Skip To Main Content

 

CCES is Just the Beginning

Every year, CCES graduates attend an exciting array of colleges and universities; many are recipients of prestigious merit scholarships. Starting in ninth grade, our experienced and knowledgeable college counselors are available to parents and students to guide, support, answer questions, and, most importantly, encourage your child to truly discover his or her own uniqueness.  

College Counseling

 

What I love most about CCES is the fact that they don't only prepare you to succeed academically but they prepare you to succeed in life.chip waldropCCES Class of 2023

CCES class of2024

Meet our graduates

Community Driven
CCES Alumni Open Bitty and Beau's Coffee Shop

CCES graduates understand that they have a responsibility to take care of themselves, others, and the world around them.

Lifelong Learners
CCES Alumna Dorothy Shain

CCES graduates embrace an ongoing journey of personal and intellectual growth, continually seeking to explore, question, and understand themselves and the world  around them.
 

Leaders & Team Players
CCES Alumna God-is Rivera

CCES graduates often take on leadership roles in their communities, but also understand the importance of teamwork and collaboration.  

Spiritually Rooted
CCES Alumnus Rev. Alex Sherrill

CCES students graduate with an abiding sense that a loving God is present in their lives and calls them to live in community through faithfulness, generosity, service, and kindness. 
 

Clemson University

alumni stories

CCES celebrates 2024 Sports Hall of Fame inductees
Kelsey Long, Social Media Coordinator

Christ Church Episcopal School recognized and celebrated the achievements of four members of the school community who made large contributions through athletics during their time here. On Friday, October 18, 2024, family, former teammates, friends, and coaches gathered in Rooke Theater to honor CCES Sports Hall of Fame inductees Alyssa Althoff ’11, Hunter Townes ’12, Hayden Latham ’11, and Rodney Adamee. Alyssa Althoff was inducted Russell Shelley, Hunter Townes by Don Frost, Hayden Latham by George Beam, and Coach Rodney Adamee by Charlie Woodward. 

(Note: Hayden Latham ’11, though a member of last year’s Sports Hall of Fame class, is being formally recognized this year.)

Alyssa Althoff ’11

Alyssa Althoff was a four-year member of both the Girls Golf (2008-2011) and Girls Soccer (2008-2011) teams. In soccer, Alyssa was named Team MVP in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and served as Team Captain in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, she earned both the NSCAA/Adidas High School Scholar distinction and a spot on the NSCAA/Adidas High School All-Region III team. She was a three-time All-State selection and a two-time High School Sports Report All-State honoree. Additionally, she was named the 2010 1A/2A Region II Player of the Year. She led the team in goals scored in the 2008 and 2009 seasons and helped lead the Cavaliers to the State Championship in three of her four seasons. 

Following graduation, Alyssa went on to play soccer at Furman University, where she started 95% of her games over a four-year career. She was a two-time team captain, two-time team MVP, and a two-time Southern Conference All-Tournament honoree. She also received the 2014-2015 Furman Student Athlete Achievement Award.

Beyond her athletic achievements, Alyssa was also known for her leadership and service.  During her time at CCES, she served as Student Body President and was awarded both the Presidential Community Service Award and the Blair Babb Smoak Memorial Award. While completing medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina, she received the Rawling Pratt-Thomas Service and Leadership Award (2019). Russell Shelley, Alyssa’s 8th grade teacher and former club soccer coach, notes that Alyssa exemplified the "Cavalier Way" of character, community, excellence, and service. He described her as someone who “remains humble and grounded and always looks to bring people together and serve them.” 

Alyssa gave appreciation to her former teammates, coaches, friends and family for selflessly supporting her and keeping her grounded throughout the years. She reminisced on her memories from her time at CCES and explained that “those little moments culminated to the foundational experience that taught me lessons for life.” As she continues to live out her dreams as an orthopedic surgeon, she hopes to “continue to serve this community, and is honored to be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame, and to forever be a Cavalier.” 

 

Hunter Townes ’12

Hunter Townes was a four-sport athlete at CCES, competing in Varsity Golf (2008-2009), Varsity Basketball (2008-2010), Varsity Soccer (2009-2012), and Varsity Football (2009-2012). He was a member of the 2008 state champion golf team, a three-time state champion in soccer (2009-2011), and was voted Offensive Player of the Year for the 2010 soccer season. As the quarterback, kicker, and punter of the varsity football team, Hunter led them to their first state championship in 34 years (2011-2012 season) and was named the Region A South Carolina Player of the Year. Following high school, Hunter was recruited to play at Furman University where he would continue his football and academic career.

Hunter’s teammates speak highly of his leadership, competitive drive, and integrity. Blake Navarro ’12, a former classmate and football teammate, said, “you could always count on him both on and off the field, fostering camaraderie and unity that contributed immensely to our success.” Another teammate, Sam Bylenga ’12, described Hunter as the “spark plug” and “true anchor” of the team during difficult times in both basketball and soccer. Bennett Nalley ’12 added that Hunter’s leadership helped shape the culture of hard work and success that CCES football is still known for today.

Hunter called it “an honor” to be inducted, but more than that, a reminder of the people who helped him get here. He extended special thanks to his parents, coaches, and teammates for the support and for pushing him to be the best he could be every day. He reminisced, not on the statistics and victories, but on the early morning workouts, late night practices, the relationships that he built and still has today. Hunter concluded with his hope that he can “pay it forward and inspire the next generation of athletes” just like he was inspired at CCES. 

 

Hayden Latham ’11

Hayden Latham was a member of the Girls Varsity Basketball team for six years (2006-2011). She helped lead the girls’ basketball team to their first-ever state championship during the 2008-2009 season and their second-consecutive state championship the next season. She was the only 7th grader to earn a starting position on the team- a testament to her maturity and basketball skills, as noted by former teammate Katie Jackson ’10. Hayden’s individual awards include SC Coaches Association of Women’s Sports 1A Player of the Year, All-Region Player of the Year, Region 2A Female Athlete of the Year, and Greenville County Player of the Year. She also received numerous all-state, all-region, and all-county first-team selections from 2009-2011. Not only is she the first player in school history to score more than 2,000 career points but she also set sixteen individual school records including the most points in a single game (42), most points in a career (2,055), most field goals made in a career (728), and most steals in a season (127), among many others.

In addition to her great athletic success, Hayden was known for her incredible leadership and humility. Former teammate, Meaghan Carrigan Daniels ’13 recalls how Hayden “took the time to mentor me and helped me find my confidence in tight game situations.” Katie Jackson ’10, describes Hayden as an exemplary leader who welcomed everyone to the team and treated all her teammates with fairness. After graduation, she attended Yale University where she continued her academic and athletic career. Hayden then completed medical school at Columbia University and her OB/GYN residency at MUSC and is currently in the second year of a three-year Fellowship as a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellow at Baylor in Houston.

Hayden thanked her family, coaches, teammates, and Cavalier community, explaining that “I could not think of the sport without thinking about all of you and all that you have done for me.” She described how her former teammates and coaches have been with her throughout many different seasons of life, and she now considers them lifelong friends and mentors. She was honored to be inducted, especially alongside Hunter Townes and Alyssa Allhoff, as they were all in school together. She explained that Hunter and Alyssa are “a small sampling of the great community found at Christ Church.” 

 

Rodney Adamee 

Rodney Adamee coached Boys and Girls Cross Country and Track and Field for 33 years (1984-2018), earning numerous accolades and awards during his career. Under his leadership, Rodney’s teams won eight state championships in cross country and two in track along with numerous individual state champions. Rodney was inducted into the SC Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2011 and was also named the SC Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Coach of the Year numerous times, High School Sports Report Class A Boys Track Coach of the Year (2011 and 2014), and High School Sports Report Class A Girls Track Coach of the Year (2012). In addition, his teams have won multiple region championships and he was named Region Coach of the Year on several occasions.

More than his accolades, Coach Adamee is remembered for his passion, dedication, and care for his athletes. James Quattlebaum ’14 shared that Coach Adamee tremendously influenced his life, teaching him life lessons that he still relies on today. Coach Adamee’s dedication didn’t stop after James’ CCES graduation. During his college summer breaks and even post-college, Coach Adamee continued to help him train for the steeplechase. Caroline Jennings ’13 reminisced on how he planned training runs at fun new locations to keep practices interesting and coordinated post-practice pool parties to make summer training more bearable, both a testament to how “he truly went above and beyond in every capacity as a coach at CCES.” 

Charlie Woodward, current CCES boys cross country coach, assisted Coach Adamee for eleven seasons, from 2007-2017. Coach Woodward explained that “Rodney’s teams had a welcoming atmosphere that attracted students from all parts of the CCES student community and that while he could be gruff at times, he had a high level of empathy for students in difficult situations.” Woodward recalls that even though Adamee was already a successful coach, he continuously pursued coaching and running education for himself, making him a stellar “example to his runners of what it takes to strive for excellence.”

Coach Adamee thanked the CCES Athletic Administration, his fellow coaches, opposing coaches, and athletes for supporting him and making his coaching career both successful and really enjoyable. He explained that when he started his coaching career, he had never seen a track or cross-country meet, but it led to experiences and meeting people that impacted him greatly. Lastly, he thanked CCES for creating a “kind and intellectually stimulating workplace” that he, and his wife, enjoyed throughout their careers. 

Congratulations to our 2024 Sports Hall of Fame inductees! We are thrilled to be able to recognize all their immense athletic efforts and contributions to CCES Athletics and the larger school community. Their legacies continue to inspire and impact generations of Cavaliers.


 

Read More about CCES celebrates 2024 Sports Hall of Fame inductees
Finding Success Through Collaboration: Dorothy Shain's Message of Kindness and Connection
Ellie Dalkin, Director of Young Alumni Relations and Communications

Dorothy Shain ’08 embodies the saying, “practice what you preach.” During her visit to the Upper School on Monday, she delivered a message on the importance of being kind to everyone you meet and valuing relationships above making a dollar. It just takes one conversation with Dorothy to experience these values in practice firsthand. 

As Founder and Creative Director of Dorothy Shain Fine Art & Design, she has learned how to balance the demands of being both an entrepreneur and an artist. Funding future projects requires a sustainable revenue stream, which is where her creativity shines. She has discovered her niche in collaborative ventures, showcasing her artwork in diverse spaces, from the shelves full of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits in local grocery stores to the stylish confines of Anthropologie with her bathing suit collections. 

These collaborations would not be possible without the relationships that she has built along the way. In fact her “first big start” came from a conversation about her work with a stranger at a cheap Mexican restaurant in California. The stranger ended up being the assistant to famous actress and screenwriter, Mindy Kaling (best known in her role as Kelly Kapoor on The Office). In a decision showcasing her business prowess, Dorothy traded her artwork for publicity on Kelly’s Instagram page, resulting in thousands of visitors to her website overnight. Without curiosity and kindness, this life-changing moment would not have been possible. 

She shared lessons like this to the students in Sarah Teal’s Innovative Design Class, where students have the opportunity to brainstorm and create their own projects. Sitting around a table, students asked Dorothy questions ranging from “Do you have any pets?” to “How did you build your business?” She went through her website and expounded on some of her favorite projects. 

After class, she spoke at the beginning of the Upper School assembly. Reminiscing on her years at CCES, she shared a story on how this school community comforted her during a difficult time in her life. On the first day of senior year, Dorothy received a phone call from the police department. Her dad, who had embarked on a 1-hour short hike in the woods outside Lake Kiawah, was lost and his cell phone was about to die. As one day turned into three, her family anxiously awaited the return of her father in the parking lot outside of the trailhead. Looking around, Dorothy vividly remembers seeing multiple faculty, staff, and students waiting alongside her. She says, “This community supported me in one of my worst moments and has continued to support me throughout my life.” 

She also gave a shoutout to Suzanne Abrams, a beloved retired art teacher at CCES, who encouraged Dorothy to pursue an art major in college despite her self-described stubbornness. These relationships changed her life and showed her the importance of treating others with kindness and compassion. 

Following assembly, a line of students waited for the chance to shake her hand and ask her a question. She met each student with a warm smile and a generous spirit. Dorothy exemplifies the profound impact of nurturing relationships, embracing opportunities, and embodying the values one preaches, and we are so grateful to her for giving her time and talents back to the CCES community.

Read More about Finding Success Through Collaboration: Dorothy Shain's Message of Kindness and Connection
CCES Alumna, Kelly Gavron Scoggins '99, Posing with Her Husband and Three Children
Ellie Dalkin, Director of Young Alumni Relations & Communications

In June of 2017, Kelly Gavron Scoggins ’99 was scrolling through Instagram when she came across a friend’s comment on Bitty and Beau’s Coffee. Bitty and Beau’s Coffee first opened in Wilmington, NC in 2016 after founders Amy and Ben Wright saw a need for “people with disabilities to become more valued, accepted and included in every community.” According to their website, over 80% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities remain unemployed worldwide. Bitty and Beau’s Coffee employs individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to close this gap and more importantly create experiences for the average person to come in off the street, grab a cup of coffee, and interact with a person with a disability. After an amazing customer service experience, customers will then see what individuals with disabilities are capable of and potentially re-consider hiring practices within their own lines of work. Ultimately, Bitty and Beau’s hopes to create a ripple effect of change.

The social media post caught Kelly’s eye as she had recently found herself immersed in the world of disabilities. Kelly and her husband, Drew, had the surprise of their lives when they found out they were having twin girls as first-time parents. The surprises didn’t end there though. During her pregnancy, Kelly found out one of her girls, Kit, would be born with a myriad of health challenges including Down syndrome. When she researched the mission of Bitty and Beau’s, she was blown away – “the concept was so simple, yet so powerful.” Kelly and Drew poured time, money, and resources into Kit to help achieve her maximum potential; but they were faced with the honest question: “For what? What good would all the education and early intervention do if there are limited or no employment opportunities available to her as an adult?” Bitty and Beau’s Coffee provided a hopeful answer. 

Fast-forward six years and the Scoggins family opened the doors to their very own Bitty and Beau’s Coffee in Houston, Texas in January of last year. Opening a coffee shop had always been an interest of theirs after they spent several years in West Africa, where Drew worked in economic development. Kelly – a full-time investment advisor at Goldman Sachs – and Drew – founder of an energy company – never felt like the timing was quite right until discovering Bitty and Beau’s, whose mission connected with them on a deeper level. As a for-profit business, the coffee shop would utilize both Drew and Kelly’s gifts and past experiences. It was the right opportunity for the right people at the right time.

Prior to having Kit, Kelly and Drew had never met a person with Down syndrome. While  many people’s lives and families are touched by disability, equally as many are less familiar with this population. Kelly believes that Bitty and Beau’s Coffee reminds its customers that “we are often more similar than we are different.” Inside the shop, the coffee counter is open to encourage social interaction, and the coffee equipment is placed on the back counter rather than the front to provide a window for customers to watch the employees make their coffee. They hope people will come in for a cup of coffee and leave changed for the better. For new parents of children with disabilities, it serves as a beacon of hope. For those who may not interact with individuals with disabilities on a regular basis, the shop provides a comfortable, approachable environment for doing so. Upon reflecting on her own journey as a parent, Kelly said, “raising a child with a differing ability is hard – there are moments of extreme joy and there are challenges; but I firmly believe that Kit is an intentional gift from God.” For the Scoggins family, Bitty and Beau’s is a reminder of the broader purpose and goodness that comes through the challenges. 

The days leading up to opening day provided a beautiful glimpse into the “radically inclusive” community. Cheers abounded as Drew and Kelly announced every employee by name and handed out aprons to the new members of the team. The grins stretching from ear to ear on every new employee shed light on the restorative power of inclusivity. For many, this was their first job. Standing with her sister and brother, Kit watched as people like her regained their sense of purpose through meaningful work. On opening day, two-hour lines wrapped around the block all day. Fast forward and Bitty and Beau’s Houston just celebrated their one-year anniversary, and is proud that all 26 employees with disabilities originally hired are still with the shop today – a remarkable achievement. When Kit was first born, Kelly held onto a bit of wisdom from a friend – “Most of the world will look at Kit and see everything that she is not. But there will come a time when you look at her and only see everything that she is.” Kelly and Drew hope Bitty & Beau’s Coffee Houston is showing what Kit and people like her can offer the world, one customer at a time.

Have any recommendations for who we should spotlight from your class? Email the alumni office at alumni@cces.org. We would love to hear from you! 

Read More about REUNION SPOTLIGHT: KELLY (GAVRON) SCOGGINS ‘99 PROVIDES A CUP OF HOPE
CCES Alumni, Alison Bressler '09, Chelsea Moehlenbrock '09, and Melanie Stempel '09, Pose at Alison's Wedding
Ellie Dalkin, Director of Young Alumni Relations & Communications

“Man makes plans, and God laughs,” Alison Bressler ’09 quipped. Though her plans for the future might be ambiguous, her goals are clear – Alison wants to help the environment, challenge herself, and continually learn every day. Thus far, she is well on her way to achieving those goals. 

Alison’s interests in sustainability and environmental studies began at an early age. She credits the Roper Mountain Science Center’s summer camps for sparking her initial interest, and her teachers at CCES for fanning the flame. An IB student and an arts enthusiast, she believes this combination allowed her to think about what is important in life and what she wanted to do with her time. Helping the environment quickly became her answer. 

Her IB project was a particularly formative experience. She studied the impact of corn ethanol on the environment, and during her senior year, she helped build a rain garden, an environmentally friendly solution for managing storm water, to the left of the Upper School entrance. This experience cultivated her interest in sustainability, and Furman University presented a natural next step in furthering her education. 

The University partnered closely with the Greenville community at the time, particularly in the field of environmental sciences, and Alison quickly got involved. In researching the intersection between farming and agriculture, and its impact on water quality, she realized there was still quite a lot of work to be done in the field. Fast forward to the present day, and Alison now has a Master’s in Water and Wetland Resource Studies and more recently a PhD in Ecology from the University of Michigan. And yet, she still considers her job unfinished. 

Now, however, her work involves people more than petri dishes. She currently works at the University of Michigan’s Graham Sustainability Institute where policy and science come together to “bring world-class research to real-world sustainability challenges.” The state of Michigan, like all states, must meet national standards for its water quality, specifically the water quality of Lake Erie. Nutrient pollution has caused algae blooms in the lake, which harm the environment as well as the fishing and tourism industries in the area. It’s a multifaceted problem that requires buy-in from a wide variety of stakeholders to overcome. 

Enter Alison. As a Collaborative Research Specialist, she meets with the various parties (community groups, researchers, grassroots organizations, farmers, etc.) to educate, collaborate, and hopefully create long-lasting policy solutions to this problem. A job that requires not only strong people skills but credibility in the scientific community as well. “Environmental issues involve people 100% of the time,” she reflects. It also helps to have a PhD, so people trust that you know what you’re talking about, which is important when working with a room full of scientists. 

The University of Michigan uniquely offers an interdisciplinary PhD program, which drew Alison to the program and the area in the first place. Eight years later, Ann Arbor has become home. When she’s not cleaning up Lake Erie, Alison and her husband, Jake, enjoy the local standup comedy scene in the city. Though she’s no longer involved in theater due to her many commitments, she still is an avid fan of the arts, and Ann Arbor provides countless opportunities to be immersed in a vibrant cultural scene. 

One of her favorite places to go to watch shows is the local high school. Not only do they have high quality productions, but it brings back fond memories from her time in theater at CCES. She reminisced about one particular production she served as the stage manager for – Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco. “We were high schoolers doing this really cool thing by taking on a very serious and difficult show. It was very different from your typical high school play and we loved it.” 

Facing challenges head on is nothing new for Alison, and she welcomes the opportunity to choose the harder path over the easier one. When looking to the future, it seems likely that will never change. Her ultimate goal is to become a director of a sustainability research center, but she admits, “the path there is a little difficult.” For now, she is content in her current work and finds it challenging enough. “Working with people keeps you on your toes and doesn’t let you get complacent. I’m always asking for feedback and the field is constantly changing.” 

With Alison’s growth mindset and commitment to making the world a better place, her story serves as an inspiring testament to the transformative power of dedication, interdisciplinary learning, and a relentless pursuit of meaningful impact.

Have any recommendations for who we should spotlight from your class? Email the alumni office at alumni@cces.org. We would love to hear from you! 

Read More about REUNION SPOTLIGHT: ALISON BRESSLER, CLASS OF 2009
CCES Alumna, Caroline Vaughan Gross '14, Posing with CCES Alumna, Alexis Hinton Furman '10
Ellie Dalkin, Director of Young Alumni Relations & Communications

Mark your calendars for this year’s Reunion Weekend on April 6th, 2024! As we countdown to the celebration, we will be highlighting reunion celebrants from the classes of 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014. First off, we sat down with Caroline Vaughan Gross from the Class of 2014 to see what she has been up to!

Tell me a little bit about your work at CCES? What do you do here and how long have you been doing it?

I'm an occupational therapist at the Lower School. I work with kids primer through fourth grade, and I mainly focus on helping kids through daily activities during their school day - handwriting, fine motor skills, visual motor skills, and sensory processing skills (tools to help students focus). I really try to meet the specific needs of the student by working closely with the teachers. I started at CCES last year, when the school started a contract at the company that I work for, and I was immediately interested given my background as an alum here.

What’s your favorite part about it? 

Everything coming full circle. I was a 13-year vet and still have teachers that were here when I was a student here. Being back at the school also brings back so many memories, and I love getting to give back to the school that gave so much to me. 

You also have another job with another CCES alumna, tell me about that? 

Yes! This past spring, I started working in real estate after looking for something new to get outside of my comfort zone. I reached out to Alexis Hinton Furman ’10 who has worked in real estate for the past 7 years to see if she would ever need help or need an assistant. She immediately thought it was a great idea, so I got my real estate license and have been doing that part-time. It’s just the two of us, and we have a lot of fun together. 

Alexis was my cheerleading coach during my junior year and senior year of high school. I was also very good friends with her younger brother, so we’ve known each other for a long time. I think that’s why she jumped on board so quickly – she knew my work ethic and trusted me. We also knew our personalities wouldn’t clash. She’s been a mentor to me for a long time. 

You just joined the Alumni Association Board this year. What has it been like? Why did you choose to be on it? 

It’s been great - I have really enjoyed getting more involved. When I started working here, it helped me get involved with faculty and staff, but it’s been fun getting involved with other alumni and connecting with alumni of different ages. And also reconnect with old friends! For example, Kaytina Taylor Mills ’17 was also on the cheerleading squad and now we’re both on the board. 

Do you have fun memories specific to your class - the class of 2014? 

Hmmm there’s really so many. One that I haven’t thought about in a while is “Tootsie Time.” It was this random thing our class did with a Tootsie Roll outfit. Every Friday one of the guys would put it on and go around to the classrooms, interrupting class. Our class was so close - many of us were 13 year vets, so we grew up together. Even when we went to college, we stayed close and made a point to see each other. 

After college, everyone was living in separate places, but during COVID, everyone ended up back in Greenville. I think that’s a testament to the relationships that Christ Church builds that they have lasted this long. It’s also cool to see how people are still involved. My husband and a bunch of the guys who played football at CCES still go to the games, and some of them have talked to the current football team during their season. 

Any other fun updates?

I recently got married to Will Gross ’14! We’re about to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary. I started dating Will in high school during our junior year. We started out as best friends, and it was pretty classic that I was a cheerleader and he was a football player. When I started writing his number on my cheek at football games, that was the first sign that we were more than friends. Do kids still do that? We went to prom together both years and a funny memory is that we both got the “Best Looking” superlative.  

After CCES, we did long distance in college – Will was at UNC-Chapel Hill and I was at Clemson. We also did long-distance in grad school. After that, we both lived in Charlotte and then moved back to Greenville during the pandemic. 

Are you excited about your 10-year high school reunion in the spring?

I’m very excited for the reunion! I hope a lot of people will come. I’m excited that as a member of the alumni board, hopefully more people will get involved and come out to the events. 

Have any recommendations for who we should spotlight from your class? Email the alumni office at alumni@cces.org. We would love to hear from you! 

Read More about REUNION SPOTLIGHT: CAROLINE VAUGHAN GROSS, CLASS OF 2014
Former Teacher Barbara Carter Poses with Alumni President, Craig Ragsdale '99, after Receiving 2023 Mary B. Roper Distinguished Teacher Award
Ellie Dalkin, Director of Young Alumni Relations & Communications

During the Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, the current president of the CCES Alumni Association, Craig Ragsdale ’99, presented the annual alumni awards – the Mary B. Roper Distinguished Teacher Award and the Marguerite Ramage Wyche Alumni Service Award – to Barbara Carter and Katie Shaw Howell ’92 respectively. Below is an excerpt from his speech:

Mary B. Roper was a much beloved teacher who taught at CCES for three decades spanning from 1963 to 1987. The award honors a current or former faculty member who actively impacts the alumni community and exemplifies a sincere love for and devotion to the school. 

For the 2023 school year the Mary B. Roper Distinguished Teacher Award honors Barbara Carter. Having retired last May after 52 years at CCES, Barbara really needs no introduction. Whether you were here in the 70s or the early 2020s, Barbara was most likely a part of your time at CCES. If she was not teaching you literature or hammering home the definitions of countless SAT vocabulary words, she might have crossed your path along a different kind of journey.

Barbara will be the first to tell you that everything she did was because she loved her students. And that love didn’t stop once we left CCES. Barbara has always been that teacher who supports alumni and alumni events. She has always been one of the teachers traveling from reunion house to reunion house either in the school van or sometimes on her own. Most recently Barbara has championed “the Cavalier Alumni Bash,” not only with her attendance, but by encouraging both alumni and other former and current teachers to attend. 

As she is embracing her retirement, she has jumped into attending Golden Cavaliers, a group of former or retired CCES teachers who meet for lunch once a month at the Poinsett Club.  She is reaching out to other teachers to encourage them to come to keep this close knit group together.

In the spring issue of Highlights, after pages of memories shared by generations of Cavalier alumni, Barbara shared what was most rewarding about being a teacher. She said: “When students come back and you see them grow up and become real people and you’ve had a part in that.”

Well, here we are, Barbara, a room full of grownups, and we would like to present you with this award.  

Let’s all congratulate and share our great gratitude for Barbara!  

Now I would like to present the Marguerite Ramage Wyche Alumni Service Award. Marguerite Ramage and her siblings all attended CCES. She was the class of ’65, her brother Ray, the Class of ’68, and Martha Louise, who graduated in 1981. It was that same year that Marguerite created the CCES Alumni Association. 

In honor of Marguerite’s passion for CCES and its alumni, the Marguerite Ramage Wyche Alumni Service Award is given to an alumna or alumnus who embodies the CCES value of service to the school or in his or her community.

Tonight, I am very proud to present the 2022-2023 Marguerite Ramage Wyche Alumni Service Award to Katie Shaw Howell. As a graduate of the Class of 1992, Katie embodied her “Best All Around” Senior Superlative.  She served as the Senior Editor of the Delphian, on the Hellenian Staff, the Cavalier Express Staff as well as on Altar Guild.  And of course her talents extended into athletics playing both Varsity Basketball and Varsity Softball.  She dove into student council as Vice President and represented her fellow classmates as Chair of the Honor Council during her senior year. 

She and her husband Rob have three Cavaliers – Mills, Class of 23; Robert, Class of 26, and Tee, Class of 29. And, as you might imagine, Katie has been just as involved here at CCES.

As Cary Weekes shared in her nomination of Katie:

Katie is a selfless giver of her time and energies to CCES. She served on the Parents Panel for many years, chairing at least a division, if not the entire Parents’ Org. She also served on community matters, as well as many other roles within the Parents Panel. She is a tireless devotee of the arts at CCES, giving countless hours of her time around the musicals and plays. She has also served on the Board of Trustees for the past 6 years where she has served as Chair of the Advancement Committee and Secretary of the board as well as other committee placements. She is currently co-chairing the Build for the Future Campaign that will transform the campus with the additions of needed projects and infrastructure.

Katie’s involvement at CCES over the past 10+ years is demonstrative of the values of Community, Character, Excellence, and Service she learned as a 13 year vet.

Congratulations Katie on this well-deserved honor!

Read More about MARY B. ROPER DISTINGUISHED TEACHER AWARD & MARGUERITE RAMAGE WYCHE ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD GIVEN TO BARBARA CARTER AND KATIE SHAW HOWELL '92
College-Signing-Day_2024_BSJ02386.jpg
class of 2024 at college signing day