News Archive
2017
News List
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December
Samantha Tancredi's Hutchison Leads Fellowship Takes Her All Over the World
Samantha Tancredi ’18 spent her summer participating in a Hutchison Leads Fellowship that took her all over the world. From Geneva, Switzerland, to Seville, Spain, and Washington, D.C., Samantha spent her time researching the role of law in the business, political, and cultural worlds.Read More -
Monica Fleck '18 Discovered Her Passions at Hutchison
Read More"I believe Hutchison has prepared me so well for any college experience, academically. Through my participation in the Science Research Fellows program, I have also discovered the areas of STEM that truly interest me beyond the classroom." - Monica Fleck '18 -
This Young Alumna is Making a Big Impact
Emily Faber ’15 is currently a junior at Rhodes College and serves as the executive director of The Bridge, a student-run newspaper that benefits the homeless.Read More -
Model UN Teaches Our Girls About Global Issues
Our middle and upper school girls are involved annually in Model United Nations (Model UN), a program that gives the girls opportunities to participate in debate and open discussion of international issues while helping them to become more knowledgeable global citizens.Read More -
Anna Murrey '18 Finds Her Voice & Becomes a Leader
“I have to thank my eighth grade advisors for believing in me and showing me that there isn’t just one style of leadership. Anywhere else, a girl like me could have been lost in the background, but because of their help, I learned that a listener can be a leader and that I have a voice. I never would be the student I am today if it weren’t for the faculty.” - Anna Murrey '18Read More -
Hutchison Head of School Recognized
Head of School Dr. Kristen Ring was recognized as a top leader among mid-size organizations in Memphis.Read More -
November
Owen Hergenrader '18 Named Finalist for Prestigious Scholarships
Hutchison is proud to announce that senior Owen Hergenrader has been named a finalist for the Wells Scholars Program at Indiana University Bloomington and a semifinalist for the Coca-Cola scholarship.Read More -
What Makes a Hutchison Girl?
She's determined, adaptable, and analytical with a passion to lead, work hard, and reach for her goals. Meet Abigail White '18.Read More -
Fine Arts: A Path to Confidence & Self-Esteem
When the lights go up next weekend for Hutchison’s production of the musical Once on This Island, senior Madyson Bolton will take the stage in the lead role of Ti Moune. Once on This Island is a unique show driven by African-Caribbean music and French colonial culture. The show weaves a new myth from plot elements of The Little Mermaid and Romeo and Juliet with a Caribbean flair.Read More -
October
Not Your Parents' P.E. Class
I waited a few seconds as my friend stared pensively into the distance, processing my explanation to his questions about my job. When I came back into his focus, he replied, “Gosh, I wish someone had asked me that question when I was in high school.”Read More -
Navigating the College Selection Process
This is a busy time of year in the Hutchison college counseling office. As we prepare and send recommendation letters, transcripts, and work with girls as the application deadlines quickly approach, it is important to reflect on the relationships we build with each girl. Because of our one-on-one college counseling, we are able to vividly describe each girl in our letters of recommendation. Yet, our work does not start a few weeks before an application deadline; it starts years before. In fact, our relationship with each girl begins during her freshman year. This is the Hutchison difference.Read More -
Five Girls Selected for Prestigious Honor Choir
Five Hutchison girls were selected to perform with the prestigious All-Southwest Tennessee Senior High Honor Choir this fall.Read More -
Famous Alumna Photographer Connects with Our Girls
To bring learning to life for our girls, we often invite in working professionals to share their experiences. Recently world-renowned photographer Ebet Roberts '63 visited our digital media class to discuss how her career got started in New York in the 1970s.Read More -
First Grade Entrepreneur Takes Action
Hutchison first grader Caroline Fisher '29 knew she wanted to be hands-on while giving back to her community.Read More -
September
Learning in a Digital World
Samantha Tancredi ’18 is troubled. Eyes squinting and brow furrowed, she stares into her computer screen at the rough draft of Signpost, Hutchison’s school newspaper.Read More -
Elite National Orchestra Selects Hutchison Senior
Senior Monica Fleck ’18 has been selected as a member of the prestigious 2017 All-National Honor Ensembles Symphony Orchestra.Read More -
Anywhere She Can Imagine
At Hutchison, we recognize that extraordinary things can happen for a young girl when passion, talent, and opportunity meet. Therefore, it is our aim to present your daughter with numerous opportunities to discover and pursue her unique interests. With hard work and dedication, our girls are learning that their passion and talent can take them anywhere they can imagine. Just ask the young women spotlighted.Read More -
August
Solar Powered Girl Power
Have you ever been so bowled over by the brilliance of a teen that it leaves you speechless?Read More -
A Summer Fellowship Connected This Hutchison Girl With Her Passion
How do Hutchison upper school girls spend their summers? Senior Heather Guglietti spent hers exploring urban planning with a Hutchison Serves fellowship!Read More -
Girls Explore Apiary at the Hutchison Farm
Hutchison girls of all ages visit our working farm regularly for a variety of unique learning opportunities. Today, in honor of International Women's Day, several classes joined school Horticulturist Mary Riddle for an early spring inspection of our school apiary where 50,000+ female honeybees currently reside.Read More -
Upper School Girls Start a Honey Business
Read MoreIt seemed like a no-brainer. The beehives on Hutchison’s farm regularly yield a good supply of honey, and the upper school girls in the entrepreneur class, part of Hutchison Invests, were learning how to create and run businesses. -
Putting the “Field” in Field Trip
A Trip to the Bahamas Engages Girls With ScienceRead More -
July
Alumna Making Strides
Mary Carson Pitts ’13 has made leaps and bounds on and off the field at Tulane. She recently graduated from the university with a degree in Business Finance, all while balancing her academics with an impressive athletic record.Read More -
Senior Excels in Hutchison Leadership Program
Girls like Porter Johnson excel through our Hutchison Leads program. Read about how Porter started her own year-long independent study project on development in Memphis after a well-established background in volunteering throughout the community as a Rogers Scholar.Read More -
June
Hutchison Faculty Give Back
Hutchison faculty kicked off the summer with service and joined forces with the More Than A Meal Program.Read More -
Hutchison Serves Girls Attend Books from Birth Luncheon
Nine Hutchison Serves girls attended the annual Books from Birth Luncheon to benefit literacy in the Memphis Community.Read More -
Sixth Grade Girls Practice Writing with Personal Memoir
Vicki Koehn, middle school English teacher, offered a creative approach to practicing writing. At a critical point in learning to write, she gave her sixth grade girls an assignment to write a ten-chapter book about the subject they know best – themselves.Read More -
May
Middle School Spanish Teacher Receives Award
Cesar Salazar, one of Hutchison’s middle school Spanish teachers, recently received the “Microsoft Best Classroom” award for his outstanding and innovative integration of Colombian culture curriculum into the Spanish language education of his classroom.Read More -
How to Grow a Lacrosse Team
These days, it’s easy to look at the Hutchison lacrosse team in awe. Over the past 15 years, the girls who have played lacrosse at Hutchison have combined skill, teamwork, and determination to build the best team in the city and state. The Hutchison Sting has captured seven consecutive Tennessee state lacrosse titles since 2010 and eight total state titles to date.Read More -
Hutchison Lacrosse is in Seventh Heaven
Our varsity lacrosse team ran away with their seventh consecutive state title this weekend, finishing strong in the championship by defeating Harpeth Hall, 18-7.Read More -
Hutchison Girls Excel in Competitive Math Exam
Ten Hutchison girls excel in a national math exam & one senior competed in an elite national math invitational!Read More -
Celebrating the Class of 2017
As the end of the year approaches, we wanted to express our excitement for our seniors as they say goodbye to Hutchison and begin their journeys at colleges and universities across the nation and around the world. We are so proud of the class of 2017!Read More -
Middle School Participates in Co-Edge Program Service-Learning Project with MUS
The 7th graders recently participated in a Service-Learning project with MUS as a part of the Co-Edge Program.Read More -
Senior Named Semifinalist for Presidential Scholars Program
Hutchison senior Sophie Merchant ’17 has been named a semifinalist in the 2017 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Sophie is one of 722 semifinalists selected from nearly 5,100 candidates. She is one of only three Memphis students to be named a semifinalist. Final scholars will be named later this month.Read More -
Hutchison Girls Honored for Leadership & Volunteerism
Five Hutchison students were among seven Memphis-area students honored at The Salvation Army’s Founders’ Day program for their leadership in volunteerism and fundraising.Read More -
2017 Golf Scramble Proves a Success
We would like to extend special thanks to the golfers, sponsors, and tournament planning committee who supported Hutchison athletics through our annual Golf Scramble this year.Read More -
Girls Excel in State-wide Literature Competition
Read More -
April
The Hutchison May Day Tradition
Hutchison’s May Day tradition dates back to 1924 when it began at Miss Hutchison’s Preparatory School for girls as a dance recital.Read More -
Girls Excel in National Latin Exam & TN Convention
Upper School girls applied their world language abilities to win fourth place in their division at the Tennessee Junior Classical League (TJCL) Latin Convention. Several girls also recently won Awards for their achievements on the National Latin Exam.Read More -
Beauty and the Beast Nominated in Orpheum High School Musical Theater Awards
We are proud to announce that the Hutchison theatre department’s production of Beauty and the Beast has been nominated for four different awards this year by the Orpheum High School Musical Theater Awards.Read More -
Choir Receives High Honors at National Music Competition
Hutchison's Vocal Point choir won first place and a gold ranking at a major U.S. music festival and has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall.Read More -
Sting Lacrosse Ranked #1 in the South
The Hutchison Varsity Lacrosse team is dominating the field and national lacrosse rankings.Read More -
Famous Women in History Visit Lower School
Famous female political leaders, musicians, dancers, athletes, chefs, actresses, and more made their appearances in 4th Grade recently. Even Lucy from I Love Lucy stopped by!Read More -
Hutchison Senior Selected for Prestigious Leadership Scholarship
Cooper Matthews '17 has been awarded Southern Methodist University's Hunt Leadership scholarship.Read More -
Investing in the Next Generation
Read MoreDear Parents,I am convinced that the girls with the potential to become the next generation of great female entrepreneurs now walk the halls of Hutchison. Our commitment is to give them abundant opportunities to unlock the entrepreneurial spirit that resides in so many of them.This past fall we launched Hutchison Invests led by Mrs. Kim Ware, program director and upper school economics teacher. The program is designed to teach girls about creative entrepreneurship, micro and macro economics, responsible investments, and the civic role of business and finance. Through Hutchison Invests, our girls are learning to navigate the world of entrepreneurship as they gain experience developing, evaluating, and building support for their business ideas. Earlier this week Hutchison Invests participants Suraya Buffong ’18, Abigail White ’18, Samantha Tancredi ’18, and Katie McBride ’19 pitched their business ideas to local entrepreneurs from EPIcenter, Made By Project, and Kemmons Wilson Companies. After presenting their ideas, the girls fielded questions and received feedback that will help them refine their ideas.Research shows that the kinds of entrepreneurial businesses that often succeed are those that offer something unique to the market. What we also know is that entrepreneurs are a special breed – they are driven, make smart decisions, and persevere in the face of adversity. Those characteristics also describe a Hutchison girl. Our faculty and staff strive to create an environment that nurtures that mentality for all of our girls, whether they have an entrepreneurial spirit or not. Hutchison Invests offers girls an advantage by encouraging them to pursue their dreams early.We are here to help your girls realize their potential, develop real-world skills, and make an impact on the world.Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Hutchison Girls Pitch Business Ideas to Entrepreneurs
Four upper school girls – Suraya Buffong ’18, Abigail White ’18, Samantha Tancredi ’18, and Katie McBride ’19 – participated in a Pitch Day as part of Hutchison Invests.Read More -
A Spring Tradition at Hutchison
Read MoreEach year, Hutchison seniors celebrate their newfound relationship with their flower girls at the traditional Easter Egg Hunt on campus. -
Inspiring Learning
Read MoreDear Parents,It is amazing that something as simple as a plant can inspire learning across several disciplines. Just recently our 5th graders discovered how one plant, bok choy, grown on our campus farm, can be viewed from many different vantage points.For instance, in English classes, the girls wrote poetry about growth and blooming, while in math class, they formulated the spacing dimensions for farming. In science, they learned about botany by observing the crops and taste testing plants like chocolate mint and arugula. Mary Riddle, Hutchison’s horticulturist, gave the girls instruction on harvesting the plants. After harvesting, they took the vegetables to their Chinese classroom where they practiced new vocabulary words for stir fry ingredients and learned how to cook the bok choy. Throughout the whole process, they gained a greater understanding of how food goes from farm to table. You can watch a brief video of their work here.Studying a subject across several disciplines is a philosophy that we infuse in all of our divisions. Not only do our girls develop a comprehensive view of a topic, but they make connections between the subjects that reinforce their learning.I encourage you to ask your girls about the connections they make during their school day. I think you’ll be surprised by what you hear.I hope your family has a wonderful Easter break!Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Distinguished Alumna Goes Far Afield, but Keeps Ties to Hutchison
Read MoreFor Julie Rim Huygen ’87, Hutchison’s 2017 Distinguished Alumna recipient, attending law school and working in politics were always in the cards. It turned out, however, that her route there was somewhat circuitous. -
Alumnae Return to Campus
Read MoreDear Parents,This week we welcomed back to campus alumnae from across the country as part of our alumnae weekend festivities. Members of Hutchison’s National Alumnae Board, a diverse group of women making indelible marks on their communities and professions, have been meeting with upper school girls to offer them sage advice about college, career, and life. One such alumna is Colonel Julie Rim Huygen ’87, our 2017 Distinguished Alumna Recipient, who has served for 19 years as a Judge Advocate in the Air Force. She spoke at this week’s Cum Laude induction ceremony.We believe today’s women leaders are the key to inspiring the next generation of female innovators and trailblazers, particularly in fields and disciplines where women are traditionally underrepresented. Therefore, we consistently look for opportunities throughout the year to connect your daughters with strong, smart women who can serve as real-life role models and demonstrate what can be achieved through hard work, determination, and creativity.When your daughter graduates from Hutchison and joins our alumnae ranks, she will become part of an esteemed network of women making an impact on our world. As one alumna recently said, “You know a Hutchison girl if she is confident and sets the bar high for herself and those around her.”Our alumnae are making a difference in the world and giving back to the school that gave them so much. By doing so, they are helping shape tomorrow’s leaders.Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Early Childhood Explores Service Learning
Girls in Little Hive, pre-kindergarten and junior kindergarten biked in Hutchison’s annual Trike-A-Thon to benefit St. Jude. This year’s event raised more than $14,000, exceeding all previous years.Read More -
Girls Honored for Academic Achievement
Hutchison’s Emily Smith Britton Chapter of the Cum Laude Society inducted 12 new members this spring.Read More -
Hutchison Girls Excel in World Languages at Local Competition
Middle and upper school girls competed in the Annual Foreign Language Fair at the University of Memphis, where they won 34 individual and group awards.Read More -
Four Girls Earn State Choral and Orchestra Honors
Four Hutchison girls earned positions in the All State Orchestra and Choir, which is organized by the Tennessee Music Education Association (TMEA).Read More -
March
Major Accomplishments
Read MoreDear Parents,This is the time of year when those much-anticipated letters start to arrive in the mail – college acceptances. For our seniors, with all of the work that they have done throughout their years at Hutchison and all of the accomplishments that they have made, this is an exciting, albeit anxious, time.We know that Hutchison’s academic program prepares our girls with the knowledge and skills they need to gain admission to the colleges of their choice and compete for highly-selective national scholarships. We provide ample opportunities for girls to lead and serve in their school and community and to compete in a wide variety of athletics. These kinds of activities illustrate to colleges our girls’ interests and impact outside of the classroom.Proving the strength of our program, we recently learned that two girls received prestigious national scholarships. Arden Farr ’17 has been named a Wells Scholar at Indiana University Bloomington. She is also a recipient of the University of Georgia’s Foundation Fellowship. Francie Sentilles ’17 has been named a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Morehead-Cain Foundation Scholar. She also received the Coca-Cola Scholarship. Francie is Hutchison’s fourth Morehead-Cain Scholar in six years, the others being alumnae Caroline Orr ’12, Gaby Nair ’14, and Gabi Stein ’15.We want to congratulate Arden and Francie and all of our seniors as they take the next step toward college.Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Hutchison Serves Assembly Celebrates Service at Hutchison
Read More“Hutchison Serves is trying to embolden each and every one of you to live out the potential and the abilities that you have,” said John Carroll, the executive director of City Leadership and founder of Choose901 and keynote speaker at the Hutchison Serves Assembly. -
Fostering Creativity
Read MoreDear Parents,Creativity has often been hailed as the premier skill for the 21st century workforce. At Hutchison we have long believed that girls thrive in a learning environment that fosters creative and critical thinking and provides them with a variety of opportunities to express themselves.Earlier this month five Hutchison girls garnered national acclaim in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition, the country’s most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. Jamie Sokoloff ’21, Jenna Davis ’21, and Samantha Tancredi ’18 earned silver medals in writing, while Kate Grace Cunningham ’17 received a gold medal in art, and Corinne Williams ’17 a silver medal.The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers selects the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards from more than 300,000 submissions annually, and this year only one percent of student submissions earned national medals. At the regional competition in February, Hutchison girls earned a combined 74 writing and art awards including 18 gold keys.Please join me in congratulating these girls for their hard work and persistence along with the masterful teachers who have helped them uncover and develop their talents and skills as creative writers and artists.Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Hutchison Senior Selected for Prestigious Merit Scholarship
Francie Sentilles '17 is Hutchison's fourth Morehead-Cain Scholar in six years.Read More -
Varsity Lacrosse Excels Against Top Teams in California
The Hutchison Varsity lacrosse team recently traveled to California to compete against some of the top lacrosse teams in that region.Read More -
Alumnae Team Up For a Cause
This past weekend, six Hutchison alumnae participated in Cycle for Survival for the second year in a row and raised almost $12,000.Read More -
Rogers Scholars Meet with Regional One Medical Director
Read More -
School Spirit Store
Read MoreDear Parents,You can definitely feel it, spring is in the air. While the weather has fluctuated some recently, we have generally been blessed with warmer days and sunnier skies. As the girls prepare to take off for spring break, we hope that you and your family will set aside some time to relax together.Like many, I find spring to be a wonderful time for renewal. We get to take stock of all that we’ve accomplished in the school year so far, and dream about what we want to accomplish next. This is a perfect moment to celebrate your daughters’ successes and get excited with them about what is to come, whether it’s graduation or completing another grade.We're excited to announce our new online spirit store where you can purchase fun Hutchison logo wear. If you happen to be refreshing your spring wardrobe during the break, this is a perfect opportunity to show your school spirit.We wish your family a delightful spring break!Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
World Languages Faculty Present at Memphis in May Conference
Lower School Spanish Teacher Kenna Chelsoi and Middle School Spanish Teacher Caesar Salazar served as presenters at this past weekend’s Memphis in May International Teachers' Conference, an event designed to bring international culture to every classroom in Memphis.Read More -
Nineteen Girls Participate in Mock State Government Conference
Nineteen upper school girls traveled to Nashville last weekend to participate in the Tennessee YMCA Youth in Government Program, an annual conference designed to offer high school and middle school students a hands-on experience with state government.Read More -
Upper School Girls Explore Clinical Research at St. Jude
Three Hutchison upper school girls, including Monica Fleck '18, Ansley Stamper '19, and Anne Grinder '19, were selected to attend the St. Jude Science Scholars symposium recently.Read More -
Preparing Young Women for Success in College and in Life
Read MoreDear Parents,On February 27, the Memphis Business Journal published a story online titled: “Ranked: Top ACT scores for local public and private schools.” This report ranked the schools by their average composite ACT scores for 2015.As with a similar story in January of this year, which ranked just private schools, Hutchison chose not to participate in this newest comparison, because we have long believed that a school’s quality and a student’s performance cannot be determined by a test score. The National Association of Independent Schools shares this stance and has been vocal about how misleading a single metric can be when assessing the quality of a school.Hutchison’s middle 50% ACT range for the class of 2017 is 25 – 31. This current range is reported to every college to which a Hutchison girl applies as part of our official school profile. You can find our school profile on our website under the College Preparation section. Our school profile reflects many of the factors and data points colleges and families consider when determining the quality and strength of a school. In light of the Memphis Business Journal ranking, we would like you to know that our average composite ACT score for the same year they reported (the class of 2015) is a 28.As a matter of principle, we encourage our girls to resist the temptation to define themselves by a test score. To reinforce this philosophy, we choose not to rank our girls academically and avoid participating in efforts by third parties to define a girl’s academic growth solely by a test score.We believe the value of a Hutchison education is that it prepares young women not simply for a test, but for success in college and in life.Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
February
Girls Volunteer with Local Equine Therapy Nonprofit
Through our Hutchison Serves program, middle & upper school girls recently volunteered at Southern Reins Center for Equine Therapy.Read More -
Promoting a Culture of Literacy
Read MoreDear Parents,At Hutchison, our girls are steeped in a culture of literacy. Through reading and writing, girls often discover and understand themselves and make sense of the world around them.Recently, Dr. Barry Gilmore, our upper school head, published an article titled “10 Ways to Promote a Culture of Literacy,” which appeared in Educational Leadership magazine, one of the nation’s most respected journals for educators. Having authored several books on literacy instruction, Dr. Gilmore is a national thought leader on the subject. In the article, he provides readers with a glimpse of how Hutchison has created a learning environment where girls love to read and write.The evidence of our success in promoting literacy is the joy the girls have in selecting books that they want to read. Additionally, our girls enjoy continued success in the Scholastic Writing Awards competition. This year, we garnered 36 awards at the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers’ southeastern competition. Nine girls received Gold Keys and will move on to compete nationally in March. You can see all the winners here.We are proud of these girls and celebrate their love of reading and writing.Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Rogers Scholars Explore Neighborhood Development Program
Hutchison's Rogers Scholars joined cityCURRENT on a recent tour of the Soulsville Foundation.Read More -
Girls Explore Colleges & Universities in California
A group of 32 sophomores and juniors participated in Hutchison's college tour trip to California this spring.Read More -
Senior Named Finalist for Competitive University Leadership Program
Senior Cooper Matthews has been selected as a finalist for Southern Methodist University's Hunt Leadership Scholars Program. She is one of 76 finalists chosen from more than 700 applications.Read More -
Are You Ready for Summer?
Read MoreDear Parents,Even though we’re only in February, we’re already excited about our plans for a wonderful summer of classes and activities at Hutchison’s Center for Excellence and SPARK day camp. Our newest summer catalog has been mailed to you, but we also have an online version of the catalog that you can view on our website.Because our summer programming fills up quickly, we are giving priority for sign-ups to Hutchison parents until March 15. After that date, registration for classes and camp activities will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.Whatever your child is interested in, there’s something for them at the Center for Excellence and SPARK. We feature academic pursuits, leadership opportunities, arts workshops, sports clinics, and much more. There are one-time events as well as week-long skill-building workshops, and SPARK day camp features fun week-long themes.Hutchison has become a popular destination for summer campers across the Mid-South; last summer we welcomed close to 2,500 people to our campus. So I encourage you, if you are interested in your daughter or son attending summer activities at Hutchison, please register for SPARK and/or CFE now. If you have any questions, please contact the CFE office at 507-2460 or the SPARK office at 762-6674.We hope to see you this summer!Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Upper School Girls Explore Local Entrepreneurial Accelerator Programs
Ten girls currently in an entrepreneurship class at Hutchison visited Start Co. recently to tour the facility and meet three female start-up founders.Read More -
Junior Kindergarteners Explore the Heart
"Your heart in your body is different than a pretty Valentine's heart!"Read More -
A Midsummer Night's Dream
More than 800 people came out to see Hutchison's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" this past weekend.Read More -
Check Out Our Summer Camp Catalog!
It's finally here! Our Center for Excellence and SPARK Day Camp summer offerings catalog is now available on our website at cfe.hutchisonschool.org. Register online today!Read More -
Leadership a Key Topic at Annual Hutchison Summit
Twenty-four high school girls from seven different schools are participating in the fourth annual Hutchison Leads Summit at the Kroc Center of Memphis as part of the Center for Excellence at Hutchison.Read More -
Senior Interns with Baptist Hospital
Through our Hutchison Leads program, senior Gracie Meeks participated in an internship at Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women with a goal of gaining a real-life perspective on the daily life of a nurse in a hospital.Read More -
Senior Signs Letter of Intent for Collegiate Soccer
Hutchison senior Jasmine McGill signed her letter of intent to play soccer at Delta State University beginning fall 2017.Read More -
Computer Programming & Robotics
Read MoreDear Parents,In today’s world, an understanding of computer programming is becoming an expectation. At Hutchison, it starts with our lower and middle school girls who learn what coding is and how to program a modest game. It continues through upper school with an AP computer science class, which offers hands-on instruction in how to program computers to do the things we want them to do.Through our Center for Excellence, we also offer extracurricular opportunities, like a robotics club, called the RoboBees. Recently our RoboBees competed in St. George’s VEX Robotics Competition under the guidance of middle school science teacher Sherri Sobczak. The team included eighth graders Leah Grace Wolf, Lasha Pope, and Erin Leal who built their own robot and programmed it to do certain things like lift itself up off of the floor and hang for 12 seconds.We’re very proud of these girls for their initiative and innovative spirit. Of the 23 teams that entered the competition, the RoboBees were the only all-girl team and one of only four teams made up of all middle school students. They even won the Energy Award for their excitement, teamwork, and professionalism during the competition.To see a short video of the RoboBees robot in action, click here.Congratulations girls!Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Girls Earn 36 Accolades at Writing Competition
Hutchison girls earned an impressive 36 Scholastic Writing Awards at the recent Nonprofit Alliance for Young Writers’ Southeastern competition.Read More -
Seniors Named U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidates
Seniors Sophie Merchant and Laura Carrier have been named candidates for the prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.Read More -
Navigating Parenting & Childhood
Read MoreDear Parents,Earlier this week we welcomed Dr. Rob Evans, a nationally acclaimed child psychologist, author, and speaker, to Hutchison. Those in attendance were treated to an insightful, funny, and thought-provoking discussion about the unique dilemmas parents of girls today face. With his trademark humor and common-sense approach, Rob offered practical suggestions about how parents can best navigate these challenging and unpredictable times.According to Dr. Evans, the crux of good parenting often boils down to meeting children’s three basic needs – nurture, structure, and latitude. These three factors are the keys to helping any child grow into a confident, resilient, and successful adult. The earliest and most obvious component of child development is nurture, which demands time – time to be with your daughter, play with her, read to her, listen to her, and comfort her. Though the form of nurture may evolve as your daughter matures, she never outgrows the need for your love and acceptance.In addition to nurture, children need the structure of clear guidelines and expectations about their behavior. Despite how upset or angry a child may become in the moment, parents must communicate and enforce what is non-negotiable in their household.And finally, children must have the latitude and freedom to learn from experience, which means parents must resist the temptation to rush in and try to fix things whenever their child faces an obstacle or disappointment. Without discomfort and struggle, we do not allow our children the opportunity to become creative and resilient problem-solvers.As the evening came to a close, Dr. Evans encouraged parents to create a list of the things they do well and to revisit it often. He said far too many parenting books and experts encourage parents to focus on their perceived shortcomings when the reality is that no parent is or ever will be perfect, and children are incredibly resilient.Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Senior Accepted to Veterinary School
Maggie Loftin recently completed an fellowship with a local animal clinic through our Hutchison Leads program.Read More -
January
Senior Named Finalist for Prestigious Scholars Program
Hutchison is proud to announce that senior Stewart Nichols has been named a University of Virginia Jefferson Scholars finalist.Read More -
Beyond Test Scores
Read MoreDear Parents,In a special education report dated January 27, the Memphis Business Journal ranked local private schools by their average composite ACT scores.We chose not to participate in this ranking, because we have long believed that a school’s quality and a student’s performance cannot be determined by a test score. The National Association of Independent Schools shares this stance and has been vocal about how misleading a single metric can be when assessing the quality of a school.Our middle 50% ACT range for the class of 2017 is 25 – 31. This current range is reported to every college to which a Hutchison girl applies as part of our official school profile. You can find our school profile on our website under the College Preparation section. Our school profile reflects many of the factors and data points colleges and families consider when determining the quality and strength of a school. In light of the Memphis Business Journal chart, we would like you to know that our average composite ACT score for the same year they reported (the class of 2015) is a 28.As a matter of principle, we encourage our girls to resist the temptation to define themselves by a test score. To reinforce this philosophy, we choose not to rank our girls academically and avoid participating in efforts by third parties to define a girl’s academic growth solely by a test score.We believe the value of a Hutchison education is that it prepares young women not simply for a test, but for success in college and in life.Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Alumna Profile: Ginger Williams '96
Read MoreAlumna & Hollywood Star Spent a Day with Hutchison Actors -
Robotics Team Excels in First Competition
The Hutchison RoboBees finished 14 out of 23 teams at St. George's VEX Robotics Competition under the guidance of middle school science teacher Sherri Sobczak.Read More -
Hutchison Senior Interns with Mississippi RiverKings
As part of our Hutchison Leads program, Gwen Jones '17 participated in a marketing internship with Official Mississippi RiverKings Hockey where she developed a strategy for improving attendance, participated in sales training, and became more familiar with fundraising. She was the only high school student among the cohort of interns.Read More -
Developing Responsible Citizens
Read MoreDear Parents,Hutchison endeavors to be non-partisan. In this spirit in the past, we have not brought our middle and upper school divisions together to watch inaugurations. However, we supported any teacher who wanted to integrate an inauguration into his/her classroom teaching by using the classroom’s internet and streaming access. Teachers may do so this year as well.
This year our upper school student-led government club has requested to sponsor a conversation about the peaceful transition of power in our democracy at its regularly scheduled Friday meeting that is optional for any upper school girl to attend. Mr. Robinson, our U.S. History and Government teacher and club sponsor, will provide historical perspectives of past inaugurations. This meeting will include streaming segments of the inauguration of President-Elect Donald Trump. This conversation is the latest in a series of optional meetings led by the upper school government club centering on our nation’s political process during the recent election cycle.
Our mission includes the directive to educate our girls for lives of responsible citizenship. Supporting this student initiative provides our girls with an opportunity to engage in civil discourse and develop a historical perspective of our democracy.Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Six Sting Fall Athletes Named to Best of Preps
After a successful varsity fall sports season, six of our Sting athletes were honored by being named to The Commercial Appeal's Best of the Preps team in one of four sports: soccer, volleyball, golf, or cross country.Read More -
Computer Science Takes Off at Hutchison
Pictured is one screenshot image of a game Greeley Lindberg '18 created using the Greenfoot software in her AP Computer Science course.Read More -
Growing Up in a Digital Age
Read MoreDear Parents,Hutchison is partnering with St. Mary’s Episcopal School and Memphis University School to host two special events for parents seeking guidance on one of the biggest parenting issues of our time – how a child’s digital lifestyle can impact her development.On January 26, we will present the critically acclaimed documentary Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age in our Wiener Theater at 7:00 pm. Through surprising insights from authors, psychologists, and brain scientists, Screenagers reveals how tech time impacts kids’ development and offers solutions about how best to help your child navigate the digital world and find balance.The following day a team of counselors from all three schools will host a coffee and conversation for parents interested in discussing the film and its implications for their children. This discussion will take place in the MUS Wunderlich Auditorium from 8:15 to 9:30 am.Both of these events are free and open to the public, so we encourage you to invite your family and friends to join you.
Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Knowledge Bowl Team Excels in Competition
During the fall semester, upper school girls competed in the local Knowledge Bowl competition under the guidance of upper school science teacher Robert Lofton.Read More -
Middle School Girls Explore Genius Hour
Fifth grade girls recently participated in Genius Hour, a movement that allows students to explore their own passions and encourages creativity in the classroom.Read More -
Raising Strong Girls
Read MoreDear Parents,Happy New Year! I am delighted to announce that nationally acclaimed author, speaker, and psychologist Rob Evans will be visiting Hutchison Tuesday, January 31, at 6:00 pm for a special evening with parents to discuss "Raising strong, healthy, and successful daughters in today's world." I have known Rob and his frequent speaking partner Michael Thompson for years, and Rob's reputation as one of education's most respected and insightful speakers is well-deserved.
As the pace of life accelerates and media influences intensify, many parents are finding it harder to be confident about their parenting decisions. With his trademark humor and common-sense approach, Dr. Evans will outline the unique dilemmas parents of girls face today and offer concrete suggestions about how best to navigate the bumpy and unpredictable ride of adolescence.
I hope you will make plans to attend this special event.Sincerely,Annette C. SmithHead of School -
Seniors Earn Recognition from Prestigious Universities
Francie Sentilles '17 and Arden Farr '17 have been recognized by two prestigious and competitive university scholarship programs.Read More -
Middle School Science Teacher Recognized by National Geographic
Dr. Becky Deehr, middle school science teacher at Hutchison, was featured as the Educator of the Week on the National Geographic blog in early January.Read More
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Hutchison is the leading private girls school in Memphis for ages 2 years old through twelfth grade.
