Awards

2022 Honorary Alumni Award

In 1985, the Alumni Board initiated the practice of naming honorary alumni to recognize publicly members of the Nichols community who have given devoted service to the School.

Head of School Chris Burner presented Tim and Mary McCarthy with the 2022 Honorary Alumni Award at the 130th Commencement ceremony.

Tim was honored for his four decades as a teacher, advocate, advisor, coach, and dean, while Mary was recognized as indispensable member of the Business Office for nearly 30 years. Following their retirement in 2018, they have continued to give to Nichols as they devote their time to the archives preserving photographs and written evidence of the great education Nichols provides.

Tim and Mary have spent the last 45 years enriching the lives of students, colleagues, parents and alumni and received this honor together, because their impact on Nichols was a joint effort of collective character.

2022 Gannon Award

The Gannon Family Foundation Faculty Award is awarded to a Nichols faculty member who is nominated by his or her peers for making an outstanding contribution to the education of students. This year’s recipient is Erin Habelt, who has taught mathematics, as well as been a Dean and Team Leader at Nichols for 13 years. A sharp, smart, and exceptional teacher, colleagues quickly came to learn that Habelt’s true talents, of which there are many, included attention to detail and organization, the ability to communicate with clarity and compassion with students and families, and a steadfast commitment to the mission of the school. This led to her appointment as sophomore Dean, where she quickly established herself as a go-to authority for students and faculty alike. A gifted math teacher whom students flock to for help regardless of whether she is currently teaching them or not.

During COVID, Habelt plunged into the depths of online learning, producing clear and precise interactive lessons that bolstered and encouraged students and their learning. Her templates became the standard for how Nichols teachers were encouraged to produce work during that trying time. Habelt is a former D1 Ivy-Leaguer (a Princeton graduate and swimmer), a self-taught painter, a master gardener, and an outdoor enthusiast. She is always eager to take on something new for the sake of learning and enjoyment.

Scott Saperston ’90 P’20,’22 and Jock A. Mitchell ’66 P ’94,’96,’99

2022 Mitchell Award

Honored for their dedicated and unwavering commitment to Nichols School, the 2022 Mitchell Award was presented to Kristin and Scott Saperston ’90 at the Nichols School Leadership Giving Society reception. Head of School Chris Burner presented the award at the Nichols School Annual Leadership Giving reception at the Buffalo Club last fall.

“This year’s recipients have set the bar pretty high when it comes to volunteering and dedication to Nichols School,” said Burner. “They have helped with nearly every event or initiative on campus. Each in their own special way, they have shown unwavering leadership and unconditional love of Nichols.”

Established in 2000, the Mitchell Award is named in honor of John A. “Jock” Mitchell. It is presented annually to “that individual or individuals whose volunteer efforts have made the school stronger and whose commitment to the mission of Nichols School is outstanding.”

2022 William Nichols Award

Established by the Alumni Board in 1985, the William Nichols Award recognizes members of the faculty and staff who have significantly contributed to the overall quality of the Nichols Education.

In 2015, a young ball of energy wandered onto Nichols campus. Kari Achatz downplayed her talents in her interview, spoke with her heart as her love of teaching was clear and passion for working with young people made her an instant hire.

Her love of art is second only to Achatz’s love for family. Nichols families line-up to request her as an advisor, her space buzzes with activity, and Middle School students rave about her classes and Art Club.

Achatz has grown into an 8th Grade Team Leader and Middle School Dean of Students. She inspires students to express their passion through art and her classroom is a must visit for students past and present.

Practical Application of Art in our World

The Art Collection Curators internship’s original intent was for students to help organize, analyze, and advocate for the Nichols Art collection. Austin Bares ’22 and Kendall Dorn ’22 did that and so much more. The mission of this internship is to connect art to the behind-the-scenes production to the practical application of art in the world around us.

The work was divided into two focuses: the Flickinger Performing Arts Center gallery exhibitions and the Nichols School permanent art collection. The gallery had three exhibitions throughout the year, with the final one showcasing 23 works of art submitted by Nichols students from both the Middle School and the Upper School.

Throughout the year, Bares and Dorn assessed the collection inventory, helping to reframe and repair work as needed. In addition, Bares and Dorn tapped into the Nichols alumni network connecting with Ryan Arthurs ’01, founder and curator at Rivalry, a Buffalobased commercial art gallery and art production space and Olivia McManus ’08, Manager of Marketing and Community Engagement at Assembly House 150, a Buffalo-based community art center. Arthurs and McManus shared their expertise and connections in the Western New York arts community to add a professional arts perspective to ongoing Nichols arts initiatives.

That connection led to a donation of an original piece by Richard Rockford, a found-materials artist who owns and operates Clarence Hollow Antiques and Art.

The foundation that Bares and Dorns established this year has set the stage for future students and will expand to four students for the 2022-23 school year. n

“I came to appreciate the vast and historic art collection Nichols is proud to house.”— Austin Bares ’22

Nichols School Arts Internship

New to Nichols School for the 2022-2023 school-year is the Arts Scholars Internship Program. This 1-year award will be granted to a student entering their junior year at Nichols. Arts Scholars will be provided a post-junior year summer internship opportunity with one of Nichols’ partner organizations within the greater community of Western New York. Our inaugural partner for this program is the Burchfield Penny Arts Center. Tommy Maidment ’24 has been selected as the first recipient of this incredible opportunity and will spend time this summer learning the various aspects of what it takes to run a worldrenown arts museum.

The Nichols School Arts Scholars Internship program was made possible by a gift from Susie and Rick Rieser ’61.

Nichols School Teams Up With One Last Goal Foundation

To Promote Mental Wellness

Each year, One Last Goal Foundation hosts a charity hockey game at Nichols Ice Rink where teams

made up of alumni and friends face off against each other. The friendly game is a time to come together

and bring awareness to the foundation’s mission to bring awareness to mental wellness.

One Last Goal Foundation was founded in honor of late Nichols alumnus Matthew Benedict ’11. Its mission is to shift the stigma around mental health and provide resources to promote overall wellness. The foundation’s efforts are led by Benedict’s family and three of his closest friends and classmates, Joe Avino ’11, Charlie Stein ’11, and Jake Zimmer ’11, who make attending the annual hockey game a priority each year.

“Just bringing everyone together gets everyone talking. You might see someone you haven’t seen or talked to in a couple years and see how they’re doing, if they need anything,” Stein said. “People like to feel cared about, and I think that can help someone mentally in the long run and having confidence to talk about these issues. The hockey game has gone a long way to start some conversations. It’s something we look forward to every year and gets us really excited for the future.”

Benedict was a standout student, a three-sport varsity athlete in football, hockey, and lacrosse, and an Alumni Cup winner at Nichols. He attended Middlebury College and was a captain of their football team, graduating cum laude with a degree in economics. Benedict’s friends

remember him as fiercely loyal, who led by example and knew when to speak out in support of others. During his time at Middlebury, Benedict became more open with his family and friends about his own mental health struggles. The day after he graduated from Middlebury in May 2015, Benedict shared a blog post titled, “Start the Conversation Now… Life is Precious,” which detailed his own journey. “Matt was a private guy and there were a lot of things he would keep to himself. Writing about how he felt on his blog was as much about his passion for this message as it was for him coping with what he was going through at the time,” said Avino. “That was the first time I had heard about his passion for this topic. In high school, we didn’t have any pointed topics about it by any means, and in college, we did have talks about Following the charity hockey game, William Benedict, father, it. He was extremely candid and dropped the puck at the Nichols Prep hockey game with his son passionate.”Michael (left), wife Anne (middle) and daughter Elizabeth ’12. After Benedict’s death by suicide in 2019, his family started the One Last Goal Foundation. Those who knew him joined the cause to promote awareness around mental health as a part of individuals’ overall well-being. In addition to the charity hockey game, the foundation sponsors presentations by mental health professionals, including Ross Szabo, who visited Nichols and shared his own mental health journey.

Group photo of the alumni and friends that came back to play in the One Last Goal Fundraiser on December 10, 2021 at Nichols School.

“Presentations like this have kickstarted a number of really great conversations. To even play a small part in changing the narrative and making people feel more comfortable having those conversations, that’s what inspires me to keep working with this foundation,” said Avino.

What’s next for the One Last Goal Foundation? It plans to continue the annual Charity Hockey Night and bring more guest speakers to raise awareness and add context to the community’s understanding of mental health and well-being. The group also aspires to provide scholarships and internship programs to support students who share Benedict’s values. n