WinterFest 2019: Thank You for the Joy!
Thank You, Volunteers, BFS Colleagues, and Students for the JOY You Brought to BFS through WinterFest!
It was billed as a “flurry” of winter fun, and the flurries soon turned into a majestic mountain-full of student-centered activities at the 39th annual WinterFest on Saturday, December 14th. We proudly salute the HUNDREDS of volunteers who made it happen and the Brooklyn Friends and Families volunteer leaders – Lil Amatore and Ellen Langan – who spearheaded this signature BFS celebration of community.
Our Pearl Street home overflowed from basement to rooftop and out onto the street!
In the Lower Gym, friends bounced, played, and then jumped into a friendly Cupcake Wars competition. The creations were sweet, for sure, but were also worthy of primetime Food Network! In the Lobby, students welcomed guests at the Climate Pledge Photo Booth. The 3rd floor and Upper Gym were hubs of fun and creativity. Log-cutting, candle-dipping, the crystal cave and crafty creation tables were spread near and far. In the Meeting House, guests enjoyed a Magic and Mentalism show with Harrison Kramer (who read Head of School Crissy Cáceres’ mind!), a presentation from Vanderbeekers series author Karina Yan Glaser, and a karaoke session! Shoppers took in the Book Fair presented by Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab and BFS community vendors. Always a highlight, the Cafeteria was filled with tasty treats including the BFS community bake sale, fluff+fluff, Tiger Box, and staples from the BFS food service team. New this year, were the food trucks on Pearl Street. All of this wintry fun was presented with a soundtrack of BFS student musicians and the moves of the Panthers Supreme Dance Team. What a day!
The WinterFest Gratitude List:
The WinterFest Planning Committee: Ellen Langan (co-chair), Lil Amatore (co-chair), Dehomey Agrippa, Olivia Annicq, Kelly Bracher, Kara Canal, Christine Capelli, Rachel Churner, Alice Chung, Maiken Erstad, Stephanie Guild, Linda Hager, Sharon Koblence, Jennifer Landry, Katie Murray, Jennifer Rudd, Molly Spindel, Sarah Thai, Jodi Utz, Tracey Wells-Schneps, and Ashley Williams
The Brooklyn Friends and Families Executive Committee and Class Parents, especially Sabrina LeBlanc, Raymi Ramseur and Cori Schuman
BFS Colleagues and especially: Crissy Cáceres, Seth Phillips, Emily Cowles, Karen Edelman, Jamara Hill, Joan Martin, Peter Mackie, Peter Prince, Laurice Hwang, Natania Kremer, Tian Yi, Charlie Russell, Lupe Concannon, Christine Schwegel, Theodore “Goody” Goodman, Sr., Larson Rose, Thomas Keasling, Sinae Lee, Gary Ryan, Brian Benavides, Dakota Benedek, Tom Buckley and the BFS Cafeteria Team; all the teachers and librarians who helped with class projects, musical performances and lent us their time and space; and our BFS facilities team!
Our generous food providers: DUMBO Market, Cousins Maine Lobsters, FEED, Lassen + Hennigs, Pizza Vitale, a la mode ice cream, fluff + fluff, and Tiger Box
Additional support from: BFS Panthers Supreme, Creatively Wild, Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab, author Karina Yan Glaser, Schneps Media, Farm & Wilderness, Brandon and Katie Conovitz and Twelve NYC, Allison Peters, student musicians and performers Cal Stubbs, Raveena Hossein, Ruby Messina, Julian Schwartz, Liana Silva, George Atkins, Isaiah Springer, and Emmet and Daniel Kovel, Rayanna Samuels, Orly Abel, Sydney Bassin, Caroline Bednark, Henry Atlas, Joshua Dunn, Teddy Basner, and Luca Cantarella
Congratulations and thanks to our Wrapping Paper Design Contest Winners: Ava Sklar, Veronica Arrow-King, Vincent Rogers, and Isa DellaValle and to all students who submitted designs this year!
Thank you to our social media takeover students who shared all of the fun: Yamila McLaughlin, Willa Valentino, Eve Lipkin and Jade Lichtenstein
Enjoy a slideshow of WinterFest photos below. You can also view the fullscreen slideshow here.