In the bustling halls of Tallulah Falls Middle School, Illuminate yearbook advisor Stephanie Dorantes and her dedicated 10-person student-led staff embarked on an extraordinary journey to craft the very first stand-alone middle school yearbook. With passion and determination, they captured precious memories and immortalized the essence of their vibrant school community. Armed with cameras and eager minds, they traversed the campus, freezing moments in time with every click. They skillfully gathered quotes from their peers, painting
a vivid picture of the diverse experiences within the school’s walls. Fueling their creativity, they poured their hearts into writing captivating stories that would accompany the images. Harnessing the power of cutting-edge design programs, they meticulously crafted breathtaking layouts that seamlessly blended images and words, elevating the publication to new heights. The result? A stunning chronicle of a year filled with growth, laughter, and shared experiences, forever cherished in the pages of the inaugural Tallulah Falls Middle School yearbook.
“A trip to the School Bus Graveyard was the perfect way to celebrate their hard work on the yearbook and to spark creativity even further,” said middle school communications teacher and yearbook advisor Stephanie Dorantes. The yearbook staff had a great time painting a bus and a minivan at this unique local attraction that invites artists to transform old vehicles into works of art.
2022-23 YEARBOOK STAFF: Adelaide Tatum, Delaney Johnson, Megan Prince, Sienna Slater, Gracey Eller, Callie Craver, Olivia Henderson, Callee Elrod, Natalie Pinney, and Haylen McGugan
Iwould like to share with you what a great place Tallulah Falls School truly is. As we wrap up one school year and prepare for the next, I want to take a minute to reflect with you on all that TFS continues to do to take it to the next level.
We have built a strong foundation and that foundation allows us to broaden and expand our connections to the world around us.
I’m excited to share with you about the midmester experience available to our upper school students. For one week in September, they will step out of the classroom and into experiential learning adventures.
The seniors will have the option to travel to Spain, New York, or the Grand Canyon, as well as other choices such as career exploration or an individual job shadowing experience.
Our juniors will visit a variety of colleges throughout the southeast to help them see what is available to them so that they can make good decisions regarding the right fit for their future.
The sophomores will spend a week in Charleston, South Carolina exploring the rich culture and beautiful ecosystems, and the freshman will travel to Florida’s space coast.
Another way that we see TFS taking it to the next level is through our thriving sports programs.
I am proud to share that all of our varsity teams qualified for state playoffs, the varsity girls volleyball team won the state championship, and six individuals were state champions in swimming and track. Many of our teams were region champions, and we had two region coaches of the year and one state coach of the year.
I would like to personally congratulate five TFS athletes who have all signed to further pursue their academic and athletic careers: Jake Hall, Anfernee Hanna, Sarah Jennings, Denika Lightbourne, and Kitty Rodenas. Their hard work at Tallulah Falls School was evident by the success of their teams. These graduates will take their work ethic and their leadership skills with them. We wish them the best of luck.
One final word of congratulations to our 2023 senior class who received over $7 million in scholarships and were accepted to over 150 colleges and universities. I am very proud of our seniors this year. I truly believe they all have extremely bright futures. They are about to enter the most exciting times of their life as they move on to college.
In addition to reading about the accomplishments of our seniors and our athletes, in this issue of On Campus Magazine we are pleased to share wonderful stories with you from the classroom, from students’ involvement in the community, and from our alumni. Tallulah Falls School really is a great place to be.
TREY GREENE VALEDICTORIAN SALUTATORIAN
“When you graduate high school or college, what do you want to say about your experience? The one thing I think that many people could stand to have a little more of in their life is balance. The word balance is defined in the dictionary as a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. To me, the last few words stood out. ‘In the correct proportions.’ Who is to decide what that means? And that’s the thing – it is different for everyone, which is why everyone’s ideal experience is unique. I can’t tell you what ratio that is, but I can guarantee it is a plethora of talents, experiences and goals all intertwined to create a singular mosaic only beautiful when combined into one. So how would you create such an artwork? The answer is you can’t. It creates itself. But what you can do is gather the pieces. Go to some far off country, study for that extra hour to get your A, run that second faster to get your PR in a race, go see a one-time concert. Those pieces matter. You don’t want to get to the end of your life and realize you don’t have the parts you need to create your mosaic. But there is still time to seek them out and that is what I encourage everyone here to do. I promise you that you won’t regret it.”
- Walker Bailey“First, be yourself, have fun and always check the next lane before merging. Secondly, ask yourself often and genuinely, “Will I be glad that I have done this in the future. Will this thing I am doing, or perhaps not doing, be worth doing after it has been done?” Third, remember that our capacity to succeed is 75% self image. If you cannot see yourself as someone capable of doing what you need to do, you never will be. You decide who you are; and by extension, what you can do. It is never too late to change. Fourth and finally, sometimes you are going to feel lost. When you don’t have a target to move toward, it can feel like you are not moving anywhere at all. We struggle to find goals, we find them unattainable. We worry that who we were in the past delimits who we can be in the future. The past exists only in memory and the future only in expectation. The past and the future – our lives and dreams are stories. We are all stories in the end. If you have nothing else to guide you, make sure you are a story worth reading. We are all stories in the end. Try and live a story worth reading.”
- Trey GreeneNinety-one graduating seniors gathered to celebrate their accomplishments at Tallulah Falls School’s commencement ceremony on Friday, May 19.
Continuing to build on the momentum set by previous classes, the class of 2023 earned more than $7 million in college scholarship offers, and they were accepted to over 150 colleges and universities.
President and Head of School Larry A. Peevy welcomed graduates, families, faculty, staff, and guests, both in person and those joining virtually from around the world.
TFS chaplain Randy Morris presented a prayer of blessing to the class of 2023. This was followed by a word from board of trustees chair, James C. Weidner. Weidner shared scripture and words of encouragement with the senior class. “Work hard and do the right thing all the time, and I assure you, you will have a full and rewarding life,” he said. Alton H. Story Jr. gave the commencement address before Peevy and Academic Dean Kim Popham presented diplomas to the class.
Valedictorian Walker Bailey and Salutatorian William Trey Greene shared thoughtful pieces of advice with their classmates as they end one chapter of their lives and prepare for the next.
Peevy concluded with wise words for the class of 2023. “I would wish you success, but success looks inward. Significance looks outward and focuses on what impact you have on others,” he said. “The greatest impact ever is being able to have an impact that remains long after you are gone. Now I challenge you to go forth from here and to strive for significance.”
Lara Aligrudić
Bralen Nicole Allen
Nana Safroadu Amankwah
Gavin Elias Atkinson
Sandra Badía Cester
Walker Delaine Bailey
Miracle Jadah Bain
Emma Caroline Barrett
Mina Beratović
Staša Beratović
Henry Alan Bowman
Canon Grant Brooks
Charles Aarington Brown III
Davante Fabian Brown
Hattie Camille Cantrell
Knute Jackson Carnes II
Miranda Chapa Castellanos
Yen Chou
Simeon Čonjagić
Diego Alejandro Crotta
Mei Hui de Velasco
Leah Milan Desta
Carol Kathryn Dunlap
Milica Đurović
Heron Grey Eaton
Hutson Spear Eller
Ellesen Alyx Eubank
Zeyu Fang
Lucía Fano Mateos
Jonathan Tyler Farmer
Nahia Fresno Suárez
William Treyden Greene
Lazar Grujanić
Jacob Ramsey Hall
Lincoln William Hall
Anfernee Delano Hanna
Savannah Raye Harris
Cassidy Diane Hayes
Amy Henriques
Colton Grey Hicks
Adeline Grace Higbie
Yuyue Hu
Christy Brooke Hulsey
Emma Sinclaire Jackson
Krystian Jankiewicz
Sarah Elizabeth Jennings
Isabella Marie Jones
Seth Hunter Justice
Layne Frances Kafsky
Chloé Anne Kahwach
Adam Keene Kennedy
Maryia Khanina
Trystan Matthew James Lamm
Anastasia Lejava
Denika Tehilliah Lightbourne
Dallas Bryce Loonubon
Siying Lu
Hannah Leigh Lundy
Xinliang Lyu
Frankey George Moree Jr.
Meredith Emily Morris
Madeline Brecken Mulllis
Kailyn Ashley Neal
Benjamin Chinedum Okoronkwo
Keelie Fayth Lin Parks
Ramaya Faith Pittman
Vlad loan Popescu
Madisyn Andrea Ramey
Cristina Isabel Ródenas Elices
Benjamin Michael Rosenthal
Sofía Rueda Álvarez
Christian Gram Russell
Elsa Sanchez Merino
Katie Grace Scaramuzzo
William Gabriel Seaman
Tanisha Anika Seymour
Seungwook Shin
Emery Grant Sims
Ninel Andreevna Tarasova
Satori Chandler Tilley
Trenton Scott Toler
Emma Kate Trotter
Cecily Eve Tucker
Vy Lê Thụy Võ
Jue Wang
Yixuan Wang
Nelson Charles Wilkinson IV
Zhigao Xiong
Wyatt Montgomery York
Ruichen Zhang
Austin James Zigler
HIGHEST SAT SCORE IN TFS HISTORY
REGION 1 STAR WINNER - TREY GREENE
HAILING FROM 14 COUNTRIES
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
MONTENEGRO
BAHAMAS
SPAIN
MEXICO
TAIWAN
SERBIA
CHINA
POLAND
KAZAKHSTAN
ROMANIA
UKRAINE
SOUTH KOREA
VIETNAM
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Acadia College
Alaska Pacific University
Anderson University
Art Center College of Design
Babson College
Barry University
Baylor University
Bentley University
Berklee College of Music
Berry College
Bethune-Cookman University
Binghamton University
Boston University
Brenau University
Brevard College
Brussels School of Governance
Budapest Metropolitan University
California College of the Arts
Carnegie Mellon University
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina University
The College of Wooster
Columbia College
Concordia University-Wisconsin
Converse College
Cornell University
Covenant College
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Davidson College
DePaul University
Eastern Mennonite University
Eötvös Loránd University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University-Daytona Beach
Emerson College
Emory & Henry College
Emory University
Ferrum College
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Florida International University
Florida Memorial University
Fordham University
Framingham State University
Furman University
George Mason University
Georgia College & State University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Southern University
Georgia State University
Gettysburg College
Goucher College
Hamilton College
Hawai’i Pacific University
Hofstra University
Howard University
Humanitas University
Indiana University Bloomington
Jacksonville State University
Johnson & Wales UniversityCharlotte
Karel de Grote-Hogeschool
Kennesaw State University
LaGrange College
Lanier Technical College
Lees-McRae College
Liberty University
Lipscomb University
Luther College
Lynn University
Lyon College
Maryland Institute College of Art
Mercer University
Methodist University
Michigan State University
Middle Georgia State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Morehouse College
Motlow State Community College
New Jersey Institute of Technology
New York University
Newberry College
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Dakota State University
North Georgia Technical College
Northeastern University
Occidental College
The Ohio State University
Oregon State University
The Pennsylvania State University
Pepperdine University
Piedmont University
Pratt Institute
Randolph-Macon College
Regent University
Rhodes College
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rodenas Calumet College of St. Joseph
Rutgers University
Saint Mary’s College of California
Samford University
Savannah College of Art & Design
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
School of Visual Arts
Southern Methodist University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stony Brook University
Suffolk University
Syracuse University
Temple University
Toccoa Falls College
Trinity Washington University
Truett McConnell University
Union College-New York
Union University
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Universidad Europea de Madrid
Universidad de Navarra
University at Buffalo
University College Dublin
The University of Alabama
University of California-Davis
University of California-Irvine
University of California-Riverside
University of California-San Diego
University of Connecticut
University of Dayton
University of Georgia
University of Idaho
University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
The University of Iowa
University of Kansas
University of Lynchburg
University of Maine at Fort Kent
University of Maryland
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Montana
University of North Georgia
University of Oregon
University of South Florida
The University of Tampa
The University of Texas at Austin
The University of Utah
University of West Georgia
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Virginia Tech
Wesleyan College
Western Carolina University
Western Colorado University
Western Washington University
William & Mary
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Xavier University
Young Harris College
As seniors prepared for graduation, they attended a luncheon with the upper school staff. TFS staff member Linda Harris took a moment to share one last lesson with seniors through her special “rose tribute” before staff members gave a rose to a senior. “Seeing teachers and staff holding roses, knowing they were for us was bittersweet,” said senior Isabella Jones. “Ms. Wade gave me a rose. Watching her walk over to me made me feel really special, and Mrs. Harris’ story had quite an impact on our class.”
VALEDICTORIAN
Walker Bailey
SALUTATORIAN
William Treyden (Trey) Greene
PRESIDENT’S AWARD
Sarah Jennings,12
PRESIDENT’S OUTSTANDING CHARACTER AWARD
Benjamin Okoronkwo, 12
STAR STUDENT
William Treyden (Trey) Greene
STAR TEACHER
Adam Greiving
ACADEMIC AWARDS
ENGLISH
Kaylin Pickett, 9
Zachary Carringer, 10
Dani Prince, 11
Miracle Bain, 12
SCIENCE
Sarah Morris, 9
Allison Bailey, 10
Katarina Foskey, 11
Seungwook Shin, 12
MATH
Lily Gaglio, 9
Marina Dumas, 10
David Vasic, 11
Leah Desta, 12
SOCIAL STUDIES
Charlotte Stafford, 9
Elizabeth Wanner, 10
Luka Burmazevic, 11
Nana Amankwah, 12
ELECTIVE AND FINE ARTS AWARDS
CODING
Seungwook (Daniel) Shin, 12
CULINARY
Trent Toler, 12
ENGINEERING
Nana Amankwah, 12
JOURNALISM
David Yates, 11
VISUAL ARTS
David Yates, 11
MUSIC
Yixuan Wang, 12
GMEA ALL STATE CHORUS
Caroline Smith, 10
Allison York, 10
THEATRE
Benjamin Okoronkwo, 12
ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT AWARD
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Merrick Carnes, 9
INDIAN IRON AWARD
Sam Ketch, 11
Miracle Bain, 12
GREAT LEADERSHIP AWARD
Sam Ketch, 11
Molly Mitchell, 11
INDIAN OF THE YEAR
Joseph McGahee, 11
Sofia Rueda, 12
OFFSEASON AWARD
Kitty Rodenas, 12
TFS SCHOLAR ATHLETE
Jue Wang, 12
Emery Sims, 12
TFS ATHLETIC IMPACT AWARD
Jake Hall, 12
TRIPLE THREAT AWARD
Sofia Rueda, 12
I AM TALLULAH
David Chester, Assistant Head of School
Matt Heyl, Head Volleyball Coach
OUTSTANDING UPPER SCHOOL
DAY STUDENT
Cecily Tucker
OUTSTANDING BOARDING STUDENT
Maya Pittman
EXTRA MILE AWARD
Rebecca Heyworth
CALEB GRIFFIS MEMORIAL FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
Canon Brooks, Sarah Jennings
CHICK-FIL-A SCHOLARSHIP
Meredith Morris
CIRCLE FOR CHILDREN SCHOLARSHIP
Emma Barrett, Emma Jackson, Madisyn Ramey
D.A.R. GOOD CITIZEN
Trey Greene
THE EVERYDAY GOOD - WADE & JOBETH LAWSON SCHOLARSHIP
Carol Kate Dunlap, Isabella Jones, Katie Scaramuzzo
GA MOUNTAIN AND LAKES REALTORS ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP
Isabella Jones
HARRY NORMAN SCHOLARSHIP
Sarah Jennings
HORATIO ALGER SCHOLARSHIP
Isabella Jones
KIWANIS CLUB OF HABERSHAM CLUB SCHOLARSHIP
Hannah Lundy
LAKE BURTON CIVIC ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP
Emma Jackson, Madisyn Ramey
NORTH GEORGIA ART GUILD SCHOLARSHIP
Kailyn Neal, Ruichen Zhang
WOODMANLIFE FOCUS FORWARD SCHOLARSHIP
Hannah Lundy
Legacy students are designated as those students who enroll at TFS in the sixth grade and attend throughout middle and high school. This year, 31 students made that list, representing nearly 75% of the original class finishing together on May 19. The archival photos from that first yearbook photo session in the fall of 2016 contrasts with the senior portraits for a dramatic “then” and “now” comparison.
Bralen Allen
Emma Barrett
Henry Bowman
Knute Carnes
Hutson Eller
Jonathan Farmer
William Greene
Lincoln Hall
Savannah Harris
Cassidy Hayes
Colton Hicks
Adeline Higbie
Christy Hulsey
Emma Jackson
Sarah Jennings
Isabella Jones
Layne Kafsky
Chloe Kahwach
Adam Kennedy
Dallas Loonubon
Hannah Lundy
Madeline Mullis
Keelie Parks
Ramaya Pittman
Benjamin Rosenthal
Christian Russell
Satori Tilley
Trenton Toler
Emma Trotter
Cecily Tucker
Wyatt York
The TFS middle school put on a grand spectacle and feast with drama, singing, dance and combat at the fourth annual Madrigal on Friday, April 21, and a matinee performance on Saturday, April 22.
The evening involved friendly jests and fun between two houses. Guests were assigned to the Stronghold of Sage or the Castle of Clove. They were encouraged to “cheer for their house during any of the evening’s contests of strength and skill.”
This year’s madrigal featured a play within a play, “Princess Grace of Knockerdown” by Jim and Jane Jefferies. The court dialogue and introductions were produced by drama teacher and director Carrie Layer. Layer arranged the script to give more students the opportunity to be involved and to fit the needs of the cast. “We have children with different talents, and this allows us to highlight them,” said Layer.
There were a myriad of ways for students to participate: building puppets, making costumes, designing the set, acting, singing, sword fighting, and dancing. “Students really step up and have fun,” said Layer.
Two eighth graders served in leadership roles. Teagan Penland operated the sound, and Oakley Irvin assisted with costuming. Irvin had a hand in selecting, altering, and fitting 72 costumes for the performance.
This magical event brought together multiple members from the TFS community. Assistant Director of Information Technology Josh Brady provided sword fight training and choreography. “The students worked really hard to put together a great action sequence,” said Brady. “It is a joy to connect with students on something different like the sword fight. It really lets them express their personalities in a new way.”
As part of the show, students served a traditional medieval meal, which was prepared by TFS FLIK dining services.
“Everyone’s role is important to the whole, and this makes the magic come together,” said Layer.
For three nights in April, a cast of nine and a six-piece “homegrown” band brought Godspell to the Gertrude Long Harris Theatre at Tallulah Falls School. This retelling of the Gospel of St. Matthew, written by Michael Tebelak, meshes the modern with the ancient, and a childlike storytelling of Biblical parables. The cast lured in the audience with stories told in conversation, song, and poetry.
“The style of the show is really different from most scripts because improvisation is encouraged from the start,” said director Jonathan Roberts. “The script is full of parentheses with ideas and suggestions that the actors had to create from. It makes it really tough for high school actors to take
that on, but we had a good crew to do it with.”
Roberts gave them exercises, instructions and maps, but for Roberts, nothing could be better than for the cast to learn on the fly –to see what is happening and try with their instincts, and to learn from their mistakes. “I really put the show in their hands,” he said. “They took on the roles and lived them on stage, and they made it their own.” Cast member senior Mei Hui de Velasco explained, “We put our creative spin on the show. It was our show, not a replication.”
Senior Benjamin Okoronkwo played the character of Jesus. “Playing the character of Jesus has been my hardest role,” he
said. “I had to memorize so much scripture and then tell it like a story. And in the past, I’ve used flaws to make characters real, but there were no flaws.”
Okoronkwo spent time on his own digging deeper into the character of Christ. “Jesus is this person that is accessible to everyone,” he said. “I had to make that believable by getting to know the cast, especially Lizzy, who played Judas. We grew close – we even had hand signals and handshakes.”
Roberts saw some very mature performances from his cast members. “They took on the roles and lived them on stage. We created a really organic piece,” he said.
TFS welcomed home alumni at the first TFS homecoming post pandemic. Alumni gathered together in the natatorium on a rainy Friday afternoon, April 14.
Gathered alumni, spanning seven decades, could be heard sharing stories from their years at TFS including tales of interesting science experiments, moments from math classes with Mrs. Harris, and putting together last-minute English papers. Others reminisced about Reverend Turpin bringing students from Y camp straight to work study. “They were so excited to be here and see each other,” said Turpin.
Larry Vickers, class of 1971, served for 20 years in the air force before starting his own trucking company. He believes his math background at TFS was influential in his success. “Math is everything,” he said. “Do math and then learn how to write.” He remembered how his teachers figured out his learning style and helped him develop a method to work for him.
James Henager, class of 2009 runs logistics for a large restaurant supply chain. Henager reflected on his experiences at TFS. “I remember when my English teacher, Terri Bogan, gave us our senior project,” said Henager. The project focused on thinking about a future job. “It was simulating what would happen in a job situation and we had to think ahead. What we did is a lot of what I do in my work today.”
Crystal Hitchcock, class of 2010, remembers TFS as a safe place to come to school. “I learned I was an athlete,” she said. “I played volleyball and ran track and field.” Hitchcock discovered that she could excel in academics. “A teacher took her time to help me. I learned I could do it, but that I had to work at it,” she said.
While Dean of Students Jimmy Franklin gave campus tours, alumni were able to view visual artwork displayed throughout the natatorium, listen to several student musicians play the piano, and watch the fifth grade synchronized swim club perform pieces of their spring show. Students from the entrepreneur class brought over a pop-up school store and sold TFS merchandise.
Executive Director for Advancement Sonya Smith welcomed alumni and introduced President and Head of School Dr. Larry A. Peevy. Peevy shared a warm welcome with alumni and gave a school update. “A lot has probably changed with our growth, but I am proud to say that one thing hasn’t changed, though. Our family atmosphere is still the same,” he said. “When you ask our students what they like best about TFS, the sense of family comes up over and over. Family continues to be an important part of our culture.”
Alumni Coordinator Linda Harris presented this year’s Outstanding Former Student award to 1973 TFS alumna Irene Henry Gray. Gray has been a valuable member of the TFS community for more than fifty years as a student, alumna, parent, employee, and alumni committee member.
“A teacher took her time to help me. I learned I could do it, but that I had to work at it.”
- Crystal Hitchcock
“Irene has been an integral part of the TFS family for many years, and we are thrilled to honor her with this award,” said Harris. “Her dedication and commitment to the school and our alumni community are truly remarkable.”
Gray enrolled at TFS in 1970 and graduated as valedictorian of her 21-member class in 1973. As a student, she was actively involved in Student Council, served as vice president her senior year, and cheered on the basketball team as a cheerleader. Gray also swam on the school’s inaugural swim team and competed in regional and state chorus competitions.
After completing her bachelor’s degree at Wesleyan College, Gray returned to TFS in 1994 as a member of the admissions office. She later moved to the upper school and served as the academic office assistant from 1995-2016 and then as the school’s registrar until her retirement in 2019. During her tenure, she also worked with the alumni committee for nearly 25 years, leading their efforts for much of that time.
The Outstanding Former Student Award recognizes TFS alumni who have made significant contributions to their profession, community, or the school.
After accepting the award, Grey gave a brief speech. “TFS brings students in, accepts them the way they are and helps them to be the best they can be,” said Gray.
Member of the Class of 1955, the former Dean of Students, and an honorary member of the Board of Trustees Reverend James Turpen gave a blessing for the indoor cook-in served by the dining hall staff.
Linda Harris’ words express the true TFS spirit found within each of our alumni. “Everyone takes a little and everyone leaves a little. TFS has a heart. You came to feel that heart beat,” Harris said. “Every one of you is uniquely made. I can’t wait to see the next bunch of unique personalities.”
Attended Tallulah Falls School
Mary Shirley Crow, Age 95September 5, 2022
Ruby Ann Youngblood Gailey, Age 83March 22, 2023
CLASS OF 1942
Mildred Wilbanks HarberJanuary 24, 2022
CLASS OF 1946
Evelyn Brumbelow OwensDecember 10, 2022
CLASS OF 1949
Marilyn Miller Irlbacher - May 9, 2022
Col. Willys Everett Davis - November 15, 2022
CLASS OF 1954
Joel K. Huggins - May 16, 2022
CLASS OF 1958
Grady Melvin Smith - February 23, 2023
CLASS OF 1964
Sheila Roane Gaillard - October 2, 2022
CLASS OF 2016
Taylor Nicole Trimiar - September 30, 2022
Irene Henry Gray Outstanding Former StudentGuest speaker engineer Paul Krippner spoke to Scott Davis’ engineering classes on Wednesday, April 12. He shared about his work as a facilities project engineer for NASA. He worked with a team of engineers to build the Lunar Module. “When the president declared the United States was going to put a man on the moon, there was a collective gasp from the engineering community,” Krippner said. The entire project involved solving one problem after another. “The president said, ‘We are going to do this, not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard.’ There was no computer, there were no books about it,” he said. He asked students, “What can you do in your lifetime?” Senior Anfernee Hanna was inspired by Krippner. “He helped us to see that we are the future of engineers,” said Hanna. “We have answers to the problems, not the computers.”
The Georgia Court of Appeals heard arguments at TFS on Tuesday, March 28. Arguments were heard by Chief Judge Brian Rickman, Presiding Judge Stephen Louis A Dillard, and Judge Trea Pipkin. The court of appeals holds off-site oral argument sessions throughout Georgia as part of their community outreach to bring transparency to the judicial
process. “I love how the lawyers and judges respected each other,” said sophomore Jovana Dermanovic of Novi Sad, Serbia. The session was followed by a Q&A with students. “I liked learning what appellate judges do, their way of forming words and how they conduct hearings,” said sophomore Marina Dumas of Clarkesville, GA.
Upper School art classes met with Piedmont University’s art department recruiter, Jessica Hawkins. Hawkins shared about the university’s art department and gave a hands-on printmaking lesson. Students created stamps using clay and carving tools. Their creations ranged from shapes and flowers to faces and panda bears. “I had to work with positive and negative shapes to create my panda,” said junior Amy Ma of Cumming, GA. “I have never tried something like that. It was something new and a fun experience.”
TFS President and Head of School Larry Peevy, students and staff celebrated the naming of the upper school’s new Freeman Resource Center at a brief ceremony in May. This latest addition to the upper school campus was made possible by a planned gift from the late Christina Freeman of Atlanta, then Rabun County. Mrs. Freeman was an educator and member of the North Side Woman’s Club and the Circle for Children, who included Tallulah Falls School as a beneficiary of her estate.
TFS middle school students enjoyed the highly anticipated annual Field Day. Led by the middle school faculty, students competed in various fun and challenging events. The water station featured a game of human battleship, while the obstacle course at the compass area tested students’ agility and endurance. Old favorites like the three-legged race and wooden spoon/egg
carry were also in the mix, in addition to the shoe scramble and everyone’s favorite, the tug-of-war. After fierce competition, the Hornets emerged victorious as this year’s Field Day champions. “I’m proud of all the students for showing great sportsmanship and teamwork throughout the day,” said Coach Kimbrel. “It was an unforgettable event for everyone involved.”
Tallulah Falls School rising senior Lilly Kate Farrar loves serving, leading and connecting people. Her love has grown through her continued involvement with Habersham County
4-H. Currently, Farrar serves as vice president of the 4-H Northeast Georgia district senior board as well as secretary of 4-H Habersham County council. In June, Farrar attended officer training and state council both held at Rock Eagle in Eatonton, Georgia. In her roles, Farrar helps to plan events, participates in public speaking engagements, leads assemblies, speaks to community organizations, and competes in ongoing contests.
Farrar is also part of in the 4-H Leadership in Action program. This program encourages youth to see needs in the community and implement a way to make a positive difference. “I saw a need in my community for more youth to participate in the arts,” said Farrar. “My idea sprouted from a love of theater and helping others,” she said. Farrar created Heart for the Arts. She sells heart shaped crayons to raise scholarship funds to send children to
theater camp that couldn’t otherwise afford it. Over the last year, she has raised $2,300.
Farrar’s project won at the district level, which opened up the opportunity for her to participate in the 4-H state congress held in Atlanta in July. At congress Farrar competed against other districts, spoke to donors, attended banquets, and made connections with local organizations and companies. “4-H is a major part of who I am,” said Farrar. “I’ve learned persistence and dedication and this has pushed me to be a better version of myself and build deeper connections with people.”
Habersham County Program Assistant Renee Smagur sees Farrar as a model for what 4-H represents. “She uses her head by encouraging others to be the best version of who they are. She uses her hands in so many ways to provide community service to not only those here in Habersham, but across Georgia,” said Smagur. “Lilly Kate uses her heart in everything she does, and she reminds us to be our best self. She is a spark of light in our program.”
Tallulah Falls School’s Evening of the Arts is a spectacular celebration of creativity. This annual event showcased the remarkable talents of TFS students in visual arts, culinary arts, and music. This year’s exhibits were held simultaneously at the middle and upper schools, providing attendees a diverse and immersive experience.
The middle school exhibit delighted family and friends with a wide range of creative works, including paintings, fiber creations,
collages, and digital art. Students from grades five through eight showcased their unique skills and techniques through these impressive pieces.
Attendees also gathered across the street at the natatorium to enjoy the upper school art students’ stunning drawings, paintings, and sculptures created throughout the academic year. Guests enjoyed delightful student musical performances and a delicious selection of hors d’oeuvres prepared by the culinary arts classes.
BAILEY CRUMLEY FRESHMAN SANDRA BADIA CESTER SENIOR ASHLYN YASKIEWICZ JUNIOR DREW BARRON 8TH GRADE KAILYN NEAL SENIOR MARINA DUMAS SOPHOMORECulinary students were challenged to think outside of the box – literally. Their assignment: Find a unique made from scratch cupcake recipe for the annual Cupcake Wars competition.
Culinary arts teacher Toby Hunter gave each team their “mise en place” directive. Translated: “Get your stuff in order.” Thirteen groups provided Hunter a grocery list of all the needed ingredients. Once they had their ingredients, they made two different flavors of cupcakes.
From those batches, they turned in one cupcake for judging. “Time management is the biggest thing,” said Hunter. “They had to learn timing for baking their creations. They also had to take into account recipe conversions and reading the recipe correctly.” One group made a mint oreo cupcake and an apple pie cupcake. They chose to enter their apple pie confection. Another group created an Arnold Palmer cupcake with tea infused milk. They didn’t win, but they were willing to try something different,” said Hunter.
The next day they made the frosting and fillings and worked on decorating. “I did the apple pie filling, but it was hard for the flour to dissolve and thicken up like it was supposed to, so I had to use caramel as a replacement to make it thicken up and look good,” said senior Meredith Morris.
Owners of Sugartopia, a local bakery, served as judges for the Cupcake Wars. Senior Carol Kate Dunlap and sophomore Emmet Sims won best overall with their Campfire cupcake.
1st Place: Best Tasting Tres leches cupcake with dulce de leche frosting Jane Ibemere, Landry Carnes, Aidan Woodside Rich chocolate cupcake with creamy chocolate buttercream frosting Jack Wiese and Kelly Jun Mocha cupcake with caramel filling and espresso buttercream frosting Angelina Kim and Allie Phasavang 2nd Place: Most Creative Apple pie cupcake - Cinnamon cupcake with apple pie filling and a whipped sour cream frosting and caramel drizzle Seth Justice, Meredith Morris, Justin Graham, Emma Barrett Mixed berry cupcake with raspberry filling and lime buttercream frosting Landon Miller and Jared MullisStudents enjoyed a glamorous evening at the 2023 Tallulah Falls School Prom held at Chota Falls Estate in Clayton, Georgia. The evening involved dinner, the traditional senior walk, crowning of the prom king and queen, dancing, and carriage rides. “The venue is so unique and special,” said junior Ana Harris. “The carriage ride allowed us to really see the waterfalls and the lights.”
A highlight of the night was the annual senior walk. Seniors were escorted by a friend and enthusiastically announced by Dean of Students Jimmy Franklin. Several seniors and their escort choreographed a signature move to show off at the finale of their walk. “The senior walk is something special that we get to do together before the seniors leave,” said junior Lily Desta. “I escorted Denika Lightborne. We made up a handshake and converted it into a dance.”
President and Head of School Dr. Larry A. Peevy and Upper School Academic Dean Kim Popham crowned seniors Aarington Brown and Maya Pittman as the 2023 prom king and queen before they opened the dance floor with the first dance.
The night concluded with a bonfire underneath a cool mountain sky. Students roasted marshmallows and blew bubbles around the fire. “It was great to see all my friends dressed up and having fun,” said junior Brooke Hayes.
The Indians entered 2023 with a mix of returning, experienced players and fresh faces. Through a tough and condensed schedule, Tallulah Falls (4-4-1) had a season marked with growth and maturity. That showed with the boys going 2-0-1 to end on a high note.
Wins came over Towns, twice over Rabun Gap, and a win over Lumpkin County to polish off the season following a rare tie.
Highlights of the season included a no-hitter thrown by seventh grader Jack Greene, eighth grader Drew Barron’s consistent leadership on the mound and at the plate, and Asa Popham, Garrett Dorsey, William NeSmith, and Reilly Cox having fantastic seasons offensively. Barron was 2-2 on the mound with a 2.33 ERA and 29 strikeouts. Greene was 1-0 with a perfect 0.00 ERA in 8 innings with 14 strikeouts.
Dorsey hit a team-high .500 with a team-best 11 RBI. Barron hit .474, adding 8 RBI. Popham was a .360 hitter with 2 homeruns, 10 RBI, and 10 runs to go with 9 stolen bases. Cox (.350, 1 HR, 8 RBI) and NeSmith (.320, 1 HR, 6 RBI) were critical offensively as well. NeSmith was the table-setter as the leadoff batter, setting team highs with 16 runs and 13 stolen bases.
Several others such as Greene (.320, 4 RBI), Brantley Addison (.333, 4 RBI), Ryder Cantrell (.273, 2 RBI), and Ryan Anderson (.200, 4 RBI, 8 IP, 9 K), and Woods Irvin (9 IP, 8 K, .350 OBP) were key starters.
Barron, NeSmith, Anderson, and Cantrell move on to the upper school, but much of the lineup will return as the Indians seek to take the next step in 2024.
The 2023 season for the MS Indians was a complete 180 from the year prior. After going 2-4 last trip around the sun, coach Chris Kafsky had hoped his young team would take the next step. Indeed it did - as TFS motored through the schedule to a 6-2 record.
The Indians opened the season with an 8-0 shutout of Franklin, and it jump started a four match win streak. That included wins over Stephens, White, and Hart with a combined score of 29-5 in that win streak.
The first of back-to-back losses came against Rabun in a 3-2 final and then 3-2 against White. The boys took their lumps and learned from them, and rebounded with back-to-back 8-0 wins over Stephens and Towns to close out the season with a bang.
The defense was tremendous, as the final goal count was 49 and just 11 against. Meanwhile, the offense did its part, as Kale Borchers led the team with 21 goals. Isaac Farris was close behind with 14, while Tyson Hall had 7 for the Indians.
Finish without blemish. That’s what Tallulah Falls did in 2023. The MS girls soccer team, guided by head coach Laura Higbie, had an unforgettable season that culminated in a gritty win over its rivals to secure perfection.
TFS left no doubt it was the superior team every time it left the pitch. After outscoring opponents 22-3 in the first four wins, the Lady Indians won the next four by a 20-0 combined score.
TFS closed the season with a 1-0 battle over rival Rabun Gap, putting the finishing touches
on a sensational campaign. The Lady Indians went 11-0 and posted 53 goals and allowed only 6. The entire defense and back line played exceptionally well, and Savana Owensby unselfishly took on the role of goalkeeper early on and was unwilling to let anything by her.
Offensively, the girls were paced by LB Kafsky’s historic 30-goal season. Amari Ernst (9 G), Ryleigh Wilson and Adelaide Tatum (5 G each), and Betsey Orr (4 G) were key players as well.
93% of the scoring from this team moves on to the upper school, but the example those girls left for the younger players give the blueprint for success. Orr, Mylah McGugan, Nora Mitchell, and others will be counted on to fill the gaps next season and build on this winning foundation.
Fair or not, the level of success for MS track typically is decided based on how well the teams hold to program standards. Tallulah Falls aims high year after year. 2023 was no different, and with another championship for the boys and a runner-up finish for the girls, the bar continues to remain elevated.
Throughout the season, the boys achieved six school records to force mass edits in the record book. Those include Wyatt Fountain’s 25.40 200 meter time, Teagan Penland’s 5:10.38 1600 time, Brian Neely’s 37’7 triple jump, and the 4x100, 4x200, and 4x800 relay teams all putting up program highs.
Cody Loonubon, Neely, William NeSmith, and Fountain combined for the 4x100 and 4x200 records of 49.23 and 1:48.92, respectively. Dylan Johnson, Hawk Oliver, Caleb Kelly, and Gavin Simmons ran a 12:59.15 to put up a record in the 4x800.
At the Tri-State Championship meet, Neely won the long jump and triple jump, Fountain took the top spot in the 100 and 200 (record time), Ryan Anderson won the 400, and Penland won the 800 and was second in
the 1600. The 4x100 (record time), 4x200 (record time), and 4x400 Relay teams all won for the boys as well.
The Lady Indians had a much smaller roster, yet still had consistent presence at the top in each meet. The girls closed out the season with a Tri-State Runner-Up finish. Ca’Rin Swinton won three events — 100, 200, 100 MH — and was second in the high jump. LB Kafsky placed first in the high jump and triple jump, and was second in the 300 MH. Meanwhile, the girls 4x400 relay group also took the top spot.
The boys won their 11th title in 12 years, going back to 2011. It marks their second straight season winning Tri-State, while the Lady Indians have won it 10 times in 12 years, having won the previous three before this Runner-Up finish.
New year, same results for the Lady Indians MS golfers. A year ago, the girls were without a loss in and won the Tri-State Championship. Top golfer Bella Hulsey returned in 2023 for another round.
TFS brought in new head coach Jadie Hatcher. The girls once again went without a loss, and Hulsey ended the season at the Area Championship with a low medalist finish alongside teammate Maeve Hatcher. Hulsey won a one-hole playoff to secure the individual title, and the Lady Indians won by 12 strokes at Apple Mountain.
In total, the girls and boys combined for six low medalist finishes and every golfer produced new personal-bests.
For the girls, Hulsey and Hatcher were typically at the top of the pack, and Emma Whisnant, Sadie Henslee, Handley James, and Catherine Harris all had solid seasons as well.
The boys came in fourth at the Area Championship, and Owen Earp consistently was the top scorer for the Indians. Josh Newell saved his best for last, and Maddox English, Micah Smith, Keller VanOrman, and Tate Colston were all contributors to the team success.
Every roster player is either a sixth- or seventh-grader, meaning next season could be even more successful as each golfer takes a natural step of progression in their game.
The Tallulah Falls School bass fishing team had a stellar showing in 2022-23 with the middle school (junior division) combo of DJ Broome and Shepard Crumley consistently finishing near the top on the way to the Georgia Bass Nation State Championships in June.
What started with a 3rd-place finish for the duo in the opening tournament on West Point Lake in November was the beginning of a special season for the 8th-graders. Solid showings at Lake Lanier in December and Lake Seminole in February were followed by a 2nd-place finish at Lake Hartwell in March and a 3rd-place finish in April at Clarks Hill.
That gave Broome and Crumley a 2nd-place spot in the Angler of the Year standings and qualified them for the state tournament. In early June, the duo finished 17th overall. Broome and Crumley qualified for Junior Nationals, to be held in July.
Whether or not Tallulah Falls set out to completely blow up the record books was intended, that’s just what the Indians did in 2023. A young team with great chemistry came together in what is easily the best season in school history. Records were shattered, and expectations for the program have been elevated due to what Jeremy Stille’s group accomplished this year, making a first-ever Sweet 16 run.
It didn’t take long for the Indians to garner state-wide attention. A blistering 7-0 start in which TFS outscored opponents 59-0 led to a top-5 state ranking. A few wins later the team secured a #1 ranking in multiple polls amidst a season they were not only winning, but obliterating programs and playing flawless soccer.
The Indians were 15-0 going into their third straight state tournament, securing a first-ever Region Championship and had a goal differential of 108-3. That’s not a typo. The perfect regular season featured a spotless 10-0 mark in Region 8-A DI, and wins over ranked opponents Prince Avenue Christian (#7) and Mt. Vernon (#9).
For all the talk about the spectacular offense that put up a record 113 goals, the defense was just as good - or better. The back line, anchored by talents such as juniors Brit Shaw and Jake Wehrstein, produced 13 clean sheets, including seven in a row to open the season. They were a wall of protection for sophomore keeper Kelton Reynolds (77 saves), who owns the singleseason (13) and career (17) shutout records. He and his defense allowed only six goals all season, with three coming in the Sweet 16 loss to Whitefield Academy.
In the playoffs, TFS opened with a 4-0 win over visiting Darlington before falling in overtime to Whitefield on the home pitch. That gave the final score tally of 113-6, both shattering school records. The 16-1 record is far and away the best, surpassing a pair of 11-win seasons dating back to 2005.
Junior Austin Ball and senior Jake Hall were a one-two punch unlike any in the state. Ball set the single-season goals record with 39, adding a single-season record of 16 assists as well. He’s the all-time leader in both categories, notching 52 goals and 38 assists heading into his senior year. Hall was the engine that drove the Indians, making plays all over the field while running up 26 goals and 10 assists. Sophomores Landon Hall (11 G,
11 A), Clay Kafsky (6 G, 13 A), Koen Eller (4 G, 2 A), and Jared Mullis (2 G, 2 A) were instrumental to the team’s success, and senior co-captain Simeon Conjagic was fantastic despite missing much of the season to injury. He had six goals and 12 assists, and set a new single-match record for six helpers in an early win.
Junior Luis Varano Pastor (9 G, 4 A) and freshman Laith Reynolds emerged as standout players, and the trio of Jacob Mitchell, Josiah Turney, and Jackson Cording were key fixtures as well. Among the many highlights of the season were Ball’s nine hat tricks (including a record-tying five goal-game). Jake Hall also had four hat tricks of his own.
The amount of talent on the roster is immense, and the up-and-coming JV players who are more than ready only adds to the expectations to build off this foundation. Jake Hall and Conjagic will graduate, but the returning players and newcomers will be ready to fill those voids and aim for a deeper run in 2024.
Having a JV soccer team for the first time is a sign of the influx of talent and interest in the program. Winning games in the process was likely - but the Indians blew expectations out of the water with a 7-0 record.
Coach Ashley Farris headed up a group that dominated nearly the entire season. From the opening 8-0 win over White County all the way to a gritty 2-1 win over Habersham Central, the Indians walked off the field victorious every time.
Through the first four matches, TFS was 4-0 with a total goal count of 261, pitching three clean sheet shutouts. That included wins over North Hall, White County, and a pair over Riverside. The rematch with North Hall was a 7-2 victory and was followed by a 10-0 shutout over White County. Tallulah Falls secured the tough win over Habersham to close it out.
TFS was 3-0 at home and 4-0 on the road, and outscored opposition 444, with 11 different players scoring goals. Marcos Alvarez Carrasco had 12 goals and added six assists. Luis Varano Pastor finished with 10 goals and four assists, and Gonzalo Gallardo Lozano had four goals and 12 assists.
That was the message and the goal for the 2023 season that was a pivotal part of the DNA that coach Travis Mullis wanted for this group. Mission accomplished. This particular group of seniors were working toward this for some years now, all the way back to middle school. So it’s no surprise that this was the best season in school history.
The Lady Indians (12-4) grabbed a third straight Region Runner-Up finish and state qualification. They advanced to their first-ever Sweet 16 after winning their first playoff game (3-2 win vs Trion). Throughout the season, the girls were ranked as high as #6 in the state polls, marking the first state ranking earned by the program. Ultimately, the season ended with a loss at the reigning state champions, Social Circle.
Senior captain Addie Higbie followed up her junior season of 21 goals (then a school record) by more than doubling it. She tallied 43 goals, obliterating her own record, and finished her career as the all-time leading scorer with 71 goals, more than twice the second-place scorer. Higbie’s phenomenal season consisted of seven hat tricks, including twice setting a new singlematch record. She scored six goals against Elbert County, and less than a month later notched seven against Athens Christian. She finished her career with 11 hat tricks.
Gemma Farris (12 G, 6 A), Maddie Mullis (5 G, 8 A), and Tessa Foor (11 A) were all standouts offensively as well. 12 different players scored goals and 14 tallied assists. Foor had a 4-assist game, representing a singlematch record. Keeper Kyndal Anderson (72 saves) posted six clean sheets between the posts and is the all-time leader with 14. Every player on the roster contributed heavily to the historic season.
TFS scored a record 79 goals scored against 45 allowed. The girls opened the season with four straight wins by a combined score of 23-0, and won five in a row prior to the Sweet 16 loss.
Seniors Higbie, Mullis, Meredith Morris, Elsa Sanchez, Miracle Bain, Stasa Beratovic, and Leah Desta all graduated. The team will return several playmakers for another hopeful historic run in 2024.
No one event makes or breaks an entire season for a program, yet it does encapsulate the hard work and dedication put in. The girls 4x400 relay team won the GHSA State Championship in Rome, marking the first relay group in TFS history to do so. That was part of the stellar effort the track and field teams had this season.
The Lady Indians placed fifth at the Region Championships, and followed it up with a 10th-place finished at the state meet, their best finish since a 5th-place finish in 2018. The Indians, meanwhile, were third at Region and finished 25th at state.
In the process of the season, TFS broke school records in the boys discus (Sam Ketch), boys 4x200 relay, girls 800 (Molly Mitchell), girls high jump (Julianne Shirley), and girls 4x400 relay. Ketch broke a 10-yearold record with a 151-6 throw in the discus at state, placing him 3rd overall. Shirley’s 5’1 broke the high jump mark, and Mitchell’s 2:30.14 set a new record in the 800. The boys relay record-breaking group broke their own record from the previous season - Nana Amankwah, Blair Moore, Nnamdi Ezunu, and Tyler Brown. That quartet set the mark in the region meet. The girls 4x4 relay set the record
in their state championship run and consisted of Dani Prince, Sofia Rueda, Molly Mitchell, and Julianne Shirley.
At region, Ketch (discus), Ade Akisanya (shot put), Shirley (400), and the girls 4x400 relay all earned region titles. Those who earned runner-up honors included Walker Bailey (3200), Brown (300 MH), Shirley (200), and Mitchell (400). In total, Tallulah Falls qualified for sectionals in 18 events. Of those, 15 events qualified for state. Ketch (discus) and Shirley (400), as well as that girls 4x4 all won their sectional events.
At state, those who placed top-10 included Ketch (3rd in discus), Shirley (3rd in 400; 5th in high jump), Jace Ibemere (5th in triple jump), girls 4x800 relay (7th), Walker Bailey (9th in 1600), and the girls 4x400 championship relay. Sara Bailey was instrumental in the championship relay team, as she stepped in for Mitchell in the prelims run, and put up a great time, in order to give Mitchell a break after running the 400 and 800 prelims in the same day.
With nearly all of the state qualifiers back for another run in 2024, the future remains bright for this program.
The Indians took a step forward in 2023. Tallulah Falls (12-17) made the state playoffs for the second time ever and the 3rd-place finish in regions is a program-best.
Among the notable achievements of this team includes a win over #1-ranked Elbert County, and nearly topping #1 Prince Avenue Christian and Elbert a separate time. The offense, meanwhile, combined for 171 runs, second in program history.
This season featured a trio of underclassmen Andrew Skvarka (2 wins, 2.66 ERA, 25 K), Chase Pollock (6 wins, 3.85 ERA, 30 K), and Cole Bonitatibus (three wins, 4.20 ERA, 50 K) with solid seasons on the mound. Frankey Moree had three saves (TFS record) and he and Rohajae Pinder (42 K) were used often.
Moree set several records in a season that saw him earn Region Player of the Year honors. He hit .449 (4th-best in school history), with records in hits (44) and homeruns (7). He had 21 RBI and 32 runs. Moree has the top spot in TFS history in hits (86), HR (9), and runs (66), and is second in RBI (56), doubles (14), triples (5), stolen bases (23), and walks (28), while finishing third in career batting average (.354).
Beyond Moree, Caden Walker (.347, 1 HR, 12 RBI), Danny Grant (.321, 17 RBI), Zaiden Cox (.316, 15 RBI), and Pinder (.294, 1 HR, 21 RBI) were anchors in the lineup.
TFS took on Darlington in the opening round of the state playoffs and fell in consecutive games to end its season. Moree and Pinder earned 1st Team All-Region accolades, while Walker, Pollock, and Bonitatibus were 2nd Team members. BJ Carver and Grant were Honorable Mentions.
The JV Indians dominated for most of 2023 and showed perseverance by finishing strong. In total, the boys were 10-3 under coach Kyle Dampier.
Throughout the first several games of the season, the Indians won with relative ease. Starting with a season opening 11-1 win over Commerce, TFS rattled off eight consecutive victories, including a pair of 1-run wins over Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy and Franklin County. TFS scored 10-plus runs in five of the first eight wins, and had seven such games overall.
Adversity came by way of Buford, who handed TFS a double-header sweep. The losing streak hit three with a close loss to West Oak (SC). Breaking out of the funk, the Indians poured on 13 runs in a win over West Oak in the doubleheader finale, and polished off the campaign with an 11-1 win over rival Rabun Gap.
The Indians scored 101 runs overall, averaging 7.8 per game. Opponents crossed the plate a mere 43 times (3.3/game). Several players were consistently among the leaders, including Gregory Mendez, Diego Gonzalez, Wyatt Dorsey, Chris Waldron, and others. Mendez and Griffin Harkness were also among those who pitched very well throughout the season.
Joseph McGahee of Clarkesville, Georgia represented Tallulah Falls School at the 2023 National Junior Olympic Rifle Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Each year, junior-eligible shooters (under 21 years of age) from around the country compete at their home state in airgun and smallbore. Top finishers are invited to the National Match in Colorado.
For two weeks in April, McGahee competed against both high school and collegiate shooters from all across the nation. McGahee participated in four separate matches: two air rifle matches with 60 shots fired in standing position, and two small bore matches in all three positions with 20 shots each, firing at 50 meters. McGahee finished 79 out of 116 in air rifle shooting 588 on day one and a 589 on day two. He placed 64 out of 96 shooting in small bore shooting 542 on day one and 540 on day two. Placement is for all three age groups combined under 15, under 18, and under 21 (college NCAA athletes).
For McGahee the degree of competition was higher. “The shooters were really good as many of them have been competing since the fifth grade,” said McGahee. Precision riflery has helped McGahee not just as a shooter, but also as a person and as a member of a team. “Through this sport I have been able to meet and talk with many people not only in our area, but also throughout the nation including college athletes, college coaches, and Olympic medalists,” he said. “It has provided me with experiences that no other sport could offer.”
This was only McGahee’s second year shooting air rifle and his first year shooting small bore competitively. “Joseph’s success is because of his maturity, focus, and determination. In two years, he has become an incredible shooter,” said TFS assistant head coach Tim Stamey. “He never misses a chance to practice. It is that dedication that has taken him to where he is today.”
VOLLEYBALL
State Champions
Area Champions
Area Player of the Year
Sarah Jennings
All-State
Addy McCoy (All-Star Game)
Kitty Rodenas
GIRLS TENNIS
Region Champions
Region Player of the Year
Ariel Kelsick
Region Doubles
Team of the Year
Azaria Junaid & Katarina Foskey
GIRLS SOCCER
Region Runner-Up
Region Offensive Player of the Year
Addie Higbie
Region Defensive Player of the Year
Josie Chesser
All-State
Addie Higbie
Maddie Mullis
Josie Chesser
GIRLS GOLF
Area Runner-Up
All-State
Mallory Higgins
SWIMMING
100M State Champion
Madison Dampier
SWEET 16 OR BETTER
SEASON FINISHES AT STATE :
VOLLEYBALL
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
BOYS SWIMMING
GIRLS SWIMMING
BOYS SOCCER
GIRLS SOCCER
BOYS GOLF
GIRLS GOLF
GIRLS TENNIS
BOYS TENNIS
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD
PRECISION RIFLE
Region Baseball Player of the Year
Frankey Moree
Boys Basketball All-State
Anfernee Hanna
Region Girls Basketball Player of the Year & All-State
Denika Lightbourne
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD
4x4 State Champions
Dani Prince
Sofia Rueda
Molly Mitchell
Julianne Shirley
BOYS TENNIS
Region Champions
Region Player of the Year
Tanner Davis
Region Doubles
Team of the Year
Zach Carringer & Jake Owensby
BOYS SOCCER
Region Champions
Region Player of the Year
Austin Ball
Region Defensive Player of the Year
Jake Wehrstein
All-State
Austin Ball (All-Star Game)
Jake Hall
Jake Wehrstein
Kelton Reynolds
BOYS GOLF
Area Runner-Up
PRECISION
RIFLE
Area Runner-Up
iding perfection all the way til the end, the Tallulah Falls Indians pushed away any trepidations of being too young or lacking in intense game experience. The Indians not only built off last season’s Sweet 16 run, but went 15-0 until the final match, repeating a second-round appearance and grabbing the first Region Championship in 46 years for the team.
New head coach Anthony Cox oversaw the best season in team history, as TFS went 15-1 overall, surpassing the previous win high-mark of 14 achieved in 2013. The top singles players, only sophomores, tallied perfect 15-0 records themselves, tying Javier de Claire (2013) with the most singles wins in a season. Tanner Davis excelled at 1-singles, and TJ Cox dominated as well at 2-singles.
The one-two punch of Davis and Cox were followed by fellow sophomore William Xu, who came into his own with 4 wins at 3-singles. Arguably the best doubles combo in Indians history, sophomores Zach Carringer and Jake Owensby, notched 10 wins together for a second straight season, making the only combo to do so at TFS. At 2-doubles, junior Justin Graham and sophomore Aiden VanOrman racked up 6 wins as well.
The Indians opened the season with a 5-0 win over Elbert County, and it marked one of six shutout wins for the group. Gritty 3-2 wins over Stephens County, Habersham Central, and Rabun County in the regular season, along with a stellar non-region 4-1 win over Jefferson helped prepare the boys for the postseason run.
After going a perfect 5-0 in region play, the Indians sought to win the first-ever Region Championship. TFS beat Athens Christian 4-1 in the semifinals before earning a 3-1 win over Rabun to win the title. The Indians went on to host the first round and Sweet 16 of the state tournament on the home courts. Against Pepperell in the opening round, the Indians grabbed a 3-0 win to reach the program’s third Sweet 16. Whitefield Academy ended the 15-match win streak with a 3-0 win with Davis and Cox still fighting in their contests when the match was called.
When the sting wore off and the dust settled from the Sweet 16 loss, it was quite clear how historic the 2023 campaign was for this program — all done with six sophomores and one junior in the lineup. Several others like juniors Octavio Santana and David Vlasic, sophomore Jorge Lantero, and freshman Glad Puscasu all played a role in the success as well, getting some JV action and helping push the starting lineup to be better.
With no one on the team graduating, 2023 might prove to be a stepping stone for the next level for TFS tennis.
The 2023 Lady Indians blasted into uncharted territory with a young yet talented group under first-year head coach Anthony Cox. Simply put, TFS dominated opposition while advancing further than any other squad in team history.
The Lady Indians completed a 16-1 season that culminated in hosting the Elite 8. Though the girls lost to Bleckley County in the state quarterfinals, Tallulah Falls ended as a top-10 ranked team for the first time and secured the team’s first Region Championship since 2000. That marked a 22-year gap between titles.
The girls’ 16 wins bested the previous record of 10 set just two years ago. The Lady Indians have now played in the state tournament in three straight seasons but had yet to advance past the first round. That changed this year when the girls defeated Armuchee in the opening round, and quickly got past Galloway in the Sweet 16.
Throughout the year, the girls were met with little resistance. After a slim 3-2 win in the season-opener against Elbert County, the Lady Indians rolled the win streak to 16. The next eight matches were 5-0 wins before a 4-1 win over Jefferson in late March. No other match, save that first and last one, did a team win two lines against TFS. In the region tournament, the girls easily won over Rabun County to claim the title.
Junior 1-singles phenom Ariel Kelsick lost only her last match of the season, going 15-1 overall. Freshman Jaeda-Lee DanielJoseph was 16-0 at 2-singles, and Ava Carnes won eight matches at 3-singles. Daniel-Joseph and Kelsick both surpassed Evette Corwin’s (‘22) program single-season wins mark of 11, as DanielJoseph now holds the top spot.
At doubles, the combo of junior Katarina Foskey and freshman Azaria Junaid won nine matches, while senior Cassidy Hayes and sophomore Landry Carnes had seven wins. Hayes finished her career with 27 doubles wins, making her second all-time in combined singles/doubles wins.
Kelsick was named Region 8-A DI Singles Player of the Year, and Foskey and Junaid were named Doubles Team of the Year. Daniel-Joseph earned 1st Team All-Region status as well.
Hayes was the lone senior in the regular lineup, meaning nearly all of the lineup will return next season. Several others such as freshmen Keira Webb and Charlotte Stafford (four wins at doubles), and some talented middle schoolers moving up, will continue to push the program forward.
xpectations have long been high for the Lady Indians golf team, especially after a State Runner-Up finish just two years ago. After missing out on the tournament last season, long-time TFS golfer Hannah Lundy made sure her final season would end with a bang. To that end, the lone girls senior showed veteran leadership in propelling the Lady Indians to a top-five finish at state and an Area Runner-Up finish as well.
The boys were often guided by senior Canon Brooks, who lifted the Indians to unprecedented heights that included an Area Runner-Up finish and the first-ever state berth as a full team. Once there, Brooks and company came in 11th overall in a solid effort.
The Indians had yet to qualify for state as a team, though Michael Weidner (‘17) went to state after winning an area title his senior year. Even that season, TFS came in 7th in the area, which still was the best finish in history until this version came in second. That carried a state qualification, and Brooks led the efforts with a 39th-place finish at state. Fellow senior Henry Bowman (63rd at state) was reliable, as was sophomore Will Greene (46th) and freshman Tate Turpin (54th). Sophomore Jedd Thomas
(70th) and freshman Hunter Bell (72nd) are part of the future core as well, as are freshmen Kalvin Ngov and Jack Thompson. Overall, the boys won seven team matches, and recorded six low medalist honors. Brooks was the low medalist three times, and once each for Turpin, Greene, and Bowman.
The Lady Indians, meanwhile, had finished in the top-five at state three times before. Missing out last year with a very young team fueled their desire this time around. With the senior leadership of Lundy and the consistent, low medalist play of sophomore Mallory Higgins, the Lady Indians came in 5th at state. Lundy was 10th individually with Higgins right behind at 13th. Sophomores Raegan Duncan and Madeline Martin were 29th and 35th, respectively. The girls won six matches this season as a team, and Higgins was a 5-time low medalist with Lundy garnering a pair of low medalist honors. TFS features the four sophomores - including Ella Akers, who will build off this year’s fantastic campaign.
After winning 10 matches a season ago and returning a young but talented roster, it was no surprise that the team built off last year’s run with a second straight top-10 finish at the GHSA State Championships.
Lone senior Jue Wang consistently was a top shooter to set the tone early, with TFS winning its first four matches. After a tough loss to Lumpkin County, the rifle team went on a big win streak. Competing at home, the team edged North Forsyth in their relay in the Area Sectionals. In the ensuing Area 6 Championship match, TFS finished as Runner-Up for a second straight season, a tremendous accomplishment when considering the size of the other schools in the area.
The State Sectionals included a date with Class 7A Westlake, and TFS had a tremendous showing with an 1138-857 win in which Leah Rogers (290) and Chloe Erwin (289) led the output. The team then had a similar output with a 1137-1102 win over Glynn Academy in the State Semifinals. Wang and Joseph McGahee both fired a 287, as that win clinched another State Championship appearance for TFS.
In the Championship at the University of North Georgia, Marc Crotta this time led the efforts with a 287 as the team finished 10th overall with an 1137. The team’s record rounded out to 11-1.
The season accomplishments included Wang tying the school record with a 292 in a 3x10 individual match. Tallulah Falls’ 1155 score in the Area 6 Sectionals bested the school record by six points. Wang (290), Erwin (290), McGahee (288), and Rogers (287) earned the top score. McGahee was a Junior Olympic Qualifier, and competed among the nation’s best. Crotta earned Positive Athlete Northeast Georgia status for Alternative Sport.
Though Wang departs, the rest of the team will seek to build off the winning foundation in place by coaches Katie Keister and Tim Stamey.
Great athletes don’t make excuses. Rather, they use the skills and resources they have and find ways to get better. For Anna Davis ’18, what sparked a spectacular career in track and field was an older brother blazing the path, a coach that believed in her, a set of dance techniques that transitioned to track, and a knack for finding ways to make the most out of what she had.
From Tallulah Falls School to Davidson College and eventually where she just graduated at Northeastern University, Davis has racked up countless awards, records, and accomplishments. It’s easy to see where she’s ended up, but her start came from humble beginnings.
“I was a ballerina leading up to starting at Tallulah Falls in sixth-grade, so hurdling seemed like the ideal event for me since I was used to leaping,” says Davis. It took me some time to learn some of the major technique differences between track and dance and learn to run through the hurdles rather than leap over them. I have always loved the extra challenge and technique that comes with hurdling as opposed to just running flat races. There is always room for improvement with hurdling through new cues and drills, and hurdle days have always been my favorite practice days because of that.”
Davis used to borrow the TFS hurdles to take to other facilities to practice and perfect her craft. That led to a pair of state titles in her senior 2018 season in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles. She was runner-up in both events as a junior, and third the year prior in the 300-meter hurdles. Davis also had a pair of fourth-place finishes in the long jump (2019) and 400 meter dash (2016). She still holds both hurdles records at TFS. Despite the school not having a full-sized track, she didn’t let that become a barrier. “Looking back at it, that could have easily impeded our ability to train, but Coach [Scott] Neal was amazing at adapting and creating workouts to fit what we needed,” adds Davis.
goes far beyond the track.
“One of the biggest things he did for me from the beginning is believe in me,” states Davis. “Even when I was in middle school, he would always tell me that I was going to be capable of amazing things one day and pushed me to set goals for myself. He introduced me to what it is like to work hard and be rewarded for that hard work in competition. The confidence he had in me and confidence he built in me through competing early on in my track career is why I wanted to keep running as I got older and in college. He taught me to strive for excellence. As a track athlete the sport itself is a challenge, and having
ran sub-1:00 in the 400 hurdles, placed second, and found out I was going to get to compete at the NCAA East Preliminary round of the NCAA Championships.”
Following her stint at Davidson, Davis went to Northeastern as a graduate student to pursue an advanced degree in psychology.
“I knew I wasn’t ready to be done with track, so I began the long, almost puzzle-like process of finding a school that would be the best fit,” states Davis. “I knew I only had one year of eligibility, did not have any specific plans for graduate school before deciding to do a fifth year so I looked for schools with a one-year graduate program in psychology. It was an amazing opportunity to experience something new, get my master’s degree, and have another year of competing with a new team.”
With a Master of Science in Applied Psychology degree in hand, and a spectacular career on the track now in the rearview mirror, the future is brighter than ever for Davis.
a coach that has such high expectations for excellence on and off the track was even more of a challenge at times. However, looking back at it, I think those challenges and expectations Coach Neal set for me are what allowed me to have success and shaped my character as an individual the most.”
At Davidson, Davis broke the 100- and 400-meter hurdle records and had a fantastic four-year run with numerous accolades and honors while majoring in psychology on a premed track.
“Being a student athlete at Davidson was an incredible experience,” adds Davis. “My favorite memory was at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship my junior year because I finally
“I still hope to go to medical school in the next few years, so I am starting a job this summer at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston in order to get some experience I missed out on as a student athlete and due to the pandemic in the middle of my college experience,” says Davis. “Although unfortunately my time as a track and field athlete is over, I am eager to begin my own journey as an athlete. I plan to get into distance running and have just started training for my first 5K!”
The mentality it takes to compete at a high level in track and field is now part of her DNA and will continue to be an intricate thread throughout everything she does in life.
As a junior at Tallulah Falls School, Alia Bly and her classmate Sophie Alexander found research on particle physics and took them to chemistry teacher Beth Huebner’s room to try and explain them to her. “We would use the conversions that we learned in her class to convert between very inane things, but Mrs. Huebner would happily review our sheets of theoretical conversions between kilojoules and bananas,” Bly said.
Even though chemistry was difficult, Bly developed an understanding of how struggling could make her stronger. “Mrs. Heubner – she was fantastic. I still text her when I do something cool in chemistry.” Mrs Huebner saw that Bly never quit. “She had a drive, she was going to get it,” Huebner said. “She always brought in interesting ideas and applied them to the real world.”
As Bly reached the end of her senior year at TFS, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. In 2020, Bly finished her senior year online. “It was intellectually and socially challenging, but it encouraged me to develop an individual passion for learning. I spent a lot of time in quarantine reading and exploring new disciplines that I’ve ended up pursuing,” said Bly.
Bly’s inquisitive spirit and passion for learning have taken her on an epic journey. She began her studies at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia as a biology major; however, she started her coursework in biochemistry. She immediately clicked with her chemistry professor, Dr. Nkomo from Zimbabwe. He invited her to work on a project processing the data of a study focusing on climate change mitigation in Zimbabwe. The team interviewed members of the community to learn how they discuss what was happening around them. They asked questions like, “What has happened to your crops and how has this affected your lifestyle?” They developed coding systems to generate empirical scientific data from the lived experiences of the participants. The research team used the data to write a manuscript that is being reviewed for publication.
From there, Bly focused on building concepts in fundamental and data sciences. “I was confident that having the basis of data analytics would be useful information across the sciences,” said Bly. “I was interested in transitioning to the study of infectious diseases.”
This led her to a focused study on co-infections of Hansen’s disease (leprosy) and parasitic helminth infections like giardia and schistosomiasis in Minas Gerais, Brazil. “I utilize statistical
methodologies to detect if the relationship between a specific factor, like nutrition and disease contraction, is significant in that it is a major driver of infection. This informs future interventions in communities that aim to reduce the spread of disease,” Bly said.
Bly found ways to incorporate her work into community service with Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health supporting the Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prison. She was part of a team that tested inmates for COVID at the Fulton County jail. Their mission was to try to mitigate the burden of COVID within the prison setting. Through this work, Bly had the opportunity to join a panel that spoke at Morehouse College regarding community building and re-entry services for previously incarcerated residents of Atlanta.
In October of 2022, Bly had another opportunity to present some of her studies at the American Chemical Society conference in Puerto Rico. There, she was able to meet other researchers in the field including 2021 Nobel Prize winner David MacMillan.
This summer, Bly traveled to Ghana with the OKB Hope Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on global health care access. She traveled throughout villages around the outskirts of Kumasi, Ghana to provide chronic and infectious disease screening services and health education. She learned techniques in laboratory diagnosis of malaria and shadowed internal medicine practitioners at the The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital who specialize in infectious disease diagnostics and therapeutics.
For Bly, TFS provided a level of rigor that gave her the background to be adaptable as she draws on multiple fields, pursing social good, working on partnerships, and contributing to knowledge in a transdisciplinary manner. “It gave me the fortitude to get through experiences that are quite challenging,” she said. In addition, Bly is thankful for the emphasis on kindness at TFS. “Kindness has allowed me to make so many strong relationships and build community, and this gives me a perspective on the work that I do,” she said.
Bly is currently preparing to begin her senior year at Emory University while simultaneously starting her masters degree in Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health with a focus on infectious disease epidemiology.
When Isabelle Almoyan was nine years old, her family went to the theater to watch “Facing the Giants.” It was then that Almoyan knew she would pursue a career in acting and film. “That day, God dropped the dream into my heart,” she said.
A few years later, Almoyan’s family decided to send her to Tallulah Falls School. “It was the best decision that my family made,” Almoyan said. Tallulah Falls provided ample opportunities for Almoyan to grow as an athlete, a student, a community member, and, of course, an actress. This set a precedent for her future. “I learned discipline, how to multitask, and how to balance academics with extracurriculars,” said Almoyan.
She is thankful for the support that Upper School Academic Dean Kim Popham and President and Head of School Dr. Larry A. Peevy provided her during her time at TFS. “They let me pursue all my passions. They were supportive of my desire to try so many things,” she said. “They made a way for me to succeed.”
After graduating from TFS in 2015, Almoyan attended Liberty University where she majored in film and theater. “When I got to college, I could balance class and my workload. I learned good time management at TFS,” said Almoyan.
She graduated in 2019 from Liberty University, and in early 2020, right in the middle of COVID-19, she signed with an agent.
Her professional career includes work on feature films, short films, television movies, web series, and voiceovers. She can be seen in feature films “The Mulligan” with Eric Close and Pat Boone and “Lifemark” with Kirk Cameron. Her upcoming feature films include “Camp Hideout” with Corbin Bleu and Christopher Lloyd, “Nightmare Pageant Moms” with Gina Simms, “Finding Tony” with Stephen Bishop, and “Bringing Back Christmas” with Dean Cain and Mark Christopher Lawrence.
Almoyan’s most fun role was Becky, a camp counselor, in “Camp Hideout.” “It was really fun to step into her shoes and be crazy loud and enthusiastic,” said Almoyan. “She is a blast.” “Camp Hideout” will be coming to theaters September 15.
As Mia on “Nightmare Pageant Moms,” her character is down to earth and not caught up in the hoopla. “She takes the good side and doesn’t join the dark side,” said Almoyan. “It was fun to act with girls my age, and I got to wear really cute outfits.”
In May, Almoyan was awarded best lead actress in a television series for her role as Ariyah Ziskand in “Fragment Oblivion” at the International Christian film and music festival in Orlando, Florida. The series was also nominated for best trailer and best television series. “It is great to have the recognition,” said Almoyan. She plays a young girl surviving in a dystopian world. “Ariyah is a Robinhood personality,” Almoyan said. “You don’t know if she is good or bad.” For Almoyan, this was her most physically taxing role that involved long days and stunt work.
Almoyan’s professional career comes with its challenges and can be a rollercoaster of emotions, but her faith and positive attitude keep her rooted. “There is a lot of hurry up and wait,” she said. “But, whatever roles are meant for me are going to be there.”
TALLULAH FALLS SCHOOL
P.O. Box 10
Tallulah Falls, Georgia 30573
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Parents of alumni: If this issue is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please no tify the Executive Director for Advancement of the new mailing address at (706) 839-2021 or sonya.smith@tallulahfalls.org.
NORTHEAST GEORGIA MOUNTAINS
OCTOBER 28, 2023
TALLULAH FALLS SCHOOL
REGISTER ONLINE WWW.BIKEREG.COM/ TWIN -RIVERS-CHALLENGE
Tallulah Falls School will host the ninth annual Twin Rivers Challenge cycling event to raise funds for student scholarships. The premier cycling event returns to Northeast Georgia this fall. The Twin Rivers Challenge is set for Oct. 28.
