The Alumni Patriot in Pictures Winter 2021

THE

PATRIOT in Pictures GERMANTOWN ACADEMY

MAGAZINE winter 2021

COED GOLF INTER-AC and PAISAA CHAMPIONS

SOCCER INTER-AC CHAMPIONS

MISSION AWARD WINNERS CELEBRATED

GA was proud to celebrate the 2021 recipients of the Alumni Mission Award - Lori Dougherty Andress ’88, Jessica Golson ’06, Stephanie Lueckel ’96, and Helen Piszek Nelson ’70 (represented by her husband, Erik) - during an Upper School assembly. Each award winner was introduced by a current GA student - Sangeetha Bhuyan ’22, Noel Washington ’22, Blythe Berlinger ’22, and Matthew Andress ’22. Nominations for the Class of 2023 Alumni Mission Awards will be accepted in fall 2022. Congrats to this year’s class!

HAPPY HOUR WITH THE BLACK ALUMNI ALLIANCE Alumni from the Classes of 1976-2015 enjoyed time spent together at Cantina Feliz for the annual pre-GA/PC Day Black Alumni Alliance (BAA) Happy Hour. (l to r) Gene Golson ’76, Steven Jackson ’04, Courtney Williams ’03, Chierra Williams ’11, Ciara Quattlebaum ’15, Chris Golson, Ebony Rhodes ’15, Mercedes Bruce Asare ’04, Jessica Golson ’06, Michael Peggs ’04, Crystal Reynolds ’89, and Linn Vaughters ’91. The BAA Advisory Group looks forward to seeing everyone next year!

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

Head of School Rich Schellhas 1760 and Director of Athletics Tim Ginter were pleased to welcome more than 175 people to the 2020 Class of GA’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Despite being selected in Spring 2020, restrictions caused by the pandemic made it impossible to host the event until this fall. With the new class, the Athletic Hall of Fame now includes more than 150 athletes, coaches, and teams. The Class of 2020 induction ceremony included speeches by individuals selected by the inductees, in parentheses and are listed here: Tommy Coyle ’09 (Jon Cross ’89), Sean Coyle ’10 (Craig Conlin), Claire Crippen ’07 (Maddy Crippen Plankey ’98 & Teresa Crippen ’08), Amanda Jones Vaughan ’08 (Kirk Jones ’05 and Beau Jones ’11), David Martin 1760 (Jeffrey Martin ’11), David Simolike ’05 (Patrick David 1760), Damon Myers ’94 (Damon Williams ’95), while captains of the swim teams represented their team: 1986 Boys’ Swim Team (Paul Fisch ’86 and Rob Montgomery ’86), 1987 Girls’ Swim Team (Jane Samuels ’87), 1992 Girls’ Swim Team (Elizabeth Rice Bejgrowicz ’93 on behalf of team captains), and 2005 Girls’ Swim Team (Kerri McIlvain Sepich ’05). Congrats to all of our inductees!

GA/PC DAY AND REUNION WEEKEND The first point of the 2021 GA-PC rivalry was won a week before the actual day’s events as the GA golf team bested Penn Charter, 7-1. The Patriots clinched the Inter-Ac Championship and the PAISAA title this season as well.

Unfortunately, Penn Charter recorded victories in six other competitions and won the Competition Cup for the second-straight year, 6-4.

In the pool, the Patriots lost both matches, with the girls falling, 17-4, and the boys falling in a close one, 14-13.

For the girls, Charlotte Harobin ’22 had three goals and four steals. For the boys, Asher Sasson ’23 led the way with five goals and four steals, while goalkeeper Brendan Page ’22 had 16 saves.

Field hockey bested Penn Charter, 1-0, behind an assist from Gracen Brant ’23 to a Sarah Marvin ’23 goal. CoCaptain defender Sydney Cameron ’22 was named MVP of the game.

tiebreakers. The teams came back two days later to finish the match and a win by first team doubles Grace Petersohn ’24 and Ellee Segal ’23 clinched the 4-3 victory.

The boys soccer team came into the game looking for its first Inter-Ac title since 2009. Following a scoreless first half, Roan Harrington ’24, Sean Lipschutz ’22, and Christian Combs ’22 (Alumni Soccer Award Winner) each found the back of the net and Joe Joe Cava ’22 made several saves to secure the 3-0 win and the championship.

Despite the day starting with beautiful weather, heavy winds at kickoff and periodic downpours throughout gave the longest prep school football rivalry in the nation more drama than expected.

An 11-yard run by Evan Spivey ’23 gave the Patriots a 26-25 lead midway through the third quarter before the The boys cross country team fell, 19- Quakers put up a touchdown and a field goal to pull away. GA picked up a last39. Ethan Feigles ’22 and Chaz Murgia ’23 were GA’s top finishers at fourth and minute touchdown when quarterback Tristan Machado ’23 connected with fifth place. The girls team was bested, 18-49, with co-captain Juli Gonzalez ’22 Mike McGhee ’22 from four yards as GA’s top finisher in third place. Kayla out, but the ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Quakers, who were D’Eletto ’23, Maggie Morrissey ’24, co-captain Livi Merrill ’22, and Carolyn able to run out the clock.

Connolly ’23 finished as a pack in the In the end, Penn Charter came away 10-13 spots. with the victory, 35-32, in the 135th annual GA-PC football matchup. With On the soccer field, Sage Battisto ’23 scored GA’s girls soccer’s lone goal on the loss, the Quakers now lead the alltime series, 87-37-11. a pass from Alex Goodridge ’22 during a 3-1 loss to the Quakers. Senior Caitlin Boland-Szura ’22 had 13 saves in goal.

The stage is set for next year’s battle - Saturday, November 12, The battle on the tennis courts was 2022 at Germantown Academy! epic! Before play was stopped due to rain, the Patriots were up 3-1 and fighting in three different super

SCOREBOARD GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY - PC, 18-49 BOYS CROSS COUNTRY - PC, 19-39 GIRLS TENNIS - GA 4-3 BOYS WATER POLO - PC, 14-13 GIRLS WATER POLO - PC, 17-4 GIRLS SOCCER - PC, 3-1 BOYS SOCCER - GA, 3-0 FIELD HOCKEY - GA, 1-0 FOOTBALL - PC, 35-32 GOLF - GA, 7-1

GA/PC DAY OVER THE YEARS by Greg Pitkoff ’82

I’ll never forget the experience of attending my first GA/PC Day as a GA alum. It was fall 1986 and my fellow GA ’82 classmates and I had just graduated from college.

GA was hosting that year, and though it wasn’t our reunion year, the fact that many of us were fresh from the first post-GA chapter in our lives and it was the 100th Anniversary of the football rivalry made for quite a draw. Andy King, a member of the then-skyrocketing Philly-born band The Hooters, was a 1976 GA grad, and caused quite a buzz when he made an appearance, punk hair fully aflow, and mingled

with fellow alums. Unfortunately, we lost that meetup, 28-18, but the gathering was a win in the books just the same. Personally, having just settled in New York City, it was heart-warming to be welcomed back to a campus that I had long considered my home away from home. I still have a commemorative “100th Year” blue plastic cup to remind me of the big day.

Some of the most moving moments in my lifelong Patriot career have occurred at GA/PC Day. Two photos I shot while there stand most firmly in my mind.

They are of Peter McVeigh at the mic calling the play by play, and of Sharon Beard, our much beloved classmate, carrying our class flag to lead us across the field for the parade of reunion classes. Both images captured the last time I saw either of these staples of my GA existence, as both passed away before we convened again.

There is always an uplifting feeling of community when seeing so many people sporting the red, black, and blue, whether we’re on our home turf or over at PC. Now as a member of the Alumni Society Board, I’m making new acquaintances with Patriots from decades before and since my time at GA. It’s wonderful to hear about their time at the alma mater and compare it to my own. GA/ PC Day is on my calendar year after year, as is the Happy Hour at MaGerk’s where we get warmed back up after standing in the cold for so long. I am delighted to hear just a few days ago that MaGerk’s has rebounded from its recent weather damage and is eager to welcome us back for 2022! And of course, heading into my 40th reunion year, I can’t wait to be in the stands next November to see my fellow classmates, and more importantly, cheer GA on to victory!

r d with School

Kendall Mattern 1760

History Course 104: Dickens’ England - The Early Years (1812-1849) Faculty: Kendall Mattern 1760 and Peter “Doc” Drewniany 1760 Tuesday evenings, at 7:15 - 8:30pm Eastern on February 8 - March 15 (6 class series) Via Zoom Class Description: Peter Drewniany and I will join forces for the first installment of a two-part examination of Victorian England through the word craft of Charles Dickens. The characters that “peopled” his novels brilliantly color the Victorian world that the author immortalized. We will take you through the social, political, and economic aspects that came to define Great Britain during one of its two golden eras. Through reading Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist and a selection of poems by such writers as William Blake, we will examine how the literature of the time reflects and illuminates the early Victorian era and enhances our understanding of it. An invitation and link to RSVP will be emailed in mid-December.

Kendall Mattern 1760 and Peter “Doc” Drewniany 1760

WELCOME BACK, OLD GUARD!

The Academy was pleased to induct TWO classes into GA’s Old Guard this year, the Class of 1970 and 1971, who celebrated their 50th reunions over GA/PC Day and Alumni Weekend. Honored with remarks by Head of School Rich Schellhas 1760 and current students Henry Morrissey ’22 and Fore Abinusawa ’22 and a performance by our Upper School Jazz Band, over 90 members of the Old Guard enjoyed gathering in person for the first time in two years. We look forward to inducting the Class of 1972 next fall!

“

1970 and 1971

I want to thank the school for hosting such a memorable evening and induction into the Old Guard. I love our gift of the unfinished GA watercolor. It is a wonderful metaphor for life, which Stanley Lomas modeled: a life well-lived engages in meaningful projects, contributions, and commitments to the last.”

- Martha Ross Parker ’70

GA/PC Day & Alumni Weekend was a HUGE success with many classes ending in 0,1,5, or 6 gathering in person to celebrate milestone reunions!

THE REUNIONS

From happy hours to fire pit parties and lunches/brunches in between, classmates appreciated the opportunity to see each other and reconnect. Special shout out to all of our reunion committees for their hard work in planning the festivities!

1981

1991

OUR REUNION COMMITTEES Please join us in giving a HUGE THANK YOU to our Reunion Committee members from classes ending in 0, 5, 1 and 6! Whether it was a virtual celebration, luncheon, outdoor fire pit party, or class dinner, the flexibility and perseverance exhibited by these Patriots was inspiring as they planned each reunion event with thoughtfulness and enthusiasm. Kudos to a job well done! *These classes are celebrating their reunions on May 14, 2022.

Brooke Murray Caffey Ted Wood

**Date TBD

1990 Liz Bales Byard Brogan Steve Christy Amy Seyfert Connelly Christy Dovey Galloway Kristin Heath Michael Hochman Kevin Kyle Jennifer Herman Lloyd Melissa Hambly Scollans Catherine Bown Signorello Scott Sinker Laura Steffens Thayer Azlen Oskanian Theobald Heather Zuber

CLASSES ENDING IN 0 OR 5: 1950 Bob Hardy 1955 Larry Johnson Dick Wright 1970 Steve Etris Paul Hutter Dave Lawson Missy Moyer Martha Ross Parker Sandy Williamson 1975 Betsy Walton Duryea Susie Murdoch Gilbert Laura Bender Koropey Leslie Ross Robin Rosenfeld Shephard Chip Sheppard Mary Ann Sickles Watson 1980 Carolyn Korman Jacobs Dave Landesberg Michael Magerman Frida Walton 1985 Karen Ammon Rodd Bender

1995* Elizabeth Serrill Chaytors David Dratch Shana Duffine Genkin Ross Garretson Erika Prout Hayne Lauren Finkelstein Hellman Andy Kaplin Gina Maletta-Sannicandro Sal Paone Rich Podulka 2000* Nadia Alber Kristen Lueckel Buckler Annie Connor John DiGirolamo Emily Beil Duffy John Frame Svjetlana Lozo

Jackie Paranzino Malkes Michael Mandel Jen Ramirez Miller Katie Curtin Regan Jackie Roth Kern Kira Finney Saunders Lucy Wimpenny Stracione 2005 Carolyn Burnett Bell Hillary Ladov Drew Tye Ruby-Howe Tom Weber Tripp Weber 2010** Katie Burkhart Tyler Kenny Kacie Kergides Meredith Letner Maria Mastronardo Nat Newhall Katie Oberkircher Matt Purdy Molly Shapiro Jen Silow Colin Skelly Daniel Specter Sophia Wu 2015 Siobhan Andress Jenn Berman Stuart Butler Alli Carrigan Lily Feldman Kaela Griswold Maddy Hackley Max Hanamirian Kathryn Nunes

OUR REUNION COMMITTEES CONTINUED

Matt Perricone Hunter Pruitt Matt Rueter Noah Schleicher Alex Straus CLASSES ENDING IN 1 OR 6: 1966 Jim Bricker 1971 Kellen Flannery Canavan Mark Conti Susan Gabrielson Robin Smith Wendy Westrum Weber Hacker Wilson 1976 Holly AndersonTiffany Bob Cannon Gregg Epstein Gene Golson George Riter Sally Solis-Cohen Frank Tornetta 1981 Chris Tenaglia Bishop Mike DiFiglia Terry Kirkwood Bill Kramer Monica Maben Barbara Zinman McLaughlin Scott Olitsky Michael Paul Melanie McCall Pyle Ellen Stern Sternberg Blair Talmadge 1986 Julie Bierman Kim Burdick Drake

Jennifer Lawson Gobora Robynne Murray Graffam Terri Colton Grossman Katie Hopkins Kessell Mark Korman Will Newbold Andy Thatcher Dorothy Schade Walker 1991 Simi Kaplin Baer Jennifer Lockhart Kepner Jessica Pollock Simon Meredith Rizzo Turner Siobhan Nicholas Welsh Coni-Lyn Zingarelli Jackie Kaiser Zivitz 1996* Kate Connor Boyette Eve Brown Jessica Oliff Daly Rebecca Jennings Stephanie Lueckel Hillary Weinstein Andrew Wimpenny 2001* Jeff Beer David Frankel Dara Tye Goldstein Brendan Kelly Brendan McVeigh Erin Osborn Eliza Hanson Schindler Stephanie Tsoflias Siegel Kristin Weber 2006 Alyssa Caracausa Kim Bruce Davis Joe Mirabile Shannon Patrick

Matt Schafle Emily Solis-Cohen 2011** Bea Bea Linnea Bast Rachael Burke Tracy Duryea Alex Farris Amy Gowing Jim Hammer Hannah Hayes Hamsher Beau Jones Mike Markovitz Jeff Martin Justin Mauro Gabe Merizalde Meg Palmer Esther Park Phil Steinberg Frank Tornetta Fatimah Wilson 2016 Gabe Alter Greg Callahan Nick D’Ambrosio Emmy Dolaway Sammy Felgoise Eric Greenwood Sam Korman Matt Lamm Ingrid Lillis Grace Polisano Tesa Pribitkin Mikey Robins Caroline Sloane Kat Stambaugh JP Williams

REUNIONS 1991

2015

ALUMNI EVENTS-Join Us! DEC 14

Women’s Networking Group Meeting – “COVID and the Impact on Career and Family”

JAN 23

GA Reads Virtual Book Club, The Sound of Freedom

by Raymond Arsenault

FEB 2

Black History Month Celebration

DEC 30

Sip ‘n Support for Young Alumni (Classes 2009-2019) Happy Hour

FEB 8 Start of GrAd School

JAN 12

Women’s Networking Group Meeting – We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers, book discussion

FEB 11 MAR 10 Alumni Trivia Night

Philadelphia Regional Alumni Reception

APR 9 McVeigh CSO Day

Details and links to sign up can be found at www.germantownacademy.net/alumni

ALUMNI GAMES PLAYED AT THANKSGIVING

It was a great day for friendly competition at GA’s postThanksgiving Alumni/ae Games.

Girls’ Varsity Soccer coach Chris Nelson welcomed back the women and Boys’ Varsity Soccer coach Kurt Wetzel ‘88 rallied the men for games on campus, while Bridie Lawlor O’Boyle ‘13 and Evelyn Rakowski ‘14 started their own Alumnae Run. Topping off the day, ice hockey alumni and some current players faced off at Wissahickon Skating Club.

The day was full of reminiscing, bonding and enjoying being back together!

ALUMNI TRIVIA NIGHT! It’s Back and In Person! Who will be crowned champion this year?

? ?

4th Annual ALUMNI TRIVIA NIGHT Friday, February 11 7-10pm Germantown Academy

? ?

Here’s how it works -

• Multiple rounds of trivia questions covering a range of topics. Teams record their answers in writing and scores are tallied each round.

• Team Size: 6 people (one table) – all individual classmates, a mix of alumni from various years, OR your favorite couples • Master of Ceremonies: Bill McMenamin (of the famous McM Entertainment Company!)

• Trivia Night is a 21+ event. Light dinner and dessert will be provided ~ BYOB ~ Space is limited, and tickets must be pre-purchased.

Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place teams AND for best team name! Link to sign up will be sent in January. Questions? Contact Melissa Fikioris at 267-405-7207 or melissa.fikioris@germantownacademy.org

On Saturday, October 23, 2021, Germantown Academy hosted the inaugural Ginny Hofmann 1760 Sports Day (aka GH44) as a tribute to Hofmann’s many contributions and a celebration of girls athletics at GA. The day began with an opening ceremony and was followed by all GA fall varsity girls team competitions.

From left to right, Courtney O’Donnell ’93, Ginny Hofmann 1760, and Janine Foeller ’93.

GA HONORS GINNY HOFMANN 1760

“

I’m so touched by the people that have turned out here today for this occasion, some of which I haven’t seen in years. This means so much to me and I can’t thank you all enough for this. When I came here in the fall of 1976, these fields (Sisters Woods) were grass and they were facing the other direction and they were about ten feet down. It was a very different world. In the fall, all the girls had was field hockey—it was the only sport in town.

In the winter, it was basketball and swimming; and in the spring, it was lacrosse and tennis.

That was it—five sports. All these years, 46 years since then, to see the growth of girls sports here at Germantown Academy is amazing; the success of girls programs and all of the athletics programs, it’s so amazing. I so appreciate all of you—girls and women— you’ve done so much in growing the program. I’d like to say, especially for the girls here today, think about giving back to athletics; whether it’s coaching or officiating or becoming an administrator. Girls need to see there are women out there that support the sports.”

­Ginny Hofmann 1760

Mark Your Calendar!

March 4, 5, and 6 A JOINT PRODUCTION BRINGS TOGETHER THE COMMUNITIES OF MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL. A Q&A WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL DRAMA

TEACHER, JOANNA ROMINGER

Q A Q A

What makes this production so special?

Having the opportunity to bring together two divisions to create a cohesive production. It offers leadership opportunities for the Belfry students, and bridges the gap between the MS and US. It’s also a chance for the MS and US production staffs to come together as one creative team.

Who will be behind the scenes?

The set and technical aspects are completely run and designed

by US students, with the guidance and support of Paul Moffitt.

The tech crew will also include a team of MS students come show time as well.

Q A

How will you be casting this show and what’s great about the Newsies production?

We chose this show because of the variety of opportunities for the students to share their talents. It’s typically a male driven cast, but we are approaching casting with an open mindset with gender neutral casting and finding ways for all 64 kids…. yes…64 kids to each have their moment to shine (and it’s pretty much an even split between divisions)! The show also offers moments for kids as young as 11 through adult, which allows for equal opportunities for casting in both MS and US.