MS B Basketball Posts Two More Wins 1/31/2012. . .The MS B Basketball team continues to roll, posting two recent wins versus Springside and Germantown Friends.   "Last year, Springside broke our hearts with a last second 3-pointer at the buzzer. This year, Baldwin dominated and were able to give some girls more playing time than they were used to. The Bears showed good sportsmanship and passed the ball instead of shooting when they were ahead," said Coach Pitocchelli.

Kimberly Rouse '12 Awarded Westminster Choir Scholarship 1/30/12...Following a delightful and energetic District 11 (Montgomery and Bucks Counties) Chorus Concert at Norristown Area High School on Saturday, scholarships to Westminster's Choir College Summer Program were awarded to four members of the 160-voice Chorus - one of which was Baldwin's Kimberly Rouse '12.   Kimberly, who was unable to stand without crutches during the three days of rehearsals, was graciously given the award while seated within the standing chorus. Kimberly will be studying Voice and Choral Conducting under Dr. Amanda Quist, the guest Director of District Chorus this year. The Vocal Institute draws 150 students from across the country and around the world.

BEAR Day Is Here!   1/27/12...BEAR (Be Excited About Reading) Day is a Lower School tradition that was celebrated today.  Girls came to campus looking like they were headed for a sleepover - complete with their favorite book, a much-loved bear and a comfortable pair of pajamas.   At the BEAR Day assembly, Baldwin mother Judy Boreham talked to the girls about the important work that Philadelphia’s Ronald McDonald House does for children undergoing treatment for cancer and other life threatening illnesses. For the past three years our girls have participated in the76ers' Read for Ronald Read-a-Thon, along with students from other area schools, to raise money for the charity. See more photos from the event in our Media Gallery.

PAFA Donates 175 Books to WePAC Book Drive Proud students Margaret Fleischner, Frances Wilson and Torrie Smith initiated the WePAC project and have advertised and managed the book collection. 1/26/12...In response to the Grade IV WePAC book drive, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), the nation's first museum and school of fine arts, is pleased to donate 175 copies of Henry Ossawa Tanner: His Boyhood Dream Comes True.  The book is written and illustrated by Faith Ringgold, recipient of the Baldwin Women's Writing Medal, and was published in conjunction with the the special exhibition "Henry Ossawa Tanner: Modern Spirit," on view at PAFA through April 15.  The book traces the inspiring story of a young Henry Tanner who became the first internationally acclaimed African American fine artist.  This gift is made possible through the generosity of Exelon Foundation and PECO. This donation will inspire and enrich thousands of young minds through the WePAC libraries and cooperative programs.  Both the fourth grade and WePAC thank Exelon and PECO for this gift, and they thank all the Baldwin families who are supporting this worthwhile endeavor.

MS A Basketball Team Beats Rosemont School of the Holy Child 1/26/2012. . . The MS A basketball team defeated Rosemont School of the Holy Child in a stirring one point victory. The win was particularly sweet as the team has posted recent losses in extremely competitive games including a three point loss to Shipley, a two point loss to Penn Charter and a four point loss to Abington Friends in which the led for most of the game.    Leading the team in scoring to date is Sophie Hogg with five points a game. Ellie Greenberg has four steals per game and over the last five games, Hayden Ivey is averaging nine rebounds a contest. The team's defense has been at the core of their recent success as their full-court pressure has forced turnovers.

Meeting the Challenge             Pre-K and Grade I students with mascots Winnie and the Phillie Phanatic!    1/26/12...The sounds of basketballs dribbling, hula-hoops whooshing, and the paddling and splashing about of Baldwin’s youngest Pre-Kindergarten and Grade I bunch, as their laughs and giggles echoed throughout the school’s Athletic Center, was synonymous with the Head of School Challenge Event which took place on Sunday, January 22.    There was certainly cause for celebration as the Classes of 2025 and 2023 achieved 100% pledged participation in the Annual Fund, thanks to the overwhelming dedication and support of parents. Nearly 50 families turned out at the party to join their kids in the swimming pool or on the court for a game of basketball. The Phillie Phanatic also made an appearance, teaming up with Baldwin’s own mascot, Winnie, to greet the adults and horse around with the kids. Not even Head of School Sally Powell, who welcomed parents and thanked them for their support, could escape the Phanatic’s charm!                                      Head of School, Sally Powell, couldn't escape the Phillie Phanatic!

Simpson Challenge for the Performing Arts 1/25/12...Lois Goutman inspired many drama lovers during the 42 years she spent leading the theater program at Baldwin, but her greatest fan may be W. Robert Simpson, father of Carolyn Simpson Scott ’74 and grandfather of Adrienne Scott ’11. When Bob learned of Baldwin’s need for a new performing arts space, he and his family offered a magnanimous challenge: they will contribute $500,000 to be matched 1:1 in support of a new Performing Arts Center in honor of Lois Goutman. This million-dollar effort will allow Baldwin to renovate the existing gym space behind the Lower School into a first-class facility with a new stage, professional lighting, dressing rooms and a set construction workshop. Carolyn was a Masker and her father acted with Lois Goutman in Main Line productions.   Learn more about this Giving Opportunity here.

Educate Girls, Change the World   Lower School students giggle as they watch last year's video of classmates sharing the chores they did at home to raise money in support of girls' education.    1/23/12...On Friday, representatives from 10x10 came to campus to speak with Lower School students about the difference the girls are making in the advancement of female education around the world.  35 million girls do not have access to primary schools due to financial restraints and economic conditions.  10x10 seeks to "image a world where girls don't just survive - they thrive."   Students watched this video of Sokha, a Cambodian orphan who was sent to work in the city dump with her older sister.  Sokha is now a top student and an accomplished classical dancer - and one of the few people who can say they've met Michelle Obama.   This presentation kicked off the second year of Lower School's service project with 10x10, in which the girls do chores to raise money for the organization.  Last year, the students raised more than $500 to provide bikes for girls in rural communities and third world countries to get to school.  You can read the story in our Community Service news. Stay tuned for updates on the progress of this year's project, or follow the 10x10 blog.

Life Through a Lens     Sophia Tareen '13, Alice Douglas '14, and Jasmine Schlichting '13 showcase their work.   1/20/2012...A handful of Upper School students congregated in the Museum Room of the Residence on January 18 for a Black and White Photography Critique with their teacher, Frances Merritt Thompson. Black and white photographs lined the walls, propped up on bookshelves or over the fire place, as the students drank tea and munched on strawberry tarts while casually discussing their favorite works and what had inspired them. “Pick a photograph of your own that you are really proud of, that you think is successful,” Thompson said, heading the discussion.   One student took a very telling photograph of her sister, while another found the symmetry of a window and a fresh perspective as a more inviting point of focus. Despite the differences in each student’s photographs however, they were all successful in conveying a story. “We could put some great text with these photographs,” Thompson said, likening the experience to visiting a Photography Exhibition at a museum. “Sometimes I find myself reading the stories before even looking at the photographs.”

Natalie Webb '12 Commits to Stanford 1/19/2012. . . Natalie Webb ’12 has committed to row with the Varsity Crew Team at Stanford University beginning fall 2012. Natalie is a four-year varsity member of the Baldwin Crew Team, a program that emerged to become a consistently strong contender on the Schuylkill River in recent years. While at Baldwin, Natalie has garnered medals and accolades in numerous races and regattas including: Gold, Stotesbury Freshman 4x (2009); City Champion 4x (2011); Stotesbury Silver 4x (2011); CSSRA Finalist 4x (2011); Nationals Finalist 4x (2011); Bronze Mercer Lake sprints (2010); Bronze, Mercer Lake springs (2011). Natalie was also one of four Baldwin rowers to participate in the prestigious Henley Regatta in 2011.

Tiffany Hau '12 Commits to Middlebury 1/19/2012. . . Tiffany Hau ’12 has verbally committed to play Varsity Squash at Middlebury College beginning fall 2012. Tiffany is a three-year varsity squash player at Baldwin, a program that has achieved national status. Last year’s team, on which Tiffany played, placed third in the country at the US High School National Tournament, held at Yale University annually. The team recently captured the InterAc League Title for the third consecutive year. In addition, Tiffany has qualified for and played in Gold and Junior Championship Tour squash tournaments and is currently ranked #32 in the Girls Under-19 Division. Middlebury is currently ranked #12 in the nation. The team competes in the highly competitive NCAA Division III NESCAC Conference and faces DI powers in its regular and post-season play. “I’m so excited to attend Midd next fall! They have an excellent language program, so I hope to study abroad during my time there. I am not sure what I would like to major in, but I am leaning towards economics or some form of pre-business,” said Tiffany.   In addition to playing squash at Baldwin, Tiffany is on the Varsity Soccer and Lacrosse Teams. She is also the President of the Baldwin Upper School Athletic Association.

Nicole Wells '12 Commits to Yale 1/19/2012. . . Senior Nicole Wells has verbally committed to play varsity field hockey at Yale University beginning fall 2012. Nicole has been a varsity starter on the Baldwin Field Hockey Team since 8thgrade. She co-captained the team in 2011 and has been named to the All InterAc League Team for four years, three times to the First Team. Nicole has also been named to the All Main Line Team all four years in high school, two times to the First Team. Since 2007, Nicole has been an active participant in the USA Field Hockey Futures program, an association geared toward training and selecting future Olympic Field Hockey athletes. Nicole has progressed through the Futures Program to achieve the status of Futures Elite, representing the top 200 field hockey players in the nation. Through the Futures program, Nicole has been chosen to represent Pennsylvania in the National Futures Championship from 2008-2011 and has medaled at the tournaments, which showcase the country’s top field hockey talent.

Varsity Squash Beats Lawrenceville 1/19/2012. . . The Varsity Squash Team hosted Lawrenceville and won 8-1. Maya Patel, Tiffany Hau, Alexa Tzarnas, Olivia Horwitz, Morgan Steelman and Cashel McCarthy all won 3-0. Selena Maity and Alexa Horwitz won 3-1.     Baldwin's next match is in two weeks vs. Springside prior to the team's journey to Yale University for the National High School Championships. "We expect to get another high seed  again this year and do well against schools from all over the country," said Associate Head Squash Coach, Bruce Kelly.   photo: Selena Maity

Baldwin Robotics Rocks Pictured, left to right: Winning team of Angela Yang (VI), Maya Bindra (VII), Sanjana Dixit (VI) and Stephanie Blank (VII). 1/18/12...On January 14, Baldwin Robotics Team A (The Robotics Team of Shamrocks and Daisies) took home the Tournament Champion trophy at the Eastern PA Regional Tournament.  They were partnered with two Downingtown girls teams for an all-girls' alliance. Maya Bindra '17, Stephanie Blank '17, Sanjana Dixit '18 and Angela Yang '18 were on the winning team.    Also making a great showing in the semi-finals was Team B, whose members are Sara Syed '18, Courtney Loomis '17, Jessica Zhang '17, and Zara Wenzinger '17.  At one point Team B's robot lost a wheel, but Sara kept driving, leading their alliance to a win in that match.  Team C also did well, placing 12th in the overall tournament.  Team C's Neelam Pandya '18, Ali Scannell '16, Rebecca Reiver '16 and Hilary Liu '18 showed great spirit and effort, and club advisor Laura Blankenship expects they'll be in great shape to compete in the next tournament.

Cells, Up Close and Personal 1/13/12...Grade VII Biology students just completed their three-dimensional models of plant and animal cells. Each model includes a key and a brochure that takes the viewer on a journey through the cell. Please stop by Science Building, Room #105, to enjoy the Grade VII interpretations of cells! In the meantime, read more about this project (including an excerpt from a student-written travel itinerary through the cell) on our blog.

Varsity Squash Team Captures InterAc Title for Third Consecutive Year   1/13/2012. . . It's a threepeat! For the third consecutive year, the Varsity Squash Team has won the InterAc Title!   After beating Penn Charter in league play yesterday at Baldwin's home courts, the 2011-2012 team remains undefeated at 10-0 with two more matches remaining in regular season play. The Bears will then begin post-season play at the Mid-Atlantic Squash Association (MASA) Tournament and the US Squash High School Nationals. Last year, the team captured the gold at MASA and placed third at Nationals.     "I'm proud of the girls! Penn Charter is a strong team that add a lot of pressure to our matches yesterday. The win sealed our InterAc title, boom" shared Varsity Head Coach and Baldwin Squash Pro, Karen Kronemeyer.    Congratulations Squash!

Varsity Squash Tops Penn Charter 1/13/2012. . . The Varsity Squash Team defeated Penn Charter 6-3. The match was played at home.    Winning Baldwin squash players include: Maya Patel, Tiffany Hau, Alexa Horwitz, Alexa Tzarnas, Olivia Horwitz, and Cashel McCarthy, who all won their matches 3-0.

Varsity Squash Beats GFS and Remains Undefeated 1/12/2012. . . The Varsity Squash Team beat Germantown Friends School 6-3 and maintains its undefeated record. The match was played at the Germantown Cricket Club.   Tiffany Hau, Alexa Horwitz, Alexa Tzarnas, Olivia Horwitz and Cashel McCarthy all won their matches 3-0. Morgan Steelman won her match 3-2.   photo: Olivia Horwitz

Varsity Swimming Beats Merion Mercy in Close Non-League Meet 1/12/2012. . . The Varsity Swim Team triumped over visiting Merion Mercy last week, posting a final socre of Baldwin 88, Merion Mercy 82.    “We knew it was going to be a close meet with Merion Mercy. They are talented in all events," stated Varsity Swim Coach Dave Hart. “We fought hard for the critical second and third places and that made the diference.” Baldwin’s 200 yd. medley relay started off with a bang, taking first place and breaking the school record. Swimmers on the relay: Katie Edwards, Maddie Pujadas, Valerie Yoshimura, and Maddie Noteware.

Maddie Brill-Edwards Named to Region One ODP Team 1/11/2012. . . Congratulations to Maddie Brill-Edwards '15 who was recently named to the US Youth Soccer Region One Girls Olympic Development Program (ODP) Team. This step is the penultimate step toward making the US National/Olympic Team Pools.   Maddie was selected during competition at the state and regional levels. She represents the top 40 players in her region (comprised of 13 states) and is among the top players in the US in her age group.   Maddie will travel with her team to Las Vegas, Nevada in February to train and compete against other Regional players.   Maddie is a member of the Baldwin Varsity Soccer and Lacrosse Teams.