The 2017 Homecoming Award Winners have been selected. This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award winner is Mrs. Kris Hattaway Vaughn (Class of ’04), and this year’s FPD Service Award goes to Mrs. Barbara Henley. The two recipients were nominated by FPD alumni and will be honored prior to the FPD vs. Twiggs County High School game on Friday, September 29 as part of FPD’s Homecoming festivities.
Distinguished Alumni Award – Kris Hattaway Vaughn
The Distinguished Alumni Award goes to an alumnus/alumna who has made an outstanding contribution through his/her vocation or who otherwise deserves to be recognized for outstanding achievement in some field or endeavor – an individual who has “changed the world for God’s glory.”
Since August of 2015, Kris Vaughn has served as the Executive Director of GeorgiaForward, a statewide nonprofit working to strengthen communities, unite our state, and create a talent pipeline within Georgia.
Prior to joining GeorgiaForward, she led economic development and community engagement efforts for the Macon Water Authority. For over five years before that, she was the Director of Place for NewTown Macon and a leading member of the development team transforming downtown Macon.
Named 40 Under 40 by Georgia Trend Magazine in 2016, Kris is a rising star in the state of Georgia. She and her husband are members of Leadership Georgia Class of 2017. She is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Macon as well as the Georgia Academy of Regional Economic and Leadership Development. Kris holds a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism from the University of Georgia and a Certificate of Leadership from UGA’s Terry College of Business’s Institute for Leadership Advancement. Kris is married to Forsyth attorney Ben Vaughn and they live in Monroe County with their daughter Hattie and two dogs. They are active members of Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in Macon.
FPD Service Award – Barbara Henley
The FPD Service Award goes to an individual who has shown continued service and support to First Presbyterian Day School.
In 1981, Mrs. Barbara Henley became a part of the FPD family when she arrived to teach physical science. To the benefit of hundreds of students, she made her home at FPD for 33 years. Her service to FPD extended far beyond her hours in the classroom or her years as a faculty member. Mrs. Henley was a friendly face at just about every event on campus. When she was not volunteering to chaperone dances or keep the books for the basketball teams, she was there to cheer on her students. At Friday night football games, it was Mrs. Henley who welcomed guests at the Pass Gate at every home game, a role she continued even after retirement.
Mrs. Henley’s love for serving others extends far beyond the FPD campus. While teaching at FPD, she cooked breakfast at Macon Outreach every Tuesday morning beginning at 5:30 a.m. Upon retirement from FPD in 2014, she decided to extend her work with the homeless, and began serving lunch at Macon Outreach daily.
Olivia Taylor, 2014 FPD Valedictorian, had this to say about Mrs. Henley, “Thankfully, I had Mrs. Henley to remind me that life isn’t just about work. She served as a reminder to enjoy the little things. Mrs. Henley was able to maintain the balance between work and fun. She made learning fun, and in the process touched many lives including mine.”