GFS Bulletin: The Faculty Issue

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IN THIS ISSUE

‘Repairing the world’

A Q&A with U.S. Ambassador to Canada David L. Cohen and Rhonda R. Cohen about the new Cohen Family Scholarship endowed fund at GFS.

The Past is Present

A look back at some of the dedicated, impactful faculty members from the school’s distant and recent past.

Continuing Revelation

How GFS teachers weave lessons on Quakerism and Meeting for Worship through every division, from Early Childhood through Upper School.

ON THE COVER

Yes, that is a real bulletin board on the cover! Follow the QR code for a behind the scenes video of our team’s production process.

EDITOR

Emily Kovach

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Eryn Jelesiewicz

CONTRIBUTORS

Kyle Bagenstose

Barb Barnett, design

Grace Chi, design

Lilly Dupuis ’17, photography

Scott Foley, photography

Ilana Goldfus

Hillel J. Hoffmann

Eryn Jelesiewicz

Emily Kovach

Charlie Myran ’14

Timothy Wood, GFS Archivist

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dana Weeks

CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

Hannah Caldwell Henderson ’91

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Maureen Carr, Clerk, Religious Life

Hardin L.K. Coleman ’71

Joan Cannady Countryman ’58

Ben Cushman ’72, Nominating and Governance Committee Co-Clerk

Marc DiNardo ’80, Recording Clerk, Facilities Committee Clerk

Moira Clare Duggan

David Feldman ’76, Clerk

Carmen E. Guerra

David Loder ’72

Takashi Moriuchi, Treasurer and Finance Committee Clerk

Zoë Samuel Rankin ’06

Dianne E. Reed

Anne B.K. Stassen

Matthew Stitt ’05

Anthony Stover

Elizabeth A.W. Williams, Assistant Clerk, Nominating and Governance Committee Co-Clerk

TRUSTEES EMERITI

Pat Macpherson

Christopher Nicholson*

Samuel V. Rhoads ’82

Pat Rose

F. Parvin Sharpless

David A. West ’49*

*deceased

The GFS Bulletin is published for the alumni, parents, faculty, and friends of Germantown Friends School. We welcome your comments to the editor at: ekovach@germantownfriends.org.

Dear Friends,

In this issue, we explore the theme of teaching and learning at GFS. Many of you have shared wonderful stories of GFS teachers who made a positive impact on you, and I invite you to take a moment to remember one of them today. Say their name out loud. Paint a mental picture of their classroom or an

that

was particularly memorable,

and

interaction

consider what it was that made their teaching so important to you.

Perhaps there was a teacher who turned your assumptions on their head or showed you that mistakes were opportunities for learning (and laughter, too). Maybe there was a teacher or coach who helped you reach beyond your perceived limitations or someone who helped you articulate your unique perspective on the world.

The faculty here at GFS have always been a dynamic and committed group—contagiously passionate about their subject areas and invested in their students as learners and people. Their own authenticity has been a source of inspiration, encouraging students to become increasingly and flourishingly themselves. They have made their classrooms, workshops, and studios generative spaces where inquiry and dialogue are central.

As the opening of the All School Commons nears, there is much anticipation as to the ways in which faculty in the arts, computer science, design, and engineering will approach teaching and learning in this new home for collaboration and creativity.

While our teachers each bring their own unique skills and passions, they are united in their commitment to nurturing the Light within every individual. Every day offers the joy of new learnings and experiences—and, importantly, the chance to celebrate that Light.

In these pages, you will find a collection of stories about a few of the many talented faculty, past and present, whose sustained efforts have made for meaningful learning experiences for their students. We are deeply grateful to them for this ongoing work, and to you, our GFS community, whose steadfast support makes this work possible.

Warmly, Dana Weeks Head of School

NEWS & NOTEWORTHY

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT 31 W. COULTER STREET—AND BEYOND

2024 Alumni Weekend: Continuing a Cherished Tradition

THE 2024 ALUMNI WEEKEND TOOK PLACE FROM MAY 16-19, WHEN OVER 400 GUESTS, INCLUDING ALUMNI AND their families, and retired faculty and staff, returned to campus to share memories and connect with old friends. Festivities kicked off on Thursday with the International Students Program (ISP) 10-Year Anniversary Dinner. Under the party tent set up on the Common, current and former ISP students, host families, faculty, and staff from around the world swapped stories and enjoyed photo displays and speeches.

At the Alumni Weekend Welcome Reception on Friday, remarks were shared by GFS Head of School Dana Weeks, Chief Advancement Officer Hannah Caldwell Henderson ’91, and Michael Williamson, a former GFS teacher and administrator. Williamson reflected on the late Alden (Denny) Mellor Heck ’63, alumna and former art teacher at GFS. “Wisdom Beauty Simplicity,” an exhibition of Heck’s

stirring, contemplative paintings, was co-curated and installed by Williamson and Jim Miller (Heck’s husband) in the Front Hall of Main Building.

The schedule on Saturday was a busy one: during registration on the Meetinghouse front porch, class mates joyfully greeted one another. Classes ending in 4 and 9 celebrating milestone reunions turned out in high numbers, particularly the Class of 1974 and the Class of 2004 (see page 15 for more on these classes’ gifts).

Volunteer faculty, staff, and students gave campus tours, while others met up at Fields for the alumni baseball game, where alumni players from 1970-2023 took on—and ultimately triumphed over—the GFS varsity boys team.

Meeting for Worship was held in the Meetinghouse, and the 25th annual West Alumni Award was presented to Thomas (Tom) Theodore Loder ’76. It was also announced, to much applause, that the iconic portico and front steps of the Main Building will be dedicated to the award’s namesakes, Susan Quillen West ’49 and David A. West ’49, both of whom passed away in 2023.

That afternoon, Alumni Weekend guests headed to one of three minicourses on offer, and later that evening, folks met both on- and offcampus for class reunion parties.

On Sunday, many alumni returned to campus for a memorial Meeting for Worship and reception in honor of Denny Heck. Soon after, ensembles from Lower, Middle, and Upper School filled the Meetinghouse with joyful music during the annual Spring Choral Concert. It was a special way to close Alumni Weekend, with current and former students and families gathered in community. —Emily Kovach

Save the date for this year’s Alumni Weekend: May 16–18, 2025.

L to R: Aaron Loder ’18, Amina Loder, David E. Loder ’72, Thomas T. Loder ’76, Karen Loder ’74, Danny Loder ’20, Julya Loder ’11, Kyle Loder ’09.

“Wisdom Beauty Simplicity,” an exhibition of paintings by Alden (Denny) Mellor Heck ’63.

Join the Club

STUDENT-LED CLUBS AND AFFINITY GROUPS HAVE BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY AT GFS FOR decades. They create opportunities for students to see and define themselves in organic, authentic ways, and to learn from one another and adult mentors. Over the past few years, the interest among students has grown significantly, as have the number of options they can choose from. This has widened the scope of opportunity for students to both broaden their experiences and dive deep into who they are becoming.

“Students often describe clubs as safe spaces for fellowship and fun, where they can connect, explore their interests, and expand their identity development,” said Behnaz Varamini, Upper School Assistant Director for Student Life. “Kids across grades and friend groups meet up in these clubs, and that creates a sense of community, belonging, and joy.”

Currently, there are over 80 studentdesigned and led clubs in Middle and Upper School (and more forming in Lower School every year). Some are based around broad interests, like Art Club, Drama Club, and Chess Club, while others are much more specific, like Clinical Medicine Club, Motorsports Club, and Volleyball Club.

Social identity affinity groups include Latin American Student Solidarity Organization, the Black Student Union, Sistahs, Chaverim, and Asian Students Association, and many more. Affinity spaces are a strong focus in Middle School, which Varamini said is helpful in preparing students for Upper School life.

GFS club and affinity space offerings are constantly evolving, often driven by student interest and energy and guided by faculty and staff. In the past two years, these new groups (among many others!) have been added to the line-up:

• Fifth Grade Stewardship Club: Created to empower fifth graders to become leaders in stewardship.

Meeting weekly during lunch, students choose and lead various projects focused on caring for the GFS campus and community.

• GFS Chinese Music Ensemble (CME): Formed to spread Chinese traditional music culture and to create more opportunities for students to learn Chinese traditional instruments.

• Sharing Physics and Chemistry Experiments (S.P.A.C.E.): A place for Upper School students to share passions for physics and chemistry, and to bring these scientific fields to life.

• Middle Eastern and North African Club (MENA): MENA aims to promote a better understanding and appreciation of the rich history and traditions of the MENA community

through the sharing of food, music, and films. The club welcomes students from all backgrounds.

• Middle School Sexuality and Gender Alliance (MS SAGA): Led by faculty and staff volunteers, SAGA's mission is to provide support for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities. They meet weekly to talk about issues relating to sexuality and gender, and provide organizational support for events, like GFS’ annual Day of (No) Silence and Night of Noise.

• Sports Leadership Club: This club's goal is to provide a space for students to discuss their experiences in sports, learn to develop leadership skills (especially in athletics), and use those skills to create positive change in their communities.

STUDENT CLUB HIGHLIGHTS

In April 2024, the GFS Quiz Bowl team finished in 11th place out of 55 teams at the Small Schools National Quiz Bowl Tournament, an improvement over 17th place in 2023. (Pictured: First row, L to R: Ayanna Uppal ’25, Dean DeSeve ’24, William Kessler ’25, Milo Scanlon ’25; back row, L to R: Julian Zhao ’25, Maisie Quinn ’25, Luca Capecchi ’24, Mark Doraszelski ’24, Gavi Gilbert-Trachtman ’24)

demic and Social Enrichment) and Sistahs hosted a trip to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University for 34 kindergarten students from Logan Elementary School, a public school in Germantown. The trip was paid for with fundraising efforts from both groups. (Pictured: Isabella Bynum ’25 with a student on the field trip)

The Black Student Union sponsored the 2nd Annual Welcome Back Barbeque in Fall 2024.

Francine Locke Appointed GFS’ Director of Sustainability

GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL HAS NAMED FRANCINE LOCKE AS THE SCHOOL’S FIRST DIRECTOR of Sustainability. Through an innovative partnership with Westtown School, this is a shared role, with Locke working in a part-time capacity for both institutions.

Locke brings a wealth of experience and knowledge; she has a master’s degree in environmental

On Arbor Day, the Environmental Action Committee planted trees at nearby Howell Park with GFS horticulturist Dan Comley and the Friends of Howell Park. Later, the group joined the Campus Climate Coalition for a community art project and a tree planting ceremony on campus. Students’ poems were read and an oak seedling was established in its new home near the English Building. (Pictured: Elli Greenbaum ’24 and Amelia Swedloff ’25)

health from Temple University, and previously served as Chief Sustainability Officer for Delaware County, and as the Director of Sustainability and Green Schools for the School District of Philadelphia. At GFS, Locke will work side-by-side with the community, including students, to develop a comprehensive, data- and metrics-driven sustainability plan. This work will begin with a “State of Sustainability” report that will be publicly shared in early 2025.

Locke noted that her work will be enhanced by the fact that sustainability and Stewardship are closely-held values at GFS.

“Everyone here gets it, and that’s a beautiful thing to inherit in this position,” she said. “There is already a ton of interest and wonderful people leading this work.”

Her primary focus at GFS, at least in the coming year, will be the new Dining Hall in the All School Commons. Plans include decreasing food waste through composting and food donation; using reusable dishes, cups, and silverware; and sourcing local products and produce.

From September 7–9, 2024, the GFS Debate Team participated in the National Speech and Debate Association Season Opener at the University of Kentucky. Andrew Li ’26 and Luke Zhong ’26 made the quarterfinals and placed in the top six at the tournament out of over 400 teams. Li was also ranked as the sixth best speaker in the tournament. (Pictured: Li (left) and Zhong (right) with faculty advisors, Rebekah So and Adam Hotek)

“We’re getting students involved in all of this, and I know they’ll get behind it,” Locke said. “And as we include them in this work and they begin to lead the way, they are going to graduate from Germantown Friends as real sustainability stewards.”

She will also turn her attention to other issues in the school, like energy and water consumption, while maintaining a holistic approach to sustainability.

“That means infusing a sustainability mindset into everything we’re doing from how we are purchasing electricity, to how we are taking care of ourselves and our communities,” she said. “Climate change is the greatest public health threat of our time, and our most vulnerable populations are at the highest risk. So we have a responsibility there, as well. These are the things that are going to be instilled in our students as they move along.”

—E.K.

A team from the GFS Competitive Business and Investment Club participated in the PennSEM Business Case Competition, organized by the Penn Social Entrepreneurship Movement at UPenn, in September 2024. Based on their submission, the GFS team (Leon Huang ’25, Vedant Srinivasan ’26, Barry Liu ’25, and Jacob Womack ’26) earned a spot in the global semi-finals. The team’s submission was ranked first runner-up among all North American submissions. —E.K.

Documentary Reconnects Drew Dickler ’08 with P.E. Teacher Cheryl Bruttomesso

IN THE SUMMER OF 2023 WHILE DRIVING CROSS-COUNTRY, DREW DICKLER ’08 RECALLED A SEEMINGLY RANDOM childhood memory: She’s in second grade having a conversation with GFS Phys. Ed. teacher and athletics coach, Cheryl Bruttomesso, on the steps of the Cary Building. Curiously, she’s also holding a large plastic fish.

The more she thought about the memory, the more this simple interaction, and her relationship with Bruttomesso, took on greater emotional resonance.

“As a gay kid in the 90s, which I very much was, Cheryl being an out lesbian was basically a miracle to me—even if I didn’t realize it at the

time,” Dickler said. “I always looked forward to her P.E. class; it was a place I felt myself and felt seen.”

Dickler, a documentary filmmaker and the founder of Brooklyn-based production studio, Deep Dive Films, decided to use this memory as the jumping-off point for a personal project.

After learning that Bruttomesso still teaches at GFS, Dickler emailed her to share the idea of a documentary short about her second grade memory and Bruttomesso’s work as an out teacher over the past 35 years.

Bruttomesso instantly remembered Dickler, and had no hesitation getting on board.

“I said I’d be honored to be in the film,” she remembered. “I put 100% trust in her that she would take care of me and do what she thought was right.”

Bruttomesso connected Dickler with André Robert Lee ’89, a film teacher at GFS, who became a producer on the film. He helped organize a two-day shoot on campus in May, which included a candid conversation between Dickler and Bruttomesso and re-enacted scenes from Dickler’s memory.

The documentary, titled “Big Bass,”was completed in October. It has a distinctively 90s flavor, with a voiceover by Dickler grounded by the tender intergenerational connection that blooms on-screen between the former student

Drew Dickler ’08 plans to submit “Big Bass” to independent and queer film festivals this winter.

and current teacher. During their interview, questions about Dickler’s rediscovered memory soon turn to her regrets about not coming out in high school and her worries that she let Bruttomesso down by staying closeted.

“I realized that I was carrying those guilty feelings more than I realized,” Dickler said. “That wasn’t what the

Seconds, Please!

The recent transformation of Smith Gym ushers in a new era of nourishment that radiates joy across campus

The new Dining Hall in the All School Commons is now open to the GFS campus community. This beautiful space includes a large seating area in Smith Gym (pictured), a spacious servery, and an extensive commercial kitchen. The Dining Hall rolled out in phases for faculty and staff and grades 5-12 in late October, and has been open for breakfast, lunch, and snacks since then. Fourth graders will join the action in January.

In the short time since its opening, it is clearly evident how transformative this space has already been for the community. The chance to gather and break bread each day has been a positive new facet of GFS life.

GFS has partnered with Meriwether Godsey (MG), a Virginia-based dining management company, to operate the Dining Hall. MG shares the school’s values of community and sustainability, and is committed to buying local, recycling, and composting. The rotating daily menus are full of healthy and innovative dishes, ranging from comfort food classics, like smoked gouda mac and cheese and steak frites, to fresh options like chickpea and feta salad and Thai basil chicken wraps. Plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dishes are available for every meal, every day.

Walter Ellerbe, Director of Dining Services at GFS, estimates that upwards of 90 percent of the

film was originally about, but Cheryl and I uncovered this deeper emotional experience, and that was a very healing moment for me.”

Bruttomesso, who has been an outspoken mentor to generations of queer GFS students, sees that as one of the central points of the film.

“The part that really got me is when Drew said, ‘I didn’t do it right.’ Many queer kids think similar things because our society is so judgemental,” she said. “There’s no blueprint to living other than to be true to yourself.”

Dickler, who said this film is the most meaningful thing she’s ever made, crafted “Big Bass” as an honest portrayal of her and Bruttomesso’s experiences, and a bit of truth from her childhood.

“I wanted to use this film to explore memory, identity, and the power of showing up as your authentic self,” she said. “I really hope it allows people to honor a person in their life that supported them the way Cheryl supported me.” —E.K.

food served in the Dining Hall is made from scratch. Philly-made products, like coffee from Many Hands Coffee and bread from Merzbacher’s of Germantown are also on the menu. Other exciting features in the Servery include a deck pizza oven, a hot rice bar, a DIY waffle station, and a grab-and-go case full of salads, sandwiches, fruit, and drinks.

Chris Blain, Director of Business Development at Meriwether Godsey noted that the MG culinary team will work with the school community to incorporate menu feedback and innovate special dishes for holidays and cultural heritage months.

“We’ve been getting to know GFS since January and the conversation with the community is ongoing,” Blain said. “We want our guests to be engaged, telling us what they do and don’t like so that we can work everybody’s favorites into the menu and offer foods from all of the various countries that are represented at GFS.”

Arts and computer science classes will begin to be offered in the All School Commons this winter, with a grand opening celebration to follow during Alumni Weekend (May 16–18, 2025). —E.K.

Lower School P.E. teacher and coach Cheryl Bruttomesso has worked at GFS for 35 years.

‘A seat in the boat for everyone’

The GFS crew program is building momentum on and off the water

By Hillel J. Hoffmann

HOW DO YOU MEASURE A SUCCESSFUL SEASON? BY ANY STANDARD, THE 2024 GFS CREW BLEW IT OUT OF THE WATER.

Five GFS boats, including both the girls and boys varsity quads—the largest type of boat in sculling competitions, each seating four athletes rowing with two oars—qualified for the USRowing Youth National Championships in Florida, and four finished in the top 16. The girls freshman quad finished first in the City Championships for the second straight year. A freshman girls quad and a freshman boys quad earned medals in the School Rowing Association of America National Championships Regatta in New Jersey, and the same two boats won medals at the 97th Stotesbury Cup Regatta in Philadelphia, the world’s

largest high school regatta.

Not bad for a program that’s so new.

“I’m proud of the kids and what they’ve accomplished,” said Brian Severi, head varsity crew coach since the sport was elevated from club to varsity status at GFS in 2019. “I’m proud of their self-motivation, their positive attitude, their commitment to their teammates, and their ability to work hard while still having fun.”

Crew at GFS is hot, and the program’s growth is showing no signs of slowing down. A record-high 53 athletes rowed for the Tigers in the spring 2024 season, or about one of every nine Upper School students. Last year, the program moved its boats into a bigger home at Fairmount Rowing Association on Philadelphia’s historic Boathouse

Row. Renovations are underway at Middle House at Fields, where the team will soon have expanded indoor and outdoor spaces for more “ergs” (rowing machines used for training and winter competitions), storage, and events.

Part of what makes the program such a good fit for GFS Athletics is its culture of equity. Every member of the team begins their journey in the same place: as novices in GFS crew’s Learn to Row program, which introduces rowers to the basics of competition, safety on the water, and more.

“GFS crew has a seat in the boat for everyone,” said GFS Athletic Director Katie Bergstrom Mark. “All body types and all genders are welcome, and there are opportunities for all types of student-athletes: elite athletes in other

sports, athletes who want to try something new, and students who haven’t participated in competitive sports before.”

Anand Rajagopalan ’25 knew almost nothing about rowing when he came to GFS as a ninth grader. He decided to give the sport a try, starting from scratch in the Learn to Row program. Three years later, Rajagopalan is co-captain of the team and hopes to join the growing list of recent GFS graduates who’ve rowed for top NCAA Division I programs such as Harvard, Michigan, Penn, Princeton, and Stanford.

“At first, what I liked most about crew was being on the water and the feeling of stepping away from the hustle of high school life,” Rajagopalan said. “As I got

older, I started to enjoy the process of pushing myself to get better off the water. That dedication that I’ve had to bring to the erg and to training started to carry over into my school life.”

As he enters his senior year, his appreciation for his GFS crew experience continues to evolve.

“The team in my years at GFS has become really close; that closeness has translated to a lot of success,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine what it would’ve been like if I hadn’t come to GFS, decided to row, and experienced what rowing has meant for so many aspects of my life.”

Clockwise from top left: Zeke Hammarhead ’27; GFS crew varsity captains (L to R): Isabella Ammon ’26, Anand Rajagopalan ’25, and Lila Donovan ’25; Historic Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River; Brian Severi, head varsity crew coach; (clockwise from upper left) sophomores Sophia McCrea, Josie Hong-Goranin, Kate Mardeusz, and Misha Cappiello preparing for practice.

THANK YOU to our GFS Athletics coaches who teach, inspire, and lead our student-athletes on the field, court, track, mat, and river.

Home Field Advantage

Exciting new Athletics upgrades for 2024–25

THIS YEAR, GFS’ ATHLETICS FACILITIES HAVE TAKEN ON A GREENER HUE THANKS TO A STATE-OF-THE-ART irrigation system installed this summer, one of a number of upgrades implemented to enhance the safety, sustainability, and competitive play at the school’s multi-use varsity fields.

Extensive discussion and engineering assessment of facility usage and overall playability informed the plans.

“Because ensuring the sustainability of our facilities for future generations is foremost, we renewed our commitment to environmentally-responsible, natural turf grass,” said Athletics Director Katie Bergstrom Mark.

The new irrigation and drainage system was installed on both Gratwick baseball and AA Smith soccer fields. These fields have been regraded and leveled, including the swale down the middle of the two fields. By the end of the fall, 50-foot tall netting will be added between the baseball and tennis areas. This improvement will increase safety during practices and games, and establish a permanent

infield with a skinned infield crown and rebuilt pitching mound. New dugouts and storage will be installed for baseball, as well as a new scoreboard for boys soccer.

Future plans include irrigation and drainage updates to Konover Field (field hockey) and the Track Field (soccer and lacrosse), as well as upgrades to the Middle House at Fields for events, dry land crew practice, concessions, and all-gender restrooms.

Back at Main Campus, students will be able to work out in a new fitness facility now under construction in the old cafeteria in the Main Building. At over 4,000-square feet, it will be one of the largest facilities among peer schools. In addition to fitness and meeting rooms, there will be designated spaces for cardio, plyometrics, Olympic lifting, speed work, and a new slam wall. These are just the starting point of a larger plan that is in the works to upgrade Athletics spaces and resources across the school.

—Eryn Jelesiewicz

Athletics facilities upgrades include the installation of an irrigation system at Gratwick baseball field.

‘Repairing the world’

Why U.S. Ambassador to Canada David L. Cohen and Rhonda R. Cohen were inspired to establish the Cohen Family Scholarship endowed fund at GFS

By Emily Kovach

ON A BRIGHT DAY IN SEPTEMBER, GFS’ CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

Hannah Caldwell Henderson ’91 and photographer Scott Foley stood outside of a tall iron gate in front of a limestone manor perched on a hill in Ottawa, Ontario. This circa-1908 estate, called Lornado, is the official residence of the United States Ambassador to Canada, and the current home of U.S. Ambassador to Canada David L. Cohen and his wife, Rhonda R. Cohen. The Cohens moved there in 2021, when he was appointed to the ambassadorship by President Biden and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate.

Prior to his appointment, Ambassador Cohen held a number of significant business, civic, and charitable positions, including Senior Executive Vice President and Senior Advisor to the CEO at Comcast NBCUniversal, Chair of the law firm Ballard Spahr, and Chief of Staff to Mayor Edward G. Rendell. Since retiring from a 20-year law career, Rhonda has been an active philanthropist and volunteer, sitting on the boards of Delaware Valley Friends School, Swarthmore College, and the Community College of Philadelphia, among others. She also chairs the board of the Glenmede Trust Company. They are true leaders in Philadelphia—and now on the global stage—and their commitment to education and service is extraordinary.

The Cohens recently established the Cohen Family Scholarship endowed fund at Germantown Friends School through the Huron Foundation, with the input of their children, Joshua Cohen ’08 and Benjamin Cohen. This newly endowed fund will increase financial aid and access at GFS, one of the key pillars of the Picture This campaign. Henderson and Foley traveled to Lornado to meet and thank the Cohens in-person. They also enjoyed the privilege of sitting down with David and Rhonda for a discussion on the couple’s perspectives on access to education and what drives the family’s philanthropic work.

What about GFS has stayed with you since Josh graduated?

AMBASSADOR DAVID L. COHEN: Josh was a GFS lifer, and even after college, law school, and being out in the real world, his closest friends remain GFSers; their bond is truly unique. GFS is more than just a school, it’s a real community. And I think that the kids feel that, too.

RHONDA R. COHEN: We liked the school’s approach to learning, to community, and to being kind. Also, our experiences with the teachers were really wonderful, especially in Lower School. Josh had Susan Shechtman; she was amazing. He had Babo Stern and Margaret Fleisher, too.

HCH: You’ve both given so generously to educational institutions with your time, energy, and resources. Why is that where you’ve chosen to focus your efforts?

DC: I don’t mean to sound trite, but I do think education is the ultimate leveler of the playing field, and provides absolutely essential tools for our young people to shape the future of our world.

In the Jewish religion, there’s this important concept of tikkun olam , which very loosely translates to “repair the world.” That is one of the central roles of charity in the Jewish religion, and we’ve adopted it as one of the obligations that we as leaders have. I believe that one of the most important roles that educational institutions have is to train and inculcate young people in the ways in which they can repair the world. That’s been a theme that’s tied together a lot of my life, and it runs through our philanthropy. I can’t think of more leverage that our charitable dollars can produce than supporting quality educational institutions. And the better the institution—including

HANNAH CALDWELL HENDERSON ’91:

places like GFS, Swarthmore, and Penn—there is a special importance to make sure that there is access to the institution for all, regardless of income level, race, or the neighborhood where you grow up.

RC: David’s frame is right, but for me, my passion was amplified by having a child with learning issues [Ed. note: The Cohens’ older son Ben attended Delaware Valley Friends School].

Sending him to the right school helped him to overcome his obstacles and put him on the right path. We saw, in a very personal way, the positive impact that a quality education can have on your child. It’s not a direct comparison, but for some kids, it’s not learning obstacles, but economic obstacles. And if you can get them into a place and help to remove those so that they can then learn and become very productive citizens, that’s something you want to support. It’s really about removing obstacles, and money is too often a big one.

HCH: What inspired your support of financial aid and access at GFS?

DC: I don’t think there’s a finer elementary or secondary education institution that I’ve ever come in contact with. GFS has the whole package— highest quality education, faculty, community, and student body.

When you have an institution like GFS that very intentionally and with purpose goes out and says, “We have to raise money and make sure that

this opportunity is available to everyone,” I think people like us have an obligation to support that.

If we actually believe in the importance of education, the value of repairing the world, and how young people with an education can grow up to actually change the world—and you’ve got an institution that wants to make sure that opportunity is available to everyone—the only way to do that is to raise money. We need to step up and support that, and to make sure that GFS can be successful in raising the financial support necessary to provide that extraordinary education to everyone, regardless of their income level.

HCH: Has your role as U.S. Ambassador to Canada changed any of your philosophies about education?

DC: This job has really expanded the way I think about the role of education, which I thought I understood. My views have expanded beyond

Philadelphia and the United States to a more global perspective. Now, I’m even more focused on arming kids with the tools to be able to be active participants in society defined in a much larger context—that could be an active participant in building a nursing corps in Philadelphia; that could mean arming our GFS graduates to go to college where they get trained and come back to teach the next generation of kids at GFS who will benefit from this incredible Friends education; or you could have someone that says, “I’m going to take on climate change as an issue and be armed to guide my vocation to do that.” You could even have a GFS student who wants to go into the foreign service and work to promote American values and become a diplomat around the world.

I’m more focused now on the role of educational institutions in building skill sets and transferring values [through education]. It’s building a community where values are important and are practiced. If you’re constantly interacting with a community where your values are inculcated and part of your life, that’s how you transfer values to the next generation.

Opposite: Rhonda R. Cohen and U.S. Ambassador to Canada David L. Cohen; above: Ambassador Cohen and Hannah Caldwell Henderson ’91 met in-person this fall in Ottawa; left: Lornado.

Honoring Two Longtime GFS Supporters: Polly Miller Campbell ’44 & Nancy Bishop ’44

GFS SUPPORTERS COME FROM AN INCREDIBLE RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS. AGE-WISE, OUR GENEROUS philanthropic community stretches from Kindergarteners who donate a few dollars from their allowance on Giving Day to those alumni who have supported the school for generations.

Two of our oldest living supporters, Polly Miller Campbell and Nancy Bishop both hail from the Class of 1944. When Campbell and Bishop were seniors 80 years ago, WWII was raging, President Roosevelt won an unprecedented fourth term, and “Casablanca” won Best Picture at the 16th Academy Awards.

At GFS, Campbell was an active member of the Athletic Council and a star on the field hockey team. Since then, she has committed her support to her alma mater in a number of meaningful ways. Notably, two of her significant gifts have centered around creating social spaces for students: in 2005, her support helped transform a parking lot into the area now known as The Common, an outdoor gathering space that’s been beloved by students (and the entire community) for the last 20 years.

In 2024, Polly once again stepped forward in support of GFS’ Picture This campaign with a named space in the new All School Commons: the Polly Miller Campbell ’44 Study Lounge. This airy, open space with a wide, welcoming bench is adjacent to the courtyard on the building’s ground floor.

Polly said that she likes to support places for students to hang out because her own GFS friendships have remained so important to her.

“I made good friends [at GFS], some of which lasted the best part of a lifetime. That atmosphere of friendli-

ness has certainly stayed with me!” she remarked. “And I believe that students should have spaces to relax between studying and school work.”

Nancy Bishop was Polly’s classmate; she, too, played on the field hockey team, and worked on the yearbook and The Pastorian, sat on the

ment. Throughout the decades, she has regularly supported the school through the Annual Fund and past campaigns. She has also contributed to the Class of 1944 Lower School Community Scholarship Fund, which was established by her class on the occasion of their 60th reunion.

Student Advisory Council, and was active in the Theatre Department. She remembers some of her favorite teachers being Joe Price, Lucinda Iliff, Howard Platt, and Harry Domincovich.

In 2018, Bishop became a member of the Open Door Society by generously providing for GFS through her estate plans. Her future gift will significantly increase the GFS endow-

In a previous interview for the GFS Bulletin, Bishop shared why she made a major planned gift to GFS (as well as her collegiate alma mater): “I think good education is probably the only thing that is going to save the world that we’re in at the moment . . . Places like GFS and Wellesley educate their students to think, and that is the chief thing I want to support.” —E.K.

Milestone Momentum

How the GFS Classes of 1974 and 2004 marked their reunions with generous support of the school

AT GFS, MILESTONE REUNIONS OFTEN

INSPIRE ALUMNI TO COLLABORATE ON CLASS GIFTS, WHICH ARE meaningful expressions of their belief in the mission and values of the school.

In 2024, the Class of 1974 and the Class of 2004—celebrating their 50th and 20th reunions, respectively—organized a strong show of support for GFS. We spoke to organizers from these classes to learn more about why each group was motivated to give back to their alma mater.

of the class gift, Bruce West, Harold “Koof” Kalkstein, and Stacy Mogul were enthusiastic about the idea. Former School Committee member and CSP alumna Carol Baldwin Moody sent a letter to the class to initiate wider engagement.

Members of ’74 began contributing, with some even making multiple gifts. Together, they ultimately raised $100,000 to create a newly endowed fund, The Class of 1974 Community Scholars Fund.

THE CLASS OF 1974

Jim Fernberger has admired GFS’ Community Scholars Program (CSP) since he was a student. The program was co-founded in 1966 by Albert “Ted” Wolf ’47 and Eric W. Johnson ’36 to help make GFS financially accessible to students from Germantown and nearby communities.

“I’ve gotten feedback from many of my friends [who were Community Scholars] over the years that their experiences at GFS were instrumental to their long-term success,” he said.

Fernberger and his wife, Mary Walto, have supported CSP for years. In conversations with his classmates about how to focus their 50th reunion class gift, he suggested the program. The other 1974 alumni at the helm

THE CLASS OF 2004

With two young children at home— one just starting preschool—Lauren Berg Joseph had been reflecting on her GFS years.

“I was thinking a lot about the incredible experiences that I had as a GFS lifer and the special moments that shaped who I am today. It made me nostalgic for the GFS days with the Class of ’04, and energized me to bring together our tight-knit class to do something that felt meaningful.”

The 20th reunion was the perfect opportunity.

With the help of Kristin Renee Young, Joseph galvanized the class to fund a gift to the GFS Annual Fund in memory of four fellow classmates who have passed away since graduation:

“I have been so inspired by the way our class chose this 50th reunion as a way to support an important program that represents Quaker values in such a life-altering manner,” Fernberger said.

At Alumni Weekend in May, many from the group spent time together on campus tours, at meals, and in Meeting for Worship.

“Reunions at GFS have an amazing way of underscoring the quality and diversity of our classmates, all of whom have grown up into totally interesting people,” noted Bruce West, an active reunion organizer for the Class of 1974.

“Our recent 50th reunion gathering offered the opportunity to interact, laugh, and share with classmates both familiar and less familiar from our years at GFS.”

“It’s very important to us to be able to remember and honor the four of our classmates we’ve lost,” Young said. “We feel the impact of them not being here.”

Not only did the Class of 2004 pitch in to the fundraising efforts, over 40 of them also gathered at the reunion party held at Attic Brewing Co. in Germantown during Alumni Weekend. Some traveled from across the county, and even from other countries, to attend.

“Our class was always very close, but especially with what we’ve been through over the past 20 years, we’re particularly close,” Young said. “A lot of us have kept in touch and it’s been so valuable to see how people have grown, as well as all of their incredible achievements.” —E.K.

Lee Forest Black, Claire Crawford, Ross Rutledge, and Sabrina Sampson-Knapp.

Supporting GFS Faculty Through the Faculty Leadership Fund

ASK ANY GFS ALUMNI WHAT THEY STILL HOLD CLOSE FROM THEIR SCHOOL DAYS AND THEY UNDOUBTEDLY RECALL THE CONNECTION THEY HAD—AND OFTEN continue to have—with a teacher. A common refrain is, “I still think about their class all the time…” This same sentiment is echoed every year by the senior class at their final Meeting for Worship.

Germantown Friends faculty are not only experts in their academic fields, but also in a range of other fields, fueling the rich milieu they create to foster innovative teaching and learning. They’re as committed to each student as they are to the community as a whole. As

the world evolves, they do as well, by continuing their education and bringing new ideas back to the school. Each year, faculty and school leadership nominate teachers who have consistently exemplified creativity and ingenuity in teaching, mentorship, and collaboration, and care and stewardship of our community for the annual Faculty Leadership Awards.

Established in 2011 by David West ’49 and Susan Quillen West ’49, with significant gifts from many others, the Faculty Leadership Fund recognizes this group of faculty members by providing supplemental salary support. —E.J.

Dana Weeks (left) with the 2024–25 Faculty Leadership Award recipients (L to R): Katie Aument, Liz Meyer, Allegra Millan, AJ Tvarok, Brian Bersh, Tim Jones, Sakina Parks, Erin Funck, and Gregor Kelsey.

Reflections from the 2024–25 FACULTY LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS

KATIE AUMENT Lower School Math Coordinator

“One pivotal ‘aha’ moment was realizing the importance of stepping back and allowing my tenacious students the space and time to work through challenging math tasks together, without intervening and potentially stifling their thinking. There’s joy in watching a child experiment with different approaches, refine their thinking through collaboration with peers, and ultimately arrive at an accurate and creative solution.”

BRIAN BERSH Music Department Head

“ I am grateful to GFS for supporting a structure in which we can both trust our teachers to develop their own curriculum and see them for the experts they are, while also providing professional development, coaching, and collaborative learning with colleagues to support continual revelation in the service of student learning and personal growth.”

Nancy Webster ’36 Mentorship Fund Award Recipient: Every year, one faculty member receives the Nancy Webster ’36 Mentorship Award. Created in 2012 in memory of Nancy Landenberger Webster ’36 by her husband, Maurice Webster ’35, and their children Becky Webster McKinnon ’64 and Stephen Webster ’61, the fund supports stipends for teachers who mentor other faculty members.

ERIN FUNCK

Middle School Learning & Assessment Specialist, Eighth Grade Advisor

“ Working at GFS means having a team of colleagues who are passionate about their content area, and are endlessly curious about their students. It’s a privilege to be in a role that truly gets to follow this curiosity every day to consider how we can improve the student experience.”

TIM JONES Second Grade Teacher

“GFS gives its teachers space to try new things and bring their personal interests into their teaching. I have time each day to incorporate important social-emotional learning into the curriculum, which creates opportunities to build authentic relationships with my students. I enjoy teaching at a school where I know that each of my colleagues is searching for, and lifting up, the Light in each child.”

GREGOR KELSEY Middle School Teacher, Seventh Grade Dean

“ Teaching at GFS has allowed me to be a part of a collaborative, reflective, and dedicated team of faculty members. Our colleagues all know that Middle School is a pivotal point in our students’ development, and we work together to meet them where they are and guide them through it.”

LIZ MEYER Early Childhood Teacher

“ I continue to be inspired by the faculty and staff at our school. The collegial environment at GFS helps us all be our best and feel supported. When we work together, the students benefit from a wealth of knowledge.”

ALLEGRA MILLAN Early Childhood Teacher

“ I sometimes joke that teachers are actors; we are on stage, working to capture our students’ attention and interest, always breaking through the fourth wall to connect with each of them, and inviting them to be a part of the process. These daily ‘performances’ are one of my favorite parts of being a teacher.”

SAKINA PARKS Program Manager, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia

“ The relationship between Breakthrough and GFS is unique in nature. Over the past few years, a strong culture of oneness and partnership has thrived and has played an important role in the continued progression and success of our program.”

AJ TVAROK Upper School Advisor, Technical Director

“GFS values continuing education both in and out of the classroom. In the past three years, GFS has supported me in receiving my master’s degree in Arts Administration which has been a wonderful addition to my classroom and work within the Theatre Department.”

The Past is Present

Faculty from across the school’s history who have made an indelible mark

by Hillel J. Hoffmann & Emily Kovach

IN LOOKING BACK ON THE LEGACY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AT GFS, ONE COULD FILL TOMES WITH memories of and stories about the faculty members who have supported, encouraged, and educated generations of students here. In fact, much ink has been spilled in the Bulletin lauding and honoring the legions of dedicated teachers who—from the school’s very beginning—have been foundational to the academic, social, and spiritual life of the community.

To continue the tradition of celebrating our faculty, we worked alongside GFS Archivist Tim Wood, co-author with Archivist Kate Stover of “Germantown Friends School: A Photographic History, 1845–2015,” to share some color commentary about a handful of teachers from the school’s distant and recent past. These individuals are just a sampling of the many people who have made an unforgettable impact at GFS.

HERBERT S. BASSOW

During Bassow’s tenure as department head from 1967 to 1995, the growth of science at GFS was as explosive as some of his legendary chemistry demonstrations. He added astronomy, geology, and seminars to the curriculum; created opportunities for students to do hands-on research in off-campus labs; and taught units on climate change before the subject became a staple elsewhere. He co-authored a popular chemistry textbook, ran American Chemical Society workshops for educators, and led

a National Science Foundation-funded project offering resources for novice chemistry teachers. At Temple University, Herb Bassow Demo Day—a day for local schoolchildren to see science demonstrations—is still celebrated annually.

MARY BREWER

“Mary Brewer did not start the school’s music program,” said former GFS history teacher and school historian Bill Koons. “She only revolutionized it.” When she joined the faculty in 1942 as Music Depart- ment head, a position she held her entire 33-year GFS career, the dynamic Brewer introduced ambitious, challenging music and unleashed a superb choir that sang with the Philadelphia Orchestra and trav- eled to Europe. Her legacy: the lifelong interest in music of the vast majority of her students, some of whom became profes- sional musicians, and a choir room and music endowment that carry her name.

JOAN CANNADY COUNTRYMAN ’58

Many people know Countryman as GFS’ first National Merit Scholar and Black graduate; as a senior administrator, Civil Rights leader, School Committee member, and German- town Monthly Meeting member; or perhaps as the founder of Oprah Winfrey’s Leader- ship Academy for Girls, or the long-serving head of Lincoln School. What should not be forgotten is her influence and innovation as a mathematics teacher at GFS, a position she took in 1970. A pioneer in the use of writing in math, Countryman believed that writing freed students from thinking of math as a set of rules and answers owned solely by teachers. She also championed the use of calculators in class—now common practice—and worked tirelessly to encourage more women and minorities to embrace math’s joys.

SUSANNA S. KITE

When GFS re-opened in 1864 after two false starts, they hired one teacher: Kite, then 22 years old. Salary: $400. Subjects: reading, writing, arith metic, spelling, history, and geography. Students: six. The reborn school was a success, enroll ment spiked, and Kite was named principal, a position she held until she was replaced by her brother-in-law in 1869 (to prevent an exodus of boys, she was told). The beloved “Teacher Sue” returned to the classroom, where she remained for the next 35 years, cementing her reputation as “kind” and “just.”

ALDEN (DENNY) MELLOR HECK ’63

It didn’t take Denny Heck long to change how art was taught at GFS when she returned to the school as a teacher in 1972. She started in the Lower School, shifting its focus to teaching foundational techniques and principles. Then, as Art Department head in the 1980s, she helped create a new schoolwide art curriculum built on a thoughtful sequencing of courses that introduced new elements each year as students steadily added skills and new ways of thinking. “Art,” Heck posited, “is an intellectual pursuit.” The number of students choosing art exploded in the years to come.

ERIC W. JOHNSON ’36

Of the positions that Johnson held at GFS between 1946 and his retire- ment in 1977—a long and broad list that includes English teacher, history teacher, soccer coach, director of de- velopment, and vice principal—it was as the school’s long-time sex educa- tion teacher that his national reputa- tion emerged. His first book among several on the subject, “Love and Sex in Plain Language” (1965) was the standard sex-education textbook in middle and high schools from coast to coast for decades, helping genera- tions of young people learn, as he wrote in the preface, that “sex is a part of life—only a part, but a healthy and natural part.”

WILLIAM F. KOONS

Students who had Bill Koons as their history teacher during his 34-year tenure at GFS, which began in 1973, will never forget the con- stant presence of his pipe. Tamp, tamp, tamp. Pause. Light. Pause. Smoke. Pause. Repeat. They’ll also remember the irrepressible Koons’ theatrical storytelling, his acerbic humor, his insistence that students dig deeply into primary sources and reach their own conclusions, and his passion for the subject— all of which combined to inspire scores of graduates to choose history as their college major. “You have to love what you do,” Koons told the GFS Bulletin in 1990, “you have to love what you teach.”

ANNE GERBNER

As head of the English Department and Directed Independent Study, Gerbner taught literature and writing to three decades of students, but what she really taught was a love of language. Her classroom was notable for lively discussions, performances, and bookmaking projects, and she took students to Germantown to write plays at Cliveden and to England to study at Winchester College. She organized journalism conferences that put Earthquake on the map. In collaboration with colleagues, parents, students, and alumni, Gerbner developed courses that introduced new and marginalized voices alongside canonical authors. She understood tradition, challenged it, and taught students to redefine it. WE’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR GFS FACULTY STORIES! Share them at communications@ germantownfriends. org.

GENEVIEVE M. NELSON

When Gen Nelson came to GFS in 1989, biology, chemistry, and physics were taught in four retrofitted, 600-square- foot classrooms in Sharpless. When she retired as Science Department head after 34 years of striving to “bring science at GFS into the 21st century,” Nelson had re-sequenced and integrated the curricu- lum to align with the latest pedagogy; introduced new subjects and activities, from bioethics to DNA separation and analysis; and spearheaded the push to build a glorious new home for science, the 16,400-square-foot Wade Science Center. Among the many positive out- comes: more students signing up for ad- vanced science classes, including more girls, an historically underrepresented group in the sciences.

IRVIN C. POLEY CLASS OF 1908

Poley was a giant—”a great teacher and a great teacher of teachers,” wrote former GFS teacher Bill Koons. The scale of his influence on his students, profession, and alma mater is immeasurable. At a school that had forbidden or resisted the arts, Poley—an English teacher starting in 1913 and, eventually, acting head of school before his retirement in 1958—steered GFS toward a full embrace of the arts, now one of the school’s defining strengths. His literature collection is displayed in the Main Building, where the auditorium bears his name, and the Friends Free Library holds the entirety of his personal scrapbook collection chronicling theatre in the early-to-mid 20th century. Perhaps the most fitting tribute to the father of the Theatre Program is the Poley Festival, the school’s annual celebration of student theatre, film, comedy, and dance.

FLORENCE BATTIS MINI

“Fearless, stubborn, a dedicated teacher.” These were a few of the words Anna Battis Kogan ’00, Flor- ence Battis Mini’s daughter, used to describe her mother on the occasion of her retirement. From 1983 through 2009, Battis Mini ran a tight ship in her Latin, Classics, and history classrooms, and was known for being tough but fair (she calculated grades to the closest tenth of a point). Though she was not one to tolerate “inappropriate” behavior among her students, she was always a good sport whenever she was satirized in Classics Day skits. Her enthusiasm for language was contagious, and she brought Latin to life through spirited debates, philosophical discussions, and the use of “the bird book.”

DAN SHECHTMAN

Shechtman was a physical education, history, and sex edu- cation teacher; a coach; the creator and head of the school’s Adventure Education program; an avid reader of The Journal of the Society for Primitive Technology; and a seeker of educational experiences in the great outdoors across North America. For 36 years starting in 1972, he transmitted that knowledge and enthusiasm to his students. Shechtman taught them to climb, make a fire, build a log cabin, and portage a canoe (his students did the latter 17 times on one field trip in northern Ontario). “If you treat children like they can do things,” he said, “they will do things.”

Class Acts

Meet the new faculty and staff at GFS

The start of each school year brings many new faces to the GFS community. In addition to the incoming students and their families who have joined us this fall, we’ve also welcomed new faculty and staff who will add their talents, ideas, and energy to our campuses and classrooms.

FIRST ROW, L TO R: Rachel Eakin, Lower School; Ainura Alakaeva, Lower School; Donna Lowber, Lower School; Orinthia Swindell, Early Childhood.

SECOND ROW, L TO R: Genevieve Chambers, Early Childhood; Yasmin Yousef, Lower School; Haley Moore, Early Childhood; Victoria Spaeth Nyce ’04, Lower School; Callie Ward, Upper School; Clara Roth, Open Door; Elena Napolitano, Advancement; Melissa Benski, College Counseling; Megan Kaulfers, Advancement; Meghan Hughes, Lower School; Sophie Laine, Lower School; Berenice Villanueva, Lower School; Emily Kovach, Communications.

THIRD ROW, L TO R: Adam Rosenblatt ’02, Upper School; Bonnie Bissonnette, Lower School; Madeleine Palden, Early Childhood; Meredith Wurtz, Lower School; CeCe Holeschak, Athletics; Kate Nothnagle, Open Door; Tess Beckwith, Lower School; Krista LaMaina, Athletics; Shannon Alexander, Communications; Anna Greenawalt, Middle School; Miles Thomas, Lower School.

FOURTH ROW, L TO R: Vinnie Rigoglioso, Upper School; Gabrielle Loperfido, Middle School; Charlie Lazin, Theatre; Raina Goldberg, Friends Free Library; Avery Nortonsmith, Computer Science; Leila El-Dada, Lower School; Jill Farrara, Middle School; Ken McKether, Business Office; Gabe BuyskeFriedberg ’16, Lower School.

NOT PICTURED: Syidah Abdullah, College Counseling; Ben Ansell, Lower School; Hayley Collins, Early Childhood; Alex Dark, Upper School; Claire Hewitt, Athletics; Robert Krauss, Middle School; Francine Locke, Director of Sustainability; Max Muñoz, Early Childhood; Yumi Namura, Upper School; Daniel Taboada, Upper School.

Personal Breakthroughs

For GFS faculty, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia isn’t just for the students: it’s transformed them, too

By Kyle Bagenstose

A CAREER AS AN INVESTMENT BANKER CHASING DOWN DEALS IN MANHATTAN FEELS WORLDS AWAY FROM THAT of a middle school math teacher. But for Matthew Greenawalt, the difference fit inside just one summer.

Twenty years ago, the GFS Class of 2002 graduate was enrolled at Williams College in Massachusetts, his eyes set on a future in finance. But something was bouncing around in the back of his head: an assembly during his junior year at GFS, where a speaker presented on Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, a program the school hosted that paired college-aged teaching fellows with local public school students for intensive tutoring.

Greenawalt was inspired to give Breakthrough a shot. He signed up as a summer teaching fellow not quite

L to R: Breakthrough Dean of Faculty Matthew Greenawalt ’02; Teaching Fellow Kennedi Hudson with a Breakthrough Scholar; Teaching Fellows Ben Carr ’25 and Kenny Chiu with Breakthrough Dean of Faculty Ceora WearingMoore.

knowing what to expect, and in turn found a new calling.

“I’d never been so challenged in my life,” Greenawalt said, comparing it favorably to more humdrum internships he experienced in finance. “I was so exhausted, but I’d found my passion: working with kids.”

Now, Greenawalt is a GFS Middle School math teacher, and also helps to lead Breakthrough as a Dean of Faculty, working in close partnership with fellow Dean of Faculty, Ceora Wearing-Moore, who is co-chair of the English Department in GFS’ Middle School.

Each year, about 175 local middle schoolers from public, charter, and parochial schools enroll in Breakthrough. For six weeks in the summer and every Saturday during the school

year, these Scholars come to GFS to meet with Teaching Fellows—college students who are trained and overseen by school faculty—to reinforce their learning in core subjects and electives.

The tuition-free program is one of 25 affiliates of the national Breakthrough Collaborative, a nonprofit that aims to prepare traditionally underrepresented students for higher education. The Philadelphia chapter of Breakthrough was launched in 1995 and originally called Summerbridge, by a group of educators, including Julie Friedberg ’89, Cheryl Wade, and Dick Wade, former head of Germantown Friends School.

GFS housed the nonprofit until 2020, when Breakthrough became a subsidiary of Germantown Friends School. This new arrangement has

yielded dividends across the organization, with deep engagement from the GFS community. Experienced GFS faculty provide coaching to help Teaching Fellows learn the craft. GFS students work with Breakthrough students, forging lasting bonds. The school’s facilities—classrooms, auditoriums, and lounges—allow space where programming and community can thrive. And GFS offers a full suite of operational support. Importantly, Breakthrough has continued to be responsible for raising funds to support its annual budget, and has done so with the generosity of many longtime funders, while also attracting new support each year.

Breakthrough is a crucial component of GFS’ commitment to ongoing support of community education, a pillar of the Picture This campaign. And for those who see it firsthand, it is often transformational. WearingMoore, who grew up in West Philadelphia and attended both public and private schools, says she connects with the lived experiences of many students who attend. After obtaining an undergraduate degree in English from Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, Wearing-Moore intended to be a writer. But like Greenawalt, she found her way to education and

arrived at GFS in 2019. An opportunity to lead Breakthrough helped her find her footing at the school.

“They have different needs than most students at GFS,” WearingMoore said of Breakthrough Scholars. “The rapport you build is different because you’re serving a need that goes a little deeper than education. Sometimes they come to feel seen, to feel loved, to get some type of positive interaction.”

For the Scholars, the importance of engaging with fellows who often look like them and come from similar backgrounds cannot be overstated, Wearing-Moore said.

“It allows these kids to have this ‘near-peer’ experience where they get to interact with college students. It makes some of them want to go to college,” she added. “The Fellows are still doing TikToks, they know the lingo, and it’s just a wonderful experience to see how at ease the kids feel with them.”

Students often leave with a new sense of educational opportunity. Wearing-Moore said it has been rewarding to see several Breakthrough students go on to enroll at Germantown Friends. Greenawalt added that because GFS faculty are familiar with the public school landscape in Philadelphia and the importance of earlier educational interventions, they have helped steer the program’s focus toward the middle school level.

when you have to really start thinking about that.”

Another ingredient of the program’s success is the Teaching Fellows, and the work that GFS staff do to mentor and prepare them. Each year, Breakthrough’s Project Manager Sakina Parks works to onboard dozens of collegeaged Teaching Fellows from all over the country, with an emphasis on those enrolled at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Fellows who come for Breakthrough’s summer program receive a stipend and housing at Temple and St. Joseph’s Universities, plus two weeks of immersive teacher training from GFS Middle School faculty that covers lesson planning, classroom management, and other essential skills. Once the summer session is underway, the Teaching Fellows are expected to lead their own classrooms, with GFS staff standing by in support roles.

Iliana Correa, a master’s student at the University of Pennsylvania who is pursuing a degree in science education, received her first classroom experience as a Breakthrough Fellow at GFS in the summer of 2022. She can attest that it was intense leading a room of middle schoolers for the first time; her biggest takeaway was the need to be “quick on your feet.”

“The goal is getting kids into prestigious high schools in the Philadelphia area, whether that’s Germantown Friends, or Central High School, or Cristo Rey,” Greenawalt said. “Whatever a kid’s ideal partnership may be, we feel that fifth grade is

She credits GFS staff for their training and support, and particularly appreciated the creative freedom fellows were given. During one unit on water conservation, her classroom learned that GFS collects rainwater to use for toilet flushing in some of its buildings. Together, they decided on an impromptu mini-field trip to see it in action in the building next door, sparking both wonder for the students and a realization for Correa about how to best reach kids through experiential and hands-on learning.

“My favorite thing to do is build activities for my students,” Correa said. “And Breakthrough is where I found my love for it.”

Now, Correa dreams of getting a PhD in curriculum design. Hers is another life transformed by Breakthrough.

A Blank Canvas

GFS art, film, and computer science faculty imagine what will be possible in the All School Commons

THE CLEAN WALLS AND EMPTY SURFACES OF THE ABIGAIL R. COHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN GFS’ NEW ALL SCHOOL COMMONS convey a sense of anticipation—poised for transformation. They will soon come alive with the sights, sounds, and artifacts of our students’ creative process.

In the new year, the arts and computer science faculty will take up residence in their new workspaces and begin to explore the classrooms and equipment. Students will begin taking classes in the 20-bay darkroom and photography lab, the Johnson Family Digital Media Lab, the dedicated ceramics classroom, the Fabrication Lab (“Fab Lab”), and the bright art classrooms. The physical spaces in the All School Commons will invite innovation, cross-pollination of ideas, and connections across disciplines.

After a recent walk-through of the building, a group of teachers shared the following reflections about the potential these spaces represent to them:

The GFS photography program is rooted in and driven by the light of the world connecting with the Light within each student. The new space provides a darkroom that can facilitate this to the highest potential. It is substantially bigger than what we currently have with a better design flow. Over the past 10 years the enrollment in photography has tripled, and the new space will allow for even more students to experience the magic of photography.”

Michael Koehler, Photography

Mostly, I’m interested in the students getting to see that a space was created for them to thrive, grow, and be creative in. That kind of recognition and opportunity is extra special.

André Robert Lee ’89, Film

The new ceramics room will allow kids to experiment with clay in a way that hasn’t been possible here because we haven’t had the space. I’m so excited to create courses where students can really build their sculptural processes.

Heather Chu Marvill, Visual Art

The light in the rooms is all-encom passing, and for art-making, light is so important. Going into the new space for the first time, I felt transformed. This is going to change the way we all collaborate.

Caroline Santa, Visual Art

The best learning in computer science happens when students are able to ask each other questions, work on projects together, and see what other people are creating. I’m hoping the new space will make collabo ration easier.

Avery Nortonsmith, Computer Science

For several years, the Computer Science and Digital Media Department has actively collaborated with the Art Department, creating a rewarding partnership for both faculty and students. Together, we’ve developed new curriculum, finding common ground in similar topics and tools, which has led to engaging coursework. I look forward to fostering this collaborative spirit in the new space and working intentionally with other departments like music and theatre.

John Henderson, Head of Computer Science and Digital Media and GFS Director of IT

The fact that the film classroom faces the Meetinghouse is really cool. Film as a medium involves especially deep reflection and thought into the process, and to be close to the heart of the school brings good energy to the space.

Annie Fleming ’05, Film

I like looking at the roof lines and angles through the windows of the new class rooms. Seeing the campus from such a fresh perspective makes me think about the expansive possibilities of these classroom spaces.

Sarah Zwerling, Visual Art

When I think about moving into the new building, I think about the proximity to my peers in the Art, Theatre, and Music departments— the energy of all of us in one center is going to be an exciting creative hub. That physical experience is going to shift our teaching prac tices. Artists are informed by the environment and context; there is no doubt that this new space will transform the experience of creating for our students.

Megan Culp, Art Department Head

Computer science is more than just sitting passively behind a computer writing code, and I'm excited to have more space to incorporate the kinesthetic aspects of technology with the students, including robotics, mechanics, and engineering. I'm looking forward to seeing the students move through this new building and be part of technology

Laura Jamieson, Computer Science

IN THE MIDDLE

How two signature programs encourage imagination and independence for Middle School students

By Emily Kovach

MIDDLE SCHOOL CAN BE A TIME OF BIG TRANSITIONS, AWKWARD CHANGES, AND SHIFTING SOCIAL DYNAMICS.

But at GFS, Middle School is also perceived as a time of great possibility, when students’ intrepid curiosity and growing sense of themselves converge with a grasp of complex topics and a desire to ask nuanced questions.

As Keino Terrell, Head of Middle School at GFS, puts it: “Middle schoolers are in this mode of self exploration, figuring out who they are, how they learn in community, and what they bring to the table.”

Guided by Terrell’s innovative leadership style, Middle School administrators and faculty have co-created two signature programs that tap into and leverage the creativity and inquisitiveness of students at this developmental stage. These are: Middle School Mini-Courses and Eighth Grade Capstone Projects.

Through a rigorous planning process, the trio created a week-long Mini-Course with a curriculum that included both organized and gently unstructured components. The result was a classroom setting where each student could explore their own curiosity, while learning from the teachers and one another.

“One part of the class assignment let the kids choose their own activities—we had a kid crocheting birds, another kid felting, and another who built these incredibly intricate wings,” said Funck. “It was a reminder that sometimes when you let kids self-direct, that’s often when they do their best work.”

Mini-Courses also offer faculty avenues to ideate and collaborate across disciplines, connect with new colleagues and students, and step outside of their normal routines.

Heather Chu Marvill, Middle School art teacher, and Jessa Werner, Middle School science teacher, have been colleagues at GFS since 2008, but had never directly worked together until the 2023 Mini-Courses session. That year, they co-taught a Mini-Course about mycology, and decided to team up again in 2024. This time, it was to teach “The Joy of Paleontology,” blending their

OF EVERYTHING

MINI-COURSES:

A WEEK OF DYNAMIC DEEP DIVES

GFS Middle School Mini-Courses pose the query: How deeply can I learn about something when I’m given the time to focus solely on it?

Similar to January Term in the Upper School, when faculty and students break from regular schedules to take deep dives into specific subjects, Mini-Courses are oneweek intellectual excursions that take place every March before Spring Break.

Faculty dream up and design immersive courses, and students choose from an exciting catalog of options. Some 2024 Mini-Course topics, which were all centered around the theme of joy, included “The Joy of Art and Dance,” “The Joy of Making Shadow Boxes,” and “The Joy of Architecture and Design.” Each workshop-style class is built from the ground up by the faculty, and gives students the opportunity to learn in mixed-grade environments and interact with teachers they might not have met yet.

“The Joy of Birds and Flight” was a joint effort between Erin Funck, Middle School Learning & Assessment Specialist, Rachel Fuld, Middle and Upper School woodshop teacher, and Gregor Kelsey, Middle School science teacher.

practices to create engaging hands-on activities like making ceramic aquatic dinosaurs, excavating fossils, and matching animal skulls to their corresponding species.

“I love to teach like this—the more interdisciplinary work we can do, the more real world connections the kids can make,” Werner said. “It’s also great that when Heather would take the lead on a lesson, I’d be learning along with the students.”

The team-teaching model in the Mini-Courses also means that teachers can take students off-campus in bigger groups. The Paleontology class went on field trips to The Academy of Natural Sciences to sketch dinosaur skeletons and to Big Brook Nature Preserve in New Jersey to dig for real fossils in stream beds.

Off-campus trips are part of most Mini-Courses; while some groups stay closer to campus, language-focused and cultural immersion Mini-Courses allow students to travel as far as Quebec, Vancouver, and Spain.

“Middle School students are so social, and we love giving them the chance to go beyond the boundaries of campus to have experiences together,” said Chelsea Koehler, GFS’ Middle School Student Activities Coordinator. “That relationship-building weaves invisible

webs in our community, and makes the division stronger.”

Zohar Pinto ’30 was in sixth grade when she participated in “The Joy of Sleeping Outdoors” Mini-Course, which included an overnight camping trip in the Poconos. The group, chaperoned by two teachers, went on a six-hour hike on the Appalachian Trail, taking an impromptu dip in a lake and holding a mountain-top Meeting for Worship along the way. At night, they set up a telescope at the campsite for stargazing. Despite the evening chill, Pinto and a friend

undertakes a months-long endeavor to engage with an inquiry-based project of their choosing through hands-on or experiential work.

The process begins each fall when the students are given journaling prompts during advisory, like “I’m happiest when…” and “I’ve always wondered about…” which helps spark their curiosity. Then, in November, they select one specific question that becomes the nucleus of their Capstone Project.

The students spend time fleshing out their questions and then develop-

eschewed tents in favor of sleeping in hammocks in the open air.

“I think about that experience almost every day, it was so beautiful,” Zohar said. “Being outdoors and experiencing nature helped me access a part of myself [in a way] that I don’t really get to do a lot.”

EIGHTH GRADE CAPSTONE PROJECTS: ASKING (AND ANSWERING) BURNING QUESTIONS

The other signature Middle School program is Eighth Grade Capstone Projects, a unique introduction to selfdirected study. Every eighth grader

vidualized way: You ask the question, and we’ll connect you with resources to figure it out.”

From inquiry to execution, the process is entirely student-led.

“The kids get to have agency over project planning—they get to be their own boss,” Reynolds said. “This speaks to where they are at this age.”

Every May, students hold a preview for seventh graders, and then welcome friends and family to campus for the annual Eighth Grade Capstone Showcase. The students set up tri-fold presentations, and any other physi-

ing a proposal to guide their project, which is presented to their advisor and then to parents or caregivers at conferences in the fall.

Students are organized into groups that share similar or related questions and topics. These groups are supported by adults in the community, mostly GFS faculty, who are specialists in relevant subjects. These adults meet with the students throughout the year to lend expertise and mentorship.

“We partner with the students and advisors to help them pull their plans off,” said Rachel Reynolds, GFS Eighth Grade Dean. “Right out of the gate, we’re talking to kids in a really indi-

cal components of their projects, in classrooms and common spaces in the Hargroves Student Center and the Wade Science Center.

In the 2023–24 school year, the Capstone Project topics were wide-ranging, including questions about identity, science, art, food, and sustainability.

Noa Abrams ’28 based her project on the question: “Who am I really?” She started by submitting a DNA test to ancestry.com, which traced her ethnicity to nearly a dozen African countries. Then, she cooked and shared three dishes that represented the nations where the DNA test reported her highest ethnicity percent-

“Every student gets to shine bright during the Capstone Showcase; it’s a celebratory way to be in community together.”

ages: jollof rice from Nigeria, riz gras from Burkina Faso, and puff puff from Cameroon.

“I was really excited to get the results,” Abrams said of the DNA test. “My family has never used ancestry. com, so we all got to learn about our background.”

take measurements; and how to create strong materials from newsprint.

Other questions opened doors to shared experiences. Will Brawner ’28 and Alexander Kranzel ’28 created the first collaborative Eighth Grade Capstone Project. They asked, “Can we run a successful basketball clinic?”

Minny Golderg ’28 channeled her passion for birding into a handillustrated field guide of the breeding songbirds of Philadelphia.

Ian McNiff ’28 asked, “Can I build an improved model of Lincoln Financial Field?” and answered by constructing a cardboard miniature of the stadium with improved accessibility and sustainability features.

“Can I make a Victorian evening gown out of newspaper?” sent Giulia Di Benedetto ’28 on an epic fashion quest.

Throughout this time-consuming project, she learned how to subdivide large projects and work consistently over months; how to draft patterns and

guided assignments ahead in Upper School and beyond.

Over the winter, the duo organized a two-week basketball workshop for seventh graders, which met three times each week. They both agreed that their clinic helped them realize how challenging coaching is, and how much there is to teach in athletics beyond physical fundamentals.

“We noticed that a lot of the kids in our clinic improved at things like leadership and building relationships,” said Kranzel. “We also learned how important it is to listen when you’re a coach.”

Terrell notes that a key component of the Capstone Projects is preparing GFS eighth graders for the self-

“There are two strands coming together here: the kids are getting to know themselves as learners and making choices, and they’re learning to work with adult experts,” Terrell said. “By the time they get to Upper School, they’re so ready to do Junior Projects.”

The Capstones also provide a platform to highlight and acknowledge each student’s talents and passions before their Middle School experience comes to a close.

“The students have a real sense of pride in their work, and they really support one another, showing genuine curiosity about the pursuits of their peers,” Terrell said. “Every kid gets to shine bright during the Capstone Showcase. It’s such a celebratory way to be in community together.” •

FURTHER

GFS Lower School educators are reimagining what a field trip can be

By Kyle Bagenstose

A SUCCESSFUL GROWING SEASON

BROUGHT A COLORFUL BOUNTY TO NEATLY ORGANIZED ROWS OF herbs, flowers, and vegetables at Henry Got Crops, an urban farm in Roxborough. But it was the GFS first grade students in teachers Jen LakenShirk’s and Sunnie Park’s classes who

brought the noise—a cacophony of discovery.

“I’m trying mint!”

“I love basil!”

“This one tastes so sour!”

“I’m bringing these beans home for my mom and dad!”

Watching over the charges was

“Farmer Hannah” (Hannah Holby, the farm’s floral coordinator), who peppered in lessons on communitysupported agriculture, compost, soil health, and irrigation, as students peeked into barns housing livestock and explored the farm’s muddy paths. The excitement reached its

AFIELD

zenith when Farmer Hannah invited her young guests to graze from patches of fresh herbs, peppers, cherry tomatoes, and green beans. Then, each student raptly awaited their turn to dig up fresh carrots from the soil, each one clutching their dirt-speckled root veggies like a prize.

The true significance was buried deeper still. This visit to Henry is just one of many outcomes of a yearslong effort by educators in the Lower School to revamp excursions outside the classroom, by adding

more meaningful field trips to the calendar and seeking to tie them more closely to the GFS curriculum and GFS values.

The teacher-led initiative grew out of an overhaul of the school’s social studies curriculum that began just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the year, teachers at each grade level now regularly meet to discuss where to go, what to do, and how to connect experiences in the field to those in the classroom.

But their efforts received an extra

boost in 2022 with the arrival of Director of Lower School Joe Stanzione, who leaned in by hiring substitute teachers several times a year, giving first and second grade teachers a chance to step outside the classroom to think up, scout, and plan new trips.

“The life of a homeroom teacher is busy,” Stanzione said. “So if I can give our teachers a little bit more time to work together, it leads to great new ideas and opportunities for students.”

The all-hands approach has paid off. While a traditional field trip at many schools would see students visiting a museum or historical site with ready-made programming for children, the prioritization and holistic approach to planning trips at the Lower School enables teachers to think more imaginatively, first in identifying ideal locations and reaching out, and helping to build programming from the ground up.

A ROAD LESS TRAVELED

The first grade food systems unit offers a prime example of this field trip transformation in action. Teaching children at that grade level about food is a national standard and has thus been part of the Germantown Friends curriculum for many years.

But as part of the revamped social studies curriculum, first grade teachers at GFS wanted to help students think more deeply about the interconnectedness of the food system. They now use field trips to numerous locations in Northwest Philadelphia to bring the concept closer to home.

First grade teacher Danita KnightPaulis recalled a spring visit to the Wyck House and Garden, a historic property that operates a small farm less than a mile from GFS. Wyck had existing programming, but after Laken-Shirk and Park paid an independent visit, the first grade team sat down together to plan something even better. They then worked with Wyck staff to create a custom educational experience that inspired students to

think about how early Americans cultivated their food.

“We took a closer look at how the [Wyck] family grew food, how they used it,” Knight-Paulis said. “We got to look at some old recipes and students made their own tea, using some of the herbs that would have been grown on the farm.”

In another demonstration of the dynamism of the new approach to field trips, after learning of Holby’s connections to professionals at Weavers Way Co-op and The Farm at Awbury Arboretum, the first grade team reached out and added them to the list of excursions, each now helping students assemble a piece of the food chain puzzle. Celia Cruz ’85, another first grade teacher, said the results are unmistakable. At the beginning of the school year, teachers ask students where food comes from. Some have a loose idea, others no clue.

But last May, when teachers set up an entire classroom as a market, the concepts visibly clicked for students.

“They really collaborated! Someone said, ‘I’m going to be over here on the farm with beets and an orchard,’ and somebody else said, ‘Can I be the trucker and transport those to the co-op?’” Cruz said. “You could really tell they understood that co-op visit. Kids who are often just a little cautious about sharing said things like, ‘I have an announcement to make. The cheese counter is now open!’”

GROWING OLDER, GROWING BOLDER

Hal Morra, a third grade teacher, says his grade level takes a different approach to field trips, but to largely the same effect.

As students age and progress through the school, they’re able to comprehend more distant times and places, Morra noted. While first graders consider the food that’s right in front of them, and fifth graders study ancient civilizations, Morra and his team landed on two happy

mediums: Colonial Philadelphia and the watershed that courses through the region. But the connective tissue to other grade levels is inspiring “systems-level” thinking.

“The key concept is interdependence. And that’s not something where we say to the kids, ‘Hey, we’re going to study how everything is connected,’” Morra said, adding the teachers’ goal is to build that knowledge organically. “We want the kids to understand that as humans, we are all connected to each other and to nature, which is a very powerful way for them to understand interdependence.”

To highlight these connections, third grade students take trips to destinations that help them understand how Philadelphians have long interacted with their waterways: the ruins of an old mill in the Wissahickon, or a bus tour of Philadelphia’s main bridges. Wherever possible, the teachers emphasize experiential learning.

One trip to Swann Memorial Fountain, the large, round installation in front of the Academy of Natural Sciences on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, showcased the approach. Morra and colleagues told students very little about why they were there and instead encouraged them to investigate for themselves. Eventually some started to pick up on sculptures representing three key Philadelphia waterways—the Delaware, Schuylkill, and Wissahickon—as well as the region’s indigenous residents. Teachers then solidified the lesson by exploring the fountain’s explanatory signage.

From there, students walked along Race Street to the Schuylkill River Banks. Once again, Morra took off his lecturing hat. Instead, he passed out art supplies and simply asked students to observe their surroundings and sketch what they saw. He motivated this task with a gently directed refrain that sums up the GFS Lower School field trip ethos: “Notice and wonder.” •

CONTINUING REVELATION

GFS faculty teach Quakerism throughout every division’s curriculum

By Eryn Jelesiewicz

GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL’S IDENTITY AS A QUAKER SCHOOL and commitment to Quaker practices has stood firm over the course of its long history. More than classes on Quakerism and Meeting for Worship, Quaker education at GFS emerges throughout its pedagogy and school life.

Jen Laken-Shirk guides her first grade class in Meeting for Worship prep and in-class Meeting for Worship.

But as times have changed and the school has continued to become an increasingly diverse community whose members bring a range of experiences and identities, we have periodically revisited this query: How do we continue to ensure Quakerism thrives throughout our school community?

This query and others were closely examined as part of our recent Quaker Self-Study, which was conducted in collaboration with the Friends Council on Education and concluded in 2022. The study illuminated the many ways in which the spirit of Quakerism lives within the GFS community and also generated new ideas and thinking.

“Through this work, we were inspired to reignite our community through greater connection with our Quaker identity,” noted Anne Ross, co-clerk of the Quaker Self-Study and Math Department head.

As Ross and co-clerk Page FahrigPendse, Associate Head of School, engaged school leaders, teachers, staff, and students in the self-study, a couple of priorities emerged: 1) Fortify Quaker education schoolwide with special attention to new students and teachers, and 2) Build teacher resources to help support student engagement in Meeting for Worship.

Since then, faculty and school leaders have worked diligently to adapt and refresh the Quakerism curriculum, addressing these priorities by designing new ways of teaching and learning about the practice of Meeting for Worship, and more broadly, Quakerism.

SCHOOLWIDE SNAPSHOT

Throughout their time at GFS, students build on their practice and understanding of Quakerism as they grow and develop.

Once a week, each division gathers for Meeting for Worship, with the younger grades alternating between the Meetinghouse and their classrooms. Before each Meeting, students and teachers prepare, which for younger students often includes a story or poem exploring a testimony

or a query related to subjects they are studying, or with the older students, pressing societal issues. Teachers and students also review the practice of silent reflection, voicing testimony, and, among Middle and Upper School students, formulating and posing queries. Additional Meetings for Worship and Worship Sharings are held to create space for students to process difficult issues either within the school community or beyond. Silent worship with occasional sharing is the focus of Meeting for Worship, while Worship Sharing is a contemplative examination and discussion of a specific topic. There are two required Quakerism classes at GFS: one in seventh grade and—new this year—another in ninth grade. In Early Childhood and Lower School, there is a curriculum around Quaker testimonies. And in all grades, across academic subjects, athletics, and activities, teachers rely on Quaker practices and values either to inform the topic at hand, or improve dialogue and collaboration around it.

For Tessa Brockman ’26, the Quaker belief in the Light in everyone brings a distinctive energy to class. “You raise your hand and you engage more because people believe in you and your inner Light; your teachers are supporting you and want to see you shine,” she said.

EARLY CHILDHOOD: TOOLS FOR CENTERING

Each morning, Preschool and PreK students take three centering breaths together, inhaling peace and exhal-

ing love. Sometimes teachers sound chimes or singing bowls to aid students in quieting their thoughts. And throughout the day, teachers relate their activities to the SPICES (an acronym for the Quaker testimonies). For example, cleaning up is a way to practice Stewardship.

A new picture book, “Going to Meeting for Worship,” was created by the Early Childhood Quakerism Committee. The book helps young learners understand why they go to Meeting for Worship. It also teaches about the inner Light in everyone and the importance of sitting in silence. Early Childhood and Lower School art teacher Liliane Sharpless ’04 created the illustrations through construction and photography; there is even a miniature Meetinghouse. The book has been so popular that a larger printing is underway. Sharpless is also a coclerk of the Lower School Quakerism Committee.

“At an age when thinking is a more literal process, children need visuals and simple storytelling to aid their understanding,” said Sharpless. “The book prepares them for going to Meeting, which is totally new to threeand four-year olds.”

Like their teachers, children sit and reflect quietly for a few minutes in Early Childhood Meeting for Worship. Students slowly build the length of time they can stay still. As the year goes on, they explore sharing in Meetings. In this way, they build community, which is a centerpiece of the curriculum.

The peace jar uses glitter and water to illustrate the effects of quieting one's mind.

In some Early Childhood and Lower School classrooms, you might spot a clear jar of water with a layer of glitter at the bottom, a visual aid to teach how stillness can allow one’s thoughts to settle. After shaking the jar, the teacher may pose a query, like “How do I contribute to creating a caring community?” then invite students to watch as the glitter gently floats to the bottom.

Like the book, it’s one of several tools teachers use to illuminate complex Quaker concepts.

“Through tools like the peace jar, we can guide students in trying out Quaker practices in a way that makes sense for their developmental stage,” said Jenny Goldberg ’95, teacher and co-clerk of the Lower School Quakerism committee.

LOWER SCHOOL: DEEPENING PRACTICE

Intent on deepening students' and teachers’ understanding of Quaker practices, particularly Meeting for Worship, the Lower School is focused on the basics, including taking a look at how to comport oneself in Meeting. Students also begin to take on some of the responsibilities related to Meeting for Worship. Fifth graders serve as greeters at the Meetinghouse and present queries to fellow students specific to Quaker testimonies. Older grades are paired with younger grades to teach and model Meeting for Worship behavior.

“Mixed-grade relationships are very powerful and an important part of our community,” said Goldberg. “Older kids are meant to be role models to teach their younger partners, and they connect with each other at recess, on community projects, and through buddy readings.”

Teachers continue to use visual aids to translate complex concepts. During classroom Meeting for Worship, a teacher may bring out objects like a pinecone to represent nature, and electric candles to signify each student’s inner Light. While teachers cover the same topics no matter the age group,

the activities are made more explicit for the younger kids who understand community as their classroom, compared to older students who can frame community more broadly.

“Quaker values root students in how to be a good person, and give them the foundation and tools they’ll need as they go through school and life,” said Sharpless.

Meeting for Worship prep also guides students in how, when, and why one shares messages received during a Meeting. At this age, kids tend to latch on to cliches and then parrot each other, explained Goldberg. The teachers’ goal is to show students how to move from cliches to “I” statements based on a personal experience.

“We tell students that the best messages are ones that offer a sense of how someone wants to live their life for the rest of us to think about,” said Goldberg. “You see an evolution from fall to spring, and over the years, you see how their messages mature and become more self-aware.”

In Meeting for Worship, Lower School is now more intentionally connecting with programming on climate and social justice activism, as well as social and religious identity. Teachers use the “mirrors and windows” concept (seeing yourself and seeing others), and invite families to school to share about their identities and traditions.

MIDDLE SCHOOL: INCORPORATING TESTIMONIES

In Middle School, students journey further into the exploration of the testimonies, both in the classroom and through community projects. They are ready to move into a more nuanced study of Quaker practices. A required Quakerism course in seventh grade focuses on the Quaker adage, “Let your life speak,” and explores such topics as personal integrity, activism for gender and racial equality, environmental stewardship, and peace.

Religious studies scholar and Middle School history teacher Gabrielle Goodman redesigned the course

in 2023, building from materials used by previous teachers, including longtime history teacher Dorothy Cary ’75, who retired earlier that year. Through interactive case studies, students explore how famous figures in Quaker history demonstrated their commitment to Quaker testimonies in the way they lived.

“The Quaker disciplines can be complicated,” said Goodman. “Through stories of real Quakers, we make them more concrete and approachable.”

In a recent class focused on the Peace testimony, students studied Joan Baez, a Quaker, musician, and anti-war activist. They listened to her performance of the protest song, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” and it opened the door for a rich discussion.

“Applying testimonies to our lives is an ongoing, often fluid, process,” said Keino Terrell, Director of Middle School. “At this age, students are still figuring out how to bring Quaker practices into their lives. But they can definitely understand stories of how famous Quakers have done this, which aids their evolving comprehension.”

In addition to a division-wide weekly Meeting for Worship, the Middle School also holds mixed-grade worship sharings, “informal” Meeting for Worship, and Meeting for Worship by grade. The Middle School Quakerism committee provides queries for reflection, which are based on the SPICES, and activities to help students settle their bodies and minds as preparation for Meeting for Worship.

Through a creative final project, seventh graders showcase their learning about a particular Quaker testimony or a famous Quaker figure through projects like writing and performing skits, water-color paintings, and interactive poetry.

UPPER SCHOOL: CONTEMPLATING ISSUES

In Upper School, students progress to a more serious, abstract, and autonomous Quakerism experience.

When Amelia Swedloff ’26 came to GFS as a freshman, she joined QUILT, the student Quakerism committee, on a whim.

“I just loved it. I like planning alternate Meetings for Worship and feeling like I am helping bring Quakerism to the Upper School,” she said.

Students are also getting more involved in planning Worship Sharings, smaller meetings centered on a specific topic, and formulating queries for Meeting. A few times a year, Meetings With Attention to, for example, walking or knitting, are held. For Campbell McCormack ’25 these forms of Meeting have been quite meaningful both for themself, and their classmates because they are a little more accessible.

The need to explore modern-day issues through a Quaker lens was revealed by the self-study as an opportunity to expand Upper School students' understanding of Quakerism beyond Meeting for Worship. The self-study authors posited that, “This work could serve to deepen the students' experience of Meeting, as well as provide a framework for thinking about current dilemmas in the modern world.”

Because ninth grade brings an influx of new students to GFS, teachers wanted to find a way to integrate the needs of students learning about Quakerism for the first time with those who have been part of the community for years. The answer was to formalize Quaker education in ninth grade with a new required course. Quaker historian and history teacher Andrew Malkasian developed the course with an eye toward unifying the whole ninth grade.

“If they have a shared grounding experience of ninth-grade Quakerism that’s a bit more intellectual and individualized, I think that's going to be meaningful over the next few years,” he said.

Siegfried Liu ’27 appreciates the shared experience of being in community.

“When I see a lot of people gathering together to work towards or stand by something, it warms my heart,” he said.

The course is designed to aid students in understanding that Quakerism is both a practiced faith and a call to action. The lessons cover history, core beliefs, and Quakerism today.

By the time students reach Upper School, they are often contemplating their own religious life within the context of Quakerism. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore Quakerism’s embrace of unity among a diversity of truths and beliefs. Each student crafts a spiritual biography that outlines their own religious experiences, then shares it with the class.

“There's a lot of guidance to help students understand Quakerism, which can be pretty far removed from their own religious experiences,” said Malkasian. “I try to use their assumptions to challenge them and expand their thinking. What are they bringing to the class that they know or they think they know about Quakerism?”

In going deeper, students contend with contradictions, which is foundational to Quakerism, for example, This is what I believe—but this is what's happening. During the last class, students

make a personal connection to Quakerism through different mediums, like videos, plays, and essays.

“Ninth graders are ready for greater abstraction, and to question things and institutions,” said Malkasian. “They want some answers.”

Over the past two years as Clerk of the Upper School Quakerism Committee, history teacher John Ceccatti introduced more tangible student-centered opportunities for the exploration of Quakerism, including a strengthening of QUILT. As a result, students now confidently suggest and pose queries, and the division is developing a plan for teaching students to clerk meetings and considering how to bring Quaker Meeting for Business practices to student clubs and groups.

Last year, as they prepared for the annual Day of (NO) Silence and Night of Noise, students from GFS’ Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) affinity group asked if they could pose queries, including: “What is the difference between being silenced and choosing silence?”

“I think the more we can provide these opportunities for students to take initiative, the more the Quaker community at GFS can really thrive,” said McCormack, a co-leader of SAGA.

“What made the students’ queries beautiful was that they were really transcendent and inclusive,” said Ross, current Clerk of the Upper School Quakerism Committee. “There was something that everyone could engage in.”

“I frequently have the pleasure of attending GFS’s Upper School Meeting for Worship on Thursdays,” said Parvin Sharpless, member of Germantown Monthly Meeting, former GFS faculty and School Committee Clerk Emeritus. “I have been impressed with the quality of the silence and the richness of the messages. Students appear to be comfortable in Meeting and to know what’s expected of them. My sense is that Quakerism is alive and well at GFS.” •

Quaker historian Andrew Malkasian developed and teaches the new required ninth-grade Quakerism class.

CLASS NOTES

Let us know what you’ve been up to by visiting germantownfriends.org/alumni/submit-a-class-note

JOIN THE GFS COMMUNITY ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

1953

ROBERT “BOB” ISRAEL reports, “Despite my past history of attending Harvard (BA), Penn (MD), and Johns Hopkins Hospital (OBGYN residency), my life’s influences have been determined by my GFS experience with Dave Mallery and Irvin Poley. Fight on!”

1954

1944

NANCY BISHOP spent a delightful summer at her house in Maine.

1948

ANTHONY “TONY” ALBRECHT reports that he is “aging gracefully (I hope).”

WILLIAM “BILL” SAMPLE writes, “Gloria and I moved to Madison from Burlington. We were followed by a squadron of urban-based underachieving F35’s with their ‘sound of freedom.’”

1950

SUE AXFORD AEMISEGGER shares, “I am now the very proud great-grandmother of four. My new little girl, Lucy, was born in April. She joins her cousins: Livy (6), Jack (4), and Beau (2). To see these little ones gives one hope for the future. As for my life, as birthdays continue, I still find happiness here in Rydal Park. Lovely neighbors, age-appropriate activities, and lots of family visits keep me content.”

JUDITH KAHLENBERG HESTOFT had a knee replacement a year ago. Now she is living in a retirement home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

GEORGE SPAETH writes, “I continue to teach internationally about glaucoma and patient care, and have had a chapbook of poetry,

‘Hope For Awareness,’ published by Moonstone Press. But the fields of literature and healthcare seem trivial in comparison to the state of the world. We need leaders like Joseph Cadbury who revered gentleness, honesty, and life.”

1951

KITTY PLUMMER

GRECIA shared that she and a few of her classmates had a great mini reunion. Back row: left to right: Barbara Johnston Rogers, Sylvia Johnson Lucas, Kitty Plummer Grecia. Seated front: Mary Agnes Hershey. Photo taken May 14, 2024, in Spring House, PA.

BARBARA JOHNSTON

RODGERS also reports about the fun that was had at the minireunion lunch with these 1951 classmates.

1952

SUSAN SHAFFER RAPPAPORT writes, “If you go to GFS today, you almost don’t need college. Granddaughter Alex Hall was married on September 9. She went to a Friends school in NYC.”

RIDGE SATTERTHWAITE writes that he is almost retired. “Still helping elderly folks manage their daily finances. Children are all well and productive. A grandson received his PhD in chemistry last year at University of California. Makes us feel the age we are.”

1955

C. RICHARD “DICK” MORRIS says, “After more than seven decades as a church musician, my third attempt at retirement is actually working. I love the free time to explore new possibilities in my life.”

1956

JOY FLETCHER MONTGOMERY shares she “is doing well in Minnesota. New hips! Wondering if our class will have a reunion in 2026.”

PAUL WEXLER reports, “After GFS, I did a PhD in Linguistics at Columbia. Then three years teaching at the University of Washington, then 53 years at the University of Tel Aviv (includes about 18 years spent abroad on research). Since my two children were in Australia, my wife and I joined them there in 2022.”

1957

WILLIAM “BILL” ALEXANDER is “still keeping house in Albion, Maine,

CLASS NOTES IN THE BULLETIN: It is sometimes necessary to edit notes to reduce the length so that we can accommodate as many entries as possible. We hope we have retained the essence of your news while also providing space to include messages from your classmates. Please contact us at 215-941-2340 or alumni@germantownfriends.org if you have questions or want more information.

and doing well. [We celebrated our] 60th anniversary at the end of August, which is hard to believe. Saw SANDY EATON LENTZ and her new little house on Deer Isle and talked with DAVE BASSETT, so we are up to date on ’57s.”

MARILYN MARTIN FRICKER writes, “In January 2024 my husband Nigel died. We were married 63 years. He enjoyed GFS reunions and admired my GFS classmates.”

1959

ERIC THOMPSON, his wife Joan, and their sons Josh and Matt were featured in a New York Times article in October 2023. The story was about retired couples relocating to be closer to their adult children. The Thompsons now live in Shelburne, Vermont, near both of their sons.

1960

KATHLEEN “KATHY” FELIN HALPERT reports, “After most of a lifetime living in Pennsylvania, I moved in June to California, close to my twin, Carolyn and her husband, Nevin. She flew to PA and together, two old ladies and a cat drove almost 3,000 miles cross-country in a happy adventure. After 60 years of living on opposite coasts, we are still close and having fun!”

1962

LEONARD “LEN” HIRSH is still moving: biking a 35-mile rally in Portland, Maine, and climbing the Beehive loop trail in Acadia. He says, “I summer near Augusta, Maine, close to my daughter’s farm enjoying organic beef, lamb, and chicken (in moderation, of course). All the best to the GFS family.”

JOHN “SKIP” MCKOY (pictured above with his wife, Andrea Gay), writes, “An eventful, yet sad, couple of years. I’ve lost many friends from different stages of my life, including a dear friend who was a rival at Penn Charter during my GFS years.

On the bright side, I have enjoyed a mentor relationship with a rising GFS senior; delighted in showing our Maryland godchildren my wife’s Swarthmore neighborhood and my Germantown; and recently enjoyed trips to Portugal, Oahu, Puerto Vallarta, the SF Bay Area, and Portland. I have recently enjoyed face-to-face, old fashion, inperson visits with classmates, BILL MAXFIELD, PETER CURTIS , PETER KLEINBARD, and ROB EVANS.”

1965

NELSON CAMP and ALICE MAXFIELD have moved to an apartment in Ann’s Choice, an Erickson retirement community in Warminster, PA, five miles from their old house. Downsizing has been a major process! Still, they appreciate being able to maintain their connections with Wrightstown Friends Meeting, Earth Quaker Action Team, and other friends and activities.

1966

CATHERINE “CATHIE” BEHREND shares, “Docenting again at the Brooklyn Museum. Happily restarted VenturesinVisions public art tours post-COVID. Traveling a lot: Morocco, our treasured U.S. national parks, and Venice coming up. Excited to visit the soon-to-be new GFS Arts Center.”

1968

LUCY BODINE NATTRASS writes, “Facebook has enabled

IN MEMORIAM

1945

DORIS CONKLIN MACKENZIE September 12, 2024

1948

NANCY LUKENS PEGNAM September 10, 2024

1949

BARBARA MENGES SJAASTAD April 24, 2024

1950

ALAN WHELIHAN July 4, 2024

1955

ROBERT A. ZIMMERMANN May 9, 2024

1956

GRACE KURT CIOCCA March 7, 2024

BARBARA WOLL GREEN August 29, 2024

1957

JOAN CONGER ALLEN April 10, 2024

LEIGH BRISTOL-KAGAN February 28, 2024

JEANNINE ROHRBACH LEAVENWORTH July 18, 2024

IN MEMORIAM

1957

CATHERINE COOPER MILLARD

September 17, 2024

JANE MACDOUGALL STUBENBORD

September 16, 2024

1958

CHARLES G. GLUECK, JR.

July 9, 2024

1959

FAITH GROVER SCOTT

May 6, 2024

1961

FREDERICK D. SMITH

July 19, 2024

1979

JEFFREY KAHN

July 15, 2024

1983

HEIDI A. FICHTNER

April 2, 2024

JAMES G. WAGNER

August 11, 2024

1989

JENNY CULBERT

August 10, 2024

many classmates to re-connect. I’m grateful to learn their stories.”

MICHELE VAN GOBES reports, “Getting into the dog show world with my Scottish Terrier, Sno Pond’s Katahdin’s Peak (yes, he’s from Maine, as is one of my other Scotties). Todd took Reserve Winners at his last Specialty. Let’s see what happens at his next show.”

1970

ANDREW “ANDY”

ARMSTRONG says, “My wife Caroline and I are enjoying our retirement and recent international travel: Iceland, Ireland, Portugal/ Azores, and Provence. Still playing the same Gibson Jubilee guitar I first got in tenth grade at GFS!”

1971

HENRY ROOT (pictured below, right) reports, “Classmate JIM WITKIN (left) and I ran into each other at our sons’ Berkeley MBA graduation where his son, Matthew, and my son, Sterling, were in the same graduating class. To top it off, I stopped in to see classmate WILL HOLT in Aptos, CA, on our scenic drive back down the coast to LA. Still practicing music law, entering my ninth year of teaching the music law course as an adjunct at the Univ. of Miami School of Law, and became a partner at Counsel LLP last December. Am in dire need of a Schmitter from McNally’s if anyone is headed west.”

1972

KARINA SCHLESS writes, “Went back to ranch near Cody, WY, in September to play cowgirl and was in Italy in May—traveling while I can! Still working part time and still riding (looking for a new horse/ buddy) . . .”

CORNELIUS “NEIL” SIMPKINS shares that he is “still involved in the Philadelphia music scene. Most notably two musicals: ‘Tick, Tick BOOM’ (four Barrymore nominations) and ‘Somewhere Over The Border’ (People’s Light Theater). Also, [playing with a] rock band, The No Good Crowd.”

1974

JOANNE COHEN-KATZ is mostly retired as a clinical psychologist and professor of family medicine. “Our two adult children amaze us as their exciting lives unfold.”

JAMES HOLLOWAY says, “I’m enjoying retirement in Chapel Hill, NC, and traveling in the States, Canada, and Ireland.”

VICTORIA LEE SMITH reports, “I am so sorry to have missed everyone at reunion this year. As I am easing out of my career as a land use planner, I had planned lots of travel and bucket list activities for 2024, so have been happily distracted following my dreams to places: mountains in Costa Rica, Colorado, Patagonia, and Italy; beaches in Jamaica and Costa Rica; music festivals in Cumberland, MD, Swanzey, NH, Morrison, CO, and Dover, DE; weddings in PA and CO; and visits with my children in MI and VT. I volunteer on a few boards: a local coed summer camp and a local lake association, and am an elected official in my town serving on the planning board. I am looking forward to more volunteer work in my community, and more time to smell the roses, or just go where the spirit leads.”

1978

JEANNINE BROWN BEDFORD writes, “I have come out of retirement and started a new career as a director at Reading Assist, a nonprofit based in Wilmington, DE. We focus on helping students from grades K-3 in PA, DE, and Washington, DC learn to read.”

1979

GWENDOLYN HANSELL HENDRY has launched a new jewelry design business. ExactlyRight is about creating custom designed pieces that fit special gemstones for special occasions. Gwen’s art and jewelry studios are in Boston, MA, and Freeport, ME, where she can be found designing with CAD, 3-D drawing, as well as hand fabricating heirloom quality jewelry in precious metals. Her work can be seen on her website: exactlyright.net.

1983

BRIAN MALONEY says, “I am currently an Airbus A330 captain for Delta Air Lines, recently completing 27 years of service with Delta. I have been based in NYC my whole career, and fly most often to Frankfurt, Rome, and Paris—a pretty good gig.”

1985

REBECCA “BECKY” WOLF ROSHON says, “I was lured back to work at the Dover Air Force Base. I am enjoying the work and I feel good being able to help our men and women in uniform. I am also working hard on my second sci-fi

novel which will be a companion to the first. I have been dating again and it’s interesting being out there as a (slightly) older person!”

1986

STAR FORD shares, “I’m working for Plug.events and renovating an old adobe house in New Mexico.”

1988

HEIDI ISENBERGFEIG writes, “It’s been 36 years, but I was in the mood to write a note. I live right outside of DC in Maryland with my husband

Erik and our three children Hana, Jordan, and Emma (20, 16, and 14). After practicing medicine (pediatric allergy) for 12 years, I chose to retire from medicine to stay home to care for the kids. I miss medicine and going to the office, but do not miss dealing with insurance and other issues unrelated to patient care. After watching my eldest child navigate through high school, I was reminded of how grateful I am for my education and experience at GFS. Middle and high school can be brutal for differently wired kids, and I am thankful for my friends from high school. During the summer of 2019, our American history-loving, now 20-year old attended a summer session at Washington College taught by our own ADAM GOODHEART. It was wonderful to see him and our child LOVED the class.”

1992

high school principal, I have spent the last two years building my own educational coaching and consulting practice, North Star Collaborative, working with leaders, teachers, and students across the country and in Philadelphia. Still a Mt. Airy local, I enjoy spending time with family and friends JANE HIRSCHHORN ROSENBERG and RACHEL NEUMAN GUIDES.”

1994

TODD BAYLSON reports, “Our son Izaak graduated from GFS Lower School in June 2024. Meg and I are very happy for him and his classmates!”

1995

REBEKAH ZUERCHER SOLLITTO is the new Head of School at The Hudson School, a coeducational PreK-12 private day school in Hoboken, NJ. She is just the third school head in the school’s 46-year history. Previously, Sollitto was the assistant head of school for strategic initiatives at Poly Prep Country Day in Brooklyn, NY.

1996

GABRIEL WICK writes, “Living and teaching art history in Paris, I’m daily grateful for the wonderful instruction I received in French from Larry, Amy, and Marion, in history from Pat and Penny, and in art from Denny and Judy. I’m currently preparing an exhibition and book for Middlebury College Art Museum called ‘Traveling Salon: The Life of a Period Room,’ which will run from May through December 2025. I’ll be in and out of Middlebury for the installation, talks and a seminar, so I’d love to see any GFSers in the area!”

ALEXA DUNN says, “After 23 years as a teacher, teacher coach, professional learning specialist, and

1997

CATHERINE KELLY MULGREW and CLAIRE MARRAZZO GREENWOOD (pictured below, L and R) met up in London in June 2024 for the London Series when

the Phillies took on the Mets. They had a terrific visit with their families, seeing the sights and cheering on their Phillies. They even bumped into former GFS teacher CARL TANNENBAUM who was also attending the game. A great time all around!

SAM KIM says, “Living the dream in Detroit, Michigan! Enjoying the lake life with my wife, Taryn, and our two boys, Toby and Miles. Currently working for the last 12 years as a creative clay and digital sculptor at General Motors, while doing my art on the side. Also, Taryn is an interior car designer for Cadillac and we both met at GM. It’s been fantastic to work in the automotive industry making cool cars and to work at the historic Saarinen design center. We live in a mid-century home originally built by one of his model makers, doing our best to preserve its history. I hope all my classmates are well and hope to make it to a reunion at some point.”

2000

MIRA BAYLSON (pictured, left) submitted “this photo of DAVID WADE (right) and I on the train to Harrisburg. We both work for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. David is the chief of staff for the Governor’s Office of Transformation and Opportunity. I’m the executive deputy secretary for the

Department of State. We commute together regularly. Haven’t spent this much time together since we ran the Earthquake in 1999.”

2002

In April 2024, AMY BELL HOU became the director of Josie’s Place for Bereaved Youth & Families, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization based on the Dougy Center model which supports grieving children ages 6-24 and their caregivers.

2003

MASAYA JIMBO shares, “I graduated from Thomas Jefferson University in 2017 with MD and PhD degrees. I completed a fiveyear surgical residency in urology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. I then completed a two-year subspecialty fellowship at University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Starting in August 2024, I joined the faculty at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital as an academic urologist specializing in men’s health, male infertility, and microsurgery.”

2004

Esme Subin Elder was born on March 19, 2024.

KEN ELDER and his wife Christine are so excited to welcome her into the world and introduce her to the GFS community!

2008

BLAIR THORNBURGH writes, “My husband Josh and I welcomed our first son, Riordan ‘Rory’ Maxwell, to the world last November. He’s now a happy and bouncy one-year-old

(with a shelf full of picture books by GFS authors and illustrators, of course).”

2009

RENEE JOHNSON says, “In June of 2024, I received my Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management from Drexel University. I am now Dr. Renee B. Johnson, EdD.”

2010

SADÈ KIRKLAND reports, “I’ve been living in Tokyo, Japan, for the last 9.5 years! My 10-year Japanniversary is on January 1. I was an English teacher for 5.5 years until the pandemic hit. I married my lovely husband in June 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic (we finally had our wedding ceremony summer 2023) and was a professional voice actor for a children’s show here. For the last two years, I’ve been working at a famous/popular tattoo shop in Shibuya. While I won’t be able to become a tattoo artist here (no visa for it, unfortunately), I’ll be returning to the States for a couple of years to build my tattoo portfolio. When my husband and I return to Japan, I’ll be able to work as an artist at the shop I work at! I’m also a tattoo model for a world famous tattoo artist, so I’m literally covered from head to toe in ancient Japanese-style tattoos.”

ELIZABETH “BETSY” SACHS shares, “My husband, Jeff, and I got married this past summer in Beaver

Creek, Colorado! I am so happy that fellow 2010 lifers KEVIN FOX, SHELBY TUCKER , and DANNY CEISLER (pictured below, L to R) were there to help us celebrate.”

2011

ELLE PFEFFER completed her DPhil in the UK last year. She is currently living in New Hampshire where she teaches at Dartmouth and continues to research public policy, political science, and law and society. Her main academic interest lies in understanding how and why international criminal justice systems vary, and she teaches a class called “Punishment, Inequality, and Political Economy” within the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy. She also works with students on independent research projects for state actors in New Hampshire and Vermont.

2013

DAVID SNEED is working in vehicle electrification for large commercial fleets.

2015

ANNIE BLOCK EVANGELAKOS writes, “Hello from NYC! I am currently working as a sustainability project manager at JLL. In my role, I help clients meet their sustainability goals across their real estate portfolios in the built environment. In my free time, I take ballet class and attend Broadway shows! I recently got married and have been enjoying the summer in the city. Sending best wishes back to campus!”

2018

This October, JALIL PINES , and his wife, Gianna, welcomed their newborn son, Noah Reign Pines. This is their second child.

2023

ELI EISENSTEIN shares, “I have been working as a camera operator on a new documentary by ANDRÈ ROBERT LEE ’89, alongside SIMON DONOVAN ’23.”

2019

MICHAEL HARRITY reports, “On our first reunion organization call with HEESEUNG LEE ’91 , I saw DANIEL CHO for the first time since graduation. Over the next few months, Daniel and I were joined by CALEB RUDICK and AIDAN CURRY to discuss ideas about how to best engage our class and maximize participation. Although we spent some time planning, we mostly focused on catching up and reminiscing about various high school memories. For the event, our class met at Independence Beer Garden, which turned out to be a good venue to have a laidback reunion. I am happy that we all had a chance to get together and reconnect in a relaxed setting. Thank you to everyone who was able to make it. If you were not able to attend, we missed you! Let’s make our 10-year reunion even better.”

JACOB BURNETT says, “I’ve been enjoying my first couple semesters in Vermont—skiing, hiking, or swimming depending on the season. I host a radio show called ‘Connect Four’ in which a few friends and I come up with ways to link different songs to each other using anything we can find. You can listen using the 91.1 WRMC website! I still find myself attending Meeting for Worship, but miss looking up at the spiral ceiling design in the Meetinghouse. I hope all of my fellow classmates are having a great start to their postGFS life!”

KATYA HENISZ writes, “I am currently starting my sophomore year at Tufts University and enjoying getting to run another season of cross country while also taking more community health-related classes. I love spending time with my teammates and traveling around New England for races. Running has been a great community and a way to explore more parts of Boston daily.”

ETHAN YOUNG shares, “I’m looking forward to the upcoming semester at Penn where I’m studying Political Science and Legal Studies. It has been great to get to show my classmates around Philadelphia, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to experience the city in a different way. I’ve had the opportunity to report on and photograph stories for The Daily Pennsylvanian, including covering the 2024 Presidential Election, and the presidential debate here in Philadelphia!”

Versha Pleasant ’00, MD, MPH

Versha Pleasant* MD, MPH, is a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and Director of the Cancer Genetics and Breast Health Clinic at Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan. She specializes in the medical and surgical care of patients with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome. She is also deeply interested in health disparities, particularly in breast cancer outcomes and genetic testing barriers facing Black women.

We spoke with Pleasant about her career and how she weaves together storytelling, medicine, and advocacy.

*Many of you know her as Versha Patel from her GFS days.

WHAT DREW YOU TO CANCER GENETICS?

My aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer twice and uterine cancer while I was in medical school. The devastation from her death prompted me to dive deeper into my family’s medical history, where I discovered three generations of breast cancer. That led me to the Cancer Genetics and Breast Health Fellowship at University of Michigan.

WHAT DOES YOUR JOB LOOK LIKE? I provide medical and surgical care to patients at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer due to gene mutations or family history, and surgical intervention for breast cancer survivors experiencing gynecologic issues. I also do research focused on Black women’s cancer outcomes. Black women are almost just as likely to be diagnosed as white women, but have a 40 percent increased risk of dying from breast cancer. A lot of my work raises awareness about these alarming, unacceptable disparities and explores ways to reverse them.

WHAT’S YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE DISPROPORTIONATE BREAST CANCER MORTALITY RATE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY?

Black women have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, a more aggressive subtype that’s harder to treat. Some data suggest that poverty, racism, and environmental and social stressors can also play a huge role in cancer risk and outcomes. Data also show more delays in care and treatment among Black women. Cancer is complex, and likely involves an interplay of these risk factors.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR “REDEFINING THE CROWN” PROJECT?

One day, our family hairstylist in Philadelphia told me how my aunt asked her to cut her hair off when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. That story struck a chord, and I began to notice that there was a lack of scientific literature about hair loss among Black women from cancer treatments. I wrote in the American Cancer Society Journal, outlining the different options, or lack thereof, for Black women who have undergone hair loss from breast cancer chemotherapy. After the paper was published, I wanted to amplify the voices of women who have been through this. I received a grant to produce “Redefining the

Crown,” a photo essay about six Black women and their breast cancer journeys through the lens of hair loss. The interviews and photos were published in the Fall 2024 issue of Michigan Medicine Magazine. We also hosted an incredibly successful live event in September, in which we interviewed the women onstage. I hope to expand this project on a national level.

YOU’RE A CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR. HOW DID GFS INFLUENCE YOUR TEACHING?

At GFS, I learned to think critically. Similarly, I encourage medical students and residents to constantly ask questions and assess what we do. For instance, I developed a curriculum at the medical school about the history of racism in obstetrics and gynecology. It is important to understand the history to contextualize why we are seeing such alarming racial health disparities in the present day.

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING, WORKING IN SUCH A DEMANDING FIELD?

I love helping people decrease their risk of cancer. But it is intense. You’re walking by someone’s side during a dark time. It’s also incredibly rewarding to be a source of comfort and support.

When I see a patient I tell them: We are going to talk about cancer for a full hour. Laugh, cry, shout, whatever you need to do. But by the time you leave, we will have a plan that allows you to not have to think about cancer every second of the day. Additionally, a lot of my research and projects are focused on how we can change systems and environments to increase access to equitable care, particularly for those who are at disproportionately higher risk of dying from breast cancer, as is the case for Black women. My vision of reversing these inequities—this is what inspires me each day.

—E.K.

SAVE THE DATE FOR GIVING DAY

Kicking Off on February 13, 2025

Giving Day is a special occasion each year when the entire GFS community shows its love for the school and makes a collective impact by supporting the Annual Fund. Students, faculty, staff, families, alumni, and friends rally together for 24 hours, sharing in lively on-campus events and an online fundraising campaign with gift-matching opportunities and fun challenges.

To join us as a challenger or a volunteer, please contact Louisa Garrido, Annual Fund Director, lgarrido@germantownfriends.org or (215) 951-2340.

The GFS Annual Fund is essential to the financial health of the school. It provides us with the flexibility to respond to immediate needs that arise and allows us to create an expansive learning community. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, GFS is able to provide transformative educational opportunities for every student. The collective impact and commitment of our alumni, parents, faculty and staff, grandparents, and friends are powerful, and all gifts are important to our mission.

GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL

31 West Coulter Street Philadelphia, PA 19144

215.951.2300

www.germantownfriends.org

At the conclusion of every school year, the GFS faculty and staff gather for an end-of-year party. The group celebrates together and bids fond farewells to colleagues who are retiring or leaving the school through comedic songs and performances.