School News
Cum Laude Inducts Six
Friday, May 9, 2008
Identified by one faculty speaker as “role models for the middle school students,” six new Cum Laude members were inducted into select membership at the 23rd annual Cum Laude ceremony on Friday, May 9. The six seniors were celebrated for their passion for learning, their Renaissance qualities, their grace, their authenticity, and their academic accomplishments. Before family, friends, and the student body, selected faculty introduced each girl chosen for the Cum Laude honorary. Girls with the highest academic ranking while enrolled in a significant number of Honors and Advanced Placement courses, they will wear a blue stole at Commencement on Friday, May 16.
Cum Laude is a national honorary society which recognizes and encourages superior academic achievement in the nation’s finest secondary schools. In addition to their academic standing, however, these girls have excelled in many other areas of school life; they are leaders on the Honor Council and the GPS Orchestra, All-American athletes, a member of Terpsichord, National Merit honorees, and publication editors. They have been accepted to universities as diverse as University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt, Emory, High Point, Rice, and Smith College.
The inductees and the faculty who wrote eloquently and sometimes humorously on their behalf were Erin Dunn, Cathie Kasch; Kirstin Early, Marla Neal; Ellie Grebowski, Mary Baxter; Amelia Morgan, Mary Carrithers; Hannah Shadrick, Scott Warren; and Sugandha Singh, William Montgomery.
 
Tennis Team Region Champs
Thursday, May 8, 2008
The GPS tennis team captured the region championship on Wednesday, May 7, beating Webb 4-2 after defeating Baylor on Tuesday, 6-1.
The substate will be played at GPS on Tuesday or Wednesday, May 14 or 15, versus Ensworth. In the newly reconfigured Division II Middle/East Region, GPS, Baylor, and Knox Webb compete against many Nashville schools.
Individual competition for the state tournament will begin this weekend at Baylor.
In this week’s team competition, Claire Bartlett, Sarah Evans, and Meredith Morrow won at singles in both matches. Cady Jones and Anne Elizabeth Holley won singles at Baylor.
Heading toward sub-state play and the goal of Spring Fling, the Bruisers are 12-0 under the guidance of Coach Sue Bartlett.
Three Alumnae in the News
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Marybeth Campeau and Lindsey Martin, both graduates of the Class of 2007 and freshmen at Davidson College, and Whitney Bell St. Charles '04, have been in the news this week. Marybeth, the 2006-07 Honor Council president, was spotted by a Washington Post reporter at a Democratic rally for the Presidential campaign, and her picture was used in the Post on Tuesday, May 6.
Lindsey Martin, a nine-time All-American swimmer at GPS, was recently recognized with the Helen DeVane Carnegie Award, presented to Davidson’s most outstanding freshman athlete. She was also the “Pat Miller MVP.”
Whitney, a former May Queen at GPS, graduates this spring from UTC and is profiled on that school's website. She heads to Carnegie-Mellon to pursue a master's degree in computer science
Lacrosse at State
Monday, May 5, 2008
The GPS lacrosse team travels to Memphis Monday, May 5 for a quarterfinal game with Houston High School. This is the second year that the team has qualified for the TGLA state tournament, and after playing some of the top teams from Memphis in the regular season, the team feels better prepared this year for the post season rematches. The regular season ended with a 19-3 victory over Father Ryan and a 14-8 win over Franklin. Senior members of the team, pictured, are Channing Adkins, Abby Ellis, Perri Fine, Maya Healy, and Brielle Leary. Ellis will play for the U.S. Naval Academy next year, and Healy will play for Savannah College of Art and Design.
 
May Day 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
“A World of Possibilities” was the theme for Girls Preparatory School’s annual May Day ceremony on Wednesday, April 30, and as the members of the Class of 2008 were presented on the Smith Courtyard lawn, it was easy to imagine the possibilities that lay before the graduating class. Dressed in colorful long dresses and carrying single or full bouquets of spring flowers, many seniors also carried a ribbon in memory of their classmate, Palmer Griffin, who passed away in 2007.
The senior presentation and promenade preceded the arrival of the May Queen and her court. Caitlin McAloon reigned as the 2008 GPS May Queen. Her Maid of Honor was Catie Lester, and members of the Court were Jamie Holstine, Amelia Morgan, Stephanie Ryals, and Hannah Shadrick. The selection of the court by the senior class is based on the following description: We believe that our May Queen and Court should be representatives of the Senior Class in the highest sense. They should be gracious, friendly and loyal to friends and to GPS. They should be actively and enthusiastically involved in the life of GPS, eager to give of their time and their talents. They should stand for the highest ideals in character and integrity. They should be respected and admired by fellow schoolmates and faculty alike.
After the presentation of the seniors, the pageant continued with dances featuring seventh, eighth, and upper school dance clubs, as well as sophomore and junior members of Terpsichord. In keeping with the global theme, the dances were choreographed to songs and music representing African nations, China, Austria, Spain, and Greece. The traditional winding of the blue, yellow, and pink May Poles by members of the sophomore class and the singing of the Alma Mater concluded the event.
Members of the May Day Committee, seniors chosen to help coordinate the event, were Elizabeth Russell, chair; Courtney Alexander, co-chair; Mia Aoki, Casey Caldwell, Christen Chambers, Kamri Chester, Sarah Galphin, Janell Jackson, Carmen Patty, Callie Sholl, Gabrielle Sobel, and Megan Wagner.
Co-directors of this year’s pageant were GPS faculty members Erin Oliver and Cathie Kasch, assisted by Sonya Steele and Tracie Durham. Watch a video of May Day on the Times Free Press online site.
 
GPS Cookbook On Sale April 30
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
“Brain food, soul food, comfort food” is the subtitle for the first-ever GPS cookbook, Food for Thought. The recipes that seek to deliver on that promise come from a year-long, school-wide collaboration among alumnae, faculty and staff, students, parents, and other friends of GPS. The cookbook goes on sale Wednesday, April 30 during the GPS May Day celebration, but a copy was presented early to Headmaster Randy Tucker by members of the cookbook committee. The committee, led by senior Meredith MacLean, whittled down the submissions, tested recipes, and prepared samples to serve at GPS events and in the GPS cafeteria, during which students cast votes on the dishes served. Committee members also worked with art department faculty to design the cookbook’s cover (an illustration by AP Art teacher Mary Carrithers) and to collect images to illustrate interior pages. The five hundred recipes found within the cookbook’s pages come from as near as East Brainerd and Signal Mountain and as far as Indonesia and Kenya. Several are from the collections of beloved former GPS cooks “Miss Gertrude” Oehmig and Dene Donald.
The result of the committee’s hard work is a culinary treasury to be cherished by cooks of all ages and abilities. Among the recipes sure to make your mouth water and your taste buds sing are Ooey Gooey Chocolate Oat Cookies, Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip, Shrimp Jambalaya, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Brown Butter Pancakes, Lemony Hot Chicken Salad, Cranberry Orange Scones, Brie Basil Summer Pasta, Almond-Lemon Macaroons, and Brown Sugar and Pecan-Crusted Salmon.
 
A Wonderful Wiz
Monday, April 28, 2008
Outstanding student performances and musical entertainment were at the end of the yellow brick road at GPS during the last weekend in April. The annual spring musical, a production by GPS and McCallie students and musicians, always packs the Frierson Theatre, and this year’s offering, The Wiz, was no exception. From the evening staging on Friday and Saturday, April 25-26, to the matinee on Sunday and the abbreviated morning showing for area elementary students on Monday, April 28, the songs, costumes, sets, and individual performances brought Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion to life. GPS junior Natalie Pittman starred as Dorothy, Kelsey Adams was Evillene, Heather Johnson was Addaperle, Mary Beth Booker was Glinda the Good Witch, and John Berg, John Clevenger, and Tate Ball were Dorothy’s companions in need of a heart, a brain, and courage. Capturing the hearts of the audience were the Munchkins, which included several younger brothers and sisters of the cast members. Hip dancing was choreographed by director Catherine Bolden and junior Chloe Spitalny. Producer was Suzanne Smartt, and leading the orchestra was GPS Director Mary Baxter. Both Bolden and Smartt, also members of the GPS faculty, have won drama awards from Chattanooga’s Theatre Centre for their work.
The Tony Award-winning musical based on L. Frank Baum’s classic, The Wizard of Oz, made its Broadway debut in 1975 and includes familiar songs such as Home and Ease on Down the Road.
 
History Lessons from the Sudan
Thursday, April 24, 2008
It was never GPS history teacher Paige Weichbrodt’s intention to draw attention to herself with a trip in March to the Jaach region of the Sudan. Since the trip, however, Weichbrodt has been asked to present to community groups and has had her trip covered in the local newspaper. The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools picked up the story and now has a link to her story on their site as well.
In spite of the dangers of the trip, Weichbrodt's goal was to increase awareness of the living conditions of the refugees. She went into the region with representatives of the Persecution Project Foundation, gained knowledge to share with her students, and distributed beaded necklaces, a gift idea of GPS senior Catherine Garvey and crafted by GPS students.
The idea for the trip began with a visit last semester from David Johnson, a documentary photographer whose images of refugees in Darfur and other regions made an impact on the students, faculty, and parents who heard him speak.
 
Carney Cup Back at GPS
Monday, April 21, 2008
The much-coveted Carney Cup, awarded to the winner of the GPS vs. Baylor varsity 8 rowing competition, is back at GPS. The trophy is named for Marian Carney, mother of three GPS graduates and wife of Terry Carney, who aided in starting the crew program at GPS in the early 90’s.
The varsity 8 boat crossed the finish line in 5 minutes, 35 seconds in the race Friday, April 18, on the Tennessee River. Members of the varsity 8 team are coxswain Virginia Konvalinka, Maegan Gossett, Kelsey Maynard, Jill Gibson, Amanda Lee, Kelsey Yattoni, Meredith lance, Lizzie Magnuson and Madison Powers. In the JV 8 competition, the lightweight 8 and JV 8 finished first and second for GPS. The rowers are coached by Sandy Calfo.
Great Ideas Contest Honors Blevins
Friday, April 18, 2008
GPS junior Emily Blevins made some news on Wednesday, April 16, when she placed third in Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield’s Great Ideas competition. Emily was the first junior ever to make it into the top ten of the annual contest. Emily received a $1,500 college scholarship for her winning idea.
At the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Innovation luncheon, the ideas of the top three award winners were presented in video format before an audience that included Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach. (Emily is pictured with Mayor Ron Littlefield.)
Emily’s idea is for an Intron Research Cooperation Program, a facility that will specialize in non-coding regions of DNA. Since their discovery 30 years ago, they have been considered “junk” DNA, but recent findings have shown these areas influence protein synthesis, which could mean they cause genetic diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Emily says that she first learned about introns during her freshman biology class with Jenise Gordon. The genesis of her “great idea” was a science project that she entered in the UTC Science and Engineering Fair last year, winning a second place in the biochemistry division.
 
Homeless Art at City Hall
Thursday, April 17, 2008
GPS senior Hannah Shadrick is pleased with the artwork and creative poetry that resulted from a March workshop with the homeless that she organized. She’s even more pleased that the exhibit of the work will be on display at City Hall until May 30 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Hannah organized the workshop at the Community Kitchen with help from classmates, the Kitchen's Brother Ron Fender, several GPS art teachers, and with donations of time and material from UTC professor Earl Bragg and Tony Mines, the owner of Art Creations on Frazier Ave.
After attending a Furman University “Emerging Public Leaders” program last summer, Hannah came back ready to organize an Art & Creative Writing Workshop to give dignity and pride to the homeless of Chattanooga. “I didn’t plan on a classroom setting,” says Hannah, “but rather just an open space for the attendees to work and ask for help.” GPS teacher Debbie Glasscock helped Hannah develop some basic projects to catalyze the drawing side of the workshop, and Professor Braggs shared ideas with Hannah to generate poetry and other creative writing.
“We are honored to have this exhibit in City Hall and congratulate Hannah on her exemplary work,” said Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield. “This is an opportunity for us to appreciate and better understand Chattanooga’s homeless population.”
Hannah’s hoping that the workshop and display will indeed “make the homeless more human and multi-dimensional” in the eyes of others. For her community service efforts, Hannah received an Honorable Mention in the Furman University community service competition.
 
GPS Junior is Cleveland Junior Miss
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Lauren Ledford won the title of Cleveland’s 2009 Junior Miss on April 12 along with the interview and self-expression awards and will represent Cleveland and Bradley County in the Tennessee State Junior Miss competition July 18-19. For the talent portion of the contest, Lauren performed a vocal selection called Feeling That Music Brings by Susan Tedeschi.
Debbie Williams, program chair of the Cleveland/Bradley County event, announced that Lauren won a $1,250 scholarship to the college of her choice. “Lauren is such a delightful and talented young lady with a promising future,” she said. “The fact that she won the interview portion reflects highly on the education she is receiving at GPS.” The new Junior Miss is pictured with her family. At GPS, she is a member of the GPS/McCallie Select Ensemble and has served as a community service representative.
The state competition will be held at the Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga. The state winner will then compete for the title of America’s Junior Miss in Mobile, Alabama.
 
Walking for MS
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Each year, the National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society sponsor a GPS walk to raise funds for research into the causes and prevention of Multiple Sclerosis. This year’s theme, “A World without MS,” even fit into the school’s global theme. For a minimum donation of one dollar, students and faculty spent anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes or more on April 16 walking laps in the GPS gym. They were rewarded with a civilian day (a day without the GPS uniform) and a red-ribbon medallion. The Multiple Sclerosis Society was rewarded with over $2,200.
As always, P.E. department chair Peggy Michaels, who has MS, joined in the festivities, as did several parents whose spouses live with the disease. Mrs. Michaels is a role model for students who witness daily her positive attitude, and they were more than willing to show up one hour early on their “late Wednesday” to walk for her and others. Additional money was raised from the sale of muffins, doughnuts, and other breakfast pastries.
 
Science Week 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
What do snow, slime, ice cream, and water balloons have in common? They’re all parts of the fun of Science Week 2008 at GPS. The new patio has been the perfect surface for many of the week’s activities. Students made unedible snow and slime on Tuesday, created definitely edible ice cream on Wednesday, and looked forward to estimating the relationship between gravity and motion, acceleration and distance to sling water balloons at good-natured faculty members on Thursday. Eighth grade history teacher Glen Vey will be back for at least his 10th year as a volunteer target for his favorite students. Depending on the students' sling shot trajectory and the number of quarters they can spend, their water balloons will either douse him in water or keep him dry.
 
Lacrosse in the News
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Senior Abby Ellis, who will play lacrosse as a Midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy next year, is pictured on the promotional web photo for the upcoming 75th annual US Lacrosse Women's Division National Tournament. The WDNT showcases the best women’s lacrosse players, and Abby was a member of the Schoolgirls team. Five GPS players will be trying out for the Southeast Regional team this year: Maggie Paden, Sara Mastey, Alex Cavitt, Taylor Dickinson, and Rachel Walter.
2008 Alumnae Awards
Friday, April 11, 2008
Girls Preparatory School honored recipients of the 2008 Distinguished Alumna Award, the Margaret Rawlings Lupton Award of Excellence, and inductees into the Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, April 11 at the start of Alumnae Weekend festivities.
The 2008 Distinguished Alumna of GPS is Margaret Churchwell Card ’69, who as one of Chattanooga’s first female business owners established Southern Temp, a temporary staffing agency. With 15 years of involvement in the Chattanooga area Chamber of Commerce, the former Jaycees Outstanding Woman of the Year is a graduate of Leadership Chattanooga and a member of the Hamilton Place Rotary Club. Her contributions to the business community led former governor Don Sundquist in 1995 to name Card commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Employment Security.
Two alumnae are the recipients of the 2008 Margaret Rawlings Lupton Award of Excellence. Women chosen for this honor have made a significant impact in their communities in professional and/or voluntary activities.
Dr. Andrea Hayes ’83 is an endocrinologist in private practice in Nashville. As a sophomore at GPS, Dr. Hayes developed Type I diabetes; her personal experience with the disease has shaped her professional life and instilled in her a strong commitment to helping others with diabetes live full, productive, and healthy lives. She currently owns and directs Hayes Endocrine and Diabetes Center which serves a large population in Middle Tennessee. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Hayes is owner and medical director of a weight management program, The Nashville Solution.
Margaret Cleary Dean ’93 is currently a systems engineer on the senior professional staff at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory, and, as a Naval reservist, will mobilize to Afghanistan this month as an Information Operations Staff Officer on the International Security Assistance Force. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Dean focuses on Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C41) for Navy Undersea Warfare Systems at the Johns Hopkins lab. As a reservist, Dean assumed command in January 2007 of the USS Stephen W. Groves, one of four ships in the Atlantic Fleet that serve as training platforms for Naval Reservists.

The Athletic Hall of Fame honors selected alumnae/athletes and former coaches for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the GPS athletic program.
Laura Holt Strang ‘72 is a resident of Chattanooga who played seemingly every intramural sport offered at GPS. As a member of the four-year state championship varsity swim team, she held the GPS record in the 100 meter butterfly, swam on several state championship relays, and finished in the top six in the state in her individual events. Her dedication to athletics and love of intramurals led former GPS Headmaster Nat Hughes and PE teacher Peggy Thomas to initiate the Laura Holt Award which is presented each year to a junior who is an outstanding multi-sport athlete and who possesses the qualities of sportsmanship, dedication, and loyalty to GPS.
For Dr. Rebecca Stimson ’73, her induction into the GPS Hall of Fame follows her 1996 induction into the Davidson College Athletic Hall of Fame and being named this year to the “25 of Distinction Team” as part of the Southern Conference celebration of women’s athletics. At GPS, Stimson played on the varsity tennis, volleyball, and field hockey teams. At Davidson College, Stimson lettered in tennis and was named the team’s most valuable player. She also earned three letters in basketball. In 1977 she received the Wildcats’ Most Valuable Female Athlete Award. That award, now called the Rebecca E. Stimson Award, is given annually to the Davidson woman who best typifies the Davidson spirit in athletic competition and campus leadership.
Katherine “Kitty” Fisher Delany ’85 swam competitively at GPS and earned state championship medals in two events. She was a member of the winning 400-meter freestyle relay that shattered a state record, leading GPS to a 1975 state swimming and diving championship. The captain of the swim team and Most Valuable Swimmer, she was also a member of the varsity tennis team.
Among the awards that Delany received at GPS were the Sandra Martin award, given to a senior who distinguished herself in athletics, extracurricular activities, scholarship, and citizenship; and the DAR Citizenship Award.
 
April Showers Sports Wins
Friday, April 11, 2008
April 7-10 for GPS Bruisers has had a surplus of successful contests against Baylor and a win and a loss in tennis and lacrosse competition with other schools. The lacrosse team started the week handily defeating Baylor 20-10. Among the many GPS players who scored were Maya Healy, Sarah Mastey, five apiece; Maggie Paden with three, and single scores from Perri Fine, Abby Ellis, Hutton Baird, Megan Divine, Alex Cavitt, Booey Mittelstadt, and Becca Murphy. Channing Adkins at keeper had nine saves. On Thursday, the Bruisers fell to Harpeth Hall, 14-8. The 3-2 lacrosse team had five goals from Healy and singles from Paden, Mastey, and Baird.
On Wednesday, the tennis team surrendered only one singles match and one doubles on their way to a 7-2 victory over Baylor that pushed their record to 4-0. Winning singles were Claire Bartlett, Sarah Evans, Ann Elizabeth Holley, Meredith Morrow, and Millie Earhart. On Thursday, the tennis team defeated Darlington 8-1.
Also on Thursday, the softball team, behind 12 strikeouts from Megan Wagner, beat Baylor with a six-run fourth inning, ending in a 7-0 win. Senior Jessica Phillips ended 2-for-4, with a three-run double in the fourth.
Varsity lacrosse travels to Ensworth on Friday, and the Optimist Track and Field meet on Friday will showcase the talents of area track athletes.(