Fall 2012 Issue - Archmere Academy

“It was cool to take some concepts or general informationthat we learned in class and apply them to specific ideas,structures or parts of our school,” added his group partner,Mike Ford ’14.At the conclusion of their research, the students presentedtheir findings with power point presentations given in theMusic Room of The Patio. As they shared the historical andscientific discoveries they had made, many of the studentsspoke about their work with excitement and genuineinterest.“It was so much more hands-on than a typical researchproject,” said Kevin Reardon ‘14, whose group examinedthe mechanisms of the retractable roof in the centercourtyard.“It was cool to see science in every day life,” addedMiranda Mazzio ‘14, who’s group studied the earlyrefrigeration system used by the Raskobs in the 1920’s, “itgave us a new way to look at things.”This project was just one of the ways that The Patio hasserved as an educational tool for students at Archmere.In the art department, students have helped to re-createhand-painted wall paper on the second floor, and workedwith the department chair to mold cherubs from theoriginal chairs in the music room. Photography studentshave also taken advantage of the beautiful architecturalelements of The Patio, using them as focal points andfeatures in their work.In the religion department, freshman classes and seniorelectives have toured The Patio with Father McLaughlinas part of lessons related to the Norbertine founding andCatholic tradition of the school.And this summer, the large room on the first floor that hashoused the Office of Institutional Advancement for the lasttwo years, and was once the Raskob children’s playroom,was transformed into a seminar classroom to be put intoregular use in the Fall.Shing-Shing Cao’14 and Rebecca Peet ‘14 present their findings on the historyand creation of the fountain in the center of The Patio courtyard to theirclassmates in The Patio Music Room.Mr. Raskob’s records, used as a primary source for Miranda Mazzio ‘14 andKate Payne ‘14’s paper on the early refrigeration systems of the Patio.Kevin Reardon ‘14 and Brian Canfield ‘14 included this formula for dieselin their paper when discussing how the retractable roof of the Patio useddiesel fuel to be mobilized.11