real-world ready - amazon s3real-world ready moving through each grade level at mount vernon,...

The Magazine winTer 2015

real-worldready

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contents The Magazine winTer 2015

#mvadvantageBehind the scenes in the college counseling office with Erin McCubbin and Pam Ambler.

featurereal-world readyMoving through each grade level at Mount Vernon, students are given the space and time to develop, discover and dream, while learning the critical skills needed to succeed in life, and in the real world.

from the head of school Dr. Brett Jacobsen shares how Twitter, a simple, digital platform, is making the world smaller and increasing conversations. With a rapid exchange of information, the flow of learning is no longer limited to time or setting.

4 8 learning demonstrationsA key set of principles guides learning at Mount Vernon across all divisions.

2012

The sTory ofThe cover

Senior Hannah Zenas was commissioned to paint the cover art for the Winter 2015 Magazine. In the spirit of design thinking, Hannah was asked to conceptualize and create a piece illustrating the path of a Mount Vernon student who, by graduation, would be real-world ready. She considered the horizon, with multiple options for college, and the waiting world. She thought of Mount Vernon’s iconic mustang as a symbol of tradition and steadfastness, taking the graduate through her journey.

A Real-World Commission

MV outcoMesNews from Mount Vernon alumni.

32shaping our storiesProfiles of three outstanding seniors.

28 the Benefit #havefun The Mount Vernon community comes together to support the Mount Vernon Institute for Innovation, accelerating the rate of the School’s growth on a local and national scale.

48annual reportA look back on a successful year, with great thanks to the MVPS community.

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The first step in the process involves numerous sketches and notes, in order to develop the main concept and understand expectations.

The painting begins to come to life, layer by layer.

The finished painting incorporates the journey as well as the message.

I actually built a client relationship by getting input and implementing feedback, which

made my painting better. Usually, I have trouble knowing when to stop, but through this experience, we all figured it out together. It was a collaborative effort. Believe it or not, there was no pressure! I knew I could always pivot and adjust.

– Hannah Zenas, Class of 2015

Hannah has been at Mount Vernon since Preschool. Similar to her artistic process, she, too, has evolved layer by layer.

All students in grades 1–4 walked into new, interactive and flexible spaces in the fall of 2014.

Dr. Brett Jacobsen@jbrettjacobsen

Trends

Join the conversation

#pblchat#dtk12chat#edjourney#21stedchat#geniushour#makered#digitalcitizenship#stem#steam

#mvpschool#mvlittles#mvlower#mvmiddle#mvupper#iDiploma#mvdesigns#mvifi#mvlearns#edchat

TweeTs3,586

following626

followers2,150

http://twitter.com

Twitter

Atlanta Tech Village @ATLTechVillage

Discover your passion/purpose, build an inspired team, win more business. Join us 12/3- “What’s your WHY” workshop!atlantatechvillage.com/events/upcomin...

4 23

Princeton University @Princeton

A few tips on clarifying research goals, by a student in the thick of it: owl.ly/FFSA1

5 2

Disney•Pixar @DisneyPixar

There’s great beauty in creative clutter. #InsidePixar

353 780

Chip Houston @ChipHouston1976

External expert meeting with #mvmiddle students in grade 7 to discuss Ebola @MVPSchool

4 8

James Tiffin Jr. @JimTiffinJr

“This isn’t a game. This is think-programming for my brain!” #kidquote while on @lightbotcom #hourofcode #mvpschool

3 10

USC Iovine Young @USCIovineYoung

#USC, #CondéNast and #WIRED Launch Master of Integrated Design, Business and Technology Degree bit.ly/1sNpOAt

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Mount Vernon Presbyterian School4

The ImpacT of 140 characTers

Forbes @Forbes

Student loan debt, for the first time in history, now exceeds total national credit card debt: onforb.es/1srAkby

for Mount Vernon, Twitter is a powerful tool we use to connect, observe, research, dialogue, share, and partner. More than 90% of the MVPs faculty and staff utilize Twitter in a variety of ways, and many of our partnerships and success stories over the past several years trace back to a Twitter conversation or connection. in the Twitter

“feed” of this article, notice the national and global access we have as a result of this powerful medium.

W hile each tweet is just 140 characters, this rapid exchange of information

magnifies major drivers of change around the world. For example, one of the School’s many Twitter influencers is the Institute for the Future. Many of the organization’s tweets maintain the reality that “new technologies, work patterns, and practices are disrupting how we learn, where we learn, and what we need to learn,” further driving home the point that the flow of learning is no longer limited to time or setting.

As influencers of current research and future programming and planning at Mount Vernon, it is important for us to follow the conversations that colleges, universities, research organizations, multinational corporations, nonprofits, and even the civic environments are having around the world. Let me share one demonstration from the college and university sector.

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MindShift @MindShiftKQED

Data on kids’ reading habits: looks like 15 minutes per day is the sweet spot owl.ly/Ffsgg #edchat #reading #elachat #edtech

72 45

Inst for Innovation @MVIFI

RT @AbigailEmerson1: CQ vs. IQ: Does your industry value CQ over IQ?#mvifi #iDiploma

6 45

Molly Collier @mollykcollier

We love rolling the balls down the ramps! We like adjusting them to see what will happen. #mvlittles

2 10

Co.Design @FastCoDesign

A toy kit for little architects and engineers: f-stco/WrTgzs4

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By Dr. Brett Jacobsen,Head of School

The MagazineWinter 2015 5

This year and over the next several years, I am traveling to various colleges and universities, meeting directly with deans of college admissions. Understanding the strategic direction of each university assists us in best positioning Mount Vernon students. Additionally, engaging with top leaders – especially from the college admissions sector

– provides us a venue to share the Mount Vernon story of inquiry, innovation, and impact.

During a recent trip to Vanderbilt University, Erin McCubbin, MVPS Director of College Counseling, and I sat down with the Vice Provost for Enrollment. In addition to discussing Mount Vernon’s engaging students and innovative programs, we talked about Vanderbilt’s vision. Connecting the two, I asked, “How do you define college readiness?” He emphatically responded that college readiness extends beyond basic preparation of coursework. Instead of learning in a linear and prescribed fashion, students must be able to look at a problem from multiple vantage points as well as apply deep thinking and analyses to identify a solution.

Hearing what Vanderbilt is looking for reaffirmed how we prepare students. Through redesigned learning spaces, design thinking and maker projects, Harvard’s visible thinking routines, and multisensory math concepts, our onboarding process begins as early as Preschool and Lower School. Threading through the Mount Vernon Mind, I shared with him the interdisciplinary and cross disciplinary focus at the School – whether it is the Freedom and Conflict course or the digital life badging system in Middle School, or the (i)Projects, Science Engineering and Design Course and Interim Term international travel programs in the Upper School. Ultimately, I demonstrated how Mount Vernon is preparing our students “to be college ready, globally competitive, and engaged citizen leaders.” Needless to say, the time flew as we discovered a great deal of alignment between our respective institutions.

Further evidence of Vanderbilt’s renewed direction is the university’s recently launched $50 million Trans-Institutional Program Initiative, which “encompasses both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches amongst colleagues across Vanderbilt’s 10 colleges and schools.”

While there are many more examples worth mentioning, colleges and universities

VanderbiltUniversity @VanderbiltU

.@VUEngineering prof’s robotic exoskeleton featured in the @WSJ: Robotic legs for the disabled on.wsj.com/1tDXzhI

2 5

Heidrick & Struggles @HSIItweets

Lawrence Allen on why organizations must develop #global leaders, or risk going extinct. bit.ly/1059ypZ

8 3

Margaret A Powers @mpowers3

RT @boadams1: .@jbrettjacobsen invites #MVIFI COI to build Mobius Strip to dig into #MVPSchool Continuum ow.ly/i/7kNmz

141 32

In addition to Vanderbilt, other universities are committed to an

interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary direction.

University of Southern California, Academy of Arts, Technology, and Business of Innovation: Team taught in interdisciplinary courses,

“students learn to think seamlessly across multiple disciplines, and envision possibilities from every perspective.”

University of North Carolina, Chancellor’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The office aligns with “UNC’s strategic plan for

accelerating the number of solutions to the world’s most pressing problems and speed with which they are implemented.”


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throughout the country are asking strategic questions about the future of learning. For example, Stanford University’s recent strategic plan initiative entitled the Stanford2025 focuses on “how students prepare for a Stanford education while still in high school, as well as patterns of undergraduate decision-making regarding what and how they study, to the shifting needs and expectations from future employers.”

Even College Board finds itself in a period of transformation. As a contributor to College Board, the National Leadership Council produced a decade-long research study,

“College Learning for the New Global Century,” outlining the “essential aims, learning outcomes, and guiding principles for a 21st-century college education.” The Council recommends “an education that intentionally fosters, across multiple fields of study, wide-ranging knowledge of science, cultures, and society; high-level intellectual and practical skills; an active commitment to personal and social responsibility; and the demonstrated ability to apply learning to complex problems and challenges.” As a result, there have been recent changes to the SAT, revisions to Advanced Placement exams transitioning from memorization to deeper conceptual focus, and creation of the Capstone program, building on the course work of AP in an interdisciplinary format.

Navigating through the changes and adjustments around us, the winter edition of the Magazine provides in-depth examples of how MVPS students, beginning in Preschool and extending through Upper School, are positioned beyond the basic preparation of coursework, how the College Counseling Office cultivates a strong relationship with each individual student, and ultimately, how students are becoming real-world ready.Your child’s story of inquiry, innovation, and impact at Mount Vernon is worth an RT (retweet).

Davidson College @Davidson College

Prof. Malcom Campbell supports study on the debilitating effect of lecture and memorization on #STEM students. #bit.ly/1nHOHXj

3 3

Grant Lichtman @GrantLichtman

Is your school’s vision to be a place where students learn, or an opportunity to transform lives ... and just maybe the world?

8 12

Mount Vernon School @MVPSchool

Our College Counseling office highlights future changes to the SAT. Evidence we lead the way in college readiness. bit.ly/1p4xVRU

6 2

James Campbell @TheRealJamCam

Great event @GeorgiaTech capstone design expo & tour of Invention Studio.

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As influencers, it is important for us to follow the conversations that colleges, universities, research

organizations, multinational corporations, nonprofits, and even the civic environments are having around the world.– Dr. Brett Jacobsen

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Interdisciplinary Centers, Labs, and Programs: MIT believes “today’s

researchers tackle complex problems that cannot be resolved within a single academic discipline – and constantly creates and evolves academic organizations that foster interdisciplinary work.”

Auburn University, the Bachelor of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary University Studies: “Students will complete a

capstone course in which they apply their knowledge of the interdisciplinary discipline to a service-learning, professional internship or thesis project.”


T heir college preparatory experience is fueled by a dynamic duo: Mrs. Erin McCubbin, Director of College

Counseling (BA Communications/Political Science and MS Environmental Management/Policy – both at Samford University), and Mrs. Pam Ambler, Associate Director of College Counseling (BBA International Business, University of Georgia and MS School Counseling, Mercer University).

With enthusiasm and devotion, this team helps pave the way to our nation’s quads, maximizing each and every Upper School student’s potential and motivation. MVPS college counselors recognize that each student has unique goals and aspirations, and are in position to advise and impart strategic instruction during that discovery. A significant amount of planning and

preparation go into creating not only the blueprint for this process, but the individualized master plan for each student.

While the journey to college originates for an MVPS student on day one in Preschool, the college search process officially launches in the ninth grade, as students enter Mount Vernon’s college counseling office about to embark on a very personal and riveting expedition.

ahead of the curVeMuch of Mount Vernon’s college readiness program has been well ahead of the curve, demonstrating an unrelenting commitment to the belief that students are at their best when they are engaged in real-world, solution-based learning. Now a growing trend among colleges has many institutions adjusting their

Mount Vernon Upper School students have an undeniable advantage … or two.

#mvAdvantage

Because I have worked on the other side of the

admission desk at Emory University, I bring unique

experience to Mount Vernon. With professional knowledge about how

and why admission decisions are made, I share counseling strategies

specifically aimed to assist with updating applications, suggesting

fit through supplementary essays, maximizing the additional information section of an

application, and communicating a student’s unique impact through

my letter of recommendation.

– Pam Ambler,Associate Director of College

Counseling


admissions processes to better assess a student’s preparation for college and life. Furthermore, an increasing number of colleges are completely abandoning the standardized test component and turning to learning samples, video essays, and student e-portfolios. Perhaps one of the most dramatic changes comes from the College Board. Its redesign of the SAT, with an emphasis more on what students are learning in high school, is national-scale acknowledgement that the current test may not always be an accurate reflection of what a student can do with their knowledge.

Applying what a student knows is a fundamental part of the Mount Vernon learning experience. The Upper School Capstone Project, now called (i)Project, challenges and inspires students to leverage content and skills from all of the disciplines to make a measurable impact in a contemporary local, national, or global issue. The project, among many things, challenges students to expand their minds, challenge their assumptions, and ultimately teaches real-world demands. Additionally, Mount Vernon students are taught at a very early age how to use their knowledge through design thinking. Through human-centered problem solving they are inherently learning how to make an impact in their world well before they enter college and the working world.

unique adVantage Mount Vernon’s college counselors bring experience from the college acceptance side of the process. Each counselor has evaluated applications from all 50 states and around the world. Having made admission decisions, structured financial aid and scholarship packages, and shaped incoming college classes, their vast understanding of the college admissions system is a tremendous asset to our applicants. Additionally, their collective network has expanded due to attendance at programs such as the Harvard Summer Institute on College Admission and delivering presentations at professional conferences, including: the Southern Association of College Admission Counseling (SACAC), Georgia School Counselors Association (GSCA), Georgia Independent Schools Association (GISA), and National Small College Enrollment Conference (NSCEC).

Their extensive experience, coupled with Mount Vernon’s ever-growing senior classes, means the list of colleges and acceptances continues to expand. This year’s senior class has applied to schools like UCLA, Dartmouth, Yale, and Vanderbilt. Additionally, as the

competition increases to get into local universities such as the University of Georgia, the number of Mount Vernon acceptances continues to grow.

the coMplete packageThe comprehensive nature of the process sets MVPS apart from other schools. Able to simultaneously choreograph different routines for each grade level, Mrs. McCubbin and Mrs. Ambler meet with everyone in grades 9–12 on a monthly basis, building solid relationships with over 200 students each year, guiding and coaching them to find their ideal college home. By conducting personality inventories, career-interest assessments and developing endless connections, the counselors help students prioritize each point on their college matrix.

In general, our freshmen are registered early with Naviance Family Connection, a web-based college and career planning portal, and are assisted in identifying their distinct learning style and personality type. A strengths-based approach is used to counsel sophomores on resumé building and development of college terminology, while the specific components of a college application are examined and analyzed. Juniors regularly meet with a college counselor one-on-one, where emphasis is put on the relational aspects of the application process. Additionally, they

are introduced to college fairs and learn the importance and protocol of college visits. Seniors benefit from essay and resumé editing as they absorb the many technological application resources and scholarship opportunities available to them.

In a funneling process, all potential schools are placed on a list, which subsequently gets pared down throughout the process. For some, priorities are driven by geographic location, size of the student body, or a particular program the school offers. For this reason, the building blocks formed during the freshman and sophomore college meetings are so important – the earlier our students are taught to evaluate and consider a variety of colleges, the better equipped they are by junior year to identify what is important to them in order to make an intentional, relevant list.

We talk about community a lot at Mount Vernon, and inherent

to that community is family. The investment we make in cultivating relationships with every family is what really allows us to help their student find their college fit – it's my favorite part of what we do!

– Erin McCubbin, Director of College Counseling

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College Readiness at Mount VeRnon

As part of the Innovation Diploma program, a cohort of 12 students

will observe, question, empathize, experiment, craft and implement

innovations in multiple fields.

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses Offered

First PS–12 school in the Southeast US to implement

comprehensive Design Thinking infusion

One-third of the class of 2015 traveled

internationally to study during their

junior year

Of the senior class, 13% are Eagle Scouts

or have earned Girl Scout Gold

Awards


Year one – grade 9 –freshMan

The first year of Upper School is crucial. It is the time to dive deep into interests, explore a wide range of activities, cultivate relationships and take advantage of standardized testing practice, while keeping an open mind.

Study. GPAs start ticking now. The difference between an 89 and a 91 is significant – so studying must be a top priority.

Utilize Naviance Family Connection. Take the Personality Profile assessment and explore the college major/occupations information at the end of the test.

Make summer significant. Explore a summer internship, go on a mission trip, enroll in a collegiate summer program, or work at a camp.

Volunteer. A well-rounded, service-minded student is attractive to colleges.

Practice the PSAT. Practice tests are available online with College Board.

Read! Get involved at School – athletics, clubs, drama, music, debate, art, leadership, service, business and more.

Develop and regularly update your resume to include clubs and organizations, service hours, honors awards and summer experiences.

Explore college campuses when traveling. Take note of small/large, public/private, little town/big cit

Year two – grade 10 – sophoMore

Now is the time to challenge yourself, set goals and take charge. Seek leadership opportunities, deepen relationships and explore.

Register to take the PSAT. This is an indicator for class placement and targeted studying.

Challenge yourself. Consider taking AP and/or honors level courses.

Diversify. Show your personality by integrating electives into your schedule. Consider band, debate, art, transforma-tional leadership, etc.

Get comfortable with Naviance. Use the college search function to begin exploring and listing schools of interest.

Serve. Follow your passions after school and over the summer. Become a part of your community.

Start a college folder. Purchase an organizational tool.

Read! Register for and take the SAT Subject tests for any AP courses completed sophomore year.

Stay active in your organizations. Dive deeper into a few campus activities.

Stay current. Update your resumé. Start a club. Demonstrate initiative.

Year three – grade 11 – Junior

Remain focused. Solidify interests, stay challenged and lead. Work closely with your college counselors to customize your experience. Determine major considerations for college selection and think big.

Laser focus on your GPA. Most colleges and universities will not consider any senior year grades when making an admission decision. What you do this year defines your academic career.

Target your approach. Use the list you created in Naviance of schools that interest you and research their admission requirements. Do you have all the classes you need? Where is your GPA relative to their minimum, mean, and middle 50%?

Practice writing. Write at least one sample essay based on current Common Application prompts.

Make the College Counseling office your new home. Together, we will map out your action plan.

Retake the Personality Profile assessment and explore the college major/occupations information at the end of the test. Did it change from last year?

Be strategic over the summer. If seriously considering a specific type of program or honors college at a school, check their summer opportunities. Zero in.

Organize and manage your college folder.

Get serious about the PSAT. It now counts as a qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship.

Read! Register for and take the SAT Subject tests for any AP courses completed junior year.

Take the ACT or the SAT (or both!) in the spring. Use PSAT results to help you strengthen potential weak spots.

Take advantage of test prep available through Naviance, Methods Test Prep, or private tutoring.

Take AP tests seriously. They could count for college credit.

Lead in everything you do. Update your resumé. Take advantage of on-campus college visits. Attend as many as possible.

Plan college visits wisely. Juniors have one day off from school to visit colleges. Take advantage of school breaks to visit more.

Schedule. Call ahead or go online to schedule an official tour and admission appointment.

Attend college fairs in the fall. Personalize it. Write a handwritten thank-you note to any admission representative with whom you come in contact.

Ask teachers for a letter of recommenda-tion. Give them plenty of time to perfect their letter over the summer so you can begin applying when you return from summer break.

Share transcripts and test scores. Have your ACT or SAT scores sent to the schools in which you are interested. Your transcript can be sent over the summer upon request.

The four-yeAr plAn

relationshipsThe guidance process is relational from start to finish, which is paramount to the counseling philosophy. By incorporating such a personalized program, our counselors are able to truly understand the needs of our students and tailor their individual experience. The college counseling suite was created to be a space for building confidence, asking questions, discovering passions, determining unique qualities and seeking success. Adding to the culture of collaboration, counselors organize monthly breakfasts, the senior retreat and boot camps, and college T-shirt day.

interiM terM Many sophomores and juniors take advantage of a concentrated Interim College Tour that is offered each year. For a solid week, students tour a specific area and visit several colleges and universities, such as:

Duke, UNC, Clemson and Furman in the Carolinas; and Columbia, NYU, Pace, Fordham and Pratt in New York.

tools & resourcesEach fall, Mount Vernon has the privilege of hosting representatives from over 80 colleges and universities. During these information sessions, students participate in personal conversations with recruiters. The size of the meetings is to the students’ advantage, as many of the representatives get to know the students by name. Additionally, several programs have been implemented to give students and parents as much information as possible in order to make a solid choice.

College Panel Night was developed as a behind-the-scenes opportunity for students to gain insight into admission policies, trends in higher education, testing policies and essay tips.

Interview Night was established as a practice tool for students to become comfortable asking questions as well as answering those asked of them. In one-on-one sessions with faculty, staff and experts in residence, students receive feedback that helps highlight their strengths and areas for growth.

Financial Aid Night welcomes college and university representatives who cover topics such as: HOPE eligibility, FAFSA, the difference between need-based aid and merit aid, scholarships, grants and loans.

faMilY inVolVeMentEach student’s family is encouraged to participate in the college preparation experience by attending grade-level meetings and college counseling events, as well as staying on top of testing deadlines and being informed of summer enrichment opportunities. In addition, families are asked

to visit college campuses during vacations in order to expose our students to as many options as possible.

winning traditions Wins are celebrated with tradition. Seniors ring the “I got into college” bell upon each notice of acceptance. Students are invited to paint a ceiling tile in the college counseling suite as soon as they pay a deposit signaling their intent to matriculate to their choice college or university.

Mrs. McCubbin and Mrs. Ambler leave no stone unturned as they travel the four-year path with each Upper School student. It is with great dedication that they navigate the intricate details required to reach each student’s admission goals.

Together, Mrs. McCubbin and Mrs. Ambler are a powerful and experienced team, keeping students focused and organized, positioning them for success. In an effort to best prepare Mount Vernon students for life, our college counselors implement a comprehensive four-year plan with actionable steps based on proven successful college admission practices.


MV Influencers

Kelly EastwoodAssociATe DirecTor of ADMissions

I love the opportunity our school gives us to get to know our students both in and out of the classroom. The positive

bonds that are formed help to motivate our students, and

these bonds are maintained long after our students leave

Mount Vernon.

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It was my pleasure to work with Erin. She is ambitious, technologically efficient, has a memory like a steel trap and enjoys being actively

engaged in the students’ lives. She has built strong and trusting relationships with students, their parents and her colleagues. As a

result, Mount Vernon students have become more aware of the requirements and rigors of getting into the top-tier schools. They are building their resumés, challenging themselves and work to be well-

rounded. From ninth grade on, they know that everything counts. These kids are more in tune to the college rep visits, know what questions to

ask and present themselves professionally. They are prepared.

– Marsha Powell, Retired Director of College Counseling

Year four – grade 12 – senior

Game time. Complete applications, write essays, visit more campuses and stay close to Mrs. McCubbin and Mrs. Ambler.

August Strategize your schedule. Your load should be rigorous and show effort. Are you taking the classes you need?

Retake the SAT and/or the ACT. Take the writing portion of the SAT and Subject tests if required.

Meet regularly with your college counselors.

Create a calendar with important deadlines, including: testing dates, college visits, application deadlines, and college counseling meetings.

Continue your involvement in school organizations, with as much leadership as possible.

Update your resumé in Naviance. Attend Senior Boot Camp and cookout. Finalize your list of desired schools. On August 1, complete the Common Application.

September Attend the Senior Retreat. Apply to at least six schools: two likely, two possible and two stretches.

Meet with recruiters. Make a positive impression. Prepare questions.

Visit your top schools. Again. Stay overnight/sit in on a class.

Seniors are allowed two college-visit days.

Write thank-you notes. Resumés are due mid September. Transcript requests for Early Action/Decision schools due mid September.

Attend college fairs. Prepare college applications, essays, and personal statements – seek advice from your English teachers.

Athletes interested in playing a college sport should register with NCAA for eligibility.

Check on the financial aid and scholarship process where you are considering.

October Submit all regular decision or rolling-admis-

sion transcript and letter of recommenda-tion requests by November 1.

Attend the MVPS Financial Aid Forum. Review graduation requirements with your counselor.

Retake the SAT and/or ACT. Attend college recruiter visits on campus.

Visit schools to which you applied but have not yet visited.

what about life after college? see what several Mount Vernon alumni have been up to on page 32.

Athletes must submit ALL transcripts from any school they have ever attended to NCAA for eligibility.

Print two copies of applications submitted online – one to keep and one for your counselor.

Prepare for and complete college interviews. Practice mock interview questions.

November November 1 is the deadline for all transcript and recommendation requests.

Maintain Family Connection updates in Naviance.

Do a scholarship search based on interests, geography, parent’s workplace, church, etc.

Retake the ACT/SAT if you were waitlisted or deferred based on scores.

December Gather all financial information needed to file the FAFSA by January 1.

Copy all decision and scholarship letters for college counseling office.

January File the FAFSA. Update your grades, honors, and awards in Family Connection.

Stay focused! Acceptances are conditional on senior year grades.

February-March Complete the FAFSA by March 1. Copy the college counseling office on all decisions.

Create an account on Georgia College 411 to apply for the HOPE Scholarship.

Complete any and all scholarship applications.

April Evaluate the schools to which you were accepted and their financial aid packages.

Knock schools off your list, but notify them immediately via phone or email. This might allow another student to be considered.

Make sure your AP exam registration is complete.

May May 1 is National Decision Day. You must notify one (yes, only one) college by this date that you intend to enroll and pay the required enrollment deposit.

Notify the school you plan to attend, then contact all other schools to withdraw your application.

Log on to Georgia 411 and give a college decision. This will require no further action on your part in regard to the HOPE Scholarship.

Study for your AP and final exams. Complete your final transcript request and senior survey.

Congratulations! Prepare for GRADUATION. YOU DID IT!


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he start button is pressed beginning in Preschool. Students as young as three begin exploring their passions through communicating clearly and politely, thinking for themselves, being fair, working as well independently as they do on a team, practicing how to think and to stretch their minds. Moving through each grade level, students are given the space and time to develop, discover and

dream, while learning the critical skills needed to succeed in life, and in the real world.

Throughout this feature, you will get a glimpse of the real-world learning that takes place at Mount Vernon. For example, in order to illustrate and demonstrate real-world examples, the School invites business leaders, entrepreneurs, gifted individuals, non-profit directors, those who have overcome challenges, community managers, as well as public officials – real people with real lives, real jobs and ultimately real stories – to our school so students may experience relevant life situations and real challenges. By diving deep into authentic experiences, students gain a perspective outside the confines of the classroom. Enthusiastically interacting with adults, our young men and women begin building their own individual life framework.

Mount Vernon students are given the tools and resources – the rest, they do on their own. Teachers provide examples, situations, circumstances and boundaries, if any. Meanwhile students are encouraged to identify issues, conduct the research, work out the solutions, poke holes in theories, make mistakes and question everything.

By the time a Mustang graduates, he or she is well-equipped to take on life – with confidence, knowledge, poise and courage. After all, our students have been solving real- world issues for years.

At Mount Vernon, we have a great responsibility. A privilege. We have an opportunity to lead, encourage, develop, guide, advise, urge, teach and help shape hundreds of students a year, while at the same time, continuing to learn, discover and evolve.

Everybody is motivated by

challenge and solving problems, and we don't make use of that in schools enough. Project-based learning gives everybody a chance to sort of mimic what scientists do, and that's exciting. And it's fun if it's done well.

– BrucE AlBErTs, ProfEssor

EmEriTus AT ThE univErsiTy

of cAliforniA, sAn

frAncisco, And formEr

PrEsidEnT of ThE nATionAl

AcAdEmy of sciEncEs (nAs)

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WhAT ThE rEAl World sAys

We live in a globally connected, information saturated world. To thrive, our students need to learn in and out of

school, in person and online, together and independently. Students need learning experiences that meet them where they are, engage them deeply, let them progress at a pace that meets their individual needs, and helps them master the skills for today and tomorrow.

– Bill & mElindA GATEs foundATion


empaThy

& engIneerIng

W hen Mount Vernon students in grades 10–12 registered for TJ Edwards’ new Technology,

Engineering and Design class this year – they had no idea the skills they would learn would have a profound impact on an 18-year-old boy’s life.

This story begins two years ago with two strangers – a prop maker from the U.S. and a carpenter from South Africa – who came together from 10,000 miles apart to create a

prosthetic hand device for a small child in South Africa. Afterwards, they gave away the plans for free – so those in need of a similar device could make it on their own or have someone make it for them.

Fast forward to 2014. With only 50 miles of distance between them, yet strangers to one another, both TJ Edwards and 18-year-old Alex Linkous saw a story on WSB-TV about a little boy who received a 3D printed prosthetic hand – the source of which, was:

enablingthefuture.org. Immediately after the story aired, both TJ and Alex went to the site and registered – one to build a hand, the other to receive it.

A month later, Alex was matched with Mount Vernon’s 12 students who would begin changing his life. Tasked with designing a prosthetic for Alex, who was born without a portion of his right hand, the students started the process by interviewing him, asking him questions to determine his needs, and then set off to work to create a variety of options. Through trial and error, utilizing one of the School’s 3D printers, they experimented, prototyped, and by late November presented three different hands for Alex to try.

Just as in real life, students had to pivot and adjust as they experienced technical difficulties with the 3D printer. Learning a lesson in perseverance, they worked through it all and met their self-imposed deadline to provide Alex with an early Christmas present.

“Being able to connect and help someone in real life is incredible. Helping Alex has really opened my eyes to the possibilities of technology and to see what a small group of students can do for the community,” says Daniel Ward, Grade 10.

In a permeable classroom, schools use their community and beyond to learn by using the

resources, inspiration, and environment beyond the walls of the classroom to generate learning experiences that can’t be replicated in the school house.

– GrAnT lichTmAn,

#EdJournEy: A roAdmAP To ThE fuTurE of EducATion

Making a Real-World Impact


i think it is really great being partnered with this school because the teacher is exposing these students to so many different things in this project. They are designing, engineering, compiling data, and constructing a hand. These students are future engineers, technicians, scientists – the sky is the limit. Knowledge is power, and these students are gaining power that will, hopefully, assist them in choosing a career path, and i feel fortunate to be a part of this project.– alex linkous

Within the four walls of my classroom it is exciting to experiment and test ideas for what works best. it is great to challenge students each day and at the same time be challenged by them. i get to continue learning. my best days are when i'm ‘in it’ with the students as a true community of learners. my hope is that one day my students will say that i helped them consider the art of the possible. – TJ Edwards

The growing access to knowledge,

information, people, and tools that our students are getting demands a shift in how we think about the work they do in school. ‘Work that matters’ has significance beyond classroom walls; it’s work that is created for an authentic audience who might enjoy it or benefit from it even in a small way. It’s work that isn’t simply passed to the teacher for a grade, or shared with peers for review. It’s work that potentially makes a difference in the world.

– Will richArdson, A formEr PuBlic

school EducATor of 22 yEArs

And co-foundEr of modErn

lEArnEr mEdiA

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By Kaylyn Winters, Class of 2017

c ollege readiness is a term that covers a lot of ground. Ground that had better be developed by the time one

begins the application process.

At Mount Vernon, we are guided through the process gradually, beginning in Preschool. Then we ramp it up once we’re in Upper School.

Mount Vernon is a school that is helping students stretch, grow, learn and cope. Not just to be prepared to go off to college, but also to be thrown into what we call the “real world” – the realization of the fact that we won’t always be in school, and at some point

will have to get a job, pay our own way, and make our own decisions. Preparing for this is evident through the connections and efforts that Mount Vernon makes.

Students, like myself, who have elected to participate in the Innovation Diploma track are given the tools, resources, opportunities and circumstances to practice real-world problem solving of real-life situations. We are guided in an environment where we have to be able to make decisions on our own, with real-time deadlines. The answers aren’t just blatantly handed to us. We work through the issues by collaborating, trying, pursuing and failing. Throughout the journey, we add our own twist on problem solving, using the

InnovaTIon

dIploma

dIploma

The Ultimate College Prep Course

The answers aren’t just blatantly handed to us. We work through the issues by collaborating, trying, pursuing and failing. Throughout the journey, we add our own twist on problem solving.

As educators we need to begin to implement a bold vision for change to flip the concept of education and focus on relevant learning experiences that actually prepare

students for the real world. School should allow students to follow their passions, use real-world tools to solve real-world problems, develop and apply essential skill sets, think divergently, create artifacts of learning to demonstrate conceptual mastery, and foster creativity. Schools need to work for students if the goal is to prepare them for the real world.

– Eric shEninGEr, sEnior fElloW And ThouGhT lEAdEr on diGiTAl lEAdErshiP WiTh ThE inTErnATionAl cEnTEr for

lEAdErshiP in EducATion (icl) And scholAsTic AchiEvEmEnT PArTnErs (sAP)


design thinking approach, which is enthusiastically embraced by the School. We carve out time and space to make things happen. Aside from the usual core subjects, our cohort of 14 work through the processes that we anticipate facing in the real world: finding our passions and working within a team, and also with external experts, seeking feedback, communicating effectively, adjusting and pivoting, in order to work through an issue. Any issue.

To me, that’s what being college ready is. Not just being able to understand the core subjects (like math, science, history, etc.), but also being able to cope with distractions, manage time, meet deadlines and make things happen. We’re practicing the skills we will need when we are thrown into situations outside the protection of our school walls – and we expect to rise to the occasion. Like my co-workers and I say, “We have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

College Readiness: What does innoVation diploMa do?The Innovation Diploma, a program being pioneered by a group of 14 this year, is really a base program for world readiness, far beyond college readiness. As a cohort, a cohesive team of young adults, members are challenged to not only work together in the most effective

– and possibly quite abstract – ways possible, but to also work individually with others in order to pursue a passion. Now “to also work individually with others” may seem like a bit of a contrast, but it is a very valuable and necessary skill.

The world is full of people working alone, but with other people, in order to get things done. Most prominently, these people are the ones who form start-ups, or problem-solving designs. They work alone on a problem, but also have to ask for help, input/feedback, from others. In order to be able to do this, one has to be willing to be vulnerable with something that they really care about.

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It’s hard, and sometimes nerve-wracking, to present something that is just an idea to your co-workers. It feels like no matter the quality or the passion behind what you are presenting, that there is always going to be something wrong. And yet, that is exactly why you need it. The process of having what ID calls

“Internals” (basically a short presentation to the group of what you have so far, with feedback from your co-workers in the form of,

“I like…, I wish…, I wonder…”) has been a great way to see the flaws, gaps, and possibilities within an idea.

ID is a start-up where, despite the fact that everyone is working on something different, we are ultimately working together toward the same goal. Then there is a project in which the cohort is working consciously together on a larger venture as well. Every day, we struggle through the same challenges of most of the working people of the world, just on a slightly younger scale.

We’re practicing the skills we will need when we are thrown into situations outside the protection of our school walls. We have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Learning and doing have become inseparable in the face of conditions that invite us to discover. Learning by an original and personal process of discovery is a

trend on many U.S. university campuses ... It also shows up in middle school, high school and after-school programs. Students and participants in these kinds of programs learn something even more valuable than discovering a fact for themselves, a common goal of ‘learning discovery’ programs; they learn the thrill of discovering the undiscovered ... And this fans the kind of passion that propels an innovator along a long creative career.

– dAvid EdWArds, hArvArd school of EnGinEErinG And APPliEd sciEncEs


o ne of the boldest ways Mount Vernon prepares students for life beyond school is the Council on Innovation. During

this day-long event, students host and work alongside many of Atlanta’s most successful industry leaders. This year, Mount Vernon’s Institute for Innovation designed an experience that not only exposed students to real-world situations, but it also allowed students to teach industry executives how to solve workplace challenges through design thinking.

Just as in its inaugural year, this year’s members of the Council on Innovation hailed from some of the city’s most influential companies, like Coca-Cola, Twitter, UPS and AT&T.

Drawing on personal and professional experiences, members of the Council on Innovation addressed the question: How might we enhance our creative impact? As a primer, members received the transcript of a well-known Newsweek article titled, “The Creativity Crisis.” In the article, the writers reference an IBM poll of 1,500 CEOs, each of whom identified creativity as the No. 1 leadership competency. Tackling this premise, COI members engaged in a group discussion, answering questions such as: Do you see a creativity crisis in your organization? Can creativity be taught? How might Mount Vernon infuse more creativity into the learning experience?

COI members next went on a learning walk. Talking with students and seeing Mount Vernon’s new flexible learning spaces, participants made observations of their own and actively shared their feedback about how the School enhances its creative impact in the classroom.

Fulfilling the desire to involve a large part of the school community, council members then participated in a luncheon/salon experience which included 24 members of the faculty, 24 Middle and Upper School students, and 24 Mount Vernon parents. This interactive

handson

busInessAtlanta Industry Leaders and Students Take On Real-World Readiness

i was blown away by the level of creative thinking that is pervasive throughout the entire school. if we could take what is happening at mount vernon and apply it on a national level we could affect the overall GdP in my opinion. The most valuable aspect of coi is that it is a movement that can truly affect how our children think about solving problems ranging from our everyday to the most complex.– Brent herd, industry director for Twitter

The high school and college graduates who will get and keep good jobs in the new global economy and contribute solutions to

the world’s most pressing problems will be creative problem-solvers who will generate improvements in existing products, processes, and services, as well as invent new ones. The most essential education challenge today is to graduate all students innovation-ready.

– dr. Tony WAGnEr, AuThor of “ThE GloBAl AchiEvEmEnT GAP” And “crEATinG innovATors”


ThouGhTs on ThE coi ExPEriEncE

MV Influencers

debbie BeckerexecuTiVe AssisTAnT To HeAD of scHool

It is an absolute treat for me to work with students at Admissions events, our fuse

conference, and The Council on Innovation. Mount Vernon

students are phenomenal public speakers and presenters,

and while many adults struggle with these vital skills,

our young men and women are equipped at an early age

to share their ideas, persuade, and collaborate with others.

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Today was one of the most exciting and eye-opening experiences i’ve ever had in all of the 12 years that i have been a part of the mount vernon community, and i am extremely amped to get going on my i(venture) and produce something amazing. – megan lienau, class of 2018

The most valuable aspect of the council on innovation for me was experiencing early in the day business and community leaders articulating the critical need for more creativity in the workplace and later in the day seeing firsthand how mvPs has proactively adopted the framework of deep design Thinking to help develop our children’s creative capabilities, not as a one-time event, but continually throughout their primary education experience. – randy Geoghagen/cEo & founder Tracepoint consulting

"I had to keep reminding myself that the person sitting across from me was only a ninth grader. she presented herself as well as an adult."

"I am blown away with the confidence and ease of your students. They are presenting to executives but have incredible poise and present themselves so well."

"We need to spread the word of what is taking place at mount Vernon. What you are doing is revolutionary."

"I want the students to come to my place of business to help me with some of our problems."

"you are on the right track. These students are be-ing taught skills which are needed in the business world."

"I want to be a part of this process going forward. This is exciting what is taking place here."

activity allowed each participant to ask a question about creativity, with the students asking the first one to get the conversation flowing.

The most interactive part of the day occurred in the afternoon, when COI members, Innovation Diploma students, along with other Upper School students, went through a design thinking experience. Working in teams of four (two COI members and two students), each group went through Mount Vernon’s DEEPdt process of discover, empathize, experiment, and produce. Creating prototypes, each group shared its ideas and dreams and more importantly gained a deeper understanding of one another’s own experiences. Afterwards, Innovation Diploma student Megan Lienau shared, “One realization that I had right after the flash lab was that through Innovation Diploma, everything that I have done so far with MVIFI has helped me access a part of my brain I did not know existed.”


Preschool

Learning DemonstrationsA demonstration of learning is typically a learning experience in itself. Designed to encourage students to think critically and solve problems while developing communication skills, learning outcomes require research, teamwork, planning and goal setting.

A Mount Vernon student is taught how to learn by engaging the senses through open discussions, hands-on discovery, building prototypes, listening to feedback, empathizing and simply trying something new – all to establish the framework for college, a career and life.

Curiosity and Passion Drive Learning

What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing.

– ArisToTlE

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

– BEnJAmin frAnKlin

20 Mount Vernon Presbyterian School

Preschool

Learning Demonstrations

MV Influencers

stacey WhalenYoung fiVes leAD TeAcHer

Curiosity drives what we do every day in Preschool, and we are consistently amazed

about how creative and engaged our students are. I

encourage my students to try new things, and I challenge

them to attempt even very difficult tasks, because you

never know where you might find incredible moments of

celebration and success.

MVPS Preschoolers have a special place where they can explore, discover and learn, in the Discovery Lab. With deep and natural curiosity around scientific concepts and the natural world, our students play, interact, explore, fiddle, tinker, and question in order to learn. discovery is a space created with learning projects in mind – a space where small groups of children can touch, feel, smell, pet, experiment, and explore live animals (a leopard gecko, two birds, hermit crabs, two types of frogs: a tree frog and a southeastern leopard frog and a hamster), plant small gardens and develop a recycling center – all designed to enrich and enhance what is happening in their classrooms. By bringing the real world into our space, students gain hands-on, life experience.

The Preschool curriculum is driven by the interest and curiosity of our students. Research overwhelmingly shows that children learn best when their own curiosity and interests are sparked. External experts consistently visit classrooms to share real-world experiences relevant to curriculum, such as an expert fisherman during the under the sea unit, a bestselling author, and an oligochaetologist (expert on worms).

our inquisitive learners investigated x-rays, completed observational drawings of animal skulls, created a doctor's office in the classroom, explored real casts, and even constructed a life-sized skeleton out of wood blocks as they took a journey through a unit on bones. each class created a bulletin board to demonstrate their learning through idea webs, graphs, charts, photographs and student quotes.

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I lIkeMV Influencers

One of our big goals is for students to begin viewing the world with a flexible mindset. If a product doesn’t exist that solves a problem, build it! If one lacks a tool to help do a job, how might we hack something to make that job easier? And that last one requires the student to have the imagination to look at objects and see new possibilities.

Jim TiffinDirecTor of MeDiA & MAker ProgrAMs

lower schoolWorking with Mary Cantwell, Mount Vernon’s design Thinking director, and the School’s director of Media & Maker Jim Tiffin, third grade students embarked on a design thinking challenge to discover how they might redesign the media center to meet the needs of more students. Beginning the d.e.e.P. (discover, empathize, experiment, produce) process, students explored the needs of users (fellow students) by asking questions like: How can we make the books and maker spaces live in one space without one overtaking the other? After reflecting on the feedback, the class moved into the experiment mode, creating a blueprint to redesign the space. Moving tables, rugs, chairs, and completely changing the flow of the space, students developed a sense of ownership of the space.

Reflecting on their work as they enter the library each day, students learned a valuable lesson: to not “fight the feedback” when hearing the familiar words “I like…, I wish..., I wonder….” from the variety of individuals who use the Media Center (teachers, staff and students). Teacher Ms. Trenney says one of the most challenging aspects of this design thinking challenge was the time and labor it involved. “It took my students a lot of time to interview the users of the library space, to prototype, and to physically move the bookshelves, books, and furniture in the media center space.”

Learning Demands Interactive and Flexible Spaces

I wonderMount Vernon Presbyterian School22

In order to make sense of a social issue by understanding why some trash is passed over and left untouched, Mrs. King’s class created their own design thinking challenge. The students set litter traps. Trash was strategically placed around campus for teams to observe activity such as: how many people passed by, what types of trash elicited different reactions and how long it took before someone would pick up the litter. Actions were documented, tallies totalled and the data analyzed. In going through this exercise, the students not only became more trash-aware and better community citizens, they also made a difference by plotting and planning better trashcan placement.

Mustang Mounties and MV Mart entrepreneurs conceived and created their own school-supply business – raising enough money to repay Mount Vernon Presbyterian School its initial capital investment of $100, send its first donation of $100 to the Atlanta Mission in honor of teacher Ms. Alix Rhett, and donate $143 to the Sandy Springs Community Assistance Center.

Walking the path of pioneers to gain practical experience and learn basic survival skills, fourth grade students explored the local woods to experience living off the land. In teams, they claimed their homestead and constructed shelters with evidence-based reasoning, chopped wood, designed a way to carry water, built tools, identified edible berries, mended clothes torn on the trail, dug ditches, determined resources to use for currency and created a centrally located trading post. With nothing but a few supplies and a little direction, students determined their needs and discovered they had true grit.I wonder

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Middle school

As the Middle School has embraced collaboration through the 1:1 Chromebook program, teachers, administrators and parents also recognize the importance of digital citizenship. emphasizing the value of making responsible online decisions, students went through several exercises to drive home the premise that an individual’s online activities create digital tattoos (or digital footprints). They squeezed toothpaste out on paper, then tried to put it back into the tube, which demonstrated that once images are online, they are there forever. Students also created a Bully Block app to prevent exposure to bullying online.

In Marie Graham and Alex Bragg’s Conflict course, students explore American history through the lens of human relations throughout the Civil War, World Wars I and II, colonialism, the Cold War, ideological and economic struggles, peace treaties, and ethnic and social clashes. In addition to American struggles, the course heavily infuses current events as students assess the future of international peacekeeping strategies, as well as explore solutions to the world's most pressing conflicts.

Relationships are Foundational for Learning


MV Influencers

chrissy WusylkogrADe 7 life sciences

AnD grADes 7 / 8 DigiTAl MeDiA TeAcHer

Students are always more engaged when they are ‘doing.’

Since science is all about figuring things out, I often

ask them to discover a concept on their own. Consistently I remind them they should

never assume I, or any adult for that matter, have all the

answers, especially when they have the tools and the research

to discover the answer for themselves.

eight students in grades 6-8 were selected to attend a two-day, statewide, Power Over Prejudice (POP) summit hosted by Georgia Tech. our Mount Vernon representatives participated in multiple workshops demonstrating the damage created by stereotyping, bullying and prejudice. Upon their return to School, each student passionately conveyed the strong message to their fellow students – that the upward spiral of positive actions and reactions will make the world a better place.

last fall Middle School students joined a national movement to erase Meanness and were challenged to consider how one specific act of kindness might impact the life of someone else. during the challenge, faculty members reminded students that words and actions have the same effect as if a pebble is dropped in the water. At MVPS, the choice is made to create positive ripples, growing into mighty waves with the power to change the world. The effects of this change can be seen, as students use red words of kindness and not the black and blue, painful words of cruelty.

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uPPer school

MV Influencers

People who know me say I continually engage with the world by observing, asking questions, and interacting with others. Likewise, I want my students to remain agile in both mind and body, eager to empathize with others, and intent on imagining what role they can assume to make the world a better place to live.

holly chesseruPPer scHool englisH TeAcHer AnD HeAD of grADe 12

As the signature of a Mount Vernon education, the (i)project experience provides students an opportunity to think and act across various disciplines, while exploring solutions to real-world problems. Student groups seek to make a dent by recognizing, defining and solving a single issue, such as hunger, diminishing water resources, musical therapy, sustainable energy or personalized medicine.

Empathy Influences Learning


Six Upper School students were selected to travel through europe to make a presentation at a workshop at the Global leader summit in Davos, switzerland, during the summer of 2015. After gaining insight into different education systems – both past and present – by touring Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, the students will attend a two-day leadership conference on Innovation and the Future of education. Using their interpersonal and leadership skills, they have an unprecedented opportunity to guide a workshop of over 100 fellow students from around the world.

Holly Chesser not only encourages empathy in her classroom – she expects her students to do a deep dive into sensitive current events, such as the Ferguson trial. By starting with questions, examining and analyzing commentary, she exposes real social issues in a safe environment. She remains grateful that her students trust her to guide them through the sometimes delicate inquiry process.

Upper School students conducted a random act of kindness to transform someone’s christmas. The students in chapel took up a collection to bestow on an unsuspecting stranger. When Starbucks employee Melissa delivered coffee to School one morning, she was gifted with a tip of over $200. later, Melissa asked how she could repay everyone and was asked to simply pay it forward. With that, she replied, “Thank you. Now my daughter will be able to have a great Christmas.”

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27The MagazineWinter 2015

MV Influencers

hank KunathgrADes 7–12 ArT TeAcHer

shaPing our stories

I often remind students that the art they create is an extension of their personalities. My hope is that their expectations always remain high and that their pieces reflect their personal views of the world. Along the way, I am there to guide, to provide feedback, and to celebrate their creative expression.


only just discovering his artistic gift during his freshman year, dillon began spending all his free time in the School’s art studio. He quickly learned different techniques and constantly asked questions of his mentor, art teacher Mr. Kunath. over the years, dillon has been given the freedom to learn, express and grow. As a result, he has honed his skills and found his style; creating the finest detail within a single element. He sketches, scales, transfers, and revisits – the true sign of a builder. Following the advice of those at School who know him well and could see his potential, dillon attended a week-long design and architecture class at the University of Tennessee the summer between his junior and senior years. At that point, his sights were set on UT.

“I plan to study product design or graphic design in college and would never even have gotten to this point without the help from Mr. Kunath. He and the Mount Vernon art program have had the most influence on me as I made the decision where to go to college. Also, our college counselors recognized my strengths and helped me craft my story, so I could connect with the school of my choice.”

dillon is also a state-ranked diver. While he enjoys diving, and does it well, his true passion lies with art and design.

Attending University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design, Class of 2019

Dillon Briggsartist, athlete, architectural designer

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THe TIcKer: ARTS

Class of 2015’s Oliver Yowell’s photography submission was published in the 2014 edition of Best of College and High School Photography.

Hank Kunath’s grade 7 art class won 1st, 2nd AND 3rd places at the Sandy Springs Fall Chalk Walk Competition.

US Theatre Director Clark Taylor performed in a two-person play at the world’s largest theatre festival in Scotland – the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The MVALLSTARS presented “MORT” for their mainstage production, the largest to date.

MS Drama Troupe brought "The Reality Show of Prince Absurdly Handsome” to the stage.

2014 Christmas Arts Showcase featured artwork from every grade level, 5 band concerts, a chorale and a mini dance recital.


THe TIcKer: ATHLETICS

7/8 football completed the school's first-ever undefeated season and advanced to the 7/8 Championship Game.

MS softball team finished with a record of 11–5, earning first place in their division, while starting three fifth graders. Carson Watson had a .712 OB% (on base percentage).

5/6 football: Sixth grader Lincoln Parker had over 500 rushing yards during the season.

MS cheer squad completed level 2 stunt skills and squads in grades 5–8 combined to form a collective team that competed for a state title in Macon, GA.

MS volleyball team captured the NAML title.

MS cross country had the largest running team in School history with 58 runners. All runners improved their previous personal bests. The team had its highest ever finish (3rd place) in a 12- team meet!

After picking up a guitar at age 10, Hannah has yet to put it down. In fact, she picked up a pencil and paper, too – and began writing her own music and lyrics with strong, spiritual messages that resonate with not only her peers but also those twice her age. As a current senior, Hannah has her sights set on attending Belmont College in Nashville, Tennesee, to pursue a degree in Worship leadership and to further her musical career. As a student at Mount Vernon, she has been offered many opportunities to showcase her talent and passion. By enrolling in the year-round Praise Band class, she has been able to perform in front of her peers every week at chapel since her freshman year. leading fellow students in worship and playing with the band allows her to build her craft as she continues to be front and center on-stage. In addition, Hannah established an IndieGoGo life Campaign to crowdfund her very first album. She far exceeded her financial goal.

“My on-stage presence has been shaped by my teachers, and they have given me a solid understanding of the ‘behind the scenes’ framework. I really get what it takes to check sound, manage all the details and fully produce a show. I have been guided to learn how to lead in a chapel/worship setting, in a way that the band and our audience share in the message. Thankfully, Mount Vernon’s college counselors have provided an enormous amount of time and space to help me fine-tune my plan for the future – which will hopefully be in Nashville.”

Hannah Onleysinger/songwriter, spiritual leader


George Gavalaswrestler, worshipper, world-class leader

Recognized as a top wrestler in GHSA Class 1A, George has developed not only physical muscle but academic muscle as well.

on the wrestling mat, George fights like a tiger. His opponents are easily subdued by his strength, power and endurance. Unassuming at first, his layers gently fall to the wayside, revealing a well-composed powerhouse. This holds true at the microphone and in the classroom, too. Selected to be Head Prefect his senior year, George gracefully delivers Bible verses and personal testimony, school-wide. The heaviest lifting, however, is most evident in his ability to juggle his coursework and excel in all of it, racking up over 10 AP credits by graduation.

”While wrestling is my passion, academics come first. When looking for a college/university, I narrowed down my list to schools that would foster my growth as a wrestler and also provide an environment with rigorous academics. Mount Vernon has prepared me for college in so many ways – by helping me learn time management, strong study habits, and communication skills. At MVPS I found my passions, chased them, and learned how to use my gifts to make a positive impact in our community.”

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Varsity volleyball advanced to the State Playoffs for the first time in School history, and junior Autumn Burnette was the first-ever MVPS volleyball athlete to be named Region Player of the Year!

Varsity cheer: Bliss Mallory was named to the UCA All American Team.

Five varsity softball players made the 2014 All Region Team (Mia Whitney (co-offensive player of the year),

Helen Hudgens (pitcher of the year), Lauren Daniel, Brittany Whitstine, Abby Watkins), while the entire team advanced to the GHSA playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Varsity football: Ahmir Lee surpassed 1,000 yards rushing and is a strong contender for All Region Team. Junior Jacob Munoz named Most Improved Long Snapper in nation at #VegasXXV.

Varsity Cross Country: Josh Eastwood ran the third fastest time in MVPS history at the Region 5A Championships with a time of 18:55.


mv outcomes NEWS FROM ALUMNI

Chandler Moses

I will graduate from UGA this spring, and next fall I will pursue a master’s degree in Medical science at either emory or South University in Savannah. Undoubtedly, Mount

Vernon had a tremendous impact on me. From kindergarten until my senior year, so many teachers made a profound difference in my

life. We respected our teachers; we knew their families, and they knew ours. I will always be grateful to them, as many of them continue to offer their encouragement and support.

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Jacque Jordan

I’m at Belmont College in Nashville, Tennessee, pursuing a life filled with music. I play shows all around Music city with fellow students, and recently I was featured and wrote the

hook on a song with a group of Christian hip-hop artists based out of Nashville. What I have quickly learned is the music world is strictly contingent upon the business

side of affairs, and thankfully Mount Vernon prepared me for that business mindset. I learned so much in my economics and statistics classes that I currently apply.

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Holly lane

As I finish my degree in Human Development and family science at the University of Georgia (UGA), I will also graduate as a Provisionally Certified Family life educator. I hope

to earn a master’s degree in either Counseling/Therapy or Speech Pathology. I have held leadership positions in the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, disciples

on Campus, and one of the things I am most proud of is my role in UP@UGA, which is a new club on campus aimed at providing resources and a peer support system to girls facing unplanned pregnancies. I honestly think I would not have been bold enough to help create this club if I had not had the confidence instilled in me at MVPS. Having teachers who still support my endeavors, even four years post-graduation, is so gratifying.

11clAss Of

lauren Taylor

As I do my victory lap at UGA, as a double major in Mass Media Arts & History with a Music Business certificate, I am excited to share I’m in the final stages of interviews with

universal records in los Angeles. My hope is to work for the Head of Artists and Repertoire this summer. I credit my K-12 years at Mount Vernon in helping me to

learn how to branch out, shoot for bigger goals, and really just be myself. Knowing who I was helped me find my niche early on and allowed me to have the best college experience possible.

11clAss Of

Sarah Buck

Recently I was accepted into Disney’s elite college program, so this summer I will live in orlando and take classes focused on teamwork, customer service, and effective

communication. As I pursue a degree in Mass Media at UGA, I realize that my love for communications began at an early age at Mount Vernon. As a

preschooler during “show and tell” up through my senior year as yearbook editor and Communications Prefect, I developed a love for writing and public speaking.

13clAss Of


ne

Ws

fr

om

alu

mn

I

Learners Apply Knowledge to Make an Impact

Zack Cook

MVPS not only helped me develop the qualities and build the resumé necessary to get into elite colleges, it also helped me appreciate the importance of being a hard worker and having a sense of community. In fact, many of my experiences at Georgia Tech have been extensions of the experiences that began at Mount Vernon. This spring I will graduate from Georgia Tech as a Business Administration major with a concentration in accounting, a certificate in law and ethics, and 150 hours in order to meet CPA (Certified Public Accountant) eligibility requirements. Upon graduation, I have accepted an offer to join the "Big Four" accounting firm ernst & Young, as a part of its assurance services team.

11clAss Of

MVPS not only helped me develop the qualities and

build the resume necessary to get into elite colleges, but it also helped me appreciate the importance of being a hard worker and having a sense of community.

Zack (left) receiving the Academic excellence Award from the educational Foundation of the Georgia Society of CPAs, given to him by Craig Womack, director of Undergraduate Programs, during the spring 2014 Scheller College of Business Awards Ceremony at the Georgia Institute of Technology.


2013–2014 Annual Report


an

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MV Mind

The Mount Vernon Fund The Mount Vernon Fund allows the School to say YES to the special touches that differentiate and elevate the learning experiences provided to the students.

page 36

GA Tax Credit Program

MV opportunity

The Georgia Tax Credit Program channels tax dollars toward MVPS financial aid, providing students access to a Mount Vernon education.

page 40

MV coMMunity

Mustang Rally & Derby Mustang Rally & Derby supports teacher learning and technology, providing faculty with valuable professional learning opportunities as well as providing for the School's technological needs.

page 42

Capital Projects

MV space

Capital Projects is about making space ... to grow, transform and build something exceptional.

page 44


The Mount Vernon FundVisionary ($25,000 and aboVe)

Mr. and Mrs. M. G. Brooks Jr.

Joanne Brooks Helmke

The Kolb Family*

innoVator ($15,000 – $24,999)

Amelia Bay – Sherry and John Crandall

Michelle and Gray Dobbins*

Sue and Mike Watkins

Leader ($10,000 – $14,999)

Dr. and Mrs. Ralph W. Alewine, III

Mr. and Mrs. James Caldwell

buiLder ($5,000 – $9,999)

Meg and John Christian

The Coca-Cola Company

Mr. Jason Y. Crandall

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Kirk Harpole

Lillian and Jimmy Maurin

Deanne and David McDougall

Dr. and Mrs. Zsolt P. Nagy

Maureen and Todd Pierce

Marsha and Tommy Powell*

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S. Schab, Jr.

Dulcy and Jerry Rosenberg

Brett, Anne and Austin Taylor

Drs. Lisa Drake and Brian Thomas

Louise M. Watkins –

In honor of Abby

and Emme Watkins

RoseMary and Don Weber

coLLaborator ($2,500 – $4,999)

Anonymous (1)

Julie and Brad Allison

Judy and Gordon Cope –

In honor of Simon Ikenberg

Carla and Paul Corley*

Mr. and Mrs. Scott B. France

Elizabeth and Randall Guyton

The Hacketts

Jennifer Spillane Hayes

and Brandon Hayes

Debbie and Todd House

Dr. and Mrs. Brett Jacobsen*

Ginny and John Layman

Louise and Bill McCahan

The McConnell Family*

Angela and Michael Nagy

Justine and Bruce Peddle

Pam and Gary Piligian

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Rafuse

Shelly and Steve Ray

Mr. and Mrs. Steve M. Romaniello

The Stromquist Family*

Allison and Rick Toller

Patty and Guy Tucker

Susan and Jim Walsh

Kay and Chuck Waters

Wells Fargo Educational

Matching Gift Program


an

nu

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ep

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t 2013–2014

Founder ($1,972 – $2,499)

Anonymous (1)

The Barnes Family

Tricia and Scott Baynton

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Blair

Nancy and Steve Buck

Dr. Roberta Cann

Tracy and Win Carroll

Kimberly Champney

Christine and Mike Cooper

Laura and Mark Dames

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Fenech

Holly and David Green

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Hedrick

Mr. and Mrs. William E. Inman, Jr.

Anne and John Jones

Kelly and Colin Kelly

Shannon and Troy Lutes

Eleanor and Tom Mallory*

Stephanie and Mike McDonald

Lori and Dan Middleton

Lynn and Charles Mixon

Jan and Ken Moorman

Dale and Bruce Morine

Mount Vernon Presbyterian

Foundation, Inc.

Debra and Andrew Peterson

Marli and Scott Quesinberry

Heleena and Mike Roush

Margot and Robert Shuford

Elizabeth and Scott Slayden

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stinnett

Ann and Michael Thompson

Kim and Dan Turner

Valerie and Jose Vargas

Judy and Chris Weathers

Jenette and Kenneth Wood

partner ($1,000 – $1,971)

Arch Insurance Group, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Michael B. Arnold

Bank of America

Matching Gifts Program

Julie and Jon Barber

Megan and Andy Batcheller

Kirsten and Bryan Beard*

Debbie and Brian Blomgren

Cynthia Bondesen

The Brackin Family

The Bull Family –

In honor of Robyn Bull

The Calhoun Family

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Carney

Mr. and Mrs. William Carroll

Kim and Bob Christenson

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cole

Dr. Rae Colley

Ellen and Ross Dalton

Lisa and Lenny Daniels

Dr. and Mrs. Royden E. Daniels, III

Stacey and Todd DeWeese

Christy and Mike Dickson

Kelly and Brent Eastwood

Lisa Ford and Chip Emerson

Cheryl and Jim Fairbanks

Jennifer and Brett Fennell

Eileen and Sean Fennelly

Lyn and Murray Forbes

Ms. Ruth Fowler

Cynthia, Bill, Cody and Winston Fox

Ashley and Tony Giardino

Marie Graham

Mr. and Mrs. Garrett H. Hale

Eileen and Jason Hall*

Pam and Mallard Holliday

The Home Depot

Robin and Trent Horne

Mary Beth and Tim Jeffrey

Emily and Tim Johnson

Rosie and Hank Kunath

Susan and Robert Kurtz

Deborah C. Lampe and

William H. Lampe

Nanci and John LeRoy

The Lienau Family

Shari and Bill Lotz

Charlotte and Bob Madderra

Mr. and Mrs. Mason H. McCarthy

John T. McLeod

Microsoft

Nicole and Jeff Mills

Norfolk Southern

Northwest Radiology Consultants PC

The Patnode Family

Judy and Bill Porter

Nancy B. Reynolds

Mr. and Mrs. Sami L. Rizk

Karen and Embree Robinson

Dr. Tom Rounds

Cindy and Jim Sharkey

The Soteres Family –

In honor of Will and Steven Soteres

Carmen and Brian Stanley

SunTrust Bank Atlanta Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Tuggle

Beth and Alex Tyler –

In honor of Ben Tyler

Rhonda and Robert Tyrrel

Mr. and Mrs. Aaron S. Uhde

Amy and Darin VanLandingham

The VanWynbergen Family

Susan and Steve Weber

Tara and Jack Winters

Terri and Ken Wright –

In honor of Cassidy and Clayton

XL America

supporter (up to $999)

Anonymous (11)

Anne-Brown and Bo Adams

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey D. Adams

Melba Adams

Adcock Acupuncture

The Addicks Family

Nancy L. Allee

Mr. and Mrs. John Amidei

Debbie and Todd Andersen

Deanna and Jim Anderson

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Anderson

Mark Anderson

Kelly and Andy Anderson

The Andres Family

Mr. and Ms. Bobby P. Antony

Phoebe and Mark Ardagna

Mr. and Mrs. James M. Armstrong

Mr. Kevin M. Baldesare

Debbie and David Barclift*

Ann and Cliff Bargeron

Ms. Edith H. Baronian

Dr. and Mrs. Bill Barron

Melissa Baugher

Mary and Charles A. Beard

Debbie and Rick Becker

Sharon and Robert Benson

Tracie and Morris Bernstein

Jacqueline and Curtis Berry

Kathy and Eric Berry

Christy and Chris Betz

The MV Fund has an impact on my classroom on a daily basis. Every gift from our school community says to me as an educator, ‘YES, we are going to support you and make sure you have what you need.’ For this, I am grateful.– Marie Graham,

Middle School teacher

1972 Society honors donors who make a gift of $1,972 or higher.

* Contributers to the Marsha Powell Fund The MagazineWinter 2015 37

Mr. and Mrs. Brooks Blair

Emily Blevens and Anna Blevens*

The Bloodworth Family

Trey Boden

Maggie and Stan Boose

Karen Cooper and John Boykin

Ms. Elizabeth W. Bozzuto

Ms. Margaret G. Bradford

Lisa Brady

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Bragg

Kathleen and Mike Braswell

Ms. Emily A. Breite

Ruth Ellen Bridgers

Al Briggs

Nannette Briggs

Mr. and Mrs. Chad M. Brooks

Elliot Jason Broome

Rita and David Brown

Megan and Matthew Brown

Drs. Keith and Christine Bruno

Ms. Darlene Bryant

Anne and John Buchanan

Kassi and Burt Buchtinec

Mr. and Mrs. John Burkhalter

Sharon and Reggie Burnette

Anne and Steve Butz

Dr. Kelli Bynum

Carlton M. Byrd

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Cain

James and Cherisse Campbell

William J. Campbell – In honor of

Michael Lotz

Ms. Kathleen T. Canady

Mary and John Cantwell

The Canup Family

Joy and Carlton Carden

Ashley and Mark Carman

Marilyn and Mike Casey

The Chacko Family

Mary and Mike Chambers

Laura and Jimmy Chambliss

Sandi and Wayne Chase

Mary Ella and Charles Chastain

Ms. Holly R. Chesser

Chick-fil-A at Perimeter Pointe

Molly Christian

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clements

Shelley Clifford

Teri and Emmett Cloud

Cindy Coe

Marguerite and Patrick Coffield

Ms. Eva M. Cohen

Linda Colbaugh

Suzie and Jeff Collins

Jane and Larry Comer –

In honor of Andrew Stovall

Ms. Lauren Comer Stovall

Lestra A. Corey

Roxanne Costa

Carla and Graham Courtney

Suzanne Couvillion

Marianne and Frank Craft

Michele Culbertson

Lisa and Ben Cumming

Jenny and Brian Cummiskey

Ms. Michelle Czik Spitz

Mr. and Dr. Donald T. Daniel, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Royden E. Daniels, Jr. –

In honor of Ryan and Tucker Daniels

Tina Z. Daniels

Lee Danner

Susan P. Danner

Cynthia and William Dautrich

Todd Dawson and Courtney Smith

Lisa and Michael DeBord

Ms. Mariana S. Depetris

Caroline, Cathy and Robert Derrick*

Lisa and Doug Dickson –

In memory of Martha C. Jones

Michelle Dodder

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence B. Domenico

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Dooher

Leslie and Larry Dove

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Dwyer

Mr. and Mrs. Randal C. Earley

Mrs. and Mr. Michelle R. Eaves

Jennifer and Bruce Edenfield

Rena Edwards

Timothy Edwards

Roula Elias

Freida Ellis –

In honor of Emily Oliver

J. Thad Ellis, III*

Equifax

Dr. and Mrs. Richard Erickson –

In honor of Julie and Eric Erickson

Dr. and Mrs. Eric Erickson

Michelle Erling

Kate and Benton Evans*

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Evertsen

The Farrah Family

Michael S. Farry

Katie and Jay Felts – In honor of

Will Felts, Class of 2015

Kate and Frank Fenello

The Fentress Family

Ginny Ferguson

Miss Kelly O. Fitzgerald

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel F. Flanagan

Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Flanzer

Catherine and Steve Flippen

The Flowers Family

Mrs. Jaymie C. Forrest

Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Fowler

Susan and Marc Fraser*

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Freeman

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Fuentes

Kim and Rob Gallagher

Caroline and Jon Gallinaro

Bryan, Lorelle, Courtney

and Dylan Gantt

Traci and Glenn Garde

Peggy and Mike Gardner

Lynn B. Gardner

Brad Garner

The Gavalas Family

Zandy Geiger

General Mills Foundation

Anne Giardino

Holly and Bret Giles

Zenephia and Jim Glore

Stacie Shattles Goins

Emily and Bill Goldman

Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo A. Gonzalez, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Wade H. Goodwyn, IV

Alice Bingham Gorman

Dr. and Mrs. James Gregory

Wesley and Keith Griffin

Debbie and John Grove

Wendy and Bruce Hagenau

Becky and Mike Hague

Brad and Tracy Hahn

Joe Hale and Jan Hart

Chrissa and Gary Hammond

Elissa Bryn Harbuck

Pat and Buddy Harrell*

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Haushalter

Mr. and Mrs. Steven A. Hawn

Mr. and Mrs. Jon W. Hedgepeth

Danielle Heintz

The Heiser Family

Mr. Todd Hendryx and

Mrs. Amanda Mewborn

Wendy and Patrick Hennessey

Barbara Henry

Melinda Hickein

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Hickey

Melanie and Philip Hinson

Nicole, Russ and Thomas House*

The Houston Family

The Hoyal Family

Debra and Mark Hudgens

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew J. Hudgins

Elinor Hunt

Ms. Stephanie N. Immel

ING Foundation

Valarie Jakes and Frank Jakes

Amy and Kyle Johns

Amy Jones

Katharine Jones –

In honor of Katie and Allison Jones

Elizabeth and Richard Jones

Don Paul and Rixey Jones

Robin and Steve Jones

Jennifer and Ron Jones –

In memory of Boxer Jones

Suja and Michael Joseph

Amy Kanderis

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kane –

In honor of Nate Chambers

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Katz

Anne and Will Katz

Mr. and Mrs. James W. Kellogg

Trina and Patrick Keuller

Mary N. Kilgore

Kimberly-Clark Foundation

Lisa King

Mitzi and Peter Kintz

Sherri Kirbo

Beatrice Kirkland

Jeanne Knap

The Koch Family

Mr. Russell Kohl

Lauren and Brad Koontz

Christine Kosmos

Madeline and Patrick Kotora

Mr. and Mrs. Anand Kumar

Karen and Tom Kurtz

Patti Bunker and Stan Lambert

Susie and Patrick Lane

Peggy Larson

Mr. Kelly B. Laughlin

Kerri and Ted Lavender

Michael A. Lawings

Ann and John Lawless –

In honor of John and Julie Willingham

McDaniel and Brand Leask

Dr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Lee

Dana and Eric Levitan

Shelley and Dave Levy

Suzette Levy

Ms. Letitia Lewis

Ms. Jun Liang

Elizabeth Long

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey T. Long

Holly Born Long and Scott Long

Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Lordo

Mr. and Mrs. William Lovejoy

Mr. Terry L. Luck

Justice and Mrs. Champ Lyons

Mr. Daniel B. Mannis

Mr. Paul Marek

Ann and Arnold Markowitz –

In honor of Harrison Jones

Reverend Dr. Joe B. Martin

Nicole and David Martin

Kat Mattimoe

Emily McBryan

Derek McCloud

Andrea McCranie

Ms. Erin M. McCubbin

M. Carol McCurley

Kaye and Robert McDaniel

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. McGoldrick

McKesson Corporation

Kathy McLean

The McLeod Family

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McNerney

Thomas and Cynthia Meade

Mrs. Amanda P. Meagher

Leticia Machado and John C. Mecke

Sheila and Ed Menkus

Hannah, Maggie and Mike Menkus

Vincent and Sophia Mercer

The Mount Vernon Fund


an

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Mr. and Mrs. Addison H. Meriwether, Sr.

Dr. and Mrs. Mark Merlin

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Mette

Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Millard

Ms. Judy Miller and Mr. Wayne Stradley

Ms. La'Tasha Mines

Cindy and Jeff Mitchell

MMC

Martha and Chris Moore

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Moorman

Kelly and Shy Moras

Morgan Stanley

Jennifer and Ken Morge

Ann-Marie and Joshua Morrill

Mika and Robert Motes

Lisa and Richard Mullen

Linda and Richard Munger –

In honor of Garrett Matchan

Sandy and Hector Munoz

Ms. Christine Nawrocki

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Neff

Libby and Eric Nelson

Lucie and Kenneth Nelson –

In honor of James Robison

Jennifer and David Nickell

Bonnie and Tom Nolan –

In honor of Ethan and Aidan Ray

Northside Anesthesiology Consultants

Jenny Novoselsky

Katherine and George Oppel –

In memory of Boxer Jones

Shirley and Horace Pahl

Krista and Edward Parker

Susie and Vic Parker

Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Parkinson*

The Partiss Family

Carol A. Patrick

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Patterson –

In honor of Ethan and Ellison Wood

Mr. G. Robert Pavloff

The Payne Family

William Peace – Peace Design

Mary and David Peterka

Kinsey Peterson, 2014*

Nicholas Jon Picciocca

Mr. and Mrs. Gregory D. Pickering

Sandy and Larry Pipkins

Ann Plumer

Andi Oki and Jeff Pomeroy

Marilyn and O'Bie Powell*

Diane Prince

Publix Supermarkets

Suzannah Raney

Drs. Todd and Lauren Reagin

The Rego Family

Darcelle and Brent Reid

Ms. Mary A. Rhett

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ritch

Mr. and Mrs. John Robert Rizzo

Nia Roberts, 2014*

Ms. Leslie G. Robins

Mr. and Mrs. John Robinson

Julie and Brett Rogers

Gina Romaniello

The Rothbard Family

Mr. and Mrs. Salvador Ruiz

Laurie and Jeff Rummel

Mark Ryan and Kay Loerch

Michael E. Sanders

Anne Sanford*

Joan and Ed Schaeffer

Teresa and Chris Scheele

Jeff Schneider and Donna Neumann

The Schnetzer Family*

The Schorr Family

The Schwock Family

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Seagraves

The Seeber Family

Suzanne Elia Shaoul

The Siggers Family

Mrs. Natalie Silver

Mr. and Mrs. Tereal Simmon

Mr. and Mrs. Lane Sims

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Sims –

In honor of Peyton and

Amelia Deweese

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Slayden

Mr. and Mrs. Mark V. Sluzky

Elizabeth Small

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas R. Smart*

Cathleen and Dennis Smith

Deborah and Kevin Smith

Amy and Lance Smith

Lisa Anyan Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Smith

Karol and John Smith

Rene and Willingham Smith

The Snave Family

Mr. and Mrs. Stein E. Soelberg

Richard Rhodes Sommers

David Song

Allie Grace Sperling

Cindy Spivey

Mr. and Mrs. Paul W. Springer

Angela and Dan Staley

Stanley Works

Amanda Stavropoulos

David Steffens and Caroline Steffens*

Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Stephenson

Sarah Stephenson

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Stevens

Linda and Ricky Stiff –

In honor of Nina and Jackson Toller

Ms. Christine M. Stillson

Robert Stinnett

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Stoddard

Jeff Strode

Mary Beth Struble

Candace and Paul Stupek

Kama and Eric Swartz

Mr. and Mrs. Craig Sweeterman

Target Take Charge of

Education Program

Mr. Robert R. Tate

Clark Taylor

Michelle Templeton

Ms. Virginia M. Terry

Marcia and Rick Thiel

Tyler S. Thigpen

Larry, Martha, and Emily Thomas

Tracey Thompson

Dookie and Bill Tingue

Amy and Russell Todd

Freddina Tolliver

Mr. and Mrs. David Toole

Charles Townsend

Ms. Nicole Townsend

Jody and Don Travis

Ms. Emily C. Trenney

Brittany Tripp

Ms. Kristyn G. Tumbleson

Jane and Kris Turnbull

Rebecca and Ethan Tussey

Jennifer and Evan Van Metre

Dr. Carmen Kavali and

Mr. Erik Van Name

Missy and Brent Van Putten

Ms. Maria C. Vargas

Dr. and Mrs. Sreekanth Vemuri

John Michael Vidic

Ann and David Vidor –

In honor of Margaret H. Vidor

Brittney and Matt Vincent

Jean and Joseph Vitko

Sheryl and Tom Vrieze

Natalie Watts Wagner

Mrs. William R. Walker, Jr.

Kathy and Eddie Waller

Dr. and Mrs. Daniel F. Ward

Caroline and Dan Ward

Lucy Ward

The Watson Family

Tracy and Skip Watson

Stacey Whalen

Wanda and Lamar White

Maria and Steven White

Shannon Whiting

Heather Hunt Whitney, M.D.

Lisa L. Whitstine

M. Wilcox

The Wilcox Family

Mr. and Ms. Edward B. Wilkes

Jena and Keith Will

The Willingham Family

Jennifer and Tony Wilson

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wittgens

Ms. Diana Wolf

Kim and Jeff Worth

In memory of Jeffrey R. Worth, Sr.

Ms. Christine A. Wusylko

Allison, Mike, Jordan, and Tyler Yager

Kari and Miles Young

Amelia and Brent Zelnak

Madeleine Zimmermann

* Contributors to The Marsha Powell Fund


Georgia Tax Credit Program Total amount

redirected to Mount Vernon in 2014

Number of families participating

45 students receiving GTCP funds

average GPA of Upper School students receiving

financial aid through the GTCP *as reported in the Summary of Fund

Movements provided by CFo

MV FaMIlIeS64%

BoarD oF truSteeS10%

FaCultY26%

$414,239

TAx DollARS REDiRECTED To MoUNT VERNoN PRESbYTERiAN SChool*

210

3.82008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

$500,000

$400,000

$400,000

$400,000

$400,000

$5,000

$93,000

$240,438

$311,437

$358,476

$327,422

$414,239

$450,000

20

15

GO

AL

loWer

MIDDle

upper


an

nu

al r

ep

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t 2013–2014


Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey D. Adams



The Andres Family

Mr. Kevin M. Baldesare


Debbie and David Barclift


Ms. Edith H. Baronian



Kirsten and Bryan Beard


Jacqueline and Curtis Berry

Kathy and Eric Berry


Karen Cooper and John Boykin

Lisa Brady

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Bragg

Ms. Emily A. Breite

Ruth Ellen Bridgers

Mr. and Mrs. Chad M. Brooks


Drs. Keith and Christine Bruno

Anne and John Buchanan

Anne and Steve Butz

Dr. Kelli Bynum

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Cain

Mr. and Mrs. James Caldwell

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Campbell, Jr.

The Canup Family


Tracy and Win Carroll


Kimberly Champney



Molly Christian

Mr. and Ms. Charles Clements

Shelley Clifford

Linda Colbaugh

Dr. Rae Colley


Ms. Carolyn M. Cope

Carla and Paul Corley

Suzanne Couvillion

Michele Culbertson





Lisa and Doug Dickson


Michelle and Gray Dobbins


Ashley and Erich Durlacher


Fiona and Nevil Eastwood

Mrs. and Mr. Michelle R. Eaves

Jennifer and Bruce Edenfield

Rena Edwards

Timothy Edwards

Mr. and Mrs. Lee M. Ellis

Michael S. Farry

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Fenech


Jennifer and Brett Fennell

Ginny Ferguson

Miss Kelly O. Fitzgerald

The Flowers Family


Mr. and Mrs. Daniel K. Frady, Jr.


Debbie and John Grove

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen R. Guttery


Mr. John Hastings

Jennifer Spillane Hayes and

Brandon Hayes

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Hedrick

Danielle Heintz

The Heiser Family

Dr. and Mrs. Timothy D. Helton

Mr. Todd Hendryx and

Mrs. Amanda Mewborn



The Houston Family

The Hoyal Family


Mr. Lingnam Hung

Ms. Stephanie N. Immel

Dr. and Mrs. Brett Jacobsen

Becky and Jim Jarrell

Amy and Kyle Johns

Stephanie and Carl Johnson

Becki and Pradeep Jolly


Amy Kanderis

Mr. and Mrs. James W. Kellogg


Sherri Kirbo

The Kolb Family

Susan and Robert Kurtz

Patti Bunker and Stan Lambert

Peggy Larson

Mr. Kelly B. Laughlin



Dana and Eric Levitan

Ms. Jun Liang

Holly Born Long and Scott Long

Mr. and Mrs. James Lowry

Eleanor and Tom Mallory

Reverend Dr. Joe B. Martin

Paula and Daniel Martin


Robin and Jim Mathews

Kat Mattimoe

Emily McBryan

Mr. and Mrs. Michael McClellan

Ms. Erin M. McCubbin

The McLeod Family

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McNerney

Mr. and Dr. Ben Middleton



Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence J. Minogue, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Moffett

Kelly and Shy Moras


Linda and Richard Munger


Jenny Novoselsky

Dan and Kimberly Oliver

Mr. and Mrs. Victor C. Parker

The Partiss Family

Justine and Bruce Peddle

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel M. Perez



Pam and Gary Piligian

Ann Plumer

Marsha and Tommy Powell


Ms. Mary A. Rhett

Mr. and Mrs. Brennan Robison

The Rothbard Family


The Seeber Family


The Siggers Family

Mr. and Mrs. Mark V. Sluzky

Cathleen and Dennis Smith

Jim Snoddy


Richard Rhodes Sommers

Allie Grace Sperling

Cindy Spivey

Amanda Stavropoulos

Sarah Stephenson

Mr. and Mrs. Gene H. Stewart

Ms. Christine M. Stillson

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stinnett

Jeff Strode

The Stromquist Family

Mary Beth Struble

Mr. Robert R. Tate

Brett, Anne and Austin Taylor

Michelle Templeton

Marcia and Rick Thiel

Drs. Lisa Drake and Brian Thomas




Charles Townsend

Jody and Don Travis

Ms. Emily C. Trenney

Brittany Tripp

Ms. Kristyn G. Tumbleson

Kim and Dan Turner


Mr. and Mrs. Aaron S. Uhde

Dr. Carmen Kavali and

Mr. Erik Van Name

Missy and Brent Van Putten

Valerie and Jose Vargas

Ann and David Vidor



Sue and Mike Watkins

Mr. and Mrs. Clay Westbrook

Stacey Whalen

Mr. and Dr. Chad White


Shannon Whiting

The Wilcox Family


Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Worth

Ms. Christine A. Wusylko

The Georgia Tax Credit Program is a wonderful source of financial aid for students who would otherwise not have the opportunity to obtain an education at Mount Vernon. I am grateful for the participation of our school community in this important program.– Bruce Morine,

Chief Financial Officer


Mustang ($5,000 and aboVe)

BB&T

Buckhead Uniforms

Collins Cooper Carusi Architects, Inc.

Winter Construction Company

raLLy ($2,500)

5 Seasons Brewing

Arrow Exterminators

The Kolb Family

carniVaL ($1,000)

The Allison Family

Sherri and Noel Barnes

Megan and Andy Batcheller /

Handy Andy Outdoors, LLC


The Calhoun Family

Carden Ventures, LLC

The Dalba Family / Quick Med, Inc.

The Dames Family

The Durlacher Family

The Fennell Family

The France Family

The Giardino Family /

Arrow Exterminators

The Guyton Family

The Hedrick Family /

Williams Benator and Libby, LLP

Trent and Robin Horne

The House Family


Kaplan Orthodontics

Kavali Plastic Surgery

The Kruep Family

Lawrence Ink

Teka and Jeff Long

Susan and Russ Lucas



The Pahl Family

Mr. and Mrs. Victor C. Parker

The Patnode Family

The Riekena Family

Tina and Steve Romaniello

Salon 11 Studios + 11 Boutique

The Sheley Family


Lisa Drake and Brian Thomas

Kim and Dan Turner

Bridgette and Aaron Uhde

The Vargas Family

Mustang Rally & Derby

Mustang Rally proceeds made it possible for Upper School teacher James Campbell to visit the Harvard School of Business, and reconnect to gain insight from former Head of Upper School Tyler Thigpen.


The Watkins Family

The Weber Family

bLue/goLd ($500)

Anonymous (2)


The Barber Family

The Beard Family

Vanessa and Noah Benz

The Bernstein Family

Krissie and Michael Blair

The Bowling Family

Brookhaven Orthodontics

Christine and Keith Bruno

Burgess Amusement

The Burke Family /

Atlanta Spa & Leisure

The Byers Family

Kara and Jay Campbell

The Carroll Family

Kim and Mike Champney

The Cloud Family

The Cole Family

Mike, Christine and Matthew Cooper

The Corley Family

Sandra and Royden Daniels

Cynthia and Stan Deans


Lisa and Doug Dickson

The Dobbins Family

The East Family


The Farrah Family

Fastsigns Sandy Springs

The Fenech Family


The Fentress Family

The Flynn Family

The Fuentes Family


The Gantt Family

The Geoghagan Family /

TracePoint Consulting

Gigi’s Cupcakes of Sandy Springs

The Goodwyn Family

David and Holly Green

The Guttery Family

The Hacketts

The Hale Family

Mara and Steve Hawn

Jennifer and Brandon Hayes

Stephon and Monica Hayes

Jane and Jon Hedgepeth

The Hickey Family


The Hoyal Family

Patti and Matt Hudgins

The Icebox


Becki and Pradeep Jolly

Amy Jones, Will and Gabe Garner


Dianne and Kevin Kaseta


Keystone Press, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Eric R. Koch

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kurtz

Susan and Brian Landers

Jun Liang

The Lin Family

The Lotz Family



The McConnell Family

Deanne and David McDougall

Lisa and Mark McGuire

John, Wendy, Jack and Sara McLeod

The McNerney Family

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Mette

The Middleton Family

Mitchell Metals, LLC


Sarah and Mark Moore

The Moorman Family /

Moorman Pieschel LLC

Kelly and Shy Moras


Marietta and Darrin Morris


The Palmer Family /

IMA Corporate Interiors

Tamera and Lee Partiss

The Payne Family

The Peddle Family


The Peterson Family


Kevin Propst Realty, Keller Williams

Marli and Scott Quesinberry

Ethan, Aidan, Shelly and Steve Ray

Nicole and Brian Robinson

Heleena and Mike Roush

Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. Rutecky, Jr.

Sage Dining Services

The Schab Family


The Siggers Family

Paul, Laura, Sarah, and Maggie Sims


Lara and Mike Smith

The Soteres Family

The Sperling Family

Rebecca and Paul Springer


Robert Stinnett

Anne and Brett Taylor

Ann, Michael, Will and

Katie Thompson

Vince, Tracey and Carter Thompson


Ann-Heather and David Toole

Nicole and Anthony Tuggle


The Smith/Walker Family


The White Family

The Whiting Family

The Whitstine Family

Terri and Ken Wright

an

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t 2013–2014

All aboard the Stanford University d.school bus! With funding from Mustang Rally proceeds, several faculty members attended the sixth annual Summer Workshop for K-12 Educators at Stanford’s Institute of Design.


Capital Projects21st century ($1,000,000

and aboVe)

Wilbur and Hilda Glenn

Family Foundation

Vision ($500,000 – $999,999)

Anonymous (2)

Watkins Christian Foundation

Mike and Sue Watkins

iMpact ($250,000 – $499,999)

Susan and David Kolb

innoVate ($100,000 – $249,999)

The Grubb Family

The Huff Family

Barbara and Tom Hughes

Drs. Lisa R. Drake and Brian L. Thomas

inspire ($50,000 – $99,999)

Anonymous


Carla and Paul Corley

Michelle and Gray Dobbins

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Engle


Mr. and Mrs. James Maurin

Northshore Community Foundation

The Stromquist Family

design ($25,000 – $49,999)

Mr. and Mrs. M. G. Brooks, Jr.

The Coca-Cola Company

Stella and Jay Eun

Susan and Michael Farrah

Ashley and Tony Giardino /

Arrow Exterminators


Russell Kohl



Mr. and Mrs. Chris Moffett



Nicole and Brian Robinson

Mr. and Mrs. Steve M. Romaniello

Lori and Raymond Sheley


Jay Singh and Gillian Sherbourne

Michele and Steve Soteres

Anne and Brett Taylor

Kim and Dan Turner

Jose and Valerie Vargas

Walter H. and Marjory M. Rich

Memorial Fund

deMonstrate ($10,000 – $24,999)

Anonymous


Wendy and Edward Brown

Lee Ann Cartwright –

In memory of David L. Cartwright

Mary and Mike Chambers

The Cole Family


an

nu

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ep

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t 2013–2014




Fidelity Investments

The France Family

Holly and David Green

Sharon, Jim and Grace Griswold

Elizabeth and Randall Guyton

The Hackett Family

Wendy and Bruce Hagenau

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Kirk Harpole

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Kruep

Debbie and Bill Lampe

Susan and Brian Landers

Jim and Linda Landers

Teka and Jeff Long

William and Shari Lotz

Eleanor and Tom Mallory

Louise and Bill McCahan

The McConnell Family



The Minor Family



Sandy and Hector Munoz

Nancy and Bill Pahl

The Peddle Family

Judy and Bill Porter

Lynn and Tom Raney

Shelly and Steve Ray

Stacey and Daryl Reece

Mr. and Mrs. Embree Robinson

Jessi and Stephen Rosenbaum

Michelle and Alan Rosenberg

Melody and Todd Rounsaville

Amanda and Joe Schab

Mr. and Mrs. Dale P. Seefeldt

Cindy and Jim Sharkey


Deborah and Kevin Smith


Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Tuggle

Carmen Kavali and Erik Van Name

Ms. Natalie W. Wagner


Watts Charitable Family Trust –

Anthony and Malinda Watts,

and Natalie Watts Wagner

Judy and Chris Weathers

The Weber Family

Jay Williams

engage – ($5,000.00-$9,999)

Anonymous (2)


Debbie and David Barclift

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Blair

Amy and Paul Bloodworth

The Brooks Family Charitable Fund

Vickie Brown

Christine and Keith Bruno

Win and Tracy Carroll

Darlene and Scott Chatham


Mr. Jason Y. Crandall

John, Sherry and Jason Crandall

Mr. and Mrs. David S. Dunkerley

Ashley and Erich Durlacher


Equifax

Alexandra and Michael Fenech

Eileen and Sean Fennelly

Paula and Quinton Fisher

Ms. Christina Flower

Aubrey Forlines


Jenny and Paul Forst –

In memory of Lena Lagergren

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Fuentes


Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Gardner

Andrew and Kelly Hairetis

Jennifer and Randy Geoghagan

Mr. and Mrs. Bret Giles

Ms. Donna D. Glenn

Laura and Greg Guest

Tamara and Darren Hall

Chrissa and Gary Hammond

Maria and Stuart Harvey

Maureen and Kevin Hedrick

Melanie and Philip Hinson


Sarah and Edward Inman

Mary Ann and Casey Jackson

Becky and Jim Jarrell


Mr. and Mrs. Scott Keifer

Lauren and Brad Koontz

Mr. and Mrs. Scott G. Long

Dr. Joe B. Martin and

Reverend Jodi Martin

Mr. and Mrs. James McKnight

John and Wendy McLeod

The McNerney Family

Wendy and Chris McWilliams

Amber and Jeffrey Mette

Jeff and Cindy Mitchell

Tammy and Brandon Mosley


The Pahl Family

The Palmer Family

Debra and Andrew Peterson

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S. Quesinberry

Brent and Darcelle Reid

Mr. and Mrs. Sami L. Rizk

Lynn and Tyler Ross

Heleena and Michael Roush

Paul, Laura, Sarah, and Maggie Sims

Karen and Jim Snave

Michelle and Gary Templeton


Jayne and Dan Traurig

Andy Tyber


Bridgette and Aaron Uhde

Amy and Darin VanLandingham–

In honor of Abby and

Alex VanLandingham

The VanWynbergen Family

Michelle and Mark Veach

Kalpna and Sreekanth Vemuri

Shannon and Matthew Whiting

Dr. Brooks A. Whitney

and Mrs. Sheri Whitney

Lisa L. Whitstine

Jennifer and Travis Williams

Terri and Ken Wright

The Yager Family

Amelia and Brent Zelnak

connect (up to $4,999)

Anonymous (10)


Sarah and Jeff Adams

Tracie and Mike Adams

Aetna Foundation

Debbie and Todd Andersen

Deanna and Jim Anderson

Bobby Antony

AOL Time Warner Foundation

Mr. and Ms. Mark A. Ardagna

Betsy and Jim Armstrong

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Awe

Mr. and Mrs. Rod Aycox

Fred and Ellen Ballard

Our spaces have finally caught up with the innovative teaching and learning experiences that Lower School teachers design for students. The children love that their rooms are colorful and bright and that they can make their thinking visible on nearly every surface in their learning spaces.– Shelley Clifford,

Head of Lower School


Bank of America

Matching Gifts Program


The Barnes Family

Mr. and Mrs. Todd Barnes

Ms. Deborah A. Bassett



Kirsten and Bryan Beard


Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Betz


Heather Bradford

Lisa and Rick Brady

Kathleen and Mike Braswell

Kris and Tee Bridges

Al Briggs


Kassi and Burt Buchtinec

Nancy and Steve Buck

Kim and Adam Burke

Anne and Steve Butz

Dr. Kelli Bynum

Katie Cain

Jane and James Caldwell

The Calhoun Family

Dr. Roberta Cann

Mary and John Cantwell

Heather and Mikey Canup



Kimberly Champney


Jane and David Christian


Molly Christian

Cisco Systems Foundation

Shelley Clifford

The Cloud Family

Cindy Coe

Marguerite and Patrick Coffield

Carolyn Cope –


Judy and Gordon Cope –


Carla and Graham Courtney

Suzanne Couvillion

Mrs. Elizabeth Crosby

The Spitz Family

Mr. and Dr. Donald T. Daniel, Jr.

Lisa and Harlan Daniels


Tina Z. Daniels – In Memory of Mr.

and Mrs. Peter Zouboukos

Susan P. Danner

Cynthia and William Dautrich

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Deans

Ardith DeShay


Lisa and Doug Dickson –

In memory of Martha C. Jones


Jenny Dodd

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence B. Domenico

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Dooher

Mr. and Mrs. Andre Douglas


Mr. and Mrs. Donald Drake

Sarah and Bo Duncan

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Dwyer


Rena Edwards

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Elias

Dr. and Mrs. Eric Erickson

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Evertsen

The Fears Family

Mr. and Mrs. James W. Felts, II

Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Fentress, III

The Flanzer Family

Samantha Flowers

Lyn and Murray Forbes

Heidi and Randy Forth

Freckled & Blue, LLC

Lynn Gardner

Brad Garner

Mr. and Mrs. Victor E. Gavalas

Robin and Richard Gladney

Lindsey Glenn,

Glenn Elizabeth Gilmer (’23)

Ren Gilmer (’25)

Tiffany and Michael Glover


Emily and Bill Goldman

Jennifer and Eddie Gonzalez

Florence and Wade H. Goodwyn

Dr. and Mrs. James Gregory

Wesley and Keith Griffin

Monica V. Gross

Debra and John Grove

Tracy and Brad Hahn


Elissa Bryn Harbuck

Pat and Buddy Harrell

Carolyn and Jeff Haushalter

Mr. and Mrs. Steven A. Hawn

Jennifer and Brandon Hayes

Mr. and Mrs. Jon W. Hedgepeth

Kelly, Mark and Luke Heiser

The Hickey Family

Mr. and Mrs. Philip L. Houston, Jr.

Bryant and Henry Hoyal


Mr. and Mrs. Matthew J. Hudgins

Alban Hung and Sarah Yung

Industrial Developments International

Mary Beth and Tim Jeffrey


Dr. and Mrs. Pradeep Jolly

Ms. Amy Jones

Clare and Andrew Jones

Suja and Michael Joseph

Amy Kanderis

The Curcio-Kaplan Family

Dianne and Kevin Kaseta

Anne and Will Katz

The Keller Family

Tami and Jim Kellogg


Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Keuller

Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Kilgore

Mr. and Mrs. Paul M. King, Jr.

Lisa King

Sherri Kirbo

The Knapp Family

The Koch Family

Madeline and Patrick Kotora

Mr. and Mrs. Chad M. Krohn

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kurtz

Karen and Tom Kurtz

Mr. and Mrs. Stan Lambert

Susie and Patrick Lane

Meta and Freddie Lee

Lanier-Alexander

Peggy Larson

Mr. and Mrs. Randy M. Latimer


Mr. and Mrs. Eric Levitan

Dave Levy

David Lin

Mr. and Mrs. Gary A. Long

Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Lordo

Charlotte and Bob Madderra

Capital Projects



Kathryn D. Mattimoe

Mrs. Lillie Maurin

Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. McDonald

Mr. and Mrs. David McDougall

The McGinness Family

Lisa and Mark McGuire

McKesson Corporation

Cynthia and Thomas Meade

Mike, Maggie and Hannah Menkus

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Mercer

Krissy and Addison Meriwether

Dr. and Mrs. Mark Merlin

Microsoft

Holly and Ben Middleton

Trina and Larry Minogue

Mr. Christopher Mirro

Monica Mirro

MMC

Martha and Chris Moore

The Moorman Family

Kelly and Shylesh Moras

Morgan Stanley

Jennifer and Ken Morge

Ann-Marie and Joshua Morrill

Marietta and Darrin Morris

Lisa and Richard Mullen

Linda and Richard Munger

Dr. and Mrs. Zsolt P. Nagy

Kelli and Jeff Nesseth

Nilo and Mo Nikain

Anayi and Dennis Norman

Krista and Edward Parker

Susie and Vic Parker

The Patnode Family

Malissa and William Peace

Carolina and Dan Perez


Janet Pfeiffer

Nicholas Jon Picciocca

Christine Pierce

Ann and Bill Plumer

Marsha and Tommy Powell


The Rego Family

Kimberly and Darrell Riekena

The Ritchey Family

Kathy and John Rizzo

Jennie and Brennan Robison

Stephen Rode

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Rothbard

Thomas C. Rounds

Salvador Ruiz

Laurie and Jeff Rummel

Mark Ryan and Kay Loerch

Leigh and Charles Scarborough

Teresa and Chris Scheele


The Schnetzer Family

Kathy Schwock

Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Scirocco

The Seeber Family

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Shafer

Cathy and Jim Shanks

The Siggers Family

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Singer

Karol and John Smith

Lisa Anyan Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Smith

Suzanne G. Smith

Holly Bates Snow


Julia and Steve Sparks

Amanda and Wes Spencer

The Spitz Family

Cindy Spivey

Mr. and Mrs. Paul W. Springer


Amanda and Nick Stavropoulos

John Stephenson and Daniela Ezratty

Sarah Stephenson

Brandi and Lawrence Stevens

Mr. Robert T. Stinnett, Jr.

Jennifer and Cal Stowell

The Strickland Family

Mr. Jeff E. Strode

Paul Stupek

SunTrust Bank Atlanta Foundation

Kama and Eric Swartz

Meg and Craig Sweeterman

Tiffany Hendryx and Jess Taylor

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tharp

Erin, Parker, Marcia and Rick Thiel

Mr. and Mrs. Tyler S. Thigpen

Carson D. Thomas (’22)

Ms. Tracey Thompson

Beth and Greg Thornton

Dr. and Mrs. William Tillett

Dookie and Bill Tingue

Amy and Russell Todd


Ms. Nicole Townsend

Jody and Don Travis

Patty and Guy Tucker

Dr. and Mrs. Robert K. Tudor

Jennifer and Brian Turner

Mr. and Mrs. Alex W. Tyler

Mr. and Mrs. Hanif Vanjaria

Verizon Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Brennan T. Vieira

Brittney and Matt Vincent


Mr. and Mrs. David B. Walker

Kathy and Eddie Waller

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel F. Ward, Jr.

The Watson Family

Wells Fargo Educational

Matching Gift Program

Kelly and Dan Wewer


Charlotte and Tommy Whitley

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wilcox, III

Amy and Bruce Wilkes

Jena and Keith Will

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy D. Williamson


The Willsey Family

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Winters

an

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t 2013–2014This year, we can read stories on the BoxLight, write on the walls

and move our tables, and the cushions are way bigger! Every year I get a new school... I wonder what’s next?– Simon Ikenberg

First Grade


The Mount Vernon Presbyterian School community gathered on October 26, 2014, for Denim & Diamonds, The Benefit to support the Mount Vernon Institute for Innovation. Mount Vernon parents, faculty, and staff kicked up their boots at Sweetwater Brewing Company. Dancing the night away with the Bama Gamblers, participants placed their bids both in silent and live auctions. Benefit co-chairs Teka Long and Nicole Robinson, with the assistance of Debby Moorman, Melanie Schoen, and Christina Spada, put on the spectacular evening. Their efforts were extraordinary; the event raised $78,000 !

Denim

Diamonds T he BeNefiT

#havefunMount Vernon Presbyterian School48

DEN

iM &

DiA

Mo

ND

S bENEFiT

Mount Vernon’s Institute for Innovation accelerates the rate of the School’s growth on a local and national scale while providing students real-world opportunities to be innovators now. Through professional learning workshops, international exchange opportunities, and service and outreach, the Institute builds mission-aligned public-private partnerships.

#havefunThe Magazine

Winter 2015 49

The answers aren’t just blatantly handed to us. We work through the issues by collaborating,

trying, pursuing and failing. Throughout the journey, we add our own twist on problem solving.– Kaylyn Winters, Class of 2017 (Page 16)

We are a School of inquiry, innovation, and impact. Grounded in Christian values, we prepare all students to be college-ready, globally competitive, and engaged citizen leaders.

The Mount Vernon Magazine is published biannually and mailed free of charge to students, parents, faculty, alumni, and friends of Mount Vernon Presbyterian School. For more information about Mount Vernon, please call 404.252.3448 or visit our website at mountvernonschool.org.

Disclaimer: Mount Vernon

Presbyterian School makes every

effort to ensure that all names and

listings are accurate and complete. If

a name has been omitted, misspelled,

or listed incorrectly, please accept our

sincerest apologies.

A major fundraising event of the year, proceeds fund 21st-century professional development for faculty and staff and technological enhancements on the Founders and Glenn campuses.

mustang rally | friday, 4.24.15Mustang rally is a tradition that celebrates school spirit and fun with the entire Mount Vernon community. Join us for a day that will begin with a student parade and include field races, powder puff games, picnic, concert, and over-the-top carnival. don’t miss the free tuition drawing during the opening ceremonies! Mustang rally is always a day to remember for the entire family.

derby party | saturday, 5.02.15The derby party, for Mustang rally sponsors, will feature an incredible silent auction, dance band, and a live viewing of the Kentucky derby! plan to sponsor Mustang rally as a family or company to receive a special invitation to the derby party as well as exciting rally items like student wristbands for unlimited carnival rides and onsite event parking. grab your festive hat and join us as a sponsor!

save The daTe

MoUNT VERNoN’S FAVoRITE

SCHool-WIDE CElEBRATIoN

non-profIT orgu.s. posTage

PAiDperMIT #8321aTlanTa, ga471 Mount Vernon hwy, ne | founders campus

510 Mount Vernon hwy, ne | glenn campus

atlanta, georgia 30328

404.252.3448 mountvernonschool.org

real-world ready - amazon s3real-world ready moving through each grade level at mount vernon,...

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