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Achievements Recognized at Spring 2019 Awards Ceremony

Headmaster Bill Philip began the Spring Term Awards Ceremony May 24 by congratulating members of the Class of 2019 and welcoming students, parents and friends. “The past four years seem to have flown by and suddenly here we are at your Commencement Weekend,” he told the graduates. He then extended congratulations to faculty member John Sandoval, who earlier this spring received the Connecticut Art Education Association’s 2019 Connecticut Outstanding Secondary Level Art Educator Award, and highlighted the “inspiring presence of the visual and performing arts at Westminster.”
 
Associate Head of School Nancy Spencer then gave an overview of the spring term. “As many of us are acutely aware, it has been a wet and cold spring, with clouds and rain appearing far more often than the sun,” she said. “But this stubborn weather pattern has not deterred the rhythm of the spring term.”
 
She cited many activities that took place during the term, from Admitted Student Days to Reunion, and spoke about the ways in which Westminster students interacted with the world outside of campus. She also mentioned the culmination of the Sixth Form college search process, stickball, performing and visual arts presentations, field trips and community service activities that build bridges to the greater Hartford community.
 
“In addition to venturing off campus, this spring we brought the world to Williams Hill,” she continued. She highlighted the Westminster Teaching Symposium, and visiting speakers and performing artists. She also mentioned activities that supported worthy causes, such as Hope On The Hill, and highlighted how the Shark Tank event hosted by the Westminster Entrepreneurship Club involved alumni.
 
“Overall, this spring saw lots of events, big and small, which bind us together as a community: moments such as watching the sun rise with classmates, playing spike ball on the Quad or dancing for hours at the Spring Formal,” she said. “I know that there are lots of other individual and special memories that each of us will hold on to. Thanks to everyone for making it a wonderful spring term.”      
 
Academic Awards
Director of Studies Bill Sistare presented the following academic awards to the Sixth Form:
 
Summus
Ethan Andrews, Nina Ausperger, Annabel Bradley, Andrew Brownback, Lily Carrel, Margaret Chaves, Sean Clarke, Blake Cote, Emmett de Kanter,
Lukas Dudzik, Kaitlyn Eddy, Layla Ennis, Natalie Fay, Audrey Froelich, Vladyslav Ivanchuk, Lucinda Keenan, Jesse Kulynych-Griffith, Sofia Kuusisto, Yoonah Lee, Caroline McCausland, Jordan McKenna, Jane Ogden, Jillian Parsons, Sofia Raymond, Natalie Rubin, Carrington Ruffin, Georgia Swank, Vincent Wang, Celenah Watson        
 
Athletic Awards
Director of Athletics Tim Joncas ’00 presented the spring athletic awards.
 
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 ’20
         Second Boys’ Lacrosse: Benjamin Ferrell ’21
         Third Boys’ Lacrosse: Juan Jo Garibay ’20
         Second Girls’ Lacrosse: Jane Ogden ’19
         Third Girls’ Lacrosse: Isabel Sanchez ’20
         Second Boys’ Tennis: Edward Shin ’21
         Second Girls’ Tennis: Miranda Douglass ’21
         Third Girls’ Tennis: Lily Carrel ’19 and Sofia Raymond ’19
         Third Boys’ Tennis: Shane Wahlberg ’19
                 
First Team Awards:
First Baseball:
         Michelini Most Improved Player: William Gerry ’20
         Lea Most Valuable Player: Kendrick Freeman ’21
Boys’ Golf:
         Most Improved Golfer: Carson Roth ’19
         Most Valuable Golfers: Justin Flaks ’20 and Peyton Knauf ’19
Girls’ Golf:
         Most Improved Golfer: Emma Gurnell ’21
         Most Valuable Golfer: Susanne Mahoney ’20
First Boys’ Lacrosse:
         Hovey Ground Ball Award: Jordan McKenna ’19
         Class of 1981 Most Improved Player: Ryan Messina ’20
         Hovey Most Valuable Player: Malcolm Kleban ’20
First Girls’ Lacrosse:
         Ground Ball Award: Georgia Nolan ’20
         Most Improved Player: Tatum Courtmanche ’21
         Kurtz Most Valuable Player: Blake Cote ’19
First Softball:
         Most Improved Player: Bethany Winters ’20
         Most Valuable Player: Callista Adorno ’22
First Boys’ Tennis:
         Most Improved Player: Carl Ekholm ’19
         Davenport Most Valuable Player: Ethan Na ’19
First Girls’ Tennis:
         Most Improved Player: Clara Ekholm ’20
         Most Valuable Player: Olivia Zhang ’20
Boys’ Track:
         Most Improved Trackster: Tremaine Dawson ’21
         Scull Most Valuable Trackster: Andrew Brownback ’19
Girls’ Track:
         Most Improved Trackster: Alexa Dwyer ’22
         Scull Most Valuable Trackster: Claire Taylor ’21
 
The Stephen Harris Squibb Bowl awards, which honor the athlete from each first team who demonstrated the greatest sportsmanship, consistent effort and inspired performance, were presented to:
         Baseball: William Carlisle ’19
         Boys’ Golf: Larned Blanchard ’20
         Girls’ Golf: Elaina Comia ’19
         Boys’ Lacrosse: Souleymane Ballo ’19
         Girls’ Lacrosse: Georgia Swank ’19
         Softball: Amanda Busky ’21
         Boys’ Tennis: Azat Mukhametkulov ’19
         Girls’ Tennis: Alexandra Wolf ’19
         Boys’ Track: Emmett de Kanter ’19
         Girls’ Track: Dylan Foster ’20
 
The Hopley-Jackson Award, which is given to the Westminster lower team with the best season, was presented to:
Second Boys’ Golf
Coach: Charlie Griffith
 
The 2019 spring Frederick D. Houghton Award, which is given to the Westminster team(s) with the best season, was presented to two teams:
First Boys’ Golf
Coach: Greg Marco
Captains: Justin Flaks ’20, Larned Blanchard ’20
 
First Girls’ Softball
Coaches: Mitch Overbye, Lee Zalinger, Brady Cooper
Captains: Megan Cournoyer ’19, Abigail Munger ’20, Gabrielle Nemarich ’20
                 
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.
Sean Clarke, Emmett de Kanter, Shannon Keefe, Jordan McKenna, Nathaniel Pane, Justin Schuster, Walker Stevens, Georgia Swank, Riley Wood
 
Next, individuals were recognized for accomplishments in other school activities.
 
Admissions
Associate Director of Admissions Whit Powel ’11 presented the Ganzenmuller-Buckey Award, given annually to the Black and Gold student ambassador who has contributed the most to the Admissions Office over the year, to Alexandra Wolf ’19.
 
Performing Arts
Theater Director A-men Rasheed presented the Frances Laurel Hopkins Award to Celenah Watson ’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 Dylan Foster ’20 and Chris Turino ’20.
 
 
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.
Geena Kim ’20
 
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.
Annie Brewer ’21
 
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 2019 and their parents contributed to the Class of 2019 Sixth Form Gift to support the Headmaster’s Faculty Support Fund. He announced that gifts from parents and members of the Class of 2019 raised $194,815, the largest Sixth Form Gift in the 21-year history of the program. He also acknowledged and expressed appreciation for support from parents to The Westminster Fund totaling over $1.8 million.
 
Community Service Award
Sofia Raymond ’19
 
Horizons and Westminster in Hartford Award
Layla Ennis ’19
 
Yearbook Dedication
Spectator editors announced the 2019 yearbook dedication to Evan, Finley, Sigrid and Nolan Crosby “together with whom we will always lovingly remember Lindsay Bugbee Crosby.”
 
Before closing the ceremony, introductions were made of class agents for the Class of 2019, members of John Hay Vestry and the class officers for next year’s Fourth Form and Fifth Form.
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