AnnualReport2016

Annual Report 

Asheville School 2014 - 2015

Annual Report 

2014 - 2015 

An Education for an Inspired Life 

Published for Alumni & 

Friends of Asheville School 

by the Advancement Department 

Asheville School 

360 Asheville School Road 

Asheville, North Carolina 28806 

828.254.6345 

www.ashevilleschool.org 

Editor 

Bob Williams 

Assistant Head of School for Advancement 

Dan Seiden 

Writers 

Bob Williams 

Travis Price 

Proof Readers 

Tish Anderson 

Bob Williams 

Travis Price 

Printing 

Lane Press 

Photographers 

Blake Madden 

Bob Williams 

Sheila Steelman 

A special thanks to the 1923 Memorial 

Archives for providing the archival 

photographs in this edition. 

Asheville School Mission: To prepare 

our students for college and for life 

and to provide an atmosphere in 

which all members of a diverse, 

engaged, and purposefully small 

school community appreciate and 

strive for excellence – an atmosphere 

that nurtures character and fosters 

the development of mind, body, 

and spirit. 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES (Fall 2015) 

Ms. E. Parce Ainsworth 1983 

Mr. Harris M. Baker 1974 

Mr. Marshall T. Bassett 1972 

Mrs. Leslie M. Casse 1981 P’ 17 

Ex-officio Parents’ Association 

Mr. Thomas E. Cone 1972 

Mr. Peter J. Covington 1971 

Ms. Ann Craver P ‘11 

Mr. D. Tadley DeBerry 1981 

Mr. James A. Fisher 1964 

Mr. Robert T. Gamble 1971 

Mr. Peter L. Hellebush 1964 

Vice Chair 

Ms. Charla A. Hughes 2004 (Associate) 

Ms. Jean Graham Keller 1995 

Mr. Richard J. Kelly 1968 

Ms. Marilyn Higi Kincaid 1991 

Mr. Nishant N. Mehta, 1998 

Dr. Gregory K. Morris 1972 

Mr. Laurance D. Pless, 1971 P ’09, ’13 

Chairman 

Mr. James A. Rice II 1972 

Ms. Mary A. Robinson 2002 

Ex officio Alumni Association 

Mr. Arthur H. Rogers III 1988 

Mr. Walter A. Ruch III P ’08 

Mr. Michael H. Stoll 1968 

Mrs. Tish W. Szurek P ’07, ’11, ’15 

Dr. Frederick F. Wherry 1990 

P - Parents of Alumni 

Asheville School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, 

religion, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its 

educational or admission policies, scholarship and loan 

programs, or athletic and other school-related programs.

Table of Contents 

Staff Reports/Features 

05 Letter from the Head of School 

06 Class of 2015 

08 Academic Report 

09 App Camp and Tsinghua Summer Program 

10 Alumni & Development Report 

12 Admission Report 

14 Athletic Year in Review 

16 Student Affairs Report 

26 Award of Merit 

27 Heedy Awards 

31 Legacy Photos - Class of 2015 

34 Anderson Hall Construction Project 

Class Notes 

20 1945-1955 

21 1960-1965 

22 1970-1997 

23 2000-2006 

28 2007-2015 

In Memoriam 

35 In Memoriam 

News 

32 Introducing New Faculty and Staff 

33 Alumni Weekend 2015 

Donor Report 

39 Donor Report Summary 

40 From the Chairman of the Board 

41 Constancy 

44 Honor Roll of Giving 

46 Alumni Gifts by Class 

52 Foundations & Corporations 

53 Grandparents & Friends 

54 Parent Gifts by Class 

56 Faculty/Staff Donors 

57 Former Faculty/Staff Donors 

58 Memorial Gifts 

59 Gifts in Kind 

60 Parents of Alumni 

61 Endowed Funds 

62 Wilbert Peck Society 

Annual Report • 14 - 15 3

Christ School Weekend 2015 

Join us for the 89th meeting between the Blues & the Greenies — GO BLUES! 

Friday, October 30 

8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. - Bonfire Gathering - Bement House 

Alumni, parents, grandparents and friends are invited to attend a gathering to watch 

the bonfire from the back porch of Bement. Beer/wine and light hors d’oeuvres will be provided. 

Saturday, October 31 

1:00 p.m. - Kickoff on Arbogast Field (HOME) 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. - Paulsen Lodge (BBQ and sides from 12 Bones) 

Alumni, parents, grandparents and friends are invited to attend this postgame event. BBQ and sides from 12 

Bones will be provided along with beer/wine. 

Save the Date for Alumni Weekend 2016 

We hope to see you back in Asheville in April Amid These Rugged Mountains 

Alumni Weekend 2016 

April 29 - May 1, 2016 

Reunions: Classes of 1941, 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 

1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 

For more information about the weekend, visit ashevilleschool.org/alumniweekend. 

4 Annual Report • 14 - 15

From the 

Fall 2015 

Head of School 

Dear Members of the Asheville School Community: 

The summer of 2015 was memorable. First, we broke the $1 million mark in the Cody Fund. The hard work 

of our Development Team and the generosity of our friends propelled us to new heights, and I am grateful. Asheville 

School is thriving in significant measure as the result of the loyalty and commitment of our alumni and parents, and we 

hope that we are justifying your faith in us. 

One exciting development in July was the Tsinghua University High School and Asheville School summer 

program on our campus. Thirty 14- and 15-year-old students came to our campus from Beijing to study, learn English, 

and get a sense of American culture. Our mathematics teacher, Megan Grant, administered the program and did a very 

fine job. The program was a success and bodes well for further cooperation with Tsinghua. 

Another interesting program on campus was the App Camp administered by Charles Long and Bob Williams. 

It too could not have gone more smoothly. The program significantly advanced students’ understanding of Apple’s new 

Swift programming language, and the students were effusive in their praise of their teachers. We are grateful for the 

financial support from the Stonecutter Foundation. 

Perhaps the most obvious summer development has been the renovation of Anderson Hall. Summer 

construction projects always have tight deadlines, but a few unexpected challenges conspired to stretch the project though 

the end of August and into September. This hold-up resulted in the creation of a temporary Anderson Annex, which is a 

converted South Gym. Bunks fill the whole space, and about 90 boys and teachers sleep in the Rodgers Athletic Center. 

The place looks like an army barracks but has the feel of a summer camp. The boys adapted cheerfully to their temporary 

situation, and there have been few problems. Anderson Hall is beautiful and well worth the delay. 

The 2015-2016 year began with 287 students and a Third Form of 62 boys and girls. The Opening Day enthusiasm 

was contagious, and both the pig-pickin’ and the square dance were noisy, enjoyable affairs. We look forward to an 

excellent year and are exceedingly grateful for your support, which makes this wonderful school possible. 

Sincerely, 

Archibald R. Montgomery IV 

Head of School 


Congratulations to the Class of 2015! 

Carson Adams Abernethy 

Boston University 

Boston, MA 

Eli Rowe Abernethy 

Davidson College 

Davidson, NC 

Simran Kaur Bal 

American University 

Washington, DC 

Isabella Katherine Bonner 

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 

Chapel Hill, NC 

Carter Lowry Boone 

The University of Alabama 

Tuscaloosa, AL 

Xavier Alexander Branch 

University of Oklahoma 

Norman, OK 

Marc David Brunton 



6 Annual Report • 14 - 15 

Paige Aliza Burgess 

The University of Texas, San Antonio 

San Antonio, TX 

William Carlyle Campbell 

Sewanee: The University of the South 

Sewanee, TN 

Amario Xavier Carlton 

Campbell University 

Buies Creek, NC 

Emma Louise Caves 

University of South Carolina 

Columbia, SC 

Ziqian Chen 

Washington University in St. Louis 

St. Louis, MO 

Wyatt Remington Charles Cole 

University of San Diego 

San Diego, CA 

Anne Tod Collett 



Sophia Elise Brethauer Curtis 

North Carolina State University 

Raleigh, NC 

Alexander Julian da Costa 

University of North Carolina at Asheville 

Asheville, NC 

Audrey Rose Davis 

College of Charleston 

Charleston, SC 

Ana Gabriela De La Cruz 

Southwestern University 

Georgetown, TX 

Leonardo Andres De La Cruz 

Furman University 

Greenville, SC 

Luis Alfredo De La Cruz 

The University of Texas, Austin 

Austin, TX 

David Anthony Deignan 

The George Washington University 


Catherine Ruth Eckerd 

University of Colorado at Boulder 

Boulder, CO 

Maiya Jolise Eldridge 

California State University, Bakersfield 

Bakersfield, CA

Ali Ahmad Fazal 



Madison Rose Fiedler 

Northwestern University 

Evanston, IL 

Hannah Elise Frisch 



Robert Lane Manley Fuller 

Boston University 

Boston, MA 

John David Galusha 

The Hotchkiss School 

Lakeville, CT 

Daniel Walker Garrish 

University of Colorado at Boulder 

Boulder, CO 

Camille Kaur Groh 

Northeastern University 

Boston, MA 

Perla Beatriz Haney-Jardine 

Barnard College 

New York, NY 

Mary Chamberlain Harlan 

Southern Methodist University 

Dallas, TX 

Madeleine Bennett Harms 

DePauw University 

Greencastle, IN 

Hannah McKenzie Harward 

Midway University 

Midway, KY 

Chasen Jeffries 

High Point University 

High Point, NC 

Avery Anne Kelly 

Wake Forest University 

Winston-Salem, NC 

KiHang Kim 

Northeastern University 

Boston, MA 

Richard Joseph Kriegler 

University of North Carolina at Wilmington 

Wilmington, NC 

Katherine Caroline Krupnick 


Sewanee, TN 

Corrie Albert Kuehn 

Rhodes College 

Memphis, TN 

Emily Anne Kussrow 

High Point University 

High Point, NC 

William Christopher Lackey 



Charles J. Rosenwald Levy 

Dartmouth College 

Hanover, NH 

Sang Woo Lew 

Emory University - Oxford College 

Oxford, GA 

Erik Ligai 

McGill University 

Montreal, PQ 

Jasmin Anali Lopez 

Dickinson College 

Carlisle, PA 

Scott Gordon Madsen 

Purdue University 

West Lafayette, IN 

Robyn Olivia Newcomb 

The College of Wooster 

Wooster, OH 

Orlando Javier Nieves-Lugo 

University of North Carolina at Asheville 

Asheville, NC 

Lorna Elise Niven 

Cape Fear Community College 

Wilmington, NC 

Zachary Eliot O’Friel 

University of Denver 

Denver, CO 

Olivia Ann Ostlund 

Davidson College 

Davidson, NC 

Sarah Corinne Patrick 



Grace Duran Pearsall 



Kaylee Summer Rose Pierson 


Sewanee, TN 

Nolan Grant Ramsey 

University of Louisville 

Louisville, KY 

Hannah A. Rutty 

Southern Methodist University 

Dallas, TX 

Nicholas Bailey Sadler 

The George Washington University 


Katherine Elizabeth Santora 

University of Florida 

Gainesville, FL 

Erin Olivia Scannell 



Hunter Ryan Smith 

The University of Georgia 

Athens, GA 

Isabelle Francisca Smith 



Brett Daniel Somogye 

Furman University 

Greenville, SC 

Tyler Louis Somogye 

Missouri State University 

Springfield, MO 

Ilona Elizabeth Stanback 

Duke University 

Durham, NC 

Jasira Renee Swinton 

Meredith College 

Raleigh, NC 

Benjamin William Szurek 

Columbia University 

New York, NY 

Tristan Eric Wall 

University of North Carolina at Charlotte 

Charlotte, NC 

Kennedy E’lize Wesley 

Mercer University 

Macon, GA 

Abigail Sands Willis 

University of Southern Mississippi 

Hattiesburg, MS 

Maxwell Witmer Winebrenner 

Georgetown University 


Wasit Wongtrakul 

Colorado School of Mines 

Golden, CO 

Emma Veronica Zawila 

The University of Texas, Austin 

Austin, TX 


Academic Affairs Report for 2014 - 2015 

By Jay Bonner 

Associate Head and Assistant Head 

for Academic Affairs 

We have been busy implementing the 

work of the strategic plan while continuing 

to assess academic program needs and 

opportunities. Allow me to touch upon 

highlights. 

The Math Department, led by Math 

Department Chair Mike Hill and Math 

teacher Varghese Alexander, has completed 

the planning to create two tracks 

for Asheville School’s math curriculum: 

a pure math path that takes students to 

AP Calculus and, a new offering this past 

year, AP Computer Science, as well as 

a second, applied math curriculum that 

ends with almost all students taking AP 

Statistics. The applied math curriculum 

focuses on problem solving, project-based 

learning, statistics, technical writing and 

presentations, and critical thinking (the 

development of the entire curricula has 

been funded, in part, by a grant from the 

Ball Foundation). Math teachers have 

embraced the flipped-classroom model as 

one tool; they use technology to complement 

student learning. A curricular 

distinction: Asheville School’s curriculum 

is the only one I know that allows students 

in the Third Form to end their secondary 

school experience with both an AP in 

math (Calculus, Stats, Computer Science) 

and the Humanities (AP Language 

and Comp). Allow me to emphasize this 

point: all Asheville School Third Formers 

will graduate with a minimum of two AP 

credits on their transcripts. (Regardless of 

when a student begins at Asheville School, 

he or she will take the AP Language and 

Composition exam.) 

Our service and language partnership with 

Shoulder to Shoulder, an international 

student travel organization that partners 

with schools and sends students and teachers 

to NGOs in various countries and to 

communities in need within the United 

States, allowed Asheville School to send a 

total of two teachers and nine students this 

summer to New Orleans, the Pine Ridge 

Reservation in South Dakota, Tibet, Peru, 

Bolivia, and Nicaragua. 

This summer represented the initial cohort 

of students arriving from a secondary 

school connected to Tsinghua University, 

one of the top three universities in China. 

We welcomed 30 Tsinghua students on our 

campus in July. The curriculum utilized 

our signature Jazz Age unit in American 

Studies (Gatsby, Twenties films), and 

included experiential elements as well: art 

deco architecture in downtown Asheville, 

Biltmore Estate, Grove Park Inn, baseball 

games, and so forth. 

For the 2015-16 year, we have redesigned 

our Fourth Form Humanities experience. 

Several pieces of data collected in the 

2014 ChallengeSuccess Survey pointed to 

higher levels of stress and a lower sense of 

well-being in the Fourth Form year. With 

the help of the Stanford researchers, we 

identified our Fourth Formers’ six-period 

class schedule as a potential source of 


this stress. Accordingly, we have worked 

to incorporate the Introduction to Studio 

Art requirement into the program of the 

World Studies curriculum. Rather than a 

full year, double period of World Studies 

- English (one period) concurrent with a 

full year of World Studies - History (one 

period), students will now take a full year 

of integrated World Studies (combined 

into one period), along with one semester 

of art and a second semester devoted to 

research skills and writing. We are excited 

about the possibilities this change offers to 

enhance the integration of our Humanities 

curriculum and the research writing skills 

of our students—while simultaneously 

alleviating a possible point of academic 

tension. 

We have modified the schedule for the 

2015-16 academic year; Service shifts 

to Fridays (followed by academic Saturdays). 

We believe this shift will create 

a bit more breathing space for students 

as we head into the weekend. It allows 

more student academic flexibility around 

Thursday night events and off-campus 

athletic contests on Fridays. We have also 

created more consistency about the schedule 

week to week; the class rotation each 

day of the week is the same, regardless of 

whether it’s a service or nonservice week. 

This routine, we believe, will enhance the 

daily and weekly planning of students and 

adults. 

Tsinghua Summer Program at Asheville School 

For three weeks this summer, Asheville School’s campus transformed into the first international summer camp in the school’s 115-year history. 

Thanks to a partnership with Tsinghua University High School in Beijing, China, 27 of the prestigious high school’s students traveled to Asheville 

to dive into Asheville School’s nationally acclaimed Humanities curriculum led by master teachers Tim Plaehn and Hannah Bonner 2006. 

Asheville School App Development Camp 

During the week of July 27, eleven students (ages 13-18) participated in a week-long App Development Camp at Asheville School. Led by 

Technology Director Charles Long and Director of Communications Bob Williams, the summer camp taught these young people to write code 

using Swift®, Apple’s® new programming language. The students left the camp having created two functional apps. The camp was supported 

by funds from the Stonecutter Foundation and James Cowan 1963. 


Alumni and Development Report for 2014 - 2015 

Thank you to each and every member of 

the Asheville School family who chose to 

support our Development efforts; it was 

a banner year! Surely you could sense the 

excitement as our Cody Annual Fund 

reached an historic level, surpassing $1 

million in unrestricted giving for the very 

first time in School history. This is not an 

accomplishment to be taken lightly. What 

an incredible testament to the passion that 

alumni, parents, and friends feel for this 

special place! I know I speak for the many 

faculty members back on campus who are 

humbled by this sign of support, which we 

believe is a ringing endorsement of the excellent 

work being done to prepare today’s 

students for college and for life. 

Our goal is to sustain this wonderful collective 

philanthropy, but we have to take 

an honest look at participation levels for 

all constituents, particularly among young 

alumni and current 

parents. It is 

our responsibility 

to educate 

everyone on the 

important role 

of annual giving, 

and I aim to do 

a better job in 

this area going 

forward. Tuition 

income, endowment 

draw, 

and auxiliary 

revenue just do not cover the full cost of 

running a vibrant school. That is why we 

are so grateful whenever you entrust us 

with your philanthropy — it genuinely 

makes a difference back on campus. 

The Board of Trustees deserves enormous 

credit for implementing a comprehensive 

Strategic Plan that has helped guide 

much of our development work. Capital 

fundraising surpassed its $3 million goal 

and we were able to fully fund Anderson 

Hall renovations with an eye on enhancements 

to Lawrence Hall next summer. The 

success of these capital improvements will 

ultimately pave the way for the next phase 

of initiatives in the areas of endowment 

growth (scholarship and faculty support) 

as well as the arts. We welcome the chance 

to speak with members of the school family 

interested in the future of these exciting 

projects and invite your leadership and 

support. 

Finally, I would like to highlight an area 

of alumni and development programming 

that deserves our unanimous respect 

and admiration. To the 115 members 

of the Peck Society… I salute you! This 

distinguished leadership group honors 

Wilbert Peck AS 1920-1958, a great man 

and master teacher who made the ultimate 

gesture of support by bequeathing 

half of his estate to Asheville School. We 

welcomed a record 14 new members this 

past year and encourage more alumni and 

friends to consider one of the many easy, 

and tax-friendly, ways to leave a legacy gift. 

Such selflessness should be applauded as 

we look to keep Asheville School strong – 

today, tomorrow, and forever! 

Daniel Seiden 

Assistant Head of School for 

Advancement 

Head of School Arch Montgomery, Roy Kim 2012, and Daniel Seiden, Assistant Head of 

School for Advancement, are pictured during a reception in Seoul, Korea. 


Irvin Gift Improves Graham Theater Foyer 

From Staff Reports 

Sam and Mary Irvin, parents of Sam Irvin, Jr. 1974 

and Tim Irvin 1983 were longtime philanthropic and 

civic leaders in Asheville. Sam served on the Asheville 

School Board of Trustees from 1981 to 1993, during 

which time he co-chaired the INVESTMENT-1984 

capital campaign and offered valuable guidance, as 

the owner of a chain of cinemas in the Carolinas, in 

the conversion of the Perkins Gymnasium into the 

Walker Arts Center and Graham Theater. In 1995 the 

Board awarded Sam trustee emeritus status. In 1998, 

in celebration of the school’s Centennial Campaign, 

Sam and Mary made one of the largest contributions 

in the school’s 100-year history in the form of a 

Charitable Remainder Trust. 

The trust was realized in 2014 with a portion of the 

funds dedicated to the renovation and beautification 

of the Graham Theater and foyer of the Walker Arts 

Center . The project included major enhancements 

to the space, including several entryway installations, 

new carpeting, seating, and windows with an advanced 

motorized blind system. The Irvin family was 

also kind enough to direct the significant remainder 

of their gift towards the Anderson Hall renovation. 

Anne Irvin Aspinwall and Tim Irvin 1983 stand next to the new Irvin Hall 

plaque honoring a gift from their late parents. 

We are grateful for the incredible support shown by 

the Irvin Family and hope that their philanthropy 

will serve as a shining example for future generations 

at Asheville School. 


Asheville School Sets Enrollment Record For Ninth Straight Year 

By John Smith 

Director of Admission 

It is my distinct pleasure to share great 

news with you from the admission office. 

Asheville School is once again full, and 

some could say bursting at the seams. 

Our students come from 20 states and 16 

countries, which illustrates our geographic 

diversity and world-wide appeal. Asheville 

School is in a position of strength in an 

ever more competitive marketplace. 

The school’s prominent standing was recently 

affirmed when Asheville School was 

included in two great reports about boarding 

schools in the United States. Asheville 

School was highly ranked by BUSINESS 

INSIDER in January 2015 and was ranked 

the 7th best boarding school in the U.S. by 

GreatSchools.org. These reports and your 

continued efforts to promote the school 

have led to the Admission Office hosting 

a record number of prospective students 

and their families for campus visits. Families 

who see and feel the school in motion 

typically fall in love with our community, 

complete the application process, and 

ultimately choose to enroll at Asheville 

School. Asheville School is finally getting 

the national recognition and respect we 

have all known it has deserved for years. 

GO BLUES! 

Parents, alumni, and friends of Asheville 

School continue to share their positive stories 

about our fair school and community. 

These testimonials will only continue to 

help Asheville School become a household 

name. Encouraging your neighbors, peers, 

college friends and casual acquaintances 

to learn more about Asheville School will 

only help our community grow stronger. 

Your efforts have placed us on the national 

scene and we want to remain in the 

conversation. 

Thank you for all that you have done in 

the past and for your continued efforts to 

help Asheville School and your friends in 

the Admission Office. 



Athletic Year in Review for 2014 - 2015 

Varsity Girls’ Tennis 

Overall Record: 8-4 

Conference Record: 3-1 

CAA Co-Champions 

Captain: Audrey Davis and Avery Kelly 

All Conference: Audrey Davis, Carson 

Abernethy, Lillie Bridges 

Outstanding in Girls’ Tennis: Audrey Davis 

JV Football 


JV Boys’ Soccer 

Overall Record: 2-5-3 

Captain: Elliott Schenker 

FALL 

Varsity Football 

Regular Season Record: 5-4 

Christ School game (A): L, 12-47 

NCISAA Play-off game (A): L, 20-52 

vs. Christ School 

Captains: David Schill and Ben Szurek 

All WNC (2nd team): David Schill 

Valier Award: David Schill 

Boys’ Cross Country 


CAA Champions 

Finished 4th in NCISAA Championships 

Captains: Will Campbell and 

Brett Somogye 

All Buncombe County: Will Campbell 

All Western North Carolina: 

Will Campbell 

All Conference: Will Campbell, Brett 

Somogye, Samuel Goldstein 

All State: Will Campbell 

David Joseph Sielewicz Award: 

Will Campbell 

Girls’ Cross Country 


CAA Champions 


Captains: Kaylee Pierson and Robyn 

Newcomb 

All Conference: Rylynn Pierson, Robyn 

Newcomb, and Kaylee Pierson 


All Buncombe County: Rylynn Pierson 

All State: Rylynn Pierson 

W. Earl Mitchelle Award: Rylynn Pierson 

Varsity Field Hockey 



Finished 2nd in CAA 

NCISAA Tournament game (H): 1-4 L to 

Cary Academy 


Captains: Katie Krupnick and Maddie 

Harms 

All Conference: Elise Niven, Gracie 

Pearsall, and Katie Krupnick 

Outstanding in Field Hockey: Gracie 

Pearsall and Katie Krupnick 

Varsity Volleyball 



CAA Co-Champions 

Captain: Bonnie Melanson 

All Conference: Bonnie Melanson, 

Emerson Kern, Gabrielle Rancourt, 

and Azana Green 

CAA Player of the Year: Azana Green 

Outstanding in Volleyball: Azana Green 

Varsity Boys’ Soccer 



Finished 4th in CAA 

All Conference: Nick Sadler 

and Chase Jeffries 

Louis A. Valier Award: Chase Jeffries 

JV Field Hockey 


Captain: Isabel Whelchel and Sophia 

Rodriguez 

JV Volleyball 


Captains: Annabelle Kim 

WINTER 

Wrestling 


CAA Champions 


Captain: Sean Wrinkle 

All Conference: Jake Buck, Leo Lim, 

Phillip Lee, Elliott Schenker, Erik Ligai, 

John Galusha, Sean Wrinkle, Ayan 

Ashkenov, Conor Fenn 

NCISAA Runners-Up: Conor Fenn, 

John Galusha 

NCISAA State Champion: Sean Wrinkle 

Edward T. McBride Award: Sean Wrinkle 

Girls’ Swimming 



CAA Champions 


Captains: Kaylee Pierson and 

Olivia Ostlund 

All Conference: Kaylee Pierson, Rylynn 

Pierson, Lucy Hatcher, Christina Pyfrom, 

Hope Flynn, Alexa Phillips, Bella Ostlund 

All Western North Carolina: Bella Ostlund, 

Alexa Phillips 

Western North Carolina Girls’ Swim 

Coach of the Year: Laura Lawrence 

Outstanding in Girls’ Swimming Award: 

Alexa Phillips

Boys’ Swimming 



CAA Champions 

Finished 3rd in NCISAA Championships 

Captain: Joey Kriegler 

All Conference: Nathan Alleyne, Joey 

Kriegler, Miller Albury, Josh Wong, 

Ji-Hoon Jang, Tae-Hoon Jang 

Outstanding in Boys’ Swimming Award: 

Joey Kriegler 

All Western North Carolina: Josh Wong, 

Miller Albury 

All Western North Carolina Boys’ 

Swimmer of the Year: Joey Kriegler 

All Western North Carolina 

Coach of the Year: Frank Kriegler 

Mountain Athletic Award Team Finalist in 

3A/4A Olympic Sport: Blues Boys’ 

Swim Team 

Mountain Athletic Award Individual 

Finalist in 3A/4A Olympic Sport: Joey 

Kriegler 

Varsity Boys’ Basketball 



Captain: Charlie Levy 

Edward L. Valier Award: Charlie Levy 

Varsity Girls’ Basketball 



Captain: Jasira Swinton 

Outstanding in Girls’ Basketball Award: 

Jasira Swinton 

JV Boys’ Basketball 


Captain: Talal Hassoun 

JV Girls’ Basketball 


Third/Skills Boys’ Basketball 


SPRING 

Varsity Baseball 



Finished 5th in CAA 

Captains: Tyler Somogye and David Schill 

All Conference: David Schill 

Robert C. Valier Award: David Schill 

Varsity Boys’ Track 

Runner-Up in Buncombe County 

Championships 

CAA Champions 


Captains: Hunter Smith and Mo Carlton 

All Conference: Mo Carlton, Hunter 

Smith, Charlie Stanier, Samuel Goldstein, 

Robert Harlan, Nathan Alleyne, Keyvaun 

Cobb, Kokayi Cobb, Xavier Branch, Elliott 

Schenker, Carter Pettus, Austin Letson 

NCISAA 4 X 400 State Champions: Hunter 

Smith, Mo Carlton, Nathan Alleyne, and 

Samuel Goldstein 

Frank H. Valier Award: Mo Carlton 

All Western North Carolina Boys’ Track 

Coach of the Year: Demeseh Cobb 

Varsity Girls’ Track 

3rd Place at Buncombe County 

Championships 

CAA Champions 


Captain: Gabi Davis 

All Conference: Gabi Davis, Holt Mettee, 

Jasira Swinton, Rylynn Pierson, Zoe 

Dunkley, Maiya Eldridge, Azana Green, 

Paige Burgess, Emma Van Wynen, 

Constance Ambler, Catherine Eckerd 

Outstanding in Girls’ Track Award: 

Gabi Davis 

Varsity Girls’ Soccer 


Conference Record: 5-2-1 

Runners-Up in CAA 

Captains: Cori Patrick and Kaylee Pierson 

All Conference: Kaylee Pierson, Isabelle 

Smith, and Camille Groh 

CAA 3A Player of the Year: Kaylee Pierson 

Outstanding in Girls’ Soccer Award: Kaylee 

Pierson 

Varsity Girls’ Lacrosse 


Captains: Toddy Collett and Avery Kelly 

All Conference: Gracie Pearsall, Katie 

Krupnick, and Toddy Collett 

Outstanding in Girls’ Lacrosse Award: 

Gracie Pearsall 

Varsity Boys’ Tennis 



CAA Champions 

NCISAA Tournament (H): W, 6-3 vs. 

Rabun Gap 

NCISAA Tournament (A): L, 0-5 vs. 

Durham Academy 


Captain: Eli Abernethy 

All Conference: Eli Abernethy, Wills Reed, 

and Wyatt Cole 

NCISAA All-State: Wills Reed 

Outstanding in Boys’ Tennis Award: 

Wills Reed 

All Western North Carolina Boys’ Tennis 

Coach of the Year: James Pharr ‘97 

Varsity Boys’ Lacrosse 



Captain: Nolan Ramsey 

All Conference: John Galusha 

Outstanding in Boys’ Lacrosse Award: 

John Galusha 


JV Girls’ Lacrosse 


JV Boys’ Lacrosse 


JV Boys’ Tennis 


End-of-Year Awards 

Special Recognition for 12 Varsity Letters 

in Four Years 

John D. Galusha, Kaylee S. R. Pierson 

Charles N. Carter Leadership Award 

Demeseh M. Cobb 

Gene M. Hamilton Sportsmanship Award 

Amario X. Carlton 

David Ralph Millard, Jr. Award for Best 

Male Athlete: 

John D. Galusha 

Joseph A. Riggs, Jr. Award for Best Female 

Athlete: 

Kaylee S. R. Pierson 

New School Records: 

Boys’ Swimming 

Miller Albury 

200 Medley Relay, 400 Free Relay, 

50 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke, 100 Butterfly 

Nathan Alleyne 

200 Medley Relay, 400 Free Relay 

Ji-Hoon Jang 


Tae-Hoon Jang 

200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay 

Joey Kriegler 

200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 

200 Freestyle, 200 IM, 500 Freestyle, 

100 Breaststroke 

Joshua Wong 


Girls’ Swimming 

Bella Ostlund 

200 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay, 

200 IM, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Butterfly 

Alexa Phillips 


400 Freestyle Relay, 50 Freestyle, 100 

Freestyle, 100 Backstroke 

Rylynn Pierson 


400 Freestyle Relay, 200 Freestyle, 100 

Butterfly 

Kaylee Pierson 


400 Freestyle Relay 

Girls’ Track 

Constance Ambler 

Girls’ Pole Vault 

Paige Burgess 

4 X 200 Relay 

Gabi Davis 

Girls’ Long Jump, 4 X 100 Relay 

Catherine Eckerd 

Girls’ Pole Vault 

Maiya Eldridge 

4 X 200 Relay, 4 X 100 Relay 

Azana Green 


Jasira Swinton 


Boys’ Track 

Mo Carlton 

4 X 400 Relay 

Kokayi Cobb 

4 X 400 Relay, 200m, 400m 

Samuel Goldstein 

4 X 400 Relay 

Hunter Smith 

4 X 400 Relay 

Notable Athletic Achievements 

• 24 “3 Sport” Varsity Letter Winning 

Athletes 

- 4 Third Formers, 6 Fourth 

Formers, 5 Fifth Formers, 

9 Sixth Formers 

• 14 Varsity teams had winning seasons 

(.500 winning percentage or better) 

• 10 CAA Championships 

• 74 CAA All Conference Athletes 

• 10 Varsity teams qualified for participation 

in NCISAA State Championships 

• 9 NCISAA 3A All State Athletes 

or State Champions 

• 25 Asheville School Records were broken 

- 20 in Swimming, 5 in Track 


Student Affairs Report for 2014 - 2015 

By Mary Wall 

Assistant Head of School 

for Student Affairs 

MUSIC — The Music Department had 

an exceptional year under the leadership 

of John Crawley, who completed his 17th 

year leading our music on campus. With 

close to 20 percent of students involved 

in one or more musical organizations, it 

remains evident how important music is to 

the lives of our students. This year some of 

the highlights included… 

1. …a continued focus on our Handbell 

Ensemble that enables the group to 

be a stand-out organization capable of 

not only performing on campus but also 

representing Asheville School as musical 

ambassadors in the greater Asheville community. 

The group performed off campus 

four times, including concerts at two area 

churches and one retirement community, 

and a center stage performance of the 

national anthem at a UNC-A Men’s Basketball 

game. All four of these venues were 

initiated through return invitations from 

past performances. 

2. …the institution of a new mixed choral 

group, Chorale, which consisted of eight 

members performing predominantly a 

cappella music. They performed both 

on campus and off, joining the Handbell 

Ensemble as musical ambassadors in the 

greater Asheville community. By featuring 

these two groups as well as select 

instrumentalists, these concerts showed 

the depth and talent that Asheville School 

musicians have to offer. 

3. …a revamped schedule of rehearsals 

that allowed for more time for the majority 

of our musical groups to rehearse and 

work on musical skills. The results 

were in great evidence at both our annual 

Christmas Candlelight Services and our 

Spring Music Concert. 

4. …the production of Fiddler on the Roof, 

which brought together the forces of our 

musicians, actors and dancers. Every other 

year we produce a musical, and it is a 

highlight for the students and the adults 

involved, and for all fortunate enough to 

be in the audience! Fiddler showcased the 

talents of a number of seniors whom we 

will sorely miss in the music program. 

6. …the acceptance of several of our 

students to state-wide choral festivals 

through competitive auditions, continuing 

to increase Asheville School’s exposure 

throughout the state as an institution 

where the importance of music is valued 

and encouraged. For our exceptional singers, 

we also added the Furman University 

Choral Festival to our roster of opportunities. 

7. …And a facelift! The music room 

received new carpeting, new blinds, and 

a projector which aids in the AP Music 

Theory curriculum. 

DRAMA — Music Director John Crawley 

graciously took on the role of Drama Director 

this year. The fall comedy production, 

Play On!, showcased our seasoned 

thespians and introduced some younger 

actors to the Graham Theater stage. Great 

care was given to ensure excellence in both 

the acting and the production values. The 

winter musical, Fiddler on the Roof, drew 

wide acclaim and continued our successful 

tradition of joining forces with dance 

and music. Our sound system was updated 

and has enhanced not only our dramatic 

productions but also the many other 

programs in our theater. There have been 

discussions and preliminary bids sought 

to revamp our severely outdated lighting 

system, which is operating at a fraction of 

its former capacity. Drama is alive and well 

at Asheville School! 

EQUESTRIAN — Diane Wilson continues 

to keep our barn and our horses in impeccable 

condition, all the while maintaining 

the enthusiasm of our young equestriennes. 

Some highlights from 2014-15: 

• Show attended during the Fall term. 

Students brought home a Division Championship 

and a Reserve Championship in a 

different division. 

• Winter Equestrian was one of the biggest 

terms in recent years with 14 students 

enrolled. 

• We received a gracious donation of 

$6,000 to the Equestrian program. 

• In the late fall/early winter, the stables, 

horses, and Ms. Wilson were inspected by 

a director from the USPC (United States 

Pony Club). As a result, the Asheville 

School equestrian facility was approved to 

become a USPC recognized facility. Diane 

Wilson is in conversations to determine 

what the next step will be towards completing 

this process. 

DANCE — The Dance program had a 

wonderful year from musical theater to 

exploring a variety of dance genres. Kathy 

Leiner has completed 10 years as our 

founding director of the Dance program 

at Asheville School. To celebrate, she is 

adding to her responsibilities by becoming 

full time! She will continue to run our 

Walker Arts Center, which houses Graham 

Theater, and nurture our dancers. She will 

also assist in the fall theater production, 

will have advisees, and will join the weeknight 

and weekend duty teams. 

Dance teamed up with Music and Drama 

to create an amazing performance of 

Fiddler on the Roof for the 2015 winter 

musical. Students were able to explore the 

historical aspects of Jewish culture and the 


importance of tradition within daily life 

and celebrations. The entire cast learned 

both Jewish and Russian folk dance, as well 

as modern dance for the dream sequence. 

In the spring both veteran and new dancers 

joined our process to create Rhythm is a 

Dancer. The May performance gave dancers 

an opportunity to work with several 

guest dance teachers, trying their skills in 

Bhangra, flamenco, percussion, Broadway 

jazz, ballet, modern, tap, hip hop, break 

and African dance. Students also had the 

chance to perform to live music of piano 

and oboe, vocals, and drums to round 

out the rhythmic presentation. The show 

included collaboration not only with the 

Music Department, but also with the Art 

Department as displayed in the student 

work that was part of the set. 

ART — Casey Arbor was back in full force 

this year leading our artists as they created 

and shared their art within and beyond 

these rugged mountains. Sophia Curtis ‘15, 

Perla Haney-Jardine ‘15, Robyn Newcomb 

‘15, Ilona Stanback ‘15 and Jenny Lee 

‘16 were regionally recognized for their 

artwork in this year’s Scholastic Art and 

Writing competition. Sophia Curtis earned 

Regional Scholastics Honorable Mention 

in the Drawing and Illustration category 

for two pieces—The Treacherous Trio and 

Woman on Wood. In the Photography 

category, Sophia’s Psycho was also awarded 

Honorable Mention. Perla Haney-Jardine 

received Honorable Mention in the Drawing 

and Illustration category for Untitled. 

Robyn Newcomb merited Honorable 

Mention in the Painting category for Self- 

Portrait. Ilona Stanback earned Honorable 

Mention in the Photography category for 

More Than It Seems, Castle in the Sky, and 

Window to The World, while her photograph 

Castles of Intention earned a Silver 

Key. Jenny Lee took Honorable Mention in 

the Painting category for Fried Egg. 

Artwork by Simi Bal ‘15, Sophia Curtis ‘15, 

Ana De La Cruz ‘15, Robyn Newcomb ‘15, 

Abby Willis ‘15, Veronica Barrera ‘16, Alex 

Blom ‘16, Lynn Chen ‘16, Jenny Lee ‘16, 

Holt Mettee ‘16, and Annie Winebrenner 

‘16 was chosen to be exhibited at the 2015 

Brevard College juried high school small 

art exhibition. Sophia Curtis’ drawing 

Misfits was awarded 2nd place. Jenny Lee’s 

painting Fried Egg was awarded Honorable 

Mention. 

The 2015 spring edition of Saplings: The 

Carolina Young Artist’s Magazine featured 

artwork by Ana De La Cruz ‘15, Sophia 

Curtis ‘15, Robyn Newcomb ‘15, Veronica 

Barrera ‘16, Jake Buck ‘16, Lynn Chen ‘16, 

Jenny Lee ‘16, Holt Mettee ‘16, Joanna 

Cromartie ‘17, DoHee Kim ‘17, and Christina 

Pyfrom ‘17. Robyn Newcomb’s painting 

Self-Portrait as Asparagus was chosen as 

the cover art for the spring publication. 

The gallery at the local coffee house 

Peaberry Press exhibited artwork by Cori 

Patrick ‘15, Veronica Barrera ‘16, and Jake 

Buck ‘16. 

Ana De La Cruz ‘15 was selected as one of 

twelve winners in the 6th annual Southern 

Teachers Student Art Contest. This year, 

the agency received 380 submissions to 

the competition. A digital copy of Ana’s 

watercolor Kehaya Lawn appears in the 

2015-16 academic calendar. This summer 

15,000 calendars were mailed to over 2,000 

schools around the country; Ana’s artwork 

is featured on the October 2015 page. 

Along with the numerous student awards, 

this year’s gallery exhibitions were just as 

exciting. The gallery was refurbished with 

new walls and new lights, and the artwork 

glistened in a way it hadn’t for years. The 

gallery was transformed into a space for 

contemplating artwork, gathering with 

peers, holding study groups, and hosting 

numerous visitors from off campus. 

We began the year with the annual Introduction 

to Studio Art Exhibition that 

featured the artwork of the 2014-2015 

first-year art students. That event was 

followed by nationally renowned local 

artist Kenn Kotara’s exhibition Sequentiality, 

which featured an amazing variety of 

artwork based on scientific systems and 

grids. Upon returning from the winter 

break, Rachel Clegg’s and Moni Hill’s 

artwork warmed viewers’ spirits in the 

middle of a cold winter in the exhibition 

Seaside::Poolside. Reminiscent of Japanese 

artist Hiroshige, local artist Stephen 

Lange’s 36 Views of Mt.Pisgah/Elseetoss 

gave the Asheville School community food 

for thought as he presented a new way of 

painting. As summer neared, the annual 

student exhibition ended the school year 

with a bang! There were over 110 pieces of 

artwork hanging in the Crawford Art Gallery 

and outside the foyer of Graham Theater, 

all created by our talented students. 

MOUNTAINEERING — Having completed 

his second full year as the Director 

of our Mountaineering program, Matt 

Christie feels that the 2014-15 school 

year was another wonderful year for the 

program. During the year, we had good 

participation from students each term, 

including one of the largest spring terms 

in recent history. A large number of new 

students participated in the program, especially 

in the fall, and many of the students 

returned to Mountaineering in the winter 

or spring term. With new students and a 

good number of returning mountaineers, 

Mountaineering looks poised for another 

solid year in 2015-16. 

The fall brought another successful 3rd 

form camping trip as well as new 4th, 5th 

and 6th form trips. We had a nice mix of 

new and experienced instructors on these 

trips, which made them enjoyable and 

meaningful for the students. A variety of 


off-campus weekend trips provided many 

options for the mountaineers to explore 

Western North Carolina, and several of the 

trips were opened up to the whole school 

to allow non-mountaineers to join in the 

fun. 

Winter brought another large group of 

skiers and snowboarders along with a 

new Mountaineering instructor, Christine 

Jones. Instructors Bev Berton and Andrew 

Kegg led our ski/ snowboard team this season 

and refocused our efforts with weekly 

workouts and skills development for team 

members. 

Spring brought a strong group of returning 

mountaineers that were ready to take 

their skills to the next level. Because we 

had one of the strongest climbing and 

kayaking groups in recent memory, we 

were able to use venues that Mountaineering 

has not been using recently. At the end 

of the year, we had only a few graduating 

seniors in Mountaineering, which leaves 

a large number of mountaineers that we 

anticipate will participate in 2015-16. 

STUDENT ACTIVITIES — Our Student 

Activities program continues to thrive 

under the excellent leadership of Assistant 

Dean of Students and Director of Student 

Activities Michelle Brooks. As in years 

past, we celebrated the traditional sporting 

events, including what may have been 

the largest and longest-burning bonfire 

on record on the eve of the Christ School 

football game! Much appreciation to 

our Mountaineering Department for 

their weeks of preparation for that event! 

Students treasure our traditional activities. 

To that end, after a five-year hiatus, we 

reinstituted the dinner associated with the 

Holiday Dinner Dance. Over a dozen faculty 

members donned holiday finery, Santa 

hats, and headbands to wait tables and 

fill sparkling grape juice glasses for our 

attending students. The spring semester 

brought us the traditional Winter Olympics 

in conjunction with Residential Life as 

well as a “Blue Out” at the gym on a Friday 

when we hosted home basketball games, 

and a wrestling and swim meet. 

Spring always brings a breath of fresh 

air, and the senior rock painting (now a 

four-year tradition), Prom, and the Spring 

Carnival help us to end the year on a playful 

note. In addition to these larger events, 

the faculty members continue to open 

their homes and their lives to our students. 

Brunches, movie nights, game nights, and 

even study sessions at local coffee shops 

continue to be an integral part of our students’ 

lives – and they are all shared by our 

dedicated faculty. 

RESIDENTIAL LIFE — Residential Life is 

an integral part of any boarding school but 

is more than a catch phrase at Asheville 

School. For us, and for all that we require 

and expect of our Hall Parents, it is a serious 

business, bordering on an obsession 

or a “calling.” What happens in our three 

residence halls 

is at the core 

of all else that 

we do in our 

auxiliary departments; 

it is 

what separates 

us from other 

schools. As 

one colleague 

has told us 

for nearly 30 

years, “If the 

halls don’t run 

well, nothing 

runs well.” 

And Burt 

Gordon ’86 

continues to 

top himself 

every year with 

reenergized and refocused programming. 

We are constantly looking for ways in 

which to improve our Residential Life 

experience, both for our students and the 

faculty members who devote countless 

hours to our program. In August 2015, 

we returned to the model of holding our 

training retreat off campus. The Prefects 

and Proctors spent one night in a cabin 

at Montreat Conference Center, and they, 

along with the Hall Parents, worked with 

a team-building facilitator. As the school 

year is underway, our student leaders continue 

to hold meetings on Monday nights, 

and our Hall Parents meet on alternating 

Thursdays following chapel. 

With each year, our Health, Wellness, and 

Community Life program improves, partly 

due to the creative and relevant programming, 

but also due to the fact that we are 

now in the seventh year of this integral 

component of our Residential Life program. 

The Sixth Form Seminar program, too, 

continued its growth and development 

in our spring semester programming due 

to expanded support and involvement of 

our faculty. We went off campus twice last 

year for a tour of the Biltmore Estate and a 

trip to UNC-Asheville to learn of the support 

available at a university library and 

its student services office. We added to our 

program one speaker who is a lawyer, law 

professor, and author from Atlanta; our 

favorite speaker from FCD (Freedom from 

Chemical Dependency) returned for the 

final session with our Sixth Formers. 

Programming is a vital component to a 

vibrant Residential Life program, but so 

too are the actual facilities in which our 

professionals and students reside. All of us 

are excited about the renovations that are 

taking place in Anderson Hall, and we look 

to next summer when Lawrence Hall will 

have its turn under the contractor’s team. 

We are blessed to have an army of 41 professionals 

who choose as their battle cry 

this ideal of “in loco parentis” and, to that 

end, devote hours on the heels of long days 

to provide time and space that are conducive 

to study; food that is healthy and 

brings students out of their rooms in order 

to socialize; and programs that challenge 

ideas and affirm mutual respect. 


Submit your 

Class Note today at 

ashevilleschool.org/classnotes 

1954 

Bob Brooks 

Bob anticipated publication this 

summer of subverse, by Finishing 

Line Press and available on its 

website--his fifth chapbook, to go 

along with the full-length collection 

Unguarded Crossing (Antrim 

House, 2012). 

Class of 1945 

Bob Allen 

Class of 1950 

W. Todhunter Windsor, Dr. George Shambaugh, III 

Class of 1955 

Gaylord “Jay” Wood, Jr., 

Sanford “Sandy” Martin 


Class of 1960 

E.B. Lunken, Alpo Crane 

Karl Koon 1974 returned from Wyoming, where he deposited some of Pop Hollandsworth’s 

ashes on the top of Gannett Peak (highest point in Wyoming at 13804’)). Hollandsworth was 

the founder of Asheville School’s mountaineering program. Karl writes: “Great trip with 50+ 

mile backpacking roundtrip to mountain and 13 - 1/2 hour climb. I hope Pop appreciates the 

view!” 

Class of 1965 

David Faunce, Steve Burgwyn 

Class of 1965 

1st – Bill Paulsen, Tom Huggett, Jay Headley, Woody Arnold, Bob Jones, Dan Sternberg, Henry Harris, Leigh Sealy 

2nd – John Weiss, Bill Callender, Ray Magyar, Charles Sailor, Gregory Grove, Lawrence Dimmitt, John Oliver, John Willingham, 

Carl Meares 


Class of 1970 

1st – Glen Heedy, Kemp Mauney, Charlie Skinner, Sandy Bell, George Wright 

2nd – Bob Cone, Bill Herndon, David Massengill, Mel Dodd, Gordon McLeod, 

3rd – Jim Tanner, Marc Winchester, Kelly Camp 

1987 

Carla Golden 

Carla is a huge advocate for Asheville 

School -- and for bananas. 

Combining these interests, she 

wrote a blog on how to eat a banana 

with a spoon. 

Class of 1975 

1st – J. Scot Kirkpatrick, Keith P. Bishop, Jane Hutton Haynes, Woody Bolinger, Scott Foster 

2nd – Charlie Moore, Chip Ausley, John Tyrer, R. Daniel Dixon, Robert Durrah, 

Wes Hambright 

3rd – Will Grant, Wayne Garrish, Tom Giduz 


She writes: “One of the very important 

lessons I learned while at 

Asheville School was how to eat a 

banana with a spoon. Little did I 

know then that 27 years after graduation, 

the banana would become 

one of my favorite foods and that 

I’d be blogging about it.” 

1997 

James Pharr 

James was recently named WNC 

Tennis Coach of the Year by the 

Asheville Citizen-Times. Pharr and 

the boys’ Blues team (13-3) were 

the Carolinas Athletic Association 

champions and achieved a schoolrecord 

seeding in the NCISAA 3-A 

playoffs (No. 5) after their best 

season in more than a decade.

2000 

Class of 1980 

1st - John Boushall, Geoffrey Gordon-Creed, Michael Arakas, Ames Alexander 

2nd – William Ruhl, Stephen Brooks, Dean McNaughton, Patty Howland Bond, 

John Ruhl, Jr. 

Mandy Helton 

Mandy informs us that as of July 1 

she is the new Executive Director of 

Emerge Kentucky (www.emergeky. 

org), the state affiliate for Emerge 

America. You can follow her on 

Emerge America’s “#followhillaryslead” 

campaign as well as on Facebook 

and twitter. 

2005 

Rob Kehaya 

Rob, CEO & co-founder of Speed- 

Faces, presented at NCTA Tech 

Start-up showcase. 

2006 

Austin Bell 

Austin was interviewed by The New 

York Times about his experience as 

a student at Davidson College when 

he edited a music video starring 

Stephen Curry, basketball phenom 

for the Golden State Warriors. 

Jessica Steele 

Jessica worked on a project titled 

“Traumatic Brain Injury Focus 

Groups as a Means to Understand 

Violence among Adolescent Males 

in the NYC Jail System,” which was 

published by Johns Hopkins 

University Press. 

Class of 1985 

1st – Knox Clark, Leslie Bromley Peterson, Anne-Marie Rock Hager, Jolynn Childers 

Dellinger, Peter Hancock, Rohan Thomas 

2nd – Wade Saunders, Todd DeWeese, David Etheridge, Tommy Shores, Robert Van 

Wynen, Per Meek, John Buechler, Dan Gibson 

3rd - Scott Christensen, Matt Miller, Bill McGuire, Victor Patterson, Paul Weekley, 

Hayne Shumate, Joe Adams 


Class of 1990 

1st – Javon Nesbit, John-Paul Schick, Wallace Saunders, Guy Dixon, Michael Rogers 

2nd – Will Lee, Dev Sethi, Kevin Jones, Claire Hughs Kirspel, Linda Stratton, Grant Wainscott, Jason Neal 

3rd – Wally Letson, Mike Stimpson, Geoff Groat, Clay Smith, Kelley Jones, Fred Wherry 

Class of 1995 

1st – Jean Graham Keller, Jim Scott, Amy Shivers Rowe 

2nd – Jettie Portwood Letson, Mamie Rogers Morton, Sonia Sethi Joshi, Katie Kosma, Auburn Barkley Stowe, Bridges Jones Crawford, 

Kate Lawrence Mitchell, Nicole Bruce Cheves 


Class of 2000 

1st – Mark Newman, Kirby Tanner Kurtz, Sarah Donahue, Beth Hotchkiss Husted, Mandy Helton 

2nd – Ian Urquhart, William Bean, David Mayes, Geoff Prince, Marcellus Parker, Matthew Clemens, John Lawrence 

Class of 2005 

1st – Cheyenne Gill, Leigh Baugham, Savannah Engel, Aryn Kelly Fonda, Alice Johnson, Mary Grace Hinkle, Adair Sturdivant Bard, 

Louisa Peyronnin 

2nd – Jane Beebe Jones, Ali Ballance, Sarah Gehring, Ashley Hayward, Ashley Randall, Sonny Goodson, Sarah McClure, Morgan Mischer 

Warth, Rachel Reyes, Kendall Bruni Hill 

3rd – Billy Lane, Sean West, Alex Kehaya, Rob Kehaya, Joe Charlet, Adam Kraemer, Matt Gravatt, Patrick Haas, Nash Harloe, Ham Clark 


Class of 2010 

1st - Lizzy Clemons, Anna Ranson, Ivy Givens, Jayne Pallasch, Hannah Southern 

2nd – Cicely Upham, Will Chesson, Dillon Bloodworth, Graham Clark, Dennis Kuzmich, Alli Blackwelder 

Ambassador Hormel Honored With Award of Merit 


The Asheville School Board of Trustees recently 

honored Ambassador James Hormel 

1950 with the school’s Award of Merit – 

the highest honor the school bestows. The 

Award of Merit presentation was made on 

Friday night of Alumni Weekend, April 24, 

2015. 

The Board was honored to give this award 

to Ambassador Hormel in recognition 

of his public service and his significant 

contributions to many social justice causes. 

The grandson of the founder of Hormel 

Foods, Jim Hormel arrived at Asheville 

School in the fall of 1946 at the age of 13. 

Traveling by train from Minnesota, he 

joined his older brother Tom at boarding 

school and went on to graduate after four 

years in Asheville. 

After Asheville School, Hormel earned a 

B.A. in history from 

Swarthmore College 

and a law degree 

from the University 

of Chicago Law 

School, where he 

later served as Assistant 

Dean and Dean 

of Students. His 

career has focused 

on private investing, 

Hormel 

philanthropy, and government service. 

The most notable of Hormel’s government 

positions was his appointment in 1999 as 

Ambassador to Luxembourg – the first 

openly gay U.S. Ambassador. The contentious 

confirmation battle that preceded the 

recess appointment by President Clinton 

put gay rights in the national spotlight and 

solidified Hormel’s position as a champion 

of that cause, which he had been supporting 

for many years. He also served on two 

separate delegations to the United Nations 

and was a two-time delegate to the Democratic 

National Convention. 

Hormel is the recipient of numerous 

awards honoring his leadership and 

philanthropy, including the National 

Society of Fundraising Executives’ 1996 

Outstanding Philanthropist award and the 

2001 Human Rights Campaign Lifetime 

Achievement Award. He has been a strong 

supporter of organizations serving people 


affected by HIV and AIDS, substance 

abuse and breast cancer. He donated funds 

to create the Gay and Lesbian Center at 

the San Francisco Public Library and has 

served on many boards, including the 

American Foundation for AIDS Research, 

the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 

and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. 

Gil Prince 1971 Receives The Heedy Award 

The Award of Merit, first awarded in 

1966, was established to honor friends of 

Asheville School and of education in the 

Southeast for their lifetime accomplishments. 

Winners have included: several 

former Asheville School teachers – Ron 

Bromley, Doc Embler, Chuck Carter, Chase 

Ambler ‘50, Irv Ornduff, Sly and Donna 

Lewis; alumni Steve Bryant ‘41 (attorney 

and philanthropist), Zoltan Soos ‘58 

(Chemistry professor at Princeton), Dr. 

Ben V. Branscomb 1941 (doctor of pulmonary 

medicine), Dr. Hugh C. Hemmings, Jr 

1974 (expert anesthesiologist); and parents 

of alumni Dr. John Lawrence and Major 

General John Grinalds. 

Gil Prince 1971 was presented the Henry G. Heedy, Jr. 1933 Service Award in Sharp Dining 

Hall during Alumni Weekend 2015 for his outstanding contributions to the school. 

Bill Callender 1965 Receives The Heedy Award 

Bill Callender ‘65 was presented the Heedy Award at the Fall House during Alumni Weekend 2015 for his outstanding contributions to the 

school. The Henry G. Heedy, Jr. ‘33 Service Award was established in memory of Bud Heedy — a student, faculty member and distinguished 

trustee whose outstanding and unselfish service to Asheville School personifies the highest ideals of an Asheville School education. 


2007 

Fabeah Adu-Oppong 

Fabeah is a recipient of The Kinder 

Excellence in Teaching Award from 

KIPP Houston Public Schools. 

She is an 8th grade science teacher 

at KIPP Sharpstown, grade-level 

chair and KIPP alumna. She is an 

avid data-tracker and clearly lays 

out what it is a student must do to 

be successful. As grade-level chair, 

she is responsible for building the 

grade-level culture. Team discussions 

focus on trends and tracking 

of both academic performance and 

behavior. For example, she and her 

team devised an incentive system 

to reward students for homework 

completion each week. She is 

unafraid to be boldly committed 

to what she believes in and consistently 

grows herself to advocate for 

the best interests of the students. 

2008 

Katie Minnix 

This fall, Katie started a doctoral 

program in the Forestry Department 

at Michigan State University. 

Katie Minnix 2008 


Jack P. Qualey III 2013 (left) recently returned from a wonderful trip to Iceland with his 

friend Christian Belcher. 

2009 

Kate Evans 

Kate recently wrote: “I have finished 

my second year of Wheeling Jesuit 

University’s doctorate program in 

physical therapy. My early summer 

PT clinical rotation was in 

Lexington, KY at Baptist Health 

Lexington. I also enjoyed my previous 

rotation at a skilled nursing 

facility where I learned more about 

home health physical therapy. During 

Thanksgiving break 2014, my 

boyfriend and I explored Asheville 

School’s beautiful campus. 

It’s always a pleasure to be back in 

Asheville.” 

2011 

Min Ki Kim 

Min Ki writes: “After recent discharge 

from the Korean Army, I 

completed second-year studies at 

the University of Pennsylvania. I 

worked at a private equity firm in 

Hong Kong over the summer. As 

I prepare to work in the financial 

advisory field, I am looking for 

Asheville School alumni who could 

offer me advice on career paths 

in financial sectors, especially in 

investment banking and/or private 

equity. I can be best reached at kkmin@wharton.upenn.edu.” 

2014 

Kenna Sloan 

“My first year at American University 

was wild. I secured a six-month 

internship at First Book in downtown 

Washington, DC, for times 

when I wasn’t in class or taking 

every great opportunity my campus 

offered. By joining the Student 

Union Board (a part of our SG), I 

help with bringing music/comedian 

groups to campus as student shows!

We had Run the Jewels come last 

semester, and we’re planning for the 

White Panda this fall. 

This summer, I stayed in the city, 

mostly taking some extra courses 

and preparing for my new job. I 

applied to be the Red Bull Student 

Brand Manager on my respective 

campus, and got the job (it’s 

a brand of field marketing)!! The 

experiences I’ve had at my university 

this past year have been really 

rewarding in reference to my 

future career path and networking; 

I couldn’t have been more prepared 

to go to college. Thank you so 

much, AS! Will visit soon.” 

Burt Gordon 1986 and Roy Kim 2012 

This summer, Burt went to Los Angeles to watch his former advisee and Korean pop 

star Roy perform at the Staples Center. 

Abby Willis, Elise Niven & Isabel Bonner 2015 

Recent Asheville School graduates Abby Willis, Elise Niven and Isabel Bonner spent time together in Florida before heading their separate 

ways for college. 


Head of School Arch Montgomery got a wonderful tour of the Temple of Heaven from Beijing 

resident and new Asheville School student Alex Wu ’19. 


A view of the Bund at night as Maggie Zhu, mother of Steffi Voigt ’17, hosted Arch 

Montgomery and Daniel Seiden on their visit to Shanghai in June.

Class of 2015 Legacy Graduates 

Three Asheville School graduates in 2015 had an Asheville School 

alumni connection in their family. 

(Top left) Van Kussrow 1982 is pictured with his daughter, Emily Anne 

Kussrow. 

(Above) Mack Pearsall 1956 is pictured with his granddaughter, Grace 

Duran Pearsall. 

(Left) Wayne Garrish 1975 is pictured with his son, Daniel Walker 

Garrish. 


New faculty and staff join school community 

(from left to right) Doug Harger, Athletic Trainer; Heather Garson, Director of Stewardship; Lecky Haller, Director of Athletic Facilities; 

Anna Ranson 2010, Assistant Director of Admission; Brandon Parkinson, Assistant Director of Admission; Maggie Ruch 2008, Humanities 

Instructor; Kathy Leiner, Dance Program Instructor, Director of Walker Arts Center; Annie Laurie Tuttle, Humanities Instructor; John Speer, 

Humanities Instructor. 

New school website launched this summer 


Asheville School launched its new website in mid-July. Parents, 

alumni, and prospective families have responded positively to the 

new site. The video on the homepage, the dynamic photos and the 

college matriculation animations have helped set our site apart 

from our competitor schools. 

We’re also excited to have a mobile friendly website with a responsive 

design that supports all tablets and smart phones. If you 

haven’t yet visited the new website, be sure to visit ashevilleschool. 

org today and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, 

YouTube, and LinkedIn. 

Go Blues! 


Alumni Weekend 2015 



Anderson Construction Project

In 

Memoriam 

John S. Somerville Jr. 1934 

C. Robert Henderson 1942 

John S. Somerville of Fair Haven, C. Robert Henderson passed away 

NJ, passed away peacefully at his May 31, 2015, in Charlotte, NC. 

home on June 12, 2015. Born in Bob came to Asheville School from 

Evanston, IL, John came to Asheville 

School from Evanston Town- 

Arbor, MI. During his four years 

Ann Arbor High School, in Ann 

ship High School. Entering in the at Asheville School, he played on 

5 th Form, he spent much of his time Junior Varsity and Varsity teams in 

in Dramatic Society productions Football, Basketball, Soccer, Baseball, 

and Track. Other pursuits 

as a member of the Tech Society 

and Stage Crew. He also rowed included Athletic Advisory Council 

Crew for two years. John earned a and Mitchell Cabinet. He continued 

his athletic career at the Uni- 

degree in engineering from Cornell 

University in 1938. During World versity of Michigan, playing varsity 

hockey for three years before 

War II, John served in the Army 

with the Signal Corps in England, earning his B.S. degree in Chemical 

Scotland, the US, and Hawaii. Following 

his discharge from the U.S. U.S. Navy Reserves, he worked in 

Engineering. After serving in the 

Army Signal Corps as a 1 st Lieutenant, 

he worked for Pacific Bell in gineer with the John Crane Packing 

Detroit for many years as a sales en- 

California, and later for Bell Telephone 

Laboratories in New Jersey end visits over the years and meet- 

Company. During Alumni Week- 

and in Ohio until his retirement. ings with staff, he commented that 

He enjoyed traveling around the he appreciated his experiences at 

world, collecting trains and pursuing 

photography. He was preceded with several classmates. As a long- 

Asheville School and kept in touch 

in death by his first wife, Julia Ann time supporter of the school and 

Mattei, and his second wife, Natalie class rep, he urged his classmates 

(Dede) Bossert Heermans. He is to take the lead in donations toward 

the construction of the Class 

survived by his five children, four 

step-children, and his many grandchildren 

and great-grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, 

of 1942 fence around Lewis Field. 

Harriet 

Henderson, two daughters, Jennifer 

Gregorasz and Deborah Borin, and 

two grandsons. 

Harvey M. Heywood 1945 

Harvey Merrick Heywood Jr. of 

Asheville, NC, passed away on 

Monday May 4, 2015. Harvey 

entered Asheville School from 

Christ School in the Third Form. 

He spent four years playing JV 

Football, and Junior and Varsity 

Soccer. Other activities included 

choir for three years, Tech Society 

for two years, and a part in 

the drama production of See My 

Lawyer. After graduation, Harvey 

served as a radio engineer in the 

U.S. Navy until 1946, and attended 

Princeton University for two years 

before transferring to North Carolina 

State. He graduated in 1955 

with a degree in Civil Engineering 

and a commission of 2 nd Lieutenant, 

serving in the Air Force until 

1958. He retired from his career as 

president and owner of North State 

Material Company in Asheville 

and Powell Lumber Company in 

Canton. He served on the Board of 

Trustees at St. Genevieve/Gibbons 

Hall School and was a member of 

the Biltmore Forest Country Club 

and the Asheville Civitans. He was 

an avid sailor and hiker who loved 

to explore the outdoors. Survivors 

include his wife, Pauline Gratton 

Heywood, daughter Suzanne Miller, 


three grandchildren, and his sister, 

Mary D. Armistead of Charlotte, 

North Carolina. 

Mr. Charles F. Grey III 1947 

Charles F. Grey III passed away 

January 2, 2015, at his home in 

Marathon, Florida. Chuck came 

to Asheville School in the 6 th Form 

from North Shore Country Day 

School in Chicago. At Asheville 

School his interests were World 

Peace Forum, Political Science Forum, 

swimming and The Ashnoca. 

Chuck graduated from Denison 

University with a BA in Economics 

in 1951 and served in the Army until 

1953, after which he returned to 

Chicago as a partner in the Underhill-Grey 

Real Estate Management 

Company. From his early years he 

loved to sail, building his first boat 

at the age of 12. As an adult he 

would build four boats which he 

used to sail the world with his wife, 

Dorothy, whom he married in 1961, 

docking in dozens of ports from the 

Caribbean to England, Nova Scotia 

and the Mediterranean. For a time 

he and his wife ran a charter service 

in the Caribbean. In his later years, 

Chuck was an avid HAM radio 

operator in the Florida Keys area, 

always willing to assist other people 

getting started in the hobby. Survivors 

include his wife, Chris, sister 

Carol Grey and her two children, 


two grandnephews, a grandniece, 

and many friends who will miss 

him. 

Robert O. Wagner 1949 

Robert Wagner of Lakeland, FL, 

passed away on April 25, 2015. He 

entered Ashville School in September 

1945. During his four years 

as a student, his participation in 

numerous sports included Crew, 

Swimming, Track, Football, and 

Tennis, and his membership in the 

A Society. Other interests were 

Mitchell Cabinet and Photographic 

Society. As a senior he was the class 

poet and co-editor of The Review. 

Robert earned a B.S. degree from 

Babson College in Wellesley, MA. 

He became the manager of Central 

Florida Gas Company in Winter 

Haven in 1955 and later worked for 

International Mineral and Chemical 

Corporation as Personnel Manager 

and the Editor of the company 

publication Dragline. In 1967, he 

became Executive Vice-President of 

the St. Petersburg Beach Chamber 

of Commerce. Survivors include 

his wife, Sibyl Griffin Wagner of 

Lakeland, one daughter and two 

sons, one stepdaughter, and one 

grandson. 

William T. Anderson 1950 

William Tanke Anderson of 

Oceanside, CA, peacefully passed 

away at home, June 20, 2015, after 

battling illness for much of the last 

two years. During his Fifth Form 

year at Asheville School, William 

was awarded the Edward L. Valier 

Award for Excellence in Basketball, 

and in the 6 th Form made honorable 

mention on the Western NC 

All-Stars football team. He graduated 

from Stanford University in 

1954, where he again played football 

and met his future wife, Karen 

Hansen. After college, Bill joined 

the Army and served in Korea from 

1955 to 1956. He eventually settled 

in Vista, California, where he 

started Bill Anderson Tire, remaining 

in business for over 35 years. 

Bill loved sports, especially college 

football and golf. He is survived by 

his wife of 62 years, Karen Hansen 

Anderson, his three children, and 

10 grandchildren. 

Dale R. Wiethe 1950 

Dale R. Wiethe died peacefully 

August 31, 2015, at his home in 

Cincinnati, OH. Dale came to 

Asheville School in the First Form. 

Six years spent in Asheville allowed 

him to participate in all levels of 

sport including Football, Basketball, 

Baseball, and Soccer. He also 

had roles in Dramatic Society productions 

in his Fourth, Fifth, and 

Sixth Form years. In addition to his 

six years in choir, he was a member 

of the Ashpits, the honorary singing 

group which was in its first 

years at the time. He rounded out 

his senior year with participation 

on The Review, The Ashnoca, and as 

Sports Editor of the Blue & White.

After high school, Dale served three 

years in the U.S. Army before attending 

Duke University, where he 

earned his B.A. in 1957. He finished 

his M.D. at U of Cincinnati 

in 1962 with a residency at Christ 

Hospital in Cincinnati. His career 

as a plastic surgeon was spent at 

Christ Hospital in Cincinnati and 

in private practice. He served a 

two-year term as President of the 

Christ Hospital Medical Staff. Dale 

is survived by his wife, Mary Alice, 

son Dale Jr. and daughters Patricia, 

Katie, Jennifer, and Carrie, and 11 

grandchildren. 

Robert T. Hambrick Jr 1955 

Robert Theodore Hambrick Jr. 

passed away at home on Tuesday 

February 16, 2015. Robert spent 

just one year at Asheville School, 

where he was a cheerleader and 

a member of the Swim and Golf 

teams. After graduating from Asheville 

School, he attended UNC Chapel 

Hill, where he became a lifelong 

Tarheel fan. His various life 

experiences included serving in the 

U.S. Army in Korea and working 

at the family dairy farm, RT Hambrick 

& Son Farm. Later he owned 

a helicopter company in Hickory, 

NC, and a security company. His 

many civic interests included serving 

as elder in the First Presbyterian 

Church, as President of the Hickory 

Museum of Art, and as treasurer of 

the Hambrick Memorial Foundation. 

Robert was a 40-year member 

of the Hickory Rotary Club. He 

is survived by his wife of 53 years, 

Suzanne Hafer Hambrick, his two 

children, 5 grandchildren, and a 

number of nieces and nephews. 

Frank W. Weeks 1964 

Frank William Weeks passed away 

July 19, 2011, at his residence in 

Kealakekua, HI. Frank spent three 

years at Asheville School, participating 

in JV Soccer, Swimming, 

Track and Football before transferring 

and graduating from St. 

Andrews School in Boca Raton, FL. 

Born May 19, 1945, in Kealakekua, 

HI, he was a business owner, farmer, 

member of Kona Faith Center 

Inc., and an Army veteran. He is 

survived by his wife, Brenda Weeks 

of Kealakekua, brothers William of 

Keauhou Mauka, HI, and Harvey of 

California, and numerous cousins 

and nephews. 

Thomas W. Borland Jr. 1965 

Thomas “Tom” Walker Borland Jr., 

65, of Wilmington, passed away 

peacefully Thursday, October 18, 

2012, at Lower Cape Fear Hospice 

and Life Center. He attended 

Asheville School in his Third and 

Fourth Forms, lettering in Varsity 

Football and writing for The Ashnoca. 

Thomas transferred and subsequently 

graduated from Darlington 

School in Rome, GA. He then went 

on to NC State University’s School 

of Textile Technology, where he 

was a member of the Kappa Sigma 

fraternity. His work in the textile 

industry enabled him to travel 

throughout the country and internationally. 

Tom was an avid outdoorsman 

and especially enjoyed 

sailing, fishing, and hunting. Tom 

is survived by his wife, Kate Thoresen 

Borland, son Walker Borland, 

daughter Katie Borland, sister Rudy 

Koehler and husband David, nieces, 

and many friends. 



2014-2015 Donor Report 

All Contributions 

For fiscal year ending June 30, 2015 

Capital and Other Gifts.........................................................................................................................$ 3,176,149 

Cody Annual Fund................................................................................................................................$ 1,012,001 

Total*......................................................................................................................................................$ 4,188,150 

*Includes cash received only; does not include pledges. 

Endowment 

The value of Asheville School’s endowment as of June 30, 2015 was $47,736,496 

Cody Annual Fund 

2013 - 2014 

Total Raised: 

$916,548 from 1,327 donors 

No. of Donors % Amount 

2014 - 2015 

Total Raised: 

$1,012,001 from 1,251 donors 

No. of Donors % Amount 

Alumni/ae 919 ...............................30% ........$578,343 

Current Parents 161 ..............................57% ........$196,493 

Faculty/Staff 82 ............................100% ..........$34,566 

Trustees 31 ............................100% ...........$82,981 

Parents of Alumni 239 ...............................................$189,698 

Other Individuals 80 ................................................. $26,006 

Financial Management Summary 

2014-2015 Operating Income & Expense 

787.............................26% ..........$672,306 

138 ............................54% .........$175,658 

78 .........................100% ..........$25,228 

28 ...........................100% ........$109,344 

254 ..............................................$243,596 

74 ................................................$37,546 

In the above table, donors who belong to more than one constituency group are counted in each group. The 2013-2014 Cody Fund raised $916,548 from 1,327 individuals and 

organizations. The 2014-2015 Cody Fund raised $1,012,001 from 1,251 individuals and organizations. 

Contributions 

Other 

Constituent Relations 

Admission 

Debt Service 

Development 

Scholarship Fund 

Plant Renewal Fund 

Instruction & Support 

Endowment 

Tuition & Fees 

Administration 

Financial Aid 

Operating Income 

Tuition & Fees...........................$12,020,375...................77.26% 

Endowment.................................$1,893,453...................12.17% 

Contributions..............................$1,186,301.....................7.62% 

Other...............................................$458,719.....................2.95% 

Total Operating Income.........$15,558,848...................100.0% 

Operations & Maintenance 

Operating Expense 

Instruction & Support...........$4,775,435................30.69% 

Operations & Operations & Maintenance...$2,086,310................13.41% 

Financial Aid 

Financial Aid..........................$2,751,309................17.68% 

Administration......................$1,844,108.................11.85% 

Financial Aid 

Admission.................................$398,824..................2.56% 

Development............................$717,329...................4.61% 

Constituent Relations..............$728,567...................4.68% 

Debt Service.............................$592,070...................3.81% 

Scholarship Fund.....................$832,448...................5.35% 

Plant Renewal Fund.................$832,448...................5.35% 

Total Operating Expense...$15,558,848................100.0% 


Dear Alumni, Parents and Friends: 

It is my privilege to share with you the Asheville School Annual Report for the fiscal year ending June 

30, 2015. I do so with so much gratitude to so many who have supported the school with their work, 

wisdom and wealth in ways both meaningful and lasting, past and present. 

The report shows that our school remains financially sound. As a direct result of your loyal and generous 

support: 

• Capping five consecutive years of record-setting fund-raising, the Cody Annual Fund, a key to our 

school’s operational and financial health, reached the largest total ever: $1,012,000! Support from 

alumni, parents, and friends like you is critical to the success of the Fund. 

• The school received over $3.1 million in capital gifts. (This is the most received since the 2005-2006 school year.) About 

71% was dedicated to restoration and renovation of Anderson and Lawrence halls, and the balance to support financial 

aid, program and professional development, facility preservation and replacement, and other essential elements of the 

school’s long-term fiscal health. 

• And I am happy to announce that we have 14 new members of the Wilbert Peck Society. This is the highest number in at 

least 10 years. 

We are deeply grateful to all who made these gifts and sincerely thank you. We are particularly grateful to our faculty and 

trustees, all of whom once again supported the Cody Annual Fund this year. 

The school is at such an exciting place in its long and storied history. Its highest ever enrollment (287) reflects a varied mix 

of boys and girls representing 20 states and 16 foreign countries. The school’s faculty and staff remain superb, one of the 

best in the country, and this year we welcomed several outstanding new faculty members. Arch Montgomery, a recognized 

leader in the boarding school world, has started his 14th year at the school, which now bears his distinctive imprimatur. 

Our outstanding Development Director, Dan Seiden, is now well into his second year with the school, and his infectious 

energy, optimism and enthusiasm inspire and motivate us all. 

Most of you know that as a result of the 2012 Strategic Plan, after completing the Vandergrift Science Center renovation 

in Mitchell Hall, the school turned its attention to the most significant renovation in Anderson Hall’s history. We are so 

grateful to all of you who supported this long overdue renovation. As a result of your generosity, crews descended on 

Anderson right after graduation in May! As many of you also know, a number of students were displaced in late August 

when (115-year-old) foundation surprises delayed completion of the Anderson Hall renovation. As a result, some 50+ 

students, plus the Headmaster(!), checked into the gymnasium on Opening Day, where they cheerfully were housed for the 

last several weeks. They moved into Anderson by mid-September. The flexibility, cheer and good-natured responses of all 

the Anderson residents to this inconvenient surprise reflect so much of what makes Asheville School special. 

With the Anderson renovation complete, the Board is in the midst of developing a revised and updated Strategic Plan. 

This revised Plan represents a shift in strategic focus, based upon new information, and is designed to achieve Strategic 

Plan objectives sooner; we look forward to sharing details of the changed plan as it evolves and takes shape. 

I will close by sharing with you a few excerpts from comments of parents new to Asheville School, speaking of their introduction 

to the school and impressions of it. Words and phrases like the following appear: “excellence,” “warmth,” “personal 

touch,” “high standards,” “greatest opportunity for personal growth,” “not lost in the shuffle,” “close relationships,” 

“academics, faculty, school size, location and community…Asheville seems to have it all,” and “welcoming, positive and 

genuine.” I share these words because in showing how newcomers first experience the essence of our school, they remind 

us powerfully of why Asheville School deserves our loyalty and support. 

We are so deeply grateful to you for your loyal support of, dedication to, and investment in our school. We thank you. 

Your generosity and loyalty help make the unique and life-changing Asheville School experience possible for so many 

wonderful young people. They are the reason that the school exists. 

On behalf of our Board of Trustees, I thank you, our valued alumni, parents and friends, for your ongoing commitment to 

sustain and preserve this special school. 

Very truly yours, 

Laurance D. Pless 1971 

Chairman, Board of Trustees 

40

360 Asheville School Road 

Asheville, NC 28806 

If you are receiving mail for someone who no longer resides at this address, please 

notify the Advancement Office at alumni@ashevilleschool.org or call 828.254.6345 x4027. 

Important Upcoming Dates and Events 

October 9 

Parent Dinner and Auction 

October 9-10 

Family Weekend 

October 13 

Asheville School in New York, NY 

October 22-23 

Fall Play 

October 27 

Asheville School in Cincinnati, OH 

October 28 

Asheville School in Lexington, KY 

October 30 

Bonfire Social Night 

October 31 

Christ School Game (Home) 

October 31-Nov 2 

Fall Weekend 

November 4 

Asheville School in Hickory, NC 

November 21-30 

Thanksgiving Break 

December 6 

Candlelight Service 

February 18-19 

Winter Musical 

February 25-26 

Dance Performance 

April 29 - May 1 

Alumni Weekend 

May 28 

Commencement 

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