Based in Sydney, Australia, Foundry is a blog by Rebecca Thao. Her posts explore modern architecture through photos and quotes by influential architects, engineers, and artists.
Since 1893
Pumpkin Sale a Big Success
Shannon Dietzmann Elliott of Swarthmore-Rutledge School’s Home and School Association writes:
Thank you to all who “carved out” some time on Friday, October 16, to pick up pumpkins and have some fun with friends. The rain was no match for the spirited enjoyment that was had. About 250 pumpkins were sold and $500 was raised for SRS Home and School Association. Congrats to the guessing game winners: Everett Miller for guessing the weight of the pumpkins, and Olivia Zajac for guessing how much candy was in the bowl. A special thank you to Rachel Hezlep and the fourth grade families and students who were ALL so helpful in making this a spook-tacular event.
Photo: Scott and Rachel Hezlep
School Days, Pandemic Edition: Definitely Different
Online high school has definitely been different. I wouldn’t say it is better or worse than normal school, as there are good and bad things about both, but it is an interesting way to approach school. Some of the nice things about online school are the freedom I have compared to normal school. To be honest, it is nice being able to eat, use the bathroom, and mentally take a break from school whenever you want. The later start time is also a plus as it is less of a struggle to wake up each morning. There are things about online school that are worse. The lack of connectivity with peers is definitely something I will not miss when we eventually go back. Into the classroom. Some of the best parts of school are chatting with friends at lunch and meeting new people in classes. This aspect has been mostly taken away during online school. One of the most surprising things about online school is how drained I feel at the end of the day. Hours on a screen really make me feel more brain dead than in-person school. All in all, while online school has not been too bad, I am definitely excited to get back to how things normally are.
Beckett Strachan 11th grade Strath Haven High School
SHHS Girls X-Country Runs Virtual Meet
The Strath Haven High School girls cross country team warms up for their virtual meet on October 1. After mapping out a 5K course on the high school grounds, the coaches recorded their athletes’ times and submitted them to an online time bank. Though the team has now resumed regular racing, virtual meets are yet another toll of the pandemic.
Photo by Strath Haven High School junior Kai Lincke
Panther Marching Band Takes Pandemic Precautions
Senior Will Garrett plays his flute with a mask and a plastic cover during one of the high school marching band’s night rehearsals. The masks and saliva-blocking bell covers are just two of the many precautions that the Panther marching band has implemented to ensure that the performers can safely play music. The marching band’s upbeat tunes and steady cadence have played through rain, snow, and freezing temperatures — and now a global pandemic.
Text and photos by Kai Lincke, SHHS ’22.
Spooktacular Halloween (at a Distance)
The Media Theatre invites local residents to participate in a virtual Halloween parade. Area kids, grownups, and family (or other) groups are invited to dress up for a photo or short video to submit to be part of the spectacle. Participants are invited to sing a song, recite some lines, or find a way to look scary.
The images will be edited into a virtual parade that will go live on the theater company’s website and Facebook page at 1 p.m. on October 31.
Video submissions should be no longer than 60 seconds. Use the highest quality image from your iPhone or camera (ideally 1080p). Be sure to say your name in the clip. Upload them here. Deadline for submissions is October 25. If you have questions, email p.ward@mediatheatre.org or spa_media@netzero.net.
'Swarthmore Front Porch Project' Raises Funds for Food Pantry
Photo: Katie Leubecker (left) and Caroline Vail raised $2,315 for Loaves and Fishes through their Front Porch photography project. Photo: Katie Leubecker
At the height of COVID-19 cabin fever in May, Swarthmore resident and former professional photographer Katie Leubecker and her niece, Caroline Vail (a sixth grader at Strath Haven Middle School), were looking for ways to connect with the community and support those in need. Together, aunt and niece created the “Swarthmore Front Porch Project” to raise funds for a local food pantry. They invited anyone living in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District to have their portrait made — in a five-minute, socially distanced photography session. The sittings were held outdoors, on porches or front steps. Thanks to a widely shared Sign-Up Genius form, all available time slots for the two-week project were filled the day it launched. And so, in exchange for some treasured family portraits, those who participated (along with those who simply donated) became part of a community effort to help their less fortunate neighbors.
Altogether, Leubecker and Vail conducted over 65 portrait sessions. The proceeds ($2,315) were donated to Loaves and Fishes, a food pantry that serves more than 1,100 Delaware County families. Lana Lindenmuth, Financial Director of Loaves and Fishes, has reported that 50% of the people making use of the pantry during the COVID-19 pandemic had never needed to ask for help before.
Mary Gay Scanlon and Nancy Pelosi Pay Respects to RBG
Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5, right) of Swarthmore and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid their respects to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she lay in state at the Capitol on September 25. Scanlon writes: It seems incredible to me that she is the first woman to lie in state in our nation’s Capitol. But, on the other hand, who better to receive that honor? But for her service, and her advocacy for women’s rights, we likely would not have seen the wave of women, like myself, enter Congress in 2018. May her memory be a blessing to our country.
