Friends Magazine 2023

A QUAKER EDUCATION ⊲

Director of Quaker Life, Anna Melville ’01, works cross-divisionally to encourage students, faculty, and staff to understand the principles of Quakerism.

looking back ⊲

Interior of Lombard Street Meeting House, built in 1805

Photo by Laura Black

2023

Published annually by Friends School of Baltimore

MISSION STATEMENT

Friends School of Baltimore is a Quaker school that exists to foster in young people the skills, knowledge, and habits of mind needed to partner with their communities and to be courageous change-makers in the world. We believe education is a journey, a continual seeking after truth that relies on both inward reflection and outward connection with others, especially across lines of difference. At Friends, learning is grounded in relationships and deepened by application to the world beyond our campus. Our School is guided by the testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship, and our core belief that there is that of God in each person, and we understand these testimonies and this belief to be a call to justice. We value diversity, pursue equity, and strive to be an actively inclusive institution that works against systemic oppression, within a campus community where each individual can live out their full identities. We seek in all ways to exemplify the ideals of the Religious Society of Friends.

Kristen DeMarco Rickard Editor

Laura LeBrun Hatcher Design

Christine Pappas ’01 Director of Marketing and Communications

Ashley Principe Director of Development

SEND ADDRESS CORRECTIONS TO:

Friends School of Baltimore 5114 N. Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21210

Attn: Ashley Principe alumni@friendsbalt.org

Printing: Mount Royal Printing & Communications

Photography: Laura Black

Please recycle.

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Meet some of our outstanding faculty who guide our students through their lifes' journeys each and every day.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: MUSIC

Six talented alumni musicians share the impact of their Friends School education. 18

THE FRIENDS G.R.O.W. COHORT TAKES ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

In an era of constant educational innovation, Friends School of Baltimore has forged a unique path towards professional development with its Growth and Renewal in our Work (G.R.O.W.) program.

QUAKERISM AT FRIENDS

In the newly created position of Director of Quaker Life, Anna Melville '01 speaks to her upbringing in the Quaker community and how she continues to deepen the focus and alignment on what it means to provide a Quaker education.

“The true measure of a community's success is not the size of its membership, but the depth of its relationships and the strength of its shared purpose.”

Charles Vogl

The Art of Community

Dear Friends,

Over this last year, my first as Head of School, I have frequently thought about the ingredients that make a successful and unified community. There are many elements: a shared sense of purpose, a belief in a common set of values, trust, and deep relationships, just to name a few. I have found these all to be present here at Friends. We have intentionally created a school where our different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs are not barriers; they are threads that weave a beautiful mosaic of perspectives and experiences. They enrich our interactions and broaden our horizons.

At our opening Convocation this year, I shared one of the many reasons I believe the Friends School community is so special by using one of my favorite childhood games (Marco Polo) as an analogy.

For those of you unfamiliar with the game, Marco Polo is a form of tag usually played in and around a swimming pool. There is a player who is “it” who, with eyes closed, shouts, “Marco!” The other players, with eyes open, respond, “Polo!” The goal of the game is for the player who is “it” to find and tag one of the other players using only their sense of hearing. It requires careful listening to where the “Polo” responses are coming from in order to find and tag the next player. The game only works if the players who are not “it” always respond with a “Polo.” If nobody responds, the player with their eyes closed ends up feeling alone and lost.

What does Marco Polo have to do with what is special about the Friends community?

It’s simple. Here, when someone says, “Marco,” there is always someone in this community who responds with a “Polo.” The “Polo” comes in many different forms. It’s the person who holds a door when someone has too many things in their hands. It’s the smile from one friend to another. It’s our 5th grade Junior Peer Educators helping our newest lower schoolers find their way to their classrooms on the first day of school. There are examples of this each day around our campus. Some are obvious, while others are subtle, yet, just as impactful.

In this edition of the magazine, you will find more examples of people and programs that make our community successful and unified. A broad range of faculty share why they came to Friends and how they prepare our students for the future. Artificial intelligence is explored by our latest Growth and Renewal in Our Work (G.R.O.W.) cohort, a unique professional development program that brings faculty together to explore topics that will help our school navigate the future. Our new Director of Quaker Life discusses the School's re-commitment to Quaker education and our focus on the SPICES. You will also be introduced to our new leadership team, a group of experts in their fields who will help the School continue to grow and evolve.

I am so excited to have many new faces and initiatives on campus, and hope you enjoy learning about them.

Sincerely,

Christian Donovan, Head of School

NEWSMAKERS

THE HUNGER COMMITTEE AND TOM BINFORD ARE RECOGNIZED IN THE COMMUNITY

On a chilly night in early December 2022, members of the Upper School Hunger Committee, Ryanne Brown ’24, Victoria Cho ’25, Marcus Raabe ’24, Samara Rosenberg ’24, Caroline Toll ’25, and Natalie Tompkins ’25, along with faculty club head Señor Tom Binford, visited The Baltimore Station to serve dinner and help veterans get ready for Christmas. WMAR 2 News highlighted their visit, noting that the students “put down [their] books for a day and picked up spatulas, Christmas decor, and most importantly, perspective.” This experience allowed them the chance to gain knowledge and advice from the veterans, and the ability to see different aspects of society. This is, of course, only one example of the fantastic work that Friends School’s Hunger Committee has done throughout the years.

The Hunger Committee, an Upper School club dedicated to community service, has been overseen by faculty member Tom Binford since his early years at Friends, but its foundation as a club predates his arrival in 1988. In the beginning, the committee primarily held meetings, discussing ways to address hungerrelated issues. It was Binford’s vision and passion that transformed it into an active force for change. He wanted to go beyond meetings and engage students in hands-on service.

In the early 2000s, Binford and the Committee took a bold step by organizing a program that involved cooking food for those in need. Set in the historic fire station at Seton Hall, the initiative aimed to provide meals for homeless individuals, many of whom were veterans. This marked the beginning of a journey that would expose Friends School students to a world outside their own, shedding light on issues like drug and alcohol addiction and homelessness.

The Baltimore Station, where these volunteer efforts are currently concentrated, is a full residential treatment program that offers counseling and support to individuals struggling with addiction and homelessness. Partly funded by the government and reliant on fundraising, it provides a vital service to the community.

Binford recalls the magic happening when students and residents interact.

"It's about meeting all kinds of people," he says, "just because they have an addiction or have lost everything doesn't mean they're bad. It's essential that we meet everybody along the road of life." His dedication has not gone unnoticed. The Hunger Committee has seen the participation of numerous students over the years, many of whom have gone on to pursue careers in social work, nursing, and other fields that emphasize community service. The impact of

Binford’s work extends to alumni as well, with some returning to support the cause that first ignited their passion for service.

Binford's dedication to the Hunger Committee has not only enriched the lives of countless individuals in Baltimore but has also transformed the hearts and minds of Friends School students. Through this remarkable journey, he has exemplified the power of community and compassion, teaching us all that we can make a difference, one person at a time. This past February, in recognition of his commitment, The Baltimore Station selected Binford for their Outstanding Individual Award, citing that he has been bringing Friends students to help their organization for nearly 20 years.

“I joined the Hunger Committee because it seemed like a unique and meaningful way to do service in the Baltimore community. I've really enjoyed every trip and getting to learn about the residents' experiences and lives over great meals that my friends and I got to help prepare.”

– MARCUS RAABE ’24

INTRODUCING OUR NEW ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL

This year, Friends School’s Administrative Council has new faces and seasoned leaders, some in new roles, to work with Head of School Christian Donovan. In several cases, Council members replaced those who took promotions to lead at other schools, including Director of Academics Greta Rutstein, Upper School Principal Steve McManus, and Lower School Principal Michelle Holland, while Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management Jeanne Phizacklea and Assistant Head of School for Finance & Operations Bonnie Hearn both retired after 35-plus years of exceptional service to Friends School. As testament to the expertise and talents of the Friends community, in the last two years, three members of our administrative team accepted head of school positions at other independent schools. Council’s leadership represents every aspect of the School, balancing day-to-day management and our Quaker traditions with the ongoing vision for Friends’ future.

In a new role for the School is Rasha El-Haggan, Assistant Head of School for Academics. Her focus is on Friends School’s teaching and learning, professional development, and professional growth to ensure the best academic experience. Coming to Friends from her role as Director of Curriculum & Professional Growth at Sandy Spring Friends School, El-Haggan’s expertise is Pre-K-12 curriculum development and implementation, interdisciplinary opportunities, and professional development enhancements. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and an M.A. in teaching from Johns Hopkins University, where she is an adjunct faculty member of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Her deep understanding of Quaker education and passion for an inclusive curriculum will help to shape Friends in exciting ways.

“I’m excited about my new colleagues’ collaborative spirit, reflective attitude, and constant questioning of ‘What does better look like?’” says El-Haggan, who works with division principals, divisional admin, faculty, and staff to continue the build on Friends’ excellent academic program. “I wanted a school that highlights the importance of collaboration and team

problem solving. Christian embodies a shared leadership model to ensure our senior admin team connects on the professional and personal level.”

Brandon Rogers, new Upper School Principal, joins Friends from Waimea, Hawaii where he was Assistant Head of School at Parker School. Prior, Rogers held leadership posts at the International School of Turin in Italy and the Khan Lab School in Mountain View, Calif. He brings a collaborative, warm leadership style and over 20 years of strong school leadership and teaching, programmatic innovation, and purposeful partnerships with students, families, and colleagues. With a B.S.Ed. in English Education from the University of Georgia and an M.A. in English from Georgia State University, he taught for 15 years at the Atlanta International School before becoming an administrator. His wealth of experience with different schools, pedagogical approaches, and cultures—all adjusting to the changing world and the changing needs of students in this world–offers an exciting perspective for the Upper School.

“The more I learned about Friends, the more I wanted to be part of the community,” Rogers says. Though new to Quaker education, he loves how it aligns with his values, like collaborative decision-making, deliberate and intentional approaches to problem-solving, and focus on equity and inclusion. “The commitment to excellence and supporting students here is shared and is proactive—everyone plays a part and takes responsibility for the success of our School’s program,” he adds.

Rounding out the new-to-Friends Administrative Council members is Malcolm Haynes, Chief Financial and Operating Officer (CFOO). His impressive

experience includes, most recently, as CFOO at Franklin & Marshall College, Chief of Staff with the Baltimore City Health Department, and as Goucher College’s Budget and Financial Planning Director. He holds a B.A. cum laude from Temple University and an M.P.A. in Public Budgeting and Financial Management from Penn State University.

Taking on a new role on the Council this year is Heidi Hutchison, Principal, PK-8. Formerly Middle School Principal, and before that, Assistant Principal for Pre-Primary, and Lower School faculty, Hutchinson has oversight of the Pre-Primary through 8th grade faculty, students, and curriculum to enhance the program and collaborate with faculty to maintain strong curricular alignment across the grades. Heidi and her husband Andy are also part of our parent/caregiver community – they are the parents of Gabe ’27 and Olivia ’21.

Two veteran Friends administrators have joined the Council this year: Amy D'Aiutolo Mortimer ’87, Director of Enrollment Management; and Christine Pappas ’01, Director of Marketing and Communications. Along with returning Council members Ashley Principe, Director of Development, Kara Carlin, Director of Athletics, and Carl Grant, Director of Facilities, their combined service to Friends School is 44 years.

Manny Rodriguez, Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Jazmin John, Assistant Director of College Counseling, have jointly assumed the roles of Interim Co-Directors of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the 2023-24 school year while the School continues the search for the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

LITTLE FRIENDS - ALWAYS GROWING!

Campus continues to buzz with contractors engaged in ongoing projects under the School’s recently approved Campus Master Plan. Noteworthy among these initiatives is the unveiling of Little Friends North—an expansion of our Little Friends Early Learning Center, dedicated to nurturing our youngest learners (ages 6 weeks to 4 years). This expansion allows us to serve more families and strengthens the pipeline to the Pre-Primary program.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT 2023

For more than 230 years, Friends School’s educational journey has equally emphasized the mastery of content with the mastery of essential skills required to succeed in the world – skills like critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and empathy – to name a few. Meet some of our outstanding faculty who guide our students through this journey each and every day.

JOHN WATT

SIXTH GRADE MATH, MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH

CHAIR, EIGHTH GRADE ADVANCED ALGEBRA, AT FRIENDS SINCE 1989

B.S., Haverford College; M.S., Johns Hopkins University

Q. Why did you choose Friends and/or what do you love about teaching at Friends?

A. I got to know a middle school math teacher at a local math gathering and really admired their curriculum and spirit of collaboration. I was playing basketball at my apartment complex and played once with a first-year middle school math teacher from Friends. He shared that there was about to be an opening in the department. I applied for the position for the next fall.

I love the enthusiasm of my students. Middle schoolers are curious to learn. I learn a lot from them. I continue to be amazed at student insights into solving problems that I’ve never thought of.

I also love the interactions with the parents of my students. What a fascinating group of people! I offer a parents/ caregivers/tutors night for every unit in sixth grade. The parents are just as curious as their kids. Of course, they’re a big part of the reason the kids are so fun to teach. I enjoy running into parents of alumni and catching up on how their adult children are doing.

I love working with my colleagues. They are incredibly insightful and creative about teaching middle schoolers. I can’t count the number of times during a free period I've been drawn into a class because it sounded so exciting.

Q. How do the Middle School curriculum and teaching at Friends School prepare students to be successful?

A. We see math as a lens for students to understand their world and as a tool for making decisions and solving problems. To that end, we start sixth grade with an expansive problem-solving unit. We use the skills we learn in the first few weeks throughout middle school and beyond. We are careful to note the limitations of strategies. For example, one of my favorite topics in our Looking for Patterns unit is confirmation bias. In mathematics and in life, we often look for support for patterns we’ve noticed and ignore evidence of a different pattern altogether or perhaps the lack of a pattern.

Students often treat a problem given by a math teacher as what I call a “math class problems,” concocted by evil geniuses to catch students making the wrong assumptions. Our students, however, are solving real problems.

STEVEN ROOKWOOD

SECOND GRADE HOMEROOM TEACHER, SECOND GRADE COORDINATOR, NEW FACULTY MENTOR, AT FRIENDS SINCE 2003

B.A., Notre Dame of Maryland University; M.Ed., Goucher College

Q. Why did you choose Friends and/or what do you love about teaching at Friends?

A. I have been teaching at Friends School for almost 20 years and I have loved every minute of it! This is a place where I feel loved and challenged. The students are bright, enthusiastic, and insightful learners. They are worldchangers who care about others and are excited to do their part to make the world a better place for everyone. I am always fascinated by their passion to dig deeper to get a clearer picture of the world around them. I also work with a wonderful group of colleagues who value diversity and who show great appreciation for my cultural background. The most amazing thing about my colleagues is that they make collaboration an integral part of the teaching/ learning experience that enriches the daily lives of the students as well as the employees.

Q. How do the Lower School curriculum and teaching at Friends School prepare students to be successful?

A. The lower school curriculum is based on Quaker principles which focus on developing strong character through positive interpersonal relationships. The curriculum is challenging. It helps our students build confidence, resilience, and perseverance through curiosity, exploration, and a deep understanding that they learn from mistakes. The curriculum fosters the development of the whole child which prepares the students to embrace challenges and work through frustrations to adapt to the demands of a changing world.

DIANA WHITE

SECOND GRADE HOMEROOM TEACHER, AT FRIENDS SINCE 2018

B.A., Rider University; M.S.Ed., University of Pennsylvania

Q. Why did you choose Friends and/or what do you love about teaching at Friends?

A. I chose Friends initially because I had taught at a Friends School in Philadelphia (Germantown Friends School) and found it to be one of the most rewarding teaching experiences of my career. I embraced the philosophy and found the Quaker SPICES (simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, stewardship) to be aligned with my own personal values. I took a hiatus from teaching to raise my four children. When I returned to the classroom, I looked for a place that would allow me the autonomy to share my life experience, creativity and knowledge while still being able to learn and grow along with my students. Now in my fifth year at Friends, I can truly say that this is where I am meant to be.

Q. What do you love about teaching your subject(s) in particular?

A. After three years in the Pre-Primary, where I taught kindergarten, I moved to second grade last year. Not only did I have the pleasure of teaching some of my former students again, but I found second grade to be the ‘sweet spot’ where students are reading and writing independently, yet still eager and excited about coming to school every day. I am in a position to foster their growth in all subject areas, and I get to introduce cursive writing. One of my favorite things is sharing children’s literature with the class, especially when we discover new talent in picture books.

TOM BINFORD

UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH, AT FRIENDS SINCE 1988

B.A., Wabash College; M.A., University of Virginia

Q. Why did you choose Friends and/or what do you love about teaching at Friends?

A. I chose Friends School because I wanted to teach at a co-ed day school and not a single-sex boarding school. When I interviewed, I remember Head of School Byron Forbush '47 asking me what I knew about Quakerism. In fact, I knew little about the Quaker philosophy in 1988. In the years I have been at Friends School, I have since learned a lot about my own Quaker background. For example, my great-grandparents were practicing Quakers from central Indiana. They were active in the local meeting house near where my father grew up.

I love the daily interactions with my students and colleagues. There is a palpable sense of community that can be felt when I’m engaging students in the classroom. It’s a privilege watching my students absorb facts and learn to speak Spanish and, literally, grow up, intellectually, academically and physically, right in front of me. I have a front-row seat to some of the best and brightest in the next generation. Regarding my colleagues, I enjoy interacting with them when I’m simply walking through the halls on the way to the faculty lounge or when making copies. As a general rule, people are friendly, warm and engaging because they are happy to be here.

Q.How do the Upper School curriculum and teaching at Friends School prepare students to be successful?

A. I feel that working at a Quaker school in particular teaches the students a lot more than just the subject matter. It’s more important to teach accountability, self-respect, the importance of service and respect for others. Rather than focusing on only Spanish, I feel like I’m helping to grow the whole child. I have been fortunate to accompany many students to The Baltimore Station for the past 20 years where we serve a hot meal and talk with residents who are struggling with various forms of addiction. It’s wonderful bringing the students along and having them learn about a different way of seeing the world. In the Upper School, specifically, it’s wonderful to walk with the students through the scary journey of being an early teen, 14-15 years old, up to the point when they leave us and go to college at about 18 years old. I feel like our curriculum and multiple offerings of athletics, music, drama and clubs allows for a wide range of growth opportunities. Students can be a starter on an athletic team as well as have a part in the play or have a solo in the choral concert. Collectively, all their experiences in the classroom, on the fields, or serving at a local shelter help them to see the world in many different forms.

RACHEL BYERS

DANCE INSTRUCTOR, AT FRIENDS SINCE 2021

B.F.A, University of the Arts

Q. Why did you choose Friends and/or what do you love about teaching at Friends?

A. I didn’t choose Friends, Friends chose me. I’ve worked closely with the previous dance teacher, Mr. Torens, since I was seven years old, and he has taught me so many things throughout the years. He took me under his wing and groomed me into the dancer, choreographer, and teacher that I am today.

I had my first encounter with Friends back in 2020. Mr. Torens hired me as the guest choreographer for the dance ensemble. I worked with a small group of students, and I enjoyed the short time I spent with them. I couldn’t finish the dance because of the COVID pandemic. I was upset that I wasn’t able to finish choreographing the dance and wanted to come back when given the chance.

I enjoy working with all ages at Friends. Because I teach across the divisions, I can create spaces for students to learn and perform over the school year. My first fall dance concert this year was The Jazzy Nutcracker. It was beautiful to see students shine in a different light. I invited Lower School students to join the Middle and Upper School students in the performance. It was fun to teach ballet to the 2nd-5th graders, some of whom had never done it before. Seeing students of all ages on the stage together really warmed my heart and I can’t wait to do it again next year!

Q. How do the dance curriculum and teaching at Friends School prepare students to be successful?

A. I think the dance curriculum helps students become flexible and open-minded. It prepares them for change. Dance sometimes makes you uncomfortable, but you must learn to lean into it and enjoy the time you spend in the studio. Students are taught different styles of dance by learning stationary/traveling sequences with direction changes, spatial awareness, and musicality/tempo changes throughout the combination. They hone performance aspects of focus, flow, clarity, contrast, nuance, and attention to detail. As they gain more knowledge of the art of dance, they can find their own creative voice and movement styles.

“Because I teach across the divisions, I can create spaces for students to learn and perform over the school year.... It was beautiful to see students shine in a different light.”

Rachel Byers, Dance Instructor

CHRIS MCNEAL

MIDDLE SCHOOL DEAN OF SCHOOL CULTURE & COMMUNITY LIFE / HEAD BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL COACH, AT FRIENDS SINCE 2020

B.A., Dickinson College; M.S.Ed. University of Pennsylvania

Q. Why did you choose Friends and/or what do you love about teaching at Friends?

A. Before 2020 I had little knowledge of Baltimore or the independent schools in the area, but I was familiar with Quaker schools as I worked, lived, and went to school in the Philadelphia area. I immediately felt at home at Friends. It was clear that there was a strong commitment to community, diversity, and service that students, families, faculty, and staff engaged with. I love working at Friends because each day I get to collaborate with and learn from colleagues who work across different divisions and departments. They all have a genuine passion for supporting new community members.

Q. What do you love about your roles in particular?

A. I am grateful to take on many roles because they allow me to build relationships with a variety of students at Friends. It truly is the students that make the Friends School experience so special. I have been an advisor, I coach multiple sports, I collaborate with student leaders to help plan School events, and I get to teach in the classroom. I love that my role is so fluid, and I am lucky to be able to connect with students and faculty through athletics, the DEI office, the Middle School administration, admissions, and other divisions.

KELLY KRISTOFF

FIRST GRADE HOMEROOM TEACHER, LOWER SCHOOL MATH COORDINATOR, AT FRIENDS SINCE 2018

B.A., Randolph-Macon College

Q. Why did you choose Friends and/or what do you love about teaching at Friends?

A. A good friend and past colleague, Lisa Meagher P’12 ’16, worked at Friends and she encouraged me to take a look and apply to work at Friends. Once I stepped on campus, I realized that Friends is a special place. I absolutely love Meeting for Worship every morning. We learn about the SPICES (simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship) and habits of mind. We have a query and sit in silence to ready ourselves for the day. We love visiting the Meetinghouse on Fridays. There too we talk about the SPICES and spend time listening to stories about the Quakers.

Q. How do the Lower School curriculum and teaching at Friends School prepare students to be successful?

A. The curriculum at Friends aims to meet the needs of all students. When students enter first grade they are at various levels. The curriculum allows us to meet students where they are. We love collaborating with teachers and students in other grade levels and other divisions. We travel to the Middle and Upper Schools to allow our students to see where they are headed in their school careers.

VIKTOR POLYAK

UPPER SCHOOL PHYSICS TEACHER, AT FRIENDS SINCE 2019

B.S., Towson University

Q. Why did you choose Friends and/or what do you love about teaching at Friends?

A. When I think about why I chose Friends, I think back to my interview day in 2019. I was struck by the thoughtful nature of the students I encountered and the atmosphere on campus. Something intangible spoke to me and has stuck with me since then. I love the way that I get to interact with the students and my colleagues. Through teaching, advising, coaching, and being in community with students I’ve built many wonderful relationships that have made this a fun and rewarding place to be. Our community is made brighter by our multi-talented, diverse student body.

Q. What do you love about teaching your subject in particular?

A. Physics, specifically teaching physics, is wonderful for many reasons! In short, studying physics makes us better critical thinkers and students – even in areas other than math and science. To be successful in physics, you must identify a problem, break it down into its basic parts, analyze which factors matter and which don’t, and investigate changes. All good skills to apply to any field or challenge in life.

Studying physics shows students the real power and significance of mathematics. There’s something to be said for taking abstract math skills and applying them to solve a real, tangible problem. When our students do lab work and test their predictions, I cherish every “wow, this stuff really works” moment.

Finally, I love that a solid understanding of basic physics allows students to learn more easily or understand the fundamentals of many different fields, art forms, and mechanisms. Back to this idea of being better critical thinkers and better students.

FRANCES MORRISSEY

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR PRE-PRIMARY, AT FRIENDS SINCE 1999

B.S., East Stroudsburg University; M.S., Indiana University; M.Ed., Loyola University

Q. What do you love about working with the Pre-Primary students?

A. Before coming to Friends, I worked in a preschool for seven years and then spent seven years teaching third grade at different schools. When I first came to Friends I taught fourth grade for ten years. I followed that with thirteen years of kindergarten and pre-first, and then transitioned to my current position as Assistant Principal. I have loved all of my teaching experiences and am especially grateful for ending my time in the classroom with the pre-primary grades. Four and five year-olds are authentic and see the world through eyes of curiosity, humor, and simplicity. Working with them on a daily basis always helped me keep life in perspective. I was also grateful for the flexibility to collaborate and integrate with different subject teachers and different aged students. It was most exciting to teach the youngest learners through the lens of wondering, investigating, discovering, and reflecting as they learned and then transferred their knowledge to new discoveries. The process of learning to read was always a wonder and an adventure, and because reading is so embedded in my daily life, seeing children break the code to read brought me joy.

Q. How does the Pre-Primary curriculum at Friends School prepare students for success?

A. The Pre-Primary curriculum is flexible and responsive to the curiosity of our students while still intentionally teaching the skills and concepts of literacy, mathematics, science, and the arts. Open-ended play is key to how young children learn to socialize, self-regulate, discover, and reflect. These are life-long habits that are nurtured through collaborative relationships with our teachers.

HELEN BERKELEY

UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER, ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CHAIR, AT FRIENDS SINCE 2004

B.A., Wheaton College; M.A., Boston College

Q. Why did you choose Friends and/or what do you love about teaching at Friends?

A. I love teaching at Friends because of the students, because of the professional community here, and because it is a faithbased school. I love being in a community where our faith commitment requires us to pause to consider each individual person in all their uniqueness. I love Meeting for Worship and pausing for silence at the beginning of meetings. I am grateful for the Quaker commitment to resisting dogma. As a Friend said to me once, “Our task is to raise seekers who will still be seeking in twenty years. We need not interrupt their process with our answers.” I appreciate our elective program in English, in which students and teachers can explore their passions I appreciate this beautiful campus that we are stewarding together.

Q. Something fun about you — a motto or hobby, perhaps?

A. I once accidentally (it’s a long story) parked a Friends School bus at the Pentagon for a weekend. It got towed, and I had to ride in a Pentagon Police car to the impound lot to get it back, and when I returned to campus, I had to explain myself. Everyone was very nice about it.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 2023

Meet some of our note-able Friends alumni musicians, and learn how their journeys at Friends helped them reach their professional goals.

BY SARAH ACHENBACH

CHRISTOPHER ARMSTRONG ’21 COMPOSER AND JUILLIARD STUDENT

How he got here: Without community and everyone who has helped me to mold habits into something useful and beneficial for myself and others, knowledge and success don’t mean a thing. So many people have shaped my path: family, teachers, friends, colleagues, even those that didn’t always treat me with kindness. Yes, I worked hard but it rarely would’ve manifested into action without the kindness of others. Because others saw my potential, it allowed me to do things that hadn’t been done before. They took the time to train me (sometimes for free) and [gave] money to afford me a life, an education, a roadmap to follow that few have the opportunity to experience.

Current work: In addition to studying composition at Juilliard, my compositional work has three main projects:

“The Saudade Part 2,” a full orchestra piece and sequel to “The Saudade Part 1,” which was premiered this past spring by a 60-piece Juilliard orchestra. Part 2 premieres in spring 2024 and is a combined mixture of color, sound, dance, and acting to illustrate the continuation of the character's journey in Part 1, essentially a movie through sound. Second, Juilliard commissioned me and another composer to write a piece for piano and soprano for Juilliard's February 2024 concert in celebration of the 20th-century African American composer H.T. Burleigh and hosted by world-renowned opera singer Denyce Graves. My third project is a short film with a colleague from New York University to premiere this January.

Impact of your Friends School education: One of my biggest strengths is being able to see things from a wide lens and not through a pinhole. I don’t wish to see things solely as a composer, student, or musician. I work to perfect the ability to see from multiple angles simultaneously, to bring about musical experiences that bridge the gap for people that might not have much experience in the concert-music world. Training oneself to do one thing and being diligent in the pursuit of that thing are of the utmost importance in my field. Because of Friends, I know the importance of study and discipline in a concentrated area and the importance of the whole picture.

Notable Friends School experience: Walking outside at Friends during the fall or spring and seeing my friends playing sports was so amazing. These seemingly banal moments were so important for me because moments before, I would usually be in a practice room after school or rehearsing with the band, the Constellations, and then suddenly my entire view on the world could change. I could go from seeing the world through black and white keys and staves of music to the energetic world of soccer, lacrosse, or

basketball. I could see my friends committing themselves to the thing that for some meant more than any letter grade. The teachers that came to my concerts and gave me words of encouragement were now [cheering] in the bleachers. I never realized how rare and special it is to have both music and sports on the same pedestal.

Memorable Friends School teacher: Without Ms. Walsh, I would not be where I am today. She was one of the most generous and incredible teachers I have ever encountered. She filled in the gaps in my musical training and taught me so much about the world of music. She gave me opportunities and believed in me when that belief wasn’t fully present in myself. She equipped me with tools that I still use to this day and forced me to think deeper. Some of my favorite memories involve me sitting on the couch in her classroom.

Visit chriscreatesmusic.com

BILLY NOBEL ’00 SESSION KEYBOARDIST, NASHVILLE

How he got here: I have incredible, supportive parents who encouraged me to pursue all my musical interests from a young age: piano, voice, and musical theater to name a few. There never was a lot of pressure for me to do any of these things, which took the heat off and made them as much fun as I wanted them to be. From a young age and to this day, I always had supportive friends and extended family who attended my performances and made me feel like what I was doing was interesting, fun, and special. I had excellent teachers and professors who taught me the tools to help me realize my musical potential. And when I decided to pursue music as a career, I said yes to every opportunity I could just to play music and meet other musicians. I over-prepared for rehearsals and gigs. I tried to embed myself in the music community as much as possible. It’s other musicians who call you or who recommend you for work, so community and relationships are very important when building your career and reputation.

Current work: I am a keyboard player with two jobs: session keyboardist for recording sessions in Nashville; and keyboardist in Tim McGraw’s touring band.

Impact of your Friends School education: Because every class challenged me, Friends taught me that it takes an enormous amount of hard work and commitment to be successful at something. When I was given the chance to audition for Tim’s band, I spent multiple hours per day for a couple weeks prior to the audition combing through every note of the three songs I was asked to play. I learned those songs in painstaking detail. When it turned out I was hired, I thought,

“Ok, I got the gig. Now I want to keep the gig.” So during my first summer in Tim’s band, before every weekend of shows, I would play along at home to a recording of our live show, just to make sure I was playing consistently at the level that I was hired for. If I made any mistakes within a song, I would pause my run-through and go over those sections, or just restart the song and play through it until I got it right.

Notable Friends School experience: The Chamber Choir tour in Italy stands out. The musical opportunities at Friends always operated at such a high level, so being able to share what we had worked so hard overseas in such beautiful settings, surrounded by great friends, faculty, chaperones (and food!) was a very special experience. Looking back, I now appreciate how much work went into planning a trip like that. At times it must have been like herding cats and exhausting for those in charge! We were so lucky to have that kind of eye-opening opportunity.

Memorable Friends School teacher: Michael McVey taught me as much as I wanted to learn. He is an endless resource who communicates effectively and is exceptionally passionate about his students. He doesn’t settle for anything less than great, which is why his programs are so strong and his students are so talented and always execute at their highest potential. And within all the hard work and attention to detail, he makes music fun!

CAROLINE MALLONEE ’93 COMPOSER

How she got here: A lot of school and a lot of determination and faith in my own ability, which comes from having encouraging teachers and peers. When I was five, I started piano after begging my parents for lessons because my older brother and older sister had them. When I started at Friends in the first grade, I signed myself up for violin. I went home and told my mom I needed a violin because lessons started on Monday. I played in the Friends orchestra, took lessons at Peabody Prep, and started going to The Walden School Young Musicians Program in the summer. All these experiences shaped me as a person and as a musician.

Current work: I write chamber music and choral music. I’ve just finished a commissioned piece for two harps and percussion called “Snowswirl” and a set of six pieces for chorus called “Ask the Wind.” A major upcoming project is a chamber piece for the New York Philharmonic, which commissioned me as part of their Project 19 initiative where 19 prominent female composers mark the centennial of the 19th Amendment with new work.

Impact of your Friends School education: I’m grounded and well-rounded [because of Friends.] Going to a small school allowed me to hold leadership roles I might not have had in a larger student body. I could pursue all my interests, not just music. Poetry analysis with Gary Blauvelt served me well in my composition career, as did my semester studying Shakespeare with Hilda Imhoff and public speaking. The most memorable projects I did were collaborative from making Saxon villages in fifth grade to photographing prominent buildings on Charles Street in eighth grade. The spirit of collaboration has been vital in my career as I’ve worked with poets, filmmakers, directors, and performers. Playing field hockey, soccer, and

“The community service I did at Friends certainly [shaped] me as a citizen belonging to a community. Some of what I want to say through music has an activist spirit.”

Caroline Mallonee ’93

lacrosse encouraged this, too. At Friends, you don't have to get labeled. I was able to be an athlete, musician, and scholar. The community service I did at Friends certainly [shaped] me as a citizen belonging to a community. Some of what I want to say through music has an activist spirit. Recently, I’ve written pieces about climate change, a piece for the Buffalo Girlchoir set words by Greta Thunberg and pieces about voting rights and female empowerment. I’ve also written several pieces about science and math/musical puzzles. (Thanks, Mr. Hilgartner, Mr. Wright, Mr. Pappas, Ms. Smith!) At Harvard, I wanted to be a double major in music and chemistry, but there’s no overlap, so I chose music.

Notable Friends School experience: Starting the Pleiades in tenth grade was formative. Elise Pittenger ’93, Elizabeth Leonard Clifton ’93, and I wanted there to be a female a cappella group since the Quaketones already were a thing. There wasn’t a lot of a cappella music for female voices in the Friends School library, so we ended up arranging the music we sang. This was great musicianship practice! I went on to co-found more groups: the Harvard-Radcliffe Contemporary Music Ensemble, pulsoptional (a performing composers collective in Durham, NC), and Glissando bin Laden, which was an experimental music group based in New York City. I also sing with Vocalis and was just elected board president for the group.

Memorable Friends School teacher: Michael McVey, who really created a vibrant musical community at Friends. He really supported me and I really felt like I could thrive.

Visit carolinemallonee.com

BRAD KOLODNER ’08

BANJO PLAYER WITH CHARM CITY

JUNCTION AND KEN & BRAD KOLODNER QUARTET, BROADCASTER, FOLK ALLEY AND BLUEGRASS COUNTRY RADIO, EDUCATOR

How he got here: I picked up the banjo prior to my senior year at Friends while attending a music camp. My dad, Ken Kolodner '72, was on staff teaching hammered dulcimer, and I took a banjo-from-scratch workshop. I was immediately hooked. I played banjo seemingly nonstop, even practicing between classes in senior hall. One of my first “jamming” experiences was with the Acoustic Music Club led by Dr. Hilgartner. At Ithaca College, I intended to pursue broadcast journalism but that quickly changed. I played concerts with my dad while home on breaks and started hosting a folk radio program at college. After graduation, I returned to Baltimore and played more shows, recorded albums with my dad and taught private lessons. I did a weekly shift as a radio host for WAMU’s Bluegrass Country in Washington D.C., a renowned bluegrass and folk radio station. My father was and continues to be a tremendous mentor. I co-founded Charm City Junction and made it my mission to make Baltimore a hub for bluegrass and old-time music. Along with my father, I co-founded the Baltimore Old Time Jam and the Baltimore Square Dance at Mobtown Ballroom. In 2019, we started the Baltimore Old Time Music Festival. Performing, teaching, organizing events, recording, and hosting radio shows feed into each other and build on one another.

Current work: I play 50-75 gigs a year. Off stage, my time is spent coordinating and booking gigs, marketing, writing and learning new music, practicing, and recording, producing and promoting our albums. I teach in-person and produce online banjo instructional videos. I am a radio broadcaster for two folk and bluegrass stations and broadcast from my home studio on Folk Alley and Bluegrass Country Radio. For the Baltimore Old Time Jam, Baltimore Square Dance, and Baltimore Old Time Music Festival, I book the bands and promote the events. It sounds like a lot, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Impact of your Friends School education: I grew up in a musical house, but it wasn’t until fourth grade at Friends when I first started playing an instrument in earnest; I played cello in orchestra. The well-rounded nature of Friends has set me up well for a career that spans a number of different fields. The spirit of service has played a central role in my approach to music and community-building. I play music because it makes me feel good and I extract tremendous joy from sharing the gift of music. I’ve learned to never undervalue the positive role music plays in folks’ lives.

Notable Friends School experience: Winning the JV baseball championship in tenth grade in 2006. We were a rag-tag group of ballplayers, too young or not quite skilled enough to make varsity. We won the first (and still only) baseball championship in Friends history. Funnily enough, our coach, Rob Stastny, is a regular at the Baltimore Square Dances.

Memorable Friends School teacher: Kirsten Walsh. Little did I know that my experience in orchestra would set me up for a career in music. I honestly didn’t practice very much nor did I love playing the cello. It was heavy, hard to play in tune, and I usually wanted to just play sports. That said, I’ll never forget the passion Ms. Walsh had, and continues to have, for instilling her love of string instruments in me.

Visit bradkolodner.com

“The well-rounded nature of Friends has set me up well for a career that spans a number of different fields.”

Brad Kolodner ’08

Photo by: Joanna Tillman

KEN KOLONDER ’72

HAMMERED DULCIMER AND FIDDLE PLAYER WITH HELICON AND KEN & BRAD KOLODNER QUARTET, EDUCATOR

How he got here: It was a very circuitous route! While at Friends and in college, I never played a note of music. After Lawrence University, I obtained a doctorate from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. But just before graduate school, I took up the fiddle, and a few years later, the hammered dulcimer. By the time I finished the doctoral program, I was performing regularly with Chris Norman, a world-class flute player. We later joined forces with Robin Bullock and formed Helicon. We toured for many years, performing what became known as “world music” in nearly every state in the U.S. Although music was my focus, I was able to work part-time as a biostatistics consultant, publishing 100+ articles.

Current work: Sometimes, I am asked if I will ever retire. My typical response: “Why would I? I play music for a living.” I perform, teach, organize events and concerts, record, do marketing, and more. The bulk of my performance is with my son Brad Kolodner '08 in The Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet. For the last 20 years, I’ve been running and teaching The Sandbridge Hammered Dulcimer and Fiddle Retreat, which

attracts 150+ players from around the world. Much of my work is community building with music as the binding agent. Brad and I run The Baltimore Old Time Music Festival and bi-weekly jam, The Baltimore Old Time Jam. I’ve recorded over 20 CDs and written and produced instructional books and videos. I also put on Helicon’s Annual Winter Solstice Concerts, now in its 38th year.

Impact of your Friends School education: Friends provided a strong foundation in writing skills, analytic and critical thinking, and the value of service. My daughter Hillary Kolodner ’10 went to Friends, as did my older brothers Kirk Kolodner '71 and Nathan Kolodner '68. I think there was a Kolodner at Friends for 40 years, a little dynasty. The Quaker values permeate from social justice to listening to each other, which is the critical skill to have as a musician. I really liked Friends’ welcoming nature of accepting all kinds of different people and different approaches to life. I didn’t feel pressured to go down any specific path. I didn't know then that I was going to become a professional musician, self-employed, and an entrepreneur, but my Friends education set me up for sorting out my own path. Many of my classmates who became professors, teachers, doctors, lawyers, actors, musicians, whatever, are all occupations of service. I don't think of playing music to serve, but I think ultimately that's what Brad and I do with community events. Music gives people joy, and we enjoy doing that for people. That’s what Friends education inculcates in students, to make the world a better place through how you approach your life.

Notable Friends School experience: I’d like to highlight an experience after Friends School: reconnecting with classmates at our 50th Reunion. Over the course of a long and incredibly meaningful weekend, we had “Ted Talks,” a Meeting for Worship to remember those who were no longer with us, a crab feast, a breakfast, and an Orioles game. It was striking to all of us how long-lasting our connections still were all those years later.

Memorable Friends School teacher: There were so many, but I have fond memories of Clark Taylor, Doris Neumann, John Roemer, and Gary Blauvelt.

Visit kenkolodner.com.

For more on the Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet, visit kenandbrad.com

“That’s what Friends education inculcates in students, to make the world a better place through how you approach your life.”

Ken Kolonder ’72

Photo by: Joanna Tillman

“Last spring, I played three recitals in Friends’ three divisions and talked to the Gender and Sexuality Alliance about my journey as a prominent transgender person and activist.... I was so happy to see that supportive environment at the school and kids who are clearly out and open.”

Sara Davis Buechner ’76

SARA DAVIS BUECHNER ’76

CLASSICAL PIANIST, RECORDING ARTIST, PROFESSOR OF PIANO, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, LGBTQIA+ ACTIVIST

How she got here: I had musical gifts as a child. After Friends, I attended the Juilliard School and followed the basic protocol to be a professional classical musician: entered international piano competitions, won some prizes, got concert management, played a very successful New York debut, and made some recordings. Since my thirties, I've also taught piano. A career in classical music is a mix of talent, hard work, ability, charisma, and chutzpah. Friends didn’t really have many musical offerings then, but that’s totally changed. I studied privately since I was five, but in eighth grade, I did play Schroeder in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Current work: In addition to teaching, I have a very active concert career, playing concerts with orchestras and solo recitals. In December, I am doing an Asian tour. I've also just finished my memoir.

Impact of your Friends School education: I came to Friends in the eighth grade. My older brother, Matthew Buechner ’75, and I had gone to public school. As a young and sensitive child playing classical piano, I was bullied in public school. Friends music teacher, Thomas Brumit, presented me with my own key to the Steinway, which is the same piano that is still in the Friends School auditorium. I was allowed to practice whenever I wanted to during the school day, which was wonderful. I found that I had classmates who were also taking piano lessons. Learning that I was not the oddball and having people who understood what I was doing was a very big deal for me in high school.

Notable Friends School experience: Once or twice a year I would play piano in Collection for about 15 minutes. During senior year, just before my Juilliard audition, I played Collection. When I stood up to bow, the whole room stood up. It was a very magical, bittersweet moment because I

knew it would be my last time doing that. I still treasure that standing ovation. Last spring, I played three recitals in Friends’ three divisions and talked to the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) about my journey as a prominent transgender person and activist. So much has changed at Friends in terms of awareness of the breadth of students that they have there. The word “trans” didn't even exist. I was so happy to see that supportive environment at the School and kids who are clearly out and open. I'm not surprised since Friends has always been a progressive, inclusive school, but to see that made me very proud to have come from Friends.

Memorable Friends School teacher: The French teacher, John Huffman, was such a wonderful man. After school, I would often practice in the auditorium or sit in Mr. Huffman's room listening to him play French classical music while he graded papers. Will Samuel, my geometry teacher, was a real pillar of the school. He had a very folksy, grandfatherly manner. You could talk to him about anything. It was the age of Watergate and Nixon, and he was very leftist in his politics. I remember so many discussions about all kinds of things.

Visit saradavisbuechner.com

Photo by: Yukiko Onley

“Imagining a Classrooms in the Future” Illustration created with Adobe Generative AI

EMPOWERING EDUCATORS

The Transformative Role of Professional Development in Shaping Future-Ready Students

In an era of constant educational innovation, Friends School of Baltimore forges an unique path towards professional development with its Growth and Renewal in our Work (G.R.O.W.) program. Developed by and for teachers, G.R.O.W. has become a cornerstone of the School's commitment to nurturing educators and fostering a culture of lifelong learning.

Launched in the fall of 2012, G.R.O.W. was conceived by a small group of faculty members who sought a group-conscious approach to professional development. What began as an idea has evolved into a transformative program benefiting both educators and the community as a whole. Funding for G.R.O.W. primarily comes from grants provided by the E.E. Ford Foundation, with the first grant received in 2011. The Foundation’s mission to improve secondary education by supporting U.S. independent schools and encouraging promising practices allows the program to stretch beyond traditional professional development.

While Friends provides numerous professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, G.R.O.W. stands out as an unique program allowing the School to stay on the cutting edge of education, and the opportunity to get in front of emerging issues, such as artificial intelligence in schools. Topics are intentionally selected to allow exploration into areas that will benefit the School and its mission, and provide a space for cross-divisional participation, ensuring that everyone is benefitting from their research.

The latest G.R.O.W. cohort breaks new ground at Friends by delving into the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) and seeks to understand the AI landscape, address academic integrity concerns, and explore how it can enhance the learning experience for students while staying true to the Quaker values of the School. Members of the cohort are Meda Groff, Lower School Learning Specialist; Tracy Thompson, Middle School Librarian; John Fontinell, Middle School algebra teacher; Ari McCown, Middle School science teacher; Joel Hammer, Upper School Computer Science Chair; Mike Paulson, Upper School English teacher, Josh Carlin, Upper School 12th Grade Dean; Ben Roach, Upper School Art Chair; Kristen Andrews, Upper School French teacher; and Molly Smith '82, Upper School History Chair, as the convener.

While the cohort split into two groups to accommodate schedules and differs in some areas of their research and goals, overall their collective plans include: developing AI literacy, exploring AI tools, guiding teachers in AI tool usage, ensuring academic integrity, engaging school leadership, and discovering the implications for society and the world our students will enter to prepare them for life beyond Friends. As AI tools become increasingly prevalent in education, educators must understand how these resources can enhance teaching and learning.

The role of community engagement is central to this exploration. Friends School places a strong emphasis on personal relationships with students, and the cohort is committed to ensuring that AI tools enhance, rather than replace, these connections. Guidelines and best practices for AI usage will be developed collaboratively, with input from teachers, students, and families. With artificial intelligence at the forefront of this year's cohort, the School

is poised to remain at the cutting edge of educational innovation while staying true to its core values.

The exploration of current AI tools that align with teaching and learning comes next. The aim is to compile a comprehensive list of AI resources, making it more likely that teachers will leverage these tools to support their lesson planning and teaching strategies. This also includes identifying resources that guide teachers in effectively utilizing AI tools. Specific tips and strategies for using AI, such as Chatbots, will empower teachers in the development of educational resources for students.

AI has many benefits, but also challenges. Issues of privacy and data security are paramount, especially when dealing with students under the age of 18. Teachers must navigate the use of AI tools carefully, considering both the benefits and potential risks associated with these technologies. Some of the AI tools under scrutiny include Bing AI, ChatGPT, and various platforms like Dall-E and Canva. The cohort members are dedicated to understanding how these tools work, how machine languages interpret and process data, and how they can be effectively integrated into different areas of study, such as math and science.

In bringing together all that they have discovered, the cohort will be creating a list of queries for school leadership to consider, with a focus on engaging parents, students, and faculty. These queries will help encourage the exploration of AI tools while building awareness and understanding of AI's role in education. They will also be hosting a series of open houses to present their findings. This will ensure that all stakeholders are informed and comfortable with any resources created moving forward.

"What could a Friends faculty meeting look like in the future?" Illustration created with Adobe Generative AI

Friends’ exploration into artificial intelligence started before the cohort convened. At the beginning of the summer of 2023, our dedicated Upper and Middle School librarians, Renee Hall and Tracy Thompson, had the opportunity to delve deep into the world of artificial intelligence, dedicating their time to a pivotal grant project. Their mission: to explore the evolving landscape of AI policies in educational institutions. Drawing insights from comprehensive research on diverse school and university policies, and drawing inspiration from the U.S. Department of Education's groundbreaking 2023 report titled "Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning," Hall and Thompson embarked on a very informative journey.

Out of their efforts, a webpage was created that now houses a wealth of resources thoughtfully curated for both students and faculty. With each division receiving a dedicated page, these digital sanctuaries offer invaluable guidance. They include recommendations on how to effectively label assignments, harness the power of AI-driven prompts, and select the most suitable tools to empower our students. This strategic initiative equips educators and learners alike with the knowledge to navigate the AI-infused educational landscape effectively.

Beyond the digital realm, Hall and Thompson envision engaging in meaningful dialogues with students to discuss the ethical dimensions of AI utilization, aligning this discourse with the Friends School Responsible Use Policy.

As Friends School embarks on this strategic journey to integrate AI into its educational practices, these goals and rationales provide a clear roadmap. The School is committed to fostering a learning environment where technology is harnessed responsibly to enhance the educational experience for students while equipping educators with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.

Over the years, G.R.O.W. cohorts have explored a diverse range of themes, including mindfulness in learning, place-based education, the role of national standards in curriculum development, Quaker spirituality, social justice, and service learning. The program aims to increase professional growth, empowering educators to transcend academic divisions and disciplines, and providing a broader perspective on school life, culture, and academics. Since its inception, G.R.O.W. has engaged 19 learning cohorts, involving over 100 faculty participants. The impact of this initiative is tangible, with teachers gaining invaluable insights and tools to enhance their classroom practices.

G.R.O.W. at Friends is more than a professional development program; it cultivates a culture of growth, collaboration, and innovation among educators. As it continues to evolve and explore critical topics such as artificial intelligence, this program stands as a shining example of how a community of educators can come together to nurture their professional development, ultimately benefiting the students they serve. ■

G.R.O.W. FURTHER

What does G.R.O.W. stand for, and how long has G.R.O.W. been around? G.R.O.W. stands for "Growth and Renewal in our Work.” It launched in the fall of 2012, emerging as a response to the need for more collaborative professional development.

Who can participate? G.R.O.W. is open to all faculty, both part-time and full-time. Staff members may also participate with approval from a supervisor to ensure professional development does not interfere with work hours.

What topics of study are acceptable and/or typical?

The program is flexible in its approach to topics of study. While early cohorts determined their focus collectively, later iterations center around specific themes or subjects, allowing participants to self-select based on their interests. The primary criterion is that the learning connects to curriculum and directly supports student or classroom learning, aligning with the school's Teaching and Learning Paradigm.

When do cohorts meet? Cohorts work together to determine a schedule that accommodates participants' needs. Often, they kick off their time with a retreat day, fostering community building, agenda setting, and goal alignment.

What is the time commitment? Participants are expected to commit to 50 face-to-face hours of meetings, generally spanning over 10 weeks to accommodate those with coaching responsibilities. Some cohorts may extend their duration to include summer or year-long sessions. Attendance is crucial to maintaining the cohort's dynamic and effectiveness.

How will they be compensated for this professional development? Participants who successfully complete the program receive a stipend of approximately $2,000 made possible by the E.E. Ford Grant and other donations.

What are the expectations of their cohort’s time together? Cohorts are guided by a few core principles.

First, their work should directly impact student learning. Second, their goals and objectives should align with the Teaching and Learning Paradigm. Lastly, the group is expected to produce a "deliverable," tangible evidence of their learning that can be shared with others in various forms, such as a Google Site to share resources, a reflective video, or a presentation to the faculty.

Does the group have a designated leader? Typically, each cohort has a "covener" who initiates the organization and logistics. However, roles and responsibilities are collectively brainstormed and assigned once the cohort forms, ensuring shared leadership and collaboration.

BY SARAH ACHENBACH

QUAKERISM at FRIENDS

“We want our students, faculty, and families to understand that what you see is not everything, that there are things that may forever be unseen that, in fact, hold great truth.”

Anna Melville ’01, Director of Quaker Life

Meeting for Worship: What Quakers call their Church Service

Different branches of Friends have different types of Meetings for Worship. Unprogrammed worship – silent waiting or listening for the “still, small voice of God” or “spirit within us” that Quakers believe is inside everyone – was the practice of early Quakers. It continues to be the practice for most East Coast Quakers today.

Meeting for Worship may include a query or question to ponder or comment on, if the spirit moves someone, but it is not a time for debate.

Friends School's Meeting for Worship occurs in all divisions, typically in the middle of a busy school day to allow community members to pause and reflect in silence, which can be restorative and creative.

Eyes for the invisible.

This is the Quaker conviction most cherished by Anna Melville ’01, now in her second year as Director of Quaker Life, a new position at Friends School of Baltimore

The concept of valuing the unseen is one easily understood by even Friends’ youngest students, she adds, among them her own children: Maisie Satterfield ’33 and Charlie Satterfield ’37. Her role was created as part of a shared vision by the Board of Trustees, Administrative Council, and the Friends Quaker Life Committee to continue the School’s commitment to upholding its Quaker values and traditions by deepening the focus and alignment on what it means to provide a Quaker education.

For Melville, it means sharing her Quaker faith with the place where she has spent most of her life. A Friends “lifer,” she returned to her alma mater to teach Middle School English a few years after earning a B.A. in English at Franklin & Marshall and M.F.A. in Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

But it’s her deep Quaker roots, entwined with the School’s own, that inspire her work. Her Catholicraised mother and Unitarian father converted together to Quakerism just before getting married at Sandy Spring Friends Meeting. “It was an act of protest to the Vietnam War and solidarity with the peace movement and with a commitment to nonviolence,” she explains. The family attended Stony Run Friends Meeting, the Quaker Meetinghouse that shares the School’s campus.

“The principles of Quakerism are a pattern by which you live your life,” she explains. “There’s nothing you must believe necessarily, except that a commitment to a life of simplicity, peace, and integrity is one way to add good to the world.”

Paul Jones, a member of the Friends Quaker Life Committee, met Melville when he joined Stony Run Meeting. He was part of Stony Run’s advocacy for a Director of Quaker Life position. “We see Anna as the consistent Quaker presence at the School,” says Jones.

A little history: Friends School was founded by Quakers in 1784. When the Baltimore Monthly Meeting (Baltimore Quakers) split into the Stony Run and Homewood Meetings, Stony Run, which was based in downtown Baltimore, continued to run the school. In 1948, Stony Run built its Meetinghouse on the Friends campus, and in 1973, the school became an independent entity.

“We’ve continued in a caring relationship with the school, with the Meetinghouse as an anchor for the School in shared history and values,” Jones explains. Having a Head of School with a Quaker background and education adds to that relationship, he says. “Christian sees us as allies, and we certainly see him as an ally of our Meeting.”

Jones, a retired Towson University education professor, relishes the chance to share the religion’s history and worship traditions as part of the new “Quaker 101.” This program launched last year with the help of Melville and RoJamie Oyenuga, parent of parent of Meddy Oyenuga '27, and MySon Oyenuga '35, and Friends School Parent Association Representative to Stony Run. The program introduces Friends parents unfamiliar with Quaker Meeting for Worship with division-specific programs at the Meetinghouse and online.

Oyenuga took her children to the Meetinghouse one Sunday, which turned into repeat visits and the family’s deeper involvement. Four years later, Oyenuga envisioned a welcoming program for fellow parents to help them better understand what a Quaker education means. Many who attend are stepping into the Meetinghouse for the first time. “We hold a little Meeting for Worship, Paul shares some history of Quakerism, and Anna will talk about the educational side of how Quakerism is incorporated into each division’s program,” Oyenuga explains.

Jones enjoys showing parents around the building and helping to lead the Meeting for Worship. “It’s a wonderful collaboration because the parents are very interested in knowing more about the Quaker values and background,” he adds. One of his favorite (and most frequent) questions is about what happens in silent worship.

For Oyenuga, the silence is golden: “Everything is so noisy in our world, at click speed. Quakerism calls students to reflect deeply on who they are, how they think, and what they will ultimately

bring to the world. They're also called to look outwardly, to serve. Introducing these ideas very early helps to shape the servants and community that we would like to see.”

The practice of being able to call for a moment of silence outside of a Meeting is what Melville loved most as a student and as a teacher. “It's not too much to ask for us all to pause and collect ourselves, but also gather as a group and feel a moment of shared community and shared space together,” says Melville.

“Quaker 101” is just part of the comprehensive program Melville is creating in partnership with Stony Run Meeting, Donovan, the School’s Quaker Life Committee and the board’s Quaker Mission Oversight Committee. Conversion is not the goal. “We’re not a religion that seeks to make more Quakers,” Melville explains. As she did when she was a Friends student, she enjoys seeing others of different faith backgrounds forming a personal relationship with Quakerism.

“What continues to draw me to Quakerism is that it’s a religion that's got great breadth and great depth. I love the idea that within a single umbrella, there are people who consider themselves Christians who study the Bible, and then there are people who consider themselves Buddhist and Quaker or Jewish and Quaker.” Her formalized, full time position embraces the School’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity. “Our commitment to diversity of spirituality and diversity of self and thought is so important right now in helping students understand that their beliefs need to come through inquiry, not through ideological capture,” she adds. “Our students need to know why they believe what they believe, whether it's about their sense of self or about the topics of the day.”

With a presence humble, contemplative, and welcoming, Melville’s excitement for her new role is palpable. She lights up talking about her hopes for the burgeoning program. “This is a position of service to our whole community, which includes our partners at Stony Run and our families, and even our grandparents, anyone who wants to have a deeper understanding,” she says.

“The way that you are in the world is the way you are a Quaker,” explains Melville of the religion that does not have a creed. “When we understand that, Quakerism becomes a lot more personal and not in conflict with a person’s other religious or firmly held atheist beliefs. The role of a Quaker school is to cultivate this personhood,” Melville explains.

Her approach to achieving this is allencompassing. She helps to lead Middle School and Upper School Meeting for Worship and classes that meet at Stony Run. This year, Pre-Primary and even Little Friends (six weeks to age 4) are coming to the Meetinghouse. Focusing on faculty education is a priority with trainings and resources, including her former classroom, which she’s turned into the Center for Quaker Life.

Melville helps non-Quaker faculty and staff become more comfortable with Quaker phrases like “There is that of God in everyone,” offering synonyms to use with students. “I talk about divinity or a divine light or just light, peace, or love,” she says. “To talk about spirituality with students, you do need to have a personal stake in it.”

Last year, she piloted a three-month 6th grade advisory curriculum on Quakerism, focusing on Meeting for Worship. A similar, advisory-centered module for 7th and 8th grades is in the works, as is her creation of clear habits and guidelines for Meeting for Worship in the Lower School with all teachers using the same prompts. The Quaker Meeting traditions of allowing silence to follow a message or sharing can be challenging for younger children.

“My hope is that Lower School rules become habits, then traditions in the Upper School,” she says. “Rather than it feeling to a 17-year-old like, ‘We’ve got to be quiet,’ they’re more inclined to feel it as the tradition.”

Melville plans to incorporate the Middle School’s successful use of Quaker decision-making for selecting student leaders in the Upper School. Now, 7th and 8th graders seeking to be clerks put forth their names during a meeting, give their speeches, and then leave so the community may discuss who will best serve as clerk. The 5th grade is also a model of Quaker decision-making in its robust, studentled use of subcommittees. During the 5th Grade Business Meeting, student clerks bring forward concerns or joys for sharing or for conversation. Students run the Meetings, take notes, and present program ideas based on Meeting and subcommittee discussions.

Last spring, Melville attended the annual Quaker Youth Leadership Conference for students and faculty of the East Coast’s Quaker Schools. She and several students traveled to Sandy Spring Friends School for the conference, which Friends School of Baltimore co-hosted. The conference included a tour of Baltimore neighborhoods and museums, culminating with a guest speaker from the Baltimore Peace Movement at the Homewood Friends Meeting.

Asa Arnot ’25 is a veteran of several Quaker Youth Leadership Conferences. When he joined Friends in 6th grade,

he immediately embraced the Quaker traditions. “For me, it’s shared empathy who care for you and about you,” Asa explains. “I am most involved with stage crew and stagecraft. When I joined the stagecraft class in 9th grade, the stage manager, who was a junior, immediately reached out to me. I think the Quaker idea of community is also about the individual’s role in helping to create that community.”

Attending the conferences and Meeting for Worship helps him better appreciate everyone’s potential to hear and share the voice of God. “You learn to give everyone a chance and lean into seeing out their story,” he adds.

In September, Arnot, Oyenuga and other students re-invigorated the dormant Quaker Student Union (QSU). Advised by Helen Berkeley, Upper School English Chair and Teacher, and Travis Henschen, Upper School Dean of Student Life and in collaboration with Melville, the QSU held an overnight retreat at Pendle Hill, a Quaker retreat center near Philadelphia. There, the group reflected on their experiences of Meeting for Worship, discussed how to support the School’s practice of worshiping together, learned about Quaker decision-making, and visited the nearby Quaker institution, Swarthmore College. This year, the QSU will lead Meetings for Worship with queries (questions for reflection) and will resurrect a pre-pandemic practice of offering fidgety students small stones to hold in the Meetinghouse.

“Attending the QSU retreat was a real dream for me,” says Oyenuga, the sole freshman at the retreat. She was inspired to get involved in student Quakerism activities to help fellow students better appreciate Meeting for Worship (MFWs). “I was very excited to join a club full of people like me who wanted to enjoy MFWs more. I loved collaborating with older peers to brainstorm unique and engaging queries and forging new relationships. I am so glad that the QSU is back in action, and I'm sure we will really brighten Quaker life in the Upper School.”

Melville is equally as hopeful: “I’m so proud of the way our students have taken Quaker practices and made them their own. From the serenity with which they practiced Meeting for Worship to the seriousness of their brainstorming sessions to their laughter around the campfire, I am confident this group is well-equipped to lead our community as we strengthen our worship practices.”

Of course, the real ripples of Friends’ ever-enduring, deep commitment to its Quaker roots are the aspects of their Quaker education that students will share with the world today and far into the future. “I hope that they find in themselves the way to treat others with grace, with patience, with dignity, and that even those in the world who would wish other people harm, that our own integrity depends on our treating other people well and with kindness,” Melville reflects. ■

Students in the English course "Wise Readings" participated in a series of gathering with residents from Broadmead, a senior living community founded by the Quakers of Stony Run Friends Meeting.

2022-23 DEI OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS

At Friends School, we strive to be a community where everyone can live out their full identity in alignment with our Quaker values. Our dedication to acknowledging and celebrating the diversity of beliefs and backgrounds on our campus is woven into the fabric of our daily activities, curriculum, and school-wide celebrations.

The Friends School Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team comprises a full time director, an assistant director, and several divisional coordinators. Together, the team works in partnership with division faculty and staff to implement programs for students, support professional development for teachers, and collaborate with community members in the classrooms, on the fields and in performing and visual arts spaces.

The DEI team led many initiatives in the 2022-23 school year. Here are a few highlights:

African Diaspora Day

In September, the Middle School celebrated African Diaspora Day. We are excited to start our tradition of celebrating this day!

African Diaspora is the term commonly used to describe the mass dispersion of peoples from Africa during the Transatlantic Slave Trades, from the 1500s to the 1800s. The Middle School held a dance and drumming workshop hosted by Mama Jihan and Eubie Blake Center. Students then participated in a variety of workshops throughout the day.

Recognizing Trans & GenderExpansive Communities

During Trans Week of Awareness, Little Friends DEI Coordinator Myresha Williams, Cross-Divisional DEI Coordinator Jason Boyask, and Staff DEI Coordinator Bianca Washington ’15, welcomed artist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Jericho Ayla Westgate (he/they) to facilitate an on-campus Art and Identity Workshop. Boyask engaged with K-5 students who identify as trans and/or genderexpansive, and/or are beginning a journey of gender exploration. Lower School faculty and staff also participated in an information session on supporting gender-expansive students. Parents and caregivers had the opportunity to meet with others that have trans/gender-expansive/gender-questioning children as well.

The Trans Week of Awareness led up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), a global day of awareness about the violence inflicted against trans people. Friends School recognized TDOR by highlighting the different ways our community can combat transphobia.

Kishuan Matteo, a trans activist speaker who is affirming his gender through hormone therapy, was invited to campus to share his experience and valuable lessons learned during this journey. He recorded the changes in his voice and posted a one-year singing transition on YouTube. Matteo presented to the Friends School community and met with many groups on campus, including our first graders, Middle School Quaker Inclusiveness Association (QIA), Upper School Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), and the Upper School diversity and social justice practitioner course.

On International Transgender Day of Visibility in March, the DEI Office redesigned the Forbush Atrium in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility as a self-guided exhibit to learn about the trans community and the history of bills passed over the years. In addition, the fifth grade Belonging Committee created artwork, and PK-P1 wrote words of allyship, to support the trans community.

The DEI Office held an outdoor movie night, featuring Disney's Encanto, as part of Hispanic Heritage Month

DEI Speakers

Alumnus Lee Westgate ’97, M.B.A., M.S.W., LCSW-C (he/him) kicked off the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Speaker Series, hosted by the Friends School Parent Association. Westgate shared insights about the challenges of being, serving, and advocating on behalf of trans and gender-expansive communities through their lived experiences. It is important for Friends School trans children to see trans adults because it is a window into what their future can be.

In October, the Friends School Parents Association's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and the DEI Office, in partnership with Bryn Mawr, Boys' Latin, Gilman School and Roland Park Country School, invited author Heather McGhee for a discussion of her acclaimed book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together

National Black Lives Matter

@ School Week of Action

Friends School filled the National Black Lives Matter (BLM) @ School Week of Action with many activities across all divisions, center on the theme Past to Present and Beyond: Elevating Blackness. Little Friends and the Lower School students had time to work on BLM posters throughout the week, while Middle School held an informative and fun game of BLM Jeopardy, and Upper School participated in Wildin' Out on Black Culture during Collection. BIPOC Scholars were invited to enjoy pizza parties, and BIPOC employees enjoyed fellowship time together. An all-school BLM march rounded out the week and concluded with a special basketball night.

New Lower School LGBTQIA+ Initiatives

In May, the DEI office held two events, Families with Pride and Students with Pride, to celebrate and uplift the LGBTQIA+ families and students in our Lower School communities. The goal was to create a space for families and students to connect with and enjoy the company of each other, with the hope to continue with similar events in the future.

Middle School DEI Day

In March, the Middle School students experienced their Middle School DEI Day with the theme, Who Run The World? GIRLS! Elevating, Celebrating, and Discovering Women of our Past, Present, and Future. Middle School students started the day with a fantastic presentation learning about women in the past through a short documentary film, Without A Whisper – Konnon Kwe, an untold story of the profound influence of Indigenous women on the beginning of the women's rights movement in the United States. The emphasis in the morning was to highlight "history vs. the past, history is not what happened, it's who tells your story." Students engaged in two workshops that focused on women in the present and women in the future. During the Women of the Present session, the focus was Breaking the Glass Ceiling, which is a colloquial term for the social barrier preventing women from being promoted to top jobs in management. Students learned about women in leadership and participated in a mock election, where they gave candidate speeches and selected who the next women president and vice president were going to be. In the Women of the Future session, students learned about women in STEM, the direction in which the STEM field is trending, and who has historically held the power behind STEM demographics. To end the session, students participated in an escape room where they found the key to the future to elevate, celebrate and support women.

Upper School DEI Day

In April, the Upper School honored Convocation Day for Social Justice "DEI Day." The students in the Diversity & Social Justice Practitioner Training Course, and volunteer student DEI leaders, designed a transformative experience for the Upper School student body. The theme for the 2023 US DEI Day was Perseverance & Power: We're Here to Stay!

A large part of the day was dedicated to uplifting and celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. The Upper School began the day together in the auditorium for the keynote address by Rashad Randolph. Randolph serves as the Upper School Assistant Principal for Student Life at Ethical Culture Fieldston School, an independent school in New York City. He spoke to the Upper School community about LGBTQIA+ history, the current anti-trans and anti-drag legislation, and how the LGBTQIA+ community has created spaces where members of the group can find joy in an unkind world. This joy is one of the tools the LGBTQIA+ community has used to continue to persevere. Randolph also spoke to the power of allyship and set up the day for our scholars to reflect on how their identities might inform the ways we show up as allies. ■

ACADEMICS

K/PF Kid Detectives: Spreading Kindness through a Podcast

In a world where empathy and compassion are more important than ever, the kindergarten and pre-first class in the Lower School embarked on a heartwarming journey of discovery and sharing. Led by Lower School Assistant Principal Frannie Morrissey, and Lower School Technology Educator Andy Hanes, these curious minds set out to explore the concept of kindness. The result? K/PF Kid Detectives, a podcast that has allowed the students to present their research and conclusions through interviews and an original song.

The project began with the question: "What happens when I look closely at my community?" Discovery, a central part of their classroom's learning approach, pushed their curiosity into action. The students realized that kindness is an important part of the communities around them, and made this the central focus of their project. Hanes introduced them to, and helped them understand, what a podcast is as a fun way to share information. Excited about the idea, the students decided to use podcasting as a way to teach others what they had uncovered about kindness.

The first challenge was to find a name for their podcast, and the students used the Quaker approach for decision-making by coming to a consensus. They brainstormed around eight different ideas, and ended up combining elements from each to create the perfect name: K/PF Kid Detectives. This name perfectly reflected their investigative spirit in exploring the world of kindness.

To gather information and insights about kindness, their plan involved several methods, including listening to songs that emphasized kindness, reading books that touched upon the subject, and interviewing their siblings and Friends School faculty/staff, who could offer diverse perspectives and personal stories about kindness.

With their investigative plan in place, the students set out to create their podcast. It was a creative process that allowed them to use music, personal discovery, and a new medium to tell their stories. The process they settled on included interviews, turning their notes into an original song with their music teacher Anthony Ajluni singing the Kindness Song, and a reflection on what they learned.

The kindergarten and pre-first class created a final product where young voices shared wisdom about kindness, reminding us all of the power of empathy and compassion. Through their dedication to discovery and their innovative approach to podcasting, these students proved that even the youngest hearts can teach us valuable lessons about the world. So, the next time you find yourself wondering about the meaning of kindness or seeking inspiration in your daily life, consider listening to the K/PF Kid Detectives podcast.

Use the QR Code to Listen to the K/PF Kid Detectives Podcast

Executive Functioning Skills Explained for Middle School Families

Emily Bartz, the Middle School Learning Specialist at Friends School, arrived in the fall of 2022 with 15 years of experience working with teachers and students on Executive Functioning (EF) skills. She came to Friends intending to support all students, teachers, parents, and caregivers. Bartz, who faced challenges with her attention disorder as a child, became a learning specialist to help all students work on their own EF skills, especially those who are dealing with similar difficulties.

Executive Functioning skills are what people use to get things done. These skills include managing time, controlling emotions, staying organized, getting tasks started without undue procrastination, being aware of how one is performing and if one needs assistance, and paying attention despite distractions. Each person has a unique profile composed of strengths and weaknesses. Most adults have jobs or roles that best suit their profiles where they can use their EF strengths, and they have found strategies or workarounds to help compensate for skills that are harder for them to access. Research shows that it takes 25 years for a person’s brain to reach a point where they have full access to these skills. They can get work done when needed, ask for help, successfully manage their time, and persist when tasks become more effortful or difficult.

Many factors are believed to support or hinder the development of EF skills. Students with a diagnosed neurodivergence, such as ADHD, tend to struggle with these skills the most. Research shows that students with ADHD develop EF skills at a 30% delay compared to their neurotypical peers. What this means is if a child in the ninth grade has ADHD, they may have EF skills on par with a student in seventh grade. This discrepancy between the ninth graders' chronological age

and their lagging EF skills creates a challenging gap for these students to overcome. Parents and teachers struggle as their students still need reminders and assistance around these “doing” skills, while it feels like they should be old enough to do these things on their own. It is very easy for teachers and parents, who are unaware or lack the language to describe EF skills, to see these students as lazy or not trying their best. Support and intervention may be necessary at the ninth-grade level for some of those students.

In the Lower School years, teachers have EF skill support built into their daily classroom routines, as it is clear that all children need support in these developing skills. In the Middle School years, Bartz thinks providing language and understanding of these skills can be game-changers for parents, students, and teachers alike. “In these middle grades, children seem to be the most inconsistent in their ability to apply EF skills to their daily lives. Understanding these skills helps provide a lens to view student development that is shame-free and based on a spectrum of skill acquisition.” Bartz has the teachers in the Middle School complete their own EF skill inventory to better understand their particular strengths and areas of need. She explains: “Normalizing these differences is the first step to understanding where our students are coming from.”

As students transition from Lower to Middle School, and from Middle to Upper School, they encounter a significant increase in expectations

around navigating complex and multi-step tasks that require the skills of organization, response inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. The importance of staying on top of everything while adapting to an ever-changing academic and social environment can be challenging for every student. When students are armed with a greater understanding of their own unique EF skill profiles, this gives them a starting place to find strategies and tools to help accommodate the weaker skills, and take advantage of the stronger ones. These strategies will help students initiate tasks promptly, manage time effectively, and work on goal-oriented activities. They enhance academic performance and equip students with essential tools for problem-solving, adaptability, and self-regulation, setting the foundation for success in school and life.

While Friends teachers and students already have the chance to enhance their understanding of EF skills, Bartz wanted to extend her knowledge to parents and caregivers. During the 2022-23 school year, she hosted two webinars for fifth grade and Middle School families: Boosting Executive Functioning Skills at Home and Focusing on the Foundational Executive Functioning Skills. Her goal was to provide background knowledge and insights to help parents understand their children using the lens of EF skills and what those look like at home. In addition to showing how Friends supports students who are still struggling with their own skills development, she

provided tips and tricks for what parents can do at home if they have a student who seems to be struggling.

In her work, Bartz has utilized many lessons and strategies from Dr. Peggy Dawson's Smart but Scattered book series, which provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and developing executive functioning skills in children. Bartz says, “At Friends, we can continue to grow and learn with our students by acknowledging the developmental process, building support infrastructure, and educating our faculty.” Dawson recommends many successful strategies to aid executive functioning skills, including:

1. Making the Invisible Being: Intentionally modeling behaviors and sharing personal experiences with our EF skill development helps normalize and teach children that everyone is always working on these skills.

STEM Speakers

2. Name It: Recognizing and naming EF skills required for a task, or noticing when students are showing particular strengths or weaker skills.

3. Praise EF Skill Behaviors if you want to see them again: even if they are expectations. Since we know these skills aren’t always consistently online in the Middle School years, taking the time to notice and praise when a child does show EF skill usage is a great way to improve connection and hopefully aid in seeing that behavior repeat. Modeling positive behavior and open communication about emotions helps the students feel safe.

4. Use Visuals Whenever Possible: Instead of using your voice to remind your children or students of something, try to use a visual cue to serve as a reminder. Comparing their work against a finished product also helps students develop their metacognition to help discern if they have met the standards set before them by matching what they think their clean room should be with the picture.

The STEM Speaker Series is a monthly event series that invites professionals in STEM fields to speak to Upper School students about their research and work experiences. Students get to hear from experts in fields ranging from black holes, the human immune system, soil conservation, to data processing and computer science. Speakers share both what life is like in their field, as well as how they got to where they are today. Students can register for this series as part of the STEAM Certificate Program.

The 2022-23 Slate of STEM Speakers included:

Zach Nasipak NASA Postdoctoral Fellow at the Goddard Space Flight Center

Eric Dang ’06 Tenure-track investigator with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Amelia Huang Forestry and Environmental Consultant

Jonathan Andrews P’24, ’27 Director of Data Operations and Analytics at Lotame. Hannah Wichmann Graduate Medical Resident in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at University of Pittsburgh

Peter Kaestner ’71 Retired Minister Counselor at the U.S. Department of State; Avid Birder

5. Let your Child have Choice and Agency

Around Tasks that may be perceived as unpleasant, like chores or homework: Let your child pick an agreed-upon start time when homework will be done.

6. Keys to Success Around Navigating Homework: Don’t be afraid to use incentives if necessary, especially when tasks are particularly daunting. Build in breaks for older students, particularly those with attention difficulties. The Pomodoro chrome extension (which looks like a tomato) allows students to visually see how long they have been working and requires a five-minute break. Supervise, but don’t micromanage. The rule of thumb around supporting students with homework is to provide the minimum support necessary for your child to succeed.

With learning specialists in each division at Friends, someone is available to assess the best ways to support all of our students at every level. Bartz plans to continue hosting webinars and offering resources and guidance to parents in future years as well.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Congratulations to our very own Quaker Quill Arts & Culture editor, Audrey Lin '24, who was published in the Baltimore Sun last October. Audrey wrote her opinion article, “As a summer camp counselor, I saw the ‘two Baltimores’ through children” for her Friends journalism class. In it, she contrasts her two experiences last summer working at ESF Camps (Education, Sports, Fun) in Roland Park, and later at Camp St. Vincent, which was held in Patterson Park for children experiencing homelessness. Use the QR code to read the article.

Academic Awards

SENIOR AWARDS

Letitia M. Stockett English Award: Abby Buck, Sophie von Coelln, Avery Marr

Richard West Clarkson Modern Language

Award: Nathan Renard

Joan Alma Eckert '49 Award: Avery Marr

Proficiency and Sustained Effort in the Study of Latin: Anna Trudeau, Ben Smith

Proficiency and Sustained Effort in the Study of Spanish: Clara de Cabo, Ben Gamper, Andie Sjaarda, Anna Keffer

Claire G. Walker Award for Excellence in the Study of Russian: Joey Supik, Lex Tawes

Eleanor D. Mace Award for Excellence in the Study of History: Ally Wolfe, Cicely Kotarides

Eugene Denk/Bliss Forbush Jr. Award for Proficiency in Mathematics: Sophie Von Coelln

Alvin S. Chilcoat Award for the Student Showing the Most Growth in the Study of Mathematics: Jax Long

William S. Pike Award in the Study of Science: Anna Keefer, Sam Schreiber, Miller Gruen

Award for Proficiency and Sustained Effort in the Field of Art: Avery Marr, Elie Walsh, Simone Kessler

Christopher R. McGraw Dramatics

Award for Appreciation, Understanding, and Contribution to the Theatre: Claire Carducci, Alice Riley, Vincent Walk

Gerry L. Gomprecht Award: Sophie von Coelln

Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Vocal Music Program: Alice Riley

Adrian M. Cephas Award for Outstanding

Contribution to the Friends School

Instrumental Music Program: August Taylor, Azari Thomas

Isabel Woods Award for Outstanding

Contribution to the Friends School Music

Department: Elie Walsh

Friends New Media for Social Impact

Award: Carson Freeman

Mary Allen Wilkes Award for Excellence in Computer Science: Sophie von Coelln

Award for Independent Enrichment Through Reading: Abby Buck, Sophie von Coelln

Friends School Dance Excellence Award: Moxie Doctor, Alice Riley, Anna Trudeau

Recognition of Student Senate

Leadership: Mike Ma, Mariana Garza

Award for Outstanding Contribution to Quaker Values: Divine Trewick, Anthony Smith, Ben Gamper

Bliss Forbush, Sr. Award for Spirit of Fellowship: Anna Keefer, Oluchi Ihenatu, Mariana Garza

FSAA Award: Dylan Barnes, Quinn Carlin, Kedrick Curtis, Benjamin Kondner, Max Palmer, Colin Talor, Jonah Zalis

L. Lawrence Peacock Scholar-Athlete Award: Ryan Bloom, Abby Buck, Maisie Burgunder, Luke Caldwell, Quinn Carlin, Ella Corcoran, Declan Creaney, Anna Keefer, Cicely Kotarides, Larsen Murray, Stephen Piron, Abby Reiner, Joey Supik, Jonah Zalis

NATIONAL LATIN HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTEES

Latin I: Jacob Batho ’26, Lara Hams ’26, Jonathan Negin ’26, Aiden Yang ’26

Latin II: Thomas Hazlehurst ’24, William Negin ’24, Sachin Rao ’25

Latin III:: Isaac Apencha ’24, Theodore Buck ’26, Samuel Butz ’24, Maeve Reichert ’24, Alex Richard ’24, Samantha Wilkins ’24

Latin IV Prose: Thi Cost ’24, Benjamin Smith ’23, Rachel Walper ’23

Latin IV Poetry: Sam Schreiber ’23, Anna Trudeau ’23

NATIONAL FRENCH CONTEST

FRENCH 1

Certificate of Honor: Eve Fehskens ’26

Silver Medal: Giuliana Coven ’26, Hannah Ruley ’26

FRENCH 2

Certificate of Honor: Leah Fuzayl ’26, Rebekah Bizimungu ’26, Ben Long ’26, Ruby Turner ’26, Kaylyn Parks ’26, Isla Ottmann ’26, Sofia Rodriguez ’26, Luke Ripke ’26, Ingrid Laurens ’26

Bronze Medal: Asha Chhetri ’26, Zoe Hearn ’26

Gold Medal: Natalie Tompkins ’25

FRENCH 3

Certificate of Honor: Anna Marie Boia ’25, Shirene Gehawi ’24, Ramsey Kissack ’25, Lulu Mickle ’25, Laya Bubshait ’25

Silver Medal: Elaina Pearce ’25, Henry Turner ’25

FRENCH 4

Gold Medal: Daniel Porteous ’24, Isabel Clark ’25, Suwen Ren ’24

FRENCH 5:

Certificate of Honor: Divine Trewick ’23 (ranked #9 in MD)

Bronze Medal: Elie Walsh ’23 ( #7 in MD, Chandler Grace Abernathy ’23 (#6 in MD), Francesca D’Alessio ’23 (#5 in MD), Oluchi Ihenatu ’23 (#4 in MD)

Gold Medal: Inti Prada Enzmann ’23 (#1 in MD)

National French Honor Society Inductees: Kaya Banerjee ’24, Ale D’Alessio ’24, Abby Nengel ’23, Daniel Porteous ’24, Tess Porter ’24, Suwen Ren ’24, Noah Ripke ’24, Sam Wu ’24, Moxie Doctor ’23

NATIONAL SPANISH HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTEES

CLASS OF 2023: Anna Keefer, Abby Buck, Mariana Garza, Asher Blakeley, Cicely Kotarides, Sevie Schulhoff, Ally Wolfe, Nate Wllkes, August Taylor, Clara de Cabo, Andie Sjaarda, Alex Harner, Ben Gamper, Luke Caldwell, Claire Carducci, Cori Strain, Amanda Kaspar, Rachel Millspaugh, Charlotte Roberts, Sophie Sabundayo, Azari Thomas

CLASS OF 2024: Darius Danai, Benjamin Jacobs, Audrey Lin, Erin Nicolson, Ella Salvador, Noah Sheasby, Henry Starr, Macy Goldberg, Charlotte Hassler, Kylie Ingerman, Krisna Kumar, Nigel McKinney, Daniel Porteous, Marcus Raabe, Connor Weisman

NATIONAL RUSSIAN ESSAY CONTEST

BEGINNER LEVEL: REGULAR LEARNER

Gold: Hannah Pangaribuan ’26, Sasha Rosenthal ’26

Silver: Nicholas Brazhnikov ’26, Neil Cooper ’26, Maya Ellenbogen ‘26, Lincoln Summers ’26

Bronze: Jacob Batho ’26, Asish Chhetri ‘26, Amira Dancer ’26, Sincere Heughan ’26

Honorable Mention: Lincoln Holmes ’26

BEGINNER LEVEL: HERITAGE LEARNER

Bronze: Leah Fuzayl ’26

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL: REGULAR LEARNER

Gold: Connor House ’25

Silver: Noah Levy ’25, Noah Pangaribuan ’25, Sam Principe ’25

Bronze: Tommy Wiker ’25, Maya Williams ’25

ADVANCED LEVEL: REGULAR LEARNER

Gold: Sophia Clark ’24, *Nathan Renard ’23, *Alice Riley ’23

Silver: Caroline Andrews ’24, Joey Supik ’23, Eli Texter ’23

Bronze: Thomas Cerny ’24, Zion Clark ’23, Declain Creaney ’23, Sam Gerardi ’24, Abby Reiner ’23, Jordan Saunders ’24, Mason Shriver ’23, Anthony Smith ’23, Francesco Stiavelli ’24, Vincent Walk ’23

Honorable Mention: James Hardin ’23

*The essays of advanced students earning a gold medal in the national contest were forwarded to the Pushkin Institute in Moscow for a second round of judging. Nathan and Alice were once again awarded gold medals, making them two of only seven gold medalists in the U.S.A.

ARTS

THEATER

MIDDLE SCHOOL

SPRING MUSICAL: Xanadu Jr.

The Middle School Musical returned to the stage in March of 2023 with the production Xanadu Jr

Xanadu Jr. is a stage adaptation of the 1980’s film of the same name starring Olivia Newton-John. Street artist Sonny Malone is struggling to find inspiration for his art. His cry for help is heard by Kira, one of Greek muses, who decides to help Sonny fulfill his destiny.

Over 30 Middle School students took part in the production. The musical starred Owen Ryscavage ’28 as Sonny, Ellisah Catten ’27 as Kira, Rhys Brown ’27 as Danny, Josie Cannon ’27 as Melpomene, and Ana Fader ’27 as Calliope. The cast also featured Ellie Oakes ’27 as Hera, Nick Lane ’27 as Zeus, Cayman Collins ’29 as Hermes. Sophia Clark ’24 served as Stage Manager and led the stage crew mentoring program. Rebecca Rossello ’92, Middle School Music teacher, musically directed the production, which was directed by Robert W. Oppel, Friends School Theatre Director with choreography by Karlie Burnham.

UPPER SCHOOL

FALL PLAY: Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express Audiences were taken on a suspensefilled trip aboard the famous Orient Express in Ken Ludwig’s stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s mystery novel Murder on the Orient Express

Just after midnight an avalanche stops the luxurious train in its tracks. By morning the great Inspector Hercules Poirot must identify who killed the American tycoon, whose body was found inside his locked compartment, before the murderer strikes again. The production featured Noah Sheasby ’24 as Hercules Poirot, Avery Marr ’23 as Bouc, Claire Carducci ’23 as Helen Hubbard, Alice Riley ’23 as Countess Andrenyi, Pauline Clemens ’24 as Princess Dragomiroff, Asha Chhetri ’26 as Mary Debenham, Khalil Lovett ’25 as MacQueen, James Hardin ’23 as Colonel Arbuthnot, Cori Strain ’23 as Greta Ohlsson, Miller Gruen ’23 as Rachett, Luke Caldwell ’23 as Michel, and Vanya Gurachevsky ’25 as head waiter.

SPRING MUSICAL: The Prom

Sell-out audiences returned to the Forbush Auditorium for The Prom, the 2023 Upper School Spring Musical.

The Prom is an American Musical that follows four New York based actors who, in order to repair their narcissistic reputations, travel to Indiana to cause change. The four actors learn about a

town where the PTA has canceled prom because one teenage girl asks another girl to go as her date. The actors show up in Indiana and cause everyone, including themselves, to take a closer look at how they view and treat others. The cast and crew included 50 Upper School students, both on stage and backstage. Lily Marr ’26 starred as Emma, the small-town girl who wants to take her girlfriend to prom. Alice Riley ’23, Sam Schrieber ’23, Braxton Spruell ’23, and Khadejah Allen ’25 as the Broadway performers DeeDee, Barry, Brent, and Angie respectively. The show also featured Noah Sheasby ’24 as Principal Hawkins, Ellie Sherman ’24 as Alyssa Greene, Daniel Porteous ’24 as Sheldon, Sophia Kranov ’25 as Ms. Greene, Elaina Pearce ’25 as Shelby, Chloe Lyons ’25 as Kaylee, Sora Klinefelter ’25 as Kevin, and Henry Turner ’25 as Nick. Student Sam Gerardi ’24 worked as stage manager and lighting designer, and Vincent Walk ’23 as sound designer. The production was directed by Robert W. Oppel, Friends School Theatre Director, musically directed by Michael McVey, Upper School Music teacher, and choreographed by Karlie Burnham.

STUDENT-RUN PLAY: Almost Maine

In January 2023, Almost Maine was directed by Cori Strain ’23 and assistant directed by Noah Sheasby ’24.

Students strike a pose during the Upper School spring musical, The Prom

Murder on the Orient Express

Xanadu

MUSIC

The Fiddle Club Travels to the Ashokan Center

On January 20-22, 2023, thirteen Friends School Fiddlers traveled to the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York to study traditional music, dance, and singing at the Ashokan Center under the tutelage of Aldo Lavaggi, Jay Unger and Molly Mason. Ranging from 5th through 12th grade, they joined forces with students from the Roland Park Middle School, and had a weekend full of music, hiking, blacksmithing, good food, and friendship. All of the music was learned by ear with instruments and voices, and then brought back to Baltimore to share with the Friends School community. The brain-power it takes to learn music in this fashion is both exhilarating and exhausting, and the Fiddlers always come home with smiles on their faces, joy in their hearts, and the need to get to bed and sleep for days. “Every year, as the following Monday rolls around, we get up, tired but inspired, humming the tunes we sang,” says Kirsten Walsh. “The Saturday night bonfire with fingers itching to play our instruments again. The Friends Fiddle Club gets to learn the tunes from the students who attend Ashokan and our program is richer for it.”

DANCE

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Congratulations to Ellisah C. ’27 who was invited to participate in the El Sistema Residency event at King School in Connecticut with Peabody Preparatory. Ellisah plays the violin in the Peabody Young Artist Orchestra and Peabody Prep Chamber Music Program.

Former Members of Ailey II Share their Talent Across the Divisions

Friends School welcomed dancers Torens Johnson (former Friends School faculty member) and Amarachi Valentina Korie to campus to perform at Lower School assemblies, teach dance classes across the divisions, and perform at the School's Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation. Johnson and Korie are former members of Ailey II. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a world-renowned dance company, known for producing some of the best performers, choreographers, and company directors of this century. Part of Mr. Ailey's legacy can be seen within each performance. This enriching and educational experience was funded by the Class of 1989 Visiting Scholar Program, a fund established in 1989 by the parents and friends of the graduating class that endows the annual support of visiting scholars in one of seven curriculum disciplines.

Left: Kirsten Walsh, Performing Arts Department Chair and Orchestra Director at Friends School

VISUAL ART

THE 2023 FAY KARFGIN ’59 VISITING ARTISTJackie Milad P’29

The 2023 Fay Karfgin ’59 Visiting Artist was Jackie Milad with her show History and Layers. Milad’s vibrant mixed media pieces incorporate collage, painting, sewing and textile work, as well as drawing. Her works on paper and canvas draw inspiration from art history, Central American, Egyptian and American cultural iconography, as well as the spirited energy of the artist herself. Erin Hall describes the work as seeming to be about the relationship of the material to the artist, to the viewer and its relationship with itself. In that way, it encourages the viewer to consider their place in the world and reflect on the things that help or hinder us in our journeys to figure that out. Milad spent a day with the art department, hosting three artist talks and visiting Upper School Art Major classes to speak with students. The school purchased one of Milad’s pieces (Excavation Secrets, 2022. Mixed-media on canvas collage, 20 x 16.5 inches) which is permanently on view in the Zamoiski Alumni Center. She currently has work up at the Baltimore Museum of Art; in the show Histories Collide: Jackie Milad x Fred Wilson x Nekisha Durrett, until March 17, 2024.

Student Shows

In January and May of 2023, student artwork was on display in the Forbush Atrium as well as the Katz Gallery, marking the end of each semester’s classwork. These shows replaced, for the first time, our All School Art Show, which used to happen only in the spring. Students were able to see the work of their classmates on their way into Collection, and any other time they wanted to wander through the shows. “There is no formal opening/closing for these shows,” says Erin Hall, “although we have timed it so that you can see the work when you come to the Student Run Play in January, or the musical in May.”

Above: Jackie Milad P’29 discusses her work with students

ATHLETICS

2022 MIAA JV Cross Country Champions B Conference

Congratulations to our JV Cross Country Team (pictured above) who won the 2022 MIAA JV Cross Country Championship - B Conference!

FOLLOW US

→ FSB Live streams sporting events each school year! https://events.locallive.tv/ school/friends-baltimore

→ @quakernation on Instagram celebrates all aspects of athletics at FSB including game schedules, college signings, and accomplishments by our student-athletes.

CO-ED ULTIMATE FRISBEE TEAM

The Friends School Ultimate Frisbee team had an impressive first year. With only a few months of time to learn, the team not only took second in the city championship, but played in the state tournament. After a hard-fought weekend including torrential rain, three games a day, and a rallying comeback, the team finished in 4th place. It will be tough to beat such a great first season!

IAAM & MIAA ALL CONFERENCE

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Hudson Weber ’24

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Mikel Smith ’24

GIRLS TENNIS

Anna Keefer ’23, Simone Kessler ’23, and Asha Chhetri ’26

FIELD HOCKEY

Quinn Carlin ’23

BOYS SOCCER

Jonah Zalis ’23

GIRLS SOCCER

Dylan Barnes ’23

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Genique Gaither ’23

BOYS BASKETBALL

Kedrick Curtis ’23

SQUASH

Ryan Bloom ’23

BADMINTON

Anna Keefer ’23

BASEBALL

Max Palmer ’23 and Emmet Neff-McGready ’23

SOFTBALL

Molly Parker ’23, Lulu Mickle ’25, and Abby Nengel ’23

GOLF

Dariun Danai ’24

BOYS LACROSSE

Ben Kondner ’23 and Colin Taylor ’23

GIRLS LACROSSE

Rachel Millspaugh ’23, Carlie Koch ’23, and Samantha Wilkins ’24

S TUDENT-ATHLETE L EADERSHIP T EAM — SALT

Friends School of Baltimore not only fields competitive athletic teams, but also promotes high standards for excellence, and a healthy perspective on competition for its students. The StudentAthlete Leadership Team (SALT) plays a pivotal role in this process. This team provides a forum for student-athletes, coaches, and administrators to learn about themselves and grow as the next generation of leaders. Members help coordinate guest speakers, spirit events, and volunteer service learning opportunities.

SALT was established in 2018 under the leadership of Athletic Director Kara Carlin in her first year at Friends. Carlin felt strongly about teaching student-athletes that there are many ways to be a leader, both on and off the field. As team captains, these students must remember that they are setting the tone for the team; if they express frustration or disappointment during a game, this may trickle down to teammates and affect the full team’s performance. They also learn to encourage their teammates to be honorable and respectful in big wins; students will learn to celebrate

victories without gloating and with the utmost integrity. SALT is an important resource for captains to learn how to stay positive even when a game isn’t going their way. Leading from the sidelines is also a critical skill to learn; you can still be a strong influence on the team even if you are injured or unable to play.

When selected to be the captain of an athletic team at Friends, students automatically become a member of SALT. Team captains can be selected in a number of ways, such as team nominations, coaching staff selections, or students can self-nominate. Often teams will use the Quaker process of consensus to select captains. This is one of the most meaningful ways a captain can be chosen at a Quaker school. This method results in strong team buy-in, because the athletes are a part of the discernment process.

SALT works to bring in coaches, alumni, health professionals, nutritionists, and local college sports players to present on a variety of topics, including goal-setting, social equity, Quaker values, leading from the sideline, and mental health. Carlin, who oversees SALT, has many ideas for the future of the program: “Next

year we would like to have the Upper School athletic leaders teach leadership skills to the Middle School captains so they can start putting them into practice at a younger age.” She also envisions a more structured framework for the program, finding a regular time to meet and having a “playbook” to work from.

Over the past six years, students in SALT have voiced their opinions on topics they believe will be most beneficial. Previous conversations and presentations that students have enjoyed include hearing about the transition to college as a student-athlete, going from a captain to a freshman player, and learning about nutrition, fitness, and wellness. SALT also focuses on the pressure that athletes experience in individual sports (such as racquet sports) and roles like goalie or pitcher when you feel like it’s all on you.

As a Quaker school, it is important for our students to be conscious of how to be a leader when the focus is more about consensus and community rather than leading from the top. Team captains are encouraged to incorporate Quaker values during their season by having a moment of silence before a game or posing something to think about as a team.

At Friends School, the expectations for the athletic program mirror those for academics and the arts; high standards for all involved, full commitment from adults and students, and continuous, differentiated support that allows every student to fulfill their potential.

STUDENT-ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: KEDRICK CURTIS ’23

We are proud to have Kedrick Curtis ’23 as our studentathlete spotlight. Curtis is a star on the basketball court, holding the position of captain and making All-Conference in his senior year. He was the winner of a FSAA award, as well as the Arthur O. Gray Award at the sports ceremony in June 2023. He was celebrated in January 2023 for surpassing 1,000 career points, finishing with 1350, and will continue to play with the Seton Hill Griffins.

KARA CARLIN HALL OF FAME

Congratulations to our Athletic Director Kara Carlin on her induction into the Franklin & Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame. Carlin, a 1998 graduate of F&M, was a dual-sport athlete who helped usher in a new era for Women’s Lacrosse during her time there. She was honored as a first-team IWLCA All-American her senior year, and set records that still remain in the Top 10 for the lacrosse program. Carlin finished her career as a three-time All-Centennial Conference performer in lacrosse, and ranked first in conference history for assists per game. She is now a member of the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame - Baltimore Chapter. Her leadership helped lead the team to numerous victories, and her talents remain strong here at Friends in her role as Athletic Director.

COLLEGE ATHLETES

Congratulations to our Class of 2023 student-athletes who will be going on to play at the collegiate level!

Pictured left to right: Dylan Barnes (MTSU, Soccer), Molly Parker (Stevenson, Softball), Jonah Zalis (Sarah Lawrence, Soccer), Benjamin Kondner (Bates, Lacrosse), Jourdain Algarin (Messiah, Lacrosse), Kedrick Curtis (Seton Hill, Basketball), Colin Taylor (Oberlin, Lacrosse)

CLASS OF 2023

CLASS OF 2023 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES & MATRICULATIONS

The University of Alabama

American University

The American University of Paris

Amherst College

Bard College

Barry University

Bates College

Belmont University

Binghamton University

BirminghamSouthern College

Boston College

Bowie State University

Brandeis University

Brown University

Bryn Mawr College (2)

Bucknell University (2)

University of California Santa Cruz

University of California Los Angeles

Carleton College

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Carnegie Mellon University

Case Western Reserve University (2)

Champlain College

Christopher Newport University

Clark Atlanta University

Clark University

Clemson University

Coastal Carolina University

Colby College

Colgate University

College of Charleston

University of Colorado Boulder

Colorado College

Columbia College Chicago

University of Connecticut

Connecticut College

Cornell University

Dartmouth College

University of Dayton

University of Delaware (2)

University of Denver

DePaul University (3)

Dickinson College

Drew University

Drexel University (4)

Earlham College

Elon University (2)

The Evergreen State College

University of Florida

Florida Southern College

Florida State University

Fordham University

Franklin & Marshall College

Franklin University Switzerland

George Mason University

George Washington University

University of Georgia

Georgia State University

Goucher College

Hamilton College

Hampton University

University of Hartford

Haverford College

University of Hawaii at Manoa

High Point University

Hofstra University

University of Illinois at Urbana

Champaign

Illinois Institute of Technology

Indiana University, Bloomington

Ithaca College

James Madison University (2)

Johnson & Wales University (Providence)

Kalamazoo College

University of Kansas

University of Kentucky

Leiden University (South Holland)

Long Island University (Brooklyn)

Louisiana State University

Loyola Marymount University

Loyola University Chicago

Loyola University Maryland

Lynn University

Macalester College

Marist College

University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

University of Maryland, College Park (4)

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

University of Massachusetts, Boston

McDaniel College

McGill University

Mercer University

Messiah University

University of Miami

Michigan State University

Middle Tennessee State University

University of Mississippi

Monash University

Montana State University

Montclair State University

Morehouse College

Morgan State University (2)

University of New Hampshire

University of New Haven

The New School

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Norfolk State University

Northeastern University

University of Northern Colorado

New York University Shanghai

Oberlin College

Occidental College

The Ohio State University

Old Dominion University

Pace University (NYC)

Penn State University University Park

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh

Pitzer College

Pomona College

Purdue University

Queens University of Charlotte

Randolph College

Reed College

Rhode Island School of Design

University of Rhode Island

University of Richmond

Rochester Institute of Technology (2)

Roger Williams University

Rutgers University, New Brunswick

Saint Louis University

Salisbury University

University of San Francisco

Sarah Lawrence College

Savannah College of Art and Design

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Seton Hall University

Seton Hill University

Skidmore College

Smith College

University of South Carolina

University of Southern Mississippi

St. Mary's College of Maryland

Stanford University

Stevenson University (2)

The University of Tampa

Temple University

Temple University, Japan

Towson University

Tufts University (2)

Tulane University of Louisiana

Union College

University of Vermont (7)

Villanova University

University of Virginia

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

University of Washington

Washington State University

West Virginia University

Whittier College

WinstonSalem State University

University of Wisconsin, Madison (2)

The College of Wooster

Xavier University

Bold Member of Class of 2023 is attending

(#) Number of members attending, if more than 1

ALUMNI

Alumni Weekend 2023

Classes ending in 3 and 8 returned to campus for Alumni Weekend, May 3-5, 2023.

Over 350 alums and their families from 35 states attended a dozen events.

→ BIPOC and LGBTQ+ Alumni Gatherings

We kicked off Alumni Weekend with two affinity group happy hours on May 4, 2023. Alumni who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color)

Left: Jackie Ross ’73, Lauren Johnson ’98, and Tia Felice Ricks ’88, at the BIPOC Happy Hour

Left: Interim Upper School Principal Jon Garman ’75 with Chele Garman ’75, Timothy Garman ’03, Leesy Garman, Graham Garman, and Poppy Garman at the 34th annual Mr. Nick event.

Right: Kay McConnell H’22, P’05, ’10 leads a tour of the latest additions to Friends School’s Native Plant Teaching Gardens.

gathered at Busboys & Poets, while alumni who identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer +gathered at Red Emmas.

Milestone Reunions

The 50th and 25th reunions represent significant milestones, inspiring greater philanthropic giving to the School and reuniting meaningful friendships.

→ 50th Reunion

The Class of 1973 gathered to remember their classmates who have passed in Meeting for Worship, heard TED Talk-style presentations on each other’s passions, and enjoyed their 50th Reunion Dinner in the Zamoiski Alumni Center.

↑ 25th Reunion

The Class of 1998 hosted a memorial Meeting for Worship prior to attending the Reunion Reception.

1968

1983

1993

2008

1978

1988

2003

2018

Reunion Reception 2023

The Class of 1963 had a noteworthy turnout for the 60th Reunion!

Saturday, May 6, 2023

The Class of 2013 shows up with 30 classmates in attendance, more than any other class!

Left: Director of Development Ashley Principe, Russ Sweezey, Melinda Burdette '68 and Bill Hearn '77; Right: This year, parents of reunioning alumni were invited to join the party. Here, Mimoza Cejku ’98 embraces a favorite classmate’s parent!

↓ 2023 Alumni Association Awards

On Friday, May 5, 2023, we recognized three members of our community for their incredible contributions to Friends and to their fields through our Distinguished Alumni Award, our Outstanding Alumni Service Award and our Honorary Alumni Award.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD:

This award was established to recognize and honor those Friends School graduates whose professional or volunteer achievements have brought distinction within a particular field or vocational endeavor, locally or on a national level.

Caroline Mallonee Huebner ’93

Based in New York, Caroline (“Carrie”) Mallonee Huebner ’93 is a renowned composer and performer. Inspired by scientific phenomena, visual art, and musical puzzles, Carrie has been commissioned to write new pieces for prominent ensembles, such as the New York Philharmonic, and her music has been programmed at venues, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. She is a professional singer in the Vocalis Chamber Choir and is the director of the Walden School Creative Musicians Retreat, a week-long festival for composers and improvisers held in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, which she attended as a teen. In addition to her musical talent, Carrie is an outstanding athlete who was inducted to the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012 alongside her 1991 Varsity Field Hockey teammates.

OUTSTANDING ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD:

This award was established to honor a Friends School alum who has generously and loyally donated time and energy to enrich Friends and its future.

Trish Backer-Miceli ’83

As a student, alumna, parent and passionate volunteer, Trish has always been “all in” for Friends, supporting the School in a myriad of ways. As a class agent and member of reunion committees, she’s kept her classmates connected. She’s made calls for phonathon, and served on the Development Committee, raising money for the School’s greatest priorities, including the most recent capital campaign, which renovated the Forbush Building into a state of the art visual and performing art space. Trish has been a key member of many parent committees, and has also served as Clerk of the Board of Trustees. Currently, Trish is bringing her wisdom and passion to the Head’s Advisory Council. We will never let her go!

HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD:

This award was established to honor a Friends School community member who exemplifies the Quaker philosophy and spirit, and who gives “above and beyond” to further the growth of Friends School and its community..

Beulah Sabundayo H’23, P’18, ’23

To go “above and beyond” for your community is the Friends School standard. Beulah embodies this ethos and then some - exceeding all expectations for parent service to the School. In fact, if you didn’t know better, you’d swear that she is a Friends School graduate. With unrivaled grace, passion and wit, Beulah has served in practically every Parents Association volunteer and fundraising role there is, including chair during the global COVID-19 pandemic. She is a galvanizing force not just for the Friends community, but also professionally and personally. Beulah specializes in program development, implementation, and management for early stage human vaccine trials at Johns Hopkins University and is the parent of two Friends School “lifers,” Chloe ’18 and Sophie ’23.

Carrie Mallonee Huebner ’93 and Head of School Christian Donovan

Trish Backer-Miceli ’83 receiving her award from National Reunion Co-chair Lisa McKissick ’83

Beulah Sabundayo accepts her Honorary Alumni Award with Alumni Association Board student representatives Chandler Grace Abernathy ’23 and Leigh Rayburn ’23

↓ Athletic Hall of Fame 2023

The Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding individual athletes, teams and coaches who have exemplified the School’s tradition of extraordinary sportsmanship and meritorious service to the athletic program. FSB was proud to welcome new members into the Athletic Hall of Fame on May 5, 2023, in concert with the Alumni Award Ceremony.

Head of School Christian Donovan, individual inductee

John F. Bull ’63, and Athletic Hall of Fame Committee

Chair Rachel Tranter ’01

2023 INDIVIDUAL INDUCTIONS

John F. Bull ’63

Allen H. MacPhail ’63*

Thomas L. Goldman ’08

Vanessa Dang Neal ’08

Jennifer N. Schmidt ’08

Judy Turnbaugh, Coach

2023 TEAM INDUCTIONS

1998 Boys’ Varsity Basketball

2012 Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse

*posthumously awarded

Members from the 1998 Boys Basketball Team: Kyle M. Harrison ’01, Randy Cooper H’16, Coach, Edward J. Swain ’98, Charles E. Nixon II ’99, Gregory P. Kelly ’98, Todd Ezrine, Coach

Members from the 2012 Girls Lacrosse Team: Anne McGinty, Coach, Rachel Bolan Knott ’12, Anna Mortimer ’13, Mackenzie R. Gerrity ’14, Emma L. S. Sissman ’12, Abigail E. Corkum ’14

We are always looking for volunteers to serve on the Nominations Committee. To inquire about serving on the committee or to nominate a classmate for next year’s induction, please email hof@friendsbalt.org. Information about criteria for nominations can be found at friendsbalt.org/alumni/athletic-hall-of-fame →

2022-2023 Friends All Around

VIRTUAL WINE TASTING

Virtual alumni events provide the opportunity for alumni all over the country to be among friends no matter where they live. Thirty alumni and their guests from 5 states joined us for a virtual Among Friends: Wine and Cheese Pairing event, hosted by wine-aficionado Lucien Walsh ’88

Above: In August 2022, the Friends School Alumni Association Board sponsored a gathering to watch Thomas Starr '09 and Austin Lasky '09's band, YUTZI, named after longtime rock band faculty member Paul Yutzy. From left: Austin Lasky ’09, Thomas Starr ’09, Ben Gilstein ’09, faculty member John Watt, and Ali Pappas ’07.

NEW YORK

Top Left: Tom Binford, Giann Geocadin ’15, Head of School Christian Donovan, Elizabeth Holder ’88 in Manhattan, January 28, 2023;

Bottom Left: Molly Weiner ’12, Sarah Markowitz ’12, Emma Sissman ’12, Corey Schmidt ’12, Mariana Chiaramonte ’17, Sarah Wallack ’12, also in Manhattan.

BALTIMORE

As part of a nation-wide launch, alums gathered for a pre-show reception and viewing of Jason Berman '02's new critically-acclaimed movie, Air. Air tells the story of a shoe salesman who revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture by putting all of his chips on a player who had never even set foot on a professional basketball court: Michael Jordan. This gathering took place at the Charles Theater in Baltimore, owned and operated by a Friends School graduate Kathleen Cusack Lyon ’97.

Class Notes: 2022–2023

In these pages generations of alumni have shared life’s significant milestones and reminisced about their Friends School days. Be a part of the tradition. Send your news and photos to alumni@friendsbalt.org. Digital images should be 1 MB or larger and sent in .jpg format.

52 Susanne D. Emory vermontsue@aol.com

I have only sad news to report this time. Dick O’Connell died on October 31, 2022. He is survived by his son, two daughters, three stepdaughters, thirteen grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. Joanne and I went to the funeral service and met many of his offspring. I took our yearbook with me, and the children seemed really interested in seeing Dick as a young, athletic boy. By the way, his son looks just like Dick, only a few inches taller. I was shocked to learn of Alison Herriott Wilder’s death listed among the obituaries in the last Friends’ magazine. She died peacefully at home in Rochester on May 22, 2021. Alison was always the one who answered first to my pleas for class notes. From her obituary I learned that Alison was a library worker for more than 30 years, with a masters degree in library science. She loved nature, tending her flower and vegetable gardens, and spending time at the family’s summer house in Vermont. She was a talented musician and crafter and would do any needed DIY project, from painting the house to building a stereo cabinet, making clothes or quilts or oil paintings, doing family haircuts, re-pointing the chimney, or getting on the roof with the chainsaw after an ice storm. She is survived by Donald, her husband of nearly 65 years, a daughter and two sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren and her brother Jon. Please send me some happy notes for the next edition!

53 Suzanne Gross suzannegross@comcast.net

While attendance at the class reunion luncheon at Johnny’s was minute, it was still a delight for attendees! Sally Roop Kellen, her son Charles, and Suzanne Hoffberger Gross, Jane Whitehouse Cohen and Michael Mahr helped plan the wonderful 70th event! Rachel DeWeese joined to celebrate the occasion.

55 Pat Tisdale Ptisdale96kp@gmail.com

Greetings Friends 1955 and thanks to many for sending in snippets of your lives, thoughts and activities for the Alumni Magazine column. There is a tribute to a stellar member of our class and from an absolute mystery man, an accounting of the past 68 years. Mary Allen Wilkes has been recognized by the School for her “trailblazing work in the field of computer science.” The School has named an annual technology award THE MARY ALLEN WILKES AWARD for EXCELLENCE in COMPUTER SCIENCE. Mary Allen was a member of the LINC (Laboratory Instrument Computer) development team at MIT in the 1960’s and wrote the first operating system for the personal computer. She said, “I am glad the school has its own in-house role model for students, especially girls, in STEM fields.” Chris Wilson sent a letter to the school which was sent on to me. He writes, “Your masterful round up of our class last spring made me feel guilty. After Friends, I spent six years at the University of Virginia and would still be there if I had a choice. Then six years in the Navy flying 52 F anti sub aircraft, and following 16 years working in sales and sales management at Vanity Fair. Then I bought into a bankrupt printing company and sold out in 1992 to help a friend bring a 55 foot sailboat through the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic 500 years after Columbus. Then I turned my attention to “Obligation Farm” to repurpose it from tobacco farm to horse boarding and training. Along the way, I married and divorced. A son from that marriage is a senior pilot for Fed-Ex flying around the world once a month. I remarried my childhood sweetheart . My second son manages an IBM office in Atlanta, and my daughter at 50 just married, bought the farm next door and is running both farms in addition to being the assistant secretary of the D.A.R in Maryland. Now all of the above has put me out to pasture and I am bored to death. So

please come see me.” (I called Chris in the winter and he and I arranged a minireunion with Pat Fiol Morrill and Robin Biddison Dodd at his historic home “Obligation Farm” in Harwood Md. Chris and Bettie have inherited and collected a treasure trove of amazing antiques.) Peter Block responding to my class count writes, “Your numbers say a lot! Roughly half of the class is still reflecting the graying of America. Impressive! I am now Emeritized at Emory Medical School but still help the research fellows mine our database and write papers- probably soon to be replaced by an AI Bot. Betsy and I spend summers in Wareham and winters in Atlanta. Still making wooden hollow forms (reasonably well) on my lathe which sell (reasonably well) and painting watercolors (reasonably poorly) and smiling for each day. Our Belgian Shepherd (Zero) rules the roost and makes the smiles happen.” Lynn Bahlke Mills writes, “I think I was the only one in our class who did not go to University after graduation. Instead Pat Peake Tisdale gave a bridal shower for me, with all the girls in the class because I was marrying the love of my life, Canadian Midshipman, John Barry Mills on May 18, 1956. So Pat says I have the record for both the first and the longest marriage of our whole class, 67 years. Barry still calls me his “Friends School girl,” since we met when I was only 16. I started Friends in Grade Three. I did eventually get my BEd. and became a teacher. We have three daughters, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. I enjoy keeping in touch with some classmates even though I’m living in British Columbia. I believe that Friends School as my “second home” has had a dynamic and positive influence on my life. I hope today’s students feel they are as fortunate as I was to attend Friends School.” Bob Kriel and Linda were in Baltimore for a Hopkins Medical School reunion in June. A mini reunion was arranged for lunch with Ginny Pearce Mitchell, Robin Dodd, and Pat and Bill Morrill. In addition, Bob had sent in news. “We are still living in a condo high above

class notes ⊲

the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Our daughter, Helena, now lives in our previous 100 year old home with her two large dogs. We are able to return to Baltimore a couple of times per year to have time with my 92 year old brother and his family. I am coming back to Baltimore again to join the remnants of my Johns Hopkins medical class which is celebrating its 60th reunion. I hope we have name tags. As part of that reunion. I contacted a few people to encourage attendance. I called John Rowse who was in my class at Hopkins and who was stationed with me in the Center for Disease Control. He married Marisha Panek who was in our year at Friends. Our traveling has greatly reduced as a result of the pandemic and our reduced energy. A year ago we went on a cruise on a very small ship which went to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. There we did see orca (killer whales) fairly close to our vessel. The pace was easy going. The scenery was beautiful and the food was great. However, I developed Covid 19 within a few days of our return. I was able to stay home but lost my appetite and was exhausted. We are going on another small cruise ship in New England this fall. We still sing in our church choir, however less attracted to our new choir director who selects classic repertoire. From May through October we are at our lake home in western Wisconsin. There we canoe and watch birds. We are officially “Loon Rangers” and I mow the lawn, read and sleep. Every week I volunteer in the education crew of our Raptor Center, help with the stuff in the warehouse for Habitat for Humanity, and assist with gardening at the St. Paul Conservatory. Our health is fairly good. I have had three total knee replacements which are now working well. Linda is working about half time and occasionally sees patients. I am working very part time and primarily attend seminars.” Gilbert Cohen and I catch up on the phone and in emails and texts. He and Pat are on Longboat Key, Florida, a short stroll down the beach from the home my Peake Family retired to in 1970 and where the Tisdales vacationed for 20 years. Gill writes, “My lifelong business closed in April 2019. Lease difficulties and the demise of the strip center where Cohen’s was located made maintaining a business very difficult. I could have

relocated but being 81 years old and with no heirs to take it over if my health faltered, I closed it. Pat and I had bought a condo on Longboat Key, Florida, in late 1999. We hardly used it as the ongoing business absorbed most of our time. But once the business was shuttered, we decided to spend that next winter there and see if we would like it. It was great and we stayed six months. The next summer we took a four week trip to Italy which has always been our favorite European destination. The trip was great and we returned to America with the plan to repeat the past years format. Covid 19 interrupted everything and we spent most of the worst part of the pandemic in Florida. The weather was better and the population density was lower so it seemed best not to return to Baltimore until the pandemic had diminished. We spend the winters in Florida, usually December to June. In the summers after we return to Baltimore, for the years 2021 and 2022, we took very long vacations in Europe. This year we are headed away in mid June for a month. I have five grandchildren and all are living in New York City. In 2022, two of the grandsons were married and my third one is getting married in August. Being retired has changed many parts of life. Without a job or profession, I have had to fill the days. In Florida, I take courses mainly about the movie industry and do spend a part of the day trying to stay fit. Here in Baltimore, I am active in keeping in shape and in the pool every day. I work for a charity here and I try to put time in it four to five days a week. For Pat and me, our primary goal is to stay healthy and reinforce the bonds with our kids and grandchildren. I am looking forward to seeing 1955 classmates.” Linda Flack Bunce and I connect occasionally on the phone. She writes, “I continue to serve on the Board of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra with a special focus on our education program Sympatico, which Elliott and I helped to start in one of our elementary schools over ten years ago. It’s a El Sistema music program for underprivileged children designed to change lives, not necessarily to create more musicians. I also now serve on the El Sistema USA Board which is the parent organization to the 140 El Sistema programs in this country. It all began in

Baltimore after Dan Trahey visited Venezuela where El Sistema was created in 1975. Under the sponsorship of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Marin Alsop, Dan started the first El Sistema program in the US. Today El Sistema programs are in over 50 countries worldwide. I also continue my annual trips to Switzerland to the village of Kandersteg which has become my second home. If you love the mountains and enjoy hiking, you’re welcome to join me.”

56

Lorinda R. McColgan

Greetings to the Class of 1956. In response to my email requesting news, I heard from Kitty Whitby Fiege. She has moved to a retirement community in Onancock, Virginia near one of her sons. I think some of the other members of the class have moved to retirement communities as well. Clarinda Harriss sent the following: “Before it’s too late, I want to let classmates know that the sometimes-reviled Mr. Denk and I actually became true friends during the year of half hours when I got to school early and only he and I were in “my” homeroom. I sometimes even brought him a rosebud from my dad’s garden for his buttonhole. He gave me a lot of rose-growing insights as well as teaching me (during class hours) that geometry was about thinking, and art, and architecture, almost no kin at all to arithmetic (I still can’t do subtraction in my head). Also, I would like to ask my FS friends if some of them recall a fabulous drag show we attended throughout high school--The Poly Follies. They contributed greatly to the number of Baltimore males who could do the Charleston. Just saying’.......” I am currently living in Broadmead in Cockeysville. I moved in July, 2022 and broke my hip and left arm in August, 2022. I am not a good advertisement for moving after 40+ years! I have had visits recently from Nancy Ripley, Linda Siecke and Mike Tabor and that has been great. I see Bob and Anne Heaton here at Broadmead.

57 Nancy Aronson nharonson@gmail.com

Members of the Class of 1957 are regularly communicating via Zoom on the second Friday of the month, normally at 5pm (eastern coast 2pm west coast

time). We would welcome you to join us! For further information: Carol HarringtonFitting at cjfitting78@gmail.com or Nancy Hearn Aronson at nharonson@ gmail.com.

58 Susan S. Hossfeld shossfeld@comcast.net

Joellen Geyer Armitage: In 2020 Joellen, Sigrid Johnson Hammond and Jeanne Morrill Owings planned a trip to celebrate their 80th Birthdays. Because of the Pandemic, the trip was rescheduled for the fall of 2021. They met at Joellen’s house and visited houses in Baltimore where they grew up, drove to Loch Raven and had several nice dinners at Baltimore area restaurants! Betsy Banghart Flaherty

Bratz: After a wonderful marriage to Bob Flaherty, Betsy was fortunate to have met Paul Bratz which resulted in another ideal marriage. Two highlights of this marriage consisted of their trip to Israel, Paul’s three sons and the fun of having grandchildren without having children. Every summer they shared a travel adventure, examples being London and Paris (and a treasure hunt through the Louvre). Paul passed away in October 2022. Marsha Norris

Certquitella: Marsha moved from New Jersey to Easton in July 2021 following the death of her husband so she could be near her daughter. She lives the quiet life and no longer travels far afield. She has special memories of her four years at Friends. Reading is her favorite pastime and she can still “hear” the voice of Mr. Shivers as he taught us great literature!

Marsha wishes everyone a lovely and memorable weekend! Susan Stott Dugan: Sends wishes to all for a great reunion. She is in touch with Nancy Born Edwards and Barbie Goldberg Leand Nancy Born

Edwards wrote her life is great and she feels blessed. Jack, Nancy’s husband of 36 years is kind and thoughtful and her two devoted daughters, Brooke and Kate keep her in the loop even though they live in Boston and San Francisco. They have six grandchildren whom they see on LaSalle Island in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Fall and spring are spent in Columbus, Ohio and winter in Vero Beach. Her favorite activities are golf, gardening, duplicate bridge, entertaining and cooking! Nancy keeps in touch with Susan Stott Dugan and Barbie Goldberg Leand. She appreciates her best-ever education at Friends! William Grant: Over the years Bill and his family did a lot of traveling to Europe, Israel, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Hong Kong, China and more. However, in the past year he had a few health issues including one hospitalization for 39 days. He is now much better, is doing great and looking wonderful. Sigrid Johnson Hammond: Sigrid recently moved from her house in Albany where she lived for over 50 years to a senior living facility in Sarasota Springs, New York. Her youngest daughter lives in England and Sigrid recently visited Marle and her family. Marle’s son graduated from college and Marle’s daughter from high school. Holly, Sigrid’s daughter, had a daughter who just graduated from college in the United States. Susan Shinnick Hossfeld: Two years ago, we moved into the Brightwood Retirement Community. The past several years have been filled with downsizing, moving and updating our three-bedroom home. We are lucky to have an individual house which gives us a lot of independence along with a caring staff and wonderful dynamic residents. We have been able

to enjoy trips out west with the family to Snowmass CO, and also Rehoboth. Our other travels include Maine, the wonderful New England towns and other interesting travels. Carl still looks longingly at travel catalogs and this summer we are going to Newfoundland again to Rehoboth with the family. Marty Bald Huyette: Marty works weekends at the San Juan Island Museum of Art. Her grandson just graduated from college. Marty has facetimed with Susan Rugemer Kurtz, who has many memories of our times at Friends School. She was sorry to miss the reunion and the Maryland Crab Cakes! Susan Rugemer Kurtz: From Roland Park Place, Susan sends her best wishes to all. I stop in every now and then to see her and we reminisce over our time at Friends School. Barbara O’Brien: Always busy with a life full of activity, Barbie is currently “retired” and living on the gulf coast of Florida, volunteering and guiding guests though a historic jungle campus. Thursdays she tutors a Chinese woman she met though the literacy council and weekly gets to the gym and art classes. Also, she is interested in gardening and cultivating her lime, avocado and tomato plants. On the weekends, and for twelve years, she dates her 8th grade sweetheart. They love catching plays, local tours, lectures, river cruises through Europe, our southwest and the California Coast. Next year they are heading for the Mekong or Egypt. Jeanne Morrill Owings: Jeanne lives close to her son Cody, his wife Debby and two of their children. Their daughter, Amy is married to Muhammad and they have two beautiful little girls-her great grandchildren! Jeanne has three other children, Karen, Jake and Molly. Molly just had a new baby girl,

From left: Class Of 1958 Reunion Breakfast; Class of 1958 Reunion Dinner.

class notes ⊲

Sawaren. Karen, her oldest daughter, is a missionary to missionaries, lived and worked in Africa for 15 years and is now working from her home in Richmond. Jeanne does volunteer work at the Mt. Pisgah AME Church and is also involved with The Catholic Church near her. She also does grief ministry at the AME Church.

Joey Geyer Armitage and Sigrid Johnson joined Jeanne in a three-day get-together in 2021. Henry (Hap) Mortimer: Betsy and Hap just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Three wonderful children and eleven grandchildren. “What a great life we have had—lucky us!!” Mac Price: Remains active in the Trinity Episcopal Church in Towson and at the Towson Y. He just visited St. Martins with his family and sons. Ronald Renoff: Lives happily on the Magothy River. Ron has recently been on a tour to the Holy Land. While in Bethlehem he saw the location of the birth of Jesus and was impressed with the protection and security. On his way to Rome, the group visited Turkey and Greece. Ron, just before reunion, returned from a wonderful Caribbean Cruise. Eric Rudolph: Eric is still involved with a timeconsuming job of obtaining referees/ officials for college lacrosse all along the east coast. Nancy and Eric have a RV and take many trips, recently to Canada, the Maritimes and Alaska. Their next trip will be to Colorado Springs and Yellowstone. In the winter the trips are to Florida. They have five dogs and Nancy is involved in dog shows out of state. Kandi Foell Slade: Kandi, ever active, is still gainfully employed, cheerful, feisty and entertaining as ever! Anne Easton Williams: In midJanuary, Glyn and Anne moved into a residential home as they could no longer manage at home. Glyn peacefully passed away five weeks later. His funeral was a real celebration of a life very well lived, full of love and laughter. Anne has moved into a different accommodation in the house, which has a lovely view of fields, sheep and trees. There is a wonderful staff, her own furniture and pictures and has a supportive family. A big family get-together has been planned for the near future. Anne says she is with us in spirit and sends her warmest wishes to us all! Frank Windsor: Frank and Anne moved to RiverWoods in Exeter N.H. just before the last reunion and felt blessed to be there during the pandemic. They were in the process of

recovering from Covid 19 and are on the road for recovery. Frank has been enjoying the current Hopkins Lacrosse season and the great year of lacrosse.

59

Karl Pfrommer

Karlpfrommer@gmail.com

Frank Bernstein and his wife Carol live near West Chester, Pa. where their two daughters and six grandchildren settled. They will be celebrating their 53rd wedding anniversary in July. His grandchildren are pursuing careers in nursing, engineering, occupational therapy, and graphic design. Before he retired, Frank designed Navy simulators that were utilized to train crew members on how to detect, localize, and if necessary destroy Soviet submarines. They winter in Naples, Fla. Frank reminds us that next year will be our 65th class reunion. Robyn Rudolf Cole and her husband John have been wintering at Isle of Palms, S.C. for 36 years and spend the rest of their time in West Virginia in their house, which they’ve lived in for 50 years. “We have room in both houses for any of you—any takers?” Martha Kegan Graham is living in Salisbury, Md. Her husband, Jack Graham, an architect, died of Lewy Body Dementia in 2022. Martha has a farm house on the Pocomoke River named “Cellar House.” Built in 1730 it’s the oldest house on the river. The name derives from the cellar which was a passage of the Underground Railroad. The site was home to an early Indian tribe. “We have had multiple events there including fund raisers, weddings, and Jack’s memorial. We are an active farm and raise corn, soybeans, and trees.” Now Martha is traveling again with her good friend. They went to Hawaii last summer. Martha’s expanded her Salisbury studio to accommodate the opening of an art school in her Salisbury home. And she continues to garden, paint, and entertain her many friends.

“Our door is always open for visitors.” Anne Carter Bowdoin says, “Last July my partner Bill Duryea passed away very suddenly at my family’s camp at Squam Lake, N.H. Bill had good health except for heart surgery in 2019. But with a pacemaker he completely recovered. He had a heart attack while swimming at the age of 92. The funeral was private and outside in the church garden. The Marine

Corps attended with great ceremony, which would have made him very happy. It has been a year of adjustment for me and his family; but we know that he would have wanted to leave this world doing something he loved. The RiverWoods community has been very supportive of me, which is one of the best things about living here. I continue to be very happy here. As for my family, Julie, my youngest daughter is Director of the Conservation Dept. for Newburyport, Mass. where she lives. Her daughter Viivi just graduated from high school in Newburyport, Mass. with high honors and is in the National Honor Society. For next year she chose Santa Clara University in California. My grandson, Bodie has just returned from a semester at the Island School on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. He loved being outdoors all day, studying Marine Biology, and swimming with sharks (yes!) which was all part of the program. Viive had gone to this very special school the year before. Both of them had life changing experiences. Bodie will be a senior in high school this year. In April I took a wonderful trip to visit my daughter Alice in Manhattan Beach, Calif. She has lived there for about 15 years, and is a senior VP at Merrill Lynch and loves the California life. Traveling has not been as frequent for me due to the pandemic and my realization that I have been to almost everywhere I wanted to go over the last 20 years. I did visit Meredith Felter last Fall. We traveled to Easton and had lunch with Martha Kegan Graham, a great mini reunion for all of us. My best wishes for a happy and healthy year to everyone in our class.” Kitty Smith, AKA Alice Woodcock, and her husband Tony still live in their vintage house in, “a quaint-but not sleepy--village in Oxfordshire, UK, where we have a nice pub, three book groups, and lots of village activities keeping us all very busy.” Frank Grant and his wife Syrette celebrated their 50th anniversary last August, ”It’s wonderful to be with our children and two new granddaughters!” Frank continues writing his music such as “I Love The Way You Dance” (available online), “I’ll Stop Lovin’ You” (on YouTube at https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=1WQU2u4ViMk), and “When There’s Nothing Left To Say” (recently performed at Birdland).

He wrote lyrics for them all and music for “Nothing Left To Say.” He’s also writing rollicking short stories-in-rhyme for children and is looking for an agent. Having taught English to foreign students at a local community college, Frank is also teaching English to a Ukrainian refugee. “It’s something concrete I can do instead of simply making a financial contribution.” He and Syrette are in good health and enjoying retirement.

Rosagene Weakley D’Arcy is alive in Toronto, Canada. Her husband, Francis (Frank) D’Arcy, was a highly regarded Emergency Room surgeon at Toronto General Hospital. He had emigrated from Dublin, Ireland where he had met Rosagean. They have two daughters, Martha and also Aveen Roberts, who lives in Nantucket, Mass. and has a business called Fitness For Life, and four grandchildren, Jackson, Coco, Carter, William and Juliette. Two of them graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans. Their son Julian died from an accident at the age of 30. Like most of us Karl Pfrommer waited until Covid 19 wasn’t such a danger anymore, and has been dating again. It’s been four years since Marsha died. He writes, “Two of my children, Jill, with her three daughters, and Chad are still in Baltimore. Jill works at McCormick. Todd works for Red Hat near Raleigh NC. He has two boys. Chad writes computer code for Todd’s wife’s business, Cloud Giants. Occupying my time I’m attending church, American Legion, Elks Lodge, theater, opera, Ravens, Orioles, and Beta Nu. Only three of us are still in town, John Pollard, Henry Hammond, and I. Once a month we dine at Alonso’s. Sometimes Bob Feild comes up from his new digs in Rehoboth, Del. for Beta Nu dinner.”

62

Eleanor B. Fuller

eaerobic@hotmail.com

Dianna Yeager Rankin just returned in June from three graduations. Her oldest grandson graduated summa cum laude from University of Wisconsin. Her oldest granddaughter also graduated summa cum laude from Minnesota State University and her grandson in Toronto graduated from high school – Upper Canada College. Her youngest granddaughter visited last fall and Dianna spent last Christmas with her daughter

and family in Toronto. Her youngest son who lives in Wisconsin visited her in January and the oldest grandson visited her last spring. Dianna still coaches some friends on the finer points of dressage, often logging five miles of walking on her FitBit. Her son Tommy’s son Rocco and his mother live close by and she tries to spend quality time with them taking Rocco to his favorite restaurant for his birthday dinner. She also keeps in touch with Chris Sherman Raywood who only lives about 15 minutes from her. I believe that Chris must be traveling because this is one rare time that I did not hear from her. Dianna (Peppie) to so many of us is lucky to be able to keep so busy with all those grandkids! Jens Neuman’s grandson, Julian, has just completed his first year at the University of Chicago. His family was really proud to see him making his way through BULLIS High School in Potomac, Md. and getting accepted at UCHICAGO. Sometimes this makes Jens think back to his wonderful year at Friends with all of us and that – in a way – history repeats itself. His wife, Evamarie, died 8 years ago after a long struggle and Jens tries to stay healthy by traveling and keeping busy. He believes that, unfortunately, the ideals of a united world fade away more and more… what we can do on an individual basis is to keep our friendships and values. Jens hopes to see many of you at our next reunion! It is not a surprise that Jim Hammond’s life still revolves around the church and the retirement community in which they live. Most of the restrictions from the pandemic have been lifted in their community although the regulated areas such as Assisted Living, Memory Care and Health Care remain under tighter control due to CMS and CDC regulations. The oldest horse show in the USA is just down the road from his church in Upperville, Va., and their annual event has just finished as of this writing in June. Crowds appear to be back to normal.

Jim’s church is using the post-pandemic period to run a major capital campaign called, “Renew and Restore.” The building and land were a gift from the Mellon family in the 1950’s and are in need of some extra care. Jim has reduced the number of things he was doing at the church because finding the stamina is more and more difficult – the years are creeping up! His daughter continues to oversee

winning proposals for funding on behalf of Johns Hopkins Medical School. Jim notes that the images of the graduating class at FS appear to be about twice the size as our class. How the times change!

Georgeanna (Bee) Jones Klingensmith writes that she and husband, Bill, are both retired and in relatively good health and able to get around by themselves. Bee still does keep up childhood diabetes and does some work via Zoom to coordinate several clinical trials evaluating newer medicines for type 2 diabetes in teens so they can get FDA approval and bring the newer medicines to all teens who might benefit from them. They have a small condo in the Colorado mountains where they spend time skiing (Bill) and snowshoeing (Bee) in the winter and hiking in the summer. She just bought a new book, “The Geezers Guide to Colorado Hikes,” which Bee hopes will provide them with some hikes that they can still do. As they say, getting old is not for sissies! And I say that Bee and Bill are definitely in good health to be doing these activities! Last summer they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a family trip and this year will be spending time in the mountains and at their Denver home. Her son, Bill, and family live in West Texas where he is a pathologist and his wife is very active in volunteer work. They have a 17 year old son who is a nationally competitive diver and plans to go to Cornell and be on their dive team. Her son Bill’s 14 year old daughter plays tennis. Son, Ted, and his family live in Brooklyn where he is an architect and his wife is an elementary school principal. They have 2 daughters, 13 and 11. The 13 year old was

Nick Nicolls ’62

class notes ⊲

on her middle school lacrosse team (that brought back memories!) and the 11 year old loves her gymnastics. In addition to seeing them in Colorado, they will visit Texas and Brooklyn as often as they can. John LIttleford tells us that he is in Cape Cod in June and heading to Canada to his summer home shortly. John is still working full time as a consultant. His health is pretty good except that he had a sudden AFIB experience and had a “heart ablation” which cured it for which he is very grateful. He reminds us that they have some of the best docs in the world in the Boston area. John sends greetings to all of our classmates and hopes that we all remain with us a lot longer. It hits him periodically how his three years at FS so dramatically affected his life. Linda Kardash Armiger tells us that her family is thriving. Her husband Buck has been cleared and totally recovered from his major heart surgery. Linda’s rheumatoid arthritis has slowly limited her mobility but she maneuvers with the aid of her walker. Granddaughter, Logan, graduated from high school including an accomplishment award from Gov. Hogan in Cosmetology. She is completing her salon internship this summer. Her sister, MacKenzie, who is 16 and an A student, continues to be highly accomplished with equine show championships in Pa., Md. and Ocala, Fla. Her large pony, Bluestocking, will be retiring this summer. The youngest granddaughter, Laurel, has graduated into the sixth grade. She also carries an A average and participates in swimming, soccer, b-ball and lacrosse. Linda’s daughter, Kelly, a 20+ year employee with Philips Corp, is now a part of their think tank heading a team that has finished a total overhaul for Washington Hospital Center’s cardiac unit. Next, daughter, Tara, was just awarded her doctorate degree at the U. of South Carolina in elementary education. She resides in Aiken, S.C. with husband and 2 corgis. Son, Keith, retired from Baltimore City Fire Department as a lieutenant with 30 years of service and several rescue accommodation medals. Linda is now delving into colored pencil drawing and is really enjoying the lovely results. Her community is having an art show in September and they have asked Linda to display some of her work. Never in a million years would Linda have believed that she would be doing

something “artsy.” She and Buck send their wishes for “all good things” out to the families of each and every member of the class of 1962! Terry Walker believes that he and Kathy are having a pleasant and rather routine existence at the moment. However, with a bit of prodding, I found out that they are down to 7 cats now and Kathy continues to do her sewing related crafts. All family members are doing well. John Slingluff and Paula are in the Adirondacks for the summer, the first time for John ever. John’s brother and he sold the business in early February and now are in the final stages of selling the building. It has been a huge pain but John finally retired in June 2023. His family is doing very well, all four daughters and ten grandchildren. Daughter #1, Jenny, is married and has 3 kids. Ryan, a to-be junior at UNC plays lacrosse. Alec will be a freshman at UNC and Kate, will be a senior at McDonough. They all play lacrosse very well, probably taught by their mom and dad. Jenny is the UNC women’s coach and last summer, the USA women’s coach. Daughter #2, Laura, has 2 kids, C.J. and Savana. She’s an advisor and executive at St. Andrews outside of D.C. The children play baseball, field hockey, and (of course) lacrosse. All very good. Laura’s husband is a computer specialist at a classified location. Daughter #3 is Becca. She is married with 4 great kids, Johnny, Charlie, Taylor and Natalie. Johnny and Charlie are at UMD. Taylor is just starting high school and will be up in the Adirondacks volunteering with Cornell cold water fisheries program for the second year. The youngest is 12 and starting her amazing scholastic and athletic fun. Becca is a science and marine biology teacher at Kent Island High School. Her husband worked for/with John for many great years and is now working with the company that bought Baltimore Belting. John’s youngest, daughter #4, is Kathleen who is married and has a son, Sean. He plays ice hockey as a goalie and is in 8th grade. He is big but not “fat” as John says so goalie is a good option it appears. Kathleen is a specialist for a group associated with NIH and genetic cancer research. She’s a group leader and unit advisor, many years in medical initiatives. Her husband is a specialist in photography and related specialties. He also is a lead vocalist in the

Irish musical group, Shamrouges. There have been many good evenings hearing them play and they are about to head to Ireland this summer for an adventure. And that is what John calls his “long winded account” of his family stuff! He hopes that everyone else is doing well. Carol Davidson Methven thought their family had escaped Covid-19 but ended up getting it in January. It was mild and Paxlovid helped them recover. Last fall they made their annual trek to Montana and Yellowstone/Tetons and enjoyed the fall weather. They saw several bears and moose in the parks. They have made plans to visit again this October. In May they went to Tallahassee, Fla. to see their grandson, Jack, graduate from Florida State University. He is taking a few months off to decide if he wants to go to grad school. The following week, their granddaughter, Sydney, graduated from Father Ryan High School and will attend Birmingham Southern College on a volleyball scholarship. She is excited to play volleyball in college. Carol will have two more grandchildren graduate next year. Time keeps marching on! Carol continues playing golf and bridge. She also still works on quilts and machine embroidery projects. Bruce Goodwin and Lucy have had an eventful year, mostly positive, with a few bumps along the way. Bruce and Lucy have continued to travel,picking off a few more National Parks and a month-long trip to Europe including Switzerland, a Rhine/Mosel river cruise, and the Czech Republic. They had planned a National Geographic small ship cruise through Alaska but canceled it so Bruce could have ankle replacement surgery in July. Bruce says it was part of his campaign to help keep orthopedic surgeons employed. They have no new additional grandchildren but do feel that 11 is sufficient. Bruce was able to see John Slingluff and Paula and also Nick Nicolls and Robin while visiting Md. in June. Bruce hopes this news finds our classmates all well. Lane Williamson is still teaching painting during the academic year. Her studio is open as a gallery during the summer months. Summers mostly are happily full of the gardens, blueberries, strawberries, and two peach trees share the perennial world with rhubarb and a bunch of perennial veggies. Lane’s pollinator meadows are now a

left:

decade old and she is refurbishing a bit this year. In June Lane had just returned from a week at the tip of Cape Cod with her daughters and granddaughter – a decades-old annual “girls only” trip. The only “classmate” news that Lane has to offer is that she has heard that Stockton and his wife, Linda, are off to Africa with one of his grandchildren as well as one of hers. Also Stockton Buck and Lucy are being feted at a gigantic 80th birthday party for both of them in the fall. Chris S. Raywood recently went to Baltimore to visit Bill and family. In the fall, Chris will be going to Italy with Les and Julion again. They traveled together last fall and had a fun trip. This fall they are flying to Milan and going to Lake Maggiore; then to Parma, Bologna and Verona and back to Milan to fly home. Before returning to Miami, Chris will visit London for a day and a half. Her family is doing well. Her grandson, Ian, just purchased Beach House Management Company near Chris which is nice for her as she will have someone to look out for her home when traveling. She is still a docent volunteer at the Flagler Museum and will celebrate 30 years there in December. Thankfully, Chris and Carol Methven happened to facetime and Chris was able to get some notes to me as she did not receive my email. Emily C. Holman tells us that travel is still the big thing in her life. Last fall she went to Scandinavia, an empty corner of her travel map. It was a beautiful time to see the fjords and learn about the Sami people in Finland. In June Emily returned from Alaska. She loved the Denali scenery, seeing the caribou, moose and grizzly bears, with a few eagles flying overhead. Unfortunately, Emily contracted Covid-19 there and had to leave the trip four days early. At this writing, she is still recovering from the trip and Covid-19 fatigue. The

highlight of her travels though, in February, was visiting ANTARCTICA, her seventh continent. She loved their zodiac rides into shore, watching the penguins waddle about, looking at seals resting on deep turquoise iceberg chunks, and then the whales swimming around her expedition ship. She even did the POLAR PLUNGE, wading into the 40 degree water from a volcanic sand beach on her last day. BRRR. I, Eleanor Blake Fuller, am pleased to have heard from many of you. Emily, you are very brave! My zodiac experience was more on my “weather” level. It was going to and from our expedition ship to various islands in the Galapagos. Of course, I love “warm” so I admire what Emily did. My husband, Cliff, is still keeping me company along with our caregiver for him. Although we can’t get him out of the house, he is able to enjoy our sun porch as well as our deck in his custom wheelchair and I am happy to have him with me. I had to sell the house in Pa. as I would be unable to get Cliff back there but Fla. is fine for me. Among other things, I found my lacrosse stick with only one gut missing and my FS reddish blazer which almost fits. I am going to take a break now but please feel free to keep in touch with me. Love to catch up with any of you anytime. And remember one thing, stay as healthy as possible. We have much more to do and see – I think.

63

Donna Hasslinger

Dhassli@aol.com

In May 2023 twenty members of the Class of ’63 attended our 60th Reunion at Friends School. All of us - Marjorie Rowe Felter and Jeb Felter, Skip Dugdale, Biff Forbush, Steve Greif, Pam Hick Hanlon, Chuck Harlan, Deb Bloucher Irvin, Anne Kay Joyner, Barbara Nolte Kearney, Hank Kaestner,

Joan Shinnick Kreeger, Linda LaMonica

Monk, Judy Klingelhofer O’Mara, Joane

Knight Schumacher, Gail Levinson

Shawe, Gail Moran Milne, Anne Skinner

White, Donna Hasslinger, and Susan Townsend - had a wonderful time. Our class dinner was held at L’Hirondelle and we enjoyed seeing a touching screen display of past photographs of our class that Jeb had prepared and that included the yearbook pictures of our 12 classmates who have passed away. We had not seen Susan Townsend since she left Friends School after the 2nd grade and she was delighted to connect with some old friends and share stories from those years. She was reintroduced to the Friends community when two of her grandchildren attended Friends and she was able to enjoy watching her grandson, Skyler Kessenich ’18 play on the football, lacrosse, and wrestling teams and her granddaughter, Sophia Kessenich ’21, sing in all the chorale groups and play lacrosse and field hockey. Susan graduated from Mary Baldwin College, married, and had 2 children, Anne and David. She taught math at St Paul’s School for Girls, and eventually received her Masters and Ph.D. in clinical psychology and behavioral medicine. Susan spends most of the year in Maryland and winters and part of the summer in Colorado where they have a family home. Susan and Tom, her significant other, like to ski in the winter and play golf at other times. It was good to see Hank Kaestner and his wife, Josie, at the reunion. They live in Vermont and traveled to Finland in March 2023. While they were in Helsinki they visited with Maija, the wife of our late classmate, Heikki Reijonen ’63. Joan Shinnick Kreeger was in Hawaii in June 2023 meeting her new grandson and

From

Susan Townsend ’63 (center) and her grandchildren: Skyler Kessenich ’18, Sophia Kessenich '21, Sydney Townsend, Brendan Townsend; Chick Fetter Deegan ’63 with spouse Mike in California wine country; Hank Kaestner ’63 and Lin Parker ’63 in Maine remembering their sixth-grade poetry book

class notes ⊲

enjoying the company of her 6-yearold granddaughter. In the Summer of 2022, Joan and her significant other, John, took a trip driving through New York, Montreal, Ottawa and Alexandria Bay and in the Summer of 2023 they drove through Quebec and the Gaspe Peninsula. Biff Forbush has now “retired” and is Professor Emeritus of Cellular And Molecular Physiology at Yale School of Medicine – he still teaches some classes and continues doing research. He also does some consulting, most recently for a drug discovery startup company. He and his wife, Andrea Reyna-Neyra, have been to Mexico and most recently they enjoyed a week of snorkeling and windsurfing in the Caribbean on the island of Bonaire with Biff’s daughter, Jossie. Steve Greif has been gradually moving toward retirement, working only three days a week for the last few years, but he plans to finally retire at the end of 2023. Working less has provided Steve with more time for tennis, biking, and golf, all of which he has enjoyed. He and his wife, Maggie, were in Vancouver, BC, in March, for their grandson’s bar mitzvah, and made two trips to Europe in 2023 with separate cohorts of their kids and grandkids. Lary Jones has been busy. In March 2023 he traveled to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. He said there were amazing birds in the Galapagos including the blue footed and red footed boobies, Audubon shearwaters, and many others. (Lary said he only has 9000 more species to see to catch up with the Kaestners!) Then he took a trip on a windjammer in Penobscot bay. There was a family of musicians aboard and lots of sea shanties and old-time music and he said the food was wonderful. Lobster was a favorite! Lary also continues to volunteer with Hopeful Horizons, a group that provides education and counseling for physical, sexual, and child abuse. Marge Rowe Felter and Jeb Felter are still gardening, taking walks, doing crossword puzzles, and reading; and Jeb plays golf regularly year-round. Their two children and their spouses are doing well and their grandchildren (five of them ages 12-21) are busy staying active. They loved touching base with classmates at our reunion in May and were so happy that so many of us were able to attend. Chick Fetter Deegan’s

daughter and son-in-law, Megan and John, took her and husband, Mike Deegan, to California’s wine country to celebrate Mike’s 80th birthday. When Chick and Mike returned home, they took a cruise to the Caribbean and loved being back on the water. Chick is enjoying volunteering at her former workplace and helping at a women’s shelter. Their children are happy as are their granddaughters, Kate who is in the third of her five years in Architecture at Tulane, and Meredith who is going into her senior year at Hockaday. This year Chick was able to finish the story of her life for her family on Storyworth.com and she found that the longest section is about her memories of Friends School. Wade Hooker and his spouse of 51 years, Patty Otto (a Baltimore girl!) continue enjoying the country life in upstate New York. Shared projects in their extensive perennial gardens keep them both busy. Also, Wade makes time to fiddle with his electronics projects and ham radio gear and at times he dreams lustily of his 25+ years (800+ flights!) of flying sailplanes over the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York and Northern Tier of Pennsylvania. Wade wishes he had kept his weekly vocabulary sheets from Miss Dibert’s English class so he could see if he was able to use all those words in his lifetime, words like “personification.” Lin Parker also remembers Miss Dibert’s classes when he does his Spelling Bee every morning and Donna Hasslinger thinks of her while doing the daily crossword. Donna also enjoys reading, and doing Sudoku puzzles and she has been attending in-person lifetime learning classes offered by local colleges and universities and getting together with old friends and former colleagues from the National Geographic Society for mini-reunions. In the Summer 2023 she scheduled the first Class of ’63 Lunch since the pandemic and she was joined by Judy, Susan, Barbara, Marge, Lily KokForbush, Alice Long Gersh, Gail Milne, Joane, and Anne Skinner White. 64

Susan G. Dingle s123dingle@aol.com

The Class of 1964 is getting more legendary all the time. These Class Notes represent only the headlines and just some of the breaking news from

this Class of innovators and explorers! We could literally fill a special issue with all our fabulous adventures, but in the meantime…From Suzy Katzenberg, on an epic journey to Egypt and Jordan: Leaving on October 27, 2023. Savitri Ariosa Gauthier, her husband, Doug Fambrough, Suzy Katzenberg and Melissa McCarty Warlow traveled in Egypt and Jordan for three weeks, the majority of which time Doug’s son, Doug III, was with us. A street vendor made it very easy for us to address the two Dougs without confusion by naming the younger: American #1. Before departure, we made one vow to each other--no camel rides. The beasts almost got us back at Petra when they raced through the trail as if they were the only occupants and nearly ran us down….The Egypt/Jordan trip was a true adventure between visiting temples and tombs in the desert, a Nile Cruise, and staying overnight in Wadi Rum, a Bedouin territory and World Heritage Site, along with treks through both Petras. Like Moses, we saw the Promised Land from Mt. Nebo, but did not enter. But we did it and had an absolutely marvelous time. Asia Daniel Taylor writes:“Your message catches me as I chopper from Kathmandu into the two national parks circling Mt. Everest I luckily launched 35 years ago. We share such a good life as I also leave now to younger folks leading Future Generations University that I also founded. Starting tomorrow, a couple months in the now protected valleys with brilliant wildlife of snow leopards, bears, and wild sheep (and of course the Yeti)!” From the Alleghenies, Paul Newbury reports; We are all doing well. Nancy just returned from a day trip to the central Pennsylvania caves with two

Melissa McCarty Warlow, Suzy Katzenberg ’64 and Savitri Ariosa Gauthier ’64 at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Cairo

of our children and four grandchildren, ending a year of homeschooling for our oldest (10 yrs) grandson. We closed on our church building project in August and spent the Fall renovating and managed to have a Christmas eve service for 250 people ...This is mowing season, so Nancy is very busy with her tree farm, creating maps of her fields and documenting over 1500 nut trees and fruit bushes! This year marks 50 years since we first met and Nancy was asked to speak in church for Mother’s day on relationships. I was only mildly embarrassed. From Ft. Myers, Fla, Sally Huff Leimbach writes that we are happily settled at Shell Point Retirement Community, on the Caloosahatchee River near Sally’s sister Susan Huff Schmitt ’60. Pickleball is now a preferred exercise for both Wendell and Sally, who challenge us to “perhaps a tournament around our reunion time, if others want to consider Pickleball in their future. Joe and Downie, are you ready?”

As of June 8th, Sally’s new address is 1709 Junonia Ct., Ft. Myers FL, 33908. Recently retired from TriBridge Partner, LLC, Sally continues as a consultant under her own LLC, LTC Insurance Specialist, LLC. Her new email is shleimbach@ gmail.com. Phone 410-916-2939. Her focus is on helping people considering CCRC’s (Continuing Care Retirement Communities.) She has participated in an “Aging to 100” Symposium, and on a Webinar for SOA members as the “expert” on living choices for retirement. She reports that Wendell has created “The Inventors Group,” volunteers with nonprofit ECHO, assisting 3rd world countries by developing prototypes, such as a seed dryer to allow more predictable saving of seeds for planting, wind turbine

to extract water from wells, rain catcher to provide drinking water for both humans and livestock. From Montana, Downie McCarty, unaware of the pickleball challenge, writes: “Although I am slowing down I am still quite active playing tennis, pickleball, platform tennis, golf, and a bit of skiing. Garden work is tougher, and aIthough, I can’t work as long as I used to, I enjoy being outside. My wife Helen and I will celebrate 50 years of togetherness this year and plan to visit Paris, Athens, Istanbul, and the Greek islands in the fall. I continue to love our life here in Montana, grateful to be in good health and often recall our wonderful classmates. Greg Neumann headed to the Pacific Northwest in January to visit his alma mater Reed College in Portland OR., where he caught up with me, now living along the rim of fire in Washougal, Wa. We traveled from “the gateway to Columbia Gorge” to Castle rock and Beacon Rock, across the Bridge of the Gods, past Bonneville Dam and Horsetail Falls to Crown Point and Menucha Retreat overlooking the Gorge, to the slippery Camas trail in Washouga, and then to Mt. St. Helen. Greg provided an alarming and fascinating commentary on the “recent” geological history, of which there is a TON. Fun fact: volcanoes on Earth produce similar types of lava as those from volcanoes on Mars. So when I, upon moving to the PNW, felt that I had arrived on Mars, I was not entirely wrong! Speaking of Mars, Greg Neumann drew the Mars Google map for NASA, based on data from its laser altimeter. Some volcanoes on Mars, and the volcanos nearby, from Portland to Seattle, are considered “dormant”, he said; they triggered ice avalanches to

form the Columbia Gorge, and later the platform for the Bonneville Dam. I only wish I could remember the details when friends come to visit those magnificent views! Be sure to ask Greg about the Anthropocene. He’s writing a book about his family history including Earth’s history as well. Finally, among packing boxes and moving preparations, Annie Nicholls Heandiges writes from Montana: I’m happy to share that I’m still in very good health and enjoying life with Bob and with my family. We’re relocating after nearly 30 years of fishing, gardening, and exploring the west. It’s been wonderful. Yes, dear friends, it’s been wonderful, and we’re still adventuring, innovating and exploring— and looking forward to our 60th Reunion next year! And maybe even that Pickleball tournament…Thank you for contributing to this spectacular round-up!

65

This class is in need of a class secretary. To volunteer, email alumni@friendsbalt.org

Christine Windisch Keightley is doing very well living on the central coast of California. Now that Covid is officially over, my husband, Chase, and I will be traveling to Budapest to cruise down the Danube and Rhine Rivers in June. The rest of summer will be spent working on our house - painting decks, clearing out closets etc. After my Resonance summer concert in mid-August, I (alone) will fly into Baltimore, meet a friend living in Chambersburg for a few days, then we will fly to London, catch the Eurostar to Strasbourg, then another train to Wengen Switzerland for 5 days. I do love it there. I am still singing in 3 choral groups: San Luis Obispo Master Chorale, Canzona, and Resonance.That’s my

From left: Suzy Katzenberg ’64 and Savitri Ariosa Gauthier ’64, at Tomb of the Bulls; Greg Neumann ’68 at Crown Point; Greg Neumann ’64 greeting an old friend

class notes ⊲

hobby these days. Sons, Will (subtitler in Pasadena) and Keir (geographer in West Sacramento) and 2 grandchildren are all doing fine! Hope all the rest of my classmates are doing well also!

66

Nina L. Patry ninapatry@icloud.com

Hello from Vermont! Nina Lasagna Patry sent an email in early June requesting notes from our class - below is what I’ve received. As always, I enjoy being in touch with classmates and learning where life has taken us all. Although I don’t have notes from them, I also spoke with Stuart Sands and Richard Rotnerthey both called me in response to my email. Always fun to catch up - they are both well. Tracking Stuart down by paying $2.99 online for his phone number a few years ago is one of the best investments I’ve ever made. (Dev Slingluff is also good - and handling some of my other investments; I attended his family’s Annual Oyster Roast last September - great people, awesome food!). I am still happily in Vermont and looking forward to time in my beloved Adirondacks - where my family began vacationing after I completed first grade at Friends. Claudia Langebartels Koark writes: What do you want to know? Memories...1965-1966...My year as an exchange student at Friends School Baltimore, living with the Prince family who became my American family, my time as a work camper in Indianapolis... that time has influenced my whole life. And now...Since 2020 I have been busy as a language buddy. Women, children, and families from eight other countries come here to our international house or invite me to their home to speak German, learn our language by talking,and sometimes by writing down vocabulary. In 2022 after the war had broken out in Ukraine, I started “Kuchen gegen Krieg”. I baked cake on Sunday mornings and in the afternoon I invited refugees to have tea, coffee, and cake with me. And now, every Friday afternoon I join women and children from Ukraine talking, listening, singing, playing... They feel touched just because I’m there...Woody Gill: Since retiring from DuPont in 2006, my wife of 47 years and I have primarily been living in Naples, Florida. I still play a lot of tennis and golf. During summers, I enjoy

bike riding in Baltimore and watching my youngest granddaughter’s swim meets in Virginia. I recently taught my oldest granddaughter how to drive a car, and will be taking her to tour colleges this summer. Also, looking forward to a family vacation in Alaska this summer. Yikes, I must be getting older, but luckily I have been pleased (BLESSED) with good health. David Wilson: Claudia and I completed our relocation to Boca Raton, FL in March, and are thoroughly enjoying it thus far. Our 2 sons, Alex and Ben, reside in Miami, just an hour away. Alex will be married on June 24 in Cape Cod. We look forward to grandchildren and babysitting in the coming years. I obtained my FL real estate license in order to keep busy, but at a more relaxed pace befitting my advanced age. Marion Buré Miller & her husband Bill have loved living in Bend, Oregon for the last seven years. Their oldest daughter has a veterinary clinic there and their youngest daughter lives in Portland with her husband and their two kids. Their middle daughter has lived in New Zealand and Australia for the past 15 years and has recently published a book about her diving travels around the world! (A Diver’s Guide to the World). Marion loves camping, kayaking and when indoors, works with her quilt guild to make quilts for charity. They donated 500 last year! She sends best wishes to all of her Friends! Julie Metcalf: I retired in March 2019 after working as a scientist at University of Penn, Yale, and then 37 years at NIH. First I studied the neutrophil and then oversaw data and contract labs for HIV and seasonal flu clinical trials. I am still living in Rockville and am now very active as a volunteer in my church and at Hero Dogs. Hopefully we can

have another zoom some day. The last one was great fun and a lot of laughs. Sue Lang Yohn: Jerry and I are still doing our “thing” with four horses, three dogs, a house cat, three barn cats...daily barn/ animal chores and tending to our little six acre property. Last vacation was on an American Cruise Ship where we traveled the Lewis & Clark expedition area on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Enjoyed it bigtime!! We hope to maybe try for another one elsewhere maybe in 2024?? Jerry is retiring from his 2nd job of 22 years as a school bus driver so things will be a tad hectic until he can find a new routine to get into. I’m still working part time as a bookkeeper for a high end bridal shop in Hershey, but I might be retiring from there as the owner is planning to retire in a couple months. So..I too, will be a tad out of sorts so to speak until I can figure out what my weekly routine will be. We (mostly I) would love to take some short little getaway trips here and there, but finding reliable help to tend to the animals is not an easy job. I have slowed down in a big way from showing, as the breed shows have gotten out of hand with cost...plus this “mature” body is showing the aches/ pains from all the years of go go go!! But, still getting out and about with my home grown boy and enjoying riding and socializing. Hope all my classmates are doing well and do so wish we could get together again for a catch up! Ann

Canedy: I am working for a real estate firm, on a Governor Appointed Board (Department of Conservation & Recreation Stewardship Council), and sit on the boards of the Cape Cod Art Center and an organization which is dedicated to the sharing of local history through programs, lectures, exhibits and

Steve Heaver ’66

events - called Tales of Cape Cod. I also head the Town’s Open Space Committee and am on the board of the Sandy Neck Advisory Board. I am also the grandmother to two wonderfully active boys - Malcolm, age 5 - a reader and karate kid; and Jonah, an outstanding athlete, age 7, also smart. And I wonder why I am tired. I was hoping to see Bunny when she went to Mystic, CT, but couldn’t swing it. I may see Marion Bure in the fall. Debbie Frank: This April my husband Neil Kominsky and I took our first ever trip to Vienna to visit my son Jonathan Kominsky who is now an assistant professor at Central European University. I showed a picture of Vienna to the preschool class where I volunteer and their immediate reaction was -”oooh you went to Disneyland!” Janet Kennedy, one of our honorary members: Janet Kennedy and her husband (Howard Flitman) continue to enjoy life in Gap, France, where they moved in 2014. Retirement is great! We spend our time walking in the foothills of the Alps, reading, studying French, talking with neighbors, and taking small trips in France or to neighboring countries. In April, we met up with Debbie Frank in Vienna. It’s good to read news of Friends School classmates! Bruce Manger: First, hi to all that this goes to in our class and I hope you’re doing well. It was great connecting with some of you at Macky Ayers’ ’party’ to remember Allan last summer. She truly is one of us. I get to see Van, sometimes with his wife Saundra, fairly regularly when he visits his brother Mark in Baltimore. I’m now in our Mount Desert Island house with Suzie who we joke loves the house maybe more than me, and our daughter Kate. Looking forward to being with Kate’s sister Whitney and her family who will be here with us in August. Suzie is still more-than-happily retired (six years this summer) and always glad to be in Maine. I’m still working, a nice balance with volunteering and not working; I just finished my 37th college campus ’master plan’ last month, and I hope to continue making a difference through that work. In addition to helping preserve the McKim Community Center buildings in the Baltimore Old Town neighborhood (Meeting House, 1781 and Free School, 1835), I volunteer for the Broadmead

retirement community (launched by Stony Run Friends Meeting over 45 years ago). During visits, I am sometimes asked if I’m a new resident, which maybe shouldn’t be too surprising. Unequivocally the best life plan community in the Baltimore area, you guys might want to consider it as a vertical destination! In the meantime, thanks to Nina who continues to be our class/class’s/classic/classy ultra glue! Steve Heaver: I am thankful for my wife and two kids (and now two grandkids each) and my dog (of course), and my own health. The latter has been interrupted by a shoulder and an arm surgery, and while they were not related, it is taking over two years to recover. That is irritating partly ‘cause this is attributable to old age. My family lives within a 40 minute drive (paved roads are marvelous). The Fire Museum has been growing in capital improvements, donors and public programmes. We added a 1913 Ahrens-Fox pumping engine that had been in a garage for 40 years and is the only one extant. We’re trying to increase our pledged money so that we can hire new senior staff (I need to retire!). I’m singing in a choir now instead of playing; I’m still printing on an 1865 press and the current project is on paper making along the Gunpowder Falls from 1775-1850. Want a copy? Should be ready by Christmas! Steve Heaver, sgheaver@aol.com The Denver Post reported that W. Berkeley (Buck) Mann, Jr. was honored by Colorado Legal Services (CLS) with the Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer Award for his extraordinary eight years of donating his legal expertise to low income and older Coloradans. After graduating from the University of Maryland Law School, Buck worked variously as a salaried attorney, federal prosecutor, and federal government trial attorney. When he retired in 2015, he sought full time pro bono work. CLS assigned him to its domestic relations unit. CLS Director of Advocacy Renee Terjak praised Buck, “… what a job he did! He used all of his smarts, and his private practice tools, to powerfully advocate for his clients. He taught other attorneys…innovative litigation skills, and …[treated] his clients with the utmost kindness and respect.”

The Class of 1968 met at Liberatore’s in Timonium for a 55th reunion dinner in May, 2023. The enthusiastic group included (front row) Milton Brownstein, Libby Chambers, Richard Seiler; (back row) Melinda Burdette, Arlene Dannenberg Bowes, Sally Chester Williford, and Wink Briddell Cowee.

69 Helen Blumberg

helen.blumberg@gmail.com

Ben Lentz lentzb51@gmail.com

Here’s the latest news from some of our classmates. Please keep in touch with Ben and Helen so we can share what you’ve been doing. Terry Halle says, “This year I’m celebrating 50 years of film and video editing. Although I’m mostly retired and spending quality time with my children and grandkids, I still have a client or two that send me work, which I can do from home. Gone are the days of managing a post production house and commuting to Washington. We still live up on the hill, but spend half the year in Florida, on the east side. Trying to stay active playing golf, sailing, and skiing a little. A cabin on the Susquehanna (with no running water) that I can only get to by boat keeps the hippie in me alive. It’s quiet there and very private. Good for the soul. Next year I will be putting out eyeballs on classmates for the 55th.” Ron Kovach reports, “All is good here. Duke and I moved to Alexandria VA this year into a gorgeous place overlooking the Potomac. We’ve survived Covid and are headed to Scotland, Montana, Croatia, and Sicily over the next year. Just got back from Big Sur. Got to get travel in while we’re still capable of doing it!!” News from the Northeast: after selling their New Hampshire farm in the fall of 2021, Kathy Neustadt and husband Tom

had been “camping out” at the summer house of friends as they looked to buy another home (if you’ve been involved with real estate during this time period, you know what a crazy ride it’s been!). “But luck finally smiled on us this spring when a couple involved with local land conservation in York, Maine—where Tom has consulted from time to time over the past 30 years—was looking to sell to conservation-minded buyers, and our names came up! It’s a very sweet place (Little House in the Big Woods, I call it), and we’re tickled to be here, especially since it’s 43 minutes from our grandfamily in Portland. Let me just say, however, that MOVING is not for the faint of heart (nor the weak of limbs). But as the last of our things just arrived from storage, we are expecting to see some HOME lights burning any week/month now…” “I am a very healthy 72 years old,“ David Sherbow tells us. “My 2 year old YorkiePoo, Kaleb, is my new best friend. I have been a Realtor for the past 13 years after leaving the music business after 40 years. I just became the Broker of Record for a new real estate brokerage, Vybe Realty.” Here’s an update from Bill Sherman “The family is all doing well and we are now up to six grandkids. Francis McNamara arrived last December. There are five boys and one girl. Ben plays lacrosse and Grant is a golfer. I’m still volunteering at Friends on the Athletic Hall of Fame Committee, and looking forward to our 55th next year.” Louise Wagner shares this: “The resumption of ’normal’ life after the pandemic has been simply wonderful. My dog Lillie is now more than a year out from her second lung cancer surgery and is doing well. Then there’s the belated celebration

of my 70th birthday. My sister Barbara Wagner ’75 and I had planned a Rhine River cruise which we finally took in the latter part of May 2023. It was definitely worth the wait! Before the cruise, I spent some time in Amsterdam, taking guided tours on land and water. The best part, though, was spending time with Barbara on the cruise itself. She lives near Boston and I live outside Baltimore so we don’t get to see each other often. In addition, we met a few other passengers and became fast friends. Finally, there was the trip itself, which was everything the brochure promised and more! It was a lovely experience and one of the best trips of my life!” Graham Yearley is “now living at Pickersgill Retirement Community in Towson and is singing in four choirs: The New Wave Singers, The Baltimore Men’s Choir, my church’s choir, and the Pickersgill Singers.” Class Secretary Ben Lentz was readily able to find the 2022 Friends magazine issue because he has a new puppy who likes to explore magazines that he keeps in his study. The puppy brought that issue to him. Ben was able to find our class notes amongst the teeth and chew marks. Ben adds that one of his major post-retirement activities is being the Co-Chair of the Bronxville Adult School. Bronxville is the Westchester County New York community where he and his wife have lived since his graduation from law school. The Bronxville Adult School is a non-profit organization that offers continuing education in a variety of subjects. The most difficult part of being a Co-Chair was surviving the Covid-19 epidemic which severely limited the ability to offer in person classes. Class Secretary Helen Blumberg and her

husband Bob have been traveling. “We had a great trip to the United Kingdom in October 2022, highlighted by visits to York, Bath, Cornwall, Edinburgh, and London. Closer to home, we spent time in New York City (Bob’s hometown) and visited our children and grandkids in Northern Virginia. I’m looking forward to a trip back in time at our class’s 55th reunion!”

72 Beth Holcomb bethholcomb54@gmail.com

Mary Carroll Moore is in New Hampshire and has retired from teaching and coaching writers. She’s focused on organic gardening and raising 2 dachshund puppies she adopted. Mart is finishing her second novel, A Woman’s Guide to Search & Rescue, to be published in October. You can follow her on Facebook. Anna Gentzel (formerly Judy Ball) is happy in Hawaii, living close to nature and spending hours gardening, walking, studying and practicing spiritual immunity, nutrition, Nichirin Buddhism, and shamanism. She has 3 children who all live in California. She spends 3 months each year visiting them, traveling in a minivan and taking in Small journeys to places like Yosemite and Redwood National Forest. She credits her Friends School experience for her spiritual enhancement and to the underlying Quaker notion of “that of God in every man...Alleluia.”

73

Sarah O’Loughlin soloughlin00@gmail.com

The class of 1973 celebrated our 50th reunion in May; we had a great turnout. It was fantastic to reconnect with some people I hadn’t seen in half a century.

From left: Rene Wood ’76 horseback riding in Wyoming; Keith Tabatznik ’76 and Steven Stuart ’76 at Alonso’s; Lisa Corinne Davis ’76 at her art show in New York at the Miles McHenry Art Gallery.

Kudos to the planning committee for their efforts in planning and organizing the event: Jan Goldsmith Braun, Margo Halle,Sally Schultz O’Loughlin and Lisa Shugar Hublitz John Hustis checked in with this newsy update: “Living with wife Marion, primarily in Dallas and slightly less often in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Employed some, working remotely from anywhere. Farming and gardening in Canada. Volunteering with a nonprofit board for an inspiring Dallas youth development foundation. Gardening, walking, swimming, cooking, reading, playing in workshop, doing photography, watching the new Golden Age of movies and TV. Three grandchildren, son Ben, daughter-inlaw Katrina, and her family, live near us in Canada; daughter Rachel and her caregiver family (for us, an adoptive family) live near us in Texas. My younger sister Elise and our mom are across the street in Dallas. Older brother, Greg, just moved from Dallas, to the Hudson River valley in New York. Wishing our fellow classmates peace and pleasant days.” Robin Felder, married to his wife Mary for 45 years, is living in Charlottesville VA on a farm called Monte Piccolo. He has 2 kids (Carter and Cameron) and one grandson. He has been working at UVA for 38 years and is currently professor of pathology, associate director of laboratory medicine, and director of the Felder Innovation Laboratory. Apparently that’s not enough to keep him busy, so in his spare time he has built and manages a commercial distillery growing juniper berries and making eau-de-vie style brandies and Varietal Gins™. Robin sent this update about his mother Roberta, who serenaded us every morning as we

trooped out of Collection: “After leaving Friends, our mother Roberta continued to teach music for most of her life. She was here in Charlottesville for 29 years but suddenly got the bug to move to an old folks home in Indianapolis near Chris Felder. That relieves our burden and he will usher her out since she is 94. She smoked 3 packs a day for 80 years before quitting. She says, ’I’m living this long since the tar is holding me together’”. Speaking of Chris, he sent us this tidbit: “Twin update: Twin Chris now has 3 grandkids (boy 5, boy 4, girl 3 years old) and the less prolific twin Robin has just one grandson. What’s interesting is Chris’ and Robin’s daughters were born within a month apart and each daughter then gave birth to their first sons within a few hours on the same day. Being a twin does have its eerie moments.” That’s creepy, Chris. David Plott writes: “Ms. Chandler (my wonderful partner) and I followed up the fabulous Friends School 50th reunion party by leading a 280 mile, 18 day private raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. High water due to runoff from the epic snows in the west last winter added 10’ wave excitement to the rapids. We brought ukuleles and played songs by the river at camp. Another grand adventure! On the (no longer) kid front, my daughter Cara completed her first year of residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital.” Rob Preston writes that his daughter Abby Preston (’12) moved to London, received a second BA from Oxford, and worked for the Cooley law firm. She then got her Masters in London and is now working for a women’s crisis center. Abby is currently engaged.Jim Schwabe sends:

“Since the reunion I am happy and proud to report that my son was accepted to the Santa Clara University MBA program starting this fall. It’s an excellent school, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, with extensive ties to valley companies and a very robust alumni network.” Holly Catzen Bricken noted: “All is status quo here: I love living in my (formerlyone-room-schoolhouse) home on the banks of the Western Run in Baltimore County. Still riding everyday, foxhunting in the fall and volunteering with city kids, introducing them to horses. I loved seeing everyone for the short time I was at reunion...” Finally, Jan Goldsmith Braun writes: “My oldest son (a talent agent at Wasserman music) just signed Idris Elba and they flew to Barcelona together on a private jet for Idris’ DJ show. My younger son is getting ready to go on a world tour with the group.

76 Keith Tabatznik kdtsoc@aol.com

Steve Stuart met up with Keith Tabatznik at the FS Athletic Hall of Fame event in May (Steve has been on the HOF selection committee). They made what they deem to be a required stop at Alonso’s after the event! Lisa Corinne Davis reports that she is the proud mom (and daughter) of Georgetown Law School graduates as her daughter Corinne Davis Cathcart earned her degree this spring. Lisa’s mom was one of the first three African American women to ever receive a GU law degree.Congrats! Lisa continues her impressive art career and just had a solo show at the Miles McEnery Gallery in New York. Rene Wood (FS ’76 through 10th Grade) reports that she has been living in Wyoming for 30 years and

From left: Lisa Corinne Davis’s ’76 daughter Corrinne Davis Catchcart graduated from Georgetown Law School; Cathy Lewis ’75’s new book Cosmonaut: A Cultural History; Keith Tabatznik ’76 presenting his experience at the World Cup Final to fellow 1976 classmates on ZOOM.

has worked as a suicide/mental health assessment professional while also providing therapy to struggling individuals. She has been a behavioral health therapist at a women’s prison and a men’s medium correctional facility. Also, her mom turns 99 this month! Rene is a big cat-, dog- and horse-lover and she spends a lot of her time riding her horse. It was great to hear from Rene after so many years. MaryAnne Anja Bues Bartlett is gearing up for summer at the shop, tumbling crystals and preparing herbs for sale. She managed some thread waxers and beeswax dip candles over the winter too. The used bookshelves are very full. She will also be doing three historical recreation demos over the summer with my embroidery and music. Keith Tabatznik reports that after returning from Qatar (and seeing the World Cup final), he was asked by classmate Julie Schultz to present his experience on Zoom quite a few 76ers joined. Great sharing the experience and even better catching up with everyone. Exciting time for Hank Entwistle and a great cause: The 2nd Annual Benefit Concert to honor Johns Hopkins Nursing and Baltimore Area First Responders will be held on Saturday February 17, 2024. This time, The Hank Entwisle Band will be joined by the Morgan State University Choir, a local institution with an international reputation. The choir’s tectonic energy will lift the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall right off its foundation. The band and choir cover an amazing range of music including rock, blues, indie, jazz, acoustic, pop, Motown

and soul-sizzling gospel. One hundred twenty voices, 40 instruments in one incredible experience. Ken Kolodner ’72 (on hammered dulcimer), and his son Brad Kolodner ’08 (on clawhammer banjo), will join the band for what will be their fifth concert. Tickets will go on sale in September. Also, congratulations to Cathy Lewis as she reports the release of her book: “Cosmonaut: A Cultural History.” Cathy’s book details how the public image of the Soviet cosmonaut was designed and reimagined over time. “An innovative study of pop culture, memorabilia, propaganda, and hero worship, Cosmonaut brings the Soviet space program to life from inside Soviet society.” Order at upress.ufl. edu. Claire Walker would be proud!On Friday, March 31, Friends School had the honor of welcoming world-renowned concert pianist, Sara Davis Buechner ’76 Throughout the day, students, faculty, and staff in our Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools were invited to attend inspiring performances in the Forbush Auditorium. Ms. Buechner visited music classrooms and had lunch with Head of School Christian Donovan and faculty. In addition to her musical talents, Ms. Buechner is a proud transgender woman who appears as a speaker and performer at LGBTQ+ events. She writes and speaks often about her personal experiences as a trans woman. Part of her day was set aside for a Middle and Upper School Trans Affinity Space - an opportunity for listening and sharing with students. It was quite special to have her on Transgender Visibility Day.

77

Bob Lenhard rlenhard@comcast.net

Marc Forster has just finished his 33rd year as a history professor at Connecticut College. He and his wife Tina have been married 39 years, and have just become grandparents. During the pandemic, he finished his book, Keeping the Peace in the Village. Conflict and Peacemaking in Germany, 1650-1750. I regularly think of history classes with Nick Fessenden H’10 and how he set me on this path, along with all the other challenging and interesting teachers we had at Friends. I know that I am coming to the end of my career as a teacher and scholar, but they are going to have to put up with me a few years longer. I still get a great thrill out of

walking in to teach a class, or meeting with interesting students, or mentoring a new colleague or a student struggling to find their way. I am also still coaching, mostly high school softball, and that will be one of the things I keep doing after retirement, which might be in California since that is where both our daughters live. My 92-year-old mother still lives at Broadmead in Cockeysville. My father passed away in the spring of 2020, just shy of his 94th birthday, so there is some longevity in my genes. And I will always be an Orioles fan, no matter where I live. Jay Higham reports that after high school, life’s twists and turns led him down a path filled with personal struggles and noteworthy achievements. His family lived in Newtown, CT for many years and both of his children went to Sandy Hook Elementary School, though they had graduated prior to 2012. Jay went on to join a small company focused on scaling in vitro fertilization (IVF) services across the US. He notes: “As an introvert I never thought of myself as much of a leader, but somehow found myself as Chairman/ CEO of a public company that is today the largest provider of infertility services in the US.” He later went on to join another small company focused on what is arguably the largest public health crisis (prior to COVID) in the last 100 years, addiction. Today the company operates 120 locations in 24 states providing comprehensive care to over 70,000 people affected by addiction. “Looking back, I feel fortunate to have been able to focus my professional life on health care problems affecting my family. Looking forward, retirement is looming. I’m blessed to have been married for almost 35 years (to the same woman!) and hope to slow down and have more fun with her.”

Lance Reddick ’80

Sara Davis Buechner ’76 with a few students during her trip to campus.

Lisa Hunt writes that since retiring at the end of 2021, she and her husband, John, purchased a Winnebago Revel and have been enjoying some great “vanlife” trips, to ride bikes in amazing places. “This winter was rough out here in California and the rainstorms were nonstop; but we survived without damage to our house; and the wildflowers have been amazing.” Jeff Romero writes: “As I approach retirement from veterinary medicine, I find myself chasing an ever decreasing amount of wilderness in North America. I just returned from a 2 week canoe trip in Quetico Provincial Park, in Western Ontario, after British Columbia and Alberta last year, Alaska the year before, and Boundary Waters, Minnesota before that.

Where I used to be able to hide from my fellow citizens relatively easily--either by finding lost places or backpacking around Africa; now I find I have to go further and further afield to find seclusion. “Dogs, at work and at home, along with a cool wife and SSRIs, keep me sane. So it’s dogs, music, bourbon, and travel. I’m happy for good music, for being from my generation, for having lived a life with a great wife and with lots of pets, and for relative health, with only the normal age related pains of everyday life to deal with so far. I’m off to the Austin Music Festival with Jay Higham in October.” Rip Verkerke reports that a little less than two years ago, his oldest son submitted a sample to 23andMe. “To our great surprise, we learned that I have a previously unknown sister. She is 13 months younger than I am, and my parents gave her up for adoption at birth. Since learning of each other’s existence, she and her husband stayed with us for four days around Christmas 2021, and Tracy and I have joined them on a week of sailing around Mallorca. She and her

husband live in a beautifully renovated 400-year-old farm house on a hill in Ibiza. Happily, we all get along famously and look forward to future trips together and to making up for 60 years of lost time as siblings. I feel as though I definitely won the “secret sister” lottery.” Curt Williams reports that “[a]fter over 35 years in the labor movement, abiding in Seattle for the last 30 years, I retired and went back to school. I graduated from Divinity School at Seattle University in 2022 and have been training as a chaplain at the Seattle VA for the last 2 years. I am married with two daughters and we are moving from our beloved Seattle home to Rockport, MA this summer to be closer to my wife’s parents, our daughter who is in Philly and my sisters in Baltimore. My hope is to be certified as a chaplain this fall and practice at a hospital in Boston and live a slower paced life. I’ve connected with Ed Lyon and hope to encounter Paul Freidberg who lives in the Ed’s neighborhood.” Bob Lenhard reports that he too is dialing back at work, though he will remain active with a number of clients who are focused on re-electing the current president, and ensuring the former president remains in that status. He has also joined the Board of Trustees of the Kennedy Center. 80 Quinn Stills stillsq@hotmail.com

Dear Friends, a lot has happened since we last communicated. Classmate Lance Reddick passed away suddenly at his home in Los Angeles. Lance rose to international acclaim as Lieutenant Cedric Daniels in The Wire, Police Chief Irvin Irving in Bosch, General Caulfield in White House Down, Matthew Abaddon in Lost, and most recently as Charon in the John Wick movie franchise. Lance

was also beloved by legions of fans as Commander Zavala in the popular Destiny video game franchise. Lance attended Friends from 7th -12th grades where he played football, wrestled, held solo concerts for Collection and took some of the school’s most demanding classes. Classmates Barbara Zadek, Reed Riley, Jim Lutz and I attended Lance’s memorial service in June. At the intimate service, Lance was remembered by several of his fellow actors including Keanu Reeves, Regina King, Laurence Fishburne, Levar Burton, and Ming Na Wen. Sadly, in addition to Lance, we have lost Dave Kenzie and Lael Coyne. Please take great care everyone. On a happier note, I recently had the opportunity to catch up with classmate Eric Arnold. I am here to report that Eric has had an interesting journey. After our graduation, Eric went from arduous 14 hour-day shifts driving taxis in Boston to driving nuclear submarines around the world’s oceans, spending as much as 113 consecutive days under water! When Eric joined the US Navy, he scored very high (being a Friends graduate and all) on the entrance tests, and it was suggested he might be good at navigating submarines. Eric served our country for 22 years and served on 9 deployments. Eric served on fast attack submarines, sailed under the arctic ice cap, in the Atlantic, and rose as high as the assistant navigator for an entire squadron of submarines. Today, Eric is retired from the Navy and works at Johns Hopkins where he conducts field tests for special intelligence. Ever the intellectual we all knew, in his free time Eric runs a chess club, an international postcard exchange group, model trains and is still an avid reader. I also asked Eric about the controversy surrounding the

From left: Class of 1980 alumni Quinn Stills, Reed Riley and James Lutz at memorial service for Lance Reddick ’80; Eric Arnold and Margo Mildvan ’83 with Rear Admiral Frank Caldwell at Eric’s retirement; Quinn Stills ’80 and Chris Feiss ’80

Titan Sub. Eric said he was not an insider but as a former submariner he noted that every time a submarine descends, the ocean squeezes the hull like a lemon so a carbon fiber hull would have given him cause for concern. In July, I had the opportunity to break bread in Towson with classmate Chris Feiss. Chris has been and continues to be an extraordinary supporter of Friends School, and currently sits on the Friends’ board of trustees. Chris has been a guiding light for me in my investment business and is heavily involved with investments in the area as well as philanthropic endeavors in greater Baltimore. Chris is in fantastic shape as he has become somewhat of a pickleball ace.

87

Shelley Stein shelley.stein@gmail.com

Chip and Amy Mortimer are still loving downtown Baltimore. Amy is still at FSB and the kids are good. Both Anna ’13 and Will ’17 are living and working in Baltimore. MC ’20 heads into her senior year at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Joel Corvera was promoted to professor of clinical surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Indiana University. He’s watching the kids grow and is amazed how long it has been since he was a student at Friends! After 17 years as a head of independent schools in Santa Fe, Atlanta, and N.Y.C., Jason Underwood is now a head of school search consultant and governance advisor with Educational Directions, working with independent schools across the country to hire strong leaders and build better boards. He lives on Hilton Head Island, SC with his wife Maureen.Their 23-yearold twin daughters, Sara and Paige, are Brooklynites who visit them as often

as they can. Shelley Stein is loving her position in client services with the nonprofit Access HEARS, as a hearing health navigator, connecting seniors with over-the-counter hearing aids. She recently met up with a few classmates as shown in the photos.

88

P. Angelo T. Valle gelovalle@gmail.com

By my count, 35 members of the Class of ’88 turned up at some point during our 35th Reunion weekend festivities, demonstrating our continued esprit de corps. I know more classmates would have made it back to North Charles Street had they been able to do so. Thanks to Sarah Johnston Millspaugh for graciously hosting our class party again and to Burck Smith for leading the Reunion committee! One classmate whom I was sorry to miss over the weekend was Kimberly Hubble-Doll-DeSha who sent me the following update afterwards: “I have two grandchildren, Liam, 11, and Bella, 5. Both live outside of Austin, Texas with my oldest, Wendi. My middle daughter, Emily, has spread her wings/ wheels. She’s living “the van life” (it’s actually a tricked out school bus, but who am I to quibble?) based out of Asheville, N.C. My youngest, Maddie… just graduated from UMBC with her masters of social work. She attended UMBC for undergrad and completed a double major in psychology and social work.” Sara Weisfeldt updated me that she is still a producer at CNN: “Almost 31 years now. Whatttttt?!!! How can I be that old that I’ve been doing something for 31 years at the same place!!? I cover anything and everything from natural disasters, to court cases, U.S./Mexico

border immigration issues, elections, heated school board meetings, weird Florida things and I will leave it at that… and special events like presidential debates, New Year’s Eve and 4th of July celebration coverage. I have done a bit of a tour around the country in terms of where I live and work…not as much fun as a concert tour…but for sure moving around is stimulating as a journalist because every state has its unique issues and culture which has kept work and life interesting. I started in Atlanta in 1992 and was there for five years, then Los Angeles for 15, then Denver for six, Miami for four, and now Houston for a month. So far, Texas is hot and humid (shocking to no one), but it’s an interesting place to work as a journalist. I’ve kept in touch with Elizabeth Holder who is like a sister to me and I continue to go to Baltimore to visit my family and Elizabeth in NY any chance I get.”

Finally, Wel Leimbach submitted his retirement papers to the United States Marine Corps for December 1, 2023. “It will be after just over 31 years on active duty. I am very much looking forward to joining the civilian world even though it is too late for me to try to grow back any hair. Could have retired at 20 years, so around 2012. I guess I have been having too much fun.” Thanks, Wel, for your years of service to our country that have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

89

Meghan P. Cochran meghan@stern.net

Helen Fessenden has returned from four years abroad in Brussels, where she worked at Politico Europe as an editor for its health and financial services teams. She’s now a deputy business editor at the Washington Post

From left: Class of 1987 get together; Kimberley Hubble-Doll-DeSha ’88 with family.

and divides her time between D.C. and Richmond, where her husband runs a tennis coaching business for elite juniors. She misses Belgian fries, beer and chocolates but is glad to be back and looks forward to reconnecting with classmates in the area. Carolyn Karoll is co-authoring a book called Eating Disorder Group Therapy: A Collaborative Approach, which gives guidance to registered dietitians and therapists facilitating outpatient eating disorder groups. The publisher, Routledge, has a tentative release date of May 2024, although she is trying to get it out earlier to coincide with eating disorder awareness week in February. Jen Asplen Little and her husband, Jim, still live in Baltimore just a few miles away from Friends. Jen is the sophomore class dean at McDonogh School. Her son, Cole Corrigan, graduated in May from Washington College with a B.A. in psychology and will continue his academic and lacrosse career at Ithaca College, pursuing a master’s of science in exercise and sport sciences with a concentration in mental performance. Her daughter, Mary Corrigan, is a junior at Villanova University majoring in environmental science and is spending the fall semester at University College London. Amy McDougal: “I have had a challenging few months as my former husband Col. (Ret.) Steve Hutchens passed away in October from injuries he sustained while assigned to the Pentagon on 9/11. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on February 3rd. A month later, in March 2023, my brother Colin McDougal, who attended Friends in the Class of ’89 for 7th and 8th grades, passed away

from a seizure while at home in Alaska. My mother and I flew up to bury him at sea in the Gulf of Alaska, just out from the mouth of Resurrection Bay. In good news, my company CLEAResources is celebrating 10 years this fall. I recently wrapped up five years of service on the board of the International Cannabis Bar Association but will continue to work with cannabis attorneys and the industry on corporate governance, along with my other client work. After a four-year hiatus, I finally picked up my flute again, and I’m looking forward to having some fun with that. Christopher Vaughn: “All’s well with the Vaughn Clan. Julie continues to gracefully juggle the boys (that includes me) and her wealth management practice. I continue drafting purchase agreements at the law firm. Bo eked out a tortoise trip to the Galapagos last summer, and Chase will eke out a gorilla trip to Uganda next summer with their grandmother as reward for graduation from Calvert, so they’re getting an early taste of the world. They’re also marching up on driving age, so plenty of growth, testosterone and automobile talk in the Vaughn house right now. I keep up with Phil McIntyre, Eli Balser, Jon Kallen, Plato Heironimus, Jon Sherman, Jared Morris, Dave Saunders, Joe Corvera, Leslie Belgrad, Mary Collins and Jenny Asplen. Matt Warshawsky: “I have survived two years up in Alaska. Summers are fast and furious, and winters spent recovering from summer. And shoveling snow. I finished my first year at UAA towards getting a degree in music performance. I’m so used to being behind the scenes that being on stage is a huge challenge. That and getting my 52 year old brain to memorize pieces.

Our daughter starts high school next year, so that pretty much describes the rest of my day to day that isn’t work or practicing. Teenage life now is nothing like I remember it at Friends.”

90 Natalie Ferguson

natalie.s.ferguson@gmail.com

Hello from the Class of 1990. I’m sorry to report that this update begins with some sobering news about several of our classmates. In collecting our class notes, I was notified by Nancy Silex Ernst that our classmate and friend, Eben Hobbins passed away in February of 2023. Eben’s partner, Wendy, graciously shared news of Eben with us: “Very sadly, after beating the odds again and again, Eben Hobbins ‘90 died on February 19 of cancer. He was comforted and cheered by Friends School classmates throughout his illness right up to the end. His family asks that you remember his easy smile and continue to hold his three children in the Light.” Subsequently Wendy added, “I think Eben would most like his classmates to remember to have fun, be curious, and care passionately about the planet and its people.” Wendy, we do indeed hold you, your children and Eben in the Light and are sending you the best from the Class of 1990. Last year, we shared the news that Kate Kauffman Gibbons’ daughter, Paige, had just started her first year of college. Before that issue was published in November 2022, tragedy struck, and Paige died of a fentanyl overdose. She was only 19 years old at the time of her death. The Gibbons Family received a knock at the door on Sunday, November 20th with the news no parent ever wants to hear. With Katie’s permission, and to support the family’s noble effort in spreading awareness, I’m sharing

From left: Carolyn Karoll ’89 looks forward to publishing a new book in 2024; Christopher Vaughn ’89’s sons, Bo and Chase.

Paige’s story. I watched Dave and Paige’s sister Brooke’s tribute to Paige at her celebration of life and learned just how wonderful Kate’s daughter was. As Dave said, she lived a “life of consequence”. She loved her family, Taylor Swift, acting, theater and was driven and interested in others. She was a mental health advocate after having lost several friends to suicide and had just begun her first year at Hobart-William Smith. The strength and wherewithal that Kate, Dave and Brooke have shown since Paige’s passing is truly remarkable. Shortly after November 20th, the Gibbons Family committed to joining the “support community” to educate and spread the word of the fentanyl epidemic. To learn more about the dangers of fentanyl please visit dea. gov. If you’d like to honor Paige’s legacy and contribute to a place special to the Gibbons Family, donations are being accepted here: Monroe Community College Healthy Hero Camp, 1000 East Henrietta Rd. Rochester NY 14623. Please join me in holding Kate, Dave and Brooke in the Light. While I hesitated sharing additional news about our class after hearing about Eben and Paige, I know that their families and friends would want to encourage others to keep living life to the fullest. After gathering words from our classmates, in true Class of 1990 form, that’s exactly what we’re doing. Tyler Buck has a new-ish job, and guess what? You can join him there every day from 7-9am ET as “The Morning Show” radio host on WHFC 91.1 Harford County Community College. He “spins” tunes through the eclectic rock genre, taking many of us back to our “classic rock” phase of high school while introducing new and funky jams from today. Now that my girls drive themselves to school, I plan on streaming Tyler as many mornings as possible because his radio show is downright AWESOME (to use our generation’s term). If you’d like to stream our man, Tyler Buck in the morning, you can do so from the WHFC radio page: https://www.harford.edu/experience/ student-life/whfc/programming.php. I ’m listening to him right now and darn if he didn’t nail his choice – George Michael’s “Faith”. Well done, Ty Buck. Keep jamming, friend. Cheryle Oshman Blunt writes: “All is well here. We are moving across the Westtown campus out of our house

and into a townhouse that is generally reserved for ’senior faculty’. That’s right, the school has officially declared us to be old. But I’m sure the rest of our class is still young. Our daughter, Karah, is 16 and driving. She’ll be a junior at Westtown next year. Elson made a decision to move to teaching part time this year, and it’s been great! I’m teaching math here full time and am a dorm parent in the 9th grade girl-identifying dorm, and it’s been a great midlife career change. By some miracle of luck and good care, my pony just turned 33, and he’s still doing really well. He’s slowed down a bit, but I’m still riding him and teaching him new things. We have one on-purpose cat and three accidental ones – and while we think that’s officially too many, we choose to embrace love and adopt them all.” Cheryle, your students are so lucky to have you, as are your kitties and pony. And thanks for the assumption that the rest of the class is young. I hate to tell you, but we’re old too. Alexis Alexander Epperly writes: “Nicky, Nancy, Francesca and I had a great mini reunion in Southern Italy this spring. We enjoyed a week of catching up and touring the beautiful coast. I also got to grab lunch with Jenni Corrigan Politi and her husband Lax in Lisbon in February.” Alexis has moved back stateside with her beautiful family, settling nearby in Northern Virginia, closer to family. Seeing old friends gather in such a lovely spot warmed my heart – I’m so glad you ladies made this trip happen. Ryan Lamberg and Gus Warren got together in N.Y.C. along with our honorary class member, Jim Little. Ryan writes: “The three of us got together for a Mets game (could not seem to coordinate around the O’s, hon) a few weeks back. We look OLD! Cause we ARE!” The good news, Ryan, is that we’re all the same age so this is a safe space for us AARP newbies. And what a treat it was to hear from our pal, Will Rubenstein. Will sent a fantastic update which reads as follows: “I’ve lived in Yarmouth Port, Mass. (Cape Cod) since 2004 when Sandy and I moved here to buy Camp Wingate*Kirkland (https://www. campwk.com). It’s a sleepaway camp/ day camp/outdoor education center that is open to children and programs from April 1st to November 15th. 2023 is our 19th year on The Cape, and we are wicked fortunate to do what we do.”

(Sidenote: Kippy Joseph-Scott and I are officially ’Camp Wingate*Kirkland Camp Moms’. Our daughters, Kaia and Charlotte, respectively attended Camp WK and they LOVED it! Sandy and Will, along with all their counselors, treated our gals with the warmth and fun you’d expect. What a life highlight for our girls.) Will continues, “Our daughters Mia ,19, and Sarah ,12, are thriving. Mia starts Tufts University in fall, so that makes David Chiu happy, right? You’ll all be pleased to know that I am still a rabid Orioles/Ravens/Terps fan, as I LOVE my guerilla status embedded in New England. In my spare time, besides family and Cape Cod life, I am a huge Phish fan – 65 shows and counting. Please ping me if you are seeing them anywhere and let’s reconnect!” A.J. Pecora writes that his twin sons, Leo and Wesley, have just graduated from Towson University. I met A.J.’s sons at a Ravens game and they are fine young men. Incidentally, Wesley is the drummer in A.J.’s band, Skeleton Kings of Red. If you get a chance, check out their new single “Shut up and Kiss Me”. They will be releasing their entire album soon. And how’s this for a Friends School bent, the words of the song were originated by our own, Holter Graham. Still rockin’ and being you all these years later, A.J. We wouldn’t want you any other way. That’s it for now from the Class of 1990. Eben and Paige are forever in our hearts. We will honor their memories by making the most of our days ahead.

93

Caroline Huebner

Not a bad moment to be in! Our thirtieth reunion was a lot of fun! It was so nice to be back on campus and catch up with classmates in attendance, many of whom live in Maryland (Emily Pelton, Erika Smith, David Peck, Margo Lauterbach, Ed Simermeyer, Alex Blum, Nick Bentley, Damon Brown, Charlotte Kilchenstein) and some of whom traveled from out of state to attend (Nancy Snyder Irons, Sarah Standiford, Elizabeth Leonard Clifton and Luke Davis). I was honored to be given the Distinguished Alumni Award this year, and enjoyed giving a presentation on my music at Collection on Friday morning and visiting rehearsals on campus that afternoon. Nick Bentley and Damon Brown started a Baltimore-

based apparel brand, Bird City Designs (www.birdcitydesigns.com), which offers clothing and accessories that feature original artwork inspired by Charm City history and traditions. Nick and Damon would like to send special thanks to the Friends School development staff for allowing Bird City Designs to have a presence at the 2023 Friends Reunion Weekend, and to everyone from the Class of 1993 who came through with in-person and online purchases.” Brian Richards writes “I wish I could have attended the Reunion. I’m glad to share that my work at the Bill Richards Center for Healing and Sunstone Therapies in Rockville, Md. was featured in the second episode of the Netflix docuseries ’How to Change Your Mind’ by Michael Pollan, and also was recently published in JAMA Oncology (“Psilocybin Therapy for Patients With Cancer and Major Depression Disorder”).” Pam Sacks Ouaou writes “My husband and I dropped our son, Ben, off at Boston University in September for his first year of college where he is majoring in ecology and conservation biology. We then drove across the country and moved to Santa Fe, N.M. We love to ski, hike, and enjoy nature, so this was the perfect spot. We still have our neuropsychology practice and are getting involved here on a local level. Beautiful country out west :)” Frannie Hochberg-Giuffrida writes “I missed our 30th Reunion because for the past three years my family has been in Israel with the U.S. State Department. For more than a year, I’ve been covering human rights issues for the Office of Palestinian Affairs. Our time here has been memorable: we have loved exploring the country and region, but it has also been marked by Covid-19 and escalations of the conflict. We look forward to returning to D.C. in a few months, and, hopefully, reconnecting with friends.”

96Jeannie Achuff

dr.jeannieachuff@gmail.com

It is such a pleasure to hear from classmates every time this write-up is due. I get to exchange with people off the record and hear the nuances of how life is unfolding for them, and how they feel about it all. As one person noted, most people report on the milestones

that are more palpable measures of how life is progressing. For me, and I have found for several of our classmates, the real updates lie in between these milestones. We only have so many lines available to us in Collection Magazine, but I suspect all of us who spent so many years in the soup of Quakerism think about the deeper layers far more than we report on. Speaking of which, the graduating class of 2023 had the pleasure of Alicia Freeman as their commencement speaker. Alicia was the Baltimore County Teacher of the year last year and has clearly spent some time reflecting on these in-between spaces. You can view/listen to her speech on the Friends School of Baltimore Facebook page. Patrick Walsh, who is a Jungian therapist, is a self-described “divorced loner {who is} striking out as a remote therapist to wander the country, heal the worried well and have interesting conversations with strangers.” At the time of writing, he is somewhere in Colorado and the biggest thing weighing on him is that he is “just trying to decide if I should trade in my Crosstrek for a 4x4, which is a surprisingly nuanced decision.” In another notable moment of life, Walter “Chris” Saunders is RETIRING. You guys, we should have all been getting career advice from this guy! Chris, HUGE congratulations on your retirement from active duty in the US Coast Guard after 21 years of service. Chris worked as a helicopter mechanic/search and rescue duty flier/hoist operator. He has been stationed in Cape May, Bayonne and Atlantic City N.J., Kodiak, Ark., Cape Cod, Mass., Clearwater, Fla., San Diego Calif. now Elizabeth City, N.C. He is excited to relax some of the rules of being on active duty, and is “nervous as hell about making my own decisions about basic crap like what to wear, when to shave and where to live.” After the summer he and his family will try to move back to Southern California. Chris’ wife Summer has also been in the coast guard for 18+ years. She started off as an aviator as well, and currently works in the supply chain side of things. Their child Jackson just finished 7th grade and enjoys swimming, friends, comics, video games and goofing off. Jaimie Baron has been living in exciting times having her book published last year, and then

class notes

she spent the last year on a Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard working on a book about the filmmaker Shirley Clarke. Next, her family (husband Jonathan, kids Kai, 9, and Audrey, almost 6) is moving back to Berkeley, Calif. where she will be teaching film and media studies at University of California, Berkeley. Congratulations on all the advances in your career, Jaimie. Sara Hubbard Lofink resides in Baltimore (Ruxton) with her husband Greg and their three kiddos. Ella is almost 10, Quinn is 8 and Graham is 6. Graham just graduated from his Preschool Kindergarten, so next year Sara will have all three in big kid school. Phew! The Lofinks have a pooch named Shelby, who turns 1 next month. All of Sara’s littles are getting their own ground under them! I know she has had her hands full and is looking forward to a few more peaceful moments throughout her days. Andy Dale and Madeline Franklin Gross are reporting from more northern regions of the east coast. Andy says “Hello from West Newton, Mass.! My family just added a puppy named Peanut to the mix and he’s super sweet with our kids, Haley, 9 and Vivvy, 7.” Andy took a new job in January as GC of a TV advertising tech company called OpenAP and has been enjoying it. He, Dan Munoz and Dave Schummers ’95 are intending to travel somewhere together in the fall, “if we can pull it off!” he notes! Madeline is still living in suburban N.Y. and after 19 years of teaching middle school music at Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in New York City, she has just been hired into the lower school music department at Rye Country Day School in Rye, N.Y. “Hopefully, the little kids won’t eat me alive!” Susannah Gust Holmberg wrote in from Salt Lake City, Utah where she lives with her husband, Todd, their two kids Wyatt, 13, Annabelle, 9 and dog Otto. Wyatt is really into freestyle skiing and actually started competing this year on a freestyle team based in Park City, Utah. Annabelle plays soccer and loves writing, piano and any craft that requires a hot glue gun. Susannah started her own interior design business three years ago, which she reports is fun (and hard!). She has grown into a team of 6 and has projects from Moab to Connecticut. As a family they are increasingly spending more time on Orcas Island in the San

Juans in Washington where they run an Airbnb. I also heard from Emily Santos Fisher after many years! Emily lives in Chicago with her husband, Jake, two kids, Rosie, 9, Sam, 7, and pup, Nima, 12. Emily reports their family enjoys their neighborhood and school communities, playing golf and pickleball and the return of a vibrant music scene post-Covid-19. She’s been lucky to see fellow Friends School-ers like Susannah Gust Holmberg on ski trips to Utah, and looks forward to an annual summer pilgrimage to Bethany Beach, Del. where she hangs with Sara Hubbard Lofink and family. It also affords ample time cavorting with her sister, Natalie Santos Ferguson ’90, brother, Rich Santos ’94 and their families. Emily says she’s always happy to share the wonders of Chicago with visitors, so please reach out if business or travel takes you there! Last year I made a sweet little trip over to Poolesville, Md. to see Cary Pirone and her family. They have settled in on a beautiful old horse farm/hobby farm with their two kids, Max and Alex. She and her husband Stuart both commute into D.C. for work, but are really enjoying the serenity of the landscape around them. Lydia Ries O’Halloran wrote in from Pawley’s Island, S.C. She reports: “My husband Tom and I still live in Pawleys Island, S.C. with our 10 and 13-year-old daughters. We are both forestry & environmental conservation professors at Clemson University and work at a field station on the coast. I’m ready for a Friends School Reunion!” Thank you to everyone who shares updates and stories of how life is unfolding. I know I have been feeling pretty squarely mid-life here as I celebrated #45 this year. Like many of us, I am looking around for a change in my career, hoping to shift how I work and for whom I work. I still live in Victoria, BC with my 12-year-old son, Curzon, and our dog Frodo (who’s photo I included in my solicitation email to inspire responses. I think it worked! Look how many dogs were included in people’s stories!). Curzon and I are in the Calgary airport as I write, en route to a 3-week trip to Europe. I am so excited and admittedly have fears that I won’t want to return home! We will see what adventures await. Take care, everyone and keep in touch!”

97

Claire Cherlin Kosloff clairekosloff@yahoo.com

Hello class of ’97, hope everyone is doing well! Victory is mine - it seems my pestering emails annoyed everyone enough to yield several updates this time around. Hooray! Rida D’Agostino writes, “I’ve been doing well living and working in D.C. for the past 22 (!) years with my husband Andy and two sons Holden,10, and Turner, 5. In 2019, I started my own business with a partner called Foxhall House to Home. We provide luxury home services centered around preparing homes for the real estate market (staging/styling), home organization, and move management. It’s hard work but a lot of fun! On occasion, I can convince Charla Platt-Doble and her sister Johanna to drive to D.C. to work with me, which is the best! This past May we got the opportunity to travel to Southampton, N.Y. to organize and style a beautiful lake front property. I’m excited to keep growing the business and see where it takes us.” So proud of you, Rida! Hugh Peterson reports, “I’m doing well. My boys are 9 and 7 now and getting huge (shocking). Peta is wrapping up running Discovery’s Homestead Rescue and I managed to find a unicorn show that shoots in L.A. I’m executive producer on a new car show on Netflix called Resurrected Rides that’s hosted by Chris Redd. Should be released late this year or early 2024.” Jim Nicholas has a crazy update: “I just wrapped up a very rough Annapolis to Newport Race on a 44 foot sailboat with 10 other crew. The weather forecast looked grim during planning and did not disappoint. We saw up to 15 foot waves and 40 knots of wind in the ocean. Not much sleep was had, but luckily I

did not get sick. We saw lots of dolphins and even a whale! After three days, 13 hours and 17 minutes we finished....with rum waiting for us! 60 boats registered for the race and 31 resigned, so while relieved it was finally over, it seemed like a great accomplishment, too.” Very impressive, Jim! Katarina Carlin sent in a long overdue update. After stints in Los Angeles and New York City, Katarina has been back in Baltimore since 2010. She is married to Tunde Oyediran and they have two girls, Clara and Audrey. She is a licensed architect specializing in interior design. She recently survived a bout with breast cancer and urges everyone to get their scans! “Live hard!” We are so glad you’re better, Katarina, and cheering you on always! Mather Preston shares, “Well, the fantasy football league that I run and includes Jim Nicholas, Jon Yeager, Bob Michel and Zach Bryant is turning 20 this year. I see Jake Martin’s ’99 dad most Saturday mornings at my daughter’s lacrosse games. Steve Meredith and I bought a boat - he promises me it’ll float when we put it in the water after we (he) finishes all the repairs.” Jen InsleyPruitt wrote that “I have no real update because everything is largely at status quo. Oliver and Caroline are aging — they are now 12 and 7 — but obviously I am not, ha ha. One slightly interesting note is that we celebrated our 20th (!) wedding anniversary in May. Matt and I went to London for a few days, sans kids, and it was absolutely amazing. We are now counting the days until Caroline leaves for college (kidding, kidding).” Pete Levin did not send an update, but I hope he won’t mind me sharing that he was the first assistant director on the stunning film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, which my family and I absolutely

From left: Alice Simpkins Pomplon ’02’s daughter Georgie; Alice Simpkins Pomplon ’02’s daughters Georgie and Claire.

loved. Bravo, Pete! He was also recently featured in a profile by the Magnificent World of Toys – I really enjoyed the deep dive into his world. You can check it out on YouTube. Christina Counselman Patrick lives in Maine, where she spends a lot of time on the Little League fields with her two sons. Last year, she co-founded Leadwell, an executive coaching and consulting firm (fun fact: her co-founder lives in Maryland with two kids at Friends!). Christina was also recently elected to serve on her local school board. Congratulations, Christina! Recently a work project took Christina out to Los Angeles, and we got to catch up over dinner - a real highlight! As for me, I continue to fall more in love with California, though I always miss Baltimore and wish I could live there and send my kids to Friends! My daughter is 14 and starting high school in the fall, and my sons are 12 and 7. We recently added a kitten, Guava, to our brood. My husband Adam and I are working hard, shuttling kids all over town, and trying to stay zen amidst the chaos. One of my most recent television series, The Big Nailed It! Baking Challenge, premiered on Netflix on August 4th - check it out! My next project, Holiday Wars, will be on Food Network this holiday season. Wishing all of you a wonderful year ahead!

98

Justine Alger

jmforrester1@gmail.com

Hello to the class of ’98! It was fantastic to see so many of us at our 25-year reunion this past May. We had a total of close to 40 people show up, between the reception at Friends and our class party afterwards at Peabody Heights. Everyone who came seemed to have a great time catching up, and I look

forward to seeing you all again in 5 more years. While we drew a significant crowd in person this spring, you’ll get to hear from two of our classmates in this collection of notes. Alicia Atkinson is making up for lost time, and writes, “I’ll just start from a well established point of time: the beginning of the pandemic. I started my pandemic adventure off with a bang! I gave birth to an adorable little boy who I promptly gave back to his parents (dear friends of mine). Then instead of bringing home a baby, I brought home a full-grown dog who we named Maggie. Besides those exciting life events, my pandemic experience was much like any other; full of working from home, semi-”homeschooling,” and loss of a close family member. But the world got brighter this May with the Class of 1998 25-year reunion. It was wonderful reconnecting with so many people from our class, along with other FSB alumni.” Speaking of Maggies, Maggie Beetz and her husband Jesse (and their two cats) moved to West Towson, after 10 years in Hampden. She is working in the Maryland Department of Health’s Office of Communications covering mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention.” As for me, I am in my twelfth year teaching Eighth Age (second grade) at Calvert School. My three sons are students there, ages 5, 10, and 12, which makes it extra fun, for at least one of us. That’s all this time around! Hope everyone has a good year.

99

Lucia Treasure lucia.a.treasure@gmail.com

I continue my work as a theatre artist in Baltimore. I appeared in an adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s “The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch” earlier this year.

This fall I will be continuing my original series “BALTIMORATORY,” in which I curate Baltimore performers delivering historic speeches at Peabody Heights Brewery in Waverly. Next year I will be directing “Sailing Over a Cardboard Sea,” an original play by my brother Thomas Treasure ‘02, about the faking of the Apollo 11 moon landing. In May, I married my partner of 8 years, Milton Reder, at The Cloisters. It was such a joyful day, and our community soaked us in their love.

02 Camille Foster camille.powe@gmail.com

Christopher Wright cswright@gmail.com

Carolyn Richardson and her friend Chelsea flew out to Las Vegas and visited Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Grand Staircase National Monument in May. They hiked Lower Calf Creek Falls, Cassidy Arch, Angels Landing, The Fairyland Loop, Sunrise, Sunset, Wall Street hike, Peekaboo Canyon and Upper & Lower Emerald Pool hike to name a few. An epic trip to say the least. They stayed at an Airbnb that had miniature highland cows that would stick their head into the kitchen window and you could feed them treats. Jason Berman produced AIR with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker and Marlon Wayans, which theatrically released on April 5th from Amazon Studios. Alice Simpkins Pomplon and Dave Pomplon welcomed their second baby, Georgia Sutton Pomplon, on March 14th. Her big sister, Claire, loves having a new best friend.

Jason Berman ’02 with the cast of Air

Emily Lamasa selamasa@gmail.com

Hi all! It was so nice to see so many of you at the reunion in May. Thanks again to Ben Pittman (and his lovely wife Jackie) for hosting us and to Ben and Jordan Taler for organizing. Kate Jakuta (nee Meyer) reports that she just graduated with a Master of Social Work degree and is working as the Direct of Family Support programs at a non-profit in Baltimore called Southeast Community Development Corporation overseeing case management services. Danielle Waranch Bilenky writes that she and her husband Steve live in Ruxton with their 15 month old son Cooper. After the reunion they met Emily Weinman and her family at an outdoor music event. She also says “It was great catching up with everyone at the reunion!” I would be absolutely remiss if I didn’t say that I completely forgot to include Cari’s update in the last round of class notes, but am going to include that update here along with an additional update! After their Fall 2020 wedding was canceled due to the pandemic, Cari Whitney eloped with her partner of 10 years, Evan List, on October 31, 2020, on a hill in upstate New York. They had a second intimate ceremony (with Quaker elements!) and celebration with family and friends at one of their favorite restaurants in Brooklyn a year later. Although her oldest friend (Emily Lamasa) could not attend because she had a baby, Lily Mendelson, Julien Pell ’04, Gant Powell, Allison Levin, and Danielle McCullough were there representing. They ate croquembouche and topped off the night with karaoke, which always reminds Cari of Mr. Schlenger saying “Cari-okay?” Cari and Evan took a break from having weddings in 2022 and are expecting their first baby on July 9, 2023. Although he never responds to my emails, Steve Sauder is living in Toronto with his wife and two kids (ages 5 and 2.5) and they’re expecting a third in October. Steve works as a consultant for Jacobs Solutions and is set to move to a new house in his neighborhood in the Fall. He says “I’m always open for visits from old classmates!” Since the last time I wrote class notes, I’ve been to two Friends weddings. Danielle McCullough married Lorne Behrman in July 2022

(Cari Whitney and I were bridesmaids!). They married in Mt. Washington and Gant Powell and his (now) husband, Daniel Pesick, were in attendance. Gant reports, re: his own wedding (which Cari, Danielle, Jacob Wilcock, Sam Powell ’06 (perhaps obviously), and Peter Mellott ’06, and I all attended), that “I married Daniel Pesick of West Bloomfield, MI on May 13th in Prospect Park Brooklyn, steps from our home in Park Slope. It was a Jewish ceremony with lots of family and friends, and there was dinner, dancing and ice cream.” Gant designed all the wedding paper and our ketubah and it was all so beautiful! At Gant’s wedding, I learned that Jacob has recently purchased a house on Fire Island and is driving the same car used for his Appalachian Trail trek in support of his DIY renovations! Sounded very cool. I’ve recently purchased a house in Annapolis with my husband (Andrew), and we’ve moved in with our two boys and extremely geriatric cat. We’re enjoying life by the water as much as people can with two tiny people in tow. I’m hoping to run into T.J. Garman and his family at our local Trader Joe’s one day soon and if we haven’t by the time this is published, let’s do it on purpose! I am sure that I have left out someone’s exciting update, but once again I have left writing this until the very last minute. I hope to hear from any of you any time during the year if you have updates (or just want to say hi!) and to see even more of you at our 25th!

04 Abby Seiler aseiler8@gmail.com

We have several updates as the Class of ’04 heads deeper into the world of parenthood! Eli Dresner and his wife

Danielle welcomed a baby girl this past spring - Genevieve Gold “Goldie” Dresner, born on April 13. They report having an amazing time so far and it’s been fun for her to meet plenty of other ‘04 alums and their kids. Mike Levin is an attorney at Silverman Thompson in Baltimore where he works closely with Pierce Murphy ‘03. His son Benjamin Levin ‘36 had a great first year in Pre-K at Friends. Nick Silbergeld and his wife Annie welcomed their second kid, Graham Michael Silbergeld, on May 23 and their oldest, Teddy, is loving being a big brother (so far). Ben Barchey and his wife Whitney welcomed their baby girl, Sena, in August of 2022. Ben recently took a great job with Pacific Life in their retirement and investment division, covering Washington State. He and the family have relocated to the Bellevue area and are looking forward to bringing Sena home to meet all of their east coast friends and family and to watch the Ravens dominate! As for me, I am also hoping to raise another Ravens fan in my two-year-old son, Theo, and enjoyed taking him to the Friends lower school playground earlier this year for some fun and fond memories. 05

Christina Forsting Taler

christina.forsting@gmail.com

Dan Benamor continues to oversee podcasts for Voyage Media. The podcast network he helped start has crossed one million downloads within two years and featured star performers like Jane Lynch, Dean Norris, Ann Dowd, Iain Glen and more. Borderline, a true crime podcast Dan produced, has been acquired by a documentary company, Bungalow, and is in development to become a live-action

From left: Eli Dresner ’04 and spouse Danielle welcome daughter Genevieve; Ben Barchey ’04 with spouse Whitney and daughter Sena

documentary. https://www.voyagemedia. fm/show/borderline/ Charlotte Baldwin van de Crommert is an associate director at The Young School Kings Contrivance in Columbia, Md., where she oversees the preschool program curriculum. She and her husband, Matthew, live in Severn with their three sons, Michael, William and Thomas. They are expecting their fourth son in late October. Margot Hecht and her husband recently welcomed their first child, Hope Elizabeth Schaffner, on April 28th, 2023. Margot continues to live and work in D.C. and is currently the head of external relations at the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM-UN Migration) Washington, D.C. country office. Erica Lasan launched a new business in 2019, JOYrney To Purpose™, which has grown over the past three years to include coaching and consulting for entrepreneurial women and caregivers. Erica also offers workshops and speaking services to organizations seeking to return JOY and well-being to the workplace. Her book, The JOYrney Daily™ Planner, was inspired by her transition to motherhood as a multi-passionate entrepreneur and highlights some of the fun, creative concepts/strategies she’s integrated into working with her clients over the years. Overall, the book is a tool to support women in rediscovering personal JOY in their personal AND professional lives – as they move through various seasons and stages of life. “Career aside, my husband Nick and I celebrated 16 years of togetherness this year. Our kids, Arria and Jaiyce, both celebrated getting a year older in February and March – and our extended family is healthy and well!”

Claire Vogelstein

Loeb is a supervising casting producer at Kinetic Content, a production company based in Los Angeles. She oversees the casting of hit shows, including Love Is Blind, Married At First Sight, and The Ultimatum. She and her husband Eric Loeb live in Towson, Md. with their two children, Liam and Luna. After spending four and a half years in Hong Kong, Timothy McLaughlin and his wife live in Singapore. “We recently finished writing our book, Among The Braves: Hope, Struggle, and Exile in the Battle for Hong Kong and the Future of Global Democracy, which documents the city’s pro-democracy movement from 1989 through the protests of 2019 and 2020. It is being published by Hachette Book Group and will be on sale in early November.” Casey Royer finished her 11th year owning her dance studio, Arts in Motion Dance Academy, in Richmond, Va. She has about 200 dancers enrolled from ages 18-months to 70-years-old and is proud to be the only LGBTQIA-owned and LGBTQIA-affirming dance studio in the area. Casey is excited to share that she’s recently engaged to her partner, Margi Whitmore. They’ll be getting married in October 2024 in Richmond. Together, Casey and Margi purchased their first home in November 2022 and are working on exciting house projects. They share two rescue dogs, Benji and Kora. Britt Starr, Ph.D., graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, this semester with a Ph.D. in English and graduate certificates in digital studies and gender studies. She lives in Baltimore and is excited to celebrate her daughter’s first birthday in July. Rob Stromberg and his wife Kara have a 5-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter. They reside in

Abington, Pa. where Rob runs a boutique financial planning firm called Mountain River Financial.

08

Jasmine Powe Ruschmann jasmine.ruschmann@gmail.com

Jenna Blewis Burton is living in Greenwich, Conn. with her husband Marcus and two daughters (Isla and Rosie, almost 3 and 11 months, respectively). Jenna works part-time as a clinical psychologist in private practice, primarily treating Columbia students after completing her postdoc there. She loves the flexibility of her work, which allows her to soak up this time with her little ones. She loves going to the beach at Tod’s Point with her family on the weekends. Rachel Lupien has moved to Denmark to work as an assistant professor of geoscience at Aarhus University. She’s leaning into the Danish lifestyle by cycling, knitting and enjoying the very long summer days.

11

Ashley Geleta ageleta@fandm.edu

Hi from Morocco! I am writing this year’s class notes from Rabat, where I am currently on a detail to the U.S. Embassy. I’m here to support the countering weapons of mass destruction (think chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons) mission for the Department of Defense (DoD) and have been getting to travel lots as a result. I love working for the DoD and preventing the proliferation of some pretty nasty stuff throughout the world. Here’s a photo of me exploring! Maura Tull graduated from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music and has since made her way into the local Baltimore music scene,

From left: Margot Hecht ’05’s daughter Hope Elizabeth Schaeffer; Erica Lasan ’05’s new book, “The JOYrney Daily™ Planner”; Jenna Burton ’08 with spouse Marcus and daughters Isla & Rosie.

playing harp and singing a variety of music as well as her own original songs. You should absolutely check out a show sometime soon - find her on Instagram @mauramichaelaharp where she posts about upcoming shows! I know I’ll be going to one once I’m back stateside. See you there!

12

Declan Meagher kerb501@yahoo.com

The Twelvers (Class of 2012) are always up to something. Here are a few recent highlights from what some members of our class have been up to…Ali Allen continues to teach French at Gilman’s Upper School. She is serving as the advisor for the Gilman School gender and sexuality alliance (which helps support open dialogue about LGBTQ+ issues in the school community). She is also the vice president of the Maryland-based nonprofit “OCHO” (Organization for Community Health Outreach), with which she has been involved since Cristina Saenz de Tejada recruited her as an interpreter/volunteer in 2016. OCHO works with and for the people of Honduras to create equity in healthcare, special needs and public health through sustainable partnership. Ali just came back from her fourth trip to Honduras, this year being the first since the start of the pandemic. Ali also continues to sing with the Canticle Singers Women’s Choir, and also served as a chaperone for the 2023 Gilman School choir trip to Portugal. She also serves as a cantor for Catholic churches around the Baltimore metro area as well as churches in other cities (Memphis,

Miami). Katya Spitznagel recently graduated from Colorado State University (the number two veterinary medical school in the US) with her doctorate of veterinary medicine. Katya is headed off to an internship in Kansas for a year, after which she will be applying for a residency in veterinary ophthalmology — dealing with animal eyeballs means Katya will be able to work with ALL species, even zoo and wildlife! Katya lives with her horse, four rabbits and her partner of 10 years, Torin, all of whom are heading to Kansas together. Rachel Bolan has recently changed her name! She is now known as Rachel Bolan Knott following her marriage. Mrs. Knott is now working in marketing for Hord Coplan Macht, an architectural design firm. Dalton White is making plans to apply for a master in library science this fall. His potential places of higher learning include University of Maryland, Dominican University and Catholic University. While working on his applications, Dalton is employed as an administrative assistant at Witherup Allen Law. Dalton enjoys the work but only barely tolerates having Will McAllen as a coworker (he’s joking, of course). Declan Meagher just finished his first contract as a shipwide director for the Disney Cruise Line. After six contracts as a performer, he returned to instruct, direct, and install the cast of the interactive shows in immersive venues onboard the Disney Wish — the company’s newest cruise ship. This position was a goal of Declan’s for a long time (even, perhaps, since he learned from and worked with Michael McVey on Summer Stock @ Friends) and he is so happy to have had this opportunity to utilize some of the the skills he learned at Friends, direct roles that he had a hand in developing last spring and work in the same studio as his fiancé, Sara Murray. We always look forward to hearing more and more of what our classmates are up to as they continue to make strides in their adult lives — with now more than ten years as alumni. Andrew Cooper ’73 writes that Ella Cooper ’12, was engaged to be married to Paul Adkins on July 7, 2023. The wedding will be in 2024. Andy and Carol are so happy, and join with the Adkins family in Love and Happiness (with respects to Al Green).

13 Chrissie Baker Roethle chrissie.e.baker@gmail.com

In May 2023, the class of 2013 had so much fun catching up at our ten year Reunion! Brennan Parker graduated with their M.A. in integrated design from The University of Baltimore in May 2022. In September 2022 he started working as a graphic designer at AdsIntelligence Marketing in Annapolis and continues to work with freelance design clients as well. May 2023 also marked his fifth wedding anniversary with his partner, Ember, where they met in undergrad at Guilford College. They live in Annapolis with their two cats, Spinach and Moss.

14 Amelia Merrill amelia7merrill@gmail.com

Meg Conner and Ben Mossman got engaged in May, 2023. They live in Baltimore with their rescue dogs, Ghost and Fern. LilyAnna Segalman got engaged to Tom Fellona in March. Grace Hand Buly welcomed her son, William John, with husband Nick Buly in June, 2023. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Connecticut. Adrienne Jankowski is also pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and neuropsychology at Ohio University. Amy Lieber graduated from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University in May, earning her Master of public policy. Santiago Loane is pursuing a master’s degree in theoretical physics at Brown University. Lauren Linehan graduated from the Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business, earning her Master of business administration. Simone Fields graduated from the University of Maryland School of Nursing and is now a registered nurse and clinical nurse leader. She hopes to work in pediatric intensive care. Both Bonnie Salmerón and Louise (Weezie) Foster recently graduated from Columbia University. Bonnie studied epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health, and Louise studied at the School of International and Public Affairs. Louise also got engaged to Max Beatty in the summer of 2022. Lauren Eller graduated from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and recently moved to Alexandria, Va. Will Rogers is pursuing a J.D. at the Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University.

Ashley Geleta ’11 in Morrocco.

2023

Quaker Nation and the Friends School Alumni Association hosted the 7th Annual Turkey Bowl on Nov. 9, 2022. The college age classes of 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 turned out to battle the senior Class of 2023. Refreshment sales supported UNICEF.

2023 ALUMNI LEGACIES

Top row, from left: John Texter ’83, Elijah Texter ’23, Amy Hardin '82, James Hardin ’23, Sevie Schulhoff ’23, Stephen Schulhoff ’84, Anthony Smith ’23, Molly Smith ’82, Benjamin Smith ’23

Bottom row, from left: Jessica Dailey ’91, Jack Dailey ’23, Reed Riley ’80, Alice Riley ’23, Lucien Walsh ’88, Elie Walsh ’23, Rachel Millspaugh ’23, Sarah Millspaugh ’88

MILESTONES

MARRIAGES

1952

Ann Briddell Handley and Henry Brown

1963

William M. Dugdale and Monette DelRosario

October 2022

2000

Emily M. Heinlein and Matt Morgan

2001

Meredith and Kyle M. Harrison

Steven C. Rotundo and Audrey Barker

2002

William C. Holman and Amanda Buck

2003

Leesy and Timothy Garman

September 2022

Elisabeth N. Gabriel and Mike Borgonos

Allison S. Levin and Max LeVee

2005

Timothy E. McLaughlin and Shibani Mahtani

Kara and Robert T. Stromberg

2006

Lauren and Eric V. Dang

2008

Brittany Davis and Christian Asaban

October 2022

Jenna Blewis and Marcus Burton

October 2022

Benjamin Fass and Ashley Magnuson

September 2022

Daniel Feinberg and Melanie Yaris

September 2022

Elaine S. Kwon and Jordan Taylor

Jocelyn Worley and Paul Sarkaria

July 2021

2012

Rachel Bolan and Henry Knott

June 2022

2013

Matt and Sam Potter

2014

Jordan R. Hartman and Kenny Wexler

October 2021

Sarah F. Miller and Aaron Abramowitz

March 2022

AS OF SEPTEMBER 2023

BIRTHS

2002

Alice Simpkins Pomplon and David Pomplon, Georgia Pomplon, March 2023

2004

Ben and Whitney Barchey, Sena Barchey, August 2022

Danielle and Eli B. Dresner, Genevieve “Goldie” Dresner, April 2023

Annie and Nick Silbergeld, Graham Silbergeld, May 2023

2005

Rachel W. Brocato and Rishabh Orhi, Mira Orhi, April 2023

Margot Hecht and Brian Schaffner, Hope Schaffner, April 2023

2006

Brian and Christina Penza

Kyle Penza, June 2022

2008

Jenna and Marcus Burton, Rosie Burton, August 2022

2014

Grace Hand Buly and Nick Buly

William Buly, August 2023

IN MEMORIAM

1943

Lila Andrews Heitzler

March 2020

Betty Jones Vincenti

December 2021

Elaina Medinger Winslow

October 2021

1944

George W. Settle

November 2021

1945

Patricia Maxwell McKay

January 2021

1946

Robert W. Catzen

March 2023

Sallie Willis Hewitt

January 2023

Charles McCormick, Jr.

March 2022

Hal M. Ness, Jr.

February 2022

1947

Jane Seiler Britton

March 2020

Leslie E. Goldsborough, Jr.

April 2023

Allene Roos Lapides

April 2022

Elizabeth Schreiber Requard

July 2020

Joanne Diehl Tarler

May 2020

1948

James G. Luttrell, Jr.

October 2022

Dorothy Stafford Peagler

September 2021

1950

Mara Donovan Dudrow

July 2023

1951

Patricia Chenowith Bingham

February 2021

Lella Lee Davis Edwards

October 2021

Patricia Janvier King

May 2022

Virginia A. McClain 2022

Sarah L. Curlett MacLeod

November 2022

G. Jackson Phillips, Jr.

January 2023

Jocelyn Newell White

April 2023

1952

Richard R. Cutler, Sr.

September 2021

J. Richard O’Connell

October 2022

1953

Frederick W. Hearn

October 2022

1954

Sara Jane Lembcke Anton

June 2021

Jane Lippy David

June 2023

1955

Amos E. Badertscher, Jr.

July 2023

1956

John P. David

October 2022

Sue Bonnett Hamel

July 2022

Robert O. Wilbur

December 2022

1959

J. Eugene Hubbard

April 2021

James B. Stott

March 2023

Joseph B. Wharton III

January 2023

1960

Eli C. Renn

December 2022

1961

Barbara Turnbull Davis

August 2023

1963

David E. Moran

March 2023

1967

Sally K. Sutley

July 2023

1980

Lance S. Reddick

March 2023

1990

T. Eben Hobbins, Jr.

February 2023

2003

Angela Shingleton

July 2022

PARENTS & CAREGIVERS

2022-2023

A Message from the Friends School Parents Association

As Friends School began their 2022-2023 school year, the Friends School Parents Association (FSPA) dove right back into hosting events in-person with an emphasis on building community. We continued our tradition of holding our four signature events, Scarlet & Gray Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, Night Out with Friends, and the Faculty & Staff Appreciation Luncheon and gave back to the School and our community with hundreds of volunteer hours and over $30,000 raised.

Additionally, because the COVID pandemic had us canceling some of our programming from the last two years, we accumulated some funds, which led us to giving an additional gift of $10,850 to Faculty & Staff.

Other FSPA highlights include continuing with ourDEI Speakers Series, Community Giving Tree, Friendly Fridays, Parent Socials, and Brain Boosters, as well as launching additional community building activities, such as Walking Wednesdays.

Vivian Sund P’27, ’29, FSPA Chair

Shareka Weaver P’31, FSPA Chair-Elect

FUNDRAISING

• Night Out with Friends - $23,000

• Brain Boosters - $6,100

• Square 1 Art - $1,500

In addition to our annual dues, these fundraising dollars had an immediate impact on our Friends School community.

Below are details on how these funds were spent this year:

• Enriching Student Life:

$6,100 Gift to Friends Prom Night 2024

$1,500 Gift to Friends LS Yearbook

• Building Community:

$1,300 DEI Speakers

$4,100 Faculty & Staff Appreciation Lunch

$10,850 Faculty & Staff Appreciation Gift

• Wish List: $23,000 Night Out with Friends ticket sales, direct donations, sponsorships and a silent auction helped raise $23,000 to support the School’s Wish List.

Above: Carnival games and activities for all ages at S&G Day 2022.

Vivian Sund, chair, and Shareka Weaver, chair elect.

parents association

NIGHT OUT WITH FRIENDS 2023

Top: Capturing the theme of “The Scarlet Garden”; Bottom: Silent Auction Items

SCARLET & GRAY DAY 2022

Top: The Spirit Wear Table; Bottom: Parents volunteer to run the concessions stand at the Snack Shack

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY OF SERVICE 2023

Left: Story time with grandfriends at Broadmead, Hunt Valley, MD; Right: Students visiting the Baltimore Hunger Project

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

A MESSAGE FROM LESTER DAVIS P’28, ’28, ’30

The Board of Trustees Clerk

In my second year as Clerk, I’m thrilled to share highlights of the exciting work that the Board has pursued this year, much of which will extend into the coming school years and will have a positive impact on the overall financial and academic strength of Friends School.

Although Friends School was founded in 1784, we procured our historic North Charles Street location in 1925 to serve as our sports and exercise facility, based out of what is today known as the PrePrimary building. After almost 100 years on Charles Street, the Board embarked upon a full campus planning process in 2020 to prepare us for our next 100 years. This work resulted in the adoption of a new Campus Master Plan in 2022, which outlines several pathways for us to maintain and enhance our student-centered learning environment far into the future.

Centering our commitments to academic excellence (through the 3 A’s: academics, arts, athletics), stewardship (honoring the gifts and resources that we’ve been given), and inclusion (creating a learning environment where all students can thrive), the Board has chosen to begin the Campus Master Plan work by focusing on our youngest learners. Strengthening enrollment in the lower grades creates a strong pipeline of students and a more predictable financial model. The following projects comprise the first phase of realizing the Plan:

LITTLE FRIENDS The desire to develop an enduring passion for learning begins at the earliest ages. Little Friends Early Learning Center is our full-service childcare center for children 6 weeks to 4 years old. Recently, we expanded our enrollment capacity at Little Friends by repurposing one of our residential buildings on campus to house two new classrooms of 3- and 4- year olds.

LOWER SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

The Lower School building is the School’s second oldest on campus, and it has remained largely unchanged for several generations. Our vision is to renovate and optimize the spaces within our Lower School to meet the needs of today’s students and families. During the 2022-2023 school year, the Board approved plans to address this iconic building’s needs, and work is planned to begin in Summer 2024. Some highlights of the renovation include:

• Modernization of the building’s major infrastructure systems, such as HVAC, lighting, plumbing, energy efficiency, and technology.

• ADA upgrades such as the reconfiguration of all restrooms, installation of an elevator and an interior platform lift, overhauling ramps and pathways, and improving directional signage.

• Refreshed classrooms, hallways and common spaces with flexible furnishings designed to support our inquiry-based teaching and learning model and foster collaboration.

• New spaces where students can gather and collaborate outside of the classroom.

LOWER SCHOOL PLAYGROUND

While the interior of the Lower School project is being completed, we will also address our outdoor learning spaces. Thanks to a significant gift from the Estate of Ian Ferguson ’81, the Lower School Playground will be revitalized to support the science and art curriculum, to enhance play-based learning, and to inspire students’ natural curiosities and explorations. A Playground Design Committee has been formed and specific plans for this project are forthcoming. These projects, which are focusing on our youngest learners, are just the first steps in our plans for the entire campus. The Campus Master Plan includes improvements and enhancements for each and every part of our Charles Street grounds. We are grateful for your continued support as we embark on these projects that will undoubtedly elevate the Friends School experience. Together, we are shaping a future that aligns with our values and reimagines the Lower School for generations to come.

In partnership,

Lester Davis P’28’ 28, ’30 Clerk, Board of Trustees

Lester Davis is the President, Chief of Staff of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), and is serving his second year as board clerk.

The Fund for Friends Exceeds Goal Again!

Graciously led by Shareka Weaver, current parent of a Lower School student, the Friends community collectively raised almost $2 million for The Fund for Friends, the School’s annual giving program, in the 20222023 school-year. Shareka worked with a team of dozens of volunteers, composed of fellow parents, alumni, and, of course, the Development Office staff, to exceed the $1.8 million goal established by the School’s Board of Trustees. Congratulations!

The Fund for Friends is the School’s #1 fundraising priority. Every gift–of any size–really does matter. It’s about coming

2022–2023

together as a community and truly prioritizing the young people in our care. Every dollar raised directly impacts our community throughout the school year, helping to meet the needs of families through financial assistance, and augmenting the student experience through support of our academic, athletic and arts programs.

New Director of Annual Giving Nolan Warthen joined the Development Office this fall after taking the reins from longtime annual fund director Caroline Rayburn P’23. Upon arriving for his first week of school, Nolan shared that he loves this work because, as he puts it, “The annual fund brings the school day to life.”

When you make your gift to The Fund for Friends, know that you and countless others are having a very real impact on our students each and every day.

FUND FACTS

230+ Leadership Gifts

Over 230 donors gave $1,000+

1500 donors

Including 600 parents, grandparents and parents of alumni donors (approx.)

Reunion classes with the highest participation: 1938, 1944, 1956, 1963, & 1974

Most generous classes: 1980 & 1983

$1,990,000 raised for The Fund for Friends!

Out of the School’s total FY 22-23 annual fundraising of $3.25 million.

A SPECIAL EVENT

Thanking Our Leadership Donors

In November of 2022, Friends held the annual Donor Appreciation event in the James L. Zamoiski ’68 Center. Hosted by Head of School Christian Donovan, guests included current parents, alumni, parents of alumni and friends who made leadership gifts to the School in the prior fiscal year. Old friends and new friends enjoyed seeing one another at this post-pandemic celebration as Dr. Sujay Pathak ’95, alum and current parent, provided the music. Christian expressed his gratitude for their giving and shared with guests the results of last year’s philanthropy. He also gave a preview of upcoming fundraising opportunities that will have a significant impact on our students - from growing our financial assistance program to meet our families needs to much-needed renovations to our historic buildings so they better support the demands of our academic and athletic programs. If you would like more information about how your giving can make a difference, please reach out to Ashley Principe, Director of Development at aprincipe@friendsbalt.org.

Brandyn Hicks, Kohli and JP Flick, Anne Mickle

RENEWING A LEGACY: James

L. Zamoiski ’68

Alumni Center

Thanks to a generous family donation, the James L. Zamoiski ’68 Alumni Center has undergone an interior refresh to honor the 25th anniversary of this beloved alumnus’ passing.

Jimmy’s unexpected passing in 1997 rocked Friends and the greater Baltimore community. A multi-generational Friends School family, Jimmy, his sister Clair Segal ’71, his children Rachel D. Zamoiski Soifer ’00 and Catherine J. Halprin ’02, and many cousins all graduated from the School. After graduating from Friends, Jimmy returned to campus often to serve as a longtime trustee and fundraiser, setting high expectations as he asked the School to act, “ambitiously, with conviction.”

The campus alumni center, which opened in 2003, was built to honor Jimmy and preserve his legacy at Friends.The James L. Zamoiski ’68 Alumni Center, affectionately known as the ZAC, was designed by architect and Class of 1969 graduate, Becky Boswell Swanston, and holds hundreds of events and meetings throughout the year. After 25 years of continual use, it needed a total refresh. Jimmy’s daughters Rachel and Catherine, and their mom Dr. Joan Rogers, stepped in to help, making a remarkable contribution of $100,000 towards the effort. Rachel’s classmate Shanna Tellerman ’00, founder of Modsy, a webbased interior design company, helped too, lending the expertise of her design staff to develop the new and inviting look. One year after the Zamoiski family made their gift, the ZAC has been transformed with new furnishings throughout, including an updated conference room with new technology. From alumni to current and prospective parents and employees, the ZAC is often a first stop on the Friends campus. It’s fitting that the space once again reflects the warm and welcoming nature of the person for whom the building is named.

Class of 2023 Senior Family Gift A LONG STANDING TRADITION

THE SENIOR FAMILY GIFT COMMITTEE

PARENTS:

Davia Lilly-Barnes and Beulah Sabundayo, Co-Chairs, Tammy Burgunder, Sheila Chamberlain, Joanie Clark, Jean Dubose, Jocelyn Kehl, Tamme Lunn, Caroline Rayburn, Fern Riley, Brandy Supik, Steve Taylor, Kathie Wachs, Erica Wolfe, Cheryl Caplan-Zalis

STUDENTS:

Dylan Barnes ’23, Amanda Kaspar ’23, Avery Marr ’23, Leigh Rayburn ’23, Anthony Smith ’23, Joseph Supik III ’23, Anna Trudeau ’23, Anneke Wagner ’23, Jonah Zalis ’23

Since 1989, senior families have come together to make a significant gift in honor of the graduating class. When the Class of 2023 parents and students first met to discuss how they could make an impact on Friends through what is now known as the Senior Family Gift Effort, they felt strongly that their legacy should accomplish two things – support the student community and leave a tangible mark on campus. They accomplished both, raising nearly $160,000 for financial assistance and the refurbishment of the Upper School lobby. The School is grateful to the class for helping fellow families afford a Friends education –nearly 50% of students receive some form of financial assistance - and for transforming the Upper School lobby into an even more welcoming space

Congratulations to the 2022-2023 Senior Family Gift Committee, the Class of 2023 and their families for their commitment and generosity to Friends School.

AN EXTRAORDINARY GIFT

Alumnus leaves Friends $1 Million

After graduating from Friends, alum Ian Fergusson ’81 had a long career at the Congressional Research Services arm of the Library of Congress, where he specialized in international trade and finance. Ian unexpectedly passed on in 2021, leaving the School an extraordinary distribution from his estate — a gift of $1 Million.

Ian was a loyal annual fund donor and a member of The Circle of Friends, the School’s planned giving society. The School is deeply grateful to Ian, who made a plan to generously take care of Friends, giving new generations of students the opportunity to thrive in our academically rigorous, Quaker-based community. If you would like to learn more about including Friends in your estate plan, contact Director of Major and Planned Giving Jocelyn Kehl at jkehl@friendsbalt.org.

In Memory Tribute — Diane McGraw H’99

“My mother is most energized before one of her speeches, whether to an auditorium of staff, parents, or students. She gleans inspiration from [the] Quaker principles. Her greatest joy is in sharing those beliefs with others.”

- Laura McGraw-Cook ’84, Collection Magazine, 1999

In mid-August, longtime Friends School educator and leader Diana Renshaw McGraw H’99 passed away. Diana was a dynamic and central figure in the Lower School for thirty years, from 1968 to 1999. She first joined Friends as a teacher, and was later asked to serve as principal by then Head of School Dr. Byron Forbush ’47. The warm leadership style she showed in the classroom, on the playground, and during family-style meals with students, extended to her administrative responsibilities as she collaborated with faculty to develop new programming, mentored teachers and supported caregivers. It is fair to say that Diana had a profound impact on the Friends Community.

Her influence extended far beyond the confines of campus. She served on various committees for the Association of Independent Maryland Schools, and the Friends Council on Education to name just two. In honor of all her contributions - to Friends and beyond - the School awarded Diana an honorary alumna degree in 1999 when she retired.

Diana passed away peacefully on August 14, 2022, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Her four children Christopher McGraw ’82 (deceased), Tim McGraw ’83, Laura McGraw-Cook ’84 and Bryan McGraw ’88 all attended Friends, and benefited from her guidance at school and at home.

The Christopher R. McGraw Scholarship Fund was established in memory of Diana’s son Chris, and provides tuition assistance to students in Middle or Upper School. The family requests that gifts be made to the fund in lieu of flowers. To contribute to the scholarship, please contact the Alumni & Development Office at 410-649-3268, or email alumni@friendsbalt.org.

THE FACULTY ROOM

Lisa Countess, a longtime staple in our community, has been at Friends School for almost 40 years. When she first started, Lisa taught Latin and tenth grade English, and later picked up ninth grade history (Great Civilizations). She has also been the faculty advisor for the Black Student Union for many years. Lisa’s role at Friends doesn’t stop there, however, as she holds the important position of overseeing Collection in the Upper School.

Collection is a time when Upper School faculty and students come together, meeting twice per six-day cycle, or in some cases, once a week. Clerked by the School Senate Co-Presidents, it begins with a moment of quiet reflection before diving into the agenda. It is used to conduct school business including announcements, attendance taking, and disseminating important information. What makes Collection so special, however, are the times when community members or invited guests take the stage for musical performances, enriching cultural and academic presentations, and more.

When Lisa originally took over this role at the departure of her mentor, Nick Fessenden H’10, Collection met every day. While that schedule has since been revised there is still much to do in preparation for the next meeting. Her dedication to Collection is easily seen as each meeting brings something new. Lisa herself embodies the spirit of these meetings through her kindness, patience, and openness. In September of this year, she sent a heartfelt reflection, in her own words, to the Upper School about what Collection means to her:

COLLECTION MEMORIES . A very young Brandi bravely shares her short story. Giorgio plays the piano like Chopin reborn. Members of the Book Club read excerpts from their favorite books. The PNSJ class reveals injustice in Baltimore and spearheads important social change. A theater workshop production and a video from Page to Frame stir controversy and shock and conversation. A shy student thrills and surprises us during a Broadway Musical Workshop performance. The Concert Chorale transports us to heaven. Aubrey explodes across the stage in dance. The Pre-Primary students dress up as Dalmatians or little rats with Mr. Yutzy dressed as the Pied Piper, singing a not-so-scary Halloween song. The Jazz Ensemble playing Night in Tunisia. Mr. Garman sharing his wonder and gratitude at creation as he introduces us all to his newborn son, TJ. Collection is a meeting for community. It showcases the best of Friends School, of who we are and who we would like to be. Collection showcases the diversity of ideas and talents in our community. Collection is a special time when members of the community truly shine. Yes, it is a time when we will share basic information about clubs and upcoming events, but it is much more than that. It showcases the best of Friends School, of who we are, and who we would like to be. It promotes the diversity of ideas and talents, and strengthens the bonds of community through shared experiences. Collection is a place for shared learning and for engaging in challenging community conversations.

Collection affords us an opportunity to grow and learn from one another; to challenge one another to be the best we can be, to think deeply, and to care about the world. We share our passions for justice and truth. Sometimes these truths are controversial, but the tension they cause leads to growth and reflection. We share our hopes and dreams. We share our experiences. We share our lives.

And we do this in an atmosphere of love, support, and respect. Because we know that those on stage are members of our Friends School family. Because we are committed to treating one another as we would wish to be treated. Because we know how hard it is to bare one’s vulnerabilities. This gorgeous, light filled space requires a certain gravitas, a serious dignity; it elicits a sacredness. Yes, we can and should find laughter here when it’s appropriate, but the space and time demand that we share the best that we can be. We invite you to elevate the experience of being together as a community. We invite you all to share yourselves.