Summer 2011 - Cannon School

CANNON 

MAGAZINE 

Digital Evolution 

New Technology Transforms 

Learning at Cannon 

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SUMMER 2011

CANNON MAGAZINE 

SUMMER 2011 

Cannon Magazine is published semiannually 

by the Office of Advancement. Send address 

changes to rriemersma@cannonschool.org. 

EDITORIAL STAFF 

EDITOR 

David L. Long 

Director of Marketing and Communications 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Scout Birch ’19, Jay Edwards, Grant Gossage ’14, 

Tori Hamby, Chuck Harriss, Todd W. Hartung, 

Austin Larkin ’13, Bridget McCrea, Katy Rust, 

Sergio Tovar, Muskan Uppal ’19, 

Carrie White ’11, Peter Zay 

ADMINISTRATION 

HEAD OF SCHOOL 

Matthew E. Gossage 

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL 

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL 

Matthew J. Rush 

HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL 

Debra Otey 

HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL 

Michelle Alexander 

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE 

Steve Jones 

DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT 

Todd W. Hartung Jr. 

DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION 

William Diskin 

DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS 

Doug Maynard 

> Engaged Learning 

Evolving 1:1 4 

Chalk Boards to Smart Boards 6 

A Living Museum 6 

The Honor Roll 7 

Class of 2011 8 

> The Arts 

Premiere Performance 10 

Treasured Paintings 12 

Big Leap 12 

Growing Artists 13 

> Athletics 

Super Cougars 14 

Coming Soon: New Gym Floor 16 

Honored Athletes 16 

Cougars Go to College 16 

Cougar Kudos 17 

> Character Education 

Good Service 18 

Teaching the 3 Rs 20 

Protect the Earth, Protect the Future 20 

A Friend of Animals 20 

This 13-Year-Old Dreams of Well Water 21 

Helping a Wounded Warrior 21 

> Community 

Global Outlook 22 

A Senior Gift for the Ages 23 

We Are In 23 

Making a Great First Impression 23 

> Alumni 

Spotlight: Clare Cook Faggart ’72 24 

Alumni Notes 25 

> News 

Lower School Olympians 26 

Capital Visits 27 

Get Ready for 2011-2012 at the Back-to-School Center 27 

Going Mobile 27 

Letter from the Head of School < < < < < < < < < < < < 

“Without engagement to pave the way, learning cannot follow.” 

Dear Readers, 

In the sixteen hundreds the word “engage,” which literally means “to make a pledge,” had two 

original usages. An engagement or the act of engaging was applied to marriage and a battle. 

The two parties considering a marriage understood that a formal promise rested in their act of 

engagement. And two forces on the eve of battle were well aware of how deep and profound 

their respective interaction would be. Soldiers before a conflict and spouses in the prelude of a 

marriage knew what it meant to become engaged. 

This powerful promise that was so much a part of the original sense of the word engagement 

lives today in the learning process. Learning is an enthusiastic first follower of the leadership of 

engagement. Without engagement to pave the way, learning cannot follow. 

Just as the soldiers and betrothed in the sixteen hundreds comprehended the depth necessary 

in their respective interactions and experiences, the teachers at Cannon enter the classroom 

daily knowing full well how much they will need to do in the act of engagement and how 

much there is for the student to gain in the act of engagement. 

This edition of Cannon Magazine captures the role engagement plays in the teaching and learning at Cannon. As you move into your summer 

mode, please take the time to read about all the good things that take place at a school where teachers, students, artists, coaches and athletes are 

engaged. The pledges that are made here each day have lasting significance. 

Have a great summer and thank you for your engagement in this work. 

Sincerely, 

Matt Gossage, Head of School 

DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING 

Anne Shandley 

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > In This Issue 

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“Students like being able to turn on a device and immediately begin exploring.” 

Evolving 1:1 

Learning is “always on” at Cannon with new classroom technologies. 

By: Bridget McCrea 

Reprint courtesy of T.H.E. Journal 

Cannon School students in grades 9 through 12 have been 

using laptop computers in the classroom for the last seven 

years. Now, the independent JrK-12 college preparatory 

school in Concord, NC, is taking the same step that many 

other institutions are doing right now by integrating iPads 

into the classroom. 

With about 850 students, the school began providing middle 

school pupils with iPads at the start of the current school year. 

Some of the funding for the equipment came from $50,000 

raised by parents to help pay for the iPads, plus several Smart 

Boards and Smart Tables and a new virtual language lab. 

Leigh Northrup, middle school director of academic 

technology at Cannon School, said the institution was 

considering e-readers and tablet computing for several years 

as an alternative to traditional textbooks. After talking to 

representatives from Kindle, Nook and Sony, Northrup said 

he was concerned about how resistant textbook companies 

were at the time to the notion of digital texts in the classroom. 

“I talked to three major textbook manufacturers and got no 

help in terms of putting e-readers into our classrooms,” said 

Northrup. “Then the iPad craze hit, and the same textbook 

companies started jumping onboard, wanting to get involved.” 

Some Initial Challenges 

Northrup would face other challenges in his quest to put 

digital textbooks and tablets into the hands of Cannon 

School’s students. 

The fact that the school was historically PC in nature and 

hadn’t used much Apple technology would also come into play. 

“Putting Apple products into our school was definitely a leap 

of faith,” said Northrup, who had the support of Matt Rush, 

assistant head of school and head of middle school, for the 

initiative, which kicked off with just two iPads. Northrup 

and Rush spent two weeks introducing instructors and 

students to the new devices, and letting them know that “if 

it’s not the iPad, some other type of tablet will revolutionize 

the classroom.” 

iPad in the Classroom 

The rest, as they say, is history. Today, teachers at Cannon 

School use iPads across various disciplines and for a wide 

range of classroom projects and lessons. A seventh-grade 

science teacher, for example, takes her iPad-toting students 

outside to explore the world around them, to take notes, and 

to surf the Internet in her “outdoor classroom.” 

A foreign language teacher uses iPads to record lessons that 

show instructors pronouncing certain words and prompting 

students to follow along, while science students use the devices 

to do virtual dissections. History teachers use Google Earth 

on the iPads when conducting geography lessons, and English 

instructors use the tablets to distribute writing prompts to 

students, who then complete their assignments on their iPads. 

With about three classroom sets of iPads, and more coming 

online in the near future, Rush said, the school could soon 

augment its current 1:1 laptop program – which has been 

in place since 2003 – with tablet PC computers, iPads, or a 

combination of the two, at the middle school level. 

Northrup said the simplicity of the new technology, the 

device’s small size and “always on” status, make it especially 

attractive for the school environment. “Right now, our goal 

Students take learning outside with an iPad connected wirelessly 

to educational tools and apps. 

CANNON MAGAZINE | 5 

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Engaged Learning

Evolving 1:1 (continued) 

is to get to a 1:1 tablet or iPad program for the middle school, where these devices seem 

to work particularly well,” said Northrup. 

“Students who are 11 to 14 years old really like that instant gratification of being able to 

turn on a device and immediately begin exploring the Great Wall of China.” 

Continuing the Evolution 

Northrup said the school, which has been largely PC-based in the past, is also interested 

in exposing students to different computing platforms in order to prepare them for college 

and the work world. “We want them to be able to handle Excel spreadsheets, work on 

MacBooks, or use iPads,” said Northrup, “as opposed to being one-trick-ponies.” 

Nora Munger ’11 was among just 17 

high school seniors from Mecklenburg 

County to win a $2,500 National 

Merit Scholarship award. Classmate 

Madeline Hurley will receive a $4,000 

Merit Scholarship award over four 

years from UNC-Chapel Hill. 

Junior Lucie Randall was chosen 

to participate in the Middlebury 

College Chinese-language immersion 

program this summer at Green River 

College in Vermont. 

Reid Herrera earned grand recognition 

for being among the nation’s highest 

scorers in the Duke TIP seventh 

grade talent search. Austin Coale, 

Justin Fromke, Angeli Gupta, Dylan 

Housman, Isabella Jacoby, Davis 

Nelson, Sam Oddo, Padgett Powe, 

Abigail Sparrow and Christina 

Stylianou earned state recognition. 

Calling their institution a “frontrunner when it comes to technology,” Northrup and Rush 

said there are more IT projects on Cannon School’s agenda. Tablet PCs could soon be 

introduced at the high school level, said Rush, as more of the school’s software is moved 

into the cloud, where students and teachers will be able to access it and use it without 

having to install programs on their individual computers. 

Northrup said the school also plans to install more Smart Tables and Smart Boards in its 

classrooms, plus purchase additional iPads for use by its fourth-grade classes, to ensure a 

smoother transition into middle school. He said the projects all fall in line with the school’s 

mission to “stay on the leading edge – but not the bleeding edge – of technology.” 

From T.H.E. Journal, May 2011, © 2011 T.H.E. Journal. All rights reserved. Used by 

permission and protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States. The printing, copying, 

redistribution, or retransmission of this Content without express written permission is prohibited. 

Chalk Boards to Smart Boards 

Classroom technology has graduated from chalk boards to smart boards. As hi-tech 

innovations revolutionize learning, Cannon School is putting cutting-edge tools in the 

hands of its students. 

Cannon School raised $50,000 to enhance classroom technology during a parent-led 

fundraising drive in February. The money will provide additional iPads, Smart Boards and 

Smart Tables, as well as a new virtual language lab. 

“Smart technologies and iPads encourage high-engagement interactivity that keeps children 

absorbed in learning and prepares them with the tools for their future,” said Matt Rush, 

assistant head of school and head of middle school. “These innovations offer a stimulating 

and constructive way to teach students.” 

Cannon School began providing iPads for Middle School students last fall. Teachers are 

incorporating the tablets in classes taught both inside and outside the classroom. For 

example, when students have to dissect a frog in 7th grade science lab, instead of cutting 

open a real frog, they do it on an iPad application. Teachers conduct outdoor learning 

sessions on Cannon’s 65-acre campus while students participate using their iPads. 

The new technologies are reaching even the youngest students at Cannon. 

“Using a Smart Board, I can display the information for our students big as life in front 

of the classroom so that everybody can see it,” said Camilla McWilliams, a first grade 

teacher. “No matter what topic or theme I am discussing in class, I can find and share an 

abundance of information using smart technologies and teaching apps.” 

A Living Museum 

By: Scout Burch ’19 and 

Muskan Uppal ’19 

The Living Museum was a memorable time 

for fourth graders. This year’s theme was 

“Prominent U.S. Historical Figures.” 

As you entered into Taylor Hall, you could 

feel the excitement in the air and see the 

extensive preparation each student put into 

their project. There were heroes/heroines 

dating from the eighteenth century to today. 

A timeline taped to the floor guided you 

back through time chronologically. 

To begin our study we investigated people 

in history. After turning in our choices, 

our teachers, Mrs. Sarah White, Mr. Keith 

West and Ms. Denise Horton, then gave 

us our assignment. Mrs. Kathie Riley, our 

computer science teacher, and Mrs. Jackie 

Mills, Lower School media specialist, 

guided us with a plethora of resources. 

We became history sleuths! 

The day before the Living Museum took 

place students set up their poster boards 

in Taylor Hall. The work the parents and 

teachers did setting up the hall and tables 

was out of this world! The moment you 

stepped into Taylor Hall, it felt like you were 

back in time. 

As you entered on the day of the museum 

you could either follow the timeline, or go 

directly to any U.S. historical figure to learn 

about their lives. All you had to do was 

drop a ticket into their cup to make them 

come to life. 

The Living Museum was an amazing 

learning experience! 

Lucas Kabasakalian and 

Muskan Uppal placed first in the 

N.C. Reading Association’s Young 

Authors state competition. The two 

Lower School students were honored 

March 12 in Raleigh. 

The Middle School MathCounts 

team placed eighth out of 49 

teams at the state championship. 

Congratulations, Angeli Gupta, 

Reid Herrera, Christina Stylianou 

and Uday Uppal. Uday placed 24th 

in the individual competition. 

Rachel West received the Wellesley 

Book Award, which honors young 

women who have been top scholars in 

high school and talented performers in 

extracurricular areas. The junior’s award 

was given by the Wellesley College 

Alumnae Association. 

The 

Honor 

Roll 

Cannon’s K-1 chess team consisting 

of Will Harris, Dylan Kabasakalian, 

Owen Koehler and Matthew Kroll 

placed third in their first N.C. 

Scholastic Chess Championship. The 

K-3 team of Joseph Hurtado, Dylan 

Kabasakalian, Lucas Kabasakalian, 

Matthew Kroll and Rob Trufant tied 

for fifth in their division. 

Cannon’s Middle School Battle of 

the Books team placed second at a 

regional competition held in March. 

Team members are: Tyler Haritan, 

Reid Herrera, John Knox, Claudia 

Michaels, Anna Poffenbaugh, 

Lindsey Turbyfill, Uday Uppal, 

Joseph Vaccaro, Mimi Wahid and 

Jay Williams. 

Congratulations to seventh-grader 

Davis Nelson for his excellent 

finish in the state geography bee! 

After tying with nine other students 

for qualification in the preliminary 

round and competing in a tie-breaker 

round, Davis finished in an 

impressive 15th place. 

Fourth-graders Muskan Uppal and 

Daphne Reynolds placed second 

and third in a May TriMathlon math 

competition. Sixth-graders Andrew 

Redding, Claudia Michaels and Tim 

Burton swept the top three places in 

their grade level. 

Upper School students Emily 

Anderson, Crystal Bennett, Ben 

Boesel, Cassie Calvert, Hayley Dane, 

Tabby Horney, Connor Lippincott, 

Ally Reynolds, Morgan Sexton, 

Katie Shaw, Jake Vowell, Maggie 

Warren, Whitney Yaniero and 

Raffi Yessayan were inducted into 

the Cum Laude Society in April. 


CLASS OF 2011 < < < < < 

On May 20, the Class of 2011 received their diplomas and took the next step in their lives. The 71 graduates have 

chosen to attend schools that best fit their individual talents and interests – and we couldn’t be more proud of them! 

Our newest graduates received more than $3.7 million in merit-based scholarship funds for the next four years. 

Nicole Newman 

College of Charleston 

Elizabeth Nymberg 

University of North Carolina at Charlotte 

Laura Oddo 

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 

Avery Olearczyk 

University of North Carolina 

at Wilmington 

Olivia Osborne 

University of Florida 

Joan Palumbo 

University of North Carolina at Greensboro 

T.J. Parsons 


Catherine Petok 

Auburn University 

Andrew Powell 


Rahul Ramkumar 


Brianna Ratté 


Alexander Rennie 


Allyson Reynolds 


Courtney Reynolds 


Emily Royal 

Wofford College 

Elizabeth Rubens 

Montreat College 

Stephanie Schauder 

Davidson College 

Wesley Scott 

North Carolina Preparatory Christian 

Academy 

Morgan Sexton 

Tulane University 

Eden Sipperly 


Jackson Sipperly 

East Carolina University 

Shelby Sipperly 

University of South Carolina 

Devin Smith 

Northeastern University 

Hannah Somerville 

Butler University 

Nick Walsh 

University of Alabama 

Maggie Warren 

North Carolina State University 

Gavin West 

Tulane University 

Carrie White 

Colorado College 

Sarah Wiebusch 

Miami University, Oxford 

Raffi Yessayan 


Alaina Altamura 


Jarett Andretti 


Crystal Bennett 

Boston College 

Stewart Brown 

Clemson University 

Thomas Campbell 

University of North Carolina School 

of the Arts 

Sam Camut 

Marquette University 

Caroline Cato 


Mallory Chepke 

Winthrop University 

Morgan Colley 


Cameron Cook 


Jacob Dailey 

Appalachian State University 

Marissa Deddens 


Sarah DeSutter 

Allegheny College 

MacKenzie Dickerman 

University of Georgia 

Byron Dollar 

Appalachian State University 

Shelby Dyl 


Winston Felker 


Buddy Forrest 

University of Alabama 

Vicky Ghahhari 


Spencer Goheen 


Kayla Goode 


Julie Harriss 

Radford University 

Kirsten Hoffman 


Tabby Horney 


Megan Hunstad 

University of Miami 

Madeline Hurley 


Rodan Imad 

American University of Beirut 

Olivia Jewell 

College of Charleston 

Kevin Kacer 

Allegheny College 

Nila Kannan 

Boston University 

Josh Lamb 


Conor Larkin 


Graham Lombardi 


Dylan Mason 


Blaine McHale 


Brendan McWilliams 

Salisbury University 

Maren Meyers 

University of Wisconsin, Madison 

Andrew Mikita 


Nora Munger 

Carleton College 

Patrick Murphy 

Johnson & Wales University 

William Nelson 

University of Central Florida 

Go Beyond 

Commencement speaker Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown challenged students to 

believe in themselves no matter what changes or challenges life may bring. 

“Find people that will believe in you even in the massiveness of some of the 

schools that you will be going to and realize that failure is a gift,” said Dr. 

Garmon-Brown. “When failure happens, and it will, don’t allow it to overwhelm 

you. Look at failure straight in the eye and say what are you trying to teach me” 

Dr. Garmon-Brown is a physician, minister, volunteer, community leader and 

vice president at Presbyterian Hospital. She was named Charlotte’s 2010 Woman 

of the Year. 

Watch her commencement address at www.cannonschool.org/2011. 

Alumni, Connect with Cannon! 

Class of 2011, you’re alumni now! Please join our “Cannon School Alumni” 

group on Facebook and stay in touch! Share news, upload photos or start an 

online conversation with classmates. 

Cannon School also has an alumni career network on LinkedIn. Just sign-in and 

search companies for “Cannon School” to request membership. Anyone who has 

ever attended Cannon School or Cabarrus Academy can become a member. 



“Most students never have this privilege during their music education.” 

Premiere Performance 

Middle School students perform music written especially for them. 

By: Katy Rust, Marketing and Communications Coordinator 

It’s not every day that middle school musicians play a piece 

composed especially for them. In April, Cannon students did 

just that. 

Brad Davis and Dawn Taylor, Middle School band directors, 

wanted to expand their students’ musical education beyond 

the classroom. They wanted students in 6th, 7th and 8th grade 

bands to work with a composer and chose Mekel Rogers, 

also a clinician, adjudicator and music educator from Union 

County. With help from a grant made possible by Cannon 

Advocates For The Arts (CAFTA), the idea became reality. 

“Most students think that all composers are dead,” said Taylor. 

“They never have this privilege during their music education.” 

Rogers created a special arrangement for Cannon’s 

Middle School musicians. He took into consideration the 

instrumentation of the band and the age and skill level of the 

students when composing the piece. The composition, entitled 

“Canticle of the Sun,” is an arrangement of the hymn, “All 

Creatures of Our God and King.” 

“I’ve always been drawn to that hymn,” said Rogers. “There is a 

majestic quality to it that seemed to fit well.” 

To add to the experience, Rogers also made a visit to campus 

to rehearse with the students. He came away impressed by how 

much preparation the students had already put into perfecting 

their performance of the piece. 

“It was interesting to get a verbal translation of the music 

directly from the composer,” said Reid Herrera ’16. “It was 

kind of like learning what was going through his head when he 

wrote the piece.” 

Rogers helped the students balance the treble and bass clef 

instruments as they worked to improve their sound. 

“It was fantastic rehearsing with the composer because we 

could hear what he meant the piece to sound like,” recalled 

Claudia Michaels ’17. 

Brad Davis was excited to work with a composer on a 

commissioned piece for the first time. 

Composer Mekel Rogers conducts rehearsing Middle 

School musicians. 

“I have played tons of them over the course of my career, both 

as student and teacher,” said Davis. “You always see the band’s 

name at the top of the page and realize that it was written 

especially for them; it is cool to think that soon someone 

somewhere will think that about us.” 

On the night of the Middle School Spring Band Concert, 

the students performed the special piece as the grand finale 

for a packed Taylor Hall audience. The students’ flawless 

performance brought the audience to its feet for a welldeserved 

standing ovation. 

The commissioned piece will be played by bands 

throughout the southeast with the Cannon School name 

proudly displayed on the sheet music, and may even be 

published internationally. 

Students at Cannon are surely going to enjoy performing 

“Canticle of the Sun” for years to come. 

Go Beyond 

Watch the Middle School Band performance of 

“Canticle of the Sun” at www.cannonschool.org/canticle. 


> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The Arts

Treasured Paintings 

Cannon School’s Visual Arts teachers honored two Lower School 

students by selecting their artwork to become treasures in the 

Student Permanent Art Collection. Jessica Russell’s Cool Cat and 

Blair Workman’s Landscape will be professionally framed and 

displayed for years to come at Cannon School. 

The works are on display in the First Look Gallery in the Richard H. 

Snyder Building. 

Growing 

Artists 

There’s an old saying that artists 

are born and not made. Cannon’s 

art teachers, Krista Johns, 

Cheryl Judd-Magee and Belinda 

Armstrong, teach from a different 

perspective: no one is born 

knowing how to paint. They 

caringly nurture their students’ 

artistic gifts and aspirations. 

(Photos by Carrie White ’11.) 

Tyler Haritan performs in N.C. Dance’s production of 

The Nutcracker. Photo by Peter Zay. 

Big Leap 

Many Cannon students are spending summer enjoying 

experiences that will shape the rest of their lives. Tyler Haritan 

earned one of those big opportunities. The rising ninth grader 

gets to dance at America’s premier ballet school. 

Addison Drucker (pictured 

above) spent his junior 

kindergarten year creating art 

by drawing and painting in 

Krista Johns’ class. Allison Abel 

(pictured at right) developed her 

skills through drawing, painting 

and letter making. The rising fifth 

grader liked working with clay 

the most. She fired and glazed the 

leaves at right. 


Tyler is one of only 200 dancers selected from thousands who 

auditioned to study at the School of American Ballet (SAB) in 

New York City. He received a full-tuition scholarship to live 

and study at the academy over five weeks this summer. 

SAB was founded in 1934 by legendary choreographer George 

Balanchine and philanthropist Lincoln Kirstein and is the 

official academy of the New York City Ballet. The school trains 

more students who go on to become professional dancers than 

any other U.S. school. Preparation for a career in classical ballet is 

the primary focus of summer training. 

The school’s influence extends beyond the footlights: alumni 

currently hold artistic posts at more than 20 American and at 

least five foreign companies, and many of the nation’s leading 

ballet schools are run by SAB-trained dancers. 

Tyler’s curriculum includes two dance classes each day at Lincoln 

Center with training in classical, ballroom, adagio and character, 

as well as Pilates and weight training. His instructors are from 

around the world with backgrounds that provide students with a 

variety of artistic influences. 

The scholarship has provided Tyler with a great complement 

to the training he receives from North Carolina Dance Theatre 

in Charlotte. He has performed in N.C. Dance productions of 

Little Mermaid, A Night at the Movies and The Nutcracker. 

Olivia Osborne ’11 (pictured 

at right) took Upper School 

art classes taught by Belinda 

Armstrong, which stimulated her 

natural creativity and resulted in 

an impressive portfolio spanning 

a variety of art forms – and in a 

variety of honors. Olivia plans to 

continue her artistic pursuits at the 

University of Florida. 

In Middle School, Madeleine 

Nagy (pictured at far left) explored 

drawing, painting, printmaking, 

ceramics and sculpture. Cheryl 

Judd-Magee said the rising ninth 

grader is “blossoming” as an artist. 

In her drawing at left, she turns 

everyday classroom objects into a 

visually compelling masterwork. 

CANNON MAGAZINE | 13


“The state title was a remarkable ending to Cannon’s winning streak.” 

Super Cougars 

The varsity softball team wraps up a 17-game streak with a state championship. 

By: Jay Edwards, The Charlotte Observer 

UNC Charlotte physics professor Patrick Moyer knows all 

about the laws of nature. 

But it is still hard for Moyer, also the Cannon varsity softball 

coach, to explain what has happened to his Cougar team over 

the past few months. 

Cannon (19-2) won 17 straight games since late March, 

capping the streak with a two-game sweep of High Point 

Christian to win the NCISAA 3A state championship May 21. 

“We thought we could compete with the best teams in the 

state and get to the Final Four,” said Moyer. “But we never 

talked about championships. I don’t think coaches ever plan 

on winning 17 games in a row.” 

A lot of the Cougars’ success came from the dynamic 

duo of senior catcher Julie Harriss and junior pitcher 

Mackenzie Moyer. 

Harriss, who has signed with Radford University, hit .483 with 

six home runs and 28 RBI on the season. Harriss’ battery mate, 

Moyer, batted .569 with four home runs and 40 RBI, while 

going 16-2 on the mound with 155 strikeouts and a 1.39 ERA. 

Harriss and Moyer, who are close friends on and off the field, 

regularly competed to see who was the best at every aspect of 

the game. 

“Julie and Kenzie would hit like 20 home runs every day in 

practice and it was a great competition to watch,” said the 

elder Moyer, who’s also Mackenzie’s father. “I think the other 

girls wanted to be just as good as them, to hit the ball just as 

hard, made everybody a better player.” 

The Cougars were hardly a two-player team, as another duo 

in senior twins Ally and Courtney Reynolds, who play second 

and third base respectively, were also big at the plate and in the 

field. Junior Stephanie Gray also had a good year at the plate, 

hitting .431 with 26 RBIs. 

“In the beginning of the season, we knew we had a lot of talent 

and athletes,” Harriss said. “At first, it was a little rough, but we 

really found ourselves.” 

Cannon played a tough schedule that included a sweep of the 

always tough CISAA conference. 

But no matter what they did in the regular season, the 

Cougars knew they would ultimately be judged by their 

postseason performance. 

After beating Country Day 15-0 in the first round of the 

playoffs, the Cannon softball team ran into an obstacle as they 

prepared to face rival Charlotte Latin in the state semifinals 

in Raleigh. The game was scheduled only two hours after the 

seniors participated in Cannon’s graduation. 

After NCISAA officials allowed them to move the game back 

two hours, the seniors traveled to North Raleigh Christian 

after the ceremony, joining their teammates an hour before 

game time. 

“It was really tough to transition between the emotion of 

your high school graduation to a playoff game,” said Harriss. 

“The first game was tough. I don’t think we were in the 

right mindset.” 

Despite the emotions, the Cougars defeated Latin in a 

tight 4-3 game to move on to the next round of the doubleelimination 

tournament. 

That same night, against High Point Christian, Moyer tossed a 

four-hit complete game shutout while Harriss smacked a firstinning 

home run to give the Cougars all they needed to win. 

“I knew it was going to be a long day and a long weekend,” said 

Harriss. “But in the second game that night we came out like a 

completely different team. After we won that game, I knew we 

were going to win it all.” 

The next day, the Cougars wasted no time against High Point 

Christian, as Harriss again crushed a first-inning home run to 

give her team a lead they would never relinquish. 

After High Point Christian closed to 3-1, Moyer closed the 

door in the bottom of the fifth, this time at the plate, hitting a 

two-run homer to the left field fence for a 5-1 advantage and a 

state title. 

It was a remarkable ending to the Cannon winning streak. 

“I didn’t even know we had won 17 straight games,” 

said Harriss. 

“I kept saying, ‘We’re not losing again this season,’ and we just 

kept on winning.” 

This article, published on June 5, 2011, is reprinted with 

permission of The Charlotte Observer/Lake Norman News. 

Photos by Chuck Harriss and Sergio Tovar. CANNON MAGAZINE | 15 

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Coming Soon: New Gym Floor 

Cannon School received a generous grant from the Cannon Foundation, Inc. to fund 

the installation of new flooring in the School’s auxiliary gym. The grant is a critical 

investment in Cannon’s commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment for 

students using the gym. 

The new flooring, to be installed over the summer, will replace the current blue 

rubberized flooring (pictured above) that was installed several years ago. Over the years, 

the physical education and extracurricular activities of Cannon students have made new 

flooring essential to the usability of this area. The new flooring will enable the School to 

use the gym for a full range of healthy activities for Cannon students. 

The enhanced gym will also house competitive contests hosted by Cannon School, 

including Charlotte Independent Schools Athletic Association and North Carolina 

Independent Schools Athletic Association tournaments, and provide greater flexibility 

and usage for interscholastic events, practices, camps and school-wide activities. 

Cannon School is a member of the CISAA with Charlotte Christian School, Charlotte 

Country Day School, Charlotte Latin School and Providence Day School. 

Honored Athletes 

Cougars Go to College 

Softball standout Julie Harriss ’11 signed 

a National Letter of Intent last fall to 

continue her academic and athletic pursuits 

at Radford University. Since then, three 

more Cougars committed to play collegiate 

athletics beginning in the fall. 

Kevin Kacer will play tennis at Allegheny 

College. The USTA-ranked player has held 

the number one singles position during most 

of his Cannon career. He leaves Cannon well 

prepared for a collegiate career thanks to 

his experience in the state’s toughest tennis 

conference and his USTA tournament play. 

Brendan McWilliams will play lacrosse at 

Salisbury University, the NCAA Division 

III national champion. His leadership, 

work ethic and outstanding stick skills had 

a big impact on Cannon’s lacrosse program. 

His coaches and teammates look forward 

to cheering him on when he plays for the 

Sea Gulls. 

Hannah Somerville will swim at Butler 

University. Hannah has been a valued 

contributor to the Cannon swim program, 

including the 2009 state championship 

team. Her hard work coupled with her 

conference and state meet experience has 

readied her to swim for the Bulldogs, which 

compete in the Horizon League. 

Congratulations to these varsity athletes, who were named to the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association All-State or 

Charlotte Independent Schools Athletic Association All-Conference teams: 

Swimmer Maija Roses ’14 won 

the 200-yard individual medley 

and 100 breaststroke state titles, 

both in Cannon record time. She 

and fellow “Aqua Cougar” and 

CISAA champion Hannah 

Somerville ’11 were named to the 

Charlotte Observer’s All-Cabarrus 

News swim team. 

The Middle School lacrosse team 

came roaring back to erase a fourgoal 

deficit in their 7-6 victory over 

Providence Day in the GCMSAA 

tournament. They fell to Charlotte 

Latin in the semifinals. 

Sophomore Grant DeGorter 

shot a Cougars-best 159 in the 

NCISAA golf tournament. 

Cannon’s Middle School 

swimmers ended their season in 

spectacular fashion. The boys won 

the GCMSAA championship while 

the girls took second. Darby West 

set a new conference record in 

the 50 fly. 

Junior Tim Gruber reached 

the medal stand at the state track 

and field championships with a 

third place finish in the 3200-meter 

run. Four school records fell 

at the event. 

Cougar 

Kudos 

Baseball standout Connor 

Lippincott ’12 was named 

all-tournament at the Cary 

Academy Tournament. 

The Middle School tennis team 

reached the semifinals of the 

GCMSAA tournament. 

Mackenzie Moyer ’12 was named 

a Charlotte Observer “Hot Player” 

of the week for her performance 

in the girls’ varsity basketball 

team’s 46-35 win over Charlotte 

Country Day in the first round of 

the NCISAA state tournament. 

The girls later lost a 53-52 nail-biter 

to Rabun Gap. 

Baseball 

Connor Lippincott 

CISAA All-Conference 

Lacrosse 

Baylor Koch 


Brendan McWilliams 


NCISAA All-State 

Track and Field 

Tim Gruber 


Softball 

Stephanie Gray 


Julie Harriss 



Mackenzie Moyer 



Allyson Reynolds 


Courtney Reynolds 


Soccer 

Rachel Dyl 


Anna Estep 


Madison Miller 


Tennis 

Kevin Kacer 



The boys’ JV basketball team 

closed out their season with a 

stunning 61-55 win over previously 

undefeated Charlotte Christian. 

Follow the Cougars at 

www.cannonschool.org/cougars, 

where you can get the latest news 

and view athletic schedules 

and scores. 

The Middle School golf team 

consisting of Anne Collom, Noah 

Edmondson, William Gordon, 

Anthony Perrino, Anna Redding 

and Uday Uppal captured the 

GCMSAA title. 


“I never imagined that volunteering would impact me as greatly as it did.” 

Good Service 

Cannon students earn the President’s Volunteer Service Award. 

By: Katy Rust, Marketing and Communications Coordinator 

More than two dozen Cannon School students received 

recognition of the highest order for their volunteer efforts 

over the course of the last year. They were awarded the 

national President’s Volunteer Service Award for outstanding 

volunteerism in their communities. 

The award, established in 2003 by the President’s Council 

on Service and Civic Participation, recognizes individuals, 

families and groups that have achieved a high standard of 

service to their communities over a 12-month period. 

Three award-winning students, Mary Margaret 

Campbell, Daniel Lee and Juliana Sirois, reflected on 

their volunteer experiences. 

Why is volunteering to serve others so important to you 

Daniel Lee: Most Koreans went through hell after the Korean 

War, but I didn’t learn until recently that my grandpa had it 

rough too. Ever since I was a kid, my grandpa never spoke of 

his past, not once and not even at his deathbed. 

My grandpa was a successful man as a vice president of a 

newspaper company. Now that I know his childhood, I realize 

how hard his childhood must have been. In order to repay all 

the love that he gave me, I vowed to help underprivileged kids 

as if I was helping out my grandpa in his boyhood. 

When did you decide to attempt to earn the President’s 

Volunteer Service Award 

Mary Margaret Campbell: Within the first few weeks of my 

freshman year, I decided to make it my goal. 

Juliana Sirois: Before freshman year even began I wanted to 

receive the 100-hour president’s service award. It was a goal of 

mine, and I was determined to reach it. 

Where did you volunteer and what did you do 

Campbell: I volunteered with multiple organizations. 

From school sporting events to bake sales for charitable 

organizations, there was always a good reason to help out. 

Sirois: My service varied greatly this year, from baking cookies 

to helping out at the Special Olympics. 

Lee: Most of my volunteer hours were spent tutoring little 

children. I also worked as a medical volunteer at Carolinas 

Medical Center-NorthEast. 

What was your favorite volunteer opportunity 

Sirois: Two of my favorite service projects were being an 

assistant coach for a youth soccer team and helping out with 

Motivated Volunteers 

The following students earned the President’s Volunteer 

Service Award: 

Gold (250 hours or more): Mary Margaret Campbell, 

Daniel Lee, Jessica Randolph, Elizabeth Rubens 

Silver (175-249): Rachel Dyl, Tory Foster, Octavia Hall, 

Mason McClanahan 

Bronze (100-174): Paul Anderson, Leah Baker, Crystal 

Bennett, Thomas Goode, Ankit Gupta, Becca Iglehart, 

Austin Kueffner, Connor Lippincott, Madison Miller, 

Will Nork, Wil Safrit, Stephanie Schauder, Juliana Sirois, 

Charles Sterner, Dominick Vaccaro, Vanessa Vaccaro, 

Jameson Williams, Bri Wyatt 

Beyond the Bell clubs at Cannon. I enjoyed helping the same 

kids week after week. 

Lee: I really enjoyed volunteering with Big Brothers and 

Sisters, teaching Cannon second graders math and reading, 

and tutoring a sixth grader at our school. 

Campbell: My favorite organization was the Humane Society 

of Charlotte. For a couple months, I worked to fulfill the 

shelter’s wish list of items needed to help support its many 

animals. Being able to deliver the items and see the gratitude 

from the shelter’s employees was very worthwhile. 

What impact did volunteering have on you 

Lee: I gained a great insight into teaching as well as a sense 

of identity as an American who actively gets involved in his 

society. I thank the children whom I taught and learned from 

and my grandfather who has motivated me to this day. 

Campbell: I knew that I would have the opportunity to 

help others, but I never imagined that doing something like 

this would impact me as greatly as it did. By working toward 

the PVSA, I learned new things, participated in numerous 

activities and applied myself in different ways. This was a great 

experience and I am very glad I decided to take it on! 

Sirois: The experience of earning 100 hours was a challenge, 

but volunteering is a passion of mine and I enjoyed it. I 

am looking forward to doing more service projects in the 

years ahead. 

18 | CANNON MAGAZINE CANNON MAGAZINE | 19 

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Character Education

Teaching the 3 Rs 

Eight Upper School students produced two educational videos to help 

build commitment in the Concord community for reducing, reusing 

and recycling. The City of Concord is using the videos to educate 

customers on recycling service improvements that began in July. 

“We appreciate Cannon School’s partnership in producing these 

videos,” said Deputy City Manager Jim Greene. “Their students’ 

creativity and talent made it possible for us to educate our customers 

in an entertaining, yet effective manner.” 

Thomas Campbell, Matt Favero, Buddy Forrest, Tim Gruber, 

Graham Lombardi, Charles Sterner, Sarah Wiebusch and Sam 

Workman produced the videos, with support from Dean of Students 

Tom Booker, after Cannon faculty reached out to the City of 

Concord with a proposal for students to develop the videos. 

Go Beyond 

Visit www.cannonschool.org/3rs to watch educational videos 

made by Cannon students for the City of Concord. 

A Friend of Animals 

Joanna Copio decided 

last summer she wanted 

to do something to help 

local animals in need. 

Her commitment paid 

off on April 2 when 

more than 100 people 

turned out on the 

Davidson Village Green 

for Pawz Too Run, a 

5k race and a 2.2-mile 

dog walk. The rising 

ninth grader organized 

the event with Cannon 

School and Friends of 

the Animals. 

Pawz Too Run raised $5,000 for Friends of the Animals, a 

non-profit organization with plans to build a state-of-the-art 

regional animal adoption and education center with a spay/ 

neuter clinic. The new center, to be built in Mooresville at 

Interstate 77 and exit 31, will serve the region by caring for 150 

adoptable dogs and cats. 

Cannon School Director of Advancement Todd Hartung, 

Stephanie Schauder ’11 and Tim Gruber ’12 placed in the top 

four in the 5k. 

Dogs of all sizes joined their owners for the walk. There was 

even a dog with no use of its back legs due to a spinal injury. 

A special walking device on wheels enabled this pet to travel 

the 2.2-mile course. Joanna and some Cannon volunteers gave 

the dog an impromptu “most inspiring” trophy during the 

award ceremony. 

This 13-Year-Old Dreams 

of Well Water 

By: Tori Hamby, The Herald Weekly 

Many boys wish for the 

latest videogame system or 

electronic gadget for their 

13th birthday, but Cannon 

School seventh-grader 

Ben Wyatt wants to bring 

fresh drinking water to the 

impoverished villages of 

Tanzania. 

Ben, the son of James and 

Edna Wyatt of Davidson, 

raised more than $4,000 for 

One World, an organization 

he created to provide financial support to Marion Medical Mission, 

of Marion, Ill., an organization that digs shallow fresh water wells in 

Tanzania and Malawi. 

“Water shortage is a devastating problem around the world that many 

don’t think about,” Ben said. “Water is such an overused commodity 

in the U.S.” 

Ben raffled off an iPad, a pair of Beats Solo high-definition 

headphones and an iPod Nano to raise the money. Tickets sold for 

$10 each, the amount needed to help one person gain access to 

clean water in Africa. Each participant also received a bookmark 

that Ben designed. 

Although the raffle is over, he continues to raise money for 

One World, and he wants to travel to Africa with Marion Medical 

Mission to dig wells once he gets a little older. “I’m going to 

continue as long as I can because the need for water is never going 

to go away,” he said. 

Helping a Wounded Warrior 

By: Grant Gossage ’14 

At the ninth grade beach trip, four boys had an idea. They were 

passionate about supporting a family that had been affected 

by the war in Afghanistan. They brainstormed ideas such as a 

camouflage t-shirt day, a paintball outing and a public cookout. 

The idea was soon advertised to the class and was chosen in a 

landslide as the inaugural freshman service project. 

For more than four months freshmen worked together to turn 

their idea into reality. It took countless meetings during drops 

and breaks and constant communication with faculty and friends. 

The project was not easy, but students kept working toward 

their goal. Fortunately, more than 500 camouflage t-shirts were 

donated to the project. 

Freshmen were working to support a family whose lives were 

forever changed on October 16, 2010. Sergeant John Masson, 

a loving husband and a father of three, was severely wounded 

in Afghanistan. After many months of hospitalization, 

Sgt. Masson is now a triple amputee. 

Freshmen wanted to show their appreciation for this man and 

his family’s sacrifice for our country. 

The freshman project culminated in May with a family cookout 

that featured great BBQ, outside games, a raffle and a brief 

presentation. By the end of the night, the class had raised 

more than $3,200 to support the Masson family thanks to the 

dedication and hard work of students and faculty alike. 

Protect the Earth, Protect the Future 

Kindergarten and first grade students protect their future when they 

protect the earth. They learned how to do just that on April 15 during 

an Earth Day event at Dorton Park sponsored by the City of Concord. 

Mayor Scott Padgett welcomed the students, who rotated through 

stations with information about water conservation, energy 

conservation, recycling and planting. They enjoyed a ‘no-waste’ picnic 

lunch and a special cake to wrap up the event. 

Students planted trees to beautify the park and give back to Mother 

Nature and the community surrounding Cannon School. 

The young philanthropist’s interest in providing fresh water to 

Africa began a couple years ago, as an elementary school student, 

after he saw an IMAX movie at Discovery Place on a field trip with 

Woodlawn School. 

Although he initially endeavored to raise enough money to pay for 

one well, which cost about $350, he created One World to continue 

his fundraising efforts. The $4,000 will enable Marion Medical 

Mission to provide Tanzanians with 10 wells. 

Those who want to donate to One World may do so by mailing a 

check, payable to One World, to Ben at 204 Avinger Lane, Davidson, 

N.C. 28036, or by visiting his Facebook page, Ben on a Mission, 

where he lists a link to his organization’s PayPal account. 

Reprint courtesy of the Lake Norman Herald Weekly. 

Ninth graders organized a camouflage t-shirt day to support a 

wounded soldier. 


Global Outlook 

By: Austin Larkin ’13 

Cannon’s Upper School welcomed eight students from four 

countries during the 2010-2011 school year. The students added 

an international flavor to Cannon as they immersed themselves in 

academics, the arts and athletics. 

Rodan Imad came to Cannon from Venezuela beginning in his 

sophomore year and graduated in May. German juniors Hans-Christian 

Lauer and Lino Atmowihardjo played varsity basketball. Emma 

Virtanen, a junior from Finland, and Chantal Neuwald, a German 

sophomore, helped the varsity softball team win the state championship. 

Three Chinese students – Yimo Li, Paris Wu and Sophie Ying – will 

return in August for another year at Cannon. Sophie is a gifted and 

dedicated student. Yimo and Paris landed roles in Cannon Theater 

Company productions. 

What was it like to live with an American family 

Emma Virtanen: It was awesome and different because every family 

has their traditions and ways of doing things. I love my American 

family and I was more than lucky to have them in my life. 

How is school different in your home country 

Lino Atmowihardjo: The stuff we do here at Cannon is harder, but 

we get more help from the teachers than we do back home. 

Paris Wu: At Cannon, we can choose the courses we want to take, 

but in China we can’t. 

What’s the biggest difference between teachers back home and 

Cannon teachers 

Chantal Neuwald: They really get involved in the class and try 

different things with their students. 

Hans-Christian Lauer: Cannon teachers really help students do 

well. In Germany, teachers still care, but if you fail it’s your problem. 

Chinese students Sophie Ying, Paris Wu and Yimo Li return to 

Cannon in the fall 


Hans-Christian Lauer, Chantal Neuwald, Lino Atmowihardjo and Emma 

Virtanen came to Cannon from Europe for the 2010-2011 school year. 

What about Cannon do you think would surprise your classmates 

back home the most 

Wu: Cannon has so many sports teams. At Cannon, I feel I have 

more freedom. The students can organize all sorts of activities and we 

can’t do that in China. Oh, and prom! 

Sophie Ying: The Cannon Theater Company. The musical Little 

Shop of Horrors was fabulous. I am really amazed by how well the 

students can act and sing. To me, it sounds totally professional. 

Atmowihardjo: The honor code because it allows the students to 

leave their bags unattended and stuff doesn’t get stolen. 

What have you learned as an exchange student at Cannon 

Wu: A good school doesn’t only teach students knowledge, but 

the ability to learn, how to be a good person and how to be helpful 

to society. 

Yimo Li: I’ve learned that you can never know something unless you 

have experienced it firsthand. America as a country, Cannon as a high 

school and everybody as Americans are all so much more than what I 

expected and imagined. It is really a fine place. 

What do you think you’ll miss most about Cannon 

Neuwald: I will miss being a Cougar. 

Rodan Imad: I will miss my classmates and my teachers, of course. 

I believe they helped make me a better person. Cannon School 

became my second home the first time I stepped into it. And now I’m 

graduating from here! 

Go Beyond 

Read the full interview at www.cannonschool.org/interview. 

A Senior Gift for the Ages 

By: Austin Larkin ’13 

Last September, the Class of 2011 gathered in the serene 

mountains of Montreat, North Carolina. While the trip was 

primarily a retreat from the stresses of applying to colleges and 

the first visible signs of senioritis, the senior class also formed 

committees to organize events throughout the school year and 

make their last year at Cannon the best it could possibly be. 

One committee was charged with improving the School 

for the future. The Senior Gift Committee decided to raise 

funds for a gift that would be a source of Cougar pride 

long after graduation. 

The committee decided on purchasing a bronze statue of 

a cougar. 

“We were told that getting it was near impossible, but we 

decided to go for it anyway,” said Maggie Warren ’11, who, 

along with classmates Sam Camut and Winston Felker, led the 

Senior Gift Committee. 

We Are In 

An Annual Fund Message 

Cannon students led the way this year in giving back. 

They organized Cannon Runs for Cancer Research and 

Pawz Too Run. They raised funds to support a wounded 

warrior and worked with business and community leaders 

to install a renewable energy solar panel on our campus. 

They unselfishly and purposefully served others all year 

long, as they do every year. 

At Cannon School, “we are in” when it comes to 

supporting our students. Thanks to your support, Cannon 

School offers an educational foundation that inspires each 

student to reach for his or her potential in the classroom, 

on the playing field, on stage and in the community. 

This exceptional education is only possible through the 

Cannon community’s generous support of the Annual 

Fund. The Annual Fund provides innovative classroom 

technology, enriching educational materials, faculty 

professional development and financial aid that enhance 

the learning experience of every student. 

This year, our parents, trustees, faculty and staff members, 

and friends of the School led the way in giving back 

to our students, as they do every year. Thanks to your 

generosity, our community raised more than $437,000 

toward the 2010-2011 Annual Fund. Your generosity 

is the reason that Cannon students have the tools and 

opportunities to Go Beyond in everything they do. 

Thank you for choosing to be “In” this year! 

After months of selling “Growl Towels” to wave at basketball 

games and babysitting Lower School students, the Senior Gift 

Committee met its goal and purchased the statue. Today it 

stands proudly by our stadium, where it will stay for years to 

come, a constant reminder of the Class of 2011’s hard work, 

determination and Cannon pride. 

“It was a lot of hard work,” said Felker, “but it was worth it.” 

Making a Great First Impression 

By: Todd W. Hartung, Director of Advancement 

As spring became summer our new front entrance transformed 

from an artistic rendering into an entrance befitting an 

exceptional independent school. Its bricks signify our school’s 

strength and the columns the reach of our commitment to 

living our motto, Go Beyond. Final touches are planned for 

the summer. 

In August, the completed entrance will welcome new and 

returning students to the start of a new academic year. Families 

considering joining our community will no longer drive past 

our campus struggling to find our front entrance. Rather, they 

will enter to learn what so many others have discovered, that 

Cannon School is indeed a very special place. 

Families who supported the construction of our new entrance 

will be recognized this fall during an official opening reception. 

Until then, on behalf of all of us at Cannon School, thank 

you for your support. Our campus is a more welcoming and 

beautiful place because of your generosity. 


> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Community

Alumni 

Spotlight 

Mary Clare Cook was a pioneer. In the fall 

of 1969, she and 10 other teens walked into 

their school, Cabarrus Academy, for the first 

time. Their new school was housed in the 

historic home of textile entrepreneur J.W. 

Cannon, on Union Street in downtown 

Concord, and had never offered a class, 

much less graduated one. 

Over the next three years, Clare and her 

classmates experienced high school in a 

very unique way – at a “startup” school in a 

tumultuous and quickly changing world. 

In June 1972, they completed their journey 

together when they became the first 

graduating class in the history of what would 

become Cannon School. 

After working in her family’s textile business 

for 20 years, Clare Cook Faggart ’72 took 

the helm of Willis Hosiery Mills, Inc. in 

1990 as president and COO. At her side 

was her sister and vice president, Suzanne 

Howard, Cannon’s beloved Lower School 

administrative assistant. Together, they ran 

the company until it closed in 2001. 

Faggart is now the Life Sciences program 

manager for UNC Charlotte’s Charlotte 

Research Institute, located in the David H. 

Murdock Core Lab at the North Carolina 

Research Campus in Kannapolis. 

What was it like coming to a brand 

new school 

Exciting, and yet so different. Imagine 

going to your first day of high school joined 

by first graders having the same experience! 

Every day was a new experience, but we 

all adapted. Our parents, teachers and 

school leaders made sure we didn’t miss 

out on anything. 


What do you remember most about the 

Union Street school 

We had a fireplace in homeroom and there 

was a bathtub in the ladies room. Biology 

and chemistry were in the kitchen. Study hall 

was in the basement. Stephanie (Sloop) and I 

were the only two in Latin. Our teacher was 

the headmaster and we had our class in his 

office. Talk about having to be prepared! 

We had no cafeteria so we got to walk 

downtown for lunch. Our library was the 

Concord Public Library. 

What experiences from those three years 

stand out most 

The 11 people in our graduating class 

became more than friends. We were truly a 

family. We worked hard, we studied hard, 

but we also had fun together. 

Cannon students work on iPads and Smart 

Boards. What passed as cutting-edge 

classroom technology in the early 1970s 

We were happy to have blackboards! I had 

an 8-track in my “mail truck” and that was 

just the coolest thing ever! Today, I can’t do 

anything without a computer and 

being connected. 

What was the most important thing you 

learned at Cabarrus Academy 

Just as our students do today, we learned 

courage, integrity, passion, respect and 

teamwork. We didn’t have them in a formal 

document, but we learned them and I believe 

we carry them throughout each and every day. 

Where did your life’s path take you 

after graduation 

I thought I wanted to be a professional 

singer, but my father, far wiser than me, 

Clare Cook 

Faggart ’72 

suggested that I might need something 

a little more substantial to fall back on. I 

changed my major from music to business, 

graduated with a BA and did post-grad work 

in accounting. 

In 1976, the job market was tight, and I went 

into the family business. We became one of 

few 100 percent female owned and operated 

companies in the industry. In 2000, I became 

the first female chair of the International 

Hosiery Association. 

Mom, Suzanne and I were a great team 

and absolutely loved working together. 

Unfortunately, we know the ending to 

that story. The U.S. textile manufacturing 

industry is almost non-existent today. 

What are you doing now 

Thanks to that firm foundation in science, 

I’ve become a geek! Working for UNC 

Charlotte’s Charlotte Research Institute 

at the North Carolina Research Campus, 

we help connect business and research. 

Even as an alumna of UNC Charlotte, I 

was completely awestruck at the incredible 

research going on there. Helping to link that 

research to our surrounding community is 

most exciting. 

Did the 11 “pioneer” students stay in 

touch after graduation 

For a long while, we remained close and 

in touch. Tragically, we have lost two 

classmates, Rick Smith and Lisa Lowder. 

Any words of wisdom for the Class 

of 2011 

In this age of technology wonderment, never 

forget the power of face-to-face conversation 

and collaboration. 

1991 (Cabarrus Academy) 

Anne Morrison is a partner at a Concord law firm with her 

husband, Holt Morrison ’91. She graduated from Davidson 

College and earned a law degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. The 

Morrisons’ daughters, Anna Ruth and Molly, are enrolled at 

Cannon. Anne served on the Cannon Board of Trustees from 

2005 to 2011. 

2001 

Marie Morgann has taught French and Spanish to grades 3-8 

at Cannon School for five years. She will chair the Middle 

School World Languages Department next year. The graduate 

student is studying Italian and Mandarin Chinese to bring the 

number of languages she speaks to seven. 

2004 

Eddie Alcorn finished his first year in a three-year dual degree 

master’s program in health administration and business 

administration at UNC-Chapel Hill. He works part-time 

at UNC Hospitals and is a co-coordinator of public health 

counseling at a free health clinic. 

Katie Wells is an upper school history teacher at Charlotte 

Country Day School. She graduated from Bowdoin College 

in 2008 and received a master’s degree in teaching from the 

University of Virginia in 2010. 

2007 

Anthony Oddo graduated from Emory University in May, 

earning degrees in both chemistry and anthropology and 

human biology. He is applying to medical school. This summer 

Anthony will teach special education to underprivileged 

adolescents in Texas through Teach for America. 

Will Sherrill graduated magna cum laude from Clemson 

University in May and plans to attend medical school. He is 

spending the summer shadowing local physicians, volunteering 

at a Davidson free clinic and traveling to Ecuador as part of a 

Raleigh-based medical mission team. 

2010 

Maddie Colcord, a sophomore at UNC-Chapel Hill, is 

applying to the School of Public Health in the fall. She is 

interested in majoring in health policy and administration 

as well as Spanish. This summer Maddie is working as a U.S. 

National Whitewater Center raft guide. 

Heidi Gruber completed her freshman year at Davidson 

College, where she is active in sports marketing, the campus 

catering company and giving tours for the admission office. 

Heidi will be a resident advisor this fall on an upperclassmen hall. 

Jeremy Miller, a rising sophomore at UNC-Chapel Hill, is 

a business major with a minor in history. He was elected the 

Balanced Man Scholarship coordinator for Sigma Phi Epsilon 

fraternity and a student government committee co-chair. 

Kate Sherrill majors in music therapy with a concentration 

in vocal studies at Appalachian State University. She looks 

forward to beginning her practicum in music therapy. Kate 

is a member of the Sigma Alpha Iota international music 

fraternity for women. 

Rosemary Sirois is a Dean’s List student at Rhodes College, 

where she serves in leadership positions in Kappa Delta 

sorority. This fall Rosemary will be a peer assistant and Rhodes 

College diplomat. 

Alumni Board Plans Ahead 

Through the past four decades, a special bond has linked 

Cabarrus Academy and Cannon School alumni across 

years and miles. Now, Cannon School has launched an 

Alumni Board to engage alumni in a network of support 

and community. 

The inaugural members of the Alumni Board, who 

comprise the “Alumni Notes” and “Alumni Spotlight,” 

met in June to agree on a path for a new alumni 

program. They were selected for their commitment to 

Cannon and their enthusiasm for helping alumni renew 

old friendships and make new connections. 

The board is busy planning a calendar of activities to 

reunite several classes over the next three years: 

2011 – Class of 2006 5th Year Reunion 

2012 – Class of 1972 40th Year Reunion 

Class of 2002 10th Year Reunion 


2013 – Class of 1973 40th Year Reunion 



Alumni, stay tuned for details! 

Go Beyond 

Update your Alumni Notes. 

We want to hear from you! 

Alumni Notes 


> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Alumni

Lower 

School 

Olympians 


Young Olympians enjoyed 

a morning filled with potato 

sack races, relays, long jump 

competitions and the beloved 

shoe kick. They gave life to the 

Olympic Creed: “The most 

important thing in the Olympic 

Games is not to win but 

to take part.” 

Cannon’s fields of play were the 

perfect setting for the Lower 

School’s own Olympic Games. In 

May, students gave their best effort 

and showed true sportsmanship in 

friendly competitions. 

Eager students paraded national 

flags around Tysinger Track and 

raised the Olympic flag. Head of 

Lower School Michelle Alexander 

lit the Olympic flame to mark the 

beginning of the games. 

CANNON 

NEWS 

Congressman Larry Kissell and Senator Richard Burr spoke with Upper School students 

in April. The senator is pictured with Brianna Ratté ’11. 

Capital Visits 

Capitol Hill isn’t the only place to see a U.S. senator or congressman. Cannon School 

welcomed North Carolina’s senior senator, Richard Burr, and Congressman Larry 

Kissell (NC-08) to its campus in April. 

The senator came on April 21 at the invitation of Avery Olearczyk ’11 and Brianna 

Ratté ’11, two students who led a project to install a renewable energy solar panel at 

Cannon. The panel has been producing power for research purposes since March and 

Senator Burr came to see it for himself. 

Olearczyk and Ratté worked with more than 50 scientists, engineers, 

businesspeople, national and local public officials, and school administrators to 

make their project a reality. 

Earlier that week, Congressman Kissell visited with Cannon juniors to talk about 

American history, government and current events. He spoke with the class about 

his work in Congress and the importance of continued youth involvement in 

public service. 

“I believe that we must work to make sure that the generations that come after us 

have the opportunity of a better life than we did, and I know that these engaged 

students share that sentiment,” said Kissell. “Their commitment to service and 

involvement in our community is a sign of the true dedication to a quality education 

that is embodied here at Cannon School.” 

Get Ready for 

2011-2012 at 

the Back-to- 

School Center 

It’s never too early to start thinking 

about next school year! Cannon’s 

online Back-to-School Center at 

www.cannonschool.org/backtoschool 

features helpful information and 

important forms you will need to 

hit the ground running in August, 

including: 

> School supplies lists 

> Year-at-a-glance school calendar 

> Health policies and forms 

> Athletics physical form 

> Online tutorial for “My Cannon,” 

the school intranet 

Information will be posted 

periodically throughout the 

summer, so bookmark the page and 

check in for updates! 

Going Mobile 

Cannon School has 

launched a mobile website 

for smartphones. 

Get connected! 


> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > News

CANNON 

A Sixth Core Value 

Cannon School’s five Core Values reveal the commitments we share as a community. Courage, Teamwork, Respect, Integrity and 

Passion also form the basis for our school’s expectations for how our students engage each other and engage in learning. 

There is another essential character that has guided our school community for more than 40 years. It is rooted in virtues as old as 

our most treasured beliefs and yet it still provides guidance for learning in the twenty-first century. 

This fall, our community will come together to celebrate a sixth core value that supports and completes our existing five. 

The 2011-2012 school year will begin with an assembly during which students will unveil our new core value and challenge each 

of us to make a difference with our choices and actions. 

5801 Poplar Tent Road 

Concord, NC 28027 

www.cannonschool.org

Summer 2011 - Cannon School

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