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2011-12 School Year
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Halloween at Harrisburg Academy
A benefit of being in Middle and Upper School is the opportunity to wear Halloween costumes on a designated day. Our students got into the “spirit” and did a “spook-tacular” job taking part.
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Robotics Class
Upper School students enjoyed Robotics Class, where they learned to build Lego robots and wrote computer software to run them over a race course and avoid obstacles.
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Grandparents & Special Friends Day
On Grandparents and Special Friends Day, our visitors enjoyed musical performances, tasty treats, classroom visits, viewing art projects, and special time with their student.
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John Harris Circle Kick-Off Reception
Harrisburg Academy kicked off the John Harris Circle, a new philanthropic society dedicated to leadership giving. Students offered testimonials at the kick-off reception.
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Junior Class Overnight College Trip – Philadelphia Area
Each year, juniors look forward to an overnight college visit with their classmates. The first of two school-sponsored trips toured colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area.
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2011 Alumni Awards Celebration & Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Seven alumni members were honored in October at a moving Alumni Awards ceremony and Athletics Hall of Fame induction.
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Middle School Fall Spirit Night
We’ve got spirit, yes we do! Middle School students came together to support one another and to have some fun at the MS Fall Spirit Night.
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Homecoming Pep Rally 2011
Harrisburg Academy’s Homecoming celebration wouldn’t have been complete without music, cheering, a visit from Sparty, and a mummy-making contest! It was a festive end to Spirit Week.
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Community Service Day 2011
Harrisburg Academy’s Lower School students celebrated Community Service Day by decorating wooden jack-o-lanterns with paint, ribbons, bows, and seasonal garlands for Bethany Village. Middle School students compiled care packages for United States soldiers, and US students went out and about into the community to volunteer time and service at local organizations.
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US Matriculation
The Upper School formally acknowledged new US students at Matriculation Ceremony on Sept. 15. All new students signed the official register.
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Back to School
Welcome back! The Academy kicked off the 2011-12 academic year with a school-wide assembly. Special this year — the Class of 2012 was escorted into Louis Lehrman Gymnasium by our incoming kindergarten class, the Class of 2024.
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2010-11 School Year
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25th Annual Auction – Blue Jeans & Big Hats “Auction for All” Ya’ll
All cowboys and cowgirls who attended the Blue Jeans & Big Hats “Auction for All” had a great time while supporting the school. It was a great excuse to break out our best boots!
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Getting Their Greens on St. Patrick’s Day
The Parents Association helped Academy students celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by hosting “Go for the Greens,” a program that promotes healthy eating. PA members brought in a wide variety of unique veggies for the students to try at lunchtime.
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Science Superstars!
Ten students from Harrisburg Academy participated at the Capital Area Science and Engineering Fair, including Junior Grand Champion, Anika R. ’16. The students enjoyed seeing the culmination of months of hard work.
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We’re All Authors
Kindergarten and Lower School students welcomed parents and friends to school for Authors' Day. They shared samples of their writing from this school year – some students prepared computer presentations, some shared large books with writing samples, some gave oral presentations to their entire class and guests.
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College Fair
Harrisburg Academy’s Winter College Fair was a huge success. Hundreds of students from the Academy and around the area attended the event .
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MS Spirit Night
Middle School students enjoyed a pep rally, pizza party, and overall camaraderie before cheering on the MS Girls’ and Boys’ Basketball teams.
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School Store
The Parents Association Spirited Spartan Shop is open for business! Show your school pride by purchasing spirit gear, a luggage tag, coffee mug, and more.
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Fast Friends
Mrs. Mahaffey’s 1st grade class has been writing/emailing University of Scranton students all semester. This connection helped our students’ letter writing, questioning strategies, and sentence structure, in addition to reinforcing compassion for others and learning how to incorporate using the five senses in one’s personal writing. Academy students loved the new friendships that were established through the use of Skype and technology in the classroom.
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Sweet Potato Cookies in 1st Grade
First grade prepared for Grandparents and Special Friends Day by making some tasty treats to share – sweet potato cookies! The class is studying about Africa and sweet potatoes are a staple
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Thanksgiving and Grandparents Day
The week before Thanksgiving is always busy (but full of fun!) here at the Academy. The students enjoyed Thanksgiving assemblies featuring musical performances (singing and Middle School band), readings, and a Thanksgiving quiz bowl-style show. Grandparents and special friends were invited to enjoy similar performances, view artwork, and experience life in the classroom with their student. The school week ended on Wednesday night with the annual Alumni Basketball Games and social.
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Metropolitan Museum of Art Trip - NYC
The 6th grade and US IB art students made their annual trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The trip relates to and reinforces curriculum being studied in both divisions this fall.
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Alumni Achievement Awards and Athletics Hall of Fame Induction
Harrisburg Academy honored its Alumni Achievement awards recipients and Athletics Hall of Fame inductees during Homecoming 2010. This year’s inductees included: Mike DeRemer ’01 (Athletics Hall of Fame), Andrea Belis ’01 (Athletics Hall of Fame), Scott Garonzik ’71 (Athletics Hall of Fame), Ben Abrams ’92, Dr. Ernest “Tiger” S. Burch, Jr. ’56 (Academic Achievement - awarded posthumously), Quenby Jackson Mott ’85 (Professional Achievement), Margaret Friedman Goldberg ’90 (Service to Humanity), and Stacey Goldstein ’93 (Rising Star).
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Community Service Day Volunteering
As part of their Homecoming celebration, Harrisburg Academy students participate in a variety of volunteering activities around the Harrisburg area. This year, Upper School students visited 12 local charities, including Messiah Lutheran Food Pantry, Bethesda Mission, Fredricksen Library, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Community Aid Stores, Lemoyne Borough, Danzante, East Pennsboro Township, GreenBelt, Messiah Village, and ManorCare, to lend a hand. Their volunteer tasks included gardening, picking up refuge, organizing books, sorting food, and performing music. Younger students in Middle School, Lower School, and Early Childhood stayed on-site at the Academy to make greeting cards for kids going through a rough time, create holiday cards for U.S. servicemen, and complete craft projects for Caitlin’s Smiles.
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Middle School Spirit Day – Fall Sports
Middle School students stayed after school to support the MS field hockey and soccer teams who played home games that afternoon. They enjoyed special snacks, making signs, and painting their faces to support their classmates.
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Collaborative Math
Mrs. Lisa Nazar’s geometry class (mostly 10th graders) worked with 1st grade classes to learn a number cube and card game similar to the game “Shut the Box.” Both groups of students will be visiting a nursing home on Friday, Oct. 1 for Harrisburg Academy’s Community Service Day to play this game with the residents.
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Academy Friends & Donors Reception
The Academy celebrated the generosity of its donors at a poolside reception. Seventy guests enjoyed cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and gourmet desserts at the home of Thomas Schmidt (president of the Board of Trustees) and Donna Fisher.
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Roundtop Teambuilding
Harrisburg Academy’s 8th grade students spent a day at Roundtop Mountain Resort’s ropes course. This teambuilding activity is a tradition to kick off the 8th grade year and to begin to prepare students for Upper School.
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Second Grade Sleuthing
Second grade is learning about mysteries — the students are gathering clues to discover who borrowed the class’ globe. Fingerprinting might help!
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Physics Fundamentals
The first few weeks of Dr. Buckthal’s US physics class include lab work. Here, students were given a mixture of sand, sesame seeds, salt, and iron filings. Their goal was to use physical techniques to separate the mixture so at the end of the experiment they would have four piles of pure substances. They were allowed to use water, filter paper, magnets, spoons, forceps, and more tools to carry out their separation.
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Happy Birthday, Taryn!
In 1st grade, students are invited to celebrate their birthdays by sharing an experience rather than bringing treats. Some have parents or special friends come to read a favorite story, and others share a meaningful experience. Taryn S. ’22 brought in butterflies and provided an expert presentation about how they change from caterpillar to butterfly.
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All-School Picnic & Ice Cream Social
Harrisburg Academy kicked off the school year at the All-School Picnic & Ice Cream social. The day was sunny, the ice cream was delicious, and the tug-of-war competition was fierce (but all in good fun)!
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US Canoe Trip
The Upper School Canoe Trip, an annual favorite, found our students paddling 9 miles down the Juniata River. They enjoyed viewing wildlife and socializing with each other after a busy summer.
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2009-10 School Year
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Field Day
Blue vs. Gold! Field Day is an annual favorite at Harrisburg Academy and this year was no different. Competitive spirit aside, the day was full of fun and laughter.
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Beauty and the Beast, Jr.
The Middle School put on a fabulous production of “Beauty and the Beast, Jr.” this month. Everyone enjoyed the lovely costumes, sets, and of course, the talented actors!
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Founders Day
Harrisburg Academy honored Marion C. Alexander ’59 as the 2010 McCormick Medal winner at its Founders Day celebration at the John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion.
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Spring Alumni Day
Lacrosse alums returned to play Harrisburg Academy’s Varsity Boys’ Lacrosse Team. Although the alums took this match, players and alumni alike enjoyed a celebratory picnic after the game.
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States Fair
Fourth grade students displayed their States Fair research and projects at a special exhibition at school.
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“The Cheese Stands Alone” – Kindergarten Play
Kindergarten performed “The Cheese Stands Alone” and reminded us that it is important to “be ourselves.” We enjoyed seeing them show off their dancing skills, too!
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225 Trees for 225 Years
Our Middle School students participated in a day of Earth-conscious activities at South Londonderry Township Park in honor of Earth Week. A special element of the day was planting trees – 225 trees in honor of our 225th birthday! The students also toured a wastewater treatment plant, tested effluent water quality in the creek on site, and participated in a variety of writing activities.
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Diversity Day / Take It Outside Day
Students in all divisions celebrated Take It Outside Day with a picnic lunch and outdoor recreational activities. The purpose of the day is to encourage people to “un-plug” and get active! Upper School students also recognized Diversity Day, and presented a group of displays about different countries and their cultures.
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“A Toast in Time” Gala and Auction
Harrisburg Academy celebrated its 225th anniversary at “A Toast in Time” Gala and Auction on April 17. Friends traveled from near and far to support the school at the glittering spring event – 350 people attended!
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Author’s Day
LS students demonstrated their reading and writing skills to parents and friends at LS Author’s Day.
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Harrisburg Academy Philadelphia Alumni Social
Alumni in four cities enjoyed Harrisburg Academy alumni socials this winter. Here, several alums living in the Philadelphia area met to reminisce.
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Fourth Grade Fashion Show
Senora Velasco’s 4th grade Spanish class designed fashion lines and hit the runway in a Spanish fashion show last month. This project reinforced what the students learned in a unit about clothing.
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Harrisburg Academy College Fair (2010)
Harrisburg Academy students and visitors from across the area attended Harrisburg Academy’s College Fair. The event featured 74 universities and colleges from across the country.
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Fourth Grade Play
The 4th grade play, “Back to the Future,” showcased the musical talents of the class… and aren’t those big white wigs fun?!
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First Grade Play
The 1st Grade delighted everyone with its performance of “Arf! A Canine Musical of Kindness, Courage and Calamity,” on Jan. 28. The group of children wore creative, homemade costumes and represented many breeds of dogs.
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MS Grandparents and Special Friends Day / MS Science Fair
We were happy to welcome Middle School grandparents and special friends to school on Jan. 21 to spend time with and showcase the talents of our Middle School students. The day included a musical performance, science fair project presentations, and refreshments.
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Africa Trip Presentation
Dave and Cindy Taylor, grandparents of Lana ’19, Marly ’21, and Vivian ’18, visited 1st grade to speak about their recent trip to Africa. The Taylors, who corresponded with the students daily during the trip, were pleased to share examples of African handicrafts, photos, and money with the students.
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Humane Society Presentation
Oscar the ferret & Felix the cat, from the Humane Society, visited Mrs. Sherman's Kindergarten class last Friday. They are best friends, looking for a "forever home" together.
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Holiday Concert
Harrisburg Academy celebrated the season with a school-wide Holiday Concert on Dec. 17, 2009. All Lower School students sang, and all choral and instrumental groups in the Middle School and Upper School performed. It was a magical evening, enjoyed by all.
Photos compliments of Gene Trindell
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Dancing Presentation
Second grade enjoyed a demonstration of Native American jingle dancing on Dec. 7. They learned about the origins of the dance and the special clothing – with the “jingle” parts of the dance outfit traditionally made from the rolled up lids of tobacco cans. The students enjoyed dancing this communal dance together after the presentation.
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21st Annual Alumni Basketball Games
We had a record number of players (27, ranging from the classes of 1981 to 2009, return for the event. Guests traveled from New York City, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and many towns in between. Following the games, the alumni gathered downtown to continue the celebration.
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Grandparents and Special Friends Day
Harrisburg Academy Early Childhood (EC) and Lower School (LS) students welcomed loved ones to school on Nov. 24 for Grandparents and Special Friends Day. This annual favorite, fittingly themed, “Celebrating 225 Years of Tradition & Three Generations of Family,” featured an afternoon of musical performances, class displays, and refreshments.
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The annual Thanksgiving Assembly featured choral and band performances from students of all ages. A highlight was when students, representing all four divisions, spelled, “THANKSGIVING” and shared things for which they are thankful.
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U.S. Embassy Flag Raised and Honored
During Morning Meeting time on Nov. 23, Harrisburg Academy Middle School students conducted a brief ceremony while raising a special American flag on the school flagpole. The last time this flag flew was on Flag Day, June 14, 2009 – over the U.S. Embassy in Iraq in honor of Harrisburg Academy. The gift comes to the Academy from United States Navy Rear Admiral (Select) Jonathan Yuen, a former Academy parent. RDML(s) Yuen was stationed in the green zone of Baghdad for a year and brought the flag back to Pennsylvania when he returned from his tour of duty. He donated it to Harrisburg Academy this summer before relocating to a new command in Hawaii.
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Harrisburg Academy 1st grade students worked hard to prepare sweet potato cookies for Grandparents and Special Friends Day. They chose to use this particular ingredient because it is widely used in Africa. Africa is the main continent studied year-long by this grade.
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3rd Grade Play – “Dig It”
The 3rd Grade performed “Dig It” on Oct. Nov. 19. Everyone in attendance enjoyed their musical journey through the history of monumental world civilizations.
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Food Drive Surpasses Goal by 100%
Harrisburg Academy students collected a staggering 4,000 nonperishable
food items during their annual food drive from Nov. 2-10, 2009. The initial goal to
collect 2,000 items was not only successfully attained, but surpassed by 100%. Roughly, the
number of donated items averages out to 10 cans per Academy student.
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Harrisburg Academy celebrated the accomplishments of its Field Hockey, Boys’ Soccer, and Girls’ Tennis at the first annual US Fall Sports Banquet. The Boys’ Soccer team won the SIAC Championship and was honored with a banner, to be hung in the gymnasium.
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2nd Grade Play - "Once Upon a Lilypad"
Harrisburg Academy 2nd grade students performed “Once Upon a Lilypad” on Nov. 5. We met Frederich J. Frog, a green frog who was feeling blue. Visiting the other creatures in the pond helped him to regain his self-confidence and recognize his special talents.
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8th Grade Field Trip - Roundtop Ropes Course
The 8th grade class traveled to Roundtop on Friday, Oct. 23 to experience the challenges of the high ropes course in an effort to build skills of leadership and teamwork. The eighth grade year is a special year for middle school students, one in which they have worked hard to develop curricular knowledge and to gain independence of thought, time management, and organizational skills. These skills are reinforced through team-building activities like the Roundtop ropes course.
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Visitors from South Africa
The people of third world countries face many challenges in the education of their children. On Oct. 19, 2009, Harrisburg Academy welcomed four visitors from South Africa. Opah (farmer), Joyce Jabu Ntuli (artist), Ntokozo Happiness Mpethwane (youth advisor), Nombuso Hendrieta Siputuma Nombuso (student) spoke to students and teachers in all Academy divisions to learn about ways in which to overcome the barriers to education and “grow future leaders”.
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Each year we host a reception for people who have supported the Academy in significant ways. This year, the guest list for the Oct. 18, 2009 event included not only those who give at the leadership level to the Annual Fund and endowment campaigns, but also alumni who have given ten years or more since they left the school. People heard from Jim Newman and board chair Tom Schmidt about the positive impact of their gifts on the school.
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Two parents visited Mrs. Stabach’s JK class to talk about Diwali, the Indian festival of lights. It has significance in several countries and religions. The guests gave a brief lesson on what Diwali is, read stories, and showed a decorative outfit, modeled by one of the students.
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Harrisburg Academy Athletics Hall of Fame
Three outstanding athletes were inducted into the Harrisburg Academy Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 3, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza hotel in downtown Harrisburg. Courtney J. Kaplan '99, Donald H. Brownlee '40, and Rangsey K. Van '99 were honored before an intimate audience of alumni, parents, faculty and enthusiasts of the Harrisburg Academy Athletics Program.
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Harrisburg Academy 6th Annual Golf Tournament
Questionable weather didn't dampen the spirits of the fifty-two golfers who participated in the 6th Annual Harrisburg Academy Golf Classic to support scholarships at Harrisburg Academy. A variety of enthusiastic participants, including faculty, parents, alumni, friends of Harrisburg Academy, and for the first time, students, were given a chance to display their skills on the beautiful grounds of Blue Ridge Country Club.
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On Oct. 2, all Harrisburg Academy students participated in Community Service Day, a school-wide philanthropic effort. Upper School and Middle School students dispersed to 24 locations throughout the greater Harrisburg area, including Channels food rescue, the Bethesda Mission, Country Meadows, and the GreenBelt. Their volunteer tasks included cooking, packaging food, painting, cleaning, raking leaves, sorting donations, and more. Younger children in the Early Childhood and Lower Schools stayed on-site at the Academy and completed items to be donated to local children’s charity, Caitlin’s Smiles, and to area nursing homes.
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Happy Birthday at 10 Erford Road, Harrisburg Academy! We enjoyed celebrating this milestone with former and current board members, alums, faculty, and guests by unveiling a new banner on the building and sharing coffee and birthday cake. Elsie Burch, widow of Ernest Burch, the original chairman of the board of trustees of Harrisburg Academy, and former trustee Pat Cameron unveiled the banner.
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Greg Zeigler Visits Harrisburg Academy
Following in the footsteps of John Steinbeck – 50 years later – Greg Zeigler is taking the road trip of a lifetime. In retracing the steps of the iconic author (with his Maltese, Max), Zeigler traveled through Central Pennsylvania and made a special stop at Harrisburg Academy. Students in Mrs. March’s IB-HL/Honors World Literature class enjoyed hearing about his journey and discussing the similarities and differences of the America the Steinbeck experienced and the America that Zeigler is discovering.
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Sketching Nature in the Garden
Students from Mrs. Fuller and Mrs. Sherman’s classes enjoyed an afternoon sketching nature in Harrisburg Academy’s garden. They shared their discoveries and drawings with their classmates afterward.
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Ritsuko Sato, Professional Japanese Artist, Speaks at Harrisburg Academy
Ritsuko Sato, mother of Mrs. Bender, is a professional Japanese artist. She visited Mr. Bowie’s IB Art class in September and spoke about her inspirations and experiences as an artist. The latter portion of the class was spent drawing with the students.
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Triple Anniversary All-School Picnic & Ice Cream Social
Harrisburg Academy’s official kick-off to the 2009-10 Triple Anniversary school year was a resounding success! The picnic was a fun opportunity for families to reconnect after a busy summer. The theme of the event was “Bring a Can – Get a Cone” and all attendees were asked to bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to Channels Food Rescue. The Academy collected 428 cans of food!!
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Summer Expeditions 2009 – A Summer of Adventure and Learning
It has been a wonderful summer for the campers at Harrisburg Academy’s Summer Expeditions 2009! The first few weeks of summer were a raging success, packed full of exciting visits to both new and familiar PA destinations. The program kicked off the summer with a great trip to Lake Tobias, where the campers made lots of new friends. Our campers loved getting their creative juices flowing at the Crayola Factory and experiencing thrills and excitement at HersheyPark! We even had a chance to stop by Meadowbrook Gourds farm and see how they make gourds into birdhouses and many other things. The campers took pride in making their own uniquely painted and designed birdhouse. Whether we were exploring the depths of Indian Echo Caverns, riding on the Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat, climbing in and out of real helicopters, taking a royal trip in Dutch Wonderland, traveling through time and experiencing fashion and music of the past, and journeying to Washington to see a piece of US history, the Harrisburg Academy summer campers experienced a summer they will never forget!
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2008-09 School Year
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Class of 2009 Commencement Ceremony
Congratulations to the Harrisburg Academy Class of 2009! We are proud of their hard work and look forward to hearing about their future success.
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Spring Alumni Day a good time for all
Harrisburg Academy recently celebrated another great Spring Alumni Day. Approximately 25 alumni participated in the annual lacrosse game…some for the first time. This year the coaches decided to mix and match varsity lacrosse and alumni. “It was very enjoyable watching this unique collection of players join together and play with spirit and enthusiasm,” said Alumni Relations Associate George Gonzales. Final score was 14-9. A cookout at George’s house followed the game. “As the afternoon progressed the crowd began to grow to a total of 75 lacrosse players, parents, alumni and children.” The kids had fun playing in the pond and watching the fish, and the adults enjoyed the chance to talk, laugh, and reconnect.
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States Fair another great success
States Fair another great success After months of planning and research, fourth graders presented another successful States Fair. Learning opportunities abounded, as students spouted detailed knowledge of “their” states. Onlookers ranging in age from preschoolers to grandparents learned interesting facts while taste-testing the unique food samples on each table. Credit goes to teachers Betsy Rumberger and Vivien Fuller as well as all of the students and their parents.
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How does your garden grow?
Kindergarten, fourth grade, and eighth grade are revamping the garden outside the John Butler Davis Gallery. The project got off to a chilly start earlier this spring. The fourth graders were already busy raking leaves when the Kindergarteners arrived. The younger students picked up branches and twigs and collected leaves for the compost bin. Landscape designer Jim Kaiser, Mrs G’s friend and a neighbor of the Moodys, created a sketch for the garden, and all three classes planned what to do first. Stay tuned for more details as the garden grows!
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A day chock full of outside activities
Officially, it was called “Take It Outside Day” and that’s exactly what Harrisburg Academy did – to the max! On a single, sun-drenched spring day, students ran laps to collect on pledges for funds to benefit technology, learned about other cultures from the Upper School Diversity Club, watched as peers cut their tresses for Locks of Love, bought Italian lemon ice for the charity Alex’s Lemonade Stand, listened to an Upper School rock band, and took part in Earth Day activities. Middle School students also ate their lunch outside. Some of the fun was dunking Kevin Muirhead, head of Early Childhood and Lower School; Tom Banks, head of Upper School; and John Martin, physical education teacher. Seniors Ilsa S. and Aja W. received flowers for the organizing the charity events. Photos by Sherry Andersen and Jennifer Klemunes
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Happy Birthday, Harrisburg Academy!
Harrisburg Academy celebrated the 200th anniversary of its official chartering during a festive Charter Day April 6 at the State Capitol. The event launched the Academy’s “225 Years Young” triple anniversary. In 2009-10, the Academy marks the 225th year of its founding, 200th year of its chartering, and 50th year on its current site. The Upper School Choir opened the program which also included remarks by Dr. Robert J. Massa, vice president for enrollment & college relations at Dickinson College; Steven B. Stewart, chair of the Academy’s history department; and Louise Kunkel, Class of 1964. State Senators Patricia Vance and Jeffrey E. Piccola presented a Senate citation; state Representatives Glen R. Grell and Sheryl Delozier presented a House citation; and Thomas E. Gluck, executive deputy secretary of education, presented a proclamation on behalf of Governor Edward E. Rendell. Board Chair Robert E. Caplan served as master of ceremonies. Back at school, former trustees gathered for a celebratory lunch, and students, faculty, and staff enjoyed anniversary cupcakes.
Welcoming Remarks by Robert E. Caplan, Chair, Board of Trustees
Remarks by Steven B. Stewart, Chair, History Department
Concluding Remarks by Dr. Jim Newman, Head of School
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Fifth graders explore American art forms
Jazz music in the morning, yo-yo mastery in the afternoon – lucky fifth graders learned hands-on about two American art forms in one day. Music teacher Randy Gutwein brought in New York City bassist Ryan Berg to help teach several classes. In fifth grade, Berg added texture to singing of the spiritual “Oh Mary, don’t weep.” During PE later in the day, yo-yo champion Ben Serkin, 70-year-old grandfather of Caroline R., demonstrated his skills and gave fifth graders an opportunity to try out the “tricks” themselves.
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Children read…parents listened…and together they shared the power of words March 6 during the Academy’s annual Lower School Authors Day. Who were the authors? Our very own students in Kindergarten through grade 4.
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‘The Lion’ roars into McCormick Auditorium
The setting: England, Christmas Eve 1183. The plot: Henry II (senior David B.) has three sons by Eleanor of Aquitaine (senior Lauren H.). Henry wants the kingdom to stay united after his death, but all three sons want to rule in James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter, this year’s Upper School play. Henry favors John, the younger son ( Danny L.), while Eleanor favors the eldest, Richard the Lionheart ( Izaak O.). Geoffrey, the middle son ( Emily M.), hopes to play both ends against each other and come out on top. Complicating matters further are the demands of the French King, Philip II ( Alex H.), and his sister, Alais ( Vicky N.). Uneasy is the head on which the crown lies.
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Super cold liquid nitrogen was the star of the Whitaker on Wheels (WOW)’s super cool science show held recently in McCormick Auditorium. Kindergarteners learned about the three states of matter – solid, liquid, and gas. Our thanks to Academy parents Drs. Adam and Theresa Burick for making possible a truly WOW demonstration
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Animals bring Australia to life
“Oohs” and “ahhs” welcomed nine exotic animals from the wilds of Australia Tuesday, February 24, as part of our school’s Woldorf Lecture Series. The series is endowed by Dr. and Mrs. Norman Woldorf in memory of their son Bobby ’88. Students in HATS through 6th grade learned firsthand why Australian animals are so amazing and unique. Several students had an opportunity to hold the Australian thorny lizard, blue-tongued skink, and brown python. One of the older students held a saltwater crocodile named “Sheila,” but a Junior Kindergarten student had the dubious honor of holding the most dangerous animal in the group – a box jellyfish whose toxin erodes the skin, stops the heart, and attacks the nervous system. (Fortunately, the jellyfish was in a sealed specimen jar.) A shy kookaburra and a family of sugar gliders (clinging to the presenter’s shirt) were among the guests, but the most enthusiastic response was probably for “Boomer,” a red kangaroo who hopped around the McCormick Auditorium stage. Interesting facts about the animals:
- Australian thorny lizards are credited with teaching humans to wave, according to Aboriginal mythology, because the lizard raises one of its front claws as a sign of peace.
- Blue-tongued skinks, like humans, see in color – and react adversely to red.
- In the aboriginal language, the “budgerigar,” or parakeet, means “good to eat.” In the wild, they’re always green. Aborigines use boomerangs to hunt them.
- Brown pythons are arboreal, dropping out of trees to bite and strangle their prey. Their bite is not poisonous, but their 60 razor-sharp teeth can be a problem.
- Saltwater crocodiles attack anyone in their territory, including humans. Great swimmers, they’ve been known to travel from Australia to Japan.
- The kangaroo’s tail is the same length as its body and weighs almost as much. The tail is used for balance. Kangaroos can travel up to 40 miles an hour by hopping – and they do box.
- Sugar gliders, which are similar to flying squirrels, love to eat fruit and sweets. When the fruit’s gone, though, they become carnivorous.
- Kookaburras sound like monkeys. In the original Tarzan movie, the monkey sound actually came from a kookaburra.
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Grades 4-6 rock ‘n’ roll
From Motown to Broadway, rock ‘n’ roll to country, fourth graders covered the ground in their coast-to-coast musical tribute, “Destination: America!” Meanwhile, in Middle School, grades 5 and 6 students found “A Dragon in the Mix” of their fairy tale adventure. That dragon certainly caused more than his fair share of worry, but it turns out he, too, just wanted to rock ‘n’ roll! For more photos, see Gene Trindell’s phanfare page at http://albums.phanfare.com/1630059/3382891.
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Sometimes, you get the blues
Young blues musician Samuel James connected with Middle and Upper School students during a half-day residency February 5. In a workshop with Randy Gutwein’s class, James gave guitarists a quick lesson in blue techniques, while at the same time engaging the audience in an improvisational song and dance. (That’s Davone C. and John B. demonstrating their steps.) Then James launched into a foot-stomping, guitar-strumming display of blues virtuoso – bringing home his love of blues traditions and passion for keeping the music alive today. The residency was generously supported by grants from Jump Street/PA Council on the Arts and Target.
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Inspired art prompts author's challenge
Terry Bowie was so delighted with the results of his IB Art students' recent project that he shared them with the Indian author/playwright whose own work was the inspiration. The project, called "Shadows of the Taj," was based on Irani's "Flowers for the Taj" editorial December 1 in The New York Times, a poignant reflection after the terrorist attack on the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai. Students used black and white photos of flowers, lithographic pencil, and Irani's words to create their own artistic interpretations of the incident. Impressed by the artwork and Sophia K.’s statement, the author has now challenged Bowie's students to explore yet another of his themes. In his letter to Bowie, Irani wrote that his editor liked the line, "like teeth that had suddenly gone missing." The author went on to say: "I was wondering if you could create that effect in one of the drawings: A gaping hole in the painting, like the many windows that had been smashed at the Taj."
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Grandparents take pride in MS science projects
What could be more rewarding than to enjoy the accomplishments of grandchildren? Middle School Science Fair and Grandparents Day coincide for that reason – to give grandparents an opportunity to appreciate their grandkids’ work and express their pride. Our Middle School grandparents did just that January 22, and learned all kinds of information in the process: Does background music affect test scores? Are the poor being supersized? Which fertilizer produces the tallest winter wheat? The grand champion, Nick S., focused his efforts on a green project, “Which plant is best for phytoremediation of copper?” Nick tested three plants – tomato, Indian mustard, and blackberry – to determine which was best at extracting copper from the soil. At the end of every week, he took tissues samples from the plants to test for copper content. The tomato plants had the best average results, though Nick believes the length of time (tomato plants have a shorter growing season) was possibly a factor. View the complete list of winners.
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Gaiety and fun highlight holiday events
Balloons and other supplies transform otherwise ordinary 6th graders into reindeer – of sorts – in Charlotte March’s English class. The festive party was just part of the fun and celebration in school on Friday, December 19, just before the holiday break. Grades 1-12 choral and instrumental groups performed their musical numbers for students, parents, faculty, staff, and other guests during two assemblies. The performances were rescheduled from earlier in the week because of inclement weather. As usual, the senior class delighted audiences with the traditional “Grinch Who Stole Christmas.”
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A sweet math lesson
Both Kindergarten classes worked with Upper School math classes on sorting by color and creating a picture graph. Karla Sherman’s class worked with Lisa Nazar’s geometry class. Elaine Price’s class worked with Nazar’s probability and statistics/IB Math Studies classes. The Kindergarten students then took their graphs to their classrooms and combined the information onto one graph. Using M&Ms sweetened the task for both the big and the little students – they both got to eat the treats afterward.
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‘One World, Many Dreams’
Early childhood and Lower School students treated some special people in their lives to music and refreshments for Grandparents and Special Friends Day, November 25. This year’s theme, “One World, Many Dreams,” emphasized global awareness through songs and displays. Held just before Thanksgiving, the festive annual event consistently fills McCormick Auditorium; afterward, children and their senior VIPs share refreshments and view displays in Lehrman Gymnasium.
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Middle School shares holiday spirit
On December 2, Middle School Student Council officers traveled to Manor Care Nursing Home, Camp Hill, to decorate trees and make holiday decorations for residents. Students decorated trees in the main section of the skilled care facility as well as the Alzheimer’s wing.
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Academy goes blue for National Grief Awareness Day
When a friend loses a loved one, we can feel at a loss for what to do or say… and some of us have been the friend who has lost someone and know what it’s like to watch others struggle. On November 20, our entire school wore blue in honor of National Grief Awareness Day and to show support for the Highmark Caring Place, Lemoyne, a facility that helps grieving children and their families. “We’re wearing blue as a sign of support and awareness,” said senior Aja Washington, coordinator of the grief awareness effort. “Grief is something we all will face, but it’s not always easy to talk about. This day is about letting people know that they are not alone, and that there are places you can go for support, where people understand what you are going through.” Middle and Upper School students, faculty members, and staff signed and posted a “Pass It Along” pledge card promising to tell at least three people about the Highmark Caring Place.
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The world comes here
Bulgarian musicians had Lower School and Middle School students literally dancing in the aisles November 13 at two assemblies by the artist-in-residence band Kabile. The residency is supported by grants from Target and Jump Street/PA Council on the Arts. Band member Nikolay Doktorov, a teacher and folk orchestra conductor in his native Varna, taught the Upper School band and orchestra a short piece he notated just before class. The band plays all the instruments of a traditional Bulgarian village band: the gaida, a bagpipe made of goat skin and pipes; the tapan, a large wooden drum covered with sheep or goat skin; and the kaval, a flute-like instrument open at both ends. The band also includes the accordion (ca. 1832). At one point, 12th grade Turkish student Kemal A., who was walking down the hallway, heard the distinctive and familiar sounds of Eastern European music coming from McCormick Auditorium. "I know this music," he told Lower School Head Kevin Muirhead. He ended up spending the entire afternoon at the band's assemblies and class.
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Art Studio explores jewelry design
Students in Terry Bowie’s Art Studio class learned about jewelry design in October from the Academy’s own Barb Gutekunst, assistant in Karla Sherman’s Kindergarten. Mrs. G. presented information and displayed her own handcrafted jewelry. Photo by Terry Bowie.
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Traditions continue at Homecoming 2008
About a dozen foursomes hit the links Friday, October 3, for the fifth annual Academy Golf Classic to benefit the scholarship fund. On Saturday morning, October 4, a light rain halted the tennis match, but couldn’t dampen the spirits of Academy families and friends who gathered for the picnic and field hockey and soccer games. Teams honored their senior athletes, and hungry picnic goers filled their plates with grilled burgers, hot dogs, and sides. Children found table activities to keep them busy. On Saturday evening, the Academy honored four of its own – Jacques (Jack) Decker Meyers ’39, Rohit Goel ’98, Coach George Gonzales, and Coach Steve Stewart – at the annual Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The dinner and induction were followed by a class reunion reception.
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Hands-on learning for Fire Prevention Week
Early Childhood classes (HATS, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten) heard from real firefighters and toured a real firetruck October 7 for Fire Prevention Week. They reviewed the procedures to take in the event of a fire and watched a firefighter don the layers of clothing and special equipment needed for responding to a fire. Then they had an opportunity to see the apparatus inside a firetruck. What better way to understand the job of these important service people in our community? And besides… firetrucks are cool! Maybe as cool as the helicopter that typically lands on our field in the spring.
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‘Change and Be Changed’
Taking our lead from both political campaigns, we adopted the theme “Change and Be Changed” for Community Service/Spirit Day 2008, now a part of Homecoming Weekend. From 3-year-olds through 12th graders, the entire student body took part October 3 in more than 30 projects – double the number from last year and the most ever for this annual event. Outside projects included cleaning up the Lemoyne bottleneck between 3rd and South Front streets, preparing for a family fun day at Ned Smith Center, and pulling weeds at the Greenbelt’s Garden of the Five Sense. Students also read to Harrisburg’s Head Start preschoolers, set up a new store for Volunteers of America, and packed canned goods for Central PA Food Bank (yes, those are donated Budweiser boxes being put to good use!). Here at school, Early Childhood and Lower School students decorated bags for Caitlin’s Smiles, created placemats for Bethany Village, and wrote letters to servicemen and women in Iraq. After a picnic lunch, Middle and Upper School students were treated to an educational program presented by the Chinese Cultural and Arts Institute. And then the finale… watching as a handful of girls and Middle School English teacher Charlotte March had their hair cut for Locks of Love. To encourage participation, Upper School history teacher and coach Travis Kreider agreed to have his long locks shaved off – to the delight of students and teachers alike!
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Surprise! It’s Clifford, the big red dog
Clifford the Dog, of book and TV fame, paid a surprise visit September 19 to HATS, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten classes. Clifford gave optional high-fives and hugs to students and brought to life the popular character that so many children know and love. Our thanks go to WITF for bringing Clifford our way.
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An honor and a privilege
Six Academy seniors – David B., Emily M., Augusta S., Maddie S., Ilsa S., and Aja W. – joined judges, elected officials, and other dignitaries September 17 for a celebration of Constitution Day at the State Capitol. All of the invited guests read from the U.S. Constitution in the Main Capitol Rotunda. The event commemorated the day in 1787 when 55 men from all walks of life joined in Philadelphia to sign their names to the Constitution and guarantee the rights, liberties, and freedom we all enjoy. September 17 is also a significant day for both Americans and Pennsylvanians. On that day in 1777, the Assembly Collection of rare books located in the State Library was moved by horse-drawn carriage to Easton for safekeeping during the Revolutionary War.
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Insider takes 4th grade beyond the 5 W’s
WHTM-TV’s Alicia Richards may have inspired future journalists September 15 when she was the guest speaker in fourth grade. The fourth graders listened attentively as Richards offered interviewing and broadcasting tips. She had the fourth graders practice their skills and present a few sample “stories.” One of the valuable lessons was how to accept critiques from their classmates. The visit by Richards was part of fourth grade teacher Betsy Rumberger’s introduction to journalism basics. After the presentation, the fourth grade presented flowers to Richards, and many of the students asked for her autograph!
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