Dear Country Day Alumni & Friends,

Happy 2023! I hope the start to your new year has been filled with joy and positivity. 

Here at Country Day, we are delighted to be back to school and see the hallways once again buzzing with students eager to learn and grasp the opportunities around them. They are ready to take on another semester of stimulating classes, a full sports schedule, theatrical and musical productions, fine arts exhibitions, and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities. You can't feel anything but positivity from that!

In the advancement office, we are looking forward to many wonderful opportunities to connect with our alumni in 2023. We would love to hear what our community is up to in the new year, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with your news!

With best wishes for an amazing year,

Casey Santi

Associate Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations

On Tuesday, January 10, Cincinnati Country Day School held its annual Senior Seminar, during which recently graduated alumni returned to campus to share insight about their college experiences with the current senior class. 

"Our seniors are in the home stretch of high school. Senior Seminar gives them a glimpse of the fantastic opportunities on the horizon as they shift their focus from right now to what's coming up next," says Dr. Erin Shaull, Upper School teacher and Senior Seminar organizer. 

Pictured above: Country Day welcomed 12 alumni back to the Senior Seminar this year. Back row: Bijin Basu '22, Terre Virzi '22, Jordan Perry '20, Foster Opals '17, and Caroline Blang '21. Front row: Ella Beyreis '21, Sarah Coyle '22, Payton Ebbing '22, Abby Smith '20, Catherine Collett '20, and Manav Midha '19. Not pictured: Alex Arnold '20

The Senior Seminar gives seniors the chance to hear from their graduated peers on various college topics, ranging from balancing college athletics and life, finding your place in clubs, how to stay creative in college, Greek life, and networking. 

"It's fascinating to see the many experiences our youngest alums engage in when they get to college and hear the excellent advice they give to the seniors," says Sarah Beyreis, director of college counseling and external opportunities. "Senior Seminar falls at a perfect moment in the lives of the seniors, as many of them have finished applying to college and are now ready to look ahead to college and campus life.”  

One of the presenters, Terre Virzi `22, shared her experience with her summer internship at Procter and Gamble. She spoke about finding an internship that is a good fit and how her internship gave her relevant experience in her major. Having finished her first semester at Columbia, Terre says she felt prepared for college because of her internship and time at Country Day.  

"Country Day truly does prepare you for college," says Virzi. "My transition was really smooth. The small class sizes and discussions you have with your peers and teachers get you used to being a leader, and that makes the transition a lot easier because in college, you must be a leader. Places like Country Day give you remarkable opportunities, so don’t be afraid to take advantage of those opportunities while you’re here.”  

Support Country Day through CountryDate 2023 Sponsorship!

CountryDate 2023 sponsorships are an important part of this year's community fundraising efforts and a wonderful demonstration of your commitment to our students, faculty, and programs. Sponsorships are available for individuals, families, or businesses and start at $500.

In prior years, funds raised at CountryDate have been used to help fund the development of our CCDX Week programming, summer innovation grants for faculty members, work to support student health and wellness, and the expansion of our STEAM curriculum, to name just a few areas. You can support our students and school with a CountryDate sponsorship even if you can't attend the event. Just click on the link below!

MLK Day - Honoring the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

"The time is always right to do what is right." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On Monday, January 16, our nation paused to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In the days leading up to and following the holiday, Country Day students in all three divisions honored Dr. King’s legacy through meaningful activities as well as various acts of community service. 

Upper School students partnered with La Soupe and Our Daily Bread to create snack packs and make 400 sandwiches for those in need. Middle School students reflected on Dr. King’s life and legacy during a special presentation sponsored by the Black Cultural Workshop Club and the student Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council. Our Lower School students answered Dr. King’s message—"Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, `What are you doing for others?” by kicking off the CCDS All-School Book Drive. Students are cleaning out and collecting classroom books to donate to Amanda Elementary in Middletown, a school that serves students in grades Pre-K through 5. The school recently opened a library and needs books to build its collection.

This is not work that can be accomplished in one day or by only a few individuals; this should be a lifestyle embraced by all. In the words of Dr. King, “Everyone can be great because everyone can serve.”

It's Time to Start Planning 2023 Class Reunions!

Pictured above: Members of the Class of 1997 (and special guest, Head of School Rob Zimmerman '98!) celebrated their 25th reunion at Little Miami Brewing Company in September 2022.

This year, classes ending in '3 and '8 will celebrate their reunions. Whether it's your 5-year reunion or your 50th, you do not want to miss this opportunity to reconnect and reminisce with your CCDS classmates!

If you are interested in planning your reunion, contact Peter Fossett '80, associate director of alumni and legacy giving, at [email protected] or 513.979.0283 for more information.

We can't wait to see you in September!

Send in your Nominations for the 2023 Arts Hall of Fame!

To celebrate the strong and vibrant tradition in the arts at CCDS, the Arts Hall of Fame recognizes former Country Day students and community members for their contributions in the fine, musical, performing, and literary arts.

To be eligible for nomination a candidate must be one of the following:

• A student who has been graduated from CCDS for at least five years.
• A faculty member who has been retired for 3 years or is over the age of 60.
• A community member who has made a significant contribution through philanthropy or volunteering to the CCDS arts program.

We are also accepting nominations for the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award and Virtue in Action Award. Visit our website to read more about alumni awards and make a nomination.

Two Country Day Coaches Named All-City Coach of the Year

Congratulations to head football coach Dennis Coyle and head girls' soccer coach Theresa “Hirsch” Hirschauer on being named All-City coaches of the year by the Cincinnati Enquirer. Coach Coyle is Division V-VII Football Coach of the Year, and Coach Hirschauer is Division III Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.  

"It is an honor to receive this recognition, and I appreciate the Enquirer for my selection, but it’s really all about the team – my assistant coaches and our players do the heavy lifting and win the games," says Coyle.  

Coyle, who also serves as Country Day's athletic director, took the football team to the playoffs this year, leading them to their first playoff win since 1999. This year's team is also the tenth in Country Day history to finish the regular season with 10 wins.

Middle School head Theresa Hirschauer led the girls' soccer team to their fifth state championship appearance and second win since 2019. 



"It is always humbling to be recognized at any level for coach of the year, and this recognition is the celebration of my players and assistant coaches,” says Hirschauer. “The best soccer in Ohio is played in Cincinnati. The Country Day soccer family is a special group, and it brings me great joy to receive an award recognizing our program's hard work and passion."  

Country Day is Growing its CCDXperiences Job Shadow and Internship Program!

Through CCDXperiences, students see firsthand what it's like to work in a field that interests them through short-term job shadows, long-term volunteer research positions, or weeklong career exploration opportunities on university campuses and in the field.

If you could host an Upper School student at your place of work or share your expertise with students on our campus, please fill out this brief form. The survey will take approximately six minutes to complete but your involvement could make a lasting impact on the lives of our students.

Visit our website to read about students' past experiences, the objectives of the program, and what it means to be a job shadow/internship host.

Thank you for taking the time to consider offering a real-world learning opportunity!

Students Attend National Student Diversity Leadership Conference

In early December, Jourdan Jones `23, Vic Quintero `25, and Emma Valentin `23 attended the NAIS 2022 People of Color Conference’s Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) in San Antonio, Texas.  

The conference is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of high school student-leaders from across the nation and abroad. It is a chance for students to come together and develop cross-cultural communication skills, design practical strategies for social justice practice, and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles. 

"The conference was super eye-opening for me," says Quintero. "It was the first time I'd seen so many students like me and heard so many stories similar to my experiences. Having my experiences affirmed and being able to relate to others like me was life-changing." 

About 1,600 students from various races, identities, minority groups, and schools attended the conference. For these three Country Day students, it was a chance to further their work in the school's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Council, on which all three are active members.  

"I left the conference feeling lucky to have groups like the EDI Council and Black Cultural Workshop at Country Day but also feeling like we could do more to connect all students with their cultures and make sure that every student's voice is heard and every student is set up for success," says Jones. "This is everyone's work, and I think it's important for any student, not just minorities, to attend a conference like this."  

Accepting Nominations for the Alumni Council

It is the Alumni Council's unwavering belief that Cincinnati Country Day School alumni are a testament to the success of the school; that alumni continue to be valued members of the school community; and that they should remain involved in the life of the school and its students.

The Alumni Council seeks to advance the goals of the Alumni Association by promoting participation, history, and communication from alumni.

The Council meets quarterly on CCDS's campus with a virtual option for out-of-town members. Alumni Council is now accepting nominations for new members to serve a 3-year term, beginning July 1, 2023. Multiple spots are available. If you or anyone you know are interested in joining other alumni on the Council, please click below to submit your nomination.

Congratulations to Andrew Zimmerman '24 on being named the MVC Athlete of the Week after scoring 21 points and grabbing 16 boards in a win against Lockland.

Rain or shine, it's always a good day to play at the ECC!

Upper School students partnered with La Soupe and Our Daily Bread to create snack packs and make 400 sandwiches for those in need.

Welcome to our jungle! Country DEY students showed their stripes ahead of the Bengals playoff WIN on January 15th.

8th grade students spent this past week preparing for their auditions for "Singing in the Rain", this year's Middle School musical. They had some extra help from Upper School theater students who stopped by to offer words of advice.

Maple season is here! Outdoor education students have been hard at work identifying sugar maple trees on campus, tapping trees, and collecting sap to make maple syrup. Maple sugaring gives students the opportunity to learn the science, natural, and cultural history surrounding this sweet season.

Country Day's success is due in large part to the generous, ongoing support of our alumni. A gift to the Country Day Fund allows today’s students to benefit as you once did, sustaining the legacy of excellence that defines our school. Please consider joining fellow alumni in making a gift.