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Westminster School Celebrates Graduation of Class of 2017

Westminster School celebrated the graduation of 102 students at commencement exercises May 27. Headmaster Bill Philip welcomed family members and friends of the graduates, and spoke about the school’s remarkable year.
 
He cited achievements in admissions, The Westminster Fund, the construction of new building projects and college counseling. Approximately 90 percent of the members of the Class of 2017 were admitted to colleges ranked in the “most” and “highly” selective categories of Barron’s Profiles of Colleges and Universities. “This achievement underscores the impressive talent shared by all of the graduates we are celebrating today,” he said.

He added, “This school continues to flourish thanks to the passion of our school community, whether students, faculty, parents, alumni and friends here on campus today, but also those around the country and the world who continue to cherish and seek to advance this school.”

He also recognized the longtime contributions to the Westminster community by retiring faculty member Richard P. “Scott” Berry Jr. P’11, ’16 and Larry Gilman P’78, ’80, Westminster’s longest serving faculty member, who passed away in February.

The keynote speaker was Jamie Williams, president of The Wilderness Society and a 1981 graduate of Westminster School. He spoke about finding inspiration for his conservation work from visionaries like Teddy Roosevelt and Mardy Murie and how important it is to work together. “You really have to challenge your assumptions about others, and if you learn to listen, you might find you have some common ground,” he said. “I have found time and again in 30 years of conservation work, from Colorado to Montana, to right here in the Farmington Valley, where I worked to save the Farmington River, that if you work to find common ground there is no limit to what you can achieve.”     
 
He referenced the important lessons about community he learned at Westminster, saying it was cultivated at family style meals, in the dorms, in chapel, on the field and even washing dishes.  “Little did I know 36 years ago that sense of community would be the most important driving factor of the next 36 years to me,” he said.  “It has really defined my conservation work, where I worked with local communities all over the country to bring people together in coalitions to protect the places that Americans love. But it also has been critical to the kind of organization I work in because teamwork — bringing diverse teams together — has been the most important element of our success. And I would argue in you going forward, the most important skill you can develop is people skills and those abilities to work as a team to get something done.”  
 
In closing, he advised the graduates: “Whatever mountain you seek, go climb it for the view it will give you of the bigger world around you. It will remind you that you are part of something much bigger than yourself and, if you can listen to others, I’m sure you will be able to give back way beyond anything you might ever imagine. So Class of 2017, launch into the world knowing you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Do it with vision and purpose and the values of integrity and community you gained here and you will achieve miracles.”

In his Salutatory Address, head prefect Adrian Enchill, a Sixth Former from Pittsfield, Mass., talked about the importance of community. “Westminster has shown me life is about giving back and helping others,” he said.  “It is about leaving a place better off than when you arrived. Our community has opened my eyes to the fact that our time here is not about individual accomplishments. Instead, it is about leaving a positive legacy on those around you.” 

In his Outstanding Scholar Address, Sixth Former John Rao, a resident of Avon, Conn., spoke about his passion for photography and how important it is to get to know yourself.  “Find your passion, focus on it, sharpen it, make it clear and make it as perfect as you can,” he said.  “And remember it’s okay to be out of focus sometimes because we all have to take bad pictures before we can take good ones.  When things don’t work out, just develop from the negatives and take another shot.”

The following faculty members and students received awards:
 
FACULTY PRIZES       
Twenty-Year Service Pins
Mark de Kanter ’91, P’19
 
The John Sherwin Jr. ’57 and W. Graham Cole Jr. Chair
This chair is awarded every three years to “recognize a senior faculty member who sets the standard for leadership and embodies the true meaning of Grit and Grace.”
Willard Sistare
 
The Donald H. Werner Chair in English
Named in honor of former Headmaster Don Werner, who served on the faculty from 1960-1993 and as headmaster from 1970-1993, this chair is bestowed upon the faculty member who heads the English Department.
Lawrence Court
 
The M.D. Nadal Sportsmanship Award
This award is given by the Founders League on an annual basis, as warranted, to students, faculty, staff, teams and student bodies, who “play by the rules, accept victory or defeat graciously, respect all who assemble and participate.” It may be awarded in recognition of sportsmanship during a particular contest, throughout a season, or continued contributions to athletics and the league.
Peter Briggs ’71, P’01, ’05, ’07
 
The Swayze Award:               
Presented annually in honor of distinguished alumnus, trustee and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees Townsend Swayze ’55, this award is given to a member of the faculty for outstanding contributions to the life of the school.
Jessica Keough
 
The O’Brien Award:             
This award is presented annually in honor of Marianna and Junie O’Brien P’81, who devoted their lives in service to young people and to schools. It recognizes a member of the faculty who has, over the course of the year, been especially selfless and generous with time and care in the nurture and support of students and whose extraordinary, ongoing personal commitment to young people sets an example to the Westminster community.
Timothy Joncas ’00
 
STUDENT PRIZES                                     
Gretchen Hupfel ’82 Art Purchase Prize
Yilun Zheng ’17
 
Cowing Art Award
Sophia Tawney ’17
 
Lewis J. Powers Photography Award
Huanshuo Rao ’17
 
Excellence in Dance
Ann Ogden ’17
 
Edward Scull Jr. ’71 Award for Excellence in Architecture
Huanshuo Rao ’17
 
Excellence in Science
Joel Groves ’17
 
Excellence in Physics
Jacob Szykowny ’17
 
Joyce Wilson Prize for Excellence in Mathematics
Hyeon Jo Jeong ’17
 
Excellence in Economics
Abigail LeBlanc ’17
 
Class of 1941 Peter Mars Memorial History Prize
Anne Hicks ’17
 
Dramatic Award for Service and Leadership in Theater
Anissa Joseph ’17
 
Design Award for Service and Achievement in Technical Support
Cameron Gould ’17
 
J. Lawrence Gilman Award for Achievement in Music and Participation in Musical Activities
Madison Paro ’17 and Hyeon Jo Jeong ’17
 
Gordon McKinley Award for Excellence in English
Anne Hicks ’17
 
Critchell Rimington Creative Writing Award
Sophia Tawney ’17

Burdett Prize for Excellence in the Study of French
Huanshuo Rao ’17 and Brenna Monroe ’17
 
Richard P. Hopley Excellence in Latin Prize
Sophia Tawney ’17 and Isaiah Preyer ’17
 
Moncada Prize for Excellence in Spanish
Oumou Kanoute’17 and Jee Hoon Fred Seo ’17
 
Excellence in Chinese
Morgan Peirce ’17
 
Sixth Form Prizes for General Scholarship
First in the Sixth Form: Hyeon Jo Jeong
Second in the Sixth Form: Shanntal Morel
Third in the Sixth Form: Huansho Rao
                 
Butler Bowl
The faculty presents this award to a member of the Third Form for character and leadership.
Megan Rittenhouse ’20
 
Adams Bowl
This award is presented annually to a member of the Fourth Form who best embodies the qualities of Richard and Barbara Adams, who gave devoted service to Westminster for over 40 years, showing outstanding personal qualities and concern for the community and unwavering dedication to students. Barbara served on the faculty from 1995-2011, and Dick served on the faculty from 1970-2013.
Andrew Brownback ’19
 
Wilbraham Bowl
This award is presented annually to a member of the Fifth Form who best embodies the qualities of Geoffrey Wilbraham, who gave distinguished and loyal service to Westminster from 1958 to 1994: high personal standards, consistent respect for others, unswerving commitment to the common good, steady insistence on fair play and abiding human decency.
Lucy Noel ’18
 
Brian T. Bruyette ’77 Senior Athletic Award
This award is given annually to the Sixth Form boy and girl who best exemplify excellence in athletics and who contributed to the character of the team. It is given in memory of Brian T. Bruyette ’77, who in his enthusiasm, sportsmanship, effort and skills, represented all that is best in this school.
Delando Clarke ’17 and Leah Klassen ’17
 
Richard K. LeBlond II Honor Award
This award is given annually to a member of the Sixth Form who exemplifies dedication to academics and loyalty to the school.
Gary Simons ’17
 
Paul Winship ’35 Alumni Book Prize
This book prize is awarded to a Sixth Former who has made an unusual commitment in both breadth and depth to the school’s programs and activities.
Ann Ogden ’17
 
Outstanding Scholar Award
This award is presented to the Sixth Former who, in the opinion of the faculty, is the outstanding scholar of the class. The award is not necessarily determined by rank in class but is based, rather, on the attributes of the true scholar: curiosity, imagination, power to associate new observations with prior experience, thoroughness, appetite for ideas rather than for grades as an end in themselves and the ability to move easily in the realm of concepts.
Huanshuo Rao ’17
 
Keyes Bowl
Established by the Class of 1966 and recognized as the school’s most prestigious commencement award, the Keyes Bowl is presented annually to a member of the Sixth Form and recognizes the qualities of loyalty, courage, leadership and humility.
Joel Groves ’17
 
After the prizes were awarded, Headmaster Philip and Chair of the Board of Trustees Brad Raymond ’85, P’19, ’20, with the assistance of Director of Studies Bill Sistare, presented diplomas to members of the class. The graduates then recessed to participate in the Westminster tradition of passing diplomas on the newly renovated Sixth Form Lawn. They formed a circle and at the signal of the head prefect, passed the random diplomas they received during the commencement ceremony to the left until they received their own diploma. They then stepped out of the circle signifying their graduation. 
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