News and Notes
Two MFS Students Receive National Recognition in YES Competition Darshak Thosani ’11 and current senior Eva Gelernt were named Regional Finalists in the College Board’s 2011 Young Epidemiologist Scholarship (YES) Competition. They were among 60 students nationwide selected to attend the YES National Event from April 15-18 in Washington, D.C. MFS was one of only three schools nationwide to have more than one student named a finalist in this prestigious competition. Thosani’s project was titled: “Farmers' Markets to Diabetes and Obesity: A Comparative Study.” Gelernt’s project was titled: “Let Sleeping Pets Lie: A Cross-sectional Study of Pet Ownership and Caretaking and Sleeping Problems.” The Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition for original student research is designed to inspire talented students to investigate the many behavioral, biological, environmental, and social factors that affect health and, based upon this knowledge, to identify ways to improve the health of the public.
MFS Wins Elementary Science Olympiad In May, MFS hosted and won the New Jersey Science Olympiad Elementary School Division (Grades 4-6) tournament, finishing tops among 13 competing schools. The MFS Elementary Science Olympiad competitors were sixth graders: Jack Burrows, Chiara Cocelli, Vishal Doshi, Margaux Fox, Andrew Lin, Marcel Nelson, Alyssa Runyan, Piercson Sheehan, Tyler Stolzenberger and Alexis Watson. The fifth grade students on the team were: Jonathan D’Souza, Max Hajduk, Michael Pansius, Katie Paw, Alec Ryden and Navarrow Wright. MFS Middle School science teacher/coaches who worked with the students were Deborah Bruvik and Chuck Blatherwick.
THE FOX DEN Boys Tennis Garners Third Straight Non-Public B South Title Moorestown Friends School captured the NJSIAA Non-Public B South in May with a 3-2 victory over St. Rose of Belmar in the championship match. It capped an incredible run by Coach Mike Bodary's team, seeded fourth, which won three consecutive 3-2 matches to earn the program's third consecutive sectional title. They first downed #5 seed Ranney School and followed that victory with an upset of #1 seed Wardlaw-Hartridge.
The 2011 boys tennis team celebrates after their championship match victory. Founding Boys Lacrosse Coach Steve Yingling Retires Steve Yingling, who founded the MFS boys lacrosse program in 2002, retired at the conclusion of a successful 10-4 season which saw the team qualify for the Friends Schools League playoffs and NJSIAA playoffs. At Varsity Night he was presented with a plaque recognizing his service to the program filled with photos from his past teams. His 2011 team achieved the second highest win total in the 10-year history of the program. Jake O’Donnell ’11 and Greg Yingling ’11 surpassed the career 100-point milestone during the 2011 season.
Senior Fencer Named All-State Claire Ponticello ’11 was named First Team AllState Women’s Foil by the New Jersey Interscholastic Fencing Association. The two-year captain plans to continue her fencing career at Duke University. She finished fourth in foil at the state championships last season. 2