Holocaust Remembrance

Lynette Assarsson on April 29, 2024

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, Middle School students heard a presentation from Jody Russell Manning, a history professor at Rowan University and the Associate Director of Rowan’s Center for the Study of The Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights. Jody helped create Rowan’s Holocaust and Genocide Education graduate program, and he runs annual study-abroad programs in Europe and ran Westtown Upper School’s 2023 Holocaust-focused trip to Central Europe. He was the first American intern in the International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum from 2005-2009, which continued through his 2010-2011 Fulbright fellowship. Jody talked with students about the Holocaust from a historical perspective, the importance of remembering and learning about The Holocaust, and how we can honor this history. Afterward, he answered questions from students, and Middle School Counselor Sean Galiczynski held a space for reflection.

In the Upper School, in preparation for International Holocaust Remembrance Day, students in the Genocide Studies class spent the day with guest lecturer Professor Jody Russell Manning speaking on the topic of memory and memorializing. Students then prepared survivor reflections to supplement an upcoming Yom Ha-Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day, May 5-6) memorial designed by senior Mark Ham ’24 as a capstone project for the Global Leadership Deep Dive program. International Holocaust Remembrance Day this year marked the 79th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birenua, the Nazi concentration and extermination camp.

International Festival

Lynette Assarsson on April 29, 2024

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.

Metal Moose Earns Engineering Inspiration Award, Heads to Worlds

Anne Burns on April 29, 2024

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!!

Black History Month at Westtown

Lynette Assarsson on April 29, 2024

In celebration of Black History Month, the workshop series Black Excellence at Westtown highlighted the achievements of Black faculty and staff who serve as mirrors and windows for our students. Each presenter visited a Lower School classroom to share what their roles are at Westtown, how their life experiences impacted their professions, and then did an activity with the students to help them understand their work in our school. Thank you to presenters: Marissa Colston, Jay Farrow ’75, DeVon Jackson, Dwayne Morris, Janiel Samuels, Courtnay Tyus, Tejan Walcott, and Domi Waldron for sharing their professional journeys with our students, and to Kelly Yiadom, Director of Equity, Justice, and Belonging for Lower and Middle School, for creating this workshop series!

In the Middle School, students learned from four panelists who spoke to Middle School students for the Black Women in Excellence workshop. Their presentations highlighted the achievements of professional Black women during Black History Month. The speakers – Alice Palmer, Attorney Team Lead at Lincoln Financial; Dr. Nicole Aqui, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at Penn Medicine; Dr. Nelly Silva, CEO at Advanced Dentistry of Collegeville; and Teleicia Dambreville, In-House Counsel of Burlington Store, held workshop-style presentations that highlighted their expertise in their professions, their journeys, and the path students can take if they are interested in the profession being presented.

In the Upper School, Black History Month events began with an assembly featuring a panel of Black Quakers who shared their experiences, the influence of Quakerism in their lives, and the connection between their identities and Quakerism. It was an engaging and fruitful presentation and we are grateful to the panelists for talking with our students. Our thanks to (from left): Lee Payton, Upper School Principal Friends Central School; Veda Robinson, Upper School Principal, Westtown School, Karyn Payton, Lower School Principal, Westtown School; Emma Lapsansky-Werner PhD, Professor Emeritus of History and Visiting Professor in the Writing Program and Quaker Studies at Haverford College; Domi Waldron, Director of Alum Engagement, Westtown School; Francisco Burgos, Executive Director of Pendle Hill, member of the Board of Trustees, Westtown School; and, DeVon Jackson, Upper School Director of Equity, Justice, and Belonging, Westtown School, who organized this event.

Throughout the month, our student affinity groups —Black Women Affinity Group, In the Know (Black Male Affinity Group), Black Student Union, and the Multiracial Student Union—hosted programming during Meetings for Worship and Community Collection. Black history month celebrations concluded with a Community Dinner with a delicious special menu as well as an amazing performance by the Westtown Community Choir!

Sugaring to Boiling to Syrup!

Anne Burns on April 29, 2024

In February, as is now tradition, trees on campus were tapped, part of the long-standing tradition to make maple syrup from our trees. Because of the long stretches of warm winter, the sap flowed well and maple sugaring was well underway. Director of Outdoor Education Chris Henwood-Costa worked with her Lower School Farm + Forest classes to tap, monitor, taste, and collect the sap.

Then, in late February, Lower School students again took part in a historic tradition here at Westtown: the boiling of the sap collected from the trees. This tradition has been a part of Westtown for over 100 years! Henwood-Costa and Bruce Harrison ’81 led the boiling process, and gave Lower Schoolers sap to taste. Next, the sap was placed in kettles and taken to the kitchen for the final steps to become maple syrup! Did you know it takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup?

Sports Roundup Fall 2023

Stacey Lopez on December 14, 2023

The fall season of athletics was marked by exceptional achievements and milestones which were the results of our student-athletes’ dedication, skill, and sportsmanship across various sports.

The boys and girls soccer teams brought immense pride to our community, both clinching Friends Schools League (FSL) Championships! This triumph was a monumental moment for our boys’ team, achieving their first championship since 2011, and a testament to the consistent excellence of our girls’ team, who secured their second consecutive title. The individual accolades of Olivia Bley ’24 and Leo Salvucci ’24, who were named to the All-State Team, further exemplify our teams’ and players’ talent and hard work. Olivia’s remarkable journey, culminating in her 100th goal, illuminated the path to the PAISAA State Championship game, showcasing the bright future of both teams.

Our cross-country runners, though few in number, demonstrated immense spirit and resilience. Their performances, especially in setting personal records at the FSL Championship at George School, signal a promising future and a culture of healthy competition and personal growth.

In tennis, our girls team, led admirably by seniors Amy Vaduva ’24 and Sasha Khalo ’24, showed remarkable tenacity. Though starting slowly, their season ended on a solid note, exemplifying the spirit of perseverance and improvement.

Our field hockey team, guided by the leadership of senior Lily Diamond ’24 and junior Grace Malavolta ’25, achieved a significant milestone by making the FSL playoffs for the first time in four years. Their progress and enthusiasm throughout the season set a foundation for future success.

The school’s overall athletic prowess was further highlighted as 24 student-athletes were named to the FSL All-League and Honorable Mention Teams, the highest representation from any Friends League school. This achievement underscores our commitment to athletic excellence and holistic development.

Lastly, the advancement of the Oak Lane Turf Fields Project marks a significant step forward for Westtown School. The approval for Conditional Use and Land Development and the progress in other related areas bring us closer to realizing our vision for enhanced sports facilities, which we aim to complete by the Fall of 2024.

These accomplishments reflect the spirit of Westtown School, where growth, teamwork, and resilience are as much a part of our ethos as academic excellence. As we look towards the winter season, we remain committed to fostering an environment where our student-athletes can continue to thrive and succeed.

National Merit Scholarship Commended Students

Lynette Assarsson on December 11, 2023

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) has recognized the following as Commended Students for their outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT: (from left) seniors Peishan Huang, Maya Jain, Joey Kim, Jerry Li, Ly Nguyen, Ethan Shaman, Tony Wang, and Alena Zhang. “Those named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” says a spokesperson for the NMSC. “These students represent valuable national resources; recognizing their accomplishments as well as the key role their schools play in their development is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.” Please join us in congratulating these students on their outstanding achievement!

Lenape Celebration Day

Lynette Assarsson on December 11, 2023

Fourth grade spent the fall term learning about the Lenape people who were the first people to live on the land that is now our campus. The Lenape Celebration Day is an opportunity to honor and celebrate the Lenape, while enjoying the beauty of this campus. Students worked together to prepare food from ingredients (squash, beans, and corn) that the Indigenous people would have grown. They spent time in the woods building structures and canoeing on the lake. They also played traditional Lenape games in the Arboretum. Other campus activities included time on the ropes course, a cookout at the lake, a sunset Meeting for Worship, and making s’mores at the fire circle. See more photos from Lenape Day here!

Fifth Graders Travel to Echo Hill

Lynette Assarsson on December 11, 2023

Experiential learning is an important part of the Lower School curriculum, and fifth graders have the opportunity for hands-on learning, exploring nature and ecosystems off campus, and team building in their annual trips to Echo Hill. Echo Hill is an outdoor education camp by the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland that houses, feeds, and educates students. During our fifth graders’ trip to Echo Hill, they engaged in canoeing, ecology classes, learning survival skills, studying the bay ecosystem, and more. Over three days and two nights, our students have experiences that allow them to build their independence, learn about themselves and classmates, and do things they may have never done before. Some of the highlights included, night hiking, learning about the bay—and kissing fish! See more from their adventures here!

Seventh Grade Canoe Trip

Lynette Assarsson on December 11, 2023

The beloved tradition of Middle School canoe trips, which now spans more than four decades, kicked off this year with the seventh grade’s trip to the Delaware Water Gap. Students prepared for the trip on campus before taking off on the water where they paddled well, developed new friendships, and laughed a lot! Director of Outdoor Education Chris Costa shared that they had beautiful weather and saw multiple Bald Eagles—including several that were circling over them during their floating Meeting for Worship. Students worked together to set up camp, cook dinner, practiced Leave No Trace principles, read maps, and navigated their canoes over 20 miles on the Delaware River. They were challenged and grew in many ways that will continue to strengthen their class and our community back at Westtown! We offer a special shout out to the many enthusiastic teachers who accompany students on these trips, ensuring that they have a safe, educational, and fun experience. Have a look at the entire gallery of photos from this trip here!