"Westminster School seeks curious and engaged students who want to grow and learn in a challenging and supportive environment. Students who are motivated to become their best selves both in and out of the classroom, taking advantage of the myriad of opportunities Westminster has to offer."
“At Westminster, we aspire to an extraordinarily ambitious commitment to secondary education, a commitment to nurture the participation of our diverse school community across our entire program — from academics, to studios and labs, gyms, fields and rink, and service to our Hartford community partners. Westminster students are inspired by opportunities to make a difference in all their endeavors.”
"Through gritty trial and error, Westminster students grow into independent learners who are curious, critical thinkers. With the support of faculty, students gain the skills to understand the world around them and enrich their communities at school and beyond."
"The visual and performing arts program at Westminster weaves the community together and nurtures the spirit of the Westminster campus. The arts at Westminster inspire students of all levels of experience from the very beginner to the advanced artist to practice the freedom of creative self-expression. Professional teachers guide students to work through the creative process from inception to the presentation, building a lifelong respect and appreciation for the arts."
Kerry Kendall Head of Visual and Performing Arts Department
"Athletic success at Westminster is measured not only by wins and losses, but through the bonds created between teammates and coaches, individual and team improvement, and personal growth. When students learn how to be competitors and how to cooperate with one another, they are better prepared to be citizens of the global world."
“Driven by a desire to serve young people and conscious of the opportunities for private schools to support a public purpose, Westminster School’s mission statement concludes with the call ‘to commit to a life of service beyond self.’ Westminster’s Hartford Partnership programs aim to deliver on that mission while making a direct impact on people and programs in Hartford.”
Patrick Owens Executive Director, Horizons at Westminster & Hartford Partnerships
“Involvement will be the key to your success at Westminster School. Get involved with the arts, try a sport you've never played, start your own club, run for student council. You will get out of this experience exactly what you put into it. Do these things early in your life — keep seeking more opportunities for growth.”
“Support for Westminster School provides a way to remember the past, shape the present and steward the future of the school.”
Newell Grant ’99
Director of Advancement
Shannon O’Shaughnessy
Director of Advancement Operations
Details
Alumnus Author Discusses Latest Book
Award-winning writer Charlie Graeber ’87 visited Westminster Feb. 18 to discuss his most recent book, “The Breakthrough: Immunotherapy and the Race to Cure Cancer,” which was released a year ago and was shortlisted as the 2019 Medical Book of the Year by the British Medical Association. He is also The New York Times bestselling author of “The Good Nurse,” which is about the most prolific serial killer in history.
Students in AP Biology, Biology Honors and some other science courses, as well as numerous faculty members, attended Charlie’s talk. He began his presentation by sharing how he got involved in journalism and writing long-form narrative nonfiction after starting out as a poet.
He spoke about what prompted his interest in writing about immunotherapy and cancer and how he conducted research for the book, which took him five years to write. “I didn’t have a specific interest in cancer and tend to write about what is interesting,” he said. “A large part of my job is finding experts who know a lot. I wanted there to be a story.”
Charlie traced the early history of using the immune system, which was not understood, to try to fight cancer up to the present, where much progress has been made. “We have gone from the world is flat to the world is round in biology,” he explained. He told the students if they are interested in science, it is a great time to be in it. “The door is wide-open.” He shared how there is a lack of awareness of recent advancements in immunotherapy. “The reason this is important is because people don’t know about it,” he said. “It is moving so quickly.” He has been speaking around the country on the topic for the past year.
Charlie is a contributor to The New Yorker, New York Magazine, GQ, Outside, Bloomberg Businessweek, The New York Times, National Geographic Adventure, American Cowboy, Vogue, Men’s Journal and more, as well as online publications such as The Daily Beast, Salon, Wired online and The New York Times online. He has appeared as a guest on “60 Minutes,” “Fresh Air,” “CBS this Morning,” “The Joy Behar Show,” PBS, Bloomberg, Al Jezeera and other media outlets. His work has been honored with An Overseas Press Club award for Outstanding International Journalism, a 2012 New York Press Club prize, an American Poet’s Prize (2nd), a National Magazine Award and several National Magazine Award nominations for feature writing. His long-form narrative nonfiction has been anthologized in numerous collections, and he is executive producer of an eight-part Netflix documentary series.
Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students In keeping with our support for a diverse community, Westminster abides by all applicable federal and state laws and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, color, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national and ethnic origin, ancestry and/or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Westminster admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School.