CAMPUS NEWS

COACH WETZEL KEEPS HIS PROMISE!

Boys Varsity Soccer Head Coach and fifth grade teacher Kurt Wetzel ’88 P’20’23 proved to be a man of his word. The head of hair that Wetzel had been growing since Thanksgiving of 2020 was shaved off by his team after the Patriots won the Inter-Ac League title in 2021. The Patriots finished the year 17-3 and 8-2 in the league.

Christian Combs ’22 was named League MVP while Sean Lipschutz ’22, Tyler Weiss ’23, Joe Joe Cava ’22, Eli Torrey ’23, Nick Venziale ’23, and Connor Wetzel ’22 were named to the All-League Team.

The Fenerty Family was on-hand at the 24th annual event which has now been renamed the Jim Fenerty Make-A-Wish Basketball Tournament. It is in honor and in memory of Fenerty’s dedication to not only GA, but the Make-a-Wish foundation.

MAKE-A-WISH TOURNAMENT GA PREPARES FAMILIES FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION

A new Case Study program hosted by the College Counseling Office was held for juniors and their parents as they embark on the college search process. Admission representatives from Drexel University, Muhlenberg College, University of Richmond, Gettysburg College, College of the Holy Cross, Dickinson College, University of Pennsylvania, Bucknell University, and Kutztown University, some of them vice presidents at their respective colleges, ran an Admissions Model where small groups became mock admissions committees for a fictional institution.

SENIOR CREATES BEAUTIFUL GIFT FOR UPPER SCHOOL

YEAR OF THE

Sofia Eichsteadt ’22 created a stunning mural which will be permanently housed in the Modern Language hallway in the Upper School. The mural consists of four different wooden panels painted with acrylics to represent the four different languages taught at GA. Each panel focuses on architecture from countries where the language is spoken and features backgrounds inspired by traditional patterns and silhouettes.

TIGER

In addition to our students who study Chinese showcasing their knowledge of Chinese history and language via video, many Lower School students and faculty celebrated the Lunar New Year with crafts, an assembly, and beautiful chalkboard drawings of food, money, animals, and fireworks.

MODEL UN MEMBERS TAKE HOME HONORS

Upper School students participated in the 2021 Model UN Senate Hearings on the topics of Big Tech and Social Media, and Carbon Capture and Sequestration in Philadelphia. Seven students won speaking awards with Austin Graffam ’25 and Kayla D’Eletto ’23 taking home outstanding honors and Sam Wang ’23, Katja Wetzel ’23, Celina Bagchi ’24, Noelle Paynton ’23, and Logan Shallow ’23 receiving honorable mention. Luke Weidemoyer ’23 and Wang met Khawar Nasim, Acting Consul General of Canada, at the 2021 Model Senate on Science and Technology.

GRAPPLERS QUALIFY FOR NATIONAL WRESTLING TOURNAMENT

Jacob Sasson ’23 and Robert Leeds ’25 qualified for the 2022 National Preps Wrestling Tournament after Leeds finished third at 113lbs and Sasson finished fifth at 138lbs at the PAISA Wrestling Championships. Leeds was also named secondteam All-Inter-Ac.

DESIGN DAY LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR LOWER SCHOOL

Lower School flexed their creative muscles on Design Day this year. The students launched into a gift giving experience by learning more about a friend. They then got into action by designing a apecial gift for their partner.

STUDENTS PERFORM AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

Presenting a concert after just one day of rehearsal, Carolyn Connolly ’23, Sam Wang ’23, Ansh Kakadia ’24, Alex Badami ’22, Andrei Vava ’24, Alex Cai ’22, and Jordan Boymel ’23 worked with director of bands at Temple University, Dr. Patricia Cornett, at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 11 Band Festival. David Niemynski ’17

Shreya Shah ’18 YOUNG ALUMNI VISIT UPPER SCHOOL

Through a new program with College Counseling, GA welcomed Alex Kurtz ’17, Andy Huang ’17, Shreya Shah ’18, Allie Ernst ’16, Mykal-Michele Longino ’18, Olivia Negro ’19, David Niemynski ’17, Brianna Owen ’16, and Kristine Wang ’19 in person and virtually to chat with students about their academic and career pursuits.

EVERYBODY WINS!

While Covid pushed the Parents’ Committee’s annual Faculty/Staff Appreciation Lunch to a boxed-lunch and online raffle event, this year’s version was amazing! Thanks to the generosity of the parent community, there was a prize for each of the 280 full-time employees at GA.

GA COMMUNITY PROUDLY SUPPORTS UKRAINE

To support the citizens of Ukraine, the all-school Community Service Organization (CSO) collected monetary and medical supply donations allowing employees and Middle and Upper School students a dress down day that incorporated the colors of the Ukraine flag, blue and yellow. Contributions from outside the GA community included medical supplies donated from Doylestown Hospital and Johnson & Johnson. In addition to the supplies that will be sent, Middle School students created handmade cards to go in the boxes. Daniel Dashko’28, whose family hails from Ukraine, led the effort.

CROSS-DIVISIONAL PEN PALS CONNECT DURING WINTER

First and sixth grade students wrote and received letters from each other during the winter thanks to “Pen Pals Across the Quad,” a project to help build community and practice writing. This spring, the Pen Pals will meet in person on Connor Quad for a game of kickball.

HEALTHCARE ALUMNI GIVE INSIGHT WITH “CLUB MED” STUDENTS

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT PUBLISHES BOOK

A published author walks among our Middle School students. Mallea Kelly ’27 had a passion for creative storytelling and horror, which led her to write her first book. Titled The Orphan’s Game, the book tells the story of Carmen – an orphan, who was chosen by a mysterious woman to be a contestant in her annual Orphan’s Game. But the devil hides in the details, as Carmen soon finds out. The book can be found on Amazon. GA’s Upper School Club Med, comprised of students interested in pursuing a medical career, welcomed alumni back to campus in early March for the Medical Professionals Panel Discussion followed by one-on-one conversations. Hats off to the Club Med student leaders who organized the entire event and thank you to all of the alumni panelists! Student leaders and alumni panelists included (L-R): Aayush Kevadia ’23, Maria Petko ’23, Dr. Pamela Lorenzon Simms ’86 (Licensed Psychologist), Dr. Jillian Baron ’03 (Attending Physician, Infectious Diseases and HIV), Dr. Andrew Mersky ’96 P’24 (Emergency Physician), Dr. Carlyn Patterson Gentile ’02 (Pediatric Neurology Resident), Dr. Charles Vollmer ’85 (Chief, Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Penn Medicine), Kirby Begley, BSN, RN ’12 (Nurse, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit), Dr. Alexander Poor ’99 (General Surgeon), Sangeetha Bhuyan ’22, Dr. William Kay ’04 (Veterinarian, Owner - Hickory Veterinary Hospital), Jason Wang ’22.

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

GA celebrated Black History Month in a variety of ways this year. Kicking off with a festive party in the Upper School, throughout February students and faculty attended weekly poetry readings in the Roberts Family Library, held discussions about Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and participated in several other activities coordinated by the Black Student Alliance. Our Lower School also held a special assembly, produced completely by students, and shared with parents.

Alissa Freeman ’23 gave voice to Miss Medda Larkin (left) and Asher Sasson ’23 (below) created some sparks in the Technical Theater shop.

LIVE THEATER IS BACK AND “NEWSIES” GOT THE WORD OUT

Newsies, GA’s winter Belfry musical, had the largest cast of any Belfry show to date, with more than 80 Middle and Upper School students showing off their talent in acting roles, stage crew, and playing in the pit band during four sold-out shows in the Arts Center. Led by director and Middle School drama teacher Joanna Rominger, Newsies was a dazzling display of collaboration between students and faculty, including assistant directors Upper School theater teacher K. Richardson, Middle School English teacher Kristen Donches 1760, and special guest teacher Emma Hearn ’14. Hearn, taking a break from her Broadway pursuits, created original choreography along with choreographer Maria Jackson and dance captains Morgen Zighelboim ’23 and Brianna Geist ’24 that led to spectacular and large dance scenes throughout the show.

Senior Will Cooper ’22 and sophomore Madison Quinter ’24 led an all-star cast that many audience members returned to see night after night. In addition to developing the show from an acting perspective, the production crew created a fantastic set of mostly steel which required extensive welding. It was designed and produced by students, including set designers Bethany Matje ’22 and Candice Medina ’22, and overseen by production director and technical theatre teacher Paul Moffitt.