Spring Awards Ceremony Recognizes Achievements and Dedication

At the Spring Awards Ceremony May 27, Westminster honored students who have excelled academically, artistically and athletically, and recognized members of the school community for their deep commitment to the school.

 

Head of School Elaine White began the ceremony by extending her congratulations to the Class of 2022 and to parents, families and friends. “I wish you a commencement weekend filled with love, hope and joy,” she said.

 

She then called for a moment of silence and prayer in response to the elementary school massacre that occurred in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24.

 

“First order of business: Let us recognize the beauty of this place and our lives on the Hill and let us keep in our minds, hearts and prayers those who are suffering for far too many reasons,” she said. “Let us keep in mind especially those families who have been destroyed this week and in past weeks this spring by gun violence. There are children in Texas right now for whom school will never have the safety or joy that we experience on Williams Hill. To counteract evil and violence, we must do good and be good. Thank goodness for those examples in our midst.”

 

Head of School White asked the school community to join her in recognizing English teacher Lee Huguley, the Class of 2022 form dean, “for his thoughtful, continuous and supportive stewardship of this fine class.”

 

Following her remarks, Associate Head of School Mark de Kanter ’91 reflected on his own personal experience at Westminster and the value of collective memories in his review of the spring term.

 

“I have certain bright recollections from my own senior spring, 31 years ago on this same campus,” he said. “I recall many moments with friends, including a still hotly debated loss in a championship stickball game between day boys and Squibb House and dancing until 2 a.m. during the Dance Marathon, an event John Hay held each year.”

 

He told students that they, too, will have their own amalgamation of memories from this spring.

 

“Whether happy or sad, poignant or mundane, profound or corny, our Westminster memories are shared. We have a common history that connects and binds us all together,” he said. “Over the next 18 hours, we will be celebrating the work of the past two months, the past year, and for the Class of 2022, their careers at Westminster.”

 

He noted that awards ceremonies are another spring tradition in schools, and while prizes go primarily to individuals, the prizes also highlight everything that supports those achievements.

 

“No individual accomplishment would be possible without the community, whether the team, the class, or the collection of fellow students and faculty, in which the prize winner is embedded,” he said. “Each one of you has made this community a reality. Even for the award winners, the ceremony is not the point. It was all of the daily, small events that came before and created the net total of your experience here.”

 

Director of Studies Betsy Heckman announced the names of Sixth Form students who earned Summus during the spring term.

 

Priscilla Ameyaw, James Breen, Sung Min Cho, Margot Douglass, Jeremy Hopsicker,

Margaret Kennedy, Isaac Mullen, Olivia Olney, John Picard, Molly Rubin, Ethan Ruller, Kellen Seeley, Zhenxuan Shao

 

Director of Theater and Dean of Student Life A-men Rasheed presented the Frances Laurel Hopkins Award to Isaac Mullen ’22.

          

Director of Athletics Tim Joncas ’00 presented the following spring athletic awards:

                         

The Berry Award recognizes the player from each lower team who gave the best effort and demonstrated the best attitude throughout the season.

            Junior Varsity Boys’ Golf: Bryan Carey ’24

            Junior Varsity Boys’ Baseball: Alex Do ’24

            Junior Varsity Boys’ Lacrosse: JH Lages ’22

            Third Boys’ Lacrosse: Richard Kim ’25

            Junior Varsity Girls’ Lacrosse: Cassie Goundrey ’24

            Third Girls’ Lacrosse: Carolyn Cheng ’24

            Junior Varsity Boys’ Tennis: Zach Lewin ’22

            Junior Varsity Girls’ Tennis: Westie Strawbridge ’24

            Third Girls’ Tennis: Catherine Rodrigues ’23, Elizabeth Wolf ’23

            Third Boys’ Tennis: Wills Erda ’24

 

              Boys’ Track:

              Most Improved Trackster: Sam Bradley ’23

              Scull Most Valuable Trackster: Gabe Mays-Sanchez ’23

 

              Girls’ Track:

              Most Improved Trackster: Blessing Kieh ’24

              Scull Most Valuable Trackster: Elysse Cumberland ’24

 

              Boys’ Tennis:

              Most Improved Player: Will Whiting ’24

              Davenport Most Valuable Player: David Suit ’24

 

              Girls’ Tennis:

              Most Improved Player: Helen Marshall ’25

              Most Valuable Player: Mae Cilmi ’22

             

              Boys’ Lacrosse:

              Hovey Ground Ball Award: Cooper Kistler ’22

              Class of 1981 Most Improved Player: Baker Morton ’22

              Hovey Most Valuable Player: Ethan Ruller ’22

 

              Girls’ Lacrosse:

              Ground Ball Award: Olivia Emerson ’24

              Most Improved Player: Sydney Courtmanche ’24

              Kurtz Most Valuable Player: Olivia Fernandez ’23

 

              Softball:

              Most Improved Player: Olivia Gordon ’24

              Most Valuable Player: Marleigh Monroe ’24

 

              Baseball:

              Michelini Most Improved: Chase Arnett ’23

              Most Valuable Player: Tyler Gutsfeld ’22, Rowan Masse ’23

 

              Girls’ Golf:

              Most Improved Player: Margaret Kennedy ’22

              Most Valuable Player: Ellie Cramer ’22

 

              Boys’ Golf:

              Most Improved: Brian Judge ’24

              Most Valuable Player: Ethan Cramer ’23            

 

The Stephen Harris Squibb Bowl awards honors the athlete from each varsity team who demonstrated the greatest sportsmanship, consistent effort and inspired performance.

            Baseball: Ben Mihailovich ’22

            Boys’ Golf: Daniel Lurie ’22

            Girls’ Golf: Bennett Ghriskey ’22

            Boys’ Lacrosse: Jeremy Hopsicker ’22

            Girls’ Lacrosse: Margaret Sadak ’22

            Softball: Cammi Ahern ’22

            Boys’ Tennis: Jay Henry ’23

            Girls’ Tennis: Annabel Brawn ’23

            Boys’ Track: Spencer Kwan ’22

            Girls’ Track: Priscilla Ameyaw ’22

 

The All Founders League Award is given to two members of each Varsity team. The award is given in recognition of those student athletes who best exemplify the

league ideals of sportsmanship, hard work and character in the spirit of

competition and fair play at the varsity level.

            Baseball: Davis Wallon ’22, Joey Scrofani ’23

            Boys’ Golf: Ethan Cramer ’23, Newt Cutler ’22

            Girls’ Golf: Shelby Oken ’22, Cindion Huang ’25

            Boys’ Lacrosse: Cooper Kistler ’22, Jeremy Hopsicker ’22

            Girls’ Lacrosse: Caroline Pratt ’22, Nina Ahl ’22

            Softball: Hailey Tullo ’23, Catherine Graves ’24

            Boys’ Tennis: David Suit ’22, Oliver Hocking ’23

            Girls’ Tennis: Elise Strawbridge ’22

            Boys’ Track: Oliver Fenner ’22

            Girls’ Track: Sarah Lenox ’24

  

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

            Team: Junior Varsity Girls’ Tennis

            Coache: Peter Doucette

            Captains: Westie Strawbridge ’24, Paris Pescatore ’22

 

The Frederick D. Houghton Award is given to the Westminster team with the best season:

            Team: Varsity Baseball

            Coaches: Tyler Wosleger, Shawn Desjardins, Scott Wosleger, John Neagle

            Captains: Ben Mihailovich ’22, Jake Pisano ’22, Davis Wallon ’22, Tyler Gutsfield ’22

 

The Daly Award was established in 2012 in honor of Dennis A. Daly, who served as a longtime teacher, coach, athletic director and mentor. The award recognizes students who have competed at the varsity level for all three seasons of their Sixth Form year and have demonstrated both a wonderful breadth of athletic pursuits and an extraordinary commitment to the highest level of Westminster sports:

Cammi Ahern, Margaret Kennedy, Spencer Kwan, Charles Perks, Caroline Pratt, Margaret Sadak.

 

Head of School White presented the Head of School Community Pins, which recognize students, faculty and staff for their extraordinary community commitment.

 

Lisa Heermance, mailroom clerk, for “managing our crazy mail this year, always with a smile and a willingness to help.”

 

Mary Kennedy, English teacher and stickball commissioner, who “orchestrated a spring of evening fun for all of us. Stickball is the bomb because of her.”

 

Elle Dorrian ’22, Michaela Crabtree Crowley ’22 and Ava Beckford ’23 for “reminding us of the love, care and support that is integral in healthy relationships.”

 

Sarah Rocchio ’24 and Elizabeth Pruellage ’24 for “single handedly orchestrating the creation of the Artlet.”  

 

The Joan Howard Award, established in 2022 by Julie Morris Ogden ’82, is given in honor of Joan Howard P’00, ’03, who served the Westminster School community for 20 years as an English teacher, a coach and a vital member of the admissions team. This award is given to a tour guide whose devotion to learning and the Westminster community exemplifies that same depth of passion, dedication and interest in others. The award was presented by Joan Howard to:

Catherine Rodrigues ’23

Academic Dean Bill Sistare and Director of Studies Betsy Heckman presented the following academic awards and prizes:

Brian Ford Writing Prize: Tia MacDonald ’23

 

Fifth Form History Essay Prize: Tomasina Pearman ’23

Robert Rodney History Prize: Lucy Wainwright ’25

Excellence in Biology: Maris Cathcart ’23

Excellence in Chemistry: Jonathan Li ’24

Harvard-Radcliffe Book Prize: Maris Cathcart

Given to a member of the Fifth Form who has achieved at the highest level in our most challenging courses and who demonstrates intellectual curiosity, diligence and love of learning in all subjects across the curriculum.

 

Trinity Book Award: Samuel Bradley

Presented to a member of the Fifth Form who consistently performs at the highest academic level and whose impressive work ethic and dedication reflect a commitment to challenging oneself in all aspects of our program.

 

Williams Book Award: Tia MacDonald

Awarded to a member of the Fifth Form who approaches studies with an impressive combination of curiosity, intelligence and diligence, and who enhances the classroom with energy and enthusiasm.

 

Yale Book Award: Qingyi Liu

Awarded to a member of the Fifth Form who demonstrates superb academic achievement in all subjects across the curriculum and whose intellectual curiosity and passion for learning serve as a model to the school community.

Spectator editors announced the 2022 yearbook dedication to longtime faculty members Amy Stevens and Scott Stevens “for the lessons they have taught us about community, kindness and integrity.”