Among Friends Spring 2018

Spring 2018 MOORESTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL

Among Friends

Larry Van Meter

Retires as MFS Trailblazer

Mission Statement Moorestown Friends School is a community rooted in Quaker values and dedicated to the pursuit of educational excellence for a diverse student body within an academically rigorous and balanced program emphasizing personal, ethical, and spiritual growth.

Fall 1987, revised May 2011

Contents

Spring 2018

From the School Committee Clerk

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Notes from Pages Lane

4

Fox Tracks

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Career Day

14

Larry Van Meter: An MFS Trailblazer

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Class Notes

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In Memoriam

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Moorestown Friends School 110 East Main Street Moorestown, NJ 08057 (856) 235-2900, www.mfriends.org Published By The Development Office Editor, Director of Marketing and Communications Mike Schlotterbeck Managing Editor, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Huie

Pictured: Head of School Larry Van Meter ’68 at the Moorestown Friends Meeting House In the “Larry Van Meter: An MFS Trailblazer” feature beginning on page 16, read about the legacy of the retiring Head of School, as well as fond memories shared by many members of the Moorestown Friends School community.

Graphic Design Alison Judah ’86, Hypno Design

Associate Director of Development Beth Stouffer

Photography Peter Chollick, Curt Hudson, Stephanie Huie, Mike Schlotterbeck, Larry Van Meter ’68, and alumni and student contributors

Director of Parent and Alumni Programs Suzanne Abrams

Head of School Larry Van Meter ’68

Director of Annual Giving Julia Applegate ’10 Development Office Staff Roberta Fenska and Sue Giacchetto

Director of Development Stephen Zakroff

Moorestown Friends School admits students without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender, or sexual orientation.

All photos are identified from left to right unless otherwise indicated.

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About the Cover

Printed on recycled paper.

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The Van Meter family of Matty, Luke, Margaret, Larry, and their dog Greta

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From the School Committee Clerk Honoring Head of School Larry Van Meter’s Legacy at Moorestown Friends School This issue of Among Friends commemorates Larry Van Meter’s 17-year tenure as Head of Moorestown Friends School. Under his leadership MFS has flourished in multiple ways. Enrollment has grown to over 700. Hartman Hall and the Greenleaf Mansion have been added to the campus. The academic program now includes Chinese, computer Coding for Lower School and fifth grade, and expanded offerings in religion and Quakerism, as well as a required leadership class (taught by Larry!). These are outward signs of Larry’s attention to all aspects of the school’s life and his commitment to making MFS a nationally recognized institution where the “Twin Pillars” of academic rigor and Quaker values work together to produce graduates with “Tough Minds and Tender Hearts.”

I have had the privilege of knowing Larry and his family since their arrival in MFS in 2001. As a 1968 graduate of MFS, his connection to the school has spanned a lifetime. As an MFS employee for 19 years and a School Committee member for 4 years, I have experienced firsthand Larry’s impact on the community. Both a creative thinker and a deliberate decision maker, Larry has helped the school move forward with an emphasis on concrete actions based on strong philosophical principles. The school lives its mission because Larry inspires students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni to embrace a school culture that is progressive, thoughtful, and mission-based. Although we will miss his daily presence in the life of the school, the legacy he leaves provides a strong foundation for our next Head of School, Julia de la Torre.

Larry’s wife Margaret and his sons Matty and Luke, both MFS graduates, have lived on campus and, in Margaret’s case, worked in several roles at the school. They have been an integral part of Larry’s success. The Van Meters exemplify a partnership that is reflected in Larry’s collegial approach to the MFS family as a whole.

In recognition of Larry’s outstanding service to MFS, the School Committee has undertaken a fundraising campaign to establish The Van Meter Camden Scholars Endowment. Since Larry has worked tirelessly to endow this critical program, the campaign is especially fitting.

I encourage every member of the MFS community to contribute to this important effort. In addition, the School Committee has resolved that the Greenleaf Mansion shall be known as Van Meter Hall. The acquisition and ongoing renovation of this historic building would not have happened without Larry’s leadership.

Please enjoy this issue of Among Friends as we celebrate Larry’s outstanding tenure as Head of School and his enduring legacy.

Warmly,

Barbara Rose Caldwell School Committee Clerk

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Notes from Pages Lane

Notes from Pages Lane This section of Among Friends takes its name from Pages Lane, the road that bisected the Moorestown Friends School campus prior to the construction of Stokes Hall in 1986.

February 16 Rachel Liu ’20 has trained for five years as a Beijing Opera performer, which combines the skills of singing, dancing, and acrobatics.

December 7 One popular sixth grade art project is the plastering and painting of animal masks.

Pictured is Matt Chen working on his bear mask.

February 7 First graders in Teri Kaiser’s class visited the school’s woodshop and, using scraps from Middle and Upper School projects, built their own playsets – a puppy playground, park, and aircraft carrier. Pictured are Ayaan Verma and Liam Sheth.

January 11 At the NJ Science Olympiad Regional Tournament, the MFS Middle School Science Olympiad team earned eight individual medals. Pictured are: Otis Thomson ’22, Jack Kim ’23, Nicholas Owens ’23, Turner Jobes ’22, Sreehita Hajeebu ’23, Laz Rizor-Mossgrove ’22, and Elliot Smith ’22.

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Notes from Pages Lane

January 3 Trustee and alumni parent Mindy Holman, Chairman of the Board of Holman Enterprises, shared wisdom from her experience as the leader of one of the nation’s largest retail auto businesses with the Grade 10 Leadership and the Quaker Dimension class taught by Associate Head of School Chris Kimberly.

December 1 The MFS community donated winter clothing and toys for both the Trenton Public School System and the Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program. Prekindergarten students Victoria Diamond, Fiona Lyons, and Eli Weinstein enjoyed bringing their contributions to “decorate” the Christmas tree in Stokes Hall Lobby.

December 13 Sophomore Spanish students visited the Penn Museum to learn about ancient Mesoamerican life and culture. The students were able to tour exhibitions as well as participate in a hands-on workshop to experience life as a conservator.

Pictured are Alden Burke and Jack Bader.

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November 22 Sarah Moser’s sixth grade students designed and tested earthquake-resistant buildings in science class. Pictured is Moses Hipps.

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Notes from Pages Lane

November 17 Three showstopping performances of the fall musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee!, were led by six Upper School students. Pictured is Richard Chichester ’21.

November 16 Senior students studying Chinese learned a gong fu dance and demonstrated a performance on stage as a surprise for Chinese Teacher Li Li. 6

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Notes from Pages Lane Title

October 27 The seventh grade class traveled to Washington, D.C. for three days for their annual community building and American history trip.

October 13 Each year Middle School students organize a Service Fair from which proceeds from carnival-like games are donated to a charitable fund.

The Middle School raised $2,879 for UNICEF’s Emergency Relief Programs to benefit children impacted by hurricanes. Pictured are fifth graders Katherine Lee and Ava Patel.

October 14 For her senior year capstone project, Anna Goula ’18 created and organized a Quaker Model UN Conference. About 60 high school students from four Friends schools traveled to MFS to examine how Quakerism affects many modern world issues.

October 12 In conjunction with Friends Council on Education, MFS welcomed nearly 100 educators from Friends schools across the country to explore the intersection between student leadership and Quaker values at the Sustaining Excellence Symposium.

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September 7 First Grade Teaching Assistant Sandi Federici, affectionately known as Mrs. Fed, celebrated her 80th birthday. Mrs. Fed began teaching in the Lower School on November 1, 1975 and kicked off her 42nd school year at MFS. AMONG FRIENDS

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Fox Tracks GIRLS’ SOCCER CAPTURES STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!

The Girls’ Soccer team captured the program’s first-ever state title when their championship match with Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) ended in a 3-3 draw after two overtime periods. (When state final matches end in a draw, co-champions are declared.) The championship match was filled with end-to-end action with Kieran Lees ‘18 the offensive standout for the Foxes. She scored three goals to raise her total to 21 on the season. However, MKA responded each time within minutes. Anna Goula ‘18 finished with 11 saves for the Foxes who concluded their historic season with a record of 13-6-2. The group of seniors accumulated a four-year record of 52-18-3 with three sectional titles and a state championship. They finished the season ranked No. 5 in the NJ.com Non-Public girls’ soccer poll.

Class of 2018 leaves ITS mark…

Girls’ Soccer players from the Class of 2018 were part of an unprecedented run of success for the program: 2017: Sectional and Co-State Champions 2015: Sectional Champions 2014: Sectional Champions

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Fox Tracks

GIRLS’ SOCCER: SECTIONAL CHAMPS On November 9, the Girls’ and Boys’ Soccer teams captured NJSIAA Non-Public B South championships in a doubleheader held at Washington Township H.S. In the opener, Kieran Lees notched the game’s lone goal in the 7th minute with an assist to Alyssa Runyan as the second-seeded Foxes downed top-seeded Rutgers Prep, 1-0.

Anna Goula was stellar in net with 20 saves.

Alyssa Runyan ‘18 anchored the defense.

Goalie Anna Goula ‘18 was outstanding for the Foxes in their hard-fought 1-0 sectional championship victory over Rutgers Prep.

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Kieran Lees ’18 scores!

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Fox Tracks BOYS’ SOCCER: SECTIONAL CHAMPS In the nightcap, Matt D’Ottavi ‘21 connected on an Astin Galanis ‘21 corner kick in the 29th minute to lift the fifth-seeded Foxes to a 1-0 victory over third-seeded Immaculata. Goalie Teddy Kinzler ‘18 registered four saves in the shutout. It was the second sectional title in three years for the boys’ program. In the state championship match on November 12, Morris Catholic jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first 13 minutes and the Foxes could not muster the offense to get back in the game, falling to the Crusaders, 2-0. Teddy Kinzler was strong in net for MFS with 6 saves. The Foxes concluded their season at 13-5-4.

Teammates exult with Matt D’Ottavi ‘21 who scored the gamewinner in the Boys’ Soccer sectional championship victory over Immaculata.

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Fox Tracks

GIRLS’ TENNIS: FRIENDS SCHOOLS LEAGUE CHAMPS The Girls’ Tennis team captured the 2017 Friends Schools League (FSL) championship on October 31, defeating Shipley, 3-2, in a match that lasted nearly three hours. Elena Styliades ’20, at second singles, clinched the match for the Foxes in a dramatic third-set tiebreak which she won 12-10. The title is the first Girls’ Tennis league championship for the Foxes since 1994. First singles player and sophomore Renna Mohsen-Breen was named the Burlington County Times Girls’ Tennis Player of the Year for the second year in a row.

SWIMMERS WIN GOLD MEDALS; SET THREE FSL RECORDS Swimmers enjoyed a banner day at the Friends Schools League championship meet held on February 10 at George School. The girls’ team captured six gold and seven overall medals to finish in second place behind Friends’ Central. Allison Fenska ‘21 and Christina Levins ‘21 led the way with two gold medals each and they swam on two victorious relay teams. Levins smashed two league records in the 200 individual medley (IM) and 100 breaststroke. In the first event, the Foxes girls’ 200 medley relay team of freshman Genevieve Messina ‘21, Levins, Fenska, and Maddie Mininno ‘19 set the tone for the day with a gold medal in a league record time of 1:55.25. The same quartet also won the 200 freestyle relay. The boys’ team finished fifth overall and was led by junior Evan Fenska ‘19 who captured gold in the 200 freestyle.

The following weekend Christina Levins earned a bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke and finished seventh in the 200 IM at the prestigious Eastern Interscholastic Swimming & Diving Championships, one of the fastest high school swim meets in the country.

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Fox Tracks 1 Field Hockey Enjoys Banner Season The Field Hockey team enjoyed a banner season, finishing 15-3-2 overall and 6-0-1 in the Friends Schools League. Coach Danielle Dayton’s team fell in the final to Shipley, 2-1, in overtime. The team also advanced to the NJSIAA Non-Public South semifinal where they fell to eventual champion Bishop Eustace. The Foxes finished the season at No. 9 in the NJ.com Non-Public field hockey poll.

2 Girls’ Basketball Spends Entire Season in South Jersey Top 15 The Girls’ Basketball team received a great deal of media attention this winter spending the entire season ranked in the Courier-Post Top 15 (reaching as high as No. 5) and finishing with a record of 19-6. Coach Mike Brunswick’s team avenged a regular-season loss to Shipley by defeating the Gators at home in a thrilling FSL semifinal which they won 46-32. The Foxes fell to Abington Friends in the FSL championship game, held at LaSalle University, 42-24.

The team was invited to play in the prestigious South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament, which runs for two months during the season. They defeated Seneca in their Round of 16 matchup before falling in the quarterfinals to tournament runner-up Shawnee, 48-41. Bella Runyan ‘20 won the tournament’s three-point shooting contest and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

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Libby Mayer ‘18 and the field hockey team treated a large home crowd to a memorable effort, falling in overtime to Shipley, 2-1, in the Friends Schools League championship.

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Charlotte Stern ’18 and Bella Runyan ’20 were named AllSouth Jersey Non-Public all-stars. Stern and Alyssa Runyan ’18 were selected to participate in the South Jersey Girls’ Basketball Senior All-Star Game. Coach Mike Brunswick was selected as one of the coaches for this game.

3 Boys’ Soccer Honor and Coaching Milestone Peter “Ollie” Frank ’19 was named Second Team All-South Jersey by the South Jersey Soccer Coaches Association and Second Team All-State Non-Public by the Soccer Coaches Association of New Jersey.

Boys’ Soccer Coach Mike Schlotterbeck was also recognized at the South Jersey banquet for reaching 100 career victories.

His 100th win occurred in the team’s NJSIAA sectional semifinal victory over Gill St. Bernard’s.

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Fox Tracks

4 Girls’ Fencing Sabre Squad Captures District Title The Girls’ Fencing sabre squad of Rachel Liu ’20, Carie Feigeles ’18, and Chloe Chen ’18 won the NJSIAA District 2 girls’ sabre squad championship on January 28 at North Hunterdon High School. The squad placed third, earning bronze medals at the state squad championships. In addition, Rachel Liu captured third place in the District 2 individual sabre championships and finished seventh in state competition.

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5 Student-Athletes Sign with Michigan and Rutgers On November 8, the Athletic Department hosted a National Signing Day celebration for Sujin Kim ’18 and Alexis Watson ’18. They were joined by family, coaches, teammates, and friends.

Sujin signed a National Letter of Intent to row on scholarship at the University of Michigan. Alexis signed a National Letter of Intent to play lacrosse on scholarship at Rutgers University.

Sujin Kim is a coxswain for the South Jersey Rowing Club. During her sophomore year she earned a silver medal at U.S. Junior Nationals and participated in the U.S. Rowing Club National Championships.

This past year, she has been featured in Coxing magazine and was a member of the Men’s Youth 4+ team that finished 11th in the U.S. Nationals.

Alexis Watson is one of the most decorated Girls’ Lacrosse players in program history – a history that dates back over 50 years. She is a three-time winner of the Floss Brudon Award given to the MFS player who displays dedication, excellence and outstanding participation in girls lacrosse during this school year. She is a three-time First Team Friends Schools League all star, and two-time team MVP. She reached the 100-goal plateau during her sophomore season and served as a captain during her junior season.

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6 Boys’ Basketball Milestone Jack Stern ‘19 surpassed the 1,000-plateau on February 22 vs.

Haddon Township. He is pictured along with his sister and Girls’ Basketball standout Charlotte Stern ’18, who achieved the same career milestone in 2017 and ended her career with 1,314 points.

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Career Day Jeff Benjamin on Lessons from the Hospitality Industry and Giving Back to the Community As the junior and senior classes gathered in the Meeting House on February 9, Career Day Keynote Speaker Jeff Benjamin shared with the students that by their age he already had discovered what he wanted to pursue as a career — hospitality.

Having moved from Iowa to Long Island, NY when he was 15, Jeff decided to get a job as a busboy at a catering hall. He recalled that on his first day on the job, he was running food, wiping tables, restocking the bar, and watching the party attendees having fun because of the effort of the staff. It was a blast for Jeff. As he was cleaning up, his boss asked if he could stay for the night party because a busboy called out sick. Jeff jumped at the opportunity to have some more fun, and he finished his second shift at 2 a.m. on cloud nine. As he was driving home afterwards, Jeff thought “This is what I’m doing for the rest of my life!”

From this, Jeff offered his first rule for the students to consider when thinking about their future path. “Make sure you’re having fun. If you ever stop having fun, stop doing that job and find a new career.”

Jeff then recounted another early pivotal moment that shaped his thinking over the past 30 years. After a couple years, he was promoted to server and moved to an elite country club. He humorously shared how one guest, named Mrs. Schwartz, helped him set the standard by which he now measures the mindset of his current staff.

After every meal in the dining room, each table would receive a plate of cookies. After clearing dinner, Mrs. Schwartz said to Jeff, “You forgot the cookies.” So rather than explain that he hadn’t forgotten, he went to get the cookies. So all summer long, it became a game between Jeff and Mrs. Schwartz to see if he could deliver the cookies before she mentioned them. By the end of the summer, on his last night, Jeff’s manager let him clock out early but, while driving home, Jeff remembered he had forgotten Mrs. Schwartz’s cookies. He raced home to call the manager and tell them to remember her cookies.

“I pray that all members of my industry have that drive to please the guest,” said Jeff. “You could be a doctor, lawyer, salesperson, it doesn’t matter, but in your career, I want you to have a Mrs. Schwartz moment and ask yourselves ‘How can I deliver an experience to my customer that sets me apart from my peers?’”

Following graduation from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Travel Administration, Jeff landed in New York City with the food service company Aramark. He met and befriended chef Marc Vetri who enlisted Jeff to become the general manager of his new Philadelphia restaurant. After opening Vetri Ristorante to universal acclaim in 1998, Jeff and Marc became partners and rolled out eight lauded restaurants over the next fifteen years. But there was a ninth restaurant and this is where Jeff’s third lesson, learning from failure applies.

The ninth restaurant was opened at Moorestown Mall, but business dropped dramatically after initial success. None of the usual tactics worked and, after a year of doing everything possible, the restaurant was shut down. It was a blow to the ego and finances,

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Jeff Benjamin • Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of The Vetri Restaurant Corp.

• Co-Founder and Director of the Vetri Community Partnership • Senior Executive Vice President of the Fitler Club in Philadelphia (opening early 2019) • B.S. University of Massachusetts but the failure forced Jeff to reimagine the business. “The only way to overcome failure is to never stop learning. After admitting you can learn from anyone and anywhere, you will be able to face obstacles and challenges head on.”

In addition to sharing about his experiences in the restaurant industry, Jeff imparted the notion that the definition of success extends beyond the business world. “It is essential that you be a part of the greater community and that you are a positive part of the community.” Jeff co-founded the Vetri Community Partnership ten years ago to formally affirm his commitment to helping families lead healthy lives through good nutrition.

“Marc and I realized that we had a restaurant on North Broad Street in Philadelphia, and we were charging hundreds of dollars per couple and yet three blocks north is one of the country’s poorest congressional districts. So we thought how could we solve that problem of hunger and also feel good about the professional efforts we’ve put forth in our industry? It is this work above all else that brings me the most satisfaction and of which I’m most proud.”

To his audience of students, Jeff expressed his hope that in whatever line of work they chose to pursue that they would give back to the community around them In 2015, Jeff published his first book, Front of the House: Restaurant Manners, Misbehaviors & Secrets. He looks ahead to the opening of a first-of-its-kind lifestyle club called the Fitler Club in Philadelphia. Jeff will be managing the operations of the planned private membership club that will include social, business, and wellness offerings. Jeff and his wife, Melissa, are MFS parents of two daughters, Rebecca ’21 and Ali ’23.

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CAREER DAY PRESENTERS Robert Brooks, MFS Parent Broadcast Manager Philadelphia Phillies

Simona Munseeney ’95 Senior Social Worker Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Rick Budd ’70 Senior Operating Executive Cerberus Capital Management

Beth Petrie ’84, MFS Parent Physical Therapist Virtua

Peter Frank, MFS Parent Senior Producer NFL Films

Christine Shah, MFS Parent Assistant Prosecutor and Chief of the Homicide Unit Camden County Prosecutor’s Office

LaShaniece Echevarria Harris ’06 Human Resources Generalist NBC 10/Telemundo 62

Alexander Strauss, MFS Parent Psychiatrist, Partner, and Founder Centra, P.C. and Eastern Psychiatric

Lydia Hunn ’64 Installation Artist and Emeritus Professor Drexel University Westphal School of Media Arts & Design

Michael Stepanski, MFS Parent Financial Advisor The Principal Group

Jackie Markelwitz Kirchhoff ’94, MFS Parent Nurse Practitioner Bayada Home Health Care

Keith Watson, MFS Parent Civil Engineer and Project Manager U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Philadelphia District

These professionals visited MFS on February 9 to discuss Catharine Mayer, MFS Parent Sports Medicine Specialist Cooper Bone and Joint Institute

their respective career paths with 11th and 12th grade students and share advice. Each presenter, along with keynote speaker Jeff Benjamin, hosted Upper School students in three breakout sessions.

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Larry Van Meter

Retires as MFS Trailblazer

Strong

Exemplary Intelligent Witty

Visionary Work Explorer Well-spoken Legacy Sincere Smile Rational Serene

y-builder Judicious

Tradition

Fellow

CARING

ed Helpful True Leader

tworthy

Dedicated

Perceptive

leman

Knowing

Encouraging Devoted

Steady

Compassionate Values Listener

Quaker

Warm

Genuine

Conscientious

Adventurous Genial

Cheerful

Innovative Dependable

Fair

Enlightened

Approachable

ETHICAL

Centered

Benevolent Diplomatic

Reliable

flexible

Altrui Growth

Knowledgeable Tranquil Involved Altruistic

Honest Balanced

Whimsical Learner Ernes

Intuitive GentleEarnest Courteous Present Appreciative

Courageous Authentic Hon Amazing THOUGHTFUL Smiling Best Unassuming First Approa Committed Passionate Clever Principled Awesome Professional Humble Strategy Knowledge

hetic

Woke

are

trong

Consistent Humorous

Welcoming

Tireless

Character

Steadfast

Interesting

lever Understanding

Spirit

Care

Succinct Trustworthy Gentle

Chill Gentleman Hard-working

Engaging

KIND

Smart

Honest Considerate

Dedicated integrity

Purposeful

Entrepreneurial

Loyal

Reflective

Insightful Friendly Easygoing

Patient

Erudite Willing Entertaining Selfless

Tireless Community-builder

Deliberate

Respected

Inclusive

WISE

Unique

Communicative

Focused

Enthusiastic

Stewardship Calm Supportive Inspiring

Grounded

Humble

Intuit

Skilled

Reli Receptive Talented Empathetic Honorable Community Hiker Remarkable stent Chill Strategic Creative Exceptional Kindness Generous Helpful E wledge Wind Aware Trustworthy Amiable Articulate Funny Woodworker Family 16

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“As I see it, remaining true to Friends values in a changing world is my greatest challenge...

I am confident that together we will make Moorestown Friends an even better educational and transformative experience for our students.”

– Larry Van Meter, 2001

Members of the MFS community were asked to provide “Three Words to Describe Larry.”

Memories of Larry Shared throughout this feature is a sampling of memories of and reflections on Larry Van Meter submitted by MFS community members. An abundance of memories were submitted and all will be presented to Larry as a keepsake.

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“The easiest way to describe Dad’s time at MFS is to say that it was his greatest woodworking project of all time.

Over 50,000 hours in the making, in collaboration with the very best faculty and staff, MFS today reflects the care, wisdom, and perfectionism that my dad reserves only for those things he really loves.”

– Luke Van Meter ’05

“Larry’s visionary impact on Quaker education extends beyond Moorestown Friends School. During Larry’s tenure on the Friends Council on Education, he led the effort to develop what is now called the Member Renewal Process, designed to insure that Quakerism remains the beating heart of every Friends school.”

– Drew Smith, Executive Director,

Friends Council on Education “Larry epitomizes Quaker Leadership at its best. He is persuasive without being rigid, he is passionate without being pushy, he is moral without judgement, and I would put my life in his hands.”

– Whitty Ransome ’63, Trustee

THOUGHTFUL

“Larry has given of himself and his time freely and deeply to fulfill the role of leader, pastoral guide, facilitator, Quaker visionary, strategic thinker, chief fundraiser, and thoughtful voice of the community.”

– Steve Zakroff, Director of Development

“Larry has guided MFS through strategic plans, master plans, and several building projects. His vision and dreams for MFS were always foremost in his thoughts.”

– Jim Price, Alumni Parent

Larry’s MFS Trail

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1954

Authentic

Larry on a snowshoe hike in 2010 at Montclair Glen Lodge, a high-elevation Long Trail shelter where he lived for two summers in the 1970’s when he was a Vermont State Ranger/Naturalist.

Head of School Larry Van Meter has hiked 1,800 miles of the Appalachian Trail, and his love for hiking and the outdoors is well-known. At his final professional stop, however, he blazed his most distinct trail — leading Moorestown Friends School into a new century and a new millennium.

A native Moorestonian and member of the MFS Class of 1968, Van Meter was appointed Head of School in 2000 and began his tenure in 2001. It was a homecoming for a man who held Moorestown Friends School near and dear to his heart.

A lifelong Quaker, Larry Van Meter enrolled at MFS in prekindergarten in 1954. His sisters, Janice Van Meter Stavenick ’64 and Gretchen Van Meter Rector ’69, also spent 14 years at the school. Their father, Dr. Ralph Van Meter, was an obstetrician/ gynecologist in Moorestown who delivered generations of children.

Their mother, Margaret Minch Van Meter, was a librarian at the

Prekindergarten at MFS

1968

Graduates from MFS

As a student, Larry Van Meter led the 1968 MFS Mock Political Convention.

Moorestown Library and served as a member of the MFS School Committee. Before departing the school halls, Larry Van Meter served as the leader of the 1968 Mock Political Convention (now Mock Primary Election) and was the Leonard Green Award recipient, an award given annually to the graduating boy who, in the faculty’s opinion, best embodied the qualities most valued by Moorestown Friends School.

Building a Career in Nonprofit and School Leadership After graduation from MFS, Van Meter attended Hamilton College, where he earned a B.A. in history. He served as a Vermont state park ranger for three seasons and also worked for the U.S. Forest Service in New Hampshire and the University of Vermont’s Proctor Maple Research Center. Van Meter then forged a career in nonprofit management and school leadership. At age 25, he served as Executive Director of Vermont’s Green Mountain Club, a 4,000-member organization. By age 30, he was at the helm of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, a 20,000-member organization based in Harpers Ferry, WV. He further broadened his academic credentials when he earned a degree in woodworking and furniture design from Rochester Institute of Technology. His passion for woodworking began at MFS under the late Warren Shelley.

In 1988, Van Meter earned his M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, graduating as a Tuck Scholar (top 15% of class). After working as Director of Marketing for Maine-based Thos.

Moser Cabinetmakers he was hired as the Director of Advancement at George School, the Friends boarding school in Bucks County, PA. After a five-year stint at George School, he was appointed Headmaster of Darrow School, a boarding school in upstate New York. He and his wife, Margaret, also taught at The Mountain School in Vershire, VT.

“Because of his reserved personality, I think people sometimes didn’t fully appreciate what a strong and accomplished leader Larry was, but over time, his ambition, creativity, and deep love for the school bore spectacular fruit.

MFS is an example for Quaker schools everywhere of how to embody Friends’ principles of respect, equity, nonviolence, and social justice.”

– Katy Rinehart, former English

Department Chair and Director

of College Guidance

“Larry’s greatest and most lasting achievement is, and will be, the hundreds of young men and women who grew up at Moorestown Friends School and have graduated — but who have never really left it behind. Because they are taking with them the knowledge they gleaned at the hands of dedicated teachers, a keen awareness of events both local and global, kindness, compassion, a firm commitment to help others, and a quiet resolve to find the answers they seek through peaceable means. The graduates of Moorestown Friends are bringing their Quaker values, nurtured and brought to fruition under Larry’s leadership, from the MFS community to the rest of the world.”

– Gretchen Van Meter Rector ’69, Larry’s sister “A truly good person, he embodies the qualities that define leadership – integrity, diligence, and compassion. I became a better educator by learning from Larry what it means to dedicate oneself so wholly to others.”

– Mark Gornto, former English and

Drama Teacher “I have come to see what a special perspective and set of beliefs he has – on education, leadership, and life. He’s a calm, servant leader who has a passion for education and growth of our children that is simply unmatched.”

– Chris Gheysens, Parent

Strategic Plan Establishes Twin Pillars This diverse experience served him well as he became acclimated to his new role as MFS Head of School in the early 2000s.

2001

MFS Head of School

2003

Matthew Van Meter graduates

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“Larry is truly an inspirational leader who cares deeply about brightening the future of the world through engaging the ‘tender hearts’ and ‘tough minds’ of students. I’m grateful for his vision, his values, and his wisdom in doing all the right things for all the right reasons in service to making MFS a great place to work, teach, play, and learn.”

– Mark Mitchell ’86,

Vice President, National

Association of Independent

Schools “There are few people who love the school as much as Larry. He worked so hard to make it a place that could withstand the pressures of the modern world and to build a future for it.”

– Priscilla Taylor-Williams,

former Chester Reagan Chair

He established a culture of strategic planning which was integral to the school’s growth and development during his tenure. “We recognized in 2003 that we wanted to be not just a very good school, but a truly great school, an exemplar for Friends schools across the country,” said Van Meter. “Striving for greatness is what makes an institution grow stronger and stronger rather than resting on its laurels.”

The 2004 Strategic Plan highlighted the twin pillars of academic “rigor and spiritual & ethical growth as central to the educational mission of the school. This was followed by a second Strategic Planning process in 2010-11, which built on the success of the 2004 plan.

“Larry believed that we needed to create a strategic plan,” said School Committee Clerk Barbara Rose Caldwell, who served as Associate Head of School and Academic Dean during much of Van Meter’s tenure. “To me that was the transformative document that has informed everything else. The twin pillars recognized that the Quaker dimension was as important as the academic dimension, and tying those together is a distinctive for the school.”

Van Meter is proud of where the school is today. He reflected: “We have been very clear that the twin pillars are of equal height.

Of course we need to be a superb school academically, and we are, but being just excellent academically would leave a huge void for our students. Making the spiritual & ethical education program of equal importance is unusual for an independent school and has informed much of what we have done during my time at MFS.”

“A fantastic imprint and legacy has been left as Larry departs from MFS!!!! Thank you on behalf of all of the stakeholders of this exceptional institution. You will be missed and remembered.”

– Phil Lippincott, Trustee “I will always appreciate him for all he’s done to make sure that other Camden Scholars like myself will have the opportunity to experience Quaker education at its finest for years to come. “

– Tiffany Taylor Jenkins ’97 “Larry sees the potential in everyone and has a radiating confidence in their ability to achieve it.”

– Michael Borden ‘04 “I remember having Hoagies with the Head as a new freshman and immediately felt welcome. I knew right away that this would shortly become my second home!”

– Kat Johnson ‘21

2004

20

AMONG FRIENDS

School enrollment exceeds 700

2004

Strategic Plan

The Community and Academic Program Grows In his early years, Upper School enrollment intentionally grew from 220 to over 300, which increased total enrollment from 656 students when he began to more than 700. He also led efforts to bolster ethnic and socioeconomic diversity — during his tenure the percentage of students of color doubled from 20% to 40% and the school’s need-based financial aid budget grew from $500,000 to $3,000,000. Also, a Director of Diversity and Inclusion position was created as part of the Administrative Council, and Diversity Coordinators were added to each division to oversee efforts to educate and inform students, faculty, staff, and community members about the hard but essential work of inclusion.

Another key component in the 2004 Strategic Plan was raising faculty salaries from the 25th to the 50th percentile among peer schools. “Larry has always taken hiring very seriously.” said Caldwell.

“The process he supported included experiential exercises for all candidates, and it has really worked well. We have been able to hire talented faculty and staff.”

“We take great care in our hiring regardless of the level or type of position, and it pays off because we have great people who are skilled instructors, love their subject, and are completely trustworthy,” said Van Meter. “We want to be sure that our faculty and staff are not only excellent at what they do but also serve as laudable role models for our students.”

In addition to attracting top teachers to the school, the academic program expanded at all levels. In the Lower School, a computer Coding program was added in 2014 which now spans from Preschool through Grade 5 and leads into the Middle School technology education sequence. In 2008 Mandarin Chinese was introduced as a third option in addition to French and Spanish for Middle and Upper School students. Advanced Placement course offerings grew from 5 when Van Meter began to the current 18.

He helped institute a Capstone Program for seniors as well as a Summer Co-Op Program for Upper School students. Under his leadership, a new rich and varied Summer Programs curriculum was developed. These programs now see upwards of 650 registered campers (both MFS and non-MFS students) who spend time on campus during the summer months.

citnehtuA

Producing “Successful, Ethical, and Service-Oriented Leaders” In recent years, a concerted effort has been made to help students develop skills that build on Quaker values of compassion, inclusion, and consensus to produce “successful, ethical, and service-oriented leaders.” As part of a revamped religion curriculum, Van Meter has taught a course titled “Leadership and the Quaker Dimension,” which is a requirement for tenth grade students. In addition, ninth graders now take a required Quakerism course and eleventh graders a required World Religions course.

Van Meter has overseen three re-accreditation processes through the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA). In 2014, the school was selected to be accredited under the

“I have known Larry for many years in my capacity as a School Committee member and have been inspired by his ability to lead the school in a manner that provides an outstanding education while fostering a strong sense of community. Larry has provided the vision to take MFS from good to great while never forgetting to care for the individuals who comprise the school.”

– Mindy Holman,

Trustee and Alumni Parent

“Larry demonstrated extraordinary leadership, thoughtfulness and compassion when a family from MFS was experiencing tragedy and trauma. He managed the community crisis with a firm and steady hand. He organized the efforts of the school community to offer support while overseeing the safety and security of the children involved. He offered support to those who were also trying to help. Larry answered every phone call, returned every message, presided over funeral arrangements and planted the flag of moral leadership to the community and to outside forces. He dedicated time, energy, and skill above and beyond his duty as Head of School to help everyone touched by the situation.

He traveled out of state to reach out to be certain a member of the school community was embraced. Larry did all these things and more over a number of years.

Each action underscored his deep commitment to set an example of what it means to be a member of the MFS community. It is so much more than great kids going places, it is also about great people doing amazing things in good times and bad. Larry led MFS through a challenging crisis with the best interest of the children always first and foremost.”

– Debbie Bozarth, Alumni Parent

LUFTHGUOHT

2005 “Great Kids, Going Places” debuts

2005

Luke Van Meter graduates

AMONG FRIENDS

21

“Whether it be setting the clock in Stokes Hall with Lower School students, attending sporting and arts events, or hosting Hoagies with the Head, he finds ways to get to know students in the school and foster relationships with them. He is a genuinely kind and good human and lets his life speak in remarkable ways.”

– Kimberly Clarkson,

Middle School Director

“After dropping my son in car line at Lower School, I would wait to watch him enter the building. I was always inspired by Mr Van Meter’s humble attitude in making eye contact with every child, greeting them with a smile and holding the door for at least more than 30 minutes. That takes a lot of patience and a big loving heart.”

– Najmun Riyaz, Parent “I have always appreciated how Larry would take the time to write personal notes to every faculty member each year.

His acknowledgement of the wide range of ways that we commit ourselves to the students and the school goes a long way. Given that Larry has dedicated so much of his life’s work to improving MFS, it does not go unnoticed that he, in turn, recognizes the faculty for doing the same.”

– Jake Greenberg, Middle School

History Teacher

THOUGHTFUL

“I cherish the sense of family and community Larry brings to MFS. This is our home away from home. I’ve enjoyed the times we’ve shared about what’s happening with our own families outside of school. Larry truly loves MFS, both past and present. My Prekindergarten students loved the times Larry came to the classroom to share a story or work with us. “

– Lisa Martin ’84,

Prekindergarten Teacher

2007

22

AMONG FRIENDS

Mandarin Chinese at MFS

State Senator and alumni parent Diane Allen visited the school for the 225th Anniversary Convocation.

Sustaining Excellence program, a new protocol reserved, as MSA describes it, for “leading schools.” There are only a few New Jersey independent schools under the Sustaining Excellence protocol; they include Lawrenceville School and Christian Brothers Academy. As part of this protocol, in October 2017, the school hosted the heads and religion department chairs of Friends schools from across the nation for a Sustaining Excellence symposium on the MFS campus.

The school also recently completed the Membership Renewal Process for its accreditation as a Quaker school through Friends Council on Education.

Drawing on his background in marketing, Van Meter was instrumental in developing the “Great Kids, Going Places” campaign in the 2000s and was adamant that the school maintain its strong marketing efforts when the Recession of 2008 hit. “These past 17 years, Larry has raised the school’s profile in the region significantly,” said Caldwell.

Authentic

Community Connections Help Fuel Campus Expansion Caldwell also cited Van Meter’s previous experience as a head of school and his institutional knowledge and connections as a member of the Class of 1968 as major factors in his success. “Larry brought a vision for the school informed by having already served as a head and knowing this community as an alumnus,” she said.

2008

Purchase of Greenleaf property

“Larry was able to reach out to alumni and former teachers.

Those connections cannot be overemphasized.” He helped raise over $30 million in capital and annual giving funds and also raised giving levels for parents/guardians from 56% to 73% and for faculty and staff from 53% to 100%. Most visibly, he led the effort to expand the physical footprint of the campus. The westward expansion of the campus included the purchase of the former Greenleaf retirement community property, now home to Hartman Hall, which opened in 2012.

A Leader that Connected with the Community However, it is the kind and modest leader that most community members will remember when thinking about Van Meter’s tenure. “I was always impressed by Larry’s patience and fairness and his desire to ensure that all voices be heard and respected,” said former School Committee Clerk Nick Smith. “His own views were shared in a manner that was typically humble and understated. It was a common occurrence for me to watch Larry as he listened to others carefully and with respect and trust.

Sometimes we would postpone making a decision pending further fact gathering or further study, but often Larry would be able to discern and suggest a way forward that would unify the group and allow the school to proceed expeditiously and decisively, and also with tremendous buy-in and enthusiasm.”

Whether it was collaborative clockmaking, hosting “Hoagies with the Head” with countless students, or attending theater performances, sporting events, and more, connecting with students and community members has been Van Meter’s most important and rewarding work. During his early years at MFS, he collaborated with seven students to craft an exact reproduction of a Hollinshead Clock that now stands in Stokes Hall Lobby.

Morgan Hollinshead (1775-1832), a famous Quaker clock maker, was a Moorestown resident. A historical marker notes the site of his clock shop adjacent to the Moorestown Friends Meeting House. Lately, one of Van Meter’s favorite activities has been the weekly winding of the clock with a rotation of eager fourth grade students.

“The ability to connect with all parts of the community is very important — a bit like being the mayor of a small town,” he reflected. “Everyone needs to feel heard and valued. There must be a level of trust that the Head and administration always have the best interests of the students at heart.”

Van Meter is quick to attribute the success of his tenure to others. “I am grateful to have worked with talented faculty , a dedicated administration and staff, an invested School Committee, and, of course, hundreds of thoughtful and energetic students,” he said. “Together, we have accomplished a lot and, most importantly, furthered the Quaker mission of the school.”

The Miles Ahead...

What will he miss most? The constant activity. His office location in Stokes Hall has turned out to be one of his favorite aspects of the job.

2009

Hollinshead Clock unveiled

Title

“Larry would surprise us with unannounced visits to the preschool classroom so he could visit with the children. One of my fondest memories of Larry happened to be one of those visits when he also brought a guest with him who he introduced as his prekindergarten teacher. They shared stories of Larry’s classmates as well as remembering his favorite places to play in the classroom. I fondly remember how heartwarming it was to listen to their shared memories of Larry’s very first year at Moorestown Friends.”

– Patricia McEwan,

former Preschool Teacher “He has a way of gently guiding and mentoring those around him by affirming their strengths and leading them to further their understanding. His faith in others, deep respect for differences, and honesty have made him an exceptional head of school. It has been an honor to work with him.”

– Meredith Godley, Upper School Director “Larry has a calming presence and has been perfectly suited in his leadership role as Head of MFS. He was a material factor in our decision to enroll our daughter at MFS with his warm manner and thoughtful presentation.

The genuine joy that he exudes and his love for the kids and his interest in their well being are truly remarkable.

He is unwaveringly dedicated to the school and the students.”

– Wendy Cooke, Parent “What truly comes to mind is Larry’s steadfast commitment to making MFS an ever-stronger institution and doing so in an upbeat, open-minded and collaborative way. I’ve witnessed firsthand his ability to use both intelligence and common sense to resolve an issue and leadership and teamwork to guide a decision-making process. Larry has taught me the value of Quaker values, especially stewardship, by his own example.”

– Emily Orel, Trustee and Alumni Parent

2010

MFS 225th Anniversary Celebration

AMONG FRIENDS

23

Larry Van Meter Retires as MFS Trailblazer “Whenever I see Mr. Van Meter, I see smiling eyes and sense a spirit of calmness. He always appears to be free – from disturbances and annoyances – and yet, as Head of School, his shoulders always carry the weight of his responsibility to his peers and students.

Every time he sees me, he SEES me — he remembers my name, my parents and my sisters, and now, my children. The effort it takes to engage with every person he encounters with individualized attention is truly appreciated and has always made me feel welcomed on campus.”

– Sonia Mixter Guzman ’02, Parent

“I have known Mr. Van Meter since I was a three-year-old Quaker at Moorestown Meeting as well as Moorestown Friends. I chose the specific word “aware” in my three words to describe him because I noticed how aware he has been of me for all of these years. I had the opportunity to have him be a part of my fourth grade as well as eighth grade graduation. Between each moment, he’s been there as part of my life. I’ve had the opportunity to speak with him and catch up with him through my journey as a student and ultimately his journey as a headmaster. I’m lucky to have been part of his life for fourteen years.”

– Lizzie Huettl ’19

THOUGHTFUL

“Mr. Van Meter somehow not only could know the names of any individual at any given time at MFS, he would also know little details about our interests, families, or accomplishments. He has a smile and genuine greeting for anyone who crosses his path, and is always fully present when interacting with any student, teacher, or community members despite all that he has to do every day to keep the school running smoothly. His presence is essential to my memories of the Quaker values that undergirded MFS.”

– Hannah Spielberg ’09

“This is a great location for the Head’s office, but I wasn’t so sure about that when I arrived,” he said. “Everybody bustles in and out of Stokes Hall. It’s like a city that never sleeps. There is always lots of positive energy, and that energy is contagious.”

Larry and his beloved wife Margaret, who served as Associate Director of College Counseling and Art Instructor, formed the essential head/spouse partnership. They plan to split their time in retirement between homes in Hopewell Township, NJ (near his family’s “ancestral homeland” in deep South Jersey, near Bridgeton), and the Berkshires. “Both of our houses require a lot of attention.

One is 275 years old, and the other is 175 years old, and, fortunately, I love doing that type of work!” said Larry. He and Margaret look forward to spending much of their time in New Jersey writing and working on projects (Larry plans to build a wooden boat from scratch) and their summers enjoying the mountains, theater, and music in western Massachusetts. And, of course, he plans to knock off the final 385 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

He also plans to become even more involved on boards on which he already serves: Medford Leas retirement community, Darrow School, George Nakashima Woodworker in New Hope, PA, and the Forman S. Acton Educational Foundation in Salem, NJ. Margaret plans to remain active both as a board member and singer with the Greater South Jersey Chorus.

Larry and Margaret have two sons. Matthew ’03, a Middlebury alumnus, currently lives in Detroit and is a writer and graduate of the M.F.A. nonfiction program at Columbia University. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, Forbes, Longreads, The Awl, Friends Journal, Russia Profile, and others. Luke ’05, is following in his father’s footsteps as an M.B.A. candidate at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. A Haverford alumnus, he previously worked in Philadelphia for the Science Leadership Academy (SLA), a magnet public high school, and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA).

From his first day of prekindergarten to his final day as Head of School in June, Larry Van Meter blazed a momentous trail at MFS. It’s a trail that thousands have benefitted from directly and indirectly as Moorestown Friends School students around the world “let their lives speak.”

Authentic

2012

24

AMONG FRIENDS

Hartman Hall opens

“I cannot remember a time where Mr. Van Meter wasn’t smiling. He always smiles, and he always finds different ways to see any bright side of any situation. Mr. Van Meter “Bob and I attended 11 Grandparents’ at MFS. was always made me feel more like a uniqueDays human being,Itand always to watch Larry interact with grandparents less likeaahighlight regular student.” and far.Fox We’23 always felt such a sense of community from near – Alissa with these other grandparents whose grandchildren are blessed to have an education at MFS.”

– Sherron Davis, Grandparent “Larry has guided MFS through strategic plans, master plans, and several building projects. His vision and dreams for MFS were always foremost in his thoughts.”

– Jim Price, Alumni Parent “I will always appreciate him for all he’s done to make sure that other Camden Scholars like myself will have the opportunity to experience Quaker education at its finest for years to come.”

– Tiffany Taylor Jenkins ’97

Mr. Van Meter was known to have “stomach butterflies” on the first day of school.

“The most memorable and treasured moments definitely have to be his warm, welcoming speeches on the first day of each school year. I remember in vivid detail how, without fail, every year Mr. Van Meter would claim to have butterflies in his stomach from all of the excitement. Much to the amusement of everyone present, he would then open his coat to reveal several bright butterfly pins attached to the inside of his jacket. The room would erupt with giggles, especially from the crowd of younger students, and any apprehension felt towards beginning a new year would melt away almost instantly. Mr. Van Meter brought so much fun, light, and love to the school community and truly created an environment that focused on the joys of learning and putting both heart and soul into anything and everything one might pursue.”

– Katia Hehn ’20

2013

Summer Scholars begin

“I signed up for Mr. Van Meter’s clockmaking class without knowing quite what to expect.

As an I was overwhelmed by on “I have beenupperclassman, at MFS since I was in preschool.

Every year, the stressors first day of and school, I was very nervous.

Mr. Van Meter deadlines that seemed massive would always speak at the opening Meeting for Worship. enough then to command their own gravitational He discussed how he was nervous too and showed us the pull. Time instomach. the woodshop would help ‘butterflies” in his I always laughed when me I saw the paper butterflies taped to his shirt.

Not only was this escape all of that, I reasoned — especiallyfunny since but it was also relaxing to know that even the principal is I’d spend it listening to Mr. Van Meter wax nervous on the first day of school!” clocks.

Mr. lyrical about – Aani Desai ’22Van Meter would pace the benches in our wood-turned-clock shop, “I cherish the sense of family and community Larry brings pausing periodically to offer words of sage to MFS. This is our home away from home. I’ve enjoyed the insight.

As heabout approached my station, I was times we’ve shared what’s happening with our own families outside of school.

Larry truly loves MFS, both worried about what he might say: I’d failedpast to and present. My Prekindergarten students loved the times account for a knot in the wood, and my clock’s Larry came to the classroom to share a story or work with us faceourlooked bit sad and asymmetrical as a during center aexploration activities.” result. But –instead Lisa Martin ‘86, Prekindergarten of criticizing my work,Teacher which was more than warranted, Mr. Van Meter smiled and said, ‘I like how you incorporated that knot — it gives your piece a distressed look, which is really in style these days.’ And he gave me some tips on how I could push that aesthetic further.

This comment, though understated, is indicative to me of the kind of stewardship that Mr. Van Meter embodied as an educator: patiently sharing his knowledge of a craft with others; guiding me to use whatever talents and gifts I had (very little, in terms of clockmaking) to the greatest possible effect; putting considerable care and attention into that moment — though I’m sure, as headmaster, he had more than his own share of stressors and deadlines as well.

Beyond clocks, Mr. Van Meter has served as a conscientious steward for the entire school community, and I can’t thank him enough for his profound impact on my education.”

– Mario Ponticello ’06

2015

Lower School Computer Coding

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25

From the Next Head of School “The best kinds of teachers are the ones who guide you and support you, trust you and challenge you, but don’t necessarily provide you with a map to your destination. As I chart my own path as the next head of school at Moorestown Friends, I couldn’t be more appreciative to have Larry as my teacher. Already in our short time together, he has provided encouragement and wisdom, but has left me ample space to reach my own conclusions and follow my own inner compass. There is a peacefulness about him that communicates confidence and kindness, and I can see clearly why he is so beloved at MFS. There is simply no way to fill Larry’s shoes, so I don’t plan on trying. Instead, I will firmly plant my own pair of shoes next to his, track where his path of leadership has led him and this wonderful institution, and pave my way forward with his sage advice surrounding me. I count myself among the luckiest heads of school to have Larry as my teacher, and I will give my full heart to honoring his work and vision for MFS.”

– Julia de la Torre

THOUGHTFUL

2017

Authentic

Girls’ Soccer: State Champs!

2018

26

AMONG FRIENDS

Retirement

Larry Van Meter Retires as MFS Trailblazer

RESOLUTION TO NAME VAN METER HALL In unity, the School Committee of Moorestown Friends School names the Greenleaf Mansion, located at 28 East Main Street, “Van Meter Hall.” It shall be so named permanently and in perpetuity. In so doing, the School Committee thanks and honors Larry Van Meter for his exceptional service as Head of School from 2001 through 2018, and for his leadership, wisdom, devotion, grace, and spirit on behalf of our school.

LARRY VAN METER

Larry Van Meter, the son of Dr. Ralph Van Meter and Margaret Minch Van Meter, grew up in Moorestown. An “original” at MFS, Larry joined the school as a member of Betty Gravatt’s prekindergarten class in the fall of 1954 and graduated in the Class of 1968. His two sisters also graduated from MFS, Janice a member of the Class of 1964, and Gretchen, the Class of 1969. As a senior, Larry served as the editor of the Class of 1968 Cupola yearbook, and he led the 1968 Mock Primary Election with the guidance of Cully Miller. Larry was selected by the faculty of the school as the 1968 recipient of the Leonard Green Award, which was given to the male student who exemplified the best qualities of a Moorestown Friends School graduate.

Larry earned a B.A. from Hamilton College, an associate’s degree in applied science in woodworking and furniture design from the School for American Crafts of Rochester Institute of Technology, and later an M.B.A. from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College. He began his career as an educator at The Mountain School in Vershire Center, VT. After serving as Director of Advancement at George School in Newtown, PA, he became Headmaster of Darrow School in New Lebanon, NY. Earlier, he served as the executive director of the Appalachian Trail Conference in Harpers Ferry, WV. A lifelong member of Moorestown Friends Meeting, Larry, his wife Margaret, and their two sons Matthew and Luke, returned to Moorestown in July 2001, when Larry became the first alumnus to lead Moorestown Friends School. Matty graduated with the Class of 2003 and Luke with the Class of 2005. Margaret joined the faculty, serving first in the English and later in the Arts departments, and was Associate Director of College Guidance from 2002 to 2015.

Larry’s father was an obstetrician-gynecologist in Moorestown who delivered generations of children. Larry’s mother worked at libraries in Philadelphia and at the Moorestown Free Library. She was a member and past president of the Burlington County Medical Auxiliary, an associate member of the Curtis Auxiliary of Memorial Hospital, and a member of the Corporation of Friends Hospital in Philadelphia. She served for 18 years as a member of the MFS School Committee.

It is fitting that Van Meter Hall is located on Main Street in Moorestown, as Larry and his family have spent a great deal of time traveling up and down Main Street, between MFS, Moorestown Meeting, the Community House where the town library used to be located, and to Dr. Van Meter’s office, which was also located on Main Street, all down the road from the family’s home at 725 Kings Highway.

Through the naming of Van Meter Hall, the School Committee seeks to celebrate the Van Meter family’s dedication of over half a century to the mission of Moorestown Friends School and the twin pillars of Quaker values and academic excellence, and recognize Larry’s superb leadership of the school from 2001 through 2018.

SPRING 2018

AMONG FRIENDS

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Class Notes

In Memory of Neil Hartman Retired faculty and former School Committee member Neil Hartman, 97, died on February 6, at Medford Leas. A caring father and grandfather, Neil will be remembered both as a dedicated teacher who impacted the lives of countless students and as a man who contributed to international understanding.

Neil was born in Cedarville, OH on June 8, 1920. He attended the Cedarville public school and then Cedarville College, graduating in 1941 with a B.A. in math and science.

Growing up as a Methodist, Neil was profoundly influenced by his church. After much discussion during summer work camps about what a Christian should do regarding the impending World War II military draft, Neil decided that he could not kill, so he signed up “I had ‘Mr. Hartman’ for three years of math and as a conscientious objector (CO). Registering as a CO was not easy, as there was much antipathy towards also for scripture. He was one of a number of largerthem. His experiences as a CO, volunteering in medical than-life teachers from that era who had an indelible experiments and exposing mistreatment of patients at a mental hospital where he served as an orderly, have been influence on a generation of MFS graduates. When reported on by both PBS and NPR. I returned to MFS in 2001 as the Head of School, I His last job while drafted was to work as a was very pleased to find Neil still such a pillar of the “seagoing cowboy” for the United Nations Relief and school community.”

Rehabilitation Agency (UNRRA) on boats that shipped livestock to war-torn countries in Europe and Asia. In – Larry Van Meter ’68 1946, UNRRA hired him as a supervisor for four more trips. These experiences fostered his life-long interest in other cultures and international travel.

In 1947, Neil began teaching math at George School. There he met Venette Addison Shearer, whom he married in August 1948.

In 1949, they moved to Toyama Heights, Japan to do relief work with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). The bonds he formed there were maintained for the rest of his life.

Upon returning to the States in 1952, Neil started teaching math and religion at MFS, retiring in 1985. Convinced Quakers, the Hartmans joined and were active in Moorestown Monthly Meeting.

At MFS, Neil coached boys’ varsity tennis, acted in school plays, instructed the May Day dancers, and helped organize the school’s alumni lobster dinners, among other activities. He also earned a master’s degree from Temple University. While reputed to be a no-nonsense teacher who could be intimidating, he was also known for his dry sense of humor. He was proud that so many of his students went on to be successful and to “do good” in their own lives.

Neil’s life darkened with the illness and death of his wife Venette, in 1975, and his daughter Holly Lynn, in 1978. Neil then married Marian B. Weinberger in 1978. After retirement, Neil and Marian had many adventures together, enjoying camping and Elderhostels both in the U.S. and abroad. They served on Quaker committees, including the Friends World Committee for Consultation. They moved to the Medford Leas Retirement Community in 1998.

Neil remained active in the MFS community. He was the chair of the MFS bicentennial celebration (1985–1986), was on the School Committee from 1997 to 2005, and received the Alumni Association’s Service Award in 2004. Neil was so respected both as a teacher and an exemplar of Quaker values that in 2012 the School Committee named the school’s newest classroom building Hartman Hall.

Neil continued his efforts for peace throughout his life, hosting international guests, participating in the 1960s civil rights movement, and serving as a draft counselor to young men during the Vietnam War. He participated in marches and vigils well into his 90s. His life was as full and as meaningful as it was long.

Neil is survived by his daughters Sandra Hartman Reid ’73, of Haddon Township, NJ, and Judith A. Hartman ’79, of Columbus, OH, and their families. His wife Marian died this past December 26 at Medford Leas.

A memorial service honoring Neil’s life was held on March 10 at Moorestown Monthly Meeting. Memorial contributions may be sent to: Moorestown Friends School, 110 E. Main Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057-2949 www.mfriends.org or Heifer Foundation, the Seagoing Cowboys Endowment, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202 www.heiferfoundation.org.

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AMONG FRIENDS

SPRING 2018

Class Notes 1947 Patricia McGinley Osborn and her husband, Robert, both 88, still enjoy independent living in a gated retirement community in Florida. Their children all live in Tennessee but keep close to them.

1961

1949 Joan Bealor and her husband, Earl, are enjoying life with their calico cat, Grace, in an apartment in a retirement home in Lansdale, PA.

1950 Joan Herbst Lumb is continuing to work as a docent at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, FL.

1952 Wesley Manuel reflected it seems impossible that 57 years have whizzed by since graduation from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, let alone 66 years since leaving MFS. He does miss the drama of constantly being in a courtroom and the privilege of representing many of the nation’s leading corporations. In 1987, Wes was inducted into the highly selective American College of Trial Lawyers in San Francisco, with membership being limited to less than one percent of each state’s bar.

He retired to the peace, quiet, and warmth of Florida, and he commented the greater Stuart area is blessed with many good restaurants and world-class scenery to enjoy year round with friends, with many places accessible by boat. Now Wes has three grandchildren in college and two to go. His eldest granddaughter became Miss Ocean City two years ago.

Bill Archer is still the town crier for the Historical Society of Moorestown. Bill will be marching in the May Day celebration on May 4 at MFS and is looking forward to it. Pictured are Bill and his wife, Eileen.

1967

1954 Gerald Husted has been retired for 10 years and is living on Cape Cod with his wife Carol, close to their four kids and nine grandchildren. They welcome visitors.

1956 Paul Mecray shared that he and his wife, Nell, are enjoying life at the retirement community Beaumont in Bryn Mawr, PA. Paul still works full time in energy industry research, albeit with less travel than in the past.

1957 Martin Lehfeldt reported, “Two weeks SPRING 2018

On September 3, Agnes Miyo Moriuchi and Steve Elkinton were married at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting with all of their siblings, four daughters, and many relatives and friends in attendance. A joyous reception followed with singing, dancing, and pie for dessert! Two weeks later, Miyo’s daughter, Trudy Rebert, wed Siddartha Jha of London and New Delhi in a Quaker Hindu ceremony in Hanover, PA, which entailed more singing and dancing! into the new year, I have added two new pharmaceutical prescriptions and one new medical practitioner to the list of people and products that are allegedly preserving my health. I can hardly wait to see what happens during the next 50 weeks.”

1958 Saundra Nottingham shared she’s very happy the class will be celebrating its 60th MFS reunion and is grateful for her MFS family who she is privileged to see now and again.

AMONG FRIENDS

29

Class Notes

1970

1972

After both medical and law school, Steve Poliakoff joined the Department of Justice and now works in San Diego, CA. In June, he was one of six individuals in the country to be recognized with the Director’s Award at the Department of Justice for Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney-Civil, for superlative medical malpractice defensive litigation.

Warren Nelson reported he turned 77 but is still working full time as editor of the English language half of the Iran Times, a weekly about Iran aimed at expats in North America. The paper is not allowed in the Islamic Republic, which had their offices firebombed some decades ago. Warren’s health remains good, although a lot of joints creak. His bride, Susan, has retired and wants to travel, which means he may have to retire since he can’t be gone more than three days at a time presently.

Rochelle “Shelly” Lario Towers is still working at a travel agency, enjoying lots of trips and cruises. Shelly is also enjoying her three sons and their families, with seven grandchildren. She and her husband, Eugene, are in Ocean City in the summer and listed, if anyone wants to stop in.

1960 If you thought you saw your classmate Sheila LeBow Gross on Good Morning America on Valentine’s Day – you did!

Sheila is an ordained and licensed interfaith minister, based in Edgewater, NJ. She performs all faiths ceremonies, and was featured as the officiant in a segment showing couples having “destination weddings” without leaving New York City.

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They were getting married and renewing their vows at Gulliver’s Gate, a 50,000square-foot miniature world, featuring over 25 cities from five continents, which opened last year in Times Square.

1961 See photo of Bill Archer on page 29.

1964 Trixie Sanborn Meteyer finally retired in August and is enjoying free weekends after 43 years as a church organist.

1966 See photo of Caroline Brunt Moriuchi on page 35.

In October, Paul Harrison was named Senior Master (longest serving faculty member) and holder of the Littlejohn Chair at Middlesex School, an independent secondary school for boarding and day students in grades 9-12, in Concord, MA. The Littlejohn Chair provides for the salary of a senior member of the faculty.

Paul joined the Middlesex faculty in 1977 after attending the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a B.A. in history and an M.S. in comprehensive social studies. Over the years, Paul has taught history; coached both boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer teams, basketball, baseball, tennis, and lacrosse; organized the weekly Chapel Program; headed the boys’ day student house; served as the dean of student discipline; chaired the Social Sciences Division; and joined the Alumni and Development Office as a major gifts officer. Paul is the parent of two former Middlesex School student body presidents as well, Sam and Nina.

Deborah Ohler Bowman shared that she “had the joy of two wonderful big trips last year.” She visited Tuscany and Venice last spring, and traveled with her sister and brother-in-law to Chile and Argentina in the fall.

Larry Hinds recently moved from Florida to Washington State, splitting his time between the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii.

He shared everyone is welcome to visit!

1967

1972

See photo of Agnes Miyo Moriuchi on page 29.

1970 See photo above of Steve Poliakoff.

Steven Benner, a biochemist at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution in Florida, was quoted in the New York Times article “Cassini Flies Toward SPRING 2018

Class Notes

1984 Professor Robin Bachin Publishes Historical Manuscript That Provides a One-of-a-Kind Peek into the Challenges of a Single Working Mother in the 1920s Robin Bachin served as editor and annotator of her latest work, Big Bosses: A Working Girl’s Memoir of Jazz Age America. The autobiography, written in the 1920s, was penned by Althea Altemus, a single mother who worked as a personal secretary for the most eminent business people in America of that era. The book is comprised of the exact memoir plus historical context, commentary, and further biographical information provided by Robin.

As a history professor at the University of Miami, Robin primarily focuses her teaching and research on American urban and environmental history, women’s history, and labor history from the late 19th to 20th century, so she found it striking that in many ways the memoir could have been written today.

“The manuscript was written 100 years ago, but we are still having the same conversations,” said Robin. “There was one scene where Althea was hired as a secretary by an architect and he was staring at her jawline, which sounded exactly like the stories from the Harvey Weinstein scandal. It’s clear we are still dealing with issues of inequality. There was the expectation that women didn’t require equal pay as men. Althea had to keep it hidden that she had a child because employers assumed mothers wouldn’t work as hard, which is fairly commonplace for single working women today. Althea also claimed she was a widow, although she was divorced from an alcoholic husband because there was judgment about divorced women.”

Robin was approached with the memoir after it was discovered by Althea’s grandson in a closet at Vizcaya, the former Miami estate of businessman James Deering, who was a leading figure of International Harvester, the largest manufacturer of farm equipment in the world. After reading through the material, Robin thought it was an incredibly significant work for women’s history, labor history, and the history of 1920s business people.

“You typically don’t get written documents from people in the labor force in that capacity [as a secretary],” said Robin. “Here, we have a first person narrative that gives so much more depth and texture of what it was like to be a working woman. For example, Althea describes how employers didn’t want women clerical workers expressing their individuality. No wedding rings or bob hairdos. So women would spend a half hour in the locker room, putting on wigs and changing their clothing, to be dressed appropriately for the workplace.”

As Althea was divulging salacious details about the famous and wealthy individuals she worked for, she did attempt to alter names so Robin had to do a bit of detective work to understand which individuals she was discussing. Plus, through straightforward historical biographical research of combing through census data, city directories, high school yearbooks, employee records, marriage and divorce records, Robin was able to put together more of Althea’s own life story.

Now Robin is working on two other book projects. Tropical Urbanism will look at the architectural and environmental history of Miami, and she is co-editing Engaging Place, Engaging Practices which is about how urban universities are involved in civic engagement and urban revitalization.

To find Robin’s book Big Bosses: A Working Girl’s Memoir of Jazz Age America, go to Amazon or the University of Chicago Press website.

a Fiery Death on Saturn” on September 8. He theorized that life on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, could potentially be based on some liquid other than water.

See photo of Paul Harrison page 30.

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1973 Trish Soffer Mainwaring is enjoying every minute as a grandparent at MFS, as the school continues to be a very special place. She said, “[Third Grade Teacher and daughter-in-law] Rachel Mainwaring, Chloe ’29, and Jane ’32 are so lucky!”

Jeana Henderson Troyan and her husband, Gary, retired in December and moved to Jackson Hole, WY in March. She wrote, “I am VERY sad to be missing our 45th reunion. How could it have been that long ago? I still smile when I think of ya’ll.”

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Class Notes

1978

Make a Gift Online to the Annual Fund for MFS

1983

After 30 years in Los Angeles, Lawrence Riesenbach (left) has relocated with his husband and 14-year-old son to Arlington, VA. He is still working for Nestle U.S.A and took the opportunity to see another area of the country when the company moved its US headquarters to Arlington. Larry is looking forward to being closer to New Jersey!

1975 Dr. Jonathan Knisley, a radiation oncologist, was appointed as medical director of Stitch Radiation Oncology at Weill Cornell New York Presbyterian Hospital. As a member of Weill Cornell Medicine’s faculty in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Jonathan will also serve as the department’s Director of Neuro Oncology and Associate Director of the Brain Tumor Center. Additionally, Jonathan was named an ASTRO Fellow by the American Society for Radiation Oncology for his far-reaching contributions over the years – through research, education, and patient care – to the field of radiation oncology and the fight against cancer.

1978 See photo of Lawrence Riesenbach above.

1983 See photo of Steve Walsh above.

1984 See article about Robin Bachin on page 31.

1986 Colonel G. Shawn Wells, Jr. returned from Afghanistan in August after serving 13 months as the Area Support, Group Commander for Afghanistan. He is currently serving at the Pentagon as the Executive Officer to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Energy and 32

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Steve Walsh took some time off from “building a city in the desert” to ride a camel named Romeo.

Environment). His wife, Shelly, continues to volunteer at their daughter Katie’s school.

16-year-old Katie is a sophomore and stays active in field hockey and theatre. This past summer she traveled to Scotland with her school to participate in the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival.

1993

1991

See photo of Gigio Longo on page 34.

See photo of Don Orth and Ruth Geyer Jurgensen on page 34.

1992 See photo of Takashi Moriuchi on page 35.

See photo of Birgit Schweigkofler Baumgartner on page 33.

1994 See photo of Naoji Moriuchi on page 35.

1995 See photo from Helen Pettigrew Partridge on page 34.

See story about Linsey Davis on page 35.

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Class Notes

Visit giving.mfriends.org

1998 Brian Turner Inducted Into South Jersey Basketball Hall of Fame On February 11, Brian Turner was inducted into the South Jersey Basketball Hall of Fame by the Albert Carino Basketball Club of South Jersey. While at MFS, Brian was a Philadelphia Inquirer All-South Jersey star and earned eight varsity letters, including four in basketball, three in soccer, and one in baseball. He was also named to the All-Friends League and the Courier-Post All-Parochial basketball teams. Brian still holds the MFS alltime record for career points with 1,931. Captain during his his junior and senior years, Brian scored 47 points in one game in January 1998, and broke an MFS record that had stood since 1979. During his senior season, he compiled a 25-point-per game scoring average and was named the Most Valuable Player all four years.

One of the all-time great players in Rutgers-Camden men’s basketball history, Turner, who earned his undergraduate degree in Sociology in 2003 and attended law school at Rutgers-Camden, played two seasons for the Scarlet Raptors (2000-01 and 2001-02) after transferring to the campus from Division I Davidson University. During his 43-game career with the Raptors, he rolled up 951 points (22.1 ppg), 337 rebounds (7.8 rpg) and a host of conference and national honors.

His first season at Rutgers-Camden, Turner earned New Jersey Athletic Conference Honorable Mention status and was second in the NJAC in scoring. As a senior, he earned NJAC Player of the Year honors while leading the conference in scoring, placing second in rebounding and free throw percentage and finishing fourth in steals and three-point field goal percentage. He was named ECAC Division III Metro First Team, d3hoops.com All-Atlantic Region First Team, d3hoops.com All-America Honorable Mention and NABC/ Pontiac Division III Atlantic Region Player of the Year. He capped his season by earning NABC All-American First Team, making him the first player in program history to garner that lofty honor. He also was named the Albert J. Carino Boys Basketball Club of South Jersey’s Small College Player of the Year.

At the time, the head coach of the Scarlet Raptors was former Holy Cross High School and Moorestown Friends boys’ basketball coach Jim Flynn. Hall-of-Famer Joe McAleer, a former Moorestown Friends School girls’ basketball coach, served as one of Flynn’s assistants. Keith Benson ’98 was also a teammate of Brian’s on the Scarlet Raptors.

1993

Exchange student Birgit Schweigkofler Baumgartner traveled from Austria with her husband, Andi, to visit her exchange host, alumni parent and former faculty member Katie Dole, and MFS in August. Birgit had very fond memories of her time at MFS during the 1992-93 school year. She has two daughters, aged 7 and 11, and is an elementary school teacher in Austria.

1996 Anastasia Pozdniakova was one of the 11 men and women inducted into the University of Pennsylvania Tennis Hall of Fame on November 4. Players become eligible for induction 10 years after graduation and were identified as outstanding tennis players. Anastasia was the first Penn women’s tennis player to earn one of the Ivy League’s major awards when she was named Ivy League Rookie of SPRING 2018

the Year in 1997. She was first-team All-Ivy in singles that year, and followed it up with All-Ivy honors each of the next three years to become just the second player in program history to earn four All-Ivy nods in singles. A co-captain of the 2000 team, Anastasia totaled more than 100 singles wins during her career. See photo on page 35 See note about Peter Colono-Romano on page 34.

1997 See photo of Kristin Bromley Fitzgerald on page 35.

1998 Keith Benson, who has an Ed.D. from Rutgers, is an activist in Camden and is employed by the Camden School District. He had AMONG FRIENDS

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Class Notes

1991

1995

Don Orth visited Chicago in late August and met with Ruth Geyer Jurgensen and former MFS Upper School Director Justin Brandon, who now are both administrators at the Francis Parker School.

Helen Pettigrew Partridge and James Partridge welcomed their third child, Cora Bell Partridge, on May 2.

September by the children’s magazine Highlights.

1994 and 1996

See photo of John Campisi and Ryan Rutherford on page 35.

2000 Lee Schmeer had an interesting commentary piece “Why pilots take to the skies, despite the risks” published in the November 30 Philadelphia Inquirer. As a pilot in the Air Force Reserve and as an aviation attorney, he reflected on why he loves being a pilot.

See photo of Blair Dickinson on page 36.

Gigio Longo ’94 and Peter Colono-Romano ’96 were featured on the RAI television show La Giostra Dei Gol in early January. The show is the equivalent of a show like The NFL Today, but focuses on the Serie A professional Italian football league. Gigio is the Director of Operations at the Gran Caffe L’Aquila, which is the official home of the Philadelphia A.S. Roma Club, and he and local Roma correspondent Peter were giving insights into the passion of the Serie A fans in Philadelphia, live from the restaurant. The Philadelphia A.S. Roma club is one of the largest and most successful in America. Gigio shared, “Peter and I are lifelong Roma fans so for us to be on the show was a big moment for us. I remember going over to Peter’s house when I was 12 or 13, long before the Internet, and he would be reading Italian newspapers to get insight and news into what was going on in Italian soccer.” a prominently placed opinion piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer about Camden and the Renaissance Charter Schools published on January 1.

See photo of Ryan Winkelspecht on page 35.

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See article about Brian Turner on page 33.

1999 Brian Weaver, an accomplished illustrator under the pen name Neil Numberman, was named Illustrator of the Month for

2001 See photo of Alexis Siemons on page 35.

See photo of Sara Nicolette Camak on page 37.

2002 Scientist Kellie Machlus, Ph.D., is now an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. In May 2017 she won the prestigious Brinkhous Young Investigator Award from the American Heart and Stroke Associations.

See photo of Michael Brick on page 37.

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Class Notes

1995 1996

Linsey Davis wrote her first children’s book, The World is Awake! It was released on February 27.

The picture book encourages children to celebrate and be thankful for the everyday blessings of life.

The story follows two adorable African-American siblings as they go through their day, taking in the wonders of life’s blessings. Linsey visited MFS on March 21 for a book signing event.

Anastasia Pozdniakova was inducted into the University of Pennsylvania Tennis Hall of Fame on November 4.

1997

Kristin Bromley Fitzgerald ’97 shared this photo of MFS alums and good friends gathering over the winter holidays. Standing: Michelle Moriuchi, Naoji Moriuchi ’94, John Campisi ’99, Alexis Siemons ’01, Doug Fitzgerald, Bree Rutherford, Takashi Moriuchi ’92, Mey Yen Moriuchi, Ryan Rutherford ’99 and Ryan Winkelspecht ’98. Seated: Akemi Moriuchi ’04, Tara Winkelspecht, Vera Pappas, Kristin, and Caroline Brunt Moriuchi ’66.

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Class Notes

2000

Blair Dickinson and her husband, Ryan Schroeder, welcomed a son, Cole Thomas, into their family in October. He joined Nora, who turned 4 last year and loves being a big sister!

2003

Peter Winsky married Katja Nelson on August 28, 2016 at Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles, CA. The wedding party included classmate Daniel Cicchini.

2007

The Class of 2007 held its 10th reunion on December 23 at W/N W/N Coffee Bar on Spring Garden Street in Philadelphia.

First row: Ann Stouffer, Aileen Scullin-Turcich, Rosie Reilly, Alix Ablaza, Emily Greenberg, Brandon Perzin, Kathleen Osborne, and Katherine Hoelz.

Hurt Second row: Anni Weisband, Emily Hummel, David Sheffield, Anthony Cordisco, John Chierici, and Justin Horwitz. Third row: Brendan Beckett, Mike Young, Tyler Basara, Andrew Setz-Kelly, and Eamon Kelleher.

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Class Notes

2002

2001

Michael Brick and his wife, Rebecca, had a son Steven Kingston Brick on June 6.

2008

Sara Nicolette Camak and her husband, Joseph Boyd Camak III, attended the FAST (Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics) gala in December in Chicago to raise money for the rare genetic disorder that affects their 2-year-old daughter Charlotte. Sara and Joseph are pictured alongside fellow Angelman Syndrome parent, Colin Farrell. The event raised $4 million toward a cure.

2003 See photo of Peter Winsky on page 36.

See photo of Akemi Moriuchi on page 35.

Fanny Mixter Babajide opened two Eye Level Learning Centers which offer supplemental math and English programs to help children gain confidence in their studies. Fanny shared, “It has been very rewarding to open one center in Alexandria, VA and one in Ashburn, VA. My husband, Ayo, who transitioned from working at the Obama White House, has helped me throughout the opening process. My son, Isaiah, who is turning one in March often joins me at the centers!

See photo of Kristi Hunter-Ryan on page 38.

2004 Jon Zaid married fellow George Washington University alum Amanda McCullough on May 13 at Material Culture in Philadelphia. Jon is a resident physician at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, having gone to medical school at Drexel University College of Medicine. Classmate Ben Spielberg ’06 officiated. Best man was the groom’s brother Jordan Zaid ’10 and groomsmen included Chris Mauro ‘04, Chris Setz-Kelly ‘04, and Will Stouffer ‘05.

SPRING 2018

2005 Dave Knospe married fellow University of Miami alum Kate Cross on September 3 at the Charleston (SC) Yacht Club. The wedding party included MFS classmates Dan Brooks (best man) and Doug Tracey (groomsman). Dave and Kate make their home in St. Louis, MO where Dave works in marketing for Nestle Purina North America and Kate is an event coordinator for the St. Louis Zoo. Elyse Muratore graduated from the University of Arizona Medical School in May. She is currently doing a three-year residency at .residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

2007 See photo of Katherine Hoelz Hurt on page 39.

See photo of the Class of 2007 on

Claire Kaiser was married to Sterling McLean at The Vinoy Renaissance in St. Petersburg, FL on November 3. page 36.

2008 See photo of Claire Kaiser above.

See photo of Sean Denson and Julie Martin on page 40.

2010 See photo of Justin Spencer-Linzie on page 39.

Emma Baiada was an associate producer of the film Won’t You Be My Neighbor? which premiered during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on January 19 in Park City, UT. The film explored the legacy of Fred Rogers AMONG FRIENDS

37

Class Notes and his impact on the American concept of childhood. Focus Theatres will distribute the film theatrically in June. Emma’s responsibilities included working closely with the producers and director, conducting research, reviewing interviews and archival material, and liaising with festival and distribution staff.

2004

2011 See article below about Alleanna Harris.

2013 See photo of Samantha McCabe on page 40.

See photo of Vincent Salvano page 40.

In May, Liana Hershey will graduate from Eastern Mennonite University with a master’s degree in conflict transformation.

Kristi Hunter-Ryan married Kyle Ryan on November 11 at Citizens Bank Park. Fellow alumni in attendance were bridesmaid Katherine Dilks ’02, Tristan Bresnan ’03, and classmate Jason Brody. Kristi also was nationally featured on an episode of Comic Book Men on AMC network (episode 706 “In a Galaxy Very Nearby”) which aired in December. Additionally, with the assistance of the Al Carino Girls Basketball Club of South Jersey, of which Kristi is a member and officer, she started a new basketball scholarship in memory of classmate Markia Harley. The award will be presented to a senior player with a passion for basketball, and who truly embodies the spirit of teamwork, both on the court and in the classroom. The scholarship was presented at the club’s end-of-season banquet in March.

2011 Illustrator Alleanna Harris Designs Novel Cover During her freshman year at the University of the Arts, Alleanna Harris began exploring illustration classes to supplement her core studies in the animation program. She quickly learned that she had a deep love for illustration and wanted to pursue that field professionally.

“Everything about illustration inspires me,” said Alleanna.

“I love being able to show mood using color and light, figuring out the composition of a piece, and being able to tell a story without words.”

After graduating in May 2015 with honors from UArts, Alleanna opened up her own Etsy e-commerce store called Alleanna Harris Art to sell her original art prints and sketches, which are largely based on pop culture. Additionally, Alleanna did commissioned portraits and graphic design work. This led her to designing the cover of the novel The Sweetest Part, which was published in October.

“My mom is a high school biology teacher and [The Sweetest Part author] LaShae Latimore was one of my mom’s earliest students. She was writing a self-published novel, and she saw on social media that I was an illustrator, so she contacted me to do the cover.”

Shortly afterward, Alleanna was contacted by a literary agent after seeing her work on the Women Who Draw illustrator directory. In late September, Alleanna became officially represented by Bright Agency for illustration and publishing.

“Ever since then, I’ve been busy professionally illustrating for children’s books and educational organizations. I’ve worked with Benchmark Education Company, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Highlights Magazine for Kids, and Oxford University Press. I’m currently finishing up a picture book about a special person within the Lewis and Clark expedition. It’s been amazing from the start, and it’s becoming increasingly amazing!”

To view Alleanna’s portfolio of work, visit her website alleannaharris.com. You can also follow her on Instagram and Twitter @alleannaharris.

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Class Notes

2015 Emily Tatum Interns at the UN Refugee Agency During her fall semester, Johns Hopkins University student Emily Tatum ’15 was one of fifteen undergraduates selected for the Aitchison Public Service Fellowship in Government offered by the school’s political science department. She studied in Washington, D.C. to gain real-world experience in the life and politics of the nation’s capital. In addition to her coursework Emily interned at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

“I was the only intern in the external relations unit, so I was really integrated into my team, which was a great learning experience,” said Emily. “My work included monitoring congressional legislation and activity, going to Capitol Hill frequently to attend hearings, and sending memos on behalf of my team to our larger organization. I also prepared UNHCR staff members for meetings with congressmen/women, senators, state departments, and Department of Defense representatives.”

Throughout the semester, Emily was exposed to not only the UNHCR’s work, but the larger efforts of the United Nations, the workings of the U.S. federal government, and the unique D.C. political culture. Her favorite experiences were attending congressional hearings and synthesizing the information to keep her team informed.

Emily credited her JHU classes for preparing her well for the intensive research components of her internship.

“In my Public Policy writing course I learned practical skills to apply to my writing for the UN, and I saw such an improvement during the semester,” said Emily. “However, there was still was a learning curve with understanding how to take notes during congressional hearings.”

Being a member of the Model UN team at MFS helped Emily realize she wanted to pursue international affairs at Hopkins. She currently is a double major in international studies and sociology, with a focus on global social change and development. Emily is a member of the Amnesty International chapter, coordinator of the JHUMUNC Model UN conference for high school students, captain of the club field hockey team, and a peer listener with the A Place to Talk organization. After working with the UNHCR and the Philadelphia Nationalities Service Center, Emily hopes to continue her career path in the refugee and immigration policy field.

2007

2010

Austin Harris published an essay in January on RaceBaitR titled “Art Doesn’t Like Me: Contending with Brilliant, Problematic Films as a Black Person” about his thoughts on the tension between admiring classic cinema while acknowledging racist/sexist underpinnings of many films. Austin recently won the Lorraine Hansberry/ Ralph Ellison Award from the NYU Center for Multicultural Education and Programs, an award that recognizes a student who has worked to promote the diverse representation of color in the arts, entertainment, and media.

2013 and 2014

Katherine Hoelz Hurt married Benjamin Hurt in August at her family’s home in Cape Cod, MA. SPRING 2018

Justin Spencer-Linzie (right) played with his former MFS baseball coach Math Teacher Ron Obermeier at an All-Star game in the 25+ division at Campbell’s Field.

Koby Schmetterling ’13 and Annmarie Stockinger ’14 launched a company called GoSafely whose product uses cellular and a key fob-like button to either call 911 non-verbally with a person’s location or call/ text a family member. The company has won a WeWork Creator Award with an $18,000 grant and a Microsoft Most Likely to Make an Impact Award with $120,000 in server space and resources. Koby, AMONG FRIENDS

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Class Notes

2008

Sean Denson and Julie Martin were married on June 10. Pictured are the happy couple with fellow classmates who were in attendance: Lauren Hawkins, Ryan Simone, Zanne Ngatchou, Sean, Julie, Glenn Smyth, Paige Martin, Alicia Link, Morgan Burgess, Darcy Berenberg, Ariel Aguiar, and Kayla Fox.

2013

2013

Vincent Salvano graduated from New York University Tisch School of the Arts in 2017 and is now employed by Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, CA as a production assistant on Toy Story 4.

Annmarie, and their third co-founder Rahul Sane launched a Kickstarter in September to help fund the direct-to-consumer version of their wearable product.

2015 See article about Emily Tatum on page 39.

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2017 Jordan White was one of four freshman selected to play on the Syracuse University Club Basketball team. They travel to play other colleges in the greater Syracuse area.

Samantha McCabe graduated from Elon University in December 2016 with honors and a B.S. in environmental and ecological science.

She was the recipient of the Red Oak Award, which is the top award given to a student in her department. While at Elon, Samantha completed research on wetland systems in both North Carolina and Panama, including an internship with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Bocas del Toro. She is now enrolled in Ohio State University’s Environmental Science Graduate Program, with a research appointment, joining a project focused on climate change-induced permafrost melt in a subarctic wetland system in Sweden.

SPRING 2018

Class Notes Former Faculty and Staff Alumni parents Mary Williams (former Upper School Director) and Miriam Feyerherm (former Head Librarian) visited Little Cranberry Island, ME in September and were honored to be invited to lunch at the home of award-winning children’s author/illustrator Ashley Bryan (who in May 1983 presented a day of readings for all Lower, Middle, and Upper School students at MFS). While there, Mary and Miriam previewed galley proofs of his next book I Am Loved, published in January.

Notes with this icon are Among Friends web extras.

See page 89 for more details.

Share Your News with Friends

Among Friends Web Extras

Moorestown Friends School encourages all alumni to share their news for Class Notes. To contribute, please email communications@ mfriends.org with updates on your life and any high resolution photos you would like to submit for publication. If you prefer, you can also write to Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Huie, Moorestown Friends School, 110 E. Main St., Moorestown, NJ 08057.

Access additional information, media links, and more by scanning this QR code or by visiting the Among Friends section of the school website under “News.”

Class Notes received after February 15 will be printed in the next issue of Among Friends.

Girls’ Field Hockey Alumni Game 2017 The Alumni Field Hockey game took place on Saturday, November 25. Thirteen alums from the classes of 2009-2017 gathered to play in a 6v6 scrimmage and had a lot of fun doing so. Back row: Julia Applegate ’11, Rebecca Salowe ’09, Maeve Kelly ’09, Kelly Barna ’09, Katy Schlechtweg ’10, and Sophie Demuynck ’09. Front row: Ailsa Stevenson ’11, Rebecca McGrath ’17, Natalie Zakroff ’17, Laura Bader ’12, Gina Tamburri ’14, and Sarah Applegate ’14.

Not pictured: Chandler Hart-McGonigle ’11.

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Class Notes

Boys’ Soccer Alumni Game 2017 Over 30 former Boys’ Soccer players turned out on November 25 for the annual Alumni Game which featured a high level of play and some current NCAA players. Front row: Ewan Larkin ’17, Andrew DeNittis ’17, Olivier Bastien ’17, Ethan Carilli ’13, Colin Gregory ’13, Andrew Rosenbach ’10, Nick Harbist ’08, Chris Grahn ’16, Nick Cook ’11, Jake O’Donnell ’11, Andrew Karolidis ’16, Bryan Gfeller ’12, Adam Quaranta ’15, Danny Salowe ’12, and Naoji Moriuchi ’94. Standing: Dylan Carilli ’17, Drew Bachman ’09, Brad Devlin ’17, Josh Murdy ’16, Peter Bader ’14, Justin Stark ’10, Steve Mannion ’14, Tommy Martin ’15, Matthew Mullock ’16, Dylan Eni ’16, David Howarth ’15, Sam Milligan ’16, Keith Console ’11, Shane McAleer ’92, Wyeth Shabel ’11, Mike Stobbe ’09, Dave Levinsky ’93, Head Coach Mike Schlotterbeck, Matt Tamburri ’11, and Kyle Koste ’11.

Basketball Alumni Game 2017 MFS Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Alumni Games were held on January 12. Despite being postponed due to snowy conditions in December, there was a great turnout. Thanks to all who attended and cheered!

Front: Boys’ Varsity Basketball Coach and parent Colin Haynes, Urbi Utley Medley ’97, Saita Davis ’97, English Teacher and Girls’ Varsity Basketball Assistant Coach Katie Stutz ’09, Emily McKeown ’14, Director of Annual Giving Julia Applegate ’10, Sarah Applegate ’14, Sean Denson ’08, Assistant Athletic Director and Math Teacher Ron Obermeier, and Julie Martin ’08. Second Row: Andy Cook ’15, Akemi Moriuchi ’04, Isaiah Medley, JV Boys’ Basketball Coach Sean Green, Justin Spencer-Linzie ’10, Dozier Coles ’17, Isaac Munoz ’17, C.J. Eni ’15, Noah Magaziner ’17, Jordan White ’17, Andrew DeNittis ’17, and former Upper School Director Mary Williams. Third Row: Leola Williams Denson ’75, Kalisa Martin ’04, Kristi Hunter-Ryan ’04, Mike Stobbe ’09, Olivier Bastien ’17, Chris Grahn ’16, Wesley Share ’15, Shailen Doshi ’15, and Kimberly Golden ’96. Top Row: Tiffany Taylor Jenkins ’97, Robin Wu ’97, Steve Haines ’08, Rushabh Thosani ’09, Adam Quaranta ’15, Drew Haines ’11, Cynthia Vance-Harris Hall ’97, Girls’ Lacrosse Coach Ann Stouffer ’07, Nick Cook ’11, Assistant Boys’ Varsity Basketball Coach and History Teacher Parker Curtis.

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SPRING 2018

In Memoriam Sarah Banks mother of School Committee member Kennette Banks ’02 Elizabeth McGinley Barmeyer ’45 sister of Patricia McGinley Osborn ’47 and the late Connie McGinley Thomas ’53 Dale Blackburn former faculty member, husband of former faculty and former Dean of the Faculty Grace Kennedy Blackburn, stepfather of Richard Garcia-Kennedy ’73, Jean Kennedy ’74, and Tom Kennedy ’76 Andrew Borden brother of Michael Borden ’04 and Kayla Borden ’06

Walter I. Jacoby ’47 Evan “Shelly” Kjellenberg husband of Marilyn “Missy” Kjellenberg ’54 Crane “Salty” Loveland ’60 brother of Samuel C. “Cappy” Loveland ’58 and Mary Loveland Chisolm ’64 Louis Martinez husband of Jessica MacNeill Martinez ’95 G. Ernest Mertens husband of Kathleen Livingston Mertens ’64

John Q. Cannon, Jr. ’50 husband of the late Susan Daniels Cannon ’50 and brother of Jane Cannon King ’47

Carolyn Miller former School Committee member, wife of the late faculty member G. Macculloch Miller, mother of the late Jennifer Miller ’65 and Debbie Miller Hull ’63, and mother-in-law of the late T. Reagan Hull ’62

Russell Collins father of Deb Williams ’74

Martha “Suzie” Nase mother of Josh Nase ’06

Eileen Devinney ’84 sister of Ed Devinney ’82

Florence Sawyer wife of former School Committee member Warren Sawyer, stepmother to Martha Sawyer DeLuca ’66, Janet Sawyer Thomas ’67, and Stephen Sawyer ’76, and stepgrandmother to Rachel Thomas ’06

Louise Etter ’44 Philip Wills Haines ’63 brother of Bruce R. Shoemaker Haines ’73 and Gail Haines, son of the late Elizabeth Matlack Haines ’31 Neil Hartman former faculty member and School Committee member and father of Sandra Hartman Reid ’73 and Judith A. Hartman ’79 Sue Heath mother of Sueellen Heath Riffkin ’79, Jenny Heath ’82, and Lisa Heath Dainton ’85 and wife of former faculty member Sandy Heath

Peter Fenton Stebbins ’72 Connie McGinley Thomas ’53 sister of the late Elizabeth McGinley Barmeyer ’45 and Patricia McGinley Osborn ’47 Erick Timber father of Alexander Timber ’10 and Luke Timber ’13 Malinda Frome Turnbull ‘43

Editor’s Note: Full obituaries are found on the MFS website. “In Memoriam” lists the passing of the following: alumni; immediate family of alumni (father, mother, child, spouse, sibling); current parents; current and past faculty and staff; spouses, partners and children of current faculty, staff and administration; current and former trustees; and spouses and children of current trustees. Notices will include any of the deceased’s relatives who are MFS alumni. To locate full obituaries on the MFS website, navigate to “News” in the top menu of www.mfriends.org and then select “Among Friends Magazine.” Alumni who do not have access to the Internet may contact Director of Marketing and Communications Mike Schlotterbeck at (856) 914-4434 to request a hard copy of an obituary.

SPRING 2018

AMONG FRIENDS

43

LEARN

CREATE

FUN

Moorestown Friends School offers a wide variety of creative, enriching, and fun courses to hundreds of students throughout South Jersey – age 3 through Grade 10!

summer.mfriends.org Join us for one or more weeks

•

June 25 - August 23

Tired of savings accounts providing you with a minimal return?

Have you heard of a charitable gift annuity?

It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

You can make a gift to a nonprofit like MFS and receive guaranteed, fixed-income payments for the rest of your life?

The attractive rates on charitable gift annuities are set by the American Council on Gift Annuities and are based on the age of the donor at the time of the gift. The MFS charitable gift annuity program is in partnership with Friends Fiduciary, a Quaker nonprofit corporation. The minimum threshold to establish a charitable gift annuity is $20,000. Contact the Director of Development Steve Zakroff at 856-914-4411, szakroff@mfriends.org, to have a gift illustration prepared for you.

Individual Rates and Payments for a $20,000 Gift Annuity Age

65

Annuity Rate

Annual Payment

4.7%

$940

70

5.1%

$1,020

75

5.8%

$1,160

80

6.8%

$1,360

Visit mfriends.plannedgiving.org for information on making a bequest or naming the school as a beneficiary of your Individual Retirement Plan.

The material presented here is not offered as legal or tax advice. Please consult with an attorney, tax advisor and/or financial planner regarding these types of gifts.

44

AMONG FRIENDS

SPRING 2018

2018

Alumni Weekend

Come Back to Friends!

Friday, May 4 12:00 p.m. May Day Celebration – All alumni are invited.

6:00 p.m. Dinner Among Friends - The Alumni Banquet features the presentation of the 2018 Alumni Association Awards to Dana Calvo ’88 – Alice Stokes Paul Merit Award; William E. Teale ’58 and Mary McAllister Teale ’58 – Alumni Service Award; and Erika Richardson Hall ’03 – Young Alumni Award. The following faculty and staff will be honored as retirees this spring: Deborah (Muzyka) Casne, Martha Reilly, Larry ’68 and Margaret Van Meter, and Judy van Tijn.

Saturday, May 5 11:30 a.m. Meeting for Worship 12:00 p.m. Luncheon for 50th Reunion Class and All Prior Classes 12:00 p.m. Luncheon Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the first graduate of the Camden Scholars Program for Camden Scholar Alumni and friends 1:00 p.m. Student Guided Tours/Photo Scavenger Hunt 1:30 p.m. “State of the School,” presentation by Larry Van Meter at the Alumni Association Meeting 2:00 p.m. 60th Anniversary of Girls’ Lacrosse, Alumnae vs.

Varsity Lacrosse Game 3:00 p.m. Reception for Former Faculty and Staff 4:00 p.m. Head’s Reception/Alumni Networking Reception Numerous class reunions are scheduled off campus this evening.

For more information about Alumni Weekend, individual class reunions, and to register online, visit:mfriends.org/AW18 This year’s Reunion Classes are the 3’s and 8’s.

Questions? Contact the Development Office at (856) 914-4414.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Cinnaminson, NJ Permit No. 81 110 East Main Street Moorestown, NJ 08057-2949

T H E VA N M E T E R

CAMDEN SCHOLARS ENDOWMENT

T H E VA N M E T E R

CAMDEN SCHOLARS ENDOWMENT In celebration of Larry Van Meter’s Headship, the Van Meter Camden Scholars Endowment has been established by the School Committee as a permanent testament to his vision for and personal dedication to the Camden Scholars Program. More than $1 million has already been raised. The MFS community is invited to make a gift in Larry’s honor to support the students in the Camden Scholars Program.

T H E VA N M E T E R

CAMDEN SCHOLARS ENDOWMENT For more details, news on a $100,000 challenge match, and to make an online gift, please visit: www.mfriends.org/vanmetercamden

T H E VA N M E T E R

Han Nguyen, Moises Cosme, Siani Lee-Simmons, Class of 2018 Camden Scholars