Brooks Bulletin Summer 2023

B BROOKS

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

President

John R. Barker ’87, P’21, P’23

Wellesley, Mass.

Vice Presidents

Cristina E. Antelo ’95

Washington, D.C.

Whitney Romoser Savignano ’87

Beverly Farms, Mass.

Secretary

Craig J. Ziady ’85, P’18, P’20, P’22

Winchester, Mass.

Treasurer

Valentine Hollingsworth ’72, P’17

Dover, Mass.

TRUSTEES

Peter J. Caldwell

Providence, R.I.

Charles F. Cornish ’06

Sudbury, Mass.

Catalina Dib P’25, P’26

Boston, Mass.

Peter V.K. Doyle ’69

Sherborn, Mass.

Cheryl M. Duckworth P’22, P’23

Lynnfield, Mass.

Anthony H. Everets ’93

New York, N.Y.

Nancy C. Ferry P’21

West Newton, Mass.

Phillip W. Field ’05

Boston, Mass.

Julia Saltonstall Haley ’88, P’25

South Hamilton, Mass.

Paul L. Hallingby ’65

New York, N.Y.

Kevin R. Hendrickson ’04, P’24

North Andover, Mass.

Booth D. Kyle ’89

Severna Park, Md.

Diana Merriam P’08, P’11

Boxford, Mass.

Sally T. Milliken ’88, P’22, P’24, P’27 Byfield, Mass.

Sunit Mukherjee P’15, P’22 North Andover, Mass.

John R. Packard Jr. P’18, P’21

Head of School

North Andover, Mass.

Vivek Sharma P’24

Boston, Mass.

Juliane Gardner Spencer ’93 Rockport, Mass.

Isabella Speakman

Timon ’92, P’26

Gulf Stream, Fla.

Alessandro F. Uzielli ’85

New York, N.Y.

Meredith M. Verdone ’81, P’19 Newton Center, Mass.

Christopher T. Wood ’85

Los Angeles, Calif.

ALUMNI TRUSTEES

Matthew Nash ’14

Dover, N.H.

Sathvik R. Sudireddy ’15

Andover, Mass.

TRUSTEES EMERITI

William N. Booth ’67, P’05

Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Henry M. Buhl ’48

New York, N.Y.

Steve Forbes ’66, P’91

Bedminster, N.J.

Steven R. Gorham ’85, P’17, P’21

Ipswich, Mass.

H. Anthony Ittleson ’56, P’84, P’86

Green Pond, S.C.

Michael B. Keating ’58, P’97 Boston, Mass.

Frank A. Kissel ’69, P’96, P’99

Far Hills, N.J.

Peter A. Nadosy ’64

New York, N.Y.

Eleanor R. Seaman P’86, P’88, P’91, GP ’18 Hobe Sound, Fla.

David R. Williams III ’67 Beverly Farms, Mass.

A verdant display at Brooks School.

CONTENTS

Head of School

John R. Packard Jr. P’18, P’21

Director of Institutional Advancement

Gage S. Dobbins P’22, P’23

Director of Alumni Programs

Lauri Coulter

Director of the Brooks Fund and Family Engagement

Mary Merrill

Assistant Director of Alumni Programs

Sara Bird

Director of Admission and Financial Aid

Bini W. Egertson P’12, P’15

Director of Communications and Marketing

Kate Moran

Director of Print Communications

Rebecca A. Binder

Design

Aldeia

www.aldeia.design

Alumni Communications Manager

Emily Williams

Director of Digital Communications

Jennifer O’Neill

FEATURES

16 Celebrating the Class of 2023

The class of 2023 and the Brooks community gathered over Memorial Day weekend to celebrate achievement and community for two days of commencement ceremonies.

26 Milestones at Brooks

The school hosted several milestone reunion gatherings on campus this spring, as well as a forward-looking Summit and the chance to bid farewell to two loved Brooksians.

Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Opinions expressed in the Bulletin are those of the authors and not necessarily of Brooks School.

Correspondence concerning the Bulletin should be sent to

Editor Rebecca A. Binder:

mail

Editor, Brooks Bulletin 1160 Great Pond Road North Andover, MA 01845

email rbinder@brooksschool.org

phone (978) 725-6326

© 2023 Brooks School

ON THE COVER:

From left to right: Sixth-formers

M.D. Olaoye, Tvisha Devireddy, Chapin Dobbins, Molet Otieno and Laura Kahu on the morning of Prize Day. Please turn to the back cover of this issue to read more about the pins and stoles members of this group are wearing, which were conferred as part of the school’s inaugural Donning of the Stoles and Symbols Ceremony.

A MESSAGE FROM JOHN R. PACKARD JR. HEAD OF SCHOOL

The Breadth and Depth of Our Community

For the first time in more than four years, Kim and I traveled to Asia earlier this summer and enjoyed wonderful stops in Seoul, Hong Kong and Bangkok. While there, we were able to see students, parents, alums and so many Brooksians who continue to hold the school close to their hearts. On the long flight to and from Asia, usually somewhere over the Bering Sea, I am reminded of the trust our families place in the school. There is something very humbling about having the privilege of educating and taking care of students who travel so far to be here. While this is true for all of our students who travel great distances to attend Brooks, and all of our students in general, I found myself reflecting gratefully on the confidence so many Asian families have placed in the school over the years.

As we traveled from city to city and attended receptions, lunches, dinners and a number of individual meetings, I was moved again and again by the palpable pride in the school exhibited by current students and families and the many alums we were able to spend time with. I am often in front of various audiences making claims about a sense of pride our students feel and wear on their sleeves. Thus, it was deeply gratifying to see and feel that pride from both students who have been at Brooks for only one year, and alums Kim and I knew in our dormitory in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The ways in which the depth and meaning of the Brooks experience holds over time varies for all of us, but that it holds such sway as our lives evolve was especially tangible.

When I began as head of school, I was asked to write a piece for the head of school page on the school’s website answering “Why Brooks” for those who stumble upon that page. At the time, I

wrote about the importance of relationships, and I have not changed a word in the 15 years that have since passed. I happen to believe that the depth of relationships that form at Brooks is both uncommon and sustaining for members of our community. The treat of revisiting some of these relationships with those Kim and I have been so fortunate to know in our life here meant an enormous amount to us. The school’s connective tissue felt alive and well at every turn.

Finally, at a time when colleges and universities have been redirected in their efforts to build and be diverse communities, our trip underlined many times over the myriad ways in which we all draw from being part of our own diverse community. In a letter to parents and guardians in late July, I emphasized that diversity is at the core of our school’s strength. The evidence in support of that claim was overwhelming during our travels, and it is exciting to be on the verge of beginning a school year with as measurably diverse a community as we have ever been. Our commitment to staying this course and fostering genuine belonging for all at our school remains absolute.

In this edition of the Bulletin, we cover much more than our trip to Seoul, Hong Kong and Bangkok. Yet, I suspect you will find the threads of celebrating the class of 2023 over graduation weekend, and the many smaller reunions and gatherings we were so fortunate to host on campus over the course of the spring, to be very much interwoven with what Kim and I experienced while overseas: deeply meaningful connections forged in a wonderfully broad and diverse community that stand the test of time. I continue to feel so fortunate to lead and be part of such a place.

“The ways in which the depth and meaning of the Brooks experience holds over time varies for all of us, but that it holds such sway as our lives evolve was especially tangible.”

CHINA

Head of School John Packard and his wife, Kim O’Neill Packard ’87, traveled to Asia this summer to meet with Brooksians in Seoul, Hong Kong and Bangkok. The Packards and the school are grateful to all those who joined them at these receptions. Please visit www.brooksschoolphotos.com for a full photo gallery of the receptions in Asia, as well as updated photo galleries of other Brooks events as they occur.

An Impactful Independent

Chapin Dobbins ’23 used a year-long independent study to mount their debut as a director and bring the community together on the Brooks stage.

Under the tutelage of Director of Theater Meghan Hill, Chapin Dobbins ’23 spent their sixth-form year co-directing and co-producing the school’s spring production, “Peter and the Starcatcher.” The show enjoyed a threenight run in May. As always, the entire community enjoyed watching the show, but this spring, Dobbins and Hill managed to also cast a variety of students who had little experience in the theater and make them shine in ways that highlighted the value of exploring new interests.

Dobbins says they chose “Peter and the Starcatcher” in August 2022. The play is the origin story of Peter Pan; Dobbins describes it as the story of how Peter Pan became who he is, and how the people around Pan had

to choose to grow up with him or grow up without him. “The script really stuck out to me because it was about growing up, and that’s what I’ve been doing my entire Brooks career,” Dobbins, a faculty child who has lived on campus since they were young, says. “I’ve been growing up and becoming this person, even if it means leaving behind the childhood that I had here. It’s about becoming who you want to be, so I thought it was the perfect play to do.”

Dobbins has invested thoroughly into the Brooks theater program and has starred in several productions. This was their first time working as a director and producer, though, and they learned valuable lessons along the way. One of the most profound, they say, is from working with a largely inexperienced cast. “This was the first show for about 75 percent of the cast,” they say. “I was really grateful that even though some of them were very hesitant at first, they jumped in and gave it their all. I was immensely proud of them. And, some of them discovered a talent they might not have otherwise!” Dobbins also credits the more veteran members of the cast, who they call “a huge guiding force” to the more novice actors. Dobbins believes that this production helped open a door to students who have never done theater before. “They saw in the cast people who are their friends, who are on their sports teams, who are in their dorms, who they had never known could do this. It proves that anyone can be part of the theater.”

Dobbins also overcame the challenge of being new at this. “I felt a lot of the time that I was just flying blind,” they say. “It was a lot of trial and error. I was so worried that I wasn’t going to give my peers the experience that they needed or wanted. But in the end, we came up with this amazing product, and I built relationships with people I might never have spoken with before.”

Dobbins plans to attend Oberlin College this fall, and they hope to engage in theater as an actor there. “Theater is something I love, and it’s something I hope I never stop loving,” they say.

Brooksians Observe

Kippy Liddle Day

Jackie Kelleher ’12 spoke in Chapel at this year’s Kippy Liddle Day, an annual remembrance that honors the outstanding achievements, accomplishments and character of female athletes.

Brooksians gathered in Chapel at a special service in early April dedicated to the memory of Brooks history faculty and crew coach Kippy Liddle. Every year, the school invites an alumna to speak to the gathered students and faculty. This year, the school asked Jackie Kelleher ’12 to serve as speaker. Kelleher earned spots on two All-ISL teams while playing field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse at Brooks. She then turned heads playing field hockey at Boston College, and also participated in the USA Field Hockey women’s national championship and under-21 championship.

Kelleher based her Chapel talk on the theme of perseverance as she shared her story and offered current students advice. She credited her Brooks experience with laying a strong foundation for success: “My work ethic, the determination I learned while at Brooks, in particular while having the opportunity to be a part of women’s sports here, has instilled the qualities that allowed me to become the student-athlete I was at B.C. and allowed me to realize that with a big dream and immense amount of hard work and a good attitude, good things happen,” she said. Without the foundation of her positive experiences at Brooks on sports teams, she said, “I’m not sure I would have had it in me to push through what I experienced mentally and physically while at B.C.”

Kelleher also spoke directly to both the younger and older Brooks students who were in attendance. She asked third- and fourth-formers to “listen, absorb and watch your older teammates, dormmates and classmates. They’ve walked in your shoes and can help you not only navigate this place, but can help you be better than they once were.” She reminded fifth- and sixthformers that they’re “someone that are people are looking up to... Everything you do and say is an example for someone else, and I encourage you to realize that and wake up every day with the intention to put your best self forward in everything that you do.”

<< Part of the cast of “Peter and the Starcatcher,” which Chapin Dobbins ’23 co-directed and co-produced as an independent course this year.

Jackie Kelleher ’12 was this year’s Chapel speaker on Kippy Liddle Day.

Tragedy to Triumph

Two survivors of the Boston Marathon bombings spoke to the student body this spring and carried with them a message of courage and hope.

Patrick Downes and Jessica Kensky, who each underwent limb amputations caused by injuries from the bombs detonated by domestic terrorists at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon, visited Brooks this spring to share their story at an all-school speaker event. Downes and Kensky, who were married shortly before the bombing, recalled the tragedy vividly, and moved and inspired students with the story of the journey that followed. Kensky’s service dog, a black Labrador retriever named Rescue, accompanied the couple onto the stage in the Center for the Arts.

Kensky and Downes told the audience about their recovery, which included a three-year stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, as well as the challenges they’ve faced, the ways their plans for the future changed and the moments of joy they’ve found. Downes showed the audience how a prosthetic running foot has allowed the couple to pursue jogging. Kensky answered questions about her partnership with Rescue, and also let students meet and pet the dog.

Yota Fukui ’23 notes that the visit caused him to reflect on how the couple chose to look forward and stay positive following the attack. Meanwhile, classmate Ella Oppenheimer says the talk made her think “about how important it is to be present in the moment and how quickly things can change.” Evan Wirth ’23 echoes his classmates, and also appreciates the ways in which the couple chose to have an impact on others by speaking to the public and by championing disability rights. “They could have just taken the private route and dealt with [their healing],” Wirth says, “but they decided to help other people and do exactly this, speak with people and at schools. I think that’s really nice.”

New Cum

Laude

Society Members

The entire school gathered in Ashburn Chapel in mid-April to honor an impressive group of students: This year’s inductees to the Cum Laude Society, an international honor society modeled after Phi Beta Kappa that recognizes scholastic achievement in secondary schools.

THE INDUCTEES

Eric Bao

Eliza Barker

Cali Bernier

Jerry Chen

Tvisha Devireddy

Katie Dong

Vivienne Foley

Nick Gatto

Brodie Goodman

Mason Guthrie

Lucia Han

Natalie Ho

Melanie Kaplan

Jared MacDonald

Eleanor Mayer

Shalini Navsaria

Virginia Perry

Maria Pierce

Preston Wong

The induction service, to which families of the inductees were also invited, began with a welcome from Associate Head for Academic Affairs and President of the Brooks School Chapter of the Cum Laude Society Susanna Waters. The congregation then enjoyed a performance by the Brooks School Chamber Orchestra before turning its attention to retiring Chair of the Mathematics Department Dave Price, who delivered the Cum Laude address. Head of School John Packard awarded the inductees their Cum Laude Society certificates, and then the entire body joined together to sing the school hymn. Lunch was held in the Keating Room for the inductees, their families and the faculty following the ceremony.

Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, pictured on campus in April along with Kensky’s service dog Rescue, visited and spoke with Brooks students at an all-school event.

Help Expand Students on the Forefront

For years, Students on the Forefront has provided Brooks students with internship opportunities in research laboratories, hospitals and hubs of engineering and technological innovation. The program opens doors for students to gain professional insights and experiences in areas of intellectual curiosity or passion.

Brooks plans to expand the Students on the Forefront program to include other professional fields across arts, business and finance, computer science, and humanities. Humanities includes legal, political, diplomatic, historical, writing and publishing professions. If you or someone you know is willing to host a rising 11th- or 12th-grade student for four to six weeks next summer, please be in touch with the following Brooks faculty:

Arts: Babs Wheelden at bwheelden@brooksschool.org

Business and Finance: Tote Smith at tsmith@brooksschool.org

Computer Science: Craig Gorton at cgorton@brooksschool.org

Humanities: Michele Musto at mmusto@brooksschool.org

Science: Laura Hajdukiewicz at lhajdukiewicz@brooksschool.org

Overall vision or interest in the Students on the Forefront program: Susanna Waters at swaters@brooksschool.org

Tessa Darke ’24 at work during her Students on the Forefront experience this summer at Quebec-Labrador Foundation, a communitybased conservation organization based in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and Montreal, Canada.

An Impressive Arts Cabaret

Student performers joined together for a one-night show that included both theatrical and musical performances.

Crowds packed the Black Box theater in the Center for the Arts on April 21 for a one-night run of the school’s first Arts Cabaret, and the production was a huge success. The hour-long production, which music teacher Emily DiAngelo notes held a different ambiance than other school productions, wove together music, monologues and ensemble performances and included more than 50 students. “It felt so intimate and welcoming and so full of variety,” DiAngelo says, “almost like a collage we were putting on.”

“By collaborating within the performing arts, we’re doing something that is accessible to everyone, offers good variety, and hopefully brings more students into the arts to see what great programs we put on,” DiAngelo concludes.

<< Kat Thompson ’24 performs during the first Brooks Arts Cabaret in April. More than 50 student performers took part in the production.

Brookstock … At Night

This year, the arts department brought a new twist to the annual Brookstock on-campus music festival: It took place at night and included members of multiple bands, ensembles and vocal groups.

The festival was hosted on the Class of 2020 Quad — the lawn bordered by the Center for the Arts, Danforth Squash and Rowing Center, and Wilder Dining Hall — and featured, in addition to the performances, string lights, lawn games and an ice cream sundae bar. The school’s cohort of arts prefects also organized activities, offered temporary peace tattoos and helped attendees decorate tote bags.

The highlight of the performances was likely a 59-student tribute to the rock band Queen that included all the ensembles. Chair of the Arts Department Babs Wheelden called that set “a spectacular sight and sound to behold.”

SIXTH-FORM

Community Service Day

Every year, the sixth form spends one of its final few days together engaged in service projects on campus and on site with local partners. This year, students pitched in to spend a day volunteering with organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence, Massachusetts, Cor Unum, Giving Garden and Greater Lawrence Boating. A group also stayed on campus to assist the Student Activities team with an end-of-year cleanup and preparation for the next academic year. Pictured here is Liz Nicholson ’23, who spent her day working on the farm and landscaping at Appleton Farms, a Trustees-owned property in Ipswich, Massachusetts, that is one of the country’s oldest continuously operating farms.

EXCITING ELECTIVE OFFERINGS

In addition to its required classes, the school offers a series of elective courses in each department every year. These courses, which are typically one semester long, offer students a chance to explore an area of interest or a specific academic area in depth.

In the 2022–2023 school year, Brooks introduced the following elective courses:

Animal Behavior and Zoology

Design Thinking

History of Human Health and Disease

Honors Biotechnology

Honors Neuroscience

Human Impact on the Environment

Introduction to Electromechanical Engineering

As of press time, Brooks planned to introduce the following elective courses in 2023–2024:

African-American Studies (revival)

Creative Coding

Data Science

Finding Meaning in Other Worlds: Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature

Honors Modern World History

Introduction to Computer Science

Introduction to Psychology (revival)

Medicine and Literature

Medieval Literature

Picture This: Graphic Novels, Comics and ‘Zines

2023

The promotional poster for this year’s Brookstock event. This poster was designed by Cheng Zhuang ’25.

“I felt accomplished and proud of myself for doing the work and having fun in the process, which is why it’s important to keep an open mind and fully engage in activities like these.”

— Liz Nicholson ’23, reflecting on her day at Appleton Farms in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

CAMPUS SCENE

Students packed the dance floor at this year’s prom, held in May at The Grand nightclub in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood.

Molly Driscoll ’23

Molly Driscoll ’23 stands out on a lacrosse field, and it’s not just because her red hair makes her easy to discern from teammates. She’s one of the region’s best lacrosse players, and she’s made her name as a two-time All-ISL designee, this year’s NEPSAC Class C Player of the Year honoree, and as a Boston Globe Athlete of the Year. She also earned All-America honors in 2022. Next year, Driscoll will take her game to the highest levels of college lacrosse when she suits up for Boston College. Last year, the Eagles made it all the way to the NCAA championship game —their sixth consecutive appearance in

the national championship game. Boston College won the national championship in 2021 and has established itself as a lacrosse powerhouse.

Driscoll, who grew up in nearby Middleton, Massachusetts, also played field hockey and ice hockey at Brooks. She says she chose Brooks because she wanted to stay close to her home and family, and her choice was sealed when she visited campus. She’s drawn, she says, to the school’s layout on Main Street, and the significance that Brooksians place on traversing Main Street and seeing each other frequently. She grew to

love her group of teammates who played field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse with her. That consistent group, Driscoll says, taught her how to be a better, calmer athlete.

“It was so nice to transition from season to season and always have something to do; to always be playing games,” Driscoll says.

“Traveling with that same group each season was just so special.”

Driscoll reveals that she expected to play ice hockey, not lacrosse, in college, and gives much of the credit to Brooks for preparing her to play lacrosse at a high level.

“Playing against a lot of good teams in the ISL and in the NEPSAC, and having great coaches here at Brooks, has definitely prepared me,” she says. “Brooks helped me so much, and I’m excited to move on to the next level and focus on one sport and try to excel in it.”

Driscoll is also excited for her new academic horizons at Boston College. She was drawn to mathematics courses at Brooks, and she plans to enroll in the business school at Boston College. She calls her Brooks teachers “kind,” and says she felt supported in her learning by the Brooks faculty.

“I’ve always been a student who, if I had questions, would immediately go to teachers for help,” she says.

“Thinking ahead to college, I feel confident using my professors as resources as well.”

After a summer spent working at a local mini-golf course, scooping ice cream and training for preseason lacrosse, Driscoll will head off to the Heights to begin the next chapter of her athletic and academic career. “I’m excited to learn about things I’m passionate about,” she says. “I’m excited to play lacrosse with amazing teammates and have a high level of competition around me.”

A lacrosse phenom prepares to suit up for one of the country’s top collegiate programs.

Jack McDermott ’23

A hockey and golf athlete reflects on the idea of “team first” through his experiences at Brooks.

Jack McDermott ’23 fell in love with Brooks when he attended a revisit day. “I came back to visit and the campus looked awesome,” he says. “I felt like it was the perfect spot.” McDermott was talking about the school’s ability to meet his needs as a hockey player — he entered planning to play hockey — but also about its academic philosophy. “Brooks has rigorous academics,” McDermott says, “but I knew that I wasn’t going to be extremely overworked here. Brooks felt like a perfect balance.”

McDermott relishes his time playing on the boys 1st hockey team, and he speaks immediately of the friendships he made through the program. “We have the strongest group of guys possible,” he says. “That was our goal this year, to try to make and maintain those friendships, and I feel like we accomplished that. I can already tell that the guys I met playing hockey here at Brooks are going to be my friends for life.”

He learned, he says, how to work with other people; how to build relationships. “I figured out how people go about solving problems,” he says. “It’s about doing your job and recognizing that everyone has a specific role.”

McDermott also played golf at Brooks. This year, he was named to the All-ISL team and was named the team’s most valuable player. Golf is different from hockey,

McDermott says, because “the only time you’ll see your friends when you’re playing is when you’re walking past them on a hole.”

The base of that teamwork, though, feels familiar. “You have to trust that your teammate is going to do their thing,” he says. “Golf was a really good experience. We got to play some really cool courses, and it was a lot of fun.” McDermott looks forward to attending The Ohio

State University in the fall, where he hopes to walk on to the school’s golf team. The level of competition in the ISL prepared McDermott for this challenge, he says, and he’s confident.

McDermott also shone in the classroom at Brooks. He speaks fondly of his AP Statistics class and its real-world applications, and his budding love for neuroscience, and marvels at the path his life took at Brooks. “When I was a freshman in high school, I wanted to go somewhere I could play hockey,” he says. “That was my goal. In my head, I was going to play in high school and then play junior hockey and go that route. Brooks really helped me find my way, and Brooks showed me what I want in life. There’s more to it than sports. I have other interests that intrigue me, and it’s not just about athletics.”

Sports Highlights

Brooks teams spread out across campus this spring, logging time on the field, on the lake and on the court.

Crew Notches a Solid Season

The boys and girls crew teams had solid seasons this year and look forward to opening the school’s new boathouse in style in 2024.

The crew posted one of its best showings in years at the NEIRA regatta across all its boats. After a series of qualifying heats, five boats medaled in the Grand Finale: the boys first boat in second place; the

girls first boat in second place; the boys second boat in second place; the girls fourth boat in second place; and the boys fourth boat in third place.

Following the end-of-year celebrations and commencement ceremonies on campus, a contingent of Brooks rowers traveled to Tampa, Florida, and Sarasota, Florida, for the youth national

championships. The girls first boat and boys first boat took on the B finals and came in 9th and 12th, respectively. This impressive showing marks the growing momentum of the program, which continues to look toward a bright future with the addition of the new facility next season.

Softball Steps to the Plate

The Brooks softball team announced itself as a force this spring, taking home an undefeated ISL record and the league championship. Brooks ended the season at

The Brooks softball team reigned as the undefeated ISL champions this season.

9–0 in the ISL and 15–3 overall. The team posted lopsided scores in most of their games along the way. The only real thorn in their collective side was St. Paul’s School, to whom Brooks fell for all three of its losses.

“This group of kids, and their personalities and their excitement for softball and being together, really jelled,” says head coach Andrea Heinze. “That had to do with having some really talented softball players. All of them had pretty decent softball experience and were ready to take their own game to the next level.”

Brooks opened its 2023 campaign with a nine-game winning streak, during which Brooks outscored its opponents 91–20. After a midseason stumble to St. Paul’s, Brooks notched three more wins heading into the Big East Tournament. The squad pulled together a 2–2 weekend at the Big East Tournament, falling to St. Paul’s twice but taking down Tabor Academy and Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School over the course of the twoday, split-location tourney.

Heinze also praises captain Maria Pierce ’23. “Maria certainly

led by example,” Heinze says. “Every day she worked incredibly hard on the field, but behind the scenes and on the sideline, she would be the one to go to a player and whisper something in their ear or to say, pick your head up; we need you to do this. She was the energy and the support that the team looked for every day, both in how she conducted herself at practice and in how she played in the game.”

Brooks athletes racked up postseason honors for their on-field performance. Pitchers Sophia Alvarez-Backus ’24 and Jackie Giordano ’25, along with third baseman Molly McDowell ’24, were named to the All-NEPSAC team. Alvarez-Backus, Giordano and Pierce made the All-ISL team, and McDowell, catcher Bella Hacker ’24 and second baseman

Kay LaLiberty ’24 were given AllISL Honorable Mention nods.

To cap off her stellar year, Giordano was named the ISL’s Most Valuable Player. Over the course of her 2023 campaign, Giordano went 8–3 with 124 strikeouts while only posting 11 walks in 70.1 innings pitched. She has 402 high school career strikeouts. She also showed up at the plate for Brooks this year, hitting .364 with three home runs and 21 RBI.

Heinze has high hopes for next year. “In terms of talent, we should have the talent that we had this past year and then some,” she says. “I think the greatest challenge is going to be trying to create a new chemistry that’s as strong as it was this year. The people change, and we’ve got new kids who will join the team. And so we have to start over and not just hold on to what we had.”

A Historic Hole-in-One

On April 22, 2023, at Newport Country Club, Brooks golfer Payne Plum ’23 had, as far as the school’s records reflect, the first hole-in-one in the history of the Brooks golf program, and the first in the ISL in at least 12 years. Plum’s historic feat came with a 6-iron from 215 yards on the fourth hole, which coach Dan Callahan reports is “one of the most historic and iconic par 3s in America.” The squad’s season-ending third-place finish at the Kingman Tournament was the best-ever finish for Brooks: They were a shot behind host St. George’s School, and seven shots behind a Belmont Hill School squad that went undefeated on the season.

Jackie Giordano ’25 was named the ISL’s Most Valuable Player this spring.

Payne Plum ’23

CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2023

Brooks students, faculty, families and community members congregated on campus to recognize the achievements of the class of 2023 in a two-day affair that looked back while also looking forward. Lawn Ceremony, held on Sunday, May 28, awarded prizes to students who distinguished themselves in the arts, athletics, academics and as leaders of the Brooks community. Prize Day, held on Monday, May 29, saw the members of the sixth form receive their Brooks diplomas. Each of the ceremonies, held in a large tent overlooking the school’s central fields and Lake Cochichewick, featured memorable moments and a palpable energy.

Head of School John Packard began Lawn Ceremony by noting the turbulence that washed over the form’s high school careers, and by naming the strength and character that the class showed in response. Mr. Packard said that for many members of the class, “their careers started as third-formers and before we had any idea that a pandemic was on the horizon. They have persevered with impressive resilience, and in ways that leave us eager to do all we can to celebrate their accomplishments through the weekend.”

As an interlude to the awarding of prizes, three student speakers took to the podium during Lawn Ceremony to reflect on their experiences at Brooks. Preston Wong ’23 spoke on the ways in which immersing himself in the arts program at Brooks, and particularly the performing arts, gave him the confidence to express himself and find support in the community. Jeremy Emch ’23 discussed his realization that playing sports at Brooks was important to him because of the friends and teammates he gained, and not because of the opportunity to play any particular sport. Shalini Navsaria ’23 revealed the ways in which her Brooks education helped her bond with and learn about her classmates and loved ones, and about how she has harnessed her education into power and agency.

The class of 2023 spent two sun-dappled days over Memorial Day weekend celebrating commencement.

Sixth-formers Michael Wolfendale (left) and Taewon Moon.

Lawn Ceremony ended with the awarding of general school prizes that reflect special talents, strong leadership and a remarkable presence in the Brooks community. Then, students headed to Boo Hoo Service, a student-led Chapel service that gives the student body one final chance to spend time together. Once the service was over, sixth-formers lined Chapel Walk in a receiving line to bid farewell to the faculty, the younger forms and, finally, each other.

Monday morning dawned with a breakfast for the sixth form at the Head of School’s House. During breakfast, the graduates received their traditional Brooks rosettes and Brooks shield patches. From there, the form and their families headed to Ashburn Chapel for a Prize Day Chapel Service, and then into the tent for the Prize Day ceremony.

Mr. Packard began the graduation ceremony by reflecting on the ways in which the sixth form’s parents and the Brooks faculty had contributed to the graduates’ success. Then, he recognized 25 years of service of three employees: Sheila Konovalchik, Lance Latham and Lisa Saunders. Mr. Packard then honored the departures of Chair of the Mathematics Department Dave Price, Director of Communications and Marketing Dan Callahan and current Director of Athletics and longtime Brooks stalwart Bobbie Crump-Burbank, on whom Mr. Packard also bestowed faculty emerita honors following her 38 years of service to the school.

Mr. Packard then focused on the graduating class. He expressed the abiding care that the form showed for Bro oks, demonstrated by the group’s determination to remain on campus and close to one another during the throes and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. “They have been pivotal to helping the school bridge a once-in-acentury phenomenon by wanting to be with one another, by wanting to be at their school,” he said.

Sixth Form Speaker Laura Aseye Kahu, who also served the school as this year’s senior prefect, took to the podium to urge her classmates to recognize their individual strengths and have confidence in themselves. “This year, the sixth form is filled with palpable collective talent, and sometimes in comparison to others it can be easy to lose sight of how individually awesome we all are,” Kahu said. “However, despite what it may feel like, each of us has some tangible excellence within us.”

Mr. Packard then awarded three special prizes to sixthformers Wong, Marcos Montiel and Kahu, before distributing diplomas with the assistance of President of the Board of Trustees John Barker ’87, P’21, P’23.

[ 1 ] From left to right, graduates Shalini Navsaria, Natalie Ho, Melanie Kaplan, Elena Agosti and Vivienne Foley enjoy a sunny Prize Day morning behind the Head of School’s House.

[2 ] Nomar Tejada ’23 receives a Brooks shield for his blazer on the morning of Prize Day.

[ 3 ] Head of School John Packard addresses the Prize Day assembly.

[ 4 ] The scene on Chapel Walk following Boo Hoo Service, as sixth-formers bid each other goodbye.

[ 5 ] Graduates (facing camera) Luke Dwyer (left) and Kendall Eddy enjoy the Prize Day festivities.

“This class of 2023 began their lives at Brooks with headwinds that they found ways to overcome. In the course of that journey, they stumbled upon a resilience that I suspect some of them might not even be all that conscious of today. They just kept going, kept caring about being here, kept connecting with one another, and kept fostering and contributing to our community by caring so much about their school.”

HEAD

OF SCHOOL JOHN PACKARD, SPEAKING ON PRIZE DAY ABOUT THE CLASS OF 2023

[ 1 ] Mollet Otieno ’23 celebrates as she receives her diploma.

[ 2 ] Payne Plum ’23 after Boo Hoo Service.

[ 3 ] From left to right: Newly minted Brooks alumni Quinn Mullaney, Othar Zaldastani, Yota Fukui and Sam Moore show off their diplomas after the Prize Day ceremony concludes.

[ 4 ] Laura Kahu ’23, who served the school as senior prefect this year, receives the Head of School’s Prize on Prize Day.

[ 5 ] A row of books, which are given as awards and prizes, lines the stage awaiting the beginning of Lawn Ceremony.

[ 6 ] From left to right, graduates Maria Pierce, Ginger Perry, Virginia Lindvall, Olivia Cohen and Maeve Gaffney outside the Head of School’s House on the morning of Prize Day.

[ 8 ] Bagpipers outside Ashburn Chapel at the conclusion of Boo Hoo Service.

[ 9 ] Maddie DiNardo ’23 receives a Brooks rosette on the morning of Prize Day.

[ 10 ] Ari Barua ’23 crosses the Prize Day stage.

[ 11 ] Preston Wong ’23 speaks at Lawn Ceremony on his time immersed in the arts at Brooks.

[ 12 ] Jeremy Emch ’23 delivers a speech at Lawn Ceremony on athletics at Brooks.

[ 13 ] Shalini Navsaria ’23 speaks at Lawn Ceremony about the impact academics at Brooks had on her.

[ 7 ] Kim O’Neill Packard ’87 affixes a traditional Brooks rosette to the lapel of Connor Spear ’23.

“I was proud of what I had written; it had given me agency. I had created something important … through writing it, I felt that I had put my passion into the context of the world around me.”

Prize Winners 2023

The school awarded dozens of prizes over the course of Lawn Ceremony and Prize Day, recognizing

GENERAL PRIZES

The Reverend George F. Vought Prize awarded by the head of school to honor a member of the faculty in their first few years of teaching who has made special contributions to the school and has exhibited notable professional growth: Alexandria Jean Sacco

The Trustees Prize awarded by the faculty to any member of the school community who has served beyond the call of duty: Marcos Francis-Joeseph Montiel ’23

The Faculty Prize given by George C. Haas and awarded annually to a student who has made outstanding contributions to the life of the school: Preston Yuen-Tat Wong ’23

The Head of School’s Prize given in memory of George B. Case Jr.: Laura Aseye Kahu ’23

The Malcolm G. Chace III Prize awarded to a third-, fourth- and fifth-former who, in the judgment of the head of school, has made the most personal progress during the year: Wakeman Gribbell II ’26; Kayla Grace Gutkoski ’25; Gordon Hayes Gibbons ’24

The St. Lawrence University Book Award honors students who have distinguished themselves in their communities by making a significant commitment to fostering inclusivity: Julius Philip Mwaura Mwangi ’24

The Leonard S. Perkins Prize awarded by the faculty to that member of the fifth form who makes an outstanding contribution to the life of the school: Isabella Hacker ’24

The Harvey P. Hood Prize awarded in recognition of special interests such as working with young children, making things with one’s hands and in memory of a lively, gentle view of life: Xiaoyan “Katie” Dong ’23

The Allen Ashburn Prize given by the late James D. Regan and awarded each year by the faculty for any purpose it deems suitable: DeborahMotunrayo Olajumoke

Ifeoluwa Titilayo Olaoye ’23

The William R. Ferris Jr. Prize given by Howell van Gerbig in honor of William R. Ferris ’60, and awarded to a sixth-form student who stands out among their peers on account of the depth and range of their intellectual curiosity, energy and creativity. A nominee for this prize is presented to the faculty by the six faculty members who hold endowed chairs: Tvisha Devireddy ’23

The George B. Blake Prize awarded in recognition of extended voluntary and generous service to others: Siwatchaya Brittany Benjavitvilai ’23

The Thomas Perkins Brooks Jr. Prize given in memory of Ensign Brooks, who was lost in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and awarded annually by the faculty to a member of the sixth form who, during their career at Brooks, has met certain requirements of development, leadership and responsibility: Jeremy Lawrence Emch ’23

The Kilborn Bowl given by Mr. and Mrs. John W. Kilborn for the greatest all-around improvement: John Kerr Sjostrom ’23

The Russell Prize given by the late Richard S. Russell and awarded by the faculty for an outstanding single contribution to the life of the community: Chapin Atwater Dobbins ’23

The Headmaster Emeritus Prize given by the faculty for any reason it considers appropriate: Shalini Harshad Navsaria ’23 and Molet Akinyi Otieno ’23

The Dunnell Prize given by the faculty in honor of Jacob Dunnell and William W. Dunnell III, who jointly gave 57 years of dedicated service to their students and the school, and awarded to a sixth-former who has worked without fanfare to better the school: Taewon Moon ’23

ARTS AWARDS

The George A. Tirone Prize awarded by Mrs. Randolph Muto, in memory of her father, to a middle school student who shows unusual promise in the visual arts: Cheng Zhuang ’25

The Henry M. Buhl Photography Prize awarded to an upper-school student who is dedicated to the practice of photography and skilled not only in technique but in creative artistry: Maeve Christine Gaffney ’23

The Russell Morse Prize awarded to an upper-school student who has made distinguished contributions to the visual arts at Brooks: Virginia Wade Perry ’23

The Parkman Prize in Drama given in memory of Terry Parkman to a student who has worked long and hard backstage with no thought of any reward: Kayla Grace Gutkoski ’25

The Knowlton Drama Prize given in memory of Warren Knowlton ’67 and awarded to a member of the Brooks community who has shown those qualities of loyalty and devotion to drama, and versatility and enthusiasm in work before and behind the scenes, that were typified by Warren Knowlton: Chapin Atwater Dobbins ’23

The Music Prize awarded in recognition of dedicated, long-term study of an instrument or voice that has resulted in the highest level of musical performance in the graduating class: Melanie Ann Kaplan ’23 (vocal)

and Xiaoyan “Katie” Dong ’23 (instrumental)

The Robert Lehman Art Prize for the most accomplished artist in the annual student exhibition: Abbie Grace Duckworth ’23

ATHLETICS AWARDS

The Athletic Prize an annual award to sixth-formers who, in the opinion of coaches, have distinguished themselves in sportsmanship and athletic ability, and whose achievements have demonstrated an outstanding record in the athletic life at Brooks: Jeremy Lawrence Emch ’23 and Molly Rose Driscoll ’23

The Kerri Ann Kattar Prize awarded annually by the faculty to that female member of the graduating class who, by her warmth and generosity of spirit to others, by her outstanding contribution to Brooks athletics, and by her presence alone, has added that precious quality of kindness for which we remember Kerri Ann Kattar: Jacqueline Brooke Semler ’23

The Frank D. Ashburn Athletic Award given by Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Cogswell to honor an outstanding individual or team performance in which intangible, extra qualities have added a special flavor to the school: The 1st football team

ACADEMIC AWARDS

The Publications Prize awarded to a student whose diligence, devotion and skill have contributed significantly to the successful production of a Brooks publication: Zhaohan “Jasmine” Shi ’24

The Wilder Speaking Prize given by John G. and H. Todd Cobey Jr.: Kayla Grace Gutkoski ’25

The Edmund Samuel Carr Prize in Latin: Tvisha Devireddy ’23

students who have excelled in the arts, in academics, in athletics and as members of the Brooks community.

The Edmund Samuel Carr Prize in Beginning Latin: Elizabeth “Eliza” Alice Kuechle ’26

The Spanish Prize: Melanie Ann Kaplan ’23

The Rene Champollion French Prize: Virginia Wade Perry ’23

The Charles C. Cottingham Class of 2008 Chinese Prize awarded annually to a student who has exhibited an enthusiasm and appreciation for the Chinese language and culture: Abbie Grace Duckworth ’23

The A.G. Davis Philip Prize given by the science department to an individual who has demonstrated an interest in and who shows considerable promise in science: BuGyeom “Veronica” Seok ’25

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medal for excellence in mathematics and science: Sonakshi Ghosal Gupta ’24

The John J. Cabral Prize given to the Brooks student who has shown a high degree of interest in physics and for the depth of involvement in the subject: Yufan “Jerry” Chen ’23

The John B. Melvin Computer Science Prize: Mason Kale Guthrie ’23

The Nicholas J. Evangelos Science Prize: Melanie Ann Kaplan ’23

The Mathematics Prize: Jeongwon “Lucia” Han ’23

The Howell van Gerbig Jr. Prize given for the best essay on the development of political institutions for his essay titled “Piece de Resistance of the Free Press: Social, Political, and Economic Protest in French Independent Comics Post-1968 Movement”: Eric Bao ’23

The Richard K. Irons Prize for the best essay on a pressing problem in American history or

international relations for her essay titled “Culture & Success: Native American Gaming in the United States”: Margaux Tildsley Reynolds ’23

The Michael W. McCahill Prize in History awarded to a sixth-form student who has demonstrated a love for the discipline by taking a wide and rigorous program in history, a mastery of analytical thinking and writing, an enthusiasm for the craft of historical research, a delight in the exploration and exchange of ideas, and an empathy for the human condition, and also in recognition of her essay titled “Blood Diamonds Are a Viceroy’s Best Friend: Colonial State Violence and the Unraveling of the British Raj”: Shalini Harshad Navsaria ‘23

The E. Graham Ward English Prize awarded to a student who has demonstrated a love of literature in all of its forms. This student is a talented reader and writer gifted with the ability to respond to literature both analytically and creatively: Deborah-Motunrayo Olajumoke Ifeoluwa Titilayo Olaoye ’23

The Harvard Club of the Merrimack Valley Prize awarded by the Harvard Club of the Merrimack Valley to a fifth-former nominated by the faculty for high academic achievement, leadership and active participation in school affairs: Sonakshi Ghosal Gupta ’24

The Columbia University Club of New England Prize awarded to a fifth-former who has demonstrated an ability to combine academic achievement, personal character, extra-curricular contribution to the school, and accomplishment in and dedication to a field of interest meriting personal recognition: Zhaohan “Jasmine” Shi ’24

The Phillips Brooks Prize donated by the Phillips Brooks Society and awarded by the school minister in memory of The Reverend George Frederick Vought to a sixth-former who, during their time at the school,

characteristics with which Oscar M. Root for many years enriched life at Brooks. These characteristics include excellence in the sciences, devotion to nature study and a sense of humor that provided a

“This year, the sixth form is filled with palpable collective talent, and sometimes in comparison to others it can be easy to lose sight of how individually awesome we all are … However, despite what it may feel like, each of us has some tangible excellence within us.”

SIXTH

FORM

SPEAKER LAURA KAHU, SPEAKING ON PRIZE DAY

>> Ginger Perry ’23 (right) received the Rene Champollion French Prize at Lawn Ceremony. Her mother, Sylvia Kimball Perry ’87 (left), received the same prize at her own Brooks graduation.

Destinations

The class of 2023 has an exciting future in store, and its members look forward to matriculating to colleges, universities and service academies across the country and the world. Here is a list of institutions of higher learning the class was set to attend as of June 2023.

Arizona State University

Babson College (2)

Bates College

Boston College (4)

Bowdoin College

Brandeis University

Brown University

Bryant University

Bucknell University

Carnegie Mellon University

Colby College (5)

College of the Holy Cross

Connecticut College

Cornell University (2)

Dartmouth College

Denison University (3)

Dickinson College

Duke University

Elon University

Endicott College

Georgetown University (2)

Hamilton College (2)

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Johns Hopkins University (2)

Lafayette College

Lehigh University

McGill University

Merrimack College

Middlebury College

New York University

Nichols College

Northeastern University (3)

Northwestern University (2)

Oberlin College

Pennsylvania State University (2)

Princeton University

Providence College (2)

Sacred Heart University

Smith College

Southern Methodist University (4)

St. John’s University

St. Lawrence University

The Ohio State University (2)

The George Washington University (2)

Trinity College (3)

Trinity College Dublin

Tufts University

Tulane University (2)

United States Military Academy

University of California, Davis

University of California, Irvine

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Kentucky

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

University of Vermont

University of Virginia (3)

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin (3)

Villanova University (2)

Wake Forest University (2)

Wesleyan University

Williams College

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The Brooks campus was busy this spring, as groups of alumni and community members gathered on campus to celebrate milestone reunions, honor individual Brooksians and look toward the future of the school.

Milestones at BROOKS

SAVE THE DATE

Alumni Weekend 2024

We look forward to celebrating our cluster reunions and Alumni Weekend this year with classes from years ending in 3, 8, 4 and 9. The date for Alumni Weekend will be May 10–11, 2024.

The school hosted a variety of events this spring that brought many members of the Brooks alumni community together on campus. The school celebrated a number of milestone reunions, honored and recognized the passings of both a graduate and a faculty emeritus, and celebrated the newest recipient of the Distinguished Brooksian award. Brooks also held an on-campus summit gathering with members of the community invited to hear about the school’s vision for the period beginning this year and extending through the school’s centennial year in 2026–2027.

Although the reason for each gathering differed, the themes that ran throughout were the same: Alumni returned to campus to connect with the school and with each other, and to celebrate and honor one another and Brooks in the past, present and future.

View our photo galleries of all of this spring’s on-campus events, as well as other parent and alumni events from the 2022-2023 school year, at www.brooksschoolphotos.com.

Rob Walker ’53, H’66, P’94, GP’18 showed off his vintage Brooks pride at his 70th Brooks reunion on campus this spring.

Reunion Gatherings

THE CLASS OF 1953 visited campus on May 6th to celebrate its 70th reunion and the christening of the Carlo Zezza ’53 crew shell. The mid-morning christening was followed by lunch and remarks by Head of School John Packard, campus tours that included exploring many of the new buildings on campus as well as visiting a few dorms and watching games on the fields, and by a formal lobster dinner in the new admissions building.

From Rob Walker H’66, P’94, GP’18: Five stalwart surviving members of 1953, including Bob Hagopian and wife Beth, Carter Harrison and wife Binnie, O.K. Niess and wife Naomi (all the way from Colorado!), myself and Carlo Zezza, met for our 70th and possibly last Brooks reunion. We gathered at 10 a.m. by the lake for the dedication of the new four-oared racing shell marked on the bow “Carlo Zezza;” so named for Carlo’s devoted and inspirational volunteer coaching of Brooks oarsmen over several years. Highlighted by a bagpiper in full regalia, a blessing of the shell by the School Minister Jim Chapman, and a warm personal commentary about Carlo by Carter Harrison, his fellow oarsman and roommate at Brooks and Harvard, we got off to a fitting start wearing distinctive Brooks caps emblazoned with the school shield and “1953, The Last Hurrah.”

The rest of the day included lunch, meeting with Head of School John Packard, guided tours driven in golf carts around the campus

and inspecting the newest facilities; especially impressive were the Science Center and the Center for the Arts. All of the additions since our time have been carefully master-planned in an attractive village-like arrangement and do not intrude on the magnificent campus setting. Our day ended with a delightful dinner in the new admissions waiting room with its dramatic panoramic view towards the lake. We missed classmates unable to join us, but nonetheless it

was most enjoyable for those able to reconnect. We all felt enormously grateful to Director of Institutional Advancement Gage Dobbins and her associates for arranging and overseeing with exceptional care such a memorable time.

Top to bottom: Members of the class of 1953 gathered on campus in May. From left to right: Carter Harrison, Rob Walker H’66, P’94, GP’18, Bob Hagopian, Carlo Zezza and O.K. Neiss. ■ Carlo Zezza ’53 christens the crew shell named in his honor during his class reunion in May. ■ The classes of 1953 and 1963 enjoy lunch in the admissions office waiting room.

THE CLASS OF 1963 also celebrated its 60th reunion on May 6th in concert with the class of 1953’s 70th reunion. The group attended the shell dedication at the boathouse, and then held a Zoom call with classmates who wanted to connect but were unable to attend the reunion in person. For lunch, the hardy group from 1963 joined the class of 1953 on campus in the new admissions building with views of the lake.

From Cliff Irons ’63: Attendance for our mini-reunion this spring celebrating our 60th reunion year was on the smaller side, in that Jonathan Dean, Mark Miller, Dick Moynihan, Jim Notman and myself were on campus. We arranged for a Zoom call with Gerry Thompson in England, and Jim Saltonstall and Hopewell Darneille were able to join in virtually too. The call lasted 45 minutes and Gerry seemed his usual self, regaling us with stories about our years at Brooks. If you take the nine participants in the weekend, 33 percent of our active classmates were part of our 60th! Those of us actually on campus were so impressed with what can be called the completion of the new Main Street of Brooks and all the new construction completed since our 50th reunion.

55TH REUNION 1968

THE CLASS OF 1968 held its two days of reunion programming on the same April weekend during which the school hosted a memorial service for recently deceased faculty emeritus William W. Dunnell III H’68, P’78, P’84, P’85.

The class of 1968 gathered for dinner with the children and grandchildren of Dunnell on Friday. Saturday featured campus tours and lunch in Wilder Dining Hall before crowds gathered in Ashburn Chapel for the memorial service. A reception followed before the class of 1968 came together once more for dinner in the new admission building.

From George B. Johnson ’68, P’02, Towny Lathrop ’68 and Jay Stack ’68: Greetings. We hope this note helps to coalesce all of our recollections of the great two days at Brooks. We opened with a class-organized dinner at the Andover Inn on Friday night. We had 14 class of 1968 attendees, with the Dunnell children and their families and Jeannine McEvoy P’81, P’83, P’89 as our guests. We all enjoyed an evening of catching up and discussing the following day’s activities. A highlight was when the Dunnell children passed around a 1968 yearbook and asked each of us to inscribe our pages. This activity was interesting, with 55 years of perspective to guide our inscriptions. An additional five classmates joined us for Saturday’s activities. We started with a student-guided tour of campus that showed the tremendous

The class of 1968 pictured on campus during its reunion weekend. Front Row: Herb Olson ’68, Dick Osborne ’68, Allen Schirmer ’68, P’04, John McNulty ’68, Larry Buthman ’68, Harding Mason ’68. Back row: David Kratovil ’68, George Johnson ’68, P’02, Canby Robinson ’68, Alex Jay ’68, Jay Stack ’68, Ando Hixon ’68, Thor Hallowell ’68, Geoff Herter ’68, P’00, Art Strawbridge ’68, Bob Hall ’68, P’03, Stuart Arthur ’68, Bill Archibald ’68 and Towny Lathrop ’68 on campus this spring for the Celebration of Life of William Dunnell III. Gene Clapp ’68, P’02 joined the group later that day for a dinner to celebrate their 55th reunion year.

The class of 1963 gathers on campus in May. From left to right: Jim Notman, Cliff Irons, Jonathan Dean, Dick Moynihan and Mark Miller.

additions of the new Center for the Arts, which includes extensive studio and theater facilities, Wilder Dining Hall, athletic facilities, Henry Luce Library, dorms and classrooms. The school has carefully integrated all additions into the campus to maintain its natural beauty overlooking the lake where a new boathouse is in progress.

The memorial service for Mr. Dunnell was held in the expanded Ashburn Chapel with David Kratovil ’68 as one of the speakers. David gave an impressive presentation of his memories of Mr. Dunnell. He was so good we accused him of having a ghostwriter since he never was that articulate during our years at Brooks. The weekend closed with a class dinner on campus. Based on our experience at lunch and dinner it can be factually stated that Brooks has significantly improved its food offerings in equal proportion to its facilities. Attendees, a number of whom were making it back for their first reunion (Brillo and his wife were great additions to Saturday’s events), universally expressed having a great time and all looking forward to our 60th reunion. We also discussed an effort to make a class joint gift to the William Dunnell Faculty Prize, which is a dedicated fund to provide a grant for early-career faculty in the English department who seek to broaden their expertise in teaching and related roles to serve in the school community. This fund was

Honoring William W. Dunnell III

chosen by the Dunnell children and clearly highlights ways Mr. Dunnell served the school beyond teaching and being a dorm master, including athletics and theater productions. Mr. Dunnell filled roles where the school had a need.

The weekend of April 14–16 was a most memorable one for our class. We not only celebrated the life of our honorary classmate, Bill Dunnell, we enjoyed a celebration of our 55th reunion ahead of next year’s Alumni Weekend. We are very grateful to the school, particularly John Packard and Gage Dobbins, for making this possible. Towny Lathrop, Jay Stack and I had weekly calls, starting in January, to formulate ideas on how to reach out to as many classmates as we could. At the end, 20 classmates, or about half the existing class, returned, some after a long absence. From the Friday dinner at the Andover Inn, to Bill’s memorial service in Ashburn Chapel, to seeing his wonderful children — William ’78, Circe ’84 and Jacob ’85 — again and no longer running around diapered in PBA (!), to the tour of the Brooks physical plant, baseball and crew races, and dinner in the new admission building, it was a flawless and thoroughly enjoyable weekend. Catching up with 19 other classmates was very special. Every one of us had our individual life journey for the last 55 years, but you could see the common denominator of the school in all of us. It is a great testament to Brooks.

Members of the Brooks community gathered on April 15 to honor the life of venerated Brooks faculty William W. Dunnell III H’68, P’78, P’84, P’85 in an Ashburn Chapel service. The gathering was the culmination of a year of remembrances and thoughts that Brooksians have offered since Dunnell’s passing last summer. Dunnell’s students, peers and friends bid farewell to a Brooks teacher who remains the archetype of what today’s faculty try to model.

From John R. Glover ’78: On April 15, I was honored and privileged to serve as the representative of Mark Shovan P’99 at WWDIII’s memorial service, reading his very thoughtful reflections of WWDIII. Other speakers at the memorial service were William Dunnell ’78, Head of School John Packard, Leigh Perkins ’81, P’14, P’18, Circe Dunnell ’84 and David Kratovil ’68. I think this quote from Mark sums it up well: “Frank Ashburn, the school’s first headmaster, wrote: ‘The really great schoolmaster is extremely rare... He may be brilliant, exciting, amusing, full of mannerisms—a character without realizing it. Usually, if he is really great, he has a capacity for arousing intellectual curiosity... drawing from them better work than they had known they could produce.’ Ashburn was another giant of a teacher and another man of few words. Ashburn’s greatest compliment was this: ‘He was a good man; he did good things.’ In the most understated of terms, Bill Dunnell was indeed that good man who did good things.”

The children of faculty emeritus William W. Dunnell H’68, P’78, P’84, P’85 on campus following the memorial service to his life in April. Pictured from left to right are William Dunnell ’78, Circe Dunnell ’84 and Jake Dunnell ’85.

THE CLASS OF 1973 held its 50th reunion on April 28th and 29th. The class spent time both in Boston and on campus. Classmate Gary Saunders kindly hosted the group for the weekend at his hotel, The Lenox in Boston. On Friday, the class enjoyed an intimate dinner at the hotel that included wine classmate Howard Rossbach provided from his Washington State vineyard for all to enjoy. On Saturday, the group traveled up to Brooks for activities that included an extensive campus tour, lunch at Head of School John Packard’s house, and an afternoon wandering campus and watching the baseball team play, followed by dinner back in Boston. Classmates traveled from near and far to celebrate this special milestone.

outside the dorms. We played stack tag in the library, our own brand of wiffle ball outside the dorms.

From Bill Werner ’73: Friends, Romans, Countrymen. No, no, no, too Shakespearian, let’s try again.

Once upon a time. No, this is overused, let’s try again.

It was a dark and stormy night. No, this is not a bad writing contest.

I know I can do better, let me get a fresh page started.

Nobody expects the 50th Re-union. (With apologies to Monty Python.)

Back in the spring of 1973, we were looking forward to graduation, summer vacation and maybe going to college. The Treaty of Paris was signed, American troops were being pulled out of Viet Nam; the hated and feared draft was ending. Life was good.

We listened to WBCN radio in Boston or played our records as loud as we could get away with. We called for pizza using the pay phones

Computers were like gods, requiring their own special rooms, and scores of acolytes to feed and maintain them. The school had one teletype and our programs were written to paper tapes. We were allowed to use the teletype after normal business hours as the mainframe we were connected to belonged to some corporation. Instead, we used slide rules to perform feats of mathematical computation. We typed our papers using typewriters and spellcheck was a Webster’s dictionary.

I don’t think any of us, back then, were thinking about our 50th reunion. Fiftieth reunions were for old people! We were young and looking forward to getting on with our lives and changing the world.

Fast forward 50 years. It is April, 2023, and our class is having its own 50th reunion in Boston and at Brooks. Several of us had been talking about this for a couple of years. We knew that after the COVID-19 pandemic, the school had been moving towards a couple of classes celebrating their milestone reunions together. However, we wanted our own reunion; we did not want to share. Several of

Class of 1973! Back row, left to right: Peter Stephaich, Alf Naman, Seymour Knox, Alex Logan. Middle row, left to right: Neal Alexander, Gary Saunders, Ted Quinn, Henry Hagemann, Howard Rossbach. Front row, left to right: Quentin Warren, Charlie Kelsey, Al Sinsheimer, Bill Werner, Cal Vinal.

Peter Stephaich ’73 and Seymour Knox ’73 reminisce at their 50th reunion gathering.

us worked together and with the school to bring this about.

The school has changed over the course of 50 years. New buildings stand where the old ones we remember had been. The student body has changed, the school is all-gender, and the students seem more focused on social issues. The range of classes and activities available to them is impressive. The school itself is more in touch with what is happening outside in the real world.

My classmates — and I include myself here — have aged on the outside, but we still are the same on the inside. We have developed wisdom and gained from our experiences over the years. I know we care about the same things and ideas that bonded us together more than 50 years ago. I know we all mourn and say a prayer when one of our classmates or a favorite teacher passes.

My biggest take-away from our reunion is this: We are still young! We are still looking forward to getting on with our lives! We still want to change the world! We are the class of 1973!

5TH REUNION 2018

Nearly 40 members of the CLASS OF 2018 gathered at Cósmica in Boston in May to celebrate its five-year reunion. Reunion Committee members chose to invite a few current Brooks faculty to join the gathering also. Cósmica is in the Revolution Hotel, where Connie Shaheen Blanks ’06 is the general manager; she was delighted to help fellow Brooksians organize this gathering!

From Brian Flanagan ’18: I certainly had a blast at the five-year mini reunion in Boston this past May. I got to see a bunch of my old friends from Brooks who I haven’t seen in a while and also got to talk and catch up with a bunch of others that I wasn’t as close with at Brooks, which was awesome. I also loved talking to the faculty who joined us (Andy Campbell, Chelsea Clater, Kenya Jones and Willie Waters ’02) and getting to catch up on each other’s lives as well as how things are currently going at Brooks. My friends and I also got to spend another day together around Boston that Saturday, which I loved because we don’t get too many of these times to be together anymore. Overall, it was a great time and I’m looking forward to other events coming up, and certainly the full Alumni Weekend on campus next year!

From left to right: Alex Kluchnik, Madison Dunn and Jordyn Arakelian enjoy their fifth reunion celebration.

Members of the class of 2018 at their fifth reunion.

Distinguished Brooksian award recipient Mike Keating ’58, P’97 speaks after receiving his honor from Brooks on May 5.

“Whatever I accomplished professionally, I think the seeds for those accomplishments were found in this school: The ability to work with other people, the sense of community, the sense of hard work, the sense of pursuit of excellence.”

DISTINGUISHED BROOKSIAN RECIPIENT MICHAEL KEATING ’58, P’97

BROOKS SUMMIT

The school hosted a Summit on May 5. The day-long gathering of invited alumni, parents and friends of the school gave guests an opportunity to come together to hear about the school’s vision for the period now through our centennial year in 2026-2027.

The Summit day was capped with the bestowing of the Distinguished Brooksian award on longtime school trustee and noted attorney Mike Keating ’58, P’97. The ceremony took place in the newly renovated Keating Room adjacent to Wilder Dining Hall. The Keating Room bears Keating’s last name; he and his brother, Jack Keating ’50, P’88, established the space in memory of their brother Tim ’53.

Honoring Jill Booty

THE CLASS OF 1999 organized a heartwarming and thoughtful service to celebrate the life of classmate Jill Booty on April 22. The group exhibited love for Booty, and also, movingly, intentional joy at being together on campus, in a place that means so much to them and to their friend.

The Ashburn Chapel service was attended by classmates, schoolmates and faculty members who knew Booty, and was followed by a reception in the new admission building looking out over the lake.

From Casey Pellerin Westguard ’99: Students and faculty of the classes of 1999 and 2000 celebrated the life of their former friend and classmate, Jillian Booty. It was a beautiful sendoff for Jill organized by Nicole Carosella, Jim O’Connor, Ashley Turner Synder and me. Ashley and Nicole delivered the most amazingly heartfelt eulogies while Jim, Casey, Abbey Kissel and Megan Gupta Christudas did the readings. I read Jill’s Prize Day speech, which Jill delivered during our graduation weekend as our chosen Prize Day speaker for the class of 1999. I also put together a video of all of the memories that I could possibly find of Jill throughout her entire life, several of which were on Great Pond Road, to the music of Ben Harper — one of the frequent soundtracks of our time here as well. Other classmates in attendance with their families were Tayo Ajose, Kim Carosella ’01, Lindsay Strozza Concemi ’00, Paul Connors ’00, Julie Petralia Derderian P’25, Alex Janelli, Kihak Nam ’99, P’26, Ginger Pearson, Jessica Ostrowski Person ’00, Anne Shepherd Prussing ’00, Rachel Reinhard ’00, Jenelle Ries, Katie Childs Sayles ’00, Sacha Samtini, Fern Senior ’00, Pierson Silver, Libby Sinkinson, Hobey Stuart, Willie Waters ’02 and more. Several faculty even made it back, including Mr. Walzcak P’10 and Mr. Humphreville, who played “Lean on Me” and “Stand by Me.” It all brought us right back to the familiar feelings of Chapel services in the past. Mr. Packard, Mrs. Perotti Heinze, Mrs. Crump-Burbank, Gage Dobbins, Bini Egertson, Lauri Coulter and several other Brooks faculty were also in attendance. The service was followed by a

Summit attendees tour the Brooks campus this spring.

Jillian Booty ’99 was her form’s Prize Day speaker at Brooks.

reception in the new admissions building. After we all made a pit stop at the school store for souvenirs for ourselves and our families, we headed back to Boston for a final celebration: a birthday party for Jill that night at Harvard Gardens. The love in the room of every gathering that weekend was palpable. It’s so special and hard to put into words that no matter how much time has passed, there is always the most special bond between our friendships made at Brooks that is evident each time we get together.

Top: Brooksians gathered on campus to honor the life of their friend Jill Booty ’99, and intentionally infused the day with the spirit of happiness that Booty brought to her life and time at Brooks.

Bottom: Casey Pellerin Westguard ’99 (at podium) addresses congregants at the memorial service dedicated to the life of Jill Booty ’99 in Ashburn Chapel in April.

Russell House at Brooks School. This treasured and iconic Brooks structure, which predates the school’s charter and was part of the original estate of Richard Russell, has served Brooks ably over its tenure. After thoughtful consideration as to its present and future uses, capabilities and running cost, the school made the decision to tear the building down this summer. Work is being done to determine what may go in its place. The school will continue to update you on this decision-making and construction progress as it continues.

Brooks School

1160 Great Pond Road

North Andover, MA 01845-1298

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School Trustee CHRISTOPHER T. WOOD ’85 addressing participants and guests at the school’s inaugural Donning of the Stoles and Symbols Ceremony in May. The ceremony, which was held in Ashburn Chapel, honored graduating sixth-formers who were members of the school’s affinity groups, and is a cultural celebration that acknowledges the academic achievements and future aspirations of students from BIPOC and underrepresented groups. The ceremony is an outgrowth of the Donning of the Kente ceremony that was originally created to celebrate the achievements of Black students at predominantly white institutions. At the ceremony, students were donned with a stole or pin by the faculty or staff member of their choice who has been meaningful and instrumental to their educational journey at Brooks.

“Trust me — none of us in Hollywood were

any scripts about what you have gone through … And that, plus this school, makes your experience even more important. And, everything you contribute going into the future … it cannot be imitated by someone else.”