May 2006

Bill Coulthart Retires [top]

After seven years of coaching the boys’ varsity soccer team, guiding the golf squad and teaching Middle and Upper School physical education classes, Bill Coulthart has retired.  The school honored him with a celebration May 23 in the Administration lobby.  Grateful parents, former and current students, and faculty and staff gathered to say a heartfelt goodbye.

Coulthart arrived at CA after working as an associate professor of physical education at Jacksonville University in Florida.  “Cary Academy students and staff have benefited form Bill’s extensive background,” Head of School Don Berger said.  “Bill was always truly interested in seeing all his students succeed … and he is a model to us all.”

 “I can think of no other place that I would have rather spent my last seven years teaching and coaching than at Cary Academy,” Coulthart said.  “I have come to enjoy the true feeling of family and community that seems to come from everyone here:  parents, students, staff, faculty and administration.”

Foreign Language Trips Underway [top]

Ninety-nine Cary Academy juniors are spending the next two weeks in China, Spain, France and Austria as part of the annual foreign language exchange trips.

For daily reports on their adventures abroad, you can visit the students’ websites and read their journals.  Just navigate to the top of the intranet homepage and scroll over the website you wish to visit.  Click, and poof, you are in the land of the Gauls, sitting in a Spanish plaza or visiting a cafehaus.

Four students on the China trip are blogging about the experience for The News and Observer.  To read that blog, go to the N&O’s homepage where a direct link to the blog may be found in the top left corner, titled blogs.newsobserver.com/china.

MS Gets New Leader; Artist Visits [top]

Katelyn M. (’11) gave Head of the Middle School Marti Jenkins a break for the day as she took over the reigns May 24.

She sat in on the leadership team meeting, declared a dress-down day of flip-flops and hats, and helped Assistant Head of the Middle School Vince Janney handle a “disciplinary” problem.  “I enjoyed getting to observe classes I don’t normally get to see, i.e. 6th/8th grade classes, and I learned some of the things involved in Mrs. Jenkins’s job I didn’t know,” Katelyn said.  “And the fact that I got a pizza and ice cream party with my friends at lunch was great, too.”

All during the week of May 22-26, local wire artist Jonathan Daniel visited the art classes of Lee Leal to teach the art he learned growing up in Zimbabwe.  He assisted the students in making colorful wire rings and butterflies.

Holocaust Survivor Enthralls Audience [top]

Lucy Carson spent World War II as a “hidden child,” moving from place to place in France to escape the Nazis.  She shared her experiences May 23 with the Modern World History class of Sheila White.  An audience of around 50 teachers, students, and visitors from other classes filled the room.

Carson shuttled between an orphanage, a Catholic convent and private homes during the war.  She lost both parents to the conflagration and was reunited with an aunt and her 5-year-old sister at the end of the war in Antwerp, Belgium.  She and her sister immigrated to the US in 1947.

Jared Carson (’08) had asked his grandmother if she would like to speak to the class, said White, and she readily agreed.

Cary Academy Graduates 87 in Seventh Commencement  [top]

To thunderous applause, whoops of joy and some tears, the 87 seniors of the Class of 2006 graduated May 21.

Anson Dorrance, women’s head soccer coach at the University of North Carolina, delivered the commencement address to a packed house in the SEA.  He drew on the 11 core values – like not whining, working hard and caring about each other – that his teams have employed on the way to numerous championships.

“Everything I have shared with you are choices you have,” he concluded.  “I hope all of you have a chance to live a life that exceeds your dreams.”

Before Dorrance spoke, senior speakers Lianne Gonsalves and Joelle Portzer presented heartfelt addresses to their classmates, families and all those in attendance.

Gonsalves urged her classmates to not get too caught up in the workaday world, but to “live, laugh and love.”  Drawing on artistic imagery, Portzer told her fellow ‘06ers that, “We stand here ready to add color, shape and texture to whatever part of the world we touch.”

Rob Smithson received the Founders’ Award from founder and board of director member John Sall.

Click here for more pictures from the commencement ceremony for the Class of 2006 and a copy of the opening remarks made by Head of School Don Berger.

Golf Brings in Over $70K [top]

Score the Ninth Annual Scholars Golf Classic a hole-in-one.  With money still coming in, the tournament has raised over $70,000 for need-based scholarships at Cary Academy.

With a shotgun start, 60 teams spread out over all three courses at Prestonwood Country Club May 15.  Despite dodging a few raindrops, the golfers enjoyed a day of warm temperatures and mostly sunshine.

Alums Charlie Winn (’05) and Ryan Cotter (’02) played, and 17 parents also participated.  For the eighth out of nine years, R.N. Rouse and Co. Inc. served as the grand sponsor of the event.  Cecilia Davis served as the parent chair.

Spring Athletes Garner Team, Conference Awards [top]

The Cary Academy spring teams did well this year, with boys’ tennis sharing the TISAC title with Durham Academy, and girls’ track winning the TISAC.  The teams also did well in placing many Chargers on all-conference and all-state teams.  Those teams were recently announced along with team honors.

In varsity girls’ soccer, team awards went to Alex Berger (’07) for the Charger Award and Liz Heller (’06) for Team Unity Recipient.  Berger, Amy Dement (’06), Dannye DiNizo (’06) and Rachel Kenney (’06) were named TISAC All-Conference.  Berger made NCISAA All-State.

In softball team awards, the Big Stick Award went to Bryelle Smith (’07), and Saige Clark (’07) won the Charger Award.  Smith and Clark were named all-conference.

In baseball, Adam Kramer (’06) got the Charger Award, and Barrett Roberts (’06) was named most Most Improved.  Kramer and Roberts were joined by Bret Knight (’07) on the all-conference team, and Kramer made the all-state nine.

In golf, Connor Leonard (’07) was named Medalist, and the Coaches Award went to Meg Hewitt (‘07).

In track, Most Outstanding Senior awards went to Mark Hallen (‘06) and Kelly Shipkowski (’06).  High point scorers were Glen Wright Colopy (’06) for the boys and Tenny Crawford (’07) for the girls.  All-conference honors went to Sarah Helfer (’07) in the 800; Rachel Park (’07) in the 1600, 3200; Crawford in the 100H, 300H; Blythe Friedman (’08), Dara Brown (’09), Shipkowski and Crawford in the 4x100; and Park, Catherine Jacobs (‘07), Lianne Gonsalves (’06) and Helfer in the 4x800.  At the state championships, Helfer won the 800m, thus earning All-State honors.

In boys’ tennis, the Sportsmanship Award went to Dennis Gugger (’08), and the Charger Award to Zach Sarnoff (’09).  Gugger, Mike Kohagen (‘10), Sarnoff and Taylor Meyer (‘08) were named all-conference, with Tyler Graybeal (‘06) receiving honorable mention.  Meyer placed on the all-state team.

In lacrosse, Andrew Leithe (‘06) took home the Charger Award, and Clark Cooper (‘06) the Sportsmanship Award.  Leithe, Cooper and Tyler Phillips (’08) were named all-conference.

PTAA Scholarships Awarded [top]

At the Upper School awards ceremony May 17, the PTAA awarded its annual scholarships.

The winners of the PTAA Merit Scholarships are rising seniors Lauren Kahn and Brendan Kiu.  Each will receive a scholarship in the amount of $2,000.

Three other rising seniors were awarded scholarships in the amount of $500.  Those three members of the Class of 2007 are Allison Yim, Murphy Chang and Caitlin Daniels.

Students to Blog on China Trip for N&O [top]

Four Cary Academy students from the exchange group traveling to China will supply an immediate recap of their experience through a blog that The News and Observer is starting May 21, the day before the students depart. 

Brittany Sterling (‘07) will be in charge of capturing her experience on film and then posting her pictures.  Diana Chiritescu (‘07) and Alanna Daley (‘07) will be alternating days with different diary-like entries of their time abroad.  Lauren Viehbacher (‘07) will be making her voyage to China two weeks later and will be spending her time as an intern for NCR and regularly writing about her tasks, and what it is like to work in China.  On May 22, the exchange group of two teachers and 12 students will board a plane to Shanghai.   

Three Seniors Excel in Competitions [top]

Mark Hallen (’06) is one of 20 students from around the nation who have made the National Chemistry Olympiad team.  He took the five-hour national exam April 21 at the N.C. School of Science & Math.  For making the team, Hallen has been invited to a study camp this summer at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. At the camp, students will receive intense training from both high school and college chemistry educators. At the conclusion of the camp, these educators will pick the top four students to travel to Korea to represent the U.S. in the International Chemistry Olympiad competition.

Shannon Mentock (‘06) participated in the Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition in Washington, D.C. on April 21-24.  She was among the 60 high school juniors and seniors from across the nation who were named regional finalists for the competition.  The regional finalists presented in groups of 10, and the top two from each group were selected as national finalists. Unfortunately, Mentock was not one of the top two in her group, but she said the whole experience was incredible, featuring world renowned speakers, dinner at the National Academy of Sciences and other presentations.

After an inspiring tour of Duke University’s radiology center last year, Lianne Gonsalves (’06) decided to enter an essay contest sponsored by Duke.  It was a good idea.  Announced in early May as the winner of the contest, Gonsalves received a $1,000 prize.  To read her essay, click here.

Haitian Dance Performance Dazzles [top]

Performers from the Resurrection Dance Theatre (RDTH) in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, performed for the school May 5.

The RDTH, founded in 1985, evolved from the creation of St. Joseph’s Home for Boys, which was also founded in 1985.  The mission of RDTH is to teach its members – former street children and mentally and physically disabled children – that they have a special gift to offer the world:  themselves.

Combining Haitian and African movements and featuring traditional Haitian drumming, RDTH shared the life stories of Haiti’s children in an unforgettable way that thrilled and impressed the CA students gathered.

Fun, Food and Good Times at Spring Sports Day [top]

The Spring Sports Day held Friday, May 5, and hosted by the Charger Club parent athletic boosters, provided an avenue for friends, families and supporters of CA to come together, mingle, eat and watch some good athletic contests.  The Chargers hosted Durham Academy for the day’s games.

A pep rally in the gym kicked off the event.  An ice cream social for the Middle School followed, and a tailgate party cookout by the stadium press box provided food throughout the evening. 

CA won the tennis matches 5-4.  In lacrosse action, CA lost 18-6, but the Chargers took the baseball game 6-1.  DA beat the softball team 16-1 and won a close soccer game 1-0. 

Click here for more pictures of Spring Sports Day 2006.
 

Smithson a Presidential Scholar; CA Students Receive Awards [top]

Senior Rob Smithson has been selected as a Presidential Scholar. One male and one female from each state is selected for this honor, with 13 at-large selections, as well.

In his application, Smithson was asked to write about a teacher who has influenced him, and he wrote about English teacher Carole Hamilton. Both Smithson and Hamilton will be invited to Washington, D.C. this summer for a series of events and a recognition ceremony at the White House.

In other great news, three Cary Academy seniors have been selected as National Merit Scholarship winners.  Each will receive a $2,500 scholarship.  The students are Sarah Basham, Mark Hallen and Smithson.

Econ Team Places Third [top]

The Cary Academy economics team placed third in the recent N.C. Economics Challenge held at the Federal Reserve Bank in Charlotte.  Schools from all over the state attended the competition. 

The CA team consisted of seniors Andrew Bryson, Clay Hane, Charles Hendren and Alexis Travars.  The competition consisted of three sets of tests:  one on microeconomics, one on macroeconomics, and one on “International Trade and Economic Current Events.” 

The team finished first on the microeconomics section of the competition.

What is Your Summer Quest? [top]

The Summer Quest staff has been busy planning a fantastic summer, and they are looking forward to your family being a part of it all!

There are many new offerings this time around, as well as some of the favorites from last year.  Some of the new camps include:  Digital Photography, Environmental Adventures, Real Fighting Robots, MultiMedia, Auto Design, Law, Fine Arts Portfolio, Introduction to Film Studies, Chocolate Dreams, Athletic Speed Camp, Draw Manga, Simple Silversmithing: The Friendship Ring, and Financial Savvy for Teens.

Spaces are filling quickly, so sign up today.  For more information and program registration status visit www.caryacademy.org/summer, or call the Auxiliary Programs Office at 677-7839.

April 2006

Rushin, Todd Win Teacher Awards [top]

Science instructors Gray Rushin and Joselyn Todd have been honored for their innovative teaching styles by the Sigma Xi chapter at North Carolina State University (NCSU).  Rushin has won the Outstanding Teacher Award for high school, and Todd has won the same award for middle school.

Sigma Xi seeks to honor middle and high school teachers in science and/or mathematics who instill in their students a love and appreciation for their subjects.  Each year, Sigma Xi recognizes one middle school and one high school teacher of science or mathematics from public or private schools in Wake, Johnston, Harnett, Franklin, Orange, Durham or Chatham counties.  The winners of these awards are recognized at the Sigma Xi Spring Banquet with the presentation of a check for $400. 

“I’m honored to be recognized by an international organization of distinguished scientists,” said Rushin.  “I hope to find some of my former students amongst the Sigma Xi membership in the coming years.”

“I know that such an award is only achieved with the support of special people who themselves have abilities that allow others to rise to their potential,” said Todd.  “With this in mind, I am very fortunate to work with such talented individuals in the Cary Academy community - students, parents, colleagues and administrators.”

Art on Display [top]

Cary Academy held FAME Fest April 19 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building.  This celebration collection of all the student arts focuses on visual arts as well as musical components. 

CA students were given the opportunity to set up booths and sell their own artwork and crafts, while visitors had the chance to purchase the pieces of art for reasonable prices.

FAME Fest is designed to support the blossoming youthful artists. 

Honors Galore [top]

Lianne Gonsalves (’06) has accepted the Park Scholarship to attend North Carolina State University.  She is also the winner of a $1,000 national Beta Club scholarship.

Danniella Hornby (’07) received an honorable mention in the Phi Beta Kappa Essay Contest.  She and her parents attended an award banquet April 25.

Diana Woodall (’08) and Mark Hallen (’06) finished in the top 15 at the 2006 Elon University Mathematics Contest held April 1, making them eligible for an academic scholarship at Elon University.

SADD Holds Events [top]

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) at Cary Academy took the initiative to remind students of Drunk Driving Awareness Week, April 17-21.

Alcohol is involved in 60 percent of all teen death car accidents, and SADD wanted to drive this point home.  The SADD chapter displayed an automobile, parked in front of the Upper School, that had been exhumed from a drunk driving accident. 

With the help of local law enforcement, the chapter set up a Gator course for students April 20 that simulated, using goggles, the effects of drinking, and provided a driving simulator tractor trailer on campus in the US parking lot.

Rooney Wins First Burdick Fellowship [top]

Michael Rooney (’09) is the inaugural recipient of the Charles M. Burdick Young Writers’ Fellowship, a $1,000 grant allowing one freshman to attend a summer creative writing program prior to the sophomore year.  The PTAA, in cooperation with the Middle and Upper School English Departments, came up with the fellowship.

Applicants were required to demonstrate their commitment to both the craft and promulgation of creative writing.  As a result, they completed an extensive application, submitted two pieces of creative writing for review, and interviewed with the selection committee.

Rooney impressed the interviewers, sharing an inventive short story, discussing how he would use the knowledge gained, and outlining several options that would encourage student participation in language projects.  With his award, Rooney has chosen to attend the residential Duke Young Writers’ Camp.

During the 2006-2007 school year, the PTAA will expand the CMB Young Writers’ Fellowship opportunities.  Freshmen will still be able to apply, while eighth-graders will gain the option of pursuing a second $1,000 grant.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions! [top]

The seniors in the Class of 2006 are making some tough decisions.  The 87 graduating seniors have received offers of admission from over 90 different colleges from 25 states in the United States, and from Washington, D.C. and England.  Many have spent the past several weeks trying to make their final choice. In most cases, students have until May 1, the national candidates’ reply date, to respond to their offers of admission.

The gamut of colleges to which seniors applied and have been admitted range (alphabetically speaking) from Alfred University to Yale University. Geographically, students are considering colleges across the country, from North Carolina to New York; from California to Connecticut; and from Massachusetts to Minnesota. They include liberal arts and sciences colleges such as Bard, Carleton, Claremont McKenna, Davidson, Hampshire, Oberlin, Swarthmore, and Wellesley; to midsize universities including College of Charleston, Duke, Furman, GWU, Georgetown, Harvard, NYU, Princeton, University of Richmond, Tufts, and Wake Forest; to larger state universities such as UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Wilmington, NCSU, UVA, University of Georgia, Florida State University, and Virginia Tech.  Other options include technical institutes such as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the Olin College of Engineering.

In addition to the impressive offers of admission, many seniors were also offered merit scholarships. For more information about these, please click here.

National Honor Society Welcomes 17 [top]

With a bright sun shining down, the National Honor Society induced 17 new members into its ranks during a brief ceremony at the amphitheater the morning of April 18.

The new members are:  Stephanie Aanstoos (’07), Elizabeth Atkins (’08), Stephanie Bauman (’07), Kelly Bolick (’08), Ben Goldhaber (’08), Rodrigo, Haragutchi (’08), Kelly Hughes (’07), Jackie Lee (’08), Yasmeen Mansour (’08), Tom Marty (’07), Anna Morris (’08), John Nelson (’08), Rachel Park (’08), Brian, Pritchett, Kim Ray (’08), Vinny Tumminello (’07) and Nilesh Wani (’07).

Day of Silence Upcoming [top]

On April 26, Cary Academy Upper School students and faculty will again have the opportunity to participate voluntarily in the National Day of Silence, sponsored by the CA Gay-Straight Alliance.  

In sponsoring this day, the CA Gay-Straight Alliance wishes to help create a safe, accepting community at Cary Academy, not just for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) students, but for all students.  Participation in the National Day of Silence is completely optional. As in the past, teachers will be teaching, advising and supervising extra-curricular activities aloud during the day. While a student’s decision to participate has a personal impact, if a faculty member is silent for the day, their decision has an impact on all their students that day. Teachers may choose to remain silent during their free periods. 

Students are free to make their own choice regarding participation in this effort led by the GSA. Teachers and students will respect the choice of individuals who are participating in the Day of Silence and some teachers may structure their classes in a way that allows students who are participating to remain silent. However, for some classes this might not be reasonable. CA asks that students make wise choices when participating in the Day of Silence and not allow their classes to suffer as a result. For more information about the Day of Silence, and the institutions that sponsor it, please visit http://dayofsilence.org/about/history.php.

Watson gets Science Award [top]

Ryan Watson (’07) is one of the winners of the third annual Carolina Award for Outstanding Achievement in Science.  The award, part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Science Carolina initiative, is administered by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center.

Science teachers statewide nominated candidates for the award. Eight winners from grades eight to 11 were selected based on a review of their transcripts and a short essay.  Science instructor Dan Yaverbaum nominated Watson.

To recognize his achievement, Watson, his parents and Yaverbaum attended a special luncheon at UNC on Thursday, April 6.  During the luncheon, Chancellor James Moeser presented Watson with a certificate and a gift.

Two Going to National Chemistry Competition [top]

Mark Hallen (’06) and Ryan Watson (’07) will be representing Cary Academy and North Carolina at the National Chemistry Olympiad Exam.

The two were chosen after the Chemistry Olympiad competition for North Carolina. Based on the results of the first round exam of this competition, the top 15 students from the state were selected.  Hallen and Watson will take the national exam April 21 at the N.C. School of Science & Math. This is a five-hour exam that includes a lab practical.

The top scorers on the national exam are selected to attend a summer camp at Air Force Ac