Leadership in Academics.... Seven middle school students participated in the Junior High Science Olympiad competition, and 16 students brought home a total of 12 medals in the Elementary Science Olympiad. A total of 38 Friends students participated in statewide Science Olympiad competitions this year.
Ready for a rocket event at the Junior High Science Olympiad competition. Emily Freilich ’14 was chosen as the first-place state winner from Delaware in the National Peace Essay Contest. Emily’s essay was called, “M-Banking for Peace,” and focused on Kenya and Tanzania. (M-bank is banking via cell phone, which has great implications for people in remote areas.) Emily was invited to Washington for a five-day program that promotes international peacemaking through understanding a region or theme related to the nationwide essay contest.
On April 25, the Claymont Lions Club recognized Josette Graves ’12 and Christa Chappell ’12 with the 2012 Outstanding Student Award. The award is given to students showing exemplary dedication to academics, extracurricular activities, and community involvement. Winners received $1500 and a plaque. On April 30, Dunia Tonob, Aryn Lazarus, and Leah O’Brien—all Class of 2013—attended the inaugural event of the University of Delaware Center for Science, Ethics and Public Policy (SEPP). The daylong symposium featured well-known experts on applied ethics, and covered topics including globalization, corporate social responsibility, robotics, the environment, and public administration. The Global Peace and Justice class hosted its annual Middle East colloquium, with guests representing different perspectives and experiences related to Israel and the Palestinians, and a discussion about various approaches to achieve a lasting peace.
Eighth grader Jack Bulk finished fifth in Delaware’s Geography Bee competition. Jack was the only student in his group to score perfectly in the preliminary rounds. Five members of the Class of 2013 have qualified for the next National Merit Scholar Program: Catherine Curran, Jack Hollingsworth, Ryan Kielhorn, Sophie Mester, and Dunia Tonob. Congratulations to Annie McDonough ’13, co-editor-inchief of the Whittier Miscellany, for being selected as Delaware’s representative for the 2012 Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference in Washington, DC. Annie will attend the conference in July at the Newseum and receive a $1,000 scholarship to the college of her choice.
Julia Rhodes ’14 was selected to be a Delaware Youth Leadership Network Scholar for the program’s inaugural year in 2012-2013. The DYLN announcement noted, “The nominees that we interviewed this first year were outstanding and the selection process was very competitive.”
Second graders portrayed famous people in their “wax museum” (visitors would push the red “button” to hear about each person).
Matt Lankiewicz ’12 and Jamie Irwin ’12 were recognized with AAPT (American Association of Physics Teachers) Outstanding Physics Student Awards. Students are nominated by their physics teachers for the recognition. The Class of 2012 earned acceptance to 125 distinct colleges (counting once for schools to which more than one student was admitted). In addition to this year’s college academic scholarship awards and athletic recruitments, Nicholas Culver, Virginia DeWees, and Leah Handwerk were selected by the colleges they will attend specifically for community service leadership recognition. Nick was selected as a Cornell Tradition Fellow, Virginia for the President’s Leadership Scholarship at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and Leah for a Community Service Scholarship at Lycoming College.
Students introduced guest panelists at the “Colloquium on Seeking Peace and Reconciliation in Israel and Palestine” on May 4. Five then-juniors were selected to attend the Congressional Delegation Youth Conference on May 14: Catherine Curran, Katie Halpern, Fiona Nagaswami, Kim Shelton, and Rory Smith. The conference was held at Wesley College and hosted by Senators Carper and Coons, and Representative Carney. Topics covered included cyber warfare, “the changing look of news,” and leadership through service.
Seventh graders gathered at the Brandywine on Saturday, June 2, to release shad fry they had raised and monitored in their classroom.
Spanish V students, mostly IB HL Spanish, visited New York in April; they are pictured with teacher Leslie Koenig Knight at El Museo del Barrio, having seen El Quijote at the Repertorio Español earlier in the day.
Students guided guests through displays at the Lower School Science Expo on Grandparents and Special Friends Day in May.
Chief Quiet-Thunder’s visit was a highlight of the third grade interdisciplinary unit on American Indian history and culture.
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