Buckingham Friends School Seedlings Spring 2020 - Stepping Forward!

BUCKINGHAM FRIENDS SCHOOL

SPRING 2020

BUCKINGHAM FRIENDS SCHOOL

MISSION

Buckingham Friends School honors the Light within each person, inspires scholarship and spiritual community, and instills the value of caring for others and our world.

CORE VALUES

Rooted in the beliefs and traditions of Quakers, our values as a Friends school guide us to engage members of the school community in the shared responsibility of honoring the Light within each person and fostering the growth, individual talents, and passions of every student.

INSPIRATIONAL ACADEMICS We promote academic achievement within an environment of experiential learning to inspire curiosity, creativity, critical and analytical thinking, communication skills, and collaboration.

We strive to meet high standards, to remain agile and innovate, and respect individual approaches to thinking and learning.

INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER AND PERSONAL INTEGRITY We foster originality, honor and encourage each voice, and recognize that the development of an authentic, confident self provides the foundation for realizing personal fulfillment and success as a learner.

CARING FOR OTHERS Guided by the principles of friendship, we educate young citizens and awaken a strong local and global consciousness, a commitment to peace, and an ability to understand and contribute meaningfully and substantively to our diverse changing world.

STEWARDS OF OUR WORLD We engage community members in service work and teach the importance and responsibility of environmental sustainability. We believe it is essential to connect, collaborate, and make a positive impact on our world for present and future generations.

CONNECTED COMMUNITY We cultivate a joyful, involved, and inclusive community devoted to kindness, respect, and establishing trust and accountability. Together, we invest in the success and the well-being of each child, family, and one another.

SPIRITUALITY AND WELLNESS We embrace the quality of our spiritual community and strive to ensure the physical, social, and emotional health of each person. Our intention is to encourage self-awareness, mindfulness, confidence, empathy, and compassion. We understand that a sustained, balanced approach is vital to being a healthy and productive individual and member of society.

Approved by the Board of Trustees – December 12, 2018

2019-2020 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

ADMINISTRATION

EDITOR

Michael Godshall, Clerk

Paul Lindenmaier

Katelynn Connolly

Laura Kinnel, Assistant Clerk

Head of School

Jennifer Zelesko, Secretary Lisa Pretecrum, Treasurer Olivia Brangan Andrew Garrett

Melissa Clayton

Director of Admissions and Financial Aid

COPY EDITORS Michele Levy, Penelope Rowlands COVER PHOTO Lexi Logan ‘87

Anita Jensen

Doug Haigh

Chris Kerr

Director of Finance and Operations

Peter Rapaport

Katelynn Connolly

Kara Gilmore Shaw, Rachel Griffin- Snipes,

Alexis Ridge-Simek

Director of Advancement

Paul Lindenmaier, Malaine Reed, Ryan Rostine,

Robert Roop Chris Searle George Yarnall

Nancy Sandberg

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Katelynn Connolly, Laura Downs,

Stephanie Thliveris

Academic Coordinator, Secondary

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

School Placement Coordinator

Brad Wilson

Every effort was made to present the information in this edition of Seedlings as accurately as possible, If you notice any errors, omissions, or misrepresentations, please contact Katelynn Connolly at advancement@bfs.org.

Contents FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

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RESPONDING TO A CHANGING WORLD 3 NOW IS THE TIME FOR CAMPUS GROWTH

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JEM - GROWING AND EXPANDING FROM A SOLID FOUNDATION

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BUILDING A LEGACY

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CELEBRATING 225 YEARS

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CURRICULUM CORNER

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THE STILLNESS SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOP COMMUNITY MEMBER PROFILE

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BIG FRIEND, LITTLE FRIEND

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JEAN PARTRIDGE

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

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ALUMNI UPDATE

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ALUMNI NEWS

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IN MEMORIAM

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SCOTT FAMILY FUND

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FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL PAUL LINDENMAIER

Stepping Forward I N THIS, OUR 225TH YEAR, WE ARE “STEPPING FORWARD” and embracing our role as stewards of this special school in ways none of us could have predicted a few short months ago. We have arrived at an unprecedented moment that asks us to hold the school and its future promise with great care. In this issue of Seedlings you will read about how we are adapting to the realities of the current pandemic, while continuing to pave the way towards a bright future for BFS. All of the work we have done over the past few months to confirm our mission, vision, and strategic plan has positioned us well for sustainability in these uncertain times. Before COVID-19 required us to rethink how we live, work, learn, and connect, we had already begun to address long-held questions about what we wish to preserve, and to identify what we must build upon (and change) to ensure that BFS can best live its mission and be sustainable – prepared to support our core values, our community, our children and teachers, the spirit that is BFS, and teaching and learning for generations to come.

As we all adjust to our new norms, that work has slowed, but not stopped.

During our recent strategic planning process, we affirmed that our extraordinary 44-acre wooded campus is one of our most precious resources (an affirmation strengthened by our current distance from our beloved land and spaces). Although our faculty, staff, students and families have embraced distance learning with curiosity and courage, we all know that our campus is ultimately essential to the learning and interactions that occur at Buckingham Friends School, and core to its ethos. Five unique and varied buildings and a Meetinghouse are linked by walkways through green common spaces and playground areas. Playing fields and an extensive network of trails host scores of athletes while providing vast open spaces for gym classes, recess, or quiet contemplation of the clouds. The pond is a year-round science lab. Mature trees, inviting glens, and ample green space attract birds and wildlife.

Realizing the Promise: The Strategic Plan for Buckingham Friends School established four overarching goals that we identified as essential to realizing our vision for the future. Goal 4 focuses on resources: By 2023, BFS will have stewarded all its resources – financial, campus, and talent – for a sustainable future. One strategy to reach this goal is to “revitalize and/or update campus facilities and grounds in environmentally proactive ways that improve aesthetics and functionality.”

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This winter, we were privileged to work with Jim Childress and his colleague Beth Hedde from Centerbrook Architects. They were hired to guide us in the creation of a facilities plan that will allow us to improve, adapt, and answer our big questions about the future of our campus while integrating architectural solutions to advance our strategic plan and goals for teaching and learning.

Centerbrook has skillfully led an inclusive master facilities planning process that invited participation and ideas from members of every BFS constituency group. Throughout that process, it was clear to me that Centerbrook understood BFS’s unique attributes and culture.

Their work will result in the completion of a Master Facilities Plan – a conceptual blueprint for the stewardship of our campus in the future. I will continue to keep you informed and engaged in the next steps of the process as we realize our collective vision for Buckingham Friends School. If you have any thoughts or questions, or would like to be more involved, please contact me directly.

I would like to share with you an excerpt from my note to faculty on March 23, as we all took a deep breath just prior to plunging into our brave new experiment in distance learning: I write on the eve of our efforts to implement distance learning and this grand new experiment of living BFS’s mission in a new way to offer my deepest thanks to each of you. It truly has been humbling to witness everyone stepping up as they prepare and work together while preparing to step over a threshold into a whole new world.

I could not be more grateful for everything you’ve done and are about to embark upon.

As a community, we are building upon the legacies of those who came before us, those who were deeply committed to our mission and the future health and purpose of the school. We are also finding new paths to delivering on our mission, of connecting and serving the members of our extraordinary community. As we blaze new trails, I invite you to be in touch, to share your stories, to follow us on social media, to go to our website, and to consider how you may want to join us in our future endeavors.

Be well.

Paul Lindenmaier Head of School

Responding to a Changing World KATELYNN CONNOLLY

The BFS learning community is confidently and calmly settling into a “new normal” in these uncertain and unsettling times. Our caring and dedicated faculty prepared throughout spring break in order to provide engaged, intentional, and thoughtful instruction that meets the individual educational and emotional needs of each student.

Admittedly, distance learning is a bit foreign to the BFS community—we pride ourselves on our tight knit

classes and experiential approach—but we are pleased to report that it is now being implemented across the curriculum, in every subject area, for every class. By using tools such as Zoom and Google classroom, BFS faculty can connect the virtual classroom community without sacrificing the fluid, participatory experience of the BFS we all know and love.

Flexible thinking and resiliency, two key components of a BFS education, are aiding in this transition. BFS has always prepared its students for the unknown. Today all of our community members are experiencing the benefits of these lessons as we take each day in stride, preparing for what we can in ways that are practical, that celebrate our values and mission, but most important, that are reflective of the character of each member of our BFS family.

Together, we will step forward into a brighter day.

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Now is the time for campus growth…

KARA GILMORE SHAW

As part of Buckingham Friends School’s commitment to fulfill its mission to all members of its growing community, we have announced plans to adapt and improve our campus and facilities. We will indeed be “stepping forward,” taking a significant step towards a sustainable future, one that will foster further growth.

“As a current parent and an alum, I am excited about our partnership with Centerbrook Architects. I was here for the Arts Center build, which was completed in 1979. Our 8th grade class performed the first play “Arsenic and Old Lace,” directed by Linc Merwin, on the newly dedicated “Peter Barry Stage.” This is an exciting time for everyone affiliated with BFS. I look forward to contributing as a member of the Workshop Committee“ – Andrew Garrett, alumni, current parent, and Board member

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Paul Lindenmair, Head of School, started the New Year by announcing that BFS was embarking on a consolidated master facilities planning process, to be completed by April, 2020. This two-phase, comprehensive process will be inclusive of all members of the BFS community. It’s being led by Jim Childress, Principal, and Beth Hedde, Project Manager, of Centerbrook Architects, Centerbrook, Connecticut.

BFS: faculty, students, Board members, current parents, former parents, alumni, Steering Committee members, and members of Buckingham Friends Monthly Meeting.

Phase One began on January 15th and 16th with an on-campus visit by Jim and Beth. For two days, they conducted extensive meetings with BFS staff and faculty, the School Board and the Master Facilities Planning Committee to survey and discuss existing campus conditions, as well as future goals and ideas.

Specific considerations for the workshops included:

As part of this information-gathering phase, Jim and Beth also led a webcam meeting the following week with students from grades 5 to 8.

• Understanding the current site and facilities conditions to anticipate potential future campus needs.

During this first phase, these talented architects were immersed in BFS culture, witnessing our mission in action firsthand and listening to the voices that comprise BFS. In late February, Phase Two commenced with two interactive workshops, led by Jim and Beth, that included sixty individuals, representing eight stakeholder groups at

These workshops, along with two open invitation meetings for parents and community members, will be of key importance in the development of a blueprint plan for the campus revitalization process.

• Solutions for the gym and arts buildings; • Architectural solutions to advance the BFS strategic plan and goals for teaching and learning;

In his opening remarks during the first interactive workshop, Paul commented: “We are all the beneficiaries of the stewardship, vision, work, and contributions of former generations of BFS community members.” This notion of leaving a place better than you found it is a truth for all of us who now inhabit and care for this friendly place. Paul concluded, “It is exciting to imagine what the outcome of our collective planning work will be.”

“During Jim and Beth’s first few days of campus visits and meetings we saw their approach in action. The way they engaged the students was specially instructive of how their method of inclusivity works. I can’t wait to participate in the two workshops and to see how these will work to refine their thinking and enhance their creativity. Their goal is the same as ours. Imagine what form it will take in Realizing the Promise of the BFS’s strategic plan.”

– Robert Roop Co-Clerk, School Board member, Former parent, member of Master Facilities Planning Steering Committee

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JEM GROWING AND EXPANDING FROM A SOLID FOUNDATION LAURA DOWNS

S

ince I stepped into the role of Joint Environmental Mission (JEM) Program Coordinator this past September, many alumni, parents, current and former teachers have reached out to share their own JEM experiences. They have expressed how much they value the program and how excited they are to see its continued success.

While visiting our partner school in Belgaum, India last fall, I witnessed so many small but moving moments of connection that really brought to life the stories I had heard. Teachers joyfully reunited with friends from past visits; students learned new games with host siblings and cooked Indian dishes with their host parents and grandparents; and an Indian student who had visited BFS years ago came to spend time with the student whose family had hosted him! These poignant moments – all marigold garland-draped, masala-spiced, henna-ed, tabla-drummed, and banyan-shaded – left deep and lasting impressions.

It has been almost 30 years since Buckingham Friends School first received visitors from School n.213 in St. Petersburg, Russia (then the Soviet Union). The warm friendships and global concerns that were shared between our two schools, both during and after that initial visit, eventually led to the founding of the JEM program. Since then, the

program has grown and evolved. Our students and faculty have travelled to a dozen different countries, spanning six continents. They have: trekked in the Amazon Rainforest; snorkeled near the Great Barrier reef; drunk tea in the warmth of a Russian kitchen; lived with Maasai communities in Kenya; and with Quechua communities in Ecuador. On our recent India trip, we learned about renewable energy at wind and solar farms, and explored stunning 5th century Hindu cave temples.

JEM’s environmental theme this year is soil.

Students in all grades have been engaging with this theme – with their minds and hands. Like all JEM themes, this one is both elemental and expansive, yielding rich and varied opportunities for exploration – from the basics of soil composition to the benefits of organic farming; from the global concerns of soil erosion to soil as metaphor in poetry. As the great Wendell Berry said, “The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.”

I am honored to take up the mantle carried so passionately and thoughtfully by Hillary Spitzer and Karen Seaton, and to expand upon their foundational work. We currently have active (reciprocal visit-based) relationships with five JEM schools and are exploring new partnership opportunities. As we look to the future, we seek innovative ways to use digital tools to build and sustain personal connections and educational collaborations between JEM schools, across all grade levels. And as climate change looms ever larger, we seek to renew our commitment to JEM’s environmental focus.

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Our future plans include hosting an Earth Summit on campus in 2021, to which we will invite representatives from all JEM partner schools. As those who have experienced past Earth Summits can attest, it is sure to be a profound and exhilarating event, one that will involve our extended school community and visitors in the exploration of critical social and environmental issues through both local and global lenses. The Earth Summit will also coincide with the 30th anniversary of the first JEM trip. It will be a perfect opportunity for our community to reflect on the program’s rich history and envision the future of the program.

The world has changed in many ways since that first visit with Russian students, but the core principles – and the extraordinary impact – of JEM remain constant. During these exchanges, students and teachers alike discover the ways in which they are different from – and more importantly, similar to – people from all

around the world. They exchange unique perspectives and find common ground, learning what it means to be more engaged global citizens and active stewards of our shared Earth. I am excited to lead this special program into its fourth decade with the support of the BFS community!

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Building a Legacy FROM BFS STUDENT TO BFS PARENT There are many ways BFS Alumni contribute to the life of the School – whether by volunteering, attending and participating in the many BFS traditions, or supporting the Annual Fund.

Some alumni give the strongest of affirmations by choosing BFS for their own children! Here are interviews with eight alumni who are also, happily, BFS parents.

ANDREW GARRETT ‘80 PARENT OF OLIVIA ’19 AND ANDREW ‘20

What motivated you to choose BFS for your family?

Bonnie and I live in Flemington, NJ, about five miles north of Ringoes, where we both grew up. For me, BFS was really the only choice. At the end of the day, it came down to transportation – my mom carted the four of us (Philip ‘68, Ashley ‘72 and Alison ‘75) back and forth for 19 years. Bonnie made the same commitment, which is going on 10 years. How many kids have the chance to go to school with a 44-acre playground and are allowed to get dirty? Both Olivia and Andrew have been able to experience many of the same things that I experienced, such as class plays, ghost walk, track and field day, and trips down to the Chincoteague Bay Field Station (Wallop’s in my day), etc. The School truly helps kids to become the best version of themselves.

Why do you serve on the BFS Board of Trustees?

I was asked to do so by PTAC a few years ago. I felt that, because of the turnover with Heads and Interim Heads of School (there had been four, by that time), it was important to step up and help the School and the Meeting move forward and select a new HOS. My mom Barbara had served on the school committee for a number of years and I felt there was a legacy to carry on. As a School Board member, I was asked to be on the search committee. We were fortunate to have a number of experienced and highly qualified applicants. I want the School to thrive because of what it gave me as a student and parent, and what it’s given to Olivia and Andrew.

TRACEY HANOVER WILLIAMS ‘89 PARENT OF EMMA ‘20

Why is it important to you to be actively involved at BFS? BFS needs each and every one of us. The community enriches the School and makes it a warm place to be. Every time I set foot on campus I feel lighter on my feet, relaxed 8

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and comfortable. This is, and will always be, my home. Our daughter is about to graduate in the spring. It pulls deeply on my heartstrings to know I will not find her on campus. However, that will not stop me from coming back and continuing to care for this special place.

Why was BFS your choice for Emma?

As a graduate of BFS, I always knew Emma would attend the school. Her experience there is one of the greatest gifts in life that I could give her. This school shapes you as a human being. When you leave BFS, the values and ideals remain with you for the rest of your life. I know when Emma embarks out into the world she will be prepared to face the challenges of life, because she will always have BFS in her heart.

LEXI LOWE LOGAN ‘87 PARENT OF ROMAN ‘22

What are you most thankful for at BFS? I am most thankful that my son is able to express his artistic side in the BFS community. Having two parents who are artists, he feels free to be himself at home. But that’s never a guarantee that a child will be comfortable during school hours to be his or her true self. We have found the perfect school for Roman, and this makes us so incredibly grateful. Since his spirit is free, he has been able to excel in his academic studies, and show his loving Light to the world. We are eternally grateful!

Was there a moment that confirmed this is the right school for Roman?

When your child asks to get to school early every morning, you know things have fallen in place! The smile on his face is the accumulation of hundreds of “right moments” confirming our son is in the right place.

NANCY KEIM COMELY ‘83 PARENT OF REBEKAH ’14 AND NATHANIEL ‘23

What was your favorite class?

Mr. Barry’s religion class; I was already interested in history but his class made George Fox and Quakerism so alive and immediate for me.

Why did you choose BFS for your children?

I came to BFS in 6th grade. It was really the first time I felt I had the intellectual freedom to question in class, while being encouraged to delve deeper into subjects that interested me.

Not necessarily for good marks, but just because the subject was interesting. I wanted my children to grow up with that freedom, coupled with the academic rigor that BFS provides.

SABRINA LOY LIDDELL ‘94 PARENT OF HENRY ’22 AND CHARLOTTE ‘25

Your major take aways from your time at BFS? The strength in relationships and the importance of caring for those relationships. The foundation of a Quaker education in such a loving and supportive environment has given me the confidence to do anything – rise to any challenge.

Why do your children attend BFS? Because there is no other school I would ever send them to.

We actually moved back to Bucks County for this reason. All the values that we teach, and honor, at home are not undone when I send them to school.

ing and nurturing the whole child and how the staff see and enrich each individual child’s inner light. A few other reasons include, the community that is the heart of the school, the emphasis placed on empathy, the variety of arts that is still strong in each students daily schedule and the time spent outside, surrounded by nature, every day. As an alum, I can attest to the experience of attending BFS is like nothing else.

However, this is something my husband concluded after meeting my former schoolmates and visiting the campus.

We are grateful our daughter also gets to experience all that BFS has to offer.

IAN KENNEDY-KELLY ‘88 PARENT OF LILA ‘28

Why did BFS stand out as the choice for your daughter?

BFS was the best option for us because the school allows children to grow in their own unique ways. It’s a great place, one that fosters creativity, independence and strength. My BFS classmates are well-adjusted, kind-hearted, and successful adults. I also want Lila to have the opportunity to live the rich history of Quakerism at BFS.

What is your favorite memory from when you attended BFS? That’s a tough one, so many come to mind… Mr. Barry was the History of Art teacher when I was here. He would take us on trips – it was very interesting, the effect he had on the School. He was a rich character. I was fortunate to have the opportunity of crossing paths with him.

MELISSA MOOK ZUCCARINI ‘96 PARENT OF CECILIA ‘27

What is your favorite BFS tradition?

My favorite BFS tradition is the pairing of Big Friends and Little Friends. I can still remember being on the upper field the fall of my 6th grade year and the excitement of meeting the new Kindergartners (through the fence!) at Recess. My classmates and I couldn’t wait to become “Big Friends” to help guide the new BFS students and create that bond we had with our big friends. Many times, it’s a friendship that doesn’t end when the students leave BFS. In my case, nearly 30 years later, my “Big Friend” and I see each other regularly in a Book Club.

LLOYD MOYER ‘92 PARENT OF PENNY ‘26

Why BFS for your family?

Why BFS now?

Why BFS is a question I get fairly regularly. Some people have a hard time understanding why my husband and I choose to send our daughter to a private school when we live in a very strong, highly rated school district. However, for us, we choose BFS because of the emphasis placed on teach-

BFS was the most influential experience of my life. I always knew that, if I had the opportunity and great luck to be able to send my children to BFS, I would if it was truly the same kind of place it was when I attended. It is. So I did!

Who was your favorite teacher?

Karen Seaton 100%. Steve Bernardini and Peter Pearson tied for a close second!

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Due to COVID-19, THE 225 ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION has been postponed so that we all may celebrate as one community.

1950s JAMES IDEN SMITH

1794

From its humble beginnings as a one room schoolhouse, BFS has a rich history to celebrate! Join us this fall and help to complete this timeline with your treasured moments and memories.

A key figure in the transformation of BFS from a one room schoolhouse

HEAD OF SCHOOL Peter Barry GYM GROUNDBREAKING

1930s 1960s TEACHER, 1930-1960 Elizabeth Haines

1940s CLASS PLAY

GRADUATING CLASS with teacher - Sarra Yole

ALUMNI Ed Fell - Class of 1932

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1970s

2000s

present

SCHOOL EXPANSION

UPPER SCHOOL SOFTBALL

CLOTHING SALE

1980s

JEM ECUADOR WALLOPS ISLAND

1990s

GRADUATION CLASS OF 2009 with teacher - Linc Merwin

SOCCER FACULTY JEM STUDENTS ST. PETERSBURG RUSSIA

2010s

HEAD OF SCHOOL Paul Lindenmaier

HEAD OF SCHOOL Judy Heggestad with Lucretia “Lukie” Wells

Pond study with Mr. B

1994 BICENTENNIAL Heads of School Top L to R: Richard Eldridge, David Koth, Joe Cicciarelli. Front L to R: Peter Pearson, George Rowe, Peter Barry

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curriculum o r n e r

The Stillness RACHEL GRIFFIN-SNIPES

Soft music plays as first graders gather on the rug after lunch recess. With the lights off they begin singing “quiet time is a special time, a special time for me. I go to a place that feels just right and fill myself with peace.” Tr. Juli rings a bell and they all settle into a few moments of quietness to help their bodies get still on the inside... and still on the outside. When the bell rings again, everyone mindfully moves off to their own reflective activity.

The class gathers in this way every day with the intention of being in community with one another, but also providing space for more introverted, self-directed time. Some children draw, others read or play with Play-Do. For many students, this is the highlight of their day. It’s a time to simply be with yourself for 15 minutes and enjoy the company of your own thoughts. Tr. Rachel and Tr. Juli have seen children transform over the course of the year and become more self-aware through the implementation of this daily practice.

For students, school is often a go-go-go, all day long, experience. But for 15 minutes each day, 17 children and 2 teachers find a way to be still and centered. It is through this mindful practice that BFS students form resiliency and independence.

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BFS Science and Sustainability Program (aka Sustainability Workshop)

STEPHANIE THLIVERIS

The Buckingham Friends School Science and Sustainability program is an innovative, year-long civics and science course for eighth graders that represents a culmination of our science program. This class, which is modeled after the Science and Sustainability course developed by the University of California at Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science, addresses local and global issues related to sustainability. Its innovative curriculum encourages students to address these issues through the lens of scientific practice, as well as each student’s own knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology and earth science.

The class is co-taught by both a social studies and a science instructor. In the classroom, students team up to discuss topics in sustainability such as living on Earth; utilization of Earth’s resources; production of global and local food sources; and trade-offs in topics of energy distribution. They thoughtfully engage with such questions as: “What do we want to sustain?”; “How can we ensure that enough food will be available for the world’s growing population?”; “How do our efforts to obtain and utilize resources affect the environment?”; and “How can we best use our understanding of energy to maintain or improve our quality of life, the quality of life for people around the world, and the quality of life for future generations?”

To further both a local and global context, students read and discuss articles in the High Country News, a monthly periodical that addresses current sustainability issues that drive and hinder society and the environment. In a typical school year, students attend a Global Village Program, developed by Heifer International, to gain experiential understanding of global living.

“Sustainability Workshop is a quick and fun way to travel the world and explore the different issues that countries deal with and need to problem solve on a day-to-day basis,” says one eighth grader. “This perspective has made me become more aware of and appreciate the privileges that I have in my life.”

As our students become more deeply connected, moving forward into a global community, empowered by knowledge and compassion, they learn to address these challenging issues. By engaging their voices on a global platform they achieve personal growth.

This course reflects our BFS Quaker Values. It addresses students’ humanity by engaging them as “Stewards of our World.” Its focus on problem-solving resource inequity teaches about “Caring for our Community.” Students draw on “Individual Character and Personal Integrity” as they discuss trade-offs made between people and technologies. And they engage their “Connection to Community” to further their understanding of our human community.

Why did you choose BFS for your family?

We were looking for an independent school that would allow Grace to continue to learn in a hands-on, project-based environment, similar to her Montessori preschool experience. During our tour of BFS, we visited Dennis Haupert’s class during their car-building project. We were impressed by the engagement and excitement of the kids in the class as they tested their cars. This was the type of learning experience we wanted for Grace. The experience of the teachers and the extraordinary outdoor campus gave us the feeling that this was the right place for our family.

Now that Grace has moved on to The Pennington School, what inspired you to join the BFS Advancement Committee?

It was a privilege and a joy for Malaine to volunteer in the classroom, and as class parent during Grace’s eight years at BFS. She witnessed the extraordinary education BFS kids enjoy. As a chaperone, Andy saw firsthand how enriching field trips to such places as Washington, D.C., and the Pocono Environmental Education Center could be. Working with the Advancement Committee gives us the opportunity to make that happen for other kids.

You have made significant gifts to financial aid at BFS. Where does that motivation come from?

We want prospective BFS students to have the same educational opportunities that Grace had, regardless of financial need. We want to show our appreciation to the teachers and staff, and help grow enrollment. We can help make that happen by directing our BFS gift to financial aid. We are also motivated by the energy, vision and inclusiveness of Paul Lindenmaier in his work as Head of School.

What are your aspirations for the future of BFS? With its excellent teachers and staff, campus-as-classroom, project-based learning, and JEM program, BFS is unique among independent K-8 schools. There are opportunities for expanding multi-disciplinary classes (such as Sustainability, which combined science and social studies). Also for collaborating with secondary schools to develop complementary curricula to better prepare our children for high school. We are hopeful that BFS will continue to provide a unique, independent education well into the future.

COMMUNITY MEMBER PROFILE

Malaine Reed & Andy Kantra ALUMNI PARENTS ‘19 | LIVE IN NEWTOWN, PA Active members of the BFS Advancement Committee ANDY: Graduate of Yale University and NYU Partner at Pepper Hamilton Volunteers with Winter Shelter -Trinity Church, Philadelphia MALAINE: Graduate of Clemson University Retired with 20 years in printing and publishing Long time BFS parent volunteer and VP of Wiltshire Walk Homeowners Association Board

If you could turn back time, what BFS moment would you revisit?

It is hard to choose just one, but to name two… Volunteering in Judy Heggestad’s first grade classroom on a Science Friday where she made it “rain” in the classroom. Tapping maple trees on a snowy day with Mr. Haupert and the third grade class, then making maple syrup with them all a few weeks later.

There were so many moments like this over the years! BFS gives its teachers the space to be creative in their teaching methods, which allows for unique educational experiences. Some of these include: observing caterpillars turn into butterflies; reporting (in costume) on a Greek character; becoming a historical character for the History Fair; writing, directing and acting in a movie; attending science classes by the pond; learning how to keep a scientific journal; writing and performing an original song in music class; building a table in woodshop; creating a sculpted vase in art class; and experiencing the world through language studies and the JEM partnership program.

We are grateful for Grace’s foundational education at BFS and the support and encouragement of its leaders, which prepared her so well for an independent high school.

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big friend Little Friend RYAN ROSTINE

As a teacher, one of the most important messages I can give to my students is the meaning behind quality relationships. The bond we share as teacher and student is one built upon respect, love and compassion. We are there for one another in good times and in bad, and that bond will last forever... a lifetime!

Upon starting the second phase of my career in education here at Buckingham Friends, I was introduced to the Big Friend/Little Friend structure that has been part of Lower School and Upper School for years.

This simple structure takes that same concept of relationships and allows our kids to experience it with one another.

Each year, 6th graders partner with kindergarten students; 7th graders with our first graders; and my students in 2nd grade are partnered with our graduating 8th grade class. Our students get together during assembly times and holidays, and to work on special projects. At my first meeting with our Big Friends, I was instantly hooked on the relevance of this program!

My second graders simply cannot get enough of the time they spend with their Big Friend. My kids receive special lessons from their Big Friend on important topics leadership, perseverance, and friendship.

The Big Friends receive special lessons as well, especially around patience, understanding and empathy. And the students are not the only ones who benefit – I am able to get to know our 8th graders each year and they get to know me as a new member of the BFS teaching team. My relationship with 8th grade teachers – Stephanie and Kara – has grown into something extremely special, both personally and professionally. Big Friend/Little Friend is a WIN-WIN-WIN configuration for Lower School students, Upper School students and their teachers!!

This year, 2nd grade and 8th grade have decided to take on a special book project that requires collaboration, creativity and connection.

Each Big Friend/Little Friend partnership will develop an original book to be published and housed in the BFS library. The project emphasizes instructional elements of our grades’ respective curriculums and offers all of the students involved opportunities to foster the important life skills at the heart of the program.

In these days of escalating technology use and declining face-to-face social interaction, a program such as Big Friend/Little Friend provides connections that build character and compassion in our BFS students. There are many things I love about BFS, but this connection among my students, our graduating students and their teachers is my all-time favorite!

A program that connects more than just the kids.

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Jean Partridge THE GENTLE STRENGTH OF A CONSUMATE EDUCATOR

Jean Partridge, who first joined the BFS faculty in 1996, embodies the very spirit of Buckingham Friends School. Throughout her 24 years as an educator and community leader, her contributions to our culture and to the successes of others have been remarkable, and they are greatly appreciated.

Before becoming our beloved Kindergarten teacher— a role she has held and defined for twenty years— Jean worked at BFS as a math specialist, assisted in the library, and served as the After School Director.

During the past six years, Jean has served as the Lower School Coordinator, and for many years she has assisted with Kindergarten and First Grade admissions.

She also trained as a yoga teacher, organized and ran the FEEN conference three years ago, served as a faculty rep to the School Board, actively and enthusiastically participated in the JEM program, served as a class parent, attended PTAC meetings as a faculty representative, organized Fall Frolic, ran the school auction, received an award from Honey Hollow Environmental Center for caring for the environment, and was the Assistant Director of the Summer Camp program.

Jean is a consummate independent school and Friends school educator. She has compassion and a deep regard for children, and clearly values each child’s inner Light and promise. She has left an indelible mark on BFS and on the educational and personal lives of a generation of students, their parents, and her colleagues. With integrity and kindness, Jean has exemplified our mission and served as a model for others. With her masterful teaching, gentle strength, steadfast determination, and sincere interest in others, Jean has taught scores of children the beginning skills they needed to succeed in school and in life while bolstering their confidence and excitement about all that they were learning. Surely, Robert Fulghum consulted with Jean when writing “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”

Jean’s collective contributions to BFS are truly immeasurable, and her daily presence on campus will surely be missed.

“I always loved Mrs. Partridge and appreciated her gentle way of being. She taught by example, being patient and supportive with all of her children. I am a teacher now, trying to be a caretaker for students in uncertain times. I remember Mrs. Partridge as a kind and brilliant woman. As kids, none of us had any idea what we were doing. She gave us purpose, showed us how to be creative, and encouraged us to trust our imaginations. In the early ‘00s, the Long family took a brief hiatus from the East coast. Each time someone asks me now, “why did you become a teacher?” I think back to the pretend school my siblings and I set up in our basement. The most salient part of those memories? All teaching was done in a British accent. Each time I return to BFS, I make my way to the Lower School in search of Mrs. Partridge’s glowing smile and warm embrace. She’s a Friend in the truest sense of the word and the light she shared, a blessing.”

– George Long ‘09

“Jean, Sydney, and I all had children in the Class of 2003.

Former U.S. English teacher Betts Slim also had her twin granddaughters in that class, so it was loaded with “facbrats”.

It was a wonderful class, and many of the class members and parents remain friends to this day. Whether on a class camping trip, tramping through the pathways of Honey Hollow, or watching a Summer Camp production that featured our kids, Jean has always been ready to make things happen and have some fun. She has been a dear friend and colleague, and I will miss her at BFS. – Nancy Sandberg Academic Coordinator, Secondary School Placement Coordinator, alumni parent

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TAIYA SMITH Taiya Smith, ’89, is Director of the Climate Leadership Council’s China Program, which focuses on the nexus of climate change and economic growth, including carbon pricing and trade. Running this program depends upon collaboration and teamwork, skills she learned years ago on the BFS playground.

alumni SP

TLIGHT

Knitting Together the Fabric of a New Future KATELYNN CONNOLLY

Taiya thoughtfully describes the path she took to where she is today: Climate change is the biggest crisis that we are facing. I was in the private sector working on getting clean technologies to market, when it became clear that policy is just not moving fast enough here or in China. In 2017, I folded my business and decided to focus on policy development.

My current work is like hiking up a mountain everyday. It is not just the challenge of the issues, but also the political dynamics that appear to pit all sides against each other. I see my job as that of a seamstress, carefully knitting together the fabric of a new future.

I am focused on China, but the U.S. and China are so intertwined it isn’t possible to separate them entirely. Instead, we try to tailor solutions to situations, and making sure to emerge with a climate policy that is strong enough to carry us forward into a sustainable future, while weathering the volatile political storms of today. Luckily, I love climbing up mountains.

She began her career in government at the State Department in 2003, working in Washington, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. She had previously served as a member of the facilitation team for the Burundi Peace Negotiations, led by Nelson Mandela.

Diagnosed with dyslexia at an early age, Taiya attributes her success to the perseverance of her mother. “She used to type for me,” she recalls. “I learned to think analytically without being trapped in my inability to write words correctly. Instead, my mother freed my brain to explore ideas and concepts… Under her tutelage I grew up feeling lucky that I didn’t learn like other people. I had the confidence to do things differently, the way that worked for me.”

Taiya earned a B.A. from Wesleyan University and an M.P.P. from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the National Committee on United States-China Relations. In addition, she’s an external advisor to McKinsey & Company and a nonresident Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Taiya also leads an initiative to create a dynamic map of the global carbon supply chain. She lectures regularly on China, climate change, and the U.S.China relationship.

Previously, Taiya was Managing Partner at Garnet Strategies. In this capacity, she advised multinational companies, financial institutions, and trade associations on climate and energy policy, U.S.-China relations, geopolitical risk, and matters arising in global forums. She was previously an expert advisor to U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern in the lead up to the Paris Accord.

In a recent conversation, Taiya discussed her work, and the influence that BFS has had on her career:

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I work in politics and diplomacy. This means that I am interacting with people from different places, either geographically or intellectually, almost every moment of the day. It is my job to find areas of agreement, or help us work through controversial issues. Fundamentally, it is about consensus building – each negotiation is iterative. Because you know you will be back to discuss the same, or a different, topic on another day, you learn not to burn bridges.

At BFS, I learned some of the core values that guide my work today: • That consensus is possible in all situations, though sometimes it requires people to stand down from their beliefs. It can take a long time before people see the value in putting the greater good before their own.

• That there is a Light in all people, and fear too.

Recognizing the difference between the two is critical. Focusing on finding the Light that connects us all together is essential to finding agreement.

• Simplicity is always the best route. Speak straightforwardly, be honest and open, and others will follow your lead.

• Silence is the most powerful tool – it encourages others to talk and allows me to listen.

• Violence is never the only option – asking alternative options is hard work, but there is never just one solution to a problem.

I learned these values in elementary school at BFS. They have helped me through peace negotiations with Darfurian rebels and recalcitrant government officials; through meetings with countless presidents and ministers; through trade talks in Beijing; the release of political prisoners; and, today, as we struggle to bring our own country to confront climate change.

My time at BFS taught me to look every person in the eye – no matter what his or her rank, background, or position is in the world – and see him or her as a person, full of fears and insecurities, but with that Light inside that allows us to connect.

Taiya credits her Friends upbringing with being critical to her ability to exercise leadership and take a different perspective than the norm.

Inspired by her family and her love for the earth, she works every day to make a difference.

Being on the road a lot and missing moments of her children’s development is perhaps the hardest part of her adult life. Yet, she reflects, “I feel a strong draw to make the world a better place for them and all their peers growing up in different parts of the world. They will undoubtedly have plenty of challenges to manage. Still, I hope that we can leave a few things in a better place.”

JODY LEE LIPES

alumniUpdate KATELYNN CONNOLLY

I had the pleasure of connecting with Jody Lee Lipes ‘96 earlier this year to catch up and learn where his path has taken him since he was last featured in Seedlings, in its 2017 Spring issue.

Jody has recently completed two major projects showcasing his cinematography talents. The first was a little full-length feature film—perhaps you’ve heard of it?— called “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (AKA The Mr. Rogers’ Movie). The second is “I Know This Much Is True,” a soon-to-be released HBO miniseries, starring Mark Ruffalo, that focuses on mental health and family.

Jody struck me as humble, grounded and focused on the “bigger” picture. I asked him how he maintains his composure while working with Hollywood A-listers in a high pressure, intense work environment. He referred to his time in Meeting during his years at BFS and the practice of reflection it instilled — how he learned to stay in the stillness, listening to his inner voice and finding peace. He calls on this discipline while on set. When things are chaotic and tense, he considers the larger issues at play and the morality in the room, knowing that these will help him to find a way to move forward in his work.

Now a father, Jody looks to the future with hope but also trepidation—what will this world be like for his children? He believes that his Quaker education has given him a solid foundation for navigating the best path forward for his children and family, while following his passion for telling stories that matter and positively affect others. “If it is not life-affirming, then it’s not good” is a message he has learned – and one he now passes on to his children, and those around him.

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Alumni News UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION If you do not currently receive emails from Buckingham Friends School, please consider providing us with your email address so that you may receive updates, the electronic alumni newsletter Friends!Connect! and more.

To update your information visit www.bfs.org/alumni Contact: Katelynn Connolly Director of Advancement at 215-794-7491 ext. 121 Email: advancement@bfs.org Send to the School via snail mail: Buckingham Friends School, The Office of Advancement, PO Box 159, Lahaska, PA 18931

1950s

1970s

Katharine “Kitsie” Converse ‘55 - Joy! BFS memories - I have a lot - my life started out wild and crazy there in 1947. Leaving in 1953.

I lived on a farm on Street Road, a dirt road, and walked to school across the fields with my brothers.

Elisabeth (Hamilton) Karotkin ‘70 - I believe this spring is my 50th! anniversary, having gone all the way through from K to 8. Things I value from BFS: learning French which I still use (even if, at times, only in my own head!), the Friends’ philosophies, and most valuable, my lasting friendship with Eleanor (Funk) Schuster ’70 from kindergarten to present day. We’ve talked about possibly coming to this year’s reunion. A couple of years ago, I was able to show the school to my husband—the Meetinghouse was open and brought memories of suppressing giggles and singing Simon & Garfunkel’s “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme” in that building. All in all a good bunch of years!

Memories are vivid - nature walks seeing lady slippers and red winged black birds with Mrs. Haines, hanging upside down and inside out or from my feet on the trapeze after whirling myself sick on the May pole, or setting off the school fire alarm by mistake and hiding in a closet as the whole school evacuated. Or sadly in third grade, when I dreamed of being the perfect Snow White and Chrissy Keene got it… and I was cast as the echo hiding in the well, repeating her lines!

But my most humiliating memories were: 1. Peeing in the front window well during recess clueless - and hearing the class laugh inside!

2. Doing my braggart stand-up slide down the board, taunting a crowd to witness my show-off stunt after sprinkling sand and pebbles down the chute for speed, and knocking the wind out of myself so badly I couldn’t cry, move or speak from pain and humiliation. Mrs. Haines to the rescue!

1980s Chris Chandor ‘82 - I’ve stayed in intermittent contact with Bill Dare ’82. He lives outside Phoenix, AZ and we went to a Diamondbacks game last August together. I have also spoken with Chris Brower ’82 within the past year.

I have a ton more - My Bucks County childhood rudely interrupted by a move to the ghastly Main Line and Shipley!

Kitsie recently visited with Linda (Root) Kenyon ‘53 to hear David Barry ‘55 play piano.

Betsy Todd Uhl ‘56 - I still live in the Perkasie area. Retired Feb. 2018 after 30 years as Literacy Admin. Clerk at Vita Education Svcs(adult ed. agency, Doylestown ofc.).

I now volunteer 1 day/wk at Vita & participate in church activities at Good Shepherd Episc., Hilltown, including serving on the Endowment Committee.

I’m able do some yard work, but my arthritic neck, back, hips & knees make movement less easy than in my younger days. Looking forward to May 9 celebration at BFS, the day I’ll turn 78. (Ouch!)

My sister, Nancy ‘57, is well & living just outside Pasadena, Calif. Fortunately, not affected by the fires.

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Carl King ‘84 - I have been married for 28 years to the love of my life, Amy. We have spent the last 21 years living in Charlotte, NC. I have two wonderful daughters, Mia (16) and Caryn (12). Both were students at Friends School of Charlotte for several years, when I also served on its board. For over 20 years, I have been a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, in Charlotte, where I regularly serve as a sub-deacon.

Professionally, I am a senior partner at the tax law firm of Culp, Elliott & Carpenter in Charlotte.

Beginning in 2020, I also am a member of the faculty at the University of Miami School of Law in the Heckerling graduate LL.M. program in Estate Planning. Last year, I was honored to be asked by the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) to serve as one of four primary coauthors of an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States for the first big tax case heard by the Court in 11 years (Kaestner).

1987 CLASSMATES at Lexi Lowe Logan’s house in the fall 2019. L to R - Laura Swanstrom Reece, Lexi Lowe Logan, Amy Copper Buitung, Stevi Wright, Reba Barrett, Sarah Crofts, Cori Ginsberg Seryadarian, Ana Pearson Taiya Smith ’87 - An avid horse rider, mountaineer, and aspiring alpine skier, Smith resides with her husband and three children in Washington, DC and at their farm in Rappahannock County, Virginia.

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Elijah Dornstreich ‘89 - I live in Elkins Park, PA (near Abington) with my wife Gennifer and our two daughters Miriam (almost 6) and Penny (4).

I work in asset management for a firm called AllianceBernstein. My siblings who some of you know are all well – Sophie ’92 is married and has two little girls, living in LA. Jesse ’94 and Eva ’01 are also well, as is my mom Judy, who still lives on the family farm in Perkasie where we all lived when we went to BFS, Branch Creek Farm.

My father Mark also passed away from cancer, about 6 years ago.

I am pretty involved with various non-profits and Philadelphia, and I’m a trustee of the National Museum of American Jewish History down in Old City across from the Constitution Center, so if any of you ever want to go there with family and get a tour, just let me know. Wishing you all the very best, and looking forward to seeing you soon.

Sam Moyer ‘89 - Things in our life are going pretty well. Our second kid, Levi, was born about a year ago and he’s made our life so fun and so much more exhausting than I could have imagined. Everybody loves this little dude, he’s bubbly and relaxed and has a great sense of humor. He’s scooting all over the place. He’s been at daycare for about 4 months now so that gives us a little time to actually work. Our daughter, Oona, is in kindergarten at Poughkeepsie Day School, which reminds me a bit of BFS. She loves it. She’s very creative and loves art and reading and writing. She’s an awesome big sister and the two kids clearly get along.

My wife, Casey, and I are both furniture makers, which is at times stressful, but also gives us a lot of flexibility to spend time with the kids. It also challenges our creativity and work ethic everyday. It’s rewarding, if not exhausting. We are also still working on an old farmhouse that needs lots of love. Slowly but surely we are bringing it back, but it’s a long road. Finally, I became chair of my town Democratic Committee a couple of years ago. I’m regularly involved in doing what we can from a grass roots level trickling up, to bring civility, safety and sanity back to our politics and our country. It’s rewarding to be engaged with neighbors and community in concrete ways, rather than reading the headlines and feeling hopeless and angry.

Josh Lipes ‘93 - All is well with me and my family. I’ve been living in DC for about 13 years and I’m working as an editor for Radio Free Asia - a congressionally funded non-profit that reports on human rights issues in the languages of Asian nations that lack a free press (and broadcasts that reporting to them via radio). I have a two-year-old son named Everett, who my wife Samantha and I brought to BFS for the first time a couple of weeks ago to show him where I went to school. We’re getting ready to put him into pre-k, and I thought he might enjoy seeing where my formative years were spent.

Anna Resek Chung ‘95 I live in Maryland with my husband and 5 year old son. I am the Director of Portfolio Management for a company called Brookwood Hotels, a hotel owner/developer, where I oversee a portfolio of over 115 WoodSpring Suites, an economy extended stay brand. My BFS friends are still my oldest and closest and my parents’ social lives still very much revolve around other parents from that time.

Alex Ryan ‘96 - With my wife Valentyna and our two girls (Anna, 3 years, and Milana 1 year), I am currently living in Rome while working on economic issues at the U.S. Embassy. Rome is a beautiful city, though also a challenging one with two small children. We are enjoying the experience, especially the opportunity to travel to the many small towns outside of the city on weekends. My best wishes to the BFS community.

Sending love from Dutchess county, NY.

Betsy (Cepparulo) Renzo ’96 - is living in Wilmington, DE with her husband, stepdaughters, Evelyn (10) and Amelia (8), and 85 lb step-dog, Travis. She teaches a course called Global Peace & Social Justice at Wilmington Friends School, coaches field hockey and basketball, and teaches a Zumba class at the YMCA. In other words, not much has changed since 1996.

1990s

2000s

Krispin Leydon ‘91 - I’m currently learning all about utility-scale energy storage; one of the “missing pieces” in a renewable energy infrastructure... Also considering a move from San Francisco to Bellingham, WA, Boulder, CO, or Bainbridge, WA... If you have any recommendations re: towns that start with “B”, I’m all ears!

Whittney Yarnall ‘01 - After graduating from Johnson & Wales, I pursued a career in hospitality and moved to New York City where I landed a dream job, working in Sales at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. While in NYC, I also began pursuing my passions of wellness, healing and spirituality on the side in any free time I had.

In 2014 I picked up and moved to San Diego with the intention of shifting my passion into a career. In 2017 I opened a healing center, yoga and meditation studio called Sojourn Healing Collective. I manage the collective in addition to offering private healing sessions, Breathwork, Reiki and customized mentorship programs for spiritual entrepreneurs and those seeking further alignment to their soul’s purpose and life’s work.

Evan Rattner ‘93 - I live near Minneapolis with my wife Elizabeth, our 1-year old son, Leo, and our 3 dogs. My 6th Grade Movie prediction came true: I make video games for a living!

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Wiley Robinson ‘01 - My wife, Heather, and I welcomed our first child on January 29th 2020.

Elizabeth is a bouncing, happy baby. We continue to work and live at a boarding school in Western MA. Ian Forster ’01 - is working as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the New York City Law Department’s General Litigation Division. He defends the City and its agencies in federal and state court in major cases challenging important City programs, in areas such as constitutional rights, education, health care, public benefits, prison conditions, foster care, homelessness, day care, election law, and freedom on information law. With an eye towards policy, Ian and the other attorneys in the General Litigation Division work to affect the City’s day-to-day governance, and to improve the well-being of City residents, often litigating issues at the forefront of developing legal theory. Ian lives in Tribeca with his girlfriend, Ella, and their cat, Ross.

Chris Danilo ’02 - has moved to Denver, CO. He’s currently working with Early Childhood Education companies to make them more productive and have a better impact.

Jesse Sandberg ’03 and his wife Emily with their son Eliot Becker Sandberg.

Emma Forster ‘04 - I’m currently still living in New York, where I work for a wine importer and distributor called T. Edward. I just returned from a two-week trip to the Loire Valley, France, where I toured the vineyards of the winemakers I currently work with and met lots of new producers. Before joining the wine industry, I spent two years getting my MBA at Columbia Business School, where I had a concentration in marketing and did my internship at Duclot, a NYbased Bordeaux importer. Prior to that, I spent four years in the music industry booking hip hop concert tours around the world. As you know, my brother Ian ‘01 also lives in the city and we see each other most mornings for a workout.

Jill Moody ’04 and husband Eric are the new owners of the Cornerstone Bed & Breakfast in Philadelphia (built by a Quaker family, no less!).

This has been an exciting adventure so far and has provided an amazing opportunity to be a part of history in a gorgeous 1870s Victorian mansion.

We hope some BFS friends will someday grace 20

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our inn. Jill is also still very involved in theatre in both Philly and NYC. She has been the proud founder and Artistic Director of Imagine Works Youth Theatre in NYC for the past seven years and partners with an Off-Broadway theatre to produce and direct incredible plays and musicals with kids and teens.

Evan Boerner ’05 moved back to PA and is the Marketing Manager at Nursing Care Services.

Evan’s goal is to continue the growth of NCS; he currently holds an Associates in Business.

stewardship of my environment and community.

This year, I boldly decided to pursue a J.D concentrating in Environmental/Resource Conservation Law. For the last five months, I have been adamantly studying for the Law School Admissions Test and absorbing must-read law books in preparation. In addition, I have been shadowing a local attorney, who is a long-time family friend and former BFS parent. My goal is to someday work on my passion: the policies and water law of the Delaware River Basin.

Liv Berelson ’06 graduated in December 2018 from the University of Vermont on the dean’s list with a degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. During the month of February 2019, she volunteered with RAICES in San Antonio, TX, working with asylum seekers who were released from detention. She currently lives and works in NYC with the goal of attending law school.

Spencer Pretecrum ‘06 - After graduating from BFS, Spencer completed high school at Princeton Day School where he was a captain of the fencing team and medaled at Model UN. He then attended the University of Miami with Majors in English and Psychology and enjoyed helping lead clubs such as the Jews and Muslims Alliance. Spencer then worked in the health outreach office of Fox Chase Cancer center for a year before attending the University of Virginia to begin his Master of Public Health. The research portion of the degree was coupled with Spencer’s Peace Corps service in Eswatini, a small south African country with the highest prevalence of HIV in the world. He served in Eswatini for 27 months, developing preschools, educating the local community on HIV prevention, and analyzing drug cessation methods. After the completion of service, Spencer travelled around the world for 6 months before returning to the United States. He is now located in Washington D.C and is beginning his tenure as a Public Affairs Specialist in the USDA’s Congressional and Public Affairs office. Spencer wants to thank BFS for fostering his love of travel and public service. From teachers who valued their students’ opinions, to a culture of inclusiveness, BFS ensured a positive environment in which to grow. Traveling to Ecuador in the eighth grade and hosting exchange students helped create an appreciation for the global community to which we all belong.

Travis Boerner ’08 works for NCS and is working on developing his own business. Travis lives in South Philly. Travis graduated from Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in business marketing.

Lily Collins ‘08 - Having learned the Quaker values at an early age at BFS and subsequently attending George School and Guilford College, I have developed a great respect for and

Skyler Coelho ’09 - A lot has happened since I left BFS. Most importantly, I married the love of my life and had two amazing little boys! Bowden is now 3 years old, and Brooks just turned 2.

After I graduated college with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing, I began working as a pediatric nurse at Johns Hopkins Hospital in their Children’s Center. I am currently attending graduate school at the University of Maryland to obtain my doctorate with a pediatric acute care specialty. My husband and I also just recently bought a home in northern Maryland so that we could be closer to family than we previously were in D.C. In our free time, we love to travel and be outdoors as much as possible with our boys and dog, Winnie!

Philip Zielke ’09 - graduated from Germantown Academy in 2013 and from Wake Forest University in 2017. He is currently working for Moody’s Investment Services and living in New York City.

2010s Aaron Boerner ’10 - was accepted into the Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program at Emory and Henry College in Marion VA. Becoming a physical therapist has been Aaron’s goal since high school. Aaron holds a bachelor’s degree from Temple University in Science of Kinesiology.

Katie Sigety ’12 attended Germantown Academy for one year then transferred to Blair Academy.

She is graduating from George Washington University this May. She studied fine arts and art history. She loved GW and plans to remain in DC after she graduates.

Ned Sigety ‘12 will be graduating from the College of Charleston in May ‘20 with a BS in Business Administration and Management, Finance

concentration, and is actively looking for a job back up north in the NYC area.

Sam Oswald ’12 Sam is currently a Senior at Georgetown University and is looking forward to graduating in May. Having spent summers interning in India and the Philippines, Sam worked in DC this past summer for a startup solar energy company and lived with fellow BFS graduate Katie Sigety ’12, a senior at George Washington. Sam currently works for an Italian energy company while he wraps up his last 5 classes.

& Computational Mathematics at Princeton University looking into a novel approach for manifold learning that combines the Earthmover’s Distance (EMD) with the diffusion maps method for dimensionality reduction. He will be presenting the research paper, Earthmover-based manifold learning for analyzing molecular conformation spaces, at the International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI) in April.

Brad Sigety ‘14 is a Sophomore at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where he is pursuing a major in economics with a minor in computer science.

Will Sigety ’14 went to Blair Academy all four years. Will was a long time participant in Scouting and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in ’17. He is a sophomore at Penn State studying engineering

Anna Honer ’13 - I recently took a trip to Jamkhed, India to study public health and nonprofit management. I took the class through Guilford College where I am in my junior year.

We spent two weeks at the Comprehensive Rural Health Project in the Maharashtra region primarily studying how the social workers there teach the surrounding villages about physical and mental health. CRHP focuses on holistic health, environmental sustainability, female empowerment and support for the young and the old. It’s an amazing organization that devotes its time to the poorest of the poor in a country that heavily stigmatizes the lower castes.

After I graduate from Guilford I plan on working in nonprofit management, specifically focused on animal shelters or animal sanctuaries, so this trip was a great opportunity for me to learn about community involvement and sustainability of nonprofit organizations. I also got to experience Indian street dog culture and gain a deeper understanding of how outcomes for animals are affected by human cultural norms.

Chase Williams ’13 is a junior at the University of Tennessee majoring in communications. He served as the president of Alpha Gamma Rho, which received the Chapter of the Year award under his leadership! Chase revels in the southern comfort of Tennessee, donning his cowboy boots and hat, and driving his Ford 150.

Nathan Zelesko ’13 graduated from George School, Class of 2017, and is currently a junior at Brown University. Last summer Nathan worked on a research project through the Program in Applied

Nina Sigety’15 is a first year student at Bucknell University where she is a member of the college’s only all-female a cappella group, The Silhouettes, and is a Student Development Officer for Bucknell’s Advancement Office. Pictured here with Ian Lawrence ’14.

Corey Quinby ’15 is in his second semester at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as an Aeronautical Engineering major with a minor in computer science. He is active in the rocketry and gaming clubs.

Patrick Reardon ’15 is a Freshman at Providence College in Rhode Island where he is enjoying business studies, intramural sports, leading a special management project that will impact the PC community, and everything it means to be a Friar!

Sara Oswald ’15 - Sara graduated The Westtown School in June and is currently a student/athlete in her freshman year at Lafayette College. Sara’s goal of becoming a division one soccer player was realized and, despite breaking her wrist early in the season, Sara played in all 19 games while starting 17. She helped lead her team to the Patriot League playoffs and is currently training for her Spring season which starts in March.

Eva Kinnel ’16 continues to thrive at George School and will attend Smith College in the fall.

Among the things she’s looking forward to at Smith is playing field hockey for coach Jaime Ginsberg, ’91. The class of ’16 has been both mourning the loss and celebrating the life of classmate Maggie Popkin.

Joshua Eisen ‘16 - I am currently finishing up my senior year at Abington Friends School, and I have plans to attend Drexel University next year (they offered me almost $50,000/year in scholarships!). I meant to reply sooner, but life gets busy sometimes, and it slipped from my mind. Mr. B was one of my favorite teachers at BFS, and seeing his email re-energized my efforts to respond. He was such a great teacher, and more than that, he was even sort of like a friend to me. He and I went to Russia together a few years back with JEM, along with a few other members from my class, and I still wear my dark blue sweatshirt to this day!

Abington Friends School has opened up many opportunities for me following my departure from BFS, including a spot on both the soccer and baseball teams, a leadership role on the FRC Robotics Team (Team #4373), and many other leadership roles throughout various clubs and groups. It is truly such a great school, and though it might not have the upper leg in athletics, the academics are very good, and they work very hard to make you as good of a person as you can be (it reminds me a lot of the mission of BFS).

I also have been doing some work on the board of the New Hope Auto Show for the past year or so, and every time I pass that little blue sign in Lahaska, I can’t help but smile and feel cozy. Buckingham Friends will always hold a special place in my heart, and I’d love to visit sometime soon.

Carter Williams ’16 is a senior at The Pennington School and is headed to TCU (Texas Christian University) in the fall to become a horned frog! In his senior year at Pennington, Carter ran cross country in the fall, and is about to embark on his final baseball season.

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Elise Sigety ’16 went to Blair Academy. She is graduating this May and plans to attend Skidmore College in Saratoga, NY. Elise is a big horseback rider and hopes to continue her love of horses on the Skidmore riding team.

George Sigety ’17 is a Junior at Blair Academy.

He continues to be a very dedicated student and also is involved in Scouting. George hopes to earn his Eagle rank this summer.

Sarah Mayer ’17 is a Junior at George School.

She has been both on the Head of School and Dean’s Lists every semester! She is very involved in the GS community in theater as well as a school tour guide.

School lists for his accomplishments. He has several close friends from BFS and is making new ones. He doesn’t love boarding so may try to commute next year Olivia Garrett ’19 is enjoying George School.

She was nominated by her teachers for the Head of School List for her first semester. She rides on the varsity equestrian team and has qualified for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association Regionals.

Julia Eisen ’18 is a sophomore at Abington Friends School. She is on the softball team, robotics team, and is a member of the Gender Sexuality Alliance.

William Reardon ’18 attends Germantown Academy where he is a member of the Varsity hockey team again winning the Independence Hockey League championship, and the lacrosse team in the Spring. Will continues to play AAA hockey outside of school for the New Jersey Rockets.

Mike Cook ’18 attends the Solebury School.

Mike enjoys his film class, along with his regular classes at Solebury. Mike plays guitar and drums, and is working towards his black belt in Karate.

Ella DeBari ’19 is enjoying her freshman year at Berkeley Carroll in New York. Even though she reports her daily commute is much more interesting than the school bus she rode to BFS— she still misses everyone at BFS! Grace Kantra ’19 attends The Pennington School. She played field hockey in the fall; she gives school tours to prospective students; and she made the Dean’s List for her first semester.

Frederica Keep ’19 says hello to everyone. This school year, she’s been playing field hockey, taking painting and drawing, and has started track.

BFS 2018 Alum Families Yerkes, Gallagher, Roche and Becker continue the tradition of a ski vacation together. First begun in 2012 during 2nd grade, a big thank you to BFS for lifelong friends.

Balin Moreno ’19 has been busy at George School. He ran cross country in the fall but says he has much preferred his yoga class this term.

He is singing with the GS Choir and is looking forward to doing so next year too. In the first term, he made both the Honor Roll and Head of

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SEEDLINGS

in memoriam We honor the memory of the following Buckingham Friends School community members

Maggie Popkin self-portrait

Maggie Popkin ‘16 Alumni, died tragically on Nov. 18, 2019, after battling brain cancer. She was 17.

A lifelong resident of Doylestown, Pa., Maggie was a student at George School in Newtown, Pa., where she would have been a high school senior.

From an early age, Maggie was an enthusiastic and fearless performer - at home, at school and wherever she could find a willing audience. Maggie fell in love with musical theater at age 2, and, at every Broadway show, couldn’t wait to run to the stage door to meet the actors and ask them questions.

Every Saturday morning for years, she practiced singing under the care of musical instructors and friends Bob Egan and Michael Traupman of New Hope. Last fall, Maggie sang for the last time in public, bringing down the house at Bowman’s Tavern with a performance of “Second Hand White Baby Grand.”

Maggie was fascinated with medicine, and decided at age 11 that one day she would become a neuro-ophthalmologist to help people with visual problems related to the nervous system. She read the classic medical text, “Gray’s Anatomy” cover to cover, in the 6th grade.

A precocious and mischievous third child, Maggie could always light up a room with a hilarious impression of a relative, or a song-and-dance routine that showed no fear.

For her age, she also was a strong advocate for social justice and progressive values, and would not tolerate racism, sexism or intolerance.

Her many loves included her friends and family: her boyfriend, Cooper; being a boarding student at George School and acting in plays; her dogs, especially Dottie and Ghillie; Santa Fe; the Oregon Coast;

Nils Falk Alumni Parent

Bruce H. Shankin Alumni Parent

Maggie Popkin ‘16 Alumnus

Margaret L. Swanstrom Alumni Parent

Sam Scoville Former Faculty birding and nature walks; working at Vintage Alley in Doylestown; cooking with her sister, Emma; listening to her brother, Sam, play guitar and piano; speaking French, Russian, Latin and Hebrew; living with a host family in Russia in 8th grade, and celebrating her mixed Quaker and Jewish roots. After Maggie was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, she impressed her doctors with her knowledge of medicine and honest approach to her own diagnosis. She developed a special bond with her neuro-oncologist, Dr. Jean Belasco, at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

As a testament to her courage and caring for others, Maggie raised $15,000 for pediatric brain cancer research this year alone. She walked in CHOP’s “Parkway Run & Walk” fundraiser in Philadelphia in September, part of a group of committed cancer survivors, patients and families who raised $1.5 million to fund breakthrough pediatric cancer research and care at CHOP. Maggie will be remembered for her sheer joy of life, caring nature, raucous humor, fierce loyalty to her family and friends, and her infectious optimism. She will be loved and missed forever.

Sam Scoville Former faculty, passed away on May 31, 2019. He taught at Buckingham Friends School from 1961-1964.

Bruce Shankin Alumni parent, passed away on Thursday, December 19, 2019 at the age of 60.

He was the beloved husband of Maria Palmer Shankin and the devoted father of Griffin and Marin ‘19.

Born in Philadelphia PA, he was the son of Frances Levin Shankin and Leon Shankin.

He graduated from George School in Newtown, PA and Antioch College in Ohio.

Bruce was the founder of the Green Building Collaborative and was involved in sustainable building. He studied integrated design at Boston Architectural College.

Bruce loved to play the guitar and sing in the choir at George School.

He enjoyed time with his family and friends and his dog Caine.

He was an active member of the Solebury Friends Meeting and the George School Choir.

Margaret L. Swanstrom Alumni parent, passed away peacefully, Feb. 2, 2020. A loving wife, mother, and grandmother, Peg, as she was affectionately known, was 75 years old.

Peg lived in and around Doylestown all her life. She graduated from Central Bucks, the original high school, and earned a B.S. in Art Education from Kutztown University.

She loved her hometown, was a member of the Village Improvement Association, and volunteered with Meals on Wheels.

For many years Peg taught Art in the Abington School District, then later at Council Rock Sol Feinstone Elementary School. She loved art - especially Modern and Contemporary - and she inspired her family to travel the world to see and experience art of all types: Phillip Johnson’s Water Gardens in Fort Worth, Texas; Rubens paintings in Lichtenstein; the giant Matisse paintings in New York; and the Sistine Chapel in Rome, to name a few. She was always ready for an adventure.

Spending time with family at their summer home on Long Beach lsland, N.J. was another of her favorite pastimes. She loved the beach, especially the sound of the waves and the smell of the ocean.

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THE BUCKINGHAM FRIENDS SCHOOL COMMUNITY ALWAYS ANSWERS THE CALL TO HELP ONE ANOTHER!

The Scott Family Fund FOR FRIENDS EDUCATION

A Gift of Lasting Value and Transformative Impact In the summer of 2019, Buckingham Friends Monthly Meeting Members and former BFS parents Grace and Jonathan Scott engaged Paul Lindenmaier in a conversation about their desire to support the future of BFS, as a Friends School and also a school for the children of Friends.

The result is The Scott Family Fund for Friends Education.

This endowed fund provides financial aid assistance annually to enrolled BFS students whose families have a demonstrated and verified need for tuition assistance and who are members of the Religious Society of Friends.

Extra consideration is extended to families who are members of Buckingham Monthly Meeting.

“We are grateful for the ongoing and deep support from the Scott family over many years.

This new endowed fund supports our vision for the future of BFS, builds upon our growing general endowment for financial aid, expands our ability to offer greater access to a BFS education, and ensures our mission to influence the lives and learning environment for all of our children and the greater world.”

– Paul Lindenmaier

Now, more than ever, your participation in the 2019-2020 Annual Fund is crucial. Your gift will help us to finish the year strong, and is a vote of confidence for the bright and healthy future of the BFS we all know and love.

WAYS TO GIVE: • Return the enclosed envelope • Visit www.bfs.org • Participate in the 1794 Giving Challenge 24

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SEEDLINGS

Learn more about the various endowed funds and other ways to support the promising future of BFS by visiting www.bfs.org/support-bfs

tick!

minute challenge

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Giving Day

Wednesday, June 3, 2020 Founded in 1794, BFS has a long tradition 225 years!- of education, community, and friendship.

Join your fellow community members in the 1794 minute challenge on Wednesday, June 3rd. Help us achieve our goal of 225 gifts in 1,794 minutes, and $10,000 will be added to the Annual Fund by a supporting BFS Alum. As an extra bonus, if we surpass our goal - we will secure an additional $5,000!

Will you help us meet the challenge?

Visit www.bfs/givingday20 for additional details

P.O. Box 159

Lahaska, Pennsylvania 18931

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PA I D Doylestown, PA Permit No. 55

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

This year’s online auction will take place Wed. May 13th - Fri. May 15th All proceeds benefit the BFS financial aid fund. bfs20.givesmart.com for details