The Magazine for The Walker School Community
Summer 2015
Walker: Past, Present and Future Largest land addition in school’s history inspires reflection and excitement Walker Magazine
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Summer 2015
In this issue...
MS Outside the Classroom SSO Sets Records Around Campus Strength and Conditioning Sports Recap Class Notes Alumni Profiles Homecoming 2014
Gatti Hall was the perfect setting for a tea party inspired by The View from Saturday for Fifth Grade Grandparents and Special Friends Day.
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The Magazine for The Walker School Community Summer 2015
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Editor:
4 Walker: Past, Present and Future
Kristy Helms kristy.helms@thewalkerschool.org
Contributors: Emily Adams Susan Bargo Matt Casper Ira Dawson
by Communications Staff
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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.
7 Middle School Takes Learning Outside the Classroom by Meghan Stauts, Assistant Director of Communications
Alice Jiang Kate McConnaughey Meghan Stauts
Design:
Cris Thornton, Entero Inc.
Photos:
Wendy Hawk Kristy Helms Alice Jiang
Mike Mackey Malanda Murchison Meghan Stauts
___________________________________
9 Student Service Organization Sets Records
by Alice Jiang, SSO Treasurer
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11 Around Campus
by Meghan Stauts, Assistant Director of Communications
17 Athletes, Coaches See Results
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from Improved Strength and Conditioning Program by Meghan Stauts, Assistant Director of Communications
19 2014-15 Fall and Winter Sports Recap
by Susan Bargo ('82), Athletics Assistant
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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 Administration Head of School Jack Hall
(678) 581-6920
Preschool Director Katherine Harrison
(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
22 Class Notes
Advancement (678) 581-6897 Shelly Manuel, Director of Advancement
25 Alumni Profiles
Finance (678) 581-6916 Christie Holman, Director of Business and Finance
28 Homecoming 2014
Communications (678) 581-6904 Cathy LaClaire, Interim Director of Communications and Assistant Director of Advancement
Cover photo: Amelia, Neil, Brumby, and Bethany smile with mascot Joey T in front of Walker’s newly acquired property on 815 Allgood Road. PHOTO BY KRISTY HELMS 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.
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Athletics Gary Blohm, Athletic Director
(678) 581-6922
The Walker School Opening and Closing Phone Line 770-427-2689 + press 5 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: Past, Present and Future November 17, 2014, was an important day in our school’s history. That was the day that Walker closed on its largest-ever land acquisition and, in doing so, opened the door to a new world of possibilities for the future of the Walker campus. “The importance of this land cannot be overstated,” said Head of School Jack Hall. “This land purchase is the first step in fulfilling two of the main goals identified in Walker’s recent Long Range Plan. Now that the land has been secured we can complete the new campus master plan and begin fulfilling the vision set forth within it. It is definitely an exciting time to be at Walker!”
New Land, Next Steps Rendering of recently acquired 18 acre property at 815 Allgood Road. The parcel was purchased from Tatung Company of America.
1957 Father Joseph T. Walker starts a preschool
1977 The Walker School purchases the
1971 As enrollment grows, the
program in the basement of St. James Episcopal Church on historic Marietta Square. A total of 10 students enroll in the first Kindergarten class.
The property is approximately 18 acres and was purchased from
school moves to a location on Waterman Street in Marietta and takes the name of its founder, becoming The Joseph T. Walker School.
vacated Sprayberry High School site and establishes a permanent location at Cobb Parkway and Allgood Road.
1985 Don Rober
and leads t first long ra include con curriculum divisions. T the long ra moving for
1950s
1960s
1970s
1960 Headmaster Shuler
1980s
1976 The Upper School
Antley begins adding one grade level per year and St. James Day School is established.
division is founded when a seventh grade is added.
1975 Walker receives
accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
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1981 The Walker School graduates its first senior class of 15 students.
80s
Tatung Company of America. The large warehouse on the property was used as office space and a distribution center, but has been unoccupied for some time. The community, including parents, alumni, students, faculty, staff, board members and those who live in the area, celebrated this exciting time in the school’s history. In fact, in a November 18, 2014 Marietta Daily Journal article Marietta Mayor Steve Tumlin stated, “They’ve had good steady, well-thought out growth. ” So, what is next now that the land has been secured? Walker’s long range plan, released in the fall of 2014, was built on four main pillars — growing endowment, updating and enhancing facilities, acquiring additional land and enhancing and investing in school
communications. With the purchase of the Tatung property, Walker fulfills one of these goals and can now focus on the priority of enhancing our facilities. Specifically, the long range plan, which was approved by the Board of Trustees after months of communitywide input, calls for updating Walker’s Middle and Upper School facilities with special attention to academics, science labs and technology, fine arts, as well as the development of our outdoor learning environment and enhanced green space. Additionally, the acquisition of this acreage will help address the limitations of the school’s existing athletic fields. One of the most likely scenarios is that athletic field space will be added to the new property freeing up space on the current campus to allow for other needed additions and improvements.
Philanthropy will play a key role in campus growth as it has in previous expansions over the last 20 years. “We are taking the time we need to carefully revise and evaluate the master plan that was drafted during the long range planning process. As we gain support through philanthropy and access the capacity of our community, we will gain a better understanding of what is attainable,” said Director of Advancement
2011 Jack Hall is hired as Walker’s
2001 Walker launches
1985 Don Robertson is hired as Headmaster
and leads the School through its first long range planning process to include construction of new facilities, curriculum and teaching goals for all divisions. The board decides to update the long range plan every five years moving forward.
The Board, school administration and faculty have partnered with architect Mike Mascheri of Chapman, Coyle, Chapman for more than a year to develop a campus master plan that addresses these facility needs, looking at current and future projections. Now that we have acquired additional land, we can determine the best options for campus improvement and finalize the master plan accordingly.
1995 The new Lower School
building opens, as well as a new gymnasium, the Coles Athletic Center.
“Dream With Me,” a $7 million capital campaign to help construct facilities on the newly acquired land, as well as complete renovations to existing campus buildings.
1990s
1993 The School launches “Great
Expectations,” its first ever capital campaign, to help fund $5 million of the construction costs of new facilities and fields.
new Head of School. A strategic planning process begins with community-wide input.
2006 A total of 4.5 acres
2014 Walker purchases 18 acres
of contiguous land is purchased on Damar Road for possible future expansion
of contiguous land on Allgood Road, the largest acquisition of land in the school’s history.
2000s
2004 Walker officially opens its
1999 The school, as
new facilities: the Walker Preschool, Bowden Library, Muthiah Activity Center and Dining Hall, and Warren Baseball Field. The Coca-Cola Family Auditorium and additional classrooms are added through renovation of the existing facilities. Enrollment reaches 1,000 students.
part of its second long range plan, purchases 12 acres behind the main campus on Damar Road.
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2010s
2010 Don Robertson retires after 26 years as Headmaster.
2015 The new campus master plan is finalized and presented at the May Town Hall meeting.
2013 The Board of Trustees approves a new long range plan which includes goals for increasing endowment, constructing new facilities and acquiring land.
Shelly Manuel. “It has already been encouraging to hear from families who are enthusiastic about what is next in the life of the school. The administration will be partnering with the Walker community to engage their philanthropic support for the various phases of the campus master plan.” Manuel added. “Our community has been steadily increasing their commitment to philanthropy at Walker and it is a testament to their affinity for the school and their appreciation for the opportunities that are available to their children here. Having worked here for the past 10 years, I continue to be impressed with how our families pull together to support the school,” said Cathy LaClaire, Assistant Director of Advancement. Planning at this phase is key as we want to fulfill the vision that the Board has for the future in a well thought out and fiscally responsible manner. Utilizing the land and our existing facilities to build the campus that our students will need for decades to come is an important focus of everyone involved.
A Balanced Approach Our Board of Trustees carries the strategic vision for the school and will ensure that we make the best use of the land that we have acquired. In numerous settings our Walker community has made it clear that they would like to see a balanced approach to campus growth, one that focuses not on one single area but serves all three identified in our long range plan: academics, arts, and athletics. Cheryl Barre, Board Chair, stated, “As a long-time Walker parent and board member myself, I appreciate all of the opportunities that have been available to my children along their educational journey. I feel that Walker has provided an individualized path for
each of my children that they could not have received at any other school. My goal is to consider what families need for generations to come as we focus on the master plan and building philanthropic support for campus enhancements.” Jack Hall agreed, “I often say that we want to see the current student population bring their grandchildren to Walker long from now so that the legacy lives on. That is one of the biggest compliments anyone can give us – that they want to give their children and grandchildren a strong educational foundation that they found themselves here at Walker.” The vision that the board set forth in our long range plan will enable us to keep the right focus and to not stray from our strategic goals. Jack Hall stated, “The board members are very dedicated to fulfilling the goals outlined in the plan and I am dedicated to making sure that we are delivering on our mission each and every day – before, during and after we implement the new master plan.”
Stay Tuned The future of the Walker campus is bright. With new room to expand and improve our facilities and many dedicated, philanthropic individuals in our community who want to see the new campus take shape, there is no doubt that Walker will continue to prepare current and future generations of students for the intellectual and relational challenges of college and life. Members of our community can expect regular communication that will begin this fall as we move forward with determining the first phase of our master plan. All members of our community will be informed on a regular basis as to next steps and milestones as they are reached. Walker Magazine
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Head of School Jack Hall signs paperwork on closing day. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
Just as so many generous and dedicated individuals have pulled together to get us to this point, we will all pull together to shape the physical campus that will serve Walker students well into the future. What started as a small kindergarten class of 10 students in the basement of St. James Episcopal Church on historic Marietta Square has grown over the last half century into a vibrant community where meaningful relationships inspire transformative learning for nearly 1,000 students every day. To all of those who are responsible for bringing us this far we thank you for your hard work and sacrifices for today’s students and alumni. We look forward to carrying on your legacy for generations to come! W ~ Communications Staff
Middle School Takes Learning Outside of Classroom Walls “Go into the woods to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and to see if they cannot learn what the experience has to teach them.” – Henry David Thoreau
Walker’s mission and promise statement exalts a student’s spirit wanting to know in every setting – not just the classroom. The retreats that sixth and eighth grade students take during their time in Walker’s Middle School continue to exemplify this statement year after year. This past September, eighth graders traveled northwards to the Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center in Toccoa, Georgia. Along with their advisors, students spent three days climbing rock walls, trekking through the woods (without flashlights!), and getting to know their teachers and classmates in a relaxed environment beyond the traditional desk-andchairs setting of a classroom. Whether it was swinging from tree to tree while on a daunting ropes course or crossing a thin wire while suspended 10 feet above a creek, students were forced to face their fears – and help their classmates do the same. “I think it’s important to come to Blue Ridge as a class because we get to work as a team, especially during the high ropes challenge,” said eighth grader Lauren Maresca, “We cheered everyone on, especially if they were scared.”
wanted to give up but I am so glad I didn’t because it felt great!” Students also learned important critical thinking and survival skills, like how to build a shelter from items found in the forest, how to navigate using a compass, and how to start a fire. Finally, the group capped off their week of team bonding and adventuring by battling Class IV rapids while whitewater rafting on the Chattooga River. To help kick off their Middle School experience, sixth graders took a similar weeklong trip with their classmates and teachers to the Cherokee Outdoor YMCA on Lake Allatoona in Woodstock. “I think students enjoy the retreat because they can experience more hands-on learning in a nonclassroom setting,” said Middle
One of students’ favorite challenging activities was tackling the 40-foot rock-climbing wall while their classmates shouted words of encouragement below. “I felt so accomplished when I got to the top of the rock wall,” said Peyton Ware. “About halfway up the wall, I really PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS 7 Walker Magazine
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School teacher Brian Forshey, who organized the retreat along with Rip Warren. “It helps simulate a real world environment more than time in a classroom does.” While activities like organic gardening do coordinate with academic classes such as geology or life science, others like stand-up paddleboarding and student favorite “gaga ball” are simply fun ways to burn off energy while getting to know their peers. “The retreat was exhilarating,” said sixth grader Katrin Surkan. “There were lots of unexpected things I really enjoyed. Usually, I don’t like team building activities but these activities were just games that helped me get to know everyone better.” Middle School is a time of transition, and group activities like off campus retreats help ease the academic and social woes by connecting students with other classmates and teachers they might not see on a day to day basis. This is especially beneficial for preparing eighth graders for the academic and social rigors of the Upper School, as well as easing the transition from Lower School to Middle School for our sixth graders.
The off-campus location of these multi-day retreats also gives students a time to unplug and connect face-toface with one another, since students are asked to leave all mobile devices at home. “In addition to the experiential learning and relationship building that occurs, the students also benefit from an increasingly rare experience: meaningful interaction without the filter of digital connectedness,” said Middle School Principal Will Forteith. “Students frequently comment after they return from both trips how refreshing it is to separate from their mobile devices and social media worlds.” We think Mr. Thoreau would approve. W ~ MEGHAN STAUTS, Assistant Director of Communications PHOTOS BY MEGHAN STAUTS AND MIKE MACKEY
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Student Service Organization Sets Records “Helping others and taking pleasure” is an old and eternal epigram of China. It has also been a mental motivation for Walker’s Student Service Organization this year too! I am excited to be elected as treasurer this year and have been working hard together with other SSO officers and representatives to fabulously complete five major events this past semester, many of which set SSO and schoolwide records.
Red Cross Blood Drive On October 27, SSO held our first blood drive of the new school year and it was a huge success. The blood drive is an event that collects blood for American Red Cross to save up to three lives with each pint of blood donated. Compared to last year, we had a 42% increase of people donating blood; this blood drive also set a new record of “largest amount of blood for one blood drive” at Walker since Malanda Murchison has been the sponsor of SSO. It was surprising how many first-time donors we had – 19 in total – alongside with faculty members who have been donating blood for over 15 years.
Students smile with Head of School Jack Hall at the American Red Cross blood drive. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
canned food drive for the Salvation Army, and over the years, the school has consistently been one of the greatest sources of food for stocking the pantry.
The final “can count” for the Salvation Army Food Drive proved impressive! PHOTO BY MALANDA MURCHISON
Pregame on the Plaza SSO also held Pregame on the Plaza events this year. These events invite students and parents to eat meals grilled by Upper School Principal Bob Murphy, enjoy a home football game, and help raise money for The Extension, a recovery treatment center for the homeless in Marietta. The first Pregame on the Plaza was the most successful one this year, raising enough money for three Extension meals!
Salvation Army Canned Food Drive Former Middle School Principal Nancy Calhoun initiated the annual
To kick off the drive, the Upper School sets a competition between all classes and the faculty. Faculty members needed to raise 500 cans and each class needed to raise at least 1,000 cans in order to wear
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sweatpants and sweatshirts on exam days. To encourage teacher participation, SSO also made some interesting names for all the teachers based on their names; for instance, Mrs. Murchison was changed to Mrs. MurchiCAN. This year the seniors raised the largest amount of cans. However, the sophomores were the first group to achieve their goal of 1000 by raising money in advisory, then talking to the managers of local grocery stores, which helped bring in 700 cans alone. Faculty members also helped raise over 500 cans!
Powder Puff Volleyball Game for Relay For Life Held on December 5, the Powder Puff Volleyball Game was a new SSO event this year to raise money for Relay For Life, an event held in May that raises money for American Cancer Society. The boys in each grade level signed up to play volleyball, while the girls signed up to be their coaches. After beating the juniors, the seniors and the faculty team, the sophomores were crowned champions – a win for the students AND Relay for Life!
Salvation Army Angel Tree Program
Upper School students sort cans based on grade levels for the Salvation Army Canned Food Drive. PHOTO BY ALICE JIANG
The Salvation Army Angel Tree Program helps buy gifts for local underprivileged children to provide them with a brighter Christmas. SSO paired up sophomore and junior advisories and freshman and senior advisories to help adopt 32 “angels.” Younger students helped raise money while upper classmen helped shop for gifts. With great collaboration with the Lower School, Walker was able to adopt all 109 angels and provide them with gifts just in time for the holiday! W ~ ALICE JIANG (’17), Treasurer Student Service Organization
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Upper School students and faculty members “pack the pod” with over 5,000 canned goods. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
Around Campus SEVENTH GRADER WINS WATER ESSAY CONTEST In December, seventh grader Emma Camp was named the district wide winner for the 2014 Water Essay Contest. Earlier in the semester, students were asked to write a 350-500 word essay that addressed why water quantity
and water equality are equally important. After studying water in her Life Science class with Kevin Tilley and visiting a nearby wastewater treatment facility, Emma submitted her essay entitled, “Water Quality And Quantity – Why Our Health Depends on It.”
“The quantity of water is important because if there is not a high enough fresh water-to-organism ratio, then organisms will die,” Emma wrote, continuing, “The quality of water is important for good health and if it is not sustained, illness and disease will spread.” The content and writing style of Emma’s essay impressed the judges so much that she not only won the Cobb County award for best essay, but she also won the Metro Atlanta District award, beating out over 2,000 essays submitted from 13 counties. Emma was honored at a reception at the Georgia State Capitol on December 4. “Her first line ‘hook’ and her flowing, structured style of content driven writing gave the judges little chance to turn her down from first place,” said Tilley proudly, crediting Emma’s wellcrafted prose, as well as the Middle School’s writing program. 2014 marked the 13th year of the Water Essay Contest. The Water Essay Contest is one of many initiatives conducted by the Metro Water District to raise awareness for conservation efforts and the preservation of water quality in metro Atlanta. Over the years, the contest has engaged thousands of middle school students and challenged them to think critically about water and our region’s water resources. W
Kevin Tilley and Emma Camp proudly hold her award. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS Walker Magazine
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Around Campus EARLY LEARNERS CREATE INNOVATION STATION At the start of the school year, the Preschool’s inaugural Early Learners class read “Rolie Polie Olie”, a book about the adventures of a young robot, in Jessica Whittingham’s science class. Little did she know this would spark a fascination with robots in her young pupils. As students learned more about the mechanics and purpose of robots, they began asking for the opportunity to make their own robots.
Over the course of several weeks, the students explored the concept of robots and worked together to design and create their own two-dimensional creations using shapes. After creating these 2D characters, students started personalize their robots, giving them special names and unique functions. Students brought their robots to life with recycled household items like paper towel tubes, water bottles, and shoe boxes. Whittingham then
PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
“interviewed” them regarding the names, special functions, and living situations of their robots. She quickly found out that the sky was the limit for her creative minded students. Student Rohan’s robot Race Driver provided a public service - helping stop cars at the racetrack from driving too quickly; “He’s like a police car,” he wrote. “He lives in a police station with 900 other police cars and fire trucks.” Other students used their robots to bring pets to life; Carson’s robot Zack was a puppy who could play fetch and run around in circles with other puppy robots. Some students even brought their family to life; two popular robot names were My Mommy and My Daddy. Although an entertaining project on the surface, bringing these robots to life also helped Early Learners develop crucial skills like creativity, critical thinking and problem solving. “Of course, students liked the fun aspect of building and creating their robots, but we also gave them specific criteria they had to meet, requiring them to expand their minds,” explained Whittingham. After the unit finished, robots remained in the hallway for parents to see in the Early Learners’ first ever Innovation Station, which served as a reminder for all Preschool visitors to think outside the (cereal) box. W The Innovation Station displayed the hard work and creative imaginations of our Early Learners. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
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by Meghan Stauts
FIFTH GRADERS CHOOSE EMPATHY FOR SCHOOL THEME
PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
After working diligently in student-led groups to decide on a theme, manage public relations, create skits, foreshadow the theme, fifth graders announced the 2014-15 Lower School theme of empathy during an assembly in early September. “Empathy is mentally putting yourself in someone else’s shoes so you can take their feelings into consideration when you make decisions,” read student-penned posters that fill the halls of the Lower School. “You can show empathy at your house, in your neighborhood, and when you are playing sports.” Students have also employed the theme of empathy in classroom
projects, particularly those that utilize cooperative learning and design thinking. In particular, second graders designed their own arcade games as part of the Caine’s Arcade project, putting empathy at the forefront of their designs. Put yourself in the shoes of a person who would play your game. What does your user want? “This year we have definitely seen an increase in students wanting to participate in unique ways,” agreed Lower School counselor Kristen Moffett, who works with the Lower School Student Council. From raising over 29,000 pop tabs for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to delivering turkeys to underprivileged families Walker Magazine
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in Marietta for Thanksgiving, the 14 members of the Student Council have modeled empathy for their classmates in diverse ways. “Over the past few years, we have been trying to let go and let the students drive service learning,” Lower School Principal Megan Nellen said proudly. “What they ultimately learn in the end is so much more powerful.” Fifth graders even helped Moffett teach the theme of empathy to their Lower School peers in February. “It’s important for students to see it is not just about the action but it’s about the process and why people need this,” said Moffett. W
Around Campus SIXTH GRADE DRAMA STUDENTS REENACT LIFE IN 1800s Drama students in Wendy Hawk’s class took on a very special project this semester – writing, acting, and directing a play entitled “The Root House: A Living Story,” based on the historic Root House in Marietta and its 19th century inhabitants, the Root Family. The inspiration for the project came after Hawk visited the historic home as part of a camp for teachers called Talking Walls in the summer of 2014. “Knowing my class was small, I realized immediately the potential for young students to connect with local history in a way that would make it come alive for them,” she said. “The concept started to form and with this very special group of kids, it took off.” In the fall, students began examining primary sources, such as family letters and insurance maps, to “get to know” the Root family, eventually taking a field trip to the house itself. Guided by the Chair of the Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society Board of Trustees, Abbie Parks, and Root House docent Pam Cole, students carefully walked through the halls and walls of the Root House family home, carefully taking in every detail about where their character relaxed, ate, and slept.
Students take a bow after presenting their original play to a group of students in Gatti Hall. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
They even had the chance to visit the garden to play popular games from the 1800s like Jacks and Graces. After returning to Walker, students began to develop their characters using primary sources to discern what a day in the life of a member of the Root family would be like. “I enjoyed getting to know him as a person who actually lived, researching him and being able to go to the Root House to see where he lived,” recounted Gillian Stoltz, who played the patriarch of the household,
William Root. “Knowing those conditions and knowing what life was like back then really helped me portray Mr. Root.” Despite the fact that the Root family lived nearly 200 years ago, the students were able to find many commonalties they shared with each member of the family. “I’m really interested in the military so it was easy to personalize the project to my interests since my character [eldest son William Kemper Root] was a student at the Georgia Military Institute,” said Thomas Stovall. On the morning of November 20, students donned their historic costumes – some of them on loan from the Root House – and performed their play in Gatti Hall for their parents, classmates, and members of Cobb Landmarks. After taking a bow to the sounds of thunderous applause, it was obvious the impact this project had made on this trailblazing group of students. “Never again will these students pass an old home and think of it as ugly; instead, they will wonder what its story is,” laughed Hawk. W
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Students visited the Root House in Marietta to prepare for their play. PHOTO BY WENDY HAWK
by Meghan Stauts
LOWER SCHOOL HOSTS FIRST DAY OF GIVING Rather than hosting a traditional holiday party on the last full day of school before the holiday break, the Lower School community instead opted to do something for others, hosting an inaugural Day of Giving in support of five local nonprofit organizations. Grade levels worked together on the same project, celebrating the many ways in which students’ talents and gifts can be used to give back to others. First graders collected new books for their first grade peers and their teachers at Powers Ferry Elementary in Marietta. The second graders made several dozen fleece blankets to help keep patients cozy and warm at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Third graders collected, sorted, and labeled new and gently books to be sent overseas for Books for Africa. The fourth graders filled picture frames with decorative inspirational quotes and created beautiful paper flowers with the messages for elderly clients of Meals on Wheels.
Fifth graders smile with their boxes of burp cloths for new moms at The HOPE Center. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
Fifth graders collected and carefully knot-tied burp cloths for new moms at The HOPE Center.
representatives from each of the five organizations, all of who expressed their deep gratitude.
After their morning of service, students gathered as a Lower School community in Gatti Hall at 12:30 p.m. to reflect on their hard work and distribute their donations to
“The most important lesson [I learned] is to be selfless during the holidays,” fifth grader Kaya Beard shared with her classmates. W
Day of Giving
BY THE NUMBERS
100
baby burp cloths for The HOPE Center
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Students present Abby Marcinko (‘07) with blankets for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
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new and gently used books for Books for Africa
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new books were Powers Ferry 1st donated to Powers graders got two Ferry teachers new books Walker Magazine Summer 2015 15
200
framed inspirational quotes and flowers for Meals on Wheels
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fleece blankets and cards for the Aflac Cancer Center
Athletes, Coaches See Results from Improved Strength and Conditioning Program Walker’s strength and conditioning program is comprehensive and designed to positively impact the athletic performance of Upper School athletes. Injury prevention and the development of strength, power, speed, agility, and conditioning are paramount to success in athletics. The program allows our athletics teams to remain competitive by developing stronger, better athletes. Perhaps most importantly, the program plays a large role in teaching student-athletes the value of hard work, mental strength, goal setting, and commitment to a sport and to teammates.
With the addition of strength and conditioning coach Jason Bacigalupo to the athletics department this school year, the improved program has started employing a host of training methodologies and techniques: Olympic lifting, free weights, plyometric training, circuit training, speed, agility and reaction training, and even yoga to enhance the athlete’s coordination and strength in a manner that allows for transferability to sport. “Our approach to enhancing athletic performance is founded upon a simple concept - if we move better, we will perform better. Therefore,
developing proper movement patterns and maximizing mobility via tailored programming is a must, both for performance and injury prevention,” stressed Bacigalupo. In-season strength and conditioning programming is available to all Walker sports during their respective sports season. The head coach of each sport works closely with Bacigalupo to develop a strategy that allows athletes to maintain a base level of strength specific to their sport without overtraining. One coach who has utilized this program is varsity girls volleyball coach Karen Arndt, whose all-star team went to the state championships this season. “Developing a strong core is essential in all athletes, and is especially important for the volleyball player,” she said. “That core strength can help a player’s balance and strength, as well as help to prevent injuries. Balance is the key.” While producing championshipwinning athletes is an added bonus of strength and conditioning, preventing injuries is one of the most important reasons for programs like Walker’s. “Priorities for injury prevention should be increasing strength, addressing muscular imbalances and increasing flexibility” said head athletic trainer Salina Diop. “Consistent participation in a strength and conditioning program gives athletes that edge and provides a proactive approach to preventing sport injuries.” Along with injury prevention, strength and conditioning is crucial to maintaining an athlete’s skill over the summer and throughout the offseason. Program’s offered during an athlete’s “down time” combine two
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Student athletes strength train as a way to prevent injury and improve performance. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
Strength and conditioning coach Jason Bacigalupo works with the girls lacrosse team on strength and conditioning. PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
crucial components - competitive drills and free weight and Olympic lifting strategies – resulting in measurable improvements in strength, power, speed, and agility for athletes who attended these seven-week programs.
Athletic director and varsity boys basketball coach Gary Blohm echoed the importance of training during the offseason, saying, “Championships are won not just during the season in which a team competes but in the weight room during the off season.”
Student-athletes have already noticed a difference in their performance on the field. “Walker’s strength and conditioning program helped prepare me physically to compete at the highest level in any of the Walker sports,” said quarterback Joseph Vose. “It gives me self-confidence to do my best in any sport that I am playing. Working out with other members of the team also creates a team unity before the season even starts.” By providing coaches and studentathletes with a comprehensive program that values both physical and mental fortitude, Walker has guaranteed competitive athletic seasons for years to come. W MEGHAN STAUTS, Assistant Director of Communications
Football coach Lamar Howard spots senior Sammy Smith. Walker Magazine
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PHOTO BY MEGHAN STAUTS
2014-15 Fall and Winter Sports Recap Upper School Fall
Upper School Winter
Varsity boys and girls cross country teams reached the state championship.
The varsity boys basketball team reached the region playoffs with an overall record of 14-9. The season was a milestone, as it was the first winning season since 2010-2011, and the team ended ranked 20th overall in Single A private school classification. The team was led by junior Robert Baker who was named to First Team All-Region. During the course of the season, he averaged 18.6 points per game, 12.2 rebounds per game, 2.6 assists per game along with 2.4 steals per game. He has accumulated 984 points in his career to date. Backing Robert were senior Ahmad McCullough who added 10.3 points per game, and junior Spencer Palladino, who added 8.3.
Varsity volleyball reached the state playoffs after winning the area title. Three players received All-Area honors: senior Sasha Fazylov, sophomore Holland Martin, sophomore Jordan Tasman. Senior Brooke Warner received the highest honor of All-Area Player of the Year. Katlin Seger was named First Team All-Region in fast-pitch softball.
Middle School Fall The fast-pitch softball team won the NAML Championship! The team finished the season on a 16 game winning streak and an overall season record of 18-3. In league games, the team went undefeated! They outscored their opponents 246 to 76 over 20 games. The team was led by three outstanding eighth graders: Gabi Gosnell, Shelby Kraal, and Sarabeth McClure. The three combined for 47% of the total runs scored for the season, and 54% of the team’s total runs batted in. Each of them hit for a batting average over .650. The cross-country team also had a great season finishing third in the NAML championship. Eighth grader Lauren Maresca led the team, running for both the JV and middle school teams. Lauren captured the NAML individual championship, posting a personal best 13:58 on the two-mile course. Both the A & B volleyball teams reached the NAML playoffs for the first time in school history.
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Senior William Schubert captured an individual wrestling state championship for the 152 pound classification and finished his career with his 150th win. In their first year on varsity, freshmen Will Cole and Jay Hajost finished third and fourth, respectively, at area championships in the 106lb and 170lb divisions. Sophomore Lawson Ashby wrapped up his second year on varsity with 21 victories and a fourth place finish at Areas. Senior JT Wood also had 21 wins along with fifth place honors at the Cobb County Championships, fourth place honors at areas, and sixth place honors at sectionals. Junior Conor Merriam added 24 wins in his third consecutive winning varsity season, topping his year off with fourth place finishes in both the areas and sectionals and earning his first invitation to the state championships. The Wolverines finished with an impressive team record of 14-7 in dual meets. The varsity swim team had a fantastic season with multiple
swimmers placing in state and breaking numerous school records. The men’s 200-yard relay team of senior Jake Reini, junior Harris Duling, freshman Hadden Duling, and freshman Bo Dyar set a new Walker record at the state preliminaries with a time of 1:35.97. Senior Maddie Mitchell set a new diving record set by Helen Alvey in 2006 on the 1-meter board with a dive of 240.85. Bo Dyar set a personal best of 57.31 in the 100 back stroke, and Jake Reini set a personal best in the 100 fly at 55.98. Hadden Duling also finished with a personal best in the 100 fly of 57.16.
Middle School Winter
in the NAML tournament. The team was led by eighth graders Matthew Crider, Will Lintner and Robert Wood. Four wrestlers captured individual championships at the tournament: seventh grader Cam Baker, eighth grader Willard Scissum, fifth grader Austin Westbrook and eighth grader Robert Wood. Sixth graders Joss Melnick and Matthew Crider had second place finishes and eighth grader Will Lintner captured a third place trophy. Robert Wood was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler! W ~ SUSAN BARGO ('82), Athletics Assistant PHOTOS BY MIKE MACKEY
The boys basketball teams had very successful seasons, reaching the NAML tournament and both boasting winning records. The A team made the semi-finals in the tournament and finished with an overall record of 13-4. The B team finished 10-5 and rode a seven-game win streak coming down the stretch. Both girls basketball teams also reached the semi-finals of the NAML tournament. The A team finished the season with an overall record of 12-6 and finished the regular season in second place for the western half of the division. The team was led by eighth grader Sule Charles who averaged 13.4 points a game shooting 53% from the field and pulled eighth rebounds per game. Eighth grader Ansley Fromm chipped in 7.2 points per game making 52% from the field and averaging three steals per game. Eighth grader Madeline Daniel rounded out the scoring adding 6.6 points per game with a shooting percentage of 51%. The B team finished the season 5-7. The wrestling team had an outstanding season, finishing second Walker Magazine
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CLASS NOTES CLASS OF 1993
CLASS OF 1998
Maria Croley Madden, husband James, and son Sanders are excited to announce a new addition to their family. Louis Michael Madden was born at Piedmont Hospital on September 9, 2014, and was 8 pounds, 2 ounces and 20.5 inches long. CLASS OF 2001
Brodie Ferguson married Sara Calle on January 31, 2015, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Attending were Chris Wyatt ('93), Brant Brown ('93), Tyler Browning ('93), and Rahul Saxena ('93). The couple resides in Rio de Janeiro. [Photo below includes (left to right) Brodie, Chris, Brant and Tyler.]
Cameron and Kathryn (Voyles) Searle were blessed with the birth of their first child on June 21, 2014. Emma Grace came into the world smiling at 12:11 p.m. She weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19 and 3/4 inches long.
In December, Kaleb McMichen ('01) was appointed as Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives. In this role, Kaleb serves as the spokesman to the news media for Speaker David Ralston. He also advises the Speaker and members of the House leadership team on communication strategy. Kaleb is a graduate of Furman University in Greenville, S.C., and earned his master’s degree at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta.
Ashley Bailey McClain ('01) and husband Daniel McClain welcomed Linley Tyler McClain, born on September 3, 2014. Walker Magazine
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CLASS OF 2002
CLASS OF 2005
Anna (Hairston) Kennedy opened Empower Yoga, located in East Cobb, in August of 2014. Their mission is to inspire you to live boldly and courageously. The studio is heated for the majority of the classes and they offer many different types of classes including basic, power, kids, and pilates. CLASS OF 2004
Allison Ginn ('06) and Pericles Demestihas ('05) were united in marriage on February 22, 2014, at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation in Atlanta, Georgia. The bride is the daughter of Drs. Paul Ginn & Leisa Bailey. The groom is the son of Dr. Evan & Joyce Demestihas. Kelly Demestihas served as the Matron of Honor, and Allison Bray Andrews ('05) as the Maid of Honor. Bridesmaids were Sarah Bailey, Emily D’Alessandris, Eleni Demestihas ('13), Saira Haider and Lindsay Tant. The flower girl was Mary-Katherine Ward, daughter of Judge Trenton and Courtney Miller Ward ('94). The mother of the bride was escorted by Landon Miller ('06). The Koumbaro was Alex Demestihas ('01). John Wiles ('05) and 1st Lt. Stephen Spicher ('05) both served as co-Best Men. Groomsmen were Mene Demestihas ('98), Bert Finney, Casey Gaetano ('05) and Trent Mullins ('05). The ring bearer was Kenneth Clay Hatcher, son of Dr. Kevin and Erin Clay Hatcher ('06). The wedding was followed by a reception at the Georgian Terrace Hotel in Atlanta. Ali & Peri spent three weeks honeymooning in Thailand following the festivities and currently live in Atlanta with their 2 dogs.
Sterling Evans was wed to David Thomas, originally of Rye, N.Y., on October 4, 2014 at Cabin Bluff in Woodbine, Ga. The couple met at Yale, from which they graduated. They reside in Manhattan, where they both work for private equity firms. She is a senior associate at Lightyear Capital, specializing in investor relations and fundraising; he is a vice president at J. F. Lehman & Company, focusing on investments in the aerospace, defense, and maritime industries. Walker alumni in attendance included the bride’s sister, Catherine Evans ('06), as maid of honor, and her brothers, Louis Evans ('01) and Stuart Evans, as groomsmen. Other Walker attendees included Sarah Pilewski ('04) as a bridesmaid, Ben Stowers ('04), Carol and Tom Hogue, and Suzanne and Cliff Waddington and their daughters Brie and Tessa Waddington. Walker Magazine
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Jason Sosnovsky ('05) and Brigitta (Reytblatt) Sosnovsky were married on November 22, 2014 at The Bowery Hotel in New York City. Several Walker alumni were in attendance, including Casey Gaetano ('05), John Wiles ('05), Adam Kay ('05), Peri ('05) and Ali Demestihas ('06), Peter Moraitakis ('05), and Matt Eisenman (current Upper School teacher). Jason is an attorney at Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, and Brig is an interior designer at McAlpine Booth & Ferrier. The couple lives in Midtown Atlanta on the Westside.
CLASS OF 2006
CLASS OF 2008
CLASS OF 2013
For Allison Ginn, see Class of 2005. CLASS OF 2007
Andrea Sikora graduated from The University of Georgia with her Doctorate of Pharmacy in May 2013 and is currently completing a PGY-2 Critical Care Pharmacy Specialty Residency at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. She married her college sweetheart (who also went to pharmacy school with her), Robert Newsome, on May 10, 2014. Andrea’s younger sister Sarah Sikora ('10) was the Maid of Honor and Margaret (Hagerty) Gamm ('07), Kate Vanderlip ('07), and Lauren Mitchell ('07) were all bridesmaids. They were married at Robert’s farm in Madison.
Kris Rehl recently wrote his first episode of television for ABC Family’s critically-acclaimed drama series “The Fosters.” Executive produced by Jennifer Lopez, the series follows a multi-ethnic family mix of foster and biological kids being raised by two moms. Kris wrote episode 20 of season two, titled “Not That Kind of Girl,” which aired on March 16. Kris currently lives with his partner in Toluca Lake, Calif. and is working on several television and film projects, including the upcoming third season of “The Fosters.”
Abbey (Warren) Mateer and Scott Mateer were married on January 3, 2015 at Marietta First United Methodist Church in Marietta. Walker alumni in attendance included Abbey’s cousins Susannah Williams ('10) and Jackson Williams ('09) along with Mackenzie Lee ('08). Abbey and Scott met while attending the University of Georgia. Abbey will graduate May 2015 from Mercer Law.
Cadet Mitchell Boylan was accepted into the Thayer Honors program at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. Twenty three cadets were selected from the 2017 class of approximately 1100 cadets and the program will be a deep dive, cohort-style, into core classes such as math and physics.
CLASS OF 2011
Savannah Boylan, a senior at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., presented at the United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda Conference in August 2014 on the subject of cross cultural leadership and youth engagement. She is currently serving as a Youth Representative at the United Nations to advocate for youth empowerment on a global scale. Walker Magazine
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McClain McKinney, currently a sophomore at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., has been pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. Over the past two years, he worked for a publicist for celebrity Wayne Brady, interned with Rick and Bubba - a national radio show with 2.6 million listeners, and has begun a new internship at iHeartRadio. Additionally, McClain works at an evangelical ministry in Birmingham running their social media and leads worship and conferences for the youth groups at a local church. At Samford, McClain has served SGA’s Executive Board as their Chief of Staff and hosts a variety of campus-wide events, including Miss Samford, a benefit concert called For The Little Lives, and a Samford tradition called Step Sing.
Alumni Profile
Marguerite Bradley ('13)
require insulin injections. Marguerite says that the greatest lesson she learned during her time in Boston was how to optimize research protocols to get the best results from the lab’s experimental data (something I know her lab’s principal investigator would greatly appreciate!).
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARGUERITE BRADLEY
There is no problem Marguerite can’t take with prowess, confidence, and poise. During her time in Walker’s Guided Scientific Research (GSR) course, she carried out complicated environmental scientific research on campus and at UGA, and interacted with a variety of community stakeholders, including the EPA, with a level of skill that I recall with extreme pride. Currently a sophomore at Georgia Tech, Marguerite is majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering with a minor in biology. This degree will allow Marguerite to pursue her desired career in health systems engineering. She wants to use her technical problem-solving skills to maximize the efficiency, costeffectiveness, and success at getting health care products and services to the patients who need them.
Marguerite spent the summer of 2014 immersed in biomedical engineering at the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center in Boston, a joint research program between Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. I was incredibly impressed to hear about Marguerite’s contributions to her team’s project. Currently patients with type 1 diabetes must endure frequent insulin injections because their body’s insulin-producing cells (beta cells) no longer function. Transplants of functional beta cells run the risk of immune system rejection. Marguerite’s work centered on studying a chemical repellent embedded in a gel capsule that would surround these transplanted cells. The repellent keeps the body’s immune cells from attacking the insulin-producing cells, potentially allowing type 1 diabetics to no longer Walker Magazine
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When I asked Marguerite to reflect on how Walker had prepared her for these challenging yet rewarding experiences, she emphasized three skills she honed during her time here. First, participation in Walker’s Public Health Concentration, including the GSR course and her summer internship at the CDC, gave her the research skills and confidence to network with science professionals. “Professors see that you’ve been out there and already done research, so they’re more likely to give you a job and a more substantial role in their lab.” Second, Marguerite appreciates the wide variety of writing she did across grade levels and disciplines. Not only did Walker provide her with a solid foundation with which to express herself, but she was already comfortable with primary sources and research databases - something many of her current peers had to learn in college. Finally, Marguerite reminded me that she was costume mistress in the Upper School drama department. She is thankful for our school’s constant encouragement to students to try something new and step outside their comfort zone! W ~ Emily Adams, Upper School Science Department Chair
Alumni Profile
Brittany Harden ('10) “When I was a high school student at Walker,” muses Brittany Harden (2010), “it always seemed like I was working harder than people I knew attending other high schools, but it really paid off when I got to Furman.” Looking back at her time in college, Brittany readily acknowledges that “thanks to the rigor of the courses, the expectations of all the teachers, and the workload in general” at Walker, she was more than prepared for the challenging curriculum at Furman. In fact, she observed that many of her peers were overwhelmed by the college experience; whereas for her, it was a “comfortable transition” thanks to Walker. Anyone who was at Walker during Brittany’s tenure will remember her amazing AP Studio Art show; in fact, Mr. Murphy still has one of her pieces hanging in his office. She designed posters for the drama productions, and she was featured in every issue of Pegasus while she was in high school. Amazingly, she also found time to play flute in the jazz band, swim on the varsity team, and volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. When asked
about her years at Walker, Brittany commented: “I truly believe the people you surround yourself with play the largest part in how memorable an experience in your life becomes and how fondly you remember it, so because I was surrounded by so many good people at Walker, there are a lot of great moments I remember.” One experience that she says she will always remember was going to the Marietta Diner with Mrs. Arjona and the cast and crew of Sweeny Todd. While they were there, all the singers burst into a spirited rendition of one of the musical numbers, and they got a standing ovation from all the other customers. Brittany was a costume assistant and all of her friends were involved in the show in one way or another. As she said, being part of the musical “was basically a huge excuse to hang out with all my friends while creating something exciting together at the same time.” Brittany’s creative spirit found a home at Furman where she honed her considerable talent and skills as a digital illustrator and designer and developed an award-winning
Brittany created posters for Erwin Penland’s company fundraiser for United Way. PHOTO SPECIAL TO TWS
portfolio. Her senior show was, in her words, a “HUGE undertaking” that challenged her time management skills and her ability to work under pressure. Her project involved creating conceptual illustrations of characters and settings from C.S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew. She describes the experience as her most rewarding assignment because it “embodied a marriage” between her personal vision and her growth as an artist. She was justifiably proud of the final illustrations which were very well received at the gallery show. After graduating with a degree in fine arts, Brittany began a job with Greenville-based advertising agency Erwin Penland, where she works as a content designer for Verizon’s FiOS’s social media. She describes the experience as “hard, characterbuilding work,” but she enjoys the challenge and is able to illustrate for the company on the side while staying in her college town doing what she loves. W
~ Kate McConnaughey, Upper School English Department Chair Walker Magazine
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Brittany (right) smiles with a friend at her senior art show. PHOTO SPECIAL TO TWS
Alumni Profile
Mikey Ramsay ('13) The profession of educating students, in life and in the academic arena, is one that allows all educators to have a transformative and meaningful impact on the lives of their students. The surprise that I have enjoyed is the impact the students have had on my life as an educator. None have left more of an impact than Mikey Ramsay, Class of 2013. As a middle school student Mikey was cumbersome and naive, yet full of life and eager to learn. Not knowing the influence his decisions would have on others, Mr. Ramsay was no stranger to the principal’s office. After some gentle persuading, I convinced his mother, Ms. Jean Ramsay, that the game of football would teach him discipline and cultivate his leadership skills. Mikey was an instant success and this sparked an interest that would lead him to a bright future. Upon arrival to the Upper School, Mikey intentionally allowed his actions to determine his reputation. Not absent of a few immature moments, Mikey benefited from the meaningful relationships cultivated between faculty and students. Being 6’3” and 260 pounds made it hard for him to hide, and Mikey realized that there was no running from expectations. For the next four years, the community would stand behind Mikey and help him reach his goal of becoming a Division I athlete. Mikey does not shy away from expressing his gratitude for what Walker did from him. “My time at Walker helped me redefine myself and the great people there changed me from a troublemaker that was close to being kicked out to the person I am today,” he said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKEY RAMSAY
Currently, Mikey is a biochemistry major at Duke University. He is also a redshirt freshman on the Duke University football team. Though Mikey is unsure about his plans after college, he is very confident that the skills he is acquiring from Duke and collegiate athletics will prepare him to be successful no matter what path he takes. As an educator and mentor, Mikey has taught me that the meaningful Walker Magazine
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relationships developed in the classrooms, hallways, and practice fields of Walker, not only have a lifelong impact on the students but also the teachers. He reminded me that being an educator is a treasured privilege and that Walker is truly a place where a common mission can make dreams come true. W
~ Ira Dawson, Upper School Dean of Students
Homecomi 2014
Students, parents, faculty, staf gathered for Homecoming on
Photos by Mike Mackey Walker Magazine
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omecoming 2014
rents, faculty, staff, and alumni Homecoming on October 24.
Photos by Mike Mackey Walker Magazine
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Middle School faculty members presented main building custodian Isaac Mitchell with a portrait painted by Walker alumnus Robert Blackwell ('14). PHOTO BY MIKE MACKEY Walker Magazine
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