PATRIOT THE
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
MAGAZINE
Winter 2018
Celebrating GA’s First Class of Women Class of 1968
By The Numbers
269 3 CELEBRATING THE SEASON
Sharing the magic of the holiday season by performing music and song together at the annual Lower School Winter Program is a true collaboration. First through 5th Grade students exude confidence during this large presentation, and delight in being a part of an ensemble.
5
Lower School students participated in the concert
1,000 songs in a language other than English
75
2
students played the djembe drum during the song “Hala Lala Layya�
Snowflakes fell in the grand finale!
Number of minutes of the Lower School Winter Program
Flutes, oboes and French Horns played in the band and 2 string basses were in the orchestra
Dear Friends,
Germantown Academy has been blazing trails for 258 years. At our founding in 1759, we were pointedly non-sectarian and bilingual. When girls were finally invited to enroll for the entire GA journey (and not just sporadically as Lower School students, which happened in many years over the centuries), we became the first school in the Inter-Academic Athletic League to become fully coeducational. Without the courage of key students, teachers, parents, trustees, and administrators, we would certainly not stand where we do today – as a proud school of 1,150 boys and girls, 260 employees, 28% students of color, and a management team comprised of two-thirds women.
These trailblazers inspire us to continue the charge, to ensure that our school both represents and prepares our students for leadership in a diverse world. We take to heart our responsibility not just to transform our remarkable school as the world around it evolves but also to create a generation of empathetic thinkers, innovators, and problem-solvers who will advocate for themselves as they also advocate for others whose voices are muted. By infusing our curriculum with distinctly 21st century skills like Design Thinking and coursework in Coding and Engineering while remaining true to core GA fundamentals in critical thinking and writing, our talented faculty is completely invested in shaping our students into compassionate individuals and daring thinkers. Our alumni are critical resources in our quest to provide younger Patriots with opportunities to engage in experiential learning outside of the classroom. PatriotConnect, our new GA-exclusive networking platform, enables our current students to build relationships with graduates, parents and parents of alumni to seek advice or pursue internships and other career opportunities. Many thanks to the hundreds of community members who have already joined PatriotConnect – it is one of the easiest and most helpful ways to give back. If you’re interested in joining, go to www.germantownacademy.net and click the link at the bottom of the page, or download the PatriotConnect app.
Head of School Rich Schellhas spends time with alumni at Arlo NoMad hotel’s rooftop bar in Midtown Manhattan on September 26, 2017.
As I hope you’ve noticed, this edition of The Patriot is our inaugural version of a brand new format which we hope will make learning more about the latest and greatest at GA more enjoyable. Kudos to our communication team (led by Carla Zighelboim with redesign magic from Dina Katz) for taking a fresh look at bringing you the most pertinent and interesting stories from the Academy. Savor this first edition of The Patriot 2.0! As always, be in touch – and if you haven’t been here in a while, come visit! Rich Schellhas Head of School Rich.Schellhas@germantownacademy.org
2 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
PATRIOT
THE
MAGAZINE
WINTER 2018 HEAD OF SCHOOL Rich Schellhas
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Bradley J. Korman ’83, President Tynetta Alston Scott M. Badami Kristen Lueckel Buckler ’00 Judy Chang Cody Brian DiDonato Thomas E. Durkin ’89 Alison Korman Feldman ’78 Judy A. Felgoise Lori Griswold 1760 Janet Haugen Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch ’84 John Korman ’76 Joel Magerman ’78 Carol Momjian Carl Rapp Andrew Sandifer Jeffrey T. Sultanik ’72 Andrew Towne Nancy A. Wolfson Michelle Wood Kathy Wyszomierski 1760 CHARTER TRUSTEES Berton E. Korman 1760 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, Tai Humpries ‘19, Virginia Hofmann 1760, Judy Krouse 1760, Thomas McGlinchey, Adam McGrath, Mark Rabuck’86, Rich Schellhas EDITORIAL STAFF Audrey Schnur, Martin Dean, Thomas McGlinchey, Adam McGrath, Heather Durkin, Melissa Fikioris, Jessica Holl, Christine Passaglia, Cindy Siano, Jo Supplee PHOTOGRAPHY Dina Katz, Thomas McGlinchey, Adam McGrath, GA Archives, Ye Primer COVER PHOTO Dina Katz and archival photograph
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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1968 – A MONUMENTAL YEAR Judy Krouse 1760 helps us journey back 50 years for a look at the Class of 1968, the first coed class that graduated from GA, and the school’s journey to coeducation. THE RIGHT FIT The search is on to find the best and brightest faculty. REUNION WEEKEND Classes ending in ‘2’ and ‘7’ had a blast! GA COMMUNITY TEAM CREATE MUSIC APP Charlie Masters, Perry Fraser ’22, and Scott Fraser came together to create an interactive music app that Patriots can experience while on campus.
WHAT IS THE TINKER LAB? As GA evolves, new spaces are emerging that are helping our youngest learners grow as students and problem-solvers. ALUMNI NOTES Keep up with the careers, weddings, families and milestones of Patriot alumni.
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PURELY ELIZABETH Elizabeth Stein ’99 is selling her healthy food products in 12,000 stores around the country. Q & A WITH LARRY GREGORY ‘68 Junior Tai Humphries ’19 interviews GA’s first African-American graduate. A LIFE OF SERVICE ABROAD Terry Pflaumer ’67 spent 33 years as United States Foreign Service Officer.
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GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 3
68 GIRLS MAKE HISTORY
AT GA
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Germantown Academy’s first coed graduating class. By Judy Krouse 1760 Upper School History Teacher
In a recent article about the year 1968 in Time, historian Jon Meacham said, “We have embarked on the 50th anniversary of a year that stands with 1776, 1861 and 1941 as points in time when everything in American history changed.” That year, toward the end of the “Stormy Sixties,” saw enormous changes and tragedies in the United States and around the world. Lyndon Johnson announced he would not run for reelection as president. Assassinations took the lives of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Violence marred the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, playing a role in Richard Nixon’s election to the highest office in the land. It was a turning point year for America. 4 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
1960
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN AT GA Girls first enroll in GA Lower School in FortWashington. McLean Hall was the first building to be completed, and the Lower School moved in years before the Middle and Upper Schools made the move. Boys and girls learned and played together, and the first Field Day was held in what is now the Connor Quad before the Administration Building was fully complete.
1965
Virginia Day 1760 named “Head of Girls’ Upper School.”
1966
The first co-ed Belfry play was performed.
1961
Field Hockey first played by GA Girls as a club sport. The first girls’ sports at GA began shortly after coeducation began.
1965
Barbara Kling becomes the first Girls’ Athletic Director. Kling earns credit for establishing physical education and athletics programs for GA girls. She was the motivating force behind one of GA’s most cherished traditions: Lower School Field Day.
1968
First class of girls graduates.
1969-70
The first two female members of the Board of Trustees–Nancy Leach and Mrs. Bayard T. Storey–were appointed
1983
Girls Inter-Ac League founded
Girls enter Academy Club. The names of the first girls to join the Academy Club can still be read on the Common Room plaques: Patricia Hitschler, Holly Weise, Margaret Dearnley, Barbara Hitschler, and Amy Noble.
1971
Virginia D’Arcy was the first female editor of Ye Primer
1990
Girls sports first included in GA-PC Day
We can adjust that statement, in terms of Germantown Academy, to say that 1968 joins 1759 and 1958 as points in time when our own history changed. 1759 is a milestone year, as it marks GA’s founding. In 1958, the decision was made to move out of the Germantown section of Philadelphia to Fort Washington, and, 10 years later, in 1968, the first class with women graduated from the Academy. Although girls had attended GA in the past, the history of Germantown Academy was profoundly changed by the permanent inclusion of girls in the school community.
As noted in The History of Germantown Academy, “On December 6, 1759, a group of citizens, concerned about the education of their children, met with Daniel Mackinett at the Green Tree Inn on Germantown Road. At this meeting, The Germantown Union School, (now known as Germantown Academy) was founded.” Girls were involved from the beginning, but did not have a permanent place in all GA grades or divisions until much later. As school archivist Mark Rabuck ’86 explains, Amos Bronson Alcott proposed a form of co-education in 1831 in the early grades, but was unsuccessful in persuading the trustees, and a year later, they amended the charter to make GA’s primary and secondary divisions formally boys only. Alcott’s experimental school for girls was quietly shelved when he left GA a few years later. For the next 130 years, girls were only able to attend GA through the equivalent of second grade.” Fast forward to December of 1958: “One year before the bicentennial of the Academy, the Board of Trustees voted to accept the offer of Robert McLean’s 160 acres of rolling meadow and woodland in Fort Washington. It was agreed that in order to serve the whole community, the Academy should enroll both boys and girls.” The huge tract in the suburbs gave the school the “opportunity to create buildings and playing fields for more than double the number of students than could be accommodated in Germantown. In September 1965, through the generous efforts of the Trustees and Friends of the Academy, the move from Germantown to Fort Washington was completed.”
Adding girls back into the mix at GA doesn’t mean that they were the first women to play a role in the life of the school. Rabuck notes that the “first female teacher in the Upper School was Ruth Trickey, who taught English, Latin, and later French. She began her tenure in the 1952-53 school year. It is harder to pin down the first female teacher in the Middle School, since that division did not coalesce in its current form until GA was in Fort Washington. By that time, female teachers from both divisions joined the Middle School.”
Starting in 1960, before the full integration of the genders, young women became GA Patriots, too, beginning their education at the Fort Washington campus. Barbara Hitschler Serrill ’68 was part of that group of female pioneers. She was interviewed for this article and had many thoughts and memories to share. She said, of that first day on campus, “It was exciting. It was the first day for everyone on the new campus—grades K-sixth. We were in sixth, and the older boys were still in Germantown.” As the new incarnation of GA was in its infancy then, there were only a few buildings; McLean Hall being the location for all of the classes, while Lavino Hall was the “multipurpose” building. As time went on and new structures were built, they weren’t always complete or employed by those who use them today—these early students had classes in eighth and ninth grade in the kindergarten building, “tiny toilets and all.” Serrill notes that when they moved into the new Upper School building, “there were single dangling light bulbs in the classrooms. I remember dust on the Harkness tables from the workmen. Mrs. Baldi would walk out into the halls at the end of class and ring a bell to signal the end of class.”
The Philomathean Society was another Academy institution that benefited by the participation of girls for the first time this year. In fact, girls made up almost half of the sixteen new members.The year’s series of formal debates included heated confrontations over issues international (Viet Nam), national (literary tests as a requirement for voting), and local (GA’s compulsory athletic program).
From the 1966 Ye Primer
By the time these girls reached tenth grade, the older boys moved from Germantown to complete their education on the new campus. However, having GA become coed didn’t really mean a fully integrated experience. Serrill describes it as “coordinated education— separate but equal,” adding that the girls “knew who the boys were but we didn’t interact much.” Boys and girls had classes with their own gender, except for Advanced Placement (AP) courses and “the odd schedule conflict when a boy would be in our class.” Fellow class of 1968 grad Holly Hoofnagle Weise said “I did not have much contact with the boys—I only had one class with them: AP U.S. History with Mr. Biggs.” There were separate advisories for male and female students, separate senior lounges, and separate class officers, even leading to both boys’ and girls’ class presidents speaking at graduation, which was held in the Small Gym.
Serrill and Weise stated that male and female teachers treated the girls fairly, but it was Head of Girls (a position later called Dean of Girls) Jinny Day 1760 who served as an important advocate and role model. Serrill said, “I loved my teachers, especially Miss Day. She was the best—so creative, funny, bright and supportive.” Girls felt special and welcomed, and were encouraged to be “leaders from the get-go” and embraced the message that they were pioneers. Other memorable teachers from those early years included Peter Biggs 1760, Dan Rankin 1760, Roger Eastlake’59, Christian Newswanger 1760, Neal Johnson, Rulon Wetherill 1760, Wirt Thompson, and Reenie Berardelli 1760. Weise says, when asked about her favorite parts of GA. “I got to know my teachers very well. I am proud of the school, and I love its institutional history.”
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 7
While GA consistently had female students in the early childhood grades throughout its history, it wasn’t until 1963 and the appointment of Virginia Belle Day that female students were eventually permitted to attend GA in all grades. During her tenure, Ms. Day taught English, served as Dean of Girls and was a college counselor. Her popularity was evident when she became an honorary member of the Academy Club and a member of the illustrious honorary alumni class of 1760. “Jinny’s enthusiasm and theatrical flair could always diffuse any situation. She was a staunch ally for the girls in all areas of the school,” said Associate Director of Athletics Virginia Hofmann 1760. How did the male students react to this big change? Bob Williams, of the Class of 1968, said this: “What a change coming from the old school in Germantown to the new school in Fort Washington was for the boys; moving from a place full of two centuries of history to a new, yet to be finished facility… those early years in Fort Washington were a challenge for both Upper School students and faculty. The administration struggled to manage an Upper School with both boys and the girls, first attempting to operate two separate schools, one for boys and one for girls, in the same building. Classes were rarely integrated by gender, and some of the activities and clubs that carried over from the old school remained boys only.
“...There was enough success with mixed activities and coed classrooms so that over the next three years the school made marked headway towards becoming one school educating boys and girls— together.” Bob Williams ’68
Many things were different then. The girls’ uniforms were much more formal, with a royal blue A-line skirt, white shirt, navy blue socks and shoes in the early years. The more traditional GA plaid skirts came later, topped by navy blazers for the female underclasswomen and red blazers for the seniors, which led teacher Mr. Johnson to refer to these students as the “Redcoats.” Fridays were a uniform-free day, with boys often wearing their letter sweaters instead of their blazers. The Glee Club was originally separate and the girls had to debate to get into the all-male Philomathean Club. There was a Rifle Club, a Library Association, an Archives Society and a World Affairs Council. Owen J. Roberts and the Boys’ Athletic Council were boys only, Ye Primer proudly noting that “Owen J. fulfilled its reputation this year as one of the Academy’s most vibrant (and thoroughly masculine) organizations.” All of the awards at final chapel (today’s Prize Day) were separated by gender. The girls were required to play three sports, Weise noting that “We all had to play a sport each season because of our small numbers.” However, there were many parts of GA then that are still the same in 2018. There were numerous clubs and activities that exist today, even if the names have changed, notably Philomonian (like today’s Patriot Ambassadors), Student Council (today’s SGA), Ye Primer, Ski Club, and, of course, Belfry. Rabuck found that “the first coed Belfry play was the courtroom
8 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
drama Witness for the Prosecution in 1966. The yearbook notes that Belfry member Liz Wood (McElwain) ’68 was the first girl to earn a Belfry Pin and to serve as president of the club.” The theater productions, then presented on the stage of the Small Gym, included Billy Liar,TheWonderful Adventures of Don Quixote, and Oliver during the 1967-68 school year.
The high standards for education that we see today were evident from the start for the female students. Of her transition to college, Weise said, “I was well prepared academically,” which helped her in her career as a teacher, when “I held my students to high standards as a teacher and prepared them well.” Serrill agreed. “I knew how to write, research a paper, ask questions in class, and access my professors to help me learn.” She goes on to reflect on her GA experience that “We were all encouraged to think for ourselves to work hard and reach for the stars. GA faculty made us confident in our abilities as learners.”
THE LEGEND BEHIND THE GA TARTAN From Ye Primer 1962 Anthropologist Margaret Mead set the tone for full coeducation at GA when she served as the guest speaker at the Germantown Academy Class of 1966 graduation in June of that year - the first graduation ceremony held in Fort Washington. Mead is best known for her book Coming of Age in Samoa, based on her research about young people, especially adolescent girls, in the Samoan Islands, and has numerous famous quotes attributed to her. One in particular seems appropriate for the occasion of the Board of Trustees’ vision for the future of GA as a coed institution coming to fruition as that first class of young women finished their time at the Academy: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Germantown Academy was changed by all of the milestone years in our history—1759, 1958 and 1968—and we can all be grateful for the commitment of our founders and leaders to change our world for the better.
According to former longtime teacher Tony Garvan 1760, Donald Miller 1760, who was the headmaster at the time that girls started attending GA, was set on having uniforms. Miller and Bea Garvan, Tony’s stepmother, who was active within the GA community, started working on finding a distinctive and attractive plaid. They traveled to New York City where they found a plaid they both approved of at a company named Galey and Lord, but they modified the design by replacing the white with darker hues. Galey and Lord then produced custom made original fabric for GA in both cotton and wool. The kilts of today, supplied exclusively by Robert Rose ’74, at Flynn O’Hara, derive directly from the original fabric. GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 9
A Trip Down Memory Lane: Girls Athletics at Germantown Academy By Virginia Hofmann 1760
Girls athletics started small at GA, very small. Only three sports—field hockey, basketball, lacrosse—were offered to female students, and all of them were required participation. The girls started in Lower School with 4th6th grade teams, and in 1961, there were only seven girls in the sixth grade. But by 1964, the foundation of a strong GA girls athletic program was starting to be built as the courageous Class of ’68 was in the Upper School and starting to compete with more local independent schools. By their senior year they finally were recognized as a varsity team in all three sports.
Uniforms were drastically different than those of today. Back in the 1960s, uniforms were essentially tunics with sashes. Today, girls sport Dri-FIT tanks and performance bottoms. Another interesting factoid is that it was not uncommon for players from both teams to enjoy a refreshment after games. Some schools had ice cream while others offered cider and pretzels or soda or orange drink. This was based on the British tradition of following each game with a tea for both teams.
In the early years of GA girls athletics, teams only had one coach for both Varsity and JV. The coach would finish the varsity game and then rush to get the JV ready to take the field. There were also no buses for games, so girls would often pile into cars with a few parents and off they’d go. While academics was coed, athletics was still catching up. Awards ceremonies were held separately from the boys. While the Boys Inter-Academic Athletic League had been active since 1887, the Girls Inter-Ac League was not founded until 1983. Before the league, the girls played games primarily against Agnes Irwin, Baldwin, Abington Friends and Germantown Friends. No champions, no All-League recognition, and no postseason play until the Pennsylvania Independent School Athletic Association was founded in 2007. In 2013, the Boys Inter-Ac and the Girls Inter-Ac officially merged into one league.
The Scoop on ’68
Field Hockey: The class of ’68 as a middle school field hockey team had two games and won them both, beating Stevens 10 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
School, 2-1, and Buckingham Friends, 3-1. As the teams moved into the Upper School they were listed in the Ye Primer as first team and second team. By the time they reached their senior year, field hockey’s six year record was 28-4-2. The first official varsity team record was 6-1-1. Field hockey had long toed sticks, roll-ins, and bullies. They played the University of Toronto at hockey camp and won 2-0. The coach was Mrs. Berardelli and the team had a speedy forward line featuring Barbara Hitschler, Amy Noble, Dee Wetherill, Pat Hitschler and Janis Kitchen, and the defense was anchored by Cynthia Dearnley, Maureen Flanagan and goalie Lynn Munro. This was a winning start for GA field hockey.
Girls Basketball: The girls practiced four times a week for 45 minutes so that the boys teams could get on the court. At the time, the Small Gym was the only court on campus. The Class of ’68 played six games their senior year and finished 3-3 with only one home game. The game itself might be unrecognizable for many current students. This was “divided court basketball” and consisted of six players on a team: two stationary forwards, two stationary guards, and two rovers. A player could only dribble the ball three times. Over the years, uniforms evolved from tunics to kilts to finally shorts in 1980. The team was coached by Mrs. Berardelli and featured seniors Barbara Hitschler, Pat Hitschler, Amy Noble, and Holly Hoofnagle. GA girls basketball grew from this small seed to be an Inter-Ac powerhouse today. Girls Lacrosse: The Ye Primer mentioned that the 1968 girls lacrosse team had “a strenuous eight game season” in their first varsity year. The record was not in the yearbook as it went to print before the season had finished. Back then, lacrosse was also a completely different game. There were no boundaries, restraining line, arc, fan, eyewear, off sides calls, or restrictions on the opening draw. Players had the freedom to roam every square inch of the field, which was only marked with two creases, a center circle, and a line for the draw. The team was coached by All-American Suzanne Warner and captained by Amy Noble. This team’s energy and camaraderie provided the foundation for future GA girls lacrosse teams.
The Arts at GA
Carmella C., 2nd Grade
Forty Middle School thespians did a fabulous job performing Shrek:The Musical before two packed houses in the Arts Center to end the month of January. The show’s underlying theme of acceptance of others and being true to yourself resonated with the cast and allowed for their individual performances to be strong and inspiring. Bravo, Middle School!
The award-winning Belfry Club took on A Man for All Seasons in November. An ambitious play to say the least, the Belfry Club, as usual, was more than up to the task and performed it in a custom-made blackbox theater, which was built by GA's Technical Theatre class. The Belfry Club will next perform the musical, Spring Awakening, March 9-10 in the Arts Center.
Lower School Creates Aerial Art
After the invention of airplanes, helicopters, and spacecraft, people were able to see Earth from above. Second grade students learned about aerial landscapes—landscapes made from an overhead view. Starting by making a realistic pencil drawing, students could choose to make it more abstract or stay realistic with paint color choices, oil pastel textures and details.
Managing the 24/7 News Cycle
This extraordinary art installation (bottom left) was created by students in the Managing the 24/7 News minimester, which was led by Upper School History Department Chair Bob Moyer and Library Department Head Mary Fraser, along with Upper School Honors Visual Art students in teachers Dave Love, Sara Krupnick-Ritz, and Nick Wynia’s classes. Together, they were inspired by the class discussion around questions such as: How does the political issue of disinformation/ fake news impact America’s democratic society and system? How does one critically process information and determine what is true in this 24/7 social media driven news cycle?
Students researched topics in the news and their work morphed into an examination of truth and lies in themes, ranging from politics, inequalities in education, and the inundation of technology and media, body shaming, and much more. For the installation, students decided to grid off the wall into “isolated boxes” and fill those boxes with objects and images of feeling, impressions, “information,” and “disinformation,” to create an engaging, jarring, and dissonant exhibit that forced viewers to consider their personal experience with the non-stop news cycle and information consumption. GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 11
THE RIGHT
FIT
A look inside the faculty hiring process. Teachers from all over the world want to work at Germantown Academy. It’s not uncommon for upwards of 100 résumés to pour in for any open position. So how do our search committees ensure that GA is attracting the right people for the job? We asked our Division Heads and Head of School for insight into what makes someone “the right fit” for GA.
When Head of School Rich Schellhas came to GA as the Head of Upper School in 2009, he brought a focused intentionality to the hiring process, working closely with department heads to identify complementary skillsets, even if that meant looking farther afield. He has now instilled that thinking in his administrative team so that GA has a diverse a range of talents and passions as possible. The quest of finding that one great teacher for each job opening has been more relevant than ever in recent years, as many fabulous faculty members have retired after making lasting impacts on the GA community. Chris Nelson, in his third year as Head of Upper School, lived through these transitions as a teacher, and now as an
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administrator, embraces the responsibility of filling the desks of generational teachers.
“When you think about it, since I’ve been sitting in this chair, it’s been Kendall Mattern, Doc Drewniany, Ted Haynie, Gaby Russomagno… these were legendary teachers, so I don’t take the onus of filling those roles lightly,” said Nelson. The crucial question is can we find someone who will grow into their own version of those legends. I’ve always thought that my first responsibility is to the kids, but within that responsibility, I need to hire faculty that are going to someday end up on that wall where portraits of 25-year teachers are hung.” In order to accomplish this feat, we first intentionally cast a wide net, employing referral services to identify the best talent no matter where they’re located. Second, the interview process is more rigorous than ever, with multiple rounds of evaluation to ensure that
once finalists come to spend a (very full!) day on campus, we know they really want to be here. Third, great care is taken to examine the needs of the department, division, and school as a whole. No one simply wears one hat at GA. Finally, there needs to be an authentic spark of connection between a candidate and the community, some glimpse of that intangible quality that promises a good match.
Schellhas equates the hiring process to putting together multiple puzzles at the same time.
US physics teacher Dr. Victor Montemayor
First/Second Grade combined classrrom teacher Sara Fridirici, with students
“Every grade, department, and division is like its own little puzzle,” Schellhas says.“We are always cognizant of how someone’s experience will complement their immediate teaching team, and try to keep a healthy balance of new, mid-career, and veteran teachers.We also consider the extracurricular needs of the community, whether it’s coaching a sport, participating in service activities, or leading a club.” Twenty-first century skills are a big factor in hiring for Head of Lower School Sue Szczepkowski, who has been at GA since 2012.
“Outside of subject knowledge, what I look for in Lower School candidates is the willingness to work in a team-oriented, missiondriven space,” explains Szczepkowski. “Our best hires are not only engaged in helping themselves grow but also helping the people around them to do their best. “Strong emotional intelligence is especially important for younger children,” she continues. “Children need for their teachers to be empathetic, kind and flexible.Teachers also need to set expectations, have a sense of humor, and be able to assist with transitions without a struggle.”
If that wasn’t enough, teachers also must be able to exercise confidentiality and exhibit professional communication with parents. As in most independent schools, the parents at GA are educated and engaged, and want to know that their children are getting the best experience possible. Part of finding the right fit in a Lower School lead teacher is for them to have a variety of experience. Szczepkowski implores current assistant teachers to gain outside perspective in a different school setting before they become a lead teacher candidate, as understanding how different systems work means a teacher has more to bring to GA.
Head of Middle School Jonas Jeswald cites “growth mindset” and a commitment to teaching students at this critical stage of development as vital traits in the teachers he hires.
“You have to be willing to learn and grow,” he says. “And you have to really love Middle School kids. We want true Middle School teachers here. And that doesn’t mean you can’t transition from an Upper School to a Middle School position (I did that), but you have to be able to express why you want that pretty clearly. “I always say GA is a place where we have a lot of fun, and we all work really hard. There are high expectations, but at the same time, reasonable expectations. We have a great system in place to support new hires.”
Each year, Jeswald finds a new quote for the board in his office, and this year it reads: “Know your strengths and weaknesses and find people who complement them.” This couldn’t be more fitting to describe the philosophy of faculty hiring at Germantown Academy. One of the best things for a teaching candidate to know is that GA is exactly as it comes across during an interview. We know who we are and what we need, and if that feels right on the day of a visit, then it’s going to be a good fit.
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 13
Giving Back and By Making a Gift to GA from Your IRA:
• You will not be taxed on the transfer from your IRA to GA • Your gift will count against your required minimum distribution Your gift can be applied to existing • pledges
By Making ANY Gift to GA:
The USS Scorpion, a 251-foot Skipjack-class nuclear submarine left the United States Navy Pier Complex in Norfolk, VA on February 15, 1968. Its schedule included a three month Mediterranean deployment to engage in exercises with the US Sixth Fleet and other NATO vessels. After a few days of liberty on mainland Italy and in Sicily, she set forth on the return voyage to Norfolk on May 17. Among the 99 man crew was a 29-year-old engineer officer, Lieutenant William C. “Bill” Harwi who had been assigned to the Scorpion since September of 1966. Bill Harwi was valedictorian of the Germantown Academy Class of 1957. At GA he was a leader of the Math Club, Glee Club and Latin Club. He was also a varsity athlete in swimming, tennis and baseball. After graduation he enrolled in Princeton University’s NROTC program and which he completed in 1961. In college, the mathematics major’s math and applied physics training helped stimulate his interest in nuclear submarine service.
On May 27, 1968, the Scorpion was reported overdue in Norfolk. A subsequent full scale Naval investigation of the entire working fleet could not account for the submarine’s whereabouts since one final check-in somewhere southeast of the Azores on its route home. The Scorpion, the wreck of which has since been located in the ocean floor, was officially determined “lost at sea” and Lt. William Clarke Harwi “on eternal patrol.” In 1981 the Harwi family, led by brother and fellow GA graduate David Harwi ’62, initiated a special endowment at GA to provide tuition support for a qualified member of the senior class who, in memory of Bill, displays a perseverance in Math and Physics. Each year since, a senior has been supported by the spendable interest 14 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
earned by this very meaningful financial aid fund.
• You can remember someone “In Memory Of ” • You can recognize someone “In Honor Of ” • You are making a tax-deductible contribution • You can structure a gift that optimizes your financial, tax and/or estate plan
For more information about making your gift to Germantown Academy, contact Martin Dean in the Office of Institutional Advancement 267-405-7458 - mdean@ germantownacademy.org.
The class celebrated its 50th Reunion in the fall of 2008. In celebration, Harwi’s classmates decided to unite and re-invest in the since renamed Class of 1957 – Harwi Financial Aid Fund with additional resources to help meet the increasing tuition support needs of families.
Over the last couple of years, ’57 class members, and those from years prior, have entered into an exclusive donor category, qualifying for mutually beneficial ways to be philanthropic. Donors who are 70.5 years and older, as stipulated by the IRA Charitable Rollover Provision made permanent law in 2015, now can transfer funds, tax free, directly to an eligible charity (like Germantown Academy) from an IRA. “My primary goal in using this technique is to add value to the Class of ’57-Harwi Fund and therefore increase the impact for future recipients,” said Bob McCammon ’57 who, as a leading Class Agent since the 50th and after a 26-year career as a director in the banking/corporate tax industry, is uniquely qualified to recognize value in giving to GA this way. “This is a smart way to both remember Bill and to fulfill my interest in supporting the mission of GA particularly in the area of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math). The IRA transfer can be accomplished with a brief discussion with your investment adviser; nothing could be easier.”
Paying it Forward Lifetime Success Grows From GA Financial Aid
As the late, great Yogi Berra said often – “When you get to a fork in the road, take it,” recalls Ken Twiford ’58, classmate and teammate of Bill Harwi ’57. Twiford’s long and interesting road through life has taken many exciting turns since his days at GA. He was an accomplished studentathlete at Bucknell University (BU Athletic HOF – Football and Baseball) where he earned his degree in Math. Additionally Twiford earned a BS in education at Temple University and then served our country in the US Coast Guard before becoming a longtime baseball and football coach at Franklin & Marshall College. Peppered in between and after, he spent time navigating trips down corporate roads, some longer than others, with RCA, Janney, Montgomery, Scott and Lancaster Office Equipment and Supplies. “In all cases, the road selections in front of me were dependent upon my education and experience. GA provided the base for these decisions, and through that process I always recalled my Academy teachers, coaches, classmates and teammates,” said Twiford. “My parents decided, just after World War II, to send me to GA as a first grader. Over the years many personal sacrifices were made, but their core belief was that a GA education would lead to a better life for their son. Our family
The Patriots Party
Patriots Society donors are invited to an annual reception, held this past October at the Head of School’s residence, in appreciation for their dedication and support of our school.
The Patriots Society of Donors are alumni, parents, parents of alumni, grandparents, faculty, and friends who choose to support
Annamarie Hellebusch ’84, P’23, ’28, Stroud Hellebusch P’23, 28, MichelleWood P’17, ’20, TedWood ’85, P’17, ’20
benefitted from financial aid, especially in my final year when – at only 17 – it was recommended that I have a second senior year. That extra year allowed me to mature both physically and mentally. My gifts to the school now reflect my appreciation for this and all of the GA based guidance that impacted my life so significantly.”
Bill Harwi was one of Ken’s classmates, teammates and a most valued friend. In fact it was Bill’s father, a very successful insurance businessman who also managed and financed a very competitive adult baseball team in the Penn-Del League at the time (PENN AC), who helped to develop Twiford’s baseball interest and skill set. Starting in fourth grade, Mr. Harwi would drive young Ken to PENN AC games where he would hustle assisting with the team’s bats, balls, and equipment. “There were other times when I did get to take some practice swings, field grounders with the team and work on my baseball skills. Rubbing elbows with players at this level really helped me to learn the game,” he added.
“I did not live all that close to the Harwis, so it was not always convenient for them to pick me up, but they always did. I so treasure that experience, even to this day. Making my gift to the Class of ’57Harwi Financial Aid Fund hopefully allows a GA student to attend, and possibly connect with a similar mentor who will alter their life in a positive direction.” Twiford continued, “Giving to GA from your IRA is advantageous and easy.”
the school each year with a leadership level Annual Fund contribution of $1,759 or more (in honor of GA’s founding year). Their support is critical to our school’s ability to provide current students and faculty with pivotal resources that transform each day and enhance our mission and Strategic Vision.
Visit www.germantownacademy.net/support-ga/patriots-society to learn more and become a Patriots Society donor.
Geoff Duffine P’95 ’99 ’04, Ruth Duffine P’95 ’99 ’04, Marc Feldman P’09 ’13 ’15
Judy Cody P’13 ’15 ’17 ’19, Michael Hanamirian P’13 ’15 ’18, Carol Momjian P’13 ’15 ’18, Linda Nunes ’80, P’16, ’14, Kieran Cody P’13 ’15 ’17 ’19 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 15
Sammy Popper ’19
GA-PC
DAY AND REUNION
WEEKEND There was was plenty plenty of of drama drama at at the the 131st 131st GA-PC GA-PC Day, Day, held held on on Saturday, Saturday, November November There 11, 2017 2017 at at Penn Penn Charter, Charter, as as the the Patriots Patriots held held onto onto the the Competition Competition Cup Cup by by 11, finishing in in aa tie tie with with the the Quakers Quakers with with five five wins wins apiece. apiece. Per Per the the competition’s competition’s finishing bylaws, the the school school that that won won last last year’s year’s Cup Cup retains retains it it in in the the case case of of aa tie. tie. bylaws, "GA-PC is a spirited rivalry like no other," said first-year Director of Athletics Josh MacArthur. “The enthusiasm and sportsmanship of our community was unmatched. Holding on to the Competition Cup is a testament to the commitment, hard work, and dedication of our student-athletes and coaches. Ultimately, what carries the day is the tremendous support from our alumni, students, parents and faculty." A tie would not have been possible without the efforts of the girls tennis team, which managed to upset PC, 5-2. The Quakers had previously beaten the Patriots, 4-3, earlier in the season, but GA managed to flip the script thanks to victories from singles players Emma Menkowitz ’19 and Tiffany Zhong ’20, who was later named MVP for her stunning come-from-behind three-set win.
16 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
The doubles teams of Rachel Kliger ’18 and Kendall Skalicky ’21, Alice Su ’20 and Emily Wang ’21, and Sadie Andra ’20 and Haley Marks ’21 also came out on the winning side to help the Red, Black, and Blue. “It was great to win on GA-PC Day,” said third-year Head Coach Lora Ball, whose team has come a long way in a short amount of time. “Looking back at my first season and the mindset of the team, I’d say the girls have come to the conclusion that tennis is fun and rewarding. Those who didn’t already have the eagerness and the drive now realize we do have the talent to compete in a very competitive Inter-Ac League. We begin each season with many goals and at the top of the list has been to improve over last year’s team record, which we were able to accomplish with the
addition of three freshmen to our varsity squad. Most of our top eleven players are now playing offseason and many are participating in USTA Tournaments. The future of GA girls tennis is very bright and promising!”
Across the street there was some real drama as girls cross country narrowly defeated the Quakers, 27-30, and boys cross country lost by just one point, 27-28. Matt Sandifer '20 was named the MVP of the boys race after finishing first with a new personal best time of 16:59.
Just a few paces away, boys soccer clashed with PC and topped the hosts, 3-2, thanks to goals from Will Noe ’18, Michael Roman ’18, who was later named MVP, and Oliver Buck ’18.
For GA’s fifth win, the boys water polo team crushed PC in a 19-3 victory. "We dominated on both ends of the pool, getting great offensive opportunities and shutting down everything PC put
up," said Head Coach Mike Koziol. "Every Patriot got to play in the game. It was special to be able to get everyone to experience what playing in a GA-PC Day game is like."
Leading the way on offense was captain and game MVP Finn Lillis ’18, who broke GA’s all-time career scoring record. Lillis came into the game with 291 career goals, nine short of tying Carl Dowzicky’s (Class of 2012) mark. Lillis scored his 10th goal of the match to set the new record with under a minute left in the fourth quarter. He and fellow captain Henry Grady ’18 left the game to a standing ovation after the record-setting tally.
Out at field hockey, the Patriots cruised to an 8-0 victory thanks to a balanced offensive attack led by MVP Sammy Popper ’19. In the 131st GA-PC football game, the Patriots jumped out to a 14-0 lead and had a 14-13 advantage entering the fourth quarter before the Quakers completed their comeback to win 26-17.
THE SCORES Boys Cross Country: PC 27, GA 28 Girls Cross Country: GA 27, PC 30 Field Hockey: GA 8, PC 0 Football: PC 26, GA 17 Golf: PC 7.5, GA 0.5 Boys Soccer: GA 3, PC 2 Girls Soccer: PC 4, GA 0 Girls Tennis: GA 5, PC 2 Boys Water Polo: GA 19, PC 3 Girl Water Polo: PC 9, GA 6 Finn Lillis ’18
2017
REUNION WEEKEND
The activities began on Friday night, November 10, with the annual Reunion Kickoff on Campus Happy Hour where all alums celebrating a reunion were invited to a school-sponsored complimentary celebration with their fellow classmates. At the same time, the Class of 1760 came together to induct its three new members (Julia Blumenreich, Bridget Flynn, Janet Maurer). Towards the end of the evening, all guests gathered with the family and friends of Peter McVeigh 1760 to unveil a special portrait that has now been permanently placed in the McVeigh Community Room. (see pg. 29 for full story). On Saturday, hundreds of alums trekked to Penn Charter to cheer on our Patriots as we battled (and retained!) for the Competition Cup. Reunion alums were invited to the Reunion HQ tent to take class pictures and receive their commemorative gift. The day concluded with the traditional celebratory happy hour at MaGerk’s followed by individual reunion dinners held throughout the area. From the Class of 1957’s dinner at Cantina Feliz to the Class of 1987’s celebration at a classmate owned restaurant in Center City, generations of alums returned with their families to reconnect with friends and faculty from years past and reminisce about their student days at GA. It was a wonderful fall weekend filled with pure Patriot Pride!
REUNION COMMITTEES 1952 Alan Dietrich
1957 Bob Bole Bob McCammon Art Smith
1967 Charley Harmar Fred Straub
1977 Nancy Entwisle Bill Piszek Cathy Thompson Keith Wood
1982 Lisa Van Blarcom Butler Lisa Brownstein Goldenberg Kelly Greenleaf Laura Buckley Martin Howard Nelson Gregory Paranzino Greg Pitkoff Vicki Karr Schneider Jennifer Harmon Sekerka John Westrum 1987 Jennifer Marcus Barbara
Caroline Manwaring Berlinger David Blank David Ciambella Nicole Dubrow John Finegan Amy Reydel Fuchs Robin Harrison Kaplan Rodney Morrison Norman Mullock James Murray Charles Quinn Matthew Rosenberg James Snyder 1992 Joshua Bell Rebecca Steiner Goldner David Hass
Elisa Ludwig Ian McVeigh Kim Whittaker Morris Jon Rilling Lenny Roberts Theera Vachranukunkiet
1997 Samantha Vose Adey Jennifer Rotzell Bucci Jamie Chadwin Katie Bender Commons Chrissy Dare Derbyshire Alexis Smith Evarts Deb Harris Friedman Michael Goldman Ira Greenberg
Edward Harris Edward Holmes Jay Kosek Heidi Brown Lieske Angela Pappas Anna Poor Platz Lauren Quaile Tonkin Mike Zinkand
2002 Kira Bryers Elana Cooper Quinn Cunningham Elise Haynie Martin Christine McAuliffe Sara Beltz Schultz Ted Skuchas Jessica Taylor
2007 Joe Galea Leigh Hopkins Colleen Magarity Nick Sih Aaron Sprecher Justine DeMaio Verdi Billy Vernon
2012 Liz Boetefuer Natalie Cunningham Mike Garbose Angel Heyse Megan McNamara Erik Rogers Kelli Stack Lauren Wyszomierski Allie Zamarin
*The Class of 1977 celebrated its reunion this past summer, while the Classes of 2007 & 2012 celebrated their reunions on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
?
Where in the World is... DAN RANKIN 1760 Dan Rankin spent more than 30 years in various teaching and administrative roles at both Germantown Academy campuses. Although he retired in 1997, Rankin remains a familiar face in Fort Washington as he returns often when called upon by a reunion class.
“One of my favorite traditions is the Alma Mater. I started my career at GA at the old school in Germantown where it was much smaller, and we had chapel every morning. But on Friday mornings, the students and faculty sang the Alma Mater. It was pretty speedy, with a piano accompaniment by Walter Hoesel, and the kids really belted it out.”
Head of Upper School it was a great time. I wanted to be somewhere that was fun and where I could have a good time in the classroom with the kids.”
“I never dreaded a Monday morning. The kids were very nice, and faculty were good friends. I did have an idea that I wasn’t supposed to stay at GA forever, so I moved my family up to Maine for four years and taught in the local high school there. It was VERY different. The change made me appreciate GA so much. Teaching around the Harkness Table, discussing ideas; I really missed that. When I got the chance to come back to GA as the
“My heart is where we are at that moment. I have a lake view in Maine, a golf course view in our recently-acquired Norristown condo, and a beach view in Florida. They are all small. We have rabbit ears in Norristown, and cable in Florida, yet Maine holds the spot dearest to my heart.”
“I loved when we started the Upper School summer reading book. Sometimes the author would come to speak about the book, or we would show a movie of it, when school started. Discussion across the faculty and students was a nice common denominator.”
“I met Ralph Roberts P’77 at a parent-teacher conference in 1975 or so. He said he was creating cable television. I was incredulous that anyone would buy television service when you could get it for free! Obviously I was really wrong.”
Bringing Home the Trophy!
The varsity girls basketball team reigned supreme during the 2017-18 season, capturing its fourthstraight Inter-Ac Championship (27-4, 12-0) and winning the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association Girls Basketball Championship for the fourth time under Head Coach Sherri Retif. Rachel Balzer ’19 and Alexa Naessens ’18 led the scoring for the Patriots during the season. 20 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
After three consecutive appearances in the Independence Hockey League final, the Patriots came out on top in 2018 by defeating The Pennington School, 6-1, and claiming its first championship since 2011. Led by Head Coach John J. Fields, the Patriots finished the season 13-1, and were powered by the play of Mark Dobson ’20 (22 points) and Andrew Miao ’18 (22 points), and William Gross ’20 in goal.
M21: GA-Born Music App
With the combined energy of Performing Arts Chair Charlie Masters, eighth grader Perry Fraser ’22, and veteran programmer Scott Fraser (Perry’s father), it seems like just about anything is possible, which is what makes their iPhone application, M21: Music for the 21st Century, so exciting. The triumphant trio worked together, along with insight and guidance from consulting Director of Innovation and Special Programs Gaby Russomagno 1760, to develop the one-of-a-kind app, which was first presented at the school’s Sounds of Self installation. The app utilizes locationbased Bluetooth technologies and location-aware digital music composition to create an interactive and unique listener experience. While running the app and wearing headphones, users can walk through The Korman Family Pavilion while listening to student-created music that changes with movement.
Masters, who read about two brothers who musically mapped the Christo Gates section of Central Park in New York City, as well as, the National Mall in Washington DC and Route 1 on the west coast, was inspired to musically map GA’s campus.
“I’ve always had this idea of soundscapes over the years, sort of that hybrid of taking over a space,” said Masters. “I thought, what if we mapped The Preserve or Connor Quad?” Scott found the idea of soundscaping interesting, as he “enjoys the whole intersection of art and technology, and looking into the future, having alumni from the Class of 2020 be able to hear their voices through the app that was created when they were here will be really cool.” Perry and Scott used Apple’s Xcode, combined with the programming language, Swift, to build the app. The process for developing an app from scratch is a lot like building a house. A foundation has to be made and then there is a lot of layering.
The process for developing an app from scratch is a lot like building a house. A foundation has to be made and then there is a lot of layering. “Usually the first thing you want to do is make little bits of code
that have one function that helps you towards your goal,” said Perry, who was the lead developer on the project and in total re-wrote the application four times. “Like one bit of code that defines all the beacons and another that tells what music for each beacon to play.”
Perry has honed his skills by hacking on a raspberry pi, a series of small single-board computers developed in the United Kingdom by the Raspberry Pi Foundation to promote the teaching of basic computer science in schools and in developing countries, and learning Scratch, a free programming language and online community, through GA’s Middle School Coding Club. While the Frasers coded, Masters and his Advanced Music Theory Honors Class and the Singing Patriots Select students, specifically Jack Kolodny ’18, Corey Freas ’17, and Jakob Slifker ’20, collaborated on the original aleatoric-inspired digital audio tracks in Logic Pro. “Watching the app come to life, through countless recordings of audio tracks and riffs to fine tuning the smallest of coding details with Perry, it has been an absolute blast!” said Masters. “It is a thrill to see users immersed in the aural environment, curiously exploring and listening throughout our beautiful campus!” The M21 app was created as part of the Music for the 21st Century initiative, a cross-divisional GA Performing Arts initiative.
“M21 seeks to better understand what motivates and engages the 21st Century Music Learner, ultimately creating more opportunities to stimulate the play instinct,” explained Masters. “Projects include the One School Pump Up the Jam Band, iPad integration in performing ensembles, vocal improvisation, Themed Pop Assembly electrifying strings, jam sessions, pop-up performances, and the M21 App.”
In talking with Masters and the Frasers, they are eager to remind you that this is just their first crack at musically mapping a space and they already have a long list of other spaces they’re interested in exploring.
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 21
Latin is Very Much Alive at GA
Adam Leven, US Classics
amo, amas, amat...? Absolutely NOT! This is not your grandparents’ day. Enter a Latin classroom at GA today and you will find very little of the traditional rote teaching and learning of decades past. Today’s Latin teaching is a dynamic, engaging experience redolent of the language, history, and culture of the Classical world itself— the world that has so profoundly shaped our own. Whether exploring our ancient roots in art and architecture, political systems, or literature, also, it is always with the Latin language that we begin. It is that mode of communication to which we faithfully return, as we regard the written and spoken word as still the most copious, most powerful, most malleable form of human expression. It’s also the one so laden with unexpected subtext and nuance, that it demands the keenest critical thought in its analysis and interpretation. It is no less true today than it was 2,000 years ago: WORDS MATTER.
Creating for a Cause
Latin lives today, here at GA.
“What might surprise you is that we’re actually trying to speak Latin,” notes Middle School Latin Teacher Heather Galante, who teaches three levels of Latin. “This is different from the traditional way Latin has been taught. Latin may be a ‘dead language,’ but studies show that language acquisition demands an oral component, and students want this spoken element.”
In the Upper School, about one in five students currently study Latin. As Dwight Peterson 1760, a 47-year veteran of the department, likes to say, “We are a Classics family. Like a family, we students and teachers work together, learn together, succeed together, and fail together—all with an eye toward the common goal of enriching each other’s experience and nurturing the life of the mind via the unique discipline that is the Classics.” For more about Classics at GA, go to www.germantownacademy.net/classics.
“Art serves many purposes in society, but I have always felt that its most significant impact is the way in which it is able to inspire others and brighten someone’s day.” - Middle School art teacher Liz Buckman
22 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
In Art for Community, a new club during Middle School lunch, students spread light to others through the creation of handcrafted gifts. Students have created projects for many organizations already, including Warm Up America, Norristown Veteran’s Center, Meals on Wheels, and Dresher Health and Rehabilitation Center. For Warm Up America, an organization that sews
together knitted swatches to create handcrafted blankets for people in need, students learned to knit 7x9” swatches. “Our students have such big hearts and it is energizing to see them care so much for those whom they are serving!” Buckman noted that students love knitting so much that she created a Tuesday Knitting Circle that meets at break!
Patriots Win Back-to-Back State Titles
What is a TINKER LAB? GA’s girls cross country team battled through a number of injuries to win both the Inter-Ac Athletic League and the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association titles for the second consecutive season in 2017. The league championship race at Belmont Plateau was not as close as expected. Six Patriots finished in the top 15, with Isabelle Goldstein ’20 placing second at 19:43.8. Goldstein, Anna Hennessy ’18, Gianna Murgia ’20, and Kelsey O’Hara ’18 all earned First-Team All-Inter-Ac League honors, while Gabriela Manosis ’20 was named Second Team.
Goldstein then finished second overall to lead all GA runners at States. For her time of 19:08.30, she was named First Team All-State. “The girls’ accomplishments say they’re a bunch of hard-working fighters,” said Head Coach Judy Krouse 1760, who has now won the State championship six times and the league championship 12 times in her 30 years at the helm.
Students Explore Their World in GAXP
At GA we believe there are many different modes to learning, and we are committed to promoting engaged learners by offering unique and varied opportunities for immersive learning among our students and faculty. GA Experience (GAXP), was piloted in 2017 due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, and was offered at no cost to the students. Led by Upper School history teacher Brent Freedland, GAXP programs are designed for students and faculty to have an extraordinary, challenging, engaging experience to connect with our mission and the world in a meaningful way.To be considered for this exceptional program, students must submit an application and share why they hope to participate. One of the inaugural XP programs “Philadelphia’s Mural Art,” was led by Upper School art teacher Sara Krupnick-Ritz and artist Joe Brenman. Fourteen students explored Philadelphia’s various neighborhoods and their unique collection of murals; engaged with and learned from Philadelphia’s artists, including Brenman; participated in the Mural Arts Tour and program; journeyed through Isaiah Zagar’s Magic Gardens; worked on an established Philadelphia mural project; and then came back to GA and developed a mural for our community – all in one week! GA is offering another pilot year of the program with the hope to ultimately permanently endow GAXP to continue to enrich students’ high school years with memorable and meaningful learning experiences.
The Tinker Lab provides a makerspace specially designed for Lower School students. This space engages our youngest learners in multisensory learning by providing materials that encourage creativity, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. The Tinker Lab includes hands-on learning spaces such as a woodworking area with real tools, cooking equipment, a Lego wall, and natural building materials. We combine this with digital opportunities to design and create on our 3D printer and Little Bits circuits, so students are prepared for success in a 21st century environment.
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 23
ALUMNI NOTES 1970s
Jamie Howarth ’71, owner of Plangent Processes, had a busy 2017 as his company performed the tapeto-digital transfers and restoration of the Allman Brothers’ Fillmore East Recordings for the Owsley Stanley Foundation, Grateful Dead’s 1977 Cornell/Buffalo/New Haven/Boston for GD Productions/ Warner Music Group, and the first four Association albums for Rhino. In the past 10 years, Howarth’s company has been nominated for three Grammys and won twice.
1980s
Members of the Class of 1984 and some spouses gathered at the home of Annamarie ’84 and Stroud Hellebusch in Wyndmoor to celebrate Thanksgiving. From left to right: John Hinmon ’84, Ricky Gable ’84, Diana Gable, Annamarie Hellebusch ’84, Nina Brody, Chris Brown ’84, Stroud Hellebusch, and Bob Brody ’84.
1990s
Stuart Miller ’90 is serving as the executive producer of The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, a
24 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
spinoff of The Daily Show, a popular TV series that Miller worked on for a number of years.
You never know when you’re going to run into a GA Patriot! During his travels over winter break, Jeff Greco ’99 wound up sitting right next to Head of School Rich Schellhas on his flight from Kruger National Park to Cape Town in South Africa.
2000s
Musician Mitchell Beer ’00 married fellow music lover Bo Rains at the Auburn Road Vineyards & Winery in Pilesgrove, NJ on September 10, 2017. The happy couple then thrilled the audience with a rocking “first jam” (rather than a first dance). Video of them playing together was later broadcast on CBS3. In December, Mitch and Bo came back to GA and performed a concert in the Korman Family Pavilion.
Jacqueline Paranzino Malkes ’00 and her husband, Ryan, welcomed baby boy Alexander Davis Malkes, into the world at 6:41pm on October 30, 2017.
Allison Bedrosian ’01 married William Gatter, Jr. on October 7, 2017 at The Rittenhouse in Philadelphia. The exciting event included many GA alumni, including (top, left to right): Ben Wanger ’01, David Frankel ’01, Phillip Azarik ’05, Stephen Azarik ’02, Jeff Beer ’01, Mike Marine ’01, Jordan Guynn ’01;
IN MEMORIAM
Salvatore Serrao 1760 Rev. George Laedlein ’42 Richardson Mapes ’42 James B. Loughridge ’44 Jack R. Thomas ’49 Walter E. Green ’50 John (Jack) Johnstone ’54 Glenn L. Kelly ’54 John W. Ballantyne ’55 Arthur W. Lefco ’64 Neil Rankin ’83 Charles Phillip Peacock, Jr. ’94 Hilary Barrer Bitan ’08
(middle); Jeffrey Bedrosian ’96; (bottom, left to right:) Katherine Grau Bennett ’01, Carly Greenberg ’01, Carolyn Bedrosian Nagy ’98, Allison Bedrosian Gatter ’01, Dara Tye Goldstein ’01, Theresa Maida McDuff ’01, Stephanie Tsoflias Siegel ’01.
On April 10, 2017, Jacqueline Younce Bromiley ’01, her husband, Chris, and big brother Cooper welcomed Cameron Kenneth to the family. The Bromileys live in Los Angeles, where Jackie works as a Creative Executive at Disney Channels Worldwide.
Surrounded by family and friends at the top of Beaver Creek Mountain in Colorado, Eliza Hanson Schindler ’01 married Cole Schindler on July 29. Andrew Hanson ’05, Warren Sewell ’05, Kevin Byrne ’05, Genevieve Younce Zabielski ’99, and
CLASS OF 1999
Purely Elizabeth is a Dream Come True for Elizabeth Stein ’99
As the CEO and founder of Purely Elizabeth, an all-natural and organic food company based in Boulder, CO, alumna Elizabeth Stein ’99 has made a name for herself in the ultra-competitive food industry with her overwhelmingly popular granola and oatmeal products. But Stein has a little secret.
“The funny story with the granola, which is what we are known for, is that I never made granola in my whole life, and never really was a granola eater,” said Stein, who was working as a nutrition consultant in New York City and had already started to dabble in the world of making and selling healthy food products when a little magic took place in her kitchen. “I was cold and bored and for whatever reason I decide to make a batch of granola. My mom, who is a huge granola connoisseur, was in town and tasted it and said, ‘Oh my god, this is the best granola I ever had. This has to be your next product!’ And now that recipe is
our original granola and our number one selling product.”
Fast forward a few years and Stein’s products are sold in roughly 12,000 stores around the country, including Whole Foods, Wegmans, Amazon, ShopRite, and Target. Her start-up company also recently received a huge vote of confidence by General Mills to the tune of a $3 million investment, according to an April 4, 2017 article in Forbes Magazine, and has grown from eight employees to 15 over the last six months. While Stein did not envision how it would all unfold, she did note that running her own company has been a dream of hers for a long time.
“During my time at GA I always knew I wanted to have my own business,” said Stein, who started at GA in first grade.“Personally, I feel like GA gave me so much confidence. I always felt
like there was so much positive energy.”
Following her time at GA, Stein earned a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Boston University before moving to New York City and working for a consumer products company and later for Botkier, an apparel and fashion company. But with a new focus on health and wellness in her life, Stein decided to attend The Institute for Integrative Nutrition where she was introduced to an anti-inflammatory, antigluten diet and superfood ingredients like chia seeds, coconut oil, and hemp seeds. “I remember sitting in class and thinking it would be cool to start at a food company,” said Stein.
The early framework of Purely Elizabeth came together when Stein started challenging her clients to try a gluten-free diet for three weeks. Unfortunately there weren’t really any healthy products that
Continued on pg. 33
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 25
CONNECT with Fellow Patriots on PatriotConnect!
Network
Find New Connections
Get Advice
Alumni and current and past parents of GA have a life-long relationship with each other, and the school. No matter where you are in your professional path, the GA community offers unique connections, so make sure you are taking advantage of being part of it! Join PatriotConnect and explore this community resource for networking, inspiration and support. Gabrielle Russomagno 1760 were all in attendance for the festivities. In September Eliza also became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and will be opening her private practice soon.
Performing artist Carly Greenberg ’01, who now goes by Carly Robyn Green, sang at The GRAMMY Soirée in New York City in January 2018. The Soirée, held at the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, is an annual music industry gala-night of celebration and networking. GRAMMY award-winning artists and GRAMMY award-nominated artists attended the event. Geoffrey Goldberg ’02 directed Next To Normal from January 31-February 25 at the Media Theatre in Media, PA.
Mike Genuardi ’03 and Diana Rodgers ’03 are thrilled to share the news of the birth of their daughter Susanna Victoria Rodgers-Genuardi. Joining big sister Louisa, the Rodgers, and Genuardi families is Susanna’s godfather, Hans Wetzel ’03.
Katherine Harris ’03 and her husband, Craig Supowitz, welcomed their second child, Hayden Harris-Supowitz, on August 26, 2017. He weighed 5 lbs. 11 oz. and was 19 1/4” long. He and big brother Gavin are already best buddies!
Tyler Stampone ’05 and his wife, Mallory, welcomed their first child, Sloane Teda Stampone, on November 12, 2017. Tyler wrote: “Mallory went into labor on GA-PC Day, my first-ever victory on that day, and Sloane arrived in the early morning hours the next day.” Tyler also recently passed the Pennsylvania bar exam and has been admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, with New Jersey and Florida to follow. He currently practices law with Dan Stampone ’07 at Stampone Law, PC.
Meredith Dean ’06 married Rudy Stensaas of Flint, Michigan on November 18, 2017 and enjoyed the day with a number of Patriots, including (pictured left to right:) Alyssa Caracausa Gossman ’06, George Bihn ’63, Karin Bohr Fortwangler ’06, Catharine Patterson Brown ’06, Shannon Patrick ’06, and mom/GA Third Grade Teacher Charlotte Dean. Actor and stuntman Josh Fried ’06 was Zac Efron’s stunt double in the hit film The Greatest Showman.
Joe Mirabile ’06 and long-time girlfriend, Sarah Brant, were engaged to be married in November 2017. A wedding date has been set for December 2018.
Women’s Networking Group
Germantown Academy Day Camp
& Summer Programs Open to ALL women in the GA community!
The GA Women’s Networking Group is a welcoming place for women connected to GA to learn, make a transition, or simply network with each other. We build relationships. We build support. We enjoy learning together and pushing one another towards success. Check us out at our next meeting! Visit www.germantownacademy.net/wng for more information and our meeting schedule!
June 18-August 10, 2018 www.gacamp.org
Is it Time to Rediscover GA?
Join us at an Admission Morning. We can’t wait to see you!
Tour the campus, speak with faculty, and meet current parents and students.
March 15 • April 18 • May 17
www.germantownacademy.net/admissionevents GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 27
CLASS OF 1968
GA Welcomes Back its First Black Graduate By Tai Humphries ’19 (photo and interview)
Germantown Academy was honored to welcome back its first African American graduate, Larry Gregory ’68, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his graduation.While at GA, he was an editor for the newspaper, and a manager for the soccer team, lacrosse player for a season, and served as student council president as a senior.
After graduating he attended Princeton University where he was a part of the first class that included more than 10 black students.When he graduated college, he moved to NewYork and started his career as an actor. His first acting job was at the NewYork City Opera. From there, he received acting parts on shows including Law and Order and Blue Bloods. Mr. Gregory (LG) returned to GA to be interviewed by students from the Black Student Alliance, and to be honored at the annual Black History Month Celebration. Q: Did your parents know that you were the only black student when you came to GA? LG: I wasn’t sure if my parents knew I was going to be the only black student, but I didn’t know. My parents were both teachers at Philly public schools.They taught at Boone and Richard Wright and knew how bad some Philadelphia schools were at the time, and they wanted a better experience for me. Someone had decided that GA needed to integrate; they were looking for a black kid, and it ended up being me.
Q: How was your daily life being the only black student at GA? LG:Things were pretty good. I only had to slap a guy one time. He was taunting me and threw my books out of the window of the senior lounge and said, “Why doesn’t the n*gger go and get his own books?” and I slapped him. I also remember asking a teacher who had gone to Princeton to write a letter of recommendation for me, and he said no. I was a good student in his class, and I wasn’t sure why he refused.
When I first started at GA, a police car followed me down Bethlehem Pike, because they were suspicious about a black kid on this side of town.This continued until I started carpooling with kids from West Oak Lane.They would give me a dollar each for gas money, and back then that was enough to fill up my tank.
I was student council president my senior year. I got a jazz bagpiper to come to the school by offering him one hundred dollars to play at GA. I hadn’t been authorized to do so, but things worked out well.
Q:When you think of GA, what is the first memory that comes to mind? LG:Walking in and being the only black kid.There was a teacher, Dan Rankin, who really pulled me under his wing in a genuine, non-condescending way. I worked on a movie a while back with Kevin Klein which was about a prep school and Kevin Klein’s character made me think about Dan Rankin. He completely changed my experience at GA.
Q:What has your involvement been with GA since you graduated and why? LG: I recently reconnected with friends from GA. One of my old friends was the best soccer player at the school. I came back here in 1981, but that was the last time that I was back on campus.
Q: Did your experiences at GA at all influence your career choices? LG:While I was at GA I thought I was going to be involved in
politics. I was first inspired to go into politics/law after the Birmingham church bombings. There was also a lot of radical politics going on when I was growing up, and I thought that was what I wanted to do.With my neighborhood friends, I wanted to start a junior Black Panther party. I worked on a campaign with the man who ran against Rizzo, and after losing, I realized that politics wasn’t what I wanted to do. I got into acting through music. I was in a band and needed something to do for myself when things got complicated.
Q:What was your favorite moment in acting? LG: I was working as a stand-in on Law and Order in 1993, and the guy I was standing in for was nervous, so they let me do the part. I did well, so they gave me ten more speaking roles. I was doing background work on the episodes and then twice a season would have a speaking part. I was also one of three people who did the very first show and last show.
Q: How does it feel to be the “first black graduate of GA”? LG: I feel like I must have done something right. Seeing the black students and faculty that are here, I feel like I must’ve done alright. When I went to Princeton, I was a part of the first class to have more than 10 black students.
During Germantown Academy’s annual Black History Month Celebration, Mr. Gregory told us that he got through his time at GA, living by the school’s motto, “By Persevering We Shall See the Fruits,” and encouraged us to do the same. “I’ve lived my life by that,” said Gregory. “Identify a problem, find a solution and make it happen. That motto seems very simple, but the words have meant a lot to me through my entire adult life.” He reminded us, black students, that the school needs us, and we contribute to GA being a better place. “I also want you to appreciate what this school gives you and offers you.” Gregory continued. “But also realize, specifically to the black students, appreciate what you offer to the school. I came here, and I certainly appreciate what GA had to offer me and what it offers you. I want you black students to realize that you are also gifting this school and the majority population with exposure to you. So because of them being around you they understand that black people are not how we are portrayed in the media, on the news.Wherever you go, we’re human beings, and we have a lot to offer.”
CLASS OF 1760
Peter McVeigh 1760 Warmly Honored
“Mr. McVeigh made an amazing impact on everyone,” said Emily Denisco ’10. “He embodied compassion and generosity in everything he did. To honor his legacy, Kristen, Amy and I felt compelled to take a leadership role in this initiative to ensure that his beliefs and spirit would be shared with future students. The world needs more people like McVeigh.”
THE INVESTED FUNDS WILL—
PROVIDE ANNUAL BUDGETARY NEEDS FOR CSO: To continue its mission to raise awareness and work directly with people and organizations related to the significant and enduring impact of service that Peter McVeigh valued. The legacy of Peter C. McVeigh 1760 will live on for future generations to come here at Germantown Academy thanks to the overwhelming response to GA’s “25 Years, 25 Days” campaign to endow the Peter C. McVeigh 1760 Upper School Director of Community Service and Day of Service.
Incredibly, but not surprisingly, alumni classes from the past 25 years raised $29,000, which exceeded the goal of raising $25,000 to be matched 1:1 by several anonymous donors. During the 25day campaign, parents of alumni, friends, and faculty joined the effort, as well as the Classes of 1992 and 1997, who have focused their reunion efforts on raising
funds for this endowment. Together, they have committed $180,000, which exceeded GA’s goal of $100,000. Behind the scenes, a campaign committee (see Committee listing below) encouraged community members to offer their support and dozens of eager alumni volunteers assisted through an outreach campaign on social media. As a result, an overwhelming response to funding the endowment came from younger alumni, those who had most recently experienced Peter’s commitment to service both in the halls during a typical school day and through the outreach efforts of CSO.
Peter McVeigh Endowment Committee Linda Baron P’01 ’03 Mary Joan Denisco P’10 Sara Gowing P’07 ’11 Mark Korman ’86 P’19 ’22
Alumni Committee
Jennifer Stern ’90 Ashley Ganz ’91 Ron Gonen ’93 Gina Maletta-Sannicandro ’95 Solange Schipani ’95 Stephanie N. Lueckel ’96 Hillary Weinstein ’96 Katey Dyck ’98 Nina K. Markey ’98 Carolyn A. Nagy ’98 Adam Rubinfield ’98 Peter Jennings ’99
Kristen Luekel Buckler ’00 Michael Buckler ’00 Jen Ramirez Miller ’00 Erin Osborn ’01 Eliza Hanson Schindler ’01 Michael Genuardi ’03 Clare Guinn Hyams ’03 Diana Rodgers ’03 Jess Hopkins ’03 Stephanie Dore ’04 Ellen Cohn ’04 Nicole Finelli ’05 Emily Solis-Cohen ’06 Megan Cipolloni Dolan ’07 *Kristen Gowing ’07 Danielle Hankin’07 Liza McDevitt ’08 Katie Martin ’08
Moira Schafle ’08 Molly Andrews ’09 Abby Coombs ’09 Missy Dolaway ’09 Jess Erb ’09 Avery Feldman ’09 Alli Ladley ’09 *Emily Denisco ’10 Katie Oberkircher ’10 Hirsh Shah ’10 Lea Tsoubanos ’10 Rachael Burke ’11 *Amy Gowing ’11 Alex Farris ’11 Liz Boetefuer ’12 Erin Fenerty ’12 Mauri Honickman ’12 Cori Rosen ’12
OFFER NEW OPPORTUNITIES: By expanding the work of CSO and engaging speakers and civic leaders to share with students various challenges and needs in local, national and international communities.
CONNECT GA STUDENTS: To the larger national and worldwide need, which was a passion of Peter’s. The hope is that enriching and deepening the connection to a variety of issues could springboard broader collaborative action on the Peter C. McVeigh 1760 Day of Service. Contributions to the McVeigh Endowment are still being accepted online at: www.germantownacademy.net/mcveigh
Grace Sloane ’12 Shelby Wildgust ’12 Laura Conn ’13 Bridie Lawlor ’13 Jackie Lawlor ’13 Helena Martin ’13 Megan McGinnis ’13 Katie Tanner ’13 Shira Epstein ’14 Lily Feldman ’15 Kaela Griswold ’15 Meg Westrum ’15 Grace Polisano ’16 Tesa Pribitkin ’16 Nina Tang ’16
*Alumni Committee Chairs
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 29
CLASS OF 1967
A Life of Service Abroad
As a United States Foreign Service Officer for 33 years, Walter “Terry” Pflaumer ’67 has found himself in some pretty stressful situations while working overseas. Yet at the same time, the former senior class president also had a front row seat to history-making moments and the opportunity to meet some extraordinary people, learn new languages, and travel the world, all the while promoting peace and prosperity.
“Choosing to be an FSO is, in many ways, to opt for a more challenging and adventurous life than is the norm for most people,” said Pflaumer, who spent 23 years of his career abroad. “Most of the time, being an FSO is nowhere near as dangerous as serving in the U.S. Military, but I have found myself in the middle of riots, war zones, and other risky situations. I know what it means to have terrorists targeting me and my family. On the other hand, [my wife] Marian and I have been part, albeit modest ones, of historical events, have met monarchs and presidents, and have seen a large part of the world.” Pflaumer, who earned a B.A. in history from Princeton University and then an M.A., M.Phil., and PhD. in African history from Yale University, started out in academia, but
30 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
while he was teaching and doing research for his thesis in Nigeria, he met a number of FSOs that changed the trajectory of his life. Impressed by their work, this GA Patriot decided to take the rigorous Foreign Service exam after finishing his thesis.
He wasn’t alone, though, as about 20,000 people applied for the first exam. Pflaumer survived the first test and made it through a series of other examinations and background checks before being offered a position. He was one of just 200 people hired that year.
Pflaumer officially joined the Service in 1980 and retired from full-time work in 2012. His career included stops in Saudi Arabia, Washington DC, Cyprus, Pakistan, South Africa, London, Kenya, Nigeria, and Switzerland, but really, that is a just a mere snapshot of Pflaumer’s journey. Over the years, he was present for a number of historic moments, most notably the end of apartheid in South Africa. From 1991-1995, Pflaumer was stationed in Pretoria, South Africa where he followed the constitutional talks aimed at ending apartheid and was there during the landmark elections of 1994 that finally ended it as well as the first year of Nelson Mandela’s government.
“Marian also worked at the embassy, and we both were official election observers in the 1994 elections,” said Pflaumer. “I spent twoand-a-half years covering the constitutional negotiations.There were a couple times in the course of those talks when things almost got stuck.Working with some brilliant colleagues and a couple of great ambassadors, I think we helped them get unstuck.The South Africans were the heroes of their own story, but we definitely helped. “A colleague and I attended all the negotiating sessions,” continued Pflaumer. “We were in the building and talking to people coming out of conference rooms and following what was going on and reporting back to Washington.” While Pflaumer has officially retired, he continues to work as part of the Foreign Service’s reserve corps.
“I really enjoyed it,” said Pflaumer. “It’s been challenging. It’s been interesting. I feel like it’s been rewarding.”
Patriots may recognize Nathaniel Peart ’06. He’s a New York-based actor who’s appeared in a number of TV series over the last few years, including Mysteries at the Castle, JaneWants a Boyfriend, and Breathe In. He’s also appeared in a handful of commercials for UNTUCKit, Jack Black Pomade, and Openfolio.
Two generations of Patriots held our flag high at the December 2017 wedding of Emily Solis-Cohen ’06 to Joshua Bochner. Proudly waving the Red, Black, and Blue were: Bride Emily, Mother of the Bride Sally SolisCohen ’76, P’06, Father of the Bride Peter Rabinowitz P’06, Maid of Honor Alexandra Crane ’08, Jessica Golson ’06, Jenna Washabaugh Stetler ’06,
Eugene Golson ’76, P’06, Marie Golson P’06, Lisa Schwartz Dardashti ’76, Laurie Crane P’08, Debbie and Stan Miller P’05 ’07 ’14, and Judy Krouse 1760. (Photo: Stephen Bobb Photography)
Mason Wartman ’06 is back at it, recently opening his second pizza shop at 16 S. 40th Street in the University City section of Philadelphia. Over the last few years, Wartman’s popular Center City Philadelphia pizza shop, Rosa’s Fresh Pizza, has gone viral because of its pay-it-forward program. Since March 2014, Rosa customers have donated more than 120,000 slices or roughly 60,000 meals to people in need.
Brian Coombs ’05 is engaged to marry Heather Walkowski on Aug. 11, 2018 in The Church of St. Gregory in Clarks Green, PA. Coombs earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from
Upcoming Alumni Events 4/22/18
Movie Night with Dwight — Screening of “Lucy” with Dwight Peterson 1760
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University of Notre Dame. He is a financial analyst and accountant at Lonnie A. Coombs, CPA. Will Kennedy ’07 is engaged to be married to Nicole Eisengrein, a classmate of his at Loyola University Maryland. Excited mom, Maggie McVeigh 1760, added, “We adore Nicole!”
Zach Ledwith ‘07 became a CFA® charterholder in April 2017. He works for Harris Williams & Co. in Richmond, VA.
Brian O’Neill ’07 was one of just 23 athletes named to the 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. O’Neill plays professionally for Jokerit (Finland) in the Kontinental Hockey League.
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* Sign up to be kept in the loop and involved in CSO opportunities– heather.durkin@germantownacademy.org
Check out: www.germantownacademy.net/alumni for more info and registrations
PatriotConnect
! e v i L
PRESENTS... Unlocking the Secrets of Successful Long-Term Planning
SAVE THE DATE!
Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 6pm
Bring Friends and Guests ~ All Welcome! Here’s your chance to hear from experts in the GA community about long-term life care and planning.
Learn about planning for long-term life care before a crisis • Hear our expert panelists debunk financial and healthcare myths and reveal realities • Get tips for finding tools available to care for aging parents
Danielle Krueger Pugliese’07 and her husband, Nico, welcomed their son, Emilio Niccolo into the world on November 16, 2017. Also recently engaged are Lauren Goldenberg ’08 and Will Newton ’07. They live in New York City and are planning an August 2018 wedding in Philadelphia. Lauren works for WeWork doing global communications and strategy, while Will is the co-founder of Shortcut, an on-demand barber service.
Lisa Lotito ’08 moved to Paris to pursue a Master’s in Fine Art Degree in photography at Penninghen – The School of Art Direction and Interior Architecture. Shown here are two posters she created for her poster class in which the assignment was to “address the fight of women today.” In Fall 2017, Amanda ’09 and Gordon ’11 Freas sold to PlayStation a television series they created. They have now started working on the pilot episode slated to air on PlayStation Vue in Spring/Summer of 2018. PlayStation (the game company owned by Sony) started an online streaming service and are looking to make original TV shows to air on their new platform. Gordon and Amanda are the producers and co-creators.This picture was taken during their pitch to Sony executives.
Jessica Moldofsky ’09 married Grae Buck, her boyfriend of nine years, on October 20, 2017.
32 GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
2010s
Last spring, Erin Patrick ’13 was selected for Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society, in her final semester at Carleton College. Erin, who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Greek and Geology at Carleton, is now earning her Masters of Science degree in Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol in England.
Lauren Eby ’10 returned to campus in January to speak to Linda Test’s AP French Language and Culture class. Eby completed a double major (International Studies and Latin American Studies) and a double minor (Africana Studies and Economics) at Johns Hopkins University where she graduated with honors in just three years. At Johns Hopkins, she was just one of two candidates chosen for a fiveyear accelerated B.A./M.A. program with Johns Hopkins and Sciences Po (Paris), where she earned a Masters of Arts in International Public Management. For the last two years she served with the Peace Corps in Cameroon where she held two positions: Agriculture Extension Agent and Girls’ Empowerment Facilitator. She recently accepted a position to work in Liberia.
Pursuing a career in his dream industry, Carney Judge ’13 is now working at A24, a film production and distribution company behind indie films like Moonlight, Ex Machina, Room, and Spring Breakers. “It’s a small startup company that’s only five years old, and we primarily work in film distribution and now production, but we also have a TV production side in our LA office. This is an exciting time, since yesterday we learned that three of our films have earned a total of seven Oscar nominations! We will be representing Lady Bird,The Florida Project, and The Disaster Artist at the awards!” he shared. “It’s a small, hardworking company that I personally think release some of the best indie gems.” At the end of football season, Kyle Donahue ‘14 was awarded the 2017
Philadelphia Alumni Event
Head of School Rich Schellhas invites you for cocktails, conversation and a milestone celebration of the 50th anniversary of our first female graduates
Wednesday, March 14, 2018 6-8pm The Philadelphia Cricket Club For more information call 267-405-7324, email christine.passaglia@germantownacademy.org or RSVP at www.germantownacademy.net/ alumni/philadelphia-alumni-event
WE NEED YOUR NOMINATIONS!
Growing the Class of 1760
The Alumni Society Board is seeking nominations for this year’s Class of 1760 inductees. Introduced in 1951, the Alumni Board started the “Honorary Class of 1760” to recognize and honor those in the community who have “contributed time and service” to our school. Inductees are those who are not alumni but show allegiance and dedication to the school so much so that they are deemed honorary alumni.
Visit the website at - www.germantownacademy.net/1760 - to nominate someone in the community who goes above and beyond in her/his efforts for GA, or to review the current membership. Thank you in advance for nominating!
Do you know a deserving athlete or team for GA’s Athletic Hall of Fame?
More than 100 alumni, coaches and special friends have been inducted into the Germantown Academy Athletic Hall of Fame since 1995. The Hall of Fame Committee meets every two years to review nominations and announces the next class of inductees in May, with new inductees honored during the following GA-PC Weekend. The next nomination review will take place this spring and the Committee requests your nominations.
Read more about the GA Athletic Hall of Fame inductee criteria, see a directory of past inductees and find the online form to submit your nomination by visiting www.germantownacademy.net/athletics/HOF.
Nominations for both are due by May 10, 2018. Dickinson football program. It’s the first time the award has gone to a Dickinson player who is also a GA alum, like Jim.
“Dickinson College Football Jimmy McGeehan Wearin’ the Red Award.” The award, named for its first recipient, fellow GA alumnus Jim McGeehan ’89, goes to the player whom the team votes is the most dedicated and passionate for the
Currently in his senior year at Yale, Tyler Petrochko ’14 has already received a job offer from Facebook. He shared that he will be joining a “systems/software architecture oriented team” at the Facebook Cambridge office. Last summer, he worked at the same office on a database used by the Facebook Marketplace and enjoyed working with that team.
Stein–continued from pg. 25 she could recommend to them so she decided to make her own recipes. “No one knew about chia seeds or coconut oil,” said Stein. “I learned all about these superfood ingredients and particularly those in the gluten free market, but they were not incorporated in the market so I had to add it.” Her big moment came at the Westchester Triathlon when she used her gluten-free blueberry muffins with superfood ingredients to attract runners to her booth advertising her counseling services.
“Person after person asked where they could buy this,” said Stein. “That was my ah-ha moment where I knew I had something to offer that hasn't been offered before.”
She went back to the same triathlon a year later and sold out, which led to being featured in DailyCandy’s Everywhere newsletter and resulted in $10,000 of orders in just three hours. Before Stein knew it, she was in the muffin business, which grew into the cookie business, and eventually she graduated to the granola business.
“I didn't have a business plan,” jokes Stein, who has plans to launch a new line of superfood mushroom-powered bars later this year. “I really just dove in head first. I think a lot of people get caught trying to have everything perfect. I told myself that I am going to go for this, and I went for it. The first time I saw my product on the shelf in Whole Foods it was amazing, and honestly, that feeling doesn't change. When I walk into any store today it feels like the first time." Stein’s start-up is much more than just a food company now. With hundreds of thousands of online followers and readers, Purely Elizabeth has blossomed into a lifestyle brand that is continually offering nutrition tips and promoting overall health and wellness through its social media channels, website, magazine, and cookbook. The Upper School Entrepreneurship minimester class is looking forward to virtually meeting Stein when she speaks to them via Skype about her entrepreneurial journey in May.
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 33
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 340 MORRIS ROAD PHILADELPHIA, PA 19034
NON-PROFIT PRESORT U.S. POSTAGE PAID FORT WASHINGTON, PA PERMIT #20
Show & Tell Through GA History Unearthed by Archivist Mark Rabuck ’86, pictured here, are students using the “audio notebook” machine to brush up on their language skills in the 1970 Upper School Language Lab. French and Spanish were the only languages that would have used the language lab. Some students studied German and Italian in that era, but not as part of the main curriculum.