GFS Alumnae Magazine 2020

2020 MAGAZINE

G arrison F orest

GFS GALLERY

Zoe Osgood ’20, Wishing Well

Alice Baughman ’20, Masked Oyster Card

Tessa Collins ’20, Difficult

Sara Stewart ’20, id (part of a series)

Garrison Forest 2020 MAGAZINE

10 Celebrating the GFS Class of 2020 18 Igniting a Spark: Creativity and Connection in Online Learning

20 A Century to Be Bold: Reflecting on Women’s Right to Vote and GFS at 110 D E PA R T M E N T S

2 Letter from Chris Hughes Head of School

4 Lives of Purpose: Accomplishments and news from our community

Celia Donner ’20, Sister in the Garden

28

>>> MORE ONLINE AT GFS.ORG/MAGAZINE

30

Spirit of Giving

37

Class News

122 From the Archives: The GFS Pond

124

Faculty at the Forest

ords We Live By: Esse Quam Videri W

By Josie Tidmore ‘20

ON THE COVER: Two-Faced

By Lara Dada ’20 Lara, who will be an undergraduate at Harvard University in fall 2020, explored her many interests during her time at GFS. She participated in the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program, was a member of the Varsity Indoor Track team, danced, served as a Peer Academic Mentor and was a member of the Black Student Association and the Student Diversity Leadership Club (SDLC). Her cover art, she says, “represents fragmentation, which is partially why I wanted to use the style of stained glass. To me, this piece shows duality without brokenness, and despite it being split, it still comes together as a whole.”

E D I T O R I A L S TA F F

DESIGN

PHOTOGRAPHY

Michelle Placek, Director of Communications and Marketing michelleplacek@gfs.org

Mid-Atlantic Custom Media Jeni Mann, Director jmann@midatlanticmedia.com

Tiffany Ogunwuyi, Michelle Placek, Quin Porter, David Stuck

Sherley Taliaferro, Designer

Tiffany Ogunwuyi, Class News Editor, Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing tiffanyogunwuyi@gfs.org Any opinions expressed in the annual Garrison Forest Magazine are those of the authors and/or interview subjects.

Garrison Forest reserves the right to edit Class News for clarity, length and content. Class News Agents are responsible for the accuracy of their news.

SEND ADDRESS CORRECTIONS TO:

Jenny Zhao ’20, Forest Fall

Garrison Forest School Alumnae Office 300 Garrison Forest Road • Owings Mills, MD 21117 • gfsalum@gfs.org • 410-559-3136

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

2 L ET T E R FR O M H E A D OF S CH OOL

DEAR GARRISON FOREST COMMUNITY,

One indication of how unpredictable this year has been is the fact that this letter, which I am writing in August, would have been completely different if I had written it last fall; it would have been different again in the spring; and I am confident, by the time the magazine is published, it may be outdated again.

While it’s hard to believe that there was a time when we could be together without restrictions, it’s worth remembering that we had many joyful, wonderful moments last year. We opened the newly renovated MarshallOffutt building last fall, and then welcomed home the first group of students and faculty residents to our new dorm, Lila Boyce Lohr Hall. We embraced a theme of “joy” from our very first days of school, as we came together for an all-school party to celebrate the Light Blue/Dark Blue sorting, and then later in fall 2019, we also celebrated championships in three sports (Tennis, Field Hockey and Soccer). It was also a year of important anniversaries: GFS Polo celebrated its 40th anniversary, the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and Jenkins Community Services programs both turned 15, and we celebrated five years of our partnership with M&T Bank, which is a key component of our Lower School banking and financial literacy initiative, among other milestones.

Since then, like all of you, we have faced the challenges and disappointment that have come with addressing an unprecedented situation. You will read about some of the creative, inspiring ways our faculty, staff and students more than rose to the occasion both in our Senior Celebration feature, which honors our resilient, spirited Class of 2020, and in “Igniting a Spark: Creativity and Connection in Online Learning,” our look at how learning had to adapt quickly in the spring of 2020.

In addition to a global pandemic that had us re-envisioning our educational experience, the nationwide social justice movement became an important focus of the work we needed to do. The murder of George Floyd and other Black men and women, and the difficult conversations and confrontations that followed, were felt throughout

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

the Garrison Forest community. We heard from many alumnae, as well as students, parents and members of the faculty and staff, sharing their stories and frustration and asking what GFS could, should and would do to make sure that we are always a place where every member of our community feels seen, known, heard and valued. We heard these calls to action, and we recognized that we have a lot of work to do. To start the process of hearing, knowing, understanding and, ultimately, changing, we created a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board, made up of teachers and staff members who represent every area of school life. We invited school trustees onto that Advisory Board, even as we also created a permanent standing committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within the Board of Trustees. Together, those groups are working to make sure we hear the stories of our community and then act to ensure that our policies, our practices, our programs and our curriculum reflect the modern, inclusive, anti-racist community that we all want Garrison Forest School to be. There has been good progress over the summer, but we have much more to do. This work is vital, and we take it very seriously. I look forward to providing updates as we move forward together.

And now, as we prepare for the beginning of our new school year, we are looking at a vastly different educational landscape than any we have ever known.

All summer, teams of faculty and staff worked diligently to ensure our campus was ready for a safe reopening, while simultaneously expanding our online program and preparing to support students who need to do a hybrid option. We are actively thinking through ways to keep our community connected and engaged and to capture the joy that marks the beginning of a new school year, even in the face of uncertainty.

Though we can’t predict what the future will bring, we know that we are ready to meet this challenge ­­— as we have all others ­­— with our usual tenacity, innovation and compassion. We are united in our GFS spirit, committed to overcoming obstacles and creative problem-solving, and determined to make GFS the strong, resilient and connected community it has been and will continue to be.

Christopher A. Hughes Head of School

3

 Lohr Hall

he entrance of the renovated T Marshall-Offutt building

ast year’s Spirit Team Sorting L Day ended with music, games and an all-school gathering.

 Welcoming home the first residents of Lohr Hall at the

ribbon-cutting in September 2019

Handing out diplomas at June’s Senior Celebration Caravan for the Class of 2020

 Fall and winter tailgates were a spirited

success last year.

Cheering on the Grizzlies at the IAAM Soccer championship game

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

4 L IVE S O F P U R P OSE

Lower School Music Teacher Nina Keown leads the Blue Gems in a performance during a school-wide assembly celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Blue Gems Shine in Their First Year The Garrison Forest School musical community welcomed a new group last year — the Blue Gems, a Lower School vocal ensemble. Directed and overseen by Nina Keown, Lower School Music Teacher, the group is open to girls in Grades 3-5. The Blue Gems quickly became a presence at school-wide events, performing alongside the Middle School’s Blue Belles and the Upper School’s Ragged Robins and Chamber Choir. They also put out several compilation videos, produced by Mrs. Keown, featuring songs like “Try Anything” and “Fight Song” that brought joy to the community during the online learning period.

Breaking Bread and Barriers Through Gastrodiplomacy As a collaboration between the Office of Residential Life and the Office of Community Life and Inclusion, the newly launched Gastrodiplomacy program aimed to provide a bridge of mutual respect and understanding between students from different backgrounds, cultures and identities through the sharing of a meal. Students in Grades 8-12 were invited to an evening program to learn about a specific region’s cuisine, culture, customs and traditions while sharing an authentic meal from that country. Last year’s events featured the culture and cuisine of China, led by consultant Xiaoshu Liu, and India, led by Chirag and Sonal Bhatt, parents of Chet ’23 and Divyata ’20.

GFS Middle Schoolers head out to explore Irvine Nature Center on their first visit as part of the RISE class.

RISE: A Partnership with Irvine Nature Center Last year, the Middle School launched Research Innovation Scientific Exploration, or RISE, a partnership with nearby Irvine Nature Center. This program offers Sixth Graders the unique opportunity to do authentic research on-site at Irvine, guided by Irvine educators as they engage in rich inquirybased work focused on finding innovative solutions to social, educational, or environmental issues. Working in small groups,

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

students were challenged to harness their curiosity to identify a question or a problem they were interested in, then visited Irvine regularly during their class time to conduct research and analyze data. Prior to switching to online learning, RISE students had the opportunity to present their work to students participating in the Upper School WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) program for feedback, with the culmination of the class to be sharing their work with their peers, parents and the broader Garrison Forest School community.

In its inaugural year, some of the student-led research projects included learning more about composting, raising awareness about the decline in the pollinator population, increasing outdoor learning opportunities and interest in nature, training raptors, wildlife deforestation, researching invasive species, educating people about the damage caused by plastics and sharing information about local watersheds and the Chesapeake Bay.

L I V E S OF PURPOSE

5

A Banner Year for GFS Athletics Fall 2019 was an exciting time to be a Garrison Forest School Grizzly supporter, as our teams brought home Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) championships in Tennis, Field Hockey and Soccer! This marked the first time three fall sports won a championship in the same year. It also marked the start of a new tradition, as members of each winning team were invited to come ring the Vesper Bell to celebrate their teams’ victories with their classmates and the school community. Also known as the Chapel Bell because of its location near the Chapel, the bell is from the engine of the last steam locomotive of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and was presented to GFS by the Shriver family in memory of George M. and Charles M. Shriver in 1950.

For Tennis, this was the first championship in 20 years and came after an unprecedented undefeated regular season. In addition to the team’s championship, Head Coach Kim Marlor was named the inaugural recipient of the IAAM Tennis Coach of the Year award.

“The outstanding senior captains and leadership created a culture and community of support that held each player responsible for the team's success. It was an amazing example of collaboration.”

— Tennis Head Coach Kim Marlor.

Soccer went undefeated during conference play on its way to earning the first season championship since 2007 and the first-ever tournament championship in the history of the outdoor program.

“This team overcame a lot of obstacles and adversity to end up on top by the end of the season. I'm especially proud of the Seniors, who finally beat [their long-time rival team] and brought a championship back to Garrison Forest in their final year.”

— Field Hockey Head Coach Malcolm Belin

“We made history, and we surpassed any expectations I had. What a great start!”

— Soccer Head Coach Derek Phillips

In addition to earning the first conference title in seven years, the Field Hockey team was also ranked in the top 25 nationally.

2019 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

6 L IV ES O F P U R P O SE

Lara Schwartz ‘89 Brings “How to College” to GFS

2019 Alumnae Solo Exhibition: Brooke Young Russell ’99 Brooke Young Russell ’99, the 2019 Alumnae Solo Exhibition featured artist, shared her passion for conservation and preservation with the GFS community in February.

As lead conservator at EverGreene Architectural Arts, Brooke specializes in architectural conservation in paint, working to preserve architecture in historic buildings and structures ranging from the Enoch Pratt Free Library to the Berlin Wall. In addition to an artist’s talk with current students and an evening gallery reception, her visit included a special tour of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, where she shared details about the restoration work she did there with members of the Science of Art class.

In March, Lara Schwartz ’89, co-author of “How to College: What to Know Before You Go (And When You’re There),” came to campus for a Parent Association-sponsored lunch and learn session with parents and a separate presentation to Upper School students. With practical advice, humor and examples from her personal experiences in higher education, the talks centered on how to best prepare students for the transition to college and support them through their first year. Lara is a professor at American University in Washington, D.C., where she is also director of the Project on Civil Discourse.

The GFS playground provided inspiration for these playground structures built by the Kindergarten class.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

Back, from left: Dante Beretta, GFS archivist and Middle/Upper School Latin teacher, current GFS students, Brooke Young Russell ‘99, Beverely Whiting Young ‘69, Deanna Gamber ‘85 and Awais (Fatima’s husband); front, from left: Sam Meilman ‘99 and Fatima Ameen ‘99.

ALL-SCHOOL ARTWALK: THE VIRTUAL EDITION For the past several years, one of the school year’s culminating community events has been an all-school Artwalk, where parents and friends are invited to stroll through each division’s building to experience and admire student artwork. Unfortunately, this year’s in-person event had to be canceled, along with all other on-campus activities in the spring, due to COVID-19 and campus closures.

Wanting to find a way to showcase student work, the Visual Art Department created a virtual Artwalk, capturing art from Preschool through 12th Grade and compiling it into a site for the community.

“The Visual Art Department is so proud to honor our students’ art during this unexpected time,” said Diane Yu, chair of the department. “Art is a place for authentic expression, and, at GFS, we make sure our students have a platform to share their talents and be seen.”

Take a virtual stroll through this year’s Artwalk at gfs.org/artwalk.

For this science-integrated project, Third Grade artists created drawings of their own minds completing an everyday task.

Beach Getaway, by Ryleigh McComas ‘20

L I V E S OF PURPOSE

7

STUDENT DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Six GFS students and three faculty and staff members attended the 2019 People of Color Conference (PoCC) and Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) hosted by the National Association of Independent Schools in Seattle last December. A multiracial, multicultural gathering of Upper School student leaders from across the U.S. and abroad, SDLC focuses on self-reflection, forming allies and building community. Students develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles while being led by a team of adult and peer facilitators. They also had the opportunity to participate in “family groups” and “home groups,” which encouraged dialogue and sharing.

“Many people have said going to the conference was a ‘life changer,’ but to me it was enhancing my love for diversity,” says Summer Johnson ’21, who is also one of the student heads of the Student Diversity Leadership Club at GFS. “To me, this conference was a chance to network with different people from all walks of life.”

Summer points to her experiences with the national SDLC and the GFS club as a way to begin tackling complex issues together. “Here at GFS, SDLC tackles topics like neurodiversity, global and local activism, stories and identities, socioeconomics, body image, LGBTQIA+ and being college ready,” Summer says. “I know these are heavy topics, but that’s the reason for having SDLC, to have difficult conversations in a safe environment, to be heard and seen and to listen. It is important to talk about these things because, in my opinion, we, as leaders of tomorrow, cannot contribute to the ignorance that this country strives [to overcome].”

Sharing the Legacy of Clinton Arrowood Local author Ellen Gaines, sister to beloved GFS art teacher Clinton Arrowood, visited the Lower School last year to share a book she wrote that was inspired by and features her brother’s illustrations, “The Adventures of Elliott Clinton Rat, III: My Journey on the Merrimack and Concord Rivers.” BJ McElderry, former GFS art department chair, whose work is also featured in the book, was on hand to share her drawings and answer questions. School archivist and Middle/Upper School Latin teacher Dante Beretta set the scene for the event by giving the students a brief history of the Lower School and Clinton’s art, which can still be found adorning the walls of various campus buildings.

Riding Program Accolades

Yangzhen (Dekyi) Deji ’21 qualified for IEA National Finals.

IEA COMPETITIONS The GFS Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) team had a stellar season.

Our Middle School team earned Champion or Reserve throughout the regular season and narrowly missed qualifying for Zone Finals. We’re incredibly proud, as the majority of its members were Sixth Graders competing in IEA for the first time. Our Upper School team was hard to beat throughout the season, winning Champion at Regional Finals and qualifying for Zone 3 Finals, along with a handful of individual riders. Yangzhen (Dekyi) Deji ’21 won her class at Zone Finals, qualifying for IEA National Finals. Unfortunately, IEA Nationals were canceled due to COVID-19, preventing Dekyi from traveling to Los Angeles to compete against riders from around the U.S.

Championship ribbons on display at the GFS tent at the HITS Ocala Winter Series

HITS OCALA Earlier this year, 12 GFS riders competed over three weeks at the HITS Ocala Winter Series in Florida. All riders competed very successfully and enjoyed competing, helping each other, rooting for one another and dining together after busy days of showing.

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

8 L IV ES O F P U R P O SE

FIELD OF VISION In July, Garrison Forest School welcomed its next athletic director, Jessy Morgan. She brings a wealth of experience, creativity and excitement to the position, coming to Garrison Forest School from George Mason University, where she served as the head women’s lacrosse coach. She has also served as head lacrosse coach at Howard University and assistant

What led you to a career in coaching and, now, athletic management?

I have always had a deep passion for sports, and I think that athletic administration is a natural transition from coaching.

What excites you about joining the GFS community?

I’m excited to be back in the Baltimore area, where I have family and friends and feel very attached to the community. I’m looking forward to meeting all of the athletes and coaches. I’m excited to share my experiences and help the Athletic Department grow.

How do you stay motivated in the face of challenges or setbacks?

I’m a super positive person. I don’t believe in setbacks, only lessons that help you progress on to the next challenge life throws your way.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

coach at the University of Virginia, where she was named an All-American and won an NCAA championship as a player. Jessy has also coached volleyball and basketball as well as lacrosse at the high school level.

The former three-sport star at McDonogh and member of the Baltimore Lacrosse Hall of Fame shared a few thoughts with us about joining the Garrison Forest School Athletics team.

How do you spend your free time off the field or court?

I spend my free time on a field or on a court!

What’s something you want Garrison Forest School athletes to know about you?

I want them to know that I love and appreciate all sports, and I’m never afraid to try something new.

I love to be challenged. I’m excited to impact and influence young athletes the same way I was mentored throughout my career.

I hope to raise the bar at GFS and provide a great team and athletic experience to every girl who wants to play.

LIV ES OF PU RPO SE

9

Building a Better GFS:

A Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Work Summer 2020 was not only marked by a global pandemic but by a national social justice movement that continues to inspire true change and important conversations across our country. Amid the national outcry for justice and equality, here at Garrison Forest we heard from students, parents, alumnae and staff with our own call to action: to acknowledge the existence of racism on our campus and in our community and to do a better job of supporting, welcoming and listening to our students of color.

In a letter to the community in July, Chris Hughes said, “We've heard these calls, and we will, as a school, do the important work of listening and hearing, evaluating and assessing and, most importantly, effecting change on our campus and in our classrooms and communities. … As an institution, we must engage in self-reflection and examine whether we have lived up to our promise to all students so that we can make real and meaningful changes. Words and promises are not enough; real change and real progress have to be our goals. We are committed to moving GFS to be proactively

anti-racist, acknowledging racism and inequities where they exist, and taking action to address them.”

The first step was to create the GFS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board, made up of current faculty and staff members, as well as two members of the GFS Board of Trustees. In addition, the GFS Board of Trustees created a full standing Board Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Over the summer, the Advisory Board’s work entailed coordinating listening sessions for faculty and staff, students, alumnae and parents; redefining our vision for diversity, equity and inclusion; identifying key areas of focus and recommending both immediate and long-term action steps to address inequities and improve the experience of Black students and other minorities on our campus; and providing input on curricular, policy and/or programmatic changes that need to be implemented.

This work is ongoing, and the scope is intended to be long-term and far-reaching, with updates provided to our community on a regular basis. We welcome you to learn more at gfs.org/DEIAdvisoryBoard.

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

10

Grace and Grit:

Celebrating the GFS Class of 2020 The senior year of high school is always filled with a rich mix of emotions ­— excitement about the culmination of 12 years of work, nostalgia for the people and places you’ll be bidding a fond farewell and perhaps apprehension or nervousness about what’s to come. For this year’s graduating class, the closing of the school year transformed into something different and unusual, its traditions and celebrations suddenly unsure. Graduating in the midst of a global pandemic that had kept them physically separated since mid-March, the Class of 2020 faced not only an uncertain Senior spring but a world that looked unlike the one they had known.

“This is a spring like no seniors in history have ever experienced,” said Head of School Chris Hughes in his recorded remarks to Seniors as part of their send-off video tribute in June. But, the Garrison Forest spirit endures. Even in the face of uncertainty, the students made the most of their last few months as Garrison students, finding ways to connect virtually and creating new traditions and celebrations. With resilience and creativity, they captured the sense of spirit that has defined the closing of the Garrison Forest experience since the first Commencement in 1914.

The Class of 2020 at the annual Senior brunch at Lochinvar in the beginning of the school year.

Not long before campus closed, the Class of 2020 celebrated 100 Days To Graduation.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

11

“As a class, you’ve led our school with resilience and joy. … The world needs people just like you, and I hope you continue to share your gifts and skills with those around you.”

— Reema Khanchandani, Head of the Upper School, in the Class of 2020 tribute video

“The students in the Class of 2020 were great leaders all year, but really stepped up in the move to online learning. They transitioned with grace, gratitude and positive energy. They were resilient and found creative and memorable ways to present the yearbook dedication, share their class story and so many other Senior year traditions. It was truly a pleasure working with them this year.”

“How much you’ve supported each other has mattered. How much you’ve connected, and taken care of each other in these challenging times, that’s what’s mattered. You’ve had moments of disappointment, you’ve had moments of loss, you’ve had moments of challenge. And you keep coming back to the things that matter. And mostly, you keep coming back to each other.”

— Chris Hughes, Head of School, in the Class of 2020 tribute video

— Tasha Landis and Karin Riesenfeld, Senior Class Advisers

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

12

Joyful Celebrations

By Jenny Zhao ‘20

Being away from campus meant Seniors couldn’t be together for cherished traditions like prom, Vespers and Senior Stories — but that doesn’t mean they didn’t find interesting ways to capture these special moments!

From virtual class meetings to a recorded Senior Story that captured the journey of the Class of 2020 through their years at Garrison, they created their own unique memories. The school celebrated them as well, with yard signs, special care packages from Chris and Farida Hughes and hand-delivered gifts from the Senior class advisers.

In June, to recognize the originally planned date for Commencement, Garrison Forest held its first-ever Senior Celebration Caravan, inviting Seniors and their families back to campus for the first time since March for a truly memorable send-off. As a line of decorated cars wound their way through campus, Seniors popped out of sunroofs and waved from truck beds and car windows. Head of School Chris Hughes, in mask and gloves, handed diplomas through the passenger windows as masked and socially distanced faculty and staff cheered on the procession. Though not the ceremony that was expected, the day was filled with joy, laughter and gratefulness to be together.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

13

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

14

Honoring Tradition

In early August, we were able to celebrate the Class of 2020 with a more traditional commencement ceremony. Complete with bouquets of ragged robins and photos in front of Senior House, the day officially welcomed the class into the GFS alumnae community.

The graduates were photographed individually and then, using the magic of Photoshop, we digitally recreated the annual Commencement photo in front of Senior House.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

15

CLASS OF 2020 COMMENCEMENT AWARD WINNERS

FACULTY AWARD

ALUMNAE AWARD

GEORGE M. SHRIVER AWARD

PHILIP J. JENSEN AWARD

Amy Zhang

Alice Baughman

Cailyn Tripp

Danielle Garten

Where Are They Headed?

As the Class of 2020 wrapped up their time at GFS, they had their sights set on the next adventure. And, though we weren’t in person to do what’s become the annual “college sweatshirt” picture to celebrate their accomplishments, we were able to capture them here:

Visit gfs.org/collegelist for the full list.

1616

Class of 2020 Legacies

This year, we were honored to recognize six legacy graduates in the Class of 2020.

BEV MATTHAI CICCARONE ’81 and Mia Ciccarone ’20

MELISSA NORTH GRANT ’97 and Bella Grant ’20

SARAH RIEHL ’14 with Emily Riehl ’20 (daughters of SUSAN OBRECHT RIEHL ’79)

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

DANIELLE SABA DONNER ’86 with Celia Donner ’20

Samaya Jones ’20 and DAVIDA MOSES ALLEN ’97

JENNIFER LAWRENCE ’85 with Josie Tidmore ’20

17

A SPECIAL REUNION CELEBRATION While we were so sad to have to postpone the 2020 Reunion for the classes ending in 0 and 5, we couldn’t be more excited about holding a special double Reunion next year! We’re looking forward to welcoming classes ending in 0, 1, 5 and 6 back to campus for the 2021 Reunion Weekend. Save the date for May 7-8, 2021! More info to come.

Keep in Touch with Your Classmates and the Alumnae Office 1. Alumnae, sign up for GFSConnect (gfsconnect.org), our exclusive online networking platform.

2. New job? New address? New baby? Whatever your news, we want to know about it!

3. Be sure we have your correct email and follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with GFS news, events and more.

Stay in touch with the Alumnae Office at gfsalum@gfs.org!

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

18

Voices United: Our vocal groups — including a few featuring our faculty! — serenaded audiences through the screen.

Igniting a Spark: Creativity and Connection in Online Learning “Beginning at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow,” read the email sent to GFS families on Friday, March 12, “the Garrison Forest campus will close, and all activities, including athletics, will be canceled.” It was sent after weeks of updates — cancellations and postponements in the face of the frightening and unknown virus that was taking hold in the U.S. — and sent the day after the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic. As it would happen, that Friday was the last day the GFS community would be together on campus, at least through the early part of fall 2020.

When teachers and students returned from spring break, they emerged into an academic landscape that was vastly altered from the one they had left just a few short weeks prior, a world where all instruction was to be online. Like educators and pupils around the world, they were suddenly faced with the challenge of not only

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

delivering classes online with little notice but finding ways to stay engaged and connected. While the academics at GFS are top-notch, a defining characteristic of the educational experience comes from the sense of community and support that builds confidence and creates lifelong friendships. How could that be replicated through a screen?

The faculty, staff and administration quickly rose to the challenge. With little time to prepare, they implemented new technology, rethought lesson plans, re-envisioned the on-campus events that typically mark the spring semester and found ways to infuse the day-to-day with joy, community building and care. They improvised, improved and pivoted as needed to not only deliver their lessons but keep their students uplifted.

Perhaps a bright spot in the uncertainty was a spark of creativity

19

Separated but still in sync, our dance company Blue Allegro created a moving end-of-year performance.

There were no field trips in the spring, but Lower and Middle School students still had the chance to hear from guest speakers, including a behind-the-scenes tour of the GFS Barn and a virtual visit from an animal expert at Irvine Nature Center.

Seventeen students participated in the virtual production of “Better Maybe” by Caridad Svich, including Isabelle Primavera ‘20, who also edited the entire program for her Senior Independent Study Project. The play was originally commissioned by The Fornes Institute and PlayatHome.org.

and innovation that carried throughout the community as teachers and students alike found themselves embracing new ways of teaching and learning. “I was awed by the unparalleled dedication and willingness of the faculty and administrative team to create a high-quality plan and program that we were able to construct, deliver and implement,” said Gail Hutton, Head of the Lower Division.

Students also found ways to harness their creativity and push through unprecedented and unexpected obstacles to continue their growth — personally and academically. “All of the Middle School faculty couldn’t stop talking about how our girls continued to show up with a smile and consistently give their all,” said Shannon Schmidt, Head of the Middle School.

“Set-backs, frustrations and uncertainties incited opportunities for self-advocacy and self-efficacy,” said Mrs. Hutton. “They found their voices and they learned to believe and trust in their abilities.”

In looking to fall 2020, GFS is hoping to use the unique layout of its 110-acre campus to be able to bring students back in midSeptember, always balancing the need for in-person connection with the safety of the community. The summer was spent planning for a safe on-campus return while concurrently optimizing the online experience and building in support for students who will need a hybrid option of learning at home even when campus is open. Learn more and stay up-to-date with the school’s reopening plans, including oncampus modifications and online learning details, at gfs.org/reopening.

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

20

A Century to be Bold: Reflecting on Women’s Right to Vote and GFS at

On my 18th birthday, my father took the morning off to walk with me to our town’s post office so I could register to vote.

For him, a child of the Depression who served in the Korean War, voting was essential.

That morning, I didn’t give any thought to the women who had fought so hard to ensure that I could fill in the boxes on the form.

We hadn’t spent much time on the suffrage movement and the 19th Amendment in my high school government class. Embarrassing to admit now, my point of reference (albeit British) was Mary Poppins’ Mrs. Banks singing about being a “soldier in petticoats.”

Middle photo: Henry Mayer (1915), Cornell University – The PJ Mode Collection of Persuasive Cartography

BY SARAH ACHENBACH

21

What’s in a Name: Suffragists or Suffragettes?

The terms often are used synonymously but, historically, their meaning is very different.

“Suffrage” means having the right to vote, and a suffragist is a person who advocates for suffrage. Following the ratification of the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1870 giving Black men the right to vote, there remained other groups who did not have the right to vote, but the term “suffrage” primarily referred to women.

Early in the suffrage movement, the term “suffragist” was used to describe the peaceful methods used by women advocating for change. At the turn of the 20th century, a British reporter coined the phrase “suffragette,” choosing the suffix “-ette” to minimize and mock the movement of Britain’s suffragists, as if they and their cause were less-than. With little movement toward the vote in Britain and the U.S., some women began calling themselves “suffragettes” and adopting more militant, direct, civil disobedience methods. In the U.S., the term was typically was viewed as offensive.

ugust 26, 2020 marked the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment.

Now, I have a better understanding of just how hard-fought and long the journey was for our foremothers.

Yes, the suffragists marched, gave speeches and wrote articles. But they also crowded into courtrooms to challenge male-only voting laws. They stood in front of the White House in silent protest, month after month, in blazing heat and blowing snow, their banners imploring President Wilson to give them the vote. They went on hunger strikes and were attacked for their convictions by citizens and prison guards. And they never gave up.

The length of the struggle to win the vote still astounds me. It took 72 years from the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention, and the amendment’s introduction in Congress — incredibly, 42 years after Seneca Falls — to ratification on August 26, 1920. Most of the women who cheered at Seneca Falls died before seeing their dreams realized, and even the official ratification of the amendment didn’t mark the end of the fight. Black and other minority women continued to fight for their voting rights for decades to come.

Yet their courage marched on, generation after generation.

This year also marks the 110th anniversary of Garrison Forest School’s founding. A decade ago, for the school’s centennial, I wrote and researched 100 years of GFS history (aided by Dante Beretta, school archivist and Latin teacher with book design by Wendy Tripp Ruffin ’86) for “A Century of Spirit: Garrison Forest School 1910-2010.”

I wondered then, and still do, whether any students, their teachers or their mothers marched with fellow Maryland suffragists.

Dr. Beretta and I found no such evidence in the Garrison Forest archives but surely such a momentous event was discussed in class and celebrated during morning prayers by school founder Mary Moncrieffe Livingston.

1920 was important for Garrison Forest, too. The school’s first, new building,

Moncrieffe, an academic building and dormitory (now the Preschool building), opened its doors. The Class of 1920 designed the first Garrison Forest ring, raising the needed $100 from a fundraiser where they danced the required (and enforced) four inches from their dates.

The Seniors also inaugurated another GFS tradition: The “Ragged Robin” yearbook. At least, I’m almost certain it’s the first. No prior yearbook exists in the archives.

Plus, the years immediately preceding 1920 included World War I and the 1918 influenza pandemic, which were challenging years for Miss Livingston’s 10-year-old school — not exactly the fiscal environment to fund a new publication.

I have my own theory: The Class of 1920 was ready to roar into the 1920s. They had lived through the Great War and survived a pandemic that killed about 675,000 people in the U.S. As they were preparing to graduate from Garrison Forest, their right to vote in an election was imminent.

Their future was thick with promise. It was a time to be rather than to seem, a time to be bold.

In thinking about the 110th anniversary of Garrison Forest’s founding, I thumbed through the centennial book and thought about the dozens of alumnae and school leaders I interviewed. Three women stood out to me then — and have resonated with me since — as examples of Esse Quam Videri: “To Be Rather Than to Seem” and the boldness that shaped the school.

The stories of these alumnae play out across the mid-1960s and early 1970s, a time when the shockwaves of the Vietnam War, civil rights movement and the assassinations of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, youth culture and the Cold War rumbled across the country. The rapid, fractious climate of change also played out on the nation’s campuses. Many single-sex schools were becoming coed, and numerous then-rural schools like Garrison Forest were facing ever-increasing encroachment by suburban development.

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

22

Leading through Adversity: Relie Garland Bolton ’53 In 1968, Garrison Forest was at a crossroads. Headmaster Archibald “Tad” R. Montgomery, III had passed the reins to Lawrence “Larry” Hlavacek, who inherited a dilapidated campus, growing traffic on Reisterstown Road and a board of trustees already committed to moving the campus deeper into the Greenspring Valley.

Mr. Hlavacek was on board with the move.

A trustee fact-finding team had interviewed alumnae, parents, faculty and community members on where to relocate.

No surprise, the team encountered staunch and vocal opinions for and against the move. There was also the matter of money.

Moving or staying put and improving the run-down buildings required funds that Garrison Forest simply didn’t have.

The youngest member of the factfinding team, Relie Garland Bolton ’53, was a 32-year-old Baltimore native, Vassar graduate and homemaker. She had little experience with real estate matters, having been an assistant curator and librarian at the Baltimore’s Walters Art Gallery before raising her three young children.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

But she had the mettle. Charming, eloquent, smart, determined and formidable, Relie’s personality would serve her well during what is a littleknown, highly contentious chapter in the school’s history.

Everything accelerated in fall 1968. The board put the Reisterstown Road property on the market for roughly $2 million and found a new campus site — 142 acres of rolling farmland on Geist Road. With the move target date set for 1972, GFS launched a $5.5 million campaign to make it happen. And in November 1968, Relie was selected as president of the GFS board, the first woman and first alumna to hold the position. When I interviewed her in 2009, she explained that “Nick [Penniman, then president] wanted to retire and thought that the time had come for a woman [to lead] the board. Being president was something I thought I could do, but I was not angling for the job. At my age, I did not think that they would ask me.”

They did.

Though young, she was a natural leader and had the ear of a trusted, beloved advisor: her father, Charles S. Garland Sr., former GFS board president and board

Relie Garland Bolton ’53 with, from left, architect Avery Faulkner, GFS Headmaster Larry Hlavacek and trustee Tom Offutt at the groundbreaking for the new campus

Relie with Linda Hlavacek on Manor House lawn

23

Relie Garland Bolton ‘53 was awarded the Distinguished Alumna Award in 2010.

chairman for Johns Hopkins University.

(Garrison Forest’s Garland Theater is named for him.)

He was only a phone call away when the buyer for the Reisterstown Road property withdrew his offer in 1970, when another trustee resigned or when the fundraising for the new campus stalled. On January 29, 1971, as the move controversy was at a steady boil, her father died unexpectedly of a heart attack. “It was such a difficult time,” she said during our 2009 interview, her voice growing quiet.

I learned from writing the centennial book that historical events are usually viewed through the filter of one’s own experience. I remember being riveted by Relie’s story and

picture of the animosity that battered the GFS board and its president. Relie recalled several students angrily confronting her in an Upper School meeting and fellow alumnae expressing their often not-so-civil opinions when they saw Relie in the community.

In June, Relie led a six-hour board meeting about merging with St. Timothy’s.

While the majority (including Relie) favored consolidation, the board voted 21 to 4 to remain at GFS if Mr. Hlavacek were not chosen to lead the merged schools. They also voted to no longer pursue the Geist Road campus.

On Sept. 22, 1971, Relie walked into the opening board meeting with two sealed letters to read after the board vote: one if the

“Nick [Penniman, then president] wanted to retire and thought that the time had come for a woman [to lead] the board. Being president was something I thought I could do, but I was not angling for the job.

At my age, I did not think that they would ask me.” thinking that there was no way I could ever have handled the pressure she did at the age she was. Having lost my father when I was 23, I understood what it meant to lose the one person who could help you make sense of it all.

In 1971, two schools inquired about merging: the all-boys McDonogh School and St. Timothy’s with a larger endowment and well-appointed campus. “We listened [to McDonogh] and came away feeling that Garrison Forest would be swallowed up,” Relie says. Talk of merging with another girls’ school, though, was incendiary. Board member and former co-headmistress Nancy Offutt, quiet and polite during board meetings, burned up the phone lines afterward. “She was fighting it the entire time [by] calling alumnae, saying ‘Just don’t let the merger happen,” Relie added.

The details of this nearly forgotten footnote in the school’s history paint a

Relie Garland Bolton ’53

GFS trustees voted to merge; the other if they voted to remain at Reisterstown Road.

A motion was made and seconded to approve consolidation. Then Relie led a roll call with each trustee announcing his or her vote for a final 12 votes in favor of merging, 22 against.

A year later, she stepped down as board president, though Relie would serve four more years as a member of the board’s education committee. “I knew I would always work for the school, but I decided to resign as president,” she told me when we spoke in August 2020. “I just felt that I wasn’t the person to lead any longer.”

Ginny Gaillard Chew ’48, who served on the board at the time, recalled how splintered the GFS community was over whether to move or to merge. And she marveled at the young woman who managed to lead alumnae, trustees, parents, faculty and students through such a tumultuous time.

“Relie bore the brunt of a lot and took it on 2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

24

Shelia Love ‘74

Greta McDonald Anderson ’74 skipping in front of the Infantry in 1967.

the chin to lead us forward … We did not need St. Tim’s or a beautiful new campus to be Garrison Forest. People just dug in and made it work.”

When Relie and I spoke in 2009, she acknowledged that it was a bitter time but quickly pivoted to how supported she was by the board’s Executive Committee, family and close friends, even those who disagreed with her position. (Miriam Vanderveer, Relie’s GFS Latin teacher, sent encouraging notes, in Latin of course.)

“I love Garrison Forest ... and that got me through such a wild time,” she said then. “I did it by sheer guts. I learned that you always have to consider your options. In the 1970s, many things were at stake. It was hard to get it right.”

I recently asked Relie to sum up such a difficult time 50 years later. She laughed and assured me that she is not one to dwell on the past or herself. “It was a mess but a lot of fun at the same time,” Relie said. “I had the loveliest Executive Committee.

And trying to solve a problem is always a lot of fun.”

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

Breaking the Color Barrier: Greta McDonald Anderson ’74 and Shelia Love ’74 Garrison Forest’s first students of color entered in fall 1967 in Fifth Grade, in what was then called the Lower School with grades 5-8, a pre-cursor to today’s Middle School program. Greta McDonald Anderson and Shelia Love, both Class of 1974, may have been strangers to Garrison Forest School, but they certainly weren’t to each other.

Both were students at Windsor Hills Elementary School in West Baltimore, had birthdays close together and had been best friends since second grade. They even shared a bedroom, as Shelia was the McDonald’s foster child.

Before applying to Garrison Forest, Shelia was courted by Marisse Ross, the founder of the now-defunct nonprofit, Training Now for Tomorrow (TNT) program. Created in 1963, TNT funded scholarships for high-achieving African American students in Baltimore City to attend the region’s independent schools and

25

is a precursor to the Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust, which funds scholarships for students of color to attend Baltimore’s schools.

“My mother knew what it meant to handle a strong burden…[they] had lived through segregation. They were not the types to say, ‘You must do this,’ but ‘You can do this.’”

Greta McDonald Anderson ’74

Shelia was one of the first students to come to Ms. Ross’s attention. “She was on a mission to send me to Garrison Forest School,” Shelia told me for the centennial book. And Greta’s parents told her that if Shelia was going, so was Greta.

The McDonald family didn’t know that Garrison Forest’s headmaster, Mr. Montgomery, had been working with Ms. Ross for a few years to entice students of color to apply and enroll. In 1961, the GFS board had adopted an open admission policy, stating that “any girl who is fully qualified and can meet the admissions competition will be accepted regardless of race, color or creed.”

It would take until the 1966-67 school year for a student of color to apply. That year, three students did apply but none enrolled.

A 1966 article in The Blueprint, the school paper, echoed Mr. Montgomery’s hope for an integrated GFS: “In the life of tomorrow for which we are preparing, it is essential that we be without prejudice. True tolerance is built on experience, not idealism.”

Shelia and Greta applied for fall 1967 and were accepted. They would be the only students of color in the Lower School for the next three years. “My parents were brave to let me do that — they thought it was a great opportunity,” Greta said. “My mother knew what it meant to handle a strong burden … [they] had lived through segregation.

They were not the types to say, ‘You must do this,’ but, ‘You can do this.’”

She remembers being more excited than scared on her first day of classes. “I didn’t know enough to be scared,” Greta told me recently during a Zoom interview. She was initially terrified of the two Baltimore city buses she had to take to get to and from school each day. “I had never been on a public bus in my life,” Greta said. “My father was a science professor at Morgan State University, and my mother had a master’s in early childhood education … I was very sheltered, but Shelia wasn’t.”

Greta was just as anxious about being in what was a totally different academic environment from Windsor Hills. “I had never changed classes before or taken books home,” said Greta, who was only 11 when she started GFS. The head of the Lower School, Frances Elizabeth “Betty” White, for whom the F.E. White building is named, was nurturing and encouraging, qualities Greta said made her transition easier. “Miss White would always hear you and listen, and her decisions were always fair,” Greta said recently. “I didn’t know any old white ladies, so for her to be my first was really very nice because she was so gentle and patient.”

They learned to straddle two dramatically different cultures. Both are natural leaders and held leadership positions — Shelia was Light Blue Captain and Greta was co-president of the Ninth Grade class — but their long commute precluded other extracurricular activities. Once home, Greta explained that “We didn’t talk too much about Garrison Forest in our neighborhood.”

“I had to learn ‘code-switching,’ ” she said recently. “I knew how to talk when I was around my neighborhood, and I had to express myself differently when I was at school.” They changed out of their school uniform to catch the bus home and recalled getting harassed on the city buses for having books. The bus drivers saved snacks for them and threw off kids who gave them a hard time, Greta noted.

“We lived in two different worlds,” Shelia said in 2009. “But feeling like I was here to get an education kept me grounded. My foster parents gave me a good foundation, but I found my voice at Garrison Forest. It made me who I am now.”

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

26

Shelia Love ’74 (left) and Greta McDonald Anderson ’74 came back to speak to current GFS students about their experience during the school’s centennial celebration in 2010.

To get to school, they’d leave home early, catch the #19 city bus at the corner of Garrison Boulevard and Bateman Avenue, then catch a transfer bus across from Pimlico Racetrack on West Belvedere Avenue to travel through Pikesville. If they missed the bus and had to wait for another in Pikesville, they had a community of surrogate grandmothers: older African American women on their way to their housekeeping jobs. “They would sit with us between them to keep warm … and tell us how proud they were of us,” Greta said. “I’d never felt love from strangers before.”

Greta and Shelia’s commute also is responsible for the GFS uniform’s blue pants.

During the winter, the girls would wear pants on their commute. It was warmer while standing at a bus stop and when walking up the long hill to Manor House from the stop on Reisterstown Road. Once at school, they would change into the uniform skirt.

Mrs. McDonald asked headmaster Larry Hlavacek if the girls could keep the pants on throughout the day, and he said yes.

My recent conversation with Greta was during this summer’s protests, racial GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

reckoning and the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement. She recalled riding the buses to school in April 1968, following the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Baltimore, like many cities, was burning from the riots that followed, and their route to Garrison Forest took them past smoldering storefronts. “I remember very clearly as we returned from spring break, standing on the corner in West Baltimore to catch the bus and seeing tanks go by,” Greta said. “We were actually breaking curfew to ride the bus [to school.] We should not have been on the corner at 7 a.m.”

Writing the centennial book taught me that no two people remember the same event in exactly the same way. Several alumnae who were in the Upper School during the spring of 1968 recall conversations at school about Dr. King, the riots and older brothers waiting for their draft number to be called. Others I interviewed didn’t recall current events being discussed at school. Both Greta and Shelia were clear in recalling that they did not discuss the 1968 riots or Dr. King’s assassination at school.

27

When they entered the Upper School, Greta and Shelia both recall that “race, poverty and urban life and culture were topics of conversations, especially in Mr. Elliott’s and Mr. Duffy’s classes,” Greta said. It was at GFS, she added, that she was introduced to Black writers and artists in the Black literature elective and other courses. (And it’s worth noting that when I first interviewed Greta and Shelia, neither recalled hearing much at all about the school moving or merging when they were students.)

“Those experiences have served me well throughout my life, as I learned to be courageous and resilient, no matter what life gives you. I will always be appreciative of my GFS experience and the barriers I helped chip away.”

Cover of the book, “A Century of Spirit: Garrison Forest School 1910-2010,” also by the author

Shelia Love ’74

During the centennial, Greta and Shelia gave a riveting talk to the Upper School about their pioneering role in the school’s history.

During the question-and-answer session, the Class of 2010 discovered that neither woman had a Garrison Forest school ring. Following the talk, the seniors excitedly measured Greta and Shelia’s ring size, and pitched in nearly $1,000 to purchase two rings, which they gave to the women a few weeks later.

“I had an excellent education at Garrison Forest, and I will never regret that I went there,” Greta said, flashing her ring on the Zoom call. “It helped me to see that the individual perspective is way more important than the group think, which is only expressed by the loudest voice.”

During our recent chat, which occurred a decade since we first spoke, Greta reflected on the pioneering role she and Shelia played in the school’s history. “Our being there was a

contribution, but I didn’t see it as anything special at the time,” she said. “I guess had we not been in that environment, some of those girls would have lived their entire lives with one image of who Black people are. Knowing that [our being there] makes other girls [of color] feel a part of this, that’s wonderful.”

Shelia shared her thoughts via email in August 2020, writing “Over these past few months, I have had the opportunity to share the experiences of getting to school during the riots on public transportation, watching tanks roll down Park Heights Avenue and traversing two different worlds during racial unrest on a daily basis. Fun times for a 12-year-old!”

She added, “Those experiences have served me well throughout my life, as I learned to be courageous and resilient, no matter what life gives you. I will always be appreciative of my GFS experience and the barriers I helped chip away.”

M

~~~

uch like the women who fought for the right to vote, did Greta, Shelia or Relie realize, at the time, that what they were doing was incredibly significant? Did they understand the impact they would have on the future and history of Garrison Forest?

The thousands of women, their “Votes for Women” sashes proudly displayed as they marched down Pennsylvania Avenue or Pratt Street (or through town squares across hundreds of small towns across the U.S.) probably didn’t think of themselves as trailblazers who would change the course of history. They knew only one thing: to press on, ever forward, toward their goal.

Emboldened. Courageous. All the while, being and never seeming.

Sarah Achenbach, author of A Century of Spirit: Garrison Forest School 1910-2010 and co-author of Spirit of Place: Baltimore’s Favorite Spaces, is a freelance writer. From 1992 to 1997, she worked in the Garrison Forest Development Office, and from 2009 until 2017, she was director of communications for the school.

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

28 FACULTY x xx

Faculty at the Forest IN A YEAR that brought so many changes and challenges to the day-to-day of school life, our teachers

and staff, as always, uphold the GFS standards of excellence. From supporting online learning to keeping our campus safe and sanitized, they truly exemplify the care that this community has for one another.

Kusum Mistry

20-YEAR SERVICE PIN Each year since 1992, Garrison Forest School has honored faculty and staff who reach 20 years of service to the school, a recognition of remarkable loyalty and commitment.

Kusum Mistry

Senior Daycare Staff

Kusum Mistry is affectionately known as “Ms. Kay” by many of the daycare children when they first learn to speak. Ms. Kay is known for her huge heart, with one colleague noting that she is the person who will return any insect found in the daycare safely back to its habitat outside. A reliable person who is always available when needed, she is dearly loved in the daycare. She loves teachable moments, as she is a true teacher of our youngest children as they reach important milestones. Ms. Kay is gentle, wise, caring, amazingly patient and often referred to as “a baby whisperer” by her colleagues for her ability to calm and put the little ones to sleep with such ease.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

Andrea Perry

Bryna Stoute

Andrea Perry

Bryna Stoute

In all of her work, Andrea seeks to help all girls build their confidence and find their voice. Her list of accomplishments is long and impressive: As director of the James Center, she developed Women in Science and Engineering, one of the center’s and the school’s flagship programs. Andrea leveraged her knowledge and relationships with Johns Hopkins University to build a successful program that, in its 15 years, has allowed over 250 girls to gain important lab and practical experience.

She also helped the school get a grant to bring public health to Garrison Forest School, leading to the creation of the public health elective. She is a long-time adviser in the Upper School and is a member of the Academic Council. Andrea is a respected colleague, someone who is known to provide good counsel in tough situations and a beloved mentor to many students.

Since joining our community in September of 2000, Bryna has become a highly valued member of the Preschool team. A true lifelong learner, Bryna is always finding new information and ways to incorporate new ideas into her classroom. Bryna is known for being creative and organized, as well as for her skill in creating schedules and templates to accomplish her personal goals and those of the Preschool. Just one example of Bryna’s contribution to GFS was her instrumental role in developing and implementing a school-wide Multicultural Resource Fair.

In addition to thoughtfully organizing the Preschool component, Bryna was available to parents, helping answer questions and pointing them to material that would be most appropriate and helpful in their homes. Bryna values and creates a welcoming, professional and artistic classroom atmosphere for students and parents through all she does.

Director of the James Center and Dean of Special Programs

Preschool Teacher

FACULTY 29

“As a community member, Amy’s commitment to her colleagues is unparalleled, and she is valued by all those who work with her.”

Amy Welling

2020 DISTINGUISHED TEACHER AWARD The Distinguished Teacher Award was established by Elinor Purves McLennan ’56 and Courtney McLennan Myhrum ’79 in 1980 to recognize excellence in teaching at Garrison Forest.

Amy Welling

Second Grade Teacher

In 16 years at Garrison Forest School, Amy Welling has built a reputation as a “tenaciously conscientious” teacher and a valued colleague. As a teacher, Amy consistently places the well-being and the best interest of the students at the forefront of her instructional planning and classroom management. She creates a calm and reassuring classroom and a safe and supportive learning environment where her students can thrive. Her students are readily engaged in carefully constructed lessons that support and provide enrichment and higher-level thinking. She seeks out best practices — new and innovative ideas to deliver content and optimize student engagement. She also advocates for and is committed to cross-curricular learning. Amy communicates frequently with families, and her gentle, compassionate approach establishes a strong parent-teacher partnership.

Over the last 10 years Amy has planned, organized and implemented a Lower School service project that provides hundreds of lunches to Our Daily Bread. She was also a member of the 2017 Head of School Search Committee and is the incoming faculty chair for The Fund for Garrison Forest.

As a community member, Amy’s commitment to her colleagues is unparalleled, and she is valued by all those who work with her in the Lower School and throughout campus.

2020 IRVIN D. MCGREGOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD For 12 years, the Irvin D. McGregor Distinguished Service Award has honored a staff member who has shown an extraordinary level of dedication, commitment and excellence in service to Garrison Forest.

Mike Kelly Campus Safety Officer

“Mr. Mike,” as he is affectionately known by our students, is well known and very much adored by faculty, staff, students, on-campus

residents and parents alike. He greets everyone in the GFS community with a gentle smile and a calm, cool and collected demeanor, and is always willing to lend a helping hand. In the words of his supervisor, “Mike has never turned down a request to help. He will stay late or come in early and often goes above and beyond his assigned duties to ensure the safety and security of our community.”

An example of Mike’s true dedication to the community: Last winter, when a boiler issue caused a disruption in Manor House, Mike took it upon himself to wake up every few hours overnight for several days (which were his days off ) to check the boiler so the staff in Manor House did not walk into a freezing cold building in the morning.

This was not an assignment, but simply his instinct and nature to take care of our campus and help his colleagues. There are many more selfless acts that are clear examples of Mike’s true authentic self, his GFS spirit, compassion for all and joy for our community.

Mike Kelly

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

$4,763,496 raised overall for capital, endowment and operating support.

2019-2020

OVERALL

1,346,201

$

1,300+ GENEROUS DONORS ALUMNAE GIVING

by Spirit Team

80%

100%

100%

OF ALUMNAE

OF PARENTS

OF FACULTY & STAFF

OF TRUSTEES

DARK BLUE

M ars hall- O ffu t t C irc le

members of the Garrison Forest community have shared their intention to remember the school through estate gifts.

25%

52% 48%

More than

230 M O

2,594

$

raised per student

LIGHT BLUE

244

TRUE BLUE SOCIETY

alumnae have supported the school for 10 or more consecutive years.

Thank You!

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

raised for The Fund for Garrison Forest.

7% of the operating budget comes from The Fund.

SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR THE OPERATIONG BUDGET The Fund for Garrison Forest Tuition & Fees

7%

73%

109

Endowment

8% Auxilary

9% Other

3%

have supported GFS for 30 or more consecutive years.

PLEASE SUPPORT GARRISON FOREST THIS YEAR! Give or pledge online at gfs.org/give. Sign up for monthly installments.

A Shriver Society gift of $1,000 over 12 months is about $84/month.

Go to gfs.org/reportongiving to read the 2019-20 Report on Giving (password: thankyou).

S PIR IT O F G I VI N x xG x

OUR GREATEST ASSET:

31

OUR VOLUNTEERS

Every day, we are so grateful for the time and energy of our many amazing volunteers! From working phone-a-thons to managing athletic tailgates, or planning class celebrations to greeting prospective families, our dedicated volunteers are the backbone of our community.

Opportunities for families to become involved at GFS are varied and plentiful and found within every facet of community life.

Visit gfs.org/waystovolunteer to see a full list.

• Parent Association Volunteer • Admission Ambassador • Division Representative / Grade Team

• Grade Fund Agents for The Fund for Garrison Forest • Host Family for a Boarding Student • Community Life and Inclusion Volunteer

“ALTHOUGH THE END of year has been challenging for all of us, the last 15 years we have been a part of the Garrison family has been quite meaningful. We leave with pride in the way Garrison has not only educated our daughters, but thankful for the way Garrison has taught them the core values of being authentic, brave, compassionate, curious and spirited. Whether it has been going on a camping trip, feeding the chickens, performing in plays, participating in athletics, volunteering through the Jenkins fellowship or developing life skills, Garrison has taught our daughters well.”

“MY DAUGHTER, Sarah, started in Preschool in 1998.

22 years and 11 square dances later, our status as parents of students will end. … We’ve had a great run at GFS. My wife [alumna Susan Obrecht Riehl ‘79] was a board member for eight years, and I coached Lower School basketball. I encourage all parents to get involved in some aspect of school life. There are many volunteer opportunities, all of which are fulfilling in some way.”

MAURY GARTEN Parent of Leanne ’18 and Danielle ’20 Senior Parent Volunteer

“OUR CONNECTION with Garrison Forest School has spanned more than four decades. It has — and continues to be — a rewarding experience. When we think of our experiences, the two that continue to resonate with us are involvement and commitment. Involvement is critical because it connects one to not only the school, but more importantly to the day-to-day academic operations that impact your daughter’s future success. We’ve remained committed over the years because we believed in Garrison’s mission. Now, we see Dominique securing that same quality education that was the hallmark of Stacy’s academic experience and success as a GFS ‘lifer.’ Our experiences and involvement at GFS have been both positive — and memorable.”

JOHN RIEHL Parent of Sarah ’14 and Emily ’20 Senior Parent Volunteer Emily

DR. AVON GARRETT AND MRS. JEANETTE GARRETT Grandparent Volunteers and Former Trustee (Avon) Parents of Stacy Garrett-Ray ’92 and Grandparents of Dominique ’25

Avon with Stacy (left) and Dominique

Danielle’s first day at GFS

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

32 SPIR I T O F G I VI N G

Polo Celebrates 40 Years and New Updates On a festive day in October, we celebrated the 40th year anniversary of the GFS Polo program. The Sheridan Polo Arena buzzed with activity all day, featuring United States Polo Association (USPA) competition and spirited matches with Polo alumnae and students currently in the program. We also celebrated and honored Dan and Julie Fisher Colhoun ’51 and Cindy Halle, who continue to be great supporters and champions of the program. Thank you to co-chairs Melissa Chiasera and Sara Gompf-Orthwein ’95 for your work in planning this special event!

From left, Erika Daneman Slater ’88, Julie Fisher Colhoun ‘51, Dan Colhoun, Sarah Crosby Schweizer ‘84 and Juliana Keyser Harris.

Alumnae gathered with coach Cindy Halle (top row, second from left) to play a few chukkers at the celebration.

Current GFS Polo students were on hand for the celebration as well.

GFS Director of Polo Jenny Schwartz ’11 (left) and USPA Eastern Circuit Governor Joe Muldoon (husband of Ashley Hetzel Muldoon ‘90) present gifts to retired GFS Polo coach Cindy Halle, who led the program for 21 years.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

Chris Hughes with Polo 40th Anniversary co-chairs Melissa Chiasera and Sara Gompf-Orthwein ‘95.

ARENA IMPROVEMENTS Progress was made on a standing “wish list” of updates and improvements in the Sheridan Polo Arena this year! Work began in the spring of 2019 with a small but significant addition — ventilation was added to the roof. Increased airflow allowed for a much cooler summer experience and a warmer winter indoors.

Since then, enhancements have included raising the boards around the entire arena by almost two feet, replacing benches with a new and improved seating area, adding a standing platform for spectators, replacing existing light fixtures with LED fixtures and redoing the scoreboard area.

Thank you to the generous donors who allowed these important updates and upgrades to happen, and stay tuned for future improvements!

S PIR IT O F G I VI N G

33

A Perfect Day to Play The 2019 Garrison Forest Golf and Tennis Classic took place on a beautiful day in early October.

We were proud to welcome 96 golfers and 17 tennis players to the Green Spring Valley Hunt Club!

The morning kicked off with spirited tennis matches, followed by lunch, golf and a post-event happy hour. A big GFS thank you to co-chairs Sana Naylor Brooks ‘85, Blair Price Iodice ‘83 (parent of Meredith ‘19) and Chad Meyer (parent of Ellie ‘21).

THANK YOU to all of our 2019 Golf and Tennis Classic sponsors: Happy Hour Sponsor • Charles P. Merrick, III Head’s Cart Sponsor • RCM&D Longest Drive - Women Sponsor • Andy and Sana Naylor Brooks ‘85 Longest Drive - Men Sponsor • Tufton Capital Management, LLC Drinks on the Links Sponsor • M&T Bank Putting Green Sponsor • Miles & Stockbridge, P.C.

Chris Hughes with event co-chairs, from left, Chad Meyer, Sana Naylor Brooks ‘85 and Blair Price Iodice ‘83

Driving Range Sponsor • Hirtle Callaghan & Co. Grizzly Sponsors • Dex Imaging • Hirtle Callaghan & Co. • Hord Coplan Macht • Profile by Sanford Health Court Sponsor • Blair Price Iodice ’83 Ragged Robin Sponsor • Perdue Farms, Inc. Corporate Sponsors • Carpet Works • Deerfield, Inc. • Douglas Electric and Lighting • E&F Contracting, Inc. • Fireline Corporation • Flo-Tron Contracting, Inc. • Maryland Capital Management • RSM US LLP • Ryleigh’s Oyster • Strategic Factory • UNITS Portable Storage of Baltimore In-Kind Sponsors • Flowers & Fancies • SR&B • Sir Speedy Printing • Signs By Tomorrow

Tennis proved to be a popular addition to this annual outing.

Save the date:

Our 2020 Golf and Tennis Classic will be moved to spring 2021. Save the date for Monday, April 26, 2021.

More info to come!

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

34 SPIR I T O F G I VI N G

Leadership at the Forest EACH YEAR, WE CELEBRATE THE MEMBERS of our community who exhibit leadership, compassion and true dedication to Garrison Forest. Join us in congratulating the 2019 leadership award winners, welcoming our new Board of Trustee members and thanking departing members for their service.

2019 H. BRIAN DEADY AWARD

2019 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD

Debbie Marshall

Kimberly Hubbard Cashman ‘85

Established in 2001 in memory of Brian Deady, who served as a devoted volunteer to the school for over a decade, this award honors the parent volunteer who best exemplifies Brian’s extraordinary enthusiasm and commitment to GFS. Since returning to Baltimore and GFS after a career in broadcast news with ABC in New York, Debbie has been a true leader in the parent community. Mom to Isabella ’15 and Annie ’24, she is known for helping out whenever and wherever is needed.

She has served as vice president — then president — of the Parent Association, division representative for the Upper School, grade parent and post-prom planning volunteer during Isabella’s time in the Upper School. Last year, she served as the division representative for the Middle School and on the GFS Board of Trustees’ Enrollment and Marketing Committee. As a parent ambassador for the Admission Office, she has given countless tours and connected with many parents to offer support and guidance as they make the important decision about applying to or attending Garrison Forest School.

A GFS board member since 2013, where she has served on the Trusteeship and Enrollment and Marketing Committees, Kimberly has been active in many aspects of the GFS community. As an alumna and mom to Hadley ’19 and Amanda ’24, she served as Sixth and Seventh Grade class parent and is the GFS representative for the Samuel Ready Scholarships. Kimberly is a frequent host for her class reunions, as well as her daughters’ class parties. In addition, Kimberly chaired the Upper School Improvement Task Force and was a member of the 2015 Strategic Planning Committee and the 2017 Head of School Search Committee.

Kimberly attended the University of Vermont after graduating from GFS and later earned a master’s degree in information technology from Johns Hopkins. Prior to returning to Maryland from San Francisco, Kimberly worked in technical support for Advent Software as a web designer. From 2007 until 2016, Kimberly served on the board of the Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust, acting as co-chair of their Trusteeship Committee.

Chris Hughes with Debbie Marshall, left, recipient of the 2019 H. Brian Deady Award, and Kimberly Hubbard Cashman ’85, recipient of the 2019 Distinguished Alumna Award, at the Leadership Recognition Dinner.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

S PIR IT O F G I VI N G

DEPARTING TRUSTEES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2020-21

Thank you to the following Trustees for their service to Garrison Forest School:

OFFICERS OF THE BOARD

Timothy “Tim” W. Hathaway, parent of Quinn ‘26

Anna Waters Gavin ’00, Alumnae Board President

August J. Chiasera, President

Jianguang Zhao, parent of Jenny ‘20

Stacy A. Korzenewski, parent of Kelly ’20 and Ava ’22, Parent Association President

Amabel Boyce James ’70, Treasurer

NEW TRUSTEES

Mary “Meg” Hogans Utterback ’81 Meg graduated from McGill University, where she majored in political science and minored in East Asian studies. She then studied law at the China Renmin University (in Beijing) for two years, and subsequently graduated with her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law. Currently, Meg represents Chinese and multinational companies in cross-border disputes, United States litigation, international arbitration and regulatory investigations as a disputes and compliance partner with King and Wood Mallesons (KWM), a global law firm headquartered in Asia. Meg splits her time between New York and Shanghai. Before being assigned to the New York office of KWM, Meg was resident full-time in Shanghai for 14 years and then based in London for the year before returning to the U.S. to head the U.S. KWM disputes and compliance practice. Meg joined KWM over 10 years ago, and while in Shanghai was on the Shanghai office management committee and was also a member of the China firm’s executive committee. Meg currently serves on the Council for the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center and is a member of the Appointments Committee. She also serves as a China ambassador for the International Chamber of Commerce Belt and Road Commission.

Meg is bilingual in Chinese and English. She has served for many years on the Board of Directors of Concordia International School Shanghai.

Anne M. Deady ’01 Alumnae Board President In addition to her five years of service as an Alumnae Board Member, Anne has been a steadfast volunteer in alumnae engagement as a Class Fund Agent, Class News Agent and Reunion Chair. A graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Maryland School of Law, she has a private practice specializing in criminal defense, family law and estate planning and litigation. Anne is an active volunteer in the legal community. She is a past chair of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Committee of the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) and is a graduate of the MSBA Leadership Academy.

35

Katherine “Katie” Willett Santarelli ’95 Parent Association President and Parent of Augusta ’25 and Grace ’29 Katie has been a key leader in supporting parent engagement, fundraising and admissions efforts throughout the community. Katie serves as a member of the Building and Grounds Committee to the Board of Trustees. She recently became President of Wye River Insurance. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Katie was a co-captain of the championship 1994 GFS Field Hockey team that was inducted into the Hall of Excellence. She is a member of Urban Land Institute and CREWBaltimore, a commercial real estate networking group.

Helen Zinreich Shafer ’93, Vice President Emily Gardner Baratta ’88, Secretary BOARD OF TRUSTEES Crystal Lee Alston ’96 Patricia G. Autrey ’98 W. Bradley Bennett Cassandra Naylor Brooks ’85 Kimberly Hubbard Cashman ’85 Diana Warfield Daly ’74 David M. DiPietro Gretta Gordy Gardner ’86 Stacy Garrett-Ray ’92 Elisabeth Owen Hayes ’81 Sarah LeBrun Ingram ’84 Catherine Y. Jackson ’83 Elizabeth R. Kokinis Peter J. Korzenewski Jennifer E. Lawrence ’85 Lila Boyce Lohr ’63 Kristopher A. Mallahan Peter D. Maller Robyne O. McCullough ’07 Catherine Schroeder O’Neill ’93 W. Brooks Paternotte Christina N. Riepe ’91 George J. Sakellaris Elizabeth B. Searle ’74 Elizabeth B. Warfield ’73 Mary Hogans Utterback ’81 William L. Yerman EX-OFFICIO James M. Beam Anne M. Deady ’01 Deanna L. Gamber ’85 Christopher A. Hughes Ashley East Rogers ’97 Katherine Willett Santarelli ’95 TRUSTEES EMERITI Frank A. Bonsal, Jr. Robert S. Brennen Molly Mundy Hathaway ’61 Henry H. Hopkins Elinor Purves McLennan ’56 Francis G. Riggs Clare H. Springs ’62 Frederick W. Whitridge Katherine R. Williams

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

36 SPIRI T O F G I VI NG

M O

Marshall-O ffutt Circ le

CONTRIBUTING TO

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL FROM A TRADITIONAL IRA: 1. If you are 70½ or older, you can direct the required minimum distribution to GFS; 2. N ame Garrison Forest School as the beneficiary of the IRA. Unless otherwise requested by the donor, estate gifts are directed to the endowment where the funds will exist in perpetuity to support Garrison Forest.

The Marshall-Offutt Circle is Garrison Forest’s legacy society for those who have named the school in his or her estate plan. We deeply appreciate the 230-plus people who have informed GFS of their planned giving intentions. If you have named GFS in your will, retirement plan, trust, etc., please let us know so we may include you in the Circle and invite you to donor events and more.

We recommend you seek professional advice before drawing up your will. The following is an option to share with your estate planner: I give and devise to Garrison Forest School, located in Owings Mills, MD, the sum of $____ (or percentage of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, both real and personal) to be used for its general support.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

Hyatt Young '42

Betty Young ’40

EMBODYING THE GFS SPIRIT: THE YOUNG SISTERS Inseparable sisters Hyatt Young ’42 and Betty Young ’40 were beloved by many members of the GFS community. When Betty, a former GFS teacher, passed away in 2014, she left a $3.5 million trust for scholarship support at Garrison Forest School and, having set up her estate similarly, Hyatt left the majority of her estate for the same purpose when she died in September 2019. Hyatt’s bequest is projected to be the largest the school has received from an individual to date. Combined, the revenue from the sisters’ trusts will provide significant financial assistance for approximately 20 students annually.

Appreciation and fond memories for both sisters extends through decades of GFS alumnae. Liz Reese Boozer ’02, an attorney who worked with both Betty and Hyatt on their estates, fondly remembers her interactions with Hyatt: “There was an instant connection between us because of Garrison. I enjoyed hearing her share stories about working in what was obviously a very different time for women, and she seemed to enjoy hearing about what I was up to as a more recent Garrison graduate. Hyatt’s gift is part of an amazing legacy from someone who clearly embodied the Garrison spirit.”

Betty and Hyatt’s niece, Peggy Chambliss ’64, enjoyed a close relationship with her aunts. They kept the Young family traditions and stories alive, including one begun by the sisters’ father — giving silver dollars to New Year’s Day guests to ensure a successful year. When they could no longer find silver dollars, Betty and Hyatt gifted Susan B. Anthony coins.

The more business-minded of the sisters, Hyatt spent her career in accounting for architecture firm Nes Campbell & Partners Architecture. Both sisters were known for their prudent sensibilities as well as their willingness to help friends and family in need.

A longtime friend and former student of Betty’s, Sandra Stewart Naylor ’54 described them as simply “plain, ordinary fun.”

Through their dedication and foresight, the Young sisters have left a legacy that will support GFS students for generations to come. We are deeply honored by their commitment to Garrison Forest.

122

FROM THE ARC HI VES

FROM THE ARCHIVES:

The GFS Pond

By Dante Beretta, Ph.D., School Archivist, Upper and Middle School Latin

Situated across from

Robinswood and Lohr Hall, the pond, which is officially named “Moore’s Landing,” silently celebrated its 45th birthday as a named space on campus this year.

By the fall of 1974, construction was finally complete for the three newest buildings on campus: Marshall-Offutt Upper School, F.E. White Middle School and Garland Theater.

As part of that major construction project, a “farm pond” was created to handle increased runoff.

In 1975 that

pond received the name “Moore’s Landing” as the result of a student raffle. Winners Marjorie Wharton ’75 and Carol Wright ’77 named it for Charles Moore, husband of Tibs Shriver Moore ’19, who gave 17 Mallard ducks. Geese soon followed.

The Class of 1976 was the first and only class to attempt holding Commencement by the pond.

While President of the Board Frederick Whitridge was delivering opening remarks, the heavens opened. Randie Mulholland Benedict ’76 remembers him telling the nearly-graduated Seniors, “Girls, grab your chairs and run like hell to the theater.” The soggy proceedings then resumed inside where they had left off.

Head of Housekeeping

since 1949, Irene Jackson was the “Goose Whisperer” until her retirement in 1989. Not only did she feed the ducks and geese that made Moore’s Landing their fair-weather home, she was the featherless biped who nurtured them and championed their place as full citizens of the Forest. So comfortable were the birds with their human guardian that they would occasionally come to her Robinswood window and vociferously pester if she was late with their breakfast. They also recognized her car as it approached, tangling traffic on the road through campus.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

F R O M T H E ARCH IV ES

123

On the rare occasions when Miss Jackson left

campus for any length of time, she typically delegated her responsibilities to friend, colleague and fellow animal-lover Clinton Arrowood. In her absence, he would dutifully watch over her avian charges in loco parentis.

In 1987, the Moore’s Landing featured prominently as the frontispiece of the Ragged Robin yearbook.

Construction of new

Not everyone was

Students from all divisions continue to use Moore’s

Landing to expand their study of art, science and literature.

Third Graders drew leaves as part of a nature notebook; Fifth Graders engaged in an interdisciplinary project based a book they had read, sketching and journaling by the pond as Lower School Librarian Missy Wells, Parent of Frances Wells ’13 and Sandy Wells ’15, read to them. Art teacher Korey Rosenbaum and science teacher Tracey Brocato guided them to make connections between the book and our pond from the perspective of their respective disciplines.

THE GFS POND

delighted by the avian flocks around the pond.

Traffic blockages, guano deposits, noise and aggressive beak behavior finally made the fowl personae non gratae. In 1991, the birds were transferred, with some human squawking, to more suitable habitations. As a beautiful and central feature of campus, Moore’s Landing continued to offer a venue for festive activities and solid learning.

facilities from the late 1990s through 2007 shifted the center of campus away from the side of campus where Moore’s Landing resides.

Nevertheless, interest in this singular feature has not diminished. A favorite photo subject for the Middle School minimester course “Garrison Geographic,” the pond shows off its scenic qualities post-snowfall in January 2009.

In 2015, Service League

sponsored “Paddling on the Pond” as a fundraiser in honor of former Fifth Grade teacher Ellen Dierkes. Teams of Upper School faculty battled the waves in inner tubes to support cancer research in memory of Ms. Dierkes.

Paddling on the Pond was a huge success that brought out the best of GFS spirit.

In addition, Sixth Grade science students joined Jim Beam’s Upper School Engineering and Design class during a project to test water and soil samples, led by alumna Christine Knauss ’09 and her Ph.D. mentor. Mr. Beam’s Upper School class worked to make recommendations to improve the pond’s health and to ensure that Moore’s Landing will remain a memorable landmark and inspiring classroom for future generations of Garrison Forest students.

2020 GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL

124 WORDS WE LIVE BY: ESSE QUAM VIDERI

My GFS Journey

By Josephine “Josie” Tidmore ’20 March 2020

I can vividly recall the morning of my arrival to Garrison Forest School as a freshman. At 14, I sat low in the passenger seat of my father’s car. I was nervous, sitting quietly as we drove down Garrison Forest Road. But as we passed through the gates, the entrance defined by an arch of trees, I was flooded with a sense of peace.

Verdant branches seemed to sway in harmony, as sunlight poured through the leaves, welcoming me to what would soon become my home.

Ever since that day, as I walk from my dorm to school each morning, I am reminded of not only Garrison’s sylvan environment, but of what this forest represents. The support I receive from the Garrison community — from my teachers, peers and residential life faculty — has been instrumental in my growth as both a student and as an individual. Like the protective canopy of a forest, this community provides a warm environment in which I can sprout into who I am and who I hope to be.

Inextricably infused in this network of support is what can only be described as the GFS spirit. This spirit spreads throughout our campus and community, nurturing the inherent curiosity and passion that resides within each student and providing an environment in which to cultivate these interests with confidence. In such an environment of compassion and support, I feel equipped to extend my branches and explore my interests through the opportunities Garrison provides. In the classroom, I am encouraged to challenge myself in new and exciting ways, which has inspired me to apply my skills beyond the Garrison campus.

One of Garrison’s Core Values is “Be Compassionate,” which I see not only in my daily interactions on campus, but also in the school’s commitment to service in the broader community through service opportunities like the Jenkins Fellowship, a funded community service grant program. In my Jenkins Fellowship, I was able to take the skills I built in my language classes abroad to Costa Rica to teach English in a home for children. My sojourn into a lab in the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program, an opportunity to perform research under a mentor at Johns Hopkins University, introduced me not only to a new passion for research, but also to the collaborative environment of the lab, in which members from diverse backgrounds are united by a common purpose.

I find similar encounters at Garrison, which is home to students from around the world. I have practiced my Spanish with students from Mexico and tried hot pot with my friends from China. While our community is diverse in background, interest and talent, we are equally united because of our common love and respect for this school and for each other.

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL 2020

Josephine “Josie” Tidmore ’20

Now, I am in the driver’s seat. No matter my future destination, I am prepared to face each experience with the confidence I built at Garrison.

Josephine “Josie” Tidmore ’20, lives in Valdosta, Georgia, and has been a GFS boarder since Ninth Grade, last year becoming one of the inaugural residents of the newly opened Lohr Hall. She served as president of the school for the 2019-20 school year and was a co-captain of the IAAM Conference-winning tennis team. The daughter of Jennifer Lawrence ’85, Josie is a Legacy Scholar. While at GFS, she completed a Jenkins Community Service Fellowship in Costa Rica, researched kidney sensory receptors in the WISE program, served on the Residential Life Orientation Team and as a Head Grizzly Tour Guide. She also organized annual “Water Run” events to benefit the Oxalosis & Hyperoxaluria Foundation (OHF), an organization dedicated to finding a cure for a rare form of kidney-liver disease. Josie will attend Bowdoin College in the fall.