News

Featured

Howalt Hall Dedication Marks New Era for Boarding at Baylor

Barbara Kennedy

Sep 20 2023 8:40 AM

Updated Sep 21 2023 12:06 PM

In preparation for an expansion of its boarding enrollment in the coming years, Baylor School dedicated the new Howalt Hall dormitory on Wednesday, Sept. 20.

Baylor Board Chair Alexis Guerry Bogo '89 celebrates with Head of School Chris Angel '89, Trustee Chip Howalt '85, and his wife, Cindy Howalt

In preparation for an expansion of its boarding enrollment in the coming years, Baylor School dedicated the new Howalt Hall dormitory on Wednesday, Sept. 20, ushering in a new era for the school's boarding program.

The event comes on the heels of opening the 2023-24 school year with a record enrollment of 220 boarding students from 19 countries and 26 states. The school’s total enrollment for grades 6-12 is 1,080.

Since 2017, applications for Baylor’s boarding program have increased significantly and in 2022, the school outlined plans to increase boarding enrollment to 250 students in the coming years. “The number of students in the Residential Life program for the 2022-23 school year was limited to 200 boarders due to current program and facility resources, said Head of School Chris Angel ’89. “With the start of the 2023-24 academic year we are celebrating our 131st year as a college preparatory school and have opened with record boarding enrollment. We are excited to be in a position of growth.”

Baylor School Trustee Chip Howalt ’85 and his wife, Cindy, made the lead gift to support the growth of Baylor’s boarding program through on-campus renovations and new faculty town homes and apartments. Howalt Hall, which originally opened in the fall of 1954 as Lupton Annex and contained a combination of classrooms and faculty apartments, is now home to 23 boarding students and two faculty families.

Howalt is president and COO at Textile Rubber Chemical Company in Dalton, Ga. and attended Baylor as a boarding student from 1983 to 1985.

In addition to increasing the dormitory capacity, the construction of seven new townhomes is underway to accommodate an increase in the number of faculty living on campus to support the number of students living on campus. “As we grow our boarding enrollment it is critically important to provide the best possible dorm faculty support for students in our Residential Life program,” said Angel.

Howalt Hall is one of seven dorms on campus and the first to be built since 2009. "Throughout history, this community has also benefited from the contributions of individuals and families who deeply valued their Baylor experience," Angel said in his remarks at the ribbon cutting. "This rich tradition of giving back and paving the way for current and future students is quite possibly as characteristic to Baylor School as is our beautiful campus, our dedicated faculty, and our unmatched school spirit. The family names on our dormitories and other buildings and fields – and even classrooms-- represent some of the most supreme feelings of gratitude and most significant acts of generosity in our school’s history."

**Baylor School Trustee Chip Howalt ’85 and his wife, Cindy, made the lead gift in the campaign to grow Baylor's boarding program to 250.**

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to LinkedIn Share to Pinterest Share to Email

Baylor Lacrosse Clinic to Feature Former NCAA, PLL, and MLL legends

Barbara Kennedy

Sep 6 2023 11:29 AM

Updated Sep 12 2023 1:03 PM

Matt Danowski, one of the best players in the history of NCAA lacrosse and current assistant coach for his alma mater Duke Blue Devils, and Joey Sankey, who finished his career as the all-time points leader in UNC history, will be leading a day-long boys lacrosse clinic and showcase at Baylor School on Saturday, Oct. 14.

Baylor School's Stars in the South lacrosse clinic and showcase is designed for experienced players ages 8-18. Click here for more information, or to register.

Danowski played professional lacrosse for over a decade after his Tewaaraton Award-winning collegiate career, during which he set the all-time NCAA points record. He enters his 12^th season on the Duke staff, where his father, John Danowski has served as head coach since 2007. After his esteemed career at UNC, Sankey played professional lacrosse from 2015-2020 and now runs Team 11 lacrosse, an elite club in the Philadelphia-area. Charles Giunta, the defensive coordinator at NCAA Division I Fairfield University in Fairfield, Conn.; Nick Hreshko, the assistant coach for NCAA Division I Monmouth University in New Jersey; and Riley White, an All-American goalie on Cabrini University's 2019 D-III national championship-winning team, round out the instructional staff for the clinic.

Baylor's varsity lacrosse coach Tyler White, a highly accomplished former collegiate player and coach himself at Dickinson College (Penn.), said high level skills and modern concepts will be taught by some of the greatest minds in the sport today. “The goal of our clinic and showcase is to provide boys lacrosse players of all ages with the resources to vastly improve their game in just one day. It is rare that boys in growing hot beds in the south are exposed to this caliber of talent and knowledge. Our showcase will also provide high school players the opportunity to get in front of top college coaches on a personal level,” said White.

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to LinkedIn Share to Pinterest Share to Email

Eleven Seniors Earn National Merit Honors

September 19, 2023 12:38 PM

Updated September 21, 2023 8:55 AM

Eleven Baylor seniors have been named award winners in the 69^th National Merit Scholarship Program.

Pictured, (front row, left to right) are Julia McCracken, Annie Marks, Rachel Chen, Angela Yoon, Ella Marks, and VA Polk; (back row, left to right) Cecelia Yuan, Mazie Mitchem, Oliver Nimon, Brennan Buzinkai, and Luke Thompson.

Eleven Baylor seniors have been named award winners in the 69^th National Merit Scholarship Program by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

Rachel Chen and Angela Yoon have been named semifinalists, based on their performance as juniors on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Of the 1.5 million students who took the test in 2022, Chen and Yoon were among the 16,000 highest scorers nationwide. They will have the opportunity to continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships that will be offered next spring.

In addition, nine seniors have been named NMSC Commended Students, all of whom placed among the top 34,000 scorers throughout the U.S. and were recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Baylor’s Commended Students are Brennan Buzinkai, Annie Marks, Ella Marks, Julia McCracken, Mazie Mitchem, Oliver Nimon, VA Polk, Luke Thompson, and Cecelia Yuan.

**Rachel Chen and Angela Yoon have been named National Merit Semifinalists**

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to LinkedIn Share to Pinterest Share to Email

Baylor Choir Director Vincent Oakes Receives Holmberg Award

September 4, 2023 2:57 PM

Updated September 4, 2023 2:57 PM

Baylor School Choir Director and Fine Arts Department Chair Vincent Oakes is a recipient of the 2023 Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Award presented by ArtsBuild.

Baylor School Choir Director and Fine Arts Department Chair Vincent Oakes is a recipient of the 2023 Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Award presented by ArtsBuild, along with Dr. Roland Carter, and former Baylor parents Peggy Wood Townsend and Stan Townsend.

According to an ArtsBuild statement, the annual award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts in Chattanooga and who are actively engaged in the cultural life of our community and exemplify ArtsBuild’s mission to build a stronger community through the arts as demonstrated by their significant contributions to the arts and their leadership.

"We are extremely fortunate to have a faculty member of Vic's caliber here at Baylor, said Head of School Chris Angel '89. "His continuous encouragement of our students and faculty as well as his boundless energy and positivity make him the perfect recipient of this award. Congratulations to Vic for this prestigious award!

Oakes has served as Baylor's director of choral music since 2006 and in 2015, he was awarded Baylor's Glenn Ireland Chair for Distinguished Teaching. He is also entering his 20th year as artistic director of the Chattanooga Boys Choir, which includes over 120 choir members ages eight-18 in five ensembles, and has performed and toured extensively. He has received numerous awards for teaching and service. An advocate for arts education, choral and community partnerships, Vincent has founded several initiatives in the Tennessee Valley region. He holds a bachelor of music education degree from the University of Florida and a master of sacred music degree in choral conducting from Emory University.

The first Arts Leadership Award in 2014 recognized business leader and philanthropist Ruth Holmberg (mother of Arthur Golden '74)for her extraordinary support of the arts and cultural community in Chattanooga over 70 years. Since 2014, the annual award has honored Holmberg with her name.

Ruth Holmberg Leadership Award Event: Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023 at 8 p.m.

Facility: UTC Fine Arts Center - Hayes Concert Hall

Buy Tickets

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to LinkedIn Share to Pinterest Share to Email

Class of 2024 Red Blazer Ceremony

August 30, 2023 10:06 AM

Updated August 30, 2023 1:36 PM

The 182 members of the Class of 2024 received their red blazers in an annual ceremony that took place in The Quad on Aug. 30.

Throughout Baylor’s history, students at various times have worn jackets or blazers as part of a uniform for the school. This tradition took many forms during the military days. After the school discontinued the military program in 1971, students continued to wear a variety of similar blazers - some of these were red, some were navy, some were grey. At one point, all students began wearing red blazers before the tradition faded away.

The Class of 2014 revived the tradition during a dress code committee. The goal was to have something distinctive that showed pride in their school. "After much debate and discussion, we decided to bring back red blazers, but only for seniors," said Shaw Wilson '84, assistant head of school.

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to LinkedIn Share to Pinterest Share to Email

New Jumbotron and Live Stream Broadcast Open 2023 Football Season

August 18, 2023 2:46 PM

Updated August 25, 2023 3:19 PM

Local sportscasting veterans Jim Reynolds and Craig Cecil are teaming up to provide play-by-play and color commentary. WATCH THE LIVE STREAMING HERE.

Pre-Game Begins at 7 p.m. Kick-off is at 7:30 p.m.
WATCH THE LIVE STREAMING HERE.

Friday night lights are shining even brighter at Heywood Stadium with the installation of a new LED video display that is one of the largest to be installed at a high school. Completed this week, the new display board measures 46x25 feet and will be enhanced by new loudspeakers and stadium lighting.

“This will be a great addition to the fan experience and will amp up the already electric atmosphere of a Friday night game in Heywood, said Head of School Chris Angel ’89, adding that the board will have other purposes such as showing movies for the student body and Baylor’s residential life community.

Utah-based Revel Media Group, a company specializing in large format LED boards is providing the technology behind the display while local businessman Gary Bumgarner built the structure. Bumgarner’s construction company specializes in building large video displays and scoreboards at professional and college sports venues, including the 360 Jumbotron for Super Bowl 56, LSU football, the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Hawks, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Tennessee, among many others.

“It has been quite a number of years since we installed a new scoreboard at Heywood Stadium,” said Baylor Athletic Director Mark Price. “We are proud to be able to enhance our fan experience with such a robust digital video board. It is a great addition not only for the stadium, but for our entire campus.”

Local Sportscasting Veterans Team Up for Live Stream

Local sportscasting veterans Jim Reynolds and Craig Cecil are teaming up to provide play-by-play and color commentary for Baylor School’s live stream broadcasts for the 2023 football season.

Broadcasts will air beginning 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 when the Red Raiders take on the Rabun Gap Eagles. Kick-off is at 7:30 p.m. WATCH THE LIVE STREAMING HERE.

Reynolds is entering his 43rd year as the football and basketball play-by-play voice of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs. He is a member of the UTC Hall of Fame (2002), Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame (2007), and the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame (2017). In addition to his work with UTC, Reynolds serves as co-host on the morning radio program on WGOW-FM. He has also broadcast Chattanooga Lookouts baseball and the High School football Game of the Week in Chattanooga.

Cecil is also no stranger to high school football and brings more than 30 years of experience in sports broadcasting. A graduate of The University of Houston with a degree in Radio and Television Communication, he began his career with The Houston Oilers and then moved into the position of television sports anchor in Lufkin, Texas. In 1995 he joined the sports anchor team at WRCB-TV 3 where he was the weekend anchor for six years. He has been broadcasting high school football games in the Chattanooga area since 1995.

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to LinkedIn Share to Pinterest Share to Email

Baylor's 2023-24 Round Table Members Selected

August 18, 2023 9:52 AM

Updated August 28, 2023 4:50 PM

Fourteen members of Baylor's Class of 2024 have been selected into the school's prestigious literary organization.

Round Table members for 2023-24 are (pictured, front row, left to right) Mazie Mitchem, Abby Murchison, KD Kimrey, Sara Catherine Bradshaw, Loren Puchalski, Skylar Schwartz, and Mary Evelyn Pearce; (back row, left to right) Angela Yoon, Pierce Grantham, Finley Roland, Riley Barford, and Anders Johnson. (Not pictured) Mae Bender, Theo Desroches

Fourteen members of Baylor's Class of 2024 have been selected into the school's prestigious Round Table literary discussion group. They will convene Monday, Sept. 11 for a discussion of King Lear led by retired Latin instructor Floyd Celapino. The faculty advisor is English instructor Heather Ott.

The Round Table was organized at Baylor in the fall of 1942 by faculty member James Pennington and the first meeting was a dinner session held in Guerry Hall on Nov. 17, 1942.

Being selected for the Round Table is considered to be one of the school's highest honors.

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to LinkedIn Share to Pinterest Share to Email