Connections Summer 2018
MA GAZI NE OF T HE EPIS CO PAL ACADEM Y
ENGINEERING THE FUTURE p.18
RETIRING FACULTY & STAFF p.24
ALUMNI AWARD HONOREES p.28
E D I TOR I AL T E A M Connections, the magazine of The Episcopal Academy, is published three times per year. We encourage readers to submit feedback, stories, and photos from your days at Episcopal. Alumni can also submit personal and professional updates and photos to be included in a future issue by visiting episcopalacademy.org/classnotes. The Episcopal Academy 1785 Bishop White Drive Newtown Square, PA 19073 Office of Communications 484.424.1478 mgodin@episcopalacademy.org Office of Alumni Engagement 484.424.1772 lmaloney@episcopalacademy.org Editor-in-Chief: Michele Godin Contributing Editors: Courtney Brinkerhoff-Rau P ’16 ’19 Kate LaBrake Stephanie Ottone Nancy S. Taylor, Hon. Contributing Photographers: Michael Leslie Mark Tassoni Doug Benedict Courtney Brinkerhoff-Rau P ’16 ’19 Lower School Photography Club
New academic department will focus on computational thinking, the engineering design process, digital literacy, and digital citizenship.
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Design: Open Haus Studio Production: The Chambers Group
CONTENTS
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Snapshots Features
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David McCullough Inspires Students Renowned author and historian visits EA
Celebrating Five Years of JTerm
4 Passions STEM From Learning 16 Budding Photographers 40 Dancing the Night Away
Experiential learning program thrives
Departments
Q&A with Author David Langfitt ’75
2 T.J.’s Take
New suspense thriller hits bookshelves
Engineering the Future New Computer Science & Engineering department announced
221 Years of Service Retiring faculty and staff leave lasting impact
Celebrating Our Alumni Honoring alumni award winners and Hall of Fame inductees
6 By the Numbers 7 Around the Green 32 From the Sidelines 36 From the Stage & Studio 42 Class Notes 61 The Last Word
T. J. ’ S TA K E
The Role of Computer Science in a Liberal Arts Education
More and more, the smartest, most forward-thinking schools are recognizing that we need to teach more coding in schools. Its benefits are numerous: Coding is a form of literacy, teaches problem-solving skills, and gives students an edge to succeed in tomorrow’s technology-driven knowledge economy. For these reasons and so many more, I was excited about the possibility of strengthening our computer science curriculum at Episcopal. I was even more thrilled when 23 of our teachers, administrators, and staff formed a Computer Science Study Group to do just that.
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As you will read in our cover story, our Computer Science Study Group examined the best practices in computer science education and provided recommendations for how to best prioritize the discipline at Episcopal. When they presented their findings to me in January after eight months of research and planning, I was both blown away by their efforts and surprised at how limited my own understanding of the discipline had previously been. Like many, I held the misconception that the study of computer science was primarily about coding. I came to learn that coding is actually only one component of the much larger discipline. By focusing solely on teaching coding languages, we would not only risk our students learning a language that could be obsolete by the time they graduate—we would also limit their opportunities to explore the discipline’s diverse range of other interests, from robotics, to entrepreneurship, to engineering. The Computer Science Study Group believed that the best way to equip our students for future success would be to expand our current computer science offerings in the areas above through a comprehensive Computer Science and Engineering academic department. I am proud to say that we will launch this department in 2018. To me, the most exciting aspect of our new department is not the technological skills our students will acquire. Instead, I most look forward to seeing how students grow intellectually from a discipline that fits beautifully with Episcopal’s longstanding commitment to the virtues of a classical liberal arts education. It may sound counterintuitive to connect a new, seemingly technical discipline like computer science to our longstanding tradition of liberal arts. However, educators across the country have found that the two go hand-in-hand. Just as how learning a new language teaches students logic, improves memory, and teaches cognitive problem solving, the study of computer science teaches students how to think critically, master effective and safe communication, solve problems efficiently and creatively, and engineer thoughtful solutions. These overarching lessons not only strengthen our students’ grasp of computer science—they make our students better thinkers across disciplines.
This mirrors what we have long recognized at Episcopal. We have seen time and again that when students learn to write well in English class, they will make better arguments in math, develop greater connections to formulas in science, and construct more thoughtful compositions in art. We are confident that expanded computer science opportunities will strengthen and enrich this interdisciplinary experience, as students use transferrable lessons like algorithmic thinking to enhance other areas of study. The new department’s mission also fits in with Episcopal’s character-focused curriculum. Just as our faculty demonstrate our school’s commitment to character by offering lessons in service or The Stripes, our students of every division will grow as respectful individuals by using digital tools effectively, safely, and responsibly through learning about digital literacy and citizenship. As communication and human relationships continue to shift to the digital world, these skills will be more essential than ever before. Our school’s path to this moment has been long. Even today, our students and faculty benefit from the terrific work of our excellent team of technology coaches, coordinators, and faculty. I look forward to seeing how our existing efforts are bolstered by our new department’s singular vision, and I appreciate that we have been purposeful and steady in our approach to building our program. It is because of these efforts that our new Computer Science and Engineering department will be squarely aligned with the mission of our school and the needs of our students. I could not be prouder of the work our Computer Science Study Group has already done to get us this far in the department’s development, and I cannot overstate my excitement to see how our new courses challenge and inspire the next generation of bold, responsible, and forward-thinking leaders. Preparing our students for successful lives beyond EA is what our school has done for over two centuries, and it is what will continue to drive our work in the future.
Dr. T.J. Locke Greville Haslam Head of School
Summer 2018
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PASSIONS STEM FROM LEARNING
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After delivering a riveting lecture about the neuroscience behind good and bad behavior, Dr. Robert Sapolsky visited biology classrooms to further discuss his research. One of the leading neuroscientists in the world, Dr. Sapolsky is a professor of Biology and Neurology at Stanford University, a research associate with the Institute of Primate Research Museums of Kenya, recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, and author. He served as the keynote speaker for the newly-established Clare Foundation STEM Speakers Series, which aims to expose students and faculty to dynamic, innovative, and creative thought leaders across a range of STEM areas and sectors. This year, the series also welcomed leading physicists, statisticians, molecular biologists, and chemists.
Summer 2018
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By the Numbers
S T UDENT ACHIEV EM ENT S IN 2018
Whether in the classroom, on the fields, in the community, or on the stage, our students work hard to make their mark. Check out just a few of their many impressive achievements from this past school year.
ACADEMICS
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ARTS
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1st place awards at science competitions
robotics team members won multistate competition
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Main Line Students of the Week
outsmarted 7 college teams at math competition
scholarship to Apple Worldwide Developers Conference
Independence Award nominations for Grease
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scholastic art & writing awards
ATHLETICS
4 Inter-Ac championships
89 named to All-Inter-Ac teams
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theater awards
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named to All-State orchestra
SERVICE
32 seniors to play college sports
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Main Line Student Athletes of the Week
7 named UPenn Germination Fellows
1 Prudential Spirit of Community winner
5 advanced to Future Business Leaders of America national competition
Students contribute hundreds of hours of service to 16 community partner organizations
AROUND THE GREEN
Lower School
PreK Students Welcome Visitors to Putumayo Museum Putumayo was originally a world music program that was established to introduce people to the music of the world’s culture. EA’s PreK teachers expanded the idea to complete a cross-curricular country study. Over four weeks, students “traveled” to different countries to learn about history, music, food, animals, and clothing with a focus on Australia, Greece, England, Bolivia, Egypt, China, and Costa Rica. Students then worked on projects to display in their museum. “I liked how my mom and dad were so surprised when they saw my Pharaoh headdress,” said George Wentz. “The best part was stamping my mom’s and my grandparents’ passports,” explained Annie Old. Students also used their art and design skills to build cardboard airplanes to “fly” to each exhibit. “I liked zooming around to all the countries with my grandma in my airplane,” shared Ellie McGarry.
Students across Lower School raised $5,716 during this year’s Read-a-thon. The proceeds were donated to St. James School in Philadelphia and St. Marc’s School in Haiti.
What Does it Mean to be Free? Fourth graders opened their annual Freedom Museum to students and parents this spring. They spent several months exploring the question of what it means to be free and designing their museum. “I liked studying the Underground Railroad the best,” said Ryann Newcomb. “I feel like even though there was the Revolutionary War and the Patriots were fighting for freedom, there are still people in America who are not free.” This year’s galleries highlighted the American Revolution, Underground Railroad, and World War II. “I learned about World War II and about the women who helped save people during the Holocaust,” shared Reggie King. “It’s a good experience to learn how to do presentations and research. Everything we learned about is important because it’s American history. We need to know what our country is built on,” explained Ryann.
An especially snowy winter made for a fantastic sledding season this year!
The LS Ensemble Club visited a local retirement community to share music with residents and to pass out greeting cards made by students.
Summer 2018
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AROUND THE GREEN
Middle School
Celebrating Black History Month with Activist Nyle Fort Minister and activist Nyle Fort was the featured speaker in Chapel in celebration of Black History Month. Mr. Fort shared the story of abolitionist and statesman Frederick Douglass who learned to read as a 12-year-old and went on to start an underground school and eventually escaped slavery. “We are all free today because of the courage of Frederick Douglass who fought for what is right,” shared Mr. Fort. He encouraged students to stay engaged and offered recommendations that he says can make a true difference.
An Evening with the Emperors Eighth graders and parents gathered for an “Evening with the Emperors” this spring as a part of a yearlong study of infamous Roman emperors. For the second trimester, students researched and constructed Roman coins and monuments to celebrate their emperors. In memory of the late Warren and Linda Smith, Hon., a prize in their name was awarded this year to the team with the Best Coin. An impressive collection of rare coins donated to EA by the Smith family was on display during the event.
Head of Middle School Steve Morris, Hon. was treated to a surprise lunch with students and faculty on the Clark Campus Green. He will return to teaching full-time next year.
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Learning About STEM at Penn State Brandywine Fifteen 7th grade girls attended the Penn State Brandywine STEM Options Day in May. “The event is designed to give girls a day of exploration and discovery in STEM-related topics and careers,” said Middle School Science Teacher Celeste Sweeney. The workshop included breakout sessions led by successful women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields and offered students time in the lab. “It was an engaging, astounding lab that taught me a great amount and has made me have an interest in medical research,” shared Kate Smith ‘23.
This year marked EA’s ninth year of Mix It Up Day. The focus this year was “Look past our blindspots to gain insight into others.”
Students shared their ideas for changing the world “in small doses, one at a time” during this year’s Think-Care-Act Project (TCAP) Fair.
AROUND THE GREEN
Upper School Jessica Hao and R.J. Glaser Named Inaugural Lilley Fellows The Lilley Fellowship provides students with a unique opportunity to pursue an academic passion through an independent, in-depth project. “After learning about the cardiovascular system during the Body Systems JTerm course, I will further explore the causes and treatment of bacteria-induced atherosclerosis,” explained Jessica Hao ’19. Inspired by his JTerm trip to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, R.J. Glaser ’19 will design a model house and develop blueprints for cost-effective housing for the community. “I saw all of the dilapidated homes and abandoned buildings,” explained R.J. “This is where I really thought it would be nice to help rebuild, or come up with a way to help the community.”
Math Duo Wins Regional College Competition
Top Awards for Science Students The EA chapter of the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) won 18 first place awards at the PJAS Regional Meet in February and 10 first place awards at the State Meet in May. Yvonne Chen, ‘21 and Raunaq Singh, ‘20 earned the rare distinction of Perfect Score Awards. Students conducted complex research in the areas of biochemistry, genetics, bioinformatics, enzymology, physiology, chemistry, computer science, evolution, environmental science, physics, and neuroscience.
Students raised over $50,000 for CHOP’s Spina Bifida Research Program during this year’s DancEAthon.
Over spring break, Jacob Viscusi ‘19 and Neera Raychaudhuri ‘20 tackled complex mathematical problems at The Pennsylvania and Delaware Section of the Mathematical Association of America regional conference. They competed against seven other teams, each comprised of at least four college undergraduates. “After winning the competition, a surreal feeling came over me, as what we had done began to sink in,” said Jacob. “ I didn’t think we would place, let alone exit victorious!” Neera shared, “We are challenged in class on a daily basis, so we didn’t panic when faced with hard problems in this contest.”
This year’s National Merit Finalists were recognized in Chapel in March. Finalists include: Schuyler Kresge, Elias Lindgren, Samantha Macrides, Katie Munyan, Emma Sargent, and Josh Wang.
AP Art History students were jumping with joy after their recent tour of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Summer 2018
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David McCullough Inspires Students
By Courtney Brinkerhoff-Rau
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian David McCullough visited The Episcopal Academy to share more about his background, his research and writing methods, and his take on education, history, and the human spirit. Mr. McCullough’s special presentation was the first in the newly-established Walter W. Buckley, Jr. ’55 American History Lecture Series. After speaking to Upper School students, faculty, the Buckley family, and other special guests in the Class of 1944 Chapel, Mr. McCullough visited with Upper School history classes and hosted an open forum during which students had the opportunity to ask him questions about his work. During his Chapel Talk, Mr. McCullough recalled his work as an English major in college. “I had no idea I wanted to write history when I graduated from college,” he shared. “The process of learning does not end with the commencement from college. It’s just getting started.” He also shared some important advice with students, many of whom are preparing to enter college in the coming years. “Do not pass by the liberal arts in your education. It’s so easy to say, I’ll major in this, or I’ll major in that because that is where the jobs are,” observed Mr. McCullough. “Education has to do with the human condition.” 10
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Mr. McCullough went on to speak about the importance of history in all of our lives. “No matter what line of work you choose, history will serve you all of your life. And once you get embedded in the joy of history, you will want to know more and more and more. That’s one of the miracles of the human mind. Curiosity is accelerative like gravity. The more you know, the more you want to know, and may it always be so.” Noble Brigham ’20 was impressed by the Chapel Talk and was grateful for the amazing opportunity to meet the renowned historian. “Mr. McCullough had a great sense of humor and for someone so significant, was surprisingly modest. I think that every student, not just those interested in history, enjoyed his visit.” “I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to hear Mr. McCullough’s inspiring and insightful message,” shared Elle Ruggiero ’18. “Throughout his discussion, he reinforced the indispensable value of a good education, opening our eyes to the importance of a firm understanding of our history, and the power of a mastery of the English language.” Mr. McCullough published his first book in 1968 about The Johnstown Flood. “If I knew all about the subject I was embarking on, I wouldn’t want to write the book,” he shared.
“For me, writing the book is an adventure. It’s a journey. It’s putting my feet on a continent I have never been to before. Once I got going, I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I loved it.” Through conducting in-person interviews and immersing himself in letters, diaries, and memoirs, Mr. McCullough brings history alive for his readers. His most recent book focused on the Wright brothers, and he is currently working on a book about American pioneers in the Northwest Territory. “People ask me how much time do I spend doing research and how much time do I spend writing. But it leaves something very important out. How much time do I spend thinking?” he explained. “Thinking about the research, thinking about these characters, and never passing by the secondary characters because very often they are the ones you can learn the most from.” “History is not just about war and politics, though war and politics are a big part of it, and history is not about memorizing dates or quotations or statistics. It’s about the experience of people who went before us who were just as real, just as alive, just as human as we are. And who knew a lot more in many ways than we know,” said Mr. McCullough. He went on to explain that history is part of art, music, medicine, and science. He encouraged students to
think about history as it relates to human achievements and experiences. He shared that there is so much we can learn from those who went before us and failed. We should question why they failed and why some others succeeded. Mr. McCullough closed by urging students to truly appreciate their teachers. “Our teachers are doing the most important work of anybody in our civilization, anybody in our country, because they are shaping the oncoming generations.” “When asked about our nation’s future, he answered with wholehearted optimism, telling us that our generation exhibits the necessary drive, persistence, and ability to incite a positive change,” said Elle. “He inspired us to pursue our passions and to never stop learning. His lecture provided the Episcopal community with a scholarly perspective, intertwining the past, present, and future.” “The students connected with him, because he connected with them,” shared US History Chair Chuck Bryant, Hon. “It is no wonder one of our students gave him a hug after the small group meeting! A David McCullough lecture is not simply an opportunity to hear from America’s historian, but also a chance to connect, on a very human level, with a man whose passion for history, the English language, and especially people is as prodigious as is his research and writing.”
“ Throughout his discussion, he reinforced the indispensable value of a good education, opening our eyes to the importance of a firm understanding of our history, and the power of a mastery of the English language.”
Summer 2018
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Celebrating Five Years of JTerm This year marked the fifth anniversary of EA’s January Term (JTerm). The groundbreaking program allows Upper School students to experience engaging, rigorous courses in great depth. Upon returning from the holiday break, students and teachers immerse themselves in two weeks of intensive study of interdisciplinary subjects, international cultures, and exciting industries. This year, students traveled the globe, studied new crafts, and served their communities, locally and abroad.
The places they visited • South Africa
• Jamaica
• Haiti
• New York
• England
• Alabama
• France
• Arizona
The lessons they learned
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• How to process a crime scene
• How to transform your diet
• How to build and play a guitar
• How to prepare for a trial
• How to plan a fundraiser event
• How to produce a podcast
The passions they discovered • Photography
• Meditation
• Architecture
• Screenwriting
• Visual arts
• Engineering
• Journalism
• Medicine
Summer 2018
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Q&A with Author David Langfitt ’75 David Langfitt ’75, Partner at The Locks Law Firm in Philadelphia, has practiced complex commercial litigation for 26 years. His legal expertise was instrumental in the development of his debut novel, Winnabow, a crime suspense thriller that follows lawyer Peyton Sorel as she works a massive securities case that uncovers an ongoing criminal enterprise. The plot leads her into the path of a talented fixer for a South American drug cartel who descends on coastal North Carolina as if out of a pandora’s box blown in by the wind. They collide in the high society of Wilmington, North Carolina and the wilderness of Winnabow, a working rice plantation on the Cape Fear River. Head of School Dr. T.J. Locke sat down with David to learn more about his writing process and what inspired him.
What inspired you to write this book?
What do you feel brought this thriller to life?
The things I do every day as a lawyer. Years ago I did an enormous amount of work recovering money on behalf of investors who were defrauded by a Ponzi scheme. The misuse of a legitimate business for criminal purposes was fascinating to see. We picked it apart and exposed its inner workings. The experience was both extraordinarily disturbing and informative about how the human mind can come up with these schemes.
Plot, pacing, and characters. The narrative is a simple story of good and evil, but set in quite complicated modern times. It is designed to build into a crescendo. It begins with two seemingly disparate stories that converge and tighten into a braid. Along the way, the reader is introduced to the malevolent Leandro Dufau as he marks out a path through the Cape Fear region, and Peyton, whose own investigation leads her to Leandro. It’s pretty clear around page 100 that this will be a collision. As the narrative develops, the basic nature and motivations of the two characters are revealed to the reader. Both are extraordinarily talented and driven, but poles apart in fundamental ways. Leandro is, I suppose, a sociopath unrestrained by any sense of morality; he’s getting his work done. Peyton is a high-minded, clear-eyed lawyer and mother of two who knows exactly what to do and when to do it. It’s an incendiary mix.
Who did you have in mind as your main audience? People who like sophisticated thrillers and specifically my wife, Margaret, and my daughter, Barbara (EA ’12 and UPenn ’16). Like my wife, Peyton Sorel is a determined woman with a very clear-eyed view of what is right and wrong, so I think female readers will thoroughly enjoy the story. I wanted to write a thriller that was both literary and relentless in its pacing. If I could hold my wife and daughter, I suspected it would succeed. Both have an acute ear and eye for things that work and things that don’t. They test-read it for me and were very helpful throughout the writing process.
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Did you know how the story would end as you were developing those story lines? Not at first, no. I knew who would prevail, and that it would be ambiguous and temporary, like modern life. But I did not know the ending as it is written today. The narrative took on a life of its own and forced me to solve the puzzle and make it work. At one point, the story ended far earlier in the narrative. My editor, Allen Peacock, read what I thought was a near-final manuscript and told me the story was way too short, which is funny, because many people flinch when they see it’s 527 pages. Allen pushed me on that and told me to develop it in a way the narrative deserved. He was right. I am grateful for that advice and pleased with the ending. You go into so much detail about specific content areas. How do you know so much about these areas? As a lawyer and an investigator, I developed a pretty detailed understanding of money laundering, bank fraud, and white-collar crime. I also worked directly with a brilliant forensic accountant, Ricardo Zayas, who is a former IRS/ DOJ investigator. He’s in the book, the smartest character by far. On the drug business side, I assure you I have no direct experience; all of it was entirely made up based on the reading I did about drug transportation by Carlos Leder and George Jung in the 1970s and 1980s through Norman’s Cay in the Bahamas. I have spent many winters in Great Exuma and Eleuthera, so I’m keenly aware of the landscape and how Leder and Jung did what they did. What made you base the story in North Carolina? Wilmington, North Carolina is my wife’s hometown. Her family has been there for 200 years. At times, it seems like she’s related by blood or marriage to half the people on the east side of the Cape Fear River. Winnabow, the plantation, is a real place, but by a different name. It was once a rice planation and is now a hunting and equestrian property on the west side of the river. It’s a very dynamic location where water and land meet, and there is wildlife everywhere, much of it pretty dangerous if one does not know what one is doing. I chose to make it a character within the narrative. Things happen there. The title is no accident.
Summer rEAding
In Three Days Roger Colley ’56
The Monarch of Tall Pines Pool Rick Crecraft ’68
Which writers have inspired you the most? In the thriller genre, there are two writers I really admire. Fredrick Forsyth, whose first and best book was The Day of the Jackal. I read it as a teenager and, to this day, adore the narrative, the style, and pacing. It inspired Winnabow. Mr. Forsyth was a journalist who worked in and around Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War in the 1960s. He met English mercenaries there who became the basis for the Jackal, so he drew from direct experience, and his writing style is simple and clear. The second writer is another journalist named Thomas Harris who wrote The Silence of the Lambs. I’ve read every one of his books. What I admire most is his clean, easy style of writing. It feels like he is speaking to the reader as he writes. None of the language gets in the way of the story, and it moves quickly. That’s what I tried to achieve in Winnabow. How long did it take you to finish Winnabow? I had the outline of the story in my head about 10 years ago. I started writing in earnest six years before publication. I started and stopped, worked at night or in the early hours of the morning. I finished it around two years ago and then spent a lot of time polishing and tightening the writing. What advice do you have for young, aspiring writers? Read. Read as much as you possibly can. Read things you like. Read things you feel teach you something. And come back to them. Read them time and time again. For example, every four or five years, I read Huckleberry Finn and find something new, a new page or observation that jumps out, something new about the way Mark Twain allows the thought patterns and behavior of characters move the plot, things like that. It’s always a little different every time I read it. What are you most proud of about Winnabow? That people love it. It’s meant to be popular fiction, and so far it’s succeeding. Can readers expect a sequel? Absolutely. I’m 100 pages into it.
Looking for some other great fictions this summer? Check out these additional novels written by Episcopal alumni.
The Heart of the Order Theo Schell-Lambert ’00
The Carriage House Louisa Hall ’00
Speak Louisa Hall ’00
Summer 2018
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BUDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS
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Each spring, Lower School students have the opportunity to enhance their artistic skills through the Photography Club. During weekly, after-school meetings, LS Spanish Teacher and Freelance Photographer Lindsay McAvoy helps to teach techniques and poses photography challenges. “The tricky and fun part about coaching the students is that I want them to follow their artistic eye and intuition while I simply offer my opinion as a photographer,” explained Ms. McAvoy. “The students do a great job of trusting their gut while taking pointers to try something out and see if it vibes with their style. Each student has a unique eye and all are very talented.” Photo credits: 5th graders Nelly Hartmann, Muriel FitzKaltenmeier, Matt Limaye, Molly Ott, Caroline Powell, Quinn Whitaker, and Carter Yearley
Summer 2018
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ENGINEERING THE FUTURE New Computer Science and Engineering Department offers students the skills to succeed in tomorrow’s changing world. By Kate LaBrake
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“I could actually teach my entire class without any iPads or computers,” remarked Christian Cloud. Coming from most teachers, this assertion would not be too out of the ordinary. But coming from Cloud—the Lower School Technology Coordinator who teaches children as young as four the essentials of coding—it’s surprising. That is, until he elaborates. “So many people think that technologybased classes teach our kids hands-on tech skills,” he explained. “They don’t— or that’s just a part of it. Instead, classes like mine teach kids new ways of solving problems and designing solutions. While this is the core of a lot of technology, you don’t need to use technology to learn this.” This way of thinking that optimizes problem solving is known as “computational thinking,” and it is the foundation of many of today’s emerging jobs in the lucrative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. It is also one of the four core competencies of The Episcopal Academy’s new Computer Science and Engineering Department. Beginning in September 2018, the Computer Science and Engineering (CS&E) Department will expand Episcopal’s current academic offerings in a comprehensive, PreK-12 program. And while students will learn a wide range of technological skills, the true lessons—computational thinking, the engineering design process, digital literacy, and digital citizenship—are applicable across disciplines. Arriving at these core competencies required months of research. Envisioning their implementation required expertise. And laying the foundation of the CS&E Department required a true community effort.
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“The diversity of the group speaks to the fact that computer science is really a part of everything,” Matt reflected. Over the next six months, the Computer Science Study Group would conduct exhaustive research, from reading peer-reviewed articles to interviewing computer science professionals and college professors. Professors noted the need for computer science coursework at the high school level as a method of teaching critical problem solving skills. Almost all agreed that computational thinking is a skillset that transcends disciplines and is the best benefit of a well-designed computer science program. According to Bob Harper, Computer Science Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, “There is a crying need for computation as a discipline, teaching problem-solving skills, the beauty of programming, computational thinking, and integrating it into the curriculum.”
A New Kind of Study Group In March 2017, faculty and staff were invited to participate in a Computer Science Study Group, dedicated to examining computer science and technology offerings at EA, researching best practices in schools across the country, and prescribing ways to strengthen EA’s program. “The field of computer science is growing exponentially,” explained Upper School Computer Science Teacher Matt Memmo, Hon., who served alongside Christian Cloud as the Computer Science Study Group Co-Chair. “There were so many schools building their computer science programs and we knew it was important to get on board.” “I joined [the Study Group] and applied for the chair position because I think we have a great opportunity at EA to affect change in this field,” expressed Cloud. “With a dedicated group, I thought we could accomplish something great together.” The group was dedicated—and diverse. Its 23 self-selected members represented virtually every area of the school, spanning the liberal arts to math; history to technology; communications to advancement staff; faculty to administration.
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While exploring the professional realm, Study Group members noted several trends among hirers of computer science professionals. Time and again, recruiters expressed the need to find candidates who are good problem solvers and programmatic thinkers. If candidates displayed those characteristics, recruiters felt that the actual technical skills would follow. This was an especially important point, as many of the technical skills that students may need in their future careers—or even the careers themselves—may not yet exist. According to the World Economic Forum, at least 65% of the careers that today’s children will someday fill have not yet been invented. In addition, when executives from top companies were polled about the most important skills needed for tomorrow’s careers, the number one answer was “problem solving,” the basis of computational thinking. The Computer Science Study Group also visited 12 peer schools across the country, from Palo Alto to Andover. Nine of the 12 schools implemented a fully developed, grade 6-12 or K-12 computer science program. Half had computer science departments with full-time faculty. All schools stressed the importance of teaching computer science as a way of developing problem-solving skills.
A Look Within In addition to examining the external environment, the Study Group researched Episcopal’s history of computer science and current offerings. The dawn of EA’s computer science coursework dates back to the 1960s, when students learned BASIC (Beginners All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code), a programming code developed in the early days of computing. In the 1980s, these lessons expanded to include the current technological trends: Pascal, C++ and Java, and Logo. Lower Schoolers had scheduled lab time to learn computer skills like word processing.
and tech skills are critical to students’ success in tomorrow’s global economy. Additionally, the vast majority of respondents believed that EA currently focuses too little on computer science. The group also found a sharp gender divide. Only 9% of Upper School girls take or have taken a computer science course at Episcopal, compared to 26% of boys. From an even greater perspective, only 18% of computer science majors in the United States are women.
Coursework continued to grow with technology. By the 2000s, Upper School students learned programming, design, and video production, and had the opportunity to take computer science courses at the AP level. Middle and Lower School curriculum expanded as well, with lessons in RobotC and Scratch. Today, the Lower School’s brightly-colored IDEA Studio is a dedicated space for some of our youngest learners to develop computer sciencerelated skills. The Middle and Upper School boast robotics teams, numerous electives, two AP courses, and student groups. Teachers learn about technology through on-site professional development and in-service days. Technology coaches work with teachers to build computer science into lessons. While Episcopal certainly offers many computer science options, there is no comprehensive program or dedicated department. Students, faculty, parents, and alumni agreed that there is room to grow. When surveyed in May 2017, 92% of parents, 87% of alumni, and 78% of faculty agreed that knowledge of computer science, coding,
Computer Science’s Core Components Many assume that computer science coursework teaches only technological skills such as coding or robotics. While hands-on skills are valuable in themselves, the true cornerstones of computer science—computational thinking, the engineering design process, digital literacy, and digital citizenship—can be applied to many areas of life. CO MPU TAT I O N A L T HIN K IN G Computational thinking is a problemsolving process that is both essential to the development of computer applications, as well as useful in supporting problem solving across all disciplines. Those who master computational thinking learn how to break down large, often complex problems through four quadrants: • Decomposition: Breaking down data, processes, or problems into smaller, manageable parts • Pattern Recognition: Observing the data’s patterns, regularities, and trends • Abstraction: Identifying the general principles that generate these patterns • Algorithm Design: Developing stepby-step instructions for solving this and similar problems.
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A Solid Foundation Through compiling and analyzing their exhaustive research, the Computer Science Study Group arrived at a clear recommendation to strengthen Episcopal’s offerings: the creation of an inclusive, PreK-12 computer science and engineering academic department. While it should offer comprehensive curricula in a diversity of skillsets, all courses should be grounded in the four key areas that have been repeatedly tied to future success: computational thinking, the engineering design process, digital literacy, and digital citizenship. Like computational thinking, the engineering design process teaches students to solve problems strategically. “Engineering is intentionality in the physical world,” explained Teddy Mathisen ’02, Computer Science Study Group member, Teacher, and Robotics Coach. “The engineering design process teaches students how to build new solutions to problems in a step-by-step way.” Meanwhile, digital literacy and digital citizenship ensure that students know how to use electronic resources and tools both effectively and safely. These lessons begin early, asserts Study Group member, Middle School Technology Coordinator, and Robotics Coach Linda Lew, Hon. “Today’s
E NGI NEERI N G DE SI G N P R OC E SS The engineering design process is a series of steps that engineers use to lead to the solution to a problem. This solution often involves designing a product, such as a machine or code, which meets certain criteria or accomplishes a task. • Define the problem • Collect information • Brainstorm and analyze ideas • Develop solutions and build a prototype • Gather feedback • Test and improve the design
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young students are digital natives. They were raised with technology and use it at an early age. As they become increasingly social and active online, we want to ensure that they understand privacy and responsibility.” With the four foundational core competencies decided, the group created a mission to unify the new department: “To empower our community with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel at creative and collaborative problem solving and to produce responsible digital citizens who optimize the use of technological resources in order to address the future challenges of our global society.” In January 2018, nearly eight months after their initial meeting, the Computer Science Study Group presented its research and recommendations to the EA administration. By May, the Greville Haslam Head of School, Dr. T.J. Locke, officially announced the creation of the new Computer Science & Engineering academic department.
While the Computer Science and Engineering Department’s coursework does not begin until September, Matt’s positivity and openness are already evident. “I am most looking forward to seeing how we can welcome all students—not just those who are interested in AP-level courses,” said Memmo. “The skills gained from studying computer science and engineering prepare all students for the world they’re going to enter.” “So many of today’s jobs will be automated in the future,” added Cloud. “The careers we’re going to be left with are creators. That’s why computer science is important—we’re equipping students to be tomorrow’s creators; to solve problems on a global scale.” Learn more about Matt Memmo’s vision for the new Computer Science and Engineering Department on page 61.
A Vision for the Future In his announcement, Dr. Locke laid out a plan for the department’s September 2018 launch. This included two new Upper School electives, Principles of Engineering and Principles of Computer Science and CS Engineering, which will join the existing Introduction to Programming and Digital Video Production electives. The Upper School will also run additional sections of AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A – Java. The Middle School’s Tech 2.0 course, which focuses primarily on digital literacy and citizenship, will be joined by a new elective that focuses on computer science and engineering. The Lower School will also offer ageappropriate lessons in the foundational core competencies, as well as continuing its innovative projects like the Hour of Code and the All-School Build. The department will hire a new faculty member, bolster computer science-based professional development for faculty, and explore future courses and clubs to meet the changing needs of students. To chair the new department, EA’s administration selected none other than Computer Science Study Group Co-Chair Matt Memmo, who has been instrumental in Episcopal’s technology offerings since 2006. “Matt is a gifted teacher, advisor, and mentor who is well-loved by students for his positivity and engaging teaching style,” said Dr. Locke. “I am confident that Matt will bring this same positivity and openness to his new role as Department Chair.”
D I G I TA L L I T ERA CY Digital literacy is the ability to use technology to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information effectively. In studying digital literacy, students learn how to use applications ranging from word processors to cloud-based apps, evaluate sources, gain a foundational understanding of cookies and encryption, and more. Because our world is increasingly reliant on technology, digital literacy is a core competency that allows for full participation in our society. D I G I TA L CI T I ZEN SHIP Digital citizenship teaches students to act safely, responsibly, legally, and ethically in digital spaces. This includes learning about internet safety, cyberbullying, digital footprint and reputation, information literacy, privacy, and the proper ways to use social media.
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221
Years of Service The end of the school year marked the farewell for nine members of the EA community. This year’s retirees leave Episcopal with 221 years of combined service. Their contributions and dedication to the school community will be missed.
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For the last 44 years, Sharon Passarella has been among the first to arrive in the morning on campus. Most recently, Sharon worked as a Middle School Administrative Assistant where she greeted students, distributed lost and forgotten items, and kept tabs on student attendance. She has also lent her expertise to the Business Office, front desk, the Head of School’s office, Head Chaplain’s office, Health Services, and Community Outreach. Sharon has worked through and supported many of EA’s transitions, including co-education, the campus expansion to Devon, and the move to Newtown Square. Sharon will miss her friends and EA students, but she is looking forward to spending time with her beloved grandchildren. Many students and parents remember Dona Pearcy as the first person they met when exploring The Episcopal Academy. Dona launched her career at EA 38 years ago. After 10 years teaching Kindergarten, Dona was the admission associate on the Devon campus. For several years, she also served as Assistant Head of the Lower School at Devon. Since the move to Newtown Square, Dona has worked in the admission office with a focus on Lower School families. During her tenure, it is estimated that Dona has admitted more than 1,000 students to EA and taught nearly 200 during her teaching days. Dona and her husband, George, are looking forward to spending time with their five grandchildren and children, Jay ‘93 and Page ‘96. At the end of the last school year, Middle School Science Teacher Win Shafer moved to EA’s Facilities and Operations department to work on sustainability. This year Win has been busy helping the school move to a dual recycling program and getting EA’s composter back up and running. Win has also assessed the school’s waste output, carbon footprint, and energy and water consumption. For 38 years, Win was a passionate Middle School science teacher, mentor, advisor, and coach (squash, crew, ice hockey, and golf). Win is the father of Francie ’05 and Blake ’08.
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For the last 40 years, Sue Cannon has dedicated her career to teaching. Sue will retire after serving as an EA faculty member for 27 years. She has spent the last 16 years teaching Middle School English and history. She made the transition to Middle School after teaching 3rd grade for 11 years. Many of the Lower School traditions she helped initiate are still favorites for young students, including the annual trip to Ellis Island and the ancestor puppet project. Sue has worked tirelessly to empower students to think critically and has been a dedicated advisor for Model UN, Student Council, Debate, and Diversity Council. She also served as the Middle School Diversity Coordinator and started and grew the annual Mix It Up Day into a national model. Sue is moving to North Carolina to spend more time with her grandchildren, children (Lateef ’04), and friends. Student health and well-being have been the focus for Anne Ravreby for the last 27 years at EA. As the Director of Health Services, Anne has taken special care of EA students and has often been on the “sidelines� of various student events in case her medical skills are needed. She has maintained impeccable health records of students, coordinated health fairs and medical trainings, and has been a staunch advocate for student safety. Anne has been active in student life by serving as an advisor, chaperoning trips, and teaching health classes. Anne is looking forward to spending time with her family, especially her grandson, as well as traveling with her husband and doing more volunteer work. Nancy Taylor has developed close and important relationships over her 18 years at EA, especially with EA graduates. As an assistant in the Office of Institutional Advancement, Nancy has worked closely with the Alumni Society Board of Managers and on the annual Alumni Weekend festivities, with a special focus on classes celebrating their 50th reunions. Each year, she works tirelessly on the nostalgic 50th reunion Tabula for each class member. The Class of 1964 was so impressed with Nancy that they designated her an honorary member of their class. Nancy has also been responsible for collecting, organizing, and editing Class Notes for Connections. She has sent out so many Episcopal baby sweaters over the years, she has lost count. As Nancy shifts into retirement, she will spend more time with her grandchildren, travel, volunteer, and dedicate more hours to her beautiful needlework projects.
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221 Years of Service
Loving, kind, and nurturing are some of the adjectives many people use to describe Carol Leach. Carol’s nurturing touch has impacted her Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students over the last 11 years. Along with her passionate work in the classroom, Carol has served on the Lower School admission committee, long-range planning committee, and worked as a Lower School academic coordinator for social studies. Chapel and The Stripes have been an important part of Carol’s life and career at EA. After 43 years of teaching, Carol will join her husband in retirement. They are excited to launch the next chapter in their lives. Thomas Hunter has been keeping an eye on our students and community for the last 10 years as a dedicated Campus Safety Attendant. Always ready with a smile and high five, Thomas is often seen directing traffic and students in the busy crosswalk leading to and from Smith Stadium. Last year, Thomas was thrilled to have the Upper School yearbook dedicated to him. Students, parents, faculty, and staff will miss Thomas’s positive energy and joyfulness. Cassie Keith has dedicated the last eight years of her career to the Upper School Annenberg Library and EA archive. Cassie has been a diligent keeper of EA’s past and worked hard to organize and expand the school’s collection of historical artifacts. Cassie has also been a dedicated advisor. Over the years, she has attended countless athletic events, music and dance performances, and other activities to support her advisees. She has also been a highly sought-after resource for students and teachers. Cassie and her husband, Doug Keith ‘70, plan to to move back to New England to spend time with family and friends.
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During this year’s Alumni Weekend, EA honored an outstanding group of alumni. Visit the Alumni section of EA’s website for in-depth profiles of each Alumni Award recipient and Athletic Hall of Fame inductee.
2018 A LUM NI AWA RDS REC IPIENT S DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD
Albert M. Maguire ’78 Dr. Albert Maguire is a professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania, co-director of the retina service in the Division of Ophthalmology, and a clinical associate of the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. While attending Harvard Medical School, he became interested in developing treatments for retinal degenerative diseases and began a lifelong collaboration with his wife, Jean Bennett, M.D. PhD., to develop the foundation for ocular gene therapy. He pioneered the surgical techniques now used to deliver genes to the retina of various animal species and in humans. He has co-authored more than 100 peerreviewed articles, book chapters, and abstracts. He holds three patents, including one for gene therapy for retinal disease. Maguire was the first to inject both eyes in a gene therapy clinical trial. He has been the principal investigator of the only Phase-III gene therapy trial for an eye disease. This work has led to the first FDA-approved gene therapy drug (Luxterna) delivered in situ to human subjects.
ALUMNI AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN THE ARTS
Bruce F. Smith ’64 Bruce Smith is the author of six books of poems beginning with The Common Wages in 1983, winner of the W.H. Auden Prize. His second book, Silver and Information, was the winner of National Poetry Series. The Other Lover, from the University of Chicago in 2001, was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. His most recent book, Devotions, was a finalist for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the recipient of the 2012 William Carlos Williams Award from the Poetry Society of America. In 2010 he received an award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In addition, Smith has received a Guggenheim Fellowship as well as grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Arts. Smith is a founder and former co-editor of the Graham House Review, a national poetry magazine, and a contributing editor of Born Magazine. In 2014, Smith was named a Rome Prize Fellow at the American Academy in Rome for his “exemplary work and contribution to poetry.” Mr. Smith has taught at Tufts, Boston, Harvard, and Columbia and on the West Coast at Portland State and Lewis & Clark College. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Houston and joined the Creative Writing faculty at Syracuse in 2002 as a professor in the Department of English. He lives in Syracuse with his wife, the poet and editor, Jules Gibbs.
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ALUMNI COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
William B. Richards ’63 Because one of his two sons was born with cerebral palsy, Bill Richards has a devotion to Cerebral Palsy causes as well as to all children. Richards was chairman of the Paul Volcker’s Foundation and the co-chairman of the Governor’s Council Cerebral Palsy Americas Research Foundation. Its parent, the CP Alliance, is the largest private funder of research on cerebral palsy in the world. He served as a director of the Matheny School in New Jersey, which is a school and academic teaching hospital devoted to cerebral palsy and developmental disorders. Richards is a current board member for the Jamestown Foundation and has used his connections there to provide opportunities for EA students to attend Jamestown Foundation events and summits. Most recently, Richards helped arrange for a group of EA’s Military History students to attend such a conference in D.C. at which the National Security Advisor, H.R. McMaster, was the keynote speaker. He is an advisor to the Trident Group, which helps place former military personnel in the private sector. He is also a former board member of iMentor, which helps low-income youth achieve in education and beyond. YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD
Brynn E. Marks ’03 & Lauren B. Bobzin ’04 Dr. Brynn Marks’s story is one of overcoming life-threatening events and accomplishing much by her focus, resilience, and courage. While an undergraduate at Georgetown University, she was diagnosed with myocarditis (an inflammation of the heart). She had planned to attend medical school and become a doctor, but she began to question if her plan was viable. Encouraged by her mother, a pediatrician, she persevered. She graduated from Georgetown Magna Cum Laude with a major in psychology and a minor in cognitive neuroscience and went on to earn her medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University Medical School. Marks began her residency at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. Pushed to her limits by the 80-hour work weeks, an ordinary stomach bout impacted her cardiac status, resulting in the need for a transplant. After waiting almost a year, she received a healthy heart and returned to her studies. After completing her pediatric residency, she served as the assistant pediatric residency program director and as an attending physician in the endocrinology and weight management access clinics at Nemours/duPont. Marks is currently a pediatric endocrinology fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital. U.S. Marines Corps First Lieutenant Lauren Bobzin was an outstanding student and athlete at both EA and Harvard. After completing her undergraduate studies in economics, Bobzin accepted a job on Wall Street in trading. Never fully satisfied with her line of work, she turned her layoff in 2011 into a catalyst for a much-needed change. Recalling a college friend and her family’s history (her grandmother was a Bronze Star recipient in World War II), Bobzin completely shifted her plans and embarked on a career in the US Marine Corps by enrolling in its Officer Candidate School. When Hurricane Matthew ravaged the Caribbean in October 2016, Bobzin was one of 600 Marines who embarked on the USS Iwo Jima to aid 750,000 people in Haiti who were devastated by the storm that caused over 900 deaths. The mission was to provide support to those agencies on the ground actively working to alleviate suffering and prevent any additional loss of life. For Bobzin, one of the best things a person can do is to serve and to help others in need. Last year, she was the featured speaker at EA’s Edward H. Vick, Jr. ‘62 Veterans Day Chapel ceremony.
THANK YOU TO OUR SELECTION COMMITTEES! We would like to extend a special thank you to the members of this year’s selection committees for their time and efforts in selecting our winners and helping coordinate our celebration. The committees are chaired by Bill Rapp ’56, Mary French, Hon., and Jim Farrell ’82.
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2018
C E L E B R AT ING OUR A LUM NI
Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees 1979 Tennis Team The 1979 team got a strong start by beating Conestoga 7-0 in an early-season scrimmage and then defeated the tough JV college teams of Swarthmore and Haverford handily. EA continued to win Inter-Ac matches against Germantown Academy, 7-0, and Hill School, 5-2, and then soundly defeat archrival Haverford School, 6-1. The remarkable season continued with wins against Harriton (3-2), Chestnut Hill (7-0), and Radnor (7-0). Episcopal ultimately finished 5-0 in the Inter-Ac, 14-0 overall, and 31-4 in individual matches. George Shafer, Hon. considered this to be one of the best teams he had ever coached.
1985 Fall Cross Country Team The team got off to a quick start when they won the Philadelphia Textile Invitational. EA went on to dominate prior Inter-Ac champion Germantown Academy, and then defeat Penn Charter 15-46, Malvern Prep 19-46, and Chestnut Hill 15-50. In their last dual meet, the team faced the undefeated Haverford School. After shaking the single Haverford runner that trailed all seven Churchmen, EA’s team crossed the finish line simultaneously. EA competed in the Inter-Ac league championship undefeated, where it won the title against Malvern with an unprecedented 20 points. They also set a new Inter-Ac record when all seven runners won All-Inter-Ac honors.
2000 Girls Soccer Team Prior to EA’s first girls’ soccer team in 1999, many girls played on a boys’ team. In 2000, under the tutelage of Head Coach Julie Porter, the leadership of co-captains Elizabeth Pillion ‘01 and Katie (Spofford) Barrett ‘01, and the talent of stellar players, the team tied GA for the Inter-Ac title with a record of 7-1, scoring 31 goals while allowing only six with three shutouts and had a 13-5 overall record. For its efforts, the team received the Inter-Ac Sportsmanship Award and the Fair Play Award by the Eastern PA and Delaware Referee’s Association. Players contributed to nine Inter-Ac championship titles and five players were awarded the prestigious Girls Sportsmanship Award.
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The distinguished honor of being inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame has been presented since 2000. It is to honor those members of Episcopal’s community, students, coaches, teams, and others, who, by outstanding achievement or service, have made significant contributions to the athletic program at Episcopal.
Samuel D. Allen, Jr. ’54 Dr. Sam Allen was an outstanding athlete at EA, having earned 12 letters in four different sports. Playing center halfback in soccer, he was the lynchpin of a stalwart defense that led to the school’s first outright InterAc title in the fall of 1953. He was selected First Team All-Inter-Ac and named to the Philadelphia All-Scholastic Team. The captain of the 195354 basketball team, Allen was known for his strong rebounding skills and was awarded the 1929 Gold Basketball Award and was selected 2nd Team All-Inter-Ac. In baseball, he was a pitcher for three years and had a two-hit game his senior year. He joined the golf team as a freshman and was a major contributor to the team’s consecutive Inter-Ac titles in 1951 and 1952. Allen was also very involved in extracurricular activities serving as circulation manager of the Scholium, and as a member of the Tabula staff, Junto, Spirit Committee, Forestry Club, and Athletic Association. Allen continued to excel in athletics at Yale.
Frederic N. Dittmann ’71 Fred Dittmann was the most dominant and diversified athlete of the Class of 1971. In soccer, Dittmann played center halfback on a team captained by Hall-of-Fame player Dick Fenimore, and was selected All-Inter-Ac. As captain of the basketball team, he led EA’s first league co-championship in 38 years. He won the 1929 Gold Basketball Award, was voted First Team All-Main Line, and was selected All-Inter-Ac. In tennis, he was a stalwart member of Coach Shafer’s championship teams. Dittmann was named the scholar-athlete of the Class of 1971. He continued to excel in athletics at Williams College and beyond. He ran 12 marathons, including Boston and New York City, with a personal best of 2 hours and 40 minutes. Dittmann also competed for the Haverford Athletic Club under the leadership of the legendary Tom Donnelly of Villanova/Haverford College Fame and former Villanova miler, Chris Mason.
Brooke A. Owens ’98 While Brooke Owens attended EA for only two years, her superior talent had a huge impact on EA athletics. Though there was no girls’ soccer program when Owens started, she started on the boys’ JV team and moved up to varsity as a senior. She was named to the Girls All-Main Line Soccer Team, won three state championships with her local soccer club, and was a member of EPYSA’s Olympic Developmental team. In basketball, Owens set the single game and season records for rebounds, and set the career girls rebounding record. She was selected All-Main Line Basketball in 1997 and 2nd Team All-Main Line Basketball in 1998. In lacrosse, she was a member of the 1997 and 1998 Inter-Ac championship teams and received the 1983 and 1995 Girls Lacrosse Awards. As a junior, she was named 1st Team All-Main Line, 2nd Team All-American, and 1st Team PSWLA. A co-captain her senior year, she was named to 1st Team All-inter-Ac, 1st Team All-Main Line, 1st and 2nd Team All-American, and 1st Team PSWLA Team. Owens continued to excel in lacrosse at Princeton. Summer 2018
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FROM THE SIDELINES
Winter 2018 Boys’ Basketball 11-15 The Boys’ Varsity Basketball team played one of the most challenging schedules in the area. The team lost five seniors after last season, so this year’s squad was young and players had to learn new roles. The season featured some quality nonleague wins over Lincoln (69-66), Phelps (61-49), Shipley (82-71), and a great overtime victory over Girard College (50-49). The first half against Shipley was some of the team’s finest work this season. League victories included outstanding wins over Germantown Academy (70-49), Penn Charter (63-51), and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (51-50). Senior co-captains Justin Hershey and Colin Phillips provided the leadership and guidance for the young team. The future looks bright for EA basketball as the team continues to build toward the goals of winning the Inter-Ac championship and PAISAA state title.
Girls’ Basketball 12-12 The Girls’ Varsity Basketball team finished the season third in the Inter-Ac. The team played a rigorous non-league schedule, facing some of the best teams in Delaware County and the Friends League. Close losses to defending Catholic League champion Cardinal O’Hara, Friends League champion Abington Friends, and defending 4A State Champion Bethlehem Catholic proved that EA had the ability to compete with some of the best teams in the area. One of the best non-league wins was over eventual Central League champion Springfield in the O’Hara Christmas Tournament. Senior Luca Mamula earned her third consecutive 1st Team All-Inter-Ac mention. Senior Seanna McNamara was named to the 2nd Team.
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Boys’ Squash 7-0
Girls’ Squash 3-3
The season was an extremely successful year for the Boys’ Varsity Squash team. The squad was undefeated in the regular season and won the Inter-Ac title for the first time since 2012. The success continued through the High School National (fourth place) and MASA tournaments (second place). Senior co-captains Eric Kim and Giovanni Matarazzo led the team by example in both their leadership skills and constant maximum effort levels. Declan McCarthy was the third senior on the team who also played extremely well. The team is looking forward to building on this season’s momentum and is looking forward to another successful season next year. Eric Kim won the 2018 DeRoy Sportsmanship Award at the U.S. Squash Junior National Championships. 8th grader Shaam Gambir, who played on the varsity team, won the Sportsmanship Award for the Boys Under-15 division.
The Girls’ Varsity Squash team had a strong season going 2-3 in Inter-Ac play and 3-3 overall. The team finished fifth at High School Nationals and third in the Inter-Ac. The girls enjoyed positive team spirit and brought their best performances to the big matches. Highlights included tough wins by the top three players over Phillips Andover on the final day of Nationals: #1 Caroline Burt, #2 Lauren Weil and #3 Kristen Weil led the team to victory in close matches with their best play of the season. Captain Molly Giles was a constant, upbeat inspiration for the team. Molly led the team early in the season with a win at #7 in the team’s 5-4 win over The Lawrenceville School. During that team match, sophomore #1 Caroline Burt was last on court with all of the pressure and came through in a very close match. With the graduation of only one senior, the Varsity Girls’ Squash team looks forward to an exciting competitive season next year.
Inter-Ac League Champions
Ice Hockey 10-4-1 The Ice Hockey team entered the season with exactly one playoff game in four years under its belt. With the leadership of five seniors, the Churchmen enjoyed a successful season that saw the team achieve a number of accomplishments en route to an appearance in the league semifinals. The team won its first road game beating Academy of New Church for the first time in over a decade. The team also beat The Pennington School for the first time in more than five years and finished second in the league. An all-important sweep of defending champion Haverford School highlighted a season that reflected both the unity and determination of the squad. Senior Tyler French finished third in overall league scoring and was tied with fellow line-mate Adam Kovacs and younger brother Bradley for the team lead in goals scored. Blake Hoogstraten starred as the team’s starting goalie for the second year and anchored a defense led by Senior Brendan Huf. The team played and practiced in multiple venues including the outside on-campus ice rink in early January to the Wells Fargo Center, where the players took the ice on the largest hockey arena in the state for an exhibition in front of thousands of Flyers fans. Overall, the team showed dramatic improvement in all phases of the game.
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Boys’ Swimming 3-2
Girls’ Swimming 6-1
The team had a spectacular season with six school records broken multiple times, six pool records (four home and two away), one county record broken, two individual Inter-Ac champion titles (Ivan Puskovitch in the 200 IM and 500 Free) and one Eastern Prep individual title. The team earned huge wins against Germantown Academy and Penn Charter. At the Eastern Prep Championship meet, Ivan Puskovitch made history by winning an individual event in the 500 Freestyle. Teammates Cole Whitsett, Theo Vadot, Ben Wesley, Sam Welsey, and Jack Christian broke several school records and helped lead the team to an overall fifth place finish and a second place combined team total. The team was led by a solid group of seniors with captains Sean McGarrity and Josh Wang at the helm.
It was another tremendous year for the girls’ team. The season was highlighted by impressive swims and dives at the Inter-Ac and Eastern Prep Championships. Off the blocks or on the diving board, this team excelled in all areas. EA finished second in the Inter-Ac and second overall at the Eastern Prep Championship meet. Individual Inter-Ac Champions included: Chelsey Liu in the 50 Free, Wren Sablich in 1M Diving, and Hadley DeBruyn in the 100 Backstroke. At Easterns, Wren and Alex Sumner were able to secure first place finishes in the 1m diving (Wren) and 100 back (Alex). A solid core of senior captains, Annabel Wondrasch, Lauren Rodio, Alex Sumner, and Maia Golub, led the team. We look forward to the future of the team and building off of the successes of the season!
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Wrestling 10-9 EA’s young team improved and battled hard all season and logged its first dual win in seven years over The Haverford School. The team also had a dramatic comeback victory over Friends League champion The Westtown School. Led by captains James Silvi, Sam Stickley, and Blair Orr, the team exceeded all expectations and had some outstanding performances at a number of tournaments. They kicked the regular season off with a second place team finish at The Bishop Ireton Invitational and closed out at The Brunswick Classic. EA wrestled a challenging schedule mixing dual meet tournaments to gain mat experience for the inexperienced team members with opportunities to reach individual accomplishments for the benefit of the few experienced wrestlers. Four wrestlers placed at the PAISWT tournament and qualified for National Preps at Lehigh University. Blair Orr completed his historic career with 157 match wins over four years and attained All-American status for the second time. Other national qualifiers included Alex Bendinelli ‘19, Paul McLaughlin ’20, and Alex Sladek ’20.
Girls’ Winter Track
Boys’ Winter Track
The team marked a break from the DVGTCA league in order to compete independently at Invitationals held at sites other than Lehigh University. The team traveled to the Wesner Invite at Kutztown, the Bishop Loughlin Games, and Ocean Breeze Invite in Staten Island, and the Ursinus HS Invitational. Co-captain Jillian Rotman, Kemi Odeyemi, and the DMR squad of Rotman, Devon Whitaker, Caitlin Jorgensen, and Jill McEntee all qualified for the PTFCA Track Carnival. A fourth place finish in the DMR took them to not only a PA #9 ranking, but also to the PA State Championships held at Penn State University. Rotman set a new 800m record (2:21.90) at the OB Invite and established two new indoor marks in the 300m (43.81) and the 600m (1:42.01). New team members and wily veterans supported each other and worked hard for one another. Captains Alex DiMarco, Julia DePillis, and Jillian Rotman kept the standard of excellence within the program high and represented EA girls’ athletics with pride.
The winter track season provides the opportunity to compete in weekly meets with up to 40 other independent and public high schools. There were many returning team members this year, but there were also some new members who ran in their first track meets and learned to enjoy the experience. The successes started early when Elias Lindgren took fourth place in the mile at the Ursinus High School Invitational. In the meets sponsored by the Track Coaches Association of Philadelphia, EA fared well in individual and relay events. In the first meet, Elias Lindgren ran the 3000m, and the 4x200 relay team (Jack Bush, Thomas Smith, Sameer Coston, and Chris Zimmerman) placed third. In subsequent meets, Elias Lindgren and the 4x200 team (Jack Bush, Sameer Coston, Chris Zimmerman, and Chris McCoun) medaled repeatedly. In several other meets, Elias won the mile and 800m, and the relay team finished as high as second place. Elias qualified for the league Meet of Champions in three events: one-mile, 800m, and 3000m. The 4x200 team also qualified. Individually, Jack Bush qualified in the 400. At the Delco Championships, Episcopal had a very good day. The 4x200 team placed second, Jack Bush was second in the 200, and Elias placed third in the mile. Summer 2018
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FROM THE
Stage & Studio And the Award Goes To… The cast of the Domino Club’s spring production of Grease received 15 Philadelphia Independence Awards nominations. At the awards event this spring, the cast took home three prizes for Best Small Ensemble (The T-Birds), Best Dance Ensemble (The T-Birds), and Best Song (Greased Lightning). “We are very excited to top off what felt like a very special performance by being honored with these nominations and awards,” said Theater and Dance Department Chair Dan Clay. “I’m especially proud that we were nominated for Best Ensemble and Best Musical because those are acknowledgements that the entire cast and crew share as a result of the great work that they did together.” The T-Bird cast included: Jacob Viscusi, Dominic Minicozzi, Alex Oliva, Jack Franklin, Josh Wang, Chris Smith, Nicholas Bernabei, Matthew Repke, Patrick Zhang, Will Hopkins, and McKee Bond.
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Connections
Music to Our Ears EA’s talented musicians and choristers dazzled countless audiences this spring. First, 34 students performed in the annual Mid-Atlantic Episcopal Schools Association Evensong Choral Festival at the Washington National Cathedral. The US Jazz Ensemble then traveled to Boston for the 50th Berklee College of Music High School Jazz Festival. The group performed and received positive feedback from Berklee professors. Next up, eighth graders Naomi Hyman (violin), Kristin Jorgensen (violin), and Ashley Tang (cello) represented EA in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 12 7/8 String Fest. “These students are leaders in EA’s musical groups and are all very advanced musicians,” said Orchestra Director James Finegan. The students joined more than 80 string players from the district for a day of intensive rehearsals and evening concert. In April, fifth grade choristers Rika Dethlefs, Robert Goens, Clarissa Leung, and Matt Limaye performed along with 130 singers from 33 schools at PMEA’s District 12 Elementary Chorus Festival. In May, the Middle School Orchestra and Chamber Ensemble received “Superior” ratings for their performances at Music in the Parks. The Chamber Ensemble placed first in its category.
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Install-It Exhibit Highlights Female Artists The Upper School art club, Install-It, curated a pop-up exhibit in the Crawford Campus Center Gallery in March to commemorate Women’s History Month. Inspired by Amy Sherred’s powerful portrait of Michelle Obama, the club researched artists who used portraiture in their practice. The images were printed in large format and accompanied by curatorial statements written by students. “I chose the portrait of Mrs. Obama because I loved the vibrant colors the artist chose to capture her subject,” co-curator Ann Elisabeth Rau ’19 explained. Theo Vadot ’19 selected a self portrait by Frida Kahlo. “Having visited Frida Kahlo’s house in Mexico City, I felt pretty informed on her life and her beliefs. I thought it was important that her art was shown in the show, especially this selfportrait which portrayed herself in an unconventional way,” shared Theo. Other Install-It club members include: Lacey Rivera, Cat Spellman, Claire Jacoby, Kate Beinkampen, and Grace Smith.
Annual Awards Honor Visual and Performing Artists Thirteen students received a Dora Khayatt award this year. Established in 1990 in memory of artist and wife of former Classics Departmen Chair John Plant, the Dora Khayatt Fund provides annual support for student awards in the fine arts and music. This year’s winners include: Music: Michael Zhou ‘21 (piano), Jack Franklin ‘19 (voice and guitar), Caitlin Jorgensen ’19 (piano), Alex Oliva ’19 (voice and original song) 2-D Design: Ali Marino ‘18, Jessica Hao ‘19, Julia DePillis ‘18 3-D Design: Taylor Schaible ‘20, Catherine Spellman ‘19, Ann Elisabeth Rau ‘19 Photography: Ryan Rockenbach ‘19, Ivan Puskovitch ‘19, Mollie Bonner ‘19
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Connections
Student Short Film Wins National Award Pia Singh ‘19 and Patrick Zhang ‘18 have been awarded a Silver Medal in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition. The students won in the Film and Animation category for their short film titled “In Passing.” Nearly 350,000 works of art and writing were submitted this year with less than one percent being recognized on the national level.
Sejin Park ’20 Earns All-State Orchestra Honors Sophomore violinist Sejin Park was selected for the prestigious PMEA All-State Orchestra. Sejin and Karissa Lim ‘20 (cello) participated in the Region VI Orchestra Festival, during which Sejin auditioned. “This is a tremendous and welldeserved honor,” said Orchestra Director James Finegan. “Sejin is the first EA student to make All-State Orchestra in many years.”
Featured Actress Cappie Award for Cerena Robertson ’19 Cerena Robertson ’19 took home a Greater Philadelphia Cappie Award for Featured Actress in a play for her performance in the fall production of Inherit The Wind. Cerena played the role of Reverend Jeremiah Brown.
Peter and Wendy Takes Center Stage in the Blackbox Theater The Middle School Harlequin Club presented its spring production of Peter and Wendy. The adaptation of Peter Pan included a talented cast and creative set design and costumes.
Summer 2018
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DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY
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Connections
EA’s Dance program is thriving! This year’s winter Dance Concert featured more than 60 members of the Middle and Upper School Dance Teams and showcased a variety of styles. EA’s dancers were also thrilled to participate in the new Inter-Ac Dance Festival this spring. The event allowed students from local independent schools to celebrate their mutual love for the art form. “Establishing the festival as a yearly event will foster these relationships between dance students and promote an appreciation for dance within our school communities,” shared EA Dance Director Cara Lavallee.
Summer 2018
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Class Notes
S END US YOUR NEWS We love to hear from you! Submit your latest milestones, news, and updates to be included in a future issue of Connections. Visit www.episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.
1940s
1946
miracle win this year. Cathy, my wife, immediately got me an Eagles hat.
CLASS AGENT: Winkie Bennett
Our elder son, Jeff, is married to a German girl, and they have two lovely daughters. Our other son Doug lives in the Cleveland area. He has six children, all of whom are now married—thank God. All of them have graduated from college, and no one has been in any trouble.
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1947
CLASS AGENT: Woody Woodring
1944 CLASS AGENT: Harry French
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May 3 & 4, 2019
MEMORY LANE
Dick Mecaskey reports, “I have remained close to Episcopal till just few years ago. There have certainly been a lot of changes over the years. I cheered when the school went coed, which I think was great, and the new campus is a true gem. At this stage of my life I doubt we will ‘go east’ many more times, if ever. Still my interest remains. Of course, the Eagles kept me glued to their
by Rand Richard Cooper, son of Don Cooper ’46
This fall I gave my father, Don Cooper ‘46, a brand new EA sweater to celebrate his 89th birthday. He was delighted to get it and talked about how important Episcopal was to him. Don was a working-class kid who went to Episcopal on a choir scholarship. His mother, Eunice Cooper, read about choir tryouts and took “Donnie” in to Philadelphia to the church, where he sang for the choirmaster and won a scholarship in the process. He entered as a First Form boy and graduated with the Class of 1946—“Hard as nails, tough as bricks, Episcopal Academy, ‘46!” he chanted when I gave him the sweater. There were 48 members of my father’s graduating class, of which he estimates that a dozen are still living. That seems like remarkable longevity, but maybe some have died since the last reunion he attended. My father talks about Episcopal a lot. At the recommendation of one of his masters, he went on from there to Swarthmore, then to Penn Medical School and had a long career as a neurosurgeon. “For me, Episcopal is where my life began,” he said to me recently. “My life would have been entirely different, and far less rewarding, were it not for the things Episcopal opened up to me.” 42
Connections
I still work with a colleague in buying, selling and developing gas stations, convenience stores, strip malls, and the like. We are about to close a million-dollar (not a big deal any more) deal. That’s about it—still some stress (business), friends,
On the wall of my living room I have a portrait of my father from his First Form year, wearing his original Episcopal Academy sweater. It was painted by Guy Goodwin, an English teacher and Head of the Middle School. He tutored my father, helping him catch up to his classmates, and asked my grandparents if they would like a portrait of their son. The painting hung in their house for many decades and now is in mine. I’m attaching a photo of my father taken in front of that portrait. It strikes me as a tribute to the qualities that abide despite time.
CLASS AGENT: Dick Schneider Ed Sumner and his wife, Carol, continue to set up for the Holy Eucharist in Faith Chapel every Tuesday morning at Heath Village in Hackettstown, NJ. Ed also plays the organ for hymns. He was a music major at Dartmouth and was chapel organist in the Army at Fort Belvoir, VA, from 1953 to 1954. Ed shares, “I am ever grateful for the superb formation I received at Episcopal, intellectually, physically, and spiritually. I support the Academy with my prayers and regular contributions.”
1952 CLASS AGENTS: Craig TenBroeck & Jim Siegel David Fricke shares from his home in Silver Spring, MD, “Greetings classmates! We are pretty much retired but still well and active. Looking forward to hearing from any of you or visits.”
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CLASS AGENT: Lynne Graburn
Dick Bond, Chris Shaw, and their wives met in January for lunch in suburban Chicago, where both families live.
Reunion Year
1957
May 3 & 4, 2019
1950s 1950 CLASS AGENT: John Rettew William Aulenbach and his wife spent three weeks in Israel last fall. The first week was spent doing research in the Galilean region, and then they went to Jerusalem to see it through the eyes of the Palestinian Arabs, which he describes as “very different.” After their return, he taught a three-series class at the University of California, Irvine on “The Historical Jesus.” This past winter, they took their annual ski trip where they “ski hard in the AM and then do ‘projects’ in the afternoon.” He recently finished outlining two new courses. The first is “Learning the Art of Midrash (biblical interpretation) Using the Gospel of John.” The second, which
1955
1953
1949
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A good time was had by all. They discussed how to increase their attendance at future celebrations. Save the date for another get-together in October/November 2018. If anyone has information about Bob Bennett or Ray Wilson, please contact one of the classmates listed above or Episcopal’s Alumni Office.
Class Notes
1948
he will co-teach with a UCI professor, is “The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.”
Send us your news! Visit episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.
bridge games (we still wear coats and ties) on a regular basis. We, also, of course, keep our various doctors quite busy.”
CLASS AGENTS: John Clendenning, Howard Morgan & Geoff Worden Harry Weaver sends his apologies that he did not make the reunion this year. He sends his best and wishes everyone had a nice time. This past winter, they wintered in Florida for the 14th year. He likes to say they have two small houses instead of one large one.
1954 CLASS AGENT: Bill Sykes
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May 3 & 4, 2019 The Class of 1954 held a mini reunion at the Merion Golf Club on Tuesday, October 31, 2017. In attendance were: Sam Allen, George Boyd, Birch Clothier, Woody Griffiths, Paul McAlaine, Ed Palmer, Dave Robb, Bill Sykes, and Curt Young.
1958 CLASS AGENT: Bob Bishop
1959
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May 3 & 4, 2019 Rowley Watson is very happy to announce that he and Suzanne got married (again) in November. They had dinner with Butch and Sue Lenhard around Christmas. He has also been in touch with Dave Pillsbury and hopes to see him soon. He shared that all four of his grandchildren are active skiers. His two granddaughters race in NY and two grandsons enjoy leisure skiing in PA. Rowley sends best wishes and hopes all classmates are well! Summer 2018
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Hilton Smith took a trip “back east” this past winter and visited David and Suzanne Pillsbury in Winston Salem, NC and Sandy and Carolyn Stidham in Raleigh, NC. He reports, “It was good to find that after parting ways 59 years ago at the Class of 1959 graduation we were all three still of sound mind with only minor aches and pains that come with the wear and tear of eight decades of active life. We found the three of us had moved far from the conservative ideological cocoon of our Main Line families and EA. We were most appreciative of those nurturing formative years together and found that the solid friendships formed in our youth never die and become a source of comfort and pleasure in our senior years. All is well.”
1960s 1960
1962 CLASS AGENTS: Laird Evans, Jim Fulton, & Bob Stavers
Members of the “Great Class of 1960” shared a photo from February when classmates David Wetherill, Vaughan Pratt, and Fred Jones met at the Hillsboro Club on the east coast of Florida.
1961 CLASS AGENT: Cappy Markle
CLASS AGENT: Maurice Heckscher
Stu Glasby sent in one of his favorite photos that he took with his 600mm zoom lens at the Conowingo Dam on Route 1. “FLY EAGLES FLY— VICTORIOUS!!!”
Sam Chew and Ted Parker ’61 ran into each other in Aiken, SC in December. 44
Connections
Cappy and Anne Markle took a trip out West last summer to meet the family of Brint Markle’s ’04 fiancée, Pip Hunt. During their travels, they stayed with Sam Chew and his friend, Kendall Wheeler, in Whitefish, MN. While getting a tour of the land, they saw a black bear and her cub cross the road. Swimming was brisk, the food terrific, and the scenery delightful, even if the furthest mountains were not visible, due to the smokey haze from the large forest fires.
Tom and Nita Martin travelled to Switzerland in September to visit Nita’s cousins whom she had never met in person. They stayed at the Gasthaus they own and ate in their restaurant. The restaurant and rooms above it make up the home of Nita’s paternal grandfather before he immigrated into the US in the early 1920s. After their visit, they returned to Zurich for a 14-day tour by train throughout Suisse. During the tour, they stayed in hotels in eight different cities, toting their own luggage from train station to hotel and reverse each time they changed cities. They took daily train trips to other cities and mountains, including the cog railway to Mt. Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe at over 11,000 feet. Other than the many highlights of the tour, they were honored to meet Abel Lajtha, PhD, Director of the Center for Neurochemistry, Nathan S. Kline Institute (associated with NYU Medical). Abel said he had heard of Dr. Tom Gouge but had not met him. Abel had to tow his own luggage as well, and he did so but at a slower pace.
CLASS AGENT: Drew Jackson
CLASS AGENT: Loyd Pakradooni Bruce Brown, along with his wife, Lainie, and his son, Carter, celebrated his 70th (and Carter’s 25th) by taking a first visit cruise around the Islands of Hawaii. They were in Honolulu for the faux missile attack and more happily enjoyed first sightings of the “green flash.” Carter has been promoted to Development Officer at the Clean Air Council.
1966 CLASS AGENT: Steve Dittmann
Jim “J.C.” Parry passed away on December 31, 2017 after more than two years of courageously battling pancreatic cancer. A memorial service was held on February 10, 2018 on what would have been his 70th birthday. His final resting place will be at Arlington National Cemetery.
1967
Class Notes
1965
Rick Berlin with The Nickel & Dime Band’s 4th album, The Courage of the Lonely, released in November. He shared, “Last November I rented a black box theater (part of the Central Square Theater). A black box with chairs, a black curtain and lights. I read from The Paragraphs and played a song. Like that. For over an hour. Four of my photographer friends (Bob Lewis, Werner Grundl, Anthony Sahadeo and Evan Scales) shot the night. TJ Wenzl and Chris Pirro recorded the audio. My job now is to edit the result—all formats—into a short, medium, and long piece so that I’ll have ‘evidence’ of what this is.”
Send us your news! Visit episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.
1963
1968 CLASS AGENT: Robert Mayock
Jim Rooks welcomed his first grandchild in December.
1964 CLASS AGENT: Tom Zug
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Reunion Year
May 3 & 4, 2019 Jad Roberts retired in April after 33.5 years with the Amtrak Law Department. He shared, “Lotta water over the dam.”
Bill Stewart shared, “On February 17, after flying to NC to see the Duke Blue Devils beat Virginia Tech at Cameron, I went to Bradenton, FL to attend a surprise 70th birthday for Gerry Erskine. The festivities were dreamed up and orchestrated by his lovely daughter, Wendy. This photo shows the three of us on that delightful occasion. Lots of reminiscing.”
Penn Pearson earned a B.A. and M.A. in English from the University of Virginia after graduating from Episcopal. He then joined the U.S. Army, where he was an infantry lieutenant and paratrooper. Next, he worked for the CIA for a number of years. Now, he is in Korea and teaching. After living in East Asia for thirty years, he returned to the suburbs of Philadelphia permanently in May. Summer 2018
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YOUR LEGACY, THEIR FUTURE Your Planned Gift can make a difference for future generations of students. Contact Patsy Porter at 484-424-1780 to learn more.
1969
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Reunion Year
cheered on the Eagles to victory Super Bowl weekend.
1971
May 3 & 4, 2019 Mark Hofmaier shared this recent family photo.
Alice Pitt, mother of Chris Pitt, died March 19, 2018. In attendance at the services were her brother-in-law, Lou Pitt ’40, Fred Dittmann ’71, and Steve Dittmann ’66.
1970s 1970 Taylor Fernley and his wife, Pam, are proud grandparents for the first time! Their son, Kyle, and his wife, Lauren, welcomed their daughter, Blake Lauren Fernley, to the world on November 1, 2017. In other exciting family news, Pam is now a Luxury Travel Advisor with Avenue Two Travel in Villanova, PA. Taylor was elected to the Board of the Philadelphia Police Foundation whose mission is to assist the Police Department by funding programs outside their annual budget. 46
Connections
CLASS AGENTS: John Dautrich & Ron Rothrock
Rick Northrop and his granddaughter
Dickie “Feni” Fenimore shared, “Still playing the game I love, thanks to all the dedicated EA coaches over the years, particularly Jay Crawford ’57, and of course, trainer Tom Frazier’s, Hon. infectious love for the game, getting us wee lads in kindergarten at Wetherill out playing at recess every week. Recently over MLK weekend my North Carolina United team won the 2018 Florida Classic Over 60s division with 16 teams competing for the title.”
CLASS AGENTS: Rex Gary & Jerry Holleran
CLASS AGENT: Jim Cooke
Gary Hodder passed along this photo of palm trees in Devon, UK and shared, “I am still lawyering up a storm here in Toronto, where I have been parked since 1980. But even with the Leafs showing signs of life this year, I am still a devoted Flyers fan. I am ‘Gary Hodder’ on Facebook if anyone wants to keep in touch.”
Bill Alrich passed along this photo of his “assistant” and reports, “I have taken a new job as Director of North American Sales for Freightos (the Expedia of freight). I’m enjoying working from home and playing with my six grandkids (five in Chicago and one in Philly). Visitors welcome.” David Langfitt recently published his first novel, Winnabow, which is now available on Amazon. Head of School Dr. T.J. Locke recently sat down with David to discuss his new book. Visit page 14 to read excerpts from their chat and to learn more about the book.
Bill Luff gathered with classmates from the Class of 1973 at Episcopal’s Alumni Breakfast at the Union League in Philadelphia in February. Bill shared, “We had a guest appearance from the Captain of our football team at today’s alumni event. Lucious (Craig) Renfrow wanted to weigh in on our 45th reunion!”
1976
to Newtown Square last May to be inducted into the EA Athletic Hall of Fame with the other members of the 1975-76 Varsity Wrestling team. He shared, “It was a fantastic experience. I loved seeing the guys, some of whom I had not seen for 40 years, including my co-captain Steve Brooks, Eric Lewis, Bob Hawthorne, Wayne Billups, Lee Cox, Rich Schneider, and Jim Kavle. It was wonderful to see my old coaches as well: Gus Compson, Hon., Crawford Hill ’70, Bob Linker, Hon. and Chuck Hitschler. The new campus is great, and I am jealous of the wrestling room in which the current team now enjoys working. I look forward to my next trip back and my next reunion (#45)!!”
Class Notes
1975
Send us your news! Visit episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.
1973
1977 CLASS AGENT: Jim Alton Marc Firestone was recently appointed President External Affairs & General Counsel at Philip Morris International. He is living in Switzerland with his wife, Marilla, and their three children.
1978 CLASS AGENT: Jim Borum
1979 CLASS AGENTS: Ned Lee & Chris Young
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Reunion Year
May 3 & 4 2019
1980s
1974 CLASS AGENT: John Spofford
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Reunion Year
May 3 & 4, 2019
Steven Yermish is living in Davie, FL with his wife and son and working at the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office, where he is the supervising attorney of the Capital Litigation Unit. He travelled back
1980 CLASS AGENT: David Reape Mark De Moss underwent chemotherapy treatment for Summer 2018
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lymphoma in 2017. He has recovered well and is “thanking God for a great prognosis.” Their three children are married, and they had their third grandson in January.
1981 CLASS AGENT: Ben Thompson
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Portugal, and England. He also goes to Taiwan regularly with his family to visit his in-laws and eat lots of good (home-cooked) Chinese food. When not writing, teaching, or wandering the globe, Olshin plays soccer with a local league and still rides his bicycle. He keeps in touch with fellow Class of ’81 Episcopal folks, including Ted Coxe, Jr., Clint O’Brien, and Frank Johnson. Brian Mann and his wife, Amelie, recently returned from “a trek through wonderful, marvelous India. Amazing trip, amazing place, amazing people, camels, elephants, and monkeys too. Still enjoying empty-nest living in NYC.” Benjamin B. Olshin is still working as a professor of philosophy and design at the University of the Arts. His new book, Deciphering Reality: Simulations, Tests, and Designs, explores the idea of “Matrix”-like computer simulations, along with ideas about reality in fields from physics to Daoist philosophy. He wishes to thank his old Episcopal physics teacher, Paul Rosenberg, Hon., for getting him interested in physics way back then. Olshin’s next book, due out in the coming year, explores ancient history, with a look at early Chinese, Greek, Latin, and other texts that talk about technology and invention. His years with John Plant, Hon., the Classics icon at Episcopal, gave him an indelible love of Classical history and languages, a big inspiration for this work. Olshin is living in Philadelphia but tries to keep traveling, with trips in recent years to China, Brazil, 48
Connections
1982 CLASS AGENTS: Jim Farrell & Brooke McMullin
1983 CLASS AGENT: Jamie Hole
1984 CLASS AGENTS: Bill Keffer & Karl Mayro
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together at La Cabra Brewing in Berwyn in November before the annual EA/Haverford/AIS Weekend. From left: Jim Browne, Bill Keffer, Vince Powers, Lee Allman, Hoby Rowland, Roger Reynolds, Bill Conlan and Robert Beatty. Andrew Waxler is the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Governor Elect for Eastern Pennsylvania and the President Elect for the Pennsylvania Chapter of the ACC. He is also the Cardiology Representative to the Pennsylvania Medical Society. David Bradley hosted a talkback with actors for The Diary of Anne Frank, which he was directing this spring at the People’s Light & Theatre Company in Malvern. Clayton Platt ’73, Ted Coxe ’81, Steve Dittmann ’66, and other alumni were in the audience.
Reunion Year
May 3 & 4, 2019
Members of EA’s Class of ’84 got
Amanda Lamb shared, “This year I took on another exciting challenge, a 26.2 hike in central NC to raise money for Make-A-Wish of Eastern North Carolina. Each participant
EA’s Class of 1987 got together at an Eagles game for their annual dads/ kids weekend.
EA sweater that her older sisters, Charlotte and Annabelle, once wore.
1988
Class Notes
must raise $2500 for the cause. Every dollar raised goes to make a chronically ill child’s wish come true. I was honored and physically humbled to take part in such a challenging event for such a worthy cause.”
1985 CLASS AGENT: John Susanin
1986 CLASS AGENT: Karen Marston
Jennifer (Haines) Butler shared a photo of her youngest daughter, Madeline (age 3), wearing the same Paul Ladner enjoyed reminiscing with his former teammates at last year’s Alumni Awards ceremony, during which the 1985 Cross Country Team was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Paul lives in Austria and has been married to Ida since 1992. He has three children, Lili, George, and Relly.
1987 CLASS AGENTS: Andrew Brenner & Ed Jones
Andrew Brenner and members of
Send us your news! Visit episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.
Richard A. Doran recently joined the staff of the American Public Gardens Association as Marketing and Communications Manager.
John Morris and his wife, Beth, are happy to announce the birth of William Alexander Morris on February 24, 2018. He reports that everyone is “happy and healthy.”
MAKING NEW MEMORIES Carolyn (Graham) Shaud ’89 cheered on the blue and white during this year’s EA/Haverford/AIS Weekend. She loves being able to share this annual tradition with her children, Harrison and Audrey, who now attend Episcopal. This year, Carolyn was able to capture some fun moments of her children and other students whose parents and/or older siblings attended Episcopal.
Campbell Roam ’28, Audrey Shaud ’28, & Lauren Notaro ’28.
Jake Shaud ’22, Tristan Whitaker ’22, Flynn Kearney ’22, Mark Dzwonczyk ’22, Matt Powers ’22, Michael Sophocles ’22, Andrew McMeekin ’22, Daniel Kane ’22, John Bishop ’22, Kevin Lowber ’22.
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1989 CLASS AGENT: Becky (White) Kreutz
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Reunion Year
May 3 & 4, 2019 Mindy (Menkowitz) Scheier was recently featured in a TEDTalk, “How adaptive clothing empowers people with disabilities.” Mindy is the Founder of Runway of Dreams, a non-profit that works with the fashion industry to make adaptive clothing for children with disabilities.
joined New York Life Insurance Company and serves as a trusted financial advisor—offering a variety of products and services that can help clients protect and accumulate wealth. Lee helps with retirement planning, estate conservation, college funding, long term care, and lifetime income strategies. Lee and her husband, Mike, enjoy a fabulous lifestyle in beautiful Southern California.
1992 CLASS AGENTS: Charley French & Billy Dougherty
Sue Long shared a photo of her son, Jack Krotick, showing his EA pride in his letter sweater. He was born on July 12, 2017.
1993 Caroline Waxler’s daughter Beatrice sported her Eagles gear as they secured their first-ever Super Bowl victory in February 2018.
1990s 1990 CLASS AGENT: Dave Freemann
1991 CLASS AGENTS: Joe Bongiovanni & Holly (Sando) Rieck
Lee (Samango) Gottlieb recently 50
Connections
Ben Prusky and his wife, Kelly, had a baby girl—Bryn Prusky—on November 20, 2017 (one day after Ben’s birthday and the wedding anniversary day of former EA parents Byron and Myra Prusky’s wedding). The whole Prusky clan is very happy, especially proud daddy Ben! Ed Floyd launched a new law firm nearly two years ago. He undertook this venture with a long-time colleague and highly experienced English solicitor, Luke Zadkovich (also qualified in the US). Both partners are based in Manhattan and practice law through a New York outfit and through an English outfit. The firm focuses on cross-border disputes involving the international maritime and commodities trading industries in which the partners have been extensively engaged for the past decade plus. All is off to a great start— interesting work for great clients, hiring young solicitors and attorneys, and traveling to fascinating new places. If in NYC, Ed would love to say hello. On the family front, Ed, his wife, Chiara, and their daughter, Amelia, are still enjoying all that New York has to offer.
Steve and Jessica Beers ’97 shared a photo of their daughters Valentine (4.5 years old) and Posey (2.5 years old).
CLASS AGENT: Anna (Morgan) Cassidy, Tema (Fallahnejad) Burkey, Coryell (McIlvain) Urban, Sarah (Glick) Johnson
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Reunion Year
May 3 & 4, 2019
Tema Burkey shared, “All is well with the Burkeys! We are happily settled in the Pacific Northwest and calling Mercer Island ‘home’ now. Tema is doing legal consulting parttime. Adam is busy operating four offices in the region and growing a successful medical practice. Townes (6), Wyatt (10), Silas (12), and Jasper (14) are playing lacrosse and basketball and squash. We spent mid-winter break in (stunning) Whistler, British Columbia, only a four-hour drive away! The dark days of winter are finally getting longer, and we are counting the days to the unparalleled ‘Seattle summer.’ Cheers to the EA family!”
Nancy, share that their son, Michael, is showing his blue and white pride in his EA sweater.
Send us your news! Visit episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.
1994
Class Notes
Scott Huston ’91 organized EA’s annual Alumni Ice Hockey game over winter break. The game has been played for 13 years and is affectionately called the Roger White Memorial Game after Roger White, Hon., who taught and coached Hockey at Haverford and Episcopal before he passed away at a young age. Kris Limaye ’92, Steve Venzie ’96, Drew DeBacco ’14, Steven Lucey ’13, John Thomas ’00, Dean Boyd ’96, Ben Glidden ’16, Eric Kraus ’94, Drew Evans ’02, Andrew Quigley ’14, James Gibson ’14, Brian Lucey ’15, and Steven Lucey ’13 all played in the game.
1995 CLASS AGENTS: Brooke (Doherty) Horgan & Katie Kurz
Perry De Marco, Jr. is recently engaged to Kelly, and they bought a home near Episcopal. Kelly is in real estate and The Law Offices of Perry de Marco Jr. is going strong in its 15th year!
Matt Chagan and his wife, Pip, welcomed their second daughter, Margot Alice Chagan, to the world on March 20, 2018. Their daughter Greta is already enjoying her new role as big sister! Demetrios Hadgis and his wife,
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Blake Sando has been elected chairman of the Board of Directors for the University of Miami C.A.R.D. (Center for Autism & Related Disabilities). Blake has been a litigator at the law firm of Cole, Scott & Kissane in Miami for the past 15 years where he practices professional malpractice defense and civil litigation. Blake and his wife, Jennifer, live in Coral Gables, FL with their three children. Summer 2018
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1996
1998
CLASS AGENT: Mike McKeon
CLASS AGENT: Katie (Harmer) Leubecker
Mike McKeon was selected the new Lower Merion Township Ward 3 Commissioner. Ward 3 covers Belmont Hills, parts of Penn Valley, and Bala Cynwyd. Mike was sworn into office on February 7, 2018, and his term will expire in 2020. Mike’s daughters, Alyssa and Ava, and wife, Jennifer, joined him at the ceremony.
Sarah West returned to EA to meet with the girls’ varsity squash team and share more about her experience as a college squash player. Sarah played squash at Dartmouth College and also discussed how the sport positively impacted her life after college.
Page (Pearcy) Cash was recently named Head of Lower School at St. Mark’s Episcopal School in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Prior to this administrative appointment, Page was teaching advanced math in the school’s middle school. Her children, Ford (grade 5) and Georgia (grade 3), attend St. Mark’s.
1999
1997
Matt Haldeman and his wife, Lindsay, welcomed their third son, Grayson Haldeman, to their family on September 19, 2017.
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Reunion Year
May 3 & 4, 2019
Carly (Krum) Murphy was recently featured in an article on the University of Notre Dame website about a lecture she gave at her alma mater.
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Connections
2000s 2000
2001 CLASS AGENTS: Evan Coughenour, Drew Crockett, Sarah Baker & Pete Tedesco
Courtney Evors recently celebrated her 10-year anniversary with Adidas by moving from design to marketing. She is still based in Germany and is now working as Senior Manager Futures Running, with a focus on innovation for running footwear.
Addison West & Ashley (Eyre) West ’04 welcomed their second child, William Hudson West, on February 22, 2018.
Justin Alfano and his wife, Kylie, are happy to announce the birth of their first child, Adriana Marie, born on December 9, 2017. Proud grandmom, Michele Alfano, Hon., is a teacher in the lower school.
CLASS AGENTS: Kimmy (Gardner) Reinking & Jack Meyers
CLASS AGENT: Julie Manser
Lauren (Patrizio) Xaba and her husband, Busani, are happy to report the birth of their twins, Zoe and Zachary Xaba, on October 19, 2017.
Ben Grossman and his wife, Margaret, welcomed twins Catherine and Jane to their family on March 26, 2017. Their son, Simon (4 years), is a proud big brother!
Trevor Walker lives in San Diego in a town called Cardiff By the Sea with his wife, Natalie, and two boys: Red Walker (2.5 yrs. old) and Brodie Penn Walker, born on October 23, 2017.
Sarah Baker and husband Scott Adams welcomed son Arthur Cover Baker-Adams to their family on November 2, 2017.
Class Notes
On Thanksgiving Day many people come out for the games, Soccer, Field Hockey and a favorite, the Turkey Trot. Fun was had by all that attended. SAVE THE DATE:
NOV. 22, 2018
Pete Tedesco and his wife, Laura, proudly report that Caroline Katherine Tedesco was born on August 20, 2015 (her father’s 32nd birthday!) and Alexis Shirley Tedesco was born on June 25, 2017. Ruth (Kelley) Gross graduated from Drexel’s School of Education in June 2017 and now works as a building substitute at Merion Elementary School in the Lower Merion School District.
2002 CLASS AGENTS: Kevin Dugan & Tim Mahoney
Kevin Dugan and wife Maria welcomed Nolan Patrick Dugan to their family on September 7, 2017.
2003 CLASS AGENTS: Ann (Imbesi) Ware & Julia Crawford
Send us your news! Visit episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.
Tom Good and wife Kristen welcomed a baby boy, Lincoln Thomas Good, to the world on January 4, 2018.
Ann (Imbesi) Ware and husband Don welcomed their first child, Richard, on February 3, 2017. Allison (Kendro) Ocanto married Jonathan Ocanto on November 18, 2017. The couple met six years ago in the town of El Transito, Nicaragua where they opened a surf, adventure, and volunteer tourism business named “SOLID Surf & Adventure.” The ceremony was held just 20 minutes from their business with friends and family joining in a celebration overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Andrew Brown began a new career last fall as the Director of Onboarding at start-up Flow.io, a cross-border commerce platform provider to the retail industry. Before that, he spent 10 years at Deloitte Digital. His wife, Emily, is a Vice President at Goldman Sachs in the Corporate Services and Real Estate Division and is the Head of Property Management for the Americas. Andrew and Emily live in Jersey City with their miniature schnauzer, Willow.
Ben Stokes and his wife, Asia, welcome their second daughter, Georgia, to their family on November 8, 2017.
Laura (Toebe) Barbarovich and her husband, Matthew, welcomed their son, Sunday Barbarovich, to their family on April 30, 2016. The family currently lives in Australia.
Drew Evans & Caitlin McKenna welcomed their son, Owen McKenna Evans, to their family on February 9, 2018.
Matt McMonagle and his wife, Julie, welcomed daughter, Emily Frances McMonagle, to the world on February 4, 2016. Summer 2018
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2004 CLASS AGENTS: Nick Brown & Mike Ciccotti
15
th
Reunion Year
May 3 & 4, 2019
Chris Familetti and his wife, Corrie Familetti, have joyously welcomed their first child, Elena “Ellie” Lee Familetti, into their family on April 4, 2018. Chris has been given a huge honor by being chosen for The Olmsted Scholar Program. The program was named after George H. Olmsted and awards scholarships to highly qualified, active duty junior officers in the United States military in order to pursue language studies and overseas graduatelevel education. He will be working for the Pentagon this summer and taking a German language course for 6-9 months in preparation for total immersion in his assigned location, Leipsig, Germany.
2005 CLASS AGENT: Nick Morris
2006 Bill Tierney and Jen Robinson are getting married this summer at the Lake Placid Lodge. They were engaged in Ravello, Italy.
CLASS AGENTS: Armena Ballard & Kelsey Cox
Dana Everitt is an Event Marketing Manager at Datadog where she plans customer and prospect-facing events for up to 1,000 attendees in the B2B tech space. Datadog is always hiring—let her know if you’re interested in a position at a rapidly growing tech company!
Casey Riley married Andrew Forester in Rome on September 2, 2017. She and Andy live in London where Casey works in fundraising for a private equity company. She was inducted into Episcopal’s Athletic Hall of Fame in May with the 2000 Girls Soccer Team. Unfortunately, she was unable to attend the awards ceremony. 54
Connections
Keith Lunkenheimer and his wife, Andie, welcomed their daughter, Koralie Everly, on January 17, 2018. Charlie Alexander recently completed his first year as head coach of the Archbishop Carroll wrestling team. Allison (FitzPatrick) Carey and her husband, Brett Carey, welcomed their first son, Liam Burk Carey, on August 20, 2017. He was 7lbs 15oz and is a happy and healthy baby boy. His grandfather, Norman FitzPatrick ‘80, loves and has embraced his new role! Rosie (Trumbull) Smith and her husband, Chris, are proud to announce the birth of their first daughter, Lillian (Lily) Madeline Smith, on February 26, 2018.
Colleen McKenna married Michael Niles at The College of Physicians in Philadelphia on November 18, 2017. In attendance were: Chris Tinari ’86, Caitlin McKenna ’02, Drew Evans ’02, Cristin McKenna ’10, Alexandra Gladstone, Max Kelly, Claire Pelura, and Rosie (Trumbull) Smith.
Billy Bagnell, Jr. was married to Katy Feinberg on December 9, 2017. Bill Bagnell ’82, Kellen (Heckscher) Vengels ’97, Maurice Heckscher ’60, Morgan Rees-Bagnell ’21, Chris McGinley, and Joe Federico ’07 were in attendance.
Lawrence Claiborne, Clifford Satell, Matt Sheehan, Blair Fox and Mike Devine.
Erika Kauder shared, “Six months ago I launched my company, Loudmouth Creative Co, a small boutique PR and digital marketing agency for the hospitality industry, offering public relations and digital marketing services to D.C.-based clients. My clients include RARE Steaks & Seafood, Stable, El Techo, Social Restaurant Group (a large group of DC-based restaurants) and Adam Greenberg, a four-time CHOPPED champion and owner of soon-to-open Coconut Club in D.C. Additionally, I recently split my time between DC and NYC to stand in as service manager and hospitality consultant at Chef’s Club NYC for The Dabney residency. I work in DC at The Dabney as a part-time hobby and Chef Jeremiah Langhorne decided to bring me down to assist with this three-month pop-up and serve alongside him as representatives of The Dabney in DC.”
Class Notes
Flight School performing on stage at the Class of 2007 reunion with bandmates Jordan Haddad and Paul Vale.
Send us your news! Visit episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.
The Class of 2007 celebrated their 10th reunion in November at World Café Live. With live music performed by Jordan Haddad and Pete Vale and their Philadelphia-based band, Flight School. The class collaborated with Dock-Street Brewery – a business owned by alumni Sasha Certo-Ware ’07 and Renata Certo-Ware ’04— to create a limited edition Dock Street + Fight School brew for this event.
Jon Trumbull with his wife, Laura, and classmates Meghan McCormick and Sasha Certo-Ware.
2007
2008
CLASS AGENTS: Shane Isdaner, Megan McFarland & Annie (Spofford) Ripley
CLASS AGENTS: Heather Hayes & Brian Young
10
th
Reunion Year
November 2018
2009 CLASS AGENT: Erin Flynn
Annie (Spofford) Ripley and her husband, William Ripley, welcomed a son, James Winfree Ripley, on December 27, 2017.
Erin Flynn and Patrick Rapuano, Summer 2018
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both EA class of 2009, were engaged on November 4, 2017. They will graduate from medical school in 2019. Christopher Lake proposed on Christmas Eve to his girlfriend, Catherine Divizio. In April, they traveled to England where she met his relatives.
2010s 2010 CLASS AGENTS: Lauren (Berry) Maloney, Kirsten Petrocelli, & Stephanie Bernabei
2011 CLASS AGENTS: Jimmy McEntee & Haley Habenicht
a dance charity event in which all of the proceeds went to CHOP’s Asthma Program. She was excited that the president of the university, Amy Gutmann, came to see them perform!
2012 CLASS AGENT: Brian Metzler In November, the Class of 2012 had an event at JJ Bootleggers in Downtown Philadelphia. About 90 of the 120 classmates showed up to see their high school friends. The night was filled with laughter, nostalgia, and joy while many EA classmates reunited for the first time in five years. Although many were reminiscing, this was also a great event to create new memories together. After the official event ended, most EA alumni remained for an hour or two to sing karaoke or just to spend more time together.
2013
Sarah Abbonizio scored her 1,000th career point as a starter for the University of the Sciences basketball team. She reached the milestone during an important 72-67 overtime win against rival Jefferson University in January. Photo credit: PA Prep Live.
CLASS AGENTS: James Costalas & Megan Kilcullen
5
th
Reunion Year November 2018
Kristen Hinckley is a Kindergarten Teacher at Colegio ÁLEPH in Lima, Peru.
Lauren (Berry) Maloney and James Maloney were married on November 4, 2017 at The Racquet Club of Philadelphia. Caroline Pratt ’09 and Meagan Berry ’09 were in the bridal party and the following spirited group of alumni were in attendance: Amanda Chikowski ’11, Margaret Heil, Eliza Crawford, Victoria Kielty, Anna Strong ’09, Allie Fuchs ’09, Jane Brinks ’09, Brian Young ’08, and Brian Kline, Hon. 56
Connections
2014 CLASS AGENT: Jack Keffer
Silicia “LoLo” Lomax performed in
James Konopka and Jack Keffer found each other among the thousands of fans on Broad Street on February 4 celebrating the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl victory.
2015 Josh Owsiany recently finished his sixth semester and third diving season at Duke. He is double majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering as well as Computer Science. He is excited to finish out the season strong. He is loving Duke and can’t wait to visit EA when back in the Philadelphia area!
CLASS AGENT: Charlie Jordan
Week for the first week of November after her game-winning goal during a field hockey game against The University of Pennsylvania. Photo credit: Princeton University
Class Notes
2016
2017
Denny Howell (third from the right) was the first mate on his father’s boat, the “Big Dog,” during the MidAtlantic, one of the biggest fishing tournaments on the east coast. Over the course of three fishing days, they released three white marlin and one blue marlin. They caught the second biggest tuna, weighing 126lbs, which was worth $80,000. They were also in a three-way tie for the largest dolphin (not the porpoise), weighing 17lbs and worth $5,000.
Nikki Cannon was a first-year swimmer at Trinity University this past year. She was named a “Bantam of the Week” in January after playing a huge role in helping the swim team to a 2-1 victorious weekend during meets against Clark University, Mt. Holyoke, and Vassar.
Send us your news! Visit episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.
Charlie Malone returned to EA to visit Jeremy Hark’s, Hon. fourthgrade class and talk with students about his experience at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Charlie is a Maritime Transportation Major. He is currently a Quarter Master and studying ship navigation. Charlie returned from his latest Sea Term in February. During the sixweek voyage on the TS Kennedy, Charlie and his fellow cadets made stops in Barbados, Jamaica, Columbia, Haiti, and Florida.
Kyle Virbitsky just wrapped up his freshman year at Penn State University and enjoyed his first season of baseball there.
Maddie Bacskai was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year. The Princeton sophomore was also selected Ivy League Player of the
Emma Seiberlich was named ACC Female Swimmer of the Week this fall. A freshman at the University of Virginia, she swam to two first-place finishes in the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke against Duke University in November. Photo credit: University of Virginia Summer 2018
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Milestones MARRIAGES ’06 Colleen McKenna to Michael Niles, 11/18/17
‘02 Allison (Kendro) Ocanto to Jonathan Ocanto, 11/18/17
’10 Lauren Berry to James Maloney, 11/4/17
’04 Casey Riley to Andrew Forester, 9/2/17 ‘06 Bill Bagnell, Jr. to Katy Feinberg, 12/9/17
BIRTHS ’60 George David & Wendy David: George Theodore David, 12/4/16
’01 Pete Tedesco & Laura Tedesco: Caroline Katharine Tedesco 8/20/15, Alexis Shirley Tedesco 6/25/17
’88 John Morris & Beth Morris: William Alexander Morris, 2/24/18
’02 Drew Evans & Caitlin McKenna ’02: Owen McKenna Evans, 2/9/18
’89 Caroline Waxler & Michael Levitt: Beatrice Edwards Levitt, 10/25/17
’02 Ben Stokes & Asia Stokes: Georgia Stokes, 11/8/17
’92 Suzanne Long & Glenn Krotick: Jack Krotick, 7/12/17 ’92 Ben Prusky & Kelly Prusky: Bryn Prusky, 11/20/17 ’95 Matt Chagan & Pip Chagan: Margot Alice Chagan, 3/20/18 ’97 Lauren (Patrizio) Xaba & Busani Xaba: Zoe & Zachary Xaba, 10/19/17
’02 Tom Good & Kristen Good: Lincoln Thomas Good, 1/4/18 ’04 Chris Familetti & Corrie Familetti: Elena “Ellie” Lee Familetti, 4/4/18 ’03 Matt McMonagle & Julie McMonagle: Emily Frances McMonagle, 2/4/16 ’03 Ann (Imbesi) Ware & Don Ware: Richie Ware, 2/3/17
’97 Addison West & Ashley (Eyre) West ’04: William Hudson West, 2/22/18
’06 Rosie (Trumbull) Smith & Chris Smith: Lillian (Lily) Madeline Smith, 2/26/18
’98 Matt Haldeman & Lindsay Haldeman: Grayson Haldeman, 9/19/17
’06 Keith Lunkenheimer & Andie Lunkenheimer: Koralie Everly Lunkenheimer, 1/17/18
’99 Trevor Walker & Natalie Walker: Brodie Penn Walker, 10/23/17
’06 Allison (FitzPatrick) Casey & Brett Carey: Liam Burk Carey, 8/20/17
’99 Justin Alfano & Kylie Alfano: Adriana Marie, 12/9/17
’07 Annie (Spofford) Ripley & Billy Ripley: James Winfree Ripley, 12/27/17
’01 Sarah Baker & Scott Adams: Arthur Cover BakerAdams, 11/2/17
IN MEMORIAM
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Connections
‘37 George F. Mohr April 27, 2018
’51 Howard F. Park, III March 13, 2018
’59 Philip H. Behr March 29, 2018
‘38 Ernest B. Brown September 13, 2017
’53 Timothy Jayne January 9, 2018
’59 William K. Griesinger, Jr. February 21, 2018
’48 John F. Hentz March 3, 2018
‘54 Duncan W. Van Dusen April 21, 2018
’63 C. Tyson Madeira February 11, 2018
‘49 Robin MacLeod Laing December 10, 2017
‘54 William D. Sykes, Jr. June 11, 2018
‘63 Richard W. Seiler April 21, 2018
‘51 William B. Calhoun, III December 14, 2017
‘55 David B. McMullin May 5, 2018
Milestones
Send us your news! Visit episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.
Class Notes
This spring, alumni gathered to celebrate the milestone of their class reunions. The Class of 1968 celebrated its 50th reunion and participated in a full day of activities, culminating with a special reception and dinner. The following night, other classes gathered to reminisce about their days at Episcopal during the annual All-Alumni Kentucky Derby Tent Party.
Summer 2018
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Milestones
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Connections
The Last Word By Matt Memmo, Hon., Chair of the Computer Science and Engineering Department hen I first started teaching at EA 12 years ago, one of the aspects of the school that really captivated me as a newcomer was its long and storied history. To work for a school that was founded shortly after our great country won independence filled me with pride. Thus, I’m very honored to be a part of this school, and especially a part of its rich history, by chairing its first Computer Science and Engineering academic department. I do not take this lightly. At EA, we set our standards high and aim for the best possible quality with every endeavor. In this vein, I aim for this department to be the best of its kind among our nation’s top schools, with a PreK-12 curriculum that holds computational thinking and the engineering design process as its core values, and empowers students to successfully navigate the modern world with a wide scope of digital literacy and digital citizenship skills.
students interested in the non-AP path, such as App Development or Robotics, extracurricular opportunities like Drones or 3-D modeling, and competitions like Hackathons and Cybersecurity contents will bring more students into the computer science and engineering fields.
I also believe our program to be outward facing, with projects that benefit the community beyond our campus. We hope to also build partnerships with local universities to give students access to high level, post-AP classes, and we should celebrate our students’ fantastic work in the same way that art, music, or writing is celebrated.
Through all of these efforts, I hope that our department will inspire students to realize the power in computer science and engineering skills; that learning the algorithmic process is learning problem solving. Debugging is a form of grit. The design process harnesses creativity. These are skills that they can apply to any discipline, and these talents can make the difference in a student’s success.
Of equal importance is making our program inclusive, so that any student who has an interest in technology or computer science should feel welcomed. Developing a strand of classes for
The Computer Science and Engineering department is an exciting new chapter in the history of our school. While our goals are ambitious, I have no doubt we can achieve them—because we’re EA.
“ Matt is a gifted teacher, advisor, and mentor who is well-loved by students for his positivity and engaging teaching style. I am confident he will bring this same positivity and openness to his new role as Department Chair.” – Head of School Dr. T.J. Locke
Summer 2018
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The Episcopal Academy 1785 Bishop White Drive Newtown Square, PA 19073-1300 www.episcopalacademy.org ADDRESS SERVICE R EQ UES T ED
SAVE THE DATE:
10-Year Campus Celebration FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2018
All are invited to join us for a community BBQ on the Clark Campus Green to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the school’s move to Newtown Square. More details will be emailed later this summer.