Grandparents Day Brings Families Together at McCallie

When Pam Gray learned her grandson Thomas Gray was leaving his Shreveport, Louisiana, home and heading 9½ hours northeast to become a freshman boarding student at McCallie this past August, she admitted she was a little concerned.

"Any grandparent would be apprehensive about their grandson leaving home at that age," she said. "That is a big step."

But then she arrived on campus this past Friday, April 4, for Grandparents Day. Standing in the quad surrounded by Caldwell Hall, the chapel, and the academic building, a bright sun over her head, she said, "This is wonderful. I am much more comfortable with him being here now. This is the first time we have seen the campus. It is inspiring."

Added Thomas, "They have gotten to see what I am doing up here, what made me want to come here."

McCallie grandparents of sixth, ninth, and twelfth graders came from all across the country this past Friday to see the school and what their grandsons are doing here. Gayden Tiss flew in from Newport Beach, California, to visit her Middle School sixth grader, Kaden Pryor.

"Everything is impressive," she said. "McCallie’s emphasis on character and honor means a lot to me. I think that is so important today."

Asked what it meant to him to have his grandmother fly in from California, Kaden said, "It means everything."

Ajay Patel's maternal grandparents, Kalpi and Bipin Vora, flew in from Chicago for the event.

What impressed the Voras the most about middle school?

"The curriculum," said Grandpa Bipin.

"The camaraderie," replied Kalpi.

Sixth grader Ware Lawson's maternal grandmother Carolyn Worsley drove for Grandparents Day from Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

"It is great to see what he is doing," she said. "I am always impressed. Our first stop was the library. It was stunning."

If you do not believe certain traits trickle down from grandparents to grandsons, consider McCallie senior Cooper Wallace, a boarding student from Birmingham, Alabama, and his grandmother, Eunie (Waldorf) Smith, who lives in the Birmingham suburb of Mountain Brook but grew up in Chattanooga, where she graduated from Girls Preparatory School in 1953.

During her senior year at GPS, she was president of the school's Honor Council. Wallace is currently president of McCallie's Senate.

"I guess we have honor in our family," said Wallace.

To that end, Eunie gave Cooper her old speech from when she ran for Honor Council president.

"I have not used it yet, but I might," said Wallace with a smile. "It is nice having a family connection to Chattanooga."

Anna Hall, McCallie's director of family giving and engagement, said more than 375 grandparents attended the event, with the sixth graders' grandparents filling every seat in the Middle School Forum and every row of the chapel filled for the Upper School grandparents of ninth and 12th graders.

"We are grateful to have so many wonderful and engaged families in our school community," said Hall. "Hundreds of grandparents from near and far made the effort and the choice to be with us and their grandsons on Friday. We were excited to welcome them and roll out the blue carpet."

In the Middle School, that blue carpet included treating the grandparents to presentations from their grandsons concerning their classes, projects, and activities. The Upper School grandparents heard from both freshmen and seniors about their experiences at McCallie and what the school has come to mean to them.

Upper School Principal Hank Hopping also quickly informed the grandparents, "We see every day the positive influence you have on our students' lives. And when they sometimes step in it, so to speak, we know that is on their parents."

As she was about to head back to Birmingham on Friday, Eunie Smith echoed the words of many of the grandparents visiting their grandsons when she said, "I am always impressed with McCallie."

 

---

Learn more about McCallie's mission and values.

Explore our Middle School program and curriculum highlights.

Learn more about the Upper School experience at McCallie.