In the fall of 1978, a young man named David Hughes, who hailed from Chattanooga, Tennessee, enrolled as an eleventh grader at Blue Ridge School.  Little did we know that he would prove to be one of the most respected and engaged leaders in his class. During his two years at Blue Ridge his determination to seize this opportunity to prepare himself for enrollment in a reputable college was foremost in his mind. Throughout David’s time at Blue Ridge, he made a personal commitment to strive to be his best in the classroom, on the athletic fields, during evening study, and as a class leader. This experience helped to prepare him to carry his leadership skills into his adult years and to successfully work with others to achieve desired goals.

Upon David’s arrival on campus in the fall of 1977 as an eleventh grader, he immediately set about to focus his attention on improving his academic skills so as to better prepare for college enrollment and, in addition, to push himself to master the athletic skills that he very much enjoyed. The academic structure and faculty support provided by the school’s program opened an opportunity for him to boost his academic abilities so as to strengthen his preparation for admission to a reputable college and to participate in an athletic activity he so very much enjoyed. David fixed his attention on both of these goals and set about to succeed in both challenges. Football was the contact sport he most enjoyed, and he threw himself enthusiastically into the game.  At the end of the 1977 football season, David was honored by the Virginia Prep League as an “All Prep League Player.” His leadership on the field and commitment to improving his effort to strengthen his skills earned him statewide recognition.

In the spring of 1978 and 1979, David enthusiastically enjoyed participating in lacrosse. He liked contact sport, and lacrosse provided opportunities to “check” stick on stick and for bodily contact with opponents. The game intrigued him, as it did a good many of his classmates, because of occasions for physical contact within certain restrictions as well as the speed with which the game was played. David’s enthusiasm for his high school lacrosse experience today has led him to continue working with a lacrosse legend, Rodney Rullman, who in the seventies was a nationally recognized player for the University of Virginia. Together, they have played a significant role in establishing a multi-state lacrosse league, which consists of seven to eight teams located all over the southeast.

It is a bit unusual for a prep school student who enrolls in his junior year to be quickly recognized as a candidate for a top leadership position. Yet, the members of the 1978 junior class quickly came to appreciate the quality of David’s character and the fairness and responsibility with which he approached everyone and everything. His temperament and sense of decency did not go unrecognized by both faculty and students. David was, during his junior year, chosen to serve as the Secretary-Treasurer of his class.

Yet, more responsible assignments were to come. At the end of his junior year, the departure of the seniors for their college experience required the selection of new school leaders. Both faculty and students assumed the responsibility of selecting from the ranks of the junior class the coming year’s new leaders, who would take on positions as Prefects, Honor Council, and Disciplinary Committee members for the coming year. Of those appointed, David was called upon to take on the responsibilities of serving as both a Prefect and member of the Honor Council. Such was the confidence his classmates had in him.

Serving on the Honor Council posed a serious challenge for each of its members. David was faced with the challenge of determining the nature of the offense and the degree of seriousness that the breach of the code required as a response. The council’s evaluation as to the wrongness of the offense along with a recommendation for a consequence was then sent to the school’s headmaster for final evaluation. The confidence that the student body placed in David and his fellow council members demonstrated the respect and trust that he had earned during his time at Blue Ridge.

David’s years at Blue Ridge School helped to support and nurture those remarkable qualities of leadership, integrity, and honor by which he lives as well as to spark his desire to devote the past thirty some years of life to the McCallie School in Tennessee where he continues to encourage, support, and set an admirable example both as an admissions officer and coach.