Connections Fall 2022/Winter 2023

THE MAGAZINE OF KENTUCKY COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS of academic excellence, transformation, and innovation at Kentucky Country Day School

MAESTRO J’S ORCHESTRA LEGACY

THE FINAL FURLONG

Q&A WITH MARTIN BENSON ’05

HIGHLIGHTS from the social sphere

CONNECTIONS Fall 2022 / Winter 2023 EDITOR & DESIGNER Sam O’Brien Director of Communications & Marketing communications@kcd.org ALUMNI DIRECTOR Kate Dobbins Bonner ’05 Director of Alumni Relations & Community Partnerships WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Shirelle Williams Assistant Director of Communications & Marketing

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 2 4 10 31 40

Letters Bearcat News Events Class Notes 2021–2022 Annual Report

ABOVE: Students from KCD’s sister school, Tamale Islamic Senior Secondary Educational Center (TISSEC), in Ghana with the newly enskinned Chief Ife Bell, Zosimli Naa. Story on page 9.

FEATURES 16

ON THE COVER KCD students and faculty from all three

Full STEAM ahead Photo tour of KCD’s newest facilities

divisions pose for a special 50th Anniversary photo on the Turf Field.

20 James Racine’s orchestra legacy Creating space for Bearcats to grow

24 The Final Furlong Tyler Robertson set to pursue art full time

28 Alumni Q&A Martin Benson ’05

BACK COVER A close up of “Scribbling” by Amani Ikram ’21. Pictured to the left is Amani with the full piece installed in the Upper School student lounge. With mentorship from KCD ceramics teacher, Marko Biddle, “Scribbling” was selected for the 2022 National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition. Additionally, Amani was awarded the Emily C. Specchio Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to students with interests and passions aligned with the mission of her foundation—”Embrace that Which Defines You.” FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 1

LETTERS

From KCD’s Head of School

Our Bearcats have enjoyed a wonderful start to the 2022-23 school year with much to celebrate. For those who may have flipped past the cover of this publication ... we are thrilled to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of KCD this year.

Our theme for the year is GRATITUDE! We’ve been finding fun and creative ways to incorporate this theme into our daily work around campus.

My hope is that we remind ourselves how fortunate we are and how much we should appreciate each other. We are all fortunate to be a part of the Bearcat community. We need to remind ourselves that our facilities, programming, and faculty at KCD are second to none while we focus on ways to keep improving and enhancing our already great school.

Bearcats are achieving milestones in so many different areas. While learning how to think and not what to think on campus, students at KCD are: passing bills at the state capital as part of KYA, winning state championships, putting on fabulous theatrical productions on stage, serving our community in a variety of ways, and stunning us with their musical talents in choral and orchestra concerts. Additionally, we have opened our newly renovated and state-of-the-art athletic facilities, the Parent Association led successful events in the form of the Bearcat Family Festival and Cultural Fair & Gift Bazaar, and our strategic plan is in action as we work on a social media policy, a civil discourse statement, an equity audit, and an updated daily academic schedule for 2024-25.

KCD remains a vibrant and engaging community where we celebrate our successes while remaining focused on making ourselves better tomorrow than we are today. Come see us on campus anytime and thank you for your ongoing support.

Go Bearcats!

Peter B. Huestis

@kcdschool @kcdheadofschool

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Kentucky Country Day School

youtube.com/user/ KentuckyCountryDay

LETTERS

From KCD’s Director of Alumni Relations & Community Partnerships

Fifty years. Does it seem like it’s been longer? It feels surprising that KCD is 50 years young, and I am amazed by our Bearcat community’s achievements since the fall of 1972.

KCD’s history reaches back to the mid-1800s when two of our predecessor schools, Kentucky Military Institute and Kentucky Home School, were founded. KCD is rooted in excellence and born from an enterprising spirit.

While our new facilities like the Meriwether STEAM Academic Center ensure our students are prepared for the future, our values remain the same.

We continue to embody a whole-student education. We teach a growth mindset. We are open-minded and intentional, and I see our welcoming and inclusive community in action every day.

I spent thirteen years at KCD as a student and have one year under my belt as Director of Alumni Relations and Community Partnerships. I am the parent to a KCD Kindergartener and two future Bearcats, and have never felt more proud of our school.

If you’ve been considering coming by for a visit, I strongly encourage you to do it! It is so inspiring to experience the KCD of today, and our alumni are always welcome. We invite our entire Bearcat community to 4100 Springdale Road on Saturday, May 13 to celebrate 50 years of Kentucky Country Day School. We have exciting surprises planned for this day, and I hope to see you there!

In the meantime, drop me a line at kate.bonner@kcd.org or fill out the form linked in the QR code below. I’d love to hear from you and reintroduce you to KCD! It’s never been a better time to be a Bearcat.

Hope to see you soon!

Kate Dobbins Bonner ’05

Scan the QR code to connect with me on upcoming alumni engagement opportunities!

@kcdalumni

Kentucky Country Day School Alumni

linkedin.com/school/ kentuckycountryday

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BEARCAT NEWS

Keeping up with KCD

Haley Schoenegge ’23 scores state titles in Track & Cross Country PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER SCHOENEGGE

Haley Schoenegge ’23 is making history with her running career at KCD. The track and cross country star added two more state titles to her athletics résumé just this year— most recently: 2022 Girls Cross Country Class 1A State Individual Champion.

Schoenegge set a personal record of 19:00 to win the race on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at the Bourbon County Cross Country Course in Paris, Kentucky. This finish was 0:19 seconds faster than her previous personal record!

This record-breaking Bearcat also brought home the state championship title for the 3200 meter race for our track and field team for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022), making her the first KCD girls track and field athlete to have back-to-back state titles.

KCD Varsity Football Head Coach Matthew Jones recently announced an exciting and unprecedented move to purchase Guardian Cap helmet covers for every football player on the varsity, JV, and middle school teams.

“Player safety has been, and will always be, our top priority,” stated Coach Jones. “We have dedicated enormous thought and resources to ensuring that KCD is a state and national leader in player safety in all aspects of the game.”

The lightweight Guardian Caps are engineered soft-shell pads made of advanced materials that universally attach to the outside of all helmet sizes. According to the manufacturer, the current version: • Reduces impact during practice by up to 33%; • Dampens sound waves and vibrations; • Creates substantially less surface friction than painted shells so that blows glance off while being dampened; and • Reduces static helmet heat by up to 15-20 degrees.

“This major acquisition, the first of its kind to cover all player positions at the high school or any level, is a testament to our continued effort to lead in player safety at the state, regional, and national levels,” stated Coach Jones.

In late March, the NFL mandated the use of Guardian Cap helmet covers for a limited number of positions during training camps. These helmet covers are also currently used by approximately 50-60 division 1 college football programs for pre-season training, but by only a handful of high school varsity teams across America.

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PHOTO BY SHIRELLE WILLIAMS

KCD FOOTBALL PROGRAM ENHANCES SAFETY OF ATHLETES WITH PURCHASE OF NEW GUARDIAN CAP HELMET COVERS

BEARCAT NEWS

News compiled by Sam O’Brien & Shirelle Williams

VARSITY GIRLS LACROSSE BRINGS HOME SECOND CONSECUTIVE STATE TITLE

PHOTO BY SAM O’BRIEN

The KCD varsity girls lacrosse team successfully defended its Kentucky Scholastic Lacrosse League (KSLL) state championship title on Thursday, May 19, 2022 by defeating Sacred Heart Academy 7-5. This win marks the Bearcats’ second consecutive state victory.

Despite a late start and then a short lightning delay in the second half—with only 4:52 left on the clock—our resilient Bearcats played with grit and determination throughout the game.

“This really was one of the sweetest of all the championships we have been fortunate enough to win,” said Head Coach Patrick McAnulty. “Even though we had a lot of talent, we lost 15 seniors from an undefeated season in 2021, and so there were a lot of questions about how we would perform on the biggest stage this time around.”

According to Coach McAnulty there were several challenges the team faced throughout the 2022 season—between health issues and other conflicts, our athletes hardly had the opportunity to practice as a full team.

“Despite all of the hurdles, luckily, we had truly outstanding senior leadership that led the way—and we just continued to improve as the season moved forward and then peaked when it mattered most. I am so proud of what this group accomplished because it is truly a testament to our culture and cohesiveness,” said Coach McAnulty.

James Racine receives 2022 Trustees of Inclusive Equity Award Over the summer, James Racine, KCD’s Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Community, received a 2022 Trustees of Inclusive Equity Award. This honor is awarded by the Louisville Central Community Centers, Inc. Mr. Racine received his award at the 5th Annual Trustees of IE Awards Gala on Sunday, June 19, 2022.

With this recognition, Mr. Racine joined a prestigious group of individuals and organizations who have been celebrated over the years for their tremendous strides in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This year, he was honored alongside five other community or corporate leaders and organizations in the Louisville area.

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BEARCAT NEWS

NEW INDUCTEES NAMED TO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME & ROYAL BEARCAT SOCIETY On Friday, October 22, 2021, Kentucky Country Day School inducted its newest members of the Athletic Hall of Fame and Royal Bearcat Society. The Royal Bearcat Society is the highest KCD athletics honor providing retired jersey status.

The ceremony took place at halftime during the homecoming football game against Eminence High School.

The unique and impressive class of inductees, includes our first ever Royal Bearcat Society “Team,” as well as the first “Notable Individual” inducted to the Hall of Fame.

WILL D. SMITH ’13 ROYAL BEARCAT SOCIETY Mr. Smith is the most accomplished baseball player in KCD Bearcat history. Will was a two time All-State, and Region 7 Player of the Year along with being Kentucky Prep Baseball Player of the Year. He broke nearly every hitting and pitching record for the Bearcats while leading them to KHSAA regional semifinals. He advanced his baseball career at the University of Louisville, where he was named Regional All-Tourney, All-ACC, and team captain for the Cardinals. In 2016 after his junior year, Will was regarded as the sixth best catcher in the draft and was selected as a first round Major League Baseball pick with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After the draft, Will initially spent time in development leagues, including the Double A Tulsa Drillers and Triple A Oklahoma City Dodgers. In 2019, Mr. Smith was elevated as the starting catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers and was named to the Major League Baseball All-Rookie Team.

While Will was not able to join us for the induction ceremony at KCD’s 2021 Homecoming, we were pleased to welcome him to campus for a special Q&A session with our Upper School students in December 2021. During this visit, he also received his award. More on page 8.

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BEARCAT NEWS

1974 FIELD HOCKEY TEAM with Margaret Cregor Bell, the team’s chief organizer ROYAL BEARCAT SOCIETY The 1974 Field Hockey Team was first league or state regular season field hockey champion for KCD. In its third season since the co-ed merger of the Kentucky Home Tigers with Louisville Country Day, the Bearcats were unstoppable. The 1974 KCD squad completed an undefeated season, sporting 12 wins to 0 losses. KCD Hall of Fame Head Coach Barbara Tway Beam and Jean Bade were able to win the preseason Apple Tournament and coast to twelve straight victories. The 1974 team allowed only 2 goals with 83% of their games being shutouts (both figures are school records), while possessing a strong and effective offensive line.

BRIAN HEIL ’90 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME Mr. Heil is recognized as being the top pitcher to the outstanding 1990 Bearcat baseball team which won 17 games against 7 losses. Brian collected a career total of 15 pitching victories against a mere 6 losses during an era with fewer scheduled games than today. Some other notable achievements include pitching 41 strikeouts in 1989 (including 12 strikeouts in an individual game), a no-hitter in 1990, and a 1990 season ERA of 1.72. All three seasons of varsity play, Brian had winning records as a pitcher. Mr. Heil was named All-District and awarded the Lowry Watkins Baseball Award (the top KCD baseball award) in 1990. Brian took his right arm to Davidson College to pitch for the Wildcats. After a successful stint at Davidson, Mr. Heil signed to compete in professional baseball. Brian pitched for Minneapolis Millers in the Great League and Jackson in AA baseball and the Braton Grey Owls in the Great League. Mr. Heil has served some years helping as a pitching coach for the Bearcats. Today, Brian lives in Louisville as an owner of a custom woodwork company.

MIKE SCHOENBECK ’90 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME Mr. Schoenbeck was a slugging star for one of the most successful baseball teams in school history, the 1990 season with a record of 17 wins against 7 losses. Although there were far fewer statistics recorded during Mike’s baseball days at KCD, Mr. Schoenbeck does share or own three school records today: 12 doubles in season (1988), three doubles in an individual game (1988), and two triples in an individual game (1987). Some other notable baseball highlights include a .480 season batting percentage (1988), 14 season stolen bases (1990), 23 season RBIs (1988), and 9 career home runs. He was twice named All-District (1989, 1990), and he received the 1987 Lowry Watkins Baseball Award which is the highest award presented to a baseball player at KCD. Mike continued his baseball career competing for Elon College in North Carolina.

DICK AYLOR Voice of the Bearcats, Notable Individual ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME Mr. Aylor was known for being the “Voice of the Bearcats” for over three decades announcing at Bearcat home football, boys and girls basketball games. Being the longest serving faculty member with 45 years of service, Mr. Aylor never spent a year without helping the athletic program. He initially served as an assistant basketball coach and team bus driver for away games. But for the last thirty years, Dick would announce games for Bearcat athletics. His dignified tenure and commitment to Bearcat athletics are unmatched with his years of notable service. Today, Mr. Aylor is retired and living in Louisville.

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BEARCAT NEWS

Will Smith ’13 visits campus for Q&A KCD Lifer and catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Will Smith ’13, visited campus on Thursday, December 2, 2021 to participate in a question and answer session led by Director of Athletics Amy Elliott.

During the Upper School’s X-Period assembly, Smith spoke about his experience as a professional athlete and offered advice on hard work and resilience.

One student asked, “What keeps you motivated?” Smith stated, “I just try to be the best person—the best baseball player I can be—and that’s what keeps me going.”

Smith was inducted into KCD’s Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the Royal Bearcat Society in October 2021; he received his award at the start of the Q&A session.

Watch the full interview on KCD’s YouTube at bit.ly/KCDWillSmith.

ALUMNI LEGACIES CELEBRATED AT JUNIOR CEREMONY Parents and faculty came together the morning of Thursday, February 17 to celebrate the class of 2023 at their Junior Ceremony.

This time-honored tradition is an important milestone in our Upper School, where our juniors are officially recognized as the rising senior class!

Students received class jewelry (if ordered) along with a gift from the KCD Parent Association.

Each year at the Junior Ceremony, we recognize our alumni legacies—juniors who have a parent/ guardian who attended or graduated from KCD. The Class of 2023 includes two legacies: William Crockett (child of Tom Crockett ’84) and Drew Collis (child of Dean Collis ’87).

Pictured L-R: William Crockett ’23, Tom Crockett ’84, Drew Collis ’23, and Dean Collis ’87.

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BEARCAT NEWS

KCD’S TIM RICE RECONNECTS WITH SISTER CITY TAMALE, GHANA Over the 2022-23 fall break, Tim Rice, director of KCD’s Design and Fabrication Lab returned to Tamale, Ghana for his sixth visit. During his 10-day stay in Tamale, he participated in a variety of activities and reconnected with our sister schools: Tamale Islamic Senior Secondary Educational Center (TISSEC) and Dahin Sheli.

Guided by his “service heart,” Mr. Rice also used this opportunity to deliver Chromebooks donated by KCD to students at TISSEC for usage in their computer labs with hopes that this technology will allow the students to enhance their communication access. “They have wireless connectivity, so we’re hoping that they would establish Google accounts,” he stated. “It gives them access to a broader range of communication, gives them broader access to who they can communicate to, gives them kind of a toehold into the Google universe with Google apps and all those related things.”

KCD’s relationship with the city of Tamale has been growing for more than a decade thanks to the passion of many globally-minded citizens and stewards. Mr. Rice is one of many Bearcats who have been involved with KCD’s partnership with the Sister Cities program over the years.

Sister Cities is an international program, created in the 1950s by President Dwight Eisenhower, that provides individuals, communities, and businesses in different countries the opportunity to establish friendships and relationships without interference from governing bodies. Thanks to the Sister Cities program—and the work of Dr. Dexter Mahaffey, former director of diversity for KCD— KCD became connected with TISSEC and Dahin Sheli; between the years 2008 and 2018 about 25 faculty and close to 100 students made the trip to Ghana.

Mr. Rice with the headmaster of TISSEC as he accepts KCD’s Chromebook donation.

Mr. Rice with newly enskinned Chief Ife Bell, Zosimli Naa.

While Mr. Rice has made the trek to Ghana many times—this year’s trip was especially exciting. Earlier this year, he received a very special invitation to be part of the delegation at the enskinment—or coronation ceremony— of his friend, Chief Ife Bell, Zosimli Naa. The colorful ceremony featured singers, dancers, drummers, and speeches—a truly unique opportunity for our Design and Fabrication Lab Director to be a part of!

Mr. Rice and the delegation met with paramount chiefs in the area and received their blessings. He also had the opportunity to attend the Damba Festival, or “festival of chiefs,” which Mr. Rice described as: “the coronation times 100.”

While KCD students have not made the trip to Ghana since 2018 (largely due to the pandemic), Mr. Rice hopes to revisit the possibility of returning with students in the near future so that more individuals can take part in this moving and meaningful experience. “It’s difficult for me to talk about without getting emotional—but it changes you,” said Mr. Rice. “It affects you … and it might not be something that’s evident right away, but there are seeds of what can be possible when two radically different folks can get together, talk, and interface, and share, and eat.” Mr. Rice continued, “I think the KCD community has been tremendously generous … generous in the giving of their children to allow them to travel to meet these phenomenal people.”

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EVENTS

Alumni & Chair’s Reception

March 4, 2022 at KCD’s Grand Opening of the Meriwether STEAM Academic Center

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EVENTS

1 Russ Cox, Dick Aylor, and Gordon Dabney, Jr. ’76 enjoy catching up in the STEAM Lobby.

2 KCD student William Jay ’23 talks about working in the Design & Fabrication Lab with Bruce Jones, retired KCD physics faculty.

3 Tim Rice, director of the Design & Fabrication Lab, shows off robotics equipment to LuAnn Hayes and her husband, Tom.

4 David Smith ’11, Kent Martin (Upper School Director), Woo Smith, Anne Tway Smith ’79, Gary A. Smith, Sr., and Gary A. Smith, Jr. ’06.

5 Peter Huestis makes remarks next to a photo of Mr. Lee Meriwether, the STEAM Academic Center’s namesake.

6 George Wagner ’86, Russ Cox, Viki Diaz, Paul Diaz, Tammy Rigney, Richard Rigney, recognized for their leadership with the Create Together campaign with Peter Huestis.

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events

KCDate 2022 Bearcats, Boots, & Bling March 12, 2022 at KCD

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EVENTS

Photos by Hunter O’Brien

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1 Marissa Yonover, Michele Baker, Jenna Roberts, Lindsay Delgado, and Sylvia Quaye 2 Vic Edwards and Anthony Mathis, Sr. 3 Brush Run, KCD parent Austin Musselman’s band performed throughout the evening.

4 2022 KCDate Chairs (pictured L-R), Harper Becker ’95, Heba Qattous, Emily White, Tracy Amin, Lindsay Gibson, Betsy Huestis, Kaltoum Hakkar, (not pictured—Teresa Walker and Julia Wright)

5 WAVE’s Kevin Harned led the live auction and announced our raffle winners.

6 Guests enjoyed axe throwing and s’mores outside the gym.

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events

KCD vs. LCS Golf Scramble

June 7, 2022 at Harmony Landing

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

2022 Golf Scramble Winners (pictured L-R): Carl Williams ’22, Gage Mizuguchi ’24, Peyton Bonny, and Lyman Brackett.

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EVENTS

Bearcat Family Festival & KCD Homecoming

September 23, 2022 at KCD FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 15

FULL STEAM AHEAD

Explore our campus transformation as we celebrate 50 years of KCD

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CAMPUS TRANSFORMATION

2022 has certainly been a year of transformation for the KCD community.

While our roots remain firm in the tradition of leading our students in educational excellence, we continue to strive for growth and improvement in all areas. KCD’s latest facility renovations and upgrades are a poignant reflection of this mission in action.

MERIWETHER STEAM ACADEMIC CENTER The Meriwether STEAM Academic Center is the central hub for interdisciplinary learning on KCD’s 80+ acre campus. With nearly 20,000 added square feet of space, this new building is home to our Upper and Middle School Design & Fabrication Lab, Lower School Maker Space, classrooms for Computer Science, Middle School Art, and Lower School Science, administrative offices, a conference room, and a new Spirit Store.

KCD students and faculty gathered to celebrate the historic opening of the new space with a ribbon cutting ceremony on the steps of the building on Thursday, March 3, 2022.

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CAMPUS TRANSFORMATION

Lead donors to the STEAM Academic Center project chose to name the building in memory of Mr. Lee Meriwether, a beloved former KCD faculty member who passed away in 2017. Mr. Meriwether was “officially” on faculty at KCD as a chemistry teacher from 1992-2003, however, during retirement he spent many hours on campus substitute teaching, tutoring, and walking his dog, Lally.

Mr. Meriwether loved his KCD family, and the KCD family loved Mr. Meriwether.

Mr. Meriwether made a substantial and very meaningful gift to KCD at the very beginning of the Create Together campaign to start a student scholarship fund. The first recipient of the Lee & Connie Meriwether Endowed Scholarship was named this year.

NEW TURF An update to the Turf Field took place in early 2022.

The community celebrated the new turf installation on Wednesday, March 23 just before the varsity girls lacrosse match against Indian Hill High School (Ohio)—the first game to be played on the field after its upgrade.

KCD’s turf field was originally built in 2011 with funding from an anonymous donor. The new turf renovation— installed by the Motz Group, a sports field construction company based in Ohio—also included an added shock pad under the field, making the facility safer for student-athletes.

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ATHLETICS CENTER The newly renovated Athletics Center features spacious student locker rooms, an athletic training room, faculty locker rooms, a welcoming lobby space, and many other impressive facility upgrades.

Bearcat families and visitors were welcomed into the new space for the first time during the volleyball team’s senior night on Thursday, September 22, where they were able to enter through the new main doors, explore the lobby, and purchase tickets and concessions for the game.

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PHOTOS BY SAM O’BRIEN

JAMES RACINE’S ORCHESTRA LEGACY Creating space for Bearcats to grow

By Sam O’Brien

W

alking into the KCD Theater on the evening of May 12, 2022, there is a palpable sense of excitement and pride—and maybe a few nerves. Onlookers see a stage full of young musicians, dressed sharply, taking in the moments before the Spring Orchestra Concert begins. The hum of family members and friends chattering in the audience fills the room as our student musicians tune and warm up their instruments, practicing some final notes.

A hush comes over the crowd as Orchestra Director James Racine joins them on stage, for his final concert leading the program. And with a smile and reassuring nod from their faithful director, our Bearcats know they are ready to rock the house—the way only the KCD Orchestra can.

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FROM SCRATCH

When James Racine accepted his position as KCD’s Orchestra Director in 2005, he certainly had his hands full. As a young teacher, relatively new to Louisville, he was nervous to accept the role—and once he did, he quickly learned it was for a position to lead a program that did not yet exist.

James—also known by his stage name, “Maestro J”—grew up in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Born into a family of musicians, James began playing the violin at just four years old. From an early age, his parents instilled in him their passions for music education and outreach. “Music is such a huge part of the culture in Haiti,” stated James.

So, when the stress of building a program from the ground up began to weigh on James, he looked to his

RACINE’S ORCHESTRA

“greatest mentor” for some advice. “I just remember having a conversation with my father at that time, early on, and he talked about his experience building a program in Haiti from scratch,” stated James.

Together, James’ parents built an orchestra program in Haiti for children and young adults. Their program offered a space for children as young as four years old to grow and learn together through high school, and even beyond. James noted that with the orchestra programs in Haiti “folks stay really involved and engaged in them—even post college and even as they enter their professional lives.”

Inspired by the conversation with his father, James realized he could, in fact, do this. “It made me realize that I could do this because he did it with no resources,” stated James. His father’s program held rehearsals outside of a church, the group depended on volunteers to teach, and they relied on instruments being donated from the U.S. to Haiti. “He had so many challenges—and they built this incredible orchestra program in Haiti, literally from scratch,” stated James. “And I’m sitting here thinking … I’m in a school where I have resources—why am I even complaining?”

With the confidence of his colleagues, friends, and family behind him, James looked ahead, excited to take on the challenge of building something new.

BREAKING BARRIERS

In the beginning James gathered a small group of Lower School-aged students that included some with formal training and others who were true beginners. However, even for the more experienced students, James’ program presented a whole new opportunity for these young musicians. For many of the children, this was the first time they played music together as a group. “Those few students who played … it was very exciting for them to actually be in an ensemble,” recalled James. “Which is very different from private lessons. Just having that fellowship along with other students who play.”

He was off to a good start, but as he continued recruiting more kids, James realized he needed to switch up his strategy.

“I was trying to recruit by going into classes and playing Twinkle Twinkle, that kind of thing,” he said. “I did some of that, and then I looked at the rosters and when they showed up, all the kids essentially looked the same.” He didn’t have any boys or students of color in his class. “I wanted to kind of break that barrier,” stated James. So, he began working on a new approach.

It was important to James to be mindful of his audience. He needed to find music that would resonate with his prospective students, while also being attainable from a skill standpoint.

While many music educators rely on the classics, James quickly began to find ways to incorporate music that his students knew and enjoyed. “My whole philosophy was really reaching kids where they are, and getting them excited … Now they’re

having this new experience where they get to play music that they like and they’re excited about,” he stated. “I just went in and started playing all kinds of different things. And you just saw their eyes light up.”

In order to reach his students where they were, James developed a system that allowed them to learn music by current and popular artists. “I basically created a letter and number system for them to play—you know—a Beyoncé tune that they’ll recognize,” he said. James’ system provided his students the opportunity to learn songs that otherwise they wouldn’t be able to play. This chance to play music that students enjoyed and related to only boosted the enrollment and engagement in the program.

Even in recent years, James carried on the tradition of connecting with his students through the music that they wanted to play. One of his longtime orchestra students, Isaiah Robinson ’22 (now a first year student at Illinois State University) reminisced, “I love how every summer before class he would always ask us what songs we would like to play. I loved the melodies he would try to throw in with our concerts as well.”

Isaiah joined the orchestra in the fifth grade and played violin all the way through high school—a testament to how much the program meant to him. But, it was more than just the music that the students loved. It was how James made them feel that really stuck out. “I love how engaged he gets with his students,” stated Isaiah. “The bond he makes with his students is amazing.”

Jenna Shaps ’22 (now a first year student at Indiana University), echoed this sentiment. “Mr. Racine is an amazing teacher. He does a fantastic job at really connecting with each of his students and keeping the class fun,” she said.

Jenna joined the orchestra in the second grade—sticking with the program for 10 years. “I mean, orchestra is already super fun—don’t get me wrong—but Mr. Racine brought so much energy to every single class, year after year, which I really appreciate,” said Jenna.

James also made a point to connect with his students beyond their musical endeavors. Jenna explained, “For me personally, he was interested in my culture and how I celebrated my Judaism both locally and globally. Having that ability to connect with each of your students and get to know their individual personalities is something that Mr. Racine does extremely well.”

LEADING WITH INCLUSION

With his program gradually building momentum year over year, with a small Lower School cohort moving into the Middle School, and then eventually reaching KCD’s Upper School audience, James made one thing very clear—the KCD orchestra was a safe and welcoming space for any Bearcat who wanted to learn and grow in their love of music.

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RACINE’S ORCHESTRA

Sem Ferid ’22 (now a first year student at the University of Pennsylvania) recalled joining the orchestra a little later than some of his classmates. “My favorite memory is when I first joined the orchestra in eighth grade,” he said. “I was nervous because I had never played before, but Mr. Racine and the environment of his class made me feel instantly comfortable.”

Sem continued, “The KCD orchestra was more than just a class for me. Actually, Mr. Racine didn’t even make it feel like a class, but a place where we could be a family while learning and having fun.”

Jenna, likewise, described James’ classes as a place of comfort.

“I loved making memories in his classes with my friends because it was one of the few classes where I felt comfortable being my authentic self and could laugh along, play as best as I could, and be part of something bigger than myself,” she said.

This culture of inclusivity, community, and acceptance in the orchestra classroom, was a direct reflection of James’ other passion in life: supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

James explained that his journey with diversity and identity was deeply connected to music. “Being a young, AfricanAmerican violinist, coming from Haiti, and how I navigated identity as I traveled from a country where in orchestra, everybody looked like me—to coming here, where I was the only person of color in the orchestra … That also affected how I teach,” stated James. In his experience growing up in Haiti, he and his peers played a lot of cultural music in the orchestra—which was very different from what he experienced upon coming to the United States. “So, when I came to the States to see that we only played Western classical tunes from dead composers all the time, it didn’t really sit well with me … and I understood why many young kids weren’t immediately connected with that,” he said.

James leaned into finding opportunities to boost culture, celebrate diversity, and enhance the sense of community in his classroom. “This idea of relationship building and open communication and having the student voice in everything that we do, I think really affected the success of the program,” stated James. “It was our program. It wasn’t just my program.”

James looks forward to further empowering the KCD community through meaningful discussions, training sessions, and other opportunities for vulnerability around the DEI space. “I think every training or conversation we’ve had has been really meaningful in different ways—and for different people … But for us to continue to work on that is very important.”

KCD’s dedication to DEI work is apparent … and it’s something that will be an ongoing task for our community, according to James. “I think anyone who comes to visit our halls will say that we look a lot different than we did 15, 20 years ago. Which is great, right? And we’re doing some amazing things,” he said.

But, the work is never finished. James explained, “The challenge is to make sure that we’re continuing this good work and it’s not a one and done. It’s basically like flossing, as I tell folks, we absolutely have to continue to do it. But the good thing is everyone here is committed to it.”

While James’ focus at KCD has shifted in some ways, he is confident that the orchestra program is in good hands.

“I am very excited to see this program continue to build with Michele,” stated James. Michele Barbosa joined the KCD community this fall as the new orchestra director.

James explained, “When I look at her, I think of how I started and, now she comes to a situation where there is already something to build from … and I’m just excited to see what she’ll do with it. I’m very confident that she’s going to take it to an even higher level, and now I get to actually watch and enjoy.”

And while his new office is now across the quad from the orchestra room, James fully intends on staying connected to his roots. “I absolutely plan to stay connected with the program, and even maybe play along, which will be fun!” he said. “So, that’s why I say it’s bittersweet—I will definitely miss being in that space every day with them, but I also plan on still being connected.”

NEW BEGINNINGS

After 17 years of building a program that he loves deeply, and changing the lives of countless Bearcats along the way, James has stepped into a new full-time role as Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community at KCD. “It’s definitely bittersweet,” he said of the transition away from the orchestra.

“I already miss it—every bit of it.”

At the same time, James is excited about the opportunities to continue building community in his new role—perhaps in an even bigger way. “I’m excited to dig deeper with this work in every area,” he said.

James with Sem and Isaiah at the 2022 Spring Orchestra Concert.

22 | CONNECTIONS

Meet KCD’s new Orchestra Director

MICHELE BARBOSA This fall we welcomed Michele Barbosa as our new Orchestra Director. Barbosa is from São Paulo, Brazil. She holds a master’s degree in music education from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and a bachelor’s degree from University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts. Barbosa is off to a great start having led an Orchestra “Spooktacular” in October and a “December to Remember” winter concert just before the Mid-Year Break.

Learn a little more about one of our newest members of Team Bearcat from her Q&A below!

WHAT DREW YOU TO KCD? I love the diversity we see on campus, and I love that I get to work with 1st through 12th graders! I can feel the love the students and families have for music, and all the support through all their grades. This is something truly special!

WHAT INSTRUMENTS DO YOU PLAY? I had to learn all the instruments of a full orchestra at a basic level, but trust me, you do not want to hear me playing the trumpet! I had to take many exams on piano, but those were also a blur … I feel confident on playing all string orchestra instruments (violin, viola, cello, and bass). However, my main instrument is the violin, which I have been playing for 20 years.

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS OR MUSICAL INFLUENCES? I grew up listening to a lot of classical music. My brother and I would listen to the classical music radio station and try to guess the composers of each song. My parents would always bring us to orchestra concerts and I would be fascinated with all the sounds. They decided to start me on violin after I begged them too much! I was also named “Michele” after the Beatles’ song “Michelle” (wrong spelling, I know)—so the band speaks very close to my heart. When I arrived in the U.S., I was fascinated with jazz and how much the style is influenced by Brazilian music. Nowadays, I love a lot of different music genres (R&B, rock, jazz, classical, alternative, fusion) and I think they are all beautifully tied with a lot of culture and history!

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT AS YOU TAKE ON THIS NEW ROLE? I am excited to see the students develop a deep passion for music through their years at KCD. It is so exciting to be able to work with students from 1st through 12th grade, and I can’t wait to see how they develop as musicians and as human beings!

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR FREE TIME? I love reading cookbooks, selecting some recipes I could make, planning dinner parties, eventually making the food, and the best part, eating and enjoying it! I do it while listening to either Friends, Masterchef, 90 Day Fiancé, or any other reality TV show in the background. I also love my Nintendo Switch and I have a shameful amount of hours in “Animal Crossing.”

WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS OR SOMETHING YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF? I finished my master’s in May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, where we thought we would be out of school for only two weeks. I wrote a 100-page paper and defended my thesis in my second language. I felt that my journey as an immigrant in the U.S. has been very “adventurous” and a lot of the times very difficult with differences of culture and language. But I have always made it work in a way, for better or worse! Even though my parents are still living in Brazil, I have a “second family” in the U.S., which is so supportive and proud of me for who I am. I am so grateful to be at KCD and I am proud of being part of the Bearcat Family!

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 23

The Final events

KCD fourth grade teacher, Tyler Robertson, set to pursue art full time

By Shirelle Williams

24 | CONNECTIONS

Furlong

STORY

W

hen guests enter the Homestretch Club at Churchill Downs they will be greeted by a 50-foot mural, finely detailed with vibrant colors and textures of paint, featuring jockeys atop thoroughbreds racing down the track. The scene beautifully depicts the movement, energy, and excitement of the horse races that happen just behind the wall it adorns. Due to its scale and distinct style, this masterpiece demands the attention of spectators.

And when they wonder who made this? They will find that the artist placard reads, Tyler Robertson.

For much of the past fifteen years, Tyler Robertson has held dual careers as a classroom teacher and an equestrian artist—with the past eight of those years spent teaching fourth grade at KCD. After several years of success as an artist building up, Tyler will be stepping away from teaching in order to pursue his passion for art full time at the end of the 2022-23 school year. This move is bittersweet for the Bearcat community, as we will miss Tyler’s presence and unique teaching style in his Lower School classroom; at the same time we are extremely proud of his success and cannot wait to see where this journey takes him!

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 25

THE FINAL FURLONG WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

On a March day earlier this year, Tyler received an unexpected phone call. “I was driving to pick up art supplies and my phone rings … and it said Churchill Downs,” he said.

That’s right! World-renowned racetrack, Churchill Downs, was calling to inquire about a special project. They wanted Tyler to create a massive 50-foot mural just weeks before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby. The artwork would be permanently featured in the Homestretch Club, a new premium event space at the facility. Of course, Tyler said “Yes.” Born and raised in New Castle, Indiana, Tyler navigated his way to Louisville by following his college roommate who decided to move back home. Here, he developed friendships with people who were a part of University of Louisville’s equestrian program. “I didn’t know anything about horse racing, but I got to see it through my friends. I was just thrown into the culture and I thought to myself, this is cool,” said Tyler.

This exposure is what took him from experimenting with abstract paintings to creating equine contemporary modern masterpieces. “When I needed to find subject matter, I thought why not try horse racing? It could be something I could give to my friends,” said Tyler.

Tyler went on to explain what he loves about this particular niche: “I love the movement, I love the colors, all the silks and the crowds. It’s a lot of opportunity to make a really colorful, expressive looking piece,” he said.

Tyler’s mesmerizing artwork has been featured in some of the largest events around horse racing. In fact, he was the official artist for the 2018 Breeder’s Cup! Renderings of his work bestowed hotel key cards, memorabilia, and the cover of the racing programs.

AN ARTIST AND A STEWARD

Tyler’s artwork isn’t the only thing enamouring … so is his philanthropic heart. While it was later in his adult life that he began to paint, he wasted no time racing into using his craft to give back to charities and communities. He travels to Sonoma, California annually to paint on site for the Giant Steps Charity Classic horse show at Sonoma Horse Park. Here his work is auctioned off and proceeds benefit the organization.

Likewise, he hasn’t been shy about supporting our Bearcats over the years. “Tyler has been incredibly supportive of KCD and KCDate and has been donating works of art since 2016,” stated Stephanie Harkess Robertson ’95, Director of Special Events and Stewardship at KCD (no relation). “[His

Tyler Roberstson and his family in front of The Final Furlong at Churchill Downs.

26 | CONNECTIONS

THE FINAL FURLONG

donations] have ranged from handpainted Woodford Reserve bottles, original pieces of art (paintings), and in 2017 he did a live painting at KCDate that we auctioned off in the Live Auction that night. That was incredible!”

For the 2022 KCDate fundraiser, Tyler hand-painted a bourbon barrel that was auctioned and sold for $4,300. “We are so grateful for his support over the years and are so proud of the recognition that he is receiving in the world of horse racing!” said Stephanie.

THE HOMESTRETCH

There was much to consider as Tyler prepared for his big piece at Churchill Downs this spring—and when he saw the space where his artwork would be displayed, he knew immediately what to paint. “If you were to have x-ray vision and look through the wall, which was studs at that time, you’ll see the homestretch. So, I knew this is what it would be.”

After preliminary digital sketches were approved, Tyler was granted full creative control and got to work. With only two months to make his vision come to fruition, he dedicated his free time to completing the project. “The hardest part was getting started,” he said. “I was staring at eight blank six-foot panels.”

He painted out of his art studio that has a 40-foot wall where he lined all the blank canvas, which began to curve but allowed him to take it in all at once. Painting on each canvas one by one, and numbering them so they wouldn’t get mixed up, Tyler painted on and off for a month through early mornings and late nights.

His hard work and dedication paid off; with the support of friends and family, Tyler successfully completed the massive piece just in time for the 2022 Kentucky Derby. The only thing left to do was give it a name.

“Churchill sent me a text and said they’re making a title plaque for it, and asked me, ‘What is it called?’ and I thought to myself, ‘I don’t know,’” said Tyler. Fortunately his daughter, Lennox (a fourth grader at the time), saved the day with the perfect suggestion: The Final Furlong.

THE NEXT CHAPTER

As Tyler looks ahead to his own “final furlong” as a teacher at KCD, there is much to be excited about … and a little to be nervous about. When asked how he feels about this change, Tyler’s answer was brief and honest: “Like any change in

Bourbon barrel handpainted by Tyler Roberton for KCDate 2022.

careers it seems amazing 90 percent of the time … and completely terrifying the other 10 percent,” he said.

Transitioning to a full-time career as an artist will give Tyler the much needed time to set and achieve his creative goals. “Going full time will allow me to produce more work and move away from strictly commission work,” he said. “I have pages of projects I am working towards, but first on my list is to produce a body of work for a solo show. I work with a gallery in London, UK and I plan on traveling there to curate this show and build a better following internationally.”

Just as Tyler will be missed by his fellow Bearcats, he will miss many things about KCD too. “I’m a people person, so I will miss walking the halls, chatting with colleagues, and hearing the kids talk about their experiences, and funny stories,” he said. “I’ll miss planning a lesson that goes well and seeing kids grasp a new concept. I will also miss the sense of community that is felt when the whole campus gets together for an event. Oh! And the food.”

The KCD Community thanks Tyler for his many years of service and support of our Bearcats.

We wish him all the best as he pursues his passion—exemplifying what it means to be a Citizen, Scholar, and Steward.

For more information about Tyler Robertson and his art visit www.tylerrobertsonart.com.

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 27

Alumni Q&A WITH MARTIN BENSON ’05

28 | CONNECTIONS

ALUMNI Q&A

Interview by Shirelle Williams

K

entucky Country Day School is always excited to welcome alumni back to campus. Last fall, we were thrilled to have Martin Benson ’05 stop by and chat with us! Benson currently serves as the Visual Arts Chair & Upper School Visual Arts teacher at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is known for his various methods of art including paintings, installations, and photography. His work should be familiar to the KCD community as three of his pieces still hang in the Fine Arts Center today. Martin took a moment to reflect on his time as an art student at KCD, what he loved about his experience, and how he continues to share his passion for art with his students.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?

I just love being able to live in the art world all day, and be able to share what I love to do, and interact with and learn from the students. I feel like there’s such a symbiotic relationship that happens in the art studio ... especially once you really get going in the semester, as you develop relationships with your students and watch them grow. I just love that ability to kind of “walk the walk” and just “be in it.” I’m always making art, and teaching art, and it’s just like a perfect relationship.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ART TO CREATE?

I have a love affair with painting, and I will always have a love affair with painting; there’s something about the tactility of it ... it really slows my mind down and gets me super present with every quality of it—even just the mixing of the paint, to the preparing of the surface, to the actual brushing of the paint on the surface; it really requires me to let go of this analytical, intellectual “need-to-achieve” kind of mind, and let me step into the “just being” and “just doing” kind of mind.

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FAVORITE PROJECT AS A STUDENT AT KCD?

I remember being in the darkroom was always just a magical experience with Mr. Miller. (I call him David now—we’re homies—we talk all the time.)

Just the magic of analog photography and being in that darkroom for the first time .... The magic of making a print and the ABOVE: Lay Me Gently On The Pyre, Oil on Canvas magic of light really is what he

by Martin Benson ’05. In June of 2022, Martin taught—and understanding the and fellow KCD alumnus, Gibbs Rounsavall ’94, miraculous nature of light and how collaborated on the exhibition called Not a Certainty But a Circumstance at Quappi Projects. when we do these certain things, we capture light—like it’s just special.

Those moments did require me for the finding this connection to the power of first time to slow down, as well. You’re being a creator and then letting your dealing with chemistry. You’re dealing passions and interests guide you. with very sensitive materials and timing.

I think being in an art sort of path, it’s You’ve got to really be paying attention. going to be a meandering one and you You can’t just flub your way through the might do a lot of different things. You darkroom and make a cool print. It’s not might be a super focused person and going to happen. think “I’m just going to be, you know, a graphic designer and that’s it, and that’s WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE where I’m going to go.”

BE TO A STUDENT LOOKING TO But I think for most people who go PURSUE A CAREER IN ART? on creative paths, it’s very winding, but to embrace that process and find every Well, one thing I tell my students is opportunity you can to become more there’s a language and sort of a way of robust in your ability to problem solve, thinking around art that applies to all your ability to think in non-linear ways, forms of creative outlets—whether it’s it’s just a powerful path to take. interior design, graphic design, clothing It’s really gratifying because to create design, architecture, production something is one of the innate powers design, landscaping, painting, drawing, that we have as humans. It’s what makes photography, whatever—we’re all us special compared to the machine, to using the same language and we’re all algorithms. I think that’s one of the understanding visual properties and most powerful principles of humanity, principles, so to get that down first is is the ability to create, the need to really important, and to realize that create. There’s something special there’s so many paths to being a creative. there. I think anybody who wants to Like I just tell my students, “just be engage on that path ... just don’t forget a creative in this world, like create how powerful and special it is to be a something,” as opposed to being a creator in this world and to really take constant consumer—there’s so many ownership over it. opportunities to do it. I think first, just FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 29

Welcoming the Class of 2022 to the Alumni Association

O

n Saturday, May 28 at The Brown Theatre, graduating seniors received diplomas marking the completion of their academic career at Kentucky Country Day School. Congratulations to our 76 new KCD Alumni Association members!

Class officers Saanjh Bains and Alexandra Fogarty addressed their families, teachers, and fellow classmates with a meaningful reflection on their time at KCD. Valedictorian, Usma Sajid, followed with an excellent speech that touched on memories of her classmates and the impact of the community she and her classmates have built as they explored their passions and found their voices at KCD. She closed out with some words of wisdom, stating, “Success is subjective. And each of us will have so much to look forward to. This is just another milestone that we have achieved—and as we enter college and life beyond then I hope you each strive to make new connections that can compare to the meaningful and insightful connections we have with each other here at KCD.” Additional class awards were then presented to seniors.

Mr. John Handmaker presented the Chairman’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 Emma Coulter, Sandhya Lohano, Trey Owen, and Laura Bache.

Head of School, Peter Huestis 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 Alexandra Fogarty, Emma Vonder Haar, and Sem Ferid.

The Class of 2022 voted for a faculty member to speak at Commencement and this year’s chosen speaker was Bobby Copley. Mr. Copley is a KCD lifer who graduated in 1999.

Mr. Copley has worked at KCD for 12 years as a part of the maintenance staff, substitute teacher, boys and girls basketball coach, track coach, cross country coach, social studies teacher, class sponsor, student council sponsor, coach, mentor, and dean—and now commencement speaker. Students love his warmth, energy, and generosity.

In his speech, Mr. Copley shared the core principles he believes are necessary for “building self-agency and creating optimal conditions for growth and success.” He said: “...when it becomes overwhelming, just remember, show up for yourself and others, don’t make excuses, and engage in gratitude; if you subscribe to those principles, in that order, then you’ll once again find yourself standing in the direction of your dreams.”

Thank you to all our graduation speakers and organizers for making this such a special day for the Class of 2022 and the greater KCD community. Once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat!

Graduates from the class of 2022 were accepted into 157 different universities and matriculated to 59 different schools with 82% going out of state.

30 | CONNECTIONS

CLASS NOTES 1960s On June 8, 2022, alumni from the Louisville Country Day (LCD) class of 1962, plus three who were classmates before leaving for boarding school, met at Captain’s Quarters for a 60th reunion lunch (pictured below). The food was excellent and the fellowship even better. Many memories of good times were recalled. They vowed to gather again soon!

KHS 1970 Girls Golf Team honored for 51st Anniversary of State Championship

1970s The LCD class of 1970 reunion was held November 5-6, 2021 at the UofL Club and Churchill Downs. Reunion Chair, Paul Murray, shared the special connection he and his classmates had with Dick Aylor, and they were thrilled to see him inducted into the KCD Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021.

Paul Murray ’70, Mr. Dick Aylor, Andy Means ’74, and Jim Hill ’70 at KCD’s Homecoming football game in October 2021.

In the fall of 2021, the Kentucky High School State Athletic Association recognized the 51st Anniversary of the KHS 1970 Girls Golf Team State Champions.

Members of this team were: Beth (Radford) Welch, Weezie (Crawford) Kramer, April (Denham) Dickey, and Libby (Stough) Rush. These students formed a team as three freshmen and a junior at the encouragement of a parent volunteer, Nancy McElwain. She saw talent in this group of athletes and made the effort to bring them to regionals at Cherokee Golf Course, and then to Elizabethtown—winning the State Championship title with no uniforms and in tennis shoes!

The Kentucky Home School (KHS) class of 1971 celebrated their 50th reunion on Sunday, June 13, 2021. Eight of the 18 graduates gathered at the home of Libby Stough Rush.

Becky Denham came to town from Portland, OR and Catsy Johnson was in from Columbus, OH. The rest of the group lives in Louisville.

Wendy Niekamp ’71, Libby Stough Rush ’71, Jill Robertson ’71, and Becky Denham ’71

Barbie Tafel ’71, Ann Nevils ’71, Catsy Johnson ’71, and Alice Edwards Hawkins ’71

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 31

Class Notes

1980s The class of 1980 gathered on September 23-24, 2022 to celebrate their long postponed 40th Reunion.

Plans were spearheaded by David Swearingen and Blair Dahlem Ivins.

A few members of the class attended the KCD Homecoming Football Game on Friday, September 23, with the reunion celebration taking place on Saturday, September 24.

The LCD class of 1972 50th reunion took place on September 9-10, 2022. The graduates of LCD invited the Kentucky Home School class of 1972 to join their weekend celebration, kicking off the festivities with a luncheon at Kentucky Country Day School (pictured above), cocktails at the home of Tom, LCD ’72 and Karen Sweets, and dinner on Saturday night at River House, with retired KCD faculty in attendance.

KHS Alumni Participants: Mary (Frentz) Bellino, Connie (Radford) Butler, Rose Cooper, Glen (Chowning) Hume, Ellen Robertson, Sashee Scholtz, and Libba (Gorin) Schuhmann.

LCD Alumni Participants: Dale (and Diane) Bryant, Craig (and Wendy) Eversole, Chris (and Cynthia) Gault, Bill Gentleman, Jon (Susan) Gudmundsson, Wayne (and Libby) Hancock, Armand Hayes, Louis Helman, Tim Jackson, Jamie (and Tracy) Kane, Mike Kane (and Martha Toma), Kurt Maier, Kevin (and Julie) O’Brien, Stephen Porter, David Trawick, Kim (and Tina) Sanderlin, and Tom (and Karen) Sweets.

Retired KCD Faculty Participants: Bruce and Carol (Brown) Jones, Charlie Fothergill, John Gernert (with Reed ’81 and Rudy ’76 Gernert), and Dick Aylor.

Katy (Fenbert) Bynum ’80, Rick Crosier ’80, and Gwinn Moss ’80 reunited at KCD’s 2022 Homecoming.

Karen Dahlem ’77 and Ken Minor were

The class of 1981 gathered to

married in Louisville on October 1, 2022

celebrate their postponed 40th

at Whitehall (pictured below). Family,

reunion on Saturday, October 1,

friends, and KCD alumni were in atten-

2022 at the home of Stuart ’81 and Doris Flowers. Classmates in at-

dance for the celebration!

tendance were: Bob Bayersdorfer, Jack Dulworth, Stuart Flowers, Mary Scott Herrington, Lyle Bade Keeling, Mike McKinney, Glady Stennis-Mixon, Eddie Rothschild, Ray Scholtz, and Melinda Peden Simpson. Please Ms. Betty Baird Kregor ’79, member

contact Class Representative, Mary

of KCD’s Athletic Hall of Fame and

Scott (O’Brien) Herrington at msher-

Royal Bearcat Society, was inducted

rington@twc.com if you’d like to join

into the 2022 Kentucky Golf Hall of

the class in keeping their momen-

Kasey Maier ’77, President and CEO of

Fame (pictured above). Betty was the

tum going!

Waterfront Botanical Gardens, spoke

1979 KHSAA Girls State Champion, the

to KCD’s Upper School in spring 2021

1977 and 1978 KHSAA State Runner-Up,

Stuart Flowers ’81, owns Stuart Real

about her career and the importance

was a nine-time Kentucky Girls Junior

Estate Group, a commercial real

of finding your own truth. Kasey also

PGA Champion, and is an LPGA Master

estate company in Louisville. Stuart

hosted Lower School students for field

Teaching Professional with a prolific 30+

and his wife Doris, have a 9th grade

trips at the Gardens.

years instructional career.

student at KCD, Ceci.

32 | CONNECTIONS

CLASS NOTES

2000s Helen (Killarney) ’00 and Bobby Vice ’98 continue their tireless efforts for their son, Robert, hosting a tremendously successful 2nd Annual Rooting for Robert Fundraiser. With support from their community, A Cure for Robert, Inc. has raised over $1 million dollars for Morquio Syndrome treatment research—in just two years. This disease is a rare genetic disease that prohibits the body from breaking down certain sugars. It’s severely progressive, and the effects will get significantly worse with time.

Just a decade ago life expectancy for a child with Morquio would be about 20 years old and while recent The class of 1982 gathered October 14-15, 2022 to celebrate their 40th reunion (pictured above). Class representative, Mary Williams Nuss, coordinated a full weekend of activities, with the reunion event taking place at Vernon Lanes on Saturday night.

1990s Darran Winslow ’92 was installed in March 2022 as the President of the Kings County Criminal Bar Association in Brooklyn, NY. Darran, a graduate of the Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law, is the first president in the history of this bar association who is not a New York City native.

’90s Football Night: KCD Football Alumni of the 1990s (pictured above) gathered at the October 17, 2022 Bearcat Varsity Football Game vs. Thomas Nelson.

medical advances should help to extend Robert’s life expectancy, the effects of the disease are real and apparent. Read Robert’s story at rootingforrobert.org.

The class of 2002 gathered on Friday, November 25, 2022 at Vernon Lanes to celebrate their 20th reunion (pictured below).

Matt Boyle ’02, Aaron Yarmuth ’02, Chris Hartley ’02, Ben Straus ’02, Travis Haynes ’02, and Vishal Amin ’02

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 33

Class Notes

Mark your calendars

FOR UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS

Tansy (Mullins) Coats ’02 lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and three girls Kelsie, 8, Chloe, 6, and Claire, 4 (pictured below). Tansy is a special education achievement and compliance coach at Frederick Douglass High School. She recently completed her second master’s degree in Educational Leadership.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

Alumni & Chair’s Reception 6-8 pm at Waterfront Botanical Gardens RSVP via email to rsvp@kcd.org

SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2023

KCDate 2023: Spring Fling 6 pm at Kentucky Country Day School Tickets will be available at www.kcd.org/support/kcdate

Preston Copley ’03 was highlighted in an article from Billboard in April 2022 for his work at Audible Studios

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2023

50th Anniversary Celebration + Alumni Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Kentucky Country Day School

as the executive producer of “Words + Music”—an Audible Original from The Who’s Pete Townshend. Preston finds “extraordinary emerging and established musicians who have a particularly powerful story to tell, and more importantly are ready to share that story with a degree of

TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2023

KCD vs. LCS Annual Tournament 3rd Annual Golf Scramble + Inaugural Pickleball Tournament at Harmony Landing Country Club Tickets & Sponsorships available at one.bidpal.net/kcdlcs2023

vulnerability.”

Joan (Musselman) Shelley ’04 released a new album, The Spur. Read Joan’s countless rave reviews—including articles from NPR and NYTimes—at joanshelley.net.

The class of 2005 celebrated their 15th reunion on October 23, 2021 at Garage Bar in Louisville. Alumni in attendance were Jenny (Applegate) Raymer, Kate (Dobbins) Bonner, Lindsey (Trager)

After working in neurology for almost 10 years, Johanna Harris (Hamilton) ’00

Bradley, Katie (Maclin) Deppe, Chris

transitioned to Advanced ENT and Allergy as a nurse practitioner, focused on

Herrick, Mary Henry Jennings and David

vestibular disorders, migraine, and sleep apnea. Johanna, her husband, and two

Jennings, Newman McKay, Caroline

boys, enjoy camping, swimming, and watching her boys connect with other KCD

(Pierce) Sewell, Stephanie Sims, and

classmates’ children [Jeanne Ward (Bartrum) and Emily Gilman (Glattstein)].

special guest, Coach Mark Samide.

34 | CONNECTIONS

CLASS NOTES

Weller Francis Smith (pictured below)

Alex Stern ’09 has been promoted

was born on March 26, 2022 to Kelly

to a tenure-track line as an Assistant

Beam ’09 and John Peter Smith. Their

Professor of History at the City

family is thrilled to have moved back to

College of New York (CUNY), where

Louisville in the fall of 2022.

she completed her post-doctorate in the spring of 2022. She also received a Rifkind Faculty Teaching Award in 2022 for her courses on the Civil War & Reconstruction eras and Indigenous history in the Humanities & Arts Division.

Rachel May Mansilla ’06 welcomed baby August Carpenter Antonio Mansilla into

2010s

their growing family of five on May 20, 2022 (pictured above).

After working for seven years at Verizon Wireless, Emory Goins Brient ’10 moved Amanda Carucci ’09 and Paul Kiernan

to Simple Innovations Group. Emory and

were married in Louisville, KY on

her husband of one year, Jake Brient,

September 17, 2022.

recently adopted a new puppy, Juno (pictured below)!

Molly Dobbins ’09 and Grady Capobianco were married on October 15, 2022 in Louisville (pictured below).

Maddie (Gmelin) Hueke ’07 and Spencer Hueke welcomed their new baby boy, Quinlan Fox Heuke, into the world on May 4, 2022 (pictured above).

Cassie Prugar ’07 and Diego Fernandez were married on May 28, David Giesel ’11 (pictured below) and

2022 in Dallas, Texas.

Jessica Newak Giesel were married Hailey Jane and Hannah Rose Kettring

on June 25, 2022, in Louisville. David

(pictured below) were born on March

Taylor Shorten ’09 and Robbie Jacobs

also moved to Dinsmore & Shohl as an

28, 2022 to Sean Kettring ’07, wife April

were married in Healdsburg, California

Associate in early 2022.

Kettring, and big brother Landon.

on September 3, 2022 (pictured below).

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 35

Class Notes

The class of 2012 gathered on Friday,

Hayden Kraus ’17 is serving as a graduate

London Yerasimides ’19 was named

November 25, 2022 at Goodwood

assistant coach for the Kennesaw State

Company F commander in Virginia

Brewing, in Louisville.

men’s basketball team after a successful

Military Institute’s 183rd Regiment for

career playing at Sewanee.

the 2022-23 academic year (pictured

law school and achieved her one-

Kierra Scott ’17 is currently interning

and sister have been her biggest sup-

year anniversary working in the

on the Aetna (CVS) Clinical Strategic

porters during her time at VMI and

Commonwealth Attorney’s office as a

Initiatives team, addressing mental well-

have pushed her to take chances and

prosecutor in the Special Victims Unit in

being in BIPOC and LGBTQ+ adolescents.

opportunities that she probably would

Elizabeth Scinta ’18 graduated from

swimming and diving team and in the

Will Smith ’13 will play on Team USA for

the University of Maryland in December

Honors Program. She will commission

the 2023 World Baseball Classic!

2021 (pictured below), spent time work-

into the U.S. Navy, where she hopes to

ing as Editorial Assistant and Account

go into aviation.

Lindsay Porter ’12 graduated from

below). She shared that her brother

Jefferson County.

David Klein ’16 is working for the New

not have taken otherwise. She is on the

Executive for VOICE Louisville, and

York Racing Association as an Equine

has now moved into the role of Social

Biometric Specialist.

Media and Traditional Media Manager at Media Venue.

2020s Lizzie Papalia ’21 was recognized Bella Cowen ’19 received NFHCA All Region VI Second Team recognition and the honor of Newcomer of the Year for her field hockey efforts at Allegheny College.

Emily Harrison ’19 continues to contribute a great deal to James Madison University’s field hockey program, including All Conference recognitions.

Bella Kern ’19 continues to be recognized for her stellar Kenyon College

as NESCAC Player of the Week in September 2022 for her efforts on the Amherst volleyball team.

Drew Russell ’21 took the official oath of the Air Force and enlisted on Thursday, August 26, 2021 at the University of Kentucky AFROTC Detachment 290. Drew is now a member of the USAF and will serve as a commissioned officer upon graduation from Centre College in 2025.

field hockey efforts, including selections as NCAC Athlete of the Week in The class of 2017 reunited on Friday,

September 2021.

November 25 at The Raven, in Louisville (pictured above).

Sophie Sparks ’19 earned Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Conference

DT Trowell ’17 completed a successful

Field Hockey All Tournament Team

career as a student-athlete at Centre

honors during her senior season as team

College, and is now serving as Spalding

captain at Transylvania University. Sophie

University’s assistant lacrosse coach,

has played field hockey and lacrosse for

helping to launch their new program.

the entirety of her collegiate career.

36 | CONNECTIONS

STAY CONNECTED WITH YOUR CLASS! Scan this QR code for a full listing of our current Class Chairs.

IN MEMORIAM STORY

In Memoriam LOUISE HELM BESSIRE, KHS ’54 Louise Helm Bessire, KHS ’54, died peacefully in Falmouth, Massachusetts on January 25, 2022. Louise made lifelong friends at Kentucky Home School and played field hockey. She and her husband Henry Bessire moved to New York City in 1958, where she made a great impact on her community of Brooklyn Heights, including serving as executive director of Interalp, an international exchange program for high school students, and running a food program to provide lunch for the unhoused.

ANN FARNSLEY, KHS ’58 Ann Farnsley, KHS ’58, passed away on October 23, 2021. Ann was a proud member of the Vevay, IN community for over 50 years, worked in Louisville for the Lost Cause Press, was active in Historic Preservation efforts, and was a professional artist and creator.

Ann’s works are among the collections at The Filson Historical Society and the University of Louisville. Following her death, a committee of Ann’s friends and family members compiled a robust number of her works held by private collectors. “We found close to 250 pieces of art and met more than 50 art owners,” says Ann’s youngest brother, Doug Farnsley. “I was always close to Ann, but working on the exhibition I came to know her in a deeper and more meaningful way.”

This collection is on display at The Carnegie Center for Art & History in New Albany through January 7, 2023. The exhibit, entitled Over the Moon: The Eclectic Art of Ann Farnsley, features an artform she named spacescapes– abstract fantasies that brought whimsical people, animals and angels to life on canvas, ceramic, fabric, and paper. She believed art, using whimsy, spontaneity and color, could free and heal adults. Included in the exhibit is a piece by Ann’s great-niece, Lucy Farnsley ’33. Many members of the Farnsley family are past and current Bearcats, and we are proud to know them all.

FRED P. JACOBS, LCD ’60 Fred P. Jacobs, LCD ’60, passed away on October 21, 2021 in Louisville. Fred’s career as a furniture salesman began in 1969 and spanned five decades until his retirement in 2017. His commitment and love for his family were deep, he enjoyed travel, and he was a man of numbers and details, as was his idol, Albert Einstein. He was a member of The Temple, where he taught Sunday school and served on the Board of Trustees.

KEVIN CRAIG O’BRIEN, LCD ’72 Kevin Craig O’Brien, LCD ’72, passed away on November 3, 2022. Kevin was a loving husband, amazing father to his two children, and a friend to all with his contagious smile and sharp wit. The O’Brien family is a very special one at KCD. Kevin’s two brothers graduated from LCD (Mark ’68 and Scott ’70); his mother, Dorothy Caukin O’Brien taught typing at LCD and KCD; his wife, Julie Coursey O’Brien attended Kentucky Home School; Julie’s mother, Jane Atwood taught third grade at LCD; and Kevin and Julie’s daughter, Sam O’Brien, now serves as KCD’s Director of Communications and Marketing— even soliciting photography support at events from her brother, Hunter, on occasion. Kevin’s niece and nephew are also KCD graduates (Ginger O’Brien Dawson ’94 and Andrew O’Brien ’97).

The Bearcat community was thrilled to spend time with Kevin at the LCD 50th reunion in September 2022 and is deeply saddened by this loss.

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 37

2019–2020 IN MEMORIAM Annual Report

MELISSA SMITH KEITH ’75 Melissa Smith Keith ’75 lost a hard fought battle with cancer on September 7, 2021 in San Francisco, California. Melissa attended KCD with her siblings, Ilam Smith ’76 and Gwen Smith ’78, and left an imprint on the KCD community.

She built a career in the theater in New York and moved to California in 1995 to become conservatory director and head of acting in the American Conservatory Theater’s Master of Fine Arts Program.

Most recently, she played the role of “Dolly” in the Oscar award-winning film, Nomadland (2020) Melissa played an instrumental role in launching the KCD Drama Department with Dr. Canavan and Mrs. Sexton. She also was a proud co-captain of the undefeated and State Champion 1974 Field Hockey Team who was inducted into the Royal Bearcat Society of the Athletic Hall of Fame in the fall of 2021, shortly after Ms. Smith’s death.

Memories of Melissa Smith “Melissa Yandell Smith was arguably the ‘star’ of the first play I directed at Kentucky Country Day School. Melissa played Gwendolyn in ‘The Importance of Being Earnest,’ a production that took the stage in January of 1974. I was fairly new to Louisville having moved there in the fall of 1972 to take a position in the costume shop at Actors’ Theatre of Louisville. I’m not sure what I was thinking to pick such a show, but as it turned out, Melissa and the rest of the cast was up to the task.

I quickly learned that talent abounded!

My husband and I visited her in San Francisco some years back when I was there at a conference.

It was a delight to see her again and to learn of her work as the Director of the MFA program at the American Conservatory Theatre. When I learned of her passing I was truly stunned. We don’t expect those younger than we are to be the first to go. We have all lost a friend!”

— Dr. Carol Canavan, retired KCD faculty

THOMAS EATON DUNBAR ’75

CAROL DIANE WHALEN ’82

Thomas Eaton Dunbar ’75 lost a long courageous battle with cancer on October 30, 2022. Tom was one of six Dunbar siblings to graduate from KCD, including his brother Jon Dunbar ’86 who also was taken from us too soon. Tom worked to make a tremendous impact during his lifetime, especially contributing significantly to the fight to end childhood cancer after losing his six-year-old son and father to the disease.

Carol Diane Whalen ’82, wife of John Whalen ’82, passed away December 22, 2020 after a long, courageous battle with breast cancer. Carol volunteered her time with the Junior League of Louisville, Younger Woman’s Club of Louisville, March of Dimes, Affiliate Board of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and the West End School.

REBECCA MATHENY ’85 Rebecca Matheny ’85 passed away on Monday, October 18, 2021 in Louisville, surrounded by the love of family and friends. Rebecca’s long history of civic engagement included being a co-founder of City Collaborative, a 2015 Bingham Fellow, and a recipient of the 2015 Tower Award from Presentation Academy, honoring women leaders in their field. Most recently, Rebecca served as executive director of the Louisville Downtown Partnership from 2014-2021.

FRANK CHUMLEY Frank Chumley, former KCD Director of Development, passed away on June 28, 2022. He was a proud Navy veteran who regarded his years of service as the most important of his life. As he would say, “the Navy is where I finally grew up.” We are grateful to Frank for his service to KCD, and proud of his career as a school principal at Holy Cross and South Oldham High School.

38 | CONNECTIONS

IN MEMORIAM STORY

ZAIN BAIG ’19

DR. JOHN C. HUGHES Former KCD teacher, Dr. John C. Hughes, passed away on May 28, 2022. He is remembered with love by his wife, Patricia, twin daughters, Kristen and Lauren, and three grandchildren, as well as decades of KCD alumni. Dr. Hughes taught for 27 years at KCD, and is often referred to as a legend. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from the former Bellarmine College, a Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, PA, and a Doctorate from the University of Kentucky, and was a priest of the Archdiocese of Louisville. He wove his sharp wit and deep interest in world events into his teachings of history, religion, and foreign language.

He also spent countless hours as the yearbook photographer for KCD and Trinity High School, even beyond retirement. Dr. Hughes left a lasting legacy at Kentucky Country Day.

Zain Baig ’19 suddenly and tragically passed away on July 24, 2022. Zain’s death was felt deeply by family, friends, classmates, faculty, and alumni.

Class of 2019 Chair, Jenna Semonova shared: “The massive amount of support and love shown toward Zain’s family and close friends by the KCD and Louisville community in the past few days is a reflection of how deeply Zain was loved and how well he loved others. His contagious personality, bright smile, and open heart made him a welcoming friend to anybody that needed one. Zain was unique because he had deep and meaningful connections with everyone. He was able to give himself fully to every person that he met. He is firmly remembered for his devotion toward the people and things he loved.”

JIM LEDYARD Jim Ledyard, former KCD Head of School (1980-86) died on June 25, 2022 in Annapolis, Maryland. Ledyard served a nearly 40-year career in educational leadership in independent schools, charter schools, higher education, and educational consulting. Most notably, Ledyard served three schools as Headmaster: Kentucky Country Day School, Germantown Academy, and, his longest tenure, Ravenscroft School from 1991-2002.

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.

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 39

2019–2020 Annual Report

2021–2022

ANNUAL REPORT Dear Kentucky Country Day School Community, Gratitude. So much can be wrapped up into this one word. As you read the pages of this magazine and see the donor lists on the following pages, you will see just a few reasons why we are overflowing with gratitude. Our school community has had a tremendous year and our progress is due to the support of so many—faculty, families, alumni, students, and friends. This annual report celebrates the generosity of the KCD community.

As we reflect upon this past school year, we are especially grateful for the new spaces on our campus that can better serve our students and more accurately reflect the level of teaching and learning happening on our campus. We welcomed visitors into the Meriwether STEAM Academic Center, home of our new Design and Fabrication Lab, in March and in September we opened new athletic facilities to guests during the Bearcat Family Festival. We have so much gratitude for the people who made these projects possible and for the health of our community that allowed us to gather and acknowledge these milestones in KCD history.

Please plan to join us in May to celebrate another milestone–50 years of Kentucky Country Day School. As you look through these pages, we hope you will find the many ways in which our school community has evolved over the past 50 years and that you will continue to support us as we enter into our next 50 years as the best independent school in the region.

With gratitude, Peter B. Huestis, Head of School John Handmaker, Chair, Board of Trustees 2021–22

40 | CONNECTIONS

2021-22 ANNUAL REPORT

The giving lists below reflect annual fund gifts made to KCD during the 2021–22 fiscal year; i.e. last school year. + KCD Employee

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE GIFTS OF $20,000 OR MORE Mohammad & Elizabeth Amin Ina B. Bond Bill & Julia Carstanjen FourEvergreen Foundation Jasteka Foundation Chris Kemper ’98 (In memory of Lance Williamson ’98) Austin & Janie Musselman Todd & Amy Purkiss + Richard & Tammy Rigney W. L. Lyons Brown Foundation

BEARCAT HONOR SOCIETY GIFTS OF $10,000–$19,999 Anonymous Ray Rivera & Bonita Black * Brown-Forman Corporation Richard & Patricia Monohan Keith & Hollie Swisher George Wagner ’86 & Kelly Wagner

TRUSTEES CIRCLE GIFTS OF $5,000–$9,999 Hank Alford ’85 & Heather Alford * Baha Alsoufi & Rama Tamimi * Omar Amin ’98 & Tracy Amin * Adam Arrington ’98 * Dace Polk Brown Joseph & Amy Burns Nicole Staffieri Coffey ’99 & Thomas Coffey * Commonwealth Alliances Russ & Kathy Cox Susan Diamond Stuart Flowers ’81 & Doris Flowers * Craig & Rachel Greenberg * Jonathan & Trisha Handmaker * Blane & Chasta Hawkins Dan Huneke ’76 & Lauren Theobald Huneke * Patrick & Rebecca Jennings Stephan & Tracey Johnson * Allan & Kate Latts * Norton Healthcare

* KCD Board of Trustees Member

Parco Constructors, LLC Inder & Seema Singal * Lawrence & Susan Tenkman Stuart White ’86 & Colleen McDowell White ’86 * Lisa Sullivan Zaring ’79 & Guthrie Zaring

KCD CREST SOCIETY

Sterling G. Thompson Company Kevin White & Beth Smith-White Chris & Christine Wunderlich

HEAD OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP SOCIETY

GIFTS OF $2,500–$4,999

GIFTS OF $1,000–$2,499

Hunter & Jennifer Bates * Luke & Laura Boyett Sarah Wilder Brice ’79 & Chris Brice Jimmy & Martha Buchanan Brian & Ashley Butler Mike & Susan Davis (In honor of Charlie, Jackson, William, & Harrison White) Family Allergy & Asthma L. Reed Gernert ’81 & Susan Gernert Rudy Gernert ’76 & Melissa Gernert Brian & Kimberly Heimer Peter & Betsy Huestis + Humana, Inc. Dan Jones ’79 & Lisa Jones Kroger Company Douglas Lotz & Gentry Easley + Roy & Heather Martin Dan & Denise Moriarty * Matt & Kim Peterson Powell & Jessica Spears Shane & Maggie Stamps

Meredith Marshall Alexander ’89 & Mark Alexander * Moutaz Alnabhan & Heba Qattous Anonymous Michael & Hunter Arton Ashley Bachelor Barry Barlow ’73 & Margaret Barlow William Temple Beam, Jr. ’76 & Monette Beam * Rob Bonar & Christy Ames * Anne Theobald Boyd ’53 & Morton Boyd Jason & DeAnna Brangers Jason & Tara Brown Bryan & Lorie Cherry Gerard & Susan Colman Jimmy & Karen Crain Crew Aviation, LLC Tom Crockett ’84 & Cindy Crockett Gordon Dabney ’76 & Lori Dabney Michael & Gina Del Negro

Mladen Djurasovic & Tanya Stockhammer Jenny Sachs Dobbins ’77 & Mark Dobbins (In memory of Andrew Ward ’96) Jamie Dooley ’79 Laura Dunbar ’80 Thomas Dunbar ’75 Bill Dunbar ’73 Mark & Karen Fackler Eric & Becca Feller Kevin Ford ’95 & Sara Ford Chris Frigon ’87 & Susie Frigon Matt Garlove ’82 & Dana Garlove Matthew & Lindsay Gibson Jeff & Tricia Gill Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana Troop #505 Jason & Lorena Haith Thomas Hall ’78 & Martha Dunbar Hall ’77 Allen & Michelle Hertzman Will Heyburn ’07 & Ally Heyburn Kevin & Ann Hochman Lancer & Kisa Hoeltke Brooks Hower ’06 & Michele Staffieri Hower ’07 Shane & Kimber Huffman Mark & Kimberly Jackson * Judy Gaillard Jones ’56 & Steaven Jones Tom & Jennifer Kanaly Yoram Katz

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 six 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 2022/WINTER 2023 | 41

2021-22 ANNUAL REPORT

Dave & Mikki King Mary Lea Kirven ’79 & Busy Burr Casey Klein ’14 Chelsea Klein ’10 Klein Family Foundation Justin & Janine Klutka John & Elizabeth Lenihan Edwin & Carolyn Lewis Chris & Amy Madison Barry & Kimberley Marek + Jac Mathew ’98 & Kelli Mathew Robert Mead Glynn Morgen Peter Naake & Rebecca Gallion + Brent & Laura Nash John Ouseph & Ann Ponniah + Sarah Dunbar Parker ’83 & Duane Parker Angi & Erin Patel Jordan & Hilary Pohn Bronwyn Ramey Jeffery & Rebekkah Rechter Joe & Charla Reeves Pete Ronald ’70 & Ann Ronald Cheryl Rumpke Mohamed Saad & Kaltoum Hakkar

42 | CONNECTIONS

Muhammad Sajid & Sarah Aziz Andrew & Carolyn Southworth Joe & Sony Steier Adam & Lindsey Stemle Catherine Stodghill Matthew & Sarah Stone + Shengli Lu & Xiaoping Tang The Dunbar Foundation Melissa Thomas ’95 Bobby Vice ’98 & Helen Killarney Vice ’00 Ed Whitesides ’79 & Barbara Whitesides Jason & Mary Kaye Yewell

BEARCAT BENEFACTORS GIFTS OF $500–$999 Judy Ambach & Marché Harris ++ John Bahe ’94 & Melissa Bahe + Roberto & Patricia Bajandas John Beam, Jr. ’65 & Taffy Beam Aaron Becker ’95 & Harper Gudmundsson Becker ’95 Adam & Nicole Beckum + Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation Todd & Brenda Cahill

Christopher & Rachel Caudill Dan & Mary Clift Stacy & Connie Coartney Nick & Cindy Code Cole Colville & Meredith Bruick Ken & Joan Coulter Christian Cox ’16 Mollie Mulloy Creason ’01 & Scott Creason Richard Crosier ’80 & Ashley Crosier Dennis & Suzanne Crum Shervin & Helen Dashti Keith & Allison Delande William & Lindsay Delgado Ernest Fernandez & Yoannis Imbert-Fernandez Elkin Galvis & Maria Castro Caroll & Walt Gander Rachael Lask Gerlach ’03 & Hunter Gerlach (In memory of Jamie Parsley ’03) Jon & Orit Goldstein Jaspreet & Rimy Grewal Tom & Edith Halbleib Hill & Jennifer Harcourt + Brenda Hart Frank & Connie Heil + Sohail & Farah Ikram Rodney James & Rebecca Estes II Christopher & Anne Jay +

Michael & Kim Kamber Becky & Mitch Kennedy Casey & Rachel Kuffner + George & Amy Lask Rana Latif & Mehreen Mansoor Thomas Love ’66 Mackenzie Lyles ’11 Benjamin & Brittany Maki Nancy Margrit Muhammad & Sadaf Masroor David Miller + Darren & Tracey Moore Vipul & Nina Panchal Archie & Kay Parsley Veda Pattar Chris Rager & Lauren Frank Mark & Malia Read Niccole Retzlaff Stephanie Harkess Robertson ’95 & Cooper Robertson + Jeff & Marilyn Sexton Andrew & Kristin Shapira Thom & Blair Shelby Jason Shen & Chunmei Zhou Judy Spencer ’86 Alex Staffieri ’03 & Abby Staffieri Powell Starks ’79 & Fiona Harkess Starks ’86 Brina Stephens & Tanya Wiese + Andy & Jennifer Stetzler

2021-22 ANNUAL REPORT

Bibb Strench ’80 Xiaoping Tang & Shengli Lu The Community Foundation of Louisville Jeff Topham & Annie Glosky Kelli Huneke Van Hecke ’12 Alexander Volz ’64 & Ann Pfingst Volz ’65 John Hardin Ward IV ’64 & Phyllis Blythin Ward ’66 Geoff & Krissie White Andy & Reggie Willinger Louis & Millie Winner Mark Wright & Caryn Winter Hong Zhao & Xiaoli Wang Johnny Zheng & Bo Qian

BLUE & GOLD CLUB GIFTS UP TO $499 Olivia Alford ’13 & Liz Alford Marilyn Almonte + Vishal Amin ’02 (In memory of Amparo Roelofsen) Lauren Sharp Anderson ’00 & John Anderson Laurie Anderson ’79 Jackson & Liz Andrews + Jackson Andrews IV ’64 & Matilda Andrews David S. Apel + Mark & Lillian Apple + Charlie & Karen Arnold + Jeannine & Rick Ary + Steva Sidway Austill ’79 & Bill Austill Matt & Julie Austin + Raghuvamsi Ayapilla & Priya Darsi Yassine & Amina Baaziz Daniel & Lisa Bache Michael & Caren Bailen Baird Foundation Kathryn Balbach + Toinette Barbour + Chad & Stacie Barnes Sammy & Brenda Barnett Will Barnett & Angela Ferguson Carrie Barrick Jason & Katy Barrott Brett & Sarah Batchelor Bill Bateman ’76 & Tristan Bateman Mandy & James Beach +

Robinson Beard ’58 & Barbara Beard Jayne Beatty Joshua Bennett & Kamille Potter Max Bennett ’15 Rahul & Pragati Bharadwaj Gourav & Vasudha Bhateja Aneeta Bhatia Marko Biddle + Brandon & Angela Billingsly Kevin & Jennifer Black Samantha Dabney ’15 Charlie Blocker ’80 & Shannon Davis Blocker ’85 Katelyn Heil-Bloyd ’03 & Zachary Bloyd (In memory of Jamie Parsley ’03) Kate Dobbins Bonner ’05 & Jeff Bonner + Tom Bonnet + James Booker + Samuel Booker ’74 & Jane Booker Mollie Ronald Boron ’04 & Tyler Boron Art & Sarah Borromeo Sherrill Bounnell ’79 & Russell Campbell Kyle & Kathryn Bourne Suzanne Holmes Bowman ’89 & Daniel Bowman Tracy Sullivan Brewer ’73 & John Brewer Jason & Jaime Bronfman Chris & Kimberly Brown Davis & Danielle Brown ++ Dean Brown + Stuart & Ingvild Brown Wesley & Andrea Brown Lydia Plamp Brownlow ’82 & Allan Brownlow Nancye Oehrle Buckner ’67 & John Buckner Kyle Burns & Tsion Menkir Connie Radford Butler ’72 & Robert Butler Sara Byron-Corne + Todd & Brenda Cahill Anthony & Emori Carrara Caitlin Carroll + Mike Castleman ’60 & Margaret Castleman Louisa Castner ’80 Manoj & Swapna Chandran Jana Chapman

Tarun & Dimple Chawla Scott & Jennifer Cheatham Chung Cho & Hye Park Jenny Mueller Choudhry ’04 Carole Douglas Christian ’79 & Rob Christian Susan Christoff + Matt & Amanda Clark Philippe & Ophelie Claudon Mike & Alix Clay Jack & Christina Clifford Reed Cohen ’11 + Ross & Shannon Cohen Ross Cohen ’03 & Sarah Cohen + Mary Charles & John Collett + Gabriel & Nichole Collins + Dean Collis ’87 & Katherine Collis Aaron Compton & Monica Vaught-Compton Bert & Beth Conroy + Shannon Cooper Mary Means Cope ’77 & Stephen Cope Preston Copley ’03 & Jaime Copley Bobby Copley ’99 & Sarah Couch + Ken & Peggy Coulter Craig Cox ’92 Jennifer Cox Benjamin & Ellie Coyne Bob Crawford & Thom Schneider ++ Alix Crutcher ’94 & Ian Flick

Mike & Judy Crutcher Karen Dahlem ’77 (In memory of Josette Kearns) Lisle Dalton ’62 & Kathy Dalton Alex Davenport + Arron & Melissa Davis + Chandra Davis Scott & Erin Davis Tyler D. Davis ’75 & Paige Davis Purvi Amin Desai ’99 & Jihnesh Desai Sandy Dhaliwal ’96 Karl Dockstader & Stacie Grossfeld Elizabeth Barnett Dodson ’98 & Jimmy Dodson (In memory of Andrew Ward ’96) Andy Doering ’05 Kimathi Doss & Misty Jones Roger & Sarah Dotsey Margaret Johnson Dry ’83 & Dan Dry Brian & Chevonne Dumke Allison Brown Duncan ’90 & Will Duncan Karen Kutz Duncan ’77 Fred Durham Danny & Mary Easley + Wells Edinger ’05 & Mary Clay Edinger ’06 Allison Erk Edwards ’96 & Jonathan Edwards (In memory of Andrew Ward ’96) Marcus & Shantel Edwards FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 43

2021-22 ANNUAL REPORT

Jamey & Amy Elliott + Hisham Elsherbiny & Mai Mohamed Henry & Tong Enck Graciela Ensenat + Sheila Erk ’98 + (In memory of Lance Williamson ’98) Matt & Julie Evans + Charlie Farnsley ’00 & Mindy Farnsley Glenda Fidler + Jeffrey Figa & Julia Brown Gary Fischer Celeste Fisher ’01 Bill Flowers ’76 Tommy & Sara Floyd Nicolas Focquet & Britta Leisovnieks Tim Fogarty Nancy Forcht Wendy Foulis + Adam & Kelly Fox Andy & Carrie Frazier Rajdeep & Lael Gaitonde John Gallagher Liam Gallagher ’20 Maria Castro & Elkin Galvis Lonnie & Megan Gardner Khalid & Nancy Ghosheh David Giesel ’11 Bailey Gill ’14 Mike & Stacey Gilmore Kenton & Jaclyn Glass + Michael & Jennifer Goldberg +

44 | CONNECTIONS

Andrew Gould ’03 Derrick & Laura Grace Mary Grant + Benjamin & Tracy Gritton + Stephen & Kristen Grogan + Hannah Gruver + Orn Gudmundsson ’91 & Greta Gudmundsson Ricardo Guimaraes & Sandra Martins Mike & Pam Hall + Joey Hamilton & Elizabeth Holt Ken & Judy Handmaker Michael & Rosiley Hannagan Patsy Harkess Grafton Harper ’82 Antoine & Ainsley Harris Kassondra Harris ’95 * John Harryman & Anne Kaiser-Harryman + Matthew & Stacy Hartlage Christopher Hartley ’02 Jeffrey Hartung Raza & Aesha Hashmi Nancy Hatcher Allison Hatmaker Jeffrey & Martha Hawkins Adrian & Darlease Hayden Christopher & Cortney Hayden LuAnn & Tom Hayes + Robert Hayes (In honor of Lee Garlove)

Travis Haynes ’02 & Ashley Haynes Donald Heard Lee Heffner ’01 Christina Heggen Harold Helm ’61 & Anne Helm Louis Helman ’72 Zane & Tina Thorn Jim Mauck & Susan Henne-Mauck Katie & Jim Herman + Mary Scott O’Brien Herrington ’81 & Mike Herrington Randy & Suzanne Hoffacker + Mike & Dani Hogan Spencer & Corinne Holt Todd Hood ’82 & Johnnie Hood James Hooten & Teresa Walker Jennifer Pilon Houston ’88 & John Houston Erin Hower Hoyes ’02 Andy & Barbara Hurt Peter & Heidi Hutchins Chaitanya Iragavarapu & Malavika Prasad James & Lauren Irving Blair Dahlem Ivins ’80 & DeWitt Ivins Damon & Kori Jackson Michael James ’11 John Jennings ’00 & Lindsay Jennings + Bill & Ann Wickliffe Jessee Josh & Carolyn Jevne Ashley Johnson CJ & Sonnetta Johnson Jason Johnson & Julie RiggsJohnson ++ Katie Johnson Kenneth & Shelice Johnson + Matt Johnson ’97 Sarah & Vince Johnson Christopher & Meredith Jones Jeremy Jones & Lori Haycraft Matt & Jill Jones + Philip Jones Taylor & Lindsey Jones David & Rhonda Joseph Fahr Juneja ’03 Nupur Kantamneni Abhishek Kapila & Rohini Sharma Ganesh Kartha ’99

Fikre Kassie & Sitra Abdurahman Mark & Kimberly Keene Kara and Kevin Kelton + Eric & Mandy Kemerer Bruce Kempf Kentucky Fair Plan Bryan Kettring ’78 Kim Kettring + Zaka & Saleha Khan Michael Kiang + Chase & Jennifer Kirkwood Annabelle Ensor Klein ’16 Greg & Oksana Kraskin Igor & Anna Kravchuk Matt & Mary Frazier Kubancik Sean & Jeanne Ladson Anthony & Bettina Lage Richie & Shannon Lampton Mark & Tracy Lattis Rob & Katie Lawson Miles Lee ’85 & Margaret Lee Edie Lekites Emily Lekites Robbie Lekites Stephen & Tara Lentini Dan & Peggie Leverson + Emery & Jennifer Lewis + Mark & Pamela Liggett Taylor Little + Jerry & Kate Loewen ++ Zack Logan ’62 & Carole Logan (In honor of B. Preston Thomas) Cliff Long + Ed & Lyndsay Long + Richard & Jan Lotz Ashley Campbell ’01 Hunter Louis ’94 (In memory of Ben Jennings ’94) Fairleigh & Abby Lussky Brad & Jane Lyman + John & Mechibelle Lynch Mark & Jennifer Maddux Monica Mahoney ’85 Kasey Maier ’77 Susan Maines ’87 Lilly Manibusan (In memory of Andrew Ward '96) Marsh & McLennan Jace Martin ’10 Kent & Teresa Martin + Rob Martin ’76 & Lauri Martin Mark Martinez & Emanuelle Wessels Cynthia Mathews +

2021-22 ANNUAL REPORT

Anthony & Carmen Mathis + Mark & Sara Mathis Jim Mauck & Susan Henne-Mauck Curtis & Misty McCubbin Terry McCurry & Anna Feitelson Newman McKay ’05 Andy Means ’74 & Laura Means Steven & Amy Meeron + Danny & Amy Mendel + Steve Meyer ’95 Christopher & Bonnie Michael Kelli Miller Kevin Miller ’91 & Caroline Miller Molly Miller Yasmine Mills Joshua Minnic ’04 & Julie Stevens Minnic ’04 Jan Mitchell + Sarah Moran + Bill & Terri Morris Matthew & Hannah Morrison Daniel Moyers ’83 & Sarah Smith Patrick Mulloy ’98 & Mandy Mulloy Dustin Murray & Lindsey Peetz + H.S. & Barbara Nagaraj John Nagel ’87 & Laura Nagel Albert Nasser ’81 Susan Nevels + Michael & Bethany Nicoson Gracie Nilsson ’13 Michael & Sheri Nilsson + Olivia Nilsson ’16 Scott & Belkis Niswonger Daylen Norris ’14 + Ellen Tafel Northen ’73 Erin Beatty Norton ’05 Eric Nunnally & Mary K. Shields Mary Williams Nuss ’82 & Julian Nuss Halle Nussbaum Sam O’Brien + Kathleen O’Nan Brown ’84 (In honor of Carol Johnston O’Nan) Katherine Roberts Ogle ’07 & Jake Ogle Rob & Jill Owen ++ Elise Parker +

Michelle Parsley Randy & Elizabeth Partin Timothy & Michelle Paschal + Michael & Vicki Pasley Parag & Amee Patel Priyesh & Jennifer Patel Guru & Kiley Pattar Carlos Patton Jr. Kevin & Dee Anna Payne + Donald & Shirley Payne Tracy Pearson Jonathan & Alisha Pena Lisa Pepper + Hensley Reid Peterson ’68 Alison Howley Phelps ’85 & Steve Phelps Sean & Jen Phinney Dary & Danielle Picken ++ Asim & Sara Piracha Basil & Alyce Pollitt Clark Pollitt ’91 & Megan Pollitt ++ Bob & Gerry Popp Lindsay Porter ’12 Christopher Prugar ’05 Erica Pulce Phil & Lauren Purcell + Kathie Purdie + Rick & Von Purdy Joseph & Sylvia Quaye James & Chenica Racine + Raza & Aesha Hashmi Stephanie Raia + Thomas Rankin ’75 Rachel Rawlings + Sarah Davis Redman ’95

Ally Reeves ’16 Bill Reisert Elizabeth Reisert Ronald Renard Linda Rice ’77 Tim & Lisa Rice + Ben Richter ’09 Douglas & Jadene Ridinger + Raquel Ritschel Avery & Carrie Roberts Sean & Cindy Roberts + Westin & Jenna Roberts Tyler & Katherine Robertson + Dana Robinson Eleanor Roy Robinson ’91 & Scott Robinson Blair Rodgers ’85 & Bridget Rodgers Dan & Beth Rose Asia Rowan Matt Rumpke Mark & Laura Russo Lebnan & Rania Saad Michelle Salerno + Lynn Saltzman Mark & Pam Samide + Cameron Sample ’13 + George Sanderlin ’75 Marva Savage Byrd & Emily Saylor Ryan & Robin Scarbrough Annie Scharf ’16 Katie Scharf ’13 Grace Wessel Schneider ’08 Charlie Scholtz ’78 & Frances Moore Scholtz ’77 *

John & Amanda Schriber Matthew & Margaret Schuering Parker Scinta + Jason Sedlaczek + Marjorie Seely + Shuying Sha Manish Sharma & Anu Dawer Sarah Shartzer + Mike & Robin Shea Amy Sheehan + Dawn Shofner Bill & Jill Shoulta Mack & Brooke Shwab KP Singh & Mita Ray Nishea Sipley Lee & Susie Smith Loren Smith ’98 Mark & Julie Smith + S. Russell Smith III ’94 Victor & Claudia Snow + Todd & Jill Soderquist Sabrina Spalding + Colleen Sparks Steffi Sparks ’79 Henry Starks ’20 Gladys Stennis-Mixon ’81 Jason & Leigh Stine Ben Straus ’02 & Natalie Straus Matt Strauss ’95 & Ericka Johnson Strauss ’96 Kristen Stuber + Mo Stucker + Victoria Suddeth David Sun FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 45

2021-22 ANNUAL REPORT

Quincy & Minette Sweatt Michael Swiech & Tonya Meah Swiech Zafrin Syed Mark & Kim Tabler Sameer Talwalkar & Shruti Pai Donna Tatum-Johns & Dean Tatum-Johns + Zachary Taylor + Peter & Mary Beth Tevebaugh Jim Thaler ’79 & Kelly Ann Thaler Neal Thomas & Yana Buntsis-Thomas Oliver & Amy Thompson Matt & Lisa Thompson Zane & Tina Thorn Mansoor & Emily Tiwana Betsy Johnson Touma ’89 & Yano Touma C. Bruce & Diane Traughber Charles & Clover Traughber Lauren Kempf Tungate ’95 Logan & Mary Turner Brian Underwood Fernando Valdizan & Lu Jessee Kory Van Houten + Val Vertrees + Harry Volz ’65 & Emily Volz John Vonder Haar & Libby Gray Stacey & Dawn Wade Brian Wagner Gregg & Gina Waterman Nick & Brooke Watson Didi Weaver Jay & Hannah Wemitt Beverly Bryant Wentworth ’77 Patty Dabney West ’74 & Bill West William West ’06 A. Franklin & Margaret White Jeff & Emily White Shannan White + David Whitehead ’94 (In memory of Ben Jennings ’94) Jonathan & Monica Whitehouse + Elise Whitman ’79 Susan Harris Wilburn ’44 Adam Wilkinson + Deane & Barbara Williams Jennifer Williams + Patrick & Keri Williams + Shirelle Williams + 46 | CONNECTIONS

Troy & Angella Wilson Chauncey Wilson & Annette Onks Brian Winslow ’96 Caroline Wright + Muhammad Yasin & Natasha Shamshad Ahmet & Ayse Yesil Mike & Marissa Yonover Steven & Rosanne Zabloudil + Becky Morris Zahradnik ’99 Bin Xie & Pei Zhang Wei Zhang & Minglu Zhao Mike Ziegler & Jessica Knapp-Ziegler Kate Zoppoth ’12

KCDATE SPONSORS Asbourne Farms Baird/Hilliard Blu Krome Restore Repair Remodel Bluegrass Auto Bluegrass Rental Brown-Forman Burbank & Collins P.S.C Clarendon Flavors Cross Jeep Family Allergy & Asthma Heaven Hill Independence Bank Jimmy Johns John & Trish Handmaker John Flower Production KFC YUM! Lewis Family

Milestone Lending PARCO Republic Bank & Trust Co. Restore Hyper Wellness The Cahill Family The Eye Care Institute The Huestis Family The R. Scotty Rivera Family Tracy Pearson—Lady Red Paparazzi Tran Orthodontics

FUND-A-NEED DONORS Meredith Marshall Alexander ’89 & Mark Alexander Baha Alsoufi & Rama Tamimi Omar Amin ’98 & Tracy Amin Ashley Bachelor Aaron Becker ’95 & Harper Gudmundsson Becker ’95 Adam & Nichole Beckum Bryan & Lorie Cherry Nicole Staffieri Coffey ’99 & Tom Coffey Shervin & Helen Dashti Michael & Susan Davis Michael & Gina Del Negro William & Lindsay Delgado Charlie Farnsley ’00 & Mindy Farnsley Stuart Flowers ’81 & Doris Flowers Kevin Ford ’95 & Sara Ford Matthew & Lindsay Gibson

Hill & Jennifer Harcourt Brooks Hower ’06 & Michele Staffieri Hower ’07 Peter & Betsy Huestis Tom & Jennifer Kanaly Doug Lotz & Gentry Easley Chris & Amy Madison Danny & Amy Mendel Dan & Denise Moriarty Hans Naake & Rebecca Gallion Brent & Laura Nash Angat & Erin Patel Guru & Kelly Pattar Moutaz Alnabhan & Heba Qattous Browyn Ramey Mohamed Saad & Kaltoum Hakkar Todd & Jill Soderquist Joe & Sony Steier Adam & Lindsey Stemle Matt & Sarah Stone

COMMUNITY PARTNERS Commonwealth Alliances Crew Aviation, LLC Drake’s & Malone’s/Bluegrass Hospitality Group Family Allergy & Asthma Norton Sports Health Parco Constructors Sterling G. Thompson Company

2021-22 ANNUAL REPORT

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS Anonymous Meredith Marshall Alexander ’89 & Mark Alexander Hank Alford ’85 & Heather Alford Adam Arrington ’98 LouAnn Atlas ’78 & Ryan Coady Stanley & June Atlas Hunter & Jennifer Bates William Temple Beam, Jr. ’76 & Monette Beam Aaron Becker ’95 & Harper Gudmundsson Becker ’95 Ina B. Bond Greg Bubalo & Pamela Klinner Dick & Elizabeth Clay Russ & Kathy Cox Dennis & Suzanne Crum Susan Diamond Paul & Victoria Diaz Scott & Barbie Dickens Kimathi Doss & Misty Jones Scott & Janie Ferguson Stuart Flowers ’81 & Doris Flowers Craig & Rachel Greenberg John Hamilton Jonathan & Trisha Handmaker Pat Hughes Mark & Kimberly Jackson John Jennings ’00 & Lindsay Jennings Jay & Page Johnson Allan & Kate Latts Edwin & Carolyn Lewis Edwin Lewis ’92 & Kim Lewis Douglas Lotz & Gentry Easley Todd & Becky Lyles Jack Moss ’78 & Susan Moss Pat & Francie Mulloy Austin & Janie Musselman Betty Perdue Sean & Jen Phinney Philip & Elizabeth Poindexter Rick & Von Purdy Richard & Tammy Rigney Howard & Shane Shaps Mike & Robin Shea Anne Tway Smith ’79 & Gary Smith Powell Starks ’79 & Fiona Harkess Starks ’86

Andy & Jennifer Stetzler Patti Swope ’81 Jeff Topham & Annie Glosky Charlie Wagner ’88 George Wagner ’86 & Kelly Wagner Lawson & Debbie Whiting Ina B. Bond Ashbourne Charitable Fund, Inc. Jefferson Animal Hospitals Kindred Healthcare Stock Yards Bank & Trust W. L. Lyons Brown Foundation Gault Marsh Properties Republic Bank & Trust Co. GlaxoSmithKlein Foundation Humana, Inc. Brown-Forman Corporation

BOOSTER CLUB Meredith Marshall Alexander ’89 & Mark Alexander Baha Alsoufi & Rama Tamimi Omar Amin ’98 & Tracy Amin John Bahe ’94 & Melissa Bahe William Temple Beam, Jr. ’76 & Monette Beam Aaron Becker ’95 & Harper Gudmundsson Becker ’95 Ray Rivera & Bonita Black Sarah Wilder Brice ’79 & Chris Brice Brian & Ashley Butler Maria Castro & Elkin Galvis Christopher & Rachel Caudill Manoj & Swapna Chandran Bryan & Lorie Cherry Stacy & Connie Coartney Nick & Cindy Code Nicole Staffieri Coffey ’99 & Tom Coffey Jimmy & Karen Crain Thomas Crockett ’84 & Cindy Crockett Alix Crutcher ’94 & Ian Flick Michael & Judy Crutcher Susan Diamond Kimathi Doss & Misty Jones Jamey & Amy Elliott Matt & Julie Evans Mark & Karen Fackler Charlie Farnsley ’00 & Mindy Farnsley Gary Fischer Kevin Ford ’95 & Sara Ford

Rachael Lask Gerlach ’03 & Hunter Gerlach Khalid & Nancy Ghosheh Jonathan & Trisha Handmaker Antoine & Ainsley Harris Matthew & Stacy Hartlage Allen & Michelle Hertzman Peter & Heidi Hutchins Mark & Kimberly Jackson Christopher & Anne Jay Patrick & Rebecca Jennings Matthew Johnson ’97 CJ & Sonnetta Johnson Matt & Jill Jones Christopher & Meredith Jones Philip Jones Mark & Kimberly Keene Dave & Mikki King Casey Klein ’14 Chelsea Klein ’10 Klein Family Foundation Richie & Shannon Lampton Edwin Lewis ’92 & Kim Lewis Doug Lotz & Gentry Easley Rana Latif & Mehreen Mansoor Kelli Miller Darren & Tracey Moore Daniel & Denise Moriarty Brent & Laura Nash Vipul & Nina Panchal Tracy Pearson Sean & Jen Phinney Erica Pulce Todd & Amy Purkiss Mark & Malia Read Bill Reisert Niccole Retzlaff Richard & Tammy Rigney Dana Robinson Dan & Beth Rose Cheryl Rumpke Matt Rumpke Mark & Laura Russo Todd & Jill Soderquist Brina Stephens & Tanya Wiese Quincy & Minette Sweatt Keith & Hollie Swisher Xiaoping Tang & Shengli Lu Lawerence & Susan Tenkman Matthew Thomas Charles & Clover Traughber Brian Underwood Geoff & Krissie White Andy & Reggie Willinger Chauncey Wilson & Annette Onks

Jason & Mary Kaye Yewell Mike & Marissa Yonover Hong Zhao & Xiaoli Wang

FINE ARTS GUILD Rick & Jeannine Ary Daniel & Lisa Bache Rob Bonar & Christy Ames Suzanne Holmes Bowman ’89 & Daniel Bowman Luke & Laura Boyett Sarah Wilder Brice ’79 & Chris Brice Jason & Jaime Bronfman Davis & Danielle Brown Commonwealth Alliances Keith & Allison Delande Mark & Karen Fackler Wendy Foulis John Gallagher Craig & Rachel Greenberg Orn Gudmundsson ’91 & Greta Gudmundsson Tom & LuAnn Hayes Mark & Kimberly Jackson Christopher & Anne Jay Nupur Kantamneni Doug Lotz & Gentry Easley Daniel & Denise Moriarty Rick & Von Purdy Thomas Rankin ’75 Dawn Shofner Inder & Seema Singal Nishea Sipley Matthew & Sarah Stone Xiaoping Tang & Shengli Lu Mike Ziegler & Jessica Knapp-Ziegler

Scan to see the 2020-21 Annual Report

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 47

2021-22 ANNUAL REPORT

2021–22 FINANCIAL REPORT

Revenue & Expenditures Expenditures as a Percentage of the Total

Revenue

20,501,570

Tuition and Fees

18,401,186

Auxiliary Services

679,370

Annual Giving

673,704

Endowment Distribution

654,592

Other Income

92,718

Expenditures

20,456,136

Education 46%

Education

9,508,556

Financial Aid 18%

Financial Aid

3,662,373

Administration 16%

Administration

3,315,520

Operations 14%

Operations

2,923,639

Auxiliary Services 2%

Auxiliary Services

473,074

General Institutional 2%

General Institutional

469,986

Capital & Maintenance 1%

Capital & Maintenance

102,988

Charitable Contributions

Total One Fund

446,776

Major Capital & Endowment

427,173

KCDate

226,928

Annual Restricted Gifts

191,287

Charitable Contributions as a Percentage of the Total One Fund 35% Major Capital & Endowment 33% KCDate 18% Annual Restricted Gifts 15% 48 | CONNECTIONS

1,292,164

STORY

FALL 2022/WINTER 2023 | 49

Kentucky Country Day School 4100 Springdale Road Louisville, KY 40241

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

“Scribbling”

by Amani Ikram ’21