The Patriot Magazine - Spring 2023

PATRIOT

MAGAZINE

Spring 2023

SENIOR PROJECTS SERVE STUDENTS AND ALUMNI

Essential questions drive seniors toward curriculum capstone

BY THE NUMBERS

WE EXPERIENCE

The Germantown Academy curriculum is not just found inside its doors and on its fields. All three divisions deeply believe in the effectiveness of field trips. Whether it’s down the road to the Morris Arboretum or traveling for over two hours to the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, NJ, every student walks away with memories that last a lifetime.

200 more than

artifacts in “Native Voices,” a permanent exhibit in the Penn Museum of the University of Pennsylvania, were seen by 3rd Graders. They were joined by students from Upper School teacher Brent Freedland’s Indigenous America’s history elective.

feet of zip line was courageously taken on by the Class of 2029 (6th Grade) at Camp Kweebec. The 6th Grade trip is at the beginning of the year and serves as an introduction to all those students starting Middle School. 30

acres

13,650 1 0

and more than one dozen aspects of the 17th-century English Village at Plimoth Patuxet Museums were explored by the 7th Grade in Plymouth, MA. 33

2,500 approx.

was the Phillies winning score against the Atlanta Braves when GA took the 11th Grade out to the ball game at Citizen’s Bank Park.

types of plants can be seen at the Morris Arboretum. The Kindergarten classes visited the beautiful site, but it is safely said that their favorite part was the giant treehouse!

YEARS AGO

Joe Rozak 1760, Upper School biology teacher, began the definition of experiential learning. Every year, Becky Pizzino 1760’s marine biology class continues the tradition at Stone Harbor’s Wetlands Institute. Students learn about the ecology of a salt marsh and a barrier island beach.

April 2023

Dear Friends,

As we returned from Spring Break, the air was already warmer, the grass was already greener, and I could not have been more pleased with the way the winter ended (despite the lamentable lack of snow days!). So much excitement surrounded GA’s 126 acres of opportunity. Here are just a few of the highlights from an extraordinary winter:

Students and faculty traveled to Birmingham, Alabama as part of our GAXP (Germantown Academy Experience Program) to work at a Habitat for Humanity build while also making pilgrimages to important civil rights sites, museums, and memorials around the state. My own visit to Montgomery last fall was part of an outreach program led by Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative for school and university leaders. I first met Bryan thanks to the incomparable Peter McVeigh 1760, who had befriended him in their shared quest for justice and equality, and who brought him to our campus to speak in the very best assembly I have ever experienced in all my years of working in schools. Having our students visit The Legacy Museum and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice felt like a gift from above, a hug from McVeigh, and a reminder that extraordinary learning happens when we expand the parameters of our curriculum far beyond our beautiful campus.

The Middle School put on an amazing rendition of The Wizard of Oz. Some of those same thespians then immersed themselves in another world and language as they traveled to Québec for the longawaited resumption of this favorite adventure, a Middle School passion project since long before I arrived at GA.

Our Lower School teachers executed a fabulous Design Day during which students embraced the tenets of design thinking to turn imagination into reality as they revisited the splendor of Caine’s Arcade.

The entire community enjoyed a special visit from NewYork Times bestselling author Tami Charles, who shared snippets from her books All BecauseYou Matter, Definitely Daphne, and Unmuted. Tami presented to all three divisions, participated in student-led interviews, and captivated the audience during our annual Black History Month celebration.

GA faculty participated in a Professional Learning Day to reflect on and integrate the intensive seminars led by our fall faculty guest speakers, Dr. Vanessa Santiago Schwarz (on anti-bias education) and Dr. Ken Ginsburg (on building resilience among children in uncertain times), before savoring their favorite lunch of the year, the Parents’ Committee Appreciation Luncheon & Raffle – an incredible buffet of both deliciousness and generosity.

On the extracurricular front, both girls and boys repeated as Inter-Ac Champions in swimming and diving with the girls also taking a second-straight Easterns Championship. Our Belfry actors took on Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale with talent and passion. CSO leaders embodied being compassionate in spirit as they publicized from the rafters our all-school fundraiser for earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria via a GA mission-philic organization called The Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

Stone, drywall, and HVAC systems were installed in the new Health & Wellness Center, scheduled to open in September 2023. The wellbeing of our students and employees is of paramount importance, and this state-of-the-art facility will be the epicenter of this critical work.

And that’s not all! I hope you can feel even just a small amount of the incredible energy that we experience every day. It is my greatest joy, and my biggest honor, to lead this community. I hope to see you on campus soon.

Best,

Rich Schellhas 1760 Head of School

PATRIOT

SPRING 2023

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Rich Schellhas 1760

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Larry Altman

Laura Brewer ’80

Bela D. Bagga

Ira Brownstein

Amy Seyfert Connelly ’90

Anthony DiSandro, Jr.

Dana DiSandro

Mark Dooley

Ted Durkin ’89

Judy A. Felgoise

Desrene Freeman

John M. Galloway

Judi J. Goodman 1760

Lori R. Griswold 1760

Janet Haugen

Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch ’84

Philip Huang

Michael H. Jordan

Jennifer Leming ’97

Carol Momjian

Linda White Nunes ’80

Salvatore J. Paone, Jr. ’95

George M. Riter ’76

Cheryl Ross

Andrew D. Sandifer

Ted Swanson

Kezirah Linn Vaughters ’91

CHARTER TRUSTEE

John W. Rex ’63

EDITOR

Carla Zighelboim

Director of Communications & Marketing

DESIGN

Dina Katz

Associate Director of Communications & Marketing

FEATURED WRITERS

Joseph Cicchino, Heather Durkin 1760, Melissa Fikioris, Kristen Kennedy, Nidhi McVicar, and Rich Schellhas 1760

EDITORIAL STAFF

Joseph Cicchino, Martin Dean, Heather Durkin 1760, Melissa Fikioris, Jessica Holl, Kristen Kennedy, Sarah Mirabile, Meg Peake, Brooke Record, and Beth Taylor

PHOTOGRAPHY

Joseph Cicchino, Dina Katz, Kristen Kennedy, and Carla Zighelboim

COVER

Grace Good ’22 and Lindsey Pete ’04 at Chestnut Hill Brewery Co.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 GA/PC W rap-Up

GA and PC competed in the 136th meeting of the oldest, continuous prep school rivalry.

7 The Arts

Beautiful and fascinating pieces created by our Upper School students.

10 Essential Questions Drive Senior Projects

Seniors go beyond GA and explore career opportunities.

12

Why I Teach

Our young alumni are back to teach the next generation of Patriots.

18 Health & Wellness

Assistant Head of School Nidhi McVicar shares the importance of mental and physical health at GA.

20

Class Notes

Alumni announce new babies, work accolades, mini-reunions, and more.

22 2022 Alumni Weekend

The 2s and the 7s reconnected and celebrated on GA/PC Weekend.

24 Class of 1982 Reunion Spotlight

The Class of 1982 shares their notes on how they put together a memorable reunion.

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The first point of the 2022 GA/PC Competition Cup was won 10 days before the actual day’s events as the GA golf team bested Penn Charter, 7-1. That early win proved to be pivotal as the two schools split the results for the other competitions and ended the day in a 5-5 tie. As is tradition in the result of a draw, the team that won the Competition Cup the previous year, Penn Charter, retained the trophy.

In the pool, the Patriots water polo teams split matches with the girls falling, 12-2, and the boys earning a win, 12-11. Co-captain Finn Wentz ’23 was named MVP for the boys. Field hockey also bested Penn Charter in a one-score contest, 3-2, with Gracen Brant ’23 being named MVP of the game.

Both GA cross country teams fell to PC, with the boys going down, 21-34, and the girls slipping, 22-36. The GA tennis team also fell to PC, 1-6.

A back-and-forth battle kept both sides entertained as the GA girls soccer team earned a gutsy win over the Quakers, 4-3. The Patriots went down 1-0 on a penalty kick but came storming back to take a 3-1 lead. The Quakers leveled the game at three, but a go-ahead goal from Anna Weber ’26 with one minute to play proved to be the difference. Weber had a hat-trick on the day and took home MVP honors. Co-captain Elizabeth Scheid ’25 tallied the other goal for GA, while Mia Raven ’23, co-captain Sage Battisto ’23, and Gianna Grosso ’24 recorded assists.

The boys soccer team had many chances throughout the contest but were unable to find the back of the net. After weathering a storm of shots from the Patriots, Penn Charter scored with seven minutes remaining in the game and managed to hold on for a 1-0 victory. Colin Leon ’23 was named GA’s MVP of the contest.

The oldest, continuous prep school football rivalry in the nation came down to the final play, as GA came away with a 28-27 win

after blocking the game-tying extra point. The Quakers got out to a 14-0 advantage, but two touchdown passes from Tristan Machado ’23 to Evan Spivey ’23 evened the score by halftime.

PC went ahead by a touchdown with just under six minutes in the third quarter. After a GA drive stalled, the Quakers missed a 32-yard field goal, setting the Patriots up with good field position. Machado hit Aidan Donahue ’23 over the middle for a big gain, followed by a first-down run by Spivey to move GA to the PC 31. Tripp Capers ’24 did the rest, scampering for a 31-yard tying score.

Following a 28-yard run by Spivey, Capers gave the Patriots a 2821 advantage on a six-yard score with 4:30 to play in the fourth quarter.

Down but not out, PC drove down the field to score on a fourth down with 40 seconds to go. However, Brandon Truszkowski ’26 swatted the PAT, securing a one-point victory for GA. Capers and Spivey were named Co-MVPs for their performances.

“We knew we were down 5-4 in the overall competition, heading into our game,” said Head Coach Matt Dence. “To get the win, and even it up, is just another nice thing about winning the game. And in usual GA/PC fashion, the ending was very exciting.”

VOLLEYBALL TAKES FIRST LEAGUE TITLE SINCE 2019

The varsity volleyball team had a season to remember in 2022. After finishing the regular season with an overall record of 22-3, and an 8-0 mark in Inter-Ac League play, the Patriots earned their first league title since 2019. GA finished the season as Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association runners-up after falling to Notre Dame in the title game, 3-0. Four members of the 2022 team were named to All-Inter-Ac teams: Kaitlin Pokorny ’24 - First Team; Caroline Smith ’25 - First Team; Angie Wang ’24 - First Team; Ellie Smith ’23 - Second Team.

GOLF WINS PAISAA TITLE

Led by Ajeet Bagga ’24–the InterAc League’s Individual Champion–and Lucas Albert ’26, GA shot 228 to claim the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association title for the secondstraight season. Bagga and Albert both shot a 74 on the day, while Charley Ota ’23 and Will Irons ’24 shot an 80 and an 81, respectively. Daniel Shin ’24 and Robert Leininger ’25 also played as individuals in the event, with Shin shooting a 75 and Leininger an 86.

SWIMMING & DIVING TEAMS WIN INTER-AC CHAMPIONSHIP

The swimming and diving teams navigated the dual-meet season to undefeated records and Inter-Ac League Championships for the second-straight year. For the girls, it was the first time they repeated as League Champions since 201314 and 2014-15, while the boys repeated for the first time since 2010-11 and 2011-12. The girls also repeated as Easterns Champions for the first time since going back-to-back in 2013-14 and 2014-15, while the boys finished third overall. The Patriots finished second in the Combined Team Score category. Taylor Grimley ’24 was named Most Outstanding Female Swimmer at Easterns, and Libby Brewer ’25 became the first female diver in GA history to win Easterns. The Patriots had 15 student-athletes named to the All-Inter-Ac Team, with Grimley and Landon D’Ariano ’24 earning MVP.

While Christian Combs ’22 tore up the league in 2021 and took home the Inter-Ac League’s Most Valuable Player honors, Tyler Weiss ’23 was the engine for GA last fall, picking up MVP honors for 2022. A First Team All-Inter-Ac choice the past two seasons, Weiss did his damage from different levels of the field in 2022. He scored six goals and dished out five assists while being one of the many Patriots playing out of position. The senior said he is most comfortable playing in the attacking midfield, a spot typically reserved for a team’s best playmaker. However, Head Coach Kurt Wetzel ’88 deployed him in different spots to maximize the talents on the field.

Wetzel added that those situations had to be hard for Weiss, especially when he was asked to drop back and control the game more, but the senior rolled with it. According to Weiss, the reasoning was simple: he likes to win!

Weiss said that winning the MVP was never a thought before or during the season, as he was more focused on trying to repeat as league champions and making it back to the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association Championship. While the team came up just short of those goals, finishing as Inter-Ac runner-up to The Haverford School and falling to the Fords in the PAISAA tournament, Weiss is thankful for his time in Fort Washington.

“It’s been a really good experience,” Weiss said. “It’s so different than club soccer. I go out and play with my friends and enjoy it in a different way I can’t do anywhere else. I’m just thankful for my time here, all my teammates, and coaches. It has been a good four years.”

THE ARTS UPPER SCHOOL

Take a “walk” through some or our student artists’ beautiful and thoughtful creations–chosen by their own teachers.

Better Call Alan

As a creative team, we admired the quirky directing and editing style of Vince Gilligan’s popular TV series “Better Call Saul” and decided to make a short commercial parody of the show. View full video at http://bit.ly/3T6Zfp7

Two Hands

With these two pictures, I wanted to focus on both the texture of the individual strokes of paint and how it amplified the hues of the lights and darks. I referenced Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam for the pose. I wanted to tell the story of two people who were surrounded by darkness, isolated from everyone but each other, and in a last-ditch effort, reaching for any semblance of company when they needed each other most.

Frustration

My goal with this work is to depict a universal emotion that we all experience yet often mask. Although many try to hide their frustrations, this piece literally emphasizes the facial expression of frustration to emphasize no matter how many “masks” we use, having feelings such as “frustration” is a normal, human experience. Sculpture can connect us through these human truths.

Inside Looking Out

The photo was taken at the Eastern State Penitentiary and was part of an interdisciplinary project using photography to investigate the penitentiary system in my English class. More of my work on this topic can be viewed at http://bit.ly/3Lfv0KN

Nate Chang ’24 and Milo Ryan ’24

Max Goldman ’23 (inside the mask!)

Emily Spillane

Kayleigh Howard ’23

’23

MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOLS TAKE TO THE STAGE!

WE’RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD

The Middle School production of The Wizard of Oz had everyone in the audience clapping and singing along. From the affable Scarecrow to the ever-hopeful Dorothy to the Wicked Witch of the West, director Joanna Rominger’s cast and crew did an amazing job bringing this classic to life on the Arts Center stage.

URINETOWN SHINES

The cast and crew was in excellent form during the Belfry Club’s production of Urinetown, a seriously entertaining satirical musical comedy. The orchestra, set design, and choreography made this show top-notch on GA/PC Day Weekend.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS... JIMMY STEWART 1760

James “Jimmy” Stewart 1760 was a familiar face in the GA Dining Room for 44 years until his retirement in 2015. As the school’s head chef, Stewart claims one of the best parts of being at GA was getting to know the kids (and then their kids!), during one of the best times of the day–LUNCH!

“Everybody treated me so nice during my 44 years at GA! I really enjoyed cooking all the food. I haven’t really retired as I found another part-time job just to get out of the house. I work at Fireside in Ambler, but I only work three days a week.

Since I left GA, I have traveled to Spain, Turkey, France, Greece, and Italy via cruise ship. Turkey was my favorite place because there were a lot of things to do, and the houses and buildings were nice.

My favorite meal to make was lasagna. Every day I would also make a different soup, so that was my favorite as well. Mmmm…

If I hadn’t been a chef in the dining room, I think I would have been a manager; I think I got along with everybody, and everybody got along with me.

When I was selected as a member of the Class of 1760, I was really happy. Especially coming from GA, it means a lot to me. I was really surprised, and it is so fun to see everyone at the reunion each year.

It’s great that my son Lance ’09 works at GA (he is the equipment manager). He and my daughter both went to GA. I worked a lot of jobs in my life, but when I worked at GA, it was just different. I really enjoyed working here the whole 44 years.”

WELCOME to GA!

BROOKE RECORD DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Oversees a department of 12 that includes alumni relations, annual and campaign fundraising, communications and marketing, parent relations, and special events • Served in Advancement Offices at Agnes Irwin, Academy of Notre Dame, and Episcopal Academy • NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse alumna at University of North Carolina • Earned a Master’s degree from University of Notre Dame • Likes to play paddle • Can’t wait to meet you!

Three words to describe my first impressions of Germantown Academy are community, authentic, and balanced.

My favorite quote related to giving is “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston S.

The coolest GA traditions are GA/PC Day, Upper School House sled races, and the Holiday CSO Assembly.

I hope to meet and get to

SENIOR PROJECTS essential questions drive

The Senior Project has been an annual part of GA’s history since the early 1970s and was formalized by former Head of School Bud Kast 1760, and his wife, Angela. While different times called for different breadths of this capstone project, it is this newest version, led by Head of Upper School Dr. Molly MacKean, that gives the word “Project” true meaning.

“In thinking about our seniors being right on the cusp of graduation, it always feels important to ask: what’s the most important last thing we can have them do in their time here?” said MacKean. “By the time they’re seniors, they’ve experienced years of GA education. While all of it celebrates their voices, the curriculum is largely defined by us–the adults. So as a kid gets ready to launch into adulthood–college and all else that comes after their time at GA–I want to be sure we give each student the opportunity to show us what matters to them. What big questions are on their minds?”

After seniors identify an area of interest to them, they develop an essential question that will define their experience with the Senior Project. An essential question does not typically have a single, final, and correct answer, but rather it is thought-provoking and intellectually engaging, it points toward important, transferable ideas within, and sometimes across, disciplines, and requires support and justification, not just an answer.

“Good education is always driven by big essential questions, and a rich question is core to a good Senior Project,” MacKean stated. “But what is important is that the essential question at the core of any individual Senior Project is not defined by us as a school. We will advise students and give them feedback, yes. We will help as best we can in finding hosts and mentors who can help each kid explore and learn, yes. But the project itself is envisioned and executed by our seniors. To do that, each senior must be driven by their own persistent wonderings, which is an incredibly important thing to reflect upon as they close out this chapter in their lives: what, as you prepare to leave this place, and given all that you have learned and done, is the thing that you are really curious about? For us to be lifelong learners, that is probably the most important essential question of all.”

With this in mind, seniors set off to choose between two programs, professionally-sponsored or scholarly student-driven. Both require 25 hours per week of work, weekly journal submissions reflecting on their experience and their essential question, and a concluding presentation about their project to their peers, faculty, families, and project supervisors. Professionally-sponsored projects include working at a business, company, or organization that relates to a senior’s area/ industry of interest, while a scholarly project can be completed by an individual or a group of two or three with a faculty consultant who oversees the academic or community-related (GA or external) project.

Blake Brown ’22 worked on a professional project with Paramount Development, a real estate company in Washington, DC, where his essential questions included: “What is affordable housing and how is the word ‘affordable’ classified? Why is it important to have affordable housing units, especially in cities? What are the solutions to solve the inadequate amount of affordable housing units in US cities?”

“I learned that ‘affordable’ housing is homes that cost less than 30% of the area median income in a given year,” explained Brown. “The largest challenges surrounding affordable housing are the lack of supply, rising inflation, especially in cities, and how it disproportionately affects lower income families. Paramount does a lot of work in the area of affordable housing, including building projects that include 30% of its units targeted for those who qualify for affordable housing, and they get government tax property relief. I had an amazing experience working with this company. I learned about real-life crises that many people are facing. The projects Paramount developed to help solve these problems were awesome, and it was great to see people helping out in the community.”

Jack Galloway ’22 and Candice Medina ’22 worked on a scholarly project where their essential questions were: “What everyday projects can we build when left to our own devices,” and “What does this tell us about modern consumerism?”

“We decided to make a toaster and used engineering and selfmanagement to reach our goals,” said the duo. “In the end, we called it a Breadburner–it’s not quite a toaster–and it worked! We definitely had some challenges along the way. As it turned out, the project was

more expensive than anticipated and was very time-consuming, but we are proud of our accomplishment. We learned a lot about how important trial and error and constant iteration are to a product’s success, and we learned that the whole thing assembled is cheaper than the parts that go into it. Despite how impractical it is, we do suggest that building something like this is a good life experience and everyone should try it!”

This culminating project for seniors is truly a month of personal research and reflection which asks them where they see themselves in this world. What benefits are they obtaining? How can they show off skills/intelligence? What do they like to do? Building on experiential learning activities that students have experienced in a variety of ways during their time at Germantown Academy, the Senior Project

learning, specifically with the Senior Project, is an impactful and captivating way students learn by putting knowledge to practice in real world situations. Every GA student thus not only learns in our dynamic classroom spaces, but also has the opportunity to put their passions and talents to work in real-world contexts, meeting realworld experts, and having real-world impact. In all these spaces and more, our students get to turn the world beyond our campus into their classroom.”

While the format for the Senior Project has a new feel, GA alumni and parents of alumni who served as supervisors in the past are still excited to host. Students are introduced to a diverse array of businesses including public relations firms, marketing agencies, apparel production facilities, restaurants, real estate agencies, law enforcement, veterinarians, Phillies Baseball, orthopedic surgery centers, farms, libraries, and schools.

“We have seen great success when our seniors complete their Senior Projects with our alumni and parents of alumni,” said Heather Durkin 1760, Director of Alumni Relations. “From learning about real estate with Jamie Shermer Adler ’89 and drawing and painting with Steve Kennedy P’07 ’10 to working in a police station with Larry Leith ’94 and designing jewelry with Byard Brogan ’90 P’21 ’23 ’30, students are having real-world experiences, and community members are enjoying the mentoring and networking.

“Our cover photo of Lindsey Pete ’04 and Grace Good ’22 outside of the Chestnut Hill Brewing Company is a great example of this partnership,” continued Durkin. “Grace was able to learn about the pizza business and even came up with her own pie, the BBQ Jackfruit. They both enjoyed the collaborative experience.”

emphasizes confidence building, career readiness, 21st century skill implementing, networking, and the gaining of experience and perspective.

“GA distinguishes itself as a school that puts student engagement at the heart of everything we do,” said MacKean. “Engaging in experiential

The true nature of networking and mentorship within the community comes to play with alumni, who were previously hosted by alumni, now providing the foundation for seniors to make their own great experience. Many seniors have found the Senior Project to be so rewarding that they continue interning, and then working, with the alumni host.

In June, be sure to look for examples from our Class of 2023 Senior Projects on our website–www.germantownacademy.net.

“I’m proud to have hosted multiple seniors for their projects in the last 11 years. I still remember the first senior I hosted, Katelyn Koons, Class of 2012, whose love of engineering really seemed to develop while working with us. Watching her final project presentation made me tear up with pride at all that she accomplished. [After that project, Katelyn graduated from Johns Hopkins with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and helped develop an adjustable prosthetic ankle for female Veterans. She then earned her medical degree and became a physician!]

Every year is different and spectacular in its own way. Everyone in our business remarks about how special these young adults are. We have stayed in touch with many of the students and had them come back to work for us as interns in the summer. One of our Senior Project young adults, Allan Kaufman ’19, now works for us full-time. He makes a tremendous impact in our business, and we are thankful to have him. We had seven GA grads working for us last summer in our logistics center. True to form, these kids showed what intelligence and a great work ethic are all about.

I was motivated to help particularly because of my own experience. My Senior Project was sponsored by Rory McNeil ’80. I like to think I gained much more than experience in the working world; I gained a lifelong friend. I worked in the Phillies front office with Rory, and my best friend, Alan Werther ’88, was working for the Flyers at the time, so we spent a ton of time having fun at The Spectrum and The Vet. I walked away with some wonderful memories and friendships.”

Steffens

“I WALKED AWAY WITH SOME WONDERFUL MEMORIES AND FRIENDSHIPS.”

Mark

’88, P’18 ’26

WHY I TEACH

They went from students who loved GA to teachers who brought their talent and passion back to GA! Read about how these young alumni teachers are some of their alma mater’s greatest assets.

AMANDA AMOROSI ’16

Why do you work at GA?

GA is my second home. I loved the community when I was a student, and I love the community and environment as a faculty member. I feel that GA really cares about its students and employees, and there are so many opportunities for connection and professional development.

What are the traditions here you enjoy most?

GA/PC Day is a basic answer for the tradition I love most, but it’s for a reason! As a student it was my favorite week of the year, and as an alumna and faculty member, it’s always fun to experience the school spirit during Spirit Week, the pep rally, and GA/PC Day. I also love all the House competitions, specifically the Knowledge Bowl.

What kind of influence do you feel you have over your current students?

When working with GA students, it’s always a point of connection when I tell them I was a student here. We can connect on the parts that have remained the same, and I’m constantly learning about the things that have changed. I feel that my ability to understand the student experience here has helped me join with students in the counseling space, while I’m also able to identify areas that I’m still hoping the GA community can grow in.

What kind of influence do you feel you have over your current students?

My hope is that I can be a motivator to push students to engage with the content of their courses in ways that push their thinking and inquisition. Specifically, in my subject area of math, I encourage students to not just be comfortable with the black or white answers, the right or wrong solutions, but to wade into the gray areas of unknown solutions and thought processes that best help them grasp the concepts of the course.

Best memory of being a student at GA?

My best memory of being a GA student was getting my first A on a paper. It had nothing to do with the grade of an A, but more with the fact that writing was a struggle for me. I had to consistently meet with my teachers, go to the Writing Center, reword sentences, and rearrange paragraphs just to get a B. Writing just never felt like an area I could excel in until one day when all of that hard work paid off. It finally felt like the text marking, hours of meetings, and late nights amounted to something I could be proud of.

KYLE DONAHUE ’14

Why do you work at GA?

I wake up every day and love what I do. I am extremely lucky that I get to call teaching at GA ‘work.’

What activities were you involved in as a student and what do you do now outside the GA classroom?

Why do you work at GA?

I work at GA because this is where I developed my love for learning and the motivation to push my critical thinking skills deeper. GA taught me many lessons that I continue to use on a daily basis, and I wanted to come back and hopefully inspire future generations in a similar way that teachers here inspired me.

As a student, I played football, basketball, and lacrosse. The Superfans were something my friends and I spearheaded to make school spirit a little more organized. Currently, I am an assistant varsity football and softball coach, coach a Middle School basketball team, 9th Grade class facilitator, and the Director of summer sports camps. I think the wide array of things you can get involved in on campus is one of the things that makes this place special.

JOE TAYLOR ’13

Chinese Curriculum Partnership Program College Counselor

Upper School Math Teacher

Upper School History Teacher

Best memory of being a student at GA?

I will always have the friendships I made. I remember the silly conversations, intense House competitions, awesome faculty moments, and everything in between. One specific memory: The Patriot Village grade lounges were just a zoo. Smelly, crowded, and chaotic, but so many great memories were made laughing with my friends that we still laugh about today.

KRISTEN HAUGEN

Why do you work at GA?

I work at GA because I love the community here. The students and teachers truly embody the GA mission statement and civility pledge which makes it so special.

What are the traditions here you enjoy most?

There are so many traditions that are special to me, but I think my favorite is the Holiday CSO Assembly. However, a close runner up is when the snowflakes fall at the end of the Lower School Winter Program.

What kind of influence do you feel you have over your current students?

I hope that I influence students to be kind and confident in the classroom. I try to create a space where students feel comfortable being themselves and empowered in their learning. A big part of that work is encouraging students to always treat one another with respect and kindness, as well as building connections.

Who was your favorite teacher as a student, and do you connect with them today?

Everyone at GA was so supportive and helpful to me. The first people that came to mind were English teachers Daniel St. Jean and Glenda Daulerio. The patience they had to repeat concepts to me until I understood it (sometimes numerous times) was appreciated more than they know. They both frequently took time out of their day to help ensure I was staying on track and understood the current lessons.

What kind of influence do you feel you have over your current students?

I believe I give a calming and reassuring presence to my current students. My main goal is for my students to always feel comfortable and safe with me. I truly believe each student is different and that it is crucial to get to know them so I can tailor my lessons toward their interests. One of my favorite activities to do is bring them outside. It gives them a change of environment and encourages them to learn through nature.

Why do you work at GA?

I work at GA mainly because of our tight-knit community. Everyone is so warm and welcoming that it is impossible to walk anywhere without someone smiling and wishing you a great day. The faculty and staff at GA truly care, and it shows through their actions. It is a great community to be a part of!

Why do you work at GA?

Last fall, I was offered the opportunity to come back to GA to help in the Performing Arts Department. It was one of the easiest ‘yeses’ because of my appreciation and respect for the people that had such a great impact on me during my time at GA.

What kind of influence do you feel you have over your current students?

It’s hard from this side to see the influence or impact I may have on my students currently, but it has been a real joy being able to connect with a broad range of students in both the Middle and Upper Schools. As a relatively recent GA grad, I think it’s helpful for kids to have the perspective of someone who acutely understands their experience.

Best memory of being a student at GA?

My sister was the year below me in school and was also an avid member of the performing arts, so all of my fondest memories at GA are with her, either in the acting studio or on stage. We got to perform alongside each other in countless productions, concerts, and pop-up performances from Middle School all the way through graduation. Those experiences allowed for a deeper appreciation for performing, and GA never lacked in opportunities for us to share in that joy together.

’17

Lower School Associate Teacher

KELLYN DEFUSCO ’14

Child Care Assistant Group Supervisor

EMMA HEARN ’14

Middle and Upper School Performing Arts Associate Teacher

CAMPUS NEWS

DIFFERENCE MATTERS!

Inaugurated in the 2021-22 school year by Upper School Diversity and Community Life Coordinators Michael Ferrier and Carol Peery Ayers 1760, our Difference Matters Series is a group of workshops on equity and inclusion topics that provide an opportunity to deepen conversations about belonging. This year, faculty-led presentations in all three divisions have put the importance of culturally responsive teaching at the forefront.

“Our inspiration behind the Difference Matters workshop series was to amplify and spotlight the outstanding work happening around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Carol’s and my goal in creating these workshops was to provide faculty with opportunities to learn from their peers

GA AT PMEA DISTRICT 11

Ten students participated in the PMEA (Pennsylvania Music Educators Association) District 11 Orchestra Festival concert at Perkiomen Valley Middle School. This is the most students GA has ever had in District Orchestra. The students who participated are (from L to R): Jianna Kim ’25, Chloe Zhou ’26, Rebecca Rong ’26, Jordan Boymel ’23, Jessica Wang ’25, Sarah Beth Sandifer ’23, Dominic Perazza ’25, Matthew Schaffer ’25, Ansh Kakadia ’24, and Umang Mittal ’25.

MLK DAY OF SERVICE

about strategies for building more inclusive classroom communities and promote cross-cultural understanding by hearing our colleagues’ stories.” – Michael Ferrier, US English teacher and Diversity Community Life Coordinator.

Topics this year have included: Body Size & Fatphobia, Black Boys at PWIs (Predominantly White Institution), the Jewish Student Experience, Recognizing Gender Bias, and White Privilege. Through these workshops, faculty have been able to engage in productive dialogue about the variety of identities and lived experiences in our community and apply what they learn to support each of GA’s students.

STUDENTS ATTEND NAIS STUDENT DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

More than 200 members from the GA community came out to hear from the Twin Sister Docs and put together 14 different service projects for various organizations to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Participants completed no-sew blankets, cards for veterans, animal toys, clothing sort, snack rolls, winter supply packs, toiletry bags, peace and smile boxes, candy favors, “I Have a Dream” clouds, origami, cupcake decorating, napkin rings, and baked ziti.

the annual National Association for Independent Schools’ Student Diversity Leadership Conference in San Antonio, TX, which is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of Upper School student leaders from across the U.S. and abroad. Students developed cross-cultural communication skills, designed effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts, and learned the foundations of allyship and networking principles.

WELCOME BACK

DR. GINSBURG!

Dr. Ken Ginsburg, author and CHOP doctor, came to GA for an inspired talk about fostering resilience in children and teens to a large crowd of parents and guardians in all three divisions. The Community Education Network (CEN) then sponsored a “Chapter Chat” where community members gathered to discuss a chapter of Dr. Ginsberg’s book.

ROBERTS FAMILY LIBRARY HOSTS POETRY READINGS

Students, faculty, and staff gather in the Roberts Family Library for monthly poetry readings to recognize events and holidays like Latinx Heritage Month, National Coming Out Day, Men’s Health Month, Black Girl Magic, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Readers also celebrated Halloween, mental wellness, and the winter season.

Nosy Neighbors by Grace Boynton ’25

Knock, ring, knock, ring

They won’t go away, they won’t disappear

The sky was filled with crying clouds, nothing close to clear They walked up the driveway and suddenly I looked gaunt My door was a deep dark blue shade, like the part of the ocean that haunts.

Knock, ring, knock, ring

They were like a mosquito that wouldn’t stop biting Go away, I told them. I stopped answering the door. I ignored their texts

But they persisted, they shrugged their shoulders at the signs, It seemed like they didn’t even care that they were committing crimes.

Knock, ring, knock, ring

At first, I really thought they were helping Turns out their only goal was to destroy everything.

Knock, ring, knock, ring

They screamed, weeped, and burned me inside out Chipping away, with that obnoxious jack-hammer, at my warm, innocent heart

ALUMNI RETURN FOR “LIFE AFTER GA” WEEK

As part of the Upper School’s Experiential Learning program, 24 alumni returned to campus for the GA’s first “Life After GA” week. Alumni spoke to students about how GA prepared them to take advantage of resources in college for internships, study abroad programs, research, and in general, connecting with professors in ways that catalyzed their passions and interests, providing pathways for the future of work.

PHYSICS TEACHER VIC MONTEMAYOR PUBLISHES BOOK

Vic Montemayor is back with a new book, Studies in Theoretical Physics: Fundamental Mathematical Methods. The set of lecture notes the book is based on are also the lecture notes Montemayor uses for his Advanced Applied Mathematics course at GA.

AUTHOR TAMI CHARLES VISITS

But there’s still one tiny piece of my fragile heart left, holding on for every single breath.

No knock, no ring, no knock, no ring. My door turned bright blue That one piece of my heart can resist now, It’s chosen to ignore the nosy neighbors somehow.

LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATED

GA welcomed NewYork Times best-selling author Tami Charles for a full day of student assemblies, Q&A sessions, dinner, and a community presentation where she discussed her life and her books, Like Vanessa, Muted, All BecauseYou Matter, and more in celebration of Black History Month. There was great cause for celebration as all divisions were treated to live Penn Lion Dance performances in honor of the Lunar New Year. In Upper School, Chinese language classes and the Asian American Student Association performed the dance along with the accompanying instruments. Both the Middle and Lower Schools learned about the Lunar New Year leading up to these heartpounding performances.

GA WINS COMPUTER SCIENCE FEMALE DIVERSITY AWARD

GA has earned the College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles. Schools honored with the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have expanded girls’ access in AP computer science courses. GA was proud to have 14 female students take AP Computer Science with Computer Science Department Head Jason Oswald during 2021-22.

SUPPORT ‘OUR MOMENT’ AS A MEMBER OF THE

SAMUEL E. OSBOURN SOCIETY

The Our Moment campaign seeks to fund critical areas of need to strengthen our school and fulfill its promise of excellence. The campaign’s ambitious launch has rallied around a capital investment of a new Health & Wellness Center on campus, a space that appropriately prioritizes the physical, social, and mental health of the entire GA community.

The campaign’s other pivotal objective is endowment growth, and it is within this area that planned gifts can play a particularly key role. These long-term invested funds provide lasting sustainability by allowing GA to become less dependent on annual tuition for revenue toward, specifically, the critical needs of faculty compensation, student financial aid, and experiential learning programs. We are committed to hire and retain the very best

Samuel E. Osbourne Society Honor Roll

teachers, while providing tuition support for qualified families who enhance our school community.

Campaign-qualified gifts to the endowment can be planned through your estate, for example, in the form of a simple bequest in your will. Other forms of gift planning, such as disbursements from retirement funds or appreciated securities, can not only count toward the campaign but also earn your admission into the Samuel E. Osbourn Society. To learn more about how you can make the most of Our Moment, please contact Martin Dean at martin.dean@germantownacademy.org or (267) 405-7458.

Thank you to all of our members for including GA in such a meaningful way.

Anonymous (2)

Steven Averbuch and Rachel Rivest

Gordon Balle 1922*

Milton Betelle 1936*

Carol and Arnold Bierman

Robert F. Bole, Jr. ’57

Homer B. Bradley 1934*

James A. Bricker ’66

Iris and Lawrence Brownstein

William Buehler III ’44*

Brian Burke 1760

James A. Burkhart

George Christiansen ’65* and Barbara Christiansen

Peter Cressman

William J. Cusick, Jr.

Peter Day 1933*

Herbert Doerr, Jr. 1936*

Wilhelmina R. Fancourt 1760*

Carl Funk 1917*

Christopher C. Garsky ’99*

Leslie and Pedro Geraldino

Jane and Robert Hamilton

Robert M. Hand ’61*

James Hanlon, Jr. 1926*

Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch ’84 and M. Stroud Hellebusch

Katharine V. Hendrickson*

Robert Henkels 1923*

Robert Craig Henkels ’73

Herman Hutchinson 1933*

Robert Hutton ’44*

Thomas Hyndman ’42*

Geoffrey Jackson ’87 and Gretchen Jackson

G. Chapin Jenkins, Jr. ’38* and Jeanne Jenkins*

Henry Johnson, Jr. ’42*

Glenn L. Kelly ’54*

David M. Lawson ’70 and Julie Lawson

John R. Leopold ’60

James B. Loughridge ’44*

William Mackleer 1937*

Edward Mahler II ’44*

Donald Maize ’42*

Robert Marshall, Jr. 1936*

Susan Stratton McGinnis ’78

Thomas W. Morgan ’76

Hugh Moulton and Catherine Moulton 1760

Norman Mullock ’87

John Murray ’62

William Neth, Jr. ’49*

William Nicholson III 1929*

Reade B. Nimick 1760*

Joe O’Hara

Charles Pittman III ’47* and Claire Pittman*

William Platt ’39*

Marjorie* and W. James Price IV*

Carolyn Purdy

John Rex ’63

George Riter ’76

Paul and Cheryl Ross

Samuel L Sagendorph 1935 * and Carol Sagendorph*

Harold H. Saunders ’48*

Rich Schellhas 1760

John Sheble ’47* and Barbara Sheble*

William Shellenberger ’42*

Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr. 1928*

Sharon and Peter Siegl

Thomas Skirm 1927*

Harriet Smith ’73

Steven Snyder ’56*

Sara Solis-Cohen ’76

Frederick Stuart, Jr. ’61 and Karen Davis

Anna and Solomon Sultanik*

Rhea Pincus Turteltaub ’78

Mary Anne Van Blarcom

Michele and Bernard Vieille

Thomas Vischer, Jr. ’49*

Jay Watson 1936*

Daniel Weintraub ’82 and Beth Weintraub

Alexander Wiener 1926*

Sara S. Wolf 1760*

Wayne Yeager ’60

*Deceased

Fierce competitors in House Olympics and namesake to Samuel E. Osbourn himself, Osbourn House worked together to win last year’s cup!

CAMPAIGN NEWS

CAMPAIGN GOAL: $26 MILLION PROGRESS TO DATE: $18.6 MILLION (AS OF APRIL 2023)

CAPITAL PROJECT

• The new Health & Wellness Center is on schedule to open its doors this fall.

• Expanded spaces for strength and fitness training, dedicated spaces for yoga, mindfulness, and wellness programs, and a more accessible health services suite will serve the total well-being of students across divisions.

• The entire GA community will benefit from the centralized access to many of our sporting facilities, a renovated and expanded Hall of Athletic Achievement, and new amenities to enhance the visitor experience on game days.

ENDOWMENT GROWTH

• Funds raised for the endowment ensure GA’s sustainability by allowing the school to be less dependent on tuition revenue.

• By reaching the endowment goal for Our Moment, GA will be able to…

Remain competitive among peer schools in faculty compensation

Reduce future tuition increases

Triple the funds available for financial aid

Add to and create new programmatic support funds (such as GAXP).

For more information, please contact Brooke Record, Director of Institutional Advancement, at 267-405-7212

HEALTH&WELLNESS

Nidhi McVicar, who began her second year as Assistant Head of School in 2022, is grateful for the attention we are giving to the subject of health and wellness (H&W) at Germantown Academy. Not only is GA committed to H&W programmatically, but there is a 25,000-square foot building rising out of the ground that will become a hub for the school’s work in fall 2023. Here she explains the process behind these efforts.

What has GA done to increase the visibility of health and wellness programming on campus?

On the program side, GA has created a Director of Health and Wellness role, held now by Dr. Leigh Serra. It was an important move for us, one that signals to the community, both internally and externally, that we are prioritizing this work. This role is a chance for collaboration and design to happen with personnel and programming across divisions. We had been doing this well already, but we weren’t always intentionally connecting ideas cross-divisionally and across constituencies. It is a pleasure to see these conversations happening at the Board of Trustees level, among the Heads of School, and with grade-level teams, curriculum groups, the Parents’ Committee, etc.

How do you think independent schools can make health and wellness a priority?

I see three needs when it comes to making H&W a priority in independent schools:

1. Educate kids and families about how to talk about their health and well-being with knowledge and agency. We need to help young people cultivate awareness and develop advocacy skills and offer them the language (and permission) to better identify and articulate their wellness needs.

2. Focus on both curricular and co-curricular design. We have stand-alone programs focused on H&W, but we are also working to find ways to integrate these ideas into more “traditional” classwork. An easy example is asking kids to reflect on their feelings after a test: Were you calm during this exam? How did you quiet your mind? What could you have done differently to make the experience more positive? This broadens the experience from just earning a grade into an opportunity for the students to learn more about themselves and what works well for them.

3. Tap our internal and community experts. Dr. Serra, our skilled Counseling department, and our H&W teachers are all resources for our community to turn toward. We can also foster relationships with other institutions and service providers to build a network for our people. There are common roadblocks in this work, one of the biggest of which is asking for help and finding support. This is true for both students and employees. The term “self-care” has been a bit commercialized, but taking care of ourselves and one another feels very mission-aligned for me.

Do you believe that physical health and mental health go hand in hand?

I strongly believe that you cannot learn optimally if you are not healthy. The H&W work we are doing across all the grades is foundational; it is core to what a good learner looks like. Historically, schools may have thought of learning as happening in silos: supporting the student’s mental health was the family’s job and teaching the student math was the

We are doing work that is foundational.”

Nidhi McVicar, Assistant Head of School

Dr. Ken Ginsburg teaching families about how to develop emotional resilience in students.

teacher’s job. That mindset has evolved significantly, and a more holistic approach to education is a massive benefit to our students.

Why is it more important than ever to make sure schools are on top of all things health-related?

Some of the urgency of this subject now is the fact that we all went through something unprecedented together. The shared experience of the pandemic and grappling with the unknown has bound people together in a different way. It seemed like everyone became a diagnostician over the last three years, and it helped us all tune into our own mental and physical health in a different way. In our quest for ‘herd immunity,’ we now know that no one is truly immune to a health crisis. We have a greater shared vulnerability and now we can leverage that into shared learning.

What are some ways that students can learn more about their own wellness?

We continue to partner with families to have these conversations. Leigh and I have talked about mind, body, and heart. The mind and body pieces are pretty clear, and we talk about ‘heart’ in the sense of learning about yourself, your identity, healthy relationships, building confidence, character, etc. There are definite curricular strands, and concepts like emotional resilience, sleep, and nutrition are all areas where we can build focused programming.

We are building a very large space that will essentially marry our fitness programs, athletic programs, and wellness programs. What do you anticipate this space will help us create for GA students and employees?

I am excited to use the new Health & Wellness Center as a learning space. Once the building opens next fall, we will have a new ‘teacher’ because I like to think of spaces as teachers. Think about the way learning takes place differently in a beautiful library or a park. The same will be true of our

new facility; many of the construction details will enhance learning. And although the space itself will be new, we are constantly ‘renovating’ existing curriculum and looking for ways to make it more engaging for students. The opening of the Health & Wellness Center will give us a formal hub for moving our bodies, nurturing our minds, and all the opportunities we haven’t even discovered yet.

When you think about emotional wellness, what comes to mind?

I am very pleased that we brought back Dr. Ken Ginsburg to speak to our community this winter. While he is a skilled pediatrician, some of Dr. Ginsburg’s best work focuses on resilience and helping kids get comfortable with productive discomfort and even the F word: failure! The dialogue about what ‘healthy’ means has changed so much, and we are working to normalize this redefinition. As a school that is constantly thinking about engagement and innovation, we have to be ahead of the game. As parents and educators, we want kids to find success. But we now know it is even more important to achieve that success in a healthy and manageable way.

Do you feel like schools are on an island with this kind of work?

I think it is important to note that schools are not the only institutions investing in this work. Businesses – many of the leading companies in the world – have realized that their people need support to be healthy and that building a robust health and wellness ecosystem is more effective than simply reacting once a problem arises. Benjamin Franklin’s quote, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” rings true for our community today, and well into our healthier future.

Dr. Michael Fowlin addressing students about the importance of staying true to who you are and practicing inclusion.

Dr. Leigh Serra, Director of Health and Wellness, incorporating health, wellness, and identity into classroom curriculum.

1760s

CLASS NOTES

IN MEMORIAM

Fernande Davis 1760

Roberta Crane Devlin 1760

Suzanne Stokes 1760

William Whiteside ’47

Walter Smith ’59

Robert Toll ’59

John Clapham ’62

Michael Donovan ’70

Retired physics teacher Joe Scherrer 1760 and Dr. Mark Mele ’82 met up in February for a tour of Fonthill Castle in Doylestown. Mele and his classmates were the first students at GA to take physics as freshmen, which Scherrer initiated. Mele is an orthodontist who practices in Glenside. Scherrer retired from GA in 2015 after 37 years.

1960s

John R. Leopold ’60, Anne Arundel County (MD) Executive, met then first lady Michelle Obama at the U.S. Naval Academy. John’s first visit to Annapolis was on a GA class visit more than 50 years earlier.

Cindy and Richard Margolies ’62 are happy grandparents of Robin, Kai, and Beatrice. Daughter Amy lives with husband Cam and son Kai, in Canaan Valley, WV, where they just built a beautiful house looking out at the mountains. Son Nicko lives with wife, Sara, and daughters, Robin and Beatrice, in Minneapolis. Amy, with a Ph.D. in Public Health, works for the International Food Policy Research Institute. Nicko works for the Malala Fund. Last year, Richard organized a citizens conference, Visioning A Better America, featuring 25 citizens describing what they are doing to make our country better. In time, this will all become a book. Cindy and Richard are clinical psychologists and continue to see patients.

Bruce Smith ’63 just retired for the third time. “So far we’ve been spared damage from multiple atmospheric rivers and it recently snowed at our SF Bay Area home!,” he shared. “This summer we’re looking forward to our son’s wedding and two of our grandkids visiting us again for ‘grandparents camp.’ So all is fairly well on the western edge of civilization.”

Roger Dietrich ’48

Rev. Harold Hopkins ’48

David Beddow ’50

Robert McNeill, III ’55

John Kosek ’57

List as of April 2023

Tom Goodwin ’70

Drew Hood ’79

Thomas Iredale ’79

Weatta Frazier Collins ’82

Christopher J. Hill ’93

Fred Straub ’67 is continuing to work with his daughter, Carolyn Straub McTernan ’00, as they relocate Fred H. Straub Jewelers from Abington to Lower Gwynedd. Looking forward to a Spring ’23 opening!

Richard Kolb ’65 continues to teach courses at Temple’s Beasley Law School. This is his 14th year in the academic world, after retiring from active practice as a trial lawyer. He shared, “It is good to be able to pass on some (hopefully useful) wisdom to a younger generation. Next event at GA will be our 60th reunion in 2025! Hard to believe.”

Mifflin Lowe ’66 has published four books in the last two-and-a-half years–one on the cover of Publisher’s Weekly, another a Junior Library Guild Gold Winner, and a third, a Children’s Book Council Selection. One book, The True West, is being pitched to the Smithsonian Channel. Also Bushel & Peck has contracted him to write two more books, 50 Famous Artists Every Child (and Adult) Should Know, and Immigrant, which he is working on now.

Bob Christiansen ’66 lives in Knoxville, TN, and has been delivering Mobile Meals for many years. Recently he started supplementing the deliveries with groceries from food pantries to several clients with food insecurities. He also volunteers with several other nonprofits, including Remote Area Medical, the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking, Next Step Initiative, Knoxville Pays It Forward, and Harmony Family Center.

David Brown ’69 still runs a promotional products distributorship serving banks, hospitality, law firms, and other professional firms, educational institutions, and many other regional and national clients. He’s also working as a political consultant and has run over 140 campaigns since 1988 and won all five races he managed in 2022!

1970s

Tim ’71 and Danielle ‘Dani’ de Julio Ashbridge ’73 were enjoying themselves on a Windstar Cruise when they happened to meet Hillary Hickmott Baker ’79. The picture is of Dani and Hillary at a stop at Jost Van Dyke, an island in the British Virgin Islands. As Hillary said, apparently they were on the official cruise line for the GA Patriots!

GA INDUCTS NEW ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME CLASS

Germantown Academy is proud to announce the newest class of the Athletic Hall of Fame. The class of five athletes and one team was selected from a strong pool of 38 nominations. Congratulations to the following inductees:

Joe Bruderek ’96 (Baseball): A four-year starter at pitcher and shortstop for the Patriots, Bruderek was a team captain as a junior and senior. GA won the Inter-Ac League his senior year, and Bruderek was named Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-City by Philadelphia Daily News, while also being named League MVP.

Jesse Carey ’09 (Girls Basketball, Field Hockey): A five-year member of the girls basketball team and four-year starter, Carey went undefeated in Inter-Ac League games. Carey had over 1,000 points and 500 assists in her career, and was a three-time AllLeague First Team selection. She also won a league title with the field hockey team.

Chadd Crump ’92 (Boys Water Polo, Boys Swimming & Diving): Crump scored his first varsity goal for the Patriots in 8th grade and never looked back. He was named to the Eastern Championships All-Tournament Team as a junior and senior, the same seasons he earned All-American honors in polo and swimming. Crump also was a member of the 17U Junior Olympic National Championship Team in 1990, the only team outside of California to win Junior Olympics.

Brian O’Neill ’07 (Ice Hockey, Golf): Before he was a member of the 2018 and 2022 US Olympic teams and the NHL, O’Neill led the AAA in scoring as a sophomore and a junior, and was twice named Freshman of the Year by Breakaway Magazine. O’Neill was the leading scorer in the 2005 and 2006 Flyers Cups, and won the MVP in 2006. He also had the low scoring average on the varsity golf team for three years.

Holly Bowen Paczewski ’73 (Field Hockey, Girls Swimming & Diving, Girls Lacrosse): Paczewski captained the field hockey, swimming, and lacrosse teams during her senior year and received a total of nine varsity letters.As a competitor at Huntington Valley Country Club, she was also ranked No. 4 in the Greater Philadelphia area squash leagues in 1973, and earned a spot in the championship flight of the Philadelphia Junior Golf Association Tournament from 1971-1973 and was selected to play in the PA/ NJ/CT Inter-State Golf Competition in 1972.

1973-74 Wrestling Team: The 1973-74 Germantown Academy Varsity Wrestling Team, coached by Hall of Fame inductee Alex Frazier 1760, had many outstanding achievements. The biggest of these was winning the first Inter-Ac Wrestling Championship in school history. The team beat the defending National Prep Champion, The Haverford School, for their first loss in 102 InterAc matches, dating back 23 seasons to the days of the Korean War.

Celso Araujo ’74 was an exchange student from Brazil at GA. His two kids from his first marriage, Celso and Cássia, are doing well. He and his second wife, Claudete, live happily with their 3-yearold Yorkshire Terrier, Nikita. After his retirement in 2006, “all we do is plan our next trip,” he reports.

Janet Budd McGee ’73 shared, “Finally a family reunion! Retirement is delicious and days are full with those ‘I’ll get around to it’ items. Can’t believe it’s been 50 years since graduation!”

Susan Goldstrohm Cline ’74 loves living in Traverse City, MI. She volunteers with the Michigan State Police Angel Program, which deals with getting individuals who are suffering from substance and alcohol misuse into treatment. She was honored by the local newspaper with a Good Samaritan Award

for her work with this program. Susan shared, “I am on the board of our local county drugfree coalition and local Human Trafficking Coalition. I have been working closely with local law enforcement to bring police officers and community members together with ‘Coffee With A Cop’ events.” She also enjoys volunteering at the local humane society. But the most important update, she shared, is “we have three amazing grandsons!”

The 1973-74 Wrestling Team

ALUMNI WEEKEND 2022

Last November we were THRILLED to welcome back classes ending in 2 or 7 for their reunion celebrations, the 136th GA/PC Day games, and more!

The festivities began on Thursday, November 10 with the induction of our 2022 Athletic Hall of Fame Class: Joe Bruderek ’96, Jesse Carey ’09, Chadd Crump ’92, Brian O’Neill ’07, Holly Bowen Paczewski ’73 and the 1973-74 Wresting Team. Congratulations again to all our newest inductees to that illustrious group of Patriots! Celebrating continued the next evening as we welcomed the 50th Reunion Class of 1972 as the newest members of GA’s Old Guard (the longest-standing members of GA’s alumni body) at a dinner held on campus. Attendees enjoyed remarks from Head of School Rich Schellhas 1760 and a performance from the Upper School Music Ensemble.

On Saturday, November 12, GA hosted the annual GA/PC Day competitions, cheered on by parents, alumni, students, and friends. Being down one in the Competition Cup standings, it was up to the football game to determine the fate of the Competition Cup. The Patriots prevailed with a nail-biting fourth quarter 28-27 win over the Quakers—resulting in an overall tie for the day! Our annual post-game party at MaGerk’s rounded out the day followed by individual class reunions held at locations throughout the area. More than 270 alumni from the Classes of 1957-2007* came out to celebrate!

THANK YOU to our reunion committees for all their hard work in planning outstanding reunions. It was a wonderful weekend filled with old and new memories, fellowship, and Patriot Pride!

*2012 and 2017 held their reunions on November 26.

THANK YOU REUNION COMMITTEES!

1957

Bob McCammon

Art Smith

1967

Fred Straub

1972

Barbara Kitchen Black

Bruce Cahan

Alan Duchovnay

Glenn Goldenberg

Andy Hogeland

Ann Hostetler

Tom Johnson

Martha Zabriskie

Stachitas

Jeffrey Sultanik

Ruth Williams

1977

Cathy Thompson

1982

Lisa Brownstein Goldenberg

Mary Jo Turner Grieve

Greg Pitkoff

John Westrum

1987

Jennifer Marcus Barbara

David Blank

Dave Ciambella

Amy Reydel Fuchs

Robin Harrison Kaplan

Rodney Morrison

Norm Mullock

Chad Quinn

Matt Rosenberg

Jim Snyder

1992

Chris Bauer

Liz Shepherd Boyer

Roy DeCaro

Kim Whittaker Morris

Lisa Rosan

Jessica Scully

1997

Samantha Vose Adey

Jessica Weisbein Brooks

James Chadwin

Katherine Bender

Commons

Alexis Smith Evarts

Deborah Harris Friedman

Ira Greenberg

Edward Harris

Edward Holmes

David Kosek

Jennifer Rotzell Leming

Heidi Brown Lieske

Jay Overcash

Angela Pappas

Anna Poor Platz

Lauren Quaile Tonkin

Michael Zinkand

2002

Kira Bryers

Elise Haynie Martin

Christine McAuliffe

Grace Fitch Rosa-Bian

Sara Beltz Schultz

Jessica Shani Taylor

Kelly Winning

2012

Ryan Dolan

Joe Korth

Shelby Wildgust

2017

Akosua Adubofour

Julia Buchholz

Abbe Goldstein

Matt Gorman

James Guarino

Jamie Hermance

Evan-Eric Longino

Miles Love

Dominique Pasquarella

Alex Smith

Cole Storm

Lexi Vaganos

CLASS OF 1982 REUNION SPOTLIGHT

Cheers to the Class of 1982 Reunion Committee for working so hard on their celebration! Members of the committee Lisa Brownstein Goldenberg (LG), Mary Jo Turner Grieve (MG), Greg Pitkoff (GP) and John Westrum (JW) reported about the secret behind their success.

Your 40th Reunion was an incredible success. Tell us what keeps the Class of 1982 so bonded?

LG: Our class isn’t only just connected to one another, but also to the experience we all had at GA. People look back on that time fondly and enjoy remembering it.

MG: Our bond is an affirmation of the relationships that we built during that time and continue to build over the course of our lives. It doesn’t matter if we talk every day or once a year. The relationship that we had is maintained and we pick up right where we left off.

GP: We’ve had events for various other reasons throughout the years that have brought us together beyond our reunions. There are things throughout our lives that facilitate us staying together.

Your goal was “40 classmates for 40 years” and the group was able to surpass that. What went into achieving that goal?

MG: John, it was all John!

LG: Any time you declare a goal – we’re very numbers oriented – it’s just math. We combed through the list several ways. We worked those numbers over and over. We also invited people who may not have graduated with us but were part of our GA experience. It’s part of the inclusive spirit of our class. When you look at the people over the years who have attended but didn’t graduate, it says something about them, but also about us.

GP: The Facebook group helps because it keeps people engaged.

What were some of your best memories from reunion night?

LG: The location was just wonderful (Philadelphia Cricket Club –Militia Hill Clubhouse). It was warm, inviting, easy to be yourself and just show up. The fun thing about our class is that people bring

spouses and significant others, and they leave as friends.

JW: Catching up and having in-depth conversations with people I don’t talk to all the time. It’s wonderful to spend time with them and learn about their lives and their families. One person hadn’t been back in 40 years.

Sadly, your class recently lost classmate and friend, Weatta Frazier ’82. Can you talk about that?

GP: Out of the six people that we’ve lost, including Weatta, five of them happened around a reunion. They were fresh on our minds and then all of a sudden, they aren’t there. It’s a crushing blow because you have people in your grasp and then realize that you’re never going to see them again.

JW: We’ve always rallied around these hard situations. Our class has a lot of empathy for each other.

Now that this reunion is done, what’s on the horizon for your class?

GP: We will continue to have mini-reunions! I’ve already had people talk about getting together in New York, Florida, and Philadelphia. And, of course, there’s GA/PC Day, which we always come back for.

Finally, any advice for other classes planning their reunions?

JW: Do not give up! Find a lot of different ways to reach out, whether it’s through social media, emails, text, personal touch. We tag-teamed people and not in an aggressive way, but in a “we want to see you” way. The other thing is that it wasn’t that hard. It was enjoyable. I wanted to contact the people on my list.

MG: Let people know, “We miss you. We want to see you.” It’s important for people to hear that. Also, everyone needs a Greg! Having a point person on your committee to coordinate the updated data is key.

LG: Just because someone hasn’t come in 40 years doesn’t mean that they aren’t going to come in 45. You keep including them. You keep inviting them. You don’t give up on people.

April 29

Baseball Alumni Day & GA Varsity Game

12pm at Home Field, followed by Alumni Social at MaGerks, Ft. Washington

CONNECT WITH FELLOW ALUMNI WOW!

June 6 Academy Club 100th Dinner

July TBD Alumni Party Down the Shore Avalon, NJ

October 4 New York City Alumni Reception

AKA Central Park (42nd W. 58th Street, New York, NY)

For details and to RSVP, visit www.germantownacademy.net/alumni Check the website often for updates & new opportunities!

Bill Bitzer ’75 and Tom Biggs ’75 reunited for the first time in 30 years on the lacrosse field at GA, but this time only on the sidelines! Nearly 50 years ago, Bitzer and Biggs were teammates on GA’s first lacrosse team, starting in eighth grade and playing together through their senior year.

Lisa Sherman ’75 and Pam Craig ’75 connected at the Women’s Forum New York annual meeting. Craig is the President of the Forum, and Sherman is President and CEO of Ad Council.

Since graduation, Muffy Walker ’75 has received an MSN from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from University of California, Irvine. She is married, has three sons, and has two grandchildren. She has founded four for-profit companies and two non-profits, one of which, International Bipolar Foundation, is now

serving people in more than 180 countries. She has received numerous awards for her work in mental health including the National Council Award

of Excellence for Public Education and Mental Health Impact, Child Mind Institute Change Maker Award, and The Salvation Army Woman of Dedication. She started a line of women’s pickleball wear called Pickle Me Pink, and volunteers feeding the homeless, rescuing dogs, and funding non-profit organizations in San Diego. She is currently writing her first novel.

published the book, The Digital Economy in 2022 and is hoping new research will get him back to Philadelphia soon.

Susan and Gregg Samson ’79 are ecstatic to share the news of the arrival of their granddaughter, Kinsley Marie Samson in February. Daughter Laura, sonin-law Ryan, and even Inde (the dog) are all adjusting very well.

In 2023, Tim Jordan ’78 is celebrating 30 years of living in London and 30 years of being a University lecturer. He is now a professor of digital cultures at University College London and head of the Department of Arts and Sciences. He

David Craig ’79 married Inger Magnusson on Sept. 17, 2022 at Trinity Church in Princeton, N.J. Fred Kraekel ’79, Hillary Hickmott Baker ’79, and Mark Kowit ’79 were there to celebrate.

Three years ago on Nov. 11, Jann

Zwerling Blatstein ’80 became a grandmother!

Three years ago on Nov. 11, Jann Zwerling Blatstein ’80 became a grandmother!

the festivities and attending the wedding from the Class of 1984 were Stroud and Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch, John Hinmon, Diana and Rick Gable, and Gina and Chris Brown.

the festivities and attending the wedding from the Class of 1984 were Stroud and Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch, John Hinmon, Diana and Rick Gable, and Gina and Chris Brown.

Bill Hambrook ’81 recently celebrated 35 years as a Live Broadcast Producer for QVC Network.

Bill Hambrook ’81 recently celebrated 35 years as a Live Broadcast Producer for QVC Network.

In August 2022, Maggie and Michael Schaffer ’84 celebrated their daughter’s wedding in Lexington, VA. Joining in

Jeff Prior ’85 and his wife, Jody, have owned and operated a swim school in Carlsbad, CA for the last18 years and continue to love what they do! Jeff reconnected with his passion for photography, which started when he was a student at GA. Jeff shared, “It’s fun to get into the local art scene and sell at shows. I have a website if anyone would like to see my photos at www.jeffpriorphotos.com.”

Jeff Prior ’85 and his wife, Jody, have owned and operated a swim school in Carlsbad, CA for the last18 years and continue to love what they do! Jeff reconnected with his passion for photography, which started when he was a student at GA. Jeff shared, “It’s fun to get into the local art scene and sell at shows. I have a website if anyone would like to see my photos at www.jeffpriorphotos.com.”

A long career in health justice policy and organizing has led Julie Chinitz ’88 to the Tubman Center for Health & Freedom, where she’s now development director. Founded in 2020,

A long career in health justice policy and organizing has led Julie Chinitz ’88 to the Tubman Center for Health & Freedom, where she’s now development director. Founded in 2020,

OF PATRIOTS!

Tubman Health is establishing a Black community-owned and-led health center in Seattle to serve the needs of marginalized communities. The health center is being created through a unique community design process and will combine integrative care, health career pathways, community-based health programs, and health justice organizing.

Tubman Health is establishing a Black community-owned and-led health center in Seattle to serve the needs of marginalized communities. The health center is being created through a unique community design process and will combine integrative care, health career pathways, community-based health programs, and health justice organizing.

After 27 years of commuting to Nesquehoning, PA to work for two different family businesses, Jeff Whittaker ’88 is taking time off to enjoy some extra time with his boys. His oldest son is attending GA (Class of 2025) and his younger son is in middle school at Perkiomen Valley. He is getting more involved in Boy Scouts, coaching Little League Baseball, and will be attending plenty of GA JV Baseball games in the spring. He is looking forward to the 35th Reunion this fall.

After 27 years of commuting to Nesquehoning, PA to work for two different family businesses, Jeff Whittaker ’88 is taking time off to enjoy some extra time with his boys. His oldest son is attending GA (Class of 2025) and his younger son is in middle school at Perkiomen Valley. He is getting more involved in Boy Scouts, coaching Little League Baseball, and will be attending plenty of GA JV Baseball games in the spring. He is looking forward to the 35th Reunion this fall.

In August 2022, Maggie and Michael Schaffer ’84 celebrated their daughter’s wedding in Lexington, VA. Joining in

Michael Hochman ’90 was named Senior Local Brewery & Craft Beer Contributor for Visit Philly, promoting stops along the 175-brewerystrong Craft Beer Trail of Greater Philadelphia. This is in addition to his position as Senior City Living and Rental Lifestyle Contributor for Rent/ Apartment Guide and his seat on the Board of Directors of the Community Justice Center of New Jersey, a non-profit law firm that assists veterans with disabilities.

University as well as an introduction to diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts.

Stephanie Dore

Kingston ’04 and Tanner

Kingston were married on December 17, 2022 at Parque Ridley Creek in Newtown

Square, PA. Whitney West Robson ’04 was one of Stephanie’s bridesmaids, and fellow GA Class of 2004 alumni Courtney Dolaway, Zach Cherry, and Sara Patterson were in attendance.

Michael Canavan ’06 joined global law firm Greenberg Traurig as counsel. Prior to that post, he worked as an associate in the New York office of Alston & Bird LLP. Admitted in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District and the Southern District of New York, Canavan is licensed in both Pennsylvania and New York.

JD Whitman ’09 was awarded a NaturArchy Residency for 2023 at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy. The selected artists propose to engage in the theme of NaturArchy in transdisciplinary and original ways, interweaving science, art, and policy to develop discourse and narratives, widen perspectives, and pose issues and challenges of re-imagining a common ground between humans, nature, and the environment.

2010s

Simi Kaplin Baer ’91, Tyler Kepner ’93, Sal Paone ’95, and Sienna Paone ’27 met up at Game 4 of the 2022 World Series in Philadelphia.

Lorraine Miranda ’99 became a MultiLicensed Broker in 2022 and opened up her own real estate agency!

2000s

Dr. Quinn Cunningham ’02 won the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award from Rider University this past December. Two awardees are selected annually by the University Honors Council from nominations submitted by Rider students, faculty, and academic administration. She was also one of 10 faculty awarded with the Provost’s Initiative Award, which recognizes individuals who have played significant roles in advancing a number of important initiatives aimed at preparing graduates for life and work in the 21st century. These 10 winners were acknowledged for their work on the newly created First Year Seminar class for freshman students, which provides both an introduction and welcome to Rider

Will Newton ’07 and wife Lauren Goldenberg Newton ’08 welcomed son Louis Jack Newton on Feb. 4! Grandmother Lisa Brownstein Goldenberg ’82 is very excited.

Nicholaas Honig ’11 married Anna Kozlowski on August 20, 2022 in Bristol, RI in a beautiful waterfront wedding, followed by a honeymoon in Paris. He and Anna met at Boston University Law School, where they both served on the American Journal of Law and Medicine as Executive Editor and Senior Editor, respectively. Nicholaas works as Associate Regulatory Counsel at Aetion, a company specializing in real world evidence data analytics to advance health care decision-making. They live in Boston and welcome visitors from GA!

Ben Finelli ’08, Mark Mullen ’08, Craig Burnett ’08, Greg Auerbach ’08, Steve Boland ’08, Eric Williams ’08 and Eliza McDevitt ’08 got together to celebrate classmate Michael Nemeth’s marriage to Carol Hayes!

Brooke Kiley ’12 has been selected to the national FORBES Magazine 30 Under 30 in the field of venture capital. She is a founding partner at VMG Catalyst.

JESS SCULLY: FAMILY, TRADITION, AND GA

As the president of Scully Company, a 75-year-old family business, Jess Scully ’92 is thriving in the real estate industry by growing and evolving her family business. With her help, Scully Company has received accolades such as the Smart CEO’s Corporate Culture Award, The Philadelphia Business Journal’s Best Places to Work Award, and The Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Journal’s Best Places to Work. Scully Company was also named a Top Family-Owned Business by the Philadelphia Business Journal and recognized with the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Family-Owned Business Award. Jess has also been honored as a Top Female CEO by SmartCEO magazine.

Jess’s GA journey began in 1988 as a freshman. Her son, Jax ’35, now carries on her legacy. When asked how it feels to be back on campus, Jess exclaimed, “It’s been awesome coming back to GA! I get such a nice feeling every time I drive up to the Quad to drop him off.”

While she never had the chance to experience the Lower School side during her own time as a student at GA, Jess expresses her excitement in getting the opportunity to now see the school from a different perspective. “I have been so impressed with the school and how it continues to evolve and get better over the years. It’s nice to see GA is on its game!”

During her time here, Jess played both lacrosse and field hockey, and was also a member of the debate team. “Every year we went to New York for Model UN, which created a lot of lifelong memories.” Her favorite part of the curriculum involved the plethora of options and learning experiences. “I think my favorite thing about GA was the way our curriculum was structured to expose us to so many different things. Working the arts, assemblies, and other opportunities into the core curriculum was an important part of developing students to problem solve and think critically.”

While continuing to reflect on her experiences at GA, Jess mentioned the impact of her Senior Project working in the Bucks County Correctional Facility. “It was eye-opening. They really gave me a nice, well-rounded experience where I worked in cell blocks, in intake, and in the library checking books out to inmates. I also worked with the doctor and with the support groups for substance abuse. The experience showed me the world in a very different way. I feel so lucky that GA gives you the opportunity to dip your toe into the real world before sending you off into it.”

This experience recently came full circle for Jess as she was able to lend a helping hand to a GA student looking to pursue their own Senior Project involving Scully Company. “Because I still think about my Senior Project quite a bit, I was happy to be able to assist someone else. With running a business like ours, you have HR,

training, employee onboarding, acquisitions, and marketing. It was enjoyable to build the program in a way he could see all aspects of the business in a short amount of time.”

Jess explained that the sense of community here at GA is something that she had felt from the very beginning. “I remember that first GA/PC Weekend, not really what even happened in the game, but all the activities surrounding that sort of set the stage for the community. I think that was one of the moments as a kid where you just stood back and said ‘wow’!”

This sense of community has certainly presented itself in Jess’s day-to-day life, starting with her business. “I will connect with other GA alumni and it’s often easier to because you know that they had the same great education as you did. We’re working with a GA alum Corie Moscow ’93 now. I am also fortunate enough to have another GA alum on board, our Director of Learning and Development, Gennifer Calise ’90. She helped us to achieve the Best Places to Work Award.”

Not only is Jess reminded of GA by her present-day connections, but also through past moments. “I will never forget my teacher, Mr. Haney. He taught a course where he started every class by saying ‘all people are reinforcement seeking,’ and it’s something that I’ve worked into people management my entire life. I’ve never forgotten it.”

Our thanks to Jess and Scully Company for maintaining their lifelong connection with GA.

Ken Anderson ’13 announced the printing of his new book, Footprints in Faith: A History of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 1861-2021. He is also excited to be working as the Special Assistant and Director of Scheduling on the Philadelphia mayoral campaign of Jeff Brown.

Abbe Goldstein ’17, who graduated from Harvard University in 2021, “ran” into MS/US Librarian Mary Fraser in Albuquerque, who was there for the Independent School Librarian’s conference. Abbe is pursuing her Master’s in Public Policy at University of New Mexico and is preparing for the outdoor track season.

Program following her graduation from Saint Joseph’s University.

Margaret Horvat ’19 was named to the Dean’s List at Bates College for the fall semester ending in December 2022.

Jake Rabbiner ’19 was named to DePauw University’s Fall 2022 Dean’s List.

On April 17, 2023 Bryan O’Neill ’21 ran the historic Boston Marathon. It was the 10th anniversary of the bombing which directly impacted his family, and he raised $7500 for the Boston Fire Department Relief Fund. True to the challenging conditions in Boston, it was humid, rainy, and windy.

Dennison Qu ’21 earned a summer internship at Comcast as a software engineer.

Charlotte Rapp ’19 was celebrated at University of Chicago Women’s Lacrosse Senior Day, escorted by her father Carl Rapp. Her team is currently 18-2 with three regular season games remaining before NCAA Division I Playoffs. Charlotte needs 4 more draw controls to set a school record. After graduating, she will be working in NYC.

Jenna D’Ambrosio ’19 was named to the College of Charleston Fall 2022 President’s List.

Ryan Ramler ’21, a sophomore at Elizabethtown College, started a new position as Lead Peer Mentor at the school.

The University of Hartford announced Rachel Roth ’21 has been named to the Dean’s List for Fall 2022.

Kendall Skalicky ’21 was accepted into the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State University.

Riley Gobora ’18 started a new position as staff assistant at the United States Senate for the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

Mac Pluck ’18 signed a one-year deal with National Women’s Soccer League and will be playing for Angel City FC after a training camp invite.

Renee Repella ’18 passed her NCLEX and is three months into her nursing career at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania on their Advanced Medicine pulmonology floor.

Emma Conradi ’19 was named to the Lebanon Valley College dean’s list for the Fall 2022 semester.

Katherine Commale ’19 accepted a full-time offer from Veeva Systems as an associate consultant through their Consultant Development

2020s

Kelli Ramer ’20 is joining the IT company, Gartner, in its Account Management Summer 2023 Internship Program.

Eyassu Tadesse ’20 will serve as a Solutions Engineering Summer Scholar with Deloitte’s Government of Public Services in Arlington, VA.

Daelyn Nwaobasi ’21 will be spending the summer in Palm Bay, FL as an intern with L3Harris Technologies. Nwaobasi will be working as a mechanical engineering intern in the Space and Airborne Systems sector.

Moforehan Abinusawa ’22 was selected as a 2023 Women’s Playmaker for the Make A Play Foundation, a notfor-profit organization that prepares underrepresented athletes for executive careers in highly competitive industries.

Cory Miller ’22 has been named a broadcaster for the Trenton Generals and Jersey Kings of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball league.

Molly Thompson ’22 was named to the Dean’s List at Miami University, Ohio, for the 2022-23 fall semester.

Chorus THEN & NOW:

by Mark Rabuck ’86, History Teacher and GA Archivist

Singing was a tradition at GA, but there was no formal choir until the final years of the Osbourn administration.

In the late 1800s, students sang as a class, usually pep songs at sporting events, and each year one student composed a “school song” that seniors would sing at the Class Day dinner and commencement. Musical theater preceded formal choral groups by a few years, with vaudevillian “revue follies” shows cropping up in the 1930s. It wasn’t until 1945-1946 that a teacher named Mr. Ward organized the first Glee Club, which remained a popular student activity until the move to Fort Washington.

Shortly after that, the main student chorus was renamed the Singing Patriots, and music teacher Bill Lessig also fostered two smaller acapella groups: the Barbershoppers (for boys) and the Sweet Adelines (for girls). All groups consolidated into the Singing Patriots in the late 20th century, with the Singing Patriots Select becoming an option for students who wanted to push their vocal arts further.

by Frank Van Atta, MS/US Choral Director

The choral program at Germantown Academy has been undergoing some big changes over the past year. We are excited to launch our newest choir, the 1759 Singers, which will serve as GA’s premier, auditioned ensemble in the Upper School. This group will join alongside the Singing Patriots which will create opportunities for every student in the Upper School to sing. Performances will include events throughout the academic year, both on campus and in our community. Both groups are still curricular classes, with the 1759 Singers earning an honors credit.

We are also thrilled to announce the 1759 Singers tour to Japan in March 2024. This will be the first time a GA ensemble has toured to a location outside of Europe and promises to be an incredible experience. While the tour is still in the planning phase, we intend to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Osaka. While experiencing the culture of Japan, we will also have the opportunity to connect with other school, community, and professional choirs in both joint and independent performances.