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WEEK of February 18, 2008
@BFS! archives

Checking In with the Class of 2011’s Merit Scholars

by Jeffrey Stanley

Sarah DeFalco, Conor Heins and Max Scherzer, members of the Class of 2011, were named BFS Merit Scholars last May. Now in its second year, the scholarship program awards $10,000 in tuition funds for all four years of upper school to three eighth graders with outstanding academic records and a history of strong contributions to the community. “The students’ academic strengths and the ways that they use these strengths to enrich the whole class is always foremost in our decisions,” says Middle School Head Joan Rappaport.

Sarah DeFalco, who has been a BFS student since first grade, excels in math. She is an accomplished artist and a strong athlete who is committed to community service. “I’m looking forward to transitioning into a different setting and moving up,” said Sarah in September. How did she feel about winning the award? “I was of course extremely happy and kind of surprised, given the fact that I was being compared against so many great people.”

“When I first learned I was a Merit Scholar I was a little surprised,” agreed Conor. “I’m proud of it and glad for my accomplishments but I also felt sad that more scholarships couldn’t be given out.” Conor, who started BFS in the Preschool, considers history his strong suit and looks forward to eventually entering the new IB Program in eleventh grade. “I’ve always been into politics and the history of the diverse cultures of the world.” He also takes flute lessons and loves theatre, often attending a summer arts camp in Mount Desert Island, Maine, where he focuses on acting, visual art, and writing. He also likes fishing.

Max Scherzer, described by his teachers as a focused and ambitious future leader, entered BFS in 2nd grade and says his favorite subjects are French, Latin and history. “I felt like I had really achieved something,” he said of the receiving scholarship. “It was also great because it helps to pay for school tuition.” A strong competitive swimmer outside of BFS, he’s on the school’s soccer team and is considering going out for baseball. “I also am good —I wouldn’t say amazing,” he confides, “at cello.” At the beginning of school in September, he was most looking forward to the freedom afforded upper school students. “We have so much more freedom and it makes me feel much more mature,” he said. “Willoughby is an exceptional place to be,” he continued, referring to the upper school building at 55 Willoughby Street, around the corner from Pearl Street.

How are the three students faring as they near the end of their first year? “My year’s been fine so far. High school is better than I thought,” said Max. “I was worried about being the ‘fresh meat’ but nobody really does that. I’m actually friends with a variety of kids in the other grades.” Despite what he feels is a heavy workload Max has also been managing the girls varsity basketball team and has a message for the current crop of incoming ninth graders: “Compared to eighth grade, there definitely is much more work, but not enough to kill you.”

Conor has spent his afterschool hours rehearsing for and acting in two plays, Pirates of Penzance and Tartuffe. He loves what he describes as his most exciting class, Latin II, “where we examine Latin poetry and learn new grammar every day.” He also continues to play the flute, and as a member of the jazz band he has played several school concerts. His only complaint is that with so much work, “it’s hard to sit down with a classic and read on my own time.”

Athlete Sarah DeFalco has been playing soccer and basketball and plans on playing softball this spring. “One challenge that I have,” she admits, “is doing my homework after I get home from a game.”

Upper School Head Roxanne Zazzaro points out that “All three students continue to show their academic strengths. They are also very involved in the school community and continue to not only enrich the community, but exemplify the characteristics of a Brooklyn Friends School student—respectful of learning, the community and those in the wider community.”

The Upper School Merit Scholarship program continues this year with the Class of 2012. “Eighth graders Jessica Carlson, Katherine Chamberlain, and Jacob Ginsberg were recently informed of the school’s decision to name them Merit Scholars,” said Head of School Michael Nill. “I’m thrilled to say that they are enthusiastically looking forward to joining the upper school in September.”