Embracing Awe
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2025–2026
Kate Graham ‘98
PRESIDENT
Conor Shapiro
VICE PRESIDENT
Kirsten Kester ’01
TREASURER
Sarah Khetani
SECRETARY
Danielle Heard HEAD OF SCHOOL
Matthew Boger
Gary Broberg
Erica Cohen
Anne Elton
Michael Fay
Jessica French
Liza Garonzik ‘03
Agnes Lubega
Lydia Napoli
Frank Panaccio
Megan Pasquina ‘00
Alys Reynders
Ricardo Rodriguez
Eugene Soltes
Alice Flint, TRUSTEE EMERITUS
W. Carl Kester, TRUSTEE EMERITUS
John Moriarty, TRUSTEE EMERITUS
Jason Robart, TRUSTEE EMERITUS
CORE VALUES
INTEGRITY
We act with honesty, sound judgment, and strong character to build a culture of trust.
COLLABORATION
We build partnerships, foster teamwork, and encourage camaraderie.
INCLUSIVITY
We celebrate and affirm all aspects of individual identity and global diversity.
EMPATHY
We seek to understand the feelings of others, value multiple perspectives, build meaningful connections, and inspire ethical action.
RESILIENCE
We value persistence and pursue excellence through continuous learning and growth.
Preschool students learning the basics of soccer
Aubrey
Quincey
Amy Leahy Development Associate, Director of Annual Giving & Parent Engagement
Kara Kilpatrick Development Assistant
Stuart Beeby Photography
Nicolaus Czarnecki Photography
Kirsta Davey Photography
Krys
Nashoba Brooks School educates children for a life of continuous learning, accomplishment, and leadership in a diverse and changing world. The School nurtures students’ growth and character, while fostering the development of each child’s personal excellence in academics,
“Wonder, the mental state of openness, questioning, curiosity, and embracing mystery, arises out of experiences of awe. In our studies, people who find more everyday awe show evidence of living with wonder. They are more open to new ideas. To what is unknown. To what language can’t describe. To the absurd. To seeking new knowledge. To experience itself…To the strengths and virtues of other people. It should not surprise that people who feel even five minutes a day of everyday awe are more curious about art, music, poetry, new scientific discoveries, philosophy, and questions about life and death. They feel more comfortable with mysteries, with that which cannot be explained.”
–Dacher Keltner, Awe:
The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life
EMBRACING AWE
Each academic year, we select a theme to frame our thinking and practice. This year, we selected Embracing Awe and invited the full adult community to join us in reading Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner. This theme has been a natural fit for our work at Nashoba Brooks School. The possible connections to how young people embrace and inspire awe on our campus are boundless.
Whether in the classroom, on the stage, through their artwork, or on the field, the threads of connection and learning create meaningful moments of awe. Keltner argues—and I wholeheartedly agree—that these moments of awe:
• Inspire curiosity and creativity
• Promote well-being
• Reduce stress
• Enhance connections
• Sharpen thinking
• Encourage humility
The breadth and depth of connections we have found with this theme have exceeded all expectations—one moment of wonder naturally leads to the next, one curious question inspires another, one person who stops to take in the natural beauty of our campus invites others to join.
As you read this issue of the Bulletin, I hope you enjoy learning more about how we have embraced awe through the academic, athletic, and artistic pursuits of our students. The pages that follow include curriculum highlights, alumni updates, and the latest developments of our physical plant, as we advance our strategic directions: Spark. Sustain. Soar.
There are few things more awe-inspiring than witnessing the world through the wonder and growth of a child as they develop a genuine love of learning fueled by wonder and sustained by joy. It is this combination of curiosity, creativity, connection, and courage that makes Nashoba Brooks such a wonderful place to learn and grow. We are thrilled to share with you just a few of the many small moments of exploration and discovery, and we hope that they inspire you to seek and find a little bit of awe in every day.
Danielle Heard Head of School
“Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.”
— John Milton
Lower School students building a fort during recess
AWE IN ACADEMICS
This summer, Nashoba Brooks School employees and community members collectively read Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. By finding awe in everyday life, Keltner suggests, we can “live the good life,” a life “enlivened by joy and community and meaning, that brings us a sense of worth and belonging and strengthens the people and natural environments around us.” This community read serves as the foundation for our year’s theme of Embracing Awe, encouraging us to notice the moments of awe that surround us. Our commitment to Embracing Awe at Nashoba Brooks is illustrated by students harvesting vegetables in the garden, experiencing the joy of a child sharing what they have learned in the classroom, discovering new talents in Tucker Auditorium or on the Alfond and Noble Fields, and enjoying time together in community.
While we tend to think of awe on a grand scale (standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, hearing a favorite band live for the first time, or bearing witness to the first or final breaths of a loved one), Keltner emphasizes the importance of pursuing awe in our everyday lives. At Nashoba Brooks, the meaningful moments that Keltner classifies as the “eight wonders of life” are woven into our curriculum and our community. Several of Keltner’s eight wonders are easily identified as core pieces of the Nashoba Brooks experience, including nature, music, visual design, and epiphany; while others, such as moral beauty, spirituality, life and death, and collective effervescence, might be more difficult to pinpoint. But with open eyes and mind, finding these “wonders of life” at Nashoba Brooks will surely deepen our connections and remind us of the vast reaches of our community.
AWE ON CAMPUS
We have recognized this year that every step at 200 Strawberry Hill Road contains a new, awe-inspiring mystery to be unfolded. Whether it is Kindergarten students seeing Saturn through a telescope during their Night Magic unit, the World Music Ensemble perfectly
Grade 8 student canoeing during the trip to Chewonki
“Whether in pre-orchestrated moments crafted by talented teachers or in unplanned discoveries throughout the day, awe is all around us at Nashoba Brooks.”
harmonizing on a new piece, or the entire community singing the School Song at assembly, these experiences offer new understandings about the world and promote stronger community connections. Lower School Science Teacher Kim Russell notes that she experiences awe watching Grade 1 students marvel when we open the beehives for the first time. “They know where honey comes from,” she says, “but seeing it in production and learning about the process the bees undertake is a new fascination and a new level of respect for nature.” Similarly, Grade 8 student Julia C. explains that “during our Chewonki trip, since this isn’t an experience most people have had before, our class learned how to better support one another as we broke out of some comfort zones and hiked into the woods.” Experiences such as these, says Keltner, “tap into a place that can help transform people’s outlook on life and help them feel a part of something bigger than themselves.”
At Nashoba Brooks, through lessons and experiences, students begin to understand where they fit “in the grand scheme of life” as they encounter the physical
and emotional world around them. Encouraging students to recognize and observe the actions of others opens them up to experiencing “moral beauty,” which Keltner found to be the most common source of awe.
“Around the world, the most common thing that led people to feel awe was others’ courage, kindness, strength, and overcoming.” Grade 3 student Callan R. notes that “during the musical, most of my friends felt scared because they didn’t know how many people were going to be in the audience or they had never done a play before. But it just felt so good to all get up and perform the best we could!” When students take time to recognize others’ successes, struggles, and acts of kindness, they grow as learners and as people.
As Callan experienced, our arts platform provides ample opportunities for awe. “The most common word said in my Preschool class is an excited ‘look!’” Lower School Art Teacher Kara Angeloni Williams remarks. “When students begin to see how paint colors mix together or finish artwork they are proud of, they
Preschool students observing seasonal changes during a nature walk
want to turn to their friends and enjoy it together.” And, during our Friday assemblies, as students settle into Tucker Auditorium and begin to enjoy the presentations, songs, and celebrations, a feeling of unity sweeps across the students as they begin to sway in unison, join their voices and movements together, and create a moment of collective effervescence filled with shared glances and giggles.
Whether in pre-orchestrated moments crafted by talented teachers or in unplanned discoveries throughout the day, awe is all around us at Nashoba Brooks. Each day, in every class, our students experience what Keltner classifies as epiphanies. These moments shed light on “philosophical concepts, scientific discoveries, personal realizations, and much more,” Keltner says. Middle School Math Teacher Duncan Flaherty says it a different way; “As teachers, we get to witness a student’s mind expand into a new space; it’s intellectual empowerment.” These daily epiphanies and moments of awe culminate in our annual year-end traditions; Middle School Closing
Day, and Grade 3 and Grade 8 Graduations. These rites of passage mark the end of a school year for some students, and the beginning of a new chapter for others. During these ceremonies, we sing, we share, and we stand in awe of our students and all they can accomplish.
By Embracing Awe at Nashoba Brooks this year, we have taken time to celebrate the vastness of our community and the strong connections within it. We encourage you to notice the moments of awe in your daily life and, if you need additional inspiration, welcome you to visit us any time! We hope you will take these moments of awe, share them with others, and continue to build bonds with the people and environment around you.
Grade 4 students experiencing awe in our Denault Library
Awe in the Arts: Shibori
Middle School Art Club members worked on an AWEsome student-led project: Shibori. Using this traditional Japanese dying technique, students created intricate patterns by folding and twisting white linen cloth, binding the cloth using wooden blocks and elastics, and then submerging their designs into indigo dye. The tightness of the folds combined with the wood blocks prevents dye from penetrating certain areas, resulting in unique blue and white designs. These beautiful textiles were all created before the school day even began!
Grade 3 Portraits of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Grade 3 MLK Portraits
Grade 3 students spent time in the art studio working with photos of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Through the process of looking, drawing, transferring, and finally printing his image, the students made observations and asked thoughtful questions. The goal of this lesson was to inspire empathy through the art making process and engage the students with MLK and his story in a way that they may not have experienced before.
“I'm really proud of how hard we all worked together to make the show really good and fun!”
Grade 3 Portraits of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Student Reflections from A Year With Frog and Toad
Reflection is always a part of our practice, especially in the performing arts! After a successful run of the Grades 3 and 7 musical, A Year with Frog and Toad TYA, Grade 7 students shared their insights on how the full cast fostered excellence through support and collaboration. As a key part of our arts program, each musical gives all of our students a chance to learn creative storytelling with the full support of their peers and community behind them!
“I am really thankful for Young Frog. She helped remind us where to be and how to act and stay on track backstage.”
“I was really proud to be part of the bird ensemble. I was initially nervous to sing on stage and I feel like we got better every week, then by the time we performed we were super confident on stage.”
“I think Snail did a really good job because she wasn’t afraid to be silly and kind of crazy onstage, and it was really funny. The audience loved it, too!”
“I
think we did a good job staying enthusiastic and in character together for the whole musical.”
WHAT’S NEW ON CAMPUS?
Whether large or small, there are always exciting projects happening on campus! Images 1-4 are completed renovations that were part of The Campaign for Our Future. All projects have a significant impact on our students' experiences and create a more welcoming learning environment.
1. Lower School music studio 2. Middle School art studio 3. Lower School art studio 4. Community Commons gathering space 5. Middle School mural created by Rachel Gloria Adams ‘01 6. The athletic equipment shed got a makeover this fall thanks to Grade 8 students
“The robotics season is highly student-centered. Students consider the aims of the annual competition, engineering designs to best fit their intended strategies. This year we had numerous occasions wherein groups shared successes and challenges on different robotics components, teaching one another how to improve their designs. Students have countless opportunities to be leaders and experts regarding different elements across the design process.”
— Hank Bryant, Coach
ATHLETICS
Traditionally, Middle School acts as the “starting gate” for a child’s participation in competitive athletics. At Nashoba Brooks, many students use these years to join new teams, and, frequently, try completely new sports. The familiar environment, playing alongside their classmates and being coached by Nashoba Brooks employees, becomes a safe place to test out different abilities and preferences across the court or field. In addition to the physical skills our students practice during their seasons, our athletic programs also provide leadership opportunities for athletes at all levels.
“Each member of the team takes responsibility for being at practice on time, knowing that each member plays a critical role.” — Megan McGuin, Coach
“The mixed-age teams at Nashoba Brooks means that students who are just learning the skills needed for a sport are able to learn from their peers and grow alongside them, while those who already have playing experience are able to support their teammates while honing their abilities.”
— Sarah Conrad, Coach
“I watch kids step into new aspects of their personalities that they can express on a sports field in a way they may not be able to in a classroom. Every student learns to speak up and be a vocal member of the team in order for us all to fully participate and grow.” — Amy Leahy, Coach
Varsity Soccer
Varsity Field Hockey
JV Soccer
JV Field Hockey
Cross Country
Varsity Basketball
Sixers Basketball
Fivers Basketball
Robotics
Through creatively designed group and individual activities, students learn and develop leadership skills through activities that include public speaking, orienteering, canoeing, and design projects.
One Week: June 15-18
Grades PS-3
Week One: June 15-18 Week Two: June 22-26
COMMUNITY NEWS
NASHOBA ALUM CREATES MURAL
"I owe so much to Nashoba and look back at that experience so fondly." - artist Rachel Gloria Manly Adams ‘01
Nashoba Brooks School is grateful to hang a newly commissioned mural by artist and alum, Rachel Gloria Manly Adams '01 in our Middle School corridor.
WHERE DOES OUR FOOD COME FROM?
Transitional Kindergarten students are working on an interdisciplinary unit on understanding where their food comes from. In science, students are investigating foods that come from under and above the ground that we eat. They are also enjoying their discoveries on what other organisms enjoy these foods in the garden as well! This fall they harvested carrots and potatoes from our school garden.
NIGHT MAGIC
When learning about or exploring the many facets of a subject, students at Nashoba Brooks are accustomed to digging deep and thinking broadly. This is often supported by our interdisciplinary approach to instruction, offering students the opportunity to make connections across classes and interests.
Kindergarten completed their study of the night, known as Night Magic. In addition to learning in the “field” with a trip to the Stone Zoo in October, “field experts” came to campus to enhance and deepen the kindergartner's knowledge of some of the animals they were learning about in class. Preschool parent Alyssa Giaquinto of Giaquinto Wildlife Rescue, brought Bella the Barn Owl to the Discovery Barn to teach students about nocturnal animals while Kindergarten parent, Chris Cratsley, a biology professor and expert on firefly flash behavior, brought two human size fireflies (his adult children) to teach Kindergartners about the bioluminescent insect.
The expertise in our community is vast! We are so grateful for the contributions families provide our students in deepening their understanding and connection within and beyond the classroom. Whether fortifying a love and interest in literacy as a guest reader or sharing one’s expertise, talents or interests in a class, the possibilities for enriching student learning are abundant!
TK students harvesting carrots
Kindergarten students at Night Magic
GRADE 7 NASHOBA BROOKS STUDENTS > CHATGPT
Grade 7 students presented on a multitude of topics around AI. Before choosing their individual topics, students were tasked with considering several essential questions for this project: What is AI? How can AI be used for good and not harmful purposes? What are some societal impacts of AI?
After breaking into small groups around their topics of interest, students went to work researching! Each team prepared a thesis statement and found evidence both supporting and opposing their viewpoint. Topics varied from the impacts AI is having on young people’s health and abilities, to how different communities (such as the medical world and online hackers) are utilizing this technology, to the environmental impacts of the data centers that run these programs. After their research was finished, each group created a display that would be used to share their research with the community including students, families, teachers, and other visitors who happened to be at School.
TIME TO DANCE
Visiting artist, Rodney Eric Lopez, captivated our employees and Middle School students in social dance workshops over two days during the winter term. As featured in the Netflix documentary Mad Hot Ballroom, Rodney’s work focuses on fostering confidence, teamwork, and belonging through collective joy and FUN! His workshops align beautifully with our program’s design to stretch out of our comfort zones, take healthy risks, support one another, give ourselves grace, and enjoy the experience. The barn was filled with laughter, spins, and smiles!
STUDENTS PRESENT TO NATURAL RESOURCE COMMISSION OF CONCORD
We are excited to announce the Green Team's proposal to the Natural Resource Commission (NRC) of Concord was accepted! On Wednesday, January 28, students presented their proposal to restore and improve the retaining pond, a protected wetland, on campus. The Green Team has been working on this proposal since January 2025, resulting in more than 20 pages of writing and photos to support their cause. This spring, with the approval from the NRC, the Green Team will begin to remove invasive plant species and litter, plant water-loving native species, and work to mitigate the eroding embankment.
The Green Team is a middle school club established to investigate and report on areas of environmental sustainability improvements.
Grade 6 students during the social dance workshop
Students investigate and sample specimens in the retaining pond
Green Team members observing the pond habitat that will be upgraded in the spring
ALUMNI IN PUBLISHING
Sarah (Tenney) Blackburn ‘89 has worn many hats since graduating from Nashoba Brooks School. She’s worked as a recipe developer, personal chef/caterer, farm stand retailer, Italian imports buyer, cheesemonger, and produce buyer, among various other positions in both food service and food retail businesses. These experiences, paired with a few opportunities while working for Middlebury Magazine during her college years, culminated in a new career path when she discovered Edible Boston. “I reached out to a woman I met at the farmers market who had just started Edible Boston,” Sarah explains of her early endeavors with the magazine. While she was originally hired to expand the magazine’s recipes section, Sarah’s responsibilities steadily increased until 2019 when, learning that her boss planned to retire, she and her husband purchased the magazine and became co-publishers.
“Growing up in Concord, there is a culture of local foods and farms,” Sarah explains. In fact, during her years at Nashoba Brooks, there had been a tradition where the parents would come in once a week to cook meals for the students and also a yearly dinner in support of Oxfam International. These early experiences of providing care through food, paired with her connections to the local farmers markets,
helped shape Sarah’s philosophy for the magazine. “We felt the need to explain to people why it was important to buy and eat local,”she notes. “If we don’t show people how to cook with these ingredients, they won’t buy them.” That philosophy has led to Edible Boston, and its sister magazine Edible Worcester, emphasizing local ingredients, food philanthropy, restaurants, and food trends.
When reflecting on her journey from a Preschooler at The Brooks School, to a young woman at Nashoba Brooks School, to now the publisher of a local magazine, Sarah laughs and notes that “I didn’t choose this profession; it chose me.” She reflects that, “At Nashoba, we were proud to be smart,” and hopes that today’s young women sitting in those seats know they can rely on their own skills and abilities when carving their future paths. “When you get blocked and you don’t know what to do or what direction to go,” she advises, “be open to opportunity and see how your skills can translate because you never know what is behind the next corner. If you don’t quite know what you want to do, don’t worry because something is going to come to you.”
On her first day at Nashoba Brooks School, Liza (Cowan) Garonzik ‘03 was stymied by a question on her orientation worksheet: "What kind of leader are you?" She remembers being a shy, perfectionistic kid who preferred to listen and observe rather than lead—so she wrote, “I am a Non-Leader.” That answer prompted her teacher, former faculty member Linda Stansfield, to have a conversation with Liza about her answer and ultimately offer the insight that “listening IS a leadership skill. If you're a great listener, you can be a great leader.” That conversation was just the beginning of Liza's transformative educational experience at Nashoba Brooks. By eighth grade, she was Class President and gave a speech about “how the best leaders are those who find the leadership in others.”
Today, Liza has been refocusing on that advice from her teacher as she develops and promotes her company's signature program, R.E.A.L.® Discussion, a classroom program aimed at teaching discussion skills to young people growing up and into a tech-centric world. “I became a teacher and realized my students were struggling to talk— and really listen—to each other,” Liza explains. In a world where students routinely text instead of talk, ask a bot instead of a friend, or block out the world with headphones, Liza noticed her students found face-to-face conversations inconvenient, difficult, or even scary. “For kids that are growing up in a world where they are communicating across a dozen different types of media in a day, they need instructions,” Liza notes. “If we want our kids to connect with others and lead with integrity, we have to teach them how,” she reminds us.
At Nashoba Brooks, we have incorporated Liza’s work and integrated it throughout our curriculum. In the Middle School, students used the R.E.A.L.® Discussion format to talk about the math concepts behind the number work they were learning. “The discussion skills they are learning allow them to move each conversation forward instead of being stuck in a circular loop,” Middle School math teacher and Grade 6 advisor Duncan Flaherty reflects. “It teaches them to be good listeners and how to support the points they are making,” he says before adding that “they think it is a lot of fun, too.” In Grade 3, students piloted R.E.A.L. (R) Basics, a curriculum Kath (Ganz) Moriarty ‘03—a classmate of Liza’s and current Lower School director of academic support—helped Liza to develop. “We already encourage so much discussion at Nashoba Brooks,” notes Kath, “but the R.E.A.L format bridges the academic skills students need with the social aspect they love.”
To further her work, Liza has written a new book, Conversation Comeback: A Teacher’s Guide to Class Discussion in a Distracted, Divided World. While many books on communication focus on business relations or a breakdown of communication, Liza wanted to focus on the development of discussion skills from a fundamental perspective. “Conversation is how we connect as human beings, but it's not always easy,” she explains. “My hope is this book breaks the art of conversation into do-able skills, leaving readers ready to support today’s kids in developing the communication skills they need,” Liza remarks, channeling Nashoba Brooks core values of empathy and collaboration.
“Being comfortable with uncertainty was important in creating the life I have,” Catherine Down ‘01 explains. Currently living in Paris and working as a James Beardnominated food, humor, and travel writer for outlets such as The New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, The Food Network, McSweeney’s, and many more, Catherine reflects on her early years at Nashoba Brooks School as laying a strong foundation from which she could build her freelance career.
The first ingredient in Catherine’s recipe for success is the confidence she cultivated while attending Nashoba Brooks. “I was in a school that always knew I was smart,” Catherine notes. “I had the right accommodations so I could thrive and succeed,” she says, explaining that an early ADHD diagnosis did not hinder her teacher’s high expectations for her. “I think if I had been in a different school I might have been in a system that wasn’t as accepting of those differences,” she adds. Catherine attended Nashoba Brooks for most of her childhood, from Connecting Class to Grade 8 graduation. This environment, which Catherine describes as a “loving and supportive community during those tender years when you are discovering who you are,” allowed her to test out many opportunities and find different strengths within herself.
One of those strengths, and a vital piece of her current day-to-day life, is strong language skills. “I give Nashoba a lot of credit for my French education,” Catherine laughs. Having started lessons in Grade 4, Catherine highlights that beginning to study an additional language at a young age
made it not only easy for her to gain the grammatical skills, but also “I got to be so comfortable with that experience and the culture.” That familiarity, in part, allowed Catherine to take the leap and move to France after college for a master’s degree in food culture and communications. Her French language skills are only half of the equation though. “I knew from my time at Nashoba that I was a strong writer,” Catherine asserts. So, relying on skills she had honed at Nashoba and as a restaurant reviewer for her culinary club in college, Catherine found an internship at a local startup, began as a food writer for them, and found a career path she would not have otherwise considered.
“If I didn't want to be a chef, what careers could there be in food?” Catherine asked herself. Though the answer wasn’t clear at first (“I didn’t know this was a career you could have!” she interjects), her lasting determination and optimism carved out a path fitting for her skills. “You can’t apply for a career like this,” she reminds us. “A key to my success has been allowing myself to believe in things that didn't necessarily exist and create them for myself,” she expands. That belief in herself and her own skills is something she hopes current students at Nashoba Brooks also find. “Learn how to be a person in the world. Then, take your skills and decide who you want to be,” she advises our young scholars. Catherine hopes that when our next generation is ready to take on the world, they will have developed the selfconfidence to “stay open to possibility and to serendipity” she concludes.
Class NOTES
Maeve Grady ‘25 has enjoyed her time in various clubs and on sports teams at CCHS, and had a successful Field Hockey season.
Charlie Leahy-Happ ‘25 has continued to grow her field hockey skills since Nashoba Brooks and played for ActonBoxborough High School last fall.
Though she misses Nashoba Brooks, Sylvan Mayer ‘25 is enjoying her first year at CCHS. She is involved in one artbased club and hopes to get involved with the musical this spring. In addition to her extracurricular activities, Sylvan reports that she is taking several honors classes and feels Nashoba Brooks helped prepare her for this undertaking.
Hazel McWhinney ‘25 enrolled at Concord Academy after graduating from Nashoba Brooks. In addition to maintaining connections with her NBS classmates, Hazel has also reconnected with alum Evan Rosso TG’20. Hazel continues to run cross country and made the varsity team this year!
Mingus Rabb ‘25 enjoyed her first fall semester at Phillips Exeter Academy, where she is active in clubs supporting Black and Latinx students.
Happily, Molly Stone ‘25 reports that she is “at Proctor Academy and thriving there!” Molly credits Nashoba Brooks in helping her develop her advocacy skills and is using these on the soccer field and on the stage performing in “Boxcar Children.”
This year, Violet Bitterman ‘25 had a free writing piece nominated for a Scholastic Art & Writing Award.
Olivia (Reyes) Brookshire ‘24 had a fantastic freshmen year at Cambridge School of Weston. She is still involved in tech for the theater department and also enrolled in a directing class. She got to try a 3D printing and design class and was invited to TA the class going forward. A highlight of the year is being one of the two freshman representatives on the Community Service Committee that organized a clothing drive for Circle of Hope (a previous connection from Youth In Philanthropy at Nashoba Brooks).
Ciaramella ‘24 and Taylor
Though no longer at Nashoba Brooks together, Isabella Ciaramella ‘24 reports that she and Taylor Tursi ‘24 “are best friends and still continue to see each other as many times as we can.”
Attending Deerfield Academy, Carolyn Mountz ‘24 has been able to keep in touch with friends at other schools through sports. (Pictured with Olivia Crawford ‘24 and Tessa Rusconi ‘24).
Kassidy Traill ‘24 is a sophomore at Lawrence Academy. She shares that she recently auditioned and was accepted into the National Children’s Chorus—a chorus group that travels internationally and sings all around the world. She says, “Nashoba helped me so much in my journey as a singer; I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the help of NBS.”
Isabella
Tursi ‘24
Charlie Leahy-Happ ‘25
Olivia Crawford ‘24, and Tessa Rusconi ‘24, Carolyn Mountz ‘24
Class NOTES
Taylor Tursi ‘24 enjoyed her first year at Middlesex and is currently a sophomore. She’s loving the opportunity to pursue chemistry and history classes. Since sports are a requirement, she’s been playing JV volleyball and Ultimate Frisbee, and of course, playing goalie on the varsity ice hockey team. In addition to sports, Taylor’s been able to pursue her many artistic passions, including joining technical theater, and AP drawing and painting.
When not busy with schoolwork at Phillips Andover Academy, Maggie Averill ‘23 is playing with the American U18 women’s ice hockey team, seeking to defend the gold medal she won a year ago in Switzerland.
Ava Cohen ‘23 has been very involved in performing arts at Cambridge School of Weston. Last spring, she performed in the musical Percy Jackson and worked at a kid’s theater camp over the summer. Currently in her junior year, she’s involved in another play and is acting as a peer mentor for incoming students.
Zayna Gilani ‘23 is keeping busy while attending The Rivers School! In addition to leading an affinity group in school, Zayna was also one of the few students who represented her high school at the NAACP awards in 2025; winning a silver medal for her essay on the Role of Women in the Civil War and two bronze medals for her clay and sculpture creations. Outside of school, Zayna has become one of the youngest individuals to recertify an international organization as a B-corp and has also conducted two successful fundraising rounds for Youth In Philanthropy.
Kelsey Johnston ‘23 is enjoying her time at Rivers. She is still in touch with lots of Nashoba classmates. She still plays basketball but has swapped soccer for volleyball!
Sydney Johnston ‘23 has been playing varsity soccer and running track since her first year at Concord Academy. In addition to her athletic pursuits, Sydney is also doing a lot of music and theater in and out of school.
Brianna LoPresti ‘23 is in her junior year at Littleton High School (with Felicia Curtis ‘23). She’s been doing springboard and platform diving, working toward her goal of diving in college. She is currently the Head of DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America, a nonprofit student organization for marketing, finance, hospitality, and management) and Model UN! She shared that she’s been taking a lot of English and history classes, with the goal of pursuing political science or law in college.
Not only was Anika Olesen ‘23 in a play of Shrek this year, she enjoyed it so much, she did the play twice!
Anika Ata ‘22 has enjoyed her time at Middlesex and is in her final year. She has continued to run cross country and participate in Youth in Philanthropy. Anika has also picked up some other hobbies, such as guitar and painting.
Hannah Moreau ‘22 is in her final year at Lawrence Academy. This year, she is a Spartan Leader, focusing on community service. A highlight of her time at Lawrence has been Winterim, specifically her junior year when she was able to focus on the judicial system, visit courts, prisons, and travel to Washington D.C. This summer, she completed a program at Brown University focusing on AI, machine learning, and data analysis. In her free time, she continues to dance. Hannah was accepted to Babson College to pursue a degree in business.
Ananya Ravipati ‘22 found a home away from home at Choate Rosemary Hall. Now a senior, Ananya has enjoyed her biology, psychology, and English classes, particularly working on her writing—a passion she attributes to her English teachers at Nashoba Brooks. She is currently writing a small book she hopes to publish soon. This summer, she interned in a cognitive neuroscience lab at Boston Children’s Hospital. In her free time, she’s a member of the choir and plays squash. She is giving back to her community as a Pathways mentor, Gold Key tour guide, and peer educator.
Ms. Mattison was thrilled to meet up with May Stutz ‘22 and Anna Rusconi ‘22 at Cafe Nero this summer! Mae is in her senior year at Concord Academy, where she was a four-year member of the varsity softball team. She is currently pursuing the Armed Forces. Anna is at Middlesex and has committed to Wesleyan to play field hockey.
Following her mother’s footsteps, Caroline Averill ‘21 is planning to attend Princeton University next year where she plans to play ice hockey.
Zayna Gilani ‘23 at the 2025 NAACP awards
Sophia Liao ‘21 attended Choate Rosemary Hall graduating in 2025, where she participated in cross country, dance, track, and even JV ice hockey. She focused mainly on economics and enjoyed creative writing, getting a piece published in Choate’s literary publication and earning the prestigious Burger Prize. She’s now in Atlanta attending Emory University.
Angelina Gleicher ‘20 graduated from Lincoln Sudbury High School and is currently attending the Gibelli School of Business at Fordham University.
Evan Rosso TG’20 has enjoyed reconnecting with Nashoba Brooks graduates over at Concord Academy. In addition to his friendships, he also spends time playing the oboe.
Keeping busy at Boston University Academy, Jack Sharrow TG’20 does crew, sails, and participates in jazz band.
Lindsay Carey ‘19 loved her experience at Deerfield Academy and graduated in 2023. She is currently a junior at Wake Forest on a pre-med track with a major in health and exercise science and a triple minor in economics, math, and chemistry. Before returning to school, she spent the fall studying in Prague!
Sophia Lester ‘19 is currently living in New York City, working toward a BFA in integrated design at Parsons School of Design and attending the New School's Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, earning a BA in psychology. She just wrapped up an internship for a celebrity stylist working with clients getting ready for The Tonys, The Met Gala, and Saturday Night Live. She’ll be spending this spring in Rome!
Ames Scott ‘19 also spent her fall term in Prague, recently returning to Tulane University to complete her junior year and working toward her BFA in music with a concentration in production and a double major in digital media production. She is also the Chief of Staff at her college radio station. Prior to Tulane, she attended St. Mark’s School, where she played squash and tennis. This past summer, Ames lived in NYC to work in the music industry at a booking agency, routing tours, and writing up contracts for artists such as Vanilla Ice, The Sugarhill Gang, Jackson 5, and Flo Rida.
Juliet Boelhower ‘18 attended Middlesex, where she played soccer, basketball, and tennis. She took a photography class, which she continues to enjoy to this day. This summer, Juliet worked at the Clinical Aging and Relational Emotion Science Laboratory (CARES lab) at Georgetown, which "investigates interpersonal emotional phenomena in connection with mental and physical health across the life course" as well as for the White House Fellows Alumni Association. She is currently a senior at Georgetown University studying economics and psychology. In her free time, Juliet is part of an improv troupe.
Madison Grant ‘18 earned a degree in music industry with a minor in communications at the University of Miami. She recently interned at The Recording Academy (the organization that puts on the GRAMMYS), where she’s been involved in artist relations, research, and member services. She’s also stayed involved creatively performing in and managing her heavy metal band in Miami, and taking part in planning campus concerts and showcases.
After a fantastic four years at Deefield, Sophia Knoblock ‘18, decided to head to IMG Academy in Florida for a PG year. This earned her a spot playing lacrosse at Butler University. When she’s not playing DI lacrosse, she’s working toward her doctorate of pharmacy and MBA—joint degrees—in four years, we’ll be calling her Dr. Knoblock! Sophia stays in touch with Laura Sackett ‘18, they saw SZA together last spring!
Lucien Ratiner-Schultz TG’18 reports he was in “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” last fall and has been playing in a wind ensemble (including playing live at Kicks for Cancer).
After Nashoba Brooks, Laura Sackett ‘18 attended Lawrence Academy, where she played field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. She loved her experience as a day student and became close with Emmy Beauvais ‘18! Laura is currently majoring in nursing at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. This summer, Laura was a Ghiloni Oncology Nursing Fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Cara Fritz ‘17 found her love of writing in her writer’s workshop class at Nashoba Brooks. After graduating from Concord Carlisle High School, she went on to earn a double major at Middlebury in environmental policy and creative writing. She is back in Boston, recently beginning a job at Bain & Company as an associate consultant.
Ms. Mattison enjoyed running into Sofia Garcia ‘17 and her mother Rosie at Pure Barre this summer! Sofia shared that after graduating from Phillips Andover, she went on to study math and economics at Yale while also rowing on their NCAA champion crew team. Upon graduating, her family celebrated with a trip to Bali. She is currently working in Boston.
After graduating from Concord Carlisle High School, Lindy Kessler ‘17 decided to take a semester off during COVID-19. She spent a semester in the American Northwest and Hawaii hiking and exploring new communities. From there, she enrolled at Middlebury College, working toward a double major in neuroscience and psychology on a pre-med track. This summer, she returned to Concord, took physics classes at Boston University, and shadowed an OBGYN at Mass General. She’s excited to complete her last term this winter, with roommate Eliza Bernene ‘17
Marie Quintanar ‘17 graduated with honors from BB&N and went on to study quantitative economics and finance at Tufts University. While there, she was a member of the ski team and was a founding member of the Tufts Women in Business Society. She is currently working at Goldman Sachs in their Asset Management Division.
Aisling O’Connell ‘17 has recently moved to Baltimore to work for the Maryland Environmental Service. After Nashoba Brooks, she went on to Groton, where she was a member of the cross country team and played trumpet in the band (overlapping with Lexi Steinert ‘17 and Caroline Drapeau ‘17!). She continued these activities at Georgetown (overlapping with Grace MacShane ‘16 and Lindsay Davis ‘17) as a member of the triathlon team and the Pep Band! She graduated in 2025 with a major in environmental biology and a minor in classics and education.
Christina Younan ‘17 was captain of the squash team at Concord Academy. She continued playing at Boston University, where she reconnected with Charlotte Galusza ‘16. While at BU, she studied neurobiology and was the editor of the BU literary magazine. She is currently an EMT in Boston and working on research in the Neuroradiology Department at Mass General Hospital.
After graduating from Ursuline Academy, Brennan Gondek ‘16 went on to Simmons University, graduating in 2023 with a B.A. in history and a M.A.T in elementary education and special education in 2024. She is currently working as a second grade special education teacher in Boston.
Margaret Nerrow ‘16 has spent her time since Concord Carlisle High School in Washington DC, first attending American University, and now working as a political and corporate event planner in the Capitol.
Anna Nicholas ‘15 plans to finish her undergrad at Duke in 2026. She hopes to identify opportunities to gain experience working with young people, possibly in the mental health field.
Katherine Nicholas ‘13 completed her Master of Social Work at NYU and is working in a private practice in New York City.
Matthew Nicholas TG’13 has another year at University of Miami and is interested in the hospitality field. He worked at Trisha Kennealy's Inn at Hastings Park in Lexington last summer.
At Princeton, Oscar Patton TG‘13 is majoring in psychology while also rowing as a member of the men’s varsity heavyweight crew team.
Elizabeth Andre ‘12 married Scott Correia on September 20, 2025 at the Cliff House in Cape Neddick, Maine. The couple first met during their time as students at Nashoba Brooks and Fenn!
Talya Kramer ‘10 defended her dissertation in May and received her Ph.D. in biology from MIT. Talya got married in June. She lives in Philadelphia and is a postdoctoral fellow at Penn Medicine studying brain organoids.
Sasha Kramer ‘08 completed a postdoctoral fellowship in marine science at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Last July, she started as an assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environment at Boston University.
Talya Kramer ‘10 defending her dissertation
Elizabeth Andre ‘12 and Scott Correia at their wedding
Sasha Kramer ‘08
Meghan Killian ‘07 married Keith Baer on September 27 at Belle Mer in Newport R.I.
ALUMNI, SHARE YOUR NEWS!
Drop us a line and be sure to share a photo with the interesting things you have been up to lately!
Send your news or update your contact information by emailing alum@nashobabrooks.org.
Emily Cohen ‘98 married David Godin on Cape Cod in August 2024 and went on a delayed honeymoon that December, cruising around Antarctica! Emily reports that it was the trip of a lifetime, seeing penguins and whales up close. While her new husband has now been to all 7 continents, Emily is hoping to finish her list by traveling to Asia and Africa.
Meghan Killian ‘07 at her wedding
Emily Cohen ‘98 at her wedding and honeymoon to Antartica
IN MEMORIAM
MEG BURT
Margaret “Meg” Kennard Burt, passed away peacefully on November 24, 2024. She was 80 years old. Meg was Born in New York, NY on September 29, 1944, and grew up in Bedford, NH. Raised by parents who were naturalists, Meg always felt a strong connection with nature, which she shared with family, friends, and students. A graduate of New England Conservatory, Meg served as organist and choir director at churches in Lincoln and Concord, MA. Meg joined the Brooks School in 1975 as a music teacher. When the schools (Brooks and Nashoba Country Day) merged, Meg came to Nashoba Brooks where she continued to teach Lower School students and significantly expanded the depth and breadth of the program with the introduction of the
WIN WEBSTER
Winifred “Win” Wightman Webster passed away at age 89 at Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME on April 28. Born in New York City, Win enjoyed spending time in Big Moose, NY and Bailey Island, Maine throughout her life. After graduating from Oberlin College, Win settled in Lincoln, MA where she married David Webster in 1961. Win and Dave had two children, Douglas and Jocelyn.
Win joined Nashoba Brooks as a Grade 3 teacher in 1980 as one half of the dynamic duo of David and Win Webster. David was a legendary figure in Nashoba Brooks Lower School, described by one colleague as bringing an “active, hands-on approach to science…David brought the kids outside and mud was no obstacle.” Win’s connection with and impact on our School community continued well beyond her retirement in 1999.
DAVID WHITE
David Winthrop White, TG’52, died peacefully at home on May 17, 2025. He was 82 years old. David grew up in Concord, MA. His father, Robert Winthrop, was a distinguished professor of clinical psychology at Harvard University. In 1953, David's parents helped establish the Concord (MA) Orchestra, where his mother, Margaret Ley Bazeley, served as president of the governing board. After graduating from Nashoba Brooks School, David followed
Orff approach to music instruction. While at Brooks, Meg worked closely with Marilyn Abbott to establish the Brooks Summer Center for Creative Arts. With a focus on art, drama, movement, music, photography, dance, puppetry, and more, this program provided the inspiration and foundation for ActTunes, which later became Concord Youth Theatre, where Meg was not only one of the founding members but also the music director. Through this work, Meg helped countless young people find joy, develop skills, and build confidence through an inspiring and impactful introduction to musical theatre. Meg is remembered for her warmth, kindness, cooking, care for family and friends, and passion for music.
Outside of School, Win was an invested community member, tutoring elementary school children, working to combat food insecurity as a volunteer for local food pantries, and serving on the Board of Trustees for Brantwood Camp in Greenfield, NH. As former colleague Jan Maguire describes, “One of the first things I learned about Win Webster was her commitment to service. Whether it was to community, to church, to family, to school…Win gave her time to people and groups who needed her,” including forging a meaningful, multi-year relationship with Sister Jacinta and her schools in Lagos, Nigeria.
Win is remembered for her love of her grandchildren and family, New England sports teams, classical music, reading, quilting, and helping students learn of the meaningful impacts they can have in our world.
his lifelong passion for music, and ultimately graduated from the Boston Conservatory. David was an active member of the Marlboro Music Community in Marlboro, Vermont, for more than 60 years, and remained an engaged and supportive alumnus of Nashoba Brooks School throughout his life. He will be warmly remembered for his care, dedication, generosity, and positive impact on our community.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Spring Social Saturday, May 2
Nashobapalooza Sunday, May 3
Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day Monday, May 11 Spirit Week May 19 - May 23
Closing Day for Grades 4-8 Wednesday, June 3
Grade 3 Graduation Thursday, June 4
Grade 8 Graduation Thursday, June 4