FEATURED INSIDE Onward Woodward A National Model 2 Global Connections 10 Magazine FALL WINTER 2016 2017 Homecoming Reunion Weekend 29 experience In a broadly diverse and caring community Woodward embraces the uniqueness of each individual Guided by our core values of Excellence Character and Opportunity we champion student success Vision Woodward Academy will be a national model in college preparatory education developing critical thinkers and ethical problem solvers in an inclusive community rich in opportunities for student success Mission Woodward Academy combines the proud traditions of Atlanta s oldest college preparatory school with an innovative challenging and well rounded educational Motto Excellence Character Opportunity
CONTENTS ADMINISTRATION Letter from President Gulley 1 F Stuart Gulley Ph D Onward Woodward A National Model 2 President Rebecca R Eckstein Woodward Around the World 10 Vice President for Admissions and Enrollment Management Experiencing Commonalities Among Faiths 16 Christopher M Freer Ph D Vice President and Dean for Student Life Upper School Principal Saving the Planet One Student at a Time 18 Eagle Eye 19 Robert F Hawks Vice President for Advancement 23 Arts in the Aerie 21 Nija Majmudar Meyer War Eagle Watch 23 Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Communications Parent Community Partnership 26 Kelly H Sanderson Honoring Our Stalwart Supporters 27 Vice President for Finance and Administration Giving Back Is Its Own Reward 28 Marcia Prewitt Spiller Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs Distinguished Alumnus Don t Fear Failure 30 Service Award 31 HOMECOMING REUNION WEEKEND Parade 32 Tailgate 33 Homecoming Game 34 Class Reunions 35 Class Notes 40 32 GMA Reflections from Phil Gramm 61 41 Brother Sister Duo Conquer Restaurant Scene 45 Alumnus Sheds New Light on Veterans Day 46 On the cover Text to come Alumni Eagle Eye 49 Woodward Academy Athletes in the Pro Leagues 52 Weddings 54 On the cover top to bottom Erin Edwards 17 students on a summer trip to Africa and Color Guard member Kristin Abernathy 20 with the Robert W Woodruff Marching Band Babies 55 1662 Rugby Avenue College Park Georgia 30337 2199 Passages 56 WOODWARD EDU
WELCOME From President Gulley As we embark on a new year I find myself reflecting on the closing months of 2016 at Woodward Academy and in our world At the Academy the fall semester was filled with student accomplishments daily academic feats recognition in world languages triumphs in debate robotics and the visual and performing arts and athletic achievements including the success of our War Eagles football and volleyball teams Meanwhile this fall during a time of anxiety and upheaval nationally and globally our community continued the Woodward tradition of service at home and abroad raising funds and donations for the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Terranova School our sister school in Zambia We often speak of Woodward as a microcosm of the world and I observed with pride as our community reflected the qualities of the world as it should be with faculty staff students and their families upholding our values of deep respect for difference and understanding of one another s perspectives Although we are fortunate to enjoy state of the art facilities thanks to our generous supporters the people of Woodward are the true heart of our school I invite you to get to know us better in the pages of this magazine as we introduce Onward Woodward A National Model our 2016 2021 Strategic Plan Because we must learn from the past before we can move forward we paused to take a look at the ways in which Woodward Academy already is a national model in independent school education through the lens of individuals who represent distinctive qualities of our school At this time of year a time for celebration I extend warm wishes to all in the Woodward family as we find faith in each other and look ahead with hope for our students future to 2017 and beyond F Stuart Gulley The night sky over Terranova our sister school in Zambia WOODWARD EDU 1
2016 2017 GOVERNING BOARD Mr Robert E Bowers 74 Chairman Mr J Russell Welch Vice Chairman Ms Madelyn R Adams Mr Gerald R Benjamin Mr Ronald M Brill Mr Mason L Cardwell 98 Mr Alfred J Cole 80 Mr Clarence Davis 74 Mr A Adair Dickerson Jr 71 Mr Michael S Drucker Dr Xavier A Duralde 76 Dr Nancy H Gallups 84 Mrs Jo Cranford Hodges 96 Mr Ben F Johnson III 61 Mr Ian Lloyd Jones Mr Gene W Milner Jr 71 Ms Mary S Moore 87 Dr Carlos S Moreno 82 Mr George S Morgan Sr 69 Mrs Belinda M J Morris Mrs Marie L Nygren 78 Mr Tim A O Brien 61 Mrs Vicki R Palmer Dr Deepak Raghavan Mr John D Randolph Mr Stephen E Roberts 65 Mr Mitesh Shah Mr Shi Shailendra Mr S Andrew Sullivan Mr James E Sutherland 54 2016 2017 ADVISORY BOARD In 2016 we celebrated the successful conclusion of our last five year plan and articulated a new vision for Woodward Academy s future Onward Woodward A National Model is a new Strategic Plan that will take us through 2021 The goals of this new plan include building strength in Academic Excellence Community Facilities and Resources As we prepared this new plan we paused to ask ourselves what it means to be a national model and to consider where we are right now as a school Through conversations with some of the people who represent the distinctive qualities of Woodward the things that set us apart and make us a model that schools across the country look to for inspiration we discovered anew many of the special things about this Academy People often speak of a Woodward Way and it involves meeting the needs of the whole child teaching their hearts and souls as well as their minds With many small battles lost and won along the way beginning in the earliest grades and culminating in graduation Woodward students are inspired and guided to become the best versions of themselves ready to go out into the world beyond Woodward to make it a better place For full details on Onward Woodward A National Model our 2016 2021 Strategic Plan visit woodward edu onwardwoodward Mr William W Allison Dr Thomas J Busey Jr 49 Mrs Kitty Dukehart Mr William E Eason Jr Ms Vicki Escarra Dr Daniel S Ferguson 68 Mr W Philip Gramm 61 Dr Phillip A Griffiths 56 Mr Waldo S Kennedy 57 Dr Thomas L Lyons 66 Mrs Anne Rivers Siddons Mr Larry D Thompson 2 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
Leadership Woodward President Stuart Gulley has been recognized for his leadership Among other honors he was named the Atlanta Business Chronicle s 2016 Most Admired CEO in the education category a field that included the presidents of Georgia Tech Georgia State University and Morehouse School of Medicine The Academy s leadership is a national model said Governing Board Chairman Robert E Bowers 74 We are fortunate to have President Gulley who embodies many of the qualities and habits of mind Woodward strives to instill in its students honesty and transparency empathy and understanding and an unwavering sense of justice and humility Being a leader is a profound gift that comes with considerable obligations Serving alongside students faculty staff parents alumni and the Governing Board is hugely rewarding I have the great honor of assembling the hopes and dreams of our constituents into a coherent and urgent charge to action to offer an excellent national model education to 2 700 plus students who are going to transform the world F Stuart Gulley Ph D WOODWARD EDU ONWARDWOODWARD 3
Academic Excellence Alex Akins 12 pictured here with his mother Beth Schumaker represents thousands of alumni who were prepared so well at Woodward that they segued gracefully into college Woodward holds a singular place among independent schools across the nation for the breadth depth and diversity of our education The Academy s full range of academic levels from College Prep to Advanced Placement and Transition Learning Support enables us to fit the education to every student and meet the needs of entire families As my son Alex was preparing to graduate from Georgia Tech with highest honors in electrical engineering and deciding whether or not to enter the Ph D program at Tech we had a conversation We were looking back at his undergraduate years marveling at how quickly the time went and how full it was He also said how grateful he was that he attended Woodward and had the opportunity to go to a school that prepared him so well academically and for life in general He felt prepared for college on day one and throughout the four years at a school that is notoriously tough on its students Beth Schumaker Alumni Parent 4 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
I love Woodward because of its appreciation for diversity and respect for differences The school makes a serious effort to be inclusive through clubs like Five Points and Woodward Equality Alliance as well as many cultural awareness clubs like the Muslim Awareness Club There is always room for improvement in the student body becoming more inclusive and I like to think programs like these help us reach that goal In Five Points we want to continue to raise awareness about social issues as well as promote understanding so we can all learn how we can be the most inclusive Erin Edwards 17 Inclusivity Erin Edwards 17 is a student leader with Five Points Club Woodward s diversity club where students discuss race religion gender identity sexual orientation and other issues in monthly meetings and real talks Deep respect for difference is at the very core of Woodward s identity Walk around campus and you ll quickly see how the student body reflects a vast array of backgrounds In a world that often seems divided Woodward s inclusivity gives us hope every single day The diversity of our student body is truly uncommon in independent schools in our city and our nation WOODWARD EDU ONWARDWOODWARD 5
Service Learning George Dietz is many things at Woodward Longtime science teacher extraordinaire Middle School assistant principal and the great Oz behind the curtain of Woodward s relationship with our sister school in Zambia Over a decade Mr Dietz has enlisted the Woodward community in donating supplies and uniforms as well as building classrooms a library and even a medical clinic at The Terranova School Our partnership with Terranova is one big example of how Woodward serves as a national model in service learning but there are many others including our work with organizations in our own community Through service our students learn about social justice becoming critical thinkers and ethical problem solvers Because students carry these life shaping experiences with them after graduation Woodward makes the world a better place After working at Woodward for 40 years I have come to understand the deeper meanings of our motto Excellence Character Opportunity Take the word opportunity for example Woodward provides opportunities not only for our own students but also in communities less fortunate than our own including our neighbor the Jesse Draper Boys Girls Club and our sister school more than 8 000 miles away The Terranova School Woodward has been helping our friends at Terranova for more than a decade When I look back over those years the change is incredible Young people are attending universities when before only a grade seven education and a difficult life was their future A recent graduate was accepted into medical school Service is defined as an activity where values are exchanged Both the donor and the recipient benefit Terranova is a wonderful example of how Woodward serves George Dietz 6 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
Global Connections Evan Strat 17 has enjoyed life shaping experiences because of Woodward s International and Global Connections Program In eighth grade he traveled through Europe And last summer he went to France for a two week homestay as well as Switzerland for summer camp Experiences like Evan s immerse students in the differences that make cultures unique and the similarities that connect us all Woodward was the first school in the nation to implement the International Certification testing program for Upper School students in honors and AP language classes We also now offer a Global Studies diploma distinction The France and Switzerland trip had a big impact on me I experienced tangible improvement in my French language abilities especially with speaking listening and conversational language It was amazing living with a French family and experiencing their culture firsthand Although I learned about French culture in school it wasn t until I was eating a regular French meal with my host family that I learned the values that were important to the culture namely family and welcoming newcomers I still communicate with my French exchange student on a regular basis and I can t wait until he comes to visit Woodward in April Evan Strat 17 WOODWARD EDU ONWARDWOODWARD 7
Woodward Academy students are immersed in performing and visual arts beginning in the earliest grades For students like Cameron Carmen 17 exceptional opportunities and expert guidance in the visual arts gave her the opportunity to attend The Oxbow School in California for a semester last year see page 22 for more on that She s applying to the nation s top visual arts schools and her painting teacher has every confidence in her future as an artist Cameron has had tremendous growth in our program Her artwork is thoughtful honest and powerful said Chris Greenway The Arts Woodward has offered me a world of opportunities that would not be possible in any other institution With mediums ranging from drawing to jewelry making it s the perfect environment for an artist who craves creativity and experimentation I believe that art is inescapable It often coincides with what I am learning in school and much of my work is inspired by my academic classes One piece that I created this semester is titled Entropy referring to the thermodynamic quantity of disorder In an attempt to better understand this scientific concept I created a piece that visualizes the feeling of disorder This technique of bridging the gap between traditional education and art has served me well I would like to think that no matter where I go to college or what I study I will have a creative career because being an artist is not a choice for me it is fundamental to my identity Cameron Carmen 17 8 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
Athletics War Eagles are champions take junior K J Phillips a linebacker who has already broken the school record for tackles despite having a year left to play More importantly War Eagles like K J demonstrate outstanding character Woodward strives to field winning teams but only while maintaining the integrity of our athletes and our school Our student athletes challenge themselves through sport while learning teamwork self discipline and responsibility and our athletic programs serve as shining examples for other schools to follow Woodward athletics has taught me so much Being a part of something special and bringing your best every day has truly made me into the person I am today I ve learned that commitment to the process is the most important part You have to have the wherewithal to not quit and put forth your best effort each and every day I also have made many friendships that will last me a lifetime My coaches teach us valuable lessons like respect honor dignity and loving your neighbor as yourself Woodward is a truly special place and I feel honored to be a part of such an outstanding program K J Phillips 18 WOODWARD EDU ONWARDWOODWARD 9
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS Woodward Around the World In the summer of 2016 our students and faculty traveled the world studying sightseeing learning about other cultures making new friends and providing service to others Terranova A group of students and faculty traveled to Africa in summer 2016 first visiting Cape Town South Africa for a tour before heading to Zambia for a stay at Woodward Academy s sister school The Terranova School The Woodward group worked with Terranova students in the classroom and got to know people in the nearby village forming fast friendships and learning about themselves as well as another culture The most important thing I learned was that despite differences in age race or language it s possible to have a connection with anyone said junior Molly Ross In the village many of the children don t know how to speak English until the third grade they speak the native language Tonga Despite the language barrier it was so easy to connect with everyone in the school and create a personal relationship with everyone I met there Many of the Woodward students reported that visiting Terranova seeing firsthand the poverty of the people and the gift of education that the school has provided had a profound effect on them I learned that what I may think is a bad day in America is nothing compared to the daily struggle others have to face said junior John Scott Above top view of Cape Town the Woodward group arrives in Zambia bottom George Dietz with a Terranova student 10 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
The most important thing I learned was that despite differences in age race or language it s possible to have a connection with anyone Molly Ross Molly added that for her the most memorable part of the trip was the last day at Terranova After the closing ceremonies full of singing and dancing all of the Woodward kids and many of the Terranova boarders went back to the soccer fields to play a game We played for a few hours and made a ton of friends As the sun set we walked back to the house and all of the boarders walked with us while singing Justin Beiber and Nicki Minaj Many of the girls traded jewelry and the boys traded hats After we got back to the main road we all hugged and cried and said our goodbyes until next time and I realized how loving and accepting the people of Terranova are Above this page Woodward and Terranova students together views of Cape Town at right John Scott with Terranova students below Ronda Zents English teacher and service learning coordinator in the Upper School teaches at Terranova Global Connections continues on next page WOODWARD EDU 11
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS Ecuador Seventeen Middle School students traveled to Ecuador in summer 2016 making stops in Quito Ba os Puyo and Cotopaxi The trip was centered on a service project in Puyo where students volunteered to care for animals at a rescue center doing things like cutting up fruit and cleaning enclosures Students also took adventure excursions mountain biking near the Cotopaxi volcano ziplining rock climbing hiking climbing the tower of a cathedral and hiking in the jungle to a waterfall Eighth grader Yasmin Kahn most enjoyed volunteering at the animal rescue center The animals at YanaCocha were definitely not animals you can see at Zoo Atlanta Although zebras and giraffes are very majestic when do you get the chance to see a coati or a capybara It was just amazing Giving these animals the help they needed made me feel so great and it was a great experience overall Alisha Stratton chaperone and Middle School Spanish teacher said the students were intrepid travelers They were willing to attempt to speak in Spanish in almost all situations while in Ecuador which was very impressive We also did an incredibly muddy hike to a waterfall on the edge of steep jungle hills which lasted more than six hours Despite how fatiguing the excursion was the kids never complained once In fact they encouraged one another and kept reminding each other about the sweet reward at the end the waterfall Students hiked to a waterfall called El Diablo top photo and visited Cotapaxi National Park bottom 12 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS St Andrews Scotland Fresh off their fifth state golf championship in May the varsity girls golf team traveled to Scotland for the American High School AHS Golf Championships in St Andrews the birthplace of golf The team Ayanna Habeel Teagan Fritts Nyah Hawkins Harrison Kate Pounders Katie Dorton Jakari Harris Susannah Cole and Maya Foreman competed on three courses over three days The trip began with a walking history lesson about the Old Course and the girls got a feel for what it s like for professional golfers who play the oldest course in the world They walked the No 17 road hole and crossed over the Swilken Bridge on their way to the world famous 18th green hearing stories from golfing history along the way The famed Carnoustie Golf Links was the first stop for play Each girl was paired with a professional caddie for a practice round For most of them it was their first experience playing a true links golf course They found that golf in Scotland is quite different from golf in the U S The AHS tournament was played at Crail Golf Links and the Kittocks and Torrance courses at The Fairmont Resort The Woodward girls were the only female team playing against an all male field featuring Washington state fourth place finisher Mercer Island High and New Jersey state champions Northern Highlands High The girls did more than hold their own versus the boys posting a third place team finish overall Susannah Cole finished first among the girls Seated left to right Katie Dorton Maya Foreman Nyah Hawkins Harrison and Teagan Fritts standing left to right Susannah Cole Ayanna Habeel Jakari Harris Kate Pounders and Coach Pete Fritts WOODWARD EDU 13
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS France Switzerland Upper School students enjoyed a two week homestay with French families associated with Woodward s partner school St Paul in Roanne France during summer 2016 followed by a two week summer camp at Les Elfes in Verbier Switzerland See page 7 for student Evan Strat s perspective on the experience Students went to a vineyard in Ambierle France top and visited a bakery in Saint Andr d Apchon middle Bottom a view of Verbiers Switzerland location of the French language immersion camp students attended 14 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS Japan Upper School Japanese teacher Tad Sahara took students on a 10 day trip to Japan in summer 2016 with stops in Tokyo s vibrant neighborhoods the coastal city of Atami Hakone known for its hot springs Kyoto where they visited a Zen temple and the Golden Pavilion Hiroshima s Peace Park and shrine island and Osaka where students enjoyed the Pokemon Center and a tonkatsu dinner In Tokyo students visited Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples learning that Shinto the national religion of Japan is polytheistic so many Japanese identify themselves as both Shinto and Buddhist The group dined on chankonabe a chicken stew eaten by sumo wrestlers and enjoyed a traditional Japanese dinner with countless plates of different types of meats and vegetables sampling cuisine native to each region in which they traveled At Lake Ashinoko a lake within a caldera volcano crater the group took a ferry to see clear views of Mount Fuji a rare sight because conditions are often cloudy In Kyoto the group rented bikes and visited a bamboo forest These are just a few highlights of a journey that Mr Sahara called Sensei or teacher described as an amazing adventure with 12 wonderful people He wrote to his students I hope this adventure and the opportunity to learn about a very different culture will better help you know thyself Japan is a country in which there seems to be a lot of self reflection and thought whether you go visit a shrine or temple or just take a simple ride in a subway or train and you notice that it is dead silent I hope this study of another culture lends itself to further examination of where you are and where you want to go The friendly deer were one of the highlights of Miyajima an island in Hiroshima Bay top Students visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto bottom left and enjoyed the view of Tokyo from the Metropolitan Building right WOODWARD EDU 15
EMBRACING DIFFERENCES After months of planning I was so Embracing Differences excited for students to Experiencing the Commonalities Among Faiths By Chaplain Katie Kilpatrick experience traditions outside of their own Chaplain Katie Kilpatrick This fall a small group of students and faculty took part in Woodward s first interfaith immersion weekend On Friday October 28 this small group boarded a bus outside the chapel both uncertain and eager about the experiences that would await them Each member of the group was given a small notepad to write about their thoughts fears and excitements before fully embarking on the journey To be honest I had my own butterflies fluttering inside of me After months of planning I was so excited for students to experience traditions outside of their own I had such high hopes of witnessing individuals develop deeper religious understanding for traditions so often misunderstood in our society I was pleased to see that from the moment the trip began the students fully embraced the experience We spent the first evening immersing ourselves in Muslim 16 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 and Jewish traditions at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam and the Congregation Bet Haverim Students had the opportunity to fully participate in the afternoon service at the mosque praying on the floor alongside their Muslim brothers and sisters Within a few hours they were seated at a Jewish Shabbat dinner singing and clapping with their new Jewish friends At the conclusion of the evening the bus was buzzing with excitement as students proclaimed their newfound appreciation and respect for both traditions Saturday s site visits allowed for a bit more relaxation We had the chance to learn about meditation at the Vedanta Center of Atlanta and even learned proper meditation techniques at the Shambhala Buddhist Center
We filled our bellies with traditional food at the Chin Maya Education Center and learned about the Hindu festival of Diwali Things became a bit humorous as some students met a goat that escaped from the mosque across the street It was at this point that a few students noted it no longer felt like we were in Atlanta but on a far away journey We concluded this day at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church learning about activism within the Catholic tradition many identical core values At the conclusion of the trip Woodward senior Sohini Moravineni reflected on this very same topic noting that each tradition promoted peace and love in some way She wondered why individuals from traditions with such similar core values do not always fully embrace the traditions of the other With all that we learned this seemed to be the only question left unanswered I look forward to many more interfaith immersion trips with the Woodward Academy community as our students have the amazing opportunity to experience the uniqueness of various religions while simultaneously learning to appreciate their commonalities For two days this small group had the chance to fully engage in worship and befriend practitioners from Muslim Jewish Buddhist Hindu and Christian traditions We witnessed so many beautiful distinctions and yet so WOODWARD EDU 17
COMMITMENT TO SERVICE Saving the Planet One Student at a Time Sustainability embraces many disciplines and directions At Woodward Academy it s about more than reuse and recycling Students prepare to work on an urban farm in the community Students are learning about climate change clean urban design environmental degradation from water pollution and the challenges of sourcing healthy food in urban areas They re also getting their hands dirty going into the community to clean up a local stream on Green Apple Day of Service and to work on an urban farm And Woodward is working toward offering a diploma distinction in sustainability Two of the school s sustainability leaders are Upper School science teachers Monica Kuhlman and Jessica Hubbard who shared some thoughts on how the Academy is educating a new generation to apply their skills passion and scientific aptitudes to saving the planet Ms Kuhlman tell us more about Green Apple Day of Service Green Apple Day of Service is a way to improve school environments through service education and community events This year the Upper School engaged in three different projects including a trash pickup near a tributary to the Flint River an upcycling craft fair with Main Street Academy and planting seeds in our greenhouse to start seedlings for the Urban Farm and our own campus Students were left with a sense of pride from serving in commonly overlooked or underserved areas Ms Hubbard can you fill us in on the urban farm planting and what students learned that day Several students are interested in urban farming and giving back to the community It was their idea to grow fresh produce for local shelters The majority of produce available at food pantries is canned so they came up 18 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 with a plan to start a garden at the local urban farm here in College Park and donate the harvest to a food shelter Students spent their day working with volunteers and employees cleaning out their plot learning how to stake out a proper garden and sowing seeds for the fall winter season They gained a better understanding of urban farms and the importance of having them in our local communities As teachers why is sustainability education important What are its larger implications Sustainability isn t just about recycling it s a mindset where it becomes second nature to think about how your actions today will affect someone else tomorrow By teaching people how to consciously use their resources with the future in mind we learn to live beyond ourselves Woodward is working toward a diploma distinction in sustainability What might that look like and why would it benefit graduates beyond Woodward A diploma distinction in sustainability is under development with a group of administrators teachers and students collecting data to determine sustainability goals for each of the schools A diploma distinction might include coursework that leads toward environmental literacy service learning and community engagement with a sustainability focus an immersive experience and a capstone project From academics to service to international citizenship Woodward is cultivating sustainability throughout the educational experience For a longer conversation with Ms Kuhlman and Ms Hubbard about sustainability at Woodward visit woodward edu blog
EAGLE EYE Top Accolades for Student Publications Debate Team Success The student newspaper s special election issue of The Blade a National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker Award finalist earned fourth in Best of Show in the Special Edition Newspaper category at the National High School Journalism Convention in November Silent Voices the student literary magazine earned second in Best of Show for Literary Magazine Additionally the Phoenix yearbook and Silent Voices earned top awards in the 2016 Georgia Scholastic Press Association s General Excellence competition The Varsity Debate Team secured a 1st place overall victory at the Chatahoochee Cougar Classic in September followed by two 2nd place finishes at the St Mark s Heart of Texas tourney and the Meadows Invitational in November The Novice team also earned a 1st place overall victory in the novice division of the Blue Devils Debates in Columbus Georgia in October Novice team members freshmen Vikram Kumar 20 and Saket Surapaneni 20 Erin Edwards 17 and Nija Packer 18 Varsity team members Arjun Srinivasan 18 Ali Abdullah 17 Tripp Haskins 17 and Max Abramson 17 Lizzy Levine 18 Maddie Ledet 18 Erin Edwards 17 Nija Packer 18 and Tanvi Reddy 18 EAGLE EYE continues on next page WOODWARD EDU 19
EAGLE EYE Woodward Team Raises 92 000 for Diabetes Research Robotics Team Earns Sportsmanship Award Robotics team members Wyatt Atchison 17 Kia Jacobs 17 and Marc Hammond 18 won the Sportsmanship Award at the South Forsyth Starstruck Shootout tournament in October The special award recognizes one team for positive respectful interaction throughout the tournament in the spirit of friendly competition and cooperation On October 15 a team of Woodward parents students and faculty members represented the Academy at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation JDRF One Walk at Centennial Olympic Park The committee led by Woodward parent Lisa Klumok raised more than 92 000 in support of JDRF to fund research aimed at finding a cure for type 1 diabetes The Woodward team left to right Claire Hailey 20 Cheryl Minor Sam Kukler 18 Molly Ross 18 Alex Rand 18 Cole Storey 20 Ronda Zents and Jonathan Fitch 18 College Fair Wyatt Atchison 17 Marc Hammond 18 Prasanth Gudur 18 and Kia Jacobs 17 Every year Woodward Academy hosts one of Atlanta s best College Fairs and this year was no exception with 268 colleges and universities in attendance 20 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
ARTS IN THE AERIE MIDDLE SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY IN MY ATLANTA Sixteen eighth graders were selected for the My Atlanta Exhibition Middle School Category My Atlanta is one of the many exhibits throughout Atlanta in September October during a citywide celebration of photography Students selected to exhibit were Caroline Berkey Sam Bonder Sam Brummett Julia Dickson Lah Sanaa Malik Will McEntee Sophia Morettini Kendal Newton Akash Patel Naina Reddy Anna Rein Jack Rivers Andrew Smith Arya Vishwanath Shelby Wright Kylie Ye MARCHING BAND ROCKS COMPETITION The Robert W Woodruff Marching Band received superior ratings from all the judges at the Peach State Marching Contest in Rome Georgia in the Color Guard Percussion Drum Majors and Band categories In addition the Academy s marching band won Best in Class in the AA division and the Dr Dave Walters Award for the highest score in the A and AA division earning the band the top rank of champion in both divisions WOODWARD EDU 21
ARTS IN THE AERIE Cast from the Middle School production of How the Bard Won the West ON STAGE IN THE THEATRE Upper School students under the direction of Levi Kaplan produced Playing for Time about an all female orchestra at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II The story centers around Fania Fenelon a classical pianist and singer in Paris arrested for her support of the French underground resistance The group forms a close bond under the strain of performing for their tormentors Also this fall Middle School drama students under the direction of Kathleen McManus performed How the Bard Won the West about what happened when a group of actors took Shakespeare s plays into the Wild West Scenes from the Upper School production of Playing for Time STUDENT SPENDS SEMESTER AT OXBOW Cameron Carmen 17 represented Woodward at The Oxbow School during her junior year Oxbow a single semester art and academically focused school for high school juniors seniors and gap year students offered Cameron an opportunity to grow as an artist while still graduating with her Woodward class and earning honors credit for classes 22 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Oxbow was a fantastic opportunity Cameron said While I had the opportunity to study in Napa California I was still able to feel like a Woodward student She studied at Oxbow for four months taking U S history environmental science English pre calculus and arts including digital media sculpture painting and printmaking Because of the opportunity Cameron says she grew as an artist becoming less literal and more experimental in her practice See page 8 for more about Cameron Carmen
Football Woodward Academy s football team captured the region championship for the third consecutive season and finished the season with an 11 2 record The War Eagles completed the region schedule with a perfect 6 0 record and entered the AAAA state playoffs as the N o 1 seed from Region 4 AAAA Woodward Academy defeated Upson Lee in round one and Northwest Whitfield in round two before falling to the defe nding AAAA state champion Cartersville Hurricanes in the AAAA quarterfinals The War Eagles used an explosive quick strike offense and a stifling defense to win nine games by 30 or more points Quarterback Ryan Glover helped lead an offense that averaged 41 points per game Running backs Jalen Polk and Tahj Gary led the rushing attack while wide receivers Josh Johnson and Cade Sutherland were Glover s top receiving targets Defensively Woodward Academy allowed an average of just seven points per game and were led by seniors Terry Myrick and Darien Wiggins and junior K J Phillips More War Eagle Watch on next page Ryan Glover Ben Wilkinson WOODWARD EDU 23
Ariana Alvord Maggie Sutton Softball The varsity softball team had its most successful season ever this year advancing to its first ever Sweet 16 after sweeping Upson Lee in the previous round Individually the Lady War Eagles earned plenty of recognition on the All Region teams with sophomore infielder Ariana Alvord and sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Bates being named unanimous first team AllRegion selections Joining them on the first team were senior catcher Helen Olson and junior pitcher Anna Freeman Senior infielder Maggie Sutton junior outfielder Lindsay Rand sophomore infielder Jacy Watson and freshman infielder Darby Cornelius were all selected to the second team With so much young talent on the team the future is looking bright for the softball program Volleyball The 2016 season will be remembered as a season of resilience and never giving up for the Woodward volleyball team From opening practice to the final point of the season the team showed an amazing ability to compete and battle for every point The Lady War Eagles led by seniors Adair Sawyer Anna D Cruz Kamryn Scocos and Mackenzie Miller finished with a 32 14 record after playing one of the toughest schedules in the state In September they won the Lovett Block Party tournament by beating the AAAAAA state champion Harrison The team also captured the 4 AAAA Area Championship with an undefeated 8 0 record in area play In the state championship match the Lady War Eagles were defeated 25 22 29 27 25 22 to Blessed Trinity in a heartbreaking loss The margin of defeat was very slim but the team battled for every point and fitting the theme of the season never gave up Lauren Harrison 24 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Adair Sawyer
Competition Cheerleading Woodward Academy s competition cheer squad captured the region 4 AAAA championship this year The squad s first place finish at the regional meet automatically advanced the girls to the state championship finals in Columbus Georgia which marked their seventh consecutive season advancing to the state finals In the finals the Lady War Eagles fell outside of the top five but that did nothing to diminish what was an excellent season that will hopefully set Woodward up for continued success Brian Smith Cross Country Woodward Academy s boys and girls cross country teams once again qualified and competed at the state championships this season Senior Brennan Silliman ran a course best time of 16 45 to finish 7th overall and help lead the boys to a 12th place finish Freshman Brooklyn Carr led the girls to a 7th place finish in the 31 team field by running 20 11 to finish as the top ninth grader in the race and 8th overall Both Brennan and Brooklyn earned first team All State honors for their individual performances In qualifying for the state meet the girls captured their third consecutive region championship while the boys finished as region runner up Brooklyn Carr WOODWARD EDU 25
GIVING BACK Parent Community Partnership Nan Halenza Pinner 88 parent of Sidney 4th grade and Katie Marcet Steven 3rd grade and Will 1st grade have been involved in the Parent Community for as long as their children have been attending Woodward In an exciting recent development for the Academy this fall began Nan and Katie s tenure as chair and vice chair respectively of the new Parent Community Partnership with Woodward s Advancement Office I want our school to continue to be an amazing place for our children to learn and grow Katie Marcet There is a level of care and love at Woodward that I believe you would be hard pressed to find It s an opportunity to talk with parents about what The Woodward Fund is and what it provides for our school and our children writes Katie Nan adds that her primary goal is not only to be sure all parents are informed about who and what The Woodward Fund serves but also that we participate across the board anywhere else At any school that Nan Pinner 88 charges tuition the existence of an annual fund can be confusing for parents Nan and Katie are excited about the opportunity to help parents understand that while tuition dollars go a long way in supporting the Woodward education they don t cover the full operating budget of the Academy The Woodward Fund covers everything from computer programs and software to P E equipment and musical instruments to professional development for our teachers Katie writes Giving to this fund helps our school continue to be the wonderful place that we chose for our children Nan adds It s exciting to see parents reaction once they realize it s not about how much you give to The Woodward Fund but that you give that you participate at all Nan Pinner 88 and Sidney Katie Marcet with Steven and Will Woodward is lucky to have such committed parents who support their children and the school in all kinds of ways whether volunteering at an event or staying up late to finish a science project Nan and Katie are devoted to showing parents that The Woodward Fund is an important part of supporting our children and our school Because my family s experience at Woodward Academy is just beginning says Katie I want our school to continue to be an amazing place for our children to learn and grow There is a level of care and love at Woodward that I believe you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else Nan concludes Giving to The Woodward Fund is about being proud of this wonderful place we all call home Parent Community Partnership Contact Information Nan Pinner Chair nanpinner msn com 404 401 8665 Katie Marcet Vice Chair katiemarcet hotmail com 678 206 1939 26 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Tax Free Giving to Woodward from Your IRA If you are 70 years old or older you can now give directly from a traditional or Roth IRA completely free of federal income tax An IRA gift will not increase your adjusted gross income won t subject you to a higher level of taxation and can be counted as all or part of your required minimum withdrawal up to 100 00 per person per year
GIVING BACK 1 Honoring Our Stalwart Supporters 5 At the President s Circle Dinner on August 30 2016 Vicki Palmer was presented with the Joseph W Jones Distinguished Service Award which honors people who have made significant contributions to advancing the school The award is named in honor of Joseph W Jones former senior vice president of the Coca Cola Company and a former Governing Board member at Woodward 2 It was a well deserved honor for Ms Palmer who has been a Governing Board member since 2001 and served as co chair of Campaign Woodward which raised 63 2 million for the Academy Her daughter Alex Roman is a member of the Class of 2007 The President s Circle Dinner serves as a thank you to all Woodward Fund donors of 1 500 or more 4 3 Above Board Chairman Robert E Bowers 74 speaks to the group 1 President Gulley with Vicki Palmer and Sawyer Jones 03 2 Taka and Mina Yamada 3 Lisa Klumok Todd Klumok Christian Koch and Ann Koch 4 John Palmer Vicki Palmer and daughter Alex Roman 07 5 Alex with Ronda Zents Upper School English teacher and service learning coordinator WOODWARD EDU 27
GIVING BACK Once you put someone on track to college For Charlotte Dixon Giving Back Is Its Own Reward others will follow both within a family and within a community In 2004 Charlotte Dixon identified a need and saw an opportunity South Fulton KIPP Academy where Charlotte was a volunteer and supporter was turning out incredibly smart and driven students but the charter school only went through eighth grade Many The Dam family students wanted to continue at a challenging high school and would thrive at Woodward but didn t have the resources to attend Charlotte and her sister Katherine Ohlhausen decided to help They established a financial aid fund the Mary Alice and Bennett Brown Endowment Fund named for their family foundation which has for the last 12 years provided the financial assistance needed to bring one student each year from KIPP to Woodward For the last four years Charlotte s family foundation also has provided the extra funds needed to send an additional three KIPP students through the Upper School Everybody can learn if given the chance says Charlotte who knows this firsthand through her own father s education which was provided by a generous philanthropist That initial investment nearly a century ago gave Charlotte s family an invaluable foothold in education which led to their ability to give back today and their strong commitment to education Once you put someone on track to college others will follow both within a family and within a community says Charlotte And there s no better partner than Woodward I knew that all we had to do was set up the endowment fund and Woodward would take care of the rest The kids not only get a great education but also feel at home on campus and in this community The beneficiaries of this endowment fund certainly agree The most important lesson I learned at Woodward says South Fulton KIPP and Woodward grad Amanda Dam 11 is that we are a product of our environment and our expectations At Woodward if you have the ambition and the drive to do something then no matter how impossible and difficult it seems you can definitely achieve it Amy Dam 13 who followed her sister from South Fulton KIPP to Woodward adds I want to be able to give back one day so students who are just like me can have the opportunity to attend a great school like Woodward and then go on like me to Vanderbilt or any other college without having to worry about money being the constraint Charlotte echoes Amy s sentiment saying If you have any means at all you ve got to give back it s just paying rent for being on this earth You have to do right by people give people a chance and you can do it in the way you feel strongly about For Charlotte giving back meant investing in education and expanding opportunities While the Mary Alice and Bennett Brown Endowment Fund brings countless gifts to Woodward and changes the world of those who benefit from it it only takes Charlotte s glowing smile to see that the gift cuts both ways As Charlotte puts it When I think of these fantastic students who are able to graduate from Woodward and have all gone What is an Endowment Fund on to college to At the the donor s discretion a fund do wonderful is set up for a specific purpose that things it gives falls under one of three categories me gooseat Woodward student financial aid bumps I m student and teacher enrichment and so proud and awards and prizes The endowment fund impressed exists in perpetuity as the Academy only There s uses a portion of its annual earnings nothing more rather than the principal investment rewarding For more information contact the Advancement Office at 404 765 4030 28 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Charlotte Dixon
FEATURED INSIDE Distinguished Alumnus Don t Fear Failure 30 Service Award 31 HOMECOMING REUNION WEEKEND Parade 32 Tailgate 33 Homecoming Game 34 Class Reunions 35 Class Notes 40 GMA Reflections from Phil Gramm 61 41 Brother Sister Duo Conquer Restaurant Scene 45 Alumnus Sheds New Light on Veterans Day 46 Alumni Eagle Eye 49 Woodward Academy Athletes in the Pro Leagues 52 Weddings 54 Babies 55 Passages 56 34 Dr Rusty Gore 93 with Sally and Carey Brown parents of the late Tyler Brown 96 at the Veterans Day ceremony supported by an endowment in Tyler s name Alumni gathered to celebrate Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 35 46 WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 29
SUCCESS BEYOND WOODWARD Distinguished Alumnus Don t Fear Failure Find something do something and fail at it Robbie Ashe 93 told students during his speech accepting this year s Distinguished Alumni Award at Founders Day during Homecoming 2016 None of us got here by ourselves A large part of who we are today is because of the people who believed in us and we must repay that blessing Robbie Ashe 93 You should hate to fail and fight as hard as you can not to but don t be afraid of failing And don t let a fear of failure keep you from doing challenging things The chapel full of Woodward Upper Schoolers may not have expected such a frank humble lesson from an alum whose career is indeed distinguished A lawyer by trade in 2010 Robbie was appointed by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed to serve on MARTA s Board of Directors Robbie was elected by his colleagues to serve as the chairman of the Board for 2014 2015 and 2016 During his service MARTA has balanced its budget and generated surpluses for each of the last four years rebuilding its reserves to a quarter billion dollars while restoring and expanding bus and President Stuart Gulley presents the Distinguished Alumni Award to Robbie Ashe rail service keeping fares level and reinvesting in technology and safety He also described the incredible privilege of receiving In November 2014 for the first time ever MARTA sucsuch a great education at Woodward and appealed to cessfully expanded to another county Just this past his audience of current students saying such blessings November the City of Atlanta voted yes on a referendum bring with them real responsibility for an additional half penny sales tax which will finance a radical expansion of MARTA s bus and rail service Robbie closed his address with a call to give back to our throughout the city communities and serve them in whatever capacity we can None of us got here by ourselves A large part of Robbie contextualized these kinds of incredible successes who we are today is because of the people who believed during his address to Woodward saying the victories of in us and we must repay that blessing Robbie lives by MARTA built on a foundation of earlier failures He urged this message as his contributions to MARTA have not students to keep trying when faced with roadblocks only immensely helped Atlanta but also have served the and said that it was only through such persistence that more than 400 students who rely on MARTA to safely get anything of value was ever achieved to Woodward each and every day 30 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
SUCCESS BEYOND WOODWARD Alumnus Honored for Service Damian Pryor 99 was honored with the Alumni Service Award for 2016 Damian came to Woodward in fifth grade because his parents felt he needed more of a challenge With the help of his teachers and counselor his adjustment went well and he quickly made friends through intramural sports The friends I made at Woodward are some of my best friends to this day he said Even though careers and families have spread us out across the country the bonds created during those years remain unchanged Damian earned a business degree from the University of Georgia and his MBA from Mercer University He and his wife Whitnei and two sons Austen 6 and Anderson 3 now live in Charlotte North Carolina where he works as an audit leader for Wells Fargo Though life kept him busy he always came back to Woodward first for football and basketball games and later when he was asked to join the Alumni Association Board of Directors Damian is now in his sixth year as a member of the board for which he s served as treasurer vice president and president and helps plan the annual Big Chill event I support Woodward Academy because this institution has made a profound impact on my life Damian said I will always show my commitment to helping Woodward continue to provide a unique environment where students have many opportunities to achieve and learn the value of service to others WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 31
Parade 3 2 1 Students celebrated Homecoming 2016 with a parade and pep rally on September 23 as a warm up to the Friday night football game 6 1 2 Seniors dressed in a Woodstock theme for the Homecoming Parade 3 Old School Eddie waves the Woodward flag and 4 Middle School students enjoy the parade 5 Cheerleaders rally the crowd at the pep rally and6 Homecoming King Chase Calhoun with Prince Jalen Polk 5 32 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 4
2 Tailgate 1 6 1 Melody Watts Johnson 81 and C J Johnson parents of current Woodward senior Josh Johnson gathered with old friends at the tailgate before the Homecoming game 2 Priscilla Meek Janowski 91 husband Jayson and their sons 3 Classmates Will Heaton 11 and Alex McDonald 11 4 Justin Alexander 99 with classmate Damian Pryor who received the Alumni Service Award 5 Amy Mizelle Marland 89 with her family 6 Loren Colon 93 and his son 3 4 5 WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 33
Homecoming Game 2 1 1 Cheerleaders back row l r Lindsay Malkin Adin Burwell Jenna Benedict and JaKiya Myrick front AnaSimone Guillaume and Athena Nassar 2 Adam Pierce 17 percussionist with the Robert W Woodruff Marching Band Look for the Homecoming Queen featured on the back cover 3 34 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
Class Reunions 76 71 Rob Rothney 76 and Ken Christensen Members of the Class of 1971 76 71 Members of the Class of 1976 Cricket Justice Harris 73 Keith Harris 71 and Joye Boyett Nurre 71 71 76 Isabell Simpson Hebberger 71 Kathy Kibler Sawyer 71 and Judy Hames 71 Allison Taylor Turk 76 Patty Burns Bill Burns 76 and Gus Callaway WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 35
Class Reunions 91 86 Members of the Class of 1991 Piba Gupta Schoeffler 86 Cathy Lassiter Smith 86 and Andre Schoeffler 86 Members of the Class of 1986 86 Classmates Mickey Desai Jeff Bentley Brad Boston and Scott Shaffer celebrate their 30th class reunion 36 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 91 Matthew Kilcoyne with classmates Matt Brill 91 Robert Stewart 91 and Chad Floyd 91 91 Siva Mohan 91 and Tanvi Mohan
Class Reunions 01 96 Gordon Carswell Brett Nolan 01 Margaret Skinner Carswell 01 Timmy Teck 01 Su sa nne Stacy Teegarden 01 and Priscilla Meek Janowski 01 Members of the Class of 1996 gathered in the Tyler Brown Student Center named for their classmate who lost his life in military service in Iraq 01 96 Timmy Teck 01 Margaret Skinner Carswell 01 and Gordon Carswell Ansel Morris 96 center with guests 01 96 Chris Flury 01 Priscilla Meek Janowski 01 and Emily Reinhold Flury 01 Ilon Funderburg 96 and Randy Rhino 96 WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 37
Class Reunions 11 06 Ben King 06 and Stephi Fernald 08 06 Lizzy Taylor 11 Aleigh Smith 11 Frances Chase 11 Josh Young 11 Kelsey Bilthouse 11 Caitlin Miller Hammond 11 and Alex McDonald 11 11 Taylor Johnston 06 and Kristin McCallum McNeil 06 Erin Owens Gregoire 11 Hayley Perlis 11 Brittany Shamp 11 Ben Hicks Morgan Guest Hicks 11 and David Holloway 11 06 11 Kimmy Mann 06 Eleni Snider Morris 06 Scott Elliot 06 and guest Olivia Boggs 11 Rebecca McIver 11 Nick Coffey 11 and Hari Dhanani 11 38 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
2016 2017 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Alumni Join Advancement Office executive committee Winifred Wilkins Thompson 88 President Jessica Ziegler Newth 97 Vice President James F Jones Jr Ph D 65 joined the Woodward Academy Advancement Office as the new alumni ambassador Dr Jones began his career at Woodward teaching from 1969 to 1972 and served on the Governing Board for more than 25 years He formerly served as college president at Trinity College Kalamazoo College and Sweet Briar College and has been involved with many independent preparatory schools as trustee speaker and consultant Marc Fabre 93 Treasurer Kiley Hodgson King 05 Secretary Mike Blackstock 93 Past President directors Justin Alexander 99 Walter Constantine 99 Amy Crouse 99 Christy Morrison 83 Damian Pryor 99 Jennifer Welch Rueter 04 Matt Wilson 99 Kelsey Darden 09 returned to Woodward as the alumni programs manager assisting in the planning and organizing of alumni events and programs in addition to providing support for alumni giving efforts Kelsey recently completed a master s degree program in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania Visit www woodward edu alumni to submit Class Notes and learn about upcoming events Honoring Our Heritage In Memorial Two figures very much beloved by GMA Woodward Academy were lost this past fall Betty Hays passed away on September 8 2016 Mrs Hays began working at the Academy in 1962 and retired in 1995 Her husband Major Ted Hays served as band director from 1950 until his death in 1982 Their sons are Ted Cecil Hays Jr 67 and Dr Bruce Brown Hays 71 Daughtersin law are Donna Hays and Marie Hays Grandchildren are Brian Jessica Alex and Amelia Ann Great grandchildren are Brianna and Vivian If you wish to honor Mrs Hays the family has asked that donations be made to the Ted C Hays Endowment Fund that awards tuition assistance to Woodward Academy students based on need and promise with emphasis on instrumental music For more information contact the Advancement Office at 404 765 4030 Ms Charlie Austin died on September 4 2016 Ms Charlie worked at Woodward for 37 years from 1970 until her retirement in 2007 For the majority of that time she was a friendly face and loving presence for children at Busey Campus as a member of the Dining Services staff Former Vice President for Admissions Rusty Slider 75 wrote a tribute to Ms Charlie that included these words Every once in a while if you are blessed and lucky enough in life you will meet someone who is totally genuine funny compassionate diligent and a real character who possesses the uncanny ability to bring order out of confusion and in doing so make the world right again Charlie Austin was that kind of person WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 39
Class Notes The symbol denotes alumni of Georgia Military Academy Jim Haynes papers and archives have been acquired by Napier University in Edinburgh Scotland His new book World Citizen at Home in Paris was published in August 2016 Jim was a living sculpture in an exhibit on London in the 1960s at the Victoria Albert Museum His Sunday Salon in Paris is now in its 38th year and 175 000 people from all corners of the world have dined with him He welcomes alumni visiting Paris to come and dine 52 Bill Withers attended homecoming reunion weekend for his Creighton University MBA Class of 1976 While in Omaha Nebraska he enjoyed being escorted around by his granddaughter Kira a junior at Creighton chemistry major Class of 2018 54 Jerry Austin lost his wife of 52 years from cancer but later remarried to a widow who had lost her husband They have been happily married living in Florida enjoying travel including five cruises in the last two years They are planning a motor home trip to Branson Missouri as well as a trip to Biloxi Mississippi Being blessed with good health Jerry s life in retirement has been very rewarding 57 40 John Kendall s only grandchild turned one in August and John says the child is so smart that he just earned his bachelor s degree from Harvard Obviously he s a proud grandfather 61 John Forrester retired from Russell Corporation in 2008 after a 41 year career in aviation John and his wife Libby are enjoying life on Lake Martin Alabama where they have lived for 29 years They have two grandsons who live in Mississippi 62 Ralph Cook has enjoyed 47 lovely years of marriage 37 years in the same business 17 years of Little League baseball seven grandchildren and one greatgrandson He would like to build a retirement home for preachers on his property in Dublin Georgia and is looking for help if anyone is interested He and his wife welcome visitors to their home in Palm Beach Florida 68 remains active in Teddy Guerrant the Maryland D C metropolitan area music scene as organist choirmaster of Christ Church Parish Kensington associate organist at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Derwood Maryland associate director accompanist of the Central Maryland Chorale accompanist for the National Philharmonic Chorale in residence at the Strathmore Music Center and as a vocal coach accompanist and organ instructor at the University of Maryland School of Music Dr Teddy shares his 116 year old house in Laurel Maryland with seven keyboard instruments WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 69 John Longino and his wife Donna are enjoying retired life as they travel the globe They have visited cities including Paris Florence Istanbul and Beijing while also spending time in obscure places like Woolpit a tiny town in England and swimming with humpback whales off the coast of Tahiti The Longinos traveled to Poland to meet their first grandchild moved their daughter into her apartment in France and went cage diving with Great White Sharks in South Africa with their son This 60 month journey has been rich and full of life affirming experiences Lynn Clemmons Nilson s oldest son is in medical school at University of South Florida in Tampa and her youngest son is employed as a new associate at Holland and Knight law firm in Orlando 71 Amrey Harden retired after a 43 year career with Oconee State Bank in Watkinsville Georgia For the last 22 years he served as the president and CEO He will continue to make Watkinsville his home 72 Class Notes continues on page 43
SUCCESS BEYOND WOODWARD The Two Weeks in September That Made Me Who I Am By Phil Gramm 61 As I walked home on the last day of school in spring 1958 I looked at the three F s and D on my report card and knew this news would not be welcomed by my mother I never dreamed it would trigger a decision that combined with economic forces that I did not then understand would transform my life My mother had saved 8 000 in GI insurance she received when my father died with the goal of sending me to college Upon seeing my report card she decided that unless she did something dramatic I was unlikely to finish high school She decided to submit an application to the Georgia Military Academy in College Park Georgia In 1958 America was in the deepest recession since the Depression As unemployment soared the number of applicants for admission to GMA dropped sharply producing the unlikely result that I was accepted despite having failed the third seventh and ninth grades The gods of the marketplace had conspired to grant me a great gift My older brother Don came home from North Georgia College to give me a final lecture the morning I left for GMA He was my mother s favorite for good reasons He was born an adult never broke his glasses and was the first person in the history of my extended family to graduate from high school His lecture was short and to the point This was the last chance that I was ever going to get in this life If you don t take hold here he said you will end up old before your time working in a cotton mill While my brother understood that at least by my record I was no doubt the least promising student admitted to GMA that year or perhaps any year he gave me the following directions Get to your first class early sit down so you can see the other students come into the room look at each one of them and say to yourself I am the smartest Phil Gramm with his wife Wendy person in this class and before this year ends everybody in here is going to know it I protested that I was behind and it would take time to catch up but my brother insisted I didn t have any time My first class was world history and I followed Don s instructions I also paid attention in that class for probably the first time in my life My second class was algebra My teacher Major Thelander asked a half a dozen of us to stay after class He explained that given our poor record in ninth grade algebra he intended to give us a test on Saturday morning to determine whether we should stay in 10th grade algebra or go back to the ninth grade class It looked like I would be defeated before I could get started Things didn t get any better the next day Having participated in class discussion in world history I was asked to read a paragraph out loud Because I could discuss but not read I was ordered to report to the reading lab for a test that indicated I read at the third grade ninth month level For the next three years at GMA I spent my recess period the first hour after classes and at least one hour on Saturday mornings in the reading lab Phil Gramm continues on next page Almost 60 years later I realize I was blessed to be in a school and a country where merit mattered and had to be proven and where failure was not a cruelty to be banished but a hard truth that could motivate and liberate Phil Gramm 61 WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 41
Phil Gramm continued from page 47 Tears of joy were welling up in my eyes and so I walked out of the dining hall up the steps past the tennis courts and to the WWII Memorial I put my right hand on the memorial and screamed It was a cry of relief but it was also a cry of triumph Sen Gramm with classmate Tim O Brien 61 and President Stuart Gulley The boy who left the dining hall was never seen again As I walked back I realized that while I still faced a mountain of challenges there was nothing in the world that I could not do Meanwhile Major Thelander announced that he would spend the first two weeks reviewing ninth grade algebra so the first week I focused all of my attention on the material When Saturday morning came I knew I was not ready to take the test Falling deathly ill I went to the infirmary and missed the test Major Thelander announced a makeup test the following Saturday Almost 60 years later I realize I was blessed to be in a school and a country where merit mattered and had to be proven and where failure was not a cruelty to be banished but a hard truth that could motivate and liberate I was in a place and time where it was OK for a boy to strive not just to be better than others but more importantly to be better than himself For the first time in my life I dedicated myself to learning something By Thursday I started to believe that maybe I was beginning to understand algebra On Saturday morning Major Thelander explained that if we didn t want to take the test we could just go back to ninth grade algebra Another boy decided not to take the test but I told Major Thelander that I not only had to take the test I had to pass it I finished all the problems in the hour time period and left without knowing if I had passed I went directly to the reading lab and completed my all time record of four lessons in one sitting At dinner in Memorial Dining Hall I went up to Major Thelander at the faculty head table Before he could speak I told him I can do the work in your class He smiled and said that he believed I could and he was going to give me the chance to prove it I said I wouldn t let him down and he said not to worry about letting him down but about letting myself down 42 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Senator Gramm graduated from GMA with honors in 1961 Despite working full time for two years during his undergraduate career at the University of Georgia he received his Ph D five years and nine months after entering the university as a freshman He became the youngest full professor in the history of the economics department at Texas A M University and was elected to the U S House of Representatives in 1978 In 1984 he was elected to the Senate He retired from the Senate in 2002 and in 2012 joined Lone Star Global Acquisitions a global private equity fund where he serves as vice chairman
Class Notes Mary Pfeffer realized three years ago that she had visited 48 countries many of them multiple times She set about to visit a total of 60 before she turned 60 and accomplished her goal this spring on an outdoor multisport trip to Iceland She looks forward to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in February 2017 with Meg Campbell Haynes 74 and some of their children 74 76 Rob Campbell sends greetings from beautiful western North Carolina He is working as a licensed professional counselor after a first career in the wine business and married an incredible lady in summer 2016 They are blending their families of two adult kids each and selling both their homes and looking for one together Rob is sorry to have missed the last big reunion but plans to make the next one He sends peace and blessings to all Fred Guin advises to keep your health it s all you got going for you in the end Steve Justice was appointed the new executive director for the Georgia Centers of Innovation a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development Steve previously served as director of the Center of Innovation for Aerospace where he was responsible for programs to accelerate the growth of aerospace companies in the state With more than 30 years experience at such companies as Lockheed Martin Gulfstream Aerospace and Delta Air Lines Steve is an award winning licensed aerospace engineer a former member of the board of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a member of the Georgia Tech School of Aerospace Advisory Council and the Georgia Southern University College of Engineering and Information Technology Advisory Council Artist Robert Beard joined the board of the Olana Partnership as trustee Olana is the Hudson Valley home of iconic American artist Frederic Church In addition Robert is a founding partner in the Bibhu Mohapatra fashion brand which presented its 20th collection of women s wear at New York Fashion Week Robert s other recent activities include exhibiting his watercolors in Greece and serving as trustee of an organization establishing an artist s residence in the Hudson Valley He enjoys keeping up with Woodward throughout the year 77 Brad Marsh of Swift Currie McGhee Hiers LLP was recognized among the 2016 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars He is among 5 percent of Georgia lawyers named as Super Lawyers for 2016 A specialist in personal injury litigation and professional malpractice law he also was recognized in Best Lawyers as one of Atlanta s Best Lawyers for 2017 Best Lawyers also named him a 2017 Lawyer of the Year which goes to individual attorneys with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic location The lawyers being honored received high ratings in peer surveys by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities professionalism and integrity Stephen Fleming former executive director of Georgia Tech s Enterprise Innovation Institute has been named to a committee working to build a commercial spaceport in Camden County Georgia The Camden Board of Commissioners unanimously appointed Fleming to the panel formed last year to pull together various parties interested in making Spaceport Camden a reality In a news release announcing the appointment commissioners praised Fleming as a highly successful senior executive with leadership experience in startups multinationals private equity and university based economic development 79 Buzz Law is still working at CFG after 30 years CFG is the only financial planning firm in the Southeast approved to do personal comprehensive financial planning for AT T officers He also sits on the board of the Technical College System of Georgia and serves as vice chair for the Georgia Foundation for Public Education Todd Sentell head of the Career Prep Program at Cumberland Academy a special education school in Sandy Springs fought in his second masters level age 41 USA Boxing amateur bout in October at the Georgia Aquarium Class Notes continues on next page WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 43
Class Notes John Webster is board chair of the Piedmont Park Conservancy the nonprofit working with the City of Atlanta for the preservation of historic Piedmont Park Since its inception in 1989 the conservancy has raised and invested more than 60 million for park beautification maintenance programs and a 53 acre expansion of green space for the city of Atlanta 80 specialty Dr Dourron s specialties include reproductive endocrinology endometriosis and tubal ligation reversals recurrent pregnancy loss and in vitro fertilization IVF A native of Buenos Aires Argentina he is from a family of physicians that includes his mother and three brothers Clara Lievano Tolusso started her own business Language Connection in 2016 It is an interactive language company for adults and children 84 Sandi Weinstein Johnson s oldest son Dylan Johnson was on Team USA Lacrosse this past year Team USA traveled to Canada and played in the World Championship games against 14 different countries July 7 16 Dylan was one of the defenseman for Team USA which brought home the gold medal He is a sophomore at Denver University 85 Lee Clemmer recently published his first science fiction novel The Way of the Dhin available as an e book or paperback at amazon com 86 83 Pete Fritts Jr joined his 81 Martha Woodward and Debby Fritts 81 hiked the Seven Falls in Colorado Springs Colorado together Martha graciously hosted Debby for about a week in her home in Colorado Springs Infertility specialist Dr Edward Dourron has been awarded Castle Connolly s peer nominated 2016 Top Doctor award for Atlanta Each year close to 100 000 physicians are peer nominated as part of Castle Connolly s selection process A rigorous screening process then identifies Top Doctors as the best in their region in their medical 82 44 father as the only father son duo to be inducted into the Georgia Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame NWHOF Retired Woodward Coach Johnny Stallings Sr also is a member of the NWHOF making Woodward Academy the only school to have three of its head wrestling coaches inducted Coach Fritts Jr is a member of the Middle School faculty and coach for varsity girls golf David Smith returned to college to become a licensed Registered Nurse after ending a 20 year career as a personal fitness trainer in San Francisco He is now pursuing a master s in nursing at University of San Francisco with the ultimate goal of becoming a nurse practitioner David s love of travel has not faded He spent the majority of February 2016 in Europe skiing at the base of the Matterhorn and happily getting lost in Venice WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Michelle Duckett Hedgebeth enrolled her youngest child in Woodward Academy s Middle School this year Michelle and her husband Reggie will celebrate 25 years of marriage in February The latest addition to their family is a granddaughter who turned 1 in September Class Notes continues on page 47
SUCCESS BEYOND WOODWARD Brother Sister Duo Conquer the Atlanta Restaurant Scene Howard Hsu 95 and Anita Hsu 98 grew up living and breathing the restaurant business But if running restaurants is in their blood this brother sister pair of Woodward alums has also put years of hard work into realizing an incredible entrepreneurial vision and creating innovative delicious food along the way In addition to Gezzo s Surf and Grill which now features five locations in the Atlanta area the Hsus founded Sweet Auburn Barbecue along with fellow Woodward alum Richard Shelor 95 From lemongrass ribs to pimento cheese wontons Sweet Auburn features traditional southern BBQ inflected with flavors and concepts from Howard and Anita s Asian roots Barbecue started off as just a hobby for Howard and Anita Initially they traveled around town offering up their smoked meats and delectable sides out of a food truck Eventually they accepted an invitation to house a permanent location at Sweet Auburn Market and have since expanded into another brick and mortar spot in Poncey Highlands as well as mobilized several more Sweet Auburn BBQ food trucks Howard and Anita s commitment to the food truck industry runs deeper than just their Sweet Auburn business however Years ago they dreamt of bringing together food trucks from all over Atlanta that hail from diverse culinary backgrounds In 2012 the entrepreneurial pair realized their vision and along with Woodward alum Brian Harvin 95 opened the Atlanta Food Truck Park Market located on three acres of land in Atlanta s revitalized Westside Now a staple of the neighborhood and a destination for Atlantans and out of towners alike the Park features up to 15 food trucks per day as well as produce arts and crafts a weekend Woodward established a sense of determination and ambition I learned farmer s market live music and an array of other events throughout the year that my accomplishments Along with their family s would take hard work hard work support and experience Howard and which helped me Anita credit their educaestablish character tion and their Woodward community for their Anita Hsu 98 success Woodward established a sense of determination and ambition Anita reports I learned that my accomplishments would take hard work which helped me establish character Howard adds that at Woodward he had great exposure to peers who were all as ambitious and driven to succeed as I was Woodward they both agree was a huge part of their lives that continues to play a role in the Hsus success not only through the friendships and community they cultivated but also through as Anita puts it the standard of excellence focus on building character and emphasis on accomplishing your goals that they learned at Woodward What s next for Howard and Anita They re reluctant to reveal their next big idea but assure us they ve got plenty of wild plans up their sleeve If past projects are any indication it s a good idea to keep an eye on these Woodward alums and whatever they cook up next WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 45
A New Perspective on Veterans Day His achievements are so impressive With degrees from Vanderbilt and Emory Dr Rusty Gore 93 is a neurologist and biomedical engineer specializing in brain injury and the development of technology to prevent and better care for people with brain injury He is a former U S Air Force flight surgeon who flew more than 500 high performance hours and completed more than 40 combat air evacuation missions in Iraq and Afghanistan But even more impressive When you hear him speak Dr Gore s humility is one of the most striking things about him As speaker for Woodward Academy s Veterans Day ceremony on November 11 Dr Gore brought a new perspective to what it means to be a veteran In a recent interview he was asked how he defines veterans This question Dr Rusty Gore and family actually threw me off because I d never really thought about how I would describe in my own words what it means to be a veteran First he said typical words came to mind soldier hero as well as images of a chiseled vigilante with short hair fighting the good fight and veterans who were wounded as well as homeless men in combat fatigues whose wounds are even more profound but far less visible Dr Gore said He thought of the soldiers who lost their lives These are the names etched on the monuments in our Bullring we honor these folks for their ultimate sacrifice Then Dr Gore said he realized that he views veterans through a slightly different lens My experience has led me to believe that veterans are privileged servants and veterans are amazing storytellers he added About Rusty Gore As a Woodward student SGA president Peer Leader Member of the National Honor Society Football soccer player Played with the band Marched with the Honor Guard Today l Medical Director SHARE Military Initiative at Shepherd Center Founding Director of the Complex Concussion Clinic l Adjunct Professor Walter H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Tech l Conducts research funded by the Department of Defense and National Football League on technology and minimizing brain injury in sports and military settings in which he has included Woodward s varsity football team l Married to Jane with two children Elizabeth and William a ninth grader at Woodward l 46 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
Veterans Day continued from page 46 He referenced a recent interview with President Obama who early in his presidency visited the Great Pyramids of Egypt and was struck by the selfimportance of the pharaohs and the fact that now these rulers and all their wealth were covered in dust and yet the pyramids were still standing It humbled him and made him ask the question What am I building that will last We aspire to make it to the top Dr Gore said We glorify winning sometimes at all costs Our idols are sports champions not the teams that win the games or technology CEOs not the programmers who write the code The pyramids still stand after 4 000 years not because of the strength of the top but because of the strength of the foundation Veterans and others who serve our country are stones stacked next to one another in the foundation of our society I am privileged to be a part of this foundation Veterans also are storytellers he added In my work with combat veterans at Shepherd there are many stories both beautiful and terrible and we share these stories as part of the therapy These are a way to heal He urged Woodward students to consider the ways they can serve and share their talents Today as we honor our veterans our privileged servants and our storytellers I want you to look at yourself through this lens Ask yourself what am I building What seeds am I planting that will last Class Notes Shannon Robinson Barbuto moved into Manhattan after many years living outside of New York City She accepted a position with Presbyterian Senior Services as director of Community Outreach Development promoting services such as support groups enrichment activities and respite for caregivers of people with Alzheimer s or dementia Her son is a freshman at CUNY Hunter College Mike Grayson was promoted to executive vice president for Worldwide Express where he has worked since 2008 He lives in Dallas Texas with his wife Brandy and their three children Sophie Grant 11 and Jake 11 Aimee Becker Gilbert lives in Athens Georgia with her husband Lee son Jake 13 and daughter Cameron 10 The Gilberts enjoyed vacationing in Lucerne Switzerland and Italy Back home in Athens they attend all of the home Georgia Bulldog basketball and football games Dr Derek Griffith is the founding director of the Center for Research on Men s Health at Vanderbilt University one of the first university wide centers focusing on men s health and men s health disparities 87 88 Andrew Lewis executive vice president for the Georgia Charter Schools Association joined the board of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce 89 Nicholas Russo retired from the Air Force in August after 23 years on active duty He is now a first officer for United Airlines flying the Boeing 737 His oldest daughter a senior at Rhodes College is spending a semester in Rome and his younger daughter is a freshman at Louisiana State University Nicholas is enjoying the perks of his new job This year he and his wife traveled to Rome and Athens to visit their daughter Class Notes continues on next page Whether you serve to improve your community you speak out for those without a voice you join the Foreign Service or you become a teacher I encourage you to serve Have the humility and the courage to be a part of the foundation to plant seeds in a garden which you may never see WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 47
Class Notes Heather Watkins Behnert s son Ryan is in the second grade at Woodward Heather s father George H Watkins graduated from GMA in 1960 Upon her 25th class reunion this year Heather reflected on her dad presenting her with her diploma and the special family connection she has with Woodward 91 Yvonne Jackson Dragon is partner chief strategist of The Dragon Group a firm she launched along with her husband Randall Dragon She heads up client management and internal operations The Dragon Group specializes in construction management and real estate development with a focus on sustainability in government and residential markets After serving for 11 years at Pace Academy as teacher dean of students and chair of the Science Department Jonathan Day is now head of the Upper School at the Savannah Country Day School Jonathan is married to Julie Wiley Day 92 Their two sons Jon and Jack will attend Savannah Country Day Jonathan credits the great 92 48 teachers and role models he had as Woodward especially Chery Gibson Bill Lineberry Ron McCollum and David Widener for inspiring his career in teaching Bonnie Howington Smith her husband Brad and their two children live in Milton Georgia Bonnie is a realtor with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby s International She is one of three agents on the top producing team in north Atlanta Her two children attend Northwestern Middle School Her daughter is a competitive gymnast and her son plays lacrosse for the Milton High School feeder team Singer songwriter Steve Frame continues to perform his Western Rebel Music across the American West With three full length CDs and hundreds of shows behind him he plans to return to the studio this winter to record a fourth album While his friends abound across the nation and world Steve is proud to call the city of Casper Wyoming home 93 Mark Goldstein is happily married with two wonderful children and living in Maryland He was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Physicians and currently directs the survivorship program as a certified physician with M D Anderson He sends many thanks to the wonderful Woodward teachers from the early 1990s especially Mr Brody from the band WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Carter Mull was a visiting artist at The Oxbow School in Napa California Carter s work has been exhibited widely most recently at The Museum of Modern Art New York Presentation House Vancouver Domaine Departement de Chamarande Paris Marc Foxx Los Angeles and Gagosian Gallery New York His project intertwines multiple mediums to question the media that constructs our conception of the world In turn the practice recomposes an understanding of our shared social imagination His work is in the collections of the Walker Art Center the UCLA Hammer Museum the Orange County Museum of Art the Whitney Museum of American Art The Museum of Modern Art The Getty Research Institute and the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles His practice has been discussed in publications and periodicals including Artforum Art on Paper Art In America The Los Angeles Times and The New Yorker 96 Robyn Workman Marzullo s Sandy Springs Gun Club and Range was nominated and selected as the Small Business of the Year by the Sandy Springs Chamber of Commerce Jack Haldeman moved back to Georgia for his new role with Allstate recruiting consulting and supporting insurance agencies from Augusta to Savannah and down to the Florida Coast He and his family have enjoyed trading Illinois winters for Coastal Georgia summers 97 Class Notes continues on page 50
Eagle Eye L A Alumni Gathering Woodward President Stuart Gulley Dr Chris Freer Martha Prewitt Spiller and Rebecca Eckstein enjoyed catching up with alumni in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on October 11 Dr Freer with Mika Jain 09 Camille Spalding 08 and guest Josh Sailar Alumni Board Reception Current and former members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors gathered at Parish in August to reconnect with fellow board members WA Connect Sponsored by the Alumni Association WA Connect creates special opportunities for alumni to make meaningful connections with students The program offers real world experiences to current juniors and seniors allowing them to explore career interests and receive guidance from alumni working in fields that interest them Our student participants from the summer of 2016 are pictured For more information call the Alumni Office at 404 765 4042 or email alumni woodward edu Young Alumni Gathering Young alumni enjoyed catching up at the Young Alumni Happy Hour at Fado in Buckhead in October Winifred Wilkins Thompson 88 Governing Board Chairman Robert F Bowers 74 and Mike Blackstock 93 FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA woodwardalumni WAalumni Woodward Academy GMA Alumni Association B en Bierbaum Mary Beth Jones Bierbaum 88 and Jeff Purdon 79 WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 49
Class Notes Mary Rozema Sprague lost her mom in February 2015 her husband accepted a job at the University of Georgia vet hospital in July and the couple had a third baby Emma Sue in December The Spragues sold their restaurant Louie s Caf and moved from Cartersville to Athens Georgia Jenah Zweig was selected as a member of the University of Georgia Alumni Association s 40 Under 40 Class of 2016 Jenah works as the supervisor of policy and technical assistance at the U S Department of Energy and lives in Washington D C with her fianc Nick Myroniuk and dog Willow 03 Chandler Alford was promoted to the rank of captain in May 2016 in the U S Army He serves in Bridgeport Washington as a mechanical engineer with the U S Army Corps of EngineersSeattle District 04 Jeff Connell graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in June and returned to Atlanta to join the international firm Jones Day After graduating summa cum laude from Tulane University in New Orleans he worked for two years in Ningbo China as an English teacher and traveled extensively prior to law school 07 Damian Pryor his wife Whitnei and their sons Austen and Anderson moved to Charlotte North Carolina in July 2016 Damian accepted a role as an audit leader with Wells Fargo Audit Services The family lives in the Steele Creek area of Charlotte 99 After graduating from the Fuqua School of Business with an MBA in 2012 Debbie Barabe moved to San Francisco to work for McKesson Corporation managing a 2 4 billion generic drugs segment Debbie was recently promoted to a senior product manager and will be relocating to London with McKesson to help start a new division 02 50 Andrew Joseph accepted a job as a sports reporter for USA TODAY Sports He previously worked as a sports reporter for The Arizona Republic 08 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Lillie Kline is pursuing a master s degree in conservation ecology from the University of Michigan Louise Murdock moved to Owensboro Kentucky after accepting a job offer as the city s P R coordinator This year she was accepted into the Leadership Owensboro Class of 2017 and also is part of the Chamber of Commerce Junior League and on the bank board 09 Nai Oo has begun the career for which Woodward Academy Berry College and The Peace Corps prepared him He is working as a career readiness specialist for the Connect to Success program at the International Rescue Committee assigned to the Atlanta area He will support out of school refugee youth and young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 in meeting career readiness goals through job readiness skill coaching and job placement He also will work to build upon an existing youth internship program by establishing corporate and nonprofit placement sites After receiving his B A in 2012 Ari Whiteman spent a year in Southern Africa doing research on lions leopards and cheetahs as well as African wild dogs He later moved to London where he received a Masters in Conservation Science from the Imperial College of London As part of his research Ari spent six months in Croatia studying bears He is now a Ph D candidate at University of North Carolina Charlotte researching the environmental impact of Zika mosquitos on urban populations
Joya Faruque is enjoying her second year of teaching special needs preschool in Fairburn Georgia 10 Forrest Tennant works in Duluth for National Vision the fourth largest optical retailer in the U S Forrest is an H R generalist and business partner on the talent acquisition team managing 95 percent of corporate recruiting He created a Veteran Inclusion and Partnership Initiative which became a thriving program Forrest was invited to a White House reception and press conference and recognized for his organization s commitment to the needs of the veteran and veteran spouse communities He met First Lady Michelle Obama Dr Jill Biden and Sen John McCain Forrest will be a keynote speaker at the 2017 Value of a Veteran Conference in Dallas Texas next March Rookie Andrew Adams started for the New York Giants on October 3 2016 The undrafted rookie was the starting safety for the Giants against the Minnesota Vikings 11 Jasmyn Story is a finalist for the Apex Society Power 30 Under 30 awards power30under30 com She completed her M A in human rights from the University College of London in September Ferozan Walizai is starting a new position with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington D C as a cyber security analyst In this role she will assist the Reserve Bank Operations and Payment Systems Division to examine IT Infrastructure of the 12 Reserve Banks 12 Emily Oxford graduated from Samford University in Birmingham Alabama with her bachelor s degree in nursing She recently passed her boards to become a Registered Nurse Emily is moving to Philadelphia to work as a nurse in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at the Children s Hospital of Pennsylvania one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country Tejasvir Rekhi started a new job in Detroit Michigan with an engineering consulting firm called Invensity The firm consults with the international automotive industry and plans on serving more clients in Detroit and other American cities Tejasvir spent three months in training in Germany to learn the company s other clients and practices Rachel Whiteman is a recent graduate of New York University s Tisch School of the Arts She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with honors in acting Rachel s recent work includes Pulp Verite an original work for the Clifford Odets Playwriting Commission at the Lee Strasberg Institute Vinegar Tom at Powerhouse Theatre improvisational appearances at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and numerous appearances on Saturday Night Live Dorsey Addicks was one of only two golfers on her Seattle University team named to the NCAA Academic All American Scholar Team which requires a minimum 3 5 average as well as play in a certain number of tournaments Dorsey was named MVP of her team for 2016 2016 and will be team captain next year 13 Class Notes continues on page 53 WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 51
SUCCESS BEYOND WOODWARD WA Athletes in the Pro Leagues Woodward has always been able to celebrate its many alumni who have gone on to excel in the ranks of business government military academia and the arts but with the success of some recent alumni the Woodward family can now regularly cheer I didn t realize how important for War Eagles in professional athletics as well it was to be at a school like In just the last six years four former Woodward athletes each of whom had excellent college careers have advanced to the professional ranks in both football and baseball Former War Eagle football players Henry Anderson and Juwan Thompson who both graduated in 2010 are now in the NFL with Anderson turning into a starting defensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts and Thompson carving out a key role for the Denver Broncos as a running back Fellow 2010 graduate Delino DeShields Jr is part of the Texas Rangers baseball organization after being picked 8th overall in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft and Andrew Adams a 2011 graduate has been one of the most impressive rookies in the NFL this year and has already earned a starting role with the New York Giants Woodward but I tried to get the I never thought I would be in the most that I could out of it NFL Anderson Juwan Thompson said Sometimes I sit back and think how cool it is to be doing something that I would never have dreamed about Anderson said that many of the skills he learned at Woodward paid off for him in college and at the professional level Woodward really taught me the importance of managing time and also that whatever you re doing make sure you re doing it to the best of your Woodward really taught ability he said That really paid off in the end I have kind of a competitive nature me the importance of whether I m taking a test or writing a paper managing time and also or playing football I think that helped me academically and on the playing field that whatever you re doing make sure you re doing it Anderson and Thompson actually got to meet up on the football field during to the best of your ability college when Anderson s Cardinal played Henry Anderson Thompson s Duke Blue Devils in 2011 Thompson graduated from Duke with a 3 3 GPA and after going undrafted in Anderson who graduated from Stanford and helped lead 2014 was signed by the Denver Broncos as a free the Cardinals to unprecedented success on the football agent Fortuitously during his second season in the rd field was drafted in the 3 round of the 2014 NFL Draft and NFL Thompson contributed to the Broncos Super Bowl said it s still surreal to think about the success he s had Championship team In high school 52 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017
Class Notes It was one of the best feelings in the world to make it to the Super Bowl Thompson said Some guys have been playing for 10 or 15 years and haven t had the chance to get to the Super Bowl Deshields Jr who had multiple scholarship offers to play both football and baseball coming out of high school opted to enter the MLB Draft straight out of high school and debuted at the Major League level last season for the Rangers finishing 7th in American League Rookie of the Year voting Adams for his part went undrafted out of the University of Connecticut but was picked up in free agency to play safety for the Giants and has started for most of the season Pro Football Focus a website devoted to evaluating NFL and college football players listed Adams as one of the 10 best rookies in the NFL in mid November For Anderson at least the Woodward experience was a key part of his incredible athletic and academic success and he has some words of advice for current and prospective students I kind of took for granted that my parents sent me to Woodward Anderson said I didn t realize how important it was to be at a school like Woodward but I tried to get the most that I could out of it Take every advantage you can do as well as you can and try to get involved with as many sports and activities and clubs as you can It s definitely an opportunity that a lot of kids don t have Olivia Washington graduated in May from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City with her conservatory degree in musical theater She was cast in NICKELODEON S first ever live stage show PAW Patrol Live Race to the Rescue Olivia plays the role of Mayor Goodway from the hit animated TV series The musicial will tour more than 90 cities across the U S Canada and Mexico including nine shows at Madison Square Garden and an Atlanta stop in June 2017 Nate Guyton finished his freshman year with a 4 0 at Texas Christian University where he was named Student of the Year by the administration selected from all 13 dorms and class years Nate plays football for Texas Christian 15 Summer Thompson shared the March Madness experience from the cheerleader s perspective in an article written by fellow Syracuse student Kyra Simien 13 Like the basketball players Summer and her team are involved in the March Madness experience from the Sweet 16 to Final Four According to Summer the best part of the experience was traveling and sharing it with her team Anne Bea Turner has signed on the role of Ione in the upcoming film Non Exsistent set to release in 2017 Julia Watson completed her freshman year living abroad though a Florida State University Study Abroad Program in London England and Valencia Spain During that time she traveled to 14 countries and 32 different cities She is pictured in Chefchaouen Morocco Jessica Vass is studying at Florence University of the Arts in Italy After completing her first year of college at Georgia State University Jessica went to Italy for a semester through Georgia State s Study Abroad Program Her focus will be photography art history drawing and art chemistry Jessica received a 5 000 fellowship for study abroad Davis Rink was selected to the Georgia Ultimate All State First Team This award honors the seven top Ultimate players in the state 16 WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 53
Weddings Sibley Collins Tolleson Brian Tolleson married his partner of 19 years Aaron McGriff Smith on May 29 2016 in Palm Springs California where they have a home Brian s brother Kevin Tolleson 95 was his best man and Kevin s three children were part of the wedding party Woodward family and friends in attendance included Susan Weiss 77 Madison Weiss 09 Kelsey Weiss 11 Bethany Browning 90 and Dawn Vigil 93 Together Brian and Aaron founded branded content agency BARK BARK working with media outlets like Viacom Google and NBC Universal and major advertisers like P G Clorox and The Home Depot They live between Los Angeles New York and Atlanta with their two dogs Murphy and George 91 Hannah Beaver Sibley married James Malcolm Sibley III on May 28 2016 at First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta There were a plethora of sweaty War Eagles present to witness this most momentous occasion From the Class of 1997 attendees Casey Simpson Sonke Lyn O Haver Houssami and Zeid Houssami Eduardo Leon Mejia John Richard Ford Peter Alexander Solomon and Stacey Sorrells Frizzel left it all on the reception dance floor 97 54 Teck performing a choreographed routine from the movie Blues Brothers And from the Class of 1991 attendees Alan Wilkerson Stump John Maxwell Cogburn Alexander Herd Crumbley Joseph David Rogers and Casey Matthew Rogers surprised the happy couple with a serenade send off an a cappella version of Let It Go from the movie Frozen After their honeymoon Hannah and Jim settled down in the Peachtree Park neighborhood Victoria Beltran and Timmy Teck married on June 4 2016 at the Foundry at Puritan Mill Carla Beltran York 96 Austin Ewing 03 Andy Teck 97 Katy Teck Youmans 99 Ryan Appel 00 Stewart McCloud 00 Andrew Bernstein 00 and Nick Giovinco 01 were part of the wedding party The couple lives in St Petersburg Florida with their adorable furry son Floyd 01 Members of the Class of 2004 Chris Johnson Erica Shantha Julie Gallien Bell Kasey Coates Jastrzembowski Becca Bauer Sara Ahmed Ariel Autry and Sam Arnold reunited in San 04 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Dubin Francisco and Napa Valley for a weekend to celebrate the wedding of Henry Dubin 04 and Hallie Smizik Danielle Darling Collins was married in June 2015 She and her husband Shaun are relocating to his hometown of Washington D C Danielle is a real estate agent with Ansley Atlanta and plans to continue her career in D C She also has a background in clinical mental health and received her master s in social work from the University of Maryland 07 Abbey Sellers Mercier married John Mercier on May 21 2016 in Fayetteville Georgia Abbey and John have known each other since fifth grade In May 2017 Abbey will receive her master s in prosthetics and orthotics from Georgia Tech She plans to complete a two year residency to become a licensed clinician serving patients with limb loss and other conditions 11
Babies Barnwell Holt Rice DeMonti Adler Brantley McEver 97 Shannon McKnight DeMonti and Tony DeMonti welcomed their first child Tomlin Anthony on December 4 2015 Tomlin is an anagram of Shannon s father s name Milton and Anthony his paternal grandfather and father s name Tomlin enjoyed his first Woodward homecoming game on September 23 2016 Andrew Labovitz and his wife Allison welcomed their second little girl Kira Sadie Labovitz on August 28 2016 The family lives in New York where Andrew manages Verizon s NFL sponsorship portfolio for Momentum Worldwide 00 Taylor Driskill Pafford and her husband John welcomed baby girl Miller Eugenia on May 5 2016 Millie is a happy baby and a proud future Woodward student In June Taylor was ordained as a 01 deacon in full connection in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church Taylor serves as pastor of children s ministries at Northside United Methodist in Atlanta at WorkBest Consulting in Midtown Atlanta She is working toward a doctoral degree in counseling Kara Nygren Adler and Micah Adler welcomed their baby boy Amos Nygren to the world on June 27 2016 04 Mary Ellen Suitt Barnwell and Brian Barnwell welcomed a son Robert Ford on August 12 2016 The new family of three lives in Eastover South Carolina 03 Alex Holt and his wife Caroline welcomed baby Dominic Morris on August 11 2016 David Rice and Margo Velez Rice welcomed their daughter Sophia in April 2015 The couple married in 2013 in Atlanta David is a partner at Smokebelly BBQ restaurant in Buckhead and the Big Ketch Saltwater Grill which has locations in Buckhead and Roswell Margo is a counselor Elizabeth Gray McEver and Hayward McEver joyfully welcomed their new daughter Winship in May They are pictured here with all three of their children William Milly and Winship Lucy Marie Boone Brantley graduated from medical school and celebrated the birth of her first child Wick who is pictured with his mom at her graduation Lucy is working in a four year residency program in obstetrics and gynecology in Augusta 08 WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 55
Passages Kenneth Acree died on August 18 2016 A native Atlantan he enlisted in the U S Navy during World War II Survivors include his daughter Linda Patton son Michael Acree and grandson Sean Patton 43 John Pike died on August 27 2012 He graduated from Emory University in 1948 with a biology degree and taught for a year at GMA before entering the Emory School of Dentistry and joining the Navy Dental Corps Later he earned a master s degree in pedodontics and joined the faculty of the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry In 1961 he and his wife moved to Atlanta to open a practice together retiring in 2008 Survivors include his wife of 57 years Mary Elizabeth Upshaw Pike and many nieces nephews and cousins 44 Giles Toole Jr died on February 16 2016 He enlisted in the U S Navy during World War II and served as a gunner until the end of the war He graduated from Georgia Tech and worked several years with U S Rubber Company before beginning a 62 year career in life insurance in Tallahassee Florida Giles was predeceased by his wife of 51 years Mary Jane and is survived by his wife Diane and his two children Giles III and Tenley Stan and two grandchildren 56 Budd Goodwin died on May 10 2016 Budd enlisted in the U S Navy and served in World War II in the Pacific He attended Michigan State University After a career with J C Penney Company he started his own business Goodwin s Fabrics In 1966 Budd left retail to become the state secretary for the Lions Clubs of Michigan working with the White House and First Lady Nancy Reagan as Lions Club International s coordinator for the War on Drugs Survivors include his children J Thomas Mary Jenkins William and Janet Link seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren 45 Stephen Morrison Sr died on August 13 2016 A veteran of World War II and the Korean War he served in the Coast Guard and U S Steve attended Georgia State University and enjoyed a long and varied career in the oil business in sales and as a small business owner A lifelong student of history he especially loved the study of the Civil War Survivors include his wife of 66 years Helen Bagley Morrison and his son Stephen Jr and four grandchildren Charles Bush died on May 27 2016 Survivors include his wife Grete children grandchildren and great grandchildren Charlie served in the National Guard and was a member of the Shriners and a past master and life member of the Fabens Masonic Lodge No 1202 His first love was aviation he earned his first pilot s license at the age of 19 He was self employed and enjoyed farming fishing stamp collecting and traveling 48 WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Max Harris died on April 13 2016 He graduated from the University of Tulsa with a business degree and received his master s degree in world history from Columbia University Survivors include his wife Susan C Howell Harris one daughter Dr Elizabeth Rhea Harris one son Bolton T Harris and three grandchildren Max also is survived by three stepchildren Mark C Howell M Susan Howell and James Lee Howell Jr and nine step grandchildren 49 George Suber Jr died on April 3 2016 He is survived by his wife of 60 years Dorothy Dottie Johnson Suber daughters Mary Camp and Betsy deCelle five grandchildren and two great grandchildren 50 James Garber III died on February 5 2016 Jim received a bachelor s in aeronautical engineering and a master s in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado and was commissioned into the U S Air Force He spent 26 years as a pilot and was a decorated Vietnam veteran After retiring as a lieutenant colonel he had a successful career as an aerospace engineer with Hughes Aircraft Company from which he retired in the 1990s Survivors include his wife of 56 years Doris his children Gretchen Boiteau Carrie Croxall and James F Garber IV and his four grandchildren 52
Reb Brown died on August 30 2016 He was a resident of McKinney Texas and served in the U S Coast Guard He was married to Edna 53 Sidney Kingry died on May 12 2016 Sid served in the U S Air Force and became a captain and flight instructor for Delta Air Lines retiring after 25 years He loved his church and teaching in the Men s Residence at the Christian Care Center Survivors include his wife Sharon four children with his previous wife Jim Kingry Greg Kingry Cynthia Wetzel and David Kingry 12 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren and became president of Corley s Opticians where he was a licensed optician for 62 years Survivors include his wife of 58 years Beverly Baldwin Corley and daughters Jannelle Corley Susan Corley and Charlene Corley Brickle 70 56 Stuart Fine died on May 18 2016 Survivors include his sons Jeffrey Kevin and Blake eight grandchildren two great grandchildren and his wife Mary Jane Stuart attended Emory University and was self employed as a salesman Ben Gratz died on February 20 2016 Ben received his bachelor s degree from the University of Georgia and his law degree from Woodrow Wilson College He served for a brief period in the Marine Corps 61 Jammell Corley died on July 3 2016 He went to The Citadel and joined the U S Army He returned to Macon Georgia 54 Ben was a retired attorney from Tifton Georgia and a former Juvenile Court Judge in the Alapaha Judicial Circuit He is survived by his wife of 39 years Janie Dixie Beggs died on June 20 2016 Dixie graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi He later took graduate courses at Georgia State University and became a licensed and certified CPA He was employed as auditor with Business License Bureau for Cobb County Survivors include his wife of 42 years Vickie Russell Beggs and daughter Emily Elizabeth Beggs 02 Greg Scott died on August 29 2013 WOODWA R D E D U A LU M NI 57
Homecoming and Reunion Weekend begins on page 32 Homecoming Queen The 2016 Homecoming Queen Maya Foreman center with her escort Sahil Kirpalani and Alumni Board President Winifred Wilkins Thompson 88 to her left Maid of Honor Garnet Brown escorted by Nik Thomson and last year s Homecoming Queen Lexi Hecht far right Woodward magazine is published twice a year by the Academy s Marketing Communications Office Nija Meyer Publisher Marla Goncalves Managing Editor Amy Morris Editor Martha Polk Writer Editor Dave Woods Writer Editor Gene Patterson Sports Editor Tharp Magazine Design photo credits Chris Dietz Michie Turpin Photography Warren Bond Photography Billy Howard Photography Nicholas Widener 09 Brandy Wright Photography 4 Woodward Academy administers a nondiscriminatory policy of admissions WOODWA R D M AG A Z IN E FA LL W IN T E R 2016 2017 Edward letters and story ideas may be sent to Marla Goncalves Woodward Academy McKay House 1662 Rugby Avenue College Park GA 30337 2199 or by email to marla goncalves woodward edu