For Earth Day 2024, students in the Green Coalition, Dining Services staff, and Outdoor Education leaders created a program for immersive learning, one that got many students outside. Earth Day began with an all-school Meeting for Worship in the Greenwood, with special queries to reflect upon.

In the Upper School, Mary Ann Boyer of Boyer Sudduth Environmental Consultants gave an assembly presentation. Then students engaged in a wide variety of workshops and activities ranging from a TED talk on Doughnut Economics, to nature writing, to tree measuring, to invasive plant pulling, to planting a butterfly garden, weaving plarn, and building seed bombs, among many other activities. Students enjoyed time canoeing on the lake, the open ropes course, volleyball games, and even an ice cream truck! Our thanks to Green Coalition, Dining Services, student leaders, and the Sustainability Committee for making Earth Day 2024 a memorable one! Check out images from the day here!

At the recent Chester County Science Research Competition’s award ceremony, students Jerry Huynh ’25 and Shawn Xu ’25 received awards for their work. Huynh took first place in the Microbiology category for his research, “The effect of gelatin encapsulation on phages infectivity on E.coli C and survivability in different conditions. Xu won first place in Engineering for “Needle Roller Stuctured Climbing Robot.”

Both students advanced to compete in the Delaware Valley Science Fair. Science teacher Tyler Kochel is the coordinator of Westtown’s Science Fair Club, and as such, provided significant time and support to these students. Join us in congratulating them all!

As part of their studies of the continent of Africa, its cultures and art, third graders spent six weeks working with Jeannine Osayande and Dunya Performing Arts Company. During the six weeks, the students learn the movements, origins, and symbolism of the African dances and Capoeira, culminating in the African Dance performance. This marks 22 years that Jeannine and DunyaPAC have partnered with Westtown. Well done, third grade!! Enjoy the gallery of photos here.

In February, the History and Religion Department hosted a visit from Combatants for Peace. Combatants for Peace (CfP) describe themselves as a “joint Palestinian-Israeli community working in solidarity to end the occupation, discrimination, and oppression of all people living on this land. Guided by the values of non-violent resistance, we are showing the world that there is another way.” This organization, founded by former soldiers and resistance fighters in 2006, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 and 2018. 

Students enrolled in Peace and Justice, World Religions 1, World Religions 2, World history 1800-2000, and Genocide Studies 2 courses, as well as others in the community who wished to attend, gathered in the Meeting House for CfP’s presentation and discussion.

Souli Khatib, Palestinian Activist and the co-founder of CfP, and Iris Gur, an Israeli activist, spoke powerfully about their personal experiences that led them to this work, as well as their own perspectives on the struggle for peace and collective liberation. Their presentation provided students with an example of groups and individuals working respectfully across deep and sometimes fundamental differences toward the shared goal of peace. Their presentation was followed by a Q&A period in which students asked meaningful questions, the answers to which helped further their understanding. 

Our thanks to our Religion and History Department teachers for organizing this event, and to former faculty Melissa Graf-Evans and alum and former Trustee Jon Evans ’73 for hosting our visitors during their stay in the area. You can learn more about Combatants for Peace in this video. 

The annual International Festival was a big success! The festival is an event organized by the International Student Organization to celebrate and learn about the diverse cultures that make up our community. Our students, families, and faculty representing 28 countries set up stations in the Main Hall offering snacks, games, presentations, and opportunities for connection and conversation. You can see more photos taken by our student photographers Eric Li ’24 and Will Wang ’26.

At the FIRST Robotics competition at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, the Metal Moose robotics team was awarded the Engineering Inspiration Award from FIRST Robotics. This award is given to the team that has the highest impact on its school and outside community. The Metal Moose does outreach on campus with Lower School, and at Admission and alums events. Coach Steve Compton notes, “The school impact of our team is clear—we attract students to Westtown based on the reputation of the team, and we do outreach work with second grade Space day, admissions tours, and events on Alums Day. We have created a welcoming ecosystem that allows girls and students of color to find their place and thrive. Each year the team comprises between 10%-15% of the total Upper School students body.”

Off campus, the team works with Camp Dreamcatcher and Kendal Crosslands Communities to teach Lego robotics and to create lasting bonds between students and those they work with. They are also working with the government of Bermuda to get FIRST Robotics Lego supplies to teachers in their primary schools. Compton adds that the team is developing Women in STEM program will partners with leading women in science.

Congratulations to the Metal Moose—Team 1391—for earning this prestigious award, and for all its work within our school and community!

And further congratulations are in order: The Metal Moose qualified once again for the FIRST World Championship tournament in Houston, Texas, with a ranking of 77 among 3800 teams worldwide. GO, METAL MOOSE!!