ECHOES
Fostering Joy, Curiosity and Creativity
IN THIS ISSUE
EDITOR Lisa A. Algeo
DESIGN Nicole Stettner
PHOTO CREDITS Abby Anthony, Ivory Tree Portraits, Melissa Kelly, Theresa Regan, Sideline Photos and Shira Yudkoff
All photographs are identified left to right unless otherwise noted.
We welcome letters regarding the contents of the magazine and/or issues pertaining to the school. Letters must be signed. The editor retains the right to edit at her discretion.
Please send correspondence to:
Lisa A. Algeo, Editor, Echoes | The Baldwin School 701 Montgomery Ave. | Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 lalgeo@baldwinschool.org
For general alumnae requests or information, please contact the Office of Advancement and Alumnae Engagement: Laura Armstrong, Chief Development Officer laura.armstrong@baldwinschool.org or (610) 525-2700, x286
From Top: Kennedy Gerow ’34, Addison Sobol ’32, Khloi Oh ’33, Surina Gupta ’34 and Zoe Maser ’33 joyfully pose in front of the Lower School mural.
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
In 1888, Miss Baldwin turned a new page for young women by equipping them with an excellent educational foundation and the ability to grow into confident young women with vision, global understanding and the competency to make significant and enduring contributions to the world. Today, we proudly carry forward Miss Baldwin’s vision by cultivating in each of our students a passion for learning and a desire to learn for learning’s sake. Our theme for this school year - Love of Learning - reflects our enduring commitment to our School’s mission and a desire to create an educational experience rooted in the joy of discovery.
In an ever-changing and unpredictable world, the ability to question, explore and humbly welcome uncertainty in knowing has never been more essential. In her essay Willing to Be Disturbed, Margaret Wheatley challenges us to move beyond the certainty we were often taught to value. In education, mastery of content and standards is emphasized, but Wheatley reminds us that in today’s complex world, what we need most is the humility to embrace “not knowing” and the desire to be curious and to seek to learn more.
While many may focus on curiosity as a competency, we recognize that its true power lies in preparing learners for life’s unscripted challenges — encouraging them to ask meaningful questions, dive deep and seek new ideas. For what does it really mean to “know” something? What we do know is this: learning thrives when driven by a genuine desire to understand and, most importantly, when infused with joy. A Finnish saying captures this sentiment perfectly: What is learned without joy is forgotten without sorrow.
As you’ll see in the pages ahead, Baldwin inspires joyful learning. We lead the way in education with inquiry-based learning, interdisciplinary exploration and innovative pedagogical strategies that cultivate curiosity, creativity and critical thinking. Most importantly, by creating an educational experience rooted in the joy of discovery, we inspire our students to pursue knowledge for its own sake and develop a lifelong love of learning.
Lynne Macziewski Head of School
Instagram - @mrs.mac.baldwin
ALL-SCHOOL THANKSGIVING ASSEMBLY
More than 60 alumnae returned to Baldwin for a Thanksgiving lunch and the All-School assembly. They joined our Pre-K, Kindergarten and 13- and 14-Year Clubs in singing the traditional turkey songs.
Alumnae Events
This summer and fall, Head of School Lynne Macziewski visited with a number of alumnae in New York City, Boston and Nantucket. Baldwin also hosted its first Baldwin at the Beach event in Avalon, NJ.
Allegra Quimby ’24, Olivia Stephan ’24, Aubyn J. Mackey ’24, Lisa Evans ’23, Lauren Halak ’24, Josie Grunes ’24 and Eesha Sharma ’24 gathered for lunch before the assembly.
New York City area alumnae gathered for an evening of cocktails and conversation with Head of School Lynne Macziewski at the home of Board of Trustees Chair Rachel Gerstenhaber Stern ’83.
Boston area alumnae reunited this fall at SRV, Boston's first Venetian-style Bacaro and wine bar.
Susan Houser Winant ’78, Nancy Schwartz ’78 and Penny Tsaltas Lisk ’77 reconnected during the Baldwin at the Beach event.
Linda Parrotto (P ’85, ’88, ’93, GP ’23), Becky Bramen (P ’22, ’24), Anne Classen Knutson ’82 and her husband Todd Knutson enjoyed time together in Nantucket.
2024 - 25 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Members of the 2024 – 25 Board of Trustees are: (Row 1, front): Faculty Trustee Lindsay Davis; Hannah Schofield (P ’33), President, Parents’ Association*; Chair Rachel Gerstenhaber Stern ’83, Head of School Lynne Macziewski; Danielle DeFeo (P ’32, ’32)*; Sanjeev Swami (P ’30, ’32); (Row 2): Blair D. Stambaugh, Honorary Trustee; Julia Pudlin ’02; Cynthia Johnson Nelson (P ’29)*; Vice-Chair Kim Heuer (P ’27); Shayna Fader ’11, Co-Chair, Alumnae Leadership Council; Mwanasha VanWright (P ’31); Susanna A. Jones*; (Row 3): Fred DiBona (P ’34); Elizabeth Smith Campana ’05, Co-Chair, Alumnae Leadership Council*; Martha Ortiz (P ’16), Senior Trustee; Louis Capano (P ’31); Secretary Sharon Simkiss Merhige ’86*; Sejita Page (P ’19, ’22); (Row 4): John Karamatsoukas (P ’28, ’32); Darren Bramen (P ’22, ’24); John Pearlstein (P ’21, ’24); Treasurer Scott Deitz (P ’27); and Tom Bachrach (P ’29, ’31); Not pictured: Katayoun Copeland ’85; Rachel Dean Matthews ’84; Senior Trustee Samuel R. Scott (P ’96, ’98, ’00, GP ’35, ’37, ’39); Pat Weiser (P ’22, ’24); Faculty Trustee Hope Feher*; Pontea Fazeli Dixon ’98. *New board member
Welcome New Board Chair
Rachel Gerstenhaber Stern ’83
In July, Baldwin welcomed Rachel Gerstenhaber Stern ’83 as its newest Chair of the Board of Trustees. Rachel currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of Baron Capital Management, Inc., an asset management company based in New York City, which she joined in June 2024. She had been a director of the company since 2018. Rachel has been a dedicated leader in the Baldwin community over the years and has served in a variety of volunteer roles − reunion planning volunteer, member and chair of the National Board of Advisors, member and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees, Co- Chair of The Future Is Baldwin Campaign Committee and Co-Chair of the Ninth Head of School Search Committee. In 2023, she was awarded Baldwin’s Award for Life Achievement.
“At Baldwin, I learned to believe that women were just as good as men, if not better, at most everything,” Rachel explains. “Baldwin helped me find a voice and gave me the confidence to pursue a career in what was then a largely maledominated sector. I learned that women must help other women. Mentoring and supporting other women now gives me a true sense of joy and accomplishment.”
Some of her favorite Baldwin memories are “learning how to see” in art class with Mrs. Fackenthal and painting watercolors on the fire escape of the Residence when the Art wing used to be on the second floor. Rachel also fondly remembers earning a place on the A-squad lacrosse team in 8th grade, the senior sleepover at “The Hut,” learning how to write from Mrs. Hunter in 11th grade and the countless hours with friends in the dining hall, on the swings, at prom parties and waiting at the North Door.
Rachel earned a BA summa cum laude from Yale University, an MA with distinction from the University of London and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
Meet the Other Alumnae Board Members
Rachel Dean Matthews ’84 is a Partner at Cardinal Capital Management in Greenwich, CT, where she is responsible for investment research and portfolio management. Prior to joining Cardinal in 2001, Rachel spent three years as a high yield bond trader at OppenheimerFunds. She earned her MBA from New York University and a BA in Economics from Columbia University.
Katayoun “Kat” Copeland ’85 has formerly served as the District Attorney of Delaware County, Chief of the Criminal Division at the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, an Assistant United States Attorney and a Deputy District Attorney. Kat earned a BA in Economics from Bryn Mawr College and her law degree from Temple University.
Sharon Simkiss Merhige ’86 recently retired as the General Counsel of Simkiss & Block, a full-service insurance brokerage and risk management firm. Prior to her 20 years there, she was an associate at Swartz Campbell, LLC in Philadelphia. She holds degrees from Trinity College and Temple University.
Pontea Fazeli Dixon ’98 is a Managing Director on the Credit Sales desk within Wells Fargo's Corporate & Investment Bank. She is responsible for managing institutional client relationships with a focus in Investment Grade Credit. She earned a BA in Economics from Cornell University.
Julia Pudlin ’02 is Deputy General Counsel for Government Investigations at Comcast, where she helps to oversee federal, state and local government investigations of the company. She also is a member of the Comcast Law Department’s pro bono committee. She received her BA from Yale University and her JD from University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Elizabeth Smith Campana ’05 is a Financial Advisor in the Philadelphia office of Bernstein Private Wealth Management where she focuses her practice on individuals and families in transition. Liz holds a BA in Political Science from Denison University as well as a JD and an LLM in taxation from Villanova University School of Law.
Shayna Fader ’11 works as a Program Manager at Meta and resides in New York City. She attended the University of Pennsylvania and later earned her MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
The Baldwin Review Published
The Baldwin Review 2023-24, a collection of individual research papers produced by Upper School students, was recently published. The collection includes eight research papers written by members of the Class of 2024 and the Class of 2025, who spent their summers in labs and hospitals in the Greater Philadelphia area, including Temple University, Jefferson University and the University of Pennsylvania. Last year's project was co-edited by Megan Chan ’24 and Blair Williams ’24, and includes alumnae papers by them as well as Samantha Bramen ’24, Linda Lin ’24 and Trisha Yun ’24. Papers were also written by Seniors Claudia Kim ’25, Nikoletta Kuvaeva ’25 and Gurnoor Othie ’25.
Access the entire journal by scanning here
UPFRONT
Former Faculty Art Show
The art work of former faculty members Janice Wilke and Vicky Gold was on display earlier this winter in the FackenthalPethick Art Gallery. Janice taught art at Baldwin from 2006-2023, and Vicky was an art teacher at Baldwin from 1980-2020.
Alumnae Return to Campus
A number of alumnae came back to campus this fall to speak with students about a wide range of topics. Ellie Greenberg ’16 spoke to student athletes about her time at Baldwin and Middlebury College, where she played soccer. She recently finished graduate work at the University of Washington Center for Leadership in Athletics and discussed her work focusing on mental health and girls’ empowerment. Ryan Murphy ’22 spoke to students in Dr. Athan Biss’ Constitutional Law class about her experience studying politics and her internship experiences. This past summer, Ryan interned with the Department of Defense's Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency, where she handled classified information and supported security clearance investigations for Air Force personnel. Madeline Marr ’17 spoke with students in the same class about her experiences working for a U.S. senator, and Sheila Kambin ’91 (P ’25) spoke to Dr. Erika Jo Brown's Medicine and Literature class about her career as an attending obstetrician with CHOP’s Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment. Megan Cooper ’21 visited during Middle School assembly to speak about her time at Baldwin and West Point.
Vicky Gold
Ellie Greenberg ’16
Ryan Murphy ’22
Megan Cooper ’21, a senior at the United States Military Academy at West Point, spoke with our Middle Schoolers.
Janice Wilke
Building the Future of Baldwin: A Community-Driven Vision
During her first year, Head of School Lynne Macziewski had the privilege of listening to and learning from Baldwin’s incredible students, parents, faculty, staff and alumnae. This opportunity helped the Board of Trustees and school leadership gain valuable insights into Baldwin’s current culture, programs and experiences, how it can best prepare graduates for the world beyond our gates, and, most importantly, how deep the love for Baldwin runs within our community.
As we embarked on the 2024-25 school year, we excitedly built off these conversations and data points and continued thinking deeply and dreaming big about our School's future. Guided by strategic planning firm Leadership + Design and in partnership with a vast array of community members, we have begun this creative and interactive process. The goal: to build a strong sense of Baldwin’s future direction — a “compass” backed by strategic priorities and initiatives to work toward, grounded in our mission, core values, history and culture. Community-driven initiatives such as think tanks, empathy interviews and design days, along with extensive internal and external research, are at the heart of this process. We are excited by new ideas and possibilities while staying true to Baldwin’s traditions of innovation and excellence.
“This process has been profoundly meaningful thus far, and I have been deeply impressed by the enthusiasm and engagement of our community members, which underscores a deep pride in Baldwin’s rich legacy, a shared commitment to its current success and a united vision for an even brighter future for our School and our students,” explained Ms. Macziewski.
“After all, Baldwin is not just a preeminent school — it is a launchpad for the boldest dreams and a space where innovation and excellence thrive, grounded in our mission, core values, history and traditions that have made our exceptional school what it is today. I am honored to lead our School through this historic journey as we create a bold strategic vision to illuminate the path for our next generation of leaders.”
BOOK SHELF
Death Valley
Melissa Broder ’96
In Search of a Beautiful Freedom Farah Jasmine Griffin ’81
Genomics in the Clinic
Tonie Kline ’77
To Repair the World: Zelda Fichandler and the Transformation of American Theater
Mary B. Robinson ’71
Making It in America
Rachel Leavitt Slade ’87
Harun Farocki: Forms of Intelligence
Nora Alter ’80
AROUND CAMPUS
41 Percent of Seniors Honored by National Merit Program
The National Merit® Scholarship Program recognized 27 students from our senior class. Amelia Dennis, Copper Forbes, Summer He, Ananya Kaushal, Katie McCullough, Allison Meng, Leela Rajagopal, Avani Shah-Lipman, Greyson Walko, Georgia Whamond, Brooke Woo and Mindy Zhang have been recognized as Semifinalists. Commended Students are Julia Baur, Annie Cahill, Catherine Cai, Meg Davis, Henry Dickson, Sana Goyal, Hafsa Kanchwala, Claudia Kim, Emi Maeda, Rae Mirin, Ellie Shin, Amelia Tang and Gemma Young. Amelia Dennis and Anya Okechukwu were honored with a National African American Recognition Award, and Nikoletta Kuvaeva was honored with a National First Generation Recognition Award.
(Row 1, front): Rae Mirin, Avani Shah-Lipman, Mindy Zhang, Claudia Kim, Sana Goyal, Brooke Woo and Ellie Shin; (Row 2): Amelia Dennis, Annie Cahill, Meg Davis, Gemma Young, Catherine Cai and Allie Meng; (Row 3): Amelia Tang, Emi Maeda, Summer He, Hafsa Kanchwala, Ananya Kaushal, Julia Baur, Henry Dickson; (Row 4): Anya Okechukwu, Katie McCullough, Greyson Walko, Georgia Jane Whamond, Nikoletta Kuvaeva and Copper Forbes; (Not pictured): Leela Rajagopal.
Grade 7 Drives Into Engineering
In the DREAM Lab, Grade 7 students are diving into the exciting world of engineering through a hands-on pinewood derby project. Working in teams, students designed and fabricated derby cars within specific constraints and raced them down an official pinewood derby track. They not only strengthened their understanding of energy concepts, but also developed essential problemsolving and collaboration skills. By balancing creativity with technical precision, they learned how the forces of gravity and friction interacted with their designs in a fun and competitive setting.
Grade 5 Studies Ancient Civilizations
Fifth graders are studying ancient civilizations, including Egypt and Kush. Through reading and research, they are deepening their understanding of chronological thinking and primary sources. While working on their research papers, they are analyzing how major themes in history influenced each other within Ancient Egyptian society.
Ava Schmid ’32 and Maddy Tsao ’32 learn about ancient Egypt for their research papers.
Quinn Iannotta ’30
London Frakes ’30
Aria Jani ’30 and Karina Atluri ’30 show off their Derby car.
Learning Through Woodwork
Pre-K students embarked on an exciting journey into the world of woodworking in the ECC DREAM Lab Wood Shop! The students have been guided through hands-on experiences, learning how to safely handle hammers, screwdrivers, clamps, hand drills and saws. Woodwork is a powerful medium for building self-esteem and confidence in young students, encompassing all areas of learning and development including physical development and coordination, communication, mathematical thinking and scientific investigation.
The Hourglass
Scan here to read Baldwin’s award-winning student newspaper, The Hourglass.
Head of School Lynne Macziewski lends a hand to Jessie Xue ’38.
Maya Rajasekaran ’38
Kinsley Vogt ’38
AI Experts Emerging at Baldwin
Computer Science and Engineering Teacher Dr. Thomas Heverin’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Society class of 13 high school students is boldly advancing into the realm of AI research — territory often reserved for professors, PhD students and scientists at leading tech companies and universities. Authoring a cutting-edge AI security paper titled Systematically Analyzing Prompt Injection Vulnerabilities in Diverse LLM Architectures, their journey began with an intro to prompt injection attacks, a type of cybersecurity threat where specially crafted prompts are used to trick AI systems into bypassing their built-in safeguards. Their findings were shared with the AI company and then transformed into a comprehensive study and published on arXiv (pronounced archive), an open-access repository widely recognized in the science and technology research communities.
New Outdoor Space Is Open!
The new outdoor social space for students — made possible by the generous support of our incredible Baldwin community through last year’s Raise the Paddle auction event — opened this fall! Thanks to the contributions of alumnae, parents, faculty and volunteers, our girls now have a beautiful new foursquare court, native plant garden and fire circle. Student volunteers carefully researched the native species for the pollinator garden and planted flowers to complete the space.
Scan here to read more and to access the paper.
Building Confidence In French Class
Our Middle School students have been learning French songs to improve pronunciation and immerse themselves in French culture. Singing encourages students to take risks when speaking and helps them master challenging sounds while building confidence. They showcased their hard work at the Middle School assembly.
Creativity in Jewelry Class
Grade 4, Upper School Art Students Collaborate on Monster Sculptures
This innovative art project brings together the creativity of 4th grade students and the skills of Upper School sculpture students. The 4th graders began by imagining and drawing unique creatures from another planet, channeling their boundless imagination into vibrant designs. These creations were then shared with the Upper School sculpture students, who brought them to life as three-dimensional sculptures. These collaborative works showcase the seamless blend of youthful imagination and artistic craftsmanship.
Marisa McKinley ’25 chose to create this hollow construction ring in her advanced Jewelry class. It represents high accomplishment in metalworking, with extraordinary detail in the finishing and polishing of the piece.
Nora Church ’33 and Vivienne Bodle ’33 created a creature named Sour Lemon, who shoots lava from his mouth on the planet Lemon Tropia. They posed with Emily Sidlow ’25, who brought Sour Lemon to life in her sculpture.
Fall Media Day
Baldwin is hosting an Athletics Media Day for each season this school year. This fall was a huge success, bringing together our talented teams from Cross Country, Field Hockey, Soccer, Tennis and Volleyball. The event was full of energy, excitement and community spirit, helping our athletes prepare to make it an unforgettable season. Congratulations to the fall MVPs - Olivia Stankiewicz-Goldsmith ’25 (cross country), Addison Ford ’25 (field hockey), Meg Davis ’25 and Makena Lee ’27 (soccer), Avani Shah-Lipman ’25 (tennis) and Anya Berlanska ’25 (volleyball).
—
You may be wondering how [this year’s] theme, Love of Learning, connects to Athletics. Most people think of learning as solving new equations in math or learning how to write good papers. But learning is not just in the classroom. For me, most of my learning has been on the field. … Whether you are the best player on the field, or the worst, if you go in with an open mind, you can learn something new and learn something from everyone. Maybe it’s as simple as learning a new drill that enables us to continue getting a little bit faster every time we step on the track.
Above left: Senior members of the field hockey team: Lexi McCurdy ’25, Isabelle Feigenberg ’25, Charly Landow ’25 and Meg South ’25. Above: Soccer players Amelia Dennis ’25, Izzy Carter ’25 and McKayla Hoilett ’25.
Remarks from Addison Milner '25, Head of Athletic Association, at the All-School Opening Assembly in September.
The Baldwin School's Fall Athletes Are Named to Inter-Ac All-League
Congratulations to our fall Baldwin Bears who were recognized with Inter-Academic League All-League honors for the 2024 season:
SOCCER
Makena Lee ’27 - First Team
TENNIS
Nava Khojasteh ’27 - First Team
Ariel Luo ’28 - First Team
Avani Shah-Lipman ’25 - Second Team
VOLLEYBALL
Anya Berlanska ’25 - First Team
Powderpuff Game
The Class of 2025 took the victory over the juniors in Baldwin’s annual Powderpuff Game.
Baldwin Haverford Game Day
In November, Baldwin’s Middle School hosted Game Day, welcoming The Haverford School’s Middle School to campus for some friendly competition and camaraderie. Students took part in exciting outdoor games, fostering community and strengthening the bond between the two schools.
Vivian Farwell ’29 and Rachel Sommer ’29 pose with two boys from The Haverford School.
Anya Berlanska ’25 runs for a touchdown!
Dr. Oxana Harlamova A Legacy of Excellence, Passion and Dedication
At Baldwin, one of our proudest traditions is recognizing those individuals whose contributions transcend the ordinary, leaving a lasting impact on our School and community. In honor of Marjorie Lindsay Reed ’39, the Reed Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching is our highest honor for faculty and awarded annually to a full-time teacher who exemplifies sustained excellence, a passion for teaching and a transformative influence on both students and colleagues. This year, we recognized Orchestra Director and Baldwin Conservatory Director Dr. Oxana Harlamova (P ’14, ’20), whose dedication to her craft and her students embodies the very spirit of Baldwin.
A Quiet Leader with a Profound Impact
Oxana’s influence at Baldwin is nothing short of extraordinary, though it is marked by a quiet humility and an unshakeable belief in the potential of every student she encounters. Her impact is felt not through loud proclamations or grand gestures, but through her consistent dedication to her students and her craft. She is the teacher who inspires not through a dramatic display of talent, but through the authenticity of her work and the energy she brings to everything she does.
What sets Oxana apart is her ability to make something as intricate and, at times, intimidating as music — whether it's classical strings or jazz — accessible to all. From her earliest days at Baldwin, she welcomed every student — no matter their skill level — into a world of creativity, collaboration and possibility. Whether working with a first-time violinist or a seasoned jazz musician, Oxana has a rare gift of seeing not the limitations of her students but the possibilities within them.
Building a Legacy of Music at Baldwin
Oxana’s presence in Baldwin’s music program is woven into the very fabric of our School’s cultural identity. Over the past two decades, she has helped build and nurture the music program from the ground up. Her tireless work was instrumental in the creation of our strings program, where she has taught students of all ages — from the youngest beginners to more advanced musicians — and helped cultivate a space where musicians thrive. For Oxana, the classroom is not just a place for learning technical skills but a space for personal growth, creativity and artistic expression.
When the opportunity arose to lead the Jazz Band, Oxana didn’t hesitate. Her willingness to step up to the challenge speaks volumes about her character and her commitment to growth. Even though jazz was a new direction for her, she embraced the challenge with characteristic enthusiasm, signing up for online jazz lessons to ensure that she could lead the band with authenticity and expertise. This dedication to self-improvement is just one example of Oxana’s relentless pursuit of excellence — not just for her students but for herself as well.
Oxana’s dedication to Baldwin extends far beyond the classroom or stage. Her profound sense of community and commitment to her students shines through. She does not simply teach; she nurtures, mentors and supports in ways that extend far beyond the formal curriculum.
A True Inspiration
Oxana’s impact on Baldwin cannot be measured in awards or accolades alone, though she certainly deserves them. Her influence is felt in the many students she has taught, the musical performances she has helped bring to life and the unwavering support she has shown to her colleagues and the broader Baldwin community. Oxana’s dedication, energy and love for music have not only transformed lives but have created a lasting legacy within the Baldwin family.
As the recipient of the Reed Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching, we honor Oxana’s exceptional skill as an educator and musician and her unyielding commitment to her students and her community. Over the last 20 years, she has truly changed lives through her talent and the depth of her heart. She makes our community a brighter, more inclusive and more creative place.
Failure Is a Part of Learning
How Paul Hermans Fosters Resilience in His Students
At Baldwin, we foster creativity, critical thinking, personal growth and a love for lifelong learning. Our faculty inspire students to embrace challenges, persist through difficulty and celebrate learning. By cultivating resilience, they are helping to build a generation of fearless innovators who embrace lifelong learning and will tackle the future with confidence and creativity.
One such educator at Baldwin is Paul Hermans, who teaches Upper School courses in Computer Science, Engineering and Advanced Design. He brings over 25 years of experience in civil engineering and computer science to his classroom, and his goal is not only to teach students technical skills but also to cultivate resilience, perseverance and the mindset needed to thrive in the face of failure.
Failing Forward: A Path to Growth
Paul encourages his students to “fail forward,” a concept that frames failure as essential to learning. Rather than focusing solely on the outcome, he urges his students to value the process of experimentation, where trial and error lead to growth. In Paul’s classroom, failure isn’t feared — it's embraced as an opportunity to learn. He encourages students to work through the minor setbacks that come along the way. “In doing so, I try to teach that failure is just the first step in success,” he explains.
This philosophy helps students understand that setbacks are signposts guiding them toward better solutions. In Paul’s view, persistence and learning from mistakes are just as important as achieving the correct answer.
A Bicycle, A Toaster and Resilience
One example of Paul’s approach to teaching resilience involved a student who had an ambitious idea: to design a bicycle that would generate enough power to toast bread while being pedaled. While the concept was creative and Paul encouraged the student to explore it further, it became clear the project was flawed. After several attempts and some frustration, the student asked Paul if he knew the idea wouldn’t work. He didn’t offer an easy answer. Instead, he guided her through the process, acting as a thought partner without stepping in to solve the problem. Ultimately, the journey taught her invaluable lessons about design, problem-solving and iterative work. She later thanked Paul for allowing her to figure things out independently, recognizing how much more she had learned in the process.
Teaching Perseverance
Paul’s students learn that challenges are integral to growth, preparing them for academic and real-world problems. When students embrace failure as a learning tool, they become more confident in tackling future challenges.
By reframing setbacks as opportunities, Paul helps students develop the resilience necessary for long-term success. Students who learn to persist and adapt are more successful in their studies and better equipped to lead confidently and creatively in their future careers.
Creating Fearless Learners
Paul’s classroom fosters an environment where students feel empowered to take risks. Without the fear of failure looming over them, they are more willing to experiment, ask questions and pursue bold ideas they might have otherwise abandoned. This mindset encourages a growth-oriented approach to learning, where students understand their abilities are not fixed but can be developed through effort and perseverance. By encouraging students to take ownership of their learning and embrace the unknown, Paul helps them build the confidence they need to tackle any challenge that comes their way.
Preparing Students For the Future
Through his teaching, Paul is not just passing on technical knowledge — he is equipping his students with the mindset and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of life. In a world that values innovation, adaptability and problemsolving, Paul’s students leave his classroom ready to face any challenge with confidence and determination. They know that success is not defined by getting everything right on the first try but by the ability to keep learning, adapting and growing.
LOVE OF LEARNING
FOSTERING JOY, CURIOSITY AND CREATIVITY
At Baldwin, we are creating an educational experience centered on the joy of knowledge, curiosity in discovery and critical reflection on the world around us to cultivate a lifelong passion for learning in each of our students.
Students are encouraged to bring their authentic selves and their thoughts, ideas and perspectives to each discussion, creating a school climate that fosters open and courageous inquiry. This approach equips our graduates for a complex and interconnected world beyond Baldwin’s gates.
What follows is just a small sampling of the joy, curiosity, creativity and love of learning that is happening both inside and outside the classroom at Baldwin this fall.
Grade 9 Physics students learned about the condition of mechanical equilibrium and stability through a friendly game of Jenga!
Middle School parents loved their learning experiences with their daughters during December’s Parent Visit Day! Parents got to see what Baldwin does best, and seeing them reading, problem-solving, dancing and laughing alongside their daughters was priceless.
Eva Jiang ’28 had fun in her Art Foundations class, where she was diving into color theory! Using compasses and rulers, the class designed unique geometric color wheels inspired by the intricate patterns found in Islamic mosque tilework and the beauty of rose windows in churches.
The Upper School Dance Team showed their school spirit and supported their fellow athletes at Winter Spirit Night!
Grade 7 students Zeta Ellis, Asidah McGough and Torri Hill explored their love of learning in the Middle School DREAM Lab.
Baldwin welcomed the B-Sharps from Denmark’s Ordrup Gymnasium! As a part of the exchange program, they spent time with the B-Flats and the Haverford Notables, performing a collaborative concert. The students are looking forward to the Spring when our students will travel to Copenhagen to reunite with the B-Sharps!
Middle School Arts League and music ensemble collaborated this winter, displaying beautiful art that was inspired by the musical selections performed at the concert.
Emma McLean ’29 created this piece, inspired by “Sesere Eeye,” a traditional song from the Torres Strait Islands.
Nina Luis '34 shows her love of learning while working on a bar graph during her third-grade math class.
Love of learning is central to my work as a teacher and learning specialist. [It's] visible every day when I meet with students and teachers. I approach my work with the mindset that we are in this together and will figure out how to make the task more accessible regardless of how many resources we need to use. I help students understand that when mistakes happen, learning is occurring.
— Pia Awal Beirne, Coordinator of Academic Support and Enrichment,
Grade 6 Latin students participated in a workshop called "Digging up Rome" at the Penn Museum, where they learned about archaeological practices and toured the museum's Rome exhibit. The museum’s great displays helped students creatively prepare for their own projects, designing a replica of a Roman room.
Pre-K – Grade 12
Mixi Shoulson ’31 used her creativity and love of baking to make her Roman room out of cake.
True Jones ’37 and Alex Driscoll-Georges ’37 play a partner math game to learn math skills, how to take turns and use "math talk" to explain their thinking.
In October, Upper School Students Isabela Ahn ’25, Izzy Carter ’25, Henry Dickson ’25, McKayla Hoilett ’25, Atlas Viroslav ’25, Marissa Gist ’26, Nina Heverin-Alvarado ’26 and Ambea Nmah ’26 were excited to attend the National Civil Rights Museum Student Forum in Memphis, TN. It was a chance to learn from innovators in respective industries, and it inspired our students to stand up for something meaningful in their communities. The trip culminated with the Freedom Awards Gala, which paid tribute to individuals who have shown unwavering commitment to promoting justice and equality.
Awo Opuni ’31 in her Literacy class, experienced a lesson taught by Director of Libraries Lauren Friedman-Way (P ’36) on finding reliable sources.
Kate Abeln ’29, Sophie Li ’29, Mary Elwood ’30, Maggie Reynolds ’30 and Logan Smith ’30 attended the PAIS Middle School Student Purpose Summit! They loved connecting with other students to explore purpose and practice the skills of collaboration and critical thinking on how they can make a positive impact on the world.
Grade 2 invited their families to visit during the school day to work together on Thanksgiving themed English Language Arts and Math activities at different stations.
Love of Learning is on full display in the Lower School each week, as Grade 4 - 5 students participate in a variety of clubs – an example of how eager our young students are to continue their learning, work with each other and challenge themselves outside of their regular classroom schedule. Students can choose to participate in:
Reading Olympics, a countywide reading event that encourages students to increase the quality and quantity of books they read for enjoyment. Throughout the year, students read selections from the 25-book Reading Olympics list and meet each week at lunchtime to track their reading and share highlights, working together to ensure the entire list has been read by multiple students. In the spring, students form teams and participate in the annual competition held at a local high school.
American Computer Science League (ACSL), which allows Grade 5 to explore advanced computer science concepts, including computer number systems, Boolean algebra and graph theory. Together, they gather once a week to play games with numbers, explore patterns and tackle problem-solving challenges, all while preparing for the quarterly contests offered by the ACSL.
Math Olympiads (MOEMS), an international math competition program that provides monthly math problem-solving contests for students that stimulates enthusiasm and a love for math, fosters mathematical creativity and ingenuity, and teaches strategies for problem solving. The program focuses on growth, resilience, embracing the idea of “productive struggle” and having fun!
Lower School Learning Specialist & Instructional Coach Eileen Cianfrani designs a special MOEMS Bulletin Board, where students are encouraged to put their answer on a post-it note and drop it in the envelope. Prizes are up for grabs for correct answers!
Bella Cafiero ’33 loves Math Olympiads!
Marcella Aulakh ’35 and her parents, Gina and Jason.
Homecoming weekend was a fun-filled, spirited event for the entire Baldwin community, where we gathered together to celebrate and cheer on our Baldwin Bears. Fall athletic team skits and a bonfire kicked off the weekend festivities on Friday evening, complete with s’mores and glow necklaces provided by the BSPA.
On Saturday, our athletes took on the Agnes Irwin Owls in field hockey, soccer, tennis and volleyball! Between games, the community enjoyed the annual Upper School Club and Activity Fair, bounce house and Junior Class BBQ.
Baldwin Celebrates 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees
Baldwin celebrated the 2024 Class of Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees on October 17. This year, the selection committee reviewed more than 30 competitive nominations and was pleased to honor five alumnae this year. Baldwin’s Hall of Fame was established in 2013 as the School’s highest athletic honor to commemorate the lasting athletic accomplishments of Baldwin alumnae, teams, coaches and athletic administration.
Mary Scott McElroy ’53 joined Baldwin in 1st grade in 1941 and is one of the most versatile athletes from what her class affectionately calls “The Golden Age” at Baldwin. She was a member of the tennis team, varsity field hockey team (who consistently beat Agnes Irwin, including a 4-1 win her senior year) and captain of the lacrosse team. Friends describe her as energetic, goodnatured and always laughing, so it is no surprise that she was also the White Blazer winner in 1953. Unfortunately, Mary was not able to join the celebration, but was presented her award personally.
Antonia "Toni" DiOttavio Mullen ’92 attended Baldwin from 1988 to 1992. She earned varsity letters in field hockey, basketball and lacrosse all four years in the Upper School. Toni was a three-time field hockey MVP during her sophomore, junior and senior years. In her senior year, she was the MVP in lacrosse and was captain of both the field hockey and lacrosse teams. Toni was an active three-year Athletic Association member and the Baldwin White Blazer Award recipient. While attending Lafayette College, Toni was a four-year starter in field hockey and a two-year starter in lacrosse. In her senior year, she was chosen as team captain in field hockey and earned the team MVP award. In 1994 and 1995, Toni earned the All-American and All-Patriot League designation for field hockey. A culmination of her athletic accomplishments, Toni was named the Most Outstanding Female Athlete of Lafayette College in 1996.
Antonia “Toni” DiOttavio Mullen ’92, Charlotte Haldeman Whitmore ’99, Alexandra Sawin Hull ’10 and Emma Hamm ’07 gathered to celebrate their induction into Baldwin’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Athletic Director Meg Glascott-Birch and Chief Development Officer Laura Armstrong presented Mary Scott McElroy ’53 with her award.
Charlotte Haldeman Whitmore ’99 was a standout athlete at Baldwin, excelling in lacrosse and field hockey. In her senior year, Charlotte's dedication and commitment to both sports were recognized when she received the Baldwin White Blazer Award. Charlotte's athletic accomplishments were further acknowledged when she was awarded the Tracy Tunnel ’69 MVP Award for field hockey. Charlotte's leadership and hard work on and off the field made her a key player at Baldwin. After graduating from Baldwin, Charlotte continued her journey of excellence at Dartmouth College, this time in squash. Her leadership on the squash team was about strategy, skill, empathy and understanding. As a four-year starter, she led by example, constantly pushing herself and her teammates to be their best. Her senior year saw her captain the team, a role she embraced with grace and determination, guiding them to their highest national ranking in history, fourth in the country.
Emma Hamm ’07, a member of the 13-Year Club, played varsity soccer and basketball in 8th grade and varsity lacrosse in 9th grade. She earned honorable mentions on the Main-Line and All Inter-Ac teams in 8th grade. During middle school, Emma helped the team to an impressive 14-3-1 record on the soccer field, one of the best in school history. She set the single-game scoring record of 37 in her 8th-grade year and eventually became the all-time leading basketball scorer with 1,492 points. On the lacrosse field, she was first-team All-Inter-Ac and All-Main Line as a freshman, then won MVP from sophomore year through senior year, collecting additional Inter-Ac and Main Line accolades. She also received All-American High School First Team honors from sophomore through senior year. Emma was a leader and stellar athlete for years, and helped the team to its best basketball record in 10 years and was elected MVP for five consecutive years. Two-time Pat West Award Winner, by senior year, she also won the Aimee Willard Award, now called the Inter-Ac League Athletic Directors' Award, Margot Cunningham Sports Commitment Award, Main Line Times Athlete of the Year, Ruth Davidon Elite Athlete and Baldwin’s White Blazer Award. Following her graduation, Emma competed as a U.S. Under-19 Lacrosse team member and won a gold medal in Canada. Emma took home the Player of the Match award in the pool game against Australia and was named to the All-World team after the championships. She chose to continue her academic and athletic career at Duke University, where she was the ACC and National Rookie of the Year. She led the team to two Final Fours at Duke as a three-time All-American and All-ACC selection.
Alexandra Sawin Hull ’10, a member of the 14-Year Club, was a founding member of Baldwin’s squash program. She played #1 for the varsity team for five consecutive years, starting in 8th grade and earning the team MVP award all five years. Alexandra was also a four-year starter for the varsity soccer team and co-captain during her senior year. She pioneered the varsity golf team alongside her sister, Caroline, and was captain her senior year. Alexandra was recognized with the Pat West Physical Education Award, Ruth Davidon Elite Athlete Award, Margot Cunningham Sports Commitment Award, White Blazer Award and the Aimee Willard Award, now called the Inter-Ac League Athletic Directors' Award, in her senior year. She continued her athletics journey at Princeton University, where she excelled, playing on the varsity squash team for four years. Following her collegiate career, Alexandra maintained her competitive edge on the Olympic Club squash team in San Francisco for six years. In 2019, she achieved national acclaim by winning the women's squash national championship.
Scan here to read more about these outstanding Baldwin athletes.
Baldwin’s Innovation Center, transformed from the old pool, was the perfect backdrop for the Hall of Fame ceremony.
Previous Athletic Hall of Fame members Julia Pudlin ’02, Pat West and Alison Pressman ’88 attended the ceremony to celebrate the 2024 class of inductees.
BRILLIANTLY BALDWIN
Something I Lost
A personal essay by Elizabeth Baur ’27
I once had a plaque for a swimming award I won when I was 5 or 6. I was so proud that I hung it on the wall next to my bed and showed it to everyone I could. About a year later, when my family and I moved into a new house, it went missing, off to wherever it’s been for the past 8 years. After the first time I saw Tangled, my parents got me a stuffed Pascal the chameleon that you could change the color of using special markers. It sat on my bed every day, until one day it didn’t. On a road trip up north, my dad bought my siblings and me mini compass key chains so we could feel like explorers. I loved mine so much that I kept it in my hand the whole trip. Inevitably, it got left behind at a rest stop somewhere in New York. It feels like every day coins slip in between couch cushions or a pen that you drop seems to fall straight through the floor, but you would never assume that anything truly just evaporated, never to be seen by a soul again. Those things you lose still exist, just not with you anymore.
A question I heard someone ask that I think about a lot is “what happens when you forget something that happens when you’re alone?” Memories aren’t tangible, like coins and compasses. If an event is forgotten by the only person who knew about it, where is it now? On a timeline of the history of the world, did it even happen? Do the records of everything that has ever happened always live somewhere deep in places we just can’t see, or can things really be lost to the fabric of time forever? Is it only possible for that to happen to things that truly don’t matter?
<<< The essay continues here.
Fusing Literacy and Visual Art
In a captivating fusion of literacy and visual art, talented 8th-grade students exhibited original poems, drawing inspiration from Marcus Zusak's The Book Thief. Following an immersive field trip to the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, these students explored the novel's powerful themes by focusing on symbolism, imagery and perspective. Each student was challenged to select words and phrases from The Book Thief and create poetry that delves into deeper meanings, transforming both text and visual expression. The results are a striking collection of works that reflect the emotional weight of Zusak's historical fiction while also allowing each young artist to reimagine its significance. Students honed their literacy skills and explored the creative blending of narrative and visual storytelling.
Heritage Quilts
Grade 4 students designed heritage quilt squares that included symbols, shapes, patterns and identifying factors about themselves, their backgrounds, cultures and families. The project was inspired by the traditional Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead and makes an interdisciplinary connection to the novel they read in class called Lou Lou and Pea and the Mystery Mural.
The Word Tree by Gillian Gattuso ’29.
Alisha Bose ’33 created this heritage quilt.
Shannen Lu ’27, wanting to learn about stained glass making, created this work in her Fibers and Glass class. She showed incredible focus and attention to detail when creating this beautiful piece, which required learning a variety of new skills including cutting and grinding glass, foiling and soldering.
Bela Ahn ’25 used a Canon EOS DSLR camera with a macro lens to capture this photo for her Digital Photography class.
Zoe Bachman ’06
Art, Tech and Lifelong Love of Learning
Zoe Bachman '06 didn’t set out to build a career in technology. She always gravitated to art and never would have imagined that teaching programming was in her future. As a Baldwin girl, though, she had the confidence to pursue new interests and opportunities as they presented themselves. The result is a fascinating career path with a love of learning that is always central to its trajectory.
Currently, Zoe is the Senior Curriculum Director at Codeacdemy, leading a team of programmers in creating engaging online learning experiences. Zoe also teaches a weekly class at the School of Visual Arts covering various facets of programming and web development. While she did not take a traditional path to the field, her story is a testament to the power of following a passion and trusting where it will lead.
At Baldwin, Zoe focused on art, particularly 2D art with Mr. Pethick and 3D art with Mrs. Mungall. She recalls that while there was a strong STEM program at Baldwin, there were also ample opportunities for creative pursuits, building a strong foundation for a career in which art and technology intersect.
“I am endlessly grateful for Baldwin,” she said. “I appreciated the academic rigor and the variety of available experiences.
Zoe attended Vassar College, where she majored in Anthropology, Art History and French. Her study of West African art led to a semester abroad in Senegal, where she began to focus on technology in Anthropology. In Senegal, very few families or individuals had personal computers or home internet in 2008. Hence, smartphones were more central to everyday life at that time than they were in the United States, providing an ideal opportunity to study the impact of that technology on society.
Upon her return, Zoe turned back to art, now with an eye to community art; how it impacts people and how to utilize new tools and outlets like blogs to engage with artists and their creations. To that end, Zoe held a number of positions aimed at making art accessible, volunteering at Mural Arts Philadelphia, Fleisher Art Memorial, The Delaware Contemporary, where she relaunched their docent program with a new curriculum, and the Americorps Community Art Collaborative in Baltimore. Amid this work, Zoe began to see more intersections of art and technology, such as the building and designing of websites, and she began to seek opportunities to both learn and teach in that arena, spending two summers teaching with Girls Who Code.
When I began college, I was beyond prepared.”
“I began to realize that including tech elements would help to get funding for arts initiatives,” she recalls. “I’ve always wanted to teach what people are interested in learning, so I began to learn programming and coding myself so I could pass that knowledge on and incorporate it into the art.”
As her expertise grew, so too did her desire to take this knowledge further and apply it to her greater interest in the impact of technology on its users. This led to pursuing a Master’s degree in Human Computer Interaction through the New York University Tisch Interactive Telecommunication Program, studying interaction design with a focus on teaching tech. In addition to her educational and career pursuits, Zoe has found time to pursue her interests and passions through side projects. These include acting as co-founder of tendernet collective, a feminist collective exploring critical and participatory design practices in artificial intelligence, and a member of The Illuminator, an art-activist
collective comprised of visual artists, educators, filmmakers and technologists living and working in New York City, which has staged hundreds of projection-interventions in public spaces.
“I want art to be accessible, to bring people together and foster conversations about the tech industry, its lack of accessibility and diversity and the need to bring end users into the design process” she shared.
The common theme in Zoe Bachman’s work is finding the best ideas through connecting different disciplines, which she traces back to her Baldwin days. “The Baldwin experience was inherently interdisciplinary,” she recalls. “Learning that way not only made me feel like a well-rounded person, it ingrained in me the habit of approaching issues from so many different angles, which has guided my ongoing education, career moves and art initiatives.”
An Imagining Feminist Interfaces workshop, held at the New York City Feminist Zinefest at Barnard College in 2019.
Cover for An Alternative Owner's Guide to Alexa, a zine that explores how we develop parasocial relationships to our smart devices and imagines alternative use cases.
Cover for Imagining Feminist Interfaces: Voice interactions for agency, empowerment and justice, a zine that describes the gendered history of voice assistant technology and proposes a feminist, inclusive framework for altering how we design them in the future.
April 9, 2025
True Blue for Baldwin Day is April 9! Join the Baldwin community and come together to support our students and our mission. Let’s show everyone what it means to be True Blue!
More details coming soon!
