Thrive here,
then everywhere

On Saturday, May 23, the graduates of Brewster Academy's Class of 2026 processed onto Brown Field as families and friends settled into their seats. One of the oldest traditions in New England prep school history was underway, and the ceremony that followed was worthy of everything this class has brought to Brewster over the past four years.

Head of School Kristy Kerin set the tone from the moment she approached the podium. "Today, we've gathered to observe a rare phenomenon in the wild," she said, "a group of Bobcats, in their natural habitat, fully grown and ready to face the world." What followed was a speech that drew every analogy it needed from a single, unlikely source: the bobcat itself.

Kerin had done her research. She walked the audience through the habits of the species with warmth and precision, noting that wild bobcats are crepuscular, or most active at dawn and dusk. Brewster Bobcats, she pointed out, are active around the clock. Wild bobcats are solitary and territorial. Brewster Bobcats are not. "You travel in packs," she said, "to Esta, Mason Court block parties, Mr. Palmer's tailgates, and trips to Seven Suns and El Cent. Your movements are not subtle. But you've created deep connections and a sense of belonging. You don't leave people behind."

The analogy was never merely playful. It carried genuine weight. She spoke of the class's diversity, noting graduates from 15 countries and 18 states, including scholars, elite athletes, award-winning poets, robotics engineers, and actors. "Researchers say no two bobcats have exactly the same markings," she said. "You've brought your diverse interests, backgrounds, talents, and beliefs to Brewster. A true clutter of hopes, dreams, and goals."

She lingered on one detail in particular. When bobcats walk, she explained, they place their hind paw directly into the track left by the front paw. A technique called direct registering. "They move with purpose. And they leave something clear behind." She asked the class to do the same. "I hope you move intentionally, kindly, humanely, and in a direction that brings you great joy. Leave a trail that reflects who you are: distinct, authentic, and unmistakably your own."

And for the parents in the audience, she saved something especially tender. Adult bobcats, she shared, have white patches on the backs of their ears that serve as a built-in beacon for their young navigating the dark. "I'm going to hold onto that," she said, "and trust that our children will always know how to find us when it matters." It was a moment that required no elaboration.

Valedictorian Address

Ms. Kerin introduced the Class of 2026 Valedictorian, Katherine Twombly ’26, a three-year student who completed nine AP courses, served as Editor-in-Chief of The Brewster Browser, earned Arts Scholar distinction, and graduated with a GPA of 4.281. This fall, Katherine will attend the College of the Holy Cross.

Katherine built her speech around the year's theme of commitment, grounding it not in abstraction but in the specific reality of the Browser newsroom: the weekly deadlines, the disagreements, the shared belief that every voice deserves space on the page. "Having this shared space gave us the opportunity to talk about serious things, like global events and politics, and whimsical things, like who was best dressed at the Met Gala," she said, "and helped show us what commitment really means."

She thanked the faculty directly. "Our teachers demonstrate their commitment to us by showing up every day and supporting us far beyond their classrooms. Their shared dedication to our community, more than anything else in our time here, helped shape each of us as people." She closed with a charge that echoed the ceremony's larger spirit: "Nothing we accomplish is ever achieved alone."

Memorial Day Acknowledgment

As has become a meaningful Commencement tradition, Ms. Kerin paused the ceremony to honor Memorial Day Weekend, inviting the audience to a moment of silence for the country's fallen military members, followed by recognition of active duty and retired service members present.

Recognition of Award Winners

The following awards were selected by the Brewster faculty and presented with the deep respect of the entire community. Each recipient was called to the stage to receive their award and cheers from the crowd.

Colin Dean: The Ronald "Buzzy" Dore Memorial Award for outstanding leadership in academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities, and for being a friend to all.

Spencer Drazek: The Faculty Growth Achievement Award for the greatest improvement in general record during junior and senior years.

Romane Lanni: The Jill Carlson Memorial Award for the female graduate who exhibits outstanding athletic ability, determination, and an inquiring curiosity to learn about and experience life.

Marharyta "Margo" Morozova: The Mabel Cate Tarr Award for outstanding contribution to scholarship and citizenship.

Katherine Twombly: The David Sirchis School Service Award for the student who, in terms of spirit, dedication, and service, has done the most for the Brewster community.

Maia Pasco and Mikey Anger: The Arthur J. Mason Foundation Awards for graduates who display outstanding sportsmanship on the playing fields, in the halls, in the classrooms, and in the community.

Estelle Good: The Burtis F. Vaughan Award for the graduate who has most successfully combined scholastic and athletic excellence with the personal qualities of sympathy, sincerity, appreciation, and awareness.

CJ Clarke: The Faculty Service Award for the student who makes the greatest commitment to community service, driven not by obligation but by an inner motivation to be of value to others.

Harper Dolce: The Laura Cooper Lifer Award, presented to a four-year Brewster student who embodies kindness, gratitude, and deep commitment to others. Harper was recognized for her role in founding Girls' JV Hockey and her tireless leadership of Morgan's Message mental health awareness efforts, including sharing that message with more than 150 students during Equity Week.

Luke Smolan: The Arthur M. Hurlin Award, one of Brewster's highest honors, for the graduate who has done the most for the welfare, good name, and progress of Brewster. As a senior prefect, Luke was recognized for his poise, integrity, community leadership, and the countless visible and behind-the-scenes ways he served this community throughout his senior year.

Keynote Address: Marsha Ivins

Ms. Kerin introduced the day's keynote speaker with characteristic precision. "Not many commencement speakers have orbited the Earth. Ours has done it hundreds of times in five missions to space."

Marsha Ivins spent 37 years with NASA as both an engineer and astronaut, logging more than 1,300 hours in orbit across five Space Shuttle missions. The story she told was one of persistence in the face of sustained, institutional resistance. She was told she could not pursue engineering because she was a girl. She did. She was told she would never be selected as an astronaut because she lacked an advanced degree. She applied anyway, was rejected twice, and was ultimately selected in 1984. "If it doesn't make sense, don't take ‘no, you can't’ as a final answer," she told the class.

She was equally clear about knowing when to accept a no, noting that some doors were simply not open to her at the time, and that fighting winds whose direction you cannot change is rarely worth the energy. What mattered was finding the path that existed and committing to it fully.

She closed with a thought that felt at home in a community that prides itself on what it builds together. "Truly incredible things can happen when you work as a team. What 'we' can do is way more significant than what 'I' can do."

Yearbook Dedication and Retirement Recognition

The Class of 2026 dedicated their yearbook, the Winnipesaukean, to longtime history teacher and Team Leader TJ Palmer, who read the names of graduates as their diplomas were awarded. A devoted member of the Brewster community since 1987, Mr. Palmer is retiring after 39 extraordinary years, during which he brought history to life in the classroom, coached, served as a dorm parent, and became a beloved fixture of campus life for generations of Bobcats and their families.

Ms. Kerin also recognized four additional retirees: Database Administrator Wes Matchett and Housekeeping Shift Supervisor Ron Dunbar, both with 16 years of service; Jimmy Mongovan, a 26-year member of the Facilities team; and longtime Director of College Counseling Laura Duffy, who served Brewster as an English teacher, College Office leader, and key administrator for 31 years. In her honor, the threshold of the College Office has been symbolically named to recognize the generations of students she helped step forward into their next chapter.

Awarding of Diplomas and Closing

Each graduate crossed the stage, received their diploma from Ms. Kerin, and returned to their seat to the sound of their community cheering them forward. Class Marshals directed the class in the moving of tassels from right to left.

Ms. Kerin closed with a quote she also shared last year, one from John Wesley: "Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can."

Following the Benediction from Reverend Adams and the recessional led by Travis Cote, caps flew into the air above Brown Field.

Brown Field emptied. The trails ahead of the Class of 2026 are entirely their own.

Enjoy the full recording of Commencement 2026 here and view photos here.

Brewster's 2026 Ivy Address took place Friday, May 22, the day before Commencement, in Anderson Hall. Head of School Kristy Kerin opened the ceremony before an audience of Class of 2026 graduates, their families and friends, faculty and staff, and juniors invited to remain on campus for Commencement Weekend.

"The Ivy Address is one of Brewster's longstanding traditions," Ms. Kerin began. "It offers us a moment to arrive, both physically and mentally. After the busyness of the past few weeks and the travel required to bring family and friends together, this ceremony gives us the opportunity to pause, settle in, and focus our full attention on the graduates we are here to honor."

Kerin reflected on the theme that had shaped the entire school year: commitment. Not simply showing up, she noted, but the decision to stay engaged when the work is hard, to support one another, and to invest in something larger than yourself. She pointed to the class's final weeks as evidence, from a Senior Class Trip weathered with positivity through rain and cold, to a Prom that felt less like isolated friend groups and more like a unified class choosing to be fully present with each other.

Academic Dean Matt Butcher, serving as Master of Ceremonies, spoke to the significance of ivy: its place in Druidic and Irish tradition as a symbol of strength and remembrance, and its resonance as a symbol of the way lives become intertwined. With that framing, the ceremony turned to the day's first speaker.

First PG Speech

Mr. Butcher introduced Airin Intaratat ’26, who earned the title of top postgraduate student with a 4.330 GPA, the highest possible at Brewster, while completing two college-level mathematics courses and receiving the Grace Murray Hopper Award at Moving Up Day for her work in technology, computer programming, and robotics. This August, Airin will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Airin opened with her path to Brewster: a middle-income kid in Thailand who dreamed of studying in the United States, earned one of fewer than ten annual King's Scholarships, and was assigned one more year at a boarding school before college began. That school was Brewster. The first half of fall was hard. But slowly, without her noticing, things changed. Friends appeared in class, in the robotics lab, on the water, and at the dining table.

She singled out her advisor, Mr. Henderson, whose character reminded her of her father and who helped cure her homesickness without either of them realizing it. "Without him, I would never have woken up at 5:30 in the morning for a run. I would never have joined the crew team. And I would never have discovered how deeply passionate I am about neuroscience and psychology."

She closed with a charge to her classmates. "Whatever your accomplishments are, hold onto them. And hold onto the people who helped you get there."

Salutatorian Speech

Mr. Butcher introduced Marharyta Morozova ’26, who compiled a 4.235 GPA over four years, earned the Myrtle Dodge Award and Brown University Book Award in consecutive years, served as a Senior Class Leader, and was a constant presence at the Math Tutor Center. This fall, Margo will attend Smith College.

She opened with Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" and built her speech around the idea of choosing a path that is your own. "I think Brewster teaches us exactly how to do that," she said. "Here, everyone taking their own road is the norm, not the exception." She said if she had to name one takeaway from four years, it would be this: it is okay to disagree, and choosing your own road does not mean leaving your friends behind. "It is living your own life while walking alongside them."

She closed with a wish for her classmates: lead with compassion and empathy, carry the critical thinking Brewster gave you, and choose roads that are right for yourselves. "Let's give a round of applause to the people who made it all happen: our faculty, our families, our friends, and ourselves."

Following a moving performance of "Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)" by Green Day, performed by Hannah Ruegg, Evelyn Hafner, Rose Sheerin, and Lily Finklea and conducted by Mr. Jeremy Mathison, the ceremony moved to scholar and award recognition.

Scholar Program Presentations

The following students earned Global, Art, and STEM Scholar status and received special cords to wear at Commencement.

Arts Scholars: Caitlin Cliche, Evelyn Hafner, Hiro Onoguchi, Beck Rosenbaum, Hannah Ruegg, Katherine Twombly

Global Scholars: Caitlin Cliche, Reika Ueno

STEM Scholars: James Hatzos, Parth Miglani, Margo Morozova, Sophia Rock, Max Rusov

Award Presentations

Jonathan Dion and Harper Dolce received the Kate Turner Athletic Director's Awards, presented by Connor Wells to two students who made positive, consistent contributions to Interscholastic Sports. Jonathan, a lifer and eleven-season athlete, was recognized for his grit and selflessness across hockey, soccer, and lacrosse. Harper, also a four-year, eleven-season Bobcat, was honored for her contributions across field hockey, lacrosse, and Girls JV Hockey, a program she helped found, as well as her leadership of Morgan's Message mental health awareness efforts. "In my five years as Brewster's Athletic Director," Wells said, "there has been no student who has contributed more to Brewster Athletics than Harper Dolce."

Hannah Ruegg received the Fine and Performing Arts Award for her four years in the winter musical, her visual art, her work as Editor-in-Chief of literary magazine Outcroppings, and a creative presence that touched every corner of the community.

James Hatzos received the Lives of Purpose Graduate Award for founding a student-led Science Tutor Center, his community service leadership, and his approach to every contribution with humility, intention, and purpose.

Callie Pilkington received the Melissa Roja Lawlor Social Justice Award for her advocacy for neurodiversity and her ability to turn awareness into lasting, tangible inclusion.

Post-Graduate Certificate: Finn Holliday

Ms. Kerin recognized postgraduate student Finn Holliday, who made the decision to miss Commencement in order to join his crewmates in the boys' Varsity 2 boat at the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association regatta in Worcester, Massachusetts. Finn received his post-graduate certificate at the Ivy Address a day early. This fall, he will attend Skidmore College as a member of the men's crew team.

The Class Gift and Presentation of the Ivy

Senior Prefects Will Brochu ’26 and Luke Smolan ’26 presented the Class Gift for 2026: a Bobcat statue sculpted by Joe Gray of Joseph Gray Sculpture, crafted from New Hampshire granite and placed outside the Academic Building near Estabrook Dining Hall. The class also contributed personalized bricks to line the pathways of the new Reyes Family Courtyard. "As we return for our future reunions," the prefects shared, "we look forward to seeing our steady Bobcat statue and remembering our time together."

Mr. Butcher closed the ceremony as the ivy plant was accepted on behalf of the class. "It will be planted, along with the ivies of years past, so that it may grow and entwine, symbolic of the way our lives are forever connected."

Watch the event recording here.

On Monday, May 18, the Smith Center filled with students, faculty, and families as Brewster marked the end of another school year the way it always has: by stopping to recognize the people who made it what it was. Moving Up Day, affectionately called MUD, is the ceremony that does it all at once. Awards are given. Leaders are announced. College destinations are shared. And when it is over, each class physically moves up to the front of the bleachers as the graduates step away for the last time. It is one of those traditions that sounds simple on paper and lands differently every year.

Head of School Kristy Kerin opened the ceremony by announcing the Class of 2026's top academic honorees. First PG Airin Intaratat earned a 4.330 GPA, the highest possible at Brewster, while completing Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra at the college level alongside four AP courses. This fall, she will attend MIT. Salutatorian Marharyta "Margo" Morozova, a Lifer and STEM Scholar who took 10 AP classes and competed in both varsity basketball and Robotics, will attend Smith College. Valedictorian Katherine Twombly, who completed nine AP courses, served as Editor-in-Chief of The Brewster Browser, and earned Arts Scholar distinction, will attend the College of the Holy Cross. Another round of applause for all three.

Dean of College Counseling Tim Cushing then handed the moment to the students themselves, as the Class of 2026 shared their post-Brewster plans in a video that drew cheers throughout the Smith Center.

Lifer pins were next. Thirty-four members of the Class of 2026 have been at Brewster since ninth grade, and each came forward to receive their pin as their name was called. It is one of the quieter moments of the ceremony, and one of the most felt.

Academic Awards

The following academic awards were presented by department faculty:

The Myrtle Dodge Award, voted on by the entire faculty, went to Anelya Caesar, recognized for three years of summa cum laude and John Brewster Scholar status, three-sport participation, and consistent Gold Key service that extends into summers and school breaks.

The Warren P. Tyler Memorial Award went to Miller Lowry, who approaches every responsibility, from presenting to prospective families and Trustees to leading conversations at Equity Week and Connect 2 Change, with a dependable "can-do, will-do" spirit.

The Dartmouth Book Award, presented by the English Department, went to Sufjan Waleryszak for his fearless commitment to education and nuanced, sometimes unconventional literary interpretations during his first year at Brewster.

The Colby College Book Prize, from the History Department, went to Anelya Caesar for exemplifying what it means to be not just a student of humanity but a genuine stakeholder in it.

The Holy Cross Book Prize for Excellence in World Language went to Cesar Bai, recognized as a poet in all of his languages who thrives in the interpersonal mode and consistently builds connection and community with his peers.

The Brown University Book Award, for exceptional achievement and promise in mathematics, went to Ava Lincender for her deep understanding of mathematical content, contagious enthusiasm, and a research paper that applied mathematical modeling to advance equity and access for women.

The Harvard Book Award, for outstanding academic achievement and intellectual promise in science, went to Lily Finklea, whose curious mind connects the physical, biological, and chemical aspects of the world across every science course she has taken.

The Richardson Award went to Callie Pilkington for extraordinary academic, emotional, and social growth, her mentorship of peers, and her leadership as President of the Neurodiversity Alliance, including representing Brewster at a national summit.

The Jon Konheim Journalism Award went to Katherine Twombly, who has been central to every issue of The Brewster Browser since arriving as a sophomore and whose quiet leadership has produced some of the paper's strongest work.

The William J. Britton-Dorothy Coyle Award for performing arts went to Astor Bransfield Schmieding for her memorable performance as Linda in The Wedding Singer and her contributions to Brewster's performing arts over the past two years.

The Albert S. Munnis Visual Arts Award went to Mac Sufrin, whose dedication to photography and collaborative spirit in the darkroom were recognized this year at the statewide Scholastic Art Awards with a Silver Key and five Honorable Mentions.

The Grace Murray Hopper Award for technology went to Airin Intaratat, who programmed multiple robots for competition and turned her creative visions into reality through what faculty described as a coding fluency equal to a third language.

Arts Gallery of Excellence

Fine and Performing Arts Chair Liz Baker McClain unveiled this year's inductee into the Brewster Arts Gallery of Excellence. The work, Echo of Touch by Hiro Onoguchi, earned a Silver Key at the NH Scholastic Art Awards and was described as translating complex emotions and personal beliefs into a captivating visual narrative. The reveal drew a sustained round of applause.

Employee Milestones and Retirements

Kerin paused to recognize employees reaching five, ten, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five year milestones, with special recognition for Academic Dean Matt Butcher, who marks 25 years at Brewster this year. Six members of the community are retiring: Wes Matchett, Ron Dunbar, and Jimmy Mongovan after 16, 16, and 26 years respectively; basketball coach Jason Smith after 26 years, during which he built one of the premier programs in the country; Laura Duffy after 31 years in college counseling, in whose honor the College Office entrance will now be known as the Duffy Threshold; and TJ Palmer after 39 extraordinary years, whose classroom will be permanently named Mr. P's Classroom.

New Leadership

Dean of Students Maureen Edmonds announced next year's leadership appointments, including the student publication teams, Gold Key Head Tour Guides, and class leaders. The full list is below.

Moving Up

Kerin closed the ceremony the way she always does: by asking each class to physically move up. Seniors and postgraduates were dismissed. Juniors moved to the senior rows. Sophomores moved to the junior rows. Ninth graders moved up to take their place.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 and to everyone honored at this year's Moving Up Day.

Watch the MUD livestream recording here and view photos here.

Head Tour Guides (Gold Key):

Anelya Caesar 
Will Poster 
Emery Condon 
Joseph Blake 
Giada Blake

The Brewster Browser:

Editor-in-Chief: Mila Bahr
Managing Editor: Gabi Reynolds 
News Editor: Wyatt Randall 
Sports Editor: Everett Ehlen 
Feature Editor: Erin Kenah 
Staff Reporter: Sufjan Waleryszak

The Winnipesaukean:

 Editor-in-Chief: Mila Bahr

Sophomore Class Prefects:

Adriel Akpokabayen 
Giada Blake 
Joseph Blake 
Kaaloni Boisvert

Sophomore Class Leaders:

Bailey Gross 
Dottie Penny 
Emit Bisson 
Gabi Gamero del Castillo 
Ella Gordon 
Isabella Levine 
Kate Brooks 
Kendall Gross 
Quinn Dufort 
Sienna Pursley

Junior Class Prefects:

Audrina Crowell 
Katie Tasso 
Will Poster 
Cullen Tierney

Junior Class Leaders: 

Aleah Plamann 
Ailee Young 
Alyssa Biteman 
Ava Lincender 
David Grap 
Evan Ashton 
Graham Jerke 
Issy Fyfe 
Jack Cuddy 
Kaya Moulton 
Maddie Nichols 
Meghan Reilly 
Natalie Sweatt 
Robby Koch 
Wheeler Matthews 
Wren Baden 
Wyatt Randall

Senior Class Prefects:

Lily Finklea 
Thomas Summers

Senior Class Leaders:

Addie Wallat 
Anelya Caesar 
Astor Bransfield Schmieding 
Caroline Webb 
Casey Shea 
Charli Madill 
Chelsea Yager 
Conor Reilly 
Diego Gamero del Castillo
Emery Condon 
Evelyn Heppler 
Gabi Reynolds 
Hadley Keally 
Izzy Bailey 
Jacob Booth 
Jason Feng 
Lilah Gaboury 
Lily Finklea 
Maya George 
Michael Jozokos 
Miller Lowry 
Otavio Haygert Roxo 
Paytyn Burke 
Sasha Pisarevsky 
Simon Bellavigna 
Thomas Summers 
Tyler Branch 
Wyatt Lilly 
Wyatt Randall 
Yunon Naito