School Says Goodbye to Abby McKenna and Scott Campbell

Pace Academy is losing two of its beloved teachers at the end of this school year: physics teacher Abby McKenna and band director Scott Campbell. Ms. McKenna is leaving Pace to move to Denver, her hometown, where she will teach at Colorado Academy as the head of the physics department. She described Colorado Academy as “a lot like Pace, except colder.” Ms. McKenna said that she will miss Pace, but definitely not the warm weather. A lover of cold weather and hiking, she is looking forward to moving to a mountainous state that receives several feet of snow every winter–perfect for skiing. At her new school, she plans to coach the backpacking team, which will allow her to climb the beautiful Colorado mountains during the school year. Surrounded by nature, she will also be better able to pursue her passion for environmentalism.

Ms. McKenna admitted that even though she is looking forward to forming new relationships in Colorado, there will always be a place in her heart for her Pace students. Reminiscing over her favorite Pace memories, she mentioned the constant bombardment of questions from current sophomore Megan Blasberg during herfreshman year physics class. “She would ask me whether the world was really going to end in 2012, like, every single day!” Ms. McKenna said, laughing. She will also miss her Atlanta ice hockey team. “We’re really close,” she explained.

Although Ms. McKenna was only at Pace for two years, she has had a lasting impact on Pace and her students. Ms. McKenna will be remembered for her energy and enthusiasm for her subject, and her passion for preserving the environment. She involved students in river cleanups, trail workdays, and day hikes. Her students had fun with the many science experiments and projects, including the rocket launches and “Phlotilla” in the Pace pool.

Band teacher Scott Campbell has been teaching band at Pace for the last 16 years, and his band students have made it clear that he will be missed. Band members junior Zeena Lattouf and sophomore Amber Easley even circulated a petition for students to sign in hopes of keeping Mr. Campbell at Pace. Amber considers Mr. Campbell to be her favorite teacher, adding that she will miss “his corny jokes” the most. Her favorite band memory is the trip to Disney World the band took last year. “It was an amazing experience playing outside in front of a crowd who really enjoyed our performance. It was definitely the best we played all year,” Amber said.

Mr. Campbell has inspired musicians of all age groups. He taught the Upper School band Amber’s favorite song, “Chorale and Shaker Dance.” He and Ms. McKenna will always remain a part of our high school experience and memories, and we wish them the best as they pursue their interests beyond the Academy.

By Suzanne Monyak, Staff Writer ’13

Photo Credit: Suzanne Monyak