Hallways 2017 Spring

HALLWAYS A PUBLICATION OF THE HARPETH HALL SCHOOL

Our Girls

CODE

Empowering Harpeth Hall students with skills for the future

Sustainability All-School Theme P. 14

Our Girls Code P. 18

The Path to the School Plan P. 24

SPRING 2017

PLANNED GIVING

The Henry Family

Expressing Gratitude for Faculty

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ecently, Melissa and Robert Henry decided to include Harpeth Hall in their estate plans. Melissa, an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt’s Bill Wilkerson Center, and Robert, President and CEO of Pierian Biosciences, chose to enroll their daughters Claire and Abby in Harpeth Hall because of the rigorous curriculum, numerous and varied educational opportunities, and the supportive and caring all-girls environment. Claire, Class of 2008, and Abby, Class of 2011, took full advantage of all that Harpeth Hall had to offer them in academics, the arts, athletics, and during Winterim.

Claire received the Outstanding Choral Student Award in her senior year and had powerful Winterim internships at the Rape and Sexual Abuse Center and Nashville public relations firm McNeely Pigott and Fox. Abby was on the state championship swimming and diving team, ran track, and enjoyed Winterim internships at the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office.

Following Harpeth Hall, Claire and Abby each enrolled at Furman University where they continued to excel. Armed with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Furman, Claire went on to receive her Masters of Management degree from Wake Forest University and is now employed as a Project Manager for Mizzouri, a global market research firm in Franklin, Tennessee.

Claire shared: “The most important thing I learned

at Harpeth Hall was leadership. From the mentoring I received from the teachers, to the Winterim opportunities I had, to the numerous clubs I joined and led, I started learning how to work well in teams, how to be a good public speaker, and the importance of organization. And you can’t beat cheering on your friends at the state championship swim and dive meet covered in green glitter and face paint. Also, I can now say that I’ve performed at the Grand Ole Opry and the Tennessee State Capitol with the Chamber Choir. The skills that I gained through my courses and experiences gave me a solid base that helped shape my decisions and gave me the confidence I needed.”

Abby graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science

in Health Science and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University while working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She shared: “I spent eight years at Harpeth Hall, and my most favorite memories are from that time. Harpeth Hall is a safe environment, but the students are also encouraged to get out of their comfort zone and push themselves to strive for greatness. Never have I been surrounded by more incredible and driven peers than at Harpeth Hall. My favorite thing about Harpeth Hall would have to be the teachers. I don’t know if I have ever

encountered teachers more devoted to students’ success than Harpeth Hall teachers. The deep relationship that is created in and out of the class extends beyond just being a teacher. They are mentors, friends, parents and your support system.”

While reflecting on their daughters’ experiences, Melissa and Robert shared, “At Harpeth Hall, Claire and Abby learned how to study and how to manage their time in order to be successful. These skills have served them well through college and graduate school, and they continue to love learning.”

Out of gratitude for the teachers at Harpeth Hall who equipped their daughters so well for their futures, Melissa and Robert decided to make a planned gift to Harpeth Hall in support of faculty professional development and the buildings where teaching and learning take place. It is their wish that educational excellence for girls at Harpeth Hall, as their daughters experienced, continue for generations to come. Harpeth Hall thanks the Henry family for their investment and belief in the faculty who are committed to the best and most innovative practices in teaching girls.

If you would like to include Harpeth Hall in your estate plans, please contact Susan Moll, Director of Advancement, at 615-346-0087 or moll@harpethhall.org. Harpeth Hall would be honored to recognize you as a member of our Founders Society.

CONTENTS In This Issue:

Features

11 Self Study The Path to the School Plan 14 Sustainability Harpeth Hall’s all-school theme

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18 Our Girls Code Empowering Harpeth Hall students with skills for the future 25 Winterim 44th year of experiential learning on and off campus 28 Life of Service Be inspired by Beth Rather Gorman ’90, our Alumna Spirit of Service award recipient.

30 Manhattan Magnolia Meet music sponsorship maverick Marcie Allen Van Mol ’92, our 2017 Distinguished Alumna.

Departments 2 Observations 3 Academics 4 Around the Hall 6 Athletics

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9 Performing Arts 28 Alumnae HALLWAYS STAFF

Suzannah Green, Editor Lauren Finney, Designer Photographer, Peyton Hoge Hallways is published twice a year by The Harpeth Hall School 3801 Hobbs Road, Nashville, TN 37215 www.harpethhall.org

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This magazine is printed on FSC certified paper made up of 50% recycled content including 25% post consumer waste.

ON THE COVER:

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Sophomore Caroline Spindel, Class of 2019 Caroline created the code used on the cover and the binary representation code used in the cover story.

CLARIFICATION:

We regret that the following gifts were omitted from the 2015-2016 Report on Philanthropy In memory of Lillian Walters Gaither ’36 Anderson C. Gaither and William S. Joyce Becky and Eric Klindt In memory of Margaret Helen Lowe ’12 Mora and Gary Zinn SPRING 2017

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HEAD OF SCHOOL OBSERVATIONS 2O17

Spring is here!

I am delighted to introduce the latest issue of Hallways. For me, springtime signals new beginnings and possibilities. Reflecting on the transition from winter, I am reminded that for Harpeth Hall, just like in life, “To everything there is a season.”

Our community is also transitioning in meaningful and exciting ways—from our student body, faculty and staff, to new strategic projects for the school.

We have several initiatives to relate in this issue, including our school-wide theme of sustainability, our reaccreditation self-study, and our Hallways cover story “Our Girls Code” that showcases Harpeth Hall’s commitment to empowering our girls with critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will benefit them over their lifetime.

As we prepare for year-end ceremonies that celebrate the transformation of the Class of 2017 from students to alumnae, we also anticipate welcoming a brand new class of 5th graders and their families into our Harpeth Hall community, beginning a new cycle. Likewise, we are undergoing an evolution in our campus leadership as Jess Hill, Director of the Upper School, and Anne King, Director of Finance and Operations, will be retiring at the close of the school year. Thanks to Jess and to Anne for their tremendous contributions to Harpeth Hall over their many years on campus; we all wish the very best for you as you anticipate your next chapter. In February, we were thrilled to announce Armistead Lemon as the new Director of the Upper School, who will transition from Upper School English department chair to the Director’s office this summer. Currently, we are in the process of selecting our new Director of Finance and Operations and anticipate that announcement in the coming weeks.

On the organizational front, a team of 60 faculty and staff developed a new school plan for 2016 to 2021 leading to our reaccreditation by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS). We will soon begin the planning process for a new strategic plan and look forward to communicating our progress in the coming months.

Also signaling change and progress is our READERSHIP SURVEY. Our new Director of Strategic Communications, Suzannah Green, is launching a community survey this month as a tool to measure engagement and to inform the evolution of our Harpeth Hall communications. Parents and alumnae will receive an email providing access to the survey, or you may use the URL address provided on this page. I encourage all community members to participate, as Harpeth Hall’s ability to succeed depends on community engagement and effective communications. Please take a minute to complete the survey and submit your comments. Your feedback is critical to informing how we chart our course forward. As always, we value your partnership and support of educational excellence for girls.

Here’s to spring!

Readership Survey 2017

The Harpeth Hall 2017 Readership Survey is open to all members of the Harpeth Hall community.

It launches in March 2017 and will run through mid-April 2017. Many of you will receive direct emails and see notices in social media asking for your participation.

You can click on the links provided in those communications or you can also reach the survey by typing the following link into your browser: www.harpethhall.org/ ReadershipSurvey2017 The Harpeth Hall 2017 Readership Survey should take less than ten minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for your time, participation and support.

Your feedback is extremely valuable and appreciated as we plan for future communication. We will share the survey outcomes in the next issue of Hallways.

Thank you again.

Harpeth Hall

Stephanie Balmer Head of School 2

HALLWAYS

Communications

ACADEMICS NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS

National Merit Scholars Congratulations to Harpeth Hall’s class of 2017!

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ifteen Harpeth Hall students from the class of 2017 are National Merit Finalists, and 15 are National Merit Commended Students for a total of 30 girls or 29% of the senior class. This number represents the most of any independent school in the state of Tennessee. We are so proud of this impressive academic accomplishment! National Merit Finalists scored in the top one percent of all juniors nationwide who took the PSAT in the fall of 2015. Commended students scored in the top five percent.

HARPETH HALL’S 2017 SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS AND SCHOLASTIC WRITING AWARDS

Harpeth Hall’s Visual Art Department congratulates our art/photo/media students on this year’s Scholastic Art Awards.

“Thank you for the courage it takes to put your artwork out there! We are proud of you for submitting work and understand the vulnerability of that process.”—Mrs. Carmen Noel, Harpeth Hall Art Department Chair Twenty-five upper and middle school students received awards in what is considered the most selective judging in recent years.

Please see harpethhall.org for a complete list of award recipients.

Congratulations to our Harpeth Hall students for the impressive showing in the 2017 Scholastic Writing Awards regional competition! In total 151 accolades were awarded in the areas of poetry, personal essay/memoir, critical essay, short story, dramatic script, flash fiction, humor, writing portfolio, and journalism. Twenty-nine entries earned Gold Keys and will move forward to national competition. Please see harpethhall.org for a comprehensive list of award recipients.

SPRING 2017

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AROUND THE HALL

MLK DAY OF SERVICE

MLK Day of Service

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he Harpeth Hall community came together on January 16 to celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Harpeth Hall students, faculty, staff, alumnae, and their families arrived on campus and worked together on projects addressing needs in the Nashville community and supporting our all-school theme of sustainability.

MOTHER SPECIAL FRIEND DAUGHTER COFFEE

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HALLWAYS

AROUND THE HALL

SUNDAY ON SOUBY

GRANDPARENTS SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY

SPRING 2017

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ATHLETICS ATHLETICS Alex Walsh ’20

During the 2017 Region Meet, the 200 Medley Relay comprised of Alex Walsh ‘20, Julia Jane Eskew ‘18, Ella Nelson ‘19, and Ophelia Pilkinton ‘19 set a Region Meet record with a time of 1:45:00. These same four swimmers broke another Region Meet record in the 400 Freestyle Relay finishing with a time of 3:31:19, and two weeks later, they set a new Tennessee State record with a time of 3:22:01.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Fall and Winter Seasons

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2O17 SWIMMING AND DIVING STATE CHAMPIONS

4 YEARS IN A ROW!

The Swimming and Diving Team won their fourth consecutive TISCA State Championship which adds to their total of 14. The Bearacudas won their 20th consecutive MTHSSA Region Championship in early January. Coach Polly Linden has coached all 20 of these Region Championship teams.

The depth of our team is the reason for our success. It takes all of the swimmers and divers working together to accomplish these feats.

— Coach Linden at the conclusion of the season.

ATHLETICS

INDIVIDUAL HONORS Lauren Bars ‘17, Volleyball Division II AA East-Middle Region MVP and TSWA All State Julia Jane Eskew ‘18, Swimming MTHSSA All Region and TISCA All State Maddie Forbes ‘17, Volleyball Division II AA East-Middle All Region Kelsey Kay Herring ‘17, Volleyball Division II AA East-Middle All Region Honorable Mention and TSWA All State

UPPER SCHOOL

Fall and Winter Seasons

Kate Mabry ‘18, Swimming MTHSSA All Region Alex Massey ‘20, Swimming MTHSSA All Region and TISCA All State Maya Misra ‘18, Riflery USA Junior Olympic Qualifier Ella Nelson ‘19, Swimming MTHSSA All Region and TISCA All State Ophelia Pilkinton ‘19, Swimming MTHSSA All Region and TISCA All State Marguerite Trost ‘18, Rowing CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championship Silver Medalist Alex Walsh ‘20, Swimming MTHSSA All Region, TISCA All State, 2017 Middle Tennessee Swimmer of the Year, and 2017 Tennessee Swimmer of the Year SPRING 2017

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ATHLETICS

Scholar-Athletes to compete at college level

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ive outstanding student-athletes and their families were recognized on November 9, also known as NCAA National Letter of Intent (NLI) Initial Signing Day. Congratulations to the following Harpeth Hall seniors who have competed at the college level.

Lauren Bars will play volleyball at University of Mississippi Kelsey Kay Herring will compete in track and field at Belmont University Anna Grace Cole will row at Fordham University Ellie Loving will row at University of Tennessee Makenzie Mason will play lacrosse at the University of Florida We are immensely proud of our studentathletes and wish them great success!

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PERFORMING ARTS

FALL DANCE CONCERT EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN!

Performing Arts

FALL DANCE CONCERT EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN!

SPRING 2017

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PERFORMING ARTS

UPPER SCHOOL DRAMA THE LITTLE PRINCE UPPER SCHOOL MUSICAL RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET

WINTER CHOIR CONCERT

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WINTER ORCHESTRA CONCERT

HARPETH HALL’S

SELF STUDY

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FEATURE SELF STUDY

THE PATH TO THE SCHOOL PLAN arpeth Hall successfully pursued and received reaccreditation through the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) at the end of 2016. The SAISSACS Accreditation Process occurs on a five-year cycle and is founded on schools achieving three pillars: (1) Compliance with standards/indicators (2) Completion of a self-study, and (3) A visit of peer educators to the school. The SelfStudy that was created during the SAIS-SACS reaccreditation process was, by all regards, managed and developed in a very effective manner, and incorporated input from people across the Harpeth Hall community.

Why is SAIS-SACS reaccreditation important to Harpeth Hall?

In today’s world of accountability in education, accreditation serves as a critical component of a school’s demonstrated effectiveness and ability to provide a successful and meaningful education.

A school that is able to achieve accreditation demonstrates a commitment to a process that requires the school to meet a set of rigorous standards; to engage in a program of continuous school improvement; and to demonstrate quality assurance to its stakeholders through self-evaluation and peer-review.

How did the reaccreditation process lead to the development of the 2016–2021 School Plan?

Head of School, Dr. Stephanie Balmer and Molly Rumsey, Director of Information Services and designated Accreditation Chair, represented Harpeth Hall’s administration and lead the self-study and reaccreditation process. The self-study is our 2016–2021 School Plan. It includes five focus areas, goals and action plans envisioned to span the next five years and serves as the foundation of our next strategic plan.

We wanted to think boldly and to implement a new model for creating strategic plans. Our goal was to foster collaboration among disciplines, grade levels, and departments. Our hope was to develop a plan that resonated with every student and faculty/staff member in some way.

— Molly Rumsey, Director of Information Services

Typically self-studies are developed by a small group with a pre-existing idea of where a school should focus its efforts and resources. The Harpeth Hall self-study

reflects a collaborative and rigorous model that the accreditation team affirmed as a promising practice in independent school reaccreditation. — Dr. Stephanie Balmer, Head of School In 2015 a steering committee was created, consisting of Harpeth Hall’s academic council and administrative team, which lead the school through the self-study process and development of the new school plan. In October 2015, SAIS sent surveys on behalf of Harpeth Hall to all current faculty, parents, students (grades 6-12), trustees and three alumnae groups (National Advisory Council, Head’s Young Alumnae Council and the Alumnae Board).

The survey asked participants to rank the importance and the performance in the following categories: Curriculum and programming: rigor,

variety of courses, character education, faith-based, preparatory, travel opportunities, global education Faculty: care and concern,

inspiring and motivating, subject area expertise

Athletics: variety of

offerings, quality of offerings, opportunities to participate Fine Arts: variety of

offerings, quality of offerings, opportunities to participate

Clubs/Co-Curriculars:

variety of offerings, quality of offerings, opportunities to participate Safety: physical, emotional,

spiritual

Technology: availability,

current, school-provided

Skills: creativity, ethics,

curiosity, resilience, teamwork, time management

Diversity: socio-economic,

cultural, religious

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FEATURE SELF STUDY Over 1,300 constituents completed the survey for a 63.4% overall response rate.

The process of accreditation is continuous.

Harpeth Hall is committed to ongoing school improvement and attention to how our great school becomes event greater.

— Dr. Stephanie Balmer, Head of School

Using the survey data and data gathered from faculty meetings earlier in the fall, the steering committee determined the five areas of focus: interdisciplinarity; global experiences and competencies; the whole girl; equity and inclusion; and leadership for faculty, staff, and students.

The opportunity to participate in the self-study was available to all faculty and staff, and more than 60 people raised their hand to serve. These volunteers self-selected the working group in which they would participate, and two people from each group were designated as working group chairs.

Months of preparation by Harpeth Hall administrators, faculty and staff resulted in a unanimous reaccreditation recommendation by the SAIS-SACS Peer Review Team. They presented their findings during a faculty meeting at the end of their visit.

Harpeth Hall received the formal written report from SAISInterdisciplinarity SACS with commendations and recommendations, which will be integrated into our next strategic plan.

Foster a culture that recognizes the value of We appreciate and value these final notes expanded communication and commendations in our SAIS-SACS and increased collaboration visiting team’s report: among both divisions in “It was clear to us that Harpeth Hall honors the traditions it order to enrich teaching has established during its 150-year history. It also encourages and learning. and supports innovation and creativity. Generations of families

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have attended the school and their love for the school is obvious both in their words of praise and in the financial support they continue to provide. The faculty and staff share that love and support, and they are committed to continuing to make their great school even greater.

They collaborate, and their working together was vital to the success of their self-study and setting goals.”

“Harpeth Hall has a long history of educating young women ‘to think critically, to lead confidently, and to live honorably.’ The guiding principles are ‘respect, integrity, individuality, and trust.’ Founded in 1865, the school has found the balance honoring its traditions and preparing its students for the future. Proud of its success, Harpeth Hall is not satisfied with the status quo and is always looking forward. Harpeth Hall is a vibrant learning community with a brilliant past and a very bright future.”

Thank you to our entire community for a successful reaccreditation. The partnership

and continued interest and support of the Harpeth Hall community has been inspiring and uplifting throughout this process. We could not plan for the continued development of our school and our girls without this support. The next cycle will take place in fall 2021.

“The process of accreditation is continuous. Harpeth hall is committed to ongoing school improvement and attention to how our great school becomes event greater.”

—Dr. Stephanie Balmer, Head of School

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Expand the use of interdisciplinary teaching and establish additional points of authentic intersection between departments.

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Promote intra-departmental collaboration and coordination within each division.

Co-chairs: Adam Wilsman, Upper School Social Science teacher Alice Bryant, Middle School Librarian

I was asked to head the Interdisciplinarity working group that included members from a variety of departments from both middle and upper school divisions. The term “interdisciplinary” means

different things to different people, and we defined it as a means by which to teach a course, unit, or lesson that integrates different disciplinary knowledge and skills. At its most ambitious, interdisciplinary work requires large-scale collaboration within and among departments and grade levels. At its most simple, it requires an individual teacher to attempt to integrate elements of another discipline into their teaching practice. Interdisciplinary learning helps students navigate an interdisciplinary world. World problems, big and small, are seldom understood or solved within the limited perspective of a single discipline. Interdisciplinary teaching is effective at fostering creativity and adaptability in students, and it helps us model the kind of collaboration that we want them to practice and can bolster student motivation and stoke deeper learning.

—Adam Wilsman, Upper School Social Science Teacher 12

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FEATURE SELF STUDY

I had the good fortune to co-chair the Leadership working group with Claire Gonzalez.

This area of self-study was tied directly to our mission: teaching girls and young women to lead confidently.

What was particularly exciting for our group’s work is that we were asked to consider leadership across our campus and ultimately to create a vision that would encompass leadership for students, faculty, and staff.

Looking forward, our goal is to change the culture and conversation around leadership at Harpeth Hall. We have always developed strong leaders here and will continue to do so with a focus on leadership character traits and habits so that our community defines and celebrates leadership more broadly. We also want to create leadership education, programming, and opportunities that feel meaningful and intentional for all involved.

—Armistead Lemon, current English Deparment Chair, Director of the Upper School beginning July 2017

Global Experiences and Competencies

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Incorporate global competencies and experiences in Harpeth Hall’s programming.

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Fully articulate Harpeth Hall’s global education program.

Co-chairs: Elizabeth Allen, Department Chair Upper School World Languages Garen Eadie, Middle School Social Science teacher

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The Whole Girl

Help students effectively identify and manage stress and pressure.

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Find time during the school day to help students find balance to care for their physical and mental well-being.

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Develop positive social, emotional, and academic experiences to provide a safe environment where students can be their authentic selves.

Co-chairs: Kristen Meltesen, Upper School English teacher Robert Womack, Middle School Latin, Upper School Art History teacher

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Leadership

Provide additional opportunities for leadership development and education for students including a broader range of leadership opportunities.

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Broaden and deepen opportunities for leadership growth and development for staff employees.

3

Create a program that is an independent school model for developing faculty leaders.

Armistead Lemon, Department Chair Upper School English Claire Gonzales, Upper School Spanish teacher

Equity and Inclusion

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All members of the Harpeth Hall community will feel a sense of belonging and engage fully in the life of the school.

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Develop a culturally competent faculty and staff.

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Implement an antibias curriculum that encourages cultural competence.

Stephanie Zieger, Middle School Science teacher Amy Mulron, Middle School Math teacher

The Whole Girl committee focused on addressing the challenges facing young women today.

In recent years, our community began researching issues of balance and confidence in the lives of our students.

As a team of upper and middle school teachers, counselors, and administrators, we began by defining the abstract idea of “Whole Girl.” We defined the whole girl as encompassing the mind, body, and spirit of our students, and our work was driven by our commitment to support and lift-up all three.

Both the Balance Committee’s Student Survey and the Confidence Committee’s findings informed our discussions as we determined four areas of focus: Confidence Resilience and Grit; Balance and Battling Perfectionism; Social and Emotional Safety and Learning; and Ethics.

Our students’ challenges regarding managing stress and pressure, finding time for self-care, and feeling comfortable and safe to be their authentic selves became the focus of our goals and action steps.

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—Kristen Meltesen, Upper School English teacher SPRING 2017

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FEATURE SUSTAINABILITY FEATURE SUSTAINABILITY

P R E PA R I N G T O D AY F O R T O M O R R O W

Sustainability Rather than choose a single book as an all-school read for the 2016-17 school year, Dr. Balmer encouraged the academic council to consider a different model. They decided to develop an all-school theme instead, and that theme is

sustainability.

Dr. Michael Sorrell, President of Paul Quinn College, spoke to students in December about sustainability concepts including urban food deserts, organic farming and the importance of sustainability as a mindset.

by Varina Buntin Willse, Class of ’95

does it make sense for a school to make sustainability its focal point, and in particular why does it make sense for Harpeth Hall to do so? The answer to that question is

multifaceted, yet in part it is because, as a college preparatory school, Harpeth Hall has an imperative to ready its students for the concepts they will face at their respective undergraduate institutions and beyond. One of those concepts is sustainability.

Degrees in sustainability studies are available in at least 60 colleges and universities across the nation, and institutes for sustainable practices, such as ones at Penn State University and locally at David Lipscomb University, are more and more common. Moreover, aspects relating to sustainability define many of the conversations and decisions that are occurring on college campuses, both on the individual and institutional 14

HALLWAYS

FEATURE SUSTAINABILITY Local sustainability leaders, Linda Breggin and Seema Prasad, provided insight into their work on food waste in Nashville.

levels. Dr. Balmer and the faculty at Harpeth Hall see this movement and feel strongly that graduates of the school demonstrate fluency in the language of sustainability so that they can engage thoughtfully in the discourse and ultimately be poised to enter any number of professional fields where a profound understanding of the topic will be increasingly relevant.

Recognizing that developing an understanding of sustainability is now an essential component of our current educational landscape, the overarching question then became: How do we expand our

students’ awareness and knowledge of sustainability issues? In order to answer that question, Harpeth Hall has made a two-year commitment to explore this “theme” though the word does not adequately describe what the school is seeking to achieve. Middle school Reading/English Teacher Clark Harwell, alongside Alice Bryant, middle school librarian, and Polly Linden, upper school math department chair, have formed a working group on sustainability. Mrs. Harwell, suggests “this is really more of an initiative than a theme, as we hope to bring about a change in mindset and a change in our culture that is long lasting.”

In order to tackle a topic this complex—spanning environmental, political, economic and social implications—and in order to empower the student body and the faculty to have a voice in the way that the topic is addressed, the school has laid out a chronology along which the initiative has been developed. Dr. Balmer explains, “There will be a research and development phase, then there will be a project phase, and then there will be a study of the projects that make an impact on campus.”

The first order of business, enacted by the Academic Council, was to build a “sustainability library,” making available multiple copies of books related to the topic. In building this library, the council gathered titles of varying interests and reading levels, examples include Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees, Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an SPRING 2017

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FEATURE SUSTAINABILITY Eco-Friendly Life, and No an interdisciplinary study of the water Impact Man by Colin Beavan. supply in Sudan compared to the water Layering onto this reading, the supply in Nashville. In the upper school, school then devoted most of students could elect to take a course titled the Fall 2016 Speaker Series The Water is Wide, which looked at to the theme of sustainability. three significant water-related events Vanderbilt University Profes(Hurricane Katrina, the Nashville Flood sor Michael Vandenbergh and the 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia) launched the series with a and investigated the environmental, social, keynote address to the faculty economic and political impacts of each. in which he described the In David Griswold’s upper school statistics myriad ways the average class comprised mostly of seniors, students person can work to create a were asked to research and collect data on more sustainable environa sustainability topic of their choosing with ment. Colin Beavan spoke to the only requirements being that the project the student body about the include a certain number of self-generated evolution of the book charts and graphs and that there be a No Impact Man, which traces cohesive narrative using those graphs to his family’s efforts to create impart information. Students presented on a more sustainable life. everything from seafood consumption to Colin Beavan, author of best-selling book No Impact Man, Further speakers included endangered species. In Cathy Richarde’s was part of the Fall Speaker Series and is seen here with Linda Breggin, Senior Attor7th grade American history class, the girls Jeanie Nelson ’65, retired CEO and President of the Land Trust of Tennessee. ney with the Environmental were charged with running their own Law Institute in Washington, country and were forced to make decisions “As active participants in the DC and Project Coordinator about how to meet the needs of citizens conversation today, Harpeth Hall for the Nashville Food Waste while also working to protect the environInitiative along with Seema ment. As Ms. Richarde said, “Immediately students will be equipped to become Prasad, local owner of the after Michael Sorrell’s presentation, the change agents tomorrow.” restaurant Miel, who spoke students started making connections — Dr. Stephanie Balmer, Head of School about food waste, and about how they could use his ideas to solve Dr. Michael Sorrell, President the problems they were facing, especially of Paul Quinn College in Dallas Texas concluded the series in if they focused on the idea of ‘we before me’. ” Meanwhile, students December. Dr. Sorrell provided students with the story of his engaged in independent studies, such as those in the middle school college’s transition toward sustainability, including his decision SEEK program, have increasingly focused on sustainability. One to convert their football field into a working organic farm. student in particular plans to study engine design in order to determine the excess causes of carbon dioxide and devise her own To prepare for these speakers, particularly the presentation by 3D sketch of a more energy efficient engine.

Ms. Bregin and Ms. Prasad, the school conducted a study of the food waste produced by a typical Harpeth Hall lunch. Instead of The theme of sustainability was also carried into Winterim activities seeing sustainability as an abstract concept, the report from that for students on and off campus. Three juniors pursued internships study provided data that grounded the idea of sustainability in in Washington, D.C. related to green design and sustainable agriculstudents minds. Bringing this kind of intellectual and personal ture, while a full eight classes related to the theme were offered to awareness of the issues to the school community was a key aspect students remaining on campus, including The Wild Weird Wonderful of Phase I of the initiative, and for this reason the faculty worked Cumberland River and Global Problem Solvers, a course taught by diligently to incorporate lessons and projects related to Dr. Jessie Adams who serves as Service Learning Coordinator. In her sustainability into their classes. class, Dr. Adams invited students to look at large-scale systemic problems globally, such as homelessness, water sanitation and Several classes and projects related to sustainability already hygiene, and maternal health and mortality, and to consider existed at the school, from the 5th grade garden to the long-standing effective sustainable solutions for these problems.

Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science offering, and newer initiatives have served to further spark the enthusiasm Dr. Adams was also in charge of organizing Harpeth Hall’s annual and intellectual rigor of the students. One such example is an M.L.K. “Day of Service” in January. This year more than 100 people in-depth study of water, which is being conducted by students in gathered on campus to work on service projects that would give both the middle and upper schools. In the 6th grade, students took new life to old items. Alumna and their children, current parents 16

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and students, faculty and staff—all gathered to engage in such projects as repurposing non-uniform clothes as dog toys for local animal shelters and creating waterproof mats from plastic grocery bags to be distributed to fellow Nashvillians experiencing homelessness.

Devoting this all-school Day of Service to projects relating to sustainability echoes the community service efforts of middle schoolers, who have learned more about sustainable farming through Green Door Gourmet and about food insecurity through volunteering with Second Harvest Food Bank.

An important component of establishing this all-school theme is not simply for the students and faculty to become more aware of sustainability issues but to feel informed enough and empowered enough to suggest and effect changes. This forms Phase II of the initiative. As Ms. Harwell explains, “We read the books, we had the speakers, and now the students are going to make recommendations about ways we, as a school, can use better practices.” These recommendations will be presented in a town-hall style assembly in April to a newly formed Sustainability Committee, which will then submit the recommendations for external review. At that point, the school will be able to determine how best to act upon the ideas provided by the community.

Why is all of this so important?

As Dr. Balmer says, “sustainability is a global issue and a human issue,” and so to be well versed in it is to be equipped with the knowledge necessary to be good citizens. In this way, an emphasis on sustainability is directly linked to the school’s mission statement, which calls on students to be “responsible citizens who have global perspectives and make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world.”

And because thinking about sustainability is in large part an issue of creative problem solving, tackling the subject requires students to think critically about complex interconnected sets of problems and devise innovative solutions. With the knowledge and confidence to present effective solutions, Harpeth Hall students and graduates can truly make an impact on their communities and on the world.

So when we come back to the question of why it ultimately makes sense for a school to make sustainability its focal point, and in particular why it makes sense for Harpeth Hall to do so, the issue quickly becomes one of living honorably. As Ms. Harwell says, “Harpeth Hall needs to take this on because we are supposed to be living and modeling for our students. We can’t all be perfect. We can’t all live the right way all the time, but we can at least aspire to. I feel like a school is a place where we’ve got to be better for our students.”

Dr. Balmer agrees. “Creating sustainable systems is simply our responsibility in equipping our students with the tools needed to solve complex problems. Our girls must be fluent in developing solutions and preparing for the uncertainty that they will experience in their chosen fields of study and their careers.” Harpeth Hall is doing what it does so well: remaining deeply rooted in its liberal arts tradition while ensuring that its students are aware of and educated on complex contemporary issues. Balmer summarized it well, “As active participants in the conversation today, Harpeth Hall students will be equipped to become change agents tomorrow.”

2O16 FALL SPEAKER SERIES Harpeth Hall was honored and grateful to host an impressive line-up of assembly speakers this fall.

Each spoke to either our all-school theme of sustainability or the political election of 2016.

Michael P. Vandenbergh, environmental and energy law scholar and Vanderbilt University professor, launched the series in August with a presentation on climate change, the reduction of carbon emssions, and environmental governance.

Later that month, Dan Schnur, veteran political strategist and Director of the Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California, spoke to our girls about the 2016 political race and led an informative Q&A session.

In September, Colin Beavan, non-fiction author of the best-selling book No Impact Man, shared his experience of his family attempting to live a “zero impact” lifestyle in New York City for one year.

Local sustainability leaders, Linda Breggin and Seema Prasad, provided insight into their work on food waste in Nashville. As part of their presentation they examined the food waste at Harpeth Hall.

Distinguished Pulitzer Prize winning author, historian, and Harpeth Hall parent, Jon Meacham, spoke to a packed all-school assembly on November 10, following the 2016 Presidential election. Mr. Meacham used humor and lessons from the past to frame the present.

Dr. Michael Sorrell, President of Paul Quinn College, was the final speaker in our 2016 Fall Speaker Series. He spoke to our students in December about sustainability concepts including urban food deserts, organic farming and the importance of sustainability as a mindset.

Many thanks to this distinguished group. We look forward to re-capping our Spring Speaker Series in our next issue of Hallways.

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FEATURE CODING

Our Girls CODE EMPOWERING Harpeth Hall students with skills for the future.

by Varina Buntin Willse, Class of ’95

CODING 101 What is coding?

A set of instructions that tell the computer what to do

It is Wednesday December 7, just after lunch, and 8th graders are spilling into Mrs. Lucas’s class. The atmosphere is one of excited chatter even before Mrs. Lucas declares it a day of “free coding.”

That announcement prompts an arm-pumping cheer from the class, as if a game-winning goal has just been scored. And then all promptly settle into their work. What are the girls doing and, so obviously, enjoying? Coding.

Is it the same thing as programming?

CODING AS CURRICULUM

with the “hacker” do-it-

T

his first full week of December happens to be Computer Science Education Week, and students around the globe are engaging in the Hour of Code™, a 60-minute tutorial intended to demystify the concept of coding and teach its basic components. Middle school students at Harpeth Hall, however, are receiving far more than an abbreviated glimpse or even a crash course into the subject matter. For them, Coding is a required class, which meets roughly once a week over the course of four semesters in 7th and 8th grades, and is followed up by upper school electives: Introduction to Computer Science, AP (Advanced Placement) Computer Science, and several other options offered by One Schoolhouse (formerly Online School for Girls).

Though coding as a class is new to Harpeth Hall, the emphasis on computer science is not.

Over the past several years, the school has been intentional in its efforts to incorporate coding projects, lessons and activities related to the field. Having introduced robotics roughly ten years ago, the school now offers competitive robotics teams in the middle and upper schools as well as newer clubs, such as ‘Robotics Tinkering’ and ‘CODE!’ Students not engaged in these extracurricular offerings have still been given a chance to learn computer science skills within the curriculum itself. For several years in the middle school students have completed coding projects in math, reading and science using JavaScript, Scratch, and Lego Robotics. In upper school math classes last year, students were writing programs for their graphic calculators, while in science they were developing breadboard circuits and controlling robots. In Winterim, students in Cryptography studied binary code and Bacon’s encryption scheme while those in Animation and Game Design used the programming language “Processing” to build arcade-style games. All of these offerings have set the stage for the current shift toward more focused instruction in coding, a task that at first might seem uninteresting or even intimidating to many students.

Basically, Yes. Why the two terms?

Originally, “programming” was the formal act of writing code. The term “coding” became popular yourself types that viewed their craft with less formality. Recently the term “coding” has resurfaced as a more playful and non-intimidating description of programming for beginners.

How many programming languages are there?

500+ and counting.

Examples include C, Python, Scratch, Java, JavaScript and SQL. What does coding do?

It is used to create computer software, websites, apps, games, machines, art and all

LEAD CONFIDENTLY

sorts of things not yet

tephanie Zeiger, middle school Science Teacher and coordinator of the middle school coding curriculum, acknowledges that when she first defines coding for her students as “a set of instructions that tells the computer what to do,” the common response is one of boredom. When she adds that this set of instructions allows us “to design new technolo-

the essential skill

S 18

HALLWAYS

invented, making coding of tomorrow.

“

[Coding] allows us . . . to design new technologies,

create art, envision a new world, express ideas, share their thoughts and solve problems.

— STEPHANIE ZEIGER, MS SCIENCE TEACHER

Sophomore Caroline Spindel ’19 created the code used on the cover and the binary representation code used in the cover story.

SPRING 2017

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posX = posX + velX * t;

velY = velY + accelerationY * t; posY = posY + velY * t;

FEATURE CODING

xValues[counter] = posX; yValues[counter] = posY;

f (counter = 100) { Serial.print(accelerationX); Serial.print(accelerationY);

delay(100); ounter++;

1100011 01101111 01101110 01110011 01110100 00100000 01101001 01101110 01110100 00100000 01111000 01010000 01101001 1101110 00100000 00111101 00100000 00110010 00111011 00001101 00001010 01100011 01101111 01101110 01110011 01110100 0100000 01101001 01101110 01110100 00100000 01111001 01010000 01101001 01101110 00100000 00111101 00100000 00110011 0111011 00001101 00001010 00001101 00001010 01110110 01101111 01101001 01100100 00100000 01110011 01100101 01110100 1110101 01110000 00101000 00101001 00100000 01111011 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01010011 01100101 01110010 1101001 01100001 01101100 00101110 01100010 01100101 01100111 01101001 01101110 00101000 00111001 00110110 00110000 0110000 00101001 00111011 00001101 00001010 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01110000 01101001 01101110 01001101 1101111 01100100 01100101 00101000 01111000 01010000 01101001 01101110 00101100 00100000 01001001 01001110 01010000 1010101 01010100 00101001 00111011 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01110000 01101001 01101110 01001101 01101111 1100100 01100101 00101000 01111001 01010000 01101001 01101110 00101100 00100000 01001001 01001110 01010000 01010101 1010100 00101001 00111011 00001101 00001010 01111101 00001101 00001010 00001101 00001010 01110110 01101111 01101001 1100100 00100000 01101100 01101111 01101111 01110000 00101000 00101001 00100000 01111011 00001101 00001010 00001101 0001010 00100000 00100000 01101001 01101110 01110100 00100000 01111000 01010110 01100001 01101100 01110101 01100101 1110011 01011011 00110001 00110000 00110001 01011101 00111011 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01101001 01101110 1110100 00100000 01111001 01010110 01100001 01101100 01110101 01100101 01110011 01011011 00110001 00110000 00110001 1011101 00111011 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01101001 01101110 01110100 00100000 01100011 01101111 01110101 1101110 01110100 01100101 01110010 00111011 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01101001 01101110 01110100 00100000 1110000 01101111 01110011 01011000 00111011 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01101001 01101110 01110100 00100000 1110000 01101111 01110011 01011001 00111011 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01101001 01101110 01110100 00100000 1110110 01100101 01101100 01011000 00111011 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01101001 01101110 01110100 0100000 01110110 01100101 01101100 01011001 00111011 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01101001 01101110 1110100 00100000 01110100 00111011 gies, create art, envision a new world, express ideas, share their 1100011 01101111 01101110 01110011 01110100 00100000 thoughts and solve problems ranging from finding the best 1101001 01101110 01110100 00100000 01111000 01010000 This idea of learning perseverance pizza nearby to saving someone’s life,” student curiosity is 1101001 01101110 00100000 00111101 00100000 00110010 immediately piqued and an eagerness to learn arises. The girls and the value01100011 of failure through coding is 0111011 00001101 00001010 01101111 01101110 recognize the breadth of possibilities afforded them by this new 1110011 01110100 00100000 01101001 01101110 01110100 an essential takeaway for today’s girls and skill. They also discover pretty quickly that coding is a lot more 0100000 01111001 01010000 01101001 01101110 00100000 is one of the ways Harpeth Hall is setting fun than they thought it would be. As 8th grader Sophie Keeble 0111101 00100000 00110011 00111011 00001101 00001010 affirms, “Over the four years I have attended Harpeth Hall, its students up for future01100100 success.

0001101 00001010 01110110 01101111 01101001 [Coding] is one of the classes I have been most excited about! I 0100000 01110011 01100101 01110100 01110101 01110000 — STEPHANIE ZEIGER, MS SCIENCE TEACHER am enjoying coding class because I get to learn new things, be 0101000 00101001 00100000 01111011 00001101 00001010 creative with my programs, and there seems to be no limitations 0100000 00100000 01010011 01100101 01110010 01101001 01100001 on what I can learn and discover.”

1101100 high school will feel comfortable signing up for it in college, having Upper school faculty member Jennifer Webster agrees. She 0101110 seen the joy and excitement that their friends have had while taking sees the excitement that the new middle school Coding class 1100010 it at Harpeth Hall.” and the upper school Advanced Placement (AP) Computer 1100101 Science classes are generating for students as well as the intel1100111 lectual capital afforded to them. “The girls who have had some 1101001 basic coding experience have a deeper understanding of using 1101110 variables, loops and conditional statements in their programs… he girls are already way ahead of the rest of us, who may still be 0101000 I also think that the girls who do not have room in their own wondering: What exactly is coding and how does it serve our 0111001 schedules to take Advanced Placement Computer Science in students? Simply put, coding is generating a language that a 0110110 0110000 20 HALLWAYS 0110000 00101001 00111011 00001101 00001010 00001101 00001010 00100000 00100000 01110000 01101001 01101110 01001101

“

CODING INTERDISCIPLINARITY

T

FEATURE CODING

girls understand coding is interdisciplinary. We’re giving the girls skills that they can then take back to their other classes, equipped with more options for how to complete projects.”

THINK CRITICALLY

N

computer can understand, and it helps us create software, websites, apps, games, machines and all sorts of things not yet invented. middle school Science Department Chair Becky Smith likens coding to reading. She sees it as a fundamental skill that, once learned, can be applied expansively—and certainly across all disciplines. Understanding that coding is interdisciplinary is and has been a priority. This is why the faculty teaching coding in the middle school hail from various disciplines, including History and English. As Dr. Zeiger says, “We want to make sure that the

ot only is coding itself valuable across disciplines but so, too, is the computational thinking it fosters. When learning to code, students experiment with various problem-solving strategies, from decomposition to writing algorithms. Finding themselves stuck, they have the resources to go back and approach the problem in a different way. As Sophie Keeble explains it, “You need to be committed and focused to finding a solution because there is a lot that goes into debugging the program so that it works consistently.” Her 8th grade classmate, Kaitlyn Saidy, agrees: “Before I even start putting things on my workspace, I always take at least 2-3 seconds to ask myself, ‘What is wrong with this program and how can I make it better?’

With all the thinking involved and the trial and error, it can be frustrating sometimes…but in the end, that’s coding.”

This idea of learning perseverance and the value of failure through coding is an essential takeaway for today’s girls and one of the ways Harpeth Hall is setting its students up for future success. Dr. Zeiger, who as a nuclear/biomedical engineer frequently had to code prior SPRING 2017

21

FEATURE CODING to becoming a full-time teacher, credits coding with her ability to recognize failure as a step toward empowerment. “Things weren’t working and all kinds of failure happened, and then you were able to step back and figure it out. It gives you this sense of, ‘Yes, I can do this,’ which I’ve seen happen a lot in our coding classes.”

“It’s important that we’re showing the girls that we encounter problems and get stuck in pretty much all facets of life,” she adds.

“Using these strategies helps you to persevere and gain a new perspective, which is sometimes what you need to solve the problem ultimately.” In this way, coding is a tangible way that Harpeth Hall students are learning both to lead confidently and to think critically.

BETTER TOGETHER

A

nother essential aspect of coding is the imperative of collaboration.

We tend to view computer programmers as lone wolves, toiling away in isolation, but in fact the opposite is true. People are expected to be able to work in programming teams, and this is something that girls at Harpeth Hall experience all the time. In the upper school, students in Advanced Placement Physics II are working together to use the programming language VPython to create a 2D simulation of a proton’s path in a cyclotron. The Robotics Team in

the middle school, which routinely collaborates on intensive timed challenges, not only qualified for the State tournament this year but won a first place award in Core Values for their outstanding ability to work as a team. In this way, Harpeth Hall students are developing a rare but essential combination of technical and social knowledge.

22

HALLWAYS

22

CODING: KEY TO SUCCESS

A

s an all-girls school, Harpeth Hall is uniquely positioned to liberate students from a computer science genderization that might otherwise limit them.

According to a study by the National Girls Collaborative Project, women make up half of the total U.S. college-educated workforce, but only 29% of the science and engineering workforce.

Lost is the fact that women were some of the first programmers.

At the outset of World War II, women were recruited by the U.S. military to be “computers” in charge of calculating ballistics, a little known part of history that was elucidated in the 2010 documentary “Top Secret Rosies: The Female Computers of WWII.” More recently, two of the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom awards were given to female coders: Margaret H. Hamilton who was an Apollo software engineer and Grace Hopper who was at the forefront of computer programming for four decades beginning in the 1940s. And yet, the number of female computer science graduates has dropped from 37% in 1984 to just 18% today. The non-profit organization Girls Who Code is working to close the gender gap in technology. So is Harpeth Hall.

As alumna Cynthia Price ’91, VP of Marketing at local tech giant Emma, confirms: “Harpeth Hall is in a unique position to help close a pretty extreme gender gap in engineering and development careers by giving girls early access to these skills.” She also confirms the importance of teaching coding as a skill in itself. “I think it’s as important for young people to have a foundational understanding of coding as it was for us to learn typing. Whether they go on to use it or not, it’s important to understand how the technology we’re so

FEATURE CODING immersed in is working even at a very basic level.

And then for those who do want to go into engineering or development, those career options can be incredibly fulfilling and lucrative and those roles sit at the heart of some of the most interesting and innovative companies.”

The students themselves see this need. Our cover artist, sophomore Caroline Spindel, articulates it this way: “We teach programming not because we can walk off after an hour of Scratch and create the next Facebook, but to learn vital logic, computer, and problem-solving skills that will serve us in the future. Coding is the future not just because it’s cool, but because in an automated, fast-paced world, it is necessary.

It is a tool that should be taken advantage of. It is an opportunity to grow and learn and invest in yourself. Most importantly, the only limit to what you code is your imagination, which makes the modern programmer an artist in her own way.”

Senior Grace Ann Robertson agrees. “Coding and computer science are first and foremost incredibly important skills for everyone to have in today’s technological society. Most new jobs include at least some aspect of coding and working with computers, so I have no doubt that this language I am learning will help me later in life.” Compellingly, she adds, “Coding is also a great boost of confidence for me. This type of problem solving and working my brain in ways that it does not work anywhere else in school or otherwise is making me a more creative and confident woman.

I know now that I can solve any problem, and I am less likely to give up on something if I cannot figure it out right away. Coding has taught me to persevere and be strong, and learning to code honestly brings me joy.”

Congratulations to Harpeth Hall’s Middle School Robotics Team for winning the first place Programming Award in February at the FIRST LEGO League East Tennessee Championship Tournament. Special thanks to middle school science teachers Becky Smith and Stephanie Zieger for leading the team.

You don’t need to know code to unlock the power in that message.

SPRING 2017

23

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1110 00 01 000 physics, science, 11 00 do not1realize 011to just plugging 0 numbers Most 11011 into a101001 get 111computer 1110people 01 0100 01101 0 0 0and 011010 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 101 00 0 0 so I plan0on 00000 in one 1 0010 000010 we 0cannot 0100project 101 011and complicated of 01majoring math formula.0Each we how 00complex 0 01001 100work 010000 101Obviously 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 00 11 10 1 0000 is. Just 100continuing 101000 10 0110 01110 0 those 0 00101 on everything—tests 001110required did this past semester like 0 0110but 000110 science 01 011 01110 0 0 0computer 001011 000realms, 111000 together 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0111 0 00 01exams 0000 0111critical 1100001 01001 as far1as and are individual—but all three I0can. planning and deep English, billions 110 011 001101 0 001upon 010100 there0are 0 000subjects 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 11 00 010 10 101 10 0 1 00collaboration 01up 000future 01000 0 in 1101billions 001011 00010of 101 000 1involved 01 0the Whatever holds for 0100the 0 0 1 thinking to come with soluwords and phrases 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 00 00 10 1100 001 01 00For 111101will be101100 011101 100 011 101and 11011 0 000010 000 0coding I0once me, tions to problems. example, in0my intro 1 001considered 1101to 000to01use, 10I0know 0 1 01100 an activity 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 01 01 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 011010 01 001 in.

00 0 is fun0to 111 011000 because 1part 0101 1solitary 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 100000 take involved somewhere 1 1 0 1 0 one of the codes we created as coding class we are just 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0110 00 100 01 0 1 00 010 11110 0 00Governor’s 00 01 0It 10001 0 1 01110 the0surface.

000011 1 110010 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 just like after 1 0 0 0 1 0 a project was supposed to take scratching can 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 10 101 1 01 001 0110 1 01011 111010 1can’t 1 00001 0frustrating 0011 01 110111 0 101001 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 school, I give it up.

0 0 0 0 1 a list of students and divide be to know that we 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 01010 11101 0 001000 1001 01 110010 000 011 10 0111 001 010 110100 00 0110 10101 0 011011 0 00100 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 01 0000 01 0110 01110 0 1 01101 001100 0000 01 10 0010 24 HALLWAYS 011010 110000 001 011 110001 00 0010 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0111 1 000010 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 00 010 000 1011 010 101110 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0111 00 01 01101 0 011 01101 1010 0 01000

Qand A

*

*

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*

1 0 1 01 01 01 101 110 0001 0101 0000 00000 00000 100000 100000

WINTERIM 2O17

AUSTRALIA

BRITAIN

WASHINGTON, DC

FRANCE

AUSTRIA

NEW YORK CITY

1 110100 0 0 11101 1 011001 00 011101 10 0 0 0111 00 0 00110 PANAMA NASHVILLE BELFAST 101 0 01001 0 00 0 01010 111 1 0 1 011 101 0 00 0101 1001 11 0110 01101 ACADEMIC TRAVEL 010 000 00101 1 1 0 1 0 Harpeth Hall’s 44th Winterim occurred in January, and by all accounts, it was an extraordinary and transforma1 01110 001 011 tional experience for our students and faculty. Many thanks to Director of Winterim and International Exchange, 110001 Jacquie Watlington, and her assistant Sinclair Kelly, our students, faculty, faculty chaperones, parents, and 0000 00 110101 alumnae who worked together and carefully planned the myriad events on and off campus.

1111 01 100000 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 AUSTRALIA• 010000 AUSTRIA • BELFAST • BRITAIN • FRANCE • JAPAN • NASHVILLE • NEW YORK CITY • PANAMA • UGANDA • WASHINGTON DC 10100 0 0 010000 SPRING 2017 25 10100 0 0 0 0 00100 0 0 1 0 1 1 00

WINTERIM 2O17

WINTERIM 2O17

January’s Winterim Assembly featured guest speaker and Panama trip Leader, Japhy Dhungana.

Our juniors and seniors traveled to more than 10 countries and a wide variety of cities for academic travel and internships. Experiences ranged from attending the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C., to planting an organic farm in Panama, to observing “behind-the-scenes” in the neurosurgery department at Vanderbilt Medical Center. Our Winterim website page showcased the girls’ travel blogs and social media accounts that documented their travels, as well as inspiring videos the girls created and played at the Winterim Assembly once they returned to campus. On campus, 9th and 10th grade students participated in 68 different classes ranging from Fencing to Global Problem Solvers to The Gilmore Girls.

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Sterling Akers with John Meacham at Price is Right, wheel on the set of Real Time with Bill Maher show in Los Angeles CA

MargueriteTrost at the Botanical Garden’s Million Orchid Project in Coral Gables, FL

WINTERIM 2O17

GLOBAL MASKS

LIGHT, MATH AND COLOR

STARS

FENCING

TEXTILES OF THE WORLD

COFFEE CLASS

WEAVING

BOARD GAMES

WINTERIM 2O17 ON CAMPUS CLASSES

We are immensely proud of all of our students’ good work, and we are confident this type of experiential learning provides them an interdisciplinary approach to their studies. Here’s to our 45th year in 2018!

COFFEE • COMPUTER GRAPHICS • GLOBAL MASKS • FENCING • LIGHT, MATH AND COLOR • STARS • TEXTILES OF THE WORLD • WEAVING SPRING 2017

27

ALUMNA SPIRIT OF SERVICE 2O17 Volunteers

LLS Patient Ambassadors

Volunteers

2O17 Alumna Spirit of Service Award

A Life of Service

BETH RATHER GORMAN ’9O

by Marguerite Nielsen Orndorff ‘9O

uring a visit to Nashville in 2012, Beth Rather Gorman ’90 experienced a full circle moment. Beth met with Dr. John Greer from Vanderbilt Medical Center who had been the lead physician for her brother, Hal, exactly 20 years ago.

Hal had an extremely rare form of leukemia, and despite sending his case around the country to top experts, a treatment course was not available for his condition. Hal lost his fight in the summer of 1992, marking the starting point for Beth’s devotion to finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood related cancers.

During this recent visit with Hal’s oncologist, Dr. Greer revealed that there was now a treatment course for the rare type of leukemia Hal battled, and they were seeing exciting results. The medications now in use were directly funded by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), where Beth has worked tirelessly for the past 16 years. Her work has had a direct effect on finding a cure for the disease that claimed her brother’s life.

Beth joined the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in 2000 after moving from Nashville to Washington, DC. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds research, patient services, advocacy, public awareness, and education. Beth started on the ground floor at the LLS and worked her way up through the ranks.

In 2013, she was promoted to Executive Director of the Washington, D.C. chapter. With over $14.5 million in gross revenues through events including Team in Training, the Leukemia Ball, the Man and Woman of the Year, Regatta, School and Youth campaigns, and more, Beth has spearheaded the events and fundraising that have brought the chapter to the number one chapter in the nation, out of 56, each year since she became Executive Director.

Beth’s devotion to the mission is not isolated to her career work. In addition to her paid position as Executive Director, she also devotes her free time to raising additional funds for the cause. Independent 28

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“Essentially, Harpeth Hall provided me with the necessary tools and a strong foundation to succeed, and for that, I will always be grateful.” of her position, she personally raised over $200,000. She has participated in Team and Training marathon and half marathon events five times. In 2013, she put together a team of 31 women who trained together and participated in the Nike Half Marathon D.C. and raised $125,000 as a group - the second highest fundraising team in the country for that event. In October 2014, she formed a team for the Light the Night Walk with family and friends and raised an additional $14,000, involving children in the event. This isn’t just a job for Beth; she devotes her time and talents to this cause 24/7.

Beth attributes much of her success to the foundation she received as a seven-year student of Harpeth Hall. “Harpeth Hall is a wonderful learning environment that gave me the opportunity to explore my interests, to be a leader, to challenge me to always do my best, and to build long lasting relationships. Essentially, Harpeth Hall provided me with the necessary tools and a strong foundation to succeed, and for that, I will always be grateful.”

Doug Staebler, Beth Gorman, Matt Ackland

Team 40 Runs 13.1 Miles for LLS TNT

Beth at Light The Night Walk DC with family

Beth preps to run Nike DC with her sisters-in-law

Hard work isn’t the only key ingredient in Beth’s success. Any member of the class of 1990 would recognize that Beth’s positive attitude, integrity, selflessness, joyful sprit, and kind heart all contribute to her results. Beth has never met a stranger and she puts people at ease immediately upon meeting them. Donna McKelvey, Beth’s former boss and previous LLS director, describes Beth: “Beth is one of the most compassionate individuals I have ever met.

She is always positive and upbeat no matter what the situation. In addition, she is such a strong team player. She is always willing to roll up her sleeves to make sure the best possible job is accomplished.

The one characteristic than stands out above all others is her leadership. Beth is a natural born leader. Above all, she leads by example— hard work, honesty, compassion, and dedication to finding a cure.”

Ms. McKelvey sums up Beth’s incredible success perfectly: “Her wonderful compassion, coupled with her outstanding business sense, is a winning combination. She is the master at building and nurturing relationships, the cornerstone for success in fundraising.”

Beth feels fortunate that she has found the perfect balance in the marriage of her work and her passion for finding a cure for LLS in memory of her brother, which has fueled her success in her career.

She uses her own experiences with a family member with leukemia to relate to the families she serves. She uses each day to make a lasting impact in the lives of others, and she does it with a cheerful disposition and a compassionate heart. For all of these reasons, we are proud to honor Beth Rather Gorman ’90 as our 2017 Alumna Spirit of Service honoree.

SPRING 2017

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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA 2O17

Manhattan Magnolia MARCIE ALLEN VAN MOL ’92

F

by Shannon Simpson Bevins ’92

or her contributions in the music industry and her ongoing philanthropic efforts in her Nashville and New York City communities, The Harpeth Hall School is honored to name Marcie Allen Van Mol ’92 as its 2017 Distinguished Alumna.

If a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, then Harpeth Hall alumna Marcie Allen Van Mol’s first intrepid steps took place in a plaid kilt and saddle oxfords.

It was during those kilt-wearing days that Marcie Allen ’92 was placed in charge of booking music entertainment for one of the biggest events of the year —the Harpeth Hall music-loving, Gen X set Prom. For $500, Marcie secured the band. The Megaphonics were signed, sealed, and they certainly delivered.

Based on the dance floor energy — big hair and 90s taffeta dresses churning and spinning in Morrison Gym that night - prom was a monumental success.

Unbeknownst to her classmates, the prom band-booking endeavor sparked a fire which eventually roared into a 20-plus year career in the music industry.

Marcie’s passion for music and dealmaking still burns like an inferno today.

Marcie Allen Van Mol has leveraged her music industry experience to negotiate high-profile partnerships between the world’s leading brands and artists. As President of music experiential agency, MAC Presents, based in Flatiron/NYC, Marcie has brokered and executed multi-faceted programs on behalf of brands including: Sony, Southwest Airlines, Microsoft, Verizon, Samsung, Citi, Miller, Delta, AT&T and artists including Foo Fighters, The Rolling Stones, Green Day, Billy Joel, John 30

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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA with building her passion for photography and photojournalism. She points emphatically at her four years on the Harpeth Hall volleyball courts under the zealous training of Coach Pat Moran as a huge force in focusing her values and sharpening her instincts.

Legend, Lady Antebellum, Imagine Dragons, Chance the Rapper, and Keith Urban.

She is an eleven-time nominee and six-time winner of Billboard’s “Concert Marketing and Promotion Award” and has been named to Billboard’s “Women in Music” list every year since 2010.

Marcie was included in Billboard’s “Branding Power Players” list in 2016 and the publication’s “40 under 40” list in 2013 and has also received the publication’s “Humanitarian Award”. Variety Magazine selected Marcie to its 2015 “Power of Women: New York Impact List,” representing the most powerful women in the entertainment industry.

Marcie currently sits on the board of directors for The Country Music Association, serves on the advisory board for Berklee College of Music, and recently completed terms with the board of directors for Global Poverty Project and Musicians on Call.

Marcie was a member of the 2016 Cannes Lions Entertainment Music jury and served on the 2016 Clio Music jury.

Prior to starting MAC Presents, Marcie owned and operated Nashville/Atlanta-based MAD Booking & Events, which produced more than 100 music festivals across the country, including On the Bricks in Atlanta, Dancin’ in the District in Nashville, and Voodoo Music Fest. In 2004, she found an untapped niche in the market and charged full speed ahead: MAC Presents was born on her dining room table in Green Hills. Marcie recounts those days saying, “Alison Krauss and Union Station were my first client, and my second client was Cracker Barrel. And I thought, ‘Wait a minute, I can put them together.’”

Marcie credits many Harpeth Hall teachers such as Art Echerd and Peter Goodwin with notable influence in her life. She cites her Winterim experiences at the Nashville Banner and Nashville Scene

“When Harpeth Hall made it for the first time to the state volleyball tournament in Chattanooga,” Marcie says, “We looked out into the stands, and the first people we saw were our teachers. They made the long trek to cheer for us. I will never forget that.” Marcie maintains that the collaboration and discipline needed to become a state championship-level athlete taught her some of the hardest won lessons she still draws upon regularly in her storied professional career — a career which recently culminated in being named one of Billboard’s Top 100 Powerful Women in Music. Volleyball was such a predominant force in her young life that three years ago, she decided to make a gift for overhead volley ball systems nets in the Harpeth Hall Athletic and Wellness Center and dedicated them to Coach Moran and her 1991 teammates with a commemorative plaque.

In 1992, Marcie enrolled at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee where a vibrant music scene awaited her. As a freshman, she was elected social chairman for her sorority, Tri-Delta, and for three years booked bands on riverboats, Beale Street, and on campus.

She was ahead of the curve on the upcoming bands — always knowing who would hit the top of the charts well before they even made it fully onto the music scene. Before her senior year at Rhodes, she secured a summer internship in Washington, D.C. and was soon offered a position as Live Nation’s (Cellar Door Concerts) director of marketing.

The now 43-year-old recalls that summer of being scooped up by the music industry: “The first summer I was there, I had been at work a week, and Phish was headlining Nissan Pavilion. My mentor and boss Dave Williams asked me to take a golf cart to pick up someone who would be playing onstage with Phish. He didn’t say who it was. So I round the corner, and Dave Matthews is at the gate with his guitar. I had followed Dave’s live shows across the southeast for much of my college years. Dave says, ‘Scoot over. I’m driving.’ I finally felt a part of the music industry. I had made it inside a place whose walls were once designed to keep women out.’”

Marcie also heavily credits her nontraditional upbringing for building the mental and emotional fortitude that it takes to succeed as a woman in a customarily cutthroat industry. Marcie was raised by her two grandmothers—“The strongest women I have ever known.

SPRING 2017

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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA 2O17 They are the metaphorical and literal house that built me”.

Nancy Allen (d.2008) and Ginny Freeman were the maternal forces who enrolled Marcie in Harpeth Hall and held her accountable for taking advantage of the educational opportunities that it offered. Music runs generations deep in Marcie’s DNA. She is the third generation of her family to work in the music business, following her grandfather DJ “Hossman” Bill Allen (d.1997) and her aunt Bebe Allen Evans, a 1971 Harpeth Hall alumna, who manages The Charlie Daniels Band.

Even while the accolades and honors continue to accumulate, Marcie will be the first to tell you that the success on paper and in the form of awards all means nothing unless you have the right people with whom to enjoy the achievements. Those people are her husband, family and friends - many of whom are also Harpeth Hall alumnae.

Marcie’s friends describe her as fiercely loyal, passionate, and straight-talking. Her business colleagues add such adjectives as persistent, tough, and a shrewd negotiator.

Marcie now focuses significant effort on helping other women reach their career goals. One example is the Manhattan Magnolias brunch group that Marcie founded once she moved her company to New York City in 2010. Women in various industries and some fellow Harpeth Hall alumnae gather on a quarterly basis to eat, pep talk, and build one another up in a city that can be as cutthroat as it is inspiring.

Marcie thanks Harpeth Hall for instilling the self confidence that she has drawn upon to become a savvy and successful businesswoman. She has a knack for taking calculated risks and outworking the competition to deliver. Her courageous decisions, coupled with the focus and drive to finish are the hallmarks of her leadership.

Marcie’s success has allowed her to give back through various contributions to the Nashville and New York communities and specifically to the relief effort in the wake of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Her documentary film, “Beach 119”, coupled with Marcie’s relentless volunteer work in the Rockaways resulted in her being recognized at the White House in 2013 as a Champion of Change. Marcie has served on the Harpeth Hall Head’s Young Alumnae Council as well as the National Advisory Council. She continues to host Harpeth Hall students as interns at MAC Presents’s office each year during Winterim.

Upon marrying her sixth grade sweetheart five years ago, Derek Van Mol, Marcie became a devoted stepmother to two girls, commuting between Nashville and New York City every other week.

Mary Holine is a member of Harpeth Hall’s class of 2022. Fellow Harpeth Hall alumna Jennie Stevens Witherspoon ’94 writes, “I remember her well from high school and have a vivid picture of her with a huge smile leaving assembly singing the senior song. We’ve bonded now over the role of being mothers of Harpeth Hall girls.

She inspires me on a daily basis to be the best I can in my career 32

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and as a mother. However, I have to say I am most blessed that my daughters get to know Marcie personally and look up to her as a strong, successful woman.”

Back in New York, it’s time for Marcie to head out of the office, sweet tea in hand, to teach a Branding class as an adjunct professor at NYU’s acclaimed Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. She has traded her company president hat for her proverbial teacher hat as the blustery New York wind hits her face, binder under arm —a woman on a mission. Just like the Harpeth Hall teachers who inspired her, she is taking her talents to the front of the classroom to do the same for a few lucky aspiring music executives. Marcie knows that to whom much is given, much is expected. She delivers on that bargain. Students line up at the end of class as the bell rings instead of scattering out the door like typical college students to thank her personally and to seek internships.

They now know her, and they are inspired.

TRUSTEES 2O16-2017

MEET OUR NEW TRUSTEES

Jon Meacham Jon Meacham is a Presidential historian and a Pulitzer Prizewinning author. He is also Contributing Editor at TIME, former Managing Editor of Newsweek, Executive Vice President and Executive Editor at Random House.

He is a graduate of The McCallie School and Sewanee: The University of the South. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, John received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University and also holds five other honorary doctorates.

Jon and his wife Keith have three children: Sam, Mary ’23, and Maggie.

Rachel Reeves Settle ’94 Rachel graduated from Harpeth Hall in 1994 and received her undergraduate degree from The University of Virginia. Rachel previously worked at LifePoint Hospitals as an analyst in capital management, development, and strategic planning.

Rachel has served as the Harpeth Hall Alumnae Association President and as an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees. She has chaired the Distinguished Alumna Committee, served on the Head’s Young Alumnae Council, the National Advisory Council, the Alumnae Annual Fund Leadership Gifts Committee, and as Reunion Class Chair.

Rachel and her husband Will Ed have a son, Edwards, and a daughter, Rebecca.

Jack Wallace Jack is a graduate of the University of Alabama. He is an Executive Vice President of Willis Towers Watson of Nashville and also manages the Louise Bullard Wallace Foundation. Jack returns to the Board of Trustees having served previously from 2009 to 2015. Jack has served on committees including Building and Grounds, Finance, Property, Strategic Planning, and Trustees and Governance.

He also served on the Head of School Search Committee in 2013-14. Jack has three sisters, Elizabeth “Betsy” Wallace Taylor ’80, Elena Wallace Graves ’79, and Anne Wallace Nesbitt ’76 and his mother was Louise “Dede” Bullard Wallace ’53. Jack and his wife Elizabeth have three daughters, Ansley Wallace Cire ’06, Gray Wallace ’12, Lili Wallace, and a son, Jake,.

Mandy Haynes Young ’85 Mandy is a member of the Harpeth Hall Class of 1985.

She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and received her J.D. from the University of Tennessee. She is an AV-Rated attorney in the Government, Administration and Regulatory group and Healthcare Regulatory and Transactions group at Butler Snow. Mandy has served on the Head’s Young Alumnae Council and the Alumnae Annual Fund Leadership Gifts Committee. She has chaired her class reunion numerous times and has regularly participated in Upper School Career Day. Mandy and her husband Stephen served as 5th Grade Class Chairs during the public phase of The Next Step Campaign. Mandy and Stephen have a daughter, Mary Neely ’21, and two sons, Haynes and Adam.

SPRING 2017

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2016 Upper School Career Day

H

arpeth Hall welcomed over 40 accomplished alumnae back on campus for its biannual Upper School Career Day on November 11th. The alumnae

addressed upper school students in a panel format and answered questions about their career paths. This year, in an effort to share a breadth of career paths, students were asked to respond to questions regarding their interests, such as, “Are you interested in helping others?” or “Do you enjoy solving problems?”

Each panel was comprised of alumnae from a variety of professions to expose the students to more career choices. For example, students interested in helping others heard from alumnae in counseling, law, human resources, and engineering. This experience was eye opening for the students as they were able to learn about careers they may not have considered otherwise. “This year’s Career Day helped me see all of the job options open to me based upon my interests. I had never considered a career in law before, but after Career Day, I understood how a law degree can be used in many different ways. I loved talking with the

“Career Day allowed me to discuss and discover more about the professional world.” panelists about their college majors, and they helped me make informed decisions about my future college choices as well. It is always a blessing to see Harpeth Hall alumnae back on campus, discussing their memories and growth throughout their years as a student.

While I still do not know what my future holds, Career Day allowed me to discuss and discover more about the professional world,” said senior Kelsey Kay Herring.

The afternoon concluded with two final opportunities

If you are interested in participating in a future Career Day,

please contact Director of Alumnae Relations Scottie Coombs at coombs@harpethhall.org.

34

HALLWAYS

for the students: a networking fair for the juniors and seniors to speak one-on-one with the panelists and form valuable connections with alumnae; and a Winterim internship panel for the freshmen and sophomores to assist them in learning what it means to participate in an internship, what mentors will expect from their interns, and how internships are a great introduction to a career they may be wondering about for the future. Both students and alumnae enjoyed the afternoon.

“Participating in Career Day was a valuable and rewarding experience,” said alumna participant Mercedes Jones ’87, Managing Partner of Affinity Partners, LLC. “The curiosity and enthusiasm the students exhibited allowed me to think critically about my career choices and to share my career evolution.

I also enjoyed catching up with fellow alumnae and hearing their experiences across a number of careers, while also giving back to the Harpeth Hall community.”

ALUMNAE CAREER DAY Suzanne Brown Bryant ’02

Physician, Obstetrics and Gynecology, UT OB-GYN Residency Program

Grace Richardson Johnson ’02

Director of Hospital Medicine Recruiting, Schumacher Clinical Partners

Jessica Turk ’02

Assistant Program Manager, Nashville Public Television

Liz Porter Veyhl ’02

Founder & Executive Director (SWY), Co-owner (NPC), Small World of Yoga & Nashville Paddle Co.

Cynthia Price ’91

Director, Live Content, Twitter—San Francisco, CA

Jennifer Farringer Pearson ’92

Michaelanne McConnell Laurderdale ’03

Tracey Robinson ’92

Laura Wright Alexander ’04 Senior Creative Director, Kobalt Music Group

Manager, Occupational Therapy, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Owner & Advanced Practice Nurse, Trace Skin Care, LLC

Naomi Limor Sedek ’92

Assistant Executive Director, The Jewish Federation of Nashville/Middle Tennessee

Participants:

Mollie Mills Mann ’93

Margaret Napier Morford ’73

Sarah Scarborough ’93

Lori Munkeboe ’76

Lauren Chewning ’94

Owner & CEO, The HR Edge, Inc.

Director, Office of Sustainable Practices, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Hannah Bond ’82

Physics Teacher and Engineer, Harpeth Hall School (formerly with GE and Lockheed-Martin)

Marian Russell Eidson ’82

Major Gifts Officer, Manager, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee

Mary Laird Warner Stewart ’82

Vice President of Sales, The Booking Group Founder/Owner/President, Firepot Nomadic Teas Vice President, Consumer Insight, Marriott International, Bethesda, MD

Courtney Pace Weiler ’95 Clinic Manager, Centerstone

Anne Elizabeth McIntosh ’96

Vice President, Membership & Business Development, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.

Crissy Wieck Welhoelter ’96

Senior Vice President of Sales, Western Express

Holly Meadows Baird ’97

Physician, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Jewish Health—Denver, CO

Executive Director, USGBC Tennessee Chapter

Mercedes Jones ’87

Managing Partner, Affinity Partners, LLC

Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Katie McDougall ’88

Sarah Ledford McAfee ’97

Lola Blackwell Chambless ’97

Co-Founder and Co-Director, The Porch Writers’ Collective

Vice President / Banking Advisor, SunTrust Bank

Julie Riven Dretler ’89

Legal Counsel, Projects & Technology, Shell Oil Company—Houston, TX

Vice President of Marketing, Formerly with MTV at Bravo Network

Ellen Maguire Vick ’89

Associate Executive Director, North Carolina Board of Pharmacy—Durham, NC

Raleigh Anne Blank ’03

Vice President of Marketing, Emma

Meghann McConnell Myers ’98 Tallu Schuyler Quinn ’98

Owner and Creator, Motorboatin’ 30a and Salt Air 30a, Rosemary Beach, FL

Elizabeth Conrad ’04

Junior Research Associate, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals

Kimberly Hogg ’04

Marketing Manager, Southeast Region, PepsiCo, Atlanta, GA

Hayley Phipps ’04

Associate Veterinarian, Belle Meade Animal Hospital

Ragan Gibson Graves ’05

Marriage and Family Counselor, Ragan Graves Counseling

Morgan Stengel ’05

Project Manager, Giarratana, LLC

Caroline Anderson ’06

Supply Chain Analyst, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Murray Benson ’07

Kindergarten teacher, Percy Priest Elementary School

Olivia Burd ’07

Founder, The Nashville Weekender

Nancy Keen Palmer-Gift ’07

Development Coordinator, Crossroads Campus

Mary Lu Noah ’08

Assistant District Counsel, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers

Lindsay Turner ’08

Executive Director, Druid City Garden Project, Birmingham, AL

Kelsea Best ’11

Executive Director of The Nashville Food Project

Procurement Associate-Sustainability, ExxonMobil, Houston, TX

Cassie McConnell Kelley ’01

Jenna Moses ’13

Founder, Womanista

current student at Vanderbilt University SPRING 2017

35

ALUMNAE FALL EVENTS

Alumnae Outcomes Panel

H

arpeth Hall welcomed five alumnae to campus in December to share their experiences with prospective families interested in Harpeth Hall.

The panel discussion allowed prospective families a glimpse into life beyond Harpeth Hall and the preparation our students receive to create their path in the world.

Alumnae spoke of their lasting friendships, deep ties to faculty, formative Winterim experiences, and the confidence to, as Caroline Moses Sprouse ’02 said, “change culture.”

Many thanks to our alumnae Samantha Williams ’08, Caroline Moses Sprouse ’02, Mary Lindley Carswell ’05, Nika Ferdowsi ’00, and Amanda Powell Smith ’04 for a wonderful evening. Video of the event is available at harpethhall.org.

HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL 36

HALLWAYS

ALUMNAE OUTCOMES PANEL

ALUMNAE FALL EVENTS

Knoxville, TX

SWEET SUMMER SEND OFF • CLASS OF 2016

HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL

University of Alabama

SPRING 2017

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ALUMNAE HOLIDAY PARTY

38

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ALUMNAE COLLEGE AGE BRUNCH

COLLEGE AGE BRUNCH

SPRING 2017

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REGIONAL GATHERINGS

WASHINGTON, DC

WASHINGTON, DC

WASHINGTON, DC 40

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AUSTIN, TX

WASHINGTON, DC

ALUMNAREGIONAL GATHERINGS

NEW YORK, NY

NEW YORK, NY

LOS ANGELES, CA

BIRMINGHAM, AL

AUBURN, AL

TUSCALOOSA, AL

SPRING 2017

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ALUMNAE DEDE BULLARD WALLACE AWARD

Peggy Smith Warner ’54

T

he Harpeth Hall School honored remarkable alumna leader, Peggy Smith Warner ’54 with the prestigious Dede Bullard Wallace Award at the annual Leadership Dinner in September in Bullard Gymnasium. The award is named for Louise “Dede” Bullard Wallace ’53, a member of the original student body of Harpeth Hall who helped establish our school spirit by her enthusiastic engagement in all phases of campus life. When Board Chair Emily Cate Tidwell ’75 presented Peggy with the award, she said “When I think of dynamic leadership at Harpeth Hall, I think of Peggy who is reflective of our rich history of high caliber leaders. She harnesses all our collective goodwill and fondness for Harpeth Hall and channels it into active, vital support for the school. Peggy exemplifies what Harpeth Hall tries to instill: a confident, honorable leader who constantly strives to make this school Peggy is a selfless, smart, strategic, thoughtful woman, full of heart, and who is better and more beautiful. And no-nonsense when it comes to getting the work done. — HEAD OF SCHOOL STEPHANIE BALMER oh, what a job she has done!”

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Peggy has been committed to Harpeth Hall since she was a high school sophomore, enrolling at Harpeth Hall after Ward-Belmont closed in 1951. In fact, Peggy’s family is woven into the fabric of Harpeth Hall going back to Ward Seminary where her grandmother, Margaret Lipscomb Thompson, was a student. Peggy’s first leadership role at Harpeth Hall was as President of her class, and she has remained engaged in the life of the school as an alumna, a parent, a trustee for 12 years, as the board chair from 1991 to 1995, as an honorary trustee for the past 18 years, and as a philanthropist. “She has always been dedicated to women’s education and to the way women and girls learn,” said friend and fellow alumna Fran Keltner Hardcastle ’55.

”

As board chair, Peggy is credited with adding the fifth grade at Harpeth Hall in 1993, with inspiring greater philanthropy, and with paving the way for technology and greater diversity. “The notion of financial aid was almost non-existent at the time. Peggy and others saw the need to reach out and create a more diverse student body, and the school embraced the idea of providing education to those girls who had very little access to resources,” added Ken.

The school for girls we have become with 686 students, an endowment of over $40 million, and financial aid awards of over $1.5 million has much to do with Peggy’s courageous leadership and her family’s philanthropy. Peggy has invested her family’s resources to address some of our most pressing needs. She, along When I hear Peggy talk so passionately about scholarship and the Winterim Travel Fund, with her mother Margaret she essentially is signaling how important access and affordability are to her—and to Thompson Smith ’33 and her every student for whom Harpeth Hall is a possibility.

— HEAD OF SCHOOL STEPHANIE BALMER daughters Jeannette Warner ’78 and Mary Laird Warner In 1970, Peggy served as secretary of the newly formed Alumnae Stewart ’82, established the Smith-Warner Family Scholarship Fund Association Board. She has served on numerous board committees in 2003. In 2014, Peggy and her daughters established the Winterim and on the Leadership Team for The Campaign for Harpeth Hall.

Travel Fund through the Henry Laird Smith Foundation to help girls Peggy led the Board of Trustees during a pivotal time for Harpeth receiving financial aid participate in academic travel in the U.S. and Hall. Leah Rhys had just become our new Head of School in 1991. abroad during our signature Winterim program alongside their peers.

Enrollment was 394 students; our endowment was $1.8 million “When I hear Peggy talk so passionately about scholarship and the and resources were scarce. We needed philanthropy and a renewed Winterim Travel Fund, she essentially is signaling how important commitment to our all girls mission. We also needed to prepare for access and affordability are to her—and to every student for whom our future in an increasingly diverse community and in a new age of Harpeth Hall is a possibility,” said Head of School Stephanie Balmer. technology. Peggy set us on the right path. “Peggy asked people to Peggy has not only been a leader at Harpeth Hall for decades, she has step forward, set their expectations high, and create a very lofty set been a leader in the Nashville community and a role model for of objectives, and people rose to the challenge under her leadership,” women. She served as the 1972-1973 President of the Junior League said Honorary Trustee Ken Melkus. of Nashville, as the Mayor of Belle Meade from 1998 to 2002, and as

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ALUMNAE CLASS NOTES

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a Vanderbilt University benefactor, among her many endeavors and passions. “Peggy is a rainmaker,” said classmate Bebe Minton Harton ’54, “and if she wasn’t the Mayor of it, she was the President or the Chairman of the Board.”

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At Ward-Belmont, Peggy was extremely bright. We loved learning. That spirit did not die when we got to Harpeth Hall; it went with us. We kind of enjoyed being pioneers.

— GERTRUDE SHARP CALDWELL ‘54

In addressing the Leadership Dinner guests, Peggy said “Since entering Harpeth Hall as one of the forty girls in the first sophomore class, Harpeth Hall has been my passion. I loved this place—the academic challenges, the exceptional and stimulating faculty, the beautiful friendships, old or new, that flowered here. We were all excited to be part of something new and yet relieved to see much carried over from Mrs. Souby’s Ward-Belmont. As a parent of two Harpeth Hall graduates, I was pleased to see those same high personal and academic standards along with enthusiastic teachers focusing on the unique potential in each student to learn and serve.”

We are forever grateful to Peggy for her steadfast devotion to Harpeth Hall in leading it to be one of the best schools in the nation for girls.

DEDE BULLARD WALLACE AWARD RECIPIENTS

Peggy Smith Warner ’54 2016 Martha Rivers Ingram 2014 Robin Ingram Patton ’84 2014 Ann Scott Carell 2009 Jean Ann Banker 2007 Carol Clark Elam ’66 2001 Patty Litton Chadwell ’35 2000 Jackie Glover Thompson ’64 1999 Lindy Sayers 1998 Susan McKeand Baughman ’56 1997 Mary Schlater Stumb ’53 1993 Britton and Norris Nielsen 1989 Robert Kitchel 1987 Polly Jordan Nichols ’53 1986 Tracy Caulkins Stockwell ’81 1985 Jeanne Pilkerton Zerfoss ’43 1983 Mary Elizabeth Cayce ’28 1982 Polly Fessey ’43 1980 Idanelle McMurry ’43 1979 Daugh W. Smith 1977 Martha Overholser Hammonds 1974

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Marie Dodson Maxwell was chosen as the Honorary Chair of the 69th Bal d’Hiver sponsored by the Kappa Alpha Theta Alumnae Chapter. Since its inception, over five million dollars has been raised and distributed to three organizations that are near and dear to the Nashville Theta Alumnae: the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation, CASA, and Family & Children’s Service.

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Neill Pitts retired in June 2016 from Harding Academy where she was the library assistant for for 23 years.

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Shellie Sumner Unger is not only the owner of SSU Consulting but is also proudly serving as Director of Philanthropy for ACHIEVEability, a nonprofit located in Philadelphia. Over the years, ACHIEVEability’s award-winning programs have helped thousands of low income and homeless families break the cycle of poverty and achieve financial self-sufficiency through access to affordable housing, higher education and a range of support services.

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Congratulations to Amy Grant Gill for receiving the Governor’s Arts Award — 2017 Distinguished Artist Award.

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Olivia Miller Mullin has founded a nonprofit called Healing Housing, from which she has drawn inspiration from her time volunteering as a mentor to women in a state prison. Healing Housing compensates for the fact that there are not enough beds for low-income women coming out of drug treatment programs; it provides safe, loving housing where women in recovery can continue to grow and heal. Alison Smith was honored in November 2016 with the Corporate Impact Award at the Women’s Event, sponsored by The Center in New York. The Women’s Event raises funds that directly benefit The Center’s programs and services for lesbians, bisexual women and transgender people. Innovative new programming addresses women’s economic empowerment, poverty in the transgender community and substance use among young people through the nation’s first outpatient treatment program specifically designed for LGBTQ youth and young adults.

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Rachel Tidman Kaiser is an emergency physician at St. Thomas West Hospital and also a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Rachel was selected to be the Commander of the 7229th Medical Support Unit in Nashville. She is married with four children.

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The tennis court at Eakin Elementary School was named in honor of longtime physical education teacher and former local high school tennis star Hilary Warren Strickland. Hilary was the Nashville Interscholastic League Tennis Player of the Year in 1981 and went on to play at the University of Alabama.

She began working at Eakin in 1986 where she coaches the tennis and basketball teams.

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Shannon Wolcott Farrington was nominated by the Nashville SPRING 2017

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ALUMNAE CLASS NOTES

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Business Journal as a finalist for their 2016 CFO Awards in the category of Large Private Company.

Shannon is the CFO of W Squared Inc. Beth McPherson returned to campus on January 30, 2017 for a special showing of the film Miss Hill: Making Dance Matter.

The film explores Martha Hill’s life-long dedication to revolutionizing dance education as the founding director of the dance degree programs at New York University, Bennington College, and Juilliard. Beth is a board member of the Martha Hill Dance Fund, which produced the fim. Beth is an associate professor and coordinator of the BA in Dance at Montclair State University. She received her BFA from Juilliard, followed by an MA from The City College of New York, and a PhD from 44

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New York University.

She is the author of “The Bennington School of the Dance: A History in Writings and Interviews” and “The Contributions of Martha Hill to American Dance and Dance Education, 1900-1995.”

Becky Bond has just published a new book titled Rules for Revolutionaries: How Big Organizing Can Change Everything. Becky Bond served as a senior advisor on the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign and was an architect of the campaign’s national, volunteer-driven grassroots campaign. This book comes out of what she and co-author Zack Exley learned while working on that campaign. Becky currently lives in San Francisco.

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Jacqueline Saturn Dakar was named one of Billboard’s Women in Music 2016 — The 100 Most Powerful Executives. Jacqueline is the current general manager for Harvest Records/Caroline.

Ellen Maguire Vick, the associate executive director of the North Caroline Board of Pharmacy, returned to campus November 10, 2016 to participate in the Women in the Workplace panel. The panel was a career networking alumnae event featuring past and present members of the Harpeth Hall National Advisory Council.

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Trish Durst was named the board chair for Vision Loss Resources, a nonprofit providing a community of skills, services, and support for the visually impaired in the greater Twin Cities area.

Naomi Limor Sedek has been promoted to assistant executive director of the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee.

Sedek oversees all of the Federation’s resource development efforts, including the annual campaign and its endow-

ment programs as well as plans and promotes community missions to Israel and other countries around the world. Sedek will continue to supervise the Federation’s marketing and communications coordinator and the community engagement associate who is responsible for the activities of NowGen, the Federation’s young adult initiative. Marcie Allen Van Mol was named one of Billboard’s Women in Music 2016 — The 100 Most Powerful Executives. Marcie was also named one of the Nashville Business Journal’s 2016 Women in Music City Award winners. Marcie is President of MAC Presents.

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Mollie Mills Mann, a vice-president of sales at The Booking Group, returned to campus November 10, 2016 to participate in the Women in the Workplace panel. The panel was a career networking alumnae event featuring past and present members of the Harpeth Hall National Advisory Council.

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Halle Hayes and Mary Pillow Kirk Thompson opened a staffing firm, Versher, in late 2016 aimed at women who are looking for greater flexibility and a more

versatile workstyle.

Versher is a solutionsbased firm focused on supporting a niche market that traditional staffing firms ignore by connecting candidates to part time, project based and job share opportunities with local businesses.

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Crissy Wieck Welhoelter, a senior vice-president of sales at Western Express, Inc., returned to campus November 10, 2016 to moderate the Women in the Workplace panel.

The panel was a career networking alumnae event featuring past and present members of the Harpeth Hall National Advisory Council.

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Catherine Shull was named a 2016 Blue Ribbon Teacher Award recipient by Metro Nashville Public Schools for outstanding teaching. She teaches at Harpeth Valley Elementary.

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Kate Celauro published Bartleby in the summer of 2016, a children’s book about a special young barnacle who has a story about being content with who you are and where you land. She and husband singer-songwriter Mark Schultz started the nonprofit Remember Me Mission (RMM) in 2011 to support women’s and

children’s healthcare and education all over the world. Proceeds from Bartleby go towards RMM. Marissa Moses Russ has been named a fellow of the Nashville Bar Foundation, as well as a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, for dedication to the profession and significant contributions to the community. She is a partner at MTR Family Law. Katherine Pace Snyder was named by the Center for Nonprofit Management, in partnership with The Tennessean, one of their “30 in their 30s.”

This award commends a diverse set of individuals who have excelled in community service in Nashville.

Katherine is the associate director of Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee.

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Nika Ferdowsi, a family practice physician with St. Thomas Medical Partners, returned to campus December 7, 2016 to participate in the Alumnae Outcomes Panel Discussion. Ruth Huggins was named by the Center for Nonprofit Management, in partnership with The Tennessean, one of their “30 in their 30s.”

This award commends a diverse set of individuals who have excelled in community service in Nashville.

Ruthie is the director of development for LEAD Public Schools.

on February 21, 2017 to promote the release of her latest book, A Conjuring of Light, #3 in the Shades of Magic series, and to visit with students. Victoria has published 12 books in the last 6 years, and splits her time between Nashville and Scotland.

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Corinne Mynatt, a product designer and curator, was selected to feature her lighting at Frozen Fountain concept store in Amsterdam alongside Dutch and other international designers.

This same work was also selected in the Emerging category (2016) by Lighting Architecture Movement Project (LAMP) for its annual International Lighting Design Competition.

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Melissa Pinsly was Executive Producer on “Little Men,” starring Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Ehle, Alfred Molina, and Paulina Garcia. The critically acclaimed film premiered at Sundance in 2016 and is currently playing in theaters across the country. Melissa runs Frankenmel Films, a development and production company, with her husband Franklin Zitter and is developing original television comedies.

Taylor Middleton has joined The Corcoran Group - New York’s leading real estate company. She will focus on residential sales in the luxury market.

Caroline Moses Sprouse, a Media Marketing Operations Manager for Nissan

Motor Co., Ltd., returned to campus December 7, 2016 to participate in the Alumnae Outcomes Panel Discussion.

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Raleigh Anne Blank, a Director of Live Content at Twitter, returned to campus November 10, 2016 to participate in the Women in the Workplace panel. The panel was a career networking alumnae event featuring past and present members of the Harpeth Hall National Advisory Council.

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RYSE Magazine recently named Kimberly Hogg one of 12 women who are on the RYSE in Atlanta. Kimberly is currently PepsiCo’s Brand Manager for South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Kimberly also returned to campus November 10, 2016 to participate in the Women in the Workplace panel. The panel was a career networking alumnae event featuring past and present

members of the Harpeth Hall National Advisory Council. Amanda Powell Smith, a consultant with C3 Consulting, returned to campus December 7, 2016 to participate in the Alumnae Outcomes Panel Discussion.

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Mary Lindley Carswell, Senior Vice President of Finance at U.S. Trust, returned to campus December 7, 2016 to participate in the Alumnae Outcomes Panel Discussion. #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Schwab returned to campus

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Caroline Anderson returned to campus on February 2, 2017 to speak to the students in the Global Scholars Program. Caroline works for Nissan’s Capacity Management Team as a Supply Chain Analyst in the Analytics group.

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Olivia Burd recently completed the PreFlight program at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and is continuing to build her travel business, The Nashville Weekender, while hosting travelers at her Nashville Weekender Airbnb and continuing her marketing work at

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SPRING 2017

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studying Couture Fashion at the Academy of Couture Art in Los Angeles, CA, for five years, Nashville native Margaret Roberts teamed up with creative visionary and designer Iliana de Boisblanc and reputable sales and brand consultant Ravid Levy to develop MINXX - a high-end collection of leggings that launched in September 2015.

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Heather Derrick has joined the law firm of Gullet Sanford Robinson & Martin

OAK Nashville, an artisan and vintageinspired home store.

Kaitlin Ray recently started her residency in emergency medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. Lauren Riegle was named one of Nashville’s Top 30 under 30 by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

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Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30 recognizes the city’s most active young professionals and philanthropists under the age of 30 while benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s work to develop ways to control and cure cystic fibrosis. Lauren is a commercial real estate broker at Jones Lang LaSalle, specializing in office leasing. After

in Nashville as a member of the firm’s Real Estate section. Her practice includes commercial banking and real estate transactions, drafting purchase and sale agreements, handling title matters and general business planning. Heather received her undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee. She also

graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law where she was recognized for contributing more than 75 hours of pro bono work. Stephanie Rothenberg will be a cast member alongside three-time Tony Award winner Glenn Close for the Broadway return of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award-winning Best Musical, Sunset Boulevard, which started its limited engagement in February at the Palace Theatre. Directed by Lonny Price, the production will play through

June 2017. Samantha Williams, a student at Vanderbilt Law School, returned to campus December 7, 2016 to participate in the Alumnae Outcomes Panel Discussion.

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Blythe Cate was awarded Lipscomb University’s 2016 Carol Hall Student Teacher

Award. This award is given each semester to a student teacher who goes the extra mile and exhibits optimism and a strong work ethic in the classroom. Blythe is a kindergarten co-teacher at Nashville Classical Charter School. Sabin Nettles is a candidate Ph.D. in neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis and will be completing a five year fellowship. Phoebe Carver made a presentation to the sixth grade class in October about working and living in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Since graduating from Middlebury College in 2013, she has worked at two different jobs while living in Africa.

The first was a Princeton in Africa fellowship in which Phoebe taught English and History at Maru-a-pula, an independent school in Botswana. Currently she works in rural Kenya at One Acre Fund, a U.S. non-profit organization that provides over 400,000 smallholder farmers in East Africa with training and financing in order to reduce hunger and poverty.

Liz Fletcher graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee in 2013 with a BBA in Supply Chain Management and Marketing and is a an Operations Manager for Amazon in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

ALUMNAE CLASS NOTES

MARRIAGES

Jillian Thompson ’06 to Brian Robert Eischeid on August 6, 2016

Meredith Weigel ’91 to Kevin Austin Henderson on August 8, 2016

Emily Johnson ’07 to Phillip Michael Mitchell on March 19, 2016

Laurel Duncan ’93 to Alfred Biqiku on October 2, 2016

Chistina Mishu ’07 to Sean Rosean on November 5, 2016

Allegra Marks ’98 to Sean Crowder on July 29, 2016

Michele Robinson ’07 to Ben Johnson on September 10, 2016

Vanessa Falk ’99 to Carl Lindner IV on February 11, 2017

Maggie Waltemath ’07 to Jonathan Ash on May 29, 2016

Sally Jackson ’01 to Patrick Francis Ryan on September 3, 2016

Rachael McKenzie ’08 to Michael Adam Nusbaum on August 27, 2016

Hays Brandon ’03 to Michael Houston Estes on February 11, 2017

Catherine Ramsey ’08 to Timothy Robert Schulte on November 12, 2016

Sara Isenhour ’03 to Scott Elliott Washburn on February 18, 2017

Taylor Witherspoon ’08 to Matthew Schipani on February 20, 2016

Ellen Green ’04 to Brian Hoffman on September 3, 2016

Liz Brittain ’09 to Warren Matthew Beck on October 8, 2016

Katy Bowers ’05 to Robert Kuhlman on July 9, 2016

Ann Francis ’09 to Matthew Frederick Garvey on September 24, 2016

Annie Brooks ’05 to Ben Hickerson on June 17, 2016

Lauren Hill ’09 to Philip Leane Skipp on May 21, 2016

Abby Rudd ’05 to Brian Christopher Sights on April 23, 2016

Kristin Oslin ’10 to William Bradford Pepper on August 20, 2016

Ginny Brown ’06 to Michael Crum on September 3, 2016

Claire Crawford ’12 to Everette Christian Gough on December 31, 2016

Carolyn Riley ’06 to Matt Von Lunen on December 3, 2016

SPRING 2017

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ALUMNAE CLASS NOTES

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Olivia Coble was named the regional director for the nonprofit SOS Outreach. SOS Outreach, based in Colorado, is a national youth development organization that utilizes outdoor experiential learning to inspire positive decision making for healthy and successful lives.

Hannah Kate Wilkins anticipates graduating from the University of Tennessee College of Law in May 2017. Upon graduation, Hannah Kate will be working for the Office of the Chief Counsel at the IRS in their Honors Program and Small Business/SelfEmployed division in Dallas, TX.

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Kendal Herring graduated summa cum laude from the University of Mississippi Honors College in May 2015, and graduated in December 2016 with her Masters in English Language Learners from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.

She began her teaching career at Cole Elementary in Nashville, TN in January 2017.

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Julia Alexander graduated in May 2016 with a BS in Business Economics from Indiana 48

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University. Julia received various accolades and awards during her time at Indiana University, including the Lionel D. Eddie Award and the Stadelmann Scholarship.

She is now working in Chicago as an Associate with L.E.K. Consulting.

Leah Caplan graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Biology and concentration in Neuroscience from University of Georgia in May 2016. She moved to Boston in June to work as a Research Associate at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard with a focus on Genomics.

After graduating from Bowdoin College in May 2016, Bridget Killian entered into a MA degree at the University of Delaware in Art History.

Bridget is studying the intersection between journalism, consumerism, and photography and expects to go into the museum world, specifically curatorial work, after her time in Delaware. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Elon University in January 2016, Lindsey Lanquist moved to New York and began a career at SELF magazine. There, Lindsey reports on politics, entertainment, and social justice for the magazine’s website.

Lindsey spends her spare time in night classes at NYU’s publishing graduate program; she hopes to have her M.S.

in Digital and Magazine Publishing by the end of 2018. Autumn Maxwell-Pruitt graduated from Eckerd College in May 2016. She serves as Volunteer Coordinator for the Center for Development of Central America (CDCA), a nonprofit organization that focuses on sustainable development to enable communities to become self-sufficient.

Sarah Allen Ray is currently teaching science at Hillsboro High School as part of the Teach for America program, with plans to apply to medical school.

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Aidan Nettles graduated in December 2016 from the University of Alabama. She was an honors student and was invited to give a special 30-minute presentation to the Blount Initiative Scholars program of which she is a member. Currently, she is studying abroad at the University of Roehampton in London in dance and performance arts.

Anne Gray Thornburg was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society, at Sewanee: The University of the South.

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Helen Mistler, a current sophomore at Furman University, co-curated a WWI Exhibition at Furman’s James B. Duke Library.

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Congratulations to University of Virginia freshman Kristen Barrett who is our first matriculating Jefferson Scholar at UVA. Lucy Massey is a freshman at John Hopkins University.

In addition to her scheduled course load, Lucy has entered into a year-long research project in which she will be studying Latin texts written in the 1500s.

Lucy will be mentored by the curator of the Peabody Library.

Congratulations to Laura Catherine Harrell for receiving the 2016

Governor’s Volunteer Stars Award representing Davidson County.

The award recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond to contribute tirelessly to the needs of their community. At Harpeth Hall she served as President of the Kids4Kids Club, helping serve the patients and staff at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, aiding the Volunteer Department.

She also co-founded Teens4TriStar, a service club supporting Children’s Hospital at TriStar Centennial. Laura Catherine truly believes this award should have gone to ALL the girls at Harpeth Hall who served on both clubs and made a difference with the staff and patients of both community hospitals.

We welcome photos in our Class Notes, Marriages and Births sections.

We prefer high resolution, 300 dpi jpegs. Email your digital photos to Alumnae Coordinator Marion Floyd at marion.floyd@harpethhall.org.

ALUMNAE CLASS NOTES

Edward Dowling Hillard III

Caroline Scott

Adrian Lowell

Josephine Anne Brooks

Laine Victoria Ferrarini

Harper Helen CendrowskI

Sara Mason Bovender ’99 daughter, Evalyn Anne Bovender on September 6, 2016

Lisa McWilliams Harris ’01 daughter, Harper Elizabeth Harris on August 23, 2016

Kendra Abkowitz Brooks ’03 daughter, Josephine Anne Brooks on November 21, 2016

Abby Lipshie Regan ’04 daughter, Rose Collins Regan on February 22, 2017

Louise Riley Beasley ’00 son, Wilson Allen Beasley on January 19, 2017

Helen Martin Nonn ’01 son, Hollis Alfred Nonn on January 3, 2017 Anne Sanders Bradley ’02 son, Stuart McCampbell Bradley on September 13, 2016

Kathleen Morphis Yabroudy ’05 daughter, Caroline Scott Yabroudy on October 18, 2016

BIRTHS

Laura Snyder Bonfiglio ’00 daughter, Emma Charlotte Bonfiglio on May 16, 2016

Emmie Granbery Chen ’03 daughter, Ansley Miriam Chen on April 29, 2016

Lindsey King Martin ’95 daughter, Allison Rose Martin on August 30, 2016

Sarah Allen Cassanego ’00 son, Adrian Lowell Cassanego on September 10, 2016

Suzanne Brown Bryant ’02 daughter, Evelyn Mae Bryant on November 17, 2015

Betsy Beveridge Cotten ’03 daughter, Ellen Maddux Cotten on November 7, 2016

Allison Stewart Hearon ’06 son, Fisher Robinson Hearon on January 13, 2017

Clark Rose Bivens ’98 daughter, Charlotte Rose Bivens on April 12, 2016

Alyssa Abkowitz Cendrowski ’00 daughter, Harper Helen Cendrowski on November 4, 2016

Bradley Wright Ferrarini ’02 daughter, Laine Victoria Ferrarini on August 6, 2016

Sara Morris Garner ’03 daughter, Charlotte Hennen Garner on August 4, 2016

Rebecca Barden Newman ’07 son, Caleb Gardner Newman on February 8, 2017

Allison Oldacre Griffin ’03 daughter, Olivia Grace Griffin on February 3, 2017

Krissie Binkley Self ’06 son, Parker James Self on October 18, 2016

Stuart McCampbell Bradley

Katherine Pace Snyder ’98 daughter, Helen Louise Snyder on December 18, 2015 Anne Nicholas Weiss ’98 daughter, Julia Jones Melcher-Weiss and son, Oliver Lockeland Melcher-Weiss on November 21, 2015 Meg Funderburk White ’98 daughter, Marjorie Elizabeth White on March 12, 2016

Clark Barton Rollins V

Katie Howell Fayard ’00 daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Fayard on June 25, 2016 Jacqueline Thompson Towery ’00 son, Bennett Leo Towery on August 15, 2016 Cayce McCain Ezzell ’01 daughter, Camden James Ezzell on August 28, 2016

Julia Jones and Oliver Lockeland Melcher-Weiss

Caroline Choate Hillard ’02 son, Edward Dowling Hillard III on February 17, 2016

Coe Peterman Heard ’03 son, Jonathan Wyatt Heard on July 27, 2016

Megan Beckner Murray ’02 daughter, Adair Lee Murray on October 4, 2016

Graham Barton Meadors ’03 son, Barton Porter Meadors on October 6, 2016

Mary Liza Lentz Bartholomew ’03 daughter, Faith Oakes Bartholomew on July 27, 2016

Lyndsey Johnson Rollins ’03, son, Clark Barton Rollins V on February 7, 2017

Charlotte Elizabeth Fayard

Ellen Maddux Cotten

Mary Olivia Mullin Magdos ‘07 son, Jack Reid Magdos on October 15, 2016

Helen Louise Snyder SPRING 2017

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ALUMNAE IN MEMORIAM

Margaret Brugh Reynolds Roberts ’34 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away February 20, 2017. Margaret had a lifelong passion for painting and enjoyed playing golf, tennis, and bridge. She is survived by her son, four daughters including Peggy Reynolds Dudley ’57, Susy Reynolds Thombs ’59, Liza Reynolds Buttrey ’70, and Elaine Reynolds Harr ’72, step-children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren including Susan Thombs Starr ’82.

Margaret (Maggie) Howe Sloan ’35 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away December 13, 2016. She was a voracious reader and self-published six books in the past decade, served on many boards, and loved horseback riding. She is survived by two sons, eleven grandchildren including Delphine Sloan Damon ’86, Katie Sloan Coleman ’95, and Dabney Sloan ’85, and twenty-one great-grandchildren including Sloan Fridrich ’20 and Ella Fridrich ’23.

Sue Stamper Whitson ’42 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away January 17, 2017. Sue was an avid gardener and florist as well as a travel agent. She is survived by one son, one daughter, two granddaughters, one sister-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

Marilyn Farmer Broaddus Heiny ’44 and ’46 of Evergreen, Colorado, passed away July 9, 2015. After raising a family, she received a master’s degree from Oklahoma State University and taught for several years. Marilyn’s life centered around her family, friends, reading, and the beauty of the mountains surrounding her home. She is survived by three sons, two step-sons, one grandson, six granddaughters, and four step-grandsons.

Betty White Kuykendall Brown ’44 of Columbia, Tennessee, passed away February 8, 2017. She is survived by two sons, five grandchildren including Lucy Kuykendall Rice ’98, and three great-grandchildren.

Ellielyn Lewis Lechleiter Frost ’45 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away on January 17, 2017. Ellielyn was a former elementary school teacher and model. She is survived by two brothers, two sons, and two granddaughters including Bailey Frost ’12 and Riley Frost ’14.

Nancy Harton Washburn ’45 of Tullahoma, Tennessee, passed away February 7, 2017. Nancy was a long-time member of First United Methodist Church. She is survived by one sister, Laddie Harton Neil ’48, three daughters, six granddaughters, and five great-grandchildren.

Helen Mills Calloway ’46 of Maryville, Tennessee, passed away December 25, 2016. She is survived by her husband.

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Joann Dixon Johnson Tomlin ’49 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away January 13, 2017. Whatever the endeavor, she gave herself completely with a level of energy and enthusiasm that was an inspiration to all whom she touched. Joann is survived by one son, one daughter, ten grandchildren including Abby Lipshie Regan ’04, and eleven great-grandchildren.

Mary Elizabeth Henley Niederhauser ’50 of Manchester, Tennessee, passed away February 12, 2017. Mary was a prominent businesswoman and community volunteer in Manchester.

She is survived by one brother, two sons, one daughter, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Agnes Henderson Hale Strate ’50 of Morristown, Tennessee, passed away December 10, 2016. Agnes was very involved in United Methodist Women and was a member of First United Methodist Church. She is survived by her brother, one son, one daughter, three granddaughters, and one grandson.

Virginia Tipton Craig ’51 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away December 25, 2016. She was a member of West End United Methodist Church. Virginia is survived by her brother, three nieces, and several great nieces and nephews.

Betty Chiles Nixon ’54 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away August 29, 2016. She was a former City Councilwoman, Mayoral candidate, and a trailblazing community leader. Betty is survived by two daughters, one brother, three nieces, step-grandchildren and grandchildren.

Elizabeth Ann (Bitsy) Thomas Bowman ’55 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away January 4, 2017. Bitsy was a member of Harpeth Hall’s first four year graduating class and had a career in journalism. She is survived by her husband, three sons, and four grandchildren.

Peggy Mae Harwell ’55 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away September 15, 2016. She was a member of the first freshman class at Harpeth Hall and graduated from Peabody College.

Peggy retired from Robert Orr Sysco where she worked for many years.

Abbey Jane Eggert Warren ’56 of Douglasville, Georgia passed away November 30, 2016. She worked as a florist for many years and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Douglasville.

Abbey is survived by her husband, daughter, three sons, and two granddaughters.

Anne McCord Mullins Hogan ’62 of Upper Montclair, New Jersey, passed away October 13, 2016. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, she was a former flight attendant and paralegal.

Anne is survived by her husband, two sons, two brothers, and many nieces and nephews.

FACULTY AND STAFF IN MEMORIAM

Phyllis Pennington Kitty Moon Emery ’64 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away February 8, 2017. She was CEO of Kitty Moon Enterprises, a growth consulting company and was named Harpeth Hall’s Distinguished Alumna in 2002. Kitty is survived by her husband, one sister, a sister-in-law, and nieces and nephews.

Margaret “Peggy” Thweatt Drinkard ’68 of Memphis, Tennessee, passed away September 21, 2016. Peggy was a gifted artist and member of Christ United Methodist Church. She is survived by her husband, sister Kathy Thweatt Morton ’64, one son, one daughter, and four grandchildren.

Sandra Feustal Koch ’70 of Martin, Tennessee, passed away August 31, 2016. She was the coordinator of the International Studies Program at The University of Tennessee at Martin. Sandy is survived by her husband, two daughters, one step-son, and her sister Deborah Feustel Dunn ’72.

Mary Louise “Lou” Elam Reynolds ’72 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away October 6, 2016. Lou worked as a dental hygienist in her father’s dental office and was an avid tennis player. She is survived by her husband, two sons, one daughter, and three granddaughters.

Julia Ann Reynolds ’78 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away September 2, 2016. Julia had a long career in global finance and was also a member of Woodmont Christian Church. She is survived by her mother, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Mary Katherine “Kay” Graham ’79 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away December 3, 2016. She will long be remembered for her outgoing and bubbly personality.

Kay is survived by her parents Bob and Bebe Macey Graham ’53, her brother, her aunt, uncle, cousins and nephews.

Amy Gwendolyn Brooks ’92 of Madison, Tennessee, passed away October 6, 2016. She was a talented creative artist and photographer. Amy is survived by her parents, two brothers and two sons.

Farris Elizabeth Reed ’97 of Brentwood, Tennessee, passed away January 16, 2017. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from George Washington University in Washington, DC, after which she worked alongside her father as his office manager for many years. Farris is survived by her parents, her sister Alexis Reed Sims ’93, and her beloved niece and nephew.

Instructor of Chemistry and Physiology 1968 – 1981

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lessed with a white hot intellect, Phyllis Pennington was an energetic advocate of learning who was not afraid to color outside the lines.

A whirlwind from New York with a BA in Biology/Chemistry/Physiology and a Master of Science in Cellular Physiology, she led the Youth Fellowship program at her church as a mother of three young children, wife of a doctor, and an avid horsewoman. She landed at Harpeth Hall in 1968.

She believed that every Harpeth Hall girl deserved the best education and if girls worked hard, they would succeed. A number of unlikely candidates for careers in science blossomed under her tutelage. She made Chemistry and Physiology tangible, rather than some mystery hiding beyond the Periodic Table or an anatomy chart. Striving for that “aha” moment, she showed students they were capable of independent thought, and that everything is interconnected. Her students quoted, “You can’t see the forest for the trees!”

Her dedication to illuminating “how the magic works” extended into teaching camera and darkroom skills. She founded the Greece/Italy Winterim trip. She pioneered Harpeth Hall as a study abroad participant by hosting an Italian exchange student, initiated Harpeth Hall girls taking Physics at MBA, and organized the Riding Team. She fought for girls competing in national/international level sports events to not incur an unexcused absence, and hosted every spring faculty party and her kids’ graduation parties. And she even danced in the Tap Club!

Phyllis opened doors, hearts, and eyes wherever she went and by whatever she did. Both at school and at church, she found a special place working with teens struggling with their inner compasses. Anyone lucky enough to connect with her benefited from her vibrant life experience.

She was a force. She instructed. Intimidated. Inspired. And she worked to realize a world where all youth would be true to their selves, their passions, and their ideals.

And there was life after Harpeth Hall. With an empty nest and boundless energy, she brought her photo skills forward and partnered in an expanded horse show photography business involving extensive travel and then later co-founded a professional photo lab in downtown Nashville.

Her firm faith and unwavering principles guided her to be bold, speak up, and support Just Causes. She was interested in everything and everyone — current events, environmental conservation, the protection of animals, and especially human rights.

— Submitted by Inez Pennington ’76

Willie Perry Facilities Maintenance Team

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he Harpeth Hall community was saddened by the sudden loss of long-time employee and friend, Willie Perry. Willie was a devoted and loved member of our maintenance staff for 19 years. He passed away in February of a heart attack. Willie joined Harpeth Hall in 1998 and touched the lives of everyone he met on campus. His warm smile and bright spirit will be missed greatly. We keep his family in our thoughts at this most difficult time.

SPRING 2017

51

RETROSPECTIVE

A CENTURY OF CLUBS PART ONE

1865-1914

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efore Harpeth Hall, there was Ward Seminary—a women’s college referred to as a ladies’ seminary, because in 1865, Tennesseans remained a bit anxious about providing higher education opportunities for women. Ward Seminary merged with Belmont College for Young Women in 1913 to form Ward-Belmont College. In 1951 WardBelmont dropped its college preparatory division and became Belmont College. The high school division was moved to its present campus and renamed the Harpeth Hall School. Though times have changed, some things—such as extracurricular clubs— have remained a indelible part our school’s culture.

Ward Seminary, for example, had a fine selection of clubs, many of them similar to the ones we Honeybears enjoy today.

This list includes Chorus Club, Drama Club,

Ward’s Seminary Basket-Ball Club (Iris, 1908)

Ward-Belmont Swim Club practicing in their school pool in 1914.

Bowling Club, Camera Club (Photography), and Studio (Art) Club. Some of the more unusual clubs off the list such as the Chafing Dish Club (a cooking club), the Clionian Literary Club (Clio was the Greek goddess of literature and art), and a D.Q.R. Club.

Ward Seminary also had sororities. All clubs and sororities were featured in their annually published yearbook, the Iris. Operating from 1890-1912, Belmont College also featured clubs that included sororities and special interest clubs. The club system at both schools fostered friendship, fellowship, and camaraderie.

Belmont’s Big-Bow Club pictured in Milady in Brown in 1912.

To view more images

visit www.harpethhall.org/history.

Click on the Online Digital Archives.

Search for late 1800 or early 1900 copies of The Iris or Milestones.

Both Ward’s Seminary and Belmont College for Women sponsored State Clubs so that students who attended could share a common bond with other young women from their state. Some years featured over twenty state clubs including the Michigan Club, California Club, and Oklahoma Club. Formed annually based on the student population, these clubs entered and exited school culture from the early 1900s through the 1930s.

In 1913 after the two schools joined together, Ward-Belmont featured many of the same clubs we have today including Art Club, Language/Culture Clubs, and others.

With this new school also came certain changes, for example, the sororities were replaced by other social clubs such as the XL and FF clubs. Through the years, many things changed—names, colors, and clubs—but the schools remained committed to women’s education.

Part one of a four part series on a century of clubs at Ward Seminary and the Harpeth Hall School.

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HALLWAYS

Lead Confidently 2O16-2O17 ANNUAL FUND Chairing the Annual Fund for Harpeth Hall this year has been a twofold joy. First and foremost is the opportunity to give back to an institution that so bountifully gave to me. Though I was not a stellar student, championship athlete, or masterful artist, Harpeth Hall gave me a box of well-rounded tools that prepared me confidently for life beyond the plaid kilt. Second, it has been thoroughly rewarding to serve this year with a group of volunteers and administrators who are equally as passionately committed to supporting our school that truly makes a difference in the lives of girls.

I left Harpeth Hall, I did not realize the ways my all-girls education had empowered me. Harpeth Hall allowed me to think for myself and pushed me to create my voice in the classroom and beyond.

As I navigated college and now the working world, I am starting to understand how each of my teachers, coaches, and mentors helped me to be a thoughtful, confident, and intentional woman.”

Daughter Davis Stevens, who will wear her white dress on Souby lawn this May, wrote, “I feel like Harpeth Hall has provided me with the education I need to succeed after graduation along with providing bonds with classmates that will last a lifetime.”

I asked my girls what came to mind when reflecting on their high school years.

Daughter-in-law Mary Julia Bressman Hannon ’08 said, “I am so thankful for my time at Harpeth Hall. Not only did I receive an exceptional academic foundation, but I also gained the confidence to pursue my goals, both personally and professionally. Not to mention, the women that I met on my first day in plaid are my closest and dearest confidantes.” Daughter Janie Hannon ’11 said, “When

As my mother Florence Stumb Davis ’55 and grandmothers Grace Cavert Stumb ’31 and Adelaide Shull Davis ’32 also experienced in their years of all girls schooling at Ward Belmont, the education and experiences were excellent and the friendship bonds were lifelong. Please join me in giving to the Annual Fund this year to show your support and gratitude to Harpeth Hall.

Adelaide Davis ’79, 2016-17 Annual Fund Chair Parent of Janie Hannon ’11 and Davis Stevens ’17

H AR PET H HAL L 2O16-2O17 ANNUAL FUND Continue our tradition of excellence and support the young women at Harpeth Hall today.

Click the Giving tab at www.HarpethHall.org or call Tracy Campbell, Director of Annual Giving at 615-346-0083.

Non-Profit U.S. Postage

PAID Nashville, TN Permit No. 1857

The Harpeth Hall School

3801 Hobbs Road Nashville, Tennessee 37215

R E U N I O N 2 O1 7

H NEYBEAR HOMECOMING

1952 • 1957 • 1962 • 1967 • 1972 • 1977 • 1982 • 1987 • 1992 1997 • 2002 • 2007 • 2012 • 1952 • 1957 • 1962 • 1967 • 1972 1977 • 1982 • 1987 • 1992 • 1997 • 2002 • 2007 • 2012 • 1952 FRIDAY, MAY 5 AND SATURDAY, MAY 6 Even if it isn’t your year, please come and enjoy the on-campus festivities!

For schedule and information, go to www.harpethhall.org/alumnae/reunion.