Wyndcroft school gives out first-ever Willie Thorpe award honoring Pottstown resident

POTTSTOWN >> The Wyndcroft School presented a newly-minted award in honor of a local man who dedicated over 50 years to the school.

On Thursday, June 6, The Wyndcroft School honored its students with dozens of awards based on merit, effort, community service and more. Among those awards was the Mr. Willie Thorpe Good Citizenship Award.

Willie Thorpe, a Pottstown native, began working for the Wyndcroft School in 1964 after he interviewed with and then started working for Carlisle Snively, who was the Headmaster at the time.

At that time, Wyndcroft had 152 students with up to 13 students per grade in much smaller buildings. There were 13 teachers, a couple of whom were part time.

Since then, Thorpe has spent the last 55 years at the school, watching it change and grow.

“The Wyndcroft School is establishing The Mr. Willie Thorpe Good Citizenship Award in celebration of Mr. Willie’s 55 years of faithful service and dedication. Each year at graduation, one eighth grade student will be chosen to receive this award,” according to the school’s website.

This year’s recipient was Khushi Patel. Patel was also the recipient of several other awards including the science award and the Summa Cum Laude in Lingua Latina award.

The following awards were also given to students on Thursday during The Wyndcroft School’s Honors Day:

• The June McKee Award for Excellence in Art — Hailey Berry

• The Carlisle Snively Award for Excellence in English — Isabella Conway

• The Writing Prize — Eesha Ampani

• The History Award — Eesha Ampani

• The Technology Award — Colin Brown

• The Angeline V. Oberholtzer Drama and Music Award — Eesha Ampani

• The Edith G. Ebert Award for Excellence in Mathematics — Eesha Ampani

• Le Prix Francais — Meena Ali

• Award for Excellence in Athletics — Madeline Rohlfing and Rocco Bressi

• WPTO Award for Scholastic Growth and Effort — Meena Ali

“This is certainly an amazing group and so talented in so many ways,” said Gail Wolter, head of school at The Wyndcroft School. “As I look at this particular group of eighth graders I see incredibly great humor, a very friendly group of young people, one that truly embodies a true sense of joy nearly every day.”

PHOTO FROM THE WYNDCROFT SCHOOL During this year’s Honors Day, The Wyndcroft School gave out its very first Willie Thorpe Good Citizenship award in honor of Thorpe’s 55 years of service to the school.

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP Students at The Wyndcroft School were given awards based on academic achievements Thursday during their Honors Program.

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP Eesha Ampani received several awards Thursday including the Angeline V. Oberholtzer Drama and Music Award.

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP Khushi Patel was the recipient of the first ever Willie Thorpe Award as well as several other awards Thursday during the Wyndcroft School’s Honors Program.