Meriel Rowland ’24 is pictured with Hutchison Athletic Director Caroline Schaefer ’08, who was a teammate of Fletcher in high school.
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Number Five Award Honors Liza Wellford Fletcher ’06
Meriel Rowland ’24 was announced as the inaugural Liza Wellford Fletcher Number Five award winner at the 2022-2023 year-end Sports Award Celebration.
Liza Wellford Fletcher ’06 wore the number five during her time at Hutchison. Members of the Hutchison athletic department created this award to honor Liza’s contributions, and it will be given annually to further her legacy. Liza not only had a passion for sports, but she also had a heart for lifting up younger athletes and helping them shine.
At the year-end Sports Awards Celebration, a junior will be named Hutchison’s Number Five. In the fall, the senior will be the only athlete across all sports and all ages to wear the number five for Hutchison. The Liza Wellford Fletcher Number Five award recipient will be a student who emulates the ideals of Hutchison athletics that Liza so beautifully demonstrated. In addition to striving for athletic excellence, she will demonstrate the kind of character, integrity, and leadership that Liza personified. This year’s recipient is Meriel Rowland ’24, a star athlete in cross-country, lacrosse, swimming, and track.
“This is really special, and it’ll motivate me,” Meriel Rowland said. “Sometimes in races, I just want to stop because it gets so hard. I’m doing it for Eliza and all that she had done. Even when it’s hard in a race or even in life, just keep going.”
One of the ways Rowland reminds the Hutchison community of Liza is that she exhibits incredible sportsmanship. She is a fierce competitor and usually one of the first to cross the finish line, but she goes back after to cheer on her teammates. Richie Fletcher, Liza’s husband, said Meriel was the perfect athlete for the award and that it was a beautiful tribute. Meriel Rowland ’24 told Geoff Calkins of the Daily Memphian that she met Liza Fletcher once two years ago. Meriel saw someone helping a homeless man lying flat on the street and stopped to assist as well. She later realized the person helping him was Liza.
“Life is so special, and it’s not guaranteed day by day. Love everyone around you,” Rowland said.
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.