Jayla Dorsey ’24 Signs to Play Basketball at Huntington University
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.
Though her high school career ended this past February, point guard Jayla Dorsey ’24 has a lot more basketball left to play. Dorsey signed to continue her basketball career at Huntington University, located just outside Fort Wayne, Indiana, about two hours north of Indianapolis. She said her decision came down to the connection she developed with the head coach of the Foresters, Darby Maggard.
“This school expressed how much they wanted me," Dorsey said. "Every conversation with Coach Maggard and her assistant coach was amazing. They answered all my questions and periodically checked on me, so I was set on them.” She said their relationship began a couple of years ago. “I met Coach Maggard during a team camp and again during elite camps when she was an assistant coach at a different university (University of Tennessee at Martin),” Dorsey said. “When she became head coach for Huntington, she invited me for a visit and I loved our conversation. This school just stuck with me. I see myself growing as a player there and my coach believes in me.”
She knows all about having a coach who believes in her from her time at Hutchison, where head coach Thomas Jones relied on Dorsey extensively throughout her four years of varsity basketball. Dorsey was a member of the 2021 state championship team and says that experience will stick with her forever. “The best memory of my time here at Hutchison will always be winning the first championship. No feeling was greater than holding that gold ball as streamers came down surrounded by a group that was basically my second family.”
“I’ll miss playing Hutchison basketball for Coach Jones. I’ll also miss my teammates, my friends, and the teachers and faculty who have supported me through all of this.”
Sting basketball requires a lot of time, a lot of energy, and a lot of sacrifice. Dorsey says she expects that learning how to balance those things while at Hutchison will help her have a smooth transition into college life. “Coach Jones has shown me how much work and time goes into basketball and how you’ll have to be even more dedicated for college,” Dorsey said. “The class schedules, the workload, and extracurriculars at Hutchison more than prepared us for college, and I think I will do extremely well at Huntington.”
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.