Berwick Today • Winter/Spring 2023

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kendra L. Bates

EDITORS

Jamie Reynolds

Jana F. Brown

DESIGN

Christine Hodgson

PHOTOGRAPHY

Raya Al-Hashmi

Dave Arnold

Kendra L. Bates

Jamie Reynolds

The faculty and staff who carry cameras and capture Berwick moments as they happen.

PRINTING

Flagship Press

Changes of address or other communication regarding this periodical should be directed to:

Berwick Academy

Advancement Office

31 Academy Street South Berwick, Maine 03908 207.384.6303

sarah.owens@berwickacademy.org

Welcome from the Head of School

2 Arts

From the Head of School

Dear Berwick Community,

As I write this letter, the sun is shining on Fogg Field and the sounds of an impromptu recess lacrosse game can be heard across campus. Our students take full advantage of the outdoors all year, but the emergence of spring in Maine means the campus comes alive in new ways.

As we make our ways outdoors, we are excited to announce the creation of a brand new outdoor space for our Lower and Middle School students. Berwick values the power of play in a child’s development, and our new outdoor space has been specifically designed with this in mind. The space will offer a range of activities and equipment that allows students to engage in active play, use their imaginations, and develop their collaboration and social skills.

This new space will span the area between the Lower and Middle Schools. The mini turf sits at the top, giving way to a long slide and platform treehouse. There are swings, natural climbing areas, water features, and bridges and tunnels. There is an outdoor ping-pong table, four square and basketball courts, and a GaGa pit. Gathering spaces are carefully thought out to ensure students are also able to relax with friends or read a book quietly.

Along with renderings of this new project, this issue of Berwick Today includes an article from Director of Lower School Joel Hawes on how the new outdoor space will enhance our already robust place-based educational work. This space will give children a tremendous opportunity to make choices that allow them to evaluate risk, be creative, and build relationships. You will also hear from Director of Middle School Ryan Feeley that play continues to be important for our Grade 5-8 students. Unstructured time leads to creative problem-solving, imaginative play, and the building of critical social skills and relationships. We are committed to providing the best possible learning environment for our students, and we believe this new space will help us achieve that goal. We are confident that it will be a valuable addition to our community.

As we wrap up the final trimester of the school year, we are reminded of all the wonderful things that have happened on campus already this year. From academic decathlons to student performances and athletic competitions, our community has come together to support our students in their growth and development. I hope the pages ahead will allow you to celebrate with us all of the exciting moments so far this year, and I hope that this spring or summer brings you back to the Hilltop for a visit.

Sincerely,

Jim Hamilton Head of School

A Place To Play

By Joel Hawes, Director of Lower School

CLIMBING, RUNNING, OBSERVING, BUILDING, JUMPING, DIGGING, AND PLAYING.

Lower School students requested these actions be included on a list of movement experiences for consideration when designing a new Lower and Middle School Outdoor Space. I enjoyed interviewing each grade level when compiling these responses, including one noteworthy Kindergarten request: “We want laughing to be part of the new playground.”

In 2019, the Lower School faculty began reviewing how a reimagined playground might further enhance our productive teaching-learning paradigm. We began by acknowledging that our current playground didn’t meet our younger students’ needs as much as intended. We also realized that its design was somewhat formulaic in directing student usage. Tinkering around the edges, we developed a “wonder garden” section and added more usable loose parts (e.g. wooden blocks and related pieces) to the area. The work coincided with our evolving outdoor classroom’s teaching-learning efforts.

Through classroom and playground interactions, our Lower School has stayed the course as a distinctly joyful learning environment that respects the power of play and a sense of wonder over the past two decades. Yet, two notable changes have occurred. First, we introduced the Pre-Kindergarten program in 2012 and, more recently, we have given greater emphasis to Place-Based Learning themes. From Project Approach work to Outdoor Classroom ventures to Social-Emotional engagement, my colleagues and I value authentic student learning experiences.

During faculty meeting discussions, a Lower School colleague effectively summed up our outdoor learning goals this way: “When I bring children outside or bring something in from outside, I want to feel like I’m being more intentional about it. Where does it fit into the broader network of goals and experiences we’re trying to realize?”

“When I bring children outside or bring something in from outside, I want to feel like I’m being more intentional about it. Where does it fit into the broader network of goals and experiences we’re trying to realize?”

Faculty-informed goals included:

1 Promote areas for nature-based, creative/flexible play

2 Incorporate native/local plants and ecosystems

3 Develop creative use of water, sand, and other natural elements

4 Create group/class meeting and gathering areas

5 Focus on sustainability in multiple ways, including a playground with limited maintenance, maximum student ownership/engagement, and limited waste

6 Develop a recess schedule that supports active student usage

7 Invite student imagination within the varied playground areas

These ideas suggest a change from viewing recess time and recess activities as a passive break to a seamless indoor-outdoor learning experience transition. Research shows that nature-based curriculum and play supports creativity and problem-solving, enhances gross and fine motor skills, reduces stress, and strengthens children’s connections to their natural environment. Armed with this knowledge, Lower and Middle School faculty began working purposefully in documenting a reimagined playground area and approach.

An important next step involved Berwick’s administration, faculty, and staff interfacing with landscape architect Sashie Misner of Portland, Maine. In one of our initial correspondences with her,

the faculty identified several highlights of the current playground: A “hedgie home” (cedar tree) area, a large hillside maple tree, a monarch waystation area, a mini-turf field, playground apparatuses, a wonder garden, and a blacktop, all self-contained outside the Lower School building.

The faculty also documented several current playground concerns, including limited room for children to move and run freely. Although there are many interesting components to the present playground, the faculty noted that the space felt congested and that the hillside slope was often a detriment to student interactions.

Building on all of that prep work, our planning included the important step of circling back to previous conversations with students and asking what elements they would like considered in the new playground design. The expansive list included additions such as water play, mud kitchen, tree clubhouse,

marble track, swimming pool, tunnel, hillside slide, monarch waystation, natural swings, plants, sandbox, climbing structure, climbing rocks, pathways, stumps, loose parts, and a stage. Swimming pool aside, I felt confident that these elements could be included in the final outdoor space design in one creative manner or another.

We have made significant progress in designing a new Lower and Middle School Outdoor Space with consideration for the developmental and age-appropriate needs of our Lower and Middle School students. With the thoughtful layout and high-interest elements found within our newly proposed space, we are eagerly anticipating the added daily benefits to our students’ physical, social, and creative experiences. The final step will be given to the children, in the coming year and beyond, as we invite their creative and imaginative real-time play to define the final iterations of our new Outdoor Space.

Artist rendering from the mini-turf

Artist rendering of entire Outdoor Space

Playing to Learn in Middle School

By Ryan Feeley, Assistant Head of School/Director of Middle School

Afew years ago, I was at my desk as morning recess had ended. The students had headed off to class, the building was quiet, and I settled into catching up on emails and diving into schedule work. About 10 minutes passed when suddenly a student emerged from behind my office couch, exclaiming, “I won!”

I was startled. Truth be told, my colleagues probably heard a scream coming from my office. After the initial shock, I realized what had happened. We have a very playful group of fifth graders that year who regularly engaged in hide-and-seek during morning recess. The intensity was impressive, and the location of the games often spanned inside and outside the building, with students becoming ever more creative with their hiding spots. Because my office has two doors on either side, it made for a strategic location since a student could easily run in either direction if they sensed they were about to be found by the “seekers.” Very quickly, the closet and the space behind the couch in my office became choice hiding spots.

After my heart rate returned to normal, I sent the student to class. I then found myself reflecting on how he’d become so absorbed in the imaginative world of hide-and-seek that the real world of responsibility and commitment of class seemed to disappear completely.

Over the years, I’ve seen many similar instances of students becoming deeply immersed in play. This phenomenon isn’t reserved for our younger Middle Schoolers; on the contrary, our seventh and eighth graders can occupy themselves with play for very long stretches as well. Just this past fall, a group of students were in the Great Room because a sub had accidentally dismissed them from class a few minutes early. They asked if they could play ping-pong, and I told them that other classes were still in session and the noise would be disruptive. Undaunted, they quickly leaped into a match of “mime ping-pong” — no paddles, no ball, no noise, yet still some incredible action and intensity. Watching the students wave their hands back and forth, shuffling left to right at opposite ends of the table, anyone would have thought they were in the midst of a championship-level showdown. I saw beads of sweat forming on one student’s brow.

Traditionally, schools have drawn distinct lines between learning and play. Many folks my age and older grew up in an environment where the classroom was where kids while swing sets, fields, and climbing structures were where kids played . Classrooms were solemn spaces, laughter was considered disruptive, and students who moved too much were tagged as troublemakers.

Educators today understand that learning and play are intertwined to the point that they’re nearly indistinguishable. Middle School students learn best when they have opportunities to be active, engage their senses, and make connections between new concepts and the world around them.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve observed our students learning at play by building sleds from

cardboard boxes, testing them, and making modifications based on the results. They were absolutely playing outside, but they were also simultaneously engaged in the work of design, prototyping, experimentation, and revision. They were also collaborating in groups and practicing critical skills of communication and compromise. I’ve also seen Middle Schoolers create imaginative “communities” in the bushes outside our building, where they established complex systems of government and sophisticated pinecone and acorn currencies. In these playful moments, our students learn to negotiate, address challenges creatively, and question the status quo, while developing new solutions to age-old problems.

For me, what might be even more noteworthy about play in a school environment is the fact that our kids take the reins. In a world where so much of our students’ time is structured and mapped out for them, opportunities to engage in unstructured play at school have become one of the few times in a Middle Schoolers’ life when they’re not told exactly what to do. The choices are in their hands, and we see time after time that they’re capable of impressive invention and creativity. They have opportunities to navigate complicated social dynamics, and they feel a sense of autonomy and ownership that they don’t experience much in their daily lives. The benefits are clear; from the social-emotional impact to the potential for cognitive growth. We need to see play for what it truly is — not a break from learning, but rather a valuable extension of it.

Educators today understand that learning and play are intertwined to the point that they’re nearly indistinguishable. Middle School students learn best when they have opportunities to be active, engage their senses, and make connections between new concepts and the world around them.

At the Helm of Physical Education

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

KENDRA L. BATES SPOKE WITH DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION MARILENA CANUTO ABOUT THE POWER OF PLAY IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION.

What does the power of play mean to you?

It means making connections between your brain and your body. Play helps kids stretch their imaginations and gives them the freedom to explore and find new ways to solve problems. Play helps kids develop independence as well as cognitive, physical, and mental skills. Students learn how to build relationship skills, life skills, resilience, how to solve problems individually and within a group, and develop dexterity that helps to promote physical activity. These are all important skills they will use throughout their lives.

How is play integrated into physical education? How does it differ from grade to grade?

Students in early elementary grades associate ‘play’ with ‘fun.’ This belief can be reinforced by incorporating popular music and current themes (such as Star Wars , Marvel, etc.) into daily classes. Early elementary students are given a lot of open-ended tasks to see what they can do with a piece of equipment. As we increase grade levels, we layer more structure into play in an effort to refine skill. Older elementary-age students are learning how to work as a team. They are learning about small-sided games and how to work together. Play allows middle school to high school students to foster creative thinking, problem-solving, independence, and perseverance. It addresses teenagers’ developmental needs for greater autonomy and ownership in their learning, opportunities for physical activity, and creative expression.

What are the common misconceptions of play in a physical education setting?

One is that we just roll out the ball and let kids play. We need to teach kids how to play safely physically, emotionally, and mentally. Physical education is learning about the what, why, and how of movement. What are we learning? Why are we learning the skill and how does it relate to other skills/games? How will I know when I learned the skill? These questions are asked every day in everything that we cover in PE.

How does physical education support learning in traditional classroom settings?

Physical education supports a collaborative relationship between teachers and students. We can integrate what the classroom teacher is doing in a movement form. Students are excited about movement and they often learn better when they are moving. Collaborating with the classroom teachers/unified arts teachers helps students make meaningful connections between content across different subject areas. Physical activities and exercise boost stamina, which can increase confidence, motivation, academic achievement, and self-esteem.

How can families and teachers support play in relation to physical education outside of class?

By having their student be active for 60 minutes a day of moderate physical activity. Families can role model healthy behaviors at home by participating in activities together. Have them design a game, play outside with friends, explore the woods, or have an adventure. Play an active game outside with your family. Children learn from their families first at home. If you are active, they learn healthy behaviors that are encouraged or discouraged by you.

How do you think your students would differentiate between play and physical education?

I hope my students would say they are coming to PE to learn how to be active, play new games, make new friends, learn how to show proper sportsmanship, and have fun. My goal is to make them want to have fun and be active for the rest of their lives.

What are the social-emotional benefits of comprehensive physical education?

Social-emotional learning activities in physical education can deepen the experiences by building awareness of how physical health impacts us. Exercise can promote psychological wellbeing as well as improve quality of life. There are many benefits of physical education and movement. It improves body image, increases feeling of energy, improves confidence in your physical abilities, and decreases symptoms associated with depression.

How important is nature-based play/learning in physical education?

Students who are hiking or running on uneven ground are gaining strength and developing different muscle groups. They improve balance, agility, and core strength beyond what they would experience by moving on a flat floor. They get to feel nature, breathe fresh air, and move with the different terrain under their feet.

How does having access to an 80-acre campus impact students’ ability to play?

Having an 80-acre campus is amazing. I love the variety of environmental options afforded to us. We have such a beautiful campus that teaching anywhere on it is wonderful. When the weather is nice, we are outside, either on the fields or in the woods. If a larger space is needed, the field house (Blue Gym) is phenomenal. The Wood Gym is great for a more structured setting to introduce new concepts. In the winter, I take my classes into the woods for snowshoeing, orienteering, and storywalks.

Strategic Plan Spotlight

By Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications

AUXILIARY PROGRAMS AND SAGES ENTERTAINMENT

Bubbles, science, and magic — all available on the beautiful Berwick campus. Exploring them is possible thanks to an expansion of auxiliary programming.

As part of The Courage to Climb: Berwick Academy’s Strategic Plan for the Future, the School aims to offer the greater Seacoast community opportunities to engage in innovative after-school and summer experiences. This additional programming provides Berwick families with services to enhance their student’s experience, increases local visibility, and creates a space to attract prospective students by offering various activities on campus.

Entering its third year under the auxiliary programs umbrella in 2023, the summer camp offerings have expanded exponentially. While many camps are run by current Berwick faculty and staff, Director of Auxiliary Programs Margot Harrington has built a network of local educators and companies to provide programs that range from sports to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) to enrichment.

Some examples of local partnerships include The Links at Outlook in South Berwick; Liquid Dreams Surf Shop in York; Kittery Point Yacht Club in Kittery; The Center for Wildlife in Cape Neddick; and Sages Entertainment, based in New Hampshire.

Sages Entertainment, owned by Wayne and Kali Moulton, has become a staple on the Berwick campus, not only during the summer months, but throughout the school year. The company, which specializes in helping educators, families, and businesses by combining their passions for magic, bubbles, balloons, and STEAM to build community and spread joy, offers seven summer camps and five after-school programs. Some of the most popular programs include LEGO Robotics and Engineering, STEAM Explorers, Game Design Arcade,Comic Creatives, and The Art of Magic.

“The camps and programs that Sages offers are always popular selections for families when we launch our programming,” Harrington says. “It has been wonderful to work with Wayne, Kali, and other Sages team members as we continue to develop strong partnerships. Sages has its own established following, so a student who may never have heard of Berwick before might attend a Sages camp on campus, see the School for the first time, and inquire about the admission process.”

Berwick’s 80-acre campus provides summer camps and after-school programs with ample space for exploration and innovation. “We love having the opportunity to offer programming at Berwick Academy,” Wayne Moulton says. “Being able to utilize various facilities on campus, from the Kendall Lower School to the Jackson Library and all of the beautiful outdoor green space, really enhances the experience for the students.”

As auxiliary programs continue to expand, so too will opportunities to rent Berwick fields and facilities to local and regional businesses, opening a new revenue stream for the School and further introducing the campus to prospective students and their families.

Responsive Classrooms

By Sarah Feldman, Middle & Lower School Counselor

Sarah Feldman Middle & Lower School Counselor

Responsive Classroom is an evidencebased approach that focuses on the strong link between academic success and social-emotional learning. With this stated focus in mind at Berwick, the Lower School faculty have implemented a new problem-solving framework for students. The Peace Table is a designated location in the classroom where students experiencing interpersonal conflict can be supported through a fill-in-the-blank script to help them learn how to recognize a social conflict and listen to the other party’s response. Students then brainstorm two or more solutions and agree to try one.

The idea of a Peace Table is not new, and has been implemented across the country. The popular podcast Hidden Brain detailed the concept in an episode entitled “What Makes Relationships Work.” The concept can be traced back to rudimentary marriage counseling techniques for couples experiencing frustration when communicating. Actively listening to the other perspective creates an opportunity for understanding. The goal of the Peace Table is to aid and develop empathy, problem-solving, and perspective-taking skills. Ultimately, these conversations help students access their feelings and emotions and better understand what they need within their peer or teacher-student relationships. While still in its infancy, the Lower School has seen initial success with this approach and progress in the social-emotional development of its participants. Our community is very excited to see how this initiative develops over time to suit the needs of our students.

Offsite Curriculum Design

By Krysta Ibsen, Middle School Science Teacher

If you have ever spent time around an educator, you may have noticed that one thing we all have in common is our ability to fill time. Between lesson planning,

teaching, grading, giving feedback, and communicating with families, we definitely know how to keep busy. I have never heard an educator complaining about having too much time on their hands.

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to co-teach Berwick’s Teaching Seminar with the director of Berwick’s Teacher Apprentice Program, Ali Vandenburgh, and the Lesley University Teacher Apprentice Program. The course was designed to teach practical skills when it comes to educational best practices. It gave a wonderful overview of the Backward Design for unit planning, which focuses on setting goals before determining instructional methods. I was blown away by Ali’s ability to support educators in the creation of innovative and engaging units and wished that more colleagues on campus had

this opportunity to slow down and take time to develop new course material with support. It also sparked an idea.

In the fall of 2022, Berwick Academy faculty from all three divisions gathered on the coast of Saco Bay to connect, learn, and create new curricula with the help of their colleagues. With support from the Professional Learning grant, we designed a program that allowed faculty to get away from the everyday school setting for an overnight experience focused on sharing and implementing new strategies in unit planning, with a heavy emphasis on peer feedback. Faculty took time to explore new instructional strategies, assessment techniques, and planning structures, all focused on improving our practice.

One of the most impactful components of the retreat was when attendees took time to break out into cross-disciplinary cohorts to provide constructive feedback. It was incredible to see the ideas flow through these sessions and hear about the connections individuals were able to make between divisions and courses. This was an invaluable experience for faculty with a wide range of tenure, and we look forward to continuing to offer this opportunity in the years to come.

Beyond The Hilltop

THE RETURN OF STUDENT TRAVEL

With the veil — or mask — of the COVID-19 pandemic being loosened in the 2022-23 school year, the excitement of travel through international student trips has returned. Berwick’s students took advantage of opportunities to travel to Milan, Rome, and Singapore, trips that were heavily documented through blog posts that allowed loved ones to follow along from home.

ITALY

In February, trip leaders Michael Barbaro and Julie Alexander, chaperones Adelle Tibbetts and John Downey, and 23 Upper School students traveled to Italy to explore history and culture. The journey began in Milan, continued to Florence through Pisa, then went to Rome through Assisi, before concluding in Pompeii.

SCAN THE QR CODE TO READ THE ITALY TRAVEL BLOG

SINGAPORE

Trip leaders Jufen Rui and Christie Barnes traveled with 12 Middle and Upper School students to Singapore in March to explore the island country, learn about the unique influence of Chinese culture there, interact with Mandarin speakers, and start to understand the impact of the Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia. Organized by WildChina Educational Tours, the trip included travels to various places in Singapore, from the night markets in Chinatown to a Buddhist-Daoist temple, and even included a local school visit for students to connect with international peers.

SCAN THE QR CODE TO READ THE SINGAPORE TRAVEL BLOG

Blue & White Homecoming Weekend

Alumni gather in The Commons for the Hilltop Luncheon. Lower School students enjoy competitive activities on Fogg Field.

Buster enjoys all the fun on the Hilltop!

Alumni celebrating their 50th reunion share stories from their days on the Hilltop.

Athletic teams kick off the fall sports season with a weekend of home games.

Students, young and old, enjoy the carnival games.

Alumni reunite with friends, faculty, and staff on the porch of Burleigh-Davidson House.

Alumni gather at Portsmouth’s MONA for an evening of music and memories.

Convocation, a Time of Celebration & Reflection

Convocation in September was a joyous celebration of the Class of 2023’s ascension to leadership in the Upper School. These seniors were ninth graders when COVID-19 caused a worldwide shutdown, so most of their high school experience has been untraditional. They spent the spring of ninth grade online and most of tenth grade masked. They missed out on seasons of sports, musical performances, and theater productions. In the crucial years when classes come together and form their group identity, the Class of 2023 was prohibited from being together, at least physically.

Despite this challenge, Student Leadership Council Chairs Bella Gorman and Andersen Pickard focused their Convocation speech on the positive moments the class has shared, from Lower School productions to this fall’s ropes course challenges. Referencing hit songs from the past 12 years, they encapsulated the unified, adventurous spirit of the Class of 2023 perfectly.

“We are a close-knit, resilient group. We have overcome adversity and hardship through the connections we have made with each other. So far, in 2022, the most popular song is Lizzo’s ‘It’s About Damn Time.’ She is exactly right. We are ready to be seniors, leaders, and college applicants. We have triumphed through the unprecedented and the challenging. We can do this,” Gorman remarked.

Stella Ridolfi offered a beautiful rendition of Carole King’s “Where You Lead.” A huge fan of King’s music, Ridolfi wanted to share a song that spoke to the unity of the class, and how they helped guide each other through all the ups and downs of the past few years.

In her speech, Director of College Counseling and class co-advisor Moira McKinnon referenced the Upper School summer reading book, Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Describing the success of a well-planted garden, Kimmerer writes, “The beauty… is that when the individuals flourish, so does the whole. The most important thing each of us can know is our unique gift and how to use it in the world.”

“We hope that when the instance calls for it, you will be willing to step back and make room for the person with the gifts needed at that moment,” McKinnon said. “We also hope you know your strengths, embrace them with pride, and put them to use for the good of the whole community. And importantly, when you have lost sight of your gifts and your value within our community, speak up. Let us remind you of the worth you have to share. During Community Circles on Fogg Field, you stood among over 600 people who are here to help you grow and thrive. The 77 classmates surrounding you now are counting on you to support them as well. Make a conscious effort to contribute to their success. Cheer each other on at Coffeehouses and games. Be study buddies. Offer a trip to Dunks to someone who needs a break. Encourage each other to take positive risks and tackle new challenges. Be vulnerable with each other. When the individuals flourish, so does the whole.”

Evolution of an Innovation Pursuit ®

By Emily Currie ’23

A YALE-BOUND SENIOR WRITES ABOUT HER COMPLETION OF THREE YEARS’ WORTH OF INNOVATION PURSUITS.

My Innovation Pursuits (IP) have been a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic.

When the community first returned to campus in the fall of 2020, the changes in health precautions were obvious, and public health felt like a much more visible and relevant field of study. My first IP, presented in 2021, was born out of curiosity about these changes, and how well most people grasped them. Do Berwick students really understand how long they should wash their hands? Do they get their health information from reputable sources? Do they ever sanitize their phones and laptops? These were the questions I asked in a series of student surveys throughout the year, and the answers were startling.

Most people did know that they should wash their hands for 20 seconds and get at least eight hours of sleep. The surveys indicated that they were generally well-informed regarding health precautions. The issue was not misinformation, as I had first anticipated, but compliance. Sure, most people knew they should be doing these things, but they weren’t motivated to do them.

Those findings were the impetus for my second IP, presented in 2022. I issued another survey, but I also performed a series of experiments on campus to demonstrate the magnitude of the disparity

between the public health guidelines and their execution. I knew I would be presenting my IP to the Upper School at the end of the year, and I wanted to gather dramatic evidence to support my findings. Campus is full of hand sanitizer dispensers, but I was curious about how often they were used, so I dedicated time before lunch observing sanitizer usage in the lobby of Jeppesen Science and Math Center. There were five dispensers there at the time, yet only 1.5% of observed passersby took hand sanitizer. My second experiment involved a synthetic substance that can’t be seen by the naked eye, but is highly transferable between surfaces. I would strategically disperse a small amount in the morning in just one concentrated spot on campus and record the various places I found it at the end of the day.

Armed with the results of my surveys and experiments, as well as some additional research, I presented my conclusions to the Upper School, and I was met with shock. I then set out to improve compliance with health guidelines.

Thus began my third and current IP. While the project itself is still underway, I’ve started compiling research on the way state and national public health agencies run awareness campaigns, in addition to looking into what precautions are most important and most feasible for a school environment. I also had the fantastic opportunity to speak to Dr. Nirav Shah, principal deputy director of the U.S. CDC and, at the time of my interview, director of the Maine CDC. Dr. Shah suggested some factors I should consider in my research and also gave me insight into public health as a career. For the next mission, I plan on attempting to implement the results of my research. The culmination of my work these last three years will be a paper addressing the best steps the School can take to promote health precautions on campus.

The Berwick Innovation Center, along with Innovation Pursuits, provides a forum for students to have voice and choice in their learning. Students direct the work, which includes academically grounding the pursuit through research, collaborating with a mentor, interviewing experts in the field, documenting the IP, and publicly sharing the pursuit at the Innovation Celebration held in April. Research supports that when students have agency and can direct their discovery, the learning is more meaningful, rewarding, and long-lasting. Beginning in Grade 4, students can participate in the IP program. For the last five years, on average, we have had close to 70 students complete IPs each year. Darcy Coffta, director of innovation and Moira McKinnon, director of college counseling have presented at two national conferences on the connection between students’ IP experience and leveraging the project in the college application process.

The Power of Public Speaking

By Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications

“What matters to me is broadening your horizons and trying something new without worrying about what other people think. Now I know that might seem obvious, but most people are scared to try new things because they worry about what other people might think. You should not worry about how other people perceive you because, honestly they’re probably just jealous that you were able to get out of your comfort zone and do that new thing.”

HOW “WHAT MATTERS TO ME” SPEECHES BRING THE UPPER SCHOOL TOGETHER EACH WEEK

As Upper School students, faculty, and staff filter into the Patricia Baldwin Whipple Arts Center for Wednesday morning assembly, excitement grows for what has quickly become a much anticipated midweek tradition, the spoken word.

Words are powerful, and delivering those words from a center-stage podium to peers and mentors can be daunting. Yet, each week, a new face steps into the spotlight — alone on stage — and passionately explains what matters to them for up to five minutes. While the speeches are reserved for Grade 12 students, faculty, and staff members. Students in Grades 9-11 sit at attention, hanging on every word.

“What Matters To Me” speeches began during the 2019-20 school year, with the goal of creating a culture in the Upper School in which students and faculty feel comfortable discussing meaningful topics. Very quickly, the speeches transitioned from the theater to Zoom calls when the COVID-19 pandemic pushed classes online. It was clear that with the massive life change the community was experiencing it was more important than ever to reflect on what truly mattered. Director of Upper School Ted Smith shared that there had been a long-term discussion on how to amplify a speaking voice for our students. This conversation was thrust into action when Jim Hamilton assumed the role of head of school. Hamilton holds a strong belief that all students should practice public speaking regularly and graduate with a foundation that prepares them for any adult endeavor.

The skill of public speaking is important, especially as technology has allowed more people to hide from the spotlight, whether that means remaining anonymous when sharing opinions online or simply ordering food online rather than speaking to someone over the phone.

“A hallmark of a Berwick education is our students’ ability to present publicly,” Smith said when reflecting on the personal impact of the “What Matters To Me” speeches. “This distinct practice separates them from other high schools. Those who started in the Lower School have a stronger comfort with speaking publicly by the time they get to Upper School…and you can see it in music concerts, cross-divisional read-alouds, and presentation opportunities throughout the year.”

This year, student topics ranged from the beautiful intricacies of written and spoken languages to gaining self-confidence and self-expression to the importance of giving a good hug. In years past, speeches have been split between seniors and faculty, but this year almost all have been delivered by seniors. There has been so much interest that “What Matters To Me” speeches have been given at other assemblies.

Smith plans to introduce this public speaking practice to Jackson Hole Community School in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, when he takes over as head of school for the 2023-24 school year. He has observed how impactful it can be when students are given the power to speak from their own experiences with minimal boundaries. When asked what matters to him, Smith reflected for a moment before responding.

“Relationships,” he said. “A community is based on relationships and effective teachings. I value my relationships with others more than anything else.”

“When I finally sat down to write this speech, I had a topic in mind, but I just could not figure out how to write it down. Until now.”

Turn the Page

By Jennifer Brewer and Melissa Williams, Library Director/Lower School Librarian and Middle School Librarian

Book Clubs emerged on the Hilltop from a desire to foster an exuberant reading community where books are a medium for connection and reading is considered “cool.”

Few moments in an educational setting are more rewarding than watching students’ eyes light up as they discuss a book or listen intently as their peers share their interpretations of a common text.

Lower and Middle School Book Clubs are voluntary opportunities for students to discover new authors, titles, and genres together. Students see themselves represented in the books and the perspectives of others, and the books become “sliding doors” between a student’s sense of self and empathy for others.

In Lower School, third and fourth graders have the opportunity to participate in a Book Club once a trimester over lunch and brownies. Books are selected by a vote and the students have two months to read them. Insightful, thoughtful, and delightful conversations blossom between the young readers.

The Book Club is a platform for students to reflect on a story, share their ideas, and explore content in a nurturing and safe environment. There are no wrong answers as they share their opinions and perspectives and explore diverse scenarios through the lens of the characters and reactions of their classmates.

Oftentimes, reading a Book Club book

will inspire attendees to read other works by the author or branch out into a new genre. It encourages children to delve deeper and think more critically about the book than just reading it on their own. Book Club members are proud of the depth with which they are able to discuss the texts. The goal is for this formative experience to encourage students to be lifelong book group participants.

Middle School educators often look for opportunities to bridge the social and emotional gap between grades five to eight, and the Book Club offers an opportunity for

younger students to enjoy conversation and shared experiences with their older peers. The Middle School Book Club has grown significantly in recent years, regularly seeing upwards of 25 participants, with representation from across the four grades. Teachers participate as well, adding richness to the discussions and additional adult perspectives.

Similar to the Lower School Book Club, students vote on the featured titles at the start of the year, choosing from a variety of genres. They read a book a month and gather over lunch to engage in casual discussion. The

experience is meant to be low-pressure, while yielding high enjoyment.

Students communicate so much humor, passion, and insight during their conversations, and their energy is infectious. Their thoughtfulness and ability to listen to and respond sensitively to others’ opinions is impressive. It is important to provide our younger students these opportunities throughout the school year to bolster a joyful sense of belonging, while establishing the foundation for a lifelong love of reading.

Global Cuisine on The Hilltop

By Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications

Berwick’s mission to promote virtue and useful knowledge among the rising generations is present in all aspects of the learning experience. From the traditional classroom setting to the athletic field and theater stage, students are learning in a way that prepares them for their future beyond the Hilltop. One spot on campus, the Katz Test Kitchen in the Walsh Wellness Center at Oakes House, is consistently providing an essential life skill to all students.

Over the last two years, the School has hosted five Global Cooking classes and a summer cooking camp open to the entire community. Jufen Rui, who is also an Upper School Mandarin teacher, believes that learning to cook is an important step toward independence.

“I enjoy cooking,” Rui says, “but more so enjoy teaching young people how to be more independent in their lives in the future.”

Even during the pandemic, when the stovetops remained cool and the dishware sat untouched on shelves, the Global

Cooking class met in the “Zoom Kitchen.” In the first class, which focused on making sushi, Remi Young ’23 remembers learning how to choose the right rice, how to cook it, and how to wrap sushi and cut them into beautiful shapes. He grasped the art of making sushi so well that he went to work in a Japanese restaurant to sharpen his skills, became a sushi master, and served as a sushi judge for another Global Cooking class.

Rui and Julie Alexander, who chairs the World Languages and Cultures Department, recently taught a lesson about Thai curry chicken. Students learned everything from how to properly secure their hair before preparing food to how to cut vegetables into appropriate sizes so they’d cook evenly to calculating the proper ratios of herbs and spices. The end result was a thick, fragrant, delicious curry.

In January, second grade students learned how to make dumplings in the Test Kitchen with Rui. As part of their culture and identity project work, students learned about foods from around the world. Their work in the Test Kitchen brought their studies to life as they chopped vegetables, cracked eggs, and tenderized meat. Each student was able to choose the ingredients they wanted to include and brought home four dumplings to showcase their newly acquired skills.

The Global Cooking class looks to expand during the spring trimester to include a Peruvian cooking class taught by Upper School English teacher Tim Protzmann.

Academic Decathlon Showcases Knowledge Outside the Classroom

By Jim Maldonis, Science Department Chair, Upper School Science Teacher, Community Life Coordinator

Upper School students came together for a day of fun, teamwork, academic and athletic challenges, and friendly competition as Berwick held its inaugural Academic Decathlon on November 21, 2022.

The day consisted of an opening ceremony, followed by a planning period within gradespecific Balance, Empathy, Leadership, Inclusion, Engagement, Followership, and Skills (BELIEFS) groups. The students then rotated through ten challenges broken into 15-minute segments that focused on science, history, English, math, visual arts, performing arts, world languages and cultures, athletics, wellness, and public speaking. A maximum of 100 points were available in each category, with group totals tallied after all 10 events were completed. Medals were presented to the top three groups with the winning team — a twelfth grade group led by Mr. Downey and Mr. Kauffman — earning 855 of a possible 1000 points. The victors earned a pizza lunch and a special on-campus privilege coupon book that the students can claim at any point for the remainder of the academic year. Among the privileges are dress-down days and late arrival to school if the student has a first period free.

Community feedback for the Decathlon was overwhelmingly positive and many expressed enthusiasm for running the event again next fall. It was wonderful to see the students demonstrate their knowledge outside of a typical classroom setting.The faculty did a great job designing fun and inclusive activities to alleviate the stresses that often accompany the conclusion of the first trimester.

Reaching Out to Community

By Jen Onken, US English Department, US Outreach Coordinator, Girls JV Lacrosse Coach

One thing I love about volunteering with Berwick Academy students is their earnest eagerness. They line themselves up to tackle a project, listen to directions, put their heads down, and begin.

This is especially prevalent among members of the Outreach Team (@berwickoutreach), a group of students who volunteer in the community a few days a week after school during the winter season. Founded in 2009, the team currently consists of 16 students, a combination of varsity athletes who receive credit for their work and JV volunteers.

Participants usually spend one day a week on campus cooking meals in the Test Kitchen for local families in need. Off-campus outreach includes volunteering currently at elementary schools in Dover and Portsmouth; working in the GATHER food pantry in Portsmouth; cooking meals at the Table of Plenty Community Supper; and packing food bags for Somersworth school children for End 68 Hours of Hunger.

Members of the boys soccer team assisted the staff at Laudholm Farm with putting away picnic tables for the winter. Players from the girls soccer program packed food bags for local children facing food insecurity, while the cross country team served soup at a local fundraiser to help heat our neighbors’ homes this winter.

Among the goals for the winter, the Outreach Team is considering the bigger picture of need. That includes answering questions around the systemic issues that make it difficult for some families to make ends meet. We hope our students will consider that with each bag of food filled, there is a child living nearby whose family is struggling to feed them.

When we assist organizations in their good work, we help to repair some gaps across a wide range of struggles in our Seacoast community. Engaging in earnest work, we make connections — human connections and thinking connections. We want our students to ask big questions about how social forces work, why people are struggling, and what forms of assistance are useful. When we work hard on a project, we begin to better understand and build communities where everyone can thrive.

Who Represents Me: American Politics Students Welcome Local Legislators

By Peter Lassey, History Department Chair

This fall, as eleventh and twelfth graders were studying the American system of representative democracy in their American Politics elective, they gained a personal window into New Hampshire and Maine governments through a series of visits from local politicians.

As part of a class project entitled “Who Represents Me,” each student drafted an invitation and reached out to local, state, and federal representatives and senators to come speak to the class. While many were busily campaigning for the midterm elections, two local representatives and one state senator took them up on the offer.

On October 14, 2022, New Hampshire State Representatives Jaci Grote (Rockingham 24) and Kate Murray (Rockingham 22) spoke with the class about their roles in state government, the electoral process, party politics, and the need for active civic participation. Following their visit, Maine State Senator Mark Lawrence (District 35) came and spoke at length about his personal journey from being a young, politically minded activist to pursuing a career in public service. Students were able to ask questions and not only gain a window into issues they had been discussing in class — the midterm elections, party politics, gerrymandering, ranked-choice voting, etc. — but also see firsthand how the national issues they care about are dealt with locally.

In the ever-changing landscape of American politics, the visitors’ genuine, straightforward, and down-to-earth approach resonated well with this group of young voters. As someone who just turned 18, Flynn Martin ’23 of Rye, New Hampshire, appreciated getting to know his representative and discovering how getting involved at the local level can make a difference.

Oalin Vivathana ’24 said the experience “gave us direct insight into the inner-workings of American politics, and provided a perspective I hadn’t previously understood.” Finally, Isabelle Conn ’23, who acknowledged feeling disconnected from and discouraged by the current political discourse on TV and social media, appreciated learning the “make-up of my local government, and that if I reach out…they’re actually likely to respond and consider my opinions.”

Democracy requires an educated and informed citizenry, and while students learn this concept in all of their history classes, it’s difficult for young people to accept it in today’s political climate. Having the opportunity to engage with the people doing the good work of government, however, provides students with an authentic look into how the system works and discover that their voices matter. As Representative Murray noted in her closing remarks, some bills in the House come down to one or two votes, and some elections come down to 10 or 12 voters, and, looking around the room, she said, “That’s you.”

Jaci Grote NH State Representative

Kate Murray NH State Representative

Mark Lawrence Maine State Senator

Putting Theory Into Practice

By Ali Vandenburgh, Director of the Teaching Apprentice Program

SIX

In early December, I sat among a small audience of colleagues as our Teaching Apprentices and M.Ed. candidates presented qualitative research conducted as part of an on-campus graduate-level course called Classroom and School Inquiry.

The students explored such questions as how to make a studio space more conducive to collaboration and learning, how to establish workable and manageable systems for lesson and unit design, and how to balance collaborative work with independent practice to best promote student learning. The course is taught by faculty member Krysta Ibsen, who spent 2015 at Berwick as part of Lesley University’s Teaching Apprentice Program (TAP). The intention of this

course, along with the other core and elective courses taught at Berwick and through Lesley, is to connect theory with practice. In other words, apprentices and M.Ed. candidates are working to apply their coursework to the dayto-day practice that is relevant and applicable to their chosen disciplines, grade levels, and educational settings.

“Being a part of this collaborative internship program provides a variety of opportunities to receive meaningful feedback about your teaching,” Ibsen says, recalling her own experience. “It was incredibly helpful to have support while planning units, teaching lessons, and grading assignments. Being in this program has encouraged me to continue to seek feedback and find ways to grow.”

Research has recently confirmed the benefits of a residency model of teacher education. While most teacher preparation programs include significant coursework with fewer hours in a classroom, a residency model views teacher candidates as apprentices who spend a full school year working alongside mentor teachers while simultaneously completing graduate coursework covering topics such as unit design, child/adolescent development, fostering equity and inclusion, and meeting the needs of diverse learners. The ability to apply theory and pedagogical strategies to a full-time daily practice with students in the classroom is invaluable. Apprentices work alongside veteran faculty for an entire academic year and are actively involved in planning curriculum and leading instruction. At the end of each semester, they engage in a “solo week” of teaching, for which they design and implement a unit within the course curriculum.

As Eloise Willemsen (TAP ’19) describes it, “Being in the classroom is the best teacher I had.”

As a result of a residency program’s combination of challenging coursework and

CURRENT BERWICK FACULTY MEMBERS ARE GRADUATES OF THE SCHOOL’S TEACHING APPRENTICE PROGRAM, A COLLABORATION WITH LESLEY UNIVERSITY.

on-the-ground daily practice, teachers enter the profession better prepared to meet the many demands of teaching, including building relationships with students, serving as an advisor, and contributing to the community beyond the classroom. Residency programs also have shown to result in higher teacher retention rates, and early research suggests better student learning outcomes.

Berwick’s collaboration with Lesley University began in 2014. Prior to that, the School partnered with the University of New England. The majority of graduates of our Teaching Apprentice Program are now employed by independent schools across the country. This year, Berwick has six faculty members who are graduates of TAP, and two of them, Cassie Warnick ’06 (TAP ’11) and Jessica Harley ’15 (TAP ’20), are Berwick alumni.

“After having gone through the program,” Warnick says, “I felt confident in my competence as a new teacher and comfortable asking for support and feedback from my peers and mentors, ultimately allowing me to build a reflective teaching practice.”

Some TAP graduates joined the faculty immediately after completing the program, while others taught elsewhere before returning to the Hilltop. Regardless, Berwick hired them with the confidence that they had the combination of content knowledge, pedagogical expertise, and classroom-based training necessary to make a positive impact on student learning and the professional community of Berwick.

For more information about the Teaching Apprentice Program and Berwick’s collaboration with Lesley University, visit https://www.berwickacademy. org/teaching-apprentice-program.

MAEVE CONNOLLY (TAP ’16)

My time as a TA at Berwick had a big impact on my approach to teaching. I had the opportunity to teach lessons, develop a curriculum, and participate in many other aspects of the community, such as coaching and advising. When I started my first teaching job the following year, I felt more confident leading my own classroom and participating in all aspects of an independent school community. My time at Berwick allowed me to dip my toes

into the world of teaching at an independent school so that when I took my first teaching position, I could dive right in and feel more comfortable and confident. There are so many things that make Berwick such an outstanding school to be a part of, but for me, what stands out the most is how welcoming and supportive the community is.

JESSICA HARLEY (BA ’15, TAP ’20)

The TA program gave me a safe and supportive place to try things out. Until this program, I was never really given the opportunity to be in the classroom, preparing lesson plans and interacting with students. I could see what a teacher’s daily life was like while being mentored and supported by so many others on campus.

KRYSTA IBSEN (TAP ’15)

Working at Berwick inspired me to be a lifelong learner. When I first co-taught in the Lower School, I was amazed at the level of care each student received and how hard teachers worked to incorporate new practices in their classrooms. The faculty at Berwick are not only great teachers but are incredible colleagues. People are always willing to help each other, even when they have a million things going on in their own classrooms.

SARAH JEANNE SHIMER (TAP ’19)

The residency program at Berwick gave me the opportunity to be involved in many aspects of Berwick beyond just teaching in the classroom, such as coaching and residential life. As a result, during the job search, I was a stronger candidate because many schools were looking for faculty who could contribute to other parts of campus life.

My coursework for my Master’s in Education shaped my approach to teaching. It gave me a solid understanding of pedagogy, best practices, and adolescent development, which constantly informs my work with students, inside and outside the classroom.

My mentor teachers showed me all of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into teaching. They helped me develop skills for lesson planning, comment writing, and meeting the needs of students, skills that I draw on every day.

CASSIE WARNICK (BA ’06, TAP ’11)

Having an M.Ed proves invaluable in my career as a teacher. Through my graduate school experience, I took courses designed to help me learn the core aspects of teaching, such as effective approaches to unit and lesson planning, classroom management strategies, and ways to thoughtfully and responsively engage and motivate all students in the classroom setting. The Teaching Apprentice Program provided the opportunity to put all of that theory into practice in authentic and meaningful ways in the classroom with consistent guidance and feedback from highly skilled and effective mentor teachers.

ELOISE WILLEMSEN (TAP ’19)

I love the Teaching Apprentice Program because you get to be a part of the community completely. You are a part of classes, advisory, sports, events, and more. While graduate-level courses support building pedagogy and understanding educational theory, being in the classroom is the best teacher I had.

Model United Nations Club Helps Students Develop Real-World Communication Skills

By Darcy Coffta, Director of Innovation, Upper School Librarian

Model United Nations (MUN) has been an active club at Berwick since 2009, and offers students the opportunity to debate realworld problems, while learning how to advocate, collaborate, and ethically solve international issues.

Most recently, Berwick Academy students competed in a Model United Nations simulation at Phillips Exeter Academy. There they attended MUN meetings to practice debating skills and discussed research strategies for their written arguments. While actively engaged in discourse, Berwick student delegates worked to align with like-minded nations to formulate working papers and pass resolutions in the mold of the real United Nations. They also had an opportunity to hear from keynote speaker Harold Hongju Koh, a professor of International Law at Yale Law School and a legal advisor to the U.S. Department of State.

To prepare for the simulation, students researched and practiced formal writing in the form of position papers, working papers, policy statements, and resolutions. The process helps them build confidence in public speaking, debating, critical thinking, and communication skills, both for MUN events and applications beyond Berwick.

Since 1945, the United Nations has worked to maintain international peace and cooperation between its member countries. Delegates to the United Nations collaborate to resolve global economic, social, and humanitarian issues of the highest importance, and currently there are 193 Member States.

Welcome to Dr. Mary Jo Carabatsos

EXPERIENCED EDUCATOR WILL BECOME THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF UPPER SCHOOL.

Head of School Jim Hamilton announced in March that Mary Jo Carabatsos, Ph.D. has accepted an offer to become the next director of Berwick’s Upper School.

Following a national search that generated a highly qualified applicant pool, Dr. Carabatsos emerged as the candidate whose strengths and experience will best support Berwick Academy’s mission and vision. She is set to begin her duties on July 1.

“I couldn’t be more excited about all Dr. Carabatsos will bring to the Upper School at Berwick,” Hamilton said. “She is not only an expert educator, but she also brings deep leadership experience, which will serve the School well. As we continue to prepare students for the future of education and what the future of work will look like, Mary Jo Carabatsos is the right person to be leading our Upper School.”

Carabatsos will take over for current Upper School Director Ted Smith, whose career at Berwick has spanned 25 years, beginning in 1998 as a French teacher and soccer coach. During his time on the Hilltop, Smith served as dean of students and assistant director of the Upper School, before becoming director seven years ago. He will depart Berwick at the end of the academic year to become head of school at the Jackson Hole Community School in Wyoming.

Representation Matters

By Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications

In conjunction with 29 Mainers, a portrait exhibit on display last year in Jackson Library, which shines a light on Black Maine residents, Trustee Jermaine Moore P’24 took the stage at the Patricia Baldwin Whipple Arts Center as a visiting speaker.

Among many other Maine citizens, the exhibit, created by Moore’s wife, photographer Erin Moore, featured Head of School Jim Hamilton, one Upper School student, and two Lower School students.

“Of all the work I do, I would say diversity, equity, and inclusion is probably the hardest, but it’s also the most rewarding,” began Moore, the founder of The Mars Hill Group, which specializes in a variety of leadership and development services, including DEI. “I really do believe that if we do DEI well, not only can we impact current generations, but also generations to come.”

In his October address, Moore spoke for 30 minutes about social constructs, pushing against narratives, how biases work, and why representation matters. Especially in Maine, statistically considered the Whitest state in the country, it is important to have Black people represented in the community.

“We lack exposure, simply due to demographics,” Moore explained. ”Get to know people who are different from you. Be intentional about getting out of your bubble, where we’re all very

Berwick’s innovative and student-centered approach to its curriculum and classroom instruction was appealing to Carabatsos, who earned a B.S. in biochemistry from Boston College and a Ph.D. in cell, molecular, and developmental biology from the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts University. She also served as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pediatric Oncology at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

After spending time as a science teacher and department chair in the Andover, Massachusetts, public school system and at Brooks School in North Andover, where she chaired the Science Department and served as director of teaching and learning, Carabatsos moved to Masconomet Regional High School in Boxford, where she serves as principal and is responsible for the instructional needs of 1,100 students.

“I keep thinking how lucky and honored I feel to join this community doing this good and innovative work for and with students,” Carabatsos said. “The idea of moving to a school where I can work directly with teachers and impact the student experience brings me back to my real passion, which is teaching and learning.”

comfortable, and make a commitment to use your influence to advance this work.”

The message that resonated most centered around the desire to be cared for and loved. “Berwick wants to create a culture where, no matter how you identify, you feel welcomed, valued, respected, seen, and heard,” Moore concluded. “When we do that, it creates a sense of belonging, and we all want to feel like we belong.”

Poet in Residence

This spring, Berwick Academy experienced a full-circle community moment when the School welcomed its 10th Poet in Residence and original founder of the program, former Middle School English teacher Mary Anker.

Established in 2011, the Poet in Residence program continues to thrive in the Middle School, with each wordsmith leaving a lasting impact. At the start of her visit in April, Anker posed a challenge to the entire Middle School. “Take risks whenever you can. Take risks in your relationships, in your goals, and for this week; in your writing.” Like all previous visiting poets, Anker chose specific aspects of the writing process and workshopped with students on the art of crafting poetry. The poets who have visited Berwick Academy have brought their own cultural perspectives, their expertise, and their desire to immerse themselves in teaching. Mary Anker was no exception.

While growing up in New Mexico and California, Anker started telling stories to her younger brothers to help them get to sleep. She’s been awed by the power of words ever since. In 1999, when Mary Anker came to Berwick Academy, a door opened. Across that threshold waited a full career of teaching, coaching, learning, creating, and poetry. Even in retirement, her dedication to students and the community on the Hilltop never wavered. In 2021, former students Will Grant ’15, Emma Sattler ’17, Elsa Grant ’17, and Anker collaborated on an unlikely

conversation, a published collection of poetry and artwork that stemmed from a string of “let’s keep in touch” emails between student and teacher.

The Poet in Residence week concluded with Anker presenting an evening reading in the Jackson Library that was open and free to the public. Berwick students shared poetry of their own at this event, and anecdotes from the workshops they attended. The Middle School chorus also performed several powerful songs that Anker had referenced throughout her teachings. Before her departure on Friday, there was a division-wide rendition of “We Shall Overcome,” an anthem of the American civil rights movement. Touched, Anker shared an excerpt from a poem she planned to send to her former student, now co-author, Will Grant: “I’m back where we were, missing those days and you. But now, there are these guys. All their minds, open to the risk of possibility.”

“I’m back where we were, missing those days and you. But now, there are these guys. All their minds, open to the risk of possibility.”

by Rob Quinn, Director of Athletics

The 2022-23 fall and winter athletic seasons brought great success to the Hilltop. The golf and boys swimming and diving teams brought home Eastern Independent League (EIL) Championships, while boys ice hockey won the Holt Conference in dramatic fashion. Girls soccer made a run to the EIL finals and competed in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Tournament; boys cross country went 5-1 on the season; and girls basketball finished with an impressive 17-5 record that included EIL and NESPAC tournament appearances. Individually, girls soccer player Allie Moore ’24 and girls ice hockey player Bella Pomarico ’23 were named Players of the Year by the EIL in their respective sports, and Eli Chilicki ’24 was the Player of the Year in the Holt Conference for boys ice hockey.

BERWICK

VARSITY GOLF

The Berwick varsity golf team (9-1), captured the EIL Championship. The young squad, which only had one twelfth grader on the roster, played tough from the start and never looked back. The Bulldogs started the season 6-0 before suffering their first defeat on the road. With that, Berwick needed a final victory over Pingree to secure the title. With a 3.5 – 2.5 thriller on the final hole, the Bulldogs earned their second championship in the last three seasons. Top scorers were Ronan McDonald ’24 with a season average of 38 and Reece Bessette ’24 with a season average of 38.3. McDonald, Bessette, and Tyler Montecalvo ’24 earned All-League honors, while honorable mentions went to Mikey Mansfield ’25 and Eli Chilicki ’24.

BERWICK ATHLETICS

CROSS COUNTRY

The varsity boys (5-1) finished third at the EIL Championship at Franklin Park and fourth at the NEPSTA Championship at Marvelwood School in Connecticut. Despite being shorthanded for most of the season due to injuries, the varsity girls finished seventh at the EIL Championship. The girls also placed two runners in the top 15 at the NEPSTA Championship. The program earned a combined 11 all-league and all-star recognition awards during a season defined by speed and a positive team culture and chemistry. Notable running accomplishments included Gracie Smith ’27 finishing 16th to earn an All-League honorable mention at the EIL Championship and 11th at the NEPSTA Division IV Championship to earn NEPSTA All-Star status. In addition, the varsity girls MVP Ella Smith ’26 finished seventh to earn EIL All-Star

recognition and ninth at NEPSTA to earn All-Star status. At the NEPSTA All-Star meet, Smith finished 22nd among New England’s fastest independent school female runners.

On the boys side of the EIL Championship, Nick Simonds ’24 (eighth) and Owen McGowan ’24 (13th) earned All-League honors, while Rahul Sundar ’24 (21st) and Will Shipley ’23 (27th) received honorable mentions. Despite suffering a severe ankle sprain that had him missing a portion of the season, team MVP Michael Eddy ’24 finished undefeated in regular-season competition and finished sixth at both the EIL Championship and the NEPSTA Championship. Captains and Coaches Award recipients Julia Michaud ’23 and Jack Masiello ’23 were critical to the team’s success by helping to build an ethos where teammates motivated each other during workouts and encouraged each other on race day.

BOYS VARSITY SOCCER

The boys varsity soccer team held up admirably in a season of anticipated challenges.

With the graduation of 16 seniors from the 2021 team, the first objective was to create a competitive roster. This was accomplished through a sprinkling of returning players and bolstered by a collection of rising JV players, newcomers, and three seniors who opted to play soccer for their first time during their Upper School tenure. Mateo Corcoran ’25, Jackson Hamilton ’25, and Tucker Demers ’25 responded to the challenge of the EIL competition as they anchored the backfield, while Julian Vanderpool ’23 and Ian Kula ’23 offered senior leadership. Goalies Owen Kenney ’24 and Gus Onken ’24 held the fort in net. Prem Osborne ’24 led the way on offense, netting some important goals and offering positive signs that next year’s midfielders and strikers will provide more steady scoring. The coaches were impressed with the grit and positivity that this youthful group displayed.

VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY

The Berwick field hockey program (3-12) recorded late-season wins over Beaver and Hebron Academy to end on a high note. The team was led by captains Ellie Crigler ’23 and Reese Fendelet ’23. Crigler was the backbone of the defense in net, while Fendelet anchored the offense as center forward. Harley Murch ’23 was an essential defensive player, while Ava Rahn ’24 and Ella Martin ’24 were both powerhouses in the midfield. Fendelet and Murch received EIL All-League recognition, while Martin earned an honorable mention. Year-end awards went to the captains, with Fendelet as team MVP and Crigler earning the Coaches Award.

GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER

The girls varsity soccer team (15-5-2) earned trips to the EIL final as the No. 2 seed and the NEPSAC quarterfinals as the third seed, marking the fifth consecutive year the team has qualified for both tournaments. Defeating Winsor School twice on their home turf, winning on the road at Beaver, and holding Pingree scoreless for 68 minutes in the EIL final were among the season highlights.

Goaltender Allie Moore ’24 became only the second player in the history of the School to earn EIL Player of the Year recognition, which she shared with Pingree’s Maddie Landers. Moore, who was also a NEPSWSA Junior All-Star and All-NEPSAC, recorded a 0.76 goals against average, 14 shutouts, and allowed goals to only two of the 11 EIL teams. Captain Chili Dowd ’23 earned 60 points in her career (34g, 26a), was named the team’s MVP for her contributions as a five-year varsity player, and was also an All-NEPSAC and EIL All-League selection. Grace Libby ’24 (17g, 12a) led the team in scoring and was also a NEPSWSA Junior All-Star and EIL All-Lea gue selection, Eliza Small ’25 and Tessa Keenan ’24 received EIL All-League honorable mention recognition. Captain Cam Hamilton ’23 received the coaches award for her dedication, following fellow captain Bella Mazza ’23, who received the award in 2021. Sevill a Coffin ’26 (7g, 14a) was third on the team in scoring, and Blake Metcalf ’27 added six goals.

The season ended in heartbreak with a loss to New Hampton in the NEPSAC quarterfinals. The Bulldogs graduate senior captains Dowd, Mazza, Hamilton, and Nat Jacuch, who scored the insurance goal that brought the Bulldogs to the EIL finals, and Julia Cab ral, who set up the lone goal in the Bulldogs only tie in the EIL against a tough Dana Hall team.

VARSITY VOLLEYBALL

Led by seniors Rowan Brennan ’23 and Noel Grube ’23, the volleyball team (3-11) recorded its first three wins in program history. Finishing strong, the team hit its stride over the last few games to end the season on an upswing and set the bar for the future. Tremendous growth was seen across the board, as every player contributed to team success as the season unfolded. Brennan and Grube (honorable mention) earned EIL All-League recognition. Brennan also earned NEPSAC AllConference honorable mention.

BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL

Grit and adaptability defined the 2022-23 boys basketball squad (1012). The leadership of captains Noah Daniel ’25 and Gage Morin ’23 was critical throughout the season. Team MVP Daniel earned All-League honors from the EIL, while Morin received an honorable mention. The team narrowly missed a bid to the NEPSAC Tournament, finishing ninth in the rankings. Tucker Demers ’25 was the recipient of the Coaches Award. The team closed out the season by winning three of its last five games.

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL

The girls varsity basketball team (175) earned EIL and NEPSAC postseason appearances. The season began with Berwick hosting the preseason Tip-Off Invitational, which raised money for Camp Sunshine, a retreat center for children with life-threatening illnesses. Berwick opened EIL play at home with a convincing win over Concord Academy. After a tough loss to Beaver, the team bounced back with a big home win over Newton Country Day, which started a 13-game winning streak. The Bulldogs finished third in the EIL, but were unfortunately edged by Pingree in the semifinals. However, the team earned the No. 4 seed in the NEPSAC Class C Tournament and advanced after beating Montrose in the quarterfinal round. The girls were defeated by eventual NEPSAC Champions Hamden Hall in the semifinals.

A host of Bulldogs were recognized for their efforts with postseason honors. This included two All-EIL and AllNEPSAC selections in Ella Smith ’26 and Grace Libby ’24 and two honorable mention All-EIL and All-NEPSAC selections in Mira Franzoso ’25 and Cameron Hamilton ’23. Smith, Franzoso, and Libby were selected to play in the NEPSAC Class C All-Star game. Smith was named team MVP, while Hamilton earned the Coaches Award.

BOYS VARSITY ICE HOCKEY

The Bulldogs (1411-2) captured the Holt Conference Championship in style, with a double-OT win at UNH over North Yarmouth Academy, followed by a 1-0 win on the road at Portsmouth Abbey. With the team success came some historic individual performances. Parker Murch ’26 tied the freshman scoring record with 34 points, and Eli Chilicki ’24 broke the junior scoring record with 48 points. Matthew Pimentel ’25 finished the season with the most minutes played by any goaltender, and registered four shutouts on the season, including his biggest in the Conference Championship. It was a significant turnaround season for the program and, with many returning players, the Bulldogs will look to continue the success.

GIRLS VARSITY ICE HOCKEY

The Girls Varsity Ice Hockey team finished with a record of 9-12-3 earning second place in the EIL. The Bulldogs beat Newton Country Day in the semi-finals, however, they were defeated by Portsmouth Abbey in the Championship game. Five players earned recognition from the league. All-League selections were awarded to senior goalie Bella Pomarico ’23 (Boston College commit), senior forward Ashlynn Libby ’23 (Chatham University), and eighth grade leading scorer, Mia Daley ’27. Earning Honorable Mention honors were senior defenseman Reese Fendelet ’23 and senior defenseman Bella Mazza ’23. Pomarico, a team captain, was also named All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention and the EIL Player of the Year.

VARSITY SWIMMING

Berwick’s swim team expanded to the swim and dive team in 2022-23. The program also welcomed eight middle school students onto the high school team and expanded its roster to 26 athletes. The team had an impressive season, including eight athletes being named EIL AllLeague, four EIL honorable mentions, and four NEPSAC First Team honors. The new diving team captured sixth, seventh, and 10th place at the EIL Championship, which helped lead the girls team to a fourth-place finish and the boys to first place. At NEPSACs, the girls finished in 10th and the boys placed sixth, with each individual athlete swimming best times and 100% of swimmers participating at finals in either relays or individual events. The future looks bright.

ARTS UPDATE

DANCE

This winter, dancers across all three divisions created choreography, developed their technique, and practiced their skills in classes from jazz to tap, modern to ballet, and leaps and turns to acrobatics. Berwick Dance Buddies, an initiative through which Middle School company dancers are matched with Upper School mentors, held its first meeting, and dancers were able to share their pieces and participate in bonding activities. Esteemed choreographer Kristen Jones visited the Upper School Company to set a contemporary piece, and student choreographer Rory Joslin ’23 also set a piece for the Company. Classes began working on original choreography for the Spring Dance Concert “Ignite,” featuring K-12 dancers and the Middle and Upper School Dance Company production of The Little Mermaid

BERWICK ACADEMY THEATER PRODUCTIONS

In the Upper School, Berwick drama students proudly presented Little Women, directed by visiting artist Amanda Eaton. This award-winning play, adapted by Kate Hammil, is based on the book by Louisa May Alcott, a coming-of-age story of the four March sisters during the Civil War era in New England.

The Upper School winter production, 9 to 5: The Musical , was based on the 1980 film of the same name, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. The production, directed by Middle and Upper School Art

JACKSON LIBRARY GALLERY NEWS

Berwick parent Erin Moore’s 29 Mainers exhibit was on display in the Jackson Library Gallery throughout the fall for students and the larger community to enjoy. The winter exhibition in the gallery featured Pre-K-12 student work in an exhibit called IDENTITY: YOU, ME, US.

Teacher Hevia Paxson, featured a great cast, student tech crew, select student choreography, set designers, and student musicians playing in the pit orchestra.

The Middle School production of The Secret Garden featured student actors and crew members in Grades 5-8 delving into the classic adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel. The Secret Garden was co-directed by Page Rich, Lisa Long, and student tech director Griffin Nedelka ’25.

VISUAL ARTS

Fifth grade students created and studied portraits from various cultures and periods, including the Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald Obama portraits at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Seventh graders were also on-site at the MFA as they began their Global Explorations of South America at Boston’s exhibit.

Senior Studio pinnacle students visited the Judy Pfaff exhibit at the Museum of New Art in Portsmouth. These students will soon create art based on Pfaff’s works and have an opportunity to meet and speak with the artist herself. Several students have committed to internships at the MONA this summer to continue their experiences beyond the studio.

SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS 2023

Each year, Berwick art students submit work to the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition, a national juried competition recognizing excellence in student art and design. In 2022, nine students received recognition for 14 individual artworks and one senior art portfolio at the regional level. Gold Key award artworks move on to the national adjudication in the spring. In the state of Maine, there were nearly 800 submissions, and the selection process was extremely competitive. Maine College of Art and Design will post the results on their website (meca.edu) and create an online exhibition showcasing the awardwinning artwork. Art receiving a Silver Key or Gold Key award was included in the exhibition at the Maine College of Art and Design in Portland this winter.

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Maia Cook ’24:

Gold Key, Painting

Nat Jacuch ’23:

Honorable Mention, Mixed Media

Mischa Landgarten ’23:

Gold Key, Drawing and Illustration;

Silver Key, Drawing and Illustration; Honorable Mention, Drawing and Illustration

Rekha Mahadevan ’23: Silver Key, Mixed Media

Ella Martin ’24:

Honorable Mention, Printmaking

Nate Onken ’27:

Gold Key, Sculpture

Peter Sapiro-Mitten ’23:

Gold Key, Sculpture; Silver Key, Fashion

Chili Dowd ’23: Senior Art Portfolio

YOUTH ART MONTH

Maia Cook ’24, Gold Key, Painting, Childhood Haunt

Nate Onken ’27, Gold Key, Sculpture, Swamp Critter

Peter Sapiro-Mitten ’23, Gold Key, Sculpture, Nautilus

Chili Dowd ’23, Senior Art Portfolio, Mind, Body, Mirrors

Mischa Landgarten ’23 Silver Key, Drawing and Illustration, Consumption

Rekha Mahadevan ’23 Silver Key, Mixed Media, My Grandmother, My Mother and Me

Ella Martin ’24 Honorable Mention, Printmaking, Without Her

Tucker Harrison ’31, Christmas Town

Kaia Nguyen ’30, Parakeet Called Peace

Gus Onken ’24, Deuteranomoly

On the Green for the Bulldog Classic

By Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications

On October 6, extended members of the Berwick community gathered at the Links at Outlook Golf Course to participate in the 32nd Annual Bulldog Classic Golf Tournament. The longstanding tradition brings faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and local business owners together to compete and raise money for Berwick Academy Athletics.

This year, 24 teams, compiled from 103 participants, arrived at the course and were greeted by unseasonably warm October weather. A Maine jewel, the 140-acre course boasts bent grass fairways and greens with dunes and sand bunkers leaning into the natural curves of the earth. Following the tournament, prizes, raffles, and silent auction items were awarded over lunch as participants reflected on the day.

Tournament sponsor and current parent Rich DeMarco P’28 of UBS Financial Services helped make the event possible with the support of other sponsors, including Lord Henry W. Trimble III, BANKW Staffing, Albert Frick Associates, Access Sports Medicine

and Orthopaedics, AeroDynamics, Katz Development/960 Sagamore, Piscataqua Landscaping, RNP Capital Advisors, Dick Shafner ‘65 and Jan Eustis, Eastern Propane, Paint Winni, The Donnelly Family, Dignity Memorial, Creative Office Resources, and The Starkey Family.

Chris Atwood ’10, Chuck Clement IV ’00, Cider Berry, and Amy Smucker led the field with a combined score of 56 on the par 71 course. The tournament raised over $15,000, additional funds that are critical to supporting the School’s robust programs, which benefit students in all grade levels.

“It was a truly wonderful day full of fun and goodwill for alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of the School,” said Director of The Berwick Fund Elizabeth Clemence. “We give special thanks to the tournament planning committee for sharing their valuable time and expertise and to all of the players who made the 32nd Annual Bulldog Golf Classic a great success.”

Celebrating Diwali

By Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications

Moments of celebration are always in abundance at the Lower School. On the morning of October 21, 2022, Berwick Academy’s youngest students gathered with faculty and staff for their community meeting and a special presentation.

During the presentation, guests Meera Mahadevan P’20, ’23, Dr. Mansi Saksena P’21, ’26, and Dr. Padmini Holla P’22, ’27, shared the history of Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, a multi-day celebration of post-harvest bounty. Mahadevan, Saksena, and Holla explained how they celebrate the holiday in their homes and read a short story on the origins of Diwali while projecting hand-drawn illustrations for all to see.

Students sat attentively as they learned that, while the holiday’s origins are Hindu, people of various faiths celebrate Diwali. Hindus celebrate it to receive Lord Rama following his victory over Ravana and to welcome the blessings of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Sikhs celebrate to remember the time of the release of their Guru, Hargobind, from captivity by Emperor Jahangir. Jains and Buddhists also celebrate Diwali. For them, the festival marks the day Lord Mahavira, the last of the Jain Tirthankaras, achieved enlightenment and the day that Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism as his chosen faith.

The presenting parents carefully answered student questions and shared the personal objects they use to decorate and celebrate Diwali. They demonstrated how they tie their sarees, the traditional Indian garments that consist of a single fabric that stretches and weaves over the body.

The community meeting and presentation concluded with students returning to their classrooms to experiment creatively with Rangoli coloring pages, which are works

What’s Left Behind:

UNCOVERING REMNANTS OF BERWICK ACADEMY’S YOUNGEST WORLD WAR II VETERAN

By Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications

When Upper School teacher Brad Fletcher took over as School archivist, he made a discovery that led him on a mission to learn about the life and service of the youngest member of the Berwick family to lose his life in World War II.

Fletcher shared what he learned about Sergeant Edward W. Bennett ’43 at a Veterans Day assembly in the Wood Gym on the morning of November 11, 2022. In his opening address, Head of School Jim Hamilton introduced the presentation to honor one veteran.

Fletcher shared the story of Bennett, a Berwick native who enlisted in the Army in 1942. He prefaced his tale with an image of a box of mementos that had been residing in the School’s archives prior to his arrival. The box (pictured on the next page) contained several photographs, clippings, and documents but no note or letter of explanation, no obvious name or further information indicating who collected the items or how they came into Berwick’s possession. At first, the fragments of memorabilia didn’t seem to fit together, Fletcher said, but after some deeper digging, he soon connected the pieces to reveal a profile of a former student.

As Fletcher took inventory, he noted a series of black-and-white photos that mostly depicted soldiers, some with identifying names written on the back. There were also two postcard collections sent from military bases in the South, including one from the Army Air Force Gunnery School, addressed to Mrs. Amanda Bennett, 54 Maine Street, South Berwick; and a pair of Mother’s Day and Easter greetings signed “Love, Son Eddie.” Fletcher’s research soon led him to the recipient, Amanda Bennett, a widowed mother of seven, who had four sons serving in the war in 1942.

“If we were passing by 54 Main Street,” Fletcher told the Berwick community, “we would have likely seen four blue stars displayed on her front door or window, denoting her four sons in military service.

Walking down the street, any street in this or any town or city, we would everywhere recognize these common symbols of service and sacrifice.”

Fletcher eventually determined that the box was donated in memory of Mrs. Bennett’s second-youngest child, Edward. Edward Bennett’s time on the Hilltop is documented by his name in the School’s Bible, a few football team photographs, and his final varsity certificate. He was remembered by one former classmate as “an excellent student, fine football player, the best friend I ever had.” He left school to enlist in January 1942, a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Returning to the documents, Fletcher identified a short, undated, and perhaps purposefully vague letter from Edward, letting his mother know that his unit had arrived in England and that he was faring well. During his short time at war, Edward was a sergeant and tail gunner, a member of a crew of 10 on a B-17 heavy bomber, whose

name, Due Back — an optimistic reference to returning home — was painted over a map of the United States on the plane’s fuselage. The crew was part of the 708th Bomb Squadron of the 447th Bombardment Group which, on Christmas Eve 1943, began an intensive bombing campaign against German cities. Fletcher explained that the bombing campaign was so brutal and costly that crews were expected to conduct 25 missions to complete their duty, a mark only a third of them achieved. Due Back was unfortunately not among them.

What Fletcher did not find in the box was the telegram Amanda Bennett most likely received in September 1944, notifying her that her son’s plane had failed to return from an August 27 bombing raid over Germany and was officially listed as missing. There were, however, letters of condolence from the Army, Edward’s commanding officer, and a chaplain to confirm his suspected fate. One note contained this painful statement: “General Marshall extends his deep sympathy in your bereavement. Your son fought valiantly in a supreme hour of his country’s need. His memory will live in the grateful heart of our nation.”

Finally, in April 1945 as the war in Europe was nearing its end, came official notification that the body of Sergeant Edward W. Bennett, previously reported as missing, had been recovered on the Isle of Sylt in northern Germany, with his date of death listed as August 27, 1944. He was 21 years old.

The remaining documents pertaining to Edward Bennett included two check notifications to his mother, one for his monetary possessions and the other for a life insurance pension of which she was the beneficiary. There was also a notification that the War Graves Commission charged with burying Edward had identified the location of his final resting place: Plot S, Row 4, Grave 93, in the U.S. Military Cemetery at Neuvilleen-Condroz, Belgium. Fletcher conducted a search of the cemetery’s database and was unable to confirm that plot, but a 98-yearold classmate and friend remembered that, in 1949, Edward was finally brought home and buried in Rollinsford, New Hampshire, where a bronze military tablet marks his grave.

Berwick Academy sent more than 250 men and women into military service in WWII. Of the 10 who lost their lives, Edward Bennett was the youngest. Their names are recorded on a plaque in Fogg Memorial and on a marker set in the ground at the corner of Memorial Field. In addition, 10 trees — one for each of those lost — are planted in a line across the slope beside the baseball field. Fletcher closed his presentation by asking those in attendance to reflect on the members of the Berwick community who have served.

“When passing these memorials on campus,” he said, “pause for a moment and remember Edward Bennett and the others who died, their classmates who served in the war, and those who have since and still continue to serve. They do not ask for more, they do not deserve less, and we owe them so much.”

NOAH LANDIS ’14

Sounds from Center Stage

By Jana F. Brown

Noah Landis ’14 made his debut as an accompanist/assistant music director as a tenth grader at Berwick, playing the keyboard in the orchestra pit for the School’s production of Damn Yankees . He continued in that role for Berwick Academy performances of Les Misérables and Guys and Dolls, learning the process of working with actors and singers to put together a show.

When he enrolled at Northwestern with his major undeclared, Landis never imagined that he might make a career of those formative experiences with Berwick’s Theatre Program. But a shift to the music school at the end of his first year in college — and an eventual self-designed major in music direction — has led Landis to what is shaping up as a dream livelihood.

Since November 2019 (with a COVID19 disruption in between), Landis has been touring North America as the music associate with a production of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton . In that role, Landis accompanies rehearsals on the keyboard, plays second keyboard for live shows, and regularly conducts the orchestra.

“We do eight shows a week,” Landis says, “of which I typically play three to five of them. It’s physically demanding, but I love it. At this point, I have played second keyboard 235 times and I have conducted the show 88 times.”

For Landis, the opportunity to use his musical talent in a professional setting has been a perfect match. A South Berwick native who grew up on Academy Street, yards away from the front gates of his alma mater, he began playing the piano at the age of five and studied both classical and jazz piano through

middle and high school. As an upperclassman at Berwick, Landis was a three-time participant in the Maine All-State Jazz Festival. He credits former Director of Visual & Performing Arts Seth Hurd ‘90 for helping him get his feet wet in musical theater, particularly understanding the mechanics of putting on a show.

“It was a great way to get started,” Landis says, “but I graduated high school not necessarily expecting to pursue what I’m doing now as a profession. I didn’t imagine I could end up on Broadway.”

By the time he graduated from Northwestern, Landis had served as the music director on a production of Stephen Sondheim’s Company that included student actors and singers, along with a professional director and choreographer brought in to help stage the work. He also conducted an orchestra of 28 musicians for a Northwestern performance of Ragtime and co-music directed the Waa-Mu Show (an original musical, written, performed, and presented by Northwestern students).

His major in music direction makes Landis an expert in interpreting a composer’s notes for a production, understanding how to develop and arrange a score for the stage, and teaching the music to actors. Prior to joining the Hamilton production, Landis gained experience filling in for a few weeks with the traveling cast and crew of Cinderella . He then joined the tour of A Bronx Tale as an associate conductor from September 2018 to August 2019.

“It was the first national tour of A Bronx Tale, direct from Broadway,” Landis says. “I was involved right from the beginning of the rehearsal process in New York and I actually played most of the rehearsal piano. Once we started traveling, I played second keyboard in the orchestra every night and conducted the show roughly once a week.”

That tour brought Landis to 23 cities over the course of 11 months. He began touring with Hamilton full-time in November 2019, but had been onboarded in the months prior, including learning how to accompany rehearsals. Hamilton is “a demanding show musically,” Landis notes, sharing that he was required to learn Lin-Manuel Miranda’s extensive rap lyrics in addition to the sheet music. After an 18-month COVID disruption beginning in March 2020, he returned to the show in August 2021.

Next up for Landis is a residency in Chicago that began in March. Coming full circle, he will be conducting a production of Damn Yankees at the Marriott Theatre, while assistant teaching a musicianship class for actors and singers at Northwestern. His plan beyond that is to relocate to New York to continue his career in musical theater. Landis looks forward to settling in one place for a bit (and having his own kitchen), though he will miss the community on the road.

“The job I enjoy most is conducting the show,” he says. “You have the best seat in the house, an uninterrupted view of the action both in the pit and on the stage. I just love being in the center of that. I also love the people I get to work with and the tight-knit community created by this strange and crazy world of touring theater productions.”

Balancing Act

By Jana F. Brown

AMY SHAFMASTER ’90, P’30 COMBINES A SUCCESSFUL AMATEUR RIDING CAREER WITH MANAGING HER FAMILY LOBSTER BUSINESS.

It’s hard to believe, and Amy Shafmaster ’90 can hardly believe it herself, when she admits that she has never tried lobster. Not even a succulent claw or a flavorful tail.

What makes the current parent and former Berwick student’s confession most extraordinary is that Shafmaster has spent the better part of the last three decades working for her family business, Little Bay Lobster Company.

“My father would kill me for sharing that,” Shafmaster laughs, referring to her dad, Jonathan, who founded Little Bay in the 1980s.

Shafmaster’s lack of taste for lobster makes her an anomaly in her crustacean-focused family. But she is a self-described “character,” who laughs easily about her tastebuds’ aversion to seafood. Shafmaster splits her time between managing Newington, New Hampshire-based Little Bay in her role as president, and competing on the amateur riding circuit from her second home base in Ocala, Florida. Shafmaster competes for 25 weeks of the year, mostly up and down the East Coast, but she also has traveled to Europe for shows. In 2020 and 2021, her horse, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood named Carlos, ranked No. 1 in the country on the amateur circuit (a broken leg for his rider sidelined Carlos for part of 2022). Last year, horse and rider won the Amateur Classic and the Hampton Classic Horse Show, among other honors. The pair started 2023 with a January victory at the High Amateur Classic at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala.

To remain competitive, Shafmaster, who fell in love with riding at age three, frequently jets between Florida and New Hampshire, where she turns her focus to the lobster business. With 14 offshore boats in its fleet, Little Bay Lobster Company is the largest harvester of North Atlantic lobster in the world. Its lobstermen catch millions of pounds of shellfish each year.

“We fish year-round, so we constantly have a fresh supply of lobster, which is rare,” Shafmaster explains. “Even in Canada, they have seasons where they only let the boats fish at certain times of year. We have four-man crews that go out for 10 days at a time, 300 miles offshore.”

After attending Berwick from fourth through eighth grade and graduating high school from Governor’s Academy in 1990, Shafmaster studied economics at Tufts University. She recalls with great fondness the community she found at Berwick as a student, and that positive memory is one of the reasons her son, Eli, is now enrolled as a fifth grader.

Once out of college, Shafmaster decided she wanted to return to the Seacoast and join Little Bay. She started in accounts before slowly moving up the chain to sales and operations. An astute and respected manager, she thrives within a male-dominated field, which she attributes to her toughness and knowledge of the industry. Shafmaster oversees every aspect of the business, including sales directly to customers (a distinct model that cuts out the middlemen central to most fishing businesses) and making sure domestic and international shipment of live lobsters goes smoothly, especially since Little Bay’s largest export is to China. Her job also involves paying attention to weather patterns (or global pandemics) that change fishing habits and subsequently impact supply and demand.

“Our biggest issue is getting space on the airlines and the fact that lobster is perishable,” she explains, noting that her economics degree has come in handy. “So, if you have delays, that is a problem. It’s the logistics of it all that I manage. I’m mostly busy trying to make sure I get everything done at our company and then also trying to train and ride and compete with my horse and care for my son. It’s a lot, but I’m balancing it so far.”

Aside from the logistics, Shafmaster shares that she’s often fascinated by the rainbow of crustaceans that come in on the haul. Little Bay boats have caught rare lobsters that range from yellow to bright blue to albino. A few now live at the New England Aquarium in Boston, while one — a 25-pounder that is half red and half yellow — is on display in the lobby of Little Bay headquarters in Newington. Shafmaster still doesn’t plan on eating any of them.

“At this point, I can’t,” she laughs, “because I’ve gone so long.”

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Jonathan Nass ’90

By Jana F. Brown

Not long after 9/11, attorney Jonathan Nass ’90 was working as a litigator in Washington, D.C., when a colleague called him with a job offer. The government was working on the largest overhaul of the national intelligence community since the end of World War II, and Nass was asked to be a part of the effort.

Among many other projects in which Nass was involved through the newly formed Department of Homeland Security was port security. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which devastated the Gulf Coast of America, Nass worked on a 10-month-long investigation of what went wrong — and right — in preparation for and in the aftermath of the storm.

“It was interesting that, between 9/11 and Katrina, we had spent an enormous amount of money on preparation to prevent or respond to a future terrorist attack,” Nass says. “One of our findings was that there are other major threats out there, like massive hurricanes, that were not getting appropriate attention.”

The result was a change in systemic thinking on the coordination between local, state, and federal officials in response to natural disasters. The knowledge Nass gained through that work, in addition to vast policy experience earlier in his career, has prepared him for his current role as CEO at Mississippi State Port Authority (MSPA) at Gulfport. Nass previously occupied the same role at the Maine Port Authority (MPA) from 2018-2021.

After years away from his home state, Nass returned to Maine in 2006, where he worked in private practice before taking an assignment as a field officer and then as a senior policy advisor to the U.S. Department of State. That job included being embedded with a combat infantry battalion in Iraq from 2008-2009. Two years later, Nass was working for Maine Governor Paul LePage as an advisor on matters ranging from emergency management to transportation. That led to his next stint as deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation in 2014 and his eventual role at the MPA.

“I focused on making the port authority truly independent and effective,” Nass says. “We were successful in revitalizing the container terminal in Portland. We had 20% growth virtually every year we were there. The lesson is that niche ports can be very profitable if you utilize them correctly.”

A native of Acton, Maine, Nass followed his older brother, Christopher ’86, to Berwick, where he learned it was “cool to be yourself and cool to take risks.” He continued on to St. Lawrence University, before earning his JD at Catholic University in 2002. Despite all his years of experience gleaned not only from his time at the MPA, but as a policy advisor to high-ranking officials in the U.S. government and beyond, when the MSPA came calling, Nass initially had no intention of leaving his home state again.

“I pulled the terminal up on Google Earth and realized this was really an uncut gem that they reconstructed from Hurricane Katrina and spent $600 million on a beautiful new terminal,” Nass says. “The problem was that it was underutilized — and that’s a great problem to have.”

Since becoming CEO of the MSPA at Gulfport, Nass has overseen tremendous growth. The port serves as the second-largest importer of green fruit in the U.S., including bananas, pineapples, and mangos.

“We’re feeding the entire middle of the United States with good fruit,” Nass says.

With his oversight, the port has become more efficient in moving its perishable freight as well as new types of cargo. Nass is proud of the diversification of the port’s role in the region. He points out that Gulfport is one of only 17 strategic seaports in the U.S., meaning it maintains a considerable

military presence along the coast and requires movement of military cargo. In addition, Gulfport is home to a casino, making it the only port authority in the U.S. to have gaming as part of its core business; supports a research vessel owned by the University of Southern Mississippi; will soon serve as the headquarters for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its uncrewed vessels; and is building a facility to house a drone company whose products have military, research, and industrial uses.

“With all the excitement about the blue economy and the potential economics of focusing on ocean ports,” Nass says, “we are uniquely situated as a deep-water asset on the coast.”

In terms of economic impact, Nass shares that the port provides about 18,500 (direct and indirect) jobs, creating a regional impact of $3.8 billion. That impact is not lost on Nass, especially in light of supplychain issues generated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the temporary blockage of the Suez Canal by a large container ship in March 2021. Additionally, Nass notes, larger-capacity container ships are causing backups of supply trucks on the ground, delaying transport to the final destination.

“It’s all a system; it’s not just going from point A to point B,” Nass says. “What we’ve been pushing is a focus on developing more capacity throughout the country, and we think this has a host of benefits beyond just the movement of freight. It spreads out congestion, gets product to market quicker, and is usually less costly [for the consumer]. By diversifying ports geographically around the country, the end result is a more efficient supply chain.”

Berwick Announces Reunion Changes

Following the success and positive feedback of this past fall’s Blue and White Homecoming Weekend and Reunion, Berwick Academy will be adopting a new reunion model. Moving forward, Berwick will celebrate reunions every other year using a “cluster” model. Cluster reunions give you the opportunity to reconnect with friends in other class years as well as your own and

The next Berwick Academy Blue and White Homecoming Weekend and Reunion will take place in the fall of 2024 and will celebrate milestone class years ending in 3, 4, 8, and 9. For example, the Classes of 2003 and 2004 will be celebrating their 20th reunion, and the Classes of 1973 and 1974 will be celebrating their 50th reunion. All alumni are welcome and encouraged to come back to campus with special celebrations honoring those classes recognizing a milestone reunion.

“The opportunity for alumni to gather and reconnect with a larger group outside of just their specific class allows for more and deeper ties to be made,” said Ken Lafler ’82, president of the Alumni Advisory Board.

For an overview of milestone reunion years and when they will be celebrated, please visit the alumni page of the Berwick website.

For questions, please contact Chelsea Fraser in the Advancement Office (chelsea.fraser@ berwickacademy.org or 207.384.6309).

Each fall, Berwick sports teams compete on campus for Blue and White Day. These home games are a great way to celebrate the Berwick community and cheer on the home team. While there will be no formal programming for alumni around this fall’s Blue and White Day (2023), we always encourage alumni to come back to campus to cheer on the Bulldogs.

Chadbourne-Thompson Society

The Chadbourne-Thompson Society recognizes donors who make planned estate gifts. Planned gifts are an essential part of Berwick’s long-term financial future and have helped shape the Berwick of today.

For more information, contact Director of Leadership Giving and Philanthropy Stephanie Caswell at 207.384.6396 or scaswell@berwickacademy.org.

CHADBOURNE-THOMPSON SOCIETY MEMBERS

Ms. Deborah K. Blouin 1959

Mr. James B. Cook USN 1963 and Mrs. Paula R. Cook

Mr. Bradley M. Damon 1963*

Ms. Marie A. Donahue 1937*

Ms. Aurora F. Dube 1925*

Mr. Preston N. Eames 1965

Dr. Dennis Fink 1944

Mrs. Nancy B. Fort,* former parent

Mr. Adolph L. Geyer 1931*

Mr. Russell H. Grant 1945* and Marty Mrs. Martha A. Grant*

Mrs. Doris Dixon Griffith 1939*

Rev. Seth A. Lamont Hurd 1990

Mr. George E. Janetos,* former advisor

Mrs. Alberta Morrill Johnson 1928*

Kennett and Patricia Kendall, trustee, former parents

Mrs. Mary Jacobs Kennedy 1908*

Mr. Stuart Kerr, son of former headmaster

Mrs. Natalee Ohayon Martin 2001 and Mr. Erik Martin

Mr. Lawrence A. Martineau, Jr. 1964 and Mrs. Karen L. Martineau

Mr. Perley D. Monroe 1948*

Ms. Olive F. Purington Moulton 1922*

Mr. Victor Perreault 1933* and Mrs. Helen Hasty Perreault*

Ms. Nancy E. Pindrus 1969

Mrs. Wendy Pirsig, former trustee, parent

Mrs. Mary Byrd Platt,* former grandparent

Mr. Robert E. Richard* and Ms. Carole Auger-Richard, former trustee, parents

Mr. and Mrs. Hap and Susan* Ridgway, former headmaster, parents

Mrs. A. May Flynn Smith 1931*

Mr. William R. Spaulding,* former parent, grandparent

Dr. Owen R. Stevens, DVM 1948* and Mrs. Margaret S. M. Stevens

Mrs. Ella Estelle Geyer Stonebraker 1929*

Mr. Mark H. Tay, trustee emeritus, former parent

The Roger R. Thompson Endowment*

Ms. Anne C. Willkomm 1983

* = deceased

Hilltop Honors

By Stephanie Caswell, Director of Leadership Giving and Philanthropy

This year, Berwick was able to host Blue and White Homecoming Weekend and Reunion, a multi-day celebration that brought together alumni, faculty, staff, students, and families for a weekend of camaraderie and school spirit.

To kick off the festivities, Berwick held the inaugural Hilltop Honors ceremony, which offered an opportunity to celebrate those who have made significant contributions to the School and the broader community through dedicated service or philanthropy. Thomas Kent ’72 was recognized with the Alumni Meritorious Service Award, while Lucas Merrow ’81 was named a Trustee Emeritus.

The Alumni Meritorious Service Award is bestowed on a graduate of Berwick Academy who renders service to the School and its alumni through faithful and continued effort in maintaining class or other alumni activity, active stewardship of the School, participation in alumni or School affairs, philanthropy, and/or by being an ambassador of the School. In celebration of his 50th reunion, it was fitting that Kent, a consummate connector, was recognized. Over the years, Kent has worked with classmates to plan and host reunions. One reunion included the inaugural match of the Berwick croquet team, of which Kent still maintains the role of captain.

“Tom was always considered the brilliant one out of our class,” said classmate Rob Howie ’72. “We always knew Tom was going places. He stood out among his classmates as someone who was most likely to succeed.”

The title of Trustee Emeritus recognizes exemplary service to the School. As a student, Merrow served as president of the senior class and played varsity soccer, baseball, and lacrosse. He graduated as valedictorian in 1981, earning honors in German, chemistry, and mathematics, along with the Headmaster’s Award. As an alumnus, Merrow served as a trustee from 2007 to 2017 and continues to be an active participant in the Innovation Pursuits® program each year.

“I believe [Lucas] represents the very best of the School’s ideals as a student, parent, alumnus, and trustee: passion, intellect, creativity, empathy, vision, and gratitude,” said former Head of School Greg Schneider. “He absolutely embodies Berwick’s cherished combination of virtue and useful knowledge.”

“Tom ’72 was always considered the brilliant one out of our class,” said classmate Rob Howie ’72. “We always knew Tom was going places. He stood out among his classmates as someone who was most likely to succeed.”

Alumni Advisory Board

The first meeting of the Alumni Advisory Board this academic year convened this past September during Blue and White Homecoming Weekend and Reunion. Ken Lafler ’82 presided over the meeting as board president and welcomed new members

Sarah Fincke Bologna ’05, Kate Cavanaugh ’10, and Brooke Moschetto ’11.

Board meetings involve a mission moment, a chance for board members to experience the impact of their work by visiting with current students or faculty. This particular meeting invited board members to step into the Outdoor Classroom with Ms. Fernandes and the Kindergarten class, where each member received a bouquet of flowers picked and assembled by the students.

Next, the board got to work outlining its annual strategy for the year. The primary work of the Alumni Advisory Board is to

IN MEMORIAM

Edna Goodwin Krueger ’41

Januarary 16, 2023

Kathleen Hussey Keelty ’46

November 30, 2021

Mary Glackin Welch ’50

February 16, 2022

Walter Clapp ’54

January 24, 2023

work alongside Berwick’s Advancement Office in its efforts to engage more alumni with the School. In this segment of alumni engagement, the board identified three areas to guide its work: Innovation Pursuits, strategic partnerships, and alumni events, programming, and travel.

The second meeting of the year, held virtually on January 26, focused on the strategic partnerships aspect of the annual strategy. The board discussed and created a plan for the rebuilding and relaunch of the Berwick Academy LinkedIn Group as a means to create meaningful ways for alumni to connect with one another.

The Alumni Advisory Board is always looking to add new members and thoughtfully engage more alumni with the School. If you are interested, please reach out to Stephanie Caswell (scaswell@ berwickacademy.org or 207.384.6396).

2022-2023 BOARD MEMBERS

KEN LAFLER ’82, PRESIDENT

SARAH FINCKE BOLOGNA ’05

ANYA BURZYNSKI ’10

KATE CAVANAUGH ’10

SHARON FOGARTY ’82

BROOKS JALBERT ’15

ALEX KATZ ’14

NATALEE MARTIN ’01

BROOKE MOSCHETTO ’11

DAVE SCHLEYER ’05

Gerald Libby ’55

Januarary 16, 2023

Sandra Pinkham Cox ’56

March 1, 2022

Jim Nason ’60

September 25, 2022

Jean Paro Harlbut ’63

March 7, 2023

Michael Miles ’69

May 25, 2019

Eugene Cronin ’71

January 10, 2023

Jill King ’83

September 29, 2022

Christopher Brooks ’93

January 22, 2022

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For parents of alumni: If this issue of Berwick Today is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, kindly notify the Alumni Office with the correct mailing address at sarah.owens@ berwickacademy.org or 207.384.6303.

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Spend the Summer on the Hilltop

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