GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
PATRIOT THE
MAGAZINE
summer/fall 2021
Chierra Williams ’11
Jessica Golson ’06
Steven Jackson ’04
Building Community through Connections Michael Peggs ’04
Linn Vaughters ’91
The Black Alumni Alliance is one of our newest affinity groups See story inside.
Mercedes Bruce Asare ’04
Courtney Williams ’03
WE CONNECT From service projects to career advice, mentoring of our youngest Patriots, and donating to the school, Germantown Academy continues to be a place that embraces community at every opportunity.
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Marnie McDonald’s 3rd Grade class (pictured left) welcomed 14 parents via Zoom to speak about their favorite female during Women’s History Month. At left, Donn Munz, mother of Neve ’30, is seen speaking about Cleo Wade, poet, activist, and artist.
73 + 8 54 Despite the pandemic, Middle and Upper School students actively participated in 54 clubs, including Future Business Leaders of America, Leland Society, Relay for Life, Reading Olympics, Robotics, and Debate.
73 students and 8 alumni attended the annual Club Med panel. The panel of alumni who are either pre-med or currently in medical school, spoke about what studying for a degree in medicine is really like!
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The Parents’ Committee hosted its annual Lower School Winter Dance where more than 90 families learned a few TikTokworthy moves on Zoom.
1,262 Community members (and counting!) are registered on Patriot Connect, GA’s own online networking platform.You can join alumni, parents, and students to find jobs, internship opportunities, network, or promote your business.
1,647
Patriots generously supported GA with a contribution.
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Seniors were matched with alumni for Senior Projects, which was the greatest number of alumni hosts ever.
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TO OUR HEROES AT HOME...
August 2021 Dear Friends, First and foremost, I hope you and your loved ones are well. During a most trying year, our community came together in new ways, and despite the requisite distance, our sense of unity and belief in a common cause were never stronger. We raised up the lives lost in our country and around the world and expressed our deepest gratitude to our school nurses for their extraordinary care, our faculty and staff for their dedication to fulfilling our noble mission even during a pandemic, our families for their constant support and flexibility, and our students for beautifully embodying our school’s tried-and-true motto: By Persevering We Shall See the Fruits. Our alumni have engaged with GA in truly meaningful ways this past year. Patriots from over six decades have joined with us to make a difference and to have some fun:
THANK YOU! to our auxiliary programs team for organizing several vaccine clinics, including one for more than 1,500 people. A special shout-out also goes to our facilities, security, and maintenance teams for their help in physical distancing in the hallways, building cleaning, and shoveling the mountains of snow.
• Several alums who work in the medical field volunteered to assist at GA’s many vaccine clinics; seeing their kind faces as they live our mission and give back to the Academy has been inspiring for all. • I am endlessly grateful to our alums who shared their stories on @BlackMainLineSpeaks and @metooMontCo. Many partnered with our administration and trustees to join in a series of conversations to provide input to our Equity & Inclusion Action Plan and to participate in a recent audit of our PreK-12 sexuality, wellness, and consent curricula. • Alumni participation in GA Zoom events (from virtual reunions to alumni trivia nights; from our Distinguished Visiting Author lecture during Black History Month to leading GA Cooperative Learning Program presentations from an array of fields; from book club discussions to our new GA Mentoring Experience program between young alums and Upper School students) has been overwhelming, gratifying, and supportive at a most vital time.
THANK YOU! to our intrepid health services team, led by GA alum Lori Dougherty Andress ’88. The staff, sometimes more than 10 strong, has performed weekly COVID tests, administered vaccinations, and has continued band-aid duty during the pandemic.
Since we were not able to welcome families and alums to campus last year, I hope you will enjoy reading about the latest good news and innovations here in Fort Washington. In particular, I draw your attention to the enclosed stories regarding our expanded work in affinity groups – important opportunities for us to connect Patriots with similar interests and backgrounds from every constituency and to increase a sense of community belonging for all. Until we can meet again in the hallowed halls of the Academy, I wish you and yours a beautiful, brilliant, happy, and healthy fall. Best,
Rich Schellhas 1760 Head of School
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THANK YOU! to our Human Resources Office of Rachel Elwood and Erin Jalon – the sign-up queens. Not only did they process more than 200 weekly COVID tests, but they also signed up more than 1,000 people to receive vaccinations.
THE
PATRIOT MAGAZINE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMER/FALL 2021
HEAD OF SCHOOL Rich Schellhas 1760
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Larry Altman Bela D. Bagga Ira Brownstein Amy Connelly ’90 Anthony DiSandro, Jr. Mark Dooley Judy A. Felgoise Desrene Freeman John Galloway Judi J. Goodman 1760 Lori R. Griswold 1760 Janet Haugen Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch ’84 Philip Huang Michael Jordan Samantha Jordan ’88 John P. Korman ’76 Jennifer Leming ’90 Carol Momjian Linda Nunes ’80 Sal Paone, Jr. ’95 Carl D. Rapp George M. Riter ’76 Cheryl Ross Andrew D. Sandifer Rich Schellhas 1760 Jeffrey T. Sultanik ’72 Ted Swanson Kezirah Lynn Vaughters ’91 Kathy Wyszomierski 1760 CHARTER TRUSTEE John W. Rex ’63 EDITOR Carla Zighelboim Director of Communications & Marketing czighel@germantownacademy.org DESIGN Dina Katz Associate Director of Communications & Marketing FEATURED WRITERS Heather Durkin, Melissa Fikioris, Thomas McGlinchey, Rich Schellhas 1760 EDITORIAL STAFF Martin Dean, Heather Durkin 1760, Melissa Fikioris, Kelli Kaput, Thomas McGlinchey, Christine Passaglia, Audrey Schnur, Sara Sultanik, Anika Walker-Johnson, and Michelle Wood PHOTOGRAPHY Dina Katz, Christy McKenna, Thomas McGlinchey, and Carla Zighelboim COVER PHOTO Cover Art by Dina Katz
5 BUILDING COMMUNITY
THROUGH CONNECTIONS A sense of community can be felt in affinity groups in all three divisions.
12 CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2021
On Friday, June 11, 2021, the Class of 2021 officially became GA alumni.
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COMPUTER SCIENCE WEEK
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Discovering the beauty of 1s and 0s.
Upper School photography teacher Nic Wynia brings an artistic eye to Latin America.
24 ACCOMPLISHED IN EVERY WAY 42 44
Sarah Rojas ’21 took care of our community during a tough year and found time for award-winning scientific research.
MISSION AWARDS
The Alumni Society Board is proud to announce the recipients of the 2021 Alumni Mission Award.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT GA mourns the loss of Jim Fenerty 1760, longtime athletic director, boys basketball coach, and history teacher, and most recently part-time college counselor.
Stay connected with GA! Visit www.germantownacademy.net GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 3
Equity & Inclusion Action Plan 2.0 At Germantown Academy, we strive to cultivate a community of learners and educators that is truly reflective of our diverse nation. We are mindful that each of our students and employees has a unique experience at GA and that our individual identities play a vital role in shaping those experiences. As a result, we are moved to create a welcoming and inclusive school culture as we simultaneously honor the differences among us in order to foster an environment of belonging and acceptance. As we consider each individual’s identity, we realize that there are many different elements which, when combined, help shape the people we know – and that these elements often evolve over time. The featured graphic highlights a range of identity traits that informs our work in diversity, equity, and inclusion at GA. While the initial focus is on the areas of most urgent need, over time we will broaden the scope of our work to reflect more of these traits.
Our Identity Traits
To inform our work, our administration has used focus groups to engage in discussions with students, faculty, staff, parents, trustees, and alumni. While we remain aware of the scope of the work before us, we continue to be steadfast in our commitment to GA’s Mission and Civility Pledge. To that end, GA’s administration hired a Director of Equity and Inclusion to lead and collaborate with a cross-divisional team consisting of key senior administrators and Diversity and Community Life Coordinators (DCLCs). This team’s charge is to foster the implementation of our equity and inclusion objectives. Below are the four main goals established in the first iteration of our action plan four years ago:
• Ensure students see themselves reflected in the adults around them and learn from adults whose experiences differ from their own. • Create effective leadership in equity and inclusion. • Develop and prioritize strategic, ongoing education in equity and inclusion. • Further affinity groups and community engagement in equity and inclusion. The Strategic Vision Task Force, a sub-committee of the Board of Trustees, will start this year to establish metrics and provide oversight for the updated plan in collaboration with the senior administration. With its roots in GA’s Mission and long-range Strategic Vision, this next, multi-year iteration of the Equity & Inclusion Action Plan reflects a more comprehensive approach to prior goals that remain urgent and includes newly emergent objectives. Here are the major goals for GA’s Equity & Inclusion Action Plan 2.0:
HIRING AND RETENTION: Expand strategies to recruit and retain under-represented faculty and staff at all levels.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND PROGRAMMING: Prioritize current and develop new educational programs for all constituencies.
POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND PROTOCOLS: Strengthen policies, procedures, and protocols to support a more inclusive school environment.
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT: Expand strategies to rebuild and strengthen relationships with under-represented alumni.
We have a lot of work to do.Yet, with every challenge, an opportunity arises to do better and to be better. With great dedication and all hands on deck, we can truly exemplify the values we espouse in our Mission and Civility Pledge. Ultimately our intention is to call each community member into this work. We are grateful for your partnership as we move forward together! Read the entire plan here — www.germantownacademy.net/about/diversity-commitment/equity-inclusion-plan
BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH
CONNECTIONS There are many reasons to establish and cultivate a sense of both community and belonging as necessary components in developing strong school culture. Ensuring that there is space for all individuals to be their most authentic selves helps to affirm and foster healthy identity development, build resilience, prepare for deep cross-cultural engagement amoung community members, and empower community members to act when challenges arise. At Germantown Academy, these goals for the community are met most significantly through yearlong gatherings that support hobbies and interests, as well as cultural affinity groups for students, employees, and alumni/ae.
The Belfry Theater Club put together a fantastic show! They performed Chicago in spectacular fashion in March 2020.
INTEREST GROUPS The most common example of community building at GA exists through interest groups or clubs and can be found throughout the school’s history; for example, Academy Monthly and Belfry Club each began in the late 1800s. These groups bring people together who want to learn about, share, and engage in a special interest. Some are serious in nature and include specific and intentional programming while others are “just for fun.” In the Upper School, students participate in a wide range of interest groups. The following highlighted clubs are only just a few of the ways that students can connect around common hobbies and skill development. Those interested in literary,
visual, and performing arts can participate in Academy Monthly (literary magazine), Voyager (modern language journal), Art Club, and Belfry Club (drama). Clubs like The Edition (newspaper), GAEA/Apiary Club, Model United Nations Club, Debate Club, and the Community Service Organization (CSO) encourage students to connect over current events, international relations, diplomacy, and environmental issues, or even to collaborate with one another about ways to best serve as volunteers to the benefit of our local communities. Coding/Robotics, Club Med, Forensics Club, and the STEM Club are additional clubs that provide hands-on experiences and promote more focused inquiry in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 5
The African American/Black student affinity group met four times last year. Middle School and Lower School Students are also enthusiastic participants in interest groups. Some examples of Middle School clubs include Art for Community, Poetry Club, Spanish Club, In Our Own Write (literary magazine), Coding/Robotics Club, Chess/Math Club, Debate Club, CSO, and Green Ambassadors Club. Lower School Clubs promote math, reading, innovation, and service learning through Innovation Leadership, Math Olympiad, Reading Olympics, and CSO.
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ithout a doubt, connections made in our array of diverse affinity groups enhance everyone’s experience and have the added bonus of inspiring greater affinity for GA along the way.” – Rich Schellhas 1760, Head of School
“The close connections our students and alumni/ae share stem from a wide range of common passions and personal identifiers,” said Head of School, Rich Schellhas 1760. “Just as we love to see our football alums under the tent on the sidelines of a game, we also love when our Belfry alums return to GA’s stage to sing together again. Service-inspired alums gather around the country to honor the legacy of Peter McVeigh, and Black alums gather at Cantina Feliz (for the first time!) to share stories before GA-PC Day. We know that our current students thrive when surrounded by classmates who share a similar passion or background, and we love when these connections extend beyond graduation.”
AFFINITY GROUPS Affinity and alliance groups represent additional ways that GA is growing in its commitment to supporting an evolving and diverse community. Through affinity groups1, people come together in relationship to a specific, shared identity from which they can speak from the “I” perspective (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, family status, etc.). “Affinity groups already exist at GA in many forms through sports teams, academic departments, and grade levels,” said Anika Walker-Johnson, Director of Equity and Inclusion. Examples specifically for adults at GA include employee affinity groups for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and/or BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). For African American and Asian American students, cross-divisional racial affinity groups have been created. Walker-Johnson explains that,
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Racial affinity groups, particularly, allow for individuals to come together as a critical mass for affirmation and celebration, to share experiences and insight about encounters with race, to build resilience, and to prepare for deep engagement with people of other racial groups. The power of racial affinity groups is that they allow time and space for self-reflection before individuals authentically engage with others whose racialized experiences are different. In other words, one must know one’s self before truly knowing others and understand the ways in which our journeys as human beings both converge and diverge as a result of the impact of race.”
Sarah Na, who serves as Lower School Diversity and Community Life Coordinator (DCLC) alongside Dr. Leigh Serra, believes that “Making connections is vital to a healthy and strong community
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Affinity Groups: What,Why, & How (Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee), 2 Affinity & Alliance Groups (Catherine Cook School)
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TURNING PAIN INTO PROGRESS BY JESSICA GOLSON ’06 If you would have told me a few years ago that GA would have a Black Alumni Alliance, I would have had doubts. While I’ve been to a few gatherings throughout the years, there’s never been official support, structure or leadership for such a group. But, formed in the wake of the listening sessions between the school and Black alumni over the summer, I have spent the past year with Mercedes Asare ’04, Michael Peggs ’04, Steven Jackson ’04, Courtney Williams ’03, Chierra Williams ’11, and Linn Vaughters ’91 working with the school to provide guidance in support of an improved experience for Black GA community members. Turning pain into progress is the hallmark of this important work. When W.E.B. DuBois remarked “The honor, I assure you, was Harvard’s” upon becoming the first Black PhD recipient of Harvard University, he underscored how elite institutions don’t fully grasp the value that Black people bring to those spaces. In fact, elite institutions often admit Black people to then mishandle their presence. While GA has a proud legacy of producing great people who have had an outsized impact on our greater society, it is not immune from contributing to the system that assigns value to all people based on pieces of their identities over which they have no control, including race. Despite this uncomfortable reality, GA has the capacity to improve. I started GA with elements of privilege: My dad was an alum and served on GA’s Board of Trustees . I grew up in Blue Bell and entered with classmates from my elementary school. I had a passion for learning and loved pursuing both athletic and artistic opportunities. Despite having these elements of privilege and personal qualities, I found myself in an English class that seemed to relish the spoken use of the “N” word. As the classroom’s eyes focused on me with every utterance of that ugly word, I felt powerless to stop it. When I voiced my discomfort, the justification was a quasi-intellectual argument about time-period authenticity. The explanation did not add up, but it was enough to silence 16-year-old me. The experience left me feeling isolated and ashamed. While it was a painful experience and not the only time I was made to feel “othered” based on my race, what I found more upsetting was the lack of Black representation in the student body, faculty, and curriculum. The absence of adequate Black representation in these areas communicated with unmistakable clarity that GA was not built for someone like me. I am proud to be someone whose great-great grandfather was lynched in 1917 South Carolina for being a “well-spoken” landowner who got too powerful for Jim Crow era terrorists to stomach his
success. My ancestors endured an intentionally insidious system designed to oppress Black people. These are not far-gone pieces of history, but instead important foundations of my identity story because they set the context for how I experienced that English class and for who I am today. My experience is an insignificant one compared to others, including those in my own family. In addition to my father, my brother and uncle also attended GA. Each of them recounts uniquely traumatic incidents where they were either attacked or ostracized because of their race. During listening sessions for Black alumni in summer 2020, I heard similar perspectives and stories. While they valued their GA education, a number of them had been carrying trauma from their GA experience. Not all Black alumni share the same viewpoint, but for many, there is a deep wound. A group of Black alumni describe attending GA as something that they had to survive. This may be surprising to learn, perhaps because central to that survival was the act of downplaying and ignoring how heavily race weighed on a daily basis. What was most striking about the listening sessions was that Black alumni were determined to use their pain to improve the GA experience for those who came after them. Black alumni’s stories were finally being heard and were indicative of a culture in need of reform. GA’s culture is like an old house that we all inherited. While very few of us in the GA community are personally responsible for its problems, we are all responsible for fixing it. In order for us to build a house that will stand strong, we have to enact both personal choices and systemic changes. I see the new GA Mission with the Equity and Inclusion Action Plan 2.0 as the bedrock being laid into the foundation as we rebuild that house with all GA community members in mind. Our personal choices act as the cornerstone to hold the structure in place. I am extremely proud of the efforts being made to construct a more inclusive GA, which includes support for affinity groups like the Black Alumni Alliance. When all GA community members feel like this house is also their home, the community only grows stronger. And that, I assure you, will be GA’s honor and legacy. GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 7
ASIAN AMERICAN
ALLIANCE
By Emily Wang ’21 The Asian American Alliance’s mission is to raise awareness around Asian American experiences, share our own personal experiences, and promote conversations about equity and inclusion. I think what’s so special about our affinity group is that Asia is such a large continent, and although everyone in the affinity group shares a common identity, our stories and backgrounds, whether regarding cultural or non-culturally tied experiences, are so diverse. Therefore, in this space and community, we not only understand each other in our shared experiences, but we also have an opportunity to learn from each other.
younger students to this idea of a bubbly and diverse cultural community where they’d find comfort in seeing people like themselves. Another project that I’m proud of is our podcast, 21Mil&Rising, where we get to shed light on topics that aren’t commonly touched on in everyday classrooms, such as household and holiday traditions to the importance of proper representation in media and deconstructing the model minority myth. Although as an affinity group, our club meetings are only for Asian and Asian Americans, this doesn’t mean we’re isolated from our greater community. We most recently put on a Lunar New Year celebration where we placed decorations like dragons and lanterns across the entire Upper School, collaborated with the school newspaper to create interactive trivia games for students to participate in, and, best of all, assembled over 100 takeout boxes filled with cultural snacks and traditional Lunar New Year items like red envelopes, stickers, and coins as “party favors” for the Upper School to take and enjoy. This was an incredibly exciting and engaging way to share and introduce to the community at large the traditions of a holiday that is so meaningful within our own Asian American community.
LATINX By Bredt Leon ’21, Latinx Club Student Leader GA’s Latinx Club gives students, like me, who are or relate to Latin American origin or descent, the opportunity to come together to celebrate our shared heritage, to learn new traditions, and to have fun. It’s a safe place where we can talk about the nuances of Latinx culture. Sarah Rojas ’21, Becca Vidal ’21, and I launched the club last year with the help of our advisor Alicia Evans (Upper School English teacher). A big part of our goal as an affinity group is dedicated to sharing Latinx culture and history with the GA community. Obviously, we want to reach out to students and faculty who are part of the Latinx community, but we also want to create an environment where all community members feel welcomed. Isabelle Lieu ’24 and Elaine Li ’24 had fun making paper lanterns for the Lunar NewYear in Asian Culture Club. As a freshman, I was first drawn to the Asian American Alliance because it was a safe space for me to form new friendships and engage in open dialogue with students and faculty who share a common Asian or Asian American identity. I think this sentiment still rings true today, and the Asian American Alliance has given me a sense of belonging within the larger GA community, and in my surrounding world. With the current increase in anti-Asian racism and violence in the USA, it’s now more important than ever for the Asian American Alliance to continue providing a platform of support for the Asian American community and a platform for our voices to be heard and amplified as we work towards solutions to these problems. While many of our club meetings are simply fun hangout times, I’m also really grateful for the different initiatives and events we’ve been able to organize. Last year, we held many cross divisional lunches, which allowed students across campus to interact with each other in games and conversations, and exposed 8 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
Having spent the good part of 13 years at GA, I had always wished for a space where culturally I could connect and talk with people who share similar backgrounds. There were very few Latinx students that I knew of in my grade and the ones surrounding it, so it was hard to try and find people who I could relate to at school. But, when the opportunity arose to create an affinity group dedicated to Latinx students, I was very excited that I could play a part in creating a space where future students could openly discuss their stories, culture, history, and events that pertain to their identity. To date, we’ve led discussions pertaining to immigration, the passing of Diego Maradona, and the College Board ethnicity dilemma. We also launched “Mi Gente,” a brand-new podcast that gives club members the opportunity to talk about their experiences as Latinx high school students, their favorite traditions from their home cultures, and their thoughts on representation of the Latinx community in the news, sports, and television. In the fall, we celebrated National HispanicHeritage Month (September 15-October 15) by posting informative details and family recipes in the school.
Continued from Page 6 where every voice is heard and valued. Affinity groups are one way we give students and faculty opportunities to build connections based on important parts of their identity such as race, ethnicity, and culture. Students may not always have these connections within their homeroom, so affinity groups bring students together across homerooms and grade levels to build community and a stronger sense of self.”
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hen students feel confident in who they are, they can share themselves, and our GA community benefits as we learn together about our differences and similarities,” –Sarah Na, 1st/2nd Grade Teacher, Diversity and Community Life Coordinator
Dr. Leigh Serra, Lower School Health and Wellness teacher and DCLC partner with Na, says, “We work diligently to ensure that every child in Lower School has a strong and positive sense of identity. Identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion are explored and celebrated with every student each year through the Health & Wellness curriculum, as well as in the development of strong classroom community. Some of the tenets of the lessons are that all people deserve to have their identities treated with kindness and respect and that all students belong and have a voice in our classrooms and in our school. We recognize the importance of affinity, and we hope to expand our group offerings in the future.”
ALLIANCE GROUPS One of GA’s goals is to be a school where all individuals are seen, heard, and valued. Alliance groups further support this goal as they unite people who are either members of a specific identity group or who stand in support of people who hold that identity. Alliance groups promote cross-cultural dialogue, and members share a common commitment to address issues of injustice toward that identity. “Student organizations on our campus are the bedrock of our welcoming and diverse community at GA,” said Upper School Chinese teacher and club advisor, Tsung Tsai. “Each sets out to provide a different type of space for important discussions about race and inclusivity.” (read student-written passages on page 8). Currently, GA’s Middle School is home to the POC (Person of Color) Safe Haven, where students of varying backgrounds discuss issues of identity and social justice. In the Upper School, there are many student-led alliance groups. Students interested in connecting with students across cultures can find a home in the Asian Culture Club, Black Student Alliance (BSA), Indian Culture Club, Latinx Club, and Students United in Multicultural
Awareness (SUMA). Student leaders provide members with insight into their communities by sharing food, cultural values and traditions, and facilitating fun activities. Alliance groups like Feminist Forum and SafeBae (Before Anyone Else) introduce members to topics that highlight issues related to gender equity and promote awareness about dating violence, sexual harassment, affirmative consent, and rights under Title IX, to name a few.
ALUMNI Opportunities for GA’s alumni community to learn from and gather with one another through affinity, alliance, and interest groups and mirror the work happening within the campus-based community have become a point of pride. In the last several years, alumni volunteers have stepped forward in partnership with the Alumni Office to help organize these groups. Three of the most active groups include the Alumni Community Service Organization, the Black Alumni Alliance, and the Women’s Networking Group. The Alumni Community Service Organization Council (CSO) gives Patriots from across the country the opportunity to participate in service projects alongside fellow graduates. Alumniled service projects have been completed in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. Courtney Baron ’01, who currently resides in Chicago, shares,
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Participating in CSO at GA sparked my lifelong interest in service, my appreciation that service can be fun, and my recognition, more importantly, that it is largely just luck that separates me from those suffering through hunger, homelessness, poverty, or the other unfair circumstances that can make life difficult. CSO events in Chicago provide an outlet for my interest in service and enable me to honor the legacy of Peter McVeigh, who instilled in me my passion for service during my time participating in CSO at GA. Alumni CSO events also provide a welcome opportunity to connect with GA alums in Chicago—including classmates I haven’t seen in a while and alums separated by generations but connected by GA and a shared commitment to service.”
Created this year, the Black Alumni Alliance (BAA) has been instrumental in creating meaningful engagement opportunities among members, fostering intergenerational relationships among Black alumni, and highlighting and celebrating one another’s professional and personal contributions. The BAA has also built meaningful and purposeful connections on campus with faculty and students through collaboration with Upper School teacher Carol Ayers 1760 and counselor Robert Hunt through the GA Mentoring Experience (GAME). "The beauty in GAME, outside of Mrs. Ayers’s multi-decade commitment to advocating and supporting students that look like me, is the safe space that’s
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ALUMNI continued promoted. Conversations create community, and that dialogue (as well as the healing it promotes) is desperately needed,” said GAME mentor, Michael Peggs ’04.
and personal levels. WNG hosts business leaders, professional development opportunities, and networking mixers. “I joined the Women’s Networking Group when my oldest was in the GA Child Care Center, and I was juggling a toddler, a newborn, and working full time,” said Jennifer Rotzell Leming ’97. “It immediately felt like I found my people. Many of the women are moms like me, trying to balance career and family. Meeting topics are relevant and useful in my day-to-day life, and I always learn something from this diverse and knowledgeable group of women who are willing to listen, share their experience and advice, or make a personal or career connection.” While these alumni groups are the most active, there are always opportunities for more.
The Women’s Networking Group enjoyed an evening of “netwalking” on GA’s campus in early June. WNG meetings are open to ALL women in the GA community. The Women’s Networking Group (WNG), started in 2011 by Laura Brewer ’80 P’20 ’25, is a supportive community of GA women who want to connect with one another on professional
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“Connecting alumni with each other based on shared interests and identity has been incredibly fulfilling and has helped alums feel more engaged with their alma mater. When you graduate from GA, your affinity experience shouldn’t just stop; we’re excited about all of the possible ways we can support our alums in this way. If anyone is interested in starting an alumni affinity group, we encourage them to reach out to us,” said Heather Durkin 1760, Director of Alumni Relations.
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oming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Unknown
Contact the Alumni Office at alumni@germantownacademy.org
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS...
SANDY BENNETT 1760
Sandy Bennett 1760 is still the same fireball as when she started working at GA. Having spent more than three decades molding young minds in the Lower School, Bennett keeps her days busy by living near campus and maintaining her personal GA connections.
I can remember when I was hired in October of 1972. The first grade was short a teacher and I applied. I arrived with blond hair, makeup, and high heels. During my interview I was asked about the care of my young children. I said, "Would you ask that of a man?" and left. Needless to say, I got the job, said I would stay for one year, and stayed for 35! I am old school, and I love traditions. My favorite was always the opening of school Flag Raising. This ceremony has it all - flags, students, bells, faculty, parents. My favorite students taught me patience. While I always believed in respect and kindness, patience is so important with young children. I do not know what career I would have chosen if not teaching. I did not have many choices... it was become a teacher or a secretary. I 10 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
always thought I would have been a great lawyer. I am quite friendly with many alumni and see them often (before the pandemic). I also look forward to a return to normal so we can resume our GARTERs (Germantown Academy Retired Teachers Enjoying Retirement) lunches. For many years after I left GA in 2007, I was a caregiver for my husband. Actually, that was the reason I had to leave GA. He passed away in 2018 and, just as I was returning to normal, the pandemic hit. I have stayed very close to home, but all that changed when GA invited retirees to get the Covid vaccine. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to Rich Schellhas, Lori Andress, and the entire GA community for truly caring about us. When I asked Lori why GA did this, she said, "Thank you for your service."
“PAY IT FORWARD!”
— Jon Pulli ’00, Co-Founder and CEO of Turn 14 Distribution
Pulli and his wife, Samantha, a professional financial auditor, made an informed decision when deciding on the education of their three daughters. Gwenyth, Keira, and Sadie are currently thriving in Lower School.
The Pulli family (l to r): Gwen ’31, Keira ’29, Jon ’00, P’29 ’31 ’33, Samantha P’29 ’31 ’33, and Sadie ’33. Turn 14 Distribution is a national warehouse distributor of a wide variety of performance products, parts, and supplies in the niche vehicle markets across the country and around the world. Company co-founder and CEO Jon Pulli ’00 credits GA’s educational model for fostering his entrepreneurial spirit and preparing him for his professional future.
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GA promotes students taking initiative, building self-sufficiency, and working through challenges. For me, college felt like a new chapter not a new book.” –Jon Pulli ’00, P’29 ’31 ’33
“Going through the GA experience again as a parent has given me an even greater appreciation for this school,” said Pulli.
Samantha added, “I feel that GA gave Jon the confidence to be an entrepreneur and leader. Now I can’t picture my kids in any other school.” Professional perspective and personal experience has led their family to support GA through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. “Education is so important to our family,” said the Pullis. “The EITC program helps us to maximize what we can give to GA. Our gift will provide support to expand the enormous benefits of a GA education to more in our local community.”
As a PA-based company, Turn 14 Distribution can make a direct contribution to our school and receive tax credits back from the state in exchange. Funds raised through the EITC program are used to offset financial aid for qualified families in the school community. In addition to the corporate participation in this transformational program, GA alumni and families who derive an income from PA-based sources can now qualify to participate as individuals as well. Through a new and growing option in the EITC program, individuals can make contributions to GA and in exchange receive tax credits to be applied to their personal state income tax liability.
Did ‘GA’ Know?
• There has been a 90% increase in Financial Aid requests since 2006 • The Financial Aid budget has increased 263% over the last 15 years • 34% of current GA families now receive some financial aid • • $2 Million has been infused into GA’s financial aid budget thanks to the EITC program • Thank you to those who have supported both SPE (Special Purpose Entity) and Corporate EITC! SPE Program Contributors: Anonymous (2) Jamie and Josh Albert Jennifer and Ira Brownstein Iris and Lawrence Brownstein Kelly and Keith Brundin Constance and Alan Buerger Krista and Reid Buerger Helen and Allen Chiang Casey Connelly and Amy Seyfert Connelly ’90 Aurelio DeCaro II '92 and Allison DeCaro Dana and Anthony DiSandro Alex Duffine ’99 and Abigail Duffine Anne and Steven Fassler John Galloway and Christine Dovey Galloway ’90 Melissa Gattuso Andree and Bryan Goldberg Bruce Goodman 1760 and Judi Goodman 1760
Kent Griswold ’76 and Lori Griswold 1760 Jaime and Jason Hersh Geoffrey Jackson ’87 and Gretchen Jackson Michael Jordan and Samantha MacGregor Jordan ’88 Gabrielle and Richard Krekstein Kandan Kulandaivel and Jamie Swanson Jennifer and Massimo Magliari Robert McCammon, Jr. ’57 Tara and Warren Miller Salvatore Paone ’95 and Erin O’Hearn-Paone Agnes and Thomas Penrice Roxanne and Dominic Perazza, Jr. Sandra and Carl Rapp Joy and Matt Roman Patricia and Maurice Roth Eileen and Andrew Sandifer
Penelope Sawyer Cynthia and Robert Segal Winston Shu and Cassandra Liu Laina and Jed Silversmith Beth and Edward Swanson Luke P. Trainer ’91 Kristin and Ronald Tunison Will Weihenmayer, Jr. ’03 and Nikki Weihenmayer Jack Wyszomierski and Kathy Wyszomierski 1760 Corporate Program Contributors: BLOCS Gabrielle and Richard Krekstein, Michele and James Peruto, Susannah Denison Rouse ’69 The Bryn Mawr Trust Company Burch Materials & Supplies Canada Dry Delaware Valley Bottling Company
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA SCHOLARSHIP FUND Douglas Kobak ’86 Chabad Lubavitch of Chester County Comcast Corporation Ferro Steele, LLC Henkels Foundation IMC Construction J.P.Mascaro & Sons Machined Metals Manufacturing Group, Inc. Miller Bros. MLD Trading, Inc. Origlio Beverage Pennsylvania Education Partnership LLC Philadelphia Insurance Companies RichardsApex, Inc. Turn 14 Distribution Inc. UHS of Delaware Waste Management
Class of 2021 Graduates Germantown Academy honored, celebrated and welcomed the remarkable Class of 2021 into the school’s illustrious alumni body during its official commencement ceremony on Friday, June 11, 2021 on Connor Quad. Prior to the presentation of diplomas from Head of School Rich Schellhas 1760 and Board of Trustees President Lori R. Griswold 1760, students, parents, and extended family members were inspired and entertained by student speakers Sarah Rojas ’21 and Helen Wu ’21. Head of Middle School Jonas Jeswald delivered the faculty speech. Senior Class Representatives to the Student Government Association—Dean Millard ’21, Nate Philip ’21, and Jenisha Savani ’21—presented the class stone, designed by Gregory Kraynak ’21, and shared their appreciation to the faculty, the Academy, and the alumni. During the ceremony, Sean McHugh ’21 and Sophie Towne ’21 were awarded the Beard Memorial Award, which is given to the student who has done the most to foster the spirit, cherish the tradition, and promote the interest of the Academy. The Beard Memorial Award is given in memory of Donald Swan Beard ’1922, whose untiring efforts and leadership as President of the Board of Trustees contributed in large measure to the relocation of Germantown Academy at Fort Washington, and to its dedication and education of girls as well as boys. Finn Lukens ’21 and Yolanda Peat ’21 (pictured left) were each presented with the Head of School Prize, which is awarded to the two students of the graduating class who, while at Germantown Academy, have made the best use of their talents. Lastly, Rojas, who served as the Student Government Association President during the 2020-21 school year, was awarded the Academy Wooden Spoon Award. In the 19th century, GA seniors would gather for a "class dinner" at which they would regale each other with speeches, songs, and jokes. Prizes were awarded for academic excellence, and one lucky student received a large wooden spoon. The spoon was a special prize awarded to the senior who did the most to "nourish" other students through kindness and character. In 2021, the Academy reinstated this award once again to acknowledge one senior’s kindness and character. Also included in the ceremony was the induction of new members to the honorary alumni Class of 1760. Alumni Society Board President Will Weihenmayer ’03 announced that this year’s honorary alumni inductees are Director of Security Steve Dolan 1760, Lower School Math Specialist Sue McHugh 1760, and PreKindergarten Teacher Rose Marie Mirabile 1760 (see next page). Dolan and McHugh retired at the end of the school year. Congratulations to our newest alumni!
Lifers
This group of 2021 classmates who have attended GA since PreK or K is particularly large! Congratulations to (front row, L to R): Faith Davis, Perry Irons, Jordan Langsfeld, Maddie Gamburg, Mollie Durkin,Talie Jordan, Lauren Casimiro, Eva Roller, Esme Leach (middle row, L to R): Sydney Hill, Yolanda Peat, Jordan Robertson, Juleana Landmesser, Nicoletta Roman, Olivia Jones, Autem Burgess, Mae Nagel, Jenisha Savani, Rachel Roth, Christina Nguyen, Priya Anand, Jane Franz-Milkewicz (back row, L to R): Henry Moyer, Nick Niemynski, JustinWeiss, Nick Saldutti, Finn Lukens,Thomas DiChiara, Max Mateo, Blake Batisto, Bredt Leon, Jordan Longino, AlexWalkush, Jake Brownstein, Max Lasdon, Matt Cho, Robert DiDonato, and Owen Grady.
TRUESDELL HOUSE Maeve Evelyn Diver Prefect Bredt Fernando León* Prefect, Cum Laude Stefan Blake Lyntton Prefect, Cum Laude Yolanda Symone Peat* Prefect Blake Hayden Battisto* Shane Christopher Connolly Kevin Kang Cui Cum Laude Thomas Matthew DiChiara* Academy Scholar Charlotte Hope DiLello Jade Lynn Dohner Cum Laude Sam Robert Fortunato Sophie Kathryn Freeston Griffin Gallucci Henze Camryn Nicole Hermance Grace Ann Hill Olivia Kathryn Jones* Cole Klein Sofia Jane Mascaro Nathan Dev Philip Cum Laude Nicholas Angelo Saldutti* Rebecca Sofia Vidal WASHINGTON HOUSE Alexander Garcia Bouchard Prefect Brian J. Kelley Jr. Prefect Kiersten Patricia Reilly Prefect Rachel Theresa Roth* Prefect Priyanka Ajay Anand* Academy Scholar, Cum Laude Samuel Cerebe
Jeffrey Decker Talison Jane Jordan* Rebecca R. Lee Academy Scholar Rishi Mandapaka Maxwell Mateo* Jameson Andrew McGrath* Kolby Johnston Palmer Cum Laude Ryan Jacob Ramler Angela Claire Seravalli Nathaniel Michael Swanson Emily S. Wang Cum Laude Helen Y. Wu Cum Laude ALCOTT DAY HOUSE Merigo McNally Durkin* Prefect Jacob Grim Prefect Jessica Deana Moore Prefect Elise Margaret Smigiel Prefect Michael Baron Rebecca Michelle Booth Grace Hathaway Brogan Academy Scholar Quartnei Leigh Brown Jane Charlotte Franz-Milkewicz* Lyric Harris-Peoples Ava Josephine Knopping Esme Streeper Leach* Sean Gabriel Lee Jordan Andrew Longino* Andreas Moeller Cum Laude Nicholas Niemynski*
Sue McHugh 1760, Steve Dolan 1760, Rose Marie Mirabile 1760, WilliamWeihenmayer, Jr. ’03
Joseph Petko Ryan Devlin Ruane Devin S. Smith GALLOWAY HOUSE Ella Catherine Brant Prefect Brandon Giampalmi Prefect Haley Jordan Marks Prefect Tajah Muneerah Williams Prefect Chelsea Nicole Bright Autem Setira Burgess* Parker Ameen Chisholm Kiernan T. Devane Robert Brian DiDonato* Cum Laude Sarah Ashley Fineman Academy Scholar, Cum Laude Dara Katherine Kaufman Sierra Anne McDonald Mae Elizabeth Nagel* Patrick Joseph O’Hara Cum Laude Sarah Marie Rojas Cum Laude, President Hayes Killian Rosato Michael Cooper Rowan Kendall Olivia Skalicky Lacey Andrew Snowden Jr Justin Louis Weiss* Cum Laude KERSHAW HOUSE Matthew Cho* Prefect Daniel Finnegan Lukens* Prefect Daelyn Nwaobasi Prefect Sophia Belle Towne Prefect Christian Edward Colman Faith Kristen Davis* Madeline Eden Gamburg* Academy Scholar Colleen E. Gibbons Owen Grady* Viyon Houessou-Adin Perry R. Irons* Harrison Levans Henry Moyer* Bryan Wayne O’Neill Louis Xavior Porter Emma Grace Schneck Cum Laude Katherine Rose Shapiro
OSBOURN HOUSE Jake Brownstein* Prefect Alanna Rose DePaul Prefect Sean Douglas McHugh Prefect Dean Everett Millard Prefect Caroline Grace Antonacio Colin Joseph Brereton Danielle Lauren Casimiro* Academy Scholar Adam Georgopoulos Cum Laude Harry Patton Hou Cum Laude Anthony Demetri Kostacos Cum Laude Paige Ellen Lugossy Collin James McDonald Cum Laude Christina Phan Nguyen* Academy Scholar, Cum Laude Ryan James Quinn Cum Laude Tegerty Ritchie Jordan Lynne Robertson* Nicoletta Joelle Roman* Jenna Lauren Rothenstein ROBERTS HOUSE Milo DeBartlo Prefect Max Andrew Lasdon* Prefect Natalie Spencer Schildt Prefect Mackenzie Smith Prefect, Academy Scholar Dillon Eshan Agrawal Cum Laude Dylan Denenberg Jerry Griffen-Batchler Christopher Hackley Sydney Anne Hill* Academy Scholar Gregory Kraynak Cum Laude Juleana Rea Landmesser* Jordan Amanda Langsfeld* Julia Elizabeth Beard Peters Dennison L Qu Cum Laude Evangeline Roller* Jenisha Savani* David Francis Savidge III Marcus Gabriel Sharf Alexander Walkush* * Indicates Lifer GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 13
TO THE FUTURE AND
The University of Alabama American University The University of Arizona Baylor University Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Boston College Boston University Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University Carleton College Case Western Reserve University College of Charleston (4) University of Chicago (2) Clemson University University of Colorado Boulder Cornell University Dickinson College (2) Drexel University (2) Duke University Elizabethtown College Emerson College Emory University Florida State University
Franklin and Marshall College (2) George Mason University George Washington University (3) Georgetown University (3) Hamilton College Hampton University University of Hartford Harvard University High Point University Howard University University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Indiana University-Bloomington James Madison University Jefferson University Johns Hopkins University University of Kentucky Lehigh University (4) Loyola University Maryland Marquette University University of MarylandCollege Park University of MassachusettsAmherst
BEYOND!
University of Miami (4) University of MichiganAnn Arbor (3) Middlebury College Moore College of Art and Design New York University (2) Northeastern University Pennsylvania State University (6) University of Pennsylvania (4) University of Pittsburgh (6) Princeton University Purdue University University of Rhode Island University of Richmond (2) Savannah College of Art and Design University of South CarolinaColumbia University of Southern California Southern Methodist University St John’s University-New York Stanford University Swarthmore College Syracuse University (3) The University of Tampa (2)
Temple University The University of TennesseeKnoxville Tulane University of Louisiana (4) United States Naval Academy Ursinus College (2) University of Vermont (2) Villanova University (8) Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Wake Forest University Washington University in St Louis Wesleyan University West Chester University of Pennsylvania (2) West Virginia University College of William and Mary University ofWisconsin-Madison (2) GAP Year (2)
Legacies
With gratitude for their multi-generational commitment to the Academy, we congratulate the Legacy graduates and their parent (from L to R): Mindy McGrath ’89 with Jamie McGrath, Mark Langsfeld ’89 with Jordan Langsfeld, Heather Harper Irons ’88 with Perry Irons, Courtney Thomson Robertson ’94 with Jordan Robertson,Ted Durkin ’89 with Mollie Durkin, Samantha MacGregor Jordan ’88 with Talie Jordan,Tim Landmesser ’92 with Juleana Landmesser, David Petko ’81 with Joey Petko, Byard Brogan ’90 with Grace Brogan, Rick Saldutti ’84 with Nick Saldutti, Amy Coben Gamburg ’90 with Maddie Gamburg, Michael Roman ’87 with Nicoletta Roman, and Bob Moyer 1760 with Henry Moyer. 14 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
ACADEMY SCHOLARS DISCOVER THEIR PASSIONS The Academy Scholars program is an opportunity for students with a passion for scholarship, creative writing, visual art, performing art, or research (in the sciences, social sciences, or humanities) to pursue that passion by means of developing and working on a significant, independent project.This year, 10 members of the Class of 2021 completed their multiyear project and were given the distinction of Academy Scholar during June’s commencement ceremony.
Priya Anand ’21 Anand explored the field of portraiture. In her research, she investigated the history of portraiture, experimented with portraiture techniques, and interviewed portrait artists. She also painted a series of portraits honoring female role models in her life. Her final work is a series of four complete oil portraits. Grace Brogan ’21 Brogan researched the psychology of social media as well as screenplay writing and filmmaking to create an original short film screenplay. As social media plays such a prevalent role in the day to day life of most teenagers, she knew from the start of her project that this was something she wanted to look into further. As someone who has always appreciated the power of film and writing, Brogan thought the format of a screenplay would be a really interesting way to explore this concept. In the end, her project had many ups and downs and forced her to learn a lot about time management and working on creative personal projects alongside everyday school work. Ultimately, she wrote a 22-page screenplay for a short film as well as filming and editing a portion. Lauren Casimiro ’21 For her project, Casimiro created a fashion line reflecting her Filipino culture. There are three main regions of the Philippines, each with their own unique outfits. She sewed and tailored traditional outfits from each region as well as her modern version of those outfits. Additionally, Casimiro created the national dress of the Philippines and her modern take on that dress. Having two Filipino parents, she wanted to dive deeper into Filipino culture and showcase her love for the Philippines and fashion through a creative lens. Thomas DiChiara ’21 DiChiara completed an analysis of the perceived changes in the NBA due to analytics – large increase in three-point shooting and the corresponding decrease in deep two-point shooting – during the 200519 seasons. Data for 13 different statistics was
gathered from Basketballreference.com and processed through the statistical coding language R and the Developer ToolPak in Microsoft Excel. In order to learn how to code in R and the fundamentals of statistical analysis, DiChiara completed the Wharton Moneyball program under the guidance of professors Adi Wyner and Ron Yurko. He hopes that this analysis will help NBA fans better understand the changes that have occurred in the league over recent years and how analytics may continue to influence professional basketball in the future. Sarah Fineman ’21 After learning that a staggering number of Americans avoid vaccinations due to needlephobia, Fineman discovered that one of the main deterrents for receiving a vaccination was the pain associated with this important medical treatment. As a result of this research, Fineman designed and fabricated a 3-D printed medical device called the “The Gateway Pain Management Device” that works to reduce the pain associated with injections. The device is equipped with a vibration component that serves to inhibit the signal produced by pain receptors in the skin that ultimately result in the perception of pain that people feel during injections. The scientific basis for the device’s effect is “The Gate Control Theory,” which explains how tactile stimulation can successfully block pain receptor signals from being received by the central nervous system. Particularly as COVID-19 vaccinations are being distributed and administered, Fineman hopes that this device can make a difference in vaccine acceptance for our community. Maddie Gamburg ’21 Gamburg explored what her Jewish identity means to her through her passion for storytelling and writing. She wanted to create something that would both benefit and resonate with her community; therefore, she decided to write a memoir. Maddie’s memoir explores two main areas: her evolving understanding of what it means to be Jewish and her response to anti-Semitism. By conducting interviews with family members, researching memoir writing and working with her mentor, she developed a sentimental piece that reflects her growth as a writer over the course of her high school career. Writing this memoir has helped her to understand who she is and the importance that the Jewish community holds in her heart.
Sydney Hill ’21 Hill’s project was to write and record her own album. Within that, she had to develop her skills as a writer and completely learn how to produce music from home. Over the course of three years, Hill created six pieces that hold a special place in her heart, all of which dive into some of the deepest emotional processes of her adolescent life. With a combination of incredible mentors, fantastic classes, and a wonderful support system, she earned an end result that was far beyond what she thought she was capable of at the beginning of this project. Rebecca Lee ’21 Lee’s art project follows the narrative behind her East Asian American experience. The collection “Yellow” features figures with dramatized yellow skin, reclaiming the caricature of East Asians and incorporating this motif into a more nuanced environment. These works tackle topics such as privilege, family, food, and mental health under the lens of the East Asian American perspective. Research for “Yellow” informed the artist’s understanding of these topics as well as the symbolism and cultural motifs featured in her work. The four pieces range from acrylic paintings to mix media and sculptural techniques, showcasing both Lee’s staple medium and experimental work. Christina Nguyen ’21 During the past three years, Nguyen created and illustrated a Vietnamese cookbook. She taught herself how to illustrate digitally, using ProCreate, and conducted research on the history of the Vietnam War in order to provide herself with the necessary context to further understand the events that surround her family’s journey to America. Nguyen has also relied on her personal experiences and the stories that family members, such as her grandma, aunts, uncles, and mother, have shared with her throughout her life to write short stories that accompany the recipes in this cookbook. Mackenzie Smith ’21 Smith worked independently on developing her own fashion line that explores six different areas of fashion: athleisure, knitwear, business casual, outerwear, prints & patterns, and streetwear looks. Her final product is a website documenting the final garments and progress sketches highlighting her research process for creating all the pieces. For Smith, the most rewarding part of this entire process has been seeing her final product and all of her hard work in one place. GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 15
FACULTY AND STAFF RECEIVE DISTINGUISHED AWARDS ENDOWED CHAIRS
The following faculty members were each named the endowed chair of their department. Endowed chairs are awarded every three years. Upper School Science Teacher Becky Pizzino 1760 - Diane Goldstein 1760 Chair for Excellence in the Teaching of Science Middle School History Teacher Jim Eichsteadt - Peter Biggs Chair for Excellence in the Teaching of History Lower School Art Teacher Alia Tahvildaran - Herbert and Irma
Barness Endowed Chair in the Fine and Performing Arts Middle School Modern and Classical Languages Head/French & Mandarin Teacher Jarrett Anderson - Peter J. Cressman Chair for Excellence in the Teaching of Classical and Modern Language Upper School English Teacher/Upper School Dean of Students Rachel Lintgen ’90 William L. Schoff Memorial Alumni Chair for Distinguished Teaching in English
DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Annually, Germantown Academy honors members of the faculty, administration, or staff with awards for excellence in program development, teaching, service, or other exceptional achievement. This year’s Distinguished Achievement Award winners are: Charlie Masters (Performing Arts Chair, Director of the Singing Patriots & Patriots Select), Sarah Na (1st/2nd Grade Teacher, Diversity and Community Life Coordinator), Dion Lehman (Mathematics Teacher, 8th Grade Head Advisor), Vic Montemayor (Upper School Physics Teacher), Kellianne Kaput (Director of Annual Giving), and Martin Dean (Associate Director of Institutional Advancement). 16 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
MISSION AWARD
Marnie McDonald (Third Grade Teacher/Third Grade Level Coordinator), Steve Moll (Upper School Math Teacher/Head of Washington House), Misha Horsey (Middle School P.E. & Health & Wellness Teacher), and Adele Tippett (Auxiliary Program Assistant) were each honored with a Mission Award. Each year, GA presents four Mission Awards to outstanding members of the faculty, administration, and staff with a minimum of three years of service to GA who go above and beyond to fulfill one or more tenets of the GA Mission. Head of School Rich Schellhas 1760 also awarded several members of the administration and staff “this-year-only” awards - the Distinguished Service Award and the Distinguished Mission Award. GA nurses Sarah Williams ’14, Karen Williams, Lorraine Rodgers, Lori Andress ’88, and Pam Barrer were each honored with a Distinguished Mission Award. These awards - the perfect combination of our two most esteemed awards - are in recognition of the superhuman achievement of keeping the 1,500 people on our campus healthy every day and for exemplifying our mission as compassionate and collaborative community leaders in the vaccination of literally thousands of people, many of whom had no connection to GA at all. Dan Houston (Director of Facilities), Carla Zighelboim (Director of Communications & Marketing), Rachel Elwood (Director of Human Resources), Maria Bouchard (Database Operations Manager), Erin Jalón (Human Resources Coordinator), Beth Taylor (Executive Assistant to the Head of School), and Steve Dolan 1760 (Director of Security) were honored with a Distinguished Service Award. Named accordingly, “Team Get It Done,” this group excelled as the logistical powerhouses behind our weekly testing, vaccination clinics, and the creation of all new routines, spaces, protocols, events, and positions in order to adapt to the necessities of 202021. Their dedicated service to our school community made it possible for us to navigate successfully each winding turn and detour.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON!
GA’s singers and dancers would not let pandemic protocols get in their way as both divisions put on fabulous outdoor performances.The Middle School put on Theater on the Green–A Look back at 13 years of Middle School Musicals set up as a cabaret, while Upper School performed Into the Woods ala Shakespeare with GA stage crew-built outdoor stages and balcony in the Class of 1969 Outdoor Classroom.
STUDENT WINS SECOND PLACE GRAND AWARD AT INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR Jason Wang '22 won a second place Grand Award and a $2,000 cash prize at the 2021 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the category of Biomedical and Health Sciences. Wang was one of 1,800 invited participants from 75 countries and his second-place finish among the most talented student scientists in the world was a tremendous accomplishment. Wang’s project, entitled Chronic Sleep Deprivation Induces Brain Inflammation via CCR2-Mediated Peripheral Monocyte Infiltration, examines potential underlying mechanisms for how sleep deprivation can increase the risk for developing neurological disorders in later life, like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Wang’s spent countless hours researching his thesis and developing his project and various materials for science fairs like Delaware Valley, Montgomery County and the state of Pennsylvania. Wang has garnered numerous accolades during the past two years and he is not done yet. Congratulations Jason!
DIVISION-WIDE GAMES SAW SPIRITED COMPETITION
Washington House took home the Upper School House Olympics Trophy.
The Blue Team was victorious at Lower School Field Day.
Persia brought home the win at Middle School Greek Day. GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 17
GA CELEBRATES COMPUTER SCIENCE WEEK! The annual Computer Science Education Week featured a number of familiar faces as five GA graduates - Daryl Dohner ’19, Hannah Fried ’16, Miles Hanamirian ’18, Max Korman ’18, and Shira Wein ’15 returned (virtually) to talk with students and faculty about their budding careers in the field of computer science. Dohner is currently studying computer science at Georgia Tech and completed a software engineering co-op at Patientco. He discussed his adventures in coding, from teaching himself how to build a web application in Middle School at GA to his current studies and work experiences. Fried was a dual major at Duke University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science. She is currently a software engineer at Peloton Interactive. Fried presented a lesson about machine language and how processors parse instructions at the lowest levels. Hanamirian and Korman are both students at the University of Pennsylvania. Hanamirian is studying finance with a minor in computer science and several concentrations, including quantitative finance. He explained a project he recently completed modeling election results based off economic data, as well as his experience in blending finance with programming. Korman is studying math, physics, logic, philosophy, and computer science. He is interested in the theoretical part of computer science and pulls together a variety of interests for his projects.
Hannah Fried ’16 presented a lesson about machine language and how processors parse instructions at the lowest levels.
Daryl Dohner ’19 is currently studying Computer Science at Georgia Tech.
Wein is a Ph.D. student of Computer Science at Georgetown University and a graduate intern at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She discussed her experience in pursuing a doctoral-level computer science degree in the field of Natural Language Processing and her work at NASA. Other guest speakers included Scott Fraser P’22, Chief Information Officer at ECRI Institute, Danica Pascavage, Philadelphia Area Outreach Manager for TechGirlz, and GA students Caitlin Boland-Szura ’22, Daelyn Nwaobasi ’21, and Kevin Cui ’21.
Continued on next page. 18 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
Ellee Segal ’23 leads Girls in Code Club in the Beard Center for Innovation.
GA’s Computer Science Education Week has evolved over time, and GA’s Computer Science program has grown tremendously. Students are exposed to coding and computational thinking starting in the Lower School and at every grade through 9th, with electives available starting in 10th Grade.
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“Computer Science Week is always an exciting time at GA,” said Computer Science Department Chair Jason Oswald. “This year, we really wanted students to have the opportunity to hear the work of their peers in different divisions as well as alumni in college and the workforce.
If there were a single lesson to be pulled from hearing from our alumni and folks in the field this week, it is that computer science is integrated into so many facets of everyday life and that it increasingly is a complementary component to so much work that is happening. Similarly, our growing computer science program at GA complements the work happening in the classrooms beyond the computer science ones.” –Jason Oswald
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS CREATE COMMUNITY FRIDGE The Upper School Community Service Organization and GA’s Art Across the Academy program collaborated to create ‘The Community Fridge,’ a decorated community refrigerator that provides food for those in need in the area. The Community Fridge, located at Weaver’s Way Co-op in Ambler, hopes to nourish the body (through food) and the soul and heart (through art). The community-wide project was co-led by
Honors sculpture student Cat Shuron ’22. Community fridges are refrigerators that are placed in various areas for anyone to get food when they are hungry; they have become vitally important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shuron, with the help of CSO faculty leaders, picked some local organizations to ask if they would be interested in creating a community fridge that was also a sculptural work of art. After several “No, thank you’s,” Weaver’s Way agreed to power the refrigerator while the Upper School CSO is responsible for restocking it and cleaning it twice a month during the school year. The functional fridge sculpture is covered with more than 1,000 GA communitycreated magnets and was moved to Weaver’s Way in May. “It was amazing to see the messages and the
BECCA BURNETT HAS ARTICLE PUBLISHED Upper School English Department Chair Becca Burnett took her “Shakespeare in Performance” class experience and turned it into an article for the Spring 2020 edition of Independent Teacher Magazine. Burnett felt that “…although modern best practices suggest that learning should be active and studentdriven, when it comes to teaching older texts, we often revert to older methods of teaching. No wonder these texts feel inaccessible to today’s learners – they aren’t being taught in the way today’s students learn.” So she rectified that on a screen, during a pandemic. Her class immediately responded and created an engaging one-hour performance of Much Ado About Nothing over Zoom. The student adaptation is set in the 21st century and social media and text messages are heavily featured as a communication tool. To watch the virtual performance, please visit www.germantownacademy.net/shakespeare.
careful creation of the magnets,” said Sara Krupnick-Ritz, co-Director of Art Across the Academy. “The kids got it. They made magnets for the refrigerators of our neighbors who might need a message of hope, love, laughter and, in doing so, they felt a boost themselves. It's so critical to learn to think outside of ourselves and to see how we can be of service in so many ways in our community." “It was so surreal seeing the fridge installed at Weavers Way because we worked on logistics and the creation of the fridge for so long that I was eager to see it set up,” said Shuron. “I hope it truly brings light to the fight against hunger in our community and allows people to acknowledge this issue. Follow The Community Fridge on Instagram @amblercommunityfridge.
GACLP CONNECTS STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
The Germantown Academy Cooperative Learning Program (GACLP) was (l to r) Kyle Sonlin ’15 and MasonWartman’06 founded in 2017 as an externship program for Upper School students by Gaby Russomagno 1760 to gain real world experience in a variety of employment fields within proximity to GA. Since COVID made in-person visits impossible, GACLP went virtual with a series of monthly webinars, beginning in January, designed to inspire Middle and Upper School students with possible career options and feature several GA alumni. It has been a pleasure to welcome architect Kate McPhillips ’03, entrepreneurs Kyle Sonlin ’15 and Mason Wartman ’06, marketing strategist Katie Burkhart ’10, and circular economist Ron Gonen ’93. To watch recordings of the webinars, and start connecting with fellow alums, go to www.patriotconnect.net. GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 19
FOREVER PATRIOTS CRAIG NEWBERGER 1760, 34 years Whether it was making claymation movies about dinosaurs, exploring rocks, minerals, and geologic processes in the Wissahickon Gorge, watching the stars via telescope, or singing his trademark song, “Proud to Be a Moose,” (which is about being proud of who you are), Craig Newberger’s students were encouraged to find themselves through scientific and musical discovery. Recognizing the value of offering more hands-on experiences in the teaching of science, he also created several summer programs, including Design Technology weeks for elementary students, the Girls Summer Science Institute, and Wildlife Discovery Camps. In 2003, Newberger began taking Middle School students and their parents to Costa Rica every other year during spring break to study the wildlife, ecology, and culture of the country. He is a two-time recipient of GA’s Distinguished Achievement Award, attained Level IV Teacher certification, received the Mission Award, was inducted into the Class of 1760, and was named the inaugural Diane Goldstein Endowed Chair for the Teaching of Science.
MARK STEPHENS 1760, 37 years
Mark Stephens served in both the Lower School and Middle School over his almost fourdecades-long tenure at GA. He taught sixth grade math for one year, then fourth grade for 10 years, and sixth grade writing for one year. Then came sixth grade’s big move to the Middle School in 1996 where he taught English, and continues as a member of the history faculty. He also coached Middle School and Upper School girls soccer, Middle School baseball, Middle School softball, and played a huge role in growing GA’s Academy Scholars Program. Stephens has been the recipient of impressive teaching accolades. He was named a Level IV Master Teacher in 1994, the William Schoff English Chair in 2000, and the Peter Biggs History Chair in 2020. He is also a three-time recipient of Outstanding Teacher/Distinguished Achievement Awards, eight Edward Kast Grants, and is a member of GA’s honorary alumni Class of 1760.
TOM TAFT 1760, 29 years Chief Financial Officer Tom Taft leaves behind almost three decades of Red Books, yearbooks, blueprints, and audit ledgers. Tom oversaw all financial and operational activities, including maintenance, auxiliary programs, construction, security, the cleaning crew, and the dining service. He came to GA in 1992 and spent the past 29 years building a track (his favorite project), securing GA’s financial position, and giving his all in order to make sure every student has a great day at GA.
JUDY KROUSE 1760, 34 years Judy Krouse held the Peter Biggs Chair for the Distinguished Teaching of History from 2012-15, was recipient of a GA Distinguished Achievement Award in 1992, was inducted into the GA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016, and was honored with a Mission Award in 2018. She built a truly extraordinary girls cross country program at GA, repeatedly coaching GA teams to victory at the Independent School state championship (1997, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2016, 2017) and the Inter-Ac League championship 12 times. Thanks to her leadership, Judy was a six-time PAISAA Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year. In the classroom, Judy was a beloved, innovative teacher. A tried-and-true history buff with an enviable intellect and an expert in the Harkness method, Judy deftly taught all eras of history by engaging her students through animated discourse, challenging questions, and a brilliantly evolving curriculum. Her signature course, Women in American History, comprises a most important piece of her legacy at our school. 20 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
Congratulations to the following faculty and staff on their retirement from GA! STEVE DOLAN 1760, 25 years Since coming to GA in 1996 as GA’s first Director of Security, Steve Dolan created GA’s emergency plans, launched the swipe card system, the camera system, the radio system, the lightning alert system, reserved parking spaces, traffic control, crosswalks and sidewalks, panic alarms, fire extinguishers, inspections, drills, exterior lights, emergency lights, first aid trauma bags, and Automated External Defibrillator (AEDs). In addition to serving as team leader of GA’s Safe to Say Something program and GA’s Safety Committee, Dolan also found time to coach Middle and Upper School soccer and basketball, serve as the varsity football team photographer, and lead an Upper School exchange trip to London.
JANET MAURER 1760, 23 years It was a chance encounter in 1998 that led to the 23-year counseling career of Dr. Janet Maurer 1760 at GA. While at a neighbor’s house, she met long-time teacher and administrator Maggie McVeigh 1760 who encouraged her to submit a resume to GA. When Dr. Maurer first arrived at GA, she worked part-time and supervised a counseling intern in the Upper School. There were no counseling resources for the Lower and Middle Schools. Eventually, Middle and Lower School psychologists were hired which led to a team of five. Maurer says the expansion of the counseling department allowed for more than just putting out emotional fires and responding to emergencies––the team is now able to focus on prevention as well as treatment, outreach, and helping to dispel some of the stigma around seeking mental health services.
JOY HOLMES 1760, 27 years The Mayor of Alphabetia, Lower School Literacy Specialist Joy Holmes, handed over her keys to the make-believe “City of Phonics” as she headed into retirement after 27 years. With a passion for teaching that called since childhood, Holmes built a remarkable program where children didn’t even realize they were reading because she always made it fun. Creating curriculum for balanced literacy, welcoming parent and grandparent volunteers into her colorful classroom, and hearing her students belt out “Madam Adam Apple” fifty-two times a class period will all be missed by this creative educator.
SUE McHUGH 1760, 17 years Sue McHugh’s relationship with GA actually began in 1987 as a GA parent (when she was Sue Sarshik), when her oldest of five children, Jennifer Lockhart Kepner ’91, would become a freshman the following fall. Sue quickly became involved in GA life as a founding member of the GA Parent’s Network and on the Parents’ Committee Executive Board as treasurer. At age 50, McHugh decided to pursue a Master of Education degree at Arcadia University and simultaneously accepted a job as an assistant teacher in 3rd Grade at GA. She was an assistant teacher from 2001-04 before being named the Lower School Math Specialist in 2004. She was an integral member of the team that developed Ed21 Innovation and Special Programs, led the seemingly never-ending curriculum mapping effort, and served as the school’s SMART trainer. McHugh also played an instrumental role in creating the One School Computer Science Program as well as the Lower School Computer Science and Robotics programs. Sue is a three-time recipient of GA’s Distinguished Achievement Award.
Would you like to make a gift in honor of a retiree? Visit www.germantownacademy.net/supportga GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 21
GA WELCOMED
JOHN JENNINGS
John Jennings, a professor, author, comic artist, curator, Harvard Fellow, and 2018 Eisner Winner, was the featured guest in the Head of School’s Distinguished Speaker Series on February 7, 2021. While his “visit” with students, faculty, parents, alumni, and friends of GA was virtual, it was nonetheless impactful. Jennings’ discussion, entitled Reimagining Black Futures: Art & Resistance, featured several books he has written or illustrated, including The NewYork Times bestselling graphic novel version of Octavia Butler’s Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, which the GA community read together through the GA Reads Book Club. “Over the course of one school day, John Jennings delivered four completely different, age-appropriate presentations to fourth and fifth grades, Middle School, Upper School, and the wider community,” said Head of School Rich Schellhas 1760. “Over this day’s journey it was fascinating not only to get an in-depth look into his process and art, but also to see a scholar’s mind at work. Jennings’ initial dream of reimagining the history of Black comics to share them with modern audiences has expanded brilliantly into the field of graphic novels, where his bold and brilliant illustrations capture the imagination of new generations of readers. His presentations were a perfect reflection of his fascinating brain and a vivid symbol of how the ambitious and genuine pursuit of one’s dearest interests and talents can open mighty doors both for the artist himself and the viewer.” Jennings has made a career out of examining the visual culture of race in various media forms, including film, illustrated fiction, comics, and graphic novels. Jennings is the curator of a new line of graphic novels, Megascope, whose mission is to publish books that visualize new diverse narratives through the comics medium.
SWIMMERS SET RECORD Andy Zhou ’24, Landon D’Ariano ’24, Jack Maketa ’22, and JJ Freeman ’23 broke GA’s 200-medley pool record on Feb. 24. The foursome finished in 1:35.36 to best Peddie’s 2018 record of 1:35.56. The Patriots celebrated on the deck of the refurbished natatorium. The COVID shutdown last summer afforded the time needed to drain and clean the pool and have the broken tiles repaired. The acoustic tiles in the ceiling were replaced, the walls were painted, and a new LED scoreboard was installed this winter. The names of the new record-holding medley relay team will be added to the others and installed on brand-new record boards. 22 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: NICHOLAS WYNIA
Xalapa, Mexico Upper School photography teacher and professional documentary photographer and filmmaker Nicholas (Nic) Wynia is studying a map of Honduras. He’s specifically eyeing Tela, a Hernán Cortés settlement, and Trujillo, Columbus’ landing on his fourth voyage, two of the more popular beach towns that dot Honduras’ sleepy north coast. Wynia has worked extensively in Latin America retracing the steps of Spanish conquistadors. From traveling the route of Francisco Pizzaro fifteen hundred miles down the backbone of the Andes to Hernán Cortés’ march to what is now Mexico City, Wynia uses his camera to explore the themes of conquest and colonization and what these places look like a hundred years after the meeting of the western world and the indigenous populations of the Americas. “I am not Latino or a historian,” Wynia explained. “I’m approaching Latin America as an artist and a photographer, with open eyes and a curiosity to feel and look and try to understand. I find it to be a really warm culture. I love how people greet one another, including perfect strangers, on the street. When you travel through a lot of different cultures you learn that we really have a lot in common. The basic needs and wants and understanding between people are pretty similar everywhere.” Thanks to a GA Kast Grant in the summer of 2019, Wynia spent five weeks retracing the route of Francisco Orellana from Quito, Ecuador to Belem, Brazil. He
NicWynia inVera Cruz, Mexico, retracing the route of Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes. journeyed over the Andes mountains, down the Napo River, and then traveled the length of the Amazon River to the Pacific Ocean. “You can certainly see the influence of Spanish culture in Latin America,” said Wynia. “The most glaring are probably in the architecture, religion, and the people themselves. Today the influence on developing countries is coming more in the way of popular western culture and the ideas, style, and norms seen on television and social media. That said, there are still a lot of really unique things about individual communities.” A native of Story City, Iowa, Wynia is a Fulbright Scholar and a graduate of the University of Iowa (B.A., Studio Arts) and University of Wisconsin-Madison (Master of Fine Arts). He has worked for a number of news sites and publications. Some of his notable projects include Pond Hockey: Frozen Moments, Middle Man, On Exile, and Honduras: An Isthmus Country. As a teacher at GA, Wynia is not only looking to pass along his technical skills, but also to instill a level of self-reliance in GA student artists and for them to "trust their own ideas."
San Miguelito, Nicaragua
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I think the biggest reward is when students are invested in the work they are doing and taking ownership of their ideas.” –Nic Wynia
"It’s not just that they are doing this because I gave them an assignment. When they come up with their own assignments or projects and are excited about that— that’s what gets me excited. I want them to have more confidence, see the possibilities, and to be self-motivated."
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 23
ACCOLADES APLENTY FOR SENIOR SARAH ROJAS
version of the Academy Wooden Spoon Award is given with love and respect to Sarah Rojas.”
Throughout the school year, Rojas became a familiar face as she creatively led weekly virtual morning meetings, SGA initiatives, and brought much-needed joy to her peers and teachers. Rojas also helped launch the Mental Health Committee’s Wellness Week, coordinated a diversity conference between the student leaders of affinity groups and faculty leaders of the Upper School, a Day of Kindness, created the birthday committee, and assisted in the interview process of the Assistant Head of School. Rojas served as a captain of the girls’ varsity tennis team and helped run the LatinX affinity group. She was also instrumental in the Community Service Organization’s Book Nook initiative, which brings tiny libraries filled with children’s books to community parks. In the 19th Century, GA seniors would gather for a “Class Dinner,” at which they would regale each other with speeches, songs, and jokes. Prizes were awarded for academic excellence, and one lucky student received a large wooden spoon. This spoon was a special prize, awarded to the senior who did the most to “nourish” other students through kindness and character. The Academy reinstated this award in the spring of 2021 to acknowledge the kindness and character of Student Government Association President Sarah Rojas ’21.
At the end of the year, Rojas, a McNeil Patriot Scholar, was inducted into the Academy Club, the Math Honor Society (Mu Alpha Theta), and the Science National Honor Society. Along with classmate Harry Hou ’21, Rojas was the recipient of the Nahill Memorial Medal on Prize Day. The Nahill Memorial Medal was established in 1964 by the Class of 1960 in memory of their President, George Gregory Nahill ’60 to be awarded to the students of the senior class who, by vote of the class, has done the most to further class unity.
“A good president is one who presides over the people, but who also includes and values the people,” said SGA advisor Carol Peery Ayers 1760, who presented the prestigious award to Rojas during this year’s graduation ceremony. “In all of my years advising the Student Government Association, I have never seen a president as organized, forward-thinking, proactive, hardworking, and inclusive. No matter how difficult the challenge, she always said, ‘I will take care of it,’ making my job a dream. The inaugural 21st century
The Society for Science named Rojas a Top 300 Scholar in the 80th Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school seniors, for her research project, Inducing Dysbiosis in Brown Planaria with Single Strain Probiotics Clostridium butyricum, E.coli Nissle 1917, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. For this extraordinary accomplishment, Rojas was the recipient of a $2,000 prize and GA also received $2,000 to use toward STEM-related activities.
MATHEMATICS CREATES BEAUTIFUL ART by Matthew Notary, Middle School Math Department Chair
Using the online resource Desmos, students in my Algebra B Honors class saw how certain equations could produce graphics—of their own design. Students entered their equations and inequalities into the Desmos graphing calculator to create lines and curves. Students have freedom to choose their own design; some made pictures of favorite animated characters, others created vehicles, many designed logos of favorite sports teams, and still others made scenes entirely from their imagination. My students learn patience and perseverance while developing a deeper understanding of the connection between an equation and its graph. There is a lot of trial and error involved as students try to write the exact equation that will produce a particular line or curve in the correct location to form part of their design. While working, they must create their own individual composition, but they often help each other with their projects. This project has received a lot of positive feedback over the years. Students look forward to it because they see examples of previous years’ projects on the wall of my classroom. They say that they 24 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
feel a great sense of satisfaction at finally figuring out the exact right equation to make something work, and at seeing the final product come together in the way they imagined it from the beginning. One of my favorite quotes from a student’s feedback form a few years ago was, “I loved everything about it! I think this was the greatest assignment ever given to me. I felt more joy in working on this project than watching Netflix.”
ALL-TIME BOYS SCORING LEADER Jordan Longino ’21 secured his name in the boys basketball record books after a stellar career for the Patriots. On Feb. 23, 2021, he became the all-time GA boys basketball scoring leader, surpassing the record of 1,702 career points set by Alvin Williams ’93. He finished his GA career with 1,763 points. He then went on to win the national American Family Insurance High School 3-Point contest at the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship, was featured on 6abc by Jamie Apody, and played in the Allen Iverson Roundball Classic. To cap it off, Longino was named the non-PIAA Player of the Year. He averaged 21.9 points and seven rebounds per game as a senior.
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Senior Jordan Longino ’21 (above right) became the all-time boys basketball scoring leader on February 23, 2021 when he surpassed the record of 1,702 career points set by Alvin Williams ’93 (above left).
DIDONATO SHATTERS PA OUTDOOR STATE 3200 RECORD Robert DiDonato ’21 capped off his GA running career by breaking the all-time Pennsylvania state record in the boys 3,200 meters with a time of 8:44.98 at the 16th Henderson Invitational on May 7, 2021. DiDonato, bound for Stanford University, broke Paul Springer’s 2007 all-time outdoor state best of 8:49.84, which also came at the Henderson Invitational. It also beat Craig Forys’ (Colts Neck, NJ) meet record of 8:46.04 from that same 2007 race. Earlier in the season, DiDonato won the 800-meter race (1:56) as well as the 1600 (4:23) and 3200 (9:47) races at the Inter-Ac Meet. Also at Henderson, Juli Gonzalez ’22 set a new school record (2:15.09) in the 800-meter race and Perry Irons ’21 won the 300meter hurdles amongst an elite field of runners. At one point during the season, Irons’ school record time (44.6) was the second-best time in Pennsylvania.
We are extremely proud of Jordan for the impact he has had on our boys’ basketball program,” said GA Head Coach Matt Dolan. "Jordan represented GA and our team in a firstclass manner. His on-court production speaks for itself as he became GA boys’ all-time leading scorer and is a two-time PA State Player of the Year winner. He has earned his place in GA history through his terrific work ethic and willingness to improve on a daily basis. Jordan has a bright future ahead and we are excited to root him on as he becomes a Villanova Wildcat next year!”
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD FINDS INTER-AC SUCCESS The Patriots won the 2021 Inter-Ac League Girls Track & Field Final in May at Carey Stadium. The Patriots, many of whom outperformed their seeds, scored 130 points to win the competition. GA was led by Moforehan Abinusawa ’22 with a firstplace finish in the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash, Sarah Fineman ’21, winning the discus event and the shot put, and Fiona McKenna ’23, winning the high jump, long jump, and 100-meter hurdles. Along with her second-place finish in the 4x100 relay, McKenna earned Athlete of the Meet honors. The Patriots’ 4x400 relay (Perry Irons ’21, Brianne O’Hara ’22, Juli Gonzalez ’22, Alex Goodridge ’22) came out on top and clocked in at 4:02.31 to beat Notre Dame (4:03.57) and set a new school record (by four seconds!) in the process. *Due to COVID, the Inter-Ac League did not hold a track and field championship for the spring 2021 season. GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 25
NATIONAL MERIT SUCCESS Congratulations to Jade Dohner ’21 (Case Western Reserve University Scholarship), Adam Georgopoulos ’21 (Purdue University Scholarship), and Helen Wu ’21 (University of Chicago Scholarship) who were recipients of a National Merit Scholarship Corporation College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship. Kevin Cui’21 was the recipient of a $1,000 National Merit Corporate Scholarship award from Astellas. From approximately 1.6 million students who entered the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program, only about 16,000 were named Semifinalists, including Dillon Agrawal ’21 Kevin Cui ’21, Dohner, Georgopoulos, Anthony Kostacos ’21, Rishi Mandapaka ’21, Kolby Palmer ’21, Wu, and Eileen Zhang ’21. All nine were later named National Merit Finalists
Nine seniors were named National Merit Commended Students, including Harry Hou ’21, Gregory Kraynak ’21, Bredt Leon ’21, Daniel Lukens ’21, Andreas Moeller ’21, Ryan Quinn ’21, Devin Smith ’21, Emily Wang ’21, and Justin Weiss ’21.
ROBOTICS AND CODING A new addition was introduced to the Middle School intramurals line-up. While not on a field or track, MS Robotics and Coding is a popular winter and spring sport. This new club consists of students working individually and then as a team, building and coding a FIRST LEGO EV3 robot kit that will need to accomplish challenges designed by LEGO. There is a competition area with the challenges set up so they can build, code, and practice. And all students, whether at home or inperson, can participate. “This year the LEGO challenge focuses on “Play” and the challenges are taking place on a “playground,” said Maura Saurman, Middle School science teacher and club advisor. “The final goal is to take home the win at the FIRST LEGO competition!” Middle School Robotics and Coding might be new to GA’s intramural teams, but these students are quite possibly moving closer towards a career in STEM!
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For many of the students, it is a place to innovate, be creative, and learn some new skills,” says Cory Ecklund, Middle School Science teacher and advisor. “I have been impressed with the gains many of them have made throughout the year. It’s satisfying to know how well we have been able to offer them challenges at their level and watch them try to come up with creative solutions.”
ANIKA WALKER-JOHNSON PRESENTS AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE Anika Walker-Johnson, Director of Equity and Inclusion at GA, along with Lauren D. Lewis, Director of Access & Inclusion/Senior Director of Enrollment at the Foxcroft School in Virginia, presented at the National Association of Independent Schools’ (NAIS) virtual conference in February 2021. Their workshop was entitled “Bridging the Gap Between the Admission and Retention of Students of Color and the Re-Engagement of Alumni of Color.” “In the wake of 2020’s Instagram protests that highlighted Black students’ experiences with racism on the campus of independent schools globally, this workshop, that blends storytelling with data, was re-designed from its original iteration,” said Walker-Johnson. “We wanted to draw attention to 26 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
the importance of cultivating and sustaining authentic lifelong, institutional relationships with BIPOC* students and alumni, specifically through the lens of Black students and alumni.” Participants had the opportunity to consider the various phases in the life cycle of school engagement and to explore the significance of integrating the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion, admission/enrollment management, and advancement. “While this workshop was focused on Black students and alumni, this model is designed to be used as the foundation for a universal approach to relationships with all students and alumni,” said Walker-Johnson. “Lauren and I conceived this workshop while we worked together at a New England boarding school. Our short time together as colleagues revealed the power of collaboration in the support of all students, but most importantly, those who are most marginalized within these elite institutions.” Visit www.germantownacademy.net/nais to see the full presentation. * Black, Indigenous, People of Color
2020-21
ANNUAL REPORT OF PHILANTHROPIC GIVING
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Thank you for your support of Germantown Academy! Anonymous (20) Olufunmilola and Adeyinka Abinusawa * Mammen Abraham and Pinki Mehta * Michael Adams and Catherine Manning Adams Edward Addison III '66 and Kathryn Willcox Addison '78 Matthew Adey and SamanthaVose Adey '97 David Adoni '81 and Christine Adoni Jacob Adoni '12 E. Robert Aemisegger, Jr '48 and Sue Aemisegger ♦ Williams Agate, Jr. and Martha Sheble Agate '77 ♦ Nancy and Akhil Agrawal * William Ahrens '74 and Maureen Healy Jamie and Josh Albert * Katelyn Lawlor Albert '05 Ali AlDamlouji '10 Kenneth Alexander Ranya Alhadad '24 Sarah Alhadad '20 Aneela Ali Karen and Brian Allen Virginia and John Allenson Laurence Altman and Catherine Korman Altman '83 ♦ Alison and Timothy Amann * Joseph Ambeault and Alison Rubinfield Ambeault '93 ♦ Roger Ammon and Karen Hamilton Ammon '85 ♦ James Anderson ♦ Michelle and James Anderson Jarrett Anderson * Mark Andress and Lori Dougherty Andress '88 ♦ Ulysses A. Andrews IV '00 Perivush and Sameer Ansari Sharon and Donald Antonacio Amy and Chase Archer William J. Armstrong, Jr. '68 Robert Asher '55 and Joyce Asher ♦ David Atlas '65 and Diane Atlas Kent Hornbostel and Gail Atwater '80 Randall Austin '54 and Eunice Austin ♦ Andrew L. Avner '95 Abigail L. Bach '77 ♦ Rita and Joseph Baczor * Scott Badami and Heather Rheiner Badami '88 ♦ R. Reed Baer '75 and Christine Burns Marc Baer and Simi Kaplin Baer '91 ♦ Natasha and Indranil Bagchi Bela and Jaspal Bagga ♦ Bruce Bailey, Jr. and Genevieve Hill ♦ Joseph Bailey '76 and Elizabeth Bailey Charles Baker, Jr. and Hillary Hickmott Baker '79 ♦ Anjali and Raj Bandekar ♦ Linda and Bruce Baron ♦ Tina Baron Courtney R. Baron '01 *
Thomas Barone and Terri Ruttle Barone '72 ♦ David Baroody and Bethany Silva * Nancy and William Barwig Delores Macklin Bauer Kelly and Michael Baughman Phyllis and William Beard Mitchell L. Beer '00 James Beers and Carol Stratton Beers '85 ♦ A. James Behrend '64 and Pat Behrend John Behrend '66 and Polly Phillippi * Kyle Bell and Carolyn Burnett Bell '05 ♦ Joshua A. Bell '92 John Bender '94 Rodd Bender '85 and Cari Bender ♦ Wendy and Daniel Bender Richard Benjamin '66 and Mary Benjamin * Sondra Bennett 1760 ♦ Michael W. Bensch '00 ♦ Alan Bernstein '57 and JoAnne Bernstein ♦ Philip Bernstein '60 and Leslie Bernstein ♦
Anthony Smith and Alice Biggs-Smith '73 * George Bihn III '63 and Gwen Wells Bihn ♦ John K. Binswanger '50 ♦ Carol and George Biron * Robert Biron '87 and Karen Biron ♦ Samantha Bishop * Donald Black '68 and Carol Black Margaret and Aaron Blades Julia Blumenreich 1760 ♦ Gabrielle R. Bodle '87 ♦ Jeffrey Bodle '90 and Amy Bodle ♦ Georgia and John Bodle ♦ Maryanne Boettjer 1760 ♦ Linda C. Boggs '75 * Jodi A. Bohr 1760 ♦ Brett L. Bolden '99 Robert F. Bole, Jr. '57 ♦ Robert Bolger III '66 and Olga Bolger Capri and Raymond Bonczek Nancy S. Bonwit '69 ♦ Stuart Boreen '78 and Joan Boreen Ryan and David Borek
The personal attention from teachers, the friendships formed, and the extracurricular activities gave my life a boost. To help others gain similar benefits, I have consistently donated to Annual Giving for over 60 years.
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Steven Bernstein * Amy and Michael Betancourt Angela and Ryan Bialas Carol and Arnold Bierman ♦ Phil Macek and Julie Bierman '86 ♦ Michael Robinson and Mary-Ellen Biggs '77 ♦ Sara Biggs ♦
Watson F. Bosler '64 ♦ Kathleen and Donald Bouchard Maria and Donald Bouchard Alison E. Bowers '04 Judith and Charles Bowers ♦ Scott Boyce and Christine McDade ♦ Dana Boyette and Katherine Connor Boyette '96
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Sondra and Philip Caplan Alexandra Sargent Capps '85 Geoff Owens and Diana Caramanico '97 * Beverly and Michael Carey Pier A. Carey Dan Mirarchi and Debbie Carlos '94 Matthew Carluccio and Sarah Bean-Carluccio Brendan S. Carr '17 * Virginia and Dale Carr Dakota Carroll Ruth and Wes Carver ♦ Renata and Mark Casey Danilo Casimiro and Joyce Laquindanum ♦ William Caum '64 and Carol Caum ♦ Catherine and Kevin Cawley ♦ Steven Chadwin and Sherrea Chadwin 1760 ♦ Dale Champlin, Jr. and Tabb Robertson Champlin '76 Ruth and Tai-ming Chang '78 * Yong Chang '85 and Terri Chang Michael Chauveau and Phyllis Chauveau 1760 Ryan Chaytors and Elizabeth Serrill Chaytors '95 * John Chen and Hongyan Li Jennifer and James Cheng Bei Deng and Jian Cheng * Paula and Alexander Chernoff Helen and Allen Chiang * Wayne Chisholm Cindy and Daniel Cho * Miran and David Cho ♦ Rashad Choudry and Sue Lee Robert A. Christiansen '66 Carlos Chubb * Barbara Seeburger Cipolloni '72 ♦ Barbara and James Circosta John Clapham '62 and Dorothy Clapham ♦ Robert Clapham '65 and Sandra Clapham ♦ Richard Clark, Jr. '57 and Virginia Clark ♦ Gary Clements '57 and Elin Clements John Clouser '67 and Priscilla Clouser Rhoda Coben Judy and Kieran Cody ♦ Logan G. Cody '15 Arline Cohen ♦ Neil Cohen '68 and Dana Cohen ♦ Janet and Samuel Cohen * Mazie and Joseph Colen ♦ H. Todd Colfelt '59 * Fabrice Le-Morzellec and Janelle Collett * Richard Collier '67 and Carol Collier Stephen Combs and Wendy Hyndman Combs '85 ♦ Lynda and Anthony Commale ♦ Patrick Connelly and Amy Seyfert Connelly '90 ♦ Dennis Connor '80 and Michelle Connor Elizabeth A. Connor '00 ♦ F. William Connor '62 and Catherine Connor * James Connor 1760 and Janice Connor Joelle and Edward Connors
Scott Conti '73 and Carolyn Conti ♦ Kathleen and Douglas Cooper ♦ Marcia Cooper Yolanda and Michael Cooper ♦ William R. Cooper ♦ Jackie and Jeremy Correnti ♦ Santiago Cortes and Patricia Escobar Danielle Potts Costantini '03 Beryl and Leonard Costanzo ♦ Jean M. Costello Sandra and James Cottrell ♦ Michele and Richard Cowley Thomas J. Coyle '09 Annette and Thomas Coyle ♦ Glenn Crafford and Susan Updegrove Crafford '81 Robert Delaney, Jr. and Pamela Craig '75 Elizabeth Cravero Richard Crawford '56 and Betsy Crawford Eric Creighton and Caroline Armour * Frederick Crews '51 and Elizabeth Crews ♦ Patricia and Peter Crippen Jonathon Cross '89 and Deena Diorio Cross '90 ♦ Joyce and Milton Cross ♦ James A. Cummings '69 ♦ Sean Selby and Quinn Cunningham '02 Vincent Curran, Jr. and Kali Alexander Curran '02 ♦ Teresa and James Curtin ♦ Brett R. Curtis '13 Maura C. Cusick '06 William J. Cusick, Jr. * E. Clifford Cutler IV '67 and Amy Cutler Lisa Baskerville Dale '80 David Opdahl and Traci Dallas-Opdahl '81 * Richard Danehower '57 and Holly Danehower * Joseph Quinn III and Elizabeth Dann '79 Ephraim Dardashti and Lisa Schwartz Dardashti '76 Glenda B. Daulerio 1760 ♦ Lisa Davis Hope and Robert Davis ♦ Sheldon P. Davis '57 Timothy Davis, Jr. '88 and Lyle Davis Woo Kwong and Alice de Callatay '92 Charlotte and John Dean ♦ John J. Dean '14 * Katherine Dean * Kimberly and Martin Dean ♦ Seamus M. Dean '20 Cecilia and Christopher DeBartlo Aurelio DeCaro II '92 and Allison DeCaro * Jacquelyn Decker Anita and Jeffrey Decker Kendra and Daniel DeHaven Heather DelGrande Andrew Deming and Meredith Shepherd Deming '89 * Philip Deming '73 and Nancy Deming * Stephanie Dempsey
Matthew Dence * Emily A. Denisco '10 ♦ Mary Joan and Joseph Denisco ♦ Barbara and Lynford Dennis Ronald M. DeOrzio, Jr. '99 * Leah and John DePaul * Jack Devlin and Roberta Crane Devlin 1760 ♦ Paritosh Dey and Lauri Michna-Dey Judy Dial * Douglas Diamond '80 and Regina Diamond ♦ Jeanne and Robert DiChiara ♦ Pamela and Brian DiDonato ♦ Christine and James DiFranco ♦ John DiGirolamo '00 and Jeri DiGirolamo Michael Dillon '63 and Faith Dillon ♦ Barbara and Robert Dilsheimer Vincent Dinoso '85 * Margaret and Dennis Diorio ♦ Jennifer and Joseph DiPlacido * Irma DiRienzo Dana and Anthony DiSandro ♦ Lillian and Anthony DiSandro ♦ Anne and Thomas Dobbins * William W. Doerr '68 ♦ Andrew Dolan and Megan Cipolloni Dolan '07♦ Cathyann and Stephen Dolan ♦ Harold Don, Jr. '58 and Mona Don ♦ Helen and Joseph Donahue Kyle Donahue '14 Patrick K. Donahue Charles Donches and Kristen Donches 1760 ♦ Anne and Mark Dooley * Ronald Dorn '60 and Dianne Dorn ♦ Kristin E. Dougherty '99 ♦ Betty and Brian Dovey ♦ Teresa Dowling Charles Downham III '57 and Sandra Downham ♦ Julia Downs Marsha and Joseph Dratch ♦ Spencer Drotman and Sara Honickman Drotman '09 Alex Duffine ’99 and Abigail Duffine John Dubbs '51 and Brenda Dubbs ♦ Robert Dudley, Jr. '76 and Jennifer Dudley ♦ Emily Beil Duffy '00 Thomas Durkin '89 and Merigo Durkin ♦ Timothy Durkin, Jr. '93 and Heather Durkin 1760 ♦ Marianne and Benjamin Durnall Richard Duryea and Elizabeth Walton Duryea '75 ♦ Gary Earland and Tracey Vause Earland '77 Cynthia Eastlake ♦ David Ebby and Jane Blum Ebby '80 Cory Eklund and Lauren Fein * Stacy Ellam and Diana Colleluori Scott Elvin and Deirdre Hendrie Elvin '89 Rachel and Christopher Elwood Alexandra J. Ernst '16
TA A S IOT
E C N LA
R PAT
G
More than 750 Patriots have been giving to GA for 5+ consecutive years
146 GA community members made their first gift during the 2020-21 fiscal year 30 companies matched their employees’ contributions to GA, totaling over $56,000 of funds received. Lilyana N. Ernst '20 Traci and Stephen Ernst Voltaire Escalona '10 Amber L. Esco * Robert Etris '66 and Miriam Etris Stephen Etris '70 and Marie Etris * Thomas Evans, Jr. and Emily Eastlake Evans '88 ♦ Margaret M. Evans '14 Susanna and Daniel Evans James Evarts and Alexis Smith Evarts '97 *
DIT
CRE X A PA T
M A R OG
PR
$2.07 million
was contributed to GA through EITC/OSTC programs
44 & 22 individuals
businesses
PARTICIPATED Mikel Farquharson and Beth Horner Farquharson '90 Ada and Kevin Farrell Kathy and John Farris ♦ Kirah and Charles Fasano Anne and Steven Fassler Lisa and Brendan Fee John Fehr, Jr. '66 and Mimi Fehr Heidi and Neal Feigles * Ruth and Herbert Feinberg Sarinia and Kenneth Feinman Lauren Feinschil * Andrea and David Feldheim Marc Feldman and Alison Korman Feldman '78 ♦ Harry I. Feldman '13 Judy and Marc Felgoise ♦ Tim Fellows and Terri Leitgeb Erin Fenerty '12 James Fenerty 1760 and Mary Fenerty ♦ James M. Fenerty '09 W. Mitchell Fenimore '90 and Pia Fenimore ♦ Eugenia Ferguson '69 Nancy Ferguson '70 Michael Ferrier and Joseph Randall William Fiedler, Jr. '56 and Barbara Fiedler ♦ Melissa and William Fikioris ♦ Kenneth S. Fink '87 Rochelle and R.J. Fitch Maureen Flanagan '69 Jean and Keith Fleming ♦ Alicia and Kevin Fortunato
Lauren S. Fosnight Jeffrey Fox and Song Chin Robert Fox '71 and Helene Fox ♦ Christine and Matthew Frank ♦ Kirk Franklin and Dawn Gordon Franklin '82 * Rosemarie and Henry Franz * Meredith and Henry Franz ♦ Mary Fraser * Robert A. Freas '66 Brent Freedland and Abigail Perkiss ♦ Alyson and Jonathan Freeman * Desrene and Marc Freeman * Margaret Freeman * Barbara and Bert Freeston Charles Freyer '65 and Judith Freyer * Nancy and Mark Fridirici Sara and Calvin Fridirici * Michael Slifker and Michelle Friedman ♦ Brinton Frith '88 and Nicole Frith * Mark Gabrielson and Betsy Birkmann Gabrielson '74 ♦ Guy Gabrielson III '73 and Allison Gabrielson ♦ Akshay Gadre and Suwarna Mahajan * Christopher Gadsden and Eleanore Gadsden 1760 Kelley and Christopher Gaffney Robyn and Christopher Gaito Heather and Dominic Galante * Thomas Gallagher and Stacey Jeronis John Galloway and Christine Dovey Galloway '90 ♦ William Garbose 1760 and Lynne Garbose ♦ Gina and Craig Garretson * Ross Garretson '95 and Melissa Garretson Susan M. Garrett '73 Arthur Brown and Rebecca Garrett-Brown '82 * Hugo Garrido and Sandra Tobias * Allison Bedrosian Gatter '01 Melissa Gattuso Janet and James Gauger Jennifer and Christopher Gavigan Heidi and Joseph Geist Michael Genkin and Shana Duffine Genkin '95 * Jared M. Gentile and Carlyn Patterson Gentile '02 Michael Genuardi '03 and Diana Rodgers '03 ♦ Lynne and Alexander Georgopoulos John Gerbron '71 and Mary Jane Gerbron ♦ Jessica and Brian Getson ♦ Kishan K. Ghodasara '15 * Pravina Ghodasara ♦ Jami and David Gibbs Melissa and Kevin Gilbert Ted Gilbert and Susan Murdoch Gilbert '75
Deirdre and Timothy Ginter * Rachelle Wolgin Gold '84 Andree and Bryan Goldberg Laura and Charles Goldberg Jonathan Goldberg '00 and Jillian Goldberg ♦ Jaclyn and Norman Goldberger Diane Goldstein 1760 and Claire Verden ♦ Eugene Golson '76 and Marie Golson Ron Gonen '93 Myriam and Luis Gonzalez * Julie and John Good * Adam Goodman '02 and Patricia Goodman Bruce Goodman 1760 and Judi Goodman 1760 ♦ Michelle and Bryant Goodridge * Sara and Howard Goodwin ♦ Thomas Goodwin '70 and Deborah Goodwin Matthew J. Gorman '17 Robert Gorman and Marisa Graziano ♦ Glenn Gorniak Danika Gottbrecht '13 * Maureen Gottbrecht * Daniel Govberg Amy T. Gowing '11 ♦ Sara and James Gowing ♦ Jean and Brian Grady ♦ Janice P. Graf and Gary W. Graf Skip Graffam and Robynne Murray Graffam '86 ♦ John Granozio '53 and Sandra Granozio ♦ Donald Grant and Betty Grant 1760 ♦
Greg Green and Amy Hogeland Green '75 F. George Green, Jr. III '63 and Diane Green ♦ Sarah and Allen Greenough Eric L. Greenwood '16 Kyle Griffin '07 Marianne and William Griffin * J. Lawrence Grim, Jr. and Kathleen O'Dea * Rachel and John Grimley Rosa and Vincent Grisafi * Kent Griswold '76 and Lori Griswold 1760 ♦ Janine and John Grosso Allison Guenthner Gregory Guim Carol and Richard Guinn Alice Haber Nabil Haddad and Salwa Haddad 1760 ♦ David Hadtke and Carol Buynak Hadtke '85 James Haering '55 and Susan Haering * Arlene and Richard Haft Christopher Hagenbuch and Sheeva Rajaei Nancy and Jim Hale * Prentis Hall and Tynetta Alston ♦ Nancy and Theodore Hall Hannah Hayes Hamsher '11 * Maxwell M. Hanamirian '15 * Michael Hanamirian and Carol Momjian ♦ Michael A. Hanamirian, Jr. '13 * Miles A. Hanamirian '18 Amy Horner Hanley '93
I have always wanted to support the school since my graduation. GA gave me the opportunity and set me on the path to success. Ms. Day (Virginia Day 1760) had the greatest impact of all the teachers I had. Of the many things she taught me, the biggest lesson I still carry on today is how to listen. I am proud to dedicate my gift in memory of her.
Yong Chang ’85
Richard Hanscom, Jr. '50 and Miriam Hanscom * Stephen Harburg '78 and Dale Harburg ♦ Charles Harmar '67 and Emily Harmar ♦ Andrew Harobin and Rebecca Bown Harobin '88 ♦ Lauren and Matthew Harrington Elizabeth and Henry Harris Craig Supowitz and Katherine Harris '03 * Penelope P. Harris * Claude E. Harrison III '80 Maryann and Cabell Hatfield Janet and Kevin Haugen ♦ Elizabeth and Justin Hawver Carol and Raymond Heath ♦ Elizabeth Hehmeyer * Tracy and Charles Hehmeyer * E. Craig Heim '71 M. Stroud Hellebusch and Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch '84 ♦ Stephen Hellman and Lauren Finkelstein Hellman '95 ♦ Ellen Henderson and Joshua Carmen Robert Craig Henkels '73 and Joan Henkels * Anne and Richard Henry ♦ Bruce B. Henry '66 Ella Henry '20 Cara and George Herold ♦ Jaime and Jason Hersh David Hill '66 and Mary Hill ♦ Eileen Hill 1760 ♦ Gina and Chris Hill ♦ Stephen M. Hill Terri Hilley-Battisto ♦ Peter Hillinck '13 Janet Hindle * Stephen Hinds '60 and Mary Hinds ♦ Robert Hitchings, Jr. '53 and Sue Hitchings ♦ Susan and Drew Hodgens Virginia D. Hofmann 1760 ♦ Troy J. Holiday '01 Jessica and Troy Holl * Mitchell Hollin '80 and Cristy Hollin ♦ A. Scott Holmes '57 and Joan Holmes * Aaron Holmes and Catherine Klein Anthony Holmes and Joy Holmes 1760 ♦ Edward Holmes '97 and Emily Medina Holmes Robert Holmes IV '92 and Denise Ryan Holmes '92 William Holmes '93 and Allison Holmes Sang and Yeong Hong Jeffrey Honickman '75 and Marjorie Honickman ♦ Mauri Honickman '12 Susan and Peter Honig ♦ Jessica Weiss Honigberg '00 Jennifer and Peter Honigmann ♦ John Hoofnagle II '72 and Anne Sprinkle ♦ Alfred Hopkin, Jr. '73 and Mary Ellen Hopkin Margaret and Christopher Horner ♦ Dachao Hou and Qun Wang * Fred Houck Kelly and Daniel Houston Alice Hovsepian
Timothy Howard and Colleen Kelly Howard Elizabeth and Victor Hsu Bertina C. Hsu-Miller * Dawei Hu and Feng Dong Hao Huang and Sheng Xu Wen Bin Huang and Stella Wong * Kathryn and Robert Hubby William B. Huddleston '05 Joann and Joseph Hufnagle * Richard C. Hughes III '68 Gerald Hoff and Susan Hunsinger-Hoff 1760 ♦ Mary Hunt Jared Hoffman and Licia Hurst '80 Amy and Brett Huselton Clare Guinn Hyams '03 Emily Hyman '10 * Eloise Hyndman * Peter S. Hyndman '77 ♦ Thomas Hyndman III '69 and Laurie Hyndman ♦ Giulia and Mirko Iandiorio John Imburgia and Rebecca Hopkins Imburgia '91 ♦ Bradley Ingersoll '86 and Kimberly Ingersoll ♦ Tiel and George Ingersoll * John Iredale '75 and Judith Kiely Steven Irons and Mrs. Heather Harper Irons '88 ♦ Kimberly and Brian Itterly ♦ Geoffrey Jackson '87 and Gretchen Jackson * Jon M. Jacob '84 Timothy Jacob '80 and Stephanie Schneck-Jacob M. Michael Jacobs and Carolyn Korman Jacobs '80 ♦ Erin and Alan Jalon Gregory M. Jaspan '91 Joy Javits Dara and Daniel Jeck Sabrina and Marcien Jenckes Stephanie Jennings * Nancy and Thomas Jennings * Jonas Jeswald and Carolyn Campbell * Phyllis and Peter Jeswald * David Johansen and Sarah Wiley Johansen '70 Edgar Johnson and Jennifer Malatesta-Johnson Elizabeth O'Connor Johnson '06 Robert Johnston '69 and Dale Johnston ♦ Amanda M. Jones '08 Beau M. Jones '11 Cara and Jeffrey Jones ♦ Catherine and Leonard Jones * Pauline Jones William Jones, Jr. '55 and Judith Jones ♦ A. Brinton Jopson III '65 and Maureen Jopson Michael Jordan and Samantha MacGregor Jordan '88 ♦ Savita and Ramesh Joshi ♦ Raymond M. Joson, Jr. Rebecca Messa Joson '84 Grace and Joseph Judge ♦ Megan and Arthur Judson ♦ Chelsea Kaden '00
Binnie and Samuel Kafrissen Chandra Kandanuru and Anitha Gadekarla Lauren H. Kane '77 * Chiu-Ping and Ching-Te Kao Susan and Andrew Kaplan Kellianne and Matthew Kaput ♦ Dawn and David Katz Dina and Andy Katz ♦ Jennifer and David Kaye Mary and James Keating ♦ John Keating and Jennifer Forster Keating Sarah Kebaugh * Cheryl and Michael Kelly ♦ Susan and Daniel Kelly Teresa and Joseph Kelly * Margaret Kelly * Cheryl and Michael Kelly ♦ Janice B. Kemp ♦ Debra Kennedy Michelle and Thomas Kerest Kacie E. Kergides '10 Ron Kern and Jacquelyn Roth Kern '00 R. Gregory Kern '60 and Carole Kern Gregory Kessell and Katherine Hopkins Kessell '86 ♦ Sarah and Keith Kesten ♦ Jessica and Kimberly Killo ♦ Robert J. Kilpatrick '60 * Christina Kim * Hyesang and David Kim * Priscilla Kim Grant Alger and Julie Kimmel ♦ Walter King, Jr. '67 and Louise King * Craig Goldblatt and Alisa Klein '85 Mary and Justin Klein Cigdem and Richard Knebel ♦ Kristin and Eric Knopping ♦ Al Brown and Marie Koals 1760 ♦ Douglas Kobak '86 and Kat Kobak Michael J. Kohn '04 * Donald Kolb '61 and Bobbi Kolb Richard Kolb '65 and Diane Kolb * Dmitry Komkov and Marina Makaron Aileen and Neil Koopman * Bradley Korman '83 and Pamela Korman ♦ John Korman '76 and Amy Korman ♦ Mark Korman '86 and Kelly Korman ♦ Sallie Korman ♦ Roman Koropey and Laura Bender Koropey '75 * Henry Korth and Joan Korth-Bradley ♦ John Kosek '57 and Jacque Kosek Emanuel Kostacos and Jennifer Black Jennifer A. Kosteva Carla and Jason Kotik Frederick Kraekel IV '79 and Susan Kraekel ♦ Marcy and Jeffrey Kramp Kimberly and Matthew Kraynyak * Helen and Michael Kraynyak Gabrielle and Richard Krekstein Amanda L. Kriebel '93 * Myles Krieger '64 and Leah Light * Judith Krouse 1760 ♦ Christopher Krug '98 and Jenna Bryan-Krug * Christine Krzyzanowski Taiko and Richard Krzyzanowski
T C A IMP 1,178 students benefitted every day from YOUR support
361 faculty, staff and administrators were directly impacted from annual gifts.
162 days of on-campus learning happened during the 20-21 school year because of YOU!
33%
of students received tuition assistance George Ku and Elena Lawrence ♦ Kandan Kulandaivel and Jamie Swanson * Jessica Kulick Ellen J. Kurkowski '01 * Andrea and Matthew Kurtz ♦ Constance Lacon Alexandra Crane Landesberg '08 ♦ David Landesberg '80 and Amy Landesberg Charles Landgrebe Mark Langsfeld '89 and Karen Langsfeld ♦ Nicole and Lou Lara Cari and Alan Lasdon ♦ Lauren Dolaway Lavallee '02
Angela and Peter Lavini John Lawlis III '72 and Jane Dickenson Margaret and Daniel Lawlor ♦ David Lawson '70 and Julie Lawson ♦ Kimberly and David Leach ♦ Traci and Kevin Lechwar Lisa and Kevin Ledwith ♦ Gregory Lee '57 and Mary Lee ♦ Haejoong Lee and Young Ju Yoon Kenneth Lee and Yi-Hsin Chen Philip Lee '99 and Jennifer Lee Christopher Legg Susan and Jeffrey Legos * Rachel and Dion Lehman ♦ Robert Leininger '83 ♦ Helene M. Leith ♦ Lawrence D. Leith, Jr. '94 ♦ Jennifer Rotzell Leming '97 ♦ Juan Leon and Abigail Willing ♦ Anne Leonard John R. Leopold '60 William L. Leopold, Jr. '61 ♦ Andrew Lerner '01 and Brandi Lerner ♦ Polly Leshan * Sarah Letts Larry P. Leuzzi, Sr. Faye and Larry Leuzzi Kyeong-Ah and Adam Leven * Marce Leventon and William Leventon '65
Louis A. Lombardi '61 ♦ Gavin E. Loughlin '20 Yvonne and David Love ♦ Daniel H. Lovitz '10 Alfred Lowe III '66 and Patricia Lowe Lynn and Joseph Lowrey Mark C. Luff '74 ♦ Sara and Joseph Lukens Jiazhong Luo and Xuewen Ma John Luviano III '92 and Jill Luviano John Lynch, Jr. '53 and Barbara Lynch Richard Lyntton and Michelle Wenitsky * Leslie and William MacDonald ♦ Robert Macionis '66 and Patricia Macionis Molly MacKean Thomas Macko and Jane Sheble Macko '75 ♦ Stephen MacRae and Claire Ragusa MacRae '84 ♦ Jacob Magerman '08 * Joel Magerman '78 and Tonja Magerman ♦ Max J. Magerman '12 Michael Magerman '80 and Kelly Greenleaf '82 Rachel L. Magerman '09 Jennifer and Massimo Magliari * Ryan Malkes and Jacqueline Paranzino Malkes '00
David Martin 1760 and Laura Buckley Martin '82 ♦ Scott Martin and Lisa Martin 1760 ♦ P. Gail Dickson Martin '71 * Margaret and Oscar Martinez ♦ Matthew Morreale and Sarah Martinez '93 Jodie and Joseph Mascaro Karen Mason and Joan Bush ♦ Maria A. Mastronardo '10 Charles Mathews and Wendy Graham Mathews '79 Pamela and Robert Matje Frances Matkowski Kendall Mattern, Jr. 1760 and Maria Mattern ♦ Linda and Ralph Mauro ♦ Kathleen and Sean Maxwell Matthew B. Mazurek ♦ Megan McAllister Christine M. McAuliffe '02 ♦ Thomas McAuliffe and Marisa McAuliffe 1760 ♦ Tyhisha and Anthony McBride * Robert McCammon, Jr. '57 ♦ Edward H. McCaughey, Jr. '51 ♦ James McCaughey '61 and Rebecca McCaughey ♦ Kiernan M. McCloskey '13 James C. McCracken '79 * Karen and Alec McCurdy ♦
This is our first year at GA and what a year it has been! Thanks to the thoughtful staff and administration for supporting both our son’s development and our family. We are grateful to the school community for their commitment in what was an extraordinary year.
Terri Leitgeb and Tim Fellows P’34 Fan Persky Levin * Leslie and Marc Levin * Seth A. Levin '15 Carol Levine Bailing Li Zhong Li and Yun Wang Daniel Liebsch '94 and Shelley Liebsch Ray Lieu and Elisabeth Serra * Sandra and Scott Lillis * Linda and Curt Lindahl * David Lindsay '53 and Suzanne Lindsay * David Lintgen '90 and Rachel Ravreby Lintgen '90 * Jay Lipschutz and Karen Walsh-Lipschutz * Adelia Elliott Llewellyn '78 Sandra Locke * Dean Logan '65 and Karen Logan ♦ Audrey Lombard
Diane Mallery ♦ Kimberly and Darren Malone Richard C. Maloumian, Jr. '86 Michael I. Mandel '00 Joseph Marano, Jr. '83 and Natalie Marano ♦ Catherine Marcin '14 Lee Marcus '61 and Elaine Marcus ♦ Edwin Markel, Jr. '62 and Ellen Markel * Denise and Gregory Marks * Anne T. Marshall '08 J. C. Douglas Marshall '58 and Susan Marshall Graham Martin and Marcus Crooks ♦ Jeffrey E. Martin '11 John Martin, Jr. '66 and Melinda Dyer-Martin Katelyn S. Martin '08 ♦
Edward McCusker and Lauren Gillispie McCusker '04 * Kathy and David McDermott * Marnie and James McDonald * Patricia and John McFadden Megan P. McFadden '97 * Gavin R. McFarland * Kathleen and Edward McGettigan * Patrick C. McGettigan '17 Betsy B. McGill * Joseph P. McGill * Patrick J. McGinnis '11 Patrick McGinnis, Jr. '78 and Susan Stratton McGinnis '78 ♦ Martha and Terrence McGlinchey Thomas McGlinchey and Brenda Bautista-McGlinchey ♦ Jennifer and Douglas McHugh * Susan McHugh ♦
Susan Bowen McKay '76 ♦ Charles McKinney, Jr. '54 and Sally McKinney ♦ Stephen McLaughlin and Barbara Zinman McLaughlin '81 William Reaume and Ellen McMichael ♦ Judith and Stephen McMichael Monica and Gary McMillan Martin McNabb '69 and Lori McNabb ♦ Mary and Robert McNamara ♦ Robert McNeil III '80 and Jane McNeil ♦ Robert McNeill III '55 and Ellen McNeill ♦ Kara McPhillips Sean McTernan and Carolyn Straub McTernan '00 Ian McVeigh '92 and Denise Diorio McVeigh '94 ♦ Stephen Kennedy and Margaret Mary McVeigh 1760 ♦ Katherine Meckert ♦ Ahcene Larbi and Zora Meddahi-Larbi * Maria and Louie Medina Andrew Meehan '59 and Gail Meehan Ramin Mehrgan and Pouya Hatam ♦ Juncai Meng and Ying Gu Susan J. Merrill ♦ Andrew Mersky '96 and Kiley Mersky Deborah A. Mersky 1760 ♦ Pamela and Michael Metro ♦ David Metzger '64 and Sandy Metzger * Carl Meyer and Kirstin Orban Meyer '91 Charles Meyers and Sharyn Berman ♦ Hongying Miao and Manyin Peng ♦ David Michalski and Lauren Meinel Michalski '83 George Michel and Elizabeth Turek-Michel * Betty and Chuck Miller Harry B. Miller, Jr. Jennifer and Michael Miller Nathan Miller and Jen Ramirez Miller '00 Susan and Charles Miller ♦ Tara and Warren Miller Cathie M. Minehart ♦ Charles Minehart '65 and Patricia Minehart * Kenya L. Minor ♦ Joseph P. Mirabile, Jr. '06 and Sarah Brant Mirabile ♦ Joseph Mirabile and Rose Marie Mirabile 1760 ♦ Janet Mishkin Vaneeta and Himangshu K. Mishra Amanda and Greg Mitchell Amanda and Steven Moll * Janet and Mark Monaghan Victor Montemayor * Carolyn Montgomery Stephen Montgomery '66 and Barbara Montgomery Thomas W. Morgan '76 ♦ Stephen Morris and Kimberly Whittaker Morris '92 ♦ Marjorie and Patrick Morris Hope and James Morrissey * Hugh Moulton and Catherine Moulton 1760 ♦
Deborah and Daniel Moyer Robert Moyer, Jr. 1760 and Kristan Moyer ♦ Brian C. Mueller '01 Charles Muir 1760 and Suzanne Perot 1760 ♦ Michael Mulroy, Jr. and Diana Shank Mulroy '88 ♦ Rory Mulvey '85 and Whitney Petrilli '84 * Jenaye Munford Allison Murdoch 1760 ♦ Gretchen Murray ♦ James Murray '87 and Emily Murray ♦ John Murray '62 and Donna Murray ♦ Bernard Murray and Karen Field Murray '82 Joshua Muskin '75 and Suzanne Muskin ♦ Irene Musman ♦ Franklin Myers III '62 and Nancy Myers * Nancy Myers Grace S. Na Sarah and Jonathan Na ♦ Eve Nacinovich and William G. Sfida Arun Nadiga and Jaya Shrivastav David Nagel and Jane Carroll ♦ Alexander Nagy and Carolyn Bedrosian Nagy '98 ♦ Marisa Narog Merton D. Nason III '58 and Juanita Nason ♦ Kathryn Nathan John Negro and Susan A. Negro 1760 ♦ Christopher Nelson ♦ P. Erik Nelson and Helen Piszek Nelson '70 ♦ Michael Nemeth '08 Craig Newberger 1760 and Trudy Phillips ♦ Gloria Newberger Geoffrey Newton and Diana Helweg Newton '84 ♦ Elizabeth Nicholas 1760 Jeffrey Nicholas '72 and Sally Nicholas Etta and Charles Nissman * Katie and Steven Nissman ♦ Marjorie Noble Elizabeth and Gary Nolan Frederick Nunes and Linda White Nunes '80 ♦ Kathryn Oakes Katherine L. Oberkircher '10 Kathleen McGinnis Oberkircher '76 ♦ Bridgid Lawlor O'Boyle '13 and Tom O'Boyle * Lawrence O'Brien, Jr. '62 and Ellen O'Brien * Michael Ochs and Erica Golemis Margaret O'Connor ♦ Brian J. O'Donnell '08 ♦ Barbara and Jeffrey O'Donnell * Wilson Oelkers, Jr. 1760 and Emily Oelkers ♦ Dyan and Timothy O'Hara * Richard O'Hern and Mary Lodge ♦ Gertrude O'Leary Jeffrey Olsen '74 and Linda Olsen Sandy and Bob Olson Rika and Gerald O'Malley Hilaire J. O'Malley '59
Bruce O'Neill '60 and Mary O'Neill ♦ Larissa and Alexander Ostrovsky * John Osuna and Audrey Swanstrom Osuna '96 Jason Oswald M. Ryan Ott '03 and Brynne Begley Ott '04 ♦ Bridgette and Andrew Owen * Ozgun and Ozgur Ozkan Rachel Paciello Richard Paczewski and Holly Bowen Paczewski '73 * Robert Panfil '59 and Katharine Panfil ♦ Salvatore Paone '95 and Erin O'Hearn-Paone ♦ Catherine and Salvatore Paone Gregory Paranzino '82 and Katrina Kunkler ♦ Diane and Robert Paretchan * Benjamin Parish III '56 and Barbara Parish ♦ Henry Parish '59 * Daniel J. Park '12 Sunkyung Park Grace Parker * Michael Parker and Martha Ross Parker '70 ♦ Christine and Michael Passaglia * Christopher Pastorius '80 and Tina Pastorius Nilesh Kumar Patel and Dipali Nanavati Erin L. Patrick '13 * LuAnn and Kenneth Patrick ♦ Shannon E. Patrick '06 ♦ John S. Pax Orfelina and Bruce Payne ♦ Richard Paynton, Jr. Thomas Peabody '66 and Silvia Trujillo Alvina and Merton Peat ♦ David Pedrick '66 and Laura Pedrick ♦ Agnes and Thomas Penrice Megan and Joseph Penrice Stephanie and Jonathan Pepper * Sara and Hubert Pera Roxanne and Dominic Perazza, Jr. ♦ Carlos Perez and Harriett Sheble Perez '79 Abigail and Brent Perkiss Michele and James Peruto Antoinette Peters Howard Peters, Jr. '44 and Jean Peters Kenneth Peters '67 and Ann Marie Peters ♦ Dwight Peterson 1760 ♦ Edward J. Petko Rory Mulvey '85 and Whitney Petrilli '84 * Erin and Dodd Pfeffer * J. Geoffrey Pflaumer '66 and Dominique Vandendriessche * Walter N. S. Pflaumer '67 * Stephen Philipson and Laura Adelman Philipson '97 ♦ Alfred Piranian '65 and Inger Piranian ♦ William Piszek '77 and Beth Piszek ♦ Greg Pitkoff '82 and Kathryn McKenzie * Christopher Pizzino and Rebecca Pizzino 1760 ♦ Thomas Platten '74 and Terese Platten ♦
Vlad Podgorny and Kateryna Yevmenova John Pokorny III '86 and Betsy Pokorny * Grace Polisano '16 Jefrey Pollock '89 and Deborah Brown ♦ Dhara and Bejal Popat * Edmund Pribitkin and Yvette Marquez-Pribitkin ♦ D. Barry Pritchard, Jr. '69 and Mary Pritchard ♦ Matthew H. Pruitt '15 Agnes and Matthew Pruitt ♦ Margaret and Jeffrey Pugh Melanie Pugh Jonathan Pulli '00 and Samantha Pulli * Wei Qu and Li Luo Margarette and Russell Quinn Trish and Joshua Quinter Mark Rabuck '86 ♦ Allison Rader ♦ Robyn and Christian Radomicki
Laura Dudley Ricci '73 Andrew Richards ♦ Monica and Joseph Richards * Lily S. Richards '19 K. Richardson and Eileen Harris ♦ Randy Riesenberg and Gwen Kaminsky Riesenberg '78 Jonathan D. Rilling '92 F. Gregory Rink and Julie Girone Rink '88 ♦ Zachary Risler '04 and Lori Risler * Charles Riter, Jr. '73 and Paisa Riter ♦ George Riter '76 and Nicole Riter ♦ Peter Ritz and Sara Krupnick-Ritz ♦ George Ritzinger '53 and Patsy Ritzinger ♦ Colleen and Erik Rivers ♦ Rachel and Mark Rizzi Brian Roberts '77 and Aileen Roberts ♦ James M. Roche Victoria Rodgers '08 *
DISCOVER YOUR CREATIVE SIDE
Middle School art students went outside to photograph fall leaves, then came back to draw compositions of their own creation. Kirk Rae and Ellen Sink Rae '80 Savita and Anil Rai * Linda P. Raitt Megan E. Raitt '15 Sangeeta Raje Todd G. Ramins '83 ♦ Luisa Ramirez and Justo Sierra Johnson Arthur Rank III '69 and Pamela Rank * E. Daniels Rankin 1760 and Susan Rankin ♦ Gerald T. Rankin '76 ♦ Sandra and Carl Rapp * Charlotte Rapp '19 Eileen and Ted Raven David Rawson '59 and Therese Rawson * Wendy and David Rees ♦ Ashley Doriss Reeves '04 Sean Regan and Katherine Curtin Regan '00 Daniel Reid '50 and Amy Reid ♦ John Reid '60 and Susan Reid ♦ Molly and Timothy Reilly Patricia and Donald Rentschler * Scott Renzulli and Laurie Koch Renzulli '90 Sharon and Stan Retif ♦ Kenneth Rettig '61 and Eileen Rettig ♦ John Reydel, Jr. '83 and Anne Gardiner Christy and Michael Rheam *
Kathy and Norman Rodowicz Valentina Rodowicz ♦ Jeannie and Carlos Rojas * Aina and Dainis Roman ♦ Joy and Matt Roman Michael Roman, Jr. '87 and Nicole Roman ♦ Joanna and Matthew Rominger ♦ Lingwen Rong and You Chen * William Moore and Maria Rorer * Kayte Rosan and Scott Rosan '90 Micki and Kenneth Rose ♦ Meade Rose '59 and Meryl Rose ♦ Jeremy Rosenau '51 and Lois Rosenau ♦ Steven Rosenau '66 and Renee Rosenau ♦ Jack Rosenfeld '76 and Linda Rosenfeld * Alexandria Ross '10 ♦ Cheryl and Paul Ross ♦ David Ross '73 and Anita Bower Leslie E. Ross '75 Zachary Ross '13 ♦ Marcy and Gregory Rost * Patricia and Maurice Roth ♦ Bonnie and Adam Rothenstein Helen and John Rotzell ♦ Jessica Rotzell Roy '00 ♦ Susannah Denison Rouse '69 Gary Routzahn
I give to GA because as a member of The Community Scholars Program in 1995, I know the impact those funds can have on a family and I am forever grateful. I wouldn't have been able to attend GA otherwise, and I want other deserving minority students to have the same opportunity to get a great education and access all that GA has to offer.
Brett Bolden ’99 Joseph Rozak 1760 ♦ Louis Rubinfield and Emily Rubinfield 1760 ♦ Alexis Howe and Drew Tye Ruby-Howe '05 Catherine and Thomas Rueter ♦ James P. Rueter '15 * Matthew E. Rueter '15 * Thomas A. Rueter '13 Timothy W. Rueter '13 * Paul Mezey and Gabrielle Russomagno 1760 ♦ Lisa and Timothy Ruth * Megan and Matthew Rutt Marylou and Thomas Ryan Walter Sabold, Jr. '65 Robert Saltzburg and Pamela New Saltzburg '85 Samuel Salus II '51 and Kathryn Salus ♦ Gregg Samson '79 and Susan Samson * Eileen and Andrew Sandifer ♦ Matthew R. Sands '22 Susan and Robert Sands ♦ Maria and Matt Santoro * Ann and Jeffry Saputelli ♦ Cheryl and Hugh Sargent Teresa and Robert Sarisky * Elizabeth Sarshik '07 Allison and Evan Sasson * Sheila Sasson Carol Saunders ♦ Patrick Saunders and Kira Finney Saunders '00 Maura and Charles Saurman * Rekha and Niranjan Savani ♦ Paul Savering, Jr. 1760 Penelope Sawyer Clark Sawyers and
Alexis Frazier Sawyers '86 ♦ Alexander Ferrante and Theresa Scardino '78 ♦ Bruce Schachtel '58 and Marsha Schachtel Michael Schaffer '84 and Margaret Schaffer Rich Schellhas 1760 ♦ Eliza Hanson Schindler '01 ♦ Douglas Schleicher and Aili Lazaar ♦ Olivia and David Schlentz Audrey and Michael Schnur ♦ Nicholas C. Schnur '19 William Schorsch '73 and Sherri Schorsch Kathryn Schuck * Debra and Bob Schulman ♦ Michael Schurr '80 and Susan Korman Schurr '80 ♦ Geoffrey Schwartz '87 and Heather Schwartz ♦ Kymberly and Kenneth Schwartz ♦ Leonard Schwarz ♦ Jordan Sciascia '13 Sydney R. Sciascia '18 Loren and Tom Sciascia * Patricia and Michael Scully Tom Durling and Hilary Seabrook Blust '82 Cynthia and Robert Segal William A. Segraves, Jr. '77 ♦ Richard Seitchik '56 and Lesley Seitchik ♦ Ladislav Sekerka and Jennifer Harmon Sekerka '82 Melinda and Anthony Seravalli ♦ Matthew S. Serota '06
J. Edward Serrill and Barbara Hitschler Serrill '68 ♦ Jack Doyle and Suzanne Serviss '71 William G. Sfida and Eve Nacinovich Kelly and Dean Shacklett Steven Shaffer '73 and Susan Shaffer ♦ Julie L. Shaner '00 Eileen and Robert Shaner ♦ Marci and Scott Shapiro Anne L. Sheble '73 R. Lucas Shelly '90 and Karen Shelly Charles Shephard and Robin Rosenfeld Shephard '75 ♦ Alan Sheppard '51 and Mary Sheppard * Lisa E. Sherman '75 Mark J. Shimrock II '05 * April and John Showaker Jiang and Anthony Shu * Winston Shu and Cassandra Liu * Cindy A. Siano Catharine E. Sibel '99 Catherine Bown Signorello '90 ♦ Laina and Jed Silversmith * Susan Silversmith James Simms and Pamela Lorenzon Simms '86 Doug Simon and Jessica Pollock Simon '91 ♦ Jonathan Simon '00 and Suzanne Simon Andrea and David Simonetti Shireen Singh Monica and Dale Sinker * Scott Sinker '90 and Krista Sinker * Bette Sinn Fara and Gregory Skalicky Colin M. Skelly '10 Kenneth Skoug, Jr. ♦ Elizabeth Mueller Sloan '03 Michael Sloane '84 and Kelly Sloane ♦ Margaret and James Smigiel Melissa and Andrew Smith Arthur Smith III '57 and Betsy McCaul ♦ Duane Smith and Regan Safier Harriet F. Smith '73 ♦ Marlene Smith Nikki L. Smith Robin E. Smith '71 ♦ Lori and Todd Smith Stanley B. Smullen III '53 ♦ Andrew W. Smyth '57 Judith L. Snyder * R. Gordon Snyder '73 and Barbara Wickenhaver Snyder '74 John Soeffing, Jr. '50 and Geraldine Soeffing Laurie Johnson Solakian '76 ♦ Emily Solis-Cohen '06 and Joshua Bochner ♦ Sara Solis-Cohen '76 ♦ William Song '86 and Bomi Song ♦ Murray Spain Tracy and Peter Spain ♦ Rachael and Michael Sposato Aaron Sprecher '07 Dennis Sprecher and Hillorie Applebaum Daniel St. Jean ♦ Leonard Stachitas and Martha Zabriskie Stachitas '72 ♦ Laurel and Edward Stack ♦ Jennifer L. Stack '14
Annette and Martin Stalone * Katherine R. Stambaugh '16 Michele Williams Stambaugh ♦ Daniel N. Stampone '07 Anne Standish James Staples and Jennifer Mishkin Marcia and John Staples Luba and Gregory Star Christopher Staser and Martie-Anne Duffett Staser '93 Patrice and Joseph Steck Paul A. Steffens '86 Sarah A. Steffens '18 Rachel and Matthew Steinberg Mark Stephens 1760 and Janet Stephens ♦ Sarah and Steven Sterious George Stern '65 and Deborah Stern * Marley B. Sternberg '14 Stanford Stevenson, Jr. '56 and Eleanor Stevenson ♦ Catherine L. Stewart Sharon and John Stipa ♦ Jonathan Stoumen '61 and O'Malley Stoumen Lucy Wimpenny Stracione '00 Fred Straub III '67 and Beth Straub ♦ Jason Straub 1760 ♦ Mark Straubel and Alice Loper * William Strickland and Elizabeth McFarland Strickland '70 Frederick Stuart, Jr. '61 and Karen Davis ♦ Suzanne and Daniel Sullivan ♦ Jeffrey Sultanik '72 and Judith Clyman ♦ Jacqueline Supplee ♦ Jo and William Supplee ♦ R. Gregory Sutcliffe, Jr. '49 and Mary Sutcliffe ♦ Beth and Edward Swanson ♦ Arthur Sweeney '69 and Barbara Sweeney ♦ Kathleen and Daryl Sweitzer Susan and Michael Szczepkowski * Thomas Taft 1760 ♦ Alia Tahvildaran ♦ Henok Tassew and Belchaye Demisse Richard Taxin '66 and Wendy Taxin Beth W. Taylor Peter Tegner III '79 and Jeannie Tegner * Ronald Tempest 1760 * Alex and Bayard Templeton ♦ Anne Tenthoff Patricia and Joel Terefenko ♦ Richard Thatcher, Jr. 1760 ♦ David Thayer and Laura Steffens Thayer '90 ♦ Roderick Thomas * Catherine Thompson '77 ♦ Melissa and Jeffrey Thompson * Ian Thomson and Jennifer Coughlin Jacqueline and Leon Thurlow ♦ Tyler N. Thurlow '14 Zachary W. Thurlow '20 Erin McMaugh Tierno '94 Karin and Benjamin Tinsley Christopher Tobias and Lori Lorant-Tobias * David Tomback and Dayna Morris Tricia and Matthew Topley
Joseph Petrone, Jr. and Kathleen Tornetta Joseph Torres and Suzanne Etris Torres '77 * Michael Torrey and Elizabeth Shapiro ♦ Darlene and William Torzolini ♦ Karen and Christopher Towne Lindsay and Timothy Townhill * Luke P. Trainer '91 Mark Tredinnick '73 and Jean Tredinnick ♦ Elisabeth and Robert Trejo Deborah True Thomas True and Cynthia Kelley Jin Chen and Tsung Tsai * Kristin and Ronald Tunison Elizabeth Williamson Turner '74 * Michael Turner '91 and Meredith Rizzo Turner '91 ♦ Adam Turteltaub and Rhea Pincus Turteltaub '78 ♦ Kenneth Twiford '58 and Gail Twiford ♦ Gary Udis '67 and Ann Udis ♦ John Ullberg '59 Henry Upright ♦ William Ushler '87 and Tricia Ushler ♦ Kristen Vaganos '14 Tina and Steve Vaganos * William S. Valentine '74 Nanette and Joseph Valeriani Melinda Vallone Satish Valluri and Marianne Lipa Mary Anne Van Blarcom ♦ Perry L. van der Meer '82 Lauren and Nino Vanin * Joanne and Vanni Vanin Kezirah L. Vaughters '91 * Peter Vernon '04 Michele and Bernard Vieille ♦ Thomas Vikoren and Laura Fitzpatrick Antonia von Zuben * Daniel Brown and Helga Vutz * Charles Wagner and Emily Wagner 1760 * Tyler Wallen and Victoria Kimball Wallen '02 Maureen and John Walsh Patricia Walsh * Elfrida E. Walton '80 ♦ Cheng Wang and Ping Hu * Michael Wang and Charlene Zhang * Xiaohai Wang and Pingjia Li Lisa and Jeffrey Wanner James Waters '56 and Jo Ann Waters Brooke Watson ♦ Robert Watson III and Mary Ann Sickles Watson '75 Alexa Watt Maureen and Peter Waxler ♦ Christopher Weber '09 and Carolina Weber * Cheryl and Richard Weber ♦ Wendy Westrum Weber '71 Christine Weeks '16 Bridget and Matthew Weidemoyer * Lauren E. Weihenmayer '99 ♦ William Weihenmayer, Jr. '03 and Nikki Weihenmayer ♦ Elizabeth and William Weihenmayer ♦ Daniel Weintraub '82 and Beth Weintraub ♦
Jeffrey Weintraub '81 and Velma Velazquez ♦ Bruce Weise and Holly Hoofnagle Weise '68 ♦ Lawrence Weiss and Stephanie Sweet ♦ Katherine and Martin Weiss ♦ William Welch '64 and Connie Welch Frank Wells, Jr. '57 and Mayris Wells * Alan Werther '88 and Meredith Werther * Elizabeth D. Wescott '18 Jennifer Wetzel and Kurt Wetzel '88 ♦ Amy and Lawrence Wetzel Felicia and Richard Wezner James S. Whitcomb '82 Philip White and Philip Huang Daniel Whitehead and Ruth DiRienzo Whitehead * Todd Whitenack '92 and Ginger Whitenack * Janis Whittaker 1760 ♦ William Widmer III '57 and Kathleen Widmer Denise and Brian Williams ♦ Emily J. Williams '17 Jon Patrick Williams '16 Constance and Keith Williams ♦ Karen and Patrick Williams ♦ Robert Williams '68 * Sarah E. Williams '14 Sandra B. Williamson '70 ♦ Penny and J. Kent Willing * Jeremy Willits '81 and Elizabeth Willits * Timothy Wills and Stacey Spitzer Wills '84 Glenn Wilson ♦ L. Harrison Wilson '71 Joan and Thomas Wilson Eric Wimmers '61 and Inge Wimmers ♦ Andrew D. Wimpenny '96 Christopher Winans '69 and Laurie Winans Robert F. Winans, Jr. '66 Joanne and Joseph Winning * Kelly J. Winning '02 Amanda and Willard Wolf William Wolf '59 and Emily Wolf * Theodore Wood III '85 and Michelle Wood ♦ Schuy and Theodore Wood ♦ Jean M. Woodring ♦ Elizabeth and James Woodward ♦ James Wright and Kelly White Patty and Clarence Wurts * Nicholas Wynia Benjamin F. Wysocki '10 Christopher Wysocki '10 Jack Wyszomierski and Kathy Wyszomierski 1760 ♦ Michael J. Wyszomierski '02 Barbara Yager Ralph Young, Jr. '50 and Joyce Young ♦ Xunhui Yu and Min Huang Susan and John Zaharchuk ♦ Radi Zaki and Laura Blair ♦ Li and James Zaspel Jianjun Zhan and Qizhi Dai Zhengming Zhang and Bei Wang Jianwen Zhao and Ann Sun * Wei Zhou and Chen Lu Carla and Joel Zighelboim ♦ Keira Zimmerman '90 *
Ian Hegarty and Sarah Zimmerman * Curt Zincio and Ellen Cox Zincio '99 Michael Zinkand '97 and Meredith Zinkand * Andrew Zivitz and Jacqueline Kaiser Zivitz '91 ♦ James Lester and Heather Zuber '90 * Peter Zucker '66 and Holly Zucker Suzanne and John Zurcher ♦ Lee Blatstein and Jann Zwerling-Blatstein '80 *
In Honor Of
The individuals listed below were honored with a gift to the school in their name. Radi Zaki and Laura Blair Jamie Albert Lucas G. Albert '26 Sarah M. Albert '29 Virginia Allenson James Anderson
Jeremy Correnti Shane J. Cowley '28 Deena Diorio Cross '90 Madelaine Cusick '09 Jamie Dagen Smith Glenda B. Daulerio 1760 Patrick M. David 1760 Charlotte Dean Declan M. Dean '26 John J. Dean '14 Martin Dean Seamus M. Dean '20 Kellyn DeFusco '14 Stephanie Dempsey Matthew Dence Leah DePaul James C. DiFranco Andrew Dolan Matthew Dolan Stephen Dolan 1760 Aidan Donahue '23 Kyle Donahue '14 Kristen M. Donches 1760
GET SET...GO!
The Class of 2021 continued the tradition of the Senior Strut as they raced around the entire school! Lori Dougherty Andress '88 Kristy Asral Beth Benson Julia Blumenreich 1760 Jodi Bohr 1760 Margaret Bradley Roxie Bratton Cheryl Brown Jennifer E. M. Brown '18 Jacob H. Brownstein '21 Elizabeth F. Buckman Brian Burke 1760 Erin Burkholder Rebecca Burnett Brooke Murray Caffey '85 Diana Caramanico '97 Virginia and Dale Carr Dakota Carroll Ruth Carver Katharine Cassidy Elias Chernoff '25 Carlos Chubb Christopher Chung Barbara Seeburger Cipolloni '72 Alyssa Clinkscales Anthony Commale III Jacquelyn Connard '06 James W. Connor 1760 Nichole Cooley-Stiteler
DeLane Doyle Abigail K. Duffine Heather N. Durkin 1760 Thomas E. Durkin '89 James E. Eichsteadt Cory Eklund Stacy Ellam Matthew Elliser Alicia Evans Daniel Evans Alexis Smith Evarts '97 Lisa Fee Lauren Feinschil Michael Ferrier Susan Fornicola Jennifer Fox '26 Meredith Franz Mary Fraser Brent H. Freedland Jonathan Freeman Sara Fridirici Michelle A. Friedman Heather Galante Axel Galeano Madeline E. Gamburg '21 Germantown Academy 2010 Boys Soccer Team-Senior Class Adminstration Class of 1969 Class of 2008
The reason we support GA is because we are parents of GA graduates and I am a former Trustee. Our connection to the school is lifelong. It is that simple. Patty and Clarence Wurts P’82 ’83 and Trustee Emeritus Class of 2014 Class of 2016 Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Faculty Members Nursing Staff Truesdell House Washington House Andree Goldberg Diane Goldstein 1760 Jean Grady Owen Grady '21 Robynne Murray Graffam '86 Lori R. Griswold 1760 Allison Guenthner Paul L. Henry Sydney A. Hill '21 Peter Hillinck Virginia D. Hofmann 1760 Troy Holiday '01 Joy E. Holmes 1760 Louisa Holmes '30 William Holmes '32 Taylore Hopkins Misha Horsey Logan Houptley Bertina C. Hsu-Miller Brenda and Richard Jacobs Peter T. Jennings '99 Jonas Jeswald Kristen Johnson Samantha Johnson Sarah Kebaugh Caitlin Kelly Margaret Kelly Debra Kennedy Sarah Kesten Jessica G. Killo Cecilia Kim Julie K. Kimmel Zachary E. Kotik '22 Michael Koziol Sara Krupnick-Ritz Jessica Kulick Andrea Kurtz Dana Leeds Susan Legos Dion K. Lehman Anne Leonard Sarah Letts Adam M. Leven Lindsay Tabak-Levin Rachel Ravreby Lintgen '90 Audrey Lombard Marian Lowe Molly MacKean Jennifer Magliari Gayatri Mahnkopf
Yvette Marquez-Pribitkin David R. Martin 1760 Graham Martin Laura Buckley Martin '82 Lisa G. Martin 1760 Charles Masters Frances Matkowski Janet Maurer 1760 Matthew B. Mazurek James McAfee III '16 Megan McAllister Marisa McAuliffe 1760 Marnie McDonald Susan C. McHugh 1760 Shannon McMenamin Ellen McMichael Kara McPhillips Margaret Mary McVeigh 1760 Lesley and George Meinel Susan J. Merrill Deborah A. Mersky 1760 Jennifer S. Miller Rose Marie Mirabile 1760 Steven Moll Victor Montemayor Robert D. Moyer, Jr. 1760 James B. Murray '87 Sarah Na David Nagel Chris Nelson Craig G. Newberger 1760 Matthew D. Notary Kathryn Oakes Richard C. O'Hern Sunkyung Park Grace Parker Roxanne Perazza Antoinette Peters Renee Petersohn Rebecca Pizzino 1760 Colin B. Pugh '23 Wayne Pugh Mark W. Rabuck '86 Allison Rader E. Daniels Rankin 1760 Thomas Razler Elizabeth Reaume '20 Sharon F. Retif Michael Rheam Melissa Richards K. Richardson Philip R. Rittenhouse 1760 Joanna Rominger Matthew Rominger Kristin C. Rorer '16 Palmer Rosan '30 Willa Rosan '31 Joseph Rozak 1760
Gabrielle Russomagno 1760 Juliana T. Sarisky '18 Matteo R. Sarisky '22 Allison S. Sasson Maura Saurman Rich Schellhas 1760 David Schlentz Emma G. Schneck '21 Leslie Schumacher Elisabeth H. Serra Joo Young Shin Lauren Shinn Asher Silversmith '29 Shireen Singh Nikki L. Smith Hannah Soffer Daniel St. Jean Keelyn Steffens '26 Harrison Steinberg '25 Mark W. Stephens 1760 Melinda N. Stephens '06 Jason Straub Daniel J. Sullivan Shannon Sweitzer Susan D. Szczepkowski Thomas Taft 1760 Alia Tahvildaran Bayard Templeton Jeffrey Thompson and family Benjamin Tinsley Tsung Tsai Lauren Vanin Ursy Vitale Helga Vutz Brooke L. Watson Peter Waxler Kurt Wetzel '88 Linda and John Whitman Jason T. Wiedemann '28 Connie Williams James W. Wright Nicholas Wynia Wendy Zalles Carla Zighelboim Sarah Zimmerman
In Memory Of
Gifts were made to the school in memory of the individuals listed below. Danny Angeline '00 Mary C. Bailey 1760 Dante Battistini Delma Battistini Peter Biggs 1760 Hilary Bitan '08 John Brewer, Jr. '83 Carol R. Buckley 1760
James A. Calvani, Jr. '47 Francis J. Carey 1760 Hector J. Carlos William Caum '64 Daniel Chen '13 Bernard L. Dallas '61 Anna Marie Davis Virginia B. Day 1760 James Dean Mary Jane Dean Carolyn Donahue Roger M. Eastlake '59 Natalie Egleston '82 Nolan C. Farrell '09 James Fenerty 1760 P. Bruce Ferguson '44 Joanne Finegan Steve Georgopoulos Elizabeth P. Glendinning 1760 Michael Hannigan Amy Lauren Harris Joseph B. Hauck '62 Charles R. Hehmeyer Stanley Hoerr Christopher J. Hovsepian '80 Thomas M. Hyndman, Jr. '42 Ellwood Jones '48 Berton Korman 1760 Floyd H. Lane '66 David Leshan Douglas MacMaster, Jr. Benson Mann, Jr. '04 Julia Louise Manning Jack McKenna Peter McVeigh 1760 Thomas Z. Minehart '59 Harry Mirabile, Sr. Robert B. Murray '59 Christopher J. Nunes '14 Doris Parker Ketan V. Patel Gloria B. Pflaumer 1760 Walter Pflaumer '30 Pieter J. Platten '70 Robert Reitenbaugh Karen Robinson Stephen Roma '82 George W. Samson '51 W. Carl Sabold, Sr. Neal Schachtel '57 Dorothy Schaffer William Schoff 1760 Shellie A. Seltzer Jane E. Serviss Michael Sharp '61 William R. Steltz '66 Sharon L. Testa '82 Cornelia Walton John Walton III 1760 Kimberly R. Wetzel '87 Craig S. White '88 Harry Leon White Bill Whitney John Whittaker 1760 Robert Williamson, Jr. '44 Virginia Williamson Harrison Wilson '32 Sara Wolf 1760 John H. Wolf, Jr. '54
Germantown Academy celebrates and honors those who have demonstrated leadership through their giving.We use the measure of $1,759 to distinguish those whose annual giving to the school matches or exceeds the historic year our academy was founded.The generosity of this community of proud Patriots has allowed our school to address the most pressing needs and promising opportunities that arise each year and drives our ability to stem tuition increases.Your leadership has granted GA the consistency of resources to attend to all priorities, seen and unforeseen. PATRIOTS SOCIETY OF DONORS (Annual gifts of $1,759 and above)
Green Tree Inn Patriots ($20,000 and above) Hilary Budny Krista and Reid Buerger Anne and Mark Dooley Sallie Korman Fort Washington Patriots ($15,000 to $24,999) Laura W. Brewer '80 Bruce Goodman 1760 and Judi Goodman 1760 Rich Schellhas 1760 Jeffrey Sultanik '72 and Judith Clyman Camp Hill Patriots ($10,000 to $14,999) Jamie and Josh Albert Betty and Brian Dovey Margaret Freeman Adam Goodman '02 and Patricia Goodman Michelle and Bryant Goodridge Elizabeth and Henry Harris Jaime and Jason Hersh Jeffrey Honickman '75 and Marjorie Honickman Michael Jordan and Samantha MacGregor Jordan '88 Bradley Korman '83 and Pamela Korman John Korman '76 and Amy Korman Robert McNeil III '80 and Jane McNeil Jennifer and Michael Miller Eileen and Ted Raven Cheryl and Paul Ross Academy Patriots ($5,000 to $9,999) Laurence Altman and Catherine Korman Altman '83 Robert Asher '55 and Joyce Asher Margaret and Aaron Blades James Bricker '66 and Coral Sullivan John Cannon '80 and Patti Cannon Jeanne and Robert DiChiara Dana and Anthony DiSandro Lillian and Anthony DiSandro John Galloway and Christine Dovey Galloway '90 Kent Griswold '76 and Lori Griswold 1760 Eloise Hyndman David Lawson '70 and Julie Lawson Jennifer and Massimo Magliari Patrick McGinnis, Jr. '78 and
Susan Stratton McGinnis '78 Jennifer and Douglas McHugh Janet and Mark Monaghan Charles Muir 1760 and Suzanne Perot 1760 Lawrence O'Brien, Jr. '62 and Ellen O'Brien Edmund Pribitkin and Yvette Marquez-Pribitkin Trish and Joshua Quinter Luisa Ramirez and Justo Sierra Johnson Sandra and Carl Rapp George Riter '76 and Nicole Riter Brian Roberts '77 and Aileen Roberts Eileen and Andrew Sandifer Susan and Robert Sands Penelope Sawyer J. Edward Serrill and Barbara Hitschler Serrill '68 Laurel and Edward Stack Lawrence Weiss and Stephanie Sweet Denise and Brian Williams Glenn Wilson Founding Patriots ($2,500 to $4,999) Nancy and Akhil Agrawal Alison and Timothy Amann Bela and Jaspal Bagga John K. Binswanger '50 Liane and Philip Browne Jennifer and Ira Brownstein Judy and Kieran Cody Patrick Connelly and Amy Seyfert Connelly '90 Eric Creighton and Caroline Armour Katherine Dean Cecilia and Christopher DeBartlo Aurelio DeCaro II '92 and Allison DeCaro Douglas Diamond '80 and Regina Diamond Pamela and Brian DiDonato Thomas Durkin '89 and Merigo Durkin Timothy Durkin, Jr. '93 and Heather Durkin 1760 Marc Feldman and Alison Korman Feldman '78 Judy and Marc Felgoise Desrene and Marc Freeman Mark Gabrielson and Betsy Birkmann Gabrielson '74 William Garbose 1760 and Lynne Garbose Gina and Craig Garretson Jaclyn and Norman Goldberger Sara and James Gowing Michael Hanamirian and Carol Momjian
Stephen Harburg '78 and Dale Harburg Janet and Kevin Haugen Tracy and Charles Hehmeyer M. Stroud Hellebusch and Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch '84 Steven Irons and Heather Harper Irons '88 Aaron Holmes and Catherine Klein M. Michael Jacobs and Carolyn Korman Jacobs '80 Edgar Johnson and Jennifer Malatesta-Johnson Hyesang and David Kim Kristin and Eric Knopping Mark Korman '86 and Kelly Korman Marcy and Jeffrey Kramp Gabrielle and Richard Krekstein Cari and Alan Lasdon Jeffrey Legos and Susan Legos Kyeong-Ah and Adam Leven Bailing Li Stephen MacRae and Claire Ragusa MacRae '84 Ramin Mehrgan and Pouya Hatam Pamela and Michael Metro Charles Meyers and Sharyn Berman Carolyn Montgomery Hugh Moulton and Catherine Moulton 1760 Michael Mulroy, Jr. and Diana Shank Mulroy '88 Katie and Steven Nissman Frederick Nunes and Linda White Nunes '80 Kathleen McGinnis Oberkircher '76 Larissa and Alexander Ostrovsky Salvatore Paone '95 and Erin O'Hearn-Paone Michele and James Peruto Stephen Philipson and Laura Adelman Philipson '97 Jonathan Pulli '00 and Samantha Pulli Louis Rubinfield and Emily Rubinfield 1760 Teresa and Robert Sarisky Jiang and Anthony Shu Michael Sloane '84 and Kelly Sloane Harriet F. Smith '73 Robin E. Smith '71 William Song '86 and Bomi Song Beth and Edward Swanson Thomas Taft 1760 Richard Thatcher, Jr. 1760 William Weihenmayer, Jr. '03 and Nikki Weihenmayer Elizabeth and William Weihenmayer
Philip White and Philip Huang Amanda and Willard Wolf Theodore Wood III '85 and Michelle Wood Schuy and Theodore Wood Jack Wyszomierski and Kathy Wyszomierski 1760 1759 Patriots ($1,759 to $2,499) Mammen Abraham and Pinki Mehta Marc Baer and Simi Kaplin Baer '91
Carol Saunders Audrey and Michael Schnur Winston Shu and Cassandra Liu Margaret and James Smigiel Tracy and Peter Spain Leonard Stachitas and Martha Zabriskie Stachitas '72 Susan and Michael Szczepkowski David Thayer and Laura Steffens Thayer '90 Joseph Petrone, Jr. and Kathleen Tornetta
I give to the school annually to acknowledge my gratitude for the financial aid that enabled me to attend GA, for the education I received, and the paths that GA created for me. I give to provide this opportunity to future students. Kali Alexander Curran ’02 Linda and Bruce Baron Iris and Lawrence Brownstein Xiaodong Cai and Jian Ye Danilo Casimiro and Joyce Laquindanum Ruth and Tai-ming Chang '78 Yong Chang '85 and Terri Chang John Chen and Hongyan Li Vincent Curran, Jr. and Kali Alexander Curran '02 Lisa Davis Andrew Deming and Meredith Shepherd Deming '89 Lisa and Brendan Fee Heidi and Neal Feigles Tim Fellows and Terri Leitgeb Brinton Frith '88 and Nicole Frith Akshay Gadre and Suwarna Mahajan Jennifer and Christopher Gavigan Heidi and Joseph Geist Donald Grant and Betty Grant 1760 Andrew Harobin and Rebecca Bown Harobin '88 Carol and Raymond Heath Susan and Peter Honig Jennifer and Peter Honigmann Amy and Brett Huselton Kimberly and Brian Itterly Sabrina and Marcien Jenckes Susan and Andrew Kaplan Al Brown and Marie Koals 1760 George Ku and Elena Lawrence Philip Lee '99 and Jennifer Lee Jay Lipschutz and Karen Walsh-Lipschutz Jiazhong Luo and Xuewen Ma Carl Meyer and Kirstin Orban Meyer '91 Susan and Charles Miller Gretchen Murray Daniel J. Park '12 Lingwen Rong and You Chen
Darlene and William Torzolini Adam Turteltaub and Rhea Pincus Turteltaub '78 Thomas Vikoren and Laura Fitzpatrick William Welch '64 and Connie Welch Alan Werther '88 and Meredith Werther Constance and Keith Williams Jianwen Zhao and Ann Sun Carla and Joel Zighelboim
RESTRICTED GIVING Gifs made in support of specific programs, facilities, and endowment $25,000 and above Liane and Philip Browne Hilary Budny Michael Genuardi '03 and Diana Rodgers '03 Germantown Academy Parents' Committee Bruce Goodman 1760 and Judi Goodman 1760 Andrew Harobin and Rebecca Bown Harobin '88 Geoffrey Jackson '87 and Gretchen Jackson Bradley Korman '83 and Pamela Korman Estate of Berton E. Korman Leslie and William MacDonald The Mill Spring Foundation Cheryl and Paul Ross $10,000 to $24,999 Jennifer and Ira Brownstein Krista and Reid Buerger Dana and Anthony DiSandro Lillian and Anthony DiSandro John Galloway and Christine Dovey Galloway '90 Ron Gonen '93 Janet and Kevin Haugen Sang and Yeong Hong Dawn and David Katz Kyeong-Ah and Adam Leven The Ann and Murray Spain Foundation Tracy and Peter Spain
$5,000 to $9,999 Scott Badami and Heather Rheiner Badami '88 The Bryn Mawr Trust Company Dorothy V. Cassard Fund of The Philadelphia Foundation Thomas Durkin '89 and Merigo Durkin Fox Rothschild LLP Robert Gorman and Marisa Graziano William Holmes '93 and Allison Holmes Kandan Kulandaivel and Jamie Swanson Joel Magerman '78 and Tonja Magerman Robert McCammon, Jr. '57 Salvatore Paone '95 and Erin O'Hearn-Paone Catherine and Salvatore Paone Michele and James Peruto Stephen Philipson and Laura Adelman Philipson '97 George Riter '76 and Nicole Riter Christa and Richard Seidman Jeffrey Sultanik '72 and Judith Clyman Janis Whittaker 1760 Xunhui Yu and Min Huang $1,759 to $4,999 W.P. Carey Foundation Helen and Allen Chiang Katherine Dean Timothy Durkin, Jr. '93 and Heather Durkin 1760 Kent Griswold '76 and Lori Griswold 1760 M. Stroud Hellebusch and Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch '84 Mark Korman '86 and Kelly Korman David Lawson '70 and Julie Lawson LuAnn and Kenneth Patrick Jonathan D. Rilling '92 Eileen and Andrew Sandifer Richard Thatcher, Jr. 1760
This report presents the names of donors who made gifts to Germantown Academy between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. Donors whose gifts were received after June 30 (the fiscal year end) will be included in next year’s Report of Philanthropic Giving.The Office of Institutional Advancement strives to record and report all gifts and donor names accurately, but omissions and errors can occur.We ask that you report any inaccuracies to Kellianne Kaput at kelli.kaput@germantownacademy.org or 267405-7314 so that we may correct them for the future.
2020-21 GIVING TO GA Gifts to Operating Funds Annual Fund PA Corporate Tax Credit Program Directed Annual Gifts GA Parents’ Committee
$1,275,348 $2,072,683 $ 26,606 $ 90,000
Total Operating
$3,564,637
Gifts to Endowment, Capital and Restricted Funds Endowment Funds Capital Project Funds Restricted Funds
Total Operating and Restricted Giving
$ 305,939 $ 3,150 $ 18,283 $ 327,372
Top participation in classes with fewer than 50 members:
1966 1951 & 1957 1967
100% 86% 53%
1980 2000 1969 & 1973
25% 24% 20%
Wow!
Top participation in classes with more than 50 members:
THE SHOW MUST GO ON!
$3,892,009
Building on Tradition Fulfilling the Promise Lower School Projects
$ 865,000 $ 15,850 $ 224,658
Total Campaign Giving
$1,105,508
Grand Total
ALUMNI CLASSES WITH THE HIGHEST GIVING PARTICIPATION
$4,997,517
The 4th Grade performed a play about the formation of our Constitution on the outdoor stage in the Class of 1984 Playground.
You can view the more detailed Germantown Academy Annual Report of Philanthropic Giving online. Go to www.germantownacademy.net/2021annualreport. When prompted, type in the password, patriot.
A Note From the Desk of Dr.Lori Griswold 1760 On behalf of the Germantown Academy Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and students, THANK YOU to the more than 1,600 Patriots who together contributed a record-breaking total of $4.99 million to GA during the 2020-21 school year. Each year, the school relies on donations from our loyal community to fulfill its mission and this past year was like no other. Throughout this uniquely challenging time, your thoughtful generosity provided the necessary resources as the school and administration pivoted daily to ensure a safe campus and the exceptional learning experience that makes GA so special. We are extremely grateful to the names celebrated on these pages who made it possible for faculty to inspire, students to learn, and together persevere this past year, a truly remarkable feat. Thank you again for your support, service, and dedication to Germantown Academy. Stay healthy and safe. Take care. Sincerely, Dr. Lori Griswold 1760, P’15 ‘19 Chair, Board of Trustees
THE ALUMNI MISSION
AWARD
The Alumni Society Board is proud to announce the 2021 recipients of the Alumni Mission Award! Honorees will be officially recognized on Thursday, November 11 prior to GA/PC Day & Alumni Weekend. Please enjoy reading excerpts from their nominations and learn how they are all Independent in Thought, Confident in Expression, Compassionate in Spirit, Collaborative in Action, and Honorable in Deed.
Lori Dougherty Andress ’88 As one nominee wrote, “the hallmarks of a truly great nurse are tremendous common sense, unflappability, depth and breadth of clinical knowledge, and deep compassion. It is what separates a good nurse from a great nurse. Lori Andress has these qualities in abundance.” Serving as GA’s school nurse since 2008, Lori has seen it all. Whether it’s scraped knees, broken bones, a place to rest or sometimes just a hug, students go to “Nurse Lori” because she makes them feel seen and tended to. Then came COVID-19. Through countless hours of training, weekly testing, contact tracing, research, liaising with Montgomery County health officials and local pharmacies and volunteering to vaccinate thousands of people in and outside of the GA community, Lori worked tirelessly to help keep GA open during the pandemic. She participated in planning sessions with school leadership and outside experts to ensure the safety of everyone. Lori achieved all of this in addition to the daily workload required of a school nurse and has been the engine keeping the entire GA machine moving forward in times of great fear and anxiety. Another hundred tests, a few more positive cases, another thousand emails to reply to, more than one terrified community member - she helped everyone with a smile and can-do attitude. Nurse Lori was a true warrior on GA’s front line of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jessica Golson ’06 The year 2020 marked a turning point in alumni conversations about diversity, equity & inclusion at Germantown Academy, and many of those conversations were spearheaded by Jessica Golson. She is a founding member of the Black Alumni Alliance at GA, working closely with the Alumni Office to better engage Black alumni and make connections with current Black families and students. In addition, she has worked hand in hand with Head of School Rich Schellhas 1760 to provide feedback and alumni perspective on the Equity, Inclusion & Action Plan for the school. Additionally, she has taken to the proverbial streets to organize a group of impassioned alumni to form the first ever Inter-Ac and Independent School Black Alumni Association (IISBAA). Founded in the fall of 2019, the mission of 42 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
IISBAA is to “cultivate relationships; and leverage the resources, talents, initiatives and social capital of alumni and friends to advise, guide, advocate for, and support Black Inter-Ac and Independent School students”. (www.IISBAA.org). Asked about this work in a profile written for WHYY in the summer of 2020, she explained, “Giving these schools an opportunity to be accountable is an act of care. That means we believe they have the capacity to improve.” Coming from a mission driven family (her father Gene Golson ’76 received the Alumni Mission Award in 2019), Jessica continues to be an unyielding example of an alumna leading the charge to change hearts and minds.
Stephanie Lueckel, MD ’96 As a child, Stephanie always wanted to “fix people.” Having a mom with a heart condition cured by cardiac ablation, Stephanie was inspired to pursue a career in medicine. She is currently a trauma surgeon, critical care, and intensive care specialist at Rhode Island Hospital – Warren Alpert Brown Medical School. She has completed research that received grants in various areas of trauma while remaining a sought-after speaker. Stephanie spent months in the African country of Malawi collaborating not only with US doctors, but nurses and doctors native to Malawi to help those who needed care, saving lives in conditions that are unlike anything here in the United States. Her compassion catapulted her to care for as many of the sick as she could until she returned stateside to resume her career as a trauma surgeon. Now add in the COVID-19 pandemic. In the early months, she practiced medicine caring for the acutely ill patients in certain “hot zones.” Being one of the few physicians with the knowledge of working the ventilators, Stephanie not only needed to treat patients, but also was elected to train hospital personnel on the use of these ventilators and the care regimen of all COVID cases. Always grounded, her work was highlighted in the Providence Journal where she insisted, “she’s nobody special – many ICU doctors are fighting the same battle.” She is a leader in all respects and does it with humility. Whether she is sewing up knife wounds or removing bullets from someone’s stomach, or caring for those with COVID, Stephanie puts everyone before herself and believes she is meant to save the patients with her knowledge, confidence, and compassionate spirit.
Helen Piszek Nelson ’70 Helen Piszek Nelson ’70 has led a life dedicated to education, service, philanthropy, and the cultivation of lasting personal and professional relationships. Being involved with the Community Partnership School (CPS) in Philadelphia since its inception, Helen assisted with the concept and creation of the Edward and Olga Piszek Library. In addition, she has supported scholarships at Germantown Academy, Dickinson College, and Gwynedd Mercy University and worked to create a study abroad program at Delaware Valley University. Always one to step up and take action, her volunteer roles at several schools and institutions, such as the Ambler Theater, the Rodale Institution, and the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, have inspired and impacted all those who have been lucky enough to work alongside her. Additionally, through her support of the GA Singing Patriots’ bi-annual trip to Poland, she has introduced generations of students to the international stage and the importance of exploring other cultures. Helen’s generosity and positive outlook have reached far and wide, and she proudly perpetuates a continuous commitment to community spirit and the greater good.
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 43
CLASS NOTES COACH FENERTY 1760 league titles from 2013-17, and the program’s first Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association title in 2013.
GA mourns the loss of Jim Fenerty 1760, longtime athletic director, boys basketball coach, and history teacher, and most recently part-time college counselor, who passed away peacefully on May 19, 2021. “A true family man who loved and lived for his wife Mary and children Jimmy ’09, Erin ’12, and Jessica, son-in-law Jawan, and grandson Jalen, Jim always made GA, his students, his players, and his colleagues feel like his extended family,” wrote Head of School Rich Schellhas 1760. “How truly blessed we are to have known him. As a man, as a role model, he taught us to be defined by love, by relationships, by kindness, by passion, and by integrity – and never by our wins and losses. Jim’s accomplishments as a basketball coach, athletic director, and history teacher at GA are astounding, but his legacy is, and will always be, his heart.” Fenerty formally retired from GA in 2019 after 30 years as basketball coach. His 626 career wins is the most in Inter-Ac League boys basketball history and he is only the third boys basketball coach in Philadelphia history to reach the 600-career victory total. Over the years, Fenerty led the Patriots to 17 Inter-Academic League Championships and his teams recorded 17 20-plus win seasons. Most recently, Fenerty’s teams won five consecutive
44 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
During his tenure, Fenerty was selected Coach of the Year by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News,The Times Herald,The Intelligencer, and The Ambler Gazette. He is a member of the GA Athletic Hall of Fame as well as the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame – Montgomery County and the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame. Fenerty is also a member of the GA Honorary Alumni Class of 1760. Fenerty never hesitated to give back to the greater basketball community. He participated in the Coaches vs. Cancer program for the last 30 years and was honored at the Coaches vs. Cancer High School Legends Dinner in April 2017. He also led his popular Saturday Morning Basketball Program for 30 years, which introduced the game of hoops to the youngest members of the community while giving current varsity players the opportunity to lead and coach. In addition to coaching and teaching his legendary Civil Liberties history class and guiding student-athletes through the college recruiting process, Fenerty also oversaw GA’s entire athletic program for 22 years as athletic director. During his time, Fenerty championed the creation of GA’s Athletic Hall of Fame to honor GA’s illustrious athletics history, and was instrumental in the expansion of GA-PC Day to include girls’ sports, and
eventually, every fall sports team. Fenerty Court, a basketball court in the new Annex at GA, is named in his honor.
“Words cannot express the honor I feel for having had you as a Coach, mentor, role model, and friend. My heart breaks for your family and for the GA community that you gave so much of yourself to. I will forever cherish our time on the court and the amazing things we accomplished as a team during my time at GA and will be forever grateful for you being one of the first people who believed in me as a player. I’ll greatly miss your out-of-the-blue phone calls just to check in and make sure I am doing okay. Every kid who had the privilege to play for you was enriched with life-long values from your teachings and we will all ‘play hard, play smart, and play together’ in everything we do for the rest of your lives. Thank you for everything coach. Rest In Peace. I love you.” –Tim Guers ’15, professional basketball player.
1950s After serving as pastor at multiple congregations throughout his career, Dan Reid ’50 published in early 2021, One Hundred or So Reflections from the Pastor’s Desk Taken from SixtyYears of Ministry in Minnesota and Pennsylvania. Over the course of 40 years, Reid contributed an editorial for the congregation’s monthly newsletter; in this book, Reid has compiled what he considers to be the best of his writing, including personal stories and reflections on history. He writes, “what you have here is a potpourri of history, inspiration, and humor,” and he has committed to donating 20% of the profits to charitable causes. Bob McCammon ’57 wrote in with his update: “I am now enjoying southern living having moved last April from Philadelphia to the coastal community of Saint Simons Island, Georgia. My primary motive was to be with my significant other, Jeanne, who I met walking the Saint Simons beach three years ago. Prior to Covid, we travelled to France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. We hope to get to southern England this fall if the UK opens up. Although small town life is more relaxed it offers many of the same cultural and sporting events as a larger city. Life is good.”
1960s In 2019, author Martin Cruz Smith ’60 received the Edgar Grand Master Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Mystery Writers of America to recognize lifetime achievement in the genre. Jack Smith ’59 highlighted his brother’s achievement in an article for the Winter 2021 edition of the Social Register Observer, sharing stories from their childhood, including their time at GA, and offering insight into Cruz’s experiences that inspired his writing. Cruz published his latest novel, The Siberian Dilemma, in 2019, continuing the now nine-part Arkady Renko series which includes international bestseller Gorky Park.
1970s In early 2021, Carolyn Farr Sly ’72 wrote in: “I have retired after several years as Director of Supply Chain for one of the largest health care systems in the country. Now I spend my work time teaching
Operations Management at the University of North Carolina as well as business certifications for the ASCM Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) and the Certified Production and Inventory Management (CPIM). We live on Lake Wylie, outside of Charlotte. We have one son who is an active wakeboarder and placed second in the World Wakeboard Association Championship for the past two years! If you are ever in our part of North or South Carolina, please feel free to schedule a visit! I spend my free time volunteering with those who are homeless or in assisted living. My life is very full! Cheers to all of my GA friends!”
Kent Griswold ’76, P’15 ’19 has put his own spin on business entertainment television, releasing a competitor to "Shark Tank" that focuses on promoting local businesses. “Wolf PAC of Philadelphia” premiered on Amazon Prime on Tuesday, January 12, 2021. The four-episode series features a pack of “Wolves” — Philadelphia-area business experts and investors, including GA Trustee Judy Chang Cody P’13 ’15 ’17 ’19, former Phillies broadcaster Leslie Gudel, Leonard Lodish, founder of Management Decision Systems Inc. and marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and Courtney Lawless, co-founder and managing director of Backswing Ventures,
IN MEMORIAM Jim Fenerty 1760 Elizabeth Glendinning 1760 Mary Schoff 1760 Howard Story ’38 Thomas Hyndman Jr. ’42 William Toplis ’42 P. Bruce Ferguson ’44 Brandt Earhart ’47 John Greenawalt ’47 Nicholas Guilbert III ’49 Michael Macaluso ’49 Edmund Venzie Jr. ’49 Edward McLeod ’50 Charles Mohacey ’51 Kenneth Given ’53 J. Patrick O’Brien ’53 Joseph Donnolo ’56 Nicholas D’Alonzo III ’58 William Caum ’64 Floyd Lane ’66 Edwin Goodwin III ’69 Jack Kendree ’71 Randall Alexander ’76 Richard White ’84 who provide advice and capital to local entrepreneurs looking to grow their companies. Stephen Harburg ’78 wrote, “One silver lining of the COVID crisis has resulted in a group of us from the class of ’78 using our new-found Zoom skills to get together for a bi-weekly virtual happy hour. This has been going on since May and has allowed us to celebrate a number of our 60th
? ALUMNI ?? TRIVIA NIGHT Save the Date
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022
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Get your team together and start studying because the faculty are eager to reclaim their crown! Details and link to RSVP coming in December. For questions, please contact Melissa Fikioris at either 267-405-7207 or melissa.fikioris@germantownacademy.org.
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GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 45
birthdays together. Participants have included Josh Bach ’78, Will Bast ’78, Tai Chang ’78, Steve Golden ’78, Jim Lacey ’78, Herb May ’78, Bill Meinel ’78, Ben Muskin ’78, and me. It’s been a great way to catch up and to stay sane in these unprecedented and unpredictable times. We have also had guest appearances from two of our old teachers, Brian Burke 1760 and Tom Chen. Fortunately, there were no pop quizzes, although we still remembered that vectors don’t add like numbers and that all Gaul is divided into three parts. We are all looking forward to an actual reunion one of these days.”
1980s Carolyn “Tari” McCall ’83 checked in from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates where she has been living for the last two years. She notes that she is enjoying learning about the area and the people. “My husband and I moved here because of his work. He is an urban designer and works for a company out of the UK as a consultant to the Abu Dhabi government. He is re-designing streetscapes, parks and other urban facilities. I am taking an TOESL course and
hope to teach English as a second language to adults. My background is in educational travel so as soon as we get past this pandemic and things open up, I hope to also develop additional educational travel programs for students and adults to this region. The UAE is a great country with lots of exciting things happening now and in the future. We have two adult kids both living and working in the United States. My daughter Maggie is a print designer at Free People in Philadelphia and my son Jack works in business analytics for a start- up in Washington DC. I hope to be back for a GA reunion one day soon!” Past presidents of the Junior League of Philadelphia, Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch ’84, P’23‘28 and Debra Bedrosian Vozzo ’84, were proud to welcome another GA alumna, Kira Bryers ’02, as the organization’s newest president for the 2021-22 year. Chip Brewer ’88 recently completed a life-long goal: to write and publish a novel! Questions of Iron and Blood: Finn Koenn Book 1 is a thriller that takes place in Boston in 2014, a year after the Boston Marathon bombing. It explores the idea that the attack was much more than it seemed, part of a significantly larger plot to alter the global balance of power forever,” wrote Chip. “The first in a trilogy,
the book can be found on Amazon by searching for my name or the title. Book two is called, Swatting atWasps with a Crowbar and the concluding volume is entitled, ThisWorld of Dust and Matter. “I would also be remiss if I didn’t send a shout out to Kendall Mattern 1760 and Tony Garvan 1760 for helping to instill an abundance of curiosity in and fascination with history, which has stayed with me to this day. Thanks also go to fellow ’88 classmates Lizzi (Uffner) Campbell and Jennifer (Kosek) Walker who each provided much-needed edits and suggestions for improvement along the way. And, my sister, Laura Brewer ’80, provided much needed support, help and encouragement throughout the entire process.”
1990s Kathryn Mangano Ames ’90 wrote, “Major gratitude for my classmates who supported me through this past year dealing with cancer. I’m so thankful for these lifelong friendships! As a result of my crazy year, I was inspired to launch a new business that merged many of my passions and experiences. ‘Thru the Game’ focuses on mental health support and proactive strategies for athletes, coaches, and parents. This work is timely, exciting, and empowering!” Visit thruthegame.com to learn more. Graeme Spencer Woods ’94 recently started a new hobby as a licensed ham radio operator (amateur radio). “I did it for three reasons: 1) So that when my family goes camping in a low cell signal area, we will have communication in case of emergency. With small children, we actually do more glamping than camping. I can do some ham tourism too. 2) For the
Continued on Page 48
Class of ’13 Alumni Trivia Winners in 2021! More than 30 teams, from as far as California and as close as Fort Washington, competed over Zoom to see who would be crowned the annual Alumni Trivia Champion. While the faculty team reigned supreme last year, team “Jonah’s Advisory Notices” (Ken Anderson ’13, Christiaan Honig ’13, Michael Hanamirian ’13, Adam Villari ’13, Melanie Repella’13, Julian Moore ’13, Steve McNamara ’13) pulled out a decisive victory this time. Save The Date - February 11, 2022 is the next Alumni Trivia Night! 46 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
CLASS OF 1966
JimCLASS Bricker: OF 2009A Tribute to 100% Class Participation Jim Bricker ’66 has always been one to face a challenge or competition head-on and believes that can be directly related to his time at GA. Bricker still remembers the time when GA would post Middle School and Upper School semester grades on a bulletin board for everyone to see. He would eagerly check the board and felt triumphant when he would see his name at the top. He worked hard and was proud to eventually become class valedictorian. This drive to succeed was a continuing force during college at MIT, Harvard Business School, and throughout his career. Today, he channels that competitive spirit by swimming or playing in the Boston-area seniors soccer league. Fortunately, GA is one of his other passions. His unwavering determination coupled with his love for his alma mater motivated him years ago to volunteer as an Alumni Class Agent. This year, we are proud to announce that Bricker rallied his class to reach 100% in annual giving participation for this, their 55th reunion year. There is a long list of reasons why Bricker is grateful that he had the opportunity to attend GA, the top reason being the high quality of education. “I know that my education at GA helped me build a great foundation for my adult life,” said Bricker. “I developed a lifelong appreciation for achieving excellence. And I was fortunate to make some dear friendships – especially with my two fellow New Englanders, David Pedrick and Floyd Lane, and with Tom Peabody when my wife and I traveled to California, and Geoff Pflaumer, when we went to London, and recently with many of our other classmates by email, phone, and Zoom.” Bricker also experienced Germantown Academy at two locations by attending the original campus on School House Lane for 9th through 11th grades and then Fort Washington for his senior year, as a member of the first class to graduate from the new campus. One of Bricker’s funny memories from senior year happened while he and classmate John Behrend took turns driving
Jim Bricker ’66 Class Agent
Members of the Class of 1966 gathered at GA in 2016 to celebrate their 50th Reunion.They honored this milestone by proudly gifting the school with their Class Stone, commemorating their graduation as the first from the FortWashington campus.
to school in their mothers’ 1957 Chevys. One day, while Behrend was driving, Bricker discovered that his mom’s key could lock the glove compartment in his friend’s mom’s car. The next day, Behrend put one over on Bricker. “When we walked out to the parking lot to go home, my mother’s car was gone! At first John acted dutifully concerned until he couldn’t hold it in any longer and started laughing,” said Bricker. Having realized that the car keys matched, Behrend had snuck out during the lunch hour and moved Bricker’s mom’s car to the other end of the parking lot. Memories and relationships like these inspired Bricker to become a Class Agent and long-time volunteer for his alma mater. He has always believed the school to be an excellent institution and one worth supporting. “It’s not just about supporting the school each year with a gift, although obviously that’s the primary goal,” said Bricker. “It’s also about maintaining and strengthening the relationships amongst ourselves as classmates for the long haul, and maybe even thinking about the school when it’s time to make our estate plans.” Reaching 100% participation gave the whole Class of 1966 an amazing feeling of
accomplishment. As Bruce Henry ’66 stated, “100%! That’s something we can be very proud of.” David Pedrick ’66 exclaimed, “Wow, Classmates! What a sensational, unanimous commitment by everyone!” Dan Rankin 1760 said, “The Class of ’66 is one of my favorite classes and I am so proud of their achievement!” Bricker would also like to give a shout-out to Kelli Kaput, Director of Annual Giving, because “without her involvement this would not have happened.” Bricker loves being a Class Agent and highly encourages other alumni and alumnae to consider it. Besides rallying the troops in your class, he says, “It can be a lot of fun! It’s an excuse to contact your classmates, which I have found to be a great pleasure. Each time I spoke with a classmate, I found myself engaged in long conversations of nostalgia and catch-up. I even got to become closer with classmates whom I didn’t know particularly well when I was in school.”
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Being the 1966 Class Agent is a fun and satisfying role for me. I would think that it could be equally rewarding and fun for volunteers in other classes as well.” –Jim Bricker ’66
CONNECT. ENGAGE. GIVE.
Join fellow alumni in connecting your classmates to GA today. Email alumni@germantownacademy.org for more information. GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 47
exciting STEM and survival projects I can do with my kids. Locating and talking to the ISS involves all of that and lots of daddy-daughter time. My oldest can’t wait to build a radio with me. Just as soon as I know how, I’ll bring her in. Two weeks ago, we made a wave machine for her first grade class. We used popsicle sticks, speaker wire, and hot glue. I got the idea when I watched a vintage AT&T video about standing wave ratios while studying for the technician exam. And 3) For emergency preparation. I plan to study (and practice) Morse code, emergency assistance, and weather watching. I want to volunteer for the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) that assists FEMA and other government agencies and NGO’s with communications during disasters and other emergencies. I have an Amateur Technician license and I’m working on my Amateur General license. My station call sign is KC3RKS and I look forward to finding some GA Hams on the airwaves.” Tyler Fenwick ’99 lives in Charlottesville, VA with his wife, Hayley, 18month-old daughter, Harper Sky, and their two dogs, Knox and Max. He has been Associate Head Coach of the University of Virginia Mens’ and Womens’ Swim teams since August, 2017. He checked in at the end of a huge season for the UVA Women’s
Swim team. “As we all know, 2020 was a tough year for everyone. Our women’s team was the heavy favorite headed into 2020 NCAA Championships. The meet was canceled days before we were to travel. They never got their shot to compete for the first NCAA championship in program history,” he shared. “This year, we have been very fortunate to avoid COVID. Our women’s team went undefeated during the regular season and won ACC Championships in February. They set an NCAA and American record in the 200 medley relay. This past weekend (March 20 & 21) we won the NCAA Championship. Our ladies won six individual events and the 800 free relay in a pretty dominant victory.” Alexandra Lefakinis ’99 checked in from Greece. She wrote, “One of the last times I was in the States was for the wedding of Chase Bodine’s ’99 wedding
Lefakinis ’00 and her husband, Achilles Kyrtsis. Also in attendance (photographed) were Ben Haaz ’99 and his wife, Tara, sisters Kelly McCallion ’99 and Courtney McCallion ’02 and Kate Staff ’00 with her husband, Nick Movshon and their son, Theo. Not photographed, but in attendance as well were my parents, mother Kathy Speece Lefakinis ’70 and my late father Vassilios Lefakinis. It was a magical weekend with our families and loved ones, old neighbors and friends. “I continue to live in Greece with my sister, running our company’s Greek office together, Valef Yachts, a yacht chartering company. It has been a difficult period for everyone worldwide, however, Greece has been handling the situation quite well, protecting its people and working hard to keep the country safe for visitors. We unfortunately did not see Americans in Greece this past summer, but we are optimistic that in 2021 travel will again be opened and they will be back.”
2000s
on September 21, 2019. Chase met her husband Ryan Taylor at a Halloween party in New York City on the eve of Hurricane Sandy. Chase’s sister Blair Bodine was her Maid of Honor. She led the flower girls down the aisle to the tune of “Edelweiss,” including my niece Anassa, who is the daughter of my sister Kassandra
Allison Bedrosian Gatter ’01 and William Gatter welcomed their second child, William Michael Gatter III, on December 30, 2020. Olivia (2) is also thrilled with her new role as big sister!
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IN MEMORY OF HOWARD STORY ’38, GA’S OLDEST PATRIOT
Germantown Academy’s oldest living Patriot, Howard C. Story, Jr., passed away on March 25, 2021 at his home in Palm Beach, Florida just short of his 101st birthday. Born in Philadelphia on April 1, 1920, Howard was a member of the GA Class
Troy Holiday ’01 and his wife, Christina, welcomed their new baby boy, Troy Julian (TJ), on March 21, 2021. TJ weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces!
Kira Bryers ’02 and Edward Lynes were married on the Lunar New Year, February 12, 2021 at Christ Church in Philadelphia. Kira works as an in-house attorney at Qlik, and is honored to serve as the President of the Junior League of Philadelphia beginning in June (with the encouragement of past President Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch ’84!). She and Ed, a founding partner of Woden, a messaging and positioning agency, make their home in Center City with their Wheaten Terrier, Bailey.
of 1938. During his time on campus, he performed with the Belfry Club, served as the captain of the soccer team, was a member of the Academy Club and editor for the Academy Monthly his senior year. After GA, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1942 before serving in the United States Army in World War II in the Signal Corps, assigned to headquarters. Howard received the Republic of France Legion of Honor Medal for his service in France in WWII. After the war, he joined his father's national Newspaper Advertising Representative firm, Story, Brooks & Zach Berman ’04 of The Athletic won a first place Pro Football Writers of America award in October 2020. Berman took first place in the Goldberg Game Story category for his article "First playoff snaps for Carson Wentz and Josh McCown were significant for different reasons." Lauren Gillispie McCusker ’04 and her husband, Ed, welcomed their daughter, Caroline Lucille McCusker, on September 28, 2020. “Her arrival brought so much joy to our family during this challenging year. “We are looking forward to bringing Caroline to many future GA/PC Days!” wrote Lauren. Kate Lawlor Albert ’05 and her husband, Tim, welcomed their third son, Matthew, on January 13, 2021. Caleb (almost 5) and Nathan (3) are proud big brothers!
Finley. After becoming its chairman, he merged the company, which became known as Story, Kelly-Smith, Inc. Howard enjoyed sailing, squash, tennis, golf, and fly-fishing among others. His daughter, Susan, noted he had many great memories of his school days and was excellent with his grammar and word power thanks to the early education he received at Germantown Academy. The Story family donated Howard’s diploma, signed by Headmaster Samuel Osbourn, and his wool GA cap to the school’s archives.
Karin Bohr Fortwangler ’06, her husband Adam, and their three childrenCharlotte, Roger, and Caroline- welcomed a new baby girl, Katherine Allison, on March 15, 2020. She is the niece of Allison Bohr ’07 and Adam Sitsis ’05, and the granddaughter of Lower School Music Teacher Jodi Bohr 1760. Joe Mirabile ’06 and his wife, Sarah, are thrilled to announce the arrival of their first child, Madison Brant Mirabile, born January 24, 2021. Andrea Hanson Konski ’07 has her own business training, boarding, socializing, and running a daycare for dogs! Hanson Canine Services is based in South Jersey and has clients in the tristate area and is growing! Andrea notes that she has always loved animals and has been working with and volunteering with rescues and shelters since 2008. She has her own rescue pets, two cats and two white German Shepherds. “Growing a business is exciting and a lot of work, but very worthwhile in the end!” says Andrea. If you GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 49
THANK YOU TO GA VOLUNTEER LEADERS! The Alumni Society Board thanks departing leader Will Weihenmayer ’03 and welcomes incoming president, Jennifer Rotzell Leming ‘97 The Alumni Society Board bids a fond farewell to Will Weihenmayer ’03, P’34 ’35 as he closes out his second year as president and eighth year of involvement with the group. While on the ASB, Will was involved in envisioning a new Alumni Athletics committee, was a member of the committee
to create the Alumni Mission Award. Prior to the Alumni Board, Will was part of the Golf Outing Committee and helped launch an initiative to bring together alumni golfers with the current Upper School golf team for a fun round of 18 holes. His involvement and leadership will be missed, although his continued participation in alumni (and now current parent) activities is certain. Jen Leming ’97 P’27 ’30 steps in as Alumni Society Board president for the 2021-22 and
2022-23 school years, bringing with her six years of experience with the group. Having played many roles at GA, including teacher, camp counselor, and parent, Jen brings a broad perspective of all that the GA community has to offer. She is excited to lead the Alumni Board, which includes eight new members this year.
The 98-year-old Academy Club applauds departing co-presidents For the past nine years, Co-Presidents Lauren Gillispie McCusker ’04 and Annie Marshall ’08 have been connecting with new Academy Club members at the beginning of their senior year and then officially inducting them into the Club just before
their graduation. The pair has helped new members prepare for life as a GA alumnus/a while also contributing to the Alumni Society Board. The Academy is grateful for this duo’s long-standing commitment to this leadership alumni group, originally founded by the Class of 1924. Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, the Academy Club is pleased to welcome Diana Rodgers ’03 P’31 as
the incoming president. Diana moved back to the area in the past couple of years and now is also a current parent in the Lower School. She has already framed out a plan for beginning to connect with the Class of 2022 Academy Club members this fall.
A tip of the hat to Parent of Alumni Association Council departing chairman With heartfelt appreciation for his positivity, creativity and levity, we give a tip of the hat to Larry Altman P’12 ’14 as he steps down from his role as chairperson of the Parent of Alumni Association Council. He and his wife, Cathy Korman Altman ’83, have recently moved out of the Fort Washington area, but will continue to stay connected to GA in other ways. Thank you, Larry, for your leadership!
Cheryl Ross P’10 ’13 will take the wheel of the Parent of Alumni Association Council ship starting this year. Cheryl brings a well-rounded perspective to the PoAA Council having been involved in the group and its activities since it was founded by Sara Gowing P’07 ’11 in 2011. Cheryl, who is also a member of the GA Board of Trustees, is looking forward to working with the
Council to help all of GA’s parents of alumni get reconnected, both in person and virtually, with each other and the school!
Greetings Fellow Alums! Back to school season has always been a favorite time of year for me. As a GA student I loved the anticipation of class list posting and the excitement of a new classroom filled with fresh faces and school supplies. As a GA parent, I love the return of routine and coming back to campus to connect with my sons’ teachers, their friends, and my community of other parents. This fall, I find myself reflecting upon past back to school seasons. It was something I took for granted as a given in the cycle of each passing year. This time last year I felt extremely fortunate, but cautiously apprehensive waving goodbye to the school bus as it pulled away and I cried tears of joy for my boys going back in person the first day of the 2020-21 school year. With great pride I watched my alma mater take on all the challenges of educating children during a pandemic and saw my own two children thrive amidst altered routines and logistics that allowed them to learn in person on campus every day of their 3rd and 6th grade years.
I am honored to start off this school year as your Alumni Society Board (ASB) President. I am thrilled for the opportunity to lead a group of dynamic, engaged alumni on our Board. Together we will work toward our goals of keeping alumni connected to each other and engaged with our school. Now more than ever we have a desire for connection. I encourage you to connect with your alma mater this year to learn about the innovative things happening on campus and the ways the GA network can help you. Stay tuned for more information about the launch of an exciting new Alumni Week of events in April and please do not hesitate to reach out if you are looking for ways to get involved. With Patriot Pride, Jennifer Rotzell Leming ’97, P’27, ’30 Jenlem518@gmail.com
How can you get involved? * Get on Patriot Connect! Now is the time to dive into your trusted GA network. Search or post jobs, promote your business, join a group, and more. Visit www.patriotconnect.net to get started.
* Join Your Reunion Committee! Planning for reunions is better with many perspectives! Planning for classes ending in 2 and 7 begins soon. Email alumni@germantownacademy.org to volunteer.
* Stay in touch! Update your contact information and career news, submit a class note, and volunteer. Contact the Alumni Office (alumni@germantownacademy.org) with updates!
* Attend an event! One of the benefits coming out of the pandemic is that we have learned how to successfully host virtual events. Geography is no longer an issue. Plus, we’re starting to get back to some in-person events. Check out the events calendar for virtual classes, book clubs, reunions and even some live, in-person activities!
* Mark your calendar for GA/PC Day on Saturday, November 13. Come out to support our Patriots in live competition held at PC.
2021-22 Alumni Society Board Members Ken Anderson ’13 Simi Kaplin Baer ’91, P’22’24’27 Hilary Hickmott Baker ’79 Voltaire Escalona ’10 Shana Duffine Genkin ’95, P’28 Kent Griswold ’76, P’15 ‘19 need her services, feel free to reach out HansonCanineServices@gmail.com. Will Newton ’07, the founder of Shortcut Mobile, was featured in an October 4, 2020 edition of Metro. According to the article, business is booming for Newton’s tech start-up, which provides customers access to professional barbers and stylists at requested appointment times and locations. The first-of-its-kind, Shortcut’s core offering consists of complete ondemand hair and facial grooming services. Lisa Mack ’08 and her husband, Griff Curtis, welcomed their first child, August Mack Curtis, in December 2020, shortly before Griff returned home from
Emily Hyman ’10 Dick Kolb ’65 Jen Rotzell Leming ’97, P’27’30, President Claire Ragusa MacRae ’84, P’26 Christine McAuliffe ’02 Greg Pitkoff ’82 Afghanistan. Lisa and Griff (both Captains in the US Army) moved to Northern Virginia over the summer where Lisa started a new job as an Emergency Medicine physician at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences after graduating from residency. Prior to graduation, Lisa was the recipient of the Consultant to the Surgeon General’s Military Triservice Resident of the Year Award.
Becky Pizzino 1760, P’15 Diana Rodgers ’03, P’31 Art Sweeney ’69, P’89’94 Courtney Lynee Williams ’03
Mary Haynie Reardon ’08 and her husband Brian have made a home in Wayne, PA with their golden retriever Lily. They were thrilled to welcome their first child, daughter Emma Rose Reardon, on November 14, 2020. They were both able to take time off from work to enjoy life with Emma, who has been a perfect baby. Emma is in good company with her ten cousins, courtesy of Elise Haynie Martin ’02, Alex Haynie ’04, Kristie Haynie Gilbert ’06 and Caroline Haynie Buckley ’13. All the grandchildren are immensely loved by GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 51
CLASS OF 2011
Parth Patel: Entrepreneur for the Health Care Industry Dr. Parth Patel ’11 has had more schooling in his short lifetime than many people around the world. A lifer at GA, Patel graduated from the University of Miami in three years, headed back to Philadelphia to earn a dental school degree from University of Pennsylvania, then completed his MBA at Penn’s Wharton School. He has taken the skills acquired from each stop to become an edupreneur – building dental clinics in several areas of the country and creating software that will very soon teach dentists to offer superior patient services. “Dentistry, and healthcare in general, is my family’s business. I have learned from watching my family and starting several of my own dental clinics that dentists need to focus more on patients and not worry about the other stuff that comes along with owning a business,” said Patel. “So I set off to build an operating system that allows doctors to run their clinics autonomously and with high efficiency.” Automating the tedious work – dealing with insurance, payroll, revenue cycle management, banking, staffing – has been Patel’s focus for the past year. While he is not a practicing dentist, his training in dentistry, finance, and healthcare management, along with his incredible work ethic and interest in helping others, have combined to create a successful businessman who attracts talented workers from across the country. “My Chief Technology Officer worked at Google for five years and used to work for Microsoft,” Patel said. “I feel that healthcare is ten years behind the rest of the world in terms of technology so I went out to find someone that can help bring technological innovations easily to the end user. It’s fantastic that GA has a computer science curriculum now. Regardless of what you want to do, everyone should have exposure to computer science. Kids are so smart now at school, and fortunately for me, the talent pool is ridiculous.” While gaining maximum leverage with his software solution to enable more doctors to
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practice efficiently and provide patients with high quality care is the goal, Patel would not be enjoying his journey as much without the people he met during his days at GA.
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Follow your curiosity. The financial outcomes will come in life if you get really good at what you want to do and enjoy it.You will get to a high level and the rest will sort itself out.” Parth Patel ’11
“One of the cool things about GA is that I’ve kept a lot of really close relationships with a lot of my best friends – many of whom weren’t even in my grade,” Patel explained. “I just spoke with Austin Kevitch (2010) and Alec Korman (2013) and Nick Berman (2011). We help each other out in our businesses and life, exploring our passions
together, investing in each other. Obviously, people in your grade are your core, but through sports or clubs that you are involved in you get to be a part of the community as a whole, which is really cool.” Patel states how fortunate he is that his family has supported his dreams of entrepreneurship from the beginning and that has allowed him to delve into other passion projects. “I am really passionate about investing in various startups, protocols, ecosystems, etc.,” said Patel. “I am interested in centralizing finance protocols and investing in blockchain technologies so I’ve done a lot of research in those areas the past few years. I think the world is going in the direction of community owned insurance protocols and decentralized medical and dental protocols and that is where my excitement and my experience will hopefully find success.”
their Nana, Karen, and grandfather ("Fa"), Ted Haynie 1760.
2010s
Beatrice Linnea Bast ’11 launched Linnea Botanicals in 2020. Her company is a Philadelphia and Delray Beach-based biophilic design studio creating custom preserved moss installations and living vertical gardens. She was featured in The Spruce’s new series “In The Weeds With Plant People.” Beatrice wrote, “if you’re interested in plants, interiors, moss installations, and more, please follow along my ever-growing journey on Instagram
@linneabotanicals and www.linneabotanicals.com. Thank you for this community filled with friends, supportive mentors, and of course incredible teachers! My love for art and design started at GA!” Also look for her business in Patriot Connect’s Business Directory! Connor Crump ’12 is engaged to Michele DeVincent of Upper Dublin. The couple met at Lake Harmony while in high school and have been dating ever since. A wedding date has not yet been set.
the Virginia State Democratic Party during the 2020 Election Cycle. I also published an opinion piece in the Richmond TimesDispatch last summer following the national racial reckoning focusing on recontextualizing Richmond’s Monument Avenue.” Bridie Lawlor ’13 married Tom O’Boyle in August 2020 at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul in Philadelphia and celebrated in their parents’ backyard. They met their freshman year at Boston College.
Ken Anderson ’13 shared that he “graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law (5/2020) and passed the Virginia Bar Exam (11/2020). I served on the Voter Protection Team for
Connect with the GA Community
Find job and internship opportunities
Jessica Towne ’13 and Joe Taylor ’13 met at GA and just got married! Joe is also coming back to teach math at GA starting this fall!
Register and access online events
FIND A PATRIOT WILLING TO OFFER MENTORSHIP IN YOUR WORK INDUSTRY!
Join PatriotConnect.net to connect today! GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 53
Q & A with author Al Mifflin Lowe ’66 Al Mifflin Lowe is a prolific writer. Recently he has published multiple children’s books titled TrueWest: Real Stories About Black Cowboys,Women Sharpshooters, Native American Rodeo Stars, Pioneering Vaqueros, and the Unsung Explorers, Builders, and HeroesWho Shaped the AmericanWest, Dad. The Man,The Myth,The Legend, and The Cuddle Book. Much of Lowe’s writing talent began back in his days at Germantown Academy and here he describes how his career in writing all began. How did GA prepare you to be an author? Well, at GA, we had to read a lot and write a lot. There’s no better way to prepare to become a writer than writing.
just finished a novel which I wrote that was 180,000 words long but I’ve cut it to 120,000 which is the length agents/ publishers want. Did you have an occupation before “author”? I delivered The Philadelphia Inquirer, bussed tables at a restaurant on Long Beach Island, and was an advertising copywriter, creative director, and owner of a jingle company — T.J. Maxx was our big client. My first book, The Cheapskate’s Handbook, sold over 220,000 copies in English and was published in Italian, Danish, and Norwegian.
What inspired you to be an author? I’ve been a good writer since 7th grade when my teacher read one of my papers and accused my mother of writing it — because it was too good for a knucklehead like me to have written! But I did write it. My mother, however, always held writers and writing in the highest esteem and passed this on to me.
Who were some of your favorite teachers? Dan Rankin 1760 my History teacher. Also Mr. Handy (Latin I), Mr. Plant (Latin II), Mr. Biggs (History), Mr. Schoff (English), and Mr. Atherton (French).
How do you go about writing a book? First, you have to have a concept — an idea. A lot of people just start spouting out verbiage and that almost always doesn’t work. Then an outline. Then you write a first draft. Then since, as Mark Twain said, “Writing is rewriting,” you keep honing it down. I
To see more of Al “Mifflin” Lowe’s offerings, check out his webpage at www.locokids.com.
Where can interested readers find your current books? You can purchase TrueWest and The Cuddle Book on Amazon. Dad. The Man,The Myth, the Legend is due out in spring.
WELCOME TO ACADEMY CLUB! Congratulations to these new inductees to this 98-year-old Club (student is listed along with his/her induction speaker):
Everyone involved in the Class of 2021 Academy Club Induction enjoyed being back in person for this annual event. Although weather kept it from happening outside, the faculty speeches for each inductee once again made the early June occasion magical. We were also pleased to welcome Class of 2020 Academy Club members Sasha Capers, Lily Ernst and Will Martin, whose induction the year before had been virtual. Also joining the fun was Wils Jordan, class of 2019 Academy Club member and brother of Talie Jordan ’21. 54 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
Priyanka Anand (Yvette Marquez) Ella Brant (Susan Merrill) Jacob Brownstein (Matt Dolan) Matthew Cho (Matt Rominger) Brandon Giampalmi (Tim Ginter) Harry Hou (Rachel Lintgen) Talison Jordan (Sara Krupnick-Ritz) Collin McDonald (Chris Nelson) Dean Millard (Dan St. Jean) Jessica Moore (Sherri Retif) Mae Nagel (Cecilia Kim) Sarah Rojas (Carol Ayers) Jenisha Savani (Sue Negro) Natalie Schlidt (Chris Chung) Sophia Towne (Matt Dence) Justin Weiss (Vic Montemayor)
best 23 points in the Huskies’ 72-62 victory.
Kristen Vaganos ’14 starred in the new psychological thriller Obsessed with the Babysitter, which premiered on the Lifetime Channel on January 9, 2021. Ashley PiszekRothenberger ’15 is the entrepreneur best known for inventing MISS SWISS, a revolutionary makeup case that solved a significant problem in the makeup industry. After makeup destroyed her purse at a concert, Piszek developed a patented travel size makeup case resembling the utility of a Swiss Army Knife with custom holders that prevent friction between commonly used makeup products. She was featured in a series by Authority Magazine on December 15, 2020. After finishing a year of service as a City Year AmeriCorps Member, Tesa Pribitkin ’16 is headed to Madrid to teach for a year. As a Fulbright Scholar, Tesa is eager to work on her language skills and immerse herself in the Spanish culture. Peter Butler ’17 launched The Payne Woodshop in 2020, initially as a way to pass the time during quarantine. His designs caught on and became so popular locally that he was able to turn his hobby into a business. “I love crafting pieces using local hardwoods with a focus on modern and rustic design,” he shared. Find Peter and his business on Instagram @ThePayneWoodshop, his website – thepaynewoodshop.com, or in the Business Directory on PatriotConnect.net. Amanda Parker ’17 graduated Cum Laude in February 2021 from Dickinson College with a Bachelor of Science degree. She started her career the same month working for DOCS Health in Pipersville, PA. After 10 grueling events, University of Georgia standout Kyle Garland ’18 finished sixth overall in the decathlon at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon (top 3 qualify for the Olympics). Earlier this year, during the indoor season, Garland won his second
SEC heptathlon title and finished as runner-up at the NCAA Championships. In his second Olympic Trials, University of Georgia rising senior Andrew Abruzzo ’18 finished eighth in the 400 freestyle final
(3:51.45), 23rd in the 200 butterfly prelims (1:59.45), and eighth in the 800 freestyle final (8:01.81). During the college season, Abruzzo finished 15th in the 400 IM, 22nd in the 500 freestyle, and 25th in 200 butterfly at the NCAA Championships. Duke University soccer standout Mackenzie Pluck ’18 was featured in a September 8, 2020 article in The Ambler Gazette for not only her on-field success, but success as an artist. Pluck launched Scribble Bird in 2020 where she showcases her work and creates digital-based art through commissions.
2020s
In her first Atlantic Coast Conference Championships, Emma Atkinson ’20, a freshman at Virginia Tech, crushed the previous 200 backstroke record (1:51.64), which she set earlier this season, by over a second! She also tied the school record for the 100 backstroke at 51.86. Atkinson also helped set a new school record in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:15.81, beating the previous time of 3:16.00 set in 2018. During her first NCAA Swimming & Diving Championship, she set five new school records and turned in four new personal best times. She also earned AllAmerican (fourth, 200 backstroke) and Honorable Mention All-American honors (11th, 100 backstroke). Two GA alums recently squared off in collegiate water polo. Walker Butler ’20 and the Bucknell Bison downed Finn Lillis ’18 and the George Washington Colonials, 8-7!
Northeastern freshman guard Maddie Vizza ’20 was selected as the Colonial Athletic Association women’s basketball Rookie of the Week (2/15) after two stellar back-to-back performances against Towson. Vizza made 8-of-15 three-pointers and averaged 13.0 points. Vizza set a Northeastern freshman record by knocking down 7-of-10 treys and scoring a career-
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 55
CLASS OF 1971
“It’s never too late to become a winner.” That’s the mantra of Laura Eiman ’71, who, in her 60s, decided to take her life into her own hands to become a gold-medal-winning weightlifter and mental toughness coach. “Back in the 60s and 70s, women never lifted weights,” said Eiman. “I had never seen a barbell or dumbbell before I started doing CrossFit at age 60.” Eiman says at first, she was terrible at lifting a barbell, but she was determined to learn CrossFit. In 2016, at the Florida CrossFit where Eiman was training, there was an Olympic Weightlifting coach. “I’d never even heard of the sport, but I took a chance and did a lesson after my CrossFit class,” added Eiman. “I instantly realized I could learn a lot from that odd looking piece of steel––about focus, discipline, technique, and even humility. One thing led to another and I began training exclusively as an Olympic Weightlifter!” Her perseverance paid off. She began competing in local weightlifting meets in Florida, practicing her own mental toughness program. Eighteen months later, she became Florida State Champion. She then placed fourth in the nation and qualified for the world championships twice, and won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in the Dominican Republic. Eiman believes that winning starts in our minds. That competitive spirit was fostered as a student-athlete at GA where Eiman thrived in the pool and on the sports fields. “I was very athletic,” stated Eiman. “Phyl Morrison Biddle was the head of girls athletics and was a tremendous mentor to me. She believed in me and always let me know it! This makes a big difference in a young person’s life. Another mentor was Dick Shoulberg. I had the privilege of being coached by him in his first two years at GA and thrived in his swim program. Heck, I even got my name on a plaque in the GA
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gym back in 1970 for some butterfly record I broke, thanks to him!” But while she flourished as an athlete, Eiman struggled in the classroom with ADHD and suffered from low self-esteem as a result. Fortunately, her classroom teachers were willing to bend over backwards to make sure she succeeded. “Edwin Probert, my English teacher, was always such a crowd pleaser and appreciated by all,” said Eiman. “He could make any piece of literature come alive. Jinny Day, our college counselor was amazing; and Gloria Pflaumer at the front desk was always greeting visitors with a smile.”
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After graduating from college, I came to value two things: being independent, and wanting to make a difference in peoples’ lives.” After GA, Eiman attended St. Lawrence University and then headed to Montana where she taught ski lessons. She met her husband on those slopes and the two landed in Connecticut where they raised their two children. Today, Eiman lives outside of Boston.
For years, Eiman says she held unexciting corporate jobs and felt like a fish out of water. It took her until age 50 to start her own company. With passion and hard work, she founded, PicPads, a company that creates personalized notepads and cards. Within three years of starting the company, PicPads garnered endorsements from Oprah, Barbara Walters, and Rachel Ray. The company is going strong 17 years later. Today, Eiman’s business partner is in charge of PicPads so she can run a coaching business, Building Brave Women. As a Navy SEAL-certified mental toughness coach, she works with women (and men too!) in the corporate and college sectors to help them become mentally tough so they can win at (almost!) anything they put their minds to. Eiman wants men and women to think like a Navy SEAL and develop the habits of Olympic athletes so they can win at work and at their health and fitness goals––just as she did with weightlifting at 65 years old! She says this is the most rewarding work she has ever done, and she will never retire. “If there is one piece of advice I can offer to current GA students, it is don’t waste your time like I did, doing what you think you should do,” said Eiman. “Follow your gut. Trust your instincts. Identify your passions and then go after them with reckless abandon.”
JOIN YOUR FELLOW ALUMNI WHO ARE CONTINUING THEIR LEGACY
AS GA PARENTS For more information go to: www.germantownacademy.net/admission The Jordan Family– (from l to r) Wills ’19, Samantha MacGregor Jordan ’88, Talie ’21, Michael and Mac ’23, celebrated Talie’s graduation this spring.
MCVEIGH DAY OF SERVICE
Initiated 16 years ago by Peter McVeigh 1760, the annual Day of Service for GA’s alums has become a treasured tradition. It’s thanks to the leadership and regular participation of 30 plus Patriots on the Alumni CSO Council that not only has the annual McVeigh Day of Service found success, but it has also evolved to include alumni in various regions across the country as well as current GA families. After not being physically together in 2020, this year’s day of service was even more impactful and brought alums, parents, and faculty together in the spirit of service to others.
Meghan McVeigh Maciolek ’97, who leads Alumni CSO Council shared, “McVeigh Day’ this year felt very much like a celebration. A celebration of Dad, and of our ability to actually be with each other again for one singular purpose - to help those who need it most.” In the Philadelphia area, Meghan and Bevin Reilly Aquila ’04 led the effort to collect food for Face to Face Germantown while five other alums prepared food to distribute that week to Face to Face’s clients. Current families and other area alums supported those efforts as well as supplying gently used goods for Cradles to Crayons, Philadelphia. Alumni CSO leader, Courtney Baron ’01, organized both an
in-person service and a goods collection in Chicago. On the same weekend, Catie Cummings ’17, led a group of Los Angeles-based alums in supporting Water Drop LA, an organization she co-founded which distributes 2,000 plus gallons of water to Skid Row in Los Angeles. It was a successful and gratifying weekend of service. Meghan summed it up well – “Although Dad’s physical presence will always be missed, there is not a day that goes by where I do not feel him with us, guiding us each step of the way, helping us #livehislegacy.”
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 57
Germantown Academy 340 Morris Road Fort Washington, PA 19034
NON-PROFIT PRESORT U.S. POSTAGE PAID FORT WASHINGTON, PA PERMIT #20
L E T ’S G O PAT R I O T S ! GA/PC DAY NOVEMBER 13 at penn charter REUNION
HQ
AFFINITY GATHERINGS
ATHLETIC
HALL OF FAME
OLD GUARD LUNCH TENT
GA/PC GAMES
For complete schedule and more details, visit:
https://www.germantownacademy.net/gapcday