2020 Baccalaureate Ceremony

Head of School, Dr. Jennifer Zaccara, began our virtual Baccalaureate ceremony by welcoming all of our students and their families.
She said, “Thank you to Mr. Hodgson, Ms. Friel, Ms. Schilling and so many others who helped to prepare this event. I feel like the lead into this moment was the gorgeous video we saw – our last Morning Mist for the year with every student in it and that wonderful song ‘Tomorrow’ by Miner. As the line in the song says. Let the wave wash over us – the waters of our celebration of each other.”

Next she read the names of our four-year seniors before moving into the awards. The Vermont Academy Class of 2020 four year seniors are: Maggie Adams, Sarah Annis, Darwin Holcombe, Gary Huang, Sherry Fang, Kano Qi, Siyang Wang, Riese Bianco, Peter Zhao, Myles Kaplan, Gigi Wood, Jordan Loya, Ella Bushee, Ellie Matte, Taylor Hennum, Christine Cai, Charlie Fritz, Corey Dunn, Edward Liang, Jerry Lin, and Hannah Sethi. 

Class of 2020 Awards: 

Fischer Drama Award: Lauren Eppinger ’20
Awarded to a member of the graduating class for his/her interest in and enthusiasm for the dramatic arts and has made the greatest contribution to the success of the dramatics program at VA.

O’Connor Music Prize: Sarah Annis ’20
Awarded to a member of the graduating class for accomplishments in Music.

Frederic Stanley Art Award: Margaret Adams ’20
Awarded to a member of the graduating class for his or her interest in and achievement in Art.

Female Scholar-Athlete Award: Kristyna “Kalty” Kaltounkova ’20
The Female Senior Scholar-Athlete Award is presented to a member of the senior class who has made significant contributions to the athletic program and has a distinguished academic record.

Male Scholar-Athlete Award: Andrew Peloso ’20
The Male Senior Scholar-Athlete Award is presented to a member of the senior class who has made significant contributions to the athletic program and has a distinguished academic record.

Brown Family Award: Sydnie Rogers ’20
Awarded to the individual who has overcome academic obstacles and at the same time persevered and excelled in athletics 

Presentation of 4-Year Varsity Letterman Jackets: 
The 4-Year Varsity Letterman Jackets go to a student of Vermont Academy, who earns 12 varsity letters during his or her time at Vermont Academy. We know that earning a varsity letter every season for 4 years is a rare accomplishment. We would like to recognize the amount of hard work and dedication that goes into being a varsity athlete at VA. It is a real accomplishment to earn a varsity letter. To do it three seasons a year for all four years – is a demonstration of an incredible commitment, and dedication.

The students receiving letterman jackets are:
Ella Bushee ’20 - Soccer (2016-2019), Basketball (2016-2020), Lacrosse 2017, Tennis (2018-2020)
Jordan Loya ’20 - Soccer (2016-2019), Hockey (2016-2020), Lacrosse (2017-2020)
Gigi Wood ’20 - Equestrian (2016-2019), Hockey (2016-2020), Lacrosse (2017-2020)

Samuel B. Pettengill Scholarship Award: Sarah Annis ’20
Awarded to a member of the graduating class who exemplifies high ideals of outstanding citizenship and academic excellence. Created in 1992 with funds from the estate of Samuel B. Pettengill 1904 and Helen M. Pettengill, the income is used for college scholarships for Vermont Academy seniors from Vermont middle-income families. 

H. Edmund Tripp Award: Sarah Annis ’20
Award is given to a member of the graduating class whose achievement in Mathematics during two or more years at VA has been outstanding. 

World Language Excellence Award: Evan Zorman ’20
We teach language to help others understand and embrace different perspectives and to be able to express themselves in other ways. This award is given to the student in the senior class who has demonstrated a deep love for languages and a sincere appreciation for the multiple and varied ways we express ourselves. Thus, we recognize this extraordinary student as a linguist who has the ability to improve the world by influencing how we can better communicate, understand, sympathize, and empathize with each other as human beings.

Hayes Environmental Prize: Margaret Adams ’20
The Hayes Environmental Prize was established in 1997 through the generosity of A. Reed Hayes III, class of 1964, previous chairman of the Vermont Academy board of trustees and creator of the Hayes Environmental and Outdoor Fund. The Hayes Environmental Prize is given each year to the senior who best exemplifies both an understanding of our need to exist in harmony with the natural environment and commitment to act on this understanding.

Amy Lanterman Learning Center Award: Lauren Goll ’20
Awarded to the student who exemplifies the educational values of kindness, perseverance, and sincere care for others embodied by long-term learning specialist Amy Lanterman. Created and given in honor of Mrs. Lanterman’s 25th year of service to Vermont Academy. 

Presentation of the Class of 2020 Key Painting
Skeleton keys are keys that can unlock multiple locks. Keys open doors, and close doors.  For over a hundred years, there has been a tradition at Vermont Academy in which a member of the graduating class carves or paints their graduation year on a large ceremonial wooden skeleton key. As the class of 2020 unlocks their future we are proud to announce that Marguerite or Maggy Peyton ’20 is the key painter this graduation year. You will note that the year is split, the colors are dark but that there is also an orange vibration that surrounds the date. Hope surrounds us.  

Faculty Appreciation Awards

Barbara B. Sweet Award: Mr. Brian Schilling ’11
The Barbara B. Sweet Award is presented annually to that full-time faculty or staff member within the Vermont Academy community who has served as an exemplary teacher, coach, advisor, dorm parent, and role model. The recipient of this award will have touched and significantly influenced the lives of all community members in all aspects of life here at Vermont Academy.

Donald T. Brodine Memorial Award for Outstanding Faculty: Mr. Russell Mayhew
The Donald T. Brodine Memorial Award for Outstanding Faculty was established in 1986 recognizing his 43 years of teaching at Vermont Academy. This award recognizes the members of the Vermont Academy faculty who have demonstrated the qualities that have made Donald T. Brodine one of the Academy's most revered teachers. The Donald T. Brodine Memorial Award for Outstanding Faculty honors a faculty member who exhibits many of the characteristics of this long-time VA English teacher: loyalty and devotion to VA and its students, broad expertise and passion in the subject area, and a cheerful outgoing personality.

Announcement of Class of 2020 Class Representatives: Gigi Wood ’20 and Lauren Eppinger ’20

In closing Head of School, Dr. Jennifer Zaccara said, “I am so very proud of all of the recipients of these honors and also of all of our students and faculty every day. We have a special community, and it is a student-centered one. I am continually amazed at the way in which we all know each other, how authentic we are, and how valued our lives together are. I hope that all of the honorees today feel that recognition from our community that you so deserve.”

If you were unable to watch the ceremony you can find it on the Vermont Academy YouTube, here. 




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Vermont Academy is a coed college preparatory boarding and day school in southern Vermont, serving grades 9-12 plus a postgraduate year.