Oak Leaves Spring 2010

oakleaves Spring 2010

Learning for the Love of it: AFS Students Follow Their Bliss Alumni in the World Archive Scrapbook Class Notes

the AFS

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in this issue 10

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26

Learning for the Love of it

Life at AFS:

Six Month Scrapbook

Alumni in the World

Alumni Events

Archive Scrapbook

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Class Notes

31

In Memoriam

Oak Leaves is a publication of the AFS Development and Communications Offices.

Richard F. Nourie Debbie Stauffer Jon Harris Judy Hill Gabrielle Giddings Jenny Bornholdt Hammond ’86

Head of School Associate Head of School Assistant Head for Institutional Advancement Director of Communications, Editor Assistant Director of Development Director of Alumni Affairs

Peapod Design David DeBalko

Publication Design Cover Photo

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letter from the

head of school If teachers are the heart of the AFS community, then our students are surely its lifeblood. In their fresh encounters with the curriculum, each other and life itself, they richly energize our community, surprising us often with their insight, compassion, resilience and ability. All of us who teach do so because of a common love of ideas, learning and a passion for sharing those gifts in others.

But what truly sustains us as teachers are the many ways in which our lives are enriched by our students.

In this issue of Oak Leaves, we take a close look at several AFS students because our students as learners are at the very center of what we experience everyday at AFS. Because AFS is such a distinctly encouraging, empowering place for children, our community hums with their initiative and ambitious ideas. We take students seriously– we listen to them, argue with them, help them grow ideas into reality and have a profound respect for them, for who they are and who they can be. In return, in this environment of relative freedom and informality, our students respond to our very high expectations of their engagement and respect for each other, the work at hand and their teachers. In our main feature in this issue, you’ll meet students who represent a community of amazing young people who are empowered by this community and our vision for education, who in turn greatly enrich this place.

In preface to this issue, I’d like to lift up Meeting for Worship as a central and particularly meaningful place in our students’ lives. It is a gift of space for reflection, exploration and deep sharing that has been particularly meaningful in our Upper School this year. Our students’ lives are busy. They carry an ambitious academic load in which they read and write significantly more than their peers in many other schools and they are passionately involved in the arts, athletics and service. Their world is hyper-connected, with very little space that is free from the reach of friends and entertainment. Meeting for

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OAK LEAVES SPRING

2010

physics, in all the vast knowledge we have of how the universe works, to explain any of the true mysteries of the cosmos. The meeting ended with the powerful testimony of a ninth grade girl, which began with some thoughts tinged with shy humor and led to an inspired declaration that each of us is a miracle, that our ability to know each other is a miracle, that we should treasure the ever present miracle of the sacredness of daily life with each other.

“We take students seriously–we listen to them, argue with them, help them grow ideas into reality and have a profound respect for them, for who they are and who they can be.�

Worship is a uniquely quiet, familiar and welcome space in their busy weeks.

This year, Upper School students have been richly reflecting and sharing their lives and ideas in this well-worn space of the Meeting House. We have a senior class this year that is particularly well-connected with the other classes in Upper School, making for a wealth of relationships and an encouragement of many voices. Students have been exploring profound themes over the last several months, from death and loss to friendship and the unpredictability of everyday life. The emotional and intellectual

range has been wide, from shared sorrows and tears to the leavening that only the sharp sense of teenage humor, silliness and irony can bring.

In a meeting this winter, a senior stood to speak of the juxtaposition of the horrors of the earthquake in Haiti with the miracles that were happening there every day as people were being found and rescued in situations that had seemed utterly hopeless.

From there, many students shared reflections on the theme of miracles, from unexplained graces and improbable recoveries among family to the limits of

In another recent meeting that was filled with shared testimony about family, a junior girl closed the meeting by sharing a recent late night conversation with her father. First, she remarked that she was really enjoying a new depth of relationship with her dad which was opening up in nighttime conversations in the kitchen. He had said something particularly meaningful to her that she wanted to share with everyone. He had shared with her that at her age, there was a strong impulse to fall in love with a person, with a cause, with a passion. But he cautioned her that most objects of our even fierce love can be transitory in our lives, particularly as teenagers. He shared with her that his hope for her was that she first fell in love with her own soul. It was a beautiful message.

And so our lives are enriched in many ways by the students who so fully inhabit them.

What a gift we have in a community that allows for such rich sharing and connection.

It provides a deep foundation for a life of both meaning and accomplishment.

Rich Nourie Head of School

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life at AFS:

month scrapbook Halloween Âť Every year our students (and teachers) arrive at the annual Halloween parade in dazzlingly creative attire. This year we welcomed hot dogs, skeletons, the Mona Lisa and the Mad Hatter, among others. Meanwhile, over at the Early Childhood Division, the Fall Fair was in full swing, with wagon rides, easel painting and plenty of games.

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LIFE AT AFS : SIX MONTH SCRAPBOOK

Âť

Spelling Bee

Upper School actors and tech crew took on The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for its fall musical production. Can you spell H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S? The audience in the Muller greeted this comedic tour de force with side splitting laughter. The production was also nominated in six categories in the Philadelphia Cappies (Critics and Awards Programs for High School Theater).

november 5

Marshall Concert For a change of pace, we welcomed a capella group Dischord to perform the annual Marshall Concert in honor of the memory of Diana Parks Marshall ’61 and her mother, Virda Parks Marshall. In an eclectic program, the group sang songs by Taylor Swift,

Winterfest

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Michelle Branch and others.

The entire school community packed into the Hallowell Gym for this beloved AFS tradition.

Middle Schoolers helped our youngest students decorate a tree and a Hannukah table. Lower School students sang seasonal songs, the jazz band kept the tempo up and our Upper Schoolers performed skits and recited the traditional Winterfest poem.

Santa Lucia Celebration » Early Childhood Teacher Jeanette McLaughlin led her students in a traditional Santa Lucia Day procession of her native Sweden. Jeanette took the role of Santa Lucia, accompanied by maidens in white dresses adorned with silver tinsel, a gingerbread boy and dancing elves.

december 6

LIFE AT AFS : SIX MONTH SCRAPBOOK

january Haiti Relief Âť Students throughout the School responded to the devastating earthquake in Haiti by holding fundraisers of various kinds. Sixth graders baked cookies in the Meeting House kitchen and held a bake sale, while 10th graders brought in confections and sold them to their classmates during break.

Donations were also collected during athletic contests in the Hallowell, and a group of seniors launched a taskforce where they took on household chores for AFS families to raise money.

Âť

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

Korean Students Visit AFS For four weeks, AFS hosted 20 visiting students from South Korea. The students joined classes in Lower and Middle School every morning and spent afternoons studying English. During their stay, the students stayed with host families, several from within our own community.

For the second year in a row, more than 300 community members gathered on January 19 for a morning of service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. The day began in the Meeting House with songs and poems presented by students.

Volunteers then dispersed to numerous different service projects, some on campus and some in the surrounding community.

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Arts Day »

Snow Football

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Every other year, AFS comes together as a community to celebrate a particular facet of the arts. This year we focused on women in the arts, with a performance by African American dance ensemble Kulu Mele and a recreation of Judy Chicago’s famous Dinner Party installation in the Stewart Lobby. The table settings, which represented notable female artists, were made by students in Early Childhood, Middle and Upper school and paid homage to such diverse artists as Frida Kahlo, Julie Andrews, Joni Mitchell and Maya Angelou.

Colonial Job Fair

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With many inches of snow on the ground, we took the opportunity to play snow football with students in the Middle School.

Yes, it was cold, but boy was it fun!

The fourth grade hosted a colonial job fair, transforming their classrooms into a bustling Colonial Job Fair, with cabinetmakers, seamstresses, ship builders and more explaining their trades in impressive detail to an enthusiastic crowd of Lower School students and visiting parents.

Lower School Spirit Day « Lower School children were invited to cheer on the Girls’ Basketball team at a home game in the Hallowell. Half time games, an appearance by the Roo and cheers led by our AFS pep squad all added to the excitement.

february

Pirates of Penzance « The Middle School production of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera The Pirates of Penzance entertained and engaged audiences with its lively word play, farcical plot turns and stirring tunes.

PRIDE Assembly

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march Upper School PRIDE presented a special assembly to celebrate Black History Month.

With a lively lineup including poetry, dance and monologues, the students celebrated the achievements of a diverse selection of African Americans.

Red Line Sax Quartet « Students in three of our divisions had a special musical treat when the classically trained Red Line Saxophone Quartet visited campus to play some of their extraordinarily diverse repertoire and to work with our student musicians in several masterclasses.

Candlelight Dinner « Juniors and seniors gathered before Spring Break for Candlelight Dinner, an annual rite of passage where seniors pass the torch of leadership to the junior class at a moving ceremony in the Meeting House preceded by a dinner in honor of the Upper School faculty.

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learning FOR THE love of it AFS STUDENTS FOLLOW THEIR BLISS

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n last fall’s Oak Leaves we focused on our faculty and the myriad ways they are inspired to extend their professional development at AFS. We wrote about a faculty “on fire” with the possibilities of lifelong learning; through critical friends groups, a multicultural pedagogy project and a lively technology cohort. For this issue we decided to turn the spotlight on our amazing student population and share with our readers some of the ways students use the resources around them to pursue their passions and discover lasting interests.

That’s where the dilemma began. Who would we feature? Step into any classroom on campus and you will find young people taking initiative, actively seeking what they need to accomplish their goals and digging deep into the areas that reward their growing sense of themselves as learners, thinkers and leaders.

AFS is uncommonly rich in experiential learning opportunities that allow students to take ownership of their work and develop a powerful sense of agency and possibility. This begins as young as Early Childhood with its emergent curriculum approach where the eagerly expressed interests of our youngest students become the core of each unit, expanding in an organic way as the children’s curiosity and enthusiasm steers the learning in different directions. It continues in Lower School, where the nurturing and development of each student’s individual voice is central to the curriculum and opportunities for public speaking and performance are intentionally built into the school day. In Middle School, students embark on independent science projects that give them freedom to explore ideas and educate their peers, while eighth grade independent study (EGIS) project launches students on a months-long investigation into a topic of their own interest, be it blacksmithing or sushi making, writing a rap song or learning the tango.

In Upper School, opportunities for independent learning multiply, with students encouraged to follow their burgeoning interests through the curriculum and beyond. If a subject beckons them but does not appear on the course list, often students can work with a

teacher to get the resources and instruction they need. Our high schoolers have completed Independent Studies in Portuguese, engineering design, Scottish literature and 20th-century totalitarian regimes, to mention a few. The Senior Independent Project offers a culminating experience where students on the cusp of graduating leave campus to learn more about an area of the working world that fascinates them. Our soon-to-be-graduates have rebuilt houses after Hurricane Katrina, worked in the wardrobe department of the Pennsylvania Ballet and shadowed a forensic scientist. And that’s just for starters.

Our students also connect with experiences both within and beyond AFS through our innovative ECCO (Exploring, Connecting, Committing to Opportunity) program.

Working in partnership with advisors, teachers, students and parents, Marnie Christian, the director of the ECCO program, connects students to summer study and enrichment programs, internships, travel opportunities and other ways to complement and extend their academic program. Launched in 2008, ECCO has already yielded a rich variety of student experiences, including homestays in Chile and Argentina, photojournalism study in

France and participation in WHYY’s Young Journalist’s Camp.

At AFS we believe in the benefits of experiential learning as a powerful way to develop initiative, engagement and leadership. We believe it because we see what happens when you open up possibilities beyond the walls of the classroom.

We see students who are alive with curiosity, confident in their ability to take effective action and eager to reach for new challenges.

All the students you will meet on these pages are active, fully engaged learners who are living their lives with, energy, conviction and joyful curiosity. Some have gone above and beyond on independent projects in the classroom. Others, with the encouragement of their teachers and advisors, have found their voices on issues that matter to them and discovered leadership skills they hadn’t known they possessed. Still others have sought out extra challenges, using lunch breaks, weekends and vacations to pursue their dreams. We are enriched by all that they bring to our community, and they in turn gain from the varied gifts and talents of those around them.

We share these students’ stories knowing that they are just the tip of the iceberg, a few among many, many students who every day inspire those of us who spend our days at AFS. They are the reason we feel confident saying that we prepare our students not only for outstanding college careers, but also for lives fully lived. These students are not passively receiving instruction. Far from it! They are following their passions, reaching for new experiences and welcoming every day with a sense of purpose and meaning.

“ACTIVE, FULLY ENGAGED LEARNERS… living their lives with, energy, conviction, and joyful curiosity.”

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Want to know what EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION looks like?

Meet some of our INSPIRING STUDENTS.

ELISABETH Lugano 12th Grade

An AFS student since PreK, senior Elisabeth Lugano is fascinated by science. She thinks she’d like to be a doctor, and to test out that hunch she took part in Drexel University’s highly competitive Mini Med Camp last summer. But Elisabeth also loves English and philosophy.

One of her favorite classes is theater tech and she’s performed on the stage as well as in the wings. This spring Elisabeth will be building and restoring tall ships for her Senior Independent Project. According to her advisor, Rusty Regalbuto, “Elisabeth exhibits the true joy of learning.

Given all that she is involved in, and the difficult course load that she has, she remains a positive, upbeat and energetic force for good within the community.” What stands out for Upper School English Teacher Peter Gaines is Elisabeth’s kindness: “She is so generous in the way she shares what she knows and sets a positive tone. She makes room for her peers and honors them for who they are. She’s a kid who is effortlessly brilliant and an incredible writer, but at the end of the day what’s important to her is that the people around her are affirmed and having a good time.”

Some of what I saw was pretty scary, and some was sad. And the way people fought their diseases and lived with dignity in spite of them, was miraculous–the opportunity to witness that firsthand was life-changing for me. That experience has reinforced my desire to go into medicine. To see medicine in action and to interact with people and see how they react in joyful and painful situations taught me a lot about human nature. I want to eventually go to med school but first I want to major in English or philosophy because I think it’s the human aspect that’s most important, helping people. I’ll learn the science in med school.

What are you doing for your Senior Independent Project?

What subjects first started to grab your interest at AFS? Elisabeth: It started with English because something that’s important to me is empathy and the human experience. With English I was able to experience lots of emotions and points of view that I hadn’t experienced myself, like anger and true love. So to live other lives was really interesting to me. Science as well, because I feel like the human body is so complicated it amazes me we even exist.

Tell me about the Mini Med camp you participated in last summer.

Elisabeth: The program took place at Hahnemann Hospital in Center City. In the morning we’d have a lecture by a doctor at the hospital and in the afternoon we’d do rotations, which changed every week— ER, pathology, mortuary, things like that. I saw C sections, heart transplants, amputations, cancer surgery, brain surgery, everything.

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LEARNING FOR THE LOVE OF IT

Elisabeth: For SIP I’m going to be building, restoring and sailing tall ships at Penn’s Landing. I love sea stories and maritime adventures. I’ve read every Patrick O’Brien book and Horatio Hornblower novel. It’s so fascinating! It’s not just that I’m into ships; I also love ‘Star Trek.’ It’s this idea of people being willing to follow a captain into the unknown.

These things all hold that same mystery. It’s a testament to the connection between human beings. My tech theater experience will be really helpful and since I’m small I’ll be able to climb up into the rigging.

Your interests are so wide ranging!

What do you attribute that to?

Elisabeth: I really think it’s the teachers at AFS. They’re not afraid to let you be different. The way they approach learning is, ‘I think this is interesting and I love it and I want to share it with you.’ I didn’t think I’d be interested in learning about World War II in Drew Benfer’s history class, but he presented it as ‘Look at these amazing, brave people I admire and let me share their stories with you.’

ERYKA Bradley 9th Grade

Tell me about your interest in becoming a veterinarian.

Eryka: I decided I wanted to become a veterinarian when I was nine. I had just gotten my new puppy, a miniature schnauzer, and I wanted to know how to take care of it and be the best parent I could be. When I was 12 my mom called up our vet and I worked there for the whole summer.

Now I work with a veterinarian once a week, shadowing what they do. I’m not allowed to do any of the actual procedures, but I can watch them. I’ve seen a lot of spays, neuters, declawing. I watch what they’re doing and they explain everything to me. I’ve never been afraid of blood, so that’s not a problem. I want to be a small animal vet or at least stay in the medicine field. I’ve always been around animals and thought of them like family. I figure I can be a vet if I just keep doing what I’m doing and take some extra classes. I’ve always liked science, and biology is my favorite class.

Community service is also a big part of your life.

“Eryka is a dynamo,” says her advisor Don Kaplan.“She is always positive in advisory; always suggesting ideas, always interested and excited to hear what others are saying, as well. Even though Eryka is new this year, you wouldn’t know it. She is very much a part of the 9th grade, and in class she is conscientious, hard working and focused. At the same time, she is funny and just plain friendly. She is also respectful, confident and motivated. She is going to impact whatever world she enters; I am positive about that!”

An athlete and a cheerleader, Eryka loves science and is already actively pursuing her interest in becoming a veterinarian.

Recently Eryka was one of two 9th graders nationwide (out of 10 high school winners) to be awarded an A Better Chance Excellence Award based on her demonstrated academic distinction and contributions to her school community.

Eryka: Yes, I joined the Community Service Council at the beginning of the year. We meet once a week at lunch to talk about upcoming service projects. I got Distinguished Community Service in February. I have around 70 hours at this point. It’s fun to help others and it’s the right thing to do. I ran the School’s Babypalooza this winter where we had piggybanks set up in the lobby and students put in money to see their favorite teacher get a pie in the face. I went out and bought all the baby supplies with the money we raised and just delivered them last weekend to Cradles to Crayons.

And you’re an athlete, too?

Eryka: I do track and field. That’s pretty much every day but I can’t go every day because I have cheerleading on Thursdays. Cheerleading takes up a lot of my time. It’s usually Thursdays for two hours and Saturdays from 11 to 1 and Sundays from 3 to 5 and then competitions on weekends.

We compete for trophies and awards and you do a big performance— tumbling, backflips, that sort of thing. You go against other people in your level. I’ve been doing that for four years. I like that it’s competitive and you learn new stunts and tricks. I really just got my back tuck down two months ago. It’s taught me how to do everything. It’s a lot of teamwork.

What are your plans for the summer?

Eryka: This summer I have a college tour and Cradles to Crayons asked me to be a student leader for their summer program. They only pick 12 to 15 students and I’ll see if I can fit that into my schedule.

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Athlete, actor, dancer, rapper, poet.

Gabe Sansone is equally at home on the basketball court and the Muller stage. According to his advisor, Tony Godwin, Gabe is “intentional about this balancing act and he does it really well.” At AFS since 6th grade, Gabe continues to enthusiastically explore the options that school and life have to offer. Through his commitment to performing, both acting and with a band, Gabe shares his creative and humorous talents frequently with his peers.

Last summer, Gabe interned at the Philadelphia Zoo and took part in a SportsChallenge leadership camp in Delaware. Gabe is co-clerk of the junior class.

GABE Sansone 11th grade Tell me how your interests have evolved in your time here.

Gabe: In Middle School there were things I thought I liked or liked at the time but as I’ve gone through the Upper School I’m changing the things that I like to do. I realize I like to be creative. In Middle School sports was a big thing. Now I’m in the spring play [playing Mr. Bingley in Pride & Prejudice]. I dance–break dancing and hip hop. I like to write a lot, especially poetry and I also performed this year at Snowstorm and Monster Mash [where student bands perform for fun].

me. And my AFS experience has helped me with that. As a co-clerk I run grade meetings and I sit down and talk to Brian Cassady, our grade dean, about how the grade is doing. Someone may be stressed out about college so we’ll decide to have a meeting about that, that kind of thing. Right now we’re planning activities for the end of the year. Part of my job is to gauge the grade and where it’s at and think about steps we need to take and bring ideas to our respective advisors.

Did attending the Sports Challenge Summer Academy help you as a leader?

Gabe: It was an interesting experience. I was really into basketball then, though my interests have since shifted. It kind of reinforced a lot of ideas I already had. But it also gave me some different outlooks and reminded me about things like making sure everyone’s included.

And working at the Zoo, what did that teach you?

How has being at AFS developed your talents?

Gabe: You’re surrounded by so many different kinds of people here. At assemblies in the morning you can make announcements and be funny about it. A lot of different things interest me and there are a lot of opportunities here. There are people around who accept you and will be supportive. I feel like AFS has helped with confidence. The school promotes public speaking and being comfortable with yourself and who you are. I find that I’m also confident in what I can’t do. And it’s okay. You don’t feel like you need to do more. You’re just confident in your abilities.

Gabe: I realized I didn’t really know what I was doing. I realized you have to be willing to volunteer the information. I can be a shy person.

You have to be willing to go up to someone and say, ‘Hey, do you want to touch an elephant tusk?’

What kind of relationships do you have with your teachers?

Gabe: I know as a freshman I was kind of nervous but now I realize you can just talk to them, even about a sports game on TV. You build certain relationships with teachers and they become more your friend.

Being taught by a teacher you can have a banter back and forth with— but not one that distracts—is great.

You’re also a leader. Can you talk about that?

Gabe: I’m co-clerk of the junior class. I would never really have thought of applying but I’m inspired to lead here. I feel like people have encouraged me and I saw the possibility in myself because of the way I interact with my peers. I talk to every group of people from all different grades. I think I could make a good leader because I’m not ignorant about a specific group of people. People feel comfortable with

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LEARNING FOR THE LOVE OF IT

Thoughts about the future?

Gabe: The future’s so hard! A lot of people have a clear direction but I don’t know. I think I’d like to do something creative like acting or journalism. But there are so many different things I’m into. I figure whatever I do choose I can still maintain the other things I like to do on the side.

ELEANOR Avril & LUCY Silbaugh 6th grade

If you’ve attended a Middle School concert recently you’re sure to have noticed Eleanor Avril and Lucy Silbaugh.

Eleanor has been gracing the Muller stage for a while now. While still in Lower School she was an invited performer at Middle School concerts, bringing a strikingly mature talent to both the violin and the piano.

Lucy is in her first year at AFS but already she is a much valued presence as an accomplished cellist. “They bring such enthusiasm to everything they do,” says Strings Instrument Teacher Lori Saidi. “They could be playing ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ or ‘Hot Cross Buns’ and it’s as if they’re playing the most advanced piece. They just love what they do so much and they’re always asking for new music and exploring music together.”

Eleanor: On a normal week I practice maybe five times for violin, a little less for piano. It’s hard to balance two instruments with homework and sports. My piano teacher comes to my house, though, and he makes it really fun. We do a lot of jazz stuff but classical music too.

How do you keep motivated to practice?

Lucy: There’s some reminding from my parents. Mostly, ‘Have you practiced your cello today, Lucy?’ Also, my teacher wants all the details right. She can tell if I haven’t practiced.

Eleanor: It’s more fun the better you get. It’s nice when you have a cool piece of music you’re going to try or something new or a hard part you’re about to master.

Do you see music in your future?

Eleanor: Not professionally. Maybe I might have a couple of friends that I’ll play with and I might hire myself out in high school. But I don’t think I’ll play at a professional level.

Lucy: I really want to be an author when I grow up. I’ve written six stories already. I think I’ll keep going with the cello though.

What are your favorite subjects apart from music?

When did you start playing your instruments and why?

Eleanor: I love all my school subjects. I really like math.

Lucy: I started cello in 3rd grade. It wasn’t that my parents are musicians and said, ‘You have to play!’ It was that I really wanted to play. In 2nd grade a string group came to our school and the cellist came to our class and after that for almost six months I was asking every day, ‘Can I please play the cello?’

Lucy: I like math, too. I think actually lots of people groan when you say you like math but once you get into it, it’s fun. I got a new cello teacher this year and she’s really good. She connects math a lot to music so she has me figure out, for example, if an eighth note is at this speed what would the dotted quarter be.

Eleanor: I started piano in kindergarten and violin in 3rd grade. I remember listening to my dad playing the piano and deciding I wanted to play it. My parents are sort of musical—my dad is at least. Sometimes we go to music concerts and I heard a violin play and I really liked it.

How much do you practice?

Lucy: My lessons are an hour and so my practices are about 40 or 45 minutes. In school we’re a bit ahead of everyone else in our grade so we usually go into a separate room. Lori gives us sheet duets to practice and we also have duet books to go through.

Tell me about your recent environmental initiative.

Eleanor: Kristan, my advisor and science teacher, told us she’d found eight glass bottles in the trash can after a faculty meeting. We were doing a unit on recycling so for our Powerpoint we made this one slide where we had pictures of glass bottles and trash cans and the slide said, ‘We have learned from an anonymous source that there were eight glass jars in a trash can after a faculty meeting.’ We presented the Powerpoint at a faculty meeting.

Lucy: I was a bit nervous about it, but we had already recorded the script so we didn’t have to actually say much.

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Eighth Grade Independent Study

SYDNEY Bierhoff 8th grade

Tell me about your EGIS project.

What have you taken away from the experience?

Sydney: At the time I wasn’t sure how hard it would be. I was going to focus on the interior but first I had to build the exterior. Roseanne came over and helped me and my mom get everything together.

My friend Maria helped me too. My mom’s really good at wallpapering. Roseanne and Maria are good at fitting it together. I did everything else.

Sydney: I guess really learning to stick to a certain project and follow something that interests you. With every part you’re one step closer so you can’t give up. If we mess up I know we won’t make the same mistake next time. I’ve learned to be really organized. I had to plan out the dollhouse before I got to start. You have to organize your thoughts to figure out what makes more sense to do first.

How long have you been working on it?

There are parts that aren’t as fun as others. The main thing I wanted was to do the interior so when the exterior was done it was far more fun. When friends and family help you with it you also get to bond with them. I wanted to make something I can keep.

Sydney: We’ve worked on it for more than 100 hours at this point. I’m always building up the interest in it. We just finished wallpapering so we get to move on to the carpet. People I’ve talked to who wallpaper houses helped me and they said it’s harder to do a dollhouse because it’s smaller. I have to sand everything and paint everything. It’s stressful but I’m really dedicated to the project. We had to individually shingle the entire roof one by one.

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Every year, 8th graders participate in an independent study project which starts in late January and continues until EGIS Night in May. Guided by their classroom teachers and advisors, students select topics of interest that they explore in depth. A student might study Gaelic, self publish a book, build a rocking chair or learn a traditional Indian dance. EGIS is an adventure in learning, research and presentation and students show extraordinary dedication to their chosen projects. That’s certainly the case with Sydney Bierhoff, who chose to build and decorate a dollhouse for her EGIS project. “She started building it in November and she has put an amazing number of hours into this project,” says her advisor, Middle School Science Teacher Roseanne Sessa. “It is an intense project, and Sydney’s engagement is terrific. She’s very self motivated. My hope for every student is that they will find something they can passionately engage in for their EGIS project, that they’ll surprise themselves and find a new element. I don’t think Sydney could have dreamed she’d have found that level of engagement.

She’s very proud of her work.”

LEARNING FOR THE LOVE OF IT

What’s your relationship with your teacher Roseanne like?

Sydney: Roseanne and I are actually pretty close. When we were picking our projects she was really easy to get to know and really easy to talk to. Then when we started picking projects she was really supportive and she talked with my parents. She would always come over and even when it got hard she would never complain. She would keep me motivated, though I’m a pretty motivated person.

Tell me how your athletic career at AFS began.

Manish: As a freshman I started off the year with soccer. Coming in two weeks before school began to practice helped me find my place and got me connected with seniors.

How did you develop as an athletic leader?

Manish: It wasn’t until the end of my sophomore year that I began to take a leadership role in soccer. I think I was a little intimidated but my class had always had a good relationship with the seniors and in my junior year I really took on an active role in the team. It was the same with baseball. In fact I think my relationships with seniors really helped me to find my place and gave me confidence both academically and athletically.

Can you talk about your involvement with PRIDE?

MANISH Kurien 12th grade

Manish: In the second semester of my freshman year I started going to PRIDE and I got exposed to ideas of multiculturalism and diversity and found a way to speak about things I’ve experienced in my life. I wasn’t born in this country and I’ve lived in many places. In PRIDE I was able to express my views and gain insight from others’ points of view.

How did that evolve?

Known as an outstanding athlete and a respected leader, Manish Kurien is also a “voice of reason,” according to his advisor Cyndi Silverman. A member of PRIDE since Middle School, Manish is skillful at approaching controversial discussions and giving perspective.

“Manish sits back but also leans forward at the same time into discomfort and he pushes others to lean into discomfort by adding his point of view, which is always one that is so honest and so forthright that it brings other people to that point,” says Cyndi. “He always rises to the top in a leadership role. He’ll bring a project to fruition or give an idea that will move something forward. He’s an individual but he loves being part of a community and is always wanting to make our community better.” Director of Studies for 11th and 12th Grade Peter Gaines calls Manish “completely without ego” and “a wonderful, humble kid who is always a contributing team member.” Manish will attend Davidson College in North Carolina in the fall.

Manish: Jeanne Quarles [former AFS Director of Multiculturalism] really helped me in my sophomore year. She encouraged me to go to the Student Diversity Leadership Council conference, and it was there that I first understood fully the ideas of diversity and of people who are similar but also different discussing things that are not easy to discuss.

Jeanne inspired me to take a leadership role. I’m so glad she encouraged me and pushed me to do that. When I was a junior I went to the SDLC conference in New Orleans and Jeanne asked me and another student to peer facilitate a group discussion. That was a great experience, to be able to lead people I wasn’t necessarily that comfortable with. It pushed me out of my zone.

Here at AFS you’ve not only led but helped others lead, too.

Manish: It’s hard for me when I see other people struggling to lead. It’s not an easy job to be a leader especially when you’re trying to get people to open up. I tell people that if you can pluck the right chords the conversation will automatically start to flow. The key to being a leader is you want to be strong and appear unaffected by situations but there are times when it’s necessary to open yourself up first to show you’re not afraid to have people judge you. People start to feel comfortable and slowly things start to move forward. For me leaning into discomfort makes me comfortable because I know others are also uncomfortable.

When you talk about deeper things it’s a great way to create a connection and actually get to know a person in depth.

How did the Men’s Group Develop?

Manish: As soon as we got back Greg Wilson and I started to build a bond with Marc Thompson [AFS School Counselor]. He challenged us to find a way to bring something back from SDLC to AFS. That’s where the group developed from. We meet every three weeks or so. The topics are not typically preset and they cover a broad range, but we’ll often talk about girls, problems in our personal lives, how we’re doing in school, managing time, athletics, academics, even world issues. It’s a comfortable place to talk.

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AFS SAX Quartet & WOODWIND Quartet

“It’s been an awesome experience that has allowed me to challenge myself in new ways.”

John «

“With the quartet you get to maintain your voice and individuality.”

Greg »

Middle and Upper School Music Teacher Chris Buzby is known for his indomitable enthusiasm and positive spirit. A whirlwind of energy, he has inspired hundreds of students to find the musician within.

Chris in turn finds himself inspired by the students who every year seek him out for extra musical challenges. This school year, two groups of students stand out for him.

The AFS Sax Quartet bridges the divisions with two 8th graders (Thomas Mulvey and Tom Gurin) together with two Upper Schoolers (Greg Wilson and John Contosta). The four have been meeting once a month at lunch with plans for performing Charles Mingus’ “Boogie Stop Shuffle” at the Upper School Spring Concert. The quartet recently had the chance to take a master class with the professionally trained classical Red Line Sax Quartet when they visited AFS in March. “Not only did they hold their own with the Red Line Quartet in their master class, but the Red Line guys were downright impressed with their playing ability and musicianship!” says Chris.

“I think music is probably third of all the things I like to do. First would be food, second academics and third is music.”

Tom «

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LEARNING FOR THE LOVE OF IT

The group meets three times a month.

“Not only are they getting a chance to learn and perform some ‘challenge’ music,” says Chris. “They each are enjoying an opportunity to perform together as friends and budding young musicians in a smaller setting than the concert band. To me, this is true student initiative in action!”

Arielle

“We’re not all at the same skill level but we all try to contribute. Some play harmony, some do volumes, some articulation.”

Ahngelicia

»

Alison

“The pieces are a lot of fun. It’s a challenge, but not too challenging.

You have to have a good time with it.” »

A group of 8th grade girls— Arielle Toub, Ahngelicia Watson, Maddie Vouros and Alison Love—approached Chris after the winter concert to see if they could work on some chamber music together for the Middle School Spring Concert.

“In piano all the keys are laid out.

With the clarinet, you have combinations that make a note.

You have to piece it together.”

“It’s a passion we have, even if it’s one more thing on our schedules. It’s something we can continue with and grow on.”

Maddy »

“I like all the different perspectives. When you’re by yourself it’s fun but it’s a completely different feel.

When you’re together it’s so much easier to really enjoy playing to the best of your ability.”

Thomas «

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alumni in the world Julia Wise ’06 A recent AFS alumna talks about her involvement in the relief effort in Haiti

How did you become involved?

When the quake hit Haiti, I was determined to find my way there. I am just a college art student, without a vast array of credentials, but I had to get there. My friend’s brother, Peter, was organizing a relief mission through The Relief Foundation Inc. I called Peter and told him I was in. I had never felt more confident about any decision in my entire life.

What prepared you for this?

Honestly, I had never done anything like this before, but taking French for years (up to AP) helped me immensely. John McCabe built an amazing foundation for my French at AFS. Out of the 120 relief workers, maybe 10 of us spoke French, and two or three Creole. I hadn’t reviewed any French for about four years, but it came back to me. I had no problem communicating with the Haitians who spoke French and it was an amazing feeling to be able to bridge the barrier between the children and the relief workers.

“What I had not prepared myself for was falling head over heels for the country and its people.”

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I am a theatre and drawing major in college and am doing an independent study with artist John Thompson. During my last meeting with John before I left for Haiti, he said: ‘Bring your pencils, bring your sketchbook, and have it on you at all times.

I promise you, you’ll be happy you did.’

My sketchbook became nothing less than a sanctuary for the children. Their pens and pencils graced the pages upon pages of my 11.75 x 16.5 Moleskine. I saw and felt miracles happen amongst those pages.

Can you describe your time in Haiti and what you worked on?

We were there for five days and stayed at The New Life Children’s Home, in Port au Prince.

New Life is run by two incredible American women: Miriam Frederick, director of World Harvest Missions Outreach, and her daughter Sherrie Chastain. They started it in 1977 and have been saving hundreds of children from the remote villages of Haiti ever since. There were 120 of us on a chartered plane, made up of translators,

physicians, nurses, teachers, politicians, religious leaders and art students. We brought with us medical supplies and food and clothing. Altogether we had over 40,000 lbs of aid supplies for Haiti and nothing was left behind. Included in our cargo, were baby incubators that were put into use as soon as we landed. We literally saved lives as we landed. It was unbelievable.

We stayed in tents within the compound, and we did it all, from clearing rubble to handing out supplies, most of which was done outside of the compound. We worked in the city of Port au Prince and in more desolate and remote areas where the Malaria outbreaks have been explosive. We worked nonstop for the five days we were there. It was beyond exhausting, but even more rewarding, and in every way possible. I didn’t want to leave. Not one person from our group wanted to leave. I wish I were still there right now.

What were some of the biggest surprises?

I knew that I would see and feel devastation.

I knew that I would work with children and babies who’d just received amputations (I lost count the first day) and would see and smell death at every corner. I had “prepared” myself, to the best that any 21-year-old college student could. What I had not prepared myself for was falling head over heels for the country and its people. From the moment I stepped foot on New Life’s property, I was surrounded, hugged, kissed and held by the most loving and extraordinary children I had ever met in my entire life. I lived with them for five days. We danced together, prayed together, laughed together and cried together when it was time to say goodbye. I expected to be The Rescuer in this situation, but I was rescued. These kids changed my world and imprinted their hands upon my heart forever.

What affected you most deeply?

Without question: The Haitian way of life.

These are people who have nothing. Before the quake, Haiti was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Now it is below the levels of poverty and beyond. And the thing is: They don’t complain. Mind boggling, isn’t it? It became my way, too, and I became attached on a very deep and personal level.

I really only noticed this upon our return to Miami. One 45-minute plane ride later and we were back. There was no time to adjust, whatsoever. I was hit with advertisements, convenience stores and water fountains everywhere. I felt so disoriented. ‘What is all of this for?’ I thought to myself. ‘Why are their half-full bottles of water in the trash?

Don’t these people realize what has happened?’ And then it hit me: Haiti was always happening. It was as if everything had changed and nothing had changed, all at the same time. Haiti has always been in suffering in her own world with no one to help. And up until this point, I had been in my separate world.

The Haitians brought me to life. They taught me what is real and what is and isn’t worth cherishing. And above all else, they showed me how compassion can heal the wounds that go far deeper than those on the skin.

We, as Americans, are so bombarded with technology and material possessions that we lose sight of what life is. Immediately upon my arrival back home, I felt an absence of the compassion that made me feel complete in Haiti. And I realized that despite our overabundant ways of living, we still find ways to suffer. I have everything, and live in a palace of a country, and yet I am still suffering, mentally and emotionally. My worries are all about the future, all of the time. I have a paper this week, I have four exams next week, and g-d forbid my GPA drops below a 3.8. It is all about the surface.

Do you have plans to return?

Oh, absolutely. I left my heart in Port au Prince, Haiti and not just a piece of it. I left all of it. If I could, I would be there as a full time relief worker. But I am a full-time student here. I have to remind myself that I still have a life, here with my family and friends, my school and my career. It is so

“And then it hit me: Haiti was always happening. It was as if everything had changed and nothing had changed, all at the same time.” hard. I feel a sense of devotion and belonging to Haiti and her people. I am returning in mid-June. We have some incredible projects in the works, particularly with the Clinton-Bush Haiti Relief Fund.

Their Hurricane season starts around that time, but we will persevere. We are now Haitians and the Haitians are now our family. And no one stands in the way of our family.

21

«

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alumni events

The Class of 1959 celebrated their 50th Reunion on the weekend of May 30 – 31, 2009.

Pictured here are the attendees: Deborah Tyson Zimmerman, Suzanne Sachs Hunter, Kathryn Lindig Moser, Gail McDowell Peake, Sherry Dunham Clark, Shirly Goetz, Arlene Wattis Gates, Joanna Gillies Jong, Martha Yoder, Carolyn, Lindig Laumer, Doris (DeeDee) Wilson Perry, Diane Morton Arbaugh

In AFS tradition, the 50th Reunion Class (Class of 1959) was invited to lead our Commencement procession.

In attendance at the afternoon tea preceding the ceremony are (L to R): Diane Morton Arbaugh ’59, Carolyn Lindig Laumer ’59, and Kathryn Lindig Moser ’59.

« The Class of 1989 gathered on Wed. Nov. 25, 2009 to celebrate their 20th Reunion.

Note: We apologize to the Class of 1959 for accidentally omitting their Reunion pictures and captions in

Pictured L to R: front row: Kim Levin

the Fall 2009 Oak Leaves.

Kraemer, Renee Kashuba, Julie Simon Paris, Rachel Moses Sollberger, Rachel Lizerbram Sandler; back row: Elizabeth Shope, Erik Nathan, Allison Kanofsky Berg, Michael Frank, Tammi Schwartz Van Hollander, Nicki Toizer, Sylvie Viola, Michael Hecht, Dina Silver Pokedoff, Adam Cooper, Stephanie Gleit Weinstein, Wendy Wills Leon.

Not pictured: Andrew Arno

Homecoming is still one of the more popular events for alumni on campus.

Held on Wed. Nov. 25, 2009, alumni of all ages attended our breakfast, meeting for worship and soccer game. Even the rainy, cold weather could not keep our die-hard soccer players away Following the Meeting for Worship, the Class of 2009 Class Gift was presented by Chrissy Benner ’09 and Shana Judd ’09: a bookshelf quilt in memory of Director of Libraries/Technology (and class of 2009 advisor) Rosy Montgomery.

«

«

Homecoming

In December 2009, representatives from Abington Friends School participated in the annual National Association of Independent Schools People of Color Conference. This time, it was held in Denver. The Alumni Office took advantage of the opportunity by inviting our Colorado alumni to a reception hosted by alumna Amy Wynn Pastor ’94.

Pictured here are (L to R): Jenny Bornholdt Hammond ’86, Rebecca Van Buren ’68, Cherine Morsi ’00, Jane McVeigh-Schultz, Amy Wynn Pastor ’94, and School Committee member Mitch Sargen (father of Joshua ’01 and Michael ’04).

23

Alumni Basketball Game » Our annual alumni basketball game took place on January 2, 2010…with a new twist.

This year we were joined by some current parents who happily joined in the friendly competition. Those in attendance were: Angelica Adams ’09, Teacher/Coach David Bass, Omar Carrillo ’03, Michael Cohen ’03, Julian Cruz ’04, Scott Erman ’86, David Fields ’91, Michael Gaines P’21, Tony Houston ’90, Steven Jacobson P’15, Steven Keefer P ’08 & ’10, Teacher/Coach Wayne Kurtz, Christopher McPeak P’12 & ’14, Stephen Morgan ’90, Broderick President P’21, Frank Sanchez ’03, Ben Slater ’00, Marc Thompson ’88, Robert Topkis ’87, Jonathan Wessel ’03, Jeffrey Worthington P’08, Julia Worthington ’08, Jennifer Braude ’91, Sarah Caldwell Caratini ’92, Teacher/Coach Steven Chadwin, Aaram Isah ’03, Reggie Johnson ’94, Cherine Morsi ’00.

« On February 25 and 27, AFS hosted two gatherings on the West Coast: a first for AFS! On the 25th, alumni and current teachers met for dinner at Ponzu in San Francisco. Alumni in attendance were Philip Reiff ’87, Jocelyn Upshur ’89 and Irvin Owens (’94). On February 27, Allison Kanofsky Berg ’89 generously opened her Beverly Hills home to alumni of the LA area.

Pictured at the LA gathering are: (back row L to R): Josh McVeigh-Schultz (’95), Hal Lublin ’95, Director of College Guidance Larry Wilkins, Jody McVeigh-Schultz ’01; (front row L to R): Dana-Lee Schuman ’99, Allison K. Berg ’89, Nelson Diaz (’90), Max Kleinman ’03

24

ALUMNI EVENTS

» Our Philadelphia Alumni event this year was

«

“strikingly different” as we headed down to North Bowl on N. 2nd Street in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. Alumni in attendance were: Jocelyn Faulkner Casey ’97, Michael Cohen ’03, Randall Collins ’05, Catherine Fanelli ’04, Stephen Feder ’05, Jenny Bornholdt Hammond ’86, Kathy Alter Hazen ’84, Laura Manno ’03, Michael Morris ’88, Cherine Morsi ’00, Liz Myrtetus ’07, Maryrose Mrytetus ’05, Matt Nunn ’05, Stewart Rodes ’03, Robert Sklar ’88, Jared Solomon ’97.

On March 10, 2010, alumni and friends met at Moore Brothers Wine Company in the Gramercy/Flatiron district of New York City for our annual NYC Alumni event. Greg Moore himself conducted the wine tasting as our Sommelier. Alumni in attendance were: Rachel Albee ’03, Jillian Apfelbaum ’01, Jenna Arnold ’99, Jill Berger ’74, Philip Block ’01, Chris Cantley ’86, Mitzu Carr ’83, Rachel Chernoff ’01, Linda Devitt ’66, Jeanie Engelbach ’86, Ellene Felder-Scharnott ’79, Sally Fenley (former Music Teacher), Zachary Gitomer ’07, Mark Green ’85, Jenny Bornholdt Hammond ’86, David Leeser ’88, Laura Manno ’03, Susan Salesky Rudin ’57, Adam Schorsch ’03, Tori Schorsch (’07), Brian Spiewak ’03, Sally Walker ’57, Jason Walker ’85, Melissa Ward ’03.

archive scrapbook In 1697, John Barnes – friend of William Penn and George Fox – donated a tract of land (approx. 120 acres) and a significant sum of pounds “for and towards erecting a meeting house for Friends and towards the maintenance of a school.” This is the beginning of Abington Friends Monthly Meeting and School as we know it today.

1890

Moments in AFS History (1697 – 1897): (The following is a consolidation of our AFS Historical Timeline, contributions from William Kashatus ’77 and from Abington Friends Meeting and School: 1682 – 1949 by Horace Mather Lippincott.)

• Early 1700s: Jacob Taylor is the first recorded teacher or Master at the school and George Boone (uncle to Daniel Boone) was Clerk of the Meeting and a “noteworthy schoolmaster.”

• 1784: The school moved into the small two-story house next door to the Meeting House, now the caretaker’s home.

Enrollment for the entire school was around 40 students, and classes for girls were conducted upstairs, boys down.

School convened here for more than 100

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OAK LEAVES SPRING

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years, offering primary level education only.

Teachers were provided a small house and a cow as inducement and an annual salary of sixty-eight pounds.

• 1827: A schism within the Religious Society of Friends was felt locally in the Hicksite Separation. AFS affiliated with the rural Hicksite branch, which opposed the Orthodox Friends in the City of Philadelphia.

The School continued to provide the only education offered families in the area; the Public School Act of Abington Township would not take place until 1834.

• 1857: Lucretia Mott, an attender at Abington Monthly meeting often visited the school and shared stories about the Underground Railroad with school children until her death in 1880.

• 1867: Women join the faculty. Annie Shoemaker, the school’s first feminist, is remembered for her determined fight for equal pay for women teachers.

• 1883: The school went from Kindergarten through 6th grade and enrolled 59 girls and 36 boys. Edith Atlee presents the idea for a co-ed boarding school to extend to the twelfth grade to provide serious preparation for college. It would be built on the triangle of land across from the Meeting House. This ushers in the era of expansion for the School.

• 1887: The first session of the Boarding School opened in September 1887 with Louis B. Ambler as Principal and Jessie M. K.

1869

Gourley as Matron in the newly constructed building (now known as the Triangle Building). Principal Louis Ambler served for 25 years.

• 1889: There were over 100 students enrolled necessitating a series of additions to the school building. By 1891, there were approximately 150 students with one third of them boarding. Graduates attend University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore College.

• 1897: Athletics become a formal part of the school program in 1897. Boys’ teams included football, basketball and baseball and they played at an interscholastic level.

Girls played field hockey, basketball and lacrosse “strictly on an intramural level.”

1897

1900

in memoriam Adelbert Mason, Headmaster 1966 – 1977 With sadness we share news of the death of former AFS Head of School Adelbert Mason, who passed away on March 18, 2010, at Foulkeways in Gwynedd, PA, at the age of 87. Bert, as he was known to friends, was Head of School at Abington Friends School from 1966 until 1977. “Bert Mason is truly revered in the recent history of Abington Friends School,” said current Head of School Rich Nourie, “for his gentle wisdom, his deep care for individuals and for the community and for the vision with which he brought AFS into its contemporary era of coeducation and of a vastly expanded campus and academic program. He is fondly remembered with deep respect, love and appreciation.”

An excerpt from the obituary written by his daughter Faith: “In 1966 Bert became the headmaster of Abington Friends School in Jenkintown, PA. At that time it was an all girls’ school, and he was asked to assist in its becoming coeducational and to lead a campaign to raise money for a new building to replace the old school. As one faculty member said of him, “He was the epitome of a Quaker headmaster”. As headmaster, he brought his own knowledge of academic excellence, his love of music and sports, and his deep concern for students. Each Wednesday he spoke in the three school meetings for worship.” The complete obituary may be found online: http://tinyurl.com/BMASON

A Friends memorial Meeting for Worship was held on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at the Abington Friends Meeting House in Jenkintown PA.

Christopher Ammon ’75

Helen C. Decker

Christopher Raymond Ammon, 52, passed on Jan. 15, 2010. Son of Ruth Szucs and the late Raymond Ammon.

Brother of Gregory. Significant other to Rose Mazurek.

Helen C. Decker, a 58 year resident of Rydal, passed away on January 6, 2010 in her home surrounded by her loving family. Helen’s life was devoted to the caring support of her family and friends. She also enjoyed serving the community in various capacities. Born in Philadelphia to the late Swithin T. and Louise (Montgomery) Chandler, Mrs. Decker was a 1947 graduate of Germantown Friends School. In 1949, she received an Associates of Arts degree in early childhood education from Centenary Junior College. Mrs. Decker volunteered for Meals on Wheels at Abington Memorial Hospital for more than 25 years. She also served on various committees at Abington Friends School, the William Penn Charter School and Abington Memorial Hospital where she helped with the June Fete through the Women’s Auxiliary.

She was a member of the Abington Presbyterian Church for more than 20 years.

Helen’s many interests included her love and appreciation of nature and wildlife, music, art and travel which included her treasured seaside vacations with her family.

She was also an avid sports fan. Helen was the beloved wife of T. Frank Decker (former employee at AFS) for 58 years and the loving mother of Vickie Decker Rosskam AFS ’71 of Abington, Wendy Decker Ambler AFS ’73 of Glenside and Ted Decker and his wife Sue of Ambler. She was the devoted grandmother of Joe and Jessica Rosskam, Jamie Ambler, and Ted, Tim and Katy Decker. Her funeral service was held on Saturday January 16, 2010, at the Abington Presbyterian Church.

There was also a Friends Meeting for Worship in memorial of Mrs. Decker on Saturday January 23, 2010, 2:30 pm at the William Penn Charter School. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Pennsylvania SPCA, 350 E. Erie Ave., Phila., PA 19104 or to the William Penn Charter School.

The Ammon family had several points of connection with Abington Friends School as Chris’s mother Ruth worked at AFS in Middle/Upper school as a secretary; his brother Gregory also attended AFS for a time.

Chris entered AFS in 1966 in the fourth grade.

During his time here at AFS, he played soccer, basketball and baseball. In his eleventh and twelfth grade years, he was elected co-captain of the Varsity Soccer team. His yearbook entry states, “During classes, Chris usually chooses to keep his thoughts to himself; but such is certainly not the case once he is out on the athletic field, where one constantly hears him yelling.” After graduating, he returned to AFS once again to coach JV Basketball. Steve Smith ’79 shares, “I hadn’t thought about Chris in years but he was our JV basketball coach. Jeff Purcell, Danny Jordan, Cliff Brock, Chad Ewing, Eric Witzel, Steve Dansy...who else? Can’t remember. Chris was our very kind and patient coach.”

Chris is also remembered for his outgoing personality and kindness. A memorial remembrance hosted by Deborah Stetser Burpee ’75 and Richard Robinson ’75 was held on March 21, 2010 in North Wales, PA. See Class Notes for photo and alumni in attendance.

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Marian “Bunny” Johnston (Renniger) Matheson ’57 Elkhorn, WI – Bunny Matheson, 70, of Elkhorn, WI died Sunday November 22, 2009 at Mercy Hospital in Janesville after a courageous battle with lung cancer. She was born in Philadelphia PA to Herbert and Bertha Johnston on August 12, 1939. She met her first husband Bayard Renninger in college at Penn State. Bunny and Bayard married on December 29, 1961.

Parker Pen brought them to Janesville in the late 1960’s. After losing her husband to cancer in 1983 she met and married Ken Matheson on October 4, 1985. Together they lived on Lauderdale Lakes in Elkhorn, WI. Bunny did what she loved. She was an antique dealer at On the Square Antique Mall in Walworth WI and the Fuzzy Pig in Whitewater. She also owned rental property in Door County and loved to spend time there. Throughout the years she enjoyed rug hooking, quilting, knitting, curling, and playing bridge. She was a very loving, caring and loyal mother, wife and friend who will be dearly missed by those she touched. Family and friends were the fabric of her life. Below are the thoughts and memories from her classmates who knew her best.

Thoughts from the Class of 1957: “Dear Class of 57, Where does time go? Can it be 53 years since we said ‘good bye’ to Abington Friends? Now we are saying ‘good bye’ to another class mate, Bunny. We all have our separate memories of our happy, as well as our stressed times at school. But we all carried away the strong influence of the Quaker Meeting, the power of silence and the ability to focus. [as well as Miss Bickley’s influence] This is what AFS gave us that has held us together in spirit. Life has many ups and downs; its easy and hard times. One does not get to our age and not have had all sorts of experiences. But, I can see Bunny as she was in the 1950s, in her camel’s hair coat, long scarf, smiling face, and blond hair as we talked while walking to the bus stop on York Road after school. How interesting

32

IN MEMORIAM

these are the memories that have never left me….when so many others are gone in the wind…I know you all join me in sending condolences to Bunny’s family.”

– Sue (Salesky) Rudin

“I remember her laughing, outgoing personality throughout high school and beyond. She visited us in Canada one summer at our summer cottage; we swam in the clear waters of Lake Huron, lounged in the sunshine (probably wearing baby oil and iodine as a ‘sun screen’) and picnicked with my summer friends among the dunes behind the cottage.

My ‘Canada friends’ (mostly Michiganders) with whom I spent every summer enjoyed her thoroughly and were genuinely sad to see her go home… I remember her advising me: ‘...if you and Don are delaying a much-desired adventure or special event until the children are grown or your lives are less busy or for any less-than-imperative reason, DO IT NOW, for you may never have the opportunity.’ I never forgot her advice.”

– Nanci (Lindig) Quillen “My memories of Bunny Johnston Matheson are from two very different times. The first, while a student at AFS is of a young classmate cheerful, friendly and fun. The second much briefer but vivid, nonetheless is as a result of attending our class of 57’s 40th reunion.

Meeting Bunny again after so many years, I found her to be a friendly, thoughtful person.

In addition as we talked I became aware of another interesting side of this woman. She had cultivated a wide knowledge and appreciation of beautiful period furnishings and antiques. Although I could not have predicted this particular course for her that it happened is the essence of life’s wondrous adventure. The road that each of us follows can reward, surprise and delight those who make connections after a long separation.

It is one of the great benefits that the AFS experience continues to offer. Recollections of Bunny show that she had endeared herself to us, that we remember her fondly and that we will miss her.

Very best wishes to all my classmates and to our beloved AFS” – Diana Post

“… I still (have the image) of Bunny , the ’57 classmate with her friendly and warm personality, relaxed, happy to live and ready to enjoy all good moments of life, popular with everybody, such a happy disposition!

Before leaving me in July 1957 she wrote in my yearbook that she hoped she would come to France some day and that the first thing she would do would be come and see me....I guess I was still waiting for her to stop by. I am aware it is completely unrealistic and that time has passed by but I feel that when you have known people so young they remain young forever in your head and heart no matter the change occurred.”

– Gaby Tubach “Losing our beloved classmates is shocking each time one passes on. Those who are gone live in years of special memories we made together.

Seeing Bunny so happy, the last time we were together, makes me especially pleased to have attended our reunions. All those we have ‘lost’ enhanced my life, as all of you have. Being part of our class was one of the most important and enriching experiences of my life. Thank you.”

– Sigrid (Wasum) Gilbert

Sid Spike Sid Spike, devoted husband of Doris (nee Robins) – former AFS School Nurse; dear father of Barbara Burnetski (Lawrence); beloved grandfather of Dana Boccella (Kevin) and Jamie Burnetski. He was a Veteran of WWII. Contributions in his memory may be made to your favorite charity.

Please submit obituary announcements of the greater alumni community to the Alumni Office. Submissions are welcomed with or without a photo (at 300 dpi or greater). Electronic files are preferred and may be sent to alumni@abingtonfriends.net.

ACORN: alumni community outreach network Just you. No solicitation. No kidding.

We want to know about you. No strings attached.

Our goal: to contact every single alumnus/a. By phone. Online. And we’ve already begun.

Why participate in ACORN? The more we know about you, the easier it is to make connections with fellow alumni and to today’s AFS. Here are some interesting facts already discovered through our phone call conversations: • An AFS octogenarian alumna is a big fan of NCAA Basketball “March Madness” and was thrilled to see fellow alumni Rob Keefer ’07 and Jason Love ’06 playing in the tournament.

• A 1947 alumna broke the gender barrier and was the first woman to receive her A.B. degree from UPENN-Wharton Business School. She continued on to receive her master’s degree from Wharton as well.

• A pioneer in radio broadcasting, a 1945 alumna received her master’s in English with a minor in Communications from UPENN (before the founding of the Annenberg School for Communication) and went on to interview Eleanor Roosevelt and Richard M. Nixon.

Have YOU participated in ACORN yet?

Go ahead. Pick up the phone. We’re listening.

Or fill out your form online today! http://tinyurl.com/AFSACORN

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Bensalem, PA Permit 182 575 Washington Lane, Jenkintown, PA 19046

Calendar Highlights Commencement June 11, 2010 Hank Faulkner Memorial Golf Outing August 30, 2010