“A really special place” is how Radnor High School (RHS) graduate and current RHS school nurse, Mrs. Stephanie Caniglia Grabuski (‘06), described the community of the high school when I sat down with her to discuss her experiences at Radnor and beyond.  Mrs. Grabuski says since we are so often caught up in our lives, we do not fully appreciate our wonderful community. Her sentiment became clear as we spoke about her time in Radnor. 

Mrs. Grabuski grew up in Radnor, the second of five children, all of which were products of Radnor Township School District, starting at Wayne Elementary School and graduating from Radnor High School. Growing up, she played field hockey and lacrosse, playing both sports at the varsity level at RHS. During her senior year field hockey season, she received All Delco, All County, and All Central League honors. On the lacrosse field, she played both defense and midfield. Additionally, Mrs. Grabuski was the manager of the RHS’s girls basketball team.

In addition to athletics, Mrs. Grabuski participated in different community service activities including Dr. Martin Luther King Day service projects and Relay for Life. Although we no longer have Relay for Life at Radnor High School, it was a major event, consisting of a 24-hour walk-a-thon benefitting the American Cancer Society, that was founded at RHS in 2000. Teams of 10 to 15 people walked to honor cancer survivors, to remember those who lost their lives, and to raise money for a cure. Many teams even camped out overnight in tents on the football field where the fundraiser took place. 

On the academic side, Mrs. Grabuski enjoyed her classes, especially math with Mrs. Troland, who is still teaching at RHS. Mrs. Grabuski mentioned that “she was a hard teacher, but she was such a great teacher and really took time to explain everything.” Although she had some favorite educators, Mrs. Grabuski commented that she “could say something great about all of them” and “that they all take a lot of pride in what they do here”.

Some of her favorite traditions included Senior Dress Up Day and Lower Merion Week, which featured the bonfire, pep rally, football game, and similar theme days as today. Senior Sunrise was another fun memory, where senior students would sleep on the football field overnight and then watch the sun come up the next morning. Although students no longer camp out overnight, it remains a cherished tradition at Radnor High School.

Mrs. Grabuski attended Villanova University for nursing and was a student athlete after graduating from RHS. She played Division One field hockey as a defender for the university from 2006 to 2009, and was a captain during her junior and senior years. After college, she worked at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) for several years. While working at UPenn, she earned her school nurse certification. When asked why she chose to return to her alma mater as a school nurse, Mrs. Grabuski said it was “a great opportunity just because there’s something definitely special about being like an alumni and coming back to your school.”  Mrs. Grabuski also noted how it was comforting to recognize so many familiar faces and names. She is currently working her seventh year at RHS. 

After graduation, Mrs. Grabuski attended the five-year and ten-year reunions and is looking forward to the upcoming 20-year one. According to her, they had a fantastic turnout for the five-year reunion. She keeps in touch with a handful of high school friends, including two of her closest friends that she contacts almost every day. Furthermore, she now lives in Berwyn with her husband, who graduated Radnor a few years ahead of her,  and their two-elementary aged children. Mrs. Grabuski is one of many Radnor graduates that “draw back to this area because it is such a great area, especially to have…families.” During our interview, Mrs. Grabuski emphasized the fantastic community in Radnor, and more specifically, RHS. As a lifetime resident of Radnor Township and a current freshman at RHS, I can agree that there is something special about our community, in which I am proud to be a part of.