Independence Spirit, Fall 2022

IndependenceSpirit

in this issue

PILLARS OF PROGRESS

The Launch of a Major Campaign

Opening Note

Our Spirit in Action

This issue of Spirit features news of Foundation for the Future, a campaign to support educational excellence—and much more.

As I reflect on the past year at Independence and the start of our 45th anniversary year, I am very excited for our entire school community. Two seemingly unrelated developments come to mind. One is our capital campaign, the school’s first since 2003 and the focus of this Spirit magazine’s feature story. The other is the debut this year of “Soar,” the bald eagle, as our first official school mascot.

These two stories may seem unrelated, but I see a connection. Both are examples of how the Independence community continues to build and sustain spirit by coalescing around a shared goal, a shared idea, or simply the joy exhibited by children when they are encountering a happy and friendly bald eagle! When you see our students, especially the youngest ones, light up with excitement as they first encounter Soar, you realize the power that this kind of symbol has to energize and connect us. And, when you step onto our campus today, you see the power of our community working together on innovations and improvements.

We are enthusiastic and connected. Our campaign, Foundation for the Future, is gaining momentum, with $2.3 million of our $3 million goal raised by the start of the 2022–23 school year. This is the impact of that energy in action. Our alumni, parents, and friends support Independence because they feel united as part of this community, they feel pride in our excellence, and they feel a commitment to our shared mission.

The Independence School and our students are indeed soaring. We selected the bald eagle as a mascot for Independence because it symbolizes both patriotism and the natural world, both relevant here at Indy. And “Soar” is a perfect name for Indy’s eagle, as it is inspired by our “Give Me Independence. Watch Me Soar” marketing campaign, celebrating our students’ talent and potential.

As a new year of learning, growth, and progress is underway at Independence, I thank you for your role in our community and for helping us to soar together!

With Spirit, Victoria C. Yatzus Head of School

Inspire. Dream. Achieve.

“ When you step onto our campus today, you see the power of our community working together on innovations and improvements.”

FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE

An Upward Trajectory

“We are moving forward with a set of initiatives that each align with our strategic plan, will have a significant positive impact on our students, and will strengthen Independence for the long term,” says Head of School Vicky Yatzus as she describes the school’s ambitious new capital campaign, Foundation for the Future.

Quiet phase fundraising in support of the campaign began in 2018, and to date, the school has secured $2.5 million in commitments toward its overall goal of $3 million.

“This is exactly the position you want to be in,” says Yatzus, “with a significant portion of the total raised as we now expand the campaign to the extended Independence community and ask everyone to join us in reaching our goal.”

Funds raised through the campaign will support plans grouped into three categories or “pillars”—the Educational Pillar, the Campus Pillar, and the Financial Pillar. Individual priorities range from improvements to the school’s security systems to the expansion of its endowment. These objectives are diverse and wide-ranging, but are, in fact, all directly rooted in the Independence strategic plan, Framing the Future, which has charted the school’s progress for more than a decade.

“We launched the strategic plan in 2011,” explains Jeff Shahan, a board member and campaign co-chair. “We then updated it seven years later. Now we are checking off the final items we set out to achieve.”

The campaign is focused on those elements in the plan that require outside funding, but the school has been steadily

With a $3 million campaign well underway, Independence is making investments in educational excellence that will yield returns for years to come.

at work on others for years, from innovative approaches to student assessment to growth in the Character Development Program.

Shahan notes that Foundation for the Future comes some 20 years after the school’s last major campaign, as Independence celebrates its 45th anniversary, and as the school community looks to the future after several years that were dominated by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“Vicky Yatzus has done a great job steering the school through a challenging time,” Shahan says. “Our enrollment is growing. Our budget is balanced. And we are traveling an upward trajectory. It’s very exciting.”

The Educational Pillar

The Educational Pillar of the campaign focuses on plans to create state-of-the-art spaces, both indoors and outdoors, to support a learning experience evolving in exciting ways. The goal of that evolution is to ensure that the Independence curriculum reflects best practices in the educational field and new insights from brain science. As Independence teachers focus on project-based experiences and opportunities for active and interactive learning, the new approaches require a new setting.

As learning specialist Vita Biddle points out, “Classrooms have looked pretty much the same since the 1800s, with each student tethered to a desk for most of the day. We have been reimagining that model.”

In 2017, Independence took its first step in a new direction with what was then called “The Room of the Future”—now renamed the CLAW (Collaboration, Learning, Analysis, and Wonder). The room features flexible new furniture, easily reconfigured to support large-

group, small-group, and individual work, along with a bold new design aesthetic.

“When we created the Room of the Future, feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive,” Yatzus says. “Kids loved being in this space, and that’s exactly how we want them to feel.”

The success of the Room of the Future prototype inspired the plan to redesign all of the first-to-eighth-grade classrooms at Independence—work now well underway.

Just as exciting as this classroom transformation are the school’s plans for outdoor learning. Key components include the already established Funk Outdoor Classroom and a new Environmental Science Lab with direct outdoor access, with the planned addition of a water observation deck and outdoor learning space by the campus pond.

“The Funk Outdoor Classroom and Environmental Science Lab are complete and phenomenally successful,” says Yatzus, explaining that these spaces are part of a larger vision of outdoor learning. “We want to use all of our 90 acres to engage students, to enrich learning, and also to provide a break from the technology-mediated experiences that dominate so much of life today. I would say we are well on our way.”

Inspire. Dream. Achieve.

“All of our families today benefit from the generosity of those who came before. ”

The Campus Pillar

The Campus Pillar is the smallest of the campaign, but it will fund a critically important initiative— improving school security—while also funding updates to the entrance to campus.

“The safety and security of our students has always been our highest priority,” says Shahan. “And in recent years, commitment to this priority across the school community has only grown.” He also notes the opportunity to adopt new safety measures and technologies that have recently become available.

Plans call for a new set of locking doors to be installed, creating a secure visitor waiting area in the “airlock” of the school building’s main reception space. An electronic visitor sign-in system utilizing the latest in security technology was already added for the start of the 2022–23 school year. In addition, the school will complete updates to its communication system integrating phone, internal phone, and public address technologies.

Along with these safety-focused measures, plans include a larger and more prominent sign, which will be lit at night, announcing the school’s presence at the entrance on Paper Mill Road, as well as modifications to the main reception area so that visitors can recognize it more easily as the school’s main entrance.

“A new sign has long been discussed and is far overdue,” say Yatzus. “Our visibility from the road and the impression we create for visitors are both part of building our school’s image, and in this intensely competitive market, that’s vital.”

The Financial Pillar

Whereas the impact of the campaign’s first two pillars will be visible in the school’s physical infrastructure, the third focuses on its financial infrastructure, specifically on the endowment. A set of invested funds established through the generosity of donors over the years, the endowment provides a foundation of long-term financial stability, allowing the school to weather unexpected challenges when they arise.

“The past few years have shown us just how critically important the endowment is,” says Yatzus. “It allowed us to continue fulfilling our educational mission even in the face of severe and unforeseeable adverse circumstances.”

Francis Julian, co-chair of the Foundation of the Future campaign, couldn’t agree more. A father of Independence alumni, grandfather of current students, and past board member, he notes, “All the campaign pillars are important, but for me, the endowment stands out. It’s an essential measure of security.”

He also points out that investment income from the endowment helps fund the school’s annual operations. Currently, this income accounts for about 2.6% of the budget—money that would otherwise need to be raised through tuition.

“The safety and security of our students has always been our highest priority.”

The value of the endowment rises and falls with financial markets, but at present it totals roughly $7 million. The goal of the campaign is to augment this sum with $1.5 million in new investment.

“We started the endowment in the early 1990s, and it’s continued to grow,” explains Julian. “We see this campaign as one more step in building it up—a significant step, but not the last.”

Coming Together, Moving Forward

When Francis Julian, Jeff Shahan, and Vicky Yatzus speak about the Foundation for the Future campaign, it’s clear that for each of them the significance goes beyond its dollar goal.

As Shahan says, “It’s really about the school’s mission. I’m supporting the campaign because I believe in that mission, and I’m committed to its future. I’m thankful for the education Independence has provided to all my children and I want to make sure the school can provide that kind of education for years to come.”

Yatzus stresses the nature of the campaign as a shared undertaking. “It’s all about community-building. A successful campaign brings the community together for a common purpose. It reminds us how much more we can do when we act together than we ever could individually. It also fuels feelings of pride in the school and a sense of shared ownership of its future.”

For his part, Julian views the campaign as one chapter in a much longer arc of progress. “I was here at the beginning, in the days when we were in a shopping center,” he says. “I’ve seen the school grow, and at each stage, that growth has happened because of the philanthropic investment from donors who made each of our campaigns a success.”

Foundation for the Future is, in fact, the most recent of six campaigns at Independence spanning more than four decades. From Investing in Independence and the 80 Acres Campaign to The Square Foot Fund and Wings for Independence, these campaigns allowed the school to move to its current campus, buy additional acreage, and, in phases, complete construction of the building as we now know it.

“All of our families today benefit from the generosity of those who came before,” Julian says, “just as families years from now will benefit from what we are doing today—and will, I hope, continue the tradition of giving back.”

Inspire. Dream. Achieve.

“We see this campaign as a significant step in building up our endowment.”

“A successful campaign brings the c ommunity together for a common purpose.”

With Heather Horsey & AQ

An Independence faculty member since 1999, Heather teaches physical education, serves as co-athletic director, and coaches cross-country and indoor track. She is also a coordinator of the Character Development Program and supervisor to the Student Government Association. Heather is the recipient of the 2022 Patricia A. Ireland Faculty Award, honoring the qualities of professionalism, compassion, and good nature, exemplified by the school’s retired head.

Can you share a lesson you’ve learned about good teaching over the course of your 23 years?

I’ve learned not to worry about little things. If something doesn’t work, try again or change it up. Have fun with it. It’s exactly what I tell the kids, too.

What is the best part of your job?

It has to be the kids. Working with them—all of them, from four-yearolds to eighth graders. That brings me happiness every day. I love Independence. I’ve been here almost half my life. It’s like a second home to me.

Are there educational opportunities you have as a PE teacher that other teachers might envy?

My goal is to make fitness a lifelong skill, and to do that I try to introduce exercise in a way that’s fun so that they will always want to be active. That means creating activities that are enjoyable for kids with a range of abilities and sometimes finding less competitive ways to practice skills.

How did you end up playing such an important role in the Character Development Program?

What brought you to Independence?

I had graduated college and needed a job—and a position opened up here, first for an aide, then a full-time faculty position. Although I did not go to Independence myself, I knew about the school and its reputation because my father was the business manager here through the 1990s and my brother went here.

Physical education is especially good at teaching socialization and teamwork. There are so many chances to practice working together, and doing that well is a life skill that will be essential for all of our students through the years.

What makes you most proud of the athletics program at Independence?

I love the fact that our students are not required to play a sport, yet so many do. Something like 90 percent of our middle schoolers play by choice. So many memories come out of that experience and such important personal strengths are developed. Our student-athletes leave us ready for high school.

I had always played an active role in the advisory program. A colleague and I had been talking about the importance of qualities like respect, responsibility, and maturity, and how to teach and reinforce those qualities. With the influence of professional development, this led us into revising the Advisory program into the Character Development Program to focus on these characteristics as well as leadership and teamwork.

How do you like to keep fit yourself?

In school, I played soccer and field hockey and also swam and ran. Running is my favorite and I still do it. In fact, I have just completed my first marathon!

Alumni Profiles

Meet the 2022 Alumni Award Winners

Kennedy Crowder ’14, Exploring Abroad

A 2022 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, with a major in English and a minor in East Asian languages, Kennedy was named a Marshall Scholar and is now pursuing a master’s degree in Black Humanities at the University of Bristol in the UK. A person with “many branching interests,” from creative writing to community service to a possible career in academia, Kennedy sees her current studies as a chance to explore whether she wants to earn a Ph.D. Whatever her future holds, there’s little doubt it will involve some form of storytelling, a lifelong interest. “I came into middle school with a burning love of reading, and my teachers nurtured and sustained that,” she says. “That taught me the value of staying true to my passions.”

Chris Reynolds ’10, Med School and More

After earning degrees in biochemistry and theology from Boston College, Chris was awarded a 2018 Fulbright research grant, which allowed him to travel extensively through Latin America, exploring interests related to global health equity. Now in his third year at the University of Michigan Medical School on a Dean’s Scholarship, he is working toward both his M.D. and a master’s degree focused on implementing change in health care systems—a credential he hopes will prove useful as he looks forward to a career focused on serving vulnerable and underserved groups. Chris says that Independence taught him lessons that have served him well ever since: “The work ethic, the time management and organizational skills, and the value they clearly placed on education.”

Sam Parsons ’08, Life on the Fast Track

A North Carolina State University graduate, Sam is a professional distance runner under contract with Adidas and the cofounder of the Tinman Elite professional running team, based in Boulder, Colorado. Sam recently became the first runner ever to record a sub-4-minute mile on Delaware soil. He is now competing professionally in cross-country in addition to track, and has his sights set on the upcoming World Championships in Budapest and the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he will compete for Germany, his mother’s birth country. Sam remembers his days at Independence clearly. “The seeds of my running career were planted on that gravel track,” he says. “Running those cross-country races is where I really found my fire.”

A physician board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular diseases, and interventional cardiology, Erin is working in private practice with a cardiology group in Denver. A political science major at Middlebury College originally planning on a career in law, she explains that she found a new perspective working on HIV education during a trip to Malawi in college. She went on to complete her medical degree at Northwestern University and gravitated to cardiology. “I just find the heart fascinating and appreciate the chance to provide good care to people who are really sick.” What has stayed with her from her middle school days nearly 25 years ago? “All the teachers who fostered excellence and curiosity. I’ve brought that spirit with me through my years of education and into my career.”

Inspire. Dream. Achieve.

Dr. Erin Zolnick Unger ’98, Inspired to Heal

Earth-a-Palooza

Inspired by a school-wide commitment to educating strong stewards of the environment, Independence marked the 52nd annual Earth Day in April with Indy Earth-a-Palooza, an event challenging members of the school community to record at least 520 hours of service to the environment during the week between Earth Day and Arbor Day. Indy’s first graders won the challenge, logging more than 85 hours of earth-friendly activities, from cleaning up litter to building bug hotels.

30 Years of Patriotism

In May, Independence third graders took to the stage in the 30th-anniversary edition of one of the school’s most cherished traditions, the Patriotic Program. Created by teachers Debbie Grothaus, Louise Irwin Thomanek, and Russ Ramage in 1991, the program has inspired generations of Indy patriots and continues to thrive under the guidance of Mrs. Grothaus and Mrs. Michelle Robinson, her teaching partner and Patriotic Program collaborator for the past 15 years.

Fully Accredited

In 1996, Independence first received accreditation by the Middle States Association’s Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools—the gold standard for measuring and evaluating school performance in our region. Re-accreditation followed in 2014. Now, following a comprehensive self-study and an evaluation visit by a team of outside educators, Independence has proudly received accreditation for the next seven years.

Practicing the Platinum Rule

In October, educator and diversity expert Rosetta Lee led students in grades four through eight in a session titled “No Joke Zones,” which explored the ways teasing and joking can be hurtful. Lee shared the concept of “the Platinum Rule” (an upgrade of the well-known Golden Rule), encouraging students not only to treat others as they themselves would like to be treated, but to try to understand what other people might appreciate and consider words and actions that could lift them up.

Rosetta Lee

CWIL Advisors Named

Since 2016, the Center for Wellness, Innovation and Learning, or CWIL, has led efforts at Independence to implement research-based approaches to supporting the whole child and provide valuable resources for parents. Indy’s CWIL team members will now have a valuable new source of expertise to draw upon: a recently formed CWIL Advisors group. Its highly accomplished members include Stephanie N. Del Tufo, Ph.D., U.D. College of Education and Human Development & Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program; Roger Harrison, Ph.D., a pediatric psychologist with Nemours Children’s Health and clinical associate professor of pediatrics at Sidney Kimmel College of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University; Steve Kerlin, Ph.D., director of education at Stroud Water Research Center; Faith Muirhead, Ph.D., senior associate director of the Professional Development Center for Educators at U.D.; and Meredith Hershey Perny, PT, DPT, owner of Balance Physical Therapy, LLC.

Outdoor Learning Days

In the spring, Lower School students, teachers, and parent volunteers had the chance to experience education beyond the classroom in a new way as each grade took part in its own full day of outdoor learning. The goal was to explore how true learning can happen outdoors and understand the many benefits of spending time outside while making the most of the Funk Outdoor Classroom and taking part in activities ranging from herb planting to book walks and student performances.

Stephanie N. Del Tufo, Ph.D.

Steve Kerlin, Ph.D.

Roger Harrison , Ph.D.

Faith Muirhead , Ph.D. Meredith Her shey Perny, PT, DPT

Founders’ Day Scholarships & Awards

Independence has a tradition of recognizing students across many grade levels with a variety of scholarships and awards during the annual Founders’ Day assembly. The following were presented in 2022:

The Board Presidents’ Scholarship Karen Shi, Josh Wolhar

The Anne G. Hurt Memorial Scholarship Maya Gordon, Austin Liu

The Marsh Wiltbank Uebler Scholarship Gemma DiGiacobbe, Matteo Giordano

The Jack DiMaio Memorial Scholarship Declan Yourinson, Mia Mangat

The Margaret C. and William H. Cantwell Award for Musical Excellence Isabelle Kim, Sophie Wang

The Young Writer’s Scholarship Sophia Mitchell, Jasmine Wei

The Teresa T. Roach Scholarship Cole Slaton

The Courage Scholarship Chrisa Souleles

The Andrew N. Yatzus Scholarship Fraser Johnson

The Dr. Mia Shorteno Fraser Citizenship Scholarship Liliana Rispoli, Bennett Powell

Eighth Grade Awards

Each year at Graduation, a series of awards are presented, each with specific criteria. The following were presented at the 44th Eighth Grade Graduation Ceremony on June 13, 2022:

The Linda Ellison Stapleford Science Service Award Grant Schneider

The Rod Hammett Memorial Award Adithi Chandra

The Helena R. Ashwell Award for World Language Excellence Tim Mao

The Outstanding Academic Achievement Award Joy Yang, Tim Mao

The Independence School Board of Trustees’ Award Lydia Durkee, Nischay Patel

2022 Founders’ Award

Many of our alumni continue to maintain strong ties to Indy. Our alums are found among our teachers, parents of current students, donors, and members of our Board of Trustees.

The 2022 Founders’ Award was presented to Kevin Heitzenroder ’85, formerly the president of our Board of Trustees. A successful entrepreneur, Kevin led us through many important initiatives and has been extremely generous in his support of the school. Most recently, Kevin spearheaded the construction of the Funk Outdoor Classroom.

Best Wishes, Goodbye, and Welcome

GOODBYE AND BEST WISHES TO...

Lynn Fabian Middle School English teacher

Jane Fouracre

Early Childhood teacher

Denise Schweizer

First Grade teacher

Hilary Sophrin

Middle School English teacher

WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS TO...

Erika Bohman, Middle School English teacher, joined Independence as a member of our middle school English faculty. She brings nine years of experience teaching English at the high school level.

Allison Conner, first grade teacher, who joined Independence from a local independent school, previously worked in a learning support class, and has been a reading and math interventionist.

Rebecca Handloff, Early Childhood teacher, was a long-term substitute in kindergarten and ECI last year and accepted a position as a full-time Early Childhood I teacher in fall of 2022.

Parker Slaton, Early Childhood aide, joins her four children as a member of the Independence community. She has experience tutoring, teaching, and advising young people.

Dr. Deepika Thacker, Board of Trustees, has been a pediatric cardiologist at Nemours Children’s Health for over 12 years. She has also served as the medical director of the Cardiac Inpatient Unit at the hospital and has been part of medical research groups advising the CDC on concerns related to COVID-19. As the parent of two alumni and a current student, Dr. Thacker has been an active member of the Independence community for the past 12 years, and most recently has been a member of the Independence reopening committee to help regulate safe practices during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Welcome, Timothy Costello, as the fifth Head of School

In May 2022, Vicky Yatzus announced that she will be retiring at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year. After a long and thoughtful national search, the Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Timothy Costello as the Head-elect, beginning July 1, 2023. In making the announcement, Amelia Wyant ’90, President of the Board of Trustees, noted, “Tim is a proven leader and looks forward to nurturing the mission, values, and culture of our school.” He comes to Independence from Science & Arts Academy, a pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school in the suburbs of Chicago, where he has been Head since 2013. In accepting the position, Tim wrote, “My visit to Indy was both invigorating and affirming. After every interaction, the passion and love for the school were palpable and on full display.” To read more about the search process and about Tim Costello, please visit theindependenceschool.org/about-us/head-of-school-search.

Inspire. Dream. Achieve.

Website Redesign

A new school website showcases Independence with fresh energy and impact.

If you haven’t seen the Independence website in a while, it’s well worth a visit. Thanks to a complete redesign, theindependenceschool.org now delivers a next-level experience when it comes to creative messaging, design aesthetic, and functionality. The new approach is clear from the start, with a “hero” space at the top of the home page that features an imaginative video sequence inspired by the school’s marketing message “Give Me Independence. Watch Me Soar.”

The site launched on August 1, after roughly 10 months of hard work behind the scenes. “We started by gathering feedback on our program to focus in on the messages we wanted to bring to life,” explains Claire Brechter, director of marketing and communications. “In addition to thinking creatively about expressing these messages, we took a deep look at functionality, user experience, and accessibility.”

The result is a site that is mobile centric, media rich, and focused on telling powerful stories of the Independence community in action. As Brechter explains, the website is both a key tool in attracting new students, parents, and faculty to Independence and also an essential hub of information for those who are already part of the school community.

“With this launch, we feel we have a site that fulfills both of these roles successfully,” she says. “But, of course, a good website is never finished. We are always working to keep the content fresh.”

Thank You, IPA

Since Independence was established 45 years ago, parents have provided a valuable partnership in making our school exceptional. Whether fundraising or friend-raising, on campus or remotely, the Independence Parents’ Association (IPA) continues to be a significant ingredient of the Indy “special sauce.” With initiatives including hosting our first Fall Fest, greens sale, or parent division coffees, the IPA has continuously contributed to the Independence experience. In addition to inspiring our families, they have generously donated their time and resources to provide faculty and staff with coffees, treats, and lunches, and to support a successful faculty and staff appreciation week and a holiday and endof-year gift drive. We sincerely appreciate all of their efforts!

The IPA generously donated $80,000 back to The Independence School for the 2021-2022 school year. Thank you to the IPA leadership team and dozens of parent and grandparent volunteers who helped bring a touch of normalcy back to school last year.

2021–2022 Executive Officers

President: Erin Coomes (Lacy–4th, Alex–7th, Anthony ’22)

Vice President: Katie Grieco (Abby–4th, Payton–2nd)

Secretary: Leslie Ferenz (Alex–ECII, Will–2nd)

Treasurer: Trupti Patel (Krishna–2nd)

Thank you, IPA, for all you do for the entire Independence community!

With Our Appreciation…

Dear Independence community,

I am pleased to share with you the 2021–2022 Report of Philanthropy for The Independence School. First and foremost, thank you to all of our donors, event sponsors, committee members, and school volunteers. Your support is essential to our success as a school and we thank you for investing your time and resources. Whether your passion is helping to close the gap between tuition income and our day-to-day operating costs through the Annual Fund, supporting programmatic enhancements and professional development, or contributing towards our Foundation for the Future campaign to support the financial, educational, and campus pillars, we thank you.

Each new school year brings with it an enhanced vision of how we dream forward to enrich the learning of our students. With the dedication of our faculty, staff, and community, we have proven that even in demanding times, those invested in Independence’s success continue to support and encourage each other to accomplish what is best for all of our students.

Thank you for your commitment, your confidence in our work, and for affecting positive change in the lives of our students, faculty, and staff every single day.

Many thanks and much gratitude,

Michele C. Harra Director of Advancement and Enrollment Management

Inspire. Dream. Achieve.

FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE

The Independence School is a special place.

For 45 years, the school has been well-known for academic excellence, an unparalleled curriculum taught by amazing teachers who care about the whole child, and exceptional outcomes for our graduates. In order to continue to deliver on our mission and provide an excellent experience for students, Independence must be able to invest in technology and innovation, enhance outdoor learning spaces, and expand students’ opportunities for collaboration.

Dr. Barbara Albani and Mr. Ryan Haydu Anonymous (1)

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Burke Mr. and Mrs. John M. Burris Crestlea Foundation Crystal Trust CSC

Mr. Amish Desai and Dr. Payal Desai Ms. Molly DiBianca, Esq. Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Dombrowski Mr. and Mrs. William Doroh Ellice and Rosa McDonald Foundation Fidelity Charitable

Mr. and Mrs. Robert J.A. Fraser Mrs. Bianca I. Fraser-Johnson and Mr. Michael J. Johnson Mrs. Ashley Quill Funk ’95 and Mr. Vance Funk

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Georgov Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Giffin Dr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Glick Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Greggo

Mr. Michael Hahn and Dr. Heather Hahn Mr. Thomas J. Hanna and Dr. Lexie A. Hanna

The Happy Difference Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Robert V.A. Harra, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert V.A. Harra III Mr. and Mrs. E. Thomas Harvey III Mr. and Mrs. Francis R. Julian Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Julian Mr. Richard Julian, Jr. ’93

Mr. Stephen Julian ’00 and Mrs. Colleen Julian Dr. and Mrs. Robert Kacmarcik, Jr. Dr. Deep Kahlon and Ms. Mona Singh Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Kenton Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Knox Mr. and Mrs. Rudolf Koch

Mr. Conrad Langenegger and Mrs. Sabrina K. duPont-Langenegger Mr. and Mrs. Alan B. Levin Marmot Foundation

Mr. Russell Michalak and Ms. Jennifer E. Smith

Mrs. Christine Julian Moritz ’91 and Mr. Garrett Moritz

Dr. Joan C. Neikirk and Mr. Dave Neikirk

Dr. Mia Papas ’86 and Dr. J. Morel Symons QVC Partners in Giving Matching Gifts

Mr. and Mrs. Luca Saggese

Dr. and Mrs. William Schmidt

Mr. and Mrs. Doug Schneider Schwab Charitable

Mr. Jeffrey Shahan and Mrs. Kimberly Criscuolo Shahan ’97

Dr. Nicholas S. Souleles and Dr. Alexis M. Souleles

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew P. Taylor

Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Thomas

Dr. Harry Wang and Ms. Carrie Fang Welfare Foundation, Inc.

Mrs. Amelia Julian Wyant ’90 and Mr. Jack Wyant

Mr. Ping Xu and Ms. Boon Huei Loh Mrs. Victoria C. Yatzus

Inspire. Dream. Achieve.

We are so grateful to these donors who have given during the silent phase of the campaign.

The Independence School Report of Philanthropy 2021–2022

The Independence School is so grateful for the continued generosity of our community, including the 562 board members, parents, alumni, faculty and staff, grandparents, former parents, and friends who supported the school and our students with a philanthropic gift during the 2021-2022 school year. All gifts enhance and enrich the school experience for our students and support the faculty. We are so appreciative of each and every gift. Thank you!

Independence Club

$10,000 AND UP

Anonymous (1) Crestlea Foundation Crystal Trust

Fidelity Charitable Dr. Mark R. Fiss and Dr. Marissa Schnelle Mrs. Bianca I. Fraser-Johnson and Mr. Michael J. Johnson Mrs. Ashley Quill Funk ’95 and Mr. Vance Funk Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Georgov The Estate of Mr. William J. Gore Mr. Thomas J. Hanna and Dr. Lexie A. Hanna

The Happy Difference Foundation Mr. and Mrs. E. Thomas Harvey III Mr. J. Kevin Heitzenroder ’85 and Mrs. Elizabeth Heitzenroder Independence Parents’ Association (IPA)

Mr. and Mrs. Francis R. Julian Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Julian Mr. Conrad Langenegger and Mrs. Sabrina K. duPont-Langenegger Mr. and Mrs. Mark Martin Mrs. Christine Julian Moritz ’91 and Mr. Garrett Moritz Schwab Charitable

Mr. Jeffrey Shahan and Mrs. Kimberly Criscuolo Shahan ’97 Mrs. Lisa Julian Spear ’94 and Mr. Mark Spear Dr. Mia Papas ’86 and Dr. J. Morel Symons Mr. and Mrs. Andrew P. Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Thomas Turf Pro, Inc.

Mrs. Amelia Julian Wyant ’90 and Mr. Jack Wyant

Mr. Ping Xu and Ms. Boon Huei Loh Mrs. Victoria C. Yatzus

Freedom Club

$5,000 TO $9,999

Dr. Barbara Albani and Mr. Ryan Haydu Alpine and Rafetto Orthodontics

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Burke

Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Cook Delaware Orthopaedic Specialists Mr. Amish Desai and Dr. Payal Desai Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Dombrowski

Mr. and Mrs. William Doroh Dr. Matthew Eichenbaum

Mr. and Mrs. Robert J.A. Fraser Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Giffin Dr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Glick

Goldman Sachs Matching Gift Program

Mr. and Mrs. Robert V.A. Harra, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert V.A. Harra III Mr. Richard Julian, Jr. ’93

Mr. Stephen Julian ’00 and Mrs. Colleen Julian Dr. Deep Kahlon and Ms. Mona Singh Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Kenton Mr. and Mrs. Rudolf Koch

Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Michels WSFS CARES Foundation

Spirit Club

$3,000 TO $4,999

Dr. Mirko Bajlovic and Dr. Megan Cook Bajlovic Mr. and Mrs. Scott Burris Constellation through Charities Aid Foundation America

Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Fedale Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. Mr. Michael Hahn and Dr. Heather Hahn Master Seo’s Tiger Kicks Martial Arts Mr. and Mrs. Luca Saggese Mr. Hayoung Seo and Mrs. Mijung Choi Mr. Jack Shi and Ms. Qing Gao Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wyant

Stars Club

$1,500 TO $2,999 Anonymous (2) Anthony Penna Charitable Fund of the Delaware Community Foundation Mr. Donald W. Ashwell Benevity Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Brindley Mr. and Mrs. John M. Burris Dr. Edward J. Caterson and Dr. Stephanie Caterson Mr. and Mrs. David Chorlton Dr. and Mrs. John Courtright Mrs. Elisabeth Croft Richards CSC

Evergreen Waste Services, LLC

Mrs. Jane Fouracre

Mr. Brian Funk ’94 and Mrs. Andrea Funk Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gilmore Giordano, DelCollo, Werb & Gagne, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Giordano Mr. and Mrs. Farrell Goble Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Hill Dr. and Mrs. Robert Kacmarcik, Jr. Keen Compressed Gas Co. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Keen Dr. Joohyong Kim and Dr. Susan Kim

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Knox Mrs. Sue Mark Dr. and Mrs. Alan McKersie Mr. Russell Michalak and Ms. Jennifer E. Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Midgley Mrs. Ashley White Palandrani ’95 and Mr. Gregory Palandrani ’95

Panaro Law Group, LLC

Dr. Nathan Poleck and Dr. Elizabeth Poleck Dr. and Mrs. John Powell Dr. and Mrs. Ryan Robinson Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Stevens Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. Swavely Dr. Harry Wang and Ms. Carrie Fang Mr. and Mrs. Andy Wilke Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Woodland Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP

Stripes Club

$1,000 TO $1,499

Advanced Back & Neck Pain Center American Philanthropic Mr. Michael Barlow and Dr. Jennifer Barlow Mr. and Mrs. Erik Barr

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond F. Bree, Jr. Mr. Ryan Browning ’97 and Mrs. Danielle Browning Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Calloway Dr. and Mrs. Mark J. Corso

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Dann Dewson Construction Company

Mr. and Mrs. Rohan D’Souza

Mr. and Mrs. Randal Farabaugh

Dr. Ian Farrell and Dr. Kelli Farrell

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Fischer

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen J. Fox

Dr. and Mrs. Stephen L. Hershey Mr. and Mrs. James Hicks

Dr. Feng Jiao and Dr. Zhuojia Lin Kerith Foundation

Mrs. Grace G. Kirk

Dr. Jun Li and Ms. Fei Cheng

Mr. Gregory Macko and Dr. Erin Macko

Mr. and Mrs. George K. McDowell

Dr. Travis McKay ’98 and Mrs. Amanda McKay

Dr. Joan C. Neikirk and Mr. Dave Neikirk

Mr. Jing Pan and Ms. Zhiying Zou

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Perkins

Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Persoleo

Mrs. JoAnn N. Quill

QVC Partners in Giving Matching Gifts

Mr. and Mrs. David Rodeheaver

Dr. Michael J. Ryan ’80 and Mrs. Cindy Ryan

Salesianum School

SB Real Estate, LLC

Mrs. Donna Kirk Sentman ’80 and Mr. David Sentman Service Unlimited, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Slaton Dr. Nicholas S. Souleles and Dr. Alexis M. Souleles

Mr. Jason Styons ’01

Mr. Jiancheng Su and Mrs. Ying He The Tatnall School Ms. Kerith Wang ’08

Dr. Sean Wang and Ms. Monica Ho Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Wenger Mr. Jonathan White ’94 and Mrs. Kristi White

Mr. Zongping Yang and Ms. Yu Hao Mr. Haibing Zhang and Ms. Yun Shen

Red Club

$650 TO $999

Anonymous (1)

Archmere Academy Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. George Brown IV

Mr. and Mrs. Damian J. Carlson

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Corbett

Dr. and Mrs. Hung Dam

Mr. and Mrs. David Dello Buono

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Falkowski

Mr. Christopher Fasick ’98 and Mrs. Anita Fasick

Ms. Amy Graham

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Grieco

Mr. and Mrs. John Helmick

IFS Benefits, LLC

Mr. Harish Koya and Ms. Himabindu Yalamati Dr. Jag Kumar and Mrs. Shuba Gangaswamiah Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Levin

Mr. Xiang Li and Ms. Ning Zhang Dr. Patrick Matthews and Dr. Jessica Matthews Dr. Parham Moftakhar and Dr. Waimei Amy Tai Padua Academy

Mr. Matthew Perny and Dr. Meredith Perny Dr. and Mrs. William Schmidt

Mr. and Mrs. Doug Schneider Mrs. Jessica Czerwin Seward ’98 and Mr. Evan Seward

Tower Hill School

United Way of Delaware

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel W. Whitaker III Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Wilson

Mr. and Mrs. James Wright

White Club

$350 TO $649

AmazonSmile Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ambler

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Archbell Balance Physical Therapy, LLC

C/MC and Mrs. Charles Baldwin Mrs. Jan K. Barnett

BCM Wealth Management Mrs. Tracy Berryman Berger ’93 and Mr. Josh Berger Ms. Vitamarie Biddle

Mr. and Mrs. Mark E. Boone

Starry Night to Remember!

What an amazing night we had under the stars on Saturday, April 30, at Greenville Country Club! Thanks to your generosity and support, the Auction & Gala was a glowing success! We raised over $67,000 for our amazing school, benefiting all students, with $20,161 going toward permanent shade structures for the campus.

We would like to thank our featured sponsor, WSFS CARES Foundation, for its continued partnership. We would also like to applaud all of our individual and business sponsors, auction-item solicitors and donors, video contributors, event attendees, raffle participants, permanent shade structures donors, and item bidders who kept the fun going throughout the night. It was a fabulous night for the Independence community! P.E. teachers for a day—a popular auction item!

Sapphire & Silver

Save the Date / April 22, 2023

Greenville Country Club

Join the celebration with Mrs. Yatzus as she retires from The Independence School!

Inspire. Dream. Achieve.

Dr. and Mrs. Kyle J. Bottorff

Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Brechter, Jr.

Dr. AnneMarie Brescia and Mr. Daniel Brennan

Brown Advisory Charitable Foundation

The Buccini/Pollin Group, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Burns

Mrs. Leslie Cohen McGregor and Brian Cohen, Ph.D. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Colbert

Mr. and Mrs. Todd Coomes

D’Souza & Associates, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Jake Emerson

Dr. and Mrs. George C. Emmett

Erin N. Macko DDS Family Dental Care Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Fallon

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Ferenz

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ferenz

Mr. Frank Fiedler and Ms. Haiyan Weng

Mr. Thomas Flick and Mrs. Marieann Flick Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ford

Mr. and Mrs. Darrin Frampton

Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Fullmer

Mr. Zhenhai Gao and Ms. Wei Geng

Mrs. Julie R. Goldston

Mrs. Brittany Ramone Gomez ’00 and Mr. Ray Gomez

Mr. and Mrs. Manish Goyal

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Handloff

Hartefeld National

Mr. Jiamin He and Mrs. Sushuang Huang Hicks Brothers IV Farming

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Horsey

J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation

Mr. Guohua Jing and Ms. Yu Yao

Dr. Stephen Kayiaros

Mr. Jonathan Kirch and Dr. Sandra Kirch Ms. Christine Koense

Mr. and Mrs. John P. Kolodczak Mrs. Moira Fasick Kostes ’01 and Mr. Rick Kostes

Dr. Krzysztof Kowal and Dr. Wen Li Mrs. Barbara Kraus-Blackney

Mr. and Mrs. Jay Lazar

Mr. Lei Liu and Mrs. Jie Chen Mr. Joseph Lombardi

Mr. and Mrs. Greg Martin

Mr. and Mrs. Vince McIntosh Mrs. Jane Mangat

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Monge Mr. and Mrs. Richard Moody Mr. and Mrs. David M. Morse

Dr. and Mrs. David Nagurney Mr. David Nichols and Dr. Louise Reid Nichols Mr. and Mrs. Sam Nyabiosi

Ms. M. Tina Palmer and Mr. Charles Perkins Mr. Zaiqi Pan and Ms. Yunqing Yuan

Mr. and Mrs. Shodhan Patel

Peter Kate

Mr. and Mrs. James Pizzutto Dr. Petr Plechac and Dr. Yvonne Ou Pratt Insurance, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Puglisi Dr. Wolfgang Radtke and Dr. Elena Rodriguez Reyna

Mr. and Mrs. John Reed Mr. and Mrs. William Reynolds Mr. and Mrs. Pete Ross Saint Mark’s High School

Sanford School

Mrs. Rachelle Schindler Dr. Vincent See and Dr. Jennifer Ty Mr. Paul M. Shearer Mr. and Mrs. Peter Slaton

The Slumber Soiree Mr. and Mrs. Scott Stepek Dr. and Mrs. Donald Suh Mr. and Mrs. Jatinder Syan Ms. Zoe J. Symons ’21 Dr. Deepika Thacker and Dr. Mihir Thacker

The Falkowski Group

Total Wine & More

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Tsaganos Mr. Thomas Uebler ’95 and Mrs. Cameron Uebler Vanguard Matching Gift Program Wells Fargo Educational Matching Gift Program Dr. and Mrs. Bradley Why Mrs. Laura Willrich Wilmington Friends School Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wyatt Ms. Haley L. Yatzus ’11 Yoga on Love Mr. and Mrs. JT Yourinson Blue Club

$160 TO $349

Abel Aesthetics

Aloysius Butler & Clark American Dance Academy Anonymous (2) Mr. and Mrs. David Anshen Mr. and Mrs. Jason Antoine Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Bair Mr. and Mrs. Michael Balthis Barclays Matching Gift Program Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Barton Mr. and Mrs. Michael Berryman Mrs. Laura Hough Bianco ’94 and Mr. Joseph Bianco BMW Championship Bright Funds Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Ron Burke Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Cooke Ms. Jessica Copeland Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Craft Dr. Michael Dauner and Dr. Elham Behshad Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dougherty Mr. Michael Durkee ’95

Exelon Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fairfield Mr. and Mrs. Steven Fasick Mr. and Mrs. William W. Fincher Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Fiss Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gambino Ms. Sarah Gilmore ’01 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Godfrey Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Handling Mr. and Mrs. Brian Handloff Mr. and Mrs. William E. Hicks Hockessin Athletic Club

Indulgence Jewelers

Mr. Rong Jiao and Mrs. Ping Sun Dr. Heidi Kozic Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Liberato Dr. Jun Liu and Dr. Yan Hu

Mr. Min Liu and Ms. Yibin Xiao

Mr. Guotao Lu and Ms. Zhaochun Li Mr. and Mrs. William D. Luke III Mr. Jeffrey Mangat ’98 and Mrs. Cindy Mangat Mrs. Kimberly A. Manno Mrs. Linda Kirk Manthey ’81 and Mr. David Manthey

Mr. Yousheng Mao and Ms. Yang Lin Maureen’s Hair Salon & Day Spa Dr. Mary Ellen McNally

Dr. and Mrs. Theodore W. Michell Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Mitchell Mr. and Mrs. Robert Montgomery, Jr. Mrs. Robin Moody

The Ed Morton Family Ms. Rebecca L. Moylan ’92

The Music School of Delaware Ms. Tanya Nelson

Pain and Sleep Therapy Center

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Papa

Mr. Stephen Papa and Dr. Michelle Papa

Performance Physical Therapy & Fitness Dr. Shaoming Qu and Dr. Siyan Wang

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ramone

Mr. and Mrs. J. Paul Raymond

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Reynolds

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Robinson

Mr. Christopher Ross ’86 and Mrs. Melissa Ross Dr. Robert Sepelyak

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Shockley Soccer Shots

Mr. Ravi Subbaraya and Dr. Vidyarani Subbaraya Mr. Shao-Tang Sun and Mrs. Jean-Hsien Ho Mr. and Mrs. Mike Terranova

United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey University of Delaware Athletics Mrs. Joan Valentine

Mr. and Mrs. Junyi Wang Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Warnke

Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer R. Wenger Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Wier III Mr. and Mrs. Roger Wilke

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Wolhar

Mr. Song Yang and Mrs. Sherry Zhu Mr. Yonglai Yang and Ms. Wei Lai Mr. and Mrs. David Zerbato Mr. and Mrs. Ralph C. Zinszer III

Donor Club

UP TO $159

Mr. Maurice Abbott and Dr. Melissa Tribuiani Advanced Aesthetics Medispa Anonymous (3)

Mr. and Mrs. Jake Annable Argilla Brewing Company

Mr. Qazi Aurangzeb and Ms. Hina Syed

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Axt

Mr. Ram Bala and Mrs. Aarthi Murali Bardea Food & Drink

BBC Tavern & Grill

Mrs. Carol A. Bergner

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Blanford Blo Blow Dry Bar Ms. Felicia Boyer

Mr. and Mrs. Martin Brennan

Mr. and Mrs. George L. Brown III

Mr. and Mrs. William Browning

Mrs. Michele E. Bruxelles

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Cantera Mrs. Marie T. Celano

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Cercena

Mr. and Mrs. Amulyadhan Chakraborty Mr. and Mrs. Chad Chandler

Charter School of Wilmington Ms. Susan Chudzik

Columbus Inn

Mr. Garrett Copeland

Dr. and Mrs. Evan Crain

Mr. and Mrs. Rafael Cruz

Currie Hair, Skin & Nails Mrs. Donna Cutrona

Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore J. DeAngelo, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Michael DeBaecke

Mrs. Suzanne Burton Delaplane ’85 and Mr. Mark Delaplane

Ms. Molly DiBianca, Esq.

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel DiGiacobbe

Mr. and Mrs. Ray G. Dikeman

Mr. and Mrs. Sateesh K. Dola

Mr. and Mrs. John Duffy Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Duffy Mrs. Mary Duricek Mrs. Natalie J. Dyke El Diablo

Mr. Jason Hurley and Ms. Catherine Emmett

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Fabian

Dr. Xiao Fang and Dr. Jing He

Mr. and Mrs. Allan Fanjoy Ms. Josée Faubert-Spence

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Ferrell

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Ferrell Mrs. Laura L. Fickes

FMC Corporation

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy J. Fox, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Garrett

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Giordano Mr. and Mrs. Benard Gisiora Mr. and Mrs. William Glanden Mr. Lennon Glass and Ms. Catherine Rounsley-Maxwell

Mr. and Mrs. Francis Gondek

Mr. and Mrs. Troy Gordon

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Gorton Mr. Peter Gorton

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Gouge

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Gredell Ms. Elizabeth W. Green

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Greevy Mrs. Maria Gregors

Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Gregory Mr. and Mrs. William Grothaus Mr. and Mrs. Xuqing Gu Gunnip & Company, LLP Mrs. Georgia D. Haldas Ms. Rachel Hardie

Dr. Cathy Harris and Dr. Jay Harris Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hayes Mr. and Mrs. Brian Hershner

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Hershner Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hicks

High 5 Hospitality Mrs. Rupal Hirwe Ms. Margaret Hoey

Dr. and Mrs. James Hohman

Dr. and Mrs. William Hohman Dr. and Mrs. Mark J. Holliday Dr. Martha Hollomon and Mr. Mark Hollomon Mr. and Mrs. Andrew T. Horsey Mrs. Kelly Huxtable Mr. Gia Huynh-ba ’96 Dr. and Mrs. Galicano Inguito, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Michael Jablonski Dr. Paul A. Johnston and Dr. Jennifer C. Nauen Mr. and Mrs. James Jones Mr. and Mrs. Robert Julian Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kamps Mr. and Mrs. Chad Kessler Mrs. Peggy Kipp Dr. Kathryn Sepelyak Kirsch ’01 Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Koziak Mr. Marc A. Kreider ’82 Mr. and Mrs. Carl N. Kunz III Mr. and Mrs. Sean Laird

Laser Wolf Grill Mr. Jason Lazar

Mr. Collin R. LeVan and Mrs. Kyleigh K. Gloska Ms. Lingchin Liao

Mrs. Barbara Lofts Mr. Michael Lofts and Dr. Dawn Berk Luna Hair Mrs. Marie A. Maks

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Maloney Mrs. Kelly Mason Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. McCord Mr. Sean McDerby and Mrs. Hilary Olner Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McDonald Mr. and Mrs. Michael McDonald Mr. and Mrs. W. Nathan McDonald Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. McKeown Mr. Sam McKeown ’19 Mr. and Mrs. John McMahon Ms. Stacy McNatt Mrs. Melanie Zinn Merritt ’97 and Mr. Nicholas Merritt Ms. Joanna Michell-Kayiaros Mr. and Mrs. Gene Miller Mrs. Margaret Ann Minihan Mr. and Mrs. Jason Motta Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Musiano Mr. Edgar H. Narmore and Mrs. Susan Flick-Narmore Mrs. Lois B. Olsen

Ms. Caitlin Osborne Mr. Kofi Osei and Mrs. Adeline Jenkins Dr. Munish Pahwa and Dr. Anjala Pahwa Park Cafe

Dr. and Mrs. Etern Park

Mr. Jun Young Park and Ms. Eun Kyung Cho Mr. Sheel Patel ’90 and Dr. Shveta Singh-Patel Mr. and Mrs. Victor Pelillo

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Perny Mr. and Mrs. Timothy G. Petterson Mrs. Laura Persoleo Pierson ’00 and Mr. Steve Pierson

Pizza By Elizabeths Mrs. Joanne M. Pohlen Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Pombo Mr. Paul J. Pomeroy III Ms. Hannah Pretz

Mr. and Mrs. Dante Principe, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Raab

Dr. and Mrs. Sadashiva Rao

Mr. and Mrs. William D. Reid Mr. and Mrs. Brian Ries

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Rispoli

Ms. Amie Rogers

Dr. and Mrs. John Roussalis Dr. and Mrs. Louis J. Roussalis Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Russell Mr. Joseph Russell Mrs. Ellen Ryan Dr. Tae Sakamoto Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Samuels Dr. and Mrs. James N. Scarborough Mr. and Mrs. Mark Scarpone Mrs. Mary Hylda Schwarz Mrs. Denise Schweizer Mr. Timothy L. Scott Mr. and Mrs. Joyesh Sengupta Mr. and Mrs. Dan Shockley Ms. Justine Shockley Mr. Skyler Shockley

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Simmons Mrs. Bernice B. Smith

Mr. Jeff Smith Ms. Tristan Snellings Mr. Clay Strickland and Ms. Stephanie Byrd Mr. Rahul Subbaraya ’12 Mr. Rishi Subbaraya ’16

Mr. K. Andrew Tarburton ’84 and Mrs. Ann Marble Tarburton

Ms. Kylie Tarburton

Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Tatham Mr. Gregory A. Teitelbaum and Ms. Brittany R. Powell

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Testa, Jr. Timothy’s of Newark Mr. and Mrs. Brett Townsend Ms. Edith H. Townsend

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Townsend Mr. Ryan Trout

Mr. Jack Tsai and Mrs. Rebecca Liu

Two Stones Pub United Way of Central Indiana Valle Cucina

Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Vavala Ms. Kathy Walsh

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Walsh Mr. Wanfu Wu and Mrs. Lucy Wang Ms. Ann Waring

Dr. Lanier Watkins and Dr. Shari Watkins

The Well Coffeehouse and Marketplace

Mrs. Christine Whitcraft ’91

Dr. Dahra Williams and Mr. Bill Williams

Mr. and Mrs. Freeman L. Williams, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Mark Wilson

Mr. and Mrs. A. Richard Winchester Dr. and Mrs. James Wingrave

Dr. and Mrs. Gary Witkin

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Womer

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wuerstle Mr. Huifeng Xi and Mrs. Yayun Shen Dr. Joseph Zaher and Dr. Elizabeth Zaher Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Zinn

* Deceased

Accuracy is very important to us. If you feel that we have made an omission or error, please contact the Advancement Office at 302-239-0330.

Event Sponsors

The Independence School would like to extend its sincerest gratitude to the event sponsors during the 2021-2022 school year.

Each year, Independence hosts several fundraising events for the entire community including the Auction & Gala, 5K and Color Us Kids Run, and Cornhole Tournament.

The school was thrilled to host these events in person.

If your business or employer would like to be part of Independence’s events, please contact us since we are always looking for additional sponsors. Our events provide marketing to a targeted audience, leading potential new customers to you.

Please consider becoming an event sponsor today. Contact Michele Harra via email mharra@indyde.org or by phone 302-239-0332.

Presenting Sponsor

WSFS CARES Foundation

Star Sponsor

The Desai Family

Evergreen Waste Services, LLC (Marcus Stevens)

Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. (Rob Harra)

Keen Compressed Gas Co. (Bryan Keen)

Tiger Kicks Martial Arts (Hayoung Seo and Mi Jung Choi)

Patriot Sponsor

Alpine and Rafetto Orthodontics (Mark Fiss, DMD)

American Philanthropic Dewson Construction Company

Giordano, DelCollo, Werb & Gagne, LLC Salesianum School

SB Real Estate, LLC (Jeff Shahan)

Service Unlimited, Inc.

Doug and Shannon Schneider Turf Pro, Inc.

Kristi and Jonathan ’94 White

Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP (Vincent Thomas, Esq., Dan Johnson, Esq., Ed Morton, Esq., Rob Poppiti, Esq., and Tim Houseal, Esq.)

Blue Sponsor

Advanced Back & Neck Pain Center (Travis McKay, DC ’98)

Balance Physical Therapy, LLC Brown Advisory Charitable Foundation Dann Marine Towing D’Souza & Associates, Inc.

Erin N. Macko DDS Family Dental Care Hicks Brothers IV Farming IFS Benefits, LLC Padua Academy

Pratt Insurance, Inc. The Falkowski Group The Tatnall School Tower Hill School

Wilmington Friends School

Red Sponsor

Andrew J. Glick, M.D., Brandywine Urology Consultants, P.A. BCM Wealth Management Sanford School

White Sponsor

Aloysius Butler & Clark American Dance Academy Archmere Academy

The Ed Morton Family Saint Mark’s High School Soccer Shots

The Vince Thomas Family

Head of School

Victoria C. Yatzus

Board of Trustees 2022–2023

Mrs. Amelia Julian Wyant ’90 President

Mrs. Rachel Wood Vice President Mrs. Kristin Giffin Secretary Mr. Bill Doroh

Treasurer

Mr. Kevin Dombrowski

Ms. Carrie Fang

Mrs. Bianca Fraser-Johnson

Mr. Thomas Hanna

Dr. Mia Papas ’86

Mr. Jeffrey Shahan Mrs. Mona Singh Dr. Deepika Thacker

Vincent Thomas, Esq.

Advisory Board

Command Master Chief Charles Baldwin

Mr. Robert J.A. Fraser

Mrs. Sally Gore

Mr. Vincent N. Greggo

Dean Gary T. Henry

Mrs. Patricia A. Ireland

Mr. Francis Julian

Mr. Richard Julian

Mrs. Barbara Kraus-Blackney

Mrs. Lisa Ramone

Spirit Production

Michele Harra

Director of Advancement and Enrollment Management

Claire Brechter

Director of Marketing and Communications

Julie Goldston

Advancement Manager

Kylie Tarburton Communications Specialist

Kelli Wilke Photography

Kelsh Wilson Design

Congratulations Class of 2022!

INSPIRE. DREAM. ACHIEVE.