A Celebration of Winter-Term Achievements

Members of the Westminster community gathered in Werner Centennial Center March 22 to recognize student, faculty and staff achievements during the recently completed winter term. (Photo Gallery) Headmaster Graham Cole welcomed everyone back from the March break and gave the following highlights from the winter term.

"Certainly, we should be proud of the scholastic attainments, which so many of you have earned through your hard work and commitment. Yes, we bring to the stage those who have achieved at the highest academic levels, yet I am also mindful of how many of you did your best work or improved your grades during the winter. We are equally proud of you.

"Let me also applaud our artists. The winter musical played to rave reviews and standing ovations, and the winter arts festival demonstrated the depth of our artistic talent — our actors and back-stage people, our singers, instrumentalists, and dancers all did very well, indeed. Their performances made all those long hours of rehearsal and sacrifice worthwhile. In addition, the Fearn Hall gallery certainly testifies impressively to our visual artists’ abilities.

"So many of our teams enjoyed excellent seasons, and I anticipate Mr. Daly will say that it was very difficult to select the winter term award winners. I was very moved and pleased by the turnout for the game honoring Mr. Earl for his years of outstanding service to this school as our First Boys’ Hockey coach and by the resounding thumping we gave Deerfield that night. In addition, I applaud you for your support for our girls’ hockey team in their game against the eventual New England champions. I especially noted that you stayed with them to the end, cheering them on when they were behind.

"The trip to New Haven to see the play went very well, indeed, and I salute Mr. Cervas for his Herculean efforts on the logistics of the event and all of you for making it so easy to take you there."

Academic Awards

Director of Studies Greg Marco then announced the following academic honors for the winter term:

Sixth Form – Summus:
Laura Arciero, Matthew Emmel, Woojae Eum, Amanda Hyne, Andrew Kim, Adam Lewicki, Sarah Lobdell, Patrick O’Brien, Caroline Reigeluth, Tanawit Sae Sue, Rachael Susaneck, Lawrence Utzig, Elizabeth Winship and Benjamin Zalinger.

Sixth Form – Superus:
Emma Anquillare, Erica Briggs, Leila Campoli, Mallory Coquoz, Alison Evans, Corrie Ferguson, Timothy Gavrich, Alexandra Geitz, Chelsea Hall, Kelly Harrington, Carsey Hawkins, Christopher Heilakka, Patrick Hesketh, Graham Kohan, George Lyon, Grace Moore, Alexandra Papa, August Perrigo, Brian Pierre, Olivia Robinson, Charles Rocco, Kathryn Sargent, Ryan Seong, John Sherman, Carl Spevacek, Nicholas Stevens, Elsie Swank, Parker Swenson, Eleanor Thom, Andrew Ugalde, Audrey Wallace, Jessica Waters, Jamie Whittendale, Kelsea Wigmore, Peter Williams, Kevin Wu and Alexander Young.

Fifth Form – Summus:
Leah Brewer, Ellanor Brown, Jason Hesketh, Anne Hoyt, Saskia Leopold, Sarah Marco, Joseph Putko, Sarah Shanfield, Hannah Sharaf, Marianne Specker and Michelle Yoon.

Fifth Form – Superus:
Khadija Ahmed, Emma Beck, Sarah Bingham, Jordan Bohinc, Dorothy Brown, Kelly Cheng, Renzie Chipman, Jarrod Connolly, Emily Cranshaw, Tommy Cross, Salvador Gutiérrez, Alexandra Hayes, Caitlin Hodson, Samuel Jackson, Alison Kearney, Paulina Ketcham, B. Oliver Koo, Luke Lamothe, John Le Clerc, Hee Seung Lee, Victoria Manganiello, Maxwell Marzouk, Ryan McErlean, Charles McGwire, Helena Morris, Katelyn Morton, Andrew Nitkin, Daley O’Herron, Chinazo Okpalanma, Eric Phillips, Andrew Polio, Sara Reid, Joo-Kyung Rhee, Michele Ribaudo, Louisa Sanford, Abigail Seymour, Corey Starbuck, William Waggaman and Zachary Wigmore.

Fourth Form – Summus:
Jae Kyung Ahn, Rebecca Bishop, Robin Cotter, Whitney FitzPatrick, Amanda Humphrey, Charles Keegan, Eliza Mandzik, Zachariah Reitano, Christopher Shimamoto, Ann Ulrich, Joshua Zalinger, Kirby Zdrill, Jeremy Zelinger and Kyle Zinn.

Fourth Form – Superus:
Joseph Ascioti, Nicolás Barragán, Alison Bragg, Michael Cahill, Natalie Chan, Philip Cho, Kelsey Clarke, Elizabeth Cole, Claire Corroon, Michael Curran, James Curtiss, Hannah Dimmitt, Alexis Gay, Kierra Jones, Jeannie Lee, Margot Lieblich, Colby Mauke, Jaime McComb, Juliette McComb, Elizabeth Melhado, Chanler Murphy, Errol Nisbeth, Mary O’Connor, Catherine Outerbridge, Andrew Overbye, Roger Peikin, Natalie Perkins, Rosalie Philip, Abigail Pribble, Harry Radovich, Jaclyn Savage, Evan Schlosser, Kristen Schultz, Caroline Scott, Caroline Snyder, Charles Spannaus, Dylan Spevacek, Abigail Stevens and Isabella Wragg.

Third Form – Summus:
Kathryn Brady, Anne Cervas, Gerard Denoyer, Alex Gioia, Sean Kelley, Tiffany Liu, Suchita Mandavilli, Hilary Marshall, Colin McLaughlin, Tammie Moopenn, Samuel Reynolds, Clare Ulrich, William White and Karin Yoshida.

Third Form – Superus:
Patricia Argueta, Cristobal Gomez, Isabelle Hill, Madeleine King, Matthew Mahany, Benjamin Mandell, Michael Maurer, Madelin McPhee, Gregory Miller, Francheska Munoz, Patrick Niedermeyer, Connor O’Brien, Victoria Pizzuto, Benjamin Sharaf and William Smith.

Athletic Awards

Next, Director of Athletics Dennis Daly presented the winter athletic awards beginning with the Berry Awards, named in honor of faculty member Richard P. “Scott” Berry, which recognize the player from each lower team who gave the best effort and demonstrated the best attitude throughout the season. Awardees included:

Third Boys’ Basketball: Sean Kelley
Second Boys’ Basketball: Zach Wigmore
Second Girls' Basketball:Karin Yoshida
Third Boys’ Hockey: Evan Salzberg
Second Boys’ Hockey: Pat Hesketh
Second Girls’ Hockey: Robyn MacDougall
Martial Arts: Polly Ketcham
Paddle Tennis: Tim Gavrich
Fourth Boys’ Squash: Harrison Lee
Third Boys’ Squash: Charles Park
Second Boys’ Squash: Matt Emmel
Third Girls’ Squash: Kendall Deflin
Second Girls’ Squash: Chanler Murphy


Mr. Daly also announced the following First Team Awards:

First Boys Basketball:
Most Improved Player: Frank Coughlin
Keyes Foul Shooting: Alex Maharaj
Donald H. Werner Most Valuable Player: T.J.Doherty

First Girls' Basketball
Most Improved Player: Elena Ridenour
Keyes Foul Shooting: Lizzie Pike
Most Valuable Player: Michele Ribaudo

First Boys’ Hockey
Most Improved Player: Max Marzouk
Most Valuable Player: Nick Pitsikoulis

First Girls’ Hockey:
Most Improved Player: Ali Evans
Co-Most Valuable Players: Bethany Dymarczyk and Katelyn Morton

First Boys' Squash
Talbot/Edwards Most Improved Player: Peter Creech
Fritz Zeller Most Valuable Player: William W. Katz

First Girls' Squash
Talbot/Edwards Most Improved Player: Juliette McComb
Fritz Zeller Most Valuable Player: Caroline Reigeluth

Boys’ Swimming & Diving
Most Improved Swimmer and Diver: Foster Baker
Most Valuable Swimmer and Diver: Michael Fisher

Girls’ Swimming & Diving
Most Improved Swimmer and Diver: Abby Pribble
Most Valuable Swimmer and Diver: Jamie Whittendale

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

First Boys' Basketball: Joseph Liberator and C.G. Grant
First Girls' Basketball: Jacki Savage
First Boys’ Hockey: Ryan Riffe
First Girls’ Hockey: Jessie Waters
First Boys' Squash: Will Katz and Clark LaMotte
First Girls' Squash: Claire Corroon
Boys’ Swimming & Diving: Peter Williams
Girls’ Swimming & Diving: Elsie Swank

The 2007 winter Hopley-Jackson Award, which is given to the Westminster lower team with the best season, was presented to Third Boys’ Hockey and accepted by coach Scott Duddy, captain Evan Salzberg, and assistant captains Taylor Neighbours and Andrew Ugalde.

The 2007 winter Frederick D. Houghton Award, which is given to the Westminster team with the best season, was presented to First Girls’ Hockey and accepted by coaches David Pope and Dana Chapin, and captains Kim Sirko and Jessie Waters.

Winter first team captains then introduced the captains-elect for next winter as:

Boys’ Basketball: Bobby Fitzgerald
Girls’ Basketball: Michele Ribaudo
Boys’ Hockey: Tommy Cross and Jordan Dewey
Girls’ Hockey: Nicole Palazzo and Sara Reid
Girls’ Squash: Ali Bragg
Boys’ Swimming & Diving: Ryan McLaughlin and Michael Fisher
Girls’ Swimming & Diving: Kelly Chang and Emily Cranshaw

Performing Arts

In the performing arts, Director of Theater Mark Bishop presented the Frances Laurel Hopkins Award to Shelby Brown and Corey Starbuck recognizing their outstanding commitment to Dramat and their work on “Footloose” this winter.

The newest members of Dramat, the student dramatic organization requiring 120 hours of service, were announced as:

Emma Anquillare
Alexis Gay
Margot Lieblich
James Lord
Eliza Mandzik
Molly O'Connor
Andrew Overbye
Natalie Perkins
Elena Ridenour
Jacki Savage
Joe Yankus

He also recognized Julianna Gonzalez who joined the ranks of the Williams Hill Players this winter.

Last, Headmaster Cole presented the prestigious Headmaster’s Award in the areas of service, leadership, and citizenship to: Lisa Perry, Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Multicultural Affairs, for “her celebratory and educational work to engage students, to produce a newsletter, to advance the school at SPHERE and WALKS events and to mount powerful presentations this winter for Martin Luther King Day and Black History month”; Paula Bragdon, line server in the cafeteria, for being a “wonderful person on the line who every day greets us with a warm smile, asks about our health and activities, helps out those working in the pit, and in general, takes such good care of us all”; Caroline Reigeluth '07, captain of girls’ squash, for “sheer excellence, both in this last winter term and over her Westminster career” in squash; and Grant Gritzmacher, head swim coach and faculty member in science, for “outstanding work in planning and organizing the very successful Pete Test Swim for Cancer event in December.”