THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS, AND FRIENDS | SPRING
THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS, AND FRIENDS | SPRING
2022
2022
70 Y E A R S O F G R O W I N G I N W I S D O M A N D S TAT U R E
70 Y E A R S O F G R O W I N G I N W I S D O M A N D S TAT U R E
The opportunities here shape students for the rest of their lives.
The Westminster Fund is essential to Westminster’s mission of helping young people become the leaders the world needs. When you support the School through a gift to the The Westminster Fund, you ensure every student has the limitless opportunities and experiences that define a Westminster education. The School’s innovative courses, energizing learning environments, inclusive community, arts offerings, athletics, and more empower today’s students to realize their potential and become leaders of conscience.
Make your gift by visiting westminster.net/giving or scanning this QR code.
SPRING/SUMMER 2022
CONTENTS
CONTRIBUTORS Executive Editors Liz Ball Emilie Henry
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Managing Editor Kathleen Poe Ross ’01 Art Director Molly Morris Editorial Staff Allie Doheny Caroline Rothschild Egan Alyssa Huntt Contributors President Keith Evans Jane Lauderdale Armstrong ’74 Mary Brannon Mallory McKenzie Pamela Nye Katie Trainor Gayle C. White Regina Wood Art Direction & Design Green Gate Marketing Photography Paul Ward Matthew Warren
14 FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
14 Growing in Wisdom and Stature: 70 Years of the Westminster Journey
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As the School completes its 70th school year, we look back at Westminster’s beginnings, how it has evolved, and how we are preparing students for the future.
28 Trailblazers: Honoring the 50th Anniversary of Westminster’s First Black Graduates
The Lewis H. Beck Archives at Westminster
Fifty years after they graduated, our first Black alumni share memories and perspectives on their experiences as they desegregated the School.
Printing Perfect Image
34 Wildcats Predict the Future
Student, faculty, staff, and parent photographers
Westminster continues to follow the most up-to-date public health guidelines regarding COVID-19. The majority of photos in this issue were taken during the 2021–22 school year and reflect the guidelines in place at the time they were taken. Thanks to our student, faculty, staff, and parent photographers for their contributions.
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What does the future hold for Westminster? Current and former Wildcats and members of the School community share their visions for what may happen on campus in the next 70 years.
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From the President Wildcat Tracks New Trustees Westminster Fund Volunteers Wildcat Den Faculty and Staff Looking Back Alumni News Class News
STAY CONNECTED Address comments to Liz Ball, Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications, at lizball@westminster.net. Submit class news items online at westminster.net/classnews. Change your address or update your contact information online at westminster.net/updateyourinfo.
ON THE COVER Mixed media artwork by Jack Shields (1929-2020), beloved former faculty member. During his 39 years at Westminster, Jack Shields taught several subjects, coached many sports, and served as Boys Junior High Principal and Director of Fine Arts before retiring in 1995. He was also a prolific watercolor artist and taught workshops at Westminster, in Atlanta, and around the country.
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Westminster Community, Since 2016, I have taught a course in JanTerm organized around the stories of leaders in Atlanta—how they make meaning of their journey, what drives them, and how they face adversity. Our visitors have come from corporate C-suites and little-known nonprofits, the military officer corps and the ranks of university presidents, the Georgia state legislature and the legal community, and a wide variety of other posts from across Atlanta. The invitation to visit with my class is accompanied by the same prompt each time: “Tell us your story.” That is when it gets interesting. Having had the privilege of listening to nearly 200 leaders over these years (including students whose final project is to tell their stories),
it is striking how many similarities can be found in the experience of leadership across time, setting, and purpose. Animated by a unique passion, driven by curiosity and a desire to learn, occasionally troubled by self-doubt or set back by a blind spot, these leaders have stories that are complicated, triumphant, harrowing, exhilarating, and sometimes a bit untidy. From a resume or LinkedIn profile, their career paths appear linear and logical, but the reality of accomplishing something significant in the world is anything but. Adaptability, courage, and relentlessness strong enough to overcome failure and setbacks are ingredients in virtually every leadership success story. Seventy years ago, Westminster set out to develop leadership for a rapidly emerging city that had played a pivotal role in World War II. Fifty years ago, Westminster graduated our first Black alumni, demonstrating the powerful effect of self-examination and the willingness to change that has led to an ever broader and more inclusive school community today. In 2022, we recognize these and other milestones along the way, whether piloting the Advanced Placement program, navigating coeducation, embracing the digital revolution, or realizing the vision of a campus master plan.
These markers may tempt us to imagine our story as somehow inevitable or assured. But the truth of leaders everywhere—individuals or institutions—is about striving to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges when a high-impact objective is at stake and will be worth the effort. Passion and purpose are bound up together in a mutually reinforcing, highly motivating loop. For Westminster, that purpose has been evident in generations of alumni set on a lifelong journey to “grow in wisdom and stature.” To serve by instinct and lead with conscience has motivated Wildcats young and old alike since our founding. Among our students and alums are innovators in the fight against homelessness, entrepreneurs meeting unmet needs, public health professionals demystifying pandemics, military personnel sacrificing in the defense of our country—and many more. Just like these leaders and my JanTerm visitors, Westminster has a complex, human story, inspiring not only for the achievements represented in each milestone but for the vision and struggle that each step forward required. Seventy years is a perfect moment to reflect on and celebrate our School’s willingness to lead and to resolve to carry on. Thank you for being part of our story. Onward,
Keith Evans President
ADMINISTRATION
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
EMERITUS TRUSTEES
Keith A. Evans President
Joel T. Murphy ’76, Chair Janet M. Lavine, Vice Chair Marilyn S. Black Elizabeth Kilcullen Blake Rosalind G. Brewer J. Donald Childress David D. Cummings Michael J. Egan ’74 Jack N. Halpern ’67 Scott D. Hawkins Angela Hsu Ira L. Jackson ’83 Katharine W. Kelley ’82 Stephen S. Lanier ’96 Sukai Liu David M. Love ’90 Lisa Olivetti McGahan Richard V. McPhail III Allison Bolch Moran ’86 R. Brand Morgan ’94 Floyd C. Newton III ’73 Thomas E. Noonan Rahul Patel William T. Plybon Kelly A. Regal Natosha Reid Rice Louise Scott Sams ’75 Stephen L. Schoen ’80 S. Stephen Selig ’61 Jeffrey P. Small Jr. ’85 C. Austin Stephens ’93 Timothy P. Tassopoulos Dana Weeks Ugwonali D. Scott Weimer
James S. Balloun Betsy Barge Birkholz ’69 Lisa Borders ’75 James E. Bostic Jr. David E. Boyd Peter M. Candler ’60 Samuel G. Candler Richard W. Courts II ’55 Ann Draughon Cousins Suzanne LeCraw Cox ’71 Joseph M. Craver F. T. Davis Jr. ’56 Harold A. Dawson ’82 Virginia Gaines Dearborn ’56 W. Douglas Ellis Jr. Joseph W. Hamilton Jr. Allen S. Hardin Thomas D. Hills ’62 Ronald P. Hogan Barbara Benson Howell W. Stell Huie L. Phillip Humann M. Hill Jeffries Jr. ’73 E. Cody Laird Jr. J. Hicks Lanier ’58 Dennis M. Love ’74 Carolyn Cody McClatchey ’65 Terence F. McGuirk Olga Goizueta Rawls ’73 Margaret Conant Reiser ’73 B. Clayton Rolader ’72 John W. Rooker ’56 L. Barry Teague John A. Wallace James B. Williams George B. Wirth
Toni Boyd Vice President for Finance and Operations Tim Downes Director of Athletics Lauren DuPriest Interim Head of Lower School Emilie Henry Vice President for Institutional Advancement Jim Justice Dean of Academics and Curriculum Marjorie Dixon Mitchell ’82 Director of Enrollment Management Danette Morton Head of Middle School Thad Persons ’88 Dean of Faculty Bob Ryshke Executive Director, Center for Teaching Chanley Small ’87 Head of Upper School Torrey Williams Chief Information Officer
PRESIDENT Keith A. Evans ALUMNI ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVE Wab Kadaba ’87
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Wildcat Tracks The first semester of the 2021–22 school year was buzzing with activity as we welcomed familiar faces, new friends, and new spaces to Westminster. Parents, alumni, and other visitors joined us back on campus for the first time in more than a year, and our Wildcats wasted no time jumping back into campus life!
Next Stop, Broadway! Middle School performing arts students learned from the best in the business last semester when not one but two Broadway stars came to campus. Anthony Galde, one of the original cast members of Wicked on Broadway, taught students choreography during community time. Blaine Krauss, on tour in Atlanta with Hamilton, held workshops with students in drama, chorus, and music theater classes.
Feelin’ Groovy at Lovestock Our third graders brought the spirit of the ’60s to campus with Lovestock, their very own music festival. From lyrics to merchandise to tie-dye tees, these Wildcats created it all! Students workshopped their original poetry in sessions with singer-songwriters from Atlanta and Nashville, and 16 of those poems—four from each class—were set to music and performed during the festival on the Fritz Orr Summer Camp field. All profits from sales of merchandise benefited Songs For Kids, a nonprofit that provides music mentorship and interactive programs for kids and young adults with illnesses, injuries, and disabilities. Listen to some Lovestock originals at westminster.net/magazine.
WILDCAT TRACKS 71 Seniors Honored by National Merit Scholarship Program Last fall, the National Merit Scholarship Program honored 71 members of the Class of 2022. Of the honorees, 52 students received letters of commendation and 19 students (pictured) were selected as National Merit finalists. To see the full list of National Merit honorees, visit westminster.net/magazine.
And the Awards go to … StudioW and WCAT! StudioW and WCAT won four National Student Production Award Emmys for 2019–21, the most of any school in the country. Nominees were selected from more than 250 film and broadcast entries from across the country in 25 programming and craft categories. Since 2014, WCAT has won 10 national and 15 regional Student Production Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Visit the StudioW and WCAT YouTube channels to check out their nominated and award-winning productions!
Wildcats on Parade Students, parents, faculty, and staff lined the campus walkways once again as Lower School students and teachers showed off their costumes during the annual Halloween Parade through the quad. WCAT livestreamed this favorite tradition for those who couldn’t be there. After the parade, first graders carved pumpkins with their dads and special friends in Love Hall.
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WILDCAT TRACKS Live Theater Returns! Although the StageCats didn’t miss a beat during last year’s virtual performances, there is nothing quite like performing in front of a live audience. Middle and Upper School students put on three productions last fall as we reopened the doors of Kellett Theatre to the public. The Upper School presented Museum and Hamlet, while the Middle School performed Hansel and Gretel.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month A visit from former MLB All-Star Carlos Baerga, class trips to Plaza Fiesta, trivia competitions, participation in the Mexican Consulate Day of the Dead, and a market in the Middle School are just a few of the ways Wildcats learned about and celebrated Hispanic culture during Hispanic Heritage Month last fall.
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WILDCAT TRACKS
’Tis the Season During the holiday season, many beloved Westminster traditions felt especially joyful as we were able to be together in person again. The Lower School presented the annual Christmas Pageant before a limited live audience in McCain Chapel, and alumni, faculty, staff, and community members joined the Upper School choruses and orchestra in McCain to perform Handel’s Messiah, a tradition for more than three decades. WCAT was on hand to capture these events and livestream them for the whole Wildcat community.
Middle School Musicians Give “Bach” In December, the Eighth Grade Orchestra visited third graders at Harper-Archer Elementary School as part of the Giving Bach program. This nationwide initiative provides musical exposure and experiences to students who may not have access to string instruments in their educational environment. Our eighth graders gave the younger students a quick tutorial, then invited them to try the instruments and play along with the orchestra.
STAR Students and Teachers Seniors Himani Kalra (top left) and Mira Srinivasa were named Westminster’s STAR Students for 2022. Each STAR Student can select a teacher to recognize as STAR Teacher—Himani chose Dr. Scott Stewart, Upper School Performing Arts Chair, while Mira chose Dr. Tina Davis, Upper School science teacher.
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WILDCAT TRACKS
Science Bowl Team Zooms Past the Competition Westminster’s Upper School Science Bowl team reclaimed the regional championship in a tournament held on Zoom at the end of January, securing a berth at the 2022 National Science Bowl. The Wildcats defeated 24 other teams to win the title, answering questions across six subject areas: biology, chemistry, earth and space science, energy, math, and physics.
Honoring MLK Through Service Lower School students participated in a day of service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Love Hall was humming with activity as our youngest Wildcats worked together and wrote 410 letters and made 250 bracelets for Operation Gratitude, crafted 350 valentines for older adults, made 310 cards for Trees Atlanta, painted six panels of artwork for the Foundation for Hospital Art, and packed 25,042 meals for Rise Against Hunger.
Middle School Academic Quiz Team Wins First Championship The Middle School Academic Quiz Team won top honors at the 2022 Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Academic Bowl for Middle Grades State Championship competition. During the event, Westminster went undefeated and secured the team’s first ever PAGE state championship. The team placed third in last year’s virtual competition, and this marks their fifth time as a top-eight finalist since 2000.
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WILDCAT TRACKS Chorus, Orchestra, and Band Students Make All-State Singers and instrumentalists from Westminster’s Middle and Upper Schools earned spots in the Georgia Music Educators Association’s All-State Chorus, Band, and Orchestra programs this winter. Ten chorus students were selected to All-State Chorus, 11 band students earned spots in All-State Band, and 25 orchestra students won spots in All-State Orchestra. The Middle School orchestra program alone sent 19 students to All-State, which is not only a School record but the highest number of students selected from one school in the entire state.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
These were our top Instagram posts of fall 2021! Can you guess which one was shared the most? Answer: Homecoming
Homecoming 2021
Battle of Buckhead
Football Signing Day
Michael Reese’s Atlanta Jazz Festival artwork
Honk if you
seniors
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Dr. Chanley Small ’87 Named Head of Upper School
The 2021–22 school year marks many milestones for recently named Head of Upper School Dr. Chanley Small. It is her 20th year teaching at Westminster and her 35th reunion year as a Westminster alumna. She also started the year in a new role, serving as interim head of Upper School, and she ends the year as the School’s fourth head of Upper School. We recently caught up with Dr. Small to learn more about her experiences within the Westminster community and beyond, her hopes for the future of the Upper School, and her commitment to cultivating joy in the student experience.
As a Westminster alumna, what are some of your fondest memories from your time as a student? I was a big fan of Mardi Gras, which was a skit and float competition between grades that took place in Turner Gym. We wrote scripts, choreographed dances, and built floats, with virtually no adult help. During Homecoming, which was also a highlight, we produced smaller-scale float-like hallway decorations. This was 1980s-style innovation. I can only imagine what we might have accomplished with the 3D printers, sublimation supplies, and professional sound and video equipment that our students now have! I also loved my English class
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with Eddie DuPriest. His passion for Shakespeare and amateur acting skills were enough to win over even those of us with a scientific mindset. And, I’ll never forget my biology class in the basement of Askew with Dr. McDonough, who also worked at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). He instilled in me an enduring love of science and fascination for biology. What has changed most since your time as a student? What has remained the same? The physical footprint of buildings on campus has undergone remarkable transformation in the time
WILDCAT TRACKS
since I was a student. I attended school in Scott Hall from pre-first through eighth grade—only the class of ’87 had both lower and middle school in Scott. Since my high school days in Askew and Campbell, Westminster added Robinson Hall and Clarkson Hall. More recently, we renovated Campbell with the extension into Hawkins Hall and built Barge Commons. These additions have allowed for better science labs and more space for collaboration and innovation, pointing to the future of education. While the walls have changed, the foundation of who we are and what we do remains the same. We continue to focus on preparing students for
class. The woman gave me a harsh stare and said, “Next time you need a note from your teacher.” I looked at her and said, “I am the teacher.” Needless to say, I was young. My first two years of teaching were under the guidance and mentorship of then Junior High Principal Ellen Fleming. Ellen was a remarkable educator and leader. For me and many others, Ellen was a role model, guide, advisor, and friend. In those early years, Ellen taught me what it meant to be an effective teacher and impactful leader; she set the foundation for what I do today. Many alumni remember Ellen as a teacher or principal who had an enduring influence on students. She also molded a whole
“On behalf of our whole community, I offer thanks to the members of the Upper School Head Search Advisory Committee. These professionals formed a talented and determined team that maintained the student experience at Westminster as their top priority throughout their process. I also offer my deepest congratulations to Dr. Small on her appointment. We are fortunate to have her in this important leadership role, and I am looking forward with enthusiasm and optimism to the future of our Upper School.” — Keith Evans, President college and life through growth “in wisdom and stature.” Students are led by inspiring, passionate teachers and coaches—something that has always been a hallmark of Westminster. We have become more deliberate in thinking about how each student’s unique background impacts the way that they experience our education. We continue to reflect on what it means to develop the “whole person” in the complex world in which we live as well as how we can purposefully develop leaders of conscience. What do you remember from your first few years as a teacher? I began teaching in Westminster’s Middle School right out of college. In the first few weeks, I walked into the bookstore (located in Pressly at the time) to get some supplies for my sixth-grade science
generation of young teachers, some of whom are still at Westminster and others who have gone on to careers elsewhere. How has your work experience outside of Westminster impacted your approach to teaching and leading the Upper School? As a biologist, I tend to think in systems and look for patterns. We are a big, complex school, and this mindset helps me find and build efficiencies, which hopefully leaves more time for impactful, visionary work. I love data-driven problem-solving, which is what led me into the field of epidemiology. Through years of research, I’ve learned how to ask and refine questions and seek evidence in answering them. During my time at Emory’s School of Public Health, my research was cross-disciplinary and taught me the importance of bringing together a
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WILDCAT TRACKS team of experts with unique viewpoints to solve problems. While our team members possessed deep knowledge in very specific fields, they also were eager to learn from each other and curious to find the connections between scientific disciplines. I also benefited from impactful mentorship and support of senior faculty. This instilled in me lessons on how to lead, how to nurture the strengths of others, and how to build teams that ultimately benefit the whole. As you think about the Upper School experience, what are some key areas of focus for your leadership team? I am thrilled and honored to be taking on the role of head of Upper School and working with this amazing team of educators. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a unique set of challenges for schools and adults working with teenagers. In the Upper School, we are keeping a close eye on the lingering effects of pandemic-related stress and
social isolation. This year we’ve made a deliberate effort to focus on cultivating joy. We’ve brought outdoor music and games to advisement to rebuild the connective fibers of our community. We need to continue this effort. We are also working to further develop skills in civil dialogue and collaborative problem-solving in an effort to build a generation that seeks understanding of others, works toward finding common ground, and is less polarized than the adult world we experience today. That is our lofty goal. In a related vein, we are taking a deep dive into our student leadership training. Knowing that leaders come in all forms and appear across all fields, we want to ensure that our students are adept in taking on these roles in college and beyond. Over the next few years, we will work to develop training for students to lead with insight, inclusivity, confidence, and humility.
More about Dr. Small After a nationwide search, Dr. Chanely Small ’87 was named Head of Upper School in February 2022. Middle School Head Danette Morton, Dean of Faculty Thad Persons, and Upper School faculty and staff members Sabrina Johnson, Meredith Miller, Michael Reese, and Ellen Vesey were selected by President Keith Evans to serve on the Search Advisory Committee. They considered a competitive candidate pool of more than 150 educational leaders from across the country. Five semifinalists participated in a series of interviews with the committee, and two finalists were then identified and invited to meet with representatives from different constituent groups including faculty, administrators, current parents, and students on campus. Dr. Small’s connection with the Westminster community spans far beyond this recent
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appointment. An Alpha Omega alumna, Dr. Small graduated from Westminster in 1987 and went on to receive a BA from Brown University, an MS from Stanford University, and a PhD from Emory University. From there, she launched a prolific academic career that included teaching and producing an extensive list of peer-reviewed manuscripts, abstracts, and presentations. In 2012, Dr. Small returned to Westminster as a science teacher, then served as a department chair. She took on the role of Dean of Academics in 2017, providing leadership for signature Upper School initiatives such as JanTerm, Independent Studies, STEAMrelated innovation, ninth grade Wellness and Leadership, and the expansion of Westminster’s Fellows program, a unique academic structure for service learning and leadership training rooted in scholarly work.
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Board of Trustees Names
Katharine Kelley ’82 Chair-Elect
At their January 19, 2022, meeting, Westminster’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name Katharine Kelley ’82 as their chair-elect. Katharine’s term as Chair will begin on July 1, 2022. Katharine earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead Scholar. She then went on to earn
a master’s degree in real estate development from Columbia University and an MBA from Harvard University. Katharine has more than 30 years of experience in urban infill, mixeduse, and residential development and has led the development of more than $2 billion in properties while in senior positions at Jamestown, Post Properties, Newport, and Green Street Properties, where she currently serves as president. She has received national recognition for creative, catalytic development and product innovation. Her work in Atlanta includes major mixeduse projects such as Ponce City Market, South Downtown, Post Riverside, and Glenwood Park, as well as the renovation of the historic Manuel’s Tavern in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood.
of Councilors. She is also completing her term as president of the Rotary Club of Atlanta this year. An Alpha Omega graduate of Westminster, Katharine’s ties to the School are extensive. She is the daughter of Washington Seminary alumna Sylvia Sanders Kelley WS ’50, who also taught at Westminster from 1966 through 1968. Katharine’s brothers, Blaine and Alan Kelley, attended Westminster as well, graduating in 1984 and 1987, respectively. Along with her husband, Chad Riedel, Katharine is the parent of a current Westminster student and two alumni: Andy ’19, Caroline ’21, and Will ’24.
In addition to serving on Westminster’s Board of Trustees since 2008, Katharine serves on The Carter Center’s Board
“The selection process for a new board chair at Westminster is lengthy and intensive, and the fact that Katharine emerged as the unanimous choice of our trustees speaks to her tremendous leadership abilities and dedication to Westminster over many years. We thank Katharine for her service and commitment to Westminster’s future.” — Keith Evans, President
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GROWING IN WISDOM AND STATURE by Kathleen Poe Ross ’03
Celebrating 70 years of the Westminster Journey by Kathleen Poe Ross ’01, Advancement Writer In the first few months of 1951, the leaders of the North Avenue Presbyterian School (NAPS) faced a difficult decision. Applications had dwindled over the past few years, and keeping the school afloat was becoming an insurmountable challenge. But as the board wrestled with whether to close their doors, the seeds of a new school for the families of Atlanta were planted. While considering options for their current pupils, the NAPS leadership began exploring the idea of creating a local college preparatory school for girls and boys. This new school would be a strong independent school, rooted in both academic excellence and Christian principles, just as NAPS had been. Energized by this vision, the trustees found land for the school, recruited a capable leader in Dr. William Pressly, and set plans to open for the 1951–52 school year in a matter of months. The new institution was named The Westminster Schools. Among the many things that carried over from NAPS to Westminster—along with students, staff, teachers, and even buildings, for a time—was the school motto, found in the Gospel of Luke 2:52: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” While this verse was originally chosen to encapsulate the School’s hopes for each of Westminster’s students as they progress along their educational and spiritual journeys, it also reflects the overarching aspirations the School holds for itself. Westminster’s first 70 years have brought countless milestones, developments, and innovations—each one anchored in the words of Luke 2:52 as we seek to cultivate creative problem-solvers, foster a sense of belonging for all within our community, and develop leaders of conscience who will have a positive impact in the world.
In Wisdom In an early school brochure, Westminster touted itself as being “rich in that which cannot be purchased at any price: a long tradition of scholastic achievement coupled with spiritual integrity.” This tradition had been established by NAPS, which was founded in 1909, and gave Dr. Pressly a strong foundation to build from as he shepherded Westminster into being through the spring and summer of 1951 in partnership with the NAPS Board of Trustees. As he met with prospective families and
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The story behind the motto The Bible story the verse comes from describes Jesus as a boy of 12, traveling to Jerusalem with his parents for the Festival of Passover. After the celebration, Jesus’ parents head home from Jerusalem believing that their son is among their party, only to discover a day later he is not. They return to Jerusalem to find Jesus deep in discussion with Temple elders. This account illustrates Jesus’ connection to the leading Jewish teachers of his time. After Mary and Joseph retrieve him, verse 52 provides a conclusion to the story. Dr. Pressly shows students the School’s motto.
supporters, Dr. Pressly made sure they were aware that Westminster’s baseline academic expectations would be higher than Atlanta students were used to: The students would have to do homework. “Having assigned homework to my pupils for many years, I considered it routine,” Dr. Pressly later wrote. “The parents were as surprised to learn that homework would be required as I was surprised they asked the question. Later, I learned that homework was not required in Atlanta’s public schools.” Westminster sought to enroll students who would be up to this and far greater challenges. Early on, Dr. Pressly introduced an honors curriculum that would identify as early as seventh or eighth grade the best and brightest students—who, he had observed throughout his career,
Campbell Hall, 1953
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might otherwise be tempted to leave high school and start college early in pursuit of a more rigorous course of study—and put them in accelerated sections. The Ford Foundation took interest in this project of differentiated coursework and helped start similar programs in a handful of independent schools in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. The Ford Foundation also invited Westminster to organize and launch a related study with Oglethorpe University, Agnes Scott College, and Emory University focused on the articulation between the last two years of high school and the first two years of college. Out of this combined research emerged the nationwide Advanced Placement program, which—then, as now—enabled students to take college-level courses and potentially earn college credit during high school. Westminster provided a test case of this program, piloting these rigorous classes and adopting them into the School’s curriculum in 1954. At only three years old, Westminster was firmly established as a leading independent school. Piloting the AP program solidified the School’s reputation for academic rigor and showed Atlantans that they didn’t need to send their children away from home for a top-notch college prep education. For families living outside Atlanta, Westminster operated a boarding program until 1978, which drew students from across the state and the region. “Performance was Westminster’s specialty,” says David Purdum, who joined the Boys School English faculty in 1971. David says he was drawn to Westminster because, with all of its scholastic sophistication, it still had a place for Christian values.
“There was a distinction that developed for me in my first few years at the School between performance and reflection,” David says. “Performance asks the question, ‘How does it work?’ Reflection asks a very different question: ‘What does it mean that it works?’ And I think that’s where religion comes in, with the second question.” In this context, David developed a course called Two Visions of Man, designed to help Westminster students increase their capacity for reflection in an environment that prized performance. The class ultimately merged community service and academics, taking seniors off campus every week to serve and be in community with others at places like the Metro Correctional Institute and the Center for the Visually Impaired. Many longtime faculty members still point to this class as an important curricular development that broke the mold and set the stage for a new kind of learning experience at Westminster. Alongside Two Visions of Man evolved a similar elective, School for the Common Good, offered from the mid-’80s through 2001. This course also took students off campus during the school day and out into the city, this time in partnership with Atlanta Public Schools’ Booker T. Washington High School, to engage in service and build relationships in the community. David’s students grappled with existential questions through discussion, writing, seminars, and retreats with peers from APS. Another groundbreaking program called Discovery was established at Westminster in the early ’80s. Under the leadership of retired Army Col. Ralph Puckett Jr.—recently awarded the U.S. military’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor, by President Biden—Discovery borrowed from outdoor education programs such as Outward Bound, cultivating leadership and teamwork skills through adventure-based challenges.
Leading the way 11 23
Students in the boarding program talk outside the girls’ dorm, McLarty Hall.
The structure and duration of the course has changed through its more than four decades of existence; today, it’s part of the mandatory wellness and leadership program that all ninth graders take part in through their advisement groups, and it still involves an experiential outdoor component. Westminster continued to distinguish itself by offering advanced and experiential classes that breathed life into the course material in fresh and exciting ways. Through the ’90s, several new electives and summer classes were developed—courses like Field Geology, Running Through History, Marine Biology Institute, and Philanthropy 101—many of which are still offered. Team-taught interdisciplinary courses like American Studies, which paired English with U.S. history, and New Testament Bible in various world languages underscored the collaborative spirit of the School and its faculty. Today, experiences like JanTerm, MayATL, and offerings from the Glenn Institute for Philanthropy and Service Learning can trace their lineage back to Purdum’s classes and Westminster’s other early forays into experiential
Because Westminster piloted the Advanced Placement program in the early 1950s, we had more students taking AP classes than any other school in the country for many years. Today, Westminster students take an average of seven AP courses while in the Upper School. Here’s how our program has grown:
AP courses offered in 1954 vs. 2021
1,015
AP exams taken in 2021
175
AP Scholars* in the Class of 2021
*AP Scholars are students who have earned a score of 3 or higher on at least three different AP exams.
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Left: Design thinking is an essential part of today’s Lower School curriculum. Right: Middle School students work together in the Roberto C. Goizueta Innovation Lab.
education. Teachers across disciplines in all divisions of the School have seen the benefits of getting students out into the city—and beyond— to work and learn. After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, JanTerm returned to the Upper School in early 2022. The three-week intensive experience has become a hallmark of the Upper School program, enabling students to immerse themselves in a single topic through project-based learning. This year, students chose from 46 courses, including Happiness: The Science of Being Well, Disaster Management, and Innovations in Vehicle Design. This spring, the Middle School launched its own immersive learning experience called MayATL. Middle Schoolers took exams in early May and then spent the final weeks of the school year in classes like Reporting Live from Truist Park; So, You Wanna Be a Doctor?; and Get Your Song On: Music and Lyrics. This kind of innovation and experimentation has shaped the School from the beginning, and it can be found in every division. In fact, the curricular concepts of design thinking and innovation at Westminster—key components of today’s Wildcat experience—initially took root in Love Hall. “We first introduced design thinking in 2012, and over time it’s become more than a curriculum—it’s a mindset,” says Interim Head of Lower School Lauren DuPriest. “Our students are exploring and developing their creative thinking,
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collaboration, and problem-solving skills from pre-first on, and they bring this experience and knowledge with them as they enter the Middle and Upper Schools.” What started with a small cohort of Lower School teachers a decade ago has energized the whole campus, inspiring new spaces like the Roberto C. Goizeuta Innovation Lab, the RoboDen, and the Roberto C. Goizeuta Catalyst Lab, where our students design, test, troubleshoot, build, animate, and expand their capacity to imagine, create, and lead. “Our larger story is an ongoing commitment to what excellence looks like across many dimensions,” says Westminster President Keith Evans. “We began to participate in this conversation in a meaningful way at our founding, along with partners from across the country who helped to guide the conversation and think through it with us. And those kinds of questions remain with us; they keep us restless; they keep us motivated to keep pushing forward.”
In Stature Every decade of the Westminster journey has brought changes to the size and state of the School’s facilities, gradually transforming the densely wooded property off West Paces Ferry Road into the beautiful, buzzing campus students know today. For the School’s first two years, as Dr. Pressly and the Board of Trustees were securing funding and making plans for a new location,
Experiential learning at Westminster takes many forms. Clockwise from top left: Two Visions of Man, Marine Biology Institute, Running Through History, JanTerm, Discovery
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The campus of NAPS on Ponce de Leon Avenue
Broyles Arts Center
Clarkson Hall
David Lauderdale teaches English in Campbell Hall, 1974
Jack Morgan teaches English in Barge Commons, 2022
Westminster held classes in the facilities of NAPS, its predecessor school, on Ponce de Leon Avenue in midtown Atlanta. The first buildings on Westminster’s new campus, located on 100 acres on the northwestern edge of the city purchased from Trustee Fritz Orr, opened in 1953: Askew Hall (the Girls School) and Campbell Hall (the Boys School). In the summer of 1953, Washington Seminary, another local girls school, announced it was closing, unable to sustain operations as its longtime principal, Miss Emma Scott, retired. Its students and teachers were welcomed into Westminster as well, despite the fact that Washington Seminary and NAPS had a long-standing rivalry. For the next two years, Westminster operated the Girls and Boys Schools at its new campus and the coed Junior School out of the old Washington Seminary facilities at Peachtree Street and Brookwood Drive. Scott Hall, named for Washington Seminary’s former leader, opened on Westminster’s campus in 1955 to house the Junior School. In his 1957–58 president’s report to Westminster trustees, Dr. Pressly wrote, “Westminster, through the years, has not built buildings for the sake of buildings. ... We build buildings because our students need them. There is no other reason.” Indeed, each new building reflected and met a need of the School as it increased in population and prestige, supporting its reputation as the region’s top school. In 1962, the School opened the Administration Building, later named Pressly Hall in honor of the founding president. Dormitories for the boarding students—McLarty Hall for the girls and Tull Hall for the boys— followed in 1964 and 1965. After those early years of rapid growth, the pace of development on campus slowed, and big projects became fewer and farther between. Turner Gymnasium, which included an indoor pool for the School’s state champion swimming and diving programs, was completed in 1970. In 1988, the performing and visual arts got their
What’s in a name?
1970 Girls School senior class officers
own dedicated venue in Broyles Arts Center. The 1990s brought Robinson Hall, a specialized science building for the Upper School, and an expanded Lower School facility that was named Love Hall at Woodruff Elementary. In 2005, the Middle School got a long-awaited new home in Clarkson Hall. Campus developments can both follow and forecast shifts in program. As the School looked toward the new millennium, some updates were in order—most notably, the athletic facilities for girls needed to be improved and enlarged. When Turner Gym was originally built, there were just five girls sports teams. By the time the gym’s expansion opened in 2000, there were 35. Westminster Board of Trustees Chair Joel Murphy ’76 initially chaired the Campus Plan
If you’ve ever wondered why the School’s full name is plural, it’s because The Westminster Schools was founded as not one but three separate schools: The Westminster School for Girls, The Westminster School for Boys, and The Westminster Junior School. Today, we are one school with three divisions—Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School.
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Rev. Dr. William Holmes Borders speaks to students during Spiritual Emphasis Week in fall 1968.
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Steering Committee that was formed in 2015 to lead the School through its most comprehensive campus transformation since its founding. “The framework we came up with was ‘more integration, less separation,’” Joel says. In envisioning new and renovated spaces like Hawkins Hall, Barge Commons, and Campbell Hall, the committee wanted to put leadership and learning on display for students of all ages to observe and create spaces that would facilitate “constructive collisions”—random conversations, quick huddles, and chance meetings—between students and faculty and across disciplines. These spontaneous moments of serendipity can lead to connections, not just between people passing by but in the minds of students and faculty alike. Seeing peers and mentors at work, whether they’re tinkering in an open innovation lab, discussing poetry in a glass-walled classroom, or problem-solving in small groups, can be a daily source of inspiration as our School develops the next generation of leaders. The completion of Barge Commons last summer capped a flurry of redevelopment on campus over the past three years that saw varying parts of the quad covered in construction fencing as projects progressed. Students and faculty have now settled into these new spaces, and we are seeing how they enhance the student experience. “The DNA of the School is the same as it’s always been, but it’s our responsibility to continuously adapt and stay ahead of what our students need in order to be prepared for what our mission promises—and that’s true of our facilities, too,” says Director of Enrollment Management Marjorie Dixon Mitchell ’82. “Physical place anchors relationships in a way that’s really important, and what these new
Did you know? Before the School had dorms on campus, Westminster’s boarding students lived in Glenridge Hall in Sandy Springs—the former home of businessman and philanthropist Thomas K. Glenn—more than 10 miles away.
spaces allow us to do is both bring people back to campus and reach out into the broader community.”
In Favor with God and Man Just as significant as the changes to the physical campus over the years are the broader cultural shifts and changes to the social fabric of Westminster. Myriad moments and movements have shaped the institution and propelled it forward on its journey to develop leaders of conscience for our city and our world. Following the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which made “separate but equal” schools for Black and white students unconstitutional, Atlanta Public Schools desegregated peacefully in 1961. Westminster amended its admissions policy to say that it would “consider applications of any and all candidates” in 1965—and even then, nine years after the Supreme Court decision, Westminster was one of the first independent schools in the area to desegregate. The first regularly enrolled Black students entered the school in the fall of 1967, and the following fall the first Black students in the boarding program arrived. The first Black students to graduate, members of the Class of 1972, celebrated their 50th reunion this spring. Jere Wells ’72, a longtime Westminster teacher and administrator, remembers that along with the desegregation of the student body came the involvement of diverse guest speakers who represented civic, intellectual, and religious life and brought important messages to the School. “I can’t tell you the first time that Rev. William Holmes Borders spoke at Westminster, but I know that he spoke at least twice when I was in high school,” Jere says. “For the vast majority of students at the time, having
Learn more about Westminster’s first Black alumni and their experiences on page 28.
Students hang out on campus in the late ’60s or early ’70s.
a Black civic leader address the student body would have been a first.” Rev. Borders, whose grandchildren were among the earliest Black students at Westminster, not only visited the School to speak at assemblies; he also gave the sermon at the 1972 Baccalaureate service. About a decade after Westminster changed its admissions policy, it decided to discontinue the School’s boarding program and instead focus on meeting local demand. The 1977–78 school year was the last year the School had “dormies,” as boarding students were known; McLarty Hall and Tull Hall, the dormitories, were eventually renovated and repurposed as instructional space for the School’s youngest learners. Upper School English teacher Frank Finthswait witnessed many of the School’s most profound cultural changes, as he described them, firsthand. He began teaching English in the Boys School in fall of 1967, the same year the School desegregated. In the late ’70s, before the dormitories closed, he served as “dorm parent” for one year. And he was teaching English when that department finally switched to mixed-gender classes as the Boys School and the Girls School merged in 1984 as Westminster transitioned to a mostly coeducational model.
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“It was evident that there were two very separate schools, and we would be a much better school to combine them. I thought it led to a much, much more invigorating classroom,” Frank says. “It was obvious that there was an equal talent pool in the Girls School, and I think that was very humanizing for the guys. It was a good way for the boys and the girls to learn to fully respect each other as fellow students and friends.” Upper School Director of Operations Tiffany Boozer ’85 was a senior when this change first took effect. There had always been spaces in which the boys and girls worked together and shared leadership—the Honor Council, the Bi-Line, the Lynx, to name a few—but once all classes became coed, and once the two schools came together administratively under one principal in 1986, many differences and delineations between the two schools began to fade. Some vestiges of this original two-school structure remain today, and some continue to evolve. Advisements (previously known as homerooms), grade chairs, and college counselors are no longer assigned by gender. At commencement, the graduates will be seated and invited to the stage in alphabetical order. Student government now might be cochaired by
ServeATL is one of many Middle School offerings that teaches students about civic engagement.
a girl and a boy, but it no longer has to be. “I feel like we’ve kept the best pieces of who we are absolutely intact—which is amazing, curious students and amazing, curious, and engaged faculty—and changed what is in the best interest of our students with their direct involvement,” Tiffany says. Another consequential shift has been the School’s ever-increasing commitment to service learning and civic engagement. Over
Through classes, service projects, and student groups, the Glenn Institute reaches students at every grade level to educate them about and immerse them in philanthropy, community service, and civic engagement. “Part of all of our work on the Glenn team, whether we’re talking about pre-first or 12th graders, is helping students understand their own strengths and talents and how to marry those so that they can have an impact on the
“The DNA of the school is the same as it’s always been, but it’s our responsibility to continuously adapt and stay ahead of what our students need in order to be prepared for what our mission promises—and that’s true of our facilities, too.”
Marjorie Dixon Mitchell ’82, Director of Enrollment Management the decades, community service at the School has morphed from a largely opt-in, extracurricular club model to an indispensable part of a Westminster education in the form of the Glenn Institute for Philanthropy and Service Learning.
things that they care about,” says Glenn Institute Director Meghan James. Jessica Dent, program coordinator for the Glenn Institute, helps create meaningful experiences for the students to help them put this
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“Seventy years of successful history allowed Westminster to meet the challenges brought on by the pandemic with confidence and a can-do spirit. This same confidence and these same habits of heart and mind are what we instill in our students today and what we send with them into their futures. As always, opportunity and adversity are in front of our graduates, but, as has been true for seven decades, they are well-equipped to thrive and make a contribution to the greater good.” Keith Evans, President
knowledge into practice. “Through opportunities like the Alternative Gift Fair and Day of Service, students are able to display their passion for philanthropy and community engagement while making a purposeful impact on Westminster and the surrounding Atlanta community’’ Jessica says. “With assistance from the Glenn Institute, student leaders have reignited community partnerships with local nonprofit organizations to fulfill their need of friendship, food, music, homework tutors, and intentional generosity.” Experiences like the CATapult leadership class in fifth grade, ServeATL and other civic-minded Middle School electives, Philanthropy 101, and schoolwide service projects expose students to the idea that each one of them can be an agent for change and a leader of conscience in their community. Even with all these new courses and extracurricular opportunities, Frank Finsthwait says he still sees the same commitment to fostering good character in the students from his fellow faculty members as he did 55 years ago. “What amazes me is that the same centrality of the students as young people is still the heart of the School,” Frank says. “I think it’s really special that that kind of sincere interest in the students as young people first and academic performers second is very unique and separates this community from so many others.”
The Journey Continues The 2021–22 school year has proven to be its own kind of milestone along the Westminster journey. In addition to marking the School’s 70th anniversary, the 50th anniversary of Westminster’s first Black graduates, and the culmination of the most comprehensive campus enhancements since the institution’s founding, the Westminster community is also emerging from the most disruptive chapter in the School’s history. So far, three academic years have been impacted by the unique challenges of remote and in-person learning and extracurricular activities during a pandemic. Through it all, our community has leaned in and leveraged this experience to inform how we continue to grow as an institution, never veering from the ultimate work of developing leaders of conscience for Atlanta and beyond.
As at so many schools steeped in tradition, the Westminster community takes pride in how much remains the same since the vaunted early days of the School. But carrying any institution into the future requires adapting to the current moment and anticipating the needs of generations to come. The mission and values of the School haven’t wavered through the years, but the expression of those values has evolved. Along the way, Westminster has constantly redefined and reimagined the concept of excellence in education. “The past few years have given us a chance to give a good workout to some institutional muscles that have been essential since our founding. We have relied heavily on our ability to iterate and problem-solve, to find partners for intensive learning and collaboration, to distribute leadership to make adaptations possible, and to sharpen our focus on our values and priorities,” says Keith Evans. “Seventy years of successful history allowed Westminster to meet the challenges brought on by the pandemic with confidence and a can-do spirit. This same confidence and these same habits of heart and mind are what we instill in our students today and what we send with them into their futures. As always, opportunity and adversity are in front of our graduates, but, as has been true for seven decades, they are well-equipped to thrive and make a contribution to the greater good.” In many ways, the Westminster journey is just beginning. As the School has grown from an upstart independent school to a national leader, it has remained true to its roots and founding principles—grounded in Christian values, committed to academic excellence, embedded in and engaged with the city and the world. From this foundation, Westminster is able to meet students where they are and support them as they pursue their highest aspirations. Even as we pause to reflect on Westminster’s path over these past 70 years, we look toward a future full of possibility as our School and our students continue to grow in wisdom and stature.
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TRAILBLAZERS Honoring the 50th Anniversary of Westminster’s First Black Graduates by Kathleen Poe Ross ’01 Advancement Writer
In 1972, two decades after Westminster’s founding and 50 years ago this spring, Malcolm Ryder, Wanda Ward, Michael McBay, Jannard Wade, and Isaac Clark received their diplomas as the School’s first Black graduates. These intrepid students were among the first to desegregate Westminster’s student body and dormitories in 1967 and 1968, respectively. They forged a path no one had taken before and paved the way for other Black and minority Westminster students to follow. School desegregation was a prominent part of the national and local conversation throughout the 1950s and ’60s as the effects of the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954 rippled out across the country. While Atlanta Public Schools began to desegregate in 1961, Westminster and other independent schools remained mostly white. In the fall of 1965, Westminster’s Board of Trustees amended the School’s admissions policy to “test for admissions and consider the applications of any and all candidates.” The following summer, Westminster enrolled its first Black student in its summer program, but it wasn’t until the fall of 1967 that the School enrolled Black students for the regular academic year— seven students ranging in age from fourth grade to eighth grade. “At last Westminster stood on the verge of no longer being regarded by many as a ‘social club’ and would take a huge step toward real progress,” Dr. Pressly later wrote of the decision. Read on to hear directly from Westminster’s first Black alums and learn more about what the School is doing today to engage with Black and minority students and alumni. The following narratives have been condensed and edited from interviews and written recollections.
MALCOLM RYDER ’72 I was a member of a program sponsored by the Stouffer Foundation that was a competitive process to find Black students to go into top-tier private schools in the South. I came to Westminster from Norfolk, Virginia, pretty well prepared, at least on the surface. I don’t think anything really could have prepared me to live in the dorm. During the first year and a half, I didn’t change the furniture or put up posters, any of that stuff. The whole place was kind of on probation for me. Halfway through sophomore year, I went home and I told my mom I wasn’t going back. She said, “Yes, you are.” It was a very short discussion. When I came back, a couple of the girls in the girls’ dorm embraced me as a friend in a way that hadn’t happened before. In particular, Sylvia Shortt encouraged me to get much more involved with student activities. She liked that I was a musician and did everything she could to get me plugged in with [chorus director] Frank Boggs. It was like a complete reboot. When I first showed up, I was extremely sensitive to representing my family, proving to myself and everybody else that I belonged there academically, not being overwhelmed by being the only Black person in the dorms. There was a lot of pressure, and I was just kind of playing it safe. When Sylvia injected me into all these other parts of the School, I gave up all that carefulness, and it was just kind of
lifesaving. It gave me permission to decide who I wanted to be and then go try to be it. I had an art-driven life with theater, dance, and music, and it became a real natural home for me. If [the Black students] had bad experiences there with the faculty or other parts of the administration, I think the bad experiences started with feeling like we were misunderstood in some way. We tried to tell people about it, and we weren’t being heard. It wasn’t anything like “We don’t want you here; you don’t belong here.” But we didn’t have predecessors as role models at the school. It was left up to each of us to find relationships with certain teachers who were predisposed to see us succeed. And I was thankful for the people who I could look at every day and know very clearly that they were interested in my feeling good there and succeeding. I think if you asked each of us one by one who these people were, you might not get the same names. But for me, it was Frank Boggs. The most important thing about being a Black student at Westminster, to me, was to actually make it kind of a nonfactor in my success there. I didn’t want to be dealt with broadly or continuously as a Black student in a white school. I wanted to be recognized for how I made people feel and what I was capable of doing. And that’s pretty much the experience that I had. Westminster, in the long run, never told me that I wasn’t good enough or that I didn’t have permission or that I shouldn’t try.
Stronger Together As Malcolm Ryder and his classmates approached graduation, he penned an article for the the June 1972 issue of the Bi-Line about their experiences based on a roundtable discussion they held. “The group felt it necessary for Black students entering predominantly white schools to have culture outlets and group relationships similar to their home-base conditions as well as those outlets offered at the school,” Malcolm wrote. “As far as recommending Westminster to other Black students, the consensus was to recommend it to a group of Blacks and not to send a Black student here by himself.”
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WANDA WARD ’72 My five years at Westminster proved pivotal and transformative in my later educational and career pursuits. Raised in a middle-class African American community that essentially functioned as a “village” where families helped support and nurture one another’s children, where neighborhood schools were strong and vibrant, and where churches provided strong spiritual and societal guidance, excellence was the abiding expectation for the community’s youth! Westminster exposed me to a broader slice of society, where preeminent educational excellence was the norm and exposure to a level of greater economic wealth opened my eyes and understanding of a world I had not previously experienced. But more than increased access to material assets, Westminster was the place where I formed lifelong friendships and bonds—friendships that formed in class, in basketball practice and games, in student governance, and on weekend outings on the farm with Susan Timberlake and Melissa Tufts! We still stay in touch to this day. As critical as these experiences were, Westminster was not immune to the systemic racism and societal injustice that permeates America. Numerous incidents occurred on campus but were often handled quietly behind
the scenes. I do commend Westminster’s leadership for the moral courage and realistic pragmatism that drove its determination to broaden its educational horizons and lead in the desegregation of its doors. Being one of the first African Americans to graduate from Westminster was not an intended goal of mine but provided a path of opportunity that I could not have envisioned. My passion for and pursuit of both excellence and inclusion (especially for the historically minoritized and marginalized) and international engagement can be traced back to Westminster. My commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and international engagement throughout my careers in science and engineering research and education administration in the federal government and higher education were enhanced or spawned at Westminster—for example, through opportunities like the American Field Service (AFS) exchange to Switzerland. Much later in life, I led the National Science Foundation Office of Integrative and International Activities, where I oversaw offices in Beijing, Paris, and Tokyo. A capstone experience in diversity and inclusion was my appointment as assistant director for broadening participation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy during the Obama administration.
More about the “Fearless Firsts” The journey of Westminster’s first Black students and the local and national context around it is chronicled in detail in the 2018 book Transforming the Elite: Black Students and the Desegregation of Private Schools, by Dr. Michelle Purdy, associate professor of education at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Purdy began exploring this topic as a doctoral student at Emory, ultimately expanding her dissertation into a book on the students she dubbed the “fearless firsts” who desegregated the School. Dr. Purdy visited Westminster’s campus in 2018 and 2019 to speak with students and moderate a panel discussion among some of the alumni whose student experiences she brought to light.
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MICHAEL MCBAY ’72 I graduated from Oglethorpe Elementary and got a scholarship to go to high school at Westminster. I had no idea what to expect, so I felt fine going into it. But the very first day when I walked into class, some guys from the football team surrounded me and beat me to the ground. The very first day, 30 seconds in. The teacher was out of the room at the time. I had gone to an all-Black elementary school where I stuck out like Urkel because my parents made me wear a bow tie, so I was used to getting beaten up. I was skinny, so it was harder for me because I wasn’t able to fight and didn’t have those athletic skills like Jannard [Wade], for example, who was on the football team. I had some friends who tried to help me have some kind of normality. I started playing music as an outlet, I started doing martial arts, and I did well in school, so I got positive reinforcement from academic performance and from a few friends that I developed and from music and martial arts. I still do martial arts now, for spiritual reasons. I played electric bass in the high school band when I was in 10th grade—I play bass now, too. Writing and drawing cartoons for the Bi-Line was mostly for myself. People who were doing stuff like theater and newspaper and all that tended to be more liberal than the rest. There was a girl named Jane Haverty who did an outreach program in Vine City on weekends, so there was a small amount of liberal activity; I participated in all that stuff. English with Frank Finsthwait was the most
beautiful experience of my time there. Mr. Finsthwait was kind to me, he was reinforcing to me, and I just can’t say enough about how that was one of the more memorable experiences of my entire life. I have never forgotten the lifesaving kindness, sensitivity, compassion, and understanding with which I was treated by Mr. Finsthwait, and I am so thankful for it to this day. And there was a biology teacher who was also very kind, Dr. Patton—he helped me skip into AP Biology during the summer. I had two revelations when I got to college. Number one was the blessing of the academic experience that I got at Westminster. That wasn’t apparent to me until I went to Stanford, where I was surrounded by other people who were all super smart and super educated, and I realized that Westminster had prepared me for where I was going. I was spared the academic shock that I saw most of the other minority students go through when they arrived at Stanford; I had already gone through that. Number two was a tremendous sense of relief, because I was immediately thrown into a multiracial environment where everybody was educated and open-minded and liberal. But the experience was a blessing and I wouldn’t change it for anything now, honest to God, because it led me to martial arts, which has been the backbone of my recovery and my spiritual expression, and allowed me to explore music and academics. So I see it now for the blessing that it was. Back then, I did not. My hope for the Westminster experience today is the same as my hope for humanity: that we see past the differences in religions and apparent differences in cultures and apparent differences in physical outlook and look to the unity of the spiritual experience of every human being.
“I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THE LIFESAVING KINDNESS, SENSITIVITY, COMPASSION, AND UNDERSTANDING WITH WHICH I WAS TREATED BY MR. FINSTHWAIT, AND I AM SO THANKFUL FOR IT TO THIS DAY.” – MICHAEL MCBAY
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JANNARD WADE ’72 In early fall of 1967, by no small miracle, I became one of a handful of African American students joining the first racially integrated class at Westminster. By the next spring, the assassination of Dr. King spurred civil unrest and division throughout our nation. Although racial tensions were high, I eventually found Westminster to be a community that felt like home. My first days at Westminster brought about an excitement and nervousness of not quite knowing what I was getting myself into. I tried my hand at everything. I played tenor sax in the band, soccer for Coach Sims, and centerfielder for Harry Lloyd’s baseball team, and I was a wide receiver on our 1972 state championship football team. I found genuine camaraderie among my coaches and teammates, which softened the blows of
racial epithets spewed by competing football teams we’d face in South Georgia. By senior year, a shiny trophy that read “Senior Cup: For Exceptional Accomplishment Through Initiative” was bestowed upon me. During my five years in our hallowed halls, Mr. Finsthwait tenaciously taught me how to explicate a T.S. Eliot poem, Mr. Higgins made a concerted effort to teach me to swim, Coach Sims taught me how to dribble a soccer ball, and we persevered to bring home Westminster’s first football state championship. I believe it is fair to say that I garnered a humble confidence, indicated by my senior quote: “White is alright, but Black is beautiful.”
“WHEN STUDENTS ARE COMFORTABLE BRINGING THEIR WHOLE SELVES TO SCHOOL, IT OPENS UP ANOTHER REALM OF LEARNING.” — KAMILLE HARLESS, UPPER SCHOOL DEAN OF STUDENT LIFE AND CHEMISTRY TEACHER
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Isaac Clark enrolled at Westminster in the fall of 1967 as an eighth grader. After his junior year at Westminster, he entered Morehouse College, having fulfilled his requirements for graduation by the summer of 1971. Isaac is listed as a member of the Class of 1972 in the class’s commencement program. Isaac did not submit a reflection, but he remains in touch with classmates and still resides in the Southeast.
WESTMINSTER TODAY Today, Westminster students of all backgrounds benefit from increased diversity, openness, and opportunity at the School because these alumni courageously desegregated the School, despite countless challenges. These first Black graduates and all who have followed belong to an ever-expanding network of Black alumni—a network the School moved to recognize and support with the creation of the Black Alumni Council (BAC) in 2020. Under the leadership of founding chair Dominique Hollomon ’97, the BAC exists to support Westminster by working to create a thriving and vibrant community that embraces all members of the Westminster family. The BAC seeks to be a catalyst for connection and community by intentionally creating a space where Black alumni of Westminster can engage with one another and the School. “For the past 55 years, the Black student experience has been a part of the 70-year story of Westminster. While the more than 600 Black Wildcats who have graduated as well as those who did not complete the academic journey here have had varying experiences, Westminster remains a part of us,” Dominique says. “As a member of any community, what all of us want is to be valued and embraced for who we truly are. And though the Westminster community has not
always understood our experiences, we now have a collective that gives our experiences a voice. This voice fuels the vision of the BAC to transform the Wildcat experience so that Black Wildcats can show up as their authentic selves.” Westminster’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts are not only focused on alumni or on the Black community. As part of the School’s inclusive Christian mission, Westminster is working to create an environment in which every student feels a deep sense of belonging. Student affinity groups in each division, schoolwide celebrations of myriad cultures within our community, and inclusion programs led by dedicated faculty are just a few examples of what the School is doing to enhance diversity and support for all students at Westminster. “Westminster has become a more welcoming, inviting place since I was a student in the ’90s,” says Kamille Harless, Upper School Dean of Student Life and chemistry teacher. “The affinity groups help create support and empathy among the students, and when students are comfortable bringing their whole selves to school, it opens up another realm of learning. Our motto is ‘And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.’ I think that by continuing to bring more diverse ideas into this community, we are allowing ourselves to grow in wisdom.”
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WILDCATS PREDICT
Westminster has evolved in myriad ways since its founding 70 years ago. Some of the changes were planned or predicted while others could have never been imagined by the School’s first students, faculty members, or leaders. We asked eight Wildcats to envision the Westminster of the future. What will be the same? What will be different? Only time will tell, but maybe these Wildcats will have a say.
Michael Russell ’12 I think Westminster will continue to set the tone for schools not only in the Southeast but across the country by leading innovation and providing as many resources as possible for its students to succeed. I’m sure we’ll have many more buildings in the same vein as the incredible Barge Commons, and students will continue to perform at a high level, both academically and athletically. Lastly, if I was a betting man, my money is that Gerry Romberg is still coaching Westminster to state playoff berths and state championships.
Tejal Parikh P ’15 ’17 ’19 ’24 If the next 70 years are anything like the past 70 years, we may have flying cars, artificial intelligence, machine learning, climate solutions, habitats in space, and who knows what else! Regardless of how the world changes and transforms as a result of the pace of innovation, change, and advances, we know one constant— Westminster will be at the forefront of all of it. Love. Challenge. Lead. Change. The constant is that Westminster will continue to develop tomorrow’s innovators, tomorrow’s leaders. Westminster will always be a place where the love of learning comes first.
Lila Hagen ’26 I’m sure that there will be a strong sense of community and resources available to students, just as there are now. I also think that students and teachers will be talking about current events. Teachers will be preparing students for the world around them, no matter what it looks like. What will be different? The campus will look different, I imagine. Perhaps we’ll have expanded into the city and our outreach will be even more than it already is.
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David Cummings P ’26 ’28 70 years from now we will have moved on from the teacher-centric classroom to the teacher-supported classroom. Just like we have world-famous superstar athletes, we’ll have world-famous superstar teachers available via hologram combined with in-person teachers providing one-on-one help.
Danica Griffith ’98 I foresee Westminster still inspiring learning through transformative relationships and a diverse, inclusive community. But I also envision a school and curriculum that extends far beyond the four walls of the classroom and the boundaries of the campus itself. Education will likely encompass increasingly experiential and problem-based methods, with technology that allows school to occur anytime and anywhere.
Billy Levine ’88 P ’20 ’22 ’25 When you think about how different Westminster is from when I graduated, there could be so many things that will not look the same. Technology is impacting our students and the whole educational ecosystem. Today the Upper School students don’t have lockers anymore; I suspect in 30 years, students may not even have books!
Phillips Moore ’24 In 70 years, the campus will have expanded a great amount but also be used for not just school activities but more community activities throughout the day at all times. Academically, I think the school will have changed a good amount, but it will still give its students the best possible education and continue to go on as it does now in the present.
THE FUTURE
Jashen Patel ’32
Academics, lunch, and recess will probably be the same in 70 years, but I think robots will help us in school and we will have flying cars. There will also be no books, and we will get to take field trips into space!
New Trustees The new trustees for 2022 bring diverse backgrounds and experience to Westminster’s Board of Trustees. Each of these leaders is excited to use their talents to guide the School as it works toward fulfilling its mission.
David Cummings P ’26 ’28
Angela Hsu P ’27
David Cummings is an Atlanta-based tech entrepreneur who has established ten companies that collectively employ thousands of people. He’s the founder of Atlanta Tech Village, a coworking community for start-ups and the fourth-largest tech hub in the U.S. He’s also the lead investor in Calendly, the world’s most popular scheduling app. David has been named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and cited by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of the 100 Most Influential Atlantans. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Duke University and an honorary doctorate from Mercer University. He blogs regularly at davidcummings.com, sharing his thoughts on start-ups and entrepreneurship.
Angela Hsu, a lawyer with Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, has been an innovator and activist since her law school days at Emory University, where she founded the Asian Law Students Association. While representing a range of public and private companies, including 16 years serving as vice president of the Duke Realty Corporation, she has devoted her time to various boards. Her service includes the presidencies of the Georgia Chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans and the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She has also chaired the board of the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity and joins the board of the Emory School of Law in 2022.
As a board member, David is excited to have a hand in the long-term planning and direction of the School. David notes that Atlanta is a growing hub of technology and entrepreneurship, and he hopes to help weave some of these characteristics of the city into the School during his term on the board. “Westminster is such an incredible institution,” David says. “Where and how can we continue raising the bar on excellence?” The best book David has read recently: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, by Phil Knight. “The entrepreneurial journey is full of high highs and low lows, twists and turns, and all the elements of a great story— Shoe Dog captures it best.”
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She treasures the tradition of family meals cooked by her mother—“an amazing cook”—and discovered during the pandemic that having more time at home helps her feel grounded. Angela is thrilled to join the Westminster board and to be part of a group of “incredibly bright, accomplished and dedicated trustees who are charged with both steering the School through its challenges and creating new opportunities.”
Angela’s Favorite Quote: “As the man once said, the harder you work, the luckier you get.” — Ted Lasso
NEW TRUSTEES
Ira Jackson ’83
Natosha Reid Rice
More than 100 awards affirm the effectiveness of Perfect Image, a commercial printing, sales, marketing, and communications company owned and led by Ira Jackson ’83 since 1991. Ira holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Rhodes College and has completed Harvard Business School’s Summer Venture in Management Program, the Advanced Management Education Program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and multiple Diversity Business Programs at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. He serves on the board of Georgia Humanities and of Pennsylvania-based nonprofit Caron Treatment Centers.
As if one profession weren’t enough, Natosha Reid Rice is both a lawyer and a minister. She is Habitat for Humanity International’s first global diversity, equity, and inclusion officer and serves as All Saints’ Episcopal Church’s minister for public life. She also founded Fresh Rain for Life Ministries, which provides “sanctuary for women in the midst of life” through worship services, Bible studies, workshops, and mission outreach. Before joining All Saints’, she was associate pastor for women’s ministries at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church. She’s on the boards of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, Invest Atlanta’s Atlanta Emerging Markets Inc., and Harvard University, her law school alma mater.
As a member of the Westminster board, he looks forward to playing a role in “encouraging our students to be leaders of conscience, which requires a willingness to extend oneself and to be vulnerable.” He points to the School’s first Black graduates as an example of this. “In 1967, Westminster admitted its first Black students. The following decade saw 30 Black students graduate from the School,” Ira says. “Today, we take pride in the richness of diversity on our campus. None of this would be possible without those first Black graduates. Full stop. These Wildcats showed up and suited up for excellence, demonstrating what leaders of conscience look like in action.” Shortly before Ira’s mother died, early in the pandemic, she told him to “move forward.” Her words, he said, have been a personal and professional mantra for him ever since. Something Ira wishes someone had told him while he was in high school: “Stop worrying about what other folks think about you and be more concerned with what you think about yourself.”
As a woman of color, Natosha says she is very aware of the village of mentors and mentees surrounding her. They “have supported, encircled, and ensured success in many areas of my life, personally and professionally.” She has learned from both, she said. “Mentors have provided me with honest counsel, sound guidance, and models of what it means to live a full life. On the other hand, my mentees often give more to me than I think I give to them, and they often provide confirmation of my purpose and inspire me to drive for more while staying relevant and fresh in my thinking and approaches to issues in the workplace, community, and home.” The best book Natosha has read recently: Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster, by Stephen L. Carter
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THE WESTMINSTER FUND
Thank You,
Westminster Fund Volunteers!
Each gift to The Westminster Fund supports exceptional experiences for our students in academics, athletics, arts, and all areas of pursuit on campus. The collective generosity of our school community makes possible the opportunities that differentiate a Westminster education, from the Lovestock music festival to Middle School Chapel Council to JanTerm. We are grateful for the volunteers whose commitment to Westminster inspires others to give and helps make possible all that happens here.
Campaign Leadership Trustee Chair Rahul Patel Alumni Giving Chair Catherine Humann Callaway ’03 Parent Giving Chairs Kathleen and Paul Eidbo Parent Giving Chairs-Elect Leslie and Keven Patterson Grandparent Giving Chairs Barb and George Wirth Past Parent Giving Chairs Julie and Andy Andrews
Alumni Volunteers Leadership Giving Committee
Harrison Anthony ’04 Robyn Rieser Barkin ’81 Khamal Brown ’11 Zibby Stokes Doob ’99 Kenneth Franklin ’00 Bennett Gillogly ’10 Nick Leet ’01 Preston Moister ’99 David Perrin ’06 Jeff Perry ’96 Ellen Persons ’01 Mary Dickinson Trammell ’95 Michael Wallace ’91
Class of 1988
Nancy Mitchell Hatcher Matt Tarkenton
Class of 1989
Hobson Barnes
Class of 1990
Carole Hollingsworth Canedy Lillian Kim Ivansco John Wheeler Blake Young
Class of 1993
Michael McDaniel
Class of 1994 Tres Carpenter Rob Lathan
Class of 1995
Class of 2004
Class of 2010
Pre-First (Class of 2034)
Laura Dopson Almquist Trent McNatt
Class of 2006
Lindsay McGhee Kaufman Rishav Kohli
Class of 2008
Stephen Shepherd
Elizabeth Hogan Closs
Class of 1999
David Alexander Esther Hong Kulp
Class of 2000
Jimmy Brawner
Class of 1984
Class of 2001
Jennifer White Hocutt Catherine Overend Stewart
Leadership Giving Committee
Crawford Long Bill Schwartz
Class of 2005
Class of 1998 PJ Protos Nick Tsui
Parent Volunteers Bliss and Blake Campbell Jessica and Tyler Dempsey Amy and Jay Harrison Elizabeth and Tom Hawk Michele and Ransom ’92 James Catherine Love Kraft ’03 and Kenneth Kraft ’02 Jessica Pardi and Bobby Lanier Melissa and Austin Merritt Sara and John ’94 Nastopoulos Amy and Murray Reavis Heather and Tedd Sellers Nina and Todd Sprinkle Myra and Brent Stamps Jennifer and David Tetrick Lu Chang and Lu Yan
Will Andrews Kristen Peifer Dobbs Mark Kaufman Elizabeth Ezzell Perry Terrell Ussing
Class of 2009
Mitch Ermentrout Madison Kitchens Kyle Sturgeon
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Palmer Dobbs
Grant Gandy Annie Winborne Stoer Hayden Smith Temin Paige Younkins
Class of 1981
Jan Clery Gross Judith Anderson Vanderver
Class of 2003
Class of 2013 David Feiman Mihika Kohli Emma Payne
Class of 2014
Harris Kirson Matt Noone Maggie Wellborn
Class of 2015
Mallie Egan Ruwenne Moodley
Jen Loehle and Matt Gould Jana and Adam Fleming Alison Stiles and Josh Hargraves Coogan and Chuck Perrin Shannon and Jeff ’91 Sugarman
1st Grade (Class of 2033)
Emily and Rene Sauerteig Marni and Julian ’92 Mohr Kara and Brian Mylod Rachel and Chris Routledge Mylin Torres and Malik Smith
2nd Grade (Class of 2032)
Betsy and David Metcalf Emily Cherry Bentley ’98 and Justin Bentley Meade and Cale Conley Lindsay and Robert ’99 Murphy
3rd Grade (Class of 2031)
Kori and Jason Smith Maggie McCune Fuller ’98 and Ross Fuller ’96 Kara and Brian Mylod Anne and Jim Thompson Jackie and Patrick Wallace
4th Grade (Class of 2030) Jen and Paul Bennecke Susannah Frost and Jeff Yost
5th Grade (Class of 2029)
Maryna and Charles Murdock Charlene and Kevin Smith
6th Grade (Class of 2028)
Ellen and Buck Wiley Courtney and Brian Deitz Sarah Brannon Dozier ’92 and Martin Dozier Dawn Dwyer Elizabeth and Brian Moore Jenn and Boykin Robinson
7th Grade (Class of 2027)
Carolyn and Joe Patterson Ashley and Shawn Hall Denise and Vern ’80 Hendrix Lauren and Chris Kuzniak Shannon and Jeff ’91 Sugarman
8th Grade (Class of 2026)
Michelle and Benton Routh Stephanie and Brian ’92 Adams Ashley and Lloyd Bell Jamie and Scott ’94 Boze Millay and Bill Chappell Urvashi and Omar Damji Tossy and Adam ’93 Fogle Gabriela Olivo-Goss and Ryan Goss Kathy and Jonathan Harper Whitney and Brian Hill Kristen and Lee ’90 Hunter Huma and Syed Ishaqui Tiffany and Rich Kent Hamid Montazeri Jennifer and Kreg Nichols Jennifer and Brian Schumacher
9th Grade (Class of 2025)
Henraya and Juan McGruder Elizabeth and Andrew Ausband Molly and Ramsay Battin Trameka and Jerome Bettis Jennie and Ed Buckley Jessica and Tyler Dempsey
Elizabeth and Taylor Fairman Ashanti and Jonathan Hunt Deanna and Marvin Shoyoye
10th Grade (Class of 2024) Anne and Charlie ’91 Henn Juliet Asher-Golden ’82 and Michael Golden ’82 Beth and Teague ’91 Hunter Lilly Liang and Jason Yuan Marni and Julian ’92 Mohr Lynn and Charlie Morgan Jenn and Boykin Robinson Jessie and Tim Xia
11th Grade (Class of 2023) Lisa and Tony Wong Liza Farley and Jeff Allen Marcy and Mitch Braselton Lynn Castle and John Lariccia Meade and Cale Conley Courtney and Brian Deitz Swati and Rahul Patel
12th Grade (Class of 2021)
Kelly and Mike Bernot Natalie and Tripp ’86 Solomon Alison and Joe ’85 Thompson Suzi and Reid Zeising Westminster Fund Parent Grade Chairs are listed in italics.
WESTMINSTER | 39
WILDCAT DEN
WILDCAT DEN The Wildcats returned to the trails, fields, courts, mats, and pools with pride this fall and winter. With new home stadiums, championships, and regional titles to defend, fans flooded back into the stands to cheer on the Cats as they defeated rivals, broke multiple state records, racked up all-state recognitions, earned 14 individual state titles, and brought home four team state championships during the fall and winter 2021–22 seasons.
FALL 2021 Boys Cross County
For the fifth consecutive year, the Wildcats are state champions! The efforts of first-place finisher Matthew Fernando ’22 and Joseph Jacquot ’24, Jack Ramsay ’22, and Noah Chen ’22—who all placed in the top 10— secured the team’s 30th state championship. The team set an all-class Georgia state record for lowest point total of 19, a nearly perfect score, and were more than 100 points ahead of the second-place team. Matthew, Joseph, Jack, and Noah earned all-state honors, and Coach Joe Tribble was named Atlanta Track Club AAA All-Metro Boys Coach of the Year.
Girls Cross Country
The Wildcats are state champions again! For the ninth straight year, the girls cross country squad clinched the state title. The Cats, led by first-place finisher Palmer Walstad ’23 and second-place finisher Janie Cooper ’22, earned their 26th state championship. Palmer, Janie, and Cate Steves ’22 earned all-state honors, and Coach Amy Eubanks was named Atlanta Track Club AAA All-Metro Girls Coach of the Year.
Football
The Wildcats opened the season with a Battle of Buckhead win over Lovett in a packed Thompson Stadium. Holden Staes ’22, Denton Shamburger ’22, Robert Clarke ’22, Alex Bacchetta ’22, and Josh Brockman ’23 earned first team all-region honors. Brooks Platford ’22, Phillips Moore ’24, and Sam Reavis ’23 received second team all-region honors. Jacob Fleming ’22 and Hunter Wanamaker ’22 earned honorable mention all-region nods. Alex was recognized with AJC AAA all-state honors, and Holden earned AJC AAA all-state honorable mention.
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Softball
Our softball BatCats completed their first season on the new Mildred Neal Scott Field at KCB stadium. The team won the 5-AAA Region Championship and was undefeated in region play. Helen Slawson ’24 was named 5-AAA Pitcher of the Year, and Helen, Jordan Corley ’23, Grace Carabillo ’23, Quinn Schaeffer ’23, Camille Woodfaulk ’23, and Cece Schrader ’24 earned all-region honors. At the end of this remarkable season, Coach Brent McGuire retired as head coach after 11 seasons and 196 wins.
Volleyball
A highlight of the 2021 varsity volleyball season was a huge regularseason win against McIntosh, a perennial 5A powerhouse. The team advanced to the Elite Eight in the GHSA AAA State Tournament. Caroline Dickey ’22 and Ellie Myers ’24 earned all-state honors, and Kasey Newkirk ’22 earned honorable mention all-state honors. Caroline also earned first team all-region, while Kasey, Ellie, and Josephine Conley ’23 earned second team all-region.
WINTER 2022 Boys Basketball
The HoopCats earned two big wins over BEST Academy and Carver (Columbus) at the Woodward Showcase this year. The team finished up the season with a strong win over Carver (Atlanta).
Girls Basketball
The HoopCats had an all-star season! They won their first region tournament since 2004, earning the title of Region 5-AAA Champions. The Cats also made a historic run in the GHSA state tournament, securing a spot in the Final Four for the first time since 2005. Courtney Ogden ’23 had a standout season, earning first team all-region and GHSA and GACA all-state first team honors; she also surpassed 1,000 career points and 500 rebounds. Stella Chartrand ’24 earned second team all-region honors, and Coach Katie Argall was named Region 5-AAA Coach of the Year.
Wrestling
The MatCats had a strong season led by Daniel Nunez, who finished fourth at sectionals and earned a spot in the GHSA AAA traditional wrestling state championship.
Boys Swimming and Diving
The CatFish teams clinched the boys Class A-3A state championship title for the fifth consecutive year, marking the 29th state title in program history. They won with 516 points, ahead of Greater Atlanta Christian’s 216 points and Pace’s 215 points. In addition to the team championship, the following Wildcat swimmers brought home state titles in six individual and relay events: Copeland Block ’22, Charlie Bollwerk ’22, Miles Clayton ’22, Sam Ivey ’22, Tobias Liu ’22, Saavan Shah ’22, and Nik Vijayvergiya ’22.
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WILDCAT DEN
Girls Swimming and Diving
The Wildcats made a big splash this season, securing the girls Class A-3A state championship title for the fifth consecutive year, the 26th state title in program history. The team finished with 605 points, ahead of Greater Atlanta Christian’s 276 points and St. Vincent’s 192 points. In addition to the team championship, the following Wildcat swimmers brought home state titles in eight relay and individual events: Mary Claire Anderson ’22, Katie Christopherson ’24 (GHSA record), Sadie Clayton ’24, Genae Horst ’23, Janine Horst ’23, Annie Jardina ’22, Gigi Johnson ’22, and Sara Ketron ’23.
Boys Squash
The Wildcats returned to the court this winter for the time since February 2020. The team played their first Southeastern match when they traveled to McCallie for a round-robin tournament, and they went on to compete in the Boys’ II Division at the U.S. High School Team Squash Championships in Philadelphia.
Girls Squash
The SquashCats were excited to get back on the court this winter for the first time since February 2020. The team traveled to New Jersey to compete against Blair Academy, St. Andrews School (Delaware), and Lancaster Country Day, and they ended the season with a secondplace finish in the Girls’ V Division at the U.S. High School Team Squash Championships in Philadelphia.
A WILDCAT FOOTBALL 50TH As part of last fall’s Homecoming festivities, players, cheerleaders, and coaches from the 1971 State Championship football team and cheerleading squad gathered on campus to mark the 50th anniversary of Westminster’s first football state championship. The Spirit Store in Barge Commons displayed the 1971 championship trophy, which normally resides in Turner Gym, alongside a helmet, a megaphone, and other memorabilia contributed by alumni. Before the Friday night football game kicked off in Alfred E. Thompson Stadium, Director of Athetics Tim Downes and Catbackers President Pat McGill recognized the team on the field, and former players Jeff Lewis ’73 and Clay Rolader ’72 sang the national anthem.
Pictured (L to R): Lee Skandalakis ’72, Betty Fuller Case ’72, Adrian Winship Pressley ’72, Jimmy Pressley ’72, Jannard Wade ’72, Coach Tommy Limbaugh, Hill Jeffries ’73, Janet Dobbs Roach ’72, Scott Morris ’72, Matt Flournoy ’72, Cindy Love Jernigan ’73, Bruce Bryant ’72, Jeff Lewis ’73, Kevin Sims ’75, Clay Rolader ’72, Brad Litman ’73, Coach Charlie Breithaupt Jr., Tommy Barwick ’72. In stands on rail (L to R): Spence Welch ’73, Robert Brown ’73, Bill Jolley ’74.
Visit WCAT on YouTube and search “1971 football” to see an exclusive interview with members of the 1971 football team.
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Catching Up
with Retired Faculty: Milestone Moments Early in 1951, the Board of Trustees of North Avenue Presbyterian School, a girls school, made a decision that forever changed the trajectory of education in Atlanta. At their meeting, they voted to close the school—a result of declining enrollment—but they also decided to open a new school rooted in a Christian mission that would offer a rigorous scholastic program for both girls and boys. Trustee Fritz Orr suggested a location: some property he owned off West Paces Ferry Road on the northwestern edge of town. On June 5, 1951, “The Westminster Schools” became the official name of the new institution, and on July 1, Dr. William Pressly officially assumed his duties as School president. Over the next 70 years, the nascent school would experience many important changes and milestone moments. We asked four esteemed Westminster retirees to reflect on some of the milestones they witnessed. By Jane Lauderdale Armstrong ’74
different positions, each time answering the call with a modest “yes” and a servant’s heart. As a student, Jere recalls the School’s desegregation in the late ’60s as one of the most significant inflection points in the School’s history, citing his ’72 classmates Isaac Clark, Janice Kemp, Michael McBay, Malcolm Ryder, Jannard Wade, and Wanda Ward for “true courage as teenagers.” As an administrator at the School decades later, Jere was witness to the transformational leadership of the School’s full embrace of service to the community, from Stan Moor’s community service programs to the creation of the Glenn Institute for Philanthropy and Service Learning. He describes it this way: “Westminster set the standard for education infused with a spirit of civic engagement.”
Jere Wells ’72 with a student at YDS graduation in 2019
Jere Wells ’72 An Alpha Omega graduate from the Class of 1972, Jere Wells worked at Westminster from 1983 to 2016 in a variety of roles, from teaching and coaching to serving as the School’s assistant headmaster. Over and over, Jere was tapped to fill
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No longer at Westminster but not exactly retired, Jere is currently director of the Educational Leadership and Ministry program at Yale Divinity School (YDS). Despite the miles, his alma mater often comes to mind, and he enjoys welcoming fellow Wildcats when they come to Yale’s campus. “Westminster is so full of great transformative moments that I could probably teach a course here at YDS that was just a bunch of Westminster stories,” he says. These days he splits his time between New Haven, Connecticut, and Newport, Rhode Island, where his wife, Della, is the rector of Emmanuel Church.
FACULTY AND STAFF
Julie Black Boggs ’69 When Julie Black Boggs ’69 entered elementary school at Westminster, she could never have known that she was stepping into a world that would become her life’s calling. While working as a proctor in Westminster’s girls’ dorm after graduating from Vanderbilt, she met Wade Boggs, a proctor in the boys’ dorm. Wade and Westminster drew her back to Atlanta, where she enjoyed a 36-year career teaching in Westminster’s Lower School. Asked about Westminster’s milestones in the elementary program, Julie cites the ways the School has adapted to meet the needs of its youngest students. Remembering the days when the elementary program was housed in Scott Hall, she points to a series of location changes, each one giving students the space they needed to thrive. In the late ’70s, shifting economics and demographics suggested that the School should close its boarding program; that closure brought an opportunity to create a facility that would provide additional space for the School’s youngest students. McLarty Hall became Woodruff Elementary and was adapted to house first through fifth grades, while Tull Hall became home to the pre-first. This configuration lasted almost 20 years until the decision was made to expand Woodruff, bringing all elementary grades and special-area classes together in Love Hall at Woodruff Elementary in 1997. With new space came the opportunity to move from three classes at each grade level to four. Staffing configurations shifted from a lead teacher with
part-time assistants to a full-day coteaching model. Coteaching enhanced curricular flexibility, enabling lower student-teacher ratios and opportunities for more differentiated instruction. The curriculum adapted to include new strategies and the introduction of technology. Julie notes that one of the important strengths of the elementary program has always been the freedom that Westminster affords its teachers in delivering the curriculum—freedom to apply their individual teaching strengths, to arrange their classroom in a variety of configurations, and to create unique cross-curricular learning experiences for their classes through special units or events like Small Mall, design thinking, or Urban Edventure. “Westminster has been fortunate to have the space and resources to make a number of physical changes to the campus over the years in order to enhance the learning environment for all of its students,” Julie says. Since retiring in 2015, Julie has enjoyed having more time for community service and volunteer opportunities as well as traveling, exploring Atlanta’s cultural opportunities, and spending time with friends and family. “We’ve added four grandchildren to our crew since we retired, for a total of six, and our kids are settled in D.C., London, and Denver,” Julie says. “Keeping up with everyone is almost a full time job in and of itself, and we love having the flexibility to pack up and go when we want!”
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FACULTY AND STAFF
Walter ’99, Mary, Eddie, and Ben ’02 DuPriest
Mary DuPriest In 1982, Mary DuPriest came to Westminster to work as the athletics secretary. Her husband, Eddie, was already teaching English at the School. She left in 1984 when their second child was born, but she returned to her former job in 1988. Scheduling games, practices, setups, and takedowns required logistical agility and patience; fortunately, Mary had plenty of both. The year after Bill Clarkson came to Westminster, Mary moved from Turner Gym to Pressly Hall to be the administrative assistant to the president, and for the next 22 years, Mary capably attended to all aspects of life at Westminster. Her penchant for detail was superseded only by her warmth and personal concern for every constituent of the School. In thinking about Westminster’s milestones, Mary says that it is the people who made the milestones happen that come to mind. The forward-thinking initiatives, the challenging decisions, the expansions of facilities, and the awe-inspiring accomplishments that are woven through Westminster’s history tell a story in which each person has played a part. The founders sought to establish a school that would give each student a “complete education— intellectually, physically, socially, and spiritually,” according to Dr. Pressly. The faculty incarnated their vision and brought it to their teaching, coaching, and countless informal moments of connection with their students. Across the decades, Westminster teachers have been called on to stretch their
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skills, create new programs, think outside the box, reimagine courses and schedules, and move Westminster out into the community and the world. The support of Westminster parents has helped make this possible. From the earliest years, they have been an unflagging source of encouragement and generosity, ultimately resulting in the organization of PAWS and Catbackers in the 1977–78 school year. Westminster has also been blessed with dedicated leadership on the Board of Trustees, Mary says. They have guided Westminster through important decisions and moved the institution forward, always with a spirit of mutual respect and a genuine love for the School. As the needs of the School have expanded, the Board has met them with bold resolution and magnanimity. And of course, Mary thinks of the students. Their work ethic, curiosity, and commitment have helped them win championships, earn accolades, and deliver stellar performances that bring the entire community together. In retirement, Eddie has been doing some acting and playing golf while Mary has enjoyed working in her garden. Both love spending time with their family, particularly their grandchildren. Son Walter ’99 serves as dean of students in Westminster’s Middle School, and Ben ’02 recently completed his PhD in ethnomusicology at the University of Pennsylvania.
FACULTY AND STAFF
Nedra Roberts As an Upper School English teacher from 1972 to 2010, Nedra Roberts combined exacting standards with an unwavering belief in her students’ abilities. She encouraged students to see the worth of their work and instilled in them the courage to challenge themselves to only accept their personal best. When asked to reflect on her experience at Westminster, Nedra shared the following: “[My husband] John and I began teaching in the high school during the 1972–73 school year—he was in the Boys School, I was in the Girls School. Those names now sound odd to my ears. “When I try to recall important milestones there, my memories immediately focus on the educational context rather than the financial or corporate ones. I wasn’t present the year Dr. Pressly succeeded in desegregating the School, but in September of 1972, I could feel the vibrations of that change smoothing themselves out in my ninth grade English classes. I think my students and I were thankfully stretched in ways that made us more aware of each other, more open, more human. We became a better community in those classrooms, and perhaps in the School as well. “I also think that the generous donation of computers for our first Word Processing Lab made a huge impact on the English department and our students. It transformed the way we could teach and edit student essays. John chaired the Computer Committee, which transitioned all three schools into the computer age and paved the way for Department Chair Jessica Bagby’s later success in creating The Writing Lab in the basement of Askew. That lab immediately made it possible for us to tutor students writing in any discipline—not just English classes—and also help seniors polish their college essays.
“Now, in retirement, John and I are still involved in writing—specifically in my second career as a playwright. He does as much work on the business end of placing my scripts as my New York agent does. If you’re interested, you can catch up with us at nedrapezoldroberts.com. We’ve been busy, challenged, and having fun even in ‘the time of COVID.’”
Jane Lauderdale Armstrong ’74 is a lifelong Wildcat—alumna, teacher, and daughter of David Lauderdale, one of our School’s earliest faculty members. She combines her love for Westminster’s history and her penchant for the written word to write profiles about retired faculty members for each issue of Westminster Magazine.
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School Days: A History of High Standards Academic excellence has been a hallmark of Westminster since its founding, thanks in no small part to the programs long established at the North Avenue Presbyterian School (NAPS) and Washington Seminary, the girls schools that preceded and gave rise to Westminster. In NAPS 1909–1951, Miss Thyrza Askew’s 1957 history of NAPS, she notes that the school became a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in 1921. A decade before that, the Atlanta Constitution reported that Washington Seminary was a four-year high school accredited by the University of Georgia. Instead of closing their school in 1951 due to declining enrollment, the NAPS board decided to create a new school for girls and boys: The Westminster Schools. Two years later, during the 1953–54 school year, Washington Seminary, a former rival of NAPS, merged with The Westminster Schools after 75 years of educating young girls and preparing them for college. The catalogs of all three schools highlight college-preparatory classes, a low ratio of students to teachers, and individualized academic experiences as features of the schools. NAPS, Washington Seminary, and Westminster were all serious about preparing their students through a well-rounded education. It wasn’t only about academics at these schools—arts, athletics, and service were just as important to NAPS and Washington Seminary as they were and currently are to Westminster. By Pamela Nye, Director of Archives
Washington Seminary
Students in the hallway, 1948
Washington, D.C., field trip, 1953
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French Club officers, 1949
LOOKING BACK
North Avenue Presbyterian School
School production of A Date with Judy, 1949
Student Council, 1951
Science class, 1952
Westminster
Science class, 1952
Ninth grade boys soccer team, 1953
Cheerleaders, 1952–53
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Alumni News Dear Alumni, As I reflect on my first academic year at Westminster, I have found the sense of community here to be extraordinary. The student experience is undeniably remarkable, and our alumni and families feel deeply connected to this place long after graduation. From reunion volunteers and Black Alumni Council members to national chapter leaders and our Alumni Governing Board, I have cherished getting to know this community and learning the stories that define Westminster’s past as well as those that will shape our future. One of the Alumni Governing Board’s main goals this school year has been to work diligently to reunite our community. Although we continue to navigate various challenges brought on by the pandemic, we have had the unique opportunity to reenvision our programming, reengage our alumni, and provide multiple opportunities for our community to connect in meaningful ways. Last fall, for the first time in more than a year, we were able to open our campus to the broader Westminster community. In October, we welcomed nearly 250 alumni back to campus for our annual Alumni Homecoming Dinner. In order to encourage alumni to come back and explore spaces both familiar and new, the Alumni Governing Board hosted an Alumni Open House.
It was a tremendous joy to experience the excitement and energy of our alumni—representing classes ranging from 1957 to 2016—and their families during this special event. As we mark the 50th anniversary of Westminster’s first Black graduates, I have been deeply inspired by the founding members of the Black Alumni Council (BAC) and the great work that our alumni are doing to move the Council’s mission and vision forward. The BAC hosted its first official event on December 19, bringing together more than 50 Black alumni to connect with classmates and to learn more about the council. The BAC is working on a variety of plans and looks forward to sharing information on future events and opportunities with alumni over the coming months. We have also been busy focusing our efforts on student and young alumni engagement. Our Student Alumni Council led a virtual panel for the Class of 2022 to prepare them for life after graduation, and our Young Alumni Council hosted the highly anticipated College Holiday Luncheon in Barge Commons. More than 90 college students reconnected with one another and with faculty. Student and young alumni programs continue to be a priority, ensuring that recent graduates are actively engaged upon graduation, leveraging their Westminster network, and giving back to current students. For many, this has been a time of reconnection, visiting Westminster for the first time in years or even decades. I have loved joining the Westminster community during this time and bearing witness to the renewed energy and spirit that surrounds this place and the people here. Thank you for inviting me to join you on this journey. I look forward to sharing the Westminster experience with all of you! Warm regards,
Mallory McKenzie Director of Alumni Engagement
Alumni Events Alumni Open House November 6, 2021 Barge Commons was full of visitors during the Alumni Board’s fall open house event! Alumni and families got the chance to do a self-guided tour of new spaces across campus while enjoying coffee and treats from Guan Café.
Young Alumni Panel for Seniors November 18, 2021 Westminster’s Student Alumni Council hosted a virtual panel for the Class of 2022 to hear from young alumni about what to expect after graduation. The panelists—Jake Candler ’12, Gigi Pavur ’16, Josh Pinckney ’17, Trey Parikh ’19, and Regina Morales ’19—shared advice on everything from leveraging the Westminster network and landing an internship to how students can finish strong this year.
Young Alumni Council Happy Hour December 2, 2021 More than three dozen Wildcats from the classes of 2007 to 2016 were excited to catch up during a happy hour at Irby’s Tavern in Buckhead hosted by the Young Alumni Council. The Class of 2015 (pictured at left) had an especially strong showing.
Wildcats from the Class of 2015
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ALUMNI NEWS Shark Tank December 3, 2021 Each year, alumni volunteers serve as “sharks” for the eighth grade’s Shark Tank presentations. Groups of students present a prototype of a product they’ve created to a panel of alumni judges, who determine the winning team.
College Holiday Lunch December 17, 2021 College-age alumni from the classes of 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 enjoyed catching up over Willy’s at the annual College Alumni Holiday Lunch. In addition to unlimited cheese dip, the School also offered alums complimentary LinkedIn headshots!
Girls Soccer Celebration December 17, 2021 Alumnae of our storied girls soccer program celebrated the 2021 Westminster varsity girls soccer team, ranked No. 1 in the nation!
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ALUMNI NEWS Black Alumni Council Holiday Pop-Up December 19, 2021 The Black Alumni Council’s first event was a huge success! Members of Westminster’s Black alumni community celebrated the season during a holiday pop-up event at Mabra Law Firm.
Black Alumni Council members Jae Scarborough ’99, Andre Sulmers ’95, Michael Russell ’12, Dominique Holloman ’97, Ira Jackson ’83, Vic Bolton ’76, and Bobby Rashad Jones ’97 at the Black alumni holiday pop-up
NYC Alumni Social February 3, 2022 The New York Alumni Chapter Council hosted a social for alumni at Clinton Hall. Representing classes from 1966 to 2015, these NYC Wildcats had a great time catching up. Chapter leaders are planning a day of service for the next gathering.
! n u f e h t Join
Update your contact information with Westminster to stay in the know about opportunities to connect with fellow Wildcats. Visit westminster.net/updateyourinfo or scan the QR code.
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Class Notes From travel to making Wildcat connections to exciting career moves, the Wildcat Nation never sits still. Enjoy reading about what your fellow Wildcats have been up to! Be part of the fun—visit westminster.net/classnews to submit your updates for the next issue. This issue reflects Class News submitted on or before February 14, 2022.
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1 Sue Adamson Diamond writes, “This spring, I will be a Star Dancer for the 12th annual Dancing Stars of Atlanta to benefit The Alzheimer’s Association. I’m dancing to help cure Alzheimer’s for my family and friends and others who have been afflicted by this horrific disease. Please consider supporting me with your prayers, your financial treasures, and your attendance at the fabulous Dancing Stars of Atlanta Gala event at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.”
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send me an email (stevetbarnett@gmail.com) and I’ll see if we can pull something together.” Shelley Quillian McLeod writes, “A few months ago I moved from my farm in Live Oak, Florida, to High Springs, Florida. My daughter Christine had a beautiful home built for me so that I can be near family. I am truly blessed.” 3 Patricia Ballance Mandes and her husband, Evans, just canceled a trip to Crete, but they are hoping the virus will be gone by next fall. They miss visiting Greece, which has become a second home. They just returned from St. Augustine, Florida. After spending a month on the beach, they faced the coldest January in decades. They plan to put their house on the market in March, moving to a condo near Alexandria. Pat writes, “Three cheers! With no more horses, why do I need to maintain a barn and pasture? But emptying out a house you’ve lived in since 1979 is a job.”
Patricia Griffin Emerson writes, “I still live in the passive solar home with a heat pump backup that I had built in 1983. Although I lost a lot of activities on March 20, 2020, I still play violin, take care of children, volunteer at the petting zoo at Zoo Atlanta, and stay active with the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Atlanta. Most of all I love being alive, and I am proud of being in the first graduating class of Westminster, the Class of 1952. This year an article written by me about having 4 Mary Litton Lloyd writes, “I feel very blessed that I polio was published in the Atlanta Post-Polio Association was part of the first class to make it through the thenmagazine. I still have my little black 10-pound poodle, new Westminster Girls School. I had health problems whom I rescued at age 14. He is now 20 and a half and and family problems that made it harder and most my constant and joyful companion.” challenging, but I still felt blessed. My closest classmates have died, and I certainly miss them. But that is part 1953 of the journey of life. As for a career, I worked as an 2 Gloria Bryant Norris writes, “Fun-filled Helene RN and a hypnotherapist as well as a mother. My three Mewborn shows off her vintage 1953 Westminster children are grown and have given me two grandchildren girls basketball team jacket, worn at a classmate’s recent and three great-grandchildren that I am very proud of. I luncheon!” toured the School a while back, and all I can say for that is WOW!!!” 1958 Steve Barnett writes, “Linda and I continue to enjoy 1959 small-town living in DeLand, Florida, being involved Jill Pendergrast MacGlaflin writes, “Having turned with the West Volusia Historical Society, spending time 80 and not having to run kindergarten at-home ‘pods’ with friends and former Stetson University colleagues, as I did last year, I have started a new chapter in my and having access to the beautiful St. Johns River life: substitute teaching at the local elementary school. (10 minutes) and the Atlantic Ocean (20 minutes). I applied to teach high school, one of my retiredI’m teaching an occasional business/marketing/ from careers, but they were more needy at Pine Hill entrepreneurship course for Stetson’s Summer Innsbruck Elementary School, at which I have been pretty much Program and the Management Center Innsbruck (part of daily ever since—well, with a time-out when I broke my the University of Innsbruck and the sponsor of my 2017 wrist in a fluke bike accident. (It was truly a fluke and Fulbright Scholarship), serving as a SCORE Mentor, not my fault, Millie Hudson Lathan! I can hear you and messing around in my shop. We and our families saying, ‘I told her not to ride that bike!’). At any rate, I are well and truly blessed but missing Westminster and love the subbing and the kids and the Finland-trained Atlanta friends. I think it’s time to organize a Class of ’58 administration—and even having to set the alarm for informal Atlanta lunch in the fall of 2022; if you agree,
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6:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, teach, have cafeteria and recess duty, and lead lines of kids from classrooms to the various ‘specials’ at the far ends of the building. At 80, we’re not done yet. In fact, it feels like I am aging backwards—the reason I am recommending it to those who have good masks, youthful attitudes, and the desire to try something new. You will be much appreciated!”
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5 John Kirkley writes, “I am working as a voluntary missionary in Bungoma, Kenya, talking several times each week at churches, prisons, and schools. Main messages include: (1) Education should be cherished as the way for individuals, families, and the nation to advance; (2) set your life course during the transformative years of high school; (3) strong families are the building blocks of the nation; and (4) the church is the heart of the community.”
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6 Eleanor Howell Effinger writes, “Bill and I are enjoying having six of our nine grandchildren at Westminster! Lots of activities and athletic events. Ella, our oldest granddaughter (daughter of Millar Effinger Freeman ’89), graduates this spring. We’ll be attending graduations for the next five years, if we can stay healthy. Recently in the Play4Kay basketball game at Westminster I was able to recognize two dear friends and classmates who died from cancer, Dee Carter Petters and Josie Carpenter Carlyle.”
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John Martin writes, “Still playing with the Bluegrass Alliance Band. Bonnie and I spend time in New Smyrna Beach and Walland, Tennessee, with family. Still practice dentistry with the State Health Department.”
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George Wiley writes, “I’m busy as a caregiver for my wife, Kay. I have good memories of classmates and our teachers. Warm greetings to all of you.”
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Skip Allcorn writes, “I am now retired four years but still part owner of the company my partner and I started in the late ’70s, Coastal Construction Products. We started in Jacksonville, but our second-largest office is in Atlanta (behind Miami). Still active on the North Florida Young Life board and, when I retired, started Elevate Jacksonville (elevatejacksonville.org). We fund teachers for inner city schools that teach accredited classes in 13 critical life skills. A gift to the public school system. One of the most rewarding things I have ever done, and maybe one of you may be interested. Elevate is now starting in Atlanta.”
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Mary Gresham writes, “I still love clinical psychology in my 70s and have become proficient in doing therapy via Zoom. In 2019 I went to California to study the
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CLASS NEWS
emerging field of psychedelic therapy and now work at Emory in a clinical research trial studying the effects of psilocybin for major depression. It is exciting to be part of the psychedelic renaissance, learn new skills, and study possible breakthroughs in treatment. The study skills and self-discipline I learned at Westminster still hold me in good stead while reading about brain science, receptors, neurotransmitters, and chemistry.” 7 Clark Goodwin attended the 2021 Battle of Buckhead football game with his brother, Allen Goodwin (Lovett ’69). The Goodwin brothers had T-shirts made to celebrate this time-honored tradition.
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Bob Ray writes, “My book, The Life Inside a Near Death Experience, centers around an eight-week period in 1997 during which the author died three times. Written from an agendaless point of view, the book offers answers to questions that have always perplexed mankind.” 8 Rucker McCarty writes, “In August of 2021, nine members of the Class of 1966 took the occasion to celebrate their 55th Reunion from the School. First row: Carol Ann McKenzie Fuller and Connie Wright Howell. Second row: Paul Anderson, Sam Fuller, Richard Howell, Rucker McCarty, Joe Dorn, Jay Burton, and Bob Fisher.”
10 Brad Hayes writes, “I have been a Braves fan since listening to the 1957 World Series between the Milwaukee 11 Braves and New York Yankees on the radio with my father. If you have a love in your heart for baseball and the Braves, please visit my website, 150yearsofthebraves.com, to read about the two books I have recently published. They both touch all the bases of the rich 150-year history of the Braves franchise. Play ball!”
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Larry Hurst writes, “I retired from full-time radiology practice in November of 2021. I have been working from home for years, so the commute to my home office was not a big deal. Now I will just log on whenever, as there is always a need for extra help. My wife and I did some traveling last year with Sandals trips to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, and Montego Bay. We are currently Diamondlevel members in the Sandals organization and are approaching the Pearl level. I love playing volleyball. My real passion is trading equity and index options, which I have been doing for many years. I am part of a nationwide chat group on Discord, where we discuss various plays and strategies in the market. It is such a blast, and I look forward to each day of trading. By the way, anyone out there wanting to join our successful trading group, just call or text me at 407-314-0649. It’s free!”
12 Eric Harris writes, “I attended the 54th Annual Winter Conference on Brain Research held at the Snowmass Betsy Akers Crawford writes, “2020 was a big year for resort in Colorado, perfectly mixing two of my passions: me as I bought and renovated a townhouse, sold my skiing and neuroscience. It’s particularly relevant home of 40 years, and traveled within the U.S. to Naples, this year, as I was recently diagnosed with a form of New Orleans, Greenwich, New York, and the Hudson autoimmune encephalopathy, related to which there were River Valley area. I am now settled and love the location several interesting sessions. In any case, thanks to my as it is near my boys, Michael Crawford ’90 and Scott wonderful wife’s persistence in seeking help and what’s Crawford ’93. Pickleball is my new passion, but I also available from modern medicine, I am recovering well (so bike three times a week with my biking group.” far)—as proof, I am attending this meeting. And, I am still enjoying the idyllic life on our ‘hobby-farm.’”
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9 Vesta Owens Jones writes, “David and I are loving 1970 living in Highlands, North Carolina, about 3/4 of the 13 Steve Shepherd writes, “Our family pictured together time. We are active at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club and on Christmas Day 2021: Matt and Maddie Shepherd Community Bible Church. I started a lay pastoral care Crowhurst ’01 and son Harry from England, Mary ministry called SHALOM and wrote the curriculum Alexander Shepherd ’98, Stephen Shepherd ’08, and for it. SHALOM stands for Sharing Hope and Love on Kristen and Shep.” the Mountain. It has been a huge blessing for me. We have eight grandchildren (ages 4 to 16) whom we love 14 Maggie and Scoot Dimon ’70 and Ricky Dimon ’02 to entertain in the mountains. This is a picture of all of 15 traveled to the coast of Kenya to witness the marriage them this past year. Please give me a call if you come for a of Phil Dimon ’99 to Sheila Gabeya. Shelvis Smithvisit to Highlands!” Mather ’97 served as the minister for the wedding. Phil and Sheila met in Uganda, and they are currently living 1968 in Zambia. Scoot says: “Go Wedding Cats!” Lillian Rudolph Gantsoudes writes, “Enjoying retirement in the North Carolina mountains and Tricia Barnett Greenberg writes, “I enjoy visiting my watching five grandchildren grow. The Washington daughter, Patty Shenkman, Drew, and 3- and 5-year-old Seminary/Westminster fourth-generation legacy enrolled grandsons in Atlanta and connecting with Westminster at Westminster in 2021.” friends. Excited that grandson Brody will be attending the wonderful Westminster Lego camps this summer! My
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Your Legacy. Their Future. “Investing in young people is essential to the future of our society. … I encourage my fellow alumni to explore different ways planned giving can benefit the institutions they care about while also preserving a benefit for their family.” — John Jones ’74 If you’re interested in learning more about ways your estate can benefit your family and support future generations of Wildcats, please contact Lauren Flores at laurenflores@westminster.net or 404-609-6438. View our planned giving guide at westminster.planmygift.org WESTMINSTER | 57
CLASS NEWS other two grandchildren are in Florence, South Carolina. I’ve expanded my antique business to Instagram: @patricianantiques. COVID was very helpful, as people stayed in and ordered oyster plates, rose medallion, Imari, and silver for their homes or gifts! Phil and I split our time between Florence and Charleston, South Carolina. Have loved having Rossie Ray Spell ’70 living in Charleston! It’s like having a sister in town!! Would love to have any Westminster friends over when they visit Charleston!”
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16 After the postponement of their 50th reunions, alumni from the classes of 1970 and 1971 gathered in October for an informal reunion at the home of Suzanne LeCraw Cox.
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Malcolm Ryder writes, “The alumni-produced Wildcat Alumni Magazine, founded by members of the classes of ’72 and ’73, has made it to its second year and is actively seeking to immediately expand its publishing team with four to eight members from other classes. See and join at wildcatalumnimagazine.com.”
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negotiations, trademark and copyright licenses and acquisitions, as well as infringement issues and litigation. Most recently, he was listed “Top Rated” by both Georgia Super Lawyers and Georgia Trend’s “Legal Elite” in the “Entertainment & Sports” category for 2021. Greenspoon Marder is a national full-service business law firm with more than 200 attorneys in offices across the United States, and is ranked among American Lawyer’s Am Law 200. 18 Scott Busby writes, “I recently added an online presence, ‘Just be JUST,’ to my law practice (pictured) at justbusbylaw.com to present a different type of message in the plaintiff’s personal injury space playing on greed and anger. Instead, I hope to promote the high standards expressed in the Georgia Bar’s Lawyers Creed for lawyers. It is a call to ‘Just be JUST,’ not only to lawyers, but to their clients, the courts, and the culture. I share this here as I hope it moves others to do the same in their own circle of influence—being JUST isn’t just for lawyers!”
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19 Ginger Berry Verch writes, “After living in Atlanta forever, Richard and I sold our home and, depending on the weather, live in Naples, Florida, and Three Lakes, Wisconsin. Our son James lives in Austin, Texas, and remote working allows him to visit us often. Our son John lives in Chicago, but has a less flexible job, so we tend to visit him more (when the weather is nice!). We are just starting to get the hang of snowbirding and empty-nesting. So far, so good!”
Cindy Love Jernigan writes, “I am remiss in not letting Westminster know that my daughter Lizzy Jernigan Borsch ’09, a 2013 UGA grad, was married on March 14, 2020 (yes, the LAST Saturday before COVID ‘lockdown’), to Adam Borsch from Bristol, Tennessee— a Georgia Tech grad. Three of her attendants were Westminster alums. She and Adam moved to Denver, 20 Kim Kolze Venter writes, “I just published my first book Colorado, and she is in the University of Colorado’s landscape architecture school, from which she will obtain called Baby Heart: Remembering Who I Am. It is a story her master’s degree in spring 2023. They have had lots of about healing from false beliefs, remembering who we are ATL friends visit!” as divine beings, and re-finding our inner joy and peace through forgiveness. The story came as an inspiration 1976 early one morning and it has been fun to bring it to 17 In November, Juanita Woodward was presented with fruition. If you choose to read it, I hope you like it!” the 2021 HERo Award, Trailblazer of the Year (SME) by The American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore. A 1989 press release of the event describes Juanita as a “trailblazer Anna Bacon Moore writes, “After 12 amazing years in Singapore since the early ’90s. She is the founding working at Westminster, I am moving down the street president of the PrimeTime Business and Professional to take on a new role as Head of School for The Howard Women’s Association and co-founder of BoardAgender. School. I have loved being back on campus to work and She serves as advisor to the National University of serve our school, and I am very excited for this next step.” Singapore (NUS) Women In Business Club. Since 1990 2013, she has been an advisory board member of the Aaron Miller writes, “I am a partner with Apollo Private NUS Business School Centre for Governance and Equity. I was named to Savoy Magazine’s list of Most Sustainability. Her work has enabled financial access for Influential Black Corporate Directors. Pamay Bassey ’89 women and women-led businesses in Asia’s emerging was also honored on the list.” markets.”
1981
Alan Clarke recently joined Greenspoon Marder LLP’s Entertainment, Media & Technology Group in the Atlanta office. Alan concentrates his law practice on entertainment matters, including contract drafting and
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Rob Kutner is still in Los Angeles, moving from latenight into animation writing, and writing a series of zany kids’ graphic novels, due to come out in 2023. This fall, Charles Maddow had three occasions in his career to celebrate: 20 years as an emergency medicine
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SHOP OUR NEW SPIRIT STORE! Whether you’re looking for a Westminster alumni water bottle, a Peter Millar shirt, or another green and white gift, our Spirit Store is your headquarters for all things Wildcat. Stop by our new location in Barge Commons! 19
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ode Use theMcAG22 SPRING
for 20% off your entire purchase! store.westminster.net
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CLASS NEWS faculty physician, five years as the director of emergency geriatrics at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and his recent appointment as the Wyatt Ranches Distinguished Professor in Geriatric and Palliative Medicine.
walking through pandemic isolation, PTSD treatment for childhood trauma, and slaying COVID. Elizabeth “Oz” Oswald (pictured) was truly a gatekeeper and turned her home office into a bedroom for him to have a soft landing in the city. He regularly sees Nancy Hicks, Smith Byrne, Elizabeth Mixson, and Blair Smith, all of whom call New York home. John cannot fathom what this transition would have been like without these Westminster connections and friendships he carries to this day.
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Justin Dillon writes, “I recently hit eight years of practicing law at my firm KaiserDillon PLLC, where I specialize in campus misconduct cases (Title IX, etc.) and white-collar criminal defense. Our family recently moved from D.C. to Virginia, and we have enjoyed the transition very much.”
1997
Mindy Glass Elrod, CDC microbiologist, was featured in the November 30, 2021, Atlanta Journal-Constitution article “Inside Story: How CDC Disarmed a Biological Threat,” which detailed the role of Mindy and other CDC colleagues who worked tirelessly to protect the public by uncovering the source of a deadly bacteria.
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21 Gray Prickett, daughter of Clay Prickett and Ali Gray Prickett ’05, was baptized in the Barbara Johnson Prickett Chapel at Westminster. The baptism was performed by Jerry Prickett, with godparents Hayden Gray ’08, Allison Prickett Pack ’99, and Shaun Pack in attendance. 22 In early summer 2021, Lori Mack Boyles bought a townhouse in the D.C. suburb of Annandale, Virginia, with her husband, Kyle—a big upgrade after both had worked remotely from their one-bedroom apartment for a year! Lori also started a new job in July: research consulting for K–12 education with Hanover Research.
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26 Members of the Class of 2004 gathered in San Francisco in October for the wedding of James Chu and Daniel Witte. From left to right are Trevor Murphy, Lauren Vigil Orenstein, Evan Orenstein, Daniel Witte, Nicholas Bammer-Whitaker, James Chu, Bradley Gallagher, Grant Heberton, and Adam Chamy.
28 23 Laing Humphries currently flies as an airline transport pilot for SkyWest Airlines out of Dallas-Fort Worth. She is very excited to share that she has recently been selected as the president of the Women’s Committee for the National Gay Pilots Association. She hopes, as the pilot shortage continues to hit, that more Wildcats will get out and fly! 29
2003
24 Clayton Turner Edwards III is pictured with big sisters Lanier and Amelia, children of Emily and Clayton Edwards Jr. 25 John Heaton has taken the plunge on a lifelong dream of moving to New York City. As an urban planner focusing on climate resilience and zero-emission vehicles, he is thrilled to be part of a city with a dynamic public transport system. In other cities, like Atlanta, transportation policy has largely been shaped around racial disparity, creating a caste system and limiting access to places of employment and services to those who have a car. This is a brand-new adventure for John after
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27 Lawson Anderson made his Atlanta Symphony Orchestra debut in December 2021 as the bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Weihnachts-Oratorium. Sharing the stage with Lawson were fellow Wildcats Jason Maynard (Upper School faculty), Peter MacKenzie ’02, and Kathleen Poe Ross ’01, members of the ASO Chamber Chorus.
Laura Bellaire married Dan Rutz on August 14, 2021. The ceremony and reception were held at Lake Rabun in North Georgia. Laura and Dan currently live in Madison, Wisconsin, and work at UW. Laura is a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon and Dan is an emergency medicine physician. Fellow Wildcats Chris Bellaire ’07, Sarah Yates, and Courtney Stough joined in the celebrations. Lydia Hagedorn Szewczyk writes, “Our family has recently grown and moved! Daughter Sigrid Szewczyk was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, in March 2021. We are still living abroad, but now in Oban, Scotland, due to careers in sustainability.”
2012
Linnea Ryshke published her first book of art and poetry, Kindling, through the New York publisher Lantern Publishing. The George Woodruff Library in the Middle School has a copy in its Westminster author section. Her website is reembodimentproject.com.
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Marriages Congratulations to all Wildcats celebrating recent weddings! Find each couple’s corresponding photo number to the left of the announcement.
1968 1 Pat Sharkey Brooks and Joe Ingram, October 12, 2021
1989 2 Frances Morton and Jeff White, October 2, 2021
1999 3 Sheila Gabeya and Phil Dimon, October 30, 2021
2005 4 Laura Bellaire and Dan Rutz, August 14, 2021
2007 5 Rebecca Harris and Jason Rosenberg, July 19, 2021
2008 6 Elizabeth Rucker (Lower School faculty) and Franklin Sacha, June 26, 2021
2009 7 Lizzy Jernigan and Adam Borsch, March 14, 2020
2010 8 Hillary Bridges and Will Barrett, December 4, 2021
10 Tindall Sewell and Eric Hein, October 23, 2021
2011 11 Caroline Rothschild (staff) and John Egan, January 15, 2022 12 Sarah Grady and Landon Rogers, September 4, 2021 13 Kaitlyn Johnson and Alex Sabrowsky, November 13, 2021 14 Jena DeLaney and Michael Thomas, October 16, 2021
2012 15 Gray Stoner and Jarrett Davis, September 25, 2021 16 Kaitlyn Noone and Scott Nugent, October 30, 2021
2015
17 Anne Mason Jackson and Harrison Allen, November 6, 2021
Faculty and Staff
18 Kelly Nelson (staff) and Blaine Russell, November 13, 2021 19 Sarah Stephenson (Lower School faculty) and Hall McKinley, October 30, 2021
9 Caroline Gwynn and Sean Monagle, November 6, 2021
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Births and Adoptions Welcome to the Wildcat family, new additions!
Find each child’s corresponding photo number to the left of the announcement.
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Eden Joy Nix, June 26, 2021, daughter of Abi and John Nix
1996
1 Kunal Quinn Martin, May 30, 2020, son of Erin Quinn Martin and Chris Martin
1999
2 Charlotte “Charlie” McMillan Poe, October 29, 2021, daughter of Laura and Matt Poe 3 Emerson Cole Deane, April 16, 2021, daughter of Keia Cole and Nick Deane 4 Jordan Paul Oliver, October 11, 2021, son of Dawn Tintle Oliver and Jeremy Oliver 5 Robert Wesley Abel, October 15, 2021, son of Jenny Robinson Abel and Ben Abel
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6 Miles Habibi Harris, July 9, 2021, son of Azita Habibi and Bob Harris
2002
Ryan Story Sigmund, November 3, 2021, son of Christina Story Sigmund and Lukas Sigmund
2005
13 Beau Stanley Johnson, July 17, 2021, son of Andi and Charlie Johnson 14 Sullivan Sade Fryer, October 3, 2021, daughter of Laura Nix Fryer and Gibbs Fryer 15 Virginia Baker Grandstaff, July 27, 2021, daughter of Caroline Williams Grandstaff and Kyle Grandstaff
2006
16 John Izard IV, January 22, 2022 son of Grace and Jack Izard 17 Katherine Callahan Bara, February 3, 2021, daughter of Erin Callahan Bara and Daniel Bara 18 Emma Caroline Crabtree, June 8, 2021, daughter of Erin Murphy Crabtree and Bruce Crabtree ’07
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7 Charlotte Elise Brentz, October 20, 2021, daughter of Kristie Day Brentz and David Brentz
19 George Robert Wood, November 29, 2021, son of Anne Collier Reid Wood and Skip Wood
8 Sybil Veronica DeSimone, September 7, 2021, daughter of Alice Johnson DeSimone and Justin DeSimone
20 Paige Louise Carter, November 25, 2021, daughter of Bekah and Cooper Carter
9 Zoe Madeline Israel, August 30, 2021, daughter of Lauren Mittenthal Israel and Eric Israel
21 Hudson Neil Holby, July 15, 2021, son of Mary McGuirk Holby and Neil Holby
2003
10 Baker LeCraw Adams, February 4, 2021, daughter of Leigh Baker Adams and Sam Adams 11 Clayton Turner Edwards III, May 14, 2021, son of Emily and Clayton Edwards Jr.
2004
12 Ethan Cooper Hill, August 27, 2021, son of Katherine Bell Hill and Matt Hill
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22 Rebecca Ryan Conway, June 21, 2021, daughter of Margaret and Ross Conway
Faculty and Staff
23 Mia Rae Stegall, July 8, 2021 daughter of Taylor Stegall (Lower School faculty) and Daniel Stegall
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In Memoriam We extend our deepest sympathy to the members of the Westminster community who have lost a loved one.
Washington Seminary Alumnae 1939 Mary Frances Broach Woodside, September 16, 2021
1948 Betty Jean Center Weltner, November 30, 2021 Mother of Susan Weltner Yow ’75
John Wayt, November 17, 2021 Brother of Jim Wayt ’76 and Marty Wayt McMullin ’78
1975 Reid Davidson, September 28, 2021
1977 Polly Ragsdale Taylor, November 13, 2021
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Jody Gerrard Smith, December 6, 2021
Houston Smith III, January 18, 2022 Brother of Samantha Smith Wiseman ’87
1951 Anne Ivie Wheelock, December 29, 2021
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John A. Wallace Jr., January 4, 2022 Brother of Michael Wallace ’91
Mary Jane Merritt Beggs, December 5, 2021
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Westminster Alumni
Tom Tolbert, December 31, 2021 Brother of Julian Tolbert ’83 and husband of Laurie Crawford Tolbert ’86
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Amelia Berry Gordon, August 17, 2021
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Alan Kingsley, November 23, 2021 Brother of Robert Kingsley ’97
Patsy Patterson Broyles, December 1, 2021
1959 Cary Falconer Driver, September 16, 2021 Kathryn Etheridge Thomson, July 25, 2021
1962 Austin Catts, October 13, 2021
1963 Marticia Bryant McKinney, June 2021
1965 Sally Nevin Tighe, November 30, 2021
1972 Pam Davis, November 30, 2021 Sister of Cindy Davis Rackley ’67 and Lisa Davis ’74
66 | Spring/Summer 2022
2013 Rad Spencer, February 13, 2022
Westminster Community Members Bill Blackburn, September 5, 2021 Husband of Marianne Rochelle Blackburn ’65 Bill Candler, September 1, 2021 Husband of Linda Pretz Candler ’79 Carollee Vernon, June 29, 2021 Mother of Jill Balloun Webb ’86 and Mark Balloun ’84 Chris Cornwall, December 15, 2021 Son of Suzanne Foster McGough ’59 Bruce Feiman, September 6, 2021 Father of Brad Feiman ’76
William Stark Grenier, August 2, 2021 Son of Nicole Fernandez Grenier ’04
Matthew Lee Walker, April 13, 2021 Son of Donna Henry Walker ’72
Bill Griffin Jr., January 23, 2022 Father of Katherine Griffin Applegarth ’86
Robert Brandon Walker, May 17, 2021 Son of Donna Henry Walker ’72
Charlie Harrison Jr., December 28, 2021 Father of Ponder Harrison ’79
Bill Watson, December 18, 2021 Father of MacKenzie Watson ’21, Sydney Watson ’24, and Andrew Watson ’27
Evelyn Smith Henry, January 23, 2022 Mother of Donna Henry Walker ’72 Angie Hoyt, January 21, 2022 Mother of Polly Hoyt Nance ’01
Steve Yauger, September 25, 2021 Brother of Ann Yauger ’74
John Kelley, January 21, 2022 Father of Karen Kelley Grosvenor ’84 and John Kelley ’87 Shirley McBay, November 27, 2021 Mother of Michael McBay ’72 and Ronald McBay ’76 Juliet deVilliers Miller, August 29, 2021 Mother of Ashley Miller Crosier ’79 Claire Foster Moore, November 7, 2021 Mother of Claire Moore Yates ’70 and Jim Moore ’80 Jimmy Moore III, December 11, 2021 Father of Claire Moore Yates ’70 and Jim Moore ’80 Ardyth Redfern, May 12, 2021 Wife of Steve Redfern ’69 Dorothy Quillian Reeves, December 3, 2021 Mother of Nancy Reeves Mansfield ’71, Susan Reeves Zimmerman ’72, Walton Reeves ’75, Carol Reeves Morgan ’77, and Quillian Reeves ’81 Bob Rowe, June 8, 2021 Father of Robert Rowe ’01 Becca Shaw Shepherd, January 5, 2022 Wife of Clyde Shepherd ’79 Georges Sulmers, January 2, 2022 Father of Andre Sulmers ’95 and Claire Sulmers ’99 Thomas Tift, October 1, 2021 Father of Tommy Tift ’74, Richard Tift ’77, and Caroline Tift Harrison ’80 and brother of Tee Tift Porter WS ’40
WESTMINSTER | 67
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ENGAGE
ENGAGE ENGAGE
REPRESENT
GIVE GIVE
REPRESENT REPRESENT
The Westminster Alumni Association offers countless opportunities for you to reconnect, lead, and stay involved with your alma mater. Whether you are searching for a job or internship, looking to expand your network, or wanting to get involved with the School, we are here to help. Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat!
Once OnceaaWildcat, Wildcat, alwaysaaWildcat! Wildcat! GIVE always
The Westminster Alumni Association The Westminster Alumni Association offoffers ers countless opportunities forfor countless opportunities you to to reconnect, lead, and stay you reconnect, lead, and stay involved with your alma mater. involved with your alma mater. Whether you areare searching forfor a job Whether you searching a job or or internship, looking to to expand your internship, looking expand your network, or or wanting to to getget involved network, wanting involved with thethe School, wewe areare here to to help. with School, here help. Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat! Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat!
SPRING/SUMMER 2022
EXPLORE EXPLORE
Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat!
SPRING/SUMMER 2022
EXPLORE