The Magazine UNIVERSITY SCHOOL of JACKSON

Spring 2013

Inside …w Meet Stu Hirstein, USJ’s next

Head of Schoolw Math-a-on breaks St. Jude

Hospital fundraising recordw More students speaking Frenchw Library ‘heart’ of Lower Schoolw Cheerleaders earn national

recognitionw Alumni news, Homecoming,

and more …

e classrooms at USJ arefilled with the children ofalumni, including those pictured here. For more,

turn to the center of themagazine …

USJ, The Magazine, is published by UniversitySchool of Jackson. Thenext issue is September2013.

232/240 McClellan Rd.Jackson, TN 38305

731.664.0812www.usjbruins.org

Clay Lilienstern, Head of School

Scott Phillipps, Upper School Director

Courtney Burnette, Middle School Director

Debbie Ford, Lower School Director

Kay Shearin, Director ofAdmissions, 731.660.1692

Mary Reed, Editor and Designer, mary@reedmarketing.comwww.reedmarketing.com

2

Meet USJ’s next Head ofAn experienced educator. A decorated Gulf

War veteran. A college baseball player. A

family man. A St. Louis Cardinals fan.

Meet Stuart Hirstein — USJ’s next Head of

School.

“We are counting the days before we move to

Jackson,” said Hirstein, who has spent the last eight

years in Hawaii with his family.

Hirstein decided to start looking for a job in the

Southeast after a family vacation with his parents,

two sisters, a brother, and their families last July in

the Outer Banks of North Carolina. “It had been

eight years since we all had been together,” Hirstein

said. “Hawaii is just too far away. We wanted to get

closer to family.”

Meanwhile, USJ’s Head of School Search Com-

mittee was looking for a new top administrator to

replace Clay Lilienstern, who is moving back to

Houston where his family lives at the end of this

school year.

Hirstein and his wife, Mimi, visited the USJ

campus in February and met with parents, faculty

members, and board members.

“We saw a vibrant school community of happy

kids, committed faculty, and supportive parents,”

Hirstein said. “Becoming a part of USJ just felt

right to us.”

New Head of School starts July 1When the USJ Board extended him an offer, he

had no hesitation accepting it. He starts July 1.

Since 2005, Hirstein has been associate head-

master at Island Pacific Academy, an independent,

pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade school with

650 students in Kapolei, Hawaii. He served as the

institution’s chief operating officer and chief finan-

cial officer, was responsible for the school’s day-to-

day operations, and was chief mediator for

employee and parent issues.

He also served as the school’s academic depart-

ment chair and was responsible for recruiting fac-

ulty and staff. His accomplishments at Island Pacific

included leading the team that created the school’s

International Baccalaureate Program and starting an

orchestra program, college counseling office, mar-

keting program, and athletic department.

“With his background in school administration

and finance, Stuart is the perfect candidate to meet

the demanding expectations of USJ’s Head of

School,” said Steve Maroney, chairman of the USJ

Board of Trustees.

Education involvementHirstein was a National Association of Inde-

pendent Schools (NAIS) Fellow for Aspiring Heads

of School and a Hawaii Emerging Leader Fellow.

He is a consultant for other NAIS schools and re-

ceived International Baccalaureate training in

2010.

He has a master’s in business administration

from Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jer-

sey, and a bachelor’s in secondary education from

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Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee.

He attended college on a baseball scholarship.

After graduating from Tusculum, he began

his career as a high school teacher and then

decided to join the U.S. Army to serve his

country in both Desert Shield and Desert

Storm. A decorated Gulf War veteran, he

completed several successful combat missions

in Iraq.

A friend in the military convinced him to

get an MBA and then a job in banking after

he left the Army. Among other jobs, he

worked at Lehman Brothers in New York

City, commuting to work each day. Then

came the job burnout. Hirstein said he was

waiting for the commuter train in bad

weather one day when he decided it was time

to make a lifestyle change.

The family moved to Kapolei, Hawaii, when he accepted a

job at the Bank of Hawaii there. He became good friends with

the Headmaster at Island Pacific Academy, a new independent

school.

‘I realized that education was my calling’“I would sit in my office at the bank and look out my win-

dow at the school,” Hirstein said. “When I was offered the CFO

position, I jumped at the opportunity. I never looked back. I re-

alized that education was my calling.”

The Hirsteins have four children in their “blended” family.

Their oldest, Austin, is graduating high school this spring and

will attend the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, this fall.

Daughter Camille is a junior and will remain in Hawaii with her

mother to finish her senior year in high school. Their daughters,

Phoebe and Ansley, will move to Jackson with their dad and be

in seventh grade at USJ next year. During the transition year,

Mrs. Hirstein hopes to be in Jackson often.

The move to Tennessee brings Hirstein back to the state

where he attended college, not too far from his son in Knoxville

next fall, and closer to his parents, who retired to Murfreesboro

for 15 years and now live in Huntsville, Alabama.

“I am just thrilled to be coming to USJ,” Hirstein said. “The

family lifestyle and relaxed pace in Jackson is extremely impor-

tant to us. Minus the beach and 80-degree year-round weather,

West Tennessee and Hawaii have a lot in common.”

The Hirsteins gathered for a picture during last summer’s vacation on the Outer Banks ofNorth Carolina. From lower left, they are Camille, Austin, Ansley, Phoebe, Stu, and Mimi.

4

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital holds a special place

in the heart of fourth-grader Zakary Henson. He raised

more than $5,000 during USJ’s “Dreaming of a Cure”

Math-a-Thon in February to benefit kids battling cancer.

He called contacts from his father’s phone, went door-to-

door, and organized a snack sale with friends and his sis-

ter. Other USJ students recognized his hard work and

were inspired to raise money for St. Jude. And when

the school-wide fundraising total was announced –

a whopping $66,307 – students in Zak’s class

burst into applause and began chanting his name.

But he wouldn’t have it.

“This isn’t about me,” Zak said. “We all raised

money for St. Jude. Everybody helped. We did it as a

team. And it’s not about me or about the class party or

about anything else but helping sick kids. We should all be

proud of what we’ve done.”

He’s right. Lower School children made USJ the top

Math-a-Thon fundraiser for St. Jude — no other school has raised

that much money over a one-year period.

Most children would dread the thought of spending an entire

day working on math, but Zak and other students in USJ’s Lower

School found that a day of math activities added up to a

day of fun for a great cause.

On February 8, the students — from 2 year olds

through fifth graders — participated in the Math-a-

Thon to benefit the children at St. Jude. This year,

they dedicated their efforts to the memory of Kim

Yelverton, a former USJ Lower School Guidance

Counselor, who died of pancreatic cancer last

July 13.

The students amazed even themselves

with the amount they raised, said Laura

Moore, Lower School Student Advisor and

Math-a-Thon coordinator. “I’m speechless.

The St. Jude Math-a-Thon was a cause

dear to Kim’s heart. We have just been

blown away by the students’ response and

the creative ways they have come up with to

raise money. I know Kim would be so proud

of all their hard work.”

The students started raising money weeks in advance by collect-

ing pledges for the number of math problems they would complete

in class. Some went door-to-door, some sold snacks at basketball

Lower School Math-a-Thon breaks all-time record

As Lower School students readied for the Math-a-Thon,Middle School students studied about leukemia

Seventh Grade Life Science

Teacher Marcia Moss im-

plemented a new curricu-

lum in her classroom that is

being developed by St. Jude

Children’s Research Hospital

about the same time that Lower

School students were raising

money for the hospital.

Moss learned about the cur-

riculum when she attended the

Tennessee Association of Inde-

pendent Schools convention in

Memphis last fall.

Her students studied chronic

myeloid leukemia, its genetic cause, how it affects the blood, and

a new chemotherapy drug with only mild side effects that is

highly successful in treating it.

In two separate labs, students observed karyotypes and

human blood smears to learn to

diagnose the disease. Students

also examined blood smears mi-

croscopically to identify normal

blood and blood of children

with leukemia.

St. Jude is developing the cur-

riculum for K-12 students to

help children, parents, and

teachers understand the basic

science and treatment of cancer,

Moss said. The program’s objec-

tives are to educate and dispel

misconceptions, promote

healthy lifestyle choices in stu-

dents to reduce the risk of cancer as an adult, and increase inter-

est in science and scientific careers.

“This is an exciting opportunity for our seventh graders to be

able to test this new curriculum,” Moss said.

From left, Cole Cooper, Ashton Hulme, Amelia Spurlin, and KavonBonakdar look for the presence of leukemia in blood smears.

Zakary Henson

Kindergarten Assistant Clare Markosmarries Ella Hall Eldridge and DrewEnglish, the ‘U’ and ‘Q’ of Vicki Wil-son’s classroom, while Gage Dement and Caroline White from Hailey Eldridge’sclassroom prepare to walk down the aisle.

for St. Jude fundraisersgames, and others dreamed up other creative ways to raise the

money. This was the first year students could also get donations

through their own online link at the St. Jude website where friends

and family members could donate to the cause.

Besides a lot of adding and subtracting, students had plenty of

math activities to make the day fun, such as counting snacks, going

on a numbers scavenger hunt, and adding up the height of students

in a class and then seeing how far that would reach in the hallways.

They came to school dressed in pajamas to add to their fun.

With Yelverton’s enthusiasm and guidance, Lower School stu-

dents have been leaders in raising money for the

research hospital through a Math-a-Thon every

other year. In 2008, the students had one of the

most successful Math-a-Thons in the nation when

they raised $34,683. They were rewarded with

new playground equipment from one of the

event’s national sponsors.

“This has been a rewarding experience for our

children to raise money for such a wonderful

cause,” Moore said. “USJ is such a giving commu-

nity, and I hope that this opportunity will inspire

us all. We are all dreaming of a cure!”

‘Q’ and ‘U’ make it official

5

The halls of the Lower School may seem like an

odd place for a wedding, but not when it is dou-

ble-letter nuptials. In a celebration of their together-

ness, ‘Q’ and ‘U’ made it official in a ceremony

attended by Jr. K students. Kindergarten Assistant

Clare Markos, named Queen for the day, officiated.

The event was the culmination of the students’

learning about the letters ‘Q’ and ‘U.’ They learned

that the letter ‘U’ almost always, in the English lan-

guage, stands by ‘Q’ in many words that begin with

‘Q,’ like Queen.

Students dressed in their best wedding attire to

watch as each classroom’s ‘U’ bride and ‘Q’ groom

marched down the aisle to wedding music. ‘Q’ and ‘U’

took their vow to combine for a lifetime of working to-

gether to make words and to form one sound — “kw.”

Afterwards, the wedding party and guests headed

for the reception to celebrate the nuptials with punch,

wedding cookies, and Little Debbie cakes.

Students, including

Justus Lake and

Esosa Odeh, above,

and Hayden Craig

and Carter Craig, at

left, spent the whole

day working on

math problems.

USJ’s youngest students love to hop, skip, and jump. They

also like dancing and walking like an animal. Too young

for organized team sports, the children find imaginative,

creative play waiting for them in their physical education class.

“They come in excited every day,” said Jenny Pritchett, who

teaches P.E. for Jr. Cubs through first grade.

Her class combines

age-appropriate fine

and gross motor skills,

games, and sports

with social skills. Her

curriculum meets state

education standards,

but, at USJ, she has

the freedom to imple-

ment different tools to

keep children as

young as 2 years old

interested in moving

around.

She can organize

her lesson plans based

on what’s most benefi-

cial to the students in

her classes, not the

pre-planned units of

study most curricu-

lums offer. “Since we

are a private school,

we have a special op-

portunity to go be-

yond and be more

creative,” she said.

Pritchett incorporates lessons focused on the motor capabilities

of her students. Jr. Cubs, Cubs, and Jr. Kindergarten students prac-

tice rhythm exercises, such as dancing, or they learn to skip and

jump with two feet. The key is keeping them attentive.

“It’s very, very simplified,” Pritchett said. “A lot of what we do

ends up being a byproduct of play.”

She also develops a cross-curriculum plan for students that rein-

forces what they’re learning in the classroom. For example, when

Cubs are working on numbers, Pritchett’s lesson will have them

count the number of times they can jump a rope. For older stu-

dents, she’ll have them count by fives or tens. She’ll also create a

game where students have to recognize colors to be successful.

“The kids may not even realize that they’re reinforcing class-

room concepts because it is disguised as a fun game,” Pritchett said.

Students typically get a few minutes to run around and act silly

to burn off some excitement at the beginning of the class so they

can focus on the lesson, Pritchett said. But they also get a short ex-

planation of the exercise and how it relates to fitness.

Kindergartners and first graders are introduced to more ad-

vanced team activities, and Pritchett follows USJ’s sports calendar

so her students can learn the basics of the games they watch older

students play. “It’s amazing what the kids pick up on by watching

the sporting events and connecting the fundamental aspects in

gym.”

But not everything is sports-related. Pritchett’s goal is to pro-

mote health and wellness and lay the foundation for her students to

develop an interest in physical education.

Pritchett, who is in her fifth year at USJ, said she enjoys finding

new ways to keep her students engaged while preparing them for a

lifetime of physical activity. “To me, it’s the best career in the world

— to get to physically see kids accomplish milestones in movement

forms and learn to be socially responsible and safe while having

fun. I’m always excited. That is one reason I love doing what I do.”

Lower School P.E. focuses on movement, fun

At top of page, Jr. Cubs are all ears when

Miss Jenny talks. Above, Jenny Pritchett

helps Kyryn Hall develop balancing skills.6

7

Library is the heart of the Lower School

The Lower School library is a vi-

brant place where USJ’s

youngest students learn to navi-

gate books and enjoy reading. It’s not a

quiet place, but rather, it’s a warm, invit-

ing, and colorful place where students

can talk and laugh, said Lower School

Librarian Stacey Glover.

“We have students who love reading,

and my main goal in the library is to

make it a welcoming place where the

kids want to come,” Glover said. “It has

to be a fun place.”

The library features a stadium-seat-

ing-style reading well and a catalog of

more than 30,000 titles, including many

new books from popular genres.

“With emerging readers, it’s so vital to provide materials of in-

terest, and our library does a great job of doing that,” said Lower

School Director Debbie Ford.

Students spend 30 minutes each week in the library, learning to

locate books and reading age-appropriate literature designed to

pique their interests and engage them early. “Even our youngest

students learn the difference between fiction and nonfiction and

how to locate them in the library,” Glover said. “It teaches them in-

dependence.”

Open library every day gives students another 90 minutes to use

the library.

The library supports the school’s accelerated reader program

and summer reading program, Ford said. And, Glover’s curriculum

teaches the young students how to navigate the Dewey Decimal

System while supporting the curriculum in the classroom. “She is a

teacher first, and that is really vital,” Ford said.

The library also hosts special events, such as story time, guest

speakers, and visits from authors. The

space is accessible to parents, teachers,

and faculty, and it’s open during

the summer every Wednesday in

June and July. “The library stays

open and available to USJ families for

12 months a year,” Glover said.

Looking to the future, Glover said the

school is considering Kindles for the stu-

dents, which would allow them to check

out e-books and prevent the library from

running out of certain titles. It also would

help keep the students interested and engaged.

The library receives $3,000 each year from the Mothers’

Club. The Lower School raises the rest of the money the library

needs through book fairs, the Box Tops for Education Program,

and donations.

Glover, who has been with USJ since 2003, credits the 15-20

volunteers who help run the library — stocking shelves, cataloging

books, and helping children — on a weekly basis. The library and

its collection are available to many people, thanks to the dedication

of others, Glover said.

Thanks to Glover’s work, and because students love it so much,

the library is the heart of

the Lower School cam-

pus, Ford said. “It’s a

wonderful place.”

Reading is the natural activity of choice in the library’s reading well.

At left, Autumn Hanna looks for abook to check out, while MarshalBrewington, above, relaxes in the li-brary’s colorful rocker.

8

USJ’s French program is getting stronger, riding a wave of

increased student interest with new opportunities to im-

merse themselves in the language.

More students are choosing French, said Upper School French

Curriculum Leader Kemmie Mitzell. “We have been able to double

student enrollment in really only a year and a half.”

And more students are coming. Middle School French teacher

Spencer Connatser said he’s seen his classes swell, and more sixth-

grade students are indicating that they want to continue studying

the language in seventh grade. “It seems like the number will be

getting higher for next year as well,” he said.

USJ students are introduced to French in second grade with

Lower School French teacher Paul Conway, and they continue to

study the language through fifth grade. They also take the language

for nine weeks in sixth grade. They must choose between French

and Spanish for their foreign language requirements in Middle

School and Upper School.

Connatser said students are increasingly aware of the prevalence

of French culture in the world and understand the usefulness of

learning the language. Mitzell agreed, and she added that the grow-

ing connectivity between cultures throughout the world under-

scores the importance of learning another language.

“I think it is imperative to know at least one foreign lan-

guage,” Mitzell said. “It is a huge part of the holistic education of

a young person. Things aren’t the way they used to be. We are

‘Making French fun’Middle School French teacher Spencer Connatser has a

philosophy about teaching: If students can’t enjoy a sub-

ject, they won’t learn it.

“I try to focus on making French fun,” Connatser said. “So

far it seems to be working out well, and students are responding

to it well. They seem very enthusiastic and eager to learn.”

Connatser is part of a growing French program at USJ.

More students are choosing the subject, and as the Middle

School French teacher, he is the first to see the growth. His

seventh-grade classes have more students than last year, and he

expects that trend to continue.

“French is a very widely spoken language, and people are

starting to realize more and more that French is useful,” he said.

Connatser is finishing his first year as a teacher at USJ and is

optimistic about the French program’s continued success. His

students are engaged in class and frequently

ask questions about the language and cul-

ture, he said. “They can’t get enough.”

His time so far at USJ has been amaz-

ing, he said, and he couldn’t be happier. “All

the faculty and staff are very encouraging

and helpful. The students are fantastic, and

the parents are supportive.”

‘Oui! Oui!’French program

attracts more students

Continued next page …

Upper School French teacher Kemmie Mitzell

teaches Govind Bindra, Olivia Baker, and

Kelsey Ross in her AP French class.

Spencer Connatser is happy to be teaching French at USJ.

9

living in a more and more global world.”

Two main reasons more students are taking French are new ap-

proaches in the classroom and new opportunities to study abroad,

Mitzell and Connatser say. As French teachers, they are doing more

to engage students. A new program modeled after the Spanish stu-

dents’ immersion trips to Costa Rica will send 11 students on a

three-week immersion experience in France this summer.

They will spend four days in Paris touring the city and then

travel by train to Biarritz on the southern coast near Spain. Once

there, they will live with host families, attend classes every day, and

visit nearby attractions. Mitzell said it’s an excellent opportunity for

personal growth, as well as an authentic French environment that

will build their confidence in the language.

“The fastest and most efficient way to learn a language is to be

immersed in it,” Mitzell said. She wants to repeat the immersion

trip every other year.

Mitzell, who is in her second year at USJ, also tries to give her

students a sense of immersion in her classroom. She never speaks

English. First- and second-year students can ask questions in Eng-

lish. The more advanced students are discouraged from speaking

English at all.

Students in her class learn more than just a new language, she

said. “They learn about a whole other culture and point of view.”

Each year, more than half of

the USJ seventh-grade class

gathers at Union University

on a Saturday morning in January

or February to take the SAT or

ACT college entrance exam. They’ll

sit alongside high school juniors

and seniors who are getting ready

to enter college.

The seventh graders, though,

are taking the SAT and ACT

through the Duke Talent Identifica-

tion Program. Instead of college ac-

ceptances and scholarships at stake,

the younger students are competing

with other Duke-recognized stu-

dents across the country. Those

doing exceptionally well on the test

will be invited to attend summer

programs and will be earmarked by

many colleges as good prospects.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity,”

said Courtney Burnette, USJ Mid-

dle School Director.

Duke University invites stu-

dents who scored in the 95th percentile on identified subtests on

their ERBs, which they took in the fall during sixth grade, or a 125

or higher on the Otis Lennon School Ability test.

Each year, about a week or two before the January SAT, the sev-

enth graders gather on another Saturday morning to learn about

the test.

“It’s a very casual setting,”

Burnette said. She handles the

writing and verbal part of the SAT,

while Upper School Math Teacher

Carla Roach teaches strategies

about tackling the math part. “We

talk to them about general guide-

lines and test-taking strategies. We

encourage them to do their best

and teach them what to expect.”

With the SAT, for example,

there’s no penalty for leaving a

question blank. Students will lose

one-fourth of a point, however, if

the answer is wrong, but they

should make an educated guess if

they have narrowed their answer

to two possibilities.

They learn to always read the

text first and then try to answer

the question, rather than reading

the question first and trying to

find the answer in the text. They

also learn that it’s okay to write in

the margins of the SAT and that

questions on the test get harder the further they go in a section.

“It’s a fun, laid-back morning designed to take the edge off the

test,” Burnette said. “We want them to be calm and not nervous,”

she said. “Taking the SAT isn’t going to hurt them. This is for the

experience. They’ve already achieved something great just because

they have qualified for the Duke program.”

SAT preparation helps remove nervousness

Continued from previous page …

French program attracts more students

Upper School Math Teacher Carla Roach teaches seventh graders

strategies for the math section of the SAT.

10

As Hannah Aherrera graduates from USJ this spring, she

will leave with an impressive resume and the knowledge

that she is prepared for college.

“USJ is the best school I could have attended,” said Hannah,

who started at USJ in kindergarten. “I really think it has pre-

pared me for college, and I think college will be a lot easier as

opposed to if I had gone to another school.”

She has been busy. Hannah is president of International

Club, vice president of Spanish Honor Society, secretary of Na-

tional English Honor Society, treasurer of Na-

tional Honor Society, secretary of

Chemistry Club, treasurer of Social

Science Honor Society, chaplain of

Science National Honor Society,

and chaplain of Mu Alpha Theta.

She also is a five-year member of

the All-Northwest Honor Choir, in-

cluding three years as a student ac-

companist, and she was accepted

into the All-State Honor Choir in 2012 and 2013.

Hannah was chosen as a delegate to Girls State in 2012 and was

one of eight students accepted into Governor’s School for the Arts

in piano. A tennis standout, she is a four-year member

of the varsity team.

For her efforts, she was voted Most Talented by

her peers.

With her time at USJ running out, she said

she’s looking forward to her last high school ten-

nis season, as well as prom and graduation.

Headed for St. Louis University, Hannah

will major in biology for pre-med and

double minor in music and Spanish.

She enjoyed the trip to Costa Rica that

was organized by the Spanish program

in 2012, and she wants to continue

studying the language. “I really want to

be fluent,” she said.

In a few years, Lindsay Smith wants to

be helping children at St. Jude Chil-

dren’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

She wants to focus on child life and

family studies in college, and her choices are

Samford University, Auburn University,

Rhodes College, or Mississippi State.

After college, she wants to work at one

of the best hospital facilities in the country.

“I know I want to be at St. Jude one day

and be a child life specialist,” Lindsay said.

Her USJ education, she said, and the

opportunities that go along with it, have

prepared her for what lies ahead. Lindsay is

chaplain of the Student Government Asso-

ciation, president of the Key Club, treasurer

of the National English Honor Society, his-

torian of Tri-M Music Honor Society, and a

junior Rotarian.

“I stay busy a lot, and I like it that way,”

Lindsay said. “I love being in-

volved, and that’s one of the reasons

I love USJ, because we have the op-

portunity to take part in so many

things.”

Lindsay also was a varsity cheer-

leader for four years, a member of

All-State and All-Northwest Honor

choirs, and participated in several

USJ plays.

Besides the extra-curricular op-

portunities, she said USJ has a chal-

lenging curriculum and supportive

teachers who help students suc-

ceed. “They really go above and beyond to

do anything to help with whatever we need.

They’ve prepared us for everything that

we’ll face.”

Smith joined USJ in fifth grade. As her

senior year comes to a close, she said she ap-

preciates the support she’s received from the

USJ community. “It is like a family.”

And now, she’s looking forward to grad-

uation. “It really is a ceremony and an

event,” Smith said. “It’s not just something

to check off the list.”

These three seniors represent the

Lindsay Smith

Hannah Aherrera

Lindsay Smith wants to work at St. Jude

Hannah Aherrera: ‘USJ is the best school I could have attended’

11

Aonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity in

March took James Roland Markos

to Washington as one of two stu-

dents selected to represent Tennessee as a

delegate in the competitive and merit-based

U.S. Senate Youth Program.

Students attended meetings with Presi-

dent Barack Obama, senators and congres-

sional staff, leaders of cabinet agencies and

other dignitaries, and top members of the

national media. They also toured several

museums and stayed at the historic

Mayflower Hotel. They each received a

$5,000 undergraduate scholarship from

The Hearst Foundation, which funds the

Senate Youth Program and encourages dele-

gates to pursue coursework in government,

history, and public affairs.

James Roland was ecstatic when he

learned he had been selected. Career-wise,

he said, the Senate Youth Program was the

most influential thing he could do. “It’s a

great opportunity for me to experience how

our government works first hand.”

Among his USJ and community activi-

ties, James Roland serves as USJ’s senior

class secretary, president of Mu Alpha

Theta, vice president of Na-

tional English Honor Society,

secretary of Spanish National

Honor Society, and treasurer of

the Science National Honor

Society. He is a member of

Tennessee Leaders of Tomor-

row. He is the Leadership Uni-

versity class speaker, and he

received the Sewanee Writing

Award. He also has attended

engineering programs at the

University of Texas and the

University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

A good tennis player, James Roland is

looking forward to his final spring season at

USJ.

His extracurricular activities keep him

busy. “It’s been tough, but I want to be in-

volved in a lot of different areas to have as

big an impact as I can,” he said.

He is building an impressive resume,

and he credits USJ for what he has accom-

plished. “USJ presents so many opportuni-

ties on so many different levels to create a

well-rounded individual.”

The faculty sets USJ apart from other

schools, he said. “The teachers really work

with you to make sure you understand all

the concepts. And it doesn’t stop in the

classroom. They care about you outside the

classroom.”

He hasn’t picked a college, but he knows

he wants to major in biomedical engineer-

ing and minor in political science. And

right now, he is focused on his remaining

time as a senior at USJ.

“I’m looking forward to finishing

strong,” James Roland said. “I want to be

able to say I’ve finished everything to the

best of my ability.”

advantages of a USJ educationJames Roland Markos selected to attend

prestigious Senate Youth Program

James Roland Markos

High school graduation is a huge milestonein life, and some USJ families commemo-

rate the legacy of their children with honorarybricks.

Placed in the walkway at the front entranceof the Upper School, the bricks are engravedwith a personal message and selected design tomark students’ time at USJ.

The program launched in 2005, and thenumber of bricks in the walkway is approaching200. Besides graduating seniors, the bricks canhonor special teachers, friends, and loved ones, said Emily

Richards, USJ’s Director of Development. “You can honor or memorialize a special per-

son and create a permanent remembrance onthe campus of USJ,” Richards said. “It’s a greatway to be a part of the school forever.”

The 4-inch by 8-inch bricks are $100, andthe money goes to the school’s general fund.The bricks also come with a small replica,which can be used as a keepsake or paperweight.

The bricks can be ordered through USJ’swebsite or by emailing Richards at

erichards@usjbruins.org.

Brick program honors legacies

12

For many, USJ is a family school. Scores of students

are children of alumni — parents who chose USJ be-

cause they know the quality of education available.

Fourth grader Braden Sallee and his sister, Ella, who is

a Jr. Cub, are USJ students because their mom wants

what’s best for them. Deidre Sallee, Class of 1996, said she

knew from experience that her children could excel at

When alumni parents were asked if their children at USJ could be in a

photograph, about 150 children showed up. They are pictured, above.

On the cover: Alumni children pictured are front row, from left,Margaret Jones, Cameron Tinker, Marimac Ellis, Ely Mandle, and

Mattie Boyd; and back row, Mary Catherine Campbell, Owen

Stonecipher, Abe Stonecipher, and Lilly Kate Varino.

At USJ, it’s all

13

about family!

USJ, and she could see results within the first year. “It’s amazing

the difference,” Sallee said. “To know that my child is in a safe

environment and learning is the most important thing to me.”

For Abbie Crocker Allen, Class of 1998, the decision to send

her children to USJ also was easy. “Cubs and Jr. Cubs was the

best thing in town for them,” Allen said.

She had a great experience as a student at USJ, she said. She

feels comfortable with the teachers, and her children love it.

Her daughter, Edie, is now in Kindergarten, and her son,

William, is in Cubs. “He has flourished, and it is amazing what

they’re learning at such a young age,” Allen said.

Allen plans to keep her children in USJ as they grow up, and

she’s looking forward to one day enrolling her 2-year-old daugh-

ter, Garland, in USJ, too.

14

Kay Thomson’s Lower School students do more than draw

in her art classes. They learn life skills and how to create

projects, and they learn about art history. They also learn

new depths about the subjects in their other classes through a cross

curriculum that teaches with visual cues.

Thomson, who teaches second through fifth grades, reinforces

what students are learning in other classrooms by focusing on rele-

vant art projects, depending on the vari-

ous cultures they study. Recently, for

example, fourth graders created castles

to accompany the annual Medieval

Feast. “It broadens not only the class-

room experience, but the art experi-

ence,” she said.

At USJ, Thomson is free to apply a

cross curriculum program in addition to

meeting state education standards. She

said it helps her students learn more

about the subjects they study because it’s

a different approach to the materials.

“The art lesson is

such a different envi-

ronment than the class-

room,” Thomson said.

“It’s a visual experi-

ence.”

When they’re fin-

ished, students show-

case their work on one

of five bulletin boards

that are changed throughout the year. It’s something that makes the

students proud.

Other Lower School teachers are supportive of her approach,

Thomson said. She also receives encouragement from the adminis-

tration, as well as from parents. “I really appreciate the parents

being supportive,” Thomson said.

It’s her job, she explained, to teach children to solve problems

and create a love for work, and her stu-

dents are eager to meet the challenge.

“USJ has a wonderful, creative, and

diverse student body. They’re just really

creative and enthusiastic kids who are

easy to teach.”

Students get a visual approach to learningKay Thomson, Grades 2-5 Art Teacher, explains how to make a castle out of clay.

Making castles out of clay are fifth

graders Chidera Nwokolo, left, and

Gabrielle Berry, below. At bottom left,

fourth graders Emma Richards, Sarah

Beth Brauss, and Savannah Spencer

make pinwheels.

15

Parents of Middle School students are taking advantage of

USJ’s new option for after-school care. The students are,

too.

This year, USJ expanded its Lower School after-school program

to offer a similar option for Middle and Upper School families.

Students now have a safe place on campus to finish homework

while their parents finish their day at work.

“We had a great number of parents who needed their students

to have that time after school

like they did in Lower

School,” said Middle School

Director Courtney Burnette.

“It’s really proved to be a

service that I think was more

needed than we originally

thought. Parents have been

very receptive.”

One of those parents is

Dr. Michelle Kitson, whose

son, Barrington Stanford, is

in sixth grade. This is his first

year at USJ, and Kitson said

the program allowed her son

to benefit from having time

to do homework while bond-

ing with students in a new

environment. The program

has helped her son academically and socially, and it’s given her

peace of mind to know that he’s in a safe place.

“They still need to be in that environment where you as a par-

ent are not worried about their safety,” Kitson said. “It’s a wonder-

ful option for children not in an extra-curricular activity.”

The program is $100 per month, and students can stay until

5:30 p.m. Students meet in the cafeteria and get a snack and water

while they wait for their parents. Students are supervised by teach-

ers Anna Powell and Kemmie

Mitzell.

It’s a great opportunity for

students to get a head start on

their homework, Mitzell said.

“I think it’s hugely advanta-

geous. They have two hours

in the day to get everything

done that they need. They

help themselves, and they

help each other.”

Parents also don’t have to

worry about their children in

the afternoon, Burnette said.

“It’s a good opportunity for

parents to know that their

kids are well taken care of

after school.”

Thanks to the 2012 senior class, USJ stu-

dents have a set of brand-new tables

they’ll use every day for lunch.

The class had $8,000 remaining from its

fundraising efforts, and after considering var-

ious options, students decided to assist, with

matching school funds, in replacing the aging

tables in the cafeteria. “We really felt that it

would have a big impact on the school day,”

said Thomas Butler, a 2012 class officer.

The old tables had missing seats and were

in a bad condition. They didn’t present a very

good image, Thomas said.

At first, students were unsure if they

would be able to outfit the entire cafeteria.

They worked with Facilities Director Jim

Hardegree, who identified a seller and negoti-

ated the best price for 24 tables.

Thomas, who is at the University of Ten-

nessee, Knoxville, said the officers want to

thank all of the parents from the class of

2012, who made the project possible. The

class was thrilled, he said, to be able to con-

tribute something that was needed and can

be used by students for years to come.

“It really was an honor for us to be able to

make a contribution to USJ in that way,”

Butler said.

After-school program helps students, parents

Middle School students tackle their homework during the new after-school pro-

gram. They are sitting at a cafeteria table purchased by the Class of 2012. (See

story, below.) Seated around the table, from left, are Gracie Wagner, Sophie

Mehdian, Nathan Wall, Bijon Etghayi, and Zachary West.

What do you do with leftover class money?Buy a few cafeteria tables!

Class of 2008leaves a legacy

The Class of 2008 has donated

money to be used for future

scholarships for USJ students. The

money will fund a $500 scholar-

ship each year for five years. Class

members hope that future dona-

tions will be made to continue past

the five-year commitment.

The scholarships will be chosen

by the USJ faculty on behalf of the

Class of 2008. Contact Director of

Development Emily Richards at

erichards@usjbruins.org to donate

to the project.

16

USJ’s cheerleaders have

made a name for them-

selves. In recent years, the

program has transformed into a na-

tional powerhouse, placing high

among the best teams in the coun-

try in yearly competitions.

When it’s time for their routine,

cheerleaders from other schools take

notice, Coach Adair Hardegree

said. “Other squads know who they

are. They have definitely moved up

the ladder quickly.”

In February, the team traveled

to Orlando and placed in the top

ten at the National High School

Cheerleading Championship, the

sport’s most prestigious event. The

competition, which was televised

on ESPN, featured 10,000 ath-

letes on 531 teams in more than

25 divisions. USJ competed

against 40 different squads to ad-

vance from the preliminaries to the semifinals and

then the finals, beating elite programs from across the

country along the way.

The team advanced to the finals in 2012 as well. It’s a

great achievement, but not surprising, said Coach

Robert Farmer. “It’s expected based on the work ethic of

the girls,” Farmer said. “I feel like we’ve become a per-

manent finals team. I expect to make finals pretty much

every year now.”

Farmer and Hardegree took over the program in

2005. They coach Upper School and Middle School,

and they recently opened

the younger team to sixth

graders. The Middle

School girls learn the fun-

damentals and continue

developing them through

Upper School, and Harde-

gree said the extra year in sixth grade should strengthen

the program even further.

“It does make a better cheerleader,” Hardegree said.

“The Middle School girls begin to learn a lot of the ele-

ments that are important. I think that has been a key.”

The girls also challenge themselves to succeed,

Farmer said. At nationals, only 16 members of

their team of 22 can compete, and they have to

earn their spots, Farmer said. “It’s competitive. They

could be on the floor one day and off the floor the

next.”

Carrie Brown Smith Campbell, USJ Director of

Alumni Relations and Class of 2007 graduate, was on

the early squads under Hardegree and Farmer. The

coaches joined the program during her junior year,

and the team went to its first nationals competition

her senior year. “They

transformed our pro-

gram,” she said. “Each year,

the team gets better.”

Hardegree said the

early squads also

helped transform

the program into the powerhouse it is today,

and subsequent teams have been eager to

continue that success. “The previous squads

set the bar, and these girls have been will-

ing to reach up and grab it.”

Cheerleaders earn national recognition

USJ cheerleaders were among the top 10 squads at the National High School Cheerleading Champi-onship in Orlando, Florida. At lower right, Senior Margaret Jones holds up a “B” during the competi-tion. For more pictures from the competition, go to the Upper Schoolcheerleading page in the Athletics Section of usjbruins.org.

The squad will be recognized in April as the topfund-raising cheerleading team in the country forSt. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in an eventsponsored by Varsity. The girls will have the oppor-tunity to visit the hospital to meet patients and theirfamilies before attending a dinner in their honor.

17

For 23 years, Middle School English teacher Marillyn Boggs

has watched USJ athletes belt game-winning home runs,

scramble for extra yards, and sink three pointers to take the

lead in overtime.

Fans know her well, including supporters of visiting teams, be-

cause she works the admissions gate for every home game in every

sport. And sometimes, particularly in the spring, that means she’s

watching two or three games a night, every night of the week.

“It’s amazing what can go on here in one night,” Boggs said.

Boggs said she enjoys being able to keep track of USJ’s students as

they leave her Middle School classroom and progress through

school. “It gives me an opportunity to watch them grow up and

perform,” she said.

Through her work behind the gate, she’s met countless parents

and made friends with USJ families. She’s also made friends with

players and families from opposing schools who marvel at the qual-

ity of USJ’s facilities, she said.

Boggs added that she would rather be at the gate than anywhere

else when one of the school’s many teams suits up for a game. She

loves sports, USJ, and welcoming people to the school.

She has watched students excel on the field, cheering them on

through tough losses and challenging wins. A few of those wins, she

said, stand out more than others.

She remembers Preston and Jake Overbey hitting back-to-back

home runs to come from behind and beat a rival school in 2010.

She remembers the football team beating that same school 69-0 in

2004. She also remembers the close win for the football team in the

2011 state quarterfinal.

Throughout the years, there have been many great games at

USJ, and she loves being a part of them all. “I’ve been blessed to be

able to do it,” Boggs said. “I feel like I’m the fortunate one.”

By the time the 2012 Division II-A

state cross country meet was over,

the boys team knew they did some-

thing no USJ team before them had ever

done – they won second place in the state

championship race.

“I knew we were going to finish in the

top 3; the question was whether it was sec-

ond or third,” said Coach Chris Winter.

The girls team also finished strong, tak-

ing third place at the meet.

Three of USJ’s runners —

Kayla Puzdrakiewicz, third;

Samantha Sullivan, eighth;

and Jessica Garland, 14th —

finished in the top 15 and

made the All-State team.

“For the girls to come to

this race and perform the way

they did after the up-and-

down season they had just makes me so

proud of them,” Winter said. “We were

hampered by injuries and sickness all season

and to see everything come together for

them at the most important meet of the

season is extremely satisfying.”

The boys ran their best team race of the

year. Sam Darnall finished fifth, Jack Good-

was sixth, Patrick Richardson 10th, Govind

Bindra 19th, Chris Burton 31st, Charles

Woodside 33rd, and Jourdan Redden 36th.

The boys won several meets last fall, in-

cluding the TCA Invite, Alabama Crimson

Classic, and regionals. Second place at the

state meet, however, was more rewarding

than any of those victories, Winter said.

“What the team did is a testament to

their consistent hard work in the off season.

We had a fun year, and it is great to see

their hard work pay off.”

Marillyn Boggs:

USJ’s No. 1 fan

If it’s a USJ home athletic event, Marillyn Boggs, above right, is at the

admissions gate handing out programs and collecting ticket money.

Cross country Bruins finish runners-up to state title

The boys

cross country

team stands

atop the

podium

with a

runner-up

trophy at the

state meet.

18

Achievements … (Noted achievements announced since the printing

of the September 2012 school magazine)

Symphony’s Color of Music says ‘bravo’ USJ

Kindergarten student Chloe Hatcher won the “Bravo”Award, the highest honor a student can be given in the

Jackson Symphony League’s Color of Music contest. More than 9,000 entries

were submitted from public,independent, and home-schooled students. Chloe’spainting was inspired byWaltz from Pyotr IlyichTchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty.

USJ had several otherwinning entries in the an-nual art contest. Earningblue ribbons were EdieAllen, kindergarten; BrookePhillipps, sixth grade; TrevorSpencer and Harrison

Hamm, seventh grade; and eighth grader Sarah Carraher. Sixthgraders Bailee Norris and Shereen Haji received HonorableMention awards.

Middle School Art Teacher Anna McPeaks won an award forhaving the highest percentage of winners in the sixth- to eighth-grade division. She was allowed to enter nine pieces, and six ofthose earned awards.

USJ excels at Mid-South Art Competition

USJ students earned top honors at the prestigious Mid-SouthArt Competition — a juried exhibition with 1,734 individual

works of art and 122 portfolios. Emily Mitchell received a Gold Key and the American Visions

Award, which came with a special cash prize. Kim Ballard won aGold Key, a Silver Key, and an honorable mention.

Also earning Silver Keys were Callie Cantrell, Sarah Mantooth,and Hannah Woodward. Selena Bright, Riley Koerner, AlannahYellen, Todd Moon, and Dana Viveros won honorable mentions.

The Gold and Silver Key winners had their work displayed atthe Memphis Brooks Museum for a month.

Soccer players to train with state’s best

Four USJ students were named to the Tennessee SoccerOlympic Development Program.

After final regional games in Winston-Salem, North Carolina,Charles Campbell and Melic Belong were selected to the 99 and00 teams, respectively. Jack Edwards was named an alternate.

After the girls soccer regional finals in Gainesville, Georgia,Sarah Pierce and Shelby Williams were named to the 96 team.

Charles, Melic, and Jack also were selected to the Tennesseestate training pool for the 13-year-old age group. This is the train-ing group for future Olympians and World Cup players.

All of the athletes are members of the Jackson Wolves and playon USJ’s soccer teams.

National Merit Foundation honors seniors

The National Merit Foundation has recognized three studentsfrom the University School of Jackson’s Class of 2013.

They are Akua Nuako, a semifinalist for the National MeritScholarship Competition and National Achievement ScholarshipCompetition; John Villarreal, who was honored as a NationalMerit Commended Student and in the National Hispanic Recog-nition Program; and Philip Griggs, who was a National Achieve-ment Program Outstanding Participant.

Akua, a USJ student for five years, is the daughter of KofiNuako and Joyce Addo. She hasn’t chosen a college yet, but plansto major in biomedical engineering.

John plans to attend Union University and study engineering.A USJ student since pre-kindergarten, he is the son of David andKim Villarreal.

Philip is the son of Rickey and Yolanda Griggs. He has notchosen a college yet, but plans to major in biology or pre-med.He has been a USJ student for four years.

From left, Philip Griggs, John Villarreal, and Akua Nuako.

Chloe Hatcher

All-State Honors

USJ choral students selected to the 2013 Tennessee All-StateChoir are, front center, Hannah Aherrera; first row, left to

right, Ryan Sanderson, Sierra Glosson, Marisa Mariencheck, andKacee Russell; and second row, Angelica Marks, Chris Weiner,Austin Orr, John Villarreal, and Meredith Maroney.

19

All-Northwest Junior HighHonor Choir

When the All-Northwest JuniorHigh Honor Choir performed its

regional concert last fall, USJ was wellrepresented. After auditioning, 39 Mid-dle School students and ninth graderswere selected to the honor choir …

1st Soprano: Caroline Miller, MollyMaroney, Kate Petrinjak, Payton Jett,and Maggie Exum.

2nd Soprano: Summer Basham, Ad-dison Dunn, Ashlee Dunn, CarolineSammons, and Kallie Pickens.

1st Alto: Allison Banks, AmandaCooper, and Sydney Kwasigroh.

2nd Alto: Clara Mariencheck (firstchair), Molly Morris (second chair),Brylee Whitsitt, and Riley Koerner.

Tenor: Tyler Bruno (first chair), JohnGiampapa (fourth chair), Ethan Baskin,Evan Griggs, Alec Taylor, Shea Byrum,Alexander Peftoulidis, Amir Kaveh, andSeth Weiss.

Bass: Elijah Moore (first chair), GrayBigford, Aaron Evans, Parker Lewis, Jude Anderson, GrayNorthern, Holland Hawks, Joshua Tabor, Paul Markos, SethRohlwing, Jordan Fesmire, Michael Villarreal, and Brian Bada.

All-Northwest Tennessee Honor Choir

Thirty USJ students were chosen for the All-Northwest Ten-nessee Honor Choir. After auditions, those selected were …

Soprano: Angelica Marks, Sierra Glosson, Kacee Russell, MarisaMariencheck, Hannah Aherrera, Meredith Maroney, Sydney Paris,Rachel Giampapa, Nicole Sioson, and Hannah Russell.

Alto: Darby Douglas, Lindsay Smith, Sally Sikes, and ClaireJaggers.

Tenor: Peyton Vaughan, Chris Burton, Ryan Sanderson, Con-nor Simmons, Christophe Nabhan, and Gram Northern.

Bass: Chris Weiner, Austin Orr, Adam Sills, Jordan Boyd,Lance McGee, John Villarreal, Walker Teer, Hunter Ross, andPhilip Griggs.

Accompanist: Hannah Aherrera.

Regional Art Competition

Several students from USJ were recognized at the 5th AnnualWest Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition. Cameron Briley won a ninth-grade honorable mention; Mat-

tie Boyd had two pieces accepted and won an honorable men-tion in sculpture, and Alan Wilms won second place forphotography.

Lauren Randolph, Katie Robertson, Samantha Sullivan, JacobDenbrock, Catherine Adkins, Hannah Woodward, and AustinWilms also had work accepted into the competition.

Mr. Football

Senior Chase Hensley was named theDivision II A Mr. Football Lineman

of the Year after leading the Bru-ins to a 10-0 record and theirsecond straight division cham-pionship. He also was one ofthree finalists for the awardin 2011.

Senior Powers Spencerwas a finalist for the 2012Division II A Mr. FootballBack of the Year.

West Tennessee Regional Choral Festival

The USJ Concert Choir and the USJ Women’s Choir, underthe direction of Dian Eddleman, won Sweepstakes Awards

in the West Tennessee Regional Choral Festival. SweepstakesAwards are awarded to choirs receiving a superior rating in per-formance and sight singing in every category and by each adjudi-cator. The two choirs now qualify for the state choral festivalApril 26 in Knoxville.

Undefeated seasonThe Middle School Girls Basketball team ended its season undefeated, with a 20-0 record. Thegirls won both the Blue Streak Invitational Tournament in December and the James C. HaileState Tournament in early February. Members of the team, front row, from left, are Regan Sul-livan, Sydney Kilburn, Spencer Hancock, Anna Katherine Horn, Morgan Williams, KalliePickens, and Rachel Davis; and standing, Abbey Fleming, Sydney Kwasigroh, Sarah Hensley,Taylor Tenpenny, Anna Jones, Ashton Hulme, Lillie Homberg, Caitlyn Brown, Amelia Spurlin,and Coach Jenny Pritchett. Not pictured is Zaina Dardas.

For the latest news from USJ, visit …usjbruins.org

20

Carol and Brad Adkins are

passionate about basketball

— specifically, Lower

School basketball.

The USJ parents devote countless

hours to organize and run the PAL

basketball program, which includes

kindergarten through fourth-grade

students from USJ, Trinity Christian

Academy, Medina, Jackson Christian

School, and St. Mary’s. Altogether,

the league equips 75 teams with

more than 700 kids.

“That’s a lot of kids,” Carol Ad-

kins said.

USJ fields 35 to 40 teams for

boys and girls. Each team has eight

to 10 children.

PAL, which stands for Parochial

Athletic League, teaches students the

basics of the game and helps them develop their skills to be able

to play basketball at the next level, Adkins said. Even for the

youngest teams, referees are instructed to call violations and

make sure the rules are followed.

“We are seeing the trend of players choosing more competi-

tive basketball at a younger age,” she said. “We really stress to the

coaches that this is a fundamental league.”

Their work starts each year in September with planning, and

they hold a draft in November to assign children to teams. The

season begins in January and runs through February. And the

Adkins family, with the help of some dedicated volunteers, man-

ages it all – from making sure teams are assigned and scheduling

games to hiring referees and coordinating with volunteers.

Games are played each Saturday at USJ, Trinity, and St.

Mary’s, depending on the grade level. The Adkins family is also

responsible for ensuring the facilities are opened and cleaned and

set up for practices and games.

Each participating school has its own basketball director to

manage its teams, and the Adkins family receives help through a

hired cleaning service and school administrators who unlock fa-

cilities when needed.

The parents have been involved with PAL for about 12 years

and managed it for 10 years. Their children – Conner, 12th grade;

Jonathan, 10th grade; Catherine, eighth grade; and Jacob, sixth

grade – have all gone through the league on various USJ teams.

The league was founded more than 30 years ago by Calvin

Bailey of Medina, Jack Rhodes of St. Mary’s, and Alan Sallee Sr.

of USJ. At one point, PAL basketball had grown to more than

100 teams and 900 children when fifth and sixth graders were

involved. A travel league was recently formed for the older stu-

dents, which offers more competitive play around the region.

Adkins said that watching PAL’s children learn to play is fun,

and it’s satisfying to follow the young athletes as they develop

through the years when they play in Middle School and Upper

School. But it’s also fun to watch the referees, who are high

school students, mature throughout the season, she said.

“They are teachers of the game on the court. They learn to

resolve conflicts and keep emotions under control, and the expe-

rience builds their confidence. They work very hard and very

long days. It’s great to provide an opportunity for stu-

dents to work and assume responsibility in their

role.”

For Brad and Carol Adkins, however, the

primary reason they continue to volunteer is

for the sheer love of the game.

“We love the organization so much and see

the need for emphasis on teaching fundamentals

and development of basketball skills,” Adkins said.

Committed parents run PAL basketball league

On Saturday mornings during basketball season, you’re likely to run into Brad and Carol Adkins

at USJ’s gyms, making sure the PAL basketball games go smoothly.

w We extend our sympathy to the family of MarkLashlee, Class of 1994. Mark died November 5 at hishome in Humboldt of complications from a traumaticbrain injury that occurred after a car accident in Novem-ber 1993. He is survived by his parents, T.O. and CarolLashlee; his sister, Shannon Lashlee Randolph; hisbrother, Thomas Lashlee; and other family members.

w James Kirkland, Class of 1994, and his wife, Misty,welcomed their second daughter, Caroline Ayers, on Jan-uary 27. Caroline’s big sister, Addy, is a Cub at USJ. Thefamily lives in Jackson.

w Jennifer Worley Tindal, Class of 1994, is controllerat Mechanical Systems & Services Inc. in Rock Hill,South Carolina. She earned a bachelor’s degree in businessmanagement from North Carolina State University and aMaster of Accountancy from the University of NorthCarolina, Chapel Hill. Jennifer is married to Thomas Tin-dal Jr. Their children are Jessica, 7; Katelyn, 12; andJoshua, 6. (jentindal@aol.com)

wMichael Reed, Class of 1996, joined Reed & Asso-ciates Inc. as partner in February 2013. Reed & Associ-ates is a creative marketing firm with a full range ofservices. Its offices are in Jackson and Charlotte, NorthCarolina. Michael and his wife, Clarissa, have a 2-year-oldson, Max, and are the guardians of Niko, 15, and Mylea,21. They live in Charlotte. (mike@reedmarketing.com)

w Frances Kirkland Lawhead, Class of 1998, and herhusband, Jake, have a new baby girl. Iris Michael Law-head was born September 25. She has an older sister,Sadie Glasgow Lawhead.

w Rob Byrd, Class of 1999, andhis wife, Clair, welcomed their sec-ond child, Fletcher Knight Byrd, onMay 21. Big brother, Will, is a yearolder. Rob is a CPA with CroweHorwath in Brentwood. Clair is ahomemaker. They live in Franklin.

wDave Price, Class of 2000, and his wife, Mary, havea new baby girl. Liddy Gail was born on February 6,2012. Dave earned a bachelor’s de-gree in mechanical engineering atTennessee Technological University.He is equipment manager at McHale& Associates Inc. in Knoxville.(dave.wesley.price@gmail.com)

w Brennan Berg, Class of 2000,is an assistant professor with the Uni-versity of Memphis. Brennan earneda bachelor’s degree in political science in 2005 and a mas-ter’s degree in sport and leisure commerce in 2007 fromthe University of Memphis. He earned his doctorate in

sport management from the University of Texas at Austinin 2012. He lives in Cordova. (bberg@memphis.edu)

w Cassie Murchison Dobens, Class of 2001, and herhusband, Raymond, welcomed their first child, CharlotteJoy, on March 14, 2012. Cassie attended the Universityof Mississippi. The family lives in Knoxville.(cassiedobens@gmail.com)

w Joe Shearin, Class of 2001, and hiswife, Tracy, welcomed their first child,Mack Presley, on October 16. Joe gradu-ated from Mississippi State University in2005 with a degree in construction man-agement and land development. He re-cently joined Fisher ConstructionCompany as a residential project manager.The family lives in Jackson.

w Rob Young, Class of 2001, is aproject engineer at Booth & Associates inRaleigh, North Carolina. The company isan engineering consultant for utility com-panies. Rob is a licensed Professional Engineer and de-signs high-voltage transmission lines. He earned abachelor’s degree in civil engineering from TennesseeTechnological University. He and his wife, Maryalice,have a 5-year-old daughter, Mary Cate.

w Bryan Byrd, Class of 2001, and hiswife, Laura, welcomed a daughter, AnnaLeigh, on December 30. Anna Leigh has abig sister, Lily. Bryan, a graduate of theUniversity of Alabama, works at Bancorp-South in Franklin. Laura is with First Citi-zen Bank in Cool Springs. They live inSpring Hill.

w John David Sikes, Class of 2002, married ReadeSnellings September 22 in Atlanta. John David earnedhis bachelor’s degree in business administration and

1990-1999

Continued, page 23

Alumni News

2000-2009

Liddy Gail Anna Leigh

Fletcher Knight

Joe Shearin with Mack Presley

21

Dear Fellow Alumni, As my first year as USJ’s Director of Alumni Relations comes to a close,

I am so excited about our Alumni Program and about the upcoming year.We had a successful 1st Annual Homecoming Weekend event, filled withgolf, food, fashion, and fun! We look forward to our 2nd Annual Home-coming Weekend and have more events for the year in the works.

We are working hard to increase our alumni base, and we are so proudto have your support and involvement. As we plan events, we would love tohave your ideas and your help. Please let me know if there are ways thatyou would like to get involved. I would love nothing more than to see youall back here at USJ!

Enclosed with this magazine is a postcard requesting your email addressand any changes to your mailing address. Do take the time to fill it out sothat we can stay connected. Thank you again for your support!

Carrie Brown Smith Campbell ’07Director of Alumni Relations

22

Got a Kroger Rewards card? Thenmake sure you are letting USJ joinin on the benefits.

Through Kroger’s new program, everytime you use your rewards card, USJ canreap the benefit by earning money eachquarter. The more you use your card, themore USJ stands to earn.

The program kicked off in the fall witha “Rock the Vote” campaign sponsored bythe Bruins Club. “We had a great responseto the campaign, registering more than 240cards,” said Deborah Patterson, who headsup the program for the Bruins Club. “Butwe know there are lots more cards out therethat could be linked to help USJ.”

The great thing about the program isthat no matter where your Kroger is lo-cated, you can benefit USJ. This is a greatprogram for alumni, grandparents, aunts,uncles, and friends living outside of Jacksonto have an easy way to give to USJ everytime they shop at Kroger, Patterson said.

For your purchases to earn money forthe Bruins, your card must be registered,and you must identify USJ as the organiza-tion you want to benefit.

It only takes a few easy steps to registeryour card …w Log in to krogercommunityrewards.com.w Select the “Create an Account” button at

the top of the page.w Complete the email information and

password.w Check your email account for an email

from Kroger that will contain a link toactivate your account.

w Activate your account.w You will be asked to complete a form with

your name, address, phone number, andKroger Card number. (If you do not haveyour card, your alternate ID number is

the phone number you gave when youfirst received your card. If that doesn’twork, call 800.576.4377 with yourphone number to receive your Krogercard number.

w Once you have activated your account, re-turn to the Kroger home page and log inunder the Community Rewards sectionat the top of the page.

w Input USJ’s NPO number – 80180. w Select USJ as your organization and hit

the “Save Selection” button.If you do not have a Kroger card, get

one today, register it, and start earningmoney for USJ.

Kroger Rewards Program can reward USJ, too

Homecoming: A reunion for all USJ families

USJ’s families celebrated Home-

coming Weekend 2012 with a

football victory and several activities

the next day, including a golf tourna-

ment in the morning, a luncheon

and fashion show at lunch, and a

clambake that night sponsored by

the Bruins Club. Homecoming

Weekend 2013 will be September

27-28 and once again will have sev-

eral activities for families. Registra-

tion and more details will be on

usjbruins.org later this summer.

2007 ReunionThe Class of 2007 celebrated its five-year reunion with a Saturday dinner

during Homecoming Weekend at Coyote Blues. Alumni present were MatthewFarris, Taylor West, Harrison Hayes, Caroline Yelverton, Landon Kail, HaleyKing Goodrich, Misty Lewis, Elizabeth McGee Nord, Haley Phillips, SimonArcuri, Carrie Brown Smith Campbell, Lauren Radicioni, Rachel Young,George Smith, and William Hutchinson.

Clockwise from above: Taylor Walker, BobPayne, Brent Bledsoe, and Bob Seals enjoy aSaturday morning of golf; Elizabeth and GeriBreeden attend the fashion show; and singerKaycee Russell performs at the fashion show.USJ beat SBEC the night before in football.

To encourage families to reg-ister with the new Kroger re-wards program earlier thisyear, the Bruins Club held adrawing. Bruins Club Presi-dent Bill Buckley, at left, andCindy Whitsett, right, theprogram’s Middle School co-ordinator, congratulate Ryanand Molly Roy on being thewinners of the grand prize— a trip to Destin.

Alumni updates, CONTINUED …

23

Gov. Bill Haslam appointed StephenEldridge, USJ Class of 1993, to the

Tennessee State Board of Accountancy —a prestigious leadership position in an or-ganization that regulates the state’s ac-counting industry.

“I am honored that the Governorwould have the confidence in me to dothe job,” Eldridge said. “It’s humbling.”

Eldridge was appointed to a three-year term, which began in2012. The board meets quarterly and regulates licensing and dis-ciplinary issues among accountants in Tennessee.

Eldridge has had a successful career since graduating fromUSJ. A partner at Alexander Thompson Arnold, CPAs, he is ac-tive with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountantsand the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants. Heserved on the legislative committee of the latter as past presidentof the West Tennessee chapter.

He majored in accounting and finance and graduated with abachelor’s degree in business administration from Union Univer-sity. He is a graduate of Leadership Jackson, a Paul Harris Fellow,and a past board member of the Jackson Rotary Club.

Eldridge said USJ is a wonderful school that provided himwith a quality education and taught him to think analytically andthrive in his industry. It also has a strong English program wherehe learned important reading comprehension and communica-

tion skills, he said. “It’s given me the confidence and ability to bea leader in my industry.”

Eldridge also serves on the Youth Town of Tennessee Board ofDirectors, Union University’s McAfeeSchool of BusinessAdministrationAdvisory Board,Youth Life Boardof Directors, FirstTennessee BankAdvisoryBoard, and theCity of Jack-son IndustrialDevelopmentBoard.

He and hiswife, Lolly, havetwo daughters:Madeline, 5,and Emily, 2.Both at-tend USJ.

USJ graduate appointed to State Board of Accountancy

managerial finance and investments fromthe University of Mississippi in 2006. Heis vice president of sales for North andSouth Carolina for MetLife InvestorsGroup in Charleston, South Carolina.Reade is a marketing analyst for QuantSystems in Charleston.

w Kelly Priddy Breazeale, Class of2002, is a third-grade reading teacherwith Humboldt City Schools. Kelly has abachelor’s degree in elementary educa-tion from the University of Mississippi.She and her husband, Steven, live inJackson. (kapriddy@yahoo.com)

w Taylor Nelson Davis, Class of2004, married Samuel Davis on Septem-ber 29. Taylor has a bachelor’s degreefrom the University of Tennessee atChattanooga and received her Doctorateof Pharmacy from the University of Ten-nessee Health Science Center in Mem-phis. Sam also is pursuing his Doctorateof Pharmacy degree from UT in Mem-phis. The couple lives in Jackson.

w Sara Kirkland, Class of 2005, is a

senior verification associate for ACACompliance Group in New York. She at-tended Belmont University and the Uni-versity of Tennessee at Chattanoogawhere she received a finance degree.(skirkland@acacompliancegroup.com)

w Andrew Long, Class of 2005, mar-ried Alexis Robertson August 25 in Nor-mandy, Tennessee. Andrew earned abachelor’s degree in business administra-tion with a concentration in finance fromMiddle Tennessee State University. He isin the Commercial Lending Departmentof BancorpSouth in Jackson. Alexis is theevent coordinator for Gourmet Your Way.The couple lives in Jackson.

wWorth Eubanks, Class of 2006,married Natalie Parker in November.Worth graduated in 2010 from MississippiState University with a bachelor’s degree inbusiness administration. He is a crop in-surance specialist with Farm Credit Mid-America. The couple lives in Bells.

w Wade Thomson III and AdrianaSubia, both members of the Class of

2007, married in late December inPanama City. Wade graduated from theUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanoogawith a degree in construction manage-ment. He is a crew foreman with Thom-son & Thomson. Adriana earned abachelor’s degree in biology from UTC.She teaches Lower School Spanish atUSJ. The couple lives in Jackson.

w Frank Crocker, Class of 2007, mar-ried Dallas Leasure in late December inJackson. Frank earned his bachelor’s de-gree in political science from the Univer-sity of Tennessee, Knoxville. He thenjoined the U.S. Marine Corps. He com-pleted OCC-209 in March and was com-missioned as a second lieutenant. Hebegan Infantry Officer Course in January.The couple lives in Washington, D.C.

w Jennifer Taylor, Class of 2008, isan assistant at InStyle.com. Jenniferearned a bachelor’s degree in journalismand mass communications from SamfordUniversity in 2012. She lives in NewYork. (jenniferltaylor616@gmail.com)

Brothers Stephen and Michael Eldridge,both USJ graduates, are sending their children to USJ. The Eldridgecousins, above, are, from left, Madeline, Garrett, Emily, and EllaHall. Garrett and Ella Hall are the children of Michael and his wife,Hailey. Madeline and Emily are the daughters of Stephen and Lolly.

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U.S. Postage

PAID

Jackson, TN

Permit #845UNIVERSITY SCHOOL of JACKSON

232 MCCLELLAN ROADJACKSON, TN 38305

Address Service Requested

West Tennessee’s College Preparatory Schoolwww.usjbruins.org

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL of JACKSON2ND ANNUAL HOMECOMING WEEKEND EVENT!

Open to ALL Current and Alumni USJ Families!

Contact: Carrie Brown Smith Campbell l 731.664.0812, ext. 51 l ccampbell@usjbruins.org

Homecoming GameKirkland Football Field

Kickoff at 7 p.m.Come watch the Bruins

play ECS.

5th QuarterAfter the game we’ll

gather for food, fun, and remembering when we

were younger.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Golf Tournament, Ladies Luncheon,and Fashion Show

Details will be on usjbruins.org later this summer!

Saturday, September 28, 2013