(from left to right) John Hammons, Dot Jones Hammons '76, Tony Alexander, Natalie Alexander '25, Gwen Alexander, Dr. Kristen Ring, and Nick Simpson
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Sophomore Receives First Dot Jones Hammons Award for Responsible Citizenship
Natalie Alexander ’25 is the first recipient of the award. She was chosen because she exhibits characteristicsthe award’s namesake, Dot Jones Hammons ’76, has demonstrated throughout her life: intellectual curiosity, steadfastness, loyalty, kindness, and compassion.
Natalie Alexander ’25 is all about making the world a better place, just like Dot Jones Hammons ’76. According to Nick Simpson, Director of the Institute for Responsible Citizenship, Natalie is genuine, enthusiastic, and humble, and she always has a smile on her face. As a member of the global civic engagement cohort of Hutchison’s myExperience program, she explores how global and community-based engagement impacts the world and its communities.
In February, Natalie received the Dot Jones Hammons Award for Responsible Citizenship, which recognizes an outstanding student in her sophomore year. Simpson and Hammons presented the award to Natalie as a surprise during convocation.
"I was trying to think of who in the grade it would be," Natalie said after the convocation. "I was thinking of everyone except for myself. When I heard my name, it was amazing. I was in total shock, but I am very grateful for this award."
Dot’s husband, John Hammons, endowed the award in Dot’s honor in 2021, and it was announced during the 2021-2022 school year. You can read more about Dot’s lifetime devotion to service here. The award criteria state that the recipient must be an academically strong student with outstanding character who improves her school community as she prepares to leave a positive mark on the world. Natalie’s selection was determined by a committee of school leaders including Simpson. He said Natalie lives these tenets and criteria daily.
“Natalie is curious. She’s on top of all of her work. She’s constantly generating new ideas. She attends every meeting. Beyond that, we’ve been impressed by how she works with her peer group,” Simpson said.
Natalie said she has enjoyed her time in the myExperience program so far: "I have loved being able to look at the world through the lens of global civic engagement. It has been great to have new mentors I can go to and ask for advice or to talk about different events in society."
To Natalie, responsible citizenship means thinking about the world in a way that's much bigger than herself. "As a citizen, it's your job to serve the community and to put yourself in other people's shoes and do whatever you need to support them. It's taking care of yourself and others," she said.
Tonya Faulkner, Hutchison’s Director of Student Inclusion and Belonging, leads the global civic engagement cohort. Faulkner said Natalie consistently demonstrates leadership and dedication.
“Natalie exemplifies model leadership by implementing innovative ideas and listening intentionally with other cohort members in order to work collaboratively,” Faulkner said. “She is always punctual to our weekly meetings, comes prepared to work, and thinks methodically about the overall picture. She is a respectful young leader and a pleasure to work with.”
As part of the award, Natalie will receive a stipend covering a travel experience connected to work in the Institute for Responsible Citizenship. It will pay for her myExperience cohort’s trip to New York this summer. Her group will meet with professors at colleges, go to museums, and connect with alumnae in the area.
Elizabeth Austin ’20, a junior at Middlebury College in Vermont, has been selected for a Udall Foundation Scholarship. She will receive a $7,000 grant to focus on her research in the emerging field of conservation paleontology.
Rising juniors and seniors who are part of four myExperience cohorts in Hutchison's Institute for Responsible Citizenship – global civic engagement, entrepreneurship, STEM, and art and design – explored their respective fields of study on trips to New York and Boston.
The 15-year student and recent recipient of the Ideal Hutchison Girl Award credits Hutchison for providing opportunities for her to delve deeper into her interests and helping her become a strong student and creative innovator.
The National Merit Finalist and 15-year student has distinguished herself by pursuing challenging academic opportunities in math and science and following her various interests along the way. She credits Hutchison for fostering her intellectual curiosity and love of learning.
Fifteen-year student and National Merit Commended Student Brooke Fair ’23 is an award-winning singer-songwriter who has released an album, an EP, and several singles all before graduating high school. This talented artist also is a dedicated student whose music accomplishments have come while achieving academic success.
Fifteen-year student Emmy Walton ’23 has put her heart into becoming a rocket scientist one day. After developing her interests in science and math through various STEM opportunities at Hutchison, she will follow her dreams at one of the nation’s top schools for engineering, Purdue University.
The National Merit Finalist was challenged by Hutchison’s various academic and extracurricular activities. From the tennis court to the courtroom to the classroom, Sarah is a well-rounded, hardworking Hutchison student who lives up to the school’s mission of inspiring girls to go anywhere they can imagine.
Eve-Elyse Hall ’23 has been known for setting up her teammates on the volleyball court throughout an excellent high school career. Now she’s setting herself up for a bright future after choosing to sign to play volleyball at Asbury University in Kentucky.
Hutchison world language students participated in the 2023 U of M Language Fair, sponsored by The University of Memphis Department of World Languages and Literatures. Demonstrating their knowledge of Spanish and Chinese, Hutchison had a total of 21 students win awards at the fair.
Note to the State of Tennessee: If you want to get legislation passed, put Hutchison girls in charge! Seventeen juniors wrote and presented six bills at the YMCA Youth in Government conference in Nashville. All of the bills made it onto the Senate and House dockets, and one was signed into law.
JK girls aren’t scared of these bones! They were fearless and loved being scientists as they took a closer look at the animal bone collection of Lauren Pharr Parks ’02, alumna and mom to Patty Mae ’36.
Seven upper school students will participate in high-intensity summer programs in subjects including computational physics, international studies, and visual arts at universities across the state.