SPRING 2015 BALDWIN BOOKSHELF | ALUMNAE SURVEY RESULTS | A LIFELONG EDUCATOR
Simone Voisin Smith taught French in the Upper School from 1953-1963.
Gabbie Alvarez-Spychalski currently teaches Spanish in Grades VII and VIII.
THEN&NOW
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he world is full of many languages. You don’t have to go far from your front door to know this to be true. Baldwin’s Languages program offers our students a wide variety of experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Through written classwork, language-specific clubs, and immersion trips to various countries, foreign languages have always been a cornerstone of our curriculum.
In the early ’70s, Baldwin’s language program focused on three languages: French, German, and Latin. Today, the study of language begins in our Lower School, where students from PreK to Grade V learn Mandarin. In the Middle School, all students receive a strong foundation first in Latin and then in a Romance language. The Grade VIII year brings all students the choice of taking one or two languages - Mandarin, French, Latin, or Spanish. In the Upper School, students may choose from Arabic, Ancient Greek, French, Latin, Mandarin, and Spanish. Baldwin’s robust curriculum also allows our US students to actively participate in two languages without having to sacrifice any other course options or participate in summer school to remain on track for graduation. As the world continues to expand, the communication skills learned earlier in life will be a Baldwin student’s foundation for the future.
FEATURES
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A Lifelong Educator:
Dedicated to Opening Minds
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Making a Difference:
My Medical Mission Elsa Jensen Rector ’58 has been a medical missionary since 2001 and credits Baldwin with teaching her how to reach deep inside to find the confidence to do what is set before her.
Lisa Ameisen ’76 is an accomplished and respected member of Baldwin’s history department, and she is dedicated to helping her students reach their full potential.
ECHOESCONTENTS DEPARTMENTS 2 UPFRONT 5 ALUMNAE NEWSMAKERS 6 ACADEMICS 8 ARTS 10 ATHLETICS 12 BALDWIN BOOKSHELF
Editor: Lisa A. Algeo Design: acquireVisual.com Photo Credits: Katie Brogan, Lisa Algeo, Jay Gorodetzer, Kenny Delio, Mark Tassoni, Susan Dorfman, Lolly Anapol ’16, Maddie Kropp, Gabrielle Daly, Jennifer Cutler, Naté Hall, André S.F. van der Putte, Nova Morgan, Carrie Hill Photography, Chloe Sherman-Pepe 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. Lisa A. Algeo, editor, Echoes The Baldwin School 701 Montgomery Ave. Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 lalgeo@baldwinschool.org
14 Alumnae Survey Results
For general alumnae requests or information, please contact the Development Office: Stacy Gallagher, Chief Advancement Officer sgallagher@baldwinschool.org or 610-525-2700, ext. 286
Thank you to all our alumnae who responded.
23 CLASS NOTES 40 CLOSING THOUGHTS
Echoes is printed on recycled paper. ON THE COVER: The experience, education, and dedication of our faculty are reflected in the superior classroom experience each girl can expect in every subject, every day.
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UPFRONT oemaker h S e n n A r fo e if L Room Celebratirdoayn, Moayf 2 at 4 p.m. in Baldwin’s AeassdemofblScy ho ol. in’s fifth H Join us on Satu oemaker, Baldw d legacy of leadership, Sh e nn A r be to remem e’s life an d celebrate Ann We will honor an mitment. m d unyielding co compassion, an
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t is important to acknowledge and take pride in the value of a Baldwin education. The incredible achievements of our alumnae are affirmation of the love and commitment of all who played a role in their Baldwin experience. Our alumnae bridge Baldwin’s history with its bright future, and it was so gratifying to hear from the more than 600 members of our alumnae who responded to our recent online survey (see pages 14-15). Alumnae from nearly eight decades participated and were eager to share their Baldwin experience with us. This information not only provides a glimpse into the School’s ability to prepare our girls for what lies ahead, but also attests to the work of those dedicated to a Baldwin girl’s success. At the heart of Baldwin are our passionate faculty and staff, who create a personalized educational experience for each girl and encourage her to be curious and confident. Over the years, I’ve heard countless stories of beloved teachers who have made a profound difference on many lives – this admiration for current and former teachers is evident throughout the survey results. The dedication of our entire community to prepare our girls for life is such a unique part of the Baldwin experience, and it is evident our hard work is paying off. It’s wonderful to see the way alumnae continue to inspire and instill in our girls a love of learning and the belief that they truly can do anything.
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YOUNG ALUMNAE TEA The Office of Advancement and Alumnae Relations hosted their annual Young Alumnae Tea in January. More than 50 young alumnae from the Classes of 2011 - 2014 returned to Baldwin during their winter break to reconnect with current seniors, rekindle friendships, and provide advice on the college experience.
MLK DAY OF SERVICE EVENTS
TEACHERS TEACHING TEACHERS
In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, the Baldwin School hosted a number of events in mid-January. Middle School students partnered with The Haverford School and Agnes Irwin Middle Schools to sponsor the second annual Stop Hunger Now event. The group packaged more than 20,000 meals to send to West African communities battling the Ebola outbreak. Upper School and Lower School students made bowls and sundry kitchen/meal-themed items that were sold and shared at the Empty Bowls dinner, which was held in conjunction with The Haverford School and Agnes Irwin School on February 22 at Agnes Irwin. All funds raised through the sale of these items were donated to community-based organizations that tackle the issues of hunger and poverty each day.
Upper School teacher Olive Ledlie recently described her experience as a music student at Baldwin under the tutelage of Firenze Director and Piano Teacher Elizabeth Keller in a recent 701 Blog. Olive gave her public thanks to Elizabeth and all of the talented musicians in our music department. To read this heartfelt blog, visit http://bit.ly/BaldwinTeachersteachingTeachers.
Grade VII students Talia Viroslav, Jada Williams, Maria Harlamova, Charisma Hasan, and Leah White participate in the MLK Day of Service. The Grade VII social studies curriculum has a service component that focuses on food access and hunger relief.
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BALDWIN TO HOST I2 SUMMER CAMP This summer, from June 8 to July 2, Baldwin will host an i2 Summer Camp for boys and girls entering Grades V - VIII. The program at i2 Camp has been developed with the goal of engaging Middle School students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Partnering with some of the world’s leading STEM organizations—including MIT, the
UPDATE: HEAD OF SCHOOL Earlier this winter, Baldwin hosted a” State of School” forum where co-chairs of the Head of School Search Committee unveiled the search process for the new Head of School. The members of the search committee include: Christopher (Chris) P. Marr, Co-Chair, Current Trustee, Current Parent, Chief Executive Officer, CubeSmart M. Kathryn (Kathy) Taylor ’70, Co-Chair, Former Faculty, Past Board Chair, Director, Office of Alumni Affairs, Princeton University Gretchen E. Boger, PhD, Current Faculty Member, Current Parent, Chair of History Department, The Baldwin School Adam Grant, PhD, Current Parent, Professor of Management and Psychology, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Elizabeth D. Krause ’91, PhD, Current Parent, Clinical Psychologist, Adjunct Professor, University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore College Alexis Egan McCarthy ’81, Current Trustee, Managing Director, Christie’s Sejita Page, Current Parent V. Paige Pratter ’94, Current Trustee, Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice Kavita Daiya Rao, PhD, Current Trustee, Current Parent, Associate Professor of English, George Washington University Eric G. Ruoss, PhD, Board Member, Former Head of School, The Tatnall School Terry D. Steelman, FAIA, Current Parent, Board Chair, Executive Principal, Ballinger Architects 4
American Museum of Natural History, and Harvard—the camp broadens a child’s exposure to STEM with a wide variety of innovative and immersive courses. The courses offered at Baldwin will include Digital Game Design, Surgical Techniques, Chemical Engineering: Polymers & Bioplastics, and Building an Interactive Friendly Monster. For more information and to register, visit i2camp.org.
THE LOST BOYS OF BALDWIN Last November, Grade X student Jane Bradley sat down and interviewed Kent Willing and Lewin Barringer, two boys who attended Baldwin for a few months during World War II. Due to gas rationing during the war, young boys were permitted to attend Baldwin if they had a sister enrolled. Mary Scott McElroy ’53 was instrumental in helping research the rumor of boys at Baldwin and in arranging an interview. To read Jane’s series of articles and to learn more about these “Lost Boys,” visit http://bit.ly/LostBoysofBaldwin.
Kent Willing and Lewin Barringer in 1963. Lewin Barringer (seated), Kent Willing, Mary Scott McElroy ’53, and Jane Bradley ’17 gathered at Baldwin to solve the Lost Boys mystery.
ALUMNAENEWSMAKERS DONNA E. LISKER, PHD, ’84 Last July, Baldwin alumna Donna E. Lisker, PhD, ’84 was appointed dean of the college and vice president for campus life at Smith College, Northampton, MA. Dr. Lisker was previously the associate vice provost for undergraduate education at Duke University. Dr. Lisker began her work at Duke in 1999 as director of its women’s center. She served on the steering committee of the Duke University Women’s Initiative, an intensive research project on the status of women at the university, and was tapped to found and lead one of its major outcomes, a four-year leadership program for undergraduate women known as the Baldwin Scholars. As an associate vice provost, Dr. Lisker oversaw all aspects of the undergraduate experience at Duke, integrating academics, residential life, co-curricular and athletic activities, admissions, financial aid, civic engagement and global education. In 2013, Dr. Lisker served a term appointment as interim vice provost in charge of the launch of Duke Kunshan University, a partnership of Duke and Wuhan Universities, located in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China. “I am delighted to join the remarkable community and strong leadership team at Smith College,” Dr. Lisker said. “It’s an honor and privilege to continue my work on women’s leadership and education at such a distinguished institution.”
At Smith, the dean of the college and vice president for campus life oversees all aspects of student life from orientation to graduation. Reporting to the dean are the offices of the class deans; dean of students; student affairs and residential life; international study; the Ada Comstock Scholars Program; the registrar’s office; health, wellness and counseling services; career development; religious and spiritual life; and athletics. Dr. Lisker majored in English and mathematics at Williams College and holds a doctorate in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At Duke, she taught courses in gender and sports, and women’s studies.
MARJORIE SINGER ’63 Recently, Marjorie Singer ’63 was appointed to assistant vice president and counsel of John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Marjorie comes to John Jay, a senior college of The City University of New York, with experience in non-profit organizations dedicated to alleviating poverty and improving systems of criminal justice. Marjorie was general counsel to MDRC, a non-partisan organization that develops and evaluates the effectiveness of programs designed to reduce poverty, from 2006-2013. Before MDRC, Marjorie served as chief program officer at CASES, New York’s largest alternatives-to-incarceration
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organization, and as general counsel to the Vera Institute of Justice, which works in partnership with government to improve the systems of justice. After earning her J.D. from New York University School of Law, Marjorie spent two years as a legal services lawyer in Tuba City Navajo Nation, Arizona, followed by four years in a public interest law firm in Seattle. Marjorie has been a lecturer in Women and the Law at the University of Washington and she taught law to ninth graders at John Jay High School, Brooklyn, NY.
SARA WITTER CONNOR ’68 Sara Witter Connor ’68 was recently selected to attend the 61st Annual U.S. Army War College National Security Seminar at Carlisle Barracks, PA. As a “new member” of the Class of 2015, this is a great honor. The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a United States Army institution that provides graduate level instruction to senior military officers and civilians to prepare them for senior leadership assignments and responsibilities. Approximately 160 new members join student seminar groups during the National Security Seminar. Attendees come from a cross-section of American life and represent as broad a range of occupations, geographic regions, and age groups as possible. Sara was nominated by the Dr. Harold C. Deutsch World War II History RoundTable in Minneapolis, MN.
MAKING HEADLINES? Do you have news to share with your classmates? Contact Nova Morgan, donor stewardship manager, at nmorgan@baldwinschool.org.
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Academics BALDWIN PARTNERS WITH TECHGIRLZ This year, The Baldwin School has partnered with TechGirlz, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering girls to be future technology leaders. The partnership involves hosting workshops at the Middle School Dream Lab. “The goals of TechGirlz and Baldwin are aligned in that we both are interested in educating girls about technology and computer science,” said Baldwin’s Computer Science Department Chair Dr. Laura Blankenship. “Since TechGirlz has a cadre of girls ready and eager and we have equipment and teachers, it is the perfect fit.” The workshop provides Baldwin girls with increased opportunities to delve into new technology. The ultimate goal is a larger step toward eliminating the gender gap in technology altogether. ®
MS BIOLOGY WORKS IN THE DREAM LAB
ART APPRECIATION IN ITALY
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While exploring structures called organelles, Grade VII biology students had the opportunity to design and build an organelle using the software, Tinkercad, and the 3-D printers in the Middle School DREAM Lab®. This collaboration was initiated by their teachers Dr. Susan Dorfman and Ryan Barnes. Each student was required to prepare a three-dimensional model of a plant or animal cell of materials appropriate to the structure and function of the different organelles.
To prepare for their trip to Italy this past fall, the Class of 2018 spent time in the Art History room. History Teacher Jennifer Cutler and Art Department Chair Janice Wilke teamed up to present a preview on the art history the freshman would experience during their class trip to Rome, Siena, and Florence. This global initiative allows the class to frame their Grade IX humanities curriculum — world history: ancient, medieval, Renaissance, and literature: E.M. Forster’s Room with a View — through the lens of the visual arts and personal experience.
US STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN MODEL UN Despite Boston having received record-breaking snowfall earlier in the week, 25 Baldwin Upper School students traveled to the 62nd session of Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN) in January. Under the guidance of more than 200 Harvard University undergraduates, delegates experienced the challenges of negotiation by assuming the roles of UN representatives and members of other decision-making bodies. More than 3,000 delegates and 300 faculty advisors from around the United States and world joined our Baldwin girls to confront and debate issues of international importance.
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GRADE V PARTICIPATES IN BIOEYES
EDUCATOR, STUDENTS WIN NCWIT AWARDS The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) has established many awards to honor educators and young women at the high-school and college level for their computing-related achievements and interests. Baldwin is proud to announce that Dr. Laura Blankenship, computer science chair, has been recognized with the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Educator Award. In addition, five Baldwin students have also been recognized at the local and national level. Jasmine Syed ’15, Sara Syed ’18, Rachael Tipperman ’15, and Hannah Tipperman ’15 were winners for the local Philadelphia affiliate competition, while Vriti Khurana ’16 was recognized as a runner up. At the national level, Hannah and Rachael Tipperman and Jasmine Syed were recognized as runners up.
Baldwin’s Grade V students participated in the BioEYES science education program through the University of Pennsylvania. The students experienced a hands-on biology unit using live zebrafish, spanning five class periods over the course of a week. Students split into small groups, set up fish tanks, and chose mating pairs of zebrafish. Over the course of the week, the girls observed zebrafish behavior and followed the development of resulting embryos. Each day, just like research scientists in the laboratory, Baldwin’s Grade V students hypothesized and tested ideas, asked questions, recorded findings, and thought critically about the impact scientific research has on our community. By the end of the program, the girls were able to observe the results, determine whether their hypotheses were correct, and discuss their understanding of dominant and recessive genes. They were also able to view the beating heart of a zebrafish larva under the microscope.
STUDENTS ATTEND DIVERSITY CONFERENCE In December, four Baldwin students attended the three-day Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) in Indianapolis, while three faculty members attended the accompanying People of Color Conference. SDLC is an inclusive, multiracial, multicultural gathering of Upper School student leaders in independent schools across the country. SDLC focuses on self-reflection, “allyship,” and community building. Led by a diverse team of trained adult and peer facilitators, the students — Danielle Foltz ’16, Sara Seyedroudbari ’16, Caroline Kiser ’17, Katie Phillips ’17 — were able to develop an appreciation of their own identities, build effective cross-cultural communication skills, better understand the nature and development of effective strategies for social justice, and practice expression through the arts, while networking with their peers. Upon their return, the students continue to develop diversity related programming as members of Baldwin’s Diversity and Inclusion Group. Faculty members who participated were Harvey Campbell, Nate’ Hall, and Gabbie Alvarez-Spychalski.
GRADE III MAKES BLANKETS FOR PROJECT LINUS Baldwin’s third grade participated in a warm and fuzzy service-learning project where they used practical skills such as measuring, planning and implementing a design to make fleece blankets to donate to those in need. The students learned about Project Linus, which organizes volunteers all around the country for the purpose of making blankets for children and teens who are in the hospital or need emergency support during a disaster. After making the blankets, the third grade planned to take a guided tour of Crozer Regional Cancer Center, so they could make a service-learning connection between their project and those who will benefit by their labors.
LS CELEBRATES BEAR DAY BEAR (Be Excited About Reading) Day is a Lower School tradition where the girls come to school complete with their favorite book, a much-loved bear and dressed in a comfortable pair of pajamas. BEAR Day is a wonderful tradition where the girls get to celebrate reading and kick off the Read For Ronald Program, which runs the month of February.
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Arts ANNUAL ALUMNAE ART SHOW AND RECEPTION Penelope Tsaltas Lisk ’77 is Baldwin’s Alumnae Artist of 2015. Her exhibition of monotypes, acrylics, and digital prints was on view in the Residence’s Fackenthal-Pethick Gallery through February 5. Penny’s work—scenes and aspects of the sea—is intimately connected to her emotions about water. As a special bonus for our current crop of art students, she included work from her Baldwin years. Her artist’s statement includes a heart-felt homage to her teachers: Susan Leshnoff, Charles Barker, Jan Pethick, and Ruth Fackenthal. Penny is well-known in the Baldwin community and is especially active behind-the-scenes in the art department. It was a pleasure to have her work out in front, gracing the walls of the Gallery.
PAFA AT BALDWIN Baldwin students were treated to a very special painting event when recent graduates of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) MFA program were here to paint portraits of four Baldwin art students. The PAFA graduates were featured in the concurrent exhibition in Baldwin’s Fackenthal-Pethick Gallery: “PAFA at Baldwin: Portraits from Life,” curated by PAFA professor Scott Noel. Noel, known to the girls as the oft-mentioned husband of Visual Arts Chair Janice Wilke, also conducted a painting workshop for five advanced Baldwin painters: Samantha Dewey ’16, Ali Thaler ’15, Sarah Elmongy ’15, Julia Busby ’15, and Laura Nguyen ’15. There was something in this event for all concerned: the young professionals painted from inimitable thinking-girl subjects, the models received their portraits, and the advanced Baldwin painters had the wonderful opportunity to work alongside serious artists and be under the guidance of a true painting master.
Photo credit: André S.F. van der Putte
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GRADE II PERFORMS “LUCKY SPOTS” The second grade dazzled their audience with their theatrical skills during the production of their play, “Lucky Spots,” which was written by Grade II Teacher Kelly McCloskey. The play centered on a cheetah who was having trouble counting her spots and needed some assistance from her furry friends. The play not only elicited many interesting facts about the various animals, but had themes of friendship and teamwork that warmed the hearts of all who attended.
LOWER SCHOOL ART SHOW The Lower School hosted its first Art Opening in the Fackenthal-Pethick Gallery in the Residence on February 11, led by LS Art Teacher Andre Teixeira. Our Baldwin artists from Pre-K – Grade V channeled their innovative energies and vivid imaginations into projects highlighting cultures from Asia, Egypt, Australia, and more. To support the cultural studies and core subjects in homeroom classrooms, LS Art has become a bastion of creative reinforcement. From scroll painting, clay sculpting, color mixing, printmaking, and optical illusions, our students have been working hard to express their creative voices and develop their skills. Andre Teixeira poses with the Winter sisters: Sara ’26 and Elena ’23.
Clockwise from bottom center: Sarah Douglas ’15, Lizzie Grubman ’15, Julia Busby ’15, Laura Nguyen ’15, Sam Dewey ’16, Pranshu Suri ’18.
Melody Yu ’20
Weiwei Wang ’16
Alicia Song ’15
Shirley Zhou ’16
SCHOLASTIC ART, WRITING WINNERS The Scholastic Art and Writing Program is a nationwide search for outstanding achievement in high school visual and literary arts. There are three levels of awards: the Gold Key, the Silver Key, and an Honorable Mention. Six Baldwin students were recognized for their creativity.
MUSICIANS MAKE BALDWIN PROUD Sarah Douglas ’15 received a Gold Key for sculpture and Samantha Dewey ’16 received a Gold Key for painting. A Silver Key was awarded to Julia Busby ’15 for painting, and Elizabeth Grubman ’15 and Samantha Dewey ’16 both received Silver Keys for sculpture. Honorable Mentions were given to Laura Nguyen ’15 for her Senior Art Portfolio, “Stories of Her;” to Samantha Dewey ’16 for painting; and to Pranshu Suri ’18 in the Creative Writing category. Pranshu submitted a collection of poems; one of them, “Mount of Wisdom,” was based on her experience in the Cathedral in Siena during the 9th grade trip to Italy. The Gold and Silver Key winners were invited to attend a special Awards Ceremony at the University of the Arts on March 7.
Melody Yu ’20 recently performed a Mozart Concerto with the renowned Philadelphia Orchestra. Melody was the winner of the Greenfield Concerto Competition for promising and extremely talented young people in the Philadelphia area. Melody’s ability to play the piano and her composure while touching the hearts of seasoned Philadelphia Orchestra musicians was extraordinary. In other big music news, Weiwei Wang ’16 has become the first Baldwin girl to earn a place at AllStates, which was held in Hershey, PA, last month. She was awarded the position of principle flutist in the Pennsylvania Music Educator Association (PMEA) Regional Band. In addition, Alicia Song ’15 won a place in the Violin I section in the PMEA Regional Orchestra Festival, and Shirley Zhou ’16 attended the Regional Chorus Festival.
MS PRESENTS LITTLE MERMAID JR. The Baldwin School Middle School Players presented Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. in early March. A talented cast and crew worked tirelessly to bring this wonderful story to life.
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Athletics BALDWIN SQUASH PROGRAM WINS TWO NATIONAL TITLES Baldwin’s Varsity and Junior Varsity squash teams each won the 2015 US Squash High School National Championship for their respective division on February 8 in Hartford, CT. The event is the largest team squash tournament in the world. The varsity team, under the direction of first-year Head Coach Jamie Macaulay, won the school’s first ever Patterson Cup by defeating eight-time Division One champions Greenwich Academy (CT). At the junior varsity level, the Baldwin team — led by first-year Head Coach Rob Wilkins — captured the Division Four championship with a convincing 6-1 win against Poly Prep (NY). “These two National Titles for the Baldwin Squash program are the ultimate athletic story about the spirit of competition, unselfish play, meticulous preparation and the belief in the power of team,” said Baldwin Director of Athletics Deb Surgi.
Row 1: Hannah Dubinski ’18, Pallavi Sreedhar ’17, Audrey Hong ’18, Pranshu Suri ’18, Sara Syed ’18, Angela Yang ’18, Natalia Schafer ’18, Varsity Assistant Coach Bruce Kelly, JV Head Coach Rob Wilkins. Row 2: Athletic Director Deb Surgi, Margaret Frantz ’17, Lolly Anapol ’16, Kristy Wong ’16, Maansi Mudgil ’18, Grace Steelman ’18, Morgan Steelman ’16, Angela Luo ’16, Sumi Mudgil ’17, Alexa Horwitz ’15, Olivia Horwitz ’16, Nicole DeLuca ’15, Varsity Head Coach Jamie Macauley, Winnie the Bear, Head of School Sally Powell.
SWIMMING FINISHES WITH A PROGRAM BEST INDOOR TRACK QUALIFIES FOR MEET OF CHAMPIONS Varsity indoor track qualified for the Meet of Champions at Lehigh University. The 4x200 and 4x400 meter relay team of Marissa McGarrey ’18, Ellie Greenberg ’16, Jen Dietrich ’17, and Myla Barnett ’18 set personal and school records. Ellie placed 16th in the 60 meter dash.
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Varsity swimming finished a program best sixth place at the 2015 Easterns Swimming and Diving Championships held at La Salle University. Co-captain and Harvard-bound Valerie Yoshimura ’15 won two silver medals in the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events. Valerie, Saranne Louth ’15, Taylor Trapp ’19, and Anna Kalandadze ’19 finished fourth in the 400 yard freestyle relay.
2015 WINTER ALL-INTER-AC LEAGUE RECIPIENTS
MAIN LINE ATHLETES OF THE WEEK Junior basketball center Danielle Hammond ’16 was selected Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week for January 11. Danielle had an impressive junior season and led the Bears to the AFS Invitational Championship as well as big wins over league rivals Agnes Irwin School and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. Valerie Yoshimura ’15 was selected Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week for February 22. She recently won gold medals in the 50 free and 100 free at the Inter-Ac League swimming championships.
COX NAMED VARSITY SOCCER HEAD COACH Adrian Cox has been named varsity soccer head coach. Cox is currently in his second year as assistant athletic director, and he coached the Middle School soccer team to an undefeated Inter-Ac League season this past fall. Cox has more than 15 years of experience as a coach at the club, high school, and college level.
VARSITY BASKETBALL WINS AFS INVITATIONAL Varsity Basketball defeated Benjamin Rush High School in the semifinals 50-20 and host Abington Friends School 45-44 to claim the championship of the Coaches vs. Cancer Invitational. Center Danielle Hammond ’16 was named MVP and forward Kayla Watkins ’16 was selected to the All-Tournament team.
Danielle Hammond ’16 (Basketball) 1st Team, Kejohna Hammond ’16 (Basketball) 2nd Team, Val Yoshimura ’15 (Swimming) 1st Team, Anna Kalandadze ’19 (Swimming) 1st Team, Sumi Mudgil ’17 (Squash) 1st Team, Alexa Horwitz ’15 (Squash) 1st Team, Angela Luo ’16 (Squash) 1st Team, Olivia Horwitz ’16 (Squash) 1st Team, Maansi Mudgil ’18 (Squash) 2nd Team and Grace Steelman ’18 (Squash) 2nd Team.
BEARS TOP AIS, EA AND GFS ON SPIRIT NIGHT Varsity swimming edged Agnes Irwin School 86-84, JV squash topped Episcopal Academy 7-2, and Varsity basketball defeated Germantown Friends 51-24 on a fun and festive Spirit Night. The school community packed the pool gallery, squash courts, and Blue Gym to cheer on the Bears to victory.
STUDENT-ATHLETES COMMIT TO COLLEGES Nine senior Baldwin student athletes have announced their intentions to participate in collegiate athletics next year: Eliza Mantelmacher (lacrosse, George Washington University), Krista Hinchman (soccer, Loyola University – Maryland), Maddie Dawkins (soccer, University of Pennsylvania), Saranne Louth (swimming, Butler University), Maddy Brill-Edwards (soccer, College of Charleston), Val Yoshimura (swimming, Harvard). Alexa Horwitz (squash, Bowdoin College) and Nicole DeLuca (squash, Dickinson College) will sign in April.
The Varsity Dance team entertains the crowd during halftime of the basketball game.
Pool gallery fans cheer for the Bears.
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LAUREN SAFT ’01
THOSE GIRLS Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2015 Those Girls highlights three girls’ comingto-age story growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Alex, Mollie, and Veronica are those girls: they’re the best of friends and the party girls of the school. But how well does everybody know them—and really, how well do they know one another? Alex is secretly in love with the boy next door and has joined a band— without telling anyone. Mollie suffers from a popular (and possibly sociopathic) boyfriend, as well as a serious mean streak. And Veronica just wants to be loved—literally, figuratively, physically … she’s not particular. Will this be the year that bonds them forever or tears them apart for good? Lauren Saft masterfully conveys what goes on in the mind of a teenage girl, and her debut novel, Those Girls is raw, honest, hilarious, and thought-provoking, with a healthy dose of heart.
MELISSA BRODER ’97
SCARECRONE Publishing Genius Press, 2014 Scarecrone —the new, powerful book from Melissa Broder—deepens her self-aware and dark brand of poetry, which The Chicago Tribune called “shrewd, funny, twisted,” through her collection of 83 poems.
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Baldwin Bookshelf JOANNE FINK ’77
MAISHA SMART ’90
ZENSPIRATIONS™ COLORING BOOK INSPIRATIONS DESIGNS TO FEED YOUR SPIRIT: CREATE, COLOR, PATTERN, PLAY!
BECOMING YOUR BEST SELF
Design Originals, 2013 Let your spirit soar with Zenspirations™ Coloring Book Inspirations Designs to Feed Your Spirit: Create, Color, Pattern, Play and the 28 uplifting and encouraging designs in this extraordinary coloring activity book. So much more than mere outlines to color, exquisite Zenspirations patterns are launching pads of endless imagination and creativity. You don’t need to have the skills of an artist to create your own masterpiece here. After your patterning is complete, go ahead and explore color! Zenspirations artist Joanne Fink reveals her easy-to-learn techniques for combining simple strokes with positive messages and playful patterns. Use Joanne’s finished examples for guidance, or try your own interesting color combinations to create wonderfully motivating and meaningful art. Printed on high quality extra-thick paper, this beautiful and inspirational book is perfect for decorating with your choice of colored pencils, markers, gel pens, or watercolors.
Create Space, 2013 Becoming Your Best Self is a memoir of personal and professional growth in the private sector corporate environment. The driver is the ambition of a curious MBA student who desired to know what really happens behind the closed doors of corporate America and in the minds of corporate leadership. What were they looking for and what did that mean to her and her corporate career? What she found were the unfiltered, universal, unwritten rules of corporate engagement that are relevant at all career phases, on all steps of the ladder, and in all corporate environments. Maisha Smart, MBA, founded Finance and Marketing to help small businesses excel, without the expensive overhead required to hire a team of MBAs. The company and corresponding blog are meant to be a service, a resource, and a touch point for expansive thought that enables burgeoning leaders to become great business people. Her first book, Becoming Your Best Self, was written in this vein, to help others become their best by sharing some of her greatest lessons learned during her time in corporate America.
JOY WIELLAND ’54
SPRING ROASTS FOR EASTER AND PASSOVER: WITH SEASONAL SIDES AND DESSERTS Joy Wielland, 2014 Spring Roasts for Easter and Passover: With Seasonal Sides and Desserts offers a variety of easy, truly delicious recipes for the traditional foods of the season: spring poultry, lamb, veal, fresh produce, and a selection of simple, but impressive desserts that can be made in advance to save time. The book also provides tips on how to beautifully decorate cakes without past experience or special equipment. Spring dinners, whether they are for a holiday or an event, are defined less by the actual recipe used than by the ingredients used to prepare them. In time of renewal, with the winter over, looking forward to the abundance of summer, it’s important to feature foods that symbolize the season. This leaves lots of room to cut loose and try new recipes. Fresh, green, young, and tender are adjectives that best describe the items of choice for these meals, and the ways they are served should reflect those qualities.
CAMILLE MATTHEWS ’68
QUINCY AND BUCK Pathfinder Equine Publications, 2014 In Quincy’s third adventure, Quincy and Buck, Quincy tries to overcome his fears about “surprises waiting for horses out on the trail” by going on his first trail ride. Quincy’s main concern is the wild animals he might meet but the real challenge turns out to be another horse. Buck, the horse he hoped would be his trail buddy and guide him, turns out to be a bully who is dangerous! Quincy learns some important things about dealing with a bully.
SARA WITTER CONNOR ’68 Quincy the Horse Books, for Kindergarten through Grade 4, help children learn about relationships. For the young reader, Quincy’s story clearly defines a bully and the associated danger while providing a comforting ending. For the older reader it explores the more complex issues of coping with adversity and how courage evolves. Quincy and Buck provides a framework for a dialogue between young children and those who want to empower them.
LYN HOPKINS THORNTHWAITE ’63
THE DEUCE AND A HALF IPAD: AN EDUCATOR’S GUIDE FOR BRINGING DISCOVERY, ENGAGEMENT, UNDERSTANDING, AND CREATIVITY INTO EDUCATION Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2014 iPads are powerful tools for engaging students, encouraging creativity, stimulating critical thinking, and making significant strides in learning. The Deuce and a Half iPad: An Educator’s Guide for Bringing Discovery, Engagement, Understanding, and Creativity into Education is part of a twobook set that allows educators to realize the full potential of the iPad. More than 200 highly rated apps are covered with specific ideas for classroom activities and teaching strategies. Descriptions include ideas for using iPads in classrooms where each student owns an iPad, as well as where there is just a small number of iPads or even just a single device. The information in this book is appropriate for K-12 teachers, university professors, media specialists, K-12 administrators, parents, and students.
WISCONSIN’S FLYING TREES IN WORLD WAR II: A VICTORY FOR AMERICAN FOREST PRODUCTS AND ALLIED AVIATION The History Press, 2014 Wisconsin’s trees heard “Timber!” during World War II, as the forest products industry of the Badger State played a key role in the Allied aerial campaign. It was Wisconsin that provided the material for the De Havilland Mosquito, known as the “Timber Terror,” while the CG-4A battle-ready gliders, cloaked in stealthy silence, carried the 82nd and 101st Airborne into fierce fighting throughout Europe and the Pacific. Sara Witter Connor follows a forgotten thread of the American war effort, celebrating the factory workers, lumberjacks, pilots, and innovative thinkers of the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory who helped win a world war with paper, wood, and glue.
HAVE YOU WRITTEN A BOOK? If so, please contact Nova Morgan, donor stewardship manager, at nmorgan@baldwinschool.org.
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In late November, emails were sent to Baldwin alumnae inviting them to participate in an online survey developed by Connor Associates, in collaboration with Baldwin administrators. The information gathered not only provides a glimpse of Baldwin’s ability to prepare its girls for what lies ahead but affirms the work of those who have dedicated themselves to the success of Baldwin girls of yesterday and today. All responses, comments, and suggestions are being shared with the appropriate leadership so Baldwin may continue to grow as a community and School.
Alumnae 96% 95%
Stacking Up Against Baldwin’s Mission and Philosophy Statement
are proud to say they went to Baldwin.
91% agreed that Baldwin aspires to cultivate in its students the desire
“I was always proud to say I went to Baldwin, and certainly developed a lot of self-confidence.”
1942 Alumna
“Baldwin was what made my life up to this point so filled with passion. I am so proud of my school.”
2013 Alumna
99% said the overall quality of a Baldwin education is excellent or good. “I discovered the joy of learning. The two years I was at Baldwin (as a boarder) were the most formative of my life and enabled me to enter Wellesley.”
rated their experience at Baldwin as very high or high.
to remain learners throughout their lives, the compassion to extend themselves to others, and the strength of character to act on their beliefs.
96%
86%
agreed that Baldwin develops talented girls into confident young women with vision, global understanding, and competency to make enduring contributions to the world.
said that Baldwin developed their self-reliance and confidence. “Baldwin was the perfect place for the shy girl I used to be to gain selfconfidence. Through Baldwin I realized that anything I set my mind to was achievable, and it allowed me to develop an intellectual curiosity that I believe would have been stunted anywhere else.”
“I learned how to become an effective leader who was respected and listened to, which was definitely not the case when I started.” 1953 Alumna
96%
agreed that Baldwin taught them to think critically, reason analytically, and solve problems.
92% agreed Baldwin better prepared them for college compared
2012 Alumna
to other new college students they met. “Baldwin taught me critical thinking/analysis and product organization skills that were unparalleled and sometimes lacking in fellow Harvard classmates.”
1947 Alumna
1962 Alumna
ALUMNAE FROM NEARLY EIGHT DECADES RESPONDED, EAGER TO SHARE THEIR BALDWIN EXPERIENCE WITH THE SCHOOL. 1940s << 3% 14
12% 1950s
“Thanks to Baldwin's supportive environment, I emerged from high school a confident young woman who found herself well prepared to engage in the college classroom and pursue her passions.”
18% 1960s
2010 Alumna
14% 1970s
Thank you to everyone who responded.
Baldwin Young Alumnae Top Colleges Attended by Classes of 2010-2014
What did you appreciate most about your Baldwin experience?
1. University of Pennsylvania 2. Brown University 3. Temple University 4. University of Michigan 5. Yale University 6. Northwestern University 7. Columbia University
“The faculty were some of the most confident, interesting, powerful, inspiring women I've ever met. As role models, they gave me the template for who I could become, and as teachers, they gave me the ability to do so.”
Undergraduate Degrees Most Frequently Reported:
“The incredible teachers, the boundless resources and avenues for learning, the individual attention, the friendships, and the traditions.”
1. Engineering and Science 2. English 3. Biology 4. Psychology 5. Anthropology 6. Education 7. Economics 8. Mathematics 9. Business Administration 10. Neuroscience
92%
graduated undergraduate college in 4 years or less.
77%
are attending or plan to attend graduate school.
12% 1980s
1975 Alumna
1996 Alumna
“Baldwin gave me so many opportunities to be a wellrounded student. I have seen many students who excel academically, but they have no experience with arts, athletics, leadership, or community service the way that my Baldwin classmates do. I value the way that no student at Baldwin is one dimensional, which creates a unique and interesting atmosphere in which to learn.”
Since graduating, What are you most proud of? “Interning at the White House.” 2012 Alumna
“Setting up a non-profit in Harlem and participating on two young leadership boards of prominent Jewish organizations.” 2006 Alumna
“Raising six children to be participating citizens who have integrity.” 1944 Alumna
“Applying to Columbia and Berkeley PhD programs, each with only one open position, and being accepted to both.” 2001 Alumna
“Getting a BFA in my thirties after discovering my creative side.” 1964 Alumna
“Coming out and teaching a class on working with Gay and Lesbian clients at the U.N.H. Master’s in Family Therapy Program.” 1971 Alumna
“Founding a new technology product line and helping to take a company through an initial public offering (IPO) successfully.” 1990 Alumna
“Having children and becoming the LA Bureau Chief for Forbes.” 1989 Alumna
“Improving the New York Law Journal as its editor-in-chief.” 1968 Alumna
2010 Alumna
To receive a complete report of survey results, email alumnae@baldwinschool.org.
13% 1990s
17% 2000s
11% 2010-2014
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The Baldwin alumnae community is filled with successful doctors, lawyers, and CEOs of large companies, but it is just as important to recognize the amazing alumnae educators who guide and enable each child to achieve these celebrated successes. Lisa Ameisen ’76 is not only an alumna, a parent of two alumnae and a former trustee; she’s an accomplished and respected member of Baldwin’s history department.
A LIFELONG EDUCATOR:
Dedicated to OpeningMinds By Noelle Fabrizio She came to Baldwin in 7th grade and immersed herself in all the School had to offer. A member of the Class of 1976, Lisa played three varsity sports, sang in the chorus, performed in multiple plays, and was a member of the Hourglass and Prism staffs. During her senior year, she was the captain of both the tennis and the field hockey teams. “The thing that was incredible about Baldwin, and still is, was the tremendous exposure to all kinds of activities,” she shared.
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A former chair of the History Department and Dean of the Middle School, Lisa said there were always leadership opportunities at Baldwin for students and she loved that she could try out many different things to figure out what she was interested in. Lisa headed to Bryn Mawr College to study anthropology after graduating from Baldwin, feeling her education had fully prepared her for what was next. “We were very grounded in fundamentals,” she explained. “Baldwin girls knew how to read critically, knew how to write, knew how to debate, and felt confident in their ability to express themselves in any manner.” Lisa did well at Bryn Mawr and had her undergraduate thesis published. She believes that because of her Baldwin background, she was ready for college and was able to have fun with her major. The more she became exposed to anthropology, the more she began to think it was something that would be beneficial to teach to kids earlier. “The whole idea of how you view the world and your place in the world is something that is really important for kids to get at an early age, before they are really set in their ways,” Lisa explained. Following in the footsteps of many Baldwin women before her, Lisa was finding herself more and more interested in becoming an educator. She first became inspired to pursue teaching as a result of an anthropology class as an undergraduate. “This course totally changed my perspective and interest. It gave me an understanding about how to be part of a larger world and how not to think ethnocentrically. When you understand others, you understand more about yourself,” she said. During a meeting with her thesis advisor, Lisa shared her interest in teaching, but that she felt college students already had a sense of what they thought the world was all about and she would prefer to work with younger children. She and the
“I wanted to really give young kids exposure to cultures from all around the world...”
advisor laughed at the idea because at that time, there weren’t many opportunities to teach anthropology to 12-year-olds. Lisa graduated from Bryn Mawr College cum laude with an AB in anthropology in 1984 and earned her master’s in 1985. While pursuing her PhD, she connected with Baldwin’s Middle School Director, Ruth Fiesel ’38, at a conference. Through their conversation, Ruth shared with Lisa that she would love to have her come back to Baldwin to share her anthropological perspective and do some type of major curriculum development. Lisa was surprised, but intrigued. She knew that Baldwin had provided her with a great education, but she also understood that there was one thing missing from the curriculum - a more global, non-western point of view. She listened as Ruth explained that they were looking for someone to bring a broader perspective to the middle school students and she felt that Lisa could provide students with a more thoughtful and cohesive understanding. Although she was working on her PhD at the time, Ruth had made Lisa a job offer she couldn’t refuse and in 1986, she returned to Baldwin as a faculty member excited about what was next. “I wanted to really give young kids exposure to cultures from all around the world and let them see humans for all of their similarities and enable them to better understand the differences,” she said.
Teaching a class of students and alumnae during Alumnae Weekend in 2011.
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Lisa practices with the varsity basketball team in 1976 (left); Lisa and a group of her current students (center); Lisa poses with daughter Savanna Stanton-Ameisen ’13 and husband Jim Stanton after being named the Rosamond Cross Teaching Chair in 2011 (right).
Lisa said Ruth was a major influence on her and someone she could go to for advice as she developed a curriculum for the Middle School. She also credited her advisor at Bryn Mawr College, Professor Phil Kilbride, with helping influence her decision to pursue the position with Baldwin. “Phil was intrigued by the idea that we could provide an exposure for young kids to anthropology,” she remembered. “Over the years, he and I would talk about how I would introduce the same concept with 6th graders that he did with his college students. It was an exciting sort of partnership in that regard.” A lifelong educator, Lisa took on other teaching opportunities including teaching for six years at night through The Wagner Free Institute of Science in Philadelphia, which offers free education to adults who would not otherwise have the opportunity. Prior to coming to teach at Baldwin, Lisa had worked as a teaching assistant at Bryn Mawr College and as a substitute at a variety of local schools. Lisa credits her Baldwin education with instilling values that enabled her to achieve success. “One of the most important values that I got from my Baldwin education was an understanding of people and the strength of a diverse community,” she shared. Lisa said that her time at Baldwin was not nearly as diverse as it is today, but that it led her to develop an understanding of how important being with all kinds of people is to one’s own growth, which she said was invaluable to her. And, like so many other alumnae, Lisa said Baldwin made her into a lifelong learner. “Whether it’s talking about a book I just read or being exposed to a new idea, knowing that that process is something 18
that sustains me, and that I need to continue throughout my life, came from Baldwin,” she explained. It is those same values that Lisa hopes to pass on to the many Baldwin girls she teaches every day in her classroom. She said Baldwin girls are the most engaged, curious, interesting, and original kinds of students and that she learns as much from them as they learn from her. “Being in the classroom here is always a two way street,” Lisa said. “There is no ‘sage on the stage.’ I can have an incredible discussion with an 11, 12 or 18-year-old and I can come away feeling I learned a lot from the experience.” Having once been in their shoes, Lisa is able to offer a unique perspective when relating to her students. She encourages them to take advantage of what Baldwin has to offer and to be present in everything they do. “Take risks. Embrace the failures,” she said. “And know that success will come when you work hard and give your best.” Lisa is a product of her words. She’s proud to be a Baldwin alumnae, sharing with a smile, that Baldwin women are the most fun group of women to be around because they are loud, challenging, bold and so smart. She expressed the importance of supporting Baldwin because the closeness that Baldwin women feel for one another and the friendships that develop over time sustain women’s lives as they move beyond Baldwin. Lisa emphasized that as an all-girls institution, it is essential that we have the resources we need to do the best job we can do because with these resources, there’s no limit to what we can provide. A role model for her students, Lisa is just one of the many examples of Baldwin’s
successful alumnae. In 2011, she received the highest honor that Baldwin can bestow on a faculty member when she was named the Rosamond Cross Teaching Chair for her enduring tribute to the quality of teaching at Baldwin. Established in 1990 in honor of Baldwin’s fourth Head of School, it is presented every two years to a full-time faculty member who has made an outstanding contribution in his or her work to the School community and/or to the broader field of education. Sally Powell announced the recognition at an assembly as part of Alumnae Weekend and as Lisa made her way to the podium to accept, an enthusiastic audience of students, faculty, staff, and alumnae responded with a prolonged standing ovation. Beyond the classroom, Lisa is the VicePresident of the Alumnae Association, which she said means a great deal to her. Outside of Baldwin, she is one of the founding board members and currently an emeritus board member of the Philadelphia-area Multicultural Resource Center. Within Baldwin’s alumnae community are numerous high-profile success stories and although there may not be as much glory associated with being an educator, it is just as important to support and honor those who choose to be teachers and enable us all to reach our fullest potential. “Although the rewards for teachers aren’t tangible in the same way as other professions,” Lisa said, “it’s the relationships you build with your students and the difference you can make in one child’s life that make it worth it.” Noelle Fabrizio is Baldwin’s Marketing and Communications Assistant.
By Elsa Jensen Rector â&#x20AC;&#x2122;58 My Baldwin sixth grade teacher, Miss Barr, and my experience in her class that year is what I might call the genesis of my journey to writing this article. She made me aware of the whole world and that there were people in this world in need. As a class project, we adopted a little girl somewhere who needed financial support in order to simply live. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think any of us had any idea of the poverty that existed, at least not to the extent that life itself was in peril. My mother volunteered at Coatesville Hospital. She was on the Board, oversaw the nursing students, and worked in the gift shop. Sometimes I would tag along with her. The hospital and medicine in general fascinated me, but it would be a long time before my interest would produce any fruit.
MAKING A
DIFFERENCE: MY MEDICAL MISSION Dr. Tom Tilbury from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, a cardiologist, examines one of the patients in the clinic, which is actually a school room. Behind the sheets is the operating room. Another doctor, an orthopedist, is working in the background (top). Me and one of my recipients (middle). These children are recipients of the good work being done by the medical missions (above).
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On May 8, 1972, I had a brain tumor (meningioma) removed. I had two young children at the time, a 50 percent chance of living through the surgery, and a 95 percent chance of being blind. A fall while skiing in Vail, CO, is what most likely caused the osteomyelitis in my skull that was diagnosed in 1987. I needed five surgeries to cure the infection and to put me back together again. Because of this infection I met a doctor who influenced me greatly.
One day I was walking down the corridor on the seventh floor of Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ, with one of my doctors, Stephen Beals. We had our arms around each other’s waists, and he was telling me about his medical missions to help children with cranio-facial malformations. A light went on, and I knew that is what I wanted to do. Everything came together, and I knew that I wanted to be a medical missionary. My first medical mission was in 2001. It was to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to set up base medical records for boys in an orphanage, El Hogar. I was the first person each boy would see, and I would take his basic information. Yes, I did have a translator because at the time I spoke no Spanish. On the fourth day of the trip I went out to a medical site that we had set up in the Honduran countryside. I was assigned to the pharmacy and without any training became a pharmacy assistant. I have returned to Honduras several times, but right now the people who put the mission together consider it too dangerous to go. So now I focus on the St. Barnabas/Mayo medical mission that goes to Ensenada, Mexico, each July. To see what we do and where we go, view our video at http://youtu.be/mKX6s2J0q7E. 20
You can see the back of my head at 5.58 assisting Dr. Mike Maxwell in performing his first surgery on his first trip with the mission. We were in an unfinished church. There was nothing there that looked anything like an operating room. We had a church pew, pillows and blankets, and basic surgical needs (Lidocaine, surgical needles, scalpels, etc.). A woman had come in with a tumor behind her left ear. I asked Dr. Mike if I could assist him in the surgery. “Sure!” The hardest part was getting into the sterile gloves without contaminating them. I made it on the third pair. We laid the woman on the pew, supported her to make her comfortable, and went to work. Our only light came through the window. Little children hung over the pew to watch the surgery with utter fascination! And, no, I am not a registered nurse, nor had I ever done anything like that before.
The actual medical clinic lasts four days. On my most recent trip, we treated 1,526 patients. We have graduated from individual vans traveling in tandem to a 45’ motor coach that is a virtual hospital on wheels: Pharmacy, ob/gyn, ophthalmology, psychiatry, pediatrics, internal medicine, dental care, gifts for our patients (soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, t-shirts, hats, etc.), entertainment for children, minor surgery, and more. We go to four locations. The most poignant location for me is Ojos Negros in the middle of the Baja. In this very poor farming community we treat the indigenous people of Indian descent. It is here that my heart lingers. It is this town that I think about when I come home. It is from my experience here that the Ensenada Baby Boutique took form. These people have so little!
I gave a teddy bear to this man who lost his legs to diabetes and is crippled with arthritis. This is the last day of the mission and almost everything is gone.
Mario, a member of the team, gets up each morning and makes rice and bean burritos to take to the patients and their families who have no extra money to feed their loved one in the hospital. Here he poses with translator Honori DeReza. The mother of this little girl is so delighted with her daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new dress she puts it on over the clothes she already is wearing (below).
While in Ojos Negros, I gave this pregnant woman a bag of helpful and needed items.
This is what poverty looks like, only approximately two miles from luxurious hotels. This seems to be a miniature chapel, which is a common sight. (bottom).
My husband Fred and I counted or repackaged all the over the counter (OTC) medications in the white boxes. This is just a small part of what we do.
This rock is outside Pastor Reubenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s church and is a precious symbol for all of the missionaries (top). Many people donate toys for the mission. Here I'm giving a teddy bear to a little boy with cerebral palsy (above).
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They are grateful for a bag of rice and a bag of beans. I thought how much they would love to have some pretty clothes for their babies. Through social media, I asked my friends and family for gently used clothes for babies up to about a year old. The response was overwhelming! I asked the manager of our local Albertsons to donate some pretty grocery bags to use to give the clothes to the mothers. Yes! A group of women at another church made teddy bears. Each bag had one on top. The motor coach became my “store.” Another volunteer
Two angels who help us accomplish our mission are Olga (left) and Graciela (right). Every morning at 8 a.m., the team in Ensenada gathers for prayer, to get centered for the day ahead, and to exchange pertinent medical information.
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became my assistant. The driver became my “store” guardian. We hunted down babies and pregnant woman as if our lives depended on it! The joy on the faces of the mothers when I handed them a bag was all the reward I needed. July is better than Christmas! Another need in Ensenada is food in the hospitals. Mario, one of the saints in our Ensenada contingent, gets up in the morning and makes rice and bean burritos to take to the patients and their families who have no extra money to feed their loved one in the hospital. Plus, most are working, so there is no time for hospital visits. I make artisan style necklaces and decided to make one for the trip to raffle off to raise money for Mario. I usually raise enough money for him to buy three months of supplies. He told me the first time that I gave him the money that he would be giving the food in remembrance of my son, Niels, who died in 2003. I needed to find a tissue very quickly! So, how has Baldwin helped me to do this? Because we were taught that we, as Baldwin graduates, could do anything! Somewhere along the line, we were also taught that it is never too late. Although I have been involved in charity work for years, being a medical missionary is my passion. I started doing it when most people were retiring. For three months, or so, each year our home is covered with baby clothes. My husband, Fred, and I count and repackage hundreds of thousands of OTC medications and vitamins. We collect and inventory toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap (no Irish Spring, please!). Most of this comes from the congregation of St. Barnabas. Last year, though, we came up short. The Wednesday before we were to leave we realized we needed 500 more tubes of toothpaste. I had an appointment with my doctor, Ruchir Patel, after this disastrous realization. My blood pressure was up! When I told him why, he wrote me a check to cover the cost of the 500 tubes of toothpaste. The manager, Jeff, at Albertsons, managed to gather all 500 for me, neatly packaged, with money to spare to give to Mario.
Yes, there are many more stories. An example is the poor children in Honduras who die because they cannot get proper dental care. Their teeth abscess, causing infection that can become septic. And then there is watching the children who accompany us on our trips grow, children of the missionaries, becoming prepared to take over when we can no longer go. I love seeing the interaction of people from two different worlds who do not speak each other’s language but communicate with a smile or a touch. I love seeing extraordinary medical generosity when a particularly difficult case comes our way.
At last I have realized the most important thing Baldwin taught me to do, which has made all of this possible: Speak up! I am not afraid to talk, to ask, or to question because that was expected of us. I feel that I live my life in Technicolor because I’m not afraid to say what I need to say. To all the young women who are currently attending Baldwin, know that your experience at Baldwin will prepare you for just about anything that comes along. I never would have dreamed of the path I have come to walk! However, I cannot count the times I have reached deep inside me and back many years to find the confidence to do what has been, is, and will be set before me. I am very grateful to Miss Barr, my mother, and especially Baldwin. We are such fortunate women to have the Baldwin experience. Elsa Jensen Rector ’58 has been a medical missionary since 2001 and will travel again to Ensenada, Mexico, in July.
CLOSINGTHOUGHTS English teacher Olive Ledlie has spent the last 30 years making a difference in the lives of Baldwin students. Here, Olive reflects on her experiences as she prepares to retire.
What led you to Baldwin?
the supportive atmosphere
I came to Baldwin quite by
of the female working
accident in the fall of 1985,
environment. My sons
the result of the efforts of
were 11 and 5 then, and the
three outstanding women:
unquestioned assumption
Head of the Upper School
at Baldwin that one could
Nancy Kelly, Head of the
simultaneously not only be
English Department Judy Lile,
a responsible, caring mother,
and Head of School Blair
but also a committed
Stambaugh. I had been
professional woman was
Olive gathers with her Grade XI English class.
teaching at Villanova for
new to me in the workplace.
Admissions, and I have read the US English placement tests
What have you learned at Baldwin?
for 25 years! But a few of those
I have learned, to paraphrase
me if I would be interested in
What positions have you held over the years?
positions were especially
the Romantic poet, Shelley,
teaching English at Baldwin.
I have always taught
rewarding and have had an
that teachers (not “poets” as
I had never considered
Upper School English—
enduring impact on the
Shelley claimed) “are the
11 years before Nancy (a neighborhood friend) asked
teaching in a high school.
any combination of 9th
School, including creating
unacknowledged legislators
After reflecting for a few days,
through 12th grade. Each
and running the mentoring
of the world.” Each day a
I called Nancy to tell her “no
grade level has different needs
program, serving as Chair of
teacher has an opportunity
thank you” for her kind offer.
and attractions, but I confess
the English department for
to influence a student to be
However, she persuaded me
to being particularly fond of
12 years (2000-2012), and
a better person—not just
to come into school to meet
my 9th graders, who come
creating the English senior
academically, of course—but
Judy, the chair of the English
with lots of expectations and
elective program in 2001.
in a myriad of ways. What a
department. After a wonderful
resolve into the Upper School.
hour-long talk with Judy,
It’s exciting and challenging
mostly about how much we
to initiate them into the
What is your favorite teaching moment?
both loved Virginia Woolf’s
opportunities and
It’s very hard to pick just one,
day, I see little snapshots of the
Mrs. Dalloway, I agreed to
responsibilities of high school,
but I always delight in seeing
close bond that exists between
embark on this adventure.
and to see them beginning
the pleasure and engagement
students and their teachers. As
Nancy, Judy, and Blair were
to blossom into the young
on students’ faces when I use
I leave Baldwin, I will take
all immensely supportive and
women they will become.
some of the many stuffed
away the sure knowledge that
encouraging mentors to me as
I have also enjoyed developing
animals and other objects on
its bright, dedicated teachers
I navigated my way through
many new electives for the
my desk to dramatize a scene
will continue the excellence in
the challenges of a new
seniors, who are endlessly
from a novel, play, or poem.
learning and caring that is the
working environment.
open to their teachers sharing
For example, my letter opener
heart of Baldwin.
Within three months of
their intellectual passions
has killed many a pig in Lord
teaching here, I had fallen in
with them.
of the Flies or chopped off
love with my colleagues and
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responsibility! What an
Gawain’s head in Sir Gawain
opportunity! What a privilege! And here at Baldwin, every
What lessons do you hope your students remember?
students, and knew I had
I have been on many
and the Green Knight. Some
Joseph Campbell, the great
made the right choice. I was
committees, such as Council,
of Baldwin’s alumnae will
cultural anthropologist, said it
particularly impressed with
Academic Council, and
remember these vivid episodes!
best: “Follow your bliss.”
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