We are pleased to announce the Holton members of the Maryland All State Ensembles organized by the Maryland Music Educators Association (MMEA). The organization holds annual auditions for eight All State music groups: Senior Band, Senior Mixed Chorus, Senior Women's Chorus, Senior Jazz Band, Senior Orchestra, Junior Band, Junior Chorus and Junior Orchestra. A rigorous audition process selects about 920 students from the 6,000 to 7,000 students in secondary school music programs who audition for the groups. Holton's music teachers are active in MMEA and there is great support for the All State program. Each year, they encourage students to audition, help them prepare for the audition, and coach them after selection. The faculty agrees that preparing for the audition makes every student a stronger musician. Those who have the extraordinary opportunity to participate in All State continue to grow as musicians, and they come back to school ready to be leaders and mentors in their ensembles here at Holton.

Holton has had an impressive number of All State musicians over the years, and the list continues to grow. The following student musicians have been selected to represent Holton-Arms when their All State ensembles gather this winter for an intense weekend of rehearsals, with outstanding guest conductors, that culminate in fabulous final concerts.

Representing Holton-Arms at the Junior All State Weekend March 2-4:

Jaimie Lwin '21 – violin – All State Junior Orchestra (third consecutive year)

Ema Nakayama '21 – alto – All State Junior Chorus (third consecutive year)

Allie Stroman '21 – alto – All State Junior Chorus

Representing Holton-Arms at the Senior All State Weekend March 9-11:

Lailah Fritz '19 – alto – All State Senior Chorus

Michelle Jang '19 – alto – All State Senior Chorus (second consecutive year)

Micaela Lamas '20 – soprano – All State Senior Chorus

Elizabeth Zampella '19 – alto – All State Senior Mixed Chorus (selected for All State for the fifth consecutive year!)

With five All State Choirs under her belt, it should be no surprise that Elizabeth Zampella is also the first student to represent Holton-Arms in the All-National Mixed Choir sponsored by MMEA's parent organization, National Association for Music Education. Elizabeth spent four days in November at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort rehearsing and performing with the ensemble.

Brava to our incredible musicians!

Twenty-seven student artists from Holton-Arms have been recognized by The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards regional competition for their artwork. This year, hundreds of thousands of works were submitted from student artists nationwide. Run by The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers for the past 95 years, this competition has become one of the most prestigious recognition programs for creative teens in the United States. The panelists look for pieces that best align with the Awards' core values of originality, technical skill, and personal voice or vision.

The regional winners are awarded a Gold Key, Silver Key, or an Honorable Mention. Holton's students received six Gold Keys, eight Silver Keys, and 21 Honorable Mentions. The six Holton Regional Gold Key works will be considered for recognition at the national level. The national medalists will be announced later this month.

The following students received the regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: (click here to see the winning pieces)

Ceramics:

• Darcy Blaylock '18: Honorable Mention
• Ashleigh Hale '18: Gold Key
• Elise Knutsen '19: Gold Key
• Sasha Mills '19: Honorable Mention
• Imani Wright '18: Honorable Mention

Drawing and Painting:

• Lillian Broeksmit '20: Honorable Mention
• Emery Cilluffo '20: Silver Key
• Maggie Davis '18: Silver Key
• Emily Ewing '20: Honorable Mention
• Stephanie Halpern '19: Silver Key
• Greer Knebel '18: Silver Key
• Rayne Layton '18: Honorable Mention
• Ava Mendelsohn '19: Silver Key, 2 Honorable Mentions
• Skylar Rubin '19: 2 Honorable Mentions
• Pascale Schmidt '20: 2 Gold Keys, Honorable Mention
• Kat Soltany '18: Honorable Mention
• Grace Turnipseed '20: Honorable Mention
• Katie Waller '18: 2 Honorable Mentions
• Jillian Wiener '19: Gold Key

Photography:

• Nicole Abdala-Arata '18: Silver Key
• Morgan Abdo '18: Silver Key, Honorable Mention
• Nicole Edmunds '18: Gold Key
• Emma Helsing '20: 2 Honorable Mentions
• Libby Mulligan '18: Honorable Mention
• Kaitlyn Pham '18: Honorable Mention
• Julie Vadhan '18: Honorable Mention
• Lauren Willingham '20: Silver Key

During Lower School Gathering and in honoring Women's History Month (coincidentally it was also International Women's Day as well!), Ms. Jones shared information with the Lower School about one of her many "sheroes" - Queen Elizabeth I! Check out the 60 second video below on why this historic figure is one that Ms. Jones admires.

Check out more on The Scene !

Greetings All,

I hope that your day has been a good one. My goodness that was quite a weather system we encountered last weekend. I cannot recall such forceful winds in quite some time. In the Occoquan area we encountered a pretty good amount of damage. Hopefully my colleagues fared that unusual event without any major ramifications. In the case of any bad weather scenarios, always remember to keep a watchful eye out for those school community alerts.

The weekend building hours for March 10-11, 2018 are posted below. Do not forget the arrival of Daylight Saving Time which begins on Sunday. Please note that the building will open at noon on that day. Consider it a form of compensation to offset that cherished hour of sleep being lost. Provisions are in place for weekend activities including SAT testing. For those of you attending the Holton Auction Premiere Party we wish you a wonderful time.

In closing , I was glad to see the conclusion of the West Virginia teachers' strike. In the ongoing conversation involving the role of schools in this unpredictably complex world, we must never forget or forsake the core mission of educating our kids. The ultimate success of that objective is first established in paying our educators appropriately and affording them the resources they require. When observing those necessities, I often worry about the future of our public school system. That concern is particularly amplified in those schools serving children in underserved communities across the nation. Federal funding shifts and economic disparities in state budgets are just some of the additional impediments confronting our educational landscape. Considering those looming issues, it is anticipated that similar labor actions could soon be occurring in other regions. We can all find solidarity in embracing the belief that the ability to achieve a quality education remains essential.

Thank you once again my friends and take care.

Ken

WEEKEND BUILDING HOURS FOR MARCH 10-11, 2018

Saturday, March 10th, 2018- 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. ( Provisions are in place for SAT Testing )

Sunday, March 11th, 2018- 12 noon until 6:00 p.m. ( Daylight Savings Time Begins)

Last weekend, seven students entered the Montgomery County Science Fair and all were recognized for achievements in biology and chemistry.

• Sadie Vinson '24 and Ellie Bahador '24 (team entry) received honorable mention in the biology category.
• Darya Alimoradi '23 received third place in the biology category.
• Anne Lippard '24 received second place in the biology category.
• Emerson McCarthy '24 and Kendall Frederick '24 (team entry) received second place in the chemistry category.
• Sophia King '24 received second place in the chemistry category and an invitation to participate in Rockville Science Center's Science Day.

Darya '24.

Sadie '24 and Ellie '24.

Check out more on The Scene !

Ayleen Acosta '23 and Eve Mullen '22 have received Honorable Mention in the Middle School section of the Association Of Women in Mathematics Essay Contest. The students had to interview a contemporary woman in mathematics and write an essay about her. This national contest includes students from Grade 6 to college undergraduates and out of the 13 finalists - 8 of the essays were Holton students!

Congratulations Ayleen and Eve and great job to all of those that made it to the finals!

You can find more about the contest and read the winning essays in the upcoming weeks on the Association of Women in Mathematics website here.

Check out more on The Scene !

Greetings All,

I hope that your day has gone well. We are another week closer to the Spring Break which is certainly good news. Your eyes did not deceive you as those were indeed snow flurries descending upon us this morning. Over the years we have become very familiar with the wild and whacky weather chapters of March. The weekend building hours for March 17-18, 2018 are posted below. There are a number of events taking place within the school community this weekend. The BSU lock-in, home lacrosse games and the much anticipated Coffeehouse performances highlight those activities. For everyone who will be feeling the Panther Spirit this weekend, we wish you the very best. Please note that we will talk about the Spring Break schedule very soon. Once again there will be a number of facilities related projects taking place which will impact campus accessibility. Separate yourself for a bit and take the opportunity to indulge in something fulfilling.

Before we head into a busy weekend, I just wanted to share a few additional thoughts with you.

National School Walkout Day 2018

There are many emotions and reflections emanating from this day. Witnessing our school community gathered for that unprecedented event provided some very memorable moments. The ability to ultimately impact public policy encompasses efforts on multiple fronts. These remain very complex times where confidence in trusting "the process" is often eroded. Ongoing civic engagement offers us a positive catalyst to counter such doubt. On behalf of the entire Facilities Department, I wish to thank everyone for their cooperation in making that gathering a safe one.

St. Patrick's Day

Irish eyes will indeed be smiling tomorrow. Something tells me those jubilant emotions may be well underway. Enjoy the festivities and traditions of the day. Be mindful of enhanced traffic enforcement initiatives on the roadways. Always remember to keep a watchful eye out for those drivers who may exercise poor judgement behind the wheel. Simply have a great time my friends and take care.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Ken

WEEKEND BUILDING HOURS FOR MARCH 17-18, 2018

Saturday, March 17^th, 2018- 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. (Provisions are in place for the afternoon and evening Coffeehouse Performances)

Sunday, March 18^th, 2018- 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

On March 17, thirteen students from Middle/Upper School Chinese classes attended the third meeting of the Chinese Language and Service Club to learn about global health initiatives from Dr. Rick Fairhurst and the latest treatment of malaria using 2000-year-old Chinese herbal medicine, Artemisinin.

The speaker, Dr. Rick Fairhurst, MD/PhD, is a principal investigator at the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH). In his role as principal investigator, he manages a position that comes with an annual budget that allows Dr. Fairhurst to recruit scientists and support personnel to carry out his research initiatives. Dr. Fairhurst has a permanent malaria clinic and laboratory presence in Mali, West Africa and Cambodia, Southeast Asia.

Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted by mosquitoes into a person's blood. The parasites cause high fever, chills, severe anemia, and death. Malaria occurs in nearly 100 countries worldwide, exacting a huge toll on human health and costing billions of dollars in lost productivity every year in developing countries. Dr. Fairhurst explored frontline treatments for malaria and explained in detail why artemisinin, a potent ingredient from the plant artemisia annua, commonly known as sweet wormwood or sweet annie, is effective against malaria.

According to Dr. Fairhurst, the discovery of artemisinin is a fascinating story that results in the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded to Professor Youyou Tu in China, who discovered artemisinin in response to a request from the Vietnam government, whose country was ravaged by malaria.

Professor Tu categorized 600 Chinese herbal formulas for treating high fever and noticed that artemisia annua is the common ingredient across all formulas. After getting inconsistent clinical outcomes, Professor Tu came across an ancient text 1,650 years ago that mentions the extraction of medicinal properties of artemisia annua using cold water. It was then Professor Tu realized that the common boiling method for herbal extraction actually destroys the heat-sensitive artemisinin ingredient.

There are 200 varieties of artemisia plant all over the world, some have higher yield of artemisinin than others. Holton students explored how the artemisia plant is mentioned in Greek mythology, food, pop culture, and the Bible. Students asked great questions about species of mosquitoes that transmit malaria, interventions, eradication strategies, and emerging drug resistance.

The March 17 meeting happened to be Saint Patrick's Day as well. Dr. Fairhurst and Holton students also used this occasion for celebration by wearing Saint Patrick's Day hats and explored everything about Saint Patrick and Ireland, including artemisia vulgaris, commonly known as mugwort, a wild flower native to Ireland.

Check out more on The Scene !

Bonnie Akhavan '18, Amber Batra '18, and Zenia Choksy '18 have been named as Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program based on their 2016 PSAT scores, grades, and recommendations. From the 15,000 finalists, a selection of 7,500 Merit Scholarship winners will be made in the coming months. During Upper School Assembly on Monday, March 19, the Holton finalists were handed their certificates by Upper School Director Chris Lynch and Dean of Students Lisa Craig.

Earlier this year, Nicole Abdala-Arata '18, Talia Bartley '18, Katherine Fynes '18, Nikita Gupta '18, Madison Harris '18, Stephanie Jiang '18, Isabelle Koff '18, Taya Lowery-Williams '18, Nayana Macmillan '18, Kaitlyn Pham '18, Erica Robison '18, Jayme Slotkin '18, Caroline Smith '18, and Elinor Yeo were honored as National Merit Program Commended Students. The scores of these 14 Holton Commended Students are amongst the top 50,000 highest scores of the more than 1.6 million students who took the PSAT in 2016.

In addition, Nicole Abdala-Arata '18, Grace Daley '18, Anna Haskin '18, and Reagan Leibovitz '18 have been selected as National Hispanic Scholars in the National Hispanic Recognition Program. This program commends those students who scored in the top 2.5% among Hispanic and Latino PSAT/NMSQT test takers in the region.

Congratulations to these outstanding students!

From left to right: Mrs. Craig, Zenia Choksy '18, Bonnie Akhavan '18, Amber Batra '18, and Mr. Lynch at Assembly on March 19, 2018.

With over fifteen years of experience as a violinist, music educator, and leader in the field, Dr. Schuppener has worked with students of all ages from elementary school age to the university level. While working at Westminster, he has concurrently served as the Director of Chamber Music for the Philadelphia International Music Festival. He is excited to work with Holton's artists as he enjoys helping young people build their foundation and love for the arts.

Prior to his time at Westminster, Dr. Schuppener served on the music faculties of the University of Texas, El Paso; the University of Michigan; and Spring Arbor University. Dr. Schuppener has garnered acclaim as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, concertmaster, and devoted music educator and conductor. He was honored as a semi-finalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and acted as concertmaster of the Michigan Philharmonic, Dearborn Symphony, Las Cruces Symphony, El Paso Opera Orchestra, and Associate Concertmaster of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra. He is also a founding member of the Ann Arbor Camerata, a professional chamber ensemble. As a recording artist, Dr. Schuppener released a CD under contract with Centaur Records along with International Steinway Artist, Dr. Oscar Macchioni. In 2007, Dr. Schuppener was awarded a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan where he earned a Master of Music in 2003. He has a Bachelor of Music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Schuppener's appointment ends the thorough, 6-month national search that began shortly after Director of Fine & Performing Arts Mary Jane Pagenstecher announced her plans to relocate to Maine. We are so thankful for Mrs. Pagenstecher's visionary and enthusiastic leadership these past 26 years during which time Holton developed its premier arts programs. Mary Jane and the entire Fine and Performing Arts department will work with Dr. Schuppener throughout the summer to ensure a smooth transition. Dr. Schuppener's appointment will begin July 1, 2018.

In addition to Dr. Schuppener's responsibilities as the Director of Fine & Performing Arts which involves overseeing Holton's extensive programs in dance, drama, music, and visual art, he will direct Holton's strings program including both the Middle and Upper School Orchestras. As we work out his specific teaching responsibilities, Holton-Arms is also conducting a search for a Middle and Upper School Choral Director.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Mark to our Holton community!

Greetings All,

I hope that your week has gone well. Despite an array of earlier weather obstacles , the 2018 Spring Break has finally arrived. It is my hope that the days ahead serve to offer you some moments of relaxation. I know that many of us are undertaking endeavors ranging from acts of public service to First Amendment participation. Regardless of the mission, I wish all of my colleagues a wonderful break.

Spring Break Campus Accessibility

Once again we are kindly asking everyone to limit their campus accessibility during the Spring Break period. We are all very familiar with the facilities related projects occurring during these times. Limited pedestrian activity within the building goes a long way towards supporting those efforts. Some activities have already been accounted for such as scheduled athletic practices. Provisions are in place for those types of events. There will be building hours provided this weekend which will encompass the following times :

Saturday, March 24^th, 2018- 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 25^th, 2018- 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. ( please note the later opening hours )

For the week of March 26^th-30^th, a number of work projects will be well underway. Accordingly we are asking you again to please minimize your presence on campus. Should you need to access the building, do not hesitate to reach out to us. Feel free to contact the front desk or remember that you can always e-mail me. This will allow us to evaluate overall building availability on a given day. If you happen to arrive on campus , please take a brief moment to sign-in and say hello.

An update will be provided next week regarding potential building availability for the weekend of March 31^st- April 1^st.

The March For Our Lives- March 24^th, 2018

There has been a significant amount of coverage concerning this major event occurring in our nation's capital. It is anticipated that crowds of a half-million and beyond will descend upon downtown D.C. for this unprecedented gathering. The event is scheduled to begin at noon and run until 3:00 p.m. Those times are only approximate when encountering any activity of this size. Pennsylvania Avenue between 3^rd Street and 12^thStreet, NW will serve as the epi-center of activities. Major street closures are currently in effect across the downtown area and will remain throughout the weekend.

Metro is scheduled to open at 7:00 a.m. and will operate on a rush-hour schedule. Event attendees are being strongly encouraged to utilize public transportation. Please note that metro stations and platforms will be handling tremendous crowds so prepare for long lines. Planning ahead and allowing yourself ample time remain your trusted allies. The Federal Triangle station will be closed during the course of this event. Choose to travel lightly if possible as backpacks and bags will be subject to search. Dress appropriately for the weather and equip yourself with comfortable footwear. A complete list of prohibited items is available at the links provided below.

Feel empowered in knowing that your participation provides the opportunity for positive interaction, education and engagement. While accomplishing those objectives remember to exercise situational awareness. This is especially relevant within any large crowd venue. Always remain observant of your surrounding environment and be cognizant of suspicious activity. This is simply an extension of the very principles we practice within our very own school community.

For further information on the March For Our Lives please refer to:

marchforourlives.dc.gov

marchforourlives.dc.gov/page/street-closures-0

Thank you my friends for your ongoing support .

Ken

Varsity lacrosse player Virginia Asher '19 and varsity softball's Katie Kohn '21 have been selected by the Holton Athletic Association (HAA) as "Panthers of the Week."

Asher has been a staple in the varsity lacrosse line up since her freshman year. As Asher enters her ninth season as a varsity athlete, it's easy to expect great things from her. On the other hand, being one of only two starters on the varsity lacrosse team who doesn't play on an outside club lacrosse team, you might second guess her impact.

Her first two years on the team, Asher replied on her speed and athleticism to secure her role and help her team cause turn overs and create space on offense. At the end of last season, Asher set a personal goal to become more of an offensive threat with the ball. This year, she is making great strides achieving this goal, having already surpassed her shot total in the last two years combined! Not only is Asher a threat with the ball, but she has become a go to distributor, setting her teammates up with precision feeds. Asher is stepping into her role as an upperclassman with purpose and her impact has made a significant difference. In the recent game again Agnes Irwin, Asher scored her first ever hat trick to put the Panthers up 10-9!

Pitching is the heart and soul of fast pitch softball. After graduating four-year starter, Lillian Baker '17, the varsity softball team had their work cut out for them. Stepping up to the challenge is freshman Katie Kohn '21. In only her second game pitching at the varsity level she threw a no-hit shutout, allowing only one base runner for the opponent in a victory over Holy Child! In addition to her work on the mound, she was proficient at the bat producing two runs!

You can check out Katie and the varsity softball team as they take on the Maret, at 4:15 p.m. at home on today, Wednesday, April 4. Cheer on Virginia and the varsity lacrosse team as they host Episcopal High School, at 4:15 p.m. at home Thursday, April 5. Go Panthers!

Scroll, Holton-Arms' literary and arts magazine, and its online version Scrolling have won the Gold Crown Award in the High School Gold Hybrid Magazine category given by Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) for 2018. CSPA's Gold Crown Award is the highest award given to student publications.

Scroll+Scrolling Advisor, Holton English teacher, Ms. Melinda Salata, and Scribe yearbook Advisor, Design & Production Manager, Mrs. Lee Zampella, took six Upper School students: Kelly O'Connor '19 and Elizabeth Zampella '19 from Scribe and Lexi Boo '18, Eden Halpert '19, Anna Haskin '18, and Greer Knebel '18 from Scroll to the CSPA conference and awards held at Columbia University in New York City.

During the conference, the group attended workshops and presentations which covered a wide range of topics from creative caption writing to finding inspiration in everyday life to a special panel discussion by Marjory Stoneman Douglas students called "It's Our Story: We Want to Tell It." "Attending the CSPA Conference inspired the girls and me with all sorts of ideas for our future publications. What I didn't expect was how moved we all were to hear first-hand the story from the yearbook and newspaper staff of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and how they were handling the tragedy in Parkland personally and as journalists" described Mrs. Zampella.

On the last day of the conference, Edmund J. Sullivan, executive director of the CSPA, presented Scroll+Scrolling their fifth consecutive Gold Crown Award for High School Gold Hybrid Magazine.

Congratulations!

From left to right: Anna Haskin '18, Elizabeth Zampella '19, Kelly O'Connor '19, Greer Knebel '18, Lexi Boo '18, and Eden Halpert '19 celebrate Holton's CSPA Gold Crown Award.

Greetings All,

I hope that your post-Spring Break week was a good one. Believe it or not we are now entering the "home stretch" towards the completion of the school year. We recognize there are busy weeks ahead, however we will undoubtedly preserve. Wow, I sounded like Churchill there for a moment. Before we depart for the day, I know that I join the entire school community in proudly recognizing our recent student achievements. Go Panthers.

Last but not least, I would also like to extend a collective note of thanks to the Advancement Team for a wonderful "First Thursday" breakfast. The weekend building hours for April 7-8, 2018 are posted below. Please note the later opening hours scheduled for the building on Sunday, April 8.

We will certainly talk again next week. Take care my friends and have a wonderful weekend.

Ken

WEEKEND BUILDING HOURS FOR APRIL 7-8, 2018

Saturday, April 7^th, 2018- 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 pm

Sunday, April 8^th, 2018- 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

On Friday April 6, Dr. Liao's fifth grade Chinese class visited Ten Ren Tea in Rockville, Maryland. Ten Ren's Tea is the largest, best known tea manufacturer in the Far East and North America. During the field trip, students observed the Chinese Tea ceremony, sampled Chinese tea, and learned about Chinese tea drinking customs.

Check out more on The Scene !

Congratulations to four Holton seniors for their commitment to play NCAA Division III athletics next year in college! Kristen Bitsberger '18 will run track and field at Hamilton College; Claire Evans '18 will continue her tennis career at Amherst College; Gabby Henry '18 will play ice hockey at Hobart and William Smith Colleges; and Christine Padalino '18 will continue her lacrosse career at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). These girls join classmates Taylor Lawrence '18 and Kaitlyn Pham '18 as NCAA bound student-athletes.

For Kristen, Claire, Gaby, and Christine the recruitment journey started earlier than the normal college process. All four girls knew they wanted to compete at the collegiate level well before this year. These athletes took their training seriously, giving up other sports, sacrificing free time, dedicating long hours to practice, and perfecting their craft. Not only did the girls dedicate themselves to hours of practice, but also to hours of recruiting work. For most of them the process began early in their high school career which included emailing and calling coaches and visiting campuses.

Celebrating their commitment is not just about the day, but it is a culmination of years of hard work. We are proud of Panthers who have found a place where they can both compete in their sport and continue to get a great education.

Kristen Bitsberger '18
Hamilton College
Track & Field

Kristen will attend Hamilton College where she will run cross country, indoor and outdoor track. Coming into freshman year, Kristen knew she wanted to run in college. Throughout the years, she continued to work hard and narrow her focus. She commented that the recruiting process had its ups and downs, but at the end of the day it helped her get into the right school. Before making her decision, she was strongly considering attending Dickinson or Colorado College, but ultimately decided that the overall fit of Hamilton was better suited for her. Kristen commented that, "Holton has taught me how to balance sports and academics and how to prioritize my academics without sacrificing my sports. Holton athletics has provided me with the ability to pursue running at a high-level by entering me in important meets where I gained experience that will be crucial in college." Kristen is a rare 12-season varsity athlete competing on the cross country, ice hockey, and track & field teams. Although all of her coaches have made a positive impact on her, Kristen wanted to specifically recognize Coach Braun and Couch Sallah who "were very supportive and encouraging when I first mentioned to them that I wanted to run in college. All my coaches provided lots of support throughout the process and have really helped me become the athlete and person I am today."

Claire Evans '18
Amherst College
Tennis

Claire will attend Amherst College where she will play tennis. Claire began playing tennis at an early age, along with many other sports. She began playing competitive tennis during her freshman year, and decided to pursue collegiate tennis the summer before her sophomore year. Most girls who play collegiate tennis start playing national tournaments at age 10 or even earlier, so Claire knew she had to play catch-up quickly. Claire put in the hard work over the next three years and earned herself the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level. Initially, she looked at Division I and III schools, but as she narrowed down her list she wanted to primarily focus on academics which ultimately led her to Division III schools. Claire had visited Amherst in 9^th grade and had fallen in love with the campus, so it was always a frontrunner on her list. Towards the end of her decision process, she considered Bowdoin, Swarthmore, and Washington and Lee, but ultimately loved the environment at Amherst with the rigorous academic climate and the comforting, fun team and coach. Claire believed that Amherst was the perfect fit with great academics and a high level tennis program. Claire believes that, "Holton's academic demands have hopefully taught me a disciplined work ethic that will help in college as well as provided a close teacher-student relationship that inspires hands on learning and no fear of asking for extra help. Holton's athletics have encouraged me to balance schoolwork, teaching me to manage my time effectively while focusing on tennis." Claire wants to thank Coach Yann for his support throughout Middle and Upper School, outside coaches for their expertise and support, as well as, Mrs. Treadwell for her support during recruitment, and her advisor Ms. Siburt, who dealt with her many injuries and ailments throughout the years! Lastly, Claire wants to thank her parents for taking her to the many national tournaments located all over the country and also helped her with the recruitment process!

Gaby Henry '18
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Ice Hockey

Gaby will attend Hobart and William Smith Colleges to play ice hockey. Gaby began playing ice hockey when she was six years old and decided it was something she wanted to pursue at the collegiate level by the end of her sophomore year. At that point, Gaby considered playing Division I hockey, but after talking it over with her coach she "decided that DIII was the way to go. At a DIII school, [she] could compete at a high level without sacrificing the time [she] wanted to invest in academics and clubs." In order to reach this goal, Gaby needed to join a Tier I ice hockey team that would require a huge commitment, ultimately making it impossible to play ice hockey at Holton. This rigorous schedule, in addition to her other Holton commitments, helped prepare Gaby for life as a student-athlete. Gaby commented that, "Holton has a rigorous academic curriculum that has made me a much better student. With my current team, I travel frequently and miss a lot of school. However, with the past four years I have spent at Holton, I've learned the importance of time management and prioritizing tasks." Before deciding on Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Gaby considered Bowdoin and Colby Colleges. At the end of the day, the atmosphere, people, and academics won Gaby over - especially the emphasis HWS places on the programs that are important to Gaby, environmental studies and a nationally ranked study abroad program. Gaby also mentions, "The environment in the classroom is very similar to Holton, with an emphasis on student-led discussions and small class sizes averaging 16." In addition to being prepared for the strong academic program, Gaby feels ready to compete at the next level. "Holton has encouraged me to try new things. All of the sports teams are challenging and friendly that being a part of each team is rewarding in both an athletic and social sense. I especially enjoyed my time on Holton's crew team, as it taught me so much about the value of teamwork and the importance of strong and positive communication. l will always treasure the memories and lessons I've learned during my time on the Holton crew team. My Holton coaches have inspired me to remain positive and persistent. Coach Acerra, Coach Piacenza, Coach Wilde, and Coach Dan were great role models to me on the crew team. Additionally, my out of school coaches were also incredible. Kush Sidhu, Aubree Moore, Kim Weiss, Brynja Bogan, and Marina Alessi reminded me to never stop grinding and to always fight until the very last minute. Their lessons have made me into a more resilient hockey player and a more confident individual."

Christine Padalino '18
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lacrosse

Christine Padalino will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and play lacrosse. Christine began playing lacrosse in first grade, but as she entered high school she knew she wanted to play lacrosse in college. The recruiting process has been a long one for Christine. Sending continuous email updates every time she played, she was able to get to know a number of different programs and coaches to aid her decision process. Throughout the process, Christine considered playing at the Division I level, but decided she wanted a place where academics are at the forefront and she found the right fit. Although she knew she wanted to play lacrosse in college, she didn't want it to dictate her college process. Therefore, Christine turned down offers to commit early focusing instead on the whole experience. Christine believes she found that balance at MIT, "I love that it gives me all the opportunities I am looking for in a school, and I get to play lacrosse in college. I felt like I was truly getting all I had been looking for in a college." Christine anticipates the academics at MIT to be challenging, but believes "Holton put me in a position to thrive academically through teaching me time management, good study habits, and writing skills all in a rigorous environment." Additionally, "After playing three seasons a year, Holton definitely prepared me for the collegiate level as I know what it's like to always be "in season." Holton athletics gave me confidence on and off the field while also helping me to identify my weaknesses and strengthen those areas." Christine is a rare 12-season varsity athlete as a member of the field hockey, ice hockey, and lacrosse teams. Christine's love of athletics may even influence her to consider walking onto the field hockey team next year. Christine has been fortunate enough to have a number of coaches throughout her time at Holton who have impacted her on and off the field. She wanted to specifically thank, "Coach McCormick for always being there for me to pop my head in and chat even if for just a minute about anything going on that I needed to talk about, recruiting or otherwise. She kept me on track while also taking into account what I really wanted out of my college experience, not just what would be best for me in athletics, but for me in general. I cannot thank her enough for her support over the past four years. She helped to shape me into the person I am today without a doubt."