“Throughout middle school, I have loved watching all of us grow together and become so close with one another,” said Zoe Weber ’27, the class speaker. “We figured out how to help one another during a constantly evolving three-year period. We are such an extraordinary class and I know that these traits will help us for the rest of our lives.”
Awards in various academic disciplines were presented, and several students received special honors: Sukhari Afflick ’27, Ava Crowley ’27 and Ellie Feldman ’27 were joint recipients of the annual Service Award; Afflick also received the Citizenship Award; Julieta Salvat ’27 and Samuel Bussel-Alonso ’27 were named co-winners of the Faculty Award; and Lucas Sanchez ’27 won the Paul C. Ransom Founder’s Cup; and Simone Carrasco ’27, the Marie B. Swenson Founder’s Cup.
Head of the Middle School Eric Boberg welcomed students and their families and encouraged the eighth graders to head to the ninth grade with confidence, and to challenge themselves.
“Don’t settle for simply meeting or living up to expectations that others have set for you,” he said. “Pave your own way, blaze your own trail, set your own expectations. And then shatter those in favor of higher and more personal goals.”
He also thanked the middle school faculty for its dedication and excellence, and recognized teachers celebrating milestone anniversaries: Bridgette Laskey, who reached 10 years of service; Susan Barry, 15 years of service; Alicia Fisher, 15 years of service; Maria Eugenia Abrante, 25 years of service; and Ellen Grant, 30 years of service.
The evening featured performances by Leila Boyer ’27 and Eva Cunningham ’27 (they sang “A Million Dreams”); Simone Carrasco ’27 (tenor sax solo of “You Raise Me Up”); and members of the eighth-grade musical theater class, Stella Armstrong ’27, Leila Boyer ’27, Daniel Fernandez ’27, Noa Garcia ’27, Anne Minick ’27, Lilah Murphy ’27, Gabriella Rothberg ’27, Adria Rothfield ’27, Lucas Sanchez ’27, Blythe Silvetz ’27, Chloe Steinberg ’27 and Caitlyn White ’27 performed "I See the Stars."
To conclude the event, Bettina Boord ’27 and Shai Waizbrot ’27 read a roll call of the class, and students stood as their names were called. They high-fived faculty as they exited the auditorium.
Eighth-Grade Awards
Physical Education
Juliana Kaye ’27
Visual Arts
Alejandra di Lorenzi ’27
Performing Arts
Band: Simone Carrasco ’27
Dance: Eleni Quintero Kontopoulos ’27 & Stella Harris ’27
Strings: Sienna Bautista ’27
Drama: Lilah Murphy ’27
Piper Bonnell Award: Chloe Steinberg ’27
Musical Theatre: Lucas Sanchez ’27
Vocal Ensemble: Eva Cunningham ’27
Mathematics
Lois B. Styles Award: Thomas Karam-Silva ’27 & Ella Wang ’27
English
Margaret Fitzgerald Award: Lucas Lafosse-Marin ’27
Harriett Grinnell Writing Award: Noa Garcia ’27
World Languages
French: Gabrielle Tchira ’27
Spanish: Samuel Bussel-Alonso
Chinese: Kaitlyn Lemus ’27
Outstanding Achievement in World Languages: Ella Wang ’27
Science
George Kasyan Award: Simone Carrasco ’27
History and Social Sciences
World Civilizations Award: Zach Corbin Cheah ’27
Outstanding Athletes
Ella Balestra ’27
Mason Croom ’27
Scholar Athlete
Jasper Frankel ’27
Julieta Salvat ’27
Sportsmanship Award
Alec Martinez ’27
Anne Minick ’27
Service Awards
Sukhari Afflick ’27
Ava Crowley ’27
Ellie Feldman ’27
Citizenship Award
Sukhari Afflick ’27
Faculty Cup
Julieta Salvat ’27
Samuel Bussel-Alonso ’27
Paul C. Ransom Founder’s Cup
Lucas Sanchez ’27
Marie Swenson Founder’s Cup