Innovation Celebration

THE CULMINATION OF YEAR-LONG STUDENT-DRIVEN PROJECTS.

Innovation is woven into the culture at Berwick. Creativity factors into the curriculum, how students are taught in the classroom, and how facilities and spaces are utilized on a day-to-day basis.

The most tangible example of this mission comes in the form of the Innovation Pursuit® program. Each year, students are given an opportunity to explore an area of interest outside their classroom experience. The program involves an application process, grant writing, mentorship collaboration, original research, and student-directed learning. The Innovation Pursuit learning experience helps develop skills to prepare students for their future, culminating in an annual Innovation Celebration, where students present their endeavors to the Berwick community.

In 2022, 73 students ranging from Grades 4 to 12 presented 65 projects to peers, family, and guest panelists, including alumni, local leaders, and former faculty, on subjects that may not otherwise have been explored during the academic year.

Aidan Rothkegel ’23 shared that he has always been interested in things that go. His presentation —“Bus Transportation: Keeping Communities Moving” — unraveled the intricacies of the American public transportation system and its important impact. Caleb Weinstein ’22 explored his passion for glassblowing, while Julia Michaud ’23 advocated for the environment by breaking down the complex sustainability issues related to what we eat.

Twenty Middle School students took part in this year’s Innovation Pursuit program, tackling projects such as groundbreaking women in government, the profitability of sustainable tree farms, and robotic pool skimmers.

“Every year, I’m blown away by the fascinating projects our students undertake as well as their poise in front of an audience,” Director of Middle School Ryan Feeley said. “This opportunity to demonstrate creativity, innovation, strong research skills, and professionalism is always a great treat.”

In the Lower School, nine fourth graders explored subjects ranging from the Titanic to hip-hop dance to the NBA playoffs. Director of Lower School Joel Hawes said that the students’ confidence and presentation skills were “testaments to our supportive programming across all Lower School grade levels, creating the foundation for these impressive projects.”

The Innovation Pursuit program and culminating Innovation Celebration would not be possible without the support of Director of Innovation and Upper School Librarian Darcy Coffta, who reads proposals and approves projects, coordinates mentors both on and off campus, and organizes the year-end event.

“[Darcy] continues to do tremendous work on behalf of our students every year,” Director of Upper School Ted Smith said. “It is not often you can say that a high school program is truly one-of-a-kind — but this one is. We are lucky to have Darcy leading the way with her unmatched energy and enthusiasm for innovation.”

Behind the Wheel

Q&A WITH BUS DRIVER MELODY LAMORE

Melody LaMore joined the Berwick Academy transportation team one year ago and already is a key member of the community. Between her sunny disposition and 29 years of busdriving experience, LaMore is part of a highly qualified professional team of drivers that families can trust to transport their children to and from school each day. A Georgetown, Massachusetts, native, she has spent the last 33 years living with her husband on the coast of New Hampshire. LaMore sat down with the Communications team to answer a few questions about her work.

What does a typical morning routine include?

Arriving at about 5:30 a.m. to pre-trip a bus, which means inspecting it from front to back, the first step is standing in the engine compartment checking items that usually only a mechanic truly understands. However, a bus driver needs to know those parts well, from oil levels, belts, and clamps that should all be secured. A prepared driver needs to ask themselves, ‘Do I see anything different from the day before that may cause a problem?’

What unexpected challenges do you need to be prepared for?

That can be anything from a bus that is unable to perform the route and needing to secure a new one to traffic backed up or even blocked for hours on the highway. It could mean a student feeling ill or just having a bad day. Weather and road conditions are also something to prepare for.

Knowing you are the first Berwick Academy community member students see in the morning, how does that influence your demeanor?

As I sit in the driver’s seat, it’s hard not to smile while watching the expressions and behaviors of the different students as they step onto the bus. The greetings I receive from Berwick Academy students are always upbeat, which they receive in return from me.

Berwick Academy bus routes.

What would people be surprised to hear about the experience of a school bus driver?

Not only do you have to obtain a CDL class B license but also School Bus endorsement, Air Brake endorsements, and Passenger endorsements, which means a lot of tests and retesting every time you renew your license. There is also the DOT medical card, which has to be done to ensure you are healthy enough to drive the bus safely.

How do you like to spend your summers?

My summers are spent with my husband and daughter in Northern Maine at our lake home, where we enjoy fly fishing, boating, kayaking, berry picking, and gardening. As a woman who loves to dabble in cooking, having fresh produce available from various local farms and fresh fish right there is a dream come true.

What does it mean to you to be part of the Berwick community?

I cannot express enough how welcoming the community has been to me. Off campus, when I am still in my uniform and someone says, ‘Oh, you work for Berwick Academy?’ I smile and say ‘I sure do!’ I love it here.

A Fond Farewell to Longtime Faculty

THREE FACULTY STALWARTS GIVE NEARLY A CENTURY OF COMBINED SERVICE TO BERWICK.

By Ted Smith, Director of Upper School

SUE MADDOCK

After teaching at Berwick for 38 years, Sue Maddock retired at the end of the academic year. A Jimmy Dean “Good School Person” award recipient, Sue was the School’s most tenured faculty member, and one of the longest-serving teachers in the 230-year history of Berwick Academy.

Inspired by our mentors, each of us has adapted to the ethos of this community — and we all have inherited a little piece of Sue’s joy of teaching and learning. She has done it all at Berwick as a Lower School and Upper School teacher, soccer coach, department chair, mom, friend, mentor, club leader, class advisor, and so much more. Along the way, Sue has impacted countless students and colleagues.

Never satisfied resting on traditional teaching methods, Sue has evolved along with the best practices in education. She was ahead of her time with modern terms such as “student-centered learning” and in incorporating empathy into her teaching practices. Sue’s quiet exterior belies her fierce support of young women in math and computer science. Hundreds of women across this country learned from Sue that these subjects are within their scope, and she has inspired them to reach great heights in those disciplines in their collegiate and professional careers. This may be her greatest legacy.

TED SHERBAHN

After four decades in education, including the last 33 years at Berwick, Ted Sherbahn has retired. During his three decades at the School, he has served as an English teacher, chair of the English Department and Honor Committee, varsity coach, Dorothy Green Award recipient, and director of Upper School.

While Ted succeeded in many administrative roles, his classroom has always been his home and where his influence has made the greatest impact on generations of Berwick students. Ted is often cited by alumni as the teacher who made them believe in themselves. His mastery of teaching writing and literary analysis made him a superb facilitator who summoned the best from his students, even those most reluctant to share their voices. In that regard, Ted has always led by example through his ability to articulate what many of us are too uneasy to say out loud. That will remain a significant part of his legacy on the Berwick campus.

Pass the Bell

Sue Maddock, who retired after 38 years at Berwick, bequeathed a bell to John Downey, Upper School Latin teacher and Grade 12 class dean, at the closing faculty/staff reception. The bell signifies that Downey now holds the distinction as the longesttenured faculty member, with 37 years of service. According to Brad Fletcher, history teacher and archivist, the earliest reference to this tradition is tied to Bill Matthews, Sr., who taught at the school in the 1970s and 80s.

CHIP HARDING

Chip Harding stepped away from his teaching role during the 2021-22 school year after 25 years of service, but continued to oversee the Applied Music program. This year, Chip officially announced his retirement. His impact on Berwick musicians is difficult to measure.

Chip is someone who has always led by example and could be found with a throng of kids following him around campus, hanging on his every word or guitar note. I had the incredible honor and good fortune to teach with Chip, but what made him so unique was his ability to make every single student feel like they were the most important kid in the world. He remembered everything about each one, from their musical interests to the names of their siblings. The importance of taking the time to get to know and celebrate a student is something I learned from Chip. He has made a tremendous impact on students, faculty, and everyone he has met in his tenure.

We stand on the shoulders of giants who come before us, and we are blessed that our time at Berwick has overlapped with this giant in the long history of the School.

BETSY RICHBURG

Berwick also recognizes Betsy Richburg, controller, who retired at the end of the school year after 29 years in the Business Office. Spanning three heads of school and five CFOs over her tenure, Betsy has left an indelible mark on the school.

“Her meticulous work was matched only by her kindness and gentle good humor,” said CFO Jon Douglas. “Berwick is grateful for her innumerable contributions, most of which have occurred out of sight to even the most scrutinous observer, and thanks her for her extraordinary service to Berwick Academy.”

Boardwalks for the Bog

By John Ibsen, Innovation Center Coordinator

JULIAN VANDERPOOL ’23 USES SKILLS HE LEARNED IN CLASS TO HELP THE BERWICK COMMUNITY.

One of the most invaluable assets of Berwick Academy’s 80-acre campus is the heavily wooded area behind the athletic fields. Offering a diverse range of habitats well suited for research and study, it is also home to the Lower School Outdoor Classroom and a network of recreational trails.

This past spring, Julian Vanderpool ’23 spent the final weeks of his eleventh grade year making the forest more accessible for the Berwick community. Vanderpool observed that several sections of the trails were difficult to traverse due to wet, muddy ground. In particular, Middle School students who used the trails on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for their Outdoor Ed extracurricular were returning from the trails with shoes covered in mud. Vanderpool saw this as an opportunity to put the skills he learned in Humanitarian Design and the Fabrication Studio to good use, hoping to make a positive difference in a way that would preserve and protect nearby sensitive habitats.

Over the course of a week, he built four sections of boardwalk to help students traverse the boggy sections of trails. On May 26, Vanderpool and Middle School students from the Outdoor Ed group worked together to place the newly constructed footbridges in position. His work not only ensures that the forest is more accessible, but also reduces the impact of foot traffic on nearby wetlands. Vanderpool’s work is an outstanding example of taking the lessons learned in the classroom and applying them to realworld situations. The Berwick community will benefit from his efforts for years to come.