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ILLUMINATE

The Magazine of Charlotte Latin School

Spring 2025

7 From the Head of School 8 Homeward Bound Praesis Ut Prosis Ne Imperes 10 14 F rankentable 16 Around Campus 22 C yberdramaturgy Talons 24 26 L atin’s DNA 30 H ayes Hot Seat 32 Club Sandwich 34 Honor Guard 36 From the Director of Philanthropy 38 Alumni News 50 Class Notes 80 Life at Charlotte Latin in 1982 Take-home initiatives in the Lower School

Inside What’s

Bidding farewell to Lawrence Wall, Head of Upper School

Collaborative engineering in the Fab Lab

Latin acting class wins prize for AI-written play

Team sports for the next generation of Hawks

How the Core Values correlate with the Portrait of a Latin Leader

Daniel Hayes, Upper School English Teacher

The smorgasbord of Middle School clubs

The students who uphold the Honor Code

Peach Delight

LATIN Magazine

2024–25

School Leadership Administrative Team Charles D. Baldecchi Head of School P ’21 ’23 ’25 Todd Ballaban Head of Middle School P ’32 Joanne O. Beam Director of Philanthropy P ’22 David Gatoux Director of Athletics James Huffaker Chief Technology Officer Beth Lucas Director of Human Resources P ’35 Mary Yorke Oates ’83 Director of Enrollment Management P ’12 ’15 ’18 Robert McArthur Chief Financial and Operations Officer Erica Moore Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Kristin Paxton-Shaw Director of Marketing & Communications Mark Tayloe Head of Lower School P ’15 ’20 Sonja L. Taylor Associate Head of School Lawrence Wall Head of Upper School

2024–25 Board Of Trustees Rael Gorelick Chair P ’24 ’26 ’27 ’29 John Comly Vice Chair P ’28 ’30 Phil Colaco Treasurer P ’19 ’22 ’26 Dave Shuford Secretary P ’28 ’30 Mike Freno Immediate Past Chair P ’23 ’25 ’28 Mackenzie Alpert P ’30 ’32 Irm Bellavia P ’19 ’20 ’22 ’25 Mary Katherine DuBose P ’24 ’26 Paige Ford ’06 Don Gately P ’98 ’04 GP ’30 ’32 ’33 ’35 Stacy Gee P ’19 ’21 ’22 Anna (Stiegel) Glass ’01 P ’33 ’35 ’36 Donnie Johnson P ’33 ’33 Karim Lokas P ’24 ’26

Charlotte Latin School | Spring 2025

Ed McMahan ’93 P ’22 ’24 ’30

Editorial Director

On the cover:

Associate Editor

CLS Market Day for Latin third graders.

Katie Morgan P ’21 ’24 Uma O’Brien P ’28 ’30 ’33 Jack Purcell P ’30 ’32 Christian Robinson P ’32 ’34 ’36 Jan Swetenburg P ’98 ’00 ’07 GP ’32 ’34 ’34 ’37 Charles Thies ’90 P ’32 ’35

Ex-Officio Charles D. Baldecchi Head of School P ’21 ’23 ’25 Robert McArthur Chief Financial and Operations Officer James McLelland ’17, 2024–25 Alumni Governing Board President

Kimber Morgan 2024–25 Parents’ Council President P ’25 P ’27 P ’29

Gavin Edwards P ’27 Tricia Tam

Contributors

Ben Goldman ’26 Alex Kern ’11 Meredith Kempert Nunn ’98 Nikki Williams

Designer

Monty Todd

Photography

Stephanie Chesson Cheeka Gupta P ’33 ’35 Megan Myers St. John Photography Will Teichman P ’28 ’31

Please send address corrections to: Office of Philanthropy Charlotte Latin School 9502 Providence Road Charlotte, NC 28277 Or email cory.hardman@charlottelatin.org

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL nation’s capital, however, there was a tragic midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. All planes were grounded and it was unclear how long they would have to stay at the airport, waiting for a flight.

Dear Friends of Charlotte Latin School, When we designated “Illuminate” as the theme for this year at Charlotte Latin, I hoped it would remind everyone in our community to pay attention to the extraordinary people around them. Happily, I get to do a little of that illuminating myself: I’m proud to share this story that exemplifies some of the best qualities of Latin. Earlier this year, Charlotte Latin hosted 17 students and three adults from the Colegio Carmen Arriola de Marín in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We’ve been doing student exchanges with the Colegio Marín since 1999, breaking down cultural barriers and forging international friendships. Some of the students have grown so close with each other that years later, they’ve invited each other to their weddings. This year’s trip didn’t begin well, however: after the Argentinians arrived in the United States, they missed their connecting flight from Dallas to Washington, DC. Improbably, they were able to get their entire group rebooked on another flight the same day. On the day they were supposed to leave our

Around midnight, Kelly Willis, our Director of Global Studies, sent an email to a team of Latin staffers, updating them on how the Argentinian contingent was stranded in DC. Transportation Manager Brandon Nichols immediately called her: he knew that our visitors had a limited amount of time in the United States, and that spending a significant chunk of it in an airport hotel would be both expensive and tedious. He was also aware that they would be legitimately fearful of getting on a plane immediately after that terrible accident. He offered another option: Latin could send a school bus to DC to pick up our guests. Early the next morning, as soon as Kelly had confirmation that the airline wouldn’t cancel the Argentinians’ tickets home if they skipped the DC-to-Charlotte leg, Brandon sent a Charlotte Latin school bus on a 400-mile trip northeast with two drivers. Rosario Colace is one of the school’s full-time drivers, while Dick Sipperly, the retired Middle School Athletic Director and former Head Coach of Varsity Boys’ Lacrosse, has been filling in as part of our transportation team; when asked to help, both immediately signed on. Rosario and Dick drove nonstop to DC and back, returning to Charlotte around 11 p.m. A few nights later, I had dinner with Maximiliano Estigarribia, the Head of Colegio Marín, who had joined

his students on this year’s trip. My Spanish isn’t great and his English wasn’t much better, but we were happy to break bread and have a stumbling conversation. He expressed his profound gratitude, telling me that it felt like a miracle when that white-and-blue Latin bus showed up at the airport.

Dick Sipperly and Rosario Colace

I was extremely proud of Latin that day, when so many members of our community worked hard to solve problems and to bring our guests out of the cold. It illuminated the values of Charlotte Latin and the care with which we treat the people around us. The moral principles that we instill in our students are deeply rooted in our community: when our bus returned to Latin around 11 p.m., the parking lot was filled with host families, waiting to take the Argentinians into their homes. With gratitude for a job I love,

Chuck Baldecchi Head of School LATIN Magazine

TAKE-HOME INITIATIVES

Homeward Bound

The Portrait of the Latin Leader comes home for Lower School students Glancing down at the microphone on the table and then back to his script, Yohannes, a Charlotte Latin seventh grader, sits tall, clears his throat, and delivers his line: “What does it mean to collaborate?” Yohannes is recording the voiceover for a cartoon version of Victor E. Hawk, who, according to the narrator (Teaching Fellow Anna Ruth Morrison), got lost in a rainstorm and “accidentally flew far away to a place he’s never seen before.” In the interactive Humble Collaborator game — created by the Student Leadership Development team and tailored for each grade level (TK–5) — students help Victor become a Humble Collaborator to get back to his home nest at Charlotte Latin. Fortunately, Victor meets a wise old bird named Albert the Albatross, who gives him a special map, a gold leadership chain, and sage advice. Seasoning the voice of Albert with equal parts gravel and gravitas, Dr. David-Aaron Roth provides the moral via voiceover: “When people collaborate, it means that they work together to build something, play a game, or solve a problem. We can all help each other and feel good when we do it together!” That’s exactly what the Student Leadership Development team is doing this year — working together to build a suite of take-home initiatives for students to extend their learning beyond the covered walkways. To ensure the content is ageappropriate and cross-departmental, Student Leadership Development collaborates with Lower School teachers and with the heads of Latin departments, including Global Studies and Wellness. On campus, Lower School students experience leadership learning through Latin’s signature Leads With Honor program and through their teachers, who infuse classroom learning with the Portrait of the Latin Leader. (See page 26 of this magazine for more information 8

on the Portrait and how it correlates to Latin’s Core Values.) “In prior years, select grade levels received a take-home initiative,” says Roth, Director of Student Leadership Development. “This year, we’re reinvesting and reimagining. Ms. Morrison is driving the project to create learning experiences uniquely for Latin by Latin that include all grade levels of Lower School.” The take-home initiatives feel different than everyday homework: they’re gamified to invite students and their families to engage playfully with the six attributes of the Portrait. It makes sense that the team produces them with curiosity, joy, and laughter. Stepping into the Student Leadership Development office, located on the main floor of the McIntosh Leadership Center, is like entering the creative hub of a legendary toymaker or brand. (Think Lego’s

Innovation Campus or Pixar’s Braintrust, but with an academic twist.) Colorful sticky notes are scattered on desks like confetti, while the air buzzes with the electrical charge of brainstorming. When the team collaborates on take-home initiatives, they volley ideas and one-liners at high velocity; whiteboard doodles soon become handmade prototypes. Morrison launched the team’s first initiative in October, when students went home on a Friday carrying a small but intriguing treasure: Curiosity Cards, a set of tiny cards packed with big questions. “The cards are designed to spark wonder and meaningful conversation among families,” Morrison says, “whether they’re pondering something playful, like eating candy for breakfast, or reflecting on friendship and environmental stewardship.” A kindergartener might giggle when asked, “In China and Taiwan, burping means you like the food! What do you do when you like your food?” while a fourth grader might pause to consider, “What makes the Earth rotate?” Ruth (Van Dyke) Wyatt ’02 P ’33 ’35 chuckles as she recalls a response from her daughter in Transitional Kindergarten, “I read her the prompt: ‘Describe a time when you were helpful.’ She answered, ‘5:30 p.m.’” First grader Ava shares, “I like to read the Curiosity Cards at family dinner so I can learn new things and have great talks with my family. And I can teach my little brother things about the world, too!” Ava’s mother, Laura Balabushka, who teaches third grade at Latin, reflects on how the Curiosity Cards have deepened family conversations: “It gives Ava the opportunity to discuss ideas she’s learned in school that she is proud to share.” Over that first weekend, Curiosity Cards quickly found their way into the heart of Latin family life — discussed between bites at the dining table, passed around the car, and tucked into bedtime routines. By Monday, with positive reviews pouring in, Morrison and team were already hard at work on the next initiative. The team launched seven unique activities in November, each one furthering the Dynamic Communicator attribute of the Portrait. First graders brought home a family election activity with a reusable ballot and dry erase marker, to facilitate voting on which film to watch on movie night or declaring a winner in the battle of pizza versus tacos. Third graders received a multicultural

Anna Ruth Morrison with emotion charades cards.

The interactive Humble Collaborator game.

storytelling activity, in which they read three versions of Cinderella from around the world and noted what was similar and different. Kindergarteners got an emotion charades game, where players take turns acting out and guessing the emoji cards. Fifth graders, meanwhile, received a debate game, where participants draw a card and craft a compelling argument for or against a variety of fun and interesting topics. When asked which initiative is her favorite so far, Morrison’s eyes sparkle: “I’m most proud of the Humble Collaborator game because it required me to develop an entire new set of skills, whether it was designing the graphics or figuring out the platform. We received great feedback from teachers saying it was so different — a really cool activity for their students.” Parents also especially like the activities that are reusable and easy to bring to a restaurant or in the car for a road trip: now Latin families can carry a little piece of the school with them everywhere. “That’s the vibe of what we’re putting together for Resilient Navigator,” Morrison hints. Pressed for details, her eyes sparkle again, but she speaks with restraint. “I can’t spoil the surprise, but… it’s going to be epic.”

LATIN Magazine

25 YEARS AT CHARLOTTE LATIN

Praesis Ut Prosis Ne Imperes Or “lead in order to serve, not to rule” — an exit interview with Lawrence Wall, Head of Upper School

Guiding Upper School students through the fine points of translating a passage from Ovid’s Metamorphoses on a Thursday afternoon, Lawrence Wall encourages them, spotlights subtleties of language, and delivers some maxims: “Start with rigid adherence,” he advises them. “If something is an adjective, insist that it act like an adjective.” When they’re puzzled by why some of the characters have malleable names, he shares a term he teaches his AP students: “Virgilian verbal variety,” explaining that poets need to use different terms for the subjects of their verse, to adhere to meter and avoid monotony. “Virgil describes the Trojan horse by at least three different woods,” he informs them. “Oak, maple, and fir tree.” Wall is precise and formal, but his care for the young

people in his classroom is obvious. And sometimes, the education he gives them about ancient culture has timeless value. Discussing the information one gets from a divine oracle, he reminds them, “The answer is never better than the question.” Outside the classroom, Wall has been Head of Upper School for the past 25 years, during which time it has grown from 426 students to nearly 600. He made sure that it didn’t merely maintain its reputation for quality, but that it constantly improved, both in and out of the classroom. By attracting and nurturing top-notch teachers, by never neglecting an opportunity for a teachable moment, and by giving every ounce of himself to Latin’s students, he’s molded thousands of young lives. Now, after a quarter-century, he has announced his retirement and his intention to return home to Alabama. We sat down in his office to reflect on his life and achievements. What drew you to the Latin language? I never had a foreign language in high school — I didn’t go to a school like Latin. And in college, I told my freshman advisor that I had no idea what to take. He said, “Well, what are you interested in doing?” I said, “I don’t know: maybe the priesthood, maybe law.” He said, “How about Latin?” And I finally found this place where my preoccupation with words met puzzle-solving. I had a real inferiority complex around math after failing Algebra 1 in ninth grade, but I thought, “Maybe this is where my brain gets to think logically and rationally.” What attracts students to Latin or Greek in the year 2025? I think they gain tremendous intellectual satisfaction out of the problemsolving piece. Often physics and math students are the ones who just love Latin and Greek. Our valedictorian last year described Latin as “mathematics in words.” The study of Latin and Greek helps them understand English grammar, where so much of the meaning is based on the word order, rather than just the identity of the word in and of itself. I tell my students that when I’m moldering in my coffin in Live Oak Cemetery in Selma, I can rest easy knowing that they may be the last people in this century who will know anything of the subjunctive mood. And of course it becomes the vehicle for reading wonderful things and knowing Cicero and Caesar. Who were you when you arrived at Latin 25 years ago? I was leaving a school [St. Timothy’s-Hale Episcopal in Raleigh, NC] that I had quite a hand in building. There were 69 students, and two weeks after I’d been hired, I received a letter from the Board of Trustees saying that if we didn’t get student #70, they would close the school. At the end of my first year in 1990, I became a department chair. By 1992, I was assistant head of school. By 1995, I was head of school, and by 2000, I had decided to get my paper out on the street and go back to teaching full-time. The only reason I had gone into administration at my first school was that it was being done so wretchedly that I thought, well, I can’t do worse than this.

Clockwise from lower left: Wall in the classroom in 2025, at the ribbon-cutting for the Inlustrate Orbem Building in 2019, in the Upper School office circa 2000, occupying an empty display case in the IO Building in 2019 before it was filled with trophies, addressing Parents’ Council in 2025.

LATIN Magazine

Dr. Ned Fox [Head of School at Latin, 1976–2001] saw me at a conference in Baltimore and said, “Why am I the last person in North Carolina to know that you’re looking for a job?” I said, “Well, Dr. Fox, I felt awkward telling somebody who thought that I had so much potential that I wanted to go back to the classroom.” He brought me in as Head of Upper School and I had never had such resources. He gave me 10% of my first year’s salary for moving, but I was still in the mindset of almost a college student, so I basically moved myself with friends helping. I went to him and said, “Dr. Fox, I didn’t use all that money, so would you like what’s left back?” He said, “Lawrence, keep it. Joanna [Fox’s wife] says you need curtains in your living room windows, so you can buy some with that.” What have you learned in your time at Latin? How to take advantage of talent, because I’m surrounded by it here. I’ve always been proud that there weren’t many things we couldn’t figure out if we assembled the right talent. Not that there weren’t talented people at my former school, but there weren’t nearly as many and they didn’t stay because we didn’t pay very much at all. So I was habituated to doing things myself, down to mowing the grass before Parents’ Night, because it had to be done. And I’ve learned to be more patient. Father Hale, the founder of my first school, once told me, “Lawrence, don’t make a rule you don’t want to have to enforce.” Another thing he told me was, “One of the stupidest things that adults can say to children is ‘Grow up.’ It’s like screaming at a bucket of tadpoles, ‘Why aren’t you a frog?’” How has the Upper School changed in the past 25 years? There are so many different programs, clubs, events. I like to remind people that our mission statement says “many growth-promoting opportunities,” not “as many as humanly possible.” It means that there’s less common ground, segmenting the student population, but I think it’s been wonderful for the kids. When I first came to Latin, it seemed that everyone took art as their elective and 85% of the students played sports. We opened up so many ways for all kinds of kids to thrive here. When I’m conducting admissions interviews, I tell students that Latin is big enough that you’ll probably find 10 to 15 people who will think you’re all that, and who needs more than that to call friends? How did you know it was time to leave? It was brought to the fore by how quickly my parents’ situation changed. They were married for 67 years, and when my dad went, I realized that my mom needs more help. I feel bound to do that. This may shock some people, but I really don’t like stasis. Anyone my age remembers that when you came home from school, you watched Gilligan’s Island and Bewitched on TV, and you almost became a professional on these series: you saw their full run several

times. I remember thinking, “The second-season version of this plot was funnier.” I need new challenges to keep growing. What’s the most Alabama thing about you? A strong sense of place. Southern people seem to me to have a bit more of a romantic strain because we’re always looking to the past. I grew up absolutely smitten with the past — I loved reading about archeology and the pyramids. My mother’s mother was a magnificent storyteller, and I would beg her to tell me stories about things she remembered as a girl, like steamboats coming to town. One thing about studying classical languages is that you encounter the cultures of people who are actually very different in their worldview from life on this small planet we live on now. What are you hoping your life will be like when you go back to Alabama? I miss not having my family close by and I would like to reconnect with them. And there are things I want time and health and energy and strength to do. With genealogical research, I’m like a dog with a bone. I want more time to be active in the church. I will be itchy to have some kind of class, even if it’s in church, doing Biblical Greek. I’m a teacher: I need an audience. And I want a year to get my house in order — I can’t even have company. It’s not that it’s unsanitary, it’s that I have over 2,000 stereo LPs. What type of music do you listen to? Classical music, almost exclusively. It’s not that I can’t enjoy other forms of music, but I find that my mind is satisfied by Bach fugues and by Wagner. What’s your favorite poem? Tennyson’s “Ulysses.” It’s the voice of Ulysses, reflecting on how he misses his old gang and his great adventures. Do you have a favorite word? Let’s go back 55 years to the first grade: it was “ostentatious.” And I missed the irony of it. I came home and I was telling everybody, “I spelled ‘ostentatious.’” And nobody said, “Yeah, you’re living it.” When do you feel most like yourself? When I’m with people who love what they’re doing with their complete identity. How do you want people at Latin to remember you? Dr. Fox once said something to me that was so simple: “I just hope that when I’m gone, I’ll be missed.” I talk a lot about Ned Fox, but also Janice Privette, Jean Webb, Ken Collins, and so many other Latin people because I was brought up to remember the people who built something. I was lucky enough to inherit what was already quite built when I came here in the school’s 30th year. I hope that I added to it in some ways. And yeah, I’d just like to be missed.

Bricks in the Wall

Memories of Lawrence E. Wall from his former students Danielle Pardue ’05

Tess Goldman ’23

“LEW” is endlessly warm, exceptionally eloquent, phenomenally kind, and boundlessly enthusiastic. He has helped raise thousands of kids into good adults: not only by holding us up to high standards in our studies, but by lovingly imparting wisdom through insightful advice that applies to all facets of life, not just academics. Many times, I heard him dispel seniors’ palpable stress by reminding them that even though high school required them to be experts at six or seven subjects every single day, that this was an artificial and temporary situation, and that the true goal was always for each individual to pursue whatever expertise personally excited them and made them passionate about learning. There is simply nobody else like “LEW”: I congratulate him on his illustrious career, and thank him for all the lives he has changed robustly for the better, including my own.

I came to Latin from a different school, so the summer before I started I met with Mr. Wall twice a week for tutoring. He would get up and start dancing — that was my first experience with any teacher at Latin. I thought, “This is going to be great.”

Roman Berens ’12 Mr. Wall really loves teaching. He put in so much work: he would frequently go in early and fill a whole whiteboard with Latin text from Caesar or Virgil. He had these super-detailed handouts that I still keep. When I went to college, I think I knew more Greek than any other freshman in the Harvard classics department. He had an odd sense of humor — he would make references to these goofy kids’ shows from the ’70s, like H. R. Pufnstuf, that had been off the air for 40 years — but he was genuinely the most important and influential teacher I had at Charlotte Latin, and there were a lot of good ones. The day before homecoming, Mr. Wall would get on the loudspeaker and warn people to be safe on homecoming night, not to drink and drive, and that he didn’t want to see any inappropriate dancing. The phrase he used has always stuck with me: “Grind not, lest ye be ground.” I think he shaped Charlotte Latin into what it is.

I learned how to study from Mr. Wall’s class. That was the first time I studied for hours: I had to work so hard to get a good grade in that class. He was available to help, but you had to ask. I learned how to advocate for myself.

Cowden Rayburn ’07 Mr. Wall can come off as this stern old-school administrator, but he’s really funny. He would crack us up with self-effacing stories about how when he was growing up, his family and community would call him Bubba. We were intimidated by him at the beginning, but he broke the ice in all the right ways. If you did well on a test, he would draw hilarious cartoons on the top of the test to communicate his delight. He reiterated time and again to not use profanity, because it’ll make it less effective when you use it and mean it. That crew of guys who were in his Latin class, about 15 of us, we have a group text — we talk every day, and we frequently invoke Mr. Wall. I’m happy for him and grateful for all the kindness and patience he showed me. That’s not the experience everyone gets at school: Charlotte Latin stands apart because of people like him. LATIN Magazine

STEAM HEAT

Frankentable

What has six legs and lives in the Fab Lab? The answer was yes, although there are some machines in the Fab Lab that stay off-limits until Upper School for safety reasons. But a floating team of about ten Latin students, split between the two divisions, soon found that everyone could play to their strengths: Middle School students who were well-versed in CAD (computer-aided design) created files that Upper School students converted into the Aspire format and rendered with a CNC (computer numerical control) cutting machine. “We did a lot of dividing and conquering,” Horstman says.

Some inventions save lives; some promote human understanding. Some make the world a stranger place. Consider, for example, a coffee table that has the ability to walk, like anthropomorphic furniture in an animated film: in the real world, that’s amazing and a little unsettling. As it happens, a team of Charlotte Latin students has been working all year to make a walking table — a project that has taught them a wide range of engineering skills and brought together Upper School and Middle School students in a months-long collaboration. Inspired by a “Carpentopod” table created by Dutch engineer Giliam de Carpentier, Tom Dubick (Chair of the Innovation and Design Department and Director of the Fab Lab) suggested that Latin students might enjoy creating their own version. Middle School Innovation and Design Teacher Angela Horstman agreed to oversee the project and a crew of Upper School students began work. When some of her eighth grade students saw the components that she was storing in her classroom, she says that they became fascinated and asked lots of questions about the project, including “Are we allowed to do that?”

To design legs that would actually walk, not wobble and flail, required multiple rounds of testing and troubleshooting. The team began with a computer simulation: when the electronic design worked, they rendered it in cardboard and cranked the pieces by hand with a wooden dowel. Next iteration: thicker matboard, followed by laser-cut wood, refining the pieces and the design each step of the way. “We’ve gone through so many different challenges,” says David Vaughn ’26. “Some we overcame and others we avoided.” One major breakthrough came when they realized that the legs didn’t need ball bearings at their joints: they could pivot just fine around a nut and bolt.

Horstman, who is in her first year at Latin, worked as an engineer for years before she discovered how much she loved teaching kids. For her fifth-grade science project, she built a working radio. “I always loved tinkering,” she says. “I was going to Radio Shack — while it still existed.” That background gives her the patience to let students experiment and fail. “They’re headstrong and want to try different things,” she says, “but I remind myself that when I was a teenager, I was the same way. You learn from things that don’t work, just as much if not more than the things that do work.”

The team worked on Mondays and Wednesdays after school, with some members taking time off for sports and theatrical productions. On a recent Monday afternoon, Collin Kanofsky ’26 connected a camera apparatus to a computer screen. When it began transmitting images, he said in a low voice, “Niiiiiiiice.” He explained, “The camera’s fully functional now.” Responsible for the walking table’s electronics, Collin surprised everybody by not only making sure that there was a working motor, but by incorporating AI to process a video feed so the table can recognize people and other obstacles and avoid them when it walks. Two Middle School students worked with magnets, making sure that the camera’s turret would attach to the right spot on the table. “At my old school, we didn’t have engineering,” one of them said. “It’s nice to have a project to work on as a sixth grader. They’ve taught me how to solder, how to use the vinyl cutter, how to use lasers.” Collin pointed out with a sly grin that the AI could be programmed more aggressively: for example, the table could pursue anyone who seems to be trying to get away.

Asked what he learned from the walking table project, Evan Park ’26 focuses on the soft skills that make an engineering team succeed in the real world: “Always give yourself more time than you think you need. Communication’s really important. Organization’s really important.” With the deadline for the Innovation and Design Showcase looming, Upper School Innovation and Design Teacher Zach Budzichowski spent time with the team, offering mechanical engineering advice. The students realized that not every feature they had dreamed of would be finished in time. “You’ve been working on it for so long, you’re aware of every flaw,” Horstman counseled them, “but everyone else is going to be amazed by it.” Time for a test: On its back, the table moved its legs in a steady pattern, like a capsized turtle with a good sense of rhythm. Nobody cheered — there was still work to do. “They’re not getting a grade for this,” Horstman confided. “They’re doing this because they want to.”

The original plan for the walking table was that it would have eight moving legs; during the design process, that got scaled back to six. Before that change, the team was aware that they were, arguably, making a giant wooden robot spider, and mused about how that would play into the arachnophobia of Dr. David Taylor, Middle School Innovation and Design Teacher. Dubick joked that they could cover the table with miniature versions of itself (made with a 3D printer): a student suggested that they install a slingshot so the table could hurl spiders at people.

LATIN Magazine

AROUND CAMPUS | Athletics

Opposite page: the Middle School Girls’ Track team in competition. Clockwise from above: David Sammons ’28, CISAA Swimmer of the Year and member of the Varsity Boys’ Swimming team, which was the runner-up at the state championship; Charlotte Tune ’26 (with Varsity Girls’ Basketball coach Giavonni Mack), celebrating her 1000th career point; fans and athletes cheering the Varsity Wrestling team at the state championship (where the Latin squad placed second).

LATIN Magazine

AROUND CAMPUS | Arts and Academics

Clockwise from above: MS choir; Lewawit Alemu ’26 with her mixed-media creation Breaking News! (honored with a national Gold Medal and the American Visions Award from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards) and Visual Arts Department Chair Kaila Gottschling; US musical The Drowsy Chaperone; LS musical Winnie the Pooh, Kids.

Clockwise from top left: Head of School Chuck Baldecchi in an Upper School philosophy seminar; fifth graders working on a cloud-making experiment; third graders in a Leads with Honor class; MS students learning to use the microscope; Kindergartners with their US reading buddies.

LATIN Magazine

AROUND CAMPUS | Milestones and Celebrations

Clockwise on this page from above: Lunar New Year celebration; co-editors in chief of the Eyry yearbook Emily Farmer ’27 and Sam Lyons ’27 review spreads; Martin Luther King Day assembly, led by Ethan Worrell ’26, Myles Gathers ’26, Lewawit Alemu ’26, and Nathan Obeng ’25; the winners of the Middle School chili cookoff, Teresa Edwards, Jeff Wolfe, and Jenna Sinclair. Opposite page: Holi celebration.

LATIN Magazine

ONSTAGE

Cyberdramaturgy Latin acting class wins prize for AI-written play

Swaddled in a green sweater and chewing on a Starburst, Matt Cosper, Director of Theater Arts, talks about Same Time Tomorrow: An AI Play, which his acting class performed in November at the North Carolina Theatre Conference (NCTC) High School Play Festival. They won an award for Innovation in Playwriting — because every word the actors said onstage was written by the AI program ChatGPT. Cosper explains: This is the third year we’ve gone to the NCTC festival; every school has 45 minutes, including the time it takes to bring your set onstage and break it down afterwards. It’s always been challenging to pick a script because I don’t know the number of people in my class until the school year starts. Last year, we did two Chekhov shorts that I thought were successful. The Upper School wants teachers to find a way to at least understand AI, because it’s not going away. I’m resistant to using it in my humanities classes, but I saw a way to experiment with it in this class. On the first day of school, I pitched the idea of performing a play written by AI to my students and they were excited about it. We spent a week talking about the play before we even got into dealing with the technology: the structure, the characters, what

kind of play we would want to do. We landed on the concept of doing a stereotypical high school play, along the lines of The Breakfast Club, that lasts about three to five minutes, and then repeating it — but it starts breaking down and sprouting extra fingers, or whatever the dramaturgical equivalent of that is. We started experimenting with different AI programs and different prompts. The process confirmed some of my prejudices against AI: a lot of it was garbage. And it ended up being a good lesson in editing for the class because we had to do some serious work evaluating the drafts and articulating what worked and what didn’t and why. One of the conditions we set for

ourselves was that we couldn’t edit the text, only the prompts. We could shuffle the order in which we did scenes, but we had to say every line of text on the page as written. We spent a lot of time on the first scene, because we knew it would disintegrate as we went on: we wanted it to be structurally sound enough that we could break it. Sometimes the AI would break rules that we set for it, even when we were very specific and intentional — I got in the habit of verbally abusing the machine. Finally we got a scene with enough shape that it was interesting, but also plotless enough that it wasn’t. Then we experimented: can the AI give us this scene at a Victorian boarding school? Can the AI do it as a tragedy? Can the AI do it in the style of Eugène Ionesco? The actors came up with an interesting scenario of their characters realizing that they’re actually in an AI. It was a chicken-egg situation: is the programming breaking down causing them to realize they’re in a simulation or is it breaking down because they realize they’re in a simulation? Ultimately, I wasn’t impressed by what the AI could do. There’s some real cheerleaders for AI and then others who are antagonistic and some folks who are agnostic. I was skeptical — and I remain skeptical, but I’m also a committed experimentalist, so I’m happy we tinkered with it. The technology was useful for an exercise in how good acting can attempt to elevate bad text.

An Excerpt From Same Time Tomorrow: An AI Play A scene from Same Time Tomorrow in which ChatGPT rendered a high-school detention drama in the milieu of a Victorian academy: Reginald: (Leaning back, tossing a small leather ball) Can’t fathom why we’re confined here when the riding trails await. Elizabeth: (Adjusting her spectacles, engrossed in a thick volume of poetry) Perhaps it’s an opportunity to reflect upon our actions. Jack: (Feet propped up on his desk, whittling a piece of wood) Or perhaps it’s another method to stifle our spirits. Sophia: (Inspecting her nails) Truly, this is an affront. My father shall hear of this indignity— detaining a lady without just cause.

Regardless of where the students stood on AI as a technology, they all engaged thoughtfully in questions of why they thought it was or wasn’t working. It was important that they were forced to articulate that: I believe that actors need to be creative generative artists in their own right. We talk all the time in my classes about the concept of “usefully wrong.” A wrong answer can lead you in an interesting direction or illuminate a question that hadn’t occurred to us. This project was usefully wrong: the six students in my class now have more vocabulary about working together in a collaborative way. Flo Roper ’26, one of those six students, says that she found that “the AI didn’t write anything of depth. It’s all very surface level and it tried to make everything into a lesson. At the end, every scene would be ‘then they all became friends.’” She adds that, ironically for a play written by artificial intelligence, they had problems with technology in performance: “When we actually did the show, we had technical difficulties. At the very end, the lights were supposed to go off so we could walk off, but they didn’t go out. I didn’t know what to do, because my character had died a little bit ago, but the show was over and we needed to leave. So I got up off the floor and the audience gasped, thinking I was no longer dead.”

LATIN Magazine

ON THE FIELD

Coach Nikki Williams with Talons lacrosse players.

Team sports for the next generation of Hawks By Ben Goldman ’26

On a Wednesday afternoon, the Middle School field is organized chaos. The Lower School lacrosse players of the Talons program, lined up and waiting for their turn to shoot on goalie, are twirling their sticks, yelling, and even busting out some dance moves. Despite all their joyful noise, they never miss their turn to shoot.

allowing Lower Schoolers to play sports in a more organized fashion. “This is not just a clinic,” Williams explains. “It’s a real competitive rec program, like you would find at a YMCA. The idea is to introduce kids to organized sports in a competitive environment early on, giving them the foundational skills they need as they grow.”

After practice, when they’re asked about their favorite part of the Talons program, their answers come rapid-fire: playing with their friends, scoring goals, and most frequently, shooting on Grace, their goalie. One player, with a sly grin, declares that her favorite part of Talons is “winning.” The team erupts in laughter.

In her office, not eating lunch during her lunch break, Williams’ enthusiasm is magnetic. She came up with the idea for the Talons program while working in Admissions, when she realized that Latin’s younger students were not just kids roaming the Lower School halls, but also her future athletes. “I’d see these Kindergarten students and think, ‘These are my future players.’ Why not start developing them now? By starting early, we shape these kids not only into better athletes but also into better team players.”

The Talons program, the brainchild of Nikki Williams (who also coaches Latin’s Varsity Girls’ Lacrosse team) is a sports program that provides the next step from after-school enrichment,

The program covers most of the sports that Latin offers in the Upper School, allowing students to try out different sports so they can discover what excites them. When Talons started in 2023, it was offered exclusively to fifth and sixth graders, but it quickly expanded to third and fourth graders. This year, more than 200 kids signed up for nine different sports. “Once we realized the excitement around the program, we figured we should start even younger,” Williams says. “The younger kids really bring that enthusiasm — we want to harness that energy and teach them the skills that will set them up for success.” Daniel Cooke, Head Coach of the Varsity Baseball team, knows firsthand how it feels for parents to watch their kids discovering sports. His daughter, Emma, had played one year of club soccer before joining the Talons program — her love of soccer has only grown since. Now she plans to join a local league and wants to keep playing with all her friends. Cooke says, “She likes to be goalie, but her goal this year was to get a goal. She finally got one on a cold Wednesday night — she was super-excited and pumped.” One of the biggest challenges for the Talons program is the wide range of skill levels in Lower School athletes. Some kids have years of rec league or club team experience, while others are trying a sport for the very first time. The result? A large mix of beginners and more advanced players on each team. Williams hopes that as the Talons program grows, they’ll be able to form separate teams for each skill level so that each player can receive appropriate coaching. Even now, Williams refuses to settle for amateur coaching, from parents or other volunteers. She believes that the best way for students to develop is under the tutelage of real coaches. The students love having high school coaches too: it makes them feel more official, just like the high schoolers they so admire.

Talons Baseball squad ready to play.

For kids who idolize Latin’s Upper School sports teams, being able to represent the school is a huge honor, made all the greater by the chance to play with their friends. “When they put the jersey on, their faces light up,” Williams reports. “It’s not an official Latin uniform, but it’s pretty close.” They love their uniforms so much in fact, that younger students are often seen in the stands at Upper School basketball games still repping their Talons jersey while cheering on their older counterparts. Some teams take the connection between the grade levels further: the baseball Talons program deploys Hawks from the senior class as assistant coaches. The experience benefits both the Lower School rookies and the Upper School veterans. “They love coaching,” Cooke says, “and it builds leadership qualities.” In the next five years, Williams hopes to develop leagues specifically for the Talons program, playing nearby schools in order to reduce travel times and foster connections between Latin and other schools. This should create crossteam friendships between the players at a young age — and potentially sway more athletes to come to Latin when they’re teenagers. “The Talons program is not just about athletics,” declares Williams. “It’s about bringing in families, getting them connected to our community, and creating lasting relationships.” The most important aspect of Talons, of course, has been the impact the program has on Latin’s young athletes. Williams recalls a moment from the past basketball season: although her third and fourth graders were outmatched in skill, they managed to pull off an incredible overtime win for their first win of the season. “We played against teams that were above our skill level, and while we took some tough losses, we also had a big win,” she says, reliving the moment with a smile. “To see those kids light up with excitement, it was just incredible. That’s what it’s all about — teaching kids that hard work and persistence lead to success.”

Coach Titus Ivory with a Talons basketball team. LATIN Magazine

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The Core Values of Charlotte Latin School have long been touchstones for students, faculty, and staff. They dovetail with the attributes in the Portr ait of the Latin Leader that crystallize the values of leadership that Latin strives to teach and uphold — and the Principles of Good Pr actice that define our efforts in community-engaged learning. LATIN Magazine

LAT N’S CORE VALUES Honor Above All

Charlotte Latin embraces the development of personal honor as a lifelong pursuit in the building of character.

Commitment to Excellence

The quest for excellence extends to all aspects of school life, and is viewed as the effort to do one’s best and to seek to improve continually.

Leadership

Charlotte Latin encourages the development of leadership as a lifelong characteristic of our students and adheres to the concept of service to others as the ideal model.

Respect for Oneself and Others

Charlotte Latin School celebrates differences that include diverse people, cultures, and perspectives.

Personal Responsibility

Each person at Charlotte Latin is accountable for his or her actions. We all share responsibility for the welfare of the greater community.

Moral Courage

Our members are willing to do what is right and true through the courage of their convictions in spite of possible consequences or the opinions of others.

L ATIN LEADER Resilient Navigator

Adheres to the lifelong pursuit of building character, ensuring an intentional life of honor.

Conscientious Thinker

Strives to discern accuracy and truth by drawing connections among ideas and concepts across disciplines and multiple perspectives.

Humble Collaborator

Embraces and elevates the perspectives of others, while knowing when to lead, follow, delegate, accept direction, and share gratitude.

Dynamic Communicator

Makes meaning of diverse viewpoints actively and empathetically with others to reach common ground and shared understanding.

Curious Learner

PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PR ACTICE Sustained Partnerships

“How are you creating partnerships that can last beyond your time in that space?”

Safety

“How are you prioritizing the safety of both yourself and community members?”

Humility and Dignity

“How are you putting the needs of the community ahead of your own?”

Consistent Communication

“How are you creating and encouraging open lines of communication?”

Training and Reflection

Demonstrates wonder through reflectivebased practices to discover one’s personal meaning of self, school, and society.

“How did you prepare to serve responsibly? In what ways are you reflecting on your experiences?”

Courageous Advocate

Reciprocity and Interrelatedness

Embodies the moral courage necessary to stand up for oneself and others, to challenge injustices, and to embrace differences.

“How are you ensuring that you are supporting your learning and the community partner at the same time?”

Although they each have six interlocking aspects coiled together in a double helix, Latin’s Core Values and the Portrait of the Latin Leader were codified decades apart from each other, with different intentions. The Core Values, established by former Head of School

Arch N. McIntosh, Jr., were intended to remind Latin students of the school’s expectations for them and to exhort them to live up to those ideals. The Portrait of the Latin Leader, on the other hand, was created as part of the 2022 Latin Leads Strategic Plan, to provide a framework for best practices in teaching, learning, and leading at Latin.

“Why does it matter that all of this matches up?” David-Aaron Roth, Director of Student

Leadership Development, asks rhetorically. The short answer is that it helps make sure that any efforts to enhance the school, whether it be with the classroom experience or with

student well-being, can more easily be leveraged across the campus. He says, “Anybody at

the school can find their way into any of these frameworks, and people can choose the inlet that makes the most sense for them.”

Those different purposes let the Core Values and the Portrait coexist and reinforce each

other. Putting them together illuminates their nuances — and provides a useful framework

for other sets of tools that are useful in other spheres of school life. The Principles of Good Practice, for example, which provide a set of questions that students can use when they

are considering the impact of a community-engaged learning project, deliberately echo the schema of the Portrait.

Kelly Willis, Director of Global Studies, had long been employing a rubric created by

the Asia Society to help students become more internationally aware, “Four Domains of

Global Competence,” and discovered that its tenets — Investigate the World, Recognize Perspectives, Communicate Ideas, and Take Action, correlated well with the Latin

Leader attributes of Curious Learner, Humble Collaborator, Dynamic Communicator, and Courageous Advocate. “There’s a lot of synergy,” she says.

Similarly, Michele King, the Director of Student Support and Wellness, charted how the

competencies in the CASEL Framework — CASEL stands for Collaborative for Academic,

Social, and Emotional Learning — overlap with the Portrait of the Latin Leader. The CASEL competency of Self-Awareness, for example, draws from Resilient Navigator, Humble Collaborator, Curious Learner, and Courageous Advocate, while conversely, the Latin

Leader attribute of Conscientious Thinker connects with Self-Management and Responsible Decision-Making.

These connections provide the architecture for the future, such as the greater emphasis on

advisory time in the 2025-26 school year, making sure that the Core Values are expressed in a way that helps students improve their well-being. As Roth puts it, “The dynamism of the Portrait allows us some flexibility in making sense of how the Values exist in daily life.”

LATIN Magazine

SPOTLIGHT

Hayes Hot Seat

A conversation with Upper School English Teacher Daniel Hayes

A recent ninth-grade class at Charlotte Latin School taught by Daniel Hayes started with some quick grammar exercises, featured students presenting short scenes they’ve written based on lines of Shakespearean dialogue, and then landed on a discussion of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Hayes discussed various approaches to staging the play and how directorial choices can illuminate different themes, contrasting Roman Polanski’s 1971 film version with the 2001 movie Scotland, PA, which sets the action at a fast-food restaurant. Hayes, who started working at Latin three years ago, teaches English composition and literature to ninth and tenth graders with the enthusiasm of a teenager telling you about his favorite band. In his classroom on the top floor of the Inlustrate Orbem Building, one wall has art by the graffiti provocateur Banksy, while the opposite wall, featuring a pillar covered in dark green artificial turf, also showcases a sign in the shape of a book emblazoned with the word “OPEN.” Sitting in that classroom during a free period, Hayes explains, “I like the idea of open your books, open your minds, open your hearts.” 30

Are there other teachers in your family? No, I broke the mold. I didn’t know what I wanted to study in college, so I asked my dad, who said, “Well, the world runs on business.” So I was a business major, but when I was taking microeconomics and accounting classes, I didn’t enjoy it. I resented the smell of the textbooks. I started thinking of myself in a cubicle and I thought I hate this. I had an existential crisis and I sat down to examine, well, what do I enjoy doing? Even as a kid, when I learned to tie my shoes, I wanted to go tell someone else how to do it. Or when I saw a movie, I’d want to go see it again with friends so I could take them on the ride. So I changed everything and applied for the English education program. I was reading this book called Blue Like Jazz, and in the foreword, the author [Donald Miller] talked about how he was watching a street performer playing saxophone outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland, Oregon. He said that he watched the guy for fifteen minutes, and the saxophonist never opened his eyes. He hadn’t enjoyed jazz before that. But he wrote, “After that, I liked jazz music.

Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they’re showing you the way.” I had never articulated it that way, but that’s how I live my life. Passion itself doesn’t sell everything, but it can get kids excited. There’s showmanship in teaching, which doesn’t mean insincerity: it means modeling that enthusiasm. How do you communicate that passion to your classes? I start the year a little slower than some teachers, because I believe learning is socially constructed. For me, it’s missing the mark to start on day one saying, “Here’s your syllabus and here’s the rules of conduct.” As teachers, we’re eager to get to know our students, but I’m just as eager for them to get to know me: I think vulnerability begets vulnerability, so I model that for them. I do something called the Hayes Hot Seat: I tell them, “Ask me a question, but make it a real question.” I still get “What’s your favorite color?” — I’ll try to say something poetic about the pinks of the sunset, but that doesn’t elicit a great story. But I’ve had kids ask powerful questions like “What do you do when you’re sad?” Someone will always ask a question about my tattoos, and I’ll say as much as I can, so it won’t turn into 15 questions about my tattoos. I’m laying a foundation: after I’ve told my stories, I reverse the script and ask the students to interview each other. It instills the idea of asking good questions and teasing out answers from a novel. I always tell them about my brother, who has a disability, and how much that shaped who I am. Do you know the famous six-word short story attributed to Ernest Hemingway? “For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn.” When I write a six-word memoir on the board, it’s “My brother cannot speak. I can.” Is the notion of interrogating a text new to your students? For some students it’s new, but I think interrogation of anything you’re interested in is natural. Students in ninth grade need concrete models, so I made some slides explaining TP-CASTT for poetry [an analytic acronym for Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitude, Shifts, Title, and Theme]. But as a teacher, I prefer to say, “I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Almost every poem you read is going to have a shift: in tone, in content, or in perspective.” If I present that insight as “you’re inside the club with me,” that’s much more effective than memorizing TP-CASTT.

You’re interested in Baudrillard and literary theory. Are those ideas too heady to communicate to highschool students? I find that as we go up the intellectual or academic hierarchy, we become more protective about trying to give credit in the right places: this is the person who originated this thought and this is the terminology that encapsulates it. That’s a good thing, but kids are not really interested in that. They care about big ideas and philosophies — they don’t care about philosophers. If you don’t get concerned with terminology, you can tell them a story about ideas. I’ve been teaching for 13 years, and every year there will come a point where we’re having a deep conversation, and I’m proud of this ninth or tenth grade class for the connections they’re making. Then a kid who’s enjoying it will raise their hand and say something very similar to this: “Mr. Hayes, this is wild. Have you ever thought about this? You look at a color and say it’s orange. And I say it’s orange, but what if we’re seeing something different?” It’s always a color, and it’s always about the interpretation of that color. As we start to become our own philosophers, we realize that we have our own constructs of reality. How are you a better teacher now than when you started? I don’t know that I am. Well, in some ways I’m a lot better. I’m smarter, and I continue to read, and my time management has improved. Over the years, you figure out the perfect way to communicate a complex idea, and you write it down and make it a handout, or you internalize it and you’re able to say it more clearly. But I don’t know if that translates into students understanding it better. When I was younger, less polished and less efficient, I might say something sloppily and say “Does this make sense to you?” And the student and I would wrestle with the idea. Ironically, as I get more efficient, I’m less confident in the idea of efficiency. Anything worth doing takes time. To become a good writer, you have to make mistakes and struggle through it. The beauty of that laborious process is that writing is a means of discovery. My gripe with AI is that it’s the great shortcut — it’s the flattener of the productive struggle. Why do we do literary analysis? Because fiction contains truths that are sometimes truer than reality. For more interviews spotlighting Latin faculty and staff, go to charlottelatin.org/about/school-news

LATIN Magazine

FRIDAY ON MY MIND

Club Sandwich Middle School students end the week with a smorgasbord of clubs Bracelet Making. Beach Music. Bam Ball. These are three of the recent offerings in the lineup of Middle School clubs — if you restrict yourself to interests beginning with the letter B. Latin students who avail themselves of the entire alphabet have dozens more to choose from, including Eco Art, Winter Soccer, and the Anti-Social Social Club. The clubs, a fixture of the Middle School since the 1970s, meet every Friday between 2:55 and 3:25 p.m. That timeframe limits some activities — members of the Movie Club watch their chosen film in installments, and the contortions required to make a Baking Club fit into that time slot have resulted in the No-Bake Baking Club instead — but nobody’s complaining. Three times a year at a Middle School club assembly, teachers pitch their clubs to the students, who then submit their top four picks for clubs. Matt Morrow, Assistant Head of Middle School, tries to make sure that students get their first choice at least once each year. 32

“When teachers have a hobby or an interest outside what they usually teach and they can share that with our students, that’s a neat connection,” Morrow says. “We have a mix of everything from athletics to crafts to just chilling and socializing.” So the Middle School ends most weeks with students running around on the playing field, learning new skills, and bonding with their friends. One perenially popular activity is the Ping-Pong Club, which has limited membership because there’s only one ping-pong table in the building. Morrow shepherds that club himself, and for years, he warned students at each club assembly that no matter how hard they tried, they would never be able to beat him or Head of Middle School Todd Ballaban in a game. That streak was broken last spring, when a student finally defeated Ballaban: sometimes on Friday afternoons at the Middle School, the impossible happens.

Clockwise from upper left: Turtles Club, American Sign Language Club, Scrapbooking Club (inset), Coloring Club, and Magnetic Darts Club.

LATIN Magazine

LATIN LEADERS

Honor Guard

Meet the students who uphold the Honor Code At 7:30 a.m. in the Athenaeum, six Upper School students and four Latin teachers from various academic disciplines, surrounded by book bags and steaming cups of coffee, look bleary but intense. This is a meeting of the Honor Council, which meets at irregular intervals to investigate suspected violations of the Honor Code. They’re discussing a student, who they just interviewed about a potentially improper use of AI on a school assignment. “I thought it was odd that they weren’t able to locate the original,” one student says. “It seemed like there was a point where they were trying not to be transparent,” says another. “It’s not comparable to any case we’ve had before,” another points out. The group soon reaches a consensus: they will suggest to Lawrence Wall, Head of Upper School, that the student receive a warning and be given an opportunity to write a letter of reflection on the incident. To have an Honor Code is to recognize that, even at a school like Charlotte Latin where people take it seriously, sometimes students will violate it. When that happens, the Honor Council aims to recommend consequences that are appropriate and consistent — and that allow students to learn from their mistakes. Its senior leaders, Stella Burke ’25 and Evy Linker ’25, embody the qualities of the best jurists: thorough, compassionate, prone to thinking before speaking. Sitting in the classroom of Upper School History Teacher Whitney Duquette (the faculty advisor to the Honor Council), Linker remembers her surprise when she arrived at Latin in sixth grade: she would not need to lock her backpack to stop people from stealing her iPad. She wanted to know more about how Latin established its culture. “I understand that it’s tempting to not do an assignment the right way, either because you want it to be perfect or you don’t have enough time,” Burke says. “It’s inevitable that 34

Stella Burke, Evy Linker, and Whitney Duquette.

people are going to make mistakes, but I wanted to be that person who helps students through the learning process.” In the last couple of years, the role of the Honor Council has changed: previously students witnessed the process but had much less input. But when, two years ago, students advocated to have the process be more student-led, Wall readily agreed. “Student involvement has increased tenfold,” Linker says. Their Honor Council work has led Burke and Linker to present at the CSEE Academic Integrity Conference, where representatives from many other schools were surprised by how they were elected by their fellow students, not appointed. Active members of the Honor Council Advisory Board can run for the six student seats on the Honor Council: terms are one year for sophomores and two years for juniors and seniors. Asked if their work on the Honor Council has strained their relationships with their peers, Burke and Linker say no: having elected them, their fellow students generally trust them to represent their best interests. Neither of them plan to pursue law or ethics as a professional path, but they agree that the time they have devoted to the Honor Council has changed them for the better. “I feel more connected to the school, and more empathetic,” Burke says, “but it’s also made me more confident, and a better public speaker.” While her time considering Honor Code violations could have easily made Linker more cynical, she says that she’s learned about the complexity of each person at Latin and better understands how students can misstep: “Honestly, I’m more trusting now.”

Retiring in 2025

Joanne Beam

Teresa Edwards

John Herrick

Philanthropy, 5 years

Learning Resources (MS), 36 years

Performing Arts, 12 years

Rob McArthur

Bob Patten

Tim Scott

Business Office, 3 years

Upper School, 34 years

Facilities, 29 years

Thank you for making Charlotte Latin School a better place — you have inspired your colleagues and Latin’s students. We wish you a fond farewell and hope you have many happy years in retirement.

Lawrence Wall

Upper School, 25 years LATIN Magazine

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY Dear Charlotte Latin School community, Philanthropy is the heartbeat of Charlotte Latin, pulsing through every aspect of our daily life. The Latin community’s love for people drives us to give generously of our time, talents, and resources, lifting up those around us and creating a better school with endless possibilities for our students. I see that love emanating every day from the staff and faculty at Latin; my son, Ryan, who graduated in 2022, benefited from extraordinarily devoted teachers over his 13 years at Latin. I want to tell you about one: Chuck Edwards ’94. Ryan began learning from him when he was a seventh grader on the golf team, where Chuck was the coach, patiently working with Middle School golfers and nurturing their love of the game. In the Upper School, my son was lucky enough to experience Chuck at his best, in his history classroom. While Chuck guides his classes with detailed and thoughtful notes, he challenges every student to make their own analyses, citing primary sources. Students are never sure what he personally believes, because whatever theory they may present, he will nimbly argue the other side, forcing them to hone their arguments and master the facts. He fosters intellectual curiosity and powerful learning habits that will last a lifetime — Latin graduates leave the school ready to meet new challenges because of the time they spent with teachers like Chuck. Philanthropy at Latin helps and supports a host of gifted teachers, coaches, directors, and program directors who make a difference in young people’s lives. Every day, I witness the results of that generosity: • • • • •

In our classrooms, where cutting-edge resources and well-supported teachers inspire learning Through service projects that teach our students the value of giving back When Upper School students mentor their younger peers, fostering a culture of support As parents volunteer their time and expertise to enrich our community Through gifts to the Latin Fund, which provide for essentials like new classroom furniture and professional development for our dedicated faculty • In contributions to our Honor and Glory athletic campaign and toward the renovation of Thies Auditorium, enhancing our students’ experiences beyond academics This culture of philanthropy empowers us to achieve more as a school, providing vital resources and strengthening the bonds of our community. We are profoundly grateful for the investments made in Latin by our faculty, staff, parents, alumni, parents of alumni, and grandparents. Your collective generosity — whether through the Latin Fund, volunteer hours, or targeted campaigns — creates an extraordinary environment where our students can learn, grow, and flourish. Your philanthropy ensures that Charlotte Latin remains at the forefront of educational excellence. But its greatest impact can’t be quantified: your contributions instill the values of generosity and service in our students, preparing them to become the philanthropists of tomorrow. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to making Charlotte Latin an extraordinary place of learning and growth. With heartfelt gratitude,

Joanne O’Brien Beam P ’22

Last summer’s trip to Peru became this spring’s teaching and learning moment, connecting Ginger McAdams’ first grade classroom and Gretchan Frederick’s AP Spanish students. Your philanthropy allows us to invest in our greatest asset – our teachers. In turn, they bring their global collaborations into the classroom.

The holidays are primetime for philanthropy in action at Latin. Our Parents’ Council gives their time and talent to celebrate our incredible faculty and staff, who are also recognized with an annual Gratitude Bonus made possible by the Latin Fund.

Chuck Edwards ’94 – a 10+ year consecutive donor to the Latin Fund – rallies support from fellow alumni, parents, and faculty every FLY DAY. Each year, we are able to celebrate record participation from our alumni and parents who demonstrate they are always all in for Latin.

What better way to celebrate our being a TK–12 school than having the big Hawks visit our Lower School? We celebrate our students giving their time to one another, whether Upper School students are reading to Kindergarteners or inviting our youngest Hawks out to a game. LATIN Magazine

FROM THE LATIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Fellow Latin alumni, The Alumni Governing Board’s mission is to support and sustain the values of Charlotte Latin School’s mission statement by strengthening ties with its alumni, honoring the school’s faculty, and enriching the school’s community. As we approach the completion of the Charlotte Latin Alumni Association strategic plan adopted in fall 2023, I write to you with immense gratitude and humility, reflecting on the incredible impact and sense of community we’ve built together within the Alumni Association and across the entire Latin community. This year has brought meaningful milestones. We’ve supported the Young Women’s Leadership Program alongside 20+ alumnae, launched the College Ambassador Program, hosted the firstever All Alumni Town Hall, established Industry Resource Groups in the finance and healthcare sectors, and hosted the inaugural Alumni Pickleball Tournament. We will continue supporting FLY DAY, which strengthens both the Latin Fund and Alumni Endowment. Each of these accomplishments is a testament to the collective commitment of alumni like you. The deepest hope of the Alumni Governing Board is that each and every member of the alumni association finds a meaningful way to engage with this thriving community, nearly 5,000 strong. Whether you attend an event, advise current students on college or career choices, reconnect with classmates, or contribute to the Latin Fund, every action you take strengthens the bonds we share and furthers the legacy of excellence we’re all part of. Serving as the Charlotte Latin Alumni Governing Board President for the past two years has been a great privilege. Witnessing the profound love and unwavering commitment we, as alumni, share for our alma mater has been nothing short of extraordinary—a testament to the lasting bonds that unite us and our shared purpose. I am incredibly thankful for the countless moments of connection, collaboration, and inspiration we’ve already shared, and filled with hope and anticipation for the many meaningful moments still to come. Gratefully,

James McLelland ‘17 Alumni Governing Board President Charlotte Latin School

50 YEARS IN THE MAKING - LATIN’S FIRST GRADUATING CLASS

Celebrating the Class of 1974 Reunion Weekend was extra-special this year because we celebrated Latin’s first graduating class — the class of 1974’s 50th Reunion. Members of the class returned to campus on Friday, October 18, to experience “a day in the life of a student.” Their class “schedule” included an Upper School choir performance of the original alma mater, special recognition at the All-School Pep Rally, time to explore the Fab Lab, campus tours, and a barbecue dinner with Head of School Chuck Baldecchi. Each class member was presented with a golden hawk pin and inducted into the Golden Hawk Society in honor of their golden anniversary.

On Saturday night, class members gathered for a cocktail party hosted by Lauren (Davis) Judson ‘74. The group enjoyed catching up with special guests, including former faculty and staff members Fletcher Gregory, Mary McDaniel, Mary and Bob Robinson, Janice Privette, Jean Skidmore, Mark Starner, and Joan Stenhouse-Baron. It was a wonderful weekend celebrating the legacy of our first graduating class.

Celebrating 50 years calls for plenty of hugs.

Class of 1974 at the cocktail party.

Class of 1974 before the football game.

The class of 1974 was welcomed back to campus by Head of School Chuck Baldecchi at the AllSchool Pep Rally.

Marty (Frazer) Caton uses the laser cutter/ engraver to create Latin memorabilia.

Henry Lomax and Chuck Baldecchi.

LATIN Magazine

ALUMNI NEWS | WHEN HAWKS COME HOME REUNION WEEKEND

WHEN HAWKS COME HOME

REUNION WEEKEND

Class of 1984 Classes of 1988 and 1989

Class of 1994

Class of 2004

Class of 1999

Martin Wilkins ’98, Tenae (Wilkins) Downing ’99, and Max McEwen ’99 40

Class of 2009

Jocelyn (Sikes) Rose, Christy (Carson) Evans ’84, Britt McMaster ’84, and Janet (Miller) Rogers ’84

ALUMNI NEWS

Hayes Swinney-Alger ’94 and Chuck Edwards ’94

Katherine Schmitt ’94, Kelly (Winter) Seymour ’94, and Amber (Ankers) Almond ’94

Ashley (Butler) Conner ’04, Michael Simonini ’04, and Michael Nunn ’04

Class of 1979

Catherine (Kendrick) Allen ’94, Jud Allen ’94, Jeff Coble ’94, and Santosh Rao ’94

Ryan Kearney ’04, Sean Snell ’04, and Kevin Jarzmik ’04

John White ’99 and Jon Philpot ’99

Anna (Simpson) McMahan ’94, Brooks (Holland) Haislip’94, Coach Lee Horton, and Tiffany (Tisdale) Rice ’94

Mary (Griffin) ’04 and Andrew ’01 Schaeffer

Jeff Covington ’79, Duncan Van Pelt ’79, Paul Taylor ’09, and Dennis Kokenes ’79 LATIN Magazine

ALUMNI NEWS

HAWKS ALWAYS COME HOME

Monday, December 23, brought over 275 alumni and current Hawks to campus for a full day of catching up and friendly competition. New to this year’s December lineup of alumni sports matches were soccer and boys’ lacrosse, which added to the hustle and bustle. One thing is for sure — when Hawks take on Hawks, there are only winners.

HUSTLIN’ HAWKS

A chilly 31-degree morning brought out over 100 well-bundled runners and walkers for our fourth annual Hawks Holiday Hustle 5K. Cross Country and Track Coach Mike Weiss welcomed participants and cheered them on as they made the 3.1–mile trek. Doughnuts, hot coffee, and hot chocolate from DonutILoveYou warmed runners and spectators, replenishing their holiday spirits. Congratulations to Shannon Fitzpatrick and Jack Ratterree ’16, who took home first-place honors.

2024 Hustlin’ Hawks

WRESTLIN’ WITH THE HAWKS

Coach Mike Weiss, Mary Cate Kiser ’23, Cassi Raterree ’24, and Jack Raterree ’16

Alumni Mat Hawks joined Coach David Paige and the current Mat Hawks for a morning practice that included drills focusing on strength, technique, speed, and strategy. Afterward, everyone enjoyed a pancake breakfast prepared by the wrestling parents.

Mat Hawks

KICKIN’ IT WITH THE HAWKS Alumni soccer players dusted off their cleats and took to Field 2 on the Levine Athletic Campus for a friendly game against current soccer players. Former Varsity Soccer Coach Lee Horton joined Coach Kyle Searles, making a special guest appearance that had players and fans saying, “What a day, what a day!” 42

Alumni soccer and current players

ALUMNI NEWS

LAXIN’ WITH THE HAWKS

Alumnae lacrosse kicked off the action on the Levine Athletic Campus with stick drills, wall ball, and shots on goal. New to this year’s lineup was boys’ alumni lacrosse, which included players from the classes of 2002 to 2024. As alumni faced off against current players, the field grew smaller and smaller but no one was concerned about the space — everyone was too busy having a good time.

Alumnae lacrosse

Alumni lacrosse and current players

BALLIN’ WITH THE HAWKS

Following the Holiday Hustle 5K, Coach Chris Berger ‘89 hosted the annual alumni basketball game in Belk Gymnasium. Alumni, friends, family, and current varsity basketball players gathered for a fun and competitive game. One thing is for certain: tradition never graduates!

Alumni basketball and current players

Caleb Jordan ’16, Parker Jullian ’16, and Justin Boyles ’14

LATIN Magazine

ALUMNI NEWS

CHARLOTTE LATIN ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2024 On Thursday, September 19, the Charlotte Latin Athletic Hall of Fame inducted five alumni athletes and one former coach into the 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame Class during a special dinner and ceremony at Myers Park Country Club. The inductees were Haylee Dawe ‘11, Claudia Dickey ‘18, Joey Holder ‘93, Coach Lee Horton, Daniel Jones ‘15, and Tonya Phifer ‘97. Read more about our inductees and also view portions of the Hall of Fame presentations (including Alex Dickey, who accepted on behalf of his daughter, Claudia, and Steve Jones, who accepted on behalf of his son, Daniel) at www.charlottelatin.org/alumni/recognitions. These six inductees make up the sixth class of the Athletic Hall of Fame, bringing the total number of members to 33.

Orchestrated by the Office of Alumni Relations, the Athletics Department and the Booster Club, the CLS Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have contributed to the Latin community through their athletic participation and high achievements. (Due to their professional sports commitments, Claudia Dickey ‘18 and Daniel Jones ‘15 were unable to attend the event, but they sent their warm regards and congratulations to their fellow inductees.)

Michael Meyer ’83, Hall of Fame Chair, and Lee Horton

Class of 2024

Samantha Holder ’29, Joey Holder ’93, and Donovan Holder ’33

On Friday, September 20, at the Varsity Football game against St. Pauls High School, these special members of the Latin community were recognized at halftime on the track and in a special unveiling of the Hall of Fame plaque.

Steve Jones

Katie (Ivanoff) Smith ’93, Tamika McSweeney, Tonya Phifer ’97, and Eric Smith 44

Alex Dickey

Haylee Dawe ’11, Alex Kern ’11, Ann Baynard ’12, and Caroline Hicks ’11

ALUMNI NEWS

POST HOLIDAY LUNCH AND ALUMNI PANEL

Before heading back to school, our college-age Hawks gathered for an alumni panel and post-holiday brunch on January 6. Organized by the Office of Alumni Relations and College Counseling, the event featured a lively discussion moderated by Lucy Smith. Panelists Katie Chai ‘21, Cameron Hutchinson ‘24, Abhinav Krishnan ‘21, Stewart Langley ‘24, Jackson Morgan ‘21, and Leah Tewolde ‘24 offered valuable insights to the Class of 2025, sharing advice on navigating college admissions, preparing for freshman year, making the most of their remaining time at Latin, and smoothly transitioning to college life. Their tips and personal anecdotes helped students feel more confident about the road ahead. Following the panel, current college-age alumni enjoyed brunch, provided by Gary Anderson ‘75 and Andersons.

Chuck Baldecchi, Leah Tewolde ’24, Stewart Langley ’24, Cameron Hutchinson ’24, Katie Chai ’21, Jackson Morgan ’21, and Abhinav Krishnan ’21

Talbot Harris ’24, David Hall ’87, and Grey Takacs ’23

Alumni panelists

College-age Hawks

LATIN Magazine

ALUMNI NEWS

FIVE AND TEN YEAR REUNIONS

Hawks from the Classes of 2014 and 2019 came together on the night of December 23 to celebrate their five-year and tenyear Reunions. Gathering at Emmy Squared and Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters, these Hawks embraced the holiday spirit, decking the halls and enjoying time with their former classmates.

Class of 2019

Bianca Bellavia ’19, Kathryn Vandiver ’19, Kevens Grammont ’19 and Lark Chadd ’19.

Class of 2014

Emma Trollinger ’19, Megan Tomlin ’19, Sutton Orndorff ’19, and John Beecy ’19 46

Rostan McBryde ’14, Joe Baynard ’14, Jayne Anne Imbrogno ’14, Hayden (Shoffner) Hendrix ’14, Will Hendrix, Chipper Allen, and Rusty Reigel ’14

ALUMNI NEWS

Griffin Smith ’14, Meg (Bryant) Ulrey ’14, Caroline (Seaton) Watts ’14, Ann Eubank ’14, Michaela Berens ’14, Celia Luck-Leonard ’14, and Elizabeth Beecy ’14

Alexander Donald ’19, Britt Fuller ’19, Rob Schleusner ’19, and William Lloyd ’19

Bianca Bellavia ’19, Lark Chadd ’19, Natalie Zimmerman ’19, Anna Calloway ’19, and Lark Chadd ’19.

Ann Eubank ’14, Lizzie (Kingsley) Dixon ’14, Lizzie Chaconas ’14, Lea Kokenes ’14, and Maggie Voelker ’14.

John McGinnis ’14, Molly McGinnis, Mason LeDonne ’14, Cannon Clough ’14, and Griffin Smith ’14

Hunter Murphy and Rostan McBryde ’14

Merrill Dowdy ’19 and Whitney Duquette

Connor Neely ’19, Anne Gray Stedman ’19, and Ruthie Jones ’19

LATIN Magazine

ALUMNI NEWS

YOUNG ALUMNI HOLIDAY PARTY

Young alumni have been gathering at Andy Henson ‘98’s Angry Ales for the past 18 years, and this year was no exception — keeping our December 26 tradition alive.

Lauren Langley ’20, Sara Kenefick ’20, and Emily Harris ’20

Daniel Nunn ’97 and Molly Brice ’16

Raymon Wang ’16, Will Hicks ’16, and John Newman ’16

100 DAYS AND COUNTING CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2025

With only 100 days until commencement, excitement is growing! A heavy downpour moved the celebration indoors, but the class of 2025’s spirits weren’t dampened. Seniors enjoyed Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Chick-fil-A minis—let the countdown begin!

Nathan Obeng ’25, Parker Rubinacci ’25, Kenny Ogbata ’25, Ryan Kim ’25, Nishanth Gaddah ’25, and Will Larsh ’25

Nora White ’25, Maddie Larsh ’25, Molly Schnyder ’25, Alessandra Martin ’25, Maggie Klingman ’25, and Kate Griesser ’25

Ginny Foster ’25, Stuart Christhilf ’25, Chanakya Ayinala ’25, Graham Blanton ’25, Sydney Thune ’25, and Madison Nabors ’25

Chuck Edwards ’25, Graham Blanton ’25, and Avery Booker ’25

ALUMNI NEWS

INAUGURAL ALL ALUMNI TOWN HALL BRINGS HAWKS TOGETHER

On Monday, March 3, over 65 Hawks gathered, both in person and virtually, for the inaugural All Alumni Town Hall. Alumni ranging from the class of 1975 to the class of 2020 were welcomed by Head of School Chuck Baldecchi and received an update from the Academic Affairs Team, including Dr. Sonja L. Taylor, Associate Head of School; Dr. David-Aaron Roth, Director of Student Leadership Development; and Michele King, Director of Student Support and Wellness. They shared exciting information about the school’s current initiatives and how they support students, both academically and personally. The program concluded with an update from Meredith Kempert Nunn ’98, Director of Alumni Relations, and the Alumni Governing Board, including James McLelland ’17 (Chair), Ken Leonczyk ’96 (Vice Chair), and Jonathan Kirkland ’02 (Secretary). They highlighted the ongoing work across key committees: the Giving and Endowment Committee, the Alumni-to-Student Committee, and the Alumni-toAlumni Committee. These efforts are strengthening the bond between alumni and Charlotte Latin. It was a great opportunity for alumni to reconnect, learn about the school’s progress, and celebrate the ties that keep us all connected.

Amy (Fennebresque) Burleson ’92, Holly (Ivanoff) Graham ’96, Frances (Fennebresque) Hankins ’97, and Megan (Lew) Myers ’96

Chase Carbone ’10, Tracey Vanneste, and Noland Griffith ’11

Kate (Vandiver) Leary ’00, Peggy (Kane) Thies ’96, and Josh Leary ’00

James McLelland ’17, Elli (Morrison) McAdams ’13, and Ashton Barlow ’18

Fred Griffith ’78 and Chuck Baldecchi

Chris Downing and Jonathan Kirkland ’02

LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES

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During their 50th Reunion Weekend in October, members of the class of 1974 rode Charlotte’s Funny Bus: a 90-minute city tour guided by a local comedian. After the Funny Bus, the class gathered for a cocktail reception hosted by Lauren (Davis) Judson.

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A big thank you to Doug Ausbon for dedicating many Mondays this year to traveling from Apex, NC, to Charlotte for Alumni Governing Board meetings on Latin’s campus. As the

chair of the Seasoned Alumni Committee, Doug has played a key role in planning the class of 1975’s 50th Reunion this fall.

the National Institutes of Health but later returned to work with Anthony Fauci’s institute as a senior scientific program manager. Donna (Hubbard) Nicholson recently moved from Raleigh, NC, to Kiawah Island, SC, and works from home as the managing director in risk management and advisory for a national financial services and medical malpractice insurance company. Donna’s daughter, Ashley, is an ICU nurse, and her son, Nick ’06, works as a managing consultant in financial services, specializing in artificial intelligence.

Doug Ausbon ’75 serves on the Alumni Governing Board.

Larry Solomon and his family have moved back to Carrboro, NC, from Washington, D.C. Larry retired from

Congratulations to Marti (Somerall) Strickland, who recently retired after 23 years of working as a medical technologist in hospital settings. Following her lead, her husband, Keith, retired in July — the couple are now enjoying new adventures.

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Doug Ausbon ’75, Leigh Gillam ’75, and Larry Solomon ’75 in Raleigh, NC.

Donna (Hubbard) Nicholson ’75 moved from Raleigh to Kiawah Island in 2024.

1974 Hawks rode Charlotte’s Funny Bus during their 50th reunion weekend. 50

Kathy (Ibach) Horvath and her daughter, Avery ’15, enjoyed a trip out west in May 2024. The mother-daughter duo headed to Sedona and Scottsdale in Arizona. Their adventure included trail hikes with stunning views, including Camelback Mountain, Cathedral Rock, and Bell Rock. They biked through scenic canyons and finished the trip off with a pink jeep tour!

Kathy (Ibach) Horvath ’78 and her daughter Avery ’15 in Sedona, AZ, this summer.

CLASS NOTES Bravo to Kelvin Anderson, who took to the stage as part of Mission 34’s Rock the Cause event in February. As the founder and CEO of Madison Homebuilders, Kelvin is actively involved in several philanthropic organizations, including WayPoint Community Church, the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation, and Mukaa Children’s Home. Fellow Latin alumni Carson Clough ’12 and Kallaway Tuttle ’17 were also rock stars at the event.

Kelvin Anderson ’78 of Madison Homebuilders took to the stage for Mission 34’s Rock the Cause.

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Dennis Kokenes and his wife, Kabee, traveled to New York, NY, in November to root for their daughter, Lea ’14, as she finished the New York City Marathon. Rachel ’10 also joined the family cheering squad.

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Mary Yorke (Robison) Oates and her daughter Annabelle ’18 took a summer hiking trip to Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps. The mother-daughter duo hiked throughout the Alps — but the highlight was the glacier hike. Mary Yorke made it to 12,000 feet and Annabelle went even higher.

Mary Yorke (Robison) Oates ’83 and her daughter Annabelle ’18 in Mont Blanc.

‘83 Hawks fly together! Sarah (Francis) Samples, Laura (Balentine) Jeu de Vine and Lynda (Sydnor) Hunley gathered together to celebrate Lynda’s 60th birthday at Providence Road Sundries in Charlotte, NC.

Sarah (Francis) Samples ’83, Laura (Balentine) Jeu de Vine ’83, and Lynda (Sydnor) Hunley ’83 gathered for a birthday celebration.

Dennis ’79, Rachel ’10, Lea ’14, and Kabee Kokenes celebrating in New York City after Lea’s marathon finish.

If you have a class note to share or are interested in being a Class Agent, please contact Alex Kern ’11 in the Office of Alumni Relations, alex.kern@charlottelatin.org. LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES

Hawks that ski together stay together! Members of the class of 1983 gathered in Sun Valley, ID, for a few days of fun, sun, and skiing, including a visit with Joe Luter. The group included John Anderson, Jimmy Barnhardt, Mark Nesbit, Michael Newman, Hank Greenburg, and Walker Sanders. There was also a brief sighting of Karen and JP McBryde ’82, plus David Stedman ’82.

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Hawks and Mountaineers run in the family! Chester Alexander and his wife Tracy spent many weekends this fall in Boone, NC, cheering on the Mountaineers and one particular cheerleader: their daughter, Samantha Alexander ’23. Samantha is a sophomore at App State; Chester lives in Charlotte, where he works as a physician.

Hawks from the class of 1983.

student, Justin Rivenbark ’99. Rootism, a style and method created by Justin, frees the artist from language and figuration, allowing each line to guide its own path. Justin’s solo art show, Rootism, was on display in July 2024 at the IMUR Gallery in Jersey City, NJ.

A piece from Rootism, a solo art show by Justin Rivenbark ’99, on display in Jersey City, NJ.

Chester ’84, Samantha ’23, and Tracy Alexander at Appalachian State this fall.

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In September, the Downer Lobby of the Horne Performing Arts Center proudly showcased the stunning artwork of Richard Fletcher. Richard’s art is influenced by the Rootist philosophy, introduced to him by his friend and former 52

Richard Fletcher ’85 and Patrick Rivenbark ’02 standing with Fletcher’s artwork, displayed in the Downer Lobby of the Horne Performing Arts Center.

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Brian Anderson and his wife, Mary, spent many fall weekends travelling to cheer for the Oklahoma Sooners: their son, Ben ’22, is the team’s long snapper. During his impressive 2024 season, Ben earned recognition as a Patrick Mannelly Award semifinalist. The award is presented annually to the top college football long snapper in the United States.

CLASS NOTES

Mary and Brian Anderson ’88 cheering on their son, Ben ’22, long snapper for the Oklahoma Sooners.

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At the start of basketball season, The Charlotte Observer featured Coach Chris Berger, highlighting his passion for coaching and his ever-present underdog mentality. The article also showcased Berger’s office in Belk Gym, which is a living archive of Charlotte Latin basketball. Coach Berger took the opportunity to credit his mentor (and member of the Charlotte Latin School Athletic Hall of Fame), Coach Jerry Faulkner, for his guidance and influence throughout his career.

Coach Chris Berger ’89 with senior players James Jones ’25 and Brendan Miles ’25 after the final game of the season.

Jim Rash ’89 alongside costar Scarlett Johansson in the romantic comedy Fly Me to the Moon.

Congratulations to Jim Rash for his role as eccentric director Lance Vespertine in the romantic comedy Fly Me to the Moon, released in July. Jim shared the screen with Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, and Woody Harrelson.

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Holiday Hawks fly together! John Cattie, Doug Lowry, Joey Holder, McNeil Wester, Bryan McLean, Brad

Huffstetler, Jennifer Holloway, and Currie Gilbert gathered over the holidays for some fun and catching up.

Hawks from the class of 1993 reunited in December 2024. LATIN Magazine

The Cinematographer’s Party Guy Mossman ’90 became a cinematographer because he loved documentaries. He’s served as director of photography for many compelling nonfiction films, including Buck (2011), Mariachi High (2012), Bending the Arc (2017), Owned: A Tale of Two Americas (2018), and Feels Good Man (2020). His most recent movie is Speak (2025), which he codirected with Jennifer Tiexiera, about five high-school students competing in oratory contests; Variety called it “rousing and audiencefriendly.” He spoke to us from his home in Los Angeles, CA. Were you involved with speech and debate at Latin? No, I was playing soccer for Coach Lee Horton, and spending hours in the art room with Chip Martin, and playing in a punk band called Slam Chowder.

How did you start making documentaries? I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay in 2000, doing community health projects. It’s a tumultuous country, and while I was there, they declared martial law. I was stuck in the house of the Peace Corps country director for Paraguay and he had this huge collection of documentaries. So I started watching them: that was my film school. I discovered that documentaries weren’t just didactic presentations of facts. These were works of art that were immersive and subjective and personal and narratively creative. I had been teaching a sex-ed class in the evenings in my community. I wanted to screen a film that would get a conversation going, but the adolescents in my class mostly spoke Guaraní and there were no films that I felt like they could connect with. My director said, “You need to make that film.” So he gave me a budget and I hired a cinematographer and an editor. I directed and produced it: we followed these kids around for three weeks. When I came back to the States, I went to journalism school at the University of North Carolina and never looked back.

What was the impetus behind your 2022 movie, The Human Trial? My wife, Lisa Hepner, has type 1 diabetes, so after we were married in 2008, I got a crash course in diabetes. It occurred to me: she’s a filmmaker, I’m a cinematographer, we should be doing something together about living with this disease. We came upon this story in The New York Times about the front lines of developing a cure for type 1. We realized there could be a story about what it takes to be successful in the biotech world, through the eyes of the first few participants in a 54

groundbreaking clinical trial at the University of Minnesota. So we spent almost two years immersed in their lives.

How do you pick your subjects? When we cast Speak, we did a lot of Zoom calls: we probably talked to three or four hundred kids, and we picked five. We were looking for kids with power and personality. We knew they were going to be writing about these central moments in their lives, whether it was Mfaz being an immigrant or Noah dealing with the loss of his mother. To stand up in front of an audience and hold their attention with a ten minute speech, you have to write something that’s important to you. We thought we might lose two or three kids along the way, and I was gravitating toward trying to pare it down, but Jen loved all of them: she said this world is all about inclusion, so we want to show this tapestry of participation and ideas. We decided to weave them all together, but it was a huge challenge.

Why do you make documentaries? The hope is to create something that has a positive kind of propulsion. I love making films about young people, but I really love a film that can bring people together.

CLASS NOTES

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Research associate Kristina Hedbacker was a first author on the study “A Cellular and Molecular Basis of Leptin Resistance,” published in March. Kristina and her coauthors, including Bowen Tang and renowned scientist Jeffrey Friedman, made a significant breakthrough in understanding obesity by identifying a neural mechanism behind leptin resistance. Kristina’s contributions to this important research mark a major step forward in the field of metabolic science; their discoveries could pave the way for new obesity treatments. In January, members of the 1993-94 Charlotte Latin Varsity Men’s Basketball team reunited on campus to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their historic season and state championship. Attendees included ’94 captains Jeff Coble, Chuck Edwards, Chase Metheney, and Forest Wester, along with Brian Lucas ’95, Angus McDonald ’95, Brian Richards ’96, Mike Richardson ’95, Seneca RedwoodSawyerr ’96, and Paul Rutherford ’96. Thirty years ago, the team finished the season 27-1 and avenged its only loss with a 15-point victory over Greensboro Day to clinch the state championship.

Jeffrey Friedman and Kristina Hedbacker ’93, first authors of the study “A Cellular and Molecular Basis of Leptin Resistance.”

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A heartfelt thank you to Scott Nurkin, who returned to Charlotte Latin in August to create a stunning 22-foot-tall mural of a red-tailed hawk in our Inlustrate Orbem Building. Scott, the talented artist behind the NC Musicians Mural Project, brought his artistry back to our campus, and we are honored to showcase his work. The mural was a generous gift to the school from the classes of 2022 and 2024.

Members of the ’93-’94 Charlotte Latin State Champion Men’s Basketball team returned to campus in January for the 30th anniversary of their historic season.

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Scott Nurkin ’95 working on Sky’s The Limit in the IO Building. LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES

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Congratulations to Ken Leoncyzk and his wife Louise, who welcomed their daughter, Pippa, in September. Big sister Margaret is thrilled about the new family addition. Ken is a member of the Alumni Governing Board and leads the Alumni to Student Committee. The family of four live in Charlotte in the Plaza Midwood area; Ken is senior vice president for enterprise partnerships at Optum.

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The class of 1997 had a mini-reunion at Providence Road Sundries in December. Jason Cowley, Adam Guarnaccia, Brent Haas, Frances (Fennebresque) Hankins, Carson McNulty, and Daniel Nunn enjoyed time catching up together. The meet-up was extraspecial because Brent was returning to Charlotte from China for the holidays. Brent serves as the associate dean at the Yenching Academy of Peking University in Beijing.

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To honor the memory of Marshall Insley, Marshall’s friends and family joined together to name the Marshall E. Insley Fieldhouse at the south end of Patten Stadium, where many of Marshall’s best memories at Latin were made. All contributions to this effort support the Marshall Insley Student-Athlete Scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded to a Latin student (Grades 7–12) receiving financial assistance who reflects Marshall’s commitment to academic and athletic excellence. Spencer Edge helped lead these efforts and shared memories at the dedication in August.

Louise and Ken Leoncyzk ’96 with their newborn daughter, Pippa, born in September 2024.

Hawks fly together! ’96 Hawks Paul Rutherford, Laura McLeod, and Seneca Redwood-Sawyerr reunited in Wilmington, NC, over the summer.

Hawks from the class of 1997 at Providence Road Sundries.

Martin Wilkinson and Dave Powell teamed up to coach their daughters’ basketball team this past winter. Editor’s note: While their daughters may be Bucs, we know that Martin and Dave are Hawks at heart! Spencer Edge ’98 shares cherished memories of Marshall Insley ’98 during the dedication of the Marshall E. Insley Fieldhouse, located at the south end of Patten Stadium.

Martin Wilkinson ’97 and Dave Powell ’97, girls’ youth basketball coaches. ’96 Hawks Paul Rutherford, Laura McLeod, and Seneca Redwood-Sawyerr in Wilmington, NC.

CLASS NOTES

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Congratulations to Jen (Orr) Matthews, who was featured in the July issue of Walter magazine. Jen is the director of design at the Raleigh, NC, creative agency Baldwin&. In her spare time, she pursued painting as a respite from her life as a working mom of two teens, but the hobby turned into a successful endeavor. She is represented by multiple galleries, including Anne Irwin Fine Art in Atlanta, and has had her work featured by Anthropologie and on HBO Max.

Hawks fly together! Patrick Whalen and David Rooney reunited in December. With their families in tow, two generations of Whalens and Rooneys met for dinner in New York City.

Katie (Scruggs) Logan ’98 (left) on Live 5 News in Charleston, SC, promoting the American Heart Association Go Red for Women movement.

Jamie (Green) Nichols, Lori (Voci) Sohm, and their daughters, Avery and Jolee, reunited this fall in Charlotte. Jamie recently relocated to the East Coast from Colorado and now resides in Richmond Hill, GA.

Patrick Whalen ’99 and David Rooney ’99 reunited in December in NYC.

It was a chance Charlotte Latin reunion when Amanda (Jones) Sherriff and her former teacher, C.W. Stacks, ran into each other in Winston-Salem, NC — 25 years after Amanda was his student. Amanda and her husband, both Wake Forest alumni, now live in Charlottesville, VA, where she works as a school librarian and he is a tenured faculty member at the University of Virginia.

Jenn (Orr) Matthews ’98, NC-based brand design director and artist

In February, Katie (Scruggs) Logan appeared on Live 5 News in Charleston, SC, to discuss women’s heart health and to promote the American Heart Association Go Red for Women movement. Go Red for Women movement promotes awareness of women’s health and encourages women to be their own biggest advocates while keeping an eye on their blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Katie is a nurse practitioner in Charleston, SC, where she lives with her husband Dan and two children, Charlotte and Joseph.

Jamie (Green) Nichols ’98 and Lori (Voci) Sohm ’98 reunited this fall. Amanda (Jones) Sherriff ’99 reunited with her former teacher, C.W. Stacks, in Winston-Salem, NC. LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES

Congratulations to Erin and Jon Philpot on the arrival of their son Shepard Michael. Shepard was born on February 6, 2025. The family of three live in Chicago, IL.

20 00

Congratulations to retired Army veteran Owen Koch, who founded Capital Blues Fishing Charters in 2024, offering guided fishing trips on the Potomac River in Washington, DC. His charters combine expert angling with rich historical storytelling, providing guests with topquality equipment, fishing techniques, and insights into the region’s history. Follow @capitalbluesfishing on Instagram to see the impressive blue catfish caught through Owen’s charter service and to learn more about the fishing adventures.

Congratulations to motion picture sound editor Matt “Smokey” Cloud ’00, winner of three MPSE Golden Reel Awards. Recognizing outstanding achievement in sound editing and foley artistry in film, television, and gaming, the 72nd Annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards was held in Los Angeles, CA, on February 23, 2025. Matt was honored in the categories of Animated Broadcast for Secret Level, Documentary for Blue Angels, and Feature Dialogue for Saturday Night.

Shepard Michael, son of Jon Philpot ’99.

Jon Overcash and his family call McLaren Vale, Australia, home. Jon runs a wine tour company and works at the winery Samuel’s Gorge. In addition, he is expanding the distribution of his grandfather’s dip, Leo’s Chile Con Queso, into high-end local grocery stores, including Foodland Frewville, which has been recognized as the best grocery store in the world. His wife has taken over winemaking duties at Chapel Hill Winery in McLaren Vale.

Alyssa and Matt “Smokey” Cloud ’00 at the MPSE Golden Reel Awards.

20 01

Kudos to Anne (Hanley) Puckett, who graduated with a master’s in healthcare administration from the Medical University of South Carolina in May 2024. Anne, who also holds a J.D. from the Charleston School of Law, currently serves as the director of survivorship and patient experience at MUSC’s Hollings Cancer Center, serving cancer patients in Charleston and throughout the state of South Carolina.

Congratulations to Stephanie (Hannon) Stauning and her husband Jon on the arrival of their daughter, Maris Louise, on January 15, 2025. Maris weighed six pounds, 11 ounces, and was 20 inches long. She joins her big brother Henrik, who turned two years old in February. Stephanie is an orthodontist and practices in Charlotte; the Staunings moved near Freedom Park this past summer and are frequent visitors to the playgrounds there.

Anne (Hanley) Pucket ’00 graduated with a master’s in healthcare administration in May 2024.

Maris Louise, daughter of Stephanie (Hannon) Stauning ’01, born in January 2025.

Owen Koch ’00 founded Capital Blues Fishing Charters in 2024 in Washington, DC.

Jon Overcash ’99 and his family live in McLaren Vale, Australia.

CLASS NOTES Congratulations to Mike Owens and his wife, Hannah, who tied the knot in September in Raleigh, NC. Mike and Hannah live in Raleigh, NC, where Mike is the vice president of land acquisition for Toll Brothers.

Sisters Ruth (Van Dyke) Wyatt ’02, Laura (Van Dyke) Pitale ’99, and Kathryn (Van Dyke) Handy ’06 pose with their families while visiting Shibuya Sky in Tokyo, Japan.

Ruth (Van Dyke) Wyatt and her family traveled to Tokyo, Japan, on Christmas Day to visit and adventure with her sisters Laura (Van Dyke) Pitale ’99 and Kathryn (Van Dyke) Handy ’06. Highlights from 12 days of sightseeing around Tokyo included sumo wrestling, a minipig cafe, the Cup Noodles museum, Mt. Fuji, lots of delicious food, and numerous stops at the 7-Eleven.

20 02

This summer, Jessica (Hegele) Kettler and her husband Ryan traveled to Paris for the Olympics. Jessica and Ryan live in Raleigh, NC, with their two children Easton (eight) and Eloise (five).

20 03

Steve Kaliski became the executive director for the Davidson Community Players (DCP) in Davidson, NC, in 2023. The DCP produces multiple plays and musicals for adults each year along with a full roster of teen/youth shows. With this position, Steve continues his longstanding career in the arts. He worked as a producer, director, and playwright in New York for 11 years, assisting on two Broadway musicals and founding an independent theatre company before relocating to the Davidson area, his hometown and college town.

Steve Kaliski ’03 is the executive director for the Davidson Community Players in Davidson, NC.

Mike Owens ’03 married Hannah Martin in September 2024.

Congratulations to Charles Hodges, founder and creative director of Arts & Letters Creative Co., whose company was named one of Outside magazine’s Top 50 Places to Work for the fifth consecutive year! Charles lives in Richmond, Virginia, with his wife, Elizabeth (Doughton) ’04, and their children, Clementine and John.

Arts & Letters Creative Co., founded by Charles Hodges ’03, was recognized by Outside magazine as one of the top 50 places to work.

Ryan and Jessica (Hegele) Kettler ’02 in Paris during the Summer Olympics. LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES

Kudos to Sterling (Masters) Deeney, who taught master classes at the Blumenthal in Charlotte, NC, this February for high school performers preparing for the Blumey Awards. Drawing from her expertise and 18-year Broadway career, Sterling led classes for both beginner/ intermediate and advanced dancers. The program also featured a Q&A session, during which she shared insights into her training and career. Sterling (Masters) Deeney ’03 taught dance master classes in February 2025.

20 04

Congratulations to Fletcher Gregory and his wife, Kristin, who welcomed Fletcher (“Harrison”) Gregory V on February 3, 2025. Big sister Eve is thrilled about her new role. The family of four lives in New York, NY.

Congratulations to Theresa Campobasso, who was elected to the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Board of Directors for a four-year term. NDIA, based in Arlington, VA, is an impactful nonprofit serving over 66,000 members and 1,800 companies focused on national security and defense.

Cole Hayes ’04 was named to the American Bankruptcy Institute’s 40 Under 40 list.

Harrison Gregory, son of Fletcher Gregory ’04, born on February 3, 2025.

In January, President Joe Biden awarded nearly 400 scientists and engineers the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers early in their careers. The newest PECASE recipients included Dr. Jeff Lloyd. Jeff is a materials engineer for the Department of Defense. Congratulations, Jeff! 60

Theresa Campobasso ’04 has been elected to the National Defense Industrial Association Board of Directors.

Cole Hayes was named to the American Bankruptcy Institute’s 40 under 40 list, an award program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. Cole, the founder of Hayes Law in Charlotte, is a member of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees. He also volunteers with the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and programs through the North Carolina Bar Association. Congratulations, Cole!

Congratulations to Dr. Stephanie (Atlas) Hukill, who opened Rea Farms Pediatric Dentistry in Charlotte. She is excited to provide care in her hometown; her practice is dedicated to creating a warm, compassionate, and understanding dental experience for children. Outside the office, Stephanie loves spending time with her three young children.

Dr. Stephanie (Atlas) Hukill ’04 opened Rea Farms Pediatric Dentistry in Charlotte.

Congratulations to Kelli and Michael Nunn on the arrival of their son, Reynolds McNeill, born on April 20, 2024. Reynolds joins his furry big sister, Worth. Kelli and Michael live in Charlotte, where Michael works at American Family Insurance.

20 05

Proud parents Stacey (Thompson) King and her husband, Chandler, welcomed their son Henry on January 3, 2024. Big brother Will and big sister Sophie are equally excited about the new addition! The family of five lives in Charlotte.

Reynolds McNeill, son of Michael Nunn ’04, born in April 2024.

Kudos to Heather Mott, who opened her own business, A La Vie Aesthetics, in Encinitas, CA. A registered nurse, Heather has ten years of experience in aesthetics and is passionate about health and wellness. Heather is dedicated to helping her clients achieve their best self through her company, employing personalized and advanced aesthetic treatments.

Heather Mott ’04 opened A La Vie Aesthetics in Encinitas, CA.

And then there were three! Lauren (Gabosch) and Brad Starbuck welcomed their third daughter, Mary Bradley Starbuck, in July 2024. Proud big sisters Page and Emily, along with their furry sibling, Gatsby, are over the moon. The family of five resides in Charlotte.

Lauren (Gabosch) ’05 and Brad ’05 Starbuck welcomed their daughter, Mary Bradley, in July 2024.

20 06

Congratulations to Whitney (Player) Brunett and her husband Rob on the arrival of their son, Robert Eugene Brunett IV, born on October 9, 2024. Robert weighed eight pounds, six ounces, and is already carrying on the family name. The family of three enjoys exploring the greenways around Charlotte — mom and dad can’t wait to get Robert in a kayak!.

Congratulations to Jamie (Esposito) and Drew ’05 Hubbard, who welcomed their son, Addison Woodward, on August 10, 2024. Blair is happily fulfilling his big-brother duties and loves his little brother very much. The family resides in Charlotte and is enjoying raising Blair and Addison close to family and friends.

Robert Eugene Brunett IV, son of Whitney (Player) Brunett ’05, born on October 9, 2024.

Drew ’05 and Jamie ’06 Hubbard have a new Hawk in the nest; Addison Woodward, born August 2024.

Chandler and Stacey (Thompson) King ’05 welcomed their third child, Henry, in January 2024.

LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES Congratulations to Mark Ashcraft ’06, who married Lauren Kangas in September 2024 at Morehead City Country Club in Morehead City, NC. The celebration brought together many Hawks, including Mark’s best men and brothers, Ben ’08 and Thomas ’10 Ashcraft; groomsman George Sella ’06; cousins Jennifer (Ashcraft) Harcourt ’96, Michelle (Ashcraft) Shaffer ’98, and Jay Noles ’93; and his second grade teacher, Martha Owen.

Mark Ashcraft ‘06 married Lauren Kangas in September 2024.

Congratulations to Taylor Gibson and his wife Rebecca on the arrival of their son, Kennedy Taylor, on September 5, 2023. The family of three resides in Rochester, MN; Kennedy’s grandmother, retired third grade teacher Mary Gibson, is thrilled to embrace her new role as grandmother!

Rebecca and Taylor Gibson ’06 welcomed their son, Kennedy, in September 2023. 62

20 07

This past fall, Elizabeth (Rowan) Rainwater began a new role as a fourth grade teacher at St. Gabriel Catholic School in Charlotte. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her husband Will and keeping up with their two toddlers, Archie and Kackie.

Jeff and Champagne, had just as much fun hosting as the two did visiting. Major Alex Beaussart returned to campus in November as the Upper and Middle School Veterans Day speaker. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Alex currently serves as a KC-135R tanker pilot with the 756th Air Refueling Squadron at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Alex was joined by his family, including Tom and Sandy Dubick, Audrey (Beaussart) ’15 and Eric ’16 Davis, and his classmates Ehimere Etomi, Kari Smith, and Rohan Shah, who all gathered to support him at the assembly.

Elizabeth (Rowan) Rainwater ’07 now teaches fourth grade at St. Gabriel Catholic School.

Molly (McCrory) Shultz, Brent (Price) Gallagher, and Patterson (Maker) Miller reunited for a long weekend at the vacation home of Patterson’s family in Westport, MA. The three — lifelong friends since their Latin days — enjoyed quality time together while surrounded by beautiful views. Patterson’s parents,

Veterans Day speaker Major Alex Beaussart ’07, joined by his fellow ’07 classmates Ehimere Etomi, Rohan Shah, and Kari Smith.

Annelise Shelton and her husband Gabriel Ward welcomed Windsor Anne Ward to the world on January

Molly (McCrory) Shultz ’07, Patterson (Maker) Miller ’07, and Brent (Price) Gallagher ’07 in Massachusetts in August.

CLASS NOTES 4, 2024. Windsor has two cat siblings, George and Ginny Weasley, both of whom are still adjusting to her presence. Annelise continues to serve as the English department chair at the Blessed Sacrament Huguenot School in Powhatan, Va, where she teaches all levels of 11th and 12th grade English. This past spring, Windsor attended and assisted in chaperoning her first prom.

Annelise Shelton ’07 welcomed her daughter, Windsor Anne Ward, in January 2024.

20 08

Congratulations to Cameron (Burdick) Hutchinson and her husband Andrew, who welcomed their son, Tate Moree, on July 24, 2024. Tate was greeted at home by his big sister Payton and his four-legged golden retriever brother, Nash. The family lives in Charlotte, where Cameron works for the Carolina Panthers as the director of partnerships success and strategy.

Marshall Farrell and his wife Kathryn welcomed their daughter, Elisabeth (“Ellie”) Joy Farrell on September 14, 2024. The family of three lives in Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood; Marshall works as a development partner for Woodfield Development.

Ellie Farrell, daughter of Kathryn and Marshall ‘08 Farrell.

Hawks fly higher together! The road to becoming a psychologist led Bella Bellitto to reconnect with Taylor (Fenig) Shirkey. Taylor, a school psychologist in Charlotte, was matched to supervise Bella’s practicum at Beverly Woods Elementary. Bella earned her master’s degree in school psychology from Winthrop University in May and continues her training within Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Jenny (O’Brien) Adorno works as a play therapist and counselor in Mint Hill, NC. Jenny, her husband Steven, and their two daughters Kennedy (four) and Declyn (two) moved to the area in 2023.

Jenny (O’Brien) Adorno ’08 and her family moved to the Charlotte area in 2023.

Congratulations to new parents Frank Walker and his wife Lucy! The Walkers welcomed twin girls, Eloise and Harriet, in July 2024.

New dad Frank Walker ’08 and his twin daughters Eloise and Harriet.

Tate Moree Hutchinson, son of Cameron (Burdick) Hutchinson ’08, born in July 2024.

From classmates to colleagues: Taylor (Fenig) Shirkey ’08 and Bella Bellitto ’08 have reconnected as school psychologists. LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES

Meredith (McKay) Luckett is the director of development for the Nashville Children’s Alliance, a nonprofit that serves children who have experienced abuse or witnessed violence. When she isn’t working, she’s most likely having a dance party with her daughters, Liv (five) and Ellie (three).

Hawks celebrated at the wedding of Murrill Oakes ’09 and Christopher Pietrowski in November.

Liv and Ellie, daughters of Meredith (McKay) Luckett ’08.

After several years in New York City, Mitchell Dudas earned his MBA from UNC Chapel Hill before moving back to Charlotte in 2021 with his husband Taylor. He was deeply involved in the arts at Latin, which led to a career in New York and a world tour with the musical Chicago. Now he is the cofounder and president of the board for Charlotte Center for the Arts. Its mission is to create an accessible and affordable hub that fosters performance, exhibition, and education, breaking down barriers for artists and audiences while building a vibrant, collaborative arts community that positions South Charlotte as a premier cultural destination. Visit artscenterclt.org to learn more.

Mitchell Dudas ’08 (right) is the cofounder of Charlotte Center for the Arts. 64

Congratulations to Murrill Oakes and Christopher Pietrowski, who were married on Bald Head Island, NC, on November 16, 2024. Garrett Hess officiated the wedding; Denise (Dubick) Clark and Mary Grace Gibson served as maids of honor; and Stewart Boss and Ian Anderson were ushers. Murrill and Chris first met 12 years ago in Brooklyn, NY, where they lived until their recent move to Charlotte. The couple shares their home with their three-year-old pup, Mila, and they are looking forward to their upcoming honeymoon, exploring South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.

20 09

Congratulations to Catie (Faison) Van Loon and her husband Marshall, who welcomed baby boy Wills in early September 2024. Marshall “Wills” Williams joins his proud big sisters, Annie and Lucy.

Kudos to Will Rudolph, who was one of nine local Charlotte artists in the 2024 Blumenthal Fellowship Program. His work, a hangout spot titled “A Gathering While Everything Flows,” was showcased in Ballantyne’s Backyard through last spring and summer.

Artist Will Rudolph ’09 had his work featured in Ballantyne this summer as part of the 2024 Blumenthal Fellowship Program.

Welcome Wills! Born on September 5, 2024 to proud parents Catie (Faison) ’09 & Marshall Van Loon.

CLASS NOTES

Congratulations to Emily (Zuehlke) Heuser and her husband, James, on the arrival of their daughter, Evelyn Lucey. Evelyn joins her big brother Henry and is already adored by her grandparents: Bill Zuehlke, retired Upper School Science Teacher, and Elizabeth Zuehlke, retired Upper School Administrative Assistant.

20 10

Congratulations to Katherine Williams and Jack Ambrose, who were married on September 14, 2024, at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. The couple met while working in New York, NY, and now live in Charlotte with their dog, Pancakes. Katherine is the CFO of Elevation Securities, a Charlotte-based firm.

Since graduating Latin, Victoria Male has made many strides in the entertainment industry. Recognized as a 2023 Academy Nicholl Fellowship Finalist for her screenplay Showstopper, she advanced to the final round, part of a group of just 13 out of 5,599 entries. In addition, her TV pilot, Sculpted, earned a spot on Deadline’s esteemed Love List of unproduced romance scripts. Her talents extend beyond screenwriting: Victoria produced a podcast for three years after graduation, worked on the 2021 movie Ghostbusters: Afterlife alongside Paul Rudd and Bill Murray, and has had her prose featured in over a dozen acclaimed literary publications.

Evelyn Lucey Heuser, daughter of Emily (Zuehlke) Heuser ’09, born fall 2024.

Congratulations to Sarah (Wojcik) Grantham, owner of Barre3 Charlotte, on celebrating one year in business on February 9! The studio marked the occasion with a weekend-long celebration featuring free classes and local femaleowned business vendors. Several Hawks joined in the festivities, including Audrey (Beaussart) Davis ’15, Becky Green ’10, Carter Grantham ’10, Jenny (Roche) Madigan ’09, Tyler (Kirkland) Malek ’05, and McKay (Kirkland) Mansmann ’10.

Sarah (Wojcik) Grantham ’09 celebrates one year of Barre3 Charlotte with her husband, John ’09, and their sons, Griffin and Riley.

Katherine Williams ’10 married Jack Ambrose in September 2024.

Victoria Male ’10 is reaching new heights in the entertainment industry.

Cameron (Johnson) Strubinger and her husband Curtis welcomed their third child on October 23, 2024. Nell Frances (“Nellie”) joins big brother Charlie and big sister Virginia. The family of five lives in Charlotte.

Congratulations to Madeleine and Hayes Friddle on the arrival of their son, Webb, in February 2025. Big siblings Collier and Mitchell are stepping into their new roles, constantly checking on Webb and giving him big hugs. The family of five lives in Annapolis, MD, where Hayes is an engineer and aviator with the U.S. Navy.

Cameron (Johnson) Strubinger ’10 welcomed Nellie in October 2024.

Webb, son of Hayes Friddle ’10, born on January 24, 2025. LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES

Sinclair (Knauff) Zatloukal and her husband Patrick welcomed their daughter, Penelope (“Sloane”) Zatloukal in March 2024. The family of three lives in Florida.

Mary Stuart (Wannamaker) Omary now lives on the Tanzanian coastline in East Africa with her husband, Omary Abdallah, and daughter, Eden Anne (two). Mary Stuart is devoted to the study of water consciousness and development of progressive, prosperous eco-villages in their local area. She is affiliated with the world’s industry leader in water ionization technology (producing molecular hydrogen water) from Okinawa, Japan (a blue zone), contributing to healing disease, detoxifying homes, and reducing planetary waste. Omary is a sailor and local entrepreneur who loves taking guests out to their local sand island, Maziwe Marine Reserve, for unique, private snorkeling adventures. Delaney (Dalton) Cron ’11 welcomed Kinley Reese in September 2024.

Congratulations to Sara Thomas ’11, who married Isaac Bock on May 11, 2024 in Charlotte. The couple met nine years ago in New York, NY, where they had both moved after graduating from college. Sara and Isaac now live in Denver, CO, with their dog Mallie.

Sloane Zatloukal, daughter of Sinclair (Knauff) Zatloukal ’10.

Congratulations to Thomas Ashcraft and his wife Lexi on the arrival of their son, Thomas Stafford (“Ford”) Ashcraft, on January 25, 2025. Thomas is a senior vice president at RCM Capital in Charlotte; the family lives in Belmont, NC.

Mary Stuart (Wannamaker) Omary ’10 and her family on the Tanzanian coast in East Africa.

20 11

Thomas Ashcraft ’10 welcomed his son Ford in January 2025.

Congratulations to Delaney (Dalton) Cron ’11 and her husband Kevin, who welcomed their daughter, Kinley Reese, on September 4, 2024. Her big brother, Cason (two), loves to help with diapers, sing to her, and make her smile.

Sara Thomas ’11 married Isaac Bock in May 2024.

CLASS NOTES

Hawks celebrated at the wedding of Zach Kern ’11 and Abbie Tenney in Savannah, GA.

Zach Kern married Abbie Tenney in Savannah, GA, in March 2024. Many Hawks joined the celebration, including Ann ’12, David ’17, and Joe ’14 Baynard, Noland Griffith, Tucker Fogg, Alex Kern, Robert Miller, Kameron (Spence) Phelan, and Connor Stefan. The happy couple now resides in Charleston, SC, with their dog, Georgia — named after both the state and the university where they met.

20 12

Congratulations to Claire Pace who married David Dorsch in Atlanta, GA, on December 21, 2024. Claire’s bridal party was full of Hawks, including Tyler (Cooney) Armstrong, Libby (Lamb) Heil, Ruthie Lovejoy, and Callie (Kennedy) Lilley. After ringing in the new year on their adventurous honeymoon in Vietnam, the happy couple returned home to Atlanta.

Grayson Foster, a musical artist based in Nashville, TN, released the single “Tragic Nostalgic” in August. In a write-up by Neon Music, the track is described as “a heaping dose of millennial malaise wrapped in catchy hooks and dreamy synths. This indie-pop confection captures the quarter-life crisis of a generation caught between childhood comforts and adult realities.” Grayson Foster’s music, including “Tragic Nostalgic,” is available on major streaming platforms.

Ryan Carter ’12 married Sydney Idikowski in May 2024.

Congratulations to Amma Okwara, who married Lawrence Chan in November 2024. The pair met as undergrads at MIT before each of them moved to New York City; their friendship grew into something deeper in the summer of 2017. The couple celebrated their marriage with a traditional Nigerian wedding ceremony in November and a Western ceremony and reception in February 2025. Amma’s sister Nnenna Okwara ’09 was the maid of honor, while her brothers Kene, Obi ’08, and Toby ’15 were groomsmen. Many Hawks joined Lawrence and Amma on their special days, including Will and Garland (Austin) Almquist, Jack Amory, Mary Cameron (Faison) Brown, Sarah Bailey (Wilson) Carpenter, Chuma Eruchalu ’13, Aseda Ghartey-Tagoe, Ibi Etomi ’10, and Madison Pulliam. Amma and Lawrence live in New York City, where Amma works for the film company Jolt.

Grayson Foster ’12 released the single “Tragic Nostalgic” in August 2024.

Claire Pace ’12 married David Dorsch in December 2024.

Congratulations to Ryan Carter and Sydney Idzikowski, who were married at Christ Lutheran Church in Charlotte on May 4, 2024. Jon Gilmartin and Dan Glaser-Reich served as groomsmen in the wedding party. The couple met through professional networking and, after their first date at the Whitewater Center, became inseparable. Ryan proposed at Morrow Mountain State Park.

Amma Okwara ’12 married Lawrence Chan in November 2024. LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES Congratulations to Mary Cameron (Faison) Brown and her husband, Parks, on the birth of their first child, Elizabeth Campbell (“Ella Campbell”), on January 14, 2025. Weighing seven pounds, 15 ounces, Ella Campbell joins her fur sister, Nellie. The family resides in Charlotte, where her cousins, the children of Catie (Faison) Van Loon ’09, and her grandparents, Diana and Cam ‘76 Faison, are excited to watch her grow up close by.

Congratulations to Tyler (Cooney) and Will Armstrong on the arrival of their daughter, Powell Catherine Armstrong, born on October 10, 2024. Powell, named after her grandmothers, is already adored by her four-legged brother Louie. The Armstrong family resides in Charlotte.

Big brother McKay and his baby sister Goldie, children of Chandler (Dalton) and Steven Kasay ’13.

Ella Campbell Brown, daughter of Mary Cameron (Faison) Brown ’12.

Congratulations to Ann Baynard and Harrison Woodside, who were married on March 1, 2025, in Charlotte. The couple honeymooned in New Zealand and are enjoying married life together in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood of Charlotte. Ann and Harrison celebrated with Hawks on their special day, including groomsmen David ’17 and Joe ’14 Baynard, Ryan Shoffner ’12, and bridesmaids Caroline Hicks ’11 and Alex Kern ’11.

Ann Baynard ’12 married Harrison Woodside in March 2025. 68

Tyler (Cooney) and Will Armstrong ’12 welcomed their daughter, Powell, in October 2024.

20 13

Congratulations to Chandler (Dalton) and Steven Kasay on the arrival of their daughter, Goldie Gossett, on Thanksgiving Day in 2024. Weighing five pounds, 15 ounces, Goldie was born a month early while the family was vacationing in Beaufort, SC. She is named after her maternal greatgrandmother. Big brother McKay is excited about his new role. The family of four resides in Charlotte, where Chandler works as a registered dietitian and Steven owns Kasay Construction, which specializes in highperformance residential construction.

Congratulations to Elli (Morrison) McAdams and her husband Wes who welcomed their daughter Macon “May” Hood on June 25, 2024. May is named after Elli’s grandmother and one of her favorite places, the May River. Big sister Tillie is embracing her new role! The family resides in Charlotte; Elli is a member of the Alumni Governing Board of Charlotte Latin School.

Macon “May” Hood, daughter of Elli (Morrison) McAdams ’13, born in June 2024.

Chief Etheridge married his college sweetheart, Ashlyn Roberts, in May 2024. The pair, who met at Wofford College, wed in Charleston, S.C. — Ashlyn’s hometown. Chief’s groomsmen included Chris Paschal and his brother Macaulay ’16. The happy couple enjoyed an adventurous honeymoon in Japan before returning home to Washington, D.C.

CLASS NOTES

she traveled to New Orleans, LA, for Super Bowl LIX, collaborating with ESPN’s Mexico and Brazil offices to bring high-profile influencers to the event. Juliana helped create exclusive experiences for them, generating content and driving viewership for ESPN.

Kudos to Nikki Sanz, who was inducted into the Forbes 2025 Class of 30 Under 30! Nikki is the CEO and founder of Giggs, a groundbreaking career platform that bridges staffing needs in the music industry. Since launching as the “LinkedIn of Touring” in early 2024, Giggs has attracted 20,000 users and connected talent with roles in touring and live events at over 1,000 companies.

Chief Etheridge ’13 married Ashlyn Roberts in May 2024.

Congratulations to new parents Kelly (Breeney) and Nick Boyd ’14, who welcomed their son, Marshall Robert, on January 25, 2025. The family of three live in Charlotte, where Kelly is a coach for OrangeTheory Fitness and Nick works for Gridium.

Juliana Araque ’13 at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

20 14

It was a year of celebration for Addy (Collett) Hakim! In September 2024, she and her husband Nick tied the knot in Aspen, CO. Addy was surrounded by Hawks on her special day, including Hayden (Shoffner) Hendrix, Coley (Collett) Hull ’10, Mary Corbin (Burlingame) Turner, Mary Coley (McMillan) Stevens, and many more. In January, Addy opened her gym, The Health Club, in the Oakhurst neighborhood of Charlotte.

Nikki Sanz ’14, founder of Giggs, was inducted to the Forbes 2025 Class of 30 Under 30.

Congratulations to Mary Coley McMillan and Sam Stevens, who were married in Palm Beach, FL, in January 2025. The happy couple resides in Charlotte, where Mary Coley runs her own interior design studio, Studio MC.

Marshall Robert, son of Kelly (Breeney) ’13 and Nick Boyd ’14, born in January 2025.

Juliana Araque works in sports marketing at ESPN in Charlotte, focusing on TV and digital marketing promotions, as well as on-site activations across various sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, and Formula 1. This year,

Addy Collett ’14 married Nick Hakim in September 2024.

Mary Coley McMillan ’14 married Sam Stevens in Palm Beach in January 2025. LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES

Congratulations to first-time parents Hayden (Shoffner) Hendrix and her husband, Will, on the arrival of their daughter, Josephine Keith Hendrix on November 29, 2024. The family of three lives in Charlotte, where Hayden is the co-owner of Byrdie Golf Social Wear. This spring, she celebrates four years in business.

Hayden (Shoffner) Hendrix ’14 welcomed her daughter Josephine in November 2024.

After finishing her degree in food systems in Italy, Sophie Lovett cofounded Hummingbird in January. Hummingbird is a highly personalized, inhome food and lifestyle service that helps busy families spend more meaningful time around the table. Sophie is currently serving clients in California, in a region spanning Santa Barbara to Santa Monica.

estate news site, in an article highlighting her talents and her ability to balance two demanding careers. In December, Caroline performed in The Nutcracker at the Moody Performance Hall in Dallas.

groom had many Hawks celebrate with them, including members of the wedding party Kathryn (Watts) Burlingame ’12, Marshall Burlingame ’12, Addy Collett, Hayden (Shoffner) Hendrix, Mary Coley McMilan, Peyton Thorpe ’10, and James Thorpe ’13.

Caroline Atwell ’14 dances professionally with the Avant Chamber Ballet while also working as a real estate agent for Properties in Dallas, TX.

Margot Sprow married Garrett Richards in Clemson, SC, at the Cadden Chapel in October 2024. The happy couple first met in Charlotte; each of them moved there after graduating from Clemson University. The wedding party included Olivia Sprow ’16, Hank Sprow ’12, Anna Garwood, Gracie Ghartey-Tagoe, Tricia Murphy, and Carter Tate, with many more Hawks in attendance. Margot and Garrett currently live in Charlotte.

Mary Corbin Burlingame married Will Turner in November 2024.

Cheers to the Zollicoffers! Christina and Jack Zollicoffer were married at Lowndes Grove in Charleston, SC, in November 2024. The couple first met while attending Bucknell University and now call Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood home. Jack recently launched his own growth equity venture, Headlight Partners, focusing on early-stage B2B software investments. They recently announced their first deal: a $30 million investment in a San Francisco– based FinOps and cloud infrastructure management platform.

Sophie Lovett ’14 (left) and Hannah Billings, cofounders of Hummingbird.

Caroline Atwell, a real estate agent with Properties in Dallas, TX, is also pursuing a career as a professional ballet dancer with the Avant Chamber Ballet. She was recently featured on CandysDirt.com, an award-winning real

Margot Sprow ’14 and Gerrett Richards were married in October 2024.

Congratulations to Mary Corbin Burlingame and Will Turner, who were married in their hometown of Charlotte in November 2024. The bride and

Christina and Jack Zollicoffer ’14, wed in November 2024.

CLASS NOTES Adam Windham and his wife, Cassie, wed on December 12, 2024 in Asheville, NC. On their honeymoon in Hawaii, the couple enjoyed hiking, snorkeling, and taking in the gorgeous sights before returning home to Winston-Salem, NC. Adam is a clinical mental health counselor at Wake Forest University.

Cheers to the Daltons! Bentley Dalton and his wife, Hannah, tied the knot on October 5, 2024, at the Crescent Hotel in Fort Worth, TX, with nearly 20 Hawks in attendance. Bentley and Hannah’s love story began nine years ago on the first day of classes at Texas Christian University. The couple now resides in Dallas, TX, with their cherished dog, Louie.

Cassie and Adam Windham ’14 were married in December 2024.

20 15

Congratulations to Zach Hall and Hannah Greene, who tied the knot in Charlotte on June 15, 2024. Zach and Hannah first met in Charlotte seven years ago during Zach’s winter break from college. After navigating a few years of long-distance dating, they both settled in Charlotte and have been inseparable ever since. Fun fact: The happy couple shares their home with an orange cat named Tender, a playful nod to the dating app that brought them together.

Zach Hall ’15 married Hannah Greene in June 2024.

Congratulations to Ryan Gardner on his new role as assistant stage manager for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway! Ryan was previously with the national tour of Les Misérables for an incredible 847 performances in 69 cities (including Charlotte) in 32 states.

Ryan Gardner ’15, assistant stage manager for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Bentley Dalton ‘15 married Hannah Kravit in October 2024.

Kudos to Ashley Fox, who won first place at the Rocky Mountain Chapter Tree Climbing Competition in Colorado this summer. She then went to Savannah, GA , in October to participate in her first International Tree Climbing Championships against the best climbers in the world. She finished 12th out of the 34 women climbers. Congratulations, Ashley!

Ashley Fox ‘15, winner of the Rocky Mountain Chapter Tree Climbing Competition in July 2024.

Congratulations to Catherine Gill, who married Josh Smith on April 13, 2024, in Charlotte. Catherine’s bridal party included her sisters Caroline (Gill) Waters ’10, Laura Gill ’13, and friends Catherine Carlson, Carrie Mittl, and Anna (Jones) High. The happy couple lives in Arlington, VA.

Catherine Gill ’15 married Josh Smith in April 2024.

LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES

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Congratulations to Kyle Ensor and Shannon Coon, who were married in November 2024 on Hilton Head Island, SC. Kyle and Shannon met in Nashville, TN, where the couple now lives. The newlyweds are proud dog parents to Cooper, a mini dachshund.

Kyle Ensor ’16 and Shannon Coon were married on November 16, 2024.

Congratulations to Emily Barry and Mobley Estes, who were married on November 23, 2024. Emily’s bridal party included her sister and maid of honor Mary Kathryn Barry ’14 and bridesmaids Lena Brewer, Molly Brice, E.C. Myers, and Taylor Woolen. The newlyweds live in Raleigh, NC.

Emily Barry ’16 married Mobley Estes in November 2024. 72

Emily (Padgett) McCarthy married her college sweetheart, Marty, in Cleveland, OH, in August 2024. Emily’s brother, Matt Padgett ’17, served as the bridesman. Close friends and Latin classmates Grace Morris and Hunter (Willis) Roach stood by Emily’s side as bridesmaids: the three recreated the photo they took before every school dance at Latin.

Pictured with her close friends and bridesmaids Grace Morris ’16 and Hunter Willis Roach ’16, Emily Padgett McCarthy ’16 wed in August 2024.

Congratulations to Abby Hinrichs and Steven Holthouser, who were married on November 16, 2024, at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte. The couple first met while attending Washington and Lee University; Steven proposed on W&L’s campus in 2023. Abby’s bridal party included Addie Robards, Margaret (Robelen) Hodges, and her sisters Lindsay ’18 and Sarah ’22 Hinrichs.

Abby Hinrichs and Steven Holthouser were married in November 2024.

Congratulations to Harper McCabe and her husband Harris Krogh, who were married in Charleston, SC, in April 2024! The couple first met while attending Clemson University and now call Charleston home.

Harper McCabe ’16 married Harris Krogh in April 2024.

Congratulations to Addison and Sarah (Jordan) DeBord on the arrival of their daughter, Lois Adaline, on February 5, 2025. The happy family of three lives in Charlotte. Sarah’s mother, Kenna (Cloninger) Jordan ’85, and her brother, Matthew Jordan ’18, are thrilled about their new roles as grandmother and uncle.

Lois Adaline DeBord, daughter of Addison ’16 and Sarah (Jordan) DeBord ’16, born in February 2025.

CLASS NOTES

Olivia Sprow ’16, Reilly Shea ’16, Claire Lucas ’16, and Neil Patel ’16 reunited in October 2024.

Hawks together make wedding receptions better! Claire Lucas, Neil Patel, Reilly Shea, and Olivia Sprow reunited in October to celebrate the wedding of Margot Sprow ’14. These Hawks were happy to spend time together as they now all live in different cities across the U.S.: Washington, D.C.; New York, NY; Charlotte; and Tampa, FL, respectively.

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Kudos to Olivia Fox, middle school art teacher at Norfolk Academy, whose artwork was recently showcased in the “Mighty Minis” art show at The Garage Virginia Beach, an art studio in Virginia Beach, VA. The event featured 250 original pieces created by talented local artists. To see Olivia’s work or to commission a unique piece, follow her on Instagram: @ogfox_art.

’16 and ’17 Hawks got together this summer.

Hawks fly together! This summer, 2017 and 2016 Hawks reunited in Washington, D.C. Jake Ahern, Will Gardner, Brendan Downing ’16, Matt Padgett, and Matthew McCall have all found themselves living and working in the nation’s capital after college.

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It was an exciting summer for Laura Scott Cary, a multihyphenate artist based in New York, NY. She proudly holds a BFA in acting from Southern Methodist University and made her playwriting debut at the Tank Theater in New York City this past summer.

Erika Kim, a third-grade teacher at Durham Academy, was featured in an article published by the school in September, highlighting the difference she makes in the lives of her students. The daughter of a Korean father and Puerto Rican mother, Erika strives to foster a sense of belonging for all her students. Her undergraduate research focused on representation in children’s literature; she is currently pursuing a master’s degree.

Erika Kim ’18 of Durham, NC.

Olivia Fox ’17 in front of her artwork displayed at an art show in Virginia Beach.

Laura Scott Cary ’14 made her playwriting debut in NYC this past summer. LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES Kudos to Ashton Barlow, recipient of the Nonprofit Professions of the Year Rising Star Award. Ashton is the Development Director for the Isabella Santos Foundation in Charlotte. Her nominator said that Ashton’s journey from a dedicated volunteer to a vital leader at ISF illustrates her passion, commitment, and ability to make a tangible difference in the lives of children facing rare cancers.

Congratulations to Claudia Dickey, goalkeeper for Seattle Reign FC, who was called up to the U.S. Women’s National Team for January training camp. Claudia, one of four goalkeepers on the USWNT January 2025 training camp roster, was recently inducted into the CLS Athletic Hall of Fame.

Ashton Barlow ’18, Development Director for the Isabella Santos Foundation, was the recipient of the Rising Star Award from Nonprofit Pro.

Claudia Dickey ’18, goalkeeper for Seattle Reign FC, was called up to the USWNT January Training Camp.

Congratulations to the Reillys! Mary Griggs married Ethan Reilly in April 2024 at the Duke Mansion in Charlotte. The newlyweds, along with their puppy Banks, live in Charlotte. Fun fact: Mary and Ethan’s wedding planner was fellow Latin alumna, Jackie (Andolino) Fogartie ’01.

Mary Griggs ’18 married Ethan Reilly in April 2024. 74

own Latin cheering section, including Upper School teachers Gretchan Frederick, Jessie Sellner, Amy Zinn and Maria Klein. Boola boola, Luke! Dietitian Megan Tomlin launched Table Conversations on Substack and Instagram in February. Table Conversations — “where good food meets great conversation” — shares easy, healthy recipes, each paired with a table conversation starter to make meals more enjoyable and meaningful. Follow along on Instagram: @table.conversations.

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Luke Tillitski, member and emcee of the Yale University Whiffenpoofs — the world’s oldest and best-known collegiate a cappella group — performed with the group in Charlotte last April 5. At his homecoming show, he had his very

Megan Tomlin ’19 launched Table Conversations in February.

Luke Tillitski ‘19, emcee and member of the Yale Whiffenpoofs, with his Latin cheering section in April 2024.

CLASS NOTES Congratulations to Arella Flur, coproducer of All Nighter, a star-studded dark comedy running off-Broadway. The show, which opened in March 2025, follows a tight-knit group of college roommates as they pull one last all-nighter before graduation, putting their friendships to the test. All Nighter is running for a 12-week limited engagement at the Newman Mills Theater in New York, NY.

Congratulations to Sara Kenefick, who, after “retiring” from gymnastics, set her sights on a new goal: running a marathon. Aiming for a time of 3:25, Sara blew past that benchmark, winning the women’s division of the Baltimore Marathon in October with a time of 3:03:38! Her family and fellow Hawks Ana Kenefick, Maxine Tan, and Kate Stenerson cheered her on from the sidelines. Sara is gearing up for the Boston Marathon in April, where she’ll represent her employer, Bank of America.

Ana Kenefick is currently pursuing a master’s in economic analytics at Towson University in Maryland. Ana is also in her fifth year of eligibility for gymnastics. She is soaking in every moment and grateful for the support she has from her team, family, and friends. One of her biggest supporters is retired Upper School teacher C.W. Stacks.

Ana Kenefick ’20, pictured with her former teacher, C.W. Stacks. Arella Flur ’19 celebrates the opening of All Nighter with friends and fellow Hawks, Rachel Lebda ’19 and Veronica Leahy ’19.

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Stephanie Caddell moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in August and is in the first year of a Ph.D. program in the Oceans Department at Stanford University. Outside of school, she and John Luke Farah, who is in his first year at Santa Clara University School of Law, have been exploring the coastline and local national parks. Their most recent trip was to visit Pinnacles National Park and Big Sur.

Stephanie Caddell ’20 and John Luke Farah ’20 exploring the San Francisco Bay Area.

Sara Kenefick ’20 after completing and winning her very first marathon in Baltimore, MD.

Congratulations to Emily Harris, who is in her first year of medical school at VCOM-Carolinas in Spartanburg, SC. Outside of her studies, Emily is also the girls’ lacrosse head goalie coach and assistant varsity/JV/C team coach for Spartanburg High School.

Emily Harris ’20 is in her first year of medical school at VCOM-Carolinas in Spartanburg, SC.

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Kudos to Andy Dorsel, a senior swimmer at Bucknell University, who earned his fourth consecutive spot on the All-Patriot League Team in February after an outstanding performance at the league championship meet. Andy led the Bucknell men’s team this year with 65 individual points. He finished fourth in the 200-meter individual medley, fifth in the 400-meter individual medley, and 13th in the 200-meter butterfly. His time of 1:47.10 in the 200-meter individual medley was a personal record and the second-fastest in Bucknell history.

Andy Dorsel ’21, swimmer at Bucknell University, is a four-time All-Patriot League honoree. LATIN Magazine

Ex Machina

Talking startups and robots with Teddy Warner ’23 We see on your website (teddywarner.org) that you’re learning to juggle and you’re reading Bertrand Russell. What else are you up to? My very abridged Latin-to-now timeline: I worked in the Fab Lab for just under five years, starting in the eighth grade. They have this internship pipeline, so my senior year, I went to work for this biomedical engineering company. It was a blast, but I discovered that I was actually quite squeamish. So on a whim, I went to a program at USC in LA, the Iovine and Young Academy, that’s essentially product design: engineering and art and also soft skills like pitching and writing. I get there, and about a month in I get indoctrinated by the California culture: why can’t I just do a project and then sell it to people? My specialty is electronics, so I thought I could design an interesting consumer wearable and sell it to people. So I did that for eight months or so and it went pretty well. One of the project’s advisors runs this AI lab called Midjourney. He hired my cofounder and I to start the hardware team. So we both went to Midjourney at the end of my freshman year in college. Midjourney was a very comfortable lifestyle, but I left six months ago because I hopped on this moral high horse, saying I would only leave school if it was for my own thing. I went back to school and started another research project, now a venture called Intempus. I’m building robotic control policies: can you get a robot to act more like a human? I’m developing hardware to capture physiological data, which I’m then using to train robotics models, which I’m then running on robots. I just left school again to work on this full-time: the bottleneck when you’re working on robotic control policies is capital and time, and you get more time if you’re working on something full-time, and you get more capital if you’re in San Francisco.

Do you have an area of specialty? I’ve had a few people fight me for saying that my specialty is rapid prototyping. But I’ve worked in agriculture and biotech and consumer electronics: the one string that runs through all those domains is that I can build things pretty fast.

How did your time at Latin shape who you are now? I give a lot of credit to Latin on two fronts. I attribute my joy and excitement around hardware to the Fab Lab. And I became a substantially better writer at Latin: I was never in honors English, but I learned how to write well. Naturally, I write about engineering, because it gets me excited, but I can express myself in a unique way. That writing has landed me multiple job offers at compelling companies.

What haven’t you done yet that you want to? I tell people that if I could build crazy humanoid robots, I would. But people in startups don’t realize that robotics is not an engineering question: it’s a manufacturing question. It’s very hard to make things once, but it’s even harder to make them at scale. There’s very smart people who can make a really cool robot once, but a lot of these robotics startups gloss over the fact that they have to make these robots hundreds of thousands of times, and they’re competing with people who have already proven they can make things hundreds of thousands of times, namely Apple and Tesla. I can’t raise venture funds for it because I genuinely don’t believe that a venture in humanoids can work out. So I wedge into that space by working on software for robots. At some point when I have enough money and time, I will be building robots, but not yet.

CLASS NOTES Hope Morrow returned to Charlotte Latin to speak with AP computer science classes about her experiences at Coastal Carolina University, where she is a student with a double major in computer science and graphic design, a Division I soccer athlete, and a mission specialist for the secondary payload of ChantSat-1 — Coastal Carolina’s inaugural space mission that aims to launch a small satellite into orbit in 2027.

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It was a class of 2022 reunion in Germany this fall: Christopher O’Leary, Devan Amin, Ryan Lupfer, Eliza Hinshaw, Ella Livingston, John Pence, and Walker Mermans gathered to celebrate Oktoberfest in Munich during their semesters abroad.

week intensive experience included a trip to a professional recording studio where she recorded “She Used to Be Mine” from the musical Waitress.

Kate McCracken ’22 recording “She Used to Be Mine” in Arlington, VT.

Hope Morrow ’21 spoke with AP computer science classes in November.

Congratulations to former Mat Hawk Marshall Hanson, a naval officer who has wrestled for the past four years at the Naval Academy. Marshall was honored on his senior night in January for his dedication and hard work both on and off the mat.

’22 Hawks Christopher O’Leary, Devan Amin, Ryan Lupfer, Eliza Hinshaw, Ella Livingston, John Pence, and Walker Mermans reunited in Munich.

From the stage to the recording studio! Kate McCracken was one of 12 college students chosen to be a part of a musical theater cohort at the Barrington Stage in Pittsfield, MA, during the summer of 2024. Her eight-

Marshall Hanson ’21 (fourth from left) on his senior night as a wrestler for the Naval Academy.

Mary Schleusner had a stellar basketball season playing for the Washington & Lee Generals. Throughout the ’24-’25 season, she was named the USBWA Division III National Player of the Week three times. In November, Mary, along with Mayes Fisher ’23 and Julia Vandiver ’23, returned to Latin’s campus to support the Charlotte Latin Girls’ Basketball team in their game against Christ the King.

Mayes Fisher ’23, Mary Schleusner ’22 , and Julia Vandiver ’23 returned to campus in November and caught up with Varsity Girls’ Basketball Head Coach Giavonni Mack. LATIN Magazine

CLASS NOTES

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In October, a cadre of ’23 Hawks reunited in Columbia, SC, for the football game between Ole Miss and the University of South Carolina. Harrison Morrill, John Stedman, Nathan Rimler, Jerry Singleton, Bennett Egge, and Jake Sellers were happy to spend time together during college football season. Congratulations to Ella Smith! A sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill, Ella was selected to join the MoreheadCain Class of 2027. She is studying business, marketing, and management at the Kenan-Flagler Business School. In addition to her academic achievements, Ella is a national champion soccer player with the Tar Heels, who clinched the title in December with a 1-0 victory over Wake Forest.

Ella Smith ’23 celebrates the UNC Tar Heels women’s soccer national championship victory with her proud

2023 Hawks reunited in Columbia, SC during college football season.

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Leah Tewolde, a freshman at New York University, was commissioned by Soraja Helac, a current Latin parent, to paint a stunning floral mural using spray paint in the backyard of the 11th Hour Art Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. Leah’s mural is part of Primavera, a dynamic group exhibition presented by Helac Fine Art, which reinterprets the themes of Botticelli’s 15thcentury Renaissance masterpiece through a contemporary lens. The show, which opened on March 8, features a diverse selection of artists exploring renewal, transformation, and the natural rhythms that shape our world. Kudos to Leah, who was praised not only for her exceptional art, but also for her professionalism and warm demeanor.

Leah Tewolde ’24, artist and “flower vandal,” in Brooklyn, NY.

Esrom Ghirmay studied abroad in South Africa during the summer of 2024. While in Cape Town, he interned at the Scalabrini Center, working with immigrants as they transitioned into South African society. His role involved teaching language skills, practicing everyday tasks, and helping individuals build résumés. Esrom considers his time in Cape Town to have been an incredible experience, noting that the city’s beauty and vibrant culture exceeded his expectations.

Esrom Ghirmay ’23, studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. 78

CLASS NOTES Luke Coppage, currently in his first year at Queens University of Charlotte, received the Charlotte 20 Under 20 Dean’s List Award. The award honors and empowers some of the most diverse and influential people in Charlotte between the ages of 14 and 19. Luke is majoring in accounting and data analytics and is a member of the Preyer Honors Program and the Men’s Tennis Team. His current project for the community is fundraising to refurbish and resurface the tennis courts at Marion Diehl Park. Congratulations, Luke!

Jack Donnely and Nicholas Niles stopped by the Fab Lab in January. Jack is studying aerospace engineering at Auburn University while Nick is studying electrical engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Request access to this private Charlotte Latin School Alumni group on LinkedIn and start connecting with 1200+ of your fellow Hawks.

Fab Lab visitors and college engineering students, Jack Donnely ’24 and Nicholas Niles ’24.

Luke Coppage ’24 received the Charlotte 20 Under 20 Dean’s List Award in December.

Ivy Monk, a swimmer and diver for UNC-Chapel Hill, had no shortage of Hawk supporters cheering her on this season. Fellow alumnae Avery Swartz ’23 and Josie Harper ’22 were there to support her at a recent meet. Go Hawks and go Tar Heels!

Hawks always come home! Evan Li, Jasmine Zheng, and Serena Hu stopped by campus in January before returning to college for their second semester. Evan and Jasmine attend Brown University; Serena attends New York University.

Avery Swartz ’23 and Josie Harper ’22 supporting Tar Heel swimmer Ivy Monk ’24.

In Memoriam Mary Catherine Pope ’20 February 1, 2025 James “Jim” Rutherford Brian Hough Wallace ‘97 July 2, 2024 Evan Li ’24, Jasmine Zheng ’24, and Serena Hu ’24 returned to campus in January to catch up and visit beloved teachers. LATIN Magazine

Life at

Charlotte Latin in 1982 Over the first three decades of Charlotte Latin, one of the school’s most popular fundraisers was its cookbook. The first version, Fork it Over, was relatively modest, but it was followed by three ambitious editions of Cooking with Class, published by Parents’ Council in 1982, 1992, and 2003; they collectively sold over 80,000 copies, raising money that helped stock Latin’s library shelves with books. For the 500-page first edition of Cooking with Class, editors Virginia Golding P ’76 ’83, Ellen Knott P ’79 ’82, and Georgia Miller P ’84, fielded over 1,700 recipe submissions, making sure they were kitchen-tested by parent volunteers and printing about 1,200 of them. The only recipes that couldn’t be tested were pickle recipes, because cucumbers were out of season during the cookbook’s extraordinarily fast six-month production cycle. Cooking with Class is a product of its era, of course, both in its ingredients and its expectations about who works in the kitchen. Some recipes – the cheese ring, the Sonoma crab dip — are flagged with variations of the note “Men seem to love this dish.” But it became a beloved reference work that earned a place of honor in many Charlotte homes. “Like everything else at Charlotte Latin, this volume is the result of thousands of hours of volunteers who care about the school and who care enough to bring you the finest in culinary delights to be,” wrote Head of School Edward J. Fox, Jr., in his introduction to the 1982 edition. “Only those products that passed the ‘taste of thyme’ were included.”

Enjoy this sweet taste from the first edition:

Lost in Eden Charlotte Latin School senior film 2025 Watch it here:

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