Maggie Sgaramella ’26In previous years, the fall semester has been significantly shorter than the spring semester. This year, EA has chosen a solution to this issue by moving the class days of service and programming days to the spring semester. Regarding the rationale, Head of Upper School Mike Letts explains, “This is something I had been talking about for the last couple of years. Because of the relatively new Science curriculum and the relatively new English curriculum.” Before science and English were semester courses at EA, the length of semesters was not an issue. Letts adds that now, “Significantly more…
Author: TECHALERT
Elizabeth Hug ‘25Since he was a fourth-grader, The Episcopal Academy has been an exceedingly important aspect of Mr. Taylor Wright’s life. He was a varsity tri-athlete during his high school career: a quarterback on the football team, starting forward on the basketball team, and both a middle-infielder and pitcher on the baseball team. Sports have surrounded him for his entire life as a result of being the eldest son of a family that greatly prioritizes athletics, so athleticism and competition run in his blood. One major influence he had was his grandfather, who loved baseball himself. “My grandpa was a…
Micah Kim ’27 & Lius Vasilidias ’27Calvin Szoradi ‘24, an energetic and optimistic football player, has made quite an impact on EA’s football program. His interest in football started in his junior year of highschool. Szoradi explains “My main sport was shot put, but all of my teammates from shot put played football so I thought I would give it a try.” Since Szoradi is a relative newcomer to the sport, when asked about his first impression of Calvin on the field, Coach Fairlie explains “initially he struggled, but it was thrilling to witness his rapid improvement. What sets Calvin…
Addison Chang ’25 | Ella Becket ’25Senior Paige McMeekin’s passion for field hockey was sparked in first grade. Her mom, who also grew up playing hockey, introduced McMeekin to the sport, and she fell in love. She plays the forward position and says, “It is the offensive side, so it is really fun to work with your team to score goals.” She now plays for Mayhem, an extremely competitive club field hockey team. McMeekin has been at EA for her entire life and has played for EA’s field hockey program since middle school, showing her dedication to the sport. Speaking…
Gavin Schmidt ’24 | Nayan Shankaran ’24 College. Let’s be frank—this word is central to the lives of the Class of 2024 and is at the forefront of all of our minds as we navigate the admissions process this academic year. We can attest to college admission’s apparent omnipresence while we push through daily loads of schoolwork and countless essays in our Common App. We know the feeling. Nowadays, it can often feel like everything we are currently working on is for some nebulous end result which, to be fair, is true—but only partly. More importantly, the work that we…
Ellen Casey ‘27 | Lilly Smolenski ‘27 Affirmative Action has long been a topic of discussion among political groups, workplaces, and students alike, yet many people remain unaware of the facts and effects of this policy. Affirmative Action is defined as a policy aimed at creating more equal opportunities for people of historically underrepresented groups in society by taking factors such as race into account when accepting candidates for universities and careers. The policy in its earliest form was the result of Executive Order 10925 ruled in 1961 under John F. Kennedy, which outlawed employment discrimination based on race. PROS:…
Lucia Forte ’26From singing opera with the range of a soprano to playing exotic instruments, Jack Celluci’24 takes a unique approach to his artistic passions. Celluci’s diverse and enthusiastic nature enables him to be a well-rounded artist bringing a new perspective to each discipline. Since Celluci was a young child, he has had a passion for creating music. “No one in my family has ever really been musical except my grandfather,” Celluci explains, “So in third grade when I auditioned for my elementary school’s district choir, I was shocked that I got in! Since then music has been a huge…
Samantha Cellucci ’26 | Quinn McHale ’26 Students walking through the campus center this school year may have noticed new flooring, carpeting, and dry walls on the second floor of the Crawford Campus Center. Over the summer, the seemingly exceptional campus underwent an abrupt renovation in spite of no flaws. The cause of this: a burst pipe that wreaked havoc throughout the entirety of the department. As the first days of school rolled around, there was no trace of the damage. However, the renovations were no easy fix. Dr. TJ Locke, Greville Haslam Head of School, points out, “[The maintenance…
Samantha Cellucci ’26 | Quinn McHale ’26 Students walking through the campus center this school year may have noticed new flooring, carpeting, and dry walls on the second floor of the Crawford Campus Center. Over the summer, the seemingly exceptional campus underwent an abrupt renovation in spite of no flaws. The cause of this: a burst pipe that wreaked havoc throughout the entirety of the department. As the first days of school rolled around, there was no trace of the damage. However, the renovations were no easy fix. Dr. TJ Locke, Greville Haslam Head of School, points out, “[The maintenance…
Jordan Shanahan ’26 | Abby Whitman ’26From personal projects to intensive art camps, EA’s students do not let summer hinder their pursuits. Although EA offers a unique environment with a host of creative opportunities, students are given the chance of artistic freedom on their own during summer break. Many students return to the new school year with new additions to their portfolios. From poetry to fashion design to photography, each artist has a unique method of creating their art. Elle DuPont ‘25 states, “Usually for most [of] my pieces I am listening to music…I try to base some poems off…
Chloe Islam ’26 | Jordan Shanahan ’26As EA starts the 2023-2024 school year, it has welcomed new faculty members into its community across several different departments. There are fresh faces to see in hallways and even more teachers who will challenge and help students develop their interests. Head of Upper School Michael Letts states, “Our faculty [is] everything. Not only are [our faculty] teachers, but they are your advisors, your support, your mentors, and in many cases your coaches. Without [our] faculty, the EA experience wouldn’t be possible.” The two new teachers this year are Cari Cloud, a Spanish teacher…
Jack Riley ’24 On March 29, 2023, a journalist from the Wall Street Journal named Evan Gershkovich was detained by Russian authorities and charged with espionage. The U.S. Government insists, however, that Gershkovich is not a spy and was never hired by the Government. The U.S. also believes that Russia violated international law by failing to provide the American with diplomatic access. The Russian courts have denied Gershkovich’s appeal for house arrest and even extended his court date to keep him locked up for a longer period of time. Russia’s attack on this journalist also has serious implications for journalism…
Jack Riley ’24 On March 29, 2023, a journalist from the Wall Street Journal named Evan Gershkovich was detained by Russian authorities and charged with espionage. The U.S. Government insists, however, that Gershkovich is not a spy and was never hired by the Government. The U.S. also believes that Russia violated international law by failing to provide the American with diplomatic access. The Russian courts have denied Gershkovich’s appeal for house arrest and even extended his court date to keep him locked up for a longer period of time. Russia’s attack on this journalist also has serious implications for journalism…
Daniel Demessie ’24This year’s new chapel theme, “Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind,” originating from the Bible verse Romans 12:2, preaches to escape conformity by changing one’s mind. While originating from a Bible verse, the theme’s flexibility allows it to represent people from all backgrounds. Jenn Jones, faculty advisor of the Vestry and Upper School science teacher, believes,“You could take [the Chapel theme] in many different contexts. You could take it in the Bible context as rethinking your religion and going towards God and he’s going to save you, but I think it’s good for us as a…
Daniel Demessie ’24This year’s new chapel theme, “Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind,” originating from the Bible verse Romans 12:2, preaches to escape conformity by changing one’s mind. While originating from a Bible verse, the theme’s flexibility allows it to represent people from all backgrounds. Jenn Jones, faculty advisor of the Vestry and Upper School science teacher, believes,“You could take [the Chapel theme] in many different contexts. You could take it in the Bible context as rethinking your religion and going towards God and he’s going to save you, but I think it’s good for us as a…
Michael Chadwick ’26What course did your career take before you arrived at EA? / What motivated you to become a teacher? Mrs. Maier and I were both lawyers for 10 years, which was a great education, but after losing a friend in the 9/11 attacks (who had changed careers to follow his heart), we started thinking about finding a career that we felt more emotionally connected to. Mrs. Maier started substitute teaching on the side, and I started coaching rowing, and we both knew teaching (and coaching) was the career we were looking for. 17 years later we are still…
Rohith Tsundupalli ’24 | Bridget Murphy ’25During the first few weeks of September, Pennsylvania state police were on a manhunt for Danelo Cavalcante, an escaped convict charged with first-degree murder. It was not until September 13th that PA state police were able to locate and catch Cavalcante in South Coventry Township. The escape has led to the reevaluation of local safety measures, and EA has been in the process of examining their protocols. Assistant Director of Campus Safety Brian Cornibe states, “We need to be prepared for the question, ‘What would we do if something like [the Cavalcante escape] were…
Maggie Sgaramella ’26 This past year, four new college counselors were added to the EA’s staff: Chrissy Cerenzia, Jade Johnson, Oya Schooley, and Julie Kerich. As of now, the college counseling department consists of eight members. In addition to guiding students through ther college process, the college counseling department serves many purposes like offering general advice and creating a quiet environment for students to work. “I like to sit there to relax and do work sometimes. It’s a nice environment when the library gets crowded,” says Lia Mandeville ’25. “Students typically begin the college process in the second semester of…
Maggie Sgaramella ’26 This past year, four new college counselors were added to the EA’s staff: Chrissy Cerenzia, Jade Johnson, Oya Schooley, and Julie Kerich. As of now, the college counseling department consists of eight members. In addition to guiding students through ther college process, the college counseling department serves many purposes like offering general advice and creating a quiet environment for students to work. “I like to sit there to relax and do work sometimes. It’s a nice environment when the library gets crowded,” says Lia Mandeville ’25. “Students typically begin the college process in the second semester of…
Delaney Welsh ’24In response to morning traffic and tardiness, EA has officially changed the Upper School start time from 8:00 to 8:10 a.m. There are many factors that play into the new start time decision, including the evaluation of transportation types, commute distances, and the traffic circle outside of campus. Given that fourth block is now 10 minutes shorter, many Upper School students have inquired if the 10-minute change in start time is effective and a long-term solution. The effectiveness of the new start time policy depends on each student’s commute. Lily Hendrickson ’24 who lives about ten minutes away…