Stories From The Ridge, The Mccallie Podcast

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 chal

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’ bo

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

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.

Recent graduates David Dalton '22 and Rowdy Stephens '22 talk with Skip Brock '68 about their shared passion for cars and racing. The discussion is hosted by the Director of Digital Communications Deanna Luna, of McCallie's Communications and Marketing Department. In August 2021, David and Rowdy expressed an interest in re-restarting a car club at McCallie, and serendipitously, alumnus and Board of Trustees member Skip Brock had expressed an interest in working with students on building a race car. Thus began a year-long collaboration. In the episode, the students discuss their process for building the car, including meticulously documenting each step, as well as their first foray into taking the car for a spin on a track.

In this edition of Stories from the Ridge, Head of School Lee Burns ’87, talks with two of McCallie’s most respected teachers, Chet LeSourd ’72 and Bob Bires. Mr. LeSourd will retire at the end of May after 43 years on the Ridge, and Mr. Bires retired two years during the first phase of the COVID pandemic when the school was in lockdown and it was impossible to give him a proper send-off. Prior to recording the podcast on May 16, 2022, Mr. LeSourd gave his final Upper School Chapel talk as a member of the faculty, an event attended by many former teachers who worked with Mr. LeSourd over the years. A video of that Chapel talk can be viewed here.

The latest edition of Stories from the Ridge features the new Head of School at GPS, Megan Cover, in a conversation with McCallie’s Head of School Lee Burns ’87. The two discuss the special relationship of McCallie and GPS and share ideas for enhancing some coordinate programs in the future. And Ms. Cover shares with the McCallie community the story of her professional career, from a French/German teacher in Philadelphia to the head of one of the nation’s top girls’ schools.

With the varsity baseball stadium being named the Kenny Sholl Stadium, and the dugouts being named for Hank Hopping and Bill Eiselstein, the three titans of McCallie baseball sat down on a recent spring afternoon as the baseball team was practicing and shared their thoughts and stories about baseball at McCallie. Steve Hearn ’74, Vice President of Advancement, hosts the discussion, which is full of laughs and wonderful memories.

Ranked as the top high school team in the nation, McCallie’s Blue Tornado Tennis Team is off to a great start this year. Head of School Lee Burns ’87 and Varsity Tennis Coach Jeff Clark ’91 recently sat down to discuss the number one ranking and the team’s prospects, and that lively, informative discussion is available in the latest edition of McCallie’s Stories from the Ridge podcast series. The two, who were both top-level tennis players at McCallie to discuss the 2022 team, its season so far and the prospects for the remainder of the season, and they recall other great McCallie tennis teams (such as the top-ranked 1977 team) as well as their own tennis careers. The podcast was recorded on March 23, 2022.

McCallie School is a place in which boys are comfortable, and one of the duties of teachers is to make them uncomfortable. That is what creates learning and growth, and it is something done with care and intention. That’s one of the many observations about McCallie’s academic program made on a podcast featuring three top administrators – Head of School Lee Burns ’87, Assistant Head of School Kenny Sholl, and Dean of Faculty and Curriculum Sumner McCallie – that discusses the school’s faculty and academic program.  The informative and entertaining discussion of the academic program is the conclusion of a series of podcasts that examine McCallie’s eight academic departments. (Those podcasts can be found below.) Mr. Burns, Mr. Sholl, and Mr. McCallie discuss the departmental podcasts, play short clips, and tie them into the objectives and practices of teachers on the Ridge. They discuss how the curriculum and the teaching styles of faculty members are balanced between the strong traditions of McCallie and t

McCallie’s innovative Tornado Term, which allows Upper School students to take a deep dive into special interests or topics over a two-week period every January, has become one of the most popular parts of the school’s curriculum. In the latest episode of McCallie’s Stories from the Ridge podcast series, that topic is discussed, especially the most recent T-Term (as it is informally called). In the podcast, Chris Carpenter ’96, Dean of Student Academics, who oversees the T-Term program, discusses the concept and implementation of T-Term with Spanish Teacher Chip Arnold ’90, who leads a T-Term course on Southern rock music, and students Joseph Mason ’22, who served an internship in cybersecurity, and Harry Carter ’24, who participated in the Horsemanship class.

Stevie Ray Dallimore, Director of Theater at McCallie, will head to New York in the next few days where he will be the understudy for actor Daniel Craig in the upcoming Broadway production of Macbeth, directed by Sam Gold. In this episode of Stories from the Ridge, Mr. Dallimore discusses his role as understudy, what it entails, and how he got the offer. He also reflects on his nine years leading McCallie’s theater department and how that experience has helped him as an actor. He plans to return to the Ridge once the show ends its 15-week run.

The many and varied music offerings, from the pep band to private vocal lessons, is the topic of the latest in a series of podcasts examining McCallie’s academic departments. Michael Ake, Chair of the Music Department sits down with Sumner McCallie, Dean of Faculty and Curriculum, to discuss the various offerings and objectives of the department. Mr. Ake uses the annual Christmas performance known as Candlelight to highlight the many aspects of the Music Department, and how practice, practice, practice, results in outstanding performances by groups as varied as handbells, the McCallie/GPS Chorus, and classical guitars.