Stories from the Ridge, The McCallie Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Two Prominent Alumni Share Stories of McCallie -- and Life Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

Two Alumni Share their Stories -- Two prominent McCallie alumni -- Sam Balloff '41 -- who just turned 100 -- and Don Welch '58, share wonderful stories about their lives and their days on the Ridge. For more expanded versions of these interviews, visit McCallie's podcast page: www.mccallie.org/podcast

2023 Fall Sports Preview Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

The 2023 fall sports season at McCallie is already underway and will get in full swing in early September with several of the varsity teams setting their sights on championship trophies. In this episode of Stories From theRidge, Mark Wiedmer '76 of the Communications Department is joined by Kenny Sholl in his new position of Executive Director of Athletics and Special Assistant to the Head of School, as they talk with Football Coach Ralph Potter, Cross Country Coach Mike Wood, Golf Coach Rob Riddle, and Crew Coach Sean McCourt as they share their expectations and some of their coaching philosophies.

Head of School Opening Talk August 16 2023 Aug 18, 2023

Show notes

Head of School Lee Burns ’87 welcomes 977 students to the 119th school year at McCallie School.

Audrey Smith discusses her two decades of fun at McCallie Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

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 Top Administrators Discuss McCallie Careers and Their Upcoming Moves to Other Positions Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

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.

McCallie administrators discuss the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence May 17, 2023

Show notes

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.

Spring Sports Preview – Coaches of Spring Varsity Sports Discuss The Upcoming Season Mar 13, 2023

Show notes

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

Boomerang Boarders – A Discussion Among Boarding Alumni Who Live in Chattanooga Feb 24, 2023

Show notes

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.

The storied history of McCallie's Dr Pepper Classic Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

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 Role of Men in Today's Culture Jan 25, 2023

Show notes

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."

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Stories from the Ridge, The McCallie Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected