Graduation Awards

Rachel Gillen Named The News Journal High School Softball Player of the Year
Rachel Gillen '10 was named high school softball player of the year by the Wilmington News Journal, for the second year in a row.

Archmere Concert Band Awarded Grand Sweepstakes Award
The Archmere Concert Band was awarded the Grand Sweepstakes Award by Music Showcase Festivals for their performance at Dorney Park.  Archmere's Concert Band, directed by Mr. Daniel Collins, was the highest scoring ensemble at thier level that competed at all of the festivals held at Dorney Park this year.

Welcome Lycée Saint Vincent 
Archmere families are hosting 14 students from the Lycée Saint Vincent, in Senlis France this April.  The students arrived April 3, and have already visited Washington, the beach, King of Prussia Mall and New York.  During the week of April 12, they will be attending classes with their Archmere “pen pals” and will take a quick day trip to Philadelphia; the Headmaster and his wife, M. and Mme. Chordorge, accompanied the French students.  Their visit will end on April 10.  The exchange is part of the Archmere in France Program.  Archmere students stayed with their French correspondents last June, and we look forward to returning to Senlis in June 2011. 

        

Seniors Walsh and Yannacone Qualify for Math Olympiad

Pat Walsh '10 and Nick Yannacone '10 have both qualified to take part in the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad to be given April 27 -28.  This is the third level of the competition which began with the AMC contest in February.  Approximately 220,000 students took part in that level of the competition.  About 12000 move-on to the American Invitation Mathematics Examination, and of these about 500 qualify for the USAMO.  Pat and Nick are the only two qualifiers from Delaware.  Students in this competition are trying for a place on the USA International Mathematical Olympiad Team.

Patrick Reilly '13 PNC Bank Essay Winner
Patrick Reilly '13 was selected by PNC Bank as an essay winner in the Common Wealth Essay Writing Contest.  His essay was one of four winning entries chosen from nearly 80 submitted by other students.  Patrick and his parents have been invited to participate in the PNC press conference, dinner and awards ceremony introducing the 2010 Common Wealth honorees: Annie Leibovitz, Laura Linney, Sir Salman Rushdie and Greg Mortenson.  The event takes place on April 24 at the Hotel duPont Conference Center.

Fine Arts Festival

The third Annual Fine Arts Festival was held on Saturday, March 27 in The Patio.  The Department of Fine and Performing Arts featured artwork from students enrolled in our Fine Arts Program and nationally known artists who graduated from Archmere.  The exhibit was held in The Patio for Archmere students and parents from 5-9 PM, and the general public from 11 AM-3 PM.  Musical performance was provided by Archmere Mastersingers and a student jazz ensemble.

                

Art Student Garner Awards
Maura Iacobucci '10 was awarded a national silver key for her watercolor “Reflection", as selected by the National Scholastics Scholarship Art Awards Program.  Her painting is recognized as one of the top 500 high school works of art in the United States.  Regionally, Denise Tankle '10 and Alexa Drass ’13 were awarded first place scholarship awards in the Hussian School of Art Annual Poster Graphics competition.  More than 900 entries were submitted in the Tri-State Area, with 20 scholarship winners.  Also, Priya Bhaidaswala '13 won a first place award in a statewide drawing competition sponsored by the Delaware Foundation for the Visual Arts.  Her drawing was exhibited at the Hagley Museum, March 19-21. 

The Delaware Foundation for the Visual Arts awarded Graham Draper ‘10 a $1,000 scholarship for his Fine Art Portfolio which took second place in Delaware.  Maura placed third in the state and was awarded a $750 portfolio scholarship.

WordMasters

Two teams of students representing Archmere Academy recently won highest honors in this year’s WordMasters Challenge, a national competition for high school students requiring close reading and analysis of many different kinds of prose and poetry.  Participating with 526 other school teams from all across the country, the school’s 11th graders placed 13th in the nation in the year’s third meet, held in February, while its 12th graders placed 4th in the nation.  The teams were supervised by Stephen Klinge.

Snow Storm February 2010

Help Haiti Heal

Archmere Academy students are committed to the recovery efforts in Haiti.  Our students raised $3,200 as a result of a Tag Day (relaxed dress code) on January 29.  This is more than three times the usual amount raised during Tag Days.  Of the $3,200 raised, $2000 has been sent to the Delaware Medical Relief Team so that participating doctors and nurses could purchase supplies for their trip to Haiti.  The French Club is selling roses to also raise money for Haiti.

In other efforts to help, the French Club, under the guidance of Mme. Douglas, stuffed Zip-lock bags filled with hygiene and first aid items to be sent to Haiti through the United Methodist Church Relief Supply Depot.  Archmere also held a Help Haiti Heal Pasta Dinner on Saturday, March 13 in the Student Life Center.  One hundred ninety people attended the dinner and $5,000 was raised ($1,000 will be sent to the Art Creation Foundation for Children in Haiti, which provides a safe, nurturing community for former street orphans; $1,000 will be sent to The Benjamin Josephson Foundation, which sends health care workers to Haiti on an ongoing basis; and the remaining $3,000 will be sent to partner with a catholic school trying to rebuild in Haiti - the committee is currently in the process of researching schools).  Gov. Jack Markell stopped by the event and spoke briefly to the guests.  Michelle Rollins (past parent of Monique ’98, Michael ’00 and Marc ’01) also attended and supported the event.  During the dinner there was student entertainment along with the opportunity to purchase raffle items and a silent auction.   Thank you to everyone who came out in support of the event.
 
A special thank you to our donors!

Anonymous

J. Ambrogi Food Distribution

Amoroso’s Baking Company

Larry Anderson

Archmere Faculty and Staff

Archmere Students

Bedazzled Boutique

Belak Flowers

Brandywine Flowers

Brianna Chapman

Claymont Steak Shop

Nancy Cooper

Ann Costello

Currie Hair, Skin and Nails

Bill and Carolyn Doyle

Dunkin’ Donuts of Claymont

Margarete Kedzior

Patty Knebels

Rita Lee

Magic Car Wash

Governor Jack Markell

Therese Mehringer

Terry Newitt

The Angel Band

The Bills Family

The Lawless Family

The Nannas Family

The O’Connor Family

The Olivere Family

The Profita Family

Michele Rollins

Sage Dining

Chuck Selvaggio

     

     

Mock Trial Team Places

The Archmere Academy Mock Trial Team placed third in this year’s competition, held February 27 and March 6.  Out of a field of 24 schools, Archmere's team scored a third place finish behind the eventual finalists, Wilmington Charter School and Wilmington Christian School.  During the competition, seniors Nora Crawford ’10 and Mara Walsh ‘10 each received two gavels awarded for best attorney.

We were assisted by attorney coaches Bob Whetzel, Jim Haley, Kevin Healy and Neilli Walsh (current parent – Mara ‘10 and Kerry Walsh ‘12), with special assistance and hospitality provided by Mary McDonough (current parent - Nora Crawford ‘10).

This year's Mock Trial Team members were: Evan Christiansen ‘12, Nora Crawford ‘10, Tara Courtney ‘12, Jamie Glavin ‘12, Sam McCollom ‘10, Danielle Rabil ‘12, Morgan Schatzman ‘11, Jim Shaud ‘12, Kerry Walsh ‘12, Mara Walsh ‘10, Matt Walters ‘12 and Christine Wehner ‘10.

Archmere’s Science Olympiad Team Excels

On March 6, 60 teams competed at Delaware State University for the DE State Science Olympiad.  Two teams of 15 students each participated from Archmere.  There were 25 individual events at the competition this year.  Medals are awarded to the top 10 finishers in each event.  After a very strong performance, the Archmere students garnished many medals.  Archmere students medaled in 16 out of the 25 events this year. 

On the Road to Gold - Archmere Seniors Named as Semifinalists for U.S. Physics Team  

Seniors Patrick Walsh and Nick Yannacone have been named Semifinalists for the 2010 U.S. Physics Olympics Team.  On February 25, 2010, the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) announced the top students chosen to advance to the Semifinal round of U.S. Physics Team selection.  Approximately 3,200 students participated in this first phase of the selection process, the Fnet=ma exam, in January.

About the International Physics Olympiad:  AAPT began the program in 1986 to promote and demonstrate academic excellence. The International Physics Olympiad (IPHO) is a nine-day competition among pre-university students from more than 80 nations. The 2010 Olympiad will be held in Zagreb, Croatia, from July 17-25.

U.S. Physics Team Selection:  AAPT is responsible for recruiting, selecting and training the U.S. Physics Team each year to compete in the IPHO Competition. This selection process begins in early January when high schools register their students to participate in the Fnet=ma exam. Approximately 300 top scorers on this first test will advance to the Semifinal round of competition.

A second exam is used as the basis for selection of the 24 members of the U.S. Physics Team. In May, these students will travel from schools all over the United States, to the University of Maryland-College Park to the U.S. Physics Team Training Camp. There, they engage in nine days of intense studying, mystery lab, daily exams, and problem solving.

At the end of that training camp, five students and an alternate will be selected as the "Traveling Team" to represent the United States at the IPhO. In July, the Traveling Team and their coaches will attend a three day Mini Camp of intense laboratory work before moving on to the IPhO.

Terry Newitt Named Artist of the Year
Art teacher Terry Newitt was honored by the Delaware Foundation for the Visual Arts (DFVA) as their Artist of the Year.  A public reception was held at the Hagley Museum Soda House, 1:30-2:30 PM on Saturday, March 20, 2010.  Mr. Newitt exhibited his artwork alongside an impressive group of 55 well-known artists from the Brandywine Valley area.  A portion of all proceeds benefited the DFVA's Scholarship Endowment for Delaware high school students.

Annie, The Musical
Congratulations to the cast of Annie on a wonderful performance.

        

        

Tapestry Receives Award
Archmere’s literary magazine, Tapestry, has been selected to receive a rank of Excellent in the 2009 NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines.  A total of 425 schools entered the 2009 program, which recognizes students, teachers and schools for producing excellent literary magazines.  The program’s mission is to encourage all school to develop literary magazines, seeking excellence in writing and school-wide participation in production.  Joseph Cozza '09 and Alexandra DeMucha '09 were the two student editors.  Stephen Klinge is the faculty advisor.

TEAMS Wins Honors
On Saturday, February 20, four student teams competed at the University of Delaware in the TEAMS (Test of Engineering Aptitude in Math and Science) competition.  The 11th and 12th grade A team finished first in the state and the two 9th and 10th grade B and A teams finished first and second in the state.  Each team can have up to eight members and, as noted below, the two 9th and 10th grade teams competed and won with less than eight.

11th/12th A Team - 1st Place

Pat Walsh, Kevin Seltzer, Dave Sharkey, Sam McCollum, Jenny Ferrell, Allison Celello, Morton Lin and Chris McCord

11th/12th B Team

Weston Takata, Yu Chen, Dave Berenato, Bridget Whan Tong, Emily Zhang, JR Creekmore and David Sang

9th/10th A Team - 2nd Place

Kathy Huang, Matt Walters, Ali Hazel, Sarah Waldis and Chris Newton

9th/10th B Team - 1st Place

Edward Gomes, Kerith Wang, Nathan Graff, Kevin Zhao, Peter Zdunek and Kurt Hill

Seniors Sign Letters of Intent
Four Archmere seniors, Ryan Lee, Ricky Agresta, Christina Shea and Jessica Olsen, have signed letters of intent to accept athletic scholarships.  Ryan Lee - University of Richmond for Cross Country/Track, Ricky Agresta - University of Delaware for Swimming, Christina Shea - Ohio State University for Field Hockey and Jessica Olsen - Bucknell University for Cross Country/Track.

        

                       Lee, Agresta, Shea, Olsen                                                Seniors with Family and Archmere Staff

Archmere Academy Students Candidates for The United States Presidential Scholars Program

Archmere Academy seniors Alison Celello, Nora Crawford, Patrick Walsh and Nicholas Yannacone were selected as candidates for The United States Presidential Scholars Program. 

Students have the opportunity to become Presidential Scholars based on two paths of accomplishments.  The majority of the Scholars are selected on the basis of broad academic achievement.  Approximately twenty additional students are selected on the basis of their academic and artistic scholarship in the visual arts, the performing arts or creative writing.      

Eligible students are U.S. citizens graduating or receiving a diploma between January and August of the current program year, and students who have taken the SAT or ACT Assessment on or before the proceeding October.  Students meeting these requirements are automatically considered for participation.  Initial inclusion in the pool of eligible candidates is determined by the information provided by the student on his/her SAT or ACT test registration.

Of the 3,000 candidates, approximately 500 candidates are named semifinalists, and their names and supporting materials are forwarded to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars for further review.  In April, the Commission reviews the applications for all semifinalists, selecting up to 121 Academic Scholars and up to 20 Arts Scholars.  All scholars are honored for their accomplishments during the program’s national recognition events, held in June in Washington, D.C.

WordMasters Win Honors

A team of students representing Archmere Academy recently won highest honors in this year’s WordMasters Challenge, a national competition for high school students requiring close reading and analysis of many different kinds of prose and poetry.  Participating with 526 other school teams from all across the country, the school’s 12th graders placed second in the nation in the year’s second meet, held in December.  The team was supervised by Stephen Klinge.  Several of the school’s students won honors for individual achievements as well:  Juniors Evi Lowman and Megan Ryan and seniors Wenona Brice Alison Celello, Christina Grajewski, Greg Jasani, Emily Goggins, Patrick Walsh and Nick Yannacone all earned perfect scores in the meet, while in the entire country only 44 11th graders and only 82 12th graders did so.  At the same time, juniors Alexandra Browder, Jake Dunlavey and Mortin Lin all earned honorable mention.  More than 52,000 students from across the country participated in the meet.