Among Friends Fall 2014

Among Friends

Fall 2014MOORESTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL

Alumni Making a Difference in Education

2013-14 Annual Report Don Orth ’91

Mission Statement

Moorestown Friends School is a

community rooted in Quaker values and

dedicated to the pursuit of educational

excellence for a diverse student body

within an academically rigorous and

balanced program emphasizing personal,

ethical, and spiritual growth.

Fall 1987, revised May 2011

1AMONG FRIENDSFALL 2014

Contents

Printed on recycled paper.

moorestown Friends school110 east main street moorestown, nJ 08057(856) 235-2900, www.mfriends.org

Published ByThe Development Office

editor, director of marketing and communicationsMike Schlotterbeck

managing editor, Assistant director of marketing and communicationsKat Clark

graphic designAlison Judah ’86, Hypno Design

PhotographyKat Clark, Mike Schlotterbeck, MichaelWebster, and Alumni and Student Contributors

cover PhotoMarisa Maldonado

head of schoolLarry Van Meter ’68

director of developmentStephen Zakroff

Associate director of developmentBeth Stouffer

director of Parent and Alumni ProgramsChristine Schantz Palumbo ’05

development office internJulia Applegate

development office staffSue Giacchetto, Michelle Wartenberg

From the Head of School 3

Notes from Pages Lane 4

Zekavat Summer Sabbatical 8

Quaker Pilgrimage 9

Fox Tracks 10

Alumni Awards 12

Honoring Retirees 16

Alumni Making a Difference

in Education 18

2013-2014 Annual Report i-liv

Alumni Weekend 26

Class Notes 31

In Memoriam 39

Spotlight on Student Artwork 40

Moorestown Friends School admits students without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender, or sexual orientation. All photos are identified from left to right unless otherwise indicated.

About the Cover

Don Orth ’91 is one of five “Alumni Making a Difference in Education.” He works for Apple, Inc. in Cupertino, CA. Read about Don and four fellow MFS alumni beginning on page 18.

FAll 2014

2 AMONG FRIENDS FALL 2014

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Seniors Have Spirit!

the class of 2015 gathered for a photo to

celebrate the first day of their senior year.


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AN AWFULLY BIG ADVENTURE

In keeping with tradition, the seniors recently painted the Hippo in preparation for the first day of school. Themes over the years have

varied from whimsical to serious, but I was particularly struck by the choice of the Class of 2015: an artful depiction of Never Never Land

and two quotes from Peter Pan. The first is Peter’s famous admonition to the Darling children: “Never Grow Up!” The other quote, on the

east side of the Hippo, reads: “To live will be an awfully big adventure.”

Peter Pan, starring Mary Martin as Peter, opened on Broadway in 1954 — 60 years ago this fall. I’m sure the seniors had no idea of the

connection, but it was 60 years ago this month that I first entered the White Building as an MFS student. At that time, Prekindergarten was

the youngest grade in the school. There was no Hippo or Rainbow Pathway, but my 14-year experience as an MFS student was memorable

from the start. I have strayed from Peter’s directive in that I did indeed grow up. But I still subscribe to the other statement. Living is an

awfully big adventure.

I will be quick to point out that I haven’t been at MFS for 60 years. In fact, I spent more than 30 years far from Moorestown but MFS

was always in me, creating an inexorable pull.

I’m fond of saying that the things that needed to change about MFS have. When I was a student, the school was much less diverse

than it is today, and students had far fewer options in courses and sports. Many things have changed, but what haven’t changed are the

connections students have with their teachers, the strong sense of community, and our commitment to Quaker values. Those qualities are

priceless, and I see it as a hugely important part of my job to make sure they not only endure, but continue to grow even stronger.

We have big adventures ahead this year for MFS. I am excited that we are creating a task group of trustees, administrators, and teachers

to study innovative ideas. Our basic program, built on the Twin Pillars of academic rigor and spiritual/ethical education, is excellent. But we

need to keep striving to ensure that what we offer our students gets even better.

Sixty years from now, one of the students who entered the White Building for the first time this fall might be leading this school. That,

too, would be an Awfully Big Adventure.

Sincerely,

Larry Van Meter ’68

Head of School


Notes from Pages LaneThis section of Among Friends

takes its name from Pages

Lane, the road that bisected

the Moorestown Friends School

campus prior to the construction

of Stokes Hall in 1986.

September 8MFS launched a new, mobile-friendly website. The responsive design was created by Alison Judah ’86 and her partner Richard Cardona, of Hypno Design, with help from Everett Aldrich ’14. Visit www.mfriends.org to view all the new features!

September 4The school opened with record enrollment: 733 students, Preschool - Grade 12.

July 7 MFS Summer Programs began its second year of innovative programming for Prekindergarten through Grade 11, including LEGO® Robotics, The Science Behind Worms, and Architecture. Pictured: Preschool Teacher Christine Dayton teaching one of her Summer Scholars about density.

JulyMatthew Scalamandre ‘15 attendedthe month-long New JerseyGovernor’s School of Engineering &Technology. Two months later, hewas also named a National MeritScholarship semifinalist.


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June 13David White ‘15 received a Teen Excellence Award from the Burlington County Times.

June 772 members of the Class of 2014 received their diplomas during Commencement on the Oval.

June 17Twenty Middle School students embarked on an elective Science and Service Trip to Costa Rica with faculty members Jake Greenberg, Tina Corsey, and Michael Avilés. They conducted trail maintenance, explored the rainforest, and took a surfing lesson.


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April 23Gender Equality Forum hosted a special exhibit, Challenging Stereotypes in the Media, in Stokes Hall. Pictured: Erica D’Costa ‘15, Spencer Kelly ‘15, and Megan Le ‘15.

April 17The Science and Engineering Department hosted the 16th Annual Science and Engineering Expo.

April 11Katia Hehn ’20 won the Grades 4-6 category of the 2014 Burlington Soil Conservation District “Dig Deeper” Poster Contest.

March 22Environmental Club began construction of the new student-led community garden, which was completed in April with the help of Middle School volunteers. Pictured are the three Upper School founders of the garden: Alex Barrett ’17, Emily Tatum ’15, and Lauren Brill ’14.

May 30Three graduating Camden Scholars were recognized at the annual Camden Scholars Luncheon: Destini Wiggins, Eliezer Cartagena, and Laél Gibson.


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New Trustees AppointedThree new trustees were appointed to the Moorestown Friends School Committee.

Barbara Caldwell is a former MFS Associate Head of School, Academic Dean, Upper School Director, and Chester Reagan Chair, who served 19 years at MFS before her retirement in 2012. She was the co-clerk of the 2011 Strategic Plan Committee and led the development of the school’s Twin Pillars of academic rigor and spiritual and ethical growth. From 2012 to 2014, Barbara served as clerk of the Strategic Plan Oversight Committee and managed the school’s Membership Renewal Process for its accreditation as a Quaker School. From 1982 through 1990, she served as the Director of Religious Education for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Barbara is active at Providence Friends Meeting,has authored articles on Quaker decision-making practice, and has served on local Quaker foundations. She earned a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and an M.A. in Latin from Columbia University. Barbara and her husband, Sam, live in Media, PA.

Dinesh Desai has been Chairman of the Board, CEO, and President of Emtec, Inc. since 2005. In 1986, Dinesh founded DARR Global Holdings, Inc. and served as its Chairman and CEO from 1986 to 2005. He was President, CEO, Co-Chairman, and an owner of Western Sky Industries. Prior to 1986, he spent 12 years with American Can and Arco Chemical in various management positions, including marketing, manufacturing, finance, planning, and research and development. Dinesh is a former Member of the Board of Directors of the Enterprise Center. He is involved with various nonprofit and community organizations, and his family has established a school near his hometown in India to provide educational opportunities for impoverished children. Dinesh graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, and he holds an M.S. in Chemical and Industrial Engineering from Montana State University and an M.B.A. from Temple University. He and his wife, Sue, live in Moorestown, and they have two daughters at MFS: Sahaila (Grade 2) and Aaniella (Grade 4). Dinesh serves on the Camden Scholars Program Committee.

William “Bill” Haines, Jr. is Owner and President of Pine Island Cranberry Company, a fifth-generation, family-owned business that has been in operation for 123 years. Pine Island, part of the Ocean Spray Cooperative, is the largest cranberry grower in New Jersey. A former mayor of Washington Township, he became involved in the victorious gubernatorial election campaign of Christine Todd Whitman, and he served on Whitman’s economic advisory committee on the campaign as well as the Governor Elect’s transition team. In 1994, he was elected to the Burlington County Board of Freeholders, where he served for 15 years and was instrumental in the expansion of the county’s Farmland and Open Space Preservation programs. He is a founding partner of Cranberries Austral S.A., an international venture to develop a cranberry industry in Chile. Bill is a graduate of Rutgers University, Cook College, with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics. He has been a member of the MFS Head’s Council for several years and served as the 2010 Career Day Keynote Speaker. Bill is the father of William “Tug” Haines ’97 and grandfather of Leah Gimeno ’17. Bill and his wife, Nadine, live in Chatsworth.


Zekavat Summer Sabbatical

Discovering History in Northern SpainElizabeth Pei spent two weeks in northern Spain with her

husband and young daughter, Nava, where she was able to conduct hands-on research for her positions as Third Grade Teacher and Lower School Diversity Coordinator.

“Since I teach a unit about Native Americans, I wanted to learn more about how their cultures impacted life in Spain after 1492. Rather than continuing to perpetuate the idea of the indigenous people of the United States as victims, I decided to bring to light for my students a more balanced and holistic view of the changes that happened across the Atlantic Ocean,” said Pei. “For my role as a Diversity Coordinator, I also wanted to see how the people and systems of a country that has long been a crossroads support or hinder diversity.”

The Peis began in Barcelona, where they immersed themselves in Spanish culture. From there, they traveled north to the Costa Brava, a region along the Mediterranean coast of Spain.

“Many of the historical sites in that region reflect the complex past of Spain: Greek ruins topped by Roman ruins, for example, or Roman settlements taken over by the Visigoths,” said Pei. “We were awed by the level of respect in the Costa Brava for the different layers of history and the blending of cultures, many of which are still alive and thriving throughout the country. The people we encountered throughout our trip generally spoke two, three, or even four languages. I had the opportunity to brush up on my Spanish speaking skills and challenge myself.”

Next, the Peis visited Zaragoza, Logroño (capital of Rioja), and Pamplona. They experienced interesting culinary distinctions at each stop, reflecting some of the influences from the New World that Elizabeth was seeking to share with her students — many dishes included tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and chocolate. Elizabeth also had the chance to admire the work of some of Spain’s greatest artists and architects, including Dali and Gaudí.

“The work of Spanish artists reminded me just how much the cultural exchange between the Old World and the New World continues to impact people both in the United States and in Spain,” said Pei.

Overall, the trip gave Pei a fresh perspective on a complex unit she has been teaching for nine years.

“I am more convinced now than I ever was of the importance of giving children the opportunity to experience towns, foods, languages, cultures, and worlds different from their own. While being outside one’s comfort zone can be trying, the potential for growth that comes with such experiences is unparalleled,” said Pei. “I believe there is much we can learn from the ways in which people in other countries interact with and treat those whom they consider to be different from themselves. Through exploring different regions of Spain, interacting with the people there, and doing research about the relationships between the different cultures of the region, I learned skills and strategies to bring back to MFS.”

Third Grade Teacher Elizabeth Pei traveled to Spain this summer thanks to a grant from the Zekavat Summer Sabbatical Endowment at MFS.

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Quaker Pilgrimage

this summer, the Philadelphia Yearly meeting and the Friends council on education funded a seven-day Quaker Pilgrimage in the United Kingdom. Associate head of school Chris Kimberly and second grade teacher Liz Denniston ’02 were in attendance.

“Each day of the journey highlighted the adversity confronted by early Quakers,” said Kimberly. “The beautiful Lake District of England made the experience all the more awe-inspiring. In this environment, it was easy to see how the early Quakers were inspired by the presence of God all around them. I return to school this fall with a better understanding of the important historical events involved in Quakerism’s founding and a better appreciation for what it means to be a Quaker today.”

Descending Pendle Hill. Photo by Chris Kimberly.

sPring 2014 9Among Friends

10 AMONG FRIENDS SPRING 2014

Fox Tracks

1 Baseball Wins Friends League CrownThe Baseball team captured the Friends Schools League baseball championship with a 4-2 victory at George School on Saturday, May 17. The Foxes were down 2-1 in the fourth inning when Alex Ounjian knocked a two-out, two-run double to give the Foxes a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Mitchell Mullock pitched 4 2/3 innings to earn the win, and Adam Quaranta closed the game out by hurling 11/3 innings of shutout baseball. The team finished 15-5 overall.

2 Boys’ Tennis Captures South Jersey TitleJust two days after the Foxes baseball championship, the MFS Boys’ Tennis team earned the 11th NJSIAA Non-Public B South title in school history and the fourth championship in six years. The squad hosted the title match and came away with a 4-1 win over Rutgers Prep. Coach Mike Bodary’s team finished the season with an overall record of 18-4.

Lacrosse Records Broken, Two Academic All-Americans Named

Several lacrosse records were broken in the spring.

3 Noelle Smith ‘14 broke the girls’ program record of 201, previously held by Sarah Edwards Beeson ’96. She finished with 207 goals for her career.4 Tyler Mills ‘14 set the boys’ program record for total career goals, finishing with 182 goals. 5 Daniel McGinn ’14 set single-season program records for points in a season (101), assists (66), and ground balls (176).

In addition, Smith and McGinn were both named Academic All-Americans by US Lacrosse for excellence in the classroom and on the field. All-Academic honorees are selected based on exemplary lacrosse skills, good sportsmanship, and high standards of academic achievement. Significant contributions of service to the school and community also factor into the decision.

6 All-County Girls’ TennisIn the Spring 2014 issue of Among Friends, Katie Teitelbaum ‘15 was omitted from the list of Girls’ Tennis players to earn All-County recognition. She was named All-County at third singles after completing her junior season with a match record of 11-3.

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4


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1

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Ian Alteveer ’95, who has enjoyed a successful career in the arts, was the keynote speaker for the Cum Laude and World Languages Banquet in May.

Alteveer is an associate curator in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. He is the curator of the Met’s current Roof Garden Commission: Dan Graham exhibition as well as last year’s Roof Garden Commission: Imran Qureshi exhibition. He was part of the team for the Met’s Regarding Warhol: Sixty Artists, Fifty Years (2012), which traveled to the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. Other notable presentations Alteveer worked on at the Met include: Ellsworth Kelly Plant Drawings (2012), Richard Serra Drawing (2011), John Baldessari: Pure Beauty (2010), Francis Bacon: A Retrospective (2009), and Jasper Johns: Gray (2008). Prior to the Met, he was a graduate curatorial fellow and curatorial assistant at New York University’s Grey Art Gallery.

Alteveer entertained and educated the audience with a visual presentation exploring works with which he has been involved, including the exhibits on the museum’s roof garden. He covered both the technical and inspirational aspects of a number of the Met’s works on display.

“[The Met] is an absolutely stunning place,” he said. “There are over two million objects from over five thousand years of human endeavor from all times and all places. It is with this extraordinary weight of the world that my colleagues and I in modern and contemporary art look to work of the present.”

He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to discuss the arts with students and their guests.

“As someone who works in the arts, it is always a pleasure to see an institution recognize the humanities,” said Alteveer. “One fears that more and more, the humanities are getting lost in a world of technology, scientific progress, and world disasters... art, like language, can speak in many different ways, and sometimes heal wounds and sometimes change the world.”

Alteveer has an undergraduate degree from Stanford University and completed his qualifying exams for a Ph.D. in art history at NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts. He is also a critic at the Yale University School of Art, where he teaches critical theory to first-year M.F.A. students during the fall semester.

Ian Alteveer ’95 “Art Can Speak in Many Different Ways”

Cum Laude Alumni Speaker

Janet Alteveer, Ian Alteveer, Ian’s partner Stephen Figge, and Robert Alteveer.


Alumni Awards

This year’s joint recipients of the Alice Stokes Paul Merit Award are Peter Reagan ’64 and Bonnie Greenfield Reagan ’64. This award honors members of the MFS community who exemplify the qualities of honesty, integrity, fairness, and service, in addition to excellence in their chosen field.

“Peter and Bonnie personify the lives of ‘doing well and doing good’ that MFS hopes all its graduates will achieve,” said Head of School Larry Van Meter. “They have spent their lives as leaders in their community and have put serving others first.”

Peter Reagan started at MFS in prekindergarten, and Bonnie Greenfield Reagan came to the school in sixth grade. They attended Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges, respectively, and after their wedding they both earned master’s degrees from Reed College.

After working in education for a number of years, they each eventually earned a Doctor of Medicine and transitioned to helping others through medical work. Peter helped establish Portland Family Practice in 1983, and Bonnie joined the practice after graduating from medical school. Bonnie also served as Chair of the Ethics Committee at Adventist Medical Center in Portland for 12 years, and she helped develop standards for the Oregon Death with Dignity Act.

In 2010, Peter received the Lewis Carpenter Award from Oregon Health and Science University Family Medicine, and Bonnie was named Oregon Family Doctor of the Year.

The Reagans’ volunteer activities have ranged from coaching soccer and teaching to advocating for end-of-life care. They have been involved in Baby Blues Connection — an organization that provides service to families dealing with postpartum mood disorders — and Bonnie was honored with the Broad Street Pump Award by Physicians for Social Responsibility. Now retired from their family practice in Portland, Bonnie focuses on her role as Board President for Bravo Youth Orchestras, and Peter continues his work with end-of-life care in his role as Regional Medical Director for Compassion and Choices.

In her remarks, Bonnie noted that the Quaker concept of “light of the divine in each of us” has guided the Reagans’ lives.

“What I value most in myself and in my family is our desire to be kind,” said Bonnie. “I don’t always succeed. I am careless and thoughtless often without even knowing it. But I try. That is more important than achievement, than intelligence. There are lots of smart and cruel people in the world, people who have succeeded but are not very nice… We know from being on this earth for 68 years that all of us have lost, and all of us have suffered, some more than others. We are family, we are made from the same cloth. What we have to give each other is kindness and compassion.”

Alice Paul Merit Award Recipients Peter Reagan ’64 and Bonnie Greenfield Reagan ’64.

“What I value most in myself and in my

family is our desire to be kind. I don’t always

succeed… But I try. That is more important

than achievement.”

— Bonnie Greenfield Reagan ‘64

Alice Paul Merit Award


This year’s recipient of the Alumni Association Service Award is Grace Kennedy Blackburn. The award is presented to individuals who have enhanced the quality of life in the MFS community through loyalty and personal commitment.

Blackburn’s career at Friends spanned nearly 40 years, beginning with her employment as a math teacher in 1964. While continuing her teaching, she also served as Middle School Director from 1970 to 1977, and as Director of Studies for the Middle and Upper School from 1977 to 1978. After teaching in the Willingboro School District for several years, Blackburn rejoined the MFS faculty in 1985 and chaired the math department from 1985 to 1994.

In 1994, she became the MFS Dean of Faculty, a role in which she recruited, hired, and helped supervise the teaching staff. She worked hard to encourage increased resources for compensation and professional development. Blackburn’s role as Dean has had a long-lasting imprint – over 20 of the faculty and administrators who she hired are still key members of the school community today.

Upon her retirement in June 2001, former Head of School Alan Craig noted how much he “respected and appreciated Grace’s

wisdom, professionalism, and commitment to the long-term success of Moorestown Friends as an academic institution.”

She joined the MFS School Committee in 2003, serving through 2013. Now residing at Medford Leas with her husband Dale, Blackburn has been a gracious liaison between MFS and alumni, parents of alumni, and former faculty members.

In her remarks, Blackburn reflected on her half-century journey at the school. “Over the past 50 years, I have frequently been asked, ‘Has the school changed?’ My answer is, ‘Absolutely, yes, it has changed. But fundamentally, the academics and Quaker values have not changed.’ The school is great.”

Alumni Service Award

Seated: Dorothy Cebula, Alumni Service Award Recipient Grace Kennedy Blackburn, Dale Blackburn, Pouran Zekavat. Standing: Norma Garcia-Kennedy, Richard Garcia-Kennedy ’73, Jean Kennedy ’74, Len Cebula.

Alumni Awards

“For me, Moorestown Friends School has

brought opportunities, challenges, and great

joy. It has been a significant adventure, and a

life-changing one.”

— Grace Kennedy Blackburn


The Young Alumni Award, established in 2005, is awarded to recent MFS graduates who have distinguished themselves through meritorious achievement or exceptional service to the community. Recipients of this award demonstrate commitment to the values and spirit of MFS after graduation by pursuing challenges and upholding the Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship. This year’s honoree is Palav Babaria ’99.

“Palav’s academic career and medical practice embody the MFS goals of creating adults who have both tough minds and tender hearts,” said former Upper School Director Barbara Caldwell. “She is a young doctor devoted to not only caring for the underserved, in the U.S. and abroad, but to improving healthcare delivery systems for those populations.”

Babaria’s passion for health has led her to work in South Africa, India, and Haiti. Her high level of research and writing has led to publication in outlets as influential as The New England Journal of Medicine, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. She earned her undergraduate degree in Southeast Asian Studies at Harvard University, where she studied London’s immigrant populations and participated in researching the experiences of Islamic high school students in the Boston area.

At Yale Medical School, Babaria wrote a qualitative study of women’s gendered encounters in medical education, entitled I’m Too Used to It. Once published, her article achieved wide circulation and is currently part of the syllabus at University of Washington Medical School. She also spent time in South Africa as a Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Clinical Research Fellow in conjunction with her medical school program.

Babaria traveled to the University of California in San Francisco for her medical residency. She was admitted to a primary care specialization program, which only admits six students each year and is geared toward addressing the needs of underserved populations.

Upon completion of her residency, she was awarded the Global Health-Hospital Medicine Fellowship, in which she worked as a hospitalist for six months in San Francisco and six months in rural Haiti. Babaria is currently running the human rights clinic at Oakland’s public hospital, and she continues to advocate for reform of America’s primary care systems.

“People always ask me what inspires the work I do and what fuels my passion,” Babaria remarked at the awards dinner. “There are really two sources: my parents, who have always been loving and inspirational. The second is, truly, MFS.”

Young Alumni Award

Family and friends of Young Alumni Award Winner Palav Babaria ’99: Nikki Andrews Gladding ’99, Jenna Kashmer Olds ’99, Palav Babaria ’99, parents Ashok and Usha Babaria, Sejal Babaria ’05, Mara Cutler Katsikis ’99, Natasha Mitra ’99.

Alumni Awards

”I think the 12 years that I spent here gave

me the vocabulary to reflect my politics and

have a commitment to social justice that has

persisted through all these years.”

— Palav Babaria ’99


Honoring Retirees

Karin Miller (third from left) with her family: Jeremy and Fourth Grade Teacher Sarah Rotter, husband Dr. Jonathan Miller, and Katie and Tony Sundermeier.

The following individuals were recognized for their years of service at the Dinner Among Friends during Alumni Weekend. They were presented with Minutes of Appreciation from the Moorestown Friends Alumni Association:

Karin MillerDirector of Admissions and Financial Aid, 1995 – 2014

Emma RichterLower School Assistant, 1986 – 2014Lower School Art Teacher, 1974 – 1981

Paul ShallersEnglish Teacher, 2004 – 2014


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Upper School English Teacher Paul Shallers with his family and friends. Seated next to Paul (center) are his daughter-in-law, Kelli, grandsons, Russell and Henry, and son Nick Shallers. Standing: Paul Paolello and MFS World Languages Chair Josie Paolello, and Susan and Ted Marshall.

First Grade Assistant Emma Richter with her family and guests. In the first row are former Lower School Art Teacher Christine Lilly Backus ’64, Emma’s son Kevan Richter, Emma, husband and former MFS Woodworking and Photography Teacher Marty Richter, brother Howard Bevan, sister-in-law Grace Bevan. Standing: Former US Chemistry Teacher Dr. Andrew Backus, Lower School Assistant Norma DeGroat, Fourth Grade Teacher Margaret McKee, former Second Grade Teacher Marge Dawson, First Grade Teacher Emily Traver, former Lower School Teacher Carole McCollister, Lower School Assistant Sandi Federici, Library Assistant Mary Ann Griffis.


LOS GATOS, CA LOVELAND, CO

NEW YORK, NY

MOORESTOWN, NJ

WASHINGTON, DC

The alumni on the following pages represent a small sampling of the many MFS graduates paying it forward in the

world of education. In addition to those contributing through classroom teaching, alumni also share their love of

education through academic technology, consulting, financial aid services, school leadership, and many other roles.

Alumni Making a Differencein Education

Don Orth ’91Working at the Crossroads of

Technology and Education

Mark Mitchell ’86Striving to Ensure Economic

Diversity in Independent Schools

Kennette Banks ’02Helping to Create Equal Access to Educational

Opportunities

William Fearn ’93Closing the Achievement Gap for

Historically Underprivileged Students

Naomi Harper ’04Empowering Students

through Bilingual Education


How did you first become involved in the world of education?I majored in English and followed a pre-med track at Tufts. After college, I found a job as a lab assistant in a molecular biology lab at Harvard. It was wild, particularly when the whole field changed with the sequencing of the human genome at the end of the century. But I still cared about writing, so I pursued an M.F.A. in poetry while I was feeding cell cultures and cutting DNA. I eventually decided to pursue a master’s in education so that I could teach. In the fall of 2000, I landed my first job teaching English, at Gloucester High in Massachusetts.

What are you most passionate about in your line of work?While I’ve been working in schools for 15 years, I’ve played many different roles — from teaching English and math, to directing marketing and leading a technology program. I like a challenge and I love exploring possibilities. I do best when I have the freedom to create. While I loved teaching English, I found grading papers and designing formal lesson plans difficult — I never felt like I was doing enough for my students.

In education and all areas of my life, I relate most to what John Keats refers to as “negative capability”: the idea that one can inhabit a place of “uncertainties, mysteries, and doubts without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.” I’ve found that wonderful, creative things happen when I allow myself to slip into this space

and watch the challenges spin and float and collide into each other. In other words, I love throwing all the challenges at hand into a single space and looking for connections, without letting logic and reason limit the solutions. For me, poetry is a tool I use to solve problems by making unlikely connections. That creative process helps me discover and make meaning where it didn’t exist before.

What was your role at Hillbrook School in California?As Director of Technology and Strategic Partnerships, I was hired to rethink how technology played a role in education at Hillbrook. We brought in iPads, and a world of possibilities opened up. We redesigned the traditional computer lab to develop an agile learning space called the Idea Lab (iLab for short). We filled the lab with mobile flip-top tables and mobile whiteboards and whiteboard walls. And we changed the way teaching happened in that space: students had more choices about how and where they learned. This significantly changed the dynamic of the classroom: the “front” of the classroom often disappeared, and students didn’t rely on the teacher as often. So the teacher’s role changed.

This year, Hillbrook is redesigning nine or ten more classrooms. It was wonderful to help grow a school. We became an Apple Distinguished School in 2012, one of about 100 in the world, and in 2013 I became an Apple Distinguished Educator, joining a remarkable community of teachers.

Don Orth ’91• B.A. Tufts University • M.F.A. Vermont College, Poetry and Modern Letters• Ed.M. Harvard University Graduate School of Education,

Teaching and Curriculum• Worldwide Education Markets, Apple, Inc., Los Gatos, CA

Working at the Crossroads of Technology and Education


Where do you hope your career takes you?I always look to collaborate with passionate, smart people, who are dedicated to what they do. Silicon Valley is filled with people like this and it’s exciting to be in the middle of it. It feels like anything is possible.

It’s an amazing time to be focused on education. Human beings are built to learn, and I think the technology available now taps into that. The challenge for schools is to make changes and take advantage of it. It feels like education is at a crossroads, and we need visionary leaders to help shape a new generation of learning.

How have your education and interests informed your work?Language and poetry have been essential in every place I’ve worked. Before I started teaching, I worked as an editor for scientists who were brilliant but couldn’t communicate their ideas. If they couldn’t explain their work coherently, the work wouldn’t be funded and their research would end. Eventually, I became the Director of Communications at Cate School, and I needed to define the school for those who didn’t know it, who hadn’t lived it. I realized again how language shapes perception, and in a way, reality.

I’ve always found that distilling language down to its essential elements is powerful. When you do it well, it lives with those who read it, hear it, see it, and it affects them deeply. And that’s poetry. And poetry can change the world.

Did your experience at MFS influence your professional life and interests? Yes. All of it. From Ms. Binder’s art class in Lower School, to Ms. Opalenick’s music, to Mr. Smith’s sixth grade science class, to Mrs. Gagliardi’s fourth grade, to poetry with Mr. Goodman, to literature with Doc LaVia; ceramics with Mr. Marcucci, woodshop with Mr. Boothby, science with Mr. Wilhere, soccer with Mr. Koski, and of course two years of kindergarten with the wonderful Mrs. Marino. These teachers loved what they did, but more more importantly, I felt like they loved me.

In fact, I learned more (and remember more) from my classes at MFS than any other formal learning experience. And I was a real handful, too. I visited the principal’s office more than a couple times. I couldn’t sit still and I couldn’t stop talking, but I never got shut down by my teachers — it must have taken a lot of patience on their part. I can’t imagine what I would have done if I had me in one of the classes I taught!

What’s one MFS project that stands out in your memory?My tenth grade teacher, Mark Goodman, assigned us a poetry journal. We had to collect different types of poetry and write our own. It was hard, and my poetry was pretty horrific, but I remember enjoying it. I’ll never forget some of my friends reading their poetry, too: Raj, and Wendy, and Larry. There was something liberating about that class. Mark gave us the freedom to be creative. That combination of elements helped shape my life.

Overall, MFS gave me a deep and unshakable confidence that if I worked hard at something, I could become competent and even excellent. From singing, to writing, to math — it always felt like I could accomplish anything. Over the years, I’ve realized that I’m not wired to be an astrophysicist or an opera singer (although I’ve had my moments). But that general confidence and sense of possibility has given me courage to try new things and to trust myself when I face challenges.

If you could share one insight about your educational philosophy with others, what would it be?I believe children should have choices. So often, kids go to school and every moment of the day is predetermined, structured, defined. I think that’s why I loved MFS so much — the arts were an important part of the curriculum, and other classes gave us permission to make our own choices as well. The more children are supported in making their own learning choices, the more likely they are to find and pursue their passions, care about the work they do, and ultimately, live deeply and make the world better.

“MFS gave me a deep and unshakable

confidence that if I worked hard at

something, I could become competent

and even excellent.”


Who inspired you to become an educator?My mother had a lot to do with my involvement in education. Growing up, she pushed me to work hard and not take anything for granted. The other piece that helped solidify my interest was my mother’s own experience desegregating schools after Brown vs. Board of Education. As one of the first African Americans to attend an all-girls school in Baltimore, my mother had to fight for her education. I see my work now as an extension of that: I am continuing her fight for equal access.

What other factors influenced you in your journey?I first became involved in education academically at Swarthmore, when I took an Introduction to Education course. It was known as “the class you had to take” and the one that would contextualize your educational experience. After taking the course, I gained a better understanding of the ways in which privilege and education are connected in our country: not everyone has the same educational opportunities or access. There are discrepancies in our educational system, and I saw more clearly how these discrepancies often fell along the lines of race and class.

My first job after college was working in admissions at Swarthmore. I wanted to provide access to higher education to students who were smart and deserving, but who may have not had the privilege of strong preparation. This was relatively naive of me, as I soon learned that the admissions process (especially at elite colleges and universities) kept more people out than it let in — I realized that it was already too late for many of the applicants. Without adequate college preparation, students’ chances of getting into a strong four-year university were severely limited. This experience prompted me to work with younger students in a more direct way.

What do you value most about your work with students?I am most passionate about creating opportunities, both educational and otherwise, for students of color and low-income students for whom various opportunities might not be readily available.

How would you describe your organization?My school, Leadership Prep Bedford Stuyvesant, is part of a network of high performing charter schools — across Brooklyn, Newark, Rochester, Troy, Boston, and now Camden — called Uncommon Schools. Leadership Prep is located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn and has approximately 440 scholars from kindergarten through fourth grade, with about 47 staff members and teachers. Our mission is to prepare all of our scholars to attend and succeed in a four-year college.

What is your current title, and what do you do on a daily basis?My current title is Director of Operations. Leadership Prep operates on a co-leader model, where the Principal is the Instructional Leader of the school. She observes classroom teaching, gives feedback, reviews curriculum, and identifies the highest-leverage factors for teachers to address in order to improve student achievement. So that her focus can remain on instruction, I manage the day-to-day operations of the school: everything from managing our budget, to making sure we are in compliance with the state, to overseeing our facility and building the school schedule. I support teachers to make sure they can do their jobs effectively, I make sure that our buses drop off our scholars on time, and I make sure that each student receives a hot lunch — all of the logistics that help our school succeed.

How would you say your experience at MFS influenced your professional life and interests?I think that my lifelong Quaker education at Haddonfield Friends, Moorestown Friends, and Swarthmore instilled in me a strong sense of justice and equality. If I saw something that I thought was unjust, I believed I should do something to fix it. I couldn’t be a bystander to injustice.

Did any faculty or staff members have an impact on your career?Brooke Smith, Karen Washington, and Tina Corsey are teachers who stand out to me now. They all pushed me to work hard and to never settle, but they also played a major role in supporting me as an individual. They helped me to understand my experience at MFS both as I was experiencing it and after graduating.

If you could share one insight about your educational philosophy with others, what would it be?I think that we often focus on the students themselves and their need to achieve (which places both the blame and responsibility to fix it on them). In the majority of situations, however, the achievement gap exists and persists because of disparities in opportunities. We need to focus on erasing the opportunity gap as a means to addressing the achievement gap.

Kennette Banks ’02• B.A. Swarthmore College• M.Ed. University of Pennsylvania• Director of Operations, Uncommon Schools, New York, NY

Banks with one of her students at Leadership Prep Bedford Stuyvesant.

Helping to Create Equal Access to Educational Opportunities

Alumni In Education


How did you become interested in K-12 education?I built my financial aid expertise in higher education, at Northwestern University and Lake Forest College. I brought those skills to the K-12 world when I wanted to move back East. At that time, I applied to be the new Director of Financial Aid Services for NAIS, which I thought presented a perfect opportunity to combine my professional skills with my personal history as a Camden Scholar and financial aid recipient at MFS. I couldn’t imagine a better way for me to help independent schools keep the doors of access and opportunity open to all kids.

What are you most passionate about in your line of work?At NAIS, I see it as a blessing that I am able to make information and inspiration available to private school leaders. These leaders want their schools to make a difference in the lives of kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to attend them. I’m passionate about challenging schools to affirm the value of economic diversity in their school communities, keeping themselves accessible to families whose children only lack the financial resources to achieve their greatest potential. I’m passionate about ensuring that every child who shows promise to succeed has the chance to do so.

How would you describe your position, and what do you do on a daily basis?I manage a team that ensures that school leaders and financial aid practitioners have what they need to make the best decisions possible about funding and awarding financial aid dollars. On a daily basis, this takes the form of helping to design formulae and software for evaluating financial aid eligibility; delivering presentations to school administrators on making sound financial aid decisions; helping parents and students navigate the financial aid process; and writing articles on best practices and industry trends.

Our team’s motto is “Making Dollars Make Sense,” and that’s what we try to help schools and families do through the financial aid process.

How would you say your experience at MFS influenced your professional life and interests?Without MFS, I wouldn’t be doing what I do today. In the workshops and talks I give to school leaders, I emphasize that it is a pleasure and a joy for me to help them do for students and families what MFS did for me and mine. Based on my personal experiences at MFS, I know firsthand the transformative power and value of access to high-quality education. Helping schools make that transformation happen for others keeps my work authentic, true, and rewarding. Moorestown Friends also taught me that there is “that of God” in everyone. This belief has undoubtedly influenced my professional life and interests. I strive to honor the Light in others by providing opportunities for people to grow and learn how to be better, whether it’s a financial aid director seeking new skills or a parent seeking the right school for her child.

Which faculty members had the most impact on your life?I’d say that three people really stand out: English Teacher Louise Morgan (Geary) taught me how to think for myself and express my thoughts. Research, writing, and speaking are core components of my work, and every time I am complimented on doing those things well, I am grateful for her influence and guidance. The skills I learned in English class constantly help me find my voice on issues that matter to me, and help me to be open to shaping and reshaping my viewpoint on things — engaging in meaningful, respectful dialogue that ultimately leads to improvement.

My chemistry teacher, Steve Edgerton, gave me the best summer job I’ve ever had as a counselor at Camp Dark Waters. That experience encouraged me to try new things every day, to be myself in bold but humble ways, and to seek out the joyful spark in everyday things and everyday people.

Finally, Math Teacher Steve Bartholomew taught me that what’s really most vital in friendships is the degree to which you can be available to others who need a boost, a helping hand, a sounding board, or just an ear to listen to troubles. He taught me to be sincere.

If you could share one insight about financial aid with others, what would it be?In the words of President Obama, “there has never been anything false about hope.” Hope is what the promise of financial aid brings to schools and families: the hope for making a difference in the life of a child who needs it. The hope for making sure that the school can meet its mission to find, support, and nurture the best and the brightest, no matter the economic circumstances. The hope for pushing society further along the path of equity and justice. Private schools can make all of that happen, but it takes commitment, planning, and sacrifice on the parts of so many (students, parents, administrators, trustees, donors, and others) to make it work the way that it should.

Mark Mitchell ’86• B.S. Northwestern University • School Committee Member, Moorestown Friends School,

2005-2014• Vice President of School and Student Services, National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS),

Washington, D.C.

Striving to Ensure Economic Diversityin Independent Schools


Alumni In Education

How did you discover your talent for teaching middle school students?During my senior year of college, I looked into a variety of different volunteer opportunities. I found information about Red Cloud Indian School’s volunteer program, and once I began working in their classrooms I caught the “teaching bug.” After three years as a volunteer teacher, I used an AmeriCorps stipend to enroll in law school. I completed my clerkship in the Tribal Courts, working with juvenile offenders, and eventually felt that I had a more profound positive impact on children’s lives as a teacher. After conducting research for a time at a mortgage firm, I found myself longing to get back into the classroom. I missed the community and culture on the Reservation, and the sense of meaning that comes with spending life as an educator. I enrolled in education courses and returned to Red Cloud as a full-time teacher.

What matters to you most in your line of work?During my career as a teacher, I have worked primarily with Native American and Hispanic students in high-poverty communities. I am passionate about providing socio-economically disadvantaged students with the same opportunities that others take for granted. At the school where I teach now, students are primarily Spanish-speaking and more than 76 percent receive free or reduced-cost lunch.

What do you do on a daily basis at Brentwood Middle School?I am currently chair of the Social Studies department at Brentwood, and I teach Geography, World History, and U.S. History. I have also taught Physical Science and Biology. I’m currently an Advanced Via Individual Determination (AVID) instructor, and I have worked with the U.S. Department of Education GEAR UP Grant in the past — both of these are college readiness programs that work to close the achievement gap for historically underprivileged students.

The AVID elective class at Brentwood helps sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students prepare for high school and college. I teach organizational and note-taking skills as well as how to take on leadership roles, how to work in collaborative groups, and how to take responsibility for their own learning.

How did your time at MFS affect your trajectory?I really feel that my experiences at MFS engendered a drive to make a difference through service. I first became involved in the Care Walks (homeless outreach) through MFS, and that experience led me to take a more active role in issues I felt ardent about. I spearheaded the Gulf War Study Day Committee in 1991, was on the Diversity Day Coordinating Committee in 1992, and was a member of the Religious Life Committee throughout Upper School. My senior Intensive Learning experience was with the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, and that also helped me to appreciate how a small group of dedicated people can have a major impact.

How would you describe your educational philosophy?I realize it’s a cliché, but I truly feel that the goal of education should not be teaching students what to think, but rather how to think for themselves. That has been one of the most enduring gifts I’ve treasured from my own experience at MFS.

Did any faculty or staff members have an impact on your career? Several of my former teachers at MFS had a significant impact on me, including Chuck Boothby, Marge Overholt, Michael Omilian, and Matt Baird. They transformed my view of education into a life-long curiosity about the world. They challenged my ideas and assumptions, and I feel that I grew tremendously as a result. I think I’m in education in part because I would like to be the spark that might help to kindle that kind of fire in others.

William Fearn ’93• B.A. Mount Saint Mary’s College• J.D. Rutgers University School of Law, Constitutional Law and Federal Indian Law• Science and Social Studies Teacher, Brentwood Middle School, Loveland, CO

Closing the Achievement Gap for Historically Underprivileged Students


Title

When did you realize that you wanted to be a teacher?My first work experience in the field of education was through my Senior Project at MFS. After an internship with a literary magazine fell through, my mom suggested I contact a friend of hers who worked in the outreach department of a health center. The internship involved traveling to “camps” at local blueberry farms where Mexican migrant farmworkers lived, giving “health talks” in Spanish, taking people’s blood pressure, and setting up appointments at the clinic. The project led to a paid position for two summers while I was in college, doing the same kind of work. The outreach job made me realize that I loved working with people, using my Spanish language skills to break down barriers and help educate. It inspired me to continue studying Spanish in college, and to volunteer teach English as a second language to immigrant populations. I studied abroad in Peru while at Middlebury, and after

graduating I lived for a year in the Dominican Republic and a year in Mexico, doing educational work in both places. Then I began to apply for master’s programs in bilingual education in New York City.

What are you most passionate about in your line of work?I am passionate about empowering bilingual children, as well as empowering monolingual children by helping them become bilingual. Recent studies have shown that apart from the social, cultural, and economic advantages that often accompany childhood bilingualism, fluency in another language enhances higher order cognitive skills. It allows for more flexible thinking and problem solving. The best time to learn to speak, read, and write in another language is when you are young.

What is your mission as a bilingual teacher?The theory behind bilingual education is that when children are taught academic content in their first language at the same time as they learn English, they can remain on par with their monolingual peers academically, and are less likely to eventually lose their home language. I don’t personally believe it makes sense for children who grow up speaking Spanish at home to be thrown into an “English only” environment in school. They may lose their Spanish, or never learn to read and write it, only to be retaught Spanish through foreign language classes in high school. It is not equitable to expect young children to learn academic content solely through a language in which they are not proficient.

How would you describe your day-to-day work?I work for the New York City Department of Education as a dual language teacher in elementary schools. “Dual language” indicates that students learn all academic content in both English and Spanish. At my school last year, we had “English days” and “Spanish days.” The idea is that 50 percent of the students in a classroom come from an English speaking background and 50 percent are stronger Spanish speakers (although it doesn’t always work out perfectly in practice). So the English dominant students learn Spanish while the Spanish dominant students learn English. They learn from each other in an organic way, through content and social interaction rather than isolated language courses.

On a daily basis, I work with my co-teacher to lead reading, writing, math, science, and social studies in both languages. I usually spend a minimum of eight hours each week writing lesson plans, grading assignments, and analyzing data around student progress. It feels worth it because the work is so rewarding.

How would you say your experience at MFS influenced your professional life and interests?I think my education at Moorestown Friends gave me a strong foundation to pursue my passions. I learned to think critically, appreciate diversity, and to fight for the causes in which I believe. In my opinion, these are the most important skills in becoming successful and leading a happy and meaningful life.

Naomi Harper ’04• B.A. Middlebury College• Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship, Oaxaca, Mexico• M.S. City University of New York City College• Dual Language Teacher, New York City Department of Education, New York, NY

Empowering Students through Bilingual Education


Title

Did any faculty or staff members have an impact on your career? My Spanish teachers, Mr. Console and Ms. Washington, made learning a foreign language fun. Ms. Rinehart, Mr. Larson, and Mrs. Caldwell were very influential in helping me learn to think critically about all kinds of ideas and issues. Mr. Omilian even made me kind of enjoy Calculus — math is now one of my favorite subjects to teach to young children.

If you could share one insight about your educational philosophy with others, what would it be?Good teaching isn’t about imparting knowledge or filling empty minds with new information. It’s about building on what students already know, and forming a relationship to get them excited about learning in general. Twenty years from now, I don’t know if my students will remember the facts I taught them in social studies or the algorithm for three-digit subtraction. But I hope to instill a love of learning that will help them approach the world with curious and critical minds.


Class Notes

1994

Alumni Weekend


Class Notes

Alumni Weekend Members of the Class of 1994 with their families and friends. Front: Kathryn Kirchhoff, Molly Kirchhoff, Jaclyn Markelwitz Kirchhoff, Joey Kirchhoff, Mina Moriuchi, Naoji Moriuchi, Naomi Moriuchi, James Czeiner, Chip Giacchetto, Devan Giacchetto; Back: Jennifer Masiko, Greg Masiko, Patricia Tucker Brennan, Timothy Brennan, Michael Kirchhoff, Moses Nigel, Joanna Dreby, Anna Seixas, Leeds Allen, Ronald Ramos, Maria Aseron Ramos, Krystyana Chelminski, Rai Wilson, Gigio Longo.


1944

1964

Lydia Hunn and Richard Biddle.

The Class of 1964 had a big turnout for their 50th reunion. Front: Kathleen Fugate Messinger, Dorie Neuber, Ellen Tyler Miller, Nancy Horner Sjostrom, Elizabeth Snay Miskell, Janice Van Meter Stavenick, Carolyn Buckwalter Wargny, Christine Lilly Backus. Back: Kathy Livingston Mertens, Carolyn Kleiner, Peter Deutsch, Eric Koehler, Peter Reagan, Douglas Campbell, Bonnie Greenfield Reagan, Richard Casey, Gregory Wilcox, Neil Lichtman, Vernon “Buck” Miller, Ned Schellenger, Beatrice Sanborn Meteyer, Christine Wagner Oliver.

Joan Rogers McKeon, Anne Wood, and June Rodman Swanell gathered for their 70th reunion.

1964

Alumni Weekend


Class Notes

1959

1957

Susan Stubbs Martin, Ingrid Lehfeldt Briody, and Catharine Magee Karsten.

Kathy Livingston Mertens, Carolyn Kleiner, Ned Schellenger, Neil Lichtman, Ellen Tyler Miller, and Janice Van Meter Stavenick organized the Class of 1964’s 50th reunion.

Rowland Ricketts and Mary Lynn Ricketts.

The Class of 1974 gathered at Anne Rosenberg’s house. Front row: Anne Rosenberg, Deb Collins Williams, Nona Manheimer Loehr, Frank Evans, Suzy Brown Chenail, Susie Gilman Elmore. Second row: Valerie Williams, Gerritt Dunn, Jean Kennedy, Alice B. Good, Wendy Beckhart Bachmann, Molly Forsythe, Valerie Beale. Third row: Chris Knisely, Chris Eni, Lee Attix, Sidney Roberts, Sophia Koropeckyj, Scott Franklin.

1964 Reunion Committee

1974


Class Notes

1984

1994

19991999

Lisa Thomas Martin, Jackie Fischman Shweky, and Rose Tatlow. Sam ’94 and Fani Stein.

Former MFS Headmaster Alan Craig and his wife, Mary.

Michael Brotzman and Mara Cutler Katsikis.Nikki Andrews Gladding and Megan Fitzgerald Williams.

The Class of 1954 gathered for a 60th reunion. Seated: Ellen Kline Burman, Ellie Lippincott Murray, Phyllis Rosenfield Rudolf, Jackie Bray Brunt, Charlotte Lippincott Mood. Back Row: Raul Sturm, Maury Collins, Cal Stevenson, Jim Scott, Bill Anderson, Roger Lippincott, Ray Dull, John Stubbs. Middle Row: Margaret Manser Hunt, Mary Tomlinson Bauer, Missy Medl Kjellenberg, Susie Shipman Hessert.

1954


Class Notes

1946Ed Farrell and his wife live in a retirement community in Pacific Grove, CA. He was in marketing for the semiconductor industry for 45 years, and he graduated from the Rising Sun School of Aeronautics. He recalls flying over the Delaware River in a PBY airplane owned by his father.

George Krusen writes: “My wife, Betsey Krusen, died in 2012. She used her financial background to assist others during her retirement.”

Mary Grimley Mason lives in a retirement home in Concord, MA.

1949Mary Lewis writes: “I’m still working at the newspaper — writing obits, among other news items, but not my own yet!”

Margarita (Retie) Sharp Johnson writes: “Greetings to all of my MFS Class of ’49 friends. I cherish all the wonderful memories from Haddonfield Friends School, Moorestown Friends School, and Earlham College! The experiences and friendships have been incredible!”

1954See page 30.

1958Art Evans visited Olympic National Park and Glacier National Park in August with the Road Scholar program. Alison Borton Libshitz recently returned from a work week at Back Log Camp, a private wilderness camp in the Adirondacks that has been owned by members of her extended family for over 100 years. This year’s chief project was the installation of solar arrays and a 400-foot buried cable to power two new electric refrigerators, as well as new electric lights in the kitchen.

Mary and Bill Teale enjoyed a trip in June to visit canyons in the Southwest – Grand Canyon, a slot canyon named Upper Antelope off of Lake Powell, Bryce, and Zion. They toured the canyons from different perspectives: from the rim, from the air, from a bus, from the back of a mule, and from the canyon floor.

Betsey Wood is a facilitator in a restorative justice program in the Concord, MA area. Offenders may be recommended to the program as an alternative to going through the court system. She oversees offenders as they move through a restorative process agreed upon by legal guardians, town members, a facilitator, and themselves. Betsey’s other activities include competitive Scrabble, tutoring math students, quilting, and yoga classes.

1970Larry Hinds is living in Hawaii and Florida. He writes: “I’m teaching Advance Cardiovascular Life Support at local hospitals in Florida. Back in a bluegrass band learning to yodel.”

1971Jeff Miller’s new book, Behind the Lines, will be released in November. It details the true story of The Commission for Relief in Belgium, which helped save nine million people from starvation during World War I. Learn more at wwibehindthelines.com

1974See page 29.

1977John Mills writes: “I continue to enjoy life in Ithaca, working in an afterschool program with kids Kindergarten through Grade 5 and spending lots of time with cats. Every August, I spend a week camping and kayaking in the Adirondacks — and in Ithaca, when not with cats, I get out as much as possible in a canoe.”

Janet Stevens and her husband Peter Burgess recently acquired a second location for their independent fine food grocery store, McFarlan’s Market, in Collingswood.

1982Brian Litten writes: “After 2.5 years in beautiful Savannah, Georgia, I have returned home to beautiful Moorestown, New Jersey!”

1984See pages 30 and 33.

1994Gigio Longo has a new original comic book miniseries, Adam 12. View the trailer online at www.adam12thebook.com.

1962Marie Persic Cowan writes: “After a perfect trip to the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia this summer, Bill and I traveled to Germany, where I was able to visit with [Class of 1962 exchange student] Angela Jungerman Bar!

Angela and her husband Klaus met me at the train from Munich and graciously gave me a whirlwind tour of beautiful Nuremberg. We had a great time reminiscing and catching up on each other’s lives.

Angela and Klaus have a flat in Nuremberg, but spend most of their time at their country home in Igensdorf, near their daughter and their much loved and musically talented grandchildren. Angela taught English grammar in Nuremberg and is now retired. The photos I saw of their magnificent garden in the country show that Angela and Klaus are not at all idle in their retirement.

Reflecting on her time at MFS, Angela said that the value of the experience only grew over the years. When she was able to visit the U.S. about 20 years ago, with her host family the Hyatts, she said it was truly a kind of ‘homecoming.’ She asked me to send her very best to all at MFS.”

Marie Persic Cowan ’62 and Class of 1962 exchange student Angela Jungerman Bar in Germany.


Class Notes

1995Lee Porter was featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer on June 18 for his web-based video series, My Ruined Life. The show (www.myruinedlife.com) is a two-man comedy set on park benches — 39 episodes, 39 benches — throughout Philly. “I produce MRL on my own, start to finish,” said Porter. “One day, hopefully, the world will start tuning in. After all, there’s always a new Philly bench to sit on and a quirky joke to be made.”

1997Kristin Bromley Fitzgerald ’97 President of Giles & Ransome, Inc. was recently featured on the national news site, Construction Equipment Guide as a Woman in Construction: “The strategy of Ransome is based on providing our customers with solutions to help them be more productive, more efficient, and to save money. Solutions are difficult, but there is a recipe to it. Surround yourself with a diverse group of men and women who sit at the table and bring new ideas and different perspectives... There are countless other women here within the organization and in the industry who work hard every day to get the job done and to keep our customers up and running. It’s a privilege to work alongside these women every day.”

Meg Parrington Hollingworth, husband Anthony, and daughter Emma were thrilled

to welcome Ruby Elizabeth into the world on July 7. Meg reports that despite her early arrival, Ruby is a sweet, healthy little baby who now tips the scales at 8 1/2 pounds and is growing by the minute!

1998The MFS community and beyond mourned the death of Seiji Moriuchi on June 30, 2014. An endowed scholarship in Seiji’s memory has been established. More information can be found in the Annual Report.

1999Brian Weaver recently published a new children’s book, Flip & Fin: We Rule the School. Brian is an illustrator who works under the pen name Neil Numberman. He received the MFS Young Alumni Award in 2009.

2001Quang Huynh began his medical residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia Medical Center this past summer.

Rebecca Overholt has been heavily involved in the New York City theater community this past year, including the Midtown International Theatre Festival (the Renaissance Dueling Play) and the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity (Quest of the Hero!), both as an actress and a producer (The Winter’s Tale, Cradle Theatre Company’s debut in NYC).

2002Michael Brick is engaged to Becky Reich. Michael lives in Island Heights, NJ and works for Corridor Mortgage Group. A spring 2015 wedding is planned.

Sonia Mixter Guzman helped coordinate production of a music video for The Goodness Project in Camden, featuring “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. Guzman said that in Camden, “There is so much good energy and we know that, but the world doesn’t. We so often focus on poverty and forget about the people who are working hard to make their little nook in the world better. What better way to show how we rise above it?” Learn more at www.goodnessproject.org.

2004Julie Martin met up with classmates and friends Darcy Berenberg and Kayla Fox in San Francisco, where she was presenting research at the APS (Association for Psychological Science) Annual Convention as part of her studies for Duke University Psychology & Neuroscience. She also won the 2014 APS Student Research Award for the conference, and she gave a talk on her research findings.

Josh Washington and his partner Nicole Johnson welcomed a baby girl, Lila, on July 6, making MFS Director of Multicultural Affairs Karen Washington a grandmother, and Aaron ’03, an uncle.

Jonathan Wolf graduated with a master’s degree in Sport Psychology and Counseling from Boston University. Since then, he has built YouTime Coaching, a life coaching and therapeutic mentoring business. YouTime Coaching works with young adults during tough transitional periods. The program aims to improve self-confidence, interpersonal relationships, personal/professional growth, and motivation to change. Additionally, Jonathan was married this August in Rhode Island to Kate Wilson. They reside in Boston.

2005Max Friedman has become partners with former School Committee member and MFS parent Ed Hovatter at a new corporate law boutique in Cherry Hill: Hovatter, Friedman & Stofman P.C. They specialize in real

Kristin Bromley Fitzgerald ’97, President of Giles & Ransome, Inc.

Emma and Ruby Elizabeth daughters of Meg Parrington Hollingworth ’97.


Class Notes

estate, business, and complex commercial and civil litigation. Max was inspired to become a lawyer after doing his MFS Senior Project at Sherman Silverstein, where Ed was a shareholder.

Kernika Gupta married Vishal Patel on May 24, 2014.

Lori Sedlacek was married on June 7 to Jeff Trelewicz of North Branford, CT. The wedding took place at the Historic Smithville Village in Galloway, NJ. Natalie Walter was maid of honor and Jason Brody ‘04 was also in the bridal party. Other alumni in attendance were David Knospe, Luke Van Meter, Sarah Rosenbach ‘08, Sharon Segal, Lisa Thomas Martin ‘84, and Cindy Eni Yingling ‘75.

2006Latisha Henderson graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine this year. She is continuing her education to obtain a master’s degree in Science and Certificate in Orthodontics at Seton Hill University Center for Orthodontics in Greensburg, PA.

Michael Murza attended UC Davis School of Law and graduated with a certificate in environmental law in 2013. He passed the California Bar, and served as the Environmental Law Fellow at the California

Environmental Law & Policy Center, where he published a white paper on hydraulic fracturing. He is currently an attorney at the California Energy Commission, where he works on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and alternative fuels.

2007Through Drexel University’s Appellate Litigation Clinic, Kyle Nocho represented a federal inmate in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals Third Circuit whose constitutional rights were allegedly violated by prison officials. “This is an opportunity that a lot of lawyers don’t get and if they do, it’s at a more advanced point in their careers,” he said. Kyle graduated from Drexel University School of Law cum laude in May 2014.

Andrea Onorato was a Set Designer and on-location Art Director in the new Marvel’s Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. exhibition, at Discovery Times Square in New York City. To learn more visit discoverytsx.com.

Ryan Turkington married Jan Beisert in June 2013 in Caldwell, TX. Ryan is a fourth-year medical student at University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and Jan is a social worker.

2008Emily Jones is now the Morning Edition host and a reporter at Georgia Public Broadcasting in Savannah. She graduated

The Class of 1984 met for its 30th reunion on June 24 at P.J. Whelihan’s in Cherry Hill. Pictured: David Lennox, Jaclynn Fischman Shweky, Frank Capano, Lisa Thomas Martin, Gregg Billings, Lale Okcuoglu Verhulst, Beth Petrie.

Rebecca Overholt ’01

Josh Washington ’04, baby Lila, and partner Nicole Johnson.

Michael Brick ’02 with his fiancée Becky Reich.


Class Notes

from Columbia University School of Journalism in 2013, after earning her undergraduate degree from Brown University in 2012. During her time at MFS, she was the Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper, WordsWorth. Rich Rinaldi is the Program Director for Summer & Family Camps at YMCA Camp

Erdman on the beautiful North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii: “Thanks to MFS and Ms. McKee for taking me to my first YMCA camp experience in fourth grade at Camp Ockanickon.”

Sarah Rosenbach and Sade Muhammad met up at Martha’s Vineyard over the summer.

Kristen Stobbe married Erik Jesperson at The Bradford Estate in Hainesport on June 28.

2010Julia Applegate graduated from Dickinson College in May and is working at Moorestown Friends as the new Development Office Intern, and she is also coaching Middle School Field Hockey this fall. In May, she received the Centennial Conference’s 2014 Sportsmanship Award, given annually to a student-athlete who displays integrity and positive behavior in competition and in the community.

Samantha Smith graduated from Drexel University in 2014 with a degree in Graphic Design. She is employed in the marketing department of MEDCO.

2011Alleanna Harris designed the new logo for the Willingboro Public Library as part of a graphic design competition. She is a senior at The University of the Arts.

2012Rachel Weissler, a student at Bryn Mawr College, was awarded the Mellon Mays Fellowship. She studied at the University of Cape Town in South Africa this summer. The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship is the centerpiece of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s initiatives to increase diversity in the faculty ranks of institutions of higher learning.

Lori Sedlacek ’05 and her husband Jeff Trelewicz with their bridal party at The Smithville Inn in historic Smithville.

make a gift online to the Annual Fund for mFs

Lisa Hummel ’05, Erica Yankowski ’05, Ashley Brinn ’00, Sarah Geiger ’05, Elyse Muratore ’05, Kernika Gupta ’05, Christopher Lloyd ’05, and Meruka Gupta Hazari ’00 at Kernika’s wedding. Not pictured but in attendance: Randy Restrepo ’05 and Jessica Tantum Kay ’05.

Special thanks to MFS alumni who hosted 2014 Senior Projects:

Bill Burris ‘01, Burris Construction

Alison Judah ‘86, Hypno Design

Janice Baiada Lovequist ‘98, Bayada Home Health Care

Bill Martin ‘06, Raymond James Financial

Christine Tingle Lewis-Coker ‘89, US Army Corps of Engineers

Molly Kreider Viscardi ‘02, University of Pennsylvania

Cindy Eni Yingling ’75, Dietz and Watson


Class Notes

2013Joe Kiernan was published in the April issue of The Statesman, a conservative political magazine produced by University of Pennsylvania students. His article was titled “Our Greatest Investment? Building a Better Public Education System.”

Latisha Henderson ’06 pictured with brother, Lloyd Henderson ’00.

Ryan Turkington ’07 and Jan Beisert at their June 2013 wedding at Royalty Pecan Farms in Caldwell, TX.

Sarah Rosenbach ’08 and Sade Muhammad ’08.

Visit www.mfriends.org and click on “support mFs”

Alumni at Kristen Stobbe ’08’s wedding: Sarah Rosenbach ’08, Jennifer Briones ’08, Mike Stobbe ’09, the bride, Steve Haines ’08, Rachel Mulligan ’08, and Anya Gelernt ’09.

Rachel Weissler ’12 was awarded the Mellon Mays Fellowship at Bryn Mawr College.

Class Notes received after September 10 will be printed in the next issue of Among Friends.

Share Your News with Friends

moorestown Friends school encourages all alumni to share their news for class notes.to contribute, please email [email protected] with updates on your life and any high resolution photos you would like to submit for publication. if you prefer, you can also write to Assistant director of marketing and communications Kat clark, moorestown Friends school, 110 e. main st., moorestown, nJ 08057.


Class Notes

New York City Reception 2014 MFS alumni gathered for a reception in New York City on June 4 at Trattoria Dell’Arte. Front Row: Chris Lloyd ’05, Margaret Van Meter, Briana Pressey ’07, Jennielle Jobson ’07, Kevin Lee ’00, Sheryl Huggins ’83, Charis Warchal ’84, Brian Wyatt ’88, Jordan Fox ’88. Back Row: Larry Van Meter ’68, Chris Santorella ’06, Rebecca Gildiner ’05, Cornell Woodson ’05, Natalie Walter ’05, Julie Laskin ’08, Ryan Simone ’08, Alyss Vavricka ’08. Not pictured: Whitney Pennington Rodgers ’03 and Julia Onorato ’04.

Camden Scholars LuncheonThe following alumni attended the annual Camden Scholars Luncheon on May 30. Front row: Odeymarys Garrido ’13, Keyanah Freeland ’10, Jazzmin S. Holmes ’11, Cynthia Martinez-Hayes ’89, Sonia Mixter Guzman ’02. Middle row: Tevin Rivera ’13, Cassandra Ratleff Sanders ’81, Sofia Beniquez Wheatley ’00, Quang Huynh ’01. Back row: Gregory Billings ’84, Julian Austin ’91, Lorenzo Gibson ’12, Brian Turner ’98.


Alumni at Commencement

Members of the Edmund/Sloan family gathered at Commencement to celebrate the graduation of Morgan Sloan ’14 from MFS. Aunt Genvieve Edmund Alvarado ’89, sister Braeden Sloan ’16, the graduate Morgan Sloan ’14, mother Nicole Edmund ’86, sister Mattie Sloan ’17, aunt Mari Edmund ’94.

Members of the Driscoll/Coles family gathered at Commencement to celebrate the graduation of Coles Driscoll ’14 from MFS. Brother Robie Driscoll ’18, grandparents Alfred T. Driscoll ’55 and Ann Driscoll, father Ad Driscoll, the graduate Coles Driscoll, mother Haley Coles Driscoll ’86, grandmother Pam Coles, uncle Marshall Coles ’90, cousins Ona Coles and Isla Coles, aunt Aurora Robson.


Class Notes

Alumni Games

Lacrosse Alumni GameThe Alumni Boys’ Lacrosse Game was held on June 1. Front Row: Mike Murray ’08, Glenn Smyth ’08, Ted Um ’93, Tim Yingling ’09, Nick Cook ’11, Tyler Mills ’14, Greg Yingling ’11, CJ Durkow ’14, and Josh Kirkpatrick ’14. Back Row: John Murry, John Tsigounis, Varsity Boys Lacrosse Coach Michael McGinn, Chris Delaney, Joe Murray, Matt Gaiser ’12, Cliff Burgess ’12, Spencer Krohn, John Latimer ’11, Tim Latimer ’13, Ryan Kirkpatrick ’08, Nathan Rivera ’11, Matt French ’07, Daniel McGinn ’14, Daniel Zeiberg ’14, Trevor Golden ’14, Sam Madamba ’14, Kyle Koste ’11, Andy Schultz ’14, and former Varsity Boys Lacrosse Coach Steve Yingling.

Wiffle Ball GameVarsity Baseball Coach Ron Obermeier hosted a Wiffle Ball Tournament for alumni baseball players on May 31. Front, lying down: Justin Spencer-Linzie ’10 Kneeling: Tyler Bard ’10, Barry Koen ’98, Varsity Baseball Coach Ron Obermeier, Drew Haines ’11. Standing: Seiji Moriuchi ’98, Steve Haines ’08, Ethan Hasbrouck ’98, Justin Stark ’10, Ryan Solow ’09, Mike Stobbe ’09, Stephen Dwyer ’12, Chris Elias ’10. Not pictured: Sean Cohen ’10.


In Memoriam

Editor’s Note: Full obituaries are found on the MFS website. “In Memoriam” lists the passing of the following: alumni; immediate family of alumni (father, mother, child, spouse, sibling); current parents; current and past faculty and staff; spouses, partners and children of current faculty, staff and administration; current and former trustees; and spouses and children of current trustees. Notices will include any of the deceased’s relatives who are MFS alumni. To locate full obituaries on the MFS website, navigate to “News” in the top menu of www.mfriends.org and then select “Among Friends Magazine.” Alumni that do not have access to the Internet may contact Director of Marketing and Communications Mike Schlotterbeck at 856-914-4434 to request a hard copy of an obituary.

chilton Anderson ’46

mary lou Brown Auchter ’48 sister of william m. Brown ’54 and the late Pauline Brown cutting ’49

sharleen Patterson Bartkiewicz ‘61

Paul Burdan ’49 brother of the late mary J. Burdan ’51

edith thomas edmunds mother of thomas edmunds ’80

Polly Johnson Fullmer ’48

sally mcAllister ganger ’53 sister of Betty mcAllister Brown ’42 and mary mcAllister teale ’58, and sister-in-law of Bill teale ’58

sara (sally) Bowman hainesmother of charles iii haines ’75

dolores Brod haworth ’55sister of walter c. Brod ’61

John e. hoch, Jr. ’47

seiji moriuchi ’98 son of Fred ‘65 and caroline Brunt ‘66 moriuchi, and brother of takashi moriuchi ‘92, naoji moriuchi ‘94, and Akemi moriuchi ‘04. grandson of Yuri and the late takashi moriuchi, and Janet wheeler Brunt ‘34 and Bayard Brunt ‘34.

Alice Price mother of christopher Price ’67, the late harrie Price ’65, Polly Price ’62, and margaret Price sunderman ’70, widow of the late harrie B. Price, who served at mFs from 1952 to 1977.

howard stiltz ’48

dennis Ungrady father of steve Ungrady ’96

James walshfather of steve walsh ’83

shulamith weissmother of s. merrill weiss ‘65

richard wesleyfather of Karlyn wesley supple ’84

w. sprague wise father of Kevin wise ’85


Spotlight on Student Artwork

Hurricane Ridge, Washington, by Carly Teitelbaum ’15

California Bear Shelf by Isabella Pillows ’18


Elizabeth Adler - University of Virginia Christian Aguilar - University of Notre Dame Everett Aldrich - New Jersey Institute of Technology Maura Aleardi - Ithaca College Sarah Applegate - Dickinson College Abhay Aradhya - Widener University Peter Bader - James Madison University Eric Barash - Wake Forest University Lauren Brill - Tufts University Michael Brill - Lehigh University Jasmine Brown - University of Maryland Dante Bucci - American University Emma Cain - New York University Eliezer Cartagena - Goucher College Astrid Caruso - St. Olaf College Madeline Cohen - Tulane University Alfred Driscoll - Rochester Institute of Technology Carl Durkow - Drexel University Jared Edelstein - Drexel University Lisa Eiffes - University of Tampa Jordan Ernest - George Mason University Evelyn Feigeles - Arcadia University Ashley Flores - Arcadia University Courtney Foat - New York University Kimberly Gaiser - Tulane University

Sloane Gandler - Saint Joseph’s University Victoria Geyer - Lehigh University Laél Gibson - Rowan University Amy Gilligan - Cornell University Emma Giordano - Swarthmore College Trevor Golden - Boston College Ciani Green - Stanford University Melissa Greenberg - University of Delaware Nneka Hillocks - Spelman College Maureen Kelleher - University of Michigan Sarah Kezbari - Saint Joseph’s University Ryan Kirby - Bucknell University Joshua Kirkpatrick - Ithaca College John Leibundgut - Dickinson College Elise Lind - Goucher College Jingwei Luo - Lehigh University Xuemeng Luo - Boston University Carlos Madamba - Pennsylvania State University Bruce Mahon - University of New Hampshire Steven Mannion - Saint Joseph’s University Michelle Marzoev - Cornell University Daniel McGinn - Davidson College Emily McKeown - Lehigh University Tyler Mills - Pennsylvania State University Joseph Mulholland - McGill University

Kirsten Mullen - Bryn Mawr College Chae Young Park - Pennsylvania State University Daniel Richards - Muhlenberg College Garrett Rightler - Syracuse University Adrian Ryczak - University of Delaware Dhalil Sadiq - Montclair State University Katrina Savon - Lehigh University Andrew Schultz - University of Delaware Neil Sefah - Colby College Robert Sheffield - Brandeis University Morgan Sloan - New York University Noelle Smith - Trinity College Kenan Soso - University of Ontario Institute of Technology D’nea Spencer - Millersville University Annmarie Stockinger - University of Pittsburgh Gina Tamburri - College of Charleston Roy Thorstensen - Villanova University Daniel Van Deerlin - Bucknell University Destini Wiggins - Ramapo College Pierce Williams - East Carolina University Yuchen Yuan - Boston University Daniel Zeiberg - University of Michigan

congratulations, mFs class of 2014!

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Documents

Among Friends Fall 2014