Emma & Maddie Prather, Class of 2021 and Lab Set-Up
Stomata
1/2
An Inspirational Tale About Transpiration
A lot of things have changed, but labs go on in Mary Lee Wesberry’s AP Biology class! With Google Meet, a cell phone, nail polish, a potted plant, and a portable microscope she received at the St. Jude Science Scholars of Tomorrow, Wesberry quickly switched gears to begin the fourth quarter as planned, with the Transpiration Lab.
“I just adjusted to doing labs online. The students watched me demo the lab. Not ideal but better than just reading the lab!” says Wesberry.
Mary Lee Wesberry had always planned to begin the fourth quarter with the study of transpiration, the process by which plants absorb water and then transmit it through their leaves via pores, or stomata. When the COVID-19 distance-learning mandate created a wrinkle in her plans, she needed a Plan B. The students already had the procedure in writing, so Wesberry decided to demonstrate the lab through Google Meet.
First, she did a stomata imprint using clear nail polish and put it under a portable microscope that she had received at the St. Jude Science Scholars of Tomorrow Day. She took a picture with her cellphone and shared it with her students. The next step was to calculate water loss.
“I used a plant to demonstrate how to calculate water loss via transpiration. The plant was watered and a plastic bag tied around soil. I weighed it, then showed how the lab was set up and talked about possible data collection,” says Wesberry.
While the learning continues, Wesberry also takes time to make connections with students. “We meet face to face via Google Meet every class. We have a ‘wellness’ check-in and then cover AP Bio topics. Most classes usually end with a chat on how things are going and student ideas on best use of our face to face time,” she says.
During one of those chats, she asked if anyone needed masks. Wesberry had been making masks for her husband’s Ophthalmology clinic at UTHSC, so taking a few orders from the girls was not a problem. She delivered the bee-autiful masks herself. “Our new normal truly must address the ‘whole’ student - both academically and emotionally,” says Wesberry.
She has a full plate of academics, volunteer work, leadership responsibilities, and extracurriculars, and she has the work ethic to succeed in anything she puts her mind to. She credits Hutchison for instilling in her that anything is possible.
As with many academic adventures at Hutchison, a weeklong lesson on computer science and coding transformed into an interdisciplinary exploration for our girls as teachers from various subjects incorporated coding activities into their day-to-day lessons.
It's all about mental toughness... How you rise to accept a new challenge after you fall down. Make no mistake, these Hutchison girls are in it to win it this year.
This might seem like a silly question: Are you a dog person or a cat person? Why? Now imagine you’re a dog lover and you can’t understand the enthusiasm of a cat aficionado. Or vice versa. Suppose you have to explain your passion for your favorite pet to a person who disagrees with you. How do you communicate your beliefs civilly?
When Leah Grace Wolf is not thinking about solving a science problem or tinkering with a new invention, you can find her at the mixed martial arts gym, thinking about next steps to overpower her opponent. This National Merit Commended Student is the epitome of a Hutchison girl who enjoys exploring a variety of interests.
When Ms. Prewitt’s Pre-Kindergarten class went to the farm recently to look at carrots they had planted, Mrs. Riddle, the director of environmental education and sustainability, was in a bit of a pickle. She said she desperately needed help with her crop of cucumbers.
An outstanding student, avid reader, star volleyball player, and strong leader, Layla Truitt lives up to the Hutchison mission of showing girls they can go anywhere they can imagine.
Sophie Mansour ’21 wants to help young people see diseases and their impact more clearly. Whether it is a classmate with diabetes or asthma, or a family member with Alzheimer’s, Sophie believes everyone would benefit from a deeper understanding. So she created the Memphis Medical Awareness Club at Hutchison, and that’s just the beginning for this conscientious entrepreneur.
Think of them as warm-up stretches – for the brain. Each one of Joe Koelsch’s 7th grade math lessons begins with a “bell ringer.” It encourages the girls to “open up their brains” before class, he says.
Jamie Sokoloff’s '21 teachers describe her as bright and highly motivated. Those adjectives definitely fit this high performer who has her plate full with extracurriculars.
At Hutchison, a girl can explore her unique place in the world through the wonder of art. We're making sure that tradition continues, even in a pandemic.
Juniors and seniors in Deborah Brown’s Women’s History class commemorated Women’s Equality Day with a video confirming that their generation is a force to be reckoned with.
Celia Economides ’97 is well acquainted with persistence. As an executive at a biotech company in San Francisco, persistence is a trait that comes in handy. Fostering the development of new drugs for rare diseases often requires soliciting millions of dollars in investments, decades of trial and error in the labs, and lots and lots of patience.
Caroline Halliday '21 had her Hutchison social science certificate project all planned out. She wanted to start a Community Supported Agriculture vegetable subscription service for Hutchison families, but with a pay-it-forward twist: for every one purchased by a Hutchison family, she would provide one for a family in need in Memphis. Then the pandemic hit, and her plans got turned upside down.
As a very unusual school year comes to an end, Hutchison’s spring magazine celebrates our teachers, students, and alumnae who have stayed Hutchison STRONG. The magazine is now in the mail and available online.
Upper school history teacher Ronnie Robinson admits he had to re-think his teaching methodology to make sure students continued to engage in the distance learning environment, but he is up to the challenge.
Joy. It’s a word that is used often when people speak of Hutchison. It appears in our alma mater, and it’s the name given to the statue of a jubilant girl in the school’s courtyard. Laurie Fraser Stanton ’65 loves to see that statue when she walks through Hutchison’s courtyard daily. “It is such a symbol of the joy of this place,” she said. Joy is what has made Stanton’s work at the school over the past 50 years so meaningful. During her time as a student and then as a teacher and administrator, she has experienced a wealth of friendships and joy.
Distance learning had minimal impact on the “Memphis unit," a third grade tradition at Hutchison. Plans for a Living Museum had to be scrapped, but the girls moved forward with promotional brochures, as planned.
Early childhood teachers had to get creative to keep their young charges engaged while learning from home. Not to mention the challenge of hosting a Google Meet with twelve 2, 3, or 4-year-olds.