From Shipley classrooms to Wall Street, Akinwole “Aki” Garrett ’00, a successful man by any standard, has been able to excel in any environment he steps into. He has met the likes of Chance the Rapper and worked with companies as big as Disney. Now, he is working in entertainment, still chasing his dreams and striving to be his best self.
Aki credits Shipley for helping to develop the mentality and aspirations that helped to make his dreams a reality. “If you can’t see it, you can’t strive for it. You’ve got to be able to see something to believe it’s possible,” he explains. Shipley provided Aki the opportunity to interact with people of different races and socioeconomic backgrounds than his own. It allowed him to see the different possibilities for life, beyond what there was in his hometown in South Philadelphia. About his time at Shipley Aki makes certain to note, “I never felt less than [at Shipley]… but what it did was it opened my eyes to the possibilities of what hard work, dedication, focus, intent, intention, and just commitment could help you to achieve in life.”
For Aki, Shipley did more than just provide a new environment and point of view, it allowed him to discover and pursue passions he never knew he had. From discovering a love for music that ultimately led to his current role with REVOLT Media & TV, to being the captain of the cross country and basketball teams, Shipley constantly pushed Aki out of his comfort zone. Specifically, Aki cited one example: in 11th grade he ran cross country, even though he thought it would make his asthma flare up. While he didn’t perform well in his first race, he was surprised that he had survived and managed to remain conscious the entire time. Garrett credits this experience for establishing very important ideologies in his life, “What it taught me was… don’t succumb to fear… it [also] taught me this notion of endurance… you’re going to feel good at certain parts, you’re going to feel terrible at certain parts, and at the end, you're going to feel exhausted, but once you cross that line, the reward on the other side is even sweeter than the pain that you had to endure to get there.”
Aki held true to this belief, as he tirelessly worked to achieve his lifelong goal of working on Wall Street, then, years later, took another fearless leap into the entertainment industry to follow his dream. “Excellence in all that you do,” states Aki, is one of the many qualities that led him to his current position, and one that is imbued in all Shipley students. Once he knew what he wanted to aspire to, Aki realized that it would take more than qualities such as fearlessness and endurance, he knew he would have to be the best. This idea of absolute excellence evolved from a quality to a lifestyle. A lifestyle that not only allowed Aki to achieve his main dream of working on Wall Street, but also one that kept him from growing complacent after his successes. “I’m more intrinsically motivated than extrinsically motivated… it’s me against the best version of me.” Now, Aki still has much to strive for. “My biggest career goal now is being in the C-suite, whether it’s chief strategy officer, chief business officer, chief executive officer—that's the next step.” In his constant drive to one-up himself, Aki has taken his career to places that not even he expected it to go.
While Garrett thanks Shipley for giving him tools for personal success, he is equally thankful for the lessons in service that the School provided him as well. “This is what I love about Shipley: there’s the academic part to Shipley, but then there’s also the citizenship part to Shipley.” Giving back to your community, however one might define it, is something Aki lives to do. The senior service projects were particularly profound, exposing Aki to the sense of purpose and satisfaction that giving back can provide. This spirit of service, along with fond memories of different Shipley alumni, like Koma Gandy ’91 and Robb Armstrong ’81, whom Aki looked up to in his younger years, made him want to continue to give back and inspire the youth in the same way that he was inspired. Sitting on boards, donating, volunteering, and even doing interviews, are all ways Aki shows thanks to the places that made him who he is today, “And so I find myself in communities where my plant was watered. Now I’m trying to water the future plants so that they can grow and blossom.”
Matt Spencer ’23 is a senior at The Shipley School, where he has attended since PreK. He wrote this profile as part of an internship with the Marketing Office in the summer of 2022.
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.
Shipley’s Track and Field team made School history by participating for the first time in the historic Penn Relays at Franklin Fields on April 27-29, 2023. The Gators ran with courage and grace, making a memorable first impression at this year's Penn Relay Carnival. Before the races, the team and coaches made a promise to each other: "Focused teammates, committed to run for each other," and that is precisely how they competed.
Shipley's Middle and Upper School Science Olympiad Teams competed in the Pennsylvania Science Olympiad State Tournament on April 22 at Penn State Altoona. Fourteen teams earned medals during the tournament.
The Shipley Honors Combo won first place in the Small Ensemble Division 2 category at the National Jazz Festival, held April 22 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Trumpeter Aidan Peterson ‘24 won an Outstanding Musician Award and also earned the Judge’s Choice Award.
Ninth grade marks a special milestone that presents a host of different challenges. To more effectively meet students’ needs and ensure that they will thrive within the classroom and beyond, Shipley revamped its advisory program by forming a specialized team to guide ninth graders through this transitional time.
To know Betsy Leschinsky (or Mrs. L, as the kids like to call her) is to love her. She is humble about her role in Shipley becoming a leader in social emotional learning, but Mrs. L’s sweet, gentle demeanor and small stature belie a giant in our community. Learn more about Shipley's beloved Lower School SEED Teacher, Betsy Leschinsky.
Carter Barnhart ’10 is the co-founder and CEO of Charlie Health, with the goal of providing high-quality, personalized mental health treatment to a broader population through a virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP) that combines group, individual, and family therapy sessions delivered entirely online. In 2022, Carter was named to Inc. Magazine’s Female Founders 100 list for her work to rapidly grow Charlie Health.
Chris Lengthorn, Shipley's Director of Squash, dedicates his career to pursing two simple goals: to bring squash to the people and help them achieve whatever their definition of success may be. "I teach students how to manage setbacks and overcome adversity through hard work, discipline and resilience." Learn more about Coach Lengthorn in this Q&A.
When Helen “Honey” Beuf ’78 lost her daughter to suicide, she turned her grief into action. Working with a good friend who is a movie producer, Honey and her other daughter, Tess, decided to produce a documentary film called My Sister Liv. In making the film, Honey says she became aware of unmet needs of kids in learning about suicide prevention and mental health.
Shipley is lucky to have two of its own at the helm of a re-energized Alumni Engagement Office after a two-year hiatus from hosting regional and major events. Aly Mason ’07 took over the role of Director in September 2022, joining Assistant Director Ali Schwartz ’10 in the shared endeavor of connecting with alumni of all ages through robust alumni programming.
“New” traditions can mirror those from the past. And while times may have changed, the goal remains the same: To create a sense of belonging, connection, and school spirit. Learn about two "new" 2022-2023 school year initiatives aimed at generating more school spirit across the divisions.
In Jeff Addis's interdisciplinary Grade 11 Honors American Studies History course, students explore American identity through history, literature, and art. In a recent poetry project, students used visual culture and art to work on writing and voice. Throughout the course, Addis tries to make history real for students, helping them find where their identity and lived experiences overlap with the things they are learning.
Shipley's Middle and Upper School Science Olympiad Teams competed in the Pennsylvania Southeast Region Science Olympiad Tournament on March 11 at Penn State Abington. The teams earned 12 top-three finishes, earning spots at the State Tournament in April.
At the 2023 Philadelphia Flower Show, Shipley’s commitment to excellence was on full display through the prize-winning work of the Sprouts, Upper School Horticultural Ecology students, and the Middle School Gardening Club. Shipley alumni also made their mark, with Betsy Hastings Block ’83 and Laura Butera '08 contributing in big ways to the event's success.
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.