Headmaster Bill Philip welcomed students, faculty, parents, staff and guests to the Spring Term Awards Ceremony May 25 and congratulated members of the Class of 2018. “The past four years seem to have flown by, and suddenly here we are at your commencement weekend,” he said. He recognized the graduating class’s form dean Lee Huguley and acknowledged three faculty members who will be assuming new responsibilities next academic year while remaining at Westminster: Greg Marco, Jon Deveaux and Kathleen Devaney.
Associate Head of School Nancy Spencer gave an overview of the eventful spring term. “Westminster is an exciting, fun, challenging and, most of all, busy place,” she said. “Westminster students actively live our core value of involvement, both inside and outside the classroom. Their passion and interests generate many of the events that occur on campus and beyond.”
She gave highlights of events and activities throughout the term including participation in campus and national competitions; discussions, writing and attendance at events regarding important issues; fundraising for causes such as veterans and cancer research; volunteer work in Hartford; numerous student and professional performing arts performances and visual arts exhibitions; a Culture Draw; and stickball, among many others. “Thanks to everyone for making it a wonderful spring term at Westminster,” she concluded.
Academic Awards
Director of Studies Bill Sistare presented the following academic awards to the Sixth Form:
Summus
Dallis Alvarez, Elizabeth Casey, Hayden Cathcart, Dong Keun Chey, Ryan Doolin, Andrew Doucette, John Feingold, Michael Fiorini, Sixiang Gao, Sophia Gasser, Rebecca Gavel, Abigail Hoglund, Abigayle Hovey, Mary Kille, Katelyn Kosior, Nikola Kostic, John Kuzminskas, Amanda Liu, Alexandra Marenco, Lauren Nam, Katherine Neilsen, Lucy Noel, Ilaria Quentin, Michael Riberdy, Sean Ryan, Jessica Schuhlen, Cameron Scott, Connor Seeley, Teagan Stedman, Calum Stewart, Ryan Szykowny, Max Torrez, Liam Tucker, Noah Vieux, Chris Whipple, Ashlee White
Athletic Awards
Director of Athletics Tim Joncas ’00 presented the spring athletic awards and recognized faculty member Peter Briggs ’71 for his 43 years of coaching at Westminster.
The Berry Awards are named in honor of faculty member Richard P. Scott Berry and recognize the player from each lower team who gave the best effort and demonstrated the best attitude throughout the season.
Second Boys’ Golf: David Harris
Second Baseball: Ryan Szykowny
Second Boys’ Lacrosse: Rex Flinn
Third Boys’ Lacrosse: William Mell
Second Girls’ Lacrosse: Maddie Dwyer
Second Boys’ Tennis: Ashton Howey
Second Girls’ Tennis: Annabel Bradley
Third Girls’ Tennis: Jennifer Jerand
First Team Awards:
First Baseball:
Michelini Most Improved Player: Ethan Puhala
Lea Most Valuable Player: Josh Cosentino
Boys’ Golf:
Most Improved Golfer: Carson Roth
Most Valuable Golfer: Grant Noble
Girls’ Golf:
Most Improved Golfer: Katie Kosior
Most Valuable Golfer: Susie Mahoney
First Boys’ Lacrosse:
Hovey Ground Ball Award: Demitri George
Class of 1981 Most Improved Player: Quinn Armstrong
Hovey Most Valuable Player: Sal Iaria
First Girls’ Lacrosse:
Ground Ball Award: Emma Lange
Most Improved Players: Ellie Bailey, Georgia Swank
Kurtz Most Valuable Player: Emma Alpaugh
First Softball:
Most Improved Player: Ally Marenco
Most Valuable Players: Emily Samar, Ashlee White
First Boys’ Tennis:
Most Improved Player: Grant McCargo
Davenport Most Valuable Player: Azat Mukhametkulov
First Girls’ Tennis:
Most Improved Player: Alex Wolf
Most Valuable Player: Mary Kille
Boys’ Track:
Most Improved Trackster: John Kuzminskas
Scull Most Valuable Trackster: Drew Brownback
Girls’ Track:
Most Improved Trackster: Maya Ruffin
Scull Most Valuable Trackster: Amanda Liu
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: Matthew Cosentino
Boys’ Golf: Ned Blanchard
Girls’ Golf: Becca Gavel
Boys’ Lacrosse: Peter Hall
Girls’ Lacrosse: Blake Cote
Softball: Hannah Stone
Boys’ Tennis: Nikola Kostic
Girls’ Tennis: Natalie Wilson
Boys’ Track: Daniel Chey
Girls’ Track: Natalie Rubin
The Hopley-Jackson Award, which is given to the Westminster lower team with the best season, was presented to:
Second Girls’ Tennis
Coach: Tom Wiseman
The 2018 spring Frederick D. Houghton Award, which is given to the Westminster team with the best season, was presented to two teams:
First Girls’ Tennis
Coach: Betsy Heckman
Captains: Natalie Wilson, Mary Kille
Softball
Coaches: Mitch Overbye, Brady Cooper
Captains: Lucy Noel, Emily Samar, Ashlee White
Daly Awards
Established in 2012 in honor of Dennis A. Daly — teacher, coach, athletic 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.
Emma Alpaugh, Ian Dardani, Emma Lange, Jagger LeClair, Elizabeth Lennox, Paul McNamara, Katie Neilsen, Gabby Salgar, Teagan Stedman, Hannah Stone, Ashlee White
Next, individuals were recognized for accomplishments in other school activities.
Admissions
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 Dallis Alvarez ’18.
Performing Arts
Theater Director A-men Rasheed presented the Frances Laurel Hopkins Award to Julia Krys ’19.
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 Kaitlyn Eddy ’19 and Celenah Watson ’19
Brian Ford Writing Prize
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.
Adena Ajike ’19
Fourth Form Public Speaking Prize
Finalists from the Speech Writing and Public Speaking course, which is taken by Fourth Formers, gave speeches before a panel of judges and the entire Fourth Form in a competition for the winner of the Fourth Form Public Speaking Contest.
Alexander Ellis ’20
Parents Recognition
Director of Advancement Newell Grant ’99 recognized the role of parents in contributing to the school, including the leadership and members of the Parents’ Committee. He acknowledged how the Class of 2018 and their parents contributed to the Class of 2018 Sixth Form Gift by launching the Headmaster’s Faculty Support Fund and made the largest Sixth Form Gift in the 20-year history of the program.
Barnes Service Award
Based on his extraordinary commitment to community service, Sean Ryan ’18 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.
Yearbook Dedication
Spectator editors announced the 2018 yearbook dedication to faculty member Peter Briggs ’71, P’01, ’05, ’07.
Before closing the ceremony, introductions were made of class agents for the Class of 2018 and the class officers for next year’s Fourth Form and Fifth Form.