After retiring from a successful 30 year career at Ikea, Marty Kritkausky ’70 is now a transition life coach in Wilmington.
How did you choose to be a Life Coach?
I love connecting with people – facilitating those ‘aha moments’ that change the status quo and open up new possibilities. My passion is all about helping people figure out where they are, where they want to be, and helping them get there.
Years ago, my husband, John, and I dreamt about moving to the Chesapeake area to travel and sail together when we wished. Sadly, before I retired from a long and fulfilling career in communications with IKEA, he was diagnosed with cancer and died shortly after. A few months later, I followed my dream and pursued a second career, as a certified professional coach. It was then my true passion was activated - helping others discover their best life. Today, as a transition life coach, I support people nearing retirement as they deal with the mental transition and emotional challenges that occur in post-working life. Many of us just long for the day we ”can” retire, so it may be difficult to imagine the anxiety and fear that accompany retirement planning. As a coach, I help clients retire ”to something not from something”. After much discussion, we create a plan and mindset that will create optimal conditions for the future to be fulfilling and purposeful.
What are your current interests and passions?
I love discovering and experiencing new things. One of the best and well-known opportunities to further that ambition in Wilmington is University of Delaware’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). I am taking a wide variety of interesting courses including history, current events, studio art and yoga. There are no exams, OLLI is truly for those individuals who have a passion for learning. In addition, I recently started volunteering at Hagley Museum where I am contributing my professional marketing and communications expertise. There are many exciting changes underway at Hagley, so please come visit. I am also mentoring students at Endicott College; helping them prepare for professional careers.
How has WFS impacted you since graduation?
My education at Friends instilled a sense of curiosity, self-confidence and enthusiasm to try new things that remain with me today. My love of travel started when I studied abroad in Florence, Italy, in my junior year of college. This was followed by back-packing throughout Europe the summer I graduated from Syracuse University. I was fortunate to have a long and fulfilling career with IKEA, where part of my responsibilities included traveling and meeting interesting people throughout the world. My years as a Friends School student influenced my thinking and point of view to be open and receptive to new ideas and accepting of differences. I didn’t realize that the hours spent in meeting for worship as a student would later contribute to my current comfort with being reflective, and practicing mindfulness and yoga. I value my diverse academic and personal experiences and am grateful to the school community and friendships that have lasted these many years.
What are your favorite WFS memories?
I have many great memories from my thirteen years at Friends. The two that stand out most occurred during the Christmas season. The entire school body singing carols around the mitten tree is one. The other is the men’s chorus walking through every classroom singing the “Boar’s Head” song while carrying a papier-mâché boar’s head on a silver platter. I can still see in my mind’s eye the smallest member of the chorus with a napkin around his neck, knife and fork in hands, pantomiming stealing a piece of the boar off the tray carried by the tallest member. It made quite an impression on this lower schooler. It’s traditions like these and many others that continue to keep school spirit alive.
Marty Marston’70 is ‘a lifer’ who started in kindergarten and graduated thirteen years later with twelve other lifers- they became known as ‘the original thirteen’. She comes from a Friends School family; her parents, aunts on both sides, sister and brother all graduated from Friends. Her mother was especially active as a long-time volunteer in the library then later in the Jones House. After graduating from WFS, Marty attended Endicott College and Syracuse University where she studied fashion design and earned a BFA. A turning point came when she studied in Florence, Italy and was bitten by ‘the travel bug’ and thereafter wanted to see/ travel to new interesting places. Marty built a business career in the retail industry, eventually working in various capacities for IKEA, the Swedish home furnishings company. It was with IKEA that her responsibilities included extensive travel to Scandinavia and other countries. Marty retired from IKEA after almost 30 years, she lives in Wilmington and is now actively enjoying her second-act. You’ll need to contact her to learn about all the interesting activities in which she is participating. mmarston1505@gmail.com
During Earth Day at WFS, preschoolers worked on beautifying their playground and fourth graders picked up trash around the athletic facilities. We thank these students for their stewardship!
The lower school recently received soil from WasteWell, a local company that collects the lower school's compost. Students used the soil to re-pot classroom plants and will also contribute soil to the school garden!
Before the Class of 2024 heads off on their senior explorations next week, they attend a series of seminars ("Senior Seminars") aimed at giving them tools for adulthood.
The WFS Model UN Club, accompanied by faculty advisor Nick Childers, recently sent a delegation of five students to the inaugural Tower Hill Model UN Conference.
Upper school environmental science students built model carbon capture algae farms as part of their study of climate change mitigation. They developed ways to measure algae growth using microscopes and a spectrophotometer.
Congratulations to our community members who performed at last night's Informal Concert! This concert is designed to showcase the talent of our students, parents, and faculty in an informal, yet serious, chamber concert or recital format.
Wilmington Friends School hosted its second 275th Anniversary Webinar series on Monday, April 8, titled “Leadership, Teamwork, and Quaker Values from the World of Sports."
Congratulations to eighth graders Maya Dobson, Lindsey Forman, Cooper Miller, Victor Montejo, Levi Sawdon, and Sofia Velastegui-Fratticci who contributed to IMAZINE 2023, the annual Delaware Libraries teen literary and artistic magazine! Click here to check it out.
Congratulations to the cast and crew of the upper school play, Radium Girls! This fast-paced ensemble piece featured 14 student actors playing multiple roles to create more than 30 characters. Bravo!
WFS welcomed Drew Smith, the Executive Director of Friends Council on Education, to campus to lead a discussion among our community members titled “275 Years of Quaker Education: What's it all about? Quakerism 101 for Parents.”
Each year, 3rd grade students utilize computer-aided design software (CAD) to replicate a renowned landmark from the various states that they are studying in Social Studies
Statement of Nondiscrimination as to Student Enrollment
Wilmington Friends School admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of these schools. Wilmington Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.