4 Scenes
from our virtual classrooms
2
10 Serving in a pandemic
DOCK Mennonite Academy SUMMER 2020
A YEAR TO REMEMBER
CONTENTS SUMMER 2020
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Online learning: Full speed ahead
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EC-Grade 8 Campus Happenings
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Grades 9-12 Campus Happenings
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Serving in a pandemic
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Arts Day 2020: Let there be Light
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From the village to the world
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Alumni News
ON THE COVER: First grader Parker Yoder connects virtually with his teacher, Mrs. Kelly Kratz. Students on both campuses barely missed a beat with online learning, thanks to the hard work, resourcefulness, planning, patience and grace of our students and their families, faculty, administration and staff. Read more about this amazing team effort starting on page 2.
RIGHT: Drummer Jesse Mong (’20) and his pals covered Chicago’s 1970 hit, “25 or 6 to 4,” during Arts Day 2020. The performance was a feast for the senses—and students voted it the People’s Choice Award winner.
Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber Superintendent Dr. Sharon Fransen Assistant Superintendent Martin Wiens Principal, Grades Nine to Twelve Bronwyn Histand Principal, EC to Grade Eight
Patti Baker Director of Finance and Operations Robert Rutt Director of Advancement Douglas Hackman Director of Admissions Kathleen Gordon Director of Marketing
BOARD OF TRUSTEES James Gunden, Chair Scott Heckler, Treasurer Rina Rampogu, Secretary Natasha Alderfer (’97) Mark Bergey (’88) Suzi Berry Meredith Ehst (’99) Beny Krisbianto Chad Lacher (’93) Scott Landis (’82) Sonya Stauffer Kurtz
Lamplighter is published by Dock Mennonite Academy 1000 Forty Foot Road Lansdale, PA 19446 Jay Gordon, Editor Mike Landis, Photography Leinbach Design, Design www.dock.org
Superintendent’s
MESSAGE
Finding our footing I’ve never experienced anything like this before. When will we get back to normal? When will school begin again on our campuses? We heard questions and statements like these frequently during the course of this pandemic. We often asked questions no one could answer.
During unsettling times like this, we look for solid footing. We search for structure and routines that help provide stability.
During unsettling times like this, we look for solid footing. We search for structure and routines that help provide stability. Our reality has been scrambled. At Dock Mennonite Academy, our team recognized the need for stability for our students and families from the beginning of school campus closures. Having the advantage of “cyber days” in place for snow days, our teachers quickly shifted to “online learning.” We moved rapidly to provide a focus for students from Early Childhood through Grade 12. Teachers learned new techniques and methods to engage students with both synchronous (real time) and asynchronous learning. While this was an unprecedented adjustment for parents and students as well as teachers, in the end Dock helped provide solid footing in a time of a shifting reality. We continued to consider how to provide solid footing as we made decisions regarding end-of-the-school-year events. A key component of our stability is our faith in God, who is in control even when we have questions with no answers. Through the most difficult situations come the most promising opportunities. While finding our footing, we are also aware that we should be watching for these opportunities to emerge. What will we learn about teaching and motivating students? How should technology make our instruction more effective after we are physically back in classrooms? What are the most essential components of our curriculum? We have noticed the advantage of being a small, nimble private school in terms of quickly being able to offer online learning. How do those characteristics of Dock strengthen the experience we offer next year? For our final quarter of online learning, we continued to teach our curriculum, but we also realized that there is so much more to Dock’s unique educational experience for students than the academic curriculum. Is it possible we will learn new ways to encourage essential skills after this year’s experience with online learning? ➣ Creativity ➣ Empathy ➣ Deeper, critical thinking ➣ Independence ➣ Self-care ➣ Intrinsic motivation to succeed rather than motivation from grades ➣ The value of strong relationships, beginning at home ➣ The ability to navigate difficult experiences and uncertainty ➣ Maintaining health—physical, mental, emotional, spiritual—through the journey We grieved the loss of “normal” this year. We established solid footing to give stability to our journey. We noticed new opportunities emerge that have the potential to lead us to a better “normal” after the pandemic subsides. This has always been the essence of education at Dock. We continue to grow and improve, striving to make every year better than the one before. Our mission points the way, even in challenging days: Dock Mennonite Academy inspires and equips each student to serve with a global perspective by integrating faith, academic excellence and lifeenriching opportunities in a Christ-centered community.
Dr. Conrad Swartentruber, Superintendent SUMMER 2020 Lamplighter
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Full speed ahead Dock’s extensive experience with online learning platforms meant that teachers and students didn’t miss a beat during the quarantine—creating a much-needed sense of normalcy during a time that was anything but normal.
W
hether online or on campus, Dock’s educational philosophy for every age is built on fostering curiosity, creativity, wonder, inquiry, collaboration, deep thinking, and a desire to continue learning throughout life, in and out of the classroom.
“Education is built on relationships. In times when physical proximity is not possible, we work to provide that same connection through online platforms.”
We believe education is built on relationships, so we value face-to-face learning and knowing our students individually. In times like these when physical proximity is not possible, Dock faculty and staff work to provide that same kind of connection through online platforms.
“Students respond best when they can see their teacher’s face and hear their voice, so we made that happen remotely,” said Dr. Sharon Fransen, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. “We provided authentic academic experiences centered on our curriculum, but it was also important for students to know that their teachers love and care for them. We wanted them to feel that compassion and care even though they were not in the same room.”
Having used Cyber Days for five years now, Dock students, families, and faculty were already experienced in adapting their current curriculum to a fully online platform for a day or two at a time. This experience gave our school community a foundational understanding of how to use technology tools like Schoology to meet our academic expectations and hit the ground running with the online learning experience. Because we know the basics, we have been able to introduce more tools quickly to create enhanced learning experiences for our students. We have a responsibility to help our students continue to learn during difficult days, but we also know that school—continuing to interact with their teachers and friends—provides an important sense of normalcy and reassurance for them. “Dock has always placed a high value on the community we create on both of our campuses every day,” said Dr. Fransen. “That sense of community has never been more important than it is now.”
ONLINE LEARNING REPORT CARD The sudden shift to online learning gave new meaning to the term, “screen sharing,” and while it was not without a few speedbumps, Dock parents gave the school high overall marks for facilitating a smooth transition. Read more in our Online Learning Report Card.
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DOCK’S ONLINE LEARNING TOOLKIT • Schoology is a learning management system that connects teachers, students, and parents to all the content and other information related to a classroom or course—assignments, videos, newsletters, lessons, discussions. Through integrated video conferences, it extends the face-to-face experiences of the physical classroom to the virtual world. Dock has been using Schoology since 2014. • Flipgrid allows learners to reflect upon, discuss and showcase what they are learning. • Screencast-o-matic allows teachers to create and share videos of direct instruction. • Edpuzzle helps teachers create interactive video lessons by adding voice narration, text, and other elements.
WHAT IF? Governor Tom Wolfe ordered Pennsylvania schools to close on March 13, an order that ultimately was extended through the end of the school year. The following was posted anonymously online to address concerns about losing classroom education time. Thanks to virtual classrooms, Dock did not miss any school days, yet the sentiment of this piece resonates with many in our school community. • What if, instead of falling “behind,â€? this group of students are ADVANCED because of quarantine? • What if they have more empathy, they enjoy family connection, they can be more creative and entertain themselves, they love to read, they love to express themselves in writing. đ&#x;—“ • What if they enjoy the simple things, like their own backyard and sitting near a window in the quiet? đ&#x;? • What if they notice the birds and the dates the different flowers emerge, and the calming renewal of a gentle rain shower? đ&#x;Œˇ • What if this generation of students are the ones to learn to cook, organize their space, do their laundry, and keep a well-run home? đ&#x;?˛ • What if they learn to stretch a dollar and to live with less? đ&#x;’ľ • What if they learn to plan shopping trips and meals at home? đ&#x;›? • What if they learn the value of eating together as a family and finding the good to share in the small delights of the everyday? đ&#x;Œž • What if they are the ones to place great value on our teachers and education professionals, librarians, public servants and the previously invisible essential support workers like truck drivers and logisticians, grocers, cashiers, custodians, and healthcare workers and their supporting staff, just to name a few of the millions who took care of us while we were sheltered in place? • What if, among these children, a great leader emerges who had the benefit of a slower pace and a simpler life to truly learn what really matters in this life?â?¤ď¸?â?¤ď¸? • What if we all came together to teach the world? What if everyone learned at their own pace and wasn’t compared to other students? • What if these students are AHEAD? SUMMER 2020 Lamplighter
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EC to Grade 8
ONLINE LEARNING
SCENES FROM OUR VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS
DON'T "BUG" ME!
CRAZY HAIR, DON’T CARE—TIME FOR MORNING PRAYER It seemed only natural that as Dock transitioned to online learning that we continue to start the school day the way we always do, so 6th graders in Ms. Alice Wolfgang’s homeroom meet faithfully every morning at 9 a.m. to pray for each other—using the “Conference” app in Schoology. After some fun hearing about breakfasts, pets, and life in general, they take turns with “praises” and “requests” with everyone joining in for a loud “Amen!” at the end. One of our students who had returned to her home in China joined in— even though it was 9 p.m. where she lives!
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In celebration of Earth Day, Dock alum Dr. Dorothy Boorse (’82), an entomologist and professor of biology at Gordon College, presented to our Early Childhood and Kindergarten classes about things they might see outside, including insects, shells, nuts, and deer antlers. Students had the opportunity to ask their own questions and share about their favorite insects. Dr. Boorse was an Alumni of the Year in 2014 and also presented a “Dock Talk” on climate change during Homecoming & Family Weekend in 2018. Learn more at dock.org/alumni
WHAT IS IT? The Mennonite Heritage Center collaborated with our 6th grade students to create the “What is it?” Challenge, providing a page of photographs and clues from items in their collection. Students were permitted to talk to anyone in their extended families to get assistance in attempting to identify items like this one (left). Students correctly identifying the most items received extra credit in the subject of their choice as well as a chocolate football, making this a fun and rewarding online learning option! Congratulations to Shelby Lapp and Matthew Mast for getting the most correct answers! You can take the “What is it?” Challenge yourself at mhep.org/what-is-it/
FACS SKILLS PAY OFF Dock 7th grader TJ Seiders put to good use the sewing skills he learned in Mrs. Claire Wanamaker’s Family and Consumer Sciences class by sewing masks to be donated to the hospital where his mom works. TJ, your project embodies the essential qualities of a Dock education— learning, faith, and service. Thanks for setting a great example for all of us!
A TIME TO CELEBRATE READING Even our youngest Dock students have embraced online learning together! Mrs. Rachel Grimm encouraged her 5-year-old pre-K students to read using an app called Epic!, a digital library that provides online access to more than 35,000 of the best kids’ books. Epic! even tracks books read and pages turned!
CHICKS RULE! As part of their study of “Structures of Life” for science class, 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Amy Rodriguez shared with her students the video that Superintendent Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber made of his baby chicks. The class was sad not to experience these cute, fuzzy creatures in person, but they were extremely excited to watch the video together as a class!
SUMMER 2020 Lamplighter
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EC to Grade 8
ONLINE LEARNING
CONTINUING TO CELEBRATE THE ARTS It was an encouragement to our students to have their art classes and music lessons continue during our period of online learning!
MORE ONLINE LEARNING CONTENT Visit our website (dock. org/onlinelearning) to see additional content about online learning at both our campuses—and be sure to watch the two videos created by teachers to let students know how much they were missed!
A CAREER BUILT ON ADVERSITY
Photo by Gregory Smith/AP
In a Zoom session with Dock middle school students in April, Dock alum Erik Kratz (’98) reflected on a career built on adversity. Erik Kratz on a Zoom call with Dock Learning and schoolwork never came naturally or easy for Middle School students (below), and Erik Kratz—and that may be precisely the reason he has colliding with the Braves’ Chipper Jones been able to play professional baseball for an unheard of in a 2012 game at Citizen’s Bank Park 19 seasons. in Philadelphia (left). “My career is built on the fact that I have gone through “I had partial dyslexia, so reading was tough for me,” adversity,” he told students. Kratz told students. “My parents were on me a lot, telling me I had to figure this out. I remember my mom telling me, ‘Some things in life are going to be harder for you, but those are the things that are going to make you better.’ She was right—my career is built on the fact that I have gone through adversity.”
The adversity continued in Kratz’s sophomore year at Eastern Mennonite University, when he suffered a serious knee injury that threatened to prematurely end his baseball career, and when he waited patiently in the minor leagues—enduring trade after trade and move after move—for a shot at “the show.” Through it all, Kratz said, his relationship with the Lord grew, and often sustained him. It also gave him the right mindset to succeed in baseball. “The Lord has been walking with me every step of the way. That looks different at different times, but I have always felt God’s presence,” he told students. “Another thing that has helped me succeed is that I put everything I have into [playing the game]. That’s what I’d like for you to take from this. I have had an incredible career. It’s coming close to an end, but it has been incredible. The Lord has walked with me, and I have put a lot of hard work into my baseball career. Whether it’s a friendship with somebody, a homework assignment, an opportunity to go to college, or a game, at some point it might not work out. You can only control the effort you put into it.”
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Grades 9 to 12
ONLINE LEARNING
PHYSICS CLASS IS IN! Physics teacher Mrs. Jane Mast became a Screencast-o-matic pro in order to create videos that would help teach principles of rotation and rotational motion to her students. Talk about a virtual classroom! Be sure to see our Lamplighter Extra content online to see her videos!
CLASS DISCUSSIONS MOVE ONLINE Students in Mrs. Gretchen McTavish’s 8th period AP English class were only halfway through Henry David Thoreau’s Walden when the stayat-home order went into effect in March. Students gathered online to continue discussing the book. Online readers can click on the image (right) to hear a little of the conversation!
A TIME FOR PRAYER When Grades 9-12 faculty member Mr. Kirby King’s Bible class ended their time in the classroom, he had been teaching about Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Mr. King decided to give a daily prayer assignment based on the teaching in Matthew 6 better known as the Lord’s Prayer, and this (left) was a journal entry from one of his students.
SUMMER 2020 Lamplighter
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Grades 9 to 12
ONLINE LEARNING
TOURING CHOIR GOES VIRTUAL… Dock’s Touring Choir put aside the disappointment of their canceled concert season and European tour to record a virtual choir piece that is also a statement of faith: Mark A. Miller’s “I Believe.” Combining 45 voices in 4-part harmony is an incredibly complex task in itself. Doing it virtually— synchronizing 45 separate recordings—is almost inconceivable. Yet Touring Choir senior Miguel Santiago and Director Mrs. Michelle Sensenig did a masterful job of editing, infusing this beautiful choral work with even greater poignance and emotion. We are grateful to them and to the choir for creating such a strong and beautiful expression of faith during a season of disappointment and uncertainty.
….AND ZOOMS WITH COMPOSER Dock students from the Touring Choir and Chamber Choir spent part of a late-April afternoon on a Zoom call with composer and performer Moira Smiley, who wrote two of the songs the Touring Choir was rehearsing to sing for their Spring 2020 tour prior to the move to online learning. Smiley led the choir in warm-ups, talked about how she writes music, answered questions, and even performed a few of her songs! “It was a real privilege to learn directly from the composer of the songs we sing,” said Mrs. Sensenig. “Dock choirs look forward to sharing these songs with the community in the future.”
DOCK SENIOR CONNECTS WITH…SENIORS Dock senior Sarah DeGeorge was recognized recently for her volunteer work bringing joy to the residents of Independence Court of Quakertown. Sarah has been doing her own variation of “Painting with a Twist” at the personal care community for over a year, bringing art supplies and teaching residents how to paint, step by step. “Each time she visits our facility the group has gotten bigger, and they are more skilled at painting due to Sarah’s abilities,” says Charlene Chanoux, Life Enrichment Director at Independence Court. “As soon as she leaves, they ask when she will be back. Her patience, creativity, and kindness bring much joy to our Life Enrichment Room.”
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MAKING AGRICULTURAL CONNECTIONS Online learning did not slow down Environmental Science faculty member Miss Valerie Metzler, who helped her students connect with our region’s agricultural roots through virtual trips to local farms and participating in the raising of chickens. Miss Metzler used funds from the Class of 1963/David Souder Endowment to purchase Freedom Ranger chicks, a breed that grows quickly while grazing in open pasture (unlike most broiler chickens), as well as a pen, bedding and feed. She also purchased a camera that allows students to view a livestream of the pen through an app on their phone. “This is a neat way for students to feel more connected, like they are involved in helping to raise the chicks,” said Miss Metzler. “I will be using this for students to do behavior observations on the chickens as well.” Students also researched and prepared projects in areas they were passionate about, such as careers in agriculture, soil conservation, genetic modification, hydroponic and vertical gardening, and building a pole barn. Miss Metzler was hoping to end the class with a chicken dinner together, but that will have to wait for the fall!
DOCK STEPS UP GIVING DURING QUARANTINE
We appreciate the willingness of our administrators and faculty to jump in (literally!) to help raise money for tuition assistance. Dr. Herman Sagastume, executive director of Healthy Ninos Honduras, stopped by the EC-Grade 8 Campus to do “curbside pick-up” of the donations our Dock students and their families collected as part of our All-School Service Project. He is pictured with EC-Grade 8 principal Mrs. Bronwyn Histand.
It takes more than a pandemic to keep the Dock community from showing its generous heart. During the time our students were engaged in online learning, we saw multiple examples of this generosity: • Our first-ever Dock Rocks Giving Day, held in conjunction with our first-ever Virtual Country Fair & Auction, netted nearly $80,000, which will be used to provide tuition assistance for Dock families. Providing a big boost were a number of matching gifts and “The Principal Plunge,” which saw EC-Grade 8 Principal Mrs. Bronwyn Histand and Grades 9-12 Principal Mr. Martin Wiens take the plunge into Groff Pond once fundraising targets were met. Special Guests Mr. Ken Kabakjian (Grades 9-12 guidance counselor) and Mrs. Jayne Longacre (EC-8 faculty) also jumped in to help the cause. • Despite a cancellation of our All-School Service Night due to Covid-19, we were still able to raise over $1,300 for Healthy Ninos Honduras, providing much needed support for their efforts to battle child malnutrition in that Central American country. • Dock’s 6th Annual Spanish Department Food Drive resulted in a contribution to Manna on Main Street of nearly $1,100. During the quarantine, Manna provided more than twice the amount of groceries to more than double the typical number of families it typically serves, distributing well over 1,000 meals each week. Thank you to Dock Spanish faculty member Dr. Anabella SilverMoon for organizing the drive!
SUMMER 2020 Lamplighter
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Serving in a pandemic EARLY ON IN THE
Dr. Joann Hunsberger (’94)
COVID-19 QUARANTINE,
Pediatric Anesthesiologist, Johns Hopkins Hospital/Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore, MD
WE ASKED DOCK
A
ALUMNI SERVING ON THE FRONT LINES TO SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON A SITUATION THEY WILL NOT SOON FORGET. HERE ARE THEIR STORIES OF BEING CHRIST‘S HANDS AND FEET.
s I walked into the hospital again this morning, I was reflecting on how this pandemic has affected my professional life. I am a pediatric anesthesiologist, which means I take care of children who need to be asleep for surgeries or for procedures. I also take care of kids in the rest of the hospital who have pain and need specialized pain medicine plans. Over the last month, my patients in and out of the operating room have been sicker than usual—children with cancer, kidneys that don’t work, babies who can’t eat or drink correctly. But, overall, there have been fewer patients in the hospital as people delay medical care and stay home. As my normal responsibilities have decreased, part of my response to this pandemic has been a voluntary redeployment to the adult hospital, on the team for intubating (placing the breathing tube) in patients with Covid-19. My first time walking onto the Covid ICU was scary, with every patient very sick, and most on ventilators. I was immediately impressed by the valor of my colleagues, the medical heroes dressed in protective equipment fit for a science fiction movie, as they cared for these patients who are critically ill with a virus for which we have no cure. But I am straightened by my faith, which has helped me to overcome my fear and replace it with a desire to care for the sick, the weak and dying in the face of incredible uncertainty. For the past several years, I have been privileged to be on the board of directors of Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship. This fantastic organization brings healthcare workers of Anabaptist faith together to discuss how our faith intersects with our profession. I have appreciated the level of expertise and experience present in the Anabaptist community. We have doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers, chaplains, dentists and health researchers throughout the United States and around the world. Over the past several weeks, I have been able to speak with some of those in the midst of Covid-19 via our Menno HealthCast podcast and our Covid-19 Response Webinar, giving voice to that uniquely Anabaptist perspective. I have come to appreciate the Anabaptist healthcare community even more deeply, as we thoughtfully and carefully respond to an unprecedented pandemic, as frontline providers, thought leaders and administrators. I am deeply appreciative of the prayers and thoughts of my community here in Baltimore and my home community in Pennsylvania. As a result of our inquiries for this story, Dr. Hunsberger was able to interview Anna Hershey for MennoHealthCast (see Episode 8). You can listen to that interview and others at https://themennonite. org/the-latest/mennohealth-cast-podcast/
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Serving in a pandemic Dr. Joann Hunsberger (’94)
Pediatric Anesthesiologist Johns Hopkins Hospital/Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Baltimore, MD
Anna Hershey (’09)
RN Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Philadelphia, PA
Olivia (Bradford) Strickland ('12) RN Grand View Hospital Sellersville, PA
Wes Strickland (’12)
Physician’s Assistant Penn Presbyterian Medical Center Philadelphia, PA
Madison Downes (’15) Sales Medstar Radiology Network Towson, MD
Dr. Joann Hunsberger is geared up on the Covid ICU at Johns Hopkins.
SUMMER 2020 Lamplighter
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Anna Hershey (’09) RN, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia
I
’ve been a registered nurse at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for almost three years now. A few months ago, my friends started expressing their concerns about the virus. I confidently and calmly reassured them that everything was going to be fine and that they should continue to wash their hands. Well, now as we are in the midst of a pandemic, often times the thought, “I can’t believe this is happening” crosses my mind.
Anna Hershey (’09, right) at a Covid-19 testing site in Philadelphia.
As Philadelphia started announcing the orders to close all non-essential businesses, my manager was reaching out to the nursing staff to see if anyone was interested in working at the Covid-19 screening center. Immediately I thought, I should do this, I need to do this for my community. My family was concerned and scared, but understood that now more than ever, this is the time to serve our community. I don’t always feel like I am on the front lines of a crisis because as nurses, we are called to help and serve people no matter the circumstances. Many of the patients we work with have numerous co-morbidities and social conditions that are hard to comprehend. When our patients come up to be screened for Covid-19, they usually are scared and apprehensive. They have a lot of questions and have deep concern for their families and their communities. For me, I am happy to be a warm and welcoming face (behind an N95 mask) to the Covid-19 crisis. It is an opportunity to let my patients know that it is OK to be scared, we are all in this together, and we need to practice social distancing/proper hand hygiene because it does work! We have received so much support from the Philadelphia community. Numerous businesses and restaurants have donated food, coffee, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Many people passing by our site will thank us for our service. For me, I feel like I am living out my calling to be a nurse, to serve and comfort all the people I come in contact with. I am also extremely grateful for a strong and inspiring team of nurses, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for their leadership and putting our safety above everyone else, and most importantly my family and friends who are constantly reaching out to make sure I am OK. Together we got this!
Olivia (Bradford) Strickland and Wes Strickland (’12) RN, Grand View Hospital, Sellersville, PA Physician’s Assistant, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
I
am a registered nurse at Grand View Hospital. There is a lot of change going on at the hospital as a result of Covid-19, and we are forced to take on new roles and responsibilities. Being a nurse, I spend most of my 12-hour shift directly with my patients. I have spent several shifts on our “Covid floor,” dealing with extremely sick patients. As we are not allowing visitors, most of these people are alone, away from their friends and families. It’s only the healthcare workers that they see on a daily basis.
Olivia (Bradford) Strickland and husband Wes Strickland (’12).
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During this difficult time, it’s easy to feel anxious and stressed. It’s easy to worry and think of the worstcase scenario. While this is difficult for the patients, I realize I can be a light for people during a scary time. I can be a friend for them, someone they can talk to, and shine God’s love on them every shift.
Luckily for me, my husband, Wes (’12) works in healthcare and is going through a lot of the same issues. It’s so nice being able to talk to him about issues at work and how scary everything we are dealing with is. It always makes me feel better. Prayer is also so important with everything going on. Through prayer and my daily Bible readings, I see God telling us that he doesn’t want us to worry! He wants us to trust Him, and talk to Him about what’s going on. These times are making us stronger, and helping us rely on God more. He doesn’t want us to go through this alone, and through prayer and daily communication with Him, He is telling us that He is always by our sides. I try and do my best for my patients every shift. I try and spend as much time with them as I can and tell them everything will be OK, even when I’m scared and unsure. I do my best to advocate for them to the doctors and get them everything they need to be comfortable and pain-free. When I’ve done all I can, I tell them I’m praying for them and leave the rest up to God. I pray that in the future, this experience will teach us to rely on God more; that we realize God is in control of everything that happens and we don’t need to worry. I pray that our community will be stronger, and people will think about others before themselves. This difficult time has made us rely on each other and work through things as a team. We have gotten so much support from local businesses and churches during this situation. It is nice to see the community support and know that we are all in this together. I hope we can keep up this mentality long after this pandemic has passed.
Madison Downes (’15) Sales, Medstar Radiology Network, Towson, MD
W
atching my mom fight the coronavirus was one of the scariest things I’ve been through. The four of us were infected by the virus in some way, some asymptomatic, some mild cases, and my mom’s being the most severe case. Her illness lasted for about 15 days, with days 5-10 being the worst of them all. It was a slow start, with symptoms similar to normal allergies. Days later she was spending 23 out of 24 hours in bed each day. Her fever was uncontrollable and her body was weak. Although we were moments away from calling for an ambulance many times, we thank God that she was able to fight this incredibly scary virus without being admitted to the hospital. We were able to use Telehealth and schedule daily virtual visits with her doctor to monitor her progress. She was fortunate to have guidance and instruction from Lederach Family Medicine and efficient coronavirus testing at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Baltimore.
Lesley (Miller) Gunshenan (’87), had an extra reason to celebrate Easter this year after recovering from the Covid-19 virus with the help of her nurse, daughter Madison Downes (’15).
I thank God that I was able to be by her side throughout the entire virus. This is one of the most difficult things we’ve dealt with as a family. This time allowed us to strengthen our faith and put all of our trust in God. We continue to pray for others that are impacted by Covid-19, and encourage others to stay safe.
SUMMER 2020 Lamplighter
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Arts Day 2020
Let there be
LIGHT
Unaware it would be one of the last major events on campus for the school year, Dock students let their lights shine during Arts Day 2020—and memories were made. 14
DOCK Mennonite Academy
Arts Day 2020
Every Arts Day has its signature performances, and seniors Jonathan Anderson, Adam Berry, Evan Mong, Jesse Mong, Dalton Moore, and Jacob Schimek delivered one of the most memorable acts of 2020—and captured the People’s Choice Award—with their cover of Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4.”
This skit was a late addition to the Arts Day 2020 program—and maybe that’s why our faculty actors just couldn’t seem to get this scene right. If you haven’t already watched this on our YouTube channel, you owe it to yourself to check it out!
The spotlight was directly on Megan Wenzel (left) and Haley Harper as they covered Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” on cello and violin. The word hallelujah means “God be praised!”
Junior Bella Liang captured the blue first place ribbon in the Visual Art category for this stunning charcoal sketch.
Sydney Putera (opposite page) executes a graceful leap during the junior dance number, “Leave a Light On,” by Tom Walker. She was joined by classmates Tabitha Bennefield, Mirabel Fizzano, and Sara Kennel.
Juniors Songheon Kang and Laura Frederick performed a piano duet that was a mashup of two songs: Jon McLaughlin’s “Beautiful Disaster,” and “Brand New,” by Ben Rector.
SUMMER 2020 Lamplighter
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Arts Day 2020
Both the 9th grade vocal, “Fireflies,” and the 12th grade vocal, “Don’t Stop Believin’,” had the cell phone flashlights out in force.
Sophomore Tomir Johnson brought down the house with his rendition of Andra Day’s “Rise Up.” Be sure to see the video in the Arts Day playlist on Dock’s YouTube channel!
The incredible lightness of lemon was a theme running through the Culinary Arts category, with this luscious Lemon Chiffon Cake by sophomore Lydia Longacre taking the top prize.
Seniors Jenna Dragone and Ralph Saint-Fleur used light and shadow to re-envision the song, “I See the Light” from the Disney movie, Tangled.
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See additional Arts Day 2020 content on our website, including photos, videos, and more.
Arts Day 2020
Senior Hannah Landis received a well-deserved blue first place ribbon in the Creative Writing category for her piece, “5 Years Failed.” You have to publish this, Hannah!
Sophomore Alex Yoo sang “Streetcar” by Daniel Caesar, accompanied by Ben Lare on drums and David Michel on piano.
The most amazing performance on Arts Day may just be Dock’s Audio-Visual crew, who never get enough credit for managing stage changes, lighting and microphone settings, and myriad other details—and making it look easy. We are grateful to Technology Director Mr. Darwin Zehr and students Maggie Dowell, Valerie Lieginger, and many others for all your hard work!
Senior Evelyn Elliott’s crocheted mobile for a baby’s crib took a blue first place ribbon in the Fabric Arts category, while her Lemon Pudding Cake tickled the judge’s tastebuds and was awarded second place in the Culinary Arts competition.
Juniors Laura Frederick (at the piano) and Mirabel Fizzano sang the Kacey Musgraves song, “Rainbow.”
Ninth grade students Steven Liu, Bruce Sun, Jenifer Xie, Owen Yuan, and Lisa Zhang sing the G.E.M. song, “Light Years Away” which was the theme song for the 2016 science fiction film Passengers, and the fastest music video by a female Chinese singer to reach 100 million YouTube views.
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FROM THE VILLAGE TO THE WORLD Dock grad Jenny Chen (’20) is grateful for the opportunity to study in the United States—and is working to provide others in her hometown with similar opportunities.
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er sophomore year at Dock, Yalun (Jenny) Chen’s father came from China to visit her over Christmas break. They were in New York city together when she asked her Dad an interesting question. “My Dad always told me I had to be grateful for all that I have. So I asked Dad what he was grateful for, and he told me he was grateful for his friends in the village he grew up in,” said Chen, who graduated from Dock in June. “Their friendship had helped him become the man that he was.” That village was Chenpozai, about a four-hour drive from Shenzhen, China’s 6th-largest city with a population of over 12 million, in the Guangdong Province. Chen reflected on what her father said about his village, and about her educational experience here at Dock. “I wanted to show my parents that I am grateful for them sending me here to the United States to study,” Chen said. She decided to show her gratitude by helping students in her hometown
A big city newspaper wrote a story about the study tour last year, and Chen also promotes it with a book she had published. In four years the tour has grown from 12 students to more than 30.
have similar experiences—and that is how the Chenpozai Middle School Learning Journey was born. The Journey is really a week-long study tour that helps middle school students get out and see more of the world. Chenpozai is a village where children often live with their grandparents, because their parents go off to work in the cities and cannot afford to bring them along. Quite a few students drop out of school after middle school to go into the work force, lured by the promise of a paycheck, and greater independence. In 2019, Chen said, out of 30 middle school students in the village, only half went to high school—and only a few of those went on to college. “Many students really have no dreams,” she said. “They haven’t seen the world yet, so we show them more of the world, and help them learn about the opportunities they have.” She remembers a visit to a factory where concrete is made. “Students expected it to be dirty, that it would be polluting the air,” she said. “On the contrary, the plant was quite clean, and a lot of sophisticated technology was employed there. The students were impressed! At the end of the trip, we ask them, ‘What can you learn from what you have seen?’ We are helping them develop curiosity about the world so they can build the skills and knowledge necessary to work in an industry.” Chen hopes the study tour will help convince more students and their families to continue
their education, like the student who went on one of the first tours. When he returned from the trip, he was a much more motivated student, Chen said. He completed high school and is now planning to attend university. Most of the tours are to other parts of China, but this year, the program’s fourth, will be the first time a tour visits another country. Only 12 students went on the first tour in 2017, but Chen had 30 students participate last year. The funding for the original study tour was provided by Chen’s father, a Chinese businessman, but Jenny wrote up a business plan, applied for government funding, and ultimately received government grants for the program. She serves as trip planner, tour guide, and translator, but her real role on the trips is more strategic—as a mentor to these younger students. Her desire to help them is born out of her experiences as a Dock student. “I am so impressed by the education here at Dock,” she said. “It connects with my personality. Teachers realize what kind of person you are, and how you learn.” Chen has also been deeply influenced by chapels, classes like Kingdom Living and Bible, and the service opportunities she has had here. Even though she is not a Christian, the themes and core values spoken about at Dock resonate with her. “It is important to have a thankful heart, to love everyone, and to give back through service,” she says. “We need to do good in our lives.”
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A lesson in vulnerability, on two wheels Dock and EMU grad’s bike-packing trip across the Continental Divide was a source of fear, joy—and reflection.
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n the spring of 2019, Ryan Swartzentruber (’12) was writing his thesis as he wrapped up his master’s degree in agricultural and resource economics at Colorado State University. His wife-to-be, Rita Cohen, had just started a new job teaching high school math. It was a stressful time, and they both wanted something to look forward to—an opportunity to step away from “real life” for a bit. What better way than by biking the Continental Divide, a 2,900-mile trip from Mexico to Canada that took 48 days and included 200,000 feet of climbing on one of the most difficult and dangerous routes the United States has to offer? “For a trip like the Divide, about all you can do is hope for the best,” said Swartzentruber. “I had done two longdistance bike trips before, but this trip was demanding in many different ways.” Demanding, as in some sections where they had to carry enough food for the next three-day stretch. Demanding as in there were days where they had one opportunity to fill up water for the whole day. Demanding as in, pushing and pulling their bikes through mud and snow, rain and hail, once for half a mile straight up the notoriously difficult Fleecer Ridge near Butte, MT. Demanding as in, they had to ford a rushing stream with water up to Ryan’s waist. “There were many mornings I laid in the tent wondering if I had to get up that day,” he said. The trip was undeniably hard, but looking back now, Ryan said the difficult experiences “create the background to further emphasize the most memorable, positive moments.” He and Rita came to appreciate what he calls “small luxuries”—a can of Pringles, a warm shower, a euphoric moment on the side of the road after a particularly hard stretch, eating jelly beans, grinning ear to ear.
Ryan and his wife Rita were sponsored on their trip across the Continental Divide by the Eastern Mennonite University Bike Club. Ryan graduated from EMU in 2016.
It’s been almost a year since Ryan and Rita pedaled across the country, but they frequently reminisce, and reflect, about the experience. “I attribute the joy of bike-packing to vulnerability,” he said. “You are subjected to every possible weather condition, without options to escape, even for a moment. There are no guarantees the store will have the food you want or the well will have water available. You are at the mercy of cars that don’t know how to share the road. I am privileged enough to say that I do not typically have to worry about any of these things. I take shelter, food, water, and safety for granted every day. “Voluntarily subjecting yourself to this type of vulnerability shifts your perspective to what is truly important,” he added. “This vulnerability also provides opportunities to see the best in the world. Countless small acts of kindness from strangers can make your day. We received Gatorade a couple of times from strangers in the desert. A number of folks along the route open up their property for riders to have a bed to sleep in. These small acts don’t take much effort, but they can make a world of difference.” Being house-bound due to Covid-19 has caused Swartzentruber to long for the open road again. “I find myself longing to hop on my bike and ride away from everything,” he said “It’s easy to become frustrated at others who do not share my beliefs. The atmosphere grows more tense every day as people lose patience with one another and the situation. I chose to make myself vulnerable on the bike ride, but at-risk populations have been forced into a vulnerable position. I am extremely privileged that the pandemic has not directly affected my health or economic situation. Others have not been so fortunate. I remember moments of both fear and joy caused by others’ actions. Now I have the opportunity to pay it forward to others.”
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PUTERA ROCKS HER SENIOR YEAR
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alle Putera (’16) finished an eventful senior year at Franklin & Marshall College, graduating cum laude with a major in geoscience, winning two awards from F&M’s Department of Earth and Environment, and participating in a flurry of internships and field experiences. In the spring between her junior and senior years, Halle spent five weeks in Montana attending the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Black Hills Field Camp. Then, last summer, she and another geoscience major were selected to assist F&M professor Stanley Mertzman in conducting geological fieldwork at Mt. Shasta, a 14,000-ft. active volcano in California. Halle mapped igneous flows and studied the cilica content of molten rock around and under the volcano, which last erupted 300 years ago. Her work could help scientists determine when the next eruption is likely to occur. Halle’s work at Field Camp paid off when her camp director nominated her to participate in the 2020 Cooperative Summer Geosciences Internship Program sponsored by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). After a rigorous interview process, Halle was selected to work with Dr. Walter D. Mooney, a research seismologist and geophysicist with the USGS and a world leader in geophysical studies of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle. Dr. Mooney currently is a visiting professor at Stanford University. Read more about Halle’s experiences online at dock.org/LamplighterExtra
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John Lichty (’85) was recognized with an article in the Goshen News for running his first ultramarathon, and using the run as a fundraiser for a charity his church supports. Lichty has run marathons before, but was scheduled to run in his first ultramarathon in April when it was canceled due to Covid-19. Lichty mapped out his own course in and around Goshen, and ran 40 miles on Saturday, April 26—raising more than $4,000 for The Window, a charity providing food, clothing and other services for low-income residents in the community.
“ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS THAT JUST FELT RIGHT” Dock grad Janine Geddis (’11) took a step toward her dream with the purchase of a food truck last summer— and she’s not looking back.
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anine (Powis) Geddis (’11) remembers the night she got the idea to operate her own food truck like it was yesterday. “I was working at a bakery/deli that had just reopened after being remodeled,” she said. “The new owners would not let me try my recipes or ideas—they wouldn’t let me make something as simple as mac-and-cheese because they ‘wanted to make sure it was done right.’ I knew I needed to get out of there and do my own thing, but I didn’t know how.” Her husband, Eric, came home from work, sensed her frustration, and suggested the idea of a food truck. “It was like fireworks went off in my head,” she said. “I couldn’t stop thinking about the idea—it was one of those moments that just felt right.” So she began to do some research. Where would she get the truck from? Should she buy new or used? Truck or trailer? After hours and hours of online research and phone calls, Janine settled on United Food Trucks, a custom outfitter based in Miami, FL. She made her first call to them in February of 2019, and her truck was delivered roughly three months later. Her first day selling from the truck was June 26, 2019. She named the truck the “Winni Wagon,” because she planned to make it a fixture in the recreational areas around Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire. She decided to operate the truck part-time the first season, and so she kept her jobs at Ames Farm Inn, a lakefront resort, and nearby Lakeport Landing Marina. “I didn’t take a paycheck from the truck because I wanted it to earn as much money as possible,” she said. “There was not a lot of sleep during that time, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” There were lots of lessons learned in her first season with the truck. For a few events she ordered too much food—but it forced her to be creative. “For example, I had a lot of leftover thawed-out burgers that could not be refrozen, so I turned them into meatballs,” she said. “My goal is to have little to no waste, and for my first season, I did pretty well with that. I can’t recall a time when I threw out a large amount of food.” She also wrote notes in her food truck “calendar” so she would remember what those events were like.
“Goals in life should excite you and scare you at the same time,” says food truck entrepreneur Janine (Powis) Geddis (’11), “because if they scare you, that means you’re taking a chance rather than playing it safe.”
“I absolutely love my food truck because it’s mine,” Janine says. “The food truck is just the first step to what I want to do. My big dream is to own my own café one day, and continue using the food truck for catering events.” Starting up her own business definitely wasn’t easy, and there were quite a few speed bumps, especially with permits and licenses. “I was excited but scared when the dream started becoming a reality,” Janine said. “But thankfully I had support from Eric, my mom and dad (Shirley and Mark Powis), and my family and friends who all believed in me. I strongly believe that goals in life should excite you and scare you at the same time, because if they scare you that means you’re taking a chance rather than playing it safe.” Read more about the Winni Wagon, including insights into the design of the truck and why Janine chose its name wisely, online at dock.org/ LamplighterExtra.
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ALUMNI NOTES 1958
2014
Doris Kolb, of Lancaster, PA, married Ralph Alderfer of Souderton, PA, on May 19, 2020, at Community Mennonite Church of Lancaster. Ralph taught music and math at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School from 1967 to 1987. Doris was a community health nurse in Lancaster. They will reside in Lancaster until 2021.
Vanessa Miller (’14) began a new job in May as a Junior Designer for DSK Architects in their Los Angeles office. The firm designs buildings for education and healthcare.
2009
2016 Logan Moyer graduated from Pennsylvania College of Technology with an Associates in Applied Science degree in both Building Construction Technology and Masonry. He is working for Gehman Design Remodeling in Harleysville.
Curtis Denlinger married Betsy Dennis on April 20, 2020 at Deep Run East Mennonite Church. They reside in Telford.
2010 Morgan Kratz married Dylan Shull on April 25 at Plains Mennonite Church in Hatfield. They reside in Green Lane.
On page 25 of the Winter 2020 Lamplighter (Class of 1964 photo), Donald Stoltzfus is incorrectly listed as Dwight Stoltzfus. Lamplighter regrets the error.
Weekend ‘20 October 9 & 10, 2020
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SURRENDERING CONTROL
IN MEMORIAM
After being engaged for just over a year, Noah Shreiner (’16) and Maggie Frey were married on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Harleysville. Like many other couples, they struggled to know how to plan for their wedding day in light of Covid-19 restrictions. We asked Noah to share about the experience:
Gordon L. Groff (’71), 66, of Perkasie, passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2020 at his residence in Bedminster Twp.
In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Maggie and I received many sympathetic responses as we told people of the many hours spent planning over the course of the past year, only to have just about every one of those original plans fall through. While these sympathies were appreciated and the words of encouragement comforting, we did not find true rest in them. With no telling when restrictions from the pandemic would be lifted, we knew that likely there would be substantial sacrifices and many changes within the day itself. We experienced a lot of stress and were conflicted about how to handle the rapidly changing situation. It is in times like these when I realize the true power of prayer and surrendering our worries and doubts to God in faith. Maggie and I were able to find not only peace, but true joy and excitement about our big day after our final meeting with Pastor Mark [Wenger, of Franconia Mennonite Church] when we discussed our worries and concerns. Pastor Mark assured us that we had everything we needed to make it happen in the room already—the three of us and God. He added that all other things on a wedding day are “extras”—important extras, but not essential.
Gordon was born in Lansdale, PA to the late Merrill Groff and the late Shirley (Keeler) Groff. After graduating from Christopher Dock, Gordon entered Voluntary Service in the Head Start program in California, eventually becoming a teacher in the Head Start program. Throughout most of his working lifetime he was employed as a painter for Aldus and Ron Halteman of Franconia, but also worked at Landis Supermarkets. He attended Bally Mennonite Church. He had a passion for photography, with shows and weddings filling his free time. He photographed a number of Dock events over the years, including golf tournaments, commencements and others. A tentative memorial service is planned for Sunday, July 19, 2020 at 3 p.m. at Bally Mennonite Church, 1481 Route 100, Barto, PA 19504.
Maggie and I agreed after the wedding that God gave us the wedding we needed, not the wedding we planned for. We had an intimate day, celebrated with the ones we love and cherish. It was slightly less formal and more our style. We loved being able to actually talk and hang out with all of those who were able to make it. The best part was the way our friends, family and church community backed us up through the whole thing. It could not have turned out the way it did without the extreme generosity of everyone who contributed—from cleaning the Bernd’s barn, setting up decorations, music, catering, giving much needed haircuts, or hosting and helping with various parts of the weekend. Maggie and I were truly blessed by the gift of being in close fellowship with a community of fellow believers who gave selflessly to make our day surreal. As we drove down to the Outer Banks for our honeymoon, all we could do was sit in disbelief of God’s goodness and wonder how our wedding ended up better than we could have imagined. Only by surrendering control of the day to the Lord were we able to be completely fulfilled by the goodness he provided. SUMMER 2020 Lamplighter
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NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE
PAID
DOYLESTOWN PA PERMIT NO 640
EARLY CHILDHOOD TO GRADE EIGHT
420 Godshall Road Souderton, PA 18964 215.723.1196
GRADES NINE TO TWELVE
1000 Forty Foot Road Lansdale, PA 19446 215.362.2675
WWW.DOCK.ORG Dock Mennonite Academy inspires and equips each student to serve with a global perspective by integrating faith, academic excellence and life-enriching opportunities in a Christ-centered community.
UPCOMING EVENTS EC to Grade 8 Calendar AUGUST 2020 August 18 — K-Grade 8 Open House, 3:30 p.m. August 18 — New Family Meal, 5:30 p.m. August 18 — New Family Orientation, 6:30 p.m. August 19 — Middle School Bowling, 3:00 p.m. August 20 — First Day of School, 8:25 a.m. August 20-21 — Early Childhood Explore Days August 24 — First Day of Classes for Early Childhood SEPTEMBER 2020 September 4 — No School September 7 — Labor Day, No School September 18 — Faculty In-service, No School September 28 — Fall Golf Tournament, Indian Valley Country Club
Grades 9 to 12 Calendar AUGUST 2020 August 11 — New Student Social, 7:00 p.m. August 13 — Prayer Walk, 8:00 a.m. August 17 — Fall Sports Practices Begin August 18 — New Family Orientation, 6:30 p.m. August 20 — First Day of School, 7:45 a.m. August 26 — Pioneer Day All-School Orientation SEPTEMBER 2020 September 4 — No School September 7 — Labor Day, No School September 18 — Faculty In-service, No School September 28 — Fall Golf Tournament, Indian Valley Country Club
PIONEER DAY
FALL GOLF
FALL GOLF TOURNAMENT SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 Gather your friends and join us for a great day of golf at Dock’s Fall Golf Tournament! We will play at a new location this year, Indian Valley Country Club. Learn more and register to sponsor or play at dock.org/golf.
