Alumni Feature #7

Chatham Charter is proud of the successes of its alumni and how they can inspire current and future students. Over the course of the summer of 2023, Knight News has featured alumni from its 2016-2022 graduating classes. These are only a sample of the incredible achievements Chatham Charter graduates are finding as a result of the opportunities they made the most of before and after high school graduation. Staff would enjoy highlighting additional alumni. Contact Beth McCullough (bmccullough@chathamcharter.org) to share good news about graduates.

The final summer alumni feature focuses on graduates who have found ways to continue to support and give back to Chatham Charter. This is an essential element of the continued success of the academic and extracurricular programs of the school, but, most importantly, maintaining the vision and goals of the school. The value of alumni involvement is immeasurable.

In case you missed any previous sets of alumni features, you can still read them here. Feature #1 Feature #2 Feature #3 Feature #4 Feature #5 Feature #6

Rachel Smith (Class of 2019)

As the 2023-2024 school year begins, Rachel Smith becomes the first graduate of Chatham Charter School to be a full-time employee. Learn about how collegiate studies prepared her for the position she now holds.

Jordan Hamilton (Class of 2020)

For the last two seasons, Jordan Hamilton has been part of the men’s and women’s basketball coaching staff, supporting the varsity coaches and taking over the junior varsity basketball program last school year. Hear him discuss his experiences in the podcast below.

Summer Gaskins (Class of 2016)

Summer Gaskins helped coach cheerleading after graduating from high school and is in charge of the Chatham Charter Alumni Instagram account (@charter_alumni).

“I graduated from Chatham Charter as part of the inaugural class in 2016. I attended Chatham Charter from kindergarten through graduation, except for my freshman year of high school while the high school building was being built. After graduation, I attended Campbell University where I earned my Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. Immediately following my time at Campbell, I enrolled in Liberty University where I earned a Master of Accounting. I am now working in the Finance Department at SAS Institute Inc, headquartered in Cary, NC. Chatham Charter provided me with so many invaluable skills that have aided my journey and reminded me that I can do hard things. Being part of Chatham Charter is so much bigger than attending school, it is truly being part of something big that reaches out to friends, families and creates community. I am honored to be part of the Chatham Charter community.”

Cameron Kennedy (Class of 2021)

Cam Kennedy has been a frequent guest speaker and volunteer at Chatham Charter during his college breaks. In the summer of 2022, he served as an athletic trainer for campus tennis and basketball camps.

“After graduating from Chatham Charter, I started at Ferrum College (in Virginia) where I began my double major in pre professional health-pre therapy and health and human performance-exercise science with a minor in coaching. While at Ferrum I was a manager for the baseball team for three semesters then shifted to my internship where I interned as a group baseball/softball trainer in Raleigh and a personal trainer at the Ferrum fitness center. I graduated in 2023 and decided I wanted to get experience in the field of physical therapy before going for my DPT. I searched until I was offered a PT tech position at Emerge Orthopedics in Burlington. I also decided to volunteer at the fire department down the road from my home. I plan to work at Emerge for about a year while I study for my GRE and apply to multiple graduate schools.”

Examples of How Alumni Continue to Support Chatham Charter

Below are a few of the many ways Chatham Charter alumni have been willing to support the school.

Guest speakers/panelists/interviewers: Amber Vaughn (2022 Senior Honor Night speaker), Kirsten Staley (Family Night session presenter), Meredith Walker (interviewer for DECA officer candidates and senior mock interviews), Gracie Agnew (DECA support), Landin and Emery Eldridge (art class guest helpers), and multiple alumni from each graduating class who have been on panels at upperclassmen seminars and Family Night sessions.

• Campus projects: Tyana Lowery (summer office worker and campus rock painter) and Lilli Jones (campus rock painter)

• Veterans Event participants (some in person, other through video submissions): Tristan McInturff, Jonathan Nava-Plata, Logan Shoun, Josh Smith, Josh Yarborough, and Josiah York

• Substitute teachers: Canaan Birchett, Andrew Dunn, Luke Gaines, and Landon Oakley

• Athletics: Dana Szpunar (volunteer with middle and high school tennis teams), Ben Pickens (helped with summer soccer workouts), and many alumni who support athletic teams as fans

• Special event logo design: Jay Dunn and Elaina Lineberry

• Commencement chair setup: Michael Brannon, Jacob Dekaney, Brenton Hart, Seth Hayhurst, and Jaron Hendrickson