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When national attention turned to ICE immigration activity last winter, a group of PC seventh and eighth graders didn't want to just watch from the sidelines. Inspired by an Upper School walkout protesting the raids, the students decided to take action of their own — becoming, in their words, "change cultivators."

Their eighth-grade civics class, taught by Jim Pilkington, had spent the year exploring the Bill of Rights, the Civil Rights Movement and civic engagement — themes that connected directly to what students were seeing in the news. "Learning about the Bill of Rights and connecting that to rights that are being threatened right now was really important," said eighth grader Leela Vedanthan.

With support from Middle School leaders Kathleen Clinchy and Erin Howard, and guidance from Alyson Goodner OPC '96 of the Center for Public Purpose, the group designed a two-part campaign: fundraising and education.

They created buttons spreading messages of peace and equality — including a nod to Philly's iconic LOVE sign — and sold them at a lunchtime bake sale to raise money for Puentes de Salud and the Nationalities Service Center, two organizations serving immigrants and refugees. "It's a subtle way of spreading awareness," said eighth grader Andie Shaginaw.

The students also led a fact-based "Know Your Rights" teach-in for their peers, breaking down terms like undocumented, green card and birthright citizenship for an audience spanning fifth graders through faculty.

For Clinchy, the project pushed back on a common assumption. "I so wholeheartedly disagree with the idea that students are too young to lead," she said. "Any age can be a leader — and we're seeing that here in the Middle School."

Pilkington agreed the experience reflected something bigger than a class assignment. "Civic engagement isn't something to learn for a class or a grade," he said. "It's a vital skill for our democracy to succeed."

With three performances in February, Penn Charter Upper School students brought "Once on This Island" to life with vibrant music and dance, powerful storytelling and a stage transformed into a Caribbean island. The musical celebrated love, resilience and the power of community. Set against the backdrop of a divided island, "Once on This Island" weaves together folklore, music and dance to tell the story of Ti Moune, a young girl guided by the gods as she navigates love and sacrifice.

The production challenged students to explore complex cultural themes, which they embraced fully. For director Eva Kay Noone, the production was a standout experience. “From the amazing cast, who brought life to the music and dance, to the production crew who created a Caribbean island for them to inhabit, this was a dream production,” she said. “The challenging story did not dissuade our students, and they leaned in to understand the nuances of this show.”

For many cast members, the production's strength came from the connections they formed along the way. Junior Chelsea Gadsden reflected on the sense of belonging within the group. “Every person was included and had a friend, and that made putting on such a difficult production fun,” she said. “I always felt supported and celebrated, which translated so well to chemistry and trust on stage.”

“The show’s cast is like a team where everyone needs to play their part,” freshman Luke Wakefield said, “and seeing this show come together really helped me realize that.”

“This musical helped me grow in so many ways,” junior AJ Bouie added. “I learned to work with different personalities and became good friends with people I might not have met otherwise. It was great being a teammate in an activity other than sports.”

Students also found themselves pushed artistically in new ways. Sophomore Norhi Goodman, who played he lead character, Ti Moune, described how the role helped her grow. “Being Ti Moune really pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to be more expressive than I usually am,” she said, crediting the guidance of Noone and the choreographer for helping her bring emotion and depth to the character.

Felix Robinson, a junior, grew up listening to Phillies games on the radio with his family. "We never had cable TV," he said. "So we would sit around the dinner table every evening of the summer listening to Phillies games." Without instant replays or graphics, he noticed, announcers "have to be the center of focus—have to be entertaining."

Inspired by Phillies broadcaster Scott Franzke, Felix reached out to PC's Athletics Department last fall to ask about broadcasting basketball games. Director of Athletics Daniel DiBerardinis, who came to Penn Charter from a school with its own broadcasting program, loved the idea and helped provide equipment and training. The team also brought in Bob Long, a broadcasting expert from La Salle College High School, to show students how to set up streaming.

"There was a ton of support for helping me set it up," Felix recalled. After basketball season, DiBerardinis and the athletics team encouraged him to turn the effort into an official club.

Sports broadcasting involves researching teams and players, tracking stats, live commentary, and player interviews. Felix hopes to build a dedicated group of students to consistently cover PC sports going forward. Feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive. "It's been really cool to see that it's reaching the Penn Charter community, past and present," he said.

Watch live broadcasts on PC Athletics' YouTube channel, and follow @pc.sports.broadcasting on Instagram for interviews, live updates, and more.

Inspired by Brandon Stanton's Humans of New York, Joy Lai, chair of the Visual Arts and Design Department, had long wanted her photography students to create a similar project celebrating the Penn Charter community. This March, that vision became "People of PC."

Studying works by photographers like Dawoud Bey, Carrie Mae Weems and Irving Penn, students learned about pose, angle and background before each chose a PC teacher or staff member to photograph and interview. "The goal was to celebrate the people who make up the school while highlighting meaningful personal connections," Lai said. Students created black-and-white portraits layered with colorful artistic designs of their own.

Freshman Sophie Wilmerding photographed Shelby Tucker, a Middle School teacher and her former lacrosse coach. Tucker told her that watching students grow over the years—rather than losing touch after Middle School—was her favorite part of teaching at PC. Sophie set the portrait against the "Joy in Community" banner with purple accents, "because it feels like her vibe."

Sophomore Bridget Elliott photographed frequent substitute teacher Yola Nakchbandi, learning about her past teaching at a military school in the UAE. "She really loves being a part of Penn Charter, and the community loves her," Bridget said, choosing warm accent colors to match Nakchbandi's personality.

Students found the project offered a new way to connect with teachers—and a deeper understanding of the people behind the PC community.

This past spring in the Lower School's Idea Lab, Penn Charter fourth and fifth graders met R2-D2—built entirely by Director of Technology Scott Davis using 3D printing and engineering. "I thought R2-D2 was incredible," fifth grader Malcolm Sullivan said. "I feel that Mr. Davis's hard work has paid off."

"R2 started as a 3D print," Davis explained. After extensive post-processing to smooth the surfaces, he fitted the droid with micro-controllers, MP3 boards, motor controllers and an amplifier—giving R2 authentic lights, sound and movement, controlled by RC remotes.

"The coolest part was when Mr. Davis took off the head and we could see all the effort and wiring it took," fifth grader Aryana Adappa said. "R2-D2 inspired me to believe that people can make something so successful using the same skills we're learning."

The visit tied directly into the Lower School's innovation and design curriculum. Fifth graders learn 3D design fundamentals using Tinkercad before printing their own models in the Idea Lab. "It was a great opportunity for them to see an incredible real-world example of what's possible to create," said innovation and design teacher Rachel Evans. In the robotics portion of the unit, students build mini-golf courses for Sphero Bolt+ robots, then program classmates' robots to navigate them—"a fantastic way for them to apply logic and engineering in a hands-on way," said Dan Stahl, Lower School technology coordinator.

Davis may bring more droids to campus in the future. "I'm part of a community of droid builders who share their knowledge to help each other out," he said, noting the group shares builds at Comic-Cons, charity events, schools, and Star Wars nights with the Phillies and Flyers.

Each spring, Penn Charter's Art Show transforms the Kurtz Center lobby into a gallery showcasing student work from every division—pre-K through 12th grade—spanning painting, sculpture, fabric work, graphic design, photography, ceramics and more.

The Visual Arts and Design Department faculty chooses the show's theme together each year. "We start with a brainstorming session, discuss our ideas and share what resonates with each of us," said department chair Joy Lai. This year's theme, "Make Your Mark," highlighted how art leaves a lasting impression on both viewer and artist.

Lower School students contributed weavings, clay work, wood sculptures, paintings, prints and drawings. "They beam with pride seeing their work in this more formal setting," said Lower School art teacher Karen Riedlmeier. Middle schoolers explored painting, clay work, collage and perspective drawing, embracing what Middle School art teacher Jennifer Chernak called the freedom of "learning through process"—including both setbacks and creative surprises.

In the Upper School, preparing for the show is part of the curriculum: students select their pieces, write artist statements, and help mat, frame and hang their work. In Eva Kay Noone's Advanced Costume Design class, students research a historical era and design a mask and full costume for a character—this year drawing on Italian Commedia Dell'Arte.

The show also featured work from eight OPC photographers spanning multiple decades, including Griffin Lipson OPC '12, who has photographed celebrities like Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, and Keith Helmetag OPC '71, whose award-winning installations appear at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and Yankee Stadium.

"The show is an extension of what it means to be in an artistic community," Lai said. "Our hope is that our viewers will be impressed by the breadth of our program, awed by the creativity of our students and inspired to make their own art."

The latest edition of Penn Charter magazine is available online.

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Penn Charter magazine is published by the Marketing Communications Office and distributed to alumni, parents and friends of the school. In addition to providing alumni updates about classmates, reunions and events, the magazine focuses on the people, the programs and the ideas that energize our school community.

Featured articles in the spring/summer magazine include: "Journeys of Discovery and Purpose," "Learning and Leading in the Middle School," "People of Penn Charter Photography Exhibit," "Lifting Up Peace and Justice Through Nonviolence," as well as school musicals and plays.

Girls Lacrosse

The Quakers enjoyed their strongest season in decades in 2026, riding a wave of magic to multiple program milestones. A 7-6 loss to Inter-Ac rival Episcopal Academy on March 19 dropped PC to 2-2 overall, and it was the last time the team tasted defeat for the rest of the year.

Penn Charter responded to the EA setback by embarking on a staggering 24-game win streak, collecting the program’s first Inter-Ac championship since 1999 along the way. PC finished 9-1 against league opponents, a game ahead of Episcopal in the standings, and earned a hard-fought 9-8 win in the regular season rematch against EA on May 1. The two teams met again in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) championship game three weeks later, with the Quakers claiming a 7-4 victory and the program’s first state title since 2022. Louisville recruit Claire Cho led the way with a team-best four goals. 

Penn Charter ended its season as the No. 4 ranked team in the nation by USALacrosse.com. The Quakers had a plethora of selections on the all-league team, with senior goalie and Boston College recruit Maeve Magarity leading the First Team by being awarded the Inter-Ac Most Valuable Player honor. Magarity, also named to the New Balance All-America Lacrosse Senior Game in July, capped off her PC career with 10 saves in the PAISAA title game. 

Joining Magarity on the First Team were Ana Buckley (Dartmouth), Harbor Campbell (Loyola), Molly Dougherty (Michigan) and Makenna Myers, while Mia DiBenedetto and Lila Marciniak (Northwestern) earned Second Team honors. 

Boys Lacrosse

Following a winless season in 2025, Penn Charter enjoyed immense improvements on the field this past spring. The Quakers finished with an 11-12 overall record, their highest win total in four years, and swept last-place Germantown Academy during the regular season. The program also qualified for the PAISAA Tournament, winning its first round game against Academy of the New Church on May 13 before ultimately bowing out to eventual champ Malvern Prep the next day.

Girls Track & Field

The PC girls followed up their highly-successful winter indoor track season with more accolades in the spring. The Quakers first secured an Inter-Ac championship on May 9 at Episcopal Academy, then followed that up with a PAISAA championship one week later at Malvern Prep. 

Mackenzie Skelly broke the school record in the 1600m by running a 4:45.18 at the Haverford Distance Classic in mid-April. Two weeks later, Skelly and 4x800 relay teammates Abby Downin, Marlie Klein and Gwen Hamilton set a Pennsylvania record by running an 8:49.73 at the historic Penn Relays while earning a second-place finish in the process. 

Senior Michaela Poland was named as the league’s Most Valuable Athlete for the second time in her PC career, headlining the Inter-Ac all-league First Team. Also named to the First Team were Skelly, Hamilton, Taliyah Davis, Tisa Edwards, Logan Lloyd, Zsuzsi Pollock and Keagan Seth. Klein and Downin both were named to the Second Team. 

Boys Track & Field

On the boys’ end, Penn Charter’s season included a fourth-place finish at the Inter-Ac Championships, followed by a seventh-place showing at PAISAAs to conclude the season. At the league championship meet, the PC foursome of Nate Keller, Matthew Furda, Ethan Leggett and Christian Downs broke a school and meet record by completing the 4x100 relay in 42.55 seconds. That same quartet earned First Team all-league honors along with Matthew Dunn, while Lamir Calloway, Jak Kraemer and Andrew Marrone made for the Second Team.

Girls and Boys Track & Field
Then, in late June, as a capstone to such successful seasons, Poland, Lloyd, Leggett and Dunn finished in sixth place in the mixed 4x400 relay at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor, which features alternating legs of two boys and two girls. The PC foursome finished the race, which took place at UPenn’s Franklin Field, in 3:33.76. By virtue of finishing in the top six, the quartet earned high school All-American honors, further strengthening the reputation of both PC track programs. 

Baseball

The Quakers posted an 11-15 overall record, reaching double-digit wins for the first time since 2023. The team was 4-6 against Inter-Ac opponents, good for a fourth-place finish in the league standings. PC also secured a 10-0 first-round victory over Friends’ Central in the PAISAA Tournament on May 15 before sustaining a season-ending loss to Inter-Ac and PAISAA champ Malvern Prep a couple of days later.

Pitcher/shortstop Brice Staples was the team’s lone selection to the Inter-Ac’s all-league First Team, while outfielder Ryan Musial earned a spot on the Second Team. Freddie Master, Augie Turner and Braden Hall were head coach Justin Hanley’s picks for the team’s Coaches Award winners. 

Softball

PC ended its 2026 season in fourth place in the Inter-Ac, with one of the major highlights of the campaign being shortstop Madelyn Bergmann picking up her 100th career hit. Bergmann and catcher Maddie Wray were selected to the Inter-Ac all-league First Team, while Ellie McKernan, who rotated between playing second and third base, and first baseman Elaina Nicolucci secured spots on the Second Team. Wray, senior DP/outfielder Jordan Simon and freshman second base/pitcher Logan Goodheart were the program’s Coaches Award winners. 

Boys Tennis

PC finished 5-7 overall and 2-3 against Inter-Ac opponents during the 2026 boys tennis season, finishing in fourth place in the league standings. The Quakers earned a 6-1 postseason victory against Perkiomen School in the first round of the PAISAA Tournament before falling to eventual champion Haverford School in the next round in a season-ending defeat. 

Simon Zoldan was named First Team all-league, while teammates Nico Addimando, Jonah Serotta and Ramzi Wilkins all nabbed Second Team honors.

Crew

The Quakers secured a pair of top four finishes at the historic 99th Stotesbury Cup Regatta, the world’s largest scholastic rowing regatta that is held annually on the Schuylkill River in mid-May. Vivienne Riley, Sophia Toncich-Mandel, Parker Grimes and Grace Choate captured third place in the Junior Quad event, marking the first time a quad team had medaled in PC program history. Additionally, the senior double team of Hannah Aldinger and Lili DeMartinis brought home a fourth place finish in their race.

Aldinger and DeMartinis were far from finished, as the very next week the duo placed second at the SRAA National Team Regatta in the varsity 2x race. 
 

It’s a dark and stormy night, and you’ve been invited to a very unusual dinner party at Boddy Manor. Each of the guests has an alias—Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock and Mustard—the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well, dead. So whodunit? 

Penn Charter staged the madcap comedy Clue, based on the cult classic film and the popular board game.

 "We wanted to choose a show that would be fun and exciting for the audience," director Michael Roche said. The play, he noted, was essentially double-cast. "Since this show is all about timing, we decided to have an understudy cast in case anyone got sick. The understudies rehearsed very often and at times filled in for other actors at rehearsals. Since the understudy cast put in so much work, we decided they should have their own performance for family and friends."

Ninth grader Miles Downin, who played the butler, found the experience to be a great introduction to Penn Charter. "Coming into PC as a new student,” he said, “I thought I would be like a little fish in a giant ocean, but by putting myself forward for the play, I met some of the most amazing, kind and smart people at the school. It wasn't just the people in the cast; it was also the stage crew and costume department. All of these people helped make the play an amazing and successful show that was equally entertaining for the audience and the actors."

Photos

PC’s Upper School students studying Modern and Classical Physics, an Advanced Studies course, design spaceships using concepts typically taught to students pursuing a college degree in physics. The yearlong project demonstrates their knowledge of relativity, particle physics, nuclear physics, electromagnetic waves and quantum communication.

“This spaceship project provides students an avenue to apply their knowledge in a creative, imaginative and rigorous manner while showing that these topics have concrete and tangible applications in our world,” teacher Jonathan Bacon said.

Bacon’s inspiration for the assignment came to him while reading a Star Wars book to his seven-year-old son. “The book provided cross-sectional views of some classic Star Wars vehicles and explained the technology behind these sci-fi creations,” he said. “It referenced ion blasters, nuclear power cores, focused lasers and solar arrays—all concepts that are part of modern physics. I thought that students could take what they are learning in class to research, create, design and refine their own spaceship.”

In their spaceship designs, students included descriptions of six different subsystems: artificial gravity, propulsion, navigation, communication, power and a system of their own choosing. Because the project was yearlong, students were able to apply to their designs what they were learning in each unit of the course. The final product included a 3D model, a diagram with design highlights, a document that expanded on their  ideas and cited research, and an “elevator pitch” for showcasing their designs in a final gallery walk presentation.

“We really enjoyed the ability to research our own options for every component,” wrote project partners Matt Dunn and Anay Lodhavia, both juniors. “The project was so independent—all we received were rubrics and due dates, which gave us a ton of flexibility in crafting each subsystem.”

Thomas Le, a junior, said the most challenging part of the project was “backing our sci-fi designs with legitimate physics. A lot of the concepts we wanted to include were so advanced and theoretical that finding credible sources was difficult. We could’ve taken the easy route and designed a boring spaceship to the moon, but why would you when you could be traveling at 671,081 miles per hour after five years of acceleration?”

Students were also given choices about how to share their designs with classmates and the community. “I learned a lot about myself and my research and presentation styles,” said junior Olive Donaghy. “Instead of writing papers for each subsystem, I made videos with slide decks. I found that I do much better talking through how something works rather than trying to write it all down.”

Junior Moyo Adewunmi learned how complex it can be to collaborate in a group setting. “Throughout the project,” he said, “we had difficulty scheduling and conflicting ideas on how to construct specific parts of the spaceship, but by communicating and compromising, we were able to work efficiently while also maintaining group cohesion and balance.”

“The people made this project what it was,” said Thomas, who partnered with fellow junior Henry Gelbach. “It's rare to have that kind of sustained collaboration where the creative process itself becomes just as valuable as the final product.”
 

In the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, a child-centered approach to learning, the parents and the classroom teacher are considered the primary and secondary teachers of a young child. As partners, they support and guide the child’s development. The third teacher is the child’s environment—the physical space that stimulates curiosity and encourages exploration. 

The new Richard A. Balderston OPC ’69 Lower School embodies this third teacher, offering an environment purposefully crafted to deepen and enrich every child’s learning experience. 

Since Penn Charter’s pre-K to grade 5 students rushed through its doors on Sept. 3, 2025, the Balderston Lower School has served as a wondrous, welcoming space for curious learners of all ages—a teaching and learning community that fosters collaboration, makes the curriculum come alive and redefines possibilities. 

“Our goal is to present kids with tools and experiences and have the students apply them independently,” said Dan Stahl, innovation and design teacher for grades 1-5. “If they can walk out of the Lower School feeling like, ‘I can laser cut, I can 3D print, I can graphic design, I can code, and I can do all of that for a math class or an English class or a social studies class,’ that's a win in our book.” 

“They'll take something that we present in a certain way and then take it in a different direction we never thought of,” added Rachel Evans, who teaches innovation and design along with Stahl. 

It’s easy to innovate with all the tech options in the Idea Lab, including a ChompSaw, laser cutter, 3D printers, Cricut machine, Makey Makey, Hummingbird Robotics, Micro:bit circuit boards, Sphero coding robots, and Lego Education Spike Essential kits. 

Stahl and Evan’s classroom in the original lower school building had some older versions of those tools, too, but they didn’t have space—if the 3D printer was out, the ChompSaw was tucked away—and that made a tangible difference in students’ agency. Now, Stahl said, “students feel like they can solve the problem because they see the tools that are readily accessible for them … it builds resiliency within them.” 

They can also follow their imagination. “When they're working on a particular project,” Evans said, “they get to choose what they’re interested in and where it leads.”

Imagination is Brooke Giles’ specialty. A pre-K teacher for 14 years, she now teaches Studio to both pre-K and kindergarten, and coordinates the Discovery Room, the newest space for multisensory play and experiential education in the early-childhood curriculum—though everyone is welcome to play. 

Influenced by the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, Studio and Discovery are captivating rooms where children explore and create through art, movement, drama, storytelling and engineering. Until this year, Penn Charter’s pre-K was located adjacent to PC’s campus, in the Memorial Church of the Good Shepherd on The Oak Road. 

For Giles, the proximity and connection to the rest of the Lower School community—for both her and the students in pre-K—are pivotal. “I love being seen again by my former students or the students who didn't know me,” she said. “It’s really good to feel that my connection isn't lost. I want the Studio to be a resource for all the students, no matter what they want to create.” 

Kindergarten students have brought third grade—their buddy class—to the Discovery Room, which was designed for multisensory play and experiential education. “I'm loving that,” Giles said. "They're playing dress up, building with blocks, building giant marble ramps.” On a recent visit, third graders built a push car with Rigamajig, a building and engineering system. It doesn't take the older students long, Giles said, to stop wondering if they are too cool for the Discovery Room. 

Second graders are so intrigued by the Discovery Room that many of the students visit independently. When Giles saw them playing with the Busy River, the small stream just outside Giles’ room that meanders through the playground, she encouraged them to experiment in the Discovery Room. Which materials sink? Which float? Can you recycle materials to build a boat? 

The Balderston Lower School has a connectivity that the former building did not. Spaces that allow for collaboration and gatherings, like the Discovery Room, Friendship Hall and the Activities Room, which opens wide to the outdoor Amphitheater, are only part of it. The physical openness—skylights, hallways with large windows to learning spaces, connected classrooms—translates into community and well-being. 

“Everyone's class is seen, and every teacher is seen,” Giles said, ”and that makes a difference in a student's sense of belonging and community. No one's hidden in this building. We're all very present.” 

The thoughtful design of the Lower School “gives you a glimpse of the magic of what’s taking place,” added Director of Lower School Thu-Nga Morris. 

At a particularly exciting art class in October, fourth graders became graffiti artists. Though the class size was small, graffiti can be big and bold, so teachers Michelle Dowd and Karen Riedlmeier opened up the doors that divide the large art studio—one side outfitted with the tools and technology for 2D art and the other for 3D art such as clay and woodworking. The goal of this project was to teach positive and negative space and shapes, and graffiti was a way to engage the students. 

After learning about famous anonymous street artists Banksy and Blek le Rat, the latter often called the "father of stencil graffiti," students practiced graffiti-style lettering and made their own “tags” (an artist’s stylized signature). Then, on large sheets of paper that Dowd had stamped with a block design to resemble a brick wall, students tried their hand at graffiti. 

Blek le Rat and Bansky “decided their art was worth the risk because they had something important to share that they wanted to make accessible to everyone,” Dowd said. “And that's why I really loved that wall where our students all came together. Each stencil that they drew reflected some part of them, whether their favorite animal or a motif they enjoyed.” 

The graffiti project illustrates the flexible space of the double art room that enables teachers to set up multiple stages of an activity so students can move through the project independently. This, combined with smaller class sizes for specials, Riedlmeier said, “honors children’s natural learning rhythms and patterns.” 

Every feature of the Balderston Lower School was designed to foster a sense of community among students and educators. The building itself is a nod to Wissahickon Valley Park, with its winding form echoing the river valley that is muralized on its walls. The early childhood wing, comprising grades pre-K through one, supports gross motor skills through play and exploration with direct access to the outdoors. Friendship Hall, with its nature-inspired design, lush foliage and student art is a popular place to host faculty meetings and parent coffees. In the spring, students will generate ideas for what to grow in the second-floor terrace garden and then donate the produce to local organizations that support food security. 

“Because it's easier to collaborate—to connect with each other—we're hoping this new environment inspires teachers to pursue new ideas and new projects in support of our students,” said Thu-Nga Morris, director of Lower School. 

Such pursuits are underway. In October, fourth grade students partnered with Emily Brennan’s and John Tralie’s Upper School Advanced Geometry students. Brennan recognized that her class could use the dotted patterns on the Friendship Hall windows—designed to protect wild birds from accidental window strikes—to practice calculating slope and equations of lines. She reached out to fourth grade teachers and proposed a collaboration: Geometry students could teach fourth grade math students how to calculate slope—typically taught in Middle School— using dry-erase markers on the floor-to-ceiling Friendship Hall windows. 

“That was a really fun way for us to enhance our academic program,” Morris said. “It was also a fun way for the kids to build community and connections with each other cross-divisonally.” 

Students and teachers aren’t the only ones who have fun while learning in the Lower School. This year, parents and caregivers have been invited to sign up for MakerLab Mondays. About once a month, Dan Stahl and Rachel Evans offer parents a creative start to their day in the Idea Lab. In October, parent-child teams designed a mini catapult to fling candy pumpkins through a series of challenges. In November, they used the ChompSaw to create a mini parade float and then coded a robot to drive a Thanksgiving parade route. And in December, their assignment was to use simple circuits to create festive greeting cards that light up. Collaborative opportunities like these foster a supportive and engaging learning environment. 

“The power of teaching, learning and the student-teacher relationship has always been at the heart of the Penn Charter experience, and we see that reflected in this building,” Head of School Karen Warren Coleman said. 

“Like others in our community who worked hard to realize this dream, I was so excited about the plans and details of this project. I knew it would advance the mission of the Lower School, elevate learning, widen opportunity. But it wasn’t until our students and teachers and families walked through those red doors that I realized how much the Richard A. Balderston OPC ’69 Lower School would nurture and uplift our entire community.” 

– Rebecca Luzi
 

Read more stories in Penn Charter magazine.

In October, Upper School students in David Nichols’ Biotechnology class made science glow, quite literally. 

Conducting a transformation lab—a process in which foreign DNA is introduced into bacterial cells, resulting in new genetic traits—students first extracted a gene responsible for bioluminescence from a marine microorganism called Aliivibrio fischeri. A. fischeri helps creatures like the bobtail squid and pinecone fish shine in the ocean depths. 

“These animals share a symbiotic relationship with A. fischeri,” Nichols said. “The bacteria live in pores on their surface tissues, where the host provides nutrients, and in return the bacteria emit a soft blue-green glow. This bioluminescence helps larger organisms attract prey and mates, as well as camouflage themselves from predators.” 

Biotechnology, a new course added to the Upper School science curriculum, is a hands-on experience designed to familiarize students with laboratory techniques utilized in molecular biology, specifically DNA isolation, characterization and manipulation. Students work in teams to collect and analyze data, and then explain the results as a laboratory cohort. 

After long preparation, Nichols explained, students used the transformation process to remove the gene from Aliivibrio fischeri using restriction enzymes and inserted it into E. coli, a common laboratory bacterium that can grow at room temperature via plasmid vectors. “Plasmid vectors are small, engineered pieces of DNA that can be used to insert the genes of interest—in this case, the ones for bioluminescence— and transfer them from one organism to another,” Nichols said. “They often have other engineered genes in them to use as what are called ‘selectable markers.’ These markers make it easier to screen for the [bacterial] colonies of interest.” 

Once transformed, the E. coli was grown on Petri dishes and observed in a dark room. When the plates began to glow, students had visual evidence that the gene transfer had been successful. 

“It’s a fun lab,” Nichols said, “because the proof of concept is right there— you literally see the bacteria glowing in the dark.” 

Senior Zsuzsi Pollock (pictured above, right) shared what sets Nichols’ biotechnology class apart: “I love biotechnology not only because it is a smaller class and we can have more fun as well as learn more, but I also love how Mr. Nichols does not want us to stress over quizzes or tests, but instead allows us to dive deeply into labs and learn through hands-on experience.” 

On Stuffie Hospital Day, pre-K, kindergarten and first grade students were invited to bring their “injured” stuffed animals to school for necessary surgical repair. The "doctors" held sessions on two different days in the Lower School Studio—one led by parents and the other by upper schoolers. Dressed in white coats or scrubs, the stuffie doctors asked for patient history, diagnosed various rips and tears, and then sewed up their fuzzy patients. Students were then given discharge instructions for their stuffies with details for at-home recovery.

Brooke Giles, Lower School studio arts teacher, has been a stuffie doctor for her pre-K students for years and felt there was an opportunity to expand her “medical practice.” "I love showing the students that the sewing skills we learn in the Studio are life skills, too,” she said. “Last year I had a lot of requests to fix stuffed animals, so I decided to make it a day. One of my students, now in kindergarten, even designed me a logo.”   

The success of the scheduled clinic day prompted Giles to talk to visual and performing arts teacher EvaKay Noone about how her Upper School costume design students could help. “EvaKay, of course, also leaned into the dramatic play of it!” Giles said. 

"It was really fun to be back in the Lower School and see all of my old teachers," said sophomore Gemma Kohles. "The stuffie hospital was such a great idea to connect upper schoolers with lower schoolers. It really brightened my day, and I hope I will have another opportunity to do this again in the future."

Giles wants to make Stuffie Hospital Day bigger and better next year. "I have more ideas for next year, including a few service aspects,” she said. “Just one of the things that the new Lower School building is making possible in expanding the reach of the Studio program."