From the Beacon - In Focus: Upper School Clubs and Activities
Andrew McCarthy ’23
One of the most important aspects of this community is our activities and clubs where students can embrace their passions! A few activities have been highlighted in order to provide information on what they’re working on currently and their plans for the future.
Asian Student Alliance
Advised by Ms. Tang and led by junior Amber Feng, the Asian Student Alliance seeks to “cultivate a safe space for Asian students.”
What’s happening now? The Asian Student Alliance meets once every two weeks on Green Thursdays in room S107. During their meetings, students enjoy food from Asian cultures while playing card games and Mahjong. Club president, Amber Feng, explained that one of her goals is to create a “culture of sharing at Shipley.” The conversations happening between students in the room are always positive and insightful.
Plans for the future? As of now, the Asian Student Alliance has a number of exciting activities planned for upcoming meetings. They are hoping to bring in guest speakers, and they are considering the possibility of cross-school collaborations with nearby schools. Going forward, the club strives to continue providing students with a safe space to celebrate their identity.
STEAM Club
Advised by Dr. Brandao and led by senior Kevin Zheng, the STEAM Club seeks to “give students the opportunity to work with tools in the Maker Space.”
What’s happening now? The STEAM Club meets once every two weeks on Green Mondays in the Maker Space lab.
During their meetings, students engage in hands-on learning and experimentation, making use of the 3D printer, the laser cutter, and materials such as wood and cardboard. Currently, the club members are working on an interactive “STEAM” sign which will be displayed in the Maker Space lab.
Plans for the future? Going forward, the STEAM Club is considering the possibility of redesigning the Python room with the help of their advisor, Dr. Brandao.
Sprouts Horticulture Club
Advised by Ms. Sterling and Ms. Couture and co-led by senior Wyatt Strawbridge, Sprouts seeks to “increase the popularity of horticultural engagement in the Shipley community.”
What’s happening now? Sprouts meets once every week in the Greenhouse. During their meetings, students participate in a variety of activities, including caring for flower bulbs, planting raised-bed gardens, and preparing plants for sale in the Spring.
In partnership with the Lower School, club members are currently making ornaments for a holiday-themed tree which will be included in a seasonal event at Longwood Gardens.
Plans for the future? In March, Sprouts will be working on forcing flower bulbs for the Flower Show run by the Philadelphia Horticultural Society.
Students will each get the chance to design their own individual submission, while also collaborating on creating a singular, large-scale submission of a door entryway.
Global Village
Advised by Mr. Oatts and led by seniors Kevin Zheng, Zion Alexis, and Keith Brennan, Global Village seeks to “learn about languages and cultures around the globe.”
What’s happening now? Global Village meets once every two weeks on Blue Tuesdays in room US SP102. Using the website ITalk, students discover and reach out to native speakers from various different countries.
During their meetings, students ask these speakers questions about the culture and customs of their native country. Often, they learn how to greet one another in the speaker’s native language. So far, they have spoken to Korean, Filipino, and Moroccan speakers. Club leaders sometimes bring in traditional snacks and treats from the speaker’s native country.
Plans for the future? For their upcoming meetings, Global Village is looking forward to the possibility of chatting with international speakers from countries such as Israel and Sri Lanka.
Wharton Investment Club
Advised by Ms. Nappi and led by junior Chase Leibowitz, the Wharton Investment Club seeks to “create the best portfolio for the case studies they are given.”
What’s happening now? The Wharton Investment Club meets once every two weeks on Green Tuesdays in room US M205. During their meetings, students simulate buying and selling stocks through the Wharton Global High School Investment Competition, an online investment simulation. Competitors are given $100,000 and challenged to make the most profitable investments they can.
The Wharton Investment Club members recently invested in stock from Axis Bank Limited, a financial services company headquartered in Mumbai, which, to their surprise, is doing particularly well.
Plans for the future? Going forward, the Wharton Investment Club hopes to finish the preliminary competition at a high enough standing to make it to the finals. We wish them luck!
Ceramics Club
Advised by Ms. Royer and led by seniors McKylah Fletcher and Katherine Foulke, the Ceramics Club seeks to “provide students with a space where they can express their artistic visions.”
What’s happening now? The Ceramics Club meets once a week on Blue Mondays and Green Thursdays in room SC217. During their meetings, club members shape, glaze, and fire sculptures and pottery out of clay. Whether they are throwing on the wheel, glazing a piece, or sculpting with their hands, students are permitted to work entirely independently and at their own pace.
Plans for the future? Going forward, the Ceramics Club plans to continue providing students with an open studio—a place where they can feel free to express themselves while always having access to guidance and support.
Shipley's Upper School Boys' and Girls' Varsity Squash teams competed at the National Squash Championships in Philadelphia, finishing 34th and 64th in the country, respectively.
Since Dr. Roberta Brandao’s arrival to chair Shipley’s STEAM department in the fall of 2022, she has created a learning environment that fosters creativity, provides relevance, and pushes students to think critically. Learn more about Dr. Brandao's approach and how she makes students feel comfortable about taking creative risks.
This year’s Upper School Spring Musical is Mean Girls, a modern adaptation of the classic movie from 2004. Shipley theater star and Beacon writer Colin Harkins ’23 tells us why audiences should be excited to see the show March 2-4, 2023 in Riely Theatre.
Shipley’s theater program is excited to announce that it will partner with Broadway Green Alliance, a corporation that tries to bring more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices into theaters all around the country. Read more in this article originally published in the Beacon student newspaper.
View a performance of the Lunar New Year Overture by Shipley's Chamber Orchestra, in an arrangement by Richard Liu ’25 and Bambi Tang ’23, and conducted by Mr. Jhonnatan Mata. The performance was organized by the Asian Student Alliance and the Chamber Orchestra in celebration of Lantern Festival, or the end of Lunar New Year.
After an extensive international search, Head of School Michael G. Turner announced the appointment of Chantra Reinman as Shipley’s next Head of Middle School, effective July 1, 2023.
In the Lower School Student Council, fourth and fifth graders hone leadership skills like collaboration, public speaking, and planning as they help with divisional assemblies and other student-led initiatives, while serving as student representatives at admissions events and more. Though the group is diverse, they all have one thing in common: a desire to give back to Shipley.
Shipley's Middle School Boys' and Girls' Squash teams competed at the National Squash Championships in Philadelphia, finishing ninth and 20th, respectively.
Congratulations to Shipley senior Zion Alexis ’23 for receiving numerous awards in the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, presented by Philadelphia Writing Project, including a Gold Key for his poem, "black boy, PREP SCHOOL." Read the poem and learn more about Zion, his interest in creative expression, and how Shipley has pushed him to grow as a writer in this Q&A.
Head of School Michael Turner announced that Rebekah Adens will be Shipley’s next Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, effective July 1, 2023.
Middle School science teacher Ace Schwarz was one of 10 educators selected to participate in the 2023 NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP), which partners small groups of educators with a research astronomer for original, year-long, authentic research projects.
On Saturday, December 3, Shipley’s Upper School Science Olympiad team participated in the 2nd Annual Dick Smith Memorial Invitational. Competing in the B Division, Shipley’s Upper School team finished 31 out of 74 teams. Several students also placed in individual events.
Chess team members Srijan Velamuri ’23 and Adithi Srinivasan ’25 earned first and second places, respectively, at the Interscholastic Chess Tournament, hosted by Shipley on December 9, 2022.
What happens when you combine passion, professional learning, and appreciation of beauty and excellence? You get a teacher who brings enthusiasm and energy to her classroom and students who learn while doing. Learn more about how Middle School Latin teacher Anne Smith shares her passion for mosaics, Roman history, and the Latin language with her students through multiple modalities.
Dr. Harley Givler asked his third grade students to imagine what a storybook's characters would sound like as a musical composition. The third graders performed the composition for their PreK Book Buddies, sharing lessons in emotions, tolerance, and being an upstander, as well as inspiring a love of music.
On Friday, December 2, Shipley hosted the Philadelphia Area Math League for Independent Schools 2022 Playoffs. As a result, the Gators finished fifth out of ten teams in the group category and Bambi Tang ‘23 finished first in the individual category.
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.