Middletown Life
Middletown Life Spring/Summer 2025
Letter from the Editor:
There’s something about the springtime that allows creativity to blossom. In his story “The muralist of Middletown,” Delaware writer Ken Mammarella offers a look at how muralist Katie Gorman brightens the family home with her art. So far, she has painted 11 murals on the walls and ceilings of her home, and she has many more of her artistic creations on display. The story is a wonderful way to open the first issue of Middletown Life in 2025.
We also talk to Erin Rowe about the native plants that increasingly fill her property near Middletown and excite the 6,000 members of the Delaware Native Plant Identification and Exchange, a private Facebook group that she founded. She and her husband, Christopher, bought the property in 2009. They now have 10 planting areas on their sloping acre, which backs up on the Armstrong Farm, part of the 1,200 acres in Delaware Wild Lands’ Augustine Creek holdings.
Middletown Life recently met with Appoquinimink High School Principal Sam Postlethwait to discuss the school’s approach to education, its broad curriculum and new initiatives, the people who have inspired him and how he envisions the future of education in America.
Chad Cortez Everett, a painter, a mixed medium artist, and art instructor who is well known in Delaware and Pennsylvania, says that through his works he “aims to evoke nostalgia, provoke thought, and capture the essence of personal and collective memory.” Writer Colleen Cochran presents a profile of Everett and his work that depicts imagery from his personal experiences.
For the past 38 years, God’s Power and Light Theater Company has brought wholesome family entertainment to the stage, and over that time, it has served as an incubator program for young actors and generously given back to the community it calls home. Writer Richard L. Gaw highlights this “creative ministry.”
The Liston Front Range Lighthouse in Middletown is just one of many lighthouses that grace the scenic Delaware Bay, and we showcase this lighthouse in the photo essay.
We also present a look at some upcoming programs offered by the Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library in Odessa, which is the oldest free library in Delaware.
As always, we hope you enjoy these stories as much as we enjoyed preparing them for you. We always welcome comments and suggestions for stories to highlight in the future. We’re already hard at work on planning for the next issue of Middletown Life, which will arrive in the summer of 2025.
Sincerely,
Avery Lieberman Eaton averyl@chestercounty.com
Stone Lieberman stone@chestercounty.com
Steve Hoffman, Editor editor@chestercounty.com
Cover Photo: Jim Coarse
Cover Design: Tricia Hoadley
The muralist of Middletown
Katie Gorman brightens the family home with her art
By Ken Mammarella Contributing Writer
Katie Gorman has so far painted 11 murals on the walls and ceilings of her home, and she has many more of her artistic creations on display, such as a macrame garland adorning one window, yarn art that started as Christmas decorations but now hangs from a chandelier, and multiple small works in frames.
“I’ve always been involved in art,” said Gorman, who grew up in northern Virginia with two siblings. “My mom was very supportive of our creativity. She always has a million art supplies.”
Gorman follows that nurturing manner for daughters, Bennett, who’s 9, and Finley, who’s 6. She and her husband Ryan use what was probably built as a dining room for three functions: dining room, library and craft room.
“Why have a room used only for guests?” she said. “We
use it every day.”
Craft supplies include tumblers to be engraved as gifts to teachers, a gallon of Amazon glue and a bin of random items that could somehow inspire art.
“I don’t want to waste stuff,” she said of the last group, repeatedly adding how she likes to score bargains on supplies, including “oops” cans of undesired custom paint.
It’s a noteworthy transformation for the two-story house near Middletown, where every wall was gray or white when they moved there in 2021. She understands the bland color scheme, because she and Ryan similarly had their old home repainted, covering earlier murals, when they sold it.
“We wanted this blank slate for people to envision themselves,” said Gorman, who has executed a bold and joyous vision.
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Photos by Ken Mammarella
Katie Gorman stocks a wide array of supplies for her and her family. She created the work on the wall, which quotes Billy Joel’s lyric, “We’re all in the mood for a melody.”
“Gotta take a deep breath time to focus on you” reads a quote from a Lizzo song. It is one of 11 murals Katie Gorman has created in her home, and it is her husband’s favorite.
Muralist Katie Gorman
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“It’s not the normal thing to have a mural on the wall,” Ryan said. “It’s a microcosm of Katie’s entire mural system, and it makes her feel good.”
Food is another medium
Gorman earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, with a minor in theater at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa., where one classmate was Ryan’s best friend. Before moving to Delaware, she worked for a healthcare system, handling marketing, public relations and volunteers.
Ryan, a warranty claims specialist for Nissan, grew up in Delaware, and his parents, Buck and Kyle, live just 10 houses away. Ryan and Katie moved because they wanted better schools, and they placed both daughters in a Mandarin immersion program.
Gorman’s murals began simply, beginning with an alphabet in several colors above Virginia’s crib, and a teal chalk wall that she updated on a whim with new designs.
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Photo courtesy of Katie Gorman
murals.
Muralist Katie Gorman
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She pivoted from acting to art when her daughter was born.
“I needed some form of creative expression that I could easily do during nap time and that would give me the same satisfaction that acting gave me,” she said. “I found handlettering first. I started an Instagram for that, and I practiced every single day for a year. Then I found some watercolor techniques to combine with that. Then I started delving deeper into watercolor on its own. And from that, I got into mural painting.
“I chronically jump from one craft hobby to another. I did engraving. I created 6-foot organza flowers for a friend’s wedding. I did hand-lettering with tactile materials. Food is one of my favorites.”
Gorman pulled out her phone and showed off a work made of rice and baked goods that reads “Feed me carbs and tell me I’m pretty.” The video then showed a hand sweeping across the artwork and destroying the lettering.
“Art doesn’t need to be permanent,” she said. Ditto for a series where she interpreted song lyrics through food, like “bye, bye” written with dough scraps on an American pie.
Photo by Ken Mammarella
The Gorman family in needlepoint, created by Marissa Lattanzio: Katie and her husband Ryan, daughters Bennett and Finley and Murphy, an Olde English Bulldog.
Photo courtesy of Katie Gorman Chrissy Saum won a custom mural in a Griffin Theater fundraiser, and this monochrome was the end result.
Photo courtesy of Katie Gorman A garden grows in the upstairs hallway.
Muralist Katie Gorman
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Murals elsewhere
Gorman has learned a lot of techniques through online videos, on sites like Skillshare.com, and through intense practice. She passes along her skills and her enthusiasm by teaching at the Everett’s Gibby Center for the Arts in downtown Middletown. (She also designed and painted a front-window mural there.) She teaches hand-lettering (“less rigid than calligraphy”), multiple aspects of watercolors and slime making (“Come squish, stretch and create your very own colorful slime masterpiece!” a listing on Instagram promises).
“Katie is an exceptional artist and educator who brings remarkable talent to both her creative work and teaching,” said Michelle Truban, director of operations for the Everett. “Her gentle demeanor and infectious enthusiasm create an engaging learning environment. Katie’s passion for art is evident in everything she does, from creating impressive wall murals to providing thoughtful classroom instruction. She has a natural compassion and dedication to her craft that make her an invaluable member of our artistic community.”
Photo by Ken Mammarella
This design in the entrance hall was inspired by Rachael Jackson, a mural artist in the Pacific Northwest.
Muralist Katie Gorman
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Chrissy Saum won a custom mural that Gorman had donated for a Griffin Theatre fundraiser.
“My daughter Brooke has done plays at the Griffin,” Saum said. “Brooke looked at pictures of what she wanted Katie to paint, and Katie sent back a design that Brooke and I both loved – it was large mushrooms and flowers in a black and white theme. Katie then came to our house over a three-day period to paint the mural. It came out great!”
Gorman has also offered to paint murals in her in-laws’ home and in the Middletown home of her brother-in-law Aaron. “They’re not ready to commit,” she said. “They’re not as eccentric.”
“I don’t ask for these,” Ryan said, referring to the murals in their home. “What’s funny is that Katie’s need for a mural usually comes up when we have too many things going on, and when it’s impractical to begin another mural. And that’s when I know that she needs this.”
Gorman invites custom work and promotes her designs on Instagram (www.instagram.com/katiegormandesign) and https:// katiederosagorman.wixsite.com/katie-gorman-art-a-1, more easily accessible from Instagram.
Photo courtesy of Katie Gorman
These four frames open like a door, making them easy to update with new art created by Bennett and Finley.
|Middletown Spotlight|
On Facebook and at home, a labor of love for native plants On Facebook and at home, a labor of love for native plants
By Ken Mammarella Contributing Writer
At the start of an interview, Erin Rowe explained her perspective on the native plants that increasingly fill her property near Middletown and excite the 6,000 members of the Delaware Native Plant Identification and Exchange, a private Facebook group that she founded.
“I’m not a landscaper. I’m not a horticulturalist. I’m not a botanist,” she said. “This is strictly a labor of love, and I’m learning as I go.”
One thing she’s learned is the difference between native (“it could just be native to North America”) and indigenous (historically found in Delaware).
“It’s my personal mission to make that distinction,” she said.
She and her husband, Christopher, bought the property in 2009. After living with it for a period, they began ripping out invasives, interlopers and thugs.
Their work provided them with ten planting areas on their sloping acre, which backs up on the Armstrong Farm, part of the 1,200 acres in Delaware Wild Lands’ Augustine Creek holdings.
“I’m out here every single day in the growing season,” she said, enabled by her summers-off schedule as a Wilmington University adjunct professor. “I monitor each section that I created to see what it does, and that gives me a better sense of how to manage it. I’m out there, staring at it and looking at what’s growing and crowding out other things. I monitor whether a particular plant is happy in the spot I’ve placed it.”
How it all began
Rowe’s childhood home in the Middletown area, the first house she and her husband bought and their current home (which they share with sons Wil and Simon and their dog Lulu) are all poetically on streets with botanical names, but it was through birds that Rowe began her fascination with plants, dating back to when she was a volunteer at Tri-State Bird & Rescue through AmeriCorps, which led to an internship and then a job as an avian rehabilitation manager.
She said that she realized, through reading the work of University of Delaware professor Doug Tallamy, that “If you don’t have plants, you don’t have insects. And if you don’t have insects, you don’t have birds.”
“My first native garden was at our old house,” she said. “I just went to the nature society plant sale and picked up stuff that seemed interesting and from that came two tiny beds in my tiny townhouse backyard, but that fall, we moved out, so I did not get to see it come to fruition.”
With a lot of sweat and some hiring of professionals (such as someone who could handle the poison ivy) Rowe has ripped out what doesn’t belong on their current property and replanted (or at least mulched, awaiting good ideas).
“The more disturbed the land is, the more susceptible it is to invasives,” she said.
The landscaping is informal, and the property supports multiple uses for the family, including a ninja line, a teardrop hammock, a tree swing, a patio, a fire pit and a coop for eight chickens.
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Photo by Ken Mammarella Middletown resident Erin Rowe founded the Delaware Native Plant Identification and Exchange, a private group on Facebook with 6,000 members.
Native Plants
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Delaware Native Plant Identification and Exchange
The planting areas in Rowe’s garden are partly defined by their microclimates, including a ditch that floods regularly and shade from mature trees in the back. The place and the Facebook group also illustrate Rowe’s growing “buy nothing” beliefs. She has given an arbor “a second life” after she found it in the trash, and she has also picked up hardscaping from all over to provide “cues to care” around the beds.
The Delaware Native Plant Identification and Exchange went live on May 6, 2015. “I started with just a desire and a handful of knowledge, and we welcome all questions,” Rowe said. “The conversations we have provide a sense of community among us.”
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Goldenrod may “look like a weed” in some seasons, but it is “absolutely
with late-season flowers, Rowe said.
Photo by Ken Mammarella
essential”
Native Plants
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Rowe offered the following statistics: There are 2,435 flora taxa in Delaware. Of them, 1,640 are native; 85 are invasive; 86 are on the invasive watchlist; 137 are non-indigenous; 233 are waifs (tend to disappear, but may not and become reclassified). So 32 percent of the flora in Delaware is not historically native.
On their land, the Rowes have documented impressive numbers of creatures drawn to native plants: 161 bird species, 33 butterfly species, 11 dragonfly species, six turtle species and six snake species.
A recent scan through the Facebook page revealed some recurring themes: What is this plant? Is this the native kind or the similar foreign one? How can I solve this landscaping/horticultural challenge? Anyone want/have this to share? The last category is highlighted weekly on “Wish Wednesday.”
Nurturing each other
The group has also hosted planted exchanges in the spring and fall, when replanting is at its peak, and also posts volunteer opportunities.
Photo courtesy of Erin Rowe
A snowberry clearing moth.
“I like cramming stuff in and making paths.” Rowe wrote in a post last summer. “I’m also terrible at editing. I want them all to live wherever they decide. Still, it’s lovely.”
The property is not completely native. “I have a Japanese painted fern that’s a cute gift from my mother,” she said.
Membership can be transformative.
Liz Allen and Rowe went to grad school together.
“I like nature, but I didn’t even know what native plants were when Liz asked me to join,” said Allen, one of four moderators. “Through the group, I changed my career from teaching English as a second language to promoting native plants.”
Allen became a Delaware master naturalist through the University of Delaware and started doing property restoration. She now works as a teacher at Mt. Cuba, the Hockessin garden that
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Photo courtesy of Erin Rowe
The perfect half circles on this redbud are made by leaf cutter bees.
Native Plants
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showcases native plants, and is the garden manager and horticulturalist at Gibraltar, the Wilmington estate with faded Italianate Beaux Arts gardens designed in 1916.
“It is wonderful to have knowledgeable people in the group who are willing to help identify exotic invasives in our yards and suggest more suitable native plants to use instead,” said member Sue Hudson. “The group is also a great place to meet like-minded people to exchange plants with and even make new friends.”
Photos by Ken Mammarella Rowe has converted most of her beds to plants that are indigenous to Delaware or native to North America. She also built a greenhouse and a chicken coop.
Buttonbush is Rowe’s favorite plant.
Rules of engagement
The Delaware Native Plant Identification and Exchange, a private group on Facebook that unites 6,000 people who care about the subject, welcomes newcomers with these (edited) guidelines.
Plant recommendations: Only regionally appropriate native plant recommendations are permitted.
Faunal posts: Native flora images with fauna are welcome in the context of the plant hosting it (such as a goldfinch eating hyssop seeds or a monarch caterpillar on milkweed).
Tone and content: Be overly kind in communication since text can translate intent and tone
poorly. Content should be respectful (disagreements must be civil) and relevant.
Native ecology and ecosystems: Posts and links to articles or sites that inform or promote our native ecology are permitted. A general gardening piece would not fit the mission.
Posts, generally: As long as they are native plant-oriented, Admin is pretty liberal. If your post disappears, it didn’t fit the mission.
ID posts: If you don’t know what the plant is, post! Exclusions apply: houseplants, agricultural plants, fungi, mushrooms and caterpillars.
Photo by Ken Mammarella Lilium superbum (also known as Turk’s cap) offers striking displays when a group of plants blooms together. This single plant offers Rowe hope.
Chad Cortez Everett: The art of capturing moments
By Colleen Cochran Contributing Writer
For Chaz Cortez Everett, a painter, mixed medium artist and former art teacher in the Appoquinimink School District, his work “aims to evoke nostalgia, provoke thought, and capture the essence of personal and collective memory.”
Much of Everett’s art depicts imagery from his personal experiences. He recreates objects and places that were important to him during his childhood and adolescence. Often, his work is an ode to his native Philadelphia, capturing the city’s famous landmarks, sports heroes, and musicians. Viewers of his work often discover that the images that are important to him are likewise an integral part of their own life stories.
His collage, “Fake gold chains, girl watching, and eating Cinnabons at The Gallery mall,” portrays images from his youthful days spent congregating with friends at The Gallery, a bygone shopping center in Center City Philadelphia. It depicts his memories of times spent sitting in the food court eating cinnamon buns and, in an attempt to bedazzle girls, donning large, fake gold chains purchased from mall vendors.
While viewers of this collage might not have the same memories, many do have their own memories of The Gallery, a place that no longer exists, and it is Everett’s hope that the collage rouses those recollections.
The Gallery opened in 1977, and in 1984, it was expanded and renamed The Gallery at Market East. In 2019, the mall was ultra-modernized and filled with large entertainment venues and more dining establishments. It was renamed Fashion District Philadelphia.
Everett said that he misses the quaint charm of the old mall.
“Nothing is permanent, which is why people need to enjoy place a moments,” he said. “I attempt to capture them.”
Another of Everett’s works brings back to life the Elmwood Skating Rink, a place where he spent many happy moments. This roller skating rink operated on South 71st Street and Elmwood Avenue in Philadelphia from 1945 until 2015. The piece, simply titled “Elmwood Skating Rink in Southwest Philly,” was displayed in 2023 at a regional juried exhibition called “215|610 Contemporary” at Delaware County Community College.
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Courtesy photo
Chad Cortez Everett, a painter and mixed medium artist, has also worked as an art instructor for more than two decades.
Chad Cortez Everett
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While some artists prefer to leave the meaning behind their works to the viewers’ interpretations, Everett says his works tell a very distinct story.
“They are my memories,” he said. “I love to share those memories and stories with the public at my shows, and I like to hear their stories as well.”
Everett gets an opportunity to swap tales with art lovers at the many group and solo shows that display his artwork each year. In February, some of his collages were displayed at the Newark Arts Alliance in its show, “Celebrating Black History Month: Here and Now.” In March, his work was presented in the program, “Echoes in Matter: A Visiting Curator Exhibition by Taylor Blythewood-Porter” at The Center for Emerging Visual Artists in Philadelphia.
When he was a student at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, Everett’s art teacher Leslie Kamison inspired the young student to pursue a career in art. After graduation, Everett attended Temple University, where he received a Masters in Fine Art and art instructor certification from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture. He then earned an MFA from the LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
In addition to working as a professional artist, Chad spends much of his time inspiring budding artists, just as his mentor, Kamison, did for him. He was an art instructor for 19 years at McCullough Middle School in New Castle, Continued on Page 30
Images courtesy of Chad Cortez Everett Everett’s work often recreates objects and places that were important to him during his childhood and adolescence.
Chad Cortez Everett
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Delaware, and he went on to teach at the Appoquinimink School District in New Castle for two years. He currently teaches at John Dickinson High School in Wilmington, Delaware.
“I teach my students to find their own style, to make mistakes, and to grow,” he said. “Their art is for them. I don’t want to turn my students into clones of me.”
His home in rural Landenberg, Pa. may seem like a galaxy away from his artistic roots in Philadelphia, but Everett said that the area suits him. He moved to southeastern Chester County when his wife, a doctor, was performing her residency program at Christiana Hospital.
“Landenberg is a good place for an artist to find himself,” he said. “The community is brimming with artists, and we inspire one another.”
Last year, he took part in the Artists of Landenberg Studio Tour, a very popular event in which the public is invited to visit the studios of a host of artists that include painters, potters, tapestry makers, glass blowers, and more. He plans to participate this year, as well, and the event is scheduled for Oct. 11 and 12.
Like every artist, as Everett’s life unfolds, his works evolve. He said that 2024 was a rough year for him because three of his friends died. For a while he was mired in sadness; he said he could not even paint at all.
“It took me a minute, but I could not stay in that state for too long,” he said. “In fact, I went on to spend the rest of the year working feverishly and building up my supply for artwork. I was suddenly infused with a sense of urgency to create.
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Courtesy image
A lot of Everett’s artwork is an ode to Philadelphia, where he grew up.
Images courtesy of Chadd Cortez Everett
Chad Cortez Everett
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“I realized that life is short, and I also suddenly became more willing to take risks and to make mistakes.”
When Everett started out as an artist, during his grad school years, he was painting the 1990s hip-hop scene at Baltimore night clubs. After graduation, he became more serious, preferring to depict political and racial issues. That phase of his work did not last too long, however, because he felt his work was losing some of its joy.
“I needed to infuse a layer of humor into my work,” he said.
The onset of COVID-19 marked the beginning of a new artistic period. It was during this time that he started creating works that documented his memories.
“It became apparent to me that we don’t know what life is going to bring each day,” he said. “And
I felt this strong desire to cherish specific moments.”
As his life continues to evolve, Chad Cortez Everett updates the works that capture that life on his website: http://chadceverettart.com/. He hopes his site provides viewers with an opportunity to connect with their own life journeys.
Images courtesy of Chad Cortez Everett His collage, “Fake gold chains, girl watching, and eating Cinnabons at The Gallery mall,” portrays images from his youthful days spent congregating with friends at The Gallery, a bygone shopping center in Center City Philadelphia.
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|Middletown Life Photo Essay|
embers HOPE Forever of
by Jim Coarse
Text by Richard L. Gaw
The Liston Front Range Lighthouse in Middletown is just one of many lighthouses that grace the scenic Delaware Bay
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Photos
“Like the keeper of the lighthouse and the prisoner, she regarded it as a mooring, a checkpoint, some stable visual object that assured her that the world was still there; that this was like and not a dream. That she was alive somewhere, inside, which she acknowledged to be true only because a thing she knew intimately was out there, outside of herself.”
-Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon
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Perhaps more than any other man-made structure, lighthouses are said to best represent the dueling predicament of the human life: our isolation and our absolute connectedness with each other. All up and down the Route 9 corridor along the Delaware Bay waterway, lighthouses are the forever embers on the shore. From the Marcus Hook Rear Range Lighthouse in North Wilmington to the Liston Front Range Lighthouse in Middletown to the Fenwick Island Lighthouse in Fenwick, there are 13 active lighthouses in Delaware, each separate entities but when joined together, they form a connective bond of light that guides boaters safely on their way.
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|Middletown Life
Photo Essay|
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Our poets, writers and our most courageous frequently use lighthouses as metaphors for life. George Bernard Shaw wrote, “I can think of no other edifice constructed by man as altruistic as a lighthouse. They were built only to serve.” The philosopher Vernon Howard wrote that a “lighthouse remains perfectly steadfast and unaffected by the storm. Your true self is like that. Nothing can ever harm you once you are consciously aware that it is so.”
In the last decade of his life, after an equestrian accident paralyzed him and left him confined to a wheelchair and ventilator with very little mobility, the actor Chistopher Reeve became a symbol for resilience, grace and courage.
“At some time, often when we least expect it, we all have to face overwhelming challenges,” Reeve was quoted as saying.
“When the unthinkable happens, the lighthouse is hope. Once we find it, we must cling to it with absolute determination. When we have hope, we discover powers within ourselves we may have never known - the power to make sacrifices, to endure, to heal, and to love. Once we choose hope, everything is possible.”
Sam Postlethwait, principal of Appoquinimink
Postlethwait, Appoquinimink High School
Middletown Life recently met with Appoquinimink High School Principal Sam Postlethwait to discuss the school’s approach to education, its broad curriculum and new initiatives, the people who have inspired him and how he envisions the future of education in America.
Middletown Life: If there is a fundamental mission of education for Appoquinimink High School, it is perhaps best folded into the paradigm of the school’s 4C model of learning: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity and Critical Thinking.
Postlethwait: The high school landscape is about providing opportunities for kids to explore and find their space, and our school has anything and everything that you can think of to inspire that. There is music, sports, career tech, math, science, English and social studies – so there are many avenues and choices to find one’s way. We spend a lot of time talking about our school community – not only how large it is but what it feels like to be a student in any particular classroom. We’re trying to create a sense of belonging here.
Let’s look at one of those Cs: Communication. Every year, we identify an instructional goal, and for the last few years, student discourse has been one of our primary areas – to focus on getting students to communicate with one another through collaborative structures. We are in an age where technology is constantly tugging at our students for their attention. The communication age is real, and they have access to so much, but on the other side, they’re doing less talking. Our kids need to be able to communicate and talk, and not just on a device. Kids have time to think and kids have time to share, and all kids are expected to participate and contribute.
Where do we see this instructional goal in practice at the school?
We are establishing avenues of collaboration for all of our students. In one aspect of this intention, students who are working on a PowerPoint presentation will be linked in partnership with another student, who will provide written and verbal feedback on the project. We’re creating an avenue for all students to participate and to think critically, not just about their own project but about their partners’ projects.
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All photos courtesy of the Appoqunimink School District Appoquinimink High School Principal Sam Postlethwait admires the ingenuity of students engaged in a school project.
THOMAS J. BURKE, D.O.
Nicole J. Bright, D.O.
Howard L. Brooks, MD
Gina Caputo, D.O.
Shannon Husebo, PA-C
Drew Venables, PA-C
Michele Kassien, NP
Accepting New Patients 212 Carter Dr., Suite A, Middletown, DE 19709 | 302-449-2400 774 Christiana Rd., Suite 107, Newark, DE 19713 | 302-230-3376 95 Wolf Creek Blvd, Suite 1, Dover, DE 19901 | 302-734-3376 1058 S. Governors Ave. Suite 101 Dover, DE 19901 | 302-734-3376 353 Savannah Rd., Lewes, DE 19958 | 302-703-6585
212 Carter Dr., Suite A, Middletown, DE 19709 302-449-2400 1058 S. Governors Ave. Suite 101 Dover, DE 19901
Q & A
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Years ago, most school districts subscribed to a “one size fits all” approach to education that crammed too many students through the same portal. There is not just one educational “pathway” for Appoquinimink High School students, but several. Within this framework, talk about the importance of how the school’s curriculum encourages each student to develop their own unique voice, their vision, their skills and their individuality.
Appoquinimink High School is about students finding their interests and exploring them. We have 24 pathways here that range from engineering, culinary to music theater to science, math, AP and foreign language. As a district, we have evolved the opportunities for students to explore, to the point where we not only have immersive opportunities to pursue career pathways in our building, but now all students are required to have 50
hours of work-based learning opportunities – immersion outside of our school in the community.
Let’s talk about the student, for instance, who has a dream to own his own body detail shop after high school. If he goes through this immersive pathway designed specifically to match his career goals, he likely knows much more than those who have the same dream but not the same in-school and out-of-school opportunity.
All students at Appoquinimink High School have a Capstone Project, and that project is related directly to their pathway. They are working to create mini businesses within our school infrastructure to make money. At the district level, Mike Trego, our supervisor for college and career readiness, has done a great job creating those opportunities for our students.
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Principal Postlethwait meets with students on Preview Night.
|Middletown Life| Q & A
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Nearly every individual who has ever gone into education has been inspired by a teacher, a mentor or a coach – someone they got to meet through school. Who inspired you?
Several members of my immediate family worked in education. My mother worked at Caesar Rodney High School for many years. My aunt was a nurse at the school and my other aunt was a school psychologist. My grandfather Dr. F. Niel Postlethwait was the Superintendent of Schools for the Caesar Rodney School District. As a student, I was very active. I was in the choir. I played three sports, and I had great coaches, including John Kovalesky, my football coach, whom I looked up to.
Growing up, I was very fortunate to have spent a lot of time around educators and around great leaders in education.
After graduation from Caesar Rodney High School, you attended the University of Delaware, where you were a quarterback on the school’s football team under legendary coach Tubby Raymond. Talk about his influence on you – not just as a player, but on your maturation as a young adult.
Tubby was an amazing leader, and he had the ability to captivate a room. He knew what to say, when to say it and how to say it in a way that would be most impactful. Execution and excellence were two of his motto and two great words to live by. There was no let up from Tubby; if he sensed players were dogging it or not working hard, he was quick with a correction and made it known that his expectations were for his players to give everything they had, day in and day out.
I think from a leadership perspective, having high expectations and ensuring you get the most out of an individual on any given day is essential to achieving high levels of success.
There is not one parent of a child who attends Appoquinimink High School currently reading this article who does not worry about their child’s safety once that child enters the grounds of the high school. Without giving away confidential implementation, talk about the approach the school has made to safety over the past few years.
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Appoquinimink High School and the Appoqunimink School District have placed students’ safety as one of the top priorities in the district. We know parents want to send their child to schools that are safe, and they want to know what steps we are taking to ensure students are safe every day. In my time here at AHS, we have taken several steps to improve student safety through additional staffing, management strategies and new technology. In January of 2023, we added a full-time constable to our AHS staff, an additional behavior interventionist and a full-time school resource officer.
From a management perspective, we have daily monitoring protocols at student arrival, during student transitions and at dismissal. In addition, staff monitor the building throughout the day and our SRO and constable check to ensure doors are locked throughout the day. The district initiated a “Stop the Prop” campaign this year in an effort the minimize staff and students propping doors open. In recent years, we moved all student parking to the front of the building, to reduce the number of doors students were entering and exiting each day, making our building a single exit/entry building.
Technology has improved as well. We have a comprehensive camera system, and a number of cameras include software called “ZeroEyes,” a weapons detection software. Additionally, exit doors are alarmed to help monitor entry and exit and we are currently using an advanced weapons detection system at some of our sporting events. Every year, we invest professional development time and conduct safety drills to ensure that our staff is safety trained. The district has taken significant steps to increase the safety of our campuses across the district, and the investment in people, training, technology and management initiatives hopefully gives parents piece of mind knowing the district has prioritized student safety.
I have just given you the tools to share your vision for the future of high school education in America. Share some of that vision with the readers of Middletown Life. What tweaks, conceptual changes and fresh new ideas would you like to see implemented?
As a district, we are leading the way with our Work Based Learning opportunities and community partnerships. Right now, the workforce is changing rapidly, and I don’t think students know what’s out there.
How can we provide immersive experiences for our students? How can we position them for success? How can we help them find their future? How can we make them better problem solvers? These are all questions I think schools are challenged with addressing, particularly when schools are competing for students’ attention when they have access to so much right at their fingertips. My vision would be to expand those opportunities for students to engage in the community and with the work force. We need to think about ways to further expose our students to what is available to them when their high school experience is over. Students are going to college, going into the military or directly to the workforce, and equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make those decisions is more important than ever.
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I would like to see a scenario where students can explore more of what’s out there not only from a job perspective but to also immerse them in real problem solving. I would love to see our students working and creating solutions to some of the challenges the town of Middletown is currently facing. How can we get them involved in brainstorming solutions related to building projects, commercial projects, roads, infrastructure, fire/police and medical facilities as our community expands? Projects like these are real for students, because they live in this community, and these projects are naturally personalized because of that.
When envisioning the future of education in America, what do you see that gives you the most hope?
We are just beginning to see changes in the way we think about school through real educational innovation. By and large, school hasn’t changed very much in the last 40 or 50 years. Sure, we have increased the use of technology, but overall, if you really consider the classroom and how teachers are teaching it is very similar, but we are using technology to support learning. We are starting to see shifts in the way schools are engaged in the community. Students are being provided with real world work-based learning opportunities through partnerships with the greater community. This work is the next step in expanding the experiences our students are having in schools.
What are the moments that you enjoy most as the Principal of Appoquinimink High School?
Helping a student succeed never gets old. I think every educator gets into education with the notion they want to help and support young people. It is very rewarding to watch students grow during their high school years from the ninth grade to graduation and beginning that next chapter in their lives. Graduation is my favorite day of the year, but I truly enjoy seeing students in their classrooms, out on the field playing sports and in the theater acting,
singing, playing instruments, performing and creating art. All of the extra elements of the high school experience are what I love the most. There’s nothing quite like seeing students succeed and excel in spaces beyond the classroom.
What is your favorite spot in Middletown?
Sushi Yama.
You organize a dinner party, and you can invite anyone – living or not, famous or not. Who would you like to see seated around that table?
Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady, Lebron James, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Derek Jeter.
What item can always be found in your refrigerator?
Milk and eggs.
To learn more about the Appoqinimink School District, visit www.apposchooldistrict.com.
~ Richard L. Gaw
BBQ
Stoltzfus BBQ hosts our famous Pig Roasts & Chicken BBQ! Chicken BBQ Legs and Thighs are grilled over a charcoal pit. A selection of Sandwiches, Dinners, Quarts, Pints, and Party trays are available to go for the Pig Roast. Legs & Thighs available to purchase for the Chicken BBQ.
EVENTS
Our Anniversary & Customer Appreciation Week
Join us July 10th, 11th, & 12th, 2025 for our annual anniversary celebration! Our vendors will have some great specials, Chicken BBQ Dinners will be available, Kids Events will be going on, Furniture will be on sale and much more!
4/11-4/12 Pig Roast
5/22-5/24 Pig Roast Chicken BBQ
7/3-7/5 Chicken BBQ
8/28-8/30 Pig Roast Chicken BBQ
10/3-10/4 Pig Roast
Easter
Wednesday, April 16th: 8:30am to 4pm Thursday, April 17th: 8:30am to 6pm Friday, April 18th: CLOSED for Good Friday Saturday, April 19th: 8am to 4pm Ascension Day
Delaware’s oldest free library offers programs and resources for all ages
The Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library, the oldest free library in Delaware and founded in 1847, will continue its robust schedule of events and resources designed to engage community members of all ages and interests.
Patrons are invited to explore a range of programs, from book clubs and engaging lectures to chess clubs and story time sessions. In addition, the library offers a plethora of community services and resources, from job and career assistance to access to free e-books and media.
“Our library is committed to providing a welcoming space for learning, growth and creativity,” said Library Director Katryna Cera Proulx. “Whether you’re looking to discuss a new novel in our book clubs or attend our popular lecture series, there’s something for everyone.”
The offerings include the following:
• Book Clubs: Monthly gatherings for tweens, teens and adults to discuss contemporary fiction, historical novels and more, led by volunteer moderators.
• Chess Clubs: Held every first and third Thursday of the month, the Chess Club is open to all ages looking to learn or sharpen their playing skills, and have fun.
• Lectures and Workshops: Experts and local authors share insights on topics such as history, health and personal finance.
• Story Time: Weekly sessions featuring read-aloud activities, sing-alongs and crafts to spark the imagination of young readers.
• Digital Resources: Free access to e-books, audiobooks, e-media, online research databases and language-learning programs.
Story time fun at the Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library in Odessa. Visit www.corbitcalloway.lib.de.us for a full schedule of events and information about the library’s many resources.
• Community Services: Basic technology classes and teleservices, job and career assistance, small business assistance, and one-on-one research assistance, and more.
Patrons are encouraged to sign up for a library card to take advantage of the full range of amenities.
The Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library is located at 115 High Street in Odessa, and is open Mondays and Thursdays, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Tuesdays and Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesdays, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and is closed on Sundays.
For more information about upcoming library events or to view the full schedule, visit www.corbitcalloway.lib.de.us.
Courtesy photo
Odessa spring and
Art Exhibit: Odessa High School Advanced Placement
Art
and Design Showcase
The Historic Odessa Foundation presents an exhibition of imaginative artworks by Odessa High School’s AP Art Studio students, led by teacher Brianna Shetzler. This showcase highlights their eight-month independent exploration of two-dimensional mediums, techniques, and concepts, featuring finished works and sketchbook inquiries. Odessa High School, part of the Appoquinimink School District, opened in 2020 and is located just two miles from the museum complex. The exhibition runs from April 1 to April 27, with free admission during Historic Odessa Foundation museum hours.
Saturdays at the Hearth:
Ready for
Spring
Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Step into the Collins-Sharp House and journey back to the 18th century as Historic Odessa’s costumed interpreters bring colonial cooking to life. Experience the sights, sounds,
and mouthwatering aromas of dishes prepared over an open fire, using authentic tools, time-honored recipes, and traditional techniques from colonial Odessa. This season, springinspired fare is featured, showcasing the flavors of the past. This immersive culinary experience is included with general admission—don’t miss the chance to taste history in action.
Historic Odessa
Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Sunday, April 13 at 2 p.m.
Odessa spring and
Two Lights for Tomorrow –DE250 Commemoration
Friday, April 18, 7:30 p.m. to Saturday, April 19, 10:30 a.m.
Join the Historic Odessa Foundation in celebrating DE250 and honoring Paul Revere’s midnight ride by lighting two lanterns in the Historic Odessa Foundation Visitor Center windows on Friday, April 18—a symbol of unity and hope for the future. Then, on Saturday, April 19 (10 a.m.) there is a community service event at the Collins-Sharp House kitchen garden. Be part of this national initiative by placing two lights in your window and participating in a community service day. Volunteers will help clean and prepare the historic kitchen garden for seasonal planting. To volunteer, call 302-378-4119. Learn more at www. delaware250.org, or email delaware250@delaware.gov.
Becoming One: Spirit, Nature, and Form –
Join in for a fun-filled Easter Egg Hunt at the Corbit-Sharp House Garden in Historic Odessa on Sunday, April 13. Designed for toddlers through 5th graders, the event features designated egg hunt areas by age group, followed by take-home crafts. Space is limited, and reservations are required—call (302) 378-4119 to sign up by Friday, April 11, at 4 p.m. The egg hunt schedule is as follows: Preschool at 2 p.m., Kindergarten/1st Grade at 2:15 p.m., 2nd/3rd Grade at 2:45 p.m., and 4th/5th Grade at 3 p.m. Make it a day! Enjoy a delicious Sunday Brunch at Cantwell’s Tavern before the hunt.
Artwork by Deborah Johnson
Tuesday, April 29 to Sunday, June 29
Experience the captivating work of Magnolia, Delaware artist Deborah Johnson, on display at the Historic Odessa Foundation April 29 through June 29. This exhibition showcases glass works, tapestries, paintings, Shibori-dyed silks, and embroideries from her Falling Leaf Studio, exploring the hidden patterns that connect us to nature and the divine. Johnson’s art weaves together fractals, sacred geometry, and organic forms, using intricate techniques to
The Historic Odessa Foundation presents an exhibition of imaginative artworks by Odessa High School’s AP Art Studio students.
Join in for a fun-filled Easter Egg Hunt at the Corbit-Sharp House Garden in Historic Odessa on Sunday, April 13.
and summer events
and summer events
blur the boundaries between self and creation. From ethereal glass drawings to richly woven tapestries and vibrant silk dyes, her work celebrates the harmony of nature’s patterns. Free Public Reception: Meet the artist on Thursday, May 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Historic Odessa Foundation Visitor Center. Plan your visit this early summer and immerse yourself in this extraordinary exhibition.
Corbit-Calloway
Memorial Library’s 12th
Annual MayFest in Odessa
Saturday May 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library will host its annual MayFest in Odessa on Saturday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering a free, family-friendly event featuring local
crafters, vendors, live entertainment, and more. The festival, held on the first Saturday of May each year, draws about 4,000 attendees and includes games, inflatables, a petting zoo, train rides, costumed characters, and a massive book sale sponsored by the Library Friends group. A raffle with exciting prizes will also take place, with proceeds benefiting the library’s
Summer Reading Program and yearround events. MayFest runs throughout the day, and visitors of all ages are encouraged to attend. For more information, follow #CCMLMayFest2025 on social media.
Historic Odessa Foundation celebrates Juneteenth Thursday, June 19, noon to 2 p.m.
Tours of Historic Odessa’s National Park Service Network to Freedom site and exhibit “Freedom Seekers: the Odessa Story” will be offered free of
charge—reservations are required, for the observance of Juneteenth. Dating back to 1865, a full two and a half years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, it was June 19 when the Union Army landed in Galveston, Texas and spread the news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free. In celebration of America’s newest national holiday, tour the Historic Odessa Foundation’s National Park Service Network to Freedom exhibit: “Freedom Seekers: the Odessa Story” and afterwards have your silhouette cut in a method typical at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Discover how the camera obscura was used to create profile likenesses for posterity. Silhouettes have been made in all forms of art across all cultures, times, and places. Have your likeness preserved in a restored art form that predates the selfie.
Tours will leave from the Visitors Center at noon and 2 p.m. Advanced reservations are required by Tuesday, June 17. Please contact Jennifer at 302-378-4119 or Jennifer.Cabell@historicodessa.org.
Experience the captivating work of Magnolia, Delaware artist Deborah Johnson, on display at the Historic Odessa Foundation April 29 through June 29.
Courtesy photos
Historic Odessa Foundation celebrates Juneteenth with special events on Thursday, June 19.
The Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library will host its annual MayFest in Odessa on Saturday, May 3.
A ‘creative ministry’ in the footlights of a stage
For
the past 38 years, God’s Power and Light Theater Company has brought wholesome family entertainment
to the
stage,
and over that time, it has served as an incubator program for young actors and generously given back to the community it calls home
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
It is a February weeknight in the Recreation Room at the Cornerstone Church in Bear, and God’s Power and Light Theater Company’s cast of Children of Eden are being put through their rehearsal paces by director Genevieve Aucoin and her husband and assistant director Jordan Francis.
The cast is made up of a generous mash-up of youngsters, teenagers, Gen-Xers, Millennials and a few seasoned veterans who have spent decades in community theater.
Taken from the Book of Genesis, Children of Eden rings with purpose and rich meaning from its first notes to its last and draws a linear parallel to the modern world by exploring the challenges of free will and living a value-centered life. As rehearsal continues, voices echo in the space. The youngest cast members prance on the periphery of the rehearsal stage. Aucoin moves from scene to scene downstage left. Empty cartons of take-out dinners lay on offstage tables, as do coats and cellphones and promotional flyers to promote the upcoming musical. There are no elaborate costumes yet, no audience, and at this moment, it would
not be too presumptuous to conjecture that there is absolutely no way that such a diverse group could ever share the same beating heart that is so crucial in a stage production, but here they are, several weeks before they open at the Everett Theatre for a three-show run in early April, finding their way through the first act of the musical in a kind of colloquial harmony.
While the actors struggle for lines and the choreography is still weeks away from perfection, there is a quiet assurance that permeates the room, that gives off the confident feeling that for God’s Power and Light Theater Company, the upcoming production of Children of Eden is not their first rodeo.
Founded in 1988 and with dozens of productions to their name, God’s Power and Light is a family-oriented, Christian-based theater company that provides family entertainment throughout the Middletown community. There are no long and pressure-cooked, cattle call auditions here and no one needs an Actor’s Equity credential; everyone who auditions finds his or place within every cast, and community members are welcome to provide backstage assistance with props, lighting, costuming and technical assistance.
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Photos by Richard L. Gaw Damon Cinaglia recently performed in Children of Eden for God’s Power and Light Theater Company.
God’s Power and Light Theater Company
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‘Discipline, cooperation and respect’
If there is one goal that every community theater company aspires to, it is to light the fire of inspiration for its youngest members and give them nearly free reign to explore and cultivate their creativity within the parameters of a play or a musical. Often, the results are the precursors of a life in the theater, or at the very least, the incubator for a life that will be blessed with the joys of personal discovery.
For JoAnne Ernsberger, who has been on the God’s Power & Light board of directors for the past four years and had a role in Children of Eden, seeing a youngster emerge from self-doubt and into self-exploration and personal growth is one of the greatest gifts the company provides.
“This is a community effort that reaches out and brings those without acting experience into the theater fold and
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Courtesy photos
God’s Power and Light Theater Company have performed several productions since it was first formed in 1988.
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God’s Power and Light Theater Company
Continued from Page 60
provides them with a lot of coaching and the creativity to develop an idea of who their character is before they go on stage,” she said. “When a young actor is assigned a part, they are required to go through the process of determining what their character’s emotions are like and what their thought processes are.
“In turn, it gives them an opportunity to grow as an actor, manage their expectations, govern their emotions, respect their elders, work as a team and grow into their ability to portray a character who is a lot different than they are. Theater teaches them the principles of discipline, cooperation and respect.”
‘This is a creative ministry’
In conjunction with its mission, the company funnels ten percent of its annu-
al income back to the Middletown-Odessa-Townsend community through ticket and program advertising sales, raffles, donations and grants. In past years, the company has contributed to recovery agencies, faith-based organizations and homeless shelters and also offers scholarships to its young members, many of whom who later study theater in college and beyond.
“The true magic of this theater company is that we never turn anybody away,” said company President Maureen Hoffman Ernst. “They always get a part, and to watch these kids grow and take what they learn here and bring it to their study of theater in college - no matter if it is acting, lighting or theater production - is truly heartwarming, When you read those scholarship letters, it really touches you how this company has enabled these children to grow and blossom.
“We believe that being good stewards of what God has given us gives us an opportunity to give back to the community and it lets them feel cared for in ways that regular donations do not,” Ernsberger said. “It is kindness on a more personal level. This is a creative ministry.”
‘God and Creativity’
Often, the casts for God’s Power and Light productions become a family affair.
Children of Eden is Damon Cinaglia’s second production
with God’s Power and Light, following his turn as last year in his performance of Sir Lancelot in Cabaret. He’s not the only Cinaglia at tonight’s rehearsal; his son Dante is playing a few roles in the show.
“I used to do theater when I was young and I still enjoy it, but now, I fully enjoy the family atmosphere here and getting a chance to be on stage with my family,” he said. “In fact, this is a story about family using Biblical themes to tell the story. It’s part of the mission here – to provide an opportunity for families to come together and participate in wholesome entertainment. It also gives us all an opportunity to minister together.”
Children of Eden actor Malinda Burkins first joined the company last fall for the production of I’ll Be Home for Christmas that drew large audiences for three shows last November at the Everett Theatre. For the second straight show, Burkins will be joined by her daughter, Jean Marie, who premiered with the company last year in a production of Elf: The Musical.
“My family has always been very theatrical, and my parents were always involved in church productions,” she said. “God’s Power and Light brings together two of my very favorite things: God and Creativity. When I see Jean Marie on stage, I am so proud of her that my heart practically explodes inside my chest, because I get to see her shining in her element.
Nasir Carwell, Jacalynn Easter and Oshell Aamundo of God’s Power and Light Theater Company.
“God’s Power and Light captures the magic of theater, the moments when a production arrives in bits and snippets. Then, the week before the show, when everything is crazy and hectic, we think, ‘How are we going to pull this off?’ and then opening night happens and we realize that we really have a great show.”
Spencer McDowell, who serves on the company’s board with his wife, was first introduced to God’s Power and Light in 2018, when his wife’s co-worker suggested that the McDowells involve their son, Daniel in a production.
“At the time he was in about the ninth grade, my son was very reserved and hadn’t yet come out of his shell, but Daniel ended up performing in a Christmas show as a member of the ensemble,” McDowell said. “Up to that time, we never knew that he had any kind of theatrical talent, but we also found that everybody was welcoming and accommodating to Daniel.
The theater company serves to inspire young people to explore their talents for the stage.
“This is a fantastic organization that helps young people find their start and their love for theater. People of all kinds of backgrounds come to us, either to begin their life of art or to continue their life of art.”
Ernst said that in her eight years as the president of the theater company, she has come to enjoy a particular moment in every production.
“The youth of this theater company are the ones who form the strongest bonds here,” she said. “After each last performance, we all go out to eat, and the tears of these young people begin to flow because they realize that this was their last show of this production. They will get up in the middle of the restaurant and perform songs from the show. It is amazing to see the love they have for each other.
“It’s a gift that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.”
To learn more about God’s Power and Light Theater Company, visit www.godspowerandlightco.org. or follow them on Facebook.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Continued on Page 64
Malinda Burkins and her daughter, Jean Marie both appeared in the company’s production of Children of Eden.
Come to the Delaware Aerospace Academy!
DASEF announces exciting and entertaining summer academies for grades first through tenth!
DAY ACADEMY AT THE OUTPOST
June 16 - 20, 2025
Location: The Environmental Outpost, 140 Dinosaur Dr, DE Smyrna, DE 19977 (Minutes from Ree. l, exit 114)
Cost: $350 • Before and after care available
Destination Discovery Entering 2ND- 3RD grades • 9 AM-4PM Creatures under the sea to dinosaurs on land!
DAY ACADEMY
June 24 - 28, 2024
Location: University of Delaware • Cost: $350 9AM-4PM • Four different sessions
Destination Sky & Beyond Entering 3RD and 4TH grades
Destination Space Entering 4TH and 5TH grades
Destination Flight Entering 5TH and 6TH grades
Destination Orbit Entering 6TH, 7TH or 8TH grades
OVERNIGHT ACADEMY
July 7 - 12, 2024
Location: University of Delaware • Cost: $700 • Two different sessions
Destination Moon Entering 7TH, 8TH or 9TH grades
Destination Mars Entering 8TH, 9TH or 10TH grades
