Walker Magazine - Summer 2014

The Magazine for The Walker School Community

Brad Brown ('94), Shelly Manuel ('96), & Michael Arjona ('97) Three alumni on coming home, meaningful and lasting relationships, and their vision for Walker.

Summer 2014

Lower Schoolers are all smiles during the 2014 Earth Day Carnival.

PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

Walker magazine is published annually for the students, families and friends of The Walker School in Marietta, Georgia. Comments, inquiries and contributions should be directed to Kristy Helms at The Walker School, 700 Cobb Parkway N., Marietta, GA 30062; Telephone (678) 581-0478.

The Magazine for The Walker School Community Summer 2014

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Editor: Kristy Helms kristy.helms@thewalkerschool.org

2 Feature: Alumni Q&A with Brad Brown ('94), Shelly Manuel ('96), and Michael Arjona ('97)

Contributors: Susan Bargo Kaleb McMichen

Coleman Hedden Kaitlyn Ranney

Travis King Meghan Stauts

Courtney Lewis Design:

by Meghan Stauts

Photos: Thomas Cooper Jennifer May

Randy Fields Newton McCurdy

Coleman Hedden Meghan Stauts

Mike Mackey ___________________________________

6 International Travel

by Meghan Stauts and Coleman Hedden ('14)

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The Walker School Address: 700 Cobb Parkway N.,

Marietta, GA 30062 Telephone: (770) 427-2689 Fax: (770) 514-8122 Website: www.thewalkerschool.org

10 Robotics

by Courtney Lewis ('15)

12 Around Campus

by Meghan Stauts and Travis King ('14)

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17 Walker Celebrates Philanthropy by the Advancement Office

18 Athletics Recap

by Susan Bargo

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Administration Head of School Jack Hall

(678) 581-6920

Preschool Director Liz Meadows

(678) 581-1099

Lower School Principal Megan Nellen

(678) 581-6902

Middle School Principal Will Forteith

(678) 581-6901

Upper School Principal Bob Murphy

(678) 581-6900

Director of Studies Michael Arjona

(678) 581-6918

Admission (678) 581-6923 Brad Brown, Director of Admission

20 Class Notes

Advancement (678) 581-6897 Shelly Manuel, Director of Advancement

22 Alumni Profiles

Finance (678) 581-6916 Christie Holman, Director of Business and Finance Communications (678) 581-0478 Kristy Helms, Director of Communications

24 Summer Programs

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Cris Thornton, Entero Inc.

Athletics Gary Blohm, Athletic Director

Cover photo: Brad Brown, Shelly Manuel, Michael Arjona

(678) 581-6922

PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

The Walker School Opening and Closing Phone Line 770-427-2689 + press 5

MISSION: The Walker School is the college-preparatory independent school for families seeking an engaging educational experience within an intimately scaled, caring and diverse community where opportunities abound and meaningful relationships inspire transformative learning.

The Walker School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

Walker Magazine

Summer 2014

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Alumni Q &A

by Meghan Stauts, Communications Associate

As the 2013-14 school year came to a close, Communications Associate Meghan Stauts sat down with Director of Admission Brad Brown ('94), Director of Studies Michael Arjona ('97), and the school's first Director of Advancement Shelly Manuel ('96) to discuss their experiences, meaningful relationships, and visions for Walker as both alumni and administrators.

When alumni return to Walker either to work or to visit, they often refer to it as “coming home.” What does coming home to Walker mean to you?

Brad Brown: We talk quite a bit about relationships. You have your former teachers that, as years go on, become friends.

There’s that connection.

Brad Brown, Shelly Manuel, Michael Arjona reminisce about their time at Walker. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

BB: I think it’s natural to want to perform at your best for the people that you respect. You Shelly Manuel: I think that while want to come in and do the best job possible. Because of those you’re here, it’s always the relationships, you also feel Walker family. You hear it all the time and may not relate to it empowered. when you’re in it, but it really is a piece of your family, and family is MA: Absolutely. It’s not so much home. Home is not just a place; that I worry that people might think of me as the way I was it’s a feeling. when I was a high school Michael Arjona: I think the small student. I worry more about disappointing those people. It’s size lends itself to that. You feel known here. The faculty that we the same feeling you have as a all had as students are still here, student; I don’t want to disappoint my teachers, and I and they help bring that don’t want to disappoint these continuity to the curriculum. people that I have so much You feel that you’re known in a respect for already. way that’s different than anywhere else.

SM: For me, I’m very proud of Was there anything that made my professional accomplishments, and I’m proud of what I’ve done you nervous about coming out in the field on my own. To home?

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be able to take what I’ve learned and my professional skill set and apply it to a place that I have such a history with and a connection with is amazing.

MA: You already feel comfortable with Walker and having that institutional knowledge has relieved a lot of the pressure.

How does your experience as an alumnus inform the work that you do as an administrator?

BB: What we’re challenged to do in the Admission Office is tell the school’s story without forfeiting each family’s individual journey. I believe it is comforting for families when you can give them a true and accurate picture of the school

Feature that doesn’t just span a brief period of time, especially in the chapter where we are right now.

We come from a wonderful place, but we have an amazing journey ahead. To be able to give them snapshots of that and connect that to their journeys as well is exciting.

MA: From an academic perspective, you always want to maintain the parts of the curriculum that are our real strengths and then bring in new ideas to take those things to the next level. Coming in as an alumnus, you have a sense of what we really need to hold on to in order to stay true to Walker’s program. At the same time, you can come in with a new perspective and new strengths because you are no longer a student. You’re coming in at a different angle and bringing in new ideas.

SM: From a fundraising perspective, it’s the same as the

Admissions Office; you’re telling the same story but you’re asking for a different kind of commitment. In fundraising, industry standards prove that peer-to-peer solicitation is the most effective because the person telling the story is the person who either has lived or is living the story. I feel like the match between me and Walker is so much stronger than anywhere else I could be. I am a professional fundraiser but I’m also a peer, so it’s win-win.

BB: At the end of the day, we’re all trying to help the school live the mission like we lived the mission.

SM: This place gave us so much that it’s in our blood to want to do right by it.

MA: Part of the challenge in all of our jobs is understanding the different perspectives of the parents, the faculty members, the administrators, the alums. All

of those perspectives help give us the unique ability to look at each situation through different lenses.

Looking through some of those lenses, what vision do you have for Walker as an alum? As an administrator?

MA: My vision as an alum, which has a lot of overlap with my vision as an administrator, is to provide this generation of students the same feeling of confidence and preparedness that I felt when I graduated and went off to college thinking, “You know what? I know I’m ready.” I was lucky to be in a community where I could try lots of different things. I want to provide our students with those opportunities and that feeling of a place where you can come

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FLAME

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FLAME

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Feature home, and I want to do that in a context of a world that’s changing, in terms of skills and academic programs. Our demands will be changing, of course, but that same feeling and level of preparation is what we are going for, no matter what.

BB: I wholeheartedly agree with Michael. Most alums will say the same thing. We felt overwhelmingly prepared for the demands of college and the work force as well. As administrators, we want to make sure our academic program continues to be in the forefront in our field – not just in Cobb County, but regionally and beyond. From an admissions perspective and an alumni perspective, the vehicle for that are those meaningful relationships that set us apart.

It’s hard to articulate, but we are reminded daily by the teachers that we’ve had or the kids that are in our classes. Those relationships are a vehicle for long term learning; one reinforces the other. It’s something we do really well here.

MA: You see it in not just those who come back here to work but how many students come back to the school to visit teachers.

When you go out in the community and you see Walker alumni, they’re not embarrassed.

They run up and say, “Oh my gosh, how are you doing?” They want to know what’s going on with Walker. That speaks to those relationships.

is that Walker is not the same place anymore with all the new buildings and bigger [graduating] classes. My response is always, “Wouldn’t you hate it to be the same as it was twenty years ago? Don’t you want it to grow and improve?”

My vision for Walker would be for all alums to understand that and to respect where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are going. [motioning to Brad and SM: As an alum, I want to see Michael] We obviously are people continue to embrace connected but my desire would changes and bettering the be for all alums to keep that school. Some of the feedback we’ve heard from our generation affinity.

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PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE FLAME

MA: I’m so glad I can look back and see that the heart of the school is the same, but I’m also able to say, “Wouldn’t I have loved to take psychology class or to play the violin?”

BB: One of the biggest challenges that this school has is bridging that gap between school past and school present.

It feels like an exciting time for us to be in the positions to make that happen, to help have those conversations.

Feature Brad, you touched on meaningful relationships, a huge component of Walker’s mission. What meaningful relationships have impacted you, as an alum or an administrator?

would have never crossed that bridge without those two people who crossed over with me.

MA: [Former Social Studies teacher] Jean Stricklen is one of the reasons I went into education. The mix of teachers I had here, the intellectual level BB: First, my relationship with of discussion, the way you were former headmaster Don Robertson. I tell this story when able to converse with them – it didn’t make you feel like you I give tours. My first encounter with Walker was as a sophomore were in high school. It formed coming across the United States my view of what a teacher was.

[Jean] was also my mentor when to a region that I didn’t know I started working here in the much about and to an social studies department. There independent school which was are two things that have stigmatized in California. My consistently improved my parents drove us here on a teaching over the course of 12 Saturday, and Don was just years: asking for feedback from going outside to pick up the my students and any newspaper while we were conversation with Jean. Kate walking around out front. He came over to our car and asked, McConnaughey, Dixie Bowden, and Jean Bayer, among others, “Can I help you?” He opened served as models of how to be up the school and toured us an enthusiastic and intellectual around. The next person I met was Patty Mozley. Anybody that teacher as well. knows Patty knows she makes BB: Our students are dynamic, you feel like you’re a long-time and their needs are many. One friend, and she made me feel of the amazing things about like one of her kids. That’s the resounding, permeating taste of Walker is you can find that connection along the different Walker, in my mind. It’s open, lines where those individual it’s inviting. Later on I learned needs are. [Spanish teacher] the quality of education, but I

Luis Desantiago was also a huge role model for me in language instruction; [Athletic Director] Gary Blohm was a role model for me as a coach.

MA: [nodding in agreement] They were all role models as adults, role models as people and how you treat others.

SM: One of my proudest, post-college “warm fuzzy” feelings was when [Director of Business and Finance] Christie Cook started working here [in 2008]. As a friend and a professional colleague of mine, we’ve been through a lot together and have grown very close, and I knew this school so well that it felt like two of my best friends getting married. I was just so happy to have made that introduction and played a part of that.

MA: People are always surprised at how many close friends I’m still in touch with from Walker.

SM: I’m much better friends with my high school friends than my college friends.

BB: Now what’s surreal is seeing our classmates’ children here. [everyone laughs] W

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE FLAME

Walker Magazine PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

Summer 2014

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Walker Students, Teachers Expand Studies with International Travel

by Meghan Stauts, Communications Associate, and Coleman Hedden ('14)

Latin students admire the Macellum meat and fish market in the northeast corner of the Pompeii Forum. PHOTO BY RANDY FIELDS

Walker’s international exchange programs were created with the goal of enhancing global awareness, developing cultural sensitivity, and ultimately promoting a deeper sense of global citizenship. Each year the Upper School welcomes a group of French, German, and Argentinian students to Marietta to give students and their families the chance to learn about other cultures while sharing their own.

Another aspect of international exchange is the opportunity to travel to a number of countries.

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In late March, French students Celena Ashcar, Caroline Clabby, Austin Gignilliat, Kayla Hall, Meredith Heroux, Shannon Keegan, Sofia Narvaez, and Rob Walsh and their two chaperones, French teacher Jennifer May and Upper School counselor Anna Kennedy, left Atlanta for the adventure of a lifetime. The group spent three days in Paris exploring the beautiful monuments, incredible museums, and the vibrant street and café life. After three days of serious touring, they boarded a high-speed train and headed for the city of Grasse where they

were greeted by their hosts, the families of the French students that Walker hosted last October.

Students spent the week going to classes at Walker’s sister school, Le Lycée Fénelon, and learning about the traditions, customs, and day-to-day life of their correspondents.

This is the 11th year of the exchange with Le Lycée Fénelon and Walker’s French program continues to strengthen the bond with the school and its students there. Through the exchange, Walker students are able to hone their French

International Travel

helps bring Latin alive.”

French students smile at Île Sainte-Marguerite on the French Riviera. PHOTO BY JENNIFER MAY

language skills while also learning about a culture different from their own. Many Walker students have also made lasting friendships, and a number of them continue to visit and host their correspondents long after high school. Some of this year’s participants have already stated their desire to repeat the program next year.

opportunity to meet so many incredible people. I have made friends with students at [Le Lycée Fénelon] as well as kids from all over the world,” wrote another student, adding “I also became so much closer with peers in my own French class.”

These comments came as no surprise to May, who said they are typical of the feedback she gets each year from students who have completed the As students waited for their exchange, and she could not be return flight home in the Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, they wrote happier. “It truly is our mission to ignite in them the desire to reflections about the trip. “I explore other cultures, histories learned that other cultures are and traditions, and to give them not bizarre when you actually the tools necessary to experience them,” wrote one. communicate all over the “The traditions and customs of different places are special to the world,” she said. people there, and it is For Latin teacher Randy Fields, important for others to respect incorporating foreign travel them. Sharing similarities and whenever possible is part of his differences between our lives teaching philosophy. “I think it’s proved to be one of the most a really important component of exciting experiences of my life.” language instruction, especially Latin instruction,” he said. “It “I feel so blessed that I had the

In February, Upper School Latin students James Grindstaff, Dawson Davis, George Litchfield, Zack Mudge, Ian Resmondo, Anna Chocallo, Erin Leagan, Meaghan Patterson, and Josh Reini, along with Latin teachers Randy Fields, Liz Bouis, and Kaitlyn Ranney spent eight full days exploring Italy. Students spent a day in Pompeii, taking in the sights of houses, entertainment venues, and government buildings. They climbed Mount Vesuvius with a knowledgeable geologist and stayed in a convent in Rome, closely observing the juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern.

The combination of the ancient and modern history is a vital aspect in the study of the Latin and Roman language and culture. Josh, a recent graduate, said, “I really enjoyed exploring the ancient ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum and imagining how ancient Romans once lived.” While in Italy, students also visited the Vatican where they had a surprise encounter with the City’s most famous resident: Pope Francis.

It might come as a surprise to our students, but even Walker teachers learn something new on these trips. “The kids think I have been studying this since Caesar’s time,” laughs Fields.

“In reality, I’m always learning something new so it’s a great experience for me as well.”

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International Travel

Students do not necessarily need to be enrolled in a language course to travel abroad with their classmates. Led by Newton McCurdy, Walker’s annual foreign trip offers another chance for students – and their families – to partake in international travel. The trip is facilitated by EF Educational Tours, which provides the group unique opportunities, not only to sightsee, but also to learn about the cultures in unique ways.

In February, six Walker students and five adult chaperones managed to escape icy Atlanta just before the second “Snowpocalypse” and spent six days in England.

Students Coleman Hedden, Samantha Heilhecker, Nicolette Paglioni, Brooke Werner, Laura Werner, Matt Zibanejadrad, along with their chaperones Newton McCurdy, Julie Hedden, Claudia Zibanejadrad, and Victor and Alice Werner hit all the important cultural spots, visiting Westminster Abbey, the Globe Theater, the Tower of London and attending theater performances of Wicked and Billy Elliot. EF Educational Tours also arranged special dinners that treated the group to a different facet of British cuisine such as a modern Turkish restaurant called Ishtar, The Albert, a local English pub, and the classic fish and chips.

"Traveling internationally gives you a different experience than any textbook could offer,” said Brooke, adding, “Along with the educational parts of the trip, there's also all the shopping, tea, the royal family, and the British accents!"

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Students and chaperones take a break from shopping in London to take a photo in front of the Tower Bridge.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NEWTON MCCURDY

Sam agreed. “I had this illusion of what I thought the rest of the world was like from what I saw on television. It's not the same,” she said. “Seeing and experiencing the culture and talking to people with their lovely accents is

breathtaking. TV doesn't do the world justice."

Much like their peers observed in France, students also noticed that even though people “across the pond” may

Latin students and teachers smile in the Colosseum.

PHOTO BY RANDY FIELDS

seem different, they are similar in many ways. Nicolette noted, “A French girl sitting next to me in the British Museum was singing ‘Say Something’ quietly to herself—in English! It was amazing to me how similar people can be, even though thousands of miles separate them.”

International travel provides eager young learners a unique outlet to study diverse cultures and compare them with their own lives first-hand. From the Le Lycée Fénelon to the ridge of Mount Vesuvius to the banks of the Thames, Walker students and teachers alike have enriched their education in fascinating ways outside of the classroom this past year. W

Left: Chaperones and students enjoyed a trip to Shakespeare's home Stratford-upon-Avon. PHOTO COURTESY OF COLEMAN HEDDEN Right: Latin students and teachers pose in front of the Forum at Pompeii. PHOTO COURTESY OF RANDY FIELDS

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Walker Robotics Program Continues to Thrive

by Courtney Lewis ('15)

Robotics Teams 4495A and 4495B demonstrate their robots' skills during a special assembly for National Robotics Week. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

Walker is proud to have several highly talented and successful robotics teams. Teams 4495A, 4495B, and 4495C have all demonstrated their exceptional abilities and seamless teamwork in many competitions.

the North Forsyth VRC Competition, their first competition of the season, Team 4495A was named Tournament Champion, Programming Skills Winner, and ranked sixth among 27 teams. At the Peachtree Ridge High School Competition, Team 4495A was a tournament Team 4495A, featuring Alex Reichenbach, Joseph finalist, ranking first out of 37 Zuckerman, Courtney Lewis, teams. Team 4495A was also a and Kat Blaha, earned many tournament finalist, ranking fifth notable achievements during the out of 43 teams at the Gwinnett 2013-14 competition season. At School of Mathematics, Science, 10

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and Technology Competition.

In addition, at the Sonoraville Universal Robotics Competition, Team 4495A was a Programming Skills Winner, Robot Skills Winner, and earned a Design Award. Further, team 4495A was a Tournament Champion, ranked first, and won the Excellence Award at the Forsyth Central Competition. Team 4495A then proceeded to the Georgia State Championship where they were named a tournament finalist, won

Robotics second place in Programming Skills, the Design Award, and ranked 13th out of 78 teams.

Their success did not stop there, however. Next was the CREATE U.S. Open Robotics Championship in Omaha, Nebraska, where team 4495A was a tournament semifinalist and won second place in Programming Skills. Finally, Team 4495A ended the competition season with another success at the 2014 VEX Robotics World Championship, in Anaheim, California, where they tied eighth place in Programming Skills.

Team 4495B, which included Zack Mudge, Steven Liang, and Chase Elliot, also had a rewarding competition season.

They competed at the Peachtree Ridge High School Competition, the Central Education Center Competition, and the Walker School Regional Qualifier, where they ranked ninth out of 33 teams. In addition, at the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Competition, Team 4495B ranked fourth out of 43 teams and won the Excellence Award. Team 4495B was also a Tournament Semifinalist and ranked ninth out of 78 teams at the Georgia State Championship.

At the end of the season, they had the opportunity to represent Walker in the 2014 VEX Robotics World Championship, along with Team 4495A.

Chase Elliot and Steven Liang of Team 4495B at the World Championship in Anaheim, California. PHOTO BY THOMAS COOPER

Peachtree Ridge High School Competition, the Central Education Center Competition, and the Walker School Regional Qualifier. Additionally, Team 4495C ranked third out of 43 teams at the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Competition. Lastly, Team 4495C had the opportunity to compete in the Georgia State Championship.

All three teams attribute their success to their hard work, problem solving, perseverance, and cooperation. These qualities will enable Walker’s extraordinarily talented robotics teams to have another exciting and successful competition season during the upcoming school year! W

Walker is also proud of the accomplishments of Team 4495C’s Nick LaDue, Matt Johnson, and Clay Jones.

Team 4495C competed in the Courtney Lewis, Joseph Zuckerman, Alex Reichenbach, and Kat Blaha with their award-winning robot during Upper School Assembly.

PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

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Around Campus

by Meghan Stauts, Communications Associate, and Travis King ('14)

Alizeh Sheikh Leads Pencils 2 Peace Campaign While working towards her Girl Scouts Silver Award, rising sophomore Alizeh Sheikh researched Malala Yousafzai, a school girl from Pakistan who survived after she was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012.

Alizeh says her research helped her realize that in some parts of the world, education for girls is a privilege, not a right.

After giving a speech to the Middle School, Alizeh held a sweets sale, raising $900 for the Nilore Model School in Pakistan. Her proudest moment came when she personally presented the money to the school in the summer of 2013.

“The school is very sustainable, and they’ve already had a graduating class,” she says, excitedly. “Seven girls went to

a pre-engineering program. It’s helping so many kids.”

But Alizeh didn’t stop there.

After visiting the school and seeing their desperate need for books of all types, she championed a book drive in the Upper School in March of 2014. The drive netted several hundred books, all of which she plans to donate to the Nilore Model School.

For her efforts, Alizeh received multiple recognitions, including the Prudential Spirit of Community Certification of Excellence and the President’s Volunteer Service Award, which came with a letter from President Obama applauding her work with women’s literacy in South Asia. W

Alizeh holds her Certification of Excellence and President's Volunteer Service Award. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

GREASE! Receives Record Number of Shuler Hensley Nominations, Honorable Mentions Walker's fall production of GREASE! received Shuler Hensley Award nominations in the choreography, lighting design, sound, showstopper, and orchestra categories, along with honorable mentions for direction, music direction, scenic design, ensemble, supporting actor, musical, and technical execution – more than any other school!

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Around Campus

The Wonders of Walker Shine During “Snow Jam” January 28, 2014, began like any began trickling in of the other frigid Tuesday at Walker. wonders of Walker in action However, as the day elapsed, on that icy Tuesday night. both the Walker and Atlanta • SAGE Manager Christopher communities were turned upside Lee staying overnight to down by a mere two inches of snow. As snow began falling cook a scrumptious dinner and breakfast for our midmorning, schools and overnight guests. workers across the city • Facilities Manager John dismissed students and Thompson salting the entire employees at the same time, campus as soon as the snow creating a traffic nightmare that began - only to stay so late snarled roads and interstates that he did not make it home across metro Atlanta for days. until Wednesday morning.

• All of our overnight guests Though most students and their serenading sixth grader families were able to make it Carter Whitehead with home eventually, a small group "Happy Birthday" after of students, parents, and other dinner - and enjoying some drivers was stranded at the cake too! school overnight. As things • Lower Schoolers stretching returned to normal over the next week, stories quickly

out on beanbags to watch a movie in Winship Media Center before "lights out."

• Six-foot-six Upper School student Robert Baker playing basketball with first grader Carson to pass the time.

• A student reuniting with his mother on Wednesday afternoon - only to tell her, "Mom, it was the BEST. NIGHT. EVER!" • Bruce Powell and Kevin Tilley walking two miles back to school in the snow to enjoy breakfast with students and their parents on Wednesday morning.

• The generosity of Upper School art teacher Bob Petersen and his wife being profiled on the SnowedOutAtlanta

Walker Named PASCH School The Walker School has been awarded the honorable distinction of a PASCH school by the German Consulate General and the German Central Agency for Schools Abroad and will join a select group of schools worldwide that have proven their excellence in German language education.

Will Forteith and Brad Brown serve breakfast to Walker's overnight guests. PHOTO BY NEWTON MCCURDY

World Language Department Chair and German teacher Janet Ward attended the PASCH awards ceremony at the German Cultural Center in Atlanta on May 14. Congratulations!

Around Campus Facebook group by a motorist they took in for the evening.

These are just a few of the amazing acts of kindness we heard. The compassion shown

by Walker parents, students, and faculty and staff was unparalleled and served as a reminder of what exactly makes our community so unique. W

Mrs. Meadows, Mrs. Haslam and Mrs. Aho stay warm during carpool. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

Mrs. Morris' class ran outside to enjoy the first snowflakes. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

Walker Honored for Sustainability Efforts After saving a total of 23,207 kWh between January 15 and February 14, Walker was crowned the southern region champion of the Green Cup Challenge.

Walker exemplified how a holistic approach to the Green Cup Challenge really pays off. In addition to steadily working towards increased energy efficiency in their facilities, the school also viewed the Challenge as an opportunity to encourage staff, faculty and student

behavior changes through posters, announcements and classroom energy monitors.

Walker was also honored at a luncheon sponsored by the Georgia Chapter of the United States Green Building Council on Monday, February 24. Walker was recognized as being a High Performance Healthy School and was given an award for being a bronze level USA Eco-School, a program through the National Wildlife Federation.

Around Campus

Fourth Graders Visit Canine Assistants

Fourth grade students with their new furry friend at Canine Assistants. PHOTO BY MEGAN NELLEN

Lower School students spent the spring preparing for their student-led philanthropy projects based on their interests and passions. Students created the projects by asking and answering questions like “Who do I want to be?” and “How can I make a difference?”

“I liked meeting in my philanthropy group because it gives me a chance to be creative, use my imagination, and share my ideas,” said Amelie while reflecting on her philanthropy project this year.

One group, consisting of members who are passionate about helping animals, identified the Canine Assistants

organization as their area of focus and collected items throughout the month of January to donate to the organization. In March, the fourth graders traveled to the Canine Assistants facility to learn more and also to contribute their donations in person.

“We collected supplies through the Walker community. When the collection was over, we got to personally take them to the facility to give them the supplies,” explained Erin.

“When we got there, they were so thankful for our donations.

It was such a good experience.

I hope we get to do something like that again.” W

Walker Named AJC Top Workplace for Second Year The Atlanta-Journal Constitution has named The Walker School one of the Top 100 Workplaces in Atlanta for the second year in a row! The winners are determined from employee surveys conducted by a third party.

Around Campus

School Hosts Series of Speakers for Students, Faculty, and Parents During the 2013-2014 school year, Walker has hosted several outside speakers to educate students and parents alike on topics ranging from critical thinking to brain-stretching to diversity.

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The faculty and staff kicked off the speaker series in early November by hosting speaker Dr. Paul Bankes, a presenter for the Foundation for Critical Thinking. Bankes, the Executive Director of Elementary Education for Thompson Public Schools in Loveland, Colorado spoke in three sessions about the concept of critical thinking and how to help students become better critical thinkers.

Improving critical thinking skills was named the number one goal in Walker’s recent self-study, and Bankes’ presentation was one of several different opportunities available to faculty and staff members to help achieve this goal.

Brain Research,” and “The New GPS for Parents: Brain Research Provides Direction through the Complex Streets of Parenting.”

Leaders from all divisions put Deak’s lessons to work through professional development workshops based on her research in the months following her visit, and many teachers brought her research into their classrooms by creating projects and other lessons as an extension of her visit.

Educator and psychologist Dr. JoAnn Deak visited Walker on Thursday, January 9, to spend the day speaking to students, parents, and members of the surrounding community about current brain research and what this means for the ever-changing landscape of education in the 21st century. Dr. Deak’s talks encompassed such topics as “The Wonders and Woes of STRESS,” “A Look at Current

April brought a presentation from educational consultant Derrick Gay who discussed his upcoming documentary film American Promise. American Promise chronicles the educational journey of two boys from kindergarten to graduation at The Dalton School, a private college preparatory school located on New York City's Upper East Side. The workshop aimed to leverage insights from

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Dr. JoAnn Deak. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

the viewing of this timely piece to discuss the ways in which class, geography, race, gender, learning style, parental involvement, faculty and school expectations, and culture inform the ways in which students experience school, construct identity and navigate home, school and the world.

Gay also gave a special presentation to members of the Student Diversity Leadership Committee, a group of Upper School students whose mission is to expand and promote the multicultural aspect of the school.

Additionally, each division also hosted various speakers and presenters on such topics as bullying, equality, and diversity. All of these visits were made possible by the generous support of the Walker School Association Speaker Fund. W

Anti-bullying speaker Mark Brown encourages students to change a life in assembly. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS

Walker Celebrates Philanthropy by the Advancement Office

A culture of philanthropy is at the heart of a great school.

Nearly five percent of every Walker student’s education is made possible by philanthropic dollars, given through the Annual Fund. Providing an environment that inspires transformative learning takes many resources. Over the last three years Walker has worked to strengthen our culture of giving in order to sustain and enhance our high quality programs for the benefit of each student. We are proud to announce that the 2013-2014 Annual Fund raised more than $600,000, the largest Annual Fund in the school’s history.

Every Annual Fund dollar raised this year directly impacted our programs through funding teacher’s salaries and providing equipment, technology and resources for our academic, arts and athletic programs. We are so proud of our school community for reaching this goal and for

40%

of all funds raised came from new donors or donors who increased their gift over last year

continuing to strengthen the school’s culture of philanthropy.

A special thank you is reserved for our Annual Fund Committee members who continue to play an invaluable role in educating our community about the importance and role of philanthropy at Walker and at all independent schools.

The Board of Trustees and School Administration take seriously their role as stewards of our community’s generous gifts.

They realize that the Annual Fund is about more than just dollars – it is an investment in the mission, people and students of The Walker School. We look forward to further sharing the success of the Annual Fund and thanking its donors in the 20132014 Annual Report that will be distributed this fall.

We celebrate our amazing culture of philanthropy by thanking each of you for your tremendous and generous support! W

17%

increase in the numbers of donors to the Leadership Society

100%

Faculty/Staff participation, completed in 8 days!

100% participation from the Board of Trustees

82% Parent Participation

69%

of Annual Fund gifts came from donors at the Leadership Society level

Walker Magazine

Summer 2014

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Athletics 2013-14 Recap

by Susan Bargo ('82)

While we celebrate all of our athletic victories in 2013-14, here are a few highlights from the past year.

cheerleading squad qualified for state finals by placing sixth in the state sectionals.

team All-Region and Molly Hardie was named second team All-Region.

VOLLEYBALL

WRESTLING

The fall season saw the varsity volleyball team repeat their The varsity football players saw success from last year as they several members named to the were once again crowned area All-Region team. Seniors champions. They went on to Michael Berk and Bradley play two rounds in the state Moore were named to the First playoffs before being eliminated Team. Running back Gaines

by Savannah Country Day. The Lahue, Kevin Bray, Josh Reini, team posted an impressive 32-6 Jake Reini and Justin Delbrook overall record. Brooke Warner were selected to Second Team was named Area Player of the Defense. Cameron Bloebaum, Glenn Strother, and Ben Snavely Year, and Anna Chocallo and Sasha Fazylov were both named were selected Honorable to the All-Area Team.

Mention.

FOOTBALL

CHEERLEADING

The varsity competition

SOFTBALL Katlin Seger was named first

PHOTOS BY MIKE MACKEY

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The wrestling program had a banner season. In the area tournament, William Schubert placed first in the 145 weight class, Cameron Milton placed second in the 152 weight class, Conor Merriam placed third in the 120 weight class, JT Wood placed fourth in the 132 weight class, and Xander Melnick placed fourth in the 113 weight class. William Schubert and Cameron Milton qualified to go to the state tournament and had an outstanding showing, respectively placing third and sixth in their individual weight classes.

CROSS COUNTY

George Litchfield continued to break records during the cross country season. He set a new school record in the three mile posting a 16:30.

TRACK AND FIELD

Collier Middleton captured a state championship title in the 100M hurdles setting a new school record of 14.93 seconds.

Karmin Shute placed fourth in the 100M and 200M dashes, setting a new school record for the latter at 25.71 seconds.

Alexis Bruton placed fifth in the pole vault and the girls 4 X 100 relay finished sixth.

George Litchfield placed ninth in state in the 1600M running his way to a new school record

at 4:36.17. For their performances, Collier Middleton and Karmin Shute were also named to the Marietta Daily Journal All County Track Team.

Championship with a 6-1 record. The softball team placed third in NAML with an impressive 15-4 record. The A basketball team placed third in the NAML with a 13-5 overall record. The wrestling GOLF team came in second in the The varsity boys golf team had NAML tournament and had an outstanding season winning eight individual champions: the area-4 private school Joss Melnick, Louis Silverstein, tournament en route to a Evan Brown, Brayton Boden, fourth place finish at state.

Jay Hajost, Robert Wood, Jason Thomas, and Will Cole.

SOCCER Jay Hajost was recognized for The girls soccer team reached the second year in a row by the state playoffs with a 11-5 NAML as the Most Outstanding record.

Wrestler. The boys tennis and golf teams also captured two MIDDLE SCHOOL NAML championships, ATHLETICS finishing with 13-1 and 8-1 The B football team captured the North Atlanta Metro Leauge records, respectively. W

PHOTOS BY MIKE MACKEY

Walker Magazine

Summer 2014

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Class Notes CLASS OF 1988

CLASS OF 2003

CLASS OF 2006

Dr. Richard Parker joined the United States Navy Reserve as a public affairs officer in April 2013. He is currently assigned to Navy Public Affairs Support Element at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. and also serves as the public affairs officer to Operational Support Unit 0612 at Navy Operational Support Center in Charlotte, N.C.

Correction from Winter 2014 Issue: The incorrect class years were printed for the wedding party of Andrea (Moss) Trimble ('03) and Seth Trimble.

Her wedding party included Walker alumni Jenny (Crabbe) Woodruff ('03), Amanda Xiques ('03), Alix (Brown) Carlson ('03), Lauren (Marcinko) Gober ('03), and Meghann Stubel ('03). Other Walker alumni in attendance included Rachel Berkowitz ('03), Brett Murray ('03) and Lindsay (Joyner) Orr ('03).

Arturo Holmes, Jr. recently completed his first year of medical school at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn. Former Walker music teachers Mike and Deb Gerace attended Arturo’s White Coat Ceremony, which highlights an entering medical student’s transition into the study of medicine.

CLASS OF 2004

CLASS OF 1991 After 12 wonderful years at The Walker School, Peter Sullivan and his family will be relocating to Asheville, N.C. during the summer of 2014 to begin his new role as Lower School Assistant Principal at Carolina Day School.

CLASS OF 1995 Clara Rice married Andrew Hlavac ("LAV-ik") on September 21, 2013, at Mt. Airy Forest in Cincinnati, Ohio. Clara is currently Director of Media Relations and Assistant Project Manager for JRA, a company that designs and realizes theme parks, museums and corporate visitor centers around the world, including Atlanta's own World of Coca-Cola.

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Mary Elizabeth (Newton) Tekesky and her husband Michael "TJ" Tekesky both graduated Saturday, May 10, 2014, from Mercer University.

Mary Elizabeth received her M.S. in the Physician Assistant Program and will be joining an Orthopaedic group in Pulaski and Blacksburg, Va. TJ received a B.S. in Nursing and will be joining the Trauma One Emergency Facility at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Va. They will reside in the Blacksburg/Christianburg area. Mary Elizabeth was the recipient of the Heritage Award for Continuing a Tradition of Excellence and TJ received the Wallace Odell Duvall Excellence in Leadership Award, which recognizes the outstanding leadership of a graduating senior from the University's undergraduate schools and colleges.

CLASS OF 2007 Natalie (Halpern) Hales and Woodruff Hales were married on September 7, 2013, at Northside United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Ga. The wedding party included Caroline Dalton ('07), Abby Marcinko ('07), and Sarah (King) Reid ('07), as well as Natalie's sister, Abby Halpern ('09). Other Walker alumni in attendance included Morgan Hale ('07), Leighann Hughart ('07), and Emily Morris ('07). Natalie and Woodruff met during their freshman year at Wake Forest University and reside in Washington, D.C.

Class Notes CLASS OF 2008 Owen Worley is working on energy exploration accounts as a senior audit associate for the Audit and Enterprise Risk Services division of Deloitte in Houston. Owen passed the CPA exam immediately after getting his Master in Professional Accounting (MPA) from the University of Texas. He had previously received his Bachelor of Arts in Business and Accounting from Rhodes College, graduating magna cum laude in just three years while being named to the SCAC All–Conference and CSID/ESPN Academic All-American football teams.

Audrey Worley has graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience. She is working as a research assistant in the Neurology Lab at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where she conducts behavioral and neuroanatomical research with mice looking specifically at motor control and gait. Audrey has also been accepted into the neuroscience Ph.D. program (neurobiology section) at The University of Chicago.

Mary Kate Keappler graduated magna cum laude from Ole Miss in the spring of 2014 with a double major in history and southern studies. She worked at the University of Mississippi Museum for four years in museum education and interned last summer at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

She has been accepted to the University of Florida in their museum studies graduate program, having received an assistantship allowing her to complete the two-and-a-half year program under a full scholarship.

CLASS OF 2009 Charlie McCurdy graduated 24th in his class on Thursday, June 5, 2014, from Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga. He interned at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, Belgium in the fall of 2012 and at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy of the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. in the spring of 2013. Charlie graduated from The American University in Washington, D.C. in May 2013 with a degree in political science and joined the D.C. National Guard.

CLASS OF 2010 John M. Campbell graduated and received his commission as an ensign from The United States Coast Guard Academy on May 21, 2014. He received a Bachelor of Science in International Relations. After 30 days of leave, he reported for further training as a Coast Guard boarding (inspecting) officer and then reported to the USCG cutter Mobile Bay located on Lake Michigan and home ported in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. This will be a two-year tour of duty. The primary missions of the USCGC Mobile Bay are icebreaking, buoy repair and maintenance, and search and rescue.

CLASS OF 2012 Nick Delbrook was recently ranked 20th in his class at the University of Arizona. He has also been accepted into the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, which is ranked #12 among public business schools nationwide and #24 among business schools overall in the 2012 U.S. News & World Report survey. Nick interned last summer in India and will be working at an internship in Hong Kong over the summer of 2014.

Have a Class Note you would like to share?

Contact Kaitlyn Ranney at kaitlyn.ranney@thewalkerschool.org with your information and a photograph.

Walker Magazine

Summer 2014

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Alumni Profiles

Russ Hedden ('89)

Russ Hedden presenting the diploma to Coleman Hedden.

Julie, Coleman and Russ Hedden

PHOTO BY HAROLD ALAN PHOTOGRAPHERS

PHOTO BY HAROLD ALAN PHOTOGRAPHERS

“Diploma presented by…”

One of Walker’s most cherished traditions is to invite alumni who are the parents or siblings of graduating seniors to present diplomas to their family members at Commencement.

At the 2014 Commencement ceremony, more than 30 alumni siblings presented diplomas to their brothers and sisters, and Russ Hedden ('89) presented his son, Coleman ('14), with his diploma.

Russ and his wife Julie met while students at the University of Georgia and have seven children ranging from 9 to 18 years of age. Russ graduated from UGA in 1992 with a degree in marketing and strategic logistics.

He now serves as vice president at Rare Metalsource, a distributor of specialty metals 22

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to the aerospace industry. Like many Walker parents, Russ is very active in the Walker community, having served in leadership roles in both the WSA and Boy Scout Troop 444.

admitted to Walker, much less graduate. As I got older and we started a family, I certainly considered looking at Walker and I did have hopes of our kids getting a Walker education.”

The extended Hedden family, including Russ, his family, and his sister Jama (Hedden) Branham ('85) and her family, have between them 93 years of study - and counting - at Walker.

Jama was the first Walker alumna to present a diploma to her child, Chris Branham ('10).

While Russ noted the moment was quick, he said he was proud to be “the first Walker lifer to present a diploma to their lifer child.”

With 28 years of direct involvement himself (14 years as a student and 14 years as a parent), we asked Russ to reflect on what it meant to present his son with his diploma. In thinking back, Russ said, “In 1989, I never thought any kid with my last name would be

As for Coleman, Russ said that while “it is easy to say nice things about your kids… I have yet to meet a kinder, more compassionate, self-correcting kid in my life. I only wish everyone knew the magnitude of his kindness. Walker has never had a student that loves his school more deeply than Coleman. He savored every minute of school, from Pre-K through graduation.”

Alumni Profiles

R.J. De La Fuente ('06) “Air” and “Marriage for Spies.”

He then landed a role as the stunt double for Sean Hayes in his role as “Larry” in the 2012 remake of “The Three Stooges.”

That role allowed R.J. to qualify for membership in the SAGAFTRA Union, the Screen Actors Guild.

While Walker may have contributed to Coleman’s formative years, it is easy to see the impact that Russ and Julie have had on their son. In thinking back on his own parents, Jerry and Glenda Hedden, Russ said, “Mom and Dad taught me to work.

Although I spent the majority of my childhood trying to make people laugh, I managed to sneak in a little work and responsibility in there as well.

They taught me to never miss an opportunity to learn a new skill.

I like to think I’ve passed down some of those skills as well as the desire to learn to my kids.”

More recently you may have seen him as a dead, or rather undead, “walker” in the AMC original series “The Walking Dead” in two episodes of season four. Filmed in Georgia, “The Walking Dead” is the mostwatched drama in the history of basic cable.

PHOTO COURTESY OF R.J. DE LA FUENTE

Coleman will follow in the footsteps of many of his family members and attend the University of Georgia this fall.

“Jama and I were well-prepared for college, just as Chris was.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Coleman has all the educational and social skills to excel both in college and wherever he chooses to go from there,” Russ said. W

R.J. De La Fuente, a graduate of the Walker Class of 2006, has always been one to follow his own path. After graduating from Walker, he attended the University of Alabama and Kennesaw State University. He currently woks as Director of Tumbling & Cheerleading for Champion Kids, which works with a number of schools including Walker.

R.J.’s other work is a little more superheroesque; he also enjoys working as on-camera talent and a stunt professional in projects for the big and small screen.

His first project was a commercial for the Georgia Lottery. Afterwards, he worked in several small projects for independent films including

Commenting on that experience, R.J. said, “I had the pleasure of working with most of the cast in those episodes. It’s great to work on a TV show that is so well-known!”

His most recent stunt work has been for a forthcoming movie “Cell.” Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, “Cell” will star John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson.

“Mrs. Bayer always encouraged me to follow my own path and even to this day loves hearing about what all I’m doing and where to look for me,” said R.J., reflecting on his time at Walker.

“It has been great working with the school and seeing all the teachers I had, and them still taking such an interest in my life.” W Walker Magazine

Summer 2014

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Summer Programs

School may have been out for summer, but the fun and excitement of Walker Summer Programs were in full swing!

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Mrs. Arndt cheers on her fifth graders during a game of tug of war on Lower School Field Day. photo by meghan stauts