THE MAGAZINE FOR PARENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE SAVANNAH COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL IMAGESWINTER 20 20 FEATURE pg 24 CURRICULAR CURIOSITIES AROUND CAMPUS MISSION STATEMENT The Savannah Country Day School seeks to prepare students of academic and per- sonal promise to meet with confidence, imagination, and integrity the challenges of college and of life. In partnership with supportive families, we strive to cultivate in each student the desire and the discipline to grow in wisdom, to lead lives of personal honor, to appreciate beauty, to pursue physical well-being, and to serve others with a generous, compassionate spirit. 2019-20 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Chair MEMBERS Dr. Lorna Jackson Mr. Joel Goodman ‘87 Mr. George Barrow ‘96 Mr. Adam Kaminsky Vice Chair Dr. Dave Carney Capt. Lux Lakshman Mrs. Mary Sprague Mr. Christopher Cay ‘92 Mr. Scott Lauretti Treasurer Mr. Steve Chick ‘78 Mr. Bud Mingledorff ‘64 Mr. West Beaver Mr. Daniel Cohen Ms. Tammie Mosley Secretary Mrs. Liz Glass ‘89 Mr. Jon Pannell ‘96 Mrs. Tracey London ‘88 Mrs. Kathie Harlander Mrs. Stephanie Pendleton Head of School Mrs. Meb Ryan Mr. Kef Wilson Mr. John Helmken II Mrs. Amy Henneman ‘86 Images welcomes submissions. Please send letters/articles to: c/o SCDS 824 Stillwood Drive Savannah, GA 31419 Email: [email protected] Images is published bi-annually by the Communications Department of The Savannah Country Day School. Director of Communications Allison Rhodes Communications Specialist Kate Caparisos Contributing Writer Nisi King ‘18 Art Director Stacy Claywell Thatdesigngirl.net Proofreader Karen Cooper Photographs courtesy of Paul Camp, Kathryn Pinckney, Ian Evans, and Christine Hall. 2 • SAVCDS.ORG WINTER 2020 • 3 Contents WINTER 2020 A message from the Head of School Dear Country Day Community: It’s funny how a memory from your youth can come back to you in a flash…and on a regular basis. Every time I sit at a long red light, my mind wanders back to the traffic flow algorithm we created in my mathematical modeling class in college. This project-based class tackled 06 AROUND CAMPUS “real-world” problems such as the timing of traffic lights at a busy intersection, and how to land a helicopter on an aircraft carrier in high winds. 14 FINE ARTS While this sort of elective was perfect for a mathematics major, another influential course, “Madness in Literature,” was a welcome departure from my math classes. We explored the 18 ATHLETICS concept of madness in a variety of works, including Don Quixote, Hamlet, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Other memorable classes included “New 24 FEATURE York Theatre,” which included a week in New York City seeing a show every day, and “International Politics,” which included 30 DISTINGUISHED an in-depth study of the Cuban Missile Crisis. ALUMNI AWARD The feature of this issue of Images highlights several of our current Upper School electives. As the graduate of a 34 CLASS NOTES Jesuit high school with a very traditional and rigid tradition, I love that our students are able to take such interesting courses, and I’m grateful that our teachers are both cre- 51 ANNUAL REPORT ative and passionate about their subjects. It’s these types of electives and opportunities that open students’ minds and foster a greater—and more genuine—love of learning. This issue also recognizes our 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Shane Williamson ’88. Shane is an award-winning architect in Toronto and a tenured professor at the University of Toronto. During his visit to campus, he spoke honestly and eloquently to Upper School students, and also spent time with a group of fifth grade aspiring architects. It was clear that Shane has a gift for both teaching and paying forward the lessons he values from his Country Day education. When interviewed for this magazine, he remarked, “I’ve always reflected so positively on the foundation that Country Day gave me. It’s the bellwether that was set for my future endeavors.” Finally, this issue also recognizes the generosity and support of our larger school community in the enclosed 2018-19 Annual Report. I am grateful to all who gave to our school in the past year. Your support allows us to continue to provide our students with a robust experience that will serve them throughout their lives. Thank you to everyone who gave to our school 18 this year. 6 Sincerely, Kef L. Wilson 51 24 14 4 • SAVCDS.ORG WINTER 2020 • 5 AROUND CAMPUS Upper School Students Work to Promote Democracy On September 27, seniors Rachel Mascolo and Vik Manocha organized a voter registration drive to coincide with High School Voter Registration Week, a program of The Civics Center. Together with support from faculty, these students helped to educate their peers about the importance of civic engagement and to get them registered to vote in our local and national elections. Altogether some 30 Country Day stu- dents became registered voters! The work for democracy continued the following day, as Upper School Spanish students collaborated with the League of Women Voters of Coastal Georgia to staff a bilingual voter registration booth at the Fiesta Latina, which was held on River Street to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Our World Language Approach students used their Spanish to involve passersby in conversa- in Upper School tions about the importance of civic engagement and to help “We teach students how to use language in the real world,” them navigate the process of registering to vote. Representa- says Patricia Lewis, Upper School French teacher. In Upper tives from the League of Women Voters praised Country Day School, the world language teachers provide opportunities students for their ability to engage the public using Spanish for students to put their knowledge into real-world practice, and for the positive energy they brought to the event. with the goal of graduating students with an adept under- standing of their chosen language and its culture. In Spanish classes, students interview a native speaker in the Savannah area; in French, students read and present current-event articles from French newspapers; in Latin, students present detailed PowerPoints on ancient Roman culture and history. Through these project-based learning experiences, students see the rewarding results of their hard work, while simultane- ously developing a comfortable and familiar relationship with their language of choice. This work is complemented with the variety of study-abroad trips and opportunities. Through this Cross-Divisional mission of applying languages to students’ lives, Madame Lewis says it’s no surprise that students often choose to con- Citizen Scientists tinue to study their languages in college. More importantly, In late August, our gardens were buzzing with students are adequately equipped to confidently engage excitement as Lower School students partnered with the global world once they leave Country Day’s campus. with AP biology students to participate in the Great Georgia Pollinator Census, a citizen-science initiative from the University of Georgia. Citizen scientists all around Georgia counted pollinators Quiz Bowl Takes Third in their yards, gardens and campuses to help UGA The Varsity Quiz Bowl Team took third place on September establish a database and understanding of pollina- 28 at the Georgia Academic Team Association Fall South tor populations across the state. The Upper School Tournament. The team of Vik Manocha ’20, Gigi Pytte ’20, students helped the Lower School students identify Daniel Kim ’20, Ana Talsness ’20 and Landon Stone ’21 com- different species of bees, wasps and butterflies peted against 22 other teams from all over the southern half on our campus, while the Lower School students of the state, answering questions from all areas of knowledge, helped to count and spot pollinators as they moved including history, literature, science, fine arts, current events, through the sample area. sports and popular culture. 6 • SAVCDS.ORG WINTER 2020 • 7 AROUND CAMPUS The Little School Playground Hurricane Dorian Relief Goes Natural! Thanks to our fantastic Hornet community for gathering The Little School playground is getting a makeover! Based on batteries, plastic bins, food and healthcare items for the the Nature Explore Program, whose mission is to “help trans- local Hurricane Dorian relief effort. The donations were de- form children’s lives through meaningful connections with livered to Savannah Aviation, where they were immediately nature,” the new playground provides dynamic, nature-based transported to the Bahamas via small aircrafts. In addition, a play and learning spaces. The first phase, which caters to our portion of the opening home football game and concessions littlest Hornets (six weeks to two years), features a variety of went toward the effort. As a result, Country Day was able to outdoor play opportunities—including fruit trees and garden send a check to United Way of the Coastal Empire, a partner boxes, a grassy hill surrounded by a road path for push toys with Savannah Aviation, for more than $3,500. Middle School Learning Styles and cars, a “dirt kitchen,” a covered baby deck that gives With the autonomy that comes with Middle School, it’s important that students infants a safe place to play, and more. This finished phase is a are given the tools to study in a way that best fits their individual learning styles. preview of the extended playground plan. Middle School counselors David Nash and Jenna Cross are working alongside sixth- through eighth-grade students to do just that — all the while strengthening their academic confidence. Ms. Cross states that, “during a time of growth and Students Donate 3,000 Pounds of development, it’s crucial that middle schoolers become armed with information Food to Second Harvest Food Drive about who they are.” At the beginning of the year, Nash and Cross engage in a discussion with students In early November, Middle School students joined friends about different learning styles: kinesthetic, auditory and visual.