WFS Winter 2024 Magazine

QuakerMatters

Wilmington Friends School

Winter 2024

WFS Board members gathered in September for a retreat and received 275th Anniversary commemorative sweatshirts. All faculty and staff also received the sweatshirts, and students were given T-shirts.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

David Tennent, Clerk

Jennifer Brady, Vice Clerk

Robert W. Friz ‘86, Treasurer

Dorothy E. Rademaker, Secretary

Karen-Lee Brofee

Christopher F. Buccini ‘90

William Chapman

Erin Brownlee Dell ’89

Darryl J. Ford

Lathie Gannon

Scott W. Gates ‘80

Richard D. Grier-Reynolds

Susan Janes-Johnson

Susan Kelley

Christopher Lee ‘82

Vinay Maheshwari

Jacqueline Greenidge Nix

Debbie Pittenger

Dwayne Redd

Laura Reilly

Home and School Association

Board Liaison:

Amanda Singleton Hay ’95

Alumni Association Board Liaison:

Martha Poorman Tschantz ‘85

ALUMNI BOARD

Jonathan Layton ‘86, Clerk

Andy McEnroe ‘04, Vice Clerk

Erin Bushnell ‘96

Stanita Clarke ‘06

Michael Dalton ‘05

Emily David Hershman ‘09

Raven Harris Diacou ‘06

Matt Lang ‘08

Christopher Lee ‘82

Adrienne Monley ‘02

Katharine Lester Mowery ‘02

Raymond Osbun ‘71

Margeaux Pantano ‘16

Richie Rockwell ‘02

Thomas Scott ‘70

James Simon ‘60

Wyatt Thompson ‘15

Martha Poorman Tschantz ‘85

ADMINISTRATION

Head of School: Kenneth Aldridge

Assistant to the Head of School: Megan Walters

Assistant Director of Finance: Lesley Dennis Tryon ’71

Director of Finance and Operations: ShaQuan Buffaloe

Assistant Head for Academics: Eddie Gallagher

Interim Head of Lower School: Chris Loeffler ’00

Head of Middle School: Jonathan Huxtable

Head of Upper School: Rebecca Zug

Director of Admissions and Financial Aid: Melissa Brown

Director of Communications and Strategic Marketing: Susan Morovati Finizio ’87

Director of Development: Chad O’Kane

Director of Equity, Justice, Community, and Engagement: Erica Childs

Professional photography by Elisa Komins Morris. Also thanks to Mary Woodward and the Yearbook Staff for photo contributions. Staff photographers are Susan Morovati Finizio ‘87, Laura Kirk Kurz ’97, and Jake Myers. Cover photo by Laura Kirk Kurz ’97.

Please send any comments or corrections to info@wilmingtonfriends.org.

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Wilmington

Dear Friends,

Homecoming is always one of the highlights of my fall. This year felt even more special as I was joined by three former heads of WFS–Lisa Darling (1994-2005), Bryan Garman (2006-2015), and Bill Goulding (1973-1976)–for a special 275th Anniversary Heads Panel. Our collective experience leading Wilmington Friends gives us a unique perspective, and each of us has seen the School through periods of change, growth, and ultimately, opportunity.

I am looking forward to more opportunities as we embark on our strategic planning process this winter. As a school and a community, we recognize that the educational landscape is changing and the opportunities and challenges our students are experiencing are unique to their generation. We also recognize the challenge, and opportunity, that we now have with the change in vision for our lower school project. Although our plan to build a new lower school on our main campus ultimately did not come to fruition, we are pleased to be moving forward with a new plan to renovate our current, and beloved, lower school property. The goal of this entire strategic planning process is to explore areas of growth, strength, and innovation and articulate an implementation plan, with the process running through December 2024. We are excited for all of our constituents to participate in our Community Design Day in the fall of 2024 (stay tuned for more details).

Another special 275th Anniversary highlight last fall included the first in our webinar series, “How Networking Enhances Your Brand,” with Andy McEnroe ’04, Managing Director for Raymond James; Monterry Luckey, Deputy Director of the Delaware Workforce Development Board; and Lynne M. Williams, Executive Director of Great Careers Group & BENG; and moderated by Connor Dalton ’08. Valuable advice was given on making connections, personal branding, and general networking.

Our students also enjoyed campus visits with two composers: Brian Cox and Jim Papoulis, who are creating special 275th commissioned musical pieces for our band and choral groups!

Finally, undoubtedly a highlight of the fall, and for our school community, was our visit from Bryan Stevenson, a beacon of justice and compassion and a transformative figure in the realm of civil rights and criminal justice reform. You can read more about Bryan’s visit on page 8. I am truly grateful to The Nathan M. Clark Foundation for making this event possible as part of our 275th Anniversary celebration, specifically Wilmington Friends School parents of alumni Jan and Gigi Clark.

Hoping to see you on campus this spring at our Community Service Project on April 6 and Birthday Celebration on May 18!

In friendship,

Ken

Ken and Cassandra Aldridge with special 275th guest speaker, Bryan Stevenson, sponsored by the Nathan M. Clark Foundation.

Alumni News

Dear Friends,

Earlier this fall (October 20-22), WFS welcomed faculty, staff, parents and many alumni to campus for yet another amazing Homecoming weekend. This year’s Homecoming was particularly significant because it marked the start of many upcoming on-campus events to commemorate the 275th Anniversary of the school.

The weekend’s events began on Friday with a luncheon honoring the 50th+ reunion classes and 1748 Planned Giving Society members at the DuPont Country Club. Wendy Vaala and John DeCherney represented the 50th Reunion Class of 1973 and spoke about their experiences at WFS. Later that evening, there was a film screening about the School’s 275-year history, along with a panel discussion among WFS Heads of School. Current WFS Head, Ken Aldridge, was joined by Lisa Darling, Bryan Garman, and Bill Goulding.

Saturday’s celebration began as it always does – with the Smith-McMillan 5K! The day continued with Meeting for Worship (where I was honored to be able to sit next to my old friend and one of my favorite teachers, Kerry Brown), athletic contests, and lunch in the Homecoming tent and cafeteria. The celebration ended with the 275th Anniversary Kickoff and Reunion party featuring the band Kristen and the Noise. Several reunion classes opted to host their gatherings at this event.

In closing, I would like to thank all of the alumni who helped make Homecoming and Reunion Weekend a success. It was wonderful to see the smiling faces of so many alumni, friends, and families who gathered together on campus throughout the weekend, catching up, telling and re-telling stories, exploring campus, and uniting to watch some Quaker athletics, just like old times!

Thank you for all you do in support of WFS.

Jon Layton ’86

ALL SCHOOL MEETING FOR WORSHIP

We began our 275th school year with an all-school Meeting for Worship at Mellor Field. Faculty, staff, and trustees received sweatshirts, and students received T-shirts to commemorate the year. Everyone donning their 275th gear sat on the turf in the beautiful (and pretty toasty) sunshine to gather in silence after a few words from Head of School Ken Aldridge. Even the preschoolers walked up to join in for part of the Meeting! After returning to school, everyone was treated to cupcakes before returning to class.

HOME & SCHOOL PICNIC PROCLAMATIONS !

In August 2023, Head of School

Ken Aldridge was presented with a Proclamation from Wilmington’s Mayor, Mike Purzycki, recognizing our 275th anniversary and our leadership in education in Delaware (above left); New Castle County Executive

This year’s Home & School picnic also had a 275th flair as guests received 275th swag and New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer ’90 presented Head of School Ken Aldridge with a proclamation from the County commemorating our anniversary. The event was moved indoors due to a storm, but everyone still enjoyed the DJ and moonbounces!

Matt Meyer presented a proclamation from the county at the Home & School picnic in September (far right); and Emily David Hershman ’09 (above right) presented a proclamation from Governor Carney’s office at Homecoming.

WFS HEAD’S PANEL

With 35 years of collective experience leading Wilmington Friends School, Ken Aldridge (2015-present), Lisa Darling (1994-2005), Bryan Garman (2006-2015), and Bill Goulding (1973-1976) provided insights at the October 20 Heads Panel that reminded the audience that our Quaker school, with two campuses tucked away in Alapocas and serving children in preschool through 12th grade, does indeed seem to have a “secret sauce” that makes us unique.

Representing a variety of WFS constituencies, audience members first watched the premiere of the 275th Anniversary video highlighting how Wilmington Friends came to be, its impact on the children in the neighborhood of 4th and West Streets in Wilmington, and how the School has evolved.

When the panel members assembled on stage, Drew Smith, Executive Director at Friends Council on Education, moderated the discussion.

Drew opened with a question about how each guest got involved with Quaker education and WFS. Lisa noted that prior to coming to WFS, "I was a convinced Friend. I joined a meeting in Whittier, California, as a 16-year-old. It was my teenage rebellion." She worked in two secular schools, then at a Quaker school in Philadelphia. "There, it came together for me. The things that I believed in so very deeply for our society, for us as people, for children, for families, were there along with all of the things we do in schools."

Next, Drew asked questions that called upon the heads

to think about a time when school-wide change happened; what to look for in graduates to tell if your school has succeeded; and what makes Wilmington Friends different. Each of their answers circled back to the heart of the WFS mission.

Referring to school-wide change, Bryan remembered the decision to institute a one-to-one laptop program for students in fifth through twelfth grades. Faculty and staff members were initially worried about how this formal integration of technology could affect relationships. But an overwhelming plus side to the program was completely aligned with our mission. He noted, “The reason that the faculty wanted to go to the one-to-one program was because they wanted to create equity for students. They wanted all the students to have the same equipment. The spirit with which they went into that decision was one that was very moving to me then and remains so today."

When Drew asked about the qualities of a WFS graduate that indicate a school has succeeded, Ken quipped, "For Quaker schools in general, you can always tell an alum of our schools because something will come up and they will always have both a comment and a question."

He would go on to describe a conversation with a WFS graduate who drew on a skill he learned at WFS which helped him in his professional life. "One story in particular that sticks out for me was an alum in finance that needed to help manage conflict--and this alum was a lifer at Friends--and he used what he learned in

Ken Aldridge, Bryan Garman, Drew Smith, Lisa Darling, and Bill Goulding.

lower school to manage conflict, I-to-I. And so while he was doing wonderful things in the world of finance, the fact that he is using it as a sort of conflict resolution technique in corporate America, is a huge marker of success for me."

The panelists closed the discussion with their take on what makes WFS unique, what is in the “secret sauce.” Bill remarked, "Of course we wouldn't always be united on everything we did, and sometimes there would be really significant differences, but there was never, at least in my experience, blowback."

Lisa reflected on the moment of silence at the reception before the panelist discussion. “It just touched my heart in such a profound way that it reminded me --because I did go on to lead two secular schools after Wilmington Friends--how that moment of reflection is imbued through everything that we do. And sometimes

it is just that moment at the start of a meeting or an event, but it's in there.”

Bryan noted that the “secret sauce” can be seen in the lower school peace march, in the eyes of the faculty when they are working with students, and in the community that rallied in the wake of the 2012 fire.

Ken summed it up like this. "There's a different kind of commitment one has to have to be in a Friends school and to pursue the type of education that we offer and to work together.... What we do here is complicated, it's messy at times, and a lot of fun."

The thoughts of these four incredible leaders all circled back to the core values that guide our learning and teaching at WFS everyday, reflecting a mission that has endured for centuries and will prepare our students to succeed for the next 275 years.

Prior to the Head’s Panel, we screened the 275th Video, directed and produced by WFS parent Mauro Giuffrida of Pixel Quiche. Guests were brought to tears as the video beautifully encapsulated our history along with the core of a WFS education and the impact of Quaker education on children. Scan the QR to view the video.

WFS 275TH VIDEO PREMIER

275TH KICKOFF PARTY

Alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends gathered in the West Gym on October 21 for the 275th kickoff party. With dinner and music by Kristen and the Noise, guests had fun mingling and dancing. Delaware’s First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney ’80 (affectionately known as “First Tracey”) joined Head of School Ken Aldridge to talk about how special WFS is to her family and about the meaning of a Friends School education.

Clockwise from top right: Tracey Quillen Carney ’80 and Ken Aldridge; event organizers Tate Milligan, Tina DiSabatino, and Mike Benner; Jacqueline Mellow ’03, Mauro Giuffrida, Alex Mellow ’00, Cynthia Stan Mellow; Anna Baldwin ’19, Olivia Finizio ’19, Peter Cauchy ’19; special 275th sweets; Greg Mand ’87 and Rebecca Hankin; Linley Smith (wife of Nick Smith ’83) and Beth Peters ’83; guests dancing to the music of Kristen and the Noise.

BRYAN STEVENSON

At perhaps the largest event in the School's history, we were thrilled to host speaker Bryan Stevenson in honor of our school's 275th anniversary as part of the Nathan M. Clark Speaker Series.

In the Chase Fieldhouse, with over 1500 guests in attendance, Bryan engrossed the audience with stories about his family, his legal work, and the human condition as it relates to the history of slavery in the United States.

In discussing his family history, Bryan noted the following: his great-grandparents were enslaved; his parents and grandparents lived through Jim Crow Laws and were not given opportunities to pursue their education; and Bryan himself started his education in a colored school. Once self-conscious about his family’s history as a Harvard Law School student, Bryan talked about his shift in thinking as it pertains to his family’s legacy. Grateful for their immense strength and belief in younger generations, Bryan shares their stories because he believes that we cannot heal until we are honest about our past and acknowledge the

root of the pain and trauma of one another.

Through Bryan’s words, a belief that is core to Quaker education––there is that of God in everyone––rang true. Bryan, who has spent decades representing capital defendants and death row prisoners, believes that “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” He explained that, oftentimes, people who make mistakes are not seen and their humanity is not recognized. He warns us that this is not the answer; approaching others with fear and anger only robs them and ourselves of peaceful resolution and growth. Rather, he argues, we should see the humanity in everyone and recognize their stories.

Bryan urged the WFS community to get proximate to help solve complex issues that various communities face every day. Policymakers often make decisions from distant places, leaving them unable to hear or see many of the troubling issues at hand. To serve the community and make a positive impact, getting close to the people that you care about and are trying to serve creates an understanding that can facilitate real change.

VOICES OF FRIENDS PODCAST SERIES

Listen to our latest episodes with John Bonifaz ’84, Co-Founder and President at Free Speech For People; Cynthia Stan Mellow, WFS Upper School Visual Arts teacher for 44 years; and Ethan Cooperson ’87, Senior Researcher and Talent Statistician.

NETWORKING PANELER-

Wilmington Friends kicked off the 275th Webinar Series on Thursday, November 9, with "How Networking Enhances Your Brand," featuring Andy McEnroe '04, Managing Director for Raymond James; Monterry Luckey, Deputy Director of the Delaware Workforce Development Board; and Lynne M. Williams, Executive Director of Great Careers Groups & BENG; and moderated by Connor Dalton ’08, Attorney at Dalton and Associates. These professionals provided some wonderful insights! Listen to audio from the panel on our podcast (QR code above) or watch the recording on the Wilmington Friends School YouTube channel.

Test your knowledge! WFS is old, but there are a few people, places, and things that are older! Circle what you think is older than WFS, and then check the Answer Key on page 26.

The United States

Delaware

Lightbulb

Radio

Computer

Candy cane

Cuckoo clock

Typewriter

Potato chips

Headphones

Submarine

Vincent Van Gogh

Slide rule

White House

Amelia Earhart

Fire extinguisher

Published dictionary

Carbonated water

Steam engine

Parachute

Piano

Tin can

Stethoscope

Cement

Wrench

Postage stamp

Safety pin

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The U.K.

Swim Fins

50th

+ Reunion and

1748 Planned Giving Society Luncheon

Homecoming kicked off at the DuPont Country Club with our Annual 50th+ Reunion and 1748 Planned Giving Society Luncheon, honoring the 50th Reunion Classes of 1973, and the Classes of 1953, 1958, 1963, and 1968. Alumni and friends had a wonderful time reconnecting with each other. John DeCherney ’73 and Wendy Vaala ’73 spoke on behalf of the 50th reunion class and AFS student Nick Smith ’83 traveled from New Zealand to join the luncheon!

Alumni Soccer Game

Thanks to everyone who came out for the Alumni soccer game! Alums pictured from left to right, Michael Dalton ’05, Chris Lee ’82, Rob Brand ’89, Lucien McKean ’20, Brett Fallon ’11, Lindsay Rademaker Reinhold ’94,

Nick Smith ’83 and Linley Smith; Martha Poorman Tschantz ’85 and Ellie Poorman ’53.

John DeCherney ’73 ; Wendy Vaala ’73.

Barbara Chase Lessey ’68 and Bruce Lessey ’68 ; Tom Wingate ’58, Pam Bailey ’53, Jerome Downie.

Mark Gressle ’68, and Christopher Morley ’00.

True Blue and All Alumni Reunion

On Friday evening of Homecoming, we honored True Blue donors (who have given to the school for 10 or more consecutive years or have a recurring gift to the School) and all alumni. It was one of our largest crowds to date, with over 100 guests in attendance. The Upper School Jazz Band, led by Chris Verry, provided the entertainment. Emily David Hershman ’09 welcomed everyone on behalf of the Alumni Board and Head of School Ken Aldridge spoke briefly on the School’s 275th anniversary celebration. He also invited guests to stay for the WFS Heads of School Panel discussion, where Drew Smith, Executive Director at Friends Council on Education, would moderate a discussion between Ken, Lisa Darling, Bryan Garman, and Bill Goulding. Representatives from Calmare International School (CIS, Calmare Internationella Skola) in Kalmar, Sweden, Wilmington's sister city, also attended and presented Ken with a beautiful goblet representing the connection between our communities. Thank you to WFS teacher Don Morton '94 for facilitating the visit!

Emily David Hershman ’09

Charlie Donaghy ’95, Terry Maguire, Marilyn Maguire, Alice Donaghy, and Rob Donaghy ’92

Don Morton ’94, Bill Neff, and Greg Mand ’87.

Clockwise from top left: Heather Whitney Price ’70 with classmate Tom Scott ’70; Rob Friz ’86 and Amanda Friz; Norval Brown and Bryan Garman; Dianne and Bob Tattersall; Mattias Mild, Head of School at Calmare International School in Sweden and Ken Aldridge; Kim and Richard Facciolo.

27th Annual

Smith McMillan Run/Walk

Thank You to Our Committee Members!

Cassandra Aldridge

Melissa Bilek

Denise Chapman

Jon Clifton ’80 (Race director)

Katy Connolly, co-clerk

Susie Tattersall Davis ’84

Heather Derp

Magan Forman

Stacy Gatti

Sue Handling

Amanda Singleton Hay ’95, coclerk

Jane Hollingsworth

Susan Kelley

Lisa Townsend-Raber ’77

Sarah Singleton Turick ’95

Race Winners

Female Overall: Leah-Kate Atkinson

Male Overall: Ryan Hardy

Top Female Alum: Jennie Lowe ’12

Top Male Alum: Michael McKenzie Jr. ’19

Top Female Staff: Leah-Kate Atkinson

Top Male Staff: Michael McKenzie

Female

8 & Under: Nell Patterson ’34

9-10: Ivory Davis ’32

11-12: K. Hartnett

13-14: Zoe C. Mooney-Doyle ’27

15-16: Isabella M. Davis ’27

17-19: Ava E. Rubano ’24

20-29: Abigail Warner

30-39: Barbara Butkus ‘04

40-49: Millicent Sullivan

50-59: Trelly Vergara Shaikh ‘89

60-69: Aliceia Higginbotham

70-79: Nancy Patterson

Male

8 & Under: Evan Seiff ’33

9-10: Jack Hartnett ’33

11-12: Harrison L. Powers ’29

13-14: Cooper L. Miller ’28

15-16: Ian J. McQuillan ’26

17-19: Harrison R. Burns’24

20-29: Michael A. McKenzie ’19

30-39: Jay Hartnett

40-49: John Fazio

50-59: Frank McKelvey

60-69: David Gertler

70-79: Tom Ellis ‘71

80+: Terry Derk

Class Reunions

CLASS OF 1953

Front row: Frannie Walker Altmaier and Ellie Alexander Poorman. Back row: Bill Lee, Tom Herlihy, Nate Wanyoike ’28, Peter Stone, Doug Bender.

CLASS OF 1957

Pete Shields, Alice McGovern Doering, Tom Baker, Robert Heaton, Ann Harper Heaton, Jacquie Bostick Coyle. Picture by Chris Shields.

Class of 1967

Josephine Martin Bayard, Tim Snyder, and Christine Strahan du Pont.

Class of 1963

Tom Cooch and Jeffrey Hess.

Class of 1968

Mark Gressle, Carol Bancroft Morley, Barbara Chase Lessey, Joan Tarumianz Gee, Alison Rhoads Ralli, Dan Lindley, Eric Cannon, Jonathan Payne, Mary Stern Sykes, Doug Barr, Lindsay Dann Hanson, and Bruce Lessey.

Class of 1973

Front Row: Nancy Johnson Sutherland, Wendy Vaala, Pamela Sherer Hoopes, and Karen Alderfer Whelan. Back row: Terry Terris, John DeCherney, and Elizabeth Moodey.

50th Reunion

CLASS OF 1988

CLASS OF 1983

On the ground: Alison Zinman Kortanek, Dana Balick, Kimberly Harvey Gallik, Nancy Houston Lochtefeld, Sophie Porter Rohrer, Lisa Medford Mester, Pam Appleby Waxlax, and Alyce Wright. Second row: Mary Melloy Fitts, Diana Hutz Hoscheit, Karen Sutton Lexow, Susan Tomases, Pam Schaffer Vanderloo, Melanie Togman Sloan, Tracy Williams, Martha White, and Karen Wise Jenkins. Back row: Jamie McDermott, David Kaiser, Meg Gehret Erskine, Morris Weinstock, Bob Davis, Leslie Veith Reed, Mark Gregory, Bill Taylor, Fran Biondi, Mark Conner, Beth Peters, Andrew Flaherty, David Stephens, Gretchen Chambers Smith, Nelson Meredith, Richie Jones, Nick Smith (hidden), Anna Biggs, Karen Nichols, Andy Stull, Kevin Stull, Todd Conner, Jakub Zejamis, Mike Pellini, and Ann Gehret McKinney.

CLASS OF 1993

Bob Long, Randy Jolley, Betsy Taylor, Tracy Lockhart, Aisha Moss, Ned Baker, Joy Martin Soudant, Pigeon Pollard Graham, Kelly Snyder O’Donnell, Larry Pede, Nate Davis, Scott “Styles” Michels, John Fiss, Tom Spiker.

CLASS OF 1998

Front row: Kristen Chandler, Shannon Milonas McAdams, Kyle Zechman McKean, Megan Wahl Hegenbarth (faculty), Ashley Johnson Bonney, Katie Curran Holstein, Devon Alessi, Emily Ferrara Tobia, Amy Nell, Josh Klein.

Back row: Jenny Brandt McCausland, Amanda Gibbons Hantzopoulas, Erin Facciolo Wehler, Atha Mansoory, Gabe Humphreys, Sumit Dasgupta, Wil Davis, Brad Engle.

Front row: Beth McClelland Lutostansky, Bronwen Grenfell DuHadaway, Christina Sinton Gorman, Renee Dobbs Biery, Monica Thompson-Henry, Mariza Vergara Barbe. Middle row, left to right: Beth Lubaroff Pfeifer, Tori Storm, Amy Johnston Colbourn, Karen McKinstry, Amy Baker Deitrich, Will Phipps, Burke Morrison. Back row: Andrew Carpenter, Markquis Turner, Chris Horgan, Wendy Friz Swanson, Mike Coleman, Liz Malloy Christopher, Jeremy Meyer, Ken Woodlin.

CLASS OF 2003

Nicole Caddell Wample, Richard Vincent, Faye Paul Teller, Paul O’Brien, Colleen Schell Sutler, Caeli Rubens Richter, Ben Carpenter, Judah Dadone, Allison Altman Singles, Josephine Kurtz, Mary Ting Hyatt, Kyle Kessler, Andrea Corbett, Ben Pasquale.

CLASS OF 2008

Mike Anderson, Cynthia Stan Mellow (former faculty), Reity O’Brien, Nick Dowse, Alex Lippincott.

Wenigmann, Meredith Erskine, Connor Haubert, Savannah Kennelly (guest of Connor), Cav Salvadori, Molly Conces, Annie McDonough, Catherine Curran.

First row: Ethan Fruchtman, Ryan Wolynetz, Mia Wilson, Marie DeVoll, Maggie Martelli-Raben, Eric Pincus, River Harper, Chad Connors. Second row: Matthew Byer, Nick Sotiropolous, Tony Bennett, Louisa Spinner, Hailey DiCindio, Natalie DePaulo, Emma Davis, Anna Erskine, Dalton Ramsey, Abby Kleman. Third row: Danny Manley, Nathaniel Ruhl, Maddie Malone, Max Okolo, Kasey Drane, Brendan Haubert, Donovan Aldridge, Jason Saville, Mike Coons, Jack Coons, Daniel Adebi, Jay Handwerk, Ryan Chompre, Steven Butterfield, John Blackwell, Jake Morris, Pen Trainer, Delaney Martin.

CLASS OF 2018

CLASS OF 2013

Natalie

Helping Students Navigate the Digital Landscape with TSI

The digital landscape plays an essential role in the lives of students and adults, and at Wilmington Friends School, we want to equip our students, families, faculty, and staff with the necessary tools to ensure that they make positive and safe decisions online every day.

How are we currently doing this? Beginning this fall, WFS started working with The Social Institute (TSI), whose mission is to provide “a gamified, online learning platform that empowers students to navigate their social world positively — including social media and technology — to fuel their health, happiness, and future success.”

WFS has over 35 faculty and staff members who serve as either Captains, Junior Captains, or Facilitators. In their various roles, our educators are not only learning more about social media and the numerous ways in which it can affect our students, but they are also empowering our students through age-appropriate lessons beginning in fourth grade. While the lessons might be tailored to each specific grade level, the goals are similar: for students to avoid dangerous pitfalls that come with various social media platforms, recognize all of the misinformation that is spread throughout the internet, and build each other up on social media.

Below, you will find some specific lessons that are tailored to specific groups of students in the lower, middle, and upper school here at Wilmington Friends.

TSI at Lower School: “Reverse Gossip”

As they begin to advance their way through lower school, many students will create personal social media accounts on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. While these accounts can be helpful to connect with their peers and share various accomplishments both inside and

outside of school, they can also be used to gossip about one another and spread false information about their classmates. In an activity that TSI calls “Reverse Gossip,” lower school students are asked to think about the ways in which they can respond to a negative message from one of their classmates positively.

To start the activity, students are given a sample negative message from a peer that reads, “I heard she got a 40 on the math test but it was so easy! She must be pretty dumb.” Instead of piling on and continuing to speak negatively about this student, they are tasked with building the student back up. A response might look like, “She’s pretty smart though. Did you see her science project? She had the highest score in the class.”

After playing out multiple scenarios like this where they are “reversing” the gossip from their peers, students are asked to come back together and discuss some of their favorite responses that they came up with. They are also asked to consider the following: How might it make you feel if someone were to say something negative about you? What might you be able to do if someone says something not nice about someone else? How can we ensure that we create a safe environment for all of our classmates?

In asking students to ponder these questions and practice their “reverse gossiping” skills, the hope is that they will think twice when they receive a negative message and, instead of piling on, build that student up and create a more inclusive environment for their peers.

TSI at Middle School: Respecting the Privacy of Others, Online and Off

As students reach their teenage years, they are excited to

continue to share more of themselves on various social media platforms. Whether they scored the game-winning basket or crushed their most recent solo performance at open mic night, students want to share their accomplishments with their peers. However, due to this willingness to share, students are liable, at times, to overshare on their platforms and post images or videos of themselves that are not appropriate. Students may also make the mistake of posting photos or videos of others without their consent regardless of whether or not they have ill intentions. In an activity that TSI calls, “Respecting the Privacy of Others, Online and Off,” middle school students examine the power of their posts and why they should always think twice before pushing submit.

To start this specific lesson, middle school students are asked to read multiple articles that demonstrate when someone’s privacy has been violated. As they begin to understand the severity of posting personal content or of posting content of others without their consent––and the consequences that can follow––they are given specific scenarios and asked what they would do.

Scenario 1: One of your friends falls asleep on the school bus during a field trip. A couple of classmates pull out their phones, take embarrassing photos of them, and plan to post them on social media. What do you do?

Scenario 2: Your crush sends you a message and asks for an inappropriate picture, but you do not feel comfortable sharing. What should you do at this moment?

These discussions, while difficult, are important to have with students as they might be faced with these decisions in either middle or high school. After spending time combing through each scenario as a class and discussing the appropriate response, students will gain the tools to be more equipped to handle these situations. The goal is for students to understand that not all photos should be shared on social media, inappropriate photos that you take of yourself or screenshots of others can have damaging consequences, and you must have the consent of others before posting photos and videos of them.

TSI at Upper School: Handling the Pressure of Representing Something Much Bigger Than Yourself

Whether they have been posting pictures, videos, or simply making comments on other posts, upper school students typically have an online presence that is stronger than younger students because they have had access to the technology for longer periods of time. In this lesson, “Handling the Pressure of Representing Something Much Bigger Than Yourself,” students look at how posts from the past influence future opportunities, explore why colleges and employers look at this information, and create their own personal mission statement to help them with future posts.

To begin this lesson, students are tasked with reading various

articles that demonstrate the positive and negative effects that past posts and comments on social media can have on people. Topics include: the Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief who was forced to resign due to homophobic and racist remarks; a future UNC student-athlete who lost their scholarship due to an Instagram Live video; and a research article that shows over 70% of employers screen their candidates' social media presence (and that 42% of these employers that checked felt even better about the person after checking their social media page). After reading these articles, students are asked to discuss the following questions: Why might companies or schools revoke a job or scholarship offer based on a post? Does it matter how old these people were when they posted and/or commented on these hateful things? What do your social media pages look like and do they accurately represent who you are and your values?

These discussions, particularly around the final question, are geared to help students understand that social media is permanent and that their posts and comments reflect their core values. Their final activity in this lesson is to create a one- to two-sentence mission statement about their lives and who they hope to be. The goal, in theory, is to help these high school students become more self-aware about what they post online and how this content aligns with the values and standards they have set for themselves.

TSI Parent Toolkit: Equipping Parents and Guardians with the Necessary Tools to Help

While we must teach our students how to use technology responsibly, it is also important to provide resources for caregivers to use at home. TSI, understanding how difficult it can be to keep up with all of the social media trends and platforms, makes it easy through their Parent Toolkit which includes Playbooks, Family Huddles, and the Wall of Wins.

Playbooks include articles by TSI experts that talk about how children are using specific social media platforms along with descriptions of every single app, the purpose behind each one, and ways students are currently using them, both good and bad. If a child asks to download an app, parents and caregivers can turn to the Playbook to find out what the app is and how students are engaging with it. The Family Huddles are simply positive conversation starters for families to discuss what was learned in a specific day’s lesson or serious issues surrounding social media platforms. Lastly, because social media can often be such a negative space, the Wall of Wins helps families see all of the good that can come from social media and how students use it to uplift one another.

While no one can become an expert overnight, these resources provided by TSI can help parents and caregivers ensure that their children are safely using technology and give them some insight into all of the good that social media can produce as well.

School News

WFS Seniors Recognized by College Board

Frank Murphy ’24 was named a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. He will now have the opportunity to apply for more than 7,000 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million. Evan Jones ’24 and Maddie Miller ’24 were recognized by the College Board with the National African American Recognition Award. Jones was also named a Commended Student in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program along with Jamie Feldman ’24. Congratulations!

Three WFS Students Attend Governor's School for Excellence

Over the summer of 2023, three WFS students attended the Governor’s School for Excellence.

A week-long program sponsored by the Office of the Governor of Delaware that provides traditional and non-traditional college-level education, leadership training, and social activities for academically and artistically gifted rising eleventh graders. Gabe Fletcher '25 represented WFS for Academics, Lorne McDonnell ’25 for Music-Percussion, and Ella Morton ’25 for Music-Choral.

NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference

WFS students Jalen Stewart '24, Anya Agarwal '25, and Layla Baynes '25, as well as faculty members Maya Singh, Logan Goodwin, and Kathleen Martin, attended the National Association of Independent Schools' Student Diversity Leadership Conference.

The conference is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of student leaders from eligible independent high schools across the U.S. and abroad. SDLC focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community (nais.org/pocc/sdlc/).

Teacher Maya also had the opportunity to sing in the conference choir!

WFS Juniors Attend Orientation for Delaware's Apollo Youth in Medicine Program

WFS juniors Payton Altland ’25 and Lorelei Cochran ’25 attended cohort orientation for Delaware's Apollo Youth in Medicine program.

Lower School Visiting Authors

The lower school had two visiting authors last fall: Rachel Ignotofsky, a New York Times best-selling author and illustrator whose work is inspired by history and science, and Michael Long, author of the book Unstoppable about civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, who was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and influenced by his Quaker grandparents.

Visiting authors offer a great opportunity for our students to learn more about the craft of writing and what fuels an author’s creativity, and students walk away with even more information to help their own storytelling!

Visitor from Hobart

Lenny Everett (middle), who is from Hobart, Tasmania, and attends The Friends’ School Hobart, joined the WFS community for two weeks as part of the Quaker School Student Exchange Program. Throughout his time here, he immersed himself in the school community by taking classes, attending Meeting for Worship, participating in sports, and exploring major U.S. cities with his host family.

WFS Student to Spend School Year Abroad in France

Lilly Zawadzkas ’25 is on a School Year Abroad adventure in Rennes, France. Rennes is the capital of Brittany and is located 90 minutes from Paris. While staying with a host family, Lilly is immersing herself in the French language and culture while also taking high school classes.

Entrepreneurship Club Visitors

The WFS Entrepreneurship Club welcomed University of Delaware Professor Johann Ducharme and Senior Manager at the University of Delaware’s Horn Entrepreneurship Felicia Harrington to campus. During their visit, WFS students learned about the Diamond Challenge; the challenge is designed for high school students from all over the world to learn more about entrepreneurship, collaborate with one another, and create their own projects that help address challenges in the world.

WFS Middle Schoolers Visit Wilmington Monthly Meeting

As part of our special 275th year celebration, the entire WFS middle school community traveled to the Wilmington Monthly Meeting House at 4th & West--the original site of Wilmington Friends School--for a special Meeting for Worship in October. This allowed students to learn more about the School's history while gaining more exposure to Quakerism and hearing about its impact on Delaware and U.S. history. Students also engaged in some service, generating gravestone rubbings to assist the Meeting with its historical documentation efforts.

Youth in Government

Students from the WFS middle school Youth in Government club traveled to Dover to participate in the State Junior Youth in Government Model Legislature. Before traveling to Dover, club members researched ideas for new laws that would benefit the state and wrote mock bills to introduce at the conference. Once at the Model Legislature, WFS students presented their bills to the assembly and engaged in lively debate with representatives from clubs around the state. Students had the unique opportunity to sit in the actual State General Assembly Chambers as they participated in this simulation. WFS had several bills that passed the legislature and were signed by the Youth Governor. A bill sponsored by eighth graders Emma Furman and Lindsey Forman that would provide funding for public schools to build gardens won the prize for outstanding legislation.

Preschoolers made a trip to the school garden to help Mr. C (Carlos Charriez) harvest fall crops!

Middle School International Day of Peace 2023

In September, middle school students celebrated the International Day of Peace. Goals of the day included students being able to identify different ways in which they can take action for peace; discussing how seeking out and listening to new perspectives helps to better understand people and the world around us; acknowledging and celebrating how diversity leads to acceptive, inclusive, and welcoming communities; and that even small actions of peace can lead to positive interactions and change. Our keynote speaker was current trustee and former faculty member Rick GrierReynolds who created the Peace, Justice, and Social Change course at WFS and has devoted his life to peace-related work.

Music News

Elvira Madiman ‘30, pictured with Performing Arts Department Chair Sara Gaines, was chosen to participate in the ACDA Eastern Division Elementary Honors Choir. She will travel to Providence, Rhode Island in late February 2024 to sing with other students hailing from Maryland to Maine. They will rehearse for three days under the direction of Sophia Papoulis (spouse of our 275th guest composer, Jim Papoulis) and present a concert during the ACDA Eastern Division Conference on March 3, 2024.

Fifth graders Mariah, Isaak, Mary, Giana, Nura, Alexander, and Sofia, along with their choir directors, Emily Fareed and Katie Martinenza '99, attended UD ChoralFest Junior. ChoralFest is an honor choir experience for local upper elementary, middle, and upper school students from the greater Delaware region. Students from Friends joined over 160 singers for singing workshops throughout the day and an evening performance under the direction of UD choral faculty.

WFS 275th Anniversary Commissioned Pieces for Choir and Band: students in 7th and 8th grade band, as well as upper school symphonic and jazz bands spent time with composer Brian Cox helping to craft a special 275th Anniversary commissioned piece. Mr. Cox got to know the students’ musical ideas, styles and sounds they like to play, as well as what stories they would like to tell about WFS through music. He will continue to work with these three ensembles throughout the year.

Choral students in grades 3-12 spent two days last fall with composer Jim Papoulis helping to craft the lyrics and shape the mood and energy of their 275th Anniversary commissioned piece. They shared all that they found special and important about our school, and thoroughly enjoyed asking Mr. Papoulis questions about his life as a composer and conductor.

Save the Date for the 275th Anniversary Concert where you can hear these original works on May 23, 2024, at the Playhouse on Rodney Square (sponsored by the Nathan M. Clark Foundation).

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Faculty & Staff News

1 | Lower School Associate and Assistant Teacher Retreat

Lower school associate and assistant teachers spent a beautiful day at Pendle Hill, a Quaker retreat center. They participated in mindfulness activities focusing on listening; discussed Quakerism; and talked about their core skills and habits of mind in the context of things they are working on and things they want to contribute to their classroom this year.

2 | PD Focused on Building Skills Around Identity

WFS faculty and staff enjoyed a professional development workshop with Dr. Liza Talusan which focused on building skills for more inclusive relationships, discussions, and opportunities regarding identity. Faculty and staff engaged in several exercises with the goals of building knowledge, reflecting, and moving to action.

3 | WFS Head of School Receives Award

Congratulations to WFS Head of School Ken Aldridge who received the Service to Community award at the 2023 Ebony Tie Affair which, for 17 years, has celebrated "the collective accomplishments of Ebony men from diverse backgrounds and circumstances!"

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4 | Sabbatical Presentations

During our faculty and staff professional development day in October, two faculty members shared the rich and fulfilling experiences they had during their sabbaticals in the Spring of 2023.

Third grade teacher Laura Foltz investigated neurodiversity as well as how learning differences may have been affected by COVID. She learned from visiting several schools, reading many books, attending webinars, and listening to podcasts. She delved into the Science of Reading podcast and also took an 8-week course on mindfulness in the classroom. She was also able to travel with her family to Utah to visit the “Mighty 5” national parks and bring that firsthand knowledge to the parks unit that her students study in the classroom. While Laura was incredibly fulfilled by her sabbatical, she mentioned that her dog, Blue, loved it the most!

Middle school music teacher Sara Gaines focused on learning from both international and U.S. schools to enhance her teaching and to bring more service-learning to the choral program. After traveling through Australia and New Zealand, she visited Friends School in Hobart. Back in the states, she traveled to schools in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas. She also went to Alabama where she visited the Civil Rights Trail, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Muscle Shoals, the recording studio that launched many blues and rock artists. We were fortunate that Sara was able to direct the 8th grade musical before going off on her adventures!

We are excited to see how Laura’s and Sara’s sabbatical experiences will enrich their classes!

The WFS Home and School Association (H&S), clerked by Jodi Bettler and Fola Adebi, continues striving to maintain its goal of community connection and support.

Community

During the first semester of the 2023-24 school year, WFS families and students enjoyed kicking off the school year with an all-school picnic. H&S thanked faculty and staff by providing holiday cheer and lunch in December. Thanks to Lower School Events Specialist Kellen Amobi; LS representative coordinator Vera Russo; and Middle School Class Representatives Aurora Phillips, Adrienne Lenz, Joanne Govatos, Margaretta Hershey, Angie Gray, Meghan Burns, Sandra Kozikowski, Carolyn Weeks, and Kelly Snyder O’Donnell ’93 for organizing the faculty and staff appreciation.

H&S is also continuing its ongoing support of the Emmanuel Dining Room (EDR) with monthly food deliveries from our dedicated volunteers. The Emmanuel Dining Room Project, led by David and Kristine Tuttleman along with Mylea Aiken, provides meals to 150-200 people in need each month.

Fundraisers

H&S held several school-wide fundraisers this fall including the Mum Sale clerked by Sarah Singleton Turick ’95 and Karen Legum; the Gifts and Greens Sale clerked by Sue Handling and Kristin Jenney; and the Swigg Wine and Cheese Tasting hosted by owners and current parents Joanne and Dave Govatos.

The Lower School Fall Scholastic Book Fair raised a record amount this year thanks to clerks Allison Farley, Barb Fitzgerald, and other parent volunteers. Every classroom in the Lower School as well as the LS library received a donation of books from funds raised through the Book Fair.

The Quaker Closet consignment store continues to be the biggest H&S fundraiser thanks to generous donors/consignors, shoppers, and a dedicated core of weekly volunteers. The Quaker Closet is clerked by Kendra Okolo and Lisa Pisano.

Image generated using artificial intelligence (AI).

AI @ WFS

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a part of our lives for many years, with people relying on tools such as chatbots, facial recognition, and digital assistants (e.g. Siri and Alexa) in their daily lives. Students have had access to educational aids such as Grammarly for editing and Duolingo for world languages for many years as well. But the release a little over a year ago of ChatGPT––a tool that can create text, images, code, and video based on prompts–– introduced a new variable to the conversation that educators consistently have regarding the pros and cons of AI tools in learning and teaching.

Upper school faculty have had many discussions about AI in the classroom. Our current policy is that teachers can experiment with using AI through their departments, and each department has a designated teacher who is open to creatively experimenting. For all classes, students are not to use AI without explicit permission from their teachers.

Head of Upper School Rebecca Zug recognizes that students are eager to learn more about AI. “Students really got excited by an AI piece of artwork on the NYC art trip in October. Several reflected in the Theory of Knowledge course on what originality and authorship signify when art is AI-generated.”

Rebecca is meeting with students to get their input into how teachers might utilize AI in teaching and learning, and how teachers who want to eliminate inappropriate use of AI by students can do that.

To help guide us in our discussions regarding AI, WFS has an ongoing relationship with Katie O’Shaughnessy from Princeton Day School as a consultant to the upper school this year.

Fall Sports Recap

Cross Country | The cross country team had another terrific season, competing against some of the top runners across the State of Delaware. At the Division II State Championship meet, the girls placed 8th out of 27 teams while the boys’ placed 14th out of 29 teams. The highlight of the season was during the Delaware Independent Schools Conference Championship Meet where 19 WFS runners set course personal records and one runner set a lifetime record.

Field Hockey | The field hockey team advanced to the Division II Semifinals for the second consecutive season and won the DISC Championship for the first time since 2012. They finished their season with an impressive overall record of 14-4, outscoring their opponents 60-17. Sawyer Rowland ’25 (1st Team) and Ella Fontanazza ’26 (1st Team) earned All-State honors and 1st Team All-DISC honors. The following members of the team also earned All-DISC honors: Joey Mayer ’24 (1st Team), Molly Dolan ’26 (1st Team), Ella Morton ’25 (2nd Team), Sara Clothier ’26 (2nd Team), Lila Rubano ’26 (2nd Team), Gianna Cottone ’26 (Honorable Mention), and Cora Lohkamp ’26 (Honorable Mention).

Football | The Quaker football team went 8-3 this season, earning a trip to the Class 2A State Tournament for the third consecutive season. WFS averaged just over 30 points per contest and only allowed 18.5 points per game (with two shutouts). In their two matchups against DISC opponents Tatnall and Tower Hill, the Quakers won by a combined score of 57-8. Andrew McKenzie ’24 (2nd Team RB/DB/RET), Tyler Maheshwari ’24 (2nd Team LB), Kato Connor ’25 (2nd Team K), and Ryan Tattersall ’25 (2nd Team DB) all earned All-State honors and 1st Team AllDistrict Honors. The following members of the team also earned All-District honors: Avery Gaines ’24 (2nd Team TE/LB), Jason Hughes ’24 (2nd Team WR), Andrew Huneycutt ’24 (2nd Team OL), Myles Johnson ’24 (2nd Team OL), Hayden Morrison ’25 (2nd Team DE), Antonios Tangalidis ’25 (2nd Team DT), Tattersall (2nd Team QB), Jaxon Black ’24 (Honorable Mention WR), and Steven Morris ’24 (Honorable Mention DB).

Boys’ Soccer | The boys’ soccer team advanced to the Division II State Semifinals for the first time since 2019, finishing the 2023 campaign with an overall record of 13-3-1. The Quakers won all nine DISC matchups en route to their 5th conference title in six seasons. Kato Connor ’25 (1st Team, Top XI), Robbie Lohkamp ’24 (1st Team), and Kevin Dolan ’24 (2nd Team) all earned All-State honors and 1st Team AllDISC Honors for their work on the pitch this season. The following members of the team also earned All-DISC honors: Quinn Green ’24 (1st Team), Daniel Selekman ’24 (1st Team), Zac Antao ’24 (2nd Team), Kaeden Fleming ’24 (2nd Team), Connor Terribile ’25 (2nd Team), George Rossi ’24 (Honorable Mention), and Nate Bell ’26 (Honorable Mention).

Volleyball | The WFS volleyball team turned in another impressive season, posting an overall record of 10-6 and advancing to the second round of the State Tournament. The Quakers went 6-3 in conference play and defeated Sussex Academy in the first round of the State Tournament. Ellie Dealy ’24 earned 3rd Team All-State and 1st Team All-DISC honors. The following members of the team also earned All-DISC honors: Scarlett Burleigh ’25 (2nd Team), Pamela Moore ’27 (2nd Team), Violet Perloff ’24 (Honorable Mention), and Temi Lufadeju ’25 (Honorable Mention).

Fall Signing Day

Congratulations to Tyler Wilmore ’24 on signing his National Letter of Intent! Tyler, a three-time 1st Team All-State selection and three-time State Champion (once in the 200 free, twice in the 500 free), will swim at the University of Delaware. We will recognize all studentathletes who plan to compete in the Ivy League and at the Division II and Division III levels in April.

From the Archives

A Family’s Ties to WFS Since the 18th Century

By Terence Maguire, WFS Archivist

When Kaylea Ann Donaghy, age 3, walked into Wilmington Friends Lower School in January, 2021, she was not aware that she may well be the ninth generation and 38th member of her family to attend or be involved with the oldest school in Delaware. She is shown above with her family: her mother Sara, her father Charles and her uncle Rob, who graduated from Friends in 1995 and 1992 respectively; and her grandmother Alice. Her grandfather Bob––whom, sadly, she never knew––graduated in 1945. They are pictured at the dedication of a bench at Friends in his honor in 2022.

Grandmother Alice Warner Donaghy, a huge part of Kaylea’s life, graduated not from Friends but from that other, very fine (but very youthful) institution across Brandywine River from Friends, Tower Hill. Many of Alice’s forebears, however, attended and/or graduated from Friends, far back when it was simply Friends’ School (with an apostrophe). What follows is the story of when the relationship between this family and that school began, well back into the 18th century.

The earliest part of the story––at least, that the current generations know about––is that of Joseph Warner, who was born in 1742 in Wilmington. He grew up to be a silversmith and married Mary Yarnall when he was 25 years old; they were members of Wilmington Monthly Meeting. Joseph became a member of the School Committee, those meeting members who were charged with overseeing the education that happened in the little school across West Street and several others which they supported. He was one of six signers of a document dated 2nd mo. 1779, regarding the management of the various schools under their supervision.

Joseph’s name also appears on a 1793 parchment document that lists persons who were “subscribing,” or pledging, certain sums on behalf of the school, for the “Education of such Children, as now do, or may hereafter belong to said Monthly Meeting whose parents are not or shall not be of ability to pay for the same, or such other poor children... as a Majority of the Committee shall from time to time direct, consistant [sic] with the Design of this Institution.” Joseph was one of the more generous subscribers, having pledged and already paid ten pounds.

WFS-1748, Our nation-1776

WFS-1748, Delaware-1787

WFS-1748, Lightbulb-1879

WFS-1748, Radio-1895

WFS-1748, Computer-1822

Candy Cane-1670, WFS-1748

Cuckoo clock-1660, WFS-1748

WFS-1748, Typewriter-1868

WFS-1748, Potato chips-1853

WFS-1748, Headphones-1891

WFS-1748, Submarine-1775

WFS-1748, Vincent Van Gogh

Slide rule-1649, WFS-1748

WFS-1748, White House-1792

WFS-1748, Amelia Earhart

Fire extinguisher-1722, WFS-1748

Joseph Warner eventually became First Burgess, i.e., mayor, of Wilmington. He also advocated for the abolition of slavery in the Delaware General Assembly in the last years of the 18th century. These efforts, led by Governor Richard Bassett, came very close to passing, but did not. It is worth noting that the Warners had been known during the 18th and 19th centuries as staunch abolitionists, as had most Quakers.

Another Wilmington Monthly Meeting member who contributed to that School fund was Joseph Tatnall (1740-1813), one of the comparatively wealthy Quaker millers who produced wheat flour along the lower Brandywine River and made Wilmington, for only a few decades, the center of flour production and exporting in the United States. When George Washington, along with the bulk of the American army, resided in Wilmington in the summer of 1777, Tatnall famously told him, “George, I cannot fight for thee, but I can and will feed thee,” supplying that army with flour before the Battle of Brandywine. Tatnall also supplied the 1793 School Committee with £20, one of the larger donations at that time.

Joseph Tatnall, like many folks in those days, had numerous children. One daughter, Esther (1779-1860), became the wife of William Warner IV (1774-1845) son of silversmith Joseph Warner, who was five years older than his bride when they wed on April 19, 1798. William had been an apprentice to his father’s other business activities and joined the Warner business about 1790. Had either of these two newlyweds attended Friends School? Esther grew up in Brandywine Village (now part of Wilmington), and we know from recorded recollections that some of the children of the Quaker millers along the Brandywine attended Friends across from the Meeting House, so Esther and William may have. They were married at Fourth and West, and they are buried in the cemetery there, so it is not too much of a stretch to imagine they had some of their basic education, reading, writing, and ‘ciphering,’ in the small building that had been a school for about forty years by the time they were growing up.

The story continues, and to read more about the Warners and other WFS families of the early years, please scan the QR code.

WFS-1748, Published dictionary-1755

WFS-1748, Carbonated water-1767

WFS-1748, Steam engine-1769

WFS-1748, Parachute-1783

Piano-1709, WFS-1748

WFS-1748, Tin can-1810

WFS-1748, Stethoscope-1816

WFS-1748, Cement-1824

WFS-1748, Wrench-1835

WFS-1748, Postage stamp-1837

WFS-1748, Safety pin-1849

WFS-1748, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart-1756

The U.K.-1707, WFS-1748

Swim Fins-1717, WFS-1748

“WHICH IS OLDER” ANSWER KEY

Class Notes

Class of 1962

Classes of 1969 & 1994

Media Association. Harman currently serves as a radio analyst for the University of Delaware football team while Morton serves as an analyst on Heritage Sports Radio Network for Delaware State football.

Class of 1973

Dr. Wendy Vaala, who currently serves as the Director of Strategic Development and Innovation for Merck Animal Health, visited WFS this fall to speak with our middle school students about becoming a veterinarian. Wendy also spoke at her 50th Class Reunion during our 275th Anniversary and Homecoming celebration. (Wendy is pictured with Middle School Dean for Student Life Logan Goodwin.)

Class of 1978

Marci Lobel (right) visited Christina Sum at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park where they toured the spectacular dahlia exhibit and reminisced about their time at Friends. Marci is a Professor of Social and Health Psychology and Director of the Stress and Reproduction Laboratory at Stony Brook University in New York. Her research examines stress, coping,

and their effects on pregnancy, birth, and other aspects of women’s health, especially in vulnerable populations. Christina lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and recently retired after working as an architect. Her portfolio includes several highend hospitality, retail, and cultural projects located in New York City, Tokyo, Paris, and throughout California. Christina and Marci are already planning their next visit–this time, on the East Coast!

Classes of 1987 & 2020

Melissa Billitto, Ethan Cooperson, and Olivia Billitto ’20 were able to connect before the Villanova vs. UCLA basketball game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ethan was working the game as Talent Statistician for Fox Sports; Melissa and Olivia, a senior at Villanova, were there to cheer on the Wildcats.

Class of 2002

David Trainor and Jennifer Kittle Trainor are WFS lifers. They started together in Kindergarten, began dating in high school, and graduated in 2002. After graduation they went to college on opposite coasts, with Jenny at the University of Richmond, where she graduated with a degree in Business; David attended the University of California Santa Barbara,

Patty Sauter Ruemmler, Rich Weigel, and John Lindley gathered together in New Preston, Connecticut.

WFS assistant football coach Bill Harman ’69 and upper school faculty member Don Morton ’94 were both named finalists for the Delaware Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports

where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Computer Engineering. They settled in northern California where David got his Masters at Stanford and Jenny got her MBA at Santa Clara University. They both still work and live in the Bay Area with two young children: Kaylee, who is eight and loves acting and building things, and James who is five and is crazy about soccer. Currently Jenny works at Lockheed Martin, where she manages a team of finance professionals on a classified program. David is working at Google, where he was one of the initial engineers that brought Chrome to Android. He now manages multiple teams of engineers working on Chrome, which is used by billions of people worldwide.

Each year around Christmas, they come back to Delaware to see their families, their friends, and to drive by WFS. Their kids got to walk on the track where David used to play soccer and got to see the steps where their parents used to sit before practices started. They have fond memories of their education across the board; everything from the Constitutional convention to Senior projects, where David solidified his love of engineering. Jenny recently visited for homecoming for their 20-year reunion with her twin sister, Mindy, who also attended Friends. They stay busy balancing work schedules and kid activities and hope to continue to share the values that have shaped them through their Friends education.

Class of 2008

Mike Anderson married Sammi Ballentine of Long Branch, New Jersey on October 8 (pictured left). They reside in Harbeson, Delaware where Mike is the Director of Sales/Distribution for Big Oyster Brewery, and they also own Su Casa Mgmt, a short-term rental property management company.

Joe Barakat wed Kate Meier, his partner of eight years, in a ceremony in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania surrounded by family and friends. The couple met in California during their postgraduate studies. Joe and Kate now reside in Miami, Florida.

Class of 2009

Mary Williams Schlauch gave birth to her daughter, Jane Sophia Schlauch, on July 15. Jane joins proud big brother Sam, who is three years old. Jane’s name was inspired by beloved WFS kindergarten teacher, Jane Goldberg.

Class of 2010

On July 8, Sam Finkelman married Yuliah Kubratova just outside of Tbilisi, Georgia. Sam met Yuliah, a psychoanalyst and photographer, while conducting research for his dissertation in Budapest, Hungary in February 2023. Sam and Yuliah are currently living together in Belgrade, Serbia.

Class of 2011

Assistant Professor at Brown University Mara Freilich (pictured opposite page, above left) and a graduate student embarked on the SubmesoscaleMesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment (S-MODE) mission this past April to study the role of surface layer submeso-

scale eddies on climate and biological elements in the upper ocean.

On June 6, Lindsay Reese Fitzgerald and her husband, William Fitzgerald, welcomed their baby girl, Reese Beatrice Fitzgerald. Lindsay, Will, and Reese have recently moved back to Wilmington, Delaware.

Alyn O’Brien married Connor Kreston on September 23. Alyn and Connor met at Ithaca College where Alyn received her B.S. in Business Administration and her MBA. Two of her classmates, Lindsay Reese Fitzgerald and Julia Horwitz, served as bridesmaids.

Matt Davis and his wife, Emily, welcomed twins, Olivia Jane and Quinn Harper, into the world on September 27.

Class of 2012

After meeting at WFS in 7th grade, Laurel Brown and Josh Schwartz got married 17 years later at the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 14. They are currently living in Pittsburgh where Josh is a professor at Carnegie Mellon and Laurel is an actuary at Liberty Mutual.

When Sara Woodward started at WFS as a preschooler during the 250th-anniversary celebration, little did she know that 25 years later, on the School’s 275th anniversary, she would be back at WFS to teach! Sara joined the middle and upper school faculty this year as a science teacher and is one of three new alumni

teachers. (Pictured top right.)

Class of 2013

Michael Galardi, Ben Hanson, Luke Magness, Jeff Davis, Sean Kirkpatrick, and Dwyer Tschantz all traveled to New York City to celebrate the wedding of their classmates, Chris Palmer and Joelle Napoletano.

Jeff Davis and his wife, Megan, welcomed their first child, Campbell Rose, on November 27, 2023.

Class of 2015

Seeking a creative outlet outside of her work at CSC, Meryl Gatti launched The House of StellaMer last spring offering full-service floral design. As Meryl notes, “I grew up watching my Mom create the most beautiful and thoughtful floral creations for family, friends, and eventually,

through her own business. I remember watching her work with such passion and joy and thought it was amazing she was doing what made her happiest for work!” Meryl and Stacy, who served as the Special Events Coordinator at WFS for seven years, provided the centerpieces for many of our Homecoming festivities this fall in celebration of our 275th Anniversary.

Class of 2017

Jordan Carter accepted a position with The American Lung Association as their Health Promotion Grants Manager. After receiving his B.A. in May of 2021 from the University of Delaware, he was awarded a scholarship and a fellowship in their Health Promotion program, earning his Masters in May of 2023. He taught classes as well.

Classes of 2017 & 2019

Will Gatti, Ryan Kirkpatrick, Jake Nolan, Mason Tschantz ’19, and Matt Tornek traveled to Gillette Stadium to cheer on the Philadelphia Eagles against the New England Patriots.

Class of 2020

With his two blocked kicks against Harvard University, Manny Adebi (far left) set the Cornell University record for most blocks in a career with seven. With his performance, he also became the only player in school history to block multiple kicks in multiple games (Princeton in 2022). Manny also led the country in

blocked kicks during the 2022 season. Jacob Jaworski was named 2nd Team All-Conference for his outstanding play for the Colgate Raiders football team this fall. Jacob made the second-most field goals in the Patriot League and led Colgate in points.

Nick was also awarded the University of Maryland’s Most Improved Player Award for his play last spring.

Katrina Winfield was named to the 2023 National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Region II 1st Team for her outstanding play this season for the Trinity College Bantams. A 1st Team All-Conference selection, Katrina led the team in goals, points, and games started.

Class of 2021

Leila Mulveny was awarded the Norman C. Miller Scholarship at Emory College.

Classes of 2021 & 2023

After his lacrosse scrimmage against Cornell University this fall, Nick Redd was able to connect with classmate Manny Adebi.

Rosa Cochran, Peri Mulveny ’23, and the Bryn Mawr Owls competed against Madeline Rowland ’23 and the Williams Ephs in a top-20 matchup in Division III field hockey. In this showdown, the #7 Ephs defeated the #18 Owls by a final score of 5-2. (Pictured opposite page, bottom right.)

Class of 2022

Hannah Carter received the 2023 Youth Visionary Award at the NAACP’s 60th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet in Wilmington. Hannah is a sophomore at Columbia University.

Earlier this fall, Avery Gaines ’24 (pictured left) traveled to Case Western Reserve University and was hosted by Osi Chukwuocha for an official visit. Osi, who plays defensive back for the football team, helped the team go 7-3 this fall as he recorded 50 tackles and one interception.

Class of 2023

After competing against Tufts University in the second round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament, University of Rochester first-year student Alessio Cristanetti-Walker was able to connect with WFS classmate and Tufts lacrosse player Jackson Redd

Sophie Brennan, Jake Bryson, Sara Clothier ’26, and WFS faculty member Scott Clothier traveled to Rowan University to cheer on Madeline Rowland and the Williams Ephs field hockey team. (Sophie, Maddie, and Jake pictured.)

Ava Steinberger was selected as a Women X/Demand IX fellow at Bates College for the fall semester, a nationwide cohort of college women focused on Title IX education and advocacy. During their fall tennis season, Ava earned Bobcat Player of the Week award as well.

Robby Tattersall and the Yale University football team captured a share of the Ivy League title this fall. After their exciting win against Harvard to secure the title, Robby connected with classmate and Washington College lacrosse player Jake Bryson, who made the trip up to Connecticut to support Robby.

Show your school spirit! Shop at the WFS school store in person or online for apparel,

In Memory

Any time a member of the Wilmington Friends School community passes away, we feel great sadness by the loss. But reflecting on their lives and contributions to the greater good helps us cope and remember the many good things about them.

Please visit our website at wilmingtonfriends.org/alumni/in-memory or use the QR code below to read about these wonderful members of the WFS community. We are now sharing full obituaries online instead of the printed magazine so we can be sure to include all of the information.

If you would like to let us know a friend or family member in our community has passed away, please email Lynne Nathan at lnathan@wilmingtonfriends.org.

Former Staff: Jean "Jill" Calhoun Bacon Bryant

Former Staff: Leo P. Dressel

Former Staff: Jean Weller McClelland

Coach: Lewis Paul Nemeth

Class of 1941: Shirley [Fletcher] Nickerson

Class of 1947: Anna [Biggs] Pierce

Class of 1947: Dana DeWitt Burch, Jr.

Class of 1947: Barbara Dashiell [Flinn] Quillen

Class of 1948: David C. Boyer

Class of 1949: Marion "Marny" [Ford] Philips

Class of 1950: Willis Eli Cupery

Class of 1950: Capt. James "Jim" S. Roberts

Class of 1956: Shirley [Stone] Hoffman

Class of 1966: Robert "Bobby" Raymond Ullrich

Class of 1967: Jonathan Bruce Katz

Class of 1969: Bruce A. Rosenblatt

Class of 1970: Timothy S. Goertz

Class of 1973: Karl L. Sparre

Class of 1982: George G. Vest

Class of 1984: Sean Graham Murphy Yule

In Closing: Scenes from the Upper School Musical

Guys and Dolls

Wilmington, DE 19803

www.wilmingtonfriends.org

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Service Learning at Friends

From the sixth grade pie bake to the lower school “Food on Fridays” collection to upper school service day, WFS students engage in service learning throughout the year. Join us for our 275th Anniversary Community Service Project on April 6, 2024. Check your email for details!