Several Foxcroft faculty members made presentations at the Nov. 7 Virginia Association of Independent Schools Conference in Richmond -- but only one had students working with him! Matt Mohler, whose physics classes are a favorite with many Foxcroft students, was assisted by juniors Timnah Geller, of Lincoln, VA., and Shannon Walker, of Purcellville, who both studied Physics with Mr. Mohler as sophomores.

Timnah, Shannon and Mohler acted as a lab group during the presentation, which sought to show other physics teachers how to present dozens of concepts in novel ways designed to make even the subtlest of physics concepts accessible at the "gut" level.

Dean of the Faculty/Academic Dean John Suitor, who along with science teacher Carolyn DeLoach served on the VAIS conference committee, reported that the demonstration was a great success.

Head of School Mary Louise Leipheimer also presented at the annual conference.

Timnah Geller, a junior at the Foxcroft School, was recently was named to a select group of students who will represent their schools and communities at the People to People Leadership Conference in Los Angeles in July, Foxcroft School announced. Geller, who is a resident of Lincoln, Va., had to meet rigorous standards of scholastic merit, civic involvement and leadership potential to be accepted into this program, which helps students develop their leadership skills and community involvement by creating an action plan to make a difference in their community upon returning home.

Elizabeth Waters, a Foxcroft senior from Flint, Mich., met with top policy makers Nov. 15-20 when she participated in the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, NYLC offers students the opportunity to discuss current events and issues with government officials, to analyze concepts and then put them immediately to work.

The program gives high-achieving sophomores, juniors and seniors a greater understanding of their roles in democracy and the responsibilities of leadership. Through interaction with Cabinet secretaries, members of Congress, diplomats, lobbyists, journalists and academicians, NYLC scholars receive direct experience and guidance that cannot be found in textbooks.

Foxcroft Students Present 110 Miniature Christmas Trees To Nursing Home Residents

Carols filled the air and smiles were shared across the generations Wednesday night when 30 Foxcroft School students visited the Loudoun Hospital Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Leesburg to deliver 110 miniature Christmas trees to the elderly residents.

"It was just wonderful," said lifelong Middleburg resident Jane Lockhart, who is director of activities at Foxcroft and the architect of its many holiday community service initiatives.

Students and faculty at the Middleburg school went without dinner Friday Dec. 2 so that the money could be put towards gifts for the less fortunate. They spent the evening putting together holiday baskets for needy families, creating care packages for animals at the Middleburg Humane Foundation and wrapping scores of gifts for children. They stuffed 4,000 holiday cards, created a float for the Middleburg Holiday Parade, caroled on horseback and prepared for the annual Foxcroft Christmas pageant.

The girls also decorated the miniature trees that they delivered to their "Special Friends" at the Loudoun long-term care facility whom they visit weekly as part of Foxcroft's on-going community service programs. Other school-year-long service activities include regular trips to help at the Middleburg Humane Foundation, volunteering in a therapeutic riding program in at Morvern Park in Leesburg and tutoring children from Windy Hill on a weekly basis.

Foxcroft Field Hockey Honored

Led by Loudoun/Fauquier Player of the Year Jessi Coil of Middleburg, the Foxcroft School field hockey team capped a terrific 2005 season last month by collecting a gaggle of post-season honors.

Coil, a senior co-captain, was joined on the Washington Post's Loudoun/Fauquier All-Extra team by senior co-captain Julis Hoppmann of The Plains and junior Laura Block of Leesburg. Chelsy Coil, a sophomore from Middleburg, was named honorable mention while Katie Ryan Kantz was tabbed as Coach of the Year in her second season at the helm.

Jessi Coil, who along with Hoppmann played in the National Field Hockey Festival over Thanksgiving weekend and is being recruited by a number of colleges, also earned first-team All-Independent School League honors while Block and Chelsy Coil were given honorable mentions.

Foxcroft finished the season with a 10-4-1 record, its best in recent years. Second only to St. Stephen's & St Agnes School in the ISL, the squad was ranked fifth among independent schools in the state.