All in People of Swarthmore
“We thank all of those residents who took the time to attend the October 20th planning meeting to share their thoughts on the proposed development at 110 Park Avenue. As long-time residents of Swarthmore, we value community feedback, and appreciate how civically engaged many Swarthmoreans are, so it was gratifying to see that engagement in action at last Wednesday’s planning meeting.”
If you have had young kids involved in sports activities with the Swarthmore Recreation Association (SRA), chances are you too have seen Coach Terry in action. Terry Lynch has long been a fixture on our local soccer- and tee-ball fields. With an infectious energy, Terry has dedicated his Saturdays to teaching kids the basics of soccer and baseball, emphasizing the importance of having fun. Greg Hoy chatted with Terry this past week after learning he was planning to (mostly) hang up his black cleats after 27 years on the field.
As the head of the Performing Arts department at Strath Haven High School, music director Nick Pignataro wears many hats. Swarthmorean contributor John Hurst recently sat down with Nick to learn more about his history with, and philosophy for, the program.
On Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia, there is magic in the air, or maybe it’s just the comforting aroma of fried onions and Scotch Fillet Australian beef sizzling on a flat top grill. You have arrived at Sparrow’s Philly Steaks, the first and only authentic cheesesteak shop in the land of Oz.
Last Saturday, the Swarthmorean was contacted by former 2006 Strath Haven High School graduate, Wellington Kiiru, to let us know about SHHS English teacher and coach Kevin Haney’s heroic gesture in getting his friend, 2006 SHHS graduate Amir Sidiqi, out of Afghanistan. Wellington and Amir were both students of Mr. Haney. It also appears that another graduate of SHHS piloted the plane that brought Amir to the U.S.
The Swarthmore Recreation Association, which started as a limited summer program for young children in 1940, has a new leader. Sara Kelly has been named the organization’s fourth Executive Director, taking over for Colleen Murphy.
Swarthmore’s own Gretchen Walker (née Iversen), also known as Gretchen Elise, is an educator and musician on a mission. Over her more than 20-year career, she’s forged her own path through jazz, soul, and folk, to make music that is at once sophisticated and accessible to audiences of all ages.
John Conboy is the organizer of this group of musicians that he calls Pickers Circle — a group of musicians who have been play, pick, and sing along at the SEPTA station on Thursday evenings.
What is a pickers circle, you ask? Enthusiastic participants arrive with their instruments to play, pick, and sing along. They play original songs, covers of their favorite songs, and new tunes they create on the spot. Talking while the music is playing is strongly discouraged — and will earn you a visit from Sheriff John.
A profile of Swarthmore resident Judie Neale, her career in news, and passion for singing.
A profile of Mary Walk — Delaware County native, Swarthmore Borough Council president, and director of the Delaware County Office of Judicial Support — who became a lawyer at the age of 41.
Two families try to manage not just online school but also personalized health care and educational support services for their students with disabilities. This is the third article in our series about how Covid-19 has affected people with disabilities in our community.
In this portrait of a solo cellist, revered teacher, and Swarthmore resident, Amy Barston talks about how her musical family didn’t think she was cut out to be a professional; how she responds to students’ individual needs; and why performing is like story telling.
A profile of Swarthmore resident Debbie Morton, who opened Morton Contemporary in 2020 to sell and celebrate art, and to bring people together.
Wallingford resident Thaddeus Adams reminisces about growing up on Bowdoin Avenue in the Historically Black Neighborhood of Swarthmore in the 1940s and 1950s.
A brief profile of Bill Menke from the man himself, longtime Swarthmore resident and the artist behind our “Guess the House” sketches.
A profile of Sarah Matthews, the new Swarthmore Town Center coordinator, who started work as the nonprofit’s sole paid employee on February 1.
I feel like, as a student, you automatically enter into a different relationship with a college town. It’s like: How can I, as someone who probably will only live in Swarthmore for four years, offer any meaningful discussion that contributes to the wider Swarthmore community?
A profile of novelist Kyle McCarthy, who grew up in Swarthmore. Her new novel, “Everyone Knows How Much I Love You,” focuses on a dangerous friendship between Rose and Lacie, two women in their early thirties, partly in the present and partly when they were teenagers. The story is set mostly in New York City, but crucial parts take place in the borough. Free to read and share
A profile of Aissata Kone, a tenth grader at Strath Haven High School and a serial entrepreneur who credits her family for her drive and work ethic.
