McCallie students on a Ridgedale Walkabout
Students from McCallie School will give a special presentation of the story of McCallie and the Ridgedale community at East Side Elementary School on Monday at 6:30 p.m. This special event is free and open to the public. Masks are strongly encouraged.
The McCallie Neighborhood Initiative started in the Spring of 2021 as a way to connect students with the neighborhood surrounding the school and better understand the impact of their school’s existence for the surrounding community. A task force made up of 11 students, led by school teachers and administrators, began in April 2021 by learning the historical data, systemic issues and the general picture of the neighborhood today.
In January, many of those students participated in a special class, led by English teacher Eamon Thornton, that examined the issues many Ridgedale community members face. The class was part of the “Tornado-Term” curriculum in which Upper School students spend two weeks every January in special classes and activities. The students interviewed neighbors, met with community leaders, conducted walking surveys of the neighborhood, and researched their shared history at the Chattanooga Public Library.
"These young men have put a lot of time and effort into examining the rich history as well as the promising future of the Ridgedale neighborhood,” said Head of School Lee Burns. “Their interest reflects McCallie’s commitment to and support of our community.”
Ridgedale Community Association President Christina Sacco said, “McCallie has existed as an institution in our community for many years, and we’ve been so encouraged by their interest in not only exploring their impact on Ridgedale but also the history. We hope residents and adjoining neighbors alike will join us for this special presentation.”
Anyone interested in attending the event is asked to register at events.attend.com/f/1383794604. Information about the Ridgedale neighborhood and event can be found at facebook.com/RidgedaleChattanooga. Information about McCallie School can be found at mccallie.org/.