Fanfare and Celebration “Thank you for the lifetime of memories and a place called Brunswick,” said Reverend Thomas Nins, Assistant Director of Diversity, who opened the 106th Brunswick School Commencement. “Our young men are standing at the threshold of a new life. Let ’Courage, Honor, Truth’ only be overshadowed by hope, faith, and love, the greatest of which is love.” Eighty-one Seniors were honored by more than 1,400 guests at our second graduation in Dann Gymnasium on Edwards Campus. For Headmaster Thomas W. Philip, the day was even more meaningful as he is also parent of Senior Nick Philip.
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Alexander Jason Kaskel Edward Douglas Kearney William Warner King Michael Cushing Norris Krasnow Andrew Bissell Laird David Abraham Levy Michael Philip Levy Garrett Matthew Long Ghregory R. Louis Oscar A. Loynaz Walter Adrian Luse Dixon Cropper Mallory Kyle Cameron Miller Daniel Morrisroe Kent Johnston Northrop Justin Christopher Nowell John Eric Oberbeck Nicholas Van Ness Philip Nicholas Howard Pinto II Thomas A. Piscina Brian Winthrop Platter
Adam Polak Eddy J. Agustin Polonia Ryan Michael Potocki Zachary Nicholas Prager Kevin Richard Quillinan Andrew Phillips Reed William Fields Reed Kevin Santacruz Charles Randolph Skelsey Townsend Cary Smith Robert Andrew Sorrel Bryan Andrew Tunney James Paynter Vallely Chasen Chi-Minh VanLang Alejandro Ventosa Peter Lanigan Weinberg * Christopher Russell Zimmerman † Denotes Classics diploma * Denotes student since Pre-K
“Getting here is never easy,” said Headmaster Philip. “Graduation Day reflects hard work, support from the boys’ parents, and the dedication of their teachers. Graduation at Brunswick is truly a family event.” Our usual tradition is for the Valedictorian to introduce the “Ivy” Speaker, a class member chosen by the Seniors to deliver the commencement speech. This year, there was a twist to the program as Jamie Biondi, the “Ivy” Speaker also turned out to be Class Valedictorian. With the highest cumulative grade point average over the past two years and with all of his successes, Jamie can be defined by his love of learning and humble nature. Named by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a 2008 Presidential Scholar, Jamie also won two of Brunswick’s highest awards of distinction: The Kulukundis Cup and the Robert L. Cosby Award. Jamie, who has attended Brunswick since Pre-K, spoke of how much he hated change, invoking the memory of when his mother decided to change the drapes in their home. “It unnerved me that my mom had the audacity to change the drapes,” he said as he compared that to the precipice of change he and his classmates now confront.
Summer 2008
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