398 Pomfret Street • PO Box 128 Pomfret, CT 06258-0128
860.963.6100 www.pomfret.org
Editor Garry Dow gdow@pomfret.org
Head Writer Corrine Szarkowicz
Copy Editor Tina O’Connor
Class Notes Editor Deb Thurston dthurston@pomfret.org
Designer Jordan Kempain
Contributing Writers
Dr. Ryan Burns
Heather Willis Daly
94
Updates from the alumni community.
ALUMNI
Q&A
A Hole in the Wall Hilary Axtmayer ’00
IN MEMORIAM
Remembering those we lost, including retired faculty member Eugene Gill and local philanthropist Betty Hale P ’71, ’91; GP ’20.
ICONOGRAPHY
The Falconer
Contributing Photographers
Allegro Photography
Jim Gipe (Pivot Media)
Lindsay Lehmann
Tina O’Connor Corrine Szarkowicz
We Want to Hear from You Really, we do. These are your stories and this is your magazine. If we’ve inspired, challenged, or disappointed you, please tell us about it.
Our Mission
Pomfret School empowers students to pursue lives of purpose and meaning.
Printed on recycled stock by a facility that is both certified by the FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) and is an EPA Green Power partner.
On the Cover
Itsukushima Shrine
Photo by Dave Ring
Pomfret School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, age, or national origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid, or other programs administered by the School.
WThe Stories We Wear
By Heather Willis Daly, Head of School
hen I was growing up, I remember going through my mother’s jewelry box and admiring the items I found there. One piece I particularly loved was a silver charm bracelet. I didn’t have one of my own, but I always wanted one. At one point in my 20s, I saw one in a catalog (back before the rise of internet shopping) and decided I wanted to have a bracelet of my own. The one I bought came with a charm for my zodiac sign, Cancer, and I slowly began adding others that had meaning to me.
There is an initial “H”, a teapot (I am a lifelong tea drinker), a charm for every state I’ve lived in, Chinese Zodiac animals from the years my children were born, a fish and a duck that are a nod to my husband, Brendan, an evil eye charm, and charms for each of our two dogs. I never thought I’d find something
that looks like our terrier mutt, but there he is, captured in silver with his perky ears, curly tail, and the spot on his back.
Some charms have been gifts from loved ones who have wanted to add something to my bracelet. My mother has given me several charms, including a set of golf clubs (with movable clubs), a Statue of Liberty, and an oldfashioned fan with a rotating blade. I think of her when I see them, just as I do when my eye lands on the heart-shaped charm that says “#1 Mom” that my children gave me for my birthday one year. I can still see the excitement on their faces when I unwrapped the box it came in. I wear my bracelet as an outward reminder of who I am and where I’ve been.
It’s been a long time since my soccer-playing days, but that charm brings back the joy I took in competing — my coaches and teammates and many bus rides to and from games listening
“Today, my charm bracelet contains over thirty charms. I wore it on my very first day of work here at Pomfret — a symbol of the moment I’d worked so hard and hoped so fervently for. ”
to mixtapes on someone’s boombox. Recently, I came across a Grapes of Wrath book charm, symbolic of both my lifelong love of reading and the Steinbeck course Brendan and I taught together at one of our previous schools. These are both pieces of my story, represented in a talisman I wear on my wrist.
Today, my charm bracelet contains over thirty charms. People often remark on it when I wear it, which I do frequently. I wore it on my very first day of work here at Pomfret — a symbol of everything it took to get to that moment I’d worked so hard and hoped so fervently for. Sometimes, I put it on when I need a reminder of who I am. The bracelet represents parts of my life’s journey, one that is still unfolding. In many ways, this bracelet encapsulates a miniature version of the diverse stories we all carry.
At the conclusion of my first year at Pomfret, I added two new charms to my bracelet. The first is a Connecticut charm and the second is a griffin for Pomfret. Wherever I go in my life’s journey, Pomfret will be part of it, and now, I will carry it with me whenever I wear my bracelet.
The beauty of being in a community like Pomfret’s is that each member brings their life’s journey and story, with all its twists and turns, to this place. We are shaped by our identities and backgrounds — the places we are from, our cultures, our families, the people we meet, and our experiences along the way.
Some of these aspects of who we are are obvious, while others are invisible to those around us, unless we share them. At times, doing so can be an act of trust and vulnerability. That leap of faith can be particularly difficult for adolescents, unless they feel seen and valued.
It’s Pomfret’s responsibility to create an environment that allows students and the adults who work with them to create a sense of belonging and the certainty that they can fully show up here as who they are.
My hope is that, many years from now, the time our students spent on the Hilltop remains a steady, reliable part of the foundation they carry with them.
Hilary Axtmayer ’00, chief executive officer of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, was the Commencement speaker. In reflecting on her favorite childhood book, Miss Rumphius, Axtmayer spoke of a woman who travels the world but ultimately finds her purpose in scattering lupine seeds to beautify her community. She encouraged the Class of 2026 to make the world more beautiful through joy, compassion, and intentional acts of care.
“You don’t need to graduate today and immediately find your purpose. You don’t need to change the world by tomorrow morning,” Axtmayer reassured the graduates. “But you do need to decide what kind of seeds you are going to carry. You have everything you need to make your mark on the world.”
The Class of 2026 spent their final days on the Hilltop immersed in the traditions, celebrations, and moments of reflection.
Prom was held at The Mansion at Bald Hill. Students danced the night away with music spun by DJ And2, Saleem Ahmed ’03.
On Thursday, the class gathered on the Proctor Sundial for the Closing Sundial Ceremony. After sharing one final sit-down dinner, the seniors led the community into Clark Chapel to listen to heartfelt remarks from Head of School Heather Willis Daly and Senior Form Dean Louisa Gebelein Jones P ’04.
The class traveled to the Deerfield River in Charlemont, Massachusetts, for the annual Senior Trip with Crab Apple Whitewater on Friday. Between runs through the Class I, II, and III rapids, students paddled hard and embraced the inevitable splashes.
Commencement Weekend began as families arrived on the Hilltop for the Baccalaureate service and the Senior Awards Dinner. In her remarks, Daly reflected on a monologue from Eric Overmyer’s On the Verge, a play about explorers searching for their place in the world. “On the verge of your Commencement, we send you out with our love as you venture forth from Pomfret ready to discover and explore the new worlds ahead of you,” Daly told the Class of 2026. “We know that you are ready, and we look forward to your future journeys back to the Hilltop to tell us all about your adventures.”
More than twenty students received twenty-eight academic awards. Thirteen seniors were inducted into the Cum Laude Society, joining six others inducted last fall. Faculty Award of Distinction recipients Kelly Jimin Park, Rafael Reyes, Owen Schmidt, Angie Sobalvarro Castillo, and Anthony “TJ” Swinson received special recognition for their lasting contributions to the Pomfret community.
Rooted in Pomfret’s enduring motto — Certa Viriliter — the Class of 2026 has left the Hilltop ready to step boldly into the unknown and plant something meaningful in the world beyond it.
Commencement
Learn more about Hilary on page 88.
Matriculation
Our graduates are heading to colleges and universities across the country — and around the world. The journey to that next step began the day they arrived on the Hilltop and intensified during the months leading up to graduation. Members of the Class of 2026 built and refined college lists, tested ideas, reconsidered priorities, and gradually discovered what kind of environment felt right. We sat down with five seniors to hear how they found their fit.
Edward King’oo worked closely with Associate Director of College Counseling Art Horst, who helped him think more concretely about potential colleges. “He gave me specific feedback and floated some schools early on, to really get me thinking,” Edward said. He ultimately applied to Princeton University under Restrictive Early Action and was admitted before completing the rest of his applications.
Alex Trapani also worked with Horst. He gravitated toward smaller, liberal arts settings where relationships between students and teachers felt central and learning felt more personal. Colby College emerged as the clearest fit. He ultimately applied Early Decision, was admitted, and plans to study sociology and anthropology.
For Floss Wilson, an international search felt natural. With sisters who had studied in the United Kingdom and guidance from Director of College Counseling Bruce Wolanin, she focused on schools abroad. Although she explored several
options, the University of St Andrews remained her top choice. After applying in October, she was admitted through rolling admissions in early December.
Claire McFarlin shaped her path to Lehigh University through her commitment to rowing at the Division I level. As a club rower and coxswain, she entered the recruiting process early, with coaches beginning to reach out during the winter of her junior year. She quickly realized she wanted a program where she could compete at a high level without being in a large, overwhelming environment, while also having academic flexibility. Claire ultimately narrowed her choices to Boston College, Brown, and Lehigh. Throughout the process, she worked with Wolanin, while also drawing steady support from her advisors, Art and Martha Horst. Their guidance helped her stay organized and focused as recruiting demands intensified.
International student Georgia Chen entered the process with a clear goal: studying nursing. Influenced by family and firsthand exposure to healthcare, she sought programs that would allow her to earn certification and practice in the United States. Working with Associate Director of College Counseling Sarah Gawronski, she narrowed her options to schools that fit both her academic ambitions and practical needs. After applying Early Decision to the University of Michigan and initially being deferred, she received an acceptance just days later and committed immediately.
Class of 2026
Suffolk University
Case Western Reserve University
Clarkson University
Colby College (2)
College of Charleston (2)
Columbia University
Connecticut College
Cornell University (2)
Dalhousie University
Denison University (3)
Duke University
Eastern Connecticut State University
Elon University
Emory University
Gettysburg College
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Howard University
IE Madrid
Johns Hopkins University
Junior Hockey (5)
Lafayette College (2)
Lehigh University (2)
Loyola University Maryland
McGill University
New York University (3)
Northeastern University (4)
Northwestern University
Nova Southeastern University
Pitzer College
The Ohio State University
The Pennsylvania State University
Trinity College (3)
Tufts University
Tulane University (4)
University of California Berkeley
University of California San Diego
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Connecticut (2)
University of Delaware
University of Denver
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
University of Miami (3)
University of Michigan
University of Rhode Island
University of Richmond (2)
University of Rochester
Before Pomfret School’s 132nd Commencement, the Class of 2026 gathered in Clark Memorial Chapel for the annual class photo. Rain forced the tradition indoors, replacing the usual setting on the Proctor Sundial.
1. American Studies: Criminal Justice 2. KindArt 3. Project Champion 4. Cooking for Comfort 5. Robotics 6. Shelter Building
PROJECT: POMFRET
Two Weeks of Wonder
During Project: Pomfret, more than twenty programs ignited passions, challenged skills, and fostered collaboration.
The STEM group applied creativity to problem-solving through innovation and experimentation. Projects ranged from a mechanical marionette and an automatic Zamboni to a working telescope and a low-cost heart rate monitor. Students combined engineering, ingenuity, and practical thinking to address real-world challenges.
The Shelter Building group focused on making tangible spaces and objects that would leave a lasting impact. Using only natural materials in the Pomfret Woods on the east side of campus, they gathered standing deadwood and river rocks from the nearby stream to construct their shelter. Despite more than a foot of snow on the ground, students worked together to build a functional refuge, affectionately known as “The Bungalow,” for trail users.
Meanwhile, students in KindArt tapped into their creativity through crafting T-shirts, slime, ceramics, bracelets, and greeting cards. The crafts also served as stress relievers and screen-free ways to spend time. The items were sold at the Project Fair, and the group raised $1,400 for All Paws on Deck, a local dog shelter.
This year, the introduction of Project: Pomfret minors as shorter, one-week experiences embedded within the twoweek program allowed a third of the School to explore two different areas of interest during the project period. Each minor was offered twice — once each week — with a different group of students participating in each session, expanding access to many of the program's most popular experiences.
In the Cooking for Comfort minor, students studied food as a source of nourishment, connection, and comfort. They learned knife skills while preparing pico de gallo, explored meal planning and budgeting, and crafted dishes ranging from omelets and pizza to sushi and street tacos.
In the Project Champion minor, students engaged with individuals with intellectual disabilities, volunteering at bingo nights, karaoke, and art classes at local organizations. Both minor groups converged at the Special Olympics Connecticut Winter Games, where students helped run cross-country skiing and snowshoeing events, assisted athletes with equipment, and formed meaningful connections while serving as athlete escorts.
The Answer Is You
Eight seniors showcased projects developed through Pomfret’s Certificate Program at this year’s Capstone Celebration. From astronomy and quantum mechanics to equitable policies and personal finance, they turned personal questions and challenges into meaningful solutions through two years of focused research and hands-on learning. Designed to mirror the depth of a college major, the program allows students to pursue one of six certificate tracks. The program culminates in a public presentation of their work before graduation.
“So many of the extraordinary things that exist in this world are because someone had a hard problem or question,” said Director of the Grauer Family Institute Gwyneth Connell. “What you have shown us here tonight is that the answer to those hard questions is you.”
Oratorical
In Woodstock Academy’s third annual Raising Voices Oratorical Competition, two Pomfret students were selected as finalists. Lucas Lu ’26 and Yige Yuan ’27 represented Pomfret with confidence and originality, delivering fully memorized, thoughtfully crafted, and powerfully performed speeches. Yige explored the deep connection between food and culture, weaving together personal insight and universal truth in a way that left a lasting impression. Lucas brought wit, charm, and a compelling message about accepting others for who they are while still having the courage to call out bias when it causes harm. Yige placed second, and Lucas was an audience favorite.
Digging Deeper
At Pomfret, we encourage students to go wide as they explore their interests, and then go deep once they find them. Our Independent Study program allows our students to dig more deeply into the courses that first inspired them.
After studying the world’s Blue Zones in class and traveling to Ikaria, Greece, Fallon DeNapoli ’26, Reese Kelley ’26, and Eve Muir ’26 realized they needed to do more to create lasting change. Through an independent study, they focused on building small, sustainable habits to improve well-being.
Inspiration struck Mason Lokhandwala ’27 in his Caribbean Studies class. He explored identity through food, expanding on his historical understanding and his connection to family tradition.
Beyond the Pomfret Stage
Three Pomfret students spent countless hours preparing, recording, revising, and trying again while competing in musical competitions off the Hilltop. They built connections within a wider musical community in a field where relationships matter as much as talent.
Lars Han ’27 and Yuju “Mika” Ha ’28 performed at Carnegie Hall following wins in international competitions. For Lars, this spring’s performance was the third time he has sung in the iconic space at the American Protégé International Music Competition. It was clarinetist Mika’s first time playing in Carnegie Hall after earning first prize in the Golden Classical Music Awards.
Sabrina Salazar ’28 was recently named firstprize winner in the Age 15 Vocal Category at the Charleston International Music Competition for her rendition of “Breathe” from In the Heights
Cover Art
Taylor Swift, David Bowie, and KISS all made an appearance in the photography studio this winter — or at least their doppelgängers did! These famous musicians were among those featured in the Advanced and Honors Photography Portfolio classes’ annual calendar project. Students managed every aspect of production — concept development, styling, hair and makeup, lighting design, modeling, image capture, and post-production.
Diversión y juegos
It was all fun and games in Natalia Aragon’s Spanish III class. Or as her students would say: diversión y juegos . To help students practice words and phrases related to navigating a city, Aragon challenged her class to create board games that brought their vocabulary to life through play.
Once the games were complete, students took their learning beyond the classroom. They visited fourth graders at Rectory School, where they shared their creations. Speaking exclusively in Spanish, they explained the rules, modeled vocabulary, and guided gameplay.
Photos by students in Advanced and Honors Photography
Infinite Immersion
Inspired by the immersive Van Gogh and Claude Monet exhibitions that have captivated museum audiences across the country, Pomfret’s astrophotography and music production students joined forces to create a mesmerizing experience of their own. Astrophotography students captured photons from distant stars and galaxies, then processed the images using Hubble-inspired palettes to reveal stunning color, contrast, and detail. Projected onto the walls of Centennial Auditorium and paired with meditative soundtracks composed by music production students, the images enveloped the audience in starlight, dissolving the boundary between observer and art.
The R.E.A.L. Deal
Step into a Humanities classroom during a R.E.A.L. Discussion, and you’ll find students — not teachers — leading the conversation. Using a framework built around four key skills: Relate, Excerpt, Ask, and Listen, students learn to engage in thoughtful, evidence-based dialogue while building confidence, curiosity, and respect for differing perspectives. Adopted schoolwide in Humanities courses, R.E.A.L. Discussion helps students develop communication skills that extend far beyond the classroom, preparing them to participate in meaningful conversations on the Hilltop and beyond.
Every Monday and Friday, the School gathers as a community in Clark Memorial Chapel. With every seat filled, backpacks line the terrace, making room for the people who matter most.
Equity Champions
Pomfret’s student leaders of the Gary Ralls NAACP Youth Council were recognized with the W.E.B. Du Bois Civil Rights Advocacy Award for their work advancing youth advocacy, equity, and civic engagement in northeastern Connecticut. The Council, which Pomfret students helped establish in 2023, has grown into a collaborative, multischool organization dedicated to social justice and community action. Among those honored were Joshua Leslie ’27, Edward King’oo ’26, and Grace Onyemakanor ’27.
Joshua also received the Princeton Prize in Race Relations for the Connecticut region, earning a $2,500 award and recognition for his leadership in creating practical, sustainable solutions that advance racial equity.
OutLoud
This May, Pomfret welcomed the James Baldwin Project for James Baldwin OutLoud: A Spoken Performance, an evening that invited students, faculty, and community members into a powerful conversation about identity, belonging, and human potential. Through dramatic readings of Baldwin’s words, archival film clips, and audience discussion, the program illuminated the enduring relevance of one of America’s most influential writers and social critics. The event also featured filmmaker Karen Thorsen, whose award-winning documentary helped introduce Baldwin’s life and work to new generations. Together, performance and conversation challenged attendees to consider Baldwin’s timeless questions about race, justice, selfdiscovery, and the responsibilities we share in building a more compassionate world.
Sense of Place
Travel is an important part of the Pomfret experience for many students. Whether crossing state lines or international borders, they return with a deeper appreciation for different cultures, perspectives, and ways of life. As interest in the travel program continues to grow, so does the range of destinations. This academic year, Pomfret added trips to Japan (see page 38) and the South of France, and three new opportunities will debut next year.
During Long Winter Weekend, students in Sense of Place: Pomfret to Iceland will explore how language helps people connect with the natural world. While exploring Iceland’s volcanoes, glaciers, lava fields, and coastlines, they will examine how storytelling shapes ideas about stewardship, resilience, and belonging.
As part of the yearlong Honors Astronomy course, students will travel to California during Project: Pomfret to study the effects of sky brightness on astronomical data collection, comparing observations from Los Angeles with those from Death Valley — one of the darkest skies in the country.
Also during Project: Pomfret, students in Spanish III will travel to Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, for language immersion, cultural exploration, community service, homestays, and excursions that highlight the region’s rich history and traditions.
A Model Year
It was a model year for our Model United Nations (MUN) club. After making waves at the Yale and New York University MUN Conferences, the club earned its first honor at the Cornell Conference. The eleven-person team won the Outstanding Small Delegation Award.
Individual honors were also earned this year. At Cornell, Luke Ryan ’27 and Yige Yuan ’27 were each named Honorable Delegates. Luke represented Japan on the International Council on Algorithmic Ethics (ICAE). Yige was Shin Gyeong-jin in the specialized committee of the Kingdom of Joseon. At Yale, both represented El Salvador in their respective committees. Luke won Outstanding Delegate, and Yige earned Best Delegate.
A Day of Service
Throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, students and faculty stocked shelves and sorted donations at food pantries, supported ESL instruction at a refugee center, maintained trails in community spaces, and more. On the Day of Service, in just a few hours, groups took on physically demanding projects that many partner organizations would struggle to complete due to limited staffing, resources, or the nature of the work itself. The experience often stays with students long after the day ends.
“Inevitably, kids tell me how amazing it was and that they wish they could do it more often,” Director of Wellbeing and Service Coordinator Erin Fisher said. “It becomes something real to them, not just an idea.” That transformation is exactly the goal, and while the day is designed to serve others, its impact runs both ways. “We often think about the impact we have on the community,” she said. “But the reality is, it changes us just as much.”
Noticing
Pomfret’s second annual bioblitz, a four-day effort to identify and document as many species as possible across the School’s 500-acre campus, recorded 303 species, including 84 species of birds and 13 species of warblers alone. Under the guidance of Science Department Head and Director of Sustainability
Annie O’Sullivan and Science Teacher Jackson Lyon, participants submitted their observations, creating a growing record of discoveries on the Hilltop.
Technology helped lower the barrier to entry. With apps like Seek, which can identify plants, insects, and other organisms through a phone’s camera, and Merlin Bird ID, which recognizes bird species by their songs, everyone was able to contribute.
“Before we started recording them, I’d never even noticed the birds chirping,” said Sophia Zhang ’26. “But once I started paying attention, it felt like they were all chirping at once.” Over the course of the bioblitz, her attention broadened beyond birds as she continued recording everything she encountered across campus.
Annie O’Sullivan
The Future is Electric
Pomfret is dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of campus operations while preparing students to lead in a changing world. This spring, we added two new initiatives to our sustainability efforts.
A 200-kilowatt solar project is slated for installation atop the Jahn Rink roof this summer. Once complete, the project is expected to generate approximately 330,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually — enough to supply nearly a quarter of the electricity used by the School’s main meter — while saving an estimated $70,000 each year in energy costs.
For the first time, two electric vehicles were added to the campus fleet: a 2025 Chevy Blazer EV, used for student transportation, and a 2025 Toyota bZ4X, which now serves as the School’s security vehicle. The vehicles are practical additions that reduce exposure to fluctuating fuel prices.
These two initiatives join Pomfret’s existing sustainable investments. VISTA, Pomfret’s science center, which opened in September 2024, has high-efficiency lighting,
advanced climate controls, and low-flow plumbing fixtures, and native landscaping supports pollinators while limiting irrigation needs.
Our on-campus energy plant currently operates as a cogeneration system, producing electricity while capturing usable heat that would otherwise be lost. The facility provides electricity, heating, and cooling within a single integrated system, covering roughly 50 percent of the electricity needs and 100 percent of heating and cooling for the buildings it serves.
The Dining Hall now diverts 100 percent of food waste from landfills. Scraps are collected in composting receptacles and, in partnership with Blue Earth Compost, transported to Quantum Biopower, where they are converted into renewable energy through anaerobic digestion. Since the initiative began, Pomfret has composted more than 36,000 pounds of food waste, significantly reducing landfill contributions and shrinking the School’s carbon footprint.
During the Spring Dance Show, dancers took "the stage" in Lewis Gymnasium, wearing vintage Pomfret apparel and athletic gear, celebrating generations of Griffins in the School's signature red and black.
Signing Day
Thirteen student-athletes committed to continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level. We can’t wait to see them compete again.
Next winter, Johnny Kazantzis will play basketball for the Utica University Pioneers and Brendan McDonald for the Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers. After his junior hockey commitment, Ian Sherman will play Division I hockey at Sacred Heart University. Also on the ice, Maeve Molloy will skate for Trinity College and Rylee Welch for Worcester State University. Rylee will be pulling double duty, playing lacrosse in addition to her time on the ice.
Joining Rylee on the lacrosse field, Logan Venne will compete at Binghamton University, Cam Peltz at Clarkson University, and Ollie Partridge at Springfield College. Next spring, Ryan Flynn and Rob Ellsworth will step back into the batter’s box, playing baseball for St. Lawrence University and Wesleyan University, respectively.
Gracie Needham and Boubacar Bah will continue to tear up the track, with Gracie running for Denison University and Boubacar sprinting at Sewanee: The University of the South. On the water, Claire McFarlin will cox for Lehigh University's rowing team.
A Winter of Wins
After months of early mornings, long bus rides, and relentless preparation, five Pomfret teams extended their seasons in NEPSAC tournament play this winter.
In a rematch of last year’s semifinal, eighth-seeded Pomfret traveled to face top-seeded Holderness in the quarterfinals of the NEPSAC Boys Ice Hockey Piatelli/Simmons Tournament. They scored six goals against Holderness — no small feat, but did not advance to the semifinals.
The girls hockey team made a strong run in the Vaillancourt Conference Tournament. After shutting out Northfield Mount Hermon 8-0 in the quarterfinals, they were edged out by Austin Prep 1-0 in the semifinals.
After a 12–3 regular season, the boys squash team qualified for the NEPSAC Class C Tournament for the first time in over a decade and finished sixth overall. The girls squash team entered the Class D tournament shorthanded, but #1 Milanna Lamontagne ’26 swept both of her opponents.
Seven wrestlers represented Pomfret at the New England Championships. Will Leary ’26 claimed two victories in his final time wearing a Pomfret singlet, and Fiona Roustan ’28 won a match against a strong competitor.
A Spring to Remember
The spring postseason showcased the resilience, talent, and competitive spirit that defined the season.
The girls varsity tennis team secured the top seed in the NEPSAC Girls Tennis Class C tournament. After defeating The Cambridge School of Weston in the quarterfinals and Hamden Hall Country Day in the semifinals, the Griffins took on the two-time defending champion King School in the finals. After a great season, Pomfret fell short of the title.
The Griffins returned home from the NEPSAC Track and Field Division III Championships with new personal and school records. Brennan Hladney ’27 won the 800m by more than four seconds and placed sixth in the 3000m. Brennan, James Tian ’28, Cayden Auyang ’27, and Jay Youm ’26 raced to third in the 4x400 relay. Rowan Lehmann ’27 captured second in the 100m hurdles and took fifth in the 300m hurdles. Shomarie Remekie ’27 finished fifth in the long jump and set a new school record.
At the end of the regular season, the varsity baseball team competed in the WNEPBL tournament. The Griffins dominated the Suffield Academy Tigers in the play-in game, ultimately falling to Canterbury in the semifinals.
Zach Morrissey ’27
Angelin Ma ’26
Athletic Awards Ceremony
Twenty-seven students received twenty-nine awards at the annual Athletic Awards Ceremony in May. Whether selected by their coaches, captains, or teammates, these athletes put in the hard work before and during the season, had some unforgettable moments, and accomplished some remarkable achievements.
Four seniors were honored for their dedication and commitment during their time on the Hilltop. Boubacar Bah, Edward King’oo, and Maeve Molloy were recognized for earning at least nine varsity letters. Laila Mancini was celebrated for earning twelve varsity letters in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse.
The ceremony also honored two individuals for their service to their teams. Louisa Gebelein Jones P ’04 received the Donald Eccleston Coaching Award for her impact that lasts far beyond the wins and seasons in her roles as a varsity field hockey and girls squash head coach and JV lacrosse assistant coach. For the second year in a row, Charlie Baker ’28 received the Edward A. Benoit Manager of the Year Award. Charlie manages the varsity football, wrestling, and boys lacrosse teams.
Fall
Brendon P. Giblin & Nicholas D. Mettler Captains Award | Clive Cormier ’28
Christopher Lufkin Cross Country Award | Edward King’oo ’26
Elizabeth Joy Dommers Soccer Award | Gracie Needham ’26
G. J. Wood Soccer Bowl | Ridley Phillips ’27
Greg Burke Football Award | Brody Giblin ’28
Lisa Noble Field Hockey Award | Laila Mancini ’26
Marnie K. Keator Girls Cross Country Award | Fiona Roustan ’28
Richardson Cup | Rob Ellsworth ’26
Rosenberg Family Volleyball Award | Daisy Traina ’26
Winter
Adrienne Taylor Biggert Girls Squash Award | Milanna Lamontagne ’26
Chuck Luciano Hockey Award | Rich Cavanagh ’26
Girls Basketball Award | Laila Mancini ’26
Jess Wade Feldman Boys Squash Award | Adiel Nelson ’26
Louis DiNatale Wrestling Cup | Will Leary ’26
Mimi Ashmead Hockey Award | Maeve Molloy ’26
R. Duane Daentl Basketball Trophy | Johnny Kazantzis ’26 & Brendan McDonald ’26
Spring
Adrienne Taylor Biggert Tennis Award | Audrey Faber ’26
C. W. Putnam Crew Award | Remy Jacquet ’26
James M. Rees Baseball Award | Rob Ellsworth ’26
Johanna Moffitt Lacrosse Award | Rylee Welch ’26
R. Duane Daentl Oarswoman Award | Liv Bissell ’28
S. M. Mandell Lacrosse Award | Will Norton ’26 & Ollie Partridge ’26
Sydney P. Clark Baseball Plaque | Alex Trapani ’26
Varsity Ultimate Foundation Award | Anson D’Alleva-Bochain ’26
Wallace H. Rowe IV Men’s Tennis Award | Ridley Phillips ’27
William S. Parquette Track & Field Award | Gabby Naava ’26 & Gracie Needham ’26
Charlie Baker ’28 | Edward A. Benoit Manager of the Year Award
Gracie Needham ’26 | William S. Parquette Track & Field Award
Gabby Naava ’26 | William S. Parquette Track & Field Award
Louisa Gebelein Jones P ’04 | Donald Eccleston Coaching Award
Anson D’Alleva-Bochain ’26 | Varsity Ultimate Foundation Award
TJ Swinson ’26 and Rich Cavanagh ’26 | Wally Goodwin ’45 Golf Award
Ridley Phillips ’27 | Wallace H. Rowe IV Men’s Tennis Award
Edward King’oo ’26, Boubacar Bah ’26, and Maeve Molloy ’26 | Nine Varsity Letters
Threads
Starting around 2017, a handful of seniors began passing down their senior class sweatshirts to carefully chosen underclassmen as a symbol of their friendship and mentorship. The tradition is a unique thread that connects the Pomfret community, helping to sustain friendships long after students have left the Hilltop.
For Boubacar Bah ’26, the sweatshirts are a reminder that his friends are a phone call or text away. He received a hoodie from Daniel Onwuka ’24 and one from James Romps ’25, and when he wears them, it reminds him to reach out and ask for advice.
Some seniors have personalized the tradition. Georgie Blanchard ’26 recalls Elsa Molinari ’25 asking her what size sweatshirt to order, since she planned to give it to her. “When Elsa gave me her sweatshirt, she wrote me a handwritten note,” recalls Georgie. “When I gave my sweatshirt to Chloe Martin ’27, I wrote her a note too.”
College Fair
This spring, at Pomfret’s largest college fair of the year, students engaged directly with college admissions representatives from nearly 100 schools across the country and beyond. The event highlighted the breadth of options available to Pomfret students. Colleges such as Wake Forest University and Tufts stood alongside liberal arts schools like Bates, Colby, and Hamilton, while large public universities, including UConn, Wisconsin, and Maryland, offered a different perspective on campus life and academic opportunities.
The fair meets students at every stage in the college process. For seniors, it was an opportunity to build on existing relationships by introducing themselves to schools they plan to attend or continuing conversations with colleges where they remain on waitlists. For juniors, it was a chance to refine college lists, ask more nuanced questions, and begin forming meaningful connections with admissions representatives. And for freshmen and sophomores, who are just beginning to think about life after Pomfret, the afternoon offered an early look at the possibilities ahead, helping them explore what matters most in a college experience.
“Our goal is to make the college search process as personal and informed as possible,” said Director of College Counseling Bruce Wolanin. “Events like this allow students to move beyond websites and rankings — to have real conversations, ask meaningful questions, and start imagining where they might thrive.”
The Next to Lead
Pomfret has elected its top student leaders for the year ahead, naming Yige Yuan ’27 as school president and Nolan Wrenn ’27 as school vice president. Yige centered her campaign on turning student ideas into action, emphasizing accountability, follow-through, and servant leadership. Drawing on her experience across multiple leadership roles, she underscored a commitment to ensuring student voices extend beyond conversation. “The best ideas start with you,” she said. “I’m here to make sure that they don’t end there.”
Nolan focused his message on energy, connection, and sustained engagement. He encouraged students to think beyond the excitement of the fall and to consider leadership that continues through the entire year. “Don’t just think about who will start strong,” he said. “Think about who will show up in the winter and still be pushing in the spring.”
Faculty & Staff News
Aydon Asselin, Groundskeeper
Carrie Burdick Whitney, Science Teacher
Ellen Chadwick, Science Teacher
Ronnie Doros, Maintenance Carpenter
Toby Hughes, French Teacher, History Teacher
Nico Jo, Assistant Dean of DEI, Mathematics Teacher
Jocelyn Madden, Director of Student Activities, English Teacher
Ryan McNerney, History Teacher
Jay Osbey, Assistant Director of Admissions, Gir ls Varsity Basketball Head Coach
Arrivals
Summer Pierson, English Intern
Meghan Rosenfeld, Director of Human Resources
Francisco Secci Martínez, Spanish Teacher
Brendan Shea, Theater Teacher
Isabelle Stewart, Science Teacher
Ryan Tyree, English Teacher, Boys Varsity Squash Head Coach
Que Vo, Associate Director of Admissions
Jake Wilson-Martineau, Girls Varsity Volleyball Head Coach
Lyndsey Winick ’18, Leadership Giving Officer
Departures
Shay Albert, Digital Media & Design Teacher
Max Alphonso, Science Intern
Peter Anderson, Director of Admissions Operations & F inancial Aid, Boys Varsity Squash Head Coach
Sandra Dean, Director of Human Resources
Tim Deary ’05, French Teacher
Greg Fischer, Science Teacher
Adam Hill, Preventative Maintenance Staff
Stephanie Kerensky, Grounds Staff
Todd Matthew, English Department Head, Thomas C. Eastman ’04 Chair of English Literature
Todd Milanese, Carpenter
Meera Ratté, Admissions Counselor, Gir ls Varsity Basketball Head Coach
Sydney Stith, History Teacher, Gir ls Varsity Volleyball Head Coach
Michaela Vitagliano, English Teacher
Maegan Windus, Science Teacher
Emily Zornado, Theater Teacher
New Roles
The following employees have taken on new roles on the Hilltop.
Dan Freije, English Department Head, Thomas C. Eastman ’04 Chair of English Literature
Don Gibbs, Interim Director of College Counseling
Louisa Gebelein Jones, Freshman Form Dean
Karen Marshall, Senior Associate Director of Admissions
Sabrina Putnam, Coordinator of International S tudent Recruitment
Steve VanHoesen, Director of Residential Life
1 4 5 2 3
Award-Winning Faculty
Each year during Commencement Weekend, Pomfret recognizes five faculty members whose dedication has made an extraordinary impact on the School and its students.
(1) History Teacher Gavin Flood received The David A. Brush Award for innovative teaching, exceptional service, and deep care for students. Through travel and place-based learning, he helps students connect scholarship to lived experience and civic engagement. Beyond the classroom, he stepped forward to lead the theater program and is guiding Pomfret through its decennial accreditation process.
(2) Dean of Students and Humanities Teacher Charlotte McMahon was awarded The Sooho Cho ’74 Award for her vision, integrity, and unwavering commitment to students. In both her classroom and the Deans Office, she creates spaces where meaningful conversations about identity, responsibility, and community can thrive, empowering students to become thoughtful leaders and active contributors.
(3) Mathematics and Latin Teacher Cooper Hemphill earned this year’s Prize for Teaching Excellence. Known
for his energy, creativity, and versatility, he inspires students through inventive approaches to challenging material and a steadfast commitment to their growth.
(4) English Teacher and Writer-in-Residence Dan Freije received The William “Terry” Murbach Award for embodying the qualities for which Terry is fondly remembered: scholarship, humor, and genuine care for students. Through poetry, philosophy, sacred texts, LA Noir, and Emily Dickinson, he challenges students to think deeply, write boldly, and trust their own voices.
(5) Louisa Gebelein Jones P ’04 was selected by the Senior Class as the recipient of The Senior Cup. As the four-year form dean for the Class of 2026, she opened both her home and her heart to students, balancing accountability with compassion and helping them navigate the transition to adulthood with confidence, support, and care.
Steady Leadership, Continued Excellence
Associate Head of School Don Gibbs has been named the Interim Director of College Counseling for the upcoming academic year, in addition to his current role.
Given his deep experience at Pomfret, he is wellpositioned to serve in this role. Gibbs will work alongside Associate Directors Sarah Gawronski, Art Horst, and Bruce Wolanin to ensure that our rising seniors and their families receive uninterrupted, top-tier support, while also supporting our younger students in the early stages of their college exploration journey.
“ I am confident that this interim leadership will maintain the high standard of care and expertise our families expect and deserve,” says Head of School Heather Willis Daly.
Innovation in Action
As Pomfret’s new Director of Technological Innovation, Josh Lake is helping the School navigate the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence. Working closely with faculty and staff, he has introduced tools such as Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Cursor, helping colleagues explore practical ways to enhance teaching, learning, and daily operations.
L ake also serves on the leadership team of the interschool AI Co-Lab, an international network of educators focused on developing thoughtful, pedagogically sound uses of AI in schools. Through campus-wide collaboration and experimentation, he is helping to ensure that Pomfret students are prepared for an AI-driven future and that the School is utilizing the tools to meet its strategic priorities.
YEARS
Hats off to Todd
After thirty years of outstanding service to the Hilltop, Carpenter Todd Milanese is retiring. Over the course of his career, he has not only seen the campus change but has been the change maker. From the first Tuck Shop renovation and recommissioning of the original clock tower equipment to assisting with the construction of the Helios greenhouse and maintaining the Olmsted Observatory, Todd has been a part of it all. Most recently, he and Maintenance Carpenter Michael McCabe beautifully restored the external doors of Clark Memorial Chapel, the crypt doors, and the loft stairwell.
In addition to the big projects, he spent most of his time meeting the Facilities Department’s day-to-day needs, jumping from one project to the next. “If you look around this campus, Todd’s fingerprints are quite literally everywhere. There isn’t a nook or cranny that he has not seen or worked in,” said Director of Campus Planning and Facilities Services Brenda Bullied. “He has spent the last thirty years making Pomfret a more beautiful, friendly, and welcoming place.”
We will miss his positive attitude and his signature sun hat, which he will get a lot more use out of in his retirement. After a trip to Acadia National Park and some home projects of his own, he and his wife plan to travel cross-country in their camper and become snowbirds in Sedona, Arizona.
Watch the Chapel Talk
ICHAPEL TALK
Good Enough
By Dr. Ryan Burns, Director of Music
IN CLARK MEMORIAL CHAPEL ON APRIL 24, 2026.
f I can just stay this weight for ten more years, Gran, I will be alright.” These were the hopeful words I used to say to my grandmother on Saturday afternoon visits when I was young. She would nod lovingly. In her eyes, her grandson was just a bit husky, but the truth is, the weight was piling on, year after year. And by that time, all the joy that comes with being overweight was in full swing. You know — the bullying, the hazing, the shame, the guilt — all there.
Addiction is all around us, and my vehicle of choice: food. Yes, I am a food addict. And while I have learned to dance with this demon, it is always there, waiting for me to slip up. Sure, food tastes good, and we need it to survive, but for me, it has always been a respite from having to deal with how I am feeling. Even a few seconds of relief was worth all those extra bites, those extra pounds. Until it wasn’t…
W hen I was a sophomore in high school, I tipped the scales at 300 pounds. The truth is, it was probably closer to 285, but not wanting to miss the opportunity to be performative, I have always rounded up. It sounds better after all. By then, I became good at getting ahead of the jokes. Laugh at myself before anyone else could. Let everyone know that I could handle it — a self-defense of sorts, but inside, burying the pain deeper and deeper into my body. But I was good enough then.
I remember when my entire eighth grade went to Washington, DC. It was my first time on a plane. We stayed in a hotel not far outside of DC, and there happened to be another school there from California. I hadn’t traveled outside of New England, so at that time, California seemed like an exotic, faraway land. Nonetheless, the hotel planned for a dance that night to
bring the people together. You know how this goes in eighth grade. Everyone found their side of the room — like corners in a boxing match. The DJ tried to get the dancing going, or whatever it is that eighth graders do, by selecting a student from both schools to come out to the dance floor. Lo and behold, and to my surprise, I was chosen. Wait, me? Are you sure?
His other choice was from Cali, the cutest girl in the room. And here she was thrust into one of the most awkward arranged marriages. No, she wasn’t the future Mrs., but there we danced for what felt like eternity. And all the while, most of the people in the room were laughing. And then it hit me, halfway through the song: the cute girl and the fat boy. I will never forget how hard that DJ laughed at me. But I was good enough then.
I remember one particular visit to my pediatrician, Dr. A, short for Dr. Athanasiou. By then, his concerns had been noted — many times — about my weight. As he pointed to the height and weight chart on the back of the door, he told me that while most boys my age were “here,” I was currently not even on the chart. Ironically, I can’t tell you how small I felt that day. There I was, some obscure dot on the wooden door, just to the right of the scotch tape. “That’s me, Dr. A?” “Yup, that’s you.” I felt such shame. But I was good enough then.
Have you ever heard of the book, Jelly Belly? Let me fill you in. It is what rockstar fourth-grade teachers, with guitars and earrings, give students with weight issues. Dragging my dear mother in for a parent-teacher conference, who, along with my father, had their hands absolutely full caring for my brother Greg, who has special needs, all while making sure my sister and I had what we needed. They are saints, by the way. But he needed to let my mother know that I had a weight issue and he wanted to help. I was never stealing my classmates’ food — I had a lunch of my own after all — but with my reach
across the table, even as a joke, playing, as kids do, I would be forever changed by that yellow-covered book with a husky kid on the front. My own special reading assignment. My teacher’s intention may have been good, but his impact has stayed with me. I was good enough then, too.
It has taken a long road to get here and a lot of work, but today I am happier and healthier than I have ever been in my entire life. But the scars to get here are real. And some still hurt, even today. It is not surprising that I found my way into performing. Until very recently, I have always found it easier to be someone else rather than me. I recently read Robert Glover’s No More Mister Nice Guy and felt like I got sucker punched only a few pages in. As he notes, nice guys, nice people think they are nice, but are actually liars. They aren’t honest with themselves or others. Wait, what? I am a food addict, and a liar now?
I have been a card-carrying member of the People Pleasers for as long as I can remember. I know now how I got there, easier to laugh at myself first, easier to not rock the boat and keep everyone else happy. It’s easy to say, “Nope, it doesn’t bother me.” But I would be lying if I didn’t acknowledge that on some level, I have known what I have been doing for a while now. There is security in knowing the routine even if it chips away at your confidence and selfworth, bit by bit, comment by comment. This year, though, I don’t plan on renewing my membership, and over the past few years, I haven’t been attending as many meetings. The truth is, I am tired of worrying about everyone else’s opinion before coming to terms with my own. I am tired of postering to seem like things don’t bother me. I am tired of not acknowledging what I have had to overcome. Have others had it worse? Of course. But when we deny our own reality, that is a slippery slope towards self-sabotage.
I have come to realize the beautiful and painful duality of life. I don’t wish bullying on anyone, but I am grateful for that experience. It has helped me not to judge a book by its cover. We are all carrying stories, some painful ones, ones that may never see the light of day. Greg Boyle tells us, “No one behaves poorly from a place of wellness.” Let that wash over you. Maybe we can think twice before passing judgment too quickly. We rarely have all the information.
I wouldn’t wish a divorce on my worst enemy, and my heart goes out to all those affected by it. But while that season came to its end, it gave me the incredible gift of fatherhood: first, my daughter, Ellie, and then, my son, Jack. I cannot imagine my life without them.
Everything in life is one of three things: a reason, a season, or a lifetime. The rub is when we hold onto a season and try to keep it in our life for longer. When we try to hold open a door that is closing, or bust through one that was never meant to move. What we might have considered a lifetime event may only be a season. Everything comes to an end after all. On June 21, 2014, I walked down this very aisle, yes, this one, to begin what I thought would be a lifetime, but now, the anniversary that is on the horizon for me is three years since my divorce was finalized.
But I can tell you that without a doubt, that was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. This “living death,” as I like to call it, finally forced me to start being honest with myself. About what I believe, and who I want to be. The Stoics tell us there are three questions in life for us to consider, and these have become my anchor: what can I control, what can’t I control, and how do I want to show up to what I can control? And guess what, I woke up today, too. I get another shot at this grand experiment. It might not be perfect, and it might go sideways, but it certainly beats the alternative.
I have always wanted to throw a baseball around with my brother, Greg, in the backyard, and have dreamed of those iconic adventures brothers often take in life, but I have learned to appreciate the small moments with him and my family. In reality, we have had our own unique adventures. Like just last weekend, when I cut his hair in the back seat of my car with help from my sister, Alison, and her fiancé, Brett, as we all sang and listened to Frank Sinatra, while Greg threw hair clippings around my car like fairy dust. Our family took “Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru” to a whole new level that afternoon. But simply put, my brother has been my greatest teacher in life. One doesn’t need a fancy degree to remind you of what is actually important. I have so much more to learn, but what I do know, with complete certainty, is that I am an artist, a creative, a source of change. You are an artist, a creative, a source of change. How that hits you matters! I am not talking about an artist expressed in a specific medium, but who you are at your very core. Every decision you make, every path you walk, you are improvising. You are innovating. How incredible is that! We are a product of everything that has shaped us, yes. Everything we have encountered in life. Everything that has gone well, bad, or somewhere in between.
Life is about embracing duality. I think at the core of my life, I have sought to be seen and heard. As humans, that feels fundamental, whether as a child, sibling, parent, friend, you name it. But that’s a two-way street, and it starts with us. We have to be willing to be honest with ourselves to show up fully in life. As I have navigated iterations of my own dark night of the soul, I carry those experiences with me now, my scars, my imperfections, and have learned to find gratitude for them. This isn’t a dress rehearsal, after all.
I love quotes and have become quite chummy with Post-it Notes. Above my desk at home, I have added a new sticky note this year. It is the acronym, YAGEAYA (You Are Good Enough As You Are), in my own version of cursive writing. It took me a long time to add this one, but when I look at it now, I smile. I remember when I used to worry if I was good enough.
And while I know I am still a work in progress, I am good enough as I am. I always have been, and so are you.
Murakami
A literary journey through postwar Japan.
STORY BY Garry Dow
PHOTOS BY Beth Jacquet & Dave Ring
Students in Advanced English visit Haruki Murakami’s native soil to explore the public order and private dislocation behind his novels.
Students journaling beside the Katsura River near the Bamboo Forest in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan.
Somewhere in Japan, beside a wide river with mountains rising in the distance, Eric Wang ’26 sits down and opens his journal. For days, he has been moving through the landscape as if it were a dream. Now the words come pouring out. Words about temples and train stations, crowded streets and quiet Shinto shrines, handmade soba and bullet trains, the old world and the new. For a student whose favorite Haruki Murakami novel is Kafka on the Shore , the moment feels surreal: a young traveler, far from home, sitting near the water, trying to make sense of where he has been and what he has seen.
The t welve students on this trip have spent the winter term studying Murakami in David Ring’s Advanced English
class. One of Japan’s most widely read contemporary novelists, Murakami is known for books rooted in modern Japan. They are also shaped by Western pop culture, giving his work a distinctive “in-between” quality.
In the novels, Murakami’s characters move through the world alone, absorbed by private questions and interior lives. The cities they inhabit are highly ordered with precise transit systems, quiet neighborhoods, tidy apartments, and carefully prepared meals. Beneath the surface, Murakami’s characters are frequently adrift, cut off from others, tortured by memory, searching for a self they do not fully understand.
Af ter several months of reading about Japan from 7,000 miles away, David Ring’s Advanced English students are ready to see the place for themselves.
El Ministerio de Cultura y Patrimonio del Ecuador, Wikimedia Commons
HARUKI MURAKAMI
HIROSHIMA
HIROSHIMA
THE FIRST STOP IS TOKYO . The itinerary calls it “a city of contrasts.” Before it was Tokyo, the city was Edo, a small fishing village. Starting in the early 17th century, it grew into a seat of military power in Japan, presided over by The Tokugawa Shogunate. The emperor, who lived in Kyoto, was the symbolic, sacral source of power, while the shogun held absolute military and executive authority. This “dual polity” lasted for more than two centuries, until 1868, when the shogunate fell, and Edo was renamed Tokyo. The emperor moved there from Kyoto soon after, and the city became the center of Japan’s new modernizing government.
In 2026, our students visit the National Museum and Ueno Park, known for its stunning springtime cherry blossoms. They explore Akihabara, a district synonymous with the bright circuitry of modern Japanese pop culture. They pass through Asakusa, home to the city’s oldest Buddhist temple next to one of Japan’s best restaurants, a Michelin-starred nikudokoro serving premium Wagyu sukiyaki. They bear witness to the stillness of Meiji Shrine, set inside a wooded garden, and they experience the crush of Shibuya Crossing, where 3,000 people cross the street every single light cycle.
“One of the central tensions in Murakami’s books,” Eric observes, “is the relationship between order and isolation. Now I can see why.”
Many Pomfret students, like Eric, choose to travel in the US or abroad during their time on the Hilltop. In doing so, they gain valuable insight into different cultures, different languages, and different ways of seeing the world. More often than not, these lucky students return transformed by
our travel programs and are excited to share what they have learned with others.
A f ew days later, the group explores Fuji-HakoneIzu National Park, an area that stretches across volcanic mountains, crater lakes, hot springs, forests, coastlines, and islands, with Mount Fuji rising as its most recognizable landmark. In Kamakura, a historic coastal city located about an hour south of Tokyo, they visit Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and the Great Buddha.
From Fuji-Hakone-Izu, a bullet train carries the group to Kyoto. For more than a thousand years, Kyoto served as Japan’s capital and home to the imperial court. Much of the city still carries that sense of ceremony, refinement, and historical depth. Its temples, gardens, wooden streets, and palace grounds are a stark contrast to Tokyo’s crowded crossings and electric districts. Here, our students tour Nijō Castle, the red torii gates of Fushimi Inari, the Golden Pavilion, and the bamboo forest of Arashiyama.
In Nara, they visit Todai-ji Temple and walk among the famous deer of Nara Park. “There was a whole park of deer just walking around,” Eric remembers. “It is remarkable how nature and human beings can coexist.”
At various points along the journey, Constanza Sanchez Villalpando ’27 is also struck by the coexistence of opposing forces in Japanese culture. Murakami’s novels are filled with scenes of contemporary Japan, but beneath the surface run older and deeper psychological fault lines. “Murakami shows how the past and present can live side by side in the same person,” she says.
THE PRESENT IS ALWAYS HAUNTED BY THE PAST.
In July 1945, as World War II neared its end, Allied leaders issued the Potsdam Declaration, calling on Japan to surrender unconditionally or face “prompt and utter destruction.” When no reply came, the United States treated Japan’s silence as rejection.
On August 6, 1945, the American B-29 Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb known as “Little Boy” over Hiroshima. It exploded 2,000 feet above the city center, unleashing blast waves, thermal rays, fire, and radiation on a city of roughly 350,000 people. Within a mile radius of the hypocenter nearly everything was incinerated. In total, about 92 percent of the city’s roughly 76,000 structures were severely damaged or destroyed.
The devastation did not end when the fires went out. By the end of the year, an estimated 140,000 people had died. Survivors carried radiation illness, grief, and stigma for decades.
For Joshua Leslie ’27, visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, located at ground zero of the 1945 atomic bombing, is the trip’s defining moment. “It was the first time that we really took a pause,” he says.
Japan’s official travel site describes the museum as displaying artifacts that remain from the bombing to convey the horror of the violence done there. Through photographs, personal belongings, survivor testimony, models, artifacts, and city records, the museum foregrounds its exhibits in the lives of victims and survivors as moral witnesses.
“ The lights were dimmed, and it felt like I was walking for miles,” Joshua remembers, “but I didn’t even notice it. I was just so absorbed by all the things I was seeing.”
For eleven frenetic days, David Ring’s students had followed in the footsteps of a writer best known for exploring the lives of deeply isolated characters. Yet, somehow, in this moment, they had never felt more connected to the human story.
“The lights were dimmed, and it felt like I was walking for miles, but I didn’t even notice it. I was just so absorbed by all the things I was seeing.”
— Joshua Leslie ’27
Nesnad, Wikimedia Commons
Steve Jurvetson, Wikimedia Commons
KOBIE BOYKINS
2026 Schwartz Visiting Fellow
The Second Space Race
A down-to-earth look at the people and technologies powering a new age of planetary exploration.
STORY BY Garry Dow and Corrine Szarkowicz
PHOTOS BY Corrine Szarkowicz
There are no repair shops on Mars. The machines we send into deep space have to function in the face of violent acceleration, extreme vibration, cosmic radiation, massive temperature fluctuations, rugged terrain, dust storms, and communication delays. Projects unfold over years, sometimes decades. They involve thousands of people, millions of miles, and billions of dollars. No one wants to be the reason a mission fails.
W hen NASA engineer Kobie Boykins visited the Hilltop as this year’s Schwartz Visiting Fellow, he went to great lengths to emphasize this point. Boykins is best known for his work on rovers designed to crawl across the surface of Mars and spacecraft designed to hunt for signs of life beneath the icy crust of Jupiter’s most famous moon, Europa. “The biggest failure that we have,” Boykins said, “is the failure to imagine the things that can fail.”
O ver two days in late January, he captured the imagination of students and faculty with stories, lectures, classroom visits, panel discussions, conversations, and meals. His presence was relaxed, funny, and unexpectedly down to earth for someone whose work has helped extend humanity’s reach across the solar system.
“ Boykins’ visit was a resounding success,” said Schwartz Visiting Fellow Chair Nina Joly. “Students, faculty, and members of the local community all noted
his infectious energy and enthusiasm. He is a gifted speaker, and the nature of his work is awe-inspiring.”
Since 1989, the Schwartz Visiting Fellow Program has brought world-renowned thinkers and creators to Pomfret School. Made possible by the vision and generosity of Michael Schwartz ’66 and Eric Schwartz ’69, the program has welcomed fellows ranging from animal scientist Temple Grandin and celebrity chef Ming Tsai to choreographer Bill T. Jones and historian David McCullough.
In Boykins, Pomfret welcomed a distinguished engineer. As it turns out, it also welcomed a relatable storyteller uniquely suited for this moment.
More than fifty years after Apollo, the Moon and Mars have returned to the center of public dialogue and national ambition. The phrase “space race” once belonged to the Cold War, when the United States and the Soviet Union vied for supremacy in a global struggle for military might and political power.
Today, a second space race is taking shape. This modern incarnation focuses on control of the lunar south pole and Mars. NASA, backed by international coalitions and commercial partners, is competing with state-led programs from China and Russia to extract celestial water, build permanent off-world bases, and claim resource-rich sites.
China plans to land astronauts on the Moon by the end of the decade and hopes to develop a permanent research presence there. The United States is pursuing a parallel
future through Artemis, NASA’s campaign to return astronauts to the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars.
S pace exploration is still tied to national purpose and scientific discovery, but the new era is being shaped by public-private partnership, with companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin developing launch systems, crew vehicles, and lunar landers alongside NASA.
Pop culture has also taken note. Project Hail Mary was a major box office hit earlier this spring. It was also Pomfret’s summer read. Meanwhile, celebrity astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson has taken over where Carl Sagan left off. Even Bill Nye the Science Guy is back in the public eye.
The renewed interest in space exploration reached a fever pitch in early April when NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flyby around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft.
For nearly ten days, the mission captured the nation’s imagination and propelled space exploration back into the national spotlight. The mission did not land on the Moon, but it did something almost as important: it made the universe feel close again.
GROWING UP IN OMAHA , Nebraska, Boykins always wanted to be “that guy who figures out how to design and build things.” After earning a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he joined NASA in 1996, contributing to Pathfinder, the mission that delivered Sojourner , the
first rover, to Mars. It was a breakthrough moment in robotic exploration and the beginning of a career that would put Boykins at the center of major Mars missions for the next three decades.
Following the success of Pathfinder, he designed the solar arrays that powered the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, two machines that far outlived their original mission timelines and transformed what scientists knew about the Martian surface. Later, he led the mobility and remote sensing teams for Curiosity, the car-sized rover that landed inside Gale Crater in 2012 and has spent years studying Mars as a once-habitable world.
More recently, Boykins served as chief engineer on NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, designed to investigate the ocean and habitability of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa. He is currently working on NEO Surveyor (NearEarth Object Surveyor), a space telescope specifically designed to discover and track hazardous asteroids and comets that may threaten Earth.
DURING THE ACADEMIC DAY , Boykins visited advanced physics and engineering classes and offered advice on academic and professional pathways. In conversations with students, he moved easily from the mechanics of rover design to the habits of mind that make good engineering possible.
D uring office hours, Boykins fielded questions about sustainability and emerging challenges in engineering. He also reviewed early-stage designs from Pomfret’s
A rendering of the Europa Clipper designed to investigate the ocean and habitability of Jupiter’s icy moon.
Curiosity rover self-portrait in Gale Crater, 2012
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems | Julian Herzog, Wikimedia Commons
“He said the gap between nothing and something, even just a single atom, is greater than the gap between that atom and the universe.”
— James Lake ’27
Robotics Team, an experience that echoed his own volunteer work with FIRST Robotics, an organization that runs youth robotics competitions. For students, Pomfret’s classrooms and NASA’s clean rooms suddenly felt much closer.
“I was really surprised to learn from Mr. Boykins about the similarities between the development of the Mars Rover and the robot I am working on,” said one student. “Both follow a similar development process.”
Boykins did not make space exploration seem easy, but he did make it seem possible. The questions students ask while testing a robot are the same questions that shape missions to Mars, Europa, and beyond. What problem are we trying to solve? How do we improve the design? And always, what could go wrong?
For James Lake ’27, the visit opened an even wider frame. “The most impactful thing he said to me was about theology and the universe. He said the gap between nothing and something, even just a single atom, is greater than the gap between that atom and the universe.”
The second space race is being driven by geopolitics, funded through government investment, and accelerated by private industry. But Boykins reminds us that space exploration always has been, and always will be, about people. Like the namesake of the rover he built, curiosity is a goal unto itself.
When You’re an Addams
Pomfret School Theater stages
The
Addams Family Musical.
STORY BY Corrine Szarkowicz
BY Lindsay Lehmann
The Addams Family — the kooky, unconventional clan created by cartoonist Charles Addams — has been a cultural phenomenon since first appearing in The New Yorker in 1938. Spawning a beloved television series, feature films, a Broadway musical, and a recent hit Netflix series, the family’s enduring appeal lies in a beautiful paradox: they are deeply odd yet fiercely loving, finding beauty in shadows and joy in the macabre.
PHOTOS
“The message of being true to yourself really connected with me. In a world where people are judged so easily, this story powerfully celebrates self-acceptance and individuality.”
— Sabrina Salazar ’28
Pomfret School Theater brought the iconic characters to life, embodying their unwavering devotion and unapologetic self-possession in a captivating production of The Addams Family Musical. As the opening number famously declares, “When you’re an Addams, you do what Addams always do.” The Pomfret cast mirrored that confidence on stage, fully inhabiting their roles with precision, commitment, and a celebration of individuality.
“At its heart, The Addams Family is a story about belonging — about the courage it takes to be fully yourself and the grace it takes to love others exactly as they are,” says History Teacher and Theater Director Gavin Flood. “That message resonated deeply with our students, and I couldn’t be more proud of the cast and crew for the community they built together.”
The musical — with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice — debuted on Broadway in 2010 and has since become a staple of school and community theater, beloved for its wit, warmth, and surprisingly tender heart beneath its gothic exterior.
At the heart of the story is Wednesday Addams (Rowan Lehmann ’27), who shocks her family by falling in love with Lucas Beineke (Remy Jacquet ’26), a boy from a far more conventional household. When the Beinekes are invited to dinner, two very different definitions of “normal” collide.
The comedy gains momentum as Wednesday asks her father, Gomez (Lars Han ’27), to keep her engagement a secret from her mother, Morticia (Sabrina Salazar ’28), until after the dinner with Lucas’s parents, Alice Beineke (Jenny Huang ’27) and Mal Beineke (Owen Schmidt ’26). Gomez is forced to choose between his daughter’s trust and his lifelong promise never to keep secrets from his wife. Meanwhile, Uncle Fester (Zane Ender ’26), acting as both narrator and
mischievous matchmaker, enlists the help of the Addams ancestors to ensure that true love prevails before dawn.
Rounding out the kooky family are Wednesday’s brother, Pugsley (Jotham Burrello ’28); Grandma (Josephine Maguire ’28); and their butler, Lurch (James Haley ’26), each adding their own brand of eccentricity to the evening. Devastated by the thought of losing the sister who has always gleefully tortured him, Pugsley steals one of Grandma’s potions, hoping to keep Wednesday from leaving the family. Instead, the truth serum compels honesty just as the families gather for “The Game,” known as Obligación de revelar , or Full Disclosure, where complete honesty is the only rule. Watching over it all is the towering butler Lurch, whose deadpan expressions provide some of the show’s biggest laughs before he surprises everyone by finding his voice in the finale.
As hidden f eelings, long-kept secrets, and uncomfortable truths spill into the open, both families ultimately discover that love is strongest when people embrace, rather than conceal, their differences.
Behind the macabre makeup and witty dialogue was a real-world story of connection and growth among the students. “ The Addams Family is a show about bringing people together despite their differences. I think that with this in mind, the cast bonded over the fact that we are all different,” shares Sabrina Salazar ’28, who plays Morticia. “This year specifically, we had lots of new faces, and I think that by embracing each other’s backgrounds and ideas, we were able to grow as a community.”
Lance DiBenedetto ’26, James Haley ’26, Owen Schmidt ’26, and Alex Trapani ’26 made their Pomfret School Theater debuts in their final year on the Hilltop, while Jotham Burrello ’28 and Kyle Kim ’27 embraced their first theatrical roles after arriving last fall. Leah Huang ’28 transitioned from backstage crew in last year’s Hadestown to the cast this season, embodying the very spirit of growth and individuality the show celebrates. At the same time, The Addams Family marked a closing chapter for five seniors — Henry Chen ’26, Zane Ender ’26, Remy Jacquet ’26, Jenna Vertefeuille ’26, and Eric Wang ’26 — whose final bows reflected years of dedication to Pomfret School Theater.
By the c losing curtain, it was clear that this production understood the spirit of its opening line. “When you’re an Addams, you do what Addams always do” became more than a lyric — it became a throughline. The cast and crew committed fully to the story, trusted one another, and embraced the boldness the musical demands. In doing so, they proved that great theater, like the Addams family themselves, thrives on confidence, connection, and the courage to be exactly who you are.
“ The message of being true to yourself really connected with me,” said Sabrina. “In a world where people are judged so easily, this story powerfully celebrates self-acceptance and individuality.”
The cast and crew celebrating their final curtain call.
50s
1956
The feature in the Winter 2026 edition of the Pomfret Magazine about Pomfret’s Outdoor Adventure Club canoeing the Connecticut River had Alex ter Weele thinking back to his trip on the river in the fall of 1956. Having left Pomfret for Dartmouth — Dartmouth’s campus fronts the Connecticut River — Alex and his roommate put in at the north end of the river near the Canadian border and canoed down to the New Hampshire/Connecticut border. Later in his life, after retirement, Alex did a seventy-five-mile trip with one of his sons on the wild Owyhee River running through Idaho and Oregon. And later still, Alex made a solo trip on the Allagash River in Maine. A short story about that solo Allagash trip can be found in one of Alex’s publications, The Call of the Allagash Wilderness, published in 2019.
60s
1963
Milo Hamilton recently shared with his classmates his eighteenyear career working at Mars Inc. in the rice department. Milo helped develop the Mars business in rice, focusing on different rice-buying methods and hedging strategies, growing the market from 1,000 to 13,000 contracts. He detailed the unique characteristics of rice as a commodity, including its high water consumption, labor-intensive production methods, and the fact that about five percent of global rice production occurs outside Asia. Milo discussed the challenges facing the rice industry, particularly water scarcity issues in major
producing countries like India and China, predicting potential shifts in rice production and trade patterns in the coming decades. This is explored in his book, When Rice Shakes the World, which was published in 2013. Milo also shared insights about his company, First Grain, which he started in 2000. In addition to being the largest rice buyer in the US, First Grain provides market analysis services to rice stakeholders worldwide.
1964
Mark Simon and Centerbrook Architects and Planners, where Mark is a founding principal, have received a 2026 Architecture Award from the American Institute of Architects for the comprehensive renovation and expansion of the Yale Peabody Museum. The AIA Architecture Award is among the profession’s highest honors, recognizing exemplary design achievement and architectural excellence. Last year, Centerbrook Architects garnered two additional awards for their work on the Museum: the international Green Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, and the Blue Ribbon Award — the highest honor given by CREW Connecticut. Mark said, “Hundreds of people worked together to bring the new Peabody into being, and they share in this recognition.” Congratulations, Mark!
1965
Justin Klein shared, “[My wife] Mary and I attended a dinner at the Friends Select School on May 1, 2026. It was a terrific event celebrating Michael Gary ’82’s ten-year anniversary as head of school. [Former faculty] Tom and Ann Reid were there. Tom was Michael’s advisor at Pomfret. There were multiple meaningful warm Pomfret shoutouts.”
Class notes featured in this issue were received prior to June 19, 2026. Notes received after this date will be published in the next issue. Class notes are appreciated and may be submitted via your class agent, the Pomfret School website, or by e-mail to:
Debby Thurston, class notes editor, at dthurston@pomfret.org.
We encourage and welcome appropriate news items and photographs from all alumni and friends. Please note that not all submissions are guaranteed to appear based on subject matter, photo reproduction quality, and space availability. Also, we reserve the right to edit for consistency and style, but we will give every consideration to each author’s individual writing style.
Reunion Reimagined
Starting in 2029, all alumni will be invited back to Pomfret for a reunion every five years.
For generations, Reunion has been one of Pomfret’s most meaningful traditions: a chance to return to the Hilltop, reconnect with classmates, revisit familiar places, and celebrate the relationships that continue to define the Pomfret Experience long after graduation.
So earlier this year we asked ourselves an important question: How can we make Reunion even more meaningful, more vibrant, and more rewarding for the alumni who return to campus?
Af ter careful study and following many insightful conversations with members of the alumni community, the Alumni Association Executive Council (AAEC), and the Board of Trustees, Pomfret is pleased to announce a new and improved Reunion experience.
Under this new model, every Pomfret alumnus and alumna will be invited back for Reunion every five years. Our next Reunion will take place in 2029 — scheduled to coincide with the School’s 135th Anniversary — followed by celebrations in 2034, 2039, 2044, and beyond.
By bringing more alumni back to campus at the same time, we believe we can create a Reunion experience with greater energy, stronger attendance, richer programming, and more opportunities for connection across classes and generations.
This new model builds on what we learned from the School’s 125th Anniversary celebration in 2019, which many alumni continue to remember as one of the most spirited and successful gatherings in recent Pomfret history.
A key benefit of this approach is the opportunity to strengthen “shoulder year” connections. Many Pomfret alumni remain close not only with classmates, but also with students who graduated just before or after them. A bigger Reunion every five years will allow us to lean more fully into that strength.
In the years between Reunion celebrations, Pomfret will continue to create meaningful opportunities for alumni to stay connected. Pomfret vs. Millbrook Day, in particular, will serve as an important touchpoint: a chance for alumni to cheer on the Griffins, engage with current students, and experience the energy of Pomfret today. You can also expect to see more regional events like Pomfret Around the World popping up in a city near you.
We know this is a significant change to a beloved tradition. We also believe it is an opportunity to elevate that tradition, making Reunion feel bigger, more joyful, and more reflective of the lifelong community Pomfret alumni share.
We are grateful for the generations of alumni who have made Reunion such an important part of Pomfret’s story, and we look forward to celebrating with you again in 2029 as we launch this next chapter together.
If you have questions or would like to get involved in planning the 2029 Reunion, please contact Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Paige Billings at pbillings@pomfret.org.
L-R: Members of the Class of 1966 gathered to celebrate their 60th reunion. L-R: and Tom
L-R: Eric Schwartz ’69, Carolyn Porco, former Head of School Gerrit Keator, and Michael Schwartz in Hawaii in March 2026. Porco, an acclaimed planetary scientist, was the 2011 Schwartz Visiting Fellow at Pomfret. Keator worked with the Schwartz brothers to establish the Visiting Fellow program while he was at Pomfret in the 1980s.
Members of the Class of 1967 had a mini-reunion at The Mark Twain House and Museum in West Hartford, Connecticut, in May 2026. L-R: Bruce Gordon, Andrew Sereysky, (LEGO Mark Twain), friend Stan Davis, and Kenyon Clark. Not pictured: Michael Petty.
Simmons. Missing from photo: Robert Duncan
L-R: Lowell Kabnick, Michael Petty ’67, and Lenny Klein ’69 at Pomfret’s reception in Palm Beach, Florida, on February 19, 2026.
1968
Jeff Hodges released a new album entitled Notes. Its playlist is available on YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, and other digital platforms.
Robert Shasha (left) and Justin Klein ’65 enjoyed dinner together in Philadelphia on May 26, 2026.
1969
Congratulations to Peter Borgemeister, who was selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who in January 2026 in the category of Excellence in Architecture. With a particular focus on historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and the development of low- and moderate-income housing, Peter has had an impactful career as a designer, architect, and housing rehabilitation specialist spanning five decades, most of it spent in Providence, Rhode Island. A highlight of his career was his dedicated involvement with Stop Wasting Abandoned Property (SWAP Inc.) during the early 1980s, when he played an important role in helping SWAP to revitalize abandoned properties in a distressed area of Providence. He was also involved in subsequent renovations of historic houses for low- and moderate-income housing in the Massachusetts towns of Fall River, New Bedford, and Boston. His final project was the restoration of a 1930s windmill “folly” structure for the Narragansett Historical Society in Narragansett, Rhode Island, which was completed in the fall of 2024. Peter has received numerous awards recognizing his impact on historic preservation and community revitalization, including the Rhody Award from Preserve Rhode Island in honor of his restoration work on the Beavertail Lighthouse and Museum. He was also recognized with the 30th Anniversary Benefactor Award from SWAP in 2006 and inducted into the 50th Anniversary Hall of Fame by the Providence Preservation Society the same year.
70s
1971
Otis Read wrote, “Both Jim Corwin ’70 and I were able to bring our spouses to France, and pay a visit to former classmate Ridley Pearson and his wife in April 2025. We had a delightful time and even managed to entertain their friends with a set of our original music! I have had the good fortune to bring former classmate Robin Pfoutz into the recording studio with his cello. He played (with near perfection!) parts on twelve instrumental tunes that I composed in a New England “Celtic” style. I played guitar, mandolin, and Irish bouzouki on the recording, and was joined by five other Rhode Island musicians. The recording is due to be released in August 2026. I am also pleased to be embarking on a project with former classmate Anthony “Tony” Morse in which he has agreed to illustrate a children’s book, which uses the lyrics I wrote for a song entitled, ‘Set the Animals Free.’ The song depicts all the animals in a zoo being set free, and it rhymes!”
’68
’69
Members of the Class of 1976 came back to Pomfret to celebrate their 50th reunion. L-R: Rich Cody, Jeff Siekierski, Mike Nelson, Ted Hinman, Andrea Gaines, Ronald Roelke, Mark Semmelrock, Robert Nelson, Alex Hamilton, Chris Cestaro, and Matt Mees
Missing from photo: Barbara (Van Haagen) Herbert, John Masley, and Kathleen (Campbell) Sheldon ’76
1976
Richard “Chip” Feldon is the president of the board of directors of Investigative Studios (www.investigativestudios.org), an award-winning investigative journalism nonprofit that produces documentary films and podcasts and supports filmmakers and the next generation of investigative journalists. Their projects have been shown on Netflix, HBO, and Frontline, to name a few.
80s
1983
Peter Southam wrote, “I am currently running for the Maine State Senate in District 19. The district includes about sixty-five towns, townships, and plantations (in Maine that means pine trees, not cotton or tobacco) and is located along the New Hampshire border, north to where it meets Canada. I may get to do some of my meetings with potential constituents by canoe this summer. I hope to run into a few Pomfret alumni along the campaign trail.”
Steve Kingsbury wrote, “I happily retired in 2024 after some pretty heavy-duty back surgery. My wife was in line for a European position that would take us to Brussels, Belgium, for a two-year post. We moved over here with two cats and two fifteen-year-old dogs in February 2026. We love the EU lifestyle but are still adjusting after running a small horse farm in Maryland for ten years. It’s weird not owning a car at the moment, after owning several cars plus trucks, tractors, trailers, and other flotsam and jetsam, now all sold off. We are thankful for our expansion and our rescue pets. I am thankful to be able to keep in touch with so many of the 83s and 84s. I will surely miss some here on this dispatch: Sander Coxe, Hilary Romaine ’84, Tim Eustis, Tim Robinson, Lee Dulaney ’84, Brett Kane, Adam Carpenter ’84, Dave Carnahan ’84, Todd Crane ’85, Annie (Ramsey) Cutler, Steph (Gledhill) Conzelman, John Conzelman ’84, and Dave Crompton ’84, with whom I played my last ever lacrosse game with his magnificent Williams College 50+ team in Vail, Colorado, in 2021. There are many others, but after Drew Shea passed during COVID, we tightened the loop significantly. Locally, here near Belgium, we have Christopher Gilbert (“FC”) who lives in Sintra, Portugal. We were roommates for two years at Pomfret; we talk often with plans to visit and have remembrance of a checkered Pomfret ending! Nevertheless, the river flows, and we are happy with the fact that all of us have been able to keep the loop open.”
Donors and Dollars
$1,006,698
TOTAL
Top 5 Classes by Number of Donors
More than a thousand donors contributed a million dollars to Day of Giving 2026, a testament to the enduring strength and generosity of the Pomfret community. “The Pomfret Fund represents an ongoing, renewable investment in the people who make Pomfret one of the best small independent schools in the country. Every gift makes an immediate and lasting difference, and we are so grateful for all of the support today,” said Emily Morrison, director of annual giving and constituent programs.
Top 5 Classes by
1,149 TOTAL DONORS
Donor Affiliations
JACK VIERTEL ’67
Stagecraft
Jack Viertel ’67 fell in love with theater at a young age — drawn to its magic — but soon realized his talents belonged behind the scenes rather than on the stage. He served as the creative director and senior vice president of Jujamcyn Theaters in New York for thirty-four years, bringing shows like Hairspray and Dear Evan Hansen to life.
V iertel was also the artistic director of New York City Center Encores!, where he staged classic shows with limited runs, often with a thirty-piece orchestra and minimal scenery or costumes. He also taught at NYU Tisch and wrote two books, The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows Are Built and Broadway Melody .
Most recently, Viertel served as creative consultant for the Tony Awardwinning The Outsiders . He wrote and conceived Let the Good Times Roll , which celebrates the music and spirit of New Orleans, and will make its Broadway debut in the 2026–2027 season.
Brooke Toni on a ski trip to Kitzbühel, Austria, in February 2026.
Telena Bolding ’87 (left) and Brooke Toni at Biltmore, North Carolina, in September 2025.
Members of the Class of 1986 celebrated their 40th reunion. L-R: Doug Henderson John Suydam Todd Coffin Mark Styles Adam Waldman, Jeremy Wintersteen, and Jim Brodsky.
’87
Michelle Roberts passed away in August 2015 when her daughter, Regina, was nine years old. Ginny Eaton P ’91 kept in touch over the years with Michelle’s mother, Adeline Noel, and Regina. She was invited to attend Regina's graduation from Princeton University on May 26, 2026. Ginny was joined by Michelle’s classmates, Telena Bolding (left), Brooke Toni ’86, and Chui-Ki Lau.
1989
Cara (Landi) Buckingham wrote, “I’ve been working on a short movie production called Balloon Boy, written by my husband, Royce Buckingham. We provided the initial round of funding, and I am leading the fundraising and marketing campaigns for both postproduction and the festival circuit. Balloon Boy is a quirky, heartfelt comedy film about a young Seattle slacker who spends a night with a nice inflatable woman he meets at a party and unexpectedly finds himself the single father of a balloon-headed baby boy. We’re in post-production and will start entering festivals for consideration this fall. It’s been fun working on the project, and we’re thankful for support received by Pomfret alumni Pamela Landi ’85, Daryle Bost, Joanna Parson, Jessica Ziegler ’90, and Jennifer Patenaude ’90!”
90s
1990
Jamie Hunt retired from the Air Force after twenty-four years of service. His final flight in the A-10 Warthog was a combat mission over Iraq and Syria. He finished his career with 3,500 hours in the A-10 and over 100 combat missions. He now flies full-time as a captain with Southwest Airlines and lives in Tucson, Arizona, with his wife, Ali.
’90
Jamie Hunt on his last deployment with the US Air Force.
HADLEY
(WEISS) ROSEN ’97
Sweet Success
After a successful career as director of communications for an international software company, Hadley (Weiss) Rosen ’97 joined forces with her father, Jim Weiss, to launch their fine chocolate business, Chocolena. She graduated with honors from the certified professional chocolatier program at Vancouver’s École Chocolat and dreams of learning from French chocolatier Cédric Grolet.
Rosen lo ves bringing joy to people through Chocolena’s products. Whether it’s seeing someone’s smile as they try a sample or hearing from customers who have given the chocolate as a teacher gift or a thoughtful gesture to someone who is ill, those moments make Rosen feel good.
Each season, Chocolena develops new creations, from creamy white chocolate swirled with pineapple and raspberry to rich dark chocolate infused with cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. Her favorite flavor pairing is milk chocolate and coffee. “It’s such a classic flavor,” Rosen says, though she is equally fond of milk chocolate and caramel.
With gift planning, you can provide longlasting support for Pomfret School while enjoying financial benefits for yourself.
Get started at pomfret.org/legacy
The Pontefract Society honors all those who have taken the special step of including Pomfret School in their long-term plans through a bequest provision, life-income gift, or other deferred giving arrangement. Members of The Pontefract Society have demonstrated a loyalty, foresight, and generosity that will benefit Pomfret and contribute to its excellence for generations to come.
Members of the Class of 1991 gathered to celebrate their 35th reunion at Pomfret. Front row, L-R: Deacon Webster, Frances (Lumpkin) Webster, Samantha (Jones) O’Brien, Julia Knowlton, Susie Rankin. Middle row, L-R: Ted Poulos, Alexander Jones, Abby (Gardiner) Silk, Christina (Moore) Lavallee, Courtney (Hallock) McGinnis, Lorenzo Borghese, Juliana (Keyser) Harris. Back row, L-R: Dan Good, David Farnum, Chris Victory, Jay Luchs, Jesse Lawrence, Jay VanDerzee, Katrina (Grenfell) O’Connor. Missing from photo: Jesse Silverman, Jim Zahansky.
1999
Joe Horton wrote, “After twenty-three years in the US Navy, as both an aviator and judge advocate, the Navy will promote me to commander (O-5) in the US Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps in August of this year. I currently serve as the senior counsel for Fleet and Operation Environmental Law within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations & Environment (ASN EI&E). My wife, Francine, and I love living in Alexandria, Virginia, and look forward to reconnecting with Pomfret people while here.”
00s
2000
Hilary (Gerson) Axtmayer was named CEO of Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp effective June 1, 2026. Hilary first began working with the organization in 2001, most recently serving as the Camp’s chief program officer. In addition to her many years at Hole in the Wall, Hilary has been a field consultant for HIV/AIDS youth programs with SeriousFun Children’s Network and has also served in various capacities at other youth-focused nonprofits.
2001
Libby Wood is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in depression, suicidality, grief, and anxiety. She is licensed in California and Connecticut. She currently lives on a farm with her partner, Victoria, in northern California, staying active with surfing, trail running, skiing, tennis, and animal husbandry. After graduating from Pomfret with honors in 2001, Libby earned a BA in studio art from the University of Vermont, where she played NCAA Division I soccer and lacrosse. Libby received her MA in counseling psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco with a specialization in Art Therapy. After years of working for the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and UCSF Children’s Emergency Department, she received a certificate in psychoanalytic psychotherapy from the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis at Stanford University. She is now a third-year PhD student at CIIS working on her dissertation, researching how animal-based healing alleviates the suffering of suicidal depression. This past spring, she completed her graduate-level coursework for her EcoPsychology Certificate. Libby dedicates her career to understanding and supporting others in psychological crisis, like her twin brother Patrick Wood, who died in 2006 shortly after graduating from Stanford. She also continues to fundraise for Patrick’s scholarship, the Patrick Wood ’01 Memorial Prize, for matriculating day students at Pomfret School. (Follow along: @patwoodprize, www.zwillingproject.com).
2002
Katelynn Laffin wrote, “I currently reside in Hanover, Massachusetts, with my wife, Kim, and two daughters ages six and four. I was recently promoted to chief PET/CT technologist for Shields Health, supervising four clinical locations in southeast Massachusetts.”
Libby Wood in her psychotherapy office with her cattle dog, Cash.
Katelynn Laffin (right) and her family.
Greetings Marrakeshfrom
Former faculty member Stephen Morison [English, 2001–2007] wrote, “After wonderful experiences at School Year Abroad in Beijing, China; King’s Academy in Madaba, Jordan; St. Stephen’s School in Rome, Italy; and The American College of Sofia in Sofia, Bulgaria; Emily Allen [English 2002-2007] and I are now leading The American School of Marrakesh (ASM) in Marrakesh, Morocco.
I’m head of school, and Emily is the director of student guidance and college counseling for ASM and our two sister schools, The American School of Tangier and The American School of Benguerir. ASM is a wonderful K-12 school with 420 students on eight hectares of land with a school built by the architect Charles Boccara, and landscape design by Madison Cox, owner of Marrakesh’s famed Jardin Majorelle. Just recently, we’ve added a tennis and padel complex, a permaculture garden and a farm animal area.
We retain fond memories of our six years at Pomfret and continue to occasionally check in with our friends the Jacquets, the Brownes, the Horsts, the Fishers, and many others. What fun it was to see an update about Brad Davis [Chaplain/English 1987-2016] and Deb Davis [Religion/English 1990-2016] in last winter’s issue of the Pomfret Magazine.
O ur old friends and students will remember our daughter, Tally, who was seven years old when we left Pomfret for Beijing. Tal returned to the US to attend and graduate from Yale University in 2021, and she just finished her master’s degree in architecture at the Taubman School at the University of Michigan. In July 2026, she began working for an architecture firm in Detroit. How time flies!
Emily and I send fond hellos to our many friends on the Hilltop and to our wonderful former Pomfret students, wherever life may have taken them. Please drop us a line if you find yourselves in the fantastic and fun city of Marrakesh!
STEPHEN MORISON
Reunion Recap
The Power of Connection
Reunion 2026 did more than reconnect classmates — it celebrated the enduring impact of Pomfret’s alumni and the people who have helped shape the School. The atmosphere on the Hilltop all weekend was unmistakably energized. In fact, when the weather finally turned, not even lightning could dampen the spirit of the celebration.
Alumni from the classes ending in 1s and 6s, along with their families and friends, returned to the place where it all began. Many revisited their old stomping grounds — scoring aces at the Blodgett Tennis Center, getting creative during an art class in the Chick Cole Studio, and staying overnight in the familiar halls of the Bricks.
Reunion 2026
Alumni explored the changing landscape of the Hilltop by touring VISTA, our new state-of-theart science building, and marveling at the beautifully renovated Hard Auditorium. They learned about the future of the School under the leadership of Head of School Heather Willis Daly and Board Chair Daryle Bost ’89, who are both wrapping up their first year in their respective positions.
Moments of deep reflection balanced out the weekend’s high energy. At the Service of Remembrance, moving readings and musical performances honored the classmates we have lost. Later, a panel discussion highlighted the incredible accomplishments of this year’s award winners, including Athletic Hall of Fame inductee John Griswold ’63, S. Prescott B. Clement Cup recipient Deacon Webster ’91, and Olmsted Distinguished Service Award winner Jim Rees P ’98, ’01.
Of course, the absolute highlight of the weekend was the simple joy of catching up. Early arrivers kicked things off Friday evening with pizza, barbecue, dessert, and drinks from local food trucks at the Welcome Celebration. The Classes of 2006 and 2016 caught up at the residence of their form dean, Louisa Gebelein Jones P ’04. On Saturday, the Class of 1976 gathered for a milestone fiftieth reunion luncheon in Parsons Lodge. Saturday night delivered the weekend’s grand finale. Following a lively cocktail hour — complete with iconic class photos — and the presentation of alumni awards, the celebration shifted into high gear. Guests packed the dance floor to the sounds of fanfavorite party band Unity. When the rain arrived, the festivities simply moved indoors, filling the Olmsted Student Union and the Bricks with the same enthusiasm and laughter. Outside, a dramatic lightning storm rolled across the Hilltop, providing a fitting end to a weekend defined by connection, energy, and the enduring power of coming home.
Lasting Impact
During Reunion Weekend, the Pomfret School Alumni Association and Pomfret Advancement Office recognized individuals whose accomplishments and service exemplify the enduring impact of a Pomfret education. Each honoree has strengthened both their communities and the School they continue to support.
The William Beach Olmsted Distinguished Service Award was presented to Jim Rees P ’98, ’01, whose thirty-four years on the Pomfret faculty touched nearly every aspect of school life. During his tenure, Rees served as a French teacher, dorm parent, coach, World Languages Department chair, and form dean for the Classes of 1988, 1992, and 1997. His legacy lives on at Pomfret in the James M. Rees Baseball Award, the Jim Rees Dugout, and the James Rees French Award.
Executive Director of The Wily Network Kenn Elmore ’81 received the Alumni Award for his achievements in education and ongoing interest, loyalty, and commitment to the School. Elmore has worked in education for nearly forty years, previously serving as the president of Dean College and associate provost and dean of students at Boston University. He has been guided by the belief that institutions thrive when they are both rigorous and humane — challenging people to grow while providing support for that growth.
For outstanding service to society and excellence in her endeavors, the Alumni Association recognized Dr. Caroline E. Murphy ’06 with the Achievement Medal. She is a US Army cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine at the Uniformed Services University. In addition to her medical and academic roles, Murphy has remained deeply involved in the athletic community, serving as a coach and referee for USA Hockey for fifteen years. She was previously inducted into the Pomfret School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023.
The Pomfret Advancement Office awarded the S. Prescott B. Clement Cup to Deacon Webster ’91 for his exceptional work as a class agent. He has helped his class top the Day of Giving leaderboard for the past two years, raising more than $120,000 for the School. Additionally, Deacon is currently in his first term on the Board of Trustees and served on the Alumni Association Executive Council from 2021 to 2025.
W hether through decades of dedication to Pomfret, transformative work in education, service to the nation, or volunteer leadership on behalf of the School, this year's honorees embody the spirit of engagement and generosity that defines the Pomfret community.
ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS
WiLLiaM BeacH oLMSTeD
DiSTinGuiSHeD SeRVice aWaRD
2026 Recipient Jim Rees P ’98, ’01
poMFReT ScHooL aLuMni aWaRD
2026 Recipient Kenn Elmore ’81
aLuMni aSSociaTion acHieVeMenT MeDaL
2026 Recipient Caroline Murphy ’06
S. pReScoTT B. cLeMenT cup
2026 Recipient Deacon Webster ’91
2006
Claire Rimkus competed in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament this past spring, finishing second in the New England division. Claire has been solving puzzles competitively since 2009 and started making crosswords in 2018. She has had crosswords published in many different publications, including The New York Times, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, and Apple News+
Caroline (McLoughlin) Davis welcomed her fourth child, Margaret “Margo” Moore Davis, on February 26, 2026. Margo joins her older siblings, William (8), Caroline (5), and James (3). The family lives in Potomac, Maryland. Caroline said, “I was thrilled to be able to return to campus with my husband, Peter, and Margo for Reunion Weekend this year. It was so great to be back and see the campus, faculty, and staff. Staying in the dorms made the visit even more fun — we stayed in Upper 2, where James Pinkham is a dorm parent! What a showing from the Class of 2006! Thank you to all who returned to campus — having so many classmates there made the weekend so special!”
’06
Claire Rimkus with her recent crossword puzzle tournament award.
The children of Peter and Caroline (McLoughlin) Davis.
DR. ABDUL-AZIZ “AZIZ” AHMED ’02
Courtside Care
While at Pomfret, Dr. Abdul-Aziz “Aziz” Ahmed ’02 played soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. Today, his passion for sports extends far beyond the stands.
After completing an emergency medicine residency, Dr. Ahmed pursued a fellowship in sports medicine. He now serves as an event physician for the NBA, providing medical coverage for select domestic and international events each year.
Last summer, he traveled to Africa for the NBA Basketball Without Borders camp, where he oversaw the care of fortyeight athletes, along with coaches, staff, and chaperones. His
responsibilities ranged from coordinating emergency action plans with local hospitals, EMS teams, and paramedics to treating everything from sprains and fractures to infectious diseases such as malaria. He also served on the physician team covering the NBA Cup in Las Vegas.
W hen he is not working courtside, Dr. Ahmed is an attending physician in the emergency departments at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital.
Holiday Parties
Join us this December for a reception, or two! Includes remarks by Head of School Heather Willis Daly, with hors d'oeuvres, open bar, and plenty of Griffin cheer.
BOSTON
Wednesday, December 2, 2026
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Scampo, 215 Charles St, Boston, MA
NEW YORK
Thursday, December 10, 2026
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Great Jones Distilling Company, 686 Broadway, New York, NY
Register at pomfret.org/alumni-events
The Class of 2006 turned out in style to celebrate their 20th reunion together. Front row, L-R: Form Dean Louisa Gebelein Jones P ’04, Hillary (Ross) Charalambous, Michelle (Gilmore) Castiglione, Amber (Caputo) Capwen, Tamara (Ferreira) Marcella, Caroline (McLoughlin) Davis, Kasia (Kolodziejczak) Saar, Kate (Longe) Mills. Middle row, L-R: Nate DuBois, Mike Sullivan, Nick Nardiello, Laurie (Bourette) Ingham, Klari (Templeton) Barcelos, Elizabeth (Andrewes) Grady. Back row, L-R: Mike Wenning, James Pinkham, Pete Wisotzkey, Brady Griffin, Greg Jones, Sean Driscoll, Olivia (Gray) Konrath, Becca (Arnold) Zubrowski, Eilyn Segura, Natasha Blodgett. Missing from photo: Emily (Humes) Durst, Caroline Murphy, Alex Pelletier, Hollis Taylor.
2012
Cayman Macdonald shared, “In the past year, I started the Austin Pinball Collective, a nonprofit collective and museum with seventy-eight pinball machines, the largest public collection in Texas and the only pinball museum in the state. Our website is: austinpinballcollective.org. I’m also in the midst of designing my own pinball machine from scratch in hopes of working with a major manufacturer in the future to become the first lead female pinball designer.”
Cayman Macdonald with a prototype of a pinball machine.
2016
Andrew Douglas reported, “I have recently left the US Navy after serving in Asia and the Middle East, which included a deployment with SEAL Team Three. Up next, I am heading to Stanford University to pursue my MBA. I also met up with Preston Teller in Dallas during a recent business trip.”
20s
2022
Ben Pearce was named National Player of the Year by D3hoops.com and chosen as a D3hoops.com First Team All-American, in addition to being named the University Athletic Association (UAA) Player of the Year. He also earned the prestigious Jostens Trophy and the Trevor Hudgins Award, honors recognizing outstanding non-Division I basketball players for excellence on the court, in the classroom, and in the community. Ben led the Emory University Eagles to their firstever NCAA Division III National Championship game appearance, shattering school records along the way. During his senior season, he averaged 24.0 points and a Division III-leading 7.1 assists per game, including a dramatic game-winning three-pointer in the Elite Eight. He finished his collegiate career as Emory’s all-time leading scorer with 2,080 career points and became the first player in program history to earn four All-UAA First Team selections.
Cole Hecker wrote, “I recently graduated from Boston University, where I completed a yearlong independent research project under the former US ambassador to Zambia, focused on US partnerships in critical minerals and supply chains. This past spring, I traveled to Zambia, Africa, to conduct field research, which included meetings with officials in the Zambian government and a visit to a mining operation. Pomfret played an important role in developing my interest in international affairs, so I’m grateful to share this milestone with the community. I’d be glad to connect with anyone in the Pomfret community who shares similar interests or would be open to a conversation.”
Members of the Class of 2016 celebrated their 10th reunion. L-R: Brody Childs, Jacob Scanlon, Rosemary Osborne, Hanna Ohaus, Madison Dean, Tom Castle.
’16
Cole Hecker (second from right) visiting the Konkola Copper Mine in the Copperbelt Region of Zambia, Africa.
GRACE
CHARLES ’24
Back Where She Began
Grace Charles ’24 had long been drawn to teaching, and the boarding school model — where learning extends well beyond the classroom — felt like the ideal setting. That sense of purpose took hold early in her freshman year, after she moved into Clement and met Charlotte McMahon, now dean of students, whose warmth made Pomfret feel like home.
Af ter a year and a half as a Classics major at Bard College, Charles returned to the Hilltop as a faculty intern. She shadowed Latin Teachers Beth Jacquet and Cooper Hemphill, and even taught a lesson or two. After the academic day ended, she covered dorm duty in Kniffin.
“I enjoyed being on duty in Kniffin,” Charles shared. She valued the opportunity to connect with students. “Boarding school is about more than just a good education,” she says. “It’s about being a part of each other’s lives and getting to know one another outside of the classroom.”
CHIP LAMB & RIDLEY PEARSON ’71
Steel Trapp
Former Theater Director Chip Lamb [2006–2025] may be retired from Pomfret, but he hasn’t stepped away from the stage. He reunited with longtime collaborator Ridley Pearson ’71, the New York Times bestselling author of Peter and the Starcatchers , to workshop Steel Trapp , a musical comedy mystery based on Pearson’s Steel Trapp: The Academy series .
T he collaboration builds on a creative partnership that began at Pomfret in 2022, when Lamb and Pearson premiered The Academy in the newly renovated Hard Auditorium. Now, with Paul Gregory, they have reimagined and expanded the project as Steel Trapp , featuring twenty-one talented high school performers from five high schools across the Bay Area.
Presented by Valley Lab Productions, the workshop production was staged in June at the Spieker Center for the Arts at Menlo School in Atherton, California.
Courtesy of Chip Lamb
Members of the Class of 2021 came out in force to celebrate their 5th reunion on the Hilltop. Front row, L-R: Blake Zahansky, Shawn Zhu, Minty Wilson, Robbie Leslie, Cooper Lee, Yubing Yang, Cam Adams, Jackson Partilla. Second row, L-R: Bettina Johnston, Phoebe Hager, Matt Botta, Isaac DiIorio, Grace Rosow, Lindsay Pearce, Matt Rehm. Third row, L-R: Cole Brennan, Cam Lowe, Eliza Sammis, Alexandra Lee, Michaela Nsubuga. Back row, L-R: Bailey Sheehan, Sam Eglin, Keegan Rybacki, Molly Sullivan, Tricia Rueckert. Missing from photo: Gabe Lewis, Lila Henderson, Melissa Montesi, Cami Steiger, Laila Travers
2024
While a senior on the Hilltop, Jesse Heinberg was swabbed for the Gift of Life Marrow Registry. He was recently matched and donated stem cells in January 2026. His donation went to a father of a young son, who is expecting twins this year. Part of Jesse’s journey was made possible by Math Teacher Josh Wildes ’04 , who in 2022 shared his own Gift of Life story and started Pomfret’s annual Swab to Save event.
’24
Jesse Heinberg with his life-saving stem cell donation.
A Hole in the Wall
INTERVIEW BY Corrine Szarkowicz
For twenty-five years, Hilary Axtmayer ’00 has helped children and families find joy, connection, and resilience through camp.
Hilary (Gerson) Axtmayer ’00 was first introduced to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp as a student at Pomfret. The camp, in nearby Ashford, was founded by legendary actor and visionary philanthropist Paul Newman in 1988, so that children with serious illnesses could just be kids and “raise a little hell.”
Inspired by their mission, Hilary returned after her freshman year of college as a counselor — an experience that shaped the course of her life. Over the past twenty-five years, Hilary has grown from counselor to executive camp director and, most recently, as the organization’s chief program officer, helping thousands of children and families connect, heal, and find joy through yearround programs and summer camp experiences. In June, Hilary was appointed chief executive officer.
You first volunteered at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp as a student at Pomfret. Tell us about your experience.
Growing up, I was a camp kid. Louisa and Jeremiah Jones organized a volunteer opportunity at the camp, and I went with a bunch of my friends. I have such vivid memories of driving into camp for the first time. You could feel the magic — even without any of the campers or staff being there.
We cleaned up the camp after winter and got it ready for the campers’ arrival. While we worked, we learned about the camp, and it was a really powerful experience. I was inspired by the idea that kids who were sick, who otherwise would not have the same opportunity I had, could go to camp. I thought, “I want to come back here as a counselor.”
After your freshman year of college, you worked at the camp. How did that summer change your life?
The experience blew me away. It didn’t take me long to see the power of the programming at Hole in the Wall for the families we serve. It sparked a deep interest in psychosocial support programs for children with serious illnesses and helped me realize this was the work I wanted to dedicate my life to.
What population were you interested in working with?
At the time, I was very interested in HIV and AIDS — that was a population we served at camp. My experience eventually brought me to Africa. I worked and studied in Sub-Saharan Africa and then later worked in East Africa doing psychosocial support consulting and programming for children living with HIV and AIDS. I saw kids who didn’t have access to medications and were stigmatized. It inspired me to pursue a master’s in public health with a focus on global health, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases.
What did you learn through your work in Africa?
The resilience of the kids I worked with in Africa reinforced my belief in the power of play and human connection. I helped train the local staff, who had limited resources, to help kids not just survive but to thrive. By just playing soccer in an open field, the children appreciated that someone took the time to play with them, talk with them, and spend time with them. That is what matters, and we know those experiences ultimately help children build resilience and a sense of hope.
Did you ever consider a career in medicine?
I’ve always been more drawn to the psychosocial side of care. My role was never really about simply playing with kids — it was about helping children living with serious illnesses have the chance just to be kids. Camp allows them to connect with others who are going through similar experiences and to feel less isolated. While I was in school, I conducted qualitative research on hope, friendship, and reducing isolation, and that work reinforced my passion for this side of care rather than the medical side.
What does your most recent role as a chief program officer entail?
I oversee all of our programs at the Hole in the Wall, and that is fairly robust now. While we started as a camp in Ashford, Connecticut, in 1988, we have expanded our reach and offerings. Our family outreach program is a mobile unit that goes directly to their homes and provides a little taste of camp for kids who may not be able to attend camp. More than thirty hospital outreach specialists work on-site in forty hospitals from Boston to Washington, D.C., providing camp-like activities and distractions while working alongside medical support teams. We also host big regional events that bring the whole hospital together, like Camp Week at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, when the whole hospital pauses so the kids can participate in camp.
You were most recently named chief executive officer. What does this mean to you, and what do you look forward to in your new role?
Being named chief executive officer is a profound honor and a deeply humbling responsibility. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to lead an organization that makes such a positive difference for children with serious illnesses and their families.
It is an absolute privilege to sit in this seat and build upon the incredible legacy left by Paul Newman and my predecessor. They rooted this organization in joy and compassion, and I look forward to working with our dedicated team, volunteers, and community of supporters to honor that foundation while expanding our reach. Together, we will ensure we continue to bring a different kind of healing to the families who need us most.
What is your favorite part of the job?
It’s been a privilege to help this organization grow, learn, strategize, and set the path for its growth over the next five, ten, and twenty years. I get to work with the magic makers, who work directly with our kids and our families, and they are inspiring, creative, and constantly finding new ways to deepen the support we provide families. The organization is always evolving, which means there is always another challenge to solve or another opportunity to serve families more fully. And so there’s never a boring day with what I do, and I love it.
What is your favorite part of a week at camp?
I had the opportunity to tell the camp’s story on the first night. All of the kids were there, and they were so excited. I shared the camp’s history and asked them what they knew about Paul Newman. They would always give adorable answers, such as “salad dressing” or “popcorn guy.” I would also tell them they were going to make a new friend, try something new, and learn something that they could bring back home to make the world a more beautiful place. At the end of the week, I would ask whether they remembered those three things and whether they had achieved them. The kids would excitedly tell me about the friendships they formed or the things they tried for the first time. I especially loved hearing their ideas for making the world a better place. It reminded me how much impact one week of camp can have.
Is there something you’ve learned from the campers and families that stays with you over the years in your work?
They taught me about resilience, perseverance, and perspective. I was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago, and it was a very challenging time in my life and my family’s life. I work with kids with cancer, and then I was experiencing my own diagnosis and figuring out how my family and I would navigate that. The strength of the families I work with helped guide me through my own experience. They reminded me that people are resilient and that hope can coexist with hardship.
Is there a memory from camp that inspires your work?
During a family camp, a girl who was probably nine or ten and undergoing cancer treatment wanted to climb our thirty-foot tower without assistance. We wanted to do everything we could to make that possible for her. Alongside her parents, I watched her climb higher and higher. Everyone was silent as she climbed, and when she reached the top, tears were streaming down everyone’s faces. She is now a nurse who volunteers at our camp. That powerful moment stays with me.
IN MEMORIAM
To request a printed copy of full-detail alumni obituaries, call the Advancement Office at 860.963.6129.
Lawrason R. Sayre ’46 March 22, 2026
William M. Jackson ’54 August 31, 2025
C. Lawson Reed III ’63 January 30, 2026
William B. Hoff ’56 January 24, 2026
Paul W. McKechnie ’77 April 5, 2026
William J. Huffer ’56 May 26, 2026
Richard N. Webb, Jr. ’80 December 21, 2025 ’80
“Dear friends, we know that life is short and we do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us. So be swift to love, make haste to be kind.”
— HENRI-FRÉDÉRIC AMIEL
Eugene E. Gill April 1, 2026
Colby Tucker June 11, 2026
Eugene “Gene” Gill
Gene Gill was a teacher at Pomfret from 1964 to 1978. He was a history teacher, faculty advisor to The Pontefract and yearbook, dorm master, and department chair. He was beloved by his students, who respected him for his command of the subject matter, his fairness and kindness, and his spontaneous, contagious sense of humor. “I think back on all the great teachers, mentors, and coaches I have been lucky enough to have known. Mr. Gill always ranks at the top,” shared Wolf von Russow ’72. “History has always been a favorite topic of mine. He made it fun and interesting, coupled with his great personality and humor.”
Prior to teaching at Pomfret, Gene attended Upsala College and earned a master’s in history from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. He served in the Navy from 1952 to 1956.
Af ter leaving Pomfret, Gene taught at The Watkinson School and the University of Connecticut. Upon his retirement, after thirtytwo years in the classroom, he moved back to his childhood home in Dover, New Jersey, where he spent his remaining years with friends and family.
Betty Hale P ’71, ’91; GP ’20
Alice Elizabeth Uhler “Betty” Hale was a visionary philanthropist whose generosity touched countless lives throughout northeastern Connecticut. Alongside her husband, Newell — a former Pomfret School trustee — she believed deeply in the power of education, community, health care, and the arts, especially for children.
Bett y’s connection to Pomfret School spanned nearly four decades. Together, she and Newell established the Laurence N. and Janet D. Hale Memorial Scholarship in 1988 and later endowed the Newell & Betty Hale Scholarship Fund, ensuring that local students with demonstrated financial need would have access to a Pomfret education for generations to come. In recognition of their enduring support, Head of School Brad Hastings ’68 dedicated Hale House in their honor in 1996. The Hales also helped strengthen Pomfret through gifts to the endowment and the Centennial Academic & Arts Center, while Betty continued their legacy after Newell’s death with contributions to the Blodgett Boathouse and, most recently, VISTA, the new science building.
Betty was the stepmother of C. Inglis (Hale) Sellick ’71, the mother of Laurence Hale ’91, and the grandmother of Helen Hale ’20.
ElizabethLake
A Lasting Gift
The Falconer was formally dedicated during Alumni Day festivities on May 15, 1971. Given “in memory of the mother of a Pomfret boy,” the sculpture was installed in the A. Wallace Chauncey ’10 Courtyard beside the Henry B. du Pont ’16 Library. More than fifty years later, her work remains a lasting part of the Hilltop landscape.
Resident Sculptor
Alice Dunbar taught sculpture at Pomfret from 1956 to 1991, though she preferred a different title: resident sculptor. More than an instructor, she was a working artist whose studio became an extension of the classroom. Over thirty-five years on the Hilltop, she introduced generations of students to the creative process, encouraging them to master the fundamentals while never losing sight of the joy of making art.
The Falconer
For more than half a century, The Falconer has been a quiet fixture of campus life. Created in the early 1970s by longtime Pomfret Art Teacher Alice Dunbar, the bronze memorial sculpture rewards careful observation. At first glance, it appears to depict a man and his bird. Look closer, however, and symbols of renewal and the unmistakable mark of its creator begin to emerge.
Falcon Fever
Dunbar was fascinated by falcons and other birds of prey, a passion perhaps inspired by student John McLoughlin ’67, who reportedly kept a falcon on campus for a brief period. Rather than creating a realistic likeness, she chose a highly stylized form, allowing the bird to become both subject and symbol. Perched atop the figure's outstretched arm, the falcon serves as the sculpture's focal point and namesake.
A New Perch
When the Ambrose Monell III ’26 Science Building was demolished to make room for VISTA, The Falconer was carefully removed and placed in storage for the duration of the project. Following its completion in 2024, the sculpture was reinstalled at the northwest corner of Chauncey Courtyard, where it continues its quiet watch over campus life.
The Language of Ferns
A recurring symbol ties the sculpture together: the fiddlehead fern. Emerging from the bronze base are three fiddleheads, which Dunbar described as symbols of new life in springtime. The motif appears again in the figure's head at a much larger scale, creating a visual echo throughout the piece. Tiny fern illustrations on the plaque set into the granite base reinforce the sculpture's themes of growth, renewal, and remembrance.
Jim Goodwin ’66
Hidden in Plain Sight
The artist's signature is easy to miss. Rather than placing her name prominently on the work, Dunbar engraved “Alice W. Dunbar” into the textured bronze base near the emerging ferns. Nearly hidden from view, the inscription is one final reminder that Dunbar embedded meaning in even the smallest details.
