Spring 2015 Awards Ceremony

Headmaster Bill Philip welcomed everyone to the spring term awards ceremony May 22 by saying, “This afternoon, as we do at the conclusion of each of our trimesters, we acknowledge the achievements of members of our school family who have excelled in different activities or contributed in significant ways during this past term.

 

“Let me begin with my warm congratulations to the Class of 2015 and to your parents, families and friends. The past four years seem to have flown by, and suddenly here we are at your Commencement Weekend.  It feels as if just yesterday Sixth Formers were hosting the new day student picnic and greeting newcomers at the top of Williams Hill for the start of the fall term.” 

 

After recognizing staff in food services for all they do for the school, he then cited achievements during the spring term in the arts, academics, community awareness, environmental sustainability, service and community engagement. “As this glimpse of some of our community highlights underscores, everyone on Williams Hill leads enriched and full lives, balancing a range of responsibilities extending from the classroom, to the arts, to the fields and to service here on campus and in our surrounding community,” he said.

 

Director of Studies Bill Sistare presented the following academic awards to the Sixth Form:

 

Olivia Bey, Andrew Brazer, Jewel Brown, Jae Won Choi, Eliza Christman, Mary Connelly, Julia Cooper,  Hieu Do, Thomas Dudzik, Nadrina Ebrahimi, Emma Filler, Margot Frank, Shelby Gamble, Gustavs Gerkens, MacKenzie Hawkes, Emily Kandarian, Alexandra Kavle, Philippe Morin, Jolene Patrina, Madeleine Percival, Austin Pope, Aaron Poston, Autumn Prete, Chandler Rohde, Katherine Savage, Unique Shakoor, Jake Solomon, David Swenson

 

Director of Athletics Tim Joncas presented the spring athletic awards beginning with the Berry Awards, named in honor of faculty member Richard P. Scott Berry. These awards recognize the player from each lower team who gave the best effort and demonstrated the best attitude throughout the season.

           

          Second Golf: Jack Griffith

          Second Baseball: Joe Patrina

          Second Boys’ Lacrosse: Sam Worcester

          Third Boys’ Lacrosse: Merlin Ennis

          Second Girls’ Lacrosse: Katherine Berry

          Third Girls’ Lacrosse: Nadia Lee

          Second Boys’ Tennis: Connor Seeley

          Second Girls’ Tennis: Susie Carter

          Third Co-ed Tennis: Phebe Huth

                    

He also announced the following First Team Awards:

First Baseball:

          Michelini Most Improved Player: Will Leathers

          Lea Most Valuable Player: Tyler Buckley

Golf:

          Most Improved Golfer: Rylan Williams

          Most Valuable Golfer: Addison Cilmi

First Boys’ Lacrosse:

          Hovey Ground Ball Award: Adrian Enchill

          Class of 1981 Most Improved Player: Andrew Simeon

          Hovey Most Valuable Player: Brian Smyth

First Girls’ Lacrosse:

          Ground Ball Award: Olivia Bey

          Most Improved Player: Katie O’Connor

          Kurtz Most Valuable Player: Susanna Baker

 First Softball:

          Most Improved Player: Kaitlyn McCausland

          Most Valuable Player: Brenna Monroe

First Boys’ Tennis:

          Most Improved Player: KJ Maturine

          Davenport Most Valuable Player: Henry Amory

First Girls’ Tennis:

          Most Improved Player: Mary Kille and Natalie Wilson

          Most Valuable Player: Ginny Durfee

Boys’ Track:

          Most Improved Trackster: Ken Barnes

          Scull Most Valuable Trackster: Delando Clarke

Girls’ Track:

          Most Improved Trackster: Oumou Kanoute

          Scull Most Valuable Trackster: Katherine Eckerson

 

The Stephen Harris Squibb Bowl awards, which honor the athlete from each first team who demonstrated the greatest sportsmanship and consistent effort, were presented to:

          Baseball: Nick Rocco

          Golf: Philippe Morin

          Boys’ Lacrosse:  Tim Sanford

          Girls’ Lacrosse: Susanna Baker

          Softball: Jade Marlowe

          Boys’ Tennis: KJ Maturine

          Girls’ Tennis: Katherine Ogden

          Boys’ Track: David Carter

          Girls’ Track: Ellen Gyasi

 

The Hopley-Jackson Award, which is given to the Westminster lower team with the best season, was presented to:

Second Baseball

Coaches: Greg Williams and Kyle Keir

 

The 2015 spring Frederick D. Houghton Award, which is given to the Westminster team with the best season, was presented to:

          First Boys’ Track

          Coaches: Lee Huguley, Ugo Nwachuku, Morgan Shipway, Alan Brooks,
          Jared Hatz, Arturo Solis, Hilary Burrall

          Captains: Aaron Poston, Aaron Rubin

                            

Spring first team captains then introduced the captains-elect for next spring:

Baseball: TBD

Golf: Addison Silmi

Boys’ Lacrosse: Brian Smyth, Zack Orzech, Tim Sanford

Girls’ Lacrosse: Emma Stevens, Sarah Migliori

Softball: Brenna Monroe, Catherine Crawley, Kaitlyn McCausland

Boys’ Tennis: KJ Maturine

Girls’ Tennis: Katherine Ogden, Wells Poler

Boys’ Track: Ricardo Vazquez, Ken Barnes

Girls’ Track: Katherine Eckerson, Ellen Gyasi

 

Established in 2012 in honor of Dennis A. Daly — teacher, coach, athletics director and mentor from 1990-2012 — this award recognizes annually those students who have competed at the first-team level for all three seasons of their Sixth Form year and demonstrated both a wonderful breadth of athletic pursuits and an extraordinary commitment to the highest level of Westminster sports: Anthony Di Placido, Margo Frank, Katie Savage, Bryson Tomcik

 

Next, individuals were recognized for accomplishments in other school activities.

 

Director of Admissions Jon Deveaux presented the Ganzenmuller-Buckey Award, given annually to the Black and Gold student tour guide who has contributed the most to the Admissions Office over the year, to MacKenzie Hawkes ’15.

 

Theater Director A-men Rasheed presented the Frances Laurel Hopkins Award to Shelby Gamble ’15. 

 

The new co-presidents of Dramat, the student dramatic organization requiring 120 hours of service on at least two different Westminster productions, were announced as Emma Alfeld ’16 and Cameron Gould ’17.

 

These students were chosen as the two finalists from Westminster to compete against finalists from Avon Old Farms School, Loomis Chafee School, Kingswood Oxford School and Suffield Academy in the WALKS Constitutional Essay Contest. This year’s essay was about the Second Amendment.

Wonjune Kang ’16 and Hallie R. Feibel ’16

The Brian Ford Writing Prize is given annually to an underform student who, in the view of the English Department, best exemplifies a passion for the craft of writing.  The winner is asked to present a new piece of writing to the English Department in the fall. English teacher Bryan Tawney presented the award to Collin Lech ’16.

 

Based on her extraordinary commitment to community service, Sophie Skinner was named Westminster’s winner of the WALKS Barnes Service Award. Annually, WALKS recognizes a student at each of the five members schools who has made significant contributions to social service in the community.

Sophie Skinner ’15

 

Spectator editors announced the 2015 yearbook dedication to faculty member Scott Reeves P’03, ’05, ’05. 

 

Before closing the ceremony and thanking everyone for their attendance, Headmaster Philip recognized members of the 2015 Parents’ Committee and class agents for the Class of 2015 were introduced. Next year’s, Westminster News editors, Spectator editors, SON Board, John Hay Society Vestry and form officers also were announced.