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Welcome from the Office of Alumni and Development
The Alumni Blog and monthly E-Newsletter will allow you to connect with all things Perkiomen - alumni, events, and news!
It is my hope that these stories will allow you to engage with fellow alumni and define what Perkiomen means to you. Feel free to share your ideas – even consider being a guest blogger.
To sign up for the monthly e-newsletter, email me at alumni@perkiomen.org. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Perkiomen, Here’s To You,
Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19, Alumni Director
Blog
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
March 2024
March was a bustling month at Perkiomen! We had alumni visits and gatherings in Colorado, California, Connecticut, Puerto Rico, and Florida, including our annual dinner in the LA area.
Karl Welsh and I visited Aaron Masters '05 at his coffee shop, little lunch coffee + snacks, in Venice, CA.
Thank you for your enthusiastic participation in our Day of Giving! There's still time to leave your mark with a brick, a classroom, and more.
April promises to be just as exciting as March with Alumni Lacrosse Day, the Perkiomen School Golf Outing, and our Groundbreaking event. Keep an eye out for an email announcing the opening of registration for Reunion and Alumni Weekend— it's going to be a fantastic event!
Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19
Clark Kreger ’92 Alumni Lacrosse Day is canceled
Due to weather conditions, we are canceling our athletic events during Spring Family Celebration Day - Including the Clark Kreiger '92 Alumni Lacrosse Day. Our fields will not be playable by Saturday. We do not have a rescheduled date at this time.
Student Center Groundbreaking
This exciting event will take place on Saturday, April 27, at 10 am on the Campus Green. Following the program, we will continue the festivities with a delicious BBQ under the tent.
Dress is smart casual, and we encourage everyone to wear their best Perkiomen School gear to show their school spirit and pride.
We are looking forward to celebrating this milestone with you! Register here.
P.S. Don't forget to order your patio brick! For a donation of $100 or more, we will engrave a brick to personalize with your name, or honor a family member, friend, current or former faculty member.
Perkiomen goes to Puerto Rico
On March 9, we celebrated Coach Ken Baker and 29 years of Perkiomen baseball in Puerto Rico. It was a wonderful week full of baseball in addition to connecting with great old and new friends!
Los Angeles Gathering
Golf Outing
Please join us on Monday, April 22 for our golf outing at Linfield National Golf Club! There will be great golf, food, and a bunch of prizes in our basket raffle and silent auction.
You can also join us just for lunch. Registration link is below - come celebrate Perkiomen Baseball and Kendall Baker.
Science Olympiad
During Spring Break, our Science Olympiad competitors were hard at work. Led by Dr. Benjamin Roig, the team was awarded 12th place overall at the regional competition held at Kutztown University on Tuesday. Congratulations!
Special congratulations to students who achieved first or second in individual results!
First in Optics: Emily Lessard ’24 and Lucas Reinhart ’24
First in Forestry: Emily Lessard ’24 and Allie Hughes ’24
Second in Codebusters: Emily Lessard ’24, Sarah Beth Hughes ’26, and Gloria Chen ’24
MECAD Summer Pre-College Program
Congratulations to Cameron Crye ’25 and Grace Musser ’25, recipients of the Edward M. Friedman ’08 and Carole J. Friedman Perkiomen School Scholarship to attend the Summer Pre-College Program at Maine College of Art and Design. Thank you to Dr. Ed Friedman ’61 and Carole Friedman for providing this opportunity!
Day of Giving— it's a wrap!
Thank you to our wonderful Perkiomen alumni who made Day of Giving 2024 a success. 241 community members from 24 states plus Puerto Rico and 9 countries came together to raise $57,671 towards Our Moment to Lead!
Greatest number of donors: 1971, 7 donors
Highest amount raised: 1977, $2,550
February 2024
Spring break is just around the corner, and we’ve had much to celebrate this winter term. The Office of Alumni Development showered the Class of 2024 with a Valentine’s Day party. We also celebrated our Science Olympiad winners for earning medals at the North Pocono Invitational. We enjoyed spectacular performances by the cast and crew of The Addams Family. There were lots of athletic accomplishments, including several school records that were broken in track and swimming. To top off the month, I'm excited to cheer on the Boys' National Basketball team at the PAISAA state championships versus Phelps on Sunday.
As we head into spring, we’re excited for Reunion and Alumni Weekend planning as well as other events just around the corner. Keep on reading to see the ways you can engage with Perkiomen in the coming months.
Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19
Reunion and Alumni Weekend 2024
We hope you’ve received your save-the-date in the mail. Get ready to return to Pennsburg to reminisce about the place, people, and moments that made your Perkiomen experience memorable.
Upcoming dates:
Puerto Rico Gathering
Los Angeles Gathering
Friday, March 22
7 pm
Chinois on Main
Day of Giving
Tuesday, March 26
Lacrosse Alumni Day
Saturday, April 6
Boys' and Girls' games vs. Shipley
12 PM Boys
2 PM Girls
Freeman Field
Golf Outing
The Addams Family
Congratulations to the cast of The Addams Family for a successful show.
Student Center Groundbreaking
It’s almost here! We will be celebrating the Student Center Groundbreaking on Saturday, April 27.
For a donation of $100 or more, we will engrave a brick to personalize with your name, or honor a family member, friend, current or former faculty member.
Funds raised from these bricks will help us successfully conclude the campaign, fully covering our remaining strategic priorities. Your brick will be engraved with the name(s) or phrase of your choice and will become a lasting tribute of your commitment to our institution. The engraved bricks will grace an outdoor patio adjacent to the new Student Center, contributing to the bedrock for innovative, exceptional education.
For more information, contact Karl Welsh, Director of Development, at (215) 541-5048.
Represent your class on Day of Giving!
Day of Giving is on Tuesday, March 26!
As alumni, you've seen the many positive ways in which Perkiomen education has affected your lives. You have been given the skills, knowledge and confidence to succeed in our college and professional careers and in life. Now, it is your turn to help support the next generation of Perk students so that they are able to have a transformational Perkiomen experience.
Alumni participation is vital to Our Moment to Lead. That's why we are asking you to join in this Days of Giving to support the OMTL campaign. This historical remaking of our campus is providing today's students many of the same, and a lot of new, opportunities by funding campaign initiatives towards arts, athletics, scholarships and so much more.
All gifts made during the Day of Giving campaign will count towards the annual class competition tallies which will be announced at Reunion and Alumni Weekend.
January 2024
Perkiomen has been a tundra this January! We are all staying warm, eating Robbie’s cookies, and scheduling our 2024 calendars for some very exciting events: Basketball Alumni Day, The Addams Family musical, Lacrosse Alumni Day, and Reunion and Alumni Weekend.
Did you see the Perkiomen Brick Opportunity? It’s a great way to be a part of the Our Moment to Lead Campaign and pave the way. We are planning a big announcement about the groundbreaking, so stay tuned for additional emails and posts.
Hope to see you in 2024!
Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19
Reunion and Alumni Weekend 2024
This year’s Reunion and Alumni Weekend (June 7-9) will be full of opportunities to explore campus, reminisce about your Perk experience, and learn about life at Perkiomen today. All classes are invited. Reconnect with friends and make new memories during this fun-filled, family-friendly weekend.
We are currently looking for reunion year reps! If your class year ends in a 4 or a 9, reach out to Diana to plan your class reunion!
P.S. If your class year ends in a 5 or 0, we encourage you to join us to start thinking about your reunion for RAW 2025!
Upcoming dates:
Basketball Alumni Day
February 2, 2024
4 PM Boys' National Team vs. Hill
6 PM Girls' Prep vs. Life Center Academy
Hollenbach Athletic Center
Between games, we invite you to the Gold Tailgate in the Bates Lobby to enjoy refreshments and hear updates about Perkiomen Athletics.
Day of Giving
Tuesday, March 26
Lacrosse Alumni Day
April 6, 2024
Boys' and Girls' games vs. Shipley
12 PM Boys
2 PM Girls
Freeman Field
Perkiomen Theater presents The Addams Family
Our winter musical, The Addams Family, will be performed in Kehs Hall from Thursday, February 15 to Saturday February 17. Directed by Shawn Watkins-Yates, this comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, features an original story and it's every father's nightmare: Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family– a man her parents have never met (Theatrical Rights Worldwide).
Doors open at 7 p.m. Show begins at 7:30 p.m.
Perkiomen Basketball Tournament
Earlier in the month, the second annual PBT brought lots of excitement to the Hollenbach Athletic Center, featuring some of the top prep talent in the country. The Panthers won two of their three games, and Alfredo Addesa ’24 was named to the PBT All-Tournament Team! It was also wonderful seeing alumni in attendance. Congratulations to the winning team, Bridgton Academy (ME).
Thanks again to tournament sponsors Pizza Como and PC Pub and Toscos Pizza & Restaurant for supporting the event!
Cheers to The Palantir
Who remembers The Palantir?
The Palantir, Perkiomen School's literary magazine, has been recognized as a SUPERIOR magazine by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
This year, schools in 46 states and five countries nominated 375 student magazines. Magazines from middle school, high school, and higher education were welcomed for the 2023 contest.
"This is exciting for the Palantir's first attempt at the REALM awards!" says Mr. Christian Peterson, Palantir Advisor. "Great news for the artists and writers at Perkiomen."
The REALM program publicly recognizes excellent literary magazines produced by students with the support of their teachers. REALM is designed to encourage all schools to develop literary magazines that celebrate the art and craft of writing. Schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, US territories, Canada, and American schools abroad are eligible to nominate magazines.
Congratulations!
Leading Edge Learning Blog
Students in Perkiomen School's TLC program (The Learning Center) recently engaged in project-based learning to explore neurodiversity and relationship building, shifting the narrative around specific diagnoses. Read more about their assignment on the blog.
Join Us: Every Brick Matters
We hope you have had a chance to read through the Our Moment to Lead campaign update.
For a donation of $100 or more, we will engrave a brick to personalize with your name, or honor a family member, friend, current or former faculty member.
Funds raised from these bricks will help us successfully conclude the campaign, fully covering our remaining strategic priorities. Your brick will be engraved with the name(s) or phrase of your choice and will become a lasting tribute of your commitment to our institution. The engraved bricks will grace an outdoor patio adjacent to the new Student Center, contributing to the bedrock for innovative, exceptional education.
For more information, contact Karl Welsh, Director of Development, at (215) 541-5048.
P.S. Mark your calendars for Day of Giving on Tuesday, March 26. Keep watching for more details!
December 2023
On behalf of the entire Office of Alumni and Development, happy holidays! We wish you joy, health, and warmth in 2024.
Loyal, Tried, and True,
Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19
As you prepare for the new year, mark these dates on your calendar:
Perkiomen Basketball Tournament
January 5-7, 2024
Come and see eight of the top prep basketball teams in the country! There will be games all weekend, so check the official PBT webpage and our social media for additional info on game schedules. Thanks to our alumni friends at Pizza Como and PC Pub for their support of the Tournament.
Basketball Alumni Day
February 2, 2024
4 PM National Team vs. Hill
6 PM Girls Prep vs. Life Center Academy
Hollenbach Athletic Center
Day of Giving
Tuesday, March 26
Lacrosse Alumni Day
April 6, 2024
Boys' and Girls' games vs. Shipley
12 PM Boys
2 PM Girls
Freeman Field
Reception to follow at PC Pub
Alumni Weekend
June 7-9, 2024
We will be celebrating classes ending in 4 and 9. All classes are invited. Reach out to Diana to plan your class reunion!
Hollenbach Headlines
Read the Hollenbach Headlines to stay up to date with all things Perkiomen Athletics.
End of Year Giving
A participant in the musical and Studio Intensive, Mandi Su ‘24 enjoys the arts, sharing that she likes to bring joy to others. In her math classes, she is excited by the sense of challenge in pursuit of solutions. This year, she has been able to bring the two together within the Design Institute.
“People often think that design is the same as fine art,” says Mandi. “In my Foundations of Design course, there is also a lot of problem solving as we are learning how to think from the user’s point of view.”
We are grateful for your support of students like Mandi! Contribute to the Perkiomen Fund before December 31 by visiting www.perkiomen.org/giving.
November 2023
As we get ready to close out 2023, I look back on the year with great joy. Our newsletters and social media posts of 2023 have included fantastic theater performances, intriguing institute capstone projects, and thrilling athletic performances. I am thankful to be an alum, alumni parent, and employee of our alma mater. I am especially grateful to each alum who has supported Perkiomen this year. Perhaps you were a generous donor, maybe you shared an experience with us on a visit, or you recommended Perkiomen to a friend or family member.
This year the Office of Alumni and Development, along with Head of School Mark A. Devey, connected with alumni from all over the world and right here in Pennsburg – thank you for being available to meet with us, allowing us to learn about you and your Perkiomen experience, and giving us opportunities to share news of Perkiomen today and of its future. As we enter the holidays, we hope you and your family have a season filled with peace, love, and hope.
Be sure to keep an eye out for something exciting that will hit your mail in January. While you are here, grab your 2024 calendar and mark off some events we will be hosting here on campus, including Alumni Weekend on June 7, 8, and 9.
Again, we are so very grateful for each and every one of our alumni!
Loyal, Tried, and True,
Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19
Upcoming dates
Carmel M. “Midge” and Chaplain George E. Thomas Vespers Service
December 10, 2023
7 pm
Mesnier Chapel
Reception to follow in Carnegie Library
Basketball Alumni Day
February 2, 2024
4 PM National Team vs. Hill
6 PM Girls Prep vs. Life Center Academy
Hollenbach Athletic Center
Reception to follow at PC Pub
Lacrosse Alumni Day
April 6, 2024
Boys' and Girls' games vs. Shipley
12 PM Boys
2 PM Girls
Freeman Field
Reception to follow at PC Pub
Alumni Weekend
June 7-9, 2024
We will be celebrating classes ending in 4 and 9. All classes are invited. Reach out to Diana to plan your class reunion!
Perkiomen Theater
Last month, Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic had a successful run under the direction of History Faculty and Theater Director Shawn Watkins-Yates. This year’s musical, The Addams Family will be performed from February 15-17 in Kehs Hall.
Hollenbach Headlines
Read the Hollenbach Headlines to stay up to date with all things Perkiomen Athletics.
On November 8, we celebrated 18 Panthers who have made the commitment to continue their athletic and academic journey at the next level. Congratulations to our committed student-athletes!
End of Year Giving
As you consider year-end giving, please consider a gift to your alma mater. Your generosity provides our deserving students with the necessary tools to empower them to succeed both academically and personally.
All gifts are tax-deductible. Please date and postmark checks by 12/31 or give online by 11:59 p.m. to count towards the 2023 tax year. Questions? Reach out to Director of the Perkiomen Fund Shauna Betof P '24, '27.
October 2023
We are more than halfway through the Fall Term! Karl and I have traveled to the West Coast, and soon we will be heading to see some of our alums in Spain! Keep reading to learn about highlights from this half of the Term. Also, make sure to keep up with Perk Athletics through the monthly Hollenbach Headlines.
Loyal, Tried, and True,
Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19
Gatherings
It was wonderful seeing those of you who came out to our New York and Philadelphia area gatherings, as well as the Alumni Baseball Game. Thank you to Peter Sharkey, Jr. ’03 for hosting us at the Philadelphia Country Club! To make sure you’re on our invitation list for the next event, update your contact info here.
October is Arts Month
This month has been full of fun and educational activities and performances to celebrate the arts at Perkiomen. Earlier in the month, the Griffins rock band and the dance team held their fall performances. This weekend, Puffs will be playing in the theater. There was also an Art Demo crawl where students experienced ceramic plate making, watercolor painting, acrylic pours, and sun photography.
2022-2023 Report to Donors: Perkiomen Inspires
Thank you to all of our donors who made gifts to Perkiomen School last fiscal year. Your generosity provides the resources to help our students grow and uncover the best versions of themselves. Click here to read the publication and see your gifts in action.
Upcoming dates
Open House
October 27 – Register here
Carmel M. “Midge” and Chaplain George E. Thomas Vespers Service
December 10, 2023
7 pm
Mesnier Chapel
Reception to follow in Carnegie Library
Basketball Alumni Day
February 2, 2024
4 PM National Team vs. Hill
6 PM Girls Varsity vs. Lawrenceville
Hollenbach Athletic Center
Reception to follow at PC Pub
Lacrosse Alumni Day
April 6, 2024
Time TBD
Boys and Girls doubleheader vs. Shipley
Freeman Field
Alumni Weekend
June 7-9, 2024
We will be celebrating classes ending in 4 and 9. All classes are invited. Reach out to Diana to plan your class reunion!
Dig in!
Your gift to the Perkiomen Fund today will support innovative programs all year round! To make your gift towards this year's Perkiomen Fund, click here.
Thank you for your generosity.
September 2023
Fall is here at Perkiomen. At Fall Family Weekend, I had the chance to meet some of our new families at the various athletic events and a parent social. We also got to enjoy some outdoor music by the Red Hill Band at this year’s Hewett Concert. Last week, we collaborated with the Office of Student Life to host Senior Sunrise, a breakfast for our Class of 2024. As temperatures cool, I can’t wait to enjoy the fall weather and connect with you at our area gatherings.
Loyal, Tried, and True,
Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19
Gatherings Galore!
We have a bunch of alumni events this October in NYC, Philly, and Pennsburg. RSVP to Alumni Director Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19.
Alumni Baseball Game
October 1, 2023
2 pm
Baker Field
Reception to follow at PC Pub
New York City
October 4
6 to 9 PM
230 Fifth
Philadelphia
October 17, 2023
6-9 pm
Philadelphia Country Club
Celebration of Life for Paige Longstreth
Perkiomen School and the Longstreth Family invite our community to a Celebration of Life for Paige Longstreth.
Please join us on October 7, 2023 at 1 pm on the Kolbe Lawn followed by a reception and storytelling in Parents Hall. (rain location: Mesnier Chapel, Kriebel Hall)
Suggested Attire: Paige did not want a formal dress code for this celebration. Please consider wearing an outfit that you might have worn with Paige - anything from workout clothing to your Perkiomen tie from Middle School Moving Up is appropriate.
Sharing Memories: If you have a memory of Paige or a photo that you would like to share, please email it to Diana Weir-Smith at dweirsmith@perkiomen.org.
Honoring Paige: In lieu of flowers, the Longstreth family invites you to make a gift in memory of Paige to Perkiomen School or to Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital.
If you are joining us, RSVP here.
Puffs at Perkiomen
Our Perkiomen thespians are hard at work as they prepare for the fall play. We hope you’ll join us for Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic on October 26-28 in Kehs Hall. Show begins at 7:30.
Get ready for the 2022-2023 Report to Donors!
Each fall, the Report to Donors gives us the opportunity to highlight our amazing school community and say thank you to the wonderful donors who supported us along the way. Keep an eye on your mailbox for your copy coming very soon!
To make your gift towards this year's Perkiomen Fund, click here.
August 2023
Hello Perkiomenites! As summer comes to a close, I am happy to report that Perkiomen began the 2024 school year on August 29, and classes are officially in session. We have a bunch of exciting things happening in the weeks and months ahead, including Fall Family Weekend, student art exhibits, athletic competitions, and our fall theater production, Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic. The play is a parody of the Harry Potter book series (one of my all-time favorites), and I can’t wait to see our thespians bring this show to life!
I also hope to see some of you on Wednesday, October 4 at our New York City gathering. Stay tuned as we roll out the dates of our other fall alumni events.
Loyal, Tried, and True,
Student Tour Guide Leaders welcome new and returning students on Opening Day
Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19
P.S. Here are some admissions stats from our Opening Day:
- 343 total students
- 93% retention rate
- 14 legacy students
- 15 new siblings of current students
- 13 states
- 31 countries
- Top 5 countries enrolled:
- China
- Spain
- Vietnam
- Ukraine
- Dominican Republic and Italy (tie)
Mark your calendar!
New York City gathering
October 4
6 to 9 PM
230 Fifth
RSVP to Alumni Director Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19.
Hollenbach Headlines
August’s edition of Perkiomen’s athletic newsletter highlights soccer as we profile Associate Director of Soccer Operations Julian Fernandez, Head Coach of Boys Soccer Mike Narzikul, and player Bria Moyer ’25. We also hope to see you at one of our Fall Family Weekend games.
Follow the Perkiomen Panthers on Instagram @perkathletics
Remembering Paige Longstreth
The Perkiomen Community, along with the Longstreth family, mourns the recent passing of faculty member Paige Longstreth P ’14, ’17.
Mrs. Longstreth came to Perkiomen School in 1991. Her educational background studying psychology and literature, and her drive to make a difference, provided a great foundation to make a lasting impact at Perkiomen as an administrator, teacher, mentor, and coach.
“From the moment I met Paige, I valued her,” said Head of School Mark A. Devey. “She was her own person. She spoke her mind, she was passionate about diversity, and enthusiastically served as an advocate for each and every student. Paige understood the importance of community, and she dearly loved her family.”
Paige Longstreth will be greatly missed. More information about celebrations of her life and legacy will be forthcoming. If you would like to share a memory, please reach out to Alumni Director Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19.
Retirement Celebrations
Perkiomen is celebrating the retirements of three longtime staff: Denise Breidenbach GP ’16 (Assistant to the Athletic Director), Kathy Eck (Registrar), and Gail Schmoyer (Student Billing, Accounts Receivable). Together, they share 66 years of dedication and Perk Pride. Thank you for all you have done for our school, and best wishes in your next adventures!
Looking for alumni entrepreneurs and designers!
Have you launched your own business, or are you in the process of designing something new? Our Design Institute faculty are looking for contacts for our Design Institute. Any ventures would be wonderful! Reach out to Alumni Director Diana Weir-Smith ’85, P ’19.
The best is yet to come
We are off to a strong start of the 2023-24 school year. Make a Perkiomen Fund gift today to support our school community in the year ahead.
