Stories From The Ridge, The Mccallie Podcast

“We’ve been given so much more than we’ve given” is the way Kathaleen Hughes describes the 57 combined years that she and her husband, David, have spent at McCallie. To mark their retirement, the Hughes sat down in the podcast studio with Head of School Lee Burns and shared memories and fun stories of their time on the Ridge.

Steve Hearn '74 jokes that he has been associated with McCallie School in some capacity for more than seven decades. In this edition of Stories from the Ridge, Mr. Hearn, Senior Vice President for Advancement and longtime Director of Admissions, talks with Head of School Lee Burns about his time at McCallie, shares fun and touching stories, and discusses his plans for retirement in Sweetwater, Tennessee, with his wife Denise. (For listeners who may not be familiar with all the names mentioned in this podcast, a list can be found here (link).

This edition of Stories from the Ridge features a livelyroundtable discussion hosted by Executive Athletic Director Kenny Sholl. He is joined by Senior Associate Athletic Director Jeff Romero and Communications Writer Mark Wiedmer ’76 as they chatt about the latest TSSAA transfer rules, the success and challenges in the spring sports lineup, and the upcoming Spring Fling, the state athletic championships. This discussion was recorded May 19, 2025.

McCallie School’s international travel opportunities have expanded significantly over the past few years, with the goal of making at least one travel venture a part of every student’s McCallie experience. In this episode of Stories from the Ridge, students Alex Hyde ’25 and Asa Hedrick ’27, discuss withteachers and tour leaders Frank Watkins and Will Honeycutt recent trips they took and how those trips opened their eyes and their minds to how they see and relate to people from other countries and cultures. Sumner McCallie, Dean ofFaculty and Curriculum, hosts the discussion.

Over the past year, as McCallie School begins to examine itsneed for new academic space on campus, a group of teachers visited schools throughout the nation to see how they design and use academic and common spaces. In this edition of Stories from the Ridge, Drew Read, Chief Development Officer, Dean of Faculty of Curriculum Sumner McCallie, Dean of Student Academics Chris Carpenter, Mathematics Department Chair Andrea Odle, and English Department Chair Sam Currin share what they learned from those visitsas well as their perspectives on McCallie’s space needs now and for many years tocome.

A program that is “transformational for McCallie boys andthe broader McCallie community,” is slowly being rolled out to students and alumni on the high plains of Montana. In this episode of Stories from the Ridge, Carter Newbold, Director of Board Relations and Strategy, talks with teachers Duke Richey and Bart Wallin, as well as students William McDowell andElijah Cooper, about their experiences in McCallie’s newest offering – McCallie in Montana.

In this first “subset” edition of Stories from the Ridge,Executive Athletic Director Kenny Sholl discusses all things athletic at McCallie School. He is joined by Mark Wiedmer ’76 of the Communications and Marketing Department for a lively give-and-take discussion of issues within the TSSAA (Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association) as well as a review of the recent Dr. Pepper Classic and thoughts about the upcoming spring sports season.

In this edition of Stories from the Ridge, Head of School Lee Burns ’87, talks with new Head Basketball Coach Kenneth White ’97 about his “Mantra of Mayhem” approach to play by this year’s varsity team. Mr. White discusses this year’s team, its prospects, and his coaching style and philosophy. This interview was recorded on December 11, prior to the start of divisional play, but after a strong series of non-divisional contest openers. For more information on this year’s basketball program, a news report can be found here.

This episode of Stories from the Ridge features Head of School Lee Burns’ annual Christmas message to the student body, delivered December 11, 2024. Mr. Burns donned a ball cap from each of the 12 schools that recently made the college football playoffs and urged McCallie students to examine what hats they are wearing and what teams they are following in the game of life. More information on his talk, including a full text, can be found at www.mccallie.org/news.

McCallie School’s annual Christmas musical performance known as Candlelight will celebrate its 40th year on the Ridge on Dec. 6 and 7, 2024. In this episode of Stories from the Ridge, Dr. James Harr, Director of Choral Programs and Director of Candlelight, sits down with Dr. Lew Cisto, retired Music Director who started Candlelight in 1985 when he first arrived on campus to teach music, and with Ben Sanders ’99, who performed in six Candlelights, to discuss the history of Candlelight, reflect on its importance in the culture and traditions of McCallie, and share a lot of heartwarming stories. Hank Hopping, Principal of the Upper School, hosts the three in this uplifting conversation about Candlelight.

This episode of Stories from the Ridge features two McCallie alumni, John Harris, Class of ’08, and J.T. Wu, Class of ’12 – both of whom recently threw their hats in the ring to run for state political offices – talking about their approach to politics and public service. The two recently visited McCallie to talk with students about why they entered politics and how they tried to instill civility and respect in those races. Sumner McCallie, Dean of Faculty and Curriculum, conducts the interview.

In early October, 2024, George Hazard Jr., Class of 1964, was named McCallie School’s 2024 Distinguished Alumnus, the highest award. McCallie bestows. In this episode of Stories from the Ridge, Mr. Hazard talks about his days as a McCallie student, teacher, and administrator – and about writing When We Came to the Ridge, the history of McCallie’s founding and early days. And he reflects on what makes McCallie so special and the teachers, administrators, and alumni who have contributed to its success over the years.

As Rivalry Week – the week of the annual football game between McCallie and crosstown rival Baylor School – got underway for 2024, Head of School Lee Burns ’87 sat down on Sept. 30 in the podcast studio with new Head Coach Joel Bradford ’07 to discuss the week and the upcoming game. The two not only discuss Coach Bradford’s coaching philosophy, but talk about how the hype and buildup over the week affects the players and coaches and inspires them to be at their best on game day.

One of the most pressing and vexing issues facing McCallie administrators – and administrators of all schools – is the question of the usage and role of smart phones among students. In this episode of Stories from the Ridge, Head of School Lee Burns is joined by Upper School Principal Hank Hopping and Middle School Principal Scotty Jones as they discuss this challenging issue. They share personal and professional insights as well as discuss some ideas that McCallie administrators are considering for the spring 2025 semester.

On Wednesday, August 14, 2024, Head of School Lee Burns ’87, welcomed 999 students to the 120th school year of McCallie School. This episode of Stories From the Ridge features that talk, which was delivered in the Spencer McCallie III Quadrangle. A news story as well as a full video of the event can be found here: https://www.mccallie.org/news/news-details/~board/news-from-the-ridge/post/mccallie-convocation-2024 .

In this episode of Stories From the Ridge, Mark Wiedmer '76 of the Communications Department is joined by Kenny Sholl, Executive Director of Athletics and Special Assistant to the Head of School, as they talk with Football Coach Joel Bradford, Cross Country Coach Rodney Stoker, Golf Coach Rob Riddle, Crew Coach Sean McCourt, and Mountain Biking Coach Jesse Teague. The coaches share their expectations for the coming season and some of their coaching philosophies as well as how they work to build their teams. The discussion was recorded August 8.

While the attention of the nation and the world is turning to Paris and the 2024 Olympics, we step back in time for some Gold Medal winning stories of the 1996 Olympics which were held in Atlanta, just down the road from McCallie’s Chattanooga campus. In this episode of Stories From the Ridge, Charles Battle ’60 shares insider stories – and some long-held secrets – about his critical role in Atlanta’s bid for the Olympics and the ensuing successful games, which placed Atlanta on the map as a leading international city. Charles’ tells stories about how he, as a member of the famous Atlanta Nine who led the Olympic effort, traveled around the world, meeting royalty and world leaders, befriending them, and gaining their votes for Atlanta . . . and later more wonderful stories about how the games were carried out so successfully. It’s all about making friends and being a friend, he says. We encourage you to listen all the way to the end to hear Charles read a poem from one of his 1960 McCallie classmates.

History was brought to life this spring when McCallie sixth graders participated in the school’s first “Human Library” day. The brainchild of Middle School English teacher Weesie Cook and Middle School Learning Center Director Kelcey Watson, the “Human Library” brought community leaders in medicine, education, law, and race relations to campus to share their life stories with the students. In this episode of Stories From the Ridge, which was recorded in mid-May 2024, Head of School Lee Burns ’87 talks with Ms. Cook and Mr. Watson about the program, its impact on students, and plans for future “Human Library” events. A news story about the “Human Library” can be read here.

Dr. Cleve Latham, one of McCallie’s most popular, beloved, and effective teachers and administrators, has retired after 50 years in the classroom. Head of School Lee Burns ‘87, who was one of Dr. Latham’s students, shares a heartfelt and moving godsend to Dr. Latham in this uplifting edition of Stories From tThe Ridge. A news story about Dr. Latham’s retirement celebration dinner can be found here,.

There’s excitement on the Ridge as several of the spring athletic teams are aiming their sights at state championships. In this edition of Stories from the Ridge, Kenny Sholl, Executive Director of Athletics, sits down with head coaches of five of the spring teams to discuss their perspective on the upcoming season. This podcast was recorded on March 20, 2024, just as the season was beginning. Here’s the timeline breakdown: Track and Field, Coach Rodney Stoker, 7:38; Baseball, Coach Tim Costo, 14:25; Tennis, Coach Jeff Clark, 21:53; Soccer, Chris Cushenbery, 31:47; Lacrosse, Coach Eamon Thornton, 41:58.