Fall 2016 MOORESTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL
Among Friends
C R E AT I V E C O N F I D E N C E The Art of 3D Design & Woodworking Annual Report 2015-16: MFS Archives Come Alive in Color
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
Fall 2016
From the Head of School
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Notes from Pages Lane
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Fox Tracks
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New Trustees
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Faculty/Staff News
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New Summer Co-Op Program
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Zekavat Summer Sabbatical
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Alumni Association Awards
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Honoring Retirees
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About the Cover
Feature: Learning the Art of Design in 3D Design & Woodworking
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2015-16 Annual Report
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Alumni Weekend Photos
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Class Notes
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In Memoriam
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Spotlight on Student Artwork
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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
Graphic Design Alison Judah ’86, Hypno Design
Associate Director of Development Beth Stouffer
Photography Stephanie Huie, Jeff Janowski, Robert Neroni, Mike Schlotterbeck, Morgan Sloan, Michael Webster, 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. FALL 2016
This issue’s cover image was planned and photographed by Morgan Sloan ’14. Morgan is currently studying photography and imaging at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her work has previously been published in USA Today, SJ Magazine, and Cred magazine. To read more about Morgan and her photography, see page 29.
Printed on recycled paper. AMONG FRIENDS
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To see more student artwork, see pages 26-29.
Zach Durr ’18
Priya Shah ’21
Jamal Pratt ’15
Kayla Golas ’19
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From the Head of School
Carl Durkow ’14
NOT “JUST” WOODSHOP A year or two ago, I asked Art Teacher Michael Webster to make a presentation on the MFS woodworking program at an Admissions Open House. Open Houses occur only a few times a year and are central to our efforts to attract new families to the school. We try to make every minute count. At the Open House, I could see some doubt on the faces of the prospective parents when Michael was introduced. Woodworking in a college prep school? Isn’t that what they offer at vocational schools? But as Michael described the purpose of our woodworking program, the skepticism began to fade. When he showed photographs of student work, the audience was in awe. This was not “just” woodshop. It was about creativity, design, craftsmanship, and beauty — all of it student-generated. Following his presentation, the visiting parents wanted to talk with Michael – not with me or other administrators – about MFS. The MFS 3D Design & Woodworking Program, as it is now known, has a long and proud tradition which you will find described in the feature story in this issue of Among Friends. My own recollections of the program revolve around my teacher, Warren Shelley. I still have and use a lawn bench I built in fourth grade, but I was not one of Mr. Shelley’s better students. I was more interested in goofing around and making the occasional, unusable baseball bat. Mr. Shelley was astounded when, two decades later, I received a degree in Woodworking and Furniture Design from Rochester Institute of Technology and went to work for Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers in Maine. But that’s another story… Given my background, one might reasonably expect me to be an advocate for the program. And I am. But a central value of the program goes beyond woodworking to the quality of the teachers who over the years have been, in very different ways, inspirational for our students. None has been a one-dimensional shop teacher. They have embodied a wide range of styles and personalities. Each was beloved and revered for different reasons. From them, our students have learned lessons that go far beyond woodworking. Chuck Boothby, profiled in the story, taught woodworking and English at MFS for 15 years. He likes to quote Nobel Prize-winning novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez in a 1981 Paris Review interview, “Writing something is almost as hard as making a table. With both you are working with reality, a material just as hard as wood. Both are full of tricks and techniques. Basically very little magic and a lot of hard work are involved.” These broader lessons are the essence of the woodworking program at MFS — but with a small twist: students do indeed engage in a lot of hard work, but they also experience more than a little magic. Sincerely,
Larry Van Meter ’68 Head of School
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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. June 22 Director of College Counseling Meredith Hanamirian, Chester Reagan Chair for Religious/Quaker Studies Priscilla Taylor-Williams, and Upper School Director Justin Brandon presented a workshop detailing development of the Peer Leadership program at the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) Global Education Symposium in Hershey, PA.
June 4 A group of Middle School students completed construction of a Ga-ga pit on the Athletic Fields. Ga-ga is an outdoor game that is likened to below-the-knees dodgeball, with striking, running, and jumping using one ball.
June 3 The Camden Scholars Luncheon celebrated Class of 2016 scholars Kierra DeVaughn, Jon Colon, and Jailene Jaquez. Alumni who attended were: (front) Adalberto Rosado ’15, Cynthia Martinez ’89, Cassandra Ratleff Sanders ’81, Sonia Mixter Guzman ’02, Tevin Rivera ’13, (back) Jason Woloshin ’15, Tiffany Taylor Jenkins ’97, Lorenzo Gibson ’12, Lael Gibson ’14, and Chanelle Rivers Walker ’01. Not pictured but in attendance were Greg Billings ’84 and Seth Garcia ’78.
May 31 The Consumer Bowl team took the top prize in the NJ Attorney General’s Office Division of Consumer Affairs’ Consumer Bowl in Trenton. The MFS team, which consisted of John Barton ’17, Josh Murdy ’16, Alex Barrett ’17, and Alex Horn ’17, advanced through county and regional competition to qualify for the state championship. Science and Engineering Department Chair Dr. Barb Kreider was the team’s advisor. 4
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May 16 This year’s community project for the Lower School and Grade 5 Art Show, led by Lower School and Grade 5 Art Teacher Tara Wosiski, was a radial pattern installation piece inspired by artist Suzan Drummen.
May 25 In class with Science Teacher Rebekka Schultz, third grade students investigated life cycles by focusing on the painted lady butterfly. For four weeks, the students watched tiny caterpillars grow, molt, form chrysalises, and emerge as butterflies.
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May 9 Paige Bloom’s prekindergarten class produced their own original show called The Stolen Crown and held 13 performances. Each student had a role in the production, including: actors, stage manager, director, marketer, lighting engineer, set designer, costumer, sound technician, and concessions manager. AMONG FRIENDS
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Notes from Pages Lane
April 13 Seventeen members of the Class of 2016 were Originals, or students who have attended MFS from early childhood through senior year. The Originals enjoyed a special reunion luncheon with their preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten teachers, including former faculty Joanne Pulz, Kate Vecchio Hilgen ’85, Lynne Brick, Emma Richter, and current faculty Sandi Federici, Teri Kaiser, and Norma DeGroat.
March 29 During the Intensive Learning trip “China: Service and Culture,” Chinese Teacher Cathy Wang and Spencer Dennis ’17 were interviewed on the local television news in Xi’an, China about MFS’s cultural exchange visit to a local Chinese middle school. 6
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March 28 Mia Zayas ’16 received a Certificate of Accomplishment from the Princeton University Princeton Prize in Race Relations for her senior capstone project on intersectionality – the interconnected social categories that individuals places themselves in within society – and her focus on race and sexual orientation.
March 12 Mary Omilian ’17 was honored at the Theater Project’s 14th Annual Young Playwrights competition for her one-act play about the rise and effect of the Daughters of Bilitis, the first lesbian civil and political rights organization in the United States.
March 12 Sixth graders built earthquake-proof structures as a hands-on lab to understand real-life engineering principles. FALL 2016
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Fox Tracks 1 A.J. Dunham ’16 (pictured at bat) and the MFS baseball team fell one step short of a Friends Schools League title. The Foxes fell to Shipley, 5-1, in the Friends Schools League championship game on May 20. Coach Ron Obermeier’s team finished the season with a record of 11-6. 2 Sujin Kim ‘18 (kneeling) was a member of the Vesper Rowing Club’s Under 19 4+ boat team which earned a silver medal at the United States Club Rowing Championships, held in July in Cincinnati, OH. 3 The Athletics Department hosted its annual Varsity Night Awards on May 25 to celebrate the efforts of players, coaches, and managers throughout the sports year. Receiving the Herm Magee Award were Matthew Mullock ’16 (Soccer/Baseball) and Erin Chen ’16 (Soccer/Fencing/ Lacrosse). The award is presented to a male and female athlete for outstanding athletic achievement, leadership, and sportsmanship contributions to MFS athletics during the school year. Erin has enrolled at Johns Hopkins University and Matthew received a scholarship to play soccer at St. Joseph’s University.
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4 Alec Ryden ’19, captured the Friends Schools League individual golf championship by shooting a 75 at Philmont Country Club on May 12. The Foxes placed third overall in the championship tournament behind Westtown and Friends’ Central. 5 In a 8-7 win over Lower Cape May on May 12, Boys’ Lacrosse goalie Josh Murdy ’16 set the MFS program record for saves in a career (513). He finished with 536 career saves. His total eclipsed the record previously held by Buck Smith ’10. Josh’s record was highlighted on Laxrecords.com and he was selected the Burlington County Star of the Night by NJ.com. Josh is attending the United States Coast Guard Academy. 6 Mitchell Mullock ’16 set the school record for pitching victories in a career. He was the winning pitcher in the team’s victory over Collingswood on April 20, surpassing the record of 20 set by Colin Gregory ’13. Mitchell ended his high school career with 22 career wins. He plans to continue his baseball career at Vassar College.
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2016-17 New Trustees Three new trustees were appointed to the Moorestown Friends School Committee.
Kennette Banks ’02 is employed by Uncommon Schools in New York City; she is Director of Operations at the campus of Leadership Prep Bedford Stuyvesant. She is a graduate of Swarthmore College, where she majored in linguistics. After college, she worked in admissions for Swarthmore and then joined First Graduate as a Program Associate. First Graduate is a college-readiness program in the San Francisco Bay Area for first-generation post-secondary students. She then earned her M.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently a member of the MFS Head’s Advisory Board, having served her first term in March 2016.
Janice Johnston ’88 is Senior Producer of ABC News Magazines and Specials. She has won multiple Emmy Awards and nominations, two George Foster Peabody Awards and has also been honored with a Salute to Excellence Award by the National Association of Black Journalists. A former practicing attorney, she has been with ABC News since 1998. There she has worked on both 20/20 and Good Morning America. She is a graduate of Princeton University and earned her law degree from the University of Virginia. Her commitment to MFS has included serving as an alumni class representative, keynoting the Cum Laude & World Languages Banquet in 2003 and Career Day in 2015. She recently hosted an MFS alumnus as a production intern at 20/20.
Julia Onorato ’04 is a Tax Associate at the New York City law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Her practice focuses on executive compensation. She was previously associated with Cravath, Swaine and Moore LLP. She is a graduate of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law magna cum laude, where she also was the Associate Editor of Northwestern University Law Review and belonged to the Order of the Coif. Prior to law school, she worked as a Management Associate at L’Oreal. She has a bachelor’s degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. She served in the inaugural class of the MFS Head’s Advisory Board (2014 and 2015). She was an original at MFS and a member of Cum Laude Society.
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Faculty/Staff News
Curricular Changes Instituted for Upper School Quaker/Religious Studies Program Three new required semester-long courses have been added to the Upper School curriculum for the 2016-17 school year. • To build on the spiritual and ethical program and the positive connection between Quakerism and leadership, a required ninth grade course in Quakerism will provide context for Friends values.
Dan Christy Randazzo Appointed Chester Reagan Chair In June, Head of School Larry Van Meter announced the appointment of Dan Christy Randazzo to succeed Priscilla TaylorWilliams as the school’s next Chester Reagan Chair for Quaker/ Religious Studies. Randazzo received his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, his M.A. in Theology from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, and his M.Phil from Trinity University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is completing his doctoral work at the University of Birmingham, England, where his thesis is titled, “The Interdependent ‘Light:’ Quaker Models of God in Reconciliation Theology.” Randazzo, his wife, Megan, and their fourth grade daughter, Rebecca, relocated during the summer to South Jersey from Baltimore, where Randazzo previously served as an adjunct professor at Notre Dame of Maryland University and a Christian Educator at Christ Lutheran Church. In Maryland, he had recently joined Stony Run Friends Meeting, located on the campus of Friends School Baltimore. “We are very excited to have Dan Christy Randazzo join the MFS faculty,” said Van Meter. “He is a deeply committed religious educator of the highest caliber. He will provide important leadership for the Religion Department and will be a galvanizing teacher of Quakerism and world religions in grades 7 through 12.” The Chester Reagan Chair was endowed in the late 1970s and the first chair was named in 1979. The Chair honors and reaffirms the spiritual ideals of Chester Reagan, who served as headmaster from 1925-1955. Reagan’s life was dedicated to learning, to teaching, and to spiritual search. The main focus of his efforts was to apply the principles of the faith and practice of the Society of Friends in his daily life.
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• To further build leadership skills, all 10th graders will take a required leadership course. Building on pilot offerings Head of School Larry Van Meter taught in 2014 and 2015, this course will focus on experiential skills acquisition, including public speaking, leading diverse teams, and working effectively with a range of personalities. Ultimately, each student in the course will identify his/her own authentic leadership style. • To help students understand the great importance of religion in the world today, 11th grade students will be required to take a World Religions course. Observations from recent MFS graduates (Classes of 2005 to 2015) influenced the decision to extend the offerings of the Religion department. A survey conducted on the school’s behalf by Rockbridge Associates of Great Falls, VA underscored much that is positive in the MFS program, as it is viewed retrospectively by alumni. Notably, 85% feel their MFS experience was very beneficial to their overall college experience. Additionally, the spiritual and ethical dimension of MFS is very important to these young alumni: • 80% feel that the Quaker Dimension was integral to their MFS experience. • 77% feel that their ability to work effectively in teams was enhanced significantly by the school’s Quaker Dimension. • 72% feel that their ability to be effective leaders was similarly enhanced by the Quaker Dimension. Encouraged by the research, these required courses were designed to further enhance the student experience.
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Faculty/Staff News Martha Cameron Appointed Director of Auxiliary Programs Martha Cameron was appointed to the newly created position of Director of Auxiliary Programs in May. She is responsible for oversight of all MFS Summer Programs, afterschool enrichment programs, facilities rentals, and the new Co-Op Program for rising seniors, which was piloted this past summer. During the school year, Martha will co-teach an Upper School Leadership course with Head of School Larry Van Meter. Born and raised in Rochester, NY, Cameron graduated from The Harley School, an independent college preparatory school. She studied at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and received a bachelor’s degree in advertising. Recently, she earned her M.B.A. from SUNY-Oswego, summa cum laude. Cameron previously worked for 16 years at Manlius Pebble Hill School (MPH), an independent prekindergarten - grade 12 school in Syracuse. Initially employed as the Director of Marketing and Publications, she later focused strictly on community programs as the Director of Auxiliary Programs, developing and nurturing all programming outside the regular school day, including summer and enrichment programs, adult education, and accelerated academics. Your summer was especially busy leading the Summer Scholars camp and coordinating the Co-Op Program! How would you describe your first six months on the job as the Director of Auxiliary Programs? My first six months at MFS were, indeed, a whirlwind. The challenge was to get up and running in time to be an effective and credible leader from day one. Summer Programs do not run themselves, nor does the administration of it fall on one person alone. I was fortunate to have a great team of teachers and MFS student interns working beside me. Most of them had worked previous years so I took advantage of tapping into their knowledge base. The Co-Op Program was off and running as soon as we introduced our two rising seniors to their host companies. Both of the seniors were well-matched based on their areas of interest and ended up having phenomenal work experiences, far more involving than either had expected. The culminating presentation in August was certainly a highlight for all who attended. Can you share a few highlights from the summer? The children themselves are always the highlight of my summer. There were so many isolated events that brought a smile to my face. One in particular was a moment when I was asked to help an afternoon Mini Scholar class. I sat with the kids and read a book to them. Sometimes it’s the simplest of activities that bring us back to where we find joy. The questions, the discussion, the wonder …as human beings, we’re all teachers when it comes right down to it.
For more information about the Summer Programs or the Co-Op Program, contact Director of Auxiliary Programs Martha Cameron at (856) 235-2900 ext. 173 or email her at mcameron@mfriends.org.
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What makes the Summer Scholars program unique from other summer camps? Summer Scholars was originally intended to be a different kind of summer enrichment with technology at the forefront. Innovation and accessibility to modern advancements and new ideas only come from an environment where this philosophy is embraced year-round in the classroom. At Moorestown Friends, that’s what you’ll find in almost every room on campus. Another component that separates us is the incorporation of Quaker elements into daily programming. Whether it be a midday community-building activity or a moment of silence at the beginning of class, students come to understand that MFS is a place where appreciating each individual for his or her own unique abilities is a value unto itself. Teachers and students serve as role models. The daily respect shown to one another breeds kindness across the board. It’s pretty special! What do you think students involved in the Co-Op Program gain from their work experiences? These students gained insight, clarity, maturity, and a glimpse into the real world beyond the four walls of a classroom. One of our rising seniors actually said to me “…what I learned this summer I could never have learned in a classroom.” After four weeks I saw a significant positive change in their personal confidence and composure. It was transformative for them. Although you are a seasoned professional in an independent school setting, as a student and educator, why did you decide to join the Moorestown Friends community? The Friends component of MFS lends an additional level of respect, integrity, and compassion that supports an already strong sense of community at this school, and that’s very appealing. Everyone has great dedication and loyalty to the vision and mission set forth here. From the first time I stepped on campus I could feel that MFS was different. FALL 2016
New Summer Co-Op Program The New Co-Op Program: A Unique Summer Work Experience Director of Auxiliary Programs Martha Cameron and Co-Op Program Coordinator Charles Isdell jointly led two rising seniors, Aparna Hiremath and Kirindeep Momi, through the pilot program this summer. The four-week educational immersion program allows students to receive career training from professionals and learn from hands-on company assignments. The goal of the program is to offer an enriching professional opportunity for students unlike any other in the independent school arena. Head of School Larry Van Meter’s vision was to partner with area businesses in South Jersey and Philadelphia willing to extend their resources and time to provide a collaborative learning environment for MFS students. Unlike traditional summer internships, the Co-Op Program offers students structured support to navigate through the working world, including: an introductory workplace etiquette workshop to review communication, dress, contemporary workplace issues, résumé writing, interviewing skills, working within a team environment, professional writing, and understanding corporate culture; weekly reviews and feedback from company hosts and a Co-Op supervisor to gauge progress, engagement, and satisfaction; and a required concluding presentation for students to summarize their goals, insights, and achievements.
Aparna Hiremath
Kirin Momi
BAYADA Home Health Care Digital Marketing Research & Analysis
Republic Bank Human Resources Recruitment
Aparna completed a competitive analysis project for BAYADA Home Health Care, a medical services company, at their Philadelphia office. She reviewed four of the largest national home health care providers and created SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analyses for each to report how their digital content compared to BAYADA. Aparna focused her research on each company’s website, brand design, social media platforms, and online blogs.
At the Republic Bank headquarters at Two Liberty Place in Philadelphia, Kirin rotated through several functions of the Human Resources department, focusing on recruitment for the final two weeks. Republic Bank prides itself on its corporate culture of employee and customer engagement, and Kirin learned how challenging, yet critical, it is to recruit individuals who embrace Republic’s culture.
“My research abilities improved after the four weeks of the program,” said Aparna. “I learned about the importance of competitive analysis research for any company; it’s important to know what distinguishes your brand from competitors and capitalize on your strengths.”
“I shadowed hiring managers to understand how to review applicant resumes, conduct phone interviews, and gauge company fit during in-person interviews,” said Kirin. “Eventually I was screening candidates on the phone by myself, and two candidates that I recommended ended up as new hires!”
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Zekavat Summer Sabbatical
“It’s hard to imagine what life would be like for a Viking until you’re standing where Vikings stood over 1100 years ago, seeing the same land and feeling the vastness of the nature that surrounds you.”
In Helsingor, Denmark, Emily Salazar visited Kronborg Castle, the primary setting of Hamlet.
Emily Salazar Follows Literary Journey Through Scandinavia This summer, Upper School English Teacher Emily Salazar traveled to Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden to focus on the history of the area that has led to significant literary contributions in mythic, dramatic, and mystery genres. Salazar was afforded the opportunity through the 2016 Zekavat Summer Sabbatical, a fund endowed in 1996 by the Zekavat Family to encourage MFS faculty to engage in creative and challenging summer travel and study. The sabbatical seeks to contribute to the rejuvenation and education of faculty, to permit them to pursue personal growth and learning, and to offer them an opportunity to incorporate the ideas, experiences, and traditions of other cultures with students both inside and outside the classroom. Salazar focused her research on Scandinavia to enrich her understanding of the region’s literary history and to explore the ancestral roots of her Swedish heritage. “Scandinavia is a fascinating part of the world that is often overlooked in high school English curricula,” said Salazar. “I decided to focus on the form of literature that was most representative of each country I visited, which simultaneously allowed me to ‘travel through time’ as I traveled through the countries.” Beginning her journey in Reykjavik to explore the setting of the Icelandic Sagas, written during the time of the Vikings between 900
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and 1200 AD, Salazar visited many museums and enjoyed a play that captured all of the Sagas in a 70-minute interactive comedy. A highlight of her trip was her visit to Iceland’s Golden Circle to see locations specifically referenced in the Sagas. “The landscapes in Iceland are so unique and unlike anything I’ve seen before,” said Salazar. “It’s hard to imagine what life would be like for a Viking until you’re standing where Vikings stood over 1100 years ago, seeing the same land and feeling the vastness of the nature that surrounds you. There’s a level of appreciation there that can’t be recreated through the imagination or on a screen.” Next, in Copenhagen, Salazar studied Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales, which provided a glimpse into the moral education that European society was interested in during the mid-1800s. She then journeyed about an hour outside of the city to Kronborg Castle, walking through the grounds and primary 17th-century setting of Hamlet. Moving north to Norway, it was difficult for Salazar not to see references to Henrik Ibsen, who wrote what is considered today to be the first feminist play: A Doll’s House. Salazar even recalled seeing quotes of Ibsen, arguably Norway’s most esteemed writer, inscribed in the sidewalk leading from his apartment in Oslo to his favorite cafe. Finally, in Salazar’s last stopover in Stockholm, she explored the culture surrounding the mystery genre and the reasons why Sweden has produced so many incredible mystery writers in recent years. By speaking with local Swedes, Salazar found some unexpected answers. “I had a long talk with a tour guide who had given us an overview of Gamla Stan (Old Town) in Stockholm,” said Salazar. “When I asked her opinion on why Sweden has produced so many excellent mystery writers in recent years, I expected her to reference political corruption and long winters, but no! She actually explained to me that because Sweden is such a peaceful country, the safety of living in Sweden allows the writers to visit those dark, scary places in their minds without the fear that what they’re writing about could become a reality. Also, these authors write during the summer months when the sun is up for most of the day, which is incredibly uplifting, and then get together in August on one of the islands off of Sweden’s coast to share what they’ve been working on all summer. If only I had known!” The primary way that Salazar intends to apply her sabbatical experience is through the creation of an English seminar class for 11th and 12th grade students in the 2017-18 school year. The seminar will follow the time-traveling structure of her trip –— examining the literature and historical contexts of Icelandic Sagas, Denmark’s fairy tales, Norway’s dramas, and Sweden’s mysteries.
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Alumni Association Awards Title
Eileen and Bill Archer ’61 at the Dinner Among Friends
Service Award: Bill Archer ’61 On May 6, William “Bill” Archer ’61 received the Alumni Association Service Award for his extraordinarily loyal volunteer work on behalf of his class and the school. A fixture at MFS events, from the Cupola topping of Hartman Hall to the quadrennial May Day celebrations, Bill has served as class representative for decades and has set a fine example through his steadfast devotion to the school. Many members of the Archer family have passed through the halls of MFS, including his mother Mary Joy Reeve Archer ’26 and Bill’s siblings Franklin Archer ’46, Mary Joy Archer ’49, and Elizabeth Archer Hawkes ’58. Bill followed in their footsteps and entered MFS in the second grade in September 1950. In his role as representative, Bill reliably calls classmates at alumni phonathons and writes annual solicitation letters. He keeps classmates informed about MFS and connected to the school. Bill maintains an eagle eye on the newspapers for news about MFS alumni and notifies the Development Office whenever he spots news. He has been a loyal Annual Fund donor and is a member of the Consecutive Years Giving Society, in the highest category. He and his wife Eileen are also members of the Legacy Society, naming Moorestown Friends School as a beneficiary in their wills. Aside from his commitments to MFS, Bill has volunteered for a number of other organizations for many years. He is a proud alumnus of Philadelphia University and is a member of their alumni board. Bill is a dependable weekly volunteer at the Smith-Cadbury Mansion for the Moorestown Historical Society, representing them at every parade and state occasion dressed in colonial garb as the Moorestown Town Crier. He has served as head usher for Our Lady FALL 2016
Bill Archer ’61 • Class of 1961 Alumni Representative • B.S. Philadelphia University • A.S. Peirce College of Business of Good Counsel Church and is a member of the Moorestown Council of the John Tatham Assembly, Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus. In 2014, Bill suffered a stroke but has worked hard to overcome his health challenges to return to his responsibilities for all the organizations that mean so much to him. At the Dinner Among Friends, Bill accepted his award from Alumni Association Clerk Meg Parrington Hollingworth ’97 and was overcome with emotion. “When the Head of School called me about the award, the first thing I said was what did I do to warrant it?” said Bill. “I just want to thank the school for giving me such a great education and foundation.” In a note from his sister Elizabeth Archer Hawkes, she shared, “Bill, you are a sterling example of what MFS does. A wonderful education and skills and values that we grads take out into life, make the most out of what we learned, and give back to the institutions that fostered our learning.”
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Alumni Association Awards Kara Duffy ’01 • Veterinarian at Atlantic Animal Hospital & Pet Care Resort • Clinical training at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine • D.V.M. Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine • B.S. Lafayette College
Photo Credit: Jeff Janowski
Young Alumni Award: Kara Duffy ’01 Kara Duffy ’01 was honored with the Young Alumni Award at the annual Dinner Among Friends on May 6, as she personifies the MFS ideal of “doing well and doing good.” A veterinarian in Wilmington, NC, Kara has achieved early professional success and is engaged in a great deal of volunteer work. In October 2013, Kara was voted as one of the Wilmington area’s “Women to Watch in Business” by WILMA magazine for the development of a mobile veterinary service for her group practice. By making house calls to treat patients at their homes one day a week, Kara met the needs of elderly/disabled clients who would otherwise have a difficult time getting their beloved pets the care they need. In addition, eliminating the stressful car rides in the carrier to the office helped soothe anxious pets that did much better with routine exams and treatments in their own homes. Along with her regular schedule at the hospital, Kara helps administer pro bono care to many animals through the Coastal Animal Rescue Effort, a non-profit that cares for sick and injured animals until they can be adopted. A lifelong volunteer for animal causes and supporter of animal shelters, Kara has personally fostered many animals in need. In her spare time, she also finds time to mentor local high school and college students who are volunteering in her animal hospital. Kara’s former teacher and field hockey coach, Math Department Chair Katie LuBrant, remembered how determined Kara was to be a veterinarian in high school, as she would devote herself as a volunteer at a local animal shelter and a horseback riding facility for individuals with handicaps. 16
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“A thread throughout everything people would say about Kara is what a caring individual she was and is,” said LuBrant. “She is truly a remarkable woman with a kind heart, incredible drive for success, and a smile to lift anyone’s spirit. Her compassion for those around her, human and animal alike, is unmatched.” Kara arrived at MFS in 10th grade and distinguished herself both as a student and in her extracurricular activities. She was selected as a member of the Cum Laude Society as a junior. During her senior year, she was honored with the Thomas V. Sedlacek award which recognizes those who achieve excellence in both athletics and science. Kara was also named a Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar and received the Scholar-Athlete Award during her junior and senior year. She served as a class officer and member of the Agenda Committee, performed in the Chorus and Chamber Choir, and played field hockey and lacrosse. Although unable to travel back to New Jersey to receive her award, Kara sent a letter in acceptance of the recognition. She wrote, “Moorestown Friends ended up being not just a great school, but a wonderful community for my whole family to be a part of. The small class sizes, the true dedication of the teachers and staff, and the focus on Quaker values such as community service, open mindedness, and equality is what I believe makes Moorestown Friends such a special place. I’m so thankful for MFS’s role in helping me get where I am.” Kara is the daughter of the late Fourth Grade Teacher Margaret McKee and Charles Duffy. Her sister is Laura Duffy ’05, a marine biologist at AECOM, a multinational engineering firm in Oakland, CA.
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Alumni Association Awards
Paul Mecray ’56 (middle) with his son Christopher Mecray and wife Nell Mecray
Alice Paul Merit Award: Paul Mecray ’56 At the Dinner Among Friends, Paul “Terry” Mecray ’56 was named the 2016 Alice Paul Merit Award recipient in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in the fields of business and international geopolitics, and dedication to MFS. For 52 years, Paul has worked as a petroleum geologist, businessman, and diplomat without portfolio in the Middle East. He currently serves as a Managing Director with Tower Bridge Advisors in Conshohocken, PA, responsible for equity analysis and portfolio management. Prior to joining Tower Bridge, Paul spent 36 years at Wellington Management Company in global energy research, traveling to all of the world’s oil producing regions and engaging in back channel contacts to help mediate international disputes. Coupled with his successes in the business world, Paul’s generosity to MFS, in particular the beautification of the campus, underscores his commitment to “doing well and doing good.” “Paul decided to make Moorestown Friends a philanthropic priority upon reflecting that, even after studying at academically elite institutions such as Princeton and Wharton, that MFS Social Studies Teacher G. MacCulloch ‘Cully’ Miller was the best teacher he ever had and that he and his classmates would make a bigger difference by supporting MFS than they could in their already well endowed colleges,” said Head of School Larry Van Meter, in his presentation of the award. “Paul shared that every time he sat down with someone whose views were diametrically the opposite of his own, Cully’s smiling face would always pop up in his mind, quietly whispering to listen to the other viewpoint, to try to find some FALL 2016
Paul Mecray ’56 • Managing Director, Tower Bridge Advisors • M.B.A. The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania • B.A. Princeton University middle ground where both parties might find room to negotiate.” In his remarks, Paul expanded on his affection for his teachers at MFS: “When I arrived at Moorestown Friends in September 1950, I became very good friends with Jim Matlack. We would argue about the pros and cons of American involvement in world affairs and along comes Cully Miller seeing two 12-year-olds who were devoted friends arguing about The Philadelphia Bulletin. He encouraged us to engage in respectful discourse, which certainly worked for me, having spent my career in the oil industry. I owe so much to Cully Miller and Chester Reagan who taught me the MFS tradition of proper respect for another person’s point of view.” Paul led efforts in 2006 during his Class’s 50th reunion year to support the G. MacCulloch “Cully” Miller Social Studies Endowment Fund and the West Building Conversation Garden. Paul and his wife Nell donated funds to create the Mecray Courtyard, located outside the Field House near the tennis courts, in memory of Paul’s parents and grandparents. Additionally, Paul was an inaugural member of the Head’s Council. Paul and Nell have included MFS in their estate plans and are members of the Legacy Society.
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Cum Laude Alumni Speaker
Raj Singh ’87 • Developer Advocate at IBM Cloud Data Services • Ph.D. and M.C.P. Massachusetts Institute of Technology • B.A. Brown University
national governments. He moved to his current position with IBM in 2014. He’s a frequent speaker on interoperability and geo-location services, and contributed to the 2005 book Mapping Hacks — Tips and Tools for Electronic Cartography. At MFS, besides being a member of Cum Laude, Raj was a National Merit Scholarship finalist. He was a member of the Choir, performed in school musicals, and played on the varsity tennis and basketball teams. He was the editor of the 1986-87 Cupola, and also was a member of student government during all four years of Upper School. In closing, Raj reinforced to students the importance of collaboration and team-building in all walks of life. “If you focus on building community and thinking of yourself as a leader in the world helping others doing their best in creating family teams, faith-based teams, or professional teams, then you’ll never fail to be a success,” he said.
Keynote Speaker Raj Singh ’87 Stresses Importance of Teamwork Raj Singh ‘87 was the keynote speaker for the 2016 Cum Laude Society & World Languages Banquet on May 18. Raj earned his B.A. in economics from Brown University with an eye toward a career in investment banking, but quickly changed course when he discovered a passion for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and mapping while at his first job working for an environmental consulting firm. The desire to learn more about mapping and land management took him to the MIT Urban Studies & Planning program where he earned a master’s degree in urban planning. He continued on to the Ph.D. program, but suspended those studies to start a company with some friends from the department. After some early success, the company struggled and Raj pointed to this as a watershed moment in his career as he discovered the importance and value of teamwork and depending on others. “The team is more important than the individual, no matter how good you are,” Singh told students. “You can’t do everything yourself.” He cited his study of agile management and servant leadership which drove home the point above. He quickly rebounded to obtain several jobs in the GIS industry and completed his Ph.D. in information systems and planning at MIT in 2004. After earning his degree, he went to work on geospatial data interoperability with the Open Geospatial Consortium, an international standards body that solves data sharing problems for
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Honoring Retirees Marge Kelly Bookkeeper, 1990-2016 Marge Kelly retired from Moorestown Friends after 25 years of maintaining financial records for the school. In her own quiet way, she made a major contribution both to the school’s operations and to its feeling of community. Her role went far beyond the bookkeeper’s most visible activities, handling credit cards, petty cash, vendor payments, and stamps. Many colleagues called Marge “the soul of patience,” (especially for those who might be math-impaired) and remembered Marge being a good sport when the Middle School Service Fair cash box would come in, or the UNICEF collection with very creatively wrapped coin rolls – before the days of automatic bank coin counters! In May, Marge kicked off her retirement with a trip to Ireland, and she hopes to enjoy time with her husband, their four children, ten grandchildren, and her many lifelong friends.
At the Dinner Among Friends, Marge’s large family celebrated her retirement. Together with many of her family members, Marge is pictured seated in the center, with her husband Jerry standing behind her.
Ann Campbell Admissions Administrative Assistant, 1994-2016 Ann Campbell retired in June after over 22 years of devoted service in the Moorestown Friends Admissions Office. The school’s enrollment grew steadily over Ann’s years at MFS, and with it the workload in her office; she had been called “a real stalwart” of the program. For generations of students, Ann had been one of the school’s welcoming presences, fielding parent inquiries, greeting guests at Admissions Open Houses, helping soothe nervous prospective students (and parents) at play groups, testing dates, and visiting days. Ann’s trademark qualities, as noted by her colleagues, include her loyalty and conscientiousness, always having the good of the school in mind and taking justifiable pride in doing her job well. Ann joined her husband Richard in well-earned retirement, but they will be as busy as ever in their new home in Sarasota Springs, FL, staying involved with their three grown children and five grandchildren, and doing the volunteer work which is second nature to them.
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Ann was recognized for her years of service at the Dinner in Gratitude in June. Her husband, Richard, and daughter, Colleen, are pictured with Ann.
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Dr. Kreider’s family: (standing) Tim Kreider ’00, an MIT and U.M.D.N.J./UPenn M.D./Ph.D. alum doing a psychiatry residency at NYU; Ted Kreider ’06, an M.D./Ph.D. student at UPenn; Emina Imsirovic Cardamone ’98, a Temple University Ph.D. who is a Senior Economist at IHS Inc.; Emina’s daughter Anesa; Molly’s husband John Viscardi; (seated) Tim’s wife Su-Jen Roberts; Emina’s daughter Iyla; Barb Kreider; Emina’s daughter Selma; Barb’s husband Bob Kreider; Molly Kreider Viscardi ’02, a UPenn B.S.N., NYU M.A., and UPenn Ph.D. who is a consultant at McKinsey & Company; and Molly and John’s son Jack.
Barbara Kreider Helped A Generation of MFS Students Connect with Science When Dr. Barb Kreider began as a Moorestown Friends School parent in 1992, little did she know the impact she would have on a generation of students. The former Assistant Professor of Biology at Rutgers University, Camden, was recruited to chair the Science Department by Head of School Alan Craig in 1998. She retired at the end of the 2015-16 school year, leaving a distinguished legacy. “I have never worked with anyone more determined to find new ways of helping students connect with science in general, and chemistry in particular,” said Science Teacher and incoming Chair Andrew Newman. “Barb was an inspiration to the teachers in our department, leading by example and encouraging us to be creative and motivate students with real-world challenges.” Dr. Kreider was named the 2007 New Jersey Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year by the New Jersey Council for American Private Education (NJ CAPE). She also received the 2009 Award for Excellence in Teaching Chemistry by the Philadelphia section of the American Chemical Society (ACS). An intangible lesson embedded in all of Barb’s courses and projects is that STEM is for everybody. “You love teaching science at a school like MFS,” she said. “It’s easy to teach here, because the culture embraces that truth is always being discovered. Science changes every day. It’s the nature of science.” There are numerous MFS alums currently enrolled in college, in graduate school, pursuing M.D.s and Ph.D.s, in post-doctoral programs, and in their early careers whom she inspired. 20
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In her time at MFS, she taught Chemistry, Biology, and Physics, along with electives such as Food Science, Neuroscience, Nutrition, Psychology, and more. Her first love is Chemistry. “I love teaching quantitative science,” said Kreider. “I love the applications of math. Chemistry is the foundational science.” She created the annual Science and Engineering Expo, and MFS science students participate in activities outside the classroom such as the New Jersey Science Olympiad, New Jersey Envirothon, National Science League, and the Deborah Heart Challenge and Art Competition, to name just a few. As a parent and veteran teacher, she has a unique perspective as she departs.“MFS was the village that raised our kids and we are so thankful for the great teachers here,” she said. “You only get great teachers if you get a great support structure in which they are operating. This a very, very special place. Many people have the shared purpose to prepare kids for complicated lives.” She expressed special gratitude to her entire department. ”I love my department and the people I taught with,” she said. “I am going to miss them.”She also noted three others who played a large role in her successful tenure as department chair: History Teacher Judy van Tijn, her faculty mentor during her first year (“Judy is a dear friend.”); Math Teacher and former Department Chair Michael Omilian (“The alignment of math and science curriculum has immeasurably strengthened this department.”); and Art Teacher Nicole Edmund (“She has helped me and my department immensely with visual displays of quantitative information. She’s a genius!”). Barb’s close-knit and accomplished family is a prime reason she is retiring. “I can’t wait to spend more time with my grandchildren,” she said. FALL 2016
Honoring Retirees
Priscilla Taylor-Williams with Former Chester Reagan Chair, Upper School Director, Academic Dean, and current Trustee Barbara Rose Caldwell.
Priscilla Taylor-Williams Fostered Spiritual and Ethical Development of Students for 18 Years Moorestown Friends School prides itself on the twin pillars of academic rigor and spiritual/ethical education. As the Chester Reagan Chair of Religion/Quaker Studies at MFS for 18 years, Priscilla Taylor-Williams, who retired at the end of the 2015-16 school year, developed curricula to foster the spiritual development of students. At the same time, she immersed herself in the community to ensure that the school’s Quaker values were interwoven into school life inside and outside the classroom. She also was heavily involved in a wide variety of service and service learning efforts throughout her career. Priscilla ensured that MFS was a community that was inclusive of all faiths and that students were provided with an understanding and history of the many world religions represented in the student body. She grounded her department’s ongoing curriculum development in the latest pedagogy and research related to the spiritual development of children. “Our department spends a lot of time studying how children develop spiritually,” she said. “You have to create curriculum. It’s been fun. We have such diverse courses because we are always trying to find courses that ‘work’ to help students develop spiritually and morally.” She enjoyed teaching an interesting range of courses. “I loved teaching Ethics and watching kids figure out a way to think and to see their own set of values emerge,” she said. Other courses Priscilla taught included Finding Meaning, Friends School Legacy, Humanitarian Law, Religion and Film, and many more. “Humanitarian Law was extremely fun to teach as it was a way to explore the laws of war and peace building with students in a concrete way,” she said. FALL 2016
A master collaborator, Priscilla is proud of the things she accomplished with faculty, staff, and students, “In nothing I’ve done have I been the only person,” she said. “I’m proud of the fact that I was able to work with people across all divisions and support students, faculty, and staff in understanding Quakerism.” Priscilla was heavily involved in the development of a Quaker form of governance for the student body and for faculty and staff. She helped foster and refine the existing Upper School Meeting for Worship for Business structure, including Agenda Committee, which first originated in 1997, the year before she arrived. She also helped develop the same structure for faculty and staff. More recently, she worked with the Middle School to develop Middle School Student Government. “I enjoyed working across divisions and building things that weren’t here,” said Priscilla. Another recent example is the highly successful Upper School Peer Leadership program which was developed and co-taught by Taylor-Williams, Upper School Director Justin Brandon, and Director of College Counseling Meredith Hanamirian. The year-long program, which involves seniors fostering leadership in the Upper School and specifically teaching courses with small groups of ninth graders, was recently featured by Independent School magazine. In retirement, Priscilla looks forward to traveling with her husband, David, to visit their two sons in California (Doug) and Arizona (Robert ‘03). The couple is also pondering a trip to Thailand in the future. She plans to enroll in plenty of arts and crafts courses, refocus her gardening efforts, and participate in a number of citizen science activities.
Priscilla Taylor-Williams with family and members of the Religion Department. Seated: David Williams and Priscilla Taylor-Williams. Standing: Ethics Teacher Sarah Rosenson, LS/MS Quaker Education Teacher Melissa McCourt, sister-in-law Nancy Schiffer, brother-in-law Burton Williams M.D., former LS/MS Quaker Education Teacher Lynne Brick, and Computer Science Teacher/US Service Coordinator Gail Barna.
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CHRISTINA JACKSON ’21
CARL DURKOW ’14
KAYLA GOLAS ’19
LIAM SCHENK ’19
C R E AT I V E C O N F I D E N C E
ZACH DURR ’18
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KAYLA PATEL ’21
JAMAL PRATT ’15
PRIYA SHAH ’21
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LEARNING THE ART OF DESIGN IN 3D DESIGN & WOODWORKING “Woodshop is an art because it’s handcrafted, because parts are assembled according to developing personal aesthetics, that is, because this process of moving from parts to finished product is central to each person’s emerging full sense of self. Woodshop offers an open, creative opportunity for each student to explore their inner selves as they manifest their ideas into something substantial.” - MFS Woodworking and English Teacher Chuck Boothby (1977-92) A proud tradition of woodworking has prevailed at Moorestown Friends for generations, instilling in its students a foundational knowledge of basic tools and construction, but, moreover, a spirit of creative confidence. Middle and Upper School students learn to approach design ideas with a curious mind, develop the technical skills needed for a build, and adapt plans competently when mistakes happen, eliminating the fear of failure. Within each piece, admirers can appreciate not only the quality of the craftsmanship, but also the beauty of resilience and learning through trial and error. Historically, the programs led at Moorestown Friends by Warren Shelley, Chuck Boothby, and Marty Richter have been referenced in a number of ways – Manual Training, shop class, or woodshop. But, as of the 2016-17 school year, the Middle and Upper School classes, now under the tutelage of MS/US Art Teacher Michael Webster, are known as 3D Design & Woodworking. Although the curriculum is not changing, the new program name is a small surface-level modification to better capture the breadth of the curriculum, FALL 2016
involving the usage of many materials in addition to wood, and the student talent that has garnered much acclaim through the years. “In our 3D Design & Woodworking program, Middle School students are guided by their teacher Michael Webster through the brainstorming, refining, drafting, and prototyping stages,” said Middle School Director Kimberly Clarkson. “Each student creates something really unique in class with Michael, whether it be a 3D-printed jewelry set in fifth grade or sculptures in seventh grade. In the end we have Middle School students that go through the entire design process and create pieces of art that are, in my opinion, comparable to advanced high school student work at other schools.” In Middle School, the goal of the program is to train the students in the design process, where they begin generating creative ideas, refine their best sketches, and learn basic woodworking tools and techniques. Fifth graders begin with an introduction to design and technology. Sixth through eighth grade students are challenged to build a container, sculpture, or furniture item each year. Once students enter Upper School, the instruction on the design process is streamlined, and the focus becomes the conceptual meaning of the work and consideration of how an audience will receive the design. At the advanced level, a variety of electives are available, including Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art 3D Design, Digital 3D Art, and Street Art. Webster began teaching the College Board’s AP Studio Art 3D Design course in the fall of 2014. Since then, every AP student has earned the top score of 5 on his or her portfolio. Additionally, AMONG FRIENDS
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“Art and Design teach us to approach images, objects, and spaces with critical awareness and a desire to find creative solutions in the world.” – Art Teacher Michael Webster for three years in a row, an MFS student has been featured on the College Board website as an AP Studio Art sample. Each year, only a few portfolios are chosen to be highlighted out of nearly 5,000 submissions by high school students nationally. Coles Driscoll ’14, Mankaran Bhasin ’15, and Eric Price ’16 were showcased. “My philosophy towards art pedagogy is to focus on developing tools that can serve each student, regardless of what profession they ultimately choose,” said Webster. “Art and Design teach us to approach images, objects, and spaces with critical awareness and a desire to find creative solutions in the world.” Although he is a hands-on instructor and can be found constantly moving around the woodshop, individually conferencing with students, Webster also emphasizes the independence that is gained when students are trusted and taught to use power tools like a scroll saw, drill press, cordless hand drill, and power sander. “I expect my students to do well and I give them the opportunity to do so by scaffolding the experience,” said Webster. “We first learn what is possible by reviewing all the tools in the studio. Another very important step is watching videos of artists speaking about their work and their creative process so students can gain inspiration and models. Then I talk to them individually about their design, time management, and the details of their plans with precise dimensions and measurements. My students push themselves as much as they want, but I encourage them to be ambitious, to try something no one has done before. I don’t want them to follow template plans or design something so simple it will be easy to build. This blank canvas gives them more freedom to be creative, and creativity is a skill that you only learn through practice.”
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BUILDING UPON TRADITION: FOUR GIANTS OF THE WOODWORKING PROGRAM
Warren Shelley, 1943-1977 For 34 years, Warren Shelley held dual roles inside and outside the classroom as the Manual Training teacher and the Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. He also taught Mathematics, Mechanical Drawing, and Driver’s Education. In the post-war era, Shelley was tasked to train the upper elementary and junior high boys (the girls were entrusted to Peg Cowan in the Art Room down the hall) in basic tool usage, construction, design, and interpretation of plans. Maintenance of a small school during and after the war years presented many problems, so the shop not only served the students but the maintenance department as well. Although faced at times with a shortage of materials, Shelley’s diligence and patience with his students showed clearly on many a bookcase, salad bowl, or chessboard. For a brief period, Shelley focused his energies solely on sustaining first-class grounds at the school, so MFS students were instead guided by the efforts of Harry Snyder, Euell Gibbons, Robert Marohn, Wolfram Graber, and Harry Stevenson.
Chuck Boothby, 1977-1992 Chuck Boothby straddled the two seemingly disparate worlds of woodshop and English during his time at MFS. The connection and similarity between the disciplines? In his own words, Boothby said, “In both writing and woodworking, I sought the growth of good habits: patience, neatness, creativity, and goosebump delight.” In his role as woodshop teacher, Boothby pioneered the Middle School cyclical electives program, which included one trimester of woodworking at the time. Each year, students would focus on one project – containers in sixth grade, toys in seventh grade, small pieces of furniture in eighth grade. Additionally, Boothby helped usher in the first female students to the shop and woodworking equipment, giving students of both genders an opportunity to be comfortable using basic hand tools. Boothby often stated his belief that that only exceptional schools provided woodworking opportunities for all students.
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Konrad (Marty) Richter, 1992-2012 Marty Richter presided over the woodshop and photo lab for 20 years at Moorestown Friends, guiding students from fifth grade through Upper School in the use of their eyes, hands, and hearts to find their own vision. The homes of many alumni families are graced by stools, shelves, bowls, boards, and toys, all constructed in the woodshop. Photos hang on many walls that were developed in the dark room under Richter’s tutelage. But Richter was much more than a teacher and an artist. He was an influential Quaker within the community and was able to speak inspiringly about his own spiritual journey. He provided a calm and steady Quaker presence – a reminder of the school’s roots and an example to the students. His quiet intensity and desire to see more, learn more, and understand more served as a daily model for growth. Through his instruction in the woodshop and photo lab, Richter taught his students that patience, craftsmanship, and skill must all be learned in order to live an Examined Life.
Michael Webster, 2012-Present Michael Webster joined the MFS faculty in 2012. He earned a B.F.A. in 2009 in painting from East Carolina University, where he also taught figure drawing and painting courses at the Pitt County Arts Council. In 2010, he curated the exhibition “Countertransference: Social Art Practices” at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. The following year, in Chicago, Webster founded an afterschool program which promotes art discussion, creation, and professional practices called Proto-Studio at the city’s largest public school. He taught there for two years before graduating with his M.F.A. in sculpture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2012. At SAIC, Webster was a teaching assistant for three woodworking/furniture design courses and that was where he learned how to run a shop in a professional and organized way. With his fine arts background, Webster aims to further develop the rich student talent pool of the 3D Design & Woodworking program by fostering an imaginative and intellectual studio environment.
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Title DECONSTRUCTION The artists provide perspective and insight into their sources of inspiration, the design process, and their personal artistic philosophy.
CHRISTINA JACKSON ’21, mirror “What I most enjoy about Mr. Webster’s classes is the amount of support and freedom I have with my project. From the moment I walk into the woodshop room, I know that my ideas will be not only accepted but taken seriously.”
KAYLA GOLAS ’19, table “With my most recent project I thought, ‘What if I try to incorporate something fragile into my design?’ As I developed my idea using teacups, it seemed like something like the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland would have in his house. He had his chaotic tea party and I figured he might have a table with precariously balanced teacups as a leg if his table lost one.”
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KAYLA PATEL ’21, table “My table legs are supposed to resemble the double helix spiral of human DNA. I really like the technique of bending wood; it just looks so cool and, even though it’s difficult to do, the end result is worth it.”
MANKARAN BHASIN ’15, sculpture “Mr. Webster and [Art Teacher] Ms. Edmund would plan art inspiration class trips for us. Once, they took us to a dollar store, gave us a budget, and challenged us to purchase as much as we could to create sculptures. I purchased clothespins and, because I was concentrating my [AP 3D Design] portfolio on multiples of one object, I created an arc to see where it would go. It was a spontaneous design, but the dome and cube ended up being my favorite piece.”
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JAMAL PRATT ’15, sculpture “My artwork focused on altering the perceptions of reality contradicting assumptions about materials and the deception of materials. I want my art to cause people to do a double take and think ‘How does that work?’” PRIYA SHAH ’21 , sculpture “Woodworking class is not about the grade. It’s about being creative. I love that our work is limited only by our imagination.” ZACH DURR ’18, bench “I saw a picture of a kitchen counter that had the waterfall edge on one corner, and that inspired me to create a cedar and concrete bench.”
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ERIC PRICE ’16, sculpture “My favorite technique to use for my portfolio was simple repetition. Many of the pieces I produced involved one object or form being repeated to construct a new creation.”
LIAM SCHENK ’19, chair “My grandmother collects buoys from the ocean in Nova Scotia and Mr. Webster had some rotted-out cork buoys in his room, which were my inspiration for my project. The cork became my main material for the back of my chair.”
Behind the Scenes Look at the Cover Photoshoot by Morgan Sloan ’14 What is your favorite genre of photography? Documentary portraits. I love people, so I’ve always gravitated towards portraiture. I enjoy the interaction with people as I take their picture. I have two beautiful little sisters, Brady ’15 and Mattie ’17; they are my favorite people to document. Where do you see yourself after you complete your degree at NYU? I want to make work that is genuine and impacts people. I want my work to say something. I’m inspired by and feel passionate about feminist photography. Before I didn’t understand the need for feminism, but, as I’ve gotten older, I see how women are oppressed in many ways. I also hope to collaborate with other artists because I see the future trending towards mixed media. How did the MFS arts program influence you? I love the entire Art Department, but Michael Webster’s photography class introduced me to studying photography and learning about other artists. That was a big influence for me and really elevated my love for photography.
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Title
SPATIAL THINKERS From Hollywood set design to high-end contemporary furniture to antique furniture restoration to digital technology application, many gifted and creative alumni have pursued careers and nurtured hobbies perfecting their craft. Although seemingly positioned in drastically different pursuits, all of these alumni share an eye for the visual arts.
Andrea Onorato with the 2014 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, awarded to her team for Interstellar.
THE HOLLYWOOD SET DESIGNER
Andrea Onorato ’08 Is there a connection between the hallways of Moorestown Friends and the studio stages of multi-million dollar blockbuster films in Hollywood? If you ask Andrea Onorato, both are prime spaces for a set designer to bring unbelievably stunning structures and ideas to life. Although in the past three years she has worked on multiple high-profile sets, including her current work on a new HBO sci-fi western thriller series called Westworld, Andrea’s first design feats of engineering were decorating the Upper School hallways for Spirit Week. “I loved Spirit Week and was always in charge of hallway decorating [one of the competitions among the Upper School grades to create an elaborately themed section of hallway],” said Andrea. “Those experiences had a big impact on me because, as my whole family likes to joke, I had no idea I was set-designing a hallway and it’s now what I do for a living! It was a collaborative effort, as we would spend weeks planning and painting props in advance. Then during the one night in October, when we were 30
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allowed to actually install everything at school, we would only have a certain amount of time to finish. We were racing against the clock, which is exactly the same as the film business.” As an Original at MFS, beginning as a Preschool student and graduating 15 years later, Andrea attributes much of who she is to the school, in addition to the family and friends who helped raise her. “At MFS, we were always in an environment where we felt comfortable to express ourselves and be courageous enough to create things,” said Andrea. “At work, I have the self-confidence to propose any new idea. Especially in my industry, you have to be courageous and willing to move to L.A. without a job at first, like I did, or show up for a job you know nothing about because it’s confidential, like my work on Interstellar. Also, because everything in film is project-based, so much of my job requires networking with veteran professionals. Students that come out of MFS have the ability to communicate really well because of the respectful environment in which we communicated with teachers, and that has been keeping me employed.” Academically, she credited her arts education, studying art history and drawing and painting in different mediums with Art Teacher Richard Marcucci as incredibly valuable for her career. Andrea also specifically noted one physics project in Science Teacher Tim Clarke’s class that guided her college path. The class constructed a bridge and seeing the resulting functional structure that combined her love of art with the science of engineering helped Andrea decide to study architecture at Cornell University. At Cornell, Andrea learned how to 3D model by drawing on digital design tool AutoCAD, and how to fabricate those models by carving foam shapes or laser-cutting cutouts onto cardboard. A rigorous technical curriculum, the Cornell architecture program provided Andrea with a 3D modeling skill set, but internships at various architecture firms made her realize that firm life wasn’t as exciting as Andrea had hoped. Her interests transitioned definitively towards set design after a course called “Architecture in Pop Culture,” where her professor exposed how architecture could be applied in many industries, including film. “In that class, we would watch a scary movie and comment why the house seemed scary,” said Andrea. “Concrete and glass materials showed physically why the house was not warm and cozy. Sets really influence the narrative of a film’s story. After that, I became so excited about how amazing set design sounded as a career. Every time I watched a movie I started looking at the credits, studying the different positions of people who worked on the movie. That introduced me to animator, designer, cinematographer, and different behind-the-scenes positions in film.” After graduating from Cornell in 2013, Andrea decided to move to L.A., without a job offer. After three weeks, a visual effects company called New Deal Studios, where Andrea previously interned, offered her an eight-month gig, which ended up being a designer for the movie Interstellar. FALL 2016
Spatial Thinkers “Christopher Nolan likes his sets to be realistic so we created miniature spaceships for practical in-camera effects. But these miniatures aren’t exactly small, the spaceships were about the size of a vehicle.” “The director Christopher Nolan likes his sets to be realistic so we created miniature spaceships for practical in-camera effects,” said Andrea. “But these miniatures aren’t exactly small, the spaceships were about the size of a vehicle. On a daily basis, we’d receive 3D models from set designers in the First Unit Art Department and we’d edit their models and fabricate them in real life. In the film, the spaceship Endurance had circular ship pods that had repetitive surface details. With a short amount of time to make all these parts, sometimes the shop with the carpenters and sculptors couldn’t do it or it was too difficult to make, so I’d 3D print pieces from the computer.” The project was a constant collaborative effort and Andrea was even able to work side by side with Ian Hunter, the owner of New Deal Studios, who accepted the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects on behalf of the team. After Interstellar, Andrea joined the Art Directors Guild union, which afforded her the opportunity to work on other blockbuster films, including Captain America: Civil War. For the Marvel film, she focused on the Raft underwater prison. During the design stages, Andrea received the height measurements for all the actors involved in the Raft scenes so the prison cell bars would be aligned properly, not blocking the actors’ eyes. She remembers fondly that while watching the film in the theater, she felt very proud when she saw a great shot of Robert Downey Jr.’s face through the prison cell bars. Seeing a set through the entire process, from a 3D model on her computer screen to the studio stage to the silver screen, is the most rewarding aspect of the job for Andrea. Physically walking through a space that she visualized on the computer only a few months earlier amazes her. Even when production schedules change or projects are ordered last minute, Andrea still finds the process exciting. “The film business attracts people from all walks of life, and I’m surrounded by such talented people,” said Andrea. “I’m particularly humbled by the artistry of the craftsmen and tradesmen who build the sets I design. We are all so passionate for what we create, that is what keeps me showing up on Monday mornings without knowing what’s going to happen.”
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The evolution of the Captain America: Civil War Raft prison set: 1. Andrea’s 3D model, 2. the constructed stage set, and 3. the final shot.
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THE ANTIQUE DESIGNER
Bob Gale ’67 Residing on three acres alongside the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge in Alma, WI, Bob Gale is settling into a peaceful retirement after over four decades as a master woodworker and fine furniture restoration artist. Bob’s work guided him on a journey that granted him many diverse opportunities, such as restoring a 19th century “salt flat racing car,” composing a number of Japanese-styled marquetry screens, and designing special systems for transporting fragile historical statues, but he credits Moorestown Friends as the community that set him on his life path so many years ago. Bob arrived at MFS in 1961 and followed his natural curiosity, gaining an expansive liberal education. “There are many aspects and skills within my career, and I developed so many foundations there in the 1960s,” said Bob. “Mechanical Drawing with Mr. Shelley — I still use that class to this day! We designed things individually and learned the skill of drawing and projections. Chemistry with Mr. Caughey — in furniture conservation and furniture finishing, chemistry is key when you’re analyzing old furniture. Geometry, algebra, trigonometry for design and engineering.” The silent reflection of Meeting for Worship also helped Bob find his political center and Inner Light. He questioned what he wanted to pursue in life and realized he was seeking a non-warrelated path that was peaceful, constructive, and sustainable after graduating from New York University in 1971. As Bob phrased it, “That’s where the Moriuchi family and serendipity stepped in.” The Moriuchi family invited Bob to a New Year’s dinner at their home and arranged for him to meet Mr. Perrella, the father of Carol “Kiyo” Moriuchi ’71’s college classmate. The Moriuchis knew that Bob enjoyed building and Mr. Perrella, a sixth-generation Italian cabinet maker and restorer, was looking for an apprentice. At the dinner, Bob asked if he could observe Mr. Perrella at work in North Jersey for six months. Ultimately that meeting culminated in Bob completing a six-year apprenticeship during which he learned the essentials of furniture restoration, conservation, and antique reproduction. After completing the apprenticeship, Bob returned to South Jersey to open up his first commercial shop in Moorestown. “The Quaker community was so supportive of me and I’ll always be grateful for the strength and kindness I received,” said Bob. “I distributed 50 flyers in Moorestown and only advertised once with an ad in an antique collectors magazine. After that, it was the community and word of mouth.” The business, R.I. Gale, acquired steady work throughout South Jersey, although it did not stay physically stationed in Moorestown. In 1985, as he reduced his hours, Bob decided to return to graduate school to study statistics and marketing. Two years later, he received his M.A. in communications research from the University of Pennsylvania. Afterwards, he moved to the Midwest to Madison to be closer to family. 32
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“Mechanical Drawing with Mr. Shelley – I still use that class to this day! We designed things individually and learned the skill of drawing and projections.” “In Madison, I was working on historical artifacts a whole lot, doing architectural preservation and art preservation” said Bob. “With those jobs, I learned a great deal about material science and conservation. I was taking old pieces apart completely, cleaning them up, putting them back together again, but the goal was to restore objects to let them tell their stories.” He would travel outside Wisconsin to consult in the field, visiting small historical societies and museums. For Bob, it was fascinating to see what types of things people hoped to save -Masonic temple costumes, secret meeting houses, an old caboose, and much more. With such unique projects over the course of so many years, he slowly came to specialize in veneer work (decorating one surface material with another more attractive material) and marquetry (inlaid work made from small pieces of wood to decorate furniture). Bob spent hours studying beautiful pieces of wood so he could compose intricate geometric shapes and pictures. Now in retirement, Bob still spends time working with wood, although in a different capacity. On his property in Alma, he is in the process of planting black cherry, walnut, and various other types of trees that produce nuts and berries, which Bob hopes will provide nourishment for the local community and for the incredible amount of wildlife. The various types of trees being planted produce nuts and berries, which Bob hopes will provide nourishment for the local community and for the incredible amount of wildlife. “It’s time now to complete the cycle of sustainable work in my career,” said Bob.
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Title
Michi Muzyka’s thesis installation Memories of Decay at Pratt Institute
THE DIGITAL DESIGNER
Michi Muzyka ’02 For over a decade, Michi Muzyka has been a designer by day and fine artist by night. By combining her technical design capabilities and her traditional drawing and painting talent, Michi has exhibited how analog art skills can be embraced in modern times. She began exploring the basics of an art education in Middle School with Art Teacher Richard Marcucci, someone who Michi calls a mentor and friend, not just a teacher. “Mr. Marcucci is an amazing person, and I attribute where I am in life to him,” said Michi. “He was the kind of teacher that brought something out of every single kid that went through his class, and he helped students cultivate an art career track. Even after MFS, he came to a lot of my shows to support me.” After MFS, Michi graduated cum laude from Drew University with an art degree in 2006. With Drew’s broad art studio curriculum, she further developed her drawing technique but also was exposed to more sculpture, installation work, the art gallery world, and digital art. All of those art elements were reflected in her senior year work mixed media cut paper illustrations. Michi then worked for a few years in Moorestown before she realized that she missed creating art and decided to apply to graduate school. FALL 2016
“Mr. Marcucci once said to me that I would make a really good art teacher and that stuck with me,” said Michi. “At Drew, my professors told me that to teach I would need a master’s of fine arts so I started putting together a portfolio and going on portfolio reviews.” In 2008, she enrolled at Pratt Institute in New York to study digital fine art, concentrating in digital imaging. She chose to continue working on intricately cut paper artwork, but, instead of cutting her paper illustrations by hand, she slowly integrated her digital training to help digitally cut pieces for large transformative installations, like her thesis show. Her thesis, Memories of Decay, was an installation that questioned what would happen to man-made artifacts after humanity ceases to exist. Her work presented “an allegory of the decomposition process, composed of manually and digitally cut paper ‘organisms’ reclaiming the earth.” The white cut paper shapes that were made to resemble fungus were draped over painted antique furniture pieces to complete the narrative of civilization being disintegrated. “I do installation work because I’m not just building sculptures or an individual piece, I am transporting an audience to another world when they walk into a space,” said Michi. “My work brings a wow factor for galleries because people can walk through, under, and be encapsulated by my artwork.” After earning her M.F.A. in 2011, Michi rejoined the workforce just as the digital artwork field was significantly expanding with the debut of the Apple iPad in 2010. Her employer, Callaway Digital Arts, was one of the first to build children’s books on iPads, and AMONG FRIENDS
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Title
Michi was creating the digital illustrations. Next, she moved to Vidyo, a video conferencing application for businesses, as a user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designer. As the UX designer, she considered the psychology of user interaction with the Vidyo app and outlined a functional flow chart for all elements of the app. As a UI designer, Michi developed Vidyo’s visual identity, including the logo, color palette, icons, font, and screen design. “My job is to understand the user of our product and all the different endpoints that the user is trying to get to,” said Michi. In 2014, Michi transferred to Stealth Travel and built two travel apps, Totom and Gozengo, as a Senior Visual UX Designer. Once she completed those projects, Michi traveled to Bogotá, Colombia in February as a Visiting Professor at Universidad de los Andes. She taught a Designing Interactive Technology seminar with the university’s Future of Digital Publications M.F.A. class.
“I do want to teach someday, but I keep getting distracted with the working world, making products, and learning everything about UX/UI,” said Michi. “But now I’m building apps as a freelancer so I hope to start teaching part time.” Meanwhile, Michi is also preparing for an upcoming paper show about birds and nature in April in her current place of residence, Jersey City. Although she now considers her paper art as a side hobby, her fine art work will remain an influential and special part of her life. “Art is about making metaphors for life and things around you,” said Michi. “It’s an opportunity to express yourself and comment on the world in a different way that people can relate to. Art is a process of self-exploration and I really value the fact that I experienced a great broad arts curriculum at Moorestown Friends to begin that. The Quaker education also influenced my life, being accepting of everyone and appreciating moments of silence. Especially in the art world, I appreciate sitting by myself and giving myself time to think.” Michi is the daughter of Middle School English teacher Deb Casne and sister of Lauren Muzyka ‘99.
Under the Camden Sunrise, a cut paper illustration 34
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Narl Title chair
Carl Durkow with his Avian Rockinghorse
THE HIGH-END DESIGNER
Carl Durkow ’14 Design consumes all of Carl Durkow’s time. His devotion to his craft is so unwavering, he proclaims he cannot spare a moment for anything else because his focus is so fully concentrated on his artistic endeavors. At just 21 years old, that fiery spirit is serving him well and Carl is already gaining international recognition. Carl earned worldwide praise with the debut of his “Narl” chair design at the 2016 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York City in May. The omnidirectional rocking chair, made from polystyrene foam, wool felt, and leather hide, was designed as a meditative place for adults to escape the world around them. A luxurious furniture piece, the “Narl” chair was recognized as one of the best exhibits of the ICFF and featured on a number of highprofile industry blogs, such as Design Milk, Design Within Reach, Contemporist, TrendHunter, and the French Journal du Design. Acclaimed for its imaginative and modern design, the cosmopolitan aesthetic of the “Narl” chair is exactly where Carl hopes to position his furniture and home accessories work. Carl is entering his junior year studying industrial/product design at Drexel University. “The Drexel program is great because it’s creative-thinking oriented rather than shop oriented,” said Carl. “The key to a strong design program is not just a focus on skills, but an emphasis on teaching during the creative process.” FALL 2016
Carl noted a few parallels between the Drexel design program and his transformative experience with the art department at MFS. “The programs at Drexel and MFS are both small in size so that in the shops you have focused students who love woodworking,” said Carl. “I think Mr. [Michael] Webster also brought a similar design-thinking pedagogy to the art classes at MFS, which helped prepare me for college. His teaching style challenged me to start creating really original, really creative work because of this fresh higher-level thinking method for art and design. Mr. Webster guided us through design problem solving, not simply asking us to make boxes and bowls again and again. From him I learned that woodworking is more than craft or skill, it’s an art form. Honestly, I don’t think I would be where I am without him.” Enthusiastic about furthering their art education, Carl and his classmate Coles Driscoll ’14 requested the curriculum be extended so Mr. Webster could teach the AP 3D Design course. Their appeal to study design and sculpture at the highest secondary school level was approved, and the program is now in its fourth year. Carl’s AP 3D Design portfolio theme showcased what happened to industrial materials after humans have left the earth, and his work earned the top score of 5. As a member of the first AP 3D Design class at MFS, Carl helped set the benchmark for achievement; every student who has completed the course has earned a 5 since 2014. “One of the biggest takeaways from Mr. Webster’s class is the importance of photographing your work, and it’s one of the reasons why all the AP 3D Design pieces read as very strong,” said Carl. “For those who will never see your work in person, you have to communicate your piece by showing the context as well as showing the object’s details. Artists have to take care of how you represent your work digitally, highlighting certain elements, so photography is essential.” With such engrossing drive and love for design, Carl hopes fellow Moorestown Friends graduates who are passionate about three dimensional art will consider pursuing it at the college level. “Design feels like something I was born to do; it’s hard to imagine not doing it,” said Carl. “For any current students at MFS that are interested, I would love to host visitors, give tours of my program, and encourage them to pursue an industrial design career path.” To contact Carl or view his work, visit carldurkow.com.
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1966
50th Reunion
Alumni Weekend 2016 For more Class of 1966 Reunion and historic photos, visit mfs.smugmug.com/Archives/class-of-1966.
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Members of the Class of 1966 gathered at the Luncheon in their honor on Saturday, May 7 during Alumni Weekend. Seated: Leslie Rowe Robinson, Margot Glendinning, Caroline Brunt Moriuchi, Gail Wilson Murray, Martha Sawyer DeLuca, Nancy Roberts, and Ellen Doak Winslow. Standing: James Lovett, Scott Kelemen, Kenn Arning, Jim Johnson, Miles Overholt, Dave Nelson, Bill McDaniel, Debbie Ohler Bowman, Judy Ostrov Edell, and John Klauder. The reunion organizers, led by Martha DeLuca, included Kenn Arning, Deborah Ohler Bowman, Caroline Brunt Moriuchi, who hosted a Sunday brunch, and Dave Nelson. Not pictured, but also taking part in the reunion festivities were Betsy Ward Alexander, Barry Ford, Gary McAfoos, and Pete Small.
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Alumni Weekend The Class of 1966 Celebrates 50th Reunion Well, it is over – the 50th Reunion of the Class of ’66 ... and what a success it was!!! For those who were not there, the weekend started with a catered luncheon at the Dining Commons where a Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Ellen Doak Winslow for all of her hard work, thanks given to the Reunion Committee for their hard work, and a statement regarding the status of the Class Gift(s). Steve Zakroff and the Development Office provided each attendee with a special yearbook. It was compiled from biographies and photos that the class members had submitted in the few months preceding the event, making a memento which was very meaningful and appreciated. Later that afternoon, we were treated – along with other alumni – to a reception at the Greenleaf where we had a variety of hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and sodas while getting the class pictures taken. In the interim, some of the class went on campus tours, The Class of 1966 Reunion Committee: Kenn Arning, others strolled Main Street to re-visit old places (if they were still there), and Dave Nelson, Deborah Ohler Bowman, Caroline Brunt see what all had changed. Afterwards, all of the 66ers came to my home Moriuchi, and Martha Sawyer DeLuca. for a pizza party. There ended up being 29 people there over the course of the evening, including spouses/partners/friends. It was a bit crowded, but no-one seemed to complain. Conversations were lively, reminiscences were being exchanged, and all were enjoying themselves, especially when the chocolate fountain was turned on. Sunday morning took us all to Caroline (& Fred) Moriuchi’s home for a sumptuous brunch and more conversation, anecdotes, catching up and comparing notes. There was a kind of nostalgia in the air as the weekend drew to a close – we had all re-connected with friends we used to know and re-made the friendships as adults – and senior adults, at that! In some respects there was a lot that had been forgotten – lunch tables, inside jokes, petty troubles that once were so important – all had faded or disappeared over the course of the years. What were left were connections and a class adhesion that we had never really had before, as well as a really good event as the basis to build on - the prevailing sentiment of all who were there – classmates and their guests who felt the atmosphere as well. I believe that everyone’s name came up sometime over the course of the events, so those who weren’t able to come were definitely missed. The new adage seems to be “2021 – Here We Come” for a 55th reunion. I’ll be doing my best to see it happen – see you then!! Martha Sawyer DeLuca, Class Representative
1941
75th Reunion
Attending the luncheon on Saturday, May 7 given in honor of the 50th reunion class, and all the prior classes, were Jim Dauerty, Joyce Cooper Haase, and Bud Stratton, proudly celebrating their 75th reunion. 92
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1956
60th Reunion
Paul and Nell Mecray, Donald Duff, Margaret Duff, Wayne Stallings, Joe Rogers, Pat Pearson Stallings, Ruth Smith, and Wayne Smith gathered in the Class of 1956 Garden in front of the West Building prior to joining their classmates for the 60th Reunion Dinner on May 7.
1956
60th Reunion
Wick Hollingshead, Rebecca Brecker, Bruce Smith, Mimi Hathaway Freeman-Devlin, and Wayne Smith attended the luncheon honoring the 50th reunion class and all prior classes on Alumni Weekend. FALL 2016
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Alumni Weekend
1961
55th Reunion
Members of the Class of 1961, Bill Archer, George Stephan, Harlow Hagstoz Reynolds, and Diana Myers Zanzot, at the Saturday luncheon hosted by the school in honor of all alums who were celebrating reunions of 50 or more years.
1971
45th Reunion The Class of 1971 had a great turnout for its 45th reunion. Gathered at the Head’s Reception at the Greenleaf were (seated): Jay Emmons, Nan Barclay Bragg, Nancy Zbikowski Gifford, Judy Hurst Loane, Ingrid McHale Kozmin, Steve Levin, and Danny Silberstein. Standing: Ed Bowman, Roberta Cowell, Kurt Klaus, Kiyo Moriuchi, Susie Ransome, Jeff Miller, Tracy Southworth, and Denis McDaniel. The reunion was organized by Nancy Zbikowski Gifford, Judy Hurst Loane, and Jeff Miller. Joining the group later at Cafe Aldo Lamberti in Cherry Hill and/or at brunch on Sunday at Nancy Gifford’s home were: Rob Farr, Holly Hand, Doug Leonard, William Pennick, Janet Hinds Pilvalis, Nancy Blair Rabin, and Donna Zucchi. Visit the following website for Reunion and class archive photos: mfs.smugmug.com/Archives/class-of-1971. 94
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Alumni Weekend
1976
40th Reunion Some members of the Class of 1976 met up at the MFS Dinner Among Friends on Friday evening, May 6, before heading down to celebrate at Sarah Ann Miller’s home in Barnegat Light on Long Beach Island later that weekend. Pictured here are: Peter Boutin, Lisa Attix, Chris Cavalli, Gregg Dunham, Sarah Ann Miller, and Lynn Williams Dunham. In addition to the folks pictured, the group was joined in Barnegat Light by Lisa Bobbie Schreiber Hughes and James Kahn. Peter Boutin and Sarah Ann Miller organized the gathering.
1986
30th Reunion Back Row: Mike Kowalski, Rob Pineda, Barb Campbell, Mark Buckwalter, Chris Jandoli, Amy Weeks, Alison Judah, John Thomas Front Row: Alex Ackerman Reed, Verna Polutan, Tracey Whitesell, Lauren Greeenfield Reck, Wendee Yudis, Julia Graham-Slater, Nathana Dakin-Hisrch, Haley Driscoll, Maria Lavdas Carabases, Chris Brea Tameo, Tracey Harris, Nicole Edmund, and Arthur Snyder. The group is pictured at their Saturday night gathering at the Moorestown home of Terrance Huettl and Tracey Whitesell ’86; Haley Coles Driscoll ’86 helped to spearhead the reunion. FALL 2016
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Alumni Weekend
1991
25th Reunion The Class of 1991 reunion was organized by a coast-to-coast committee which used conference calls and the internet to get a great turnout - organizers included Ki Perry-Cooney and Don Orth, along with Mary Lynne Yeager-Christ, who hosted the class at her Mount Laurel home Saturday night. Seated: Tony Yi, Janell Kapoor, Michelle Campbell, Nicole Bodo Peguero, Jo Park, Jonathan Yohannon, Doug Matlaga, and Colleen Coleman. Standing: Michael Carter, Karen Abele Scheu, Amy Paulishak, Aneira Puttaswamy, Rachel Williams Agosto, Laveena Terry Bronson, Julian Austin, Chad Brown, Jocelyn Ziemian, Fred Peguero, and Don Orth.
1996
20th Reunion The Class of 1996 reunion was hosted at Josh Hudson’s Mount Laurel home, and Kelli Marans helped to rally the class to come. Gathered at the Greenleaf for the Head’s Reception on Saturday were (seated): Rebecca Briggs Turcotte, Sarah Edwards Beeson, Kelli Markelwitz Marans, Erin Coleman Campbell, and Cheryl Beredo. Standing: Chris Guerrera, Wilbur Briones, Aaron Snethen, Josh Hudson, Chris Denniston, and Valerie Orth. 96
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Class Notes
1957-60
At the Luncheon for the 50th reunion and prior classes were: Rowland Ricketts ’57, Ted Jamison ’57, Bonnie Griffith Jamison ’59, John Coles ’59, Catharine Magee Karsten ’59, Tom Stackhouse ’60, and Asa Stackhouse ’57.
1941 1941
See photo of Mary “Betty” Newell Nelson at left.
1949 Molly Wood Logan and her husband, Dick, still drive to New England twice a year to visit family members and vacation at their Poconos spot in the summer. Molly has a walker due to damage from a 2013 accident and 2014 fall. She reports her granddaughters are both in grad schools. Naomi is at University of California Berkeley for her M.B.A. and Rachel is at Hunter College for her M.S.W.
1950 Mary “Betty” Newell Nelson celebrated the birth of Anika, her 22nd great grandchild. Anika’s mom, Annie, was adopted as an infant in Thailand and raised in Australia. She is a surgical nurse and joined Betty’s United Nations family ... The family always expects Betty to write a book about their ancestors every Christmas. She has become a rather good genealogist since she retired.
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Ken Conrow wished to share: “We have lived on this block in Manhattan, KS for 44 years and 10+ years nearby. Still enjoying it, but we may have to move soon.”
1953 Lydia Stefanov Demko shared news about her grandchildren. Her oldest granddaughter, aged 20, will be a junior at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK where she is majoring in physical therapy. Her son’s oldest daughter, age 16, plays the flute and the drums. Lydia’s 15-year-old granddaughter has a beautiful voice, writes, and enjoys acting. The youngest granddaughter, age 11, plays the violin and also enjoys playing soccer. Lydia misses her
husband, Vladimir, very much, but believes it was God’s will.
1954 Marilyn (Missy) Medl Kjellenberg shared the following message with her classmates: “We’ve had a great time and ‘great run’ for our class! Left a footprint! Enjoy as many more reunions as you can each year. I will not be able to come any more to join you. Shall miss you all. Please keep in touch.”
1957 See photo of Ted Jamison, Roland Ricketts and Asa Stackhouse above.
1959 See photo of Bonnie Griffith Jamison, John Coles, and Catharine Magee Karsten above. Mary Saladino has moved to a retirement community where her older brother, Jim Hull ’56, and sister-in-law, Bonnie, live.
1960 See photo of Tom Stackhouse above.
Notes with this icon are Among Friends web extras. See page 104 for more details.
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Class Notes 1962 In November, Polly Price and her husband, Tom Parker, moved to Foulkeways at Gwynedd, a Continuing Care Retirement Community near Philadelphia. Polly shared: “We are very happy there. We’ve made many new friends, really love our independent living apartment (with its on-call maintenance staff), enjoy the many dining options, and are reassured by the presence of multi-level medical care.” Other residents of Foulkeways include Margaret Doehlert Barovich ’57, former Upper School faculty Donna Goodwin Wilhelm (1970-78), and Rachel Denby ’07 is a member of the Marketing and Admissions staff at Gwynedd.
1966 Ellen Doak Winslow, Judy Ostrov Edell, and Roslynne Novack ’65 often meet for dinner. In late September, Ellen will be visiting the NJ shore and California. Ellen also shared that Roslynne’s daughter is expecting her first child.
Make a Gift Online to the Annual Fund for MFS
1967
Dick Hess shared some sad news: “On March 31, my wife, Diane Marie Canfield, lost her 11-year battle with breast cancer. She was courageous and upbeat up to the very end. She was my hero and my only true love. Maybe 90 people turned out for her celebration-of-life event; I was not the only one who thought she was so special. She lives in my heart forever.”
1969
Larry Kotlikoff, who ran for President of the United States in 2012, is now running again as a write-in candidate for this year’s election. His political positions were profiled in Money magazine in May. Full details on his platforms can be found on his website: kotlikoff2016.com.
1971
1967 See photo shared by Dick Hess at right. After 38 years in the same house, James Soffer and his wife Bess have moved to live year round in their former vacation home in Margate, NJ. Bess is retired, but Jim is still working as a dentist in Haddonfield about three days a week. They enjoy visiting their sons in Ossining, NY and Boston. Geoffrey is producing Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway and is a partner of Soffer-Namoff Entertainment. Matthew is a Rabbi at Temole Israel in Boston and a father to 3-year-old Caleb and baby daughter Carmen Phoebe.
1968 Laurie Mitchell is a K-5 art teacher at North Main Street School in Pleasantville, NJ, where every student received an iPad through an Apple ConnectED grant. She shares: “The art apps we downloaded are exciting, and all artwork was put on Keynote Presentations to create digital portfolios for each student. It is exciting to meet Apple Executives and show them the work our students are creating! The next step is we are working with Moore College of Art to set up a STEAM program.” 98
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Susie Ransome (center in blue) had a great time at her class’s 45th reunion during Alumni Weekend. She shared “It was so good to see everyone and we had surprises from some who I hadn’t seen since we graduated. The school looks great. I was so excited that the same seats are still used in the auditorium.” While touring the school with Jay Emmons, Nan Bragg, Ed Bowman, and Tracy Southworth, the group took a photo in front of the portrait of Susie’s mother in the Martha E. Ransome Reading Room in the library, which was particularly meaningful for Susie as her mother passed away the summer after the 1971 graduation. Lee McDaniel shared updates about his family members. His daughter, Amanda, CPA, just returned from a visit to Mongolia. His daughter, Patricia, was recently featured on the Science Channel’s Impossible Engineering, working for Electric Boat. His son, Lee Jr., is studying at Georgetown Medical School and doing cancer research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. His
wife, Connie, is a retired math teacher of Harford Day School in Bel Air, MD.
1969 See photo of Larry Kotlikoff above.
1971 See photo of Susie Ransome with classmates above. FALL 2016
Class Notes
Visit giving.mfriends.org
Seth Garcia ’78: First Camden Scholar, Pays a Visit to MFS Seth Garcia ’78, the first ABC Scholar to graduate from Moorestown Friends School, visited the school in June to meet with current Camden Scholars and current and former faculty and staff. Beginning in the 1970s, MFS partnered with A Better Chance, Inc. (ABC), a national non-profit student search and referral organization. When scholarship funding from the ABC organization ended in 1983, the MFS Board of Trustees made the commitment to establish the school’s Camden Scholars Program for highly promising students from Camden. Seth was raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western Virginia before his family moved to the Cramer Hill section of Camden. A diligent student (“I never wanted to do anything to upset my mother”), in eighth grade he was recommended to apply for the ABC program and quickly he was one of three students being considered for a scholarship to Moorestown Friends. Struck by the friendliness of staff, he tells the story of the day that Headmaster Alex MacColl drove him to his eighth grade graduation - and stayed for the ceremony - and then drove him back to MFS to complete the placement test. “I thought it was a great thing for a Headmaster to do something like Seth Garcia is pictured on campus with former Upper that. From that point on, I knew I would like the school,” said Garcia. School Director and English Teacher Mary Williams. Garcia enjoyed a fine career at MFS and particularly mentioned English Teacher Mary Williams, Basketball and Soccer Coach and Physical Education Teacher Drew Nolan, and Music Teacher Vaneese Thomas as positive influences in his life. “I was definitely very prepared for college when I graduated,” he said. He went on to earn a B.B.A. from Ohio University. After settling in Atlanta, he initially aspired to start a business, but soon became intrigued by firefighting as an occupation. Little did he realize that he was embarking on a career in which he would make a difference in the lives of many fellow firefighters and in the lives of many Atlanta-area youth. After completing some courses and certifications, he was hired by the DeKalb County Fire Department, which serves the Metro Atlanta area. On top of the obvious courage required for the job, Seth was a key figure in campaigns and class action legal proceedings to improve hiring practices in the department. “At the time, 1 of 127 people in leadership positions in the department were African-American,” said Garcia. “They did eventually make many changes and today the diversity in the department is great.” Seth himself earned promotions to captain and chief during his career, retiring as a Battalion Chief. Perhaps his most enduring legacy, however, may be his leadership of the DeKalb County Fire Rescue Explorers Program. Children ages 14-18 apply to the program to learn skills that prepare them to become a Firefighter/Firemedic and to assist them in their career search process. The DeKalb program is the largest explorers program in Georgia. The Explorers compete in state and regional tournaments and have traveled to Tennessee and Florida, where they have earned many competition awards and championships. Seth resurrected the program in 2007 and helped infuse new energy into it. He co-authored a new summer curriculum with friend and colleague Bennie Joe Page. Although he retired as an active firefighter in 2010, Seth served as Director of the Explorers program from 2007-14 and still volunteers. In addition, Seth is involved with a Haitian mission program through his college fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. A burn victim himself at a young age, he has also volunteered for years at an Atlanta-area camp for young burn victims. Seth Garcia is clearly an MFS graduate doing well...and doing good.
1974 See photo of Chris Eni on page 100.
1976 Since Tom Kennedy’s knee surgeon directed him to stop playing soccer five years ago, his primary hobby has changed to road racing. He invites alumni to check FALL 2016
out his team’s Facebook page “Sparrow Speed” and connect.
1978
1977
1980
John Mills is still working with kids in grades K-5 in an afterschool program, camping and kayaking in the Adirondacks, and looking forward to the class’s 40th next spring!
See spotlight about Seth Garcia above.
See photo of Sollie Pinkston Miles on page 100.
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Class Notes
1974
Chris Eni and his family celebrated the graduation of his son, Dylan ’16, on June 11. Pictured are Chase, CJ ’14, Dylan, Chris, and his wife, Jenny. Dylan, Chase and CJ are nephews of Cindy Eni Yingling ’75 and Louis Eni ’71.
1981
1981
1980
See photo of Cassandra Ratleff Sanders at right.
1982 See photo of Vincent Cebula on page 101.
1986 See photo of Nicole Edmund on page 101.
1988 Nancy Polutan-Teulieres recently traveled with her colleagues from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to Istanbul, Turkey for the World Humanitarian Summit, organized by Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon. There were an estimated 9,000 participants at the Summit which included Heads of State, Heads of UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations. As of December 2015, Nancy moved to Geneva, Switzerland for a new assignment in UNHCR headquarters.
1995 David Baiada was featured in the May 13 Philadelphia Business Journal’s “40 under 40” feature 40 business leaders under the age of 40. 100
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Jocelyn Miles ’16, daughter of Sollie Pinkston Miles, at Commencement. See photo of Simona Munson Munseeney on page 101.
2000 Heather Croshaw, who is an attorney, moved recently to St. Croix to be a judicial clerk at the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.
Cassandra Ratleff Sanders and daughter, Kennedy Sanders ’16, at Commencement.
2001 See photo of Matt Cutler on page 101. Ryan McGee, still with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is now on assignment as a Global Fund Advisor in Maputo, Mozambique, for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. FALL 2016
Class Notes
1982
After 27 years of working with larger banks and asset managers, Vincent Cebula embarked on a process to set up his own firm in collaboration with two former colleagues from Los Angeles in 2012. His company, Solace Capital Partners, started investing institutional pension assets a year ago and they now manage nearly $400 million in their debut fund. The business is still in the area of distressed debt and special situation investing, and Vincent says it’s been great fun to be both an owner and manager. He shares that none of it would be possible without the patience of his wife, Wendy, and two daughters, Naomi and Charlotte (ages 16 and 14), as Vincent does a lot of commuting between their home in New York City and company headquarters in Los Angeles.
1986
Nicole Edmund and her daughter, Brady Sloan ’16, at Commencement. Brady is niece of Mari Edmund ’94 and Genvieve Edmund Alvarado ’89.
2001
Casey Friedman Cohen up until recently was teaching kindergarten at Plymouth Meeting Friends School. She and her husband Adam became proud parents of Wesley on January 17. The Cohen family moved to Pittsburgh in July for Adam’s residency in oral maxillofacial surgery.
2001
1995
See photo shared by Casey Friedman Cohen at right. 2011 Young Alumni Award winner Jordan Barbour appeared this summer in The Wiz and Hamlet at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
2002 See photo of Mike Brick on page 103. Emiko Guthe married Robert Brewer on April 24 at Arch Street Meeting House in Philadelphia. Their wedding was held following the practices of the Religious Society of Friends as a Meeting for Worship for Marriage. Katie Dilks was accepted to the Couple and Family Therapy Ph.D. program at Drexel University and began her studies this fall.
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Simona Munson Munseeney (right) and her wife Meghan now have a playful, funny, gorgeous toddler running around their house. Their son Sascha David Munseeney was born on April 10, 2015 and they’ve been enjoying him ever since. Simona had been working as a clinical social worker at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, however after being home with Sascha on maternity leave, she left her position in order to be home with him full time. She does miss working outside of the home at times, but being with her son has been the most fulfilling way she has spent her time so far.
Matthew Cutler and Jennifer Clark got engaged in Malibu on June 9. Jennifer and Matthew were in LA supporting a charity event for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (OCRFA). Jennifer is a survivor of ovarian cancer and an activist for research. Matthew decided it was the perfect opportunity to propose to Jennifer, so he took her to a beach in Malibu where he got down on one knee. They then went to dinner nearby where Jennifer was surprised by a table full of guests, including both her and Matthew’s parents. Needless to say, the tears started flowing! Matthew and Jennifer met in their favorite city, Philadelphia, and will be married in the city next July 2017. Many of Matt’s MFS classmates will be there to join the celebration.
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Class Notes
Rosie Reilly ’07: Planting Rare Seeds for a Biodiverse Future Chaotic. Organized. Rewarding. Humbling. That’s how Rosie Reilly describes life working as a sous chef at Mission Taqueria in Center City and as a volunteer at Roughwood Seed Collection, a nonprofit heirloom seed farm in Devon, PA. Although she often works 65-70 hours a week at the restaurant cooking Mexican fare, Rosie’s passion for the economic and nutritional benefits of eating locally motivates her to find time to help care for the thousands of rare seeds at the Roughwood garden. “Roughwood is a seed collection of over 4,000 varieties of heirloom kitchen plants that has been cultivated by William Weaver. What William and his garden manager, Owen Taylor, are doing is growing these rare seeds to provide the larger community with species of plants and food that have been wiped out from GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and pressures of commercial farming,” said Rosie. Rosie has been fascinated with how the rare seeds can shed light on some history of Rosie with line cook Kevin B. at her the world, and one example she discussed was corn. previous position at Brick & Mortar “Corn is a product that has been cultivated for thousands of years, but we’ve restaurant. genetically modified it ourselves through the growth cycle,” said Rosie. “Every year, farmers select the best corn cobs, weeding out bad traits of mold or fungus. What happens though is any sort of biodiversity is eliminated. Biodiversity is incredibly important to not only nutritionally sustain humans, but also give other plants and animals like bees and butterflies more to eat and pollinate. So at Roughwood, they are growing varieties of corn you can’t find anywhere else, like Oaxan Green Dent corn, to showcase how beautiful and tasty food was from an earlier time.” By growing the seeds out, Roughwood hopes to preserve the seeds for culinary use and organize public workshops on the historical and nutritional value of heirlooms and the process of seed saving. As a volunteer, Rosie helps with the intensive labor that is needed to maintain the collection. Beginning in early spring, the grounds are tilled and prepared before 50-200 seeds of each plant can be buried in the ground. With thousands of seeds requiring continuous weeding, watering, and labeling, the garden becomes an immense manual task. “With so many varieties of plants, there are times when it feels like the amount of product is overwhelming and we’re not getting much done,” said Rosie. “There was one day where all I did was plant 23 different species of potatoes!” In May, Rosie also helped organize a benefit dinner at Brick and Mortar restaurant, where she was then sous chef, to give Roughwood a platform to sell their seeds in the city and an opportunity to share the importance of the collection. “At the dinner we were able to showcase the beautiful food that’s grown at the garden so people could experience the flavors of the farm,” said Rosie. Previously, Rosie has worked as the opening sous chef at Blue Bell Inn in Blue Bell, PA and as a line cook at Moshulu in Philadelphia. She graduated cum laude with a degree in culinary arts from The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in 2012. A bed of heirloom Roughwood potato seeds have been planted in the MFS Community Garden near Hartman Hall. “My eyes were first opened at MFS to recognizing our collective responsibility for our community and earth,” said Rosie. “We were shown how being eco-friendly is incredibly important. Now it seems so cyclical for me to know potatoes from Roughwood are growing at MFS. Roughwood and MFS have given me such an education and both promote keeping your curiosity up, while always being willing to learn and do more.” To read more about volunteering or donating to the Roughwood Seed Collection, visit http://www.roughwoodseeds.org.
2005 See photo of Max Friedman and Josh Adams on page 103.
2006 See photo of Ryan Flynn on page 103.
2007 See spotlight on Rosie Reilly above. See photo of Matt Wartenberg on page 104.
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See photo of Briana Pressey Ellerbe on page 104.
2008 Darcy Berenberg graduated from NYU’s Steinhardt School in May with a M.A. in Teaching Spanish and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She spent the 2014-15 school year at NYU’s Madrid campus studying Spanish linguistics and pedagogical theory, completing a graduate thesis in Spanish, and working as an English secondary school teaching assistant.
2009 See photo of Brianna DeGroat on page 104.
2011 Autumn Talley taught a non-credit Spanish course at NYU, where she is studying Clinical Social Work (MSW ’17) at the Silver School of Social Work. She will be studying abroad at NYU Buenos Aires in Fall 2016.
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Class Notes
2006
2002
Mike Brick celebrated his wedding to Rebecca Reich Brick on October 3, 2015 in Toms River, NJ. His best man was Matt Stevens. Pictured are Scott Brick ’95, Adam Brick ’99, Rebecca, Mike, and mother Lynne Brick, a former MFS faculty member.
2005
Ryan Flynn was one of 12 graduate students chosen to receive the 2016 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award sponsored by the Basic Sciences Division of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Nominations were solicited internationally, and the winners were selected on the basis of the quality, originality, and significance of their work. Ryan is a Ph.D. candidate studying dermatology and cancer biology at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, and he presented his work at Fred Hutch during a scientific symposium on May 6 in Seattle, WA.
2012 After graduating from Bryn Mawr College with a major in Linguistics and a minor in Political Science, Rachel Weissler is now attending the University of Michigan to complete a Ph.D. in Linguistics. During her time at Bryn Mawr, Rachel was a Mellon Mays Scholar; participated in the University of Chicago’s Research Intensive Linguistic Summer Institute; served on the board of the Bryn Mawr chapter of the NAACP, served on the SGA Honor Board; and served as a Community Diversity Assistant. Brianna Howarth is an Instructional Designer/Writer at her alma mater Savannah College of Art and Design. She is writing syllabi for online courses and creating educational content.
2013 MFS Senior Project advisors, attorney Max Friedman and realtor Josh Adams, with their respective mentees, Sasha Katsnelson ’16 and Mike Keller ’16, encountered each other at the settlement table for a residential real estate closing. Max was the buyer’s attorney and Josh was the buyer’s agent. Also pictured is alumni parent and former MFS trustee, Ed Hovatter, with whom Max did his Senior Project! Max and Ed are now partners at Hovatter Friedman Saputelli & Levi, PC.
Austin Harris and Vincent Salvano are working as General Production Interns on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
2014-2015 See photo of Daniel McGinn ’14 and Joe Beideman ’15 on page 105.
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Class Notes
2009
2007
Credit: Robert Neroni
Matt Wartenberg married Sarah Hayes on November 20 at Indian Springs Country Club in Marlton, NJ.
2007
Among Friends Web Extras 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.”
Brianna DeGroat was profiled in the latest issue of the Thomas Jefferson University Review alumni magazine. She is currently enrolled in Jefferson’s joint B.S.N./M.S.N. program, and she received her B.S.N. degree in the spring. Brianna shared that she initially became interested in nursing when she was a child and her father was treated for throat cancer and had multiple surgeries for degenerative disc disease at Jefferson. While she visited her father in the hospital, she began listening to the clinicans’ conversations and became involved in his care. Rather than being afraid, Brianna became curious about his treatment and used it as a learning experience.
Briana Pressey Ellerbe married Keith Ellerbe in July. Classmates Jennielle Jobson and Ty-Anna Jones were part of the bridal party. They now live in Los Angeles, where Briana is a Ph.D. student at USC Annenberg School of Communication and Keith is pursuing his love for writing and film production.
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Class Notes
2014-15
Share Your News with Friends 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.
Class Notes received after September 1 will be printed in the next issue of Among Friends.
Former teammates Daniel McGinn ’14 and Joe Beideman ’15 reunited following the Davidson vs. Elon men’s lacrosse game in Elon, NC this past spring. Pictured along with their parents: Donna McDonald-McGinn, Daniel McGinn, MS/US PE & Health Teacher and Varsity Boys’ Lacrosse Coach Michael McGinn, Joe Beideman, Trustee Mindy Holman, and Frank Beideman.
Alumni Lacrosse Game 2016 On Saturday, June 4, 34 boys’ lacrosse alumni returned to the Athletic Fields for a friendly matchup, as well as a celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the lacrosse program at MFS. Thanks to Tim Yingling ’09 for coordinating the game. Standing: Spencer Krohn, Tim Latimer ’13, Nathan Rivera ’11, Nick Cook ’11, Harrison Krohn ’11, John Latimer ’11, Kyle Koste ’11, Program Founding Coach Steve Yingling, Varsity Boys’ Lacrosse Head Coach Michael McGinn, Dan Zeiberg ’14, Robert Rodgers, Ryan Kirkpatrick ’08, Joe Beideman ’15, Cliff Burgess ’12, and Andrew Cates ’16. Middle row: Tyler Mills ’14, Andrew Shinn ’11, Greg Yingling ’11, Jason Woloshin ’15, Matt Geiser, Trevor Golden ’14, Glenn Smyth ’08, Josh Kirkpatrick ’14, Sam Madamba ’14, Andrew Edzenga ’15, Kieran McMenamin ’16, and Tim Yingling ’09. Front row: Tevin River ’14, Bryan Gfeller ’12, Josh Murdy ’16, Dylan DiFlorio ’16, Daniel McGinn ’14, Dylan Eni ’16, Andy Cook ’15, and Michael Woodley ’12.
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Class Notes
Seiji Moriuchi Wiffle Ball Tournament 2016
Seiji Moriuchi ’98 unexpectedly passed away on June 30, 2014. He was born and raised in Moorestown and was a local farmer. He was also very engaged with MFS as an alumnus and the assistant boys’ varsity basketball coach. Before he passed away, he played in the MFS alumni wiffle ball game and loved it. To remember Seiji and to do something he loved, members of the MFS community held this 2nd annual wiffle ball tournament on June 18 in his honor to remember him and to give back to the school. The event was organized by Ryan Winkelspecht ’98 and Math Teacher, Varsity Baseball Coach, and Assistant Athletic Director Ron Obermeier.
Akemi Moriuchi ’04, Kristin Bromley Fitzgerald ’97, Vera Pappas (President of Marion Landscaping, LLC event sponsor), Bree Rutherford (wife of Ryan Rutherford ’99), and Tara Winkelspecht (wife of Ryan Winkelspecht ’98).
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In Memoriam Paul T. Andrews father of Nikki Andrews Gladding ’99 Jay G. Bancroft ’55 brother of Wayne Bancroft ’52 Gordon Beckhart father of Katharine Beckhart Temel ’69, Wendy Beckhart Bachmann ’74, and Gordon H. Beckhart, Jr. ’80 Harold Bozarth father of Harold Bozarth ’09
Jean Bell Landis ’44 mother of the late Diane Landis Wright ’69 and Douglas S. Landis ’70 Procter Lippincott ’60 brother of Joanna Lippincott Patterson ’61 and the late Gregory Lippincott ’64 David Mirfin father of Ed Mirfin ’16 Lucia Seitzinger Mitchell ’51 Virginia Brown Perry ’36
Diane Marie Canfield wife of Dick Hess ’67 David Croshaw husband of former School Committee member Sandra Croshaw, father of Jeffrey Croshaw ’98 and Heather Croshaw ’00 Joseph Gellman father of Gigi Gellman Schwartz ’81 and Jodi Gellman-Wallach ’82 Ana Contigiani Gospodinoff wife of Victor Gospodinoff ’83 Susan Doerr Hiltebrand ’61
Jean Scattergood mother of John Scattergood ’72 and Kirk Scattergood ’75 Linda Smith Sharpless ’79 Barbara Richie Snyder ’61 daughter of former faculty members David and Mary Richie and sister of Martha Richie ’67 Anne Stevenson wife of Maurice Stevenson ’50 and mother of Amanda Stevenson Hudson ’88 Rita Willison mother of David Willison ’91
Elinor Hull Jones ’53 Kevin Wise ’85 Bertram Kelly ’61 son of the late Gloria Stratton Kelly ’41 and brother of Kevin Kelly ’73
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. FALL 2016
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Spotlight on Student Artwork
TYPEWRITER
Hannah Thomson ’17 Click, Clack, Tip, Tap. Word after word, Ribbon after ribbon. Click, Clack, Tip, Tap. Day after day, spent on mundane tasks. Pumping out letters, words, paragraphs. Cli ck, C lack, Ti, Ta. D ried ou t and st uck on X. Click, Clack, Tip, Tap. I’m X’ed out.
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Congratulations, MFS Class of 2016!
Marirose Aleardi - New York University Ryan Baker - Rowan University Peter Beard - Saint Joseph’s University Travis Benedict - Rice University David Borne - Duquesne University Billie Rae Brandt - The College of New Jersey Jahdiel Brown - William Paterson University of New Jersey Rachel Brown - Elon University Lilla Butterworth - Occidental College Andrew Cates - Seton Hall University Erin Chen - Johns Hopkins University Jonathan Colon - University of Scranton Alexander Creighton - University of Vermont Zachary Day - Bentley University Kierra DeVaughn - University of Connecticut Dylan DiFlorio - Rutgers University Justin Dorsey - Bentley University A.J. Dunham - Washington University in St. Louis Dylan Eni - Saint Joseph’s University Jade Ernest - Howard University Rylee Fennell - Haverford College Nia Francis - Rutgers University Edward Gelernt - Yale University Kevin Gfeller - Saint Joseph’s University Talia Gottlieb - Saint Joseph’s University
Christopher Grahn - Muhlenberg College Georgia Gray - George Washington University Rose Graziul - Drexel University Gaelyn Gregory - Syracuse University Kathryn Gregory - Vanderbilt University Rebecca Grimes - Drexel University Andrew Harkaway - Vanderbilt University Emily Herman - Villanova University Paige Hurley - University of Vermont Jailene Jaquez - Drew University Amanda Karlsson - New York University Andrew Karolidis - University of Delaware Alexandra Katsnelson - New York University Michael Keller - University of San Francisco Andrea Kinzler - Northeastern University Colin Kirby - Fairleigh Dickinson University Bradley Klier - Elon University Claudia Largey - Bucknell University Kristin Latimer - College of Charleston Julia Levine - Drexel University Chelsea Maddred - New York University Skylar McClane - Tulane University Kieran McMenamin - Clemson University Jocelyn Miles - Xavier University of Louisiana Samuel Milligan - Bowdoin College Sierra Mills - Tulane University
Edward Mirfin - Rutgers University Gabriela Montes - Lehigh University Matthew Mullock - Saint Joseph’s University Mitchell Mullock - Vassar College Joshua Murdy - United States Coast Guard Academy Gavin O’Reilly - Saint Joseph’s University Alexander Ounjian - Elon University Anisha Pande - Northeastern University Priya Patel - Drexel University Julian Perkowski - University of Washington Eric Price - University of Pittsburgh Natalia Queenan - Northeastern University Jessica Richards - Cairn University Breanna Riddick - George Washington University Harvey Robin - Drexel University Jake Rosvold - University of Rochester Elyse Ryden - Ithaca College Andayah Sams - Howard University Kennedy Sanders - University of Pennsylvania Jacob Schoifet - Cornell University Braeden Sloan - University of Colorado Alexis Tsapralis - Drexel University Margaux Vellucci - Lehigh University Weiqin Wang - Penn State University Whitney Womack - Nova Southeastern University Mia Zayas - Columbia University
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See MFS Archives Come Alive in Color in the 2015-16 Annual Report!
The campus as it existed in the late 1950s