Berklee Scifres ’23 Signs to Play Basketball For Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
The career of Berklee Scifres ’23 is only going in one direction – up! Scifres is signing a college scholarship to play basketball at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where she also plans to pursue a career in aviation.
For Scifres, heading to the Florida coast was an easy choice. “I decided on Embry-Riddle because my dad is an alum and because it provides me with everything I need to be the most successful in my future aviation career.”
Scifres arrived at Hutchison as a freshman and immediately made an impact around the campus with her determination, hard work, and kindness. During her sophomore year, she was named a Daily Memphian All-Metro team member, playing as a starter on the historic 2020-21 Hutchison basketball team that took home the TSSAA Division II State Championship. “It was a surreal, once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Scifres said. “I will remember jumping on the floor after the buzzer went off and feeling like everything I ever worked for finally paid off.”
She continued to perform at a high level last season, again being named to the Daily Memphian All-Metro team and to the TSSAA All-Region West team. With the basketball season just days away, she will be the only senior on a young Sting varsity squad.
Scifres has made a big impact in her time as a high schooler, and she credits those around her for her success. “Hutchison has provided me so many great coaches and teachers that have made me a better person on and off the court, and I am very thankful for that,” Scifres said.
By her own admission, she’s a perfectionist and has worked tirelessly to pursue her aviation dreams while going to high school. She stands out among her peers for her passion for studying aviation and is a part of Hutchison’s inaugural cohort of Dual Enrollment aviation students through the University of Memphis. She completed the Weather and Climate course in 11th grade and is currently enrolled in the Aviation Safety course.
Both of her parents are pilots, and flying is a way of life in the Scifres home. “I’ve grown up in a family that is embedded in aviation, on both sides of my family,” she said. Embry-Riddle will provide Scifres with an opportunity to fly through the sky and soar on the court, all at the same time. Scifres plans on spending much of her life in the air. “I want to become a commercial aviation pilot. Later in life, I’d like to create my own private charter company,” she said.
Signing with Embry-Riddle is the first step toward making that dream a reality.
Nine Hutchison upper school girls served the Memphis community during the Church Health Youth Service Council’s inaugural year and will continue to serve on the council next school year.
Jordan Deupree ’24 and Bailey Wiener ’24 have been recognized for their leadership in their selection for the Next Gen program, which provides students with mentorship and opportunities to learn more about the Memphis business community.
Hutchison alumna Dr. Kelly Rodney Arnold ’96 had the honor of serving as the commencement speaker for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Arts and Sciences ceremony in May 2024.
At Hutchison, Zelia Cedeño-Avila ’24 stepped out of her comfort zone to try many different things and hone in on her interest in science and math, from serving as Technology Council president to creating a robotic scarecrow for her myExperience capstone project. A lifelong learner, she will bring her knowledge and skills to Vanderbilt University, where she plans to study mechanical engineering.
Three upper school students will participate in high-intensity summer programs in subjects including emerging technologies, international studies, and computational physics.
A discovery in one science class led Izzy Ellis ’24 to delve deeper into her interest in biology and map out a path for college and beyond. Along the way, she nurtured other interests, from athletics to civics. An aspiring oncologist, her dream is to find a new, innovative treatment that could help save lives.
Hutchison world language students participated in the 2024 U of M Language Fair, sponsored by The University of Memphis Department of World Languages and Literatures. Demonstrating their knowledge of Spanish, Hutchison had a total of 12 students win awards at the fair.
AP Scholar and National African American Recognition Program Scholar Lauren Coleman ’24 explored her interest in science and the environment at Hutchison. She hopes to make a difference through a career in sustainability.
J’oules Williams ’24 is a member of Memphis Parent magazine’s inaugural 10 under 20 class. The award celebrates youth who strive to make a difference in their community and change the lives of others for the better.
Adela Calzada ’24 has attended Hutchison since pre-K, and she said it allowed her to blossom into a leader who also makes Hutchison feel like home for her peers.
Our inaugural graduating class of the myExperience program presented their capstone projects with confidence, poise, and enthusiasm at our first myExperience Senior Showcase.
Excelsior! Demonstrating their knowledge of Latin, Hutchison had a total of 10 students win awards at the Tennessee Junior Classical League Convention.
Jayla Dorsey ’24 was a dedicated member of the varsity basketball team all four years of her high school experience, and she credits her coach, teammates, and Hutchison community members for believing in her.
Avery Webb ’26 enjoyed the opportunity to shadow Rep. John Gillespie in Nashville as he interacted with state officials and legislators, and she even got to meet Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.
Hutchison Now highlights graduates early in their careers who embody how a Hutchison education can lead anywhere you can imagine. We spoke with Mary Catherine Hughes ’10, a development associate at the Nashville Repertory Theatre.