Haverford School Today Winter 2022 by The Haverford School

HAVERFORD SCHOOL Today

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage

450 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, PA 19041

Southeastern, PA Permit No. 1080

Change service requested

PAID

2 0 2 2 1

HAVERFORD SCHOOLToday

HAVERFORD SCHOOL TODAY

board of trustees,

2021-22

Kenneth M. Bate ’69 Jennifer Paradis Behle P’20 Amy C. Briddell P’23, ’30, ’33 William T. Caddell Jr. ’91 Kim G. Carter P’24 Tyler N. Casertano, Head of School Caroline R. De Marco P’20 ’22, Secretary Randall T. Drain Jr. ’01 Thaddeus J. Fortin ’77, P’09 Maurice D. Glavin ’83, P’14 ’16 ’20, Chair William C. Hambleton Jack Kirkpatrick ’88, P’20 Barbara Klock P’23 ’23 Jeffrey F. Lee ’95

George B. Lemmon Jr. ’79, P’12 ’19, Treasurer John J. Lynch III P’10 ’12, Vice Chair Quincy B. McCoy P’24 Wade L. McDevitt P’28 ’30 H. Laddie Montague Jr. ’56 Jonathan R. Morgan ’03 Martha Ortiz P’21 Ravindra A. Reddy ’90 G. Bart Smith ’95, P’28 ’30 Nafis Smith ’99 Fitz Daniel T. Tepper ’12 G. Nash Waterman ’98 Roland Yang ’10

Chicks hatch in an incubator on campus. Boys in Ms. Lewis and Ms. Surdel’s Upper School biology classes studied the birds as part of a genetics unit.

A new year brings new beginnings.

The Middle School Rock Band performs on the Centennial Hall stage during the Winter Concert in mid-December.

The new year is

the perfect time to

review the estate plans you have in place, and

support the things that matter most.

make sure they

• assistant head of school Mark Thorburn David S. Gold • managing editor Sarah Garling editors Keith Czarny and Alexis Hope • layout/design Emma E. Hitchcock printer Intellicor LLC., Lancaster, Pa. • photographers Active Image Media, Andrew Bailey ’02, Kristin Brown, The Casertano Family, Keith Czarny, Sarah Garling, Avery Green, Jordan Hayman, Alexis Hope, Wil Reiner Photography, Jim Roese Photography, George C. Wood ’75 head of school Tyler Casertano chief financial officer

Sarah Garling, Director of Marketing and Communications; 484-417-2764; sgarling@haverford.org contact

Please send address changes to Disty Lengel at dlengel@haverford.org. address changes

Haverford School Today magazine is published for alumni, families, grandparents, and friends of The Haverford School. Nonprofit postage paid at Southeastern, Pa., and additional mailing offices. about

special thanks Thank you to everyone who contributed to this publication. Special

thanks to: Melinda Berkman P’28 ’32, Rhonda Brown, Drew Casertano, Tyler Casertano, David Graham ’20, Darren Hengst , Jon Krouse ’20, Daphne Monroy, Sherry Rusher, Brendan Sullivan, Chris Tsetsekos ’20, Joe Viola, Jay Wilkins ’95, and Austin Zhuang, VI Former

front cover:

Head of School Tyler Casertano reads a book to the pre-kindergarten class in September. back cover: Upper School boys in Louie Brown ’15’s English class complete an assignment outside this fall.

As you update beneficiaries or adjust designations in this new year, consider naming The Haverford School as a beneficiary in your will, trust, life insurance policy, IRA, or other retirement vehicle. When you make a planned gift to Haverford, you not only achieve your charitable goals, but it may allow you to give more than you thought you could. If supporting The Haverford School is important to you, let’s talk about the gift that works best for you.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS or SHARE YOUR INTENTIONS VISIT haverfordheritage.org/give

HAVERFORD SCHOOL Today

SCAN

CONTACT Mary-Helen McCulloch, P’34 Director of Planned Giving 610-405-5139 mmcculloch@haverford.org

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

20 Introducing Head of School

From the Head of School

Around the Quad

Arts

Tyler Casertano By Sarah Garling

24 Return to the Stage By Alexis Hope

28 A Conversation with Jay Wilkins ’95

14 Athletics 18 Parents 28 Alumni 35 Class Notes 60 Reflection

Letter from the Head of School by Tyler Casertano, Head of School Saturday, Nov. 13 was a day that I will never forget. Our first home EA Day in three years. My first EA Day as a Haverford School parent and as Head of School. And the day the sweater, after two long years away, came home. My EA Day technically began at 1 p.m. the day before, when I traveled to Gulph Mills Golf Course to watch our golfers calmly and confidently grind their way to a 2-stroke win, and it ended at 10 p.m. the next evening, as I left the Class of 1985’s long-delayed 35th Reunion. In between, I attended a terrific alumni event at Appleford, joined families for the HSPA’s Pancake Breakfast, and watched our varsity soccer team coach their kindergarten and first grade brothers at the Fords Future soccer game. And, of course, I cheered with pride on the track as every member of our crosscountry team dug deep within himself to give his all on the course; on the pool deck as our water polo team outworked and outplayed an EA team that had beaten them weeks before; on Memorial Field as our soccer team fought with tenacity and resilience; and on Sabol Field in the driving rain as our football team competed their way to a gritty and courageous victory. While the day, on the surface, was about competition, to me, it was about engagement, relationships, and community. In my last letter, I wrote about the process of learning the ingredients to Haverford School’s special sauce, of understanding the drivers of our culture. While I still have much listening,

RELATIONSHIPS

observing, and learning to do, I have come to believe that so much of who we are and what we do stems from those three things — engagement, relationships, and community — and that each of them reinforces the other. At The Haverford School, we do a lot together. We learn together in the classrooms. We play together on the fields. We perform together on the stage. We cheer together in Centennial Hall and in Spencer Stadium. And we do that all with a shared dress code and a shared set of virtues that unite us. Those shared experiences create deep relationships. Those relationships in turn create a sense of community — a sense of belonging and brotherhood — that allows our students to engage more deeply; to step outside of their comfort zones and try new things. That deeper engagement creates new relationships and strengthens existing ones, extending and strengthening our sense of community. Over the past two years, the pandemic has disrupted this triangle. Our engagement has been limited, and as a result, our relationships and sense of community have atrophied. As a result, our relationships and sense of community have atrophied. In many respects, our focus this fall has been on rebuilding that triangle — reestablishing those shared experiences, rebuilding those relationships, and restoring that sense of community. And in that regard, Nov. 13 was the culmination of that process. From pre-kindergarteners in the Class of 2035 attending the Pancake Breakfast to members of the Class of 1956 attending their 65th Reunion, thousands from Haverford nation came to campus to support the Fords. They made new relationships and rekindled old ones, and in doing so strengthened our sense of community. That sense of togetherness and belonging was heightened by a week of community engagement on campus leading up to EA Day. Spirit Week brought us together through a variety of activities, including Lower and Middle School door decorating contests, daily Upper School contests between the forms and faculty, and the Pep Rally, during which Upper School musicians performed on stage. And while our teams’ skill, resolve, and coaching certainly contributed to our victory, ultimately, that engagement, those relationships, and our sense of community are what brought the sweater home. The relationships on the soccer and football fields, on the cross-country and golf courses, and in the pool, and the support those athletes received from us in the stands, those are what allowed them to dig deeper, to compete harder, and to believe. And that is why, while the credit lies first and foremost with our athletes and coaches, ultimately, every member of our community — from the four-year-old attending his first EA Day to the 83-year-old attending his 79th, to the faculty, staff, and families who worked tirelessly to help make the day a success — played a role in our victory. We did it together, and in doing so we deepened our relationships and strengthened our sense of community. Go Fords!

ENGAGEMENT

Winter 2022

COMMUNITY

Tyler Casertano Head of School

AROUND THE QUAD

Becca Davis’ legacy: a changed Haverford and a grateful faculty by Austin Zhuang ’22

On Sept. 5, 2021, Dean of Faculty and English teacher Rebecca Davis, better known as Becca to her colleagues, passed away after a battle with cancer. In her wake lies the people she touched, the School she changed, and the educators she mentored. Librarian Cinnie Slack was one of Davis’ closest friends. They first met as colleagues at the Kent School in Connecticut more than 30 years ago. In addition to their shared passion for teaching, they had a familial bond as they socialized, lived together, and even shared parental duties. “We used to have to teach on Saturday mornings, and that was always a challenge,” Slack said. “We’d wait to see who had a free period, and whoever of the four of us [Slack, Davis, and their husbands] had a free period would get stuck taking all the kids to soccer.” They eventually parted ways when Slack and her family moved to Haverford, while the Davises went to Virginia. But a few years later, Mr. Slack, then Chair of the English department, persuaded Davis to join Haverford, reuniting the two friends. For Mrs. Slack, the best thing about working with Davis at Haverford was the conversations they had. “She would come in [the library] pretty much every day [last spring] to have lunch,” Slack said. “And we’d have lunch and talk, and it’s a wonderful thing.” The topics of their talks had no bounds. Smartphones were Davis’ Achilles’ heel, so Slack was always there to help sort out any issues. Davis also discussed her work, asking if something sounded good or if Slack had any thoughts. “She was a great collaborator with everybody, with her students, with her colleagues,” Slack said. “She was a great connector of people, to all kinds of things, different ideas to people to people.” Davis served as a steward of the faculty evaluation program. Every three years or so, a team consisting of the Head of Upper School, the appropriate department chair,

and a peer evaluates a teaching faculty member. The program gives teachers a better picture of their classes. As Dean of Faculty, Davis constantly looked for ways for the faculty to be the best versions of themselves. “She was on the front line of making sure the faculty were reflecting on their craft and making sure there was a constant improvement in their instruction,” Head of Upper School Mark Fifer said. “And she was also really on the front line of providing support to faculty members for various professional development opportunities.” One way Davis helped was through the SIGHTS program, which helped faculty find summer professional development opportunities. Aside from her contributions to the institution, Davis spent much of her time building relationships with other teachers. From the start, English teacher Taylor Smith-Kan felt welcomed by Davis. “When I first started working here, she told me where I should go to church in the community,” Smith-Kan said. “She saw me as a human being who also had needs outside of the School, and she wanted to make sure I was in the community of Haverford and Havertown.” Davis always offered support to faculty and helped whenever possible. For Smith-Kan, weekly chats were the norm last year. “She would just give me a call, and we’d talk about ‘Hamlet’ for like five minutes because we were both teaching ‘Hamlet,’” Smith-Kan said. “And then we would just talk about her kids and what they were doing, and she would ask about my pregnancy, and we would just talk about our lives.” Her commitment to helping others was a large part of who she was as a person, positivity being another big piece of Davis’ personality. “She had such a positive outlook,” Slack said. “She was one of the great optimists.

She could find great things anywhere, anytime, and I loved being able to see the world through her eyes sometimes.” Davis was a great mentor, friend, and colleague. Her job was her calling. “She loved teaching,” Slack said. “She saw it as her vocation, and she couldn’t stop.”

haverford.org

AROUND THE QUAD

CAMPUS CELEBRATIONS Prior to and during the varsity football game on Oct. 22, the School celebrated two special events. Before kickoff, the 1970 and 1971 football teams gathered as honorary captains for the game to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their perfect seasons. During halftime of the game, a special ceremony was held to dedicate M & J Spencer Stadium. 1970 and 1971 football teams Both the 1970 and 1971 football teams, coached by the late Mike Mayock, finished with a combined 16-0 overall and 10-0 in league games during those two seasons. The Fords were led by star running back John Haldeman ’72, the 1970 and 1971 Inter-Ac MVP. Joining Haldeman on the All-Inter-Ac First Team in 1970 were offensive lineman John Berringer ’72, quarterback Bill Osborne ’74, defensive linemen Jim Nesbitt ’73 and Randy McCabe ’71, linebacker Peter Lindquist ’73, and defensive back Frank McCann ’72. Joining Haldeman on the 1971 All-Inter-Ac First Team were offensive linemen Tom Hipple ’72, John Berringer ’72, and Bob McCafferty ’72, tight end Jim Nesbitt ’73, quarterback Bill Osborne ’74, and running backs Peter Lindquist ’73 and Russ Allen ’72. In the two undefeated seasons, the Fords outscored their opponents a combined 364-63.

Dedication of M & J Spencer Stadium During halftime of the game against Malvern Prep, the athletic department hosted a special ceremony at midfield to dedicate M & J Spencer Stadium. Craig and BJ Spencer P’14 ’20 were recognized for their support of the School. M & J Spencer Stadium is named for Craig and BJ’s sons Max ’14 and Jake ’20, who were both student-athletes at Haverford. Max attended the University of Florida, while Jake attends and plays football for Pennsylvania State University. Head of School Tyler Casertano and Director of Athletics Mike Murphy thanked the Spencer family during the halftime ceremony for their generosity and recognized their impact on the School. Prior to the game, Craig and BJ Spencer fired the cannon, a game day tradition that marks the Fords’ entrance to the stadium. 4

Winter 2022

AROUND THE QUAD

Celebrating Diwali On Nov.1, Third Former Unnav Sharma joined Manisha Varma P’27 ’25, First Former Ayush Varma, and Third Former Milan Varma, in leading the Middle School’s Diwali celebrations. By the end of the presentation, the entire Middle School was on their feet participating in a Bhangra dance, originating from the Varma family’s native Punjab region of India. During the presentation, Manisha Varma explained Diwali’s cultural significance, saying, “Being able to share our own identities in a safe and inclusive way is an important aspect of nurturing our sense of identity and inclusivity in our communities and in our understanding. It makes us better global citizens and it helps us live in the diverse world that we inhabit together. Embracing diversity helps create an environment where everyone is valued and it helps you be better prepared to work in a global world.” The Middle School explores topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion every week during Community Time. In the weeks surrounding Diwali, Middle School boys learned about and celebrated Indian and Nepali culture through multiple art projects and presentations, including worksheets on rangolis, elephants, and the Hindu God Lord Ganesha.

Lower School students focus on the School’s core virtues Every month the Lower School meets during Community Time to discuss and reflect on the Virtue of the Month. Under the guidance of Maureen Finlan, Lower School Director of Student Life, the boys participate in special activities and community-building exercises focused on that particular month’s virtue. Selflessness served as the Virtue of the Month for October. Finlan and Rhonda Brown, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, worked with the boys on understanding what selflessness means. Following this discussion, the boys listened to a reading of The Giving Tree by Shel Siverstein and shared examples of how they have been selfless in their lives. As a community building exercise, the boys helped create their own Giving Tree in the Lower School lobby, where the leaves displayed ways in which the boys planned to be selfless during the month. “The tree not only added flair to the lobby during the fall, but was a daily reminder to the boys of the goal they set for themselves this month with regard to completing a selfless act,” explained Head of Lower School Dr. Pam Greenblatt. haverford.org

AROUND THE QUAD

School examines areas of growth with A Roadmap to Excellence: Character, Culture, and Community The Haverford School delivered A Roadmap to Excellence: Character, Culture, and Community, designed to examine areas of growth for the School and its community. The document, which was delivered digitally via email and on haverford.org, was the result of conversations between faculty, staff, families, alumni, students, and friends of the School. The roadmap uses the School’s long-standing guiding documents, including the 24 Core Virtues, Principles of Community, and the Essential Qualities of a Haverford School Graduate as its foundation. The document is a joint project between the School and the the Character, Culture, and Community Task Force, a group created by the School’s Board of Trustees and chaired by Ravi Reddy ’90 and Randall Drain ’01. Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Rhonda Brown steered the work, which was kicked off during the 2020-21 school year by her predecessor, Brendon Jobs. “A Roadmap to Excellence is a viable, living document that we can make adjustments to as we learn more and continue on this journey at Haverford,” said Brown. “The goal is for diversity, equity, and inclusion work to be embedded in the fabric of our community. The roadmap reaches all aspects of our School —

from things like our admissions practices and the resources our libraries offer, to the way we teach our boys in our classrooms, studios, and athletics facilities.” The intention is for School administrators, faculty, and staff, and families to consider the ways the School can ensure each member of the community can present as themselves authentically. A Roadmap to Excellence will be updated periodically.

TAKE THE JOURNEY You can see more of our roadmap by visiting haverford.org/aroadmaptoexcellence

Nine Upper School boys named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists Several Haverford School students were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program, including nine who were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. The semifinalists include Adamya Aggarwal, Fisher Bond, Caleb Cavazos, Elijah Lee, Ruidong Li, Mitav Nayak, Haroon Naz, Jeffrey Yang, and Austin Zhuang. They have moved onto the next round of the competition and are in the running to receive scholarships this spring. The Haverford School boys are among 16,000 candidates to be placed on the semifinalist list, whittled down from more than one million nationwide applicants. The boys represent some of the highest Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) Selection Index scores in Pennsylvania. “We are so pleased to celebrate this tremendous accomplishment by so many of our Upper School students,” said Mark Fifer, Head of Upper School. “The boys recognized have contributed greatly to our School, so it is fitting that their intellectual agility and vibrancy is acknowledged by the National Merit Scholarship Program.” To be considered for the scholarship, students must complete an application, write an essay, and receive strong scores on their PSAT/NMSQT. Students will be notified if they become a finalist in early 2022, with scholarship winners announced in the spring.

Winter 2022

AROUND THE QUAD

ONE EXHIBIT, MULTIPLE LESSONS Guatemalan textile exhibit in Centennial Hall gallery

The global studies program and the world languages department partnered with the Friends of the Ixchel Museum to bring a Guatemalan textile exhibit to Haverford this fall. The exhibit, which featured rich tapestries and works of art, was on display in Centennial Hall’s gallery. In mid-September, boys also got to observe a live weaving demonstration. The exhibit was facilitated by Upper School Spanish teacher and Director of Global Studies Andrew Poolman. Classes from each division of the School attended the gallery showing, finding ways to link the authentic artwork with various lessons and units. Those learning from the exhibit included students across divisions and disciplines. Pre-kindergarten boys examined patterns and colors at the exhibit, while Middle School boys explored personal stories and questions of identity through textiles and weaving. Upper School art students learned weaving techniques using looms, while blending cultural symbolism and photography principles. Spanish classes spent time using vocabulary to describe clothing and its cultural implications. “The exhibit had a broad and deep impact on many in our community. The interdisciplinary connections were boundless and our faculty demonstrated to the boys how their learning should be integrated across classrooms and disciplines,” said Poolman. “Students were learning about the history, language, clothing, food, daily routine, and culture of the Guatemalan people in various classes this fall, ultimately making the lessons more enduring and powerful.”

Photos (left to right): First graders created intricate patterns out of paper and craft materials after learning about the artwork at the Guatemalan Textile Exhibit; Sixth graders in Kerry Kettering-Goens’ Spanish class observed a Guatemalan weaver outside Centennial Hall; Upper School boys in Kristin Brown’s Art Portfolio class used the exhibit as inspiration for their spray painting project. Their creations were hung in Severinghaus Library.

haverford.org

AROUND THE QUAD

From magic in movies to the math of memories: Practical applications of Upper School course concepts

In recent Upper School projects and presentations, the practical application of course concepts involved mixing film studies with physics and considering psychology alongside mathematics. At The Haverford School, boys learn beyond the bounds of the specified discipline, moving abstract concepts to concrete applications.

REEL PHYSICS

MATH AND MEMORY

Third Form physics students have advice for Hollywood’s film producers: Follow the physics. In their “Reel Physics” project, students subjected their favorite film scenes to the laws that govern our physical reality, only to find the impressive acts are impossible in many iconic scenes. Fulton’s slapshot in The Mighty Ducks never would have broken the ice rink’s glass. James Bond’s opening leap in Casino Royale leaves the bounds of reality. The umbrella-propelled nanny in Mary Poppins would have fallen, not floated. “It would have been a much shorter movie,” explained III Former Alexander Rhodes. The students mapped scenes according to acceleration, velocity, and time. Unlike Hollywood’s film producers, they measured the scenes against the facts of our reality, such as the existence of gravity and the limits of the human form. As Chair of the science department and Upper School teacher Dr. Daniel Goduti encouraged them, “We don’t want to produce films that are inaccurate.” The projects delivered as Upper School science teacher Jonathan Bacon advertised: “Student groups have been pulling apart movie clips that have stretched beyond the laws of physics”—listing Indiana Jones running from the rolling boulder, Luke’s slow-motion fall after battling Darth Vader, and Sonic the Hedgehog’s sonic boom. Students offered “their suggestions on how to recreate these scenes to fit within our physical reality.” In the end, the “Reel Physics” student projects provided reasonable expectations for youth hockey teams, international spies, and nannies alike.

Across the hall, visiting lecturer Dr. Michael Kahana P’24 ’26 ’31, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, applied mathematical modeling techniques to the study of human memory with Upper School math teacher Stephen Patrylak’s Math Modeling to Solve Social Challenges class. He reviewed “the basic facts of the universe”—water’s three “memories” and nature’s four forces—and shared the story of his life’s pursuit. “How did it come to be that I dedicated my life to the study of human memory?” Kahana mused, “It was a path formed by many small decisions, often influenced by a teacher.” He emphasized the importance of a quality education, learning from the “creators of knowledge” themselves. “When you get old, the most important wisdom you have, the wisdom you won’t share in your books, is the knowledge of your failures,” Kahana said. Kahana described the mathematical mapping of memories in the brain, the subject of his research and his recent paper published in the Annual Review of Psychology, “Computational Models of Memory Search.” He encouraged the boys, complimenting their questions and drawing connections to pop culture, film, and medicine. As he explained, “A key part of teaching is passing the torch to the next generation. One of you, someday, might create an important piece of new knowledge in the field I’m researching.” He concluded, “The greatest satisfaction from teaching is when your students exceed you. I hope you discover ways to use your love for mathematics to help the human condition.”

Winter 2022

AROUND THE QUAD

Flying pumpkins Pumpkin candies flying across the turf of Memorial Field herald the nearing Thanksgiving holiday on Haverford’s campus. Marion Jacob’s sixth grade science class participates in monthly STEM challenges. For November, the boys built catapults and competed for the furthest of the flying pumpkins. This is a favorite challenge among the boys and, in 2021, marked a return to collaborative group work after the annual competition was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Third Form students volunteer at local church’s food bank During the fall months, members of the Third Form volunteered at Memorial Church of God in Christ food pantry, located in Haverford. The Form III Called to Serve Project took place most Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during study hall. The boys walked a few blocks to the church to pack boxes, bag vegetables, and deliver cases of water and soda to the church members’ cars. “The Form III Called to Serve Project achieves a number of goals,” explained Third Form Dean Steve Cloran. “Our newest members of our Upper School, the Class of 2025, get to bond on the walk to and from the church and while working together in the food pantry.” The church, located at 747 Buck Lane, is less than a mile from The Haverford School campus. This unique service opportunity allowed the Third Form students to get to know one another outside of the usual classroom setting, while assisting in the community at the same time. Breakfast sandwiches, fresh vegetables, bread, and other items were organized and distributed to community members in the area. “Ms. Alice, Mr. Larry, and Pastor Daren, the leaders of the Memorial Church of God in Christ, welcome us warmly and teach us about how their church serves the community right in our School’s backyard,” said Cloran. “The boys get out of the classroom, take a walk together, and grow emotionally in an environment of experiential learning.” The church’s food pantry was designated an essential community service and has remained open during the pandemic for its members. This project has allowed the boys to experience giving back in their community while building friendships along the way.

Brotherhood Project focuses on connection with Lower School students Upper School boys involved in the Brotherhood Project are reading to their Lower School counterparts via video link. The project was borne out of the students not being able to connect in-person due to COVID-19 restrictions. Each Upper School boy selected a book that either addressed a Haverford School core virtue or work related to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the School. The boys recorded themselves reading their books, which were then made available to Lower School boys on iPads during library time, indoor recess, or other moments throughout the school day. The books are available in the Tabas Library in the Lower School.

haverford.org

AROUND THE QUAD

Best for Boys Speaker Series

Executive Functioning: Boys’ Development and 21st Century Learning On Nov. 4, parents and guardians gathered in Centennial Hall for Nichole Pugliese and Mike McLeod’s Best for Boys Speaker Series presentation “Executive Functioning: Boys’ Development and 21st Century Learning.” Pugliese, Director of the Enrichment and Learning Center at The Haverford School, and McLeod, an executive function expert and founder of GrowNOW Therapy Services, suggested ways parents and guardians could support the development of their students’ executive functioning skills. These are the skills that help students manage tasks like scheduling study time before tests, successfully preparing for upcoming events or activities, regulating challenging emotions, and more. Executive functions are the brain-based cognitive skills that need to be developed in order to successfully negotiate the demands of childhood and adolescence. They are the skills that become more critical as young adults venture into a world with decreasing parental supervision and guidance. Pugliese offered advice to parents and guardians on ways to build resilience in young minds, emphasizing the importance of practice and independence. Her “golden rule of executive functioning,” as she explained, is “if they aren’t doing it, they aren’t building it.” McLeod recommended promoting independent thought processes in developing brains through declarative language like “I noticed you aren’t wearing shoes” instead of directive language like “go get your shoes.” These comments model visual imagery and self-talk so that boys can eventually recreate these effective thought processes on their own, building independence and resilience. Learning specialists at Haverford’s Enrichment and Learning Center guide the development of the network between boys’ nonverbal working memory and their verbal working memory to build internal language skills. Pugliese and her colleagues Stephen Cloran and Karen Suter will often ask boys to share their thought processes ahead of their everyday tasks. With their learning specialists’ guidance, the boys learn to visualize themselves performing the steps necessary to succeed and then talk themselves through those steps. As Pugliese and McLeod showed, brains that can inhibit, visualize, and self-coach can perform tasks with resilience and independence. The presentation explained adolescent behaviors through the science of brain development. The brain develops from back to front, or from knowledge to performance, explaining performance challenges like forgotten assignments and messy bedrooms. Pugliese summarized research findings from Harvard University’s Center WANT TO LEARN MORE? on the Developing Child, saying, “We are all born with the potential to develop Watch the entire Best for Boys presentation these skills. The brain has the blueprint, by scanning the QR code, or by visiting but it is through human interaction and haverford.org/bestforboys. experiential learning that we build these skills.”

Winter 2022

ARTS

From Nov. 19 to 21, The Haverford School‘s Performing Arts Department presented “Peter and the Starcatcher,” the School’s first major performance before an in-person audience since the outbreak of COVID-19. The play explored the origin stories of J. M. Barrie’s beloved characters Peter Pan and Captain Hook, portrayed by Fifth Formers Evan Wang and Thomas Pendergast, respectively. Directed by Darren Hengst, The Grace and Mahlon Buck Chair in Performing Arts, with stunning work on the set design led by the School’s Production Manager and Technical Director Dex Woodward, the play—packed with action, adventure, and intrigue—celebrated the School’s triumphant return to the stage.

Sixth Former completes three-year process of printing a cello Upper School student Elijah Lee collaborated with Haverford’s Orchestra Director Alfred Goodrich to 3D print a cello. The project, which Lee started as a Third Former, sought to create a low-cost cello out of carbon fiber, but still preserve the sound of a traditional cello. The instrument is jet black and sounds just like a traditionally-made cello. The project married Lee’s two passions—the cello and engineering—and led to him founding Forte3D with Goodrich. The company has a focus on creating other fine instruments using the 3D printing process. “As a cellist who is also heavily interested in engineering disciplines, being able to unite the two intrigued me,” said Lee. “We wanted to create classical string instruments of the highest possible quality for a fraction of the cost of a conventionally-made fine instrument.” haverford.org

ARTS

Fourth and fifth grade student artwork displayed in Centennial Hall

The intersection of art and science:

creating a 3D atom

Form IV boys in Will Leech’s chemistry class had a guest teacher as they studied the atomic structure and orbitals: Chair of the art department Chris Fox. Leech and Fox developed a cross-curricular project for the students to help them understand the structure and behavior of the atom using a creative process. “Often the greatest challenge we face is representing three dimensional objects, such as atoms, on a two dimensional piece of paper,” explained Leech. “Working at the highest level of both art and chemistry, this project stretched and challenged the student’s thinking in completely new ways.” The boys were asked to push the edges of how the atom is currently visually represented and developed through work in their chemistry class. Based on their understanding and use of the creative process, they were asked to represent their new understanding visually. The boys wrestled with complex mathematical representations of the atom along with color theory and perspective to produce individual pieces of artwork to represent new understandings of atomic structure. Students came to the art studio and were presented with the first part of this challenge through a presentation created by Leech and Fox. The presentation showed the history of how the atom has been illustrated over time as examples of the connections between the work of visual artists and scientists. The current representation of the atom tries to suggest the “cloud of possibilities” of where the electrons orbiting might exist. This model was developed almost one hundred years ago. Students were challenged to think about an appropriate updated representation of the atom. The boys were given some possible materials to work with, including watercolors, watercolor pencils, and graphite pencils, and given time to experiment with them as they brainstormed ideas. Fox and Leech worked with students individually as they developed ideas, each offering advice from their own perspective and area of expertise. Once students had developed what they felt was a reasonably accurate version of their chosen visual description, they were given a piece of illustration board on which to develop a more “finished” version of their atom. Teachers and students discussed how even these more developed works could still be considered “first drafts” as often students realized that there were other choices they could have made to make their scene even more powerful. 12

Winter 2022

This fall, the artistic talents of the fourth and fifth grade students were on full display in Centennial Hall. The exhibit is made of mostly hand drawings in which the boys repeatedly, methodically, and mechanically sketch and erase two dimensional shapes. The goal is for the students to become acquainted with the constant exercise of drawing verticals, horizontals, diagonals and curves, and develop their fine motor skills. “Every human figure we draw in the art room starts with a stick figure with joints,” explains Lower School art teacher Antonio Fink. “I remind the boys to ‘draw it light until you get it right.’ They draw, erase, redraw, erase, and redraw until they finish.” Pencil drawings were the first step in this project. The boys then used watercolors to add color to the background. In this lesson, the boys learned how color affects a drawing, the different approaches to using color, and how the background changes the mood of a painting.

ARTS

Art and ancestral languages Last summer, Middle School art teacher Doah Lee traveled to her native South Korea to learn the traditional Korean techniques of lacquer and silver wire inlay. The School’s Summer Institute for the Growth of Haverford Teachers and Staff (SIGHTS) supported her trip, which directly translates to the enhanced quality of education in her classroom. The box Lee created with the Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation mixes the Korean symbols of her youth with the American interpretations she has encountered. Central on the box’s lid is the Korean hand gesture for love, which is often mistaken for the American gesture for “money.” She plays with that misunderstanding, replacing the implied heart between the fingers in the Korean understanding with the Korean symbol for rice, a traditional form of currency. The Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation is the only studio in the world that continues to teach Korean silver wire inlay, so Lee’s instructors expressed excitement about Lee’s participation in the course and emphasized the importance of sharing this nearly-lost tradition with her American students. As Lee says, the boxes decorated in Korean symbols for wealth and longevity “express the hopes of my ancestors.” Back in her Haverford School classroom, Lee creates projects that guide the boys in their technique, while inviting them to express themselves. As Lee explains, “Art is a visual language. I’m teaching them how to speak so they can find their own voices and make their own projects.” Recently, the boys chose three objects that they felt spoke to their identity. They then photographed the objects, applied color filters in Photoshop, and then painted their still life images of the objects. Lee empowers the boys to create their own projects, asking them “What dialogue do you want to create with your viewer?”

UPCOMING ARTS EVENTS Upper School Musical

Middle School Musical

March 11-13, Centennial Hall

April 22-24, Centennial Hall

“Something Rotten!”

“The Addams Family”

haverford.org

ATHLETICS

The boys are back:

Alumni of the School serve as Fords coaches Over the last five years, many alumni have returned to Lancaster Avenue to give back and be part of Haverford School athletics. Some have returned to teach and coach, while others have stepped up to become program directors of the sports they felt so passionately about during their years at Haverford. There is also a large number of former Fords that return to support their programs in Assistant Coaching roles. The teacher-coach role is an important part of The Haverford School and has given alumni a way to give back to the School. Chris DiBello ’12 returned to teach Upper School science and coach both football and wrestling. Brandon Walker ’15 returned this year to teach Middle School history and English, while also holding coaching duties for Middle School football and wrestling. “It is always exciting when an alum of the School returns and coaches with one of our programs. An alumnus of the School brings a unique perspective about the positive impact that participation in athletics can have on a young man’s development,” said Mike Murphy, Director of Athletics. “In addition, they understand first-hand the challenges that being a student-athlete at Haverford can present. Boys must balance rigorous academic coursework with a competitive athletic experience.” Taking on the role of program director is a commitment that requires dedication. Two years ago, Cole Berman ’14 took over as Director of Golf Program at Haverford. In his years at the helm, his teams have already won an Inter-Ac championship and continue to develop future Haverford golfers. This year, Thomas Lindberg ’07 was announced as Director of Ice Hockey Program. Coach Lindberg is working with a talented group of student-athletes and continues to build and grow the program. Many of the teams also have alumni helping out with parttime or assistant coach roles. Luke Kania ’19 not only serves as an assistant coach for baseball, but he is also the “Voice of the Fords,” announcing home games for the football and basketball teams. Lacrosse always has a few alumni on the sidelines helping Director of Lacrosse Program and Assistant Director of Athletics Brendan Dawson. This year, Grant Ament ’15 joins the coaching staff after a successful career at Penn State and in professional leagues. Middle School sports also have several alumni helping on the sidelines, with Cory Taylor ’96 serving the soccer program and Lucas Elek ’13 joining the Track and Field staff. This past fall, Haverford Crew had two alumni from the class of 2014 helping out in Chet Bickhart ’14 and Eamon Glavin ’14. All the teams at Haverford are always looking for assistant coaches that know the School and its traditions. If you’re interested in supporting a Fords team, contact Mike Murphy at mmurphy@haverford.org.

Winter 2022

ATHLETICS

FALL SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS GOLF Coach: Cole Berman ’14 Overall Record: 18-18

Biggest team achievement of season: Beating Episcopal Academy by two shots on EA Day. Team Service Learning or Community Service Project/ Activity: Volunteering with First Tee of Philadelphia at their Walnut Lane facility.

WATER POLO Coach: Kevin Van Such Overall Record: 16-5 League Record: 7-1

Biggest team achievement of season: Inter-Ac Champions and Easterns Prep Runner Up. This is the third consecutive Inter-Ac Championship and the third consecutive Easterns Final appearance. Team Service Learning or Community Service Project/ Activity: Thanksgiving Turkey Drive

CROSS-COUNTRY Coach: Mike Toomey Overall Record: 3-3 League Record: 3-3

Biggest team achievement of season: 4th place finish at state meet

Individual Accomplishments: First Team All-Inter-Ac: Colin Stewart and Ned Cutler Third Team All-State: Colin Stewart and Ned Cutler First Team All-State ninth grade race: Alex Dardarian, Reilly Hope, Jay Rogers Ninth grade Race State Champion: Alex Dardarian Team Highlights: • 4th Place finish at State Meet • 3rd Place finish at Inter-Ac Meet • 4th Place finish at George School Varsity Invite • 3rd Place finish at George School Junior Varsity Invite Team Service Learning or Community Service Project/ Activity: Serving with Special Olympics Healthy Kids Running Series in Wayne

FOOTBALL Coach: Brian Martin Overall Record: 5-4 League Record: 3-2

Biggest team achievement of season: Winning on EA Day Individual Accomplishments: All-Inter-Ac First Team: Isaiah Boyd Bill Brosko Sam Gerber Matt Pante

haverford.org

ATHLETICS

All-Inter-Ac Second Team: Will Costin Louie Atkinson Chase Knox

SOCCER

Team Highlights: • Down 21 points to SCHA, coming back and winning on a last second FG • Down 1 with 24 seconds against Penn Charter on a 4th and 18 and scored on a 52-yard pass to win the game 21-16 • Winning on EA Day 13-7 and bringing home the Sweater

Biggest team achievement of season: Defeated Chaminade 3-1, who were the #19 team in the country at the time.

Team Service Learning: Supporting a free football clinic

Team Highlights: • Haverford varsity soccer lost to the undefeated Conestoga team (24-0), ranked #9 nationally, 1-0. • The players battled through a tough national schedule after unexpectedly losing a number of players. • Two sophomore players were awarded all-league honors. These players will serve as a great foundation as the program looks to rebuild next season.

WHAT’S THE SCORE? To keep up with the latest Fords scores and schedules, visit haverford.org/athletics

Coach: Dan Keefe Overall Record: 3-12-2 League Record: 2-7-1

Individual Accomplishments: First Team All-Inter-Ac: Connor Cresswell Second Team All-Inter-Ac: Andrew Kirwin, Thomas Kaplan

Team Service Learning or Community Service Project/ Activity: Chester Upland Youth Soccer Organization: The team volunteers to coach underserved youth players every Saturday through the spring and early summer.

Ten student-athletes announce intent to continue athletic careers at the collegiate level As part of the early signing period for Division I and Division II athletes, ten seniors at The Haverford School announced their decisions to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. “We are proud of these young men for their success in their respective sports and on their commitment to these terrific schools,” said Mike Murphy, Director of Athletics. “The boys truly represent the model of the student-athlete and I am confident they will continue to do so in their college careers.”

Chuck Cacciutti announced his commitment to the admissions process at the University of Pennsylvania for lacrosse. Will Costin will attend Penn State University for lacrosse. Patrick Donaher will attend Bucknell University for track and field. Pat Gillin will attend the University of Delaware for lacrosse. Aidan Kopen will attend Lafayette College for lacrosse. Teddy Malone announced his commitment to the admissions process at Harvard University for lacrosse. Jake McCarthy will attend Merrimack College for lacrosse. Colby McNeely will attend Rider University for baseball. Avi Mehl announced his commitment to the admissions process at USMA West Point for lacrosse. Ryan Reed will attend the University of Pittsburgh for baseball.

Winter 2022

ATHLETICS

HAVERFORD/EA DAY 2021 After 725 days, the sweater returned home on Nov. 13! The Fords defeated the Churchmen in golf, water polo, and football to bring back the sweater. Haverford has now won the sweater 19 times to EA’s 16.

FINAL RESULTS

Clockwise, from top left : Upper School fans cheered, supported, and motivated their classmates all day long. Head of School Tyler Casertano accepts the sweater from Episcopal Academy’s Head of School T.J. Locke, following the clinching football game. Fifth former Chace Knox returns a second half kickoff into EA territory, setting up the Fords for the winning touchdown. Water polo players Luka Sekulic, Jaiden Shuchman, and Luke Putter defend their net and keep EA away from narrowing their deficit. Sixth former Bowen Deng tees off and hits the ball straight down the fairway.

GOLF: 190-192, HAVERFORD CROSS-COUNTRY: 15-49, EA WATER POLO: 19-11, HAVERFORD SOCCER: 2-0, EA FOOTBALL: 13-7, HAVERFORD

haverford.org

PARENTS

’

Fall Festival Co-chairs Melinda Berkman P’28 ’32 and Lauren Addis P’33 organized the annual HSPA Fall Festival on Nov. 4 at the field on Panmure Road next to Haverford House. There were games, raffle baskets, and treats for the boys to enjoy.

EA Day Pancake Breakfast On the morning of EA Day, Haverford families enjoyed a pancake breakfast hosted by the HSPA. Form I families and volunteers flipped pancakes, cooked bacon, and fueled the students and their families as they prepared for the big games.

Perfect Present Chair Khalifa Harding P’30 ’34 assembled the annual HSPA Perfect Present on Dec. 1 and 2 in the Lower School Multipurpose Room. A Lower School holiday tradition, Perfect Present offered Lower School boys the chance to shop for gifts for all of the people on their holiday lists.

Winter 2022

PARENTS

Parent Spotlight: Melinda Berkman P’28 ’32 WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE HSPA? I wanted to show my boys how important their education was to me. It was also a chance to meet other families at Haverford and the opportunities sounded fun! YOU RECENTLY CO-CHAIRED THE LOWER SCHOOL FALL FESTIVAL. WHAT WENT INTO ORGANIZING THAT EVENT? The HSPA is a huge help in preparing volunteers to co-chair events. They were great about providing materials and guidance. When I first co-chaired it for my oldest son five years ago, they played a vital role in helping me understand how to run a School event. This year Lauren Anrig Addis P’33 and I collaborated with HSPA board members and volunteers to help make sure we successfully navigated an in-person event with COVID-19 still a concern. I had a lot of support from Kim Carter P’24, Amy Baker P’24 ’26, and the School’s Director of Parent Programs Dorothy Walker P’22 ’24 ’27. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF VOLUNTEERING ALONGSIDE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HAVERFORD SCHOOL COMMUNITY? In my opinion, meeting members of the School community is the best part of volunteering. Sharing a passion for the School and the importance of our community is an instant bond. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER PARENTS/GUARDIANS THAT ARE CONSIDERING VOLUNTEERING FOR HSPA EVENTS? There are a wide range of opportunities, some of which are time intensive and others more flexible, so there is something for everyone. And as a nice bonus it gives you a chance to see your son engaging with his classmates and the School community.

READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY? Join the HSPA Book Club! Started in October, the HSPA Book Club is moderated by Colleen Scharpf P’27 and meets monthly. It is a fun way to connect with the Haverford School parent/ guardian community and meet new friends. The club meets in person in Nostrant Pavilion and also has a virtual option through Zoom. Books featured so far include The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton and The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. If you’d like to learn more, contact Dorothy Walker at dwalker@haverford.org.

haverford.org

Tyler Casertano likes to walk around. He likes to take in the “ambient noise” of the campus. It gives him energy to see people working through a project or solving a problem together in a classroom. More than once he’s been found listening in on a Middle School math lesson. Recently, he took the Haverford/EA Day Sweater for a tour of the Lower School, leading to squeals of delight from Haverford’s youngest students. It’s a quiet leadership trait that serves him well in his first year as Haverford’s Head of School. While he’s becoming acquainted with The Haverford School, its culture, and its many traditions, he already knows a startling number of students’ names, offering fist bumps and words of encouragement to boys and faculty alike as he tours campus. “He cares about and comes to know every student. His classes seemingly always started with a sort of banter about a student’s

Winter 2022

performance in a choral concert, or a big play made on the field,” said Sherry Rusher, Dean of Faculty at St. Albans School and longtime friend and colleague of Casertano. “He’s keeping track. He pays attention. As a result, you’d find a wide variety of boys seeking his advice on one thing or another. He became a safe space for boys to be themselves. He’s certainly doing the same at Haverford.” He’s building relationships, one walk at a time. Tyler Casertano became Haverford’s Head of School—only it’s tenth since 1884—on July 1, 2021. He inherited a School in a strong position, complete with a new, state-of-the-art Middle School and a team of extraordinary faculty members. Casertano has dedicated the beginning of his tenure at Haverford to learning from his faculty and staff and to supporting the boys, both of which require strong relationships and trust.

Introducing Head of School

TYLER CASERTANO

“Relationships can allow someone to recognize their best self,” said Casertano. “It can allow a boy to have a fuller understanding of his abilities and the courage to pursue those abilities. I want to foster that in all our students.” A CALLING Casertano’s love for being in the classroom runs deep. So deep that he’s making time in his tight schedule to return to the classroom as an Upper School history teacher in the 2022-23 school year. “I like understanding who the kids are and what they need. I like meeting them where they are,” he says. This fall, Upper School boys in Mark Fifer’s U.S. History class got a preview of what it is like to be Casertano’s pupil. He almost visibly sinks into the role of teacher, removing his ‘Head of School hat,’ and replacing it with a well-worn and well-loved ‘teacher hat.’ In a lesson about indigenous peoples and civilizations of North

America, of which Casertano is an expert, he seamlessly crafts a story about the sophistication of Native American civilizations and the incorrect perceptions that unfairly perpetuate today. He weaves in a broader global conversation to his lesson, bridging to how trade, globalization, geography, and invention impacted these civilizations and how we remember them. The boys react with interest and with thoughtful questions. They see their Head of School in a new light. In a single afternoon, Casertano walked into the classroom and humbly added another brick to the foundation of a relationship—this time with the boys. A PARTNER AND A FRIEND “I’ve often said that my mother—with a small bit of help from my father—built a great school at Millbrook,” said Casertano, with a smile. “My parents certainly modeled how to support one another and to be a team.”

haverford.org

It’s that sense of partnership, of teamwork, that permeates Casertano’s interactions with everyone he meets on Haverford’s campus. It’s a hallmark of his personality; an indicator of him as a leader, and apparently a familial trait. “In one word, Tyler is steady,” said Brendan Sullivan, a member of St. Albans Governing Board who worked closely with Casertano on their Strategic Plan. “He shows up when you need him, when you expect him, and even sometimes when you’re not expecting him. He does it all with quiet humility and always in service to someone else.” Casertano feels the support of his family, while also recognizing the support that he must give in return. He notes that his wife Annie’s career in real estate development is of major importance to him. “Annie and I have often reversed the stereotypical gender roles when it comes to our careers,” he said with a laugh. “She goes to work in a hard hat on construction sites, while I go to work as a teacher. She has been very successful in a traditionally maledominated industry, and it is important to me to support her career, too, in this move to Haverford.” He calls Annie, who he met at Yale while she attended Trinity College, the strongest person in their family. “She is an amazing

combination of sensitive and tough. She is deeply kind and considerate, while also being resilient and gritty.” Their children, Mac, who is 6 and in kindergarten at Haverford, and Bailey, who is 3 and attends The Haverford Center, are enjoying time on Lancaster Avenue and are delighted when they see Dad on campus.

ON LEADERSHIP: TC: I admire my dad’s resilience and range of leadership. He shows a great deal of courage. He took over a school that wasn’t in great shape, and the first eight years there were hard for him as he righted a massive ship. I still find inspiration in his range of interacting with others and his ability to connect with people in such an authentic way.

A CONVERSATION BETWEEN FATHER AND SON, TWO HEADS OF SCHOOLS Head of School Tyler Casertano and his father Drew Casertano, the former Head of School at Millbrook School, discuss topics related to their careers, the memories they have of living on Independent School campuses, and of the family who support them.

Winter 2022

DC: I think Tyler has a lot of those qualities, too. Tyler combines thoughtfulness with intention and team building. He’s got a very clear vision of what a great school should be, but he also sees that it takes time. I think he has a good idea of what he needs to learn and how to know the institution. ON THE ROLE OF PARTNERS: DC: Having a strong partner is everything. My experience was very much a partnership with Linda, and she had a strong career of her own. When we went to Millbrook in 1990, she cried the entire way there—she was sad to leave the life we created at Loomis Chafee— but she was with me every step, regardless. TC: Annie is so special. We are each other’s best friends first and foremost, and we have a true partnership. I had a great example

Bailey, in reference to the candy dish outside Casertano’s office, thinks her father gets to eat candy all day with his friends. Mac, while not entirely correct, seems to be onto something: he thinks his dad walks around all day. “I love bumping into them while I’m around campus,” says Casertano. “I underestimated how powerful and rewarding it would be to have them here with me. Watching my children become part of the community has been one of the most fun parts of this process. They’re excited to go to school every day and so am I.” FOR THE BOYS Casertano has a track record of making school a place to look forward to for his students, even on the days that are hard for them. “Tyler was the featured speaker at a Governing Board retreat — giving a major presentation on the Strategic Plan. It was vital for the presentation to go well,” said Joe Viola, Director of Admissions at St. Albans School. “We were driving together, and I anticipated a quiet, reflective ride. I got something very different.” Instead of reviewing notes of his presentation or thinking through possible questions from the Board, Casertano spent the entire hour-long ride on the phone with a student who was having trouble in a class. “On an extremely important day of his professional life, he made the choice to be there for that student. It spoke volumes about Tyler’s leadership,” said Viola. “He capably handles all parts of his job without losing sight of the things that are most important: his family, his students, and his colleagues.” This is the same energy Casertano exhibits each day at Haverford. He has a strong focus on learning the School and its traditions, but his priorities and goals lie with the boys and the faculty that support them. His walks are a conduit for connection, a deeply intentional leadership approach that results in strong, meaningful ties in the classroom, in his family, and as a leader.

of balancing careers with my parents. I aim to support her and be invested in her and our children’s lives just as much as they are supporting me in my role at Haverford. DC: No Head of School can succeed without a supportive, tough, and courageous partner. Linda—and now Annie—are courageous that they left jobs they loved and communities they loved and went to new places. That’s love. ON MEMORIES: TC: I recall having a lot of independence on Millbrook’s campus. It was all we knew, but I remember it dawning on me that my brothers and I had access to these amazing resources. We would have birthday parties in the art studios or the hockey rink. It presented non-stop stimulation. I’m glad my children got to experience some of it; I have a photo of Mac petting a panda at the school’s zoo when he was two. I’m seeing my children now get the opportunity to explore Haverford’s campus with new friends. DC: I do remember us getting to Millbrook’s campus and some faculty children coming over and asking to take a walk with you and your brother. It got to be about dinner time, and you still weren’t back, so I asked the parent of the other child—a faculty member at Millbrook—whether we should go out looking for you. He said

“No, they’ll come back at some point.” I think Tyler was about four! TC: I remember paying a lot of attention to what you were doing as the leader of the Millbrook community. In your office talking with students or faculty, or dictating letters on the way to my hockey practice. Even at a young age I had an interest in what you were doing, and an appreciation for how you were doing it. That was one of the neat parts of growing up on a campus—I got to see my parents in action as professionals. ON MEANINGFUL WORDS: DC: Before Tyler’s first day at Haverford, I gave him a handwritten note telling him I was proud of him and telling him that “you’ve got this.” TC: That note is still on my desk. I look at it often. I have a sign prominently displayed in my office that my younger brother gave me—it says “What good shall I do this day?” I also have a paperweight on my desk with a quote from Winston Churchill saying “These are great days,” which my father gave me to remind me that even the most challenging days are great days. Annie and I created a family mantra for our kids that has stuck over the years—“helpful, happy, nice.”

haverford.org

Return to the stage

Winter 2022

A crowded room “At Rise: Fishermen, sailors, their wives, children, girls from the local mill and other types of a coastal town are seen moving about the park, patronizing the various concessions and in general ‘seeing the sights.’”—Opening to “Carousel” “Carousel” is a crowded musical. It’s all bright colors and chorus voices, with songs about clambakes and fights about money. After a spring spent preparing to perform, Upper School boys enjoyed a single presentation of their hard work before COVID-19 restrictions came crashing down. “Our ‘Carousel’ dress rehearsal was the last thing everyone did before the ‘two weeks of COVID-19’” recalls Fifth Former Thomas Pendergast. “Quarantine started the next day.” He remembers the audience during their sole performance of “Carousel,” full of energy, not fully understanding what was to come. The crowd celebrated the boys “working together to create something,” as Darren Hengst, The Grace and Mahlon Buck Chair in Performing Arts, described it, the satisfying moment when student actors achieve the goals they set months, sometimes years, before. The preparation for “Carousel” involved all the usual lessons of the performing arts. It was meant to be an exercise in the basics, a classic musical shared in normal times. In Hengst’s lecture for the School’s Best for Boys Speaker Series, “Performing Arts—Empathy, Connection, Communication,” he discussed the foundations of acting, how an actor must first understand his character’s intentions and his obstacles—what the character wants and what’s in his way. The difference between a good performance and a great one comes in the personalization, relating to the character’s circumstances somehow. As Hengst explains, “If a student can feel what the character feels on stage, the audience will feel that as well. That’s what I’m looking for.” In traditional theater, the actor absorbs his knowledge of his character and the energy of the audience to create a synergetic experience. That’s what the actors and the audience felt on March 12, 2020, during that dress rehearsal performance of “Carousel.” As Pendergast says, “It was a lot of really good energy, but we only had the one night.”

An actor, alone “Through the use of our new full stage green screen and editing technology, we were able to safely film the multi-actor scenes without ever having more than one student on stage at a time. Enjoy the show!”—Opening to “An Evening of Scenes and Monologues,” performed by Upper School boys in spring 2021 The spring 2021 performing arts experience was characterized by, as Fourth Former Jai Bonaparte described it, “social distancing and all that jazz.” He remembers “not knowing what was going to happen, how it was going to look, or who was going to be watching.” Hengst spent that spring rehearsing monologues with the boys, filming them from far away so they could perform safely without masks. Plans for the final performance changed with the news of each passing day. A dip in COVID-19 cases offered hope for an in-person performance, while spikes sparked plans for live streaming. Sixth Former Ian Rush reflects, “Theater was unconventional during COVID-19, because

haverford.org

everything was unconventional during COVID-19.” The young actors had a unique perspective of a historical moment, something Rush says “I will carry with me for the rest of my life.” Fifth Former Ben Bodle remembers acting alone against a marker that stood in for his stage partner, “When they put it together, it looked like we were having a conversation, but we weren’t. He wasn’t even there.” COVID-19 added fresh challenges for the actors. “It’s almost not like theater without an audience,” Hengst says. “When I say something on stage, the audience reacts. Their response changes me and it changes my performance.” The restrictions added distance to the directions and some students struggled to take guidance over Zoom. Recognizing his own difficulty, Rush filled in the gaps in his performance with extensive research into his characters. Meanwhile, Bodle enjoyed the space to make mistakes in recorded performances, a flexibility not readily available in live theater. He explains, “If I messed up, we could just do another take. It was a little bit easier.” Meanwhile, Bonaparte was learning self-reliance through monologue: “If I mess up a line in dialogue, someone else can either take over or mask the energy. But when I’m there alone, and I don’t know a line, or I slip up, I have to rely on myself to pull it together.” Even when performing alone, the actors in “An Evening of Scenes and Monologues” recognized the resilience of the School’s performing arts community. Bodle remembers meaningful conversations with newfound friends and relationships strengthened through shared experiences, the normal bonding

Winter 2022

that happens in all performances. “That was one of the biggest takeaways,” he says, “that we could still have fun in those hard times. We could still be together. Haverford did a really good job with that.” The experience of socially-distanced acting also demonstrated for the boys their own resilience. As Rush explains, “It made me focus more on myself instead of an audience, a scene partner on stage, or a director sitting right in front of me. It made me critique myself in a different, constructive way to find the character. Even though I felt lost so many times trying to do things that didn’t work, I’d always find a way. Going through that process—having to adapt and overcome—was so beneficial to me as an actor.”

An audience again “A COMPANY OF MEN enters with a purpose, the BOY in the middle.”—Opening to “Peter and the Starcatcher” Plans made during pandemics fall apart—that’s what they do—but the Nov. 2021 performance of “Peter and the Starcatcher” was a rare exception. From the dress rehearsal on Nov. 18 to the closing night on the 21st, the boys performed again with the added energy of an audience.

“We’re putting all the pieces back together,” said Rush, “remembering that past feeling of getting up on stage with a cast of other actors and a crowd, getting to interact. I’m re-learning that, while continuing the same tactics I learned during COVID-19.” Face masks worn during rehearsal pose a new challenge for the actors, one that trained them in new ways to portray their characters’ emotions. Thomas Pendergast reflects, “I’ve learned to get more into character with my body than just using my face. It will help me in the long run, in terms of acting skills. I’ll be more used to mannerisms and how important they are to sculpting my character.” The School’s actors return to the stage with newfound maturity and theatrical skills. Bodle reflects on this fall’s rehearsals, “During COVID-19, we learned to be on the same page in our performances. Previous shows were pieced together in the last week or two, but now we’re working together as a team and it’s coming together sooner.” Pendergast smiles, “It’s cool to be back in the group. It’s a little bit different, but I’m happy that we’re doing this together.” Hengst, leading the performing arts department through times of such uncertainty, clings to the constants, saying, “The genuine love and support that is fostered during this kind of experience here at The Haverford School is something that these boys will hold dear for the rest of their lives. That’s what is wonderful about the performing arts. They develop the qualities that create leaders, and men of character, and genuinely good human beings.”

BRIGHT LIGHTS IN DARK TIMES Despite the challenges of COVID-19, recent donations enabled equipment upgrades that improved student experiences in the performing arts. We’re grateful for the generous donations from the Loughnane and the Patterson families that made the following purchases possible: • • • •

Choral risers Instruments, amplifiers, storage closets, and reclaimed wood for a guitar display wall LED lighting technology Sound board

As Hengst explains, “We need to set the standard and give the boys memories of the arts—life changing experiences. When our equipment matches our curriculum and our production values, it makes a cohesive experience for our students.”

haverford.org

Jay Wilkins ’95

reflects on what inspires him to give to The Haverford Fund Jay Wilkins ’95 generously spent time with the writers of Haverford School Today to discuss his $250,000 gift to The Haverford Fund. In this session, Wilkins shared why he gives and ways to get involved with the School. Haverford School Today: Tell me about your gift to The Haverford Fund. What motivates you to give so generously to The Haverford School? Jay Wilkins ’95: Every gift I’ve given to the School is because of something I see or hear that inspires me to give. I was motivated to give after serving on the Head of School search committee. This is a rare opportunity, and one that is often a scary endeavor, as you’re asked to find someone who will steer the School for a long period of time. Seeing the number of people who are interested in our School and the caliber of those candidates was really powerful. Ultimately, I had the opportunity to get to know new Head of School Tyler Casertano and his family, and I think he is an extremely inspiring individual. It was immensely rewarding and inspiring to have served the School on the committee and be able to see the long view of the School under Tyler’s leadership. I am also motivated to give after participating in the last several campaigns for the School. To me, there is no better way to support the goals and mission of the School than by giving to The Haverford Fund between campaigns. I believe we need to make Haverford available to as many remarkable boys as possible. What I’ve started to see, though, is that giving to The Haverford Fund when the School is not in a campaign gives the most flexibility to the School and provides opportunity to a lot more students.

Winter 2022

HST: Every year there are donors who give at the $250,000+ level, but the School did not have a named level to recognize these gifts. Your gift also motivated the School to start a new level — The Founders Society — at $250,000+. In what way do you think this impacts the School and the way it supports the community? JW: This is an important new giving level. This category doesn’t exist where I live, or in the Philadelphia area, and there is no reason it shouldn’t. There are annual givers who would absolutely give at this level if they realized the impact of gifts to The Haverford Fund on the operation of the School. Since the last campaign, Haverford has a new Head of School and he’s been charged with some pretty amazing goals. There is no better way to support his goals than by supporting The Haverford Fund. I hope that I can inspire others in a similar position to give at The Founders’ Society level and keep giving at this level. If we could get people to give any amount annually to The Haverford Fund, we can continue to energize the School, the programs, the faculty, and admit more remarkable boys at a younger age. The more time I’ve spent around education and pedagogy, the more I’ve learned about the influence you can have when you reach children in the youngest grades. The kindergarten to 4th grade years are often overlooked or dismissed as being able to “get that education anywhere.” What I’ve learned is that the

“I’ve been inspired to give. You don’t figure that out as a young person, but the only way to figure it out is to jump in and give what you can. It may not mean a lot of money, it just means you’re making Haverford a priority.” influence you have on children in these early years is actually much more impactful than in the Upper School years. By giving, we’re empowering the School to make a difference in the lives of so many more students.

GIVING SOCIETY LEVELS The Founders Society $250,000+

HST: What would you say to others who are in a position to give – either financially or with their time?

The Severinghaus Society $100,000-$249,000

JW: What I would say to them is “why wait?” Ask yourself these questions: “Can I help?” “Does the School need my help?” “Where can I help?” I encourage people to give to The Haverford Fund in whatever amount they can. It all counts, and it all can provide resources and opportunities to kids, to the faculty, and to the programs that make the School so special. I also encourage people to consider the goals of our new Head of School Tyler Casertano. If there is a way we can support him in his goal of driving enrollment and of providing an extraordinary education to the boys, then we should all give where and how we can.

The Smedley Butler Society $50,000-$99,999

HST: You first donated to the School as a college student in support of the Ed Hallowell Lecture fund. What advice would you give to young alumni or alumni who haven’t given in the past?

The Key Man Club $2,500-$4,999

JW: There are many things Haverford does to teach you how to serve others, but there is no class on “philanthropy.” You can only learn by starting. No amount is too small; a “major” gift doesn’t have a number attached to it. It is “major” because you find it to be a priority and to be important. By definition, if you’re making something a priority, you’re going to be more engaged, you’re going to stay connected, and you’re going to learn how much you can help with your gift, regardless of the amount. I’ve never been asked to give. I’ve been inspired to give. You don’t figure that out as a young person, but the only way to figure it out is to jump in and give what you can. It may not mean a lot of money, it just means you’re making Haverford a priority.

The Haverford Fund supports the remarkable boys, extraordinary educators, and the first-rate programs that make Haverford a special place. Learn more about The Haverford Fund at the link below or by contacting Director of The Haverford Fund Cindy Shaw P’16 ’19 at cshaw@haverford.org.

The 1884 Society $25,000-$49,999 The Head of School Club $10,000-$24,999 The Notables Club $5,000-$9,999

haverford.org

ALUMNI

Alumni Spotlight

David Graham ’20, Jon Krouse ’20, and Chris Tsetsekos ’20

Founders of FuzeMee, a peer-to-peer social media app

Winter 2022

ALUMNI

THE THREE OF YOU FOUNDED FUZEMEE IN YOUR SENIOR YEAR AT HAVERFORD. TELL US ABOUT THE APP. In February of our senior year, we were walking back from lacrosse practice and started talking about this idea for a free app that allows students to meet their future classmates and find roommates before stepping foot on campus and then continue to engage with their community once on campus. When COVID-19 hit a few weeks later, the need for this kind of connection was heightened, and we started meeting more regularly to turn this idea into a reality. We see it as a way to build stronger connections, increase student involvement, and set students up for success at the collegiate level. They can explore different colleges they’re interested in while they’re still in the admissions process. It also supports disorganized processes like finding a roommate and getting involved on campus. YOU RECENTLY PARTNERED WITH GOOGLE. HOW DID FUZEMEE AND GOOGLE GET CONNECTED? WHAT DOES THE PARTNERSHIP ENTAIL? We ran a successful marketing campaign focused on our app store launch, which included a video that generated tens of thousands of views, leading us to getting ranked on the App Store’s top charts. Our app store rank piqued their interest and after further due diligence, they reached out to us to explore a partnership, which we were thrilled about. Every quarter, Google picks 25 companies to partner with that they believe have high-growth potential. Through this partnership, Google will play an integral role in FuzeMee’s growth by spearheading our national marketing campaigns. We are partnering with them from an advertising and marketing perspective and they’ll get the ability to create a case study of our company as we scale up.

IN THE PAST TWO YEARS SINCE YOU FOUNDED THE COMPANY, YOU’VE SECURED CLOSE TO $1M IN INVESTMENTS, INCLUDING SOME INVESTMENTS FROM THOSE IN THE HAVERFORD COMMUNITY. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED DURING THIS PROCESS? The funds are extraordinary, but the insight we’ve gained from fellow Haverford graduates has been second to none. We have leaned on the Haverford network and we’ve been extremely grateful for the advice we’ve received related to investing, to scaling our product, and to planning our next steps as a company. WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR FUZEMEE? The next milestone will be launching the app nationally. Currently we’re in about a dozen schools and have tens of thousands of students active on the app. We want every college student to have a great experience at school, and to do that we need to have every school unlocked on the app. By the end of this school year, we will be in a position to do that. After that, we’re looking to raise an additional round of funding so we can further improve our product and further build out our software development team.

AT 19 YEARS OLD, YOU’VE HEARD A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR AGES FROM OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY BENEFITS TO BEING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHER YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT? Everyone at conferences or networking gatherings fits into the crowd; we don’t. We’ve found that it makes people interested in what we’re doing. They want to know why we’re there. In the early days, we found a lot of investors wouldn’t take us seriously, but once they started to hear about the idea and the metrics we were achieving, they’d listen closer to the FuzeMee story. We encourage other young entrepreneurs to always ask questions and always ask for help. Remember that there are always ways to improve and it is always important to ask for other people’s opinions and feedback. Those in the Haverford School network should recognize they have a strong support system and be sure to utilize it. There are so many Haverford people cheering for us and for FuzeMee, which makes it easier to push forward towards our next big milestone.

The FuzeMee app connects college students to each other and to activities on campus. The company was founded by three members of the Class of 2020 and has secured almost $1M in funding.

haverford.org

ALUMNI

FORDS SHOWDOWN:

CLASS OF 2019 ALUMS FACE OFF ON OPPOSING COLLEGE TEAMS Former Haverford School teammates and members of the 2019 state championship Fords basketball team Jameer Nelson Jr. ’19 and Christian Ray ’19 competed against one another as the Delaware Blue Hens played host to the La Salle University Explorers in a Division I basketball game on Wednesday, Nov. 17. Nelson’s Blue Hens came away victorious with an 85-82 win in overtime. Ray kept the Explorers in the game, recording 14 points and a career high 16 rebounds. Nelson contributed six points and four rebounds and drew two offensive fouls late in the game to help preserve the win for Delaware. Both Ray and Nelson started the game for their teams and played more than 40 minutes. Ray, a two-time Inter-Ac MVP and the Philadelphia Inquirer 2019 Basketball Player of the Year, is playing in his third season with the Explorers. During the 2020-21 season, he started 16 games. He averaged 7.5 points and led the team in rebounding at six per game. Off the court, Ray has shined even brighter. Ray has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA in all four of his semesters at La Salle University while majoring in business and was named 2021 Big 5 Scholar Athlete of the Year. Alumni Weekend 2022 Nelson, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection in 2019, is playing in his first season with Save the date! the Blue Hens. After graduating from Haverford, Nelson attended George Washington University, where he started 28 games as a freshman and averaged 10.4 points per game. April 29-30, 2022 He enrolled last January at the University of Delaware and has three years of eligibility Reunions for classes remaining. Entering the game versus La Salle, Nelson was averaging 15 points per game, ending in 2’s and 7’s including a 19-point outburst in a win against Siena. Nelson is an English major at the University of Delaware. “Christian and Jameer are great people who come from fantastic families,” said Schedule forthcoming! Bernie Rogers, Director of Basketball Program at The Haverford School. “They were Stay tuned for more remarkable teammates, incredibly coachable, and super competitive during their playing details! days at Haverford. It is no surprise to see them have the success they are having at the Division I level. As a coach, I am so proud of their work ethic, and it is very fulfilling to sit back and be able to cheer for them at the highest level of collegiate basketball.”

Save the Date

Winter 2022

ALUMNI

Alumni Regional Receptions The Haverford School hosted alumni regional receptions for the first time in two years. Haverford alumni along the east coast were reunited in New York City on Oct. 7, Boston on Oct. 20, and Washington D.C., on Oct. 28.

New York, Oct. 7

Boston, Oct. 20

Washington, D.C., Oct. 28 haverford.org

ALUMNI

32nd annual “Doc” Thomas Golf Classic After a one year hiatus, the 32nd annual “Doc” Thomas Golf Classic was held on Sept. 27, 2021 at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield. Chris Gagnier ’07, DJ Kurz ’07, Dom Origlio ’07, and Alex Lipoff ’07 won the “Doc” Thomas Trophy for best gross score. Chris Ryan ’07, Paul Barnes ’06, Kyle Wharton ’07, and Sean Halloran ’05 earned the Pat Laughlin ’86 Memorial Trophy for best net score. Dan Wilson ’04 earned the Joseph T. Cox Closest to the Pin Award.

Notables Reunion Concert Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, alumni and current members of the Notables performed in Centennial Hall at the annual Notables Reunion Concert.

EA Day Alumni Reception Alumni gathered at Appleford in Villanova on Nov. 12 for the 2021 EA Day Alumni Reception. They spent the evening catching up with friends and connecting ahead of EA Day events the following day.

Thanksgiving Sports On Thanksgiving morning, alumni and their families gathered for a morning of competition and fun in football and soccer.

Winter 2022

REFLECTION

When the teacher becomes the student By Daphne Monroy, Middle School Chinese teacher

Hear more from our community:

The Big Room Blog haverford.org/blog

Winter 2022

Early in my career as a Chinese teacher, I decided to incorporate Chinese ink painting as a teaching device, since ink painting is an important component of Chinese art and culture. This past summer, I spent time studying this style of art, despite it being very intimidating to me. I never tried this free style of drawing before, and I was totally out of my comfort zone. Being a perfectionist, I struggled with the idea that it’s okay not to do things perfectly when trying something new. Throughout this process, I reminded myself to enjoy the moment instead of thinking about what I needed to present later. I remembered that my art teacher once told me that drawings are not meant to be like photographs, and that adding “lively” touches can make drawings attractive. The more relaxed I became, the better I did. After practicing this free style approach, I was finally ready to try Chinese ink wash painting for the first time. After a few attempts, I began to realize the philosophy behind my art teacher’s advice—capture the “spirit” or “essence,” instead of direct imitation. Ink wash painting was another step outside my comfort zone. I initially used rice paper, but that is very easy to mess up because, once a stroke is painted, it cannot be changed or erased. I was so afraid of messing up any strokes. Overcoming this difficulty may require years of training in order to master the brush movement and ink flow. Fortunately, my art teacher was there to encourage me—“it’s okay to mess up!” This is exactly what I tell my own students—“it’s okay to make mistakes.” From my art journey, I learned so much that I can apply to my teaching, including how important it is to try. I encourage students to overcome the mental block of trying something new, such as the Chinese language, because they should eventually realize that learning a new language is not as difficult as they initially thought. I also learned how mistakes can create confidence from improvements and experience. It is now clear to me that the process of making mistakes can be as charming as the end results. Perhaps the lessons I learn from my art journey will enable me to pay it forward to my students, beginning with showcasing the confidence and courage to make mistakes without fear, as well as inspiring a passion for lifelong learning.

board of trustees,

2021-22

Chicks hatch in an incubator on campus. Boys in Ms. Lewis and Ms. Surdel’s Upper School biology classes studied the birds as part of a genetics unit.

A new year brings new beginnings.

The Middle School Rock Band performs on the Centennial Hall stage during the Winter Concert in mid-December.

The new year is

the perfect time to

review the estate plans you have in place, and

support the things that matter most.

make sure they

Sarah Garling, Director of Marketing and Communications; 484-417-2764; sgarling@haverford.org contact

Please send address changes to Disty Lengel at dlengel@haverford.org. address changes

special thanks Thank you to everyone who contributed to this publication. Special

front cover:

Head of School Tyler Casertano reads a book to the pre-kindergarten class in September. back cover: Upper School boys in Louie Brown ’15’s English class complete an assignment outside this fall.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS or SHARE YOUR INTENTIONS VISIT haverfordheritage.org/give

HAVERFORD SCHOOL Today

SCAN

CONTACT Mary-Helen McCulloch, P’34 Director of Planned Giving 610-405-5139 mmcculloch@haverford.org

HAVERFORD SCHOOL Today

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage

450 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, PA 19041

Southeastern, PA Permit No. 1080

Change service requested

PAID

2 0 2 2 1

HAVERFORD SCHOOLToday

HAVERFORD SCHOOL TODAY

Haverford School Today Winter 2022

Articles inside

Around the Quad

Class Notes

Athletics

Arts

Parents

Return to the Stage

Introducing Head of School Tyler Casertano

From the Head of School