The
Whittier Miscellany
SEPTEMBER 2018 • WILMINGTON FRIENDS SCHOOL’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER • WILMINGTON, DELAWARE
wfs students immersed in foreign cultures This past summer, ninth through twelfth graders at Wilmington Friends School were encouraged to participate in one of three trips: El Paso, France and Panama. The El Paso trip was a QUEST service trip where students had the opportunity to meet and empathize with both documented and undocumented immigrants, asylum-seekers, border patrol people, non-profit organizers, and religious leaders. Betsy Cepparulo, upper school Global Peace and Justice teacher and chaperone on this trip commented, “We went to the border wall and held hands with Mexican women running a school while we prayed, had meeting for worship on top of a mountain overlooking El Paso and Juarez, and made lasting relationships. We even joined an impromptu family protest against the separation of families.” Cepparulo was especially happy about joining the protest noting that it was her students’ first use of non-violent direct action, a concept taught in her class and used notably by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. Cepparulo described that the students “did service through Cristo Rey church, helping to run a summer camp for low-income immigrant and citizen children. They were incredible, open, and so sweet.” Cepparulo concluded that, “The day at the border was unbelievable. I’ve never even seen a picture of it, much less stood next to the 18 foot tall metal beams, that also go 9 feet down. It was ominous and sent a clear message.” The Panama trip was another adventure that was led by upper school Spanish teacher Chamby Zepeda. Students earned 35 hours of service working with a soup kitchen, where the students
helped pack food, assist with the distribution of clothes, and wrote messages of encouragement to an impoverished area around Panama City. Students also visited a few native island schools and painted classrooms, moved furniture, and helped improve school property. Finally, they visited an elementary school near Chitre, where WFS students taught local students about our culture in the United States. Zepeda commented, “I very
mit crabs crawl around the beautiful white sand beaches and light blue waters, and enjoyed the incredible sunsets. Overall, something that was very rewarding after helping out many communities.” The France trip was exciting, not only because it occurred during the World Cup, but also because it covered so much ground, from Paris, to Toulouse, to Carcassone. Bradey Bulk, upper school French teacher and foreign language department chair said, “It is a delight to see my students use the French they have been practicing for years... an excellent affirmation that they can do more than just get their needs met. They can question, debate, discuss, share stories.” The students conducted service work by restoring the ancient paths of the Route Saint-Jacques, also known as the St. James Way or the Camino de Santiago. For two days, the students cleared paths in a vineyard and helped restore an ancient bridge. As the other chaperone, Margaret-Anne Butterfield, head of the music department described, “Seeing the Eiffel Tower in person literally took my breath away...I really loved our time in the south of France, especially the rich color palette of the seaside town of Collioure, the expansive fields of lavender and rosemary at Les Baux de Provence, the charm and history of Avignon, the rooster that awakened me each morning in Carcassonne, the stunning views of the Pyrenees.” All of the students enjoyed the pain-au-chocolat, the cheeses, and the bread. Allez les Bleus! These summer trips are ideal for giving students the opportunity to participate in meaningful service projects, exploring a new culture, and having an adventure outside of the classroom. Thank you to Friends School for organizing these wonderful opportunities for our community!
Photo contributed by Betsy Cepparulo
CONNOR MILLER ’19 EDITOR IN CHIEF
WFS students form a circle connecting children across the United States-Mexico border.
much enjoyed my time in Panama this summer. I was privileged enough to lead a group of 9 phenomenal WFS students to Panama for a service & language immersion experience. Not only were the students using Spanish amongst the locals, but they were also involved in helping out a number of communities that appreciated our help.” A relaxing part of the trip included time at the SandBlast Islands on the Northeast coast of Panama. Zepeda stated, “We soaked in the sunshine, snorkeled, enjoyed island food, watched the her-
COMMUNITY
Coach rob tattersall steps up to replace father Carlin beskrone ’19 Sports Editor Over last 50 years, Coach Bob Tattersall has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest high school football coaches in Wilmington Friends School, and Delaware history. As one of the longest running coaches in the state of Delaware, he has been with the team through both good times and bad. “Coach T” won a championship in 1984, had undefeated seasons like those of 2008 and 2014, and has seen seasons with only three wins, like that of 2010. Despite the ups and downs, he has worked tirelessly to build the dynasty that is Friends Football today. Unfortunately, Coach Tattersall has had to temporarily step down from his position as Head Coach due to a medical reasons, and replacing him is his son and well respected member of the program, Rob Tattersall. “Coach RT” is doing an admirable job filling the big shoes that Coach Tattersall left behind, as he has led the team to an undefeated season thus far, standing at three wins after the team’s big win against Woodbridge: a team that Friends hasn’t beat since 2015, and notably lost to in the state championship game of 2016. While the transition between coaches has been smooth and well executed, there are definite differences between the two coaching styles. 1st Team All
The
Conference Left Tackle and senior Tristan Pantano ’19 elaborates on the differences between the two methods of coaching. “I think that both Coach T and Coach RT are great coaches and bring different things to the table. Coach T obviously has been doing things the same for 50 years, and has been running the same system for all of those 50 years, very successfully I might add. Coach RT is near to the job as the interim head coach and he has really blown away my expectations for him. I think RT likes to throw the ball a little more, and we have been running plays from different formations. I think that both coaches are very good play callers, but the main difference is that RT likes to air the ball out more.” While there are marked strategic differences between the two coaches, 1st Team All Conference Wide Receiver and Punt Returner Will Davis ’20 echoes the sentiment that the transition between coaches was smooth: “It is obviously different with a new head coach, but Coach RT has been with us for a few years, and we are still doing a lot of the same things that have lead us to some great seasons.” This transition between these coaches has been emotional for for the team, especially given the integral part of the team Coach Tattersall is. Star wide receiver Quentin McAbee ’19 commented: “At first it was really tough because all of the players on the team not only saw Coach T as our head coach, but he was more so like a father figure to us and someone who we liked having around. For the seniors, we all were looking forward to spending one more full season with Coach T, and the news of his illness devastated us. However, we had the
confidence that he would get better, and we had confidence in our coaches that our program would remain strong.” With Coach Tattersall absent, Coach Rob Tattersall has had to fulfill the hefty requirements placed on the head coach, including motivating the team and making sure the team is working as hard as they can, and he has done this really well. 1st Team All Conference Tight End and Linebacker Liam Harron ’19 comments on the attitude Coach RT brings to the team. “I like how he always makes sure to keep our intensity and focus up during practice.” It is safe to say that Rob Tattersall has done a great job of upholding the standards set by his father. Athletic Director Jeffrey Ransom commented: “In Coach T’s absence, the football staff has done an excellent job of continuing the values that he teaches in working hard and playing the game of football the correct way. Coach T is missed and we await his return.” After being eliminated in the Delaware Division II tournament for the past four consecutive years, including a loss in the championship game of 2017, the football team will be working harder than ever to get that long sought after chip. As Coach Rob Tattersall stated, “The playbook that we have in our heads, is his(Coach Tattersall) playbook.” Coach Rob Tattersall had his hands full entering the season. However, he met the challenge that faced him head on and has continued the successful program built by his father. The words of Nate Crock ’19 embody the spirit of the team fostered by coach Rob Tattersall: “Let’s eat”. From everyone at Friends, we wish Coach Tattersall a speedy recovery and good luck to the football team!
Whittier New teachers arrive at wfs Miscellany EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Connor Miller ’19 NEWS EDITOR: Ellie Bradley ’19 SPORTS EDITOR: Carlin Beskrone ’19 ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: James Butterfield ’20 SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR: Elise Johnson ’21 COPY EDITOR: Emma Landis ’19 WEB EDITOR: Honor Dearlove ’19 FACULTY ADVISOR: Daniel Scott
STAFF
Lucy Knudsen ’19 Emma Landis ’19 James Tallman ’19 Olivia Ivans ’20 Nick Redd ’20 Dylan Roskovensky ’20 Nick Urick ’20 Henry Wieman ’21
The Whittier Miscellany is published six times during the school year by the upper school journalism staff of Wilmington Friends School, 101 School Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. To access the Whittier Miscellany online, go to www.wfswhittier.net. Check Whittier Miscellany online for Weekly Updates! Stay alert for the new Whittier Podcast, dropping October 20th! The Whittier Miscellany welcomes responses in the form of letters to the articles, editorials, and features of this paper. Contact: wfswhittiermiscellany@gmail.com ‘Like’ Whittier on Facebook at ‘WFS Whittier’!
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elise johnson ’21 Science & tech editor
A new year means new teachers at Friends. This year Chris Golding ’99 (US History), Courtney McKinley (US Physics), Micheline McManus (US English), and Thomas Easter (US Spanish) joined the staff. All new faculty have had previous connections to Friends, and they have now either returned to Friends or are teaching full year courses. Sophomore, Estelle Hegenbarth ’21, noted that, “Once you are part of the Friends community, you are always a part of it and you are always welcome.” Golding is an alum of the Friends and graduated with the class of 1999. After graduating high school, Golding went to the University of Pennsylvania for his bachelor’s degree and he later received his PhD at Temple University. He previously taught at the college level and has now come back to Friends as a teacher and is filling in for Javier Ergueta who is on sabbatical looking at different IB schools around the world. Golding currently teaches the History of Europe and Mediterranean, Theory of Knowledge, and 20th Century World History. McKinley got her Bachelor of Science at University of Delaware and her Master’s Degree in Secondary Education at St. Joseph’s University. She first came to Friends in 2016 as Carlos Charriez’ substitute while he was on sabbatical. She also taught 6th grade science and 8th grade biology. Prior to teaching
at Friends, she worked in environmental education. She taught the science curriculum outdoors. This was based around the Next Generation Science Standards to enhance students’ classroom learning. McKinley remarked that she “loved this way of teaching; I really felt like science came alive for my students as they observed phenomena in the natural world. What I love about teaching at Friends is that I get to do this everyday with the same students, and observe as they build on their knowledge and skills throughout the year.” She is now teaching 9th grade Physics. McManus previously taught 10th grade English and IB English at Friends for nine years. She also worked with the theater department by directing the musical. Afterwards she taught at The Friends School of Baltimore for 3 years and ‘Iolani, which is in Hawaii, for 6 years. Now, McManus has returned to Friends and is teaching 10th grade English. Easter worked previously with Friends as a substitute teacher. He is currently teaching Spanish 1 and Spanish 3. Easter already feels comfortable and commented, “I enjoy working here immensely. It’s a big change for the better. I’ve been in public schools for most of my career. I worked in the Indian River School District for 28 years. When I first went to meeting for worship, I didn’t know what to expect. Now that I have gone to several meetings, I can say that I really like it. It’s indicative of the school philosophy of peace and kindness. No system is perfect, but here, everyone seems on board to working together, both faculty and students.” When asked what she how he felt about the new faces at Friends, Estelle Hegenbarth ’21 said, “It is exciting to see so many new teachers this year. It’s makes classes very interesting because everything is especially new and unexpected.” Friends students welcome the new teachers, and are excited for a great year ahead!
Welcome issue 2018 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY