Seventh Grader Miles Orr leads a pack of runners, with Sixth Grader Henrik Harland close behind, at the Cross Country Regional Championship Meet at Shelby Farms in October.
About the Cover
GSLhadearnedsevenchampionshiptitlesthisyear—withthe springsportsseasonstillunderway!—asthisissuewenttopress. Fiveofthosetitleswereearnedby7th/8thgradeteams.Asaway tohonortheseachievements,weselectedaneighthgradeteam member from each squad to pose for our first-ever “sports cover” photoinfrontofthebrandnewAnchorCentertrophycase.Front row,BeklinJohnson(basketball),andEleanorFore(soccer);back row:MatheoIbled(basketball),McKenzieDentley(volleyball),and HayesSmith(tennis);photobyJeffWhite
Ben Barksdale, President
Natalie Davis, Vice-President
Katrina Sanford, Secretary
Head of School
Dr. Andy Surber
Editor
Brenda Berry
Managing Editor
Marci Woodmansee
Contributors & Photographers
Mackay Lee
Kate Shelton
Jeff White
The Anchor is a biannual publication of Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School. Articles are published at the discretion of the school. Comments and questions should be directed to Marci Woodmansee, Managing Editor and Director of Communications, at mwoodmansee@gslschool.org.
Jackie Butts, Assistant Secretary
Simon Wadsworth, Treasurer
Lauren Taylor, Assistant Treasurer
Kathleen Behnke
Jennifer Hagerman
Allison King
Simone Meeks
Andy Nix
Zach Pretzer
Paula Sappington
Staci Somerville
Teresa Sweeney
Kate Williamson
Andy Surber, Head of School
The Reverend Ollie V. Rencher, Rector
The Right Reverend Phoebe Roaf, Bishop, The Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee
Matt Sights, Senior Warden
Anna Blair, Parents’ Association President
Dr. Andy Surber
Dear Families,
We can point to so many things that shape the student experience at GSL—our small class sizes, caring community, relationships between families, academics, the arts, school spirit—and last, but certainly not least, athletics! Our physical education program and sports teams offer valuable life lessons that extend far beyond the field or court. Through competition, students develop essential skills that prepare them for success in school and in life, while also building a deep sense of pride in our GSL Saints community.
In this issue of The Anchor, we are happy to put a spotlight on what we are accomplishing through sports at GSL. At the time of this writing, GSL teams had earned SEVEN league championship titles this year! We have fielded teams playing a variety of sports for more than 50 years now, from the small GSL basketball, cheer, and soccer teams of the late ’60s to the dozen sports we offer today. Most important, the lessons learned through athletics tie neatly into the character traits we work so hard to instill through our emphasis on the Formative Five.
One of the most significant lessons is teamwork, which fosters empathy—the ability to understand and support others. Team activities teach us that success is not achieved alone; success requires collaboration, trust, and a shared commitment to a common goal. Students learn to rely on their teammates, and by recognizing and valuing the contributions of others, they cultivate empathy both on and off the field.
Athletic activities also teach grit—the power of perseverance and self-discipline. Skills are not mastered overnight, and our students learn that consistent effort and a commitment to improvement lead to success. This mindset translates directly to academics and other pursuits, where persistence in the face of challenges is a key driver of achievement.
Another powerful lesson in athletics is learning self-control, particularly in the face of high-pressure situations. Whether responding to a tough call or staying focused during a crucial play, athletes develop the ability to regulate emotions and make thoughtful decisions. This discipline carries over into everyday life, helping students navigate academic challenges, social issues, and future professional endeavors with composure and maturity.
Athletics also instill integrity, teaching the importance of honesty, fairness, and sportsmanship. Rivalries in sports, like competition in life, should be built on mutual respect. Whether making the right call on the field or honoring commitments in other areas of schoolwork and play, integrity becomes a guiding principle.
Players also learn the importance of embracing diversity, because teams generally bring together individuals with different backgrounds, strengths, and perspectives. Learning to appreciate and respect the unique contributions of every teammate prepares students to thrive in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.
We are so proud of this year’s championship titles, but we are even prouder that through P.E. games and sports competitions, our students have the opportunity to grow into well-rounded, confident, and principled individuals. Whether in the gym or on the field, in the classroom or beyond, we help shape strong, resilient, and ethical leaders for the future—and that’s definitely something to cheer about!
Go, Saints!
Sincerely,
Andy Surber, Ed.D. Head of School
Ben Barksdale
Dear GSL Community,
Amongst other extracurricular activities offered at the school, sports participation is something we’ve long encouraged and embraced. As part of the GSL fan base, and from the perspective of a team member parent, I’ve always admired the incredible connection between students across divisions and grade levels in our athletics.
From a team and fan standpoint, student connections are no more pronounced than during the basketball season. Many families may already be familiar with our Fan 5 Game Nights the five most important home games of the season as voted upon by our Middle School students. While the atmosphere at Fan 5 matchups is always electric, to me what’s more impressive is the level of encouragement our students provide throughout the entire season.
Our first-ever Lower School Spirit Night, held during this past basketball season, speaks to this theme. That night was a huge success, with students and families from all grade levels showing up to support the players and one another. This included Preschool and Lower School students cheering on Middle School players, and some of our older students celebrating and guiding our youngest-ever cheerleaders!
This connection piece is evidenced elsewhere, too in the halftime half-court shots that empty the student section, in the end-of-game fan tunnels to congratulate our teams and, yes, sometimes even in storming the court!
Altogether, this is just one piece of what it means to be a part of GSL we are one large family, a very unique community. I extend sincere thanks to every GSL coach (many of whom are GSL alumni!) for the hours spent coaching and mentoring our children. As a parent, I’ve seen firsthand the effort they put in. They push our players to persevere, to show both sportsmanship and grit, and to be resilient, and these lessons go well beyond sports.
Thank you for allowing me to share this note. I continue to be grateful for the incredible support for GSL shown by the families and friends in this community! Go, Saints!
Sincerely,
Ben Barksdale President, Board of Trustees
PRESCHOOL
Pre-Kindergartner
Legend James gets excited about adding a new piece to his rolling Magna-Tile structure.
Little Lukers Larry Cunningham and Gray Connor hang on every word as Fourth Grader Lukas Proveaux shares a story with them on Read Across America Day.
Little Saints friends Harvey Cooper and Jackson Tuliszewski look happy about another fun day in the Bright Bees room at the Preschool!
Junior Kindergartner Charlotte Grace Lin and her Little Luker brother Colson don festive garb to celebrate the Year of the Snake for Chinese New Year.
Pre-Kindergartner Teddy Hughes does some digging in the Outdoor Classroom.
LOWER SCHOOL
Senior Kindergartners and Teachers Reem Rassoul and Jenna Bencini take a class photo to share the love with parents on Valentine’s Day.
Second
Having Celebration in the Anchor Gym is extra fun when SK-Sixth Grade Music Teacher Braden Jensen plays Happy Birthday and the GSL School Hymn on his accordion!
Third Graders Ivy Williams, Abigail Weeks, Maggie
and
East show off their research on Christmas in England during the annual Holidays Around the World presentation.
First Graders Marcus Gagliano, Sebastian Malone, Jack Bagwell, and Fionn Kilroy create some awesome hats to celebrate the 100th day of school.
Graders Arya Bhakta, Ari Cardenas-Hernandez, and Ivy Aleman get the giggles during Math Magic activities.
Maddox,
Mellie
Fourth Graders Layla Butts, Jack Sweeney Hannock, Elizabeth Snow, and Vivian Ives participate in GSL's "Unsung Heroes" all-school chapel celebrating Black History Month.
Fifth Graders Thomas Barksdale and Tate Hoffman enjoy some holiday party favors from the 5th/6th Grade Mix-ItUp Lunch before Christmas. Sixth Grade Life Skills students host this mixer once a trimester to promote inclusiveness and create opportunities for fifth and sixth graders to branch out and make new friends.
Sixth Graders George Sells, Jacob Montalvo, and Foster McKenna help show off the new trophy case that was installed in the Anchor Center in January.
Seventh Graders Ella Hulett, Vernon Fan, Virginia Irvine, and Lilly Obasuyi finish their print blocks project in art.
Eighth Graders Ellie Barksdale, Sam Shipley, Tehani Kuo, Eloise West, Zoë Johnson, Chandler Somerville, and Eleanor Fore get in the holiday spirit during basketball season.
Eighth Graders gather in the narthex to celebrate Tehani Kuo, Sam Shipley, and Weller Fontenot after their Chapel Talks, a capstone experience for our oldest students.
CAPSTONE INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE INSPIRES STUDENTS
Eighteen years in, and this outstanding program continues to create unforgettable real-world working experiences for our eighth grade students. We are so proud of what they accomplished this year during their three-day internships in February, and we extend our gratitude to all the businesses and organizations that sponsored these students. Here’s a sampling of where they worked!
McKenzie Dentley learned everything she could about the world of orthopedics during her internship with Dr. Tyler Cannon at OrthoSouth.
Meeting Memphis Grizzlies player Santi Aldama was just one of many highlights of Matheo Ibled’s internship with Grind City Media.
At Anna Lattimore Interior Design, Callie Sanders got to fulfill her creative side and learn how pattern, color, light, fabric, and more combine to make a comfortable and beautiful home.
Deklin Fundo shadowed Structural Engineer William Key and other employees during his internship at A2H planning and design firm.
Morgan Lambert helped care for children and learned what it takes to be a teacher during her stint at Horn Lake Elementary School.
Cullen Weeden’s internship focused solely on dogs at Kelsey Canine Medical Center, the first dogs-only vet clinic in the Greater Memphis area.
Will Hagerman worked with museum founder Richard Vining and learned the history of the American sports car during his stint at Edge Motor Museum.
of
and execution
Zoë Johnson learned the ins and outs
turn-key event management
during her stint at LEO Events.
Zachary Moore prepped ribs and learned some secrets of the restaurant business during his internship at Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous.
ACHIEVEMENT IN ATHLETICS
Lessons in sportsmanship and grit tie into mission and underscore championship titles
By Marci Woodmansee ’83, Director of Communications
Can we get a “Go, Saints!” on 3? 1, 2, 3: Go, SAINTS!
You hear this call a lot at GSL. It speaks to our abundant school spirit, it highlights our willingness to cheer each other on, and it derives from the type of chant coaches use in a sports huddle, right before they send a team out to compete on the court or on the field.
We sent our teams out onto the court and field this year and came home with seven championship titles (at the time of this writing) in four different sports, so we have had plenty to cheer about! And at GSL, sports are just one half of a robust athletics program that makes physical education accessible for every student, with a commitment to teaching good sportsmanship along with healthy fitness habits for a lifetime.
In this issue, we share a closer look at GSL’s athletics program with insights from the team members who bring it to life—Assistant Athletic Director Emily Merrell, Director of Athletics and Physical Education Rick Kohlhof, and Physical Education Teacher Debbie Callahan (pictured below).
PUMPED ABOUT P.E.
Walk into the Anchor Center any weekday morning, and you may wonder why you’re hearing the song “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang coming from inside the gym. It’s early in the morning for dancing… and yet, you can also hear the unmistakable sound of stomping feet.
Peek inside the gym and you’ve got your answer. On this day, it’s 44 exuberant second graders, evenly spaced out in neat rows across the wide floor, getting their bodies moving for a fun day in P.E. Coaches Kohlhof and Callahan, both veteran GSL faculty members, are front and center, leading jumping jacks, lunges, heel kicks, mountain climbers, squats, planks, burpees, and more. (It’s no wonder they’re so fit.) After about four minutes of exercises followed by a brief dance workout (or a tabata
routine, when it’s the older kids), students are warmed up and ready to go.
It’s a typical P.E. class at GSL, and the underlying goal is an important one: developing fitness habits that will last a lifetime.
GSL’s robust physical education program begins with Fun & Fitness in Preschool taught by Robert Ward, another veteran employee. As the founder of M-Town Image Dance Crew, he understands the power of getting kids moving. More formalized P.E. instruction begins in senior kindergarten and continues through eighth grade.
Coach Kohlhof is quick to note that P.E. is not designed as a feeder to the sports program; it’s all about including everyone in healthy habits, with the priority remaining a simple one: Get everybody (and every body) moving. And no matter what game is being played, sportsmanship is paramount. (It is, in fact, so important at GSL that the department bestows a Sportsmanship Award on an eighth grader every year at graduation.)
“We work on that a lot,” Kohlhof says. “Constantly, every period! How to handle yourself if you're losing, not taunting others if you win. You have to learn to win with class, and lose with grace. There’s also the teamwork aspect—everybody’s got to work with other people. Just like adults, kids have conflicts. We help them learn how to deal with that, because if you don’t … well, you’re going to have a hard time down the road!”
While group games and activities such as parachute play, mass basketball, beach volleyball, and dodgeball remain student favorites, P.E. is not always centered around a team activity. Individual or dual-player sports such as badminton, pickleball, and spike ball are also incorporated at least once a trimester.
“We’ve been playing pickleball since way before it got so popular,” Callahan says. “And we have the flexibility to bring in new things each year. Our students know not to ask for dodgeball every day, but when we do say, ‘We’re playing dodgeball today,’ they get very excited!”
Teaching certain lifetime fitness skills are a priority, she adds. “Like jump rope. Believe it or not, most of them have never done that, and it’s so important—one of the best exercises for coordination and fitness. Plus, it’s fun!”
Mike Boyer, a former Head of Middle School at GSL, used to share posters with inspirational quotes, and Callahan
Second Graders Archer Kilroy and Raphael Brunotte look forward to a day of parachute play in P.E. class.
selected one that is still displayed on her office window today. Highlighting what she believes P.E. can teach about persistence and grit, it reads: You’re not finished when you lose. You’re finished when you quit.
“That’s what we try to teach the kids. Don’t quit. You may not be the best, but you can do anything you want if you just practice and keep trying.”
SUCCESS IN SPORTS
Of the 12 team sports offered at GSL this year, soccer is the newest addition, joining the roster in 2017 (although ironically, it was one of the first sports played at GSL, from around 1970-79). Little Lukers Teacher and Soccer Coach Katie Fisackerly (née Longoria) had the feeling at the start of the season that this might be a really special year.
Fisackerly had players this year who had started at GSL as Little Lukers, so it felt like a full circle moment in her teaching and coaching career. She and veteran co-coach Tony Posner, a former development player for Manchester United in England, were delighted to end the season with a league title.
“We were just so happy we’d finally done it, like other sports at GSL,” she says. “The first GSL soccer championship—of the modern era!”
Add that win to the six other championship titles attained in 2024-25, and it’s easy to see why the GSL community gets excited about sports.
Students get their first opportunity to participate in Lower School sports through Grace-St. Luke’s Church athletics, which boasts enthusiastic parent coaches as well as legendary veterans like GSL alumni parent Bruce Williams, who has coached 3rd/4th grade church league basketball for 30+ years. By the time students reach Middle School, many of them are ready to take it to the next level.
Assistant Athletic Director Emily Merrell points to the nocut policy in Middle School as an important characteristic of the program: Students are encouraged to try out, try everything, and play multiple sports if they so desire.
“We give all Middle School students an opportunity to try out and a team to play on,” says Merrell, who also serves as the cheerleading advisor. “We have a high percentage here who are three-sport athletes. Middle School is likely the only time in life that they’ll get to participate in so many sports, and that’s pretty special.”
And whether or not a student chooses to play team sports at GSL during Middle School, school spirit is something that requires participation from everyone. Every student in Middle School is assigned to the red or white team when they enter fifth grade. Team challenges and pep rallies are held throughout the year to build school spirit.
Red and white team captains were selected for the first time this year as a new Middle School leadership position with responsibility for building school spirit. GSL also held its first-ever Lower School Spirit Night, to ensure younger students and their families had the chance to experience the gym’s energy—and the Dogpound student section— during a nighttime game at GSL.
“The Dogpound!” Merrell says with a smile. “It’s an animal in and of itself. That feeling of cheering for something together—it happens throughout the grades but accelerates in Middle School. We’ve amped that
up with our Fan 5 games, but it’s not just a basketball phenomenon. It’s not unusual in the fall for kids to finish a cross country meet at Shelby Farms and then head out to an away game at FACS to support the football players.”
Merrell sees GSL’s traditions as a major contributor to the spirit that feeds the sports program. That includes the eighth grade boys vs. girls volleyball match and student vs. faculty basketball game. Riding the Bullet to practices at Snowden Field. The howl towels, fan tunnels, and t-shirts, and Homecoming with its presentation, poster contest, and spirit awards. It’s the themed-dress games, the warmup music, and maybe most of all, the hope of one day receiving a sports awards at the 7th/8th Grade Athletic Banquet.
“I hear this all the time from other schools: ‘Y’all just have something here,’” Merrell says. “And look at all the high school and college students who participate in our Alumni Holiday Basketball game. Or Homecoming, when all the alumni players and fans crowd into the gym to sit behind our teams during their games. There’s something about sports that keeps people coming back.”
While it’s gratifying when traditions hold, and teams gel, and a school year ends with multiple championship titles on the board, Kohlhof remains mindful of the bigger picture.
“The ups and downs of a team during a season—how to be flexible and work with people and deal with adversity— those are the life lessons sports teach that they're going to need in the future. And here at GSL, no matter if it’s in athletics or academics or arts, kids are at an age of development where we can encourage them to try new things, to see if they like it and want to be part of it.
“And in my opinion,” he adds, “everyone wants to be part of something bigger than themselves.”
Whether as a player or a fan, every student has that chance at GSL.
The 7/8 Varsity Boys Basketball team coached by Logan Taylor ’95, Webster Cannon, and Andrew Sichting ’15 won the Shelby League Championship. From left, Zane Glassman ’25, Foster Gettys ’25, Cameron Gibbs ’26 (All-Tournament MVP), Will Hagerman ’25, Matheo Ibled ’25 (All-Tournament), Ronan Keough ’25, Parker Taylor ’25 (All-Tournament), Zachary Moore ’25, Weller Fontenot ’25, Miles Orr ’26, and Cullen Weeden ’25
GSL is fortunate to have a number of faculty members and alumni coaching Middle School sports every year. They share their thoughts on coaching below, and what they hope players learn from the experience of competing for GSL.
“The chance to connect with students through athletics is an invaluable way to teach them about sportsmanship, fitness, and teambuilding. We have a lot of fun at practices and in competition as we build relationships that persist long after students graduate. In cross country and track, where athletes are often competing individually, placing your toe on the starting line and waiting for the starter's pistol can be a scary moment. These athletes learn that they can face difficulty with confidence, knowing they’ve done all they can to prepare. Runners find many life lessons in the process of running—courage, stamina,
HISTORY OF SUCCESS
persistence, self-control, and personal strength are characteristics they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.”
Jeff White, Cross Country and Track Coach/Director of
Technology
“I love the spirit. Our games have such an incredible atmosphere driven by the energetic and packed student sections, even at away games!
I won’t lie and tell you playing in and winning a championship game at home isn’t awesome! Moments like that make lifelong memories for everyone in the gym. But learning to love those moments as much as the early morning Saturday workouts or late evening practices is the best thing to take away from the season. It’s the journey the team takes, experiences they have with each other, and learning to love the work they put in. That's what I consider the most important takeaway from any
season and player's career at GSL.”
Andrew Sichting ’15, 7/8 and 5/6 Boys Basketball Coach
“I coached volleyball for about 10 years when I first came to GSL in 2001 (with Jeremie Upshaw ’87), and recently I have coached cross country with Jeff. Coaching with colleagues to help kids learn real life skills of teamwork, perseverance, and healthy competition is a completely different type of teaching and bonding with colleagues. Everyone who works here should give it a try. Also, being able to see students both inside and outside of the classroom allows me to get a truly holistic view of our students as real life individuals, not just academic learners. Many of our students play multiple sports during any given season; we encourage and support that as a school. And I don't care what ESPN says: There are no losers in sports. As long as a player
Former Athletic Director Jim Lassandrello, P.E. Teacher Debbie Callahan, and former Athletic, Admissions, & Development Director Nick Scully catch up at the annual Faculty & Retiree Luncheon in February.
Athletics, Development, and Admissions. Scully was instrumental in the acquisition of Snowden Field in 1986, and returned to GSL to coach football in the mid-’90s. He consulted with the school in preparation for the 75th Anniversary in 2022 and served as Honorary Chair of the event.
Three people who have contributed to the excellence of the athletics program over much of the past 50 years remain involved in various ways with GSL to this day. Many of the lessons in competitiveness, and a long legacy of championship titles, began during the early tenures of Nick Scully, Jim Lassandrello, and Debbie Callahan at GSL. Alumni of the ’70s and ’80s still recall famed sports trips these coaches led to the Florida Panhandle over Christmas breaks, driving teams there in an earlier GSL Bullet. Championship banners bearing witness to their accomplishments still adorn the Saints Gym today.
Joining GSL in 1970, Nick Scully started as a social studies and P.E. teacher and became one of the school's beloved long-time teachers of U.S. and world history. During his 17-year tenure, he coached almost every sport at GSL at the junior high and high school level and served stints as Director of
Jim Lassandrello joined GSL in 1975 as a P.E. teacher, and in his 19 years at the school, coached football, baseball, track, and basketball, and served as Director of Athletics. Lassandrello Hall is named in his honor. He can still (occasionally!) be persuaded to substitute teach and is a regular attendee at GSL events.
Physical Education Teacher Debbie Callahan, GSL’s longest-tenured employee, joined the school with a master’s degree in physical education and still teaches P.E. today. During her long career here, she has also served as cheerleading advisor and coached basketball, volleyball, and softball.
can learn a new skill, try out a new strategy, face fears and defeats with courage and face successes with appreciation and humility, everyone wins. Because of the cross country team, I recently started running. They inspired me to do something that I thought might kill me! GSL athletes and coaches inspire each other to make goals and achieve things they never thought possible.”
Kimberly White, Cross Country Coach/ Middle School Dean of Students/ English & Latin Teacher
“My favorite thing about coaching at GSL is gaining a different perspective.
Sports were a significant highlight during my time as a student, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see it from the coach’s side of things. For the players, two takeaways are important to me. The first is that they learn and display good sportsmanship. The second is understanding their ability and where they currently are as a player. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to be the best, but it can also be hurtful to their game. I always tell my volleyball players to recognize where they are as a player, where they want to be, and find the sweet spot in the moment.”
Lily Davis ’15, Volleyball Coach/Senior Kindergarten Assistant Teacher
“What I love most about coaching sports—and playing sports at GSL when I was there—is the community. Whether all your [closest] friends are on your team or not, the players can come together and work as a team.”
Andrew Strickland ’23, Assistant Golf Coach
“Athletics are part of the very fabric of GSL. It was that way when I was a student here, and it remains a key component today. It’s about essential life skills— how to win with grace and how to experience defeat with dignity. These are traits that were shared with me as a student athlete here at GSL and ones that I hope to pass along
to my players. We have been really fortunate to have several winning seasons with our Middle School volleyball program, but that doesn’t come without challenges, sacrifices, and hard work. I hope our players remember, win or lose, that we play for each other and the pride of representing the GSL community. Our goal is to represent the values and mission of our school every single time we step on the court.”
Meg Stephenson Burress ’05, Volleyball Coach/Little Lukers Teacher
“My favorite thing about coaching tennis at GSL is seeing the sportsmanship and camaraderie on the court. Our boys and girls are very flexible about playing with different partners and always cheer each other on. It's especially awesome to see the eighth graders take on leadership and show the younger players how to be great sports and great players. I want our players to gain confidence, new friendships and love for a lifelong sport. I want them to know that they can be competitive while being friendly.”
Abigail Wright, Tennis Coach/First Grade Teacher
SPORTS STATS
7 7
2024-25 Titles
7/8 Boys Tennis
7/8 Volleyball
5/6 Volleyball
7/8 Girls Soccer
7/8 Boys Basketball
7/8 Girls Basketball
5/6 Girls (Gordon) Basketball
31 31 Championship Titles Listed on Saints Honors Boards in Anchor Gym (2010-2025)
“I love getting to know the kids I teach in novel ways outside the classroom. I also love getting to know kids I might never teach. It’s a great way to build community and have fun. I also love that many teams foster cross-grade level relationships that can lead to really strong friendships.”
Juan Roncal, Golf Coach & Assistant Football Coach/Middle School English Teacher/Assistant Head of Lower School
12 12
Sports Offered in 2024-25
Girls’ Soccer Volleyball Football Cross Country Tennis Cheerleading Golf Swimming Basketball Boys’ Soccer Track Baseball
39 39
Championship Title Banners in the Saints Gym (1975 to 2010)
Athletics Page, 1971 Banner Yearbook
LIFELONG IMPACT OF SK-8TH GRADE BUDDIES AT GSL
By Brenda Berry, Director of Advancement
“I have dreamed about being class president since I was in SK, when my eighth grade buddy, Frances Cates, was the president. I told myself I wanted to be just like her when I got older!”
It was August 30, 2024, and Middle School students were presenting their Student Council campaign speeches during Celebration Chapel. As Eighth Grader Ellie Barksdale approached the microphone to share her campaign speech for the role of class president, she remembers thinking about Frances Cates ’17, her eighth grade buddy and the 2016-17 school year class president.
“When I was running for president,” Ellie says, “Frances is who I was thinking of. She was so inspiring to me when I was in SK, and I wanted to be that same type of person for students younger than me.”
Ellie went on to win the bid for class president in 2024, a goal that was inspired nine years earlier thanks to her relationship formed with Frances through the SK-8th grade buddy program at GSL.
Upon learning about Ellie’s speech, which included a mention of how Frances inspired her years ago, Frances was honored and humbled. She also wasn’t surprised to learn that Ellie was the class president.
“I remember Ellie being outgoing, kind, and bubbly, and these qualities made it so easy to connect with her as a buddy,” Frances says. “I also remember that she was ahead of her years and a very precocious student! I know that her outgoing nature, intelligence, and ability to engage with others have made her a great leader as she's grown through the years at GSL.”
Many memorable experiences such as this are rooted in the relationships formed among students of different grades at GSL. Despite the nine years between them, Frances and Ellie both cherish this special aspect of their GSL experience.
“I love how GSL students in different grades know each other,” Ellie says. “From sports and the arts to the buddies we pair with in different grades, students get to know each other regardless of their age or grade.”
Frances, who will graduate from the University of Texas this spring, agrees. This year, she will be applying to medical school, and next year, she will be attending the University of Cambridge to pursue an MPhil in Medical Science in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. In reflecting on her educational career thus far, she holds her GSL memories close at heart.
Ellie Barksdale shares her Student Council campaign speech in 2024.
“The SK-8 partnership not only creates lasting memories and bonds but also allows students of different ages to learn from one another,” Frances says. “Being Ellie's buddy taught me how to engage and cultivate a connection with a completely different age group from my own.”
The commonalities between Ellie and Frances are uncanny; it seems that these girls were meant to be paired together back in 2016. Both served as the eighth grade class president. Both had a parent who served as the
“ ”
THE SK-8 PARTNERSHIP NOT ONLY CREATES LASTING MEMORIES AND BONDS BUT ALSO ALLOWS STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT AGES TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER ...
Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School Board President during their eighth grade years (Ben Barksdale in 2025, Allison Cates in 2017). And, both have an eternal affinity for GSL.
“The most special part of GSL is the community it creates,” Frances says. “In the tight-knit community of GSL, you are taught how to be kind, thoughtful, and empathetic in everything you do. Also, GSL truly offers the highestquality preparation for high school and college, and I have always felt strong in my academic foundation thanks to GSL. Growing up in such a supportive environment where everything was oriented towards my development as a student and person has given me confidence in all other stages of life.”
And Ellie, who will be attending ninth grade at St. Mary’s Episcopal School in August, is charting a beautiful trajectory for her future. Still, she will always remember where her journey started, right here at Grace-St. Luke’s.
“I love GSL and everything it has to offer,” Ellie says. “And I am so grateful for my time with Frances. I thank her for inspiring me and for helping me realize that I want to pass on to others what she gave to me.”
Frances Cates delivers her Student Council campaign speech in 2016.
Ellie Barksdale and her SK buddy Addison Fields at the Memphis Zoo.
LEGACY LUKERS: CONTINUING THE SAINTS TRADITION
We are delighted to recognize the five legacy members of the Class of 2025, and we extend heartfelt thanks to their alumni parents for continuing the Saints tradition and choosing GSL!
We asked these students and their parents to reflect on their time here for this annual legacy feature. Here’s what they had to say about their years as a Saint.
ELEANOR FORE ’25
Earliest GSL memory: Getting my picture taken for the Grouchy Ladybug project in PK
Favorite class: 8th Grade History with Ms. Ranson
Favorite extracurricular activity: Soccer
Favorite Anchor Cafeteria dish: Tater tots
Best book you ever read at GSL: The Egypt Game in 5th grade
Favorite GSL memory: The 7th grade class trip to Chicago
What makes GSL an Anchor for Life for you? All my friends who I’ve gone to school with since Miss Lee’s
What will you miss the most? The basketball games and my friends
BEKLIN JOHNSON ’25
Earliest GSL memory: Lying on a poster while Tehani traced an outline of my body
Favorite class: 8th Grade History
Favorite extracurricular activity: After school sports practices (especially track)
Favorite Anchor Cafeteria dish: Pizza
Best book you ever read at GSL: To Kill a Mockingbird
Favorite GSL memory: Late night talks during the Chicago and New Orleans class trips
What makes GSL an Anchor for Life for you? The great community that’s helpful and caring, with loving students
What will you miss the most? All my friends, Ms. Ranson, and Mrs. Binder
MARY EVELYN STEVENS FORE ’91
Grades attended at GSL: 5th-9th
Favorite class: 9th Grade English
Favorite teachers: Betsy Gafford (art) and Sarah Black (English)
Favorite extracurriculars: Volleyball, tennis, and cheer
Favorite GSL cafeteria item: Funyuns and the soggy rectangular pizzas on the styrofoam plates
Favorite GSL memories: Nantahala, GSL dances in Trezevant Hall, and basketball trips to Nashville/Chattanooga
Why you chose GSL for your child: Academics, well-rounded and sought-after graduates, coed, and the best school community
How has GSL been an Anchor for Life for your family? The nurturing atmosphere, the building of lifelong relationships, and mornings spent in chapel have been invaluable experiences. We are so thankful our girls got to spend their childhoods at GSL.
ALBERT JOHNSON ’89
Grades attended at GSL: JK-9th
Favorite class: Art
Favorite teacher: Coach Lass
Favorite extracurriculars: Class trips
Favorite GSL cafeteria item: Brought my lunch every day!
Funniest GSL memory: Riding the Bullet to the new Snowden Field to help lay pallets of sod
Why you chose GSL for your child: We live in Midtown and wanted a coed school for Levi ’24 and Beklin to attend together. Plus, my experience at GSL was great.
How has GSL been an Anchor for Life for your family? I am still in touch with many of the GSL students of my era. I imagine and hope that will be the case with Levi and Beklin. We are Lukers for Life!
* Alumni are identified by the year of the class cohort they would have graduated with at GSL, even if they left before their final year.
ZOE PRETZER ’25
Favorite class: Mrs. Binder's Science class
Favorite extracurricular activity: Basketball
Favorite Anchor Cafeteria dish: Ice cream
Best book you ever read at GSL: The Outsiders
Favorite GSL memory: Chicago class trip and winning the basketball championship in 8th grade
What makes GSL an Anchor for Life for you? I'll always have the great memories made here at GSL, and it will be forever a part of me.
What will you miss the most? All my friends
PARKER TAYLOR ’25
Earliest GSL memory: Making our number pillows in Mrs. Shannon’s class
Favorite class: 8th Grade English with Mrs. White
Favorite extracurricular activity: Trivia Club with Ms. Ranson
Best book you ever read at GSL: Letters from Rifka in 6th grade
Favorite GSL memory: The hotel room on the Chicago trip
What makes GSL an Anchor for Life for you? The community. The people at GSL are still very connected, from my friends all the way up to my parents' friends.
What will you miss the most? The student to teacher connection. Every teacher at GSL knows you and all your needs very well.
CULLEN WEEDEN ’25
Earliest GSL memory: Riding the scooters on Miss Lee’s playground
Favorite class: 8th Grade Ethics
Favorite extracurricular activity: Basketball
Favorite Anchor Cafeteria dish: French toast sticks
Best book you ever read at GSL: Dog Man
Favorite GSL memory: 6th grade New Orleans trip
What makes GSL an Anchor for Life for you? The teachers and friends
What will you miss the most? Playing basketball at recess with my friends
ANN FRIZZELL PRETZER ’94
Grades attended at GSL: SK-5th
Favorite class: Science
Favorite teacher: Mr. Emerson’s Music class
Favorite extracurriculars: Sports and violin
Favorite GSL Cafeteria item: Baked potato with cheese and bacon bits
Favorite GSL memory: There was a “magic” yellow bucket that would bring us candy and prizes through Ms. Moore's 1st grade window. It was coming from the 4th grade classes above, but we fully believed the magic.
Why you chose GSL for your child: Outstanding academics and caring teachers
How has GSL been an Anchor for Life for your family? Zoe was in the first little Luker class at GSL, so we've had 12 years of memories and community. Luckily Jonas (5th grade) still has a few more years left for us to enjoy.
JUSTIN TAYLOR ’92
Grades attended at GSL: SK-9th
Favorite class: Latin with Miss Nichol
Favorite teacher: Manfred Schrupp
Favorite extracurriculars: Rollerblading and pogo ball
Favorite GSL memory: When we watched Flowers for Algernon
Why you chose GSL for your child: GSL has a decades-old track record of producing the best of Memphis’ children. Lifelong friendships and loving families are at its core.
How has GSL been an Anchor for Life for your family? We can’t escape it. The GSL community is in our blood. We love being #lukersforlife!
LYLE WARDLAW ’89
Grades attended at GSL: JK-5th
Favorite class: Art
Favorite teacher: Coach Lass
Favorite extracurriculars: Art and friends
Favorite GSL Cafeteria item: Little Debbie Apple Pie
Favorite GSL memory: Parachute parties in the gym
Why you chose GSL for your child: GSL is all things awesome and what better place for my kid?
How has GSL been an Anchor for Life for your family? By creating a sense of community, tradition, and belonging. My time at GSL gave me lifelong friendships, a strong educational foundation, and values that I’ve carried throughout my life. Watching Cullen walk the same halls, learn in the same classrooms, and build his own memories has been incredibly amazing. GSL has provided both of us with a place where we feel known, supported, seen, and connected something that will always be part of who we are.
TAKING THE NEXT STEPS
We are so proud of our GSL Class of 2025, and we wish them all the best as they begin high school in August. They will be greatly missed! #lukersforlife
Ronan Keough
Conor Tillman
Weller Fontenot
Deklin Fundo
Zane Glassman
Will Hagerman
Matheo Ibled
Grey Jancelewicz
Zachary Moore
Sam Shipley
Hayes Smith
Parker Taylor
Cullen Weeden
McKenzie Dentley
Foster Gettys
Georgie Hoehn
Zoe Pretzer
Margaret Colley
Beklin Johnson
Zoë Johnson
Morgan Lambert
Lily Jane Robertson
Callie Sanders
Eloise West
Anna Grace Williams
Eleanor Barksdale
Eleanor Fore
Tehani Kuo
Ella Smith
Chandler Somerville
2024–25 SCHOOL YEAR FUN FACTS
WE ARE A COED SCHOOL
IN ADDITION TO ENGLISH, OUR FAMILIES SPEAK 13 LANGUAGES IN THEIR HOMES
OUR FAMILIES REPRESENT A WIDE RANGE OF FAITH TRADITIONS
OUR FAMILIES IDENTIFY WITH THE FOLLOWING ETHNICITIES: AFRICAN AMERICAN ASIAN AMERICAN EUROPEAN AMERICAN/CAUCASIAN LATINO/HISPANIC MULTI-RACIAL
NATIVE AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER
ANCHOR FUND GIFTS MAKE AN IMPACT AT GSL
By Brenda Berry, Director of Advancement
Join the Lead Donor Society!
Donors who give $750 or more to GSL in the current school year are members of the Lead Donor Society. Lead Donors receive special recognition in the Giving Report published each fall and are invited to the annual Lead Donor party in August! Visit gslschool.org/give to make your donation today!
Co-Chairs
If you haven’t seen GSL’s new resource, the Guide to Giving & Getting Involved at GSL, check it out today! As you read through the pages, you will learn how to become meaningfully involved in life as a Luker at GSL. Your involvement in our special community will positively impact your family’s GSL experience and that of many others. Getting involved will strengthen our community while helping you forge new friendships and deepen existing relationships.
Scan the QR code to view the Guide to Giving & Getting Involved at GSL
3rd Annual Celebration of Giving to GSL
Our wonderful GSL community members once again shared their love for our school during the 3rd Annual Celebration of Giving to GSL! Held February 3-7, this weeklong celebration led 98 donors to give more than $26,000 to GSL's 2024-25 Anchor Fund.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in the Celebration of Giving to GSL!
Kathleen Behnke, Farley Ezekiel, and Natalie Davis rally support for the Anchor Fund while greeting Preschool families during drop-off.
Lindsey Myers and Steven King promote giving to the Anchor Fund during Lower School morning drop-off.
During Middle School drop-off, families were encouraged by Ryan Gibbs, Zach Pretzer, and Allison King to make a gift to the Anchor Fund.
P.A. EVENTS SUPPORT GSL
We are always grateful for the hard work of our Parents’ Association, and we had some great times at these signature events this year!
Trivia Event
Eighth Graders Grey Jancelewicz, Matheo Ibled, Ronan Keough, and Deklin Fundo fuel up before the dinner.
Eighth Graders Ella Smith, Eleanor Fore, Zachary Moore, Eloise West, and Ellie Barksdale get ready to welcome customers.
Alumnus Alexander Carayiannis ’14 and his mother Vicki Carayiannis (Italian Dinner Event Co-Chair ’14!) joined in the fun.
Faculty/Staff Appreciation Luncheon
Senior Kindergarten Assistant Teacher Lily Davis ’15 and Senior Kindergarten Teacher Caroline Canon
Preschool Fun & Fitness Teacher
Italian Dinner
Athletic Director Rick Kohlhof and former Head of School Tom Beazley
Whitney Sanders, Carey and Philip Pontius ’99, Sam and Collin Buckner, Christina and Kip Gordon
Robert Ward and ACE Teacher
Cheryl O’Bannon
Sweetheart Dance
Anchor Auction
Eighth Graders Margaret Colley, Ella Smith, Chandler Somerville, Zoë Johnson, Tehani Kuo, Anna Grace Williams, and Eleanor Fore
Fifth Graders Ali Calzia, Wimberly McMillon, Waverly McKenna, and Daniela Sacoto
Sisters Ella ’26 and Beatrice ’29 with father Jeff Hulett
Melanie Pyron and son Oscar ’27
Sara Thatcher, Emily Merrell, and Ellen Flechas
Isabel Whitaker and son Beck ’27
Zack Moore and daughter Alice ’26
Andy Surber and Event Chairs Thaler Beasley and Lauren Scrugham at the Auction
SAINTS SUPERLATIVES
SPECTACULAR STUDENTS
Something Rotten! Jr. Fall Thespian Award Winners
Middle School Spelling Bee Winner
Eleanor Barksdale
See 7/8 Varsity Boys Basketball: Shelby League Champions on page 9.
Alex Gardner ’29, first place; Tia Sanford ’30, runner-up
’25
Broken Hearts Spring Thespian Award Winners
Semmes Schneider ’27 and Ellis Powell ’34 appeared in Opera Memphis’s production of Carmen this winter.
Winter Spirit Award Winners
7/8 Varsity Girls Basketball: Shelby League Champions
Christmas Card Art Contest Winners
Lower School Spelling Bee Winners
Eloise West ’25 and Sam Shipley ’25
Coach Allyson Campbell, Virginia Irvine ’26, Alice Moore ’26, Matilda Blair ’26, Eloise West ’25 (All-Tournament MVP), Eleanor Fore ’25, Beklin Johnson ’25 (All-Tournament), Zoe Pretzer ’25 (All-Tournament), Julia Laizure ’26, Lydia Reardon ’26, Mary Elizabeth Fisher ’26, Lilly Obasuyi ’26, Coach Morgan Slatery
Preschool Runner-Up: Julien Casey ’37
Lower School Runner-Up: Morgan Farmer ’29
Middle School RunnerUp: Zoe Pretzer ’25
First Place, Back Cover Art: Jonathan Vance ’27
First Place, Inside Page Art: Mila Douglas ’26
First Place, Cover Art: Anna Grace Williams ’25
Foster McKenna ’27 Lilly Obasuyi ’26
Charlie Johns ’26 Alison Morris ’28
Jack Thatcher ’27 Jonathan Vance ’27 Mila Douglas ’26
Chess Club Achievement: Competed at State Tournament
Jack Sweeney Hannock ’29, Jonas Pretzer ’28 (Captain), William Musick ’29, and Aarav Shelat ’31
5/6 Girls Gordon Basketball: PAA League Champions
Front row, Caroline Bridge ’28, Wimberly McMillon ’28, Caroline Bowden ’28, Waverly McKenna ’28; back row: Julia Martin ’27, Coach Ashley Gordon, Clara Smith ’27, Leah Perry Butler ’27, Coach Jamie Moore, Mays Meeks ’27, Sage McKenna ’27, Ella Grace Billings ’27
FANTASTIC FACULTY
Senior Kindergarten Teacher
Caroline Canon earned her Master of Science degree in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, with a concentration in Special Education, from the University of Memphis in December. She’s pictured here with GSL Second Grade Teacher Abby Hensley. (Inset: Graduation cap, which she had all her students sign!)
Middle School Science Teacher
Russ Thompson’s second book in the Loop Breaker series, Secrets of the Falls, was published in October by Winterwolf Press. A young adult mystery and ghost story, it is available at Novel and through winterwolfpress.com.
Director of Auxiliary Programs Ariel Laws married Brandon Denton on December 8, 2024.
St. Jude 2024 Marathon Weekend Race participants: First Grade Teacher
Abigail White, Second Grade Teacher Abby Hensley, and Learning Specialist Jenn Futrell
Little Lukers Teacher Katie Longoria married Daniel Fisackerly on November 16, 2024.
Front Office Administrator Angela Merideth married Jennifer Harrison on November 26, 2024.
LUKERS FOR LIFE ALUMNI NEWS
1976
Jeanne Myrick McMillen reports: “I’ve finally moved out of Tennessee! With great joy, I am now up in Wisconsin to be near my ‘one and only’ daughter and her family! I have another one and only a granddaughter who is now 5 1/2 years old. Her name is Nora (above) and I don't want to miss out on her growing up! I’m a master gardener and live on a ‘hobby farm’ that was built in 1886. My husband and I are fixing up the farmhouse to be as original as possible, but livable!”
1977
Thad Carlile is the owner of Thad Carlile Midtown Vintage Window Service, a company that restores windows to working order. This great Commercial Appeal photo of Thad riding his unicycle to GSL in 1975 (his sixth grade year) was recently featured in the paper and on social media.
1985 1997
Mike Parker, Realtor at The Firm, supported GSL’s 2025 8th Grade Internship Program by mentoring GSL student Ronan Keough ’25
Amy Deshaies Sharp was awarded the Silver Medal Award for lifetime achievement from the Memphis chapter of the American Advertising Federation this spring. Amy also recently won the Tomie dePaola Mentorship Award for Illustrators at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators annual winter conference in New York.
1986
Hugh Mallory became a partner at Marx-Bensdorf, Realtors.
1995
Adam Martin is a medical dermatologist in Richmond, Va., where his wife, Berkeley, is a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician. They have two boys, Blake (11) and James (9). He shared that he enjoys reading The Anchor and seeing familiar faces, especially Coach Logan Taylor, his basketball teammate in 1995.
Kate Prascher is living in New York and is an accomplished songwriter. In November, she released her new album Shake the Dust Listen on your preferred music streaming service or visit her website at kateprascher.com.
2001
Chad Cunningham has been named president of Valentine Insurance Services. He joined the company in 2020 as vice president of business development and became partner in 2024.
2002
Louise Smythe served as the lead storyboard artist for Pixar's Inside Out 2. (Fun fact: Louise graced our Anchor cover above in Spring 2013, early in her career at Pixar!)
2003
Marshall Bartlett was featured on the cover of Memphis Magazine to discuss Home Place Pastures, the regenerative farm and business he’s created on his family land in Como, Miss.
2008
Will “Mustang” McGee, bass player/vocalist for Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country, has been touring all over the United States. Over the past year, the band has played The Ryman, Red Rocks, and the Grand Ole Opry, and debuted on CBS Saturday Morning Sessions. In April, McGee played at the Shell Daze festival and released his solo album Horseplay
2005
Natalie Hendry married Zach Lamb on June 29 in Aspen, Colo.
Jordan Upton Schieffler and husband Jackson welcomed their second child, Hugh Jackson Schieffler, Jr., on January 22.
2011
Claire Sentilles married Patrick Nabholz on December 21 in Memphis.
Adele Fish created The Cold Fusion Play, a devised piece that explores polarized discourse through the erroneous discovery of cold fusion. The plot takes place on election night, when a group of theatre students rehearse scenes from a play called The Cold Fusion Fiasco (a play written earlier by Fish). The project intentionally leaves unwritten space in its formatting to encourage the cast’s customization of the devised piece with their own personal strengths and unique perspectives. Fish collaborated on the play with Performing Arts Teacher Leslie Reddick. Simone Guyton ’21 served as stage manager for the production that was staged in April by Voices of the South.
2012
Rainey Charbonnet passed the NCIDQ Exam in October and is now a certified interior designer. She is working as a designer in the New Orleans office of EskewDumezRipple.
Marilyn Jenkins is working to open a school at the current site of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Memphis. Sr. Thea Bowman Montessori School will serve children and families in the downtown community through Montessori Method and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. The school will participate in the Child Care Certificate Program, allowing many families to attend without cost, while Marilyn and the school’s board work towards their startup fundraising goal. She is enrolling children and hiring educators to start July 2025.
2014
Savannah Hall is finishing her final semester of law school at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She serves as president of the UTK Law Women organization and will work at Baker Donelson’s Knoxville office as an associate this fall.
Ryan Seamons works for Raytheon, a defense contractor in Tucson, Ariz., that designs, develops, and produces advanced missile systems.
After earning her degree in news media from the University of Alabama, Ivy Sharp moved to Birmingham and is a luxury travel advisor with Anne Liles Travel.
Traveling to Greece, France, Croatia, and Italy has been a great job perk!
Ivy Sharp, Edward Henley, Marshall Jones, Caroline Ciaramitaro, and Mary Woodmansee met at Young Ave Deli over the holidays.
2015
Andrew Sichting coached basketball again this year and attended the 8th Grade Italian Dinner, where he caught up with 2024 alumni
Porter Martin, Lucian Hanson, and Courtland Morris
2016
Anna Margaret Burnett graduated cum laude from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in political science. She currently lives and works in Washington, D.C.
Caroline Seamons graduated magna cum laude with high distinguished honors in kinesiology from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. She will attend Belmont University for her doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
Isabelle Sharp works as an associate procurement specialist at FedEx.
Sydney Claire Williams is pursuing her Master of Science in Marketing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
2017
Stephen Cates has accepted a position as an Investment Analyst with ATCAP Partners in Dallas.
From walk-on, to scholarship player, to starter and team captain, George Washington University basketball player Maxine Engel is wrapping up her college career and was celebrated at Senior Day.
Some of the Class of 2016 were in town and able to gather for a reunion during Christmas! Front row: Anna Margaret Burnett, Cate Daniels, Colleen Touchstone, Mary Chapman Morrow, Sydney Claire Williams, Ellie Sappington; middle: Thaxton Brown, Will Woodmansee, Robert Jungklas, and Avery Hastings; back: Jacob Messer, J.D. Huber, Berent Balink, and Addison Harris
ALUMNI NEWS
Carter Strickland was elected student body president at the University of Oklahoma. A recent trip to Washington, D.C. allowed him to discuss higher education with legislators. He is excited to work on community art projects, opportunities for student innovation, and the role OU has as a new member of the SEC conference.
2019
Grace Ciaramitaro competed for Vanderbilt at the 2025 SEC Swimming & Diving Championships at the University of Georgia in February. UGA students Lilly Linkous ’18 and Madeleine Hays ’17 were there to cheer her on!
Isabelle Mansour is serving as a program assistant for the global network and regional engagement team at Vital Voices Global Partnership. She is majoring in international political economy at Georgetown University and was selected for the 2025 cohort of Paul F. Pelosi Scholars by Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service.
2020
Jackson Saatkamp and Benjamin Brewer competed in a challenge (and were broadcast on the FedEx Forum Jumbotron!) at a Grizzlies game in December.
2021
CBHS Senior Band President Will Dunlap was on campus in February to perform with school band Walnut Groove at Celebration. He plays percussion, and was joined by sophomore saxophone and bassoon player Gates Whitt ’23
Gregory New and Charlie Kofahl stopped by the office at Christmas.
Nora Jacobs, Hannah Dunlap, and Haley Floyd starred in Hutchison’s production of Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief They are pictured here with Anna Grace Williams ’25 and Leslie Reddick.
Langston Scrugham was cast as Clara in New Ballet Ensemble’s production of NutRemix. Now in its 22nd year, NutRemix is the creation of GSL alumna Katie Smythe ’80, founder of New Ballet Ensemble.
Simone Guyton and Brooke Routen attended Broken Hearts this year at GSL and got a photo with Mila Douglas ’26. All three previously played the Ti Moune role in Once on This Island, Jr. at GSL.
2022
St. Mary’s Episcopal School National Honor Society inductees this spring included Amelia Simpson, Maggie Taylor, Cate Ciaramitaro, Sophia Wilson, and Ava Cohen; not pictured: Marin Thompson, Cat Carney, and Brooke Bechtel
Leslie Reddick attended Our Miss Brooks at Crosstown High this fall and visited afterward with Chloe Harris, Ethan Choo, Brooke Routen ’21, and Temana Kuo
St. Mary’s Episcopal School golfer Sophia Wilson recently won the Award of Excellence, which is given by the TSSAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations to recognize student leaders who show respect, integrity, and exemplary sportsmanship.
Aiden Orr ’22 (bass), Eddie Ferguson ’23 (drums), and Crews Wilkinson ’25 (drums) made the 2025 School of Rock House Band.
2023
Ruby Brunson, Michael Davis ’22, Lucy Cothern, and Katie Young visited with Leslie Reddick (center) at CBHS after Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Will Kenworthy is enjoying his sophomore year at Lausanne Collegiate School and recently obtained his driver’s license.
2024
Freshmen Grant Barger and Ty Merrell were accepted into the De La Salle Scholars program at Christian Brothers High School.
Longtime GSL parents Casey and Ashley West gathered with children Samuel ’21, Eloise ’25, Lilly ’16, Charlie ’19, and Eve ’17 during basketball season at GSL. This May, Eloise becomes the fifth West to graduate as a Saint. We are grateful for the West legacy at GSL!
Alumni Executive Board members gathered for a planning meeting at GSL in February. Front row: Ross Larson ’05, Katie McDermott ’03, Kendall Franklin ’04, back row: Matt Sights ’01, Scott Woodmansee ’79, Alex Boggs ’02, Sisco Larson ’03, Abby Huber ’10, Travis Nauert ’06
Some 60+ high school and college-age alumni returned to campus on the last day of school in December to compete (or cheer!) in our 2nd Annual Holiday Basketball Game. This alumni red vs. white challenge is sure to become one of our favorite new traditions at GSL, and we had a great time catching up with all these Saints!
SPRING ALUMNI 21+ GET-TOGETHER
We loved seeing these alumni at our 21+ get-together in March. Many thanks to GSL parent Tyson Bridge, co-owner of Earnestine & Hazel’s, for hosting our event! Go, Saints!
William and Kendall Jones Franklin ’04
Ross Larson ’05 and Palmer Kyle
Debbie Callahan, Elise Higdon ’85, and Catherine Higdon ’88
Andy Marr ’78 and Kelly Truitt ’79
Kelly ’79 and Sharon Truitt
Justin Taylor ’92, Scott Woodmansee ’76, Ken Woodmansee ’81, and Brian Schaffler ’84
Matt Sights ’01, Oliver Cobb ’04, and Patrick Sala ’01
Brian Schaffler ’84,Porter Cavette ’79 and Scott Woodmansee ’79
Jonathan and Cecelia Ralston Thomason ’07
Katie Stephenson McDermott ’03 and Meg Stephenson Burress ’05
Margo Huber ’13, Emma Johnson ’11, Piper Bell ’12, Claire Sentilles ’11, and Head of School Andy Surber
Carter and Elizabeth Sutton Hicks ’05, Ben Jordan ’03, Alex Boggs ’02, Audrey Webster Darrohn ’05, and Spencer Darrohn
of FirstEver Class of
GSL Little Lukers Little Lukers Celebrates Graduation
In August 2013, a group of two-year-old children — our first-ever class of Little Lukers — walked into the Preschool with wide-eyed wonder.
Little did they know that they were making history at GSL.
This May, after 12 consecutive years at GSL, nine of those original Little Lukers will graduate from Grace-St. Luke’s along with their Class of ’25 peers.
Congratulations to this special group of students who started as Little Lukers in 2013, completed all 12 years at GSL, and leave as eighth grade graduates ready for high school in 2025!
Will Hagerman
Zachary Moore
Chandler Somerville
Grey Jancelewicz
Zoe Pretzer
Cullen Weeden
Beklin Johnson
Ella Smith
Eloise West
GSL's 2024-25 Baseball Team poses in front of the dugout at Snowden Field. Front row: Thomas Barksdale '28, Beck Whitaker '27, Jonathan Young '27; middle row: Harrison Sheffer '28, James Balk '28, Jacob Montalvo '27, Rowan Halpern '28, Michael Scullark '28, George Sells '27, Cooper Billings '27; back row: Coach Zach Pretzer, Paul Blankenship '26, Coach Marcellus Montalvo, Jonas Pretzer '28, Jennings Callahan '27
