The Scholl Family

Loving Life in Marple

Resident Feature Written by Holly Stupak

Photos by Sierra Clark Photography www.SierraClarkPhoto.com

This month we are excited to introduce you to the Scholl Family: Tracy, Al and their son Lachlan, whose family motto is Don’t be a legacy, live your legacy. Whether it’s riding roller coasters, visiting Atlantic City or laughing with friends at Splash Club, this is a family whose legacy includes knowing how to have fun.

Tracy and Al moved to Marple in 2009. Their paths first crossed back in 2007 at Tysons Corner Mall in Virginia. Tracy was managing the Ralph Lauren men’s clothing store where Al was a frequent customer. But much to Tracy’s frustration, he never bought anything.

I worked on commission," joked Tracy, "So it was very annoying that he didn't buy a single item.

By frequenting the store often, Al got to know Tracy and discovered she’d never had a massage or facial before. Lucky for him, a friend owned a salon and he set up a spa appointment for her. Appreciative of the gesture, Tracy agreed to go out with Al. “Once we started dating, our relationship moved at top speed,” said Al. “It was definitely a sprint, not a marathon!”

Originally from Bala Cynwyd, Tracy graduated from Lower Merion High School and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Temple University. While at Temple, she was a co-founder of the Black Artistic Society of Soulful Expressionists (BASSE). The group organized talent shows on campus for artists to come and perform — mostly poetry readings.

Although I didn’t consider myself to have a lot of artistic talent," Tracy said, "I've always appreciated the arts.

She also discovered a love of history, especially Egypt and its 18th Dynasty, the era in which ancient Egypt achieved the peak of its power. “I love history. It’s fascinating to learn about, and I love watching historical dramas!”

After college, Tracy moved around a bit, living in New York, Chicago, South Africa and eventually the Washington DC/ northern Virginia area.

When one of my former professors invited me to the Congressional Black Caucus convention in DC, I jumped at the opportunity,” she said. “I had some great experiences during my time in DC: I met Rosa Parks, Bill Clinton and Al Gore. And through networking, I was ultimately offered a job at a political fundraising firm.

Today, Tracy can be found at Chateau Blu Hair Salon in Newtown Square where she’s the Salon Manager. “The best part of my job is connecting with people in the community,” she said. “I love the meaningful conversations I get to have with customers.

Al and Tracy Scholl

Meanwhile, Al grew up in Lynchburg, VA, the youngest of seven children. He graduated from William Campbell High School where he excelled in basketball and football. He was a member of the Beta Club, an academic club that promotes citizenship, character and service. Although he was offered a scholarship to play basketball at a small college in Virginia, he opted for American University in DC where he earned his BS in Environmental Science in 1994.

During college he became a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity whose chapter was active in fundraising for Multiple Sclerosis. Going to school and living in DC also sparked an interest in politics, and in 1996, he earned a certificate from the Public Affairs Lobbying Institute and became a volunteer with Virginia Republican Senator John Warner’s campaign.

Ultimately, Al wanted to have a career in environmental science. For the past 10 years, he has been working in business development of advanced energy technology at CTC Global. Headquartered in California, the company develops, certifies and deploys advanced technologies that electric utilities use to improve the efficiency, capacity, reliability and resiliency of the electric power grid worldwide. In his current role, he travels to engineering firms along the east coast, to sell CTC Global’s technology and train clients’ employees.

It’s encouraging to witness and be part of the energy sector," said Al, "Transitioning into a more efficient, sustainable modern energy grid.

Tracy and Al enjoyed their time living and working in DC, but after they were married and their son Lachlan was born in 2009, they made the move to Marple, to be closer to Tracy’s family.

Marple is the perfect place to raise a family!” she said. “We love our neighborhood because it’s one of the last untouched forests in Broomall. We have everything from beavers to coyotes to bears in our backyard.

With their home here feeling like it’s out in the country, someday they hope to add a chicken coop or even raise dairy goats.

Lachlan enjoying the Splash Club water slide

Living in Marple has worked out well for Al’s job, too. With his territory being along the east coast, he can easily get to New York and DC.

Whether it’s for work or to visit family, I love getting back to the metropolitan DC area,” he said. “And Marple actually reminds me of Lynchburg, VA, so it feels like home.

He has enjoyed getting involved in the community here through Marple Presbyterian Church, where he, Tracy and Lachlan have been members for the past several years. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Al became an elder and a part of their church’s hospitality committee. “Now that things are getting back to normal, I’m really looking forward to getting back to making those social connections and contributing to the community through our church,” he said.

Marple has also been a great place for the Scholl family to raise their son Lachlan, who will soon be a 6th-grader at Paxon Hollow Middle School. Lachlan has an aptitude for math and science and excels in those subjects at school. Active in sports, he plays flag football and lacrosse for the Marple Tigers, and is a wrestler. His parents say he’s a jokester and is always up for an adventure, whether it’s skateboarding, paddle boarding or swimming. And the whole family likes to spend summer days at Splash Club in Broomall where they’ve been members since it opened three years ago.

Splash is the premier staycation in Broomall,” said Al. “It’s got beautiful scenery and all kinds of delicious food. We love it there!

Al, Tracy and Lachlan

When they’re not spending time at Splash, the Scholls are an active family who love hiking, fishing and walking their 6-yearold Pit Bull Khalessi (named after a character on one of their favorite shows, Game of Thrones). Annually, they like to visit Atlantic City, and this past year they took a special trip to Universal Studios and Volcano Bay, to celebrate Mother’s Day. Riding roller coasters was the perfect thing for their thrill-seeking family to do on a vacation!

We thank the Scholl family for sharing their story with us and for showing us what it means to live their legacy here in Broomall.

Do you know a Broomall family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Holly Stupak at HStupak@BestVersionMedia.com.