Name: Ishea Currently Attending: Princeton University Years at Shipley:4 Activities & Positions Held: Student Government (Sophomore & Senior Class President) Yearbook (Editor), Senior Ambassador, Crew (9th-12th), Basketball (9th-10th), Stage Crew (10th)
Reflections on Shipley I am proud that I ended up coming to Shipley because I grew as a leader and a student with the help of Shipley’s great community. As a new freshman, I had no idea what to expect coming to a new school in an unfamiliar part of town, but all of my classmates and teachers were truly welcoming and helped me to feel like part of the community right away. Despite being new, I was encouraged to challenge myself in and out of the classroom, and I took the risk of running for sophomore class president at the end of 9th grade, which ultimately paid off. Along with joining student government, I also joined the crew team, and, with the encouragement of my teachers, I felt comfortable enough to take more rigorous honors courses as the years progressed.
Now, I feel comfortable in my academic abilities. I took many challenging and fascinating classes at Shipley, which changed the way I imagined a high school curriculum. The freedom of course selection in senior year was especially helpful to me because I have a broad range of interests, and I was able to create a schedule for myself that held my attention throughout the year. During my time at Shipley, I also learned how ask for help when I needed it. My teachers made themselves so available to me that I was comfortable advocating for myself, and I was encouraged to share my questions in class to advance everyone’s learning. I had no idea as a freshman that Shipley would come to be such a large part of my life, but now I can’t imagine how my life would have turned out without Shipley and its community. Shipley gave me the academic foundation and the confidence in myself and my abilities that will be paramount for me in college.
Who was your most influential teacher and why? My most influential teacher at Shipley was my 11th grade Honors English teacher Dr. Pickering. She is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, and she pushed me to read and analyze literature in a completely new way over the course of her class. I had more pertinent and productive conversations in that class than I had in any other class. We read some tough books, most notably Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner, and we explored the implications presented on the nature and fate of humanity. Dr. Pickering is an authoritative yet passionate and encouraging teacher. I often chatted with her about life, but more importantly, I can always rely on her for a good book recommendation (or twelve).
What was your most memorable experience at Shipley? My most memorable experience at Shipley was serving as senior class president this past school year. I was honored to be elected again, and I put a lot of hard work and effort into planning fun events and activities for my class. Planning and executing prom, senior week, and the senior class trip to Six Flags were a few major highlights of my presidency, but it was amazing to work with the other fantastic students on student government. I remember all the fun we had and bonding we did on the student leadership retreat, and I think that trip had a large part in laying the foundation for a great year.
What are your plans for the fall of 2019? Next fall I will be attending Princeton University. I am undecided as to what I would like to major in, but I have an affinity for the sciences.
Are you going to college to nurture a talent that you honed during your time at Shipley? I don’t have any singular or specific talents, but I am going on to college to broaden and deepen my love of learning. At Shipley, I was able to take a range of classes that sparked my interests, whether in English, the Sciences, or Math. I am looking forward to joining a new, diverse school community next year where I will be able to build on my Shipley foundation.
What is your future ambition and what led you to this ambition? My future ambition is to continue to grow as a learner and leader and to eventually be able to use my knowledge to help others. Medical research is interesting to me and is a potential career path that would allow me to combine my fascination with the sciences with public health. However, whatever I end up doing, I hope to be passionate about my work and help others while doing it.
What does Courage for the Deed; Grace for the Doing mean to you? For me, Courage for the Deed; Grace for the Doing means being dedicated yet humble in everything you do. It means doing every task, the difficult and the tedious, deliberately and purposefully. The phrase is a mantra for encouragement and honor to live by and revisit often.
What impact or contributions do you think you have made at Shipley and in the larger community? I think I have made contributions to the image of Shipley through working as an ambassador and speaking at admissions events. I hope to have set an example for the hard work and dedication of a Shipley student, especially with my work as senior class president. Overall I would like to think that I impacted the people I came into daily contact with and hopefully was able to brighten their day or make them laugh.
Complete this sentence: Shipley has prepared me to… handle challenges with grace.
Learn more about Chantra Reinman—from her unexpected journey into education to her love for dance, and a surprising encounter with royalty, Chantra shares what drives her to make a difference in the lives of young learners. Discover why she's so passionate about protecting children's options and possibilities, what she loves to do in her free time, and why the classic film Roman Holiday holds a special place in her heart.
In the whirlwind of the first few weeks of school, Shipley's teachers set the tone in their classrooms with engaging ice-breaker activities that transcend traditional introductions. Through these activities, our students are not merely getting to know each other; they are building the foundations of a thriving, supportive, and vibrant community that will guide them on their journey to becoming their best selves.
Phillip Brown, Upper School Theater Director at Shipley, considers his portrayal of Jay Jackson in Lantern Theater Company's "The Royale" to be the role of a lifetime.The play was nominated for seven Barrymore Awards, including Outstanding Overall Production of a Play, with Phillip himself nominated for Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play.
Contour line drawing is more than a classroom exercise, it demands unwavering concentration, forging connections between the artist and their subject, creating a unique interplay between the pen and paper. A poignant reminder that art isn't merely about what we see; it's about how we see it and the stories we can convey through the lines we draw.
Explore the world of renowned artist Rory MacArthur at The Speer Gallery in a mesmerizing exhibition on loan from the West Collection. Discover MacArthur's journey into glyphs and abstraction, where he crafts perfect glyph-like objects using color, shape, surface, and form in an age inundated with symbols.
In an effort enrich Shipley’s Theater Arts Program, significant changes are underway, touching every aspect of the program—from personnel to scheduling. Learn more about the exciting changes underway in Shipley's Theater Arts.
Meet Sergio Jackson, Shipley’s Director of Athletic Performance, who inspires the community to move and thrive. Learn about his journey from a college athlete to Shipley, where he creates an inclusive and empowering environment for the community. You will also discover how he applies his guiding principles of strength, energy, resilience, and gratitude (SERG) to help students achieve their health and wellness goals.
Departing Director of Physical Plant and Security, Bob Meals, shares his fond memories and gratitude. This place isn't just a workplace; it's a home," he emphasized, having lived on campus for 25 plus years. The family-like environment, the friendships, and the connections with students, families, and coworkers are what make this place so unique."
Join us on Saturday, September 30, for this day-long celebration that will include a kids’ carnival, free community barbecue, athletic events, Kona Ice, and more. Festivities begin at 10:00 am! Carnival, Kona Ice Truck, 5th grade smoothies, and Middle School bake sale proceeds will support Shipley's 22-year partnership with The Brain Tree Primary School in Uganda.
Shipley's very own Director of Bands, Dr. Harley Givler was recognized as a finalist in the 10th Annual Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute Ovation Awards. He and the nine other finalists were nominated by current and former students who wrote essays on “How My Music Teacher Changed My Life.”
Shipley’s Asian Student Alliance (ASA), led by co-presidents Amber Feng ’24 and Anne Gu ’25, recognized Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with programming for Upper School students, including a presentation about AAPI Heritage Month by members of the ASA, and one by guest speaker Elvis Zhang ’17 about his life as an entrepreneur and Asian American.
Capping their stellar season, the girls’ played Springside Chestnut Hill Academy in the Final League game, only this time the tables turned and Shipley was victorious.
Shipley's Middle School Latin students took the 2023 National Latin Examination with over 100,000 students from around the world. Thirteen students earned Latin Award prizes and recognition for excellence. Middle School Latin students also competed in The Philadelphia Classical Society's 84th Annual Latin Week Competition - Traditional Artistry & Literary Projects on Classical themes. A total of 30 Middle School students won Latin Awards and recognition for excellence.
The Upper School Administration recognized the outgoing and incoming student leadership officers and presented students with academic, athletic, and leadership awards at the annual Closing Awards Ceremony.
"How can we use the language of art to explore our feelings and beliefs? What do I care about and how can I bring that idea to life? What do I want to communicate?" These are just a few of the questions that Shipley’s Studio Art 3 Honors students grappled with as they completed their protest art assignments. Learn more about this project and how students discover their voice as artists to speak about something they care about.
Shipley’s Middle School Science Olympiad team finished 11th out of 36 middle school teams that participated in the recent States competition. Though it may not have been as good as the outcome the team wanted, the Olympians and coaches came away from the experience with much more than a trophy or gold medal. Learn more about what makes the Science Olympiad experience such an amazing one.
Defining scientific research questions and the process of inquiry is an important part of Middle School science. Beginning in sixth grade, students define their questions, then design experiments to help them answer these questions. Eighth graders recently traveled to Saunders Woods to do this work as part of their ecosystem assessment project—just one example of how authentic assessments create meaningful learning experiences.
The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.