SCHOOL, Fall 2016

school the magazine of springside chestnut hill academy

going digital

Part 1: Students in SCH Academy’s New Media Program Learn the Creative Power of the Computer Part 2: Young Alums are Bringing Their Creative Visions to Computer Screens Instead of Canvas | PAGE 5

passionate purposes

Two Students Transform Their Personal Passions into Public Initiatives | PAGE 14

reunion weekend 2016 | PAGE 28

alumni forum

Re-imagining K–12 Education | PAGE 30

FALL

2016

Upper School entrance and Springside Class of 1955 Garden, Cherokee Campus.

COVER PHOTO SCH alumnus Stephen Skeel ’13 with business partner Michael Ayjian, co-founders of 7 Wonders Cinema, on a film shoot at Eastern State Penitentiary to make a travel commercial for Expedia.com. Photo credit: Rebecca Haegele

contents

SCHOOL

FALL 2016

the magazine of springside chestnut hill academy

Stephen Druggan, Ed.D. Head of School

Development Office 215-261-6959 Melissa Blue Brown ’87 Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Relations Lynn Burke Associate Director of The SCH Fund Nannette DiGiovanni Development Coordinator

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thank you, mark welcome, steve

going digital Part 1: Students in SCH Academy’s New Media Program Learn the Creative Power of the Computer

Part 2: Young Alums Are Bringing Their Creative Visions to Computer Screens Instead of Canvas

Patti Hommes Director of Advancement Services

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campus news

Jennifer James McHugh ’84 Director of Development

Highlights of Recent Activities on Campus

Cindy Messerle Director of The SCH Fund

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passionate purposes Two Students Transform Their Personal Passions into Public Initiatives

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sch standout athletes Profiles of Student and Alumni Excelling in Sports

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baccalaureate & commencement

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reunion weekend 2016

Leslie Connor Newbold ’86 Director of Alumni and Parent Relations Pepper Johnson Rexford ’92 Stewardship Coordinator Sue Toomey Administrative Assistant

Communications Office Deidra Lyngard Director of Publications and Video Editor, SCHOOL Magazine Sarah Masino Associate Director of Marketing and Communications Elizabeth Sanders ha Editor at Large Karen Tracy ha Director of Digital Communications

To email any of the staff above, use the following convention: first initial of first name plus full last name @sch.org, e.g., John Doe is jdoe@sch.org.

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alumni forum: re-imagining k–12 education

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reunion weekend alumni award winners SCH Honors Alumni Achievements

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class notes

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legacy families Celebrating the Ties Between Family and School

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mystery photos

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IBC the first sch day in stats and images

IBC

Send your comments, story ideas, and expressions of interest in writing an article for the magazine to Deidra Lyngard, SCHOOL editor, at dlyngard@sch.org or 215-754-1616.

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THANK YOU, MARK

Left: Class of 2016 Student Government co-presidents Betsy Sheppard and Bakari Porter offer thanks to Mark Segar for his inspiration and leadership during 2015-2016. Right: Mark chats with a group of 1st grade boys who have paid a visit to his office.

Baccalaureate Tribute to Mark Segar from the Class of 2016 On behalf of Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, we’d like to thank you for joining us this year and getting to know every aspect of our school. You visited classrooms and strummed your guitar. You listened intently and led gently. You urged us to pause and be mindful, device-free and eyes wide open. You engaged us with powerful poetry.

We have a gift for you and before we present it, we’d like to read YOU a poem—one that represents both you, and the Class of 2016, on this momentous day.

As you move back to Maine and we head off across the country and around the world, we too are the freed inhabitants of the snow globe, holding hands and squinting at what lies ahead. Today is just that kind of day.

Today

by Billy Collins if ever there were a spring day so perfect, so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze that it made you want to throw open all the windows in the house and unlatch the door to the canary’s cage, indeed, rip the little door from its jamb, a day when the cool brick paths and the garden bursting with peonies seemed so etched in sunlight that you felt like taking a hammer to the glass paperweight on the living room end table, releasing the inhabitants from their snow-covered cottage so they could walk out, holding hands and squinting into this larger dome of blue and white, well, today is just that kind of day.

Mark addresses parent volunteers at the annual Thank You event.

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WELCOME, STEVE New Head of School, Dr. Stephen L. Druggan

Message from Steve: I would like the community to know how thankful my family and I are to the board, the SCH faculty and staff and the parent community for making our transition such a positive experience. Two specific examples of the spirit that has welcomed us is the lovely happiness basket packed full of “Philly Love” that greeted us on our first night in Jennings House and the cross section of community that are giving their time to support me by serving on my transition team. The spirit we felt over the last month reaffirms our first impressions of the community from last year.

Lastly, I feel very, very fortunate to be joining all of you. This is not only an exciting time in SCH’s history but also in education. School leaders and policymakers around the world have realized that the simple belief that deeper learning will come from increasing content coverage and more standardized testing is a failed hypothesis. While core skills are important, those alone are not sufficient to prepare our children for the fluid and dynamic world that awaits them after high school and college. Schools are feverishly working to make their curriculums more real and vibrant, the pedagogy more experiential, and the connections for students more real. Does this sound familiar? It should. These are many of the core building blocks of SCH. Now, my pledge to you is that we will make these learning experiences richer and more consistent, that our team will know your child and that we will partner with you for the exciting journey of growing young adults.

Is this work easy? No. Are there challenges on the horizon? Yes. Am I excited and committed to you and your children? Yes.

Steve chats with a student over lunch during his visit to SCH last fall.

I look forward to seeing you around campus,

Steve Druggan

Head of School Search Committee co-chairs Patrick Lindsay and Mims Zabriskie with Steve on his visit last fall.

On the first day of pre-season practice, Steve meets with the football team, urging them to compete with courage and character.

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Going students in sch academy’s new media program learn the creative power of the computer

HUNCHED INTENTLY OVER HER LAPTOP SCREEN, a 9th grader painstakingly scrolls her finger across the touchpad as she works to complete her Adobe Illustrator design project, a 3D rendering of a paper origami bird. “There are many ways to draw a shape in Illustrator, but there is always a more efficient way,” explains digital design teacher Juliet Fajardo. “For example, rather than trying to recreate a mirror image of a shape you’ve generated, you can just use the ‘reflect’ tool. If you know how to use the built-in capacity of the software, these 3D objects can be drawn in less than 10 minutes, but students who are not thinking computationally can take up to 60 minutes to draw it.”

Thinking computationally—that is, breaking down a problem into steps that take advantage of the computer’s processing capabilities to help you solve the problem—is just one of the skills that SCH students are learning through the Art Department’s new media program. The skills taught through this program apply not only to the arts but to any endeavor today that involves design, communications, interactivity, and computers.

“Today’s students are surrounded by computer-created content based on code and data,” says SCH’s Director of The Arts and New Media, Dr. Ellen Fishman-Johnson, “so it’s natural for them to want to learn the languages and tools that will enable them to be part of this world.” Whether it’s videos,

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websites, interactive games, apps, or 3D-designed-and-fabricated objects, the outlets for creativity have expanded exponentially and with it, the need to teach students how to navigate these new domains.

SCH Academy’s new media program, now in its sixth year, was designed to do just that. New media instruction begins with elemental coding in Lower School and advances from there to encompass increasingly challenging courses in video and communications, design and fabrication, interactive media, coding, and in 11th and 12th grades, electives in web, game, and app design.

“We like to think of new media as a mindset or process rather than just digitally created content,” says Fishman-Johnson.

“Our students are becoming skilled with computers and software, but more importantly, they’re learning computational thinking, creative thinking, and design thinking so that they can apply these skills in ways that work toward some creative or innovative goal. We want our students to know how to create things digitally, to have that behind them, so they can go out and think the big ideas.”

Education’s embrace of new media is still in its infancy. There’s ongoing debate about how best to incorporate it into the curriculum, though the need to do so is widely acknowledged. SCH’s program is ahead of the curve in this regard. “Other schools may offer better sequences in computer programming, but I don’t know many schools that offer a program as comprehensive as ours or that offer students such a range of choices,” says Fishman-Johnson. At SCH, students can pursue their interest in coding via robotics, engineering, or web and app design. They can cultivate their interest in computer-based design via 2D and 3D graphics, architecture, 3D fabrication, or animation. “We’ve always been good at teaching kids critical and creative thinking, but now we need to teach additional ways of thinking for the digital world we live in,” reflects Fishman-Johnson.

Meanwhile, she says, educators are debating the best way to do this. “We don’t want to overload students by adding a lot of

things on top of what they’re already learning. So how do we fit it all in? What do we leave out and how do we plan for moving forward? These are the big questions we’re asking ourselves and each other.”

Fishman-Johnson believes that better integration is one answer. “I’d like to see education move toward incorporating new media and digital creation into the rest of the curriculum.” At SCH, students are learning exciting new skills, such as how to create videos, make 3D prototypes, and use vector-based graphics, which could enhance their work in other courses. Students in a biology class could 3D print a model of human DNA to aid their study. A history class learning about the Civil War could make a video recreating the fierce

“We like to think of new media as a mindset or process rather than just digitally created content.” debate around the Emancipation Proclamation. English literature students could design a 3D model of the Globe Theatre and then take a virtual tour.

To help this integration process, SCH new media faculty are developing assess-

THE NEW MEDIA CURRICULUM 5TH - 12TH GRADES EVERY SCH STUDENT LEARNS How to make a video (5th, 6th grade) Cameras, iMovie, Digital Storytelling How to design and fabricate from 2D to 3D (7th, 9th, 10th grade) SketchUp, 3D Printer, Illustrator, Laser Cutter How to code in several languages (5th, 7th, 9th grade) Scratch, JavaScript, HTML/CSS How to code for interactivity (4th, 5th grade) Scratch, Little Bits, Sensors, Controllers

EVERY SCH STUDENT CAN GO FURTHER Video Production • Music Production • Architecture • JavaScript • Game Design • Digital Design • 3D Modeling and Animation • App Development (Swift)

CODING • INTERACTIVE MEDIA • VIDE

VIDEO & COMMUNICATIONS • DESIGN & FABRICATION

A display of 4th grade girls’ electronic poetry.

Press on a wire connected to a poem and hear the author read her work.

ment tools that will outline exactly what students are learning and able to do after each new media course so that faculty in other disciplines can take better advantage of these skills in their own teaching. In fact, the first steps in this integrative work have already begun, says Fishman-Johnson. This past year Scott Stein, chair of the Science Department, approached new media faculty for help in teaching his students how to make more graphically compelling science posters.

The History and English Departments have begun to include video as one of the presentation options for assignments.

Recently Lower School New Media Specialist David Cool worked with Lower School art teacher Karen Kolkka to make interactive versions of poems the girls had written. Handmade posters of the poems were hung on a wall and connected by wires to voice recorders. By pressing on a wire attached to a poem, you could hear the student reciting her poem.

The creative possibilities offered by today’s technologies are mind-boggling.

Imagine the thrill of the first prehistoric artist who applied paint to a cave wall with a crude paintbrush or the happy amazement of that first potter who discovered that heat transforms dull slip to a vibrant glaze. “Digital creators,” says Fishman-Johnson, “are in an equally exciting period of invention and discovery.”

And many of them, she believes, have already begun their creative journeys here at SCH.

a new kind of artist is emerging from sch, one whose primary tool is pixels. whether it’s game design, 3d animation, computer graphics, or filmmaking, many of our youngest alums are going digital and bringing their creative visions to computer screens instead of canvas.

This spring, SCHOOL magazine interviewed several young alumni who are pursuing careers that embrace the creative power of technology.

games but then transitioned to video games because it offered more creative potential. “I’m interested in making all sorts of games, but my work tends to be characterized by simple mechanics and certain amounts of whimsy. I think it’s important to always hold on to some fun and silliness.” At SCH (CHA) Greg continued his passion. “The thing that meant the most to me at school was the unstructured time because I used it productively to work on my games. In my

greg lobanov ’10

Creative Medium: Digital game design

Advice to Wannabes: Learn

Currently Working As: Independent game designer, in Vancouver, Canada.

“I enjoy being independent. The average person working in the game industry is probably working for a big game company. I work in really small teams, with maybe one or two other people.

That way, I don’t need to make that much money to support myself.”

Recent Project: “Wandersong,” a music-based game featuring an oldfashioned singing bard. “Users go on a whimsical, musical journey around the world, using the character’s singing to connect people, solve puzzles, and (hopefully) save the world!”

Recognitions/Awards: 2013 Philadelphia Geek Award for making the best game of the year. | 2013 Intel Level Up Game Demo Grand Prize for best puzzle game of the year and best game of the year.

How It All Began: Greg has been designing games since he was little. He started out constructing physical board

What’s on the Horizon: There’s a culture shift taking place in gaming, says Greg. Most early games were competitive, violent, and goal-oriented. Now there are more games with story lines that involve simple exploration and the expression of feelings. Games are breaking out of the paradigm of winning and scoring.

“You’ll also be seeing a lot more virtual reality games where you move through and do things within a virtual world but not necessarily with a goal at the end.

Having a virtual reality game will soon be as common in the average American household as having a fridge.”

senior year I did an independent study when I worked on games as well. These things directly impacted me and my career.”

The Work: “When you’re making a game, more than in any other art form, you’re creating all the conditions of that world. You’re designing the rules and the very fabric that defines that reality.” Greg refers to his games as art. “Technology’s one aspect of it, but in the end you’re communicating something expressive.

It’s an exciting time to be working in this industry. You can be a pioneer.”

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programming, emphasizes Greg.

“Nowadays this is an important life skill, especially coming into the world right now. There’s so much value put on this in the workplace.” Greg encourages students interested in game design to “go get software and start playing. ...

If you wait around for someone to start teaching you the first steps, you’ll already be behind.” For Greg, developing his computational thinking skills was the hardest part. “Computers are not human.

It took me a long time to wrap my head around how to talk to a computer, but once I did, it changed my life.”

Learn more about Greg’s work at www.dumbandfat.com

How It All Began: For a Lower School

Elizabeth Yaffe ’’’10 Creative Medium: Graphic design,

class project about the Winter Olympics, Elizabeth remembers having to pick a sport and create a PowerPoint about it. “I was very involved in animating so that the ice skaters floated across the screen…so it wasn’t a huge surprise that when the VidCast Studio opened at SCH, I ended up spending a lot of time there.” In her junior year, she took a video course with Dr. Fishman-Johnson (Dr. FJ). “It was great, and I was able to tailor my experience to what I was interested in, creating projects I was proud of.” Elizabeth credits her training at SCH with providing a strong foundation

videography

Currently Working As: An art assistant at Penguin Random House in New York City where she handles the day-to-day administrative needs of the department, which includes coordinating the technology for meetings. Elizabeth also maintains the department’s Instagram account, taking daily photos of Penguin’s new books in creative settings and posting them on the department’s social media site (@PenguinArtGroup).

Recent Project: Elizabeth still keeps her hand in videography even though she’s hoping to pursue a career in graphic design. Recently she created a video for an art gallery’s Kickstarter campaign and worked on a series of videos for the international educational organization EdCamp, cofounded by former SCH history teacher Hadley Ferguson. ”And just for fun,” adds Elizabeth, “my friend and I have been planning a short film…just for our personal enjoyment.”

Recognitions/Awards: 2014 Best Student Film, Claremont Short Film Festival | 2014 Honors in Media Studies for a Thesis Project, Pomona College

What’s on the Horizon: As the world of digital books continues to grow, she foresees there will be a greater emphasis on interactivity. Right now, this is seen most evidently in the children’s and educational book sectors but she would not be surprised if that changes. She thinks we’ll also see more use of multiple digital platforms to promote literature.

“There are more websites being designed for specific books, and greater use of social media as part of promotional campaigns,” she says. “Recently, for example, a beautifully animated and interactive website was designed to promote Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

by Carlo Rovelli, and you can absolutely see the relationship between the design on the cover and the website (http://www. sevenbrieflessons.com).”

Advice to Wannabes: “If you have

in technology. “As a liberal arts college, Pomona was interested in teaching the theory behind new media rather than concrete, program-based skills.”

Elizabeth’s training at SCH gave her an advantage over her peers. “Throughout college, my classmates would ask me how I’d made something and it would be a skill I’d learned in high school.”

The Work: Although Elizabeth loves video, she discovered in college that the filmmaking industry is too compartmentalized for her taste. “With design you can really see a project through from inception to completion, whereas with filmmaking you have to specialize and choose one part of a project to work on. I like the idea of being able to claim the whole project.” What attracted Elizabeth to the video medium is its ability to tell stories, “which, combined with my love of reading, is why my looking at the book industry as a career was not a huge shift.”

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something that you want to do, know that there is a support system at SCH to help you figure out how to do it,” says Elizabeth, citing Dr. FJ’s support of her own creative journey while a student.

She adds that, nowadays, it’s important to cultivate a comfort with change.

“Whatever video editing, motion graphics, or design program you’re using today will inevitably be replaced, so don’t give up when the technology changes.” She urges students to keep focused and not be overwhelmed by the multitude of software available. “No single software program or skill is the be-all and endall—unless it helps you do what you’re interested in. Being in design and video, I’ve been perfectly fine thus far not knowing how to use C++ or Java.”

Learn more about Elizabeth’s work at www.elizabethyaffe.com

Photo Credit: Kanyon Iwami

STEPHEN SKEEL ’13 Creative Medium: Filmmaking

Currently Working As: Co-founder of 7 Wonders Cinema, a video production company that creates branded content and music videos. Stephen is also a senior at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in the undergraduate film program.

Recent Project: Stephen and his business partner, Michael Ayjian, recently finished a two-minute promotional film for an Expedia tourism campaign on lesser-known sites to visit in Philadelphia.

Recognitions/Awards: 2016 National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY) Audience Award (NFFTY is the largest film festival for emerging directors under the age of 24.) | 2015 NFFTY Official Selection | 2013 1st Place in Narrative category at the Greenfield Youth Film Festival How It All Began: Stephen’s journey as a filmmaker began when he was eight

years old and saw Star Wars: A New Hope at a friend’s birthday party. “I was just blown away. It was so amazing to me what could be done on the screen. Ever since then I’ve been trying to recreate that magic.” Stephen came to SCH (CHA) in the 7th grade because he felt it was more open than other schools to letting students explore their artistic sides.

In Upper School, he connected with Dr. Fishman-Johnson (Dr. FJ) and the resources of the VidCast Studio. “The projects I worked on in high school with Dr. FJ I could still put on my résumé two years later in college.” Dr. FJ really fights for her students, says Stephen. “If you’re willing to put in the work, she’ll support you in whatever way she can.” Aside from the video software and technology he was exposed to, Stephen says what he most appreciates about his time at SCH was being taught how to think analytically and critically and to manage his time.

“Filmmaking is about 20% craft and 80% logistics. It takes a lot of preparation—a lot of discipline and patience. That’s what I learned at SCH.”

The Work: Stephen specializes in shortform video—projects under five minutes.

His company has done a number of commercials as well as several music videos. “The most important thing about creating short work is keeping it simple—a single moment or a single feeling. Even if there are a bunch of individual characters involved, it’s about each of their single moments and making them incrementally build toward something larger.”

What’s on the Horizon: Stephen sees short-form branded content becoming more valuable as people’s attention spans continue to shrink. Businesses

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continue to move beyond the 30-second commercial, toward more narrative story lines as a way to engage customers.

“People want to see things that interest them; they don’t want to be told what to do anymore.” Stephen adds that the outlets for short-form content are also expanding. “You’ve got great outlets online to fire your content to the world.”

Advice to Wannabes: “In high school you learn a broad-brush approach to filmmaking, which is important, but you also need to be thinking about what specialty area you might want to go into before you embark on your college career,” advises Stephen. Another thing he recommends is working as a production assistant (PA) on local film or commercial projects. “You’ll be getting coffee for people and that sort of thing, but you’ll also have an opportunity to watch how people make decisions, deal with mistakes, and how they communicate with one another.

You’ll learn the jargon.” Stephen also emphasized the importance of keeping connected with classmates. “You know that at a school like SCH, everyone is going to go on and become successful in some field, and having connections to those people will be incredibly valuable.” Finally, Stephen emphasizes the importance of always working on your craft and learning from your mistakes. “That trial and error process is so integral to becoming a successful filmmaker that if you can learn this in high school you’ll have a head start on everyone in the industry and in film school. Try to always be creating, always be hungry for more.”

Learn more about Stephen’s work at www.7wonderscinema.com

Photo Credit: Rebecca Haegele

DEIRDRE BRAUN ’’12

Creative Medium: 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics

Currently Working As: Graphic artist for CBS News in New York City, designing the visuals that display behind the news announcers.

Current Project: Deirdre is working primarily in text animation at CBS, so to keep her hand in 3D she works on designs in her free time. Currently she’s designing a 3D animation of a cube with a desert scene and the sun around it.

Recognitions/Awards: 2011 1st Place Animation and Special Animation Award, Greenfield Youth Film Festival

How It All Began: Deirdre has always been interested in art but her passion for animation didn’t develop until college.

“I went into college thinking I’d major in filmmaking, but then I realized it might not be for me. In the beginning I was motivated to start working with 3D/2D animation because all of the work could be done using very accessible software.

I didn’t have to consider budgeting and scheduling locations or getting a crew together like I did with my original major. Another motivating factor was that I admired my professor for my 3D animation class. After working closely with Dr. Fishman-Johnson at SCH, it was important to me that I develop another mentorship with a teacher in college.”

As it turns out, 2D/3D animation work, with its incredible detail, technicality, and precision, is a good match for Deirdre’s

artistic sensibility. In a new media class at Emerson, she worked on one video for an entire semester called “Pareidolia” (seeing faces in inanimate objects).

“To create this short, I took photos of different buildings around Boston and created photogrammetry models.

Photogrammetry involves mapping objects on a computer so you can view them from any angle or perspective.

I compiled these 3D models into an animation where the buildings’ facades unfold one from another, growing into a huge structure revolving in space.

I’m not sure how it looks aesthetically, but it improved my programming skills considerably.”

The Work: The work Deirdre is doing for CBS is high volume and deadline oriented so she must produce quickly, often creating multiple sizes and formats of the same graphic to accommodate the news outlet’s different communications platforms. While she doesn’t have an opportunity for a lot of creative control, she says this work has really helped to strengthen her design skills.

What’s on the Horizon: “Animation is rapidly becoming more sophisticated on both ends of the spectrum, in art and in science,” says Deirdre. “Modeling and rendering prototypical technologies is not what people normally think of when considering 3D animation. Usually what comes to mind are kids’ movies, but it really is useful and growing across numerous industries. In architecture and engineering, 3D modeling and animation are a vital part of the production process,

says Deirdre. “A solid 50% of the jobs I applied to when I graduated were for technical artist positions wherein I would have been rendering photorealistic prototypes of different 3D-modeled technologies and building complexes.”

There are also growing opportunities in the medical arena, she adds, using 3D animation to explain bodily processes and how medications work on the body.

Advice to Wannabes: These days it is absolutely possible to make a profitable living as an artist, affirms Deirdre. “Maybe you couldn’t get by on checks from fine art commissions, but the starving artist stereotype is, in my opinion, a thing of the past. The tradeoff,” she says, “is that you’re likely going to work in a corporate environment if you want to make money, so you may have to sacrifice artistic self-expression in the beginning of your career. However, you shouldn’t let your job define you; that’s why it’s important to work on art that means something to you in your free time. Eventually, the goal is to work your way up to a job that gives you creative control.” Deirdre advises students to be interested in whatever is in front of them.

“You never know how it may influence or inform your art. Being interested in nonart subjects will give you things to say in your art.” She also encourages students not to get discouraged and to persevere.

“Don’t be afraid of long hours of work. In 3D there’s a lot of troubleshooting. You just need to figure out the programs on your own. And don’t stop until you get the kind of look you really want. It CAN be done.”

Learn more about Deirdre’s work at www.deirdrebraun.com

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How It All Began: Will has been

Will Ford-Conway ’’10 Creative Medium: Film editing

Currently Working As: In-house editor for Frederator Studios YouTube Network.

Frederator, established in 1998, is a major producer of cartoons for television, movies and the Internet.

Recent Project: Most of Will’s work involves creating content for Frederator’s YouTube channel, which features fun video highlights and compilations of movie scenes and cartoons. “Most of my work is YouTube, short-film stuff,” says Will. “I work all over L.A.” Right after graduating from University of Southern California’s film school, he served as editor on an independent horror film that was directed and written by college friends. The movie was picked up by After Dark Films, an independent horror movie company, which included it in a compilation called “8 Films to Die For.” Will was also an editing production assistant on the animated film Hotel Transylvania 2.

Recognitions/Awards: Selected as an honorary apprentice with American Cinema Editors (ACE). Attended ACE networking events and shadowed editors working on the TV series Bates Motel and Madam Secretary.

interested in making movies since grade school. He produced his first at age 12.

Will came to SCH (CHA) in 2008 shortly after the VidCast Studio was established.

“I have nothing but great things to say about my experience with the VidCast Studio,” says Will. “It helped me hone my skills. Half of my learning about the technical aspects of editing and familiarizing myself with the different technologies came out of my work in the VidCast. It was great being able to work with a group of people who shared my passion and I could bounce ideas off of.

Dr. Fishman-Johnson was a very good pillar of support.”

The Work: Everybody comes to film school thinking they want to be a director,” says Will. But he knew he wanted to do editing. “The postproduction stuff was what I enjoyed the most, what I had the most fun in.

So, when projects started coming up at school, in junior and senior thesis projects, I signed up to be the editor.” Will especially enjoys working with animation, where the editor has greater creative input. With animation, Will explains, the editor is involved much earlier in the process. Working with a script and sometimes with actual vocals, the editor develops a visual storyboard that then gets shipped off to production to be animated. The animation is then sent back to the editor, who looks at it, makes more changes, and sends it back to production. This process can be repeated several times, says Will, which is why animated movies can take three or four years to make.

What’s on the Horizon: The advent of digital technology has greatly expanded the number of production and editing tools as well as the number of venues where finished work can gain exposure.

For example, YouTube is hosting more and more branded sites where companies like Frederator can post content created specifically for that medium. The shorterformat videos that are popular on social media offer a great proving ground for young editors such as Will. Visual

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effects is another area that’s enjoying huge growth. “I’ve been very vocal about embracing new technology. Not every filmmaking technique is going to work all the time, nor should we expect it to, but when you see visual effects that work, it’s fantastic.”

Advice to Wannabes: Will says it’s important to stay focused on the area you want to be in but also to be fluid and open to the different venues where you can get your skill across. “It may sound simple and clichéd, but value your time and skills. Sometimes editors and their skills are taken advantage of. Everybody thinks there’s an editing button you can push and poof, you have the finished product. On the one hand, you have to recognize that you’re part of a team; on the other, you never want to sacrifice your self-worth.” If you are going into the field of entertainment, you need to be prepared for the different personalities you’re going to meet, adds Will. “You get different people who are all passionate about the field, but their vision may differ from yours. There are always going to be different types of approaches, different techniques that can be used. You want to keep your options open, but you also don’t want to placate someone because it’s quote unquote what you’re supposed to do.

So try to build a good relationship with the people you’re working with and make it an enjoyable experience for yourself.”

Learn more about Will’s work at www.imdb.com/name/nm6108583

CAMPUSNEWS

Past efforts have included stormwater management, waste-sorting stations, a half-acre solar panel installation, and stewardship of the Wissahickon Watershed.

sch earns more ‘green’ titles

Chief Financial Officer Frank Aloise, who has helped spearhead the school’s green legacy, stated, “This work is purposeful and important. We are proud that SCH is dedicated to being smart stewards of the environment. I feel confident that there is not a single student at SCH who hasn’t become more mindful of their impact on the environment.”

sch students are state champs in u.s. army’s annual ecybermission competition

SCH seniors Hannah Lebowitz-Lockard and Samira Baird identify two of the initiatives that helped SCH gain status as a 3-Star Certified Green Restaurant. With them are Porter Bush, district operating manager at CulinArts, and Robert Wagner (with certificate), managing chef.

The school’s “Ugly Mug” drive for hot drinks, use of reusable plastic beverage glasses, and other measures have allowed it to eliminate all disposables in the cafeterias.

This spring, SCH added two new titles to its growing list of sustainability initiatives: the school’s cafeterias were upgraded to 3-Star Certified Green Restaurant status by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), and the school was named a bronze-level Eco-School by National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Schools USA program.

SCH is the first school in Pennsylvania to achieve a 3-star rating, which requires the implementation of over 100 environmental steps. The school credits its partnership with CulinArts, their dining services provider, as well as faculty, students, and school Eco Clubs, for helping to meet GRA’s rigorous certification scale.

The environmental steps included eliminating waste from landfills, providing vegetarian options, using high-efficiency pre-rinse spray valves, and reusing plates, utensils, and glassware.

program. SCH was recognized for its commitment to getting outdoors, healthy living, and encouraging students to be physically active—factors that contribute to students’ emotional well-being.

Studies show that children who are active and spend time outdoors develop greater attention span and perform better in school. When students spend time in nature, they are more likely to become stewards of the environment, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Betty Ann Fish, chair of the Physical Education Department, noted, “Schools play an important role in promoting healthy living for students. Since the average student spends close to 15,000 hours of his or her life at school, we believe it’s important for them to develop active, healthy habits in school and out.”

SCH has a long legacy of green initiatives spanning over the last two decades.

The school’s bronze-level title came from National Wildlife Federation Eco-Schools

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Two 7th grade teams from SCH were 1st- and 2nd-place state winners in the U.S. Army’s 14th annual eCYBERMISSION competition.

L to r: Ainsley Rexford, Hannah Knox, Anne Harrower, Maya Gerlach (2nd-place team); Maya Hardy, Gabrielle Morewood, Lenny Lorenz (1st-place team).

Sponsored by the U.S. Army and administered by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), eCYBERMISSION is a web-based competition designed to inspire student interest in STEM. eCYBERMISSION challenges students in grades six through nine to develop solutions to real-world problems in their local communities.

The SCH 1st-place team, self-named SCH KST, researched the problem of E. coli and other pathogens being present on kitchen sink surfaces. They then

designed and tested a way to create a sink that uses a disinfecting flushing method to reduce the amount of kitchen sink bacteria.

sch participates in community-wide celebration of the houston-woodward family

The 2nd-place team, named MRSA Fighters, investigated the presence of MRSA (an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria) on basketballs and other sports equipment. The team then devised and tested affordable ways to reduce the amount of bacteria on sports equipment.

State-winning 1st-place teams receive $1,000 per student in U.S. EE Savings Bonds; 2nd-place teams receive $500 per student in U.S. EE Savings Bonds.

The talents of our SCH Boychoir were showcased at the opening night of a weeklong community festival in Chestnut Hill celebrating the many contributions of the Houston and Woodward families to the area, including to the school.

class of 2016 legacy lives on with the dedication of a field in its honor The beautiful Turf 2 Field along Willow Grove Avenue now has a new name. Thanks to a generous gift from Bill Smilow, Kathy Byers Smilow ’79, and Lexi Smilow ‘16, in honor of SCH Academy’s first graduating class, this field—the Class of 2016 Field—will forever be linked with the students who were the advancing line of change as the school transitioned to its new identity as SCH Academy.

The Class of 2016 was the first class to enter the new fully coed Upper School and the first to graduate with diplomas from SCH Academy. In his remarks, Bill Smilow acknowledged that the students’ leadership role was not easy. “Change is hard,” he said, “but despite occasional challenges, you not only persevered, you thrived. The unity forged by this class has been a wonderful and unanticipated sight to behold.” Smilow added that, with the naming of the field in their honor, future generations of SCH students would always be reminded of the “first SCH class—the ‘Pioneers of 2016.’”

Top: The Class of 2016 attends the ceremony dedicating the Turf 2 Field in its name. Top right: Bill and Kathy Smilow cut the ribbon officially opening the Class of 2016 Field. Bottom right: The SCH drone memorializes the event with a bird’s-eye photo of the seniors arranged in the numbers of their class year.

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PAS SIO N ATE PUR P O S E S Two Students Turn Their Personal Passions into Public Initiatives What do you do when you want to build momentum around a cause you care about? You organize a conference. At least that’s what two enterprising SCH students did this spring, attracting more than 150 middle and high school students to their two events.

Junior Rekha Dhillon-Richardson and sophomore Jaelyn Wingard are passionate advocates for climate change and disability, respectively. With the help of the Sands Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership’s Venture Incubator program (CELVI), they were able to turn their passions into practical strategies to mobilize other students around these issues.

CELVI matches SCH students interested in taking an idea from concept to reality with mentors (many from the business world) who work one on one to help them achieve their goals. In addition to working with mentors, students attend workshops where they learn about the steps involved in developing a business plan, from identifying their market niche and competitors to creating a budget and marketing strategy.

But as any entrepreneur will tell you, it takes more than “knowing how” to get an idea off the ground. It takes perseverance, a willingness to throw yourself into the work, and an unfaltering focus on your goal.

These two girls exemplify the kind of bold thinking and initiative that it takes to turn a passion into a purpose.

GIRLS CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT Last year Rekha organized her first Girls Climate Change Summit, which attracted more than 75 participants from area schools. This year she hosted a second more ambitious gathering involving two keynote speakers, 10 breakout sessions, and a youth advocacy workshop, and even a video greeting from chimpanzee researcher and activist Jane Goodall. “The two themes I wanted to pull together for the conference were the actual science of what’s happening but also the advocacy component—what can you do to contribute? How can your actions help?” explains Rekha. “The youth voice is very powerful and important. As well as the woman’s voice.”

With last year’s experience under her belt, this year Rekha took on most of the responsibility for organizing the event, including securing the speakers, planning the agenda, ordering the food, and getting the word out to other schools. “It was incredible to learn how to do all this because it’s a very important skill.”

Asked about next steps, Rekha says she’s considering bringing new elements into the next conference. “We may introduce other workshops like food and climate, renewable energy, the arts and climate,”

she says. But her ambitious plans don’t end here. Over the summer, she hopes to start work on a website where she can post information about climate change and share tips on how other girls can organize their own conferences. A nonprofit is also in the future that would provide regular networking opportunities for girls interested in climate change.

This fall Rekha will spread her message about youth and climate change even further when she travels to Geneva, as an invited guest, to address the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child at its Day of General Discussion.

But her longest-term plan involves finding a successor to carry on her work after she graduates from SCH. “I want to find a really passionate incoming freshman or sophomore whom I can mentor,” she explains.“I’ve done all this work with this project and it would be a shame if it didn’t happen after I left. I just have to find the person with the right passion.”

Top: Girls register for the 2016 Climate Change Summit. Middle: A representative from the Philadelphia Zoo speaks to the girls about the impact of climate change on wild animals. Bottom: Rekha with conference sponsor Jamie Maguire ’78 and her Venture Incubator mentor Anne Sudduth.

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SCHOUT CONFERENCE ON ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY

area schools. The introductory keynote by Zayid was, as anticipated, wickedly funny, but also contained serious messages about the value of diversity and inclusion as well as the simple but compelling advice: “Don’t be mean.”

With two more years to go at SCH, Jaelyn Wingard isn’t thinking about legacies just yet. She’s still basking in the glow of a successful first conference and beginning to think about the next one.

Following Zayid’s remarks, students dispersed into small groups where they participated in story exchanges designed to cultivate empathy, discussions about disability as a social construct, and various social action workshops created around cultural identifiers such as race, religion, gender, socio-economic status, and sexual orientation.

Jaelyn, who has cerebral palsy, wants to build awareness and sensitivity around the challenges of having a disability, or, as she prefers to describe it, being differently abled. “I say ‘abilities’ because it’s not a ‘dis,’ which is kind of negative. It’s more like a different ability.”

Since a young age, she has wanted to find other people with similar struggles “so that we can talk and understand one another.” Jaelyn began developing her conference idea for disabled high school students in CELVI, but found that her busy school schedule, combined with her extracurricular involvement in the robotics program, made it too difficult to accomplish her goal on her own. As it happened, an Upper School student conference on diversity was in the works for the spring semester so expanding its agenda to include a focus on ability seemed a natural fit. “We took the ideas I had from my conference and weaved them into what was already planned.

People don’t tend to think of ability as one of the cultural identifiers,” says Jaelyn, “so focusing on this made the conference more interesting.”

Sophomore Jaelyn Wingard

Over the next several months, Jaelyn and the other student diversity conference organizers, with the advice and help of college counselor and diversity coordinator Polly Kimberly, worked tirelessly on preparation. As one of her many contributions, Jaelyn reached out to international actress, comedian, and activist Maysoon Zayid, to be the keynote speaker for the event. Zayid, who also has cerebral palsy, was so touched by Jaelyn’s letter that she couldn’t say no. “I never do stuff like this, but Jaelyn’s letter was so authentic, I had to come,” she explained.

In May, the first SCHout Conference on Access and Opportunity welcomed more than 90 students from SCH and other

“I learned so much at SCHout,” said one 9th grader from Moorestown Friends School. “At the end of the day I understood so much more about people with disabilities. And Maysoon Zayid was amazing. I feel blessed to have heard her speak.”

Jaelyn also learned a lot from the conference. She was especially heartened to see the level of interest in an issue that has long been so central to her experience. “I can’t stress how relieved I was that people were so open, enthusiastic, and honest in their discussions. I had hoped for people to be interested and engaged in learning about ability, and that’s exactly what happened!”

Zayid’s appearance was partially supported by the following SCH endowed funds: Springside Class of 1955 and 1965 Wellness Fund, and Springside Class of 1989 Faculty Fund in Support of Resiliency.

Left: SCHout conference student facilitators.

Above: Comedian and activist Maysoon Zayid.

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SCH STANDOUT ATHLETES sch academy’s championship culture has nurtured many outstanding athletes over the years. below are profiles of some of our recent graduates and current students who are excelling in their sport and demonstrating the grit, character, and spirit of the sch athlete.

GABRIELLA SCIARROTTA ’16 SMITH COLLEGE | CREW Gabriella was a three-year member of the SCH crew team, winning several medals in regattas such as the U.S. Rowing Mid-Atlantics and City Championships, as well as a 4th place finish at the Stotesbury Cup and qualifying for the U.S. Rowing Youth Nationals in the Varsity Quad. Gabriella will be taking her rowing talents to Smith College next year.

BRUCE HOWARD ’16 ST. JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY TRACK & FIELD Bruce committed to St. Joseph’s University late this spring and will be taking his long and triple jump talents across the Schuylkill where he will be a member of the men’s track team.

ASHLEY CARABAJAL ’16 UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON | SOCCER Ashley made a huge impact on the soccer field during her junior and senior years, and was the team captain and two-time Coaches’ Award winner. Her quiet leadership and solid play made her a role model for the younger players.

Ashley will take her experience and skill to the University of Scranton where she will play on the soccer team next year.

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MALCOLM GLENDINNING ’17 LACROSSE Malcolm, along with teammate Matt Rahill ’17, helped lead the Philadelphia Underclass Under Armour Team to the Semi-finals of the Underclass Tournament over July 4th weekend. Inside Lacrosse Magazine had the following to say about Malcolm: “Glendinning came up big for the Philadelphia Highlight (2017/2018) team early, scoring two goals as an LSM in a win over Long Island. He plays on the wing and stays on the field, and a bit sneaky down the right alley, getting looks on the backside on ball-watching defenders. Glendinning also had always seemed to have the ball on clears as well.” He ended up with six goals, was the leading long stick goal scorer, and was in the top 10 overall for goals. Malcolm was also selected to the All-Tournament team.

Photo courtesy St. Joseph’s University

Photo courtesy Rochester Polytechnic Institute

MADDY ASLANSAN ’15 ROCHESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE LACROSSE Maddy plays lacrosse for RPI where she appeared in 15 games and started 13.

She scored 14 goals, had 4 assists, picked up 28 groundballs, 11 draw controls, and 9 caused turnovers. While at SCH, Maddy was a team MVP and captain her senior year, as well as a three-year starter.

ASHLEY LUBISKY ’16 WAGNER COLLEGE | SOFTBALL

SINEAD BRIERLEY ’15 ST. JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY | LACROSSE This past season Sinead appeared in 16 games with 5 goals, 1 assist, 13 ground balls, 11 draw controls, and 5 caused turnovers. While at SCH, Sinead was a two-time All-Inter-Ac 1st team selection, had 125 career goals, was a two-time lacrosse MVP, and was the Blue and Gold Award winner her senior year.

Photo courtesy University of Maryland

Ashley has been a stellar five-year starter for the SCH softball team and can play just about any position on the field. This year, she was named to the All-Inter-Ac 1st team, served as team captain and MVP, helped lead the team to the finals of the PAISAA championship, and was 1st in runs scored in the lead-off spot, 24 runs in 12 games. Ashley will be playing softball at NCAA Division I Wagner College next year.

ZACH JANCARSKI ’14 UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND | BASEBALL While at SCH, Zach was named to the Perfect Game USA 2014 All-Atlantic Team, an Underclass HM All-Amercian by Perfect Game as a sophomore and junior, and rated one of the top 500 players in the country and 9th-best player in Pennsylvania as a senior. As a freshman at the University of Maryland, Zach played in 28 games and started four. This past year as a sophomore, he made 46 appearances and started 28 games after becoming Maryland’s everyday center fielder in late April. As a sophomore, he batted .257 with 19 runs scored and 6 RBIs.

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Photo courtesy LeHigh University

Photo courtesy Dominican College

JAMIE MCGINN ’12 DOMINICAN COLLEGE | TRACK & FIELD AND SOCCER Jamie had a great career playing soccer and track and field at Dominican College.

She was named the Top Female ScholarAthlete of the year in 2015 and 2016, played in 52 soccer games over her career, and captained the team her senior year. Jamie was the Coach’s Award winner in both soccer and track and was named to the Spring CACC All-Academic Team in 2016.

While at SCH, she was the team captain for both the soccer and track teams, was 1st team All-Inter-Ac in track, and was a Penn Relay Champion in 2009 and 2012.

MATT KOZEMCHAK ’13 LEHIGH UNIVERSITY | BASEBALL

Photo courtesy University of Arkansas

While at SCH, Matt was a standout pitcher and hitter, a two-time 1st Team All-InterAc honoree, 2nd Team All-City, and honorable mention All-City performer his junior and senior years. He played in the Carpenter Cup in his junior and senior year and as a senior, led SCH in extra base hits and led the league in average (.463) and on-base percentage (.591). At Lehigh, he had a strong rookie campaign, seeing action in 19 games including 8 appearances on the mound…tallied a 2.53 ERA, the second best on the team, after tossing a total of 21.1 innings and accumulating a 2-0 record. He made the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll as a sophomore and this past year as a junior made 7 starts in 8 appearances on the mound, throwing a total of 32.2 innings. He struck out a season-best 7 batters while giving up just 2 runs in 5.0 innings against Fairleigh Dickinson (3/13), and threw a season-long 6.0-inning outing against Manhattan (3/26).

MATT RAHILL ’17 LACROSSE As a junior this year, Matt was a captain of the varsity boys’ lacrosse team, made 1st Team All-Inter-Ac, 1st Team All-Eastern Pennsylvania Lacrosse Coaches Association, and the Regional Under Armour Lacrosse team (one of 22 players from a tryout group of 450) for Philadelphia that competed in the Under Armour games over July 4th weekend in Baltimore, MD.

TAYLOR ELLIS-WATSON ’11 TRACK & FIELD Eleven-time All-American and former University of Arkansas star sprinter Taylor Ellis-Watson qualified to run at the Rio Summer Olympics in the 4 x 400m relay event.

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Photo courtesy Cornell University

Photo courtesy Rochester Polytechnic Institute

ANGELA CASCIO ’12 ROCHESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE FIELD HOCKEY Angela had an excellent career on the field hockey team at RPI. She was a team captain her junior and senior year and accrued 17 career goals with 7 goals in her senior campaign to tie for the team lead. While at SCH, Angela was a team MVP, captain, and an All-Inter-Ac selection as a senior.

JORDAN LUBELL ’18 TENNIS Jordan played the #1 singles position for a very young and rejuvenated varsity tennis program led by new Head Coach Sim Heeren. Jordan and Coach Heeren are working to develop and build the tennis program back to competitive status within the Inter-Ac.

JULIA REEVES ‘16 CORNELL UNIVERSITY | TRACK & FIELD Despite a season-ending knee injury at the end of her junior year, Julia fought back to compete during her senior outdoor track season. During her track career at SCH, she was an Inter-Ac and PAISAA champion in long and triple jump, Inter-Ac champion in the 100m dash, and a 4 x 400m champion at the Penn Relays. She will run and jump for Cornell University on their track and field team next year.

SCH varsity baseball hunkered down to win its last five games of the season and come out on top of the Inter-Ac, sharing the coveted championship title with longtime rival Malvern. The team exhibited an extraordinary amount of perseverance over the season, overcoming public doubts, early defeats, and a string of injuries.

In an online Philadelphia Sports Digest article by John Knebels, team members expressed their joy: “This win means so much to me and my teammates and means so much to our school as well,” said junior Ian Diaz.

“For me personally, this win is a perfect example of how hard work and the right attitude gets you to the next level,” said junior Andrew Singer.

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Photo Credit: May Naish

SCH DEFEATS MALVERN TO SHARE INTER-AC TITLE

“Sure we have different memories of Lower and Middle School, but rather than separating us when we reminisce about the old days of Springside and CHA, they bring us closer together when we laugh about the ridiculous antics we got into in our younger years. ... We’ve managed to make it through these past four years together and truly make this SCH family what it is today. “

“We are change.

Everyone in this room is change, because we participated in something histor ic. We are the first graduating class of SCH. We are the pioneers, the founding fathers and mothers of this school.” singley risico commencement speech

alexandra fiol-mahon commencement speech

e t a e r u a l bacca co

CLASS

“I

admire SCH’s aims to be a bridging institution: connecting the histories and strengths of its two founding schools, combining the best of both single-sex and coed settings for learning, honoring both affinity and diversity, shared values and an inclusive premise, nurturing both self-knowledge and cross-cultural competence, drawing both from progressive and classical practice, defining itself as a bridge. Turning two things to one.�

e & commencement dr. mark segar commencement remarks

OF 2016

STUDENT AWARDS Departmental Distinctions visual arts

2D Art 9th: David Berger 10th: Catherine Cooney 11th: Amanda Miller 12th: Iman Floyd-Carroll 3D Art 9th: Nicholas Dolente 10th: Aliyah Jefferies 11th: Jan Alex 12th: Madeleine Megargee performing arts

Vocal 9th: Grace Lubisky 10th: Sarah-Gabrielle Lynch 11th: David Brenman 12th: John Allison Instrumental 9th: William Carter Davis 10th: Hongkai Bruce Wang 11th: Arianna Shahin 12th: Cameron Rogers new media

9th: Emma Yeatman 10th: Mackenzie Ramsey 11th: Korey Welsch 12th: Robert Hass

Spanish 9th: Peter Kapp 10th: Lilly Soroko 11th: Ruiming Ray Wu 12th: Zachary Halfpenny Latin 9th: Claire Momjian 10th: Grace Yang 11th: Ava Tokarek 12th: Mikaela Watson Mandarin 9th: Hayden Stephan 10th: No Award 11th: No Award 12th: Rosalyn Koscica

Book Award recipients, l to r: (1st row) Hannah Clarke, Annabel Grove, Rekha Dhillon-Richardson; (2nd row) Sophia Haegley, Madeleine Megargee, David Brenman. Not pictured: Jan Alex, Lisa Zhao.

mathematics

9th: Yu John Xin 10th: Zhonglinger Julia Lu 11th: Ruiming Ray Wu 12th: Zachary Halfpenny engineering and robotics

9th: Allison Gerhard 10th: Jinyu James Liu 11th: Noelle Goudy 12th: Peter Gilbert Randall

cel

9th: Hayden Stephan 10th: Andrew Cramer 11th: Annabel Grove 12th: Andrew Dolente; Eric Dolente

College Book Awards brown university book

science

award

9th: Lillian Forrest 10th: Sean Edling 11th: Qinan Vince Qian 12th: Rosalyn Koscica

Recognizes a junior who combines a high degree of ability in English expression, both written and spoken, with

english

9th: Lillian Forrest 10th: Rachel Kazlauskas 11th: Sophia Haegley 12th: Ellery Crandall history

9th: Lillian Forrest; David Berger 10th: Axel Rimerman; Julia Schwenderman 11th: Sophia Haegley 12th: Amelia Marcantonio Fields foreign language

French 9th: Riley Redpath 10th: Catherine Cooney 11th: Hannah Clarke 12th: Madeleine Megargee

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those outstanding personal qualities which, in the words of the Brown Charter of 1764, give promise that the student will become one of the “succession of men and women duly qualified for discharging the offices of life with usefulness and reputation.”

• Jan Alex ’17 harvard university book award

Awarded to an outstanding junior who displays excellence in scholarship and high character, combined with achievement in other fields.

• Yijie Lisa Zhao ’17 northwestern university book award

Awarded to a junior who demonstrates high academic achievement and through considerable involvement in extracurricular activities, adds greatly to the life of the school.

• Annabel Grove ’17

princeton university

university of virginia

book award

book award

Presented in memory of Jordie Maine, CHA Class of 1979 and Princeton University Class of 1983, to a junior in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and exemplary community service.

• Hannah Clarke ’17 rhode island school of design book award

Given for excellence in the creative arts.

• Madeleine Megargee ’17 university of pennsylvania book award

Presented to a junior who exemplifies the qualities and characteristics of Benjamin Franklin, the founder of the University of Pennsylvania—a scholar, innovator, and one who served the community.

• Rekha Dhillon-Richardson ’17

On Stage • Hannah Lebowitz-Lockard ’16

Presented to an outstanding junior based on academic and extracurricular activities in acknowledgment of that student’s commitment to academics, leadership, and community involvement, which Thomas Jefferson held in high regard.

• Sophia Haegley ’17

Off Stage • Tianrui Reina Zhang ’16 suzanne turner rebmann award

Given in memory of Suzanne Turner Rebmann for excellence in one of the performing arts.

• Korey Welsch ’17

yale university book

alumnae association

award

Presented to a member of the junior class who has shown intellectual promise, significant involvement in extracurricular activities, and service to the community.

• David Brenman ’17

art award

Deeded Awards

ATHLETICS

ARTS

the lawrence r.

Given to a member of the senior class who has demonstrated extraordinary interest, ability, and accomplishment in the visual arts.

• Mikaela Watson ’16

mallery ’05 award

players on-stage and

Named for Lawrence Mallery from the Class of 1905. He admired scholar-athletes, and his family established this award to honor the scholarathlete of the senior class.

• Ryan Torie ’16

off-stage awards

Given by the director of Players for a significant contribution, loyalty, and commitment to Players—on stage and off.

Top: Wendy Romig Concannon ’82 presents Mikaela Watson with the Alumnae Association Art Award.

Middle: Mason Rode receives the Junior Vare Award from the parents of Johanna Sigmund ’94.

Bottom: Brooke Hanraty receives the Joseph L. Castle Memorial Scholarship from Sally Castle.

the junior vare award in memory of johanna sigmund ’94

Named for the former head of the Physical Education Department and given in memory of Johanna Sigmund ’94, this award is given to a junior who exhibits talent and a keen interest in athletics

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at least three years and have demonstrated an aptitude and interest in engineering.

• Noelle Goudy ’17 rensselaer polytechnic institute award for excellence

This year’s Corning Pearson ’30 Service Award honored Head of School Search Committee Co-Chairs Mims Zabriskie and Patrick Lindsay.

and sportsmanship and who demonstrates consistent academic achievement.

• Mason Rode ’17 phyllis m. vare sportsmanship award

Given in honor of Miss Vare, former head of the Physical Education Department, to a senior who, through her leadership and example, has shown to others the highest standards of sportsmanship and play.

• Mikaela Watson ’16

Awarded to a member of the junior class for outstanding academic achievement in the study of mathematics and science.

• Yijie Lisa Zhao ’17 m.i.t. promise of the future award

Given to the student who, through personal initiative, has done the most to promote the awareness of science and technology.

• Hannah Clarke ’17 the marler- odell award

Awarded to recognize excellence in applied science.

• Rekha Dhillon-Richardson ’17

ACADEMICS - GENERAL the class of 1959 award

Awarded to the student or students who show the greatest intellectual curiosity during each of the high school years.

• Lillian Forrest ’19 • Axel Rimerman ’18 • Michael Wrede ’17 • Rosalyn Koscica ’16 the christopher fraser carpenter

’60

memorial award

In memory of Chris Carpenter ’60, this award is granted to that member of the junior class who has shown the greatest improvement during the year.

• Samuel Gerlach ’17 the daniel webster charles memorial scholarship

creativity in writing.

• Alexandra McHugh ’17 the joseph l . castle ’50 comcast scholarship

Awarded in memory of Joseph L. Castle ’50 by the Comcast Foundation to a senior in recognition of his or her general excellence, commitment to communications at SCH, and who may pursue further study of communications in college.

• Brooke Hanraty ’16 rebmann summer study awards

Summer study scholarship awarded in memory of Bill and Susie Rebmann to supplement and extend the normal scope of school experiences.

• Hannah Clarke ’17 • Rekha Dhillon-Richardson ’17

Given to that member of the Upper School who has demonstrated excellence in historical research and

outward bound award

Provides an outstanding summer Outward Bound opportunity for an Upper School student who exhibits leadership potential and seeks a special growth experience.

• Catherine Cooney ’18 the j. l. patterson cup

Named for Dr. James Patterson, headmaster from 1897 to 1923, this cup is awarded to the best allaround athlete in the senior class.

• Samuel McDowell ’16

ACADEMICS - SCIENCES society of women in engineering award

This award recognizes and honors girls who achieved excellence in the study of mathematics and science for

Academic Deeded Award Winners, l to r: (1st row) Mason Rode, Hannah Lebowitz-Lockard, Brooke Hanraty, Rekha Dhillon-Richardson, Hannah Clarke, Lillian Forrest, Rosalyn Koscica; (2nd row) Mikaela Watson, Catherine Cooney, Reina Zhang, Noelle Goudy, Sam Gerlach, Korey Welsch; (3rd row) Sam McDowell, Ryan Torie, Michael Wrede, Alexandra McHugh. Not pictured: Axel Rimerman, Lisa Zhao.

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the franklin

jane bell memorial

and margaret

award

steele award for

To keep alive the memory of the founder of Springside School, a woman of noble personality, full of enthusiasm and courage, and to remind students that in this everchanging world, there will always remain a need for these virtues.

• Gabrielle Dunning ’17

entrepreneurship

A scholarship given to a student who wishes to pursue his or her entrepreneurial passion through an internship in a certain industry or business.

• Rekha Dhillon-Richardson ’17

Character Awards the franklin d. saveur memorial award

This award honors an alumnus from the Class of 1911 and is given to a member of the 9th grade for character and scholarship.

• Mahaa Ayub ’19 the garrett d. pagon award

Given to a member of the 10th grade for moral courage and integrity.

• Seth Rabinowitz ’18

Senior Departmental Distinctions, l to r: (1st row) Eric Dolente, Andrew Dolente, Cameron Rogers, Amelia Marcantonio-Fields, Rosalyn Koscica, Robert Hass; (2nd row) Iman Floyd-Carroll, Jack Allison, Mikaela Watson, Ellery Crandall, Madeleine Megargee, Zachary Halfpenny. Not pictured: Gib Randall.

the martin henry dawson ’90 memorial award

Presented in memory of Tinry Dawson ’90 to that senior who has, by vote of the members of the senior class, provided the most positive support and friendship to his or her classmates during their years together in the Upper School.

• Essence Walden ’16

award

award

Given in memory of Sara Wetherell Blake, Class of 1970, by vote of the senior class for service, simplicity, and sincerity.

• Nicole Novo ’16 • Eric Dolente ’16

Recognizes students for their extraordinary commitment to their community and meaningful service connections throughout their school career.

• Eric Dolente ’16 the robert a . kingsley scholarship

Given to that student in 9th, 10th, or 11th grade who has shown the highest degree of academic promise and scholarship, along with the most responsible type of leadership.

• Mason Rode ’17 kevin kirk ’15 memorial award

Given to a student, new to Upper School, who has made the greatest positive impact on the community.

• Caroline Clark ’19 • Brian Fischer ’17

alice morice

alumni gold and silver

jones junior and

awards

senior awards

Presented to a junior boy and a senior boy who, in the judgment of the Alumni Association and after consultation with the faculty and students, best exemplifies those characteristics of leadership, academic standing, character, and service to Springside Chestnut Hill Academy.

• Noah Chandler ’17 • David Brenman ’17 • John Allison ’16

Given in honor of Springside’s headmistress from 1900 to 1921 by vote of the three upper classes and the faculty to a junior girl and a senior girl for courage, cheerfulness, fair-mindedness, good sportsmanship, influence widely felt, and the courage of her own convictions.

• Melanie Graves ’17 • Essence Walden ’16

sara wetherell blake ’70 community service

the caroline susan

’24

memorial award

Given in memory of Alice Morice, Class of 1924, by vote of the faculty to that senior who has shown loyalty and devotion to the school in all aspects of school life.

• Singley Risico ’16 the edward savage memorial award

This award is named for Edward Savage, who worked at CHA from 1915 through the ’30s, taking care of athletic equipment as well as maintaining the athletic fields.

The award is presented by the alumni and awarded for loyalty and service to the school.

• Ellery Crandall ’16

Character Award Recipients, l to r: (1st row) Gabrielle Dunning, Nicole Novo, Essence Walden, Melanie Graves, Eric Dolente, Singley Risico; (2nd row) Mason Rode, Sam Gerlach, David Brenman, Noah Chandler, Ellery Crandall, Seth Rabinowitz. Not pictured: Jack Allison, Mahaa Ayub, Caroline Clark, Brian Fischer.

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william e. shuttleworth honorary award

Given to that teacher, by vote of 10-year alumni, who has had the most beneficial influence on students.

• Rick Knox ’92 • Wes Winant h’10 the william k. gemmill faculty chair for engineering and robotics

Awarded every three years to a teacher who exemplifies outstanding teaching, inside and outside the classroom, who exerts the positive influence that faculty have as role models for young people, and who demonstrates a deep commitment to the school community.

• Erik Driesbach • James Martin ’99

Faculty Award Winners, l to r: (1st row) Crystal Jackson, Paul Hines, Bridget Farnack, David Cool, Siobhan O’Connor; (2nd row) Rick Knox, Wes Winant, Tom Day, Peggy Grady, Liz O’Flanagan-Walder. Not pictured: Erik Dreisbach, James Martin, Ashley Vandegrift.

FACULTY the edward c. rorer ’61 faculty of promise award

In honor of Ted Rorer ’61, teacher, coach, trustee, and friend, this prize recognizes a young faculty member who exemplifies energy, passion, love of learning, care for students, and a commitment to the school.

• Bridget Farnack • Siobhan O’Connor the elliston perot walker teaching excellence award

In honor of CHA faculty member E. Perot Walker and his wife, Susie, for years of dedicated service, excellent teaching, and commitment to the students.

• Peggy Grady ha • Liz O’Flanagan-Walder

the thomas sayre ambler faculty enrichment award

Awarded to an individual faculty member whose proposed area of study will develop that zest for life, learning, and teaching characteristic of Thomas S. Ambler.

• Ashley Vandegrift ’92 • David Cool

the corning pearson

’30 service award

Given in recognition of extraordinary service to the school, long-standing commitment to the school’s educational experience, dedication and loyalty to the school’s values and mission, and passion for its traditions, as personified by Corning Pearson ’30, student, athlete, educator, administrator, benefactor.

• Mims Zabriskie • Patrick Lindsay

d. stanley parker ’68 award

Established by CHA alumni to honor the career of teacher and coach Stanley Parker ’68, this award recognizes excellence in teaching, mentoring, and/or coaching.

• Paul Hines h’03 the landreth award

Given to a staff member who, for at least 10 years, has served the school with outstanding devotion.

• Crystal Jackson • Tom Day h’16

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Top: Peggy Steele presents Rekha Dhillon-Richardson with the Franklin and Margaret Steele Award for Entrepreneurship.

Middle: Taddy Dawson congratulates Essence Walden on receiving the Martin Henry Dawson ’90 Memorial Award. Bottom: Bruce and Kathleen Kirk present Brian Fischer with the Kevin Kirk ’15 Memorial Award.

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Ralph Hirshhorn ’56 and Robert Hass ’16

Reunion Dinner&Reception

All-Alumni Cocktail Reception

Academy Guard Luncheon

REUNIONS All-Alumni Cocktail Reception

50th Reunion Year Class Members Meet with 5th Grade Boys

All-Alumni Cocktail Reception

Milestone Luncheon

Reunion Dinner&Reception

Reunion Dinner&Reception

Paul Assaiante, Men’s Squash Coach, Trinity College

Reunion Alumni Reception

All-Alumni Cocktail Reception

Reunion Dinner Welcome by Chas Landreth ’66

All-Alumni Cocktail Reception

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All-Alumni Cocktail Reception

Academy Guard Luncheon

All-Alumni Cocktail Reception

CHA Alumni Association Annual Meeting

Cathy McLaughlin Glazer ‘66 Meets with 4th Grade Girls

Reunion Dinner&Reception

Academy Guard Luncheon

Alumni BBQ

Milestone Luncheon

Alumni BBQ

Alumni BBQ

All-Alumni Cocktail Reception

Alumni BBQ

Great Film Moments with Ralph Hirshhorn ’56 and Robert Hass ’16

Alumni Forum

MAY 6 & 7

All-Alumni Cocktail Reception

Reunion Dinner&Reception

Reunion Dinner&Reception

Reunion Dinner&Reception

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All-Alumni Cocktail Reception

Sponsored by the CHA Class of 1956

ALUMNI FORUM:

RE-IMAGINING K–12 EDUCATION

.

by Laine Moseley

IMAGINE AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM in this country that tailors its curriculum to each student’s learning style. Imagine a school that celebrates multi-tasking, self-directed learning, and thinking outside the box.

SCH Academy did just that when it brought educational thinkers together for a Reunion weekend forum called “Education Re-IMAGINEd” in which guest speakers and forum leaders discussed everything from education design to innovation ecosystems. The resounding question that all tried to answer was how to make education equitable for all and help kids become passionate learners.

Dr. Bobbi Kurshan, executive director of academic information at Penn’s Graduate School of Education, moderated the forum’s three panels. The first panel, comprising Miles Wilson, Jeanne Allen, and Mark Greenberg ’93, discussed the disparity in education and what can be done to close the gap. Allen, a senior fellow and president-emeritus of the Center for Education Reform, believes that learning environments need to be less restrictive and that there should be a greater diversity of schools to accommodate a broader range of learning styles. Greenberg, founder of the National Youth Venture Incubator Corp, concurred: “Imagine going to the market and having only one kind of cereal to buy. Parents and students should have the same choice in picking schools for their children.” Wilson, president and CEO

of EducationWorks, agreed that the real solution to closing the education gap is “giving kids autonomy and ownership of what they learn. True education is about fearlessness and failure and then moving on,” he said.

The second panel focused on the specific educational tools now available in classrooms that are helping to improve kids’ learning and retention. One of the programs showcased was Flocabulary, an online library of educational hip hop videos for use in the classroom. Co-founded by Chestnut Hill Academy alumnus Alex Rappaport ’98, Flocabulary uses music to help students learn vocabulary and improve their literacy. Rappaport believes that classrooms miss the mark by not building a bridge between students’ interests and the curriculum. “Even great students lack engagement,” he says, “and it is up to the schools to find ways to connect with their interest, whether it’s fashion or comic books.” All panel members seemed to agree that schools need to find more creative ways to access all the available learning modalities out there. Other alumni panelists were Morgan Berman ’04, CEO of the sustainability app venture MyMilkCrate, and Chelsey Roebuck ’06, president/co-founder of Emerging Leaders in Technology and Engineering, Inc. (ELiTE).

The forum closed with a panel of seven SCH Academy students who are currently “re-imagining” the world and future through their own creative ventures. Using the resources of the school’s

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Sands Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and its Venture Incubator program, the students are learning to bring an idea from concept to reality through real ventures of their own design and making. These ventures, which rely heavily on self-directed learning, run the gamut from nonprofit services to commercial products. They provide an engaging vehicle for students to exercise their critical thinking, creativity, and resourcefulness while learning the basic principles of venture development, from analysis of an idea’s unique proposition and its market viability to branding and budgeting.

From the youngest attendee, 6th grader Leah Scott, who is creating a dog collar that uses ultrasonic frequency to keep dogs from running out of an open door, to the oldest, 11th grader Yulong He, who is building an online tutoring platform for Chinese students in American schools, these young entrepreneurs said that they enjoyed the creativity, independence, and flexibility the school allows them in developing their ideas, and, he added, the freedom “to believe that everything is possible.”

Top: SCH student panelists describe their experiences with passionbased learning through the school’s Venture Incubator program. Bottom: Dr. Bobbi Kurshan, executive director of academic information at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, leads a panel discussion on educational disparity and how to expand or replicate programs that are working. Panelists included, l to r: Dr. Kurshan; Miles Wilson, president and chief executive officer of EducationWorks; Jeanne Allen, a senior fellow and president-emeritus of the Center for Education Reform; and Mark Greenberg ’93, founder of the National Youth Venture Incubator Corp.

The forum’s main message—that we must find new ways to engage students in their learning—was clearly advocated by all of the panelists. But the SCH Academy students shined as inspirational proof of the benefits of passion-based learning and what can happen when teachers and students collaborate to think outside the box about education.

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reunion weekend: cha alumni association award winners

Brendan Flatow ’94 was awarded Alumnus of the Year for his tireless work as Alumni Association president since 2012 and seeking ways to better strengthen the alumni network involvement through athletics and on-campus events.

Edward C. “Ted” Rorer ’61 was awarded the Francis P. Steel Jr. ’77 Special Recognition Award.

Honorary Alumni (clockwise from top left): Andrew Wolfe, Middle School for Boys Math Teacher; Debbie Maine, Trustee, Parent, Former Head of Springside Athletics; Connie Kilfeather, Registrar; Debbie Gress ’87, Lower School for Boys Science and CEL Teacher.

William McDowell III ’75 was awarded the Roll of Fame Award for his distinguished career as an architect and project manager overseeing the building of the Barnes Foundation.

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reunion weekend: springside alumnae association award winners

SCH parent Anne Sudduth was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for her outstanding work on our zero-waste cafeteria initiative and other sustainability efforts around the school.

Virginina “Ginnie” Strong Newlin ’38 was awarded the Distinguished Alumna Award for all that she has accomplished in writing and poetry.

Amy Padula ’96 was awarded the Outstanding Young Alumna Award for her expertise in the field of pregnancy and exposure to air pollution and as an invaluable resource to the science and health communities.

15-year honorary alumnae, l to r: (1st row) Christy Yaffe, Lower School for Girls Reading Specialist; Lisa Castro, Cash Receipts Manager; Mary Magee, Controller; Monica Siltman, College Counseling Administrative Assistant. (2nd row) Steve McGuinn, Physical Education Teacher and Coach; Anthea Waleson, Upper School English Teacher; Martha Valciukas, Lower School for Girls Teacher; Frank Aloise, Chief Financial Officer; Vince Day, Program Director for Computer Science and Interactive Technologies; Judy Callas, Middle School for Girls Art Teacher. Not pictured: Tom Day, Director of Infrastructure; Murielle Telemaque, Admissions Office Data and Financial Aid Manager.

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C L A S S NOTE S NEWS FROM OUR ALUMNI NEAR AND FAR

1930s 1938

Emilie (Kayo) Brégy is about to celebrate her 96th birthday in August. She was born and raised in Philadelphia and has spent a lifetime committed to family, community volunteerism, and art. As a young adult, she attended Springside and Noroton (a school in Connecticut). Later she studied painting at the Tyler School of Art and at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Spending a year in Italy during her teenage years sparked an enduring love of art. Her artistic talent and enthusiasm were enhanced during a career as a volunteer guide at the Philadelphia Museum

of Art, beginning in 1962 and spanning the course of several decades. Emilie continues to paint in her art studio each day. In addition to watercolors, her current focus is on oil representations of the natural environment.

Emilie is known by her friends and relatives for her strong family values and adventurous spirit. Volunteerism is a strong part of her life. She has volunteered at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Women’s Committee for over 50 years and has been a member of the Four Counties Garden Club since 1952. Emilie’s portraits, watercolors, and abstracts are occasionally exhibited in Philadelphia and in Southwest Harbor, ME and are on display throughout the United States and in Germany.

Her informal family portraits of men, women, and children with their pets are well-known in the Philadelphia vicinity.

1950s 1955 Harry Groome III has a new book out called The Best of Families, which Kirkus Reviews called “a poignant coming-of-age story about the bonds of friendship, the heartache of first love and navigating the turbulent waters of marriage and family.” Harry is also the author of Wing Walking and Thirty Below.

1960s 1960

Class of 1960 mini-reunion in Naples, FL, in February finds Wendy Clark, Marsha Wright

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Johnson, Jill Levine Rosen, and Susan Rich Sheridan standing firm by the Blue and the Gold.

1966 50 Marie Sailer Altemus reports, “Mostly, what I remember about the early years is feeling safe. The teachers were kind and encouraging, especially Mrs. Hood (Miss Stevenson, then) and Mrs. Davis. Miss Hunt­—not so much. But, there have to be exceptions to every rule.”

Merritt McWilliams Andruss reports, “I remember Miss Moffat sending me to Miss Potter’s office for having a hole in the elbow of my sweater—as I went in fear and trembling to Miss P’s office she just sat me down on her couch, took my sweater, and darned the thing herself while asking me many questions about myself. Due to that fateful day, Miss Potter and I became quite good pals! Not the consequence I believe Miss Moffat envisioned! But

probably my most enduring memories of Springside were the lifelong friendships forged with my amazing classmates which continue to enrich my life today!”

of the new ONRR Geothermal Valuation Regulations published in May 2007. I still practice optometry part time.

I went back to optometry school at age 46.”

Lexi Barbieri reports, “Best memories are being in the various plays: Ah, Wilderness! at CHA, original skits and Carnival at Penn Charter and Oklahoma at CHA. I was always happiest on stage.

Other memories include the meatloaf at lunch time that no one could duplicate at home and the morning assemblies where we all sat on the floor.”

Dick Boothby reports, “I have remained in the insurance business since 1974 and currently work at a small agency in Chestnut Hill. I spend my time working on my golf game (not very successfully), traveling, and spending as much time as possible with our new grandchild. I have been very lucky in so many ways, but I have been most fortunate to have a very patient and understanding wife, Melen Sheppard, Springside Class of ’68, and three wonderful children.”

Camilla Beale reports, “Fast forward 16 years. After many life changes, including becoming a grandmother to two very sweet boys, ages 4 and 2, working for a few years as a chaplain in two local hospitals, breaking up from another longish relationship and having two total hip replacements, I am now devoting myself to volunteer work, assisting Maine Tribes with sovereignty and other issues, and hoping to assist some of the CA ones as well.

Oh and I forgot to say that I have studied karate on and off for almost 20 years and that I belong to a great Buddhist Sangha.”

Herb Black reports, “I moved to Colorado after graduating from Dickinson College and attended graduate school at CU Boulder. I held various positions as a geologist and geophysicist in the oil and gas exploration industry in Denver specializing in the Rocky Mountains. I have been with ONRR (part of the Department of the Interior) since 2001 as their geothermal specialist and was a principal author

MOMENT

CHA alumnus Peter Hill ’96 was here for his 20th reunion in May and stopped in to visit with the 4th grade boys to talk about living on the Lakota Reservation.

frumpy jumpers, yellow socks and saddle shoes.”

Joan Sargeant Bregy reflects, “What was your best memory from Springside? FRIENDS, without a doubt!... Loved them then and love them still. (I still miss the ‘Senior Room,’ watching and trying to follow the dance steps Beth tried to teach us!)”

Mitchell Cole reports, “Well, a summary of my last 50 years can be summarized in the immortal words of Yogi: ‘When I came to a fork in the road, I took it.’ I began my CHA afterlife in chemistry but concluded, after urging from my chemistry professor, that causing an explosion and fire in freshman lab would not stand me in good stead as a chemistry major. So I switched to finance. Little did I know that causing things to explode would be the rage in finance some 30 years later.

I will likely retire soon. How soon? Who knows. I’m still having fun, which is what it’s all about...so I’m told, and collecting frequent flier miles.

(I have 3 million on AA alone.)

Alyn Greene Caulk reports, “Have you kept up with any classmates over the years?

Wish I’d see you more. I like my Springside classmates so much and always enjoy being with them. I am so grateful to be included in these ‘alumnae things.’ I went to Miss Zara’s with many of you—from 4-year-old Kindergarten till when we joined with Springside in 2nd grade—and still went to school at Miss Zara’s building. I remember singing our sister song with Jackie, and the eraser pillow, and the songs in Mrs. Randall’s play.

Then moving to Seminole Avenue, and moving to Cherokee, and our weird uniforms—gray

Dick Dale reports, “I have been a teacher at Kingswood -Oxford School for the last 36 years. I’ve taught economics, ancient history, modern world history and AP U.S. history.

I am the assistant dean of

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students and have coached all three seasons for 36 years at lower-level sports. I helped to found the hockey program and the girls cross-country running team. I have also been the director of community service for the last 30 years. I continue to row, do road biking, and cross-country skiing.

James Dall reports, “I have always been interested in medicine and at the age of 34, I went back to school and got a nursing degree. This turned out to be a pivotal move as I finally had a vocation that I found meaningful and I used my subsequent hospital experience to get a job at Boeing where I ran their medical clinic in Portland for 18 years. I wrote my first children’s book (I’m looking for a distributor) called The ABC’s of Golf from Generation to Generation. It’s not just about golf, but about life’s moral values with a touch of humor.

Isobel Leslie Edwards reports, “Since retirement, I have taken up quilting, which has become an obsession.

Going to class with 20 other ladies once a week for half a day is better than therapy.

We do individual projects, collective projects and sort out problems of the world while we sew. I left at the end of 7th grade to go to boarding school in Scotland. Thinking back to teachers, I would love to be able to tell Mrs. O’Gorman, the music teacher, that because of her, I can still recognize all the individual instruments when I listen to a piece of classical music. I think she was inspirational and helped develop my love of music.”

Alumni of all ages gathered for a Happy Hour at Conshohocken Brewing Company on March 23, 2016. Top (l to r): Sarah McMenamin ’86, Jenny James McHugh ’84, Randy Saunders ’84, Amy Gaffney Saunders ’89, Lisa Lloyd ’84, and Tina Seving McDonald ’84. Bottom: Ted Sheppard ’72 and his father, Ed Sheppard ’42.

Thyra “Ty” Wenk Easley reports, “Who of us does NOT remember Miss Vare and our posture pictures? For those of us whose posture was deemed to be deficient there was the ignominy of posture class!! If only we had known then the importance of good posture to one’s health and well-being it might not have been so bad. But then again, we were immortal, so no matter. Fast-forward 50+ years to my Pilates classes and instructor. There on a wall is a gridded posture chart for each student’s initial assessment. AND at the end of each session we must stand tall

and have our posture checked with a rod. It’s taken a while, but I am sure Miss Vare would approve of my posture today!

Looking back, I can see how very lucky we all were to be educated at Springside (even if at the time it didn’t seem that way). We had really quality teachers who cared about their subject matter and, I think, cared about us too.

The workload and expectations were demanding, but in addition to the actual subject matter (some of which has been retained, some of which hasn’t!), it taught us discipline, organization, and focus.

All extremely useful lifelong skills.”

Cathy McLaughlin Glazer reports, “What are my most enduring memories of Springside? I learned from being a ‘lifer’ at Springside the importance of values. The school gave me a solid foundation on which I had a family, built a career, and followed my faith.”

Philip Gresh Jr. reports, “After CHA, I attended Penn State where I was in the Navy ROTC program. Following graduation, I spent three years on active duty and another eight years in active duty reserves in the U.S. Navy, leaving as lieutenant commander. Prior to retirement in 2012, I spent 23 years with Illinois Tool Works (ITW) in Glenview, IL. My wife and I are now residents of Florida, which has allowed us to escape the Chicago weather. We spend our free time on our boat in the Gulf of Mexico area, playing golf and traveling.”

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Fred Hebard reports, “While at Columbia University, I was introduced by a farmer to the joys of farming and to the loss of the American Chestnut tree, after which our school is named, indirectly. The idea of restoring the American Chestnut to its former glory gave me a mission I pursued from then on. I got a job breeding chestnut trees for the American Chestnut Foundation in 1989 and retired as chief scientist emeritus in 2015.

The foundation is producing more than 50,000 nuts per year for restoration from stock bred by me, and the numbers will balloon into the millions over the next 10 years. I am grateful for the good education I received at CHA and for the opportunity to meet some wonderful guys, my classmates. I wish the teachers at CHA had managed to knock more sense into me than they did, but it was enough to help me pass through my adult life relatively successfully.”

Linda Stanley reports, “I’ll trade school recollections with anyone, but, except for the afternoon several of us sat stunned in the back room of the Nana shop watching the news of President Kennedy’s death, I don’t have any particularly notable moments.

As for faculty, I remember most of them, some with respect—I think Mrs. Kleckner was held in high regard by almost everyone—some not so much, and one or two with fear. I liked Springside; it suited me. I wish that as children, and especially as teenagers, we had the sensitivity that we gained with maturity. Mea culpa. Still, it’s always a delight to come together with my classmates

to share memories and continue to learn about each other. Having stayed local and kept contact with Springside, I have managed to keep up with many ’66ers over the years, although as with most of us, I wish I had done better.

It may be the most common observation among alumnae that lifelong friendships were formed at Springside, and it is true for me.”

1970s 1979 Kathryn Lynch is a successful artist in NYC. Her two-part exhibition, “A View of One’s Own,” which ran last February through April at the Sears-Peyton Gallery in New York, showcased paintings inspired by the sunny rural landscape of Shelter Island and the industrial waterfront of Brooklyn—two places with which Kathryn is intimately familiar.

1980s

1984

THE ROOF

Winky Lewis has published a book, Stop Here, This is the Place (Down East Books, April 2015). The book is a compendium of reflections, poems, and photos on motherhood created by Winky and artist friend Susan Conley (The Foremost Good Fortune, an O Top Ten Pick) and assembled over the course of a year.

Endorsements for the book include one by Eliza Griswold ’91 of the New York Times: “Lewis and Conley speak in the private and particular vernacular of friendship and family—a language so intimate it’s universal.”

With a great view of the Philly skyline from the roof of the Free Library, Penn Steel ’08 and CHA friends celebrate his wedding. L to r: Chip Culp ’08, Andres Navarro ’09, Tom Gargan ’09, Penn Steel ’08 , Robert Robertson ’08, David Miller ’08, and Tone Brady ’08.

WINNERS

1986

James Masland and Nathalie Applewhite ’89 were married in October 2015 in Washington, DC.

1983

1987

Melissa Fitzgerald, who played a staff person on the Emmy Award-winning TV Drama The West Wing for seven years, has traded in her acting career for political activism.

She is currently the senior director for a nonprofit organization called Justice For Vets in Washington, DC, where she is helping to transform the way that veterans are treated in the criminal justice system.

Allie Humenuk has directed and produced a new documentary, “The Guys Next Door,” which offers a provocative alternative to the traditional ideas of what constitutes the nuclear American family. The film premiered at the New England Independent Film Festival of Boston in May and the Provincetown, MA, Film Festival in June.

Mark Stehle ’93 reports that “the CHA alumni fast pitch club softball team won the league championship against Conshohocken, 8-5 (2 games to 1 in a best-of-three final). The victory avenged our loss in the final to Conshohocken last year.” Team members, l to r: (1st row) Paul Haines-LaPenta (did not attend CHA), Peter Rowley (did not attend CHA), Doug Malcolm ’02, Leo Schonwald ’02, Michael Toomey ’02, Ted Swain ’96. (2nd row) Christopher Primavera ’02), Matthew Primavera ’12, Tim Fles ’91, Patrick Toomey ’99, Matthew Fink ’12, Mark Stehle. Not pictured: Carl Frank ’68, Adam Reekie ’02.

1989 Nicole Pittman, an attorney and founder of the Center on Youth Registration Reform, advocates for keeping juveniles off sex-offender lists. Her work was recently

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higlighted in a video as part of the online version of an article that appeared in the March 2016 issue of the New Yorker entitled “The List.”

1990s

2010s

1991

2012

Eliza Griswold has published another book, I Am the Beggar of the World: Landays from Contemporary Afghanistan, a collection of two-line, often biting, poems following a form that has existed since 3500 B.C. In this new book, filmmaker and photographer Seamus Murphy collaborates with Griswold to produce a contemporary collection of these poems complemented

by Murphy’s haunting photos.

Mozelle Shamash Rosenthal was elected captain of the Brandeis women’s varsity crew team.

2000s 2000 Andy Kucer was recently named executive director of Students Run Philly Style, a nonprofit that uses mentoring to help over 1,200 kids train for a milestone race, including the Broad Street Run and the Philadelphia Marathon.

2015 Our Alumni Directory on the school website is password protected and requires logging in to mySCH, a private portal for the SCH community.

Ashley Via married Aaron Maass on October 3, 2015, in Philadelphia at the Water Works.

To find alumni in our online directory, follow these steps:

2008

Left to right: Frank Steel ’77, Betsy Flint Steel ’78 , Caroline Snite, Penn Steel ’08, Hadley Steel ’05.

Penn Steel married Caroline Snite on May 20, 2016, at the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Matt Miller rowed in the 3rd varsity boat for the Princeton Lightweight Men’s team as they took on #1 ranked Cornell. Princeton’s 1st and 3rd varsity boats defeated Cornell to reclaim the Platt Cup for the first time since 2011, handing Cornell their first defeat in almost two years (18 races).

2016

2006

2003

Scott Costin and his wife, Christa, welcomed their second child, daughter Leilah Ann Costin, on May 17th. She joined big brother Bodhe Frank Costin, age 4.

LOOKING FOR AN ALUM?

Jane Gray married James Donald Henderson III on May 28, 2016, at Yeamans Hall Club in Hanahan, SC.

Sam McDowell won the J. L. Patterson Cup for best all-round senior athlete. When he looked at the cup he saw that his grandfather’s name, William Wallace McDowell, was engraved there under the year 1947. It must be in the genes!

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1. Go to www.sch.org and look for the key in the upper right-hand corner of any page on our site.

2. First time logging in?

Select: Forgot your login or passcode?

3. The system will provide prompts. If you do not receive an email with your username, please email alumni@sch. org and share your preferred email address.

4. Once logged in, look for the directory in the header bar, or click on the tile “How to use the Alumni Directory.”

in memoriam

As of 7/26/16

ALUMNI

1954

1979

1934

Margaret McGuinness Denny Madeline Brown Mortimer Ann Wieland Spaeth (also former trustee)

John D. Maine (also former trustee)

Frank H. Rile

1943 Mary Elizabeth Lewis Louise B. Smith (also former trustee)

1944 Flora Van Sciver Sutor

1946 Elizabeth Warner Shipp Patricia Stewart Walsh

1949 Lillie Ryan DeBevoise

1950 Robert M. March

1986

1955

S. Lee von Seldeneck

Morris Cheston (also former trustee)

1991 Michael S. Masland

1962 Abigail Rogers Langham Charles L. McIlvaine

1992 W. Gerald Howard

1968 D. Stanley Parker (also faculty/staff)

FORMER TRUSTEE Allen Harberg

1969 Henry S. Miller

FORMER FACULTY AND STAFF

1970

Henry Putsch

Bill Hall

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LEGACY FAMILIES celebrating the ties between family and school

Nicole ’16 and Lawrence ’14 Wargo

Philip ’19 and Lisa Burckhardt ’16

Sydney ’12 and Aidan Fitzpatrick ’16

Morgan ’18, Melanie ’16, and Justin Bender ’13

Rosalyn ’16 and Alexander Koscica ’19

Mason ’19, Griffin ’16, and Jake Banks ’13

Philip ’14, Virginia ’12, Henry ’16, and Ann Walker Kelly ’82

Samuel ’22, Zachary ’16, and Jude Halfpenny ’22

Henney ’15 and Smith Hambrose ’16

Matthew ’13 and Nick Rowland ’16

Hannah Lebowitz-Lockard ’16 and David Lockard ’72

Corinne ’14 and Brian Leard ’16

Harrison ’16 and Peter Kapp ’19

MB Singley ’90 and Singley Risico ’16

Brooke ’16 and Paige Hanraty ’15

William ’07, Meghan McCool ’16, and Katy Rambo ’07

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Nathaniel ’19, Sam ’16, and George McDowell ’76

Ayan ’13 and Anab Aidid ’16

Laura von Seldeneck Prochniak ’84, Maddie Harris ’17, Alexandra Prochniak ’16, Storrie Harris ’21, Billy Harris ’16, Pam von Seldeneck Harris ’81, and Daniel Prochniak ’15

Nicole ’16 and Gabriella Novo ’11

Dominique ’11, Maya Jones ’16, and Benita Pendleton Williams ’91

William Harmar ’61, Anna Hultz Harmer ’63, Willy ’16, Harmar ’14, and Ashley Harmar Rappoport ’86

Wyn ’13, Elsa ’16, and Forrest Rall ’13

Julia Reeves ’16 and Resnya Hughes ’12

Alec ’14 and Blake Greenhalgh ’16

Madison ’16 and Jordan Bell ’18

Abigail ’22 and Betsy Sheppard ’16

Tija Bross ’08, Marina Tomlinson ’16, and Dixon Bross ’07

Gabriella ’16 and Vincent Sciarrotta ’20

Patricia Vasquez Smith ’80 and Wyatt Smith ’16

Grace ’16 and Anna Kuo ’14

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Georgia Forjohn ’18, Meredith Romig Russell ’87, Eliza Russell ’22, Will Concannon ’16, Wendy Romig Concannon ’82, Susanna Roxby Forjohn ’87, and Christy Concannon ’80

Howard ’77 and Jillian Silverman ’16

Cara ’16 and Jenna Stapleton ’19

Griffin ’17, Gigi ’85, Andrew ’82, Lily ’16, Ellen ’79, and Bruce Glendinning ’78

Coco ’19 and Ellery Crandall ’16

Callum ’16 and Hannah Brazier ’14

Alex Agnew ’22 and Julia Dardaris ’16

Henry ’61, Calder ’16, and Cole McNeil ’19

Reed ’16 and Claire Momjian ’19

Kianah ’19 and Mikaela Watson ’16

Charlie Randall ’18, Joan Gilbert Thayer ’50, Peter Randall ’69, Louisa Borie Randall ’78, and Gib ’16

Alex Nalle ’11, Lucy Nalle ’83, Ethel Benson Nalle Wetherill ’42, Robert Hass ’16, Ellen Nalle Hass ’77, and John Hass ’12

Adrianna ’19, Brenna ’16, and Alyssa Isackman ’13

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Carly ’16 and Elliott Plotkin ’14

Taylor ’17, Hunter Ferry ’16, and Rosalie Hunter ’82

Sally ’22 and Maddie Megargee ’16

Shannon ’18 and Megan Karoly ’16

Andrew ’13 and Amelia MarcantonioFields ’16

Frazier ’14, Mercedes Reichner ’16, and Robin Reichner Franklin ‘72

Morgan ’20, Maia ’16, Melissa Blue Brown ’87, and Mikayla Brown ’21

Jacob ’16 and Luke Purcell ’19

Antonio ’15 and Alexandra Fiol-Mahon ’16

Bear Gardner ’15, Natalie ’16, and Carly Schwartz ’12

Seth ’13, Riley ’16, and Daylan ’08 Bakes

Kweli Archie ’89, Kieta Archie Young ’88, Bakari Porter ’16, Stephanie Franklin Suber ’75, Kay Tucker Franklin ’69, and Kai Franklin ’91

Caroline ’21 and Frankie Reitmeyer ’16

Tom J. ’79 and Thomas Trullinger ’16

Lexi ’16 and Kathy Byers Smilow ’79

Libby ’17 and MJ Jefferson ’16

Alexa ’16 and Lindsay Schwartz ’19

Remi ’16, Carlo ’20, and Sante Fillippini ’20

Gianna ’13 and Marissa Pownall ’16

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??

??

??

? ?

??

? ?

??

??

DO YOU KNOW THEM?

BE THE FIRST TO SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER AND WIN AN ALUMNA/ALUMNUS GIFT! Here’s what we need to know: Who’s in it? What are they doing? When did it happen? Send your responses to Deidra Lyngard, SCHOOL editor, at dlyngard@sch.org or call 215-754-1616 and we’ll publish your reminiscences in our next issue.

From Pam von Seldeneck Harris ’81: “The mystery photo is boys from the CHA class of 1981 including Jeff Kise, Scott McCurdy, Pat O’Donnell, Kevin Young, Derek Higgins, Peter Day, Jay Land, Jon Gray, John Harbison, Bob Simmons, Tucker Moodey, John Barroll and David Pope as the caboose. Unfortunately, I can’t tell who the boy is covering his face. They’re riding on the ‘yunk mobile’ so I’m sure that Glenn Barrie is in the driver’s seat. By the looks of their outfits, it is graduation so timing would be June 1981.”

From Scott McCurdy ’81: “That is us right after getting our diplomas.

We are all on Glenn Barrie’s VW truck in the Cricket Club parking lot.”

This photo remains a mystery.

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by all accounts, sch day 2016 was a great start to a new sch fund tradition. for 26 hours, we celebrated our community through posts to the school’s social media outlets, videos, photos, and, of course, gifts to the school, which this year totaled $40,544 and represented 290 new donations.

THE DAY IN STATS T

T

5453

14

Testimonial videos submitted by students and faculty T

Visits to the SCH Day web page

T

67

2202

Tweets to #schimpact

T

Video views

T

31

Instagram posts

291 Likes on 15 Facebook posts

AND IN IMAGES

school

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID LANGHORNE, PA PERMIT NO. 118

the magazine of springside chestnut hill academy

STNUT H

I AC

RINGSID

E

LL

E CH

ADEMY

SP

ATHLETIC OF

C O N VO C AT I O N

20 1 6 S E P T E M B E R 1 6 t h

BANQUET

OCTOBER TWENTY-FIRST

2016

HOME COMING

SATURDAY

OCTOBER

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500 West Willow Grove Avenue • Philadelphia, PA 19118-4198 • 215-247-4700/7200

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