Real Talk with Buzzy + Lea

Grandfather-Granddaughter Alums Reflect on the Academy

When James C. “Buzzy” Potts ’64 graduated from Georgia Military Academy, he never imagined he would be presenting his first granddaughter with her Woodward diploma almost 60 years later. But when Lea Bourne ’22 graduated, Buzzy was at her side, along with her father, Tom Bourne ’94.

In the intervening decades, Lea’s father became part of the Potts family with his marriage to her mother, Ann Whitten, so three generations are now part of the Woodward community. Tom and Ann Whitten are both members of the Academy staff, and Lea’s brother, Walker, will graduate with the Class of 2026. Lea’s aunts, uncles, and cousins have joined the Woodward family. Buzzy’s grandchildren Rolan Potts ’27 and Charlie Potts ’31 are current students. Daughter-in-law Morgan Potts is director of the Transition Learning Support Program, and Buzzy’s stepson, Trey Kilpatrick ’98, is an alum as well. Trey’s daughter Phen will join the family at Woodward next fall in fifth grade.

To mark the Academy’s 125th anniversary celebration in 2024-2025, Buzzy and Lea got together on a Zoom call to talk about their memories of their shared alma mater. (Buzzy, from an office on Main Campus in College Park, and Lea from Georgia Southern University, where she is a junior majoring in Sports Management.) Below are excerpts from their conversation:

Lea: How did you feel on your first day of school at GMA?

Buzzy: That was a long time ago, but I recall I was certainly very excited. Several of my friends from elementary school were in my class. There was safety in numbers. It was a new challenge.

Lea: Why did your parents send you to GMA?

Buzzy: I think they fundamentally felt GMA was the best educational opportunity for me. My mother was a teacher, and education was very important. She thought GMA provided the best opportunity for me.

Lea: What are the most important lessons you learned at GMA?

Buzzy: GMA taught me a lot of lessons but a couple that come to mind: One is the ability to learn on my own, to study and acquire knowledge on my own. Personal accountability would be second, whether that’s socially or scholastically.

Lea: What kind of student were you?

Buzzy: I think I would call myself conscientious. Applying myself and making good grades were important to me, so I did that, and the outcome was very positive.

Lea: How did you get the nickname Buzzy?

Buzzy: I might just turn that around and ask you that question because you were the first grandchild who ever called me Buzzy. The origin of that goes back to my graduation from Georgia Tech. Buzzy is a pretty easy extension of that.

Lea: What did you do for a living and how did attending GMA affect your career trajectory?

Buzzy: I was in the commercial real estate business for several decades. And I think I was guided by the important lessons introduced at GMA—personal accountability and always taking pride in whatever you do.

Lea: Are you still friends with anyone from that time in your life?

Buzzy: I will always think of many people from that time in my life as friends but most of those don’t live in Atlanta so I don’t really have any opportunity to see them with any frequency. But there will always be a place in my heart for all the great friends I made at the Academy. I had a couple of my classmates, three or four, who went on to Georgia Tech with me.

Lea: How did you feel when you escorted me to receive my Woodward diploma?

Buzzy: I would simply say it was one of the fondest and proudest moments that I’ll always carry with me.

Lea: That is probably one of my favorite memories ever.

Lea: How do you feel about having your grandkids attend Woodward?

Buzzy: I feel they are fortunate to have this opportunity, and it’s certainly special that you and the rest of them are walking the same steps that I walked 60 years ago. That’s unique, and it’s something that is a nice legacy for our family to have.

Lea: Are there any words of wisdom you would like to pass along to me?

Buzzy: I’ll try to give you a simple message, which is not always a simple thing to do. You’ll have choices throughout life. Be thoughtful about those choices and make choices that give you personal satisfaction, and follow through to the best of your ability.

Lea: What have you learned from life? The most important things?

Buzzy: One is that every decision you make has consequences so be mindful of that and try to make as good a choice as you can. You’re not gonna bat 1,000, but you should always have fun and enjoy the journey.

Lea: What are you proudest of in your life?

Buzzy: What I feel most fortunate about and that is I have a wonderful, loving family, and I’m blessed to have that.

Buzzy: What are your first memories of me?

Lea: The picture of you and me at the Georgia Aquarium is the perfect representation of my memories of you. Being your first granddaughter, I think the time that you and I spent alone, just the two of us, going to the park, going to Georgia Tech games, to the aquarium, being present and in the moment. The memories that stick out most are when you were there.

Buzzy: How did you feel on your first day at Woodward?

Lea: I remember feeling very nervous. I only knew two people at Woodward. The second that I walked in, I felt it was where I was supposed to be. It was an exciting feeling. At my previous school in our neighborhood, there weren’t many opportunities, especially with our family being so sports-oriented. At Woodward, I had every opportunity to succeed.

Buzzy: Why do you think your parents chose Woodward for you and your brother?

Lea: I remember being at the Wing Factory with Walker, Mom, and Dad, and we were talking about school and Dad said, “You should go to Woodward.” I think Dad had the fondest memories from his time as a Woodward student and saw every opportunity for us to succeed and knew we would thrive. Even though, when we lived in the city, it was an hour drive, they knew that it was going to be worth it. With you and Dad being alumni, everything we did felt like tradition. I hold our family traditions near and dear to my heart, and Woodward upholds its traditions as well.

Buzzy: What are the most important lessons you learned at Woodward?

Lea: Like you said, there is the longest list. Woodward taught me to lead by example not only with actions but also with character, and to value character and diversity. Since going to college, I can tell that my high school experience taught me to appreciate the diversity of the world we live in now. Another important lesson is to take every second to heart and don’t just let it pass by. I remember my first day at Woodward like it was yesterday, and now I’m about to be a senior in college. Woodward did a very good job with upholding traditions and immersing the student body in the Woodward Way, and also giving us each other. It’s a huge community, and I think Woodward taught me to hold on to that community.

Buzzy: How do you feel about having so many family members as part of the WA community?

Lea: I think it’s a testament to how Woodward appreciates every generation. There were teachers when I was in Upper School who taught Dad or were his coach. Getting to see the memories in real life, in person, it’s something that I will forever be grateful for. The fact that I still keep in touch with my friends, coaches, and teachers daily is something that I feel like most people don’t enjoy at any point in their lives. It’s part of the fabric of our family. Woodward has been such an integral part of our lives. We’re all grateful for that.