Alumni Magazine – Fall/Winter 2018

Webb ALUMNI BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Webb MD

Research Fellows

Project Compassion

Commencement 2018

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FALL / WINTER 2018

Above:

While the Honor Code has always been the cornerstone of the Webb School experience, the Middle School recently revitalized and strengthened the annual tradition of physically signing the Honor Pledge at the beginning of the year. Says Middle School Head Valorie Baker, “We want our students to truly grasp and embrace its importance so that it continues to be a part of their lives even after they leave Webb School.�

M ESSAG E FROM THE PRESIDE NT

Dear Fellow Spartans, Greetings from Webb School of Knoxville. I am pleased to welcome you to the Fall/Winter 2018 Alumni Bulletin. In this issue, we strive to showcase our culture of innovation and creativity by capturing the spirit of Webb.

In these pages, you will meet students, faculty and alumni who challenge themselves to be extraordinary every day.

We are pleased to feature our Webb MD program, a school-sponsored, but student-driven and designed initiative that helps put high school students interested in the medical profession in direct contact with mentors and experts in the healthcare field. Additionally, we are highlighting our inaugural group of six Upper School Research Fellows, whose topics range from childhood obesity to female espionage during the Civil War. We are also showcasing our parent/alumni/student Remote Area Medical (RAM) service trip this past spring in Clearfork Valley. These programs and many more are what distinguish Webb from its peers.

According to the 2019 rankings of best schools and school districts in the country, Webb School of Knoxville has again taken the No. 1 slot for Knox County for Best College Prep Private High Schools, Best High Schools for STEM, Best Private High Schools, and Best Private K-12 Schools. Webb also topped the lists in those same categories for the Knoxville area.

Ultimately, the greatest testament to a Webb education is our graduates; our alumni who go on to significant career success. In this issue, you will learn about our recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Alumnus/na Award, Herbert H. Slatery III ’70, Attorney General and Reporter for the State of Tennessee. The honor is among the highest bestowed upon a member of the school’s alumni community. We also showcase ten Webb alumni, representing this year's reunion classes, who were nominated by their classmates to receive Webb's Alumni Achievement Award. Our 2018 winners span all industries and backgrounds.

We welcome you to these pages and hope you share in our excitement about all of the amazing things happening in our community. Thank you for your continued support of our school and its mission and vision.

With Spartan Pride,

Michael McBrien Webb School President

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Webb Alumni Leadership Council 2018-2019 Kyle A. Baisley ’01 President Alex Ardison ’90 Cindy McCallen Cassity ’86 Ted Cook ’69 Angel Howard ’82 Dorn Kile ’68 Sharon Lee ’71 Julie Anderson McWhorter ’94 Ed Mobley ’80 Louis S. Moran III ’82 Joseph Nother ’99 Stephanie Barnes Ogden ’76 Mark Overholt ’83 Russ Powell ’87

WEBB SCHOOL PRESIDENT Michael McBrien UPPER SCHOOL HEAD Matt Macdonald MIDDLE SCHOOL HEAD Valorie Baker LOWER SCHOOL HEAD Angie Crabtree DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS AND ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT Christy Widener

DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PLANNING David Nelson

DEVELOPMENT DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR Brittany Ivey

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Hugh Nystrom ’85

WEBSITE & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Aaron Teffeteller

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT Rachel Junga

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Cathy Dowhos-O'Gorman

Alex Vogel ’96 Terri Tarvin Ward ’75 Alexander Waters ’06

Webb School Webb School Presiedent Michael McBrien Board of Trustees 2018-2019

John Tolsma Chairman Patrick Baird ’07 Kyle A. Baisley ’01

SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR Sherry Franks

Robert P. Baskerville Kathy W. Boyd James C. Bruner Philip Darby Campbell ’71

ALUMNI BULLETIN FALL/WINTER 2018

Creative Design/ Editorial Services Designsensory Graphic Designer/Co-Editor Cathy Dowhos-O'Gorman Co-Editor Rachel Junga

COVER PHOTO BY: DREW VENABLE ’18 2 Webb School

Writers/Photographers/ Contributors Jason Abercrombie Action PixTN Jalynn Baker Mark Banker Danny Dunlap Amy Gilbert Liz Gregor Laura Kile Bobby Lewis, Pro Photo Cindy Meyer Hugh Nystrom ’85 Anna Bryn Williams ’19

Cindy McCallen Cassity ’86 Chris Cimino Meg Keally Counts ’97 Wade V. Davies Krissy DeAlejandro Jill A. DiBiase Will Haslam ’03 George M. Krisle III ’62 Frank Majors ’86 Misty D. Mayes Louis S. Moran III ’82 Robert N. Page Stephen Rosen ’83 Margaret Scism James J. Thome Jr. Crawford Wagner ’92 Kristin Williams

CONTENTS FEATURES

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Webb MD

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From idea to action, Anna Bryn Williams ’19 found her passion and brought it to life through creative curiosity and determination.

Research Fellows

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Upper School Fellows program provides real-life research experience.

Project Compassion

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RAM, Webb & Clearfork Institute partner to provide free medical services for rural Appalachian community.

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Commencement 2018 30

DEPARTMENTS

30

CAMPUS NEWS

4

SPORTS WRAP

8

ALUMNI REPORT

10

FACULTY FOCUS

32

CLASS NOTES

35

webbschool.org

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Budding design thinkers take on "big bad" challenge “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in!”

Next: Innovation. Each team had to select Not if these kindergartners have anything to one item to add to their house that would say about it. further help it stay up. The students then Webb’s kindergarten classes were given a had to modify their blueprint to include the challenge this past fall: construct a house new item and determine who would be that could withstand the “huffs” and “puffs” responsible for adding it. of the Big Bad Wolf, as described in the Then it was time to get to work. A dozen traditional story of The Three Little Pigs. pads of construction paper and bottles of Only, there was twist . . . the group activity glitter and glue later, the groups emerged followed the parameters of a Design Thinking with their stick, brick and straw masterpieces challenge, complete with questioning, ideating, –“each an integrated house full of every reflecting, discussing each child’s strengths or how the kindergartners could work together child’s ideas,” noted Leonard. Some groups “superpowers,” crafting team guidelines, and to achieve a goal and how they could share focused on trapping the wolf or tricking him even a blueprint phase. their “superpowers.” Then, equipped with by using security cameras and other traps “The purpose of the Design Thinking task straw (mini-bales of hay), sticks (craft sticks) around the house, while others lined their was to help students learn how to work or bricks (small boxes), as well as paper, houses with different recycled items to together to achieve a goal, focusing on cotton balls, cardboard tubes, markers and, reinforce the exterior. Still others placed their communication with each other,” explained of course, lots of glitter and tacky glue, the windows high up on the house so the wolf kindergarten teacher Lauren Leonard. students were asked to build a house that couldn’t see inside.

“The adult leader of each group was tasked could withstand the wolf's huffs and puffs The student teams then gathered to with guiding the discussions, asking questions, better than in any of the stories they read.

Reflect, the final stage, on how the house pushing the students to think ‘outside of the Several phases of the Design Thinking came together, what worked well and what box,’ and general group management. The process were addressed, including Discover, didn’t, and how the students worked to students were really the ones doing all of the where each team member not only achieve a common goal. The final question– work, craftsmanship, etc. The adult was just determined his/her own “superpower” and “Do you think the wolf will be able to blow the the facilitator.” how that strength could help with the project, house down with the adjustments that were Leading up to the event, kindergartners but also what job he/she would like to take on. made?”–was put to the test by one read several versions of the classic story in Jobs included decorator, construction kindergartner, who walked around “huffing the classroom; some differed greatly from workers, architect, and contractors. They and puffing” on her group’s house. When the original–from characters to setting to created house designs, or blueprints, and asked what she was doing, she simply elements of the plot. Discussions included finalized team rules. answered, “I’m testing it.” W 4 Webb School

C A M PUS NEWS

Inspiring a passion for conservation

Ethan Schuch ’20 and Davis Atwood ’19 set a transect to measure biodiversity of the coral reef.

Laura Kile | Webb Upper School Science Department Chair

This past summer, several of our Upper School students had the opportunity to join a team of scientists and college undergraduates who were researching marine biodiversity off Honduras’ Bay Islands in the Caribbean Ocean. As part of Operation Wallacea, I had the pleasure of being their chaperone during a two-week expedition that involved data collection and analysis around the Bay Islands of Utila and Roatán.

Part of the research included determining the percentage of hard and soft coral, sand, rock, and algae. A healthy reef has more hard and soft coral than algae. With climate change, however, the oceans are becoming more acidic and coral reefs are dying off and algae is taking over, jeopardizing the survival of the many fish and other native marine life that are dependent on coral.

Our Webb student-researchers also collected data for the global program, Coral Watch, which examines at least 20 quadrats of coral in one dive and measures the health of the coral based on the amount of coral bleaching. This data is uploaded to an international database used by scientists to gauge where and to what extent the reefs are in danger.

It was so fulfilling to see our students experience “real science,” taking part in actual ongoing research and possibly finding a new passion. It’s exciting to me to still hear them talk about the spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks, green turtles, and hawksbill turtles, along with countless other marine species that they can now not only identify but have a passion for protecting. W

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During their 10 days at Webb, Alessia and Jimena attended classes and visited sites in East Tennessee.

They also shared the culture, traditions and sights of Guatemala, including creating a small-scale sawdust carpet, traditionally used for processions related to Holy Week.

>> GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

This year, Webb’s partnership with Faces & Our Cultures, a cultural exchange program between Guatemala and the United States, has included hosting three students from Guatemala. Miguel Fernández (above) continues his eight-week stay with his Webb host brother Ethan Harris and his family, while Alessia Rojas and Jimena Diaz from Colegio Interamericano wrapped up their cultural adventure in November. Alessia and Jimena (right) stayed with their Middle School host sisters Bianca Tailor and Navaal Kouser.

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C A M PUS NEWS

World-class finish Webb Robotics Team #1466 was one of 1,400 high school squads from 62-plus countries to qualify for the 2018 FIRST Robotics Competition World Championships in Houston, Texas in April 2018. Webb finished as a semifinalist–the team's best showing at the Worlds in its 16-year history!

Team #1466 (left) advanced to the World Championships by placing runner-up in the finals of the FIRST Smoky Mountains Regional in Knoxville. W

Webb earns top ratings for nation, Knox County

Mamma Mia! It was standing room only at the ultimate disco party for super troupers and dancing queens as the Upper School presented Mamma Mia! in November. As told through the magic of ABBA’s timeless songs, Webb’s Mamma Mia! featured the sunny, funny story of a mother, her daughter and three possible dads, and a surprise sparkle-studded, platform boot-packed finale!

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According to Niche.com’s 2019 rankings of best schools and school districts in the country, Webb School ranked in the top nine percent of Best Private K-12 Schools in America. In addition, Webb again took the No. 1 slot for Knox County for Best College Prep Private High School, Best High School for STEM, Best Private High School, and Best Private K-12 School. It also topped the lists in those same categories for the Knoxville area.

Webb also earned a No. 4 distinction for Best Private K-12 School in Tennessee and is the only private K-12 school in the Knoxville area to break the top 10.

Webb School of Knoxville received an overall Niche grade of A+. Grades were assigned using the following categories: Academics, Teachers, Clubs & Activities, Diversity, College Prep, and Sports. W

C A M PUS NEWS

Webb School outranks state, national averages on ACT scores The ACT National Office recently came out with its Graduating Class 2018 ACT Profile Report. According to the Report, Webb Upper School students earned an ACT average composite score of 27.2 (out of 36) for 2017-2018. The ACT average composite score for Knox County public schools was 21.4, the state average was 20.2 and the national average score was 20.8.

In the past five years, Webb School students have earned ACT average composite scores of 27.2 (2017-2018), 27.5 (2016-2017), 28.3 (2015-2016), 27.0 (2014-2015), and 27.4 (2013-2014).

Most colleges and universities require either an ACT or SAT test score for admission. For 2017-2018, 1.91 million students across the country took the ACT college entrance exam.

Dr. Gordon Stanley, Webb Director of College Counseling, says that while consistently strong ACT scores are an indicator of Webb students' academic ability, they're not the only measures or even the most important. Says Stanley, “Our students’ classroom academic achievements and creative accomplishments, along with community outreach, are characteristics that stand out and reflect the whole person approach we take to education at Webb.” W

AP Scholar awards for 2017-2018

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National AP Scholars AP Scholars with Honor

AP Scholars with Distinction AP Scholars

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225 Webb Upper School students sat for 547 AP exams and scored 3 or higher on 84.9 percent of those exams. For the state of Tennessee, 56.8 percent of

students taking AP exams scored 3 or higher, while globally, the percentage was 61.3.

The average score of Webb’s award winners was a 3.78 on a 5-point scale.

(above) Webb's National Merit Semifinalists for 2019: (L to R) Kyle Fletcher, Jack Thomas, Anna Bryn Williams, and Luke Howard. National Merit Semifinalists are eligible to continue in the competition for some 7,500 Merit Scholarship awards, worth about $31 million to be offered this spring. (left) Webb's National Merit Commended Scholars for 2019: (front, L to R) Mark Altawil, Maddie Zitzman; (back, L to R) Peter Schaefer, Will Miller.

Seniors merit high honors for exceptional scholarship As part of its commitment to honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced that four Webb School seniors were named National Merit Semifinalists and four students earned National Merit Commended honors for 2019.

About 1.6 million juniors in 22,000-plus high schools, nationwide, entered the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2017 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Less than one percent of the nation’s high school seniors were designated National Merit Semifinalists. Webb’s 2019 National Merit Semifinalists are among the some 16,000 academically talented seniors representing the highest scoring entrants in each state.

Webb's Class of 2019 Commended Scholars were among the some 34,000 high school seniors to be recognized for their exceptional academic promise.

While they will not continue in the National Merit competition, Commended Scholars placed among the 50,000 scorers of the more than 1.6 million students taking the 2017 PSAT/NMSQT. W Alumni Bulletin

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SPORTS WR AP

History repeats itself Lady Spartans net historic six-peat!

At the 2018 Division II-A State Volleyball Championship, Webb's Lady Spartans defeated Concord Christian in the title round, 25-11, 25-16, 29-27, to win an unprecedented sixth straight state title and became one of only two high school volleyball teams in Tennessee history to win six state crowns in a row.

Senior Kayleigh Hames, who has signed with Pepperdine University, was named MVP of the championship match.

She finished with a match-high 27 kills and just seven errors in 58 attempts.

Hames also tacked on 17 digs. W

Webb girls run to seven-peat at state cross country championships Narayani is state individual champ

For the seventh year in row, Webb’s Lady Spartan cross-country team captured the state team championship with senior Niki Narayani leading the charge as the 2018 Division II-A girls individual state champion. Webb’s boys’ team finished fourth. Junior Bannon Evans was the first Spartan to cross the finish line, taking eighth–his best showing so far at state.

For Narayani, who for the past four years has finished runner-up at state, this year’s individual victory at Percy Warner Park in Nashville was particularly gratifying. Narayani crossed the finish line in a 5K time of 18:20–more than 30 seconds faster than second-place Allison Newman of St. George’s.

Three other Webb runners placed in the top 10 in the girls' state race, which included 66 competitors. Senior Lindsay Holliday took third (19:02), Taylor Cosey ’19 was fourth (19:10) and junior Kamryn Krishnan finished ninth (20:47). Senior Caroline Ross also earned All-State honors, as she rounded out Webb’s top five finishers with a 12th place showing (21:00). W 8 Webb School

Lady Spartan softball takes a swing at cancer When Webb’s Lady Spartans hosted Concord Christian’s Lady Lions last spring on the Webb softball field, the two teams were not just looking to add to the win column, but also to help those facing a much greater battle–the fight against cancer. In partnership with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s (NFCA) StrikeOut Cancer initiative, Webb and Concord Christian joined forces to help raise both funds and awareness in the fight against cancer at Webb’s first annual StrikeOut Cancer softball game.

To show their support for the cause, Webb’s Lady Spartans sported pink tie-dyed shirts, teal-colored socks and StrikeOut Cancer wristbands, and presented Concord Christian’s team members with pink and teal pins to wear with their uniforms. The pins were also handed out to all who attended the game to honor and celebrate those impacted by cancer.

According to head Webb softball coach Dodie Montgomery, cancer is something that has touched everyone in some way. “We all either know someone who has had cancer or there’s someone in our

$1,000

raised for the American Cancer Society

immediate family who has had to face this terrible disease,” said Montgomery, who lost her sister to ovarian cancer in August 2017.

“Events like the StrikeOut Cancer game and other efforts of the NFCA provide opportunities for our young student-athletes to get involved in this fight,” she says, “and to know that they’re playing for something bigger than themselves.”

The game began with a ceremonial pitch from Webb assistant softball coach and Middle School technology coordinator Susie Skinner, who is a breast cancer survivor. Proceeds from gate receipts, Webb’s concessions stand and donations made at the game–all totaling $1,000–went to the American Cancer Society. W

Pitkanen named State Tennis Coach of the Year The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) selected longtime Webb girls' and boys' varsity tennis coach Jimmy Pitkanen as State Boys and Girls Tennis Coach of the Year for 2017-2018.

Named Tennis Coach of the Year at the 2017-2018 Knox News Sports Awards, Coach Pitkanen guided his Lady Spartans to a historic nine-peat at the 2018 Division II-A State Tennis Championships and the Spartan boys to their second consecutive state team title. In addition, Webb's Lauren Yoon ’18, a National High School

TSSAA named Jimmy Pitkanen (far right) as the 2017-2018 State Boys and Girls Tennis Coach of the Year. Pitkanen guided his Lady Spartans to a historic nine-peat at the 2018 DII-A State Tennis Championships and the Spartan boys to their second straight state team title.

All-American, won the DII-A girls’ singles championship for the second year in a row, while Lady Spartan duo Carina Dagotto ’20 and Anna Wisniewski ’18 grabbed the state doubles crown, and the Spartan boys finished runner-up in both the singles and doubles tournaments.

To date, Pitkanen has successfully coached the Lady Spartans to 12 state team championships

and seven state team crowns for the boys’ squad. In 2017, Webb School became the first school in state history to win the boys' singles, doubles and team, championships, and the girls' singles, doubles and team titles in the same year. Under Pitkanen’s tutelage, numerous Spartan players have continued their successful tennis careers in college and beyond.

A 2014 Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Pitkanen is a U.S. Professional Tennis Association Master Pro. He previously coached at the Cedar Bluff and Knoxville Racquet Clubs and was a U.S. Tennis Association Training Center head coach.

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ALUM NI RE PORT

Photo by Jalynn Baker

Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III ’70 named Distinguished Alumnus for 2018 Each year, Webb School of Knoxville hosts a number of events to recognize and honor the accomplishments and contributions of its alumni.

Spartan graduates are a paramount part of the Webb School legacy and the school is extremely proud to celebrate their achievements.

For 2018, Webb School has named Class of 1970 alumnus Herbert H. Slatery III, Attorney General and Reporter for the State of Tennessee, as the recipient of its Distinguished Alumnus/na Award. The honor is among the highest bestowed upon a member of Webb's alumni community.

Attorney General Slatery returned to the Webb campus on October 12, where Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, Webb Class of 1976 alumnus, made a special appearance to present Slatery with his award during Upper School Chapel. Also attending the ceremony was Webb alumna and Tennessee Supreme Court Justice, Sharon G. Lee ’71.

Both Gov. Haslam and Justice Lee are former recipients of Webb’s Distinguished Alumnus/ na Award, which is presented annually to a 10 Webb School

Spartan alumnus/na whose business or professional accomplishments and service to others exemplify the goals of Webb School in the spirit of its motto, Principes Non Homines - Leaders Not Men. During his remarks, Gov. Haslam noted that three of the top-ranking Tennessee government officials are all graduates of Webb School of Knoxville–a true testament to the school’s legacy of leadership.

Slatery was sworn in as Tennessee Attorney General in October 2014, appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court to serve an eight-year term. As the chief legal officer of the state, he represents state officers and

Clockwise: Herbert Slatery’s day at Webb School included attending John Schmid’s ’86 Macroeconomics class, where he described his job as state Attorney General and provided specific examples of cases that demonstrated the differences and inherent tensions between states and the federal government. At Upper School Chapel, Tennessee Governor and Class of 1976 alumnus, Bill Haslam, made a special appearance to present Slatery with his award.

In the morning, Slatery spoke in the Lower School as part of its Leadership Speaker series (pictured) and with Middle School students at their daily assembly.

ALUM NI RE PORT

Photo by Jalynn Baker

Clockwise:

During his remarks,

Herbert Slatery answers questions in John Schmid’s ’86 Macroeconomics class. Slatery with family, friends, fellow Spartan alumni, including Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam ’76 and Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee ’71, and Julie Webb, wife of Webb School founder, Robert Webb. Slatery with Justice Lee. Gov. Haslam, Justice Lee and now, Gen. Slatery are all recipients of Webb’s Distinguished Alumnus/na Award.

agencies through his staff of about 340 employees, working in five offices across Tennessee. In addition to his numerous duties as Attorney General, Slatery also serves the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) as Co-Chair of the Charities Committee and Co-Chair of the Finance Committee. He has also served as chair of the Southern Region of Attorneys General, which stretches from Texas to Virginia.

Slatery formerly served as Counsel to Gov. Bill Haslam from 2011 to 2014. In that role, he also advised on judicial appointments, coordinated the legal affairs of the executive branch, assisted in the development and implementation of legislation, and reviewed requests for executive clemency and extradition.

Gen. Slatery holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Before joining the Haslam administration, he was in private

Gov. Haslam noted that three of the topranking Tennessee government officials are all graduates of Webb School of Knoxville–a true practice in Knoxville with Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis, P.C., specializing in finance, corporate governance, capital formation, real estate, and acquisitions and sales of businesses. He served as the firm’s president from 1998 to 2007 and chairman from 2008 to January 2011.

He and his wife, Cary, have two children, Frances and Harrison, and in October 2014, welcomed their first grandchild, Carter Elizabeth Slatery, into the family. W

testament to the school’s legacy of leadership.

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ALUM NI RE PORT

2018 Spartan Alumni Weekend WELCOME BACK SPARTANS!

Alumni near and far, and their families, returned to campus on October 12 and 13 to celebrate the Green & White at the annual Spartan Alumni Weekend.

Catching up with classmates and friends at the Spartan Alumni Tailgate; cheering on the Men in Green at Faust Field and honoring former Webb football coach Jim McClain at halftime; campus tours with Webb student ambassadors; Webb’s Alumni Achievement Awards* luncheon; and evening class reunion parties all highlighted this year’s Spartan celebration. We can’t wait for Spartan Alumni Weekend 2019. See you next year! W * See pages 14-15 Alumni Bulletin

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ALUM NI RE PORT

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE’S ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS ARE PRESENTED

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ANNUALLY TO THOSE ALUMNI WHO HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CAREERS AND HAVE ACHIEVED OUTSTANDING SUCCESS IN THEIR CHOSEN PROFESSIONS WHILE UPHOLDING THE MISSION OF WEBB SCHOOL. Webb School hosted its annual Alumni Achievement Awards luncheon on October 13, 2018, during Spartan Alumni Weekend.

This year, 10 Spartan alumni, nominated by their classmates and representing the reunion classes of 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 2003, 2008, and 2013 were honored. We are pleased to present this year's Alumni Achievement Award recipients.

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1

Douglas McCarty ’68 President and Chief Executive Officer McCarty Holsaple McCarty, Inc. (MHM)

2 Edward Sims ’73 Chief Executive Officer TIS Insurance Services

3 Ginny Bowers Izydore ’78 Regional Sales Manager Barnsley Resort 4

Peter Jacobstein ’83 Chief Strategic Partnership Officer Interface Financial

ALUM NI RE PORT

5 Margaret Gould Stewart ’88 Vice President of Product Design Facebook

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7 Katherine Walker ’03 Creative Director Google's Brand Studio

8 Chante LaDage Hensley ’03 6 Allison Page ’93 Founder President Fostering Hope TN HGTV & Food Network at Discovery, Inc.

Learn more about our 2018 Alumni Achievement Award winners at: webbschool.org/alumni.

Select Alumni Awards.

9 Greer Mackebee ’08 Attorney Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP 10 Galen Erickson ’13 Second & Final Year Princeton in Asia (PiA)/Vriens & Partners Alumni Bulletin

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Anna Bryn Williams | Class of 2019

Webb MD From idea to action, Anna Bryn Williams found her passion and brought it to life through creative curiosity and determination.

When I entered Webb School in the sixth grade, I didn’t have much interest in math or science. In fact, I distinctly remember disliking both subjects quite a bit. My science teacher, Coach Stroupe, and math teacher, Mrs. Cox, changed my opinion.

They proved to me that I could succeed in STEM subjects and, more importantly, have fun doing it. I joined the Science Club, where Mr. Beckendorf put us to work constructing an ocean current drifter. We watched our drifter on live video as scientists released it into the Pacific Ocean to measure tidal patterns. I was amazed to be a part of something Left: so extraordinary. I was sold on science. But, I found Williams' charcoal drawing of an the breadth of professions and potential areas of study anatomically overwhelming. I didn’t grow up around scientists correct heart. of any kind. How could I choose the field of study that suited me best and might determine my future?

I only knew one thing for certain; I did not want to become a physician—the majority of my interactions had involved the end of a needle or some other stressful experience. That particular profession was out of the question.

In Webb’s Middle School, I was accepted to Duke University’s Talent Identification Program (TIP). Here was a chance to discover my niche. To my dismay, I was assigned my

decidedly last course choice—Diseases and Immunology—a topic obviously designed for aspiring physicians. However, the course proved to be fascinating! Suddenly, biology was riveting. Working in a lab alongside professors and presenting a research paper to distinguished faculty had my mind and heart racing. Performing dissections, that I'll refrain from describing, completely hooked me on medicine. I won first place in the pig intestine dissection . . . no nicks! At the end of the summer on the drive home, I announced to my parents, “I want to become a surgeon.” I continued through Duke’s TIP programs during the summer, studying anatomy, evolutionary biology and performing simulated procedures at the Duke Medical School lab. I could clearly see myself graduating from Webb and pursuing medicine.

After sharing my newfound interest with Mr. Beckendorf, he loaned me an illustrated tome, The Complete Guide to Cardiac Surgery. Later in Upper School, I painstakingly drew an anatomically correct heart in charcoal, in Mr. Letitia's drawing class, and tried using my left hand in an effort to become ambidextrous. I began selecting challenging classes to gear up for college. It was satisfying to have a passion and a goal. Yet, I was surprised by the randomness of it all. I couldn’t

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Right: As part of Webb MD, Webb’s varsity soccer field served as the “helipad” this fall for an EMS helicopter. Thanks to UT LIFESTAR critical care flight paramedic and Webb parent Jon Knowles and his crew, students were provided with a real-life glimpse into what it takes to be a flight paramedic.

Pictured: Juniors Caitlin Reynolds and Rand McKinney.

stop wondering who else at Webb might discover a similar passion if given an opportunity. I also found myself envious of my TIP friends who were engaged in internships and amazing medical-related projects at their respective schools. I could not find similar opportunities and began envisioning a program at Webb to address that problem; a program that would remove the curtain veiling the medical profession, and not only invite students behind it but place us next to physicians to actually experience medicine. Webb School needed an experiential, exploratory medical program—and it should probably be called Webb MD. In my freshman year, I researched programs at other schools, confirmed a growing national demand for medical professionals and roughed out a proposal for Webb MD. Now, I faced the daunting task of presenting it. At our all-school Convocation that year, Webb President Michael McBrien gave a speech about the school’s new strategic vision and described our role as students. He said he didn’t want Webb to simply

18 Webb School

copy what others were doing, but to look forward—to inspire, lead and innovate. And he wanted students to initiate these forward-thinking projects.

Later, in a small meeting with student government, he again encouraged us to share our thoughts and ideas with him.

He even hosted us in his home for dinner. His enthusiasm and sincerity reassured me that he was open to entertaining new ideas, especially those from students. Still, requesting an appointment with the school president is intimidating, but Webb had been preparing me since sixth grade for such a meeting. Webb students are expected to present themselves with respect, courtesy and humility, and thanks to our teachers who push us to think critically and creatively in discussions and debates, we’re also expected to confidently present and defend our ideas verbally, as well as in writing.

I scheduled the meeting. The day arrived, and I anxiously pushed my materials across the desk while explaining Webb MD to Mr. McBrien. He immediately put me at ease and

agreed that the idea presented an opportunity. He reviewed the proposal and began noting how the program aligned with the school’s strategic vision. Plus, it would be a student-led and designed initiative. He asked if he could keep a copy of the proposal and promised he’d get back to me.

Mr. McBrien did get back to me and agreed to support Webb MD. As with any new concept, you don’t know if it has true merit until you test it. I unveiled Webb MD during Chapel to the Upper School student body my sophomore year.

Over 70 students signed up for the program that very day.

It was clear . . . Webb students were definitely interested in exploring medicine. Then, the question was: could we supply the program with medical mentors? We sent a simple survey to the Webb community—alumni and parents—and more than 50 healthcare professionals responded. Their offerings went well beyond traditional internships and presentations to include compounding medicines in a lab and landing an EMS helicopter on Webb’s campus. They were varied, exciting and generous.

Upper School science teacher Laura Kile (related story, page 32) agreed to be the faculty advisor, we formed a student board and the program was launched. Webb alumni and parents began making presentations. Dr. Jason Hall ’94 inspired students as he recounted his winding journey that led to a private plastic surgery practice. He said being a Webb student had prepared him to overcome obstacles and maintain good character, regardless of life’s twists and turns. Webb parent Dr. Sudha Nair described the real, day-to-day life of a physician and the incredible demands and rich rewards her profession offers.

Ms. Kile announced an opportunity to collaborate with Duke and Johns Hopkins University in serving remote areas of West Virginia with basic medical needs. Friends were sharing their own volunteer plans as opportunities were announced among the program participants. Webb MD was taking off.

My sophomore year, I was given the privilege of shadowing Dr. Ed Mobley ’80 on six surgeries and receiving an unforgettable anatomy lesson from a cardiologist during an open-heart surgery. In a simulation lab, I performed surgeries on ridiculously high-tech dummies that expressed pain if you hurt them. Next, I pursued a research opportunity at University of Tennessee’s Graduate School of Medicine and I am honored to now be assisting two highly respected researchers on a paper analyzing the effects of several treatments on amyloidosis, a disease resulting from a bone marrow disorder. We hope to be published this year.

6 Above: During Williams' sophomore year, she was given the privilege of shadowing Dr. Ed Mobley ’80 on six surgeries.

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FALL/WINTER 2018 19

During my junior year, Webb recommended me to the Youth Leadership Knoxville program (YLK), which introduced me to the term “servant leadership.” I recognized the philosophy because service to others is so ingrained in Webb students.

Through inspiring examples, YLK demonstrated that team effort, a shared vision and selfless service are critical components of success. This instruction would come in handy as Webb MD developed. I also recognized the Webb community as an example of servant leadership and realized that I had been part of that culture all along; I just did not know the name for it.

Now I’m a senior and, as I write this article, I struggle to capture all of the opportunities and support that Webb has provided to me. They run the gamut from life-changing trips abroad to small, personal interactions of trust and discovery.

Launching Webb MD has been an incredible experience. It’s still a young program, but it is my hope that it continues to grow and spark an interest in medicine for countless Webb students to come.

Webb students were definitely interested in exploring medicine.

There are dozens of initiatives, programs and opportunities to stretch and explore yourself at Webb; this is part of our school’s unique DNA. I’m deeply grateful to be a part of it and thank everyone who contributes to our distinctive culture—our outstanding teachers, supportive administration, generous alumni, our greater Webb community, and my entertaining, talented classmates. You all make Webb extraordinary.

UPDATE: Anna Bryn Williams was selected for this year’s prestigious Princeton Creative Arts & Humanities Symposium.

She was among the some 100 high school seniors, nationwide, invited to participate in the all-expenses-paid program.

Learn more at webbschool.org/news (NEWS ARCHIVE – October 2018)

20 Webb School

Pitching the Program

Left:

70 Anna Bryn Williams and classmate Amelia Konomos check out the inside of the UT LIFESTAR EMS helicopter.

My original Webb MD proposal There is a need for a centralized point-ofcontact for all medical study opportunities at Webb (internships, volunteering, shadowing, research, etc.). In addition to aggregating all of the current opportunities available, an organized program can also create original programming to serve students interested in the medical profession.

EXECUTION

OVERVIEW

students signed up for the Webb MD program

Above:

Left: Senior Clay Simmons tries on a helmet with assistance from LIFESTAR pilot Brian Spotts.

CONCLUSION

UT LIFESTAR paramedic Jon Knowles (right) speaks with students at Webb’s varsity soccer field during this fall’s demonstration.

Webb MD: Webb Students Exploring Medical Disciplines.

This program will organize all of the various opportunities Webb currently offers students interested in medicine, as well as create new ones. This includes local volunteer opportunities at hospitals, shadowing physicians, on-site visits, and guest speakers. The program will encourage participation by students who have already decided on a career in medicine, as well as those who are undecided and simply want to explore medicine. (It is as important to discover the career fields that you are not suited to, as well as finding the ones you are!)

The Webb MD program will vet students and admit those into the program whose academic records and personal comportment ensure that Webb will be represented in the highest possible regard.

Only students with a strong academic record and a recommendation from a Webb faculty member will be admitted. It is paramount to the program’s longterm success that Webb students exemplify the very highest ideals of Webb School of Knoxville: respect, intellectual rigor and a passion to serve others. The program will meet quarterly under the guidance of a faculty member with the program “work” being done by students.

In conclusion, this program organizes current efforts and creates new opportunities for Webb students interested in medicine, and is a strong complement to Webb’s new strategic plan. The Webb MD program will provide students with a Webb-sponsored introduction into the world of medicine that may otherwise be unavailable to them. It will also help attract top tier students to Webb.

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2018 23

FELLOWS PROGRAM PROVIDES REAL-LIFE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Research completed as part of this program must be the original work of the student-scholar, although it may be completed utilizing resources and mentors from labs outside of campus. Students are expected to carry out their own independent research and to devote time to laboratory work through the spring and summer . . . they should commit to regular meetings with their mentors to provide research progress updates and set/adapt project milestones . . .

The above language could be pulled from the description of any college post-graduate research program; yet it’s part of an outline for the new Research Fellows initiative offered by Webb’s Upper School.

The program provides motivated and qualified students a tailored opportunity to take their scholarship to the next level by conducting university-caliber research on their own projects and partnering with mentors to help facilitate their work.

“With this program, we want students to appreciate the commitment and expectations involved in becoming a top researcher,” says science teacher Jason Abercrombie, who along with history teacher Cindy Meyer, has served as a faculty advisor/mentor for the Upper School elective. “We also want them to understand what it takes to go through the complete process of coming up with an idea, design and test hypotheses while working with a mentor, and then effectively communicate the results to an audience,” he added. An important part of the program is for the researchscholars to be able to present their original work in the form of a scholarly manuscript for submission to an academic journal. Said Abercrombie, “This program encompasses all of those experiences so that students can have an advantage in their next chapter in college, far ahead of their peers.”

Participation in Webb’s Research Fellows program first requires that students successfully complete the Upper School’s fall Research Methods course, which introduces juniors and seniors to research methodology, writing and communication, and guides them through the process of developing their own research proposals. Students can choose one of two academic tracks: science or the humanities. Critical reading and review of academic research articles are also vital components, as students learn

22 Webb School

to interpret statistical and qualitative data, and describe relevant data to their research. “In the humanities, this means analyzing primary sources from different historical periods in a variety of genres,” explained Meyer.

“Students use that information to explore a unique research question, digging deeper into the analysis of a specialized topic,” she added.

The following spring, juniors may choose to have their research proposals considered for acceptance into the Research Fellows program and the opportunity to actually carry out their proposed research projects. “This requires a huge commitment on their part,” says Webb Upper School Head, Matt Macdonald. “It’s a long-term project with hours and hours of time devoted to laboratory work and research,” he added, noting that there’s literature review, training in new experimental techniques and carrying out laboratory experiments, or in the case of humanities, exploring sources in archives or libraries. “It’s essentially these student-scholars’ job,” Macdonald continued, “and they’re right there in the trenches, partnering with mentors who help facilitate their research; not the other way around.”

Six Webb seniors are members of this year’s inaugural class of Research Fellows, who presented their work at an “Evening of Research,” where they shared their projects with the greater Webb community.

Titles ranged from The Incidence of Leptin Receptor (LEPR) Deficiency in Obese Pediatric Patients in Rural East Tennessee to Expression of the Promoter Region of Potri.005G095400 from Populous Trichocarpa (Black Cottonwood Tree) to A Comparative Analysis of the Effectiveness of Female Espionage During the Civil War. Each research project could have rivaled the thesis topic of any graduate student in their field.

“While these Research Fellows’ work may have come to a close, their experience in the program will open doors for them in college and beyond, no matter what path they choose,” says Meyer. “What’s so impressive about this program is that our students not only learn to effectively research, write and present their work, but equally valuable are the lessons they learn in persistence and drive to start and successfully finish a project. Those lessons are invaluable.”

Dr. Jason Abercrombie My father, Dr. Raj Narayani

The research scholars program was intensive. Early in our junior year, our Research Methods class even met during lunch to go over the basics of research before we got the opportunity to set up our own research projects!

NAME TITLE DESCRIPTION INSPIRATION

When I started this program, I had no idea what to study.

I really wanted to do something that would help my community—something where I could make more of a difference and do something specific to Knoxville. Childhood obesity is a problem; it’s the most prevalent childhood epidemic in East Tennessee. I felt like if I could do that, I could help my community.

UPDATE

I recently presented a poster on my research at a national meeting for the American College of Gastroenterology. I plan to submit my research for publication in a peer-reviewed gastroenterology journal.

My research is a case-controlled study about leptin receptor deficiency in childhood obesity. Leptin receptor deficiency is when leptin, which is a hormone in the body, binds together and stimulates a response in your brain that tells you that you need to stop eating. Obese children tend to have this deficiency where this response does not occur, so they overeat.

My study is almost complete and I have all of my preliminary results. I would like to publish my research in a scholarly journal.

MENTORS

UPDATE MENTORS

I have had multiple shadowing opportunities at Gastrointestinal Associates and had been able to partner with my dad on a previous research project on capsule endoscopy during my sophomore year. Since I had exposure to research in the field of gastroenterology in the past, I wanted to continue research in that field with a new project this year.

The Incidence of Leptin Receptor (LEPR) Deficiency in Obese Pediatric Patients in Rural East Tennessee

Dr. Jason Abercrombie My father, Dr. Saji Gopinathan Dr. Jenifer Lawrie

FUN FACT

TITLE DESCRIPTION

I conducted a retrospective study in the field of gastroenterology. With my father as a mentor, I analyzed the diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy for each type of common gastrointestinal bleeding indication. I wanted to see if occult blood in the stool could be eliminated as an indication for capsule endoscopy.

INSPIRATION

Differences in Diagnostic Yield of Capsule Endoscopy Based on Various Indications of Obscure GI Bleeding

FUN FACT

RICHA NATHAN ’19

PRESENTATION

NIKI NARAYANI ’19

PRESENTATION

NAME

MEET THE INAUGURAL CLASS OF WEBB’S RESEARCH FELLOWS

I am the only person to study this genetic disorder, as of now, in the local area. I am also one of the few first high school students to receive Institutional Review Board Approval for their own human subject research project.

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2018 23

MENTORS

I am working on finishing my paper and will submit it to the Concord Review in November.

Dr. Cindy Meyer

I found my research topic to be so interesting, and I would love to pursue its other aspects in the future.

24 Webb School

NAME TITLE DESCRIPTION INSPIRATION UPDATE

I completed research on the Civil War espionage system in my junior year, so this allowed me to focus on a more specific portion of espionage during the war.

I decided to select a section of DNA that has been known to turn the gene—Potri.—on and off; this region of DNA is known as a promoter. After I selected the promoter, I amplified it billions of times, put it into an E. coli cell, and then put it into a Black Cottonwood cell. I then put this cell into salt to see if the promoter would respond to it, and it did! (It worked!)

I wanted to focus on this topic since there has been little to no research done on the promoter regions of Populous Trichocarpa in academia.

I will be publishing my research in Harvard's GSAS Journal of Emerging Investigators and will be presenting my poster at both the University of Tennessee and the prestigious Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair.

MENTORS

A study of four women, Belle Boyd, Rose O’Neal Greenhow, Elizabeth Van Lew, and Sarah Emma Edmonds, and their roles as spies during the American Civil War. I compared them to determine which side, Union or Confederacy, had a stronger system of female espionage.

Expression of the Promoter Region of Potri.005G095400 from Populous Trichocarpa (Black Cottonwood Tree)

Dr. Jason Abercrombie Yongil Yang (University of Tennessee)

FUN FACT

TITLE DESCRIPTION INSPIRATION

A Comparative Analysis of the Effectiveness of Female Espionage During the Civil War

FUN FACT

UPDATE

SHIVA SENTHILKUMAR ’19

PRESENTATION

BEKKA RANGE ’19

PRESENTATION

NAME

MEET THE INAUGURAL CLASS OF WEBB’S RESEARCH FELLOWS (CON'T)

I plan to pursue research in my undergraduate studies in college and, hopefully, integrate it one day into my career as an oncologist.

NAME PRESENTATION TITLE DESCRIPTION INSPIRATION

Whale Sharks have distinct snowflake-like patterning that is completely unique to each individual shark, much like a human fingerprint. This allows researchers to identify and track specific sharks without the worry of double counting. I have loved being able to take an interest and passion of mine and apply it to a school setting that would normally only be available in college graduate-level programs.

Amyloidosis is a rare disease caused by a buildup of amyloid proteins in organs. In the search for a cure, researchers need an effective way to measure amyloid proteins in a living system. This project is an investigation of the most effective and accurate way to quantify fluorescence of rVI6Wil amyloid fibrilloma in nude mice using Vision Works software. By finding a more accurate way to quantify fluorescence of amyloid in nude mice, we are one step closer to discovering more effective treatments.

When I inquired about research opportunities at the Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Tennessee, I was excited to learn that two of the country’s leading researchers of amyloidosis were conducting research there. My family has experienced the devastating effects of the disease firsthand, so it was personally very meaningful to work on the project.

UPDATE

Dr. Jason Abercrombie

Investigation of Optical Imaging and Techniques of rVI6Wil Fibrilloma in Nude Mice

Currently, this research is being finalized for submission to the Emerging Investigators Scientific Journal. My paper will also be shared with the University of Tennessee Medical Center to contribute to their ongoing efforts toward more effective treatments and a potential cure for amyloidosis.

MENTORS

NAME

I am editing and trimming my manuscript to fit my target journal's requirements and should publish soon.

MENTORS

INSPIRATION

I studied the movements and aggregational residency patterns of the Whale Shark, circumglobally. In addition to statistical acknowledgments, I researched certain ecological drives and factors such as La Niña currents along the equatorial shelf and specific sex ratio differences indicating pupping and mating hotspots.

It started with the best 16th birthday present—the opportunity to dive with Whale Sharks at the Georgia Aquarium. Upon further investigation, I found that there was a serious lack of research toward such a large, extant species. Their mysterious nature intrigued me, and I was inspired to help with further advancements and steps toward their conservation.

FUN FACT

ANNA BRYN WILLIAMS ’19

Dr. Emily Martin Dr. Jonathan Wall

FUN FACT

Migratory and Spatial Patterns of the Rhincodon Typus

UPDATE

DESCRIPTION

TITLE

PRESENTATION

RYLIE TALMADGE ’19

When doing research, a classmate asked what the images on my laptop were. I replied, “nude mice.” He replied, “Well, what are they usually wearing?!”

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2018 25

28 Webb School

It’s Saturday morning and several people finish filling out their medical paperwork in the tiny library of the Clearfork Community Institute’s community center. They grab a seat on a nearby bench to wait their turn. At the end of a short hallway, a ceiling-to-floor, hand-made quilt adorns the wall of a large commons area—on that day, the site of a make-shift dental office. The whine of dental drills mixes with the sound of suction pumps and friendly conversation as patients have their teeth cleaned and extracted at several work stations.

Down another hallway, a doctor steps out of a small classroom that has been converted to an optical lab. His patient reads an

Project Compassion / RAM, Webb & Clearfork Institute partner to provide free medical services for rural Appalachian community.

Robertson

Montgomery

Sumner

#12 Washington 808

Davidson

Wilson

Putnam

#4 Knox 3653

Williamson Rutherford

#20 Loudon 277

#13 Madison

Maury 783

#19 Jefferson 286 #11

#15 Blount

Sevier 808

500

#16 Bedford 486

Shelby

#7

#14

Hamilton

Bradley

2909

593

Above: Many patients drove 25-plus miles to be seen at the Clearfork Community Institute’s community center.

Left: (L to R) Webb alumni Dr. Michael Madigan ’99, a periodontist, and his wife, Lauren (Chobanian) Madigan ’02; Webb parent Amy Gilbert; and Dr. Dana Rust were among the many volunteers to help with the RAM/Webb medical workday.

eye chart posted on a wall scattered with pictures chronicling the lives of those who have lived in this rural and economically strapped Appalachian community near Clairfield, Tennessee.

The front door of the community center opens and another patient arrives seeking free healthcare by the nonprofit Remote Area Medical (RAM), which on that Saturday in May 2018, joined forces with the Webb School community to bring the mobile medical clinic to Clearfork Valley.

The team of 41 medical volunteers included Webb alumni, parents and alumni parents: Amy Gilbert, Lauren (Chobanian) Madigan ’02 and her husband, Dr. Michael Madigan ’99, a periodontist; audiologist Dr. Sally Baerman, mother of Jensine ’12 and Elliot Baerman ’14; family medicine specialist Dr. Brian Bonnyman ’81, father of Helen ’15 and Claire ’13 Bonnyman; Dr. Daniel Neiss (Emergency Medicine) and his wife, Tiffany Neiss, MSN, RN; and Steve Seifried, who jumped in to help keep the dental room clean and accessible. And thanks to Webb Upper School art teacher Brad Cantrell and service learning coordinator Hemal Tailor, several Webb students assisted with check-in and directing patient traffic.

At the end of the day, 105 patients—many drove 25-plus miles to be seen—received medical, dental and vision services, including 27 hearing exams, 176 teeth extracted, 35 single vision glasses, and 36 bifocal glasses.

The idea to bring a mobile medical workday back to Clearfork Valley after a six-year hiatus and to have the Spartan community participate had been percolating for some time in the mind of Appalachian scholar and retired Webb

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2018 27

41 105 medical volunteers

patients seen

28 Webb School

history teacher, Mark Banker. In centralAppalachian coal country, having a doctor regularly available is rare, according to Banker. “Right now, most of these folks only go to the doctor for a crisis,” he said, adding that something like the RAM event might be some people's only way to get treatment.

While teaching at Webb, Banker forged a partnership with Marie Cirillo, founder of the Woodland Community Land Trust (WCLT) in Clairfield, Tennessee, and former director of the Clearfork Community Institute, which works to support housing, forest restoration, education, and economic self-sufficiency in the area. Spartan alumni who took Dr. Banker’s Appalachian studies course may remember participating in service trips to Clairfield.

This past year, Banker taught an evening history course for adults, and among his students were Webb parent and graduate Dr. Jeff Gilbert ’93 and his wife, Amy Gilbert. When Banker talked with the Gilberts about bringing a mobile medical clinic to Clearfork, they jumped on the idea, with Amy, who has a background in public health, taking the reins. “I had never undertaken anything like this before,” she said. “I realized that we would need RAM for equipment, processing and organization, and working with them was phenomenal.”

Both Jeff and Amy contacted friends and family, as well as Spartan alumni to take part in the clinic. Amy Gilbert even recruited her father, Dr. David Compton, a dentist. “He had never done anything to that magnitude,” she said, “and he really loved it and would love to come back.” Amy’s mother, Rita Compton, also volunteered at the check-in table.

For Amy, who served as a dental assistant at the RAM event, the experience was eye opening. “I had never been up there

before,” she noted. “We had just learned about the history of Appalachia in Dr. Banker’s class and how we’re all tied back to it, even if you’re not from here. Working up there really connected you to the place, putting faces, personalities, issues, and people together.”

Getting the project off the ground was a community-wide effort, Gilbert added, with the volunteers and directors of the Clearfork Community Institute as equal partners. “They provided the facility, room and board for the volunteers and all meals,” she said, “and were present for all planning with RAM and really made this happen.

The Center’s Tonia Brookman and Marie Webster are the heart and soul of that facility, and they had a team of volunteers who kept things running smoothly and assisted in all aspects of the clinic.”

Plans are in the works for another RAM/Webb School workday at Clearfork, and Gilbert says she hopes more members of the Webb community will get involved.

“The need is incredible,” she stressed.

“The people there were so grateful. We saw patients ranging from children to senior citizens; most did not have regular access to the types of care we were providing. There was a lot of compassion and gratitude that you could never put a price on.”

Gilbert credits Banker for keeping the importance and needs of the Clearfork community alive in the minds of the Webb community. “His intellectual prowess and passion for the region is inspiring,” she said. “He makes me proud to call myself Appalachian (despite my Memphis roots!), and I simply could not turn down a chance to serve alongside him. I am so grateful for his continued willingness, despite retirement, to share his knowledge, time and energy with our community.”

Below: Periodontist Dr. Michael Madigan ’99 works with a patient during the spring RAM/Webb medical workday.

Below: Webb alumni parent and audiologist Dr. Sally Baerman conducts a hearing test on a patient.

Above: Retired Webb history and Appalachian studies teacher, Mark Banker (right), chats with dentist Dr. David Compton, father of Webb parent Amy Gilbert.

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2018 29

2018

COMMENCEMENT F A C T S

&

S T A T S

VALEDICTORIAN

Davis DeLozier SALUTATORIANS

Simone Digby & Spencer Williams MARGARET & LEONHARD SCHEUERMANN TROPHY RECIPIENT

Emory Scism DR. S.J. CHAPMAN MEMORIAL AWARD RECIPIENT

Carter Coughlin ROBERT WEBB SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENT

Lou Moran III ’82 100% college acceptance 457 offers of admission to 132 colleges and universities

$13 million in scholarship/merit awards 20 legacy graduates 24 “Ever Green” grads (entered Webb as kindergartners) 8 National Merit Semifinalists 9 National Merit Commended Scholars 13,864: Number of community service hours accumulated by Webb’s Class of 2018 over their four-year high school career

6 sets of twins 5,000th student to

Simone Digby was the graduate from Webb School!

32 Webb School

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2018 33

FACULT Y FOCUS

Kile receives TAIS' highest teaching honor At this year’s Tennessee Association of Independent Schools’ (TAIS) Biennial Conference in Memphis, Tenn., November 4 and 5, longtime Webb Upper School science teacher Laura Kile was one of four outstanding educators from across the state to be presented with TAIS’ most prestigious teaching honor, the Hubert Smothers Award.

The Hubert Smothers Award honors select educators who have met rigorous criteria. Each has taught for 20 years or more while continuing to be a “lifelong learner” and has demonstrated enthusiasm for teaching and learning. They are also teachers who have a long-term positive impact on their students and who possess sensitivity to the needs of students and work unselfishly toward their development.

In addition, they have exhibited leadership in extracurricular educational activities and have a positive relationship with colleagues and the administration. And finally, they have made contributions to further education beyond the school community that have an impact on the wider local, state or national educational community.

Laura Kile joins a distinguished line of previous Webb School of Knoxville honorees, including Judith Prince, Mary Jo Potts, Stephanie Barnes Ogden ’76, and Elliott Stroupe.

Webb Upper School Head Matt Macdonald commended Kile for her commitment to providing students an enriching experience inside and outside the classroom during her 23-plus-year career at Webb. He credited her with helping to broaden the number of science curricular opportunities offered and with developing two of the Upper School’s most popular science electives: Anatomy & Physiology and Forensics. Kile is also the faculty advisor to the student-driven Webb MD program (see related story, page 16), helping to connect Webb students interested in the study of medicine with mentors and experts in the healthcare field.

“Along with chaperoning student trips to Dominica and Honduras’ Bay Islands to study biodiversity,” Macdonald added, “Laura’s passion for making science accessible to a wide variety of students has influenced a number of our graduates to study science, medicine and/or engineering in college.”

32 Webb School

“In every way, Laura has demonstrated the deep commitment to teaching, support of her students, inspiration for her colleagues, and a sincere passion for helping those in need that one associates with the Hubert Smothers Award.”

- Matt Macdonald, Upper School Head

An ardent supporter of and leader for professional growth opportunities for Webb faculty, Kile has attended state and national conferences on topics related to differentiated instruction, the use of technology in the classroom and the benefits of the “flipped” classroom, just to name a few, and has shared that information with her colleagues in hopes of strengthening the level of instruction found in Webb classrooms. She also organized a K-12 science conference at Webb last year for teachers across the state to share ideas, lessons, activities, and advances in science education.

“In every way, Laura has demonstrated the deep commitment to teaching, support of her students, inspiration for her colleagues, and a sincere passion for helping those in need that one associates with the Hubert Smothers Award,” continued Macdonald. “Our Webb community is so grateful for Laura, and we are proud that she has been selected for this well-deserved honor!” W

Elliott Stroupe inducted into Sports Hall of Fame Recipient of a Special Recognition Award by the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame (GKSHF).

A Knoxville Interscholastic League Coaches Hall of Fame inductee. Namesake of the Caswell Avenue Boys & Girls Club gymnasium, Webb School of Knoxville’s Haslam Center gymnasium and Webb’s Middle School Elliott Stroupe Community Impact Award. Recipient of the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools’ Hubert Smothers Award, TAIS’ highest teaching honor.

And now, longtime Webb School science teacher and coach Elliott Stroupe is a GKSHF inductee.

Yet all these accolades merely scratch the surface of how Stroupe, throughout his 40-plus-year career as coach, mentor, teacher, and friend, has made a profound impact on countless young people in the Knoxville community.

He taught young athletes at the Boys & Girls Club the importance of character, integrity and perseverance as a coach and physical director, leading his teams to two Junior Pro National Basketball championships in 1975 and 1978, and continued to guide and develop numerous student-athletes at Webb as varsity boys’ basketball coach, Middle School boys’ basketball coach, track coach, and Middle School tennis coach.

Thousands of Webb Middle School students benefited from Stroupe's tutelage as he made science accessible and engaging to all levels of learners during his 36-year teaching career before retiring in 2016.

Copies of Dr. Banker's latest book (right) are available at amazon.com.

For a signed copy, contact Mark Banker at mtbanker1951@gmail.com.

And as the child of divorced parents, growing up in Western Heights in Knoxville, he never forgot how the Boys & Girls Club influenced his life and has made it his life mission to give back. Stroupe spearheaded and was the driving force in the ongoing partnership between Webb’s Middle School and the Boys & Girls Club’s Caswell Avenue branch–a partnership that includes hosting annual parties for the children at the Club, as well as a thriving peer-tutoring program. For over 30 years, this relationship–a flagship of Webb’s Middle School–has been life changing for not only the young people at the Boys & Girls Club but for Webb students and faculty as well.

Webb School defines leadership as “being aware of what is happening around you and choosing behaviors that benefit the community.” For more than 40 years, Elliott Stroupe has embodied that definition through his selfless actions, dedication and commitment to helping others. W

(above) In March 2017, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley's new Regal Entertainment Group Teen Center on Caswell Avenue hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to dedicate one of its gymnasiums to Elliott Stroupe.

Webb students, faculty, parents, and alumni joined Coach Sroupe in celebrating the official opening of Stroupe Court.

>> DR. BANKER: KEEPING BUSY IN RETIREMENT Retired Webb Upper School history teacher and Appalachian scholar Dr. Mark Banker recently returned from New Mexico where he was promoting his latest book, Ferenc Morton Szasz: A Celebration and Selected Writings.

Banker completed his Ph.D. in history at the University of New Mexico in 1987 under the guidance of Professor Szasz.

Author of numerous essays and books, including the well-received Appalachians All: East Tennesseans and the Elusive History of an American Region, Banker is also teaching an adult course at the Oak Ridge Institute for

Continuing Learning (ORICL). The course explores the overlapping histories of East Tennessee and Southern Appalachia from the Native American arrival to the 21st century.

Banker previously taught an evening course for Webb parents, alumni and friends, entitled American Rhymes – Reflections on the American Experience in 2017/18. The course echoed many of the themes and concerns addressed in the AP U.S. History and U.S. Since 1945 courses he taught at Webb.

W

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2018 33

WORLD VIEW

>> THROUGH A GLOBAL LENS

Since 2011, Webb's Coleman-Lange International Center has hosted a photo contest for Upper School students, faculty and staff to share photos from their summer travels. Submissions for this year's contest included pictures taken in the United States (including Alaska), Greece, Honduras, Thailand, India, and Italy.

The contest offers two categories: People/Animals and Places/Scenery. This year's student and faculty winners are pictured below. Runners-up are to the right.

5

6

7

1 1.

Student winner for People/Animals: Anna Beth Lee ’21–

beach at Hilton Head. 2. Student winner for Places/Scenery:

Noorayn Shaikh ’22–market in New Delhi. 3. Faculty winner for Places/Scenery: Ada Zareba–Yellowstone National Park.

4. Faculty winner for People/Animals: Sharon Mann–jellyfish at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies.

2

8

3 9

4

5. Student runner-up for People/Animals:

Gracie Kouns ’20. 6 & 7. Student

runners-up for Places/Scenery: Avery Myers ’19 & Amelia Konomos ’19.

8. Faculty runner-up for People/Animals: Laura Kile. 9. Faculty runner-up for Places/Scenery: Gordon Stanley.

34 Webb School

CL A SS NOTES

THE FOLLOWING CLASS NOTES WERE SENT VIA EMAIL, SNAILMAIL, POSTED TO OUR ALUMNI FACEBOOK SITE, OR FEATURED IN THE MEDIA. FOR THOSE SPARTAN ALUMNI WHO HAVE YET TO JOIN OUR ALUMNI FACEBOOK FAMILY, WE INVITE YOU TO VISIT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WEBBALUMNI/.

’60s Former domestic relations judge Bill Swann ’60 has published a book, entitled Politics, Faith, Love: A Judge’s Notes on Things That Matter.

’70s Popular Knoxville journalist and author Jack Neely ’76 presented “Electoral Anomalies: The intriguing story of the 2nd congressional district” at the East Tennessee History Center. He is the Executive Director of the Knoxville History Project and has written several books about Knoxville and its history, most recently The Tennessee Theatre: A Grand Entertainment Palace.

’80s Mary Louise Hemmeter ’80 is a professor of Special Education at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. Her research focuses on effective instruction, supporting social and emotional development and addressing challenging behavior, and coaching teachers. With a grant of more than $100,000 from Sesame Workshop, Hemmeter is leading a study of education and human development, entitled “Sesame Street Season 47: Focus on Kindness,” that will measure the effects of watching Sesame Street on young children’s understanding of kindness and emotions.

Laura Mansfield ’80 released her début memoir earlier this year, entitled Geezer Stories: The Care and Feeding of Old People. The book is an alternately humorous and poignant memoir about her experiences with her aging parents.

She officially launched her book at Knoxville’s Union Avenue Books, owned by fellow Webb alumna Flossie McNabb ’69.

General surgeon Grace Jeon ’82 was recently included in LA Magazine’s “Top Doctors” issue.

Country Music Association (CMA) Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Trahern ’82, was honored at the YWCA Academy for Women of Achievement Celebration.

Notable author Inman Majors ’83 released his latest novel, Penelope Lemon: Game On! A professor of English at James Madison University, Majors is author of four previous novels–Love’s Winning Plays, The Millionaires, Wonderdog, and Swimming in Sky.

(above) Former Webb Middle and Upper School Head, and coach, Gil Luttrell (left) and retired Webb Upper School history teacher, coach and Spartan alumnus Jay Livingston ’62 were invited to campus this past spring to share their experiences serving in the Vietnam War and to provide their perspectives on the Vietnam conflict and its historical significance. (right) Over fall break, Spartan alumni (L to R) Hugh Nystrom ’85, Rob Frost ’86 and Russ Powell ’87 joined their sons, all seventh graders at Webb, on a Boy Scout backpacking trip to the Horseshoe Mesa on the Grandview Trail of the Grand Canyon.

Renowned Broadway choreographer and actor Rusty Mowery ’85 (left) returned to the Webb School campus to speak about his career journey and to offer his perspectives and advice to students interested in pursuing the performing arts after high school. Mowery is the associate choreographer of the TONY Award-winning musical Kinky Boots. He has set Kinky Boots all over the world with productions in London, Toronto, South Korea, Australia, Tokyo, and Germany. His other Broadway credits include: CATS, Ragtime, Seussical, Fiddler on the Roof, Hairspray, and Legally Blonde. Mowery was awarded the CBT Artistic Achievement Award at this year's Clarence Brown Theatre's annual gala. His latest Broadway project, Pretty Woman the Musical, opened on Broadway in August 2018.

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Billy Osteen (left) spoke with Webb students and faculty earlier this year about University of Canterbury’s community engagement and service learning initiatives.

Billy Osteen ’85 teaches community engagement at the University of Canterbury and leads the university’s efforts to make realworld, community-based projects a part of every student’s experience.

Ben Piper ’88 continues to volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in King County, Wash., representing foster youth in dependency proceedings.

He was recently appointed Commissioner of Human Services for the City of Bellevue, Wash.

Brothers Russell Schaumburg ’89 and Zach Schaumburg ’94 are the creators of Edwin + Sons Cocktail Co., a Knoxville-based startup company that makes single-serve, ready-todrink craft cocktails.

Organist Freddie Brabson ’91 recently assumed the title of master of the Mighty Wurlitzer at the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville.

Chad Pennington ’95 is serving as head football coach at Sayre School in Lexington, Ky. A celebrated collegiate and professional football quarterback, co-executive director of NFL Legends Community, corporate speaker, philanthropist, and volunteer youth sports coach, Pennington is now rebuilding a high school football program at Sayre that had been sidelined for 40-plus years.

’90s Bailey Foster ’90 is the founder of Real Good Kitchen, a community kitchen and culinary incubator, opening in Knoxville in 2019. She recently competed in Innov865, a pitch competition for investors.

Class of 1990 graduates Allen Gillespie and Jeremy Nelson are the founders of 3 Rivers Angler in Knoxville, a retail and online shop for premium fly-fishing equipment.

Jay Livingston ’90 was named one of Forbes’ CMO Next Top 50 Chief Marketers. Livingston serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for Bark, a pet supply company. Livingston previously managed acquisition marketing at Bank of America.

36 Webb School

Chad Pennington (above) stopped by Meske Stadium this fall to watch Webb’s football team at practice and to spend a little time with his former Spartan coaches David Meske and Clark Wormsley.

’00s Matt Goldman ’00, a vascular and endovascular surgeon at Wake Forest Baptist Health, made headlines this past summer when he saved a teenager’s life after a SxS vehicle accident.

Lisa (Stowers) Rottman ’02 is General Manager of Marketing & Strategy at Stowers Machinery Corporation. She was named a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Greater Knoxville Business Journal, which recognizes leaders with a passion for making Knoxville and its surrounding areas better communities through professional and philanthropic efforts.

Brandon Harp ’04 is a first lieutenant and platoon leader serving in the 82nd Airborne Division.

Will Bellingrath ’08 is pursuing his master’s degree in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. His brother Mac Bellingrath ’10 accepted a job with The Washington Post as a senior software engineer and younger brother Jay Bellingrath ’11 is a financial analyst for a Department of Defense contractor in Washington, D.C. Tommy Nguyen ’08 is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of StoragePug, a modern marketing company for self-storage, creating marketing websites that allow customers to rent units and take payments through their facilities’ websites. StoragePug recently competed in Innov865, a pitch competition for investors, and won both a $7,000 Startup Day 2018 Judge’s Choice prize, presented by the Innov865 Alliance, and a $3,000 Startup Day 2018 Crowd Favorite prize, presented by SunTrust Bank.

’10s Rick Carl ’15 is part of the International Theatre Program at the University of Rochester (UR). He is featured on the cover of the program’s 2018-2019 season brochure and was in the cast of its fall 2018 musical, Gone Missing. This past May, Carl starred in UR’s The Pinter Plays, side-by-side productions of Harold Pinter’s one-acts The Collection and The Lover.

Emily Rowcliffe ’15 was one of two Sewanee The University of the South students to be awarded the Biehl International Research Fellowship to conduct independent social science research outside of the United States.

Rowcliffe, a double major in history and Asian studies, traveled to South Korea in summer 2018 for her research project, entitled “South Korea: Re-assimilating North Koreans.”

She concentrated on the specific steps being taken to integrate North Korean refugees into South Korean culture and the challenges North Korean refugees face.

Drew Wofford ’15 is a member of University of Tennessee’s Chancellor’s Honors Program (CHP). In his CHP newsletter article, entitled A Life Changed Through Service and the CHP, he wrote about his experience as part of the Community Service Committee, a sub-committee of the CHP Honors Council.

Dalton Maddox ’16 and his University of Tennessee classmates started a one-of-a-kind camping business called Coonhound (coonhound.co), offering camping equipment rental and campsite set-up and take-down. They were featured on WBIR and won UT’s Haslam College of Business’ Graves Business Plan Competition. They were awarded $5,000 to put toward their startup.

Dalton Maddox was invited back to Webb this fall to speak during Chapel and as a Leadership Speaker in the Lower School (below). At press time, Coonhound was to compete in the Boyd Venture Challenge for up to $20,000 in startup capital.

CL A SS NOTES

As a second-year, walk-on goalie, Paige Moore ’16 (above center, seated) was voted University of St. Andrews women’s field hockey player of the year this past spring. A fouryear member of Webb’s Lady Spartan field hockey team, Moore has continued her field hockey career with the St. Andrews Hockey Club, which consists of three men’s teams and six women’s teams. Moore is goalie for her “fours” squad, which competes in BUCS and Midland league games against school and club teams across Scotland. Not only did her team win the BUCS league championship for the second year in a row, but the “fours” were voted team of the year by their fellow Hockey Club members.

This summer, Myan Patel ’16 will be the “Voice of the Mallards” for the Madison Mallards, based out of Madison, Wis. The Mallards are a collegiate summer baseball team in the Northwoods League, one of the nation’s top summer leagues. The Mallards constantly draw one of the largest crowds in the summer collegiate circuit with over 6,000 fans attending each home game.

Patel will be the sole play-by-play broadcaster for all 72 Mallards games. Games will be broadcast on Madison’s local CBS Sports Radio affiliate, 96.7 FM, 1670AM The Zone.

Each game will also be simulcast on Northwoods League TV. For away games, Patel will also write postgame recaps to be posted on the Mallards’ website.

and Consumer Sciences. The program is designed as a practicum that allows students to observe in hospitals, get hands-on practice with health and nutrition screenings in the community, and gain insight through lectures on nutrition/dietetics and public health issues in Ghana. “I’m super excited about the opportunity to go back to a country I fell in love with two summers ago and to implement my passion for the culture and people of Africa, and for medicine,” she says.

Read is actively involved in CURE at UGA, an organization under CURE International that raises money for children in the developing world to receive surgeries that they could not otherwise afford. She adds, “My dream summer would be to hike Mount Kilimanjaro and to visit a CURE hospital to see it in person before the program starts.”

Madison Read ’16 (above) has been accepted into the University of Georgia (UGA) Ghana ServiceLearning study abroad program through the UGA College of Family

Taylor Boyer ’17 and Chase Strickland ’18 were among the young leader-entrepreneurs to be included in knox.biz's inaugural “20 Under 20” class. Boyer is founder of the nonprofit Reading Ready TN and is in the Haslam College of Business Global Leadership Scholars program

at UT. Strickland is a graphic designer and creator of Hiyroller, a video advertising and branding company.

The UT freshman plans to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, including concert lighting, music production and studio ownership.

Davis DeLozier ’18 was named a 2018 Academic All-American by US Lacrosse. DeLozier was one of only seven high school laxmen in the state of Tennessee to receive this national honor. Valedictorian of the Class of 2018, DeLozier is the first Webb School player to receive Academic All-American honors in the history of Webb’s lacrosse program.

Class of 2018 alumni Rachel Lucas and Jack King host a political podcast, entitled Progressive U, which they started while still seniors at Webb. Progressive U provides perspectives of college-aged progressives on the news.

Elizabeth Moore ’18 took first place in the Transylvania University triathlon program’s début at the D-III Invitational.

STATE SHOUT-OUT

A shout-out to Webb’s 2017-2018 varsity basketball teams and dance team–especially its seniors. The Lady Spartans (above) won their sixth state basketball title, defeating Franklin Road Academy, 55-42, at the 2018 DII-A Girls State Basketball Championships. The Spartan boys, in their firstever state final, fell to Grace Christian Academy, 46-44, to finish state runner-up. Webb’s dance team earned a Sportsmanship Award for both the DII-A girls’ and boys’ state tournaments. In addition, longtime Webb head varsity girls' basketball coach, Shelley Collier, was named PrepXtra Girls Basketball Coach of the Year. Her daughter Casey Collier ’19 was a Miss Basketball finalist and state tournament MVP.

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FALL/WINTER 2018 37

In Memory Donald L. Tarvin, beloved teacher, coach, camp director, plant manager, friend, and counselor to generations of Webb staff and students, passed away April 2, 2018.

Below is an excerpt from the obituary for Don Tarvin, published at knoxnews.com.

Born in Walker County, Georgia to Louise and Paul Tarvin, Don grew up at the base of Lookout Mountain with three sisters, Pat Henry, Peggy Romine, and Ann Edens.

He attended Chattanooga Valley High School and spent his freshman year at the University of Chattanooga, now the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He then transferred to Carson-Newman College, now University, to play basketball and baseball for Frosty Holt.

Don met and fell in love with a Calliopean beauty, Knoxville native Patsy Temple.

After graduating from Carson-Newman, Don served in the United States Army and taught math to servicemen who needed a better education to conduct Army business. Don and Patsy married and returned to Knoxville where he taught, coached and lived for the rest of his life. He taught at Rule High School, Tyson Junior High School and Webb School of Knoxville. Coach Tarvin spent the majority of his career at Webb teaching math and physical education, coaching at both the junior high and high school divisions, and running Webb Day Camp. Most notably, he started the girls basketball and boys baseball teams at Webb and served as the athletic director for the school. In his final years at Webb, Don was the leader of campus facilities, a natural fit for a guy who knew how to groom a field for play.

After he retired from Webb, he enjoyed traveling with his beloved Patsy, playing rounds of golf and rooting on the Vols and Spartans. If you were looking for him, you could find him in the yard, nurturing his roses and vegetables.

His wife, Patsy, lives in Knoxville along with his two daughters, Terri Tarvin Ward with husband Tim, and Tammy Tarvin Walden with husband Pat. He also loved following the adventures of his three grandsons: Ryan Patrick Walden, Alex Temple Ward, and Maxwell Whitfield Ward.

Don served not only as a coach, teacher and camp director, but also as a mentor who taught life lessons for generations of students at Webb School of Knoxville. He was a role model for countless students, campers, counselors, and coaches over the years . . .

40

For the past 23 years, Webb School has presented the Donald L. Tarvin Award to deserving faculty and staff. The award, first presented to Don Tarvin in 1995, was established by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Johnson, parents of David ’90, Jonathan ’93 and Robert Johnson in his honor. The Tarvin Award is given annually to members of the faculty and staff, who in their daily relationships with students, parents, peers, and the community, exemplify the qualities of moral, ethical and spiritual leadership that Webb School Webb Schoolseeks to impart to its students.

’60

Ernest Douglas Newton passed away June 28, 2018.

Below is an excerpt from his obituary, published at thechattanoogan.com.

He graduated from Webb School and with highest honors from the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He graduated from The University of Tennessee College of Medicine, from which he completed his internship and residency. After his training in plastic surgery, he completed a microvascular fellowship at Vanderbilt University. Doug lived most of his professional life in Pittsburgh, where he established a distinguished career as a microvascular plastic surgeon . . . An internationallyrecognized lecturer and mentor in reconstructive and plastic surgery, he was awarded the esteemed Roche Award for his groundbreaking work in the treatment of brown recluse spider bites.

WE ARE WE B B

This is the second year of Webb's mentoring partnership between the senior class and Webb's Junior Spartans and kindergartners. (pictured) Senior mentor Kyle Fletcher makes sure his Junior Spartan buddy Hugh Kenny stays dry as they walk to the Central Building.

Alumni Bulletin 41

Fellow Spartans,

In May 2018, Webb School graduated its 5,000th student!

There are Webb graduates in 48 different states.

Average gift to the Alumni Scholars Fund over the last 3 years: $150

40 Webb School

It has been a wonderful start to another school year here at Webb–our fall production of Mamma Mia!, rooting for our Spartan athletes, WebbFest, and much more. Recently, my seventh grade son, Trace, and I discussed his experience so far, specifically his classes in the Middle School. Trace asked me what my favorite class was when I was a student at Webb. After a pause for thought, I told him that my favorite class was International Relations and American History, taught by Mr. Linville, a retired Navy captain. He often shared life experiences that made lessons memorable, inspirational and relevant. I also remember the appreciation and high expectations that he had for each of us. Working at Webb, I get to see faculty and staff make that same sort of impact every day.

After we leave Webb School, we move on to new and exciting chapters in our lives, but it is important to reflect and remember the foundation of our success. I encourage you to stay connected to Webb. Our Alumni Leadership Council spearheads many initiatives throughout the year for alumni to renew or strengthen their ties with the school, including Spartan Alumni Weekend, Young Alumni Holiday Party, Thirsty Thursday School, and regional get-togethers.

Webb School made a life-changing impact on every one of us, and there are many ways we can give back. It is important to share your pride and show your loyalty to the Green & White. Your support is a testament to the Knoxville community, and beyond that, you support our mission and values. I urge you to give to Webb's Alumni Scholars Fund. Your contribution–of any amount–enables deserving students with financial need to have access to an extraordinary Webb School education. And, as you will find, giving back has another benefit: it feels good.

With Gratitude,

Hugh Nystrom ’85 Father of Trace Nystrom ’24 Director of Development P.S. Have you joined our new Spartan Memories Facebook group?

Connect with fellow Spartans, and stay up-to-date on all alumni news.

Go to: www.facebook.com/groups/webbalumni/

Where in the World is Sparty?

Our “Where in the World is Sparty?�

WebbFest was a huge success! The annual community-builder and celebration of fun, food, football, and fellowship was chock-full of skits, lunchtime contests, dress-out days, the annual powder-puff game and, of course, our Friday carnival, Rock the Clock and BBQ dinner. None of it would have been possible without the amazing and tireless efforts of our many volunteers. Thank you for all that you do; you make a difference and you enrich our community!

info (865) 291-3842 • webbschool.org

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If this issue is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify Webb’s Development Office at (865) 291-3842 of the new mailing address. Because college addresses change often, we prefer not to use them for general mailing. We hope you will forward this magazine to your college student. Thank you!

A Pre-K - 12th grade Open House event for prospective families.

Interested students and their families are invited to experience Webb School, connect with the Webb community and imagine the possibilities at the February 10, 2019 Spartan Showcase.

Register at webbschool.org/spartanshowcase or call (865) 291-3781.