TRUE TO TOWER HILL A New Strategic Plan
Tower Hill Bulletin | Spring 2024
Tower Hill BULLETIN SPRING 2024 COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Amy Schrei Director of Communications and Marketing Kimberly Smith Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing Natalie Hobbs Communications Specialist ADVANCEMENT OFFICE Kristin Mumford Director of Advancement and Enrollment Management Laura DiVincenzo Director of Advancement Services Julie Donohue Director of Annual Giving Linda Ogden Administrative Assistant Justin Hicks Associate Director of Alumni Relations Melissa Pizarro Associate Director of Advancement and Interim Director of Alumni Relations PHOTOGRAPHY Jim Graham, Natalie Hobbs, Kimberly Smith, Julian Spagnolo-Crowne LAYOUT Amy Schrei, Kimberly Smith The Tower Hill Bulletin magazine is published twice annually to share how alumni, faculty, staff and students embody the school’s motto Multa Bene Facta Many Things Done Well. Send Class Notes to thsalumni@towerhill.org with a high-resolution photo. TOWER HILL SCHOOL 2813 W. 17th Street Wilmington, DE 19806 302-575-0550 | towerhill.org HEAD OF SCHOOL Sarah D. A. Baker 2023-2024 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Benjamin duPont ’82, Chair Jack Flynn, M.D., ’81, Vice Chair Marna Whittington, Ph.D., Treasurer Gina Ward, Secretary Suzanne Ashley Kimberly Wright Cassidy, Ph.D. Régis de Ramel Robert DeSantis Heather Richards Evans John Gavenonis, Ph.D. Laird Hayward ’02 Henry Mellon Catherine Miller David Nowland ’85 Lisa A. Olson ’76 Matt Plumb Logan Read ’10 Sonal Sheppard Isabella Speakman Timon ’92 Genelle Trader ’70 Carmen Wallace ’93 Earl Ball, Ed.D., Emeritus Tower Hill School does not discriminate in its educational, admissions and personnel programs and policies or activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender identity and/ or expression, disability or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law. In This Issue Bloom Where Planted - Teacher Tributes The Forum Model UN The Hive Faculty Focus 18 21 40 42 48 Tower Hill hosted a regional FIRST LEGO League robotics competition. The Middle School team, “Green Machine,” went on to earn sixth place in the state championship. They also took home a second place award for their innovation project.
Dear Tower Hill School community,
Grounded in a tradition of excellence and inspired by progress, Tower Hill’s next strategic plan, True to Tower Hill, provides a vision for the school through the year 2027.
True to Tower Hill tells the school’s story and commits to its future growth. It communicates what our school believes and resolves that Tower Hill will lean into its strong sense of self while also evolving strategically to do better by students and the community than ever before. This values-based clarity and ambitious restlessness is at the heart of what Tower Hill is and always has been.
The three pillars of True to Tower Hill–An Engaged Community of Scholars, A Destination School and A Shared Schoolhouse–encapsulate the very essence of Tower Hill. Taken together, these pillars make a foundational statement about our school. We are a community devoted to nurturing individual growth and potential inside a highly sought after Tots through 12 scholarly community. And we are committed to each other and to the humanity of our shared pursuit.
Each member of the Tower Hill community experiences and deeply understands what makes our school excellent. Our excellence is rooted in the meaningful connections that take place everyday inside of our community, and we underscore our fundamental belief that optimal learning happens inside strong relationships. These connections and this educational experience are not simply incidental. They do not occur by happenstance. As stewards of the school’s future, it is our responsibility to create the environment in which Tower Hill’s excellence thrives, and True to Tower Hill equips us to do just that.
Any strategic planning process asks us both to look toward the horizon and consider what may be possible in the short term. Effective strategic plans embrace a specific set of actionable goals, resisting the desire to address every element of school life or future growth and focusing instead on those areas most in need of immediate attention and resources. As we move toward the implementation of the plan, we will make investments wisely, concentrating on what will make the greatest impact and contribute to the priorities we have outlined in this plan.
The success of this plan will rely on a continuation of the school’s disciplined approach to building robust financial models for sound decision-making, guided by a plan that prioritizes the growth of a rigorous academic program, the recruitment and retention of the best teachers and the connectedness of our community. In committing to this plan, we also affirm that Tower Hill will continue to honor its roots as a just and inclusive community concerned with environmental and financial sustainability and committed to operating as a force for good inside the Wilmington community and beyond it.
Our motto, Multa Bene Facta, Many Things Done Well, serves as a philosophical rudder for the school. At Tower Hill, our purpose is our students’ success, and we set the standard of excellence in a wide variety of arenas so that our students can discover their gifts, relish exploration and heighten their focus by feeling a sense of freedom. We commit to a program that builds scholar-athletes who do not specialize to the detriment of their own growth and balance, instead participating broadly in our program by contributing their talents to classrooms and fields all over campus. This philosophy shapes our students’ lives from the early years to graduation and serves as the driving force behind our interdisciplinary approach to education, nurturing well-rounded achievers who understand the joy of finding something new to love.
True to Tower Hill is the result of an 18-month long process of discernment, discussion, drafting, feedback and responsive editing by the Strategic Planning Committee and many interested members of the community. The plan was endorsed by the Board of Trustees on Dec. 8, 2023. We thank all those who gave their time and talent as this plan took shape, and we turn our eyes with anticipation toward making this plan a reality, where connections are cultivated, culture is rooted in belonging and students excel in whatever they choose to do.
True to Tower Hill,
Sarah Baker Head of School
Ben duPont Board Chair
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TOWER HILL LAUNCHES NEXT STRATEGIC PLAN
TRUE TO TOWER HILL
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1 A DESTINATION SCHOOL A SHARED SCHOOLHOUSE AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS
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TOWER HILL IS
An Engaged Community of Scholars 1
WE BELIEVE
Tower Hill’s tradition of academic excellence delivers an extraordinary liberal arts education within a highly relational scholarly community and prepares students to excel at the next stage and beyond. We believe that it is the school’s responsibility to engage the mind and heart of each student and each teacher, contemplating and nurturing individual interests, talents and intellectual journeys, cultivating active and thriving growth mindsets and establishing the bedrock for lives of learning.
WE WILL
Invest in true scholarship by:
Designing an organizational structure that facilitates research-based academic strategy and devoting resources toward such programming.
Ensuring individualized support for each student’s academic journey, providing academic advising that guides students to their highest potential and fullest articulation of their talents.
Prioritizing the cultivation of the skills necessary for all students to engage in original research and to produce scholarly work products.
Centering social-emotional learning and cultural competency as curricular foci and cornerstones of an engaged academic community.
Increase the financial and human capital devoted to professional development and teacher education by:
Ensuring individualized support for each teacher’s pedagogical growth trajectory.
Building a culture in which faculty see Tower Hill as a place to grow as scholars and practitioners.
Recognize and optimize the use of the summer for student and faculty growth by:
Creating summer academic institutes for students from Tower Hill and beyond.
Offering enhanced and increased professional growth opportunities for teachers.
Fostering connections with and access to internship opportunities within the alumni and parent communities to develop the individual interests and talents of Tower Hill students.
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A Destination School 2
WE BELIEVE
Tower Hill’s commitment to Multa Bene Facta, Many Things Done Well, registers as a compelling philosophy for families and faculty seeking an educational and co-curricular experience that is both broad and deep. We believe that the most talented students and teachers from across the region will be attracted to a school that understands the power of discovery and the symbiotic relationship between exploration and focus.
WE WILL
Make Tower Hill a highly sought destination for families and employees by:
Cultivating engaged, compassionate and connected student and faculty staff cultures.
Prioritizing the wellness and strength of the whole person.
Stewarding the joy of being part of the Tower Hill community.
Actively recruit students not only from Wilmington but also beyond, seeking the most talented students from all school contexts by:
Broadening the reach of Tower Hill’s Admission arm, increasing the number of applicants overall and from previously unrepresented nearby neighborhoods and zip codes with growing school-aged populations.
Making a Tower Hill education possible for the best candidates.
In all hiring practices, actively recruit and retain a peerless faculty and staff by:
Exercising creativity in building compensation and benefits packages that make Wilmington and Tower Hill the most attractive choices in the marketplace for the best educators in the field.
Building a faculty and staff that is increasingly diverse in identities, backgrounds, work experience and scholarly training.
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WE BELIEVE
At Tower Hill, students, faculty and staff, families and alumni should see the school as their community, building lasting relationships and feeling true and enduring senses of belonging. We believe in the power of children—Tots through 12—learning and collaborating in a shared schoolhouse; the protective force of intergenerational communities; and the power of feeling true ownership of and deep investment in a place, its mission, its people and its future.
WE WILL
Use campus spaces and programming to reflect a commitment to inclusion, cross-divisional interaction, community and connection by:
Increasing and enhancing opportunities for students to build relationships across grade levels and divisions, encouraging mentorship and cultivating leadership skills.
Increasing and enhancing opportunities for parents to build relationships with each other and the school, centering the school as a place for parent connection, learning and peer mentorship in the journey of parenting.
Foster senses of ownership and belonging in the community by:
Embracing and evolving traditions which foster school pride and connection within and between student, faculty and staff, family and alumni populations.
Amplifying and valuing all voices in the schoolhouse in creating and defining school culture.
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A Shared Schoolhouse
Strategic Planning Committee Participants
Genelle Trader ’70 — Trustee, Co-Chair
Michelle Shepherd P’20, ’22 — Former Board Chair, Co-Chair
Sarah Baker P’36 — Head of School
Lindsay Acevedo ’95, P’33, ’34 — Faculty
Suzanne Ashley P’27, ’29, ’31 — Trustee
Amy Bickhart P’08 — Faculty
Leyna Bidic ’23 — Student
Marty Coyne ’23 — Student
Dr. Amy Cuddy P’20, ’22 — Faculty
Keelan Donnelly ’24 — Student
Ben duPont ’82, P’20, ’24 — Board Chair
Molly Elton P’28, ’31 — Faculty
Tara Fletcher P’36 — Faculty
John Gavenonis P’29, ’33 — Trustee
Andrea Glowatz — Faculty
Josephine Harrington ’99, P’31, ’35 — Staff
Cameron Haskins ’23 — Student
Laird Hayward ’02 — Trustee
Zoë Heifetz ’24 — Student
Aili Inguito ’24 — Student
Eric Johnson P’16, ’18 — Trustee
Olivia Jordan ’24 — Student
Melinda Martin P’26 — Faculty
Will Miller ’23 — Student
Rodney Morrison P’22, ’23 — Parent
Kristin Mumford P’24, ’27 — Staff
Dr. Natasha Murray-Everett — Faculty
Dr. Harry Neilson — Faculty
Eric Norman — Staff
Logan Read ’10 — Trustee
Amy Schrei P’29 — Staff
Sonal Sheppard P’28, ’28 — Trustee
Eduardo Silva — Faculty
Ken Simpler P’15, ’18, ’21 — Trustee
Will Sommers ’24 — Student
Mary Taylor ’09, P’37 — Faculty
Isabella Timon ’92, P’20, ’21, ’24, ’26 — Trustee
Gina Ward P’15, ’17, ’19— Trustee
Tim Weymouth P’27 — Faculty
Around SCHOOL
Festival
More than 50 third and fourth grade families joined their teachers and sixth grade helpers at the first Tower Hill Math Festival. Lower School math learning specialist Michelle Coulter and Middle School math teacher Cherie Martinez partnered with the nonprofit Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival with the aim of providing all students with a sense of belonging and joyful participation in math. The play-based math activities allowed the students and parents to experience self-directed exploration and tapped into their creativity and perseverance.
Author Visit
Lower Schoolers had a special visit from author JaNay Brown-Wood, PhD, an awardwinning and New York Times bestselling children’s author, poet, educator and scholar. JaNay Brown-Wood read her books to students, engaged in discussions and, for older students, talked about the writing process. She is committed to spreading the word about the importance of early literacy and authentic diversity in children’s books. It was a great time for all!
Danish Exchange
Tower Hill welcomed students from Rungsted Gymnasium (School), Denmark. After Tower Hill students spent time in Denmark during the summer, Tower Hill then hosted the students. (Back row): Mathias Weber Dohn, Carl Magnus Ågren, Julian SpagnoloCrowne ’24, Jacob Bradley ’25; (front row): Maurice Rapp, Victor Li ’24 Alex Metum, Frederick Bjørn, Phoebe Quinn-Plemmons ’24, Sofie Boas Olsen, Olivia Jordan ’24 Head of School Sarah Baker.
Black History Month Panel
The panel from the Upper School assembly helped answer the question, Why Black History? The panelists, Genelle Trader ’70 (the first African-American to attend and graduate from Tower Hill), Lisa Barsky ’70, Monty Hayman ’87, Jea Street Jr. ’95 and Josephine Harrington ’99, spoke about how race shaped their experiences both at Tower Hill and beyond.
Winterim 2024
Before entering the second semester, Upper School students participated in a two-day Winterim. Twelfth graders spent the days focused on balance: learning life skills, articulating passions and exploring self-care practices. Eleventh graders focused on the college process by touring Franklin & Marshall and Villanova, hearing from a panelist of teachers about their college search process and creating a thoughtful college list. Tenth graders dove into community service, both on- and off-campus. Ninth graders engaged in self-care and selfawareness projects, building grade-level connectivity and belonging, and preparing for the new semester.
Visiting Artist Spotlight
The Art Department welcomed 7GOD, The Artivist, as the visiting artist for 2023-2024 school year. Hailing from our vibrant city of Wilmington, 7GOD is a visionary contemporary artist who has carved a unique niche in the art world with his captivating, multimedia creations. The Art Department selected sixth grade art student Dante Brady ’30, to work with 7GOD to create a mural that speaks of positivity, truth, growth, family roots and freedom of expression.
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Math
WHERE PLANTED
BY AMY SCHREI DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
At the fall Board of Trustees meeting, four students gave tributes to teachers who positively impacted them.
Joseph Cooke ’24 paid tribute to English teacher Lindsay Coleman; Alex Rice ’25 acknowledged Spanish teacher Natalie Moravek; Macy Shi ’26 spoke about Spanish teacher Miriam Pallant; and Justin Solacoff ’24 shared his bond with technology teacher Charles Sharon.
CULTURE OF DISCOVERY
Tower Hill is built on a culture of discovery. It is here that our students and teachers are planted in a fertile soil. They thrive through scholarship and human connections, which provide the essential elements for growth. Everyone at Tower Hill is given the opportunity to bloom and flourish. Students receive support from their teachers, advisors, deans and coaches, while faculty in turn receive support from one another, Division Heads, administrators and the Head of School.
Alex Rice ’25 made a meaningful tribute to Lower School Spanish teacher Natalie Moravek reflecting the profound impact educators have on students’ lives here at Tower Hill. Moravek’s ability to ignite Rice’s love for Spanish in Lower School not only endured throughout her years at Tower Hill, but also inspired her to pursue a minor in Spanish in college.
Joseph Cooke ’24 spoke about his growth as a student and poet under English teacher Lindsay Coleman and expressed gratitude for her tendency to push him outside of his comfort zone and grow accustomed to expressing his own thoughts and feelings. Coleman’s support and reassurance gave Cooke the confidence to author a poem that won a prestigious Gold Key Scholastic Writing Award.
For Macy Shi ’26, Upper School Spanish teacher Miriam Pallant inspired her to pay it forward. “Ms. Pallant has been a huge role model to me,” recalled Shi. “[She] has contributed immensely to my enjoyment of learning languages and sparked my love for education. [Because of her,] I want to be an educator that positively impacts students and a citizen that inspires others.”
MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS
The Tower Hill community runs on meaningful connections. They are the conduit for optimal learning and lay the foundation for scholarly development. Relationships built between teachers and students allow for symbiotic learning and growth. Likewise, connections are formed within the schoolhouse, amongst faculty and with the community, that propel our collective understanding of scholarship and how we meet the individual needs of our students. In their Board presentations, the four students and their teachers often described their relationships using similar language—connection, inspiration, support, challenge, flexibility, exploration, caring, discovery.
“I am truly grateful for the knowledge, feedback and inspiration you’ve bestowed on me.” Cooke remarked about Coleman. In turn, Coleman said, “There are times where we don’t even realize how much of an impact we are having on one another, because we are so busy in this process of learning a subject or a skill. But when we are lucky enough to have someone verbalize that impact, it can be life changing.”
Coleman felt an overwhelming sense of joy in watching Cooke expand out of his comfort zone. “What I admire so much about Joseph is the way in which he engaged in my class with an open mind and an open heart,” Coleman shared. “He had the courage and the creativity to try something he hadn’t previously tried before, and to put his whole heart into that effort. It can be very intimidating to do this in any capacity and in any pursuit, but Joseph showed himself and others what it truly means to be brave.”
Technology teacher Charles Sharon said the “connections with students” are what impacts him the most, and he feels that his “fellow teachers and staff are part of my family.”
Justin Solacoff ’24 said, “Mr. Sharon truly changed my Tower Hill experience. He fostered my love of school and thirst for knowledge. He gave me a reason to show up to school each day with a positive attitude.” Solacoff has worked for Sharon as a camp counselor for the past two summers, showing the lasting connection that teachers and students form at Tower Hill across all three divisions.
Of course, connections extend far beyond the classroom through relationships with coaches, advisers and extra curricular activities. Moravek, for example, values her role as a coach because she is able to develop personal connections with students on a non-academic level. Moravek taught Rice Spanish in Lower School, and now coaches her in track, giving their friendship the opportunity to grow in a holistic way.
GROWTH MINDSET
Personal and professional growth are hallmarks of Moravek’s 16-year tenure at Tower Hill. The flexibility and support she has received from the administration and fellow teachers allowed her to create the Lower School Spanish program, and she has had the freedom to develop, grow, refine and improve the curriculum.
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TRUE TO TOWER HILL
Pictured: Joseph Cooke ’24 with English teacher Lindsay Coleman.
Pictured: Macy Shi ’26 with Spanish teacher Miriam Pallant.
Pictured: Alex Rice ’25 with Spanish teacher Natalie Moravek.
Moravek believes, “it is important to have a growth mindset,” which she will put to use in the 2024-2025 school year in a new role teaching Middle School Spanish. Tower Hill’s exceptional environment has given Moravek the confidence to try something new, learn from others and ask for help. She looks forward to growing and learning by teaching a different age group and finding ways to best transition students from Lower to Middle School.
Sharon has also utilized Tower Hill’s fertile ground to expand his career. He has taught prekindergarten, kindergarten, Lower and Middle School technology, and he has coached varsity and Middle School soccer, as well as indoor and outdoor track, basketball, lacrosse and tennis. He’s taught multiple siblings, gotten to know families and made a “lasting impact on countless students,” as Solacoff noted.
ENGAGING SCHOLARSHIP
A variety of creative teaching styles provide inspiration for learning and make lessons engaging.
“If I’m not having fun or intrigued by the conversation or the lesson, I can only imagine the students aren’t very interested,” says Sharon.
Moravek makes class interesting by incorporating physical movement and games into her curriculum and utilizing real world items to reinforce vocabulary. Rice recalled a specific instance when Moravek had the students use their language skills to act out a fairy tale entirely in Spanish, which has become an annual tradition.
Engaging in real-world scholarship is what Tower Hill’s summer, two-week Global Studies trip to Uruguay is all about. Pallant, who is leading the trip, said she is looking forward to “watching students realize how much they can do.”
The trip to Uruguay is the culmination of a Learning for Life grant Pallant received to further develop her higher-level linguistic skills. She took a course run by The Ohio State University housed at Academia Uruguay, a language school for all ages based in Montevideo.
“Selfishly, I have a better understanding of something once I think about how to share it with my students,” explains Pallant. “It’s the best way for me to learn.”
Both Shi and Rice will be traveling with Pallant to Uruguay this summer, a testament to the sustaining influence of Tower Hill, which encourages students to apply language skills in real world contexts. The students will study at Academia Uruguay (the same school where Pallant studied), and they all have agreed to only speak in Spanish during the whole trip.
“Applying for this trip was just one way for me to show my appreciation for all the years Ms. Moravek spent teaching me the basics of the Spanish language,” Rice explained in her tribute. “Because of her, I understand the benefits of engaging in communities all over the world.”
While these stories are certainly special and heartwarming, they happen everyday at Tower Hill. At the Board Meeting, the touching words from both the students and teachers left several people with tears in their eyes.
THE FORUM
A QUARTER OF A CENTURY
BY ELLIS WASSON FORMER FACULTY AND HISTORY DEPARTMENT CHAIR
For more than a quarter of a century, the Forum has been a part of Upper School life at Tower Hill. Thanks to the vision and generosity of parents Bill and Pam Rappolt, an endowment was established in 1998 in honor of their children—Gabrielle ’93, Sarah ’96 and Bill ’99—in gratitude for the quality of teaching they received, most particularly from members of the History Department. This is why the lecture series was dedicated to the study of history, citizenship and international affairs.
With the Rappolts’ encouragement, the History Department organized a Forum Committee made up of faculty and students to select annual themes, suggest speakers and perform introductions. From the start, the Committee established a tradition that two of the lectures each year would be held in the evenings in the gracious new setting of the Pierre S. du Pont Theatre. Students were asked to dress up for the occasion. In the question and answer session, student questions were to be addressed first, with faculty and parents only attended to later. The aim was to accustom students to the conduct of civic and civil discourse relating both to politics and scholarship. In our era of toxic political divisions this task is more urgent and important than ever.
Speakers have included many active politicians, including then Senator Joseph Biden, Governor Pete du Pont IV ’52, Congressman John Lewis (twice), Governor Mike Castle ’57, Senator Chris Coons ’81 and officials such as Brent Scowcroft, David Gergen and Erskine Bowles. When the Middle East was the topic speakers included the Saudi Ambassador, the Palestinian Representative (a Christian) and the Speaker of the Israeli Knesset. Distinguished historians included Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., Simon Schama, Niall Ferguson and Annette Gordon-Reed. Leading journalists and writers such as Gwen Ifill, Elie Wiesel and Bryan Stevenson have also addressed students.
There is always the danger when famous people unfamiliar with student audiences speak to high schoolers that boredom will quickly set in. That has happened. But by and large, the speakers have been excited by the opportunity and made a special effort for the occasion. I will never forget escorting Congressman Lewis, one of the most distinguished Americans of the 20th century, down the hall towards the theater, and a third grade teacher popped out to ask if he would say hello to her class who were studying the Selma March. Mr. Lewis leapt at the chance. The kids were sitting on the floor so he immediately got down on his knees to join them.
It was particularly gratifying this fall to hear Tom Villalón ’02, who came to talk about his international rescue work, recollecting where he was sitting when he attended his first Forum. He not only remembered who and what the speaker said over 20 years earlier, but also some of the questions asked. Later, at Dartmouth, the same speaker visited and he told his friends that hearing that talk would be old hat. He was already familiar with how such occasions were conducted and what the speaker was likely to say. Many alums have said similar things to me over the years. They felt they were better prepared than their peers to enter into public discourse about complex topics with eminent people.
I will never forget the first year of the Forum in 19981999. The Rappolts suggested a speaker they would like to have launch the series and asked me to nominate another. Their choice, George Will, was a gifted communicator and addressed the complexity of the philosophical underpinnings of the American Republic using examples to illustrate his points drawn from baseball. He had written books about both topics. The one made the other accessible to teenagers in a clear and amusing way. I asked for Stephen Ambrose. He stood head and shoulders above every other teacher I had studied under at Johns Hopkins. I respected him both as a great historian and as a man who had personally allied himself with my class as we struggled to express our deep opposition to the Vietnam War. I was so glad that Tower Hill students could experience an encounter with a brilliant teacher and moral leader.
I also value the constant return of alumni who participate in the Forum and pass on experiences to succeeding generations. Students can see in these speakers’ experiences—lawyer, politician, writer, diplomat, business executive, teacher, FBI agent—the endless possibilities open to them in the future. This helix-like interconnection that the Forum makes possible may well be its most important contribution to Tower Hill—an unanticipated enrichment of the Rappolts’ generosity.
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Pictured: Justin Solacoff ’24 with technology teacher Charles Sharon.
TOWER TOTS GRADUATE
BY AMY SCHREI DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
In June 2024, the first class of Tower Tots will graduate, commencing the longest lifers in Tower Hill’s history.
These five students—Janie duPont, Tessa Gattuso, Tommy Hanna, Grayson Kyle and Demetri Moutsatsos—will complete 15 years at Tower Hill. The two founding teachers of the Tower Tots program, Jeannie Snyder and Julie Roca, have touched the lives of hundreds of students and their families and are still active members of Tower Hill’s faculty.
CREATIVE CURRICULUM
Interest in Tower Hill’s Tower Tots program is at an all time high. Snyder and Roca designed the program and curriculum from scratch. When the school began contemplating a three-year-old class, Snyder and Roca were working at Tower Hill as kindergarten and
preK teachers respectively. Snyder expressed interest in working with Tower Tots and then recruited her colleague and friend Roca. They were both excited to take on a new challenge and welcomed the opportunity to create a brand new program.
In the year before Tower Tots started, Snyder and Roca spent their off hours researching all aspects of the program to determine what was most appropriate for three year olds, from social-emotional learning to ordering age-appropriate materials and furniture. Interwoven throughout the curriculum was acclimating the young students to the expectations of school without academic pressure, as well as developing life skills and exploring the world around them.
The classes incorporated lots of props, games and puzzles for the children to explore on their own.
For example, they introduced the “I Can Zip” club. Once children mastered zipping their coats, their picture would be hung on the door. The “I Can Zip” club is still part of the Tower Tots curriculum today.
“Ms. Roca and Ms. Snyder were always very encouraging,” remembers Moustsatsos. “They taught me many skills and lessons that set me up for success in my Tower Hill journey.”
The foundation of the Tower Tots curriculum was built around purposeful, guided play complemented by lots and lots of singing. Snyder and Roca wanted to create a warm, comfortable space that would feel like a home away from home.
“We wanted them to love school, love coming to school and to feel loved,” says Roca.
Both teachers had the flexibility and freedom to dream up interactive, experiential lessons that explore the breadth, depth and ingenuity of early childhood.
One of the most popular units was camping, where they set up a real tent in the classroom, built a pretend fire and read books about camping. A fellow teacher, Julie Smith, “hiked” to the “summit” of the Tower Tots classroom by climbing in through the window, bedecked in her hiking gear. Smith shared the contents of her backpack and spoke with the Tots about all the fun things involved with camping and hiking. Another former teacher, Chris Morrow, came and sang camp songs with the children.
The construction unit was also an all-time winner. Snyder and Roca took advantage of construction occuring on and around campus and used it as a learning tool. The students visited the construction sites on campus to see trucks, excavators, tools and workmen. The lesson was supplemented with toy versions of the equipment they saw and books about construction. Students learned vocabulary around the topic of construction and engaged in imaginative play wearing hard hats and safety vests, while “constructing” with cardboard boxes and blocks.
The Tower Tots curricular freedom reached its pinnacle one day when the class heard a helicopter outside. Snyder and Roca rallied the children and went in search of those noisy, whirling blades. They wound up in Rockford Park, where the helicopter had landed.
CARING AND NURTURING
For some students, Tower Tots was their first experience in an organized classroom setting. This age group undergoes one of the largest developmental leaps, especially in language and vocabulary. It is also a transformative time in terms of physical stamina and fine motor skills. At three years old, kids are ready to socialize, but still need lots of nurturing and guidance from adults.
“Most people don’t realize how interactions with little children must be joyful, hands-on and deliberate. As teachers, we encouraged the building of self-help skills and supported our students as they learned to recognize and control their emotions. We felt that these skills, along with language development, were important for our students’ future academic success,” says Snyder.
The teachers utilized positive peer pressure, because when their friends mastered a skill such as putting on their coats, the students were encouraged to learn for themselves. They started the “Tower Tot Try” in the dining hall to encourage students to try new things— different foods at lunch, such as a variety of vegetables and fruits. The teachers had a strong suspicion that the children would like Swedish meatballs and encouraged them to try them, which they loved. The goal was for the children to take safe risks.
“Julie and Jeannie were exceptional guides,” says Alaina Brandon, mother of Grayson and Seattle Kyle ’22. “They went above and beyond, surpassing all expectations with their incredible work. And they did it all with kindness and compassion.”
“Julie and Jeannie created such a fun and safe learning environment,” echoes Thomas Hanna ’91, father of
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The two teachers and five students from the inaugural Tower Tots class were honored at this year’s Tree Trim and flipped the switch to turn on the tree lights. (L-R): Julie Roca, Janie duPont, Jeannie Snyder, Demetri Moutsatsos, Tommy Hanna, Tessa Gattuso, Grayson Kyle.
Tommy ’24, Bo ’25 and Sam ’27. “Our experience with them paved the way to matriculate our other two sons at Tower Hill, right behind Tommy. We will always have a special place in our hearts for Julie and Jeannie.”
The students and teachers also shared the classroom with a variety of class pets.
“Animals are a nice attraction and distraction for small children,” explains Snyder. “They learned responsibility by feeding and taking care of them.”
Chase the bunny would run around the classroom after students left for the day and went home every weekend with Snyder. A big, flop-eared rabbit named Mopsy came next, followed by a Guinea pig named Truffle. There were also three red-eared slider turtles that were donated by a Tower Tot family, two of which—Larry and Pickles—are still Tower Hill residents. Roca continues to help care for them.
“Although I do not remember a lot about being a Tower Tot, I remember the class turtles,” says Gattuso. “It was a good way to see an animal in its habitat.”
PARTNERSHIP
Snyder and Roca were true partners and co-taught Tower Tots for six years, though they have been teachers at Tower Hill for 21 and 26 years respectively. Their previous experience teaching kindergarten and prekindergarten informed their Tower Tots classes, because they had a deep understanding of the developmental expectations of this age group. They
stayed well connected with the preschool through gatherings and monthly get togethers.
When being interviewed, they often spoke simultaneously, echoing each other’s sentiments and completing one another’s sentences.
“I learned so much from Jeannie. She taught three year olds prior to working at Tower Hill and I gladly followed her lead,” Roca says of Snyder.
They attributed the success of the program largely to one another and the Tower Tots families, with whom they established another level of partnership. Parents were invited into the classroom each morning to chat with the teachers and walk around with their children.
In the summer before school started, Snyder and Roca visited each child at their homes.
Lexie Hanna described Snyder and Roca as her, “favorite angel teachers,” and said that she “used to drop Tommy off and talk to the teachers for nearly an hour everyday. It meant a lot for them to take great care of my kids.”
Tommy himself reflects that, “Ms. Roca and Ms. Snyder have had a major impact on my time here at Tower Hill. Even when I pass by them in the hall now as a senior, 15 years later, they still recognize me and say hello. They have kept in touch with my family and me and, in my mind, remain a staple of Tower Hill. Their positive attitudes and beyond friendly personalities are certain to lighten your day whenever you see them.”
LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
BY AMY SCHREI DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
The 2023-2024 school year has been exceptional for the number of field trips and opportunities for experiential learning at Tower Hill.
Research shows that real-world learning has lasting, positive impact on students of all ages. At Tower Hill, teachers research, propose, plan and maximize possibilities for a wide range of hands-on scholarship beyond the classroom, whether they’re kindergarten treks to Rockford Park or multi-week Upper School trips to international destinations.
Some field trips are time-honored Tower Hill traditions, like the annual eighth grade trip to Cape Henlopen, which remains a heart-felt memory for many alumni. Other trips are unique to a given year, like this summer’s trip to Uruguay where students will be advancing their Spanish instruction at Academia Uruguay in Montevideo.
Authentic instruction helps kids better understand classroom concepts because learning is more enjoyable and enhances memory retention by engaging all the senses.
“Anytime we get to travel with students, we get to make the world our classroom,” explains Head of Middle School Tim Weymouth. “Traveling, whether near or far, pushes students to grow in ways they did not anticipate and in ways that are difficult to replicate in a typical classroom setting. It is the ultimate next step in learning as it allows students to apply, in real time, what they’re learning.”
LOWER SCHOOL
In Lower School this fall, prekindergarten visited nearby Ramsey’s Farm where they picked pumpkins, went on a hayride and fed the animals.
Kindergarteners went to Rockford Park and climbed up the Tower to learn its history.
In May, first graders will attend a program called, “Life at the Gibbons House,” at Hagley Museum, where they will participate in daily 19th century activities, such as baking cookies, doing laundry and dressing in period clothing.
Second graders will visit Winterthur where they will tour the grounds and use their science lens to explore the expansive spaces of flora and fauna.
The third grade got a special treat at Lincoln Financial Field where they were treated to a behind-the-scenes peek at the Eagles’ home turf.
Fourth grade students visited the Museum of the American Revolution and went to Ingleside Retirement home to spread cheer and kindness with senior citizens.
In addition to field trips, Lower Schoolers enjoy special visits from international students throughout the year who come to Tower Hill from Denmark, Australia and China to share about themselves and
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their experiences while diving into the cultural differences of their home countries. During these visits, young children are engaged in finding countries on maps and hearing about different foods. It’s an expedient way to bring the outside world into the classroom.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
In Middle School, students are able to travel a bit farther afield.
Fifth grade experiences started in early fall with an orientation day at Sandy Hill Camp and Retreat Center, where students went canoeing, rock climbing and participated in group games. Most importantly, they had the opportunity to bond with one another.
Stream Watch in the fall and spring meant lots of science-focused strolls down to the Brandywine River where they collected data about the health of the stream.
Finally, the fifth graders took their prekindergarten buddies on a trip to the Brandywine Zoo.
The sixth grade also started with an orientation to Ashland Nature Center. Under the direction of David Pragoff ’95, Associate Director of School and Group Programs, students had the opportunity to explore ecosystems, including a wide variety of native flora and fauna. This adventure was coupled with an array of fun team-building activities and games that required trust and communication in order to foster connections with their classmates.
Seventh graders had their orientation at Fort Delaware this year, which tied into their history curriculum. These adventurers also explored activities relating to science and math while working on team building through a digital scavenger hunt called Goosechase. With support from a Tower Hill parent, the Class of 2029 went to the Museum of American Revolution in Philadelphia.
The annual pinnacle experience for this class is traveling to Washington, D.C. for three days. This cross-curricular trip packs in literature, government, science and history, and includes: Arlington National Cemetery, National Museum of African American History, Cherry Blossom Walk, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Library of Congress, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Monuments Night Walk and Smithsonian National Zoo.
Mandarin students in seventh and eighth grade went to a local restaurant to converse and enjoy Chinese culture.
The legendary eighth grade trip to Cape Henlopen takes place over three days. Everyone stays in cabins by the Delaware Bay and takes part in activities like a history scavenger hunt, a night hike, studying the ecology of the bay and Atlantic Ocean sides of the Cape, and investigating Fort Miles, as well as a lip sync battle and roasting marshmallows to have s’mores by the fire. Good old fashioned camping fun is had by all.
UPPER SCHOOL
Trips, both international and domestic, have become a hallmark of the Upper School experience at Tower Hill. This year featured excursions to Puerto Rico, France, Rome, Uruguay and Denmark. Previous trips took students to Costa Rica, China, Australia, Quebec and more.
“Language travel programs offer students a complete immersion experience that is unlike anything a classroom can replicate,” explains Director of Global Studies Maurice Rapp. “Students are stretched beyond their comfort zones and absorb their surroundings in a way that greatly improves their fluency and comprehension.”
Upper School Spanish teacher Miriam Pallant is leading the first-ever trip to Uruguay and Argentina, during which the students will be committed to communicating exclusively in Spanish. They will study each morning in a Spanish class tailored to their specific ability levels. In the afternoons and on weekends, they will explore Uruguay’s history, culture and geography.
“At the center of this trip is fostering appreciation for the depth of understanding, intercultural awareness and collective growth that result from productive challenges in language learning and application,” says Pallant.
Pivoting to science, Upper Schoolers studying genetics went to University of Delaware’s Gene Editing Institute where they engaged in a unique, hands-on learning experience in CRISPR gene editing technology. Twenty-five students toured the lab and worked side-by-side with graduate students who are using CRISPR for cancer research. The Upper Schoolers had the chance to conduct their own CRISPR experiment, which built upon the labs they did at Tower Hill.
“When students try a new technology, everyone is in the same place, learning together, which builds their confidence,” says genetics teacher Penny Rodrick-Williams. “Students were inspired hearing the scientists speak about their pathways and how they hadn’t imagined where their journey would bring them.”
ARTS
Students at Tower Hill have the opportunity to travel for the arts as well as academics. This fall, the entire fifth grade was delighted to see their theater teacher, Tori Healy, star in the production of Into the Woods at The Candlelight Theater. They watched the show and got an exclusive look at the theater.
The Music Department has a proud tradition of traveling to and participating in a variety of music festivals and competitions every year. The seventh and eighth grade band, chorus and orchestra performed in Hersheypark’s Music in the Parks competition and in the Trills and Thrills Festival at Dorney Park. The Upper School band, chorus and orchestra traveled to Orlando to compete in Festival Disney and the Kings Dominion Festival of Music.
“Events such as these provide an opportunity to be adjudicated by experts in the field of music,” says Music Department Chair Drew Keim. “[Students get] to work with nationally-recognized clinicians and to share their talents and celebrate their craft on a regional or national stage.”
As Tower Hill continues to prioritize learning beyond the classroom, this academic year stands as a testament to the school’s commitment to providing students with diverse, enriching experiences. Tower Hill’s emphasis on experiential education ensures that each student’s educational journey extends far beyond the walls of the traditional classroom.
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EUPHONIC VOYAGE
SERVICE LEARNING HELPING THE HEARING IMPAIRED
BY SAAHIL KATTEPOGU ’25
From the perspective of the average person, something as seemingly insignificant as the sense of hearing can be easily taken for granted. But not everyone is able to take their hearing for granted, as many people are born with either partial hearing loss or complete deafness. This disability can lead to learning impedance in younger children and eventually set people back enough to keep them from achieving their dreams. And in countries like India, easy access to healthcare can be an impossibility for many families who want nothing more than to help their children. Fixing this problem by supporting children and families suffering from hearing loss is the aim of the Society to Aid the Hearing Impared, or SAHI, (an NGO dedicated to giving kids with hearing loss a second chance at the life they deserve). I was more than happy to help them with their noble goal.
In essence, what SAHI does is provide free hearingrelated healthcare to poorer communities who would otherwise have no way to access it, and they perform a myriad of services, from surgeries to speech therapy sessions. Ever since I was a little kid, getting to see the incredible work that SAHI does has always been a highlight of our family trips to India, so when they reached out to me asking if I could help them with a fundraising venture, I was over the moon to offer my services. They wanted me to collect and compile a small list of patient “success stories” and turn them into a short book, both for the purposes of showing the accomplishments of these amazing people and using funds raised from book sales to further help children in need. While the opportunity to help the organization continue their noble work was a massive factor in coloring my decision, I was also incredibly excited to publish my writing in anything close to a professional sense—the idea filled me with enthusiasm every time it crossed my mind.
The first step was meeting the people I’d be working with to complete this adventurous project: a kind speech therapist, who would serve as a translator between the interviewees and myself, and an editor, who would schedule the interviews and review my written work before putting it into the book format. Since there were many families who could not speak English, and I myself was not versed in any of the languages that we encountered during our interviews, the translator was invaluable in our efforts. The editor was also a vital part of the project’s conception. Without her expertise in organization and management, the process of interviewing and writing would not have been nearly as efficient as it was. Working with these amazing people made an already life-changing experience even more rewarding, as they smoothed out the process and helped me when any technical difficulties arose.
The next step was finding people who would be willing to share their children’s stories with us. After much planning and many phone calls, we assembled a list of 21 people who were willing to be interviewed. Many familes were eager to share their stories, as the pride for their children who had overcome incredible odds with SAHI’s help, was very strong.
The interviews themselves were fundamentally straightforward but opened my eyes to all sorts of truths, both somber and inspiring. We had a list of general questions we asked the families, but we would always tailor them to suit the unique circumstances, histories and skills of the children. Many of the interviewees faced similar obstacles—mainly constant bullying or demeaning from others in their social circles and terrified parents who could only wonder what would happen to their children as they grew older. To be able to witness the emotion that accompanied their stories was a grounding force that showed me how incredibly powerful simply having resources are, as well as opening my eyes to how privileged we at Tower Hill are lucky enough to be.
Once the stories were cataloged, they were processed and turned into short narratives that showed the incredible progress the children made once they were given access to hearing treatment and speech therapy. The editor would then read through them, giving extremely helpful feedback and allowing me to flesh out the individuality and inspirational power of each and every story. I still remember wrapping up the final story—the simultaneous feelings of proud elation and bittersweet melancholy at achieving the goal that had taken almost a month to complete, spanning ages, nationalities, languages and abilities. Writing the book allowed me to meet and work with a group of incredible people, try my hand at a dream I’d never thought I could see to fruition and help those who needed me the most.
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THE EFFECTS OF GOOD ACTION
A DIVE INTO SERVICE LEARNING AT TOWER HILL
BY KATHERINE NIU ’24
An idea that I wholeheartedly believe in is the power of action, no matter how big or small. This is the notion that drives all of the work I do as the Co-Chair of the Tower Hill Service Board. A single donation for a food drive may not seem world altering, but it still puts food on the table for a family in need. Every single step taken in doing good deeds makes a difference, no matter how seemingly insignificant.
When I arrived at Tower Hill freshman year, I was genuinely inspired by all the incredible leaders that surrounded me. Everyone was either a president of something, some kind of artist or a stellar athlete. It seemed like Tower Hill’s tight-knit community of only 300 Upper Schoolers demonstrated the devotion and passion of a million.
At that time, I did have the inclination to get involved in service, because I wanted to play a role in bettering my community. However, the service opportunities available had dwindled due to the pandemic. But,
feeling motivated by my peers, I decided to take the initiative, asking if I could act as the student leader of Hiller Harvest my junior year.
Once I gained approval, I immersed myself in the role—making original presentations, conducting research and creating incentives to maximize the drive’s outcome. I even made a presentation for Lower School assembly with my friends Subhi Yadav ’26 and Aili Inguito ’24 complete with games and prizes (though the prizes caused a bit of a ruckus—I forgot how intense children were around candy).
When I finally saw the 900 collected items on the ground at the drive’s conclusion, I was overjoyed. The Upper School donated half that number in previous years, but the increase in commitment had led to a widespread shift in attitude.
The outcome of Hiller Harvest that year led to a sequence of successful (and semi-successful) new
service events, from the MLK Day of Service to a hygiene drive to an attempt at a Ramadan/Food Farmacy drive. Regardless of the results of each event, it became clear to me by the end of junior year that service learning at Tower Hill was back on its feet. Watching the whole school participate in all these activities made me happy. To me, behind each item donated was a caring person who took time out of their own day to make someone else’s better.
When school started again my senior year, it seemed that all the pieces of the puzzle had come fully together. We began meeting almost every week, planning out new, ambitious ideas to improve our impact. We also created a Service Activity Bulletin Board in THE Hub, updating it with opportunities every week. There was even a large number of new freshmen who were interested in joining the board.
But the most important culminating piece of the Service Board’s success was how well we worked as a team. All of the members of the board were essential in planning the Hiller Harvest assembly that influenced a large amount of Upper School donations. Anjalie Chakravertti ’25 and Avery Biery ’25 designed a skit to motivate Lower Schoolers and Tower Tots. Justin Solacoff ’24 reached out to administrators to plan our food/hygiene collection at Homecoming. And in January, Anjalie, Avery and I shot/edited a video to inform the school about the MLK clothing drive.
It feels like service has finally flourished both in and out of our school halls. We help so many people in so many different ways now, not just with our annual Hiller Harvest. We brought hygiene to those who cannot afford it, made use of our unused clothes and gave students opportunities to volunteer themselves by posting on the service bulletin board. And to be honest, the idea that I played any sort of role in bringing all this good about fulfills me in a way that little else can.
Boiling it all down, ALL of the actions taken were crucial for this outcome, whether big or small, indirect or direct. This is what I believe makes the Tower Hill community so magical. From the inspiring leaders that surrounded me freshman year (and still do) to the initiative I took with Hiller Harvest junior year to every donation in a drive to the teamwork of the Service Board, every single one of these things led to the development of service learning, making a difference in the life of someone who needed it. That is why I believe the true key to doing our part in bettering the world is action, as even the simplest deeds have an impact.
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Pictured: A screen capture from the video made by the Service Board. (L-R): Katherine Niu, Avery Biery, Anjalie Chakravertti.
BEHIND THE LENS
JULIAN SPAGNOLO-CROWNE INTERNS WITH THS COMMINICATIONS
BY AMY SCHREI DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
Taking photos, flying airplanes and drones, sleuthing open-source intelligence and tie-dying his shirts are all things Julian Spagnolo-Crowne ’24 might be doing on any given day.
This school year, he used his creative skills to capture Tower Hill events as an intern for the Communications Department, in partnership with the Art Department. He photographed numerous school events and captured drone footage that has been used on social media, in the Weathervane weekly newsletter, in the Bulletin and on the school’s website.
Spagnolo-Crowne’s work was first presented to Communications staff in spring 2023 as a portfolio of images he captured of a variety of Tower Term courses. The photos were very helpful because the courses took place in many different locations off campus. Art faculty and photography teacher John Bartlett connected Communications with SpagnoloCrowne and thus began discussions about how an internship could work. After shooting Tower Term, Spagnolo-Crowne said, “I would like to do this again, because it is fun!”
When he was younger, Spagnolo-Crowne had a point-and-shoot camera, which is how he got hooked on photography. He upgraded to a hand-me-down Pentax, followed by a Nikon DSLR that he received as a Christmas gift, which really expanded his interest and skills. In 2022, he got a drone and took his photography to the sky. Most recently, he received a Mirrorless Nikon camera which he has been using since the start of 2024. During the Installation Ceremony for Head of School Sarah Baker, SpagnoloCrowne used his drone to video the student body gathering on DeGroat Field. Currently, SpagnoloCrowne is preparing to get his commercial drone license, which should come easily since he has already earned his student pilot’s license, and hopes to gain his private pilot’s license by the end of the year.
Another interest of Spagnolo-Crowne’s is opensource intelligence (OSINT)—intelligence sourced from publicly-available information, verified reporters and confirmed information from sources on the ground. He pursued the topic for his independent study this fall, focusing on international relations and cybersecurity. It was also the subject of his Senior Speech.
At the start of the Ukraine-Russia war, he became part of an online group, “Project OWL,” that mapped details such as infrastructure, troops and their movements, sites of former battles, etc. As of Feb. 9, 2024, the Project OWL map had over 27 million views.
In fact, the former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, used the map that SpagnoloCrowne assisted with during an interview on CBS Sunday Morning.
When reflecting on his internship with Tower Hill’s Communications Department, Spagnolo-Crowne recalls, “The best part is definitely the students— going to sports games and seeing everyone out there, especially when they get excited that I am shooting their games.”
He encourages other students to explore similar opportunities at Tower Hill because the school gives you a lot of room to grow.
“That doesn’t happen at other schools... it’s a great way to expand who you know.”
TRUE TO TOWER HILL Opposite: Spagnolo-Crowne’s photograph from a fall soccer game with an amazing sunset and goalie Robby Saunders ’24. 32 Tower Hill Bulletin Spring 2024 33 Tower Hill Bulletin Spring 2024
ACADEMICS
NATIONAL MERIT RECOGNITION
Congratulations to our 16 seniors who were named National Merit Scholarship Qualifiers and Semifinalists: (L-R): Jack Allen Michael Dignazio Cassie Dong, Abbigail Geracimos, Phoebe Gray Aili Inguito, Olivia Jordan, Sid Kancharapu, Grayson Kyle, Eleanor Loeper-Viti, Katherine Niu, Veer Pahwa, Alex Popescu, Robby Saunders, William Sommers and Anish Vakalapudi
COLLEGE BOARD RECOGNITION
The College Board National Recognition Programs award academic honors to sophomores and juniors who take PSAT/NMSQT®, have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and identify as African-American or Black, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous or Native students. Additionally, a student needs to score in the top 10% to be considered and then complete an application process from which a committee chooses those receiving the award. Congratulations to the Tower Hill students who received the National African-American Recognition Award (NAARA) and the National Hispanic Recognition Award (NHRA)! Pictured (L-R): Sammy Ghazli-NAARA; Lauren Bolawrina-NAARA; Nicholas Brady-NAARA; Makayla Warthen-NAARA, NHRA; Madison Dennis-NAARA; Isabela McIntoshNAARA. (Not pictured: Hannah Hunt-NAARA).
SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS
Congratulations to the following students for being recognized as Scholastic Art Award recipients! Gold Keys: Izzy Fink ’25, Zoe Gould ’26, Pasha Jadali ’25, Katherine Niu ’24, Sophia Silverman ’28, Veer Pahwa ’24, Sarita Yadav ’26 Silver Keys: Eva Cai ’28, Izzy Fink ’25 Pasha Jadali ’25, Saahil Kattepogu ’25 Katherine Niu ’24, Sophia Silverman ’28, Veer Pahwa ’24 Honorable Mentions: Josie Buller ’25, Jon Dong ’25, Pasha Jadali ’25 Saahil Kattepogu ’25, Kevin Miao ’25, Colby Twyman ’25
A large group of Upper and Middle School students participated in the American Math Competion (AMC). Eighth graders participated in the AMC 8 and Upper Schoolers participated in the AMC 10/12. The AMC 10/12 provides an opportunity for high school students to develop positive attitudes towards analytical thinking and mathematics that can assist in future careers.
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AMC MATH
ACADEMICS
MOCK TRIAL
The THS team competed as one of 22 Delaware high school teams in the annual Delaware High School Mock Trial Championship finishing in fifth place. Team members: Sophie Crain ’26, Jon Dong ’25, Olivia Jordan ’24, Cathi Li ’25, Robby Saunders ’24 and Bergen Soltow ’24, who participated as attorneys; and, Izzy Daniel ’27, Tatiana Hynansky ’27, Luke Jafarieh ’27, Alex Neal ’27 Valerie Thompson ’27 and Margo Weymouth ’27 who participated as witnesses. Robby Saunders won two best attorney gavel awards and Izzy Daniel, Luke Jafarieh and Valerie Thompson won best witness gavel awards. The team was coached by THS parents John Malik P’18, ’20, ’23 and Rob Saunders P’23, ’23, ’24 and alumnus Chip Sheridan ’03.
MODEL UN
In February, 38 students traveled to Washington, D.C. for the NAIMUN (North American Invitational Model United Nations) conference. The conference is the largest student-run Model UN conference in the world. In the conference, students participated in committees that ranged from the United Nations Education, Scientific, Cultural Organization and the World Trade Organization to the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis and the British House of Commons. Anjalie Chakravertti ’25, Jon Dong ’25, Cathy Li ’25 and Haasini Potluri ’25 all won Honorable Mention awards in their committees. Tower Hill’s delegation was also invited to take a tour of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. where students learned about Chinese history, art and culture.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS
The Middle School robotics team, Green Machine, qualified to compete in the FIRST LEGO League state championship at Delaware State University. The team earned sixth place in the state and took home a second place award for their innovation project, an art visualizer that uses the programming of electromagnets to allow visually impaired people to feel two-dimensional art pieces.
NEW YORK TIMES CONTEST
Jon Dong ’25 received an Honorable Mention in The New York Times’ Ninth Annual Student Review Contest for his review of a studio album by Sufjan Stevens. Dong’s work was titled, “‘Javelin’: A Piercing Reflection of Grief and Hope.” He was also quoted in Delaware Online for his submission to RENEW Reflective Essays on Nature, Earth and their Wonders—an essay contest open to all high school students in Delaware.
AMERICAN INVITATIONAL MATHEMATICS EXAMINATION
Veer Pahwa ’24 ranked in the top 5% on the AMC 12 contest and qualified to participate in the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), a selective and prestigious 15-question, three-hour test. Qualifying for AIME is an exceptional academic achievement and this is the second consecutive year that Pahwa qualified.
COLOR THEORY
Eighth graders in their theater class learned about color theory, an intersection of what they have studied in science and art and how lighting impacts what is seen on stage. They tried sorting M&M’s with different colored lighting and recorded their results.
36 Tower Hill Bulletin Spring 2024 37 Tower Hill Bulletin Spring 2024 ACADEMICS ACADEMICS
LINEAR ALGEBRA
BY JAKE VISCUSI UPPER SCHOOL MATH TEACHER
Differential Equations
Machine Learning
Digital Signal Processing
Chemical Equilibrium Reactions
Molecular Orbital Theory
Quantum Light Polarization
These are the second semester topics of study selected by the exceptional students in MAT501—Linear Algebra. The unique structure of the course aims to nurture the creative and aesthetic mathematical senses in each student, giving them the tools to confidently pursue their own areas of interest in the future. The particular students enrolled this year (Katherine Connolly ’24 Siddharth Kancharapu ’24, Grayson Kyle ’24 Veer Pahwa ’24, William Sommers ’24 and Anish Vakalapudi ’24) each had the opportunity to grow through the Tower Hill math curriculum from ninth through 12th grade and as a result, had the strong foundations necessary to approach the classroom setting in a slightly different manner.
A typical class period of MAT501 begins with a single question:“What are some options to describe the distance between two functions?” or “How can we rigorously define the pseudoinverse of a map?”
The class spends the bulk of their period answering this question, though the path to a solution is rarely direct. Instead, a thoughtful meandering begins where students find new ways to apply the concepts they have already mastered and develop connections between previously separate topics. In this way, the curriculum forces participants to be agents in their own learning. This guided discovery aims to give students the experience of having ‘figured it out’ on their own, and, in doing so, provides them with the confidence to know they can do it again!
This unconventional approach works when the students have the appropriate prerequisite content knowledge—fortunately, these soon to be Tower Hill alumni are well-equipped, which comes as no surprise. When asked about math experiences at Tower Hill, Kyle expressed, “The entirety of Tower Hill math excels at exploring topics in depth while simultaneously broaching the overlap between differing subjects.”
Math League president and AIME participant Pahwa echoed, “Tower Hill math has exceeded my expectations. The curriculum is thorough in its coverage of topics, ranging from trigonometry to algebra to calculus, and helps students build a strong foundation for future mathematical studies.”
With the enrollees of MAT501 being so close to graduation, the course bears a special responsibility in preparing its scholars for their years beyond Tower Hill, which is the express purpose of the second semester project. Having spent the first semester honing the skills of discovery and risk-taking in the classroom, students are given the chance to apply their “weapons of maths destruction” to problems of their own choosing. To be truly invested in the project, a student needs to find a piece of themselves in what they are studying. Fortunately, it is no exaggeration to say that linear algebra is a pivotal course for any STEM field, and, as a result, its applications run the gamut. This means that every student can find some application of linear algebra that is relevant to their future goals.
When asked how he chose his topic, All-State Jazz Band member Sommers shared, “I’ve been interested in both music and computer science for many years, so I naturally became interested in the intersection of these areas, which introduced me to the mathematical discipline of digital signal processing. As tends to be the case with loads of things in math, this secretly
involves quite a bit of linear algebra, and I’m excited to explore this in more depth during my second semester project.”
The group this year has seemingly taken it as a challenge to cover as diverse a range of topics as possible. With just six students, there are topics from pure math, computer science, chemistry and physics, which is a testament to the broad range of interests found in the Tower Hill student body.
“Linear algebra in particular has fostered a sense of interconnectedness that’s difficult to truly appreciate in any other class,” Kyle goes on. “In exchange for a more difficult and abstract subject matter, the course delivers a unique kind of satisfaction, especially as it spans an incredible breadth of material without giving up quality or depth of information.”
In exchange for a more difficult and abstract subject matter, the course delivers a unique kind of satisfaction, especially as it spans an incredible breadth of material without giving up quality or depth of information.
Sommers agrees, “Linear algebra is pretty different from any other math course I’ve taken at Tower Hill. There’s a lot more room for exploration, and the occasional class-derailing tangent contributes to a course that, although challenging, strives to make intimidating concepts feel as simple as addition and subtraction. Because of this, it’s a very rewarding class, and I’d recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in math.”
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ACADEMICS
MODEL UN
BY KELSEY NORRIS-SOKOLSKY AND ANDREW BROWN HISTORY TEACHERS
A contingent of Tower Hill students can often be found dressed in formal business attire vociferously debating with their peers on how the international community should prevent the abuse of surveillance technology. You’ll find them huddled in corners, drafting a resolution to bring about a cease-fire in Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and even traveling back in time to 1956 Egypt to stage a coup that prevents the Suez Canal Crisis from spiraling further out of control.
These Hillers are all immersed in the world of Model United Nations (UN).
Model UN is quite literally a world apart from the Hillers’ everyday life. At conferences, members of Tower Hill’s Model UN chapter adopt the roles of diplomats from all around the globe who have convened to resolve pressing global issues and advance their country’s geopolitical interests.
By serving on UN General Assemblies, such as the Disarmament & International Security Committee (DISEC) or the Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Issues (SOCHUM) Committee, Hillers have the opportunity to represent countries ranging from the
United Arab Emirates to Thailand. As these students often represent nations who hold vastly different views from the United States, they broaden their perspectives by learning about and defending positions that had previously been wholly foreign to them.
“I have learned more about other countries’ stances on issues,” reflects Ashley Prashar ’24. “Joining Model UN has led me to become more aware of issues I wouldn’t have really looked at previously… My only regret is not joining earlier.”
Along with serving on General Assemblies, Hillers also take part in Crisis Committees and work to resolve dire situations that threaten our global community. On Crisis Committees, Hillers address pressing issues from China’s crackdown on prodemocracy protests in Hong Kong to imagining that the date is October, 1962, and they must prevent the Cuban Missile Crisis from sparking a nuclear conflagration.
In both General Assembly and Crisis Committees, Hillers improve their public speaking skills, collaborate with allies and compromise with adversaries to achieve results.
“My public speaking skills have definitely improved a lot since joining,” says Eleanor Loeper-Viti ’24, president of Tower Hill’s chapter. “At my first conference, I was really scared to speak and only went up once, but since then I have become a lot more comfortable voicing my opinion and pushing for my ideas to become actions. I also have improved my rhetoric skills because of how much debate and exchanging of ideas takes place.”
In addition to competing at Model UN conferences at local independent schools, Hillers compete in out-ofstate conferences that draw attendees from all around the world.
“These conferences have given me unforgettable memories and some of the best moments in high school thus far,” says Jon Dong ’25, vice president of the chapter, who treasures his time traveling to conferences in Washington, D.C. and New York City for Model UN last year. “I have made friends from all over the country, and even the world.”
Along with meeting like-minded peers and forging new connections, students also enjoy the opportunity to explore new cities, visit historic monuments in Washington, D.C., and even visit the United Nations’ awe-inspiring General Assembly Hall in New York.
The 2023-2024 Model United Nations leadership team, headed by President Eleanor Loeper-Viti, Vice President Jon Dong and Secretary Phoebe QuinnPlemmons ’24, have been working tirelessly to bring all of these opportunities to an even greater number
of Hillers. With over 50 members, the leaders have ushered in dramatic growth for the chapter and have spearheaded new initiatives to help train new members. This fall, Loeper-Viti, Dong and QuinnPlemmons organized Tower Hill’s first ever in-house conference to provide Model UN novices with the opportunity to practice their debating and negotiating skills with their fellow Hillers before heading off to compete more broadly. They also helped organize an Upper School assembly on global justice and led small group discussions with their peers on how we can advance global justice, both as individuals and as a school community.
While working to enrich Model UN members’ experience and contribute to the Upper School more broadly, the leadership team has found the experience of managing a large club to be an incredible learning opportunity.
“Being on the leadership team for Model UN has been a great experience. Learning the ins and outs of this club and how to run it has been one of the most meaningful experiences I have had,” says Dong. “I have learned how to manage my time, communicate with people effectively and create a safe environment for all club members.”
Tower Hill Model UN leaders and members are all excited for the rest of the school year as they turn their gaze to prepare for the upcoming conferences and start organizing their own in-house conference at Tower Hill this spring.
40 Tower Hill Bulletin Spring 2024 41 Tower Hill Bulletin Spring 2024 ACADEMICS
THE HIVE
NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE SPACE
BY LUISA SAWYER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT CHAIR
According to the National Science Teacher Association (NSTA), the nature of science education is the characteristics of science knowledge as derived from how it is produced.
The nature of science is:
• Scientific Investigations Use a Variety of Methods;
• Scientific Knowledge Is Based on Empirical Evidence;
• Scientific Knowledge Is Open to Revision in Light of New Evidence;
• Science Models, Laws, Mechanisms and Theories Explain Natural Phenomena;
• Science Is a Way of Knowing;
• Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems;
• Science Is a Human Endeavor; and,
• Science Addresses Questions About the Natural and Material World.
Effective science instruction is expected to pack a plethora of knowledge into student brains about the natural and material world, empirical evidence, order and consistency and investigative methods (just to name a few).
At Tower Hill, not only do we achieve this, but we have students who tackle science with a sense of discovery, enjoyment and—my favorite word that I’ve heard thrown around in the Middle School— wonderment.
Science best practices involve a combination of engaging strategies, hands-on activities and fostering a deep understanding of scientific principles. Currently, in our kindergarten through 12th grade science program, we are not reliant on textbooks and work diligently to make sure we combine inquirybased learning with hands-on learning, differentiate our methods of instruction and connect scientific concepts to students’ everyday lives.
That is why we are ecstatic that the current space around the Middle School science wing is getting a much needed facelift to bring wonderment and weird stuff to a space that is designed for 21st century science learners.
The Hive, as it will be called, will be abuzz with activity. Even today, we can often be found using the hallways, floors, stairwells and walls for science— particularly in the fifth through eighth grades. Without textbooks, the students’ notebooks become their guides as they fill them with labs, pictures, graphs, tables and a foldable or two. These worker bees truly deserve a space like The Hive that engages their eagerness to learn and helps them answer their constant “what if” questions.1
To start, we will be redesigning the flow of traffic through the space that will become The Hive, most notably the connection between the two staircases that are on either side of THE Hub, which is right above The Hive. This new hallway will feature three Upper School focused classrooms for biology, robotics and computer science. The robotics classroom will have floor-to-ceiling glass walls connecting to the hallway so those passing by can see the work being done in the engineering makerspace.
From there, a wider hallway will split off in a T-shape that leads to our Middle School classrooms, complete with a wide pass through and a separate working area with benches, whiteboards, TVs, outlets and displays. The Middle School displays can house student work, scientific models, class pets or other notable materials.
In the Middle School science classrooms, there will be lab tables, perimeter counters with sinks, center floor outlets, teaching tables, whiteboards and displays, and a prep room shared by two classrooms that contain another sink, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, printer, safety storage and cabinets.
At the end of the Middle School hallway will be shared science offices where teachers and students can meet for conferences or use as a mutual workspace. The hallway is capped off with large windows to the outdoors, which will house rain barrels from the roof, a learning garden and a photovoltaic panel that can connect to a grid and screen so that students can observe how the sun can be used to harvest energy.
While The Hive was designed by architects, the teachers using the future space met many times to provide details and feedback on their initial plans. Mary Taylor ’09, who teaches fifth and sixth grade science, helped us design the large hallway space of The Hive. For instance, to support the sixth grade curriculum, which focuses on physics and the measuring of distances for rolling objects or Tumble Buggies, Taylor asked for meter markers in the carpet or along the wall to provide the students with a built in measuring device.
1 “What If” questions are so hard to dodge from a middle schooler. So hard, in fact, there is a great resource written in 2014 that has scientific answers to some of the best “what ifs.” I highly recommend it for anyone who will experience a middle schooler. What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe
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VIEW OF MS SCIENCE “HIVE”
Kathleen McMillen, sixth and eighth grade teacher, is looking for grid style tiling in the classroom so she can continue her battleship lessons where students ensure they have a solid understanding of graphing.
Lara Kossiakoff, seventh and eighth grade teacher, proposed a sturdy ceiling rack for hanging physics labs, chem models and biology diagrams for her students.
I teach fifth and seventh grade and asked for a science classroom that can get completely dark so students can see additive color mixing.
Stashauna Carter, biology and honors biology teacher, integrated sinks throughout her classroom with writable walls for collaborative student work and outlets in the floors for students to use for compound microscopes, probes and, most important of all, charging their laptops.
Bill Soistmann and Jim Haine collaborated on a robotics and computer science space that would fit the needs of our growing Hiller Instinct and Tower Patch teams that would be highly visible to our Middle School LEGO Robotics teams to inspire future FIRST students.
Together, we are excited to teach in this new space and cannot wait for this much needed change.
The Science Department is ready to brave the months of construction it will take for the incredible opportunities being offered by The Hive. We are still planning to do hands-on learning throughout the construction period.
The beauty of science (and a Tower Hill education) is that it can always happen outside of the classroom.
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VIEW OF ROBOTICS CLASSROOM
ACADEMICS
STUDENT DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
BY MACY SHI ’26
This year, three sophomores and I attended the annual SDLC conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The theme of this year’s conference was: Bending the Arc Toward Justice: Radical Optimism, Transformational Joy, Resilience, and Brilliance. Overall, 8,000 people attended, of which 2,000 were students from independent schools all over the U.S.
In the conference, we participated in “family groups” (60-70 students) and turned to discuss in smaller “home groups” within the family groups (~10 people). Later each day, students had time to attend affinity groups, such as the LGBTQIA+, Asian American Pacific Islander, South Asian, Jewish, Latinx, Muslim, transracial and adopted affinity spaces and more.
Family/home groups Students discussed issues and resolutions revolving around eight core identifiers: age, ability, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender, family structure, race/ethnicity and religion. We also learned about important court cases regarding equality such as Plessy vs. Ferguson, the Chinese Exclusion Act, Roe vs. Wade, etc.
Affinity spaces: Students connected with others, shared experiences and culture, discussed issues/ stereotypes and participated in fun activities such as karaoke and food discussions.
Speakers: During the conference, we had assemblies involving speakers Simon Tan, Gholnescar Muhammmad and Omékongo Diblinga. These speakers emphasized the importance of diverse, representative education, being an UPstander and taking pride in oneself.
STUDENT VOICES
Kennedy Haskins:
“At SDLC, during our family groups we learned a lot about socioeconomic status, which helped to open my eyes about different peoples’ living situations and helped me recognize my privilege. I was [also] able to relate to a larger group of people from the Black community about our experiences and how it feels going to a predominantly white institution.”
Danielle Soleye:
“Going to SDLC helped open my eyes on ways to help my community gain a better understanding of what it means to be a part of a certain group and not feel pressured to hide from that fact. We [also expressed] ideas on how we would like to make changes in our schools for the next generation of high schoolers to feel welcomed in an environment that may seem foreign.”
Rikky Sanjeev:
“SDLC fostered a strong sense of community, and I made many great connections and memories there. Being unafraid to be bold largely enriched my experience. Although I received backlash for my opinions from some, many others agreed and respected me for my authenticity.”
Macy Shi
“Coming to this conference made me feel empowered and motivated to be the change and to inspire change. I learned different views on issues like affirmative action that were eye opening. Some highlights were attending queer ballroom as a part of the LGBTQIA+ affinity space and the new friendships I made. Super fun!”
“We may all be different races, but we are all part of the human race.” –Student speaker from SDLC
The NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades 9-12) from across the U.S. and abroad. SDLC focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community. Led by a diverse team of trained adult and peer facilitators, participating students develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts, and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles. In addition to large group sessions, SDLC “family groups” and “home groups” allow for dialogue and sharing in smaller units.
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ACADEMICS
FACULTY FOCUS
LINDSAY ACEVEDO ’95: SELECTING EXCEPTIONAL TEACHERS AND HELPING THEM THRIVE
The school’s new strategic plan aims to position Tower Hill as a Destination School: not only for students, but also for faculty and staff.
The extraordinary faculty at Tower Hill are one of the most important reasons why students excel from Tots through grade 12. Tower Hill’s faculty and staff are caring and accomplished individuals who have chosen to put their energy into teaching, coaching, guiding and supporting young people.
Finding and hiring talented and dedicated individuals that match Tower Hill’s criteria and add to its culture is an art. Lindsay Acevedo ’95, Director of College Counseling, Hiring and Recruitment, oversees this challenging process. Once a remarkable faculty and staff is assembled, the school’s ability to keep these individuals in the Tower Hill community relies upon the cultivation of a positive workplace environment and deep peer-to-peer relationships. Acevedo’s role itself suggests just how much Tower Hill cares about finding, keeping and developing the very best in the field.
In addition, Tower Hill has added a Dean of Faculty to its senior team, who has been charged with faculty professional development (see p. 54). This is yet another commitment Tower Hill is making to our core belief in the quality of instruction for our students.
COMING HOME
After graduating from Tower Hill in 1995, Acevedo eventually made her way back to her alma mater in the midst of the pandemic.
“Even on Zoom I recognized the close-knit family organization that I had known,” says Acevedo.
Tower Hill beckoned for many reasons. “The teachers’ commitment, particularly in challenging times and in the face of any obstacle, is amazing,” she reflects. “In addition to the exceptional intellectual preparation it provides its students, Tower Hill leans very strongly toward character development and social and emotional learning. I wanted to come back home to this outstanding school and be part of its philosophy.”
Acevedo’s daughters, Hallie ’33 and Marin ’34, loved school at Tower Hill from day one.
“The girls are now seven and nine, and they are thriving because there is such a variety of ways for them to learn,” declares Acevedo.
DEVELOPING FACULTY AND STAFF COMMUNITY
Head of School Sarah Baker has charged Acevedo not only with recruitment and hiring, but also with the development of a positive faculty and staff culture.
“Lindsay has two qualities that aren’t often found in combination: punctilious attention to the detail of the hiring process and an insistence on the humanity of it, too,” says Baker. “She seeks excellence for Tower Hill, and then she creates it herself once we have these wonderful new folks on board. Our recent striking success in securing the best candidate for each of our open positions is due entirely to her hard, deliberate and artful work, and we are thrilled to see steep improvements in our retention numbers, too. Keeping excellent teachers is key to the student experience in a small and community-minded school like ours.”
Culture matters to Baker. This fall, she asked faculty and staff to look at ways to make their community stronger and more inclusive. The response was tremendous.
Sunshine Committees were established to celebrate or grieve alongside colleagues. Staff members and faculty flocked to support each other in their extracurricular pursuits. And seemingly every week someone suggested an opportunity to gather for trivia nights, trips to the Delaware Art Museum or a concert in Rockford Park. There was an Oktoberfest celebration, the establishment of a weekly group fitness class and school Events of the Week designed to support students and colleagues in their work at Tower Hill.
The success of the community and connection objective grew in more ways than grinning faces. Space in the building was repurposed as a Faculty Lounge. A private room in the rear serves as a retreat when a quiet space is needed. A staff lending library featuring reading recommendations was launched. Other programs that have contributed to this burgeoning sense of community are a road clean-up in affiliation with Adopt-A-Highway and a bake off. Ideas keep pouring in.
“The goal is not solely focused on creating and offering social events,” expresses Acevedo. “It’s more about appealing to people’s interests. We are continuing to build a wonderful community and finding ways to connect and support each other. We are proud of the program and can’t wait to see it grow. And we know what it will do for teachers and students alike to have the faculty bonded in this way.
PROCESS TO PERFECTION
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the pandemic resulted in widespread teacher shortages and problems attracting and retaining educators. Tower Hill met the challenge head-on. Under the direction of Acevedo, an exemplary recruitment and hiring plan worthy of the school’s history and reputation was created.
Acevedo, teachers and administrators search for not only background and experience, but a passion for teaching students, specifically in elementary, middle or high schools.
“We look for all different personalities, and people who want to engage in the whole independent school experience,” notes Acevedo. “Being part of the Tower Hill community includes involvement with coaching, school clubs and other activities.”
Potential teachers spend a full day at Tower Hill. They meet with department heads, observe classes and teach a lesson.
“We like to get a sense of how an individual engages with students, how they draw them out and what activities they may introduce,” explains Acevedo. “Additionally, we want a two-way match—teacher with student and teacher with colleagues. The community feel of our work environment and deep collegiality are core to our success in serving our students and retaining our exceptional teachers.”
The school’s strategic planning process has leaned heavily into conversation about pairing Acevedo’s work on hiring and retention with the resources necessary to offer even more competitive and creative compensation and benefits packages, nodding to the school’s desire to honor its teachers and staff in all material ways that it can. Indeed, Tower Hill School firmly embraces its motto, Multa Bene Facta, at every level. The school provides a rigorous and exhilarating program, engaging students in a variety of educational endeavors, while allowing them to develop their individual strengths and pursue their passions.
An exceptional faculty is the backbone of their success—the backbone of Multa Bene Facta itself.
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FACULTY FOCUS
BY AARON MODAVIS LOWER SCHOOL ART TEACHER
There’s a big mystery at the core of art: We don’t know why humans started making it.
We know why humans invented the disciplines of algebra and biology. We know why they began recording history. But humans’ relationship with art goes back at least 40,000 years and prehistoric art has been found all over the world in many different forms, leading to a wide variety of interpretations of its purpose. Some anthropologists think it even played a role in the evolution of language.
Every group of humans make art and may have always made it (you, the reader, made it too), but we don’t have universal reasons why. For every definition you can find for art, there are plenty of exceptions to the rule. On the other hand, we’ve all participated in it on some level and have an intuitive connection to it.
This is the paradox for the art teacher: How do you teach something no one fully understands to people who already innately understand it?
A tempting solution is to overcompensate by hyperfocusing on the aspects of art we do have a full grasp on. We’ll teach words for different tools, techniques and art movements. We’ll teach color theory. This content is crucial, but it would be a mistake to make it a substitute for teaching the most empowering lesson: since we all have equal claims to define what art can be and how it should be made, the student is the ultimate authority over their art.
Why is this important? When students take ownership over their work they are practicing skills they can use in any facet of life: the ability to turn their own ideas into working reality by relying on their judgment and opinions. Art-making offers a particularly unique experience because nowhere else does the creator have total authority over their work. Even carpenters are constrained by the fact that their creations have to function correctly in the physical world.
Consider the art making process: for almost every piece students make, they conceive an idea, decide how to execute it, work through unforeseen problems, decide whether to pursue the initial goal or change direction, grapple with materials, declare when the work is finished and, finally, reflect on the work.
Whether it is a success or not is ultimately the student’s call because of the subjective nature of art. If the student sincerely decides it is good, then it is good. Among all of the other things, practicing art-making
means forming opinions, honing judgment and building confidence in both. My role as the art teacher during this process is to hold the bar for sincere efforts, to teach relevant art techniques and history, and to make sure the students’ craftsmanship and technique match their goals. It is also my job to help students push their ideas further, to work at the outer limits of their abilities and to apply newly acquired skills and concepts to elevate their ideas.
I drew and painted since I was a little kid. Looking back now it’s clear to me that I used art to express myself, to entertain, to build confidence, to communicate, to make sense of the world and to escape it. The investigative and experimental nature of art-making made me curious about many other things outside of art—things that have also enriched my life.
Art not only helps us to interpret and understand our existence on earth but, more importantly, it gives us a way to cope with our human intelligence. After all, it’s not easy to be aware of our mortality or the possible trajectories our lives might take. These things are stressful. Making art or even looking at art helps us to process our thoughts and emotions; it increases our empathy and helps us to realize that our experiences are not ours to bear alone.
Picasso said, “art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
I agree. It offers us infinite paths to richer lives when we understand that, however art started and whatever it’s for, each of us owns it in its totality.
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Pablo
FACULTY
The Cueva de las Manos (Cave of Hands) Argentina. Painted between 9,300 and 1,300 years ago.
BAKE SALES AND BEYOND WITH MS. LACEY
BY NATALIE HOBBS ’18 COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
To open the New Faculty and Staff Orientation this summer, Head of School Sarah Baker asked us to introduce ourselves and talk about a teacher who is meaningful to us. I mentally ran through the long list of admirable teachers I had studied under, both at Tower Hill and in college, but despite the impressive number and nature of the individuals on my list, one stood out: Ms. Lacey, my first grade teacher at Tower Hill.
My seven-year-old self loved every day of first grade with Ms. Lacey. I remember having ample opportunities to be creative. I remember her sneeze, which was so loud the whole class would veer off task, forcing her to stop and get us back on track. I remember her challenging our first grade minds with out-of-the-box questions and assignments.
Once, I spent hours on a homework assignment listing words that start with “ch,” end with “ch,” and (as a
bonus that I was determined to achieve no matter how long it took) a word that both starts and ends with “ch.”
(Spoiler: it’s church).
On the final day of first grade, after months of growth, fun and connection, I cried. I was devastated to leave my first grade teacher.
Thankfully, Ms. Lacey offered to be my pen pal that summer. She asked about my upcoming theater performances, trips to the beach and if I was practicing my math. I still have the letters she wrote to me that summer. More than just words on a card, these letters are a testament to Ms. Lacey’s profound compassion and the emotional investment she makes in her students.
What I did not realize as I cried in Ms. Lacey’s classroom that final day of first grade was that the care I felt from her was not going to end there. She
joined my Tower Hill support system, an evergrowing network that would add new faculty, staff and coaches every year as I grew into new experiences and encountered new mentors. My Tower Hill support system continues expanding to this day.
In the years following my departure from Ms. Lacey’s first grade class, my mom volunteered at the morning bake sales. Bake sales meant I had to be at school at 7:15 a.m., which I remember not enjoying, and I got a sweet treat for breakfast, which I remember enjoying.
What was even more exciting than having a sweet treat for breakfast was that my mom would give me $2 to purchase a treat that I could then deliver to Ms. Lacey. I always knew on bake sale days I would see my favorite first grade teacher.
As a Middle and Upper School student, I did not join my mom for the early morning bake sales, but I was always sure to stop by with my $2 to buy Ms. Lacey a treat. Twice a year, every year, from first grade to 11th (Ms. Lacey’s last year while I was a student), I knew I would see Ms. Lacey with a treat in my hand to show my appreciation for her kindness.
Bake sales became “our thing.” On bake sale days, she would invite me into her classroom, I would introduce myself to a new set of students and we would briefly catch up. On non-bake sale days, I would walk by her classroom every morning to get to my middle and high school locker, and she would always wave hello if I caught her eye.
With all three divisions under one roof at Tower Hill, I was regularly reminded that past teachers care deeply about their students’ success beyond the days in their classrooms. As a senior, walking by the teachers that I had when I was five always reminded me of the strength of my Tower Hill support system.
This past summer, I began a full-time role in the school’s Communications Office. I was asked to take a photo of Ms. Lacey for a school message, and I scheduled a time to meet her while she set up her new fourth grade classroom. I had not seen Ms. Lacey since 2017, but that day she greeted me with a big smile and a muffin, in honor of all of our shared bake sale treats.
Today, I’m a colleague asking for collaboration instead of a student asking for homework help. I’m working with adults that were once my teachers. At first, before sending emails, I would hesitate—torn as to whether I should refer to them as Mr./Ms. or simply use their first name.
After opting to use Mr./Ms. every time, they would all immediately assure me that I could call them by their first names. Despite my initial discomfort, I immediately felt welcomed back to Tower Hill and have experienced the same sense of support and care that was here for me as a student. There are many familiar faces, new faces, and familiar faces in new places, but the sense of community is still strong.
In addition to working in communications, I have had the great opportunity to coach high school field hockey and basketball. In the fall, I coached under Meredith Keller ’99, who was an assistant coach when I was a player for Tower Hill. This opportunity gave me insight into her incredible ability to simultaneously support, respect and challenge her players. As I have transitioned from a student and an athlete to a staff member and coach, I aspire to model my career after the many Tower Hill members I have encountered throughout my time here, like Ms. Lacey and Meredith. I hope to become a positive member of our current students’ Tower Hill support systems.
I am so lucky to have been a lifer here, and I know for certain that, for students at Tower Hill, the love and support Tower Hill gives really is “for life.”
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FACULTY
Natalie Hobbs (front right) with Ms. Lacey and her first grade class.
NEW ADMINISTRATORS Welcome
LINDSAY ACEVEDO ’95
Mrs. Acevedo ’95, P’33, ’34 has been named Assistant Head of School starting July 1, 2024. The Assistant Head of School is a new senior leadership position that reports directly to the Head of School and sits on the school’s senior leadership team. The role’s primary areas of responsibility are the school’s strategic priority around fostering senses of ownership and belonging in the community, which reflects the school’s fundamental belief that optimal learning and institutional progress is inextricably linked to strong relationships within and with the school. Mrs. Acevedo’s primary role at Tower Hill has been in her capacity as Director of College Counseling. She has also served as the Director of Hiring and Recruitment, where she focused on building a positive and supportive faculty and staff culture, as well as overseeing recruitment and retention, and will be leveraged and expanded in her new role.
JACK PHILLIPS
Dr. Phillips will serve as Tower Hill’s next Head of Upper School effective July 1, 2024. Dr. Phillips joins Tower Hill following a national search that yielded a highly competitive candidate pool, and he will bring to his new role his extensive independent school leadership experience in secondary education both in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Phillips currently serves as Interim High School Principal for this school year at The American School in London (ASL), where he also previously held the position of High School Principal from 2013 to 2018. His work at ASL has been distinguished by remarkable improvements in the student experience and student learning outcomes, including specific progress he led in the STEM area, equity and inclusion work and the advisory system. Those who have worked with Dr. Phillips remark that his particular talent for building effective teams at both the administrative level and among teachers has made this impactful work possible.
DOUG POSKITT ’89
Mr. Poskitt will serve as Dean of Faculty effective July 1, 2024, following a highly competitive national search. The Dean of Faculty position is new to Tower Hill and is charged with the implementation of the “Engaged Community of Scholars” pillar of our strategic plan, True to Tower Hill, beginning that work by ensuring individualized support for each teacher’s pedagogical growth journey and building a culture in which faculty see Tower Hill as a place to grow as scholars and practitioners. Mr. Poskitt has served as History Department Chair, Dean of Faculty, and Associate Head at Worcester Academy (WA) in Massachusetts. During his tenure there, he oversaw the hiring, orientation, observation, development and retention of faculty and staff, and led schedule redesign efforts and professional development initiatives. Notably, Mr. Poskitt designed and implemented a robust, comprehensive professional growth system at WA.
EDUARDO SILVA
Mr. Silva has been named Dean of Student Life starting July 1, 2024, a new senior leadership position. Mr. Silva’s considerable skills and talents will be used toward the evaluation and, alongside Division Heads, design of the strategic direction of our student experience from Tots through 12. The position is ultimately responsible for strategic imperatives around student culture, relationship building across divisions, the cultivation of mentorship and leadership skills and the embracing and evolving of school traditions that foster school pride and connection. Mr. Silva has been at Tower Hill since 2013 and this school year is serving Tower Hill as the Interim Head of Upper School. Prior to that, for three years, he was the Assistant Head of Upper School and Dean of Students.
2023-2024
| ATHLETIC FALL & WINTER SEASONS
DIAA Champion
Congratulations to Jamie Brinsfield ’26 on winning the 200 free at this year’s DIAA Championship Meet with a time of 1:42,18, also a new school record!
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ATHLETICS
FALL & WINTER SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
FOOTBALL
The football team finished the season with a record of 5-5. The young team looks to return a lot of its starters next year to build on their 2023 season.
FIELD HOCKEY
The field hockey team finished the regular season 10-5. Tower Hill earned a share of the DISC Championship title with Tatnall and Friends. The team entered the DIAA Field Hockey Championship as the eighth seed and fell to Lake Forest in the first round.
CROSS COUNTRY
The varsity girls team collected a lot of hardware this season and finished in the top three at four meets, including third in the DISC meet, and the varsity boys team finished second at the Six Flags Wild Safari Invitational. Colby Twyman ’25 won the boys DISC Championship. Twyman and Izzy Daniels ’27 both earned all-state honors with their second and 11th place finishes, respectively, at the DIAA Cross Country State Championship. The boys team finished seventh in the state and the girls team finished sixth.
VOLLEYBALL
Volleyball finished the regular season with a record of 14-1, with an impressive sets record of 43-6 and as DISC Champions. Molly Pietlock ’24 reached the 1,000 assists milestone. The team had another great postseason run, defeating Sanford, Middletown and St. Mark’s before falling to Ursuline in the semifinals of the DIAA Volleyball Championship at the Bob Carpenter Center.
BOYS SOCCER
The boys soccer team finished the regular season 9-42. They entered the DIAA Boys Soccer Championship as the ninth seed and defeated #8 Delmar in a thrilling overtime win in the first round. In the second round, the team lost to the eventual champion Sussex Academy 1-0.
BOYS BASKETBALL
The boys basketball team finished the regular season with a record of 8-12. A highlight of the season included beating Friends twice, including a 52-50 win in front of a big home crowd.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
The girls basketball team finished the regular season with a record of 7-13. A highlight of the season was beating Tatnall, the first time since 2020, at both home and away.
SQUASH
The squash team finished the regular season with a record of 3-6 and an overall record of 6-7. The team competed in the 2024 U.S. High School Squash Championships, Division VII and won the first two matches to make it to the semifinals. The team lost in the semifinals but defeated Montgomery Bell Academy from Tennessee in the 3-4 playoff to finish third overall.
WRESTLING
Wrestling finished the regular season with a record of 11-6 and as DISC Champions for the sixth consecutive season. At the DIAA Wrestling Championships, Keelan Donnelly ’24 finished in fourth place at 175 lbs, Shane Pierce ’25 finished in fifth place at 157 lbs, Jack Duffy ’24 finished in sixth place at 150 lbs and Keenan Duffy ’26 finished in seventh place at 165 lbs.
INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
The girls indoor track team won the DISC Championship and the boys team finished in third. New Tower Hill indoor track records were set this season by Xavier Twyman ’28 in the 400m (52.48), Colby Twyman ’25 in the 800m (1:58.82) and one mile (4:22.19), Gaspar Ioos ’26 in the 3000m (10:01.66) and Izzy Daniel ’27 in the 3000m (10:46.55) and 3200m (11:23.39).
SWIMMING & DIVING
The girls swimming team ended the regular season with a record of 7-2, and the boys swimming team ended the regular season with a record of 3-6. At the DISC Championship meet, it came down to the final relay, and the girls retained the DISC Championship title. At the DIAA Swimming and Diving Championship, Jamie Brinsfield ’26 won the 200 free, broke his own school record (1:42.18) and became a State Champion. Grace Gilbert ’24 finished second in the state in the 50 free and 100 free. Gilbert also set a new school record in the 50 free (24.33). Blake Erkenbrecher ’26 finished third in the state in the 50 free and Brinsfield finished third in the state for the 100 free. Gilbert, Charlotte Rasmussen ’25, Lila Fanelli ’24 and Annika Jorgensen ’27 finished third in the state in the 200 free relay. Overall, the girls team finished third in the state and the boys finished ninth.
SCHOOL LIFE ATHLETICS
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1. Head of School Sarah Baker greets students on the first day of school. 2. Donovan Zapata ’34 gives a thumbs up during the opening assembly on DeGroat Field. 3. Elliana Redick ’36 came to school well prepared with a special sign to mark the first day of school. 4. Seniors walked into the assembly with kindergarteners. In front, Olivia Jordan ’24 escorts Skylar King ’36. 5. 1st graders Heidi Mathews and Layla Jackson learn how to check-in for the day from Mrs. Sullivan. 6. Students are excited to start a new school year! 7. August Richards ’36 happily navigates the Lower School hallways. 8. 1st graders and seniors sit together during the opening assembly. 9. Head of School Sarah Baker gives her opening remarks. 10. Kyleigh Peters ’25, Katie Murphy ’25 and Avery Biery ’25 gather together in THE Hub. 11. Upper School math teacher Jake Viscusi juggles during the opening assembly. 12. Jillian Truesdell ’28 is a Middle School representative in the limbo competition. 13. Student Government Association President Robby Saunders ’24 welcomes the Tower Hill community back to school in the opening assembly.
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OPENING DAYS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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1. Adam Christian Jr. ’35 and Bradley Han ’35 have matching costumes. 2. A Plants vs. Zombies character joins the preschool parade. 3. A group of 5th graders dress as players from A League of Their Own. 4. Seniors enjoy a Chipotle lunch at Hayward House. 5. PreK performs in their assembly. 6. Francesca Sarko ’29 dresses as Wednesday Addams. 7. Amelia Winfree ’36 and Chloe Lu ’36 show their Halloween treats. 8. Kareem Belkadi ’31 works on his science lab. 9. Lucy Sawyer ’34 poses. 10. Cole Bradshaw ’33 and Bo Winchel ’33 have matching costumes. 11. 4th graders perform in the Lower School assembly. 12. 1st grade teachers Meghan Donlon, Nicole Kaiser and Ann Sullivan coordiate their costumes.
1 2 3 4 5 6 THS IN PHOTOS
1. Upper Schoolers gather in Rockford Park for a Turkey Trot. 2. Preschoolers enjoy a Thanksgiving feast together. 3. Stella Chien ’35 reads with her special guests. 4. Sofia Ghazli ’31 speaks at the Middle School assembly. 5. Head of School Sarah Baker and the White Tiger surprise preK with special treats. 6. Students present during the Lower School assembly.
TREE TRIM
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1. Upper School students visit Puerto Rico where they hike through El Yunque Tropical Rainforest. 2. Tower Hill parents Krupa Joshi and Monica Patel share Diwali celebrations throughout the Lower School and help 4th graders create a beautiful rangoli. 3. Dr. Kim Ginsburg and other families visit classrooms to talk about the meaning of Hanukkah. 4. Head of Middle School Tim Weymouth marks the start of Lunar New Year by painting the eye on the student-created dragon. 5. Exchange students from Rungsted Gymnasium (School) in Denmark present to kindergartners. 6. Lower Schoolers learn about Día de los Muertos with a visit from La Catrina
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 5
THS IN PHOTOS
1. 1st graders gather around the tree to place their ornaments. 2. Tower Tots celebrate during the snow surprise. 3. Head of School Sarah Baker speaks during Tower Hill’s 95th Annual Tree Trim. 4. Katherine Niu ’24 lifts Anya Patel ’34 5. Elissa Cohen ’31 reaches to place her ornament. 6. The string quartet opens the Tree Trim celebration. 7. Middle School English teacher Jill Zehner sits with Brielle Payne ’31 8. Michael Dignazio ’24 lifts George Zheng ’38
64 Tower Hill Bulletin Spring 2024 65 Tower Hill Bulletin Spring 2024 SERVICE SERVICE 1. Lower Schoolers donate items to the 13th annual Hiller Harvest supporting Lutheran Community Services. 2. Lower School students show the number of items donated. 3. Last year’s Middle School Student Council Leaders presented Thomas and Lexie Hanna a check in the amount of $2,576 to be donated to Sam’s KIDS. 4. Diya Patel ’32 and Zoe Byrnes ’32 sort food donations. 5. Head of School Sarah Baker and Morgan Remming ’35 lead a silent Mindful Walk to open the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day of service. 6. 6th graders make sandwiches for the food insecure in Wilmington. 7. Christy Stroud and Kayla Wang ’38 during the Mindfulness Walk. 8. Juniors Sammy Ghazli, Peter Eppley and Giancarlo San Miguel French paint posters for the Wilmington MLK Peace March. 9. Macy Shi ’26 and Lisa Lu ’26 sort clothes going to the Ministry of Caring. 10. Sean Swain ’31 and Kellen Brown ’31 make dry bean soup jars for Lutheran Community Services. 11. Middle Schoolers pack donations for delivery. 1 2 3 5 6 7 11 9 10 4 8 THS IN PHOTOS
1. Upper School art students visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 2. Katherine Niu ’24 and Aili Inguito ’24 in the fall production of A Murder Is Announced 3. The band greets students with holiday music. 4. Madison Smith ’34 and Natalie Pratt ’34 dance during the annual hoedown. 5. PreK works on an art project. 6. Lower Schoolers had a special visit from dancers from the Wilmington Ballet Academy of Dance. 7. Students create special planters for Installation. 8. 4th graders perform their musical, Let’s Jam! It’s Our Band 9. Upper School chorus sings during their winter concert. 10. This year, 18 students were selected for the Delaware All-State Ensembles. Pictured AllState Band: Brandon Liu ’25 William Sommers ’24 Lorenzo Santos ’25 Daniel Fink ’25 (also performed with All-State Orchestra), Alli Dechant ’26. All-State Orchestra: Valeria Liu ’28 Macy Shi ’26 Hannah Xue ’25 All-State Chorus: Janie duPont ’24 Leanna Geerts ’27 Nidhi Gowda ’25 Ben Heister ’25 Ritvik Iyengar ’25 Sophia Karron ’26 Langley Owen ’24 Benjamin Williams ’25 Ava Desai ’29 Sadie Sheppard ’28 11. Zoe Gould ’26 works on a painting. 12. The string quartet performs at Winterthur.
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 THS IN PHOTOS
HEAD OF SCHOOL INSTALLATION
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Installation
3.
4.
school
her students. 5.
The More We Get Together
the
1. Volleyball players go for the block in the exciting 3-2 win over Charter. 2. Former Board Chair Dr. Eric Johnson is awarded the Founders’ Achievement Award. 3. Quarterback Michael
runs the ball. 4.
the rainy football game. 5.
sends the ball up the field. 6. Members of the class of 2008 gather during the picnic. 7. Bea Nace ’27 steps to the ball in field hockey’s 2-0 win over Friends. 8. 9th graders show sprit during the Upper School pep rally. 1 3 5 2 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 THS IN PHOTOS
1. Head of School Sarah Baker gives her Installation remarks.
2.
Justin Solacoff ’24 leads the senior class to the
Ceremony.
Trustees gather before the ceremony.
Lower
Spanish teacher Natalie
Moravek
attends the ceremony with
Preschoolers perform
during
ceremony.
Waesco ’26
Sydeny Aitken ’19 and Caroline Solacoff ’19
attend
Reece Petrunich ’24
SARAH BAKER’S INSTALLATION
REMARKS
Good morning,
Thank you, Mr. Wallace, Mr. duPont, Matthew, Mrs. Ashley, Mrs. Shorey, and student and faculty musicians for your beautiful offerings this morning. And thank you, thank each of you, for gathering this morning.
At independent schools across the nation this fall, new Heads are being celebrated by their communities, and they are being celebrated in any number of ways. The way a community decides to celebrate, the way it marks any momentous occasion, reveals a lot about its character.
Tower Hill extended the invitation to today’s ceremony to all students, all faculty and staff, including those departed teachers who retired from Tower Hill or who had given long service to the school, all alumni, all parents and many friends across Wilmington and the Philadelphia areas whom we are fortunate to call our community partners. In that itself there is a powerful statement about inclusivity, community, and togetherness, about what we believe in as a school and how we define our community.
I find that one of two clichés may be applied to any gathering with a robust guest list. One is, “the more the merrier.” The other is, “it wouldn’t be the same without you.” At Tower Hill, we subscribe to the latter philosophy. That is, we believe, I believe, that this moment, this celebration, this school, this community would not be the same without each one of you. And that, among so very many other things, makes me deeply proud to lead Tower Hill.
I have been looking forward to this day for many reasons. One is that I am half English and was raised Episcopalian, and we love a little pomp and circumstance. Another is that I look forward so much, always, to any opportunity we have to come together as one school.
But the third and final reason for my great anticipation of this day is that I simply could not wait to see my student Matthew stand before you as today’s speaker and to hear what he had to say. When Matthew was my English student, I used to leaf through my stack of papers and move his to the back of the stack before I began grading. It motivated me to get through my grading to know that his paper was waiting for me at the end, as I knew his work would challenge me to think differently about whatever it was that we were studying, would surprise me with the facility of the language, would leave me sitting in silence and contemplating his thoughts and recontemplating my own.
I am very fortunate because I still have that treat. As you may have seen in the program, in addition to his day job as an economist, Matthew is a writer—no surprise to you I am sure, as you have now listened to his prose. Matthew writes shorter and longer fiction, and he sends me his pieces for my reaction before he sends them out farther abroad. It has been a privilege to continue to follow his development as a writer and the evolution of his voice and to continue our now 11-years-long discussion of books and writing as he builds his career and adult life.
Students, I mention this because you should know something about your teachers. There is little that thrills us more than your success. In fact, it thrills us so much that we will offer you our support, our help, hours we have and those we do not have, for as long as you will let us. And so when your teachers push you, challenge you, tell you that you can do what you believe you cannot and support you all the way there, I hope that you will see in that the greatest and purest form of love. Know that if you ask us to edit your short story when you are 30, we will do it, not because we have to but because we genuinely want to. Because we believe in you and would move the earth to have you know of yourselves what we believe of you.
Teaching is selfless, it is a vocation, and my point is, it lasts forever. Students, these teachers are your teachers now, but they will be your teachers always. One day, you will be 30 or 40—I know that in itself this is hard for you to believe—and you will still refer to your teachers as your teachers with a warmth, a gratitude, and a depth of fondness matched only by what we feel when we call you—forever, however old you get—our students. You inspire us, you amaze us, you make us laugh, you change our lives and we never forget you. There is such deep love and such power inside the words “teacher” and “student.” They are two of the most enduring words there are.
Now, while so much about schools and school and school days endures, we must recognize that there is much, too, that is fleeting. There is a concept taught in Japanese culture, a culture rich with ceremonies done well, and the concept is called Ichi-go ichi-e. It means “one meeting, one moment in your life that will never happen again.” It teaches that we must honor the power of moments, especially the moment of a ceremony, because once we leave it, we will change, the world will change and the moment will be lost. Or, looked at another way and the way I would prefer to look at it, the moment will be, like a fossil, in some way preserved.
But in fact, at Tower Hill, it doesn’t take a tent or a new Head or a celebration to feel, even as you live a moment, that it will be one that, for you, will be locked in time. That moment happens here every day—when athletes high-five, a teacher helps her student toward a breakthrough, a kindergartner reads his first word with his third grade buddy, a colleague leaves a note and a You Rock rock on another colleague’s desk to mark a job well done. Communities are concerned with all sorts of things, and ours is concerned with the humanity of our shared pursuit. In the way we do things I see reflected my favorite definition of education, and here I quote Cyril Harvey, Head of School at Friends Central School many moons ago, who called education: “the act of exploring with another human being the true meaning of being human.”
At the beginning of this address, I mentioned to you that we should take stock of the way in which our community gathers because it shows you the heart of the school. I want to end by touching on where we are celebrating, our setting and why that is important. We are on the lawn of the house where my family has the privilege of
living. We have other spaces on campus that could house this collected body that would be safe from the elements, that would have given the committee planning this affair much less, if I may use my mother’s kitchen table Italian here, agita. But we are here because it was important to me to invite you to the place where my family lives, that you hear me say that you are part of our family, that we feel deeply honored to place the leadership of this school at the heart of our family’s life.
And we are also here because this is where, students, one day, you will graduate. Because that moment is coming, it makes the Ichi-go ichi-e of this moment more powerful still. For some of you, our wonderful senior class, that moment is eight months away. For others, our dear Tower Tots, the moment is 14 years and eight months away. For each of you, there are many gatherings, many moments that will never happen again between this day and that one. What makes this one remarkable for me and remarkable for us is that it allows us to take stock of time, to mark it, and to remind ourselves to do that in smaller moments, too. So keep your eyes peeled for the remarkable moments that happen at Tower Hill. Challenge yourself to see them, to name them, to send forth some gratitude for them. For doing so will in fact help to preserve them and may in fact help you to find or make more of them before you are back here on this lawn on your graduation day.
Now, if you will permit me, before I close, I have a request. At the end of today’s program, we will sing the alma mater. And I’d really like you to sing—or, as my choir director in high school used to say or, really, yell—to sing out! There is growing evidence that singing together is physically and mentally healthy for us and in fact helps us to forge bonds with those in chorus with us. And, anyway, our alma mater happens to be lyrically quite beautiful, and it opens with words deeply meaningful to me as Head of this school and deeply resonant with our purpose this morning and into the future. The opening words of our alma mater are: gathered here in joyous union. And we are. So let’s sing it like we mean it.
It is my honor to serve Tower Hill, to advance its mission, and to serve you for many years to come. Thank you for the honor of this moment and of each moment we share.
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INSTALLATION
HOMECOMING REFLECTIONS
BY WIZ APPLEGATE ’79 HISTORY TEACHER
Amidst a sea of green under one big white tent, Tower Hill’s past, present and future converged with the installation of Tower Hill’s 11th Head of School Sarah D. A. Baker. Former and current parents, teachers, staff, administration, alumni, friends of the school and the Classes of 2023 through the Class of 2038 enjoyed a collective meaningful pause on a breezy, crisp fall Friday.
ALUMNI AWARDS
The 2023 Young Alumni Award was presented to Tom Villalón ’02 during Homecoming Weekend. The Alumni Awards recognize alumni who exemplify the qualities of a Tower Hill graduate, have distinguished themselves among their peers and have been involved with the school through volunteer work, contributions or other ways.
The milestone ceremony featured a Welcome from Board Chair Mr. Benjamin duPont ’82, Opening Remarks from Ms. Suzanne E. Ashley (Trustee and Search Committee Co-Chair) and a Convocation from Mrs. Theresa Shorey (preK teacher). Trustee Carmen Wallace ’93 introduced our new Head of School who subsequently reaffirmed the school’s mission and vision.
Guest speaker, Matthew Vegari, eloquently offered insight into Ms. Baker’s talents and mentorship as a former English student of hers at The Episcopal Academy. Musical performances were given by Tower Hill students and Student Government Association President Robby Saunders ’24 presented student gifts.
Friday night’s Homecoming volleyball game featured a packed field house (and an exciting come from behind win over Charter.) Saturday’s soggy weather did not dampen Hiller spirit, and the day was filled with activities: alumni awards, school tours, arts and crafts and a state of the school presentation, in addition to field hockey, soccer and football contests. In the eyes of a current eighth grader, “Homecoming is so fun. It is one of the best parts of the school year. We have it so we can show our school spirit, have a dance and celebrate old students of Tower Hill.”
As the alma mater aptly says, “O’er the earth our feet may wander, back we come at last.” Reunion classes ending in three and eight gathered under the tent on Saturday night. Many commented upon the school’s remarkable facilities and about how, while much has changed, much felt the same. Forged over 104 graduating classes, the Long Green Line of connection was omnipresent; clearly extending beyond years spent within the school’s walls. This continuous regenerative strand is a testament to the enduring significance of the school in all its students’ lives.
As Sarah Baker said during her Installation remarks, “What makes this [moment] remarkable for me and remarkable for us is that it allows us to take stock of time, to mark it, and to remind ourselves to do that in smaller moments, too. So keep your eyes peeled for the remarkable moments that happen at Tower Hill. Challenge yourself to see them, to name them, to send forth some gratitude for them. For doing so will in fact help to preserve them and may in fact help you to find or make more of them…”
YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD
Tom Villalón is the co-founder of Rescue Afghan Women Now (RAWN), a group that rescues extremely high-risk Afghan women and children from Taliban capture/execution. Tom’s team liaises with individuals from the United States special forces, veteran and intelligence communities. They have coordinated operations that have successfully rescued more than 26 high-risk individuals to date, including individuals personally targeted by Taliban intelligence. His group is keeping alive 206 high-risk Afghan female soldiers and their dependents, all of whom are on Taliban kill lists, and who are deep in hiding throughout the country.
Tom began his career as an international arbitration lawyer at Covington & Burling LLP in New York City, and Bae, Kim & Lee in Seoul, South Korea. While he was working in New York in early 2021, a colleague asked him to represent an Afghan combat interpreter who was seeking a special visa. For several months, the task involved routine paperwork; however, as the U.S. forces pulled out of Afghanistan in August 2021, everything changed. At once, thousands of Afghan citizens who had worked with the U.S. were unable to
escape. While his law firm and others donated their time to help some on a pro bono basis, Tom wanted to do more. He left his position at the firm to establish RAWN and continue his work with the group on a full time basis.
Tom came to Tower Hill in second grade, after spending several years in Chile, where his father was raised. He went on to receive his B.A. with High Honors from Dartmouth College in 2006, and J.D. cum laude from the University of Hawaii (2013), where he was also one of two U.S. scholars awarded the Graduate Degree Fellowship from the East-West Center (2013). He speaks Chinese, Spanish, Korean and English, and is conversational in Arabic, German and Farsi. Tom’s brothers, Nick ’00 and Dan ’99 also graduated from Tower Hill.
Upon receiving the award, Tom said, “Coming here is surreal, because I feel like I’m walking through the past. There is such a romance we have at Tower Hill about the past, but the important things not only stay the same but are strengthened. It is reflected in the extraordinary men and women that this institution puts out into the world. I am so honored to be part of this community and this amazing class.”
HOMECOMING
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ALUMNI AWARDS
The 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Jim Morris ’73 during Homecoming Weekend. The Alumni Awards recognize alumni who exemplify the qualities of a Tower Hill graduate, have distinguished themselves among their peers and have been involved with the school through volunteer work, contributions or other ways.
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD
President of Pixar Animation Studios since 2014, Jim Morris oversees all of the company’s productions and operations. Jim began working at Pixar in 2005. Films under his supervision include Ratatouille, Up, Toy Story 3, Cars 2 Brave, Monsters University, Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur, Finding Dory, Cars 3, Coco and Incredibles 2. As a producer, Jim most recently made the live-action Disney feature John Carter with director Andrew Stanton. He also produced Pixar’s WALL•E, which won the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature. Jim was also awarded Producer of the Year in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures from the Producers Guild of America, the AFI Award, the Golden Globe and the Visual Effects Society Best Animated Feature Award for WALL•E
Prior to joining Pixar, Jim held a range of key positions for 17 years in various divisions of Lucasfilm Ltd. He served as President of Lucas Digital Ltd., and managed its three divisions, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Skywalker Sound and Lucasfilm Animation. As ILM’s General Manager for more than 13 years, he
supervised a staff of over 1,400 artists and technicians, and guided the largest visual effects facility in the entertainment industry.
During his tenure, Jim oversaw the visual effects work in 160 films, including The Hunt for Red October, Jurassic Park, Forrest Gump, Mission Impossible, the Men In Black films, Terminator 2, Titanic, the Harry Potter films and the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Prior to his executive role, Jim produced the effects for Steven Spielberg on Always, and Jim Cameron on The Abyss, which won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
Having arrived at Tower Hill as a seventh grader, Jim quickly developed a love for photography and film. After his English teacher Mr. Jim Wood encouraged him to pursue film school, Jim went on to attend the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Film and a Master of Science degree in Television/Radio. Jim’s mother, Jean Lewis ’47, his uncle, Bill H. Jamieson ’45, and his cousin, Doug R. Jamieson ’73, also graduated from Tower Hill.
JIM MORRIS’ REMARKS
Jim shared his remarks for publication, which he delivered upon receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award.
I’m very happy to be with you all, and be here with my classmates for our 50th Reunion. And, very importantly, I’m extremely honored to receive this Alumni Award.
My good friend of all these years, Chuck Durante ’69, received this award last year. I’m thrilled to be in his company and in that of the others who have received it.
I could not have had anything like this happen had I not gone to Tower Hill. That, of course, is self-evident, because you have to go to Tower Hill to receive an Alumni Award from Tower Hill.
What I mean is the education and opportunities afforded me here are the things that put me on a path to even have the possibility of an honor like this.
I had a number of terrific teachers here who really deserve a lot of the credit, teachers who taught me and inspired me.
I’m grateful to this day for the rock solid writing skills that Bob Behr pounded into my head. And he was my running coach for every season of every year I was here.
And the wonderful Calvin Bourgeault, who gave me such a deep understanding of music theory and composition, which is with me every day of my life.
I thank Gary Bryant for not failing me in Algebra 1, Mr. Scherer for his terrific sense of humor, Madame Cotter for tolerating my Delaware French accent, Pop Hughes for being a wonderful and warm man, Mrs. Castner for making me actually like Latin, and Mr. Ten Broeck for letting me turn in a film instead of a 10th grade U.S. History paper.
Most of all, I have to thank Jim Wood, the teacher who took me under his wing when I was working weekends at a Colonel Sanders in the eighth grade and struggling to keep up with my studies. And later, when looking at colleges, I told Mr. Wood I was going to Tufts to study psychology. He said, “What the hell are you going to do that for, go to film school.” I asked him if you can make a living in that business. He said, “Oh, you’ll figure it out.”
And there you have it.
I owe all these teachers a huge debt of gratitude for their generosity, and for their flexibility, in supporting me to do some out of the box stuff. I wish they were all here for me to thank in person.
I’d like to wrap up with a thanks to Melissa Pizarro who did so much to put this all together, and shoutout to my cousin and classmate Doug Jamieson who made a generous contribution to the school to help me initiate a special 1973 Class Fund for the benefit of future students. Doug’s dad and my mom were both Tower Hill alums, and we honor their memory.
Thanks to all of you for being here, thanks again to Tower Hill for this amazing recognition. Can’t wait to see all my classmates at the 50th, and thank them for everything they did to make my school experience great, and I hope everyone has a great Homecoming weekend!
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76 Tower Hill Bulletin Spring 2024 77 Tower Hill Bulletin Spring 2024 HOMECOMING REUNION 2023 CLASS OF 1973 50th REUNION
HOOPS FOR HEROES
On Feb. 23, Tower Hill held the Hoops for Heroes faculty/student vs. alumni basketball game. The event was the capstone of our 10 day Hiller Heroes Founders’ Challenge where we honor our heroes—our past and present faculty, staff and members of the community—and celebrate the founding of Tower Hill. The faculty/students were the victors, beating the alumni team, 43 to 58.
Student/faculty team roster, coached by Patrick J. Kaiser ’02 Steve Harris, Kevin Coleman ’26 Christian Martin ’26, Keith Bloom, Kalil Riley ’27, Genaro Fasano ’27 Michael Grillo ’24 Jaden Deadwyler ’27 Leo Liu ’25 Andrew Brown, Luke
Jafariah ’27 Adrianna Hahn, Owen Morris ’24, Tessa Mullins ’25 Angelo Wang ’24 Brian Adderley ’25
Alumni team roster, coached by Nathan McDonald ’09 Wilson Braun ’01 Bo Anderson ’18 Warren Harmon ’17 Nathan McDonald ’09 Justin Hicks ’09
Michael Malik ’18 Anthony Muscelli ’23, Natalie Hobbs ’18 Elena Attix ’18
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ALUMNI
NASIR WILSON ’15
BY NATALIE HOBBS ’18 COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
Nasir Wilson ’15 had been looking forward to studying abroad since high school. While pursuing his bachelor’s in political science and criminal justice at the University of Delaware, he had the opportunity to study at the University of Limerick (UL) in Ireland during his junior year. He eagerly entered UL thinking he was interested in pursuing domestic politics. But during his time in Ireland, he discovered his true passion was being immersed in other cultures, learning new languages and having new experiences with new people.
“Coming from an underrepresented background, you don’t always know about some of these programs or opportunities for career development or progress,” Wilson explains.
So when the chargé d’affaires from the U.S. Embassy in Dublin came to UL for a discussion, Wilson realized the components of living abroad he enjoyed could be part of his career.
The chargé spoke about the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship with Wilson and a small group of students in a discussion that deeply resonated with Wilson.
The chargé described the Pickering Fellowship as a perfect program for those without the resources or information to outright enroll in the Foreign Service.
“I learned that the U.S. Department of State will pay for graduate school,” recalls Wilson. “Then, I’d have two internship opportunities before joining the Foreign Service.”
Despite his self-doubt and the uncertainty he felt about his odds in the highly selective process, Wilson decided to apply. When he received word that he would be a finalist, he remembers celebrating with his mom and feeling so much joy in that moment. In preparation for the interview, he practiced for weeks with his mom, and when awarded the fellowship, his jaw dropped.
“It was like my whole life [had] culminated into this one moment,” he remembers. “I practiced so hard, studied— my mom sacrificed so much for me to attend Tower Hill, and subsequently UD, to receive a great education. Even though we couldn’t necessarily afford it.”
Being awarded the fellowship meant everything—a meaningful recognition for the support, heart, time and effort that had made up his journey to date. Wilson remembers scrambling with only a month to apply to graduate school, because he had not believed this opportunity would ever come to be a reality.
After graduating from UD, Wilson attended American University to earn his master’s in U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security. While pursuing his degree and after graduating from American, Wilson worked for the State Department in the Bureau of Administration (A), the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA) and, most recently, the Secretary’s Executive Secretariat Staff (S/ES-S).
While working in the Bureau of ISN, Wilson was exposed to the international realm. He worked to mitigate threats posed by proliferant states and terrorist groups seeking to develop or use weapons of mass destruction, enforce sanctions and improve international capacity building efforts, which solidified his passion for international affairs. The crowning achievement of his work at the State Department was his role in S/ES-S. As the Department’s Congressional Reports Coordinator, he played an important role in significantly reducing the Department’s number of overdue reports—from double to single digits— for the first time in its history.
Afterward, Wilson began his training to be a Foreign Service Officer (FSO) in September 2021. In November 2022, as an FSO, or, more commonly known as a diplomat, he moved to his post in Antananarivo, Madagascar for a 27-month tour. He described the work as challenging, and, on top of that, it required a certain mentality to be a two-day flight away from home, friends and family, living in difficult conditions— conditions Wilson did not have the words to describe from his walled housing compound.
Wilson is driven by a strong sense of purpose and a deep connection to his work. The embassy provides funding for food insecurity, clean water and sanitation, fighting the bubonic plague and aiding in port security. It also provides funding for young African leaders to visit Washington, D.C. where they learn about American politics and culture to help them become the next leaders of their host country. Wilson helps and supports the mission in numerous ways with the knowledge that making a difference on a global scale is not only something he has always wanted to achieve, but something he is actively accomplishing.
In his role, Wilson is considered a generalist and wears a lot of hats—he can be asked to do almost any job in the Department, and he draws parallels between his ability to excel in this setting with Tower Hill’s motto, Multa Bene Facta, or Many Things Done Well. He explains that being able to do so many things at once and well is “critical” and “probably the most important thing that [he’s] learned.”
Learning to embody Many Things Done Well by balancing studies, three athletic seasons, extracurriculars and additional outside pressures at Tower Hill was challenging. Although he believes the school gave him the tools to succeed in college, he remembers his difficult transition from Nativity Prep to Tower Hill
in ninth grade. He was well aware that he didn’t come from the same background, the same resources, the same support as the majority of his classmates and experienced a lot of adversity at Tower Hill.
Despite the hardships, he credits Tower Hill and the mentors he met along the way for helping him become strong, independent and successful.
“I was so well-prepared to navigate the world,” he says. “I knew how to use resources better, how to study, how to reach out to people. Tower Hill provided the launchpad for me to succeed not only academically but also culturally, professionally.”
Wilson’s Tower Hill teachers not only aided in his transition to Tower Hill, but expanded his curiosity and helped him develop his passions. He remembers the energy brought each day by Señora Oremia Caimi and Mrs. Tara Malloy Fletcher. Wilson had Fletcher his first year at Tower Hill and he notes how she “really cares about the students,” and that hers was “one of his favorite classes ever.” She was an important early teacher for him and helped him kickstart his interest in the humanities. Additionally, he holds dear the time spent in Ms. Kathryn Kummer’s English class and Dr. Ellis Wasson’s history class. (See p. 23 for Dr. Wasson’s reflections on the Forum.)
“I have so many fond memories of being in Dr. Wasson’s class and learning about World War II, the Cold War or whatever topics we were covering and being so engaged and interested in those conversations.”
Although he has a “humanities brain,” he appreciates the dedication of Mrs. Jennifer Szaraleta-Jones who taught him biology, a topic he was not necessarily interested in pursuing. Wilson never hesitated to try something new or outside his comfort zone at Tower Hill and beyond.
Now, drawing on his current role and Tower Hill’s motto, Wilson’s advice to current students is to, “experience everything you possibly can.” He explains that if there is hesitation to try something new, there is a possibility of not discovering your passions. An attempt to live out Multa Bene Facta—from traveling abroad to applying to the Pickering Fellowship, being open to new experiences when given the opportunity and not shying away from the possibility of failure—has been critical to Wilson’s professional and personal success.
shared his story as this year’s second 2023-2024 Tower Hill Forum speaker on April 3.
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Wilson
Left: Photo taken by Wilson of a rice paddy in Antananarivo (aka Tana), the capital of Madagascar.
ALUMNI
REMEMBRANCES ALEX WISE ’64
Tower Hill mourns the loss of a beloved member of its community, Alex Wise ’64, who passed away on Dec. 19, 2023. Wise joined the Tower Hill community at the age of four. While he attended boarding school from grades 9-12, his roots at Tower Hill ran deep, and his loyalty to his alma mater was consistent and sure.
Wise served Tower Hill as a trustee from 1981 through 1993, filling the roles of Secretary and Treasurer, as well as Chair of the Finance and Long Range Planning Committees—and inaugural Chair of the Personnel Committee—during his tenure. He also served as a class agent for the Tower Hill Annual Fund for over 50 years, keeping in close touch with the community while advocating for significant financial support for Tower Hill and its students. In 2019, during the Centennial weekend, he received the Tower Hill School Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognizes an alumnus or alumna who exemplifies the qualities of a Tower Hill graduate, is distinguished among their peers and has been involved with the school through volunteer work, contributions or in other ways.
Wise’s commitment to Tower Hill was part of a life of service, including that to his country. He joined the ROTC at the University of Delaware and became second in command of a brigade of 1,250 cadets, in his senior year. Six months after graduating in 1968, Wise was deployed to Vietnam in 1969, where he served as a combat infantry platoon leader and company executive officer. He was fortunate to return home unscathed in 1970.
Former Head of School Harry Baetjer remarks, “Tower Hill was very fortunate to have a long and close relationship with Wise. As an alumnus, Wise moved from the sidelines and parent supporter of all things Tower Hill to the Board. As a trustee he was truly committed to making the school financially secure and to the financial wellbeing of the
CONDOLENCES
William “Bill” Stokes Satterthwaite, Jr. ’51 passed away on Nov. 16.
Richard H. May ’53 passed away.
Andrew “Sandy” Augustus Smith ’59 passed away on Jan. 17.
Margaret D. Broussard ’60 passed away on Feb. 16.
Robert Kennedy ’61 passed away on Aug. 27.
Tillie Laird Brown ’63 passed away on Oct. 21.
faculty and staff. Beyond this, he and his wife, Wendy Ward Wise ’68, hosted numerous wonderful class reunions. He was devoted to the school, supporting its mission and especially to those who served the school.”
Wise was the proud parent of three daughters, Lindsay Wise Tonderys ’96 who taught kindergarten at Tower Hill from 2005-2012, Jennifer Geddes Smolko ’93 (Mark ’93) and Nicole McCormick (Michael), and nine grandchildren.
His legacy as a Tower Hill alumnus, parent, grandparent and trustee will surely live on, and his commitment to his family, friends, alma mater, community and country will always be remembered.
CLASS NOTES
’60s
Stephen Davis ’64 released his latest book, The Truman Show: It’s True, Man! available in paperback at Amazon.com or as an eBook in various formats at Smashwords.com. The book was awarded the Literary Titan Gold Book Award. “The Literary Titan Gold Book Award is bestowed upon books that exemplify exceptional standards in the presentation of original content. This award appreciates the meticulous development of unique characters or subjects presented in an authentically engaging context. The award also honors the craft of elegant prose, showcasing a talent for transforming simple words into compelling, beautifully constructed text.” Davis’ prior book, Butterflies Are Free to Fly: A new and radical approach to spiritual evolution, has been downloaded over 100,000 times to date.
Ginger Smith ’66 was invited by Montgomery County (MD) Road Runners Club to be a guest author for their September 2023 Intervals newsletter. In the article Smith touches on her experience being a runner when there were no girls track and field school teams, being the first Delaware runner to qualify for the Olympic trials, the first Delaware woman to run in the Philadelphia Penn Relays and had the honor of being inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame.
’70s
Stephen Both ’67 passed away on May 26.
Georgene H. Luttmann ’73 passed away on June 8.
Beverley Randolph “Randy” Wellford Jr. ’75 passed away on Jan. 24.
Virginia Hart ’77 passed away on Aug. 23.
Jenny Aunet ’98 passed away on June 18.
Barbara A. Hoover, beloved Lower and Middle School teacher from 1973 until her retirement in 1994, passed away on Dec. 2
A Wilmington Oz family wedding brought members of the Class of 1979 together this fall for a breakfast hosted by Carroll Morgan Carpenter ’59. From left to right, Cosby Wiley George ’79, Seval (Mimi) Oz ’79, Carroll M. Carpenter ’59 Ann Barlow Ashley ’79, Lisa Ashley ’79 and Wiz Montaigne Applegate ’79
’80s
Members of the Class of 1980 gathered last spring for a Kentucky Derby viewing event. Pictured: Jeff Diehl (spouse); Frank Thompson ’80 and his wife Karen Fisher; Ann Diver Diehl ’80; David Harrington (spouse) and Lisa Harrington ’80.
’90s
Congratulations to Chip Cresswell ’97 on being named a 2023 Philadelphia Titan 100 for his accomplishments as the CFO/COO of Independent School Management (ISM).
Rob Peace, based on Jeff Hobbs ’98 best selling biography The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Congratulations to Andy Dickerson ’99 on being hired as the Cleveland Browns offensive line coach!
’00s
Hannah Felicia Grossman Singerman ’00, using her pen name, Felicia Grossman, wrote a historical romance, Marry Me By Midnight, the first book in her Once Upon the East End series. The book, released by Forever/Hachette in August of 2023, was honored as a best romance of 2023 by Entertainment Weekly, Kirkus, and the New York Public Library. The second book in the series, Wake Me Most Wickedly, will be released in April 2024.
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ALUMNI
CLASS NOTES
Brett Smith ’08 and Danielle Smith ’08 started Carson Development a few years ago, and are moving forward at a rapid pace in the affordable housing industry, with 98 ground up units in Delaware and 126 units in Maryland on the schedule to be built and rehabbed this year. Max Friedman ’10 is also on the staff. Carson Development is a WBE certified business and is paving the way for women owned business in real estate development in the Mid-Atlantic region.
’20s
Three Tower Hill alumni faced off in the DSU vs. Cabrini basketball game. Tower Hill boys basketball coaches and former Tower Hill teammates showed their support. (L-R): Dean Shepherd ’23, Ricky Deadwyler ’21, Monty Hayman ’87, Patrick Kaiser ’02, John Still, Donoven Mack
and Dylan Shepherd ’23
students at Northwestern University.
Hankins ’22, Revati Iyengar ’22 and Sarah Gano ’22 visted Tower Hill and Tara Fletcher, Casey Yuros and Lindsay Acevedo ’95.
CLASS NOTES
ALUMNI COUNCIL
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’21
Charlie Friz ’23 moved into Rice University with the help of his family. (L-R): Amanda Walker Friz ’92, Charlie Friz ’23, Robby Friz and Rob Friz.
While in Evanston serving on the National Merit Scholarship Committee, Molly Elton, Associate Director of College Counseling, met up with Hannah Zhou ’22 and Emani Larkin ’23, both
Rebecca
Tower Hill extends special thanks to the Alumni Council. Pictured, top row (L-R): Jay Pierson ’87, Justin Hicks ’09 Ashley Altschuler ’90 (president), Cole Flickinger ’94 Middle row: Wes Schwandt ’86 Tori Maxmin Gravuer ’86 Susan Wood Waesco ’90 Trina Salva ’90 Bottom row: Maggie Kullman ’08 Mona Yezdani Gillen ’01 Tarra Boulden Winchell ’01, Alisha Wayman Bryson ’91 Not pictured: Tyler Akin ’02 Ellen Cannon ’72 Deb Colbourn ’92 Chris Donoho III ’87 Chuck Durante ’69 Baily Faller ’20 Missy Flynn ’91, Amanda Friz ’92, T.J. Hanna ’91, Pete Larned ’02 Jeff Liu ’84 and Curtis Smith, Jr. ’99
Angel Pedraza ’23 visits with Michelle Wramble and Rachel Ashbrook at Tower Hill.
Liam Boulos ’23 came back to school to see Molly Elton.
WEDDINGS AND BIRTHS
1. On Sept. 2, 2023 David Hobbs ’14 and Katia Danchenko-Hobbs were married in Lausanne, Switzerland. Many Hillers were in attendance for the beautiful celebration. Left to right; Barbara Edmonds ’13, Natalie Hobbs ’18 Mary Hobbs Taylor ’09 Katia Danchenko-Hobbs, David Hobbs ’14 Peter Smith ’14 Andrew Edmonds ’14, Sam Murphy ’14, Cole Wenzel ’14 Chris Martel ’14 George Hobbs ’75, Kitchel Chilton ’14 Chuck Hobbs ’65 2. Kimberly West ’02 and her partner Brendan Falloon, along with their daughter Everyn, welcomed Killian Theodore West-Falloon on Jan. 16. 3. Faith Lyons Burns ’12 and her husband John Burns welcomed their son, Shepard Myers Burns, on Nov. 12, 2023. 4. Lucy Nutting ’10 and Laird Hayward ’02 got married on Sept. 9, 2023. Pictured are all Tower Hill alumni who attended the wedding!
What’s new? Have you changed careers? Won an award? Gotten married or welcomed a child into your family? Been published or promoted?
Hillers, we would love to hear what you or members of your class have been up to! Submit a class note online or email thsalumni@towerhill.org and it will be featured in e Lookout and in our Bulletin magazine. Photos are welcome! Please send high-resolution .jpg images that are at least 1 megabyte in size.
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