Tucked beneath the trees on the property surrounding the Elizabeth House, Ashley Hall’s greenhouse feels a bit like a secret garden. But now plant experts and enthusiasts around the world know it’s a special part of our campus thanks to the amazing work Honors Biology II students are doing with Upper School faculty member Allison Sill Bowden. 

The course, which explores plant science through unique hands-on lessons, was recently featured in the latest issue of the Journal of the Bromeliad Society, an international publication featuring primarily peer-reviewed work. In the article entitled “Finding Botanical Belonging Through Bromeliads,” Bowden details how biology students dive into botany by studying bromeliads, a subtropical plant found throughout South America, Central America, the Caribbean, as well as right here in Charleston. (Our most famous local member of the plant family is Spanish Moss, which students learn is actually neither Spanish nor moss, but a bromeliad!)

Students start the semester with a trip to our bromeliad greenhouse to choose a plant. “The job was put upon us to be a caregiver, ensure its health, watch over its growth, and constantly learn more in order to be best informed about our plants,” explains Callie Cox ‘21 in the article. The girls then visit the greenhouse bi-weekly to care for and propagate their plants, an experience that was particularly meaningful during the pandemic. “While to some this may seem tedious and pointless, to me it became a stable variable in my life during a time where ‘normalcy’ and ‘consistency’ were no longer,” says Cox. 

Their work in the greenhouse created yet another meaningful experience for Lower School students when Ava Piebenga ’21 and Wickie Fort ’21 planned a special project focused on teaching third graders their new knowledge of bromeliads using interactive techniques. On the last day of lessons, the seniors took the third graders to the greenhouse where each student potted their own bromeliad to take home. Not only did they learn a lot, but they were thrilled to get to care for their very own bromeliad.

All bromeliads are composed of a spiral arrangement of leaves called a rosette, and each produces one beautiful bloom in the center of its leaves. After the flower dies, however, this fascinating plant will produce a second stalk called a “pup” that can be repotted to bloom just like it’s mother creating an endless cycle of bromeliads for our greenhouse!

“By the end of each year, we usually have more bromeliads than the greenhouse can hold,” writes Bowden. “For two years we have held a plant sale with all funds donated to local non-profits of the Honors Biology II students’ choice.” Last year, they raised over $1,000 from plant and poster sales and split the proceeds between The Green Heart Project and Fresh Future Farm.  

Read the full article here courtesy of Bromeliad Society International

Top Photo Credit: Cover art courtesy bsi.org; photo courtesy Liz Lashway.

For students in Visual Arts faculty member Lynne Riding’s Honors Surface Design class, mastering the techniques and materials to best manifest their sketches has been only part of their creative journey. In order to truly grow as artists, they have discovered they must look within to embrace the freedom of self-expression and envision designs all their own.

“There is something magical about using a traditional skill and trying to recreate the effect while at the same time developing your own piece of art,” said Riding. “Creating by having one’s hands in the material is very grounding. The unexpected will happen, and if one is open to this, then it is an exciting process.”

Offered for the first time this year, Honors Surface Design introduced students to numerous methods of designing and creating patterns and textures on fabric and paper surfaces, including screen printing, block printing, marbling, Indigo Shibori dyeing, and fabric manipulation of quilting, collage, and dyeing.  As Riding points out, surface design is pervasive in the contemporary world, and her goal was for students to gain a deeper appreciation of hand craftsmanship from around the globe.

“A few methods of surface design include Japanese Indigo Shibori dyeing, the heritage of Indigo dyeing here in the Lowcountry, block printing used in India, Bali, Thailand, Africa, and marbling used in Italy,” she notes. “So initially, students researched the prints made in these countries over time and how they are adapted by designers in our contemporary world. This gave them an understanding and appreciation of the various global cultures and the patience and skill required for these various methods and traditions which have been passed down through the generations. We have focused on the hand-applied methods used in different countries, but these patterns, once made, could easily be taken and developed digitally on the computer.” 

While learning the foundation of the methods and engaging with different materials, students also have experienced growth in their own creative process. “Ms. Riding has really challenged me to go outside of the box with my designs,” said Georgia Dempsey ’23. “I was challenged to make more abstract drawings instead of the structured floral patterns that are my go-to. I adore working with fabrics and manipulating them into what I want. My favorite fabric technique by far is indigo dying or marbling. You get to make your own pattern and color scheme, and no one else in the world will ever have the same as you.”

Riding’s encouragement to embrace self-expression has been revelatory for students. “Ms. Riding has encouraged me to go beyond what feels safe, to be curious about the possibilities within design, and to express myself through a variety of techniques while using different mediums,” shared Clemmie Anderton ’23. “She taught me the more I am open to the abstract feel of the fabrics, the more creative the process becomes and the ideas flow.” Prior to Riding’s class, Kedi Jiang ’21 had adhered to a realistic style in her artwork without exploring a more abstract interpretation. “I really enjoy the fact that Ms. Riding always tells us to try out things boldly and let our thoughts flow,” said Jiang. “I found it really helpful when I designed my final dress by using a marker instead of a pencil. The methods she taught naturally pushed our creativity. I will continue to use these methods not only for art-related things in the future but also for any kind of projects that need brainstorming.” For Cecily Anderton ’23, Riding’s dedication to her students is key. “I’ve loved doing this class and the projects in it,” she enthused. “This class definitely helped me to imagine and create new pieces of art.”

With hopes to offer Honors Surface Design again this fall, Riding is already making plans. “As part of my professional development this summer, I will be experimenting more with natural dyes from material found locally such as acorns,” she said. Her goal is to always give students the best creative experiences possible so that they may manifest their own self-expression. “I have a wonderful group of students and look forward to this class each week,” she said. “Each student approaches her work with enthusiasm and brings something different to her work. They have all gradually developed their own style of design as their confidence grew, resulting in their personalities coming through loud and clear!” For Riding, that has always been by design.

While contemplating how to approach their bromeliad scientific experiment design process, Honors Biology II students Wickie Fort ’21 and Ava Piebenga ’21 knew they wanted to include a community approach to share the fascinating knowledge they had gained this year from Upper School faculty member Allison Bowden. With both having a passion for working with children, the solution was easy: nurturing the next generation.

“Based on their interactions as assistant teachers during Ashley Hall’s Horizons program, Ava and Wickie wanted to share their knowledge of bromeliads with that group,” said Bowden. “They decided to start local before branching out and proposed a plan to work with a group of third grade students at Ashley Hall. They developed an interactive presentation on bromeliads and came up with a pre- and post-test to measure their impact on the students.” In addition to teaching students about bromeliad growing requirements and their ecological importance to other plant and animal species, Fort and Piebenga led a separate day of potting and planting at the Elizabeth House greenhouse with students, who each took home a bromeliad labeled with genus and species name. Afterward, Fort and Piebenga shared their thoughts about leading the enriching experience.

Why did you want to include a hands-on teaching element to the bromeliad scientific experiment? What inspired you?

Ava Piebenga (AP): “Since I joined the Ashley Hall community in fifth grade, I have learned that I am a much better student in a ‘hands-on’ learning environment. When Wickie and I started to design our experiment procedure, we both knew that it was extremely important that we include some form of ‘hands-on’ experience, whether that be simply handling the plants and practicing the ‘two-finger-touch’ to identify the different parts or actually getting dirty in the greenhouse while planting the bromeliads.”

Wickie Fort (WF): “Including hands-on teaching elements was really important in our lesson plan. After three summers of working with kids in the Horizons program, we were definitely aware of how much a difference a hands-on and engaging lesson plan can make when it comes to kids paying attention and retaining information.”

What did you enjoy most about the experience? Were you pleased that you took this approach to your experiment design?

AP: “I loved how engaged and eager to learn each of the girls was during both the lecture style PowerPoint presentation and our time at the greenhouse. They truly showed me that they cared about our project (one little girl even said that she was really glad Wickie and I had given our presentation to them), and I was extremely impressed by their ability to retain knowledge. We gave them a ‘bonus’ during the presentation: the scientific name for Spanish Moss—Tillandsia usneoides. At the beginning they had to write it down to remember, but the next time we saw them (without their notes), they helped each other out while they tried to remember the name, and they did!”

WF: “I was extremely delighted by how excited the girls were to learn about bromeliads. They were super engaged and always gave very thoughtful answers to all of our questions. I was especially impressed by how well-spoken each of the girls was. I loved that Ava and I were able to go in a different direction for our final experiment. This social experiment gave us the freedom to tie in our passion for children and teaching into Honors Bio II. It was amazing to see our passion for educating and plants collide.”

Why is teaching (and especially sharing your scientific knowledge with the next generation) important to you?

AP: “I have been so fortunate during my time at Ashley Hall to have teachers, especially science teachers, who are truly passionate in their line of work. This has made a big impact on me as a student, but especially as a student who is interested in going into a teaching career. I believe that once you find something that makes you happy and excited to learn, it is so important to pass that love and passion forward to future generations.”

WF: “Throughout this entire year in Honors Bio II, I have been so fortunate to have a teacher as engaging and passionate as Mrs. Bowden. Any opportunity I have to pass on what I have learned from her—not only about plants but also general life lessons of positivity and gratitude—is an opportunity that I jump on. As Ava and I are starting a new journey with college next year, it is so important to have younger girls at Ashley Hall who are excited about the science, the Earth, and all the world has to offer. Working with these girls was a chance for me to pass along some of what I have learned from Mrs. Bowden’s class, and I am so grateful that the Lower School made our social experiment possible.”

This spring, as Ashley Hall’s campus bloomed with flowers, a new profusion of daffodils rose triumphantly near the Rutledge Avenue fence. Planted in December as part of The Daffodil Project, which aspires to build a worldwide Living Holocaust Memorial by planting 1.5 million daffodils in memory of the children who perished in the Holocaust and in support for children suffering in humanitarian crises in the world today, the striking trumpet-shaped blooms heralded the rebirth of spring and a deeper hope of a world filled with peace. Earlier this week, philanthropist and social activist Anita Zucker echoed that same vital message during a special virtual Assembly with students.

“What I have enjoyed most about seeing The Daffodil Project become a reality at Ashley Hall is the way it has been embraced by the entire campus,” shared Logan Tunick ’21, who spearheaded efforts to bring the project to the School. “I continue to be in awe of the teachers and students who have supported me throughout this year with this initiative.” After applying last summer to serve as a student ambassador on the Remember Project with the Charleston Jewish Federation, Tunick learned of The Daffodil Project. Immediately, she knew its message of hope would resonate with the Ashley Hall community.

“It is important for Holocaust awareness to be implemented in a visual way to Ashley Hall girls, especially in this time of heightened antisemitism and growing hatred,” Tunick continued. “As a School that is tasked with the responsibility of shaping the female leaders of tomorrow, it is crucial that we present a message of hope and renewal for a brighter future. The daffodil is resilient and returns with a burst of color each spring. It signifies renewal after darkness and hope after a rough period, such as during a pandemic.”

Zucker emphasized the same message this week during her virtual presentation to Upper School students. An ardent supporter of The Daffodil Project, Zucker spoke of the horrors of the Holocaust via the experiences of her family, many of whom perished in ghettos or concentration camps. “The daffodils bring back memories of those whom we lost so long ago, and it is so important that none of these victims ever be forgotten,” she said. “The lesson is that as long as any are persecuted, no one is free. We have to remember people of all kinds all over the world who continue, sadly, to be persecuted.”

Zucker honored the courageous ability of Holocaust survivors to overcome the great odds against them, with her parents eventually moving to America to build new lives motivated by hope and inspired by tikkun olam, Hebrew words that mean to “repair the world.” “My family and I consider tikkun olam the values we choose to live by,” Zucker emphasized. “We choose to do work that repairs the world, whether it is through our philanthropy, our volunteer work, our work with children in schools, or work in health care. To us it is finding ways to give people access and opportunities. We want them to be able to get education because we can repair their world if they can be educated, and we want to make sure we provide those kinds of opportunities for others.”

Zucker’s moving speech was impactful to many students, who were immediately inspired by her passion for philanthropy and social justice. “It was important to have Ms. Zucker speak to Ashley Hall because I feel that a voice and story are much more powerful than a history lesson filled with numbers,” said Tunick. “Going forward, I hope that The Daffodil Project continues to grow and bring light to our campus in years to come.”

For little ones, springtime brings new ways to explore and play, and this April, Early Education Center students have gleefully canvased Ashley Hall’s blooming campus. Among the profusion of flowers, faculty members Rachael Carter’s and Petra Sorelova’s pre-primary class spied some fascinating insects and immediately wanted to know more. They soon discovered what joy small treasures can bring.

“The class has been noticing all of the changes the warmer temperatures and spring have brought,” shared Carter. “We went on a ‘Rainbow Walk’ around campus trying to find all of the colors of the rainbow, and my students noticed insects on the blooming daffodils as well as the pollen all around. We learned about how insects use the pollen and help to make plants grow. Before Spring Break, we saw a few ladybugs on the green hills and went on an insect hunt and found ants, dragon flies, and mosquitoes. We even found a lizard by the Bear Cave that likes to eat insects!”

Captivated by their discoveries, the students were keen to know more, so Carter ordered ladybugs and ants from North Carolina. “Because of their eager minds, our children are fascinated by the natural world and why insects exist,” she noted. “Through observation and inquiry, our class has learned the importance of insects like ladybugs and the value they have within our environment.” The children enthusiastically monitored the mesh ladybug habitats to see firsthand how ladybugs live and to make observational drawings of the little bugs as they journeyed about their habitat. “The children kept asking us if we had fed the ladybugs or if they needed water,” said Sorelova. “We would put them on the tables while the children were having snacks or lunch, and they observed them during coloring.”

The children’s deep care for their ladybugs was clear when it came time to return their small treasures back to nature. “When we were releasing the ladybugs into the EEC Butterfly Garden, the children were very gentle and told them goodbye, and even the ones who were hesitant to touch the ladybugs would let us put them in their palm to place on the milkweed,” said Sorelova. “It was such a great experience to see our class nurture and care for them with such love!”

Ashley Hall’s choral classes, ensembles, and vocal lessons begin a new era of excellence as world-renowned artists and music educators Margaret Kelly Cook and Ricard Bordas assume their directorship. With a wealth of experience, they are committed to fostering artistic growth, enrichment, and confidence among their students.

Cook will oversee the vocal studio and assume vocal private lessons. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance degree from Oberlin College and completed the postgraduate opera course at the Royal College of Music in London.  An active participant on the concert stage, Cook has appeared as a guest soloist throughout England and Europe, appearing in recitals at the Buxton Festival in the United Kingdom, Spoleto Festival, USA, the Salzburg Festival in Austria, and the EuroConcert Early Music Festival in Barcelona, Spain. Locally, she has appeared frequently with the Charleston Chamber Music Society, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, and the South Carolina Philharmonic. Cook is highly regarded as one of the lead vocal instructors in our area. 

Bordas will direct the Upper School choral classes and ensembles. Conductor, countertenor, educator, and Grammy nominee, he graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London. Bordas has conducted choirs and chamber groups in the United States, Spain, and Britain and is considered one of the leading countertenors of his generation. He has performed in fourteen countries in operas and concerts under renowned conductors and at prestigious venues such as La Scala in Milan, the Netherlands Opera, Royal Albert Hall, Barbican Hall, and the Spanish National Concert Hall. He is currently Assistant Professor of Music at Charleston Southern University, Artistic Director of the Bach Society of Charleston, Director of Choral Music at First (Scots) Presbyterian Church in Charleston, Artistic Director of the Charleston Men’s Chorus, and a writer for the Spanish classical magazine Revista Musical Catalana.   

Fun fact: As husband and wife, Cook and Bordas have collaborated on numerous productions and performances. Above (bottom left photo), they are shown singing in their first opera together, when they met in 1993.

Margaret Kelly Cook Full Biography

Ricard Bordas Full Biography

Q & A

What excites you most about directing Ashley Hall’s choral music and vocal private lessons program?

Ricard Bordas: I am eager to share my love of music and singing with Ashley Hall students. Since conducting the Catalan National Children’s Choir in Barcelona many years ago I have loved working with young voices. It is especially gratifying in that their voices are fresh and the musical possibilities are wonderful. There is a grand tradition surrounding the choral program at Ashley Hall, and I am very excited to have the opportunity to be a part of that lineage. (Also, my mother-in-law graduated from Ashley Hall, so we have a family connection to the School.)

Margaret Kelly Cook: Since returning to Charleston I have had a number of Ashley Hall students in my private studio. I know the music department to be top notch and have seen its evolution over many years. I am excited to be a part of it now and to be able to contribute to its continued success. And, yes, my mama graduated from Ashley Hall and took part in many music and theatre performances. It’s a wonderful connection!

What are your goals for the coming year? What do you hope to accomplish with students?

RB: After more than one year dealing with the effects of COVID-19, in particular in the world of choral music, first and foremost I want to help nurture the joy of singing and the sheer fun of being in choir. We will prepare music to be shared with the Ashley Hall community, the Charleston area, and hopefully the wider world as circumstances permit. We will also work on developing musical and vocal skills that will strengthen our individual singers and the choral program as a whole.

MC: My goal for those students in private lessons is the development of a solid vocal technique and understanding of how the voice functions while singing a variety of musical styles from classical to music theatre to pop. In private teaching my ultimate goal has always been to enable singers to sing healthily for life whether in a choral setting or as a professional soloist.

What do you enjoy most about music education and working with students?

RB:  Having worked with students from middle school through college level for many years, I love to see how students find their own voice and discover the satisfaction of singing, learning music and working collaboratively. As a teacher, it is very fulfilling to see month after month, year after year, the progress of my students.

MC: For me, there is nothing greater than the gift of music. It stays with us for life no matter our chosen profession. There are numerous books, articles, and studies on the importance of music education in scaffolding all learning and cognitive development. For me, simply, music is the closest experience we have to my idea of heaven. Singing is that much closer. If I can help singers to find their voice, or develop their talent, then it is enough.