Year in Photos

Eden Anderson, Co-Managing Editor • 58 Views

June 10, 2026

August/September

Athletic fields project set to open for spring 2026 sports season

First of the fields: Student-athletes join district officials to open the first field of the Athletic Fields Project. The ribbon-cutting ceremony occurred on Sept. 24 and the field hockey team practiced on the turf after. The completed project will include two new turf fields, one grass field, one softball field and batting cage, five tennis courts, and an athletic field house that will include locker rooms and training facilities.

Bringing back tradition: Homecoming Court reinstated

Court celebration: The Homecoming Court members pose with sashes on Teamer Field. The court was officially honored at the pep rally on Sept. 19. In addition to bringing back Homecoming Court, Student Council announced that the homecoming dance will be an “all-school dance,” including students of all grade levels.

October

US government shuts down, impacts T/E community

Administering action: The Tredyffrin Township building awaits township staff and community members. The U.S. government shutdown began on Oct. 1, so federally funded programs administered by the state, including health, housing and employment plans, may face challenges amidst limited budgets. The Pennsylvania government stated they did not have the means to fill the gap from federal funding, meaning that communities within the state could lose their access to these programs.

November

Third-party voter information found missing from Chester County poll books

Predicament at the polls: Poll workers wait for voters at TEMS the morning of the Nov. 4 election. The poll books did not include third-party voter information.

Community mobilizes: SNAP benefits disrupted due to government shutdown

Collecting donations: Members of Student Council and other students load up trucks full of food donations to address food insecurity. This year’s collection, along with various other community efforts, aimed to support local food banks in response to a temporary delay in operations of the nation’s largest anti-hunger program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), due to the government shutdown.

December

Easttown Township receives Growing Greener grant

Icy reflections: Trees reflect back their shadows in the Darby Creek watershed. On Dec. 11, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) awarded Easttown Township a Growing Greener grant, providing the township $41,217 to build rain gardens and flow-through downspout planters on residential or commercial property over the next three years.

January

Community responds to US capture of Venezuelan president

Governmental intervention: A Venezuelan flag waves above the city of Philadelphia. On Jan. 3, U.S. military officials captured the former president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their private residence. Maduro’s capture prompted responses from various community members, with some organizing local demonstrations to express their reactions.

Celebrating tradition: Students, adults gather for 2026 Philadelphia Tyagaraja Aradhana

Music in motion: Participants fill the atrium during the 2026 Philadelphia Tyagaraja Aradhana to listen to and sing in the group renditions of the music of Tyagaraja, a composer of Indian Carnatic music. This year, the Philadelphia Tyagaraja Aradhana occurred on Jan. 7 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Conestoga atrium.

February

Great Valley’s transgender sports policies spark government investigation

Policy probe: According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Great Valley School District is undergoing a Title IX investigation issued by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR). Bruce Chambers, a former Great Valley school board director, sent a complaint objecting to the policy to the OCR in March 2025, prompting the investigation. The investigation will focus on Great Valley’s policies, which the Great Valley Board of School Directors originally passed in 2016 to ensure equal access for transgender students in sports and other activities.

Desi Club hosts Holi festival

Colorful celebration: Colors fill the air as Desi Club kicks off their annual Holi celebration. Participants of the festival lined up to receive bags of color powder to toss around the grass and throw at each other. Holi, a Hindu festival known as the “festival of colors,” will celebrate the arrival of spring and symbolize the victory of good over evil.

March

Increased ICE presence prompts community response

Taking a stand: A rally attendee holds up a sign protesting ICE’s presence within Philadelphia. Participants of the March 28 “No Kings” rallies gathered on the streets of various locations nationwide to bring attention to concerns regarding current political policies.

Conestoga Mini-THON raises record-breaking $43,089.44

Record-breaking riches: Students swarmed the Conestoga gyms on March 13 as Mini-THON Planning Committee (MTPC) hosted their 11th annual Mini-THON event. The school raised a grand total of $43,089.44, a record-breaking amount for Conestoga Mini-THON, and almost doubled the $25,565.13 raised last year.

April

Tredyffrin responds to local AI data center proposal

Continued discontent: Signs continue to advocate against the Sentinel Green Fig Data Center, even though the expansion was renounced in May. On April 20, the Tredyffrin Board of Supervisors passed a motion to begin drafting regulations for data center construction.

May

Class of 2026 celebrates senior sunrise and college decisions day

Senior sunrise: Seniors gather at 6 a.m. in the ’Stoga parking lot, spending their last few days of high school reminiscing while watching the sunrise. On Thursday, seniors celebrated Commitment Day, wearing attire based on the college they plan to attend. On Friday, seniors dressed up to commemorate their last day of high school.

June

Turning the tassel: A new chapter begins for Class of 2026

Caps and gowns filled Teamer Field on Tuesday as the graduating class of 2026 celebrated its annual commencement ceremony. After the final graduate crossed the stage, graduates erupted in cheers and tossed their caps into the air, turning Teamer Field into a sea of garnet.

year in photos

About the Contributor

Eden Anderson

Eden Anderson, Co-Managing Editor

Eden Anderson is a junior and a Co-Managing Editor of The Spoke. She likes covering local government, education and opinion stories. Outside of the newsroom, she plays both rugby and squash and has a passion for film.