The Ellis School honored members of the junior and senior classes with awards honoring their outstanding academic achievements, athletic contributions, and service to the community at Closing Exercises on May 29. Please join us in congratulating these students for their commitment to scholarship, service, and sportsmanship.

The Ellis School is proud to announce the Class of 2020’s college matriculation list. When making their final decisions, Ellis seniors are encouraged to follow their own paths and commit to a school that not only supports who they are now, but who they will become. This year’s class of 23 students will attend 20 institutions across the country and has shown a strong interest in pursuing careers in medicine, health, business, and computer science. As changemakers now and in the future, the Class of 2020 is prepared to use the power of their unique voices, perspectives, and experiences to make their own indelible mark on the world. 

Natalie Graf, Class of 2020, will trade in her green and white for black and yellow when she joins The Pratt Institute’s Women’s Basketball Team in the fall. A team leader and sharp shooter for the Tigers, Natalie was a key factor in the team’s success and historic run in the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs this year.

From newspaper clippings and dog-eared books to hospital bands and old polaroids, the Class of 2021 went on a journey of self-discovery as they collected meaningful personal materials for their final English project of the year. Inspired by the book Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli, the project tasked grade 11 American Literature students with creating an archive of their own, complete with sentimental items and belongings, much like the characters in the award-winning novel. A fitting and timely project for the class as they live through historic times in the present, this look-back at the events and items that shaped their pre-pandemic lives proved to be particularly relevant and impactful. 

A pediatrician at Children’s Community Pediatrics in Pittsburgh, Lorrie KIGER '04 is seeing firsthand the effects COVID-19 has on children and families. From telemedicine to parking lot exams, pediatric care is evolving every day, and Lorrie is giving us a peek into this changing landscape while sharing helpful tips for parents. 

This question was posed to the grade 4 class in early March when they began their end-of-year project on influential women throughout history. From suffragettes to scientists and spies, the Class of 2028 looked inward at their own interests to decide who they would like to research and outward as they sifted through dozens of books on gutsy women to inform their choice. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Marie Curie, Wilma Rudolph, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Lucille Ball were just a handful of the women who made the final list.

In today’s increasingly virtual world, people of all ages are becoming more familiar with consuming news derived from short video clips, Instagram stories, or “listicle” articles. This new way of interpreting and comprehending information has trickled down to younger demographics as they explore the digital space, and it has become even more prevalent as students and teachers explore different ways to communicate during remote learning.

The fall/winter edition of The Ellisian Journal, Ellis’ student-run literary journal, has been published. Editor-in-Chief Sami Silk, Class of 2021, shares, "On behalf of the staff of the Ellisian Journal, I'd like to share this compilation of writing and art by Ellis Upper School students. Our goal is to showcase student creativity and encourage individual expression. We hope you enjoy it!" 

Students in Dr. Susan Corbesero’s Gender and Power seminar may have started the course learning about Victorian women navigating unsafe streets in London, but they’re ending it in true Generation Z fashion—with TikTok. After learning about gender, power, and intersectional dynamics throughout the course, students have had to reimagine their end-of-year project on street harassment in light of remote learning. And while the class, all senior students, didn’t plan for these unforeseen circumstances, the crash-course they’re receiving in the importance of utilizing flexibility, resourcefulness, and adaptability in their work is one that will serve them well now and long into the future.

Ellis student Sami Silk, Class of 2021, has had her work published in the National High School Journal of Science. The paper, "Electronic vs Printed: A Mobile Eye Tracking Study of Attention During Reading,” describes the results of Sami’s Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) project from 2018.

Nineteen Upper School students have been inducted into three National Honor Societies for world languages. All inductees have demonstrated a palpable enthusiasm for learning a language and have maintained an A- average or higher through two years of French, Latin, or Spanish. Their proven dedication to not only learning a language, but to exploring the diverse cultures, people, and perspectives behind it, is what truly makes these students successful as they master their language skills in upper-level courses.

The Ellis School inducted six outstanding student scholars into the Cum Laude Society on Friday, April 24. Phoebe Brown, Class of 2020; Kay Fleischner, Class of 2020; Ricarda Hill, Class of 2020; Grace Coffelt, Class of 2021; Kiera Harrell-Danks, Class of 2021; and Tegan Poerio, Class of 2021 were recognized for their academic excellence at this year’s virtual assembly.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Guild, Ellis’ student-run service club, has put together a list of local organizations that are in need of support during this trying time. 

Natalie Jasper, Class of 2021, has earned postseason honors and accolades in recognition of her excellence and athleticism on the basketball court this year. Natalie has been named the WPIAL 2A Girls Basketball Player of the Year and has also earned spots on the All-State Team and the WPIAL All-Section Team. In celebration of these recognitions, Head Varsity Basketball Coach Dan LaGamba shared his perspective on Natalie’s leadership, sportsmanship, and skill.

Two Ellis Upper School students have been recognized with national medals in the Scholastic Writing Awards. Eleanor Barth Wu, Class of 2022, won a silver medal for her critical essay, “Cancel Culture and the Twitter Mob”, and Annika Ramani, Class of 2021, won a gold medal for her poem, “Stolen Fruit”. 

Thirty Ellis students have been recognized with regional Scholastic Writing Awards, winning thirty-three different awards in the critical essay, novel, personal essay & memoir, sci-fi/fantasy, flash fiction, and poetry categories. In addition to a Gold Key award, Eleanor Barth Wu, Class of 2022, has also been nominated for the American Voices medal for her critical essay, “Cancel Culture and the Twitter Mob.”

Nine Ellis students were awarded either first or second place at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) Regional Competition held on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at Duquesne University. In addition to first and second place finishes, Eleanor Barth Wu won two additional awards of merit: the American Chemical Society Dr. James Manner Award and the Duane Keenan Award in Biochemistry. 

Thirty Ellis students have been recognized with regional Scholastic Art Awards, winning thirty-six different awards in the clay, photography, drawing, digital photography, and mixed media categories. The incredible creativity and attention to detail students’ displayed in their submitted works are a testament to their hard work in the studio, as well as a nod to the impassioned artists leading our own Visual Arts Department. 

Ellis’ Middle School Future City Team took first place at the 21st Pittsburgh Regional Future City Competition on Saturday, January 18. The team won special awards for Best Essay and Best Management of Water Resources and took first place overall. The team will advance to the National Finals in Washington, D.C., next month and will compete against over 40 teams from all over the country as well as from Canada and China. This win marks the sixth time Ellis has won the regional competition in twelve years of competing.

Ellis alumna Abby WILSON ’98 believes there is a need for a physical place for women to gather in Pittsburgh. As an Ellis graduate, she is well-versed in how powerful these spaces can be and is eager to find somewhere adult women can connect across careers, life experiences, and communities. A place where they can gather, share ideas, support each other, and form strong personal and professional networks. 

Ari Brazier, a play-driven community organizer and educator, visited Ellis to speak about the importance of play and the power it has to bring people from different communities, cultures, and circumstances together. Using hand-clapping games as an example, Ari modeled to Ellis girls how something so simple can relieve stress, help people communicate across language barriers, and promote cooperation. 

It is hard to believe that it is 2020! I was an Ellis sophomore when we hit 2000 and could not have imagined all that was to come in the next 20 years, nor the value of my time at Ellis. When I speak with Ellis alumnae a recurring theme is the importance of the foundation that Ellis created which allowed them to flourish in their lives beyond the School.

Natalie Jasper, Class of 2021, reached a major milestone on Monday, January 20 as she scored her 1,000th career point as a member of the Ellis Varsity Basketball Team. Natalie’s 1,000th point came in the form of a free throw and was just one of 21 points she scored in the Tigers’ win over Brentwood High School. To celebrate her accomplishment, Head Varsity Basketball Coach Dan LaGamba and Athletic Director Shayla Scott shared their thoughts on Natalie as a player and student-athlete.

Residents of Pittsburgh sometimes talk about January as one of the least exciting times to live here. For those of us fortunate to spend our time at The Ellis School, January is absolutely an exciting time. We’ve recently returned from Winter Break, still cheered by the great joy and pride of watching our Lower School girls give an outstanding performance of Disney's Alice in Wonderland Jr. for their annual musical.

You might not have realized it when you were younger, but every time you explored a local creek, played Capture the Flag with neighbors, or caught fireflies on a sticky summer night—it wasn’t just all fun and games. Those outdoor activities were actually boosting your brain power, building character, and strengthening your growing body (skinned knees and all).

The learning that occurs while studying abroad can be difficult to replicate in a traditional school setting. A rock-climbing wall can’t compare to scaling the Harbour Bridge in Sydney, and learning about the British monarchy is brought to life in a completely new way when visiting the Tower of London in person. Adventures like these are truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunities—and ones that Ellis students who have participated in our International Exchange Program have been lucky enough to encounter.