Girls' Soccer Jells to Lead Inter-Ac

On the first day of preseason this year, I could immediately tell that we would have a great season ahead of us. Seeing multiple new freshmen with great skill assured me that they would be wonderful assets to our team. We started off the season a little rocky, with a loss in our first game, but that is typically expected for teams who have never played together before. As a few games passed, everything began to click and we started playing as a unit.



Emmy is GA's co-leader with 11 goals, including this opening tally against Episcopal.

Our first Inter-Ac game was an 8-2 win against Springside Chestnut Hill which really got us excited for the other league games ahead of us. Our second league game was away against Agnes Irwin at 7:00 under the lights. Agnes Irwin had a very large student section, sparking the nerves of our team but simultaneously getting us pumped up. We came out of that game with a 3-2 win, leaving us with a 2-0 record in the Inter-Ac. Following that game, we picked up two wins against Notre Dame and Baldwin (4-2 and 4-0), making our Inter-Ac record 4-0. This past Thursday, we had an exciting 2-1 victory over Episcopal in overtime, leaving us with a 5-0 record in the Inter-Ac and highly anticipating a game against our rival, Penn Charter, this Tuesday.

-Emmy D. '16

The Patriots celebrate an overtime game winner. Up next is rival Penn Charter.

Senior Welcomes Diversity Into Student Body

Early on a Saturday morning in September, I joined new families of color as they were welcomed to Germantown Academy.  As I walked into the Pavilion, I was met with the smell of delicious breakfast food and great conversation; everyone was eager to learn more about each other and welcome the new families.  As I introduced myself to new students, I couldn’t help but remember what it was like when I first came to GA.  Though I was only six years old, I took notice of what made me different from my peers.  The support that I gained from the community allowed me to thrive at GA, and the network of Black families always made me feel like I was at home.

One of Nichelle's (middle) many roles on campus so far in her senior year has been to help welcome new African American families to GA.

As Trustee and alumni parent Reverend Keith Williams led the program, he asked all of the students in attendance to introduce themselves and share their favorite part about Germantown Academy.   Students from a variety of ages shared stories that spoke about their successes, their challenges, and their excitement for the new school year.  As I sat on a panel of students and faculty, I was amazed to see how many new students of color were entering GA.  Now in my final year at GA, seeing the growth of a diverse community creates such a wonderful feeling.  As the student representative on the Diversity Task Force and President of the Black Student Alliance, diversity is important to me.  It matters that young students of color thrive at great schools like GA because GA provides opportunities.  With more chances to thrive, we create more success stories, creating individuals who are independent in thought, confident in expression, compassionate in spirit, collaborative in action, and honorable in deed.

~ Nichelle H. ‘15

GA Gear 2.0

Some of the biggest talk this year has been about the new dress code: GA Gear 2.0 (there are many underground names for it but they are forbidden to be disclosed). This is one decision made by the administration that nearly the entire student body does not like. Unfortunately for the student body, the changes made weren’t really that drastic. And I know I have certainly had my own moments of outrage over GA Gear 2.0, but if you really look at them, they aren’t that big a deal.



Gideon "models" GA Gear

Change 1: The color of pants and shorts can either be navy or khaki. The biggest problem with this has been deciding what shades of khaki are okay and which are not. Overall, not a big deal, it just means you can’t wear some of the pants from last year.

Change 2: Sweatshirts or sweaters cannot have any logo on them unless they are for a GA team or club. This is less than ideal, but most of the sweatshirts and sweaters kids wear are for sports teams so it’s not too big of an issue.

Change 3: Pants MUST be loose fitting and skirts and shorts must be appropriate length (below the fingertips). This is more directed towards girls, but I have seen the occasional guy wearing some pretty tight clothing. Anyways, I have no opinion of this change because it does not really affect me but I know some girls are pretty annoyed.

Out of the three big changes, the one that bugs me the most is change regarding the shade of khaki. It just seems like it’s not that big a deal whether some kids’ shorts would be darker than other kids’, but I’m sure that the administration has a good reason for it! Anyhow, I urge everyone to make the best out of the new dress code and if you do have problems with it and have legitimate reasons for wanting to change it, I know Mr. Schellhas is open to talk about it!

~ Gideon S. ‘15

An Internship to Remember

No amount of TED talks or PubMed articles could have readied me for my unforgettable hands-on adventure in cardiovascular research this summer. Working alongside PhD’s and graduate and undergraduate students, I gained newfound insights into the lab environment and, most importantly, into leading investigations in aortic and mitral valve disease (e.g. stenosis, regurgitation) and aortic aneurysm. 

Claudia spent an intense four weeks working alongside PhD's, undergraduates, and graduate students at Penn.

For four weeks in July, I observed and assisted in a series of studies run out of Dr. Giovanni Ferrari’s lab at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. I learned both standard and specialized lab methodologies, like how to isolate cells from human valve tissue, how to run a vertical gel and then a western blot, how to use a qPCR machine, how to load a bioreactor with human or mouse valve segments for stimulation, how to culture and harvest both aortic interstitial and aortic endothelial cells, and how to use different software, databases, and instruments. Eric, the Research Specialist, showed us videos of surgeries, and then, hours later, would bring us a human valve or human blood in a biohazard bag! Dr. Ferrari, the PhD’s, Dr. Emanuela Branchetti and Dr. Kathryn Driesbaugh, and the other students walked me through their overall research aims and earlier findings, such as their research on substances that induce osteogenic transdifferentiation in valve tissue. It was one big, challenging cause and effect lesson!



This work in Dr. Ferrari’s lab gave me context for the courses I’ve taken at GA and allowed me to see his team’s advanced biological examinations as an extension of what I’ve studied in school. All in all, it made me even more eager to conduct my own research in college and beyond!

After an exciting and engaging month, the internship ended with a bang. The office bought me treats from Federal Donuts, and I left feeling impassioned, with not just a stronger knowledge of cardiovascular research but also with a truly solidified interest in the sciences.

~ Claudia M. ‘15

Summer at Oxford Prepares GA Student for Senior Year

This summer, I applied to study abroad at Oxford University in Oxford, England. At first, it seemed really out of my comfort zone, but as I adjusted, it turned into one of the best summers of my life. Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday I had two hours of classes. The first hour was psychology and the second was creative writing. Both were amazing classes, but psychology was my favorite. Each day, we discussed a new element in the subject matter. Every Wednesday, we went to London to explore different museums, neighborhoods, and find our own way.

Caroline steps out of an iconic UK telephone box during her time in Oxford.

The director of the program really wanted every student to not only spend time with others but also to roam around on their own in Oxford. We had a lot of time to go around and explore the town, try new restaurants, and do different activities around town. One day, a group of friends and I went punting which was surprisingly hard. We also saw Christ’s Church, which is where part of Harry Potter was filmed. The program planned Saturday excursions along with half-day excursions. Over the course of the program, we went to Blenheim Palace, Salisbury Cathedral, Stonehenge, Stratford, and Avon. The program also had planned dinners such as an Alice in Wonderland themed tea party and a Harry Potter themed dinner. Both were amazing. This program really stretched my mind and allowed me to explore the town. It was one of the best summers and I would not be as prepared for my senior year as I am now if I hadn’t gone on this adventure.

~ Caroline A. ‘15

Back to School

In a tradition more than 250 years old, Germantown Academy will begin another school year early next week. With Opening Day for the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools fast approaching, there is much to look forward to in order to add to the heritage of GA. From the Flag Raising Ceremony to the welcoming and orientation of new students and faculty, the start of school is always an exciting time in Fort Washington.

Before they return to campus, however, our students often travel far and wide over the course of the summer. They explore colleges, gain real world experience through internships, pursue their athletic dreams, and find fun and creative ways to relax while enjoying the summer. Through PatChat, we will provide you a sampling into some of our students' summer experiences. As we fully resume the academic year, continue to check back with PatChat to hear the voices of our students as they navigate their way through 2014-2015.

Welcome back, Patriots!

Finally a Senior

Senior Year: The Final Installment

I like to believe that senior year, like any good teenage book series, is the compelling final installment of the 12 years I have spent at GA.   In this particular case, senior year will be filled with exclusive experiences including Senior Step at the Pep Rally, Senior Strut, Prom, and senior projects.  Though the previous volumes of my story at GA have been filled with events that have encouraged me to grow and expand as a student and member of society, I definitely believe that senior year will be the most adventure-packed and fun-filled.  I must say, what I am most looking forward to as a senior will be my senior project trip to China.  As a student of Chinese, I have fallen in love with both the language and culture and have been looking forward to this opportunity since I was in the eighth grade.  China, the much anticipated climax of my story, will be the perfect bookend to my time at GA.  With the conclusion of my senior year, I will have the knowledge and experience to enter the college of my choice; finishing one series and ready to start another.

~ Nichelle H. ‘15

Nichelle and three classmates ended their junior year on quite a high note,
earning the McNeil Patriot Scholarship Award at Prize Day.