Mawrginaliathe monthly eNewsletter of The Bryn Mawr School

• October 2011 •

Mawrginalia [mawr-juh-ney-lee-uh]: Latin, plural noun. Notes, commentary and similar material about or relating to The Bryn Mawr School.

Table of ContentsIn Every Issue

From the Headmistress 3Remawrks 4 Pictures of the Month 5Teachers’ Corner 6Under the Porticos: This Month in the Classroom 6Senior Voices: The Class of 2012, In Their Own Words 16

Features

Founders Day 2011: Living the Legacy 7The school community comes together to celebrate 127 years of Bryn Mawr.

Bryn Mawr Brand Gets an Update 8We are excited to unveil our new logo!

A Family Tradition 9For some, Bryn Mawr has been in the family for generations.

Fall Sports Report 11One Night as a Refugee 13Seventh-graders experience first-hand what it’s like to live in third-world conditions.

Ninth-Grader Receives Navy Commendation 14for Afghanistan Aid Work Annual Fund Update 18 Alumnae News

Upcoming Alumnae Events 19

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About Mawrginalia: Here at Bryn Mawr, we believe that feedback is an im-portant part of learning. We’ve redesigned our newsletter with the comments in mind that parents and alumnae were kind enough to share with us in June. We hope that you will enjoy the new format, and we welcome your feedback. Thank you for taking the time to read about all of the exciting things going on in the Bryn Mawr community!

Laurel M. O. Weijer Assistant Director of Communications weijerl@brynmawrschool.org

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one must put in 10,000 hours of work to rise above others in a discipline or skill, and Geoff Colvin’s belief, in his book “Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers From Everyone Else,” that deliberate practice and a highly specific kind of effort defines very high achievers. I have observed this theory in practice while watching the development of our students, and believe that tenacity has a very important role in our students’ success.

Think about our musicians. Innate musical ability can imbue an instrumentalist with unusual musicality, an ability to feel and sense the music that others may not immediately grasp. But the girls who study an instrument over many years, with so many hours of practice, tend to be the best musicians. One doesn’t just “play” an instrument; one instead “studies.” Research has indicated, for example, that students who study music tend to be successful in other areas of schoolwork. Perhaps the accompanying success has less to do with musicality than with the traits that enable these stu-dents to pursue that study: traits like persistence, stick-to-itiveness, and the ability to struggle through difficult material and master it only after months, perhaps years, of dedication to the instrument.

Tough summarizes the central traits inherent in high achieving students: “zest, grit, self-control, social intelligence, gratitude (oh, what a lovely and under-appreciated trait!), optimism and curiosity.” Of all the traits, though, at least in this study, grit is the most important.

At Bryn Mawr, we find exhilaration in challenges. “Hard is the good,” from Plato’s Republic, was a favorite quotation of Bryn Mawr’s legendary headmistress Edith Hamilton. In a place committed to authentic learning, persistence and self-discipline are tools for opening up the world, not onerous obligations. We find that having tested themselves in our classrooms, our students bring a special brand of joyfulness and energy to the world.

I also believe that we, as parents, might agree philosophically with all of this, but we struggle mightily to put this theory into practice with our own children. I look forward to sharing more with you about this topic of resilience next month.

From the Headmistress

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Last month’s article by Paul Tough in the New York Times Magazine entitled,“What if the Secret to Success is Failure,” has earned a good deal of conversation at Bryn Mawr. In his study, Tough chronicles research about the value of the personal characteristics of perseverance and tenacity as “the secret” not only to success in school and college but also to the pursuit of what Tough calls “a life that [is] not just happy but meaningful and fulfilling.” Perhaps Tough was talking about grit.

When evaluating students, researchers suggest that IQ scores can be a reliable predictor of test-taking ability, but the scores do not necessarily predict overall success. Instead, character traits such as optimism (the belief that working hard will help overcome de-ficiencies or shortcomings), persistence (the ability to stick it out when the going gets tough), and social intelligence (the ability, Tough writes, “to recognize interpersonal dynamics and adapt quickly to different social situations”) tend to serve students better than innate intelligence or talent. Tough also suggests that “self-control,”—the inclina-tion to put off immediate wants, to resist the impulse to “go off task” or to give up in frustration when a task or skill seems impossibly difficult—is a critical trait that success-ful kids tend to exhibit.

His work brings to mind Malcolm Gladwell’s suggestion, in his book, “Outliers,” that

Maureen E. WalshHeadmistress

RemawrksEach month, one of our division directors will offer commentary on Bryn Mawr’s educational philosophy. This month’s author is Upper School Director Susan Solberg.

Last May, after a year of conversations within departments, in Department Heads’ meetings, around lunch tables, and in divisional faculty meetings, the Upper School adopted a statement that we’ve come to call the Upper School Academic Philosophy. It reads:

The Upper School academic experience develops and reinforces the skills girls need to formulate questions, identify problems, and work toward solutions. Students are encouraged to think deeply about and take pleasure in complex ideas and to make skillful and creative use of the body of knowledge they acquire. Classes, which are distinguished by activities and assignments that spring from essential questions, pro-mote both independence and collaboration. Teachers invite students to grapple with problems that may or may not have solutions, guide girls to make connections across disciplines and cultures, and lead them to form ideas and opinions of their own.

The drafting process, inclusive and collaborative, was itself a model of how we see teaching and learning in the twenty-first century. Spurred on by one teacher’s thoughtful question, (“I know our mission statement speaks to who we are as a school, but do we have some sort of corresponding statement that guides our work in the classroom?”), we sought to articulate clearly what we do as we work with our girls. We hoped to move beyond the vague or bland, (“The teachers and classes at Bryn Mawr are really good, you know?”) by coming up with a statement that is both de-scriptive and aspirational. As we grappled with complex ideas, we looked beyond ourselves by watching videos and reading articles about—among other things—creativity, educational research, and the role of technology in the lives of this new generation of learners. Along the way, we debated and discussed, tweaked and re-tweaked, until—on the 5th draft!—we finally emerged with a statement that we think comes close to describing ourselves at our best.

This year, we’re taking steps to breathe life into the statement on which we spent so much time last year. We’ve established divisional goals that spring from the Academic Philosophy, paying particular attention to opportunities to improve our teaching through collaboration with colleagues here at Bryn Mawr and at other schools. This fall, Upper School teachers have already revamped their lessons and unit plans, enrolled in webinars, used new technology tools to reinforce skills with their students, shared their ideas on best practices, and launched evening and lunchtime “study groups” as they’ve enthusiastically sought ways to reach the lofty goals we’ve set for ourselves. We all agree that it is an exciting time to be a teacher!

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Upper School Director Susan Solberg

Fall Spirit Day 2011!Mawrtian pride was on full, colorful display as Bryn Mawr celebrated Fall Spirit Day to the beat of the Morgan State Drum Corps. >

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Third Grade Flight to FranceThis month, third-graders “departed” for a trip to France. After several busy weeks of packing suitcases, buying tickets, and making passports, students of Mademoiselle Gray’s class will spend the next two months virtually visiting markets, museums, monuments and a restaurant. The girls will be staying at the Hôtel Ritz and may even order room service for a pajama breakfast one day!

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> >Mademoiselle Gray briefs the passengers on safety before

the flight departs.

Parent “flight attendants” check the girls’ passports as they enter.

Freshly “arrived” in Paris, a third-grader photographs the iconic Eiffel Tower.

Pictures of the Month

What brought you to Bryn Mawr?I wanted very much to teach English, and I enjoyed my initial experience as a substitute teacher enormously. I came from practicing law for ten years, and quickly discovered that it was more pleasurable to spend my days teaching than to spend them arguing.

What is your teaching philosophy?I want to create a set of circumstances that encourages students to come to appreciate their abilities as thinkers, writers and hu-man beings.

What is your favorite thing about working at Bryn Mawr?

Being in a classroom with a group of stu-dents, talking about great literature, is an occupation that I think anyone would envy. It’s just wonderful. I also think that the community’s values keep me here—there is a sense of how important intellect and creativity are, and a great respect for hard work. And then on top of all that, it’s a nur-turing, warm place. There is no other place that I would rather be.

Brenda WilsonUS English Years at Bryn Mawr: 14Years Teaching: 14

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Teachers’ CornerEach month we will be profiling three teachers, to give them a chance to share, in their own words, what brought them to Bryn Mawr, what their teaching philosophy is, and why they love working here.

Charlotte ArmsteadMS Visual Arts Years at Bryn Mawr: 28Years Teaching: 31

Todd TwiningMS Music Years at Bryn Mawr: 2 monthsYears Teaching: 25

What brought you to Bryn Mawr?I started out in Baltimore City Public Schools, but was laid off when budgets were cut. I missed teaching, so I got a part-time position at the Friends School, and fell in love with independent schools. When I heard through AIMS that a position was open at Bryn Mawr, I came to interview, and was so impressed with the campus and the girls. I was very happy to get the job.

What is your teaching philosophy?I want to educate the “whole child”—all aspects of the brain. There are all types of learners, so I want to educate each girl in the way that she learns best. I also want to allow them to shine, to discover who they are through art. I believe that art is vital.

What is your favorite thing about working at Bryn Mawr?The students. I just love these girls. They have a willingness to learn. I love the ques-tions they ask, their curiosity, and how self-motivated they are. That’s half the battle in teaching. And they are disciplined, and have manners! Girls will leave the classroom saying “Thank you”—it’s just amazing.

What brought you to Bryn Mawr?After moving back to Baltimore to take care of an ill family member, I recon-nected with Dr. [Alyson] Shirk, who was a childhood friend. I found out through her that there was an opportunity open here. I had come to play with Dayseye at the winter and spring concerts [last year], and just loved the campus and the teachers. I thought, “I would love to work here,” and I was lucky enough that it worked out. What is your teaching philosophy?I love to awaken creativity in the girls. I love to see them dream. I want to give them tools that they can have in their mu-sical toolbox to be able to achieve those dreams, musically, whether that means be-ing a professional musician or just learning to sight-read music.

What is your favorite thing about working at Bryn Mawr?I really enjoy the cooperative atmosphere that my colleagues create. I’m working with teachers in the Lower and Upper School to create a solid musical foundation for the students, and it’s very rewarding.

Under the Porticos: this Month In the ClassroomThe Lower School Student Council launched its first service-learning project of the year, raising over $675 for the lo-cal non-profit organization Maryland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This project made it abundantly clear that Lower School girls love dogs and cats! Student Council representatives presented a symbolic check to SPCA Volunteer Coordinator Katie Flory and her dog, Lucy Gaga, at the October 14 assembly. Ms. Flory explained how the SPCA cares for sick, abused and abandoned animals, and places these dogs and cats with local families, where they soon become beloved household pets. To learn more about the Maryland SPCA, visit www.mdspca.org.

Bryn Mawr dad, African dancer, and magnetic performer Kwame Opare brought the Great Recycled Orchestra Workshop (G.R.O.W.) to the Lower School on Friday, October 21. Mr. Opare and his colleagues, Kevin Martin and Max Bent, collect discarded items and fashion them into musical instruments, including drums, horns, and shakers. With the help of some fantastic volunteers, the Multi-Purpose Room rocked with great “hand-made” music. DishiBem G.R.O.W. seeks to educate students about environmental issues, encouraging the audience to recycle and make music in their own communities. Their unique approach to making the world a cleaner place, while creating original and fun music, is certainly a lesson that will remain with students for years to come. To learn more about G.R.O.W. and other visiting artists from Young Audiences of Maryland, visit www.yamd.org.

n the clear, if slightly chilly, morning of October 7, the Bryn Mawr School community celebrated the school’s 127th birthday at the annual Founders Day ceremony. Gathering in the Gradua-O

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Founders Day 2011: Living the Legacy

tion Garden, teachers, students and staff came together to enjoy school traditions such as “Jerusalem,” performed by Dayseye, to award prizes honoring exemplary staff and faculty contributions, and to recognize those faculty and staff who have served the school for extended periods.

The highlight of the day’s festivities was a speech given by Mary Hund-ley DeKuyper ’56, entitled “Living the Legacy: One Alumna’s Experi-ence.” Mrs. DeKuyper, who graduated from Wellesley College after attending Bryn Mawr, has followed in the footsteps of the pioneering women who founded Bryn Mawr 127 years ago. She currently works as a consultant, facilitator and trainer for nonprofit institutions, and is a Faculty Associate of The Johns Hopkins University School of Educa-tion. She has served as the National Chair of Volunteers of the American Red Cross, including in the period following September 11, 2001. In her free time, she combines her vocation with her avocation—service on boards. She has led twelve boards, and is currently on the boards of The Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Central Maryland Chapter of the

American Red Cross, and here at Bryn Mawr, where she sat on the Board of Trustees for eight years, includ-ing four years during which she was the Board Chair. Impressively, she has served on a total of thirty nonprofit boards. In fact, she literally wrote the book on serving on an independent school board, penning “The National Association of Independent School’s Trustee Handbook.”

Mrs. DeKuyper’s distinguished service has garnered much admiration, but in her speech she sought to impart the knowl-edge that it is not always the grand accomplishments that are the most important:

Mary Hundley DeKuyper ’56

Dayseye singing “Jerusalem” at Founders Day. >>Click the picture for a video!

me to represent all of the volunteers in the world when I delivered a report on the status of the volun-teers to the General Assembly of the United Nations at the end of the “Year of the Volunteer.” I stood at the podium and scarcely could believe I was there. This is heady stuff to say the very least.

Then, a few days before the Fourth of July, about ten years ago, I received a request to come into the Red Cross and donate white cells for a girl who was a week from her third birthday, and was near death from leukemia. I was able to learn later that she celebrated her birthday, and I know that she is thriving today.

Which of these was the most important action? I believe the single act of donation was by far the more important, and I believe that most of those people influenced by Bryn Mawr would agree. [...]

“I have worked and continue to work for the Red Cross at the local level, and to donate blood every 56 days. I was a national board member for six years, and then for four years during which the tragedy of 9/11 occurred, I was the National Chair of Volunteers, a management volunteer position at the highest level of the organization. I also served as a member of the Youth Commission of the Internation-al Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies.

All of this opened up an incredible opportunity for

“The updated Bryn Mawr brandmark reflects the personality and attributes we want to project internally and exter-nally,” Ms. Williams explained. “The depiction of the sun in the mosaic pattern reflects the spirit of pride, strength, excellence, and vibrancy that permeates our campus.”

The new logo will soon be incorporated into apparel and giftware items sold through the Bryn Mawrket. The Com-munications Office has produced a visual-identity manual that explains how to use the logo correctly as well as how to apply typography and colors for a consistent look that enhances Bryn Mawr’s brand. The manual, along with the logos and seals, may be accessed by contacting the Communications Office. Plans are also underway to rollout the refreshed brand to students at the Winter Spirit Day in December.

Mrs. DeKuyper’s words reflect the lessons that Bryn Mawr’s founders sought to engender when they created the school more than a century ago. They were, as Mrs. DeKuyper aptly described them, “five ‘uppity’, bold, visionary women,” whose belief that giving girls the opportunity to gain a quality education was worth every bit of the risk, cost, and stigma associated with founding a school such as Bryn Mawr at that time. As Bryn Mawr celebrated 127 years of innovative education for girls, Mrs. DeKuyper reminded her listeners that above all, we must “remember that all of us here and beyond this campus are members of the Bryn Mawr family, and are building a special legacy for all who follow. This legacy is very similar to the one our five pioneer founders established—a legacy that focuses on the potential and power of educated girls and young women.”

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Bryn Mawr Brand Gets An Updatehe Bryn Mawr School is pleased to unveil a re-freshed visual-identity system designed to strengthen the school’s reputation and prominence T

While my career and life as a whole was not planned early on, I believe there are themes engendered by my family and focused and supported by my time at Bryn Mawr that characterize my life adven-ture: Embrace challenges, support girls and young women, take calculated risks, reinvent yourself, love learning, be curious, serve your community, and have fun along the way.”

as a superior academic institution for young women in the Baltimore region as well as on a national level.

The identity system, designed by Levine & Associates in Washington, D.C., features a new logo that, over the course of the next year, will be incorporated into all of-ficial print and online communications.

“Our new visual identity reflects our distinguished history and positions Bryn Mawr as a progressive and innovative learning environment,” Headmistress Mau-reen E. Walsh said.

The new logo, at left, replaces the color bar mark, which will be phased out now that the refreshed iden-tity is being introduced. Director of Communications Stacy Williams said that the consistent use of the new identity system is critical to establishing and realizing the full potential and equity of the Bryn Mawr brand.

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A Family Tradition

hen Ann McCormick Somerville ’51 began attending The Bryn Mawr School in the third grade, it was a much different place than it is now. The campus was smaller, as were the classes. She recalls that because she lived in the city, it was “fun to come out into the country” to go to school; at that time, Roland Park was a more remote

L-R: Alex Armstrong, Mary Armstrong Shoemaker ’69, Carrie Armstrong Montague ’80, Louise Armstrong

Machen ’69, Bess Armstrong ’71

L-R: Margaret Somerville McElvein ’76, Annie Somerville Bell ’86, Ann McCormick Somerville ’51, Susan Somerville-Hawes ’77

Wplace than it is today. But one aspect of the school was very much the same: the academics. “It was hard,” Ann says. “I was always struggling, but when I left here, and realized how much I’d learned, I was astounded. I am what Bryn Mawr gave me, and I’m so thankful.”

Today, 60 years after she graduated, Ann is delighted to watch her granddaughter, Laura Hawes ’14, progress through her schooling. A Bryn Mawr girl since Kindergarten, Laura is the third generation to attend, all following in Ann’s footsteps. As Laura put it, “my grandmother went here, my mother went here, my aunts went here, my cousins went here...almost my entire family!”

The Somervilles are among several families for whom Bryn Mawr is more than a school: it’s a family tradition, and something of a second home. For members of the Armstrong family, Bryn Mawr has been home to nine women span-ning three generations. “Bryn Mawr and Gilman were our world, effectively, because our father taught at Gilman, and directed the plays, and...our mother had attended Bryn Mawr and then taught there. So, it was not only where we spent our days, but...essentially our whole family’s world,” explained Bess Armstrong ’71.

Her experience at Bryn Mawr very much shaped the person that she has become, Bess says. “It’s where I grew up, in every sense of the word.” It also provided the backdrop for the development of relationships that have endured for more than five decades. “The further away from home I’ve gone, the more important the bond of Bryn Mawr has be-come, and the larger my world has become, the more profound the bond with the forty-odd girls in my class feels,” she reflects. “In some cases, these are girls that I have known since I was three.”

That type of enduring friendship is one of the reasons that Mary Louise Carey Faber ’50 chose to send her three daughters, Georgie Smith ’72, Margaret Smith ’73, and Deirdre Smith ’78, to Bryn Mawr. “I think the camaraderie is very powerful,” Mary Louise says, when asked what she considers to be the most significant part of her Bryn Mawr experience. “I still see a lot of my friends. We go to museums together in New York and Philadelphia. I have fabulous friends [from Bryn Mawr].”

Of course, to a great extent, Bryn Mawr was already in the Faber/Smith family’s blood—they are descendents of M. Carey Thomas, one of Bryn Mawr’s founders. That connection impressed upon all of them the importance of educa-tion. “It’s built into our psyche, I think, that we would achieve and study and learn all our lives, which is what [Bryn Mawr] encourages,” said Mary Louise. “I just can’t imagine school without Bryn Mawr.”

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L-R: Mary Louise Carey Faber ’50, Georgia Carroll ’14, and Deirdre Smith ’78

When reflecting on the role that Bryn Mawr has played in their family, both Georgie and Deirdre echo their mother’s words. “The importance of excellent education was deeply ingrained in each of us,” said Georgie. Added Deirdre, “We have a good sense—through her journal and other writings—of M. Carey Thomas as a person, and the character that she had. She did not let anything stand in her way. So knowing who she was and what she was up against makes it much more meaningful.”

Today, Deirdre’s daughter, Georgia Carroll ’14, carries on the family tradition. Georgia decided to come to Bryn Mawr in ninth grade, after spending her elementary and middle school years at a different school. She says that the fact that so much of her family had attended Bryn Mawr definitely influenced her decision. “I knew about Bryn Mawr through my family and knew that it was a great school,” she recalls. “My aunt went here, my cous-in, my grandma, my mom—it feels like the school is part of my family also.”

Though academics are often mentioned, there are many other Bryn Mawr connections that exist within the fami-lies. For the Somervilles, one of the strongest is their love of art at Bryn Mawr. Said Susan Somerville-Hawes ’77, “I think one of the things that all the girls have shared has been art. I was so pleased to see my nieces develop in an artistic way here. ... [Also,] both my sisters are art-ists, and they got their foundation here.” Added Laura, Susan’s daughter, “I definitely think that art is something that has held our family together and tied us to Bryn Mawr.”

It’s also fun, said Laura, to be able to have some of the same teachers that her mother had, like Arna Margolis. “I had Ms. Margolis for history, and my mother had Ms.

“I remember thinking, ‘this is the coolest thing in the whole world. This is what I want to do. If I could make a living drawing maps and learning about different coun-tries, that would be it for me,’” Margaret says. “Now, I’m here at the Embassy of Australia, doing graphic de-sign and outreach...it all came back.”

While the Somervilles share memories of a common teacher, memories of teaching at Bryn Mawr are some-thing that Mary Armstrong Shoemaker ’69 and her mother, Louise Allen Armstrong ’38, share. Mary has been teaching at Bryn Mawr for thirty-six years, follow-ing in her mother’s footsteps as a Latin scholar. She says that it was her wonderful experience as a student at Bryn Mawr that made her want to come back as a teacher.

“As a student here, it was cool to be smart, and cool to love what you were learning, which I did,” Mary reflect-ed. “It’s the same thing now—I love what I teach. And to teach kids that also love it...that is a joy.”

Today, Mary enjoys watching her nieces, Eliza Mon-tague ’12 and Jessie Montague ’16, progress through their Bryn Mawr experiences. It is nice, Eliza says, being part of a legacy, because everyone in the family knows what it’s like to be a student at Bryn Mawr. It also comes in handy with homework: “My grandma (Louis Allen Armstrong ’38), still helps me with my Latin homework, and my aunt is the one who taught me Latin. So it’s cool to have that family connection.”

As important as the family legacy is to all of those inter-viewed, however, nearly all said that it is not the only factor that keeps them coming back to Bryn Mawr. One aspect is obvious: “It’s the rigor, the high standards for academics,” Carrie Armstrong Montague ’80, says suc-

Margolis for geography. Some of the things that I’ll tell [my mom] about my history class she’ll re-member learning too.”

Laura’s aunt, Margaret McElvein ’76, also has fond memories of class with Ms. Margolis. One of her strongest recollec-tions of her years at Bryn Mawr is of time spent making a map of the world for Ms. Margolis’ history class.

cinctly. “A few things have changed since I was a student, but that hasn’t.”

But beyond the rigor is something more, says Mary Shoemaker. “It’s what we all say is the greatest impact of Bryn Mawr. You leave here, and it never occurs to you to think that you can’t do something because you’re a girl, or to think that your opinion doesn’t matter. That is the gift that Bryn Mawr gives you.”

Fall Sports Report

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ow that the temperatures are dropping and days are getting shorter, the fall sports season is inevitably drawing to a close. Bryn Mawr athletes have competed admirably this season, bringing home winning records. Congratulations to all of the seniors who are finishing their last seasons with their teams, and best N

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Field Hockey

Junior Ellie Knott, Varsity Field Hockey, takes a shot.

The season record for both Varsity and Junior Varsity Tennis was 7-2. This was a particularly exciting and demanding year for Varsity, as several competing schools had increased depth in their line-ups. Overall, Varsity finished in third place.

Tournament results: Caroline Williams ’15, #1 singles, was

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Senior Amna Hashmi, one of the Varsity Tennis captains.

Tennis

runner-up; Lucy Burchell ’14, #2 singles, lost in the semi-finals; Gina Hong ’12 and Ellie MacLaughlin ’13, #1 doubles, were winners; Amna Hashmi ’12 and Eliza Montague ’12, #2 doubles, lost in the semifinals, as did #3 doubles Emma Afrookteh ’13 and Alex Saintz ’14.

The captains for this year were Ellie MacLaughlin ’13 and Amna Hashmi ’12, who were great role models for the entire team.

A highlight of the season was the #1 doubles duo, who had a fantastic season. Said Coach Tilly Taborda-Almaguer, “They never dropped a set out of the 24 they played throughout the entire season and the tournament. For the entire season, tournament included, they won 144 games and only lost 33, which is very impressive.”

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VolleyballVarsity Field Hockey, ranked #6 by the Baltimore Sun, fin-ished with a record of 11-4-1,

while Junior Varsity ended with a 7-6-1 record. Varsity played several exciting games this season, includ-ing a come-from-behind victory against Roland Park Country School on the day that the Sinclair Turf Field was officially opened, and a nail-biter against Century School on September 26. “We’ve done that a couple of times this season, battled back from behind,” Coach Jeanette Budzik said. ”We love tough competition, and we love the end result.”

Senior Kate Walker prepares to spike the ball.

Varsity Volleyball had a challeng-ing season but finished with a solid record of 7-9-0. Junior Var-sity finished with an 8-6-0 record. Both teams had several close games. Varsity Volleyball had a strong showing in the first round of the tournament, defeating Saint Mary’s 3-0. Another great win came on Spirit Day, with a 3-0 vic-tory over Seton Keough.

of luck to the winter sports teams!

Senior Riley Barger, Varsity Soccer.

As of October 24, the Bryn Mawr Varsity Soccer Team has a record of 11-4-0, with one non-confer-ence game remaining before the IAAM ‘B’ Con-ference post-season tournament begins on October 28. The team is ranked #10 in The Baltimore Sun regional poll. All four of its losses were to teams currently ranked #1, #3, #6, and #8 by The Sun.

Led by senior captains Riley Barger, Kassandra Bowling, Nancy Dunbar, and Erica Matz, Bryn Mawr is undefeated in conference play (9-0-0), and the team has secured home field advantage for the conference post-season tournament—where it will aim to win its third consecutive ‘B’ Confer-ence championship.

Senior midfielder Riley Barger, who will play soc-cer at the University of Maryland next year, is part of a group of 30 players who will be taking part in a training camp at the end of October for the U.S.

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U18 Women’s National Team . She will be competing for a roster spot on the 2012 U20 Women’s World Cup Team.

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Cross Country

Early in the Cross Country season, it became clear that this was going to be an impressive year for the team. At the Charm City Relay, the team took four of the top 10 spots. Soon after, in a meet against Roland Park Country School, Bryn Mawr took the top four spots, and 12 of the top 15. One of the many highlights of the season for the team was winning the Small School Division in the Bulldog Invita-tional Meet, during which the team had seven of the top 20 runners. It was the first time in quite awhile that Bryn Mawr had gotten a win at the invitational.

“It’s a great team, athletically and chemistry-wise,” said Coach Jim Lancaster, early in the season. “We have been pleased and impressed so far.”

When interviewed at the beginning of the season, Coach Lancaster said that he had expected to be strong, but found that the team was even better than he had hoped.

The team, ranked #25 in the state of Maryland by Run-ningMaryland.com, finished with a great record. At the IAAM Championship, Melissa Hexter ’12 and Georgina Boultwood ’12 were named IAAM Cross Country All-Stars, and the Bryn Mawr team finished as the runners-up in the ‘B’ Division.

The Cross Country team sets off at a meet.

The team with their Bulldog Invitational trophy.

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his year the seventh grade went on an overnight field trip where we had to live like many families in the developing world do. We were told to bring a water bottle, raincoat, and basic toiletries. On the way there, everyone was nervous. When we arrived, we were told to write down the things we enjoy in our normal lives. It was a big surprise when it turned out that these “normal” things are privileges. We did know that we had very good lives, but we didn’t know just how bad others’ lives were. This experience opened our eyes and the whole trip was very interesting.

We were split into groups and assigned to a country or region. The groups represented were Tibet, Mozam-bique, Thailand, Kenya, Appalachia, Guatemala, and refugees. We were all given various resources that we had to trade and share to be able to cook our dinner. For example, Guatemalans got the best living conditions (a stone house with a concrete floor, a wood burning stove, and bunk beds). Their resources were three nearly limit-

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One Night As a RefugeeEach year, Bryn Mawr girls engage in a variety of service and learning activities to contribute to the community and gain a first-hand understanding of where their help is needed. Last spring, the seventh grade took part in a Heifer International project that gave them the chance to spend one night living as people in a developing country do. The experience was eye-opening, the students reported, and showed them—in a way that simply learning about it in a classroom never could—the hardships that third-world citizens face. Here, in their own words, is a reflection on what it was like to spend one night as a refugee.

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less jugs of water, about eight eggs, and a huge tub of masa flour. Guatemalans also had a knife, plates, bowls, and a table. Nobody else had water, so everybody had to go to them for water. Most groups were given one resource that nobody else had. Among all of us, the resources were eggs, potatoes, carrots, kale, oil, firewood, matches, flour, and salt and pepper. However, one group, the refugees, had no resources, no furniture, and could not speak, since in real life refugees do not speak the same language as their host country. Most people barely got any food since we had to split a small bit of food between so many people. People on empty stomachs usually get grouchy, and our grade was no exception. We were all complaining about how cold we were or that we were still hungry. We had no resources left by the next day.

Trading was a challenge, but a key part of the trip. Since each area had a specific resource, it was difficult to make a decision that could possibly affect how your night would go. Most countries were generous and gave all they could while still saving a little for themselves, but others wanted more favorable trades, so they would still have all they wanted. It took a little debate and a lot of tough choices, but eventually we were ready to make a fire and start our din-ner. Depending on how much firewood each group had and if anyone in the group knew how to make a fire, it took a while to get the fires going. Once we did, we felt it was a big accomplishment and it also made the food much tastier. It taught us to make sacrifices and gave us insight into how some people have to live and eat every day.

In each group, there was also one “pregnant” person who was randomly picked to wear the “baby,” which was re-ally a water balloon, over their stomach. After dinner they had to take out the water balloon and make sure that it had constant human contact for the rest of the trip. This chore of taking care of the baby was quite annoying, since people ended up playing hot potato with the water balloon. There was also one person in each group who was given a challenge, like being injured or sick. All of the groups had the choice of going to the hospital and losing one of their group’s resources or having the challenged student have a disability for the day. Most groups decided to save their resources and make their family member live with the handicap instead.

Most of us had been expecting warm weather, so falling asleep in 44-degree weather was easier said than done, espe-cially since some groups only had sleeping bags and a dirt floor. Between the talking and the uncomfortable bedding, most groups didn’t get much sleep. Then in the morning we had a tiny little bowl of porridge that the Appalachians

Devon Stuzin, right, gathers firewood for a “pregnant” Helena Brijbasi.

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made. We were so hungry by then that most people didn’t notice how watery and under-cooked it was, despite the cooks’ best efforts.

Finally, we had to do chores: we washed our dishes, fed the chickens and goats, and collected firewood for the next school group. Then we had a discussion about how we could have improved our dinner and how it related to the real world. After our talk, they gave us the choice of either an apple or an orange as a snack. That food tasted like the best fruit on earth! After a night of eating mostly vegetables, fresh fruit was a miracle. When we finished eating, the only part of the oranges left were the peels, and the apple cores were probably around six millimeters wide. We then all got to go to lunch, and it is probably fair to say that none of us had ever appreciated cheese pizza and French fries with ketchup quite so much. Many people have stories about having a stomachache afterward, having eaten so much so quickly after only two meager meals for the previous 24 hours.

Overall, the trip was really hard, but at the same time, it was also really fun and it opened our eyes to how many people in the world really live. It was a great experience and a night no seventh-grader will ever forget!

Devi Deane-Polyak and Elaine Drigotas Class of 2017

Helena Brijbasi, right, works with Claire Dunbar, left, to make a fire for cooking dinner.

Living space for the night. Kimaya Basu, left, and Rebekah Robinson, right, prepare kale and onions for dinner.

Ninth-Grader Receives Navy Letter of Commendation for Afghanistan Aid Work n an average afternoon last year, then middle-schooler Samantha Silverman ’15 might have been at the local dollar store with her mother, stocking up on notebooks, pencils, erasers, and other school supplies. However, these supplies were not for her to use in her classes at Bryn Mawr. Rather, they were taken home to be bundled into large boxes bound for Afghanistan.

Samantha’s quest to collect school supplies for Afghani schoolgirls began after John Ward, a friend of her mother’s was deployed to Afghanistan. Eager to help, Samantha first wondered about sending care packages to soldiers. How-ever, she was told that the need for school supplies, especially for girls, is much greater. “They don’t have anything,” she said in an interview, “and education is really lacking.” At first, her efforts were confined to whatever she could carry home from the dollar store, but soon she began to think bigger.

“I was in CSL (Community Service Learning) in Middle School, so I helped organize community service events,” Samantha said. “I decided to put a box in the gym lobby and see if I could get more donations.”

Slowly at first, then more quickly, the box began to fill up. Then, Samantha was able to work with seventh-grade teach-ers to tie donating supplies into a class assignment. Within two short months, she had helped to collect 50 pounds of supplies.

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Across the world in Afghanistan, Samantha’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. In September, she received a letter from Andrew Koelsch, a commanding officer in the US Navy, commending her for her work in gathering supplies for the schools that soldiers are building in Afghanistan. She has also received photos from Afghanistan of girls receiving the much-needed materials. “It’s nice to know where [the school supplies] are going, and to know that I’m making a direct impact,” she says.

Samantha plans to continue to collect school supplies to send to Afghanistan and hopes that other Bryn Mawr students and families will pitch in as well. “Girls in Afghanistan are scared of going to school [because of the threat of violence and stigma against educating girls], but they’re so passionate. It’s very rewarding, knowing that something that seems so small is helping someone get an education.”

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The letter Samantha received from Commander Andrew P. Koelsch

American soldier John Ward, the man who inspired Samantha, delivers notebooks

to a school

Inside one of the schools for

Afghani girls

So what is the difference between hazing and team bonding? Team bonding is any activity that ultimately bonds the entire group, including the new members.

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Senior Voices: The Class of 2012 In Their Own Words

ach year, every senior is required to complete a Senior Convocation in order to graduate. The convocation, which is, in essence, a 20-minute speech, can be on any topic. Each month, we will highlight excerpts from a few of the convocations given that month, letting members of the Class of 2012 share what matters to them. E

Nancy Dunbar

There is a tradition on the varsity soccer team: any new underclassmen to the team have to put in ear-phones blasting music at top volume and sing a song, blindfolded. Everyone giggles as they listen to the new-bie sing with no background music. It is not completely accurate to say the newcomers “have to” do this; there is no punishment if a girl refuses, and no one tries to force her. While I was scared and embarrassed to do my initia-tion, especially with a singing voice like mine, it was also special in a way. My clearest memory of that night is not the feeling of mortification, though I felt that too. It is one of belonging, of taking part in something that the upper-classmen I so admired had done too. For me, the fresh-men initiation was more about becoming a real member of the team than anything else.

While some people could consider this freshman initia-tion hazing, I disagree. The varsity soccer tradition is not harmful; to the contrary, it has helped to bond the team each year I have been on it. Real hazing, the kind that can spiral out of control and become dangerous, is not toler-ated at Bryn Mawr, nor should it be. We have all heard the horror stories and seen depictions of out-of-control hazing in movies, and nothing good comes out of these situations.

It is up to the leaders of any group of people to prevent se-rious hazing from happening. The president of a fraternity or sorority, the captain of a team, or the upperclassmen in general have a responsibility to help the younger mem-bers feel like they belong, not treat them badly. Even if these older members of the group were hazed when they were younger, they should make an effort to stop these traditions when they gain leadership. No school policy or rule is going to stop hazing; to the contrary, it could make the incidents more dangerous because the hazing has to be

carried out in secret and participants would hesitate to ask for outside help if it got out of control. Instead of continu-ing demeaning traditions, the leaders of the group should organize positive methods of team bonding, like team din-ners or outings. The National Panhellenic Conference, the organization of Greek life at universities, suggests com-munity service and charity work as a wholesome way to bond fraternities and sororities. When I was a freshman, the whole soccer team went on a scavenger hunt on teams mixed up by grade. I will never forget the confused look on the SuperFresh checkout clerk’s face when one of my teammates asked him to marry her as part of the hunt. This remains one of my favorite memories from that year, and it was a great way to bond the team. No matter what group leaders choose, there are many ways to improve team chemistry without exploiting the certain members of the group.

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Kierra McCoy

Music has always been a part of me. It’s my life. I live, breathe, feel, walk and talk music. Without music, I don’t think I would be the person that I am today. I’ve gone through so many changes, both good and bad in my life-time, and for everything, music has been there, guiding me, lifting me, inspiring me and calming me. Music is my body, my mind, my heart and my soul. It’s given me so much throughout my life, so I felt that it would be appropriate to tell you all how music has truly shaped and changed my life.

As long as I can remember, there has never been a day when I haven’t listened to or played music of some sort. When I was 4 years old, the only things that would help me get to sleep were the album “Burl Ives Sings the Little White Duck” and the cassette “Shake it to the One that You Love the Best”. For whatever reason, that compilation of songs made me

Certainly, anything that causes physical or emotional harm is hazing. By these definitions, my experience as a freshman was not hazing, because the embarrassment that I felt was insignificant compared to my newfound sense of belonging on the team.

As I finished the last few words of the song, I took out the earphones and pulled off the makeshift blindfold, relieved to be finished. I was met with a sea of friendly faces still laughing from my performance. A senior put her arm around me and told me that I had done a great job. For me, this moment is the definition of team bonding, and I will always be grateful for the experience.

Music for me has a much deeper meaning than the lyrics, melodies, rhythms and harmonies. If you really knew me, you would know that for a long time, music was the only happiness I had, and the only true friend I believed I had.

You’d know how I was bullied for approximately seven years between elementary and middle school before I came to Bryn Mawr. You’d know that I was pushed, teased, criticized, called names, and became emotionally damaged and unstable. You’d know that I had very low self-esteem, and struggled to make and keep friends. You’d know that I felt mentally and emotionally alone, and that I thought I didn’t belong anywhere. You’d know that I didn’t gain the courage to tell my parents any of this until this past summer. But most of all, you would know that at times music was the sole reason I woke up in the morning. Not just the act of listening to it, but also singing and playing my trumpet. I would go through the day, just waiting for the time that I could let everything out through my music.

Music has not only been a highlight of my high school career, it has given me joy, hope and, most importantly, peace. Music for me was, and still is, joy in a time of sorrow, hope in a time of hopelessness, belief in a time of disbelief, and support in a time of loneliness. Looking back, I feel so grateful to have had music in my life for such a long time. I may have grown through music, but I had the help of many people around me. For this, I want to thank my parents, for allowing me to explore music in such depth for so long; my voice instructor, for teaching me that I can make any song my own; my choir directors, past and present, for never ceasing to believe in me; my family, for nurturing my passion and helping it to grow; and those of you sitting in this audience who have touched my heart in some way. Most of all I would like to thank music: for giving me a home away from home, and a strong voice to shine. In the words of Herbie Hancock, “Music is the tool to express life—and all that makes a difference.”

calm and settled me down to sleep. But I will never forget one of the first cassettes I ever listened to when I was five: “Simple Pleasures” by Bobby McFerrin, on which one of my favorite songs is recorded: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” I can still remember listening to that tape almost every day with my dad, bopping our heads in time to the music, singing and whistling the mesmerizing tune of Bobby McFerrin’s ground-breaking vocals.

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Gabriella Miller

I am going to be a doctor. Since I was little, I have held this dream and goal in the front of my mind. When I was in preschool, I was running around the house in a child-sized lab coat and stethoscope. My obsession continued blindly for most of my childhood. I didn’t quite know why yet, but I wanted to do this more than anything I could ever imagine. As I grew older, my passion for medicine has only grown and my interests have focused.

The summer after my sophomore year, I participated in an internship at the University of Maryland School of Phar-macy. On paper, the work I was specifically involved in seemed interesting and sophisticated. I found myself deeply unhappy, however, being left alone for hours day after day compiling spread sheets of CYP gene names for rats, mice, and humans, or composing article summaries for my mentor. Although my mentor walked me through every step of her research, it was difficult for me to imagine how running PCR tests all day would ever benefit real people; it seemed too intangible and far off in the future.

During my time at the School of Pharmacy, I was constantly reminded of how much I had enjoyed my internship at Planned Parenthood’s Towson Clinic the summer before. Walking into the Clinic for the first time was a completely foreign experience for me. At fourteen and with little clinical exposure, I had no idea of what to expect. I was so ner-vous, in fact, that I just sat down quietly in the waiting room, lost in a sea of patients unwilling to make eye contact with each other. Eventually the receptionist, separated from me by a bulletproof glass wall, called me over to meet my mentor. This moment, however, was the last in which I felt uncomfortable. My mentor and the clinic’s other em-ployees helped me to gain the confidence to talk to a diverse group of women, candidly and honestly. Whether the patient’s history was without blemish or painful to listen to, I learned to be patient and accept the women for who they are as individuals, not comparing their situations to others that had come in, or even to myself. Every day at Planned Parenthood made me more aware of the demonstrated need of the majority of the client base, and of the importance of Planned Parenthood’s mission to educate women in order to prevent unsafe or unhealthy lifestyles.

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for all members of the community to collaborate and collectively make a significant contribution to the school. Every gift makes a difference!”

Alumnae, especially those like Anne Potter ’72 who are celebrating a reunion year, regard their gifts to the Annual Fund as a demonstration of appreciation for their time at Bryn Mawr. “I will always be grateful for the stellar education both inside and outside the classroom. It is my pleasure to help to provide today’s girls with the same kinds of experiences.”

To date, more than $615,000 has been pledged or contributed. The Annual Fund year closes on May 31, 2012, so there is still time to make your contribution. Donate now and join the growing list of those committed to moving Bryn Mawr toward the goal of $1.275 million. In the spirit of the giving season, we will publish a list of Annual Fund donors to-date in the next issue of Mawrginalia. Stay tuned!

Since I was little, I have wanted to be a doctor. Now, I am committed to becoming a Spanish-speaking physician. I will be able to treat a diverse population, while at the same time continuing to explore a language that fascinates me.

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Spanish is another topic that has long been an interest of mine. Last summer, I decided to test my interest in having Spanish language as part of my career by participating as an intern at the Esperanza Center near Fells Point. This La-tino community outreach facility—which offers English classes, immigration and legal assistance, as well as health services—mainly serves clients with limited English language skills, no health insurance, and little income.

At the Center, I provided medical translation for volunteer physicians, dentists, and nurses, most of who did not speak Spanish themselves. While I saw proof that poor patient-physician communications can compromise the quality of care, I was also able to experience how bilingual communications can be effective and rewarding. One of the cases I managed was for Dinora, a 35 year-old woman with kidney failure. In the past six months alone, Dinora’s kidney func-tion had decreased from 60% to 35%. She was in desperate need of a kidney biopsy to diagnose and treat her rapidly declining condition. Because she did not speak English and lacked medical insurance, she was unable to seek help alone. I worked as a liaison between Dinora, her rheumatologist, an interventional radiologist at a local hospital, and her social worker. When I arranged her kidney biopsy appointment, Dinora came to the Center to thank me. I had made only a small contribution to her recovery, but she, a wife, mother of five children, and full-time laborer took the time to show her appreciation. Her expression of thanks confirmed, on a personal level, the importance of the Center’s work.

I thought I knew what I wanted to do with my life since I was little, but I hadn’t quite figured out why yet. Allowing myself to explore my interests through different environments has evolved my understanding of my aspirations for the future. After hands-on experiences in clinics, I understand the implications, both positive and negative, of my chosen career. The opportunities have only made me more inclined to accept the challenge.

I consider myself very lucky to have been able to gain clarity about what I want in my future. Although I understand that nothing is ever certain, I hope that my conviction and experience will help me through difficulties.

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Annual Fund Updateuring the month of October, more than 200 volunteers hit the phones to raise money for Bryn Mawr. Over the course of a month, the cadre of Annual Fund callers reached out to parents, alumnae, and community D

members to seek support for our students and teachers. Annual Fund volunteers, and Annual Fund donors, provide essential support to Bryn Mawr’s overall fiscal health. Tuition alone does not cover the full cost of a Bryn Mawr education for any student at the school; every student’s education, even for those paying full tuition, is supplemented. The Annual Fund bridges the gap between the actual cost of educating a student and what tuition alone provides.

“Volunteering for the Annual Fund is an opportunity to give back to the school that gives so much to our daughter, Ava, and her peers,” says Cheryl Mickel, Annual Fund parent cochair with her husband, Evan. “It is also an opportunity

Linda Londeree Monk, Gail Mangels and Sandy Patterson, Class of 1967, will celebrate

their 45th reunion in May.

Upcoming Alumnae Events

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here are several exciting alumnae events coming up this fall and winter. Please check out the schedule below and join us if you are able! We hope to see you at one (or all!) of these great events.

TBA: February Bryn Mawr Alumnae Museum Tour> For more information, go to www.brynmawrschool.org/alumnae, or contact Kathie Guben Wachs ’90 at 410-323-1118, x1214 or wachsk@brynmawrschool.org.

Alumnae Photos Needed!Do you have photos of you and your Bryn Mawr alumnae friends that you would like to share? If so, please

submit them to alumnae@brynmawrschool.org and we will post them on our website!

Submit Class Notes Online! Click here to get started.

If you have alumnae news you’d like to see included in Mawrginalia, please email Alumnae Coordinator Kathie Guben Wachs ’90 at wachsk@brynmawrschool.org.

November 22

Young Alumnae Reception12:45 PMThe Classes of 2008 – 2011 are invited to a reception with Headmistress Mau-reen E. Walsh and other faculty members. Thanksgiving Convocation in the KVB Gym will immediately follow at 1:30 PM.

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Daisy Day at Oregon Ridge10:00 AMPlay on the playground, hike the trails, view the Nature Center at Oregon Ridge with your fellow Bryn Mawr alumnae. Bring a pic-nic and stay for lunch!www.oregonridge.org

November 25

Alumnae Happy Hour6:00 - 8:00 PM Catch up with longtime friends at Ryan’s Daughter over Thanksgiving weekend!www.rdirishpub.com/

January

3February

8Alumnae College Forum9:30 AM - 12: 00 PMThe Classes of 2008–2011 are invited to join Headmistress Mau-reen E. Walsh for a special break-fast followed by a Convocation where young college-age alumnae will speak about their experiences. The day wraps with lunch with 11th and 12th grade students. More details coming soon!

Daisy Day at the Science Center10:00 AMWhen was the last time you visited the Mary-land Science Center? Whether you have a toddler obsessed with dinosaurs or a hanker-ing to see an IMAX movie, join fellow Bryn Mawr alums for a trip to the Science Center!www.mdsci.org

The Bryn Mawr School109 W. Melrose Ave

Baltimore, MD 21201410-323-8800

www.brynmawrschool.org