Worcester Academy Hilltopper Fall 2025

Hilltopper

Contents

Hilltopper

Hilltopper

Officers of the Board of Trustees

President

Meg O’Leary P’20

Vice President

Lawrence A. Gordon ’72, P’11

Treasurer

Michael J. O’Neil Jr. ’01

Secretary

Caroline Reich P’06,’08

Board of Trustees

Marla E. Abodeely, PhD ’90

Daniel H. Apelian, PharmD P’28

Fall 2025

Head of School

Kevin Breen

Hilltopper Editor / Director of Communications & Marketing

Sara Port P’31

Assistant Director of Communications & Marketing

Megan Blomgren Burgess P’31

Graphic Design

Good Design LLC, www.gooddesignusa.com

Photography

Karla Cinquanta

Drew Forsberg ’91

Featured Writers

Christine Foster is an independent school fundraising and communications professional. An independent school parent and a frequent feature and contributing writer for colleges as well as independent schools, Christine has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

On the Cover

The opening of the Capozzoli Athletic Center at New Balance Performance Park. PHOTO: DREW FORSBERG ’91

BACK COVER PHOTO: MATT WRIGHT

Daniel R. Bonnette, CPA

Nora Brooks, JD

Patrick S. Brosnihan ’05

Courtney N. Carr, JD

Wai Yan (Ronald) Chan ’98

Sarah A. Collins, JD ’06

Peter Cronin ’80

Henry Dormitzer III, JD ’88

Jordan H. Eisenstock, MD ’94, P’23,’26,’31

Michal P. Grabias ’11

William A. Haddad ’92

Michael J. Mangaudis P’11,’14

Trent Masiki, PhD P’22,’25

Lt. Col. Thomas E. Meyer, USAF(Ret.) ’85

Eva M. Nazarewicz ’01

Jennifer H. Quinn ’87

Canaan T. Severin ’12

Michael T. Shannon, DMD ’73

Jonathan S. Stuart ’86

Advancement Office

Director of Advancement

Jennifer DiFranco P’26,’27

Assistant Director of Advancement

Melissa Ciociolo ’08

Family Engagement Coordinator

Kathrine Hughes P’26,’28,’29

Director of Individual Giving

Adam Wilbur

Leadership Giving Officer

Samuel Sadowsky P’26

Maura Sullivan Hill is a writer and editor based in Nashville, Tennessee, who has written for alumni magazines, college/ university websites, lifestyle magazines, and news websites. She previously worked as the Assistant Editor and Interim Editor at Holy Cross Magazine at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Maura graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor of arts in American Studies, along with two minors: anthropology and journalism, ethics, & democracy.

The Hilltopper is published annually by Worcester Academy. Reader comment, as well as information of interest, is always welcome. Please write to Sara Port, Director of Communications & Marketing, at Worcester Academy, 81 Providence St., Worcester, MA 01604, or email sara.port@ worcesteracademy.org.

Mission

Achieving the Honorable through Scholarship, Fellowship, Leadership, Craftsmanship, and Sportsmanship.

New Buildings, a New Strategic Plan, and New Possibilities

If it were possible, I would walk this issue of the Hilltopper to your front door, ring the bell, and ask that we read it together in your living room. This is the news we have been waiting to share with you.

With this issue, we launch the public phase of Rooted & Rising and celebrate the early success of Worcester Academy’s most transformative campaign. We celebrate new buildings, a new strategic plan, and new possibilities, and we stand in awe of our loyal supporters who have already contributed over $75 million.

Just five years ago, we were facing the uncertainty of a global pandemic, pivoting to new models of teaching, and imagining worst-case scenarios. Today, we are harnessing the generosity of our community, building the campus of our future, and preparing for an audacious third century.

Let’s take a moment to celebrate our remarkable progress. Then let’s roll up our sleeves, show our signature grit, and finish what we’ve started.

When I was first hired in 2020, I scheduled a series of Zoom conversations with trustees, filling a small notebook with their insights. I recently flipped through those pages and paused at the phrase “full sail.” It came from a trustee who asked what Worcester Academy would look like when it was once again at full sail.

While I don’t recall exactly how I answered then, I now know the answer is right here in these pages. A school is at full sail when it harnesses the energy of all its constituencies: students, faculty, staff, alumni, families, and friends. At full sail, Worcester Academy is engaging with the City of Worcester, winning New England championships, creating extraordinary experiences in the arts, attracting and retaining top teachers, and opening best-in-class facilities. The momentum of the Rooted & Rising campaign has added new wind in our sails, and we are eager to keep that energy moving forward.

Of course, speed without direction can be risky. Every school at full sail needs a steady rudder. Our new strategic plan, shaped by more than 1,000 of

your voices, is our map. Our new mission statement, drawn from our timeless motto Achieve the Honorable, keeps us true to our course.

While I cannot be in your living room to read this issue beside you, I invite your feedback on the strategic plan, I thank you for staying connected, and I urge you to join us in the public phase of Rooted & Rising. We would not be opening a 72,000-square-foot athletic center, launching a community-driven plan, or breaking ground on a faculty village without you. Together, we are charting Worcester Academy’s next great journey, and we are doing so at full sail. W

“A school is at full sail when it harnesses the energy of all its constituencies: students, faculty, staff, alumni, families, and friends.

¾ Kevin Breen HEAD OF SCHOOL

From the Head of School

Rooted & Rising

The Campaign for Worcester Academy

From the new Capozzoli Athletic Center to life-changing scholarships and faculty support, Worcester Academy’s $100 million campaign is transforming the Hilltop—and everyone’s invited to join the dance.

There’s an early TED Talk that Kevin Breen, Worcester Academy’s Head of School, likes to reference when he tells the story of the school’s ambitious $100 million Rooted & Rising campaign. In it, a lone person stands on a mountain—maybe we’ll call it a Hilltop— and starts dancing. But it takes that second person joining in before a movement truly begins—before ten people are dancing, then a hundred.

“Our first dancer, you could argue, was either Jim Pietro or Bob Weissman,” Breen explains. Pietro ’81 and Weissman ’58 were both longtime supporters of Worcester Academy when they had a fateful meeting in Florida a number of years ago. As Breen tells it, Weissman delivered a simple but powerful message about believing in what you’re doing and not going small. “Jim became that second dancer. Then, when they recruited me here, I felt like I was the third dancer on the Hilltop. But where were the others?”

Today, with the Rooted & Rising campaign at more than three-quarters of the way to its $100 million goal, there are plenty of people dancing on the mountain. The most visible evidence of this collective commitment now stands at the corner of Providence and Winthrop Streets—the gleaming new Capozzoli Athletic Center in Worcester Academy’s New Balance Performance Park, just opened in October 2025. But this campaign is about much more than buildings. It’s about translating the school’s strategic vision into concrete reality through the generosity of those who understand Worcester Academy’s transformational power.

That’s what he was so happy about—being able to give back and enrich the lives of all these kids coming through.”

¾ Chris Capozzoli Sr. ’85

a legacy in the Making

The campaign’s most transformational gift carries special poignancy. The Capozzoli family, led by Ron Capozzoli, Class of 1949, the oldest of three generations of Capozzoli men to attend Worcester Academy, pledged the lead gift. The 72,000-square-foot athletic center now bears the

family’s name. Ron Capozzoli passed away in November 2024, at age 96, before he could see the project completed.

“It breaks my heart that he’s not here to see it go up, because he was so excited and proud of what it was going to be,” says his grandson, Chris Capozzoli Jr. ’14, his voice catching with emotion as he recalls his grandfather.

The elder Capozzoli’s connection to Worcester Academy ran deep. During his two years at the school in the 1940s, he famously raised ducks in his dorm room (exploiting a loophole in the student handbook that prohibited dogs and cats, but didn’t mention waterfowl), and helped build part of the Providence Street wall during weekend detentions. Most memorably, he held court in the Megaron, the grand social hall where students learned to be gentlemen, playing pool and even beating future legendary athletic director and coach Dee Rowe ’47 at the table.

“Worcester was more of a college connection than college actually was for him,” reflects his son, Chris Capozzoli Sr. ’85. “Living at Worcester was his real foothold—between playing sports, the teachers guiding him, living on campus, gaining those friendships. That’s what he was so happy about—being able to give back and enrich the lives of all these kids coming through.”

The Capozzoli gift actually came in two parts: first, supporting the restoration of the Megaron to its 1905 grandeur, complete with two bronze ducks in front honoring Ron’s famous pets, and then the naming gift for the athletic center. For Chris Sr., who also completed a post-graduate year at Worcester Academy, and Chris Jr., who played basketball and baseball here, the family’s multigenerational connection made the decision natural.

“My father was always looking at the generations to come—these kids are going to grow up, come through there, have all the services and support necessary to make them better people in society, better athletes. He realized this works, this fits,” Chris Sr. explains.

More Than Just facilities

The athletic center represents the campaign’s most visible achievement, but Director of Advancement Jennifer DiFranco emphasizes that Rooted & Rising encompasses much more. “This campaign is about ensuring that for the future, what makes Worcester Academy special is never in question,” she says.

The campaign’s priorities align nicely with the school’s strategic plan to support faculty excellence, expand urban engagement opportunities, and increase access through financial aid. Each major gift tells a story about what donors value most about the Worcester Academy experience.

teachers Who Change Trajectories

The campaign represents a unique opportunity to honor exceptional faculty who transform students’ lives. Lawrence Gordon ’72, who made the campaign’s first pledge, still vividly recalls teachers like George Andes in physics, Irving Freeman in chemistry, and Don Bloom in mathematics—educators whose influence shaped his career path and inspired his support for faculty development initiatives.

“I grew up in a philanthropic family,” Gordon explains. “My parents are first-generation Americans, and there was always a sense of how to help the next person out.” His understanding of faculty impact drives his support for faculty housing and compensation improvements in the campaign. “The school is only going to be as strong as the faculty is,” he says.

expanding Access

Through Generosity

That commitment to access drives another major campaign priority: financial aid and the Worcester Scholars Program. Worcester Academy already leads its peer schools in the percentage of students receiving financial aid, but the campaign aims to ensure this accessibility continues and grows.

The impact extends beyond individual students to their families and the broader community. As Gordon notes about his daughter Hailey’s experience at Worcester Academy, “This was an opening for my daughter to make friends with people that she otherwise never would get to know. It made her a wider, wiser, more compassionate, more worldly person.”

Building Momentum Through Leadership gifts

The campaign has already achieved remarkable momentum through a series of transformational gifts including gifts from Capozzoli and New Balance. The Alden Trust provided leadership support for the exterior restoration of Warner Theater, and eight trustees stepped up with significant pledges in October 2021, even as the school was still recovering from pandemic challenges. “That was certainly a powerful moment,” says Breen. “The board said, ‘Let’s go for this.’”

Gordon hopes this commitment from Worcester Academy’s leaders encourages others to jump on board. “What I’d like to see is a hopefulness to inspire others to recognize what they gained at Worcester Academy, and the sense of wanting to pay it forward,” he says.

Breen already sees this commitment reflected across the community. “There’s so much momentum going on at the Academy. So far in this campaign, we’ve seen over 30 donors make six- and seven-figure commitments—a powerful sign of belief in our vision and confidence in where we’re headed.”

The school is only going to be as strong as the faculty is.”

¾ Lawrence Gordon ’72

“This was an opening for my daughter to make friends with people that she otherwise never would get to know. It made her a wider, wiser, more compassionate, more worldly person.”

¾ Lawrence Gordon ’72

A Physical transformation

The campaign comes at what many see as a pivotal moment for both Worcester Academy and the city it calls home. The corner of Providence and Winthrop once housed the deteriorating St. Vincent’s Hospital, where several community members were born. In that spot now rises a state-of-the-art athletic facility that signals renewal and possibility.

“This was a blighted corner that now has a whole new sense of pride in the neighborhood,” DiFranco notes. The facility will serve as a new front

I want everyone to feel like they can have a role in being part of this campaign, whether they’re making the biggest gift of their life or participating on Founders Day. Every gift matters.”

¾ Jennifer DiFranco DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

door to the campus, visible to thousands of daily commuters, announcing: “Welcome to Worcester Academy. You’ll know you’re here now.”

Inside, the building rivals any athletic facility in Central Massachusetts, with three basketball courts, a 6,000-square-foot fitness center overlooking the turf field, and a pool built for speed. But more than impressive amenities, it represents institutional confidence and the power of philanthropic partnership.

“I can’t wait till the folks from the well-heeled Boston schools come out and see it,” Breen admits. “But far more important to me is seeing folks who have been with this community forever, almost moved to tears that their alma mater could have a facility like this.”

An Invitation to dance

As the campaign moves into its public phase, there’s room for everyone to dance on this Hilltop. Whether through major gifts, annual fund giving, or simple engagement with the school’s mission, every contribution matters.

The campaign’s success will ultimately be measured not just in dollars raised but in participation across Worcester Academy’s diverse community. “I want this to be an invitation for participation,” DiFranco emphasizes. “I want everyone to feel like they can have a role in being part of this campaign, whether they’re making the biggest gift of their life or participating on Founders Day. Every gift matters.”

With each new commitment, Rooted & Rising builds strength, not just in dollars but in shared belief and collective purpose. The future of Worcester Academy is taking shape, and like any great dance, it becomes more powerful as more people find their rhythm and step in. The Hilltop is moving. Let’s keep it going. W

The future of Worcester Academy is taking shape, and like any great dance, it becomes more powerful as more people find their rhythm and step in.

Crafting a Transformative

Worcester Academy’s Community-Driven Vision for the Future

View the full Strategic Plan.

Eva Nazarewicz ’01 still remembers the phone call that changed her life. “We’ve got good news,” the voice on the other end said. “Eva scored really well on the scholarship exam. She was number two, but number one decided not to come.” It was a touch of good fortune that she still marvels at many years later.

Growing up in a triple-decker in the neighborhood surrounding Worcester Academy, Nazarewicz watched Worcester Academy from afar. Her mother walked her around the campus as a baby, pushing her stroller, pointing up at the buildings on the hill. When it came time for middle school, that kind of education seemed like a long shot for a family that qualified for free and reduced-price lunch. But that phone call in the late 1990s opened doors Nazarewicz never imagined possible.

Today, Nazarewicz serves on Worcester Academy’s Board of Trustees, having traveled a path from that scholarship exam to Claremont McKenna College, Harvard Business School, and a successful career in tech marketing on the West Coast. Her story embodies both the transformational power of a Worcester Academy education and the institution’s deepest values—values that have now been crystallized in an ambitious new strategic plan.

“There has always been this combination of feeling like there’s merit, but there’s also luck,” Nazarewicz reflects. “One of the reasons I joined the

board was I’d love to be able to take more of the luck piece out of it for other students and just make the education that Worcester Academy provides much more accessible to folks.”

A CommunityListens to Itself

When Head of School Kevin Breen arrived in 2021, he knew that Worcester Academy needed a new strategic plan. But Breen, who had read and internalized the school’s history, recognized something profound about Worcester Academy’s DNA. “I had discovered that our strategic plan had essentially been the same since the late 1950s,” he explains. “The ‘what’ of the plan had already been asked and answered. We still wanted to double down on Worcester. We still wanted to engage ourselves in the city. The question wasn’t what we wanted to be—it was how to get there.”

…I’d love to be able to take more of the luck piece out of it for other students and just make the education that Worcester Academy provides much more accessible to folks.”

¾

Eva Nazarewicz ’01 TRUSTEE

Rather than impose a top-down vision, Breen made a crucial decision: this strategic plan would emerge from the community itself. He tapped James Young, now Head of the Upper School, to co-chair the effort alongside Board Chair Meg O’Leary

“Kevin wanted this to be a community plan,” Young explains. “There are many ways to go about developing a strategic plan, and sometimes the head of school decides that they’re going to set the vision. Kevin wanted it to be more of a community thing.”

What followed was an unprecedented listening campaign. The committee surveyed thousands of community members—students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and trustees. They conducted focus groups that brought hundreds of people to campus or onto Zoom calls to share not just what they wanted to see change, but what they loved about Worcester Academy and why it had impacted their lives.

Urban Engagement Worcester as Classroom

The strategic plan that emerged centers on three interconnected pillars, with urban engagement as key to the Academy’s identity. The input confirmed that Worcester Academy thrives not in spite of its urban location, but because of it.

“Every time we embrace our city, we operate from a position of strength,” Breen observes. “Every time we try to distance ourselves from our city, we lose our way. I think it’s that simple.”

Every time we embrace our city, we operate from a position of strength.”

¾

Kevin Breen HEAD OF SCHOOL

“I was surprised at how much our alumni and our parents care and want to be part of the conversation,” says Jennifer DiFranco, Director of Advancement. “As soon as we asked their opinion, it was clear that they cared deeply and wanted to have a voice and be part of it.”

The plan’s first pillar represents both a return to roots and a leap forward. Rather than viewing Worcester as simply the school’s location, the strategic plan envisions the city as an extension of the classroom—a living laboratory for experiential learning.

“We’ve done urban engagement, but it’s been in different kinds of pockets, and it hasn’t been a sort of centralized program of the school,” Young explains. “I think that’s what we really want to come out of this plan—to take the good work we’re already doing in this regard and expand it and build on it.”

For Lawrence Gordon ’72, who participated in the strategic planning process as a member of the Board of Trustees, this vision represents a return to

what made his own Worcester Academy experience transformational. In his senior year, history teacher John Bloom (who later became headmaster) ran a program called Urban Affairs that sent students into the city for real-world learning experiences.

“John had seniors in this class go out and shadow a professional,” Gordon recalls. “I was with another classmate, and we ended up at St. Vincent’s Hospital, working in the emergency room as volunteers. I got a chance to work with an architect because I thought architecture was something I’d be interested in.

“You can do that in an urban environment. You can’t necessarily do that if you’re in 300 acres of farmland,” Gordon adds. “I think that’s just a wonderful strategic plan—to get behind that and to bring the city and the kids to one another.”

The new strategic plan builds on this foundation, calling for reimagining curriculum and programming to seamlessly integrate Worcester-based learning experiences. Students might curate art at the Worcester Art Museum while still taking calculus, or complete internships with local organizations while maintaining their academic load.

For Meg O’Leary, this reinforces the school’s unique value proposition. “We are going to leverage [our urban environment] to create urban educational experiences that really help the kids use Worcester as their classroom,” she says. “It can’t be tangential. It has to be sort of in the lifeline of the way the school operates.”

Faculty Excellence Building Community

The second pillar recognizes that inspiring teaching and intentional mentorship form the foundation of the Worcester Academy experience. But retaining exceptional faculty requires more than competitive salaries—it demands creating a place where educators want to build their lives.

Eva Nazarewicz speaks passionately about this element, drawing on her own experience with faculty mentors. Her friend Will Treese ’01, a classmate whose father taught English at the school for decades, exemplifies the deep connections possible when faculty become true community members. When Treese’s mother faced cancer and couldn’t navigate stairs, the school built an exterior staircase with a chairlift to help her reach their on-campus apartment.

“There was just always a sense that if you’re part of the community, Worcester Academy is going to help take care of you,” Nazarewicz recalls.

The strategic plan envisions a faculty village that would provide modern housing for educators and their families. As Breen explains, “We want our teachers here. We want them to arrive single or just married, to raise families and for this to be the playground of their children, so that they can stay and we can continue that cycle of staying connected to our past as we move forward.”

“We want our teachers here. We want them to arrive single or just married, to raise families and for this to be the playground of their children, so that they can stay and we can continue that cycle of staying connected to our past as we move forward.

¾ Kevin Breen HEAD OF SCHOOL

Expanding Opportunity

The third pillar of the new plan builds on Worcester Academy’s long tradition of accessibility. The school currently leads its peer group in the percentage of students receiving financial aid.

Looking to the future, the strategic plan affirms a deepened commitment to expanding programs such as Worcester Scholars while strengthening the structures that make equitable access possible for generations to come.

A Living Mission

Perhaps the most visible change in the strategic plan is the modernization of the school’s mission statement. Community feedback revealed that the school’s 191-year-old motto—Achieve the Honorable resonated powerfully across generations and geographies.

“We heard over and over again throughout the process that our motto was really important to people, that that was something that they carried with them well beyond Worcester Academy,” Young explains.

The new mission begins with “Achieve the

Achieving

the Honorable through Scholarship, Fellowship, Leadership, Craftsmanship, and Sportsmanship.

Honorable” and extends it into actionable values: scholarship, fellowship, leadership, craftsmanship, and sportsmanship. These words will now guide daily life at Worcester Academy, shaping programs and decisions alike.

“People can latch on to them and we can talk about the programming we do in the sort of day-to-day work that we do as a school,” Young says.

From Vision to Implementation

Many strategic plans fade away after they’re written, but Worcester Academy has already set up systems to put this one into action. The school has hired Christopher Themistos as both Dean of Faculty and Director of Strategic Initiatives to oversee the plan’s execution. The concurrent Rooted & Rising capital campaign will provide funding to support these strategic priorities.

“We have been actively fundraising so that we can assure we have dedicated resources towards the initiatives that we put forward,” Breen explains. “We intend to make sure that our budget funds what we value and what we deem as our strategy.”

The plan also calls for the creation of a Center for Urban Engagement within a decade—a hub that would coordinate the school’s city-based programming while also serving as a resource for other institutions pursuing similar work.

Building on Worcester’s Identity

The strategic plan explicitly embraces what makes Worcester Academy distinctive rather than trying to imitate other institutions. This authenticity resonates with community members who experienced the school’s unique character firsthand.

“Worcester Academy is gritty,” Gordon observes. “And in a certain way, a student that comes out of a gritty experience is more able, is more capable, is in a better position to take on the world.”

For Eva Nazarewicz, now three years into her board service and recently renewed for another term, the strategic plan represents something larger than institutional planning. It’s about ensuring that the opportunities she received—the mentorship, the academic preparation, the expansion of possibilities—become more systematically available.

“I think now’s a really unique time at the school,” she reflects. “This is maybe the time to set up a call if you’ve been wondering what’s going on. Coming out of the pandemic and Kevin Breen’s leadership in particular have been really gamechanging for the school.”

The work ahead won’t be easy. Reimagining curriculum, strengthening faculty support, expanding financial aid, and creating deeper urban partnerships all require sustained commitment and resources. But the leaders invested in this work say that the community-driven process that created this plan has generated something perhaps more valuable than any strategy document: genuine belief in what’s possible.

As Meg O’Leary puts it, “We can say we’re rooted in our rich history, informed by our urban campus, and catalyzed through investments in our people and infrastructure. We can take a look back at the last 200 years, and then the strategic plan is really about setting us up for the next 200 years of Worcester Academy.”

When she stands in the neighborhood where she grew up, looking up at the school on the hill that transformed her life, Eva Nazarewicz sees that future taking shape. The luck that brought her to Worcester Academy is being systematically replaced by intention, community commitment, and strategic vision. She and the other leaders who have made this plan possible envision a future where more students will get that phone call. More families will find opportunity. And more young people will discover what it means to Achieve the Honorable. W

Worcester Academy is gritty. And in a certain way, a student that comes out of a gritty experience is more able, is more capable, is in a better position to take on the world.”

¾ Lawrence Gordon ’72 TRUSTEE

Worcester Academy Celebrates

The Class of

2025 2025

On June 6, Worcester Academy held its 191st Commencement on the historic quad, honoring the 133 graduates of the Class of 2025. The ceremony celebrated academic achievement, personal growth, and the enduring bonds formed on the Hilltop.

Head of School Kevin Breen welcomed families and guests and recognized three retiring faculty members—Elizabeth Bowles, Barbara Gould, and Paul Himottu—for their combined 82 years of service.

Keynote speaker Elizabeth Butterworth ’07, a housing justice advocate and attorney, urged students to lead with kindness and community. “Define yourself first and foremost by your values,” she advised.

Valedictorian Ava Detarando ’25, a sevenyear Hilltopper now at the University of Miami, reflected on the class’s shared journey. Salutatorian Harrison Martel ’25, who attends Johns Hopkins University, encouraged classmates to embrace growth through self-reflection. “Maybe the value

in this speech isn’t wisdom, but honesty,” he said. “Find your tough truths. Feel them. Face them. Examine them. Then, we grow.”

Martel received the prestigious Bucknell Scholarship for scholarship and character. The Sigma Zeta Kappa Cup, awarded to the classmate who best exemplifies the school’s motto, Achieve the Honorable, was presented to Ryan Sullivan, who now attends Harvard University.

Board Chair Meg O’Leary and former Head of the Upper School Madeline Surgenor Richards conferred diplomas, and the ceremony concluded with a faculty reception line, a beloved tradition welcoming the Class of 2025 into the global alumni community. W

Find your tough truths. Feel them. Face them. Examine them. Then, we grow.”

¾ Harrison Martel ’25

SALUTATORIAN

Back on Campus

with Commencement Speaker Elizabeth Butterworth ’07

Returning to the Hilltop, Liz Butterworth ’07 reflects on the lessons that shaped her.

By Maura Sullivan Hill

The Day Before

Liz Butterworth ’07, who lives in Maryland and works in Washington, DC, came back to campus the day before commencement, alongside her husband, Carlos Ríos Ocampo, and their infant son, Mateo Ríos Butterworth. “It was a really nice way to share the campus and Worcester Academy with my family on a normal day,” she says. They spent time with David Baillie, chair of the English department and an impactful teacher for Butterworth.

“Going back and visiting campus was a nice opportunity to remember how much I loved being a student at Worcester Academy and how much the place meant to me,” she says. “In some ways, it feels like things have changed in exciting ways, and in other ways, it feels like a lot has remained the same.”

Butterworth, who attended Princeton University and Harvard Law School and has spent her career working in housing advocacy and legal aid.

“There is a lot of continuity between what I learned at Worcester Academy and where I’ve ended up. A lot of times, graduation speeches focus on the next chapter and where you’re moving on to next, which is important and exciting. But I hope the students took away, as well, that Worcester Academy can remain a really important part of their story. Some of my close friends now are friends I made at Worcester Academy. Some of the ways that I think or approach the world are shaped by things I learned at Worcester Academy. So it was nice to go back and recognize that there is some continuity between where I am now and where I was when I was a student.”

Surround yourself with people you admire, people who are willing to question the status quo and take personal risks to make the world a better place.”

“It was nice to see some of my teachers and talk to them about the kinds of work they are doing with students now and feel that mix of—things are changing in ways that are really cool, but it also still feels very much like it did when I was a student there. It feels homey.”

Commencement Day

Commencement Day started in Walker Hall, where Butterworth gathered alongside faculty and staff and once again reconnected with teachers who impacted her.

“The values that have shaped where I ended up were formed in part at Worcester Academy,” says

Addressing the Class of 2025

Butterworth, a 2022 recipient of the Worcester Academy Young Alumna Award, says she was honored and excited to be asked to speak to the Class of 2025. She left them with these words of encouragement during her speech:

“Look not to me, but, rather, to each other—to the classmates you will meet over the next four years, and the classmates sitting next to you today—to build community and dream up a better world. Surround yourself with people you admire, people who are willing to question the status quo and take personal risks to make the world a better place.” W

Award Winners

By Maura Sullivan Hill —

Leading with Grace

Ryan Sullivan ’25

Sigma Zeta Kappa Cup Recipient

Ryan Sullivan ’25 towers over many of his classmates at six feet, eight inches tall. He helped the Hilltoppers basketball team claim three New England Preparatory School Athletic Council league championships in his four years playing at Worcester Academy, and now, he’s at Harvard University achieving his goal of playing Division 1 basketball. But despite all that, he doesn’t tower over others in attitude. He’s a gentle giant, says Meagan Farraher, one of Worcester Academy’s athletic trainers.

When he was choosing a high school himself, Worcester Academy stood out. “As we went through the application process and talked with people, we knew it was going to be the right fit for me and give me the opportunity to continue playing both basketball and baseball, and then get the best education possible, too, and get me ready for college,” Sullivan says.

For all his vast achievements on and off the court, he has done everything with dignity and flies under the radar.”

¾ Meagan Farraher ATHLETIC TRAINER

“Ryan’s larger-than-life presence always comes along with a smile, subdued shoulder shrug, and agreement to whatever someone is saying to him,” she continues. “To be a teenager in this day and age, it is easy to be arrogant, showboat on the court after a big play, belittle your opponent, or brag on Instagram or Snapchat about every achievement, but not Ryan. For all his vast achievements on and off the court, he has done everything with dignity and flies under the radar.”

And Sullivan’s classmates agree—they voted to award him the Sigma Zeta Kappa Cup at their graduation ceremony. The cup is given every year to the senior who best represents Worcester Academy’s motto of Achieve the Honorable, as voted by their peers. Sullivan also played baseball for the Hilltoppers and was part of the ambassador program. When he brought prospective families around campus on tours as an ambassador, Sullivan was always keen to emphasize the community on campus, and how the downtown location in the city makes it a special place to be.

While he was thriving on the court and in the classroom, Sullivan also took time to give back to others. His Senior Project was a book drive and reading event for Fairlawn Elementary School in Fort Pierce, Florida. It started with a conversation with basketball coach Jamie Sullivan, who had done community service during spring break athletics trips prior to the pandemic.

“I knew I wanted to bring a service project back, and he had the connections down there, so he helped me get set up,” says the younger Sullivan. “I set up a book drive at Worcester Academy, and we got 200 books donated from people in the community.”

When it came time for the baseball team’s spring training trip in March 2025, Sullivan and his teammates packed up all the books and took a day out of their trip to read with third and fifth graders at Fairlawn, leaving the books behind as donations.

“I always had all the resources I needed, and it helped me get to where I am today,” Sullivan says. “So I wanted to give back. And, as a team, it’s always good, even though we’re on a fun trip and a trip to get ready for the season, to still give back to the community and see how fortunate we are to be able to do that.”

Learning with Curiosity

Harry Martel ’25

Bucknell Scholarship Recipient

Harry Martel loves math.

When he was part of the Math Lab peer tutoring program as a sophomore, he’d pass the time between tutoring sessions by doing advanced calculus problems on the board. Kim Kastler, a now-retired Upper School math teacher, was the advisor of the Math Lab when Martel joined and recalls, “I already knew he was positively into math and had a lot to share.”

He even started a separate club for students interested in exploring college-level math.

By his senior year, Martel had led a complete reimagining of Math Lab, from the peer tutoring program to an advanced math club for Worcester Academy Middle School students and a tutoring program for students at nearby Worcester Public Schools and Girls, Inc. of Worcester

Martel and his classmates in Math Lab started the advanced Middle School Math Club during his junior year, then spent the summer between junior and senior year working on the expansion to tutoring in the Worcester community.

“At this point, I was just a facilitator for the Math Lab, as Harry took the reins for this new venture,” Kastler says. “The kids loved him, and they respected him so much. He was able to communicate with them on their level, and still impart the challenging topics so they understood.”

Martel says Kastler inspired him to plan interactive lessons for the younger students.

“We didn’t want to get up in front of them and just scribble on the board and tell them to memorize it and apply it. It wasn’t engaging and it wasn’t helpful and it wasn’t different,” says Martel, who integrated project-based learning, games, and hands-on activities with beads into the math sessions, plus candy as a reward for problem-solving.

Serving as director of Math Lab during his senior year was a major time commitment, but Martel loved every minute. “It was the relaxing thing I got to do at the end of the day,” he says. “It was really satisfying to see the growth happening. I remember, I was just excited when I got through my homework to think, okay, now I can work on Math Lab. Whether it was looking at prospective schools [to tutor at] or making the lessons, I was having a great time.”

“There are few people like Harry, with empathy, team goals, and politeness, partnered with drive and entrepreneurship, as well as the highest of intelligence,” Kastler says. “Harry loves people as well as loving high-level math material.”

Those people include his teammates on the track, cross country, and ski teams, who he loved hanging out with after practice at Panera, BirchTree Bread Company, or the Worcester Public Market, plus the train group, as he calls his friends who also rode the Commuter Rail MBTA train to and from school.

The faculty referred to Martel as a renaissance man when they bestowed the Bucknell Scholarship on him at commencement, an award granted to a senior for excellence in scholarship and character—and the moniker fits. In addition to his math and athletic pursuits, Martel played piano in the jazz band and ensemble, took part in Science Olympiad and a short-lived theoretical physics club, and also gave campus tours with the admissions ambassador program.

This fall, he is in his first year at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, studying biomolecular engineering with plans to work in gene therapy. He already had a jump start with two summer internships before college, one with a gene therapy researcher at UMass Chan Medical School and another with a human microbiome research team at the University of California San Diego, a remote project he joined through Hopkins.

He says he’ll miss the routine of life at Worcester Academy the most, and especially Math Lab.

“Worcester Academy has become my life. I had been ski racing and playing baseball outside [of school] for many years beforehand, but I went fully into Worcester Academy,” he says. “I’ll miss the routine. I’ll miss my friends. I’ll miss Worcester, definitely.” W

There are few people like Harry, with empathy, team goals, and politeness, partnered with drive and entrepreneurship, as well as the highest of intelligence.”

¾ Kim Kastler FACULTY

Alumni News

Achieving the Honorable—

Achieve the Honorable, our school motto and the most recognizable phrase in our school lexicon, sits as the foundation of our core values—Scholarship, Fellowship, Leadership, Craftsmanship, and Sportsmanship. In this feature, we ask members of the community to reflect on the motto and how it has guided their lives both on and off the Hilltop.

By Margaret Prunier ’75, P’00,’02

Introduction by Megan Blomgren Burgess

When Margaret Prunier ’75 reflects on Worcester Academy’s motto, Achieve the Honorable, her perspective is grounded in both personal history and the school’s transformative legacy. As one of the first women to graduate after the Academy became coeducational, she experienced firsthand what it means to grow within a community that dares to evolve. Her time on the Hilltop revealed that honor isn’t about recognition; it’s about resilience—and it begins with the quiet courage of showing up with integrity.

That lesson would carry forward long after her student days. Together with her former husband and fellow Academy alumnus John Nicas ’75, Prunier raised three sons steeped in the Academy’s values, two of whom, Alexander Nicas ’00 and Charles Nicas ’02, became the first “double chips” in Worcester Academy history, a term used for students whose parents are both alumni. Through her family’s continued connection to the school and through her own path of perseverance, Prunier came to see Achieve the Honorable as a guidepost for a life well lived.

In the reflections below, Prunier shares what those words have come to mean—not only as a school motto, but as a personal standard shaped by choice, character, and the values instilled on the Hilltop.

When I reflect on the phrase Achieve the Honorable, I’m struck by how quietly powerful those words are. To achieve the honorable, one must begin within.

It’s actually a principle—the foundation of self-respect and integrity. We discover it by trusting ourselves and doing the right thing, no matter what.

It’s about aligning our actions with our values. That takes courage and character.

In 1975, I was one of six women to graduate from Worcester Academy when it became coeducational. Opening its doors to women was bold, sparking growth not only for us but for the entire community. I’ve learned that stepping into unfamiliar, even uncomfortable, territory is often where personal growth begins.

Achieving the honorable isn’t about accolades. It lives in daily, private decisions—how we treat others and how we respond to adversity. Being honorable isn’t about flawlessness, but about willingness, honesty, and living with dignity, grace, and a clear conscience.

While working full-time, I returned to college at 47 and earned my master’s at 52. I was inspired by the academic confidence Worcester Academy instilled in me. I felt I was achieving the honorable for myself. I dug in and embraced the challenge.

In today’s world of social media, where life is lived so publicly, we often feel immense pressure to appear polished and successful, hiding invisible struggles. To honor oneself is to speak your truth to someone safe, to get help, and to be genuine.

Falling down doesn’t disqualify you. What matters is how you rise. To achieve the honorable is to know and love yourself and to be comfortable in your own skin. That inner peace brings freedom. Get to know your own heart. Ask yourself what you truly want in life. Then go out and claim it with honesty and honor. W

Falling down doesn’t disqualify you. What matters is how you rise.”

Get to know your own heart. Ask yourself what you truly want in life. Then go out and claim it with honesty and honor.”

Celebrating Coeducation

A Year of Reflection, Reconnection, and Reunion

By Megan Blomgren Burgess

Last academic year, Worcester Academy marked the 50th anniversary of coeducation. What began as a celebration of a historic milestone soon became something more: a transformative year of connection and community. Alumnae from across generations returned to campus not only to honor the past, but also to help shape the present and future.

New friendships formed, old ones were rekindled, and meaningful bonds across generations took root.”

At the heart of the celebration was the incredible strength of the Academy’s alumni network. Throughout the year, alumnae were invited to share their stories, talents, and wisdom with today’s students and with one another, demonstrating just how deeply Worcester Academy’s mission lives beyond the Hilltop. Whether through mentoring, storytelling, speaking panels, or contributions in art and performance, these connections sparked

dialogue and ignited imagination across the campus community.

Among the most impactful moments was a student-led oral history film, Fifty Years Forward, which captured the voices and experiences of early coeducation pioneers. The celebration also included a dynamic alumnae career panel that offered insight, inspiration, and real-world advice to current students, as well as the Alumnae Art

Show, which brought together decades of creative alumnae in a stunning visual dialogue.

Current students had opportunities to learn directly from alumnae as well. Actress and playwright Jessa Campbell ’11 led Upper School music and theater students in a songwriting master class, while Middle School students were joined by guest artist Kara Kneeland ’12 for a drawing session that combined reflection with artistic expression.

Worcester Academy also celebrated the legacy of its female athletes, past and present. A Homecoming halftime ceremony honored their contributions, and in December, the school retired a jersey number for the first time in its history—that of Aliyah Boston ’19. More than a symbolic milestone, it honored the achievements and leadership of the Academy’s female athletes on and off the field.

Perhaps the most lasting impact of the coeducation anniversary was the sense of reconnection

it fostered. For many, returning to campus was a homecoming. It was a chance to walk the halls again, meet today’s students, and reflect on how their presence helped shape the Academy’s identity. New friendships formed, old ones were rekindled, and meaningful bonds across generations took root.

In celebrating 50 years of coeducation, the Academy did more than mark a moment in its history. It activated a vibrant network of leaders, creators, and mentors. In doing so, it reaffirmed the strength of its community and the shared values that continue to define us, including our enduring call to Achieve the Honorable W

Watch Fifty Years Forward: Celebrating 50 Years of Coeducation at Worcester Academy.

...it reaffirmed the strength of its community and the shared values that continue to define us, including our enduring call to Achieve the Honorable.”

Alumni Awards

Worcester Academy proudly honors its exceptional alumni and supporters whose remarkable achievements and dedication embody the spirit and mission of our institution. This year, as we celebrated 50 Years of Coeducation, we recognized ten outstanding women whose lives and work exemplify the school’s call to Achieve the Honorable.

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Kelly M. Fay Rodríguez ’99

Established in 2002, this award recognizes the accomplishment of an alumnus/a who has demonstrated the Academy’s mission through excellence in his or her chosen field.

Young Alumnus Award

Kassia Davis ’06

Hall of Fame

The Trailblazing Women of the Class of 1975—Kathryn Bard, Denise Brennan, Nadine Hill, Carole Hilton, Donna Kayarian, & Margaret Prunier

The Worcester Academy Hall of Fame, established in 1976, recognizes individuals who have had an important impact on the school and society through their many years of service and devotion to the Academy.

Established in 2003, this award is given to an alumnus/a who graduated from the Academy in the past 20 years and has demonstrated success in his or her chosen field or has contributed significantly to his or her community.

Cole Porter Arts Recognition Award

Jessica Phillips ’89

The Cole Porter Arts Recognition Award honors members of the Worcester Academy alumni community who have made significant and lasting contributions to the visual or performing arts during their professional or personal lives.

Varsity Club Aliyah Boston ’19

The award is given annually and recognizes former Academy athletes who have distinguished themselves both athletically and professionally. W

honoree profiles online.

Davis

Phillips

Rodríguez

Boston

View

Diamond Dreams Realized

From the Hilltop to the national stage, Matt Shaw ’20 and Mavrick Rizy ’24 are proving that Worcester Academy athletes are built for greatness.

Matt Shaw kicked off the 2025 MLB season in historic fashion, making his debut with the Chicago Cubs during the league’s Tokyo Series in March. A former two-sport standout at Worcester Academy and a first-round pick out of the University of Maryland, Shaw quickly earned his spot in the Cubs’ Opening Day lineup. Over the course of the season, he delivered with the same grit and power that made him a star on the Hilltop, solidifying his place as one of the league’s most exciting young infielders. Not long after Shaw’s debut, another Hilltopper was making noise at the collegiate level. Mavrick Rizy helped lead LSU to a national championship

in his first year with the Tigers. The 6-foot-9 right-hander made 24 appearances, recorded 29 strikeouts, and played a key role in the team’s College World Series run. Rizy’s breakout season in Baton Rouge has drawn the attention of fans and scouts alike and set the tone for what promises to be an exciting college career.

Shaw and Rizy have demonstrated not only athletic excellence but also the drive and determination to compete at the highest level. The Worcester Academy community is proud to celebrate their success—and excited to see where the game takes them next. W

On the Hilltop

What’s Your Story?”

How S.T.O.R.Y. Talks

Empower Young Hilltopper Voices

By Megan Blomgren Burgess

Worcester Academy is helping students find their voice—and the confidence to use it. Through S.T.O.R.Y. Talks, an initiative first launched in 2017, eighth graders are not only learning to write and speak, they’re also looking inward, listening to one another, and discovering that their experiences, regardless of age, have value. Led by Middle School English teacher Laurin Baldwin, the program has become a transformative rite of passage, one that does far more than teach public speaking. It turns self-expression into a source of strength and connection.

When the students get on stage and share something real, you begin to see yourself and others differently. You realize that everyone has something important to say.”

¾

Laurin Baldwin

Loosely modeled on TED Talks, S.T.O.R.Y. Talks is built around a simple acronym: Spreading The Truth of Real Youth. The program asks students to dig deep and reflect on their personal experiences, meaningful relationships, issues they care about, and the moments that shaped who they are. What they uncover often surprises them: moments of joy, grief, resilience, identity, and growth.

It all begins with a simple question: “What’s your story?”

That inquiry launches a months-long journey where students move through a thoughtfully scaffolded process that blends personal reflection with skill building. They begin by analyzing TED Talks and identifying what makes them compelling, focusing on aspects such as voice, storytelling, and clarity of message. Students become attuned to the elements of powerful storytelling.

Then the hard work begins, as they turn their focus inward. Through group brainstorming and a series of guided prompts like “Moments that changed me,” “People who influenced me,” and “Places that shaped who I am,” students begin drafting personal reflections. These drafts are not always extraordinary; sometimes it is a small memory, an ordinary moment, or even a color that becomes meaningful through the

act of reflection. Through this process, the depth of the talk begins to reveal itself.

By early spring, students are drafting, revising, and workshopping their speeches with peers and faculty. The goal is to deliver a five-minute talk, without notes, that shares something significant to them. As performance day approaches, the energy builds with peer editing, script workshops, and one-on-one teacher coaching sessions. Although Baldwin leads the charge, it is a true community effort. Faculty across the Middle School lend support at every step, calming nerves and offering a listening ear as performance day draws near. Authenticity, not perfection, is the goal.

And while the product is a speech, the heart of S.T.O.R.Y. Talks is connection. “When the students get on stage and share something real,” Baldwin says, “you begin to see yourself and others differently. You realize that everyone has something important to say.”

Perhaps most inspiring is the way students support one another. Mutual respect develops, and a strong sense of community forms around the process. Students help each other through every step. Drafts are shared, and feedback is an integral part of the project, honest yet kind. Rehearsals are also

FACULTY

collaborative. One core practice is “grow and glow,” a simple method where students share one strength and one area for improvement. It creates a culture where students listen deeply and lift each other up. As Baldwin puts it, “It’s so collaborative, it’s more like a group project, but with an independent grade.” When performance day arrives, students take the stage in front of their peers, teachers, and families.

Hilary Crowley ’87 Brings Academy Roots to the TEDx Stage

This school year, she returns to help Worcester Academy eighth graders find their voice through S.T.O.R.Y. Talks.

By Megan Blomgren Burgess

When Hilary Crowley ’87 stepped onto the TEDx stage at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH, she grounded herself with a quiet reminder from her past: “This is just like Worcester Academy’s theater. Just a little bit bigger. Get out there.”

Her TEDx talk, Your Fairy Tales are Hurting Our Foster Kids, is a reflection on the transformational journey of becoming a

What follows is always unforgettable. Nerves are high, but so is the sense of pride. It is more than a presentation; it is a transformation. According to Baldwin, “Once they step off the stage, they’re two inches taller.” And it shows. Something shifts. There is a new presence, a kind of earned confidence. They walk away with a stronger sense of self, a clearer understanding of others, and a lasting belief in the power of their voice.

For many students, this is the first time they have spoken in front of a crowd. For others, it may be the first time they have spoken honestly about something difficult. And yet, across the board, students rise to the occasion. They want to tell their stories, and they want others to hear them. “You may be young, but you still have a story to tell,” Baldwin often reminds her students. And by the end of the process, they believe it.

Each year, as the program concludes, students are invited to reflect not only on their own work but also on their classmates’ presentations. As part of that process, they select two peer talks they feel best represent the spirit and the strength of the project. It is both a personal and a communal moment, one that speaks to the deep respect and connection that has formed among the class. The selected talks last school year belonged to Michaela Baah and Cullen Hughes.

In her talk, Held Not Hidden, Michaela Baah invited her audience to reflect on the power of something as simple as a hand. Drawing from a powerful memory of connecting with a classmate with special needs through the silent act of holding out her hand, she challenged the audience to reconsider what it means to show up for others. “Stillness isn’t safety,” she said. “It’s fear in

disguise.” Michaela’s message was a reminder that empathy often lives in the smallest of actions and that we all have the ability to reach out.

Cullen Hughes’s talk, What We Leave Behind, was equally moving in its reflection on gratitude and impermanence. Sharing his experience of moving away from his childhood home in Ohio, Cullen spoke with honesty about how deeply we can

Stillness isn’t safety. It’s fear in disguise.”

¾ Michaela Baah CLASS OF 2029

foster mom and the life lessons that come from showing up and stepping up with intention and heart.

Crowley’s path to the TEDx stage began at Worcester Academy, a place she still credits as foundational. “Worcester Academy continues to be the most impactful time in my academic life.” She fondly remembers the teachers and coaches who shaped her, “looking back, every teacher and coach mattered…and I truly felt seen, heard, and expected to show up as a learner. I wonder how many high school grads can say that about their school? Worcester Academy is a very special place for learning.”

After graduation, Crowley earned her undergraduate degree from Syracuse University, pursued graduate studies in Theater Directing at Boston University, and worked at renowned venues like the Williamstown Theater Festival. By age 27, she returned to Worcester as Executive Director of the Worcester Theatre Ensemble. Under her leadership, the Ensemble staged bold contemporary works, socially engaged productions, and launched programs for inner-city youth. Its groundbreaking 1997 production of West Side Story, which cast at-risk teens and

local police officers together on stage, drew national attention and was spotlighted on 60 Minutes, earning reporter Steve Kroft a Peabody Award.

Eventually, Crowley transitioned into corporate communications and later became an author, podcaster, and speaker focused on wellness. Her work in healing and storytelling led her to the TEDx stage, where she explored the often-unspoken realities of foster parenting. Through each pivot, the foundation laid by Worcester Academy held strong. “WA is where I learned the power of interactive learning, I’ve grown to appreciate that more and more since I graduated,” she says. “It gave me the versatility to keep evolving.”

This school year, Crowley will return to the Hilltop to mentor the eighth graders as they craft their S.T.O.R.Y. Talks. She will guide them through the same process of reflection and self-expression that helped shape her voice. Having taken the TEDx stage, she sees the program as a powerful launchpad for young storytellers who are learning to lead with purpose. “It’s about finding the courage to speak your truth,” she says, “and helping others find theirs in the process.” W

Watch Hilary’s TEDx Talk Your Fairy Tales are Hurting Our Foster Kids.

“Life is always changing, and you never know what will happen next, so make the most of every moment and opportunity.

¾ Cullen Hughes CLASS OF 2029

miss something only after it’s gone. “Life is always changing, and you never know what will happen next, so make the most of every moment and opportunity,” he said. With heartfelt wisdom, Cullen encouraged his classmates to carry gratitude forward as they step into the next chapter of their lives.

Both Michaela and Cullen demonstrate the heart of the program’s experience: vulnerability, courage, and a desire to connect, reminding everyone that storytelling doesn’t require perfection, just honesty. As Michaela puts it, “sharing can be scary at first, but as soon as I started my speech, it was like all my worries melted away.” Cullen adds, “As long as you prepare, you’ll be fine. No one is going to judge you if you make a mistake; everyone is there to support you.”

At its core, S.T.O.R.Y. Talks is about making space

for students to know themselves and one another. It asks them to slow down, look inward, and speak honestly. In doing so, it cultivates something rare: the ability to lead with both clarity and compassion, and the knowledge that your story is worth telling. It is no wonder S.T.O.R.Y. Talks have become one of the most meaningful traditions at Worcester Academy. It is a program that brings together academic rigor, social-emotional growth, and the kind of experiential learning that stays with students for years. For eighth graders on the cusp of high school and the wider world, this experience becomes a turning point. They leave not just with strong voices but with a deeper awareness of who they are, what matters to them, and how to stand with confidence. W

A Musical Tribute

Collaborations Across Generations Brings Cole Porter Back to Life

By Megan Blomgren Burgess

When Matt Cook ’25 and Sabina Gill ’25 set out to create their Senior Discovery Project, they knew they wanted to do something creative—something that was a tribute to their love of musical theater and their time at Worcester Academy.

What they didn’t expect was that their idea would grow into an impressive collaboration involving not only each other but also faculty members, younger students, and even a legendary figure from the Academy’s past, Cole Porter.

Cook and Gill, both musically gifted and deeply involved in Worcester Academy’s performing arts, decided to record an 11-track tribute album of Cole Porter’s iconic songs. The project, they said, began almost by accident. “We were talking about wanting to do a creative duet project,” Gill said. “And we realized that many of the most well-known American songbook duets are actually Cole Porter songs. It felt like a natural progression and a fitting tribute to WA.”

Gill, who first learned about Porter during Middle School theater rehearsals, and Cook, who discovered him during Battle for the Hilltop—a spirit competition where teams are named after famous Academy alumni—were both struck by the lyricist’s clever, often humorous storytelling and timeless musical style. “The lyrics are so smart and funny,” said Cook. “They paint a picture of the time, and yet still feel relatable today.”

Their admiration grew as they researched Porter’s life and discovered how much of his work continues to shape the musical landscape. “He wasn’t afraid to go against the status quo with what he was writing,” Cook said. “We were both inspired by how bold he was with his lyrics. And the fact that he once walked the same halls as us, that was wild to think about.”

The project itself was deeply collaborative from the start. Gill handled the research and selected songs that suited their voices and personalities, while Cook managed logistics, communications, and outreach. The two recorded their vocals in the Heydon Hall Music Studio, where faculty advisor

…we realized that many of the most well-known American songbook duets are actually Cole Porter songs.”

and Academy music teacher Tim Kane assisted with audio recording and mastering.

“Working with Mr. Kane made the whole process feel professional,” Cook said. “We were impressed by how closely it mirrored a real studio experience. It’s remarkable that Worcester Academy offers students the opportunity to create on this level.”

Other faculty and staff members also played pivotal roles in bringing the project to life. Julianne McGourty lent her expertise in sourcing period-appropriate costumes, while Elizabeth Bowles, a

WA teaches you to manage your time, to think across disciplines, and to advocate for yourself. You learn how to ask for help, and that’s a huge part of leadership and creativity.”

longtime photography teacher, connected the duo to one of her students, Tianyi “Harry” Luo ’26. Harry not only embraced the project but also elevated it, designing a complete professional photography setup to support its visual components, including a custom cover design. “He just ran with it,” Cook said. “He was an incredible partner; he blew us away with the setup when we walked into the studio.”

The final album includes solos, duets, and classic swing pieces, each chosen not just for its musicality but for its storytelling. “‘De-Lovely’ was a favorite,”

Cook said. “It was so playful and theatrical. It felt like musical theater, and that’s my world.”

For Gill, the most meaningful part was the journey itself. “It reminded me how powerful collaboration can be and how much you can grow and achieve when you have the right support around you.”

Both Cook and Gill credit Worcester Academy with providing them with the tools, space, and encouragement to undertake a project of this scope. “WA teaches you to manage your time, to think across disciplines, and to advocate for yourself,” Gill said. “You learn how to ask for help, and that’s a huge part of leadership and creativity.”

They also shared how much they value the freedom Worcester Academy gives students to explore multiple passions. “What I love about WA is that you’re not in a box,” Gill said, “You can be in theater, love science, and take on AP Economics. You’re not just one thing here.”

As they start their first year of college, Cook plans to study musical theater, and Gill plans to study computer science and economics while continuing theater and playwriting. They both hope to carry this spirit of collaboration and creativity.

Their message to current and future Worcester Academy students? “You go to a school with history and resources, use them! The time goes by fast, so leave your mark. WA gives you the safety to take big risks. If you want to do something, go for it, now’s the time!” W

Before becoming one of America’s most celebrated composers, Cole Porter spent four years of his life at Worcester Academy, graduating in 1909.

Even then, his brilliance was unmistakable. He played and composed on an upright piano in his Dexter Hall dorm room, led theatrical productions, was named Class Poet, and graduated as Valedictorian.

While at the Academy, he formed a close bond with Head of School Dr. Daniel Abercrombie, who not only nurtured his talents but also instilled in him an appreciation for language. Porter later credited Abercrombie’s instruction with helping him understand the importance of the connection between music

and lyrics, which inspired his decision to write both.

His charm, razor-sharp wit, and melodic genius would come to define 20th-century musical theater and popular music with timeless songs like “Night and Day,” “Anything Goes,” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” Throughout his career, he was honored with numerous awards, including a Tony and two Grammys.

More than a century later, Porter’s genius, daring spirit, and creative originality continue to inspire new generations of alumni. W

Michael Butler ’26

A Business Mindset

Michael Butler ’26 recently distinguished himself as Worcester Academy’s representative at the prestigious DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Orlando, Florida.

DECA is an international organization that prepares high school and college students to become leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. Michael earned this honor by scoring among the top in his category, Principles of Entrepreneurship, at the state-level DECA competition. At ICDC, he joined more than 22,000 emerging high school student leaders from around the world,

Claire Lee ’25

Art Meets Reflection

participating in rigorous business challenges, professional workshops, and real-world simulations. Michael took full advantage of this opportunity to network with peers and learn from industry professionals, not only deepening his understanding of business strategy and innovation but also bringing back valuable ideas to share with his Worcester Academy DECA peers. W

Claire Lee ’25 brought both vision and heart to her senior Discovery Project, creating Steps to Tranquility, an immersive sculptural installation inspired by her grandfather’s koi pond.

The work is composed of four hand-sculpted fish descending a spiral staircase into a zen garden. The sand garden, designed as an interactive component, invites viewers to engage directly with the piece. Her work not only fulfilled the Senior Discovery Project requirements but earned acclaim beyond the Hilltop. Lee was honored with both a Merit Award and a Scholarship Award at the New England Secondary School Art and Design Competition, where judges praised her creativity, craftsmanship, and emotional depth of her piece. As she heads off to Hamilton College to study Environmental Science or Conservation Biology, Lee leaves Worcester Academy as a thoughtful and skilled artist, ready to continue exploring the connections between creativity and the natural world. W

Jason Chang ’31

Inventing a Brighter

Future

Jason Chang is redefining sustainable innovation.

Last spring, the Middle School student earned First Place honors at both the Massachusetts Regional and State Science and Engineering Fairs for his gravity-driven solar tracker, a system that boosts solar panel efficiency without using electricity. His work also earned the prestigious Engineering Excellence Award, The Lemelson Inventor Prize, and a nomination for the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge.

Over the summer, Jason advanced to the national competition, where he was recognized among the top 300 young scientists in the country. Designed for off-grid or remote communities, Jason’s tracker utilizes a clever three-step fluid control system, modeled after everyday items like a seesaw, an

IV drip, and a toilet float, to automatically tilt the panes in sync with the sun. The result is a significant boost in solar energy capture without drawing any power to do so.

Motivated by a passion for clean energy and real-world problem-solving, Jason hopes his work is just the beginning. “I hope to come up with more practical solutions that can make clean energy mainstream around the world,” he says. W

“I hope to come up with more practical solutions that can make clean energy mainstream around the world.

Anna Babenko ’29 Discipline in Motion

Anna Babenko ’29 is making a name for herself on the national judo stage.

Last June, she traveled to Bedford Park, Illinois, to compete in the 2025 USA Judo Junior Olympic National and International Championships, where she earned a silver medal in the National Competition and followed it up with a gold medal in the International Competition. Her top finishes qualified her to compete at the Pan American Championships in Mexico.

A dedicated student of the sport since the age of five, Anna holds a purple belt, with brown and black belts just ahead. She complements her judo training with club soccer, wrestling, and several sports at Worcester Academy. She recently returned from the U.S. Open Judo Championships in Florida, where she earned silver and bronze medals, continuing an ambitious travel and training schedule. W

Hilltopper Teams Bring Home NEPSAC Titles

It was a championship year on the Hilltop. In fall 2024, Worcester Academy’s Girls’ Soccer team brought home the NEPSAC Class A title, capping an incredible season defined by teamwork, tenacity, and heart. The Hilltoppers defended the field with grit and focus, earning a well-deserved victory and making history for the program.

Just months later, both the Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball teams added to the celebration by winning their respective NEPSAC championships. With fast-paced play, sharp execution, and determined leadership, both squads navigated tough postseason brackets to emerge victorious.

Together, these three titles represent more than athletic excellence—they reflect the resilience, dedication, and school pride that define Worcester Academy. From preseason training to championship moments, Hilltopper athletes and coaches gave it their all.

As the 2025–2026 athletic seasons are underway, Worcester Academy teams are ready to build on that momentum. W

Defend the Hill!

Giving News

Donna L. KayarianChiacchia ’75

Giving That Endures: Simple Ways to Make a Lasting Impact

For Donna Kayarian-Chiacchia ’75, giving back to Worcester Academy is about honoring the institutions that shaped her life and ensuring they continue to shape others.

“When I reached a point where I could start thinking about my philanthropic life,” she says, “there were two organizations that had profoundly influenced who I am: my school and my church.”

Kayarian-Chiacchia spent nearly two decades as a professional ballet dancer following graduation, which meant she began giving modestly at first—but with purpose. “Even a small amount matters,” she says. “The act of giving back is important. It allows the school to persist.”

Today, Kayarian-Chiacchia supports Worcester Academy in two essential ways: through a recurring monthly gift and in her estate plan. “A recurring gift is the easiest way to give at your highest potential,” she says. “It’s automatic, you hardly notice it’s gone, you don’t put it off, and because it’s consistent, it may even empower you to give more over time.” She has also included the Academy in

her will, ensuring that her support will continue far into the future.

Her giving is rooted in gratitude; “WA gave me a real edge. My family, especially my mother, wanted me to have a strong education and a strong network,” she says. I didn’t fully realize the value of exposure and the opportunities I had at WA until I was out in the world.”

While it might be easy to assume that an alumna with a background in the arts would focus her giving in that area, Kayarian-Chiacchia’s perspective goes deeper. “WA was the first place where I saw everyone being welcomed,” she says. “That left a lasting impression on me, and I’ve come to understand that tradition has always been part of the school’s story. Supporting financial aid and longterm sustainability are how we keep that tradition alive, and it’s where my passion lies.”

As the Class of 1975, Worcester Academy’s first coeducational class, prepared for its 50th reunion, Kayarian-Chiacchia took on a leadership role on the Reunion Committee and invited her classmates and fellow alumnae to join her in making a $50 recurring gift. “If Worcester Academy made a difference in your life, this is a simple but powerful way to help it do the same for someone else,” she says.

The school motto, Achieve the Honorable, continues to guide her life. “The best thing about that phrase,” she reflects, “is that no one ever defined it for me. I had to figure out what it meant on my own. That was the gift.”

For Kayarian-Chiacchia, giving back is one way to live out that motto and ensure that the Academy continues to provide opportunities, connections, and purpose for years to come. Her message to alumni? “Come home at least once a year.

WA misses you.” W

Founders Day 2025

Honoring the Hilltoppers Who Inspire Us

On February 28, the Worcester Academy community came together to celebrate Founders Day, marking 191 years since our founding and rallying support for today’s Hilltoppers.

Founders Day serves as our annual Giving Day and offers a moment to reflect on those who have inspired generations of students to Achieve the Honorable.

This year’s theme invited alumni, families, and friends to give in honor of someone who made a difference in their Worcester Academy journey. The goal was 541 gifts, one for each current student. The community responded with incredible generosity, surpassing the target with 597 supporters.

Each gift represented more than a donation. It was a heartfelt expression of gratitude. Donors gave

in honor of the teachers who challenged them, the coaches who believed in them, the classmates who stood by them, and the mentors who changed their lives. The day became a moving tribute to the people and relationships that define Worcester Academy. It reminded us that the Hilltop is not just a place but a community shaped by those who lift others up and leave a lasting impact.

Be sure to mark your calendar for Founders Day 2026 and keep an eye out for upcoming events, including the Alumni Awards celebration. We can’t wait to welcome you back to the Hilltop! W

Voices from the Community Founders

Day donors shared heartfelt messages about those who shaped their journeys:

“In honor of Mr. Snyder for his unwavering support and positivity. I will always be grateful for his mentorship throughout my WA experience.”

Tyler Hughes ’24

“I am giving in honor of all my classmates, many of whom I remain friendly with to this day.”

David Miller ’69

“In honor of the Visual and Performing Arts department and all the great work they do!”

Laurie Edwards P’29

“Jamie Sullivan is a great ambassador for Worcester Academy and makes a big impact on the lives of many in the community. Thank you and keep it up!”

Michael Mangaudis & Margaret McKenna P’11, ’14

“In honor of Grant Rudnicki. Best English teacher ever. Inspired me to do my best and I soared.

Peter Hawkes ’66

“In honor of Julie Berberian, who challenged me to be the best athlete, teammate, and person throughout my years at Worcester Academy. Her leadership, encouragement, and support have been something I have and will always cherish.”

Jacqueline Odell ’92

“I would like to donate in honor of Ms. Schlesinger, who sparked my interest in academia which has led me down the path of starting a PhD.”

Anna Guadet ’15

“In honor of Dr. Thomas Gould ’60. More than a classmate, a lifelong friend!”

John McGowan ’60

“In honor of Donald “Dee” Rowe. To the man that had as much influence on my beliefs in how I have lived my life as my own Father. Thanks Coach for the playbook on life.”

Rocco Antonelli ’69

Passings

1941

Eugene P. Dalrymple, 103, of Port Clyde, ME, and Sun City Center, FL, passed away on February 8, 2025. He was the son of the late Charles O. and Marion S. Dalrymple. He is survived by his sons, Dr. Bruce J. Dalrymple, Jeffrey C. Dalrymple and his wife Anne Gibson, and Scott R. Dalrymple and his wife Margaret; his four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Virginia Macfarland Dalrymple, and his brother, Dr. Paul C. Dalrymple.

1942

J. Thomas Cottrell Jr., 100, of Swansea, MA, passed away on May 30, 2025. He was predeceased by his wife Margot, his daughter Sara-Louise Cottrell, and his brother Richard F. Cottrell. He is survived by his sons Benjamin Cottrell (Valerie), Jonathan Cottrell (Rebecca) and Christopher Cottrell; ten grandchildren; seven greatgrandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

1944

Wallace B. Specter, 98, of Boca Raton, FL, passed away on December 6, 2024. He is survived by his daughters, Patti Specter and Iris Specter Shink; his son-in-law, Louis Kaminsky; and his granddaughter, Gabriella Shink. He was predeceased by his wife, Doris Specter.

1949

Luke R. “Ron” Capozzoli, 96, of Jupiter, FL, passed away on November 21, 2024. A leading benefactor of Worcester Academy, his generosity and enduring spirit enriched the school’s community. He will be warmly remembered and deeply missed by all.

1950

William R. “Bill” Hagberg, 92, of Boylston, MA, passed away on May 18, 2024. He was the son of the late Rudolph and Adelaide Hagberg. He is survived by his wife Carolyn J. Hagberg; his daughters, Pamela J. Szatek and her husband Thomas, Barbara J. DiGioia, and Susan J. Dunster and her husband Michael; his grandchildren, Samantha S. Woomer and her husband William, Allison K. Rieskamp and her husband

Jeffrey, Andrea M. Okray and her husband Brandon, Nicholas J. DiGioia, Bobby W. DiGioia, Michael E. Dunster Jr., Victoria L. Dunster, and Kyle J. Dunster; and his greatgrandchildren, Harper, Colt, Owen, and Layla. He was predeceased by his son, W. Richard Hagberg Jr.

1951

Richard A. “Dick” Rader passed away on June 18, 2025. His parents were longtime Worcester Academy educators Harold “Dutch” and Dorothy Rader. He is survived by his sister, Mary Randall; his sons, Richard Rader and his wife Suzanne, and Charles Rader and his wife Nancy; and his grandchildren, Erica, Gregory, and Rebecca. He was predeceased by his wife Carol Elizabeth Parsons Rader.

1952

Richard N. “Dick” Eid, 89, of Worcester, MA, passed away on April 1, 2023. He was the son of the late Elias and Alice (Abusamra) Eid. He is survived by his wife Joan Eid; his daughter, Sharon Filizzola and her husband Frank; his son, Rick Eid and his wife Natalie; his grandchildren, Krista, Maggie, Jack, and Karina; and his sister, Carol Hadfield and her husband James. He was predeceased by his brothers, Joseph, Robert, and Walter.

Barry L. Krock, 90, of Worcester, MA, passed away on August 27, 2024. He was the son of Aaron and Anna (Levine) Krock. Barry is survived by his wife, Janet Elizabeth Krock; his daughter, Kathryn Krock Parvin and her husband Kevin; his son, Aaron Andrew Krock; and his grandchildren, Harrison and Lily Parvin.

Orr Shepherd, 89, of Woburn and South Yarmouth, MA, formerly of Arlington, passed away on May 8, 2023. He was the husband of the late Patricia Donovan Shepherd. Orr is survived by his daughters, Deirdre Shepherd and her partner David Blauer, and Heather Martino and her husband John; his son, Orr Dylan Shepherd and his wife Elizabeth; and his grandchildren, Lauren, Steven, and Molly Martino, and Gloria, Mary Grace, and Regina Shepherd.

1954

Donald A. “Don” Hodes, 88, of Worcester, MA, passed away on November 17, 2024. He was predeceased by his wife Nancy Hurwitz Hodes, and his parents, Louis and Nettie Hodes. Donald is survived by his children, Karen Turk and her husband Jeffrey, Adam

Hodes and his wife Lisa, and Jennifer Reich and her husband Benjamin; his grandchildren, Gillian and Matthew Hodes, Lauren Hodes Schneider (Jason), Emily and Diana Turk, and Samuel and Mollie Reich; his great-grandson, Jack Tate Schneider; his sister, Carol Ann Scioli and her husband Ronald; and his brother, Barry Hodes and his wife Deanna.

Gerald K. “Jerry” Jones, 88, of Boylston, MA, passed away on December 15, 2024. He was the son of the late Kenneth S. and Elizabeth Jones and was predeceased by his wife Rachel L. Jones. Jerry is survived by his sons, Stephen G. Jones and his wife Ann, Brian L. Jones and his wife Kristine, and Darren K. Jones and his wife Kathleen; his grandchildren, Bethany, Christopher, Justin, Haley, and Ryan; and his close companion, Carolyn Cass.

Richard S. “Dick” Lasse, 89, of Beaver Falls, PA, passed away on April 28, 2025. He was the son of the late Arnold and Thyra Lasse. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy “Dottie” Lasse; his sons, Steve Lasse and his wife Mary, and Kurt Lasse and his wife Rebecca; his grandchildren, Emily LasseOpsahl and her husband Gabe, and Eric Lasse; and his sister, Ginnie Choukalis. He was predeceased by his brother, Arnie Lasse Jr.

Joseph F. “Joe” McCluskey, of Marlborough, MA, passed away on July 20, 2024. He was predeceased by his wife, Jean (Jaworek), and his parents, Joseph and Betty McCluskey. He is survived by his sons, Joseph McCluskey III and his wife Suzi, Michael McCluskey and his partner Jared Welch, and Peter McCluskey and his wife Lisa; his grandsons, Peter, Philip, Samuel, Joseph, and Hamilton; and his sisterin-law, Peggy Klimaski.

1955

Edmond A. “Ed” Garfinkle, 87, of Englewood, FL, passed away on December 28, 2024. He was the son of the late Mac and Mary Garfinkle. He is survived by his wife Anne Garfinkle; his sons, Geoff Garfinkle (fiancée Christine) and Dave Garfinkle (Carrie); his grandchildren, Anna (Buck) Sheesley, Mark Garfinkle, Hannah Garfinkle, and Ben Garfinkle; his great-grandchildren, Audrey and Ellis Sheesley; his nephew, Zane (Kelly) Zeeh; Gretchen (Owen) Trushell; and his sister-in-law, Kay (Pete) Zeeh.

1956

Raymond “Ray” Bucci Jr., 86, of Wenham, MA, passed away on July 26, 2024. He was the son of the late Raymond and Anne (Acciavatti) Bucci. He is survived by his wife, Lana Chase Bucci; his sister Carole Bucci; his children, Anne E. Moylan and her husband Stephen, Lori Bucci and her husband Lou Randazzo, Timothy Bucci and his wife Margaret, and Jeffrey Bucci; and his seven grandchildren, Molly, Anna, Zack, Lia, Chase, Gianna, and Lana (Romie). He is also survived by his maternal aunt Matilda Hyde, nephews Neil, Will, Kenny, and Jon Chase, and many great-nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Francis J. “Jack” McDonald, 86, of Osterville, MA, passed away on December 7, 2024. He was the son of the late Gertrude and Francis McDonald. He is survived by his children, Geoffrey J. McDonald, Amy McDonald Rogers and her husband Jim, and Matthew P. McDonald and his wife Emily Brown; his grandchildren, Chloe, Cameron, Leo, and Jackie; and his sister, the late Joan Kelley. He was predeceased by his wife Sally Stringer McDonald.

George H. McEvoy, 86, of Boothbay Harbor, ME, and formerly of Worcester, MA, passed away on June 11, 2025. He was the son of the late

George and Mildred McEvoy. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Rowe; his daughters, Elizabeth Henderson and her husband Jay, Sarah Hodgdon and her partner Alex, and Kate McEvoy and her husband Matt; his grandchildren, Josiah, Madeline, Lila, Benjamin, Emelia, Bennett, Sullivan, Sawyer, and Ella; his stepdaughter, Katie and her husband Keith, and their daughter Kaylie; and his stepson, David and his wife Hilary, and their daughters Scarlett and Ottilie.

William R. “Bill” Mitchell, 87, passed away on April 8, 2024. Born on October 17, 1936, Bill graduated from Worcester Academy in 1956 before matriculating to the College of the Holy Cross. His friends, classmates, and the Academy community will remember him fondly.

Ronald E. Spakauskas, 88, of Jefferson, MA, passed away on June 11, 2025. He was the son of the late John and Domicelle Spakauskas. He is survived by his children, Wendy Nickel, Cheryl Spakauskas, and Joel Spakauskas and his wife Wendi; his grandchildren, Katie (Ober) Martin and her husband Sean, Emily Spakauskas and her fiancé Cam Marquis, and Jack Spakauskas; and his greatgrandsons, Callan and Griffin Martin. He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara Spakauskas, and his sister-in-law, Joanne Aramento.

1957

Glenn A. Meltzer, 84, of Worcester, MA, passed away on February 2, 2025. He was the son of the late Dr. Adolph and Paula Meltzer. Glenn is survived by his wife Toni Meltzer; his children, Rachel Morgenstern and her husband Joel, and Dr. Jeremy Meltzer and his wife Shirley; his grandchildren, Lila, Zoe, Avi, Viggo, and Lev; and his sister, Naomi Rubin.

Edward J. “Ned” Wagner, 85, of Little Compton, RI, passed away on June 25, 2024. Ned is survived by his sister Janet Wagner Latham and her husband Brad, brothers Robert Wagner and his wife Donna, and William Wagner and his wife Elizabeth, as well as many loving nieces, nephews, greatnieces, and great-nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Judith (Dolan) Wagner, his sister Maryann (Wagner) Sergi, and his parents, Roseann Clark Wagner and Carl Edward Wagner.

William M. Woodason, 85, of Jackson, NH, formerly of Foxborough, MA, passed away on January 29, 2025. He was the son of the late Morton P. and Polly Y. Woodason. He is survived by his wife Eleanor Woodason; his children, Susan B. Carr, Brit Woodason and his partner Nancy Keenan, and John Woodason and his wife Kathleen; his grandchildren,

Brittney, Paige, Victoria, Nate, Rex, and Allie; his greatgrandchildren, Hailey, Tyler, Ari, Adeline, and Theo; and his brother, James C. Woodason. He was predeceased by his sisterin-law, Maryann Woodason.

1958

Francis A. “Frank” DeFelice, 84, of Swampscott, MA, passed away on January 14, 2025. He was the son of the late Anthony “Lefty” and Eleanor DeFelice. He is survived by his wife Susan DeFelice; his children, Jim DeFelice and his wife Kelly, Paul DeFelice and his wife Jaime, and Mary Frances Bozarjian and her husband Rob; his grandchildren, Ally Rose DeFelice, Robbie, Brooklyn, and Harrison Bozarjian, and Shyla and Emme DeFelice; and his sister, Susan DeFelice. He was predeceased by his brother, Bob DeFelice.

Armand M. LaMontagne, 87, of North Scituate, RI, passed away on March 7, 2025. He was the son of the late Raymond and Jeanne LaMontagne. He is survived by his wife, Lorraine A. LaMontagne, and his daughter, Lisa A. LaMontagne. He was the brother of Lucille Coutu, Anne Gabriault, Henry LaMontagne, and the late Roger, Raymond, Ernest, and Lucien LaMontagne.

1960

James B. Callahan, 82, of Newport, RI, passed away on March 6, 2025. He was the son of the late Dr. James and Ruth Callahan. He is survived by his daughter, Mary Hitchings and her husband James, and their children, Rees, Cooper, and Scarlett; and his son, James C. Callahan II and his wife Lisa, and their son, Hunter Byrne.

1962

Robert E. Stacey, 79, of Worcester, MA, passed away on July 5, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Marcia Stacey; his sons, M. Joseph Stacey II, Robert W. Stacey and his wife Megan, and Christopher S. Stacey and his wife Patricia; his grandchildren, Sabrina, Fintan, Madeline, Kaitlyn, J.J., and Jennifer; and his sister-in-law, Patricia Pietropaolo, along with her children and grandchildren. He was predeceased by his sister, Marlene Marcus, and his daughter-in-law, Tara Keegan.

1964

Kenneth H. “Ken” Payson, 79, of Rutland, MA, and Sun City Center, FL, passed away on May 26, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Lori J. Payson; his daughter, Janine Payson-Szczygiel and her husband John; his step-sons, Maj. Maximilian Robidoux

and his wife Ashley, and AJ Robidoux; his brother, Roger Payson and his wife Carolyn; six grandchildren, Sienna, Logan, Alice, Catherine, Emilia, and Hazel Ann; and his brotherin-law, Michael McAllister. He was predeceased by his sisters, Carla Payson and Patricia McAllister.

Kenneth J. Safran, 77, of Brookhaven, GA, passed away on March 8, 2025. He is survived by his son, Jared Safran and his partner Lauren Abraham Mahoney; his grandchildren, Maya Mahoney and Alexander Safran; his siblings, James Safran and Sharon Daniels; and his former wife, Barbara Safran Cohen. He was predeceased by his parents, Hyman and Leah Safran, his brother Fred Safran, and his sisters-in-law, Didi Wainess and Larry Daniels.

1965

Gerald “Jerry” Emmett Bruen Jr., 77, of Marion, MA, passed away on January 7, 2025. He was the son of the late Gerald Emmett Bruen, Sr. and Jean Frances (Strout) Bruen. He is survived by his wife Jeanne Helen Bruen; his sons, Patrick Bruen and his wife Courtney, and Kyle Bruen; his granddaughter, Hallie; and his sisters, Jean Moriarty, Barbara Carmody, and Mary Carle. He was predeceased by his sister, Susan Eustis.

Lawrence F. Halaby, 78, of West Palm Beach, FL, passed away on September 3, 2024. Born to the late Samuel A. Halaby Sr. and Lilly Fadel Halaby, he is survived by his sisters, Jean Moffitt and Betty Bahouth; his brothers, Kenneth Halaby and his wife Linda, Samuel Halaby Jr. and his wife Jill, and Theodore Halaby; and 20 nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister, Georgia Gardner.

1967

James B. “Jim” Bowen, 76, of Rhode Island and Florida, passed away on February 19, 2025. He was the son of the late Robert L. Bowen and Shirley Bowen Parent. He is survived by his wife Donna R. Bowen; his daughter, Ashley B. Bowen; his sister, Linda Dolan; and his nieces and nephews.

Gary F. Dancewicz, 74, of Melrose, MA, passed away on April 28, 2023. He was the son of Audrey Dancewicz and the late Francis Dancewicz. He is survived by his wife Jean Dancewicz; his children, Kara Delaney and her husband George, and Matthew Dancewicz and his wife Barbara; his grandchildren, Kathryn, Madeline, Jackson Delaney, and Chloe and Ella Dancewicz; and his sisters, Carol Pizzotti and her

husband Stephen, Deborah Dancewicz, Marianne Spinney and her husband Stephen, and Rita Sellew and her husband George.

1970

Mark L. Cohen, 71, of Coral Springs, FL, passed away on June 17, 2023. He was the son of the late Benjamin (Barney) and Frances Cohen. He is survived by his wife Marsha Cohen; his sons, Jordan Cohen and Ben Cohen and his wife Nicole; his sister, Ruthellen and her husband Joe; his niece, Brooke and her husband Lou, and their son Sonny. He is also survived by his in-laws Lee Lereah, Michael and Jeanne, and David and Carole, along with many dear nieces, nephews, cousins, an aunt, and friends.

1975

Robert L. “Bobby” Fisher, 67, of Worcester, MA, passed away on April 12, 2025. He was the son of the late Lawrence H. “Larry” Fisher and Doris M. “Dolly” Fisher. He is survived by his sister, Elaine Fisher and her partner Eric; his brother, Dr. William Fisher and his wife Kathy; and his nephew, Maddox Fisher.

1976

John S. O’Connor, 67, formerly of Worcester, MA, and Falmouth Heights, passed away on February 12, 2025. He was the son of the late Frank J. and Florence M. O’Connor. He is survived by his sons, John S. O’Connor and his wife Nina, and Andrew J. O’Connor and his partner Kelly Juan; his daughter, Megan R. O’Connor; his grandchildren, John Stephen III, Owen, Olivia, and Liam O’Connor; his brother, Francis J. O’Connor Jr.; his sister, Suzanne M. Donahue; and several nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.

1981

Anne E. Crowley, 61, of Cranberry Township, PA, passed away on August 5, 2024. She was the daughter of the late Denis M. and Phyllis A. Rawding Crowley. Anne is survived by several cousins and was predeceased by her halfsister, Wendy Canale.

1982

Kevin E. Neal, 59, of Cape Neddick, ME, passed away on June 7, 2023. He was the son of the late Harold E. Neal and Geraldine M. Bigelow Neal. He is survived by his wife

Laura Neal; his daughters, Celina Neal and Kersey Neal; his sister, Gemetta Neal-Goulet and her family; and many beloved cousins, friends, and extended family.

1988

Mason B. Cook, 54, of Halifax, MA, passed away on September 6, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Monica Mueller; his sons, Spencer Cook and Harrison Cook; his mother, Justine West Cook Huntley; his brother, Jason Cook and his wife Lori; his sister, Bailey Cook and her husband David Stuckey; his half-siblings, Cynthia Head and Paul Cook; his mother-in-law, Edeltraud Mueller; and his sisterin-law, Caroline Hall. Mason was predeceased by his father.

2006

Henry P. Steenstra, 37, of Upton, MA, passed away on April 2, 2025. He was the son of the late Philip Steenstra. He is survived by his partner, Dihanna S. Thomas, and their son, Henry P. Steenstra Jr.; his mother and stepfather, Sandra and Frank Prendiville; his brother, Steven W. Steenstra; his sister, Kaitlyn Prendiville; his nephew, Kameron P. Prendiville; and extended family. W

81 Providence Street

Worcester, MA 01604 U.S.A.

If this edition of the Hilltopper is addressed to someone who no longer resides at this address, kindly notify the Advancement Office at alumni@worcesteracademy.org.