The Discoverers: Jayne Pardys, History
January 25, 2017
For Jayne Pardys, a passion for history arose all of a sudden last year when a course she was taking during her junior year on “Philadelphia History” led her to a project that hit very close to home. She created a prize-winning documentary on the role that the Germantown Jewish Centre played in halting white flight in the early 1960s and promoting the successful racial integration of West Mt. Airy.
Read MoreThe Discoverers: Christina Juste, Science
January 22, 2017
When junior Christina Juste is sitting at her desk in her honors biology or AP chemistry classes, she often has a super focused look on her face. That’s because she’s consuming all the information she can. “I have a lot of questions,” she said. “And I feel like science is a good way to get my answers.”
Read MoreThe Discoverers: Saria Rosenhaj, Poetry
January 20, 2017
As a little girl, Saria Rosenhaj would make up stories as she walked through the woods with her cousin. They had made a deal that as long as she was talking, he would keep walking. But it wasn’t until ninth grade, when Saria discovered the power of poetry, that her conversations turned inward, creating characters and storylines that helped her make sense of her experiences.
Read MoreThe Discoverers: Brian Wang, Theatre
January 15, 2017
The theatre bug bit Brian Wang back in elementary school in China when he performed in a chorus, but now that he’s a junior at AFS, it’s become a full-fledged fever. Why is he so passionate about theatre? It gives him a way to try on different characters, at least while he is on stage. “In theatre, everyone acts. You try on different personalities and can experiment.”
Read MoreMeet New State Rep. Jared Solomon ’97
January 13, 2017
AFS alum Jared Solomon ’97 was recently sworn in at the Capitol in Harrisburg as the new state representative for the 202nd Legislative District, centered in the Castor/Oxford Circle neighborhood of Northeast Philly.
Read MoreAlum Teaches Physics Students Engineering Design
January 13, 2017
AFS alum Sierra Lanfranco ’13, who is studying mechanical engineering at Boston University, returned to campus to talk with students in Upper and Middle School science and computer classes.
Read MoreThe Discoverers: Madison Tillman, Athletics
January 9, 2017
Junior Madison Tillmann began running as a way to get herself ready for the rigors of her freshman soccer season, but now she’s found great joy and personal reward in pursuing running for its own sake. “Once I get good at something, I just want to keep getting better and better,” she said.
Read MoreThe Discoverers: Rebecca Macey, Activism
January 8, 2017
Rebecca Macey, a senior who leads the Gender Sexuality Alliance, would be the first to admit that she has strong opinions about everything, and she isn’t afraid to express them. “I love being an activist,” she said. “I love being outspoken. I love when people argue with me because I love having an opinion and feeling like my opinion is the truth, but knowing there are other truths out there.”
Read MoreThe Discoverers: Desmond Daniels, Visual Arts
January 3, 2017
Senior Desmond Daniels has found a special kind of freedom in creating art, unconsciously developing a comic style that feels right to him. “I love art. It gives me the ability to be creative, to get my thoughts down on paper in a visual way. It just allows me to be free,” he said in his quiet, thoughtful way.
Read MoreA Sense of Community
September 27, 2016
In searching for a college, Hannah Kaplan was looking for small class sizes, interaction with teachers, and a sense of community — many of the same things she liked best about AFS.
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