Congratulations to our fall athletes who were recently named to the Post and Courier’s All-Lowcountry Teams! We are so proud of the dedication, teamwork, and perseverance shown by all our Panthers this fall.

Post and Courier All-Lowcountry Teams | Fall 2020

SWIMMING | 3rd place: 2020 SCISA Class 3A Girls State Tournament

Honorable Mention
Mattie Hood ’23
Kate McEvoy ’21
Rachel Martin ’23

TENNIS | 2020 SCISA Class 3A Girls State Champions

Player of the Year
Vivian Miller ’22

Coach of the Year
Mary Gastley

First Team
Meggie Navarro ’22

Honorable Mention
Claudia Miller ’21
Marissa Dye ’21
Ella Gray Settle ’21
Kayla Kirkland ’21

GOLF

Honorable Mention
Raegan Propes ’22
Chloe Ross ’22

CROSS COUNTRY | 2020 SCISA Class 3A Girls State Champions

First Team
Cecily Anderton ’23
Ailish Ward ’23
Atalie Evans-Godley ’22

Honorable Mention
Brice Tibbals ’23
Eliza Groat ’25

VOLLEYBALL | 3rd place: 2020 SCISA Class 3A Girls State Tournament

First Team
Laughlin Murray ’21

Honorable Mention
Anna-Leigh Snyder ’21

In Visual Arts faculty member Raúl Miyar’s Foundations of Art class, students become keenly aware of their environment. Only by learning to refine their skill of observation can they begin to develop as artists. “Figure drawing is a pillar in beginning drawing lessons because of the complexity of the subject,” Miyar noted. “It requires intense focus and observation to attain accurate descriptions of shapes and forms. As one of the most important foundational drawing exercises, it expands the student’s perceptional skills.”

To hone their drawing skills and techniques this semester, students completed a series of figure studies using their peers as models. For Miyar, observing objectively is critical. “At the introduction to the course I explain that they are not learning how to draw but are instead learning how to see,” he said. “Most of them have probably not absorbed this information conceptually at this stage, but in time as they practice their observational skills, they will begin to comprehend the power of visual expression and how they are in control of what they communicate visually. As they develop their skills further, these conceptual ideas will become the basis of their practice, but before they reach that point they need to develop the technical skills that will enable them to communicate their ideas freely and uniquely.”

In their sketches, Miyar’s students capture their classmates in various poses during everyday life. As part of the campus environment, masks appear in many of the students’ compositions and reflect the reality of life during a pandemic. “The emphasis now in their training is technical, but whether the student knows it or not, when observing reality the result is usually compellingly honest and captivating,” Miyar pointed out. “The ordinary, which is normally overlooked, is not transformed; it is simply observed and highlighted. In acquiring the basic technical skills, the student learns to scrutinize that which is usually not noticed, consequently giving it new life and significance. The result is a direct window into each artist’s perception of the world and all the emotions connected to what and how each individual perceives.”

Sketches by (left to right): Elliot Tick ’24, Eads Hubbell ’23, and Elizabeth Perkins ’24

As leaders in Pardue Hall, fourth graders take their responsibilities seriously. In prior years they traditionally ran the weekly Lower School Assembly and took turns planning and presenting the content. However, with assemblies on campus suspended for safety precautions, a new medium of communication was needed. “We felt that it was important to find a way to continue this practice of leadership for our students,” said Lower School faculty member Kendall Lee, who teaches fourth grade along with Lower School faculty member Allie Jordan. “Having gotten used to using a lot of different media platforms, it was relatively easy to make the jump to filming a weekly news show that we could disseminate to the rest of the Lower School. Each week, two fourth grade girls interview an Ashley Hall staff member, report the weekend weather, make special announcements, acknowledge birthdays, report on pop tab collections, and note any other additions contributed from outside sources.”

The content is fun and engaging, and fourth graders are eager to help the Lower School stay connected. “It’s nice to be able to practice, rather than being live in front of the entire Lower School,” said Claire Khan ’29. Filming locations have included the Collab Lab and the Bear Cave, and Performing Arts faculty member Kristine Peters pitches in with formatting each week’s presentation. “I like the extras that Ms. Peters has added in, like the clapping and the singing in the background,” said Virginia Hagood ’29. For Sadie Winters ’29, the joke of the week is her favorite, “even though they’re kind of silly.” While fourth graders miss the big assemblies of the past, they still appreciate the chance to fulfill their important leadership roles and learn something new. “It’s disappointing that we can’t do it live in Davies Auditorium, but it’s fun getting to film, especially in different locations,” smiled Camille Marler ’29 and Pippa Taylor ’29. That sounds like the making of a good morning.

Boat Building has become a rite of passage for Ashley Hall fifth graders, who partner with the Lowcountry Maritime Society on a year-long project crafting their own fleet of wooden boats, and the tradition continues this year! While the safety precautions have increased, the opportunities for skill building, confidence gains, and outdoor fun make this the perfect project for students to learn the ropes of an experiential education.

Research shows that girls decide as early as fifth grade if they will consider careers in the areas of math and science. For the Intermediate Program, sparking interest and solidifying skills in STEAM fields are key curricular goals. “I like Boat Building because it teaches me new skills like drilling, driving, and measuring parts of the boat,” said Marlowe Johnsen ’28. “It gives us new ways to learn.” Creating an outlet for girls to gain confidence and enjoy working outdoors is also a priority. “I love it because everyone is working together, we get to try new things, and we are making new friends while we do it,” asserted Brier Fava ’28. “Yes, we do use power tools a lot!”

During this unique STEAM project, students are guided through the process of learning how to read scaled plans and transform those plans into a wooden boat they build themselves. In addition to teaching building craftsmanship, the program places an emphasis on communication and teamwork. “I love Boat Building because you get to work together and make a really cool project in the end,” said Hannah King ’28. That finale comes this spring, when the girls will head to Colonial Lake to put their handiwork to the test. The year-long journey there is exactly what floats their boats.

In classes throughout the Early Education Center (EEC), tiny feet twitch and eager eyes watch with anticipation for a very special moment: the revealing of the week’s mystery reader! This year, parents were invited to record themselves reading a favorite book to share with their child’s class. The resulting videos have become a main attraction and a meaningful way for families to become involved.

“We have a different mystery reader each week,” said EEC faculty member Rachael Carter. “The children light up when they see their parent or a friend’s parent. It’s been a phenomenal way to build connections between home and school.” Part of the fun is the guessing game of who will virtually appear in the classroom. Parents enjoy choosing books that fit with a special class investigation or help celebrate a holiday. Attention to detail is key; dressing the part for Halloween, Laura Barnhart read Room On the Broom to her son William’s pre-primary class.

Hearing a familiar voice is deeply reassuring to children, as is continuing the EEC tradition of parents taking the time out of their day to read a special book to the class. “Such a fun, creative, and unique way for us to be a part of our child’s day,” said Kate Daughtry, who read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie to her daughter Eliza’s pre-primary class. For Ashley Hall faculty members, it is one more way to reinforce the vital partnership between home and school. “The children’s surprise is always the best!” enthused EEC Director Betsy Quirin. “They have been loving it!” With such a supportive learning environment, the reason why is certainly no mystery.

Sometimes, it is the small, normal things that help to start a day off right: hearing class announcements and the lunch menu, celebrating birthdays and athletic team victories, and even having the thrill of being named student of the week. Most of all, the skits, videos, and inside jokes are what everyone eagerly anticipate; somehow, having a reason to laugh makes everything better. A much-loved tradition in the Upper School, Morning Meeting this year transformed to continue fulfilling its purpose: bringing a community together.

“It was important to our student leaders that we continue to gather in some way, and Morning Meeting has always been one of the ways we come together as a full community,” said Dean of Students Kelly Sumner. “Having a virtual Morning Meeting provides us with a common experience that helps us to feel as if we are all together, even if we aren’t in Davies Auditorium as we used to be.”

Most mornings, student body president Mary Scott Brisson ’21 joins other student council leaders to create that unifying force. Broadcast after the first class block of the day, Morning Meeting (and the associated expectations of an entire division) has fallen onto their willing shoulders. “My goals for Morning Meeting this year are to keep the student body and faculty engaged,” Brisson emphasized. “I want to attempt to preserve the ten minutes of fellowship every morning that we have had for so many years, even if it is over Google Meet. I want more underclassmen to be involved!”

Liv Hansen ’25 helped answer that call to action by re-establishing the Nautilus Program’s own Morning Meeting. In addition to tuning into the main meeting, once a week she leads her own team as chief promoter of fun. “Having a Nautilus Morning Meeting is important because it makes school fun even through this whole pandemic and reminds us all that we have each other to lean on,” she said. “I look forward to Tuesdays because we get to dance and start our day with positivity, and we get to have our own announcements so everyone knows what is going on for the week. I love to get everyone excited. It gets me in a good mood and awake for the day!”

Creating an environment where that positivity can shine is crucial, especially for a school that advocates for the benefits of student connection. “The tradition of Morning Meeting is important because it provides a sense of normalcy, but more importantly, it gives the younger girls a platform to gain voice and confidence while forging an even stronger connection among the Nautilus group,” said Assistant Director of Upper School and Director of the Nautilus Program Chris Hughes. As the student leaders fostering those ties, Brisson, Hansen, and their teams have worked hard to be a force of positivity for others. “It is important to preserve the essence of Morning Meeting this year because it is an integral part of the sense of community within our Student Body,” asserted Brisson. Through all the costumes, dance routines, TikTok videos, and shared laughter, they are bringing a school together, ten minutes at a time.