The Light Fall/Winter 2022

IN THIS ISSUE:

A Message From Head of School, Crissy Cáceres  5

Q&A With Maegan Rose  6 Q&A With Peter Mackie  7

BFS Shows Its Spirit!  8 BFS Takes Charge of Its Future  12

Families Walk Into the Heart of Brooklyn Friends School  14

Sisters, Colleagues, Friends: The Story of the Legendary Foote Sisters  16 BFS Colleagues Engage in Powerful PD  18 Colleagues in the Community  19

Pearl Street Comes Alive at BFS  20 Institutes for Justice and Transformational Change  22 Twos: A Perfect Fit in Our Preschool  24

Lower School: The Art of Teaching and Caring Goes Beyond the Classroom  26

Middle School Education As Transformation  28 Upper School English Sparks Joy—And Freedom  30

2022 Fall Season: One to Remember  32 20 Years Later: Looking Back at a BFS Championship  34 Our Quaker Life  35 You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown  36

Breaking the Mold: Global Civic Engagement and Social Impact at Brooklyn Friends School  38 Bailar! Belonging! BFS!  40

BFX Rocks (and Sings, and Paints, and Cooks)  41 BFS Arti-Facts  42 Alumni Tour Makes a Stop in Philadelphia  44 Alumni Class Notes  47 In Memoriam  47 Impact Report 2021–2022  49

OUR MISSION

Guided by the Quaker belief that there is a Divine Light in everyone, Brooklyn Friends School cultivates an intellectually ambitious and diverse community that celebrates each individual’s gifts. We challenge our students to value and embrace difference as they develop critical thinking skills and apply their knowledge and intelligence both in and out of the classroom. In this rich learning environment, we inspire all members of our community to voice their convictions, to discover and pursue their passions, and to seek truth. Our graduates are compassionate, curious, and confident global citizens who let their lives speak in the spirit of leadership and service.

THE LIGHT

is published by the Communications Office of Brooklyn Friends School for alumni, families, grandparents, colleagues, and friends.

375 Pearl Street • Brooklyn, NY 11201

116 Lawrence Street • Brooklyn, NY 11201 Tel: 718-852-1029 • brooklynfriends.org

Brett Topel, Director of Communications & Marketing

Emily Cowles, Associate Director, Communications, Community Engagement, and School Events

Peter Mackie, Associate, Advancement & Design Services

Karen Edelman, Director of Institutional Advancement

Joyce Duverce, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Major Gifts

Jay Rapp, Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives & Alumni Relations

Cover Photo by Joseph Gomez, Josport Photography Magazine Layout and Design by Peter Mackie

A MESSAGE FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL CRISSY CÁCERES

Head of School

Recently, a senior commented on just how quickly time passes. She reflected that now that she has just months left within the hallways of BFS, she recognizes the importance of minding time more carefully and not taking it for granted. These conversations happen more frequently each day as I watch our oldest students engage their cognition and begin making sense of all that they’ve experienced—and all that is to come.

Interestingly, these senior sentiments capture just where our school is at this time. Given that we have embarked upon a strategic planning process at the start of my fourth year as Head of School, I am mindful of how much of our active envisioning has required us to make sense of and honor our past. The stories contained within this magazine offer a glimpse into the balance between the people who have graced our community for generations—and have infused their spirit into the inner workings of our school—and those who are here today, bringing their lived experiences and worldviews to the very center of our daily journeys. As you take all of these featured pieces in, you will see a thread of connection strongly embedded in our identity as a Quaker school who believes in a socially just and belongingcentric experience for all and one which uncompromisingly holds to our responsibility to be action agents creating positive social impact in the world.

With each edition of The Light, we seek to have you build an even stronger relationship with the school community that you have come to know and love, and for some of you, the one that you are growing to learn more about. Our hope is that this

honest glimpse into the breath of our lived experience allows you to see into our world and celebrate all that has been and continues to be possible for BFS.

It is with humility that we recognize that we do not yet have all of the answers to the ills in our world today. However, we do know that we hold at the center the greatest antidote to them all— our impassioned students, whose teachers see them fully and prepare them to be critical and collaborative courageous thinkers and doers. They are preparing them, not for a future far away, but for the realities facing them in these moments.

In our honoring of the light within each person, we are beholden to the responsibility of ensuring that a future vision for our school will not be void of student voices at the center. Students are learners, doers, and dreamers. They increasingly navigate challenges that some of us in past generations are not as equipped to tackle simply because our skills’ sets are not aligned with the current pace of innovation. As such, humbling ourselves and imagining that the young have much to teach us must be a part of our strategic growth work.

As such, as time continues to pass, I come back to the sense of earnest appreciation expressed by our senior and urge us to live each moment before us with fervor and an even stronger commitment to our values and to one another. Let’s punctuate this time together with all that defines the strengths of our BFS community. When we do, what is to come will be ever sweeter and mightier.

With gratitude and in peace,

Q&A WITH MAEGAN ROSE

Director of Library and Upper School Librarian

BFS is proud to welcome Maegen into our community and are thrilled that she has taken the role of Director of Library and Upper School Librarian. As a school librarian, the Chicago native is passionate about helping students develop strong information literacy and critical thinking skills. We wanted you to get to know her a little better.

What are you most excited about when you think about your first year at BFS?

A  I’m most excited to work with the BFS Upper Schoolers and to collaborate on reimagining the library and making it a student-centered space. One of my first goals for the library has been to enhance the look and feel. This has included developing the collection, weeding older materials and adding new and popular works. I’ve asked students to contribute art that will replace the old framed posters on the walls. Rayanna

Samuels, a junior, submitted a book cover art piece that will soon be framed and hung. Anais Irizarry, a senior, designed new shelf signs. Other design elements are coming together, but it’s important to me that students not only see themselves reflected in the collection, but visually throughout the space.

What is it about Brooklyn and BFS that really attracted you to this position?

A  I was attracted to Brooklyn Friends School because of its commitment to equity, diversity, social impact, and to rebuilding its library program. That combination was too good for me to pass up.

What should the BFS community know about you in terms of the type of person you are?

A  I often appear more serious than I am. My face doesn’t always cooperate.

What has been the biggest surprise you have experienced at BFS in your short time here?

A  BFS has been incredibly welcoming and open to new ideas that sometimes I forget I’m in my first year.

What is your favorite food?

A  My favorite food is rice and beans.

What is your favorite movie?

A  I have so many favorite movies. Anything that I can watch over and over again is my favorite. Recently, I revisited School Daze and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

What is your favorite thing to do when you will NOT be at BFS?

A  I love going to see Broadway shows, cooking, reading, and watching television.

Q&A WITH PETER MACKIE

Associate, Advancement & Design Services

If you have stepped into any of BFS’ buildings, you have seen Peter Mackie’s work. The consummate behind-the-scenes person, Peter—an alumnus of—creates all of the brilliant signage, posters, and graphics throughout the school lobbies and beyond and handles critical database work. He is one of the heroes at Brooklyn Friends School, and we wanted to get to know him a little better.

You were a student here for many years and have decided to return here to work. What is it about BFS that continues to draw you here?

A  As a student and as an adult, the strong sense of community and care that suffuses Brooklyn Friends School is what has kept me here. When I was younger, I was often embarrassed because my mom worked in the Lower School and my sister was two grades behind me, so they were always around, and as a kid, that was mortifying. Looking back though with the perspective of an adult, the fact that we were all here at BFS at the same time shows just how special the community is. My mom wanted to share the BFS experience with her children. I also have a great appreciation for the teachers who I now have the honor of working with as an adult. It is thanks to their work and encouragement that I am the person that I am today. It is those close ties that have transformed from a student and teacher relationship to a collegial one that engenders so much of the BFS experience that I am so thankful to have experienced.

You have an interesting and complex role here that largely is behind the scenes. However your work is hardly behind the scenes. Talk about that dynamic.

A  My role can be complicated, but it’s complicated in a way that can be described surprisingly simply. Half of my job is helping our Director of

Communications and Marketing with any communications needs that may arise from helping with the design of a publication to helping print large format posters for around the building.

The other half of my job is helping our Director of Institutional Advancement with administering our fundraising database and everything that comes along with that, from printing tax acknowledgement letters to preparing reports and graphs that can help guide where our fundraising efforts may go.

What is it about your roles—plural—

that you really enjoy?

A  The part of my role that I enjoy the most is when I get to combine the creative design aspect of it and the data-driven database side of it. When our office undertakes major projects during the course of the school year, I get to be involved during the entirety of the project. For example, when we’re creating a magazine (like this one!) I get to help design the layouts and design elements and once that is complete and we’ve triple checked everything, I get to work with our mailing house and printer to make sure it looks good and gets into peoples’ hands.

What should the BFS community know about you in terms of the type of person you are?

A  I’m always around somewhere in the building, usually at Pearl, and happy to help with any project that could be aided by the use of a large format printer or graphic design, our door is always open!

What is your favorite food?

A  Pizza, burgers, sushi.

What is your favorite movie?

A  The 1971 film Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

What is your favorite thing to do when you are NOT at BFS?

A  When I’m not at BFS, I’ll be watching movies with friends, going to a show with my family, or reading something in the realm of science fiction.

BFS SHOWS ITS SPIRIT!

SPIRIT WEEK 2022 A SUCCESS!

It is really not that difficult to get a school that has the type of spirit as Brooklyn Friends does to have a declared “AllSchool Spirit Week.” That is really just giving the community permission to be themselves!

This year’s Spirit Week kicked off in style, when BFS took over Pearl Street on Monday, October 31 for our Second Annual Fall Fantasy Parade! Students from Preschool through the Class of 2023 marched around Pearl Street, as the music blasted, families cheered, and Upper School emcees narrated the event. There was no shortage of costumes—or smiles!

Absolutely everyone got into the spirit of the parade, as Head of School, Crissy Cáceres, her Chief of Staff, Megan Nuxoll, and Assistant Head of School, Suzie Matthews, dressed as ingredients of a BLT sandwich. BLT is also the acronym used internally for the Brooklyn Friends Leadership Team. Pretty creative!

The students—and colleagues—were dressed in extremely fun costumes and the laughter from all could be heard for blocks and blocks throughout Downtown Brooklyn.

The following day was Pajama Day, allowing students and colleagues to dress down following the energetic parade one day earlier. That was followed by Fancy Day on Wednesday and Wacky Day on Thursday.

Finally, the week was capstoned on Friday with Blue Pride Day, one of the most special days of the year. Of course, everyday is really Blue Pride Day at BFS, but on this specific day everyone dressed in their blue best. Navy, royal, teal, powder, cyan—all were represented in various depictions. Nothing, however, was as popular as the classic BFS navy—which flooded the hallways.

To determine this year’s themes, Middle and Upper School students and colleagues responded to a survey, which was created by the Spirit Week Committee. The Preschool and Lower School voted on themes during their classroom meetings. All of the themes selected were chosen so that they could be enjoyed across all divisions and age groups.

By the end of All-School Spirit Week, there were a lot of magical photos, tons of lasting memories—and a lot of tired students and colleagues. By the following Monday, however, it was perfectly clear that BFS still had tons of spirit—it’s just part of who we are.

BFS TAKES CHARGE OF ITS FUTURE

Every so often, we need a little help from our friends. The Beatles knew it first, then Joe Cocker took it to No. 1 on the charts, and then more than 50 other singers have covered the song. Here at BFS, we need help from our friends to partner on planning for our future. As a Quaker school, we would have it no other way.

This past September, Brooklyn Friends School held its first meeting of the Strategic Planning Team, which was held under the facilitation of Leadership + Design, our carefully selected partnering firm, which will guide the school with their experience, energy, and excitement.

“As a member of the Friends Council on Education’s board and someone who has worked in Friends education for almost 20 years, I am thrilled to be part of the Leadership + Design team working with BFS,” said Shu Shu Costa, who along with L+D Executive Director Carla Silver, have teamed up to work with BFS. “The school has a long and storied history of being a warm and welcoming place for a diverse community, a place where both the mind and the heart are inspired. I think of BFS as a bright light shining out

from the NYC area. I am so excited to be a part of its future.”

That 20-person Team is charged with the process of dreaming about our school’s future, gathering the lived experiences and needs that are present in our school today, and building concept and compass maps to strategic initiatives that represent the most desirable, viable, and worthy possibilities for our school. Each person on the Team brings a breadth and depth of representation that is indeed as diverse as our BFS Community. They include parents of current BFS students and graduates; colleagues who teach in each division and who support and lead the efforts of our students and teachers; mentors, leaders, thinkers, scholars; and trustees, experts, activists, and dreamers. Some are new to BFS and some have long histories with this community. We have as many identities represented as we do areas of expertise.

“Crissy and her team have done a wonderful job gathering dedicated and thoughtful people from so many different parts of the BFS community—colleagues, parents, and board members,” Shu Shu said. “Each one brings a unique perspective, each one adds gifts and skills to help us collectively imagine a future for BFS.”

The launch and subsequent meetings have included discussions, reflections,

By BRETT TOPEL

and explanations of the process. Nearly 100 people in our community by now have been interviewed, taking a deep dive into our students, colleagues, alums, and families. Those interviews and the data they yielded have been poured over, dissected, and put into action. There have been think tanks for our families and our colleagues, and more interactive partnerships are on the horizon.

“In Quaker fashion, members of the strategic planning team listened openly and carefully to what people said—their hopes and their concerns,” Shu Shu said. “Right now, we are at an exciting stage of more deeply researching some areas of inquiry and interest that have emerged from our interviews.”

Perhaps the biggest event of all will be held on Saturday, January 21, when Brooklyn Friends will host an all-important Community Design Day where family members, alumni, as well as our current students and colleagues will be invited to dream and design.

“Along the way we invite as many people as possible to join the journey, knowing that multiple perspectives and truths will produce a stronger, more innovative plan,” Shu Shu said.

To that end, Crissy looks forwards to having many members of the BFS community as a part of the special day. “There needs to be a robust showing of our community,” she said, “for what should be a very vibrant design thinking day.”

In less than one year from now, BFS will be living what we are now planning. A big lift—and one with unlimited possibilities.

“At L+D, we talk about strategic plans being compasses not maps. A lot will shift in 5-10 years, but if we have a compass, we can keep driving toward our goals

no matter how the road signs change,” Shu Shu said. “We also engage the strategic planning team in some futurist thinking, lifting our heads from 2022 and taking a look at what experts are thinking about the future of education, the future of the workplace, the future of our environment, etc. This kind of

exploration helps us put our ideas and initiatives into a broader context. It also exercises our futurist muscles, the ones that help us envision future trends or events, and keep us nimble and hopeful as we respond to changing circumstances. A strategic plan isn’t a crystal ball. But together, we can create

a plan that not only provides a call to action for the next 5 to 10 years, but also strengthens the community, builds capacity across constituencies, invites all voices, and keeps the BFS mission as true north.”

FAMILIES WALK INTO THE HEART OF BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL

By BRETT TOPEL

On Monday evening, November 7, Brooklyn Friends School held a very special event entitled, “Walk Into the Heart of BFS.” Held in the Pearl Street Meeting House and live streamed to our entire community, members of BFS’ leadership team took a deep dive into the pillars of our school community.

The event got started with a presentation from Head of School, Crissy Cáceres, who energetically hit the stage and set the stage for a meeting of all-things BFS. She opened by speaking about the history of the school, and its identity as a Preschool through 12th grade, co-educational, independent, unionized, urban, Quaker school. She then explained the BFS Pillars of Quakerism, Diversity, Equity, and Belonging, and Global Civic Engagement and Social Impact—and how those pillars guide what we do everyday.

“This evening was made possible because we imagined it,” Crissy said. “We imagined if our entire community had a foundational grounding of understanding of who we are, what we stand for—and not just the how, but the why—of what we do. Tonight is the first step of many toward orienting ourselves to share that which happens internally every single day, so beautifully for your children and so incredibly with our colleagues. We understand that you need to be engaged in that with us. We are stronger and more mighty, and our light shines more brightly, when we agree to do that together.”

Following Crissy on stage was Assistant Head of School, Suzie Matthews, who

provided a presentation about what it means to be a Quaker School. She discussed the power of silence, Meeting for Worship, what goes into decision making, advice and queries, and committees at a Quaker School.

“I am hopeful that this gives you a ‘way in’ for your own curiosity and exploration of what it means to truly be a part of a Quaker School,” Suzie said.

Next to present was Dr. AnaMaria Correa, BFS’ Director of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging. Dr. Correa gave a passionate presentation not just about the concept of that work, but the inner hows and whys behind it. And why the world of DEB is so different at BFS.

“When I talk about Diversity, Equity, and Belonging … the work of DEB at BFS is evidenced in the legitimacy of my leadership position. I am not a leader who is ringing her hands and looking both ways to see if I could do a thing or say a thing. … I am not walking on eggshells, believe me, I have walked on those eggshells all of my life. This is the first professional space where I don’t have to do that, and therefore I am a powerful mirror for the young people and my colleagues in this building.”

She explained how DEB lives strongly within Brooklyn Friends’ curriculum and instruction, both in how we teach, and what we teach—and how we dismantle single stories. There are so many facets to every story and all of those angles must be examined—and

are here at BFS. She then went on to speak about the Core, Interdependence, Endurance, and Relevancy of DEB—as well as the aspects of joy, self, bravery, and abundance. “You need to know who you are to engage in the world,” she said, “you need to know your story.”

The final speaker of the evening was Kevin Murungi, Brooklyn Friends’ new Director of Global Civic Engagement & Social Impact. He spoke about critical global citizenship and critical service learning and how those need to be written into the curriculum in a powerful way.

“The framing of the work, even before I got here, has been based on students’ passions that are bringing out a sense of purpose to engage in the work,” he said. “Social justice movements have always started with young people. My work is just to facilitate and get out of the way. The passion is harnessed in the students themselves.”

After a very enlightening Question and Answer session, Crissy closed the evening.

“More than anything, we want to humbly thank you,” she said to those on hand in the Meetinghouse, as well as those watching the live stream, “for caring so much that you literally gift over your children for a huge portion of their livedexperiences everyday. … Thank you for that honor, for that privilege, for that opportunity, to have a say in the goodness that turns out into the World. Thank you for walking into our heart this evening.”

SISTERS, COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS THE STORY

OF THE

LEGENDARY FOOTE SISTERS

By BRETT TOPEL Director of Communications and Marketing

Two sisters, two buildings, two styles, one school.

As the Upper School students arrive for the day, Donna is sitting at her post in the lobby of 116 Lawrence Street, barking friendly “Good Mornings” to students and colleagues, making sure everyone swipes their ID card. In one way or another, she has been doing just that for 17 years. “They are probably sick of my ‘good mornings,’” she joked.

Meanwhile, just a few blocks west, her sister Cheryl is also greeting arriving students—much younger ones. Not in a lobby, or behind a desk, but right out on the sidewalk, greeting each Preschool student and their families—and all of the other students and families that pass her by—with a smile, with a hug, with a high-five. That’s just her style.

“I love talking to the kids and to the parents,” she said. “I love to interact with the families, and I didn’t realize just how much I loved to do that.”

Before the days when she stood outside—that only started since the pandemic—Cheryl held court at a desk high above the Pearl Street lobby floor.

“When parents and students were allowed to come in and congregate in the lobby, this lobby was like Grand Central Station or Times Square,” she said. “I could stand up and see everybody, and I knew everybody and it really did come very naturally to me. No one said to me, ‘Cheryl, say this or do that.’ Somehow it was just something that was innate and just came right out.”

Cheryl has not always been at the front of the school greeting students and their families—as hard as that is to believe. That role and Miss Cheryl seemed to come straight from Central Casting. No, when she arrived in 1987—yes, 35 years ago—she worked in the Business Office, then in the Lower School, then in the Upper School, you get the idea—she has done a lot of different things here at BFS. She arrived at Brooklyn Friends in 1987 when she enrolled her daughter, Casaundra, in the Preschool. More than 20 years after Casaundra graduated, few have more Blue Pride than Cheryl.

“What has kept me here all these years is that I love what I do. I don’t feel like I am working,” she said. “But never in a million years did I think I would end up at the front desk. I never had a job that was this type of job, but it came naturally to me.”

After spending 28 years at Chase Manhattan Bank working in the International Money Transfer Department, Donna’s BFS career started in 2005, just as the Upper School was making its move out of Pearl Street and into 55 Willoughby Street. They needed someone they could trust at the front door, and it just so happened that Donna was looking for work.

Her sister, Cheryl, had been here since 1987, her niece, Casaundra, graduated from BFS in 2001, and her brother, Cornelius, had graduated from BFS in 1977. This seemed like a natural landing spot for Donna, who has stayed at Brooklyn Friends School for more than 17 years for one very simple reason.

“It’s the children,” she said, her voice becoming very gentle. “They are delightful, and I really feel in my mind that they are keeping me young. They teach me stuff and they are nice—they are good kids, and I love these kids and some of them love me back, which you can feel. I look forward to getting up each day to come to work.”

The two are happy to be working at BFS and just as happy that they are a few blocks apart.

“We are not always together, and that’s what makes it good,” Donna said, matter of factly. “She would get sick of me, just like I would get sick of her, because I like my serenity. She doesn’t choose serenity, so that’s her problem,” she added with a hearty laugh.

One thing is for sure, both sisters are universally beloved by the entire Brooklyn Friends School community. When Cheryl had to be out for a period of time due to illness, she was told just how much she had been missed and how much of a true part of the children’s day that she is.

“It’s just so wonderful to me,” she said, getting emotional. “When I came back from being out for a week, every single parent came up to me telling me their children asked ‘where is Miss Cheryl?’ I cannot tell you what that means to me.”

Between the two sisters, no one in the history of BFS—given their combined 50-plus years here—has interacted with more students, colleagues, and family members.

“It’s been a minute, but I love it,” Cheryl said.

We thank them for their continued years of dedicated service— and their friendship!

A BFS FAMILY AFFAIR: from left, Cornelius ’77, Mom, Cheryl, Donna, Dad.

BFS COLLEAGUES ENGAGE IN POWERFUL PD

In mid-October, as our students enjoyed an extended weekend, BFS colleagues gathered for a day of powerful professional development. Together as a group for the first time since the start of school one month ago, all of the teaching and non-teaching colleagues filled the Pearl Street Meeting House excited for the start of what turned out to be an absolutely terrific day. Suzie Matthews, Brooklyn Friends’ Assistant Head of School and the architect of the day, opened by stating the importance of why professional development days are so important. “When we think about the art of gathering, we should know why we are here,” she said, before unveiling four major purposes for the day. Those purposes include:

• Pausing normal work to reflect actively on the practices of teaching and learning, and how they align with our identity as a Quaker school.

• Connecting with others in multiple ways in order to expand perspectives and actively consider other’s views and solutions.

• Building and enhancing knowledge and skills, demonstrating a commitment to growing and developing professionally.

• Sharing our strengths with each other and contributing to the broader school community.

“I really encourage you to step in,” Suzie said, “and be more curious than certain.” As the day got underway, it was clear that each and every colleague heeded Suzie’s words, as it was clear that no matter where you turned, the BFS colleagues were all in!

The first major part of the program was a presentation by three colleagues—Dr. AnaMaria Correa, Loreto Barranco, and Jamie Pine—who shared their personal stories while explaining the importance of the BFS colleague’s summer reading book, Liza Talusan’s The Identity-Conscious Educator. By weaving in their personal experiences, they showed that it was not only OK to show vulnerability, but it is—in fact—essential. In their exciting closing remarks, Dr. Correa shared with the colleagues that Liza Talusan will be visiting BFS to take part in colleague closing days in June.

Other key parts of the day included small workshops on topics, such as service learning, journaling, grading for equity, and examining the film, The Disruptors. There were also “joy activities,” such as knitting, improv, self-defense, and a community sing. Colleagues also had the opportunity to hear from Melissa Providence, BFS’ new Director of Enrollment Management, about many exciting things going on in the world of enrollment and retention.

Non-teaching colleagues in the security, dining, facilities and maintenance, IT, and Finance teams, were enjoying a parallel experience throughout the day, with various training sessions. Finally, the three additional summer reading options were discussed in smaller, facilitated groups. The three readings included: All About Love, by bell hooks; Beautiful Country, by Qian Julie Wang; and Music of Strangers, a musical documentary starring Yo-Yo Ma. At the end of the fullest of days, BFS Head of School Crissy Cáceres expressed her true gratitude for what she witnessed throughout the day.

“I have to say that this is a day that I am going to process for some time to come,” she said. “I absolutely loved watching you give your absolute whole selves to this day in every way. There are so many “windows” that I got to peek into and I have to say what a privilege that I have in my role each day. … It is not a surprise that you were as stellar as I witnessed you to be, but the cohesion that I experienced and witnessed across every nook and cranny was really palpable.”

As is customary for our PD Days, it was closed with a meaningful Meeting for Worship.

STEPHEN BUCK

All-School Performing Arts Dept. Chair, Middle and Upper School Chorus Teacher, IB

Music Teacher

Congratulations to BFS Middle and Upper School Choral Teacher and Music Director, Stephen Buck, who performed in Cantori: New York this past November. Cantori: New York is a chamber choir specializing in new and neglected choral works. The event was entitled, Neither Separated, Nor Undone, and was held at the Church of the Holy Apostles in Manhattan.

MICHELLE COLE

Middle and Upper School Dance Teacher

Let’s give a curtain call to our own Michelle Cole, BFS’ Middle and Upper School Dance Teacher, who performed this past November at NYU Steinhardt's Faculty Dance Concert, celebrating 90 years of dance education. Bravo, Michelle!

Lower

School Head Teacher, KC

COLLEAGUES IN THE COMMUNITY LALEÑA GARCIA

BFS is absolutely thrilled to announce that one of our colleagues, Kindergarten teacher Laleña Garcia, is not only now a published author, but she is an author with a Starred Review from the School Library Journal. Laleña’s children’s book, How We Can Live: Principles of Black Lives Matter is the first children's book to feature material from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. Laleña’s beautiful picture book will engage hearts and minds as it introduces children to the guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter movement. This book grew out of Laleña's organizing work with the New York City chapter of Black Lives Matter At School and her work in the classroom with five- and six-year-olds. When reviewing her book, the SLJ stated that it is, “An important message for all young people, this is approachable but profound in its message, and a welcome addition to any elementary library.” The book can be purchased on Bookshop.org, or at your local bookstore, such as Books Are Magic, Greenlight, or Cafe Con Libros. Congratulations, Laleña, on this huge accomplishment!

SINAE LEE

Upper School Visual Arts Teacher

Congratulations to BFS Upper School Visual Arts Teacher—and artist—Sinae Lee, who participated in Gowanus Open Studio this past October. In a packed exhibition space on Union Street and Nevins, “Sinae showcased a series of her work that was extreme in both its minimal composition and its dark subtext,” according to the online publication, Hyperallergic. Sinae exhibits her artwork widely, both domestically and abroad.

VANESSA EHLER

Middle and Upper School World Languages Teacher

Congratulations to Middle and Upper School World Languages teacher, Vanessa Ehler, on the publication of her first book, La receta secreta, a comprehension-based reader. Everything seems great for the lead character, Mali, until a school project leads to jealousy, betrayal, and a desperate move by Mali that puts the family business at risk. Will Mali’s decisions work out for the best? Or will her school project turn out to be a recipe for disaster? Read to find out! Congratulations, Vanessa!

MARIA SANCHEZ

Middle School Mathematics Teacher

This past November, BFS Middle School Math Teacher, Maria Sanchez, presented at the Association of Teachers of Mathematics of NYC Annual Conference at Hunter College. The topic of her presentation was "Differentiated Instruction Through Projects Aligned With The Next Generation Learning Standards Levels 6-8." Congratulations to Maria!

Middle schoolers enjoy recess out on Pearl Street

PEARL STREET COMES ALIVE AT BFS

And then there were none—parked cars on Pearl Street, that is. No cars, no motorcycles, no trucks idling on the sidewalk. Just an empty street—or, to be more accurate—a blank canvas for the students and colleagues of BFS.

“Thanks to relentless work for more than two years and the support of several city entities, an effort was launched by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership to help BFS achieve official “Full Closure Status,” making us a part of the NYC Open Streets Initiative,” Head of School, Crissy Cáceres, proudly wrote the community. “We are in the process of dreaming about the many different and mighty ways of utilizing Pearl Street.”

One immediate dream was getting the Middle School students outside to start enjoying recess on the street freely and joyfully. Lower School and Preschool students can and will also utilize the space this spring.

However, recess is just the beginning!

One huge example of how this has positively impacted our school was how Pearl Street was used so masterfully for our Fall Fantasy Parade. With the street free and clear, all of our students—from the Twos to the Class of 2023—were able to safely parade around Pearl Street in their costumes, as families cheered from the

sidewalk. It is not hyperbole to say that this simply would have not been possible in the past.

The vision of what Pearl Street can—and will—become is limitless. From events, to outdoor classroom space, to an outdoor BFS petting zoo! OK, well, maybe not an outdoor petting zoo. But there are a lot of other options and there are no longer any barriers to making that space as special as we can imagine it. Stay tuned!

WE PROUDLY INTRODUCE THE BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL INSTITUTES FOR JUSTICE AND TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE

Brooklyn Friends School is not—and has never been—a follower, that much is crystal clear. For nearly 155 years, the school has set its own high standards, created its milestones, and lived its brightest light. BFS is now poised and ready to use its steady footprint in the work of social impact and social justice to inform the growth of educators and leaders—not just in Brooklyn and in New York City, but throughout the nation and around the world. Due to our focused commitment to equity and justice, our school is now able to successfully extend beyond our walls and campuses— literally and in spirit.

To that end, we are excited to announce the launch of the Brooklyn Friends School Institutes for Justice and Transformational Change. The purpose of this new venture will be to provide a space for educators and professionals from various industries working in the youth development world, as well in spaces aiming to cultivate belongingcentric communities that align with our own mission and principles, to be continuous learners and change agents as they grow in their roles and careers. The ability to have intersectional dialogue and ideation that aims to literally address the ills of the world through deepened and earnest engagement with youth, will allow for learning opportunities that are critical for positive global transformation. These opportunities will also help to nurture future leaders as they explore their own unique and varied paths to leadership in education and other fields.

“It has been my experience working in the area of professional development for almost 20 years that strong and effective development opportunities are hard to come by,” said Jay Rapp, BFS’ Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives and Alumni Relations and the former Vice President of Professional Development at NAIS. “Programs that nurture and grow individuals personally and professionally, that convene a cohort of people that become

new friends and colleagues, and most importantly, are led by experts in the field that act not only as teachers but as facilitators and mentors as well, are unique and can create monumental change.”

The goal of all of the institutes that will be offered is extremely simple and direct—to provide transformational learning opportunities and experiences that work to evolve one’s professional practices in ways that challenge the status quo in service to our youth, who will inherit and lead as changemakers in our world. Our goal is for them to create a positive social impact for themselves and for others.

The Institutes for Justice and Transformational Change embrace a cohort model. These state-of-the-art professional development offerings, led by experts in their field, will allow for capacity building, collaborative exploration and design of ideas, relationship building, and all will culminate in a series of powerful action plans that can be put to immediate practice.

Due to BFS’ commitment to inclusivity and access, we are committed to providing programming that is reasonable, affordable, and accessible to all. We have been designing this utilizing our resources, reach, and relationships to create a learning platform that will reduce the access gap to quality educational tools for educators and youth development professionals. Simultaneously, these institutes will take place right here in our Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood, allowing all participants to experience our dynamic urban landscape as a part of their learning and growth.

We invite you all to visit our website for more information on the Brooklyn Friends School Institutes for Justice and Transformational Change, and we look forward to welcoming all participants to our community this summer!

By JASON

PRESCHOOL

By

TWOS: A PERFECT FIT IN OUR PRESCHOOL

By MAURA EDEN Head of Preschool

It’s been a great start to the year at Preschool, as we have been happily embracing the emergence from strict COVID guidelines and enjoying new freedoms. One of the pleasures has been the opportunity to mix age groups on the rooftop playground, during Sing, and in our BFX extended-day classes.

This year has been full of rich new experiences and amongst the most fulfilling has been expanding our program to encompass the two-year-olds on the second floor. Transitioning from what had been the Family Center, Twos are a bundle of learning and fun, who now share space in Pearl Street with our Threes and Fours. The spectacular Twos teachers, headed by Erika Garcia and Chantel Cleckly—along with Bina Vora and Jackie Ortiz, have been a marvel to work with and to behold.

In the short time since Twos families and children have arrived the best part for me has been seeing them become a cohesive Blue Room Class. Twos are constantly on the MOVE! At first gathering to have a snack, attend a meeting or hear a story together was quite the challenge. Every child has their own impulse to follow their interest for moments at a time and coming together for group time is a true feat. Imagine my surprise when shortly after “Phase In” that the children were all sitting at the table together eating and enjoying their meals.

This can seem like magic, but takes the deft support of teachers who—with patience and continued reinforcement of routines— have laid the groundwork for all of the wonderful experiences and opportunity for growth. Be it literacy and language related, Twos develop increased levels of autonomy and often exclaim, “I can do it myself.” They are consistently learning how to play in an increasingly socially interactive manner.

“One of the biggest things that brought me to Brooklyn Friends was the respect for children that I witnessed in the former Family Center. That has translated into what I see and hear in the Pearl Street building in Preschool,” said Chantel, who is the Associate Teacher in the Blue Room. “The Twos autonomy and capabilities as humans are respected. They are not considered just cute, but independent and capable children. I also love that some of the children are now in the same building with their siblings.”

To name a few special moments witnessed—having the children show me their favorite books that they love to read again and again, seeing them engage in Meditation Time, cooking special dishes as a part of their yearlong study of culture about community and bread, and seeing how they love to play on the roof with their Threes Friends.

It has also been wonderful to see the mixed age group in our Preschool BFX (extended day) playing all together. “The Twos are bonding and playing together with Three and Fours, exploring and having fun with lots of excitement!” said Blue Room teachers, Bina and Jackie.

Preschool is growing and changing along with the reintroduction of Twos to our Preschool program. We are a mighty bunch powered by Twos along with our Threes and Fours classes. Sooner than later, here we come to Lower School and I already know that our Fours will be ready and eager to move into the next phase of learning, joy and development.

One thing that is for certain is that all Preschool Colleagues are passionate about Child Development. How wonderful for all of us to live and learn from each other as we see the growth and development from Twos to Threes to Fours. We engage in rich conversations during Preschool Colleague meetings and seeing and hearing our Twos Teachers interact with Threes and Fours makes the Early Childhood Development conversations all the richer.

In the words of Erika, who is the Blue Room Head Teacher, “It’s the Community that brought me here and keeps me here. I love that the Twos show us that they are ready for the world, and I love being here in the Pearl Street building with the whole community too!”

BFX Twos, Threes, and Fours collectively building with the outdoor blocks on the roof.

THE ART OF TEACHING AND CARING GOES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

By JASON NOVAK Head of Lower School

Together, we know as the adults caring for children’s lives and guiding their journey, that they need and deserve the space of school. They need to be introduced to what it means to learn, what it means to experience structure, what it means to begin to develop executive functioning skills, what it means to discover new passions, and what it means to develop deep and meaningful relationships. We also believe deeply as a progressive Quaker school that this learning includes our values of service, our full identities and the complexity of those identities, working toward a more just society, and that when we are really in community, we see each other. We know one another, and we recognize the why in each other—the why that establishes the reasons why we choose to be here at Brooklyn Friends.

This school year has brought forward many experiences that showcase just how the mission and philosophy of BFS come to life. In my role as Head of Lower School, I often receive questions about what our identity as a progressive school means

and how it comes to life. I often think about the way in which teachers acknowledge student thought, how they offer guiding questions, and how they amplify student voice as a part of the learning process. There are many examples I could cite in regard to leadership positions in classrooms and the ways in which academics and passions come forward in students. However, it is important to note that not all of those passions take place in the classrooms.

Recently, I was in the cafeteria with third and fourth graders while they were eating lunch. When lunch is in action, there are many different things occurring all at once. Some students are in line to make a choice about hot lunch, others are creating a salad at the salad bar, others are socializing at tables with peers—the space comes alive as everyone gathers to eat together each day. I found myself alongside a group of third grade colleagues observing the scene and looking for students that might need support.

One of the third grade students had chosen a bagel after eating some of the hot lunch. She independently walked across the cafeteria to where the many condiments are set out for students to select from—cream cheese, butter, ketchup, ranch dressing, etc., just to name a few. This student chose to pick up a packet of the BBQ sauce.

We observed with curiosity as the student carefully pulled off the top of the barbeque sauce to top her bagel. There was a definite amount of deep concentration happening as she began to tip the container to pour out the contents. Just then, her third grade teacher with a kind and curious voice asked, “Friend, is that that flavor that you are interested in and looking forward to eating today?” This direction came from a place of guidance and was supporting how we make selections when we are intending to eat an entire bagel covered in barbeque sauce. The student

paused, considered the question, paused again, and then made a different choice.

The reason I share this story is that I want to recognize how our teachers make meaning out of every teachable moment. In a different school setting, this child may have just been reprimanded or a judgment may have been made about the choice and the child could have just been told to pick something else and had the BBQ sauce taken away. Instead, at BFS, our teachers help to guide with questioning, curiosity, and support. This is where our progressive nature comes forward, and how the child’s decision and voice has a place to grow and lead. I am also now thinking about the flavor of a bagel with BBQ sauce—it’s not something I have experienced yet.

What we know about children, is what you already know as families, our children need close connection with each other, with their teachers, and those that they form deep bonds with. In moments like this we get to see and experience the full breadth and humanity and skill of each child. Children are deeply sophisticated, and they remind us of the awe and wonder that is found in our world. We also know that this time and this experience is what will build up the independence and full depth of the person that each child will become.

MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION AS TRANSFORMATION

By NITYA YORK Head of Middle School

Whether we like it or not, middle school learners undergo a vast transformation during the formative years of being a 9/10 up through becoming a 13/14 year old. This transformation is profound. It is physical, social, emotional; it is in their brains and their prefrontal cortex; in their critical thinking skills and questioning; it’s hormonal and psychological; it’s visible and invisible, and sometimes drastic, change. Some middle schoolers are almost unrecognizable from the time they enter our golden doors to the time we send them through the doors at 116 Lawrence Street. Middle School sees the growth of our Panthers from childhood to adolescence, and this transformation is often marked by a ton of fun, joy, confusion, and all-around big emotions both at school and at home.

Critical to a Friends education is that education exists for this very purpose - in order to steward, guide, and facilitate this transformation and hopefully inform and impact the adolescents and ultimately young adults that our children become. A lesserknown education scholar, Philip Jackson, who taught at the University of Chicago, directed the Chicago Lab School, and who was an avid expert on John Dewey once wrote:

Teachers working within the transformative tradition are actually trying to bring about changes in their students (and possibly themselves as well) that make them better persons, not simply more

knowledgeable or more skillful, but better in the sense of being close to what humans are capable of becoming–more virtuous, fuller participants in an evolving moral order. (Jackson, 1986)

It is this very commitment to a meaningful, guided, and informed transformation that we live each and every day within the Middle School. Dedicated, passionate, and skilled teachers and advisors are here at Brooklyn Friends because of this commitment, and while there are literally thousands of examples of it each and every day, a few transformational experiences come to mind.

Circle Work

Colleagues in our Middle School are focused on several key developing areas of our practice. One such practice is the inclusion of restorative work in schools, and the introduction of “circles” this year into our Advisory Program. Circle is a restorative practice used to build community and resolve conflict. Circles seek to balance the basic human needs of autonomy and belonging. Passing a talking piece allows each participant to both speak without interruption, and to listen deeply to others’ experiences. Circles create space for different voices to be heard more effectively. The aim isn’t to convince others, but rather to authentically share our own experiences and feelings in order to expand understanding and connection. Middle Schoolers participate in circles at least twice per week in morning advisory, and have come to know the norm well: “Share to be Known. Listen to Know.”

Overnight Trips

Recently, at Camp Hi-Rock in Mount Washington, Massachusetts our eighth grade students created leadership covenants under the direction of Director of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging, Dr.

AnaMaria Correa. She urged students to reflect on what was holding them back from being their best self and fulfilling their highest purpose. Students wrote these obstacles down on slips of paper and threw their obstacles into the campfire one-by-one. In addition to hiking a mountain together, scaling high ropes, building catapults, and team challenges we also spent a powerful two hours together in small groups of 5-6 students facilitated by one Brooklyn Friends colleague. Colleagues modeled vulnerability and connection and students’ sharing followed on the five H’s of their lives: our History, our Heritage, a High Point, a Hard Time, and our Hopes. Middle school students are no strangers to obstacles, and the class of 2027 has navigated a lot together. Witnessing their commitment to reestablishing relationships, solidifying their leadership, and holding space for each other in new ways was an honor and privilege, and a strong reminder of how transformative these experiences are for students and adults alike.

The Classroom

Finally, the most consistent place of transformation is within the classrooms of our Middle School. Pandemic learning presented all of us with some unique obstacles in education, and yet, transformational experiences between teachers and students occurred even over Zoom, while in restrictive learning “pods,” and even without the ability to facilitate our full program. 2022 has presented the welcome return to a more typical program, and the ability to once again roam the halls of 375 Pearl Street and pop into classrooms as students are learning. Middle School students are engaged in asking big questions like: Who wrote this story? Who does this story serve? Whose voice was left out of this

story? within their history and English classes. They examine “Americanness” and who gets to define what “American” even means as well as dissect and unpack the “American Dream.” Students transform in their awe and appreciation for life on Earth as they study life sciences and earth sciences in our labs. The looks on their faces when they witness food coloring traveling through a plant’s tubes and realize how complex living organisms are is priceless. Students create books and boardgames in math, and they study the contributions of ancient civilizations in Africa, South America, and Asia to our current numeral systems. They ask, which mathematical systems do we use, which ones don’t we use, and why. In Middle School they become proficient in another language and sometimes begin to study a third language, also learning global citizenship, the importance, necessity, and strength of difference across cultures, and the discourse necessary for respectful engagement across those cultures—the necessity to treat all human beings with dignity.

Within these four years of Middle School, students ultimately discover who they are, who they want to be, and how they want to show up in the world. They develop and pursue their passions, they learn to voice their convictions in service to our community and to our world, and they continue to seek truth.

In the Middle School, it is a distinct and humbling honor to witness Brooklyn Friends living its unique mission as a Quaker school. Our children are transforming. That transformation is sometimes difficult, sometimes fun and exciting, sometimes confusing and challenging, but it’s all so beautiful.

UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH SPARKS JOY—AND FREEDOM

By KAMAYA PRINCE THOMPSON Head of Upper School

I remember my English teacher in my junior year of high school. Her name was Hester Keller, and I remember being terrified of her. The summer before the class began, I remember dreading the work that I would have to do that year, believing it would be too hard. I had heard from older students that she was draconian because of the work that she assigned and the volume of quizzes she gave. She had a tough exterior and smoked cigarettes around the corner of our school building each day, rain, snow, sleet, or shine.

On the first day of our English class, she asked us to share who we were and our favorite novels. At the time, it was a tie between Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Charlotte Brontë’s

Jane Eyre, and Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. She smiled at my choices and continued down the line of students in her class. She ended our first class together sharing with us, what we would now call, her teaching philosophy, although she certainly didn’t call it that all those years ago. She told us what she demanded of us, all of us—hard work, research projects, crisp prose, original thinking, and more. She told us that she was not going to give us girls the answers, and she certainly wasn’t going to tell us what to write. We had to come up with our ideas all on our own.

Some students snickered, some began to whimper, and some of us smiled. She made us write and rewrite; she forced us to pour ourselves onto the page, and she got to know each one of us as individuals. What I didn’t know then, but I know now, was that she was mirroring a movement of dynamic education in each one of her classes long before it became popular. She became one of my favorite teachers that year because she saw my potential, and she requested nothing less than my best. Ms. Keller died

of cancer at the end of my senior year, but her way of teaching and her commitment to excellence, critical thinking, and the centering of student voices has stayed with me to this day.

While Ms. Keller didn’t begin her English classes naming that she was a proponent or disciple of educational theorists like John Dewey or Maria Montessori, I know today that the kind of classroom teachers like Ms. Keller created way back then are the same kinds of classrooms that we have here at BFS—the kinds of classrooms where children both love their learning and thrive.

At the beginning of each school year, I return to two perennial questions: what does a dynamic classroom or academic program entail, and how can we continue to safeguard the identities and the dignity of all the children in our care? With COVID-19 still at our necks this year, my answer to these questions has been, as my grandmother and Emeril Lagasse would say, “kicked up a notch.” What we do in and out of our classrooms each day here at BFS is dynamic, mission, and values-aligned. And while we will always try to tinker with and tweak our recipe for educational success, we have all the ingredients and, gratefully, have been able to see a finished product: our children’s ability to thrive outside of our walls. For me, a dynamic educational experience includes four components: discovery, relevance, studentcenteredness, and, most importantly, interpersonal connections that allow all students to feel seen, heard, and valued. This year my answer is also that we need more—more joy, more fun, more celebration of our students’ varied identities, more choice in assessments, more equitable-based grading, more discovery in their learning, and still more.

Scholar, activist, and overall bomb human being, bell hooks writes the following in Teaching to Transgress: Education as the practice of freedom:

“Student’s want an education that is healing to the uninformed, unknowing spirit. They want knowledge that is meaningful. They rightfully expect that my colleagues and I will not offer them information without addressing the connection between what they are learning and their overall life experiences. This demand on the students’ part does not mean that they will accept our guidance. This is one of the joys of education as the practice of freedom, for it allows students to assume responsibility for their choices.”

A superior program, as hooks says, is “meaningful,” is lasting, centers the student perspective, and is, therefore, freeing.

We have seen many moments these past few months in the Upper School of education that allows for the kind of freedom that hooks espouses. We saw it at November’s Intro to Upper School, 8th Grade Family Event at Lawrence when our senior, Luca, talked about the joy he feels in being an active participant in his own learning. The words of each one of our panelists on that Friday morning would have made John Dewey smile. Each one of them, without a nudge from the adults, talked about the doing of their learning—working on their internal

assessments as scientists, musicians, or mathematicians here on campus. We also saw it during the senior classes’ viewing of the documentary I Am Not Your Negro. Liz Heck and I teach senior IB English, and we have been fully immersed in the work of James Baldwin for the past month or so. Anyone who walked into the crowded Black Box that morning on Lawrence Street could have heard a pin drop. The students were not just engaged, but they were also focused, honing in on the film before them. Together, we have read and analyzed not just the film but also a few of Baldwin’s essays and his stunning and painful novel Giovanni’s Room, pouring over the pages of his prose, unpacking as many words, phrases, and motifs as possible. We discussed systems of oppression like racism and sexism and how there are many, like David, still strapped by their own self-hatred, unable to love or be loved. I hope we did Baldwin proud. And finally, we see it in the ways in which our students advocate, whether it is our environmentalists in Friends of Nature and senior Hannah Vinson proposing an overhaul of our dining experience by providing each student with reusable utensil kits, our joint field trip of the middle and upper school Black Affinity Groups celebrating their identities by seeing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, or the large group of Model UN students preparing to voice their convictions on a national level.

There is still much to do, much to learn, and much to reflect on here at BFS. But I am glad that who we are and the work that we do continues to spark joy and center engagement in each of our classrooms, continuing the work of teachers like Ms. Keller.

2022 FALL SEASON: ONE TO REMEMBER

Brooklyn Friends School student-athletes capped the fall off in style, celebrating their seasons with a Fall Athletic Celebration in the Peak Street Meetinghouse. In two separate ceremonies, all Middle School and Upper School student-athletes were recognized by their coaches for how they carried themselves on and off the playing fields and courts, always representing BFS with style and class. Sports during the fall included boys and girls soccer,

girls volleyball, and cross country. Special recognition and personalized posters were received by the senior student-athletes, who have played their final fall sports at BFS. Congratulations to all of our studentathletes and coaches! When one season ends, another one is around the corner—so we are now fully entrenched in our winter season sports! For schedules and results, visit bfsathletics.org.

View the Upper School and Middle School Athletics Montage

Senior OONA VALI had an amazing fall season, winning five ACIS cross-country meets and earned a medal at the NYSAIS Championships.

20 YEARS LATER: LOOKING BACK AT A BFS CHAMPIONSHIP

By BRETT TOPEL

Twenty years ago seems like a long time ago. Especially since there is not a single student at BFS who was born. However, for BFS Director of Athletic Operations & Management, David Gardella, it doesn’t feel that long ago when it comes to talking basketball. Specifically, when talking about the time that Brooklyn Friends won a little something called the 2003 New York State Basketball Championship. By the way, it wasn’t so little.

“It does not in any way feel like 20 years ago,” said David, while holding a poster promoting the film created soon after the Panthers won the title, Blue Pride State Champs: The Story of 2003. At the time, David was in his first year as BFS Athletic Director. “It was an amazing, surreal time at BFS and it’s something that will always be a big part of me.”

The film, which David co-produced, tells the story of a small, independent Quaker School that defeated all odds—and some favored opponents—to win the championship. They were led on the sidelines by fantastic coaches, including the late Mike Petelka, Maurice Washington, and current BFS colleague, Vlad Malukoff.

The state championship roster included current BFS colleague, Edson Elcock, Ryan Fischer-Werner, Jordan Foster, Richard Hempel, Chad Levy. Kenneth Muigai, Kyle Neptune, Ian Thomas, and Alap Vora.

“For me the biggest and best part about being on that team was spending time with the guys I call my brothers,” said Edson who returned to BFS as a Lower School Physical Education Teacher following his professional soccer career. “We spent every single moment of each day together in some way or another. Before sending text messages was a thing, we spoke to each other, shared problems, and became young men together.”

On the court, it was always a team effort—but there was no doubt about who the star was. Kyle Neptune, who is now the head coach at Villanova, dominated at BFS as a 6-foot-4 senior. In AAU basketball, he competed against some of the toughest competition in New York City, so he was a rare sight in the Lower Gym at a small school in Downtown Brooklyn. In fact, in a 2003 article that appeared in the New York Post, Neptune admitted his basketball friends from outside of Brooklyn Friends were less than impressed with his success early on.

“They give me a hard time about where I go to school,” he said. “They get on me about how bad the competition is and how no one really knows anything about it.”

Of course, that all changed when Neptune and the Panthers, who won the Class C New York State Championship in Glens Falls more than two weeks after defeating Collegiate, Poly Prep—which had future two-time NBA All-Star and former Knicks and Bulls star, Joakim Noah—and Horace Mann.

In the semifinal win, Neptune scored 27 points against Cathedral Prep, pulled down 16 rebounds, blocked eight shots, and had four steals. Two days later, he had 31 points and 19 boards in the championship win against Buffalo City Honors.

“This has been our goal all year,” Neptune told the New York Post in 2003. “We wanted to win this and go upstate. This makes everything worthwhile.”

Coach Malukoff had a simple message for his championship team after the win, “I told the boys in the locker room, ‘Now I can die in peace’.”

Neptune went on to play at Lehigh College, was an assistant coach at Villanova and the head coach at Fordham, before accepting the Villanova job last spring. It was, of course, a special type of team chemistry that led the Panthers to their state championship 20 years ago, but it never hurts to have a superstar on the team, as well.

“It doesn’t feel like it’s been 20 years or that I’m celebrating anything other than having a group of amazing guys I can call brothers,” Edson said.

In all, 20 years have flown by. Luckily, there is the film, the memories, the stories, and David.

“I will always carry a torch for this team,“ he said. “As the great Coach Mike Petelka said, ‘this was bigger than big.’ What I am really proud about is that we have the film to remember the accomplishment and hear from everyone at the time it was happening. Winning a state basketball championship doesn’t happen every year at Brooklyn Friends, and I never want anyone to forget just how special that team was.”

OUR QUAKER LIFE

By EMILY COWLES Associate Director, Communications, Community Engagement, and School Events

BFF TRAINS WITH FRIENDS COUNCIL ON EDUCATION

The Brooklyn Friends and Families (BFF) Leadership Group dedicated their October meeting to a training session with Drew Smith, the Executive Director of the Friends Council on Education. The group of our family leadership volunteers invited Drew to lead them in the session dedicated to “clerking” a committee or meeting, as well as spirit-led decision making. Of the session, Brooklyn Friends and Families Co-Clerk Tracey WellsSchneps shared that, “it’s nice to have a more clear picture on the Quaker process when it comes to the BFF. I thought that maybe it would slow things down, when in fact it gives space for thoughtful conversation to get a decision, or sense of the meeting.”

WALK INTO THE HEART OF BROOKLYN FRIENDS EXPLORES OUR QUAKER LIFE

On November 7, BFS families took a Walk Into the Heart of Brooklyn Friends. The program, which will be held annually for our community moving forward, included an exploration of each of the three pillars of our school community: Quakerism, Diversity, and Social Justice. Assistant Head of School Suzie Matthews led the examination of how Quakerism lives everyday at Brooklyn Friends. Read more about this special event on page 14.

SPIRITUAL LIFE COMMITTEE HOSTS EXPLORATION OF THE PEACE TESTIMONY

On November 15, the Spiritual Life Committee hosted a fascinating and engaging virtual session for the BFS community at which they explored the Quaker testimony of Peace. At the session, they shared that working for peace has been an important part of Quaker belief and practice since its beginnings. They presented the historical roots of the Peace testimony. They then explored how the Quaker identity of our school informs how we approach matters of peace and conflict resolution.They also shared how Quakers search for meaningful connections as a way of making peace and reconciling our differences. In her reflections, Assistant Head of School and Spiritual Life Committee Member Suzie Matthews shared that she had been considering “Peace within ourselves.” and said that “I teach a yoga class at BFS to our upper schoolers. Today, we centered on the peace testimony. I shared that in yoga, it’s called ahimsa, or non-violence. The idea is that it starts with non violence to yourself. I asked the students to think about what is their self-talk when they are going into something that is challenging?

STAY TUNED!

How are they sitting in peace with themselves? I think that everything we do, like silence or thinking about how we are interacting with each other, is tied to the peace testimony.” After additional personal reflections from Spiritual Life Committee members, friends were then posed the following queries and engaged in a discussion of the Peace testimony in their own lives.

• Is the peace testimony a guiding principle in your life? Why? If no, why not?

• How is being guided by the peace testimony a contradiction to the way society handles conflict?

• With the peace testimony in mind, what might you do to enrich the community with others in your life?

Thank you to the Spiritual Life Committee for hosting this impactful session.

MONTHLY MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP FOR THE BFS COMMUNITY

The Spiritual Life Committee continues to host a monthly virtual Meeting for Worship for the BFS community. In their invitation, they share: Meeting for Worship, or Quaker Meeting, is a central part of the life and rhythm of a Friends School community. At Brooklyn Friends, our students and colleagues regularly experience these reflective times of quiet and stillness across the divisions. We warmly invite the BFS community, including families and alumni, to join us. People of all or no faith traditions are welcome at Quaker Meetings. This school year’s remaining Meetings are scheduled as follows: January 25, February 22, March 15, April 27, and May 31. Check your email from BFS for details. We hope to see you there.

While a November tropical rainstorm kept us from coming together for our annual fall work day in the Quaker Cemetery in Prospect Park, it’s not a complete wash! This spring, the BFS community is invited by the Quarterly Meeting for their spring clean up day at the Cemetery. Date to be announced soon.

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN

This past November, Brooklyn Friends School was excited to present our Middle and Upper School musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown on the Pearl Street Meeting House stage! Charles Schulz’s beloved comic strip came to life in the classic musical, and the entire Peanuts gang was there! Congratulations to the entire cast, Director Stephen M. Eckert, Musical Director Stephen Buck, and choreographer Julie Gibson.

BREAKING THE MOLD:

GLOBAL CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL IMPACT AT BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL

By KEVIN MURUNGI Director of Global Civic Engagement and Social Impact

It is not often that one finds a community that perfectly combines mission driven colleagues, students and families, an alignment of values and vision, and a general orientation toward the practice of meaningful engagement in social justice, action, impact, kindness, and joy. This is what I have been immensely grateful to have found—and now be a contributing part of—at Brooklyn Friends School. The work of Global Civic Engagement and Social Impact is part and parcel of who we are as a school and community. It is embedded in our Quaker values and our testimonies. I am deeply honored to help us continue to live these values.

I come to Brooklyn Friends with a background in the kind of social justice and global citizenship education, activism, and action that are at the core of BFS. The framing of this work is outlined by the words of our students as featured on our website:

“We have a social justice approach to service learning grounded in Community, Accountability, Reciprocity, and Equity (C.A.R.E.). This approach encourages students to see themselves as agents of change, partner with organizations and leaders in the community, and use the experience of service and civic engagement to respond to Inequities and injustice impacting the human community, animals and the environment.”

As an educator and practitioner, with more than 16 years of experience in this area, I could not have said it much better. We will continue to be of service in the manner so eloquently described above. We will also move more toward an engagement and impact orientation, allowing us to thoughtfully, ethically, and sustainably partner with co-conspirators all around us, as we delve into the work of enacting true systemic change on the issues that most impact us and our communities. This approach has long been a staple at BFS and is now being reinvigorated as a result of the work of students, families and colleagues.

The work of Global Civic Engagement and Social Impact efforts will have certain key hallmarks:

• There will be ties to grade-level curriculum and themes

• We will use a Fair Trade Learning approach: When we work with any community, we will do so in a manner that

prioritizes reciprocity in relationships through cooperative, cross-cultural participation in learning, service, and efforts to advance change. We will foreground the goals of economic equity, equal partnership, mutual learning, cooperative and positive social change, transparency, and sustainability.

• We will build Global Competence as we engage in Global Citizenship Education: Civic learning that involves active participation in projects that address local, national and global issues of a social, political, economic, or environmental nature.

• The work will be grounded in Critical Pedagogy—A teaching philosophy that invites educators to encourage students to critique structures of power and oppression. It is rooted in critical theory, which involves becoming aware of and questioning the societal status quo.

• We will also have a grounding in Human Rights Education— Promoting values, beliefs and attitudes that encourage all individuals to uphold their own rights and those of others. We will develop an understanding of everyone's common responsibility to make human rights a reality in each community.

At both our Pearl and Lawrence Street campuses, you will find a Social Justice Hub—a nerve center for ideation and action on social justice at BFS—also a chill space open to all to take a minute and be in community whenever necessary. The Social Justice Hub is where you will find myself and Dr. AnaMaria Correa, our Director of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging. We hold this space to meet with students, colleagues, families, organizational partners, and all manner of other friends as we conspire to effect true positive change in our society. Change that is more optimally achieved with careful attention to equity and belonging.

Working with students, families and colleagues since the start of the school year, we are already fully engaged in impact projects. Some examples:

• A Social Justice Committee has been formed in the Upper School Student Government. They are currently leading a drive to collect much needed warm clothing and shoes for asylum seekers arriving in New York City in their thousands. This effort has been supported by a group of BFS families and is the first stage in a larger project. The next step will be facilitating deeper community education on the larger issue of immigration, and assessing and critiquing our immigration policy using a human rights lens.

• The Middle School International Passport PEP elective is supporting the migrant relief drive and leading efforts to gather donations among the middle school community. This group will also initiate their own projects with the support of their teachers and me, and serve as one of the main social justice touchpoints in the middle grades at BFS.

• Linked to the migration education and relief campaign, I will be working with Lower School teachers to link campaign efforts to a fourth grade migration unit.

• Two sections of 9th grade students are engaged in initial learning, research and action on social justice issues that both groups have identified. The projects serve as a laying of the groundwork for long term campaigns on those issues, with the intention of joining movements for effective policy action and change on both. One group is focused on gun violence prevention, the other on reproductive rights.

• Intentional thought partnership, with specific faculty colleagues and Dr. Correa, on the infusion of engagement, impact and social justice into curricular content

• Collaboration with several 11th and 12th grade students on Creativity, Activity and Service (C.A.S.) projects as part of their International Baccalaureate program.

• Collaboration with student clubs that have a specific social justice and/or issue based focus (Friends of Nature, Baking for Social Justice, etc).

As we build on the school’s rich legacy of engagement and impact programming this year, with several projects and action oriented campaigns and events, we will also look to the future. There is much to get excited about in that regard.

As I am quick to remind anyone who will listen, young people have always been at the forefront of major social justice movements. To name but a few examples: They played a key role in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, they have led the gun violence prevention movement in the United States, students in New York City campaigned for and secured student metro cards and recognition of Muslim holidays in the academic calendar. As we navigate a moment where there seems to be a fragility around the sanctity of basic rights and freedoms, where things we may have taken for granted like voting rights, bodily autonomy and democracy seem to be under genuine threat, our work together to secure these rights is more important than ever.

I am excited to embark on this journey with the entire BFS community. I look forward to building on the rich history of meaningful service experience at Brooklyn Friends School, rolling up my sleeves and standing in solidarity with our community as we engage in action, advocacy, and systemic change, assuming the role of global changemakers.

BAILAR! BELONGING! BFS!

By DR. ANAMARIA CORREA Director of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging

There is no way to capture in one magazine page all of the powerful ways BFS’ Diversity, Equity, and Belonging shows up. In fact, there is no way that an entire magazine would be sufficient. Instead, we will highlight a few of the ways DEB at BFS shows up.

One of the ways in which DEB was on full and beautiful display this fall was with our Latinx Community Fiesta. Held as a community event culminating BFS’ celebration of Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month—which recognizes and honors the enduring contributions and importance of Latinx community members in the United States—the community fiesta was a huge success!

The fiesta is an example of program partnership that exists in our school, in this case between the Brooklyn Friends and Family DEB Committee with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging. Community gatherings to affirm identity and fellowship are one way we live, for example, the Quaker testimony of community. Bringing members of our Latinx community together with a live band, delicious food, soulful readings, a musical performance by Upper School Flutist, Rayanna Samuels, and of course, dancing. Oh, there was dancing. It was a feel-good experience for everyone who attended. And as Yolanda Miranda Goldberg, DEB committee chair shared, “It felt powerful to be represented at a gathering at our school that was all for and about our Latinx community. I felt seen and affirmed.”

An event like the Latinx Community Fiesta is just one example of the many ways that DEB lives at Brooklyn Friends School. Other ways include: partnership conversations for curriculum enhancement, restorative practices, hosting brave conversations

for “ouch” moments, intentionally creating majority experiences for those most systemically minoritized and lastly, the nurturing of a community doing its own work in examining privilege, power and co-conspiratorship, which results in a strengthened belonging practice.

It is not always joy; there are hard growth moments as well, but that’s the work. In the work of celebration, in the work of contemplation, in the work of restoration, this is where it lives. This community is brave.

DEB is not something that comes and goes, it is something that lives in the school’s DNA, led by each of us in big, small, visible and invisible ways. The title that I have is intentionally curated and crafted with specific meaning around Diversity—the full range of human difference; and Equity—meaning that everyone has access to opportunities to help them thrive; and then finally, that Belonging refers to the emotional and experiential outcome of inclusion.

It is that “B”, in which Brooklyn Friends aspires to handle consistently—Belonging. It is part of Quaker values and at the heart of the lived experience at BFS. Whether it is the way we honor varied heritages in our school, or the ways we amplify single stories in our history or literature or the intentional curating of images throughout our school space that provide an affirmation of being seen and heard or the investment of resources in learning opportunities for colleagues and families. Belonging drives all that we do and aspire to do.

I stand on the shoulders of giants, but I also am—with this school and with this community—taking it forward, taking it into its future. Together, in partnership, with love, joy and kindness and clarity.

Please connect with me about your journey in DEB and/or invest your time and passion into action by joining the DEB Committee of the Brooklyn Friends and Families.

BFX ROCKS (AND SINGS, AND PAINTS, AND COOKS)

By JOY ROBERTS

Each day at 3:00pm, as the school day is winding down, a group of students are gearing up to join their friends for a fun-filled afternoon at BFX.

Brooklyn Friends Xplorations (“BFX”) is in its second year as BFS’ after-school program and thriving. Offering classes much different than the standard after-school programs, the goal of BFX is to provide a joyful and equitable experience for all of its students. Children participate in a variety of fun, creative and challenging activities that stimulate their brains and keep them on the move. Equally as important, BFX offers children the space to relax at the end of their school day, and the opportunity to connect with friends.

So far this year BFX students have engaged in art projects, singing, Lego robotics, cooking, yoga, chess, debate, movie making, and more. One of the unique features of BFX are Mystery Fridays. A special guest is invited to host an activity or performance each week. We never know what may happen. There have been magicians and musicians, dancing and cooking and smoothie-making, meditation and mindfulness. We danced to the music of the 60’s and learned some Eastern European folk songs. The Jubilee Jammers, a Ukulele group which began at the St. Charles Jubilee Senior Center in Brooklyn Heights, visited BFX for a special performance and sing along. The Jammers played songs, talked about Ukuleles, performed a Hawaiian dance, and gave all BFX-ers leis. There was much fun singing and dancing in intergenerational connection and celebration.

The 3rd—6th grade group is hard at work producing a movie during the Tuesday Xploration, “Let’s Make a Movie With Kevin!” They are also learning the fine art of debate with our Xploration teacher, Logan.

Art with Isaac has been a huge hit each week. Isaac works with students on fun, creative and age-appropriate projects using basic materials to create all kinds of imaginative works. … Bianca and Dena chill us all out with Yoga. The younger children learn the basics of breath, flexibility and calming the mind. … Chess continues to be a popular activity. From Preschool to 6th grade,

students look forward each week to advancing their skills and competing with their friends.

Thank you so much to our BFX teachers who make it all happen: Ananya, Bina, Jackie, Joyce, Julia, Magna, Melanie, Tommy, and Zach. Of course, none of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our BFX Director, Camille Fobbs. Thank you, Camille!

Each week, BFS Director of Communications and Marketing, Brett Topel, writes an installment of Arti-Facts, which examines a moment in history from the Brooklyn Friends Archives. These are published every Sunday morning in The Weekly, BFS’ digital newsletter. Here are some of our favorite stories from this school year:

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Signed, Sealed, Delivered

This story is all about the seal—not the singer, or even the cute Harbor Seals over at the New York Aquarium—but the official BFS seal. Of course, since 2014 Brooklyn Friends has used a sort of modern-ish, circular seal, which contains the name of the school, the date we were established, and has a Quaker Star in the center. This, however, is the seal that replaced the original Brooklyn Friends seal, pictured here. If you have ever been in our Pearl Street building, you have seen the original seal—in fact, you have walked on it! Right inside the front doors, a large rendition of the original BFS seal sits emblazoned into the floor. It looks old, which is part of its charm, he says subjectively. That seal’s earliest known print usage was in a 1926 literary magazine, though it was likely around long before. Printed materials at BFS did not always incorporate BFS’ visual identities. For example, the school’s letterhead apparently did not include images of any kind until 1975. Part of the reason the old seal was replaced was that it does not technically depict the name “Brooklyn Friends School.” On the top it says “Friends School” and on the bottom it says “Brooklyn, New York.” But man, the rest of it is so darn cool! Perhaps someday we will end up with a seal that is both sophisticated, forward-thinking, with a nod to some classic, oldfashioned design.

2  If Those Elevators Could Talk...

This story is about a “then and now” situation that is very close to all of us. Perhaps you have seen the books that feature photos of New York City from long ago right next to a photo in the same location from today. Those photos always remind us that while life many years ago was happening in a completely different way, it was happening in the exact location. This applies very often to our very own Pearl Street building, once the original home of Brooklyn Law School. While just about every aspect of how 375 Pearl looked when BFS moved in for the 1972-73 school year has been renovated, updated, and modernized, there is one very

1

significant piece that has remained nearly identical—the lobby. Included here is a photo taken in 1930 and one taken this past Friday. How many things can you notice that are different in these otherwise similar photos? Still, for two photos taken nearly 100 years apart, it is staggering to see how similar they actually are. If those elevators could talk…

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Pearl Street's Brush with the Ivy League

This particular story has absolutely nothing to do with Brooklyn Friends School. Still, it seems interesting enough to pass along. Back in 1928, as BFS was entering its 61st year as a school on Schermerhorn Street, Columbia University decided to open a twoyear college in Brooklyn. The reasons for opening Seth Low Junior College, however, are actually pretty controversial and seemingly based in anti-semitism and bigotry. Apparently, Columbia University President Nicholas Murray Butler, not exactly known for his DEB work, decided that Columbia had reached its quota of Jews and other minorities, specifically Italians, and decided to ship those students to Brooklyn and Seth Low Junior College, named after the former Mayor of New York City and one-time Columbia president. Included in that group of students was famed science-fiction writer, Isaac Asimov. Why do we care about any of this? Well, it just so happens that Seth Low Junior College was located on the fifth and sixth floors of 375 Pearl Street, subletting space from the building’s original tenant, Brooklyn Law School.

So, despite the fact that BFS did not move into the building for another 44 years, it seems that this is now a part of our history, at least tangentially—or at very least by building association. By 1936, Seth Low Junior College closed and most of its history disappeared. Not exactly a moment of pride for Columbia, which was struggling financially and losing most of its Brooklyn students to the newly-opened Brooklyn College. Still, when wandering around the fifth and sixth floors, know that it was once filled with Ivy Leaguers—sort of.

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What is on the Second Floor at Lawrence?

Because it opened 2015, however, our Upper School at Lawrence Street rarely makes an appearance here—until now. The questions usually are asked to members of our enrollment team— from the families visiting our Upper School Open Houses and continues with new colleagues and students—”why is there no second floor?” or “what is on

the second floor?” Of course, there’s the standard answer that we tend to give to quiet these questions, but those in the know are keenly aware of the true possibilities. Of course, most people know that before 116 Lawrence was occupied by BFS, it was the Brooklyn Extension for the Library of Congress. It was mostly used to store periodicals and artifacts from the east coast—largely items that the actual Library of Congress did not have room for, or

felt would be better off stored off-site for security reasons. What did not become known until the late 1990s, was that the BELC had a humidified and air-tight series of rooms to store specific items, such as Thomas Jefferson’s handwritten draft of the Declaration of Independence and Abraham Lincoln’s hand-written draft of the Emancipation Proclamation. In all, there were 1,867 items stored at the BELC—375 of which were kept on the second floor at 116 Lawrence Street. According to the Library of Congress, those items were never moved back to their Washington, D.C. location and, according to their records, they are still at the BELC. While that second floor is not accessible through the main elevator at the school, there is a smaller elevator that does stop on Floor 2 and can be accessed from one of the private offices on the ground floor—but has remained off and has not been used since the school opened. Without proof of the BELC, other rumors have swirled—is there even a second floor, or were the floors mis-labeled when the building was constructed. If this is the case, then the third floor would really be the second floor, meaning that the thirdfloor commons is actually the second-floor commons, and all of the rooms would need to be re-labeled. There is the possibility, however, as unrealistic as it may be, that the second floor may be occupied by National Grid customer service representatives and is accessible from Jay Street. Although that explanation sounds just downright silly. This story was inspired by Dana Goldberg, Associate Director of Enrollment.

ALUMNI TOUR MAKES A STOP IN PHILADELPHIA

By JAY RAPP Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives & Alumni Relations

This fall saw the continuation of the Letting Our Lives Speak Alumni Tour with a visit to Philadelphia—and an opportunity to meet and speak with four very special alumni.

Our first visit was with a relatively recent alum, Jacob Smith Ginsberg, who was a part of the Class of 2012. Upon graduation from Brooklyn Friends, Jacob attended Brown University where he completed his undergraduate degree, immediately followed by the completion of his Master’s Degree at Temple University. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at Temple University, and is the Director of Curriculum at Russell Tutoring and Consulting, LLC.

In talking with Jacob, it is easy to hear that he is a natural teacher. He is passionate about how he communicates with his students, and wants to get to know them as learners. As a teacher, he describes himself as positive, energetic, and informal, all qualities that he attributes to his time at BFS.

“At BFS, I always felt like my teachers knew me, they encouraged me to make mistakes, to try new things and to push beyond my comfort zone,” Jacob said.

approaches conflict and now sees how important it is to take a step back, reflect, and be curious before reacting.

Jacob’s greatest academic challenge during his time at Brooklyn Friends was writing, which is now one of his strengths and something that he is very passionate about. He talks about how BFS really helped him grow as a writer and prepared him for the rigor of college. Jacob was a very involved student, taking advantage of everything that BFS had to offer. He was involved in student government, theater, ran cross country, choreographed several dances, sang in a barbershop quartet, and wrote for the school newspaper.

I learned very early on during my time at BFS that everyone has a spirit within them and that all spirits are valued. I carry that to this day.

When asked what he hopes will never change about BFS, he talked about the energy for learning, that students always feel free to explore their unique selves, to learn in an environment where everyone is respected and valued. “What is better than that?” he asked.

We then had the pleasure of meeting with Camilla Greene, Class of 1960, and Brooklyn Friends School’s first African-American graduate and lifetime friend Camilla is a third-generation Brooklynite and though she lived in Brooklyn, she did not live close to BFS, making her commute a major life-changer for her, passing through different neighborhoods was one of her first realizations that she was different or “other.”

He talks about learning how to effectively and appropriately use his voice by recalling an incident that occurred during his time at BFS. As a senior, working on the yearbook, he and his classmates were told that they were not allowed to use any religious quotes or make any religious references. This really incensed Jacob and many of the other students, who loudly and directly voiced their thoughts and feelings to a number of administrators including the head of school. “After it was all over, a teacher sat me down. We looked at how I handled the situation and then talked about how I might have approached it differently,” Jacob remembered. He describes this incident as pivotal in shaping how he now

Camilla speaks fondly of her time at BFS—her close relationship with teachers, spending time with them on the weekends going to museums or to their homes for a meal. Likewise, she made strong connections with her classmates, many of whom she spent almost 13 years with.

“Back then it was a much smaller school, one class per grade, you got to know one another very well over time.” she recalled fondly, stating that she felt BFS offered a very “humanistic” education. “To this day I can’t stand violence, I don’t even like to hear someone say an unkind word to someone else. I learned very early on during my time at BFS that everyone has a spirit within them and that all spirits are valued. I carry that to this day.”

At BFS, I always felt like my teachers knew me, they encouraged me to make mistakes, to try new things and to push beyond my comfort zone

Among the Philadelphia guests were, seated, Lawrence James ’97, Catherine Sui ’96, Camilla Greene ’60; standing, Karen Edelman, Director of Institutional Advancement; Jay Rapp, Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives and Alumni Relations; Jacob Ginsberg ’12; Crissy Cáceres, Head of School; Brett Topel, Director of Communications and Marketing.

Camilla remembers with a certain amount of incredulousness that there was no bullying, stating that if someone did something unkind, it was addressed as a community before the community could move on. She talks about her entire teaching career being patterned after her time at the school. During her career, she worked at nine public high schools in three states, each time trying to replicate her experience at Brooklyn Friends School. BFS knew how to “pull out the genius in someone,” she shared.

While Camilla very much loved and appreciated her Quaker education and the silence and reflection of Quaker Meeting, she also realized early on that she was different.

“There were very few students that looked like me and there were certainly no teachers that looked like me,” she said. “The only adult of color was the custodian who was very proud of me, but who I couldn’t acknowledge at the time.”

Camilla currently works as a diversity practitioner with both public and private schools to create more inclusive communities.

On the next stop of the tour, we had the opportunity to meet with two alumni—Lawrence James, Class of 1997 and Catherine Sui, Class of 1996.

“Our class was the most eclectic, ragtag group of kids but whoever was in admissions that year and put that class together saw something in each of us individually and could sense how we would work together to support and work with one another collectively through our different backgrounds, interests and vulnerabilities,” Catherine remembered.

Something that stood out to Catherine—who entered BFS in seventh grade—was the access she had to so many different ideas. At the time, she recalls that prior to attending BFS, she was exposed to so much Eurocentric history and literature. That changed when she started attending Brooklyn Friends.

“There was this lack of fear when it came to connecting to something different,” she said. “It was a mixed, diverse community steeped in issues of social justice.”

Catherine remembered back to when her entire seventh grade class watched Eye on the Prize, a film that tells the story of the

civil rights era. “At the time I thought everyone was watching this and being exposed to these stories but I found out that my experience was definitely unique.”

Brooklyn Friends School was very influential in shaping Catherine’s interests and beliefs as an adult. It solidified her desire to work in an industry that gave back and helped others, and that was dedicated to social justice. Catherine’s experience at BFS influenced who she was as a student, how she is as an adult, and the career she has chosen to pursue.

Today, Catherine is the Executive Director for the Girls Justice League in Philadelphia which is a girls’ rights organization “dedicated to taking action for social, political, educational, and economic justice with and for girls and young women.” She continues to apply the lessons learned at Brooklyn Friends.

Lawrence, meanwhile, started his education at a public school in Park Slope. In sixth grade he made the switch to Brooklyn Friends School which he said, “smoothed him out a bit.”

Lawrence fondly remembers former teacher Greg George, who took Lawrence “under his wing” and introduced him to technology and programming. As Lawrence began learning more and more programming, Greg gave him more and more responsibility, encouraging him to do an independent study.

“Once you have the knowledge and expertise and understand the power behind the technology, there is nothing you can’t do,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence recalls a story of hacking into the BFS system early on and obtaining access to information that he should not have had access to. “When Greg found out, he told me to stop and I did. I respected him and didn’t want to do anything to get myself or him in trouble.”

During his time at BFS, Lawrence was also on the varsity basketball team from the time he was a freshman and was the team captain his senior year. As graduation approached, he had a few offers for college, but ultimately decided to attend Drexel University, which offered him the academic challenge he was looking for with “like minded people.”

“I was a computer science major my first term and, after sitting down with my advisor, I realized that I’m a people person and that I was missing the interaction with others so I switched to Computer Information Systems,” Lawrence explained.

During his time at Drexel he did a six month internship with a large consulting firm where he developed voice recognition software. During his senior year, as part of another internship, he found free office space for a year and with another student, opened his own LLC called Onstreet.com. To say that Lawrence is an entrepreneur is an understatement, and he eventually began developing customized software for pharmacies. This ultimately led to the development of Connexus Technology that works with

numerous companies in the areas of life science, government and healthcare.

In 2008, Lawrence’s life took a dramatic turn when he began feeling pressure in his head and was having serious dizzy spells. After several doctor’s visits he was finally diagnosed with a tumor in his chest the size of a softball. At that point, Lawrence was only 28 years old. After three weeks of radiation and three months of chemotherapy, the tumor finally had shrunk to an operable size. “It took several months of recovery, but I’m happy to say that I have been cancer free since 2008.”

When asked how Brooklyn Friends prepared him for both his success and challenges, he reflects, “everything I do today was due to a seed sown at BFS. “There I was taught how to work with all kinds of people, how to handle conflict, how to have confidence in myself and my abilities.”

Today Lawrence continues to grow his company and has dedicated his free time to growing the youth in the Philadelphia area, to mentoring kids, and coaching basketball. “At our core we are servants and it is important to me to give back.”

Camilla Greene ’60 was the first African-American graduate of BFS.

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

Al Buck ’54

From Al: I have not been up to much as old age has really caught up with me; however, given the flexibility of schedule obtained through full retirement, I was able to publish an article on request for Kamizono, Volume 24, 2020 (on the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Meiji Jingu (Shrine) in Tokyo) “Japan and America—Mutual Achievement in the Meiji Era.” I pass this on by way of greetings to my Classmates, with fond regards but saddened to know that so many have passed on.

Robert Messing ’55

From Robert: I entered Brooklyn Friends School in Nursery School and ended up graduating 12th grade in 1955. It was a wonderful experience. One highlight was, in 1954, being the cocaptain of the only soccer varsity team which went undefeated and untied in BFS’s history until that time. After graduating BFS and then Clark University, I spent the next 50 years guiding companies and law firms in becoming automated. I have been married to my wife, Amy, for 41 years, and we have two children, David and Laura. One of my most memorable trips was to Israel where I climbed Mt. Sinai. It was there that God is purported to have given Moses the Ten Commandments. I am currently living in Petaluma, California, where I leisurely read the NY Times each morning and enjoy the rest of the day,

Robert Audi ’59

Robert currently serves as the John A. O’Brien Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. He has served as a professor at various higher ed institutions since 1967 and has authored dozens of books and more than 100 articles. His current project was a book titled Of Moral Conduct: A Theory of Obligation, Reasons, and Value is due to be released in the spring of 2023.

Mark Johnson ’63

From Mark: My wife, Carla, and I are retired, living in the western suburbs of Philadelphia. We are here primarily to be near our children and grandchildren. In fact, we watched our younger grandson, Luke, play in a middle school soccer game against Philadelphia’s Friends Central School today. In case you are wondering, Luke’s team won! I am retired from a career in higher education administration. Carla is a retired nurse practitioner. I was happy to see my classmates at our 50th reunion in 2013. My email is markdev.johnson@gmail.com.

Kyle Neptune ’03

Congratulations to Kyle for being named Head Coach of the Villanova Men’s Basketball team. Kyle led the 2003 BFS Basketball team to the New York State Class C title. For more about the 2003 BFS champions, you can read the 20th anniversary feature on page XX. After serving as an assistant coach under Jay Wright for several years, Kyle was the Head Coach at Fordham University last season. We wish Kyle all the best at Villanova!

Matthew Gentile ’08

Congratulations to Matthew on writing and directing his first feature film, American Murderer, a true-crime drama about a charismatic conman who became the FBI’s most unlikely and elusive top ten fugitive. Photographed in Utah during the height of the pandemic, American Murderer stars Tom Pelphrey, Ryan Phillippe, Idina Menzel, Jacki Weaver, Shantel Vansanten, Paul Schneider, Moises Arias, and Kevin Corrigan. Hats off to Scott Gentile ’07 for composing the musical track of the film!

A MESSAGE FROM

KAREN

EDELMAN

Director of Institutional Advancement

I was recently asked by a prospective Lower School parent at one of our Open House events the following question, “What do you see coming for BFS in the next few years that you are excited about?” The first thing that popped into my head was this idea of “doubling down” on our School’s pillars. Brooklyn Friends has always been passionate about being a leader in the discipline of social justice, creating opportunities for students to learn about how they can impact their broader community, while upholding the values of Quakerism that are infused in our identity as a Friends school. These are not ideas that we have chosen to institute because they’re what we “should” be doing in today’s world. They are things that we have been doing our entire existence. Our alumni—whether they graduated in 1940 or 2022—are proof of that. Brooklyn Friends School has been living this work since 1867, and, while it has evolved and has looked differently over the years, it has remained true to our core and is more important now than ever before.

One hundred and fifty-five years is a long time for a school to be around. While many things about how our students walk through their day have changed over the years, our students today have much in common with our alumni. That is because the essence of our school’s pillars of social justice and civic engagement, diversity, equity and belonging, and Quakerism have always been present in the ways our community interacts with one another and the world.

Throughout the pages of this magazine, examples of how our students are living our mission abound. That is a direct result of the support by all members of our community, families, colleagues, alumni, and friends.

In this annual impact report, we have outlined the ways in which those in our community and beyond have shown their support for our mission and this work through their financial contributions to our school. Just as the work has looked differently over the years, the way we are presenting and acknowledging this generosity has evolved as well. As you will see by the listings on the following pages, we have listed members of our community who gave in ALL ways to our school in the 2021–2022 school year. Those who gave to the Brooklyn Friends Fund, our unrestricted annual giving effort supported our ability to grow and expand our student and colleagues’ experiences each and every day. Those who participated in our Spring Gala, in support of the establishment of the Sara Soll Student Engagement Fund, are listed together as they both, along with other contributions to BFS last school year, further the mission of our organization.

We are grateful for each and every member of our community in how they supported our fundraising efforts this past school year at all levels. The future of our school is bright and you are all setting the tone with your leadership.

In gratitude and deep appreciation for your support, Karen Edelman, Director of Institutional Advancement

A MESSAGE FROM

ED OLIVER

Co-Chair, Board of Trustees

M. SALOMÉ GALIB

Board of Trustees

Advancement Committee Co-Chair

What a dynamic fall semester this has been! With retreats, special visits, and grade-level trips; performances, publishing parties, dances, and sings; from our scholar athletes winning on the field to our 3rd and 4th graders eating in the cafeteria again; and, of course, a Spirit Week of kooky fun, Brooklyn Friends School is bright and buzzing. This fresh energy has been invigorating.

As the Board of Trustees, one of our key areas of strategic focus is the fiscal health and sustainability of the school, and we cherish the joy we see reflected in students and colleagues. Indeed, this joy is the greatest motivator for the work we do, as well as the best indicator of an increasingly bright future for our community.

For 155 years, Brooklyn Friends School has provided a rigorous education grounded in Quaker values and a commitment to social justice. As a Board, we are deeply committed to the fulfillment of that core identity over the next one and a half centuries. To help guide us into the nearer future, Crissy, in partnership with the Board of Trustees, has launched a strategic planning process that incorporates a diverse and wide range of members of our school community. (You can read about this throughout this magazine.) As these constituencies engage in the meaningful work of envisioning the future of BFS, we invite everyone in our community to actively support and participate in this important process.

PENNY WINDLE

Co-Chair, Board of Trustees

EISA ULEN RICHARDSON

Board of Trustees

Advancement Committee Co-Chair

Indeed, support is key to the ongoing wellness of our school, and we are grateful to the families, colleagues, alumni, and other members of our community who support the fundraising efforts of the school. This year, we want to encourage everyone to contribute, at any level of giving. Too often, people think that their gift doesn’t make an impact. To us, it is the very gesture of giving that makes the impact, and exemplifies support for the work being done by our colleagues and leadership. Any dollar amount is a generous amount, as we know you are making important decisions about your family finances when you make a voluntary contribution to the school..

When BFS hosted the Walk into the Heart of BFS event this November, Crissy invited us all into the pulsing center of our school’s identity. What struck each of us as we watched this inaugural event in person or via livestream is the strong human infrastructure that holds that heart in place and that, together with our students and families, marks its beat. This human infrastructure is the very thing that has made the beginning of the new school year so markedly spirited and successful.

Here’s to many more! We invite everyone in our school community to give, knowing no gift is too small, and to contribute to this powerful momentum. We are Friends forever! We are BFS!

—BFS Board of Trustees

Leadership Gifts

This list acknowledges tax-deductible gifts made to the 2021–2022 Brooklyn Friends Fund, the Friends Together Again Spring Gala, the Sara Soll Student Engagement Fund, Endowment Funds, and SkateFest.

Meeting House Circle

$20,000+

Mark and Allison Dunn

John Kline and Penny Windle

The LeBlanc Family Duane McLaughlin and M. Salomé Galib Ryan and Carla Norris

Sean O’Neal and Ambereen Sleemi BB and Jud Reis

Anonymous (3)

Mary Haviland Circle

$10,000+

John Cantarella and Samantha Rippner

Billy Clareman and Emily Bravo

Romy Cohen and Family

Pamela Kiernan

Stephen Kitts and Jill Simeone

The Lilly Family

Tosan and Jennifer Omabegho

Bob Pasker

Mr. and Mrs. David Raymond

Matthew Runkle and Rebecca Koepnick

The Schwartz Family Spike and Candy Willcocks Mrs. Irka Zazulak

Anonymous (3)

Changemaker Circle

$5,000+

Tom and Analisa Barrett

Tom and Marge Barrett

Steven Burwell and Heidie Joo Burwell

Crissy Cáceres and James Cox

Sean Crnkovich and Karin Kringen

Nicholas DeSantis and Christine Larchian

Herbert Eilberg and Cary Vaughan

Jason and Eliza Factor

Aleksandr Falikman and Svetlana Kucher

Valerie Orzeck Friedman ’62

Erich Grosz and Lee Barnum

Adrienne Harris

David and Kate Klein

David Lynders and Michelle Sartain

Taylor Reinhart and Melisa Bell Reinhart

Jyothi Rao and Mischa Retman

John and Katie Roberts

Joshua Schneps and Tracey Wells-Schneps Arun Subramanian and Sowmya Rao

Gordon Terry and Carol Bove

Richard and Lisa Witten

Anonymous (7)

Founder’s Circle $1,867+

Allyn Arden and Alison Besunder

Timothy Baker and Denise Robbins

William and Sarah Barrett

Alexander Benjamin

William Bielefeld ’97

Todd and Kelly Bracher

Brooklyn Friends School Organizations

Keith Canton ’93 and Symonne Sims

Eric Chinski and Cherry Montejo

Amos and Karen Edelman

Jim and Susan Eilberg

Geoffrey Goldstein and Jennifer Elson

Michael and Stephanie Guild

Robert and Laura Hoguet

Rebecca Kelly

Jeremy Klein and Marissa Malick Klein

Kevin Lapin and Debbora Gerressu

Kevin MacLeod and Alison Trebby

Lawrence Elliott Madlock MD ’66

Charlton McIlwain and Raechel Adams

David McMahon and Sarah Burns

David and Kimberly Messina

William and Susan Morris

Ronald Moseley ’80

Emily Moyer

Curt Reis and Katie Murray

Claude Remy ’76

Keith Richards and Christine Dirringer

Steven Rivo and Jessica Millstone

Jonathan and Christy Sheehan

Courtney Baron and Blair Singer

David and Lauren Smetana

Russell Smith and Maria Carolina Guedes-Smith

Samuel Solish ’75 and Jo Linder

Michael and Nicole Tuminello

David and Jodi Utz

Douglas Wexler

Anonymous (24)

Bold denotes a 10 year donor to the Brooklyn Friends Fund. † denotes a deceased donor.

Schermerhorn Circle

$750+

Taylor Antrim and Elizabeth Twitchell

Marc Avigdor and Amanda Sadacca

Jessica Wittenstein Barranco ’74

Glen and Jennifer Basner

Andrew and Nicole Bernheimer

Bryan Blatstein and Anne Fulenwider

Benjamin Blickle and Carrie Carlson

Elizabeth Freedgood Breyer ’72

Christopher and Roshni Cariello

Brendan Coburn and Bertina Ceccarelli

Marc Coltrera ’73

Geoffrey Cook and Cindy McBennett

Nancy Corn

Andrew Coronato ’58

Emily and Cory Cowles

Verina and Errol Crawford

Elizabeth Crosta

Electra Cummings

Karen Danzig and Lawrence Jacobs

Judd Ehrlich and Julie Smore-Ehrlich

Julius Elinson ’09

Beth Farber ’73

Michael and Laura Farkas

Jason George and Jessica E. Lee

Agnes Harley and Sunyoo Kim

Eric and Jodi Harris

Will and Lillias Johnston

Meraj Khan and Farnaz Chowdhry

Jill Kneerim ’56†

Michael Kurland

Emily Levin and Satya Maganti

Mr. Edward Levin

Howard Levitt and Nathalie Sommer

Laura Lingenfelter and Anthony Innes

Aaron Lustbader and DJ Martin

Jed Marcus and Jessica Greenbaum

Muriel McClendon ’77

Larry Nabritt and Virginia Avent Nabritt

Jake Ottmann

Ron Ozer

Sami and Kristina Rashid

Lisa Richland ’62

Anthony Rose and Kemi Akinsanya

Mariano Schwed and Cathie Mahon

Jane Sherburne

Stefan Singer and Sarah Rombom

Vinay and Ellen Singh

Sylvia Smith

Gary and Rebecca Stewart

Karen and Sherman Telis

Brett and Emily Topel

Tri-County Quakers

The Brant Valentino Family Jonathan Zorach ’65

Anonymous (36)

Pearl Street Circle

$375+

Avi and Rachel Abel

Bruce Arnold

Elle Garrell Berger ’60

Wade Black ’92

Crystal Byndloss ’87

Ian Carnduff and Maiken Erstad

Guadalupe and Chris Concannon

Catherine Devlin and Christie Halle Devlin

David and Maura Eden

The Filusch Family

Dashiell Flynn and Reena Mehta

Ivan Freeman ’78

Jesse Goodman ’69

Darrick Hamilton ’89

Magnus Hedlund ’91

Jonathan and Jessica Hills Frederic Hinze ’56

Christopher Isenberg and Zoe Sakoutis Michael and Macon Jessop

Donald Kilpatrick and Karen Lavine

Steve and Julie Kupfer

Alfred Lama ’52

Stephen Larson and Jill Porter Lewis Lieberman and Ina Ratner

Derek Lynch ’89

Robert and Diane Mackie

Todd Mulder ’81 and Jody Weber Susan Norman ’72

Jason Novak

Paul Parkhill and Helen Kapstein

Jacob Proctor and Lisa Oppenheim Dan and Meredith Range

Kathryn Reis

Barbara Ingersoll Rothenberg ’63 and Harvey Rothenberg

David and Kate Sebbah

Susan Loewenberg Shulman ’60

John Storella

Marilyn Stotts

David Umansky

Gerry Valentine ’81 and Daniel Blausey

Dr. Michael and Andrea Vitale

The West Family Benna Brecher Wilde

Dale and Rafi Zaklad

Anonymous (45)

Giving Circle

Jonathan Adams ’81

Lauri Adler Bailey ’75

Tasfia Ali

Señora Kim Allen

Henry Altman ’40

Nancy Chang Amberson ’72

Dr. Elliot Ames

Andrew Andrade

Jane Brody Anthony ’62

David Atkin and Susan Homer

Abraham Axler ’13

Tina Klein Baker ’72

Katie Banks

Michael and JoAnna Barlow Mrs. Joan Bassin

Malcolm Bell ’49

Robert Benjamin, M.D. ’60 and Nancy Benjamin

Ava Berinstein ’72

Elliot Bertoni ’84

Marjorie McKinley Bhavnani ’57

Ann Burbank Bikales ’55

Eric Bittman ’69

Kevin and Amanda Blackman

Ami Blumenthal ’97

Rebecca Blythe

Julie Keosian Boettiger ’62

Ray Braverman ’64 and Barbara Braverman

Andrew Brodie and Anna Wickes

Robert Bruce ’52

Tracy Bucci

Thomas Buckley

Jonathan Busky and Galen Sherwin

Jonathan Butler and Kira von Eichel

John Orsini and Louise Butler

Karim Camara ’88 and Orelia Merchant Camara

Rosalind Hale Campbell ’44

Sharon D. Carter

Jason Cason and Rachel Zeig-Owens Betty Chang ’69

Jason and Hillary Chapman Keng-Jong and Ming-mei Chung

James Cohen and Maggie Close

Vance and Jackie Condie George Conklin ’59

Dr. AnaMaria Correa

Brendan Cotter and Kathryn DeFehr

Anthony and Sandi D’Avella

Paisley Davidson

Mrs. Barbara M. Davis

Kate Doniger and Olivia Peoples

Damion Douglas

Sophie Edelman ’17

Andrew and Debra Edwards

Michael and Linda Edwards

Peter Henrici and Tamar Efrat

Natalie and Thomas Emery

Jerome Engelking and Barbara Wuehrer-Engelking

Jamel and Taina Evans

Johanna Evans

Rondai Evans and Cora Daniels-Evans

Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Farina

Bold denotes a 10 year donor to the Brooklyn Friends Fund. † denotes a deceased donor.

Lisa Favata

Natalie Fernandes ’93

Charles Fisher ’54

Burke Fitzpatrick ’72

Christopher and Elizabeth Frank

Salvatore Fratto, Jr. and Donna Caltabiano-Fratto

Larry Fuchsman and Janet Strain

David Gardella

Michael and Katsuko Geller

Michael Gertner ’56

Frances Goodman Ginsberg ’55

Justin Ginsburgh and Ruth Gerson

Steven Giralt and Gabriela Ponce

Jonathan and Megan Glionna

Elizabeth Harten Goldberg ’60, PhD

Theodore Goodman

Mary Comey Grant ’51

Millicent Green

Jonathan Greenberg ’58

Steven Greenberg ’69

Krag and Debra Gregory

James and Agnes Harley

Meg and Tom Harriman

Brianna Harrison

Carla Scheuer Heaton ’65

Michael Congdon ’63 and Marna Herrity

Dr. Robert Hertzig

Michael and Camilla Hill

Stanley and Barbara Hopard James Howard ’48 and Anne Howard

Katherine Hoyt

Laurice Hwang

Martha Hyde

Mark Johnson ’63

Nancy Jones ’98

Ellen J. Kahan

Carl Kass ’75

Bradley and Grace Kellum

Elizabeth Kelly ’30

C.J. Kimberly ’65

Jody Kipper

Natalie Kirch

Jennifer and Don Knies

Michael Komasinski and Heather Evans

Lisa Kornblau ’75 and Kenneth Kornblau

Jeremy and Andrea Kortes

Lucien Kouassi

Vesselin Kovatchev and Sabina Hemminger

Neal and Caroline Kronley

Rebecca Lawrence

Ms. Joanne LeBlanc

Seamus LeBlanc ’28

Mollie Middlebrook Leengran ’54

Helen Leibner ’70

Fred Leonard ’58

Neil Levine ’57

Marcus Levitt ’72

Diane Stoler Levy ’59

Jayne Lisbeth and Tim Gibbons

Ivo Lorenz and Carol Ying

Lawrence and Lorie Lupkin

Lawrence Lurie ’52 and Elinore Lurie

Anna Mackie ’14

Peter Mackie ’12

Rachel and Torrey Maldonado

Joel Marks ’67

Susan Matthews

Ethan McCarty and Sarah Schur McCarty

Salma McLaughlin ’20

Daniel and Betty McMahon

Rebecca Soll ’99 and Charles McVey ’99

Ira Meiselman ’68

Kathryn Mellon

Daniel Mencaroni and Urszula Lozowska

Margot Mendelsohn ’37

John Mensher ’59

Stefano and Akane Merlo

Carol Meshel ’61

Edward and Mary Miller

Olivia Monroe

Alison Moore

Eric Nass ’75

Christopher Nattrass

James Kerby Neill and Hih Song Kim

Kenny and Susan Newmark

Martin Norregaard

Megan Nuxoll

Jonathan Lipkin and Danae Oratowski

Jack Ostroff ’72

Lucius Palmer Vanessa Pang Tina Piccolo

Mayda Pasternack Podell ’64

Jonah and Louisa Pregerson Kamaya Prince Thompson and Jeremiah Thompson

Michael Prior ’82

Mr. and Mrs. Husayn Rashid Rabbi Matthew Reimer and Dr. Leah Reimer

Barbara Ringel

Liz and Steven Roose Adella Rosenthal ’75

Matilda Turkle Rubin ’67

Guy Russell ’55

Bridget Ryan

Katie Ryan

Maria Sanchez

Martin Sanchez

Isabel Savenor

Elliot Schwartz and Carole Kiser

Karen Senecal

John and Marsha Shyer

Josh Siegel and Meredith Martin

Moses Silverman ’65 and Betty Robbins

Megan Craig Skinner ’76

Evan Sklar and Michelle Preli

Martha Smith ’79

Lance Soderstrom and Jill Barnhart

Tony and Sara Soll

Hartley Spatt ’65

Elena Speridakos

Joseph Spitz ’72

Kyle Sundin and Marie Hoguet

Mauricio Takahashi and Lilian Takahashi

Thomas Talty

Alexander and Ava Tavantzis

Ginny Terry

Marc Thomas and Erin Wile

Chris Thorner

Dylan Tran ’22

Mr. and Mrs. John Trebby Eliza Van Rootselaar ’03

Joris Veldhoven and Piyali Kundu-Veldhoven Andrew and Lynn von Salis

Trish Walkin

Jeremy and Judith Walsh Nathaniel Walsh ’94

Bethia Waterman

Jackson Watts

Derrick and Khalilah Webster

Sheldon Weeks ’49†

Robin Gowa Wells ’70

Stephen Wermiel ’68

Joan Wexler

Charles Weymuller ’46 and Carol Weymuller

Bill and Carolyn Wheatley

Richard Whitehall and Je-Won Hwang

Robert and Martha Wilber

Tiffany Wright

Terence Wrong and Marisa Guthrie

James Yglesias ’66

Lenise and Ahmed Zahran

Roxanne Zazzaro

Mitchell Zeller ’75

Jason Zinoman and Agnes Dunogue Anonymous (174)

Friends Together Again: Spring Gala

Taylor Antrim and Elizabeth Twitchell

Glen and Jennifer Basner

Jonathan Belt and Polly Smail

Anthony Bertoldo and Marisa Farina

Kevin and Amanda Blackman

Benjamin Blickle and Carrie Carlson

Rebecca Blythe

Paul and Johanna Bonewitz

Andrew Brodie and Anna Wickes

Adam and Marissa Broman

Steven Burwell and Heidie Joo Burwell

Jonathan Butler and Kira von Eichel

Michael and Nan Byrne

Christopher and Roshni Cariello

The Scelfo-Cavoli Family

Jason and Hillary Chapman

Rachel Churner and Kristina Leonetti

Billy Clareman and Emily Bravo

Romy Cohen and Family

Geoffrey Cook and Cindy McBennett

Emily and Cory Cowles

Anthony and Sandi D’Avella

Matthew and Luciana Damon

Raphael and Melanie Davis

Nicholas DeSantis and Christine Larchian

Mark and Allison Dunn

Andrew and Debra Edwards

Peter Henrici and Tamar Efrat

Mark Egerman and Alisha Bhagat

Herbert Eilberg and Cary Vaughan

Jerome Engelking and Barbara Wuehrer-Engelking

Sam Erickson and Rachel Smith

Jason and Eliza Factor

Michael and Laura Farkas

Lincoln Farr and Elizabeth Lastique-Farr

The Filusch Family

Brandt Flomer and Molly Spindel

Christopher and Elizabeth Frank

Stacey Shurgin and Ruth Genn

Justin Ginsburgh and Ruth Gerson

Steven Giralt and Gabriela Ponce

Aaron Goldberg and Yolanda Miranda

Evan Gourvitz and Anne Swan

Erich Grosz and Lee Barnum

Michael and Stephanie Guild

Rebecca Habel

Eric and Jodi Harris

Brianna Harrison

Benjamin Heller

Jeremy Holgersen and Hillary Siskind

Matthew and Annie Hopkins

The Hsu Family

Martha Hyde

Christopher Isenberg and Zoe Sakoutis

Nathaniel Ives and Molly Small

Michael Johnson and Jerri Shick

James Kefgen and Judith Tomkins

Bradley and Grace Kellum

Michael King and Brittan Bright

Stephen Kitts and Jill Simeone

Jeremy Klein and Marissa Malick Klein

John Kline and Penny Windle

Michael Komasinski and Heather Evans

Vesselin Kovatchev and Sabina Hemminger

Neal and Caroline Kronley

Joseph and Melissa Kronsberg

Steve and Julie Kupfer

Kevin Lapin and Debbora Gerressu

Colm Leahy and Mari Denby

The LeBlanc Family

Anna Leipsic

Emily Levin and Satya Maganti

The Lilly Family

Alexander Lines and Karin McNair

The Hodelin Marte Family

Clayton and Buffi McDonald

Duane McLaughlin and M. Salomé Galib

Daniel Mencaroni and Urszula Lozowska

Stefano and Akane Merlo

Theodore and Angela Michaels

Penni Morganstein

William and Susan Morris Ryan and Carla Norris

Sean O’Neal and Ambereen Sleemi

Edward Oliver and Adrienne Almeida Garrett and Kathryn Ordower

Raj Patel and Jennifer Young

Jonah and Louisa Pregerson

Taylor Reinhart and Melisa Bell Reinhart

Curt Reis and Katie Murray

Keith Richards and Christine Dirringer

Brian Rifkin and Alexandra Burban

Matthew Runkle and Rebecca Koepnick

Douglas Schimmel and Erin Morrissey

Joshua Schneps and Tracey Wells-Schneps

Jeffrey and Rachael Schweon

The Seesahai Family

Avi Sharon and Megan Hertzig-Sharon

Jonathan and Christy Sheehan

Dara Sicherman Salett and Stephen Salett

Josh Siegel and Meredith Martin

David Singer and Alexis Platis

Lance Soderstrom and Jill Barnhart

The Sonnad Family

David Stern and Sondra Goldschein

Arun Subramanian and Sowmya Rao

Nicole Summer

Gordon Terry and Carol Bove

Chris Thorner

George and Caroline Turner

David and Jodi Utz

Kabir Vadera and Elizabeth Crile-Vadera

The Brant Valentino Family

Joris Veldhoven and Piyali Kundu-Veldhoven

Samuel Weinstein and April Hesik

Spike and Candy Willcocks

Terence Wrong and Marisa Guthrie

Matthew Zaklad and Laura Newmark Anonymous (13)

Bold denotes a 10 year donor to the Brooklyn Friends Fund. † denotes a deceased donor.

Sara Soll Student Engagement Fund

David Atkin and Susan Homer

Michael and JoAnna Barlow

Glen and Jennifer Basner

Vikram and Rushmi Bhaskaran

Benjamin Blickle and Carrie Carlson

Andrew Brodie and Anna Wickes

Adam and Marissa Broman

Stephen Buck

Thomas Buckley

Steven Burwell and Heidie Joo Burwell

Jonathan Butler and Kira von Eichel

Christopher and Roshni Cariello

Jason Cason and Rachel Zeig-Owens

The Scelfo-Cavoli Family

Billy Clareman and Emily Bravo

Chantel Cleckley

James Cohen and Maggie Close

Geoffrey Cook and Cindy McBennett

Emily and Cory Cowles

Karen Danzig and Lawrence Jacobs

Kate Doniger and Olivia Peoples

Damion Douglas

Mark and Allison Dunn

Amos and Karen Edelman

Sophie Edelman ’17

David and Maura Eden

Mark Egerman and Alisha Bhagat

Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Farina

Lincoln Farr and Elizabeth Lastique-Farr

The Filusch Family

Salvatore Fratto, Jr. and Donna Caltabiano-Fratto

Steven Giralt and Gabriela Ponce

Sarah Gordon

Michael and Stephanie Guild

Rebecca Habel

Brianna Harrison

Michael and Camilla Hill

Matthew and Annie Hopkins

Mark Jay and Susan Rosenthal Jay

Christopher Kavanaugh

James Kefgen and Judith Tomkins

Pamela Kiernan

John Kline and Penny Windle

Neal and Caroline Kronley

Steve and Julie Kupfer

Rebecca Lawrence

The LeBlanc Family

Emily Levin and Satya Maganti

The Lilly Family

Melissa Joy Manning

Clayton and Buffi McDonald

Duane McLaughlin and M. Salomé Galib

Rebecca Soll ’99 and Charles McVey ’99

Margot Mendelsohn ’37

Chris Morrow and Peggy Cheng

Ryan and Carla Norris

Edward Oliver and Adrienne Almeida

Jake Ottmann

Raj Patel and Jennifer Young

Rabbi Matthew Reimer and Dr. Leah Reimer

Taylor Reinhart and Melisa Bell Reinhart

Curt Reis and Katie Murray

Marcus

Ralph

Barbara Ringel

John and Katie Roberts

Bridget Ryan

Katie Ryan

Joshua Schneps and Tracey Wells-Schneps

The Schwartz Family

Jeffrey and Rachael Schweon

David and Kate Sebbah

The Seesahai Family

Avi Sharon and Megan Hertzig-Sharon

Jonathan and Christy Sheehan

Josh Siegel and Meredith Martin

David and Lauren Smetana

Tony and Sara Soll

The Sonnad Family

Daniel and Ashvi Stone

Arun Subramanian and Sowmya Rao

Mauricio Takahashi and Lilian Takahashi

Chris Thorner

David and Jodi Utz

Joris Veldhoven and Piyali Kundu-Veldhoven

Dr. Michael and Andrea Vitale

Derrick and Khalilah Webster

Richard Whitehall and Je-Won Hwang

Spike and Candy Willcocks

The Wright Family Anonymous (11)

Richardson and Ana Trejo-Richardson

Richardson, Jr. and Eisa Ulen Richardson

SkateFest

Nicholas DeSantis and Christine Larchian Herbert Eilberg and Cary Vaughan

The Filusch Family The Hsu Family

Leonardo Novik and Idra Novey Rosenberg Jyothi Rao and Mischa Retman

Joshua Schneps and Tracey Wells-Schneps Michael and Cheryl Steed

David and Jodi Utz Spike and Candy Willcocks

2021–2022 Brooklyn Friends Fund Designated Giving Areas

Performing & Visual Arts

Razi Abdur-Rahman and Klara Ibarra

David Atkin and Susan Homer

Jonathan Busky and Galen Sherwin

Windsor Cousins and Nina Lee

Jason George and Jessica E. Lee

Laura Lingenfelter and Anthony Innes

Jayne Lisbeth and Tim Gibbons

Ricardo Granderson and Alisa Martin Granderson

Hannah Munger

Leonardo Novik and Idra Novey Rosenberg

Jacob Proctor and Lisa Oppenheim

Vanessa Reynolds

Josh and Ilise Reznick

Jason Zinoman and Agnes Dunogue Anonymous (3)

Our School Pillars

Allyn Arden and Alison Besunder

Jonathan Edmonds and Rachel Mazor

The Henrey Family

Michael Congdon ’63 and Marna Herrity

Dianne King

Kevin Lapin and Debbora Gerressu

Edward Lloyd and Janine Bauer

Frederica McLean

Larry Nabritt and Virginia Avent Nabritt

Sylvia Smith Hartley Spatt ’65

Gerry Valentine ’81 and Daniel Blausey

Giancarlo Vulcano and Monica Miranda Anonymous (1)

Athletics

Rebecca Odes and Craig Kanarick

Jody Kipper

Seamus LeBlanc ’28 Daniel and Betty McMahon David and Kimberly Messina

Fredwray and Sherry Samuels Anonymous (3)

Technology

Abraham Axler ’13

Jason Cason and Rachel Zeig-Owens

Betty Chang ’69

Guadalupe and Chris Concannon

George Conklin ’59

Electra Cummings

Steven Greenberg ’69

Alexander Kagen and Susan Hashemi Bernhard Mehl and Christine Ying Carol Meshel ’61

Keith Richards and Christine Dirringer Steven Rivo and Jessica Millstone Blake and Katherine Shaw Trish Walkin

Giving Day 2021

National Giving Tuesday might have been on November 30, 2021, but here at Brooklyn Friends we like to get a jump start on showing gratitude for our community! On Monday, November 22nd & Tuesday, November 23rd, our community showed up for BFS Giving Day in full force! With a $100,000 matching challenge provided by two generous donors, our community raised more than $300,000 for the Brooklyn Friends Fund— shining a light on all that is special about our school. Thank you to all who participated!

Bold denotes a 10 year donor to the Brooklyn Friends Fund. † denotes a deceased donor.

Class of 2022 Senior Legacy Gift

Glen and Jennifer Basner

Kristin Siciliani

Nicholas DeSantis and Christine Larchian

Judd Ehrlich and Julie Smore-Ehrlich

Nigel Hall and Janice Rivera-Hall Shemaiah and Marsha Hohn

Other Giving

Young Friends Giving

Elizabeth Kelly ’30

Seamus LeBlanc ’28

Margot Mendelsohn ’37

Friends Giving

Nancy Corn

Edward and Jeanne Gercas

Michael and Camilla Hill

Patricia and Bob Jenks

Michael Kurland

Leanna Mercedes Meredith Morse

Duane McLaughlin and M. Salomé Galib

Kenneth Nowell and Justine Lambert

Linda Pellagrini

Carolyn Reaves-Bey Valentin and Martha Rosa Jonathan and Christy Sheehan

Dylan Tran ’22

The Brant Valentino Family James and Angela Wilson Anonymous (7)

John and Katie Roberts

Bridget Ryan

Sylvia Smith

Benjamin Woodbridge

Paul and Linda Zuckerman Anonymous (3)

Matching Gift Companies

American Express Foundation

Microsoft Matching Gifts Program Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

Prince Charitable Trusts Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation

UBS Matching Gift Program

Barclays Capital

Meredith Corporation Foundation

PIMCO Foundation

Google Inc. Hearst

CHUBB Charitable Foundation

McKinsey & Company

Build America Mutual SS&C Technologies Holdings News Corp

NASDAQ

2021–2022 Parent Giving

Class of 2022

Allan and Victoria Agudelo

Glen and Jennifer Basner

Anthony Bertoldo and Marisa Farina

Kristin Siciliani

Nicholas DeSantis and Christine Larchian

Judd Ehrlich and Julie Smore-Ehrlich Nigel Hall and Janice Rivera-Hall

Ronald and Minako Haskins

Shemaiah and Marsha Hohn

Jody Kipper

Duane McLaughlin and M. Salomé Galib

Kenneth Nowell and Justine Lambert

Jonathan Lipkin and Danae Oratowski

Linda Pellagrini

Valentin and Martha Rosa

Jonathan and Christy Sheehan

Evan Sklar and Michelle Preli

The Brant Valentino Family James and Angela Wilson Anonymous (7)

Class of 2023

Jonathan Butler and Kira von Eichel

John Orsini and Louise Butler

The Scelfo-Cavoli Family

Brendan Cotter and Kathryn DeFehr

Natalie and Thomas Emery

Jerome Engelking and Barbara Wuehrer-Engelking

Johanna Evans

Rondai Evans and Cora Daniels-Evans

Krag and Debra Gregory

Lewis Lieberman and Ina Ratner

Benjamin and Alexandra Luzzatto

Penni Morganstein

Jake Ottmann

Paul Parkhill and Helen Kapstein

Michael Roebuck and Karen Hughes

Anthony Rose and Kemi Akinsanya David and Kate Sebbah

Dara Sicherman Salett and Stephen Salett

Katherine Tentler

Marc Thomas and Erin Wile

David Umansky

Daniel Vinson ’83 and Rosanne Vinson Anonymous (4)

Class of 2024

Raymond Acevedo and Laura Hope

David Atkin and Susan Homer

Romy Cohen and Family

James Cullinane and Honor Mosher

Matthew and Luciana Damon

Damion Douglas

Sam Erickson and Rachel Smith

Eric Guy and Jill Holder

Eric and Jodi Harris

Sheila Gerami

Jeremy Holgersen and Hillary Siskind Bradley and Grace Kellum

John Kline and Penny Windle

Daniel Levy and Emily Miller

Clayton and Buffi McDonald

Duane McLaughlin and M. Salomé Galib David and Kimberly Messina

Kenneth Nowell and Justine Lambert

Sean O’Neal and Ambereen Sleemi

Vanessa Pang

Fredwray and Sherry Samuels

Mariano Schwed and Cathie Mahon

Senca Springer

Samuel and Vanessa Warren

Dwight Weeks and Rony Vardi Brad and Shayna Wellington Robert and Martha Wilber Anonymous (7)

Class of 2025

Razi Abdur-Rahman and Klara Ibarra

Avi and Rachel Abel

Andrew and Nicole Bernheimer

Donald and Heidi Burke

Crissy Cáceres and James Cox

John Cantarella and Samantha Rippner Mark and Allison Dunn

Jason and Eliza Factor

Michael and Laura Farkas

Michael and Kastusko Geller

Rebecca Odes and Craig Kanarick

Jody Kipper

Stephen Larson and Jill Porter

Benjamin and Alexandra Luzzatto

Derek Lynch ’89

David Lynders and Michelle Sartain

Theodore and Angela Michaels Chris Morrow and Peggy Cheng

Emily Moyer

Jonah and Louisa Pregerson

Karen Senecal

Avi Sharon and Megan Hertzig-Sharon

Dwayne Shivnarain and Heidi Gilchrist Anonymous (3)

Class of 2026

Raul and Dehomey Agrippa

Steven Burwell and Heidie Joo Burwell

Windsor Cousins and Nina Lee

Raphael and Melanie Davis

Nicholas DeSantis and Christine Larchian

Jonathan Edmonds and Rachel Mazor

Herbert Eilberg and Cary Vaughan

Johanna Evans

Jonathan and Megan Glionna

Erich Grosz and Lee Barnum

Eric and Jodi Harris

Pamela Kiernan

Stephen Kitts and Jill Simeone

Michael Komasinski and Heather Evans

Howard Levitt and Nathalie Sommer

Derek Lynch ’89

Rachel and Torrey Maldonado

Cheryl Nicholas

Elizabeth Owolabi

Sami and Kristina Rashid

Rabbi Matthew Reimer and Dr. Leah Reimer

Taylor Reinhart and Melisa Bell Reinhart

Samuel and Vanessa Warren

The West Family

Pascal Zimmer

Anonymous (4)

Class of 2027

Tom and Analisa Barrett

William and Sarah Barrett

Bryan Blatstein and Anne Fulenwider

Jonathan Busky and Galen Sherwin

Rondai Evans and Cora Daniels-Evans

Jason and Eliza Factor

Stacey Shurgin and Ruth Genn

Alexander Lines and Karin McNair

Lawrence and Lorie Lupkin

Benjamin and Alexandra Luzzatto

David Lynders and Michelle Sartain

Clayton and Buffi McDonald

Frederica McLean

Theodore and Angela Michaels

M’Balia Rubie-Miller and Caleb Miller

Ralph Richardson, Jr. and Eisa Ulen Richardson

Alexander and Ava Tavantzis

Jason Zinoman and Agnes Dunogue

Anonymous (3)

Class of 2028

Timothy Baker and Denise Robbins

Michael and JoAnna Barlow

Jonathan Belt and Polly Smail

Geoffrey Cook and Cindy McBennett

Alison Cornell

Bold denotes a 10 year donor to the Brooklyn Friends Fund. † denotes a deceased donor.

Elizabeth Crosta

Mark and Allison Dunn

Brandt Flomer and Molly Spindel

Jonathan and Megan Glionna

Matthew Gurgel and Amanda Close

Agnes Harley and Sunyoo Kim

Michael Komasinski and Heather Evans

Keith Krinsky and Alyson Jackson

The LeBlanc Family

Patrick Lee and Mary Lee

Howard Levitt and Nathalie Sommer

Joseph Moore and Sharon Reid

Bob Pasker

Jonah and Louisa Pregerson

Taylor Reinhart and Melisa Bell Reinhart

Josh and Ilise Reznick

Karen Senecal

David and Lauren Smetana

Joseph and Deena Subar

Anne Suddaby and Marie-Alyce Devieux

Gordon Terry and Carol Bove

Michael and Nicole Tuminello

Giancarlo Vulcano and Monica Miranda Anonymous (9)

Class of 2029

Patrick and Shannon Andersen

Allyn Arden and Alison Besunder Al-Hakim Bey and Rebeca Dutary Bey

Julie Burns

Billy Clareman and Emily Bravo

Matthew and Luciana Damon

Stacey Shurgin and Ruth Genn

Aaron Goldberg and Yolanda Miranda

Lakisha Grant

Jonathan and Jessica Hills

Matthew and Annie Hopkins

Audrey Jaynes and Christopher Cherry Neal and Caroline Kronley

Amy Lazarides and Manish Sharma

David McMahon and Sarah Burns

Edward Oliver and Adrienne Almeida

Sami and Kristina Rashid

Jyothi Rao and Mischa Retman

Steven Rivo and Jessica Millstone

Dara Sicherman Salett and Stephen Salett

Vinay and Ellen Singh

David Stern and Sondra Goldschein Gary and Rebecca Stewart Scott and Elizabeth Valins

Douglas Wexler

Anonymous (2)

Class of 2030

Taylor Antrim and Elizabeth Twitchell

Michael and JoAnna Barlow

Michael and Bethanie Baynes

Ian Carnduff and Maiken Erstad

Aleksandr Falikman and Svetlana Kucher

Brandt Flomer and Molly Spindel

Erich Grosz and Lee Barnum

Agnes Harley and Sunyoo Kim

Michael Johnson and Jerri Shick

Rebecca Kelly

Cassel Kroll and Wendy Szymanski

Emily Levin and Satya Maganti

Leonardo Novik and Idra Novey Rosenberg

Kamaya Prince Thompson and Jeremiah Thompson

Curt Reis and Katie Murray

Joshua Schneps and Tracey Wells-Schneps

Josh Siegel and Meredith Martin

Michael and Cheryl Steed

Kyle Sundin and Marie Hoguet

Joris Veldhoven and Piyali Kundu-Veldhoven Matthew Zaklad and Laura Newmark Anonymous (2)

Class of 2031

Razi Abdur-Rahman and Klara Ibarra

Patrick and Shannon Andersen

Alexander Benjamin

Jason and Hillary Chapman

Rachel Churner and Kristina Leonetti

Sean Crnkovich and Karin Kringen

Jonathan Edmonds and Rachel Mazor

Jason George and Jessica E. Lee

Amy Lazarides and Manish Sharma

Anna Leipsic

Aaron Lustbader and DJ Martin

Tosan and Jennifer Omabegho

Josh and Ilise Reznick

Keith Richards and Christine Dirringer

Matthew Runkle and Rebecca Koepnick

The Williamson-Saylor Family

The Seesahai Family

Courtney Baron and Blair Singer

David Stern and Sondra Goldschein

Gary and Rebecca Stewart

Nicole Summer

Alexander and Ava Tavantzis

David and Jodi Utz

Kabir Vadera and Elizabeth Crile-Vadera Giancarlo Vulcano and Monica Miranda

Samuel Weinstein and April Hesik

Anonymous (2)

Class of 2032

Todd and Kelly Bracher

Eric Chinski and Cherry Montejo

Chris Ciancimino and Kathryn Westergaard

Billy Clareman and Emily Bravo

Verina and Errol Crawford

Raphael and Melanie Davis

Kate Doniger and Olivia Peoples

Matthew Ellar and Nicola Darrach

Lincoln Farr and Elizabeth Lastique-Farr

Dashiell Flynn and Reena Mehta

Stacey Shurgin and Ruth Genn

Steven Giralt and Gabriela Ponce

Geoffrey Goldstein and Jennifer Elson

Michael and Stephanie Guild

Rebecca Habel Brianna Harrison

Benjamin Heller

Matthew and Annie Hopkins

Michael Johnson and Jerri Shick

Meraj Khan and Farnaz Chowdhry

David and Kate Klein

Jeremy Klein and Marissa Malick Klein

Eduardo and Jennifer Loja

Ivo Lorenz and Carol Ying

Kevin MacLeod and Alison Trebby

David McMahon and Sarah Burns

M’Balia Rubie-Miller and Caleb Miller

Dan and Meredith Range

Douglas Schimmel and Erin Morrissey

The Sonnad Family

Michael and Cheryl Steed

Douglas Wexler

Anonymous (2)

Class of 2033

Patrick and Shannon Andersen

Taylor Antrim and Elizabeth Twitchell

Kevin and Amanda Blackman

Adam and Marissa Broman

Isaac Butler and Anne Love

Jason Cason and Rachel Zeig-Owens Anthony and Sandi D’Avella

Laura Dattner

Mark Egerman and Alisha Bhagat

Alireza Esmaeilzadeh and Claudia Held

Jamel and Taina Evans

The Filusch Family

Justin Ginsburgh and Ruth Gerson

Aaron Goldberg and Yolanda Miranda

Nigel Hall and Janice Rivera-Hall

Jonathan and Jessica Hills

The Hsu Family

Christopher Isenberg and Zoe Sakoutis

Nathaniel Ives and Molly Small

Kevin Lapin and Debbora Gerressu Colm Leahy and Mari Denby

The Lilly Family

The Hodelin Marte Family

Ethan McCarty and Sarah Schur McCarty

Antony Ryan and Robyn Tarnofsky

Joshua Schneps and Tracey Wells-Schneps

Jeffrey and Rachael Schweon

The Seesahai Family

Arun Subramanian and Sowmya Rao

Kyle Sundin and Marie Hoguet

Joris Veldhoven and Piyali Kundu-Veldhoven

Spike and Candy Willcocks

Joy Williams

Terence Wrong and Marisa Guthrie

Matthew Zaklad and Laura Newmark Anonymous (4)

Class of 2034

Marc Avigdor and Amanda Sadacca

Vikram and Rushmi Bhaskaran Paul and Johanna Bonewitz

Todd and Kelly Bracher

Rachel Churner and Kristina Leonetti Matthew Ellar and Nicola Darrach Tyler Ellis and Avita Bansee

The Henrey Family

Thomas Henry and Joanna Sherman

Samir Khare and Sabina Sangha

Michael King and Brittan Bright

Neal and Caroline Kronley

Joseph and Melissa Kronsberg

Kevin Lapin and Debbora Gerressu

Anna Leipsic

Kevin MacLeod and Alison Trebby

Melissa Joy Manning

Daniel Mencaroni and Urszula Lozowska

Stefano and Akane Merlo

Ryan and Carla Norris

Garrett and Kathryn Ordower

Raj Patel and Jennifer Young Marcus Richardson and Ana Trejo-Richardson

The Rocque Family Blake and Katherine Shaw Josh Siegel and Meredith Martin

Vinay and Ellen Singh

George and Caroline Turner

David and Jodi Utz Anonymous (2)

Class of 2035

Joseph Alencherry and Shadoh Punnapuzha

Patrick and Shannon Andersen

Christopher and Roshni Cariello

Sean Crnkovich and Karin Kringen

Mark Egerman and Alisha Bhagat

The Filusch Family

Dashiell Flynn and Reena Mehta

Michael and Stephanie Guild

Christopher Isenberg and Zoe Sakoutis

James Kefgen and Judith Tomkins

Bernhard Mehl and Christine Ying

Ron Ozer

Matthew Runkle and Rebecca Koepnick

David Singer and Alexis Platis

The Sonnad Family

Daniel and Ashvi Stone

Arun Subramanian and Sowmya Rao

Kendra and Julia Swee

Spike and Candy Willcocks

William Wilmot and Kate Klock

Anonymous (2)

Class of 2036

Chris Ciancimino and Kathryn Westergaard

James Cohen and Maggie Close

Emily and Cory Cowles

Kate Doniger and Olivia Peoples

Evan Gourvitz and Anne Swan

Rahwa Haile and Valencia Prosper

Meraj Khan and Farnaz Chowdhry

The Lilly Family

J. Bradford and Margaret Miller

Ryan and Carla Norris

Jacob Proctor and Lisa Oppenheim

Lance Soderstrom and Jill Barnhart

Anonymous (2)

Class of 2037

Vikram and Rushmi Bhaskaran

Benjamin Blickle and Carrie Carlson

Paul and Johanna Bonewitz

Andrew Brodie and Anna Wickes

Michael and Nan Byrne

Christopher and Roshni Cariello

Joseph and Melissa Kronsberg

Andrew Mendelsohn and Sarah Shebby Mendelsohn

Brian Rifkin and Alexandra Burban

Mauricio Takahashi and Lilian Takahashi Anonymous (1)

Bold denotes a 10 year donor to the Brooklyn Friends Fund. † denotes a deceased donor.

Alumni Giving

1940s

Henry Altman ’40

Rosalind Hale Campbell ’44

Charles Weymuller ’46

James Howard ’48

Malcolm Bell ’49

Sheldon Weeks ’49†

1950s

Mary Comey Grant ’51

Robert Bruce ’52

Alfred Lama ’52

Lawrence Lurie ’52

Charles Fisher ’54

Mollie Middlebrook Leengran ’54

Ann Burbank Bikales ’55

Frances Goodman Ginsberg ’55

Marcia McVicar Polenz ’55

Guy Russell ’55

Martin Garrell ’56

Michael Gertner ’56

Frederic Hinze ’56

Jill Kneerim ’56†

Marjorie McKinley Bhavnani ’57

Judy Candib Larkin ’57

Neil Levine ’57

Andrew Coronato ’58

Jonathan Greenberg ’58

Fredric Kleinberg ’58

Fred Leonard ’58

John Morehouse ’58

George Conklin ’59

Diane Stoler Levy ’59 John Mensher ’59

1960s

Robert Benjamin, M.D. ’60

Elle Garrell Berger ’60

Elizabeth Harten Goldberg ’60, PhD

Eloise Morehouse ’60

Susan Loewenberg Shulman ’60

Carol Meshel ’61

Jane Brody Anthony ’62

Julie Keosian Boettiger ’62

Valerie Orzeck Friedman ’62

Nicole Sweedler Metzner ’62

Lisa Richland ’62

Michael Congdon ’63

Mark Johnson ’63

Barbara Ingersoll Rothenberg ’63

Benna Brecher Wilde ’63

Ray Braverman ’64

Mayda Pasternack Podell ’64

Carla Scheuer Heaton ’65

C.J. Kimberly ’65

Moses Silverman ’65

Hartley Spatt ’65

Jonathan Zorach ’65

Hon. Ellen Chaitin ’66

Edward Fields ’66

Lawrence Elliott Madlock MD ’66

James Yglesias ’66

Dr. Elliot Ames ’67

Joel Marks ’67

Matilda Turkle Rubin ’67

Ira Meiselman ’68

Michael Wald ’68

Stephen Wermiel ’68

Eric Bittman ’69

Betty Chang ’69

Joshua Farber ’69

Jesse Goodman ’69 Steven Greenberg ’69

1970s

Helen Leibner ’70

Robin Gowa Wells ’70

Nancy Chang Amberson ’72

Tina Klein Baker ’72

Ava Berinstein ’72

Elizabeth Freedgood Breyer ’72

Burke Fitzpatrick ’72

Marcus Levitt ’72

Susan Norman ’72

Jack Ostroff ’72

Joseph Spitz ’72

Marc Coltrera ’73 Beth Farber ’73

Jessica Wittenstein Barranco ’74

Lauri Adler Bailey ’75

Carl Kass ’75

Lisa Rubin Kornblau ’75 Eric Nass ’75

Adella Rosenthal ’75

Samuel Solish ’75

Mitchell Zeller ’75

Laura Delano ’76

Claude Remy ’76

Megan Craig Skinner ’76

Muriel McClendon ’77

Kenneth Adams ’78

Ivan Freeman ’78 Martha Smith ’79

1980s

Ronald Moseley ’80

Catherine Stamm Woolston ’80

Jonathan Adams ’81

Todd Mulder ’81

Gerry Valentine ’81 Michael Prior ’82 Daniel Vinson ’83 Elliot Bertoni ’84

Crystal Byndloss ’87

Karim Camara ’88 Darrick Hamilton ’89 Derek Lynch ’89

1990s

Charene Arthur ’91

Magnus Hedlund ’91 Wade Black ’92

Keith Canton ’93

Natalie Fernandes ’93 Nathaniel Walsh ’94 William Bielefeld ’97 Ami Blumenthal ’97 Nancy Jones ’98 Charles McVey ’99 Rebecca Soll ’99

2000s

Audrey Jaynes ’03 Eliza Van Rootselaar ’03 Lauren Harrington ’07 Julius Elinson ’09 Anonymous (1)

2010s

Peter Mackie ’12 Abraham Axler ’13 Anna Mackie ’14 Abigail Lloyd ’15 Sophie Edelman ’17

2020s

Salma McLaughlin ’20 Dylan Tran ’22

Families of Alumni Giving

Kenneth Adams ’78 and Diana Adams

Wade Black ’92

Karine M. Blemur-Chapman and Eric K. Chapman

Karim Camara ’88 and Orelia Merchant Camara

Brendan Coburn and Bertina Ceccarelli

Beverly Collier

Vance and Jackie Condie

Karen Danzig and Lawrence Jacobs

Amos and Karen Edelman

David and Maura Eden

Andrew and Debra Edwards

Michael and Linda Edwards

Peter Henrici and Tamar Efrat

William and Patricia Epstein

Jill Fiengo and Lael Schultz

Cheryl Foote-Johnson

Larry Fuchsman and Janet Strain

Jane Smith

Jeffrey L. Glatzer

Dana Goldberg and David Woloch

Eric Guy and Jill Holder

Meg and Tom Harriman

Melissa Henrey

Michael Congdon ’63 and Marna Herrity

Stanley and Barbara Hopard

Mark Jay and Susan Rosenthal Jay Michael and Macon Jessop

Alexander Kagen and Susan Hashemi

Thomas Keasling and Toni Melaas

Donald Kilpatrick and Karen Lavine

Jennifer and Don Knies

Jeremy and Andrea Kortes

Vesselin Kovatchev and Sabina Hemminger

Mark LaRiviere and Catherine Ramey

Daniel Levy and Emily Miller

Robert and Diane Mackie

Jed Marcus and Jessica Greenbaum

Ricardo Granderson and Alisa Martin Granderson

Charlton McIlwain and Raechel Adams

Kathryn Mellon

Edward and Mary Miller

Olivia Monroe

Eloise Morehouse ’60 and John Morehouse ’58

Larry Nabritt and Virginia Avent Nabritt

James Kerby Neill and Hih Song Kim

Lucius Palmer

Stephen and Lisa Pearson

Brandon Roth

Barbara Ingersoll Rothenberg ’63 and Harvey Rothenberg

Daniel Schorr and Ellen Barker

Gabe Schwartz and Jolie Curtsinger Schwartz

John and Marsha Shyer

Stefan Singer and Sarah Rombom

Russell Smith and Maria Carolina Guedes-Smith

Sara and Tony Soll

Ginny Terry

Michael and Andrea Vitale

Andrew and Lynn von Salis

Trish Walkin

Jeremy and Judith Walsh

Claude Watts and Jane Kosow

Bill and Carolyn Wheatley

Richard Whitehall and Je-Won Hwang

Lenise and Ahmed Zahran

Bold denotes a 10 year donor to the Brooklyn Friends Fund. † denotes a deceased donor. * denotes a former colleague.

Colleagues and Former Colleagues Giving

Rami Abdul-Karim

Razi Abdur-Rahman

Sarah Poor Adelman

Daniel Ajerman

Felix Alberto

Tasfia Ali

Señora Kim Allen

Andrew Andrade

Magna Antoine

Bruce Arnold*

Katie Banks

Caitlin Barry

Karine Blemur-Chapman

Rebecca Blythe*

Tracy Bucci

Stephen Buck

Thomas Buckley

Frank Cabrera

Crissy Cáceres

Sharon Carter

Lyman Casey

Chantel Cleckley

Guadalupe Concannon

Jackie Condie*

Kevin Cooney

Dr. AnaMaria Correa

Emily Cowles

Karen Danzig*

Dr. Jane Davidson

Paisley Davidson

Jon DeGraff

Karen Edelman

Maura Eden

Jonathan Edmonds

Vanessa Ehler

Natalie Emery

Lisa Favata

Jill Fiengo

Cheryl Foote-Johnson

Donna Foote

Salvatore Fratto, Jr.

Laleña Garcia

David Gardella

Megan Glionna

Dana Goldberg

Theodore Goodman

Sarah Gordon Millicent Green

Susan Greenstein

Elizabeth Heck Marna Herrity*

Laurice Hwang

Ellen J. Kahan

Christopher Kavanaugh

Thomas Keasling

Natalie Kirch

Rachel Kleinman

Jennifer Knies*

Lucien Kouassi

Rebecca Lawrence

Derek Lynch ’89*

Diane Mackie*

Peter Mackie ’12

Lawrence Elliott Madlock MD ’66*

Rachel Maldonado

Susan Matthews

Ruth McQuiggan

Kimberly Messina*

Caleb Miller

Hannah Munger

Christopher Nattrass*

Martin Norregaard*

Jason Novak

Megan Nuxoll

Danae E. Oratowski*

Daniel Paccione

Tina Piccolo

Kamaya Prince Thompson

Vanessa Reynolds

Lisa Richland ’62*

Barbara Ringel*

Joy Roberts

Brandon F. Roth

Rachel Rowan

Katie Ryan

Maria Sanchez

Martin Sanchez*

Isabel Savenor

Sara Soll

Tony Soll

Elena Speridakos

John Storella*

Thomas Talty

Ginny Terry* Chris Thorner*

Brett Topel

Eliza Van Rootselaar ’03

Trish Walkin

Shayna Wellington

Robin Gowa Wells ’70*

Joanne Wright

Tiffany Wright

Clarence E. Zachery

Roxanne Zazzaro*

Jingyi Zhang

Anonymous (16)

Grandparent and Former Grandparent Giving

Tom and Marge Barrett

Maxwell Barrett ’27

Theodore Barrett ’29

Mrs. Joan Bassin

Max Bassin ’20

Sydney Bassin ’25

Marjorie McKinley Bhavnani ’57

Nikhil Bhavnani ’27

Nina Bhavnani ’30

Claire and Bill Bove

Dorothy Terry ’25

Nathan Terry ’28

Keng-Jong and Ming-mei Chung

Ise Mack ’30

Mrs. Barbara M. Davis

Hannah Senecal-Davis ’25

Emma Senecal-Davis ’28

Jim and Susan Eilberg

Alice Eilberg ’26

Paul Eilberg ’31

Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Farina

Charles Bertoldo ’22

Benjamin Bertoldo ’24

Dr. Sidney Faucette

Joshua Dunn ’25

Sidney Dunn ’28

James and Agnes Harley Kai Kim ’28

Seong Bee Kim ’30

Adrienne Harris

John Tentler ’23

Ms. Sarah Hart

Jazz Hart ’21

Cedar Hart ’23

Dr. Robert Hertzig

Ilan Sharon ’23

Rami Sharon ’25

Robert and Laura Hoguet

Louis Sundin ’30

Oscar Sundin ’33

Katherine Hoyt

Sofia Merlo ’34

Will and Lillias Johnston

Cecilia Johnston ’28

William Johnston III ’30

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Kane

Jordan Strohmenger ’25

Nicholas Strohmenger ’29

Dianne King

Maisie Siegel ’30

Alice Siegel ’34

Ms. Joanne LeBlanc

Amelia LeBlanc ’25 Seamus LeBlanc ’28

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Levin

Violet Levin ’30

Laura Lingenfelter and Anthony Innes

Arlo Kitts ’24

Stella Kitts ’26

David and Diane Master

Kara Cavanaugh ’31

Grant Cavanaugh ’33

Daniel and Betty McMahon

Lyla McMahon ’29

Finn McMahon ’32

Alison Moore

Willow Telis ’35

Kenny and Susan Newmark Elias Zaklad ’30

Milo Zaklad ’33

Mr. and Mrs. Husayn Rashid Noura Rashid ’26

Mr. and Mrs. David Raymond Amelia LeBlanc ’25 Seamus LeBlanc ’28

Carolyn Reaves-Bey Brianna Griffiths ’22

BB and Jud Reis

Charlotte Reis ’26

Charles Reis ’30

Nicholas Reis ’33

Kathryn Reis

Charlotte Reis ’26

Charles Reis ’30

Nicholas Reis ’33

Liz and Steven Roose Maya Roose ’30

Jack Roose ’33

Jane Sherburne

Charles Van Heuvelen ’32

Marvin Siegel

Maisie Siegel ’30

Alice Siegel ’34

Jerome Spindel and Vicki Milstein Theodore Flomer ’28

Nicolas Flomer ’30

Karen and Sherman Telis Willow Telis ’35

Mr. and Mrs. John Trebby

Harris MacLeod ’32

Helen MacLeod ’34

Bethia Waterman Enzo Ortolani ’28

Joan Wexler

Benjamin Wexler ’29

Aaron Wexler ’32

Richard and Lisa Witten

Adrienne Hopkins ’29

Natalie Hopkins ’29 Caroline Hopkins ’32

Dale and Rafi Zaklad Elias Zaklad ’30 Milo Zaklad ’33

Mrs. Irka Zazulak

Viola Burian-Schneider ’28 Leonora Burian-Schneider ’31

Bold denotes a 10 year donor to the Brooklyn Friends Fund. † denotes a deceased

donor.

Celebration Gifts

In celebration of Sarah Adelman

Diane Mackie

In celebration of Alex Basner ’22 Glen and Jennifer Basner

In celebration of Jack Basner ’20 Glen and Jennifer Basner

In celebration of Joshua Dunn ’25

Dr. Sidney Faucette

In celebration of Sidney Dunn ’28 Dr. Sidney Faucette

In celebration of Lila Ehrlich ’22

Judd Ehrlich and Julie Smore-Ehrlich

In celebration of Samantha Glatzer ’88

Jeffrey L. Glatzer

In celebration of Susan Greenstein

Diane Mackie

In celebration of Brianna Natalie Griffiths ’22

Carolyn Reaves-Bey

In celebration of Myriam Juarbe

Diane Mackie

In celebration of Kai Kim ’28

James and Agnes Harley

In celebration of Seong Bee Kim ’30

James and Agnes Harley

In celebration of Arlo Kitts ’24

Laura Lingenfelter and Anthony Innes

In celebration of Stella Kitts ’26

Laura Lingenfelter and Anthony Innes

In celebration of Niko Lapin’s birthday Jeffrey and Rachael Schweon

In celebration of Laura Leopardo Agnes Harley and Sunyoo Kim

In celebration of Kai Wiley Mandel ’22 Anonymous (1)

In celebration of Yamila McLaughlin and classmates Duane McLaughlin and M. Salomé Galib

Tribute Gifts

In honor of Felix Alberto

Anna Mackie ’14

In honor of Valerie Alston

Marna Herrity

In honor of Patricia Braun Balis’ 80th Birthday

Diane Stoler Levy ’59

In honor of Crissy Cáceres

Dale and Rafi Zaklad

In honor of Grant Cavanaugh ’33 David and Diane Master

In honor of Kara Cavanaugh ’31 David and Diane Master

In celebration of Ayoub Moussaddek and the Class of 2022 Leanna Mercedes

In celebration of Jordana X. Rose ’25 Anonymous (1)

In celebration of Milla Sa ’23

John Orsini and Louise Butler

In celebration of Alexander Sacks’ birthday Jeffrey and Rachael Schweon

In celebration of Alice Siegel ’34

Marvin Siegel

In celebration of Maisie Siegel ’30 Marvin Siegel

In celebration of Stuart P. Smith Martha Smith ’79

In celebration of Sara Soll David and Maura Eden Anonymous (1)

In celebration of Sara Soll’s dedicated service to BFS Chris Thorner

In celebration of Abbie Swee ’35 Kendra and Julia Swee

In celebration of Willow Telis ’35 Karen and Sherman Telis

In celebration of Nathan Terry ’28 Claire and Bill Bove

In celebration of Olivia Wrong’s birthday Jeffrey and Rachael Schweon

In celebration of BFS Staff & Faculty Sean O’Neal and Ambereen Sleemi

In celebration of the English teachers who enriched my life Judy Candib Larkin ’57

In celebration of the magical teachers in the Preschool Joseph and Melissa Kronsberg In celebration of wellness Lauri Adler Bailey ’75

In honor of Ramona L. Correa Dr. AnaMaria Correa

In honor of Joseph Derse Martin Garrell ’56

In honor of Maura Eden Dr. Jane Davidson

In honor of Joshua Farber ’69 Beth Farber ’73

In honor of Nina Haskins ’22 Ronald and Minako Haskins

In honor of the Lee Poy-Gordon Grandparents Anonymous (1)

In honor of Diane Mackie

Peter Mackie ’12

Anna Mackie ’14

In honor of Betty J. McMahon

Daniel and Betty McMahon In honor of Sofia Merlo ’34

Katherine Hoyt

In honor of The Moussaddek Family Leanna Mercedes

In honor of Michelle Sartain Anonymous (1)

In honor of Alice Siegel ’34

Dianne King

In honor of Masie Siegel ’30

Dianne King

In honor of Stuart P. Smith

Martha Smith ’79

In honor of David Fletcher Utz ’31 Patricia and Bob Jenks

Gifts in Memoriam

In memory of Thomas Bohrer ’56

Michael Gertner ’56

In memory of Drs. Sophia and Charles Chang Betty Chang ’69

In memory of Marna Press Dann ’54

Nancy Corn

In memory of Cheryl Duguid

Ralph Richardson, Jr. and Eisa Ulen Richardson

In memory of Anne Estern Laura Delano ’76

In memory of Mechele Flaum ’68 Michael Wald ’68

In memory of Joe Fletcher

Anthony Rose and Kemi Akinsanya

In memory of Claire Janey Electra Cummings

In memory of Darien Jones

Raymond Acevedo and Laura Hope

In memory of AnnaRose King

Alison Moore

In memory of Wilma and Herbert Kosow

Claude Watts and Jane Kosow

In memory of Norman Edward Kurland ’62

Valerie Orzeck Friedman ’62

Michael Kurland

Meredith Morse

Lisa Richland ’62

In memory of Claudio Novas

Thomas Buckley

In memory of David Powell ’56

Michael Gertner ’56

In memory of Elsie Punnapuzha

Joseph Alencherry and Shadoh Punnapuzha

In honor of Sienna Utz ’34 Patricia and Bob Jenks

In honor of Cecily Vlack ’22 Anonymous (1)

In honor of the Class of 1966 Lawrence Elliott Madlock MD ’66

In honor of the Class of 2022 Lawrence Elliott Madlock MD ’66

In honor of Elias Zaklad ’30 Kenny and Susan Newmark

In honor of Milo Zaklad ’33 Kenny and Susan Newmark

In memory of Jack Ramey Meg and Tom Harriman

In memory of Ernest Remy Claude Remy ’76

In memory of Fred and Barbara Schneider Lisa Favata

In memory of Paul Schulkind ’73 Paul and Linda Zuckerman

In memory of Stuart P. Smith Martha Smith ’79

In memory of Walter Stein ’59 George Conklin ’59

In memory of Patricia Ann Stringer Anonymous (1)

In memory of Sojourner Truth Anonymous (1)

In memory of Diego Joaquin Underhill Michael Roebuck and Karen Hughes Mariano Schwed and Cathie Mahon

Dara Sicherman Salett and Stephen Salett

In memory of Alexandra Vitale Dara Sicherman Salett and Stephen Salett Dr. Michael and Andrea Vitale

In memory of Dr. Stephen Wortman Lyman Casey

James Kerby Neill and Hih Song Kim

Sylvia Smith

Benjamin Woodbridge Anonymous (1)

Bold denotes a 10 year donor to the Brooklyn Friends Fund. † denotes a deceased donor.

Endowment

General Endowment

The school is grateful to the following individuals who have made a bequest to Brooklyn Friends School in the past, or who have included Brooklyn Friends in their estate plans.

Murray† and Lucy Adams†

Elle Garrell Berger ’60

Mildred Bijur†

Anne Chapman Booth ’27†

Arlette Philippous Brauer ’34†

Jo Ann Black Chase ’60

Richard Cutler ’62

Ina Evans†

Jessica Fadem†

David Field ’42†

Mechele Plotkin Flaum ’68†

Rona Goffen ’62†

Peter M. Horowitz

Ruth Jandorek ’43†

Thomas and Sharon Kennedy Diana Korzenik ’57

Norman Kurland ’62†

Ian Lesser ’75

Ms. Ruth Lofgren†

Margaret Voigt Malone ’49

Ira Meiselman ’68

Talmadge† and Edith Neece

Michael Nill and Irene Cohen

Kendall Shaw

Nan Bright Sussman†

Tom and Livia Thompson Sharon and Russ White David Williams ’43†

The names of donors in the preceding lists were for gifts made to the School from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. Gifts made afterwards will be acknowledged in next year’s annual giving report. While care was taken in compiling these lists, errors may have occurred. Please let us know of any omissions, misspellings, or gifts incorrectly categorized.