Michaels-Dickson Scholars Weekend Showcases the Best of McCallie

It's easy to forget they are still kids, these 20 finalists for the Michaels-Dickson Scholars (MDS) program who visited the McCallie campus this past weekend with their families.

As Head of School Lee Burns wrote of them: "Each of these scholars has already been recognized for his academic abilities, extracurricular interests, character, and potential in high school and beyond." Clearly, exceptional candidates all. Yet they are still young teenagers, unable to drive, and junior high or middle school students.

So when Saturday afternoon's closing lunch in Alumni Hall brought an official end to their weekend, three finalists were asked what their favorite part of their visit had been. One young man from eastern Tennessee smiled, "The ice cream." Another from Illinois said with a similar wide grin, "The ice cream social on Friday night." A third from California, "The ice cream."

See. They're still kids. And aren't we glad they are.

They are also exceptionally bright, creative, inquisitive young men who, as the previous quarter-century of MDS recipients tell us, will do great things, becoming leaders in their fields who will notably strengthen that long blue line of McCallie alumni as they advance through life.

"It has been a game-changer," said Dean of Faculty and Curriculum Sumner McCallie of the MDS program. "Essentially, we add 20 great kids a year to each class. Focused, creative, driven, remarkable kids who have repeatedly shown their ability to elevate the classroom experience for our students and teachers alike. The Michaels-Dickson program has meant so much to the McCallie community."

It all began in the late 1990s with a shared vision from the late Ed Michaels '60 and Alan Dickson '49. They believed that by finding young men from across the country who not only showed elite academic potential but were also blessed with high character traits and a strong desire for community involvement—much like the Morehead Scholars Michaels knew during his days at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill—McCallie could position itself as one of the nation's premier all-boys private schools.

As former McCallie administrator Steve Hearn noted a year ago, "While many of us may have believed we already were the top all-boys school, McCallie was largely unknown in many areas of the country."

One of those MDS students is current McCallie senior Clay Lineberry, who grew up in North Carolina.

"This scholarship has changed my life in so many ways," Lineberry wrote this week in an email. "It made it possible for my family and me to afford to attend McCallie. Through the program, I have connected with like-minded students who pursue excellence in academics, athletics, faith, relationships, and so much more. It has connected me with alumni who have inspired me with their journey during and after McCallie."

Lineberry went more deeply into his feelings about the MDS program when he spoke to this year's finalists at a Friday night dinner in Alumni Hall this past weekend.

"When I decided to go to McCallie, I knew it was a step up from my school back home," he began. "I was thinking about better opportunities—better classes, better athletics, better everything, really. What I failed to realize is how much the people and experiences at McCallie would transform me. It isn't just the opportunities but the people who make this place what it is. I can think of countless times I have relied on my friends and have been vulnerable with them. Whether it has been the loss of my grandma, my girlfriend breaking up with me, or a long day at school, I remember less of the pain I felt and more of the guys who stood beside me."

"You don't realize how much you grow by being around people from different backgrounds until you live it. I have friends from California, Greece, New York, Jamaica, and China; the list goes on and on. Meeting these guys opened my eyes and showed me there is more in life than my town in North Carolina. McCallie students aren't just different because of their backgrounds. Most people here are connected by their desire to be their best selves in each area of life and want others to do the same. It doesn't stop at academics and athletics. Guys pursue growth in character, faith, and relationships. McCallie is also a great place to do service. It is not mandatory here, yet you would never know it. Hundreds of guys each week are willing to wake up early on a Saturday to serve those in our community, whether doing yard work for widows, tutoring inner-city kids, or volunteering at the local community kitchen."

Lineberry told the finalists and their families as he closed: "This school didn't just give me opportunities. It gave me the relationships, experiences, and growth I needed to transform."

Everything Lineberry said was certainly what Michaels and Dickson hoped the program would produce when it began 26 years ago. It's also what David Hughes, retiring from McCallie after 37 years, has loved to see from the MDS students he has been recruiting since the program began.

"It starts with the leadership and entrepreneurship camps in the summer," Hughes said. "Not all, but many of the finalists have attended those camps. We get a feel for them, whether they will be a good fit or not, and they get a feel for McCallie. Then you see them here, with their families, for MDS weekend. I am so proud of the young men we have brought to the school through this program. They are sharp, thoughtful, high-character kids who strengthen McCallie."

One parent of one of this year's finalists was clearly impressed. A California resident, she said of her impression of McCallie after her son attended the two-week-long leadership camp this past summer and the weekend: "I appreciate the McCallie ethos of brotherhood, of young men growing together. We have four children. [The finalist] is our only boy. He had such a good time here in the summer. I think he would thrive here."

John and Catherine Arsala saw their son Sebastian become a Michaels-Dickson Scholar two years ago. Living in New York City, they naturally had concerns about distance and homesickness. But during McCallie's recent winter break, Sebastian stayed on campus to participate in an outdoor activity, just as he had a year ago.

"He loves the outdoors," said Catherine. "He's happy here. That's all you want as a parent."

As Saturday's lunch was ending, one of the finalists approached David Hughes to thank him for his interest in him and to ask him to thank McCallie's Roo Daniels and camp counselor Zion Wynn for their time with him.

"The people are so great here," the young man said. "I love this place."

Never underestimate the persuasive power of ice cream.

Learn more about Michaels-Dickson Scholars.

Read about Pillar 5 of our Strategic Plan: Our Community.