PRIZES AWARDED Citizenship THE PETER K. GUNNESS PRIZE, established by the Board of Trustees, honors the founding Head of the School. Peter K. Gunness came to Browne & Nichols as Headmaster in 1969. He worked with Elizabeth Stowe, Headmistress of the Buckingham School, to create BB&N in 1974. With this prize the Trustees honor him by honoring a student with high ethical standards, whose voice has made a signiďŹcant difference in bringing important issues to the attention of our community. Thoughtful and kind, this prizewinner is a BB&N lifer who deeply cares for and believes in our community. Through a mosaic of experiences and leadership roles, both within and beyond BB&N, this student boldly seeks to understand issues from the inside out and works toward motivating positive reďŹection and change from others through his words, deeds, and artworks. Tajwar Ahad â16 THE BARRETT HOYT AWARD was established in 1972 in memory of a student and is awarded to a senior who acts responsibly and represents his or her classmates and School with honor. During his short time at BB&N, this award recipient has been a positive and respectful student in the classroom, a spirited and dedicated leader for his teammates, and a true role model for his peers. He cares deeply for his family, his friends, the school community, and the world around him. Smart, funny, and compassionate, his quick wit and genuine kindness bring a smile to the faces of those around him. Joseph Richard DeSimone â16 Deeply passionate and dedicated to all that she does, this award winner accepts full responsibility for herself, her classmates, and the school. She is a fearless leader, athlete, and musician and a conďŹdent, grounded, caring, and witty young woman. Her boundless enthusiasm, smiles, and laughter inspire those around her to try new things, see the world from new perspectives, and make our community a better place. Homa Gharagozlou â16 THE ANNETTE JOHNSON PRIZE honors the memory of a student whose life exempliďŹed courage and commitment to scholarship. The prize recognizes optimism, perseverance, and dedication to the community and its ideals. Behind her big, unrelenting smile, this yearâs prizewinner has shown quiet determination, dignity, and fortitude while compiling an extraordinary academic record and contributing to academic clubs and publications on and off campus, all the while personifying the schoolâs ideals of honor, scholarship, and kindness. Julia Rachael Burnett â16 Mature and compassionate, this prizewinner leads by deed and word in the classroom and in his many activities. As debate captain he has brought BB&N worldwide recognition; as Editor-in-Chief he has made the POV an anticipated and widely read publication; and as an unassuming star in the classroom, he has enriched our collective experience. He does so with humility and kindness. Michael Reuvin GoldďŹne â16
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THE MERIWETHER OTIS KIMBALL PRIZE, established in memory of a long-ago Browne & Nichols student, honors a senior who has used his or her talents to enrich the intellectual and extracurricular life of the School. This student has exhibited a rare and delightful combination of incisive intelligence, playful creativity, and an imaginative, satirical sense of humor. In the classroom, as a peer advisor, and in extracurricular pursuits, this student has been open, engaged, curious, and generous. Pavel Olegovitch Frantsen â16 THE LUBETS PRIZE was established by Richard I. Lubets, Browne & Nichols Class of â51, in memory of his parents, to honor a student who has made an outstanding contribution during her or his senior year. This award recipient reaches out to others as a leader in the Best Buddies program and as a consummate tour guide. Friendly, considerate of others, a true team player on and off the ďŹeld, he gives his best to all endeavors. An excellent student, full of integrity, curious about the world, he serves, without knowing it, as a role model for many and makes our days here more enjoyable and fulďŹlling. Gabriel Joseph DeSantis â16 During the past year our winner has attended the prestigious Iowa Young Writers Studio, spent time in South Africa teaching young people to write and compiling a book of their work, interning at Mass General Hospital, co-captaining the Girls Cross-Country team, and leading the Vanguard, all while earning the highest praise from her teachers. A faithful friend, a supportive classmate, and a clear-headed, dependable leader. Isabel Clara Ruehl â16 THE DAVID R. POKROSS PRIZE was established by the Pokross children and grandchildren to honor their father and grandfather, a former trustee at Buckingham Browne & Nichols. It is awarded to the student whose commitment to people in need best embodies the ideals expressed in the Community Service Program of the Upper School. Kind, caring, inspiring, and modest, this student has undertaken truly meaningful community service through initiatives like âStand Up to Cancer Week,â which raises awareness about cancer while supporting survivors and their families. Her tireless compassion and commitment to others make her a superb ambassador for the power of empathy and initiative. Juliet Paige Solit â16 THE APRIL TERUEL PRIZE, given in memory of a former student, is awarded this year to a senior who is kind and understanding to his or her peers and has been an active participant in the life of the School. Rower, tour guide, student ambassador, peer counselor, this humble and optimistic leader is instinctively kind, thoughtful, and empathetic. He reaches out to lend a helping hand, listens with an open mind, and uses his sense of humor and infectious smile to inspire cooperation and build a positive community. Liam Samuel Jolley â16