The 2024 spring semester was abuzz with arts nights, concerts and musicals, sports, public speaking in all grades, and beauty all around campus.
Upper School Science Faculty Jamison Smith, who teaches an astrophotography course at the Academy, traveled to Island Pond, Vermont, to capture the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. This photo illustrates the middle of the totality. The solar prominences visible in the photo are giant jets of charged hydrogen and helium gas, or plasma, that — unlike solar flares or CMEs (coronal mass ejections) — remain tethered to the Sun. For a sense of scale, the bright, triangular prominence at 7 o’clock is roughly four to five Earths tall and about four to five Earths wide at its base.
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Chris M. Fortunato JD, MSW P ’26, ’28
CHIEF OF STRATEGIC MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Alison Terry PHD
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Rebecca Bishop
COVER ART & DESIGN Stay Calm Industries
LAYOUT & DESIGN
Paul Kahn P ’27, ’30, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
PRINCIPAL EDITORS
Alison Terry PHD
CHIEF OF STRATEGIC MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Craig Salters ’86 P ’24
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Melissa Tuthill Forger ’92 P ’25, ’28, ’29
DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT & ENGAGEMENT
PRINCIPAL WRITER
Craig Salters 86 P ’24, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
John F. Grant, Ryan Thompson
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Irvin Bailey; Tara Corcoran ’88 P ’19; Noreen Dougherty; Renee Forsythe; Wendi Happ P ’30; Gabrielle Hart; Kelly Hines P ’18, ’19; Emmett Knox ’04; John Murphy; Brad Peterson ’11; Rachael Reichenbach; Rachael Rouvales Vassalotti ’79 P ’07, ’11, ’12
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
AJ Choo ’24; Noreen Dougherty; Matt Fortunato ’26; Paul Kahn P ’27, ’30; State Senator John Keenan's Office; Jamison Smith; Alison Terry PHD
ADDITIONAL IMAGES
Adobe Stock
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
BOARD OFFICERS
James Coughlin P ’24, ’26, Chair
Michael Joe P ’17, ’20, Vice chair
Leigh King P ’21, Secretary
Michael McNally P ’22, ’24, ’27, Treasurer
Julaine McInnis, Assistant Treasurer Thayer Academy CFOO
BOARD MEMBERS
Danya Abrams Sr. P ’20
Tavares Brewington P ’25
Donavan Brown ’01
Rachel Card P ’27, ’29
Michael Curry P ’26
Guy Daniello P ’22, ’26
Elaine DeLuca P ’20, ’21
Rob DeMarco ’86 P ’19, ’21, ’26
James Dowden P ’26, ’28, ’30
Joseph L. Farmer P ’23
Jennifer Havlicek P ’18, ’21, ’21
Teresa Hsiao ’03
Greg Lally ’92 P ’22, ’25, ’26, ’28
Jeanine Murphy P ’24
Chris Sullivan ’95
Kenny Carberry ’08 Ex officio as President of the Alumni Board
Chris M. Fortunato JD, MSW P ’26, ’28 Head of School
We have begun the school year with great spirit, energy, and momentum, and a renewed commitment to the core principle that people and relationships matter most at Thayer. To that end, I opened Convocation this fall with a call to our community to embrace the philosophy that ‘you get what you give.’ And in that vein, I invited our students, faculty, and staff to consider more fully giving (and receiving) three critically important if not precious things to one another: attention, trust, and faith The investment in and sharing of each of these serve as a foundation for the most meaningful collaboration, a focus of this magazine edition.
“Life is what you pay attention to,” wrote the award winning health and science journalist, Catherine Price. That simple yet powerful statement is a lens through which we view our work at Thayer and one that I called our students to think deeply about. In a world that is so deeply distracted by endless notifications and at times relentless media, it is more important than ever to step back and consider what values and experiences are most important and to lean into them. To that end, we chose to make Thayer a cell phone free learning space this year to support our students in paying attention to what they identified over the summer that mattered most to them: namely, relationships, community, friendships, and academics. In a very short time since this new policy was enacted, we have already experienced both an amplified and calmer energy at school in which students are more fully engaging with one another in and beyond the classroom.
“Trust is built in very small moments,” as researcher, best selling author, and speaker Brene Brown shares with audiences. Trust is central to all relationships and to student engagement. We know that students’ willingness to be authentic, vulnerable, and to take smart risks is deeply dependent on the belief that their teachers can be trusted to see and know them
for who they are and aspire to be. This also applies to peer relationships in classrooms, on teams, on stage, and beyond. Thus, I encouraged all in our community to consider and engage frequently in the small daily acts that build durable trust, that add more marbles to the trust jar, and that create the conditions for members of our community to engage in the team-based problem solving that they are called to do.
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” These words, attributed to the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., remind me of the profound gift we give and receive when we offer faith in one another and in our school. For 147 years, students and families have placed their faith in Thayer and our ability to guide our students through a journey that hasn’t yet been written but holds such incredible promise. I encouraged our community to continue to offer each other faith in what we can accomplish together and in the bright future that awaits them and our school.
I thank all who have and continue to create a legacy of learning, strength, achievement, and community at Thayer for the attention, the trust, and the faith that have placed our school in its strongest ever position, poised to reach even greater heights of excellence as we approach our 150th anniversary in 2027. Thayer is a proud model for what exceptional collaboration is and must become to position our students to engage with each other and a world filled with both needs and possibilities.
Warm regards,
Chris Fortunato JD, MSW P ’26, ’28 HEAD OF SCHOOL
This past winter Sophy Tuttle became Thayer Academy’s inaugural artist in residence and provided an engaging and interactive approach during her time in that role.
Tuttle is best known for murals which explore both the collaborative and conflicting roles humans play in nature. During her Thayer residency, however, she used a traditional easel with canvas to work on her own paintings alongside Middle School students. She also met with sixth grade students in the marine science class of Middle School Science Department Head Jon Butler P ’25, ’28; there, the students selected endangered animals for their marine science research projects, and Tuttle
worked with them to create complementary arts projects. Additionally, Tuttle met with the Art Activists group, an elective in the Middle School in which students utilize creative expression and different art mediums to promote and support DEIB efforts at Thayer.
At the Upper School, Tuttle worked with performing arts students on a dance piece and visited Spanish classes to discuss her mural training in Oaxaca, Mexico.
An exhibition of Tuttle’s work, “Flora & Fauna: Conversations with Nature,” was featured in Koskores Gallery with both an in-school and public receptions.
Faculty performances prove theater has the ties that bind
By Craig Salters ’86 P ’24
Upper School Theater Director Kelly Hines P ’18, ’19 has been sharing her love of theater with Thayer students since 2005, but her own passion for the stage began much earlier than that.
Age 8 and during a local production of Gypsy, to be exact.
“I saw my mother play the role of Miss Electra and promptly fell in love with theater,” says Hines, who adds that the Golden Age of Broadway musical is still her favorite and the first show she ever saw on Broadway. It was at the St. James Theater with the inimitable Linda Lavin.
So Hines saw the opportunity to bring things full circle recently when Hingham Civic Music Theatre, which has existed since 1948, staged Gypsy this past spring. She auditioned for and landed the role of Miss Electra, allowing the mother-daughter duo to share the theater experience in a new way.
“My mom is my favorite theater buddy,” says Hines, who notes that her mother has seen every show at Thayer for the past 17 years. “We travel all over New England and New York to see shows together, often with my daughters. Theater is a joyful connector for my family.”
But the production of Gypsy connected more than family. Upper School Performing Arts Teacher John Crampton, who has been singing “All I Need Is the Girl” as his audition song for years, landed the role of Tulsa. And his duet partner in that very number was Alexa Hartman ’24, who played Louise. The Middle School’s Elsa HancockHapp ’30 even got into the act — literally — by playing a newsboy in the musical.
Now colleagues, Hines and Crampton first met in 2014 when they both performed in a production of White Christmas at The Company Theatre in Norwell. Cut to December 2023 and Crampton revisited the mythical town of Pine Tree, Vermont, this time in the leading role of Phil Davis for the Massasoit Theatre Company on the Brockton campus of Massasoit Community College.
“It was a true dream role,” says Crampton, adding that he watches Danny Kaye dance with Vera Ellen in the movie version every winter.
And then there’s Upper School Math and History Faculty Justin Maloney, who recently performed 10 shows in the lead role of Monty Navarro for the Company Theatre’s A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
“The British accent, the singing, the slapstick gags — I loved everything about it,” says Maloney.
Maloney hadn’t auditioned for anything since the age of 13, but when he offhandedly mentioned the idea, Hines and Crampton encouraged him and even helped him to prepare.
“(Upper School Math and Computer Science Department Head) Kevin Cedrone P ’22, ’27 was as excited as I was when I got the part, and the students couldn’t have hyped me more,” says Maloney. “It’s wild: we all try so hard to create this incredible environment where the kids can grow and flourish, but I guess sometimes it helps us to grow and flourish, too.”
NEWS & NOTES
The Thayer Academy Film Festival 2024 proved a celebration of the entire Thayer arts community. The May 10 event included visual art exhibitions from Middle School and Upper School students, a musical performance from the 5th grade chorus, and a program of community-made films which offered plenty of food for thought. The TAFF team received more entries, exhibited more films, and hosted more guests than the inaugural festival in the spring of 2023 and looks forward to growing this incredible tradition for years to come.
The 38th annual Declamation Celebration took place March 6 in the CFA’s Hale Theater, and the 16 finalists who took center stage proved once again why the public speaking event is such a beloved Middle School tradition.
While only Declamation Celebration finalists perform before the entire school, all Middle School students take part in Declamation, memorizing a passage of meaning to them and then performing those passages before their peers in English class.
This past spring’s finalists were: Ekaksha Joga ’31; Claire Kelly ’28; Izzy Berdik ’28; Claire Walsh ’31; Amy Ma ’30; Deniz Unal ’28; Henri Barbe ’28; Sloane Laur ’29; Vanessa Horne ’29; Maddie Reinfurt ’30; Liv Talabi-Oates ’29; Thomas Casal ’29; Ollie Berdik ’28; Teagan Brandt ’30; Daniel Dowd ’29; and JJ Lynch ’28
ON CAMPUS HAPPENINGS
Three leaders of the Boston community served as panelists for “A Women’s Leadership Forum: DEI, Power, and Progress,” an installment of the Thayer Global Speaker Series held this past spring in the Middle School Forum. The panelists — Linda Champion, president of the Korean-American Citizens League of New England; Beth Chandler, president and CEO of YW Boston; and Annissa Essaibi George, a former Boston city councilor and mayoral candidate who currently serves as president and CEO of Big Sister Boston — encouraged women to build strong networks, support fellow women already working to make a difference, and make their own health and wellbeing a priority and not an afterthought. Sabrina Zeoli ’24, founder and president of the student-led Women’s Empowerment Club at Thayer, not only put forward the idea of the forum but moderated the evening’s discussion.
A former lecturer at Suffolk University Law School, Champion said that hard-won experience had taught her to keep claiming her space in the worlds she wants to enter.
“I’m going to show up the way I want to show up,” Champion said at the April 4 event. “I just stopped feeling scared to show up in spaces where I knew that I belonged.”
For Essaibi George, a Dorchester native and first-generation American, it’s about charting her own course in spite of, and sometimes even because of, the obstacles ahead. She recalled her immigrant parents — a mother born in Germany of Polish parents in a Displaced Persons’ Camp after World War II and a Tunisian father who was an Arab Muslim — and how she often pushed back against some of their cultural restraints, which she emphasized came from a place of love but also of fear and worry. Around the eighth or ninth grade, she said, she told the family of her interest in politics only for her father to tell her that she’d make a great vice president.
“I remember thinking, ‘Why didn’t he just say president?’” said Essaibi George. Later in the evening, she spelled out her position even more clearly when she rhetorically asked: “Who decides whether or not I get to do something?”
Chandler told the audience “I live in the body that I live with” before explaining that as a Black woman who is also a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, she lives her daily life within those three traditionally marginalized identities. She acknowledged the power of shame to make people feel small, as if they don’t fit in, but urged her listeners to reject that lie.
“I’ve thrived wherever I felt I belonged,” said Chandler, who added that she feels that way at YW Boston, a nonprofit which seeks to eliminate racism and empower women by encouraging systematic change and providing DEI leadership development services.
A Q&A session followed the discussion where Essaibi George urged women to show up for one another.
“For me, it’s really about modeling behaviors,” she said. “It’s about living out loud.”
The Thayer Global Speaker Series brings thought leaders, innovators, and differencemakers to the Thayer campus to engage the community in issues that matter to the world.
By Craig Salters ’86 P ’24
While “new tradition” may be an oxymoron or oxymoron-adjacent, it’s safe to say that TA Talks, a Wednesday morning speaker series begun in the fall of 2023 at the Upper School, isn’t going anywhere soon.
The series is straightforward: On Wednesday mornings, the Upper School gathers in the CFA’s Hale Theater to hear a student, faculty member, or staff member deliver a 10- to 15-minute talk on a topic of personal significance. The speaker’s words are supported by images from their own collection as well as from student photographers, filmmakers, or artists whose work is sought specifically for the occasion. Inaugural year talks included the magic of improv, how life changes after the loss of a loved one, and the importance of role models.
“There’s a beautiful simplicity to it,” explained Upper School English Department Head Kate Hayman. “We sit, we listen, and we learn. No one’s phone is out; no one else is talking — all eyes are on the student or teacher game enough, brave enough, to get up on stage and tell us something meaningful about themselves.”
Hayman is a member of the TA Talks Team along with Digital Media Coordinator Emmett Knox ’04, Upper School English Faculty Misharra Hefler, Upper School Math and History Faculty Justin Maloney, and Upper School Performing Arts Faculty Kelly Hines P ’18, ’19. One goal of TA Talks is to build empathy and relationships among the Thayer community as part of the Academy’s commitment to civil discourse. As connections grow, community members become more willing to talk across lines of difference.
And when Hayman uses the phrase “brave enough,” she’s not kidding. Teddy Cohen ’24 offered one of that first year’s TA Talks. He shared his nearly lifelong struggle with dyslexia, how ashamed he felt at not being able to read at grade level, and the work — and support — it required to turn that weakness into a strength.
“Success should be measured over time rather than at one specific moment,” said Cohen, who as a senior scored 4 out of 5 on his AP English literature exam and now attends Wake Forest University. As part of his time at Thayer, Cohen created a mentorship program to help Middle School students with dyslexia.
And then there’s Josette Chenaur ’24, who told her TA Talks audience that she’s been singing and writing music since she can remember.
Chenaur shared the isolation she sometimes feels while battling an anxiety disorder but also described the liberation she feels through the joy of music.
“I’ve learned to live with my anxiety and grow around it,” she said before adding: “Music is my best friend. What’s yours?” A mainstay on the stage during her time at Thayer, Chenaur finished her talk by performing her original song “One Thousand Shards of Glass.”
And proving that the series is not limited to students, Hefler, who serves as a speech coach for the TA Talks Team, led by example this past spring when she discussed how a life-threatening illness changed her outlook on life.
“The thing about almost losing your life is that you suddenly realize what you will lose: possibility,” said Hefler. “Death is final, but life is full of possibilities.”
Hefler, who successfully overcame her physical illness, made a list of things that terrify her; she now tackles each item one by one. The point, she said, is to actively embrace both uncertainty and possibility.
“Failure is just another word for learning,” she told students, faculty, and staff, “and I wanted to learn how to do just that.”
Hefler then crossed two items off her list on the morning of her TA Talk. First, she read her original poem, “Tango,” in front of a live audience. Next, she performed the Argentine Tango — a dance that requires both improvisation and a dance partner, two former no-nos for Hefler — in front of a live audience. She did so with the help of a friend, Dr. Claudio Cortes, an associate professor in the Department of Foundational Medical Studies at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and, more relevant to that day, an award-winning tango dancer. Both Hefler’s recitation and her improvised tango with Cortes proved a hit with the appreciative Thayer audience.
“At Thayer,” said Hayman, “we have a lot of wonderful outside speakers visit us — speakers like former White House Chief of Staff Andy Card GP ’27 and Harvard’s A.R.T Artistic Director Diane Paulus — but sometimes it’s most lovely to hear from our own — from the students and faculty and staff we see every day."
Scan the QR codes to watch each of the three highlighted TA Talks in their entirety.
Thayer Academy Trustee Michael Curry
The Thayer Academy Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) held its inaugural Tiger Unity Summit this past February. The weeklong summit across both divisions sought to expand student understanding of DEIB as it relates to each academic department and allow faculty and staff to facilitate workshops highlighting their content area’s overlap with DEIB efforts at Thayer.
The week kicked off Feb. 26 at the Upper School with Michael Curry P ‘26, president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and a current member of the Thayer Academy Board of Trustees, who served as the summit’s keynote speaker. One theme throughout Curry’s remarks was that Black history — and, by extension, the histories of other traditionally marginalized groups — is just as central a part of United States history as the stories of Bunker Hill, the Louisiana Purchase, or the Model T. He urged students to take ownership of their own educational journey rather than trust others to think for them. And he advised students to take a deep interest in history and in politics because they both impact one’s daily life.
“You are born with a responsibility to make things better for the children you will someday have,” said Curry, who is an attorney, a frequent commentator on National Public Radio (NPR), and the immediate past president of the Boston branch of the NAACP. “And it doesn’t start when you’re 30. It starts now.”
On Feb. 28 Middle School students explored DEIB-themed lessons throughout the day. They also attended an assembly led by The Bionic Project, a Cambridge-based nonprofit that seeks to “dismantle disability bias, build empathy, and foster connection through education, story, and sport.” Bionic Project team leaders held an adaptive soccer clinic for Upper School students later that day.
At the Upper School, Feb. 28 was a day of workshops led by faculty and staff. There were more than 30 such offerings, including workshops on gerrymandering, feminism & folk music, homelessness, BIPOC voices in the theater, voting rights, Latin American music, and mental health.
The week also featured international food fests for lunch, a cultural fashion show at the Middle School, and a period of reflection and gratitude at the Upper School facilitated by student leaders.
“By exploring diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through the lenses of different academic departments, the summit provided a crucial platform for our community to realize that DEIB intersects with various experiences and perspectives,” said DEIB Director Matt Ghiden. “It allowed us to understand that there are multiple entry points for engagement, ensuring that every member of our community had a way to participate. This event was not just about learning; it was about understanding, connecting, and supporting each other in our journey towards a more inclusive Thayer."
Penn Fellows celebrate a successful Year One as they dive into Year Two
By Craig Salters ’86 P ’24
Upper School Science Faculty Iliana Correa and Upper School English Faculty Abigail Offei-Addo recently completed their first year of teaching at Thayer and are eager to see what this fall will bring.
The two are Thayer’s inaugural Penn Teaching Fellows. In the fall of 2022 the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) selected Thayer as one of roughly a dozen day schools from across the nation to join its Independent School Teaching Residency (ISTR) program. The Penn Fellows ISTR program allows aspiring, early-career teachers like Correa and Offei-Addo to receive their master’s degree in education while completing a two-year fellowship at a competitive school.
The first year of the fellowship saw Correa teach two sections of Integrated Science I while Offei-Addo taught one section of English I and one section of English II. Both teachers, who have increased their teaching loads to three courses this fall, praised the mentorship component of the fellowship program and deemed it integral to their success.
“The experience [at Thayer] has been amazing,” said Correa, whose mentor is Upper School Science Faculty Sarah DuBeau-Farley. “Having a dedicated mentor and the support of the department has made the transition so much smoother.”
Offei-Addo thanked Thayer faculty and staff for their support — “From Day One, we were teachers,” she said — and added that she has learned so much from her mentor, Upper School English Faculty Adam Kuhlmann. The two sit in on one another’s classes and learn from each other in a collegial relationship.
“The strength of this program is that you have a dedicated mentor to guide you,” Offei-Addo said.
Both Correa and Offei-Addo also thanked Assistant Head of School for Academics Peter Brooks for overseeing the Penn Fellows program here at Thayer.
“It’s been great,” said Correa. “He listens and advocates for us, and I’m completely comfortable talking with Peter. He’s such a support.”
Brooks is quite pleased with how the fellowship program so quickly became a part of Thayer.
“The inaugural year of Thayer’s Penn Fellows program has been a great success,” Brooks said. “Iliana and Abigail have fully immersed themselves in the Thayer community, bringing their passion for teaching and learning to all of the programs in which they’re involved. It’s so wonderful to witness the dual directional benefits of the Penn Fellows program; Iliana and Abigail are engaged in UPenn’s incredibly comprehensive master’s in education curriculum, and they’re bringing that learning to bear on their work here at Thayer.”
Recently, said Brooks, Correa offered a presentation on her UPenn inquiry project to a group of Thayer faculty during its teacherled workshop program. “Those who attended learned a ton about identifying problems of practice and how inquiry questions can foster a deeply reflective teaching practice,” he said.
A proud Philadelphia native, Correa earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with a minor in Sociology from Arcadia University just outside the city. Offei-Addo grew up in Billerica on Boston’s North Shore; she majored in English at Amherst College with an interest in the digital humanities. After graduation, she received a Fulbright Scholarship and taught for one year in South Korea.
The 2024-25 school year has also brought two new Penn Teaching Fellows who have begun their two-year fellowship at the Middle School. A graduate of Middlebury College, Emily Power teaches science while Shannon Ryu, a graduate of Brown University, teaches English, among their other duties, which include advising, coaching, and working with drama students.
After a combined 131 years of service to Thayer Academy, Larry Carlson P ’02, ’05, ’10; Matt Dunne P ’27; Deb Higgins; Jim MacVarish P ’11; and Deb Siegel P ’22 retired at the end of the school year. These valued members of our community spent countless hours supporting students in the classrooms, on the athletic fields, and on the stage. Their passion inspired generations of students to explore their interests and prepared them for their lives beyond Thayer.
Moments of full engagement are key, says Brooks
Thayer's inaugural Assistant Head of School for Academics Peter Brooks was drawn to his new position at Thayer because of the school's commitment to helping students explore wide-ranging interests. While attending independent school himself, Brooks was afforded the opportunity to explore his passions for writing, the arts, and athletics, and he sees it as his mission as an educator to ensure that all students have the same opportunity.
“Thayer is at an exciting time in its history,” says Brooks, who joined the Academy in the summer of 2023. “Thayer has a studentcentered approach and a commitment to educating the whole person. That’s what drew me to this job.”
Brooks — who lives in Milton with his wife Erin and their two children, Nate and Emilie — earned his degree from Middlebury College before obtaining a master’s degree in independent school leadership from the Klingenstein Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College. At Middlebury, he played linebacker for the Panthers and initially thought he’d major in English literature or possibly creative writing until he took a sculpture course during his first year on campus.
“The teacher taught me how to weld, and the rest is history,” says Brooks, a trained welder and metal sculptor, smiling.“I’ve always loved working with my hands and being in the studio. When you’re cutting, grinding, and welding steel — everything is so loud and
physical — I just get in that zone.” Brooks’ abstract kinetic sculpture “Allston Directional” graces the intersection of Commonwealth and Brighton avenues in Allston’s Packard’s Corner.
Brooks sees his role at the Academy as making sure that students, faculty, and staff “get to be their best selves” through the process of immersing themselves in the life of school — setting goals, taking risks, finding amazing success, and also navigating moments of challenge and even failure. With this spirit at the center of his approach, he is actively involved in building out Thayer’s culture of teaching and learning and has spearheaded teacher-led workshops in which educators can share their experiences and perspectives with colleagues across disciplines. He says those workshops are a small part of a larger commitment to foster a professional culture where lifelong learning is the norm and not the exception to the rule.
“Providing teachers with the space and time to learn together, to share best practices, and to push each other to explore new avenues that foster student engagement is the engine that drives curricular and instructional innovation,” he says. “This is the work that great schools do.”
Brooks’ professional path to Thayer was long and varied. Prior to Thayer, Brooks spent 12 years at the Lincoln School in Providence, Rhode Island, where he served in a number of roles, including
as director of both the upper school and middle school divisions and as a teacher of visual arts, ethics, and engineering & design. Prior to Lincoln, Brooks spent 11 years at Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, where he served as the dean of faculty as well as a department head, teacher, and coach.
Now in his 24th year as an educator, Brooks began as “an artist who taught on the side” when he accepted that first teaching role as the artist in residence at Beaver Country Day School. Although Brooks enjoyed maintaining his artmaking practice, he soon became happily immersed in the workings of an independent school, increasing his course load over time and coaching wrestling and lacrosse.
Fortunato P ‘26, ‘28 to create “moments of full engagement” for Thayer students. To do that, students need to feel valued for who they are, their strengths and challenges included, in order to take chances and try activities that allow them to stretch beyond their areas of comfort.
“I don’t think society does a good job of telling boys and girls that they can be multifaceted, that being a whole person is okay,” Brooks says. “I have the ability to serve as a model, to share my story that you can live a multifaceted life and don’t have to fit into a single box that someone else determines for you.”
I have the ability to serve as a model, to share my story that you can live a multifaceted life...
“Once I got plugged into all facets of life at Beaver Country Day School — teaching a wide range of visual art classes, coaching, and serving as the dean of faculty — I started to feel professionally fulfilled in a way that I never did before when I was focusing solely on my art,” he says.
Brooks has been both an athlete and an artist his entire life and says he always wants to be able to express those parts of his personality. He has coached town lacrosse and town football in Milton for many years and, while he doesn’t currently coach at Thayer, has set a goal of doing so in the future. As for the creative side, Brooks team-teaches a 9th grade visual arts course with Upper School Visual Arts Faculty Anni Zukauskas ‘94 P ‘28, ‘29. He also teaches a Middle School arts elective entitled “From Drawing to Making” where students begin with traditional drawing before being introduced to computer-aided design (CAD) and finishing the elective with a 3D-printed creation.
Student-centered curriculum design and instruction is crtitical for Brooks. “Learners need to play an active role in the classoom, and teachers need to offer students a wide variety of learning activities and assessments by which the students care share their authentic perspectives and undertstanding,” he says. One of the reasons Brooks came to Thayer is the commitment of Head of School Chris
In addition to modeling life as both an athlete and an artist, Brooks describes a journey to becoming a feminist. A good deal of that journey, he says, occurred during his 12 years as a division director at the only all-girls Quaker independent school in the nation.
“I had operated for much of my life in spaces that were largely centered around the male experience, and having the opportunity to work in an all-girls school afforded me the opportunity to learn more fully about how gender dynamics in schools deeply affect the learning of all students in both positive and negative ways,” Brooks says. He drew on that experience this past spring when he worked with Sabrina Zeoli ‘24 to host a women’s leadership forum as part of the Thayer Global Speaker Series. With Zeoli as moderator, three of Boston’s top women leaders shared their experiences and offered practical strategies for women’s empowerment. The forum underscored Brooks’ interest in building programs that foster real dialogue about how gender dynamics play out in schools.
For Brooks, Thayer’s pledge to educate the whole student has thus far proved as good as advertised, and he’s grateful to be able to help students explore their passions across wide-ranging academic, athletic, and extracurricular areas.
“It’s worthwhile work,” he says.
Sixteen students took part in the Thayer Collaborative’s summer program and enjoyed a healthy mix of learning, camaraderie, and fun on campus.
“The kids were phenomenal in their focus and dedication to continuing their journey as learners and as students and as people,” said Middle School History Department Head Danny Seymour, who serves as program director for the three-week academic enrichment offering.
The Collaborative, which began as a pilot program in the summer of 2023, is available for students entering grades 6-8 who have identities that have been historically marginalized because of factors such as race, gender, or socioeconomic status. Its goals include exposing traditionally underrepresented groups to the independent school world, inspiring a love of learning by leveraging the Academy’s resources, and preventing “the summer slide” in which students fall out of practice and forget some of the skills they learned during the previous year of school.
The priority of the program is academic enrichment; each academic class is taught by a lead teacher as well as a teaching assistant. In the morning, students take English, science, and math classes. After lunch, the focus shifts to, depending upon the week, one of three activities: music & visual arts; robotics & coding; or media production. Students then swim in the campus pool until pickup time. Fridays are reserved for field trips, and this summer’s trips included visits to the Blue Hills, MIT, and the Massachusetts State House.
Collaboration proves key to curricular excellence, community engagement
Relationships matter most in work, school, and life. At Thayer, we embrace this value by creating more opportunities for students to engage in meaningful collaboration and problem-solving — especially with those who may be very different from them.
Collaboration is an essential ingredient to innovation, and Thayer is committed to expanding team-based projects across the Upper and Middle Schools. Students and faculty work together in and out of the classroom, with faculty creating learning communities through partnerships with visiting scholars, peer schools, and organizations like OESIS (Online Education Strategies for Independent Schools), a network of over 600 schools focused on innovation in teaching and curriculum. These partnerships amplify teaching, learning, and growth at Thayer.
At the Middle School, administrators and faculty launched the IDEA (Innovate, Design & Explore Arts) Department, an interdisciplinary initiative that merges academic areas to create new arts electives and co-curricular offerings. This intentional collaboration fosters greater synergy in their work, streamlining the development of new classes while managing complex challenges like scheduling.
Thayer’s diverse and talented network of students, faculty, and external partners continues to grow, preparing students to become the leaders the world needs. 1 4 5 2 3
At the Upper School, a successful eight-week entrepreneurship pilot in spring 2023 quickly became a full-year, for-credit class for the 2023-24 academic year. The bold new program assembles teams of aspiring entrepreneurs to develop ideas, pitches, and prototypes for products and services that may one day enter the market. Learning to navigate different perspectives, compromise, and leverage strengths are all hallmarks of the experience. This multi-level, three-section course, led by MIT Lecturer and Thayer Scholar in Residence Kim Boucher, provides students with invaluable hands-on experience in teamwork, resilience, and overcoming challenges.
The Thayer Global Speaker Series, launched in 2022, brings thought leaders to campus to engage the community on critical global issues. Approaching its 13th installment, the series has provided powerful examples of real-world, collaborative work within the Thayer community. Highlights include partnerships with the Athletics Department and DEIB Office for discussions on antisemitism with Patriots legend Julian Edelman, joint explorations of poetry and astronomy, and a dialogue on the future of artificial intelligence with academics, tech leaders, and a Thayer trustee. Acclaimed
authors, scholars, athletes, journalists, scientists, politicians, and directors have all shared their expertise and insights with students. The speaker series wrapped up its second season with a women's leadership forum in April 2024, focused on empowering women to chart their own paths, and kicked off the 2024-25 school year with actor, director, and activist BD Wong.
Curricular innovation continues through programs like Minor Notes, an extracurricular project where students use historical artifacts to inspire original art, guided by MIT faculty member and Thayer Scholar in Residence Joshua Bennett. In the humanities, the senior English elective Stories We Tell allows students to create nonfiction and fiction audio narratives, utilizing the school’s new multimedia production suite. Together, these projects continued to mesh the learning opportunities across departments in service of a more holistic approach to student engagement.
The James Tufts Pener Environmental Stewardship Conference, now entering its third year, exemplifies collaborative learning. Honoring the late James Pener ‘23, the conference has grown to include more than a dozen schools and features student-led TED-style talks and workshops on sustainability, showcasing students’ commitment to meaningful change.
The Middle School restructured its curriculum this past school year to lean into the interdisciplinary nature of its arts programs, and the initiative yielded tangible results.
The most noticeable change occurred in the fall of 2023 with the introduction of the IDEA (Innovate, Design & Explore Arts) Department. The department includes the following areas: the Collaborative Design Lab; Media Lab; Visual Arts; Drama; Music; and the Middle School Library. While these departments had already been collaborating with one another over the past few years, the merger sought intentional collaboration and increased arts integration. And Middle School Collaborative Design Director Marie Jimenez and Middle School Arts Faculty Destiny Palmer, who serve as co-heads of the new department, say that’s exactly what happened.
“We had ambitious goals for the first year, and we did what we set out to do,” said Jimenez, who added that since department team members are in so many places across the Middle School, it was great to have everyone at the same table, both literally and figuratively.
Palmer agreed. She pointed to Thayer’s first artist in residence, Sophy Tuttle, who wanted to work directly with Middle School students during her residency this past school year. As a result, IDEA team members brainstormed how Tuttle could interact with various parts of the school, not only artistically but in areas such as scientific research and activism.
“Being at the same table as a department allowed us to truly integrate the arts into all these areas,” said Palmer.
Another significant restructuring featured a Middle School schedule with a dedicated arts elective time built into the school day.
“Scheduling doesn’t sound exciting,” said Jimenez, “but in terms of messaging to our students and community, it shows that this [arts elective block] is protected time. Art is not a secondary pursuit; it’s a primary pursuit of the block.”
At the eighth grade level, students had a greater variety of studio arts offerings, among them architecture, graphic design, photography, and sculpture. The courses allowed students to pursue their own interests and develop their own creative identities following the sequential groundwork laid in the earlier grades.
There was restructuring after the last school bell as well. The Afternoon Program provided after-school enrichment opportunities and served as an alternative to athletics. Programs varied by term but included clay and painting, music mentorship, media production, and sports photography.
Art doesn't have to be an 'other' option. It's part of your identity at Thayer.
- IDEA CO-CHAIR DESTINY PALMER
One benefit of the intentional collaboration was the creation of Arts Nights, which took place three times this past school year. The events showcased the work done by Middle School students in their classes, arts electives, and after-school programs. Arts Nights saw large crowds and a community-wide celebration of art in its many forms.
“There was art everywhere, which was a really cool experience to provide,” said Palmer. “It highlights how much creativity is here.”
For Jimenez and Palmer, the curricular restructuring has facilitated teamwork among faculty members and given Middle School students more access points to pursue their creative interests.
“Art doesn’t have to be an ‘other’ option,” said Palmer. “It’s part of your identity at Thayer.”
Entrepreneurship Program continues to see marked growth after initial investment
In a span of just over 18 months, Thayer’s efforts to build student entrepreneurship skills have grown from one small but successful pilot program to a multilevel, for-credit, full-year academic course.
The goal of the program is to allow students to explore the fundamental elements of entrepreneurship. Students conduct research to determine what makes a product “good,” understand what will actually sell in a given marketplace, and in some cases find financial backers to help them build a proposed product. Collaboration is an essential skill taught in the course; students are required to work together as members of a “product team” to bring a product to market.
The entrepreneurship program had its start in the second half of the 2022-23 school year. Eighteen seniors enrolled in the eight-week Thayer Entrepreneurship Pilot Program, receiving no academic credit for their work. The pilot was so successful that Thayer planned to create a full-year, for-credit class open to juniors and seniors for the 2023-24 school year, capped at 16 students.
“We had 59 applicants,” said Upper School Math and Computer Science Department Head Kevin Cedrone P ’22, ’27, di-
rector of the Thayer Entrepreneurship Program. Ever the math teacher, Cedrone pointed out that the number represented nearly one quarter of eligible students that year.
In the end, Thayer created two sections, one of 17 students and one of 16 students, for a total of 33 young entrepreneurs. Digital Media Coordinator Emmett Knox ’04, a longtime faculty member at Thayer, stepped up to the plate to teach the second section. Initially, the idea had been for Cedrone and Knox to co-teach for the first month only, but the partnership clicked so well that they co-taught the sections until the end of the year.
“Emmett is smart and creative, and he’s just been fantastic for the program,” said Cedrone.
In the 2024-25 school year, the program has grown even more. It’s added a second-level course, Entrepreneurship II, for students who'd like to expand on what they learned in Entrepreneurship I. It’s also benefiting from the expertise of Kim Boucher, a professor of entrepreneurship at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. A scholar in residence at Thayer, Boucher supports the program and leverages her 20 years of business experience as she works with students.
From the start, the program enjoyed significant philanthropic support. Jennifer and Paul Ognibene P ’23, ’26 provided the initial foundational donation to launch Thayer’s Entrepreneurship Program and have continued to actively support its growth ever since. They helped to engage the broader community through a matching gift challenge during the program's initial launch in the 2022-23 school year. That effort was followed up last February by (Trustee) Guy and Sue Daniello P ’22, ’26, who issued a Founders Day matching gift challenge. The result: a program that continues
to build a base of support while serving the growing interest of our student body.
“We are tremendously thankful for both the financial support and the helpful encouragement of both the Ognibene and Daniello families,” said Cedrone, adding that it’s support such as theirs that has allowed the program to grow so quickly. “We’re excited to see successful entrepreneurs on board as we seek out the next group of entrepreneurs at Thayer.”
is a tool to be harnessed, say experts
Artificial intelligence is so powerful that, by decade’s end, teachers will become obsolete.
That’s quite a powerful statement, but it comes with an equally powerful disclaimer: Dr. Chris Dede, a senior research fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), first read that bold prediction in a scholarly journal published in 1970 — the same year the Beatles broke up.
“I’ve lived through nine hype cycles,” Dede, an AI expert and a visiting scholar at Thayer for the 2023-24 school year, told audience members last winter during “AI in Education: Preparing Students To Engage Effectively in a World of Advancing AI,” an installment of the Thayer Global Speaker Series. Explaining further, Dede said that AI advances enough every five years or so to create a “hype cycle” where the technology is seen as either saving civilization or destroying it.
“The extremes have never been right,” said Dede, who for 22 years was the HGSE’s Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies. Among other roles, Dede currently serves as co-principal investigator and associate director for research at the National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education (AI-ALOE), an institute funded by the National Science Foundation.
Dede and Dr. Peter Dawoud, currently principal manager in product management at Microsoft, were the two guest speakers for the evening event, which was held in the Forum at the Middle School. Rachel Card P ‘27, ‘29, a member of the Thayer Academy Board of Trustees who currently leads the tech firm CxC Dev, served as the night’s moderator.
Both Dede and Dawoud acknowledged that recent advancements in generative AI — artificial intelligence which can create new content — and its pairing with large language models (LLMs) — ChatGPT, for instance, with its access to the World Wide Web — are significant. However, they both downplayed the thought of a world run by machines and not humans.
“Terminator is so far away,” said Dawoud, referring to the 1984 sci-fi classic in which humans battle Skynet, a futuristic and menacing form of artificial intelligence. “It’s the social media in your pocket that concerns me.”
Dawoud also pointed out that AI, in the form of machine learning, has been the lifeblood of many products for the last 20 years, from biometric scans on a smartphone to search engines to digital voice assistants. He defined AI as “a tool that helps you make a projection or a prediction” but said humans, with their ethics and morality, are still quite in charge.
“Any tool is helpful if used correctly,” said Dawoud, “and any tool can be deadly if used incorrectly.”
Dede cautioned against “The Eliza Effect” — attributing human intelligence and emotions to machines — when it came to generative AI based on these large language models.
Data and Captain Jean-Luc Picard from the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Data, he said, contains practically unlimited information at his disposal, but it’s Picard’s experience, compassion, and wisdom that ultimately makes the partnership work.
The important problems in the world are the ones we don’t know the answers to. - Dr. Chris Dede
“We’re wired to think that if something is producing language, it’s producing intelligence,” said Dede at the Feb. 8 event, adding that AI is producing nothing of the sort.
Card, who spent seven years at Microsoft and worked on many of their highest-priority consumer products, including the ubiquitous video game console system Xbox, raised the issue of unintended consequences. She said it’s important for companies to not only understand new technology but also, as good stewards, to understand how that technology might be used by society.
Dede urged educators to place more emphasis on human judgment and less on what he called “reckoning,” the computational skills which are quickly being replaced by AI. “The important problems in the world are the ones we don’t know the answers to,” he said.
Dede offered positive AI examples where human wisdom was still front and center: an AI assistant scanning thousands upon thousands of medical journals instantaneously for a cancer researcher; a virtual Paris where animated chatbots interact with students learning French; a simulated emergency room where doctors and nurses roleplay decision-making as part of on-the-job training; or AI assistants which can help humans learn new skills.
Dede called this type of collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence “Intelligence Augmentation,” or IA. He compared the concept to the characters of Lt. Commander
In the end, agreed both Dede and Dawoud, AI is neither a blessing nor a bogeyman but a tool, and what matters most is not the challenge presented by AI but how society responds to that challenge. Dede then referenced J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings and the character of Frodo Baggins; in the novel, the wizard Gandalf tells Baggins that he has no say in the challenges that life throws at him, only whether or not he’ll respond to them as a hero.
“It is better to light a single candle than curse the darkness,” said Dede.
Card, who facilitated lively and insightful discussion throughout the 90-minute event, offered her own cause for optimism when she pointed out the people who will be most affected by advances in artificial intelligence were already paying close attention.
“I love the demographics of this audience,” said Card, noting the large number of Middle School and Upper School students in attendance that night. Card lauded Thayer for pushing the envelope in terms of emerging tech and for bringing together the entire community. She looked forward, she said, to hearing how faculty and students will soon leverage AI in the classroom and join the important conversation.
“Every single one in this room has a role to play,” she said.
Artificial Intelligence and its role in the future of education was a focus at Thayer Academy for the 2023-24 academic year.
Research project, English elective offer multimedia approach to storytelling
Southworth Library and Koskores Gallery hosted a joint exhibition of two new Upper School offerings last June which both employed a multimedia approach to storytelling.
The event exhibited the work of Minor Notes, an extracurricular research project undertaken by 11 students and led by Dr. Joshua Bennett, a professor in the MIT Literature Section and Distinguished Chair of the Humanities. Bennett, an acclaimed poet, was also one of Thayer’s visiting scholars. He was assisted in the project by Upper School World Languages Faculty Allynn Lodge and former Upper School World Languages Faculty Kim Gilmore. The students first visited the archives at MIT, the Schlesinger Library at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, and the Boston Athenaeum to engage with artifacts; they then used those historical items as inspiration to create their own artistic works.
The evening also showcased the culmination of Stories We Tell, a new senior elective co-taught by Upper School English Department Head Kate Hayman and Digital Media Coordinator Emmett Knox ‘04. Taking advantage of Thayer’s new multimedia production suite, the course allowed 17 seniors to explore the ins and outs of effective storytelling and producing. The students engaged with poetry, podcasts, music, and microfiction as they considered how best to tell the tales that mattered most.
Addressing students, families, and other audience members in Southworth that night, Bennett described the Minor Notes project as a place where civic education and arts education meet.
“If we cared about these historical objects properly, the same way we care about the art that moves us every single day,” said Bennett in explaining the Minor Notes mission, “then maybe we could create something wonderful as an ensemble.”
And Knox said the goal of Stories We Tell was to create “a culture of radio” on Thayer’s campus. Reached for comment after the June 6 exhibit, Knox called radio “a bridge medium” with roots in the history of American pop culture; he added that it’s also likely to play a big role in the future of communication.
“Before television, radio was the ‘hearth medium’ around which the family gathered at night to seek entertainment,” said Knox. “Today, podcasting is an essential communication tool that offers anyone a platform to share their ideas and make connections. I think a culture of radio at Thayer broadens our community’s media literacy by rooting students in the history of media while giving them the tools to participate in the future of media.”
After presentations concluded in the library, guests traveled to the gallery and the production suite to check out the multimedia, interdisciplinary exhibit. Minor Notes projects included
the work of Renee Martel ‘25, who combined her love of music and poetry by creating a song inspired by Mimi Luz’s poem “Kicking.” In the Media Lab, films by Tess Harper ‘26 and Kiley Gilbert ‘25, two students both involved in the Minor Notes project, were shown in a continuous loop. Harper’s was an abstract film while Gilbert’s film was about women expressing themselves through their diaries. And Archivist-Historian Larry Carlson P ‘02, ‘05, ‘10 selected Thayer-related artifacts that were on display in the production suite’s whisper room. Attendees could interact with the artifacts and then record their responses to them as part of the project.
Stories We Tell projects included the work of Jake Crowley ‘24 and Jack McCarthy 24, who harnessed their radio production skills to create a podcast entitled “The Heist of Sylvanus Thayer.” While such a theft is an annual tradition among seniors near Commencement, Crowley and Macarthy’s cleverly imagined podcast explores the way they would hypothetically heist the bust.
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s internationally known photoblog “Humans of New York,” roughly a dozen students mined for stories within their own community, interviewing faculty, friends, and family members to create “Humans of Thayer Academy.” Coupled with photos, the audio narratives offered interesting perspectives and were a big draw that night.
“Minor Notes, broadly speaking,” said Knox, “is an avenue for students to explore a passion project that lies somewhere outside the bounds of the traditional academic program.”
Both programs are rooted in students mining the world around them... for stories that deserve to be elevated and told from a fresh, contemporary perspective.
- Peter Brooks
Assistant Head of School for Academics Peter Brooks praised both Minor Notes and Stories We Tell for breaking down the silos of education. He also lauded the end-of-year exhibit for displaying that cross-curricular approach so vividly.
“I’m really proud that we have this here,” said Brooks of the showcase. “The Minor Notes and Stories We Tell programs represent Thayer’s commitment to providing our students with authentic and meaningful opportunities to develop their voices as critical and creative thinkers. Both programs are rooted in students mining the world around them — the built, written, and visual environment — for stories that deserve to be elevated and told from a fresh, contemporary perspective.”
Brooks added that seeing students quietly poring over every detail in a 100-year-old black-and-white photograph or carefully considering the words shared in an interview by an aged and much-beloved grandparent gives him hope in this oftentimes hurried and information-saturated world in which we live.
“Slowing down, watching intently, and listening with purpose are skills that we do not teach frequently enough today,” said Brooks. “I’m so proud that through Minor Notes and Stories We Tell, Thayer students have the opportunity to hone these skills and develop an appreciation for a wide range of non-digital communication tools.”
The climate change crisis is all too real, and reports of increasing global temperatures, rising sea levels, more intense wildfires, ocean acidification, droughts, and melting glaciers paint a bleak picture for the future of the planet.
But addressing the second annual James Tufts Pener Environmental Stewardship Conference as its keynote speaker, Dr. Lucy Hutyra provided some good news: trees in urban areas of the Northeast are outperforming their rural counterparts when it comes to removing carbon from the atmosphere.
“Trees in Boston grow four times faster than any textbook would have predicted,” Hutyra, a distinguished professor in the Department of Earth & Environment at Boston University, told conference participants May 3 in the CFA’s Hale Theater. The 2023 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship — more familiarly known as a “genius grant” — for her work investigating the impacts of urbanization on environmental carbon cycle dynamics, Hutyra is currently on sabbatical from BU and serving as a visiting faculty researcher at Google.
Hutyra has spent roughly a decade trying to understand why “fragmented forests” — in other words, trees within a short walking distance of a natural or man-made edge — grow faster and therefore sequester more carbon than trees in a continuous forest. One factor, she said, is less competition with neighboring trees for sunlight and nutrients.
But her larger point was that truly understanding these differences in environmental carbon cycle dynamics is crucial to accurately measuring the effectiveness of carbon emission reduction plans at local, state, national, and global levels. The environmental ecologist has worked on and is currently working on decision-support tools to help stakeholders make the best choice for their respective locations.
For instance, she said, increasing the tree canopy might make sense in Boston but not in Phoenix or Los Angeles, where trees compete with humans for scarce water resources. And planting more trees in Boston might be less effective than adequately funding the care and preservation of existing city trees that also die at a higher rate than their rural counterparts. In the most dense areas of Boston,
Archbishop Williams High School
Belmont Hill School
Braintree High School
Brooks School
Cohasset Center for Student
Coastal Research
Middlesex School
Milton Academy
Noble and Greenough School
St. Mark’s School
Roxbury Latin School
Tabor Academy
Thayer Academy
Weston High School
Pener Conference Workshops:
where flat black roofs predominate, painting those roofs white may be a more cost-effective way to reduce the so-called “urban heat island” effect caused by absorption of the sun’s rays.
“I never thought I’d learn so much about roofing materials,” said Hutyra, drawing a laugh from the audience.
Hutyra by no means offered her research as a panacea for the climate change crisis, but she does see her work as a significant step in the right direction.
“This is actually an incredibly good story,” she said. “These fragmented forests are doing outsize work.”
Thayer Sustainability Club Workshop Led by Rebecca Rudolph ’24 and Sadie Smith ’24 (Thayer Academy)
Advocating for Commuting by Bike/Bus/Train in Place of Driving
Led by Charlie Foley ’25 and Brendan Brosnan ’25 (Thayer Academy)
Eco-Artistry: From Trash to Treasure
Led by Luke Driscoll ’25, Teri Homicile ’24, and Renee Martel ’25 (Thayer Academy)
Policy Work: The Key to Addressing the Climate Crisis
Led by Brooke McHugh ’25 and Emily Bunn ’25 (Thayer Academy)
Biomimicry for Sustainable Systems Design
Led by Jonathan Lan (Weston High School)
Lowering Your Fashion Footprint: Reducing, Reusing & Upcycling
Led by Faculty Dr. Jen Craft and Deb Harrison And Students Jacinta Wangari, Sasha Stern, Altan Marvi, Adam Davidson, Emilie Andrews, and Rhea Shah (Noble & Greenough)
Measuring the Percent Coverage of Dune Grass on an Important Barrier Island Using Ground Truthing, UAVs, and Machine Learning
Led by Noah Mcdowall, Laila Al Rashid, Nick Hoadley, Brandon Chapman, Luc Lefevre, Luke Haddad, and Anna Post (Cohasset Center for Student Coastal Research)
The Effect of Different Fertilizers on Phytoplankton Bloom
Led by Jimmy Zhong (Tabor Academy)
Pener Conference Student Presentations:
Air Pollution’s Effect on Asthma Genes By Saraellen Mathewson (Archbishop Williams High School)
Biomimicry For Sustainable Systems Design By Jonathan Lan (Weston High School)
Blackout Braintree: The Effects of Light Pollution and How to Combat It By Calvin O’Brien and Kelsey Depaolo (Braintree High School)
Tech Innovations: The Future of Healthcare By Jacinta Wangari and Rhea Shah (Noble & Greenough)
The Importance and Impact of Fisheries in the Amazon Rainforest By Steven Silvers ’25 and Theo Dowd ’25 (Thayer Academy)
The Sources, Toxicity, and Longevity of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances By Elsie Vijjeswarapu (Archbishop Williams High School)
Going Green in a Greenwashed World By Eli Lukens ’24 and Julia Fiorello ’24 (Thayer Academy)
Eco-Hope: The Essential Role of Emotions in Environmental Advocacy By Camryn Hartigan (Tabor Academy)
A diehard Jeopardy! fan, Smith makes no bones about her aspirations to be a champion on the long-running game show. She even approaches the challenge with a deliberate methodology familiar to her profession: creating a Jeopardy! knowledge base with which to study from, utilizing metrics (for the record, show fanatics know it as a Coryat score) to chart her progress, developing a system of “passive learning” using podcasts, and even venturing into the world of standard wagering strategy.
“I’m an avid Jeopardy! watcher, and I’ve always loved puzzles,” explains Smith. “I was always a natural problem-solver. It’s like, ‘OK, here are the constraints; now what’s the best solution?’”
Such problem-solving is encoded in Smith’s DNA. It’s why she gravitated toward computer science courses at Thayer, why she majored in computer science at Harvard University, and why she’s now the co-founder and chief technology officer of Stackpad Solutions, a full-service technology consulting
For entrepreneur Lexi Smith ’12, risk and uncertainty are simply puzzles to be solved
by Craig Salters ’86 P
’24
Answer: An intelligent, determined, and bold software engineer who’s not afraid to navigate the high-pressured vagaries of the startup world.
Question: Who is Lexi Smith ’12?
firm which specializes in helping early-stage companies — companies working to create a scalable product or service — to build and grow.
“Early-stage companies are inherently pretty risky,” says Smith, who co-founded the consulting firm with Matt Little. Stackpad Solutions offers strategic thinking for such companies as they make important technology decisions with potentially long-term impacts.
Smith has a background in both finance and tech, but she also has another distinct benefit to offer clients: firsthand experience as the founder of three start-ups: Carewell, an app for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease; Natured, an online farmers market; and Foodstack, which is still in operation, a platform for food and beverage producers to sell wholesale.
Smith got the idea for Foodstack as she dealt with farmers and coffee roasters at Natured, and for Smith, that’s really the point:
every new problem that needs solving adds one more tool to her toolbox.
“It’s about always learning,” she says.
Smith’s first foray into start-ups came at Harvard when she took a course titled Engineering 95R. The class involved students working on their own start-up ideas with like-minded students and a professor. Smith’s idea, Wardrobe a Week, featured a delivery service for everyday clothing. There would be pickups and drop-offs from Smith’s dorm room, and she even began to track customer preferences via an algorithm. One day, she spotted someone on campus wearing the company’s garb. The satisfaction of seeing tangible results from her work immediately struck her.
“That was an ‘aha’ moment,” says Smith, who then became a teaching fellow for that same class. She defines “start-up” as a new business with a component for high growth — think 10 customers to 1,000 customers to millions of customers — and says she feels right at home in a world with a great deal of uncertainty but an equally large sense of ownership.
“Out of necessity, you have to learn a lot,” she says of the experience. “You need to learn on the fly and be able to problem-solve even if you don’t have the background.”
And while working at a larger, more established company has its benefits, she says, it’s not for her.
“The path I took enabled a lot more learning in a much shorter time period,” she says.
At Thayer, Smith served as a class officer, put the shot for the track & field team, and was a proud Mathlete. She was also
a member of Voice and performed in one school musical — ironically enough, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. But it was in “The PC Lab” — the forerunner to today’s “Glounge” — where Smith was a constant presence.
“I definitely loved computer science,” she says. “I had fun. It didn’t feel like work or school.”
I’ve always loved puzzles. I was always a natural problem-solver. It’s like, ‘OK, here are the constraints; now what’s the best solution?’”
Smith took AP Computer Science and Data Structures with Upper School Math and Computer Science Head Kevin Cedrone P ‘22, ‘27 and says she felt incredibly supported in those classes and at Thayer.
“At times, I think computer science can be a tough industry, especially for women,” says Smith, “but coming out
LEXI SMITH
of Thayer, I never had that ‘imposter syndrome.’ My first year, honestly, was review, and that gave me great confidence right from the start.”
Smith says she’s happy with the relative stability of consulting as she seeks more balance in her life. She recently had a son and is expecting another child soon. That said, she still loves the hands-on nature of working with young companies where there are questions that need answers.
“To succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to be able to work with ambiguity, to make decisions and move quickly, and to find the right balance between short-term and long-term goals,” she says. “And all of this in a high-pressure world with a ticking clock. Risk makes some people uneasy, but I enjoy those challenges.”
Smith urges today’s students, especially those who want to excel in computer science, not to wait for someone else to teach them something. Instead, go out and learn it on your own.
“I’m a big proponent of learning by doing,” she says. “There’s nothing stopping you from going online and learning new skills … The best way to learn is just to give it a try.”
Jeffrey
By Craig Salters ’86 P
As a Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) special agent, Jeffrey Kierman ’94 has spent the past 18 years investigating crimes — specifically, homicides — involving the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Marine Corps. It’s a demanding job, but the federal agent knows perfectly well why he still gets up for work in the morning.
“Giving voice to the voiceless,” Kierman responds when asked what drives him. “Investigating murders inherently means that the victim is no longer able to make a demand for the justice they deserve. That responsibility falls to my team, and it’s not something I ever take lightly.”
Working from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Southern California, Kierman is the supervisory forensic consultant in charge of 12 other forensic consultants worldwide. Those forensic consultants, in turn, work with crime scene investigation teams in 144 countries. NCIS agents are civilians working with the military but are not in the military, although Kierman has served in both the Air Force and the Marines.
A Milton native, Kierman visited his alma mater this past April as guest speaker for the Middle School Science Cafe, a series coordinated by Middle School Science Faculty Natalie Young to introduce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematical) topics and careers to interested middle schoolers. Employing a great deal of discretion given his young audience, Kierman offered a first-person account of the daily life of a crime scene investigator. He discussed the special role NCIS plays, the importance of processing and documenting a crime scene, and the need for a proper chain of custody to ensure that evidence remains usable in a court of law. He also explained the term “cold case” to students and underscored that if it involves a murder, a cold case is never closed.
“We never shut them down,” he told students that day, noting the loss suffered not only by a murder victim but by that victim’s family. “We keep working on them forever.”
In his professional role, Kierman uses the word “team” often and with a great deal of respect. It’s also a word that pops up when discussing his Thayer experience, which began for him in the ninth grade. Despite his self-assessment of possessing “a uniquely terrible singing voice,” Kierman was a part of almost every theater production from his sophomore year on. He
calls those productions his favorite memories of Thayer.
“I had such a fun time working as a team to build towards putting on the shows,” says Kierman, who still considers many of those fellow theater alums to be close friends.
“From learning lines to choreography to building sets to trying different ways to improve each other’s performance, it was great to be part of a team of people you cared for working on something so difficult and fun.”
Kierman credits Donna Luther, the Academy’s former director of fine and performing arts, for being a positive influence on the lives of her students.
“It’s not easy to be a teenager and get up on stage in front of a full audience and deliver lines,” says Kierman. “Miss Luther helped a lot of folks find the confidence it takes to do that.”
At Thayer, recalls Kierman, teachers covered their subject matters in a variety of ways and offered him the opportunity to see issues from multiple angles. That flexibility prepared him for a world where there is no one-size-fits all approach to problem-solving.
“This may sound oversimplified,” he says, “but my time at Thayer taught me how to learn.”
One of Kierman’s proudest moments in his NCIS career occurred when he served as the lead investigator in solving the 26-year-old murder of a young Marine in California.
“The team we put together for that case was so focused and driven to bring justice,” he says. “All along the way, I was in close contact with the widow of the victim, and she frequently told me that she had never gotten over the loss of her husband at such a young age. Her simple and heartfelt ‘thank you’ when we finally brought her some sense of justice still chokes me up when I think about it today.”
JEFF KIERMAN
Kierman solves murders for a living, but he doesn’t allow his job to affect his larger outlook on things.
“You have to remember that the people who commit the most violent crimes are aberrations, and they don’t represent human nature as a whole,” he says. “It’s always been important for me to focus on the positive value of what our team does and not get bogged down with the darker elements. In every case I’ve worked, there are parents, siblings, and partners who have been granted some small sense of solace by the work we do.”
Kierman lives near wine country in Temecula, California, with his wife Heather, two giant dogs, three alpacas, three goats, seven chickens, a pig (“a very handsome pig” emphasizes the federal agent), a 140-pound tortoise, and a bunny named Li’l Al Horford.
Bridget Hegarty ’28, the top scholar in her class, delivered the farewell address at the Middle School’s Recognition Day held June 6 in Hale Theater. She spoke of the many types of teams in everyday life, from sports teams to theater productions to grade levels to families, and said it’s through such commitment to a common goal that relationships thrive.
“Always remember your teams and be grateful for them,” said Hegarty.
Middle School English Faculty Brian Cibelli, selected by the class as its guest speaker, urged eighth graders to invest their real selves into what truly matters to them and transform the world for the better.
“It’s 100% true that the more you put into something, the more you get out of it,” said Cibelli.
James Dawley ’28 offered the invocation and led those gathered in the Pledge of Allegiance. Kate O’Donnell ’28 offered welcoming remarks, and Vaibhav Sathish ’28 offered the benediction. In all, 79 students received certificates.
Chosen by the Class of 2024 to be its faculty speaker at Last Chapel, Upper School Math Faculty Billy O’Dwyer ‘02 shared his journey to a rewarding career in education and urged seniors to pay close attention to their own paths.
“Just don’t settle,” the teacher and coach told students June 7 in a packed Alumni Gym. “Don’t go through the motions when it comes to your life choices.”
O’Dwyer received a standing ovation for his efforts, one of many given that day at the Academy’s annual celebration of students, faculty, and staff. Perhaps the event’s longest standing ovation went to Upper School History Faculty Larry Carlson P ‘02, ‘05, ‘10, who retired from teaching this spring after 47 years of service to the Academy. The longest-serving football coach and the longest-serving classroom teacher in Thayer history, Carlson received a surprise gift: the naming of Room 309 in the Upper School in his honor.
TThayer Academy held its 146th Commencement exercises June 8 on the front lawn of Main Campus where sunny skies matched the pride and optimism of the Class of 2024 and their families. In all, 137 seniors received diplomas.
Allison Feaster, vice president of team operations & organizational growth for the Boston Celtics, delivered the day’s Commencement Address.
“Savor this moment,” she advised. “Be in no hurry to get to the next destination.” Feaster reminded graduates that there would be many more banner moments in life and that time would fly faster than they thought.
Commencement offered moments of reflection, gratitude, and celebration.
“Here we’ve learned that when you think you’ve given it all, you still have more to give,” said Ella Barry ’24, the day’s senior speaker. Other graduates taking part in the day included Leonard “Lenny” Tangishaka ’24, who offered the invocation, and Lindsey Bennett ’24, who delivered the benediction.
Head of School Chris Fortunato P ’26, ’28 reminded graduates that it’s a good thing when life doesn’t go according to plan.
“Those moments can be life-changing and eye-opening in the best possible ways,” he said.
Three faculty were recognized during the ceremony. Receiving the Eric M. Swain Award for Teaching Excellence were Middle School English Faculty Brian Cibelli, Upper School History Faculty Krista Ferraro, and Upper School English Faculty Adam Kuhlmann.
The Thayer Student Chorus performed the alma mater; after that, Josette Chenaur ’24 sang an original piece, “Soar,” which she had composed in collaboration with Fortunato, who accompanied her on keyboard.
THE NANCY DINATALE TAYLOR AWARD:
Celia Benson
THE THAYER ACADEMY OUTSTANDING MALE ATHLETE AWARD:
Conrad Langenhagen
THE MAUREEN E. BUCKEN GIRLS ATHLETIC AWARD:
Coco Hauck
THE THOMAS J. BERRY III AWARD: Ella Barry
THE GILBERT A. BOOTH AWARDS: Nadia Cassamajor
Leonard Tangishaka
THE WARD S. DONNER AWARDS:
John McCarthy
Katelyn Sentnor
THE PHOEBE LEE HOSMER WORLD LANGUAGE PRIZES:
Alexa Hartman (French)
Seneca Wallace (Latin)
Jaden Smith (Hispanic language and culture)
John Hoffman (Chinese language/culture)
THE LEIGHTON S. TOWER HISTORY PRIZE:
Theodore Cohen
THE LOUISE E. SAUL AWARDS FOR ENGLISH:
Hannah Sullivan
Grace Coughlin
THE MAURICE R. SEYMOUR PRIZE FOR MATHEMATICS:
Jake Crowley
THE CHARLES R. MANGAT-RAI PRIZE FOR COMPUTER PROGRAMMING:
Haoyu "Jason" Sima
THE HELEN ALDEN BREEN DRAMATICS AWARD:
Julia Fiorello
Alexa Hartman
Catherine Sheehan
THE E. IONE LOCKWOOD MUSIC AWARDS:
Josette Chenaur
Ryan Noreke
THE JOHN M. RODOCANACHI ART PRIZES:
Charles Gavin
THE NATHANIEL AUGUSTINE THAYER SCHOLARSHIP:
Sebastian Keleher
THE JOTHAM B. SEWALL PRIZE: Razzi Masroor
THE WALTER AND PRUDENCE ABELL DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS:
Julia Fiorello
Elijah Lukens
THE HEAD OF SCHOOL AWARDS: Jack Regan
Rebecca Rudolph
American University (2)
Assumption University (1)
Babson College (2)
Bates College (1)
Bentley University (2)
Boston College (3)
Boston University (1)
Brown University (2)
Bucknell University (3)
College of the Holy Cross (4)
Colorado College (1)
Dartmouth College (2)
Denison University (3)
Elon University (1)
Endicott College (1)
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (1)
Fordham University (2)
Franklin & Marshall College (1)
George Washington University (1)
Georgetown University (1)
Grinnell College (1)
Harvard University (1)
High Point University (1)
Lehigh University (2)
Lewis & Clark College (1)
Loyola University (1)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1)
New York University (3)
Nichols College (1)
North Carolina State University (1)
Northeastern University (4)
Nova Southeastern University (1)
Parsons School of Design at The New School (1)
Penn State University (1)
Providence College (6)
Rollins College (1)
Rutgers University (2)
Sacred Heart University (5)
Saint Anselm College (2)
Santa Clara University (2)
Skidmore College (1)
Springfield College (1)
St. John's University (1)
St. Lawrence University (1)
Stonehill College (1)
Syracuse University (5)
Texas Christian University (2)
The College of Wooster (1)
The University of Tennessee (1)
Trinity College (4)
Trinity College Dublin (1)
Tufts University (4)
Tulane University (3)
Union College (3)
Junior Hockey (2) 1 2 2 7 3 6 4 4 1 2 33 8 10 17 2 2 1 2 4 7 (Washington, D.C.) 1 6 2
University of California - Irvine (1)
University of Massachusetts- Amherst (2)
University of Massachusetts - Lowell (2)
University of Miami (4)
University of Michigan (2)
University of Mississippi (2)
University of New Hampshire (2)
University of Richmond (1)
University of Southern California (2)
University of Vermont (2)
University of Virginia (3)
University of Wisconsin (1)
Wake Forest University (3)
Wesleyan University (1)
Wheaton College (1)
Worcester State University (1)
Post Graduate (PG) Year (1)
Student Government (President), Coding Club (President), Women in STEM (Director of Outreach for Thayer chapter), Soccer (Varsity), Track & Field, Rock Climbing (Founder), and James Pener Environmental Stewardship Conference (Presenter & Mentor)
Hometown: Hanson
Attending: Dartmouth College
What makes Thayer so special is the ability you have to immerse yourself in so many different things and really embrace all aspects of yourself. The Academy has prepared me not only academically but also socially for the future. Having the opportunity to engage in public speaking, applying for positions in student organizations, and, most importantly, having a space where it’s encouraged to ask for help will aid all of us in our future endeavors.
”
Sustainability Club (Co-President), OMEGA (Community Outreach Coordinator), Lead Admissions Ambassador, Global Scholar, Photography, Special Olympics Volunteer, Theater
Hometown: Braintree
Attending: American University
Thayer taught me the importance of asking questions. When I first came to Thayer, I was terrified to seek help in classes. Now, I’m not afraid to get extra help if I need it, and I know that in college I’ll have this essential skill.
Hale Learning Center Mentorship Program (Founder), Football (Varsity), Benelli Writing Center Fellow, First Book Club (Founder), Peer Advisor
Hometown: Canton
Attending: Wake Forest University
Thayer has prepared me for success by teaching me the importance of unrelenting dedication. My classes at Thayer showed me that just because a topic is difficult, that doesn’t mean I can't do it. My teachers pushed me to be my best and allowed me to understand that I am capable of exceeding my own expectations.
”
Theater, Jazz Combo, Track & Field, Speech & Debate, QUEST (Vice President), QUEST Student Teacher Program (President), Peer Advisor, Voice Magazine
Hometown: Norwell
Attending: New York University Tisch School of the Arts
Thayer has taught me that creating and honoring connections is the first step in achieving success. By being a good person and treating others with respect, half the battle is won. Because of Thayer’s aim to create a strong community, this has been emphasized over my past four years here.
”
See more senior profiles from the Class of 2024 (as well as past years) at:
These 25 student-athletes are now playing college sports across the country.
BASKETBALL:
Lenny Tangishaka ’24 became Thayer Academy's 37th 1,000 point scorer (31st for Boys Varsity), accomplishing the feat in Thayer's game against Rivers on February 23, 2024. Lenny is playing basketball at Assumption College this fall.
SWIMMING & DIVING: Peyton Knightly ’24 was awarded the Robertson Award in March 2024 at the NEPSAC 'Division II' Championship, which is given to the most outstanding female student-athlete in each division who best exemplifies the values of NEPSAC Swimming & Diving.
So whodunit? It was the cast and crew of Clue in Hale Theater with an absolutely thrilling and uproariously funny set of late February performances.
With a diverse mix of music from Bach to Boygenius, Claude Debussy to Childish Gambino, students in Upper School Ensembles and those in the chamber and Castleman ’57 Orchestral Program shined on stage during the spring's Music III & IV Concerts.
On April 25 in the CFA's Hale Theater, the Upper School held a Short Play Festival featuring short plays and so much more, including songs, monologues, poems, and dance. In total, there were fifteen performances by students, including members of Thayer’s musical theater classes,
The night also included two original works: Blue Light, a short play written and directed by Cat Sheehan ’24 and featuring Sheehan, Lily Heaton ’25, Renee Martel ’25, Catherine Woods ’25, and Julia Yezukevich ’25; and “The Child of Anger Is Not Born Angry,” an original poem by Paige Johnson ’26.
The festival successfully sought a casual and intimate atmosphere with seating on the stage, and offered both performers and audience members a studio workshop vibe.
As they have each spring for decades, Middle School students took center stage for the annual Showstoppers production led by Middle School Theater Director Tara Corcoran ’88 P ’19. Held in the CFA’s Hale Theater, the revue featured 20 performances with many of the songs from Broadway or beloved Disney films.
The Middle School Ensemble consisted of 69 students while the stage crew numbered 12 students, all under the direction of Corcoran.
Middle School World Languages
Faculty Javonna Corbin served as choreographer while Kevin Quill and Alice Fu handled vocal direction and accompaniment, respectively.
The successful night was also a bittersweet one for Corcoran, who first returned to her alma mater as a faculty member in 1994 but made this year her last at the Academy. After the evening’s final song, Corcoran was honored for her 30 years of service and dedication to the drama program.
Tonight’s performance is dedicated to the best teacher I ever had: my mother. Days with her were filled with creating art, exploring creativity, appreciating music, lying in the grass spying for cloud shapes, patting mud pies, and designing wax paper books filled with turning leaves we thought were beautiful. She wove throughout these explorations her most important lessons, which were to be kind, thoughtful, reliable, and hard-working and to do the right thing even when nobody is looking. Although I always enjoyed the activity on its own merit, I never forgot what she was truly trying to teach me. My deepest hope is that I have shared those lessons with my students and that they have found them as rewarding as I have while also discovering a sincere appreciation for all art, for all creativity, and for beauty in the simple things.
“ “
Middle School Arts Night was held in early March and included work from 5th and 6th grade visual arts classes as well as live performances from the 7th grade drama class and the 8th grade music class. The Middle School dance team, ensemble, and members of the Charles Castleman '57 Orchestral Program also performed. On display that evening was a piece ("Solastalgia") created by 6th grade visual arts classes in collaboration with Artist in Residence Sophy Tuttle.
Scan the QR code to view an interactive online gallery of the twelve student artists' work.
Jaden Smith ‘24
Claude Monet
Inspired by “Lady Monet”
Emily Guilfoyle ‘25
Jasper Johns
Inspired by “Numbers in Color”
Abigail Devine ‘25
Claude Monet
Inspired by “Poppy Field”
Katie Holmes ‘24
Edward Hopper
Inspired by “New York Movie Study”
Charles Gavin ‘24
Edvard Munch
Inspired by “The Kiss”
Simone Tempel ‘25
Johannes Vermeer
Inspired by “Girl with a Pearl Earring”
You can learn a lot about Johannes Vermeer’s “The Girl with a Pearl Earring” by reading a book on the famous painting. You could also watch a documentary on the work or perhaps travel to the Mauritshuis museum in the Hague to view it up close.
But another way is to simply paint the masterpiece yourself.
Honors Visual Arts students in the Upper School took the maxim “learn by doing” to heart this past spring when they conducted master studies of renowned artists of their choosing. The goal of the master studies, said Upper School Visual Arts
Department Head Anni Zukauskas ‘94 P ‘28, ‘29, was for student-artists to fully engage in an extensive painting experience through their interpretation of their chosen master artist. By recreating that entire painting experience as closely as possible, the student-artists could inhabit a bygone world but also discover inevitable differences that would contribute to their own understanding of the artistic process.
“We just learned so much about these artists,” said Zukauskas.
Students began their exploration by literally stretching canvas the way the painters of old did it. The exercise not only taught them about the practice, said Zukauskas, but also gave the young artists a better appreciation of today’s pre-stretched canvases.
The students then extensively researched multiple periods of art and genres, making comprehensive notes on each. The research offered greater understanding of a number of artists but also provided a strong dose of confidence to continue with the daunting project. From there, students selected one artist for their master study.
The next step was a deep dive into color theory — an understanding of colors and how they interact with one another — using colored pencil and, later, acrylic paint.
“Color pencils offer the experience of layering colors on top of one another and creating depth and richness,” said Zukauskas. “They’re a wonderful tool for color studies. While they can be a stubborn and unforgiving medium, with practice they have the ability to produce smooth transitions and gradients.”
Kaia Rice ‘24
Richard Prince ’67
Inspired by “Man-Crazy Nurse #3”
Lauren Minichiello ‘25
Vincent van Gogh
Inspired by “Wheat Field with Cypresses”
Emma Hu ‘24
Yayoi Kusama
Inspired by “Sunflowers”
Eliana Soares ‘26
Amy Sherald
Inspired by “The Make Believer”
Lilly O’Connell ‘25
Georgia O’Keeffe
Inspired by “Blue Flowers”
Perry Wilson ‘25
Vincent van Gogh
Inspired by “Gauguin’s Chair”
The students were then tasked with blending acrylic paints — the medium of choice for these venerated master artists — to match the shades of the colored pencil work and, ultimately, the colors of the painting. This gave the students firsthand knowledge of the master artist’s palettes and painting process. As an added benefit, said Zukauskas, the student-artists soon became “paint snobs” able to quickly differentiate a quality brand of paint from its cheap knockoff competitor.
When they were ready, the students began to recreate these masterpieces, but even at this point, there were experiments with different swatches of blended color to achieve just the right effect.
Finally, the student-artists presented their works in the persona of their chosen artist and answered questions from the rest of the class. One student took it a step further and decided to dress up as the character in her painting.
Zukauskas praised her students for accepting the master study challenge so passionately. She said one of the best parts of the project was the wonderful classroom conversations about student discoveries.
“It was a brave and beautiful undertaking of such exemplary and revered works of art,” she said.
Thank you to all of the members of the Thayer community who helped Thayer to reach new fundraising heights in the 2024 fiscal year! We are so grateful for your support.
$ $ $ 4,165,087 TOTAL GIVING IN 2023-24!
2,475,280
1,791,073
$769,517 $836
Thayer’s fundraising runs on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year. At left, see results from the 2024 fiscal year, which closed on June 30, 2024.
(LEFT TO RIGHT, FRONT TO BACK)
1. Michael J. Mottau ’96 P ’24, ’25
2. Ryan Mottau ’24
3. Courtney Wilkinson Mottau ’96 P ’24, ’25
4. Robert F. Hayes, Jr. ’58 P ’88, ’90, ’95 Gp ’21, ’24
5. Clare Hayes ’24
6. Rob Hayes ’88 P ’21, ’24
7. Michael Sheehan ’78 P ’24, ’27
8. Cat Sheehan ’24
9. Teddy Cohen ’24
10. Joshua Cohen ’91 P ’24, ’27
11. Kyle Dargie ’24
12. Andrea Smithson Dargie ’86, P ’24
13. Craig Salters ’86 P ’24
14. Harry Salters ’24
15. Mary Costello ’23
16. Kelly Costello ’24
17. John Costello ’89 P ’23, ’24
NOT PICTURED
Jonathan Keith ’98 P ’24
Dionysios Lefas ’24
Louie Lefas ’96 P ’24, ’26
Matthew McDonough ’91 P ’24, ’27
Matthew McDonough ’24
Brooke Porter ’24
Shauna Porter ’02 P ’24
Vin Sica ’82 P ’24
Vinny Sica ’24
ON THE HALE THEATER STAGE IN THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
The 26th annual General’s Council Reception was held May 30 in the CFA and saw Linda and Jay Hooley P ’06, ’08, ’13, ’16 inducted into the Thayer Academy Tower Society; the society honors supporters who have cumulatively given more than $1 million to the Academy.
The Tower Society now includes: Peter S. Cahall ’67; Christy & Jay Cashman ’71; Cynthia & John Fish P ’10; Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Flatley P ’78; Judith (Bryant) ’56 & Robert T. Hale; Karen & Rob Hale; Linda & Jay Hooley P ’06, ’08, ’13, ’16; The Estate of Rosemary Crotty Lavelle ’45; Randy Repass ’62 & Sally-Christine Rodgers; and five anonymous donors.
The evening featured: a classical music performance by Nuo (Arthur) Chen ’28, who was introduced by Jin Kim, music director and conductor of the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra as well as director of Thayer’s Charles Castleman ’57 Orchestra; presentations by teams of students from the Upper School’s entrepreneurship class; and a reading of the original poem “Lost Boat” by its author, Paige Johnson ’26
The General’s Council Reception is an annual event recognizing leadership donors to Thayer Academy.
BY PAIGE JOHNSON ’28
I am in what used to be a yellow boat, resigned to bobbing waves that lap the flanks.
We rock together this way. Sometimes there’s a leak or two, a peeling of paint, or missing screw.
I know it is parting time from my yellow boat, past nursing and repair,
past wouldn’t be– no, couldn’t be– nevermore, bright, sturdy, stalwart, abandon become routine,
tsunamic kisses tearing it apart, board by board, till all parts but me. That’s just it,
isn’t it? I me and boat boat seem no more than feeling boat is me.
What of me if boat no more–a scatter of timbers at the will of the waves I loved once?
O heartless sea, if this be so, let me go.
Thayer Academy’s 29th annual General’s Open raised more than $117,000 for the Academy’s financial aid programs as 132 golfers enjoyed sunny skies May 13 at Black Rock Country Club in Hingham.
Participation was high as alumni, parents, guardians, grandparents, and friends joined in the day’s events, which also included a cocktail reception. Several members of the Thayer community sponsored the tournament and/or donated raffle items to what has become a Thayer tradition. Head of School Chris Fortunato P ‘26, ‘28 addressed the golfers and thanked them for their engagement.
The success of this year’s event was a testament to the efforts of Golf Event Chair Kevin Caulfield ‘96 and committee members. Funds raised directly benefit Thayer's financial aid program and have a significant impact on the lives of deserving Thayer students.
Head
29th Annual General's Open Tournament Winners
WINNING FOURSOME:
Matt Purtell P ’29, ’31
Aengus McAlister
Ryan Kelly
Brian Barnett
CLOSEST TO THE PIN:
Andrea Burke P ’20, ’21
Alex Bernstein
PUTTING CHAMPION:
Jay DeSilva
LONGEST DRIVE:
Sue Daniello P ’22, ’26
Andrew Orpik ’05
Approximately 30 students, around 30 alums, and Thayer Faculty Member John Crampton Visited New York City to see John Ambrosino '97 on Broadway at his new show (see p. 73).
Thayer Theater Arts Director Kelly Hines P ’18, ’19 led a theater workshop with the group as well.
CLASS
CLASS OF
19 50
Janet Field Kyne '50
Janet is the lead editor for the quarterly magazine Reflections, where six editors review stories from residents about significant events, careers, hobbies, or other noteworthy experiences. Janet also volunteers with The Forum's Spiritual Care Team, where she visits residents in Assisted Living (AL) and Skilled Nursing (SN) at the Health Care Center. In her spare time, Janet enjoys creating wall hangings with various materials like fabric, yarn, ribbons, shells, and colored glass.
CLASS
19 55
Lawrence Parish '55
Larry continues to practice dermatology with his daughter in Philadelphia. Both are faculty members at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Lawrence serves as editor-inchief of SKINmed, clinics in dermatology, and is also the president of the History of Dermatology Society and the International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology.
Anne McCusker Peirce '55
Anne shares the sad news of the passing of Gordon “Sully” Sullivan '55 in January, who dedicated his life to our country. Anne has two grandsons at Thayer, Henry '25 and Robert '28, and she often thinks about how much the campus has changed since her time there. She enjoys reading every new issue of Thayer Magazine to learn about what her classmates are up to now!
On a brighter note, Anne caught up with Bob Hopkins and his wife, Joyce, who recently traveled to Scotland, Wales, and the Cotswolds. Anne also mentions hearing from Brad Gage, now living in Valdosta, GA, with his brother, and from Barbara Lee Litzen, who attended the Thayer Academy Red Sox luncheon and game at JetBlue Stadium, where they spoke with Bob Belin '54, the oldest alum in attendance.
19 56
Gerald DiBona '56
Gerald spends winters in Sweden, teaching Swedish medical students about the kidney. He spends summers in Castine, ME, aboard his 38-foot Swedish sloop, KAPRIFOL, and the rest of the year in Iowa City, IA. Gerald is honored to have had the University of Iowa College of Medicine and the Iowa City Veterans Administration Hospital establish "The Gerald DiBona Award for Academics in Service of Iowa City Veterans Administration Health Care System Patients."
CLASS
19 57
Robert Chatfield '57
Robert recently moved to Linden Ponds in Hingham with his wife, Joan. After four years at Norwich University, two years of military service in Germany, 49 years in the insurance business, and three 18-month missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he's now enjoying an active life at Linden Ponds. Robert has four children spread across the globe, with one in Utah; one in Wareham; one in Tampa, FL; and one in Norwell.
Susan & Mark Michelman '58
Susan & Mark enjoyed fun in the sun at the Fort Myers Red Sox Spring Training event!
Joyce DiBona '59
Joyce extends her heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in this year's Founders Day, which was a tremendous success. She's proud to share that her class was among the top in participation. Joyce encourages everyone to attend the 65th Reunion in September to reconnect and celebrate their shared experiences at Thayer.
Gretchen Smelzer Coffman '60
Gretchen enjoys living in downtown Chicago. She finds joy in spending time with her five grandchildren.
Valerie Swanson Grant '60
Valerie contributed her artistic skills to the design and installation of one of Frothingham Hall’s stained glass windows, under the direction of Louise Pennock. The baseball player image she created was dedicated to Thayer’s athletic life. Valerie was also involved in designing insignias for the Annapolis
Glee Club, which performed at Thayer. After Bard College, she pursued an art career, operating galleries in Scituate; Kennebunkport, ME; Delray Beach, FL; and Yarmouth Port on Cape Cod. She also took over her family's manufacturing company, Progressive Equipment, Inc., after her parents' passing, serving as CEO for 18.5 years. Valerie now lives in St. Petersburg, FL. She continues to create art and has published four books on Amazon, with her work viewable at valgrantstudio.com.
Mitchell Goldman '62
Mitchell retired from clinical practice after more than 50 years in medicine. He plans to continue researching, teaching, and mentoring pre-med and med students. Although he enjoyed his career, he's looking forward to spending more time with his grandchildren.
John MacLennan '62
John recently attended a concert in South Pasadena, CA, where his Thayer classmate Win Aldrich ‘62 played the bass recorder for the Los Angeles Baroque orchestra.
Frank Tenore '62
Frank shares details about the upcoming Class of '62 Reunion 62.5, taking place this fall during Thayer's Homecoming and Reunion events. This is a special reunion, held every 2.5 years.
Paul Yovino '64
Paul is working on his second historical fiction novel, The Man From Swan Lake - The Remarkable and Tragic Story of Clifford ‘Cliffy’ Johnson. The book is based on the life of Coast Guardsman Clifford Johnson, who was severely burned in the 1942 Coconut Grove fire and was saved by pioneering skin graft surgeries at Boston City Hospital. Paul's father was a resident physician at the hospital and treated Johnson.
Margaret Sargent Stone '65
Margaret reports that many classmates and Thayer friends of Jeff Burnett '65 attended his memorial service on April 13 at the First Church Unitarian in Littleton, MA. During the service, the Thayer Alma Mater was played as a prelude. Margaret hosted friends of Thayer at her home afterward to reminisce about their days on campus.
Richard Churchill '66
Richard thanks his classmates for their support during the past year, especially after his wife's pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The outpouring of love and prayers has been heartwarming. Richard reports that his wife's latest scan showed promising results. He extends his gratitude to the Class of '66 for their constant support.
E. Warren Pierce III '66 P '03
Warren shares photos from the Spring Gathering of Eagles dinner in March, featuring him with classmates from the Class of '66 and former members of the Thayer Alumni Board.
Paul Samuelian '66
Paul spends his time driving elderly people to medical appointments for the Milton Council on Aging and plays cards twice a week. He also serves as the treasurer for the Milton Kiwanis Club. Paul mentions the fun he had at the recent Meet the Easter Bunny event, where 100 children attended. He feels fortunate to be healthy enough to keep up with his busy schedule.
Nancy Newcomb Dail '67
Nancy announces that the 2nd edition of her book Kinesiology for Manual Therapies, published by Handspring Publishing, will be released Aug. 21. The book launch will be at the AMTA National Convention in Tampa, FL, in September, where she will also teach two workshops. Nancy is celebrating 50 years as a licensed massage therapist and is the director of the Downeast School of Massage in Waldoboro, ME, now in its 45th year.
Norman Ehrenzeller '68
Norman remarried in 2013 and moved from New Jersey to a small ranch in Oklahoma with his wife. He spends his retirement enjoying life on the ranch, working on his gunsmithing skills, and rocking big hats and boots!
Mark Jennings '68
Mark still lives in the house he and his wife built in 1981 in Rochester, NH. He sends his best wishes to his classmates and fondly remembers his time at Thayer.
Jeffrey Lewis '68
Jeffrey has lived on Nantucket Island for the past 34 years. After Thayer, he attended the University of Vermont and still considers himself a Vermonter at heart. He works as a property manager for residential properties and has completed four years of graduate study in craniosacral therapy, a field in which he now manages an active practice.
Jeffrey credits Thayer's rigorous academics for helping him develop the critical thinking skills that have guided him throughout his life. He sends a warm greeting to his classmates!
Christopher Tingus '68
Christopher is looking forward to the release of his new book, Grandfather Boomer Writes: 'Reservation for One: A Generation Z Gone Wrong!' in the fall. The book offers sage advice to Generation Z and addresses the impact of technology and social media on relationships and human interaction. Christopher highlights the importance of forming meaningful connections and exploring new experiences. He encourages Generation Z to embrace relationships and understand the value of love and companionship. The book also discusses the potential effects of robotics and technology on human relationships and why self-actualization is essential before allowing technology to take over our lives.
Lawrence Carlson '70
Larry recently retired after a career with not-for-profit, faith-based senior living organizations, including 11 years as president and CEO of United Methodist Communities. In 2022, he published Avandell: Reimagining the Dementia Experience, a book about his work in dementia care. Larry holds a degree in business administration from Roanoke College and an MBA from Babson College.
Elizabeth Huller Eisemann '75
Elizabeth is living in Clear Lake Shores, TX, where she shares a charming studio with two other painters. She loves creating art and draws dogs for greeting cards and custom pet portraits under her brand, Gilmore & Friends. Elizabeth enjoys the vibrant setting, stating that the light is beautiful, even if the water is brown.
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Robert Insoft '79
Robert and his wife, Andie '79, have returned to their South Shore roots and now reside in Hull. Andie has combined her therapy practice with teaching yoga and meditation. Robert continues to work as a Newborn Intensive Care specialist and serves as a medical school professor and hospital executive (COO) in Boston. He notes that it's hard to believe they are celebrating their 45th reunion this year.
Catharine Weiss '79
Jay Stern '78
Jay recounts his journey since graduating in 1978, starting at Northeastern University, then serving in the U.S. Army, and later earning a BA from Suffolk University. He dedicated 26 years to federal government service, working in Washington, D.C., and the Boston area, before retiring in 2015. After spending six years in Florida, Jay moved back to the South Shore in 2021. He sends warm regards to his classmates.
Catharine looks forward to celebrating her class’s 45th anniversary. She is excited to reconnect with her classmates and hopes for a great turnout at Thayer’s upcoming events.
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Andrea Smithson Dargie '86 P '24
Andrea proudly announces the graduation of her son Kyle '24 from Thayer in June and his acceptance into Brown University's Class of 2028. See Legacy photo on p. 53.
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Stephanie Leggett Rando '88
Stephanie recently became a Blue and Gold Officer for the United States Naval Academy. In this voluntary role, she assists candidates and their families through the rigorous admissions process.
Ann Stewart Burns '79
Ann has reconnected with classmates in person and on social media. She is in her 34th year as a controller at a small software company but has also found a passion for genealogy. She completed a postgraduate degree in genealogy, heraldry, and paleography from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Ann is the New England commissioner for the Stewart Society, offering genealogical work to members across the globe. After 23 years in Bridgewater, Ann and her husband moved to Lakeville. 19
Jennifer Johnson '84
Jennifer is opening a small animal veterinary practice on Congress Street in Duxbury. The construction is underway, and she's excited to welcome her first clients this summer!
Gregory Searle '85
Gregory and his wife, Stacy-Ann, just celebrated the birth of their second grandson. They live in North Carolina, where Gregory works at Fidelity Investments as a systems analyst, celebrating his 20th year with the company. They enjoy exploring national and state parks with their dog, and both are artists. You can view their work at fractalartdesign.com and inkhatchings.com
Jeremy Roenick '88
Jeremy Roenick has achieved so much in the world of hockey and can now claim the game’s highest honor: membership in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
In June, Roenick was named to the Hall’s seven-member Class of 2024. The Marshfield native joined four others in the player category: Natalie Darwitz, Pavel Datsyuk, Krissy WendellPohl, and Shea Weber. Colin Campbell and David Poile were both selected in the builder category. Induction ceremonies are scheduled for Nov. 11 in Toronto.
“I’m so happy,” said Roenick shortly after hearing the news. “I can’t thank everyone who was behind this honor enough. I’m at a loss for words, and I’m never at a loss for words. Getting over this last hockey hurdle means so much to me.”
A nine-time NHL All-Star, the hard-nosed center more than earned the honor. He joined the Chicago Blackhawks in 1989 at age 19 and never looked back, playing eight seasons there before heading to the Phoenix Coyotes. In all, Roenick played 20 NHL seasons for five different teams, amassing 513 goals and 703 assists in 1,363 games. Roenick finished his career as the second-highest American-born goal scorer in NHL history. Internationally, Roenick was twice a member of the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. He competed at the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, and earned a silver medal at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.
During Roenick’s playing days at Thayer, varsity hockey games were simply not to be missed. He and his incredibly skilled teammates won both ISL and NEPSAC championships in 1986 before repeating the feat the following year. Roenick was inducted into Thayer’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2002; both the 1986 and 1987 varsity hockey teams were inducted in 2012.
Roenick and his wife, Tracy (Vazza) Roenick ‘88, have two children, Brandi and Brett.
Tracey Tuthill Buckeridge '90
Tracey is the head of school at Old Colony Montessori School in Hingham, celebrating its 60th year. Tracey attended the school as a child, then returned to teach, and has been the head of school for the past five years.
Elizabeth Marshall Murphy '93
Elizabeth shares that her daughters, Colleen '28 and Katherine '31, have completed their first year at Thayer as 8th and 5th graders, respectively. She enjoys being back on campus and seeing familiar faces at different events.
David Kates '95
David is the author of three memoirs in poetry: Coupled, Inheriting Weight, and Completing the Circle. He is the head librarian, textbook coordinator, and thesis co-coordinator at Saint Louis Priory School, where he recently wrote a grant to use the campus as an environmental classroom. You can find his work at storiesmadewhole.com.
Christie Rizzo '95
Christie recently celebrated 10 years as a faculty member in applied psychology at Northeastern University.
Jeffrey Kierman '94
Jeff returned to Thayer Academy as a guest speaker at the Middle School Science Cafe, discussing his career as an NCIS special agent. He also spoke to the 5th grade class about forensics. His profile is on pp. 22-23.
Annmarie Rizzotti O'Brien '94
Annmarie became a registered nurse in 2020. She began working as a school nurse at Milton Academy in 2022 and says she's loving the role.
Kaitlyn Morrissey Brosnan '96
Kaitlyn lives in Newburyport with her husband Troy and their 10-year-old son Jaxon. They moved to the North Shore five years ago to start a cannabis beverage company, LEVIA, which they have since sold. Kaitlyn is now a school adjustment counselor at a local high school and coaches track and field. She's also involved in the CrossFit community, leading adult and kids classes at a local gym.
Aaron Michlewitz '96
Congratulations to State Representative Michlewitz for being recognized again this year as one of the most influential Bostonians by Boston Magazine. As chairman of the House Committee on Ways & Means, Aaron oversees the budget-writing process, warning of declining state revenues with his quote, "Winter isn't just coming folks, it's here." He is widely believed to be the next speaker when Ron Mariano retires.
Erin Lyall '97
Erin joined the Thayer community via Zoom for the ninth annual Founders Day, speaking about the changing global landscape. Head of School Chris Fortunato P ‘26, ‘28 and Erin had an honest and emotional conversation where she discussed her role as a reporter witnessing acts of violence and war. Erin also emphasized the importance of annual giving, as she was a recipient of financial aid at Thayer, allowing her to travel to France on a school trip.
Lindsey Gillooly Gordon '98
Lindsey is opening her fourth medical spa in Westwood in June, with existing locations in Easton, Milton, and Hingham. Lindsey offers a 10% discount to Thayer alumni at her spa.
Caitlin is happy to be back in Massachusetts, living with her husband and two stepchildren. She works at a premier interior design firm in Boston, traveling to Texas, D.C., Florida, and more.
Please email your wedding information and a high resolution photo to: magazine@thayer.org
Daniel Rice '99
Dan lives in Dallas with his wife Tanya and their daughters Avery and Stella. He was recently named CEO of NET Power. Congratulations, Dan!
Jerrad Ryan '00 & Will Conroy '00
Jerrad and Will, joined by Jerrad’s son, had a blast at the Red Sox Spring Training event in March at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers. Go Sox!
Colin Smyth '00
Congratulations to Colin on his new position as senior vice president & general manager, Travel, at Flywire!
John Hurley '01
Congratulations to John for his recent promotion to partner at HYM Investment Group, where he has grown his career over the last 12 years.
Ann Kryzanek Karreth '01
Ann is now the chair of the Department of Politics and International Relations at Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA, following her recent tenure achievement. She is eager to start a fall sabbatical where she'll research the politics and policies supporting women's rights in African countries.
Kendra King '02
Kendra, vice president of the Alumni Board, challenged fellow Alumni Board members and her classmates from the Class of 2002 to contribute to Founders Day. Her efforts led to 100% participation from the Board and helped her class earn a free reunion!
Lauren Blake Mahoney '02
Lauren, an Alumni Board member, spent her day in the Tiger’s Den encouraging her classmates to give back on Founders Day. The Class of 2002 raised nearly $7,000, achieving the highest class participation rate and unlocking free admission to their next reunion.
Woody Tondorf '02
Woody returned to Thayer to share his journey in filmmaking and led a presentation for the TATV Middle School students.
Ava Vitali '02
Ava was recently promoted to director of corporate social responsibility at Scholastic, the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books. She oversees the company's nonprofit partnerships and philanthropic programs, which include donating up to five million books per year to children in underserved communities and disaster recovery areas. In 2023, Scholastic received the CSR Excellence Award for Best Publishing Corporate Social Responsibility Team. Ava is also an Egyptologist and an adjunct professor in art history at Adelphi University.
Justin Elliot '03
Justin was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service along with his team at ProPublica. Their groundbreaking and ambitious reporting broke through the intense secrecy surrounding the Supreme Court, exposing how a select group of politically influential billionaires courted justices with extravagant gifts and trips, leading to the Supreme Court's adoption of its first code of conduct.
Austin Gallagher '04
CNN recently showcased Dr. Gallagher, founder and CEO of Beneath the Waves, as he led an expedition to advance groundbreaking research on sharks and sea turtles in the Bahamas. The Call to Earth special also featured Thayer — including an interview with Upper School Science Teacher Don Donovan P '10, '13 — highlighting the strong connection between Thayer and Gallagher.
Jennifer Waller Hendricks '04
Jennifer started her career as an ER nurse in Boston and later moved to New Jersey, where she became the director of nursing education and nurse manager for the largest ER in the state. After being diagnosed with colon cancer in 2018, she changed her career focus, training in nursing aesthetics. She is about to graduate with her nurse practitioner license and has opened her own nursing aesthetics company. Jennifer describes her journey as life-changing and says she has never been happier.
Luis Castillo '05
Luis, known by the stage name Loue Musica, is an American reggaeton artist who grew up in Boston. His career took off in 2017 after successful sold-out shows in Boston and the release of his debut album Viaje Musical Vol. 1. Before pursuing music, he earned a master’s degree from Columbia University and has been teaching in Boston Public Schools for the past 14 years. He balances his music career with real estate investing and teaches two music courses at Suffolk University.
Chelsea Rader Amendola '07
Chelsea and her husband, Nate, recently welcomed Baker Jennings Amendola to their growing family. Baker joined his brothers, Gus and Eli, on March 19.
Nicole Crowley Foy '07
Nicole writes that she and her family recently welcomed twin daughters on Leap Day. "They’ve already captured our hearts," she adds.
Tai Diamond '06
Tai and her husband, Chris, welcomed their third child, Adrian, in January. Tai and her sister, Remy '09, also celebrated the 70th birthdays of their parents, longtime Thayer faculty member Jake Diamond P '06, '09, and his wife, Jackie P '06, '09, in Rincon, Puerto Rico.
Kenneth Carberry '08
Kenny, former Alumni Board president, joined volunteers in the Tiger’s Den during Founders Day, challenging the Class of 2008 to participate by giving back. His efforts helped the class achieve the second-highest participation rate.
Shannon Cleary Footer '08
Shannon has been promoted to special counsel on Milbank's Private Equity and M&A team. Congratulations, Shannon!
Alexandra Sanford '08
Alexandra married Dan Peterson on Aug. 5 at the First Congregational Church of Falmouth. The reception was held at Willowbend in Mashpee. Her classmates Uyen (Truong) Ballantyne '08 and Shivani Shrivastava '08 were both members of the bridal party.
Thomas Darling '09
Tom writes about his journey with his wife, Ashley, from meeting at Elon University to moving to California and starting a winery in 2017. They opened a tasting room in downtown Sonoma in early 2022, creating a boutique artisan winery. Tom's wines have garnered critical acclaim and were recently recognized as one of the Top 25 Pinot Noirs of 2024 by VinePair. Learn more at darlingwines.com
Remy Diamond '09
Remy moved her New Orleans-based store, C'Mere, to a larger storefront in the French Quarter. See Tai Diamond ‘06
Robert Geary '10
Robert and his wife, Dr. Teresa Huynh, recently took over a dental practice from fellow Thayer alum Dr. Stuart Liss '78
Robert recalls being a junior and hearing Liss talk about dentistry; that talk inspired Geary to pursue a career in dentistry. Now, the two work together. Robert and his wife had their first child, Adeline, in June 2023, and they are expecting their second in October.
Ify Chuckwujama '11
Ify returned to the Middle School to speak with students in Thayer’s Black Affinity groups.
Abimbola Cole '11
Abimbola returned to her alma mater as a guest speaker at the Middle School Science Cafe, where she spoke about her career as a Doctor of Pharmacology and her work in drug compliance.
Abimbola also met with the Black Girl Magic Affinity Group to discuss her experiences and insights.
Lexi Smith '11
Read her alumni profile on pp. 20-21.
Julia Budde Hilton '12
Julia and her brother Griffin '10 attended the 26th annual Valicenti Cup on Jan. 26.
Caroline Browne '13
Caroline is currently working for art advisor Sandy Heller in New York City.
Frank DeGiacomo '13
Frank has completed his latest children's book, All Dinosaurs Great and Small. It joins his other books, including The Legend of the Chocolate Cows and The Gingerbread Architect. View Frank’s entire collection at frankdstudios.com
Christine Gill '13
Christine will be walking in Babson’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business Commencement on May 11 to receive her master’s degree in business administration, which she completed in December 2023.
Katherine Meehan '17
Katy ran the 128th Boston Marathon to raise funds for Mass Eye and Ear. Katy says: "An experience I will never forget!"
Eph See '17
Eph See returned to Thayer to perform a couple of her songs at a Friday Assembly, then engaged with Upper School students in a lively Q&A session. She later met with the Black Girl Magic Affinity Group.
Eben Butler '19
Eben is starting a career as a flight test engineer in Silicon Valley where he will work on testing and validating the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft “Helix” by Pivotal. Eben is excited to begin this dream role, starting this summer after completing his master’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Miami.
Megan Bowen '21
Megan is a third-year student at the University of Virginia, pursuing a double major in economics and environmental thought and practice. This spring, she will study in Copenhagen for a semester abroad.
Allyson Sentnor '21
Ally made her professional soccer debut for the Utah Royals FC in March, taking five corner kicks and playing the entire game in her first National Women's Soccer League match. She declared for the NWSL draft in January, forgoing her final two years of eligibility at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Ally was drafted first overall by Utah just six days later.
Sam Rando '18
On April 26, Sam graduated from the first phase of Nuclear Power School, a significant and academically challenging step towards becoming a submarine officer. Sam will now participate in a prototype program to continue training.
Ava Cornforth '20
Following a summer internship with Bracebridge Capital, Ava has accepted a fulltime position with the Boston-based hedge fund company. She is also the captain of the William Smith ice hockey team.
Aimee Matos '20
Aimee will graduate from Northeastern University’s nursing school and start her career as a NICU nurse at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Aimee is also a new member of Thayer's Alumni Board.
Annabel Doherty '20
Annabel is set to continue her studies at the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service, pursuing a Master of Arts in Security Studies. She looks forward to graduating with a BA in Intelligence and Cyber Operations from USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
Caroline Driscoll '23
Caroline ran her first marathon, running the 2024 Boston Marathon this past spring.
Flags across Massachusetts were ordered lowered to half-staff in honor of William D. Delahunt ‘59, a former United States congressman who died this March in his hometown of Quincy. Delahunt was known as a pioneering district attorney who later brought a sense of bipartisanship to the halls of Congress.
Grace Eames Hinrichs P ’93
Grace, a former Thayer faculty member and wife of the late Stephen Hinrichs of Rockport, passed away on Feb. 7, at the age of 94.
She was born in Bangor, the daughter of Donald J. and Frances Bragg Eames, and graduated from Bangor High School in 1947. Grace's love of the outdoors began on the family farm in West Winterport and continued at Camp Natarswi, the Girl Scout Camp at the foot of Mt. Katahdin, where she earned a Jr. Maine Guide certificate.
Grace majored in English Literature at Smith College and earned an M.A. from Radcliffe in 1952. After spending a year on a Fulbright Fellowship at Westfield College, University of London, she traveled extensively in Europe before settling in Athens, Greece. There, she taught English to young Greeks emigrating to Australia and Canada.
After returning to the U.S., Grace taught at the University of Maine, Orono, and later joined Thayer, where she taught literature and composition for 20 years. She also served as the English Department Chair and Dean of Faculty. Grace spent summers and vacations at her cottage on the island
of Vinalhaven, ME, which always held a special place in her heart.
In 1985, she married Stephen Hinrichs, and they lived in Canandaigua, NY, before retiring to Rockport, ME, in 1995. Grace continued her teaching passion in retirement at the Athenaeum in Rochester, NY, and at the Penobscot School in Rockland. She also had a deep interest in Zen Buddhism.
Grace is survived by her daughter, Rebecca Bernen Lake, grandchildren Raven Dymphna Lake and Virya Nowakowski, her sister Eleanor Eames Silsby, her brother G. Clifton Eames, and her extended family, including Stephen's children and grandson.
Bill Earle P ’93
William (Bill) G. Earle, Jr. of Weymouth passed away peacefully with family by his side at Brigham & Women’s Hospital on August 2, 2024, at 80 years of age.
Bill, beloved and faithful husband of Carol, devoted and loving father to Jonathan, his wife Maleena and the loving Grampy to Lyla.
He is also survived by his brother Randy and his wife Jeanne.
Born in Salem, MA in 1943, Bill was the son of the late William Sr. and Jean Earle. He is predeceased by his parents and his brother Rick. In 1961 Bill graduated from Beverly High School where he was a co-captain of the 1960 undefeated Class A championship football team. He was selected to the Record American All Scholastic Football Team. In 2011 Bill was inducted into the Beverly High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Bill graduated from Brown University with a Classics degree in 1965. Playing football for four years, he had a stellar football career at Brown. He remained a dedicated Brown football fan, attending games, listening to broadcasts, and watching games on TV throughout his life. He was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity and cherished his lifelong relationships with fraternity brothers, having lunches annually and conversing on the phone with them often. He maintained regular contact with his fraternity brothers, both in person and by phone. Bill and Carol returned to Brown annually for reunion weekend, where they enjoyed spending time with former teammates and fraternity brothers.
After graduating from Brown, Bill taught Latin and coached for nine years at the Berkshire School. He was annually invited to return to
the Berkshire School for reunion weekend and attended often with his wife. It was always a highlight for them.
Bill then continued his teaching and coaching career in 1975 at Thayer Academy for the next 30 years. Bill coached wrestling, football and track at Thayer throughout his time at Thayer and was more than a coach to so many. Bill, a beloved faculty member, touched many of his students in such a significant way that he maintained deep, lifelong friendships with a vast number of them. His students knew him as a caring teacher whose friendly and easygoing nature often belied his status as a first-rate scholar with a complete mastery of the Latin language. Fellow faculty members prized his razorsharp wit, his gregarious personality, and his love of a good laugh.
Ever the educator and coach, he used the power of sports to impart lessons to his student-athletes and served as a role model who valued teamwork, integrity, and sportsmanship. Bill's unwavering commitment and constant support were instrumental in forming the unbreakable bonds he had with his former students, friends, and family. As a testament to those bonds, Bill’s decades of teaching and coaching at Thayer Academy were recently memorialized by a gift from the Class of 1993 by the naming of his former classroom (room 214) with a plaque bearing his name.
Some of Bill's happiest times were spent at his vacation home in Tuftonboro, NH, often accompanied by friends and family. He enjoyed traveling, fishing for trout, playing bridge with friends and watching or listening to all sports, especially the Red Sox by a fire outside or by the woodstove on a cool fall evening.
Nicole Florescu
Nicole Florescu, a former French teacher at Thayer, Milton Academy, and Noble and Greenough, passed away in Houston, TX, on Mar. 18, at the age of 94.
Born in Paris in 1928, Nicole experienced life under Nazi occupation and later moved to the UK, where she met Radu Florescu, a graduate of Oxford and a professor of European History at Boston College. They married in 1951 and eventually settled in Massachusetts, where Nicole began her teaching career. Nicole was a dedicated and beloved teacher known for her academically demanding courses, sense of humor, care, and compassion. Alongside her teaching career, she was also known for her culinary skills, often hosting gatherings and balancing her work with raising four children.
Nicole's strength and resilience were evident in her life story, as she often shared lessons from her experiences during World War II. She is survived by her children, Nicholas, John, Radu, and Alexandra Florescu Lobkowicz, and her 16 grandchildren. Nicole's impact as a teacher and a caring person will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and former students.
Gregory Peter Sabine P '00, '03, '09
Gregory Peter Sabine, former Middle School teacher at Thayer, passed away on Feb. 4, in Tucson, AZ, at the age of 75.
Greg was born on Apr. 20, 1948, in Brockton, where he developed a passion for football and swimming, eventually playing quarterback for the Cobras, a semi-professional football team in Massachusetts. He earned a master's
degree in Education and taught at Thayer for more than 25 years, also spending time managing a glass business.
Greg served as a football coach and teacher for over 40 years. In 2017, he moved to Tucson with his wife Marian Adams Paugh, with whom he shared a deep faith and commitment to God. Greg was preceded in death by his parents, Robert "Hank" Sabine and Virginia "Ginny" Sabine, and his siblings, Diane and Bob. He is survived by his wife, Marian; children Jaime ‘00, Shane ‘03, Carly ‘09, and Danielle; grandchildren Bodhi, Piper, Kinley, and Jasper; and siblings Marc, Peggy, and Jennifer.
Greg will be remembered for his warm spirit and the love he had for his family, especially his grandchildren.
Alfred Lawrence Murphy '44
Alfred Lawrence Murphy, Deacon of St. Bernard's Church at Holy Family Parish in Concord, passed away on Aug. 28, 2023, at the age of 96.
Al was a longtime resident of Concord and the devoted husband of the late JoEllen Murphy, who died in 2016. Born in Quincy on Sept. 10, 1926, he enlisted in the Navy during World War II and later attended Boston College, earning a degree in education from Northeastern University. Al had a long career as an engineer for the MITRE Corporation.
As an ordained Deacon, Al taught religious education for years and was ordained in 1988. He performed marriage ceremonies for his children, baptized all his grandchildren, and assisted them in their confirmation journeys. Al was also a Scout Master for Troop 169 in Concord and a life member of the Musketaquid Sportsman's Club.
He is survived by his children Paul, David, Eileen, Sheila, Julianne, and Virginia; 11 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; his sister Alice Daigle; and many nieces and nephews.
George G. Burke II '51
George G. Burke II, 91, of Quincy, died peacefully in his home on Feb. 14, surrounded by his loving family.
George was born to Ruth F. Burke and John F. Burke in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in Massachusetts. He lived in Quincy for more than 80 years. He attended Wollaston School, Central Jr. High School, and Quincy High School, graduating in 1950. He attended Thayer as a postgraduate before enrolling at UMASS Amherst, where he earned his bachelor's degree for $50 per semester, a story he often shared with pride. George later received his Juris Doctorate from Boston College Law School.
George had a varied career, serving in the Army, the Coast Guard, and the Navy. He practiced law until 2022 and was well known for his dedication to his family and community. He was a lifelong basketball enthusiast, and a Celtics fan, and attended 79 straight Thanksgiving Day football games between Quincy High School and North Quincy High School. He also made significant contributions to the City of Quincy, purchasing the John Quincy Tankard and loaning it to the city.
His love for his family and God was profound. He was a devoted grandfather and took immense pride in his grandchildren, who were equally proud of him. Before he passed, he became a great-grandfather, a moment that brought him great joy. His Catholic faith was central to his life, and he believed in giving back to the community. He supported Father Bill's and donated to various causes, including St. Ann's School. He also gave six $1,000 scholarships to UMASS, and he opened his backyard basketball court to neighborhood kids.
George is survived by his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Peter and his brother David.
Elizabeth “Betsy” Vail Carruthers '51
Elizabeth “Betsy” Vail Carruthers, 89, passed away on Nov. 20, 2022, in York, ME.
Betsy was born on Aug. 18, 1933, in Windsor, Ontario, to Joseph and Natalie Carruthers. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 42 years, John B. Pendleton, who died on Sept. 26, 2022.
Raised in Winchester and Norwell, Betsy had a lifelong connection to Norwell. She and her three sisters, Sandra, Natalie, and Pamela, were accomplished equestrians and lifelong dog lovers. She is predeceased by sisters Sandra and Pamela.
In 1954, Betsy married Paul F. Donovan of East Braintree, and they moved to Lancaster, NH, where she raised six children: Sam, Laura, Peter, Nancy, Ted, and Libby. Betsy was active in community and church life, forming essential friendships and supporting those in need. A correspondent and writer, she often sent chatty notes and updates to friends and family.
After her first marriage ended in 1973, Betsy moved to New London, NH, to raise her four younger children and pursue a college education. At 39, she enrolled at ColbySawyer College, graduating magna cum laude. Betsy married John Pendleton in 1980, and they combined their households, including John's four children: Cynthia, Julie, John, and Brigham. They had 16 grandchildren, whom she adored. Betsy earned a master's degree in social work from Boston University and worked at the Farnum Center in Manchester, a facility focused on treating alcohol and drug addiction. She and John moved to Andover, NH, where they became dorm parents at Proctor Academy, later relocating to a historic cape house next to the campus.
Betsy and John moved to York, ME, to be closer to their children in 2014. Betsy will be remembered for her love of conversation and her spiritual and emotional connections.
Edward Nichols Wadsworth '55 Edward Nichols Wadsworth, 86, passed away at his home in Cohasset, on Dec. 24, 2023.
Ed was born on Apr. 10, 1937, to Jerome and Dorothy Wadsworth in Cohasset, where he spent much of his life. He attended Thayer and later graduated from Harvard College in 1959. Ed served as a naval officer for three years, stationed in San Diego with tours in the Western Pacific. He then attended the University of Michigan Law School, earning his degree in 1965, before returning to Boston to practice law.
Ed had a successful career as a corporate lawyer, working for New England Mutual Life Insurance Company and eventually retiring as General Counsel at NVest. He was a dedicated athlete, earning varsity letters in squash and baseball at Harvard and continuing to play competitive squash for decades. Ed was also a sports car enthusiast, owning several European convertibles throughout his life.
Ed raised his two sons in Boston's Bay Village neighborhood with his loving wife, Suzanne. He was preceded in death by his son Peter and his brother David. He is survived by his wife, his son Nathaniel, and his grandchildren, Calliope and Clio. He was also an avid gardener, known for his love of daylilies, hostas, and ornamental grasses.
William Delahunt '59
William David Delahunt, a proud son of Quincy and a former United States congressman, died after a long illness March 30, 2024, at age 82 in his Quincy home with his family by his side.
Delahunt, the son of Ruth and William H. Delahunt, was born July 18, 1941, into a family of Canadian and Irish immigrants. After graduation from Thayer, he attended Middlebury College before earning a law degree from Boston College; he also served as a radarman in the United States Coast Guard Reserve.
First elected to the Quincy City Council in 1971, Delahunt served one term before being elected state representative in 1973. At the State House he again completed just one full two-year term before being appointed by Governor Michael Dukakis to serve as district attorney for Norfolk County. Over the course of 22 years, his office created multiple “firsts” for district attorneys in the Commonwealth and the nation: first juvenile diversion program, first special unit focused on sexual assault and child abuse, first program to address domestic violence, and first white collar and career criminal units.
In 1996 Delahunt was elected to the United States Congress from the 10th Congressional District. He served a total of seven terms in Washington and was known for working “across the aisle” with a strong sense of bipartisanship. As a representative, he was active in world affairs, particularly in Latin America.
After retiring from Congress, he remained active in public affairs, a trusted adviser to officials at local, state, and federal levels. He served as a special member of the law firm Eckert Seamans and added his name to a number of nonprofit boards. A highlight of his later years was in October of 2022 with the official dedication and renaming of the Norfolk Superior Courthouse as the William D. Delahunt Courthouse.
Delahunt was the beloved fiancé of Julie Pagano of Quincy; devoted father of Kirsten Delahunt and John Dunn of Dorchester, and Kara Delahunt Bobrov and Nickolai Bobrov of Milton; loving grandfather to Maya '27 and Alex Bobrov; and former husband to Kati Delahunt GP '27 of Hingham.
A wake was held April 5 at United First Parish Church, Church of the Presidents, in Quincy. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Gregory Parish in Dorchester.
Lucia McClintock Payne '61
Lucia McClintock Payne, 81, of Fairfield, CT, beloved wife of S. Giles Payne for 58 years, passed away at home on Nov. 4, 2023, after many years battling lung disease.
Born in Washington, D.C., she grew up in the Boston area, raised by her parents, Frances "Petey" Steidel McClintock and John C. McClintock. Lucia attended The Winsor School and Thayer, graduating in 1961, and Western College for Women, Class of 1965. She also spent a semester as an exchange student at Spelman College in Atlanta.
Lucia and Giles married in Alexandria, VA, in 1965. They lived in Philadelphia while Giles attended law school, then moved to Seattle, where their sons Giles and Adam were born. Later, they settled in Fairfield, CT, to make their home. Lucia was an active volunteer, engaging with the League of Women Voters, the Rodger Ludlowe Parent Teachers Association, and the Fairfield Community Services.
She earned a master's degree in social work from Columbia University in 1987 and worked for 20 years at the Veterans Hospital in West Haven, specializing in geriatric social work.
Lucia is survived by her son Adam Payne and four grandchildren: Fiona Payne, Gareth Payne, Alex Zielinski, and Irene Zielinski, all of Atlanta, GA. She is also survived by her brother John McClintock and sister Susan McClintock Vas Dias, along with nieces, nephews, and her late husband's four children. Lucia was predeceased by her son Giles Payne and her brother Michael McClintock.
Abbie Siegel Mendelson '72
Abbie Siegel Mendelson of New Bedford passed away on July 4, 2020, at the age of 66.
Abbie was born in Boston to Robert and Dorothy Siegel and grew up with a lifelong love of dogs, especially basset hounds. She graduated from Thayer in 1972 and from Wellesley College with a bachelor's degree.
Abbie was a loving mother and grandmother, happiest when spending time with her family, especially her granddaughters Eloise and Willow. She enjoyed swimming at the Y, being at the beach, and collecting sea glass. She is survived by her sons, Saul Mendelson and Jordan Mendelson, and her former husband, Alan Mendelson. She will be remembered for her gentle spirit and deep affection for her family.
Kathryn Sweeney '81
Kathryn R. Sweeney, 61, of Weymouth, formerly of Hingham and Braintree, passed away on Apr. 13, at South Shore Hospital, surrounded by her family and friends.
Kathryn was born in Quincy and raised in Braintree, graduating from Thayer in 1981 and Bates College in 1985. She earned a master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 1987. An athlete at Thayer and Bates, Kathryn played goalie on the women's varsity lacrosse team.
Mendis had a passion for helping others, including the homeless and those struggling with addiction. He believed in living a purposeful life and spent his time assisting others. He is survived by his parents, Dr. Paul and Nancy Mendis, his sisters Lisa and Tanya, and his brother-in-law, Tony. He was also a devoted uncle to his nieces, Autumn and Lena Davenport. Additionally, Mendis leaves behind his grandmothers Mary Alice Price and Eugenie Mendis, a host of uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, and his partner, Gilda Rodrigues. 19 81 19 91
Kathryn worked for many years as a lead vocational expert for Vinfen Corporation's Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) team. She was known for her compassion and empathy, supporting those struggling with health and social challenges. Kathryn also had a passion for playing cards, collecting Coca-Cola memorabilia, and attending concerts.
She is survived by her brother, Richard T. Sweeney Jr., and his family, including Sabrina A. Daniels, Laura M. DiMascio, Francis M. Sweeney, and Richard T. Sweeney III. She was predeceased by her parents, Richard T. and Margaret A. Sweeney.
Joseph Jason '91
Joseph Paul Jason, 50, passed away unexpectedly at his home in Milton on Feb. 6.
Born in Boston, Jason grew up in Milton and graduated from Thayer in 1991 and from Providence College. During his time at Thayer, he played soccer and was involved in the drama program.
Jason was the beloved son of the late Linda E. and Paul J. Mason, Jr. He is survived by his aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, including his uncle Robert A. Mason, uncles Norman and Robert Dunnell, and the late James Dunnell. Jason was known for his kindness and love for family and friends.
Gregory Mendis '04
Gregory Austin Mendis, 39, of New York City, passed away on Nov. 19, 2023, after a long battle with addiction.
A 2004 graduate of Thayer, Mendis was an athlete, writer, and intellectual, known for his charisma and warm personality. He had a smile that could "light up the room," as his grandmother would say.
Mendis graduated from Union College, where he was actively involved in sports and other activities. Despite his successes, the highlight of his life was Easter 2022, when he converted to Catholicism. His newfound faith provided him with much peace and solace through daily prayer and meditation. He was a devoted member of the Shalom Catholic Community and Agape Prayer Group.
In the fall of 1998, two ninth graders, Chris Bowman ’02 and Matt Stolper ’02, told their coach, Upper School History Teacher and Archivist Larry Carlson P ’02, ’05, ’10, that they needed to miss JV football practice. Carlson looked at them in typical fashion — askance — and said they would need to have a darn good reason for doing so.
“They told me they were going to go to a University of Alabama football game,” said Carlson, “and I said, ‘Well that’s a good reason. That’s a tremendous reason.’”
The two young men — going to the big game courtesy of Chris’ father, Dr. Arthur Bowman P ’97, ’02, a noted orthopedic surgeon and lifelong Crimson Tide football fan — asked their coach if they could bring him back any souvenirs.
“Off the top of my head, I said, ‘Yeah, bring me back Bear Bryant’s hat,’” said Carlson, referring to the iconic houndstooth hat Paul “Bear” Bryant wore on the sidelines as he led Alabama to six national championships.
Well, Bowman and Stolper couldn’t manage that, but most likely due to Dr. Bowman’s largesse at the gift shop, they returned with a replica houndstooth hat for Carlson. He’s worn it on game day ever since.
“At first, I wore it because I just liked the hat,” said Carlson. However, he soon realized that, whether it was for special teams play or defensive line rotations, the players could spot him that much more easily. “Find the hat,” became an oft-used phrase on the Tiger sidelines.
This spring Carlson retired from teaching after 47 years at Thayer Academy, a figure which translates to slightly more than 32% of the school’s existence. He has earned the dual distinctions of being the Academy’s longest-serving classroom teacher and its longest-serving football coach. He’s been a mainstay on the Thayer stage; his first major role was as Creon in Thayer’s 1985 production of Jean Anouilh’s Antigone. Since then he’s appeared in The Boyfriend, Mame, Much Ado About Nothing, Newsies, and many more. And that’s when he wasn’t offering his own take on Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Name Sue” or singing the seniors out at Last Chapel with “Thayer, Thayer Forever.” Despite his retirement from the classroom and the gridiron, Carlson will stay on as the school’s archivist.
And it’s that legacy which goes a long way to explaining Carlson’s answer when asked about the significance of the houndstooth hat.
“It’s more about Thayer Academy than Bear Bryant,” he said.
Editor’s Note: The internet refers to Bryant’s hat as a fedora, a trilby, or a stingy-brimmed fedora. College football and/or haberdashery experts are welcome to chime in at magazine@thayer.org.
In September of 1977, Larry Carlson, age 24, stepped onto Thayer’s campus for the first time. While the occasion was momentous for both him the Academy, here are some other events which were making news that month:
Tracy Austin became the youngest female to play in the US Open Tennis Championships.
The Soviet Union conducted a nuclear test in Novaya Zemlya. The U.S. performed its own nuclear tests later that same month at its Nevada Test Site.
Japanese baseball star Sadaharu Oh hit his 756 home run to surpass Hank Aaron as professional baseball’s all-time home run king.
NASA launched Voyager 1 to conduct fly-by missions for Jupiter and Saturn. (In 2012, it became the first manmade object to leave the solar system.)
Atari released its Atari 2600, a home video game console, in the United States, sparking a frenzy of gaming.
Billy Joel released his fifth studio album, The Stranger
Upper School History Faculty and Archivist Larry Carlson P ‘02, ‘05, ‘10 traditionally sings the seniors out of Last Chapel with his stirring rendition of “Thayer, Thayer Forever.” However, on the occasion of his retirement from teaching and coaching after 47 years at the Academy, this year he stepped off the stage and, still singing, led the Class of 2024 out of Alumni Gym instead. Carlson, who was given a standing ovation that day, has stayed on as archivist.
THAYER, THAYER FOREVER
THE BLACK AND ORANGE OUR PRIDE.
ALL HAIL TO THEE OH, SCHOOL MOST DEAR OLD TA TRUE AND TRIED.
Watch a short video clip of Larry singing "Thayer, Thayer Forever" and leading the Class of 2024 out of Alumni Gym during Last Chapel.
