GeorGianpublication of george scho ol, newtow n, pennsy lvania

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December 2008

01perspectivesGeorge School Athletics: Lessons That Last a Lifetime

18george school launches new webs iteUnique design, rich with videos and photos, draws 35 percent increase in visits.

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Vol. 80 No. 03

learn ing commons takes shapeThe new green learning commons and Mollie Dodd Anderson Library will support research, collaboration, and study.

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perspectives George School Athletics: Lessons That Last a Lifetime

Alumnae Share Love of Lacrosse Summer Camp Rivalry Careers Benefit from Athletic SkillsIt’s All About the TeamEquestrians Enjoy Coach’s Approach eQuiz Highlights

features

Olympic Spirit at George School

New Learning Commons to Support Research, Collaboration and Study

George School Launches New Website

Table of ConTenTs Vol. 80 | no. 03 | December 2008

GeorGian

PHoTos: Girls’ Soccer (Inside Front Cover) Myra Jacobs ’11 lines up a pass during the girls’ varsity soccer game against Moorestown Friends. George School won the game 4-0, and ultimately the 2008 Friends Schools League Championship. (Photo: John Gleeson.) Athletic History (Front Cover) Retired jerseys inside the Alumni Gym give visitors a glimpse into George School’s rich athletic history, spanning 125 years. (Photo: Jerry Millevoi)

campus news & notes

alumni tell us

in memoriam

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During George School’s recent five-year curricu-

lum review, we reaffirmed our commitment to a

rigorous sport and physical education requirement

for all students. It is easy to defend such a require-

ment in a time when issues such as childhood obe-

sity and the popularity of junk food diets among

American teenagers are high in our national con-

sciousness. Yet the promotion of long-term health

and physical fitness for our students is only one

reason for our requirement.

It is clear to us at George School that the qual-

ities honed on the playing field—teamwork, col-

laboration, problem solving, time management

skills, the ability to accept and learn from mistakes,

sportsmanship, comfort in performing before an

audience, and joy in reaching a common goal—

carry over into the academic classroom. According

to a 2002 study by sociologist Beckett Broh of

Wittenberg University, published in the journal

Sociology of Education, participation in interscho-

lastic athletics strengthens high school students’

academic performance more than any other extra-

curricular activity.

We also know that the playing field is where many

of the strongest relationships that develop here at

George School begin. Our teams provide an illus-

tration of the interactions—among day and board-

ing students, students from all over the world, and

students from all four grade levels—that are a cor-

nerstone of a George School education. They bring

students and teachers together around

a common goal.

In the pages of this Perspectives section,

you will see confirmed what Kingdon Swayne ’37

wrote in George School: The History of a Quaker

Community—that “the fondest memories of their

youth for thousands of George School men and

women were born in the school’s gyms, tennis

courts, swimming pools, and athletic fields.”

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George School Athletics: Lessons That Last a Lifetime

HeaD of sCHool nanCy sTarmer stops for a moment to speak with students.

Perspectives eDiteD by jul iaNa rosati

2 | GEORGIAN

December 2008

by aNDrea lehmaN

“Live. Love. Lacrosse.” These three words—the

motto of a lacrosse-themed apparel company with

a Cougar pedigree—could just as easily describe

what makes Kate Machemer ’99, Rachel Moore ’95,

and Ayana Green-Oliver ’93 tick. These alumnae,

and others like them, kindled a passion for the game

while playing for the school. Each in her own way

has kept the sport a significant part of her life and

career.

For Kate, that passion found its outlet in coach-

ing. After playing lacrosse for Connecticut College

for four years, Kate answered an online “advert” for

coaches in England, where lacrosse is played from

September to March, mainly at private schools. She

was soon sharing America’s first sport with British

schoolgirls, originally at the Alice Ottley School

and now at St. Paul’s Girls’ School, a top private day

school for girls aged eleven through eighteen.

The daughter of George School faculty

members Paul ’65 (a longtime coach) and Pam

Machemer, Kate initially resisted the inexorable

pull of a teaching career; however, she quickly dis-

covered that she had found her niche. She recalls,

“I came over to England in August not knowing a

soul and by October I realized two things: One, I

loved teaching and was good at it; and two, I loved

England.” She adds, “It was the first time in my life

that I felt that I had done something completely on

my own.” In addition to coaching “first team” (var-

sity) lacrosse—a team that took first place in the

Division I tournament last year under her lead-

ership, finishing among the top twelve schools in

the country—Kate also teaches physical education

classes in swimming, netball, gymnastics, dance,

tennis, athletics (track), soccer, and badminton.

Though two years apart, Rachel and Ayana

knew each other on the George School lacrosse field.

Ayana’s senior year saw George School’s first Friends

Schools League girls’ lacrosse championship, the

first of three in a row in which Rachel participated.

From George School, Ayana went to the University

of Pennsylvania, where she played junior varsity,

and Rachel went to the University of Wisconsin–

Madison which, despite its size, fielded only a club

team. Rachel found that her favorite sport was rel-

atively unpopular in Wisconsin—the city of La

Crosse notwithstanding—but this did not prevent

Alumnae Share Love of Lacrosse

Perspectives

Gs Girls’ laCrosse Team members celebrate their game with St. Paul’s Girls’ School, coached by alum Kate Machemer ’99.

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her from becoming quite successful at coaching and

managing the club team, which competed through-

out the Midwest.

Years later, Rachel and Ayana reconnected in

New York when Ayana put out a call for women

interested in playing on a post-collegiate team.

Together they started Gotham Women’s Lacrosse

in 2001 and have both done turns as its president.

Realizing they made good partners, they developed

LuvLax (www.luvlax.net), a company that designs

and sells fashionable lacrosse attire for girls and

women. According to Ayana, “LuvLax allows us to

turn our passion, lacrosse, into an opportunity to

start and run our own business—a shared lifelong

dream.”

Along the way, they have each also volunteered

their time and talents to bring lacrosse—and the

lessons it teaches—across not only gender lines, but

also cultural ones. Both have worked with organiza-

tions that teach lacrosse in underserved communi-

ties. And both still love to play the game. Currently

working in business development, Rachel still plays

with Gotham. She notes, “I’ve met 95 percent of

my friends through lacrosse.” Ayana finds time to

play with Lakeshore Lacrosse in Chicago, where

she works and attends Northwestern University’s

Kellogg School of Management.

“I admit it. I am addicted. I simply love the

sport.” So says Ayana, but any of these ’90s grads

could have made the statement. Each also cites

George School Girls’ Athletic Director Nancy

Bernardini as an inspiration. Kate says, “She makes

her players care and want to do better. She pro-

motes team play as well as individual development.

She is the type of coach I am striving to be.” Nancy,

in turn, reflects on the satisfaction of guiding these

and other dedicated players in her thirty-one years

at George School: “It’s always great to have kids

who continue on with the sport and give back to the

sport that’s been so important to them.”

On April 1, 2008, this spirit of giving back and

love for lacrosse—and of George School lacrosse in

particular—resulted in an unusual interscholastic

competition. Midway through their American tour,

the St. Paul’s lacrosse team visited their coach’s alma

mater to play against the Cougars, stay with them in

their homes, and, as Kate explains, “experience the

wonderful community that GS is.” They came newly

decked out in goggles—which are not required in

England—and in LuvLax shirts, whose custom-

made logo design was donated by Rachel and Ayana.

Though George School lost 20–11 (it was the first

game in their season), the experience was clearly a

valuable one.

“I absolutely loved having the English girls

stay at my home,” comments Stephanie Feinman

’10, noting that she still keeps in touch with mem-

bers of the St. Paul’s team. She adds, “I have never

gotten to know girls quite this well in such a small

amount of time.” Kajsa Nelson ’10, who also served

as a host, recalls, “We stayed up late watching ridic-

ulous American television shows and talking about

the difference between teens in the United States

and England.” As Nancy observes, “They learned to

respect their opponents, learned about other cul-

tures, and found things they share in common.”

Lacrosse may be the oldest sport in North

America, but it is undeniably up-to-date in the

lives of Nancy, Kate, Ayana, Rachel, and those with

whom they have shared it.

raCHel moore ’95 and Ayana Green-Oliver ’93 formed LuvLax, a company that designs and sells lacrosse attire.

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KaTe maCHemer ’99 and Girls’ Athletic Director Nancy Bernardini enjoy their reunion during the George School lacrosse game against St. Paul’s Girls’ School.

4 | GEORGIAN

December 2008

Jeff freeDman ’83, director of Camp Winaukee, describes his job as “providing a 24/7 organized recess.”

Perspectives

by aNDrea lehmaN

There is a remarkable synchronicity to the careers

of Jim Talbot ’61 and Jeff Freedman ’83. Three-

sport student athletes at George School (albeit of

different generations) and two-sport collegiate ath-

letes (albeit at different institutions), Jim and Jeff

are now directors of residential boys’ sports camps

a baseball’s throw away from one another on the

shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire.

But this is not just a story about the parallels

between two careers. It is about two alumni who are

committed to sports and young people and to the

importance of the “education” component of physi-

cal education.

Jim Talbot is a self-described “faculty brat.”

His father, Jack Talbot, taught English, directed

plays, coached tennis and soccer, and was later a

dean at George School. For Jim, “It was a great place

to grow up in the ’50s. The whole campus was my

playground. I’m sure that’s why I love sports.”

Before he was old enough to attend George

School himself, he already “went to all the games”

and admired varsity athletes like Dick Packer ’52,

Jack Templeton ’58, Asa Cadwallader ’58, and Phil

Cane ’51, who were “larger than life to me. They

were not only great athletes, but they seemed like—

and were—wonderful people.”

At George School, Jim played soccer, basket-

ball, and tennis in an era of terrific Cougar teams.

He and doubles partner Lee Price ’61 never lost,

establishing a friendship that continues today. From

the University of North Carolina, where he played

varsity soccer and tennis, Jim went on to thirty-

four years at Chestnut Hill Academy (CHA). First

an English teacher and later the athletic director, he

coached soccer, basketball, tennis, and golf (he still

coaches golf, even after retiring as athletic director).

Jim was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall

of Fame for coaching soccer, and the CHA soccer

field is named in his honor.

In the early ’80s, while Jim Talbot was at CHA,

Jeff Freedman was spending his junior and senior

years at George School, having transferred from

The Hun School of Princeton. At George School he

played football, basketball, and tennis, and though

he vividly remembers his first football game against

Hun (the Cougars won 13-0, with Jeff getting two

interceptions), he says that otherwise “I don’t

remember the wins and losses. What I learned was

to be a good teammate, to never give up, and to

always carry myself as a gentleman. I left GS with a

Summer Camp Rivalry Keeps Alumni Connected

GEORGIAN | 5

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passion for sports.” Moreover, he notes that George

School taught him “to always look for the positive

in people.”

Unlike Jim, Jeff went to a small Division III

school, Minnesota’s Macalester College, where he

played basketball and tennis and was a collegiate

All-American and academic All-American. After

a brief, humbling stint as a tennis pro on the satel-

lite tours, Jeff earned a law degree and joined the

NCAA’s enforcement division, investigating foot-

ball and basketball programs that violated NCAA

rules. When he decided that it was time to make

a career change, Jeff contacted his now-partner at

Camp Winaukee, where he had been a camper dur-

ing eight years of his childhood. It was an inquiry

as serendipitous as it was synchronous with Jim

Talbot. Jeff became an associate director of the

camp in 1999, and became a director in 2000. A

year later, he learned from former George School

athletic director Bob Geissinger that a certain

George School alumnus was becoming director at

a camp just a couple of miles away.

Segueing into retirement from CHA, Jim became

director of Camp Tecumseh, which offers sports

from archery to wrestling, beach volleyball to water

polo, along with hiking in the White Mountains

and a drama program leading to a Gilbert and

Sullivan operetta. He acknowledges that even his

latest career move is a nod to his father, who spent

summers as a tennis pro at Pocono Lake Preserve.

“My job combines a little bit of a headmaster, devel-

opment director, and admissions director, as well as

an athletic director,” he says. “A summer away from

home in a beautiful environment is a great expe-

rience for young kids. You hope that you and your

staff are good role models for kids. You give them

experiences that are valuable.”

Jeff agrees. “We’re role models for young boys.

It’s about core values development, making lifelong

friendships, being away from home, developing

independence, learning life skills, athletic skill

acquisition, teamwork, and building confidence.”

Like Tecumseh, Winaukee offers sports and adven-

ture experiences including a range of land and

water activities. Like George School, Winaukee

enrolls a significant international population.

The camps play each other regularly, with a good-

natured rivalry Jeff likens to George School and

Westtown (or Academy of the New Church in foot-

ball). Jeff says, “Everyone needs a rival. Camp

Tecumseh is the camp that our campers like to

compete against most.” Jim, who believes that there

are “all sorts of good things you learn from being in

competition, especially good sportsmanship,” notes

that the two camps have “similar philosophies.”

Both Jim and Jeff recognize George School

as playing a huge role in the directions their lives

took, crediting mentors (Bill Craighead, Bob

Geissinger, Ken Keskinen, and his father for Jim;

Paul Machemer, Fran Bradley, Bruce DiMicco,

and also Bob Geissinger for Jeff) with, as Jeff puts

it, “teaching me how to act as a young man.” And

both are enjoying the current chapter of their

careers. Jim says, “I absolutely love my association

with athletics and kids. It can be a very valuable

teaching tool. I consider the soccer field and ten-

nis court my classrooms.” Jeff states, “I’m passion-

ate about sports and what sports can do for char-

acter. I have the best job around. I am providing a

24/7 organized recess and putting smiles on kids’

faces.” That these two roads converged in a New

Hampshire wood has no doubt had a lasting impact

on the lives of Jim, Jeff, and countless boys.

“ What I learned was to be a good teammate, to never give up, and to always carry myself as a gentleman. I left GS with a passion for sports.”

Jim TalboT ’61, director of Camp Tecumseh,played soccer, basketball, and tennis in an era of terrific Cougar teams.

6 | GEORGIAN

December 2008

One of the most important lessons that Andrew

Yablin ’81 learned as quarterback for George

School’s varsity football team was how to design and

carry out a game plan. More than twenty-five years

later, Andrew executed the biggest game plan of his

life: the July 2007 global launch of Harry Potter and

the Deathly Hallows, the last book in the celebrated

series by author J.K. Rowling.

“I think sports not only get you ready for col-

lege, but they also get you ready for the real world,”

says Andrew, vice president of global logistics for

Scholastic Inc. According to Andrew, athletics and

the “real world” have several things in common:

teamwork, competition, and the friendships that

happen along the way. “I gained a ton of self confi-

dence through my GS athletic experience,” he states.

Like Andrew, many graduates have found that

their positive experiences in sports instilled lead-

ership skills that have put them on the path to suc-

cess in their careers and personal lives. Athletics

have always been an integral part of the George

School experience, and the school recently reaf-

firmed its commitment to a sport and physical edu-

cation requirement for all students. According to

Michigan State University’s Institute for the Study of

Youth Sports, participation in sports not only helps

students lead healthier lives, but also promotes self-

confidence, greater academic achievement, and the

development of leadership skills such as teamwork,

dedication, and discipline.

At Scholastic, Andrew oversaw the distribu-

tion of the last three Harry Potter books in the pop-

ular series. With fourteen million copies distributed

in thirty-two countries, Deathly Hallows set a record

as the largest new product launch ever in the United

States. Andrew started planning the logistics of the

book’s release six months in advance, addressing

matters such as delivery, cost, and security.

“When you’re responsible for a global product

launch that sets a record in the world, for getting

that out and not disappointing any child who was

hoping to get that book in their hands, there’s a lot

of pressure,” remarks Andrew. He notes, “My lead-

ership skills, developed on the football and baseball

fields in Newtown, Pennsylvania, have helped me

in my twenty-five-year business career around the

world.”

Playing on a team and working together for a

common goal provides a valuable boost to students’

self-confidence, according to Art Henrie ’47. For

him, having a coach at George School who believed

in his abilities—particularly during the formative

teen years—made a significant difference. “I am

sure my success in sports, particularly track, helped

build my self-confidence and self-worth at a time

when they would stay with me for the rest of my

life,” he says.

At George School, Art twice succeeded in out-

running the state track champion. “I remember

Coach Stan Sutton saying to me that he thought I

could beat this guy. He convinced me that I could,

and I did. That was very special for me,” recalls the

retired entrepreneur and current George School

Committee member. He adds, “I was defeated

enough to put everything in perspective. Whether

you excel or not, if you participate, it’s fun and

you have a camaraderie that develops from it.” Art

notes that his athletics career at the University of

Michigan “opened doors and made me stand out in

my subsequent business career.”

Anne de Barcza ’75 admits that she was never

“an amazing natural athlete.” Even so, she was made

to feel like a valued member of the field hockey,

lacrosse, and swim teams. Coaches never compared

her to other players, she says, but praised her accom-

plishments and helped her achieve her goals. She

has integrated this philosophy into her management

style.

“The lesson is that you’re all in this together,

and if everyone delivers 100 percent of what they

can deliver, you will have a strong team,” says Anne,

a senior vice president of sales for designer jewelry

company Slane & Slane. “And that’s very true in

business. If everyone makes the same level of com-

mitment, then you have a much better chance of

succeeding as a team in whatever you’re trying to

accomplish.”

Jack Benjamin Ford ’93, a sales manager for a

horticultural supply company, believes that partici-

pating in sports helps students learn to make good

decisions, as well as to respect the competition. He

Careers Benefit from Athletic Skills

Perspectives

by KareN Doss bowmaN

GEORGIAN | 7

perspecti V es

uses sports analogies in his career, referring to his

staff members as teammates and telling them, “You

win some, and you lose some—and that is okay.”

One particular George School win stands out

in his memory. During his senior football sea-

son, he and his teammates achieved a sweet vic-

tory over Academy of the New Church—the George

School team’s first win over the archrival in seven-

teen years. Fifteen years later, his excitement is still

detectable. “There’s a trophy that goes back and

forth between the schools, and we brought it back

that year, and it was quite a celebration,” Jack

remembers. “The victory was something our team

started working towards during our freshman

year, so it was a four-year process. That was quite

memorable.”

From her vantage point as the owner of

Recruitment Solutions LLC, an executive search

firm that places people in jobs at all levels, Elizabeth

Geissinger Giardinelli ’74 regularly sees how careers

can benefit from athletics. “My clients are valu-

ing any type of competitive sports experience they

see on the resume,” she says. Job candidates with an

athletics background are perceived to have dedica-

tion, determination, and the ability to prioritize and

organize, she explains.

As the daughter of George School’s longtime ath-

letic director and coach Robert Geissinger, Elizabeth

also has plenty of evidence that high school sports

experiences can be meaningful to students on a per-

sonal level for years to come. “I was able to observe

many graduates over long periods of time returning

to campus on Alumni Day or just calling my dad,”

says Elizabeth, who lived on the George School cam-

pus for twenty-eight years. She recalls overhearing

her father engaged in many animated conversations

with alumni, reliving memories of the big game that

was tied in the last second or a championship win.

“Many seemed to remember vividly their time on

a specific team and have very fond memories that

truly did tend to help shape or contribute positively

in some way,” she says.

alumni aTHleTes1. Andrew Yablin ’81 2. Jack Benjamin Ford ’933. Art Henrie ’474. Elizabeth Geissinger Giardinelli ’745. Anne de Barcza ’75

“ I am sure my success in sports, particularly track, helped build my self-confidence and self- worth at a time when they would stay with me for the rest of my life.”

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8 | GEORGIAN

December 2008

by jul iaNa rosati

When the George School boys’ varsity tennis

team won the 2008 Friends Schools League (FSL)

Championship after an undefeated season in league

play, coach and science teacher Pacho Gutierrez ’77

described the accomplishment as an “amazing feat.”

Winning is not the concept that receives pri-

mary emphasis in Pacho’s approach to coaching,

however; instead, it is this: “You are a member of

a team.” To cultivate a sense of fairness and team

spirit, he establishes his team’s lineup not through

individual players’ rankings, but through challenge

matches. “You have to earn your spot on the roster,”

Pacho says. In addition, while he doesn’t mind if stu-

dents play tennis outside of school, he requires his

players to practice and condition with the team, and

participate in all league matches. “That in itself sets

the tone that the team is as important as your indi-

vidual accomplishments,” explains Pacho, who has

coached boys’ tennis for eight years, with five at the

varsity level.

According to Boys’ Athletic Director Sean

Casey, emphasizing teamwork is not the only way

in which Pacho exemplifies the qualities that define

George School coaches. “Pacho’s coaching style illus-

trates the Athletic Department’s ideals of teamwork,

sportsmanship, motivation, respect, pride, integrity,

and discipline,” says Sean. “Like his fellow coaches at

George School, Pacho takes care to give each student

individual attention, so that they experience ath-

letics as an opportunity to develop confidence and

leadership skills. He also serves as a good role model

for his players.”

A singles player on the boys’ varsity tennis team

this past spring, Jason Sisti ’11 describes Pacho as

a coach who is “really hands-on” during practices

and is known to continue playing tennis with his

students after school and on weekends. Jason says,

“He’s really enthusiastic. He loves it. He wants every-

one to get better, including himself.”

Pacho’s coaching skills benefit students year-

round. In the fall, he teaches a physical education

class in Ultimate Frisbee and informally helps out

with boys’ soccer, which he previously coached for

sixteen years, four of them at the varsity level. In

the winter, he coaches boys’ varsity wrestling, as he

has for the past ten years, after three years with the

junior varsity team.

As a tennis coach, Pacho says, he takes a

nuanced approach that differs from the more

straightforward coaching he favors in wrestling and

soccer. “Tennis is a very cerebral sport,” he com-

ments. “You can overcoach very easily.” During

GeorGe sCHool’s boys’ varsity tennis team won the 2008 Friends Schools League Championship, defeating Friends’ Central School. Team members include:(Front row) Michael Guth ’08, Jason Sisti ’11, Devon Pinkus ’11, Jake Fridman ’10, Michael Tseng ’08, and coach Pacho Gutierrez ’77(Back row) Walter Stephenson ’08, Ben Cohen ’08, Ben Biros ’08, DonChristian Jones ’08, and Josh McGowan ’09

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GEORGIAN | 9

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matches, he notes, “what you don’t say may be more

important than what you do.” During practice,

however, he points out, “it’s the other way around,”

and he plays a very active role.

Devon Pinkus ’11 says of Pacho, “He’s really

good at working with the players. If you’re having

trouble with an idea, he puts a lot of time into it to

help you grow.” Devon, who played varsity tennis as

a freshman in the spring of 2008, recalls, “If he was

trying to teach us a concept or strategy, and we were

doing it wrong, he’d always go in there and demon-

strate it for us.”

Josh McGowan ’09, also a varsity player this

past spring, says that Pacho has an “intense yet

simultaneously easygoing” attitude. Josh comments,

“He manages to be the authority that makes us work

and drives us to improve but still maintains his

friendly personality when he’s out there hitting balls

with us.”

Pacho’s intense tennis practices paid off on May

15, 2008, when the boys’ varsity tennis team won

the Friends Schools League (FSL) Championship,

defeating Friends’ Central School by a score of 3-2,

after a season in which the George School team went

undefeated in league play. It was the first time that

George School had won the FSL tennis title since

1999, and Friends’ Central had been the FSL cham-

pion for six of the previous seven seasons. In recog-

nition of the team’s achievement, Pacho was named

Boys Tennis Coach of the Year by the Bucks County

Courier Times.

DonChristian Jones ’08, who was a member of

the team, states, “My co-captains were two of my

best friends and toughest competitors, the players

were all really devoted, and Pacho was an inspir-

ing coach. Of all the four years playing tennis at GS,

the ’08 team was by far the most focused and driven,

and I’m proud to have been a part of it.”

During the season, the team won by shutout

seven times and accumulated an overall record of

13-2, winning the last eleven matches; nonetheless,

when it was time for the FSL Championship, Pacho

did not take anything for granted. To keep the play-

ers focused, he told them, “Even though you made

it this far, you still have to finish what you started.”

To illustrate his point, he evoked recent memories of

two teams that had emerged undefeated from league

play but ended up losing the championship. “I

think that was a good motivator, because they could

remember those teams,” he says.

Pacho learned the value of staying focused when he

was a George School student himself, wrestling his

“archnemesis” from Friends’ Central. Pacho recalls,

“There were twelve seconds left in the match, and

I was down 0-3.” At that moment, Pacho decided

to try his pet move—a Granby roll that coach Russ

Weimar ’48 had taught him—one last time. It

worked, earning him the four points necessary to

win the match. “The buzzer rang and the ref had

not yet awarded any points,” Pacho remembers. “He

then signaled, ‘two point reversal, two point near

fall,’ and our team went nuts.”

Pacho credits the experience with teaching him

that “you have to give it your all every second.”

Judging from his tennis players’ insights and perfor-

mance, that’s a message they heard loud and clear.

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number one sinGles, Jason Sisti ’11, prepares to hit a cross court shot with his devastating two-handed backhand.

“ Pacho takes care to give each student individual attention, so that they experience athletics as an opportunity to develop confidence and leadership skills.”

10 | GEORGIAN

December 2008

by jul iaNa rosati

If you ask students to describe the atmosphere at

George School’s Equestrian Center, you’ll hear

answers like “it has a different feel to it,” “it just

seems like everything’s so far away,” and “it’s calm-

ing yet exciting at the same time.” While these

words suggest a magical place, the riders stay

firmly rooted in reality while enjoying their sport.

Equestrian Program Director Bonnie Takakjy’s

down-to-earth approach fosters a program that

focuses on learning, teamwork, and responsibility.

Junior varsity team member Donna Hordis ’10

describes Bonnie as a “realist” who is “hands-on

and positive, but not coddling.” Varsity rider

Georgina Simson ’09 observes that “you can relate

to her like you’d relate to another student”—with

camaraderie and joking outside of lesson time—

“but still respect her like a teacher.” During lessons,

she notes, Bonnie will “tell you exactly what you’re

doing wrong and, if you’re doing something right,

she’ll tell you that too.” Mady McMahon ’12, also a

member of the varsity team, says of Bonnie, “She’s

very fun-loving. She’s there because she loves it.”

Bonnie states that it is “really gratifying” to

share her love of riding with George School stu-

dents. That love began when she started riding

at the age of three. When she was eight years old,

she started showing hunt seat at local shows. In

the Appaloosa Circuit, she qualified for the world

competition in the four-foot jumpers. She con-

tinued riding at Southern Virginia College, where

she majored in equine management. Bonnie began

working at George School in 1996 as barn manager,

and in 1998 she became the equestrian program

director.

At George School, Bonnie teaches a basic bal-

anced seat, which combines elements of dressage,

hunt seat, and jumping. Riders develop a functional

riding ability that can serve as a basis for further

education in any discipline. Balanced seat teaches

the rider body awareness and relaxation so that the

rider and the horse become a team. According to

Equestrians Enjoy Coach’s Down-to-Earth Approach

Perspectives

CoaCH bonnie TaKaKJy gives jumping tips to DeAnna Meckling ’12 at the George School Equestrian Center.

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‘05

GEORGIAN | 11

perspecti V es

Bonnie, this approach allows for an emphasis on

learning through constructive feedback from the

coach, from fellow students, and from judges at the

Bucks County Horse Park in Revere, Pennsylvania,

where the junior varsity and varsity teams compete

in shows. Bonnie says that she focuses on “being

picky” and “fixing small details” when working

with experienced riders, whereas the developmen-

tal team offers her an opportunity to “take kids who

don’t know how to ride and teach them how.”

Students appreciate the results of Bonnie’s coaching.

Georgina, who has been riding for twelve years and

brought her own horse to stay in one of the three

stalls reserved for student-owned horses, reports

that she and her horse “work a lot better as a team”

due to Bonnie’s instruction. Varsity team mem-

ber Lara Bader ’09 states, “Bonnie teaches us how to

ride our horses effectively—not just to look good,

but to be able to ride well and with different horses.”

DeAnna Meckling ’12, also a varsity team mem-

ber, says that she has learned at George School to

relax when she is riding. “You’re not supposed to be

tense,” she explains, “because it upsets the horse.”

Bonnie teaches more than riding skills. She

makes sure that students observe a “safety first”

philosophy. Along with Barn Manager Colleen

Crowley, she stresses the importance of caring prop-

erly for horses and equipment. In addition, accord-

ing to Mady, Bonnie “always wants everyone to be

involved in everything,” such as deciding which

jumping course to use on a particular day. Donna

notes that another exercise in teamwork occurs if

a student is running late or has a dirty horse. Then

the riders come together to do a “speed tack-up,”

preparing their teammate’s horse in approximately

three minutes, as opposed to the fifteen minutes

it would take an individual to complete the task.

For George School’s equestrians, working

together does not seem to be a chore. Donna com-

ments, “We all get along so well.” Mady asserts that

her team feels “almost like a family.” In addition,

two recent alumnae credit Bonnie with imparting

significant lessons about social interactions.

Dory Graham-Vannais ’04, a former varsity

rider who currently works as a barn manager and

trainer at Painted Dreams Farm in Wrightstown,

Pennsylvania, remembers, “I think it was Bonnie

who unintentionally made me realize that riding

and the barn can be a place where people from all

backgrounds—economic, social, and skill level—

can come together and enjoy the animals we all love.

Riding can be professional, safe, fantastically fun,

and yet attainable for everyone.”

Another graduate of the varsity team, Zane

Bauer ’04, returns to campus to help Bonnie and

Colleen with the equestrian summer camp pro-

grams. She says, “I learned so many valuable lessons

from Bonnie about horsemanship, life, and friend-

ship that it would be hard to pin down one specific

example. She continues to enrich my life to this day,

and I am so thankful that I ever got the chance to

meet her.”

“ I learned so many valuable lessons from Bonnie about horsemanship, life, and friendship.”

aT GeorGe sCHool students learn a basic balanced seat, which combines elements of dressage, hunt seat, and jumping.

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12 | GEORGIAN

December 2008

eQuiz Highlights

The August eQuiz asked alumni to describe their

experiences in athletics at George School and

beyond. Some of the responses are highlighted here.

Thank you to the 262 alumni who participated.

Pursuing Athletics After GS

1952 | Richard H. Burdsall

After four years of wrestling at George School, I

made the varsity wrestling team at Swarthmore.

I wrestled varsity college matches as a freshman. It

was very satisfying. Ten years later I became a certi-

fied public school wrestling referee in upstate New

York, and refereed wrestling in New York state,

Vermont, and private schools. I also refereed col-

lege matches in a tournament at RPI.

1952 | Allen C. Starkey

Played spring football, soccer at PSU, got involved

with rugby eight years after graduation, am still

heavily involved. Played for fifteen years, including

international matches, refereed for twenty-five

years and currently coach a state champion wom-

en’s team, have for the past five years.

1953 | Peter S. New

I played sports in college and medical school. There

were basketball games at Cornell’s New York hos-

pital dorm after a night shift. Even now, I eagerly

look forward to playing tennis six to seven hours a

week, and racing the sailboat that is in front of my

house (this a sport too?).

1956 | Catherine (Cappy) A. Page

Since I worked in the recreation field, primarily

in aquatics for physically and mentally challenged

children and adults, I found that by using the tech-

niques and caring attention to my students that

[Eleanor] “Pete” Hess used with me and my class-

mates, great gains and improvement were reached.

1961 | Richard L. Brown

I played tennis in college though “down the line

up.” Once I had settled into working I found my

way back into tennis and for many years was active

in local and national tournaments and in admin-

istration of tennis matters. I have played a lot with

classmate Jim Talbot ’61 (probably the best athlete

of our generation at GS) and some with classmate

Lee Price ’61, who has most sneakily changed his

entire approach to the game and is better than ever.

That’s what happens when you move to the left coast.

1965 | William (Bill) G. Barton

Four years Division III college basketball and

lacrosse. Captain of both teams as a senior.

Commodore Hamilton College sailing team, junior

and senior years. Did seven years of California Club

lacrosse and it was great fun. State club champions

in 1975 for Berkeley Lacrosse Club and got to play

attack with former Princeton All-American Dick

Graham. That was so much fun and made many

lifetime friends from the club experience.

1967 | Ruth E. Bromer

I have been orienteering since 1978 and compete

nationally. My husband and I run our local ori-

enteering club and have trained our daughters,

one of whom competed in the World University

Orienteering Championships this summer. It’s

a sport for a lifetime that involves running and

thinking.

1981 | Lisa Labalme Osterland

I swam on the GS team sophomore, junior, and

senior years. I went on to swim for Vassar, and I

swam through both of my pregnancies. I have been

swimming for a master’s team in Montréal for six

years and I love it. Furthermore, I have inspired a

good number of people to join my team or to join

other master’s teams in their area of residence. In

one of my years on the GS swim team, my name

was “on the board” for swimming the butterf ly leg

of an IM medley relay. It gave me such pride to see

my name up there. Unfortunately, it wasn’t on the

board for long, but the memory still swells me up

inside—and brings tears to my eyes as I type this.

1982 | Alexandra Matthews Maytag

I continued running. Ran a marathon in grad school.

My running continued to be a source of self-

esteem and stress reduction. I think the way GS did

PE when I was there was fantastic: you have to do

something physical, but you can choose. It got me

Perspectives

GEORGIAN | 13

perspecti V es

very enthusiastic about physical fitness, and fitness

has remained an important part of my life.

1984 | Harold M. Buck

I’ve been involved in a variety of sports since grad-

uating, from the mainstream (running, swimming)

to the eclectic (fencing, triathlon, Ultimate frisbee,

rowing, cross-country skiing). I also coached a high

school fencing team for ten years. But one of my

most serious pursuits has been sports officiating.

As lacrosse got started in Minnesota, I responded

to a request for people with any experience with the

game—for me, that was one season of junior varsity

lacrosse at George School—and started officiating

high school games. Within a few years, I was doing

college games, and now I’m the local high school

assigner and director of training, and I hold several

offices with the U.S. Lacrosse Men’s Division

Officials Council.

1984 | Ellen Meranze

I am a teacher, a dean of students, and a coach. All

of my George School experiences have helped me.

I have coached volleyball, field hockey, swimming

and lacrosse. I also continue to give swimming les-

sons to people of all ages.

1986 | Christy A. Traenkle

Anne LeDuc was a great mentor to me; she always

knew when to be critical and when to encourage.

She was very instrumental in me gaining entry

into my college of choice—the University of

Pennsylvania—where I played field hockey for a

team that was ranked fourth in the nation.

1989 | Thomas W. Waters

I have pursued a master’s degree in sports man-

agement and worked at the University of Miami in

football, basketball, and baseball game operations

and travel.

1993 | Glenn J. Davis

I played Division III Lacrosse at a Top 20 program

and have started a club men’s team in the town I

live in now and help coach the high school lacrosse

team. I am also very active in skiing, mountain bik-

ing, and running.

What are you doing now?

I am a freshman at Old Dominion University

in Norfolk, Virginia, where I am a speech

and language pathology major. I received an

athletic scholarship to play Division I soccer for

Old Dominion and our team just finished the

season with a 14-4-2 record. We played in the

quarterfinals for our league, the Colonial Ath-

letic Association, and I was lucky to be named

to the All-Rookie Team for the league.

What sports did you play at George School?

I played soccer, basketball, and lacrosse at

George School. George School has so many

amazing and caring coaches.

Did you learn something particularly valuable through your experience in a team sport at George School?

I learned that it’s not always about winning; it’s

important to have fun when you’re on the court

or field. The teams I was on may not always

have been the best in our league, but when we

worked together and had fun at the games, it

was always enjoyable to play.

What skills did you learn from playing sports at George School that have helped you in non-athletic settings?

I gained patience and developed skills in work-

ing with others through my experiences as a

member of the George School sports teams.

What is your favorite George School memory?

The special bond that develops within each

team throughout their season. Whether the

team dresses up on game days to psych each

other up for the game, or plans pasta parties

the night before a game, being on a George

School team is a once-in-a-lifetime opportu-

nity. The experience has helped shape who I

am and made my high school experience that

much better.

Alumni Profile: Lisa Bernardini ’08

14 | GEORGIAN

December 2008

1993 | Heather L. Dillon

College soccer: both varsity and junior varsity.

Managed men’s basketball (Division III) and foot-

ball (Division I).

1993 | Rebecca T.S. Stanton Morris

I played softball on my Division III college team

and have played various sports on local recreational

leagues since then.

2000 | Jennifer Stone

Played Division I field hockey and lacrosse in col-

lege. Am currently the assistant field hockey coach

(Division I) at Lafayette College, my alma mater.

2002 | Betty Rogers

Playing for Griff [Tom Griffith] for three years and

being his captain my senior year taught me how to

focus my leadership skills in interfacing between

my peers and adult authority figures . . . not only on

the soccer field. As a three-year captain in college

for a Division I program, these lessons learned were

vital to my career and to my growth as a person.

Lessons Learned from Coaches

1948 | Ann Ridge Adams

Thwingie [Grace Thwing]—the importance of

sport team training which she espoused in a

meeting for worship. And the importance of

participation in sports by EVERY student. I agree

with her to this day.

1949 | Lawrence Buttenwieser

John Talbot—who urged me never to change a

winning game.

1951 | William Loucks

Mr. Stan Sutton is surely remembered by all

who knew him. His upright military stature,

his no-nonsense but humorous demeanor, and

his tremendous mentoring ability left a positive

mark on every student he touched.

1955 | David C. Humphrey

For me, sports were just pure joy. I loved playing

soccer and basketball, looked forward every day

to the end of classes and three hours on the play-

ing fields. While I was changing into gym clothes

I couldn’t wait to get on the basketball court and

start shooting around, and I loved the bus trips to

play various schools. Coaches like John Talbot,

Bill Craighead, and Jim Sailor played crucial roles

in making it a great experience.

1956 | Jean D. Hand Triol

Eleanor “Pete” Hess—I was not one of her better

players, but she treated everyone with respect as if

we were the best.

1965 | David R. Satterthwaite

Ed Ayers infected me with the joy of running. He

talked me into running the Boston Marathon with

him in 1965. I finished 114 in three hours and nine

minutes.

1966 | Loren Cobb

I had Mr. Streetz for both track and chess team. We

approached these two sports in the same intense

way, with a lot of psychology. It worked—we reg-

ularly defeated stronger teams. In chess we went

undefeated.

1969 | Lucy S. Judson

My coaches were Anne LeDuc and Judy Bartella.

That I had worth as an athlete even if I “was a

girl.” Because of my coachs’ determination to

put together a good team, and the fact that they

believed I was a valuable part of the team, I was

able to carry that belief in myself to just about every

arena in my life. “Don’t stop me! Here I come!”

1971 | David F. Gould III

I have always appreciated the integrity and helpful-

ness of Russ Weimar, who I knew as a varsity soccer

coach and as one interested in the well being and

performance of GS students such as my sons, Lee

and Shaun, who wrestled for GS. When my son

Shaun was badly injured by fire in his freshman

year, Russ called to provide both support and infor-

mation about recovery. It was very much appreciated

in a time that felt very isolated for us as a family.

1971 | Antonio P. Jackson

Robert Geissinger—Integrity. He promised my

mother that he would not allow me to play in the

Penn Jersey League varsity boys’ basketball cham-

pionship game unless he knew that I had achieved

100 percent recovery from a football injury. I

begged coach to put me in the game and with tears

in his eyes he said he could not. We won the game

without me. I was captain of the team and did not

play a single game. The championship game was my

last chance to play my senior year.

GEORGIAN | 15

1971 | Elizabeth S. Taylor

Anne LeDuc was a great role model—focused,

committed, knowledgeable, and she transcended

all our occasional teenage problems or excuses. She

taught us to “just do it” before Nike was a house-

hold word.

1973 | Robin D. Kester Patterson

Gerri Wolfe—she taught me self-confidence and

the value of working together with others as a

teammate. She made playing sports fun, regard-

less of my limited abilities. Because of her, I became

a stronger person and was able to accomplish goals

that I set for myself.

1974 | Deb M. Comly

Malcom McNaught was our archery coach . . . he

was great. I remember shooting a perfect round and

having him take me to Goodnoe’s for an Atomic

sundae! He was supportive and low key.

1974 | Paul D. Hammer

While the notion of Quaker football may seem

somewhat of an oxymoron, what I learned from

Coach John Gleeson was that camaraderie, coop-

eration, and teamwork are essential to the success

of all human endeavors. Even the few things that

we achieve and do all by ourselves are usually the

result of learning in a group.

1975 | Alberto Gutierrez

My coaches at GS—Mr. Weimar especially—have

been role models in all my life. His passion for the

sport and his players; his fairness, determination,

thoughtfulness, and deep care for his players as

human beings are the embodiment of Quakerism.

1978 | Marta Ernst

Anne LeDuc, Wendy Talbot, Mrs. Mueller, Connie

Lancil, Bonnie Bordas. They all taught me to go

beyond the scope of what I thought was my abil-

ity. They taught me leadership skills, to be a good

example for the team. A good team has excellent

leadership and it starts with the school, then the

coach, and then the team captains.

1980 | Jim A. Bumgardner

The first day of cross country, Dave Satterthwaite

told us that 90 percent of running was “between

the ears.” I found this to be true of many things, in

addition to running, and the phrase stuck with me.

1980 | Annette James

I entered George School as a very quiet and shy girl

with not a lot of confidence. David Satterthwaite,

my cross country coach, and Nancy Cocks [Culleton],

my track coach, helped me understand my strengths

by showing me respect and care in their coach-

ing styles. David knew that I had not been run-

ning my fastest as I had not been challenged in my

event. We ran a 400m together—the fastest I had

ever gone—to show that I was not utilizing my full

potential. Nancy would take me to run with her

and be there at the finish line to give me a big hug.

I felt so cared for during a time that was crucial.

1981 | John W. Zinsser

Lin “Pappy” Parker—how to play smart lacrosse

and know the game from a historical, theoretical,

strategic, and tactical perspective. He always dem-

onstrated a “mature” passion for the game that

moved me to try harder and do more to prepare

than any “rah-rah” approach ever would have.

When I played and coached in college, Pappy’s

example was my constant guide. Dave Satterthwaite

tried to teach me to take myself less seriously, to

relax, and enjoy. He deserved a better student.

1982 | Cynthia (Cindy) Beltz Soltys

Our softball coach John Davison taught us all to

strive for excellence, but also to have fun along the

way. He really cared about each of us. I was blessed

to be on the team.

1983 | Sheaffer Reese

My swimming/football coach and advisor was Steve

Radanovic. Rad made me play football as a fall

sport even though I felt like there was no earthly

way I would be an asset to the team. Despite an

almost unprecedented lack of athletic talent I made

it through the season and even saw some play-

ing time. Rad taught me that there was life outside

of the pool and that I could do things that I would

have otherwise thought impossible. It’s a lesson that

I never forgot.

1984 | Deborah J. Cadwallader Taylor

After growing up with an older brother and his

friends who always told me that I was the “handi-

cap” for their team, it was surprising to have Debbie

DiMicco tell me that I was a natural athlete. I had

never had anyone really encourage me athletically.

I wasn’t the best person on every team and never

made varsity, but it changed my level of confidence

to have someone tell me that I was a good athlete.

perspecti V es

16 | GEORGIAN

December 2008

1987 | Andes Van Syckle Hruby

Nancy Bernardini—she was so active and fit; she

showed me what it meant to be fit for life.

1996 | Robert L. Burchman

John Gleeson (football)—I learned that even

though I was not all that big or fast, I could still

make a difference if I was willing to take a beating.

Ralph Lelii (golf)—I learned that I didn’t have to

start out as a good player to become a good player.

He gave me an opportunity to play when I was a

junior, so I could start when I was a senior.

1996 | Chinezi M. Chijioke

Paul [Machemer]—(1) how to pursue aspirations

through discipline, faith, and enthusiasm; (2) that

we can have tremendous positive impact in this

world by following our passions, as he did in touch-

ing and shaping so many lives through a passion

for teaching and coaching; and (3) there is always

another frontier of excellence to seek and reach-

ing for it can be a great joy. Irv Miller—that the

limits I conceived for myself were not real, or put

another way, that we are far more often limited by

our minds/expectations than by our actual capac-

ity. Vince Campellone—the importance of having

fun even when working hard!

1997 | Scott Justice

Gles [John Gleeson] and [Scott] Spence taught

me the harder you work the bigger the feeling of

accomplishment.

1997 | Ingrid M. Resch

Nancy Bernardini—I picked up many, many life

lessons from Nancy, but the overarching theme I

gathered was that participating in sports is, and

should be, both a discipline and a pleasure, and

that when you embrace both aspects you will inevi-

tably grow as a person.

2003 | Palmer Dalgliesh

Paul Machemer taught me discipline as an athlete

and effectively how to be a soccer player. After just

one year of learning how to think, I was able to move

to a higher level of play and develop personally as a

player.

2003 | Ross A. Hollister

Kevin Moon taught me how to tackle hills in cross

country. He read us all an article about how it helps

to “make friends” with the hill you face. Instead

of seeing it antagonistically, you stay positive and

enjoy the climb. It’s worked for me in running and

cycling.

2003 | Meg A. Peake

I learned endless amounts from Nancy Bernardini

about field hockey, life, cooperation, strategy, and

fitness.

2004 | Edwin Martinez

Ultimately, just physical strength or the best

game plan doesn’t win games. It comes down to

your drive and passion which often are the differ-

ence maker. You never give up, even if you have

no chance of winning. Play for your pride. Not

word for word, but a message I recall from coach

Gleeson.

2005 | Tara V. Dansky

Cheri [Mellor]—well she was not only my coach,

but also my advisor. She basically looked out for me

my entire time spent at George School. As a coach

she was firm by making sure we did not slack off,

but had fun as a team. When I hurt my back senior

year Cheri made sure I still helped out with the

team by going to the games even though I could not

play. I felt that was important.

2005 | Cressa Perloff

Dave Satterthwaite and Sean Casey—both taught

us how to run. It was not just about winning—it

was about doing your personal best. They encour-

aged us to all support each other.

2006 | Annessa Graebener

Kathy Coyle was my varsity softball coach; she

helped me to realize that I can accomplish anything

I put my mind to . . . kind of cheesy, but somewhere

in between running sprints I realized that I could

do anything if I just worked hard at it. Because she

had confidence that I could perform better, I was

able to realize it for myself.

2007 | Lauren C. Hill

Barbie Gale—taking the lifeguard course with her

was challenging, rewarding, and at times, a lot of

fun. Not only was she incredibly knowledgeable in

her field, she also gave me second chances when I

needed them most and always encouraged me to

believe in myself.

Responses might be edited due to space limitations and Georgian style guidelines.

GEORGIAN | 17

features

by susaN quiNN

It’s not surprising to find George School athletes

have been part of the Olympic Games throughout

the years, given our commitment to athletics and

international diversity. One of the first remarkable

athletes at George School was Eugene Leroy Mercer

’09. As a junior at George School, Eugene was

selected as an alternate for the 1908 Olympic team

in Track and Field. He was selected a full-f ledged

Olympian in 1912, part of the same Track and

Field team as the legendary Jim Thorpe. The 1912

Olympics represented a major step into modern

times for organized sports. Electric timing equip-

ment was used for the first time, as was a public-

address system.

Richard “Dick” Packer ’52 was a member of

the George School varsity soccer team and also was

a member of the varsity baseball, basketball, and

swimming teams. Dick went on to Penn State

University on an athletic scholarship and was

chosen to play on the 1956 U.S. Olympic soccer

team in Melbourne, Australia, the only college

player on the team.

Tom Woodman ’73 was selected for the 1980

Olympic team in rowing, but did not have the

opportunity to compete. The United States boy-

cotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980, a deci-

sion that was made by President Jimmy Carter in

response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

in December 1979. Only eighty nations made the

journey to Moscow. Tom also was a member of the

U.S. Rowing Team, which captured gold at the Pan

American Games and finished fifth at the World

Championships.

Gwynneth Hardesty ’83 ran for the United

States in the women’s 10,000 meter race in the 1992

Summer Games in Barcelona. Four years later she

was an alternate for the women’s marathon for the

1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Gwynneth was

at George School for two years and after her soph-

omore year she left for another boarding school

although her brother, Steve Hardesty, graduated

from George School in 1980.

During the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing,

Zhiqi (Ice) Gu ’08 worked as a translator at the

Laoshan Velodrome which held track cycling,

mountain bike, and BMX competitions. Her train-

ing began twenty days before the games and she

helped more than 2,000 visitors through security

lines each day. Bettina Stephenson ’02 was in

Beijing with the Olympic News Service. In addi-

tion the father of Mo Zhang ’02, filmmaker

Zhang Yimou, was the director for the opening

ceremonies.

No less important to George School’s Olympic

history is J. Peirce Behrendt ’54 who has worked

work with the Special Olympics since 1994. His

softball team came home with the gold medal

in their division for the 2008 Special Olympics

Connecticut Softball Tournament.

Editor’s Note: You can read more about Peirce’s experiences as well as Zhiqi’s in our “Alumni Tell Us” section, beginning on page 24.

Olympic Spirit at George School

DiCK PaCKer ’52 , who now runs the Packer Soccer Camp in Rowayton, Connecticut, was selected to be one of the torch bearers for the 1996 Olympics.

18 | GEORGIAN

December 2008

by jul iaNa rosati

When the construction that began this past sum-

mer is complete, George School’s new, green learn-

ing commons and Mollie Dodd Anderson Library

will provide a community learning environment

with a capacity for three times the number of

library users that are accommodated in the current

library. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2009, this

state-of-the-art academic resource will allow key

outcomes of George School’s recent five-year

curriculum review to be fully realized.

With the International Baccalaureate (IB)

Program and the Religion Department housed

in five classrooms and two offices on the second

f loor, the building will ref lect the newly expanded

and better-integrated role that IB and religion

courses play in the revised curriculum. Head of

School Nancy Starmer states, “The changes in our

IB and religion offerings emerged from intensive

discussion and ref lection among the faculty about

what it means to be a Friends school.”

One of only four U.S. boarding schools to offer

the rigorous IB Diploma Program—and one of the

first in the United States to implement it—George

School now offers students who do not enroll in the

full, two-year Diploma Program the option of pur-

suing subject-specific IB certificates or taking indi-

vidual IB classes in over twenty different areas of

study. Nancy says, “We decided to expand the IB

Program, which has an international, service-

oriented perspective that corresponds particularly

well to our Friends values. Now students who do

not elect to take the full IB Diploma Program can

benefit from this extraordinary and challenging

curriculum.”

Also as a result of the curriculum review,

George School introduced four new religion courses

this fall: Essentials of a Friends Community

(required for freshmen and new sophomores),

Faith Traditions (required for freshmen), Spiritual

Practices (required for returning sophomores),

and Holistic Health (required for all sophomores).

Nancy explains, “We decided to augment our reli-

gion curriculum so that all students would learn

about the core values of a Friends educational com-

munity and study world religions early in their

George School careers.” When the religion classes

New Learning Commons to Support Research, Collaboration, and Study

Class of 2009 students who signed the plaque mounted on the roof truss for the new learning commons and Mollie Dodd Anderson Library, stand in front of the truss as it is raised in place. The plaque will be displayed when they return for their 50th reunion.

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currently held in Spruance-Alden Science Center

move to the new learning commons, more space

will become available for the additional science

classes that resulted from the curriculum review.

The new learning commons will offer attrac-

tive spaces for both collaborative and individual

work. Dean of Faculty and Director of Studies Scott

Spence reports, “The curriculum review included

the importance of strengthening the collaborative

aspects of learning at George School. It also pro-

duced ideas about how better to understand and

strengthen each individual student’s preferred

study habits.”

Group study rooms on both f loors offer pri-

vate spaces for small groups of students and faculty

to work together on group assignments. The large

reading room on the first f loor, furnished with

wireless and hardwired workstations, is designed

to accommodate both collaborative and individual

study. Also on the first f loor, the commons room

and outdoor terrace serve as informal settings for

group or individual work. In addition, the first

f loor includes a f lexible, multipurpose conference

room.

On the second f loor, the reading and study

area is designated as an absolutely quiet space for

individual study. The nearby learning center will

offer students the opportunity to meet with a learn-

ing specialist, or to consult reference works about

strategies for improving skills such as time manage-

ment and writing. Due to the capacity of the build-

ing and the variety of spaces, the school will be able

to develop a new model for evening study halls.

When students enter the new building, they

will encounter the information center—a welcom-

ing place that allows librarians to be highly visible

and accessible. This feature ref lects the expanded

role that librarians have assumed in the twenty-first

century. Library Director Linda Heinemann says,

“More than ever before, today’s librarians serve as

advisors who collaborate closely with students and

faculty to help them identify and access the best

sources of information for any class assignment. In

the process, we teach research habits that promote

independent work.”

You can see live video of the learning com-

mons and library construction on George School’s

website (http://www.georgeschool.org) in the

“Support GS” section.

features

learninG Commons TaKes sHaPe Construction of the new learning commons and library continues toward completion scheduled for fall 2009. The building is designed to earn gold LEED certification.

Several named gift opportunities are still available, including the following:

Commons Room $500,000Here students can engage in academic collabor-

ation and discussion, meet teachers, have informal

conversations, relax with reading materials and a

beverage, or check email during a free period. In

the evening, the room may be used for activities

such as book discussion groups, student club meet-

ings, or presentations by featured speakers.

Library Director Office $150,000Visible and accessible to library users, this office

facilitates interaction between the library direc-

tor and students. It can also be used for the library

director’s consultations with library staff and

groups of faculty.

Classrooms $100,000 eachStudents and faculty who use the five large class-

room spaces will have easy access to the multiple

resources of the library. In addition, the presence

of classes in the new building will contribute to

the community learning environment.

Please contact Director of Development Joanna

Storrar at 215-579-6569 or joanna_storrar@george-

school.org with questions or to make a gift.

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December 2008

by susaN quiNN

This past fall, George School launched a new web-

site—www.georgeschool.org—designed to be the

communications hub for the extended George

School community. The website’s design, rich with

videos and photographs, received immediate acco-

lades. Also welcomed was the easy-to-use naviga-

tion structure.

“I love how the design gives you the feeling of

George School at first glance,” says Kajsa Nelson

’10. ”It makes me feel like I am sitting on South

Lawn talking with one of my favorite teachers.”

Visits to the website are up 35 percent over last

year. “We’re certain that the new website design

is the reason for the increase,” says Jenna Davis,

interim director of admission. “Students and fam-

ilies tell us the site is a great blend of playful and

informative. We’ve received wonderful feedback

about the online videos and Our Week in Pictures.

Applicant families seem to really appreciate the

online application process and our easy Steps to

Applying section.”

Here are some of the key features of the new

website:

Interactive Flash “Explore George School”

Roll your mouse over the large collage on the home

page (figure 1) and watch new images enter the

space and the new photos rotate through the cir-

cular windows. When you find a place you would

like to explore such as academics or art, click on the

word “more” and launch a series of videos to learn

more about George School (figure 2).

Our Week in Pictures

Located in the bottom right corner of the home

page (figure 1) is Our Week in Pictures, a slideshow

that features photographs submitted by community

members. When you click on it, you see a series of

photos (figure 3) that begin to tell the story of each

week at George School, highlighting the diversity of

activities on campus.

Gateway Pages

The gateway pages (figure 4) collect diverse infor-

mation from across the website into single, quick-

access pages for key audiences including current

students, parents, faculty and staff, alumni, and

George School Launches New Website

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GEORGIAN | 21

friends and neighbors. Some links will take you to

more detailed information while others take you

to secure parts of our website via a login screen.

Online Curriculum Guide

Within the Academics section, the course listing

and search tool replace our previous curriculum

guide that was printed annually, saving printing

costs and reducing paper use as part of our

sustainability efforts. Students, teachers, and

prospective families can sort through our course

offerings from many diverse perspectives, quickly

imagining their academic schedule at George

School and finding answers to such questions as

what IB math courses are available for seniors,

and what ESL science options are for sophomores.

Sliding Photobars and Tailored Calendars

George School’s visually rich website includes more

than fifty scrolling photobars that slide from left

to right when you move your mouse over them,

showcasing approximately fifteen photos per page.

In addition, individual calendars and news tickers

highlight upcoming events by section with a quick

link to the all-school calendar (figure 5).

Art Galleries

The new art gallery feature provides a digital space

to showcase student, faculty, and alumni artwork

in a virtual Main Lobby. Each thumbnail image

opens a unique slideshow similar to Our Week in

Pictures. As the gallery expands, it will include

connections to video files of productions, perfor-

mances, and videography work.

Athletic Team Pages

Athletic team pages show game schedules, scores

and results, game highlights, and press coverage.

Parents and fans can subscribe to receive an email

or RSS feed any time the schedule or results change.

Watch for photo galleries for individual teams.

The success of George School’s new website is the

result of a twenty-four month process that brought

together members of our community—alumni,

students, parents, faculty, staff, and prospective

families—to attend town meetings and intake ses-

sions, complete online surveys, and participate in

focus group discussions. Their collective wisdom

was invaluable to the design process.

Our new website will continue to grow in

content and features over the coming months

and years. Take a moment to visit the site, let us

know what you think, and share any ideas you

have to make it better. Email your thoughts to

web_director@georgeschool.org.

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December 2008

Students Honored in National Merit Scholarship ProgramSeniors Joshua McGowan and Kevin Miller were

named Semifinalists in the 2009 National Merit

Scholarship Program. They are among approxi-

mately 16,000 high school seniors who will have

the opportunity to proceed in the competition for

about 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards to be given

this spring. In addition, seniors Lucas Bogner,

Conor Hoff, John Keenan, Maxwell Mosley,

Amanda Nadeau, and Chenab Navalkha were

named Commended Students in the competition.

Student Honored in NationalAchievement Scholarship ProgramSenior Morgan Humphrey is among approximately

3,100 Outstanding Participants in the National

Achievement Scholarship Program, a competi-

tion that honors outstanding Black American high

school students. Outstanding Participants are

referred to United States colleges and universities

in recognition of their potential for academic suc-

cess in college.

Students Honored in National Hispanic Recognition ProgramSenior Zachary Martinez was named a Scholar

in the 2008-09 National Hispanic Recognition

Program (NHRP), and seniors Anaka Allen and

David Balme received Honorable Mentions in the

program. NHRP honored approximately 5,000 stu-

dents this year, and their names will be distributed

to subscribing colleges and universities.

GS Introduces Sticky Bun SocietySticky buns have been an important part of George

School’s history. Served on Sunday mornings,

sticky buns motivated sleepy students to attend

an early breakfast. In 1976, Sunday breakfast was

replaced with brunch following meeting for wor-

ship. Nevertheless, sticky buns are still enjoyed in

the dining room. To recognize Annual Fund donors

for “sticking” to consistent giving, George School

has launched the Sticky Bun Society. Members are

individuals who have made gifts to the Annual

Fund for the past ten consecutive years or more, or

every year since graduation. For more information,

please contact annualfund@georgeschool.org.

Students Bring Rumors to George School’s Stage as Part of a Season of ComedyGeorge School’s Theater Performance and

Stagecraft classes presented Neil Simon’s

Rumors—a farcical play about an ill-fated din-

ner party—on November 7 and 8, 2008, in Walton

Center Auditorium. The play takes place at the

home of the deputy mayor of New York City and his

wife, who have invited four couples to a celebration

of their tenth wedding anniversary. Chris Gorman

and her husband, Ken—the first guests to arrive—

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naTional meriT Semifinalist Josh McGowan ’09, Commended Students Lucas Bogner ’09, Conor Hoff ’09, John Keenan ’09, Max Mosley ’09, Mandi Nadeau ’09, and Chenab Navalkha ’09, and National Achievement honoree Morgan Humphrey ’09 celebrate their success.

Campus News & Notesby jul iaNa rosati aND susaN quiNN

GEORGIAN | 23

campus News & Notes

find the hostess absent and the host suffering

upstairs with a f lesh wound from a bullet. Rumors

is the opening production of a season of comedy

in which students will explore how comedic act-

ing differs from dramatic acting. What subjects

or situations do we think of as funny or humor-

ous? Why do we laugh? If you enjoy the hilarity

of a great comedy, mark your calendars to join us

on February 20 and 21 for The Fantasticks by Tom

Jones and Harvey Schmidt and on May 15 and 16

for the restoration comedy She Stoops to Conquer

by Oliver Goldsmith.

Editor’s Note: The Fantasticks was last performed at George School by the Class of 1984, celebrating their 25th reunion this year.

Girls’ Soccer Wins FSL TitleGeorge School’s girls’ varsity soccer team won

the Friends Schools League Championship on

October 31, 2008, with a 2-1 victory over top-

seeded Germantown Friends School (GFS). George

School controlled the pace of the play throughout

the game, holding GFS scoreless until the final two

minutes. This marks the fifth time that George

School has won the championship in the last eight

years. “The passing and team play were incredi-

ble to watch,” said Girls’ Athletic Director Nancy

Bernardini. “Led by captains Emily and Liz Stevens

’09, and coached by Tom Griffith and Betty Rogers

’02, this team can be very proud of their accom-

plishments this season, with its record of 13 wins

and 5 losses. What a fantastic season! Way to make

us proud!”

George School’s Sustainable Food EffortsSeveral initiatives that are part of George School’s

campus-wide commitment to environmental sus-

tainability were shared with the community at an

all-school assembly on September 15, 2008.

Food Service Director Joe Ducati of CulinArt

Inc. described George School’s ongoing efforts

to serve local, organic food in its dining room.

Joe established a farm-to-school program that

brings produce from Snipes Farm in Morrisville,

Pennsylvania, to George School’s dining room, and

expanded an on-campus garden (at George School)

so that it can provide organic vegetables for school

meals. Joe encouraged students not to waste food or

disposable products, and to take advantage of the

new healthy beverages that are available in the din-

ing room. He also described the on-campus com-

posting program that transforms dining room and

kitchen food waste into fertilizer.

Also at the assembly, Jonathan Snipes ’78

spoke about Snipes Farm’s mission of modeling and

teaching sustainable farming. Melanie Snipes noted

that it is important to move away from fossil fuels

because they are not sustainable. Susan Snipes-

Wells (parent ’07, ’11) and Jonathan described the

growing season on the farm, illustrating their pre-

sentation with a slide show.

Editor’s Note: The Bucks County Courier Times high-lighted George School’s composting program in an article on September 16, 2008.

rumors CasT members Liz Reynolds ’11, Jeremy Perez-Schrager ’11, Matthew Forrest ’10, Emma Bardes ’10, Mandi Nadeau ’09, Dylan Eschbaugh ’11, Lydia Spence ’10, Brendan Smith ’10, Miranda Tarlini ’09 and Ryan Trombley ’09 traveled to New York to see Boeing Boeing as part of an intensive study of physical comedy (below).

Girls VarsiTy soCCer won the Friends Schools League Championship with a 2-1 victory over top-seeded Germantown Friends School (right).

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suBmit a class note1. Fill out the form at:

http://alumni.georgeschool.org/?class_note2. Or send it by email to:

georgian@georgeschool.org3. Or mail to:

Georgian, PO Box 4438, Newtown PA 18940-0908

upDate Your contact information1. Modify your profile on the alumni website.2. Or contact the Advancement Office:

• By phone at 215.579.6564 • By email at advancement@georgeschool.org • By mail at PO Box 4438, Newtown PA, 18940-0908

for more rapiD Dissemination of Your news1. Visit http://alumni.georgeschool.org and log in. 2. Select “My Profile” in the brick red box under the

photograph.3. Scroll down to “More Information” and click

on “Edit.”

4. When you have finished adding your profile, click on “Save Changes.”

5. If you have set “My Preferences” to “Email me when someone in my primary group updates their profile” you will be notified as news from your classmates is posted.

contact otHer alumniFor contact information for alumni:1. Visit the alumni website at:

http://alumni.georgeschool.org2. Or contact the Advancement Office:

• By phone at 215.579.6564 • By email at advancement@georgeschool.org • By mail at PO Box 4438, Newtown PA, 18940-0908

visit tHe alumni weBsiteSee class homepages, update personal profiles, contact friends, check the event calendar, see photos, and moreat http://alumni.georgeschool.org.

stay connecteD

PHoTos: It’s a touchdown for GS (Back Cover) Dave Foppert ’09 breaks a tackle and scores a touchdown against Academy of the new Church during the 2008 season’s last game. (Photo: Connie Gleeson) Riding Equipment (Inside Back Cover) Students carefully clean and store their saddles, boots, and riding gear at the end of their workouts. (Photo: Bruce Weller)

Advancement Office

George School

PO Box 4438

Newtown, PA 18940-0908

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permit No. 4205

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GEORGIAN

DeceMBer 08 | vol. 80 | no. 03

Note: If you have received multiple copies of this issue at your address, please con-tact us with updated address information at advancement@georgeschool.org or at 215.579.6564.

GeORGIAn edITORSusan Quinn

georgian@georgeschool.org

215.579.6567

GeORGIAn sTAFF Peggy Berger Holly Raudonis

Kim Colando ’83 Juliana Rosati

Debbie Chong David Satterthwaite ’65

Carolyn Di Pietro-Arias

Odie LeFever

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