Stories from the Ridge, The McCallie Podcast

Audrey Smith, who, as Director of Events – or as she calls it, Director of Fun –  has worked with hundreds of alumni and friends of McCallie on events such as Reunion Weekends and class gatherings, has retired. Her last day at McCallie was June 30, but before leaving campus, she sat down in the podcast studio and talked about her career on the Ridge. Joined by Steve Hearn '74, Vice President of Advancement, Smith shares stories and her perspective on her job.  In the podcast, Smith and Hearn are joined by Chair of the Board of Trustees Gary Welch '87 and Nick Wilkinson '96 who have worked closely with Smith on special events.

Two of McCallie’s most prominent and respected administrators have announced that they will be transitioning to other posts for the 2023-24 school year.  Kenny Sholl, who presently serves as Assistant to the Head of School, and Steve Hearn ‘74, Vice President for Advancement, have announced that they will step down from those positions at the end of this school year. Mr. Sholl will become Executive Director of Athletics and Special Assistant to the Head of School, and Mr. Hearn will become a traveling ambassador for McCallie, visiting alumni and friends of the school, keeping them informed and connected to McCallie. Although the two will still have important administrative roles, their transitions from their present jobs have given them – and Head of School Lee Burns ’87 – an opportunity to reflect on their storied careers at McCallie and to look ahead at the future they have set for themselves and their school.   That’s the theme of an uplifting conversation among the three – the latest edition of McCallie’s Stories from the Ridge podcast series.   The podcast features a lot of genuine reflection on the character and soul of McCallie students and alumni, plus a fair amount of good-natured ribbing among the three colleagues, showing their friendship and comradery.

As access to new artificial intelligence (AI) programs, such as ChatGPT, make their way into the academic arena, many educators, especially those in middle and high schools, are becoming concerned about AI’s dangers to student learning and the threat of plagiarism. But McCallie School sees many positive benefits to the program for both students and teachers. That’s one of the many insights on the rise of AI programs that the school’s administrators discuss in the latest edition of Stories from the Ridge, McCallie’s podcast series. In this podcast, Head of School Lee Burns '87, Upper School Principal Hank Hopping and Dean of Faculty and Curriculum Sumner McCallie each offer their views on how AI can be a valuable resource for students and faculty, helping them expand and refine the learning experience. However, they also make it clear that lines must be drawn so that students and parents understand the appropriate uses of AI. 

With a legacy of state and regional championships to live up to, McCallie’s 2023 spring athletic season is promising to be one of the best in many years. That’s the predictions of the coaches who will lead six varsity teams this season. In this episode of Stories from the Ridge, the coaches – Mike Wood of Track and Field, Tim Costo of Baseball, Sean McCourt of Crew (Rowing), Eamon Thornton ’02, Lacrosse, Chris Cushenbery of Soccer, and Jeff Clark ’91, Tennis – discuss their upcoming seasons, their coaching philosophies, and share some thoughts on championship rings, after-game meals, and other insider details. The discussions are hosted by Mark Weidmer ’76, of McCallie’s Marketing and Communications Office. For those seeking specific sports, the following is a rough timeline: Mike Wood, Track and Field: 2:22 Jeff Clark, Tennis: 11:32 Tim Costo, Baseball: 20:22 Eamon Thornton, Lacrosse: 29:42 Chris Cushenbery, Soccer: 42:28 Sean McCourt, Rowing: 57:06

In the 1990s, at the 90th birthday party for Chalmers MacIllwaine ’21, a group of McCallie boarding alumni who had returned to Chattanooga as graduates to live and raise their families, started an informal gathering, which they called Boomerang Boarders. The group has grown to more than 100, and continues to gather on campus to catch up with each other, renew friendships, and welcome new Boomerangers. In this edition of Stories from the Ridge, four of those Boomerang Boarders, Henry Hennegar ’57, Drew Read ’89, John Ashe ’91, and Peterson Hostetler ’02, share their stories about the Boomerangers and recall life as boarders in their various decades. They are joined by Steve Hearn ‘74, Vice President for Advancement.

McCallie's Dr Pepper Classic, now in its eighth year, has quickly become a wintertime tradition on campus and part of the school’s unique culture. In this podcast, former Head Basketball coach John Shulman discusses the history of the showcase and shares some of his favorite stories. He is joined by Audrey Smith, Director of Events, who has helped bring all the hundreds of pieces of the event together into a fun-filled weekend for players and spectators alike, and Mark Wiedmer, a member of McCallie’s Communications Department, who as a sports columnist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press has written extensively about the event and the participants who have now moved on to NBA and elite college careers. More information about the Classic can be found here. 

The changing role of men in today’s culture and how boys and men adjust to the challenges it presents is the topic of the latest edition of McCallie School’s podcast, Stories From The Ridge. In this informative discussion, Head of School Lee Burns ’87, is joined by David Thomas, Director of Family Counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, and Glenn Breazeale, Director of Alpine Camp for Boys in Mentone, Alabama, to discuss the issues boys and men are facing in the post-COVID world. They continue the conversation begun in a December 2022, podcast with Richard Reeves of the Brookings Institute, discussing his new book, “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to do About it.” As Mr. Burns explains, the discussion with Dr. Reeves was the “30,000-foot view” of issues facing boys and men, and this latest discussion is from the ground-level. “These gentlemen have daily experiences dealing with boys and how they are struggling with – and yes, overcoming – the challenges of today’s world."

The winter sports season at McCallie is already underway and will get in full swing in early January with several of the six varsity teams setting their sights on championship trophies. In this episode of Stories From the Ridge, Mark Wiedmer '76 of the Communications Department talks with the six varsity coaches about the winter season. They share their expectations and some of their coaching philosophies.

When McCallie student Jonathan Manta ’23 began working on a history project on the 1954 murder of Emmitt Till last spring, he discovered how McCallie School “connections” can literally bring history to life. That’s the topic of this moving podcast discussion of how McCallie alumnus Jason Walker ’92, arranged an interview for Jonathan with Mr. Walker’s father-in-law, who was Emmitt Till’s cousin, neighbor and close friend. The podcast features Jonathan, Mr. Walker, and McCallie History teacher Dr. Duke Richey ’86 discussing details of the tragic murder of 14-year-old Emmitt Till, as well as details of how Jonathan’s award-winning history project was developed.

Not only is he the Chief of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and is recognized as one of the nation’s top neurologists, Dr. Jay Wellons, a 1987 graduate of McCallie, is now a best-selling author. His book, All that Moves Us: A Pediatric Neurosurgeon, His Young Patients, And Their Stories of Grace and Resilience, was released to positive reviews and strong sales this fall. In November, Dr. Wellons visited McCallie for the first time in several years, meeting students in English and Science classes as well as speaking in Chapel. He also took time to record a podcast with his fellow ’87 classmate, Head of School Lee Burns. The two talk about Dr. Wellons’ two careers as a surgeon and a writer and about how much Christian Grace has played in those careers. The podcast is the latest episode of McCallie’s Stories from the Ridge podcast series.  Also, Dr. Wellons’ Chapel talk can be viewed here and a news story on his visit to campus can be read here. Dr. Wellons’ book, All that Moves Us: A Pediatric Neurosurgeon, His Young Patients, And Their Stories of Grace and Resilience, published by Random House, is available from all major booksellers.

Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What To Do About It, by Dr. Richard Reeves, was released earlier this fall to strong positive reviews. New York Times Columnist David Brooks said the book “is a landmark, one of the most important books of the year, not only because it is a comprehensive look at the male crisis, but also because it searches for the roots of that crisis and offers solutions.” Dr. Brooks, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, discusses the book and some of his recommendations in the latest edition of McCallie’s “Stories from the Ridge” podcast series. Head of School Lee Burns '87 is joined by former McCallie administrator, Troy Kemp, who is now an administrator at the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, in discussing issues facing boys and men in today’s world. The informative discussion ranges from how boys learn and how their minds develop to questions of “toxic masculinity,” the changing role of fatherhood, and why there is a dearth of academic research into issues of males and maleness.

David Magee, author of the national bestseller memoir Dear William, a nationally recognized motivational speaker and parent of two McCallie alumni, returned to campus in late October to speak to students and parents. His presentations recounted the death of William, class of 2008, to drugs, his other son, Hudson’s (class of 2010) struggles and recovery, and his family’s establishment of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at the University of Mississippi. During his visit to McCallie and GPS, Mr. Magee sat down in McCallie’s podcast studio with Head of School Lee Burns ’87 and Director of Counseling Joel Coffman to discuss the death of his son and his family’s steps toward recovery and helping others who are struggling with addiction. His powerful story is now available as the latest edition of McCallie’s Stories from the Ridge podcast series. 

Trey Tucker '98, Associate Director of Counseling and English Teacher, recently surpassed one million followers on his TikTok account in which he provides short inspirational guidance on improving one's mental health and well-being. In the latest edition of our Stories From the Ridge podcast, Mr. Tucker discusses with Upper School Principal Hank Hopping how he has used a social media site that often is criticized as a platform for well-being and growth. He also has branched out into Instagram and YouTube. In this discussion, Mr. Tucker and Mr. Hopping also discuss McCallie's counseling program and how students are coping with the stresses of the post-COVID school experience. The podcast can be heard below or by searching for "McCallie Stories from the Ridge" on most podcast platforms. Links for Mr. Tucker's social media accounts are: TikTok Instagram YouTube

In this podcast, Sumner McCallie, Dean of Faculty and Curriculum, who administers the summer travel grant program, talks with three faculty members about their travel experiences last summer. Adam Tolar '96, Michael McCallie, and Will Givens share some wonderful stories, but more importantly, they share how the summer travel grants enabled them to return to the classroom this fall with new ideas and new inspirations.

The fall sports season is already shaping up as a strong one as two teams, football and cross country, are trying for record four-in-a-row state championships, and the other two, golf and rowing are promising strong, competitive seasons. Coaches from the four fall sports recently sat down with Mark Wiedmer ’76, a new member of McCallie’s Communications staff, to discuss the upcoming season. Head Football Coach Ralph Potter '81, Cross Country Coach Mike Wood, Golf Coach Rob Riddle, and Assistant Rowing Coach Paul Marrion, share their perspectives on the season, which is already underway, and recall some past teams as well. And they share their coaching philosophies, as well as which restaurants the students like to visit after a victory.