Black History Month at Westtown 2023

Stacey Lopez on March 27, 2023

Black History Month at Westtown

In the Lower and Middle Schools, celebration of Black History Month centered on the themes of Black joy, Black Excellence, Black Achievement, and Black families. Kelly Yiadom, Director of Equity, Justice, and Belonging for Lower and Middle Schools, engaged students in a series of activities throughout the month around these themes. Students learned about Black inventors and entrepreneurs—Frederick McKinley, Granville T. Woods, and Dr. Patricia Bath, among others—as well as the achievements of Black Americans. Fifth graders visited the Archives to learn about Black history at Westtown. Students in each grade read a variety of works from the poetry of Amanda Gorman and books like Hair Love and Put Your Shoes on and Get Ready by Raphael Warnock. Primary Circle students had a special visit from 8th grader Ryder Tookes, who read I’m Loving Me, which was written by his aunt and uncle, Dr. Clarissa Henry-Adekanbi and David D. Henry II. In addition to readings, third graders listened to music, watched StoryCorps videos and Hidden Figures. All of these activities across the grades led to robust discussions among students. Queries in Meeting for Worship in both divisions centered around why celebrating Black History Month is important. In addition to readings, discussions, and classroom activities, Middle School students learned about the incredible life of Thurgood Marshall in a one man-show at the People’s Light Theater.

Eighth grader Jamila Burgos was invited to compete in a Black History Month oratorical contest at Penncrest High School. Jamila competed against five high school students and took home the grand prize with her performance of her original poem which was inspired by Nikki Giovanni’s Rosa Parks! Congratulations to Jamila!

Upper School students, faculty, staff, and families came together for our Black History Month Community dinner. The Black Student Union worked with the Dining Room staff to coordinate the dinner, decorated the Dining Room, and planned a delicious menu that included sweet tea, mac and cheese, greens, and sweet potatoes. It was a joyous event that included singing, shared poems, and dancing together in celebration of Black culture at Westtown. Enjoy the gallery of photos here (photo credits to Coco Chen ’25)!

The Upper School wrapped up Black History Month with an assembly featuring a performance by Amari Rebel and the Movement which honored Black culture and celebrated the history of Black music. Students and faculty were singing and dancing to this lively, lovely performance in the Barton-Test Theater! Our thanks to DeVon Jackson, Director of Equity, Justice, and Belong for the Upper School, for bringing this talented group to campus! See images from this performance here.

The assembly was a joyful end to the month that also celebrated Black love in Community Collection, and Meetings for Worship that centered around the five senses of Black excellence. In collaboration with DeVon Jackson, each of the Black affinity groups—Black Women Affinity Group, Multicultural Student Union, In the Know (young men), and Black Student Union—presented queries at a Meeting for Worship aimed at sight and touch (identity, being seen), taste and smell (cultural cuisine, scents), and sound (the impact of Black music). Within these Meetings were also queries about Blackness at Westtown, the impact of Black women in our daily lives, the ways in which Black men impact our lives, and considering which achievements or stories from Black history resonate with us individually.

Middle School Play: The Story Store

Stacey Lopez on March 27, 2023

Congratulations to the cast and crew who staged the awesome Middle School production of The Story Store by Lana Haehnel! The play takes place in the near future where there is a service that helps you craft the narratives of your life, from the casual (“What do I say when people ask about my family?”) to the world-changing (“Who should I vote for?”). What does this service mean when it comes to digital privacy, individual thought, and the nature of truth? Roughly 52 Middle School students were involved with the production both on and off stage. Well done, students! Check out the gallery of photos here!

African Dance 2022-23

Stacey Lopez on March 27, 2023

This year’s third grade African Dance performance marked the 21st anniversary of the African Dance program at Westtown and the partnership with Jeannine Osayande and the Dunya Performing Arts Company! The African Dance performance is a culmination of an extensive unit of study on the continent of Africa and its countries, cultures, and arts and a six-week residency of Osayande and the Dunya Performing Arts Company (DunyaPAC) during which they teach students West African dances and Capoeira. Osayande, Dunya PAC, and the drummers are professional performers whose mission is to teach children about African culture and its diaspora. During Osayande’s and DunyaPAC’s residency, third grade teachers Vicki Shelter and Kristin Hayman lead the students through this exploration of the countries of Africa, and art teacher Kelly Nicholson worked with students on creating their batik costumes while learning about West African adinkra symbols. Third graders did an excellent job in their performance, and so did parents and teachers, who joined in the dancing at the end of the show. Enjoy the gallery of photos here!

Students: Learners and Teachers

Stacey Lopez on March 27, 2023

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.

Into the Mountains

Stacey Lopez on March 27, 2023

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!

Lunar New Year Celebrations 2023

Stacey Lopez on March 27, 2023

The annual Lunar New Year Community Dinner in the Upper School did not disappoint! Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai students worked hard to bring this event back to its pre-pandemic style. Delicious foods, from a menu created and prepared by the students alongside kitchen staff, were served at the dinner which was accompanied by music, student performances, community sharing, and, of course, the Lion Dance. After dinner, students were invited to visit “cultural stations” in classrooms along Main Hall where they could learn about various cultures, play games, and do activities. The wonderful video below, made by students Eric Li ’24 and Coco Chen ’25, captures the joy and excitement of our Lunar New Year Community Dinner.

Lunar New Year 2023 from Westtown School on Vimeo.

In Middle School, 8th grade volunteers supported the Lunar New Year activities throughout the week. All students in Middle School learned about Lunar New Year celebrations, and teacher Jie Song and Mandarin language students created this video below of songs and well wishes for the Lunar New Year.

Students in Lower School learned about Lunar New Year through books, activities, and from parents of Lower School students who came to share how they celebrate the Lunar New Year in their cultures. Students learned about Chūnjié, Seollal, and Tết – thanks to our parents! Have a look at the gallery of photos from this special week of activities!

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Winter Dance Concert

Stacey Lopez on March 27, 2023

Elements Dance Company’s and the Upper School Winter Dance Ensemble’s Winter Dance Concert, entitled Movements on Equal Rights, was a celebration of those who fought for equity, justice, and belonging. Created collaboratively by dance teacher Amy Grebe, student dancers, and guest artist Inaijah Meaux, the pieces in this concert were inspired by lesser-known activists as well as Westtown’s own archival journalism; the work responds to decades of The Brown & White articles documenting the real-time reactions to equality movements by Westonians of the era. You can enjoy photos from their wonderful performances here and here. Photo credits go to students Eric Li ’24 and Dylan Precious ’24, respectively.

Arts Awards and Accolades

Stacey Lopez on March 27, 2023

This winter, seven Upper School students were honored with 20 recognitions from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers!

Priyanka Acharya ’23: Gold Key for “Alone” (Visual Art); Gold Key for “Evolution of Change” (Three-Dimensional Visual Art); Gold Key for “Generational Change” (Visual Art); Silver Key for “Family Line”(Visual Art)

Chloe Baker ’23: Gold Key for “Striving in the Souls of Black Folk: Resisting Humanization” (Critical Essay);Honorable Mention for “Ending an Epic: What Modern Retellings of The Odyssey Get Right” (Critical Essay); Honorable Mention for “Disgust, Desire, and the Transfeminine Body” (Critical Essay); Honorable Mention for “Ouroboros” (Flash Fiction); Honorable Mention for “Pondscum” (Science Fiction and Fantasy)

Coco Chen ’25: Honorable Mention for “May God bless you” (Digital Art)

Peishan Huang ’24: Gold Keyfor “Enemy” (Short Story); Gold Key for “Jiajia” (Short Story)

Eric Li ’24: Gold Key for “Surveillance” (Photography);Silver Key for “Forgotten Home” (Photography);Silver Key for “Mother” (Photography);Silver Key for “The Builder” (Photography);Honorable Mention for “Ferry Terminal” (Photography); Honorable Mention for “Moon at Dawn” (Photography)

Jacob Liu ’25: Honorable Mention for “An Elegy of Home” (Poetry)

Tina Zhu ’25: Gold Key for “self-portrait” (Visual Art)

In other Upper School visual and performing arts news, carved ceramic tiles by Karah Blunt ’25 were selected by the National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition out of 1,300 entries nationwide, and percussionist Milo Salvucci ’23 and flutist Ella Cook ’24 ranked as the top and second musicians respectively in our district of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Honors Festival. They joined the District Band Festival with tubist Solveig-Michael Daniels ’23. Join us in congratulation these talented artists, writers, and musicians!

Middle School Artists Receive Honors

Stacey Lopez on March 27, 2023

Delia Sanchez’s ’27 sculpture was selected as a Juror’s Prize by the Council for Art Education and the Pennsylvania Art Educators Association—the piece will be on exhibit in the State Capitol. Pieces by Maura Wiggins ’27 and Maitreyi Vadigepalli ’27 were included in the association’s Youth Art Month exhibit. These pieces were produced in teacher Marta Willgoose Salo’s art class.

Chesco Band Fest Nominees

Stacey Lopez on March 27, 2023

Congratulations to the six Westtown students in 5th and 6th grade who were nominated to participate in the Chesco Band Fest: William Bromage, Norah Davidson, Felix Hopf, Hamilton Kreiling, Kayla Park, and Griffin Richards! These students participated in a one-day festival and worked with a guest conductor to rehearse and prepare music for an evening concert. This year’s fest took place at Owen J. Roberts High School and featured guest conductor Ken Kemmerer. We are proud of our young musicians!