Winter 2022 : simplebooklet.com

EDITOR Steven AverettCONTRIBUTORS Marla Goncalves Amy MorrisDESIGN Heather WinkelPUBLISHER Nija Majmudar MeyerMs. Madelyn R. AdamsMr. Gerald R. BenjaminMr. Kenneth L. BlankMr. Ronald M. BrillMr. Mason L. Cardwell ’98Mr. Alfred J. Cole ’80Mr. Michael S. DruckerDr. Russell K. Gore ’93Mr. William H. Gray IVMr. Ryan T. GunnigleMr. Rodney Scott HarrisonMrs. Jo Cranford Hodges ’96Dr. Nancy Howard Jennings ’84Mr. Ben F. Johnson III ’61Mr. Ian Lloyd-JonesMs. Tamara R. Jones ’88Mr. Thomas L. Jones ’69Mr. Gregory S. Lewis ’92Mr. C. Brad Marsh ’77Ms. Mary S. Moore ’87Mrs. Belinda M.J. MorrisMrs. Vicki R. PalmerMrs. Beth H. Paradies Dr. Deepak RaghavanMr. Stephen E. Roberts ’65Mrs. LaKesha RobinsonMrs. Lauren Z. SchlossbergMr. Paul Shailendra ’97Mr. Ricardo L. SimonMr. James E. Sutherland Jr. ’86GOVERNING BOARDWoodward Academy is Atlanta at its very best. We intentionally bring together students from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, creating a richer learning community and exceptional academic opportunities. Our students and graduates are caring and compassionate global citizens who are a microcosm of what the world should be. Excellence. Character. Opportunity.Woodward magazine is published twice a year by the Academy’s Marketing & Communications Ofﬁce. Contact us at magazine@woodward.edu.Mr. William W. AllisonDr. Thomas J. Busey Jr. ’49Mr. Clarence Davis ’74Mr. A. Adair Dickerson Jr. ’71Ms. Vicki EscarraDr. Daniel S. Ferguson ’68Mr. W. Philip Gramm ’61Dr. Phillip A. Grifﬁths ’56Mr. Waldo S. Kennedy ’57Dr. Thomas L. Lyons ’66Mr. Gene W. Milner Jr. ’71Mr. George S. Morgan Sr. ’69Mrs. Marie L. Nygren ’78Mr. Larry D. ThompsonMr. J. Russell WelchOUR MISSIONCHAIRMr. Robert E. Bowers ’74ADMINISTRATIONPRESIDENTF. Stuart GulleySENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFEMarcia Prewitt SpillerVICE PRESIDENT FOR OPERATIONS AND AUXILIARY SERVICESLee ConnerVICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENTChris FreerVICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE AND CFOLouise MannVICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENTNija Majmudar MeyerASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCESChristy BrowneMEMBERSVICE CHAIRDr. Xavier A. Duralde ’76ADVISORY BOARD

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3Help Along The WayIt is a teacher recognizing a fallen friend memorialized just outside her doorway, and her recollections of him affording that memorial even deeper meaning.At the time of this writing, just before we part ways for the holidays, the Delta variant is resurgent, and a new COVID variant—Omicron—looms large. It’s too early to say what either development will mean for Woodward. But I ﬁnd myself more certain than ever that we are prepared to face that challenge, and will do so strengthened by our compassion and caring for all who pass through this campus.—F. Stuart Gulley, PresidentIt should come as no surprise that one of the hardest things about life under COVID at its peak was the sense of isolation; the inability to interact with one another socially, physically, even emotionally as we would choose. And a key component of that was our hampered ability to demonstrate compassion for one another. Yes, people still found ways to connect and show care for one another from a distance. But it was difﬁcult to feel the full measure of our humanity.This year, as vaccines and prudence afforded us some return to normalcy, we were better able to tally the ways in which we show care for each other across campus and beyond. Compassion is apparent here in so many ways.It is the student who devotes their summer to work on interactive robots that can assist senior citizens in living independently.It is the administrator who looks past a student out of uniform to see the challenges that that student may be confronting that day, and who knows those challenges are often best addressed through understanding rather than discipline.It is the student who takes ownership of a pressing ethical dilemma and throws themself into calling attention to that issue and working to solve it.It is the teacher who recognizes that history taught from one narrow perspective not only disenfranchises a vast swath of society, but also robs all parties of the fullest understanding of what actually happened and why.It is the generosity, large and small, that drove record-setting donations via this year’s fALLIN drive, that gathered vast stacks of food for the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and that paid for a new digital lab that will help students produce their best work.It is the intellectual generosity of teachers and students working in concert to help each other toward a deeper understanding of the universe through philosophical truth or by discerning meaningful commonalities and differences characterizing the world’s religions.FROM THE PRESIDENTKAYLINN GILSTRAP

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WOODWARD WINTER 20224CONVERSATIONFollow Woodward news across social media channels.@WoodwardAcademy #woodwardwaySOCIALWhile the Woodward magazine comes out twice a year, the conversation among the Woodward community goes on year-round. Here’s a little of that conversation, both in letters sent to us and on posts from social media.A HUGE congratulationsto @morgan_kenly who was recognized as a @collegeboard National African American Scholar!! #collegeboard #classof2022–@drkenly On Tuesday, Woodward Alum, Damian Williams, was conﬁrmed by the Senate to be the next U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York - making him the ﬁrst Black person to lead! #woodwardway c/o ’98–@WoodwardAcademy Isabella Polydore is so awesome like….wow look at her just radiating kindness. –@wa_positive_tea Also can I shout out the entire WA Robotics team? I love their energy and they’re really fun people.–@wa_positive_tea@wa_positive_tea is an anonymous account created for students to spread compliments instead of criticism. You all showed some love on Instagram.IMAGE COURTESY OF THE U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE Thank you to everyone who supported our school’s effort in combating food insecurity!This year, we set a new record of $43,449 in online and in-person donations!! Additionally, each school collected food donations, tallying an amount of 10,000 pounds of food, which was distributed to both the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Family Life Ministries.#woodwardway–@WoodwardAcademy

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5Hi President Gulley,I read your letter today regarding the COVID protocols and just wanted to thank you for your great leadership. I am the mom of two WA grads and a WA rising 5th grader who is too young to be vaccinated [at the time of this writing]. I realize you may get pushback from some but you have my full support. I will continue to lift prayers for the entire WA family. We truly must be a continued village for these kids.God bless and keep you.DEANA WILEYaka Mom of Malcolm, Malachi, and MasonLETTERSHave something to say?WRITE US A LETTERA comment on an article or a class note to share? Write to us at magazine@woodward.edu.PETER HOEYIN PRINTWA Grows was featured in a two-page spread in the 2021 Farmer’s Almanac. Suzanna Hall interviewed students and adviser Marianne Lecesne about WA Grows raising crops to feed the hungry. She wrote: “The fall 2019 harvest totaled 371 pounds of summer and winter squash, green beans, and kale. In January 2020, WA Grows donated 70 pounds of pecans harvested from two large trees on campus and 820 pounds of produce, including broccoli, lettuce, onions, cabbage, peas, green beans, okra, tomatoes, squash, peppers, basil, kale, cucumbers, and potatoes… ‘WA Grows is a combination of service and sustainability, both of which are vital to student learning, especially today,’ Lecesene says.”WA Grows Featured in Farmer’s Almanac

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8WOODWARD WINTER 2022With the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, Woodward’s Middle School introduced the concept of houses, for the ﬁrst time dividing students into one of six constellation-inspired cohorts. As detailed in documentation accompanying the unveiling, the constellations were an inspiration in terms of how they helped ancient navigators ﬁnd their way, just as educators hope the houses will help students navigate the often fraught experience of middle school.“Our ﬁrst goal is community,” says Middle School Principal Dee Koscik, Ed.D. “Woodward is a big school; much bigger than many of our students are used to. And it can be intimidating. We wanted them to have a group of people who they knew were part of their team, part of their smaller community.”Koscik said the concept of houses ﬁrst occurred when she was part of the innovation team at Woodward North. COVID put those plans on hold, but eventually a committee was formed and the idea was ﬂeshed out.Of course, for most students, the chief familiarity with houses comes from the four Hogwarts houses featured in Harry Potter. And indeed, Koscik said associating colors, prioritizing attributes, and creating a sense of history for each house was a big part of the appeal to students.Participation in and between houses will take many forms. As at Hogwarts, students will have the opportunity to earn points for their houses, speciﬁcally tied to four categories: academic excellence, character, school spirit, and outstanding performance. Unlike Hogwarts, however, points cannot be taken away, even when students make mistakes, as Koscik says the goal is to use them as a positive reinforcement tool, not a penalty. Students and faculty can manage house points via an app.“We’ve given points so far for helping friends clean up at lunch, holding doors for people, learning names and greeting each other with eye contact and respect, and for showing leadership in class,” says Koscik. “We showcase weekly leaders each Monday, and ensure students understand how they can earn points going forward.”Additionally, through the Middle School’s crew council (formerly known as the student council), students will have the opportunity to showcase student voice, ownership, and leadership skills. “[So far] the students and adults are really enjoying the camaraderie and opportunities for friendly competitions and for fun,” says Koscik. “We are thrilled with how it’s begun and are looking forward to seeing it progress as the year continues.” Class MenagerieWoodward Middle School students are introduced to a new house structure.Students at the event unveiling the Middle School houses.

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9This fall Woodward adopted a new source evaluation methodology called SIFT to better equip students and faculty in the ﬁght against disinformation and misinformation. “SIFT is an efﬁcient and ﬂexible methodology that adds to the skill set that students are learning to become discerning users of information,” said Woodward Librarian Ann Haber. “It lends itself well to real world applications and is especially relevant at a time when information ﬂows with social media posts, news articles, video footage, and images inundating news streams on a daily basis. It helps students build the habits of mind necessary to navigate today's networked information landscape.”SIFT incorporates techniques used by professional fact-checkers to evaluate online content. It was tested in an experiment at Stanford and has been included in the framework of the Association of College Research Librarians to combat mis- and disinformation. SIFT uses a series of four moves to help quickly determine the validity and reliability of claims and sources of information. The method emphasizes "lateral reading" and can be applied across a variety of online content from social media posts, to news articles, websites, and scholarly articles. It is more ﬂexible and effective than checklists, such as the Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy and Purpose test.Haber recommended SIFT after testing it with a class of seniors.“One of the most important things we can do is help students build the habits of mind that they can use in their academic and personal lives to make sound decisions,” said Haber. “We want our students to be able to discern fact from ﬁction, understand the role disinformation and misinformation play in the news landscape, and appreciate the role journalists and a free press play in our democracy.”Dilemmas in JusticeFall and Spring 1232 CP, 1233 EP, 1234 HPThe concept of “justice” lies at the very core of American values. The term justice is featured prominently in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Pledge of Allegiance. However, what is “just” and what is “unjust” is often a matter of great debate. This course will examine various ways to deﬁne justice including legal justice, criminal justice, social justice, and more. Ultimately, students will select a controversial topic in justice, examine that topic from multiple perspectives, and seek a just resolution to the controversy. Note: Grade 11 with department approval. Satisﬁes Compassion Capstone Requirement.SYLLABUS SPOTLIGHTWoodward offers a curriculum brimming with challenging, innovative classes. Here’s one that caught our eye.House of CanisKey Attribute: PerseveranceSymbol: DogColor: YellowTHE SIX HOUSESHouse of PhoenixKey Attribute: ResilienceSymbol: PhoenixColor: OrangeHouse of PegasusKey Attribute: OriginalitySymbol: PegasusColor: SlateHouse of LynxKey Attribute: WisdomSymbol: LynxColor: GreenHouse of DracoKey Attribute: LoyaltySymbol: DragonColor: PurpleHouse of UrsaKey Attribute: CourageSymbol: BearColor: BlueSource SavvyCAMPUS NEWSStop Investigate the SourcesFind BetterCoverageTrace to the Original ContextFor more information, visit woodward.libguides.com/factchecking/SIFT.

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SentencesEach issue we highlight a piece of exceptional writing from a Woodward student. This issue’s sentences come from the poem Remembering Woodward, by seventh grader George Sloan, selected as the winner of the Woodward North Poet Laureate competition.While one day may be like the rest, And while we may be at the year’s crest, We will not forget Woodward, Nor any of the memories that have been given to us. For while this year was like no other, Woodward Academy has been a nourishing mother. Every day we learned something new, And we owe all of this to Woodward and you. This place has given more than knowledge, From achievement to failure, A time more inﬂuential than even college. This school we all love, It is beyond my description, From our teachers to our friends, What a pleasant depiction. For while our lives will further grow, The name “Woodward,” is one we’ll always know. And as we mature, Many things I’ll remember, From classes to parties, I am glad to have been a member. For of the people in this room, I care for all of them, And in this place not a trace of hate shall loom. I’ve raced the fun run,Taken many a test, Been to the end of year parties, But just having been there was the best. Every colleague of mine, their futures hold much, Some may be CEOs, or doctors and such. And my teachers, they hold, The credit for this all, And while I have been here, it’s been a ball. We have overthrown fear, and ousted many a challenge, But the real test we face is leaving each other. For every A, there is much joy, But having friends was the most joyful of all. Woodward Academy, thank you for allowing me these years, Thank you for everything.“From the Lemon” by Mitchell Jackson, 7th grade 3rd Place, 2020-2021Fourteen Middle School students were selected to exhibit at the Slow Exposures Youth Photography Exhibition. As the 2020 event was canceled due to COVID, students selected in the 2019-2020 year were included in this year’s exhibition that ran September 16-19 at the R.F. Strickland Building in Concord, Ga. An awards ceremony was held on September 19 for student exhibitors.The annual juried competition for student photographers from elementary, middle, and high schools is held in conjunction with the 19th annual photography festival that celebrates “Life in the Rural South.”These ﬁve shots received awards.“Butterfly Girl” by Harrison Lord, 7th grade 2nd Place, 2020-2021Slow and Steady Wins11

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WOODWARD WINTER 202212If you watch the recently released Aretha Franklin biopic, “Respect,” you will see Woodward junior Kennedy Clemons playing a prominent role. Kennedy, who performs under the stage name Kennedy Chanel, took time out of her busy school and ﬁlming schedule to discuss the experience. Who did you play in “Respect” and how did you land the role?I play the role of young Erma Franklin. Erma Franklin is the oldest sister of American legend Aretha Franklin. I was requested through my talent agency to audition for this role.The audition process was extremely exciting! It consisted of many rounds of meetings and callbacks where I read portions of the script, ﬁrst with a reader where I taped myself, then in a room with the director and producers of the ﬁlm. I was actually asked to sing on the spot. I went with two of my favorite songs: “Suddenly Seymour” from the broadway show “Little Shop of Horrors,” and one of my favorite Gospel songs, “Jesus, What a Wonderful Child.” After that, all of the kids who were there for call back auditions were asked to sing in a group where we had to harmonize in different songs (because of how well the real Franklin kids sang together). And then the waiting game began. I was on pins and needles from the moment that I left the ﬁnal callbacks all the way until I got the call that I had booked the role!How long did your part of the shoot take and what was it like?My role took a little over three weeks to shoot, and it was an awesome experience. We had a great time on set every day that we ﬁlmed. We had a pretty strict schedule every day. Most days started at basecamp (where everyone’s trailers are located) with a visit to hair and makeup, and then running lines while I was ﬁtted for my wardrobe. After that, one of the director’s assistants would call for my transportation, and I would ride over to the actual location to ﬁlm for the day. We would start with a rehearsal of the scene with the writer and director before the real ﬁlming could begin. You would never imagine that a scene that was maybe on screen for ﬁve minutes took us an entire day to ﬁlm!'Respect' for the CraftWoodward junior Kennedy Clemons stars in Aretha Franklin biopic.THE ARTS A glimpse at the creative work of students of all grade levels and disciplines

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13No matter the scene or how long the ﬁlming process was, I enjoyed every second of it. From hanging out in my trailer and making TikToks to running rehearsals and ﬁlming, it was an unforgettable experience. What was the hardest part of shooting the ﬁlm?The hardest part about ﬁlming this project was having to stay hydrated enough to cry on cue for several takes. Since we had to cry in so many scenes, there were some really cool tools, like the tear stick or saline, that the make-up artists used to make it look like we were crying more than we were. But I preferred to cry naturally because it would look a lot more realistic on camera. I only used fake tears when it was completely necessary.What was your favorite part of the experience?My favorite part was the connections I made and the lessons I learned from the actors I worked with. There are so many tools and acting tips that I will take with me to my next acting project. I really learned to trust my creativity and enjoy the process. Throughout my time ﬁlming, the celebrations, and the promotion experience, I worked with so many seasoned actors and actresses like Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whittaker, Marlon Wayans, Titus Burgess, and Saycon Sengboh. They have been nothing but supportive and have taken me under their wing to help me as I grow in this industry and in my artistry. How did your time at Woodward inﬂuence your approach to this experience?Being at Woodward Academy has deﬁnitely been a big part of my acting journey. The school offered support and ﬂexibility while ﬁlming but even more so, the daily Woodward experience helped prepare for big moments like these. Being a Woodward student, you learn the importance of showing up on time, being prepared, and advocating for your needs in a respectful manner. Being a Woodward student has prepared me Clemons on the "Respect" set (left), in school at Woodward, and with star Jennifer Hudson and her onscreen siblings (top).for the professionalism needed for the real world in ways that I imagine other schools could not have.My history classes, English classes, and language classes have helped me better improve my memorization and public speaking skills. The acting classes and theater groups that I have been able to be a part of at Woodward, even as far back as the Lower School, have all contributed to me booking this role. Do you plan to pursue more acting opportunities? What do you see yourself doing in the future?I deﬁnitely plan to continue acting! I am featured in an upcoming show on Disney+, and I also am featured in a STARZ series called “BMF”.While I do have other passions like exploring a career in law or journalism, acting is my passion and this is only the beginning. I hope to continue on this path for many years to come. This is just the start of my dreams. I am so grateful to everyone who helped me get to this point.

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WOODWARD WINTER 202214puzzle with so many pieces that could ﬁt together in so many ways. I loved conceptualizing it. I still do. How did you decide to teach a course focused on relearning U.S. History?Frustration. I was frustrated with conversations about the past that lacked historical context—conversations all along the political spectrum. Memes shared by adults to prove their point, but without any historical basis. Conﬁrmation bias is a big issue, and it’s rampant in our political discussions. I wanted to complicate those conversations and make people realize that it’s never as simple as a bumper sticker or meme will make It’s a common refrain: “History is written by the victors.” But as Woodward history teacher Dr. Elizabeth Burbridge came to realize, those victorious narrators weren’t just fresh from the battleﬁeld. They were the dominant segments of the populace as deﬁned by race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and other factors, using that position to, deliberately or inadvertently, shape the narrative for everyone else, often muddying the more complete picture of historical events.So Burbridge set out to unearth a more inclusive U.S. historical record, sharing her discoveries with the students she taught, and more recently, to classes full of curious adults.We asked Dr. Burbridge to tell us about her teaching methodology and how studying history has impacted her life.How did you ﬁrst become interested in history?I have four older brothers who loved Monty Python, so that’s probably where it started. My mom has a M.A. in French medieval literature, which didn’t help, either! But what made me really interested in history was a children’s book I read when I was eleven. Dianna Wynne Jones’s “Witch Week” examined alternative universes created by an event in England in 1605. I was hooked by the idea of how one event could cause so many different effects—even if the effects were ﬁctional. Additionally, I loved historical non-ﬁction as a child and, when I did read ﬁction, I used it to learn about the time period it was written during. History had endless possibilities and was a massive What Happened, ReallyDr. Elizabeth Burbridge challenges history as written and asks students to do the same.FACULTY Q&ADr. Elizabeth BurbridgeKAYLINN GILSTRAP

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15you think. I realized that so many adults remember history class as a boring collection of facts, and I wanted it to be so much more. I also realized that a lot of adults are listening to history podcasts, which is great! But most of those podcasts are not created by historians. To be entertaining, podcasts will often present a streamlined story about the past, but, again, these stories are not necessarily presenting the complexity of the topic or relying on the most recent historical conversations. How does teaching from a place of inclusivity change how history is taught?It makes it more complicated. And that’s great. History should be complicated. It shouldn’t be easy to say, “These people are bad," and, “These people are good.” It also helps students see themselves across categories. When I learned history and literature in high school, so much was about straight, Protestant, upper class white men. Not all of us can see ourselves in those categories. For those that can, they also have been taught a narrative that ALL straight, Protestant, upper class white men acted or believed in one way. But, of course, they didn’t. Just like they don’t now. Teaching inclusive history helps people understand the present. Learning history should not always be comfortable. It should make you question what you know, how you perceive events, and the conclusions you have reached. It should make you constantly think. And, yes, that sounds exhausting. And it is. But, to me, questioning is what keeps everything interesting. What seems to most surprise the adults who take your class? Is that perspective dierent than with your younger students?A lot of the adults who take my evening class are surprised by what they didn’t learn or how what they did learn was created with the intent to increase patriotism, nationalism, and a belief in the Lost Cause narrative—that their education was created to make them love the United States without question. We discuss how one can love our country but still want it to improve. Critique is not hatred or lack of patriotism. It’s belief that our country can achieve the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution and that we are just a work in progress. The students who take my class are less shocked by this information because they are learning it as part of their school curriculum and, to be fair, teenagers are comfortable with cynicism. In fact, I usually have to pull them back or temper their assumptions about the past. What sorts of preconceptions do you most commonly see? What is the best way to break down those preconceptions?The biggest misperception is that history is a series of facts that we all just need to memorize and move on. History is a living discipline. The role of the historian is to constantly question what we believe about the past, search for new evidence, and re-interpret the evidence we "Learning history should not always be comfortable. It should make you question what you know, how you perceive events, and the conclusions you have reached. It should make you constantly think."For more of Burbridge’s historical hot takes, listen to her podcast, “Footnoting History,” at footnotinghistory.com. Although she recently retired from hosting duties, there is a vast archive of episodes featuring her.already have. History should always have something “new” to offer. The second biggest misperception is that looking into the past and re-interpreting it is new or is a recent political strategy. It isn’t. It’s what historians have always done. Finally, the last misperception is that certain historical beliefs can be “neutral.” Neutral is a setting on a car. All history has been compiled and explained by human beings, which means that it has all been examined through different lenses and beliefs. There is nothing neutral about history. Do you plan to continue teaching this course, or others like it?Yes, I would love to continue teaching this course and others like it. I believe that courses like this are especially necessary given our current conversations about what should be included in history courses. We have an opportunity here to re-imagine the purpose of history classes and I’m here for it. What’s next for you?I'm not sure! I would love to continue to work on making the Woodward Academy history and social studies curriculum inclusive in an intentional way.

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WOODWARD WINTER 202216that while he suspects many students parlay participation in the seminar into college admissions catnip, it is approached as really existing outside the college preparatory track.Many students are clued into the seminar by older siblings or elder classmates who were past participants. Current seminar member Thao My Pham ’22 was encouraged by Rutledge to apply. “When I originally began my application, I was hesitant as I was pretty unfamiliar with philosophy,” he said. “But I am always willing to try something out of my initial comfort zone. When the interview process came to consider the ﬁnalists of the seminar, I ended up enjoying the conversations that I The main prerequisite for Woodward’s Senior Philosophy Seminar?An open mind.“Philosophy means, literally, ‘love of wisdom,’ and I think it is well described as humanity’s effort to make sense of our existence, ponder where we get our moral compasses from, deﬁne and search for truth, explore the nature of knowledge and how we can arrive at it,” said science teacher Thomas Ehrensperger, who partners with Director of College Counseling Bryan Rutledge (who holds a master’s degree in philosophy) to curate the cocurricular offering. “We look into age-old questions that likely occur to just about any thinking person, to some degree at least. We are just taking things on in a deliberate, collaborative way.”Out of a senior class of 250-300, usually about 10-25 apply for the seminar. Interested students must submit an application, solicit teacher endorsements of their past contributions to class discussions, and participate in a provisional discussion with other applicants, all in an effort to gauge their capacity for thoughtful, constructive, and cooperative discourse.“This is a chance for students who really want to delve into the meaning of things to do so in a challenging but non-threatening environment, where they are free to share and listen,” said Ehrensperger, adding Going DeepStudents—and teachers—grapple with the big questions in the Senior Philosophy Seminar.KAYLINN GILSTRAP

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17had in the mock-meeting with the other students.”The summer before their senior year, selected participants are charged with reading “Philosophy: Paradox and Discovery” by Shipka and Minton. The course is roughly built to touch on the ﬁve philosophical questions that have challenged every generation of learners:• What is real? (metaphysics)• How do we know what we know? (epistemology)• What is good or bad, right or wrong? (ethics)• What constitutes artistic beauty? (aesthetics)• How do we understand the nature and existence of a divine being? (philosophy of religion)“These big questions touch every aspect of our lives, and the answers reveal what it means to be human,” said Rutledge. “The beauty of philosophy is that each of us is at liberty to answer these questions according to our own lights. Liberal arts schools committed to broad-based learning afﬁrm the inherent value of philosophy with their resources, requirements, and missions. It’s been said, ‘The aim of liberal arts is to apprehend the lights and shades of knowledge.’”Within those broad debates, Ehrensperger said, there is room for focused examination of more contemporary conundrums. But somehow those ﬁve key questions always resurface. “It’s not that there’s nothing new under the sun,” he said. “The modern world does present certain challenges which are novel, and we address those ... But it really is instructive and amazing to see how, in so many ways, we’ve been down this road before.”“My favorite topic was our discussion about truth,” said current seminar member Ashna Ghanate ’22. “It was a philosophical concept that I have not thought through much before, and everyone had different viewpoints. For example, we discussed how people may manipulate the truth for the common good, and if that was the right thing to do or not. That fascinated me because while the results of the action could help society as a whole, the actual action itself could be considered immoral because it is a lie.”While Ehrensperger and Rutledge participate in the seminar’s discussions, offering their own thoughts, it is the students who are charged with moderating and carrying the debate. “I’ve really enjoyed how every member of the group pushes each other on each of their opinions to really test the soundness of some theories,” said Ashna.Thao My said that so far the seminar hasn’t so much changed his perspective as broadened it: “Our group members come from different backgrounds, religions, and cultures so we all have different experiences to share when we relay our observations to the group. Being able to be part of a group so diverse has allowed me to switch perspectives and put myself in the shoes of others.”“So many people have their opinions and habits, with relatively little reﬂection on where they got them, whether they really would have adopted those viewpoints under contingently different circumstances, and whether they should hang on to them or not,” said Ehrensperger. “They also are often missing out on the rich intellectual traditions of their own world views. While these students are among the most thoughtful, reﬂective people on campus, there are still so many perspectives they (we!!) might not have considered, and just plain so much we don’t know. Delving into these things is simultaneously humbling and empowering.”“The driving force is curiosity and a will to understand and live better—and to be humble about certainty,” said Rutledge. Going DeepThe 2021-2022 Senior Philosophy Seminar gathers for a rare in-person debate.

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WOODWARD WINTER 202218Woodward students can create podcasts, produce 3D-printed models, make art on a wide format digital drawing tablet, edit digital media on two iMacs, and more in the Pechter Family Digital Lab inside Carlos Library.“The Carlos Library is excited to open the new digital lab to provide a place for students to innovate, create, and collaborate,” said Librarian Ann Haber. “This initiative supplements our traditional library resources to best support the mission of developing lifelong learners. Whether a student needs to write an in-depth scholarly paper, demonstrate their learning from a class in a multimedia format, or even just explore personal interests, the library provides access to the information and technology tools to see projects through to completion.”The lab was funded by a commitment from the Pechter Family, in combination with grants from the Edward E. Ford Foundation, the Beck Foundation, the Goizueta Foundation, and other individual donors.Josh and Meredith Pechter are the parents of four Woodward students, twins Grayson and Truen (who are sophomores), ninth grader Hollace, and sixth grader Rowan.The family decided to make a long-term commitment to the digital lab and STEAM resources. “All of our children love technology, and we know it is the language of the future. Digital labs and other spaces to explore and use technology are critical for all our kids to be prepared for the future,” Josh said. The lab will allow students to explore advanced web ideation, Digital Digsﬁlmmaking, and digital content creation, serving as a place where students with technological interest can connect, he added. “As libraries mature and repurpose, we think they will head in this direction.”Meredith serves on the Advancement Committee of the Governing Board, and the Pechters both feel it’s important to support the school. “While Woodward does an admirable job of driving new initiatives with tuition dollars, giving to the fundraising initiatives can assist that effort exponentially. Annual giving is part of our responsibility to help leave Woodward better than we found it. Giving toward speciﬁc initiatives, like the digital lab, allow us all to make the learning experience better in an immediate way,” Josh said. “We have always felt both are important ways to serve the Academy now and into the future.” In the recently opened Pechter Digital Lab, students have access to 3D printers, podcasting gear, a green screen, and workstations to help them create cutting edge projects and presentations.Students can create and innovate in the Pechter Family Digital Lab. Interested in making an endowed gift? Contact advancement@woodward.edu.

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WOODWARD WINTER 202224We took the opportunity to sit down with Coach Hunt and asked him to reﬂect on his time coaching at Woodward.What has been the proudest moment of your time coaching at Woodward thus far?Well, thinking back, there were a couple—one in particular, a few years back, when we went into Cartersville. Cartersville was obviously a well-established powerhouse of a team. It was a quarterﬁnal game where we were able to go into their backyard and we kept ﬁghting. At the very end, we were able to score and to win. I think we led maybe one minute of the game, and it happened to be the last minute. So that was a real big win for us, the kids, the coaches, and the program itself. I was really proud of our effort there that day.There’s another moment off the ﬁeld. I can’t remember which year it was, but it was about four or ﬁve years ago. On signing day, we signed 14 or 15 kids, I believe, to play college at the next level.Both of those were proud moments for me and for the coaches at Woodward.What has been the most challenging part of your coaching career at Woodward?Probably the most challenging thing that we’ve just had to deal with at Woodward is the GHSA constantly moving us up in class and sort of penalizing us. It’s completely out of our control, so we feel sort of helpless. Generally we’re a small AAA type of school as far as enrollment, but they bumped us up to 4A. We were able to hang in there and compete even at 3A. Now they’ve bumped us up to 4A and I still think we’re able to compete in 5A until we get into the playoffs. Then we’re just outmatched. And now the talk is to bump us up to 6A or 7A and that’s just completely punitive. I think it’s unsafe for our kids. And the fact that they’ve done this and there’s nothing we can say about it is a struggle for me. [EDITOR’S NOTE: Shortly after this interview, Woodward was, in fact, assigned to GHSA Division 7A. However, Woodward’s Athletic Director, Dr. Jose Fernandez, successfully appealed that assignment to 6A. The new assignment begins in fall of 2022 and will last for two years.]This season Woodward head football coach John Hunt logged his 100th win at the school (and a few more besides). The game in question concluded in stunning fashion, including a 48-yard touchdown pass that gave Woodward the lead with 47 seconds left in the game, followed by a stop of the Marist running back on the 1-yard line on the ﬁnal play of the game. The team ﬁnished the year 11-1 overall and as the Region 3-AAAAA Champions.Passing 100WAR EAGLE WATCHMICHIE TURPIN

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25How do you help your players strike a balance between on-the-ﬁeld and o-the-ﬁeld pursuits?From the beginning, I set an expectation of excellence on and off the ﬁeld. Going back to my initial interview with Dr. Gulley 10 or 11 years ago, I told him that I expect an equally high level of academics and play on the ﬁeld with no exceptions. Don’t put one above the other. A lot of people say “Academics is always ﬁrst,” and I agree. But at the same time, I think you ought to approach everything in your life with the same attitude of excellence. So I just let the kids know at the beginning that that’s what’s expected, and they’ve done well.What accomplishments would you like to see the team achieve in the near future?Each team is obviously different. The dynamics of each team change every single year. Our goal as coaches is to coach these kids and watch them grow and play up to their ability, potentially even exceed their ability. And if we do that, obviously, the ultimate goal would be to win another state championship. It’s been quite a long time in Woodward’s history since we’ve done that. When I ﬁrst got here we kind of got stuck in the second round. Then we broke that barrier. We’ve been to the quarterﬁnals many times. We’ve been to the semis more than once. We haven’t quite played for that championship game or won that championship game. And that’s always an ultimate goal for all of our players and teams and coaches is to get to that state championship and win.What are your goals at this stage of your career?That’s a good question. Early on in my coaching career, I moved around a tremendous amount—many different stops, many different states. This is the longest I’ve ever been at one place. This is my 11th year. And as long as we have a chance to win on Friday night and we continue to get great Woodward kids in here to coach and great coaches to support the kids, the challenge is there every single year to win and try to win a state championship for those kids. And that keeps me going. And I enjoy it. For example, the kids this year are fantastic. It makes it easy to come to work. And we’re blessed with good assistant coaches. So as long as we continue to have that and have a chance to win on Friday night, I expect to stay here for quite some time. Staying On Track (and Field)Coach Ryan Davis knows the power of subtlety. “I’m kind of a laid-back coach. I don’t have to scream and holler,” he said. “When I’m mad, you know I’m mad, and when I’m fussing, there’s a reason I’m fussing.”That approach has served Davis well in his 18 years at Woodward coaching football and track and ﬁeld. This year he will take over as Head Varsity Track and Field coach following the recent retirement of Tim Hamling. And Davis continues to wear multiple hats on the football sideline, including co-defensive coordinator along with Coach Bill McGarrah, as well as coaching the secondary and special teams. Davis also handles much of the college recruiting process for athletes who continue on to the next level. Finally, he covers equipment and uniform procurement for the football team.On the football side Davis has worked under three different head coaches. Dale Wiggins hired him out of college before being succeeded by Mark Miller and then a decade under current Coach John Hunt.“My working relationship with Coach Hunt is great,” Davis said. “He lets me do my job. He doesn’t hound. He doesn’t put on a lot of pressure. He trusts that I can handle all of the recruitment and some of the jobs that aren’t taken on by him. It’s a great working relationship.”As one might expect, the two sports realms Davis inhabits each require a different approach. “Football is a tough, rugged sport,” he said. “You have to have a different mentality. So of course the approach has to be a lot ﬁrmer. It’s one of the few total team games that are left.” This mindset requires getting players to think holistically about the team and the strategy driving it, he said, while also making sure each player understands his role in that whole.“Track is a little different,” Davis said. “It’s a little bit more individualized and specialized. So you have to make sure you focus on a lot of the technique, form, and ﬁne-tuning of the athletes.”Despite those differences, Davis says he encourages students to take a broad-based approach to athletics. He points out that many of his track athletes who also play other sports (including football) seem to beneﬁt

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WOODWARD WINTER 202226from the overlap. “I’m an advocate of kids doing multiple things, especially in high school. You only get one time to be in school, so go play football. Go play basketball. Go run track. Play volleyball. Cheerlead.” While he said not every athlete should expect to follow in the footsteps of famous multi-sport alums like Walker Kessler ’20 or Delino DeShields ’10, taking the opportunity to diversify their athletic and cocurricular experience ensures that they will ﬁnd the thing they’re best at and most passionate about. “Early on, do everything and ﬁgure out what your niche is.”At the same time, Davis said all of those disparate interests and all of the factors tugging student athletes in different directions can make things challenging for him as a coach. So he preaches focus and dedication while accepting that some students will take other paths.Davis said a highlight of his career has been seeing athletes he worked with go on to not only have great professional athletic careers but to grow into great people: “I have a player by the name of Andrew Adams ’11 that is currently playing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Coming out of high school, he wasn’t heavily recruited. As a matter of fact, he thought he was going to go play baseball in college. And then at the last minute we were able to get Yukon to make an offer to him. And he’s just continued to work and scratch and claw to where he is now with the Bucs and a Super Bowl ring. But he’s grounded. Would come every summer to his youth football camp here at the school. He’s giving back to the community. So that’s one I’m proud of.” Davis cited Juwan Thompson ’10 of the Denver Broncos as a similar success story.Looking forward, Davis is preparing for the challenge of moving to division 6A after the Georgia High School Association reclassiﬁed many schools this year. But he said he believes with the right approach and resources, Woodward and its athletes will rise to that challenge. Senior wrestler Matthew Singleton has had a busy year. In early December, he competed at the inaugural Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia. In May, he won the United World Wrestling (UWW) Junior National Greco-Roman title in Coralville, Iowa, to secure a seat on the USA world wrestling team, representing the United States at the World Championship in Russia over the summer.Matthew won his second NHSCA national title in Virginia Beach earlier this spring. After many grueling matches against top college athletes from around the country, Matthew clinched the title at 74 KG by defeating the reigning Greco National Champion and returning world team member in a best of three series. Matthew swept the series with wins of 8-6 and 9-0. That win represented the ﬁrst of its kind in Woodward Academy athletic history, along with the ﬁrst in the state of Georgia in more than 30 years. It made Matthew the No. 1 ranked junior wrestler in the country at 170 pounds. Matthew also is a three-time Georgia state champion looking to become the fourth Woodward Academy wrestler to become a four-time state champion.Matthew’s coach, Jeff Ragan, a former Oklahoma State wrestler, made the USA freestyle world team during his college career.We took a minute to get Matthew’s perspective on his already stellar wrestling career:What drew you to wrestling and what do you continue to enjoy about it?My dad wrestled in college, and he brought me to it. I tried a lot of sports when I was younger but wrestling stuck with me. I think the sport is amazing with the endless possibilities in every match and it’s always one-on-one.What have been the most satisfying moments of your wrestling career thus far?My most satisfying moments have been winning a state championship with the team, making a world team, and winning Super 32 in October.What does it feel like to compete on a world stage?I can’t even describe it. I’m one of the most conﬁdent people in the world but it was deﬁnitely nerve-wracking. It’s a complete honor to wear the USA singlet and carry that kind of power with you. The competition also is really different. These guys have trained their whole lives under different circumstances so it’s a very unnatural feel competing against them.What do you enjoy doing when you’re not wrestling?Anytime I’m not wrestling or doing school work, I like to relax and have fun. I’m a big beach bum and enjoy traveling. I love watching movies, especially comic book and superhero-related ones.What are your plans beyond Woodward? Do you expect you will continue wrestling?Deﬁnitely. I’m wrestling at NC State for my collegiate career. My goal is to be an NCAA Champ, Teams Champs, and an eventual Olympic Champ. Going to the MattSenior Matthew Singleton can't be pinned down.

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WOODWARD WINTER 202228We caught up with Anna to ask about her Woodward memories and what it’s like to send her daughter to her alma mater.Tell us about your family’s history with Woodward.My dad started attending Woodward as an eighth grader in 1973. He graduated in 1978, and, after earning his physics degree, started his teaching career at Fayette County High. In 1985, he was hired by his former physics teacher, Gus Dearolph, to teach at Woodward. My mother worked at the Campus Store from 1985 to 1988, and my younger brother, Matt, also is a Vintage Eagle (Class of 2013).What are your best memories of being a Woodward student?I honestly have too many to count, but an event that stands out to me is Super Goober Day. I remember it resembling a county fair, but on the Parade Field. I also have fond memories with friends from prom and homecoming.Who were your inspirations (teachers, coaches, classmates, etc.)?I had so many wonderful teachers at Woodward. Mrs. Washburn and Mrs. Lee made English class so enjoyable. Mr. Alvord, my anatomy teacher, always kept us engaged and very entertained! Mr. Sahara not only introduced us to the Japanese language, but also made sure we were immersed in the culture. Coming up last but not least on the list is Mr. Ehrensperger, who made physics class fun, but also made sure I wasn’t given any special treatment (thanks for the detention, Dad!).How does it feel to be sending your daughter to the Primary School?Completely surreal. Especially when I saw her in the uniform for the ﬁrst time. It evoked feelings of pride and nostalgia. We are grateful that she gets to have this experience.Anna Ehrensperger Aoyagi ’07 has deep family lineage in College Park as well as history at Woodward Academy. Her father, Tommy Ehrensperger ’78, is a beloved science teacher in the Upper School. Anna’s life has taken her across the world, to Tokyo, Japan, where she and her husband, Shige, are raising two young daughters. “I grew up in College Park, just as my parents did,” she said. “They ironically grew up in the same neighborhood as each other, but had no idea until after high school!”Anna is a Vintage Eagle, having attended Woodward from prekindergarten to graduation. Her Upper School experience set her on the path to Japan. “I had interests in languages and arts, and, during my senior year, I began to study Japanese with Tad Sahara.” In her last year of college at Georgia State University, she wanted to practice her Japanese, so she began a pen-pal friendship with the man who is now her husband. “I moved to California in 2012, and we married in 2013. Our daughter, Abigail, was born in 2015 and her younger sister, Nora, in 2017. In February 2020, we moved to Tokyo, not knowing that the pandemic was on our heels. We now live in a ‘mansion,’ the Japanese word for an apartment with access to an elevator, with our two cats.”On a post-pandemic trip to College Park to visit her family this fall, Anna enrolled her daughter Abby in the Primary School as an international student. They’ll be returning to Japan after the winter holidays.Abby AbroadAbby Aoyagi gets acquainted with the Woodward uniform.Tokyo resident Abby Aoyagi gets a taste of Woodward while visiting family stateside. IN THE WORLD

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29How does Abby feel about going to Woodward?Abby loves the Primary School! She was chanting “Yay! I’m going to Woodward” the entire walk to school on her ﬁrst day. She adores all her teachers, especially Anna Mathis, her homeroom teacher, and has already made a few friends.How is school dierent in Japan?The school system differs quite a bit from Woodward. Abby attends “youchien” with her little sister Monday through Friday. Youchien is like an extended version of kindergarten. Kids start attending at three years old and graduate at six years old. The school environment is a bit “free range,” where you might ﬁnd the middle and older class students doing their own thing (of course they do have some class time, too). The kids are expected to carry many bags to school in the morning. At the school entrance, they take off their outdoor shoes and put on their school slippers. They also have to clean the ﬂoors of their classroom (on their hands and knees with washcloths) and help each other make tea for lunchtime. When Abby graduates in March 2022, she will begin her ﬁrst year of elementary school and walk to school by herself. It’s common to see young children riding the train alone to school in the mornings, so my nervous American heart rejoiced when I saw the short walk to the school she will be attending! As a parent of a multicultural kid, it can sometimes be difﬁcult to straddle two worlds. My goal is for Abby to experience and share the best of both sides of her heritage, with her classmates here and there.What are Abby’s favorite things/subjects/activities at school and at home?Abby loves art, dancing, and singing. She is also a great runner (like her Grandad), so perhaps a future in cross country? GLOBAL CONNECTIONS Woodward’s global reach includes travel opportunities for students, study abroad, and hosting international students. Learn more at woodward.edu/global.Woodward Academy junior Elliott Anderson spent the summer working as an intern for the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). During his time there, he worked on a project focused on creating interactive robots that can assist senior citizens in living independently. Elliott worked with a team that was speciﬁcally focused on creating natural language interface so that the robots can initiate conversation and respond with conversational language. Ideally, the robot might be able to remind the user that it is time to go to an appointment, tell them the weather report, and then remind them to grab a sweater—providing both a functional purpose and social interaction.Elliott credits his Introduction to Engineering class at Woodward for preparing him for this opportunity. In fact, he learned about the internship program through his engineering teacher.“My career goal is to become a robotics engineer, so working on this project with mentors from GTRI was an incredible learning experience,” shared Elliott. “Using Python to code a Raspberry Pi and develop AI that could help senior citizens live independently combined two of my passions: robotics technology and community service. The possibilities for AI really are unlimited and I am so excited to be able to be doing this kind of meaningful work in high school.” Robots for Retirees

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31QuantifyingIn completing the Compassion Capstone requirement, Woodward seniors demonstrate not only their capacity as students, but their grasp of the human strule.It is generally accepted that graduating from Woodward–from any school, really–should amount to more than an accumulation of grades and test scores, a few cocurriculars, and a hermetically sealed experience. It’s as much about the growth of the heart and the mind, about what students carry with them from this step in life to the next, and about what will serve them, in some measure, through all the steps that come after. But how does one gauge a student’s capacity for thinking and feeling in the wider world?To that end Woodward instituted the Compassion Capstone requirement in the fall of 2020. Students select a topic or cause that matters to them, examine it thoroughly in a class setting over the course of a semester, research it further on their own, and ﬁnally present a compelling idea or solution in relation to that topic. The addition came a few years after the Upper School transitioned from a six-period to a seven-period day, making space for students to add a course dedicated to concepts that were not as overtly tied to college prep: examinations of ethics, religion, philosophy, and other high-minded pursuits.Compassion

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32WOODWARD WINTER 2022In the BeginningRev. Katie O’Dunne, who was instrumental in the creation of the Compassion Capstone requirement, along with Dr. Jonathan Merrill, said she ﬁrst became aware of the need for a better way for students to engage with weightier topics before she even taught her ﬁrst class on campus: “As I was coming in, students were not particularly enthusiastic about there being a [comparative] religion requirement,” said O’Dunne. “I remember starting and getting emails over the summer before I had even met the students about trying to get out of my class. And I thought, ‘OK I really would love for students to think religion is cool and enjoy it.’”Initial efforts focused on broadening interest in and engagement with the comparative religion requirement. The class was reconﬁgured as a multi-step process whereby students got an overview of several faith traditions before being asked to focus on one and examine its approach to solving a given problem. O’Dunne cites an especially compelling example: “Two years ago someone was looking at the topic of suffering across different faith traditions and the ways the different religions view the idea of human suffering and attempt to alleviate that suffering. And that came, for them, out of this really big interest in Buddhism. But then they were able to look across all of these different faith traditions and come to some conclusions about those different religions and the way that they represent and understand the mental health concerns of adolescents.”Given more ownership of the topics, O’Dunne said, student interest ﬂourished. “I really wanted for it not to be like all of their other classes–a test-based course or an assessment-based course–but a course where they could really dive into content that they are passionate about and walk out feeling like an expert on something that they really care about and something that they’re going to really use in the world.”With that success in hand, O’Dunne and Merrill sought to expand that student engagement to other areas of inquiry, cementing the Compassion Capstone concept.Subject: MedicineStudent: Michael Tye ’22Topic: Addiction and the Opioid EpidemicSubject: TechnologyStudent: Alex Anderson ’22Topic: Ethical Dilemmas in the Development of Artiﬁcial IntelligenceSubject: TechnologyStudent: Kabir Patel ’22Topic: The Misuse of Personal Information

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33Building a CapstoneThere are three basic components that are common to all of the Capstone classes:A deep-dive research project focused on building research skills and ﬁrming up writing skills in service of a topic that is of deep interest to the student, giving them the agency that is key to the Compassion Capstone concept.Engaging in a topic of understanding. The goal of all of these topics and the subject matter of the Compassion Capstone courses, whether it’s religion, a contemporary political issue, or issues in science and technology, is understanding a complex issue from multiple perspectives.A presentation in one of ﬁve formats: formal presentation, TED Talk, podcast, Google Site, or poster session.That third component was added in concert with the addition of the new Pechter Family Digital Lab (for more on the lab, please see pg. 18) in the library, providing upgraded maker spaces to support the various modes of presentation that the Capstone classes would be producing.Subject: JusticeStudent: Julia Dickson-Lah ’21Topic: Restoring the Right to Vote: Felon Disenfranchisement with a Focus on FloridaSubject: JusticeStudent: Carly Breland ’21Topic: The Ethics of Torture

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34WOODWARD WINTER 2022COVID ComethAs initially conceived, students would make public presentations of their capstones in front of a fairly large audience. The arrival of COVID forced a more modest approach. “So far what we’ve gotten is mostly recorded presentations or podcasts or TED talks that are recorded,” said Merrill. “But deﬁnitely in the future the concept is to have public forums with poster sessions or class meetings with TED talks or parent nights with public presentations.”The unfortunate timing of COVID’s arrival also threatened to derail the entire Compassion Capstone rollout, said Merrill. “The explanation of this new scheduling requirement happened in the spring of 2020 when we were doing the scheduling process–which was when we were in complete shut down. So the ability to communicate the nuances of this new graduation requirement while, for the very ﬁrst time, students were completing their scheduling completely independently online, was quite challenging.”Subject: FoodStudent: Sayjal Woods ’22Topic: The Truth of Food Fraud: Dilemmas of GMOsSubject: Public PolicyStudent: Rusna Sangha ’22Topic: The Legalization of MarijuanaSubject: Public PolicyStudent: Darya Nayebi ’21Topic: The Gender Pay Gap & The Paycheck Fairness Act

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35The FutureDespite those challenges the capstones have proven remarkably successful and popular with both students and faculty. The number and breadth of capstone class offerings has expanded. “We’re still in the phase of adding to the number of courses that satisfy the capstone,” said Merrill. “I teach a class called ‘Dilemmas in Justice,’ which looks at contemporary policy issues. Added this year was a course called ‘Dilemmas in Science and Technology,’ which is a very speciﬁc take on that same notion, looking at issues such as driverless car technology or artiﬁcial intelligence. So I can deﬁnitely see those sorts of course offerings continuing to grow in the future.”Merrill said another way the capstone program may evolve is rotating in different teachers to vary the approach, maximize classes available, and ensure that teachers don’t burn out. “A lot of teachers have said, ‘Wow, I’ve got a great idea for a capstone class. Could I do that?’ So one of the things we’ve talked about is maybe rotating the teachers that are teaching the capstone courses so that the ideas and the course material are always fresh.”The form capstone projects take may also evolve. O’Dunne cited examples of students approaching their capstones as art pieces, exploring deep concepts through the composition of a piece of music or a painting. Future capstones might also be established as ongoing endeavors, such as a podcast that continues to generate episodes after the student graduates, or a website that provides a support service.Whatever comes next for the Compassion Capstones, their fundamental inspiration and purpose will always be at the forefront: To give students the chance to prove their place as thoughtful, compassionate citizens of the world.“For me, it shouldn’t stop at Woodward,” said O’Dunne. “It’s that they’re learning how to have these conversations. It’s that they’re learning how to engage in this material so that when they go beyond this place they really can do something powerful with that.” Subject: TechnologyStudent: Bennett Jacobson ’22Topic: The Black Box DilemmaSubject: MedicineStudent: Austin Pierson ’22Topic: Medical Ethics in Practice and Research

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38WOODWARD WINTER 2022Left: 1956 Ford AngliaTop: Bob Evans ’56 (left) and Bob Schorr ’56, Ph.D. (right)The Greatest Prank of the Decade (or, the Ford in Founders)GMA MEMORIESIt was a warm April morning, 1956, as I entered the campus around 7:45 a.m. I lived off campus, in East Point, and was often referred to as a “Day Dog.” As a cadet lieutenant colonel in the Cadet Ofﬁcers Corp, I often arrived on campus before the ﬁrst academic formation at 8:15 a.m. These are my recollections of events that took place that morning:I sensed a strange mood as soon as I entered the campus. Cadets were standing around in small groups, snickering or laughing amongst themselves. I immediately ﬁgured that something was up.The public address system came alive at once; it was Col. Burnett, the commandant, ordering all cadet ofﬁcers to report to the Guard Room, on the double.Upon entering the Guard Room, we were informed that several students, identities unknown, had lifted a small English Ford Anglia up a ﬂight of steps into the entrance of Founders Hall, blocking doorways into two classrooms, as well as the library.Col. Burnett was furious. Col. Brewster (then president of the school) was similarly livid. Someone had alerted the Atlanta Journal, and a photographer had been sent out and taken a photograph which was to appear in that day’s afternoon edition.Col. Burnett immediately ordered: “You ofﬁcers do what you have to do, but get that damned thing out of there, at once.”We quickly assembled ﬁve or six of the biggest guys we could ﬁnd, and they lifted it back out. I always felt that two or three of those guys had had a really easy time doing it. (Perhaps they had practice?)I do not recall if anyone was ever found guilty of being involved, or if anyone was ever reprimanded for their participation. There was no damage to property. It was just a senior prank.P.S. The photo did appear in the Journal’s afternoon edition. —Bob Evans ’56Have a GMA memory to share? Email us at magazine@woodward.edu.Some seniors, with ingenuity and team effort, disassembled the Academy-owned English Ford Anglia and hoisted it into the Founders Hall lobby. When Colonel Burnett, the stern yet fair, long-enduring, tight-lipped, hard-bitten, cadet-feared Commandant of Cadets, later discovered the incident was going to be in the Atlanta Journal, the Fury of the Gods descended on the campus. —Bob Schorr ’56, Ph.D.VAUXFORD

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39Sachin Shailendra ’96 was named the Woodward Academy Distinguished Alumni for 2021. Past president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, Sachin attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned his degree in civil engineering. He is the founder and president of SG Contracting, and he is known for his integrity, honesty, and commitment to client satisfaction. Today, his company has an extensive portfolio of new construction and renovation projects on which he works with property owners, subcontractors, architects, and designers. Sachin is serving his second term as the chair of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta and the Atlanta Police Foundation. He also is a board member of both the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Sports Network and the Georgia REACH Foundation, which works to ensure that low-income, academically promising students have the academic, social, and ﬁnancial support they need to graduate from high school and access college. Sachin resides in Atlanta with his wife, Stacy Galan Shailendra, and their twins, Sydney and Sutton.Honoring the 2021 Alumni Award RecipientsEvery year, the Woodward Academy Alumni Association honors two graduates who are making important contributions to our school, our communities, and our world. The Distinguished Alumni Award goes to a graduate with a history of signiﬁcant achievement, both professionally and personally. The Alumni Service Award honors a graduate who has dedicated themselves to serving our school as well as the communities around them.ALUMNI AWARDSJustin H. Alexander ’99 received the Alumni Service Award for 2021. Justin became involved with the Alumni Association after serving on the Big Chill host committee and his class reunion committee, eventually joining the Alumni Association Board of Directors in 2016 and leading the board as president in 2019-2020. Justin most recently served as a vital member of the Academy’s Anti-Racism Task Force, and he is a founding member of the Black Alumni Association. Justin holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard College. He serves as a vice president for global marketing/brand management at InterContinental Hotels Group and lives in the Atlanta area with his wife, Tamu Brown, M.D, and their son, William.DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDSachin Shailendra ’96Justin H. Alexander ’99ALUMNI SERVICE AWARDSUPPORTING WA

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WOODWARD WINTER 202240while doing prospective student interviews for my college alma mater, Northwestern, long before I had children. I loved how smart and yet how grounded the Woodward students were. The Woodward candidates had an “it” factor that was so authentic and real, whereas many other students I interviewed from peer institutions seemed rehearsed or programmed to ﬁt a mold. I also witnessed the intelligent conversations that happen in the Lower School hallways during a tour, and it reinforced my desire for my kids to go to a school where learning was cool. Tejal: I’m a Vintage Eagle. I started in prekindergarten, and my brother is a Woodward graduate, having started in second grade. You can say Woodward Academy is a family affair. I formed many friendships at Woodward that endure even today. I had exceptional experiences that not only shaped my academic life, but also broadened and enhanced my character development. My hope is that my son will encounter the same opportunities for educational and self-growth, and continue the family legacy.Why is it important to you to support The Woodward Fund?Emily: I truly believe there’s no better investment than my children’s education. The Woodward Fund is just that—an investment in their future. Tejal: Donors to The Woodward Fund include parents, grandparents, teachers, administrators, and alumni. Supporting The Woodward Fund is an example of how the whole of Woodward comes together to support the three pillars of our motto—Excellence, Character, and Opportunity—all of which are crucial to fostering our students’ development. Can you tell us about some speciﬁc ways your children have beneﬁted from resources provided by The Woodward Fund?Emily: My kindergartner is all-smiles on the new tricycles on the During the six-week fALLIN parent fundraising campaign, Woodward’s generous parents rallied together to support The Woodward Fund, achieving 51 percent overall parent participation. Primary School parents in particular were champs, reaching the highest participation of our ﬁve schools with 77 percent. We talked with PS Parent Community Co-Chairs Emily Miller and Tejal Desai Kassatly ’90 about why parent participation is important and why they choose to support Woodward with their time and resources. Tell us a bit about yourselves and your children.Emily: I have four children attending Woodward from kindergarten to sixth grade. I’m a former CNN documentary producer with a background in investigative journalism. Now it often feels like I just investigate lone socks and who didn’t put all their dirty socks in the hamper, but I’m also currently pursuing my master’s in creative writing and literature through Harvard’s Extension School. Tejal: I have one child in the Primary School. He started Woodward in prekindergarten and is currently in the second grade. I’m a Woodward graduate. After graduation, I attended Vanderbilt University and later pursued my master’s degree at Emory University. I’m a practicing physician assistant specializing in anesthesia, and I have a multitude of hobbies, with my favorites being crafting, cooking, and decorating, but for now soccer ﬁlls my morning, noon, and night. Why did you choose Woodward for your kids?Emily: I ﬁrst heard about Woodward fALLIN FabulousDynamic Mom Duo Leads Primary School to Highest fALLIN ParticipationFor more information about new giving categories or to make a gift, visit woodward.edu/giving or reach out to naylene.felt@woodward.edu or 404.765.4036.PS Parent Community Co-Chairs Tejal Desai Kassatly ’90 and Emily Miller.

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41playground at the Primary School. As a former baller, I love that he and my second-grader get to experience the new basketball hoop on the playground. My Lower School children are both beneﬁting from the expanded orchestra room with one of them regularly escaping there during recess for the Fiddle Club. I look forward to seeing the new technology and resources all my kids will enjoy in the coming years! Tejal: If my son knew the movie Jerry Maguire, he would say, “You had me at playground.” There is not an activity outdoors that he does not enjoy, and we always look forward to seeing what is added year to year. As a former Woodward band member, I have enjoyed attending concerts where the children have the opportunity to show their skills while playing a variety of quality instruments. These are all opportunities made possible with these contributions.What is the secret to your success? How did you get such high participation at the Primary School?Emily: Tejal and I developed an unexpected friendship as leaders at the Primary School Parent Community. We put our heads together one morning and decided we needed to challenge homerooms to reach 100 percent parent participation—anything less didn’t meet our level of commitment to our kids’ futures. We challenged homerooms with the special incentive of the kids getting to “wrap up” the principal and assistant principal in holiday wrapping paper for the top ﬁve homerooms. We were blown away by the response. Not only did multiple homerooms hit 100 percent, we had ﬁve homerooms tie for ﬁfth place—all just one gift shy of 100 percent. Tejal: I used to think I was pretty creative until I met Emily. Our minds work in similar ways, and we share a drive to succeed and a passion for Woodward Academy. We are motivated by a desire to make the lives of our children and the school better. With this thinking at the forefront, we turned our focus to simple pleasures. We thought about ways to make The Woodward Fund FUN! How could “wrapping up” the principals be anything less than fun? From this idea, we witnessed the parents, kids, and principals become completely enthusiastic and supportive.What do you like about the Woodward community?Emily: People like Tejal are why I love Woodward. As a Woodward graduate and parent, she embodies the Woodward spirit, a deep love and respect for education and others. She also has that “it” factor, an authenticity that’s nurtured in the halls and classrooms of Woodward Academy. You can be you. What a gift for our children!Tejal: Amazing friendships can form even when you are out of school. And that is exactly what has occurred for me with Emily. We’re a team that shares the same vision for our children and school—a team that believes the more we invest in our school, the more our children will reap the rewards. We have a common goal to provide our children with the same, if not better, opportunities than we had. We are, however, not just a team of two. Our team is made up of an amazing Parent Community Board, parents, and friends from the Woodward community, and we all encourage and strive for the same dynamic throughout the school. PETER HOEYALUMNI BRIEFSJoin WA ConnectJoin WA Connect! WA Connect is an online community of Woodward Academy and GMA alumni that allows you to reconnect with old classmates while building new relationships within the trusted professional Woodward Academy network. Stay connected to Woodward’s vast alumni community by joining WA Connect at woodwardconnect.com. A community of more than 12,000 means that a Woodward connection is never far away.CALENDARThe Alumni Ofﬁce hosts frequent virtual and in-person events for Woodward alumni. Upcoming events are listed, with signup available, at woodward.edu/alumni/events.Jan. 25Denver Regional EventJoin us at Punch Bowl Social in Denver!Feb. 11The Big ChillPlan to join us February 11, 2022, at the Delta Flight Museum.April 211 Day for WAPlan to rally together with fellow Woodward Academy alumni in this annual tradition of reconnecting and reminiscing with classmates while supporting The Woodward Alumni Fund. April 29-30Golden War Eagle WeekendThe Class of 1972 will celebrate its 50th reunion.

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WOODWARD WINTER 202242Brig. Gen. Robert L. “Steve” Stephens is the grandfather of four, including one Woodward Academy alumna. He is a father of three, and husband of nearly 60 years to a former teacher. He also is retired from a remarkable 30 years of military service; but, rather than recounting stories of his own career, he spoke about his family’s journey during Woodward’s Veterans Day program in November and paid homage to the sacriﬁces of all veterans and their families. Gen. Stephens and his wife, Olivia Bennett Stephens, are grandparents to Olivia Henderson ’19, whose parents are Stephanie Stephens, Academic Dean in the Upper School, and Kevin Henderson, Middle School social studies teacher. In her earlier life, Stephanie followed in her father’s footsteps by serving in the military; her husband Kevin is a veteran as well.“There are many reasons why veterans choose to serve their country,” Gen. Stephens said. “In my case, I graduated from a segregated high school in the poorest part of West Virginia. I went to an Historically Black College, now a university. I was required to take courses in the Reserve Ofﬁcer Training Corps, better known as ROTC. I fell in love with the military and knew by the end of my ﬁrst semester that someday I would become an ofﬁcer.”After graduating from college, he and his wife married just 60 days before Gen. Stephens was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry in the U.S. Army. Over the years, their military journey took them to points all around the world, with Gen. Stephens serving in every leadership position, from infantry riﬂe Brigadier General Salutes Military Families on Veterans DayCaptionplatoon leader to assistant division commander of an Infantry Division. He served as a Special Forces “A Team” leader in Latin America, commanded two companies during combat in Vietnam, and commanded an Infantry Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington. He also commanded a one-of-a-kind forward deployed Separate Infantry Brigade in the Republic of Panama, where, as a Spanish speaker, he led the Army’s ﬁrst Joint Task Force to ﬁnd and destroy drug laboratories in Bolivia. Gen. Stephens also commanded the Joint United States Military Advisory Group in Bangkok, Thailand, and his last military assignment was as director of the Joint Armed Forces Inaugural Committee that planned and conducted ceremonial activities in the ﬁrst inauguration of President Bill Clinton. Meanwhile, his family moved 32 times. “In our case, the military system got two for the price of one. Olivia also is a college graduate and taught school everywhere we served, even in Panama and in Bangkok, Thailand,” he said, adding that all three of their children moved just before starting their senior year of high school.Once, early during their career, Gen. Stephens and his wife considered leaving the Army. He had returned from his ﬁrst tour in Vietnam to attend the Advanced Infantry School at Fort Benning, Ga., and then received orders to teach ROTC at Alfred University in rural New York state. “After realizing there were ﬁve Black people in that little town, and four of them were in our family, I seriously considered resigning from the military and not moving our family there, but after discussing it we decided to do it for three years.” In that time, the couple had their third child, and Gen. Stephens earned a master’s degree in education. From there, he was Guest speaker Brig. Gen. Robert L. “Steve” Stephens, part of the Tyler Brown Leadership Series, attended Woodward’s Veterans Day events with his daughter, Stephanie Stephens, Academic Dean for Woodward’s Upper School, and his wife, Olivia Bennett Stephens.

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43posted to the prestigious U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and, after another year of study, was awarded a degree in military arts and sciences. “As it turned out, [Alfred] was the best place we had lived up to that point in our military journey.”Serving in the military was a great uniﬁer, he added. “We came from all walks of life. As we entered the service, we probably did not have a lot in common with our fellows but as we served, we recognized several common bonds. We learned to be members of a team. We learned to have pride, determination, dedication to duty, and, above all, integrity.” In 1993, Gen. Stephens retired from the Army and began a post-military career that included appointments as director of personnel for the State of West Virginia and deputy commissioner of the Georgia Merit System of Personnel Management. He later worked for Eagle Group International, directing a command post exercise program for the U.S. Army Reserves. From 2004 to 2012, he served as a student advisor in the School of Business, vice president for External Relations, and executive assistant to the president at Clayton State University.After settling in Georgia, his family connected him with Woodward Academy. Granddaughter Olivia, now a junior at Syracuse University, lived with her grandparents for a time when her parents were serving in Kuwait. “Unfortunately, there were times when they both were away at the same time. She came to live with us on Lake Spivey, and her grandmother drove her back and forth every day. That’s our connection more than anything else to Woodward.”Many young families continue to sacriﬁce just as their family did, Gen. Stephens said. “Members of the military endure long separations, often missing important events of family life like birthdays, celebrations, signiﬁcant religious events, and holidays. Worse than that, they know they may be required to put their lives on the line for our country at any time. Today we celebrate their service to our nation and their commitment to duty, honor, and country.” EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEPRESIDENTSuzanna Sanchez ’00PRESIDENT-ELECTMatt Brill ’91TREASURERJulie Davis Couch ’88SECRETARYRiah Greathouse ’03PAST PRESIDENTAlok Deshpande ’94DIRECTORSJustin Alexander ’99Danny Bernstein ’03Andy Cameron ’83Barrett Cornelius ’09Virginia Serrato Johnston ’78Torrance Mosley ’94Ryn Pollard ’05Tiffany Turner Reynolds ’98Robin Beck Stokes ’06Todd Williamson ’01YOUNG ALUMNI COUNCIL Erik Benjamin ’14Justin Berger ’17Tucker Grifﬁn ’12Kelly Guest ’13Alexandre Hurley '18Nancy Hogan McFerrin ’11Christian Raver ’15BLACK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ADVISORY BOARDChloe Adams ’18Nicole Adams ’76Justin Alexander ’99Kelsey Darden ’09Clarence Davis ’74Kyra Freeman ’14Riah Greathouse ’03Dana Jefferson ’87Nat Johnson ’12Valaurie Bridges Lee ’90Branden May ’07Jia Herring McClain ’04Morgan McKinnon ’12Damian Pryor ’99Madison Quarles ’19April Ripley ’92Kendall Roney ’12Benjamin Russell ’13Jessica Cooke Scarborough ’00Latanya Tripp Simmons ’92Lori Smith ’20Steven Smith ’13Robert Stewart ’91Eric Thomas ’85Winnie Wilkins Thompson ’88THE WOODWARD/GMA ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONWe exist to serve and engage our alumni community by cultivating a mutually beneﬁcial relationship between the Academy and its alumni that reaches far beyond the student experience. Our ofﬁce is located in the Ann and Ben Johnson ’61 Center on Main Campus.WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!Kelsey Darden ’09, Director of Alumni Relations, kelsey.darden@woodward.edu, 404.765.4035Cameron Parks, Alumni Engagement Coordinator, cameron.parks@woodward.edu, 404.765.40382021-22 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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WOODWARD WINTER 202244Chad Carson ’98, Football, with Coach Dale Wiins Academy Inducts 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of FameFormer student-athletes, coaches, and championship teams were honored in November at a reception for the Athletic Hall of Fame induction classes of 2020 and 2021.  INDUCTEESSamuel Bailie ’53Chad Carson ’98Coach Petty Ezell (1939-2020), Former Athletic DirectorCoach Steve Reed, Former Boys Soccer Coach1959 Gymnastics Team ¢ Harry Haisﬁeld ’59 ¢ Charles Almand ’60 ¢ Bob Smith Jr. ’61 ¢ Corky Kell Jr. ’61 ¢ Denny Sanderson ’62 ¢ Tom Bradbury ’63 ¢ Dick Terry ’58 ¢ Oscar Arismendi ’59 ¢ William Kramer ’59 ¢ Leroy Werts ’59 ¢ Dick Wiley ’59 ¢ Mike Gillis ’62 ¢ R.M. Castleberry ¢ F.S. Greene ¢ M.L. Henderson ¢ Coach Ira Sanderson INDUCTEESDavid Archer ’78Caitlin Cooper ’14Coach Pete Fritts Sr.Zoey Morton ’11Dr. Joseph Wilkes, Former Team Physician1959 Swim Team ¢ Brian Baker ’59 ¢ T.G. Baker ¢ William Baker ’59 ¢ Bill Cass ’59 ¢ Steve Dixon ’60 ¢ M.G. Donavan ¢ Jorge Enderica ’59 ¢ John Greenﬁeld ’59 ¢ Ken Grifﬁths ’59 ¢ John Kalmbach ’62 ¢ Ben Kennedy ’60 ¢ B.B. Lane ¢ Byron Manderson ’59 ¢ Jim McKay ’60 ¢ W.J. Shirley ¢ Ted Street ’59 ¢ Robert Waples ’59 ¢ Monte Wells ’59 ¢ Coach Les FoutsZoey Morton ’11, Volleyball (center)Steve Reed and children Katherine ’98, Tyler ’91, Nick ’98, and Doug ’94

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451967*Chris Roesel has written a second book on international charity called How to Improve the "World Quickly", which is available for purchase on Amazon.1968*Tom Lee resumed his travels through South Korea after a year-long stay in the United States, preparing for a three-week visit to the Korean “Hawaii” (Jeju Island). He spends a lot of time traveling the rails/parks and photographing the areas. His photography can be viewed at photosbytomlee.com/Korea-Trips.1969John Longino, feeling freed by the vaccine, spent March and April in Turkey, May in the Greek Isles, June at home, July and August in Central and South America, and September at home. John has plans to travel and hike in Turkey with side trips to Austria and Iran.1953*Eduardo Zayas-Bazán recently published his autobiography, "My Life", which is available for purchase on Amazon.1960*Jim McKay and his wife, Cyndi, live in their log cabin on the Watts Bar Lake impoundment of the Tennessee River in Ten Mile, near Oak Ridge, Tenn. They don’t swim much, but they pontoon on clear days, he reports. The couple spends at least one month each year at their beach condo in Orange Beach, Ala. Jim also recently passed his company, Yacht Surveyors, Inc., to his son-in-law, Joel Jenkins, and grandson, Reid.1962*John Forrester and his wife, Libby, downsized from their home on Lake Martin to Opelika, Ala., in National Village on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. They are thoroughly enjoying retirement in their new home, he says. The Forresters’ oldest grandson graduated from Mississippi State last year and is working on his master’s while their youngest is a junior at Ole Miss.1964*Bill Spencer and his wife, Susan, have spent ﬁve and a half months living in their new Colorado condo and enjoying hiking, biking, visiting family, and spending time with their new grandson. In January, they’ll be off to Florida for the winter then back to Colorado for the summer. They extend best wishes to all alums and especially the Class of 1964! Volunteer with the Alumni OﬃceOur alumni volunteers are the driving force behind getting alumni engaged and encouraging participation in The Woodward Alumni Fund. Reunion Volunteer—As a reunion volunteer you will play an important role in making Homecoming and Reunion Weekend fun and memorable for your class. We are looking to you to help encourage your classmates to return to Woodward, reconnect, and make Homecoming and Reunion Weekend a success. We are currently seeking volunteers for Classes ending in 2s and 7s, i.e. 2002 and 2007.Class Delegate—You will serve as the link between the Alumni Association and members of your graduating class by providing updates on alumni news and events and rallying their classmates during 1 Day for WA. Speak to Students—Join us virtually to speak to a student club or class assembly to share your college and career experiences. If you are interested in volunteering with the Alumni Ofﬁce, please contact alumni@woodward.edu or 404.765.4035.CLASS NOTES*denotes alumni of Georgia Military Academy

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46WOODWARD WINTER 2022SHARE YOUR NEWSSubmit your big news at woodward.edu/alumni/connect or email alumni@woodward.edu.1970£ Ted Smith was sorry to miss the Class of '70 reunion, but says a previously scheduled trip to France (postponed twice due to COVID) took precedence. During the trip, Ted took several pastry cooking classes, which might become a new career after his planned retirement at age 70 in June 2022 after 25 years with IBM. Ted says he’s still not sure what he wants to be when he grows up, but continues searching. Ted and his husband, David, reside in Knoxville, Tenn., and plan more traveling.1971£ Barbara Clemmons Nilson lives in Tallahassee, Fla., with her husband, Cliff. They have two, beautiful adult sons and daughters-in-law. Barbara teaches piano lessons, and Cliff is deputy director for the Florida Department of Management Services. Their oldest son is a family doctor, and their youngest son is a lawyer.1972£ Roger Wilson is proud to announce that he is now a grandpa twice over. He also has been busy writing and releasing songs for his 27th CD from his home recording studio. The latest project, A Spiritual Awakening, was released in November 2021 on his label, Bluestorm Records. All of his music is available via the commercial streaming sites. In addition, he continues to teach guitar online. Videos can be found on his YouTube channel, RogerWilsonGuitar, as well as www.HurricaneWilson.com.19 74Sam Silverstein recently published his 11th book, "The Theory of Accountability." Sam is the founder and CEO of The Accountability Institute, LLC, the certifying organization for the Certiﬁed Accountability Advisor. Sam and his wife, Renee, live in St. Louis.Richard Wilkins became a grandfather on July 1, 2021, to Sean Owen Wilkins, who Richard calls his new favorite person.1975Lou Lacy Brackett and husband, Robert, welcomed their ﬁrst grandchild, Bristol Jean. Both Lou and Robert are semi-retired and live in Pine Mountain, Ga.1977Bobby Beard has been working in his New York art studio. He opened the Print House, an experimental art exhibition space in Stuyvesant, N.Y., in the Hudson Valley. Once the building is renovated, the Print House will be part of Selma’s House, an artist’s residency for mid-career artists. Selma’s House is named in honor of Beard’s mother, a lifelong artist, who passed away December 27, 2020, at almost 101 years. She was actively making art until that day.Lee Crowe became a full-time professor of animation at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga., in August 2020. She teaches traditional animation classes focusing on the history of animation, storyboarding, basic principles, character acting, hand-drawn special effects, and production. Two senior ﬁlms she advised on last year were chosen for the Association International du Film Animation-Hollywood’s student ﬁlm showcase.1980Paul Katz and his wife, Rebekah, moved to Broken Arrow, Okla., a suburb of Tulsa, after a decade living in Tampa, Fla. Paul says they moved to Broken Arrow—nicknamed the “Green Country”—to escape Florida’s brutal year-round heat and humidity and to start a new chapter. After becoming disabled in 2002, Paul lost a daughter and his father. Rebekah was diagnosed with brain cancer, but is coming up on ﬁve years cancer-free and has just returned to OB-GYN nursing.

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47John Dowden lives in Wilmington, N.C., and says he is still the wittiest member of the Class of 1988.Michelle Maxwell Johnson was named director of Recreation & Cultural Arts for the City of College Park in June 2020. In May 2021, Michelle reached 25 years of working for the city. Her new role includes working with a former Woodward Academy classmate, Jason Causey ’88, in the management and operations of the City of College Park Municipal Golf Course. She also coordinates grant funding for special projects for the city, which includes a soccer mini-pitch, splash pad, park playground, and facility improvements.1990Valaurie Bridges Lee and her team at The Wellness Spot extend a warm word of thanks to the Woodward community. In addition to showing overwhelming generosity during the Best Foot Forward Shoe Drive, they report that Woodward War Eagles continue to be among the most avid supporters of the spa and ﬁtness studio. ¤Jason Rogers Williams was elected New Orleans District Attorney in December 2020. He was sworn in on January 11, 2021. Previously he served as president of the New Orleans City Council for two terms.1992Katie Mouchet Inglis and Tom Inglis ’92 launched Khakis Down Rum Company. The rum is currently available in Georgia, Florida, and Texas. For more information, visit khakisdown.com.1993Matt Chatham recently began working as an independent business consultant representing Aﬂac. His focus is working with small businesses throughout the metro Atlanta area and all of Georgia to help them recruit and retain employees through improved beneﬁts. He works out of the Kennesaw Aﬂac Region Ofﬁce, part of Aﬂac’s Georgia North market.1996Jason Dorough published his ﬁrst novel, "Akithar’s Greatest Trick," in July 2021. The book has ranked on several fantasy bestseller lists at Amazon. When he’s not writing, Jason works as a voiceover artist.1983Je Hannon retired from the Army as a colonel after 34 years. His ﬁnal tour was teaching at the National War College. Previously, Jeff served at the Pentagon and throughout the United States. He also served in Germany, Bosnia, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Korea. Jeff is now a second-year Ph.D. student in political science and international affairs at the University of Georgia. His wife, Katherine, is a licensed professional counselor. They have been married for 12 years, have ﬁve children, and live in Virginia. ¤Timothy Mallard assumed his new duty as the Director of Ethical Development & College Chaplain at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pa., following the July 2021 conclusion of his assignment as Command Chaplain for the U.S. Army-Europe & Africa.1988Marcee Healy Deegan moved back home to Marietta, Ga., after spending the last 27 years in Manhattan, N.Y.

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48WOODWARD WINTER 20221998£ Jody Benz was recently promoted to the civilian rank of GS-15 within the Department of Defense. She works for the Army National Guard in Arlington, Va., as the Deputy for the Readiness and Plans Division. During the onset of the pandemic, Jody and her husband, Ryan, welcomed their third child, Steven “Roman” Benz. The family resides in Virginia where Ryan, recently selected for promotion to the rank of major in the U.S. Army, is a strategist at the Pentagon.1999Lauren Johnson was named co-anchor of the evening newscast at ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham. During her preceding tenure at Fox 29 news in Philadelphia, she covered the deadly Amtrak derailment, the pope’s visit to Philadelphia, the Democratic National Convention, the NFL Draft, the Eagles Super Bowl-winning season, both Bill Cosby trials, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the local civil unrest surrounding the murder of George Floyd. Johnson will co-anchor the evening Eyewitness News team at 5, 6, and 11 p.m. as well as the 10 p.m. newscast on CW22. 2000Bart Elmore published his second book, "Seed Money: Monsanto’s Past and Our Food Future" (W.W. Norton), which explores the environmental history of the St. Louis chemical company that became the largest genetically engineered seed seller in the world. "Seed Money", which won a major prize from Harvard University’s and Columbia University’s journalism schools, builds on Elmore’s ﬁrst book, "Citizen Coke: The Making of Coca-Cola Capitalism", an award-winning account of how Coca-Cola acquired natural resources from around the world, including caffeine from Monsanto. Elmore has partnered with Erin Skinner Cochran ’00, who is helping manage the "Seed Money" book tour. Cochran now runs a successful branding company called Iced Coffee, Please. She lives in Maine with her husband and three daughters.2001Jennifer Blake-Mahmud accepted an assistant professor position in the Biology Department of Hope College in Holland, Mich.Farisa Khalid recently completed a Ph.D. in English from George Washington University. She reports she has enjoyed teaching GW undergraduates these past few years and remembers her English teachers at Woodward with fondness, warmth, and gratitude.2002£ Wendell White accepted a position on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) as a professional staff member after working on defense policy on Capitol Hill for more than eight years. A graduate of Mercer University School of Law and U.S. Army War College, he will support the Readiness Subcommittee with a portfolio that includes Army operations and maintenance and operational energy. Wendell graduated from Johns Hopkins University with his M.B.A. in May 2021.2004Gino Brogdon was selected to join the second cohort of the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund, a $10 million initiative designed for Black founders. Gino is the co-founder and CEO of Fourth Party, a practice management solution for mediators and arbitrators. 

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492008Austin Hollimon was a 2013 Indoor National Champion in the distance medley relay, four-time All-America honoree, and 2021 U.S Olympic qualiﬁer in the 400 meter hurdles. He won a combined 11 Ivy League titles in individual events and relays while at Princeton University. He is now a J.D. candidate at the Howard School of Law, on track to graduate with cum laude honors.2009Hadrian Mendoza completed a medical degree at Yale University in 2021. He will undergo residency training in pediatrics at Emory University and intends to specialize in hematology-oncology.2011Sophia Gorgens graduated from Emory University School of Medicine in May 2020 and moved to New York in July 2021 to start an emergency medicine residency at Zucker-Northwell NS/LIJ. When Sophia’s not treating patients, you can ﬁnd her writing poetry about the medical humanities. Sophia’s most recent poem, "They Will Say That We Were Savages", was published in "Annals of Emergency Medicine", and she has two upcoming pieces in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" and "Annals of Emergency Medicine". Through the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association’s Leadership Academy, Sophia also is working on making medical humanities resources more widely available to healthcare professionals.2012Meredith Haynie received her B.A. in dance from The University of Alabama and returned in 2016 to Atlanta, where she had the opportunity to work with various companies including The Georgia Ballet, Atlanta Festival Ballet, and Komansé Dance Theater. During this time, she also taught at various dance studios throughout the Atlanta area and served as the ofﬁce manager at Dancefx Atlanta. Meredith opened The Dance Centre of Atlanta in August 2021 in East Point, Ga., with the hope of providing a space for those who wish to enhance their dance education and for those who simply want a fun way to stay active. Visit thedancecentreofatlanta.com.2014Caroline Crews moved to Denver and started a graduate program for a master’s in arts and culture management and marketing at the University of Denver. She also adopted the cutest corgi.Macie Sims received her doctorate of physical therapy degree from Georgia State University. She will begin her residency at Emory University Hospital in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in August. She is excited to begin her practice in neurologic physical therapy.Will Uphouse graduated last spring with a medical degree from the Mercer University School of Medicine. Last summer, he began a four-year internship and residency in anesthesiology at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.PARENTS OF ALUMNIIf this issue of the magazine is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please get in touch to update their mailing address by emailing alumni@ woodward.edu or calling 404.765.4038.2005Donald Taylor worked in Columbus, Ga., as an anesthesiologist at the Piedmont and Jack Hughston hospital systems for the past three years. In July, he and his wife, Jess, and their daughter, Clara, 3, moved to Huntsville, Ala., where Donald serves as an anesthesiologist at Crestwood Hospital. They are looking forward to being closer to the grandparents and are excited for the change.2007Ariella Ahlzadeh Kaplan started Atlanta Speech & Wellness LLC, after working in brain injury rehabilitation for nearly 10 years. Atlanta Speech & Wellness LLC is a private speech therapy practice specializing in cognitive communication therapy for adults and adolescents with acquired brain injuries. Ariella hopes to help her clients increase their independence and return to doing what they love.

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50WOODWARD WINTER 20222015Kennedy Prothro is a graduate of Spelman College, a two-time cohort of the HBCU in LA Program, and recently accepted member of NBCUniversal’s prestigious and highly competitive Page Program.JaKai Grooms graduated summa cum laude from Howard University in May 2021, earning a bachelor’s in elementary education. JaKai completed all requirements for licensure in Washington, D.C., and reciprocating states to teach grades 1-6. She decided to continue her education by pursuing a master’s in education (M.S.Ed.) with a focus on reading, writing, and literacy at the University of Pennsylvania. The reading/writing/literacy master’s is an interdisciplinary program focused on the study of literacy and language from sociopolitical, cultural, psychological, historical, and linguistic perspectives.J.R. Pace graduated three months early in March 2021 from Northwestern University, where he was a starter all four years on the football team and a captain his senior year. During his time at Northwestern, he also published two social justice videos dedicated to protecting young black lives.2019Jacob Willis interviewed two of the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Jacob, who is a physics and space science major at West Point, was chosen to ask questions as part of his involvement as co-captain of the school’s Astronomy Club. 20212017Carson Collins graduated from the University of Chicago in June 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with honors. Carson also received summa cum laude Latin honors and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. The University of Chicago Mathematics Department awarded him the Paul R. Cohen Memorial Prize for achieving the best record in mathematics for the Class of 2021. Carson was admitted to the University of California, Los Angeles, Mathematics Ph.D. in Fall 2021. Dyllan Larmond is a Scholastic Silver Key recipient and Atlanta Celebrates Photography ﬁnalist who received more than $1 million dollars in scholarships from Tufts University, Rhode Island School of Design, NYU, University of Vermont, Loyola Marymount University, The New School, Parsons School of Design, Minneapolis College of Art, and Design School of the Arts Institute of Chicago. Through SAIC and NYU’s honors art programs, Dyllan was offered paid trips to Europe for their exceptional art portfolio and also was ranked in the top 2% of applicants at SAIC. Dyllan attends NYU Steinhardt for Studio Art where they earned the Steinhardt Studio Art Talent Award, a Steinhardt Scholarship, and placement into the Steinhardt Global Honors Program. ¤

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51123WEDDINGS1 Katie Baxter ’04 and Nathan Xander were married on September 13, 2021, on Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland. Katie is a senior counsel at IPG and serves as the sole U.S. counsel for the full-service advertising agency R/GA. They live in Brooklyn, N.Y., with their beagle, Waylon.2 Deanna Wahl ’07, married Alvester Woolfolk on August 7, 2021, at Peachtree Christian Church, followed by a lovely reception at the Biltmore Ballrooms. The couple resides in Atlanta. Also in attendance were Celeste Gaines ’07, Aaron Ware ’07, Mshon Pulliam ’07, Robin Beck Stokes ’06, Hannah Hubbard ’07, Taylor Booth ’07, Branden May ’07, and Kristen Elliot ’07.3 Ben Suitt ’06 married Megan Callaghan in Bedford, N.H., with sister Mary Ellen Suitt Barnwell ’03, and close friends Stefan Merkel ’06, Duncan Thompson ’06, Eric Schub ’06, and Trey Vaught ’06 in attendance. Suitt completed his Ph.D. at Boston University in May 2021 in religious studies. Dr. Suitt is a contributor at the Costs of War Project. His work with post-9/11 era veterans was recently featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, NPR, New York Times, and other major outlets.Margaret Appleby ’10 married Reilly Stephens of Cockeysville, Md., on June 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. Margaret is a Ph.D. student in planning, governance, and globalization at Virginia Tech. The Stephens reside in Washington, D.C.Aliza Gray ’10 and Quinton Lucia ’10 got married on August 22, 2020, in Atlanta. Ryan Benk ’10 ofﬁciated the wedding. Also attending were Scott Mathew Greer ’10, Carl Jackson Jr. ’10, and Charlie Murphy ’10.Katherine Cooper ’01 married Tate Bowen on September 4, 2021.

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534 Risa Hayet ’12 married Cameron Bauman on July 24, 2021, in a beautiful and long-awaited ceremony. The couple married at the Ritz-Carlton Downtown in Atlanta, after COVID-19 forced a postponement in 2020. The couple met while attending the University of Alabama and have been together almost seven years. Cameron and Risa reside in Buckhead with their Goldendoodle puppy.5 Felicity Lloyd-Jones ’09 and George Stillwell married April 1, 2021, in Glencoe, Scotland. Due to the United Kingdom’s strict COVID lockdown regulations, no one was allowed to join them. Nevertheless, the couple reports that it was an amazing day and that they look forward to holding a future reception with family and friends.6 Cassie Van Orden ’16 and her wife, Katrina, got married on September 4, 2021, in Roanoke, Va. Sarah Kate Carpenter ’16 was a bridesmaid and Zach Orig ’16, Nicole Hoﬂand ’16, Jason Seeb ’16, and Gillian Jewell ’17 were in attendance.7 Kelsey Bilthouse ’11 married Bryan Stickney on April 10, 2021, on St. Simons Island, surrounded by friends, family, and several Woodward classmates, including Austin Northenor ’11, Hyatt Pearson ’11, Nancy Hogan McFerrin ’11, Greer Connolly ’11, and Liz Wright ’11. Kelsey and Bryan reside in the Buckhead area and enjoy playing tennis and golf on the weekends.8 Shelley Adams ’07 married Steven Vendryes of Brooklyn, N.Y., in June of 2021. The couple resides in Houston.9 Hannah Aiken ’13 married Nicolás Del Pozo, an Air Force pilot from Melbourne, Fla., on June 19, 2021, at Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta. Kennedy Krieg ’13, Maddy Donlan ’13, and Mallery Aiken ’10 attended as bridesmaids.10 Rob Lawrence ’03, son of former Chaplain Bob Lawrence and brother of Kim Lawrence ’00, married Elece Turnipseed Lawrence, current Middle School math teacher and cheer coach. Other Woodward alumni who were a part of the bridal party included Austin Ewing ’03, Dexter Brown ’03, Doug Killingsworth ’03, Labat Yancey ’02, Anthony Thomas ’98, Arlon Harper ’12, Walker Kessler ’20, Julian Cameron ’17, Michael Whitmore ’20, and Kynnedi Hines ’21. Current Woodward students that were in the wedding included Emani Turnipseed ’23, Cameron Thomas ’29, and Kendall Thomas ’31.6710

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54WOODWARD WINTER 202221 Mary Sessions ’01 and Antonio Salazar Cardozo welcomed their daughter, Phoebe Elena, on March 25, 2021.2 Nancy Tribble Ralston ’07 and her husband, Harris, welcomed their daughter, Jane “Janie” Connolly Ralston on April 11, 2021.3 Brittany Lloyd-Jones Kissel ’11 and Reeves Kissel ’11 welcomed James Ian Kissel to the world earlier this year.4 Ruthie Keister Snell ’06, husband, Freddy, and their daughter, Mills, welcomed Fred Wood “Woody” Snell V on June 22, 2021.5 Danielle Darling Collins ’07 and her husband, Shaun, welcomed their son, Ryder Fitzpatrick Collins on June 2, 2021.6 Ayanna Groves Young ’09 and her husband, Mark, welcomed their ﬁrst child, Edward James Young, into the world on July 5, 2021. He was born at Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines, Fla., at 10:19 p.m. weighing 7 lbs 3oz. The Youngs reside in Hollywood, Fla.7 Daniel Bernstein ’03 and Alex Lieppe Bernstein ’07 welcomed George Davis Bernstein on Sept. 22, 2021.EAGLETSNEW ADDITION? We’d love to share the great news with the Woodward community. Send us the announcement and a photo, and we’ll include it in the next edition of Woodward magazine.EMAILalumni@woodward.eduONLINE woodward.edu/ alumni/connect641375

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551943*John Pearson of Rosedale, Miss., died June 30, 2021. After graduating from GMA, John enlisted in the Navy and received his undergraduate degree and ofﬁcer training at Tulane University and Northwestern. He served as an ensign in the Navy in the Paciﬁc. After World War II, he attended The University of Mississippi Law School where he received his Doctorate of JurisPrudence. He then returned to his hometown of Rosedale, where he served as mayor from 1951 to 1957. He farmed and practiced law in Rosedale for many years, serving as attorney for the Bolivar County boards of supervisors, as well as West Bolivar County School board and attorney for the City of Rosedale. John was appointed delegate to the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. He served in the Mississippi State Legislature from 1966 to 1980. He was active in creating the Port of Rosedale and Great River Road State Park. John was elected Circuit Judge of Bolivar, Coahoma, Tunica, and Quitman counties before retiring after 44 years in public service. He was a lifelong member of Rosedale United Methodist Church. As a member of the Rosedale Rotary Club, he was named a Harris Fellow for outstanding service by Rotary Club International. He was awarded the National Medal of Honor by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. John enjoyed hunting and trap and skeet shooting, and golﬁng. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Katherine Myres Pearson.While we mourn those whom we have lost, we also remember and celebrate their lives, the people they were, and the work they did to leave a better world behind them.PASSAGES1946*Bill Terrell died April 6, 2021. After graduating from GMA, Bill served in the Coast Guard for three years on icebreaker ships. He later graduated from the University of Georgia Pharmacy School and worked as a pharmacist in Greenwood, S.C., before embarking upon a more than 40-year career with Wyeth Pharmaceutical Laboratories in Macon, Ga. Bill was active at Ingleside Baptist Church for 60 years, serving as chairman of the Board of Deacons, on the pastor search committee, on the building committee for the church’s worship center, and as a member of the Brotherhood Class. He was a Big Brother in his early years in Macon, a member of the Lions Club, and a member of the Macon Exchange Club. Bill enjoyed his men's bridge club and creating woodworking keepsakes for his family. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Nina.1947*Wilby Coleman, died July 9, 2021. After graduation, he continued on to Washington and Lee University, intending to obtain a master’s of business administration, but departing after earning his associate’s degree to follow his passion for art at the University of Georgia. After one quarter, Wilby decided on a more lucrative ﬁeld and pursued a law degree. He married Gretchen Eberhardt and was called to serve one term as an Air Force JAG ofﬁcer during the Korean War. Later, Wilby joined a law ﬁrm in Valdosta and started a family. He practiced law for 37 years, running his own successful law ﬁrm for the latter 20 years of his career. Gretchen died suddenly in 1968, and Wilby always said "the Cavalry arrived in 1970 in the form of a wonderful woman, Gloria Mederer," who became the mother and wife of the Coleman family. Wilby and Gloria shared everything, including a love for reading and education (often conjugating verbs in Latin at a moment's notice), poetry, cooking, and adventure. They found themselves delighting in life together hiking the Appalachian trail, becoming masterful cooks, riding bicycles through Europe, and adding one more girl to the family. Wilby became an avid snipe sailor and the founder of the Valdosta Yacht Club, ultimately winning the National and Minneford World point score trophies in competitive snipe sailing. Wilby’s hobbies also included playing the ﬁve-string banjo with a talented group of bluegrass pickers (including his children and friends) and planning and executing The Great Hahira Pick-In, a bluegrass festival that ran annually for 16 years. One day a friend suggested Wilby attend a blacksmith workshop and, just like a match, a new passion was ignited. He built a full blacksmith shop in his backyard. What started as weekends and nights in the shop soon bled into the weekdays, leading Wilby to retire from his law ﬁrm. He liked to say he felt like a "volcano" and that he had "sublimated the artistic impulse for 30 years." Wilby used found objects to create hundreds of art pieces, many incorporating lessons from science, mythology, religion, astronomy, old jokes, songs, common phrases, and history. In later years, after he’d lost Gloria and his sight, he persevered, relishing in picking the mountain dulcimer and listening to thousands of audiobooks to keep his mind sharp and alive.*denotes alumni of Georgia Military Academy

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56WOODWARD WINTER 2022a promoter for the Oglethorpe Speedway where he raced for many years in the Enduro Races and had a motorcycle race team that traveled everywhere. He also trained kids at Gordon Lott's boxing tent. He is survived by his wife, Sara.Malcolm “Mac” Wilson Jr., of Eufaula, Ala., died Jan. 30, 2021. He served in the U.S. Navy as a member of the Seabees. He was a member of VFW Post 5850, where he served as commander at one time. Mac graduated from Troy University with a Master's in Business Administration and a minor in English. A longtime member of Parkview Baptist Church, he is remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Jeanette.1954*Charles Brown of Grifﬁn, Ga., died Aug. 25, 2021. As a football coach, Charles had a love for the game and working with student-athletes. He not only taught them how to be excellent athletes, he inspired them to be successful in life both on and off the ﬁeld. During his coaching career, he was named region Coach of the Year numerous times with the highest honor being State of Georgia High School Coach of the Year for all classiﬁcations in 1975. Charles also enjoyed teaching Sunday School, studying his Bible, drawing and painting. He is survived by his wife, Etoile. 1955*Maurice Phillips died Feb. 19, 2019. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Carolyn. 1948*Raymond B. Reizner died Dec. 8, 2020, due to a bout of double pneumonia and complications from COVID-19.1949*Joseph Latimer of Marietta died peacefully on Aug. 9, 2021, with his loving family by his side. He graduated from Georgia Tech, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in textiles and was a member of Sigma Nu. He served in the U.S. Army for two years as a lieutenant and joined Russell Corporation in 1956. He was vice president of sales for the Russell Athletic brand and retired as vice president in the corporate marketing department. After retirement, he served for ﬁve years as executive director of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of St. James Episcopal Church and served as president of the Alexander City Kiwanis and lieutenant governor of Alabama Kiwanis. He was a member of the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Birmingham and served as president and chairman of Willow Point Golf and Country Club. Joseph was known as a southern gentleman who never met a stranger. He enjoyed traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends on Lake Martin.1950*Gene Blackburn of Neoga, Ill., died May 24, 2021. After graduating from GMA. he joined the U.S. Navy with an honorable discharge in 1955. Gene worked for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft as a ﬂight test section chief for 32 years. He and his wife, Sara, were married for 63 years before she preceded him in death. Active in his church, Gene also was the former musical director of the Duffy's Playhouse and a founding member of the band The Sharps, playing the trumpet. He enjoyed camping, ﬁshing, and boating. He is survived by one son.1951*Donald Corder, 89, of Orlando, Fla., died July 31, 2021.1952*Jack H. Gilmore died Sept. 12, 2021. Jack, a native of Savannah, Ga., attended Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Ga., from 1948 to 1949 where he was a commissioned ofﬁcer for Company I, played basketball and football team and was junior special drill platoon P.M. From 1950 to 1952, he served with the 2nd Platoon - E Company where he played football, was on the weightlifting team, and was the mid south boxing champ (124 weight class) for three consecutive years. After graduating from GMA in 1952, he joined the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. He was a recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, and Good Conduct Medal. He was a traveling record salesman until he opened Crazy Jack’s Records & Tapes (1972-1979), one of the largest record stores in the South. He also opened Crazy Jack’s Shoe Repair, which has been in business for 42 years. He tried to retire, but one year later opened The Original Crazy Jack’s & Grandson Shoe Repair. Other companies Jack operated alongside his children and grandchildren included Johnny Gilmore Pressure Washing, Travis Painter Pro Wash & Pressure Washing, Terri's Downtown Bar & Grill, and Daufuskie Site Prep on Daufuskie Island, S.C. He was a longtime member of the Fenian Society, the Old Man Softball Team, and the Cobra Club. He was

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571956*Patrick Curry died on May 6, 2021, at his home in Tuscola, Ill. After graduating from GMA, he attended Eastern Illinois University, earning an associates degree in engineering. His 47-year career as an engineer/draftsman included 25 years at U.S.I. in Tuscola and 11 years at Mid-State Tank Company in Sullivan, Ill., before he retired in 2003. He served nearly 30 years as a trustee for Garrett Township. He is survived by his wife, Sue, of 36 years.1957*Bob Clements of Cumming, Ga., died Aug. 8, 2021. Following graduation from GMA, Bob attended Georgia Tech, where he was drafted into the U.S. Air Force. Bob later worked for Link Belt, Brown and Root, Halliburton, and Team Industrial Services. He was a member and patron of the Billy Graham Association and attended a local Baptist Church. An avid golfer, Bob was a long-standing member and property owner of Country Club of the South. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Sharon. 1958*Phil Crawford died on April 19, 2021. After graduation from GMA, Phil joined the U.S. Army, where he became an air trafﬁc controller stationed at Fort Rucker, Ala. He served in the Army from 1959 to 1962. Phil's love of airplanes led him to get his commercial pilot license and instruct others to become pilots. In 1968, began work for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an air trafﬁc controller. His career with the FAA allowed him to live in many different locations throughout the United States; his favorite was Fairbanks, Alaska. After 24 years of service, Phil retired in 1992, returning to Kinston, N.C. He became very active in the community, including Boy Scouts of America, the SPCA, and Boykin Spaniel Rescue. The Kinston Noon Rotary Club was important to Phil. He served on numerous committees, holding multiple positions, most notably president (2000-2001), vice president (2002-2003), and 7730 District governor (2003-2004). Phil was a Paul Harris Fellow sustaining member. A lifelong member of Gordon Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Phil served as a deacon and elder. Phil is survived by his wife of 21 years, Lynn. 1960*Don McLane died Aug. 4, 2021. After graduating from GMA, he attended Mars Hill Junior College. Don retired as regional sales manager from Hanson Brick and was a member of Siloam Baptist Church. He was a member of the Jaycees and volunteered for the town of Ninety Six tourism program. His wife, Linda, preceded him in death.1962*Ron Cole died May 14, 2021. Ron was well known for his passion for the Great Seal of the United States and the founding of our country. He frequented many community celebrations with his displays on the Great Seal and reenactments of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. He had displays at both national political conventions, and repeatedly at the annual Constitution Week in Grand Lake, Colo. He started ﬂying early in life and was a U.S. Navy aviator of the F8 Crusader, stationed at NAS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, where he trained other Navy pilots. After his service, he followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a pilot for Eastern Airlines. United Airlines was his next stop. He ended his career as an instructor at the United Airlines Denver Training Center. Along the way, he earned his degree in Political Science at Florida International University. His advocacy was proven early as he became an Airline Pilots Association Union activist and chief spokesperson in the 1989 ALPA strike action against Eastern Airlines. He continued to be a voice for union and human rights throughout his life. He was a founding member of Keys to Peace, a local community building nonproﬁt. He was active in the Garden Club of the Upper Keys. He served several roles at the American Legion Post 333, Key Largo. He actively followed and engaged in politics. He seemingly never met a weird idea that wasn't intriguing to explore! Mostly, he sought peace. He is survived by his loving wife, Marilyn.1965*Samuel Waldman died March 9,2021, with Ellen, his wife of 51 years, and his two daughters, Elisa and Andrea by his side. He attended GMA for nine years before graduating as a captain with honors. He attended UGA, wrestled collegiately, and graduated with a B.A. in business. Sam worked for his family's steel and scrap metal operations, ﬁrst in Columbia, S.C., and later in his hometown of Savannah, Ga. In 1988, he moved with his family to Charlotte, where he opened his own scrap metal business.Ron White of Chattahoochee Hills, Ga., died on April 25, 2021. After attending GMA, he earned an engineering degree from Georgia Tech. Ron's career was in police and ﬁre communications, ﬁrst working for the City of East Point, where he met his future wife, Julie Long. After taking early retirement in 1986, he began working for Fulton County as 911 Operations Manager, from which he retired in

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58WOODWARD WINTER 20222015. He was a member of the East Point Avenue Methodist Church, where he and Julie were married. They later transferred to Southwest Christian Church. Ron was a gifted musician, playing piano and organ and singing in his church choirs, the GMA Glee Club, the Georgia Tech Glee Club, and later with the Southern Crescent Chorale. He is survived by his wife, Julie. 1968*Buxton L. Daniel died July 2, 2021. Following GMA, Bucky earned a degree in ﬁnance from the University of Georgia Terry School of Business. After college, he moved to Claxton, Ga., where he farmed and worked for the Department of Agriculture for several years, eventually being named Farmer of the Year in Evans County. He began working for the Department of Defense at Fort Stewart in a civilian position and remained employed there for 36 years until his retirement. In the mid 1990s, Bucky moved to Savannah, Ga., where he and his wife, Cathy, were married. During his time in Savannah, Bucky was known for his southern hospitality, welcoming all to enjoy his famous home-brewed "Bucky Beer" for which he grew his own hops, or perhaps wine he made from his own muscadine grapes, or his lively low country boils complete with music and Bucky’s singing with his brother and best friend, Cecil, who led the musical accompaniment on guitar or piano. Later, Bucky moved to Morganton, Ga., where he enjoyed camping, kayaking, ﬁshing, and gardening. He is survived by his wife, Catherine.1970Claudia Ward Devaney died Oct. 31, 2017, with her trusted dog, Abby, by her side. She is survived by her four children. 19 74Murray Pritchett died May 30, 2021. Murray worked for 45 years as an automotive mechanic, HVAC technician, aircraft mechanic, and landlord, eventually achieving his ultimate goal of owning his own business. He had a heart for serving others by helping them ﬁx their broken things. Survivors include his wife, Anna, and his sister, Elizabeth Pritchett Avera '74.1977Eugene Dykes died April 18, 2021. After graduating from Woodward, Gene became a Chi Phi at the University of Georgia. He pursued a career in commercial and residential real estate in Columbus, Ga., and in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., where he eventually retired. Due to his love of nature, he spent many years volunteering at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve in Ponte Vedra, and often said that he lived in paradise. His favorite activities were long walks on the beach with his wife, Catherine, and searching for sharks' teeth to add to his extensive collection. Above all else, he loved being a father to his three boys, hunting on his farm in Gay, Ga., game in Africa, and his signed Shelby Mustang GT500. He was a wonderful stepfather to Catherine's two daughters. He will best be remembered by his incredible sense of humor, contagious laugh, the fondness he had for his friends, and his infatuation with béarnaise sauce. Gene is survived by his wife, Catherine Mize Dykes.1978Richard Smith died March 25, 2021, following a battle with colon cancer. He served as a navigator in the U.S. Air Force following his graduation from The Citadel in 1982. He returned to Atlanta in 1986 and served in various positions at Brandon Hall School, AltaCare, Best Buy, and Walmart. He moved to Black Mountain, N.C., in 2016 and continued working for Walmart. Like his father, Richard was a talented musician and pursued a love of music throughout his life. He played the piano, organ, and tuba and was a member of the orchestra at First Redeemer Church in Cumming, Ga. He enjoyed volunteering as a square dance caller and had a keen interest in trains, theme parks, and roller coasters. Richard maintained close ties to friends in First Redeemer Church following his move to North Carolina. Their friendship and love sustained him, especially in his ﬁnal months.1979Steven Yauger, 60, died September 25, 2021. At the University of South Carolina, he was a member of the SAE fraternity. He was a Boy Scout and loved camping and the outdoors. Steve worked for many years as an orthopedic surgical supply consultant and most recently in sales and development for an auto racing-centered real estate concern. An avid cyclist and triathlete, Steve also played rugby and lacrosse. He enjoyed golf, skiing, tennis, and auto racing. He traveled internationally, including riding elephants in Thailand. An excellent cook, he specialized in preparing oysters and oyster stew. Steve is survived by two children.

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591991Alan Howard Fine died on Dec. 29, 2020, in Oakland, Calif. A creative free spirit, Alan was an avid traveler, loved music and going to shows, and prioritized spending time with family and friends above all else. He was an animal lover and wonderful dog dad to Dov and Gizmo. He attended Woodward Academy and The Galloway School. Alan loved spending summers at Camp Barney Medintz where he formed many of his strongest relationships. He loved seeing live bands including The Grateful Dead and Widespread Panic and built a community of music-loving friends. Alan's love for travel began with trips to Disney World in the family pop-up camper and continued with adventures in Europe, Southeast Asia, and South Africa. Alan graduated from the University of Georgia with an art degree in sculptural design focusing on metalworking and glass blowing. While in Athens, Ga., he opened a glass blowing studio called Controlled Burn Studios. He continued his career at the Corning School of Glass, the Penland School of Craft, and in the California Bay area. After more than 20 years of working as an artist, Alan began his nursing education so he could directly help people in need, continuing to blow glass and teaching art and glass-blowing while in nursing school. He received his nurse practitioner degree in 2019, and, since then, devoted his time to helping the homeless and the dying, adults with dementia, and children with terminal illnesses. Alan volunteered at several hospitals, exhibiting a gift for empathizing with others. When COVID-19 struck, Alan volunteered endless hours making hundreds of face coverings and conducting contact tracing. At the time of his death, Alan was providing excellent nursing care at a hospital. 1999Jame Troy “JT” Chaﬁn IV of McDonough, died on June 7, 2021. J.T. was an eighth generation Henry County resident who grew up in Kelleytown, Ga. He enjoyed camping on the farm, playing sports, and working in the family's furniture store on the square in McDonough. He was active in the McDonough First United Methodist Church and was a member of the Cub and Boy Scouts. In his too short life, J.T. had many varied experiences and successes. In 1999, he graduated from Woodward with honors, excelling in theater and chorus. He attended St. Johns College in Annapolis, Md. Restless and wanting to use his acting skills, he moved to Chicago where he was in the Writing Program at Second City, writing sketches and performing improvisational comedy. Seeking to develop his vocal talents, he moved to Boston, where he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree cum laude from the Berklee College of Music in 2009. J.T. then brieﬂy sang jazz professionally in Chicago. Facing health issues, he returned to the South, beginning work on a book while working in a variety of roles. J.T. excelled in the arts and appreciated the richness of his community and those relationships. He is survived by his parents, James Troy and Sally Turner Chaﬁn, and his sister, Barbara.Carson McElheney died on Sept. 15, 2021. A lifelong resident of Atlanta, Carson attended the University of Georgia after graduating from Woodward. As the founder and principal of Carson McElheney Landscape Architecture, he built a successful business that brought his vision of preserving classical, natural landscapes to fruition. Carson established himself as one of the leading minds in landscape architecture, not only in Atlanta but nationally, as evidenced by CURRENT AND RETIREDFACULTY & STAFFElisabeth Colquhoun died June 8, 2021. She was a retired French teacher in the Upper School. She is survived by her husband David and their sons Iain Colquhoun ’97 and Alan Colquhoun ’94.Betty Botts died Nov. 8, 2021. She was retired from the Campus Store. She was a loving grandmother and sister whose hobbies were singing, traveling, and living life to its fullest. She was also a member of Way of the Cross Baptist Church. Betty is survived by her granddaughter, Jessica Bryan and husband, Joseph Bryan, and granddaughter Shay Jenkins; and siblings Janice Colvin, Linda Collins, and Patricia “Pat” White.Patricia King died Nov. 12, 2021. She worked in Dining Services.his work being honored with two Philip T. Shutze awards, the highest recognition in architecture. Carson was especially drawn to the beauty of Sweetwater Farm, the beloved family farm in Thomson, Ga., that also was the childhood home of his wife, Susan Joy. Carson and his family spent nearly every weekend and each summer at Sweetwater, enjoying the unique beauty of its rolling hills and taking comfort in the peace those surroundings brought them. He was a member of the Piedmont Driving Club and attended The Cathedral of St. Philip. There was nothing more important to Carson than his family. He is survived by his loving wife, Susan Joy, his daughter, Mary Brooks McElheney, his son, Carson McElheney, his mother, Carol McElheney, and his sister, Claire McElheney ’02.

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60WOODWARD WINTER 2022COVID RESPONSE The COVID Response Team ensures that students, faculty, and staff are protected from COVID-19 while still being able to feel safe and supported on campus.TOPICS IN MULTICULTURAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY STUDIES (MEDS) Topics in Multicultural and Ethnic Diversity Studies (MEDS) is an introductory survey class examining America's diverse cultural heritage through the voices and visions of racial, religious, and ethnic minorities, and the roles of women and those who are differently abled. The Compassion Capstone-compatible course is interdisciplinary, incorporating themes in history, art, literature, sociology, psychology, music, pop culture, and the media. Students identify, compare, and contrast these various themes in their historical, social, cultural, economic, personal, political, and legal contexts. Topics include genocide, slavery, anti-Semitism, eugenics, reparations, proﬁling, afﬁrmative action, assimilation, racism, discrimination, and inter- and intra-racial/religious relations.INTERFAITH COUNCIL From the classroom, to online dialogues, to in-school panels with younger students, to visiting far-ﬂung religious sites, Woodward’s Interfaith Council channels compassion to foster understanding between religions.ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE The annual food drive collects funds and non-perishable food for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. This year’s drive set a new record of $43,449 in online and in-person donations. Additionally, each school collected 10,000 pounds of food, which was distributed to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Family Life Ministries.WA GROWS WA Grows is a student-run initiative that grows and donates produce for the community around Woodward. It was recently admitted to the Georgia Department of Agriculture's "Georgia Grown" program.THE KEYUnderstanding Woodward's geography of compassion.

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JESSE DRAPER BOYS & GIRLS CLUB Woodward maintains a community partnership with the Jesse Draper Boys & Girls Club near campus, with Woodward students tutoring its members. The school also holds an annual walkathon to raise money for the club.MIDDLE SCHOOL HOUSES Introduced in fall 2021, the six different Middle School houses, represented by constellations, are designed to give students a greater sense of community and support as they are imbued with a sense of citizenship and are rewarded with house points for acts of compassion and stewardship. WOODWARD NORTH At our Johns Creek campus, students and teachers hold campaigns every year to support a range of partner organizations and make holiday donations to North Fulton Community Charities. Sixth graders collect items for a hygiene kits service project to distribute to local refugees. Students also make a practice of caring compassionately for their school community. At the end of each day, students clean up the ﬂoor space in their homerooms. Teachers then disinfect the desks and place the chairs on top of them, signaling to Ron Scott, Woodward North’s only full-time evening facilities team member, that he does not need to do those jobs. Principal Beth Marien said Scott described that act as “like receiving a gift.”ALUMNI RELATIONS AND ADVANCEMENT The Ann & Ben Johnson Center is home to the ofﬁces of Alumni Relations and Advancement, where staffers work year-round to connect with alumni and generate support for Woodward Academy from within the community and from outside donors and foundations. Thanks to their work, Woodward’s endowment funds provide need-based student ﬁnancial aid and support for programs that help our students learn to be compassionate, engaged citizens, such as the Ron M. Brill Institute for Ethical Leadership. Annual fundraising for The Woodward Fund bridges the gap between tuition and the actual cost of a Woodward education and supports ﬁnancial aid, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts, classroom resources, the arts, and athletics.INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (ISR) The Independent Scientiﬁc Research (ISR) program is designed to provide the upper level science student an opportunity to perform authentic independent scientiﬁc research under the guidance of a university-based faculty research advisor. That research often centers around developments to beneﬁt society. HORIZONS ATLANTA Horizons Atlanta is part of a national, award-winning summer program with a mission to close the opportunity gap for underserved students. It offers high-quality academics in an engaging six-week summer enrichment program on the Woodward campus, at no cost to families.GLOBAL CONNECTIONS The International and Global Connections program is designed to foster in students a deep understanding of the differences that make cultures unique and the similarities that connect us all. Students can take advantage of travel and study abroad programs—sometimes for course credit—in a number of countries around the world, including China, France, Costa Rica, Spain, and Italy.ETHICAL DILEMMAS & DECISION MAKING COURSE In the Ethical Dilemmas & Decision Making Course (a Compassion Capstone course) students explore an approach to ethics guided by a compassionate mindset and grounded in basic human values that can be discerned from common sense, common experience, and science.PRIMARY SCHOOL Compassion is at the heart of the Primary School, where educators ground everything they do in making “heart connections” with students. This nurturing environment, combined with an emphasis on kindness and opportunities to practice leadership like the third grade Character Builders program, creates an atmosphere that makes students feel safe and understood while they are having fun learning.

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