MORAVIAN ACADEMY
SPECIAL EDITION PREVIEW
JOURNAL
Moravian Academy Journal Headmaster
MORAVIAN ACADEMY
Jeffrey M. Zemsky
Board of Trustees
Robert H. Brown – Chair Chris Weiler – Vice Chair Karen Pearce Sonier ’78 – Secretary Lawrence B. Eighmy – Treasurer Tasha Bolden James Boylan Erica D’Agostino ’91 Joan Duckloe Daniel Eyvazzadeh ’96 Michael Gulati Pamela Larimer Brian Loftus Jaime Mitchell Stuart Paxton Christine Perrucci Joanne Regina Kathleen Waterbury Reilly Christian Rice The Honorable Paula Roscioli ’83 Carole Devey Schachter ’76 John Spurlock ’01 Mary Catherine Tachovsky Mary Wilford-Hunt
Honorary Trustees: Margaret Baldock Steven Krawiec Gordon L. Sommers
Associate Trustees (Faculty): Sarah Harshman Lisa Molina-Cheung Marilyn Reiter
Advisors to the Board:
Jeffrey M. Zemsky – Headmaster John Donecker – Director of Middle School Brian D. Kelly – Director of Upper School James L. Kirtland – Director of Business and Financial Affairs Ann S. Mindler ’70P – Assistant Head of School Susan Parent – Director of Lower School Robert J. Zaiser – Director of Institutional Advancement
SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY EDITION PREVIEW
JOURNAL
We are excited to present this “preview” of the Moravian Academy Journal, which provides a sneak peek of the commemorative 275th anniversary edition of the Journal that will be mailed to you this summer! Throughout the issue, we take a look back at the many celebrations, activities, and events that brought our community together over the 2016-2017 school year. This year, we enjoyed recounting the actions of our courageous and insightful founder, Countess Benigna von Zinzendorf, and the inspiring foresight of John Amos Comenius, the father of modern education. Thank you to our students, faculty, staff, trustees, parents, and friends for marking this historic milestone together.
Editor
Meghan Szvetecz
Contributing Writers Tracy Bozik Stephanie Palmieri Jessica McPherson Carla Snook Meghan Szvetecz Jarred Weaver Robert J. Zaiser
Designer
Carla Snook
Photography
Tom Amico Douglas Benedict Tom Bross Marco Calderon Shaylan Patel ’18 Carla Snook Meghan Szvetecz Lindsay Woodruff Robert J. Zaiser The Moravian Academy Journal is published by Moravian Academy, a non-profit educational institution, 7 East Market Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018 (610-868-4744). Moravian Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, religious affiliation or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational and admissions policies, financial aid awards, and athletic or other school administered programs. Applicants who are disabled (or applicants’ family members who are disabled) requiring any type of accommodation during the application process, or at any other time, are encouraged to identify themselves and indicate what type of accommodation is needed. © 2017 by Moravian Academy. Periodicals postage paid at Bethlehem, PA. Postmaster: send changes of address to Moravian Academy Journal, 7 East Market Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. www.moravianacademy.org
M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T Moravian Academy is a church-related school whose Moravian tradition affirms that young people best realize their potential in an atmosphere of love and understanding. We seek to promote the child’s full development in mind, body, and spirit. Since 1742 our tradition has encouraged sound innovations to meet contemporary challenges while recognizing the permanence of basic human values. S TAT E M E N T O F P H I L O S O P H Y Moravian Academy seeks to fulfill its mission by pursuing these goals: • Provide a strong academic foundation in preparation for college work. • Help students develop self-respect, dignity, and a concern and respect for others. • Promote creativity and an appreciation of aesthetic values. • Help students to develop their physical skills and encourage positive attitudes about health and fitness. • Engage students in experiences that will develop maturity, independence, adaptability, integrity, and love of learning. • Help students to become aware of the spiritual dimension of life and further their understanding of the Judeo-Christian tradition. • Encourage students and their parents to recognize their responsibilities in the educational process and demonstrate their commitment to the purposes and goals of Moravian Academy.
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from the
Headmaster Dear Moravian Academy Community, To say that my first year as headmaster has flown by would be an understatement. What an exciting time to become a member of the Moravian Academy community and experience all that this school has to offer. My family and I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the warm welcome we received since arriving at Benigna House last summer. As I navigated through the initial months and seasons of the school year, I experienced first-hand—as a headmaster, a colleague, and a father—that I am lucky to be surrounded by people who care deeply for each other, our institution, and our future as we celebrate 275 years of teaching and learning. While a lot has changed in the world since our institution’s founding in 1742, what so obviously endures is the value we place on innovating thinking, encouraging curiosity, and decision-making with a long-term view toward the societal and economic landscapes that our children will inherit. I am sincerely passionate about doing my very best to move our school toward an even brighter future as we grow, change, and evolve together. This comes from a combination of listening and learning with my fellow community members, and I have no reason to be anything but optimistic about the important role we will continue to play in preparing young minds to be amazing citizens. A lot of exciting work is ahead of us and I can already tell it’s going to be an incredibly fruitful endeavor. Sincerely,
Jeffrey M. Zemsky Headmaster
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CELEBRATING OUR 275-YEAR HISTORY TOGETHER On Tuesday, August 30th, the entire school community gathered at Central Moravian Church to celebrate this historic milestone. A faculty and staff bell choir started things off with a special Ministry of Music, performing “Ancient Voices” by Sandra Eithun. Headmaster Jeffrey M. Zemsky delivered his inaugural Meditation in which he took a moment to ponder the importance of time as it relates to how we all acquire knowledge through hard work and shared experience. In honor of this anniversary year, we welcomed alumni representing each chapter of our institution’s history: Barbara (Herster) Newton ’61S (a graduate of Moravian Seminary); Nancy (Fillman) Frankenfield ’64P (a graduate of Moravian Preparatory School); and Dysean Alexander ’12 (a graduate of Moravian Academy). We also invited a special guest from the past, Benigna von Zinzendorf (played by senior Rachael Kraft), who shed light on the humble beginnings of the institution she established at just 16 years old amid the Pennsylvania wilderness so far from her home in Germany. At the conclusion of the service, everyone gathered around the flagpole in front of the CE Building for the flag-raising and to sing our alma mater. This year, we raised not only the American flag and the flag of Moravian Academy, but the flags of Moravian Seminary and Moravian Preparatory School as well. 3
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Moravian Academy’s “Wishing Tree” on the Merle-Smith Campus
A FOUND POEM FROM THE BRANCHES OF OUR BIRTHDAY WISHING TREE EDITED BY REV. JENNIFER NICHOLS
Throughout this anniversary year, our students and faculty have honored our legacy in a multitude of ways, including special Chapel talks about our history, tours through God’s Acre Cemetery on the Church Street Campus, the creation of tile art projects, themed classroom projects, special guests, assemblies, and more! The spirit of 275 years echoes throughout our classrooms, hallways, dining halls, auditoriums, playing fields, and across our campuses. In the center of our Merle-Smith Campus stands a glorious magnolia tree adorned with our students’ birthday wishes for our 275th anniversary. The “Wishing Tree” holds 350 hopes and dreams written by Lower, Middle, and Upper School students and faculty and is a symbolic reminder of what this milestone means to us as a community.
I wish for more laughter. More friends. More sleep. More time to study. I wish for less stress. Less arguing. Less homework. Less of a struggle. I wish my brother wasn’t sick. My sister wasn’t so annoying. My parents would pay more attention to me. I wish to be a better son. A better friend. A better student. A better teacher. A better human being. I wish for greater confidence. I wish for less fear. I wish for good friends. Good grades. Good times ahead this year. I wish for good luck. Good lunch. Good weather, every day. I wish that people would be nicer. I wish the school day could be longer. I wish for colleges to have a better admissions process. I wish to go to the prom. I wish for more music. I wish for more silence. I wish for less noise and talking about what’s not important. I wish for more freedom. I wish Starbucks could be free. I wish my parents weren’t getting a divorce. I wish my mother didn’t have cancer. I wish for world peace. I wish for another Harry Potter book. I wish Moravian Academy will be here in 275 more years. I wish our spirit will stay, as we continue to change. I wish for more wishes. I wish these wishes will come true.
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THE INSTALLATION OF MORAVIAN ACADEMY’S SIXTH HEADMASTER
History was made on Saturday, September 10th when the Moravian Academy community gathered at Central Moravian Church to celebrate the installation of Jeffrey M. Zemsky as the Academy’s sixth headmaster.
“Liturgy for Education” from the Moravian Book of Worship and senior Oliver Scott read the scripture.
The service was marked by many poignant speeches, musical performances, and traditions all fit for such a momentous occasion. All School Chaplain Reverend Jennifer Nichols delivered an uplifting Invocation and Benediction, and Rt. Reverend C. Hopeton Clennon, Senior Pastor at Central Moravian Church welcomed the faculty, staff, Board members, friends and families who gathered to embrace Headmaster Zemsky and his family into the Moravian Academy community. Senior Rachael Kraft portrayed our institution’s founder, Countess Benigna von Zinzendorf, to recount early historical facts in recognition of our 275th anniversary. Former Headmasters Dr. Peter Sipple, Mr. Barnaby J. Roberts, Mr. George N. King, Jr. and wife of the late Mr. David J. Devey, Mrs. Miriam Devey, were all in attendance. Mr. Roberts delivered the 5
Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mr. Robert Brown presented Mr. Zemsky with the charge of headmaster, at which point Mr. Zemsky accepted and delivered a response centered on his vision for the future of the institution and his excitement for leading the way to a new chapter in our history. Students from the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools (Student Council copresident John Michaelis ’16, Seyla Velez ’21, and Alicia Gordon ’24) presented Headmaster Zemsky with gifts, and Moravian Academy Alumni Association President John Spurlock ’01 introduced the alma mater.
Headmaster Zemsky with wife, Courtney, daughter, Josephine ’26, and son, Elijah ’23
Musical highlights included performances by the Upper School Chamber Singers and Eighth Grade Handbell Choir. The Reverend Dr. Gordon L. Sommers, Honorary Trustee, Moravian Academy, conducted the Installation where Trustees, faculty and administration, and parents and students all took turns acknowledging their acceptance of Mr. Zemsky as headmaster.
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The occasion concluded with attendees gathering for a receiving line with Headmaster Zemsky and his wife, Courtney, and a reception on the lawn next to the Moravian Museum. Read Mr. Zemsky’s Meditation at www. moravianacademy.org/meditation.
Rev. Dr. Gordon L. Sommers conducting the Installation.
Jack Michaelis ’16 processes with the American flag.
Faculty, staff, and Board members process into Central Moravian Church for the service.
Former Headmaster Barnaby Roberts delivering the liturgy.
Rachael Kraft ’16 as Countess Benigna.
Middle School Bells under the direction of Mrs. Patrice Kidd.
The Chamber Singers under the direction of Mr. Rob Riker.
Headmasters Dr. Peter Sipple, George N. King, Jr., Jeffrey M. Zemsky, and Barnaby J. Roberts
Headmaster Zemsky and Board Chair Mr. Robert Brown.
Guests greet Mr. and Mrs. Zemsky in the receiving line.
Alicia Gordon ’24, Seyla Velez ’21, and Jack Michaelis ’17 present the gift of a Moravian glass star.
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Welcome, Mr. Zemsky! By Meghan Szvetecz
Interviewed by Meghan Szvetecz
It’s been nearly a year since Headmaster Jeffrey M. Zemsky and his family arrived at the MerleSmith Campus to make a home at Benigna House and friends among the Moravian Academy community. As he settles into the busy pace of his first school year along with his wife, Courtney, son, Elijah ’23, and daughter, Josephine ’26, Headmaster Zemsky takes a moment to explain how he’s forging long-view plans with an attention to our school’s immediate needs, finding new ways to perpetuate sustainability in every sense of the word, and supporting teaching that prepares students to make meaningful contributions to the world’s complex contemporary challenges.
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Q: How would you describe your approach to making the most of your first year? A: “I’m focusing on getting to know the
community and the things we value the most. We’re a really big community with a lot of different perspectives and what getting to know the school really means to me is figuring out why we are all here as opposed to someplace else.”
Q: What was your first impression of Moravian Academy and the Lehigh Valley? A: “I think Moravian Academy is a singular
experience. There are other schools with a similar sort of profile, but they don’t have the geographic range that we do as a day school. I’m also learning about the entrepreneurial spirit that blossoms in the Lehigh Valley and what that means for us. There are hubs where people with new ideas congregate and I’d like Moravian Academy to be one of those hubs.”
Q: During your installation speech, you emphasized the importance of love, above all else, as the catalyst for what we do and how we do it. What does that look like at Moravian Academy? A: “An atmosphere of love and
understanding is how we formulate our educational settings and it means appreciating what is special in every single individual. That really is an intellectual idea that shapes learning. It allows multiple perspectives for what achievement means. You see it in the teacher who has his/her students write on the same prompt, but students can go in radically different directions. It’s not a cookie-cutter approach; it’s about appreciating students’ own paths. That, to me, is the essence of love in the classroom.”
Q: You’ve mentioned that sustainability is a personal passion. How do you see that growing at Moravian Academy under your tenure? A: “For me, it’s about making choices based
on a long-view timeframe with an appreciation for what our needs are right now. I think we have an obligation as an institution to model that for our children. If schools don’t teach sustainability who will? There are so many different kinds of sustainable practices:
picking up trash when you see it, making choices about the cleaning products and pesticides we use, but it’s also about how we schedule ourselves. We’ve ridden the wave of doing more, more, more as far as we can and we’re starting to learn that it’s not as sustainable as we thought. You can’t always do more than you did the day before. We’re learning about how to slow ourselves down while accomplishing as much as we did before. Everyone is talking about this leading-edge thinking at schools similar to ours. As an educational institution, we have to be leaders in our community on human sustainability, and teach our students the value of managing their personal resources and recharging their batteries.”
Q: What is your hope for all students and how do you define a successful Moravian Academy graduate? A: “Our students are great connectors, always seeking new experiences, new people, new information—not for their own benefit, but to spread resources around the world. The mark that our graduates will leave on the world will take shape in so many realms—the arts, business, education, science, medicine— and defining success will amount to the impact they leave on other people. They are lifelong learners who will make the world a better place and do so with humility and confidence in who they are.”
Q: What have you enjoyed most about Moravian Academy from the parent perspective? A: “All of the perspectives are really
important to me and having Moravian Academy kids that live in my household is a big part of my experience here. I’m experiencing the homework, the teacher communication, and the excitement about school. I also get to witness how welcoming Moravian is because people want to get to know my kids, not because they’re Mr. Zemsky’s kids, but because they’re new students. My wife and I wanted a place that would give them lots of opportunities and not put them in a box, but would allow them to discover their own passions and we think they’re having that experience.”
Q: Who or what has influenced your leadership style and educational philosophy?
A: “There’s this really important essay to me
called, “Thinking Like a Mountain” by Aldo Leopold and it’s written from the viewpoint of a mountain coming to realize that there’s a balance to the ecosystem. In the essay, the humans thought that if they killed the wolves living on the mountain there would be all these deer and it would be a hunter’s paradise. What ended up happening was that they couldn’t keep up with the deer population once the wolves were gone. So now you have the deer all over the mountain eating everything in sight and they can’t support themselves. The mountain knew that it needed its wolves and the humans didn’t understand that. This is a really meaningful story to me.” “My family has also been a huge influence on me; I learned from the generations of activists in my family, people who believed in making a difference in the world and doing that directly through education. I’ve also been lucky enough to be a member of several different kinds of spiritual communities, including the 13 years of Quaker education that left a big imprint on me. That spiritual nourishment helped me to see, in the words of Quakers, ‘the light of God in every single person.’ And maintaining a respect for everybody easily extends into a land ethic for me. The outdoors have always been a place where I go to when I need to re-center myself or get in touch with a spiritual question. I really find solace in being outside. I have been fortunate to have teachers and family members who taught me to engage with the world and see it as a place that has a lot to teach me.”
Q: Finally, what are your overall goals, as you see them so far? A: “We know that our mission asks us
not just to tell students what we think they need to know because it’s what scientists, intellectual readers, and mathematicians know, but rather ask, ‘What are the contemporary challenges of our world and how does that shape our curriculum?’ There’s going to be so much innovation and investment directed toward helping sustain our planet, our human practices, and our children better be ready to employ resources to meet those challenges. We are part of an information revolution. We need graduates who know how to apply that information to contemporary challenges and ask: ‘What do we do with all of this information that’s in our hands?’ ‘How are we going to apply it to solve people’s problems and make their lives better?’ How do we do work that’s valuable to other people?’”
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INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
NEWS
275TH ANNIVERSARY INITIATIVE
To celebrate Moravian Academy’s 275th anniversary, the school’s leadership is excited to announce the first of three initiatives to enhance Snyder House on the Upper School, MerleSmith Campus. Thanks to the generous donations from many of our alumni, the front exterior of Snyder House has been greatly enhanced with the creation of a new “Alumni Circle.” The project, which includes beautiful landscaping and replacement of the blacktop with brick pavers, is a gracious addition to the Merle-Smith Campus. The grand entryway includes two sitting walls that feature a bronze emblem of Moravian Preparatory School and Moravian Seminary for Girls, and a Moravian Academy emblem centered within the circle. This prominent location celebrates the individuality of each graduate within the history of our Moravian community. Additionally, all graduates from the class of 2017 through 2022 will have their name inscribed on a brick and a commemorative ceremony will take place during reunion weekend. More than $78,000 of the $152,040 goal has already been raised for this project and additional funding will be raised through the summer and 2017-2018 academic year from members of the alumni community. Gifts can be given over a two- to three-year pledge period and through monthly recurring giving. To learn more about the Alumni Circle, to donate, or to volunteer to help with the project, please contact Bob Zaiser, Director of Institutional Advancement at bzaiser@mamail.net or 610-332-5291.
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Grow Fresh Food Anywhere, Anytime, Anyplace Senior Brings MIT’s OpenAg Initiative to Upper School By Meghan Szvetecz Imagine an orange grove behind your neighborhood grocery store. Or an avocado picked fresh a few feet from your kitchen. Better yet, visualize fruits and vegetables growing in abundance amid the high-rises of a city block. Anyone growing anything, anywhere is just the kind of food production possibility that excites Neelam Ferrari ’17. Ferrari first became interested in sustainability and food production last year, reading articles and blogs, when she came across Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab Open Agriculture “OpenAg” Initiative. It might be strange to imagine a farmer trading in his tractor for a computer, but the “farmer” engineers in MIT’s OpenAg lab are doing just that with their prototype food computer. Creating customized “climate recipes” with a few keystrokes, engineers are manipulating everything from flavor to nutrition in their hydroponic and aeroponic laboratory that can provide the optimal growing environment for any crop. Farmers of the Future Ferrari understood that trading soil and sunshine for full control of a crop driven by data means major changes in how humans consume food and she wanted in on the action. So she sent an email to OpenAg’s director and self-proclaimed “Farmer of Farmers” Caleb Harper to inquire about a summer internship. Harper had never worked with a high school student before, but he was impressed with her enthusiasm for his research so he offered her an internship. For six weeks, Ferrari and her parents trekked back and forth to MIT’s campus (she was too young to be offered on-campus housing) so she could learn alongside college students and world-renowned researchers. The environment was daunting, to say the least, and Ferrari worried about proving herself. But then, she says, “I realized that I just had to work my way through the technology and try to understand how it affects society. I was capable of completing the job.” Ferrari showed that she could not only hold her own among interns several years her senior, but she became the one they turned to when learning to use the lab’s handheld spectrometer, a tool used to measure the wavelengths of light that a plant absorbs. An Open Source Ecosystem The engineers at OpenAg know that in order to ensure their innovative research makes the maximum impact on the world’s food production they have to offer access to everyone. “People can start constructing these personal food computers at home,” Ferrari says, explaining that the goal is to build a network of aspiring and expert farmers around the world who share crop data and tips on how to use the technology.
This network also includes corporate support. The spectrometer Ferrari learned to use was donated by Target Corp. in the hopes that OpenAg’s research will one day lead to produce grown and harvested onsite at their retail stores. Target is just one of OpenAg’s several corporate sponsors supporting the charge to change the way we think about access to and consumption of fresh produce. By eliminating geographic growing limitations, stores can avoid costly food transport and greatly reduce food and energy waste, while individuals can focus on feeding their household and their community. The need for acres of farmland will decrease at a time when the world’s population continues to climb, and urban and rural “food deserts” (places where residents have limited or nonexistent access to affordable fresh produce) could become an issue of the past. “I definitely think these tools will be used everywhere, especially in cities because the problem is that there will be a shortage of usable land in the future to grow all of the food required for our population so new methods need to be developed for food production,” Ferrari says. Let’s Grow In the spirit of OpenAg’s mission to encourage the world to get growing, MIT has supported Ferrari in her plan to spearhead the nation’s first high school food computer. “They want me to create a framework and guidelines so any high schooler can start using this technology,” she says. She’s already assembled seven classmates into what she affectionately refers to as “a team of #nerdfarmers” and they’re in the process of ordering materials and researching how to build a version of the food computer called a “Foam Farm.” The group includes a diverse mix of students interested in coding, science, and social issues who are all eager to educate their peers on their research and share their findings globally through OpenAg’s forum. “By bringing these technologies to Moravian, we can learn about the collaborative sciences behind the MIT OpenAg Initiative and ultimately create awareness around the issue of food sustainability,” Ferrari says.
Check out Neelam’s blog on open life science, sustainability, circular economy principles, and other topics on her blog https:// openlifesciences.wordpress.com/
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Great Escapes 1.
“I presented “A Project-Based Learning Approach to AP Spanish Language and Culture” at the National AP Conference (College Board) in Anaheim, CA. Project-Based Learning (PBL) is very popular in the sciences, social science, and even some English classes, however, PBL is not a thing in foreign languages so this approach is rather groundbreaking in the field of language teaching.”— Gonzalo del Real, Upper School Spanish teacher and head Middle School girls’ soccer coach.
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“I traveled to Guatemala this past June, accompanying four Upper School students who stayed for a month with host families as part of the Faces and Our Cultures program. While our students settled into their new routines, I explored the majestic Mayan ruins of Tikal. Then, I traveled to Lake Atitlán to visit a couple of Mayan villages. I first visited Guatemala in 1980 as a college sophomore and since then, I have taught Guatemala’s recent history to Level 4 Spanish students.”—David Sommers, Upper School Spanish teacher
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“This summer, I had the pleasure of spending a few weeks in Puerto Rico with a longtime friend and his extended family who live there. In addition to spending a few days on the beautiful beaches of San Juan and Ponce, we spent the majority of the trip in the central part of the island in the mountainous region of Villalba. The trip offered a wonderful cultural immersion, as well as spiritual and religious inspiration.”—Richard Polgar, Middle School Dean of Students, Library Media Coordinator, assistant girls’ soccer coach, and seventh grade social studies teacher
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“My husband, Brian, and I enjoyed playing on Baylors Lake in Fleetville, PA, kayaking and row boating over Labor Day weekend. We stayed at our friends’ new lake house that they built and it was a special time with fun and friends.” —Elaine Reedy, Middle School Administrative Assistant
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“I visited my family in the Basque region of Spain in July and August. I enjoyed eating traditional Basque food and drinking cider with my family, witnessing the birth of my cousin’s baby, and taking a trip to the south of Spain where we visited the Alhambra in Granada. I brought home more books for my students and I showed them pictures from my trip during International Month. —Maria Martin Sanchez, Spanish Immersion Program kindergarten teacher
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“United States hosted Copa America in June, which was celebrating 100 years and called Copa America Centenario. My wife, Allyson, daughter Ava ’28, and I went to watch Chile vs. Panama in Philadelphia. Chile won 4-2 that night; it was great to see fans celebrating and cheering loud and proud: ‘Chi Chi Chi le le le! Viva Chile!’—Fernando Carrizo, Upper School driver’s education teacher and assistant boys’ soccer coach
Faculty and students share 1
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“I participated in two music educator workshops. The first was at the New England Band Directors Institute at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, NH. Then, I participated in the Music Educators Workshop at Carnegie Hall in NYC. Each workshop lasted four days and both were amazing experiences that gave me many ideas that I have implemented in my teaching this year.”—Dr. Richard Fanning, all school instrumental music teacher
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What are your plans this summer? Share with is at information@ mamail.net.
. . . what that did last summer. 8
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“Hannah Katz ’18, Isabella Khan ’18, Taylor deCastro ’18, Alex Reph ’18, and I traveled to San Diego, CA for seven days in July to attend the International Student Leadership Conference, a conference hosted by Operation Smile. We met amazing people from around the world, heard very interesting lectures from different people within Op Smile and beyond. We also organized ourselves into groups of 20 and engaged in games to brainstorm a way to decrease child mortality and make a presentation about it. At the end of the conference all the teams were judged and my team won!” — Eliza Phenneger ’18
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“I spent a month on the island of Mallorca, Spain helping to excavate a Roman forum at the archaeological site known as Pollentia through the program Archaeospain. I spent a month living and digging in close proximity to five other high schoolage archaeology enthusiasts. I was lucky enough to be given the chance to help clean human bones from the necropolis thanks to the site director. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had and I’m so happy that I was able to work with so many amazing people.”— Hanna O’Connor ’17
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“I spent two months in Indore, India studying Hindi through a merit-based scholarship program called National Security Language Initiative for Youth. I encountered a sensory explosion of colors, scents, sounds, and images. The crowds and hustle and bustle that surrounded me made an indelible impression.”—Devika Knafo ’17
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“I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to South America twice. In June, I worked in the public hospital system in Córdoba, Argentina and taught hygiene in schools. In August, I alpineski trained in El Colorado, Chile while my friends and I enjoyed the amazing view of Santiago and the coast from the Andes. In between these two trips, I also earned my national EMT certification.”—Haley Schierwagen ’17
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“I spent three weeks at Cornell University for a fashion design program in the Fiber Science and Apparel Design Department. The course material focused on various facets of the fashion industry, from labor abuse in product manufacturing to functional apparel design for astronauts. The course culminated with a gallery showing at The Jill Stuart gallery that featured inspiration boards, collection boards, and portfolios we had developed. I am grateful that I was able to be a part of the experience, as I learned so much and connected with teenagers from the US and abroad who love design just as much as I do.”—Shaylan Patel ’18
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My Maron Grant Experience Director of Upper School Theatre Jarrod Yuskauskas
Q: Why did you choose this destination?
Destination: London, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and a brief visit to East Molesey (Hampton Court Palace)
A: “Shakespeare, and subsequently English history, has been a major touchstone of my education, as well as my teaching and performance career. The only surprise about the location is how long it took me to get there!”
Q: Favorite experience? A: “Impossible to answer. Every moment of every day
offered some glorious experience. From the moment I stepped outside into the ideally temperate air, to the constant sights of historical significance—The Tower, Shakespeare’s grave—to watching some of the most perfect theater I’ve ever seen—it was eight glorious days.”
Q: How has this trip influenced your teaching? A: “If I had to pinpoint one specific thing it would be the
energy, audience connectivity, and pure storytelling that happens at the Globe Theatre. As Shakespeare is such a large part of our theater curriculum, that lived experience has already begun to permeate each course. I found myself standing on a table recently with students around seeking to recreate the experience of the Groundling-Actor relationship that cannot help but happen!”
Upper School Wood Arts Teacher Michael Brolly
Q: How did you visit each destination?
Destination: Martha’s Vineyard; Bar Harbor, Maine; St. John, New Brunswick; Newfoundland, Canada
A: “Liam ’20 and I started at the UN on World Oceans Day
(June 8) where we met the crew of the Hokulea. That got us invited to spend four days on Martha’s Vineyard with the crew of the Hokulea. We [wife, Lynne, and sons Liam and Hugh ’18] used this as the launching point for the actual trip. Next, we went to Maine for three days, which included sailing and watching the Fourth of July fireworks at Bar Harbor. From there, we went to St. John, New Brunswick to experience the 50-foot tides of the Bay of Fundy. Then it was off to Newfoundland for a week of exploration and trying to get out to the whales in our boat, Sephira, the Musical Ark. In total,it was 872 miles of towing the boat and 24 hours on ferries.”
Q: Why did you choose these locations? A: “I had seen a video of the whales right off the coast of
Newfoundland; as for New Brunswick, my brother rented us a cottage for three days so that we could experience the tides with him and his family.”
Q: Favorite experience? A: “Standing on the ocean floor collecting fossils, knowing that in six hours the water would be 40 feet over our heads was pretty cool. And being on the eastern-most point of North America was also pretty amazing.” 13
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ENHANCE YOUR SKILLS AND EXPLORE NEW INTERESTS
SUMMER AT THE ACADEMY
Moravian Academy is offering a variety of summer camps and workshops for area students starting the week of June 12th.
and History, and A Living Document—The Supreme Court and the U.S. Constitution.
Students attending Green Pond Day Camp (for students entering prekindergarten through grade 6) will take part in a variety of new theme offerings—“Puzzles,” “Great Mistakes,” “Robots,” “Inventions,” “Out of this World,” and more! You can also sign up for Day-to-Day Camp and register your child for one, two, or all five days of each session.
Returning favorites include: Summer Jazz at the Academy, A Week in Japan, Beyond the Outer Limits, Woodworking, Yoga, Art Camp, and Writing Workshop. In addition to Spanish Immersion for grades K-6, we are also offering a Latin Camp for grades 1112 and a Spanish Refresher Course for students entering grades 7-8. For those interested in enhancing their athletics skills we are excited to offer sports camps in field hockey, softball and baseball, basketball, soccer, and tennis.
New for this year is Center Stage, a day camp for young theater enthusiasts; Inspired by Nature, an art camp centered around the natural beauty of the Earth; and Game On video game programming. Other new enrichment programs include: Computer Science (Coding), K’NEX Stem Challenge, Simply Complex Machines, Scratch Programming Adventure, English
Space is limited so don’t delay signing up for a summer of fun and learning! For more information or to register, visit www. moravianacademy.org/summer or call 610-691-1600.
REGISTER AT WWW.MORAVIANACADEMY.ORG/SUMMER moravian academy journal Anniversary Edition Preview
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FIELD HOCKEY STATE CHAMPIONS After an amazing season and postseason, our varsity field hockey team took home the state gold! Congratulations to the coaches and players; it was fantastic to witness so much school spirit and community support, GO LIONS!
On September 6, 2016 the field hockey team celebrated Coach Debbie Bross’ 500th career victory! 15
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Left to right: Manny Oudin, Tom Schoeninger, Mark A Devey ’81, Katie Krum ’00, Jim Tiernan, and Jeffrey Zemsky
2016 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES Mark A. Devey ’81 A “prolific” goal scorer, Mark recorded an amazing 58 goals during the 1980 season and appeared in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” after amassing 14 goals in two matches. During his senior year Mark earned national recognition when he was named to the All-State, Regional AllAmerican, Parade magazine All-American and McDonald’s All-American teams. He was also offered a professional contract with the famed Tampa Bay Rowdies while still in high school. Upon graduating from Moravian Academy in 1982, Mark played every minute of every game as the center forward with the U-23 United States National Soccer Team on an international tour and scored the first goal ever for the US in World Cup play. Mark was named All-ACC, All-South, and graduated as the all-time leading scorer at The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He is listed as one of The ExpressTimes Top 100 Athletes of the 20th Century.. Katherine “Katie” Krum ’00 In high school, Katie was a soccer standout for her school team and played club soccer for FC Delco Fear and represented Eastern PA as part of the Youth Soccer Association State Select Team and travelled to France and Italy with the U.S. Women’s Olympic Development Team (Under-17). In 1999, she was named The Morning Call Player of the Year, helping the team into district playoffs for the first time in the history of the program. She was featured in March 1999 issue of Soccer America. In 2000, she was named to both the Girls Al- State and Girls All-America teams by the PA Soccer Coaches Association. She continued her scholastic and playing career at Princeton University.” James “Jim” Tiernan Jim served as Moravian Academy’s Athletic Director from 1996-2010. Under his tenure, the athletics program was expanded through the addition of sports and creating partnerships/alliances with Notre Dame (Green Pond) and Wilson. He was also instrumental in Moravian’s entrance into the Colonial League. Under his direction, teams were most successful at Moravian Academy with many earning Colonial League and District XI Championships as well as a Boys Tennis Team State Championship. Additionally, Jim was a key figure in researching sites for what is now the Athletic & Wellness Center. Prior to Moravian, he spent 31 years as a teacher, coach and Athletic Director at Pen Argyl. Team - The 2002 State Championship Boys’ Tennis Team In the 2002 PIAA Class 2A state tennis playoffs, the Wyoming Seminary boys tennis team lost 3-1 to Moravian Academy. Moravian swept all three singles matches to secure the semifinals win. Wyoming Seminary won one of the doubles matches, and the second doubles match was halted with the outcome of the overall match already decided. The competition had to be moved to Penn State’s indoor facility because of the rain. Moravian took the 2A title in dramatic fashion, 3-2, over ELCO. Playing in cold and blustery conditions, ELCO and Moravian each took two points, setting up a decisive singles showdown between ELCO’s Andy Vo and Moravian’s Drew Balshi. After the players split the first two sets, Balshi, a freshman, took control in the third set and won 6-3 to give Moravian its first-ever PIAA Team Tennis championship. Coach: Tom Schoeninger; Players: Rakesh Amin ’04, Chris Balshi ’02, Andrew Balshi ’05, Steve Bloom ’02, Eric Bourassa ’05, Geoff Finger ’02, Samir Ghia ’02, Greg Stepniak ’05, Jared Surnamer ’05, Sanjeev Thakrar ’05, Nick Yukich ’03, and Rahul Yukich ’05.
On Saturday, December 10th, Moravian Academy inducted this year’s members into the Moravian Academy Athletic Hall of Fame. The Moravian Academy Athletic Hall of Fame was created in 2015 to honor past student athletes, teams, coaches, faculty, staff, and friends who have brought distinction through athletics to Moravian Academy and themselves. Consideration will also be given to athletes who display a lasting commitment to the mission of Moravian Academy. Moravian Academy Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees are honored at the John Donmoyer Basketball Tournament each December. The committee welcomes nominations from the greater Moravian Academy community. Submit a nomination at www. moravianacademy.org/ AthleticHallofFame.
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ALUMNI NEWS MEET THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE BOARD
DEVIN MILES MURPHY ’04
ALUMNI EVENTS Thanks to all who organized and attended SMASH (Salute Moravian and Say Hello) events for the school’s birthday, May 4th. We enjoyed seeing your photos from around the world in celebration of this special day. We look forward to celebrating SMASH every May, so keep your photo coming. To view all of the photos, check out our Alumni Facebook group.
SOCIAL MEDIA Join our alumni groups on Facebook and LinkedIn, and invite your friends and contacts to join as well. It’s a great way to reconnect with fellow classmates, network, and access news and events. “Like” the Moravian Academy Theatre Alumni page on Facebook—a place for alumni of the Moravian Academy Upper School Theatre program to share their current theatrical endeavors!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED CHRISTINE HERSTER MURPHY ’70S
There are many ways to reconnect with your alma mater! If you have some time to give, volunteers are needed in the following areas: Class Agents – Act as a liaison between Moravian Academy and your class, sharing information and soliciting feedback, receiving class notes and updating information, and stewarding class fundraising efforts for the Annual Fund and Benigna Cup Challenge.
Reunion Class Chairs – Help plan and promote attendance at your milestone reunions (this year, our focus will be on years ending in 7’s and 2’s) Regional Committee Members – Communicate with alumni in your region and help plan local events. Young Alumni Network – Provide input on events and activities for our recent graduates (10 years or less).
LACEY WISMER ’01
Alumni Association Executive Board 2016-2017
John Spurlock ’01, President Peter Tabbot ’86, Vice President Christine Cyr Salgado ’86, Secretary Karley Biggs Sebia ’00, Treasurer Shelby Asen ’06 Alexander Battisti ’14 Samuel Cohen ’98 Mark Frailey ’91 Carolyn Davis Hedges ’97 Rachel Large ’08 Christine Herster Murphy ’70S Devin Miles Murphy ’04 Norman Navarro ’84 Allison Vasta Nicholson ’98 Karalynne Clark Parzych ’07 Wilbur Soulis ’54P Robert Vidoni ’95 Alexandria Wiedorn ’09 Lacey Wismer ’01 Marissa Zondag ’09
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COLLEGE CORNER The College Corner series highlights Moravian Academy graduates currently enrolled in their junior and senior years of college. The articles appear on the Academy website and focus on why students chose a particular college, what they like best about their college experience, what classes they are taking, and extracurricular activities in which they
are involved, as well as how their experience at the Academy helped to prepare them for college. If you are interested in being featured in College Corner, please contact Tracy Bozik, Director of Alumni Relations, at 610-332-5282 or tbozik@ moravianacademy.org. Also, be sure to visit our website and read up about our young alumni!
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US! Send us your class notes on the enclosed notecard and we will include your news in the next issue of “The Journal.” Pictures are welcome and can be sent via email. Also, be sure to send us your updated contact information so we can keep you up-to-date with alumni news and upcoming events!
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For more information on any of the alumni opportunities listed here, contact Tracy Bozik, Director of Alumni Relations, at 610-332-5282 or tbozik@moravianacademy.org.
M OR AV IA N AC A DE M Y A N N UA L F U N D Gifts to the Moravian Academy Annual Fund are powerful investments that ensure our ability to remain a leading educational institution. Gifts allow us to: Offer a range of educational advantages that give the Moravian Academy experience its distinguished edge Hire the finest teachers Maintain new and historic facilities Provide technological enhancements Offer financial aid
Every gift counts, every year. Make your gift today at www.moravianacademy.org/giving
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MORAVIAN ACADEMY 7 East Market Street Bethlehem, PA 18018 Founded 1742
MARK YOUR CALENDAR June 2nd
Baccalaureate
June 3rd
Commencement
June 6th
Lower School Closing Chapel
June 7th
Middle School Closing Chapel
June 12th
Summer Programs Begin
August 28th
Classes Begin
September 18th
Golf Outing
October 13-15th
Reunion Weekend
October 14th
Country Fair/Alumni Reunion