Winterim journal – Daily Updates

From parent Sallie Norton: Our Harpeth Hall students, Sarah Norton, Meg Beasley, Caroline Tanner and Sally Ann Harrell, are having a blast working with Challenge Aspen. They have been working with a Mono Clinic, which is a ski clinic for people with one or no legs. The girls have handled registration and now are serving as assistants to the teachers on the slopes.

From teacher/chaperon Elizabeth Allen:

“The Hacienda Porvenir at Cotopaxi and the horseback ride this morning were outstanding. The girls are absolutely convinced that this is the most exciting and diverse Winterim trip ever and have given us all sorts of suggestions of what we should do ´next time´. I guess it is a hit despite the bugs and heat. They even admit to having learned ´important stuff´ on each leg of our journey. It really has been exceptional.”
From parent Melora Turner, whose daughter, Emily, has text messaged these reports:

After spending five days in Spanish immersion study in the capital city of Quito, 11 girls and two chaperones took a six-hour (bumpy) bus ride to the Amazon Rainforest to live and work in at an environmental conservation station for three days. Although not much info was received about the study or whether or not any scary animals were spotted, the official word is that white water rafting in the Amazon was “so much fun!” The scientific experiments performed while standing on the equator were fascinating and very fun as well. The group is traveling to Cotopaxi National Park to see the world’s largest active volcano and to stay at a refurbished Ecuadorian ranch where they will go horseback riding complete with chaps and cowgirl hats.  

Harpeth Hall students cook for their French family in Rennes.

(At left)Harpeth Hall intern works in robotics program. (At right) HH interns gather in New York:

Two Harpeth Hall interns visit the Time Warner/AOL building on Columbus Circle, which is still decked in holiday lights.

(This journal entry was emailed to Upper School Dean of Students Marie Maxwell):

Our Australian travelers are having a river cruise and guided walk of the Rainforest today. Yesterday they went to the Great Barrier Reef. Tomorrow they travel to Melbourne where they will visit a sheep ranch, museums, galleries and the beach.
January 12: Aspen, Colorado

Caroline Tanner, Sally Ann Harrell, Meg Beasley, and Sarah Norton are working with Challenge Aspen this Winterim. Here is a note from Caroline Tanner: “Just wanted to give you an update on our Winterim here in beautiful Aspen, Colorado. This week we have been working at Challenge Aspen's Monoski Camp, which is a camp for people with disabilities including paralysis and cerebral palsy. It has been a wonderful experience watching the participants. They are so driven and determined that I realize I cannot possibly have any complaints about life. Specifically, we spend the day on the mountain with them, mainly following the group of one to four skiers. We're having a great time in this wonderful place with great people.”

Student Shannon Niedermeyer writes: “I absolutely love my job. My favorite part is meeting a new person who has a unique story to share each time I walk into an exam room. Some of the problems are fixed with an antibiotic and others just with an open ear and a hug. Dr. Killian and Dr. Fentriss are both fabulous people to work with and I can't wait for the next week and a half.”

Student Mary Helen Crafton is studying in France as part of her Winterim experience:

“For these three weeks, I’m staying in France on the school trip. Right now I’m at my home stay in Renne. I was a little apprehensive at first about staying with strangers by myself, but I love my family. They are all so nice and have really helped me when I don’t understand something. Yesterday I went to school with both daughters and today I went to all the food stores to buy food for diner with the mother. Everything is so different here, but they have great food and I’m having

a wonderful time.”

Student Clair Nuismer writes:

“Things are going well in New York City. L'Atelier is fabulous. I am learning more than I ever thought I could from FASHION! There is a large business side to it that I didn't know existed. I have something to do everyday, so there is no time wasted. I love it and am so glad I am here.”
January 11: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Student Caitlin Anthony writes:

“I just wanted to email you and check in. I am interning at the Tennessee Aquarium. I love it here. Everything is going well, and I am staying very busy. I am working with many different people; it really just depends on the day. I have been helping with the seahorses the most, but I have also been helping where ever it is needed. Thank you so much or helping me to get here. I love it and I am learning so much. Thank you again!”

January 10: Washington, D.C.

Harpeth Hall Winterim interns, along with one of Harpeth Hall’s alums, had lunch with Senate Majority leader Bill Frist.

Student English Taylor is interning in Al and Tipper Gore’s Nashville office:

“It was my first day working for the Gores and I was told to answer the phones at the front desk. I was really nervous about answering the phones because I had no idea what kind of people I would be talking to. About 5 minutes later, the phone rang and the caller identification said the call was coming from Beverly Hills, California. I answered the phone and the man on the other line asked for Mr. Gore. Mr. Gore was unavailable, so I asked if I could take a message. The man said, "This George Clooney, tell Al to give me a call back when he gets a chance. He has my agent's number." I was worried I would go speechless, but somehow I managed to thank him and tell him goodbye. I was completely awestruck for the next few minutes. I think it's funny that he just happened to be my first phone call. Talking to George Clooney was probably one of the coolest things that's ever happened to me and the closest to fame I'll ever get!
January 10: Nashville, Tennessee:

Student Molly Campbell is interning at McNeely Pigott & Fox, one of Nashville’s top public relations firms:

“It's so much fun being in the corporate world, although more draining than I had expected (8:00-5:00). Everyone here has been so friendly and helpful; Jessica Martin, an associate account executive here (she went to Harding Academy K-8 with my oldest sister back in the day) has been my designated "buddy" and makes my schedule each day (different every day, which is really nice). I've been going to a lot of meetings, clipping (journalistic technique), running errands having to do with MP&F clients, and organizing a lot of documents and papers. I am so glad I'm working here and wish it wasn't going by so quickly”
January 9: London, England

Students Barbara Pritchett and Clare Brooks are working at Guy Carpenter in London. Here are their remarks from their first week:

• 
  Barbara Pritchett: “Everything in London is fabulous. I had a great first week at work last week and our weekend of touring was awesome. I am sitting in my cubicle right now in the main Guy Carpenter office and I have been helping out the brokers. Everything has been going smoothly. Clare and I went to work by ourselves this morning; it was fun to be on our own on the tubes.
  
• 
  Clare Brooks: “Barbara and I are having so much fun in London. I'm actually at work right now, taking a break from some of the tasks we've been doing to help out the brokers. Work last week was really exciting because we got to follow different brokers around Lloyds instead of sitting at my desk. This weekend we toured around and went to a few museums. The funniest thing that happened was when we were at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and we saw the statues of Henry VIII, Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I. We got so excited. I think we were the only people actually taking pictures with them. We also had fun touring Shakespeare's Globe.”
  

Student Kate Corcoran, who is teaching English to pre-schoolers at a school in France and staying with her sister, Langhorne, writes: “France is absolutely amazing and I am having so much fun. Right now my sister and I are planning our lessons for tomorrow, and we are making Bingo cards with colors so that the pre-schoolers can learn their English colors. I think next weekend we are going to go to Paris for Saturday/Sunday. While we're there, we are hoping to meet up with Barbara Pritchett and Clare Brooks because they are going to come over from London for the weekend.”

Student Adair Freeman writes: “So far I am enjoying Spain. Last Wednesday, I toured the city with the family I am staying with. It was so exciting to connect the history of Spain that I have learned with actual buildings and monuments. I have been practicing my Spanish during the day and reviewing it at night. So far it has been so much easier for me to read and understand than to respond in a conversation, but I am getting better. I have sent a picture of me in front of the local symbol of Madrid. It is a statue of a bear eating from the Madroño.”

Student Annie Killian writes: “I am having a great time at Catholic Charities. I am working with great people in the office, and the refugees I have met are very interesting people. I am helping them start an after-school program for the refugee children in middle school. We have been going on home visits to recruit kids. I am also going to be working with elderly refugees on Wednesdays. So far, this has been an enlightening experience and a challenge as well.”

Student Sarah Feldner writes: “My first week of Winterim has been wonderful. I had some reservations at first about interning at Channel 4, but I love it. Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful. So far, I've gotten to write a story for the 5 o'clock news, sit in on the control room during a broadcast, go around with two different reporters, and watch them do a live story.”

Student Krissie Binkley writes: “I just wanted to let you know that I am having a great time working at the Nashville City Paper. I have created a chart of the Bowl games that was in the paper last Wednesday, and I am currently archiving pictures that I find off of newscom, the newspaper’s AP source. I have also used my organizational skills to create a master calendar of all the sporting events in Nashville (mostly college and professional) from January to April. I am really enjoying my time here.”

Student Brooke Worthington writes: “My Winterim experience has been so fun. Last week I got to follow Ms. Daane into several "Chicks With Hits" meetings and witness the process of "pitching" songs to artists and their A&R or producers/managers. I even got to meet Heidi Newfield of Trick Pony. Everyone has been extremely nice and I have never once felt like a burden or a nuisance. This past week has really opened my eyes to country music and has shown me how intricate both the creative and business sides of song publishing really are.”

Student Ali Smith writes: “I am working with Dr. Glazer in cardiology at Vanderbilt and Saint Thomas hospitals. So far my experience has been very exciting. I have gotten to see a little bit of open heart surgery and a pacemaker being put in!”

Student Kelsay Best writes:”Everything in Atlanta has been great so far. We've settled in and started learning our way around Atlanta. I am absolutely LOVING Moondance Adventures, which I knew I would. Today, Michaelyn, the girl I’m shadowing, and I flew to Raleigh, North Carolina to attend a ‘Summer Opportunities Fair.’ I got to talk to several prospectives for next year and share my experience. I hope I convinced several kids to give it a shot! I also got to help out with a staff interview and give my opinion on the person, which was neat. I am having such a great time and get along so well with my co-workers and boss. They are the nicest people.”

From teacher/chaperone Jennifer Cox: “We have had a busy couple of days. Yesterday: the Musee d'Orsay (Impressionisme), les Invalides (Napoleon's Tomb), and the Rodin museum. Today: Le Louvre, the Cluny (a tiny museum with the unicorn tapestries), and a metro ride to get to and go up the Arc de Triomphe. We stumbled on a concert of medieval music and song at the Cluny played on period instruments with wonderful singing. That was a real treat. Tomorrow is the Chartres and a nice walk through the Luxembourg Gardens and the Eiffel Tower. It is cold but we keep moving.”

Student Margaret Tipton writes: “Atlanta is really fun! It’s hard to drive down here though, and I seem to always get lost. But Bracey, Maddin, Kelsay and I are having fun and learning about Atlanta. My job with Margaret McAllister at TBS (Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.) is really fun. Last night was really exciting because I got to go over to the TBS studio and watch them doing the NBA pre-game show live. I stood so close to Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith when they were filming the shows, and I talked with Charles Barkley for a little bit. He's so funny. It was a great experience.”

Kristin LeRoy is doing a music industry internship with Blanton, Harrell, Cooke and Corzine Management.

“I’m really enjoying my first week. This week was spent in the management office, and next week I will be out on various appointments working with A&R, songwriters, studio work (most excited about that) with Bebo Norman and Scott Parker, BMI, and CAA booking. The following week I will be working in radio and publicity at Provident Label Group and with Echo Music. This is going to be the best three weeks and I can't wait to learn more. I already have over 10 pages of notes all about the music industry, and I know that's just coming from the management side. Hopefully everything at HH is going smoothly as well.”
January 5: Atlanta, Georgia

From Margaret Tipton, who is interning at Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc.:

“Atlanta is really fun! It is hard to drive down here though, and I seem to always get lost. But Bracey, Maddin, Kelsay and I are having fun and learning about Atlanta. My job with Margaret McAllister at TBS is really fun also. Last night was really exciting because I got to go over to the TBS studio and watch them doing the NBA pre-game show live! I stood so close to Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith when they were filming the shows, and I talked with Charles Barkley for a little bit. He's so funny. It was a great experience.”

January 3: New York City (note pictures will load slowly)
Students land in the Big Apple ready for Big City internships:

A trip to an old-fashion soda shop for New York interns.

There are 17 Harpeth Hall students interning on Capitol Hill with Tennessee’s elected officials, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Sen. Lamar Alexander, Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Rep. Bart Gordon, Rep. Jim Cooper. In addition, Allison Buntin is working in the Homeland Security Office; Mary Katherine Bartholomew is working for USA Today, Denton Whitson is at the Washington Design Center, and Claire Burks is with a law firm.

Here is an email from teacher/chaperone Nancy Grimes about the group’s New Year’s Day tour of the nation’s capitol:

“We have had a great day today. The Spy Museum was incredible, and the girls really enjoyed it. We went to Zola, the restaurant next door to the Spy Museum, for lunch. Then we went to Ford's theatre and the Peterson house (where Lincoln died). Both Merrie Clark and the park ranger (believe it or not, Ford's theatre is technically a national park) had a great talk about the assassination.