Awards Day
TUESDAY
The Bolles Middle School Bartram Campus Awards Day presentation was held May 14 in Parker Auditorium. The event honored middle school students who have achieved distinction in academics, athletics, activities, leadership and service to others during the 2023-24 school year.
Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges, Middle School Head Josh Bauman and Middle School Assistant Head Jackie Willingham were onstage to present awards to students.
The ceremony began with a performance from the Bolles Middle School Band and opening remarks from Bauman, who recognized those who won President’s List Awards during the 2023-24 school year.
The Awards Day ceremony continued, highlighting student achievement in the areas of English, math, science, social studies, world language and fine arts. The selections were made by the members of each department and were awarded to students who have exhibited exceptional work in their classes, demonstrated a passion for the subject matter and set an example for others to follow.
The English Awards are given to the students who have consistently achieved standards of excellence in reading and interpretation, written expression and creativity. This year’s winners were:
Elizabeth Crawford ’30
Isla Williams ’29
The Lula F. Miller English Award goes to the outstanding Grade 8 English student. This year’s award went to:
Enakshi Bansal ’28
The Mathematics Awards are given to students who have demonstrated a high level of knowledge and application of the principles of mathematics. This year’s winners were:
Krish Manohar ’30
Sona Deshmukh ’29
The Olga Pratt Math Award goes to an outstanding Grade 8 math student. This year’s award went to:
Lucas Costas ’28
The Technology Award is given to the student who demonstrates the highest level of interest, skills and classroom leadership in technology. This year, the award went to:
Daphne Kowkabany ’28
The Science Awards are given to a student who has shown excellent understanding of the scientific method and of science concepts and has applied this understanding to laboratory work and classroom participation. This year’s winners were:
Katherine Clendenon ’30
Rollins Powell ’29
The John Ryan Science Award goes to the outstanding 8th grade science student. This year’s award went to:
Myka Das ’28
The Social Studies Awards are given to the students who have displayed a true appreciation and understanding of social studies along with the willingness to explore topics beyond the class curriculum. This year’s winners are:
Geography — Aksh Majithia ’30
U.S. History — Imaan Khawaja ’29
Speech & Debate — Stella Smith ’28
The Jan Lamson History Award goes to the outstanding 8th grade Government student. This year’s award went to:
Charlie Russell ’28
ALL THING S POSSIBLE
MAY
14, 2024
The World Language awards are given to the students in Latin, French, Spanish and Chinese who have displayed superior knowledge and participation in their respective language discipline. This year’s winners were:
French — Evelyn Dunton ’29
Spanish — Rosemary Abdulnour ’29
Latin — Harper Nussbaum ’29
Chinese — Lila Jimerson ’29
The Claire Lashley French Award goes to the outstanding Grade 8 French student. This year’s winner was:
Broward Kavanaugh ’28
The Gloria Johnson Spanish Award goes to the outstanding Grade 8 Spanish student. This year’s winner was:
Hudson Stutzman ’28
The Peter Browne Latin Award goes to the outstanding Grade 8 Latin student. This year’s winner was:
Aiden Pereira ’28
The Chinese Award goes to the outstanding Grade 8 Chinese student. This year’s winner was:
Mia Lee Chong ’28
The Fine Arts Awards are given to the students in visual and performing arts who have demonstrated a passion for and success in their artistic discipline.
Visual Arts awards were presented to outstanding students in three different mediums:
Design — Vibha Chalamalasetty ’28
Mixed Media — Sophia Zhang ’28
Drawing & Painting — Esmee Jeannin ’28
The Top Visual Arts Bolles Middle School Showcase Award is presented to the student whose artwork reflects superior artistic dedication and craft. This year’s middle school Visual Arts Showcase Awards recipient was:
Zara Touheed ’28
Performing Arts awards were presented to outstanding students in three mediums.
The Mildred Brett Vocal Award goes to the outstanding Chorus student. This year’s award went to:
Mallie Brackin ’28
The Jonathan Soud Beginning Band Award is named after one of our middle school students who passed away in the fall of 2010. Jonathan was the recipient of the Beginning Band award in the spring of 2010. This year the Jonathan Soud Beginning Band Award went to:
Aksh Majithia ’30
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Award recognizes the outstanding Jazz musician. This year’s award went to:
Myka Das ’28
The Nelson Brett Instrumental Music Award goes to the outstanding Intermediate Band student. This year’s award went to:
Vibha Chalamalasetty ’28
The Drama Award goes to the outstanding drama student. This year’s winner was:
Abby Naugle ’28
The Dance Award goes to the dance student who best excels in the areas of dedication, passion, dance academics and leadership. This year’s winner was:
Kinley Nelson ’28
Next, Bolles administrators recognized the student in each grade who has achieved the highest academic average. The top scholars in each class were:
Krish Manohar ’30
Ishaan Bansal ’29
Lucas Costas ’28
Hodges then distributed awards to students in each grade whose service, participation and leadership have been exemplary this school year.
The first award was The Bolles Way Award, given to up to three students in each class who truly exemplify the tenets of the School motto — Pursuing Excellence through
Courage, Integrity and Compassion:
Emma Sotomayor-Danger ’30
Olivia Busby ’30
Thomas Vance ’30
Bella Malhotra ’29
Akshat Ranjan ’29
Anya Shah ’29
Daphne Kowkabany ’28
Mia Lee Chong ’28
Aidan Pereira ’28
Established by the Jenkins family, The Rufus R. McClure Award recognizes the eighth grader who has achieved the greatest academic improvement during the middle school years. The recipient receives a cash award, a plaque and has his or her name inscribed on a permanent plaque located in the main office. This year, the award was presented to:
Ella Cate Merritt ’28
Merritt was asked to select a teacher who was most helpful to her progress. She chose science teacher Laura Boswell to receive the cash award.
The James D. Ball Sportsmanship Award is presented each year to two (one boy and one girl) superior middle school athletes whose character best reflects the essence of good sportsmanship. This year, the award was presented to:
Xander Edwards ’28
Teryn Freeman ’28
The Van Etten Bent Award is presented each year to two (one boy and one girl) superior middle school athletes who also possess high standards of leadership and scholarship. This year, the awards were presented to:
Grant Silverfield ’28
Leighton Dostie ’28
The James M. McKinley Award is presented each year to two (one boy and one girl) Grade 8 students who have demonstrated outstanding academic and athletic achievement and who possess exemplary standards of leadership and character. This year the award went to:
Charlie Moore ’28
Mamie Burkett ’28
The McKenzie Noelle Wilson Award is presented in memory of a remarkable Bolles sophomore who passed away in August of 2010. McKenzie was beloved, respected and known as a friend to all in the School community. The award goes to one or more deserving eighth graders who, above all else, are living their lives with the characteristics of a loving and thoughtful heart and have consistently demonstrated such through their friendly and exuberant nature, their abundant school spirit and in their concern for, and support of, others – especially their fellow students. The recipients of the 2024 McKenzie Noelle Wilson Award are:
Beatrix Becker ’28
Hayden Jones ’28
Heidi Hassan ’28
Mamie Burkett ’28
Leighton Dostie ’28
Max Afflalo ’28
Charlotte Verlander ’28
The Jackie Witt Award is established in memory of Jackie Witt, Middle School Guidance Counselor and Director of Student Activities. Witt passed away after a long battle with cancer in the fall of 2008. The middle school student who receives this award has
demonstrated and proven his or her ability to be compassionate to others, has embodied a selfless attitude and has promoted Bolles through the exhibition of school spirit, as well as showing a strong sense of commitment to community service. This person has the ability to form lasting bonds with his or her peers and teachers and has the unique ability to put people at ease. In summary, the recipient is a person who selflessly helps others and is respected by fellow students and faculty alike. The award is chosen by secret ballot by the Grade 8 class. This year’s winner was:
Vincent Barragan ’28
The Middle School Head’s Award is presented each year to two students, one girl and one boy, who have most exemplified the School’s value statement during their entire time on the Bartram Campus. The award is chosen by the Head of the Middle School in consultation with the advisors and faculty. The school’s Value Statement reads as follows: We, the members of The Bolles School, strive to reflect in each of our lives respect for the individual. Based on this shared philosophy, we believe that the following values are important for each of us to understand and follow: respect for
the property and opinions of others, responsibility for our actions, hard work to achieve mental and physical excellence, concern for others especially for those less fortunate and pride in our community. This year, the Head’s Award went to:
Hudson Stutzman ’28
Veda Galipalli ’28
The final award was the John and William Bartram Award. Bartram School was named for the naturalists, John and William Bartram, who explored Florida recording its flora and fauna in the eighteenth century. These men demonstrated the inquisitive mind and adventurous spirit
which contribute to individual success. In honor of them and of Bartram School, the John and William Bartram Award was established in 1992. This year, the award was presented to two exemplary Grade 8 students whom the faculty consider to be ideal student citizens with a broad range of academic and participatory interests and who have made the greatest contribution to the total middle school program. The award went to:
Abby Naugle ’28
Vincent Barragan ’28
