Max Godshall ’26, Grace Schoenstein ’26 The annual Powderpuff football game, a cherished tradition in many high schools across the country, is much more than just a competition. It’s an event where girls trade their usual roles as football spectators for a chance to show off their athleticism and competitive spirit. While it follows the normal rules of flag football, Powderpuff isn’t just about scoring touchdowns; its main purpose is to bring together the junior and senior classes in friendly competition. After last year’s hiatus, Powderpuff has returned to EA. Everyone is excited for the game scheduled to take place…
Author: TECHALERT
Lilian Wang ’26, Vivian Cook ’27 Reverend Michael Palmisano, better known as Rev. P around campus, serves as an extremely valuable member of the EA community. Currently, he is our Middle School chaplain and one of the boys’ cross-country coaches. It is at cross-country practice every day where Rev. P can not only coach but also connect and understand his runners. As a kid, Palmisano experimented with a variety of different sports such as basketball, baseball, and soccer. Baseball quickly became Palmisano’s favorite until his 5th grade when he took a ball to the mouth. After a couple of lost…
Lilian Wang ’26, Vivian Cook ’27 Reverend Michael Palmisano, better known as Rev. P around campus, serves as an extremely valuable member of the EA community. Currently, he is our Middle School chaplain and one of the boys’ cross-country coaches. It is at cross-country practice every day where Rev. P can not only coach but also connect and understand his runners. As a kid, Palmisano experimented with a variety of different sports such as basketball, baseball, and soccer. Baseball quickly became Palmisano’s favorite until his 5th grade when he took a ball to the mouth. After a couple of lost…
Julia Griffin ’28 Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas, a militant Palestinian group, launched a terrorist attack on Israel that killed over 1,200 people, a bitter war has developed around the region. In recent weeks, the ongoing war has grown even more severe and has reached regions past where the initial fighting took place, like inner Lebanon and Iran. After the initial attacks by Hamas, Israel announced an invasion of the Gaza Strip with the goals of destroying Hamas and freeing the hostages taken during the attack. The invasion so far has been devastating, with an estimated 40,000 Palestinians having…
From the classrooms to fields, EA’s campus is spectacular; some community members even consider it nicer than a typical college campus. While space may not seem to be an issue on EA’s 123 acre campus, spaces from classrooms to parking lots have been feeling increasingly crammed, leading to concerns about how to tackle our growing community size and campus life. Head of Upper School Mike Letts anticipates a shortage of space on campus and explains, “Right now, we’re okay. We’re tight, but some constraints concern me for the future. By that, I mean if we wanted to add new academic…
Tory Lynn ’25 With less than one week until the 2024 elections, political conversation about the races is reaching the halls and classrooms of EA. As the past months have been filled with suspenseful Vice Presidential selections and enthusiastic competition between the candidates, students and teachers are eager to lean into the important discussions surrounding the elections. Recently, many students have engaged in discussions in classes and clubs with a strong emphasis on civil discourse. Upper School History Teacher David Mercante explains that many students have remained mature about handling the election in an academic setting. He states, “Most people…
Tory Lynn ’25 With less than one week until the 2024 elections, political conversation about the races is reaching the halls and classrooms of EA. As the past months have been filled with suspenseful Vice Presidential selections and enthusiastic competition between the candidates, students and teachers are eager to lean into the important discussions surrounding the elections. Recently, many students have engaged in discussions in classes and clubs with a strong emphasis on civil discourse. Upper School History Teacher David Mercante explains that many students have remained mature about handling the election in an academic setting. He states, “Most people…
Kayla Kouahou ’28 Revamping mail-in voting in Pennsylvania has become a critical issue in maintaining the legitimacy of the upcoming elections. In the 2020 election, thousands of mail-in ballots were rejected due to voter mistakes, many of which were minor errors like absent signatures or undated envelopes. This issue sparked frustration among voters and led to several legal battles, including cases before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, where the validity of “naked” or undated ballots was contested. In response, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration has taken steps to redesign the mail-in ballot process, making it more user-friendly and accessible for voters.…
Mahika Ralhan ’26, Lilly Smolesnki ’27 Kris Aldridge, Upper School History teacher, has been one of the most inspiring educators in the EA community for the entirety of her teaching career. Through both teaching and advising, she has shaped the lives of students and faculty in many different ways. Aldrige teaches Pre-Modern History, AP World History, and AP European History. Additionally, she has advised the mock trial team and the debate club, Junto. After close to 20 years of teaching, she has developed meaningful relationships with community members, who speak the world of her. “[Mrs. Aldridge] appreciates every day here,…
Ari Roth ’26, Siena Scungio ’27 School shooting threats have sadly been a part of the educational system in America for many years, and it is not uncommon for schools, including Episcopal, to hold lockdown drills to prepare students and faculty for the potential occurrence of a threat on campus. Additionally, there has been a significant increase in school shooting threats and school shootings since the start of the 2024 school year. According to CNN, as of recent, there have been at least 58 school shootings, quickly approaching last year’s number of 82. Whereas lockdowns were an annual practice, now…
Ryan Wen ’27, Kyle Zhang ’27 Acrylamide, Butylated Hydroxyanisole, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Erythritol. These words may sound as though they are compounds studied in AP Chemistry, but they are actually some of the chemicals found in everyday food, used to preserve quality, enhance texture and taste, extend longevity, and protect food from pathogens. The subject of food within the United States and across the globe has always been a very important topic of discussion, particularly surrounding the chemicals found in everyday items. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was created to handle questions regarding just that: food, nutrition, chemicals, and more.…
Gray Collins ’25 A chaotic presidential election. A heavily divided country. Wars in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa. History is happening every day in our fractured world and our nation stands at what seems to be a crossroads between two very different visions of the future. However, inside the gates of 1785 Bishop White Drive, you would barely be able to tell anything at all unusual or significant could possibly be happening beyond our orderly classrooms and manicured fields. As a proud member of three political clubs (Young Democrats, Independents, and Republicans) and Co-President of my own (Political…
Gray Collins ’25 A chaotic presidential election. A heavily divided country. Wars in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa. History is happening every day in our fractured world and our nation stands at what seems to be a crossroads between two very different visions of the future. However, inside the gates of 1785 Bishop White Drive, you would barely be able to tell anything at all unusual or significant could possibly be happening beyond our orderly classrooms and manicured fields. As a proud member of three political clubs (Young Democrats, Independents, and Republicans) and Co-President of my own (Political…
Michael DiMonte ’25, Jack Gallagher ’25 Let’s set the scene for all of you beautiful, intelligent readers who gather around once again for your monthly taste of capital “T” Truth. Jack Gallagher and I, Michael DiMonte, were feverishly crafting a Gray Collins dossier because we were fed up with the amount of injustice the “Thoughts on Thoughts” brand was facing over our unorthodox, patriotic column that would make Hunter S. Thompson shed a tear. Yet, as we focused all of our attention on Gray Collins, the nation was focusing its attention on the 2024 presidential election. While the dossier was…
Michael DiMonte ’25 Halloween falls on the most unfortunate week day this year – Thursday. It is a day that is just close enough to the weekend to make you think, “I can go out on Halloween and make it through one day of school sleep-deprived,” but Friday at the Episcopal Academy is a wild card. There is no guarantee teachers will not hit you with tests or quizzes as if they are prime WWE wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper picking you up, putting you in a sleeper hold, and saying “nighty-night.” It is in my personal opinion that you should…
Michael DiMonte ’25 Halloween falls on the most unfortunate week day this year – Thursday. It is a day that is just close enough to the weekend to make you think, “I can go out on Halloween and make it through one day of school sleep-deprived,” but Friday at the Episcopal Academy is a wild card. There is no guarantee teachers will not hit you with tests or quizzes as if they are prime WWE wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper picking you up, putting you in a sleeper hold, and saying “nighty-night.” It is in my personal opinion that you should…
Ryan Wen ’27 Large cars, such as pickup trucks or SUVs, are becoming the new vehicle of choice for the American populace. In 2011, SUVs and pickups made up 52% of new car sales. Then, in 2023, that figure soared to 80% (JD Power). These vehicles are also growing bigger, increasing by roughly 1 c.m. every two years, according to the non-profit Transport and Environment. Lorie Harding, the librarian, shares, “20 or 30 years ago, there were pickup trucks, there were station wagons, and there were cars, and then when SUVs came, all of a sudden, like, not only can…
Grace Schoenstein ’26 As the fall sports season draws to a close, Spirit Week is finally here. This week is marked with themed dress-down days, lunchtime activities, and, of course, sports. The festivities conclude with an all-school pep rally in anticipation of EA/Haverford/AIS weekend, and on Friday and Saturday, students watch the games. Coming in the midst of the rigorous academic year, it’s a way for both students and faculty to wind down and truly enjoy themselves. The festivities started with “Are You Smarter than a Middle Schooler?” a trivia competition between students from grades 6 through 12. When asked…
Nik Bonney ’27 Every fall, Episcopal welcomes over one hundred new students to the Upper School. They come from a variety of places and yet they are brought together and begin to form bonds before the year even begins. It’s all thanks to a complex and well-thought-out orientation process that begins before the old school year is even over. Tanuja Murray, Dean of the Class of 2028 explains that new students to the school begin to meet their future peers in May. She states, “It all starts with a picnic in May, which is the first opportunity for the new…
Nik Bonney ’27 Every fall, Episcopal welcomes over one hundred new students to the Upper School. They come from a variety of places and yet they are brought together and begin to form bonds before the year even begins. It’s all thanks to a complex and well-thought-out orientation process that begins before the old school year is even over. Tanuja Murray, Dean of the Class of 2028 explains that new students to the school begin to meet their future peers in May. She states, “It all starts with a picnic in May, which is the first opportunity for the new…