The Uptown Lounge bustled with seventh graders for the Think, Care, Act Fair at the end of the year. Conceived by teacher Abby Lausch, the project entails students identifying their strength, talents, and areas of interest, focusing on what they care about in their community and the world around them, then choosing a service project based on those interests. At the Think, Care, Act Fair, students shared posters and presented their projects to families, teachers, and fellow students. Through this project, each student performs at least 10 hours of service, which together makes almost 500 hours of community service at a wide variety of local organizations. Enjoy more photos here!
Every year, seventh graders work with the Primary Circle students over two months to co-author and illustrate a book. The Book Buddies discuss the elements and structure of storytelling, then create a story together. When the books have been created, seventh graders present these one-of-a-kind treasures to their buddies at the launch party and celebrate with popsicles! This project, initiated years ago by then Middle School English teacher Judy Asselin ’71, is guided by English Language Arts teacher Abby Lausch. More photos here!
While we prioritize caring for and honoring our planet every day here at Westtown, Earth Day gives us a special opportunity to celebrate that work. Here’s a look at how each division honored Earth Day.
The Lower School was abuzz with a variety of special activities as they embraced Earth Day with curiosity and wonder. Pre-K students completed an Earth Day Activity Book and took part in an alphabet nature walk, exploring their surroundings and searching for items in nature. They were also introduced to the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Kindergarten students reflected on their learning through illustrations and writing about ways to care for our planet. First graders celebrated by learning songs and reading books about the Earth, followed by thoughtful conversations about what they love in nature and how we can protect it. They also enjoyed extra time outdoors, taking in the beauty of our campus. Second graders traveled throughout campus—from the Greenwood to the lake and the vernal pond—reading Earth Day stories and observing the signs of new growth all around them. They also explored the concept of perennial plants and the cycles of nature. Third graders walked to the lake for meditative drawing, using the peaceful setting as inspiration, and then gathered for a reflective Meeting for Worship. Fourth graders contributed to the care of our shared spaces by weeding beds near the Lower School playground in preparation for a bird habitat. They also took a writers’ trek, spending time writing under the blooming cherry trees. Fifth graders have been engaging in thoughtful discussions about change movements and environmental justice, demonstrating a growing awareness of how they can make a difference in the world.
A special highlight of the week was Thursday’s fire circle Meeting for Worship in the woods, where the entire Lower School gathered in reflection and community, surrounded by the beauty of nature. During Meeting, students shared messages about the Earth and the importance of caring for it. Their messages echoed their learning throughout the week, reflecting a growing appreciation of nature and a shared understanding of stewardship.
In Middle School, the week began with Meeting for Worship on Monday. The Student Clerks shared three queries related to sustainability and charged the gathering to reflect on the role we play in caring for our planet. The first query connected sustainability to the testimony of integrity, which charges us to match our words to our actions. On Monday and Tuesday, Middle School students did workshops with Rebecca Kamen, our visiting artist for the year. Kamen, along with art teacher Marta Willgoose Salo, facilitated workshops with all students that began with her talking about her creative process and her connection to nature. They then learned about the “Kernel of Truth” project, which Kamen is creating in collaboration with students in all three divisions. The project explores the genetics of corn, leading to a connection and curiosity centered around her work with soil and soil systems. The final project will be an installation featuring patterns representing corn genetics, soil systems derived from soil collected on campus, and soil leaf prints organized in the four directions. Students gathered leaves from around the South Woods and used them to create prints. Those prints will be featured in the final installation, which will be installed in our Chu Gallery in the fall.
Middle Schoolers also welcomed representatives from the Clear Air Council, Philadelphia’s oldest environmental non-profit. The Clear Air Council is an environmental health advocacy organization fighting for everyone’s right to a healthy environment. Students learned about their work to fight air pollution and about the PurpleAir monitorrecently installed at Westtown, which provides real-time air quality data in the area. The monitor, mounted on the Belfry, provides real-time air quality data at the local level and at the regional, national, and global levels. It serves as a powerful educational tool for teachers and students to deepen their understanding of air quality, raise awareness, and engage in meaningful advocacy.
In Upper School, we were honored to welcome Ms. Zulene Mayfield of Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living as our keynote speaker. She shared her experience advocating for the people of Chester, Pennsylvania, who have suffered the physical and emotional toll of environmental racism. The community group Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living’s (CRCQL) work provided an example to our students to use their voices to speak up and act out about the injustices around them was clear and powerful. After an Earth-Day-themed lunch, students broke into 19 different workshops that included cleaning up East Chester Creek, upcycling, sewing with scrap fabrics, and learning about sustainability in our buildings from one of our Westtown carpenters. The Upper School also gathered for an Earth Day Meeting for Worship, where queries prompted students to consider the ways in which they can protect their present and future world. The day concluded with intentional, unscheduled time for students to be outdoors and enjoy our incredible campus. Some students chose to canoe at the lake while others played volleyball in front of the Athletic Center or went for a walk.
One Story Week is a time when our entire Lower School community comes together around a shared book. Every child is invited into the same story, the same conversation, and the same spirit of wonder. It’s a joyful opportunity to build connections across grade levels while exploring big ideas together.
This year, The Littlest Drop by Sasha Alper, with illustrations by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, offered a perfect lens for exploring themes of kindness, belonging, courage, and the incredible things that happen when small actions come together to make a big impact. In the story, a fire threatens the forest, and a tiny hummingbird continues to carry drops of water, inspiring the larger animals to join in. Together, students explored the power of individual action, unity, and care for the world around us.
The week unfolded in a thoughtful and engaging progression for students. To begin the week, students were invited to decorate and design their 2026 One Story Week t-shirts, bringing their own creativity and connection to the story to life. On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, students worked in mixed-age groups (pre-K through 2nd grade and 3rd through 5th grade), participating in a variety of hands-on, collaborative activities. On Thursday afternoon, students came together to meet one of The Littlest Drop illustrators, Brian Pinkney.
We were thrilled to welcome Brian Pinkney to Westtown Lower School this year. Brian shared his journey as a creator, from growing up in a family of artists to developing his own voice as both a writer and illustrator. He spoke about the importance of practice, creativity, and perseverance, and gave students a glimpse into how his ideas grow from simple sketches into fully realized stories. His warmth and humor made a lasting impression on our students.
Leading up to their assembly with Brian Pinkney, throughout the week, students collaborated across grade levels, building connections as they engaged in experiences rooted in The Littlest Drop’s themes. Activities included:
~Creating collaborative murals
~Designing kindness water droplets
~Learning and performing a song with accompanying American Sign Language (ASL)
~Reenacting parts of the story
~Participating in teamwork-based relay challenges
~Exploring science concepts like water volume and surface tension
One Story Week is a reminder of what makes Westtown Lower School such a special place. It’s a week centered on children, their curiosity, their creativity, and their capacity to learn from and with one another. Watching students collaborate across grade levels, take pride in their creations, and engage so thoughtfully with the story has been a true highlight. The success of One Story Week is made possible by an extraordinary team of educators who pour their energy into every activity, lesson, and interaction with students. We are grateful for their care and dedication in bringing this experience to life. We hope our students carry these experiences, connections, and ideas with them well beyond this week. ~Karyn Payton, Lower School Principal
Thank you to the One Story Week 2025 Committee: Heather Tannenbaum, Kelly Nicholson, Alicia George, Colby Van Alen , Mamta Singh, Lauren Cusick, and Marion Dear ’83.
An important aspect of both Westtown’s team and FIRST Robotics is service and community outreach. In addition to designing and building a robot each year, Westtown’s Team 1391, the Metal Moose, engages in service projects and outreach to promote STEM and to compete for the Impact Award, the most prestigious award in the FIRST robotics competition league.
Over the years, this outreach has included running a TechGirlz workshop for girls in STEM; teaching LEGO robotics sessions at Camp Dreamcatcher; doing LEGO robotics and Kendal Crosslands communities; restarting and mentoring a FIRST LEGO League team at The School in Rose Valley; demonstrations at Westtown second graders’ Space Day, and much more. This year, they have been building a relationship with the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The American Helicopter Museum & Education Center staff reached out to Westtown’s team and invited them to do a robot demonstration on their annual family day. This demonstration was such a hit that the museum staff invited the team back to do another demonstration in their summer program. The Metal Moose then proposed a five-week LEGO robotics camp, which they began this past fall. Fifteen youngsters enrolled, and in their two-hour weekly sessions, Team 1391 taught students how to build, program, test, and demonstrate mini robots, and to learn the principles of teamwork. They worked with FIRST LEGO League EV3 which uses LEGO Technic pieces. The camp was so impactful on the young students that a few reached out to Metal Moose team members to inquire about finding a FIRST LEGO team that they could join.
The Metal Moose team members enjoy this added dimension to being on the robotics team. “All of the service and STEM outreach we’ve done as a team has been really inspiring to me,” shared Maitreyi Vadigepalli ’27. “Whenever we organize a demonstration, summer camp, or learning session, seeing the kids so excited is always heartwarming. I am always reminded of how excited I would be at these opportunities when I was younger! One thing I particularly like about our outreach work is how student-led it is. I used to attend the School in Rose Valley, and was on their FIRST LEGO League Challenge team for 4th and 5th grade. This team is what ultimately motivated me to pursue engineering in life. Now, as a member of the Metal Moose, I’ve been able to lead the re-establishment of this team by conducting robotics demos, mentoring the team, and attending their scrimmage. This initiative really felt like a full-circle moment for me, and it was really empowering.”
Representatives came from Semi Global Schools came to visit our eighth grade’s Sustainability and Stewardship class. They introduced our students to Micro:bits which are programmable, pocket-sized computers that can be programmed to measure light, sound, temperature, movement, and magnetism. The class has been learning about the impacts of air quality on our environment and health. With the use of the Micro:bits, students will be able to measure Westtown’s air quality and keep a data log to analyze air quality trends on our campus.
A big round of applause to our third graders on their wonderful African Dance performance! As part of their studies of the continent of Africa, its cultures, and its art, third graders spent six weeks working with Jeannine Osayande and Dunya Performing Arts Company. The students learned the movements, origins, and symbolism of the African dances and Capoeira, culminating in the performance. Students also made their batik costumes in art class under the guidance of teacher Kelly Nicholson. At this year’s performance, fourth and fifth graders, who remembered their own African Dance experience, came on stage to join in the dancing. Lower School teachers also joined in the revelry!
We are grateful to Jeannine and DunyaPAC for 24 years of partnership and to our third grade teachers Kristin Hayman and Charis Fisher who keep this beloved tradition alive!
Second graders dove deep for their recent unit on sea life! Each student researched a sea animal and wrote a book about their topic, then made dioramas or stop-motion videos in art class to show the animal in its habitat. At the conclusion of the unit, they hosted a fair to show their work. At the fair, they had the opportunity to share their new knowledge of sea life as other Lower School classes came to learn about the different sea creatures, ask questions, and admire their projects. The books and videos were so well done and the students did a wonderful job talking about what they learned with other students.
Science Teacher Carlos Charriez gave his seventh graders a design thinking task: create a carnival for your clients—Westtown fourth graders. Teacher Carlos gave them the following criteria for their carnival activities: they must be fun, engaging, challenging, made with cardboard, and cater to fourth graders. For this task, students divided into team to interview their clients and assess their needs and wants. They asked their clients and themselves about the best and worst elements of carnivals they’d been to and began to brainstorm ideas, then winnow them. Next they designed and made prototypes of their carnival games and activities. They tested their designs, got feedback, reflected on ways to make them better, and improved them. The project culminated in the Cardboard Carnival in which the fourth grade clients came to the Science Center to enjoy the final products, and enjoy them they did! See more of the carnival here.
In February, the celebrations of Lunar New Year enlivened campus. In Lower and Middle Schools, students and teachers wore red, considered to be a lucky and joyous color that brings happiness and prosperity in many Asian cultures, and the lobbies were adorned in celebration.
In the Upper School, the Lunar New Year Community Dinner was a spectacular event with delicious food, beautiful decorations, and lovely performances, which included a dramatic dragon dance, a traditional Chinese instrument performance, and Middle and Upper School Mandarin classes singing songs. A student performed “Bian Lian,” Chinese face changing, and other dances were shared before the community was invited to visit classrooms in the Main Hall where 18 different cultural stations had been set up. Guests were invited to attempt Chinese yoyo, have their palms read, and try their hands at calligraphy, among many other activities. It was a grand evening of shared food, traditions, and community. Our thanks to the Asian Student Association (ASA), International Student Organization (ISO), and teacher Bei Zhang for the amazing celebration!
