The Magazine UNIVERSITY SCHOOL of JACKSON

Spring 2012

Alumni, P17-19 Homecoming, P20

Summer Programs, P2 Middle School, P6Giving Back, P16

Lower School, P3-5 Upper School, P7-8, 13 Athletics, P9Achievements, P14-15New teachers, P10-13

Summer Activities at USJUSJ, The Magazine, is published by UniversitySchool of Jackson. Thenext issue is Fall 2012.

232/240 McClellan Rd.Jackson, TN 38305

731.664.0812usjbruins.org

Clay Lilienstern, Head of School

Scott Phillipps, Upper School Director

Courtney Burnette, Middle School Director

Debbie Ford, Lower School Director

Kay Shearin, Director ofAdmissions, 731.660.1692

Carrie Brown Campbell,Director of AlumniRelations,alumni@usjbruins.org

Mary Reed, Newsletter Editor, mary@reedmarketing.com

2

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Whether you want to hone some of your aca-

demic skills, get in touch with your artistic

side, or improve your performance in a sport, USJ

summer programs offer many opportunities.

USJ also offers Camp Bruins, a day-long camp

throughout the summer filled with activities for

two-year-olds through rising sixth grade students

who are enrolled at USJ.

Camp Bruins applications are at the Lower

School front desk; you can register for the other

camps at usjbruins.org/student-life.On the website, you’ll find camps for all ages.

Athletic camps include football, softball, volleyball,

golf, tennis, soccer, and even running. If your stu-

dent needs a little extra attention in a subject area

or a bit of refreshing over the summer, USJ offers

several academic programs, mainly geared to Mid-

dle and Upper School students.

New driver in your family? The Drivers Educa-

tion class may be just what your new driver needs.

Summer is a great time to explore the arts,

whether they be visual or performing. Several

camps will cater to the artist in your child.

New this year is a stone carving class, which is

the first of its kind for USJ. Students in grades 8-12

can participate in a week-long stone carving class

where they will receive hands-on training as they

sculpt their own masterpiece.

So much to choose from and so little time to do

it in, so don’t delay in registering for the programs

you want. You’ll find camp descriptions, dates,

times, and costs at usjbruins.org/student-life.

A USJ Family!

On the cover

It’s the annual Medieval Feast for fourth graders. Parents turn the cafetorium into a castle, and students

dress up as knights, lords, ladies, jesters, and even peasants. The entire Lower School watches them pa-

rade into the castle where they enjoy a special “feast.” (Cover photo by Heidi McDaniel)

3

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Most kids would dread the thought of going to the Head

of School’s office. Tina Anderson’s entire third grade

class got to go and ended up having a great time —

and they learned a few things as well.

For Head of School Clay Lilienstern, the visit turned out to be

delightful and an opportunity to spend time with the third graders.

In the third grade, a portion of the curriculum focuses on com-

munities at home and around the world, Anderson said. “I have

done this for a number of years, and it is always interesting to see

how much the students know

before we even begin to study

the various communities they

may encounter.”

“I survey the students to see

if they know general facts, such

as the president of the United

States, the governor of Ten-

nessee, and the county, city,

and state in which the students

live. I also ask them who the

Lower School Director and

Head of School are. Surpris-

ingly, most thought Lower

School Receptionist Sylvia Bell

was in charge and had no idea

who our Head of School was.”

Anderson decided that this

year she would add a field trip

to the Head of School’s office to her lesson plan. She also prepared

her students to interview Lower School Director Debbie Ford and

Lilienstern to learn more about the people in charge of their school

community.

“We had a lesson on how to conduct oneself during an inter-

view, appropriate questions to ask, how to properly address Mr.

Lilienstern before each question, and to thank him after he had an-

swered,” said Anderson, who with her students made the trek down

the hill to the Upper School campus to meet with Lilienstern. “The

students came up with their own questions,” she said. “I did not

have to change anyone’s question. They wrote them on index cards

and read them to him.”

From if he liked his job to what he did after work to if he had

wanted to be the Head of School since his childhood, the students

took their turns asking Lilien-

stern a variety of questions.

They asked about his pets,

kids, and sports. They also

asked about the hardest part of

his job and what he liked best

about his job. One child

wanted to know if he hired the

basketball coach.

At the end of their meeting,

Lilienstern gave the 21 stu-

dents USJ mouse pads and

pencils.

“The students were polite

and well mannered,” said

Lilienstern. “By 2 p.m. that

day, I had a ‘thank you’ note

from each child.”

“The students were so

amazed with his office and getting to know him that they asked

him to join us for our Thanksgiving feast,” said Anderson.

“What started out as a simple lesson to get to know our own

school community, grew into a bigger lesson on etiquette, man-

ners, and respect.”

Head of School Clay Lilienstern and third grader Annah Miller con-

verse when he makes a visit to her classroom.

The Lower School

Library never

sleeps. It is open

12 months a year. It is col-

orful, active, inviting, in-

formative, adventurous,

and well, just plain fun.

“The Lower Library

was designed in a large L-

shaped floor plan, which

allows for great flow and

space for more than one

activity at a time,” said

Stacey Glover, who has

been the Lower School Li-

brarian for nine years.

“The reading well is large enough for several classes at one

time, and we use it for storytelling, reading, and audio visuals,”

Glover said. “We have comfy couches and oversized chairs in the

library and whimsical artwork by USJ parent Tara Antwine. All

of these design elements make it an inviting place to read, study,

and just spend time.”

Students in grades K-5 come to the library once a week as a

class. They learn basic library skills, such as locating books, au-

thors, illustrators, and

age-appropriate series

and literature. Students

also can visit the library

every morning and af-

ternoon. “We also use

the library as an art

gallery to display stu-

dent projects through-

out the school year,”

Glover said.

Even the youngest

students get a special

story time every other

week. Beth Hudson,

Lower School Assistant

Director, drops by each of the junior cub through junior kinder-

garten classes to read them a book.

USJ developed a summer library program in 2005. The

Lower School library is open every Wednesday in June and July

from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. USJ students can check out books just as

they would during the regular school year. Wednesday morning

programs have grown to include a variety of special guests.

Keeping the more than 23,000 books in the library organized

is no small task. The library’s computerized circulation system

can track each book and can create weekly notifications if a book

is overdue, which has helped reduce the number of lost books.

Nearly 2,000 materials are added to the collection each year.

Older and damaged materials are weeded out and donated to

teachers, non-profit organizations, or other libraries.

“We have a high circulation rate of about 200-250 books

coming in and out of the library each day,” said Glover, who has

a team of volunteers who help throughout the week to keep the

library running smoothly. “I am so lucky to have very dedicated

volunteers. Many of the volunteers have USJ students who have

already graduated.”

The library also manages the school’s Accelerated Reader pro-

gram and coordinates the availability of the tests for students.

Through a subscription service called AR Enterprise, every AR

test that has been written is available to USJ students.

To help fund the many books, programs, and amenities that

make the Lower School Library special, Glover hosts three book

fairs each year, coordinates the Box Top for Education Program,

and also accepts donations, memorials, and honorariums.

“We want to keep making it a special place for our families

and a tremendous resource to the school,” said Glover.

4

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Librarian Stacey Glover reads to students in the library.

Lower School library full of activity and good fun

5

Bringing her enthusiasm for music to the classroom, Eliza-

beth Atkins is giving students in grades 2-5 opportunities

to test their skills on the stage, on the field, and throughout

their lives.

Having taught at USJ off and on for 15 years, Atkins is in her

ninth year of teaching music at the Lower School. She returned to

teaching full-time when Abby, her daughter, started first grade at

USJ. Abby is now a freshman and son, Tanner, is in the fifth grade.

“With Abby starting first grade, I

felt it was time for me to go back to

teaching,” said Atkins, who holds an

education degree from UT and was

one class away from having a minor

in music.

“The Lower School had an open-

ing for a music teacher, and it turned

out to be the perfect job for me.

Music always has been a part of my

life — I played hand bells and sang

in college and was even in some the-

ater productions. I love Broadway

shows and how all the technical and

dramatic aspects work together.”

Her passion for the theater led to each grade having an annual

stage production. Rotating a new show every four to five years per

grade, she tries to match the production’s theme to the grade’s cur-

riculum and to make the experience appropriate for the students.

“I try to have as many opportunities in a show for the kids who

want to have a part to be able to do so,” Atkins said. “I think it

gives the students an opportunity to gain some level of confidence,

whether or not they ever perform on stage again. I also teach them

the correct terminology of the stage so that when they hear it in

Middle and Upper School, they will be familiar with it.”

“We are able to perform these productions partly because of the

commitment from the kids,

their teachers, and parents. I

also have a wonderful core set

of volunteers, along with my

co-worker Mary Ann Gi-

ampapa, who do everything

from running the light board to

helping design, paint, and build

our sets. Our musicals are defi-

nitely an effort in which every-

one pulls together.”

She also oversees the popu-

lar fourth and fifth grade

karaoke during the Lower

School Fall Festival, coordinates

the Lower School’s Grandpar-

ents’ Day patriotic perform-

ances that include a singing group made up of teachers, and helps

plan the schoolwide entertainment at half-time during a high

school football game. “This is a huge collaborative effort across all

divisions and grades and includes choreographing two dance num-

bers for nearly 800 students,” said Atkins.

“One project in the Lower School that is near and dear to my

heart is our participation in the annual National Anthem Project.

Students stand outside around our U.S. flag and sing the National

Anthem. This project occurs every September 14 to commemorate

the anniversary of the writing of The Star-Spangled Banner.”

“I sincerely believe that our Fine Arts Department is unparal-

leled in our area,” said Debbie Ford, Lower School Director. “Our

Lower School stage productions benefit the students in so many

ways and are definitely a high point for every Lower School parent

and grandparent. I applaud Elizabeth Atkins for her hard work and

her genuine love for our students. She is the kind of teacher whose

impact on her students lasts a lifetime.”

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Elizabeth Atkins directs astudent production.

6

In the classroom or on the field, Edgar Willis is a force to be

reckoned with. From teaching to coaching, from field trip co-

ordinator to administrative assistant to the Middle School di-

rector, Willis enjoys filling a multitude of roles at USJ.

Willis joined the USJ family 16 years ago as a Middle School

football assistant. The challenging job was made a bit more difficult

when he found out just three days before the season that he would

be the team’s head coach. Willis quickly adapted, as a 101-30

record shows. He has had only one losing season since he started at

USJ.

In the classroom, Willis teaches sixth grade Tennessee history

and world geography.

“I love being a football coach, because through football you

have the opportunity to build character, deal with adversity, and

work hard,” said Willis. “I love the classroom as well, because it is

structured. You have to be disciplined and have high expectations

for your students. If you expect them

to be perfect and don’t allow excuses,

they will work toward perfection. I be-

lieve that when pretty good or okay

becomes the standard, we all fail.”

Willis, a firm believer in bringing

the classroom to life, was instrumental

in starting many of the field trips taken

in Middle School. Sixth graders start

with a visit to Pinson Mounds and a

day trip to Nashville, which ties in

with their study of Tennessee history.

Seventh graders take a three-day trip to

St. Louis and Hannibal, Missouri,

which coincides with their study of Tom Sawyer. The eighth grade

year in Middle School culminates with a week-long tour of Wash-

ington, D.C., and New York City, which ties in with the eighth

grade study of American history.

“The progression of the trips from one day to five days is a great

progression of maturity for the kids,” said Coach Willis. “I love tak-

ing the kids on field trips as it lets them see firsthand what they are

learning in the classroom. They also experience being able to relate

to one another outside the classroom. A lot of learning takes place

in the classroom, but the field trips are where the kids make lasting

memories.”

Willis believes USJ offers its students such an incredible experi-

ence that he and his wife, Kim, chose it for their three children.

“There is no comparison to the education you receive at USJ,” said

Willis, a Lambuth University football player and graduate. “USJ

opens so many doors. The kids get to learn things I never came

across at their age. I think the key thing here is that there is an ex-

pectation of academic excellence.”

Willis’ impact on students transcends his experience with them

in Middle School. He is on the sidelines on Friday nights cheering

his former players on, and he

works with many of his former stu-

dents who run varsity track for

him each spring. “As a teacher and

a coach, I want my kids to see that

I always have their best interest at

heart. Through this they will know

that I love and care for them with-

out it ever being said.”

When Willis joined USJ, the

track team had six members. He

also was given the coaching re-

sponsibility for that sport. Since

then, he has had as many as 45 stu-

dents running track in a single season, and his runners have cap-

tured three individual state titles. The girls track team has made it

to the state meet every year, and the boys have gone four times.

“When I was hired, Don Coffey told me USJ parents would ex-

pect me to make the kids successful in the classroom and expect me

to make them work,” said Willis. “In sports they expect me to

make kids successful on the playing field.”

“I bought in to that idea. When I got here, I had to be success-

ful. I was a part of a coaching staff that included Mickey Marley,

Tony Shutes, and Don Newman. I did not want to be the weak

link. My motto then and today is ‘I am going to give USJ every-

thing I have.’ USJ and I believe in the same thing: commitment to

excellence in the classroom, sports, and in the arts.”

Edgar WillisTeacher, coach, tour guide

Edgar Willis stands outside of his classroom.

Edgar Willis talks to sixth grader Samrath Machra.

7

Anew Upper School class, Book Study Seminar, not only

has students completing their reading assignments, but

also has them reading extra books because it’s fun.

The book seminar, taught by Bridget Clark and Scott

Phillipps, differs from other courses at USJ because the students

get to vote on the books to be read by the class. Of course, there

are some limitations to what the students can choose, but as long

as the books are appropriate, it’s their decision.

Among the list of books for the first semester was The Hunger

Games, the first of The Hunger Games Trilogy. The book is post-

apocalyptic. The United States is divided into 13 districts, each

producing a natural resource. Each district sends two young

adults to the arena to fight to the death.

Besides reading the book, the students actually had their own

Hunger Games. Students formed into teams of two, one student

competing while the other acted as his or her sponsor. Team

members wore supporting colors. As in the book, the students

were put to the test with different challenges.

The first of these challenges was to see who could score the

highest on a quiz consisting of trivia from the books read during

the semester. The second was to see who could eat the most

marshmallows in 30 seconds. The third challenge was to see who

could catch the most marshmallows with their mouth while the

sponsors tossed them in the air. The fourth was fighting “to the

death” with swords made out of floating

noodles that are normally used in a swim-

ming pool.

The students were really engaged

throughout the two-day battle of the

Hunger Games. Not only were they excited

about not having regular class, but they also

were excited about the book itself. Several

students already were reading the second

and third book in the trilogy.

“I couldn’t put it

down once I started

reading it,” said Whit-

ney Culbreath. The

students planned a

field trip to the mid-

night showing of the

movie premiere.

Several of the stu-

dents admitted the

class has prompted

them to read more because they enjoy it more. “I’ve had a lot of

fun this semester, and I’ve loved all the books we have read,” said

Lashlee Randolph.

Another difference between this course and others is that the

students are not bound to quizzes. “They are bound to individ-

ual interpretation,” said Clark. “It is surprising to see what they

get out of it when they don’t worry about quizzes and tests.”

Some of the parents told both Clark and Phillipps that their

children won’t put the books down. When they come home

from extracurricular activities, they go straight to reading the

book assigned for class. “I even see the books that we have been

reading being passed around to other students,” said Phillipps.

This hands-on technique also has gotten involvement from

other classes. When the students read Harry Potter’s The Goblet of

Fire, they paired up with Malea Mullins’ Forensic Science class to

cook up potions in the chemistry lab. They even dressed up as

different characters.

“It’s just a great way to get them into the stories,” said Clark.

Other books that the students read in the fall semester included

Angels and Demons, I Am Legend, and Deliverance.

In the end, Chase Rushing won the Hunger Games with the

support of his sponsor, Elizabeth Joyner.

For the spring semester, the class is reading The DaVinci Code,

Deathly Hallows, Into Thin Air, 11/22/63, and Shutter Island.

New class has students excited about reading

At left and top left, students fight “to the death”with swimming pool noodles in the fourth chal-lenge of the Hunger Games at USJ. WhitneyCulbreath, above left, and Ashley Nkadi were ateam at the Hunger Games.

8

Lee MayhallWatch Lee Mayhall play a sport, and you can see this

senior’s athletic prowess. With a GPA over 4.0, he’s

also not shabby in the classroom. Combine the two, and you

have a full ride to the University of North Alabama.

Lee, who played running back and free safety for the Bru-

ins, was a finalist for the Mr. Football award and selected to

the Tennessee Sports Writers All-State football team his

sophomore, junior, and senior years. He also played bas-

ketball as a point guard all four years of Upper School.

He has been on the Upper School baseball team since

he was in eighth grade, playing catcher and outfielder.

“I love sports,” said Lee. “It is going to be a change

to not play three sports. I will miss that, but I am look-

ing forward to playing college football.”

Keeping the balance between athletics and academ-

ics has been a way of life for him. “Regardless of

whether you are an athlete or in the band or whatever

you do, you have to stay up with your work and stud-

ies,” said Lee, who is in

several honors courses.

“At USJ, it is academ-

ics first, and the coaches

make sure that the ath-

letes know it. They stay

on top of how we are

doing and support the

teachers. If we get caught

slacking off in the class-

room, they make sure it

gets corrected or we do

not play.”

Keeping that balance

for the six years Lee has

been at USJ has taught

him the value of time

management skills.

“Lee is a team player who has been an outstanding exam-

ple to our players both on the field and in the classroom,”

said Mickey Marley, Head Football Coach. “He makes sure to

get the job done in the game and in the class.”

Lee, who will go to college on both academic and athletic

scholarships, credits his experiences at USJ as preparing him

for real life experiences. “I know I am ready for whatever col-

lege has to offer me.”

Meet two of USJ’s many student-athletesCarrie CobbAsk Carrie Cobb if she thinks she is ready for college and all that it

has to offer, and she will answer with a resounding “yes.” Try win-

ning the state soccer championship for the second year in a row one

week and then the regional Science Bowl the next, and it is easy to see

how this National Merit Commended Student is ready for anything.

Since Carrie entered USJ as a PreK student 14 years ago, she has

taken advantage of the opportuni-

ties the school put before her.

“Even when I was little, I was al-

ways a perfectionist, getting my

work done ahead of time, keeping

up with my studies and projects,”

she says. “USJ catered to that side

of me. I was able to cultivate my

hard working mentality because it

was fostered by my coaches and

teachers. USJ is good about getting

us involved in multiple things and

working around schedules. I thrived

in that kind of atmosphere.”

Highlighting her high school ex-

perience, Carrie says, was winning

two consecutive state champi-

onships and being the captain of USJ’s Science Bowl team that

beat Houston High School to win that championship.

Carrie, the soccer team’s goalie, was on the All-District

team her junior and senior years and the All-State team this

year. She received the TSSAA’s AF Bridges Scholarship. At the

Science Bowl, Carrie scored the third highest on the initial test

(covering physics, biology, and chemistry subject matter) and

the highest in biology to enter the bowl round.

“Carrie Cobb is a remarkable young woman,” said Jane

Ramer, Upper School biology teacher. “She is organized, deter-

mined, and able to work with peers and adults alike to accom-

plish very difficult tasks. This year she led our Science Bowl

team to a championship. To a large degree, her retention of

material allowed the team to be victorious.”

She’s been accepted to Rhodes where she has a Presidential Scholar-

ship and will play soccer. She also is a semi-finalist for the Haslam

Scholarship to UT Knoxville, which provides full tuition, travel abroad,

and other benefits. She’d like to major in biology or pre-med.

“Regardless of where I go to college and in life, I am completely

ready,” she says. “My academic and athletic experiences at USJ have

prepared me.”

9

With winning seasons in several sports that took players

to district, regional, and even state playoffs, it has

been a good year to be a Bruin fan.

It has been a good year to be a player, too. Bruin fans stepped

up their efforts to show their Bruin pride, and it has ignited the

teams and school to a new level of fan frenzy.

“The Bruin fans are some of the best there are, and it is huge for

the players,” said football coach Mickey Marley, whose team ended

its season as runner-up in the state championship. “They can feel

the support on the field, and it really inspires them to play harder.

This year the pep rallies have gone to a new level, and they have

been blowing the top off the gym. I have really seen the Bruin spirit

revived to a level that I had not seen in years. You can just feel it,

before and during games and even in the halls — it is infectious.”

It was not just the parents and students who got into the act; a

faculty and staff spirit committee was formed in October. “We

formed it less than a month before we went to

the playoffs, trying to get teachers as well as

students excited about being a USJ Bruin,” said

Carrie Brown Campbell, Director of Alumni

Relations, who works with the cheerleading

squads and who was instrumental in forming

the committee. “We took on pep rallies, as well

as trying to encourage other ways of showing

spirit.”

New ideas for pep rallies emerged. The

“blackout” pep rally, for example, came about

naturally, said Campbell. “The students

wanted to make the ECS football game a

blackout, where they would all wear black to

the game. What better way to encourage their

school spirit than to have a blackout pep rally?

The best part is that the students didn’t know it

was coming. You could feel the energy and hear it from the stu-

dents when the lights went out. We passed out more than 500 blue

and red glow sticks, and the cheerleaders were decorated in glow-

in-the-dark bracelets and necklaces.”

When the football team landed a spot in the state play-off

game, it was once again time to get the fans and the team ener-

gized. With the theme, “The Bruins are On a Roll,” more than 800

rolls of toilet paper were collected, enough for every Middle and

Upper School student to throw out a roll of toilet paper simultane-

ously at the beginning of the pep rally. After “rolling” the gym, the

students saw a five-minute highlight video from the season.

It was not just the football program that reaped the benefits of

the new Bruin spirit. The girls varsity soccer team captured its sec-

ond straight state title, with a steady fan base following their

progress through the play-offs. “Students and parents followed the

girls in their quest to bring home the title, traveling all the way to

Chattanooga to cheer on the Lady Bruins,” said Upper School Di-

rector Scott Phillipps.

For USJ soccer players, success on the

field was not their only achievement. Both

the 2011 boys and girls varsity soccer teams

were recognized for their achievements in the

classroom with the National Soccer Coaches

Association of America Team Academic

Award. For the girls program, it was the sec-

ond year to earn the honor.

“Some may call them the 12th man,

but Bruin fans are more than that; they are

the heart and fire for our teams,” said Marley.

“When you look up at the stands packed

with fans cheering you on, it encourages you

as a coach and a player to give your very best

on the field.”

15 All-State Athletesalready this year!

n Adam Boling, footballn Carrie Cobb, soccern Sam Darnall, cross countryn Jessica Garland, cross countryn Ryan Garner, footballn Chase Hensley, footballn Honeye Heydari, soccern Shelby Jordan, soccern Grant Mansfield, footballn Lee Mayhall, footballn Chase Nelson, footballn Patrick Richardson, cross countryn Chase Rushing, footballn Samantha Sullivan, cross countryn Shelby Williams, soccer

Catch that Bruin Spirit!The football team, upper left, played for the statechampionship last fall, while the girls soccer teamwon its second state championship in a row.

10

Summer Ferguson, First GradeBringing seven years of teaching experience in the Jackson-

Madison County School System, an enthusiasm for teach-

ing, and her experience as a mother, Summer Ferguson joined

the USJ staff at the Christmas break as a first grade teacher.

“I adore spending my days with children; they make every

day exciting and keep you on your toes,” said Ferguson, who is

from Jackson. “I feel like I learn more from them each year. I

love the curious nature of children; they make me want to learn

more and find all the answers to their questions.”

Ferguson says the move to USJ was a family decision. “My

husband, Barry, and I knew that our girls, Mary Blake, who is

two and a half, and Neely, who is 10 months, would be at USJ,

so the job offer from USJ was an opportunity of a lifetime.”

“USJ has always been the ‘Super Bowl’ of a teaching career

for me and my family. The stars aligned and the timing was per-

fect for us; we truly feel so blessed to be at USJ and to be a part of

this family. We love the idea of watching our girls grow up here.”

Her husband is a member of the USJ Class of 1997.

Ferguson likens her teaching style to coaching. “I feel I have the

experience and knowledge to lead my classroom to a successful

year, but in the end it is up to the students to perform at the top of

their potential. I will seek out all techniques to individualize their

learning to help them be the best they can be.”

Angie Johnson, Cubs AUnion City native and UT Knoxville

graduate, Angie Johnson is excited to

have her own classroom after working as an as-

sistant last year in USJ’s Junior Kindergarten

program. Before coming to USJ, she taught

preschool at The Gardner School in Nashville.

“I moved to Jackson because I decided to go back to school to

get my master’s degree in education with initial licensure from UT

Martin,” said Johnson. “I thought Jackson was the perfect size town

in which to live. I grew up playing USJ in tennis and track and

knew it was a prestigious school. I had friends in college who gradu-

ated from USJ and spoke highly of it. It is a well-rounded, diverse,

and my No. 1 school to work for when I moved to Jackson.”

Johnson calls her teaching style active and hands on. “I love see-

ing the excitement on the children’s faces when they get the right

answer or even put their jackets on the right way,” she says.

“I also enjoy coming up with new crafts that correlate with what

we are learning in class, and I use a lot of different resources to best

teach a lesson. I think I try to make learning fun for young children

and still have a routine and structure. But, what I love most are the

hugs I get from the children at the end of the day.”

LaToya Jones, Jr. KindergartenAdownturn in the real estate market

opened the door for LaToya Jones to

pursue her passion for working with children

and become a teacher. She earned her master’s

degree in early childhood education last Au-

gust from Union University and started at

USJ as a PreK assistant. In January, she started

teaching her own junior kindergarten class.

“I’ve always loved working with kids at church,” Jones says. “I

have two girls who are 14 months apart, and I love spending time

with them, so education seemed a natural thing to me. I was al-

ready familiar with USJ because my girls are here. I was substitut-

ing at USJ, and it was such a friendly place that I knew I wanted to

work here when I finished my degree.”

Taking over a classroom in the middle of the year is a challenge,

but one Jones was ready to tackle. “I know that it will take some

time for the students to adjust to me and for me to learn their vari-

ous levels of learning and personalities,” she said. “I have a great as-

sistant, Karen Harris, who is a wealth of knowledge and support. I

am looking forward to making the classroom my own and bring-

ing excitement to learning in our class.”

Summer Ferguson keeps her students excited about learning.

Angie Johnson

LaToya Jones

New faculty members establish

11

a home at USJ

Growing up in Paris, Tennessee, sixth

grade science teacher Mary Ellen

Vaughn was so influenced by her seventh

grade teachers that she made the decision

to pursue teaching as a career.

The Union University graduate has a

bachelor’s degree in middle school educa-

tion with endorsements in mathematics

and science. Her experience includes teach-

ing at an international school in India.

“I treasure being a part of molding the

minds of students and teaching them how

to think,” Vaughn said. “Teaching stu-

dents how to ask the right questions is key

for every discipline. These questions lead

to discovery and understanding. At the

end of the day, the students understand

based on what they have experienced

and seen to be true, not just be-

cause the text book says so.”

“I loved teaching at each

place, but when the oppor-

tunity came for me to teach

at USJ, I knew it was right for me,” said

Vaughn, who came to USJ from the Jack-

son-Madison County School System.

“It’s been the best year of teaching I’ve

had yet. The USJ environment is a

teacher’s heaven. Students are eager to

learn, the faculty and staff are supportive,

and families place educa-

tion as a top priority.”

Mary Ellen Vaughn, Sixth Grade Science

For sophomore English teacher Whitney

Meriwether, the fall of 2011 held a host

of firsts. She entered the classroom for the

first time, she moved to Jackson, and she

got married. Today, she is enjoying her new

life in Jackson as a teacher and a wife.

Meriwether grew up in Huntsville, Ala-

bama, and earned her bachelor's degree

in English at the University of Alabama.

After college, she took a job as the Adult

Program Coordinator at the Dixon Gallery

and Gardens in Memphis and worked on

her master’s degree in education at the Uni-

versity of Memphis. Her husband, Caleb, a

2004 USJ alum, is an associate attorney

with Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell, PLC.

When it came time

to look for a job in

Jackson, Meriwether

says USJ was just the

kind of school at which

she wanted to teach.

“I feel lucky to have

found a school like USJ for my first teaching

job. It has a diverse and open-minded fac-

ulty and student body. I have had so much

support from everyone and feel that I con-

nect with the students and where they are in

their lives. I try to relate my teaching to

something they can identify with and show

them why it is important to think critically

and communicate effectively.”

Meriwether has incorporated some new

books into the reading list, including Harry

Potter and Sherlock Holmes novels. She

also tries to incorporate her love for the arts

into her classroom experience.

“I believe the arts and English are ap-

plicable to understanding the world

around us, who we are, and who we want

to become,” she said. “With my art back-

ground, I try to get them to think more

creatively. Sometimes I will pull in a

painting to help them further connect

with a work’s theme.

“I encourage them to be creative, and we

do a great deal of writing in my class. We

have some wonderful writers in 10th grade.”

Whitney Meriwether

Whitney Meriwether, Upper School English

Mary Ellen Vaughn helps Nate Wall with his project.

Mentoring new teachers

New teachers, whether they are fresh

out of college or have been teaching a

long time, are assigned a mentor from their

department to help smooth their transition

into teaching at USJ. The program is so

successful that the model has been used by

other independent schools in the state as a

template for their own programs.

The program originated in 2004 when

the Middle School Director and Carla

Roach, who oversees the program, identified

the need to assist new employees in the ad-

justment to their position at USJ. The goal

of the program is to provide new hires with

an experienced USJ employee to whom they

can turn with questions. Classroom proce-

dures and introduction of the new hire to

colleagues and administrative duties/respon-

sibilities are just some of the issues a mentor

will handle.

The program has many benefits, said

Roach. “New teachers are more knowledge-

able, which enables them to have a

smoother transition at the beginning of the

school year and allows the students to see a

more confident teacher. Some employees are

new to Jackson, and mentors also can help

in this adjustment.”

12

Amember of USJ’s Class of 2005,

Anna Powell has faced some

unique challenges in her first year

teaching Spanish at USJ. Not only do

her students range in age from 3 to 18,

she also is a colleague of many of her

former teachers.

In fact, it was teacher Jimmy Glos-

son who was a huge influence on her

pursuing Spanish and teaching as a pro-

fession. Powell kept in touch with Glos-

son over the years since graduating, and

he told her about the position at USJ.

Powell has a degree in Spanish from

the University of Memphis and is work-

ing on her master’s degree in education.

She taught Spanish at South Gibson

County High School before she came

to USJ. Now, she spends the first two

periods of the day on the Lower School

campus teaching Spanish to 275 stu-

dents in Jr. Cubs

through first grade.

“The younger

students keep me

challenged,” said

Powell, who uses

games, pictures, and other tools to help

her littlest students begin to learn the

language. “Then I head to the Upper

School where we speak only in Spanish,

so I have the full spectrum each day.”

Returning to USJ as a teacher was a

bit strange at first, she said. “I still call

some of my former teachers Mr. and

Mrs. out of habit, but everyone has

been so supportive. I feel like I have

come home.”

“At USJ, I am teaching such a high

level of students that it allows me to set

the bar higher and push harder as a

teacher.”

Some may say that going from teaching

on the high school level after teaching

on the college level may not be a step in the

right direction. For French teacher Kemmie

Mitzell, however, it was the opportunity to

test her skills in a classroom that was filled

with students eager to learn. With one se-

mester behind her, Mitzell is finding Jack-

son and USJ to be home and a great fit.

“Behind every teacher is another teacher

who inspired him or her,” said Mitzell, who

also debuted on the USJ stage in the fall

production of Peter

Pan. “A professor in

college was my men-

tor and my friend,

and I wanted to be

just like him. He

spurred my interest in

French.”

“I studied abroad

my junior year. I orig-

inally wanted to be an

actress or a scientist.

It was an interesting

transition; France and the French language

gave me a sense of identity that the other

two disciplines did not.”

Mitzell was about to begin working on

her doctorate at Indiana University when

she realized she wanted to teach, not do re-

search. She found out about the opening at

USJ, applied, and was hired the day she

came to demonstrate what she could do in

the classroom.

“I am blown away by the students and

the staff here at USJ,” said Mitzell, who

speaks only French while teaching and ex-

pects the same of her students.

“French is a sophisticated, intellectual

language, and it requires a lot of work.

These students give me so much to work

with; they want to learn and want to be

challenged.”Kemmie Mitzell speaks only French in her classroom.

Anna Powell

Rob Platt, a McNairy Cen-

tral graduate, joined the

Middle School staff to teach

sixth grade literature and sev-

enth grade English. He spent

five years teaching and coach-

ing at his alma mater and last

year taught in Smyrna.

Platt graduated from the University of Memphis

with a degree in English and a minor in history. His

master’s of science in education is from UT Martin.

Platt, who played baseball in college, sees play-

ing sports as a good life lesson. He is an assistant

coach for varsity baseball and football.

The move to a USJ classroom has been a

smooth transition for him. “I relied a great deal on

what had been used in the past,” he said. “I also

have the students doing a lot of persuasive, creative,

and descriptive writing. These kids are so self-moti-

vated. I am having to step up my game each quarter

to keep things fresh and challenging.”

Rob Platt

Kemmie Mitzell, Upper School French

Rob Platt, MS English

New faculty members at home at USJ

Anna Powell, Spanish

13

Agraduate of Union City High School,

Upper and Middle School Librarian

Beth Vise worked as a graphic designer be-

fore going back to college to become a li-

brarian. Vise has a B.S. in communications

and a M.S. in education from UT Martin.

She started her career teaching English and

reading at Union City Middle School and

then again in Corinth, Mississippi.

“It’s funny how every professional apti-

tude assessment I have ever taken suggested

that librarianship was the career for me, yet

I avoided it for years,” said Vise. “I really

didn’t like the ‘stuffy’ reputation librarians

had. That’s not the kind of librarian I am. I

like to read and research, but I also enjoy

helping students.”

Vise’s second career is being a silver-

smith. “I make jewelry and sell my work on-

line, at summer art festivals, and at a shop in

Union City,” she said. She and her husband,

Sam, have a son, Noah.

“My style of teach-

ing is hands-on and

project based,” she

said. “Often, students

tune out long lectures

and learn more by getting involved. That’s

why USJ and the library are a great place

for me. The students are involved in so

much and actively participate in their edu-

cation. It is a joy to be partners with them

in learning.”

Beth Vise

Some students may go home to watch shows

like CSI, NCIS, Bones, and Body of Proof,

but several USJ seniors got to live the shows

at school and even get credit for it.

After polling students last spring, Upper

School chemistry teacher Malea Mullins decided

to add a forensic science class for seniors that

would allow them to apply in real life situations the information

they had already acquired in biology, chemistry, and physics. The

course is titled “Forensic Science,” but in the main course schedule,

it is lovingly abbreviated as “CSI.”

“I chose a textbook that contained so much good material,” said

Mullins, who found each day in the course to be an adventure. “We

tried to cover the following topics: Introduction to Forensic Science

and the Law, Types of Evidence, The Crime Scene, Fingerprints,

Hair, Fibers, Drugs, Toxicology: Poisons

and Alcohol, Trace Evidence, Soil and

Glass Analysis, Blood, DNA Analysis,

Forensic Entomology, Human Remains,

Firearms, Toolmarks, and Impressions

and Document and Handwriting

Analysis.”

The semester started with a discus-

sion of the “CSI effect.” “Because of the

popularity of forensic type shows on tel-

evision, many juries are expecting to see

massive amounts of forensic evidence in

trials, and even victims don’t understand

why their crimes haven’t been solved in

a matter of hours or even days,” said

Mullins. “The 45 minutes of the TV crime dramas show a crime

and then the collection of evidence, its evaluation, and the arrest of

the perpetrator are all accomplished by the same cute person, which

is obviously not real world.”

To make the class more real world, the students first learned

background material, which was then integrated into capers they

had to investigate. From solving a murder to catching a thief with

hair fiber analysis to collecting finger prints for analysis, students

faced a number of scenarios. All were de-

signed to help them hone their CSI skills.

Students also met real crime scene in-

vestigators in action with a trip to the Ten-

nessee Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in

Nashville. The culminating project for the

first semester was for one group of students

to create a crime scene, while the other stu-

dents had to solve the crime.

The class has been such a tremendous

addition to the USJ curriculum, that it may

be presented at next fall’s TAIS conference.

The excitement also has gotten around

school: CSI is one of the most popular

courses seniors want to take next fall.

New class tackles crime investigation

The new forensic science class went on a field trip to TBI headquarters in Nashville.

“The seniors in the forensic science classroom ar-

rive early and are bursting with excitement about

what the day may hold. Will they investigate the

disappearance of a prize cupcake or the demise of

a friend? Will they have to apply physics princi-

ples to analyze and evaluate the blood spatter evi-

dence or will they have to use chemical principles

to identify drug samples? Will they have to differ-

entiate between hair samples to eliminate suspects

or will they have to research laws to determine if

a crime has been committed and then formulate

a plan to convict the accused?”

— Malea Mullins, in her application to be

a presenter at the TAIS conference next fall

Beth Vise, Middle and Upper School Librarian

14

Achievements(Noted achievements announced since the printing

of the September 2011 school magazine)

High School Science Bowl

USJ students won the 31st High School Science Bowl spon-sored by the UT Martin Chapter of the Student Members

of the American Chemical Society last November. USJ studentscompeting were Zaid Baba, Angad Bindra, Govind Bindra, Car-rie Cobb, Gray Magee, Semaye Mengistu, Akua Nuako, SamRickman, Sarathi Sarkar, Habeeb Suara, Shane Vargason, JohnVillarreal, and Zuzanna Wojtas.

After taking a test composed of 25 biology questions, 25chemistry questions, and 25 physics questions, students werechosen to participate in the bowl round. It was noted by thesponsor of the event that out of the top 10 scorers, USJ had five.Students representing USJ in the bowl round were Habeeb Suara(top scorer overall), Angad Bindra, Carrie Cobb, Akua Nuako,and Gray Magee. Carrie served as captain, and Akua was namedalternate.

The first round had Memphis University School against Mar-tin Westview, and MUS won. The second round pitted USJagainst Madison, and USJ won. MUS then faced Houston HighSchool, and Houston was the winner. USJ played Houston inthe championship round and won.

A perfect ACT score

Akua Nuako, a USJ junior, earned aperfect score of 36 on a recent ACT

test. The actual number of students earn-ing a top composite score of 36 variesfrom year to year. Among test takers in thehigh school graduating class of 2011, only704 of more than 1.6 million studentsearned a composite score of 36.

Mid-South Scholastic Art CompetitionUpper School art students earning recognition in the Mid-

South Scholastic Art Competition were… n Morgan Galbraith: Gold Key, portfolio; Silver, photograph n Olivia Hughes: Gold Key, portfolion Ann Elizabeth Lynch: Silver Key, photograph; Honorable

Mention, drawingn Sarah Mantooth: Silver Key, photographn Katie Robertson: Honorable Mention, photographn Grant Whitsitt: Gold Key, portfolio; three Silver Keys; three

Honorable Mentions, including one for film and animation“The Mid-South Scholastic Art Competition is the largest

and most prestigious student art competition in our nation,” saysLibby Lynch, Upper School art teacher. “Our region, which cov-ers all of West Tennessee, part of Mississippi, and part ofArkansas, had about 5,000 entries with only 432 recognized aswinners. This year, USJ had 14 of those winning entries.”

National Merit recognizes five seniors

The National Merit Foundation has recognized five membersof University School of Jackson’s Class of 2012. They are

Carrie Cobb and Sarathi Sarkar, who are National Merit Com-mended Students; Habeeb Suara and Mina James-Gist, NationalAchievement Finalists; and Ashley Nkadi, who was recognized asa National Achievement Outstanding Participant.

n Carrie, a USJ student since pre-kindergarten, plans to at-tend Rhodes, play soccer, and major in biology.

n Sarathi, a USJ student since pre-kindergarten, will major inmechanical engineering at Carnegie-Mellon.

n Habeeb transferred to USJ in 10th grade. He is going tomajor in biomedical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

n Mina has attended USJ most of her life. She is going tomajor in biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan.

n Ashley also transferred to USJ as a sophomore. She wouldlike to major in neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati orthe University of Chicago.

Students recognized by the National Merit program representthe top percentage of students who entered the 2012 competi-tion by taking the 2010 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Schol-arship Qualifying Test.

Mr. Basketball two times in a row

Senior John Ross Glover has been named Divi-sion II-A’s Mr. Basketball for the second year

in a row. It is his third time to be named a finalistfor the award.

John Ross averaged 30.7 points pergame and 7.2 rebounds per game in hissenior season as a Bruin. Over his careerat USJ, he has scored 2,478 points, thehighest number of points earned in a ca-reer by a single player.

John Ross has signed to play basket-ball at David Lipscomb University inNashville.

From left, students recognized by the National Merit Foundation areAshley Nkadi, Habeeb Suara, Carrie Cobb, Sarathi Sarkar, andMina James-Gist.

15

West TN Regional Student Art Exhibition

Six USJ students received awards atthe Fourth Annual West Ten-

nessee Regional Student ArtCompetition sponsored bythe Tennessee Art EducationAssociation. Sixteen Upper

and Middle School studentssubmitted a total of 20 pieces of

artwork that were judged againststudents’ work from West Ten-nessee and the Memphis area.

Upper School student Ashley Nkadi’s “Clay Vessels” won theBest Ceramics award. Eighth grader T.J. Johnson received FirstPlace honors. Honorable Mention awards were given to UpperSchool students Sara Slack for her sculpture “Call Me – Tele-phone Pages Dress” and Destini Kramer for her “Water FountainReflection.” Middle School students receiving Honorable Men-tion awards were Zachary West and Renee Bearb.

All-State Honor ChoirFourteen choral students will represent USJ in the Tennessee

All-State Choir. University School of Jackson has the highestnumber of students from West Tennessee selected to the All-State Choir, said USJ choral teacher Dian Eddleman.

The students are Hannah Aherrera, Drew Brantley, ChrisBurton, Kirstie Finch, Claire Jaggers, Meredith Maroney,Christophe Nabhan, Rebecca Rogers, Brigham Short, ConnorSimmons, Lindsay Smith, Chris Weiner, Clare Williams, andJohn Villarreal.

All-Northwest Junior High Honor ChoirCongratulations to the students in grades 7-9 who were se-

lected for the All-Northwest Junior High Honor Choir.They were…

n 1st Soprano: Sierra Glosson (1st chair), Sydney Paris, andKate Petrinjak

n 2nd Soprano: Caroline Sammons (2nd chair), CarolineMiller (3rd chair), Rachael Giampapa, Molly Maroney, AddisonDunn, Ali McGee, Summer Basham, and Madison Perchik

n 2nd Alto: Clara Mariencheck (2nd chair), Emily Sanderson,Molly Morris, Taylor Ruby, Lydia Smith, and Madison Martin

n 1st Tenor: Chandler Haynes, Drew Harbin, Patrick Aher-rera, Amir Kaveh, Harrison Baker, Alexander Peftoulidis, TreySmith, Paylor Eubank, and Michael Villarreal

n 2nd Tenor: Elijah Moore, Seth Weiss, and Gray Bigfordn 1st Bass: Seth Rohlwing and Gray Northernn 2nd Bass: Walker Teer (1st chair), Hunter Ross (3rd chair),

Sam Darnall, Peyton Antwine, Jordan Boyd, Reese Antwine, andAdam Sills

Student performs in national choir

Senior Rebecca Rogers performed in theACDA high school honor choir at the

2012 Southern Division Conference of theAmerican Choral Directors Association inWinston-Salem, North Carolina, inMarch. Singers were chosen on the basis ofan audio submission of two scales to demonstrate their range, aswell as an aria of their choice.

All-Northwest High School Honor Choir When the Tennessee All-Northwest High School Honor

Choir performed its annual concert in November, theUniversity School of Jackson was well represented on stage.

Thirty-seven USJ students in grades 10-12 were se-lected to the honor choir after audi-tioning before judges at UnionUniversity.

Students chosen for thehonor choir were Claire Jag-gers, Lindsay Smith, Caro-line Haynes, Callie Jaggers,Cory Johnson, John Villar-real, Marisa Mariencheck,Hannah Russell, CarolinePurcell, Olivia Baker, ClareWilliams, Rebecca Rogers,Sally Sikes, Connor Sim-mons, Abby Nolen, GeorgiaPoole, Meredith Maroney,Angelica Marks, Brigham

Short, Drew Brantley, Christophe Nabhan, Gram Northern,Ryan Sanderson, Catherine Christie, Hannah Aherrera, MattieBoyd, Chris Burton, Austin Orr, Chris Weiner, Lance McGee,Stuart Howell, Peyton Vaughan, Austin Rolison, Jackson Cain,Will Buckley, Kirstie Finch, and Reed Matheny. Hannah Aher-rera also was selected as one of the choir’s student accompanists.

Sara Slack’s telephone book pages dress

Caroline Haynes (pictured withchoral teacher Dian Eddleman) was given the six-year All-Northwest Honor Choir award.

16

When Bill Lawrence made the decision to give back to the

school that educated his four daughters and two grand-

children, he found a way to do it that had benefits for both the

donor and the receiver. A little more than ten years ago,

Lawrence established a charitable remainder trust that benefitted

University School of Jackson and two other organizations close

to his heart.

“Going with a charitable trust afforded me and USJ bene-

fits,” said Lawrence. “I could reduce my estate and still benefit

personally from the income off the trust. I also left something of

value that would benefit USJ when I passed on.”

A charitable remainder trust can be funded with cash or ap-

preciated property. The donor receives income from the assets

for his or her lifetime or for the lifetime of a named beneficiary,

qualifies for a charitable deduction, and saves on capital gains

and estate taxes. After your lifetime and/or that of a loved one,

the trust assets are distributed to USJ.

“I served as President of the Board for OHA for two years,

and we educated our four daughters at Old Hickory and two

grandchildren at USJ, so I had a good attachment to the school

through those experiences,” said Lawrence. “USJ is the leading

educational institution in the West Tennessee area. That and my

old working relationship made establishing a charitable remain-

der trust a very attractive way for me to support the school.”

For more information about giving to USJ, visit

usjbruins.org/about/development.

When Bill Lawrence made the decision to give back to the

school that educated his four daughters and two grand-

children, he found a way to do it that had benefits for both the

donor and the receiver. A little more than 10 years ago, Lawrence

established a charitable remainder trust that benefitted Univer-

sity School of Jackson and two other organizations close to his

heart.

“Going with a charitable trust afforded me and USJ bene-

fits,” said Lawrence. “I could reduce my estate and still benefit

personally from the income off the trust. I also left something of

value that would benefit USJ when I passed on.”

A charitable remainder trust can be funded with cash or ap-

preciated property. The donor receives income from the assets

for his or her lifetime or for the lifetime of a named beneficiary,

qualifies for a charitable deduction, and saves on capital gains

and estate taxes. After your lifetime and/or that of a loved one,

the trust assets are distributed to USJ.

“I served as president of the board for Old Hickory Academy

for two years, and we educated our four daughters at OHA and

two grandchildren at USJ, so I had a good attachment to the

school through those experiences,” said Lawrence. “USJ is the

leading educational institution in West Tennessee. That and my

old working relationship made establishing a charitable remain-

der trust a very attractive way for me to support the school.”

For more information about giving to USJ, visit

usjbruins.org/about/development.

Giving Back with Benefits

USJ’s efforts to do its part to protect Mother Earth re-sulted in being recognized as one of the top 10schools in the state by the Good Sports Always Recy-

cle program. USJ’s efforts began in the Lower School several years ago as

a by-product of a third grade musical, “Santa Goes Green,” andnow the whole school is involved. In 2010, USJ recycled 8,454pounds of cardboard, 2,900 pounds of plastics, 7,032 poundsof paper, and 531 pounds of aluminum cans.

“This schoolwide effort involved our Lower School stu-dents, student government, and the Environmental Club underthe leadership of an energetic faculty group,” said Head ofSchool Clay Lilienstern. “We consider recycling to be one ofthe hallmarks of good citizenship, and we are very proud of theway in which our school community has embraced this project.We are grateful for this award and accept it on behalf of the en-tire University School of Jackson community.”

At USJ, community is important, and learning to give backstarts at the youngest of ages. From RIFA to the Humane Soci-

ety to the Cancer Society, the generosity of our student bodyand faculty is far reaching across the community.

Each semester students on all campuses participate in atleast one community service project that is generally under thedirection of the students themselves with a faculty advisor su-pervising. This year, for example, the Lower School collected1,192 pounds of food for the Regional Interfaith Association’s(RIFA) backpack program that provides food for children inthe community to eat on the weekends.

Middle School students laced up their sneakers, hit thetrack, and collected $5,735 for the American Cancer Society intheir annual Relay for Life event. The Middle School was rec-ognized as a Gold Level sponsor for its efforts. Middle Schoolstudents also collected more than 250 toys for the Carl PerkinsCenter for the Prevention of Child Abuse.

Upper School students had a long list of service projects thisyear, too. One event, in a cross town rivalry with Trinity Chris-tian Academy, collected thousands of pounds of food to feedthe hungry in Jackson through RIFA.

It’s all about community

Several USJ students

went on a mission trip

to help in Haiti over

their Christmas break.

17Continued, Page 19

n Rhonda Bennett Hampton, Class of1976, and her husband, Donnie, cele-brated the firstbirthday of theirsixth grandchild,Carter AnthonyToth, on Novem-ber 5. Rhonda is astay-at-homegrandma, and they live in Beech Bluff,Tennessee. (rhampton76@hotmail.com)

n We extend our sympathies to thefamily of Mike Rushing, Class of 1976,who died February 19 at his home. Mikewas a retired manager from Mrs. Sullivan’sPies. He was an avid USJ Bruins sup-porter and coached many of his children’sactivities. He is survived by his wife,Torey; daughter, Anna; and son, Chase, aUSJ senior. A fund for the family has beenset up at BancorpSouth in Jackson. De-posits may be made at any branch, usingthe following information: Mike RushingFamily Fund, Account No. 74918848.

n Our sympathies also go out to thefamily of Hudson Atkins, Class of 1977,who died September 21 after a lengthy ill-ness. Hudson attended the University ofMississippi at Oxford. At the time of hisdeath, he was owner and Chief OperatingOfficer of EnviroRem, Inc., of Memphis;Tampa, Florida; and Orange Beach, Ala-bama. Survivors include his wife, JaneEvans Atkins; two sons; a daughter; hisparents; his grandmother; his sisters, in-cluding USJ parent Anne Atkins Short;and several nieces and nephews.

n Chaz Daugherty, Class of 1993,

works as a project manager for JonesLang Lasalle in the Project DevelopmentServices division that works on multi-sites for retail customers. This divisionmanages the entire construction processfor renovations of stores nationwide.Chaz attended Mississippi State. He andhis wife, Jessica Todd Daugherty, Class of1989, live in Jackson and have two chil-dren: Haley, 15, and Hayde, 12.(chaz.daugherty@am.jll.com)

n Frances Kirkland Lawhead, M.D.,Class of 1998, has joined the medical

staff of the Jackson Clinic. Frances, adermatologist, completed her fellow-ship in Mohs Micrographic Surgery.

n Jay Wilson, Class of 1999, is vicepresident of Mercer Capital, an in-vestment banking firm. He recentlyco-authored the book, The Bank Di-rector’s Valuation Handbook: WhatEvery Director Must Know About Valu-ation, as well as Acquiring a Failed Bank: AGuide to Understanding, Valuing and Ac-counting for Transactions in a Distressed En-vironment,published byPeabody Publish-ing, LP. Jay and hiswife, Becky, have ason, Connor, whowas born Decem-ber 3, 2010. Becky is a stay-at-homemom. They live in Memphis.

n Gary Blankenship, Class of 2000,married Christi Jennings October 23 on

Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga.Gary has a B.A. in history and is seeking amaster's degree in criminal justice at UTChattanooga. Gary also is joining theChattanooga Police Department. Christiis a paramedic graduate and seeking a de-gree in nursing at Chattanooga State.They live in Chattanooga.(cgaryblankenship@gmail.com)

n Emily Ellis Carr, Class of 2002, re-ceived her graduate degree from MiddleTennessee School of Anesthesia December1. She and her husband, Beau, live inNashville where she works for AnesthesiaMedical Group.

n Trell Shivley, Class of 2002, mar-ried Anna Laura Barnes January 14. Trellreceived his bachelor’s degree in mechan-ical engineering from UT Knoxville.Trell is employed as regional sales repre-sentative for Shaw Floor Covering. Annais a 2002 graduate of Union City HighSchool and received her degree in mar-keting from UT Knoxville. Anna worksat Oden Marketing in Memphis and ispursuing her master’s degree in educa-tion at the University of Memphis.

n Stephanie Dunivan Barber, Class of

2003, obtained a master’s degree in ac-counting with a specialization in taxationin August 2011 from the University ofMemphis. She is an accountant for theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Stephaniemarried Michael Brandon Barber, an at-torney in Memphis, in December 2009.(snd1263@gmail.com)

n Elizabeth Shearin Davis, Class of2003, graduated from Union University'sNurse Practitioner Program with a mas-ter’s degree in nursing. Liz works forTransSouth Healthcare in Jackson with adual focus in gastroenterology and familypractice. Liz and her husband, Ben, live inJackson. (edavis@eplus.net)

n Hillary Pipkin, Class of 2003, mar-ried Jason Tubb January 7 in Jackson.Hillary graduated from Union Universitymagna cum laude with a degree in nurs-ing. She is a registered nurse in the neona-tal intensive care unit at Le BonheurChildren’s Hospital in Memphis. Jason re-ceived his degrees in landscape architec-ture and landscape contracting andmanagement from Mississippi State Uni-versity. Jason is a landscape designer withSummit Landscapes in Memphis.

n Ryan McGaughey, Class of 2003,will marry Rebekah Wilson April 21 inMemphis. Ryan will graduate from theUniversity of Tennessee College of Med-icine in May. His undergraduate degreeis from the University of Alabama. Re-bekah has a bachelor’s degree in biologyfrom the University of Alabama andcompleted Union University’s acceler-ated bachelor of science in nursing pro-gram in December.

n Catherine Caldwell, Class of 2005,married Jacob McNeill November 2 inJackson. Catherine, who majored in biol-ogy at Union University, is a 2011 gradu-ate of the Jackson Regional Practical

1970-1989

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For Jonathan Harlan, Class of 1981, and Elizabeth HarlanJerge, Class of 1989, Jackson is where they grew up, butnot where they thought they would end up living, work-

ing, and raising their families. The pull of their roots was strong,and today they are leaving their own mark on the Jackson com-munity. They also are continuing the legacy their father, Van, hadon downtown Jackson; both have established businesses in theheart of downtown and are active in revitalization efforts.

Jonathan, an Old Hickory graduate, earned a degreein political science and religious studies at UT Knoxvilleand a master’s degree in comparative religion fromMiami University in Ohio. Besides studying abroad in India as aMcClure Fellow, he has completed some post graduate work atthe University of Virginia. That’s where he met his wife, Fiona, anative of South Africa.

“Fiona and I were married with plans to settle in Dallas,” saidJonathan, who has three children at USJ and one USJ graduateattending Rhodes. “We made what we thought would be astopover in Jackson and realized it was a great place to raise kids.”

Jonathan got involved in Jackson, founded the Lambuth AreaNeighborhood Association, and served two terms as a MadisonCounty Commissioner. In 1995, he started Aeneas Internet Serv-ices, the first Internet service provider in West Tennessee.

“I had seen the trend for Internet providers coming down thepipeline and saw a need for Internet access in West Tennessee,”said Jonathan. “The Internet business took off like a rocket fromour first day. We were debt free and making a profit in sixmonths. Initially, we were relying on the phone company to pro-vide our Internet services, but we knew we could do better. In1999, the company became Aeneas Communications, providingInternet and telephone services.”

The company is housed in the Aeneas Building, the restoredformer First Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Elizabeth, who is eight years younger than Jonathan, was amember of the first class to graduate from USJ. She attended UTKnoxville and then Lambuth University to pursue an interior de-

sign degree. She moved to Aspen, Colorado, where she eventuallystarted her own jewelry line, Lil’ Gems. The handmade jewelrywas wholesaled through trade shows nationwide.

She married Kevin Jerge, whom she met while traveling, in2002. They moved to Buffalo, New York, and started a family.

Kevin and Elizabeth are back in her father’s building in down-town Jackson with their unique business, AnyArt, which grewout of the idea of turning people’s memories into affordable art.“We played around with the idea of commissioning artists topaint oil paintings from people’s photos,” said Elizabeth. “Westarted with an online only system and then started a dealer pro-gram for direct sales with an online dealer site. In the last sixmonths, we have added 240 dealers nationwide.”

Kevin and Elizabeth remodeled the building, which had beenan art gallery. “I wish my father could see what we have done,”she said. “It is exciting to be back downtown in my father’s build-ing and to be a part of the revitalization of Jackson.”

Both Jonathan and Elizabeth credit USJ with preparing themfor all that life has thrown their way. When it came time to edu-cate their children, they both looked to USJ.

“It has everything from music to sports to arts and great aca-demic preparation,” said Elizabeth, whose two daughters attendUSJ. “It prepared me and gave me confidence to see the world,get out, and figure out what I wanted to do.”

Home Again

Are you living in the Nashville or Memphis Area?

Contact Carrie Brown Campbell (alumni@usjbruins.org or 731-664-0812) for ways to get involved in your city’s chapter of the USJ Alumni Association.

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Elizabeth Harlan Jerge and Jonathan Harlan

1919

Alumni updates, CONTINUEDNursing Program. She is a charge nurse atPine Meadows Healthcare Facility. Jacob isa conductor for Canadian National Rail-road in Fulton, Kentucky. The couple livesin Jackson.

n Caroline Reed, Class of 2005, is anurse on the ICU unit at Good SamaritanHospital, owned by the University of Ken-tucky, in Lexington. Caroline received amaster’s degree as an acute care nurse prac-titioner from Vanderbilt University in Au-gust. Her undergraduate degree is fromTulane University in New Orleans.

n Sarah Ayers, Class of 2008, gradu-ated summa cum laude from Belmont

University in December. Sarah receivedthe 2011 Outstanding Student in BiologyAward from Belmont, and she also tied forfirst place in the Entomology Session ofthe 2011 Tennessee Academy of ScienceCollegiate Meeting for her presentation on“Repellent Properties of Common Herbsof the Family Lamiaceae Against theAmerican Dog Tick, Dermacentor Vari-abilis.” Sarah will begin work on a Doctorof Pharmacy degree at Belmont UniversitySchool of Pharmacy.

n Constance Jones, Class of 2008, ismajoring in health and human perform-ance at UT Martin. Constance also is one

of the supervisors of campus recreationand is being featured on the UT Martinwebsite.

n Britnee Price, Class of 2008, andWill Dement, Class of 2006, were mar-ried October 8 in North Carolina. Brit-nee received her degree in psychologyfrom Union University in January. Willreceived his degree in business adminis-tration from Union University in 2010and works at Dement ConstructionCompany. The couple lives in Jackson.

Class of 1986Members of the Class of 1986 reunited last fall. Pic-tured above, from left, back row, are Rolf Hazlehurst,Alana Booker Woomer, Melissa Fielding Robinson,Cory Tinker, Kevin Cox, Jeff Spain, and Chris Walker;middle row, Amy Horton Bunton, Ashley Hall Grif-fith, Nora Parker Doggett, Amy Blankenship Powell,Beth Warren Turnage, and Sarah Youmans Pucek; andfront row, Julie Jones Tunnell, Carol Ann Pope Rolison,and Beth Sharpe Meena.

Class of 2006The Class of 2006, at right, met up for its five-year reunion at theHomecoming game. “We had a great turnout, and I was glad to seeso many of us back together for a night,” said Megan Klipfel. “Afterthe game we went to the Downtown Tavern and enjoyed one an-other’s company while the band played.” Pictured, front row, left toright, are Kate Gardner, Megan Klipfel, Elizabeth Graves Hoffman, and Kristen Currie Hunt; and back row, Melissa Morrison, Jimmy Hen-son, Amanda Thompson Brooks, Catherine Camp, Addie Stone, Jake Hanson, Katy Fisher, Beth Herriman, Rebekah Davis Harrelson, JonTaylor, and Rendell Mitchell. Several classmates joined the group after the picture was taken.

Class Reunions

Class of 2001It was a 10-year reunion for the Class of 2001. The weekend started with the Fri-day night Homecoming game and then dinner at Picasso’s. On Saturday, Jeanand Carl Diffee hosted a reunion dinner (catered by Coyote Blues) at their home.“We had about 30 people out of our class in attendance, and everyone had agreat time catching up!” said Maggie Diffee Herndon. Pictured, from left, backrow to front row, are Maggie, Rachel Allison, Mary Jaco Hopkins, Jessica RamerMilone, Ashley Perry, Leslie Wenzler Garrett, Anna Gardner Kail, Julie SmithLigon, Carly Findley Fitts, Emily Thomson Smith, Jason Dement, Joe Shearin,Lauren Jones, Kelsey Satterfield, Jennifer Dudney Davidson, ChrisDement, Brian Byrd, Lane Scarborough Albores, Matt Reed, Mar-garet Morrison, and Rupal Patel. Not pictured is Rob Young.

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Junior Tyler Hardin runs with the football.

2011 Homecoming Royalty, above; Leslie Wenzler Garrett, at right,Class of 2001, her husband, Matt, and baby Caleb at the game

Homecoming weekend festivities are hosted by the USJ Bruins Club and USJ Alumni Association.

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From left, Amanda Thompson Brooks, Class of2006; Haley King Goodrich, Class of 2007; andStephen Eldridge, Class of 1993, with Emily

SAVE THE DATE!

September 21 and 22, 2012Homecoming and

All Alumni Weekend EventALL Current and Alumni Families are invited!

Golf Tournament l Ladies Luncheon Dinner l Auction l DanceAuction includes sports memorabilia and more