Jessie Wang ’26, along with all Upper School students who were enrolled in an advanced math class, took the Mathematical Association of America’s (MAA) American Mathematics Competitions (AMC). Her performance in the AMC 10 B for 9th and 10th grade students—a 75-minute, 25-question problem-solving exam—was one of the top in the country, earning her an AMC Young Women in Mathematics Award.  

The American Mathematics Competitions’ (AMC) Young Women in Mathematics Award and Certificate Program honors the top-performing, self-identifying girl students on the AMC 8, 10, and 12. The top five scorers in each competition split a $5,000 scholarship, and the top five scorers from each MAA Section receive a certificate.

In 1950, the first Mathematical Contest, sponsored by the New York Metropolitan Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), took place. It was given in approximately 200 schools to around 6,000 students in the New York area only. Today, the competition has grown to over 300,000 students participating annually, in over 4,000 schools.

Based on her performance on the AMC 10, Jessie was invited to take the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME): AMC’s invitational competition for high-scoring AMC 10/12 participants.  Later, she was invited to participate in the United States of America Junior Mathematical Olympiad (USAJMO) (AMC’s top invitational competition for high-scoring AIME participants). Congratulations, Jessie! ~ Jake Norton, Upper School Math Teacher

Teachers often seek ways for cross-divisional work among students, so that older students can teach younger ones, or students with proficiency in one area can tutor those developing skills as exemplified in the math and English peer tutoring programs in the Upper School. Recently, Upper School students who are native Spanish-speakers (students from Spain, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico) visited Upper and Middle School Spanish 1 classes to help students practice their conversation skills. Spanish 1 students interviewed the Spanish speakers about their homes, and drew pictures based on their conversation. This is just one of the ways our students’ varied experiences and gifts enrich the classroom experience for all.

Additionally, back in February, the youngest members of our community, Primary Circle, joined faculty and students in Upper School for a special visit to the Science Building! Initiated by chemistry teacher Rose Koenig and supported by her science colleagues in the Science Department, students got a taste of chemistry, biology, and robotics in the Upper School. They made giant bubbles, elephant toothpaste, looked through a microscope, and got to try their hand at operating the robots of the Metal Moose, our robotics team. These “crossovers” are reminders that students are teachers, too!

Enjoy the full gallery of photos here.

Director of Outdoor Education Chris Costa, along with trip leaders Elson Blunt, Fran de la Torre-Shu, Justin Boyer, Jodie Driver, and Melinda Janofsky, traveled to the High Peaks Region in New York’s Adirondack Mountains with a group of 23 students during the long winter weekend in February. Costa reports, “We had early mornings and very full days! Students were fully engaged in programming from Friday morning through Monday night. They worked well together and learned a lot about themselves, one another, and the pace and rhythms of traveling together in the mountains. They unplugged while at camp, engaged in family style meals and joined in the work of making our expedition run smoothly.” They hiked, skied, snowboarded, played games in the evening, and shared campfire s’mores. Costa adds that it was not an easy trip, and that was largely by design. Students faced challenges such as those presented by living in rustic accommodations in the winter, practicing the patience required to travel in a large group, learning to ski and/or snowboard, and shifting their relationship with technology. “They displayed resilience and flexibility and reflected in our closing ceremony about ways that they would bring their experience back to their life at Westtown.” Experiences like these are natural team builders, as well as opportunities to be in and learn from nature. Check out some photos from the weekend here!

It is a marvelous thing when students return to campus each fall. Student return is incremental and happens in stages  —athletes arrive for presesaon, then international students, then student leaders, then new students — until at last all students have returned; in all this year, 696 students!

The Opening-of-School process includes orientation sessions, team-building exercises, and fun events for students and families to get to know the school and one another, such as the Lower School Sneak-A-Peak  and the  Middle School Ice Cream Social.

In the Upper School, great care is taken to make students feel welcome and at home, especially those coming from great distances. This year we welcomed students from 21 states and 18 countries! Check out some of  activities offered to students, from special orientation sessions for internationals students to team-building, to a special BBQ, to a night out at Ice Line for ice skating.