Connections Fall 2024

THE MAGAZINE OF KENTUCKY COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

FALL 2024

BEARCAT PRIDE KCD school spirit is alive and well

GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS TRIP

KCD’S NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL

THE GERNERT GROVE

HIGHLIGHTS from the social sphere

CONNECTIONS Fall 2024 EDITOR & DESIGNER Sam O’Brien Director of Communications & Marketing communications@kcd.org ALUMNI DIRECTOR Kate Dobbins Bonner ’05 Director of Alumni Relations & Community Partnerships PHOTOGRAPHER Shirelle Williams Daniel Assistant Director of Communications & Marketing CONTRIBUTORS Lillian Apple, Jenna Figa ’25, David Miller, Charles Thomas ’25

Connections is published annually by the Communications & Marketing Department at Kentucky Country Day School. Free subscriptions are available to all alumni, parents of students, and other friends of KCD. KCD firmly supports the principle that the admission of students, the employment of staff, the operations of the program, and the governance of the school be open to all who are qualified, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, or disability.

Forest Stewardship Council Certified

Made with 10% postconsumer waste

CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS 3 Letter 4 Bearcat News 15 Events 38 Class Notes 45 In Memoriam 50 2023–2024 Annual Report

ABOVE: Upper School students at the Mitad del Mundo during a group trip to Ecuador. Story on page 30.

FEATURES 7 ON THE COVER KCD students and faculty gathered for an all-school pep rally in Gardner Gymnasium on October 25, 2024 ahead of that evening’s Bearcat Family Festival and Homecoming football game. More photos on page 20.

Deena J. Carey KCD’s new Head of School

26 The Power of Play The Gernert Grove celebrates community, creativity, and the value of outdoor learning

30 Galápagos Islands A student’s experience

32 The View from the Top The educational value of facing our fears

36 Alumni Q&A Tania James ’99

LEFT: Lower School students rush to The Gernert Grove after Rudy ’76 and Reed ’81 Gernert ring their father’s old school bell. Story on page 26.

FALL 2024 | 1

LETTERS

From KCD’s Board of Trustees Chair

@kcdschool

2 | CONNECTIONS

Kentucky Country Day School

youtube.com/user/ KentuckyCountryDay

LETTERS

From KCD’s Director of Alumni Relations & Community Partnerships I am often asked what it’s like being back at KCD. The best way to describe it? KCD feels like family.

I felt nervous coming back to campus in the summer of 2021, walking the halls for the first time in nearly 20 years. My uncertainty faded as I was met with the warmth, compassion, and care that KCD embodies.

The best part of my job is witnessing our alumni experience this same rush of emotions when they come for a visit. Whether you spent 13 years at 4100 Springdale Road, just a few, or you attended an entirely different campus, the uncertainty always gives way to feelings of the familiar, of admiration, and of delight.

If you come back for a visit, you’ll see new buildings, new teachers, and new students; you’ll find bright blue and yellow walls where most of the old egg-shell yellow paint used to be. But after no time at all, you’re sure to feel the familiar.

You’ll recognize the Amelia Moody music room, the Lower School Library pit, the smell of the gym, the sound of the lockers, the buzz of the courtyards, and even the same brown round tables in the cafeteria.

You’ll find Becky Gallion and David Miller fostering artistic creativity, Coach Arron Davis seamlessly integrating physiology with play, and Julie Smith cultivating compassion and emotional skills. You’ll be greeted by beloved third-grade teachers, Kim Kettring and Susan Nevels, Middle School heroes, Sheila Erk and Rachel Rawlings, Upper School icons, Jenni Williams, Kent Martin, and David Apel—and the lists go on and on.

Many of our legendary KCD teachers have retired, but you’ll be delighted to find they still are very much a part of our KCD community. Dick Aylor serves annually as a guest teacher for Dr. Michael Goldberg, BJ Fore substitutes often for Julie Austin in the Upper School, and Dianne Dunn runs the Middle School Homework Club. Kevin “Sully” Sullivan and Charlie Fothergill remain actively connected to their former students—but I didn’t need to tell you that!

And now, my appreciation for our school has grown exponentially deeper, as KCD’s exceptional faculty wrap their arms around my children every day, propelling them to their fullest potential.

Every one of our faculty members carries pride and joy for their alumni, and will always meet you with delight. Remember, once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat! You’re always welcome home.

Kate Dobbins Bonner ’05

Join us on Bearcat Connect at kcd.alumnifire.com Bearcat Connect is an online Kentucky Country Day School Alumni network. With this tool, we aim to unlock the enormous power of our KCD alumni community to open doors and support one another—on your terms.

Find old friends and make new ones, find or post job opportunities, offer internships, connect with Bearcats in your city, find regional alumni events, and more.

Bearcat Connect is administered by the KCD Alumni, Development, Communications, and Marketing Offices and is powered by AlumniFire, a leader and innovator in alumni networking.

FALL 2024 | 3

HATS OFF Congratulations to the KCD Class of 2024!

4PHOTO | CONNECTIONS

BY DAVID MILLER

BEARCAT NEWS

News compiled by Sam O’Brien & Kate Bonner ’05

FALL 2024 | 5

BEARCAT NEWS

Congratulations to the KCD Class of 2024!

Kentucky Country Day School’s 52nd Annual Commencement Exercises were held at the Brown Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday, May 25, 2024. Graduating seniors received diplomas marking the completion of their academic career at KCD. Congratulations to our 68 new Alumni Association members!

To begin the program, Senior Class Officers Ava Hurwitz and Hailey Hertzman addressed their families, teachers, and fellow classmates with a thoughtful reflection on their years at KCD. From Exploremore and Pine Mountain, to Senior Retreat and the connections built “taking a lap” through the Upper School halls—these graduates have blossomed into inspiring Citizens, Scholars, and Stewards who are more than prepared to take on the world beyond Springdale Road.

Co-Valedictorians, Minhal Nazeer and Aria Mohammadi, followed with a beautiful speech reflecting on the unique make-up of their senior class, the paths that led them to this point, and the many people who have supported them and empowered them to dream big along the way.

“As a class, we are the living manifestation of all of our loved ones' efforts. Whether you’ve led your team to a state championship, directed your own theater production, or are graduating Cum Laude, all of our successes have been a direct result of others’ desires for us to succeed,” stated Minhal.

Aria continued, “Regardless, we’re not trying to diminish the individual successes it took to get to this point. Your desire to be here, to get to this point, is indicative of the power of your determination, and for that we applaud you.”

Additional awards were then presented to seniors. Mr. Hank Alford ’85 presented the Chair’s Award—an award that is given to the seniors who have shown a marked development of academic interest, concern for the school, and moral leadership. This year’s recipients were Katie Coulter, Anya Sharma, and Katie Vonder Haar.

Acting Head of School Adam Beckum then presented the Headmaster’s Award—an award that is given to the seniors

who best exemplify the standards, attitude, and scholarship of Kentucky Country Day School. This year’s recipients were Aspen Caudill and Adam Hetman.

The Class of 2024 voted for a faculty member to speak at Commencement and this year’s chosen speaker was Ms. Rachel Kuffner. Ms. Kuffner joined KCD in 2018 as an Upper School English teacher. She has served as English department chair and Senior Class Sponsor. As a testament to the respect accorded by her fellow faculty, Ms. Kuffner received the Eric Davis Memorial Faculty Award in 2020, the Nancy Bowling Endowed Chair in English in 2021, and the Jason Bell HEART Award in 2023. Ms. Kuffner also received the 2023 Yearbook dedication. Ms. Kuffner is a gifted teacher, colleague, and friend, who is known for her warmth, enthusiasm, and compassion.

In her speech, Ms. Kuffner reflected on the importance of the “instructions” students have been given throughout their lives, and shared a few final tips from KCD faculty members that seniors should carry with them beyond KCD. An instruction from Lower School Music Teacher, Mrs. LuAnn Hayes, was to “be kind to others, be kind to the tools that help you do your work, be kind to yourself.”

Middle School teacher and KCD parent, Mr. Matt Evans said to “...stay curious, never stop learning about the people you care about, your own self, a topic you feel passionate about, the whole world around you. Stay curious.”

Mr. Apel from the Upper School said to “Do what is right, even if you are never acknowledged for doing the right thing, there’s a lot of peace in doing what’s right. Don’t do it for recognition or awards, but simply because it is the right thing to do.”

“Our final instructions are simple,” stated Ms. Kuffner.

“Look up, let go, stand strong, love people, love yourself, and don’t forget to think.”

Thank you to all our graduation speakers and organizers for making it such a special day for the Class of 2024. Once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat!

PHOTOS BY SHIRELLE WILLIAMS DANIEL

Pictured below, L-R: Senior Class Officers Hailey Hertzman and Ava Hurwitz; Commencement Speaker Ms. Rachel Kuffner; Co-Valedictorians Minhal Nazeer and Aria Mohammadi

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BEARCAT NEWS

KCD ANNOUNCES NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL Deena J. Carey will lead KCD beginning July 1, 2025

The Kentucky Country Day School Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Deena J. Carey as KCD’s new Head of School, effective July 1, 2025.

The Board voted unanimously to appoint Ms. Carey based on the enthusiastic recommendation of the Search Committee. This appointment represents the culmination of a rigorous, thoughtful, and thorough search process led by a committee of trustees, alumni, parents, faculty, administrators, and staff in partnership with the search firm, The Education Group.

Ms. Carey was selected from a talented and diverse pool of more than thirty applicants from around the United States. From that group, the committee interviewed seven semifinalists and invited four finalists to visit KCD’s campus in September.

“During her visit to campus, Ms. Carey emerged as an experienced, intelligent, and passionate educational leader—and the individual best suited to lead our fine school forward,” stated Board Chair Chris Brice in a letter to the KCD community. He further shared, “Most importantly, [her] education and expertise are matched by her caring nature, thoughtful listening, and depth of character.”

Ms. Carey, who earned a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Administration from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Cincinnati, currently serves as Associate Head of School at the Isidore Newman School—the premier early childhood through 12th grade independent day school in New Orleans, Louisiana. Newman was founded in 1903 and has a total enrollment of just over 1,085 students this year. In her role, which she will continue to serve in through the end of the 2024-25 school year, Ms. Carey shares oversight of the entire school with specific responsibility for internal and academic affairs.

In a letter to the community, Ms. Carey noted that she was drawn to KCD’s mission: challenging its students to achieve their highest level of academic excellence and to grow into honorable people of confidence and integrity. “It is from this position of strength that we move forward together,

deepening our collective commitment to ensuring our Bearcats grow into Citizens, Scholars, and Stewards, prepared for successful lives and meaningful contributions to society. Building on KCD’s over 50-year legacy as a top-ranked independent school in the city and state, I am excited to lead and further enhance an already dynamic environment that fosters personal growth and excellence in all endeavors,” she stated.

During her visit to KCD’s campus, Ms. Carey felt both warmly welcomed and constructively challenged. “I observed a dedicated faculty and staff, a beautiful, well-resourced campus, engaged parents, and joyful students fully immersed in meaningful learning experiences. It was a privilege to see these elements in action,” she stated.

Originally from Cincinnati, Ms. Carey is looking forward to finding her new home in Louisville.

She stated, “For me, this is not just an exciting professional opportunity, but also a homecoming. My family has deep roots in this region, and the chance to return to this place is deeply meaningful.”

KCD looks forward to welcoming Ms. Carey to campus for several visits throughout the 2024-25 academic year so that she can begin getting to know our community and making preparations for a smooth transition. She will work collaboratively with Interim Head of School Jon Kellam and the Board to allow her to transition into her role seamlessly and effectively next summer.

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BEARCAT NEWS

PHOTOS BY SAM O’BRIEN

KCD VARSITY GIRLS LACROSSE AND COACH PAT MCANULTY WIN 10TH STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

INDIVIDUAL HONORS

The KCD Varsity Girls Lacrosse team won the Kentucky Scholastic Lacrosse League (KSLL) High School Girls State Championship title on Thursday, May 16, 2024 after defeating Eastern High School 13-4.

The win marks the Girls Lacrosse Bearcats’ third state title in four years, and the program’s 10th state championship win overall.

“I am just so proud of this group for their determination, toughness, and ability to execute when it mattered the most,” said Head Coach Patrick McAnulty. “We had so many injuries and it felt like we were literally limping to the finish line, but they showed their grit and togetherness and made it happen. One of the strongest teams in program history, no doubt.”

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2024 ALL-AMERICAN Ellie Beam ’26 2024 ALL-STATE TOURNAMENT TEAM Kennedy Harcourt ’24, Aspen Caudill ’24, Wynn Evans ’24, and Ellie Beam ’26 (MVP)

Pictured L-R: Class of 2024 Varsity Girls Lacrosse Athletes Dylan Yonover, Kenndey Harcourt, Aspen Caudill, Ainsley Alexander, and Wynn Evans.

KSLL MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR Ellie Beam ’26 KSLL GOALIE OF THE YEAR Aspen Caudill ’24

2ND TEAM ALL-STATE Aspen Caudill ’24, Wynn Evans ’24, Christine Martin ’26, Kennedy Harcourt ’24

“One of the strongest teams 1ST TEAM ALL-STATE Ellie Beam ’26, Ceci Flowers ’26, in program history, KSLL ATTACKER OF THE YEAR Dylan Yonover ’24, Leighton Dylan Yonover ’24 Spears ’25 no doubt.”

BEARCAT NEWS

WILL SMITH ’13 & THE LA DODGERS WIN THE MLB WORLD SERIES! Catcher Will Smith ’13 (KCD alumnus and Royal Bearcat Society Hall of Famer) and the Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions—for the second time in five years!

The Dodgers captured the Major League Baseball title against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, October 30 in Game 5 of the series. Coming back from a five-run deficit, the Dodgers secured the win at Yankee Stadium with a final score of 7-6. The victory marks the franchise’s eighth World Series title, and its second title in the last five years (in 2020 with Will as catcher).

The KCD Lower School faculty celebrated beloved, longtenured faculty member (current Lower School Counselor) Julie Smith, with balloons and Big League Chew at her door before she headed off to cheer on her son, Will! Upon the Dodgers’ win and Julie’s return to campus, the Lower School celebrated with a Dodgers-themed dress-up day on Friday, November 1.

Surprise performance by Carter Wood Sartor ’89 celebrates retiring arts faculty Carter Wood Sartor ’89, writer and composer of KCD’s School Song, led our community in song to celebrate LuAnn Hayes and Jeannine Ary’s retirement from KCD following the Bearcat Singers’ performance of Little Red Riding Hood on Tuesday, May 21. These two outstanding educators inspired creativity, music, and joy in our Bearcats for a combined total of 62 years.

We were joined by LuAnn and Jeannine’s families and friends, retired KCD faculty, Upper and Middle School students, alumni, parents, past parents, and Lower School Bearcat Singers, all of whom expressed immense gratitude for Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Ary, and also were completely starstruck singing alongside of Carter Wood Sartor, singer, songwriter, & KCD celebrity!

Scan the QR code to view a recording of the performance.

Scan to watch a special video for Will from our Bearcats!

ABOVE: Will with his sister, Sara Kate Smith ’16 (holding Will’s daughter Charlotte), and parents Mark and Julie Smith.

RIGHT: Will with his wife, Cara, and their daughters, Charlotte and Layton.

Pictured L-R: Carter Wood Sartor ’89, Karen Welsh, Kathy Todd Chaney, Jeannine Ary, LuAnn Hayes, Trudy Wheeler, DeeAnna Payne, Kate Scinta, and Sarah Stone.

FALL 2024 | 9

BEARCAT NEWS

CELEBRATING OUTGOING FACULTY MEMBERS WITH 20+ YEARS OF SERVICE DEPARTURES AND RETIREMENTS // MAY 2023 AND MAY 2024

ANN PONNIAH After 26 years at KCD, Ann Ponniah and her family moved to Seattle in the summer of 2023. Ms. Ponniah served as a math teacher, advisor, dean, learning support specialist, and interim director of the Middle School.

JEANNINE ARY Lower School Music Teacher, Jeannine Ary, retired in May of 2024 after 29 years of teaching at KCD. She has impacted countless students, families, and colleagues through her passion and expertise in music, performances, piano lessons, and so much more.

LUANN HAYES Lower School Music Teacher, LuAnn Hayes, retired in May 2024 after 33 years at KCD. LuAnn started teaching at KCD in 1991, with her full career in education spanning more than 40 years. LuAnn is a Regional leader in Orff-Schulwerk education and has fostered a love of music in Bearcats of all ages.

ANNE KAISER-HARRYMAN Anne Kaiser-Harryman retired in May 2024 after teaching for over 30 years, with 21 of those years at KCD. Anne’s first year at KCD was in 1984, and after living out of town with her family, she came back to serve at KCD for 20 more years, most recently as a Middle School Learning Support Specialist.

BETH CONROY KCD Lower School Librarian, Beth Conroy, retired at the end of the 202324 school year. Beth has been at KCD for 20 years, since August of 2004. Prior to becoming a Bearcat, she served as a long-term sub and library media clerk in Mississippi.

MARK ENDICOTT Upper School Physics Teacher, Mark Endicott, left at the end of the 2023-24 school year after 20 years at KCD. Mark started in August of 2004 and has been active in Science Olympiad, fostering a maker mentality, and building community in the Upper School.

10 | CONNECTIONS

DONNA TATUM-JOHNS Upper School French Teacher, Donna Tatum-Johns, left KCD after 27 years for a national teacher training opportunity.

Ms. Tatum-Johns started at KCD in August 1997 and transformed KCD’s French language curriculum through TPR (total physical response) Storytelling.

She served in many teaching and leadership roles including middle and upper school French, and Assistant Director of the Upper School.

BEARCAT NEWS

HALEY SCHOENEGGE ’23 WINS 2024 DIII OUTDOOR 1500 METER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Vassar College student-athlete, KCD alum, and Kentucky Cross Country and Track & Field High School State Champion, Haley Schoenegge, put herself in the front of the women’s 1500m final and didn’t look back. She started to gap the field around halfway and could not be caught.

Schoenegge closed in a fantastic 66-second last lap, running the 9th fastest time in DIII history and winning the national title by nearly 10 seconds. This was her first outdoor national meet and her first top-8 finish, with a personal best of 4:19 in the 1500 meter and 14 seconds faster than her qualifying time.

During her time at KCD, Haley secured multiple state championship titles. She was the 2022 Girls Cross Country Class 1A State Individual Champion. For Track & Field, she brought home state titles for the 3200 meter race for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022) and the 1600 meter race in 2023. We are so proud of Haley’s outstanding accomplishments!

KCD CLASS OF 2025 JUNIOR CEREMONY

Elizabeth Scinta

Family and friends gathered on campus on Thursday, February 29, 2024 to celebrate the KCD Class of 2025. The KCD Junior Ceremony is a beloved tradition that features an alumni keynote speaker. KCD Lifer and Alumna, Elizabeth Scinta ’18, was this year’s Junior Ceremony speaker and shared wonderful and inspiring messages with the Junior Class ahead of their senior year.

Junior Class Legacies with Alumni Family Members: Ava Roemer with Rev. Nathaniel Roemer ’95; Alice Robertson with Stephanie Harkess Robertson ’95; Charles Thomas with Robin Norman Thomas ’83; Crawford Becker with Harper Gudmundsson Becker ’95 and Aaron Becker ’95; Addi Elliott with Caroll Witten ’01; (Not pictured: Leighton Spears with Amy Eady Spears ’64, Kentucky Home School)

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BEARCAT NEWS

TWO ALUMNI NAMED TO 2024 FORTY UNDER 40 BY LOUISVILLE BUSINESS FIRST

Preston Copley ’03 is a current parent and member of the Board of Trustees at KCD. He is the former senior director of creative development and head of performance for Audible/Amazon.

Preston shared his proudest accomplishment with Louisville Business First: “In 2018, I was building a live show with the legendary Patti Smith. Amidst rehearsals, my mother tragically passed away. Patti and her great band and family were so generous to allow me to leave our process and be with my mother and family during that transition. When I returned, it really felt like that community of artists imbued my mother’s spirit into the work—which was itself an elegiac concert with prose and poetry to honor Patti’s departed husband Fred “Sonic” Smith and her dear friend, Robert Mapplethorpe.

“I’m proud I kept it together emotionally and helped make that show a success. I’m proud to have had such a personal relationship with those brilliant collaborators, that the vulnerability of the moment ultimately made for better art.”

Seema Sheth ’04 is the regional executive and senior vice president for Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Louisville Branch. She also previously served as a member of KCD’s Board of Trustees.

Seema shared her top goal for the year ahead: “While we work to get inflation stabilized, I have the responsibility to ensure that stories from Kentucky and Indiana are told accurately in the Beige Book and at the Federal Open Market Committee table.

“I take that work very seriously and hope to continue to uplift the stories of the zone in a compelling and effective way.

“Translated to non-Fed-speak, my career goal is to support the work of our central bank, ensuring every Kentuckian and Hoosier has a fair shake at economic success. Outside of work, we are expecting kiddo number four, and I am overthe-moon excited about that, too!”

MacLeod Andrews ’03 featured in new podcast Acclaimed narrator, actor, and KCD alum, MacLeod Andrews ’03, can be heard on SIGHTINGS, a thrilling new podcast exploring the world's most mysterious supernatural events.

MacLeod is a multiple award-winning actor, writer, and audiobook narrator. He recently starred in and co-wrote the award-winning indie feature film A GHOST WAITS and starred in the critically acclaimed THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE—among other work.

He is known for his immersive, cinematic style, and character voices, and you likely have heard his voice narrating a tremendous body of work including articles in major periodicals such as Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, video games, and commercials (e.g. Whole Foods, Honda, and McDonald’s.)

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BEARCAT NEWS

PHOTO BY SAM O’BRIEN

New community space honors the life & legacy of Jason Bell MARY CLAY EDINGER ’06, MAMFT, SPEAKS WITH LOWER & MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS KCD alumna, former teacher, and current parent, Mary Clay Edinger ’06, participated on a panel of trusted community professionals at an October JK-8th grade parent meeting. Mary, who recently started Alta Vista Counseling, joined Dr. David Causey (Ph.D. and Chief Staff Psychologist at Square One) and Dr. Steve Johnson (MD, Ph.D., and FAAP at Direct Pediatrics). The panelists shared their perspectives on mental health, anxiety, and strategies to support our children.

Jake Latts ’19 and the Yale Whiffenpoofs performed for KCD’s Lower School

KCD proudly opened the Jason Bell Community Center in November 2023. Named in memory of Jason Bell—a beloved KCD teacher, coach, mentor, colleague, and friend who passed away unexpectedly in April 2020—this beautiful space serves as an inclusive gathering place for KCD students, faculty, and families.

On Monday, November 6, 2023, KCD administrators were joined by Mr. Bell’s family and friends for a special ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication as we unveiled the newly renovated space.

As visitors approach the Jason Bell Community Center, they are welcomed by a stunning mural, carefully crafted by local artist Jaylin Stewart, which beautifully honors Mr. Bell’s spirit and legacy. Before its installation, Stewart met with Upper School art students to storyboard and share ideas for this special piece.

We are thankful for this collaboration which helped inspire the final product that now adorns the walls outside of the Jason Bell Community Center.

We are deeply grateful to the Bearcat community members whose enthusiastic support and generous contributions during our 2023 KCDate Fund A Need campaign made this space a reality.

PHOTO BY SAM O’BRIEN

PHOTO BY SAM O’BRIEN

Our youngest Bearcats were treated to a special musical performance on March 12, 2024 by the Yale Whiffenpoofs—“the world’s oldest and best-known collegiate a cappella group!” KCD alumnus, Jake Latts ’19, assistant musical director of the group, coordinated this special performance at 4100 Springdale Road as part of their Louisville tour stop at the Bomhard Theater at The Kentucky Center.

Thank you to the KCD Arts Guild and the Alumni Association for co-sponsoring this special visit.

PHOTO BY SHIRELLE WILLIAMS DANIEL

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events

THANK YOU TO OUR 2024-25 COMMUNITY PARTNERS Baptist Health • Drake’s & Malone’s • The Eye Care Institute & Butchertown Clinical Trials • Family Allergy & Asthma Greenscapes • Ivybrook Academy • Jennings Orthodontics • Lemonade PR • Louisville Aesthetics • Louisville Orthodontics Mind Body Child • Norton Sports Health • PARCO Constructors, LLC • Sterling Thompson Company • Strauss Surgical

KCD depends on the generosity of our community members to bridge the gap between tuition and the cost of an outstanding educational experience. KCD Community Partners support our entire community through custom corporate sponsorships that offer marketing opportunities like scoreboard panels, on-campus digital screens, web marketing, social media recognition, and organic opportunities to engage with KCD’s 830+ students, 110+ faculty, 1,100+ parents, 4,000+ Alumni, 2,300+ Instagram followers, and 108,000+ unique annual website visitors.

To learn more about these businesses and partnership opportunities, please visit www.kcd.org/support/community-partners.

COACHES JONES & LONG ACHIEVE 100TH CAREER WIN FOR KCD VARSITY FOOTBALL Last fall, Varsity Football Head Coach Matthew Jones scored his 100th Career Win for the Bearcats in their game against DeSales High School on Friday, September 1, 2023.

“It is extremely gratifying and humbling to achieve 100 career victories, all here at KCD,” stated Coach Jones. “As soon as the DeSales game concluded and the milestone was complete, my memory was flooded with so many faces and stories of players, assistant coaches, and parents that have loved, supported, and poured their time and energy into our football program. I feel like a very small part of a truly special program.”

The Bearcats took down DeSales with a score of 24-23 in a thrilling overtime game, showcasing the team’s grit and determination. “The 2023 Bearcats are led by 11 of the most talented seniors that we have had here in my tenure,” said Coach Jones. “We have come from behind, on the road, to win two very tough games against larger schools in our first three games and that shows their mental toughness, collective fight, and fortitude. I want this group, just like the teams of the past, to reach their collective potential and be able to look back on their time as Bearcats with pride. They need to remain humble and hungry and, if they do, the sky’s the limit and they have the talent to be our first State Champions.”

Coach Jones joined the Bearcats as Varsity Football Head Coach in 2012, serving as an Assistant Coach in 2011, and has been working hard to enhance KCD’s football program ever since.

“My biggest goals back in 2012 were to ensure that I carried on the legacy of hard work and commitment to something bigger than oneself that Dr. Tim Green and others had already instilled here. I wanted to help all of the players 14 | CONNECTIONS

Varsity Football Head Coach Matthew Jones, Assistant Coach Ed Long, and former KCD Athletic Director and football coach, Dr. Tim Green.

learn to believe in themselves and how tough they could be through hard work and dedication,” stated Coach Jones.

The sense of community built in the Bearcat football program is a huge source of pride for Coach Jones.

“Individual achievements, like District and State coach of the year awards, are great and I am certainly proud of them.

But really, I am most proud when our former players come back to visit us at practice or when I get a text or a call from them to check in or update me on their lives,” he stated. “I feel so fortunate and grateful to have worked with so many awesome young men and their families. Jill and I have made lifelong friends here at KCD through the football program and that is so gratifying.”

EVENTS

Matthew P. O’Brien Lecture & Luncheon

October 20, 2023 at KCD Photos by Shirelle Williams Daniel

We were pleased to host members of the KCD Class of 1983 alongside the KCD Class of 2024 for the annual Matthew P. O’Brien Lecture & Luncheon on Friday, October 20, 2023. This special event for our senior class began in 1984 and honors the memory, achievements, and ideals of friendship, scholarship, and citizenship of Matthew P. O’Brien ’83 who tragically passed away during his first year of college.

Our guest speaker, Caroline Aiken Koster ’83, spoke on finding common ground and making connections in a polarized nation. Ms. Koster received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. Her essays about common ground, democracy, food, and her Appalachian family reunion have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, New York Post, and more.

We were joined at the luncheon by Matt’s mother, Mrs. Jean O’Brien, retired faculty member Mr. Dick Aylor, KCD Trustees, and KCD Upper School faculty.

The alumni from the Class of 1983 also celebrated their 40th reunion the same weekend at Harmony Landing.

Ms. Koster encouraged our seniors (mostly 17-year-olds) and alumni (mostly 57-yearolds) to think of ways to find common ground with others and to sign their notecards only by their age. They wrote countless ideas on notecards, and their suggestions were inspiring: “Laugh and smile, put yourself in other people’s shoes.” Age 17 “Everyone, regardless of their physical appearance or situation deserves to feel like they belong.” Age 19 “Love, don’t hate.” Age 17 “Talk about your family.” Age 17 “Talk to people of different backgrounds in order to find different perspectives.” Age 57 “Talk about the things you love, and find something that you both enjoy. Connect through that.” Age 18 “Share stories.” Age 18 “More intergenerational mentoring.” Age 57 “Value others’ opinions even if they are not your own.” Age 17

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EVENTS

1 Gardner Gymnasium was unrecognizable thanks to our generous KCDate Committee volunteers and KCD maintenance team!

2 Michele Staffieri Hower ’07, Helen Killarney Vice ’00, and Valerie Doseck McDonough ’99

3 Kate Dobbins Bonner ’05, Jeff Bonner, Lindsey Trager Bradley ’05, Shiraaz Rahman ’05, Sandra Trager, Andy Doering ’05, and Julie Doering

4 Fahr Juneja ’03 and Jamie Juneja 5 Julie Doering, Allison Oyster, Josh Oyster, and Nathaniel Liu

KCDate Hollywood

March 9, 2024 at KCD’s Gardner Gymnasium KCDate Hollywood was a star-studded success! Thank you to everyone who joined us for this signature event, bid on auction items, and bought raffle tickets in support of our Bearcats. We couldn’t have done it without our amazing KCDate committee, development team, facilities & maintenance crew, kitchen staff, and countless other sponsors and volunteers. We are so grateful.

Photos by Shirelle Williams Daniel & Sam O’Brien

16 | CONNECTIONS

Don’t miss KCDate 2025: The Greatest Show on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Raffle tickets are on sale now! Scan the QR code to enter for your chance at a new car, rare bourbons, and so much more!

EVENTS

KCD vs. LCS Pickleball Tournament

May 8, 2024 at Goodbounce Pickleball Yard in Clarksville, IN

1

Photos by Shirelle Williams Daniel

2 The 2nd annual KCD vs. LCS Pickleball Tournament was a SMASHING success!

Kudos to the many generations of KCD alumni, parents, faculty, and friends who played their hearts out and brought the winning trophy home for the Bearcats! KCD beat Collegiate with 31-24 total games won.

1 Anna Lask Triplett ’03 and Rachael Lask Gerlach ’03

2 The 2024 KCD vs. Collegiate Pickleball Tournament participants

3 April Denham Dickey ’73 and Terrell Dickey

3 FALL 2024 | 17

events

Alumni/New Family Play Date May 11, 2024 at KCD’s Playgrounds

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Our alumni family within the KCD parent community is a special one—and it continues to grow! In May 2024, KCD’s Lower School alumni families welcomed incoming ones.

It was a beautiful day to catch up over donuts and coffee at the KCD playgrounds. KCD’s next generation is bright!

1 Wesley Bonner ’35 and Aiden Gerlach ’34 2 Mary Clay Edinger ’06, Mary Henry Jennings ’05, and Kate Dobbins Bonner ’05

3 Ashley Haynes, Rachael Lask Gerlach ’03, Jaime and Preston Copley ’03

4 Silas Edinger ’37 and Henry Jennings ’37

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EVENTS

KCD Golf Scramble

September 10, 2024 at Harmony Landing Photos by Sam O’Brien

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1 The Bearcat crew posed for a group shot before teeing off for the annual golf scramble!

2 Steve DeWeese ’86, Adam Arrington ’98, Kevin “Sully” Sullivan, and Tim Rice

3 Marché Harris and Nick Chavez 4 Richard Rigney and Brad Compton

ANNUAL

GO

LF SCRAMBLE

4 FALL 2024 | 19

events

All-School Pep Rally, Bearcat Family Festival & Homecoming

October 25, 2024 at KCD Photos by Shirelle Williams Daniel & Sam O’Brien

Roars of pride and cheer filled the Gardner Gymnasium during our all-school pep rally the morning of KCD’s Bearcat Family Festival and Homecoming! Students were welcomed in through a faculty hype tunnel before enjoying a dunk contest, “human hungry hippo” tournament, and performances by our cheerleaders and Pep Club!

The pep rally finished with some closing cheers led by Coach Jones and the Varsity Football team. A special thanks to Mr. Ross Cohen ’03 and Mr. Bobby Copley ’99 for MCing, Mr. James Racine for being our awesome DJ, and Athletic Director Amy Elliott for organizing this engaging community event for our Bearcats!

20 | CONNECTIONS

EVENTS

The 2024 Bearcat Family Festival and Homecoming football game were unbelievable! We will cherish so many memories from this awesome celebration of our KCD community. From the cake walk and inflatables, to the phenomenal Bearcat win over the number 1 ranked Campbellsville on Senior Night, it was truly a magical evening. Huge thank you to our incredible volunteers and KCD staff for making it all possible—and to our generous festival sponsor Louisville Orthodontics, Dr. Raina Chandiramani ’08.

Preston Copley ’03, Jon Kellam (interim head of school), Deena Carey (head of school beginning July 2025), and Kristi Kellam.

FALL 2024 | 21

kentucky country day school

HALL of FAME Celebrating Legendary Bearcats

In May 2023 and January 2024, KCD welcomed several new faces into the school’s Hall of Fame. In addition to the long-standing Alumni Hall of Fame and Bearcat Athletic Hall of Fame, two new honors were established ahead of the 2023 ceremony held during KCD’s 50th Anniversary Celebration: The Arts Hall of Fame and the Faculty Hall of Fame.

The inaugural KCD Faculty Hall of Fame inducted esteemed and beloved educator, Mr. Dick Aylor, presenting him with an Honorary Diploma from Kentucky Country Day School and applauding his over 45 years of dedicated service to KCD as a Latin teacher, coach, mentor, friend, sports announcer, and joke-teller extraordinaire.

22 | CONNECTIONS

PHOTOS BY SAM O’BRIEN

2023 Inductees | Hall of Fame Ceremony, Saturday, May 13, 2023

Mr. Aylor was accompanied by his son, David, and wife, Jewel Ann.

1988 Field Hockey Team (Undefeated Season, Apple and State Champions) were inducted into the Royal Bearcat Society.

The Athletic Hall of Fame and Royal Bearcat Society started in the early 2000s with leadership from Athletic Director Tim Green, and KCD alumnus William (Billy) T. Beam, Jr. ’76, inducting outstanding Bearcat athletes annually.

Courtney Plaster-Strange Altman ’06 (All-American and State Champion Field Hockey Player) was inducted into the Royal Bearcat Society.

Edwin Lewis ’92 (Tennis Regional Champion, State Runner-Up, and State Doubles Semifinalist) and Miller Brice ’94 (Tennis State Singles Runner-Up, State Doubles Runner Up, team third-place state championship finish in 1992 and 1994) were inducted into the KCD Athletic Hall of Fame.

The KCD Alumni Hall of Fame proudly inducted bestselling author, Tania James ’99.

Among many achievements, Tania served as co-valedictorian of her graduating class.

FALL 2024 | 23

KCD HALL OF FAME

KCD’s Arts Hall of Fame honors our belief that the arts enrich the lives and academic experience of all our students. We have countless graduates and community members who have built successful careers in the arts, and we are so proud to recognize these individuals for their achievements.

Stu Pollard ’85 (director, producer, CEO, entrepreneur) was inducted into the Arts Hall of Fame.

The inaugural Arts Hall of Fame inducted Dr. Carol Canavan (KCD faculty from 1973-1986 and founder of the KCD Fine Arts Department).

Erin Wilhelmi ’04 (professional film & stage actress) was inducted into the Arts Hall of Fame.

Unable to join us for the ceremony, Erin’s parents, Gayle and retired KCD faculty member Keith Wilhelmi, accepted the award on her behalf.

2024 Inductees | Hall of Fame Ceremony, Friday, January 26, 2024

PHOTOS BY SHIRELLE WILLIAMS DANIEL

It was an honor to celebrate these legendary Bearcat athletes, artists, and educators. We are so proud of these outstanding Bearcats!

Walt Gander (retired Upper School Mathematics faculty) was inducted into the Faculty Hall of Fame for 2024.

24 | CONNECTIONS

KCD HALL OF FAME

Maggie Young Durbin ’92 (Girls Basketball athlete) was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for 2024.

Chris Harding ’91 (Basketball (Boys Basketball athlete) was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for 2024.

Mary Nancy Hubbard Chatel ’92 (Girls Basketball athlete) was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for 2024.

1975 Boys Soccer Team (State Champions) were inducted into the Royal Bearcat Society for 2024.

KCD legends Kate Scinta (retired Upper School Drama faculty), Karen Welsh (retired Music faculty), and Trudy Wheeler (retired Middle School Drama faculty) were inducted into Arts Hall of Fame in 2024.

FALL 2024 | 25

THE POWER OF PLAY The Gernert Grove celebrates community, creativity, and the value of outdoor learning Story & Photos by Sam O’Brien On a beautiful late-September morning in 2023, the Lower School community gathered to mark the historic opening of KCD’s new nature playground. Upon hearing the clanging of an old school bell (that once belonged to the late John Gernert, KCD’s first head of school) nearly 300 children cheered and sprinted towards the playground. It was organized chaos and pure joy as our youngest Bearcats explored the possibilities, creative challenges, and magic that only a natural play space can provide.

On any given school day, you will see students run up and down the spacious hillside; climb atop tree stumps and carefully hop onto the ground; sneak into the tunnel that cuts through the hill; put on a talent show at the small outdoor classroom amphitheater; dig in the sand pit; ‘bake’ sand-pies and cakes with leaves and other garnishes; build structures with sticks and rocks, and artfully architect a moat around 26 | CONNECTIONS

the edge of the area; and most importantly, they embrace the fresh breeze, the dirt beneath their feet, and all of the beautiful natural elements that make up The Gernert Grove.

It all looks and feels so simple. Bringing our students back to basics. But the magic of this special place was built over years of research, creative thinking, exploration, and teamwork among KCD faculty and community partners.

The foundational work of the nature playground project began around five years ago. Assistant Head of School Amy Mendel, formerly KCD’s lower school director, collaborated with a faculty committee passionate about the benefits of play. They reached out to local expert Claude Stephens (Director of the Children at Play Network and Facilitator of Outreach and Regenerative Design for Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest), to seek his advice and guidance. From there, the vision for the nature playground was born.

THE POWER OF PLAY

The KCD play committee understood the critical first steps in making their project, not only a reality, but a success: 1. They needed to clearly define the school’s philosophy on “play.”

2. They needed buy-in from the entire faculty and a commitment to further education.

3. They needed to have the key constituents on-board— from the very beginning.

“Claude came to campus and I had our head of school, our CFO, our head of maintenance, our development director, the middle school director, me, our incoming lower school director—like everybody who could possibly be involved in this natural play space at some point—there from the very beginning,” stated Mendel. “We walked through the campus, we talked about our ideas and dreams.”

From there, the team connected with a landscape architect, Paul Toenjes of SWT Design, and began planning.

“Funding was a concern of ours from the beginning,” stated Mendel. “I think maybe people think ‘it’s a nature playground, it’s just there.’ But if you’re really creating a space that allows children to explore in ways that are exciting and developmentally appropriate and that offers them all the opportunities that they need, then there actually is quite a lot of work that goes into creating that space, and so it ends up being quite expensive.”

Thankfully, a very generous family in the KCD community stepped up and helped the school make its dream a reality.

Amy Purkiss (assistant director of enrollment management at KCD), Dr. Todd Purkiss, and Mason Purkiss ’25 at the opening of the Gernert Grove in September 2023. Logan Purkiss ’22, a student at Georgia Tech, was unable to attend.

“We are so fortunate that our families are passionate about play; the Purkiss family so generously donated the money that we needed to start and get this project going—and finished to the end!”

With these key logistics addressed, the new Lower School Director Mary Charles Collett also jumped right in, and began coordinating professional development opportunities for faculty, and educational experiences for students.

“When I first came to KCD, there was already great faculty excitement around play,” stated Collett. “Our teachers do a phenomenal job of following the best practices, and they knew that this was an area we needed to enhance for our students.”

In the fall of 2022, students in every grade level of the Lower School took field trips to Bernheim Forest, where they experienced its ten-acre natural playground, “the Playcosystem.”

“It was an amazing experience to see the kids play out there … and it really helped the teachers envision the possibilities,” stated Mendel.

Following the series of field trips, Stephens and Toenjes came to campus, interviewed the students and faculty, and documented their thinking. The team took over a section of KCD’s cafeteria for a week, where they worked with students to design features of play—inspired by the Playcosystem— that they would potentially want on KCD’s campus. They hand-crafted models of their playground designs using recyclable loose parts and materials. Many of these ideas influenced design decisions for the Gernert Grove.

According to Stephens, working with the children in the design process is paramount. “They’re actually the experts.

So, when you do any kind of a project, you should consult the experts—and children are experts at play,” he stated.

FALL 2024 | 27

THE POWER OF PLAY

Stephens has worked with Bernheim Forest for more than 25 years in a variety of roles connected to education. During this time, he became intrigued by the power of play and how children connect with nature.

“So often we think of play as a toss-up thing that’s not valuable, but all the research shows that play is incredibly valuable … that play is actually the foundation of learning,” stated Stephens. “And when you remove play from childhood, you remove a huge aspect of learning from childhood. That’s especially true with outdoor play.”

This work at Bernheim sparked the creation of the Children at Play Network, a collaborative initiative that works with the community to advocate for free play in the outdoors.

“We started knitting together a community of people that value outdoor play, and play in general,” stated Stephens. “And KCD is a perfect example of that. The staff here recognized the value of outdoor play and started to embrace it.”

Stephens explained, “... the Children at Play Network is growing and I believe we’re actually changing the needle in terms of how people embrace natural play for schools, for nonprofits, for public parks. And we’re starting to see them pop up more, and more, and more around here. And that’s what our vision is: that every child will have a healthy place in nature to play where they feel free and safe, and empowered, and joyful.”

While traditional playgrounds have many benefits, natural play spaces inspire creativity, critical thinking, and agency.

The children decide how to play.

“Many playgrounds are environments where children play on things, so their structures tell the child what to do ... ‘You climb on me,’ ‘you slide on me,’ ‘you run across the little bridge.’ A natural playground, especially a natural playground that has lots of the loose parts, is an environment that children play with,” said Stephens. “... moving from

Lower School Director Mary Charles Collett, Paul Toenjes (SWT Design), Claude Stephens (Children at Play Network), and Assistant Head of School Amy Mendel 28 | CONNECTIONS

playing on to playing with is a tremendous leap forward in how that environment engages a child because it gives the child agency,” said Stephens.

According to Mendel, when children play in nature, they become the “architects” of their own play. “They’re making all the decisions,” she said.

“Having a nature playground allows us to let kids play freely in a space that’s safe for them and explore nature— and exploring nature is a really significant part of learning about the world, problem-solving, collaborating and just experiencing the ‘ah’ and wonder of the natural world,” Mendel continued.

Collett agreed, noting, “The best part of a nature playground like the Gernert Grove is that it inspires divergent thinking. There’s not a certain way of playing, so students practice communication, collaboration, and creativity—these are super important skills that we want kids to develop; they get to practice them while playing.”

In addition to agency and critical thinking, outdoor play comes with other advantages related to social and emotional wellness. “There are significant benefits of being in nature for everybody, especially children,” stated Mendel. “Nature has a calming influence on children … and there’s a deficit of nature right now for a lot of our kids. Students spend way too much time on screens, and the number of interactions that they have face-to-face with people has been reduced over the last few decades with the increase in technology.”

According to Collett, another big research-based benefit of play is the way that it leads to stronger executive function skills like planning, preparing, and time management.

“Those are predictors of all types of measures of success,” she said. “So, we know that we need ample time for kids to play, so that they can develop the skills to be the great scholars that we know they can be!”

With the pieces in place, and construction underway, the new nature playground was in need of a name. Students proposed ideas for consideration, but one name really stuck: The Gernert Grove.

EVENTS

John Gernert’s sons Rudy Gernert ’76 and Reed Gernert ’81 ring the old school bell while Reed’s sons, Ben ’09 and Alex ’07, look on.

“Mr. John Gernert was a visionary in how this great space [on Springdale Road] could potentially be used to benefit students and faculty for so many years to come,” stated Collett. “And so, with his passing [in June 2023], it felt like an important moment to recognize his legacy.”

The Purkiss family made the final decision on the name, ultimately choosing to honor Mr. Gernert’s legacy through their generous gift to KCD. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Grove, we were honored to host several members of the Gernert family (including John’s sons Rudy Gernert ’76, Reed Gernert ’81, and Reed’s sons Ben Gernert ’09 and Alex Gernert ’07) on campus.

“It was a special experience for them to see their dad commemorated in such a joyful way,” Collett said.

After remarks from KCD’s administration, and a shared cutting of the ribbon with the Purkiss and Gernert families, Rudy and Reed took to the podium to ring their father’s old school bell, marking the official opening of the playground.

With the grand opening came a special designation from the Children at Play Network. The Gernert Grove was named their first Project of Excellence. “We have codified ten actions that an organization or school can take that support that larger notion of the value of play. A playground is just one strategy in a bigger matrix of things that a school can do,” Stephens stated.

A project that meets all ten of these requirements is eligible to be recognized as a Project of Excellence.

A full year later, the magic of the Gernert Grove remains ever-present—as does the work, the education, and the creativity that the project inspired.

“The opening of this play space was a great step forward for us,” stated Collett. “All the excitement that has gone into creating the Gernert Grove is now expanding into limitless possibilities for how we use our nature trail, our garden, our woods, and our forest. We are fortunate to have 80+ acres. I hope that the opening of this space is just an initial step in the ways we inspire future outdoor learning.”

FALL 2024 | 29

A STUDENT EXPERIENCE IN THE

Galápagos Islands

By Jenna Figa ’25

GALÁPAGOS TRIP

During KCD’s 2024 Fall Break, 29 upper school students along with four faculty chaperones traveled to Quito, Ecuador for a once in a lifetime international experience. During their expedition, Bearcats explored the cultural history of Quito.

Taking in the unique colonial architecture that dates back to the 16th century, they visited vibrant markets and jumped from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere at the Mitad del Mundo. They traveled by plane and boat to the Galápagos Islands, where they visited the Charles Darwin Research Station, learned about the unique habitats that inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution, and visited a tortoise breeding and conservation facility that is dedicated to increasing the declining population. Below, Jenna Figa ’25, a KCD Lifer, shares her experience from this special trip.

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nce I heard about a trip to the Galápagos Islands, I begged my parents to let me go.

Hiking, snorkeling, and learning about animals are all things I enjoy doing. Everybody has heard of Charles Darwin and the Galápagos Islands, but seeing the famous giant tortoises and finches in person was an incredible experience.

We visited two islands: Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal.

Even though these islands are only 50 miles apart, they each have their own species of giant tortoises. On the larger islands, where water is more available, the tortoises have a dome-shaped shell. Tortoises that live in drier conditions are typically smaller with saddleback shells, which allows them to reach their necks to eat vegetation growing above them.

At the Charles Darwin Research Center, they breed the tortoises in order to restore their populations. I spent close to a half hour watching the baby tortoises, which were no larger than my palm, try to climb over rocks and explore their enclosure.

My favorite part of the whole trip was snorkeling at Kicker Rock. The water was freezing, and I was shivering a lot. But once I stuck my head under the water, I completely forgot how cold I was. There were fish, sea turtles, and sea lions surrounding me. Since these animals are not scared of humans, they will swim right up to you, especially the sea lions.

We swam through a channel with a depth of 60 feet and swimming against the currents made it so difficult. It felt like I was swimming forever, only to see that I had barely gotten anywhere. Going to the Galápagos Islands was a once in a lifetime opportunity and the highlight of my senior year, thus far!

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events

THE VIEW FROM THE TOP The educational value in facing our fears

By Lillian Apple 32 | CONNECTIONS

EVENTS

I

t’s a simple science experiment but one all students remember doing: A cone of sodium bicarbonate and a drop of acetic acid, otherwise known as baking soda and vinegar. Boom! You have a volcanic explosion.

While I have completed this activity more times as a teacher than as a student, the results are always the same, regardless of the student’s age. There is always an overflow of excitement by the chemical reaction, despite knowing exactly what will happen.

Actual volcanoes are much more complex. There are not only explosive eruptions, but slow moving magma, fire fountains, and lava flows. The viscosity of the magma beneath and the concentration of dissolved gasses both affect how the volcano erupts, among other variables. Seeing one in a photo or video is one thing; being on one in real life is completely different. I had the opportunity to hike Mount Etna, an active volcano in Sicily, Italy back in 2017.

The experience is one that changed my life for so many reasons.

Lillian Apple pictured here, near the top of Mount Etna in 2017.

FALL 2024 | 33

VIEW FROM THE TOP

I’ll begin with the fact that volcanoes terrify me, but I’m easily scared by many things. Flying in a plane terrifies me.

Driving over bridges, enclosed spaces, and being late also scare me. What I learned through my experience of hiking an active volcano was this: doing things that are scary is difficult, but in doing difficult things we grow stronger.

Sometimes facing your fear can turn into one of the most rewarding experiences.

In 2016, five of my colleagues and I traveled to Italy to scope out locations for an interdisciplinary high school experience. When I sat in the plane about to fly over the Atlantic to our destination, I couldn’t think about anything other than how difficult it was to, not only fly over an ocean, but to leave my daughter (who was six at the time) for ten days. I had flown internationally before when I was a study-abroad student in college, but at the age of 22, I was invincible, of course!

Manzanita Lake (Manzanita means "little apple!")

Whiskeytown Lake in nearby Redding

34 | CONNECTIONS

At the top of Chaos Crags, another volcano

Days later, as I stood near the top of the caldera of Mount Etna, I was amazed by the view of the city of Catania below and the Ionian Sea. I took in the chilly air and snow around me despite having been in a t-shirt at the base. I marveled at the light gray plume at the top, wondering if an eruption was near. I was so grateful to have flown overseas again and to have been able to hike an active volcano, despite my initial trepidation. I ended up returning to the top of Etna the following year as a chaperone with 30 students. This time, an actual eruption occurred just days after we climbed back down to Catania.

This first experience with an active volcano eventually led me to apply for the Cox Family Teacher Development Award (an award that supports professional development with a focus on innovation in teaching thanks to a generous donation from former KCD parents Russ and Kathy Cox).

With support from this award, I planned to visit and hike through Lassen National Park, an active volcanic area in northern California with all types of volcanoes and geothermal areas.

My journey to Lassen began with a direct flight to San Francisco and a four hour drive to the national park. Each day I hiked at least two different sections of the park in order to visit the four types of volcanoes and the microbiomes in the surrounding areas. I was reminded of frequent Californian fires as I wandered through blackened trees with missing greenery and cleared pathways. I was also tested both physically and mentally, and had to make adjustments in my itinerary due to weather, snow, and collapsing paths near Bumpass Hell, the largest hydrothermal area in the park.

VIEW FROM THE TOP

One day in particular was physically humbling, more so than I thought it would be. At the time, I was training to coach the upcoming KCD Cross Country season, running between 35 and 40 miles per week in high heat and humidity down south in Charleston, SC. I somehow thought that would prepare me for high elevation and dehydration. The Cinder Cone hike proved that I was out of my element.

Standing at an angle of approximately 45 degrees and an elevation of 8,000 feet on nothing but ash and cinder, I wasn’t sure I would make it to the top. My fear of heights, coupled with the fact that there were no railings in place, made me shaky and light-headed. To be honest, I almost quit

Cinder Cone

At the top of Cinder Cone

and turned around. A vertical distance that would take me less than two minutes to run if on flat land ended up taking me an hour to climb. I somehow made it to the top and was rewarded with an incredible view—and a newfound sense of accomplishment.

I stumbled upon clear blue lakes, snow piles, unique vegetation, lava beds, mud pots, hot springs, fumaroles, waterfalls, and more, and managed to escape any eruptions!

The pictures I captured don’t scratch the surface as to the magnitude of beauty and dimension I observed around me. I returned with more confidence from facing fear and new scientific information from hands-on learning. As I began the school year a month later with students new to high school, the nervous looks I saw on some of their faces reminded me of my summer experience, and how initial trepidation led to an educational experience. Hopefully they, too, will one day be able to see the view from the top.

New vegetation due to recent wildfires

Boiling Mud Pots in the geothermal area

Lillian Apple is an Upper School Science Teacher and Head Coach for Varsity Cross Country at KCD. FALL 2024 | 35

Alumni Q&A WITH TANIA JAMES ’99

ALUMNI Q&A

Interview by Sam O’Brien & Kate Bonner ’05 HOW DID IT FEEL TO BE INDUCTED INTO KCD’S ALUMNI HALL OF FAME?

It was such an honor and so moving to hear from other alumni and former faculty about their time during and after KCD. Stepping up to the podium myself was a bit nerve-racking until I spotted my old buddy Nicole Staffieri Coffey ’99 in the crowd and suddenly I was sixteen again, wondering where we would go for lunch. (Dooley’s Bagels, probably.)

Nicole Staffieri Coffey and Tania James at the 2023 Hall of Fame Ceremony.

WHAT WERE A COUPLE OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE OR IMPACTFUL EXPERIENCES AS A STUDENT AT KCD?

I find that the most memorable things are often the smallest things. Mr. Gander hunched over a problem set. Self-portraits in Mr. Gordon’s art class. Sitting on coolers and eating orange slices during field hockey games. Friendships that felt like they’d last forever. All of these things add up to what I now understand to be a wonderfully ordinary passage into adulthood.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION (AS A WRITER OR OTHERWISE)?

I try to pay attention to what I’m obsessed with or what I can’t stop thinking about, whether it’s from a newspaper article or a personal experience or, as with Loot, a mechanical tiger automaton called Tipu’s Tiger, which resides in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

KCD Alumni Hall of Famer Tania James ’99 is receiving rave reviews for her novel, Loot, released in June 2023, including being named a finalist for The National Book Foundation’s 2023 National Book Award for Fiction.

Loot is an epic 18th-century tale about a young woodcarver who is commissioned by the sultan to build a life-size, mauling tiger automaton, which is stolen by the British. Spanning decades and ranging from India to Europe, this novel is an interrogation of war and colonialism that asks who has the right to claim ownership over art and history.

James is the author of four works of fiction: The Tusk That Did the Damage, Aerogrammes and Other Stories, Atlas of Unknowns, and Loot. Her short stories have appeared in Freeman’s, Granta, The New Yorker, O: The Oprah Magazine, and One Story, among other places. She is an associate professor of English in the MFA program at George Mason University.

Visit www.taniajames.com to learn more and order your copy of Loot.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH PROCESS AND APPROACH TO INCORPORATING HISTORICAL ELEMENTS IN LOOT?

The book takes place across three countries (India, France, and England during the turn of the 18th century) so I could have devoted several years to research alone. To corral that process, I mostly paid attention to the aspects of history that would matter to my characters. The hero of my novel is a young toymaker who constructs Tipu’s Tiger. He isn’t based on any specific historical figure; I made him up. But when historical events directly affect his life, that’s when I go deep on research, to sift and mine for details that would have specific resonance for him. I also thought a lot about what the historical record wasn’t saying, what experiences might have been erased or distorted and why.

ABBAS, A MAIN CHARACTER IN LOOT, SEEKS TO LEAVE HIS MARK ON THE WORLD AND CREATE SOMETHING THAT WILL OUTLIVE HIM. IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU CONNECT WITH THAT THEME?

own legacy, but I also think that Abbas’ desire stems from a deeper impulse: to matter. I was reminded of this during a research trip to the abbey at Mont St. Michel off the coast of Normandy.

In one room, the floor was made up of large cubical stones. In the corner of each stone were the initials of the people who had carved it. Everywhere else, the stones had been laid with those sides facing inward, so as to hide these initials. But in this room, for some reason, the stoneworkers had decided not to omit themselves from history. This was as wondrous to me as the abbey itself, this very human desire to be seen, to be recognized.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE AN ASPIRING WRITER?

Stay curious about the world around you, as well as yourself. Keep examining the question of what moves or interests you. And though the writing process is never painless, I agree with Virginia Woolf who said, “There should be some fun.”

I think it’s futile for any artist of any age to think that they can control their FALL 2024 | 37

CLASS NOTES 1960s We were pleased to hear from William “Bill” Crew (pictured to the left), Kentucky Military Institute (KMI) class of 1962, who is retired in Ventura, California.

The Kentucky Home School (KHS) class of 1963 celebrated their 60th reunion in June 2023. Four of seven classmates gathered at 211 Clover Lane in St. Matthews. Ms. Gibbs shared: “Our group of Excellent Women are curious, warm, funny, and kind. We were especially missing Havard Schmidt Bauer, as well as Peggy Gaines King and Joan Kaiser Hubball.

Harry Volz Louisville Country Day (LCD) ’65 retired from The Washington Post in 2004 after 25 years and continued to work as a history teacher at the Maret School in Washington. He is now fully-retired, and Harry and his wife, Emily, spend their time traveling, especially to visit his daughters, Britta and Katie, and their families. Harry shared a photo (to the right) with us of himself with Britta at Yosemite National Park in the spring of 2008 when she led an Americorp volunteer team conducting service work in California.

John Hale LCD ’69 is retired from the University of Louisville and living in New Albany, Indiana in his great-great grandfather’s home atop Silver Hills. John is a highly regarded archaeologist and historian and was the Founder and Director of the Liberal Studies Program at UofL.

1970s The KCD class of 1973 celebrated their 50th reunion on Saturday, August 19, 2023 (pictured below). Members of the class enjoyed a tour at KCD, then gathered at the home of Barry and Margaret Barlow for dinner that evening.

ABOVE: Jackie Gibbs ’63, Jill Haden Cooper ’63, Mary Ellis Van Kesteren ’63, and Bonnie Greer Johnson ’63 celebrating their 60th KHS reunion.

The 50th Reunion Celebration of the KCD class of 1974 took place on Friday and Saturday, June 7 and 8, 2024. More than two-thirds of their class came together to celebrate, gathering at the home of Paul and Jackie Bickel on Friday night, touring KCD’s campus on Saturday afternoon (pictured to the left), and enjoying dinner at Malone’s across the street from KCD’s campus. They had a wonderful time catching up, with many classmates seeing one another for the first time in 50 years!

38 | CONNECTIONS

CLASS NOTES

Lee Rankin ’79, owner of Apple Hill Farm and author of Farm Family: A Solo Mom’s Memoir of Finding Home, Happiness and Alpacas, set out on a book tour on January 30, 2024 and will be visiting Louisville. Farm Family is the story of a single mom’s pursuit of a dream to start an alpaca farm in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. And Apple Hill Farm is “A place where animals talk and people listen.” Find out more at www. applehillfarmnc.com.

1980s Lydia Brownlow ’82 released her debut novel, Vermilion Sunrise, in May 2023.

Lydia is a KCD alum, former faculty member, and parent to KCD alumni, Austin and Luke.

Lydia hosted a virtual book launch event with KCD and spoke to students in Jerry Loewen’s 8th Grade Seminar and Amy Mendel’s upper school Children’s Literature class.

Dr. Diane Bruce ’86 was named the Dean of Bellarmine University’s W. Fielding Rubel School of Business in the summer of 2023. She served at North Central College in Naperville, IL since 1997 in various roles including the inaugural dean of the School of Business and Entrepreneurship.

Bellarmine President Susan M. Donovan shared in a press release: “Dr. Bruce was the clear choice as Rubel School dean based on her enthusiasm and experience with entrepreneurship, her development of new programs, and her close work with faculty. I know that she will empower our faculty to continue the Rubel School’s successful trajectory.”

Trace Mayer ’87’s Museum Bees won a 2023 Garden & Gun Made in the South Award. Garden & Gun’s Lindsey Liles shared: “While trimming a two-hundred-year-old textured frame to fit an oil painting for a 2012 exhibition at his gallery–meets–antique store, Trace Mayer had a realization: The frame outshone the artwork. One of his assistants joined together the frame’s leftover corners to create a miniature quadrangle, and, inspired, Mayer added a gilded bee he had collected years earlier. “It was an aha moment that felt like fitting in the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle,” he says.

Drawing on his background in physics and fine art, Mayer played with forms and proportions to make more, gaining such a following for the collectible pieces (admirers included the late G&G contributor Julia Reed) that he began creating them full-time. Today Mayer and his team make original Museum Bees daily, using mostly circa-1860 frames or bourbon barrels to showcase an ornament that they might borrow from, say, a 1960s brooch or an heirloom belt buckle, or design themselves. “There is a level of collaboration going on,” Mayer says. “I’m reimagining an unsung artist’s work from over a century ago.” As an antidote to art-world pretensions, Mayer prices each Bee the same. “That way, the value is in the eye of the buyer, and you’ll pick the piece you love the most—the one that tells a story to you.”

ABOVE: In October 2023, KCD 4th grade’s interdisciplinary unit on bees culminated with a visit to Mayer’s studio to design their own Museum Bees.

1990s Christopher Harding ’91 is coowner of Pruvit, LouCity, and Racing Louisville. He founded Flew The Coop®, a charitable initiative that supports nonprofits dedicated to animal rescue and emergency relief to pets in crisis. Harding also serves on the Executive Board for the nonprofit, Global Empowerment Mission, supporting disaster relief efforts around the world. Chris is an entrepreneur, investor, prosports owner, philanthropist, and art collector. See more of what he’s up to at cnharding.com.

The KCD class of 1998 celebrated their 25th Reunion on November 25, 2023.

Sara Goldberg and Stuart Perelmuter hosted the event at 1102 Hull Street.

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Class Notes

BELOW, L-R: Paul Heffner ’98, Alice Zoller Gnau ’01, Lally Lehmann Adams ’00, Ashley Campbell Louis ’01, Megan Jacob Diglia ’01, Adam Arrington ’98, Lee Heffner Arrington ’01, Kevin Sullivan, Loren Smith ’98.

Adam Arrington ’98 (almost Lifer! at KCD from 2nd-12th grade) and Lee Heffner Arrington ’01 (KCD Lifer) were married at The Frazier History Museum in downtown Louisville, KY in June 2022. Adam currently serves on the KCD Board of Trustees as Chair of the Finance & Investment Committee.

2024-25 DECEMBER 19, 2024

Seniors + Alumni College Talk for the Classes of 2024 & 2025

2000s Emily Albrink Katz ’00, Soprano and University of Louisville School of Music Associate Professor of Voice, released her debut album, Force of Nature, in April 2023. The album is an art song collection and the title track, “Force of Nature,” is deeply inspired by her beloved mother, Nancy Albrink, who passed away suddenly in 2017.

In the liner notes, Emily describes a motivation behind her work: “For centuries, the canon of classical song has not reflected the female experience—particularly of mothers—with the same breadth and variety of expression that it has granted the experience of men.”

A review by Gregory Berg of The Media Gallery was published in the National Association of Teachers and Singing (NATS) Journal of Singing describes: “Emily Albrink possesses a voice of shimmering, radiant beauty which she uses with consummate skill and musicality. Kathleen Kelly proves to be a splendid collaborator at the piano, dispatching even the most demanding songs with astonishing ease. The technical quality of these recordings is sterling.”

Lee Heffner Arrington ’01 and KCD Middle School Math Teacher, Michelle Paschal (pictured to the left) at the Kentucky and Ohio Region MakeA-Wish Foundation annual event, Walk for Wishes in June 2024 at Kentucky Kingdom.

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Alumni Events Calendar

JANUARY 24, 2025

KCD Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Reception

FEBRUARY 2025

College Alumni Care Packages Delivery

MARCH 8, 2025

KCDate: The Greatest Show

APRIL 11, 2025

Matt O’Brien ’83 Annual Lecture & Luncheon

APRIL 2025

Alumni Spring Days of Giving

MAY 7, 2025

KCD vs. LCS Pickleball Night

JULY 2025

KCD Outing to the Dodgers vs. Reds Game

CLASS NOTES

Carolyne Heffner, mother of Lee Heffner Arrington ’01, caught up with Retired KCD Faculty members, Kevin “Sully” Sullivan and Joe Sorrell over dinner in Naples, Florida (pictured above).

Alex Brey ’03 was recognized in the fall of 2023 by the KHSAA for the Silver Anniversary of his 1998 Boys/ Coed Cross Country 1A Individual State Championship.

Katelyn Heil-Bloyd ’03 graduated in May 2023 with a Ph.D. in Business and an emphasis on Strategic Management (pictured below).

The KCD class of 2003 celebrated their 20th Reunion in September 2023 at Foxhollow Farm with co-hosts, River Road BBQ. Members of the Class of 2003, Maggie Barrett Keith, Rachel Zoller Sketo, Katelyn Heil Bloyd, Sophia Fischer, and Jon Gudmundsson led the coordination of the event, bringing together members of the class and their families for hayrides, BBQ, and community at Foxhollow.

Chase Huneke ’04 married Ben Cowan on September 7, 2024 on top of a mountain at his home in Boulder County. Chase’s sisters Amelia ’12 and Kelli ’12 walked him down the aisle and lifelong friend Laura Nikolich ’04 officiated the ceremony.

Sarah Burger Zerhusen ’04 is a nurse practitioner for a Louisville orthopedic clinic (alongside classmate Dr. Alex Sweet ’04), mom of four, and photographer behind Evie Lou Photography (pictured to the right). She also was inducted into the Centre College Athletic Hall of Fame for her achievements on the Volleyball Team.

As a Centre College freshman, Sarah was named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, the first such honor in program history, while also taking home SCAC Freshman of the Year honors and was named to the SCAC 30th Anniversary Team in 2021.

Every Man for Himself, produced by and featuring Suzanne Lenz ’05 was presented at the Cinequist Film Festival. The film, directed by Gary Gardner, is a neo-western that follows two ex-convicts (Daniel Sharman and Nicholas Logan) seeking redemption and second chances. You might have seen Suzanne in HBO’s Silicon Valley as Fiona, an AI robot who infiltrates the Pied Piper gang. Most recently, you can see Suzanne in a fulllength drama film, The Desiring.

2004 STATE FIELD HOCKEY CHAMPIONS CELEBRATE 20 YEARS Members of the 2004 Field Hockey State Championship team took the opportunity to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their title in September 2024.

In the fall of 2004, these resilient Bearcats triumphed 2-0 over an undefeated Sacred Heart team (after defeating the two-time defending champions, Assumption, in the semifinals) in front of 1,100 fans at UofL’s Trager Stadium. The team was coached by Katie Deskins Windhorst, Pat McAnulty, Sheila Erk, and Sarah Deskins.

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CLASS NOTES

Katie Maclin Deppe ’05 and Ross Deppe welcomed baby Makenzie Bennett Deppe into the world on June 30, 2023.

Kavir Patel ’05 and his wife, Yeng, welcomed their baby boy, Kai Patel on March 21, 2022.

They are living in Colorado Springs, CO and enjoying keeping up with their energetic one-year-old.

Caroline Pierce Sewell ’05 and husband, Payden, welcomed baby Emerson Pierce Sewell on October 12, 2022.

Caroline and her family moved to Nashville, TN in June 2024 after living in Louisville, KY for several years.

Sean Kleier ’05 is thrilled to celebrate the birth of his new baby boy!

Dan Dorsey ’05 and Marianne Leigh Krueger of Indianapolis, IN were married on June 17, 2023 in Louisville.

The two met in Indianapolis and now reside in Louisville.

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Whitney Irwin Sims ’05 is pictured above with her husband Patrick Sims, and their two boys, Ewan and Lachlan. Whitney is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Louisville. She is a member of Kentucky Psychological Association, and currently works part-time while in the thick of parenting two very young boys. Whitney also shared that she inches toward completion of a series of historical fiction novels she has been writing and researching for ages, and conducts author interviews on behalf of the Historical Novel Society.

“When I reflect on the reality that it has been 19 years since I graduated from KCD, it is hard to believe. Has it truly been that long? Life goes fast! Yet, I also think that a place like KCD leaves such a lasting legacy in the minds of its students that it is not far from us even long after we’re gone from its halls and classrooms.”

— WHITNEY IRWIN ’05 —

Dr. Sunil Ramaswamy ’06 serves as an Attending Physician in Critical Care Medicine at the Pacific Pulmonary Medical Group in Riverside, CA. He also serves as an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, Riverside, and is enjoying life in California with his wife, Siri.

The KCD class of 2008 celebrated their 15th Reunion on December 15, 2023 at Goodwood Brewing on E. Main Street in Louisville. Class Chairs Maggie Flowers Phelps and Maggie Bade King hosted the event.

Lee Dorsey ’08, President and Chief Operating Officer at Doe Anderson, was selected to the Louisville Business First 2023 Forty Under 40 class.

Grace Wessel Schneider ’08 moved to Lexington, KY in the spring of 2023 when her husband joined the Lexington Clinic Orthopedics as a foot and ankle surgeon. Grace works as a Biologics manager for Arthrex, an orthopedic surgical device company.

Grace and her husband have loved exploring Lexington with their two young children.

Samantha Loewen ’09 and her husband, Jason Chen, welcomed baby Julian Tully Loewen-Chen into the world on April 20, 2023.

CLASS NOTES

2010s

The KCD class of 2013 celebrated their 10th Reunion on November 24, 2023 at

Lauren Adams ’10 graduated with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Indiana University, Bloomington in July 2023 and is now working as a psychologist in Raleigh, NC. Her dissertation is titled, The Experience of Self-Stigma and Social Norms in Treatment Utilization for Alcohol Use in College Students.

Molly Malone’s in Louisville.

Chelsea Klein ’10 married Zach Sosnovich (pictured above) at Ashbourne Farms on July 29, 2023.

The couple recently moved back to Louisville with Chelsea joining Kentucky Equine Hospital as an associate surgeon.

BELOW, L-R: Carly Baker Black ’10, Chelsea Klein ’10, Elise Fothergill ’10, and Laura Campbell ’10

Michael James ’11 completed his Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of California, San Diego.

David Giesel ’11 started a new role at Texas Roadhouse as Senior Counsel of Brand Protection in January of 2024.

The Texas Roadhouse umbrella of restaurants includes Texas Roadhouse, Jaggers, and Bubba’s 33.

BELOW, L-R: Benton Seay ’13, Katie Scharf ’13, Samantha Lewis ’13, Catherine Gallagher ’13, Beau Ferguson ’13, Christina Sturgeon ’13, Emily Scinta ’13, Hillary Hunt ’13, Connor Lohman ’13, Brock Burton ’13, Jake Austin ’13.

Kya Wence Carter ’12 (pictured above) is a plastic surgery operating room nurse at CaloAesthetics in Louisville and recently started her own company, nupt social. Following her wedding to her husband, Daniel, Kya realized she wished she’d had someone to capture the candid and behind-the-scenes moments of her wedding day. So, she decided to build a business on this concept. Learn more at nuptsocial.com.

On June 15, 2023, Haley Lyman Hyland ’14, celebrated her marriage to Timothy Hyland (of San Antonio, TX) with both of their families present for a beautiful and intimate backyard party on Hilton Head Island, SC (pictured below).

Lindsay Ann Porter ’12 and Timothy Slater Steinrock (pictured below) married on October 7, 2023 at Savor at River House in Louisville, Kentucky. Several KCD alumni attended the celebration.

Amelia Frazier Theobald ’12, Owner and CEO at The Voice-Tribune, assumed ownership of the magazine with the intent to build upon its nearly 75-year legacy and decades-long reputation as the city’s iconic society publication. Amelia’s leadership brings an innate ability to build partnerships and a mission to become the voice of Louisville once again, celebrating artists, athletes, dealmakers, donors, dreamers, educators, students, volunteers and workers.

Maggie Rosen Jackson ’14 and her husband, Henry Jackson, welcomed their son, Miles Alan Jackson, on February 21, 2024 (pictured below).

Maggie and her family are adjusting well and enjoying taking in every second of the newborn stage!

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Class Notes

August Blocker ’15 and Mallory Pitts were married on February 10, 2024 in Birmingham, AL with many KCD Bearcats in attendance! They currently live in Dallas, TX. Samantha Dabney Blair ’15 and husband, Joel, welcomed twins into the world on September 18, 2023. Samuel Ward Blair and George Dabney Blair weighed in at 5 pounds 13 ounces and 5 pounds 8 ounces, respectively.

Mickey Rice ’16, Department of Psychology graduate student at Colorado State University published a research study in Frontier, diving into the effect anxiety has on prospective memory.

Kierra Scott ’17 graduated from the University of Louisville with a bachelor’s degree in public health in 2021 and from Emory University with a master’s degree in public health policy and management in 2023. Kierra is now managing urgent care centers in North Carolina.

The KCD class of 2018 celebrated their 5th Reunion on November 24, 2023 at The Raven in St. Matthews. Elizabeth Scinta, Sara Ensor, Wilder Brice, and Jackson Diaz hosted this well-attended reunion event!

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Chris Scott ’18 graduated from the University of Louisville in May 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in sports administration.

Chris accepted a fellowship position through the McLendon Foundation to work at Indiana University (Bloomington) for the 2023-24 school year in student advising and development in the Athletic Department.

Parthenon PR of Nashville, TN has announced the hiring of two Kentucky Country Day School graduates, Katie Switow ’14 and Emily Alexander ’19.

Emily will be serving as an account coordinator and Katie as a digital marketing manager. Learn more at www. parthenonpr.com/about. The achievements of our alumni never cease to amaze us, and we are even more delighted when their professional paths align—in this case, coincidentally!

2020s Kyla Cooke ’21 was nominated and selected for the 2023 Lindenwood University National Society of Leadership and Success. Additionally, Kyla is a member of the Lindenwood Field Hockey team which transitioned to Division I in the NCAA in 2022-23.

Emma Vonder Haar ’22 started a Students Demand Action chapter at Georgetown University, after starting a chapter of this organization at KCD. In September 2023, Emma was invited to the White House for the announcement of the Office for Gun Violence Prevention (pictured below).

Haley Schoenegge ’23 led her Vassar College Cross Country team in a recordsetting 2023-24 season. Haley was named Rookie of the Week four times during her freshman season and was selected Co-Rookie of the Year for the Liberty League. Andie Rice ’22, Cross Country Athlete at SUNY Cortland, traveled to the 2023 NCAA DIII National Meet to cheer on Haley, as well as a Cortland teammate who was competing at the meet (pictured below).

Haley recently competed in the 2024 NCAA DIII National Meet and placed 2nd overall!

Danny Moriarty ’22, a junior at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute, is a songwriter, producer, and performer and released an original single, Gunfire, in July of 2024. Find it where you stream music!

Danny spent time giving back to KCD over the summer as a vocal instructor and continues to make big strides in pursuit of a career in music.

KEEP US UPDATED!

To submit a class note, share news, or update your contact information, visit www.kcd.org/alumni or scan the QR code to fill out the form.

IN MEMORIAM STORY

In Memoriam ELEANOR HUTCHINGS GORIN, KHS ’39 Eleanor Hutchings Gorin, KHS ’39 passed away on May 20, 2023. She was known for continuous love, service, and support to her family and friends. After graduating in 1939 from Kentucky Home School, Eleanor attended Barnard College for two years of liberal arts education in New York City, where she additionally received private training in classical voice performance. She enjoyed singing in church choirs, as well as small operetta productions of nonprofit local Louisville civic service organizations.

Eleanor is survived by two children, including Lewis J. Gorin, LCD ’61, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

PATRICIA SUE BAKER, KHS ’52 Patricia Sue Baker, KHS ’52 passed away on February 27, 2024. Left to cherish her precious memories are her devoted husband of 68 love-filled years, Dr. James G. Baker, and her three daughters, Julie Baustien ’76, Linda Taylor ’78, and Laura Lawless ’84, all of whom graduated from Kentucky Country Day School.

At Kentucky Home School, Patsy was a cheerleader and a Dasmin club member. She went on to attend the University of Kentucky, where she was a member and president of Theta sorority. After holding positions with Kentucky Children’s Home, Louisville Today Magazine, and Bittner’s, Patsy opened her own business, Poetic Flowers. Patsy held board positions with the Red Cross and KCD and was recently recognized as a Louisville Legend by the Louisville Sports Commission for her position on the first all-female board of the Kentucky Colonels Basketball team.

WILLIAM “BILL” H. HOUSTON III, KMI William “Bill” H. Houston III, KMI passed away on May 19, 2024. Bill grew up in Tunica, MS and graduated from the Kentucky Military Institute (Lyndon, KY) and Washington & Lee University, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

He was predeceased by his wife, Susan Miller Houston and son Richard Cobb Miller Houston. He is survived by his son, William “Will” H. Houston IV (Elizabeth) and his two granddaughters Liliane “Lily” Lanier Houston and Sanna Valentine Houston of Kensington, MD. In 1986, Bill moved to Washington, D.C., to serve in the Reagan Administration as Chief Textile Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (with the rank of Ambassador). In later years, he served as a consultant with Sorini, Samet & Associates.

ARTHUR TRIMBLE HURST, JR., LCD ’62 Arthur “Skip” Trimble Hurst, Jr., M.D., LCD ’62 passed away peacefully on December 19, 2022. He received his Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Louisville in 1970. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam conflict as a flight surgeon and aircraft accident investigator, achieving the rank of Captain. After his discharge, he dedicated his life to serving others as a Physician of Internal Medicine for 45 years. Dr. Hurst took great pride in treating his patients with honesty and equality, of whom many developed into lifelong friends. He is survived by his best friend and wife, Donna Hurst, children, Arthur “Skip” Hurst III (Heather), Jennifer Steffen (Josh) and Elizabeth Hurst. He is also survived by his beloved grandchildren Avery, Ellie, and Winston.

JOSEPH LORD TWEEDY ARDERY, LCD ’65 Joseph Lord Tweedy Ardery, LCD ’65 died peacefully on September 8, 2023 at his home in Louisville. Joe graduated from Louisville Country Day School, Harvard College (summa cum laude), and the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law. Joe made his career with Frost Brown Todd, where he practiced business law for more than four decades, retiring in 2022. Joe focused his work energies on his law practice but made time for voluntary service on the TARC board and the University of Louisville President’s Council, where he remained a member from the 1970s until his death.

Most recently he volunteered for Flight Club 502 at Bowman Field.

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2019–2020 IN MEMORIAM Annual Report

LYNN HANSEL WANGERIN ’75 Lynn Hansel Wangerin ’75 died July 4, 2023, after a three-year struggle with cancer. Lynn attended the Kentucky Home School and Kentucky Country Day. She received a bachelor’s degree in literature from Yale University and a law degree from the University of Kentucky.

She practiced law in Louisville for her entire career, most recently as a member of Stoll Keenon Ogden, which she joined in 1994.

Her loved ones noted: Lynn had a gift for creating community—work circles, barn circles, school circles—and with anyone she met. She was inclusive and nonjudgmental as she collected friends from overlapping circles. All of us felt we belonged. She was ever a loyal friend. Lynn is survived by her cousin Janice Reiman, her husband Steve, their children Steven and Kristel, and too many friends to list, who will mourn her passing and celebrate all she has shared with them.

JOHN WINSTON MARKHAM

ILAM SMITH ’76

John Winston Markham passed away on January 29, 2024 at the age of 74. John was a proud Louisville Country Day student and Choate Rosemary Hall graduate where he enjoyed playing soccer and squash. He was married to his college sweetheart Elise "Lisette" Markham for 48 years and had two daughters who meant the world to him, Carter Markham Webb and Courtney Markham.

John graduated from Tulane University with degrees in Political Science in 1971 and a JD in 1973, and from the University of Florida in 1975 with an LLM in Tax. John returned to Louisville to work as a corporate attorney for several Louisville law firms before starting his independent practice.

John and his wife were instrumental in founding Kentucky Harvest, a food reclamation distribution nonprofit, and they were on the board for 25 years. He also was a president of the Kentucky and Indiana PC Users Group (KIPCUG) and co-hosted the radio show "84 Online" on WHAS and the television show "DotCom," where he and Bob Sokoler answered calls and questions about computer science.

ILam Smith ’76 died on February 22, 2023, surrounded by family. ILam was blessed with a keen wit, and was a colorful raconteur. His cancer battle recalled to him the spirited quote from Winston Churchill: “If you are going through hell, keep on going.”

ILam was a Louisville lawyer for four decades, concentrating mostly in business and commercial law, trust and estate work and real estate. He was a partner at Pedley Zielke Gordinier and Pence, before opening his own firm more than a decade ago.

ILam was preceded in death by his sister, Melissa Yandell Smith ’75 and his father Yandell Roberts Smith, both to whom he was completely devoted during their cancer battles. He is survived by his mother, Betty F. Smith, his sister Gwen Smith ’78, and many, many family members and friends.

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Alumni gathered to celebrate the memory of ILam Smith ’76

IN MEMORIAM EVENTS

JAMES KRISTIAN FALK ’77 James Kristian Falk ’77 died suddenly on May 9, 2023. Jim grew up in Prospect, KY, graduated in 1977 from KCD, and attended Washington and Lee University and the Washington and Lee School of Law. Jim was a published member of the W&L law review and graduated cum laude in 1984.

Jim built a highly respected career as an attorney, including admittance to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States of America in 2006. He had a long legal career in Louisville and moved to Charleston (hometown of his wife Morgan McEachern Corley Falk) in 2008, taking the S.C. Bar exam at age 50. He began a practice of criminal law, where he focused almost exclusively on indigent defense, where he became a dedicated advocate for his clients who could not pay for this constitutional right to representation.

He also taught from time to time as an adjunct professor at the Charleston School of Law and participated in many high school moot courts around the state. According to his attorney friends and colleagues, his knowledge of and passion for the law was remarkable. Jim spent countless hours fiercely advocating for and empathizing with his many clients. All those Jim touched are bereft and are comforted knowing they had 63 years of love and laughter from this gentle man.

GRAFTON SHARPE HARPER ’82 Grafton Sharpe Harper ’82 passed away unexpectedly on May 14, 2023. Grafton is survived by his mother, Clarice Carol Sharpe Harper of Louisville, his brother, Spencer Harper III of New York, NY and his love, Elizabeth Van Denburgh of Santa Monica, California. He was preceded in death by his father, Spencer E. Harper, Jr. With an early interest in photography, Grafton took photos for and helped to edit the Kentucky Opera’s “Libretto” quarterly, worked summers at Ray Schuhmann’s Click Clinic and Kinetic Corp photography studio, and was an official photographer of the Kentucky Derby for several years. He moved to Los Angeles to pursue his interest in photography, film studies, and motion picture production, and was later recruited for a career at Ernst and Young.

He volunteered for many nonprofit organizations, including the Suicide Crisis Line of the Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Services, the Girls & Gangs organization, the Jonathan Club Art Foundation, and was a proud member of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Kentucky, the Sons of the American Revolution, and the Charter Collectors of the Speed Museum.

MARY LEA KIRVEN ’79 Mary Lea Kirven ’79 died peacefully in her home in Menlo Park, California on September 13, 2023, after a multi-year battle with ovarian cancer. She leaves behind a legacy of humor, generosity, love, joy, optimism, and a zest for life that left an indelible mark on all who knew her.

Mary Lea was an avid athlete and a fierce competitor in all her sports and games from the outset, playing and co-captaining Kentucky Country Day School's field hockey squad, and playing on high school and college varsity tennis teams. She even joined one of the country's first girls soccer leagues while at Emmet Field Elementary School.

She graduated with a BA from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts where she fell in love with her wife, Busy Burr. Her passion and commitment to equal rights for all gained momentum. She received her MBA from Stanford Business School in 1989 and joined Strategic Decisions Group. She spent 34 years at SDG, ultimately becoming the firm’s Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, responsible for global operations.

This was not her first ride on the cancer bus. Mary Lea beat a 2005 breast cancer diagnosis and battled her cancer courageously. Always the last to leave a party-and requiring at least a half hour to get to the door to leave-she likewise defied cancer for longer than was expected. She fought valiantly, as was her character. She always said "Never give up."

She is survived by her wife Busy Burr, her sons Carter and Benjamin Burr-Kirven, four siblings, including KCD graduate Pete Kirven ’73, and 25 nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

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IN MEMORIAM

ROBERT HERRING ’86 Robert “Bennett” Herring ’86 died on January 1, 2023 in Oakland, FL, surrounded by family following a heart attack.

Bennett and his wife Mary Lou had two daughters, Natalie and Erin. He enjoyed spending time with his girls, took active interest in their lives, and was very supportive of their livestock showing. He always pushed them to be the best they could be and to have fun doing it. In his spare time, Bennett golfed avidly, and eagerly awaited his upcoming trip to New Zealand in February 2023 to participate in the New Zealand Open. He was loved by all and will be deeply missed.

MICHAEL OSBORN ’11 Michael Edward Osborn ’11 of Oldham County, Kentucky, passed away on October 13, 2024. Having inherited the family love for all things construction and heavy machinery—which he demonstrated at a very young age—Michael went on to embrace a career in laying foundations and excavation.

He worked for Kelsey Construction and was passionate about operating heavy equipment, maneuvering the largest excavators and bulldozers with ease to create new things and help shape the land around him. He excavated well-known construction sites around the region, and dug foundations for many of the buildings and roads we all use on a regular basis.

Michael was an avid outdoorsman and loved being in nature. He appreciated the quietude of his former Shelby County farm life and enjoyed visiting Lake Cumberland with his brother and father. He hunted, gardened, and appreciated the world’s natural beauty and the wildlife therein. Michael also enjoyed old films and was an everintrospective individual. He loved visiting with his mother, for whom he always held a soft spot in his heart. His family and friends will forever remember his passion for big trucks and heavy equipment, and will greatly miss his quirks and clever humor.

MAXINE G. ROISEN Former Upper School art teacher, Maxine G. Roisen, passed away on June 9, 2024.

Her education was highlighted with numerous awards from Newton South High School, Mass College of Art, BS, Rutgers University, MFA. Professionally, she was an extremely talented artist who worked in a wide variety of media and had numerous exhibits throughout Massachusetts and New Jersey. As a trained arts educator, her experience ranged from an art and art history teacher at South Brunswick High School in NJ for 10 years, an Art in Mental Health advocate in NJ, a museum curator in Piscataway NJ, three years, director of the award-winning Middlesex County Teen Arts Festivals, NJ for four years. After moving to the Louisville area in 1986, she taught initially at Louisville Collegiate and spent many years at Kentucky Country Day before retiring. She loved her students and always provided sympathetic guidance as well as artistic expertise. In turn, they appreciated her assistance and warmth, frequently calling her gratefully years after graduating.

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PATRICIA COLLEEN WICKHAM SPARKS Beloved retired KCD faculty member, tutor, mentor, and coach, Colleen Sparks, passed away on September 27, 2024.

Lovingly known as “Sparky,” Colleen joined the KCD mathematics faculty in the fall of 1985. She came to KCD from the Southern Indiana Public School system and taught both middle and upper school at KCD. She wrote a computer literacy curriculum, which she helped to implement at KCD—bringing a computer course to the school’s middle school students for the first time.

Colleen was a beloved teacher, tutor, friend, and field hockey coach—known as the godmother of field hockey to many. Her energy, wit, and bright light lit up our community for decades, and she will be deeply missed.

NANCY HAMMOND CORDLE STOLTZ Nancy Hammond Cordle Stoltz passed away peacefully on May 3, 2023 at her home in Lewisburg, Tennessee, surrounded by her husband, children, and several grandchildren. Among many professional and personal travels and endeavors, Nancy served as the bookstore coordinator at KCD. She was an avid reader, a faithful friend, and encouraged and supported her children’s and grandchildren’s education.

IN MEMORIAM

JOHN ROGER GERNERT Former KCD Head of School, John Roger Gernert, passed away on June 26, 2023 at the age of 96.

He taught science in the Jefferson County and New Albany School systems before joining Louisville Country Day School in 1959 as a Chemistry teacher and the Chair of the Science Department. His passion for teaching and his patient, kind, and yet firm demeanor soon led to his promotion to Assistant Headmaster, and in 1968 his talents as an administrator afforded him the opportunity to become LCD’s Headmaster. He astutely managed the school’s overall growth and its transition in 1972 to becoming Kentucky Country Day School alongside KCD’s three other predecessor schools.

For the next several years John led the transformational growth of KCD, including the development of its 80+ acre campus on Springdale Road in 1978. He “retired” from KCD in 1980, but decided to take on yet another challenge when he accepted the headmaster position at Walden School, where he dedicated the next decade to establishing and growing its campus on Westport Road.

John was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, teacher, and friend, always more concerned for those around him than for himself. He was a lifelong learner and a voracious reader of newspapers, magazines, and books. He was outrageously curious, particularly about the universe, the vast and complex world in which we live, how the human species evolved, and what it may achieve in the future. He was gracious, self-deprecating, modest, and kind. He was the ultimate gentleman. He lived a positive and impactful life and passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family.

THEODORE ALBERT LEE, JR. Former KCD faculty member, Theodore “Ted” Albert Lee, Jr., died peacefully on September 20, 2023, in Louisville, KY at the age of 94. Ted joined the US Air Force in his early 20s, meeting his wife of 63 years, Jean, at a YMCA dance while in Topeka, KS for military training. Ted served as a bombardier in the Korean War until the war ended in 1953. When he returned to the States, Ted attended Harvard Business School, and he and Jean had two sons, Teddy and Frank.

In Louisville, Ted worked as a mathematics teacher at Kentucky Country Day for more than 20 years. He and Jean both retired in 1985 and enjoyed every day of retirement together. They valued spending time with family, often watching their grandchildren and hosting Sunday family brunches. They also loved traveling and frequently visited Disney World. They both enjoyed reading books and watching old movies, and they even started golfing together in their retirement.

BARBARA A. CRENSHAW Retired KCD faculty member, Barbara A. Crenshaw, passed away on December 25, 2023. Barbara had a 36-year teaching career, including serving as a beloved middle school mathematics teacher at KCD for 27 years. Her daughter, Lynda Fadler, of Franklin, Tennessee, graduated in the KCD class of 1978, and her daughter, Betty Sue Crenshaw, of Louisville, was in the KCD Class of 1981.

Barbara will be remembered fondly for her dedication to her students, her wit, and her love for her family. She was an avid University of Kentucky fan, loved to watch the Lady Cards play basketball, and loved baseball—especially the Louisville Bats. After the death of her husband, Barbara loved traveling around the world with her grandchildren. She was a very “Dignified” and wise Mima who loved to tell stories, make messes, and did a lovely cackle of the Wicked Witch of the West.

SEÑORA MARIA HARDY-WEBB Señora Maria Hardy-Webb, retired KCD faculty member, passed away on November 19, 2023. She taught Spanish until she was 70 and established meaningful friendships with her students. She showed them how to cook authentic Paella Valenciana over fire, chaperoned them on trips to Spain and Argentina, and taught them to dance merengue in her backyard. She will be remembered for her passion, easy laughter, and her fabulous cooking! Alzheimer’s took away her memory in the last six years of life, but it never affected her salsa moves, which were awakened whenever she heard tropical music.

FALL 2024 | 49

2019–2020 Annual Report

2023–2024

Annual Report

50 | CONNECTIONS

2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT

The giving lists below reflect annual fund gifts made to KCD during the 2023–24 fiscal year; July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024. + KCD Employee

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE GIFTS OF $20,000 OR MORE Mohammad & Elizabeth Amin Dace Polk Brown Clarendon Flavors FourEvergreen Foundation Ina B. Bond Ashbourne Charitable Fund, Inc. Jasteka Foundation Richard & Tammy Rigney

BEARCAT HONOR SOCIETY GIFTS OF $10,000–$19,999 Hank Alford ’85 & Heather Alford * + Adam Arrington ’98 & Lee Heffner Arrington ’01 * Brown-Forman Corporation Chandiramani Family Donor Advised Fund Sunil & Upasana Chhibber GreenScapes Lawn & Landscaping, Inc. Louisville Orthodontics, Raina Chandiramani ’08 Charlie Scholtz ’78 & Frances Moore Scholtz ’77 * George Wagner ’86 & Kelly Wagner

TRUSTEES CIRCLE GIFTS OF $5,000–$9,999 Baha Alsoufi & Rama Tamimi * Ashley Bachelor * Aaron Becker ’95 & Harper Gudmundsson Becker ’95 Sarah Wilder Brice ’79 & Chris Brice * Manoj & Swapna Chandran * Nicole Staffieri Coffey ’99 & Thomas Coffey * Ross & Shannon Cohen * Preston Copley ’03 & Jaime Copley * Jimmy & Karen Crain * Tom Crockett ’84 & Cindy Crockett * Susan Diamond Douglas Lotz & Gentry Easley + Jason & Lorena Haith *

* KCD Board of Trustees Member

Blane & Chasta Hawkins Dan Huneke ’76 & Lauren Theobald Huneke * Jennings Orthodontics Mind Body Child David Monaco ’85 & Mollie Young Monaco ’89 * Parco Constructors, LLC Guru & Kiley Pattar * Pinnacle Jeffery & Rebekkah Rechter Cory & Beatriz Rudolph John & Amanda Schriber Inder & Seema Singal * Jeremy & Julie Smith Andy & Carrie Southworth

KCD CREST SOCIETY GIFTS OF $2,500–$4,999 William Temple Beam, Jr. ’76 & Monette Beam * Benjamin & Jennifer Bienvenu Bluegrass Hospitality Group Luke & Laura Boyett Mike & Susan Davis Laura Dunbar ’80 Bill Dunbar ’73 Thomas Hall ’78 & Martha Dunbar Hall ’77 Peter & Betsy Huestis + Humana, Inc. Spencer & Crystal Idstein Patrick & Rebecca Jennings Dan Jones ’79 & Lisa Jones Taylor & Lindsey Jones

Kroger Company Edie Lekites Roy & Heather Martin Robert Mead Lance & Jessica Owens Sarah Dunbar Parker ’83 & Duane Parker Alex & Lauren Payne Charles Pengvanich ’98 & Aygul Pengvanich Matt & Kim Peterson Joe & Charla Reeves Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated The Dunbar Foundation The Eye Care Institute Kevin White

HEAD OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP SOCIETY GIFTS OF $1,000–$2,499 Michael & Hunter Arton Mark & Jenny Ballard Charlie & Lisa Barr Thomas Bornhauser ’63 Jason & DeAnna Brangers Jason & Tara Brown Brian & Ashley Butler Christen & Ben Byrne Todd & Brenda Cahill Capital Group Charitable Giving Nicolas & Belinda Chavez Kyle & Jessica Cox

Dennis & Suzanne Crum Gordon Dabney ’76 & Lori Dabney William & Lindsay Delgado Mladen Djurasovic & Tanya Stockhammer David & Debbie Doering Rob & Michelle Dunham Mark & Karen Fackler Eric & Becca Feller Kevin Ford ’95 & Sara Ford Tim & Julie Fortney Hunter Gerlach & Rachael Lask Gerlach ’03 Joe & Katie Greene Albert Hamm ’73 Travis Haynes ’02 & Ashley Haynes Will Heyburn ’07 & Ally Heyburn Dennis & Shelley Hillen Brooks Hower ’06 & Michele Staffieri Hower ’07 Internal Medicine & Pediatrics Partners J Then P LLC Tom & Jennifer Kanaly Kiddie Academy of Louisville - East Mary Lea Kirven ’79 & Busy Burr Casey Klein ’14 Chelsea Klein ’10 Klein Family Foundation Ronald & Brigitte Landry

About the One Fund The gap between tuition and the full cost of each student’s KCD education is nearly $2,000. The One Fund helps bridge this gap. Each year, KCD asks its alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends for gifts to the One Fund. Your participation is a reflection of the KCD community’s commitment to the school. For the past eight years, 100% of our faculty and the Board of Trustees have contributed to the One Fund—a true commitment from everyone who makes KCD extraordinary.

Contributions to the One Fund directly support our dedicated faculty, exceptional academic curriculum, outstanding arts and athletic programs, rapidly changing technology needs, campus safety, security, and maintenance.

FALL 2024 | 51

2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT

Adrian & Carrie Leach +

Fran Yarmuth

Edwin Lewis ’92 & Kim Lewis

Jason & Mary Kaye Yewell

Nathaniel Liu & Sarah Kane

Lisa Sullivan Zaring ’79 &

Todd & Becky Lyles

Guthrie Zaring

Chris & Amy Madison

Hong Zhao & Xiaoli Wang

Barry & Kimberley Marek + Terry McCurry & Anna Feitelson Brent & Laura Nash New Leaf Clinic Veda Pattar Asim & Sara Piracha Jordan & Hilary Pohn Bronwyn Ramey Barton Reutlinger ’65 & Marchant Reutlinger Andy & Jessica Rogers Pete Ronald ’70 & Ann Ronald Alex Staffieri ’03 & Abby Staffieri Joe & Sony Steier Wes & Sandra Sutter Travis & Kelly Terlau Texas Roadhouse, Inc. Bobby Vice ’98 & Helen Killarney Vice ’00 Stacey & Dawn Wade James Hooten & Teresa Walker Ed Whitesides ’79 & Barbara Whitesides

52 | CONNECTIONS

BEARCAT BENEFACTORS GIFTS OF $500–$999 8Count Media, Inc. Brenda & Sasha Antskaitis Michael & Caren Bailen Barry Barlow ’73 & Margaret Barlow Robinson Beard ’58 & Barbara Beard Anne Theobald Boyd ’53 & Morton Boyd William Buschmann & Missy Potts Mike Castleman ’60 & Margaret Castleman Brad Compton & Melissa Chang Stacy & Connie Coartney Christian Cox ’16 Richard Crosier ’80 & Ashley Crosier Cross Jeep Shervin & Helen Dashti

Kamlesh & Shanna Dave Michael & Gina Del Negro Jenny Sachs Dobbins ’77 & Mark Dobbins Henry & Tong Enck Steve Furlow & Lauren Hampton Adam Gallagher & Paola Moretta Caroll & Walt Gander Gardner Foundation, Inc. Blake & Amy Goldsmith Jon & Orit Goldstein Joann & Samuel Grabush Jaspreet & Rimy Grewal Benjamin & Tracy Gritton + Allison Hatmaker Chris Harlow & Jim Morgan Bill & Sarah Hauer Omar & Erika Hinojosa Todd Hood ’82 & Johnnie Hood James & Lauren Irving Josh & Carolyn Jevne Alan Jones Jeremy Jones & Lori Haycraft Michael & Kim Kamber Casey & Rachel Kuffner + Robbie Lekites Thomas Love ’66 Mackenzie Lyles ’11

Benjamin & Brittany Maki Jac Mathew ’98 & Kelli Mathew Curtis & Misty McCubbin Valerie Doseck McDonough ’99 & Ryan McDonough Danny & Amy Mendel + David Miller + Scott Neff ’79 & Millie Neff Alex Ng & Kellen Choi Vipul & Nina Panchal Andrew & Sherry Powers Erica Pulce Terry Pulce Randy & Sarah Reeder Restore Hyperwellness Niccole Retzlaff Mel Ricks Ray Rivera & Bonita Black * Stephanie Harkess Robertson ’95 & Cooper Robertson + George Sanderlin ’75 Byrd & Emily Saylor Chris & Danielle Schaefer David & Beth Scinta Jason Shen & Chunmei Zhou Brian & Abigail Sheridan + Todd & Jill Soderquist Lauraetta Starks Bibb Strench ’80 Damon Surgener ’75

2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT

Endashaw Omer & Rahel Teferra Lindsey Trager ’05 & Whit Bradley Tran Orthodontics Wendy & Todd Turney Fernando Valdizan & Lu Jessee Alexander Volz ’64 & Ann Pfingst Volz ’65 Chuck & Jennifer Weber Geoff & Krissie White Bin Xie & Pei Zhang

BLUE & GOLD CLUB GIFTS UP TO $499 Anonymous Meredith Marshall Alexander ’89 & Mark Alexander Marilyn Almonte Judy Ambach & Marché Harris ++ Rob Bonar & Christy Ames Omar Amin ’98 & Tracy Amin Jackson Andrews IV ’64 & Matilda Andrews Jackson & Liz Andrews + David S. Apel + Mark & Lillian Apple + Jeannine & Rick Ary + Jason & Angela Autry Raghuvamsi Ayapilla & Priya Darsi The Bache Family Blair & Cindy Baerny John Bahe ’94 & Melissa Bahe + Michael & Bethanyanne Bahm Tanya Bailey + Kathryn Balbach + Carrie Barrick Jason & Katy Barrott Elyse Weigel ’94 & Hugh Barrow Kevin & Heidi Bayerlein + Mandy & James Beach + Adam & Nicole Beckum + Joshua Bennett & Kamille Potter Gourav & Vasudha Bhateja Aneeta Bhatia Marko Biddle + Brandon & Angela Billingsly Barret Birnsteel ’62 & Laurie Birnsteel Damon & Katie Block

Kate Dobbins Bonner ’05 & Jeff Bonner + Tom Bonnet + James Booker & Krystal Rice-Booker + Mac Bornhauser ’91 & Jennifer Powell Mollie Ronald Boron ’04 & Tyler Boron Art & Sarah Borromeo Sherrill Bounnell ’79 & Russell Campbell Suzanne Holmes Bowman ’89 & Daniel Bowman Wilder Brice ’18 Michael & Jamie Brodarick Davis & Danielle Brown ++ Stuart & Ingvild Brown Kyle Burns & Tsion Menkir Connie Radford Butler ’72 & Robert Butler Nicholas & Mildred Hawker Anthony & Emori Carrara Caitlin Carroll + Christopher & Rachel Caudill * Tarun & Dimple Chawla Craig & Lisa Cheney Bryan & Lorie Cherry Dathan Chesnut & Heather Huxol-Chesnut Rea Gardner Clark ’73 & Thomas Clark Jack & Christina Clifford Reed Cohen ’11 + Ross Cohen ’03 & Sarah Cohen + Mary Charles & John Collett + Gabriel & Nichole Collins + Cole Colville & Meredith Bruick Aaron Compton & Monica Vaught-Compton Russ & Casey Compton Bert & Beth Conroy + Jon & Gretchen Copley Bobby Copley ’99 & Sarah Couch + James Corne & Sara Byron-Corne + Ken & Peggy Coulter Sam Cowan Benjamin & Ellie Coyne Bob Crawford & Thom Schneider ++ Susanna Crum +

Lisle Dalton ’62 & Kathy Dalton Chris & Jen Daniels Bill Davenport Arron & Melissa Davis + Delores Davis Fred Davis ’70 & Julie Davis Tyler D. Davis ’75 & Paige Davis Jignesh Desai & Purvi Amin Desai ’99 Bob & Angie DeWeese Craig DeWeese ’82 & Susan DeWeese Karl Dockstader & Stacie Grossfeld Elizabeth Barnett Dodson ’98 & Jimmy Dodson Andy Doering ’05 & Julie Doering Travis & Elizabeth Doster John & Catherine Doyle Jeff Drake + Margaret Johnson Dry ’83 & Dan Dry Brian & Chevonne Dumke Dianne Dunn + Danny & Mary Easley + Wells Edinger ’05 & Mary Clay Edinger ’06 Jamey & Amy Elliott + Ian Elmore + Mark Endicott + Graciela Ensenat + Sheila Erk ’98 +

Matt & Julie Evans + Nina Fabbri Susan Christoff + Charlie Farnsley ’00 & Mindy Farnsley Bruce Ferguson ’00 Stuart & Jennifer Ferguson Glenda Fidler + Brian Finken & Lisa Sarin Trey & Merillat Flowers Bill Flowers ’76 Jason Floyd + Nicolas Focquet & Britta Leisovnieks Wendy Foulis + Peter Naake & Rebecca Gallion + Maria Castro & Elkin Galvis Michael Gardner ’71 & Louise Farnsley Gentlemen’s Cut LLC Mahan & Pooneh Ghiassi Matthew & Lindsay Gibson James Giesel ’78 & Grace Giesel Kelsey Gill ’16 Kenton & Jaclyn Glass + Michael & Jennifer Goldberg + Ryan Goode ’04 Andrew Gould ’03 Derrick & Laura Grace Mary Grant + Jessica & Ira Green + Stephen & Kristen Grogan + Hannah Gruver +

FALL 2024 | 53

2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT

Mark Hack & Valarie Elzy Jeff & Sherri Hafner Zachary & Stephanie Hagemeyer Joey Hamilton & Elizabeth Holt Laura Haney Hill & Jennifer Harcourt + Nicholas & Mildred Hawker Jeffrey & Martha Hawkins John & Jessica Haworth Christopher & Cortney Hayden LuAnn & Tom Hayes + Mark Heidinger & Tamar Loladze Sean & Jenny Heitkemper Tina Hembree Reonna Henderson Katie & Jim Herman + Jim Hill ’70 Randy & Suzanne Hoffacker + Mike & Dani Hogan Nick & Erin Horn David Howard & Tiffanie Windhorst Yi Hu & Ting Cai Brad & Kati Hunley Andy & Barbara Hurt Peter & Heidi Hutchins Dathan & Heather Chesnut Sohail & Farah Ikram Indeed Electric Susan Irving

54 | CONNECTIONS

Blair Dahlem Ivins ’80 & DeWitt Ivins Mark & Kimberly Jackson Monet Jaggers Christopher & Anne Jay John Jennings ’00 & Lindsay Jennings + Ashley Johnson Jason Johnson & Julie Riggs-Johnson ++ Josh Johnson Monique Johnson + Kenneth & Shelice Johnson + Matt & Jill Jones + Lindsay & Daniel Jones David & Rhonda Joseph Fahr Juneja ’03 & Jamie Juneja John Harryman & Anne Kaiser-Harryman + Doug Kannapell ’61 Nupur Kantamneni Abhishek Kapila & Rohini Sharma Fikre Kassie & Sitra Abdurahman Kevin & Kara Kelton + Bruce Kempf Kim Kettring + Syed & Fatima Khader Zaka & Saleha Khan Chase & Jennifer Kirkwood Justin & Janine Klutka

MaryLou Kohnhorst Greg & Oksana Kraskin Igor & Anna Kravchuk Anthony & Bettina Lage Rana Latif & Mehreen Mansoor Rob & Katie Lawson Andy Lee & Ka-Lin Hong Dave & Carol Leist Stephen & Tara Lentini Dan & Peggie Leverson + Emery & Jennifer Lewis + Ian Lewis & Nadia Vatajnikova Mark Lindeman Alex Linov & Chantel Gleeson Taylor Little + Nanlong & Hayley Liu Jerry & Kate Loewen ++ Zack Logan ’62 & Carole Logan Cliff Long + Ed & Lyndsay Long + Jan & Richard Lotz Devin Higgins & Julie Lyles Brad & Jane Lyman + Scott & Nicole MacLeod Mark & Jennifer Maddux Kamran Mahmood & Hennah Hashmi Michael Mahoney Eric & Wendy Makowski Lilly Manibusan Nancy Margrit

Jace Martin ’10 Kent & Teresa Martin + Rob Martin ’76 & Lauri Martin Mark Martinez & Emanuelle Wessels Cynthia Mathews + Anthony & Carmen Mathis Jessica Mays Charles McClure ’62 & Tori McClure Brennan & Leslie McClure Teri & Shannon McDonald David & Amanda McGuire Steven & Amy Meeron + Brian Miller Carolyn Allen Miller ’77 & Scott Miller Jan Mitchell + Darren & Tracey Moore Jim & Chambers Moore Sarah Moran + Dan & Denise Moriarty Yoshio & Yuka Morinaga Matt Morris ’94 & Beckett Morris Hannah & Matthew Morrison MRG Pizza-Kentucky, LLC Patrick Mulloy ’98 & Mandy Mulloy Dustin Murray & Lindsey Peetz + Charles Musson ’70 & Susan Musson John Nagel ’87 & Laura Nagel Susan Nevels + Gracie Nilsson ’13 Michael & Sheri Nilsson + Olivia Nilsson ’16 Adam & Nicole Nischwitz Mary Williams Nuss ’82 & Julian Nuss Halle Nussbaum + Sam O’Brien + Wes & Christine Odom Ryan Oh & Choyoung Hwang Jorge & Evelyn Orrillo Rob & Jill Owen + Josh & Allison Oyster Elise Parker + Michelle Parsley Timothy & Michelle Paschal + Parag & Amee Patel Angi & Erin Patel Dee Anna & Kevin Payne + Jonathan & Alisha Pena Sean & Julie Peoples

2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT

Honor your family, a teacher, or your favorite coach at KCD’s Parsley Pavilion!

The new Parsley Pavilion will feature three locker rooms, concessions, restrooms, and a press box for KCD’s soccer facility, Michael Field. We hope to complete this project in early 2025.

A gift of $1,000 towards the Parsley Pavilion project includes a 4”x8” brick with two lines of text to be displayed on a donor wall at the facility. A gift of $2,500 includes an 8”x8” brick with up to four lines of text to be displayed on a donor wall at the facility.

Deadline extended! Secure your personalized brick by Tuesday, January 7, 2025 For additional details and to make your gift, visit www.kcd.org/create-together.

Lisa Pepper + Bru Peter II ’01 & Amber Peter Hensley Reid Peterson ’68 Sean & Jen Phinney Dary & Danielle Picken ++ Bradley & Olga Pinkston PL Lyons PNC Bank Foundation Clark Pollitt ’91 & Megan Pollitt ++ Rick & Judy Potter Phil & Lauren Purcell + Kathie Purdie + Todd & Amy Purkiss + Joseph & Sylvia Quaye * Thomas & Tamara Quick James & Chenica Racine + Chris Rager & Lauren Frank Faraaz Rahman ’03 & Palwasha Kamal Stephanie Raia + Rachel Rawlings + Ally Reeves ’16 Bill Reisert Tim & Lisa Rice + Avery & Carrie Roberts Sean & Cindy Roberts Ellen O’Bannon Robertson ’72 & Michael Robertson Dana Robinson Rodeo Drive, Inc. Nathanael Roemer ’95 & Sarah Roemer Greg & Robyn Rose Fred & Lydia Rosebush Chris Rosier +

Embry Rucker ’60 Brooke Ruffra Lebnan & Rania Saad Bikram Saini & Guneet Sarai Oscar Salcedo & Ellie Sanchez Michelle Salerno + Rachel Sallaberry + Mark & Pam Samide + Rohan Samson & Kalpana Venkatasubramanian Ryan & Robin Scarbrough Matthew & Margaret Schuering Parker Scinta + Jason Sedlaczek + Marjorie Seely + Srikanth Seethala & Barbara Nichols Shuying Sha Sarah Shartzer + Amy Sheehan + Megan Sherehiy Bill & Jill Shoulta KP Singh & Mita Ray Nishea Sipley Michael & Jessi Smith Jimmy & Jessica Smith Lee & Susie Smith Mark & Julie Smith + Raymond Smith ’70 & Susan Smith Tyrel & Kira Smith Victor & Claudia Snow Powell & Jessica Spears Chase Speiden & Melanie McCoy

Vic & Kim Staffieri Leah Starks Michael Staten ’70 & Judy Staten Sabrina S. Stein + Brina Stephens & Tanya Wiese + Pam Stewart + James Stinson & Michelle Smith Matthew & Sarah Stone + Ben Straus ’02 & Natalie Straus Matt Struemph & Erin Gosney Struemph Kristen Stuber + Mo Stucker + Swope Family Foundation Sameer Talwalkar & Shruti Pai Michelle Tasman Donna Tatum-Johns & Dean Tatum-Johns + Zachary Taylor + Larry & Susan Tenkman Brandon & Christina Terrell Neal Thomas & Yana Buntsis-Thomas Bobbie Thomason Matt & Lisa Thompson Mansoor & Emily Tiwana Jeff Topham & Annie Glosky David & Lynsey Trager Logan & Mary Turner Kory Van Houten + Val Vertrees + Tim & Margaret Vibbert Vice, Cox & Townsend, PLLC Alayne Vokurka

Rita Waddell Allen & Andrea Walker William Wang & Angel Yang John Hardin Ward IV ’64 & Phyllis Blythin Ward ’66 Curtis Warfield Jason Warrier Maya Warrier Nick & Brooke Watson Robert Weldon ’83 & Maria Weldon Jay & Hannah Wemitt William West ’06 Joseph & Amy Wheeler Shannan White + Will White Jonathan & Monica Whitehouse + Adam Wilkinson + Brian & Elizabeth Williams Jennifer Williams + Patrick & Keri Williams + Shirelle Williams & Joseph Daniel + Troy & Angella Wilson Natasha Shamshad & Muhammad Yasin Ahmet & Ayse Yesil Jean Yewell Steven & Rosanne Zabloudil + Henry Zhang & Alice Tian Sven & Stephanie Zimdahl

KCDATE SPONSORS Bonita Black & Ray Rivera Brown-Forman Corporation

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2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT

Kellen Choi & Alex Ng Clarendon Flavors Jaime & Preston Copley ’03 Karen & Jimmy Crain The Eye Care Institute & Butchertown Clinical Trials Family Allergy & Asthma GreenScapes Haven/Little Haven Spa Betsy & Peter Huestis Chris Harlow & Jim Morgan Internal Medicine & Pediatric Partners – Dr. Spencer Idstein Jimmy Johns Alan Jones Kiddie Academy of Louisville – East Carrie & Adrian Leach Louisville Orthodontics Malone’s Kim & Barry Marek New Leaf Clinic PARCO Lauren & Alex Payne Pinnacle Emily & Byrd Saylor Weller Francis Smith ’40 Sandra & Wes Sutter Tran Orthodontics

FUND-A-NEED DONORS Hank Alford ’85 & Heather Alford Baha Alsoufi & Rama Tamimi Omar Amin ’98 & Tracy Amin Michael & Hunter Arton Michael & Caren Bailen Kate Dobbins Bonner ’05 & Jeff Bonner Sarah Wilder Brice ’79 & Chris Brice Michael & Jamie Brodarick Jason & Tara Brown Christen & Benjamin Byrne Hunter Gerlach & Rachael Lask Gerlach ’03 Joey Hamilton & Elizabeth Holt Travis Haynes ’02 & Ashley Haynes Spencer & Crystal Idstein Ronald & Brigitte Landry Mark Lindeman Douglas Lotz & Gentry Easley Dan & Denise Moriarty

56 | CONNECTIONS

Brent & Laura Nash Jessica & Lance Owens Lauren & Alex Payne Randy & Sarah Reeder Joe & Charla Reeves Cory & Beatriz Rudolph Bobby Vice ’98 & Helen Killarney Vice ’00 Brooke & Nick Watson Chuck & Jennifer Weber

COMMUNITY PARTNERS Baptist Health Drake’s & Malone’s of Louisville The Eye Care Institute & Butchertown Clinical Trials Family Allergy & Asthma Jennings Orthodontics Louisville Orthodontics Mac in a Snap Mind Body Child Norton Sports Health & KORT PARCO Constructors Group, LLC Republic Bank Sterling Thompson Company Texas Roadhouse & Jaggers Restaurant

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS Meredith Marshall Alexander ’89 & Mark Alexander Hank Alford ’85 & Heather Alford Kendall Beache ’17 Aaron Becker ’95 & Harper Gudmundsson Becker ’95 Ina B. Bond Ashbourne Charitable Fund, Inc. Dace Polk Brown Tom Crockett ’84 & Cindy Crockett Susan Diamond Scott & Barbie Dickens Douglas Lotz & Gentry Easley Stuart Flowers ’81 & Doris Flowers John Hamilton ’68 & Cissy Hamilton ’70 Allen & Michelle Hertzman David & Faye Huestis Peter & Betsy Huestis Huffman Automotive

Dan Huneke ’76 & Lauren Theobald Huneke Mark & Kimberly Jackson Kate & Allan Latts David Monaco ’85 & Mollie Young Monaco ’89 Pat & Francie Mulloy Austin & Janie Musselman Archie & Kay Parsley Phil & Elizabeth Poindexter Republic Bank & Trust Co. Richard & Tammy Rigney John & Amanda Schriber Mike & Robin Shea Anne Tway Smith ’79 & Gary Smith Vic & Kim Staffieri Powell Starks ’79 & Fiona Harkess Starks ’86 Charlie Wagner ’88 George Wagner ’86 & Kelly Wagner Lawson & Debbie Whiting

BOOSTER CLUB Baha Alsoufi & Rama Tamimi Omar Amin ’98 & Tracy Amin Sarah Wilder Brice ’79 & Chris Brice Preston Copley ’03 & Jaime Copley Jamey & Amy Elliott Kelsey Gill ’16 Ryan Goode ’04 Klein Family Foundation Casey Klein ’14

Chelsea Klein ’10 Douglas Lotz & Gentry Easley Jace Martin ’10 Roy & Heather Martin Curtis & Misty McCubbin Bronwyn Ramey Joe & Charla Reeves Dana Robinson Leah Starks Brina Stephens & Tanya Wiese Jason & Mary Kaye Yewell

ARTS GUILD Jeannine & Rick Ary The Bache Family Suzanne Holmes Bowman ’89 & Daniel Bowman Luke & Laura Boyett Sarah Wilder Brice ’79 & Chris Brice Clarendon Flavors Preston Copley ’03 & Jaime Copley Bill Davenport Wendy Foulis LuAnn & Tom Hayes Patrick & Rebecca Jennings Nupur Kantamneni Dave & Carol Leist Douglas Lotz & Gentry Easley Roy & Heather Martin Richard & Tammy Rigney Inder & Seema Singal Matthew & Sarah Stone Brina Stephens & Tanya Wiese

2023-24 ANNUAL REPORT

2023–24 FINANCIAL REPORT

Revenue & Expenditures

Revenue

24,374,535

Tuition and Fees

21,523,635

Auxiliary Services

1,047,341

Annual Giving

702,734

Endowment Distribution

734,825

Other Income

366,001

Expenditures

23,091,683

Education 44%

Education

10,270,521

Financial Aid 17%

Financial Aid

3,831,937

Administration 15%

Administration

3,542,286

Operations 15%

Operations

3,514,774

General Institutional 5%

General Institutional

1,098,303

Auxiliary Services 3%

Auxiliary Services

756,863

Capital & Maintenance 1%

Capital & Maintenance

238,736

Expenditures as a Percentage of the Total

Charitable Contributions

Total

1,122,184

One Fund

410,636

KCDate

292,098

Annual Restricted Gifts

259,715

Major Capital & Endowment

159,735

Charitable Contributions as a Percentage of the Total One Fund 37% KCDate 26% Annual Restricted Gifts 23% Major Capital & Endowment 14% FALL 2024 | 57

Kentucky Country Day School 4100 Springdale Road Louisville, KY 40241

Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID Louisville, KY Permit No. 376

“Stability”

by Charles Thomas ’25