As we look ahead to Giving Day 2022, on February 17th, we are celebrating all the ways that we Show Our Love for
Maclay. These special connections are part of what makes this campus such a special place. We have many members
of our community who come to work each day with their own Maclay “Sweethearts.” We hope you will enjoy hearing
their sweet stories about their favorite memories with their sweethearts.
Justin (Upper School History Teacher)
& Sara (Middle School Physical Education Teacher) VanTassel:
What do you love most about Maclay?
I love the family feel of the school. Everyone has each other’s back and we are more than just a school. Maclay truly is one big family that cares about the needs of everyone within the school. On a more personal note, it is great to see our kids running around and having a chance to watch them learn and grow firsthand. Nothing is better than the wave or smile from one of our kids when we are walking around campus throughout the day.
What is your favorite part about having your sweetheart on campus
with you?
It’s great to just be around each other. We both live hectic lives and are super busy with sports, so it is nice just to see each other and have passing conversations from time to time. Just being able to say “hi” goes a long way.
What is your favorite memory with your sweetheart at Maclay?
Definitely working the Maclay Auction together. That was a blast. We are both “all-in” Maclay and love to help and be a part of the community as best we can. Volunteering to work the auction was a great time and we love being involved at different events throughout the year.
What brought you to Maclay?
Lacrosse is what brought us here. That, along with wanting to move more North from South Florida. South Florida was great, but we missed having seasons. The weather is much better here, and we still don’t have to shovel snow. Best of both worlds. On the sports front, we saw a great opportunity to grow the sport we love and create something special in the Tallahassee community.