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here is a growing population of Pace Academy community members who have experienced the school through two lenses: student and parent. They’ve transitioned from cheering on their peers from the sidelines to cheering on their own children as Pace’s athletics and arts programs continue to flourish. They‘ve watched with excitement, and a little envy, as the Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) has developed. Through all this change and growth, one thing, however, has remained the same: Pace still feels like Pace. “Walking into the Randall House after so many years, it felt like home. It was comfortable,” says SALIMA LADHA FETTER ’94 about touring Pace for her now first-grade daughter, SOPHIA FETTER ’29. For Fetter, it really was a homecoming. As a Lifer, she spent 13 years in the Pace community, where she now sees Sophia learning many of the same lessons and having many of the same experiences that she did. Fetter had the quintessential Pace experience—involved in a little bit of everything and graduating as a well-rounded individual. During her 13 years at Pace, she participated in gymnastics, chorus, debate and studio art; she volunteered as a tutor;
and she was the editor of The Knightly News. She sat in the classrooms of beloved Pace teachers—JANE SIBLEY, CHRIS WHEATLEY and DEB COOK, to name a few. She took AP Physics before it was offered in the curriculum with the help of MIKE BROWN, who created an independent-study course for her to follow on her own after school. Fetter’s time as a student is why she chose Pace for her daughter. “Pace gives a well-rounded experience,” she says. “While academics are important, it’s not all about grades. It’s also about extracurricular opportunities, friendships, travel and leadership. You can find your own way and your passion.” Fetter’s passion for creativity can easily be traced back to Sibley and studio art. The exposure and encouragement around art Fetter received at Pace led her to a career in marketing, a 180-degree switch from premed, her original major at Emory University. After graduating from Emory and joining the workforce, Fetter obtained an MBA from her alma mater, where she met her husband, MATT FETTER. And now, as a parent, Fetter’s life has circled back to Pace. When looking at schools for Sophia, it
ALUMNI PARENT SPOTLIGHT
SALIMA LADHA FETTER ’94
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KnightTimes | Winter 2018
was Pace or bust, Fetter says. “There were so many elements of Pace that I wanted my daughter to experience as well. It wasn’t just the academics; what I’ve always loved is the small family feel. Pace encourages its students to be kind human beings and look beyond their bubble.” Before the admissions process, Fetter was careful not to say too much about Pace so that her husband could experience the school on his own. Matt, who grew up in the Midwest, had only known Pace through reunions and stories Fetter had told him. After the tour, she says, “It was good to see [the school] through his eyes and to hear his unbiased opinion. He felt the same things that I do about Pace and agreed that it was the right place for Sophia.” Pace may still feel like Pace, but it definitely hasn’t stayed the same. Fetter sees the ICGL and STEAM & Design as great new ways to engage students and better prepare them to be well-rounded citizens of the world. The growth in arts and athletics has offered her family another avenue to spend time together, and with the rest of the Pace community. “I love the Lower School’s lunchtime concerts!” says Fetter. “I think it’s great that these little kids have the courage to stand up in front of their peers. I love that Pace is an environment that is open and accepting. I think the concerts are an amazing tradition.” “There are so many opportunities to find your way, and Pace encourages you to try new things,” she adds. “Who cares if you fall on your face? It helps you grow into a resilient person who isn’t afraid to branch out—even if you fail.” While the curriculum has been revamped and programs added, and many new teachers fill the Lower School, Fetter sees the joy and excitement that she still feels for Pace growing in her daughter. Sophia wakes up excited to go to school and learn with her friends. She is becoming a responsible 6-year-old with an agenda and homework, walking in the same hallways as her mother a generation before. As for Sophia’s thoughts on attending the same school as her mom? “I like it because I love my mommy, and she went to the same school that I go to now.”