Berwick Today Magazine • Winter/Spring 2022

Winter/Spring 2022

TODAY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jamie Reynolds

EDITORS

Kendra L. Bates Jana F. Brown

DESIGN

Christine Hodgson

PHOTOGRAPHY

Kendra L. Bates Nicole Derr Jamie Reynolds The faculty and staff who carry cameras and capture Berwick moments as they happen.

PRINTING Flagship Press

Changes of address or other communication regarding this periodical should be directed to: Berwick Academy Advancement Office 31 Academy Street South Berwick, Maine 03908 207.384.6303 jroberge@berwickacademy.org

Welcome 2

Welcome from the Head of School

Features 4

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The Courage to Climb: Berwick’s Strategic Plan for the Future Building a Better Future Hilltop Happenings Athletics Arts Special Interest Alumni In Memoriam

Upper School broomball activity during Winter Carnival

The Cast of My Fair Lady TODAY

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WE LC O M E

From the Head of School Dear Berwick Community, I continue to be incredibly proud of and grateful for our wonderful students and faculty as they have brought joy and purpose to the past couple of years. As we turn the corner into the last trimester of the school year, we look forward to celebrating all that our students have accomplished and welcoming families and alumni back to campus.

I am also proud that over the past two years we have been able to rise above the day-to-day challenges of operating a school amid a pandemic and continue to plan for Berwick’s future. This spring we will officially launch The Courage to Climb: Berwick’s Strategic Plan for the Future.

A few years ago, I attended a session by a former board colleague at the Enrollment Management Association’s (EMA) annual conference. Tim Fish, who is the chief innovation officer for the National Association of Independent Schools, focused on the process that innovative schools must go through to continue to reach their highest potential and best prepare their students to live purposeful lives beyond their education. The session’s overarching metaphor was that innovative schools are on a journey much like climbing a range of mountains. First, they visualize and plan before beginning their journey to the initial peak. This summit becomes a base camp, where, grounded in the work that led them this far, they begin the process once again and prudently set off to the next peak.

When I arrived at Berwick four years ago, the community had just completed a very steep and critical section of this journey by implementing a curricular evolution that now serves as the foundation of our program — Berwick’s base camp. It is student centered and allows our faculty to focus on supporting kids in building skills that will serve them for the myriad opportunities that exist in our changing communities and workplaces of the future.

In the past two years, our teachers have not only managed the dynamics of the pandemic, but honed their craft. Engaged in professional development and collaborative group work to refine and improve, they remain at the forefront of their fields. As we prepare for our next journey, leaving base camp behind and armed with the tools we have learned along the way, we will begin the ascent to our next peak, guided by a strategic plan that enhances and fuels the work that has already been done. In this magazine, you will see the broad overview of this plan and the six strategic goals that serve as our areas of focus for the next five years.

A comprehensive plan utilizes and impacts every facet of our community.

We are looking for active engagement in this strategic plan, and I welcome your thoughts, ideas, and continued partnership as we move forward.

I hope that you enjoy this issue of Berwick Today. It is certainly a celebration of Berwick’s many moments of spirit and engagement that have taken place on campus this year, as well as a truly exciting look into our courageous climb forward.

Sincerely,

Jim Hamilton Head of School

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The Courage to Climb: Berwick

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k’s Strategic Plan for the Future

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erwick will harness its culture of innovation and continuously reflect on the ways it can challenge and support students to reach their full potential. Inspired by the high aspirations of our students, this plan will enhance the tenets of the Berwick curriculum,includingstudent-directedlearning; skills over content — depth over breadth; innovation; wellness, character education, and publicpurpose;andjustice,equity,diversity,and inclusion (JEDI).

To accomplish this, the strategic plan enhances student opportunities through after-school and summer programming; partnerships that provide internships and learning opportunities; and a focus on environmental stewardship.

The strategic plan fortifies Berwick’s approach to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and ensuresthatouressentialacademicsystemsfully support this work in our curriculum. The parallel support of The Campaign for Berwick will ensure Berwick’s future durability and flexibility to thrive for the rising generations.

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Strategic Goals Berwick Academy has committed to meeting six mission-based goals by 2026.

• Systems for the Future • Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) • Auxiliary Programs • Strategic Partnerships • Sustainability • Financial Durability

Systems for the Future Berwick will strengthen the infrastructure that supports its student-centered, skills-based curriculum. With a continued emphasis on the positive relationships between teachers and students, a cornerstone of success at the School, we turn our focus to key initiatives that facilitate instruction and learning on campus. This work will be strengthened in several important areas, including division-to-division transitions for students; faculty professional development; faculty hiring and retention efforts; and the use of data to inform future decision-making.

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THE COURAGE TO CLIMB: BERWICK’S STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Berwick will further its curricular JEDI approach, increase opportunities to partner with local organizations, and host creative programming that solidifies the School as a resource both on campus and throughout the Seacoast, while continuing to build a community that more closely reflects the world beyond the Hilltop.

Auxiliary Programs Auxiliary programs will provide Berwick and the greater Seacoast community opportunities to engage in innovative after-school and summer experiences.

This additional programming will provide families with services to enhance the Berwick student experience and increase local visibility. Auxiliary programming will also create access to campus facilities and generate additional revenue sources to bolster financial sustainability.

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Strategic Partnerships Berwick will create and foster strategic partnerships that will provide opportunities to enhance the student and faculty experience. These partnerships will provide students with job shadowing, increased mentoring for Innovation Pursuits, and off-campus trips to augment their classroom experiences.

Hannah Hudson ’24 is learning to fly as part of her Innovation Pursuit.

Sustainability

Berwick will build a culture of environmental sustainability that empowers community members to be stewards of the natural world. This initiative will be pursued through education, partnerships, action, and self-assessment.

The Global Environmental Sustainability class visited a solar farm in South Berwick.

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THE COURAGE TO CLIMB: BERWICK’S STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Eleventh and twelfth graders in the Think Like da Vinci class constructed da Vinci’s self-supporting arch bridge.

Financial Durability Berwick will secure its financial future through a $15 million capital campaign — a transformational investment in the School — and other fiduciary efforts that will provide financial durability and flexibility to support talented students and faculty for the rising generations.

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Building a Better Future

by Jana F. Brown

In an interview with Head of School Jim Hamilton, Berwick’s aspirational leader talks about the goals of the new strategic plan.

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ince arriving at Berwick Academy in the summer of 2018, Jim Hamilton has made it his mission for the School to be increasingly intentional about all it does — from teaching, to learning, to financial planning, to everything in between.

It was with that mindset that Hamilton and the members of the Board of Trustees, supported by the full Berwick community, entered into the strategic planning process. The result is a plan built on six goals: growing environmental commitment; refining Berwick’s academic systems; continuing to focus on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion; developing strategic partnerships; enhancing financial durability; and bolstering auxiliary programming.

“I think what most excites me,” Hamilton says, “is envisioning the confidence and pride we will feel, as a community, when we successfully achieve these goals.

To me, this is about strengthening and enhancing our foundation in a way that will allow us to be continuously bold going forward.”

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1 GROWING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT In talking about each of the goals, Hamilton is both specific and general in outlining what success might look like in the respective areas. To begin, the School is steadfast in its desire to grow its commitment to the environment. In addition to recently hiring Sarah Jeanne Shimer as Berwick’s first sustainability coordinator, environmental stewardship will find its way into the classroom across all three divisions. Younger students will learn about what it means to be aware of their natural surroundings early in their Berwick careers through a planned outdoor education program.

“We think a lot about our responsibility as an institution and how sustainability comes into our decision-making process,” Hamilton says.

“We want to create a culture of environmental sustainability, which will empower community members to be stewards of the environment.”

2 REFINING BERWICK’S ACADEMIC SYSTEMS While Curriculum 2020, a key component of the previous strategic plan, focused on what Berwick needed to do to enhance the preparation of its students for a world beyond the School, the plan for the next five years will address the how. Hamilton explains that the School is evaluating how departments are structured, how chairs are selected, how long they serve, and how to offer the best professional growth opportunities for faculty.

THE COURAGE TO CLIMB: BERWICK’S STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

“This is about strengthening and enhancing our foundation in a way that will allow us to be continuously bold going forward.”

“We’re also looking at scope and sequence in terms of graduation requirements,” Hamilton says. “And we are also focused on how we can be the best teachers. How can we grow as individuals? How can we be structured in such a way that the School operates at its highest potential? We are matching the work we did in terms of the what and overlaying that with a better understanding of the how so that when those two things marry, the program continues to move forward.”

3 FOCUSING ON JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

Also critical to Berwick’s success is the School’s work around justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). Building on the work of the previous strategic plan, which focused on increasing cultural competency at Berwick, this essential goal of the new plan will incorporate inclusive programming into all three divisions.

“We’ll be thinking about where we want our fourth graders to be in this,” Hamilton says. “Where do we want our eighth graders to be? And then, ultimately, have we given kids the tools they need when we send them off into the world?”

When evaluating JEDI, the School will look at how that translates in terms of faculty and staff hires, who sits on the Board of Trustees, and what it means in general to be a community that values diversity and inclusivity.

4 DEVELOPING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

The development of strategic partnerships, Hamilton says, is a goal that will carry over into many areas of school life. Among the initiatives is for Berwick to create an internship program that facilitates opportunities for students in a variety of industries on the Seacoast. This could mean providing practical experiences for students within the fields of medicine, law, engineering, and sustainability, among many other areas. Relationships with strategic partners will help make these job-shadow opportunities happen, but Hamilton is also thinking about the alliances Berwick might make with other schools, the University of New Hampshire in particular.

“We think a lot about UNH and other universities,” Hamilton says. “How do we create opportunities for our students to access all of the great things UNH has to offer? In turn, how do we entice more UNH faculty and staff to send their kids to Berwick? We are thinking about strategic partnerships with institutions of higher learning and potentially partnerships with other independent schools. Could someone teach Mandarin at multiple schools, for example? Could we share food service or custodial services? It will be important to be as efficient as possible going forward.”

5 ENHANCING FINANCIAL DURABILITY

A significant part of enhancing financial durability at Berwick is a $15 million capital campaign with a mission of “securing a financial future.” Growing the endowment is a top priority of the campaign, billed as a “transformational investment for our school” that comes with the “flexibility to thrive.”

The plan, Hamilton explains, is fairly simple. “It is to be intentional, to understand the big levers that we have financially, and how we either control them or employ them,” he says. “I think about the cost of tuition, I think about the cost of health insurance and faculty salaries, making sure we’re being thoughtful in our spending and appropriately conservative in how we live our life financially.”

6 BOLSTERING AUXILIARY PROGRAMMING

Auxiliary programs also play an important role in financial sustainability. To limit the draw on endowment and augmented tuition, the School must seek alternate sources of income. That includes offering after-school or summer programs for both Berwick and community children and making school facilities more available for rental. Offering “one-stop shopping” for current Berwick families — music lessons or dance classes, for example — benefits families and also generates additional income for the School.

“It has a secondary impact of bringing lots of kids to campus, whether that’s in the afternoons or in the summertime,” Hamilton says, “which we hope also impacts enrollment, which is critical to our success.”

Aspirational Leadership for the Future Hamilton is optimistic about the plan and its six strategic goals, though he is also working with the Board and others to make sure the goals remain incremental and achievable over the next three to five years. Referring to his leadership style as “aspirational,” Hamilton is hopeful that the School will be able to check off tangible items on its wish list, including construction of an outdoor education space, a new turf field, and an expansion of The Commons.

He often uses the words “flexibility and durability” when describing how he envisions not only the plan, but Berwick itself in the years to come. Ultimately, Hamilton strives to build and expand on the many strengths of the School.

“I look at this time as a bolstering period, as a confidence-building period,” Hamilton says. “To me, waking up around 2026, with a successful campaign, with a successful strategic plan, I just think that our ability to make choices will be much higher than it is today. Ultimately, my goal is to have the work we do in the next few years not only benefit our current students and faculty, but secure Berwick’s future for years to come.”

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Let the Games Begin

by Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications

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WINTER CARNIVAL

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s is often the case in New England, the weather forecast plays an important role in daily life during the winter months.

While predictions of snow often equate with anticipated school closures, this winter Berwick Academy paid close attention to local forecasts for another reason. The annual Winter Carnival brings together community members across all three divisions, but a few inches of snow on the ground creates a truly memorable day of activities. Based on accumulation from a prior weekend’s snowstorm, Wednesday, February 2 was chosen as the day for this fun winter tradition.

The 2022 Winter Carnival was appropriately Olympic-themed, as the Winter Olympics began just a few days after the games on the Hilltop. Lower School students enjoyed a full day of special activities, organized by Director of Physical Education Marilena Canuto and staff. Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 3 students enjoyed a variety of different stations with the help of Grade 4 ambassadors in each location, including snowshoeing, sledding, a book walk, and broomball.

Middle and Upper School students joined the fun in the late morning, as the “Opening Ceremonies” took place on Fogg Field. In a hybrid of Berwick traditions, four concentric circles were formed (much like the Community Circles event that takes place in the fall), and the Class of 2022 held its Candle Lighting Ceremony in the innermost ring. The afternoon came with a variety of competitions, including a broomball and curling tournament, the Acaderod, a relaystyle obstacle course, and a treasure hunt.

“Winter Carnival has been a Berwick tradition for hundreds of years, actually predating the modern Olympic Games,” the Prefects, four twelfth grade student leaders, explained in their opening remarks.

“We, as a school, come together to celebrate the beauty of winter and our community. Second graders can build snow people with ninth graders, eleventh graders can sprint in the famous Acaderod with their science teachers, and seventh graders can talk to tenth graders over a cup of hot cocoa.”

While the snow and ice began to thaw in the days following Winter Carnival, the memories of community events such as this are what make Berwick Academy a special place to learn and grow.

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Expanding Our Reach

by Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications

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he creation and growth of year-round auxiliary programs, including after-school and summer programing, as well as facility rental opportunities, is an important goal of the new strategic plan. Inherent to this initiative is building community partnerships that enhance our offerings and allow participants, both Berwick students and community guests, to learn and grow.

Already a favorite guest at Berwick Academy, The Center for Wildlife has interactive after-school programming and Summer 2022 camp offerings for both the Lower and Middle School communities. Berwick has also been fortunate to create a strong relationship with Sages Entertainment (and Wayne Moulton), a group of educators on the Seacoast who encourage students to participate in STEAM, magic, coding programs, and more.

“These partnerships are important as we continue to think of ways to expand our reach in the community,” explains Director of Auxiliary Programs Margot Harrington. “Places like the Center for Wildlife and groups like Sages Entertainment have their own established following, and by creating a space for

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them to run their camps or sessions on campus, we create a connection for a community member who maybe had never heard of Berwick Academy and all the amazing things we have to offer.”

Berwick’s very own SAGE Dining Services, through the leadership of Kate Dolan and the success of the 2021 summer program “Cooking with Kate,” is branching out this summer to offer “Baking with Kate.” Programing continues to evolve and Berwick is excited to join forces with other Seacoast neighbors, including The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, ChildLight Yoga, The Seacoast Science Center, artstream, and Flow Adventures, among others.

Aligning with our mission of promoting virtue and useful knowledge among the rising generations, these community partnerships will provide hands-on, real-world experiences for students and community members alike.

AnythingisPossible

by John Ibsen, Maker in Residence

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n any given day in the Fabrication Studio inside the Inspiration Commons in Jackson Library, a 3D model on a computer is transformed into a physical axle, deliberately and precisely designed to fit a bearing in a wheel on a mousetrappowered car. Or a series of words and images are thoughtfully arranged to create a laser-cut sign to give to a grandparent over the holidays. A sheet of aluminum might be snipped, bent, and hammered to create a replica of Roman armor. Nearly anything is possible in the magic of the Fabrication Studio.

No matter where students are on their journey as a maker, they learn, practice, and refine skills in this space. Working alongside students in these endeavors, I have seen the joy and pride that comes from taking an idea and making it a physical reality. As a woodworker, I know that sense of pride that comes with seeing my finished product. As an educator, I know the power that comes from learning from mistakes, something that is inherent to the design process.

This first year as Maker in Residence reminds me of the first phases of a design. It has been an opportunity to integrate the many ways the Fabrication Studio gets used, and to share instruction, mentorship, and support. This experience has translated to understanding and has allowed me to plan and prototype ideas to make the space more useful and accessible to students, faculty, and staff. This space plays an important role on Berwick’s campus as we continue to look for ways to instill useful knowledge and create paths to prepare students for their future.

Looking ahead to next year, I am excited to prototype some of my own ideas and passions. Aligning with sustainability initiatives on campus, I anticipate students working with wood from trees on the Berwick campus, repurposing materials from projects on the Hilltop. In working with this campus-sourced raw material, students will have the opportunity to be part of the story of our community through their creations and continue the legacy of beloved campus trees. It is my hope that someday alumni will return to campus, sit on a bench they made, and fondly reminisce about their days as students.

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BPC CARES

by Stephanie Caswell, Director of Leadership Giving and Philanthropy and Meera Mahadevan P’20,’23

BOLLYWOOD

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he squeak of basketball sneakers was replaced by the rhythmic sounds of jingling ankle clads and the clicking of wooden sticks as the Wood Gym was transformed into a Bollywood dance floor this fall.

The Berwick Parent Community (BPC) hosted a Bollywood dance event organized

by BPC CARES (Culture, Awareness, Respect, Equity, and Support) in recognition of the Diwali season. More than 40 guests, including parents, students, and grandparents, attended the family-friendly event, which was organized by several of Berwick’s Indian-American parents.

The evening began with traditional Indian treats, as guests learned about the various

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dances custom to the many regions of India, ranging from classical to contemporary to folk dancing. Mouli Pal, a professional dancer from Wilmington, Massachusetts, dressed in a traditional silk sari, jewels, flowers, and bell-clad anklets, presented, performed, and demonstrated an intricate Indian dance known as Odissi. She paused after each dance to explain the symbolism and significance of the classical movements. Several Berwick parents choreographed and performed a contemporary dance with moves popularized in Bollywood movies and Indian weddings.

The evening concluded with guests learning some of the movements of the popular folk dance Dandiya. This Northern Indian dance involves partners using pairs of wooden sticks clicking and striking, set to the rhythm of the music. According to attendees, the festive event was a feast for the senses and was deeply enriching and memorable.

by NH Businesses for Social Responsibility.

With almost 70 participants, the challenge provided parents and guardians with an opportunity to learn about the history and dynamics of racism and how it manifests at various levels; discover local resources and leaders working on these issues; and create a space for ongoing dialogue.

Attendees received daily emails for three weeks, each of which focused on a theme.

The messages also shared links to articles, videos, podcasts, and other resources to help participants deepen their understanding of racism. Three online dialogue sessions offered participants a chance to engage in facilitated conversations about the content provided each week.

21-DAY RACIAL EQUITY CHALLENGE

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eginning in late January, the Berwick Parent Community invited current parents and guardians to participate in a 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge, sponsored

The program concluded with a strategic planning meeting, during which the group discussed action plans, next steps, and best practices.

Najee Brown

Fall Trimester Visiting Artist, director of Berwick’s Upper School fall production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and founder and artistic director of Theater For The People

Project Empathy Robert Sapiro, P’23

BPC CARES Co-Chair and administrator at Green Acre, A Bahá’í Center of Learning in Eliot, Maine

by Michael Buensuceso, Assistant Head of School for Community and Equity

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n October 2021, Berwick Academy Visiting Artist Najee Brown and BPC CARES Co-Chair Robert Sapiro P ’23 joined an Upper School assembly to share their work on a collaboration called Project Empathy.

A performance-based project developed by Catherine Cote in 2017, Project Empathy members explore their own life experiences through activities and empathy-building exercises. Over four weeks, the group explored questions like “What is your earliest memory?” and “What is your proudest moment?” These and other questions provided the backdrop for members’ self-discovery and ultimately a space to write their own stories and practice telling their partner’s story in the first person, as though each was their own.

Tanisha Johnson

Black Lives Matter Seacoast co-founder and board chair

Elliott Moya

Chief of police in Eliot, Maine

From the moment the group took the stage, Upper School students listened intently to Brown’s directorial vision of the program and his rationale for choosing cast members and their pairings — essentially, looking for a mix of individuals who had connections to the local community and represented diverse ages, ethnicities, occupations, and upbringings. Sapiro, who was not only a sponsor of the program but also a cast member, shared the power of listening and empathy, “…it was like we all have these shared stories. Speaking in the first person enables a true expression of emotion, and each story becomes our story, a shared story, an embodied story.”

Arguably, the most compelling pair of the cast was Tanisha Johnson, Black Lives Matter Seacoast co-founder and board chair, and Elliott Moya, chief of police in Eliot, Maine. In addition to the exploratory boundary-breaking questions, this pair wondered, “What would it look like if a police chief and a racial justice activist could listen to and then share each other’s stories?” At first, both were reluctant, given the continuing national discourse on communities of color and law enforcement, but found themselves, as a result of the experience, becoming greater colleagues in the community and even greater friends.

Both Johnson and Moya commented on how the experience created a personal connection and growing relationship that significantly influences how they go about their professional lives in their respective community roles. Their relationship and this program truly demonstrate the power of listening and empathy and the potential for hope in an often-contentious dialogue.

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Reflections On Wellness

Berwick Academy Director of Wellness Kim Kryder sat down with Assistant Director of Communications Kendra Bates to discuss how Berwick’s established wellness program has served as an important resource for the School community over the last two years.

Kendra Bates (KB): Kim, you have served as Berwick’s wellness director since the position was created in 2017. In what ways have you seen wellness evolve at Berwick?

KB: What actions of mindfulness do you recommend for faculty members as they continue to adjust the ways they teach to allow our students as much continuity as possible during the pandemic?

Kim Kryder (KK): I have been at Berwick since 2011 and, when I first started, there was an effort to formalize the Wellness Team, comprised of the school nurse, athletic trainer, director of physical education, academic support coordinators, and counselors. We had some wellness classes in the Middle School and a Social-Emotional Learning program in the Lower School back then, but that was about it. In the last 10 years, we have added more resources and expanded our programming across all three divisions. There has been so much growth in understanding how important it is for students to focus on their health and wellness, and continuing to connect it to the classroom learning experience was key.

At Berwick, a student’s well-being is always part of the equation, and balanced social, emotional, and physical health plays an important role in academic success.

KK: Mostly we talk about self-care, and this can look different for everyone. What helps one teacher fill their bucket each week and allows them the space to then do their job may be completely different from what fills another teacher’s bucket. We all got into education because we enjoy working with young people, and the kids need us more than ever right now. But the commonly used phrase of putting the oxygen mask on first before assisting others really is needed during these times.

KB: How has Berwick proactively approached the social and emotional impact of COVID-19 on our students and community members, both from the beginning and as we continue to deal with the pandemic nearly two years later?

KK: Since the beginning, we used community times to focus on wellness initiatives that encouraged people to get outside and off devices. We realized that we were actually ahead of our peer schools with these types of suggestions because they were things we had already encouraged our students to do, not just during a pandemic.

Two years later, we still encourage our students and teachers to take breaks, focus on self-care, and reach out for help. Socially, we have found ways to continue to hold events on and off campus so that our students have ways to safely connect with friends. We have tried to get things back to “normal” as much as possible, and I know that our community has benefited more than most from these important steps.

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KB:When looking at the big picture of COVID-19’s impact on young people, what positives can you pull from this very difficult situation?

KK: I would like to think that for many, there was a lot of resiliency built over the last two years. Teens I talk to have said they’ve learned more about their own wellness during this time. It’s certainly hard to use the words positive and pandemic together, and this in no way dismisses those who have struggled along the way, but students have also found ways to stay healthy and balanced during these really tough times.

KB: Our reliance on technology has continued to grow. Do you see this impacting overall wellness for individuals?

KK: I do…I think it’s an easy way for kids to hide from uncomfortable social situations and, though there are times it can enhance social connections, it rarely helps in our overall wellness, especially if we are always choosing technology over connection with others. Zoom certainly saved the educational world and I continue to offer it as a way to connect with families instead of just over the phone. But in person is always my first choice, and I think we need to keep pushing ourselves to be present so that we can get back to authentic connections.

A Maine Voice KB:Are there certain strategies you see young people adopting as a result of this pandemic that previous generations may have lacked?

KK: We used to worry that kids didn’t know how to be bored. They were constantly looking for stimulation and needed to be entertained every minute of the day. I think parents/guardians learned to give up their role in this because it wasn’t sustainable during the pandemic. We were all coming up with awesome creative activities in spring of 2020, but by winter of 2021, we were exhausted. As a result, I think our kids potentially are showing more similar traits to how their own parents grew up.

“Go out and play” is used more in my house, and I hope that we can continue to allow our kids unstructured playtime.

Even teens can benefit from this as many have such intense schedules, so helping them learn what to do or what they need during free time is an important adult skill that will serve them well when they get to college and find they have more free time to fill.

KB: Where do you see our wellness program going from here?

KK: The Wellness Team is always looking for ways to develop and deliver academic support and counseling across all three divisions at Berwick. I would love to add trimester electives in the Upper School around health topics that may be useful to our students before heading off to college.

I also think we will continue to expand how we use the Walsh Wellness Center at Oakes House as a community. Middle School students have expressed interest in learning how to cook basic dishes in the Katz Learning Lab test kitchen, and I love that we have the ability to do these types of activities, whether it’s during the school day or through our auxiliary programs.

The Wellness Team will continue its focus on bringing balance and useful knowledge to Berwick students.

by Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications

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maya Moore ’24 has a history of trying twice as hard to be heard half as much.

“I had to fight to be listened to,” she says.

This sentiment has been a driving factor for the young activist in pursuing change from within the educational system. In late 2021, Moore’s personal dedication to elevating young minority voices was confirmed when she was selected to serve on the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Student Cabinet.

Currently in its third year of operation, the Student Cabinet is a syndicate of students from all 16 counties of Maine. The group meets with DOE leaders once a month to provide input on a variety of key issues. In 2022, the Student Cabinet will be working with the DOE’s Reinventing Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) team to apply “design thinking” to create pilot programs tailored for Maine schools to adapt in the classroom.

Moore first learned about the Student Cabinet in early 2021, when, as part of her Innovation Pursuit, she met with members of the DOE to discuss a bill to mandate the teachings of African American history in Maine. The bill was passed, but her zest for implementing action was far from finished. The Student Cabinet serves as the voice of students across the state and as a liaison between the DOE and the young people for whom they make critical decisions. Moore’s personal experience with discrimination is what motivates her to want to represent others.

“I was often the only black student in my classes and I had to face a lot of racism, bias, and prejudice throughout my elementary and middle school years before I came to Berwick,” Moore says. “I had to battle stereotypes that came from my peers and my teachers” Over the next two years of her term on the Student Cabinet, Moore and her fellow members will be working hard to share ideas with the DOE and offer fresh perspectives.

“I hope to bring a new perspective to what so many young minorities experience and give a voice to those who feel voiceless,” she says. “I plan to share what I’ve gone through as well as fight for change to help prevent kids from feeling the same way I did — alone and marginalized.”

“I hope to bring a new perspective to what so many young minorities experience and give a voice to those who feel voiceless.” — Amaya Moore ’24

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A Sustainable Focus

by Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications

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t Berwick Academy, several groups of students take great pride in their work mitigating the global issue of rapid natural resource depletion, proposing plans to reassess the School’s waste management system and spread awareness of best practices.

The School began its composting efforts three years ago, with the help of York, Maine’s, Mr. Fox Composting and Kelly Martin’s third grade class. Students collected compostable items from Lower School classrooms each day, visited with Mr. Fox, and increased general awareness throughout the Lower School.

This fall, the Upper School Sustainability Club and Global Environmental Sustainability (GES) class identified composting on campus as an area for improvement and decided to bring more awareness to the ongoing effort. Students first tackled this project by mapping out the locations of potential composting bins around campus and offering suggestions to Facilities about placement for bins in high-traffic areas.

“It was so helpful to have students lead this initiative,” said Upper School Sustainability Club Advisor and GES teacher Sarah Jeanne Shimer, “because they represent our largest population on campus.

Therefore, they provide great insight about where we need to have accessibility to compost. They know exactly where groups of friends take compostable containers from The Commons to eat lunch or where people eat snacks during community time.”

The Upper School Sustainability Club created signs on recycled cardboard to raise awareness about environmental facts and stats.

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The students not only wanted to make this proposed composting system more accessible, but also aimed to spread awareness and understanding of the concept of composting. This desire gave birth to the Composting Campaign (#ReduceOurPrint). The Upper School GES class broke into groups to lead this home-grown push for better composting practices. Students surveyed fourth graders on their knowledge of what is compostable, interviewed sixth graders on the topic of sustainability and known compost practices, and recorded

“It was truly eye-opening listening to Ms. Hirshberg talk about the impact climate change has on the environment,” GES student Reese Fendelet ’23 said. “It’s important to get everyone’s attention on the seriousness of this topic.” the contents of compost bins and trash bins for a week to track the frequency of use and accuracy of composting.

With their data in hand, GES students presented a skit on composting to the Lower School at their weekly assembly. They also created a presentation about composting for the Middle School. To add an element of participation, the Upper School students organized a Blue versus White team challenge. Labeled bins for each team were placed in The Commons and the amount and accuracy of compost at the end of each lunch period was recorded to accrue points.

In the Upper School, the GES students encouraged their peers to take a second look at their discarded items by showing examples of trash collected from the dining hall that would have been better served in the compost bin.

With the topic of sustainability creating a real buzz on campus, guest speaker and former parent Nancy Hirshberg, founder and chief catalyst for her independent sustainability consulting firm, was invited to speak to Middle and Upper School students in December. A parent of a former Berwick student, Hirshberg is a champion of sustainability both in her professional and personal life. She has led sustainability initiatives at Stonyfield Farm, Ben & Jerry’s, and Patagonia.

Speaking at an Upper School assembly, Hirshberg shared a message about the urgency of climate change and the importance of individuals contributing to efforts to combat global warming. Her visit was also an excellent opportunity for Hirshberg to connect with the Upper School GES class about her work developing sustainable food systems, specifically at Stonyfield Farm. Students shared with her their projects about improving food systems, and the group was able to workshop ideas with Hirshberg, who pushed them to think deeper about solutions and provided them with resources to further explore the concept of sustainability.

“It was truly eye-opening listening to Ms. Hirshberg talk about the impact climate change has on the environment,” GES student Reese Fendelet ’23 said. “It’s important to get everyone’s attention on the seriousness of this topic.”

In her presentation to the Middle School, Hirshberg explained the life cycle of everyday materials and the resources needed to make something as simple as a cup of coffee or a wool sweater. She stressed the importance of reducing in the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra.

“Ms. Hirshberg helped students understand the importance of reducing waste and consumption through all parts of the life cycle of products,” said Eloise Willemsen, a sixth grade science teacher, “especially the fact that the end of life is not the biggest problem and that creating products can make more waste than throwing them away.”

From the beginning to the end of the life cycle of a product, across campus, Berwick students are examining the entire process and finding ways to be better stewards.

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H I L LTO P HA P P ENINGS

Chris Herren Speaks o

by Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications

Students in Grades 7-12 filled the Blue Gym to listen to a powerful presentation from Chris Herren.

C

hris Herren does not sit in the shadows of his past. Instead, he invites others to take a step closer to see what so many choose to hide in shame.

During a visit to Berwick Academy in October 2021, Herren spoke to students in Grades 7-12 and lifted a heavy curtain through a gripping multimedia presentation on an uncomfortable but alarmingly common struggle — addiction. After playing a short clip from his Emmynominated documentary, Unguarded, Herren paused to speak to his young audience.

“Addiction doesn’t look like what you think it looks like,” he warned.

With his heart on his sleeve and a mission in hand, Herren continued to tell the story of how his career as a professional athlete ended just as quickly as it began, at the hands of drugs and alcohol.

Herren, 46, grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts, an hour outside of Boston. A legacy athlete, Herren continued his family’s multigenerational tradition of playing basketball for B.M.C. Durfee High School. After breaking the school’s career points record and catching the eye of several Division I colleges, Herren was named Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year and earned a spot on the McDonald’s All-America Team. He continued his educational and athletic journey at Boston College before transferring to Fresno State.

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on Addiction “The focus oftentimes is on the worst day when it comes to speaking about addiction. We need to understand how this begins rather than how it ends. Prevention starts on the first day.” – Chris Herren After a successful college run, Herren entered the 1999 NBA draft and was selected by the Denver Nuggets. The following year, he was traded to the Boston Celtics and became a regular starter. With impressive game statistics and a drive to build a long professional career, Herren had a world of opportunities in front of him.

But Herren’s career came to a crashing halt in December of 2007, when he was arrested for possession of heroin. Six months later, Her ren overdosed and crashed his car into a utility pole. Herren

shared with the Berwick audience that this sudden halt was more of a slow burn that started over a decade earlier, when he was first introduced to drugs as a teenager.

“I think when it comes to drugs, we all think about the worst day and we forget the first day,” Herren said. “I think it’s very relevant. We talk about what’s going to happen in the end, rather than why it’s beginning.”

Herren has spent the last 10 years traveling the country speaking to students, families, and professional athletes about his

struggle with addiction and how he fought to overcome it. The former NBA player uses his story to forewarn audiences of all ages and backgrounds about the dangers of drug use. Herren encouraged students to understand the power of their words and actions, even from a young age. “ I thou ght it was ver y power f ul,” Cameron Hamilton ’23 said. “He did a good job connecting with the audience and just making them think a lot — not a lot of blaming, but deeper questions, and I think it’ll help create conversation.”

Herren’s plea to the Berwick community was simple: speak up for yourself and speak up for others before it’s too late.

“This is where I want to be,” Herren said. “I think it’s the right time that we can challenge and start to educate, and [young people] can look at this through a different lens.”

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Science Across All Divisions

by Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications

O

ne of the many exciting benefits of a campus with students ranging from PreKindergarten to Grade 12 is the ability to work together on projects across divisions.

This year, the sixth grade science students worked with Upper School students on two different projects.

In the fall, tenth graders from the Integrated Biology and Chemistry class spent time in the sixth grade science classroom and explained cohesion and adhesion in water. Divided into groups, the Upper School students presented hands-on activities, which demonstrated the various properties of water.

This winter, sixth graders studied the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, an invasive insect that is currently killing Eastern Hemlock trees up and down the East Coast. Students went to local public land to identify the insect in the wild and report data to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, tasked with tracking the bug as it moves north. The Upper School Pinnacle Biology class, an advanced science elective, joined one of the trips to find these insects. The sixth graders helped their older counterparts identify the bug while the eleventh and twelfth graders helped build a deeper understanding of the damage invasive species can cause to an ecosystem.

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Invasive Species Confronted

by Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications

A

s the largest state in New England, Maine is home to more than 1,500 native plant species, many of which can be found on the Berwick Academy campus and surrounding area. Like most ecosystems, territorial lines are blurred as adventitious species often find their way onto foreign soil. Invasive species pose a threat to native habitats when they compete with resident organisms for resources.

Heidi Duehmig’s fifth grade science students were able to gain firsthand experience when they researched invasive plant species on the Berwick campus in the fall. During this unit, Oliver Markewicz, district forester from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, visited campus to identify the species in Berwick’s arboretum.

Using this information and a little research, students identified a patch of the invasive Euonymus alatus, commonly known as winged spindle or burning bush, right outside their classroom.

Native to central and northern China, Japan, and Korea, the shrub, known for its bright, fire-like color in the fall, can form dense thickets and displace many native plant species.

Having just learned about the tendencies invasive species have to compromise the health of local plants, the fifth graders took action to address this serious concern. The class presented to the Berwick administration in December, sharing information about burning bush, how it spreads, and ideas for alternative plants for that location, offering a wide variety of options. The students prepared slides to accompany their presentation and each student had a speaking role. The presentation ended with an open Q&A as students fielded questions, displaying their expertise and passion for the subject. The invasive species will be removed this spring based on the recommendations of the fifth graders.

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Celebrating50YearsintheMiddleSchool

by Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications

T

he Berwick Academy Middle School reached a noteworthy milestone this winter and, on one brisk Friday afternoon in December, students and faculty converged to celebrate a very special semicentennial occasion.

In the final weeks of 2021, Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs and Director of Middle School Ryan Feeley shared his thoughts on the 50th anniversary of Berwick’s Middle School and what it means for not just the Middle School community, but for Berwick Academy as a whole. He first explained how this golden anniversary was almost overlooked.

“It was late October or early November when the seventh and eighth graders were

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meeting in the Great Room,” Feeley says. “We usually meet once a week for a mini assembly and I happen to be at this meeting standing next to Chris Onken, our seventh grade English teacher, who was looking up at this banner hanging in the Great Room and he said, ’You see that? That says 40 years in 2011.’”

With only a few weeks before the holiday season and winter break, Feeley was relieved that, although the window of opportunity was narrow, it was still open. A day of festivities was held for the Middle School students, faculty, and staff on December 10. The day began with a Middle School assembly, where community members reflected on the past with the help of Archivist and Upper School history teacher, Brad Fletcher.

Fletcher illuminated the gym with photos spanning the last five decades. He shared stories of retired demerit systems, wild student behavior, and the beloved 1974 Director of Middle School, Bill Matthews, Sr., once sarcastically referring to his students as “little monsters” in an interview for the then school paper, Berwick Briefs.

It was easy to see the physical differences in photos (and the 1970s dress code), but when asked about what has changed most since 1971, Feeley focused on compassion at Berwick.

“The way we approach discipline now is very different than it might have been in the early 70s. Now I think it’s a little bit more about holding the kids accountable, while also finding learning opportunities,” he says.

“There’s a counseling side of it to educate students on how to avoid making poor choices in the future. I think back then it was a much more hardline approach.”

Feeley also spoke of the evolution of teaching, “I certainly think our approaches in the classroom are different now. You see a lot more student-centered teaching. There is more focus on engaging the kids in a variety of ways so that different types of learners can express and show what they understand and learn and what they can do, as opposed to maybe a more traditional approach that existed back then.”

Conversations of change, growth, and development were heard all around campus on the day of the 50th anniversary celebration, but Feeley elaborated on a constant that still rings true today; the students are the heart of the Middle School. “I love this age because they’re at a really unique stage in their development, where they can be really immature in one moment and then be brilliant 30 seconds later. We see kids all the time who can’t figure out where they put their backpack, but then they come up with some elaborate solution to a problem in math class or make some incredible insightful comment for a discussion in an English class. It’s that sort of up and down where they’re right on that cusp between concrete and abstract thinker that, to me, is really exciting.”

He also discussed the two primary factors he considers when judging the success that the Middle School has seen over the last half a century — the right setting and the right people.

“I think we have an environment where kids who are at a naturally uncomfortable stage in their lives have a place where they can feel pretty comfortable,” Feeley says.

“Very few people would say, ’I want to be 13 again,’ because it is such a hard age. The fact that we provide this space for development is really important.”

If the students are the heart of the Middle School, there is no doubt that the faculty and staff are the soul. “These are people,” Feeley says, “who choose to work with this age group specifically. They have a level of flexibility, a sense of humor, and a certain amount of patience that’s required. They understand what these kids are going through, and they’re able to access the kids because they have that understanding.”

An advisory video challenge called on students to predict what life would be like at Berwick in the year 2071. From flying school buses to teachers in spacesuits, it was obvious that to pre-teens 50 years sounds like an eternity away. The winners of the challenge predicted a future class of students examining unrecognizable artifacts like markers and a piece of paper. While the abolition of markers and paper is most likely further away than 2071, Feeley is considering how our current reality is impacting a future that may be closer than we think.

“We’re at a really interesting time not just in the Middle School, but in education generally,” Feeley says. “There’s a lot happening in the world when you think about the impact of the pandemic. You think about a mental health crisis and political polarization in this country. I think over the next five to 10 years, we need to really focus our energy on teaching kids about civil discourse.”

Feeley has big plans for how today’s students can start preparing for the future of the world they will soon inherit.

“We’ve talked a lot about finding ways for kids to take more ownership and be real stakeholders in their learning.” Feeley also expressed his excitement for how the mindset of personal ownership and civic responsibility is being brought into classroom projects.

Most recently, students have started work on portfolios with an objective of determining how they learn individually so they can advocate for themselves in future learning experiences.

The final event of the 50th anniversary day of celebration was a student-led table tennis tournament, which included birthday cake and music. As a group, they ended the day of celebration the best way they could — together.

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H I L LTO P HA P P ENINGS

Jessie Harley ’15 Teaches Sign Language

by Julie Alexander, World Languages and Cultures Department Chair

T

hrough the leadership of Jessie Harley ’15, Introduction to American Sign Language (ASL) is being offered as a trimester course at Berwick for the first time.

Much to the delight of the World Languages and Cultures Department (WLC), the class was overenrolled, filling up quickly with a mix of tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders. While students are learning to fingerspell and sign words, they are also exploring deaf culture and community, and how to apply their receptive and expressive ASL skills through real discourse.

“ASL is incredibly fun, thought-provoking, and asks us to think about language and culture in a way we have never thought about before,” wrote one of Harley’s students. “Ms. Harley is an engaging, energetic teacher, who clearly finds joy in teaching us ASL.” In addition to being a Berwick graduate, Harley has long been a familiar face to Lower School students in After Care and also served as a teaching apprentice at Berwick while she completed her master’s program through Lesley College.

Ironically, Harley didn’t find her niche in the WLC Department while she was a student at Berwick; she discovered her affinity for American Sign Language during her undergraduate career at the University of New Hampshire.

“ASL is incredibly fun, thought-

“ASL with Ms. Harley has been so much fun,” another student added. “From learning basic signs to more about the deaf community, it’s been one of my favorite classes at Berwick.”

about before.” – ASL student

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provoking, and asks us to think about language and culture in a way we have never thought

Lunch

& Learn

by Jennifer Brewer, Director of Jackson Library, Lower School Librarian

D

espite the emergence of digital technology and resources, libraries remain community hubs. The American Association of School Libraries lists six foundational goals for building and maintaining successful library programs — inquire, include, collaborate, curate, explore, and engage. Around 2012, Berwick’s library staff began brainstorming ways to bring the Lower School faculty to the Jackson Library more often. At the time, many public libraries had initiated lunch programs and workshops. Using a similar blueprint, beginning in 2013, faculty were invited to the library once a month to enjoy in-house professional development experiences through sharing, learning, and delicious food. Out of that pilot program, Lunch & Learn was born and quickly became an integral part of the Lower School experience by providing teachers with a platform for collaboration, inquiry, and engagement.

Meetings take place on the third Thursday of the month in the Katz Lower School Library. In the first session of 2022, teachers joined Maker in Residence John Ibsen in the Fabrication Studio, where he spoke on “Building a Maker Space Experience for Your Class.” Each attendee had the opportunity to design a name plaque and have it run off on the Glowforge Laser Cutter. In February, Ellie Summers, the Lower School academic support coordinator, followed with a presentation entitled, “What Does Executive Function Mean to You?” More Lunch & Learns are planned for the remainder of the academic year. Previous topics have included the project approach, observational drawing, nature play, and coding. These opportunities rely on the support of the Berwick Parent Community, who generously volunteer their time to chaperone Lower School lunch while the faculty participate in this important Lunch & Learn program.

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H I L LTO P HA P P ENINGS

BERW

by Rob Quinn, Director of Athletics

T

he 2021-22 fall and winter athletic seasons looked a lot more normal compared to the year prior, and we were grateful for the resiliency and determination our student-athletes have showcased as we managed fluid guidelines and restrictions. Most of our teams returned to Eastern Independent League (EIL) competition in the fall, and both our Boys and Girls Soccer teams qualified for the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) playoffs. Winter sports were highlighted by an EIL Championship for the Girls Hockey team, led by Julia Cabral ’23, who was named EIL Player of the Year.

Led by tri-captains Finn Garside ’22, Parker Douglas ’22, and Jack Masiello ’23, this year’s Boys Varsity Cross Country team finished in fifth place at the Eastern Independent League (EIL) Championships at Franklin Park (up from seventh in 2019) and seventh place at the New England Prep School Track Association (NEPSTA) Championships at the University of Maine, Augusta (up from 15th in 2019).

BOYS VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY

Michael Eddy ’24, this year’s top runner and MVP, won all but two regular-season races. He finished second at the EIL Championships in 17:37, earning an EIL All-League recognition. Eddy finished seventh at the NEPSTA D4 championships with a time of 18:23. He nearly missed the top 20 at the NEPSTA All-Stars Race at St. Mark’s in Southborough, Massachusetts, finishing in 17:52 among the leading independent school runners in New England.

Nick Simonds ’24 was consistently the team’s number two runner, posting finish times of 20:48, 20:17, 19:55, 19:35, and a season-best 19:25 at the EIL Championships. For his efforts, Simonds earned an EIL Honorable Mention.

Will Shipley ’23, a Berwick top-five runner, was symbolic of the team’s unofficial motto of working hard, being present, and performing regardless of circumstance. He earned this year’s Coaches Award.

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HIG HLIGHTS | ATH LETI C S

I CK ATHLETICS GIRLS VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY

The Girls Varsity Cross Country team had a number of new runners this season.

Led by captain Kaia Buensuceso ’23, the team competed at Gordon College, Bancroft, Lexington Christian Academy (LCA), and Berwick Academy during the regular season. Julia Michaud ’23 was the top Berwick runner throughout the regular season, with her fastest run being 24:58 at LCA. Maia Cook ’24, Maya Learner ’25, Haley Ritter ’23, and Buensuceso rounded out the top five.

The girls won against LCA and Bancroft at Gordon College in September. The EIL Championships were held at Franklin Park, where two runners competed. Ritter finished with a time of 25:41 and Learner finished in 26:00.

The NEPSTA Championship was at the University of Maine, Augusta, where Ritter finished with a time of 26:46 and Buensuceso crossed the line at 35:11.

Michaud ’23 was this season’s MVP, modeling resiliency and growth this fall.

Though she couldn’t compete at EILs or NEPSTAs due to injury, she was still an integral part of the team. Buensuceso ’23 received this season’s Coaches Award.

Though she was injured for much of the season, she led warm-ups, offered advice, and inspired new runners to work hard and have fun.

The Varsity Golf team rounded out the season and EIL championship with a 6-3-1 record, finishing second overall. The veterans on the team, including four starting seniors, led the way from the start and never looked back. That leadership translated to a few tenth grade athletes emerging into steady contributors and future leaders of the program. The EIL Championships were held at The Links at Outlook in South Berwick, and the Bulldogs put together a strong showing on their home course to finish second overall. Reece Bessette ’24 fired a team low 77, followed closely by Shivani Vora ’22 (78), Jack Kenney ’22 (85), Ronan McDonald ’24 (86), and James Choate ’22 (88). As the team scores were counted, the Bulldogs fell short of the Pingree Highlanders, but defeated the other five teams in the field.

VARSITY GOLF

Kenney ’22 and Vora ’22 earned All-League recognition this season.

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H I L LTO P HA P P ENINGS The Field Hockey program wrapped up the season with a 5-8-1 record, including a 3-2 win over Dana Hall and a hard-fought 2-0 win over Hebron Academy. The team was led by captains Sophia Snaith ’22, Alex Kingsland ’22, Elie Crigler ’23, and Reese Fendelet ’23. The return to EIL play brought the return of league and NEPSAC recognition for BA athletes. Kingsland received All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention, while both Kingsland and Fendelet received EIL All-League recognition.

VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY

Year-end awards recognized Fendelet ’23 as the MVP and Ella Martin ’24 as the Coaches Award recipient.

The Bulldogs wrapped up their regular season with an impressive 13-3-3 overall record. In the Eastern Independent League, Berwick was involved in a three-way chase for the top spot with Beaver Country Day (BCD) and Lexington Christian Academy teams. In the end, a late-season loss to the former gave BCD the title, with the Bulldogs finishing a very close second. This year’s team could be explosive from time to time in the offensive end of the field, but its true trademark was a defensive unit that conceded just eight goals in 14 matches, leading the EIL. Much credit goes to defenders Alex Penfold ’22, Hayden McGovern ’22, and Ryan Hall ’22, as well as goalies Owen Kenney ’24 and Liliano Rosa ’22 for their consistency and efforts in this vital area of the field.

Mitchell Varley ’22, Tyler Hall ’22, and Garrett Lincoln ’22 showed great leadership and excellent play along the way, highlighted by a pair of home wins against rivals Pingree (2-0) and reigning New England Champion Concord Academy (3-0). The season ended with a trip to the Berkshires to play St. Luke’s School in the quarterfinals of the New England Tournament. A goal by Varley ’22 in the first half gave Berwick a halftime edge, while a final-minute equalizer by Hall ’22 pushed the game into overtime. In the end, penalty kicks once again became an unfriendly way to see the season end, but this collection of twelfth graders should be very proud of all they have accomplished in their four years together. End-of-season honors went to Peter Wojdak ’22 (Coaches Award) and Penfold ’22 (MVP). Further recognition went to tri-captains Varley ’22, T. Hall ’22, and Lincoln ’22, who were named to the EIL All-League team, as well as R. Hall ’22 and McGovern ’22, who were selected as Honorable Mention.

BOYS VARSITY SOCCER

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HIG HLIGHTS | ATH LETI C S

GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER

The Girls Varsity Soccer team finished the 2021 season with a 14-4-3 record, making it to the EIL finals and NEPSAC semifinals. The team scored an impressive 40 goals, had a 0.76 goals-against average, and recorded 13 shutouts.

The Bulldogs continued with their recent success and qualified for both the EIL and NEPSAC postseason tournaments for the fourth year in a row, with their only losses coming to teams that advanced to the NEPSAC finals. The Bulldogs graduate a strong group: Sophia Whitney ’22, Phoebe Clark ’22, Charlotte Vatcher ’22, Kara Borkowski ’22, Reese Murphy ’22, and Lily Pleau ’22, who all played crucial roles in the program’s success over the last four years. Highlights from the season include Murphy’s stoppage-time goal vs. Proctor that brought the Bulldogs to the NEPSAC semifinals; Whitney’s screamer to the top corner in the 1-0 victory over Beaver; Pleau’s brace in the victory over New Hampton; Clark’s and Vatcher’s goals vs Newton Country Day that brought the Bulldogs to the EIL finals; and Borkowski’s goal in the first five minutes of our senior day game vs. Portsmouth Abbey. Vatcher ’22 was voted the team’s MVP, following in the footsteps of older sister Annie Vatcher ’17, who received the same recognition four years earlier. Looking ahead, the 2022 Bulldogs will return this year’s Coaches Award recipient Bella Mazza ’23 as well as leading point scorer Grace Libby ’24, who had nine goals and 11 assists.

Earning All-League recognition this season were Whitney ’22, Clark ’22, Vatcher ’22, Dowd ’23, and Pleau ’22. Additionally, Dowd ’23 earned NEPSAC Junior All-Star honors and Clark ’22 and Whitney ’22 were named NEPSAC All-Stars.

The Bulldogs continued to develop as a varsity program this year, focusing on increasing their serving percentage and communicating on the court. Led by Ashlyn Bennett ’22 and Rowan Brennan ’23, the Volleyball team set out to beat last year’s record and certainly proved that they are a force to be reckoned with. The team had a great season, accumulating 211 points without return, 94 total kills, and 29 blocked attacks.

With such a young team of dedicated players, there are high hopes for future success as the years unfold. Come fall of 2022, the players and coaching staff are ready to pick up where they left off this season and continue building the Bulldogs Volleyball program.

VARSITY VOLLEYBALL

Brennan ’23 received EIL All-League recognition this season, while Bennett ’22 was awarded EIL Honorable Mention.

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H I L LTO P HA P P ENINGS

With many new faces coming into this season, the Boys Varsity Basketball team battled hard and earned a handful of solid wins, highlighted by focused and unselfish play. Returning from winter break, the team was a bit rusty, and that carried through most of January. But February was all about focus, energy, and belief. With those qualities in mind, the team was able to bounce back with solid performances against bigger schools and earn some key wins, including a great victory in the final home game of the season, where twelfth graders Chas Brightman ’22, Harry Nigrin ’22, Thomas Sands ’22, Ryan Hall ’22, Liliano Rosa ’22, Neil Mendez ’22, and Ahmed Algamil ’22 were recognized. The final regular season game was a culmination of all the hard work the team put in this season. In a playoff environment at a packed Bancroft gym, it was a literal Bulldog fight. Berwick showed great poise and grit to secure the win in overtime and earned its qualifying record for NEPSAC consideration.

BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL

Girls Varsity Basketball finished the season with a 12-6 record. The five Grade 12 student-athletes — Charlotte Vatcher ’22, Téa Gianoulis ’22, Nat Simonds ’22, Kara Borkowski ’22, and Julia Wagner ’22 — capped their careers by leading the program to the postseason for the first time in eight years by qualifying for the Eastern Independent League (EIL) Tournament as the fourth seed. The team started the season strong with a 4-0 record, which included winning the Landmark Holiday Tip-Off tournament with a 38-14 win over the Landmark School. Simonds ’22 had a standout performance and was named tournament MVP. The girls added a second four-game win streak later in the season, which included a thrilling victory over Winsor School that was highlighted by Ella Smith ’26 making two free throws with no time on the clock to send the game to overtime. The team capped off a 6-2 home record in the Wood Gym with a dominant 52-25 win over Concord Academy in front of a spirited crowd as the twelfth graders were honored before the game. For their efforts, a host of Bulldogs were recognized with postseason recognition. Grace Libby ’24 was selected as an EIL All-Star, while Cam Hamilton ’23 and Vatcher ’22 garnered EIL Honorable Mention. Gianoulis ’22 received the Coaches Award for her contributions to the team as a player, teammate, and leader. Simonds ’22 was selected as an EIL and NEPSAC All-Star and was named the team’s MVP. With a core group of young players returning, the Bulldogs will look to build on a successful season in 2022-23.

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL

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HIG HLIGHTS | ATH LETI C S It was a huge success for the Boys Varsity Ice Hockey team to complete a full season after the challenges of last year’s pandemic-altered schedule. The team was led by captains Liam Martin ’22, Nick McSorley ’22, and Josh Felton ’23. The team spirit remained high throughout the winter and the players continued to push themselves and improve right to the end. The Bulldogs have a very young group that will gain significant experience moving into next year. One notable highlight was rejoining the Holt Conference, made up of seven teams throughout Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The Bulldogs will have an opportunity for exciting playoff hockey each season as a result.

BOYS VARSITY ICE HOCKEY

Season highlights for the 2021-22 Girls Varsity Ice Hockey team include a second consecutive Travis Roy Maine Prep Cup Championship, an Eastern Independent League (EIL) Championship that featured an exciting shootout win over Portsmouth Abbey, and the individual play of captains Julia Cabral ’23 and Bella Pomarico ’23. Cabral’s 27 goals tied a program record for most goals in a single season and landed her fourth in NEPSAC scoring. Her performance earned her team MVP honors, EIL All-League, and EIL Player of the Year honors. Pomarico finished the season ranked first among all NEPSAC goaltenders with 621 saves and a .930 save percentage. She was named EIL All-League and received the Coaches Award for her remarkable performance in net. Kimi Hurer ’23 was also named EIL All-League while captain Reese Fendelet ’23, Bella Mazza ’23, and Louise Roper ’24 all received EIL Honorable Mention.

GIRLS VARSITY ICE HOCKEY

The Swimming team was excited to return to the pool this season and finished with some impressive results. Two swimmers competed at the NESPAC Championships, with Joey Fiermonti ’24 finishing third in the 100 freestyle and sixth in the 200 freestyle.

Talula Gregg ’26 took home ninth in the 100 backstroke and 12th in the 50 freestyle.

At the EIL Championship, Jishnu Dey ’23 earned a second-place finish in the 100 butterfly, Fiermonti took third in the 500 freestyle, Connor Carmody ’22 swam to a fourth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke, and the boys 200 medley (Declan Carmody ’22, C. Carmody, Dey, and Fiermonti) and 400 freestyle (Noah Rich ’24, Ryan Houlahan ’23, Dey, and Fiermonti) relay teams both registered top-five finishes.

VARSITY SWIMMING

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Mike Eruzione ‘73 speaking to members of SALT (above); Eruzione with members of the 2021-22 Boys and Girls Ice Hockey teams (right); and Eruzione celebrating on Team USA during the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” against the Soviet Union (below).

Team USA Legend Talks Leadership at Alma Mater M

by Andersen Pickard ’23

ike Eruzione ’73 is no stranger to heroics, but it didn’t take a miracle for his impact to be felt at Berwick on November 4.

The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey legend returned to his old stomping grounds, devoting a lunch session to discussing his story and the core values of leadership with the School’s Student Athletic Leadership Team (SALT).

The 67-year-old Eruzione has spent most of his life as a resident of Winthrop, Massachusetts. He showed interest in various postgraduate programs coming out of high school, before ultimately deciding to attend Berwick Academy. On the Hilltop, the athletic star played hockey, baseball, and football. He even rose to the occasion when the golf team was short on members.

Recruited by colleges for hockey, baseball, and football, Eruzione seemed destined for the University of New Hampshire.

However, UNH couldn’t guarantee him a spot on the hockey team, so Eruzione committed to Merrimack College. He ultimately ended up at Boston University, when legendary coach Jack Parker — then the assistant coach at BU — offered Eruzione a spot with the Terriers after seeing him play while refereeing his summer league game.

Throughout his life, Eruzione has taken advantage of his

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HIG HLIGHTS | ATH LETI C S

In his visit to Berwick, Eruzione emphasized the importance of trust and respect to the student-athletes gathered to hear him speak.

He quoted 1980 U.S. hockey coach Herb Brooks to emphasize his point. “If you don’t respect yourself…your teammates…your competition,” Brooks once said, “you will not be successful.”

Eruzione also talked about the importance of allowing oneself to learn from mistakes. “Nobody goes through life without mistakes,” he said. “But success comes to those who don’t allow their mistakes to happen again.”

Eruzione’s 1973 Berwick Boys Ice Hockey team. opportunities. Drafted by the New York Rangers, Eruzione broke into professional hockey with an affiliate team in Toledo, Ohio, but had his rights waived when general manager John Ferguson was fired. If he hadn’t become a free agent, he never would have been eligible for the Olympics in Lake Placid, never would have been on the ice for the astounding comeback win over the Soviet Union in the semifinal, or the gold medal victory against Finland.

He also detailed the 1980 team’s road to the gold medal at Lake Placid, the mental and physical training that allowed the Americans to beat the mighty Russian Olympic team, and the heart that translated to a comeback win in the gold medal game against Finland. Eruzione emphasized the communication and leadership that helped the U.S. band together for the historic victories.

For all he has accomplished on the ice and off, Eruzione was quick to put the Berwick students at ease by advising them to simply be themselves. “I’m the same person today,” Eruzione said, “as I was in high school.”

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Upper School production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

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HIGHLIG H TS | A RTS

ARTS UPDATE

by Raegan Russell, Director of Visual & Performing Arts

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he fall and winter trimesters brought with them the return of live performances in the Patricia Baldwin Whipple Performing Ar ts Center, and it was so wonderful to see our students take the stage and family members join in the audience once again. Along with showings of our Upper School fall play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime, and Upper School musical, My Fair Lady, our Lower School students perfor med their Winter Solstice concert, and students in Grades 5-12 par ticipated in the Winter Concer t series. We continue to thrive in visual arts, as 11 students submitted work to the Regional Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition, with five students receiving top recognition.

Visual and performing arts students continue to be flexible and creative in the ways they express themselves.

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H I L LTO P HA P P ENINGS A virtual exhibit at the Portland Museum of Art highlights one student artist from each Berwick Academy division. To view the collection, visit www.portlandmuseum.org/yam-2022

Middle School, Pierce Jenkins ’27 Lower School, Lilah Derr ’31

Upper School, Chili Dowd ’23

ON DISPLAY AT THE JACKSON ART GALLERY

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HIGHLIG H TS | A RTS

DANCE Berwick Academy dancers have been busy in the studio, training, exploring, and creating. The Upper School Company performed at the all-school assembly in December, marking the first time they’ve performed in front of a live audience in almost two years.

One wonderful cross-divisional highlight this winter included fourth grade dancers in class with the Middle School Dance Team. They experienced what a typical rehearsal looks like, learned some new choreography, and even created their own mini-dances. Additionally, we held our second Berwick Dance Buddies meeting with the Middle and Upper School company dancers, where dancers showcased their dances and participated in a bonding activity with their buddies. As we transition into spring, the Kindergarten-Grade 12 dancers have begun working on their final pieces for our Spring Dance Concert, Dance Through Time, Eras and Moments. The Middle and Upper School Company is also starting to work on their full company production of Wonderland, our own version of the classic tale Alice in Wonderland.

PERFORMING ARTS Five students from the Performing Arts Department represented Berwick Academy in the District One Honors Band and Choir Festival.

Congratulations to Lynn Forest ’23, Zhuowei Che ’22, Lily Mansfield ’22, and Stella Ridolfi ’23 for their participation in the Honors Choir and to Will Shipley ’23 for his participation in the Honors Concert Band. Students audition to participate in these collaborative ensembles, where they are joined by the best high school musicians in the area under the direction of guest conductors. Kudos to our students on stage performing music at the highest level.

Andre Boufama ’24 represented Berwick Academy at the Maine AllState Jazz festival. He auditioned and was one of only five bass players selected statewide to perform at the festival.

This year saw a return to the stage for many of our ensembles and classes as students in Grades 5-12 participating in band, strings, guitar, and African drumming performed as part of our Winter Concert series.

Additionally, we closed out the calendar year with our Lower School Solstice Performance, featuring our Pre-K-Grade 4 student performers.

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VISUAL ART

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or the third straight year, fifth grade artists participated in the HASHI 2022 printmaking exchange and sent block prints capturing their everyday life to students in Aomori, Japan for an exhibition. Prints from Japan will also be sent to Maine for exhibition. This exchange is a part of an ongoing sister-state relationship between Maine and Aomori.

Eleven students submitted individual artworks and art portfolios to the Regional Scholastic Art and Writing Competition, a national juried art and writing competition. The following students gained top recognition in the state of Maine: Ashlyn Bennett ’22, Mischa Landgarten ’23, Rekha Mahadevan ’23, Hannah Mather ’22, and Caleb Weinstein ’22.

A virtual exhibit at the Portland Museum of Art highlights one student artist from each Berwick Academy division. To view the collection, visit www.portlandmuseum.org/yam-2022. Opens March 1, 2022.

Students across three divisions at Berwick have submitted their art pieces to the annual student art exhibit, titled TEXTURE. Pieces featured in the exhibit can be seen throughout this issue of Berwick Today.

Mischa Landgarten ’23 Scholastics Honorable Mention Get Up Already

Mischa Landgarten ’23

Mischa Landgarten ’23

Rekha Mahadevan ’23 Scholastics Silver Key Award The Weight of the World

Scholastics Silver Key Award Scholastics Silver Key Award Abscond Skull Portrait

Hannah Mather ’22 Ashlyn Bennett ’22 Scholastics Silver Key Award Tie Down

Hannah Mather ’22 Scholastics Silver Key Award Rock Paper Scissors, Shoot!

Scholastics Honorable Mention Sktechbook

Caleb Weinstein ’22

Caleb Weinstein ’22

Scholastics Silver Key Award Ruby Wavy Bowl

Scholastics Honorable Mention Award Iris Amber and Salmon Footed Wavy Cup

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Caleb Weinstein ’22 Scholastics Gold Key Award Tan Cylinder with Gold Weaving

HIGHLIG H TS | A RTS

BERWICK ACADEMY THEATER PRODUCTIONS

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n the Upper School, Berwick drama students proudly presented, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, directed by visiting artist and playwright Najee Brown. This award-winning play, written by Simon Stephens and based on the book by Mark Haddon, touches upon themes of empowerment, neurodiversity, and acceptance. Brown directed students in repertory style acting in this production and also brought a performance and discussion panel from Project Empathy to the Upper School student assembly.

The Middle School Production, A Wrinkle in Time, featured student actors and crew members in Grades 5-8 delving into the play adaptation of the classic story by Madeleine de L’Engle. Co-directed

by Page Rich and Lisa Long as well as student director Stella Ridolfi ’23, this show featured two parallel casts for two productions in April 2022.

The Upper School musical production, the Lerner and Loewe classic My Fair Lady, based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, tells the story of how a cockney flower girl is transformed into a lady against the backdrop of social/economic and gender inequality in Edwardian England. The production featured a great cast, student tech crew, select student choreography, set designers, and student musicians playing in the pit orchestra. Artistic Director: Hevia Paxson, Middle and Upper School Art Teacher.

Twelfth grade tech and crew members in 2021-22 theater productions: Mariam Abradavan ’22, Parker Douglas ’22 (lighting designer/leader), Sasha Hoven ’22 (pit orchestra), Ashlyn Bennett ’22, Hannah Mather ’22, and Shivani Vora ’22.

Twelfth grade cast members in 2021-22 theater productions: Zhuoiwei Che ’22, Lily Mansfield ’22, Noah Robie ’22, and Gabe Naftoly ’22.

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RealWorldCurriculum:TheMilitary-CivilianGap

by Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications

Lindsay Bennett ’24, Virginia Hudson ’24, Noah Rich ’24, Thomas Brennan, Jessica Wojdak ’24, Hannah Nahas ’24, and Brad Belin

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nspired by a spring trimester social studies learning unit on war, military service, and veterans, students Virginia Hudson, Jessica Wojdak, Lindsay Bennett, and Noah Rich — all members of the Berwick Academy Class of 2024 — took their interest in the subject beyond the classroom to gain professional journalistic experience.

Wojdak wrote about dissecting difficult conversations between civilians and veterans and how those conversations can be brought into the classroom. She interviewed Marine Corps Captain Dave Donahue, asking him to share how common statements such as ’thank you for your service’ can make veterans feel.

Working alongside social studies teacher Brad Belin, who taught them in eighth grade, as well as Thomas Brennan, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and the founder and executive director of the military-focused nonprofit The War Horse News, the students spent 18 months gaining experience alongside professional journalists.

“Writing my essay was very empowering, educational, and grounding,” Wojdak said.

“It reminded me to be grateful for everything I have in life. I quickly realized that my only impressions of war and military service were all about training and combat. I had never seen the impact of war until I spoke with these veterans.”

Each of the students chose a topic specific to military service and drafted an article with guidance from Belin and Brennan. As a result of this partnership, these four Berwick Academy students are published writers. Their stories explore a range of topics, from viewing service as a military child to understanding a grandfather’s service to insight into how military service should be discussed in the classroom. On November 11, 2021, the stories were featured on the front page of military.com in honor of Veterans Day.

Bennett used the project as an opportunity to learn more about her grandfather’s military history, illustrating his service with the U.S. Army in Vietnam through the late 1960s and early ’70s. Hudson also wrote about her grandfather’s service with the U.S. Air Force and was surprised to find out he had very few stories of combat from his service in Delaware and Germany. She learned that service is not just about the front lines, but the many important roles that contribute to a bigger picture.

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For Rich, the connection to the military was close to home, having grown up with his father serving in the Middle East as a doctor for the U.S. Navy. Though his father never witnessed combat, he is no stranger to the effects of war, having been the first to see the physical state of sick and injured veterans.

Rich compared the stories he heard from his father to those he heard in school and made a revelation that he used to title his essay “War Is Indefinable.”

“In schools, you learn just about what the war was about and what happened during and after, then you move on,” he wrote. “There should be more of an education about how war affects individuals.”

Rich’s mother and Berwick Academy Lower and Middle School music teacher Page Rich was inspired by the project. “As parents, we hope our children embrace learning opportunities that empower them to better understand themselves and the world around them. This project began as a class conversation on Zoom in the early days of the pandemic and quickly became a journey that carried students far beyond the classroom.”

HIGHLIG HTS | SPEC IAL I N TER ES T

Addressing Berwick Academy on Veterans Day 2021, Belin recalled stories from veterans that were shared with him and his students. With each anecdote, Belin reminded his audience that service does not always look the same, but it does not lessen the value of each veteran’s contribution. He concluded his speech with a challenge to the Berwick community to do their part to close the gap between veterans and civilians.

“My role as an educator has allowed me to play a small part in serving those who have served through an immersive, real-world curriculum that seeks to lessen the military and civilian divide,” Belin said. “Regardless of the ways we choose to do it, I challenge all of us to seek opportunities to connect with and support our veterans and service members.

Because this, too, is service.”

The goal of Project Bulldog is to set a framework for students to have fun and grow through athleticrelated experiences at Berwick and beyond.

PROJECT BULLDOG

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VETERANS DAY “We are grateful for your service.”

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fter hosting a virtual reception in 2020, Berwick was excited to welcome service members back to campus for the traditional all-school assembly in honor of Veterans Day. Berwick’s extended community is full of veterans and active-duty military members who have served our country all over the world.

Veteran alumni in classes ranging from the 1950s to 2008, as well as current parent and grandparent veterans, gathered after the assembly to share stories, receive cards from Lower School students, and connect with others in the community. Those in attendance represented every branch of the military, fought in wars from World War II to the present, and reminisced on the meaningful impact their service had on their lives.

“We are grateful for your service,” said Assistant Head of School for External Affairs Amy Smucker in a message to veterans. “We proudly remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and extend our gratitude to each and every one of you. Thank you for protecting our freedom.”

roject Bulldog, an athlete-to-athlete mentorship program, was established by the Upper School Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) in 2021. It is rooted in the philosophy that “We are all Bulldogs” and it is our responsibility to help each other and come together as one team. Middle School students in Grades 6-8 connect with SALT members during regularly scheduled meetings to gain perspective on the Upper School junior varsity and varsity athletics experience, including the basics of when and how Berwick plays, the different levels of participation offered, who the coaches are, how to support each other as teammates, and how to prepare to become an Upper School student-athlete. The program delves into the culture of athletics at Berwick and how athletes and coaches take pride in representing the School’s core values of excellence, stretching through engagement, commitment to integrity, and balance; it introduces our athletic creed, which states, “As Berwick athletes, fans, and coaches, we play, cheer, and coach with integrity and pride. We hold ourselves accountable on and off the field and recognize that our actions and words reflect directly upon us, our school, and our team. We are leaders who handle both adversity and success with humility and respect.” The goal of Project Bulldog is to set a framework for students to have fun and grow through athletic-related experiences at Berwick and beyond.

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AUTUMN RICHARDS WAANI ’12

Sustainable Business

by Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications

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o r A u t u m n R i c h a r d s Wa a n i ’ 1 2 , sustainability isn’t just a mindset; it’s her livelihood. On the brink of her 10-year reunion, Waani updated Berwick Academy on her projects of passion and how she found herself exactly where she was meant to be.

Shortly after graduating, Waani earned her degree from the Culinary Institute of America and embarked on a career as a pastry chef.

With a lifelong fascination and respect for nature, she soon yearned for her professional endeavors to mirror her personal ones. Thus, the birth of her company, Backyard Fern, an online market offering 100% plastic-free, vegan-friendly, and locally handmade goods.

Though sustainability and business were not in Waani’s original plans after leaving the Hilltop, her journey has been a satisfying one.

“Although I received recognition and awards in my career as a pastry chef, my greatest accomplishment was actually when I gave myself the freedom to change careers,” she says. “Changing the course of your life can be intimidating. I’m very proud to have allowed myself to pursue and grow my interests in the worlds of art, writing, and sustainability. Recognizing your desire for change and actually creating change are 46 | WINTER/SPRING 2022

two separate things. My greatest fear was doing both and, in turn, I was able to build Backyard Fern, a company that enables artisans to pursue their own creative interests.”

Backyard Fern is an online market offering 100% plastic-free, veganfri e n d l y, and locally handmade goods, all while shipping orders in minimal eco-friendly packaging with carbonneutral shipping. The mission behind the business model stemmed from Waani’s own frustrations as a shopper.

“I longed for a place where I could shop anxiety-free,” she explains, “a place where I was confident in the quality and sustainability of the goods and where I knew my purchase would directly contribute to something positive in the world. At Backyard Fern, people know their purchase directly supports local makers and small businesses, while 4% of profits are given to charities benefiting environmental and community causes.”

In her new business venture, Waani is able to incorporate her expressive talents when working with the 25+ independent artists featured in the market. Collaborating

with a progressive team and a creative mindset is not something new for her, however. The opportunities she had at Berwick to experiment with new methods of creativity are some of Waani’s fondest memories.

“Whether it was in the visual, physical, or literary arts, I spent countless hours participating in all the creative spaces Berwick had to offer,” she says. “Having access to such a wide variety of creative courses inspired me to continue to prioritize the arts in my daily life as an adult, which led to the creation of Backyard Fern.”

With a new chapter of her career underway, Waani is open to reflection and offering insight for budding young professionals.

When asked what advice she would give to students and alumni looking to start a career that follows a personal interest, Waani urged the nurturing of passions and allowing room for oneself to evolve and learn.

“While you may be focusing on a specific passion in terms of a career,” she says, “being a well-rounded individual can have an amazing effect on your abilities to be creative and succeed within your focus and life.”

HIG HLIGHTS | A LU MN I

ANYA BURZYNSKI ’10

The Power of Networking

by Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications

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nya Burzynski ’10 was on a career path in public health, earning her bachelor’s degree in health policy and management from Providence College and a master’s degree in public health from Boston University. But one year after completing her advanced degree, she switched her focus to aerospace manufacturing. “It’s never too late to try something new,” she explained.

Burzynski now works at AeroDynamics, a service provider for aerospace manufacturers. As director of operations, she oversees the day-to-day activities that keep the company running. While shifting career paths can have its challenges, Burzynski notes how important it is to create and maintain a solid network, and how that has benefited her in her current role. “One of my primary focuses is hiring and retaining talent.

Over the last four years, I have made several key hires, and my secret weapon is my strong Berwick network. I have always viewed alumni gatherings as great hiring opportunities.”

If she could give one piece of advice to current students, it would be to remember that networking goes beyond friendships. In fact, in her experience, oftentimes you don’t have to be best friends to make great co-workers.

Berwick alumni who AeroDynamics has hired throughout the years, Emerson Bilodeau ’10, Tatiana Bradley ’15, Kennedy Tischner ’15, Bonnie McDermott ’16, Anya Burzynski ’10 Burzynski fondly recalls long bus trips with the ice hockey team, building team camaraderie. But along with building friendships with teammates, she was most thankful to leave Berwick with strong critical thinking skills that still help her today. “Being able to think through a problem, collaborate, and come up with creative solutions is something a small company has to do every day.”

Despite switching gears, Burzynski is satisfied with where she landed. “I realized that a degree did not define my future, and making this transition has been so rewarding.”

ALUMNI PHOTOS

Alumni

Bruins H

ockey G

y Game 2021 Alumni Hocke

Jim Hamilton and Jessie Orzech Pares ’92

ame

Dick Shafner ’65 and former faculty Dave Morton in Naples, Florida

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Ryan Walters ’11 resulted in incredible impacts — from front-line support of the country’s pandemic response to helping our clients build more inclusive cultures for employees and customers. My proudest accomplishment is the work I have done around the latter. In this role, I have helped large companies like Marriott design an inclusive Room for All across their 7,000+ hotels worldwide and supported a Silicon Valley-based transportation company with their go-to-market strategy.

How do you feel Berwick helped prepare you for your professional career?

Ryan Walters graduated from Berwick in 2011. He attended William & Mary and continued on to get his MBA at the University of Darden School of Business.

He is currently working at Deloitte in Washington D.C. as a healthcare strategy senior consultant.

What is your proudest accomplishment since leaving Berwick?

After graduating from Berwick, I attended The College of William & Mary. It started out as the quintessential college experience. The fall of my freshman year you might have found me throwing the football around on our quad, what we called the Sunken Gardens, studying for midterms in the oldest academic building in the country, where Thomas Jefferson was taught, or meeting with our chancellor, Robert Gates, a former secretary of defense. Berwick prepared me well for this storied next chapter in my life. However, in the spring of my freshman year, I suffered an accident that left me paralyzed below the waist.

This propelled me into a career of purpose and one that holds many proud accomplishments. Joining a Big Four consulting firm in 2017, I immediately began to build a brand in the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion spaces. Both have

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Our school shaped my leadership style, allowing me to build critical skills while in student government. I was also able to build strong communication skills through the public speaking competitions I participated in and the need to persuade classmates and teachers in my role in student government. Yet, the two things I received from Berwick that stand out the most to me are my drive and passion. BA is a collection of talented and smart students and teachers who create an academic environment that is rigorous and rewarding. This instilled in me a fire in my belly to not be satisfied with OK, instead striving for exceptional.

As I mentioned earlier, purpose is extremely important to me in my career. I would not have been able to find my purpose without passion, which is rooted in my time at BA. My senior year, I found a passion for psychology thanks to a wonderful teacher, Cindy Briggs. Her AP Psychology class launched me on a trajectory to studying marketing and psychology in college.

Her influence is a large part of why I am building a career in the healthcare field.

What is your fondest memory of your time at Berwick?

One experience that comes to mind is when a group of teachers, friends, and I traveled to Kentucky after my junior year to visit our pen pals at Lassiter Middle School. The trip contained all of the elements that made my time at BA so special — purpose, new and exciting experiences, old and new friends, and genuine laughter. Highlights included visiting the University of Kentucky and Churchill Downs, eating at Joe’s Crab Shack overlooking the Ohio River, and of course, drinking Big Red soda. We made lifelong friends with the students from Lassiter (and the next summer they visited us in Maine), some of whom I still keep in touch with to this day.

Do you have any advice for students graduating from Berwick this year?

I encourage current students to spend time appreciating what they have today. So much of our life we are looking ahead to what we want or behind to what we had and forget to be grateful for where we are today.

HIG HLIGHTS | A LU MN I

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Sophie Beauchesne ’19 Sophie graduated from Berwick in 2019 and is in her third year at Salve Regina University studying environmental science.

She highlights the many research and project-based opportunities she’s had at Salve and previews her studying abroad experience in Tanzania this winter.

Can you summarize your internships and research in environmental science at Salve Regina University?

This past summer, I had the opportunity to work alongside Dr. Jameson Chace on a summer research project funded by Rhode Island Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and the National Science Foundation. I worked in the field, banding live songbirds and recording data to better understand how breeding songbirds use the many islands in Narragansett Bay as refuge from mainland predators. Bird banding was one of the skills I never thought I would ever acquire in college, but it is the most rewarding and fun.

I also worked closely with the Audubon Society of Rhode Island to observe the nesting behavior and reproductive success of osprey. This past semester, I was a water quality and access intern at Clean Ocean Access, a small environmental nonprofit. I was able to gain firsthand

experience working in the nonprofit sector, which taught me a lot about what makes local nonprofits successful. The most fun part of the job was collecting water samples in the ocean.

How did attending Berwick spark your interest in studying environmental science?

The biology classes at Berwick did a great job at both giving me a basis in lab sampling techniques and sparking my interest in studying environmental sciences. I have many fond memories of going outside and exploring the trails right on campus during our biology labs.

How did Berwick prepare you for your undergraduate experience at Salve Regina?

Research projects at Berwick challenged me to develop questions and explore my unique interests. The small class sizes taught me how to interact and develop relationships with faculty, which has opened many doors for undergraduate research, internships, and study abroad opportunities.

Can you explain your upcoming opportunity to study abroad?

As a part of the study abroad program at Salve Regina, I will be traveling to Zanzibar Island, located off the coast of Tanzania. There, I will take several classes focused on marine ecology and natural resource management as well as learn the Kiswahili language. I am most looking forward to experiencing a new culture, meeting new people, and exploring the coral reefs.

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Welcome the New President of the Board

by Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications

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arbara O’Connor is the CFO of KFO, LLC, a small Boston family office. Previously, Barbara was the CFO and a partner of The Baupost Group, LLC, a Boston-based investment firm until her retirement in 2018. Prior to joining Baupost in 1996, she served as vice president of finance at BayBanks, Inc. and earned her CPA while at Arthur Andersen. Barbara holds a B.S./B.A. in accounting from Bucknell University and a master’s of science in finance from Boston College.

Barbara has been a member of Berwick Academy’s Board of Trustees since 2014 and worked on several board committees, including Financial Affairs, Audit, Finance subcommittee, Investment, and Executive committees during her tenure.

Q&A

Along with serving as the president of the Board of Trustees for Berwick Academy, she serves on the Boards of Directors of WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station, and Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center, a nonprofit with the mission to empower individuals and engage communities to end domestic violence. Barbara lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and has three children, including Evan ’19.

What motivates you to serve the School in this impactful way?

What excites you most about Berwick’s new strategic plan?

I feel very strongly about the importance of education in our society. My youngest son, Evan, graduated from Berwick in 2019. He benefited tremendously from Berwick’s academic programs and, more importantly, from the many ways that Berwick’s community helped him grow as an individual. He learned a lot about himself by trying new activities and engaging with others with various perspectives. I am grateful to all of those who came before me who gave their time and resources to Berwick and made Evan’s experience possible. Now, I would like to do my part to ensure that Berwick continues to thrive for many future generations of Bulldogs.

I am excited about all of the initiatives in the strategic plan. In my view, they advance the School in the ways we work together and positively impact the broader community. We embark on this new strategic plan from a position of strength and, as we meet our objectives; we will have diversified our adult and student community; made progress on our environmental footprint; improved our educational systems; and developed important external partnerships for the benefit of our students and the local community. Our society is changing rapidly, and this strategic plan will position us well to prepare our students to be future leaders.

You have served in several volunteer roles.

What is unique about this experience at Berwick?

Why is The Campaign for Berwick important for the School at this moment?

Each of the boards I serve on is very different, but all do very important work for our community. My experience with Berwick is unique in a couple of ways. First, it is the first board that I have led. It is rewarding to learn about and contribute to each of the areas of the Board’s work as chair and to help guide the direction of the School. Additionally, of the nonprofits I work with, Berwick is the one I have a personal connection with, and that makes it special to me. As we hear about the programs and initiatives of the School, it is very easy for me to imagine their impact on the students and their families as I was once in their shoes.

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The Campaign for Berwick is important to reinforce our financial strength and to provide the current and future leaders of the School the flexibility to continue to enroll a highly qualified and diverse student body, attract and retain outstanding faculty and staff, and invest in our campus and programs. Personally, I am proud to have donated to the growth of the endowment as I believe it will help make Berwick’s great education and experience accessible to a wider range of students.

BOARD MEMBERS Barbara O’Connor, President Paula Williamson-Reid, Vice President James Lawson, Treasurer Jason Kroll, Secretary Alice Bentley Lesli Friel Jim Hamilton Jim Jalbert Eric Katz ’84 Kennett R. Kendall, Jr. Dr. Arul Mahadevan Suzanne Miller Jermaine Moore Clare O’Brien Nicole Outsen Catherine L. Stevens Powell ’80 Malcolm Smith III Patrick Spearman Kelly McGowan, ex officio Natalee Ohayon Martin ’01, ex officio

HIG HLIGHTS | BOAR D OF TRU S TEES

New Board of Trustees Members JERMAINE MOORE, P’24

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ermaine Moore is the founder of The Mars Hill Group and has spent the last 20 years building and developing highly engaged, high-performing teams. He helps define culture, while introducing and reinforcing skills and behaviors that drive business results and team performance. Jermaine’s areas of expertise include diversity, culture, leadership, and team development and coaching. He is also a speaker, facilitator, and trainer, specializing in communication, diversity and inclusion, change management, and workforce planning. Jermaine serves as the Diversity Director for the Human Resources State Council of NH and is on the board of the Diversity Workforce Coalition. As a member of the Board, he works on the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee and the Strategic Initiatives Committee. Jermaine is a current parent on the Hilltop, his daughter Amaya is in Grade 10.

NICOLE OUTSEN, P’22, ’24

N

icole Outsen is the intervention coordinator at Seacoast Charter School in Dover, New Hampshire, and an educational consultant providing professional learning opportunities to educators in the region. She is the board president of Pads for Pads, a nonprofit organization founded by her daughter, Kaya ’24. Pads for Pads works to support people experiencing period poverty and raise awareness around this important issue. Nicole also chairs the Grant Committee for The Clipper Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, providing grants for innovative programming in local public schools. As a member of the Board, she works on the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee and the Strategic Initiatives Committee.

Nicole lives in Portsmouth with her husband, Zang Garside, their two children Finn ’22 and Kaya ’24, and their dog, Zoula. She loves to read, cook, travel, and spend time outside with friends and family.

T

he Chadbourne-Thompson Society recognizes donors who make planned estate gifts to the School. Planned gifts are an essential part of Berwick’s long-term financial future and have helped shape the Berwick of today.

For more information, contact Director of Leadership Giving and Philanthropy Stephanie Caswell at 207-3846396 or scaswell@berwickacademy.org.

CHADBOURNE-THOMPSON SOCIETY MEMBERS Ms. Deborah K. Blouin 1959 Mr. James B. Cook USN 1963 and Mrs. Paula R. Cook Mr. Bradley M. Damon 1963* Ms. Marie A. Donahue 1937* Ms. Aurora F. Dube 1925* Mr. Preston N. Eames 1965 Dr. Dennis Fink 1944 Mrs. Nancy B. Fort,* former parent Mr. Adolph L. Geyer 1931* Mr. Russell H. Grant 1945* and Mrs. Martha A. Grant* Mrs. Doris Dixon Griffith 1939* Rev. Seth A. Lamont Hurd 1990 Mr. George E. Janetos,* former advisor Mrs. Alberta Morrill Johnson 1928* Kennett and Patricia Kendall, trustee, former parents Mrs. Mary Jacobs Kennedy 1908* Mr. Stuart Kerr, son of former headmaster Mrs. Natalee Ohayon Martin 2001 and Mr. Eric Martin Mr. Lawrence A. Martineau, Jr. 1964 and Mrs. Karen L. Martineau Mr. Perley D. Monroe 1948* Ms. Olive F. Purington Moulton 1922* Mr. Victor Perreault 1933* and Mrs. Helen Hasty Perreault* Ms. Nancy E. Pindrus 1969 Ms. Wendy Pirsig, former trustee, parent Mrs. Mary Byrd Platt,* former grandparent Mr. Robert E. Richard* and Ms. Carole Auger-Richard, former trustee, parents Mr. & Mrs. Hap and Susan* Ridgway, former headmaster, parents Mrs. A. May Flynn Smith 1931* Mr. William R. Spaulding,* former parent, grandparent Dr. Owen R. Stevens, DVM 1948* and Mrs. Margaret S. M. Stevens Mrs. Ella Estelle Geyer Stonebraker 1929* Mr. Mark H. Tay, trustee emeritus, former parent The Roger R. Thompson Endowment* Ms. Anne C. Willkomm 1983 * = deceased TODAY

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ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD

T

he Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) met on campus in October to continue conversations on the three areas of focus that are guiding their work — innovation, college and career success, and outreach. Considerable progress was made in plans to connect our most recent Berwick graduates with alumni who attend or recently attended their same college/university. The AAB then had time with the Board of Trustees to participate in a session around Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

The winter meeting was held in January on Zoom, where the AAB had an opportunity to review a draft of the School’s strategic plan and discuss where alumni involvement and participation will be helpful. One element of the strategic plan where the AAB is most excited to align is through strategic partnerships, specifically the utilization of our professional alumni networks to provide internship opportunities to current students.

The board looks forward to meeting again on campus in May for its final meeting of the academic year. We are always looking for new members. If this work is something you are interested in, please contact Stephanie Caswell in the Advancement Office to learn more (scaswell@berwickacademy.org or 207-384-6396).

CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS NATALEE MARTIN ’01, PRESIDENT WILL ARMENTA ’02 ZACH BALOMENOS ’10 ANYA BURZYNSKI ’10 ANDREW CALDWELL ’02 SHARON FOGARTY ’82 BROOKS JALBERT ’15 ALEX KATZ ’14 KEN LAFLER ’82 DAVE SCHLEYER ’05 KEN WASSON ’80

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E TE V SA DA E H T

HIG HLIGHTS | A LU MN I

BLUE & WHITE HOMECOMING WEEKEND

SEPTEMBER 23-24, 2022

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ALUMNI RECEPTION HILLTOP LUNCHEON

ATHLETIC EVENTS

FIELD DAY GAMES

FOOD TRUCKS

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Come Celebrate the Following Milestone Reunions: 5th Reunion: 2015, 2016, 2017 10th Reunion: 2010, 2011, 2012 20th Reunion: 2000, 2001, 2002 25th Reunion: 1995, 1996, 1997 50th Reunion: 1970, 1971, 1972 TODAY

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Dr. Charles D. “Dennis” Fink ’44 Receives Founders’ Medal

T

he Founders’ Medal honors the beginnings of Berwick Academy and those people of character, courage, and vision who helped set the intellectual traditions and moral standard of their day. They gave generously of their time, talent, and resources to establish a school dedicated to promoting virtue and useful knowledge among the rising generations.

Today, the medal is presented to community members who embody the founders’ character. This year, Dr. Charles D. “Dennis” Fink ’44 was selected to receive the award, joining 10 previous recipients who have received the same honor. During his time at Berwick, Fink served on the General Council as the class president, co-captained the football team, played basketball and baseball, and was engaged in theater and music.

In the many years since his graduation, Fink has been an ardent supporter of the Academy. He is a generous philanthropist, who has been giving regularly to Berwick since 1975, supporting initiatives such as the Athletic Center capital project and the Campaign for Academic Excellence. It was no surprise that he was one of the first to step forward to support The Campaign for Berwick. Fink served on the Board of Trustees for 10 years (1995-2005) and has been a Trustee Emeritus since 2005. He is a true friend to Berwick Academy, has a quick wit, and reminds us to have a sense of humor through it all. Berwick will hold a celebration to honor Fink and his outstanding dedication to the School at the Annual Trustee Dinner for Faculty and Staff in April.

Fink wrote a comedic poem that was featured in the 1944 Quamphegan called “A Hunting I Will Go,” written below.

It was Saturday morning, ’bout twenty below, The windows were frosted, the sky full of snow.

My room was like ice, and while lying there grunting, It suddenly came to me, I should go hunting!

As quick as a flash I was out of my bed And into my hunting clothes, yellow and red.

Then downstairs I ran and grabbed hold of my gun, Threw open the door and went out on the run.

I jumped off the steps and to my great surprise, Stepped into a snow drift, clear up to my eyes.

I wiggled and squirmed, ’cause I was about froze; Snow fell down my neck, and it flew up my nose.

My feet were all wet, and they started to freeze, In fact I was soaked to my red b.v.d.’s.

It was a hard fight, but I finally got out, My hunting was over, to that I’d no doubt.

So back in the house went myself on the run, I threw off my coat and put up my darn gun.

Then off flew my clothes as I started to shed, And when I was through, I crawled back into bed.

Dennis Fink ’44

ON DISPLAY AT THE JACKSON ART GALLERY

Evangeline Williams ’29 54 | WINTER/SPRING 2022

Noelle O’Brien ’36

HIG HLIGHTS | A LU MN I

IN MEMORIAM EDWARD R. “WOODY” ALLEN

F

ormer beloved Berwick Academy guitar teacher Woody Allen died August 24, 2021 at home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with his family by his side. Woody grew up in Chicago and graduated from Princeton University in 1972.

In 2004, Woody began his teaching career at Berwick Academy. An admired and loved guitar teacher, Woody provided private lessons to students through 2014. Woody’s former colleague and Berwick’s current Director of Information Services Seth Hurd ’90 remembered his time working with Woody fondly. “It was an honor to work with Woody over the years. I had the pleasure of having him play in the orchestra pit for a number of musicals at Berwick Academy. He was always the consummate professional — skilled, knowledgeable, solid, calm, and steady. Outside of music, he was such a positive presence, always with a smile, a supportive comment, a wink of the eye, and you just wanted to spend more time with him making music or in conversation.”

He was predeceased by his father, John, and brother, Peter, and is survived by his loving wife, Chance, their children, Zeph, Gracie, and Finn Allen; also by his brother, James “Din” and his mother, Pat Allen, and many beloved nieces, nephews, in-laws, friends, students, musical colleagues, co-workers, and fans.

Anaiah Klick ’32

Charlotte Kegley ’31

Edward R. ’Woody’ Allen, Former Faculty August 24, 2021

John C. Armacost, Trustee Emeriti April 5, 2021

Pamela Rae Kerr

September 24, 2021

Richard W. Merrill, Former Faculty July 26, 2021

Jean E. Peterson Hayes ’44 February 22, 2021

Grace Boston Joy ’47 April 20, 2021

Norman E. Gordon ’50 November 26, 2021

Ruth E. Brown Boston ’52 April 12, 2021

John “Jack” T. Fogarty, USA, Retired ’53 February 20, 2022

George E. Tuttle, USAF ’55 July 7, 2021

Constance M. Rawski Pinkham ’56 November 27, 2021

Lionel D. Turcotte ’58 October 7, 2021

Marcia E. Raitt Pike ’59 April 15, 2021

Allen E. Rucker, Jr. ’61 May 15, 2021

Irving A. Herman ’70 November 25, 2021

Katie J. Crowell ’95 April 22, 2021

Kaia Nguyen ’30 TODAY

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GRANDPARENTS & SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY Friday, May 6, 2022

The Berwick community is excited to welcome you to our campus for a day of academics, arts, athletics, and fun.

Additional information can be found here: https://www.berwickacademy.org/community/grandparents-and-special-friends-day 56 | WINTER/SPRING 2022

HIG HLIGHTS | A LU MN I

#ONEBERWICK ONE DAY. ONE HILLTOP.

ONE BERWICK 05.12.22

On Thursday, May 12 the Berwick community will come together for One Berwick to celebrate inspiring student experiences. Join alumni, parents, and friends by making a gift in support of The Berwick Fund, the engine that empowers tomorrow’s leaders to explore their passions and realize their potential.

TODAY

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Berwick Academy 31 Academy Street South Berwick, ME 03908

For parents of alumni: If this issue of Berwick Today is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, kindly notify the Alumni Office with the correct mailing address at jroberge@berwickacademy. org or 207.384.6303.

www.berwickacademy.org

Spend the Summer on the Hilltop

berwickacademy.org/summer-camps

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