a full-service consulting business that will help you improve your CSAT

Raegan Young Baskin ’05 and her husband Colby are Category Finalists for the FW Inc. 2022 Entrepreneurs of Excellence Award for their company Cowtown Express Logistics. Cowtown Express is a freight company founded more than 35 years ago by a man with a truck, a pager and a Mapsco. Today, the company serves all 48 contiguous states and Canada. Sales have grown by $8 million over the past three years under the CEO-COO husband-wife team of Baskin and Baskin — Colby and Raegan.

Patrick Powers ’05 has accepted a position at Pepperdine University as the Director of Advancement for Planned Giving. The Powers family will move to California over the summer. They are excited for the next steps in their adventure together. Patrick had served as FWCD Alumni Relations Manager since 2019. He was gifted a pair of Tony Lama boots by FWCD’s Alumni Association and is pictured here with the association’s President, Asad Dean ’90

Thomas West ’05 and his family have been maintaining the stretch of river on the Trinity Trails from Overton Park West to Hulen Street for the past year. Thomas picked up trash with his sons

Henry ’33 (in red) and Jude ’35 (black/ grey).

2010s

Class Agents

2010 – Claire Davidovich clairedavidovich@gmail.com

2010 – Ashley Uptegraft auptegraft10@gmail.com

2010 – Miles Bratton mebratton91@gmail.com

2011 – Alex Manson Klinedinst laklinedinst29@gmail.com

2011 – Kate Petsche kate.aep@gmail.com

2011 – Nayelly Dominguez ndominguez@smu.edu

2013 – Jonny Clum clumjonny@gmail.com

2013 – Oliver Newberry oliver.newberry@utexas.edu

2015 – Connor Cassady connorcassady@sbcglobal.net

2015 – Madelyn Luskey madelyn.luskey@gmail.com

2015 – Shelby Sanford shelby.e.sanford@vanderbilt. edu

2016 – Delaney Fleming delaney.fleming97@gmail.com

2016 – Branson Nelson branson.nelson5@gmail.com

2016 – Jacob Rains jrains22@gmail.com

2018 – Sam Carlile fwcd@samkc.me

2018 – Kacey Melton kcmelton@umich.edu kmelton0000@gmail.com

2018 – Kathleen Clum kathleen.clum22@gmail.com

2018 – Maggie Brants margaretbrants@gmail.com

2019 – Alexandra Galloway alexandragalloway@icloud.com

2019 – Sarah Clark clarksarah160@gmail.com

2019 – Megan Lammons meganlammons18@gmail.com

Elizabeth Powers Brooks ’10 was recognized by Fort Worth Magazine as a 2022 Top Attorney for Tax. The magazine’s list of top attorneys is drawn from nominations by other attorneys in the region and goes through a rigorous panel to assure the highest quality.

Elizabeth advises clients and partners on various tax, estate planning, asset protection, corporate and business, and other wealth preservation matters by analyzing the tax consequences of transactions and entity structures.

Alex Manson Klinedinst ’11 celebrated Bluebird Creative’s fifth anniversary. Alex is President of the Fort Worthbased boutique marketing agency specializing in social media strategy and management, brand identity, marketing strategy and project management.

Jirah Mickle ’11, a Content Marketing Manager at Tenable, has created a weekly cyber news program for her company. In a world where cyber security professionals are inundated with too much information, separating the signal from the noise is hard. Every Monday, Tenable’s Cyber Watch offers a roundup of the week’s most pressing topics, data-rich insights, context about developing events, breaking news and much more.

Kellen Moczulski ’11 completed Ironman Alaska in August 2022. He trained between 13 and 20 hours per week. Kellen’s weekly regimen typically included two 1-hour

bike workouts, three 45 to 90-minute runs, three 45 to 90-minute swim sessions, 45 to 60-minute lifting/ mobility sessions, one 3:30 to 6 hour long bike ride on Saturdays plus an occasional 30-minute run right after, and one one over 2 hour long run on Sundays. He finished the Ironman in 11:45:10.

Shree Bose ’12 was included in the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Shree won the Google Global Science Fair while a student at FWCD. She now studies how cancer cells adapt their metabolism to grow in different environments, has an asteroid named after her, and has also cofounded Piper Learning, a company that creates STEAM learning opportunities for students. Shree is an M.D./Ph.D. Candidate at Duke University School of Medicine.

Tara Gordon ’12 was recognized at the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition’s Awards Appreciation

Luncheon in December 2022. She received the prestigious Leading the Way award. Nominated by her peers for going above and beyond to help the homeless in Tarrant County, Tara is committed to making lives better for homeless youth.

CLASS NOTES

Kaelyn Scoville ’13 was promoted to Director of Asset Management at Phoenix Capital Management, LLC. She previously served as an Asset Manager for two years. Phoenix Capital Management is an innovative private equity real estate firm focused on providing capital to operators and developers for middle-market investments in dynamic, supplyconstrained sub-markets throughout the United States.

Xavier White ’13 was promoted to Senior Regional Sales Manager at ZEISS Medical Technology in Houston. ZEISS is a medical equipment manufacturing company that helps doctors improve the quality of life of their patients. Xavier has worked for the company for nearly four years, previously serving as Regional Sales Manager.

Ellee Conway ’15 started a new position as Fine Wine Area Manager – Texas and Louisiana – at Frederick Wildman and Sons in New York City. Frederick Wildman and Sons is dedicated to sourcing, distributing and marketing the world’s finest wines and spirits to provide profit to partner suppliers and distributors, a livelihood for employees, and pleasure to wine and spirit lovers throughout the U.S.

Truett Killian ’16 appeared in a January episode of Let’s Make a Deal hosted by Wayne Brady. He participated in Wayne’s Tech Corner, guessing the price of an anti-aging mask. His guess: $549. Truett could take the mask and the cash value or choose the prize behind Curtain No. 1. Truett opted for the curtain and won a game room with skee ball and a regulation ping pong table valued at $3,798.

Mimi Ryan ’16 joined the Athletic Department at the University of Georgia as a Sports Dietician. Go Dawgs!

Ava Shen ’16 shared thoughts on the outlook for Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election after local elections with Sarah Zheng at Bloomberg News and CNBC International in December 2022. Ava is an Associate, China at Eurasia Group, where she covers Chinese foreign policy, Taiwanese politics, cross-strait relations, as well as Chinese politics and economy. She conducts primary language research on political developments and analyzes their market implications to inform clients.

Brad Chilcoat ’17 took a new position as Land Associate at Davidson Bogel Real Estate (DB2RE), a boutique land investment advisory group and brokerage firm headquartered in the DFW metroplex. Founded in 2015, the company focuses on exceptional client service with investment and development of land throughout Texas and Oklahoma. DB2RE concentrates on land acquisitions; dispositions; and investment sales for families, trusts, and developers of retail, multi-family, industrial/mixed-use and single-family communities.

Abbey Bullock ’18 graduated summa cum laude in the spring of 2022

from the University of Arkansas with degrees in accounting and finance, concentrating in financial management and investments. She was also distinguished as a First-Ranked Senior Scholar and a Finance Department Scholar. She is working as a Global Tax Analyst II for Walmart at their home office.

It was a Falcon mini-reunion!

Alexandra Galloway ’19, Joy Yun ’20, Joaquin Castro-Balbi ’22 and Carter Daly ’22 met up at the Harvard-Yale game in November 2022.

Chloe Gilpin ’19 released a new single, Cesspool, in December 2022. An indie singer-songwriter, Chloe has been writing commercial music since she was 13. She draws great influence from writers such as Joni Mitchell, Jonatha Brooke, Suzanne Vega, Sheryl Crow, and Taylor Swift and is very passionate about storytelling in her work.

Chloe attends Belmont University in Nashville and is a Music Business and Songwriting double major with an emphasis in Music Production.

Megan-Marie Lammons ’19 began a new position as an Accounting Intern at Jarrard, Nowell and Russell, LLC. Megan-Marie is a senior at the College of Charleston. She is studying accounting. In 2021, she founded

the Females in Finance Club at the College of Charleston, which promotes financial literacy among women.

2020s

Class Agents

2020 – Stephanie Cook smcook350@gmail.com

2022 – Mary McGann marygmcgann@icloud.com

Thomas Dickerson ’20 accepted a summer 2023 internship with Accenture, an IT Services and IT Consulting company, as a Consulting Development Analyst. He will work from their Dallas office. Thomas is a BBA Scholar and Resident Assistant at SMU.

Katey Parham ’20 has spent the past three years working for and traveling

with Vanderbilt University Football as a Student Equipment Manager. She has also accepted an internship with Vanderbilt Athletics’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity, as well as their Sports and Society Initiative. At Vanderbilt, Katey is an honors student in the College of Arts and Science, pursuing a double major in Public Policy and Anthropology.

Welcome to the Nest!

Do rubber duckies dream of growing up to be FWCD Falcons? We think so. Please let us know when your family increases so that we can welcome another Falcon into the nest!

Peter Michael Spiro ’88 and his spouse Deanna welcomed their first child! Holly Isabelle was born on November 23, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

Jamie (Reyes) Jackson ’07 and Matthew Jackson ’07 celebrated the birth of their daughter, Holland Elizabeth, on August 22, 2021.

Zibby (Graham) Fant ’07 and her spouse JT ’04 welcomed their newest bundle of joy on March 11, 2022. Born in New York City, John William Graham Fant, “JW,” joins big sister Allie! Zibby and JT have moved back to Fort Worth.

Brooke Mills Saadeh ’07 and her spouse Charles are proud parents of twins, Lina Lynne (in pink) and Yara Jeane. They were born on October 6, 2021.

Courtney (Tennison) McGrail ’04 and her spouse Kevin celebrated the birth of Lee Francis on July 16, 2022.

Garrison Taylor ’06 and his spouse are thrilled to announce the arrival of George Garrison Taylor, born on October 25, 2022.

Sean Davis ’09 and his spouse Miranda welcomed a new little girl to the family. Mia James was born on December 22, 2022. She was 6lbs 2oz and 19 inches long.

Falcon Weddings

Stephanie Stouffer ’07 married Ryan Joyce on October 29, 2022, at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Fort Worth, with a reception following at the City Club of Fort Worth. Falcons in the wedding included Hillary Relyea Gerdts ’07, Adrienne Lipscomb Relyea ’81, Tahnae Tarkenton Allen ’07, Jay Stouffer ’09 and Marshall Stouffer ‘11. Falcons in attendance included Stephanie’s father Jim Stouffer ’73, Paul Stouffer ’68, Mary Stouffer Cole ’74, Bari Buckner Brookman ’83, John Brookman ’80, Charlotte Munn Ward ’73, Leslie Tatum ’73, Robin Brookman Kinsel ’73, Muriel Knecht Parnell ’78, Steve Relyea ’79, Bob Dowling ’73, former teachers Claire-Lise Knecht H’06 and Tricia Franks, and current teacher Lisa Wallace. Stephanie is the Director of Communications at the American Gas Association in Washington, D.C. Ryan is a Solutions Architect at Microsoft.

Kaitlin Elledge ’07 and Keith Hanson were married on October 1, 2022, at Bella Terra Venue in Gunter. Kaitlin’s brother, Clinton Roper Elledge ’10, was the Man of Honor. Falcons attending the wedding included Evan Brewer ’07, Melinda Enriquez ’07, Alicia Henry ’07, Sarah LeClaire ’07 and Lauren Colby McKinney ’07. Kaitlin and Keith are avid athletes and enjoy running, cycling, triathlon and obstacle course racing. Kaitlin works as an Employee Benefits Account Executive at MetLife and Keith is a Senior Tax Manager at Keurig Dr Pepper. The couple resides in Dallas with their two dogs.

Maddie Tunnard ’15 married Andrew Deavers on February 19, 2022 at St. Anne Catholic Church in Houston. Falcons in the wedding party included maid of honor Hannah Cramer ’15, groomsman Adam Tunnard ’17 and flower girl Natalia Cedillo ’33. The couple resides in Houston. Falcons in attendance included Deeraj Reddy ’15, Annalyn Kumar ’15, Walker Wade ’15, Julian Cedillo ’17 and Karina Cedillo ’20

Ketrick Karsten ’16 married Grace Hodo on January 15, 2022, in Round Rock. Falcons in the wedding included Aidan Karsten ’21 (Best Man), Mattie Karsten Rice ’13 and Matthew Frantz ’16

Marshall Jones ’09 married Claire Allen on August 14, 2021. The couple lives in Fort Worth. Claire works for Cook Children’s Health Foundation, and Marshall is working in finance while completing his MBA at TCU’s Neeley School of Business. The wedding party included many Falcon friends: bridesmaids Alice Conlin ’09 and Kelly Goodwin ’09, Groomsmen Stephen Goodwin ’09, Brandon Tierney ’09, Ryan Miller ’09, Bryant Buechele ’09, and Spencer Duran ’09, and cousins of the bride Allen Taylor ’18 and Mark Taylor ’19

George Ann Carter Bahan H’13

George Ann Carter Bahan H’13, one of Fort Worth Country Day’s Founding Trustees, passed away on September 7, 2022, at the age of 95. In the early 1960s, while married to Amon G. Carter, Jr., George Ann, along with several other young mothers, sought to establish “a school of real academic excellence” in Fort Worth.

There was no land. There were no buildings, no faculty, not even a name for this school when this group, which sought the benefits of a college-preparatory education much closer to home, gathered and, over coffee, conjured up the idea of Fort Worth Country Day.

After months of discussion, these determined women called a formal meeting in November 1961 with 18 others. Following that meeting, the group moved quickly. Land was acquired, and in 1962, there was a groundbreaking. Destined to Flourish, FWCD’s 50th-anniversary book, set the stage:

“The people who gathered were taking a bold risk …. Though they had made their decision, a huge question remained. Would parents who were accustomed to taking their children down the street to public school be willing to drive to a private school out in the country? Mrs. Bahan believed parents would.”

George Ann said, “The main reason I was for building a private school in general, and Country Day in particular, was that you didn’t have to be a genius to go there. Oh, we had our share of geniuses, but our school would be different because we wanted to bring out the best in every single child.

Country Day was going to make an achiever out of a child who didn’t know one was in there.”

On September 9, 1963, FWCD opened its doors to 210 students in grades 1-9. Today, nearly 60 years later, Fort Worth Country Day remains a school of significance in the DFW metroplex.

George Ann exuded warmth in her personality, was generous and had a delightful sense of humor. Her passions included theater, music, dance and her family.

Nenetta Carter Tatum ’72, shared with the Star-Telegram that her mother was skilled in tap dancing, singing and playing the piano. In 1977, she made her “professional stage debut” at the Granbury Opera House. “Mother was, I guess you could say, a frustrated performer. That was until she got on that stage,” Tatum said. “But when she did, she shined. Daddy helped bus in people from Fort Worth to see her.”

George Ann’s love for her family knew no bounds. She took her children and grandchildren on trips to Washington, D.C., Disneyland and Seattle via train. She took any and all opportunities to make family memories.

“Mrs. Bahan’s beliefs hold true today, as the School continues to build upon the Founders’ beliefs and mission,” said Eric Lombardi, Head of School. “As a result of the vision and determination of Mrs. Bahan and all of FWCD’s founders, the School has shaped the minds and lives of countless individuals.”

Jody Price

Former Secretary to the Headmaster (title later changed to Executive Assistant to the Headmaster)

Jody Price passed away on July 15, 2022. Jody began working at the School in 1979 and served for 21 years, working with Ted Sanford H’98 (1976-87), Geoffrey Butler H’98 (1987-96), and Graham Brown H’98 (1996-2001).

Jody saw the campus grow and change immensely during her tenure as she supported each Head. She celebrated the 20th and 30th anniversaries of the School and was on campus to see the progress and dedications of many new buildings, including the William E. Scott Fine Arts Center, the Lower School Ryan Annex, the Moncrief Middle School Annex, the campus plaza with fountain, the Square Gym, the Sanford Arts Center, the original security entrance, the Butler Kindergarten Building, the William A. and Elizabeth B. Moncrief Library, the Mason Middle School, the Upper School Science Center and more.

Even when she retired in 2000, she did not leave the nest. With a desire to preserve the past, Jody joined her good friends and former colleagues Jean Webb H’01 and ClaireLise Knecht H’06 to create and volunteer in the FWCD Archives. While it was Webb who spearheaded the cause of

George Ann Carter Bahan H’13

Ned Barlow ’87

Barbara Bradshaw

Norman Steven Chevreaux

Kyle Claunch ’78

Alan Goodrich ’77

Bill Harrell

Douglas Higgins

the Archives, the threesome established the archives in 2005 to organize and preserve the School’s great history. Collections (housed in the Moncrief Library) include original records and papers from the School’s founding; publications such as newspapers and yearbooks, directories and scrapbooks; photographs and videos; and artifacts.

The partnership of Jody, Jean and Claire-Lise was instrumental to the fact-collecting stage and contributed all archival resources to the creation of Destined to Flourish, FWCD’s 50th-anniversary book. “Together with the 50th co-chairs, these three women put their fingers on just about anything that was needed to shape the book,” then Head of School Evan D. Peterson H’15 noted.

Cindy Allen, Executive Assistant to the Head of School, was hired in 1986 by Jody to serve as School Receptionist. “Jody took me under her wing and really showed me the way when I first arrived on campus,” she said. “Later, when I was working in the Upper School office, and years before her retirement, Jody indicated that she wanted me to replace her when she retired, but she didn’t think I was tough enough. I had to prove myself.

“We facilitated several ISAS workshops together. I think those experiences allowed her to see me as organized and a leader,” Cindy continued. “Jody had a presence about her, and she was greatly respected. I knew I would never be able to slip into her shoes, but I did show her that I could stand on my own. Without her leadership, support and friendship, I would not be where I am today.”

Connie Herr

Ann Hudson

Adam Leach ’98

Patricia Mansfield

Clifton Morris

Peter Plenk ’86

Jody Price

Ellen Proctor ’98

Cita Mason Riley ’71

Renie Steves

Butch Traeder H’16

William Tucker

David White

Nathan Wiley ’98

Charles Louis Wolf, Jr. ’03

From the Archives

Featured in a 1989 Fort Worth Star-Telegram article, Thai Nguyen ’90, Aaron Scifres ’92 and Upper School Math Teacher Dan Foust explore a precursor to the internet. Tandy Corp provided Fort Worth Country Day with access to WorldLink, which allowed students and teachers to talk to peers in other states and foreign countries. FWCD was one of 120 schools nationwide participating in the program. Schools were paired with a school in another nation. FWCD's sister school was in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Peter A. Schwartz Legacy Society

4200 Country Day Lane

Fort Worth, Texas 76109-4299

Address Service Requested

Parents: If this issue is addressed to a son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the FWCD Alumni Relations Office of the correct new mailing address by contacting us at alumnirelations@fwcd.com.

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• Your participation in The Fund reflects the strength of our community and our shared commitment.

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Maximize your impact with the convenience, flexibility and security of a monthly gift, visit fwcd.org/fund.

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