The courage to lead, the commitment to serve

Bill Arnold ‘86 Named Upper School Division HeadCONNALL MCCORMACK copy editor

Leading the Upper School is an incredible task that requires skill, dedication and experience. Fortunately, through the appointment of Bill Arnold as Division Head, the Upper

School has gained a leader that is up to the challenge. “I certainly couldn’t have imagined being head of the Upper School when I graduated here as a senior,” Arnold said. “And when I joined the faculty in 1994, my first couple years were devoted to learning how to teach. But when I returned from Iraq I did serve one year as interim head, and that whet my appetite for administra-tion.” However, Arnold understands that the job does not come without challenges. “I think the biggest challenges will be curriculum and student health: physical, emotional and spiritual health,” Arnold said, while emphasizing that these concerns originate not from Country Day itself but from the world young people are growing up in. This vola-tile world we live in affirms Arnold’s belief in the mission Country Day serves to prepare students for college success and to become leaders in society. “We have to prepare you for university life, but do so in a way that doesn’t prevent you from having a happy,

healthy childhood,” Arnold said. Accomplishing this mission of laying a foundation for future success requires the creation of an atmosphere conducive to learning and growth. “We’re trying to create an academic village, so to speak, where students’ talents and aspirations can be cultivated,” Arnold said. “We don’t want to beat the fun out of education.” Arnold admires Thomas Jefferson’s early vision for the University of Virginia as an academic village. Jefferson’s vision features a learning environment with beautiful surroundings, students that are naturally curious, talented, possess a love of learning, and understand their responsi-bilities. The academic village contains teachers that are experts in their field and are committed to the mission of the school as well

as their students. The leaders and administrators of the academic village serve as problem solvers that keep students and teachers free from unnecessary distraction. Such an environment would be rewarding not only for the student body, but for Arnold himself. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed spending my days with students, but I look forward to articulating and executing the mission, goals and expecta-tions of the school,” Arnold said. “Instead of moving my classroom forward I’ll be moving the institution forward, and that’s a challenge I look forward to.” However, leaving the classroom won’t be easy after years spent as one of Country Day’s most beloved teachers. “Most of my energy is derived from spending time with great kids. That’s why you get in the business, to spend time with kids like you guys who are smart, fascinating and provide an uncertain environ-ment on a daily basis. I’m going to miss that,” Arnold said. Despite the transition from teacher to administrator, the student body will still benefit from Mr. Arnold’s leadership in the community. “The important thing I want students to learn is that learning is exciting, and it’s a wonderful experience. But I also hope they learn that whatever dreams they have, they can’t achieve them alone,”

Arnold said. “There are adults and other students here that want to help them achieve their goals.” Arnold hopes that students will ask and engage him for help and mentorship in their journey to achieve dreams and goals. He views students seeking guidance as one of the most rewarding experiences of educating, as it provides proof that a difference is really being made by the efforts of the faculty. His transition to administration will allow for the continued fostering of this academic and personal growth, and he feels that he is up to the challenge. “I think I’m a pretty keen observer of the school. I’ve been here 20 years,” Arnold said. “I think I understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school and the way it operates.” Aside from his

Top Left: Bill Arnold served in Iraq with the Marine Corps in 2004. Top Right: Arnold with his daughter Allie ‘18. Bottom Left: JR Torres ‘15 represents Arnold’s transition to administration. Bottom Right: Arnold with his son Robert ‘14 following a football game during Arnold’s coaching tenure. Photos courtesy of Bill Arnold; illustration by JR Torres ‘15

experiences at the school, Arnold’s service in the Marine Corps instilled leadership skills that are difficult to come by in the civilian world. “I think my service in the military, both in the United States and in combat has both good and bad aspects to it. But I think some of the best things I learned through those experiences are the power of collective effort, the importance of inspirational leadership, the difference one person can Arnold hopes that students will ask and engage him for help and mentorship in their journey to achieve dreams and goals. He views students seeking guidance as one of the most rewarding experiences of educating, as it provides proof that a difference is really being made by the efforts of the faculty. His transition to administration will allow for the continued fostering of this academic and personal growth, and he feels that he is up to the challenge. “I think I’m a pretty keen observer of the school. I’ve been here 20 years,” Arnold said. “I think I understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school and the way it operates.” Aside from his experiences at the school, Arnold’s service in the Marine Corps instilled leadership skills that are difficult to come by in the civilian world. “I think my service in the military, both in the United States and in combat has both good and bad aspects to it. But I think some of the best things I learned through those experiences are the power of collective effort, the importance of inspirational leadership, the difference one person can make, and the importance of prepara-tion,” Arnold said. The consequences of decisions, both good and bad, also took on a new meaning for Arnold during his time in the military. Although the stakes at Country Day are not nearly as high as they are in combat, his ability to teach the consequences of decision-making will be an asset during Mr. Arnold’s tenure. Arnold’s appointment as Division Head is an exciting and encour-aging development during a time of transition for the Country Day community. “It gives me a great sense of pride and accomplishment to be able to serve in this capacity,” Arnold said. “I love the school, I love what it stands for and I love that my children have been here.”

FWCD Mourns Loss of Beloved US teacher, Dr. James Aldridge

For 31 years, Dr. James “Jim” Aldridge was a teacher, mentor, colleague, botanist, chemist, motorcycle enthusi-ast, poet, photographer... and friend, to members of the

Fort Worth Country Day community. Aldridge collapsed from a heart attack on Saturday, April 26, while conducting a Duke TIP course in his classroom in the Upper School Science Building. He received immediate attention from FWCD staff members and medical profession-als. He was transported to Harris Southwest Hospital, where he passed away. A faculty member at FWCD since 1983, he first started as a Middle School science teacher and moved to Upper School to teach honors chemistry, AP Chemistry, and AP Computer Science more than 20 years ago. His ideas to study native flora and fauna with students sparked the annual Big Bend Trip for eighth graders; this year’s group left early Monday morning. Students, faculty and staff have all consoled themselves a bit knowing Aldridge died doing what he loved: sparking a love for science in students. His Duke TIP course, “Building Arduino Boards,” was a workshop on excited electrons designed for fifth and sixth graders; he was of course dressed in his trade-mark blue labcoat, business as usual. “To be an adult who will just listen to [students] is pretty cool,” Aldridge said in the 2007 Flight yearbook. “I’d like to believe my extra time with them makes a difference.” And that it has. Please turn to the back page of this issue for just a sampling of the many tributes to our “Dr. A” via Face-book, Twitter and bulletin boards posted outside his classroom and the counseling office. Travel well, Dr. A.

Dr. James A ldr idge 19 53-2014

Fort Worth Country Day • May 2014 • Volume 50 • Issue 4

NEW

S2

FALC

ON

Q

UIL

L

THE

MAY2014

Editor in ChiefZane Lincoln

Managing EditorTyler Steele

Copy EditorConnall McCormack

Advertising/Business EditorKatie Anderson

Sections EditorMimi Ryan

Photography EditorAlex Doswell

Online EditorGarrett Podell

ReportersRoss Biggs

Olivia LincolnWilliam Newton

Kate NolanBrianna OrdoñezNatalie RosenthalAbby Steinsieck

AdviserLisa Wallace

Fort Worth Country Day 4200 Country Day Lane

Fort Worth, TX 76109(817) 732-7718 ext. 411

quill@fwcd.org

The Falcon Quill Onlinewww.falconquill.org

The Quill is published five times a year by the Upper School journalism class. The

opinions expressed herein are those of the staff and do not necessarily reflect that of the student body, adviser, faculty or staff. Guest columns, letters to the editor and

articles are welcome, but submissions are subject to editing and submission does not

guarantee publication.

The Quill accepts advertising from public and private enterprises, given its

appropriateness for young audiences. The Quill reserves the right to either accept or

deny any advertisement.

FALCON QUILL SophomoreWashington, DC Trip

Sophomores to study American government and history on trip to DC in May

Mimi Ryan section editor

Monday, May 5Arrive in Washington, DCDomestic Issues Debate

Tuesday, May 6War Memorials: Politics of Public Memory: Lunch at National Place National Archives National Portrait GalleryEvening Monument Tour: Lincoln Memorial White House US Marine Corps Memorial Pentagon Memorial Air Force Memorial

Wednesday, May 7Politics of Public Memory: Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial American History Museum Arlington National CemeteryDinner in Georgetown

Thursday, May 8Capitol Hill Visit: Congressional Meeting Policy Briefings Supreme Court Library of Congress Congressional Visitor Center Group photo Embassy Study Visit Air and Space Museum Dinner in Old Town Alexandria

Friday, May 9Thomas Jefferson Memorial Newseum Media SeminarWatergate Hotel Evening on Potomac Dinner Cruise

Saturday, May 10Depart for DFW airport

Last year’s sophomore students paused to take a group photo on Capitol Hill. “Being in DC for a week made us closer as a class,” Kennedy Stovall ‘15 said. Photo courtesy of Lisa Wallace

Junior Alexis Palko ‘15 instagrams a picture of her grandfather’s grave at the Arlington National Cem-etery. Photo by Alexis Palko ‘15

Sophomores sailed along the Potomac River, looking at the country’s greatest monuments. Duncan Lee, Sydney Phillips ‘15, and Cole Vick ‘15 enjoy an evening dinner cruise. . Photo courtesy of Sydney Phillips ‘17

Sophomores last year visited the War Memorials and National Archives on their first day of the trip. Sydney Phillips ‘15 took pictures at the World War II part of the exhibit. Photo courtesy of Sydney Phillips ‘17

From the editors:Our most recent issue in March highlighted a story on Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis, a former FWCD parent and local Fort Worth native. This story was about her connection to the school and the city and was in no way an endorsement of her political views or her candidacy. We made several attempts to reach Greg Ab-bott’s campaign as well, but were unable to schedule an interview by our deadline. We did include highlights of both candidate’s platforms.

NEW

S3

FALC

ON

QU

ILL

THE

MAY2014

Falcon Summer Reading

Universal Book

“Wonder” by R.J. PalacioAugust Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has pre-vented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’sextraordinary face.

Grade Level Books

Freshman:“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

Sophomore: “The Odyssey” by Homer

Junior:“Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking” by D.Q. Mclnerny

AP English Literature:“The King James Bible with The Apocrypha”

AP English Language:“What the Dog Saw: and Other Adventures” by Malcolm Gladwell

Choice Books“47 Ronin” by A.B. Mitford

“Bean Trees” by Barbara Kingsolver“The Art of Happiness” by Dalai Lama

“All The Way To Berlin” by James Megellas“The Bear” by Claire Cameron“Calico Joe” by John Grisham“Catch-22” by Joseph Heller“Defiant” by Alvin Townley

“The Duck Commander Family” by Willie and Korie Robertson“Dune” by Frank Herbert

“The Elegance of Hedgehogs” by Muriel Barbery“Fault in Our Stars” by John Green

“Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keys“The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien

“The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins“If I Stay” by Gayle Forman

“I’ll Be There” by Holly Goldberg Sloan“Impossible Knife of Memory” by Laurie Halse Anderson

“Inferno” by Dan Brown“It’s Kind of a Funny Story” by Ned Vizzini

“Katchatka” by Marcelo Figueras“Life After Life” by Kate Atkinson

“Loves Music, Loves to Dance” by Mary Higgins Clark“The Maze Runner” by James Dashner

“Middlemarch” by George Elliot“Miss Peregine’s Peculiar Children” by Ransom Riggs

“Mockingbird” by Kathryn Erskine“Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins“Mole People” by Jennifer Toth

“My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult“Period 8” by Chris Crutcher

“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen“Riechsblood” by Jon Shipley

“S” by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst“Saving CeeCee Honeycutt” by Beth Hoffman

“The Sea of Tranquility” by Katja Millay“Shelter: A Mickey Bolitar Novel” by Harlan Coben

“The Story of the Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp“Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas” by James Patterson“Then I Met My Sister” by Christine Hurley Deriso

“Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher“The Warrior’s Heart” by Eric Greitens“Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen

“Wild” by Cheryl Strayed

Logo design by Aaron Lax ’16

NEW

S4

FALC

ON

Q

UIL

L

THE

MAY2014

ZAne lincolneditor in chief

THANKS FOR THE BEST

It all started in 2001, our debut on campus. It was a year of firsts. We were the new kids on the playground, even though we had our own. We had Splash Day, complete with blow up pools and water guns, on the play-ground to kick off the school year. New to the whole school thing, we made friends, made the most of re-cess, and tried to make even more out of nap time. When the teacher called for us to bring out the mats, we all knew what was coming: 45 min-

utes of quiet and a small snack. For us, it meant not shutting our eyes for a moment, not wanting to miss a waking mo-ment of the seemingly short time we had together for the day. All we wanted to do was have fun. We made leprechaun traps in the hope for scoring some gold; we all thankfully got some, but the legend goes that it was probably Mrs. Buis that tricked us into thinking we actually caught a leprechaun. I remember taking our first ever field trip to the apple farm; we got to spend the day drinking fresh apple juice, playing in the barn, and learning about how apples make it from the farm to the grocery store. We were wild, we were crazy, but we were unique. We had a successful year at establishing our-selves as the class of 2014...which was then 12 years away.

Second grade was filled with lots of learning and memorizing, but also lots of fun. We took a crash course in how to write in cursive, something I still can’t do even to this day as a graduating senior. I had to revert back to basics and stick with regular handwriting; it may or may not have been because I failed many of my assignments for writing letters incorrectly. In Mrs. Robinson’s class, we were put to the test of memorizing a poem every week and reciting back to

her every Friday. Every week, I would walk up to her desk and butcher the poem because I hadn’t memorized it. I didn’t memorize a single poem that year, except for the lon-gest one, ironically: “Timothy Tompkins”. We read “Small Steps”, about Peg Kerhet and her battle with polio. I re-member being so interested in it that I made a deal with my mom: if she drove me to the Barnes & Noble on Uni-versity and bought it for me so I could finish it before Mrs. Robinson did, I would let her shop in Pottery Barn. That day, I sat on one of the couches in the store for probably an hour and a half or two and read the book from cover to cover. It’s the only book I’ve ever finished in one sitting. One last thing I remember from my second grade class was a day dedicated to board games and candy; Mrs. Robinson promised us that one day, she would go out and buy all of our favorite candy and let us each bring our favorite board game, and we would spend the day playing and eating can-dy. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Sec-ond grade proved to be a challenging one, but it couldn’t have allowed us to enjoy third grade any more than it did.

Being our third year in lower school, we grew accustomed to reading books, studying for vocabu-lary quizzes, and learning about other cultures through quarterly projects. Another aspect of lower school that we had gotten used to was the monthly meetings with our families, composed of mem-bers from grades K-4. We wrote letters to the elderly and soldiers fighting overseas, we even wrote letters to each other. We became

even closer. We dressed up in costumes on Halloween and paraded through campus, hidden behind masks that con-cealed our fear of the middle and upper schoolers. I was in Mrs. Williams’ class, one of my favorite classes in my time here at Country Day. Sometimes, she would read us scary stories in the dark, sometimes she would bring her dog Sassy for us to play with and pet, and every Friday, she would give us a playful quiz over recent popular movies, the score of the most recent Cowboys game, and who got eliminated from American Idol. Not a day went by that she didn’t have a smile on her face. She taught us how to love one another, how to make learning fun, and how to prepare ourselves for the last year of our lower school career. Third grade was a memorable one, but it was our turn to be the big kids.

Fifth grade was an adjustment period. Plain and simple. We got our essays butch-ered, being held to a higher standard. We weren’t little kids anymore, and we had to learn how to grow into our confusing new roles: being big kids, however, at the same time being the youngest in middle school. These were the glory years. Braces. The beginnings of acne. Glasses. We slept in front of our very own lockers, played games with Mrs. Lincoln and Mr. Ste-phens, and watched movies at the Howdy Overnight. Middle school was also a time of big-time field trips. None of the day

trips to the Dallas Aquarium or the Log Cabin Village. We’re talking overnight trips to Sky Ranch, Austin, Vicksburg, and finally Big Bend. In hindsight, Sky Ranch was really a trip dedi-cated to team building. We completed activities in small groups that showed us what we could do if we just worked together. We also had opportunities for individual success throughout the year as well. Mouse trap cars, spaghetti towers, and dis-secting a real-life lamb’s heart were some of the most popular projects in our debut year as the freshmen of middle school.

Sixth grade was probably the most difficult in middle school for me. I had to confront my difficulty with math and learn how to balance all the different facets of Country Day life. It was also a very rewarding year, though. Right after winter break, we learned how to make origami with Mr. Jones. We got a whole day dedicated to dressing up like gods and goddesses, complete with au-thentic Greek food from Pak-a-Pocket, during Greek day. We also had our volcano projects, our rock cycle proj-

ects, and our studies of the risks of smoking and drugs on our body. We made time capsules about making the right choices which we would open our sophomore year of high school, and even got to feel the difference between healthy lungs and dis-eased lungs. We also had an unforgettable year in Texas his-tory with Mr. Maddux, which culminated in a trip to Austin, where we saw first-hand much of what we had studied ear-lier in the year. Becoming more established in middle school at this point and adapting to the newer and larger workload, we were ready to move to the second floor of the building.

The walk up the stairs every morn-ing was satisfying at first, but as we got past the excitement of being over half-way done with middle school, we quickly realized that it was more of an inconve-nience than anything else. Seventh grade was marked by countless dissections in life science with Mrs. Whalen, pre-algebra and pre-requisite skills with Mrs. Dorsey, roots quizzes with Mrs. Rains, the geog-raphy question of the day with Mrs. For-rest, and learning Latin American songs in Spanish with Mrs. Montgomery. We took a trip back in time to Civil War

America when we traveled to Vicksburg, where we put together everything we’d been working on in history to life, with trips to plantations, a mock trial, and presentations as members of the Confederacy and the Union. Part of seventh grade was simply getting ready for our last year of middle school: eighth grade. We had had it on our radar for a long time, but it was finally here.

Eighth grade was definitely the most memorable. Mr. Hoover. Mrs. Burle-son. Mrs. Romero. Mr. Coffee. Mrs. Willis. All these teachers worked night and day to make sure we had the most memorable time, one that we could look back on and think of how much fun we really had. Our science safety videos really caught us in our prime, revealing how truly awkward and fun-ny we were. I sit here laughing about how random we were back then. We had really become a very defined class

here at Country Day, and we had continued making a name for ourselves through our endless energy, sense of humor, and dedication to learning. Big Bend was the peak of our middle school career, both literally and figuratively. We hiked to the top of the Chisos mountains, had lunch halfway through, and then hiked back down only to be greeted by fresh lemonade. We had reached the top of the mountain and our middle school career, but the most important thing is that we had all done it together. We crossed the Rio Grande into Mexico, represent-ing our imminent passage into the foreign upper school. The trip culminated in our last, and probably most awkward, mid-dle school dance. Feeling a little too good for eighth grade, we were all pretty ready to make the transition into high school.

Next was lower school, first grade to be exact. The trademark of our first year in lower school was the rice babies. We laughed at how fat some of our friends were when they were born, we came to terms with the fact that it wasn’t that long ago that we were that size, and we learned how to take care of something. I remember pushing my rice baby in a stroller that the moms had brought for us to use. I thought it was the coolest thing at the time. It was the first time we truly felt older. We had Camp Write Along, with

daily “care packages” from parents containing anything from food to new school supplies. It was a week filled with camp-like activities that gave us a sort of break from the “stress” of first grade. We had Zero the Hero, that would mysteriously visit us sporadically throughout the year to bring special gifts like candy or toys. Everyone that wasn’t in Mrs. Hill’s class was im-mensely jealous because that meant we didn’t get lockers. We had our 4th grade friend, who would visit us on the opposite side of the building every once in a while to check in on us, see how we were doing, and offer some time for us to play with the big kids before they went off to middle school. To end the year, we all got to wash our desks with shaving cream. Proving to be a little bit messy, it allowed us to not only disinfect the desks for the next year’s 1st graders, but it also let us give our-selves a blank slate and it signified our passage into 2nd grade.

Fourth grade. We had finally made it to the top of the food chain. We got to sit at the top of the atrium during assembly, be dismissed first at many events, and be recognized as the leaders of the lower school. Although 4th grade was a year of lasts, it was also a year of firsts. It was our last year of Starlab, our last year of com-puter class with Mrs. Holland, our last year of Fried Food Fridays at the cafeteria, our last year of lower school altogether. But, it was our

first year as the oldest kids, our first year to really understand how grown up we were compared to first grade, our first year to really showcase everything we learned for the past three years. We slowly started reading those red dot books, formed our friend groups, and enjoyed our last year with a playground. Kickball and wall ball were always favorites, with everyone trying to punt the soccer ball over Mrs. Har-lin’s room into the small soccer field behind Mrs. Robinson’s room. We took advantage of the zip-line that was going to be removed the next year due to too many injuries. Woops. By the end of May, I didn’t really know what middle school would be like. I just knew it was in the near future; little did I know, it would be a lot different from what I initially guessed.

To be completely honest, I don’t really know how to start. In fact, I don’t even want to write this right now, in a little bit, or ever. I don’t want

to say goodbye. College sounds pretty nice around this time of year for us. We’ve all heard that it’s the best 4 years of your life, that it’s where you make your best friends, where you’ll make memories you’ll remember for the rest of your life. We can’t wait because it’s so close. I’m not here to tell you otherwise, but having been here for so long and this being my final year as editor in chief of the Falcon Quill, I think it’s a great opportunity to share my last story with you guys, the Class of 2014. For 13 years, I have woken up at 7 am, put on my uniform, and passed through the gates into Country Day. It’s hard to believe that 13 years in the same community is suddenly beginning to feel like a couple of hours. With every acceptance, denial, or waitlist letter, we’re continuously being confronted with the future and what it holds. As the year is quickly coming to a close and all of our countdowns to graduation are making their way towards 0, I can’t help but think about everything that I have done here, what this environment has done for me and allowed me to do, and what all of you guys mean to me. Call me sentimental, and I’ll counter with nothing. You’re right. I think being an original makes things a little harder; after all, over half of our grade has stuck together since kindergarten. That’s 4748 days. Here is a good summary of what this rollercoaster of a ride has been for me, and maybe even some of you.

NEW

S5

FALC

ON

QU

ILL

THE

MAY2014

13-YEAR RODEO

EVERBefore we knew it we were seniors. We would

graduate next year. It happened incredibly fast, too fast. I could write for days about my experi-

ences here at Country Day, but I have neither the time nor the space to do that. Senior year was the best I could’ve asked for. It was because of all of you guys. I remember when I was a freshman, I couldn’t wait to be a senior and head off to college; now, at times I feel the opposite. I wish I could go back and relive the good times I’ve had in this place we all call our second home. The class of 2014 means the world to me, and I know that are all bound to do great things. We have been through thick and thin together, and we have all made countless memories with each other that will last a lifetime. I know that we are getting to that point where we just want high school to be over, but I just wanted to provide one last look back for all of us. I’m sitting here writing in Mrs. Wallace’s room remembering that this is my last story, this is my last chance to put something in the Quill for all of you guys to see. Class of 2014, you guys were my rock when I felt like I was caught in a hurricane, you were my joke on a bad day, you were my good luck on AP tests, you were my foundation when I tried to climb the mountain of applying to college. Words can’t describe how much you all mean to me. I can tell that I’m starting to ramble, so I’ll just leave it with this: you guys gave me the best last rodeo I could’ve asked for, and I can’t wait to see where the next one is going to take us all.

2001to

2014

I’m going to cover high school a little differently than I’ve been covering the other grades. It all happened so quickly, so I’m just going to talk

about all the years together. Before high school, I always heard seniors telling us to really soak in every moment because it will flash before your eyes. Being a typical 14-year-old, I cast aside any sort of advice from a superior. It’s now April of my senior year and I couldn’t agree more with what I heard that summer before my freshman year. The class of 2014 had some of the best seniors to look up to. They were united, loud, hilarious, smart, athletic, prideful, you name it. They made our first year incredibly easy and almost inspiring. That year, we won the DII championship in football. I still remember sitting on the sidelines at Amon G. Carter Stadium with all the other fish and watching the clock hit 0. It was unreal. It was the best start to high school I think any of us could’ve asked for. Still, ninth grade was a little intimidat-ing, learning how to navigate through upper school socially, athletically, and academically. Trying to balance these three proved to be the most difficult

and wouldn’t be learned until about sophomore or junior year for me. It was devoted to getting to know kids across all grade levels, especially through fine arts like any one of the publications. For me, it was Quill. I met a lot of upperclassmen through writing for the newspaper during my first year of high school. Sophomore year was defi-nitely the most difficult for me. Honors Algebra II and Honors Chemistry really gave me a run for my money, and I was forced to use my free time wisely in order to be on top of everything that was being thrown at me. There was a lot of change sophomore year. People shifting friend groups. New friend groups being formed. Slowly starting to think about college and everything we had to do to prepare for it. We took the PSAT, and were defeated to find out that that was only a primer. The real SAT was much longer. There was even another test called the ACT that we could take. Come junior year, we were allowed to take APs, we started college counseling, we took SATs and ACTs, trying to get the best score possible, and finally got to go to Prom.

day, she stays behind with sick and injured kids to make sure they are alright while the rest of the class hikes. She loves this experi-ence because it gives her an opportunity to see her students outside the classroom and engage and get to know them in a completely different way. To occupy her time when she departs FWCD for the last time for summer vacation, she plans to be busy planning her son’s wed-ding in June. She is excited for both families

to arrive and be to-gether to celebrate the momentous oc-casion. Reading is one of her favorite pastimes, especially fiction novels. “I mostly read fiction, but I will read just about everything, all across the board,” Wilson said. Wilson also plans to buy a new dog and get back to needlepoint and crochet, since she hasn’t had the time to do it since returning to teach at FWCD. Wilson had a few last words for her students, saying that, “Their education is in their hands,” Wilson

said, “They can decide to degrade things or fritter their time away, it’s up to them. They all have amazing potential just have to decide to do it.”

was untouched (which I could tell was a little puzzling to Angie). Day two –she noticed another petal was gone from the big flower cookie, but so carefully taken out of the wrapper as if someone hoped she wouldn’t notice. A bit confused that some-one had the nerve to take hers and not

tell her–when mine was still untouched was a bit frustrating (especially since she is always willing to share). She almost took it home that day but decided to leave it one more day. Day three – my bouquet was still perfect, but most of hers was gone. This time, however, a trail of crumbs led to the chair in front of her desk along with *evidence* of a little mouse

party! Needless to say, she was glad she did not eat the rest of the cookie on day two. Since that incident, Angie is quick to enjoy edible treats before the day is over!” Goin is excited about her new house, which she just bought with her husband, and spending more time with her two grandchildren. She’s is also planning some road trips, out west and to the northeast. “We’re excited,” Goin said, “to plan where we don’t have to be back in so many days to start school.”

NEW

S6

FALC

ON

Q

UIL

L

THE

MAY2014

Abby Steinsieck reporter

Natalie Rosenthalreporter

Rubin is sad about leaving her cheerful kindergarten classes behind, but she is optimistic about her future in Philadelphia. She plans to open a Spanish school with her daughter and give homeless children birthday parties. Photo by Glamourcraft

Since moving here, Whalen has been neighbors with Katherine ‘17 and Madeline Walters ‘16 who have loved seeing her family when they are out and about in the neighborhood. “I always see Whalen walking with her two boys and it’s always fun getting to talk to her out of a school setting,” Walters said. Photo by Alex Doswell ‘16

mimi ryansection editor

Katie Andersonads editor

Wilson filled the eighth grade science teacher positions in the middle of the 2011-2012 school year. Although she will be leaving after three short years, she has made a big impact in the Middle School. “Mrs. Wilson came in the middle of the school year and became my advisor. My school year went so smoothly and prepared me for high school,” said Alex Doswell ‘16. Photo by Alex Doswell ‘16

Mrs. Goin works in the Mason Middle School alongside her colleague and dear friend Deb Lawson. “The last three years have been great with Goin. I’ll be sad not to have her with me next year,” Lawson said. Photo by Alex Doswell ‘16

Falcon Favorites

I can tell she holds Fort Worth close to her heart. Amanda Whalen and Rob Hereford

moved here from New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. “The people here were so kind after the chaos, and I will miss all the teachers, kids, and faculty,” Whalen said. After graduating from Texas A&M Univer-sity, where she played softball, MS Science teacher Aman-da Whalen taught in Metairie, Louisiana at Metairie Park Country Day School, teaching 3rd and 4th graders. She then began at Epis-copal High School in Houston, TX. Eight years ago she started at FWCD in 7th grade Life Science and coaching middle school softball. But she is remembered the most by her Sexual Education class at the end of the year. “It’s funny how that class is the most remembered, but I taught it for the least amount of time,” Whalen said.

Next year, she will be moving to Santa Barbara, California with her family since

her husband, US Division Head Rob Hereford, will become the Headmaster of Laguna Blanca School. She plans to take it slow to get in the habit of being in the West coast. She is excited for the more time she will get to spend with her children, John and Joseph, and really being a mom. Whalen is also look-ing forward to being outside

all the time, walking on the beach, and also taking surf lessons. After settling in, Whalen is thinking about working on her Masters, maybe in educational leadership or another science. Whalen and Hereford are most excited for the change because they love the new cultures and new experiences. “I have emotional ties with Fort Worth, but I’m looking forward to a slower pace in California,” Whalen said.

The kindergarten building is all hap-piness and smiles, and so was Meg Rubin when reflecting on the past

nine years she’s spent at Fort Worth Country Day. Rubin’s annual May event, Mrs. Spider’s Tea Party, is her favorite event of the year, and has been a tradition of hers for the past 24 years she has been a teacher. “I love having Mrs. Spider’s Tea Party be-cause it teaches the kids good manners, and how to entertain and serve their community,” Rubin said. The students make their own costumes and invite their parents to come to a party that they have planned for weeks. Decorations are

everywhere, from flowers all over the room to a giant spider hanging on the ceiling. Rubin loves this day because it teaches her students how to host a party, and entertain and serve

their guests. Before the event, all students are given a paper to write down good deeds they perform around their house in order to be picked for a job at the party. Rubin and Sheree Kinnard’s kindergarten classes have enjoyed this special day that is solely for their classes. Rubin is excited for the future and still plans to revolve her life around kids. She plans on moving to Philadelphia to help her daughter open a Spanish school, and she is also excited to provide homeless children with birthday parties. She’s kept all of her books over the years and wants to read them to sick children in hospitals. Though

Rubin is leaving the south and her wonder-ful friends in Fort Worth, her students and friends at Country Day will always be in her heart.

The middle school’s admission office has been in four different places in 23 years, four offices that

MS Administrative Assistant Angie Goin has seen in her time at FWCD. Before coming to FWCD Goin worked at All Saints for seven years in the pre-school. When asked about her favorite memory at FWCD Goin’s first response was, “My favorite memory, oh gosh.” Soon she concluded that at least one of hers had to be the moves. “That’s excit-ing,” Goin said. “Memorable times.” MS Adminis-trative Assistant Deb Lawson, who has been working with Goin for three years had a story about one of her favorite moments with Goin. “Back when we were in the old of-fice, someone gave Angie and me each a cookie bouquet shaped like flowers. Angie thought it was too pretty to eat, so she decided to leave it all wrapped up in plastic on her desk for a few days. After day one, she noticed a petal from the big cookie was gone (but the plastic was almost intact). She was at least glad they didn’t take the entire cookie –but was surprised someone didn’t just ask for a bite. I had a bouquet just like it –and mine

From the moment MS Science teacher Rita Wilson walked into FWCD to start a full time teaching job for 8th

graders, she loved everything about her new community. Being a teacher at Trinity Valley in many years past, Wilson’s experience level and love for teaching carried on with her as she started her journey teaching here at FWCD. She has taught 2 full years and one part time year, as she began teaching the class of 2016 in their 8th grade year about on third into the school year. She has made many close friend-ships with teachers thus far and looks forward to the future, but is also saddened to be parting with other teachers, es-pecially the 8th grade team. The 8th grade team works very well togeth-er, and each of them are special and great at what they do,” Wilson said. One of her most treasured memories that she has made in her years here has consis-tently been the Big Bend trip that 8th grad-ers take annually in April. Although Wilson doesn’t participate in the hikes during the

What I’ll really miss about working at Country Day is the view out my window, which overlooks the

Habitat Garden,” Kay Cody said. “It’s so peaceful, as most schools and workplaces are so industrial.” Cody has taught in the Lower School as a third grade teacher who specializes in science, as she has a degree in medical technology. As for her plans after Country Day, Cody’s still in the process of figuring out what she wants to do. Her ideal pipe-dream occupation after FWCD life would be: opening up a bakery. “I’ve always said that Southwest Fort Worth needs a tasty pastry shop,” Cody said. Her specialties are her breakfast cinnamon rolls and anything with chocolate chips. Whether it’s cookies, scones, or muffins, Cody prepares delectable desserts. Ultimately, the fun memories of teaching these third graders what she will miss the most, “Just their natural kindness and desire to do their best in anything and everything really sets them apart, every class just makes me smile!” she said. Cody will missed in the Falcon community, as she leaves behind a legacy of sweetness.

NEW

S7

FALC

ON

QU

ILL

THE

MAY2014

Zach Reimer, or Reimdog as he is known to his students, graduated from Country Day in 2003 and

returned to Country Day in 2012 to teach seventh and eighth grade history. Before he came to Country Day he taught at Polytechnic High School for three years and coached baseball for four years. His favorite memory at Country Day was last year’s trip to Vicksburg that the seventh grade goes on every year where he enjoyed a tour of the battlefield, putting on plays and bonding with his students. Sometime on the trip he was given the nickname, Reimdog, as he is now referred to by his students. “I have enjoyed my time at Country Day and I loved getting to know the kids and helping them grow and succeed.” Reimer has loved getting to know the students over the past few years and helping them grow and expand their knowledge. Reimer has enjoyed teaching at Country Day and next year although he will not be at Country Day, Reimer hopes to continue teaching history.

Say FarewellKate nolan reporter

Sitting in Middle School Spanish teacher Amy Roe’s

classroom, the atmosphere is full of culture. The walls are covered in posters of Machu Picchu and other South American landmarks, mostly found in Peru. There are small artifacts all around the room as well that Roe collected from her travels to Central and South America throughout her lifetime. She used to spend her summers there in Iquitos, a small village on the Amazon River, teaching students and immersing herself in the cul-ture that has become second nature to her. She laments that she hasn’t been back to Peru in the past two years, but instead most recently visited Mexico over Thanks-giving break. It makes sense for a Spanish teacher to visit and teach in all of these lo-cations, but the unique thing about Roe is that she is from a place nowhere near them: Minnesota. Sadly after her four-year run at FWCD, Roe will be returning to her home state of Minnesota this summer so she can spend more time with her parents, specifically her mother who will be having two surgeries in the future. Roe is excited to return to Minne-sota, a complete polar opposite from Texas. An average day in late March in Texas is a sunny, 75-degree day, but in Minnesota, there is still a chance of snow on the ground and temperatures that average in the 20s and 30s. Another geological difference that Roe is looking forward to is the lakes. “I love kayaking so it’ll be great to get back to all of the lakes in Minnesota. I can still kayak a bit here, but it’s nothing like in Min-nesota, especially at sunset,” Roe said. These lakes also provide a special place for Roe to kayak to. Her family owns a small island off the coast of a lake near her hometown. The island used to be full of eagles and loons, but the birds have left the island. Roe particularly liked watching the baby eagles learn how to fly. Now that the

eagles are gone, her favorite part is taking friends to visit the island. Since there are no buildings, Roe and family and friends camp on the island and do all of the traditional camping activities like roasting s’mores over a campfire at night. However, one geological difference that Roe is going to miss about Texas is Big Bend. The annual eighth grade trip is her favorite memory about FWCD, and she is sad that this will be her last year to go on the trip. Fellow eighth grade team member, Aaron Hoover, is going to miss having Roe on the trip, too. “Roe is a great teammate to hike with. I’ll miss having her and her Minnesotan accent around,” Hoover said. When she is in Texas, she misses Minneso-ta, and when she is in Minnesota, she misses Texas. The only solution Roe has to this problem is to come back and visit the town, her old friends in the Spanish Department and the Eighth Grade Team, and former students. She also encourages her old stu-dents to visit her before the school year ends because it is one of the things she enjoys most about being a teacher at FWCD.

One of Amy Roe’s favorite vacation spots is Peru. Her classroom is filled with pictures and artifacts that she has collected over the years from her visits there and she hopes to return again soon. “Peru holds a very special place in my heart,” Roe said. Photo by Alex Doswell ‘16

Alex Doswell photo editor

Zach “Reimdog” Reimer graduated from FWCD in 2003. He only spent his senior year at FWCD, but the school made a big enough impact on him that he applied for a job here. He is sad to leave, but has enjoyed his time here. Photo by Alex Doswell ‘16

Stacy Sanford, Lower School Science teacher, has taught at FWCD for 16 years. Over the years, she has made

many traditions possible such as Starlab, the portable planetarium system. Starlab allows all Lower School students to learn about ancient cultures and constellations. Also, in 1999 Sanford created the Bubble Festival, a fun activity that happens at the end of each school year.

Students agree that Star Lab was one of the most memorable things from their lower school career. “Star Lab is one of my most memora-ble experiences from being in Mrs. Sanford’s lower school class. My favorite part was get-ting to take my shoes off and crawl into the dome to see all of the stars”, Jack Mock’17 said. Some of Sanford’s best memories from being a Lower School teacher are Edward Hudson’s turkey calls and embarrassing Shelby Sanford, her daughter, when she taught her.

After she leaves Country Day, Sanford plans on enjoying Shelby’s senior year. She also has plans to pursue student-led travel groups and catering. Sanford started a travel group called Camp Aspen when her daughter Shelby was in second grade. Every summer she travels to Aspen, CO with several students to explore the flora and fauna. Sanford hopes to one day offer other trips to different places such

as New York, Paris, and Italy. “It has been a pleasure getting to know the students and I hold many special memories in my heart,” Sanford said. Even though Sanford will be leaving Coun-try Day, she plans on traveling. In addition to taking trips around the world, Sanford will continue her casserole and catering business. She also has a passion for Vinyasa Yoga and hopes to pursue that in her free time.

Stacy Sanford has taught at FWCD for 16 years, and her daughter Shelby Sanford ‘15 is a rising senior. Sanford looks forward to having free time during her daugh-ter’s senior year so that they can spend as much time as possible together before Shelby departs for college. Photo by Alex Doswell ‘16

Olivia Lincolnreporter

Garrett PoDellonline editor

Although Cody will be leaving this year, this is not the end of her relation-ship with FWCD. Her son, Noah Cody ‘16, still has two more years at FWCD. Photo by Glamourcraft

CEN

TERS

PR

EAD

8FA

LCO

N

QU

ILL

THE

MAY2014

Kevin Ford, known for his ability to effectively teach difficult and chal-lenging math concepts, his hilarious

daily puns, and his knack for making clever jokes in the middle of his math lessons, will be leaving FWCD after eleven years of teaching. Ford first became inter-ested in teaching while studying abroad in Austria, working as a teaching as-sistant at a college prep high school. After returning from Austria, Ford pursued his master’s degree in German, in hopes of teaching this language at the college level.

After nine years of teaching and three years spent at Fort Worth Country Day, Ashley Weeg, Upper School

and Middle School Latin teacher, will be taking a break from teaching. She is admired by students, including Christine Bessant. “She is one of the best teachers I have ever had,” Bessant said. Weeg has coached girls’ JV soccer for the past years that she has been at FWCD and this year was promoted to be assistant coach to the girls’ Varsity team. As I did have Mrs. Weeg as a coach this year I can say that she was definitely a positive addition to the team. She always had a way to make us smile even after we had a bad loss, by telling us short anecdotes about her children or even her high school experience, going to both Nolan Catholic High School as well as Trinity Valley School. As a coach she was

Halfway through his master’s degree pro-gram, however, Ford decided that he would rather teach at the high school level, and he knew that to do this he would need a second

also a prominent factor in our win of District Two Champions. On our journey to victory, Coach Weeg instilled determination in each and every one of us, as players as well as students. Now that Weeg’s time at Country Day is coming to an end, she plans on being a stay at home mother for her four kids: Blake, 6, who is going to Southwest Christian; Aislinn, 5, who was just admitted to FWCD’s kinder-garten program and already a soccer star; Alexa, 14 months; and finally Brock, who is due in July. When asked about her favorite memory at Fort Worth Country Day, she it said it would be meeting all the students at Country Day and having the opportunity to coach Varsity soccer. Although she will not be teaching next year she does still plan on helping to coach the varsity team.

She manages a farm she recently inher-ited in Virginia. She is an avid hiker in Taos, New Mexico. She is a seasoned

poet and has taught for a whopping 46 years. And who is this mysteri-ous woman you ask? Is it Wonder Woman? Mother Te-resa? Oprah? No, it’s Claire Robin. Robin has been teaching freshmen and some sopho-more English classes at FWCD for eleven years, as well as sponsoring Link Crew for her first five years. When I asked her what her favorite moment was in her eleven years at FWCD, she smiled and skimmed over several fond memories she has made over the years. “My favorite memory a Country Day is when the freshmen (the current seniors) threw me a surprise birthday party for my 66th birthday. I was so surprised when I walked in but it was so cheerful and fun,” Robin said. Robin’s love for literature and teaching of the subject has impacted students and has refined their writings. “I used to feel uncomfortable writing- like I had the feeling that I was missing something. Ms. Robin has taught us really how to put our feelings on the paper, and being able to express those feelings has helped take off

Falcon Faculty

Ashley Weeg celebrates with girls’ varsity soccer team after winning D2 champion-ship. She has coached soccer at FWCD for three years. Photo courtesy of Lisa Wallace

Ford offers a student extra assistance after one of his classes. Photo by Alex Do-swell

Brianna ordoñezreporter

a lot of pressure that freshman year has to bring,” Robert Patton ‘17 said. When most teachers retire, you would

assume that they would fill their leisure time with relaxation, but not Robin. “Well I recently inherited a farm in Vir-ginia, so I will need to be up there most of the time to manage it. I love to landscape and work on my yard so I will do that, too. I really am also trying to continue writing poetry and connect with some of my old college and past friends that I haven’t seen in a while- oh and I can’t forget about going to Taos, New Mexico and hiking. And I would love to go to Vienna, Austria more,” Robin said. With all of her past accomplishments, her astounding amount of teaching years, and the plans she has scheduled to fulfill after she retires, Claire Robin really is the most interesting woman in the world.

Ross Biggsreporter

William newtonreporter

Ashley weeg US & MS Latin

CLAIRE ROBIN US English

KEVIN FORD US Math

subject. Ford chose math. “My strength in the subject and my love for problem solving made mathematics a natural choice,” Ford said. While the majority of the FWCD commu-nity knows of Ford’s strong teaching ability, many students don’t know about one of Ford’s more lesser-known talents: his musi-cal ability. Ford has a long history in music, dating back to his high school years where he performed in both his school’s band and choir. By his senior year, Ford was named drum major for his school’s marching band, a sizeable feat in a large public high school. Ford continued singing in various choirs throughout his time in college and sang in a semi-professional group, called Paradigm Vo-cal Ensemble, for several years as well. Ford has continued his interest in music, and he contributed his talents to the FWCD Theater Department this past spring. In the performance “Bye, Bye Birdie,” Ford performed as a special guest actor, playing the role of the mayor. “Being in the musical was the most fun I’ve had here at Country Day in a long time,” Ford said. While he enjoyed his time at FWCD, Ford is looking forward to his opportunity to teach

college-level math at Tarrant County College next year as well as pursuing his doctorate degree in mathematics at the University of Texas at Arlington. “I am excited to pursue a goal that I’ve had for years which is to teach at the college level,” Ford said.

Robin celebrates her 66th birthday with one of her freshman classes, who are now seniors. Photo courtesy of Claire Robin

Judith Garrett US Spanish

US Spanish teacher Judy Garrett, commonly known as just “Judith,” by her students, was greatly missed

by her students during her three-month absence this year for foot surgery. Through-out her 12 years, Garrett entertained her students with her unorthodox methods -- such as songs and games, and making up

her own acronyms -- and shared with FWCD Upper School students her vast knowledge of Spanish. As for what she’ll miss most about Country Day, Gar-rett said, “It’s obvi-ously the students,

just their energy and ability to find humor in everything, is just unique and wonderful.” With her newfound spare time, Garrett plans to spend more time with her grandchil-dren, travel, and finally clean her house. “It’s something that’s been needing to be done for awhile,” Garrett said. Her work with the Diversity Club was also greatly admired by the students and faculty alike. “Mrs. Garrett always comes in with a smile on her face, and is always a fun person to be in class with,” Tyler Steele ‘14 said.

Garrett Podellonline editor

““I tried some bear stew. It was a little grizzly.

-- one of many puns found on Kevin Ford’s classroom board

California. “It’s a great school, and I’m thrilled to have been named head of it,” Hereford said. “I also have lots of friends out there [in California].” Having become a very established figure on campus, Hereford has been able to see Country Day through many different lenses. He’s the husband of a teacher, allowing him to witness individual students’ growth; he’s head of the upper school, allowing him to see familiar faces everyday and offer guid-ance; and just recently, he’s been able to view Country from the perspective of a parent. We’ve enjoyed having him as a mentor, a leader, and most importantly, a friend. We know he’ll do great things for the students at Laguna Beach, and we wish him the best of luck in the future.

9

MAY2014

FALC

ON

QU

ILL

THE

CEN

TERSPR

EAD

counselor have the opportunity to lead such a great organization. Another woman that Robinson uncondition-ally loves is Lower School counselor Teresa Fuss, the woman who convinced Ginger to take the job after hesitations. Fuss, along with Middle School counselor Kellie McLarty, have been her confidantes and support team for eleven years, so leaving them will be hard for Robinson. However, having such great friends and students here at FWCD gives Robinson more of a reason to come back and visit frequently. As for Robinson’s post-retirement plans, she is going to be a busy woman. She wants to continue her career in motivational speaking but more often. When Robinson isn’t speak-ing, she plans to spend her time surrounded by family. Between her father, her husband, her daughter and son-in-law, and her seven, soon-to-be eight, grandchildren, she is going to have her hands full in the best way pos-sible. And whenever her schedule allows it, she is going to kayak as often as she can.Robinson will still miss FWCD though, and FWCD will miss her in return. She says that the 11 years at FWCD are the best of her 39 years in education. She has helped FWCD in so many ways; creating a safer community that protects against eating disorders, estab-lishing a stronger Link Crew system, and boosting the spirits of the many students that have come into her office feeling down. “Ginger has been a huge presence in my life, as she’s always helped me whenever I’ve had questions about anything, from helping me adjust to a new school to leading by example. Overall, she’s been an incredible positive influence in my first three years of high school,” Garrett Podell ’15, a current Link Crew leader, said. Podell is not the only student that Robinson has positively affected during her eleven years at FWCD. She will be greatly missed, and we will always have a smile on our faces when we think of her.

The most noticeable thing in Upper School counselor Ginger Robinson’s cozy office is the bulletin board that

is flooded with pictures and notes from stu-dents. There are so many notes and pictures that it’s obvious that Robinson, known to students and faculty members as Ginger, is loved deeply by all of her students, current and former. The pictures never make her smile, for seeing pictures of students remind her of moments shared together. However, the notes are what Robinson especially loves. Sometimes, the notes are just a quick “thank you” for helping out with something small. Other times, the notes have deep meanings from situations that Robinson has helped students get through. These are the notes that Robinson will remember for the rest of her life because they remind her that her time as a guidance counselor wasn’t fruitless. She made an impact on each and every one of these students and many more. Rewind to 2003 and Robinson came to FWCD after being a guidance counselor at an elementary school. The change was a complete 180, but she was determined to do the best job possible. Robinson decided that the best way to get kids to come in and talk to her was to have an open door policy. Kids didn’t have to get permission to visit Robin-son’s office, they simply just had to go inside and ask if she was available to talk. “The kids had to self-refer themselves to me and then tell me what their problem was. From then on, I did all of the work of listening and validating their feelings and then solving the problems. To be able to say that I helped those kids work through those problems is a great feeling,” Robinson said.Robinson didn’t just affect the lives of stu-dents either. She became close friends with her professional colleagues, especially Upper School Mathematics teacher Paula Weath-erholt who was also her assistant in Link Crew. It will be hard for Robinson to leave Weatherholt and the Link Crew community, but she’s excited to let the new guidance

Ginger Robinson entertains the freshman class at Freshman Orientation. Robinson has been the guidance counselor at Fort Worth Country Day since 2003. Photo courtesy of FWCD

Alex Doswellphoto editor

Connall McCormackcopy editor

Step inside the FWCD admissions building and you’ll find perhaps the busiest group of people on campus.

However, under the leadership of Barbara Jiongo, they are perhaps the most welcom-ing. “We are the first face of welcome for FWCD and we must always treat a prospective fam-ily the way that we would want to be treated,” Jiongo said. Welcoming new and prospective students to the school is a key facet of the admissions process that Jiongo has successfully guided throughout her years at FWCD. However, she has little concern about the well-being of the department following her retirement. Jiongo feels blessed by the opportunity her office has had this year to transition into a new era. Under the direction of Kathy Lott and Yolanda Espinoza, “they’re going to do bigger and better things than I ever dreamed

of,” Jiongo said. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving if it wasn’t in better shape than when I found it.” With the admissions department in good hands, Jiongo has plenty to look forward to in the years to come. However, not everything she’s looking forward to is in the distant future. Jiongo’s favorite memory from her time at Country Day, of the various happy memo-ries she has accumulated, is graduation. This year she’ll get to see her daughter Maddie ’14 walk across the stage, just as her son John

’12 did two years ago. She enjoys graduation be-cause it represents the culmination of the transforma-tive journey that is spending 13 years at Fort Worth Country Day. Although Jiongo will no longer be the friendly face that welcomes new students to Country Day, the legacy she has left will carry on.

“When people talk about my legacy,

I hope they say she left it better than how she found it,” Jiongo said. Without a doubt, Jiongo has left a lasting impact on the Coun-try Day community by establishing an office in which the top priority is to help familes help their children succeed.

Barbara Jiongo with her daughter Maddie ‘14. Photo courtesy of Maddie Jiongo

Zane Lincolneditor in chief

Rob Hereford has enjoyed his time at Country Day and is ready for a new adventure in CA. Photo courtesy of Glamourcraft

As May 16th is fast ap-proaching, For Worth Country Day faculty, staff,

and students are already preparing for the 2014-2015 school year with course request forms, senior polo orders, teacher training for the new technology implementation projects. The list goes on and on. With that being said, as the class of 2014 graduates and leaves the nest, so are some of the familiar faces we see on campus every day. Rob Hereford, head of the upper school, will be graduating with this year’s seniors to soar onto grander heights. For 8 years, he’s seen the community grow up. Now it’s time for us to seem him grow up in his own way. Him and his wife, Aman-da Whalen, middle school science teacher, recall having discussions at the dinner table about kids she taught in 7th grade who are now upper schoolers. “The most fun thing has been seeing students that Amanda has had in 7th grade growing up,” Hereford said. Hereford will be the new Head of School at Laguna Blanca in Santa Barbara, Cali-fornia, where he, Whalen, and his two sons, plan to start the next chapter of their lives. It’s a school much smaller than Country Day, with only 305 students spread across grades K-12. Their youngest son will begin preschool while their oldest will go into 1st grade. Hereford hopes that the smaller class sizes will allow him to continue doing what he does here: connect with the student body. “Because of the nature of the size of the school, everyone is more involved,” Hereford said. “Since it’s a much smaller community, I will hopefully be able to form lasting rela-tionships with all of the kids.” Knowing this, Hereford is a little relieved at the move west, but he’s still very excited about what’s in store in sunny southern

GINGER ROBINSON US Counselor

TAKE FLIGHT

BARBARA JIONGODirector of Admissions

ROB HEREFORDUS Division Head

EDWENA THOMPSONFourth Grade

Edwena Thompson has been a beloved fourth grade teacher for 22 years, beginning in the fall 1992. Even though she’s been dubbed as the hardest fourth grade teacher, her current and former students love her class because it provides the perfect balance of different subjects. “My favorite part of Mrs. Thompson’s class was definitely her geography les-sons,” Alex Doswell ‘16 said.

SARAH BIBB First Grade

Sarah Bibb began her first grade teaching career at FWCD in the fall of 2010. We wish her well on her next adventure.

NEW

S10

FALC

ON

Q

UIL

L

THE

MAY2014

EVERYBODY HAS A STORY:HARRY THOMAS

During the winter pep rally of last year, each student awaited the class contest to see who would be randomly drawn from

a hat to represent their grade in a contest that could be anything from wobbling or twerking to car-rying oranges in a relay race from one teammate to another. When the contest was announced and it was tumbling, the freshmen immediately roared in hopes that Harry Thomas would be chosen to represent their grade due to his years of experience in the area. Sure enough, he was drawn and the freshmen won easily, largely due to his participation.

Harrison Brantley Thomas is a freshman at FWCD and an Original. He avidly participates in gymnastics, and has since he was just five years old. He trains at Lone Star Gym in Fort Worth and competes on the gym’s com-petitive team. “I have gone as far as California to compete with my team from Lone Star,” Thomas said. Currently, Thomas is working with his coaches and teammates to perfect his double front flip on the floor, as he has already mastered his 1 ½ flip. He can also perform a double back flip on the floor. These tricks don’t even begin to cover all of the tricks Thomas performs in a competitive atmosphere; these are just a few of his most impressive ones. Thomas’ favorite mastered trick thus far is

subject. Gymnastics isn’t Thomas’ only talent; he also a practicing pianist. He takes lessons from his teacher to improve his skill, learn new material and get new songs. He plays ev-erything from classical to jazz music, and he enjoys all types. Thomas showcases his piano skills every few months in recitals where he performs the songs he has been practicing. In bettering our community here at FWCD, Thomas plays a large leadership role and takes extreme pride in his school. He is set to serve on the Honor Council as a sophomore next year, and he couldn’t be more excited and honored. “I am so excited to be elected onto the Honor Council because it is important and I thought I was the best candidate for the job,” Thomas said. Thomas said that he doesn’t in fact have any secret talents of unique qualities, but as a close friend of Thomas’, Brianna Ordoñez (9), said, Thomas, “is such a good guy and super nice. He’s really talented and one of my really good friends.” As Thomas continues to excel at all of his extracurricular activities, he strives to achieve the best skill level he possibly can. He hopes to compete in the Junior Olympics national championships next year, and so far it looks like he is headed onto the right track to ac-complish this goal. Assuming he heals from his injury as quickly as possible, he will con-tinue to train for this big event. The location of the championships hasn’t been announced yet, but this past year it was held in Califor-nia. Wherever the elite competition is held, it is almost guaranteed that one of our own, Harry Thomas, will be there.

katie andersonads editor

his 2 ½ twisting back flip, which is a back flip in which you spin 2 ½ times while in

mid-air. However, Thomas is currently injured so his practices at Lone Star have sadly come to a temporary halt. He has fractured growth plates in his wrist, and hopes to soon continue training to complete the tricks he has started learn-ing. Because Thomas spends a whopping 22 hours a week training at his gym, it can sometimes be difficult for him to manage his time with school, family, friends, and training. He must make smart use of his time in school to get his work done before he goes to practice at night. “When I get home from practice, I don’t have any time to mess around, and I have to get started on my homework. I also have to take advantage of my free period at school and extra time at announcements,” Thomas said. Thomas’ favorite subject at school is history, and he says that he owes a lot of his enjoyment and success in the subject to his teacher this year, Brian Farda. The class interests him and his teacher adds to his interest in the

Thomas competed in the Metroplex Invitational at the Fort Worth Convention Center recently. Here he preforms a routine on the bar “This was one of my more serious competitions,” Thomas said. Here he preforms a routine on the bar. Photo courtesy of Harry Thomas ‘17

NEW

S11

FALC

ON

QU

ILL

THE

MAY2014

SPO

RTS

12FA

LCO

N

QU

ILL

THE

MAY2014

Falcon Boy’s Tennis: Heart + Hustle = Wins

“The difference to me is definitely com-petitive spirit,” Missi Kovachev ’89 said. Country Day Boy’s Tennis has been one of the most puzzling sports in the school. Two years ago, the team finished third in Division Two with a team filled with great athletic

Garrett Podellonline editor

talents such as Chris Man-ning ’12, Cameron Slife ’12, James Chilcoat ’12, and Jay Kurani ’12. The expecta-tions for that team were sky-high going into the 2012 season; however, the talent never quite equaled the desired results. In 2013, with almost an entirely new, senior-laden team, coming into the season hoping just to win one conference match, the team ended up finishing in the same exact spot as the year before, Division Two, third place. Fast forward to 2014, this year’s team only returned three players from the 2013 team: Gar-rett Podell ’15, Alexander Cheiffalo ’16, and Walker Wade ’15. This year’s team is relying on more freshmen (two), than sophomores and seniors combined (1), and somehow succeeding in ways the teams of years past have not. For ex-ample, the boy’s team beat Episcopal School of Dallas three match wins-to two matches for the first time in five or six years on March 20, a task that seemed nearly impossible just a few months ago. To follow that up, the team beat Nolan Catholic four match wins- to their one.

“I really think our team just plays their hearts out every time out there, which has led to some solid success,” Alexander Cheiffalo ’16 said. One theory for the successful start is the intensity at which the team goes at each other

in practice. The two doubles lines of whoever Coach chooses that day, and ’15, Nicholas Aufiero ’17, and Ben Nober ’17 play matches against each almost every practice to see who gets to take the line one doubles spot for the next match. “Really, all we do is play hard all the time, there’s not much else to it,” Ben Nober ’17

said. When even the freshmen realize the ben-efits of hard work and buy into the team philosophy early, you just know this team has the potential to be special. The team closed out their last home match of the year

against Trinity Valley on April 23, defeat-ing the Trojans three matches to two to complete the season sweep of that other school on Bryant Irvin. “It was a fun way to send Garrett Podell and I out on a high way, winning our last home matches,” Chieffalo said.

The FWCD Boy’s Varsity tennis team is having an odds-defying, surprisingly successful season.Photo courtesy of Garrett Podell ‘15

Alexander Chieffalo ‘16, the tennis team’s top player, rears back for a serve.Photo by Auril Maxwell ‘ 17

Garrett Podell ‘14, who is playing his last tennis season with FWCD, backhands the ball with intense concentration.Photo by Auril Maxwell ‘ 17

Spring Sports 2014

Brad Chilcoat ‘17 and Brian Evans ‘17Photo courtesy of Jackie Rains

Anna Puff ‘17Photo courtesy of Jackie Rains

Nick Aufiero ‘17Photo by Auril Maxwell ‘ 17

Adele Elkind ‘16Photo by Auril Maxwell ‘17

Reed Simpson ‘14Photo courtesy of Meredith Mallick ‘ 17

Kate Laughlin ‘15Photo by Bailee Wallace ‘ 14

David Burton ‘16Photo by Bailee Wallace ‘ 14

Isabella Chieffalo ‘14Photo by Chloe Pyron ‘ 17

NEW

S13

FALC

ON

QU

ILL

THE

MAY2014

Coming Soon: Album Releases for 2014 Connall McCormackcopy editor

Lana Del Rey: UltraviolenceDel Rey’s highly anticipated follow-up to 2012’s Born To Die does not yet have a release date, but limited information is available. Ultraviolence was produced by Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach, and will likely show a more intense side of Del Rey if released track West Coast is any indication. “It’s absolutely gorgeous,” Del Rey said via Twitter. “Darker than the first.” Regardless, Del Rey will likely expand on the songwriting talents that propelled Born to Die to unprecedented success.

Ed Sheeran: x (multiply)-June 23If you were a fan of Sheeran’s infectious songwriting on his debut album, +, prepare for a similarly substance-fueled follow-up: according to an interview with Rolling Stone, Sheeran penned some of his new tracks while high on ecstasy. Judging by the radio success of released single Sing, Sheeran will easily avoid a sophomore slump. However, it’s unlikely that Sing’s upbeat nature will permeate throughout the album, as the heartbreak-laden tracks of + con-tributed greatly to its success.

Lil Wayne: Tha Carter V- May 5 The ever-enigmatic Weezy returns to the game with the fifth installment of tha Carter series in early May. Unlike Ultraviolence, Wayne’s new LP remains under wraps: no tracks have been released, nor information about potential producers. However, expect Wayne to con-tinue his traditionally offensive lyrical genius in what could be his final solo effort. Regardless of his criticisms, Lil Wayne is undeniably unique in the rap community and any release of his commands attention.

The Black Keys: Turn Blue-May 12The Black Keys continue their odyssey to take blues-filled folk rock to the mainstream with their new album Turn Blue. Pre-released title track Turn Blue indicates that their newest LP will lean in a rather pessimistic direction (the chorus features the line “I really don’t think you know, there could be hell below/I really do hope you know”). Despite the assuredly negative tone of their latest work, the Ohio duo will likely continue the success they’ve built behind 2011’s El Camino and 2010’s Brothers and reach widespread popularity.

Rumored or Unconfirmed Albums •Kanye West (Rumored) •Kendrick Lamar-September

Release•U2 (Rumored) •Dr. Dre-Detox (Rumored) •Taylor Swift (Rumored) •Adele (Rumored)

FORT WORTHUniversity Park Village1600 South University Drive817.332.6372

ARLINGTONI-30 at Collins550 Lincoln Square682.323.3050

cateringand parties

MENUS STARTING AT$10 FOR LUNCH

($8.50 BOX LUNCHES)AND $14 FOR DINNER

Whether you’re planning a big celebration or a small get-together, let Blue Mesa Grill bring the flavors of the Southwest and seamless professional service to your event. - Full service, set-up service or "no frills" pick up or delivery

- Private and semi-private dining rooms in all locations

ORDER ONLINEbluemesagrill.com

NEW

S14

FALC

ON

Q

UIL

L

THE

MAY2014

“Dentistry, like Falconry, depends upon skill. Your smile, like the

Falcon’s Quill, needs tendering.”

Hulen Family Dentistry4900 Overton Ridge

817.370.0065FEATURING

Zoom In-Office Whitening System

JESSICA H. BRIGATI, D.D.S

Outdoor Activities:Fort Worth Zoo (New: Asian elephants and jaguar cubs)Fort Worth Botanical GardensBike/Run/Walk the Trinity TrailsFort Worth Water Gardens

Eagle Mountain Lake/Possum Kingdom/Lake Worth

Six Flags Over Texas or NRH20 Hawaiian Falls on White Settlement (Opens Memorial Day 2014) Rollerland Flight Deck Rockwood GoKart Track Wimberley Zip-Lining Adventures

Sundance Square Stockyards Kimbell Art Museum (Samurai Exhibit) Modern Art Museum (FOCUS by Rirkrit Tiravanija Museum of Science and History Globe Life Park in Arlington (Rangers)

George Strait – June 7, AT&T Stadium Blake Shelton – June 21, Gexa Energy Pavilion

Lady Gaga – July 17, American Airlines Center Matchbox Twenty – July 31, American Airlines Center Jonas Brothers – August 6, Gexa Energy Pavilion Tim McGraw – August 8, Gexa Energy Pavilion

Check the Resource page on Country Day Website for sites to receive community service hours

Sites include: Meals on Wheels Presbyterian Night Shelter Tarrant Area Food Bank/Mobile Pantry Volunteer at Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on May 10 Volunteer at Country Day’s Breakthrough Program

Most Popular Beach: Seaside, Florida Coolest Weather: Telluride, Colorado Closest Beach: Port Aransas, Texas Best View: Grand Canyon, Arizona Best Historical: Washington, D.C. Visit Garrett – (535 Fallswatch Circle, Johns Creek, Georgia) College visits Get a job!

Summer Preview

The Fort Worth Zoo’s jaguar cub, Sasha, poses next to its mother, Xochi. Sasha was born in July 2013 and weighed 2 pounds. Sasha will be staying at the Fort Worth Zoo for one more year, and then she will be moved to another area. Photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Zoo

Six Flags Over Texas’ new thrill ride, Texas SkyScreamer, tow-ers at 400 feet and swirls you around in a circle at 35 mph. Photo courtesy of MCT Campus McClatchy-Tribune Infor-mation Services

Jonas Brothers, Nick, Joe, and Kevin, jam out on stage at a Florida concert back in 2009. The Jonas Brothers initially split up as a band, but are getting back together for a summer 2014 tour. Photo courtesy of MCT Cam-pus

Staying in Town: Parks:

Concerts: Fort Worth Culture:

Travel:

Community Service:

Garrett Podell ‘17 smiles for one of his last photos taken at Country Day. Podell will be moving to Georgia for his senior year because of his dad’s job promotion. Photo by Mimi Ryan ‘16

Globelife Park in Arlington is home to the Texas Rangers through-out the summer. The park holds 49,155 seats, so there’s always a chance to get a ticket. Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

Who doesn’t love summer? Here are a couple of ideas to put on your agendaMimi Ryan and Natalie Rosenthal section editor and reporter

PERSP

ECTIV

ES15

FALC

ON

QU

ILL

THE

MAY2014

Dear Fort Worth,

Dear Fort Worth,

Well, this is difficult. When I moved to Texas, three years before I started, I had no idea what my life would be like because I had heard life in Texas is much different than anywhere else. The scariest thing for me was looking around and seeing the groups of people chatting away about the first day of school, what teachers they had, who had asked whom to homecoming (homecoming was early that year, October to be exact), and how their summers had been, typical stuff. I had no idea how my years in high school were going to pan out because I didn’t know anyone.. When I say didn’t know people, I mean, I knew NOBODY. That’s when the beauty of Fort Worth hit me. Almost imme-diately after I stepped in the Upper School Commons, people ran up to me saying, “Hey, you’re new I’ve never talked to you before.” Before I knew it, I was in a circle of people all-eager to welcome me and be some of my first friends. The immediate sense of community I felt is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been. Trust me, I know a thing or two about living life in different places, having lived in five states in seventeen years of life (Wisconsin, California, Illinois, Georgia, and the Lone Star State, Texas). Since that fate-ful first day back on August 20, 2011, I have had nothing but fun spending my days in the Fort. From all the fantastic and fun people, to the great sports teams, and great restaurants, I just got that feeling that Fort Worth was where I was meant to be. I’ve had so much fun here, that I blinked, and the year is now 2014, and I’m only a few months away from having to apply to college. Even though it’s only been three years, I’ve felt like I’ve been here since day one. That’s a testament to the quality of human beings I’ve been fortunate enough to know and befriend. Some of my favorite memories include: playing basket-ball and tennis for FWCD, being a part of the incredible group of people that is the Quill Staff (join it, it’s well worth your time),

Link Crew, the Boston Journalism Conven-tion, and the DC trip. Playing basketball for FWCD and Coach Breedlove was a challenge no doubt, but it made me not only a better basketball player, but a better hu-man being . While the CDS tennis team was significantly different each and every year I’ve been on it, it’s been nothing but pure fun to go out there every day with some talented guys and just hit some tennis balls. The Quill staff contains some of the best people in Fort Worth and has made some of my favorite memories in Fort Worth. I know I will have those guys in my life long after everyone’s time on the staff comes to a close. Link Crew created some superb friendships for me, and the ability to mentor/assist freshman in their acclimation process is something I highly value because that’s something I am ever grateful for. However, I now have to leave this great town too soon because my dad was hired by a company based in Georgia. On the afternoon of May 25th, the first Sunday of summer, I have to leave Texas. However, this will not be a good-bye moment, it will be a see you later moment. Some of the friends I have made here are people who I will be friends with and keep in close contact with for the rest of my life. I also plan on coming back at some point next year, I’m not sure when though, just yet. I promise to definitely come back if anybody chooses to ask me back for any of the dances! It would be a huge honor for me if someone were to ask me back for any of the dances. Overall, I just want to show my appreciation and gratitude for everyone who welcomed me and to those who continue including me in your lives. Thank you for the incredible memories, relationships, and the support: you guys are people I will never, ever forget. Let’s keep in touch, I love you guys and will miss y’all dearly! For now, I hope to have as much fun as possible, as my time left is limited, but I know it’ll be a great time! Sincerely, Garrett

Garrett Podellonline editor

I, Garrett Podell, do hereby bequeath:Without further ado, I, Garrett Podell, do hereby bequeath: to Joseph Breedlove, my dance skills, nachos from Fuzzys, and joint custody of Coleman Walker; to Brad Chil-coat, my wisdom and knowledge of the way of Link Crew, the ability to make the right decision, even when it’s hard, and joint cus-tody of Coleman Walker; to Meredith Berry, my epic ability to throw donuts, my ankles, and the patience to endure play CDS tennis; to Savannah Norman, my Jurickson Profar t-shirt because you don’t really like him that much, fantastic Snapchat conversations, and good times at the Colonial Golf Tourna-ment; to Nic Aufiero, my net skills and my better hair; to Olivia Lincoln, my writing skills, love of Quill, some solid laughs, and Nic Aufiero; to Ben Nober, Fruit Roll-Ups and the ability to return second serves on match points; to Amanda Stephens, my driving ability and my ability to say whatever comes to my mind; to Kelton Rippetoe, my sarcasm and late night Whataburger runs; to Mimi Ryan, my online story ideas and nickname creativity; to Taft Henderson, my three point shot and my Spanish skillz; to Coleman Walker, Brad Chilcoat and Joseph Breedlove, my pool talent, polo collar shirts, peace and quiet while watching “House of Cards,” and some taffy; to Alex Doswell, my sass, my ever optimistic attitude, tacos from Torchy’s, my sincerest apologies for many, many, many things and my fantastic friend-ship (no matter what you hear, I’ve always got your back), my resilience and Connall McCormack; to Margot Berry, a fun time out on the tennis courts; to William Newton, my endless enthusiasm and editorship of the Online Quill (check it out at falconquill.org); to John Davidson, some Curly’s and Ol South, good times on the dance floor, and the ability to be energetic on Friday

mornings; to Alexander Chieffalo, my tennis swagger, and ability to get acclimated at new schools; to Henry Ryan, fun times with Stouffer and the endless use of the word EEKS, and a restraining order from hand sanitizer; to Marshall Dike, my height and work ethic for Publications, restraining order from hand sanitizer; to Katie Anderson, my smile, a Jeep, anything Justin Bieber, my swagger, so you get your acceptance to UT, laughter, and my undying friendship; to Connall McCormack, my optimism, my work ethic, my passion for sports, the right to call yourself a bro of mine, my facial expressions, the mental fortitude to make solid decisions, and above all else happiness; to Katherine Haley, my hugs, friendship, singing ability, and the cure to the root of all evil; to the Quill Staff, my answers to Cur-rent Events quizzes, my focus, my InDesign and Photoshop abilities, desire to write Online stories, and the best of luck; to Laura Catherine Wilson, pasta nights, good times at dances, my best wishes, and my loving friendship; to Shelby (Shelbs) Butt, my sense of humor, my relaxed nature, Ben Fortson, and my grades; to Stephen Nolan, my tennis playbook, ability to take tennis seriously, and some sunscreen; to Caroline Cameron, more pets, cookie cake, car selfies and my fun friendship; to Kristin Robinson, a big break in the music industry and happiness in life; to Ben Grubbs, fun car rides, an AUX cord, my relationship advice, and a good time at FWCD; to Coach Breedlove, my intensity, wittiness, and my gratitude for all support and awesome nickname (Po Diddly); to FWCD, better wifi; to Fort Worth, my love and appreciation.

The prevailing image of Garrett Podell ‘15 will always be his ear-to-ear smile. Illustration by JR Torres ‘15

Tyler’s Teepeestyler steelemanaging editor

The senior year finale

There’s no way to prepare for the end of a lifetime of friendships. What has been the norm my entire life is reaching its end. No more will I be training for the upcoming football season during the summer or wondering which of my friends will be in my

classes because that chapter has concluded and a new one is being written. Kids spend their whole life waiting for the day they’ll be “grown-up,” but when that day ar-

rives reality takes those kids on an emotional roller coaster. We all spend our entire childhood complaining about various childish things, but senior year forces you to start appreciating those things you never appreciated properly before. You start to value the time you have with friends and family significantly more as you come to the realization that you’re going down a new path that they can’t follow, but only be there to guide. It reminds me of the days where I would forget my lunch or would need my mom to sign my homework for me. The book fairs. The talent shows. All of those things that defined my childhood are so far away. The memories I’ve attained since beginning high school are unique and unparalleled as I’ve encountered and befriended some of the most amazing people. Graduation rapidly approaches as the clock is seemingly sped up to an unimaginable speed. As I look forward to the future I become confused because, frankly, I have no idea what it holds for me. I am not afraid though. If anything I’m anxious because being afraid prevents one from truly living. Dorothy Thompson once said, “Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live”. There are many uncertainties moving and to some it is exciting and to others it’s frightening. The one thing I’m certain of is that I won’t stop in my endeavors to one day write for “Sports Illustrated” because the day I give up on that dream is the day that I give up on my-self. Life is changing around me and although it’s surreal and saddening, I’m embracing this change and am ready to begin this new chapter in my life.

The 2013-2014 Quill staff embarked on a new adventure online, getting a picture for the staff profile page. Photo by Lisa Wallace

There is no team in the playoffs this year that embodies the persona of a champion more than the Miami Heat. The one seeded Indiana Pacers have been playing poorly since the All-Star break and no other teams from the east region are real

contenders to play in the NBA finals this year. The west region is undoubtedly stacked, but they’re going to beat each other up only to face a rejuvenated and well-rested Miami Heat. The Heat swept the Bobcats and are seemingly going to crush each opponent they come across until the Finals. The only real threat to the Heat not taking a throne for the third time

in a row are the runner-ups from last year’s finals, the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs play the most fundamental and sound basket-ball in the league and were mere seconds away from winning the championship last year, but old age will prevent the Spurs from taking the finals trophy away from LeBron James and the rest of the Heat come June. The Heat have been playing some of the best basketball they’ve played all sea-son and are playing significantly better than their biggest competi-

tion, the Indiana Pacers, are at the moment. LeBron is just as dominate as ever and Dwyane Wade is the healthiest he’s been in a few years. This is a team that is bound and set for greatness this year and not many stand in their way. If the Pacers

continue to struggle and the Heat continue this streak of utter domination, this may be the easiest route to the championship in the three years the Heat have won it.

The Miami HeatDo they three-peat or lose their throne?

tyler steelemanaging editor

Miami Heat forward LeBron James waves to Heat fans after beating the Charlotte Bobcats in Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference quarterfinals at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C. Photo by Michael Laughlin/Sun Sentinel/MCT

NEW

S16

FALC

ON

Q

UIL

L

THE

MAY2014

In Loving MemoryJim Aldridge left a remarkable legacy during his 31 years at Fort Worth Country Day that spread across teachers, parents, students, and

alums. To honor the incredible life that he lead, the people that he inspired the most have left their final words to Dr. A below.

Isaac Klein ‘15“Born in plasma, die in dust. The rest of life is up to us.” -Dr. Aldridge. May he rest in peace while his legacy lives on.

Savannah Norman’16Thank you for sharing your wisdom and truly teaching us about respect, Dr. A. It will not soon be forgotten, and you will be missed.

Kristin Dickerson ‘16One of the greatest and smartest men I’ve ever met. Thank you so much for teaching us Dr A. We’ll miss you.

Zane Lincoln ‘14You were so much more to me than a chemistry teacher, Dr. A. You taught me how to find passion and pursue it to no end. We love you.

Branson Nelson ‘16Country Day just lost the best teacher and more importantly the best man we will ever meet. Rest in Peace, Dr. A. We will always remember you.

Edwin Carbajal ‘16Rest in Peace, Dr. A. You will never be forgotten.

Dheeraj Reddy ‘15My teachers tried to tell me to drop at least 1 AP course for my junior year. If Dr. A hadn’t believed in me, I probably wouldn’t have be-lieved in myself either. I’m sure this was the case for many other students. Dr. A taught me so much more than just chemistry.

Katherine D’Souza ‘16Rest in Peace, Dr. James Aldridge. You were a great man and you will never be forgotten.

Erin Ford ‘16Sure we’ve all complained about his class, but we can’t anymore. Dr A passed away today, but he’ll always stay in our hearts.

Kelton Rippetoe ‘15Dr. A, you have not only inspired me in the field of science but in everyday life. You will be missed.

Jim Aldridge was a member of the FWCD community for 31 years beginning in the fall of 1983. Faculty members are inducted into Club Viginti after they have serving FWCD for 20 years. His plaque has been a place for people to drop flowers off in memorial to him. Photo by Paige Chisholm ‘87

Wynne Philpott ‘12“Thinking is a process in which various cell membrane ion permeability characteristics alter and neurotransmitters are released....” Dr. Aldridge. I never really knew what that meant but I remembered it word for word because of how smart it sounded and because of the fact that you went out of your way to write me a letter, starting with that, giving me guidance and advice to simply keep believing in whatever it is I was believing in. I didn’t have you for a teacher ever but that never stopped you from welcoming me in to your room to talk about meta physics, God, energy, the speed of light, life. Whatever question or issue I had, you always had a response. Thank you for being there to help me, to help students, teachers, anyone who walked in your room. You lived your life doing what you love and you will be missed.

Sara Shah ‘13Firstly, you were an amazing chemistry teach-er. I remember sitting in my seat sophomore year in awe of all the knowledge and wisdom you had to offer. I still believe that you are one of the most intelligent people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I remember studying for one of your tests; stressed, I sent you a long thought-out text, with what I thought was an extremely complex question. Your response was simple and still makes me laugh to this day: “Look in your textbook”. I cannot imagine my life without you have playing a primary role in it when I needed it the most. My junior year, when I didn’t even have you as a teacher you were there for me as I battled with recovery and for that I will always be grateful. I cannot fully fathom the fact that you are not here with all your students anymore, but your legacy lives on in all of us. We love you Dr. A.

Annabeth Reeb ‘13I remember being afraid when I read your name as my sophomore chemistry teacher, due to your challenging reputation, but that year ended up being my most confident year in science. Most of all I remember all of the discussions we had about my extra credit, when extra credit reading turned into long book discussions with you. You were truly an amazing role model. You will be missed.

Hasan Shah ‘16You have inspired me in numerous ways, from the time I met you till the time you left. You had one of the most brilliant minds I have ever come to know. You treated each and every one of us with pure kindhearted-ness. Although I did not have you as a teach-er, you were there for me whether it was just for a writing center assignment or just a greet in the hall. I wish I had more time to spend with you just to come to know what a genuine and wonderful person you really were. I am honored to have met such an amazing man as you. We all love you. May you rest in peace. You will be dearly missed.

Patrick Gordon ‘14“Science is a model through which we view the world. If I were to ask you to quantify the beauty of a sunset, it would not be a scientific endeavor, but it is an important and worth-while endeavor nonetheless. These models are of quintessential importance to our self actu-alization, and crucial to fulfilling our roles in the human experience.” RIP to Dr. Aldridge, a beautiful man with an even more beautiful mind. You will be missed dearly.

Reagan Smith ‘17Thank you for giving us joy and laughter. I enjoyed our conversations. Thank you for your kind words and for giving me a wonder-ful example to look up to. R.I.P.

Brodie Hyde ‘17I never knew Dr. Aldridge well or even remembered what he looked like but I do re-member his legacy. He was a wonderful man who was always inspired. He brought life to the classroom and to the FWCD Communi-ty. I am deeply saddened to know that I will never have him as a teacher but I will always remember the limitless possibilities. You are in our prayers Dr. Aldridge and always will be. God Bless.

Samuel Kim ‘16I always felt inspired by your profound wisdom and knowledge. You were so much more than a teacher, you were a mentor and counselor. You will be sorely missed by the FWCD community.

Anonymous Dear Dr. A,I will miss your half-smirking smile that you always did and your incredible wit and inspi-ration. I will miss you.

Matthew Leonard ‘14We love you, Dr. A. I hope you get to plant as many orchids as you want. I want you to spell it with a “t,” it adds character.

Ava Shen ‘16Thank you Dr. Aldridge. It’s an honor to know you and be in your class. We love you.

Logan Lawrence ‘15You were one of the best teachers I’ve ever had, and I’ll always remember the classes that you taught me and try to live up to the great scholar and person that you wanted me to be.

Johnny Serralta ‘15Your class taught me so much, I only regret that I could have learned so much more from you. We will miss you!

David Lonergan ‘17Great people pass on, often not when they should. Dr. A will be remembered by all. No matter if he taught you or not, he had an impact on everyone. He will be missed by all.

Aakash Doshi ‘14No one could better instill a love for learn-ing than you. Our discussions not just on science but economics and engineering in-spired me to learn about the world at large. Thanks for making me the man I am.

Erin Wittman Lincoln ‘01Hey Dr. A, Thanks for being my teacher. Now that I’m teaching, I realize that I was THAT student- the one who asked a mil-lion questions, demanded your time during lunch and free periods, and just wouldn’t leave you alone. I now recognize and ap-preciate the patience you showed, and all the encouraging words you shared with me. Your passion and commitment to teaching and learning were evident each day in and out of class. Your truly left your mark here on this earth, and your legacy will continue through those you inspired.

Meredith Novak ‘97Dr. A- Prayers to your family. You were a great teacher. You taught me that chemistry, like life sometimes, is hard to grasp, but well worth the time to study.

James Terry ‘11You taught me the basics of programming and reinforced the importance and, well, coolness of science for me. I wish I could express my gratitude to you for that... You will be remembered.

Margaret Fuller ‘09You were such a huge part of my high school experience, and more than any other teacher at school, you taught me how to think and taught me to love science. I can’t believe I’ll never be visiting you in the science building again. I wish I could have talked to you one more time (a very selfish thought). There are so many words of gratitude I never spoke. You were universally loved, and you will be universally missed. Thank you for all the en-couragement you gave me in the tough times of my young adulthood. You really helped me through some tough times.

Marshall Stouffer ‘11Thank you, for everything you taught me, from science to the little bits of life wisdom. You inspired in me my passion for chemistry and desire to learn. You embodied the defini-tion of a renaissance man. As we carry on the torch that you have left us, you will always live on in our hearts and minds. Rest in peace.

Patrick Dillon ‘13You were, without a doubt, one of the greatest educators I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and I wish I could see you one more time. Your classes were always the highlight of my school day and I feel privileged to have known you. R.I.P. Dr. A.

Yunjae Sohn ‘12You were the best chem teacher I have ever had and I will ever have. I’ve learned so much from your classes.... I wanted to come visit this summer and tell you all about how I still remember a lot from your classes and all those knowledge still help me getting through some of my classes.. I wish I could have visited Texas sooner.. I will always remember you and the suspicious looks you used to give me when I ask dumb questions and all. I will also remember how you loved kiwi birds and everything awesome about this world and I will try to appreciate them as you have. I will miss you Dr. A and I wish I could have said all this sooner.

John Jiongo ‘12R.I.P Dr. A, you meant more to the people in your life than you may have ever known. Thank you for everything that made you the amazing teacher and friend you had always been to the students in the Country Day com-munity. Your life and wisdom will undoubt-edly live on through the countless people who were lucky enough to have you as part of their own lives.

Cully Wiseman ‘97Dr. Aldridge, I’ll never forget walking into your 10th grade chemistry class, trying hard not to feel intimidated by this new and seemingly omnipotent teacher standing before me. Your encouragement, passion for science, and dedication to your students allowed me to achieve the very first aca-demic success at FWCD. You helped set me on an honors track in the sciences, a first for me. For the first time in my entire academic career, I found interest and success in the sciences under your tutelage. Two years later, I again found myself in your AP Chemistry class, struggling with and thor-oughly enjoying the material you taught. As a physician, more than 15 years later, I still remember and utilize some of the same principles you taught me. I’ll forever think about PV=nRT every time I open a bag of chips at a high altitude. I can’t wash the dishes without recalling your voice describing the difference in hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules. Your warmth, sincerity, curiosity, and humor made you the most effective educator I have ever had the privilege of knowing. These characteris-tics also made you a fascinating person and a fine friend. There are so few people like you on this planet. While I am so sad you are gone, I am equally thankful that I was able to know you while you were here. You have left your mark on this world so much more profoundly and effectively than most, and you will be dearly missed.

Shree Bose ‘12Dr. Aldridge was an incredible teacher. Not just because he was one of the first people to encourage me to pursue research outside of class. Not because he allowed me to write my final paper for his sophomore chem class on the work I was doing in the lab for science fairs so I wouldn't get overwhelmed. Not even because he was a fountain of end-less wisdom and wit in every interaction I had with him. But Dr. A was an incredible teacher because he taught me, by example, to believe that amazing things can happen when you do what you love, and for that I will always be grateful. Thank you for be-ing much more than a teacher, Dr. A. My life and all of the lives of the students and people you touched are infinitely better for having known you. Rest in peace.