Suburban Life - Central Bucks/Montgomery - Issue #9 (September 2019)

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0919_AFS - FINAL_Layout 1 9 / 13 / 19 9 : 57 AM Page 1 D PROFILE b y B I L L D O N A H U E p h o t o g r a p h y b y J E F F A N D E R S O N GAME changer attempt to physically dominate one another — layLewis is learning the meaningful The newly opened with his Quaker beliefs . The May 2019 issue of lessons of high school both inside Friends Journal published the essay , which orig - and outside the classroom . At Abing - Richard N . inated as an English class assignment . ton Friends School ( AFS ) , where he “ Through self - discovery , I’ve come to realize suits up for the wrestling team , Lewis C Berman Athletics that I’m not competing with someone because has come to better understand himself — as a stu - we’ve come to a disagreement , ” says Lewis . dent , as a Quaker , and as a human being — Center represents “ There’s no anger or turmoil between us . I can through the rigors of athletic competition . Lewis a dramatic step take someone down to the mat and still have is also an honors student who has performed in love and respect for him as a person . ” a number of musical theater productions , and he forward in Lewis is excited for the upcoming wrestling is a percussionist in the school’s jazz band . season , in part because of the buzz surrounding “ To me , wrestling is about respect and ded - Abington Friends a transformative new addition to the AFS campus : ication , ” says Lewis , a sophomore at the Jenk - the Richard N . Berman Athletics Center . The intown - based Quaker college - preparatory school . School’s quest to newly opened $ 9.5 million center represents a “ Every wrestler knows how difficult the sport is , develop the whole dramatic step forward for the school’s athletics and how much effort goes into training and and physical education facilities . Measuring more preparing for a match . Every wrestler wants to student . than 30,000 square feet , the center houses a win , but I’ve learned that it’s much better to competition basketball court with two practice lose graciously than it is to win without honor . ” courts , a fitness center , a training room , a multi - He wrote an essay about how he reconciles purpose room , boys ’ and girls ’ locker rooms , his fondness for the sport — in which two people SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2019 74 |

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0919_AFS - FINAL_Layout 1 9 / 13 / 19 9 : 58 AM Page 2 “ When you get in - “ Athletics provide a kind three team rooms and offices for adminis - volved in a sport of any of direct experience you trative staff and coaches , and a public lobby kind , you learn how to test don’t find in a lot of other with a concession stand . your limits , how to interact aspects of education — you The space gives the 323 - year - old school with others , how to be a get to know how to push a state - of - the - art space where AFS students leader , how to be a team - your body , build confi - can train , exercise , and compete , as well as “ Being an athlete mate , ” he adds . “ You also dence , and learn to respond a place where the school community can showed me how learn how to handle dis - to and overcome adversity , ” gather for events . appointment , and those says Nourie . “ Our physical The Richard N . Berman Athletics Center to balance my are invaluable skills , no education program is one represents a key part of AFS’s years - long emotions and matter where life takes dimension of the strong strategic plan to develop “ the whole student , ” release my you . ” academic foundation AFS says Rich Nourie , Head of School . In addition Madison Tillmann , an provides . We teach students to a commitment to hiring talented faculty energy in a AFS “ lifer ” who started at to collaborate , listen and across the disciplines , AFS has made a num - productive way . ” the school in pre - K and navigate conflict . All of ber of pivotal investments to help each stu - — Madison Tillmann , graduated in 2018 , would those things will make our dent become the best possible version of agree . During her time at students uniquely valuable AFS 2018 graduate him or herself , including : ? the school , she became a to the communities they The Faulkner Library and Learning Center , standout sprinter and mid - serve once they leave us . ” a dramatic space designed to provide stu - distance runner on the track and field squads . dents with the most innovative resources Acclimating to college life was “ a breeze , ” for student research and to foster academic ‘ Everyone Is an Athlete Here ’ she says , thanks in large part to her experience growth and collaboration ; Director of Athletics Jeff Bond recently started ? at AFS . his 17th year at AFS . He believes the Richard The Headwaters Discovery Playground , “ Athletics made me more grounded , N . Berman Athletics Center will better serve a world - class outdoor learning environ - and I got to form close connections with not only each of the school’s 49 interscholastic ment overlooking the headwaters of the my teammates and coaches , ” she says . “ Be - sports teams , but also every student on cam - Jenkintown Creek , a natural setting for ing an athlete showed me how to balance pus , from pre - K to grade 12 . creek walks and exploration . On the play - my emotions and release my energy in a “ We have AFS alums who are playing ground , students learn vital lessons about productive way . ” right now at every level of college athletics , imaginative play and self - reliance through so if you want to be a col - nature - inspired climbing equipment and lege athlete , we have av - “ big science ” pulleys and swings ; ? enues in place to help you The Center for Experiential Learning , do that , ” says Bond , who through which students have the oppor - also teaches ninth - grade tunity to travel locally and abroad to history and coaches the benefit from in - depth real - world experi - boys ’ baseball and girls ’ ences and mentorship . Rooted in the basketball teams . “ Our Quaker belief that experience is a student’s teams are important , but I most powerful teacher , AFS breaks down like to say that everyone is the walls of the classroom by immersing an athlete here , and we will students in invaluable professional and provide opportunities for cultural experiences , from Paris and Tas - every student to learn and mania , to nearby Abington Hospital - Jef - The lessons she learned at AFS have achieve their best . ” ferson Health's simulation lab . helped her focus on tackling new challenges . In the future , the AFS welcomes community members to As a business and legal rights major , she center has the poten - tour its campus , including the Berman has begun to consider her postgraduate op - tial to host events and Center , at two upcoming Open House events : Saturday , October 19 at 1 p.m . , tions . organizations from and Tuesday , November 5 at 9 a.m . “ I feel like I got everything I needed outside of the imme - from AFS , ” she says . “ Because of what I diate AFS community . learned there , I feel prepared academically For now , though , and connected to what’s happening in the Bond says he’s excit - world around me . ” ed to see how the Nourie adds , “ Now that the Berman student body uses the Center is complete , we are ensuring that facilities to “ up their children at AFS will experience a multidi - game . ” mensional education that pre - pares them for truly successful D and meaningful lives . We are thrilled to finally witness our ABINGTON FRIENDS students playing and learning SCHOOL in this facility , and proud that 575 Washington Lane this space will exist for many Jenkintown , Pa . ? years to come . ” ( 215 ) 576 - 3950 abingtonfriends.net

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