Vermont Academy Celebrates Its 2017 Graduating Class with a Baccalaureate Ceremony and Senior Banquet
Vermont Academy’s commencement weekend kicked off in earnest on Friday evening, May 26 with a celebration of awards including a Baccalaureate and Senior Banquet.
The evening began with a parent reception in the Great Room of Fuller Hall where members of the graduating class, faculty, and parents mingled and enjoyed refreshments before walking over to Horowitz Performing Arts Center for a celebration of student and faculty awards.
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Interim Head of School Stanley Colla welcomed the audience before Academic Dean and Director of Learning Skills Susan Schmitt introduced the awards. Faculty and coaches presented the awards to students, offering poignant recognition for each award winner’s dedication, hard work, and contribution to Vermont Academy and our community.
Baccalaureate Senior Awards
• The O’Connor Music Award: Jize Wang, China
• The Frederick Stanley Art Award: Jialin Zhou, China
• The Female Scholar Athlete Award: Cara Linder, Vermont
• The Male Scholar Athlete Award: Jahyde Bullard, Vermont
• The Brown Family Award: Brianna Wood, Illinois
• The Pettengill 1904 Scholarship Award: Lizzy Adams, Vermont
• H. Edmund Tripp Award: Chanapat “Arm” Temsartis, Thailand
• World Language Excellence Award: Allegra Wu, Vermont
• Hayes Environmental Prize: Carly Huston, Vermont
• Will Curtis ’38 Humanities Award: Francis “Mackey” O’Keefe, New Hampshire
• Francis Parkman Writing Award (non-fiction): Francis “Mackey” O’Keefe, New Hampshire
• Bob & Beth Campbell Art Award: Jialin Zhou, China
• The O’Connor Music Award: Jize Wang, China
• The Frederick Stanley Art Award: Jialin Zhou, China
• The Female Scholar Athlete Award: Cara Linder, Vermont
• The Male Scholar Athlete Award: Jahyde Bullard, Vermont
• The Brown Family Award: Brianna Wood, Illinois
• The Pettengill 1904 Scholarship Award: Lizzy Adams, Vermont
• H. Edmund Tripp Award: Chanapat “Arm” Temsartis, Thailand
• World Language Excellence Award: Allegra Wu, Vermont
• Hayes Environmental Prize: Carly Huston, Vermont
• Will Curtis ’38 Humanities Award: Francis “Mackey” O’Keefe, New Hampshire
• Francis Parkman Writing Award (non-fiction): Francis “Mackey” O’Keefe, New Hampshire
• Bob & Beth Campbell Art Award: Jialin Zhou, China
Faculty Appreciation Awards
Brodine Award: Steve Cady
Barbara Sweet Award: Travis Army
Brodine Award: Steve Cady
Barbara Sweet Award: Travis Army
Immediately following Baccalaureate, the audience proceeded to Shephardson Dining Hall for a delicious dinner. Faculty and girls varsity basketball and soccer coach Karen Henry was nominated by the graduating class to give remarks and was introduced by senior class co-presidents Cara Linder ’17 and Guy Piccolo ’17. In her funny and moving speech, Mrs. Henry recounted recently spending time with her four-year old niece and urged students to live with child-like joy by approaching life like her niece:
1. Remember to say “Please” and “Thank You”
2. Ask lots of questions
3. Wear your crown proudly
4. Believe in your dreams
5. Say “I love you” to someone every day
Read Mrs. Henry’s speech here.
Other highlights of the evening included recognition of four-year seniors and departing faculty. Mr. Colla announced next year’s Class Marshalls, juniors Lotti Odnoga and Brian Anderson. Senior Ying An Shi was announced and honored as the Class of 2017’s Key artist. The celebration was capped with the much loved and moving senior slide show presented by College Counselor Maryann McArdle.
2. Ask lots of questions
3. Wear your crown proudly
4. Believe in your dreams
5. Say “I love you” to someone every day
Read Mrs. Henry’s speech here.
Other highlights of the evening included recognition of four-year seniors and departing faculty. Mr. Colla announced next year’s Class Marshalls, juniors Lotti Odnoga and Brian Anderson. Senior Ying An Shi was announced and honored as the Class of 2017’s Key artist. The celebration was capped with the much loved and moving senior slide show presented by College Counselor Maryann McArdle.
Vermont Academy is a coed college preparatory boarding and day school in southern Vermont, serving grades 9-12 plus a postgraduate year.
