BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
VOL. 10, NO. 3 SUMMER 2014
Commencement for the Class of 2014 by Joan Martin
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embers of the Brooklyn Friends School Class of 2014 received their diplomas on June 10th in a lively ceremony marked by an abundance of family feeling, good humor, and gratitude for the unique characteristics of a BFS education.
Commencement was held at St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, with Head of School Larry Weiss, Upper School Head Bob Bowman, and Board of Trustees Co-chairs Lara Holliday and Bradford Mulder ’83 presiding. In accordance with Upper School tradition, members of the graduating class chose the Faculty Speaker, Director of College Counseling Lindsey Berns, and the Class Speakers, Tyler Clarke ’14, Adam Ginsberg ’14 and Simon Jackson-Forsberg ’14. Continuing a recent custom, the Commencement Speaker was the recipient of the George Fox Distinguished Alumni Award. This year, the well-known actor and producer Fisher Stevens ’81, fulfilled that role admirably with candor, wisdom, and wit. The Upper School Choir, directed by Russell Marsh, and the Upper School Chamber Ensemble, directed by Elvira Sullivan, inspired and delighted a filled to capacity audience in the College’s beautiful Founders Hall.
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SEE MORE PHOTOS and read speeches at brooklynfriends.org/commencement2014
Photos from top, left to right: Graduates Sam Whang, Raphael Norman-Tenazas, Julia Greenwald, Anton Sack, Lucas Mirer; Tyler Clarke and Elinor Hills; Nicholas Ullman, Glyne Haper, and Evan Novick; Aria Cato receiving her diploma from Head of School Larry Weiss
MESSAGE FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL DR. LARRY WEISS The joyous Alumni Day and Commencement activities described in this newsletter took place during an exciting juncture in BFS history.
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uring May and June we received a very positive report from the Decennial Visiting Committee appointed by the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) that served as a basis for the official renewal of our NYSAIS accreditation for the next ten years. The Committee’s membership of 13 educators included four heads of school as well as teachers and senior administrators from peer schools throughout New York, including Dalton, Horace Mann, Ethical Culture Fieldston, Lycée Français, Oakwood Friends, and The Park School of Buffalo. In their written report, the Committee cited the vitality of our school community, the warmth and insight of our students, and BFS’s ambitious expansion program as demonstrated strengths of the school. Their positive affirmation of our operational and strategic goals was deeply gratifying, and we look forward to sharing additional details of the report when school begins anew in September. Also during the month of June, our Upper School building project took important steps forward with 100% completion of construction drawings by our architectural team at FXFowle
and the subsequent competitive bidding process for selection of the project’s general contractor. We remain on-track to open – in September 2015 – a 40,000 square foot, freestanding Upper School building located at 116 Lawrence Street at One MetroTech Center. Just around the corner from our current high school facility and only two blocks from Pearl Street, the new building is in the heart of the thriving academic, governmental and corporate MetroTech campus, which is anchored by the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering. Spread across three floors, the new facility has been designed intentionally to serve and support the Upper School’s challenging and comprehensive International Baccalaureate Program, soon to begin its eighth year. In the context of such new developments, maintaining and celebrating the continuity and connection with the history of Brooklyn Friends are especially important to me. The BFS graduates who attended Alumni Day ’14 from classes going back to the 1940’s all recall their Upper School experiences as significant in shaping their academic and professional interests, their values, and their worldviews. Great
Architect’s rendering of the black box theater in the new upper school facility (FXFOWLE)
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Larry Weiss with Fisher Stevens ’81, recipient of the 2014 George Fox Award
high school teachers and learning experiences occupy a very special place in the memories of recent graduates and of alumni going back several generations. Consequently, it was especially heartwarming that our Alumni Day celebrations on June 7th honored the legendary Upper and Middle School teacher Dick Begelman with the BFS Teacher Extraordinaire Award. We all joined in recognizing Dick’s exceptional contributions to our school from 1967-1988. A teacher of English and the Performing Arts, Dick was the driving force behind many of the student productions from that era, including The Mikado, Finian’s Rainbow, and Iolanthe, among others. Alumni Day provided the perfect opportunity to announce an effort to raise $500,000 from alumni to name the black box theater in the new Upper School facility in honor of Dick. Just as the Alumni Day festivities ended, it was time to graduate an impressive group of students into the alumni ranks. At the Class of 2014 Commencement, Fisher Stevens ’81 received the George Fox Distinguished Alumnus Award in recognition of four decades of achievement in film and theater as an actor, director, and producer and especially his Academy Award-winning work as producer of the 2009 documentary film,
The Cove. The winner of more than 25 film awards, The Cove made the world aware of the role of a small Japanese coastal city in a major annual capture and slaughter of dolphins. In addressing the graduating Class of 2014, Fisher’s commencement speech brought alive – with energy, perception and humor – his still-strong connection with his experiences at Brooklyn Friends. All of us at BFS are very excited by the growing numbers of alumni who are reconnecting or remaining connected with the school through social media, informal get-togethers, and participation in the school’s alumni activities. We are especially thankful for the inspired work of Lekeia Varlack ’99 in her first year as Director of Alumni and Susan Price ’86 in her continuing role as BFS Historian and Archivist. As the dynamic growth of the school continues in the coming years, we are committed to expanding and deepening our efforts to strengthen our outreach to alumni and to renew their sense of connection and membership in our extended teaching and learning community.
2014 COMMENCEMENT continued Every one of the seven speakers at commencement exercises took note of the community spirit, resilience, stamina and accomplishments of the 36 members of the graduating class and indeed every member of the BFS community. Whether they are teachers, staff, students, alumni, parents or extended family, the many individuals who comprise BFS look out for one another and are deeply invested in the success of students and the institution, speakers said. Upper School Head Bob Bowman began the ceremony by thanking the graduates’ families for their blessings of love and faith and by recognizing the vital role of faculty at BFS. “Your teachers have stirred and challenged you in ways that have made a critical difference and helped you grow as a scholar and a person,” he told the graduates. The three Class Speakers talked about their individual and collective experiences as BFS students. Tyler Clarke, who joined the Class of 2014 in seventh grade, described the personal attributes of every member of the class. “Today I leave knowing that I have a connection with everyone here,” she said. Adam Ginsberg, who started in preschool, reflected on how the class was more like a family than a group of students in a grade. “For many people, one of the scariest things about graduation is the prospect of losing this second family and only seeing them in 20 years at a reunion,” he said. “But I know that the bonds in this grade are too strong to be easily broken.” Simon Jackson-Forsberg, a BFS student for only a year, expressed his gratitude for the unparalleled opportunities and support he received at BFS as a student relocating to New York City from Buffalo. “The fact that the powers that be looked at my application as a new opportunity instead of an administrative burden set a precedent of acceptance that resonated in the administration, my new teachers, and my
new friends,” he shared. Referring to the graduates as an “extraordinary group of young people,” Faculty Speaker Lindsey Berns predicted that “each one in this class is capable of incredible things – capable of brilliant and innovative thinking, acts of kindness and idealism, but above all, capable of surprising us and themselves… This year alone people on this stage acted in a play and sang in a musical for the first time, joined a team sport for the first time, even joined student government for the very first time and ended up leading the senior class to a great year.” When the ceremony concluded with a speech by alumnus Fisher Stevens, it was evident that at BFS, the more things change, the more they remain the same – the same in all the ways that matter, of course. Just as the three Class Speakers found different routes to BFS, so did Fisher, from Chicago to New York. And just as the members of the Class of 2014 recognize and appreciate the close family atmosphere of Brooklyn Friends, that too was part of Fisher’s life in the late 1970s and early 1980s at BFS. “You don’t realize how lucky you are,” he told the graduates. “This is as supportive a world that you are going to get. My advice is to try and create this kind of world and people around you for the rest of your life. That is something I learned by going to this school.”
Photos from top, left to right: Nathan Josaphat receiving congratulations from Board Co-chair Bradford Mulder; Sophie Adelman, Chloe Burton, Jillian Feinberg; Clara Siegmund; Julian Smith De Niro greeted by Board Co-chair Lara Holliday; Head of School Larry Weiss congratulating Anna Emy
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he best thing to happen is when you can make your work be something you really care about. Always keep your eyes open, and your heart open. And I hope you all feel that you have been given that opportunity when you walk out of here today. I hope that Brooklyn Friends has prepared you to find your passion, and in your own way, to make a difference. The one thing that I can tell you is that your life will be an incredible adventure; it will fill you with humility and with grace. And always remember, it is important to find joy. It really will be a grand journey, and I am truly excited for you, the Class of 2014. FISHER STEVENS ’81 Commencement Speaker
College Destinations for the Class of 2014 Sophie Adelman Johns Hopkins University
Allison Falikman Pace University
Sean Allen * University of Chicago
Jillian Feinberg Skidmore College
Kira Barrett Smith College
Adam Ginsberg * University of Pennsylvania
Chloe Burton * Lewis and Clark College
Julia Greenwald Pitzer College
Aria Cato  Agnes Scott College
Max Gustafson * Rochester Institute of Technology
Cindy Chen Carleton College
Glyne Harper, Jr. * Ursinus College
Tyler Clarke Wesleyan University
Elinor Hills * Yale University
Julian Smith DeNiro * New York University
Simret Hunt Smith College
Anna Emy Vassar College
Simon Jackson-Forsberg Johns Hopkins University
Sofia Schulz and Anna Mackie
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Sayeed Joseph
Rosalind Major
Nathan Josaphat Siena College
Olivia Parnell Connecticut College
Sayeed Joseph Skidmore College
Anton Sack * Carleton College
Jamie Lee School of Visual Arts
Sofia Schultz * Connecticut College
Anna Mackie * Skidmore College
Clara Siegmund Wesleyan University
Rosalind Major Davidson College
Nicholas Ullman * Skidmore College
Samuel Miller SUNY Geneseo
Lotte Walworth Rhode Island School of Design
Lucas Mirer Drexel University
Samuel Whang * Drexel University
Sarah Murray * Agnes Scott College
Ayanna-Kai Whitehead Emory University
Raphael Norman-Tenazas * Johns Hopkins University
* denotes students who attended
Evan Novick Ursinus College
Brooklyn Friends School since first grade or earlier
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o now we’re graduating in just a few moments. I have to say that you’re not just the BFS Class of 2014 to me; you’re my family. . . . The sight of those golden doors in Pearl Street will become less familiar, and not having Donna [Foote] to protect us from the outside world can be shocking at first, but I know we’re all going to do well. I know that at another point in our lives we will all be brought back together to rejoice over the years we had here at Brooklyn Friends. TYLER CLARKE ’14 Class Speaker
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hat our class lacks for in size, we make up in unity and togetherness. While at times our little bubble of a grade can be frustrating, when everybody knows everything about you – both the good and definitely the bad – this aspect makes everyone feel less like a classmate, and more like a member of a family. The ability to be open with all of your classmates is something special to this class as there are no real cliques or rivalries – everyone truly gets along. ADAM GINSBERG ’14 Class Speaker
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e’re all moving on to amazing places next year, and I can confidently say that none of us would be going anywhere quite as amazing without the BFS college office. They invest themselves in each one of us. Being personally available to make these types of connections transcends the job description, and that’s something that I think makes BFS faculty as a whole incredibly important to students. For me, it made feeling at home here possible. SIMON JACKSON-FORSBERG ’14 Class Speaker
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’m proud of you when you succeed – and you have all succeeded so much already, at so many things – but I’m even more proud of you when you don’t. Because when you pick yourselves up and keep going, that’s when we really see your strength and grace. When you cheer and encourage your friends through their ups and downs, we see your immense capacity for love and friendship. But most of all, when you try something you don’t already know you’re good at, when you risk failing – that’s when we see you grow. LINDSEY BERNS Faculty Speaker
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our dreams and passions will change. The life of the mind is constantly expanding and will lead you to discover many avenues to pursue. Embrace these changes and do so with gusto. It will make for an unforgettable life… My wish for each of you is to possess the fortitude to be yourselves as you move through college and beyond. When you find yourself in circumstances that unexpectedly cause you to look back, I hope you do so with no regrets. BOB BOWMAN Head of Upper School
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Friendship, Memories and Laughter Mark Alumni Day
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une 7th was a busy day for Brooklyn Friends, as our former students gathered on Alumni Day to reminisce about old times and explore what’s new at BFS. The day by Lekeia Varlack ’99 began with a rousing Alumni Basketball game in the lower gym, where athletes from various years competed to capture the feeling of making that winning shot for the home team once again. While some alums were cheering in the gym, others chose a quieter way to relive their Brooklyn Friends experience by attending Quaker meeting. During meeting, many expressed their sentiments with poignant remarks and memories that filled the meetinghouse with the familiar light of reflection we have grown to appreciate. After Quaker meeting, everyone was ushered to the cocktail party where they enjoyed a wonderful spread of tasty bites and drinks that provided them with the fuel necessary to mix and mingle with former classmates and staff. The cocktail party was punctuated by a special tribute to former MS/US English and Drama teacher Dick Begelman (1967-1988). As part of the celebration, Dick was presented with a Brooklyn Friends School Teacher Extraordinaire award as well as an official Proclamation from New York State given on behalf of his classmates by NYS Assemblyman and fellow alum Karim Camara ’88. After witnessing Dick deliver a spirited acceptance speech, it became very clear why he was such a respected and beloved teacher at BFS. The rest of the night was filled with laughter and memories as alums flipped through old yearbooks, reminisced with friends and browsed the poster sized archived photos that adorned the walls. Everyone had a memorable time and were truly reminded how special Brooklyn Friends School is, was and will always be. Following the festivities, many of the reunion year classes joined together to celebrate the spirit of BFS. The Class of 1964 celebrated their 50th reunion with a dinner at Armando’s, a neighborhood Italian restaurant, hosted by Head of School Larry Weiss and Director of Development Karen Edelman. The Class of 1984 celebrated their 30th
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reunion at the beautiful apartment of classmate Nadia Block ’84. Dick Begelman also attended the rooftop after party where everyone reconnected and shared stories about their memories of Brooklyn Friends. Members of the Class of ’54 had a special gathering to commemorate their 60th reunion. With an impressive attendance, the former students reminisced about the good ol’ days and their life since BFS. Afterwards, Lynn Sherman Baskin ’54 contacted the Alumni Office to share the pictures and memories of their private reunion. Alumni Day 2014 was definitely a success measured not only by the number of alums who attended, but also by the lively energy and excitement that permeated Brooklyn Friends. Alumni Day is our time to realize that the BFS spirit that made it such a special school when we attended, is still intact and thriving. For everyone that couldn’t attend as well as those who plan to be back, let’s work together to support Brooklyn Friends and make Alumni Day 2015 an even bigger hit!
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Happy 60th to the Class of 1954 Left to right, 1st row – Stephen Silver, MD, Mary Jane Craig, Marna Dann, Betsy Buck, Lynn Sherman Baskin, Myron Maliner; 2nd row – Alfred Buck, MD, Martha Denckla, MD, Mollie Leengran, Phillip Steiner, MD, Michael Kenin, MD, Anne Adler Rogin. Having five physicians in this group makes BFS very proud indeed.
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Left to right: 1. Stephen Wermiel ’68, Mechele Plotkin Flaum ’68, Kymberly Hamilton ’83 2. Dick Begelman, Larry Weiss, Karim Camara ’88 3. Leslie Brimberg Atiram, Derek Lynch ’89. 4. Flien Moes, Margie Duncalfe, Michael Sherman ’77 5. David Gardella, Darrick Hamilton ’89, Warren Harding ’77 6. The Class of 1954 at Alumni Day: Ed Teter, Judy Katz, Ken Hason, Mayda Pasternack Podell, Ronald Podell, Judy Greenberg, Sally Raymond, Francine Prose, Robert Leveen 7. Martin Norregaard, Dick Begelman, Margie Duncalfe, Frank Lundquist, Valerie Lundquist 8. Janna Joissainte ’13, Leovanny Fernandez ’10 9. From the Class of 1981: Helen Mango and Michael Economos 10. Brad Reh ’84, Ruth Calaman ’84, Tommy Uhll and Alexandra Silverton Uhll ’84 11. The ever-popular Alumni Basketball Game See more photos on the BFS website, brooklynfriends.org/alumniday14
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WHAT A FUN NIGHT!
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That’s the sentence echoed throughout Brooklyn Friends in the days following the Spring Bowl. On the evening of Tuesday, April 29th, Brooklyn Friends School took over Brooklyn Bowl, our borough’s legendary concert and bowling venue. Raising over $85,000 for financial aid at Brooklyn Friends, the evening was a fantastic success. The fun began with a 175-piece silent auction. Guests enjoyed the delicious food and drink by Blue Ribbon as they perused and bid in support of financial aid. Friends took periodic trips to the photo booth where things sometimes got downright silly! Fifth grade teacher Jeremy Hawkins was a true highlight of the evening when he bravely served as the live auctioneer. His expertise and charisma helped to raise $24,000 in the live auction. Throughout the event guests danced to the beats of talented DJ and BFS parent Lumumba Bandele. To celebrate the success of the evening, The Dexter Lake Club Band, led by Family Center parent Jamie Krents, hit the stage and the bowling began! The evening
ended on a high note, as friends danced and bowled together. Many thanks go out to the PAT Spring Bowl Committee, led by Co-Chairs Fiona Forward and Salomé Galib. Fiona and Salomé are a BFS dream team, as they volunteered to lead this committee after both chairing this event twice before. This amazing committee did everything from solicit auction items, to sell tickets, to decorate Brooklyn Bowl. The PAT Spring Bowl Committee thanks the preschool through fourth grade students, art teacher Susan Greenstein, the Lower School classroom teachers and parent Clare McAuliffe for their work in creating the live auction artwork. Special gratitude goes to the entire Brooklyn Friends community for their support of the event. The community rallied to purchase tickets, donate faculty and staff tickets, donate auction items and underwrite the event. We can’t wait for next year’s party – Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at Brooklyn Bowl. —Emily Cowles
All photos, left to right: 1. Amanda Welch, Lekeia Varlack, Claudia Lewis, Crystal Backus, Jazelyn Montanez; 2. Jeremy Hawkins; 3. Pam Kiernan, Johanna Evans-Colley; 4. Remko deJong, BoBi Ahyn, Lee Olive, Louise Olive; 3. Andrew Edwards, Debra Edwards; 4. Jason Donofrio, Andrea Basham, Emily Perkowski, Andrew Perkowski; 5. Duane McLaughlin, Andrea Basham, Seth Basham; 6. Andrew Edwards, Debra Edwards; 7. Wendy Weiss, Larry Weiss, Bob Bowman; 8. Suzannah Tartan, Raymi Ramseur, Robert Weinstock, Dana Stevens; 9. Remko deJong, BoBi Ahn, Lee Olive, Louise Olive; 10. Susan Greenstein, Mark Buenzle, Nurit Newman; 11. Lawrence Laybourne and Herran Bekele; 12. More than 300 guests enjoyed the BFS Spring Bowl, which raised $85,000 for the financial aid program; 13. Lara Holliday, James Forrester; 14. Natania Kremer, Mari Moreno, Sharon Carter, Maura Eden; 15. Marlies Winter, Michael Winter, Lauryn Small, Jake Ottmann; 15. M. Salomé Galib, Fiona Forward
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Celebration, Joy and Delight
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veryone had a wonderful time welcoming Grandparents and Special Friends to the Lower School on May 22, 2014. Two hundred guests enjoyed a musical performance by our 4th graders, a visit to the all school art show, and best of all, being “back at school� spending time in the classrooms with the children.
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MERIT SCHOLARS THRIVE ON ALL FRONTS AT BFS by Jeffrey Stanley
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ow in its eighth year, the BFS Merit Scholarship program awards $10,000 in tuition funds for all four years of high school to two or three outstanding eighth graders who are academically impressive and have a history of contributing to the school in significant ways. Contending for a Merit Scholarship isn’t all about academic rigor. Hildagard Gabel and Philip Camposano – the Class of 2017 Merit Scholars who are now concluding their ninth grade year – display a variety of passions and ways in which they engage with the school community. They excel in academics, the arts, athletics, and service – and like the other merit scholars before them – they seek out opportunities to advance the entire community. “Finding out that I was a Merit Scholar felt absolutely amazing,” recalled Hildi, who entered the school in fourth grade. “I was ecstatic, of course, but also surprised and incredibly honored. I’m grateful to BFS for recognizing my work and effort over the past four years.” Her adviser, Upper School English teacher Sidney Bridges,
described this multifaceted achiever as “outstanding.” He has gotten to know Hildi well this year. “She’s an exemplary school citizen,” he said. “She is thriving as a caring, graceful, and energetic leader in student government, the classroom, and in athletics. What my colleagues and I appreciate beyond her intrinsic curiosity is her inclination to discern and affirm the light in her classmates.” Hildi is especially passionate about history and art. “I love learning about how so many different people, movements, and events shape today’s culture,” she said. “In 2-D Art this year I’ve enjoyed learning new ways to convey my ideas and new techniques I can use to refine my drawings and paintings.” Hildi’s innate talent and newfound skills paid off when she won a Silver Key in the Scholastic Art Awards this year. Hildi is also actively involved with the school beyond the classroom, playing junior varsity volleyball, serving as Student Senate secretary, and volunteering with younger students at the Horizons at BFS program. Outside of BFS she continually sharpens her musical
Philip Camposano and Hildagard Gabel of the Class of 2017
talents, playing piano and teaching herself guitar. Hildi’s classmate and fellow Merit Scholar Philip Camposano said he was humbled when he learned he had received the school’s competitive award. “I knew that many of my classmates were also very deserving of the scholarship,” this considerate and personable young man recalled. Philip, who entered BFS in kindergarten, has adjusted well to life in the Upper School and said he was surprised by how welcomed he felt from the out-
UPPER SCHOOL MERIT SCHOLARS Class of 2015
Maya Kaul Giovanna Molina Jacob Swindell Sakoor
Class of 2016
Anna Franceschelli Henry Jacobs Abby Moore
Class of 2017
Philip Camposano Hildagard Gabel
Class of 2018
Joy Freund Lucy Smith Isabel Ullman
From left, Isabel Ullman, Lucy Smith and Joy Freund – Class of 2018 Merit Scholars at their 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony
set. “You walk in with all these preconceived ideas, but BFS really proves that high school can be an open and inviting place,” he said. “The upperclassmen were looking out for the freshmen in the best way – it creates a positive atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable.” With an academic focus on math and science, Philip chose dance as his arts elective and played on both the varsity basketball team and the championship-winning varsity volleyball team. “Although it’s been a challenge being a freshman on the varsity teams, I have gotten to know and become good friends with my teammates,” he said. Philip’s adviser, science teacher Margarita Sanchez, isn’t surprised that he is thriving with new peers across the grade levels. She describes him as a “mature, sincere, respectful and sensitive young man who is always eager to participate and help – he is always ready to start the day with a smile.” Every year at this time, BFS announces the 8th grade recipients of the Upper School Merit Scholarship. They are Isabel Ullman, Lucy Smith and Joy Freund. Congratulations – we’ll be checking in with you about a year from now.
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PORTRAITS OF YOUNG FRIENDS
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leventh grade was “both intensely stressful and incredibly rewarding” for Bisa McDuffie-Thurmond ’15. “I attribute that mostly to a newfound maturity that develops as you go through high school,” he said. A talented musician who has frequently focused on jazz at the school, this sage scholar has instead been particularly passionate about the IB Theater program this year. In the fall he played Tom Collins in Rent. “For me, this was one of those cliché high school experiences where you try something you’ve never done, have a great time with it and make awesome friends along the way… I’ve found it to be gratifying and I’ve come to really enjoy, and be an invested member in, the school’s theater community.” The decision to choose between playing bass in the BFS jazz band and walking the boards was tough but necessary. “In junior year, it’s a necessity to construct a schedule in which academia is the sole focus,” said the BFS lifer who started here at age 3. One aspect of that focus was his IB Historical Investigation paper, “an analysis of a specific
event in American history requiring the student to provide objective fact about the event,” he explained, “and through examination of the subject matter develop a thesis and position.” He chose Robert F. Kennedy for his topic; specifically, “Kennedy’s transition from his work as part of his brother’s administration, where he marginalized Civil Rights issues, to his work at the forefront of these issues after his brother’s death.” He’s noticeably proud of his accomplishment with his first IB research paper. “Though difficult, the paper produced some of the strongest work I’ve done in 13 years at the school.” Bisa also served as one of a group that represented BFS at the annual Quaker Youth Leadership Conference, a nationwide event at which, as Bisa put it, “students tackle and analyze Quakerism and the Quaker principles.” Outside of school he still jams on the bass whenever possible. “I find that there are emotions that can be expressed through music that simply cannot be expressed in any other way.” Finalized college plans are still a way off, but this focused young scholar has already made up his mind. “I intend to major in political science and subsequently pursue a law degree,” he said. “I’ve been interested in politics since I was little.”
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onathan Bach ’15 wants to do one thing so badly that at age 16 he’s already embarked on a professional career. That one thing is in theater, but his Broadway dreams don’t involve being in the limelight. They are fulfilled behind the scenes in the unique world of stage management. “It’s hard for me to do after school activities because I work,” he explained. “I’m a stage manager on a production of 9 to 5 and after that I’ll be part of the stage management team for the CFDA Fashion Awards for the third year and part of the stage management team on the American Theatre Wing Gala for the third year as well.” Do the math: that means he’s been at it since age 13. Jonathan hasn’t finalized career plans yet but he’s set on continuing his life working in this specific slice in the hierarchy of professional theater productions. “It is my love, my passion and my dream. I am so lucky to be doing it in New York City.” To audiences this position might seem mysterious or dull but the stage manager is the driving force of a production backstage
night after night. The job actually begins during rehearsals, during which the stage manager typically shadows the director and notes all of the director’s creative decisions regarding blocking, set, props, costumes and lighting. The stage manager also creates and manages rehearsal schedules, freeing the director to focus on her artistic vision for a show. It’s one of the most important—and most unglamorous and anonymous—parts of show biz. But within the business, word spreads quickly about high quality stage managers and they find themselves in constant demand. As for BFS, “junior year is going well,” says this academically strong IB student. His favorite undertaking this spring is his final IB Math project. “I’m analyzing the grosses of 10 different Broadway shows, and I’m loving the fact that I have the chance to mix Broadway with math.” A BFS lifer who started at age 2, Jonathan is an Ambassador for the BFS Enrollment Office and was selected to be part of a group of students who toured and chatted with the NYSAIS committee who visited the school. “I love tours and I love people,” said the effusive teen. “It was so nice to be able to interact with a group of people that want to know about our school because I have so much to say.” – Jeffrey Stanley