Kevin Zou '18 National Gold Award-winning photograph, The Other Side, has been selected for the Art.Write.Now.Tour 2017-2018, a traveling exhibition of curated works from the 2017 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Only 50 pieces of artwork were chosen for this exhibit from the 320,000 pieces submitted last year in the Scholastic Art and Writing competition. Kevin's award-winning photo is displayed below. 

Kevin is the third student from the Academy who has been selected for this very selective exhibit. Paul Holloway '18 was chosen for 2015 exhibit and Kate Duval '14 was chosen for the 2014 exhibit. 

Congratulations Kevin!

Landing page image of Kevin Zou '18 by Sorieba Fofanah '18 

On Saturday, October 21, over 400 alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends gathered in an elegantly transformed Carl A. Pescosolido, Jr. Field House to celebrate the launch of With True Courage, the Campaign for Governor’s. This comprehensive fundraising campaign is the most ambitious in the Academy’s 255-year history.

The campaign is inspired by the family motto of the school’s founder, Governor William Dummer: “With true courage, nothing is impossible.” Head of School Peter H. Quimby, Ph.D. ’85, P’14 says of the campaign theme, “We chose it because we believe that it accurately describes what happens on our campus every day. Our world needs leaders with the courage to keep on learning and face new challenges, the courage to stand up for their ideals, even when they go against the status quo, and the courage to shape themselves and their world in ways that are true to who they are and the values they hold dear. We build these skills in our students every day, and that’s why this campaign is so important.”

The evening included a cocktail hour, a program featuring remarks from school leadership, two senior students and a faculty member, followed by dinner and dancing. During the program, the bold campaign goal of $75 million was revealed - $36 million of which has already been raised. The campaign is expected to span 3-4 more years. “Achieving the objectives of our campaign will change the trajectory of our school permanently,” said Board of Trustees President Jim Pierce ‘72, P’08. He added, “At Governor’s you learn how to think, collaborate, communicate, and succeed. I believe the 15-18 year old time frame is when these things really are learned and internalized, and that is why I love being involved with this school.”

The With True Courage campaign has three focus areas: endowment, annual fund, and capital projects.  Growing the endowment will allow the Academy to fund additional student financial aid and support the faculty’s professional development. The annual fund is needed every year to supplement tuition dollars and sustain the school’s programs, curriculum, and campus. Finally, there are four exciting capital projects planned: a new environmental research and classroom building along the banks of the Parker River, a renovated and expanded student center, a renovated foreign language classroom building, and new faculty housing. “At its core, this is a campaign about people. The Academy has been known for generations as a family school, and if we are to preserve this essential quality in the future, we have to invest in our faculty, staff, and students,” said Quimby.

The Academy’s last campaign, Campaign to Carry on the Work, ended in 2002 and raised $50 million. Key initiatives during that campaign included capital projects like a new library and program support.

Academy English teacher and department chair Karen Gold was recently featured in The New York Times online Lesson Plans section.

The article, titled, “Reader Idea: Teaching History and Classic Literature With Times Articles,” was posted on October 26. In the article, Mrs. Gold describes how she approached three texts- “The Great Gatsby,” “Julius Caesar,” and the Gettysburg Address by using resources from the Times. An avid New York Times reader herself, Mrs. Gold describes how she uses current events to make connections to the literature or historic time period her students are studying. She uses the Times’ Learning Network resources in her classes, and last summer, teachers were sent a survey asking for examples on how people were using the site. Mrs. Gold sent back her “Gatsby” ideas, and completely forgot about it, she says.

Then, two weeks ago, an editor from the Times contacted her with a request for more detail on the ideas she had provided on “Gatsby”. Then, they asked for more examples, which she provided- on “Julius Caesar” and the Civil War. Eventually, a full column was published, and when Mrs. Gold found out, as she puts it, “It was the best day ever!”

Mrs. Gold’s lesson plan will be featured in a webinar on Wednesday, November 8 called “Ripped from the Headlines and Applied to the Classics: Pairing Often-Taught Literary and History Texts with Times Articles and Multimedia.”

To read the article in The New York Times, click here. 

On Sunday, November 5, The Governor’s Academy hosted its 30^thannual Massachusetts Special Olympics fall soccer tournament on its campus. More than 800 athletes and over 500 volunteers from Governor's as well as the Landmark School and other local communities participated in the event. The athletes, who gather to compete in a series of round-robin soccer matches, represented 64 teams from across the state.  

This year also marks the 50^th anniversary of the Massachusetts Special Olympics games which further added to the festive spirit of the day. 

Students from The Governor’s Academy are responsible for arranging the opening ceremonies, registering athletes, running “Olympic Town,” organizing soccer skills and drills, and preparing lunches for the athletes. 

Highlights of the day this year included inspirational notes that Governor’s students wrote for the athletes, and tucked into their lunches, and a Governor's pep band which played throughout the opening ceremony and had all the athletes dancing and high-fiving the fans as they paraded by the cheering crowds.   

Each year, English faculty member Anna Finch organizes the program with two senior student co-directors. Former faculty members Patty Crowe and Susan Oleszko, and current faculty member Maud Hamovit preceded Ms. Finch as the faculty advisors to Special Olympics.

This year’s co-directors were Lauren Hayes ’18 and Kaitlyn Alimenti ’18. For Lauren, the tournament is personal. "My close family friend died of Downs Syndrome a few years ago. He was really into sports and I know he would love this event.”

Kaitlyn called the annual event one of her favorite days of the year. “The best part is during the awards ceremonies when the athletes' faces light up when they receive their medals. It makes all the work worth it and more."

Many Governor’s students and community members call the day one of their favorite days of the year. Ms. Finch, faculty advisor said, “Special Olympics is a part of my job that I truly love. Year after year I get to work intensively with wonderful students and a great team from Special Olympics Massachusetts (SOMA,) and I have the privilege of helping to coordinate an event that is one of the highlights of the year for more than 800 athletes and their families. The joy the athletes express before, during, and after their competition is something I reflect on all year long. And I also love being part of an international movement that makes life better for millions of people around the globe."

Governor's student Jos Cremers '19 was featured in the Boston Herald on Thursday, November 9.

The article, entitled “Hot Shots: Jos Cremers Hears Cheers at The Governor’s Academy,” describes how Cremers overcame losing his hearing at a young age in Germany and what led him to play football in the United States. The article features interviews with both Cremers and Governor’s Football Head Coach Jim O'Leary. It also features a video of Cremers' interview.

To read the Boston Herald article on their website, click here. You may also read it here:

BYFIELD — Jos Cremers knew from an early age that he was going to eventually lose his hearing.

That moment came in a German classroom when he was 10. A panicked youngster texted his mother to explain what had happened. Cremers was taken to the hospital where, despite numerous tests, there was nothing they could do at the time to restore his hearing.

The family eventually opted for surgery in which cochlear implants were surgically installed. Cremers celebrated the success by calling his mom, who was startled that she could carry on a conversation with her son via phone.

“She could not believe it,” Cremers said with a smile recently while recalling the moment at Governor’s Academy. “The next morning, I woke up, went outside and heard these loud noises which were birds. I couldn’t ever remember hearing them before.”

Shortly thereafter, Cremers discovered football. Because of his size — he’s up to 6-foot-5, 290 pounds — he tried out for the local club football team and was hooked on the sport. Football became so much of a passion that Cremers enrolled in a student exchange program so that he could play in high school in the United States.

“I watched film and YouTube of football here, and I wanted to do it,” Cremers, who came over from Germany and played in Nebraska for Exeter-Milligan High School. “There is such a big difference between football over there and here in the states.”

Once the yearlong exchange program ended, Cremers sought other ways to stay in America.

Fellow German and former NFL defensive lineman Bjorn Werner started an organization called Gridiron Imports in which he brings potential players from overseas to the United States. Like Cremers, Werner played some high school football at the Salisbury School in Connecticut before attending Florida State.

On behalf of Cremers, Werner reached out to several of the local prep schools in the area, including Governor’s Academy.

“We saw the tapes and started recruiting him,” Governor’s coach Jim O’Leary said. “He’s a talented player and an amazing kid. Before the season started, he gave a preseason talk to the team in which he talked about overcoming his own hardships and never to give up.”

Cremers has been a steady factor in the trenches for a Governor’s team that is 5-2 in the Independent School League. Other than a few minor adjustments made to compensate for his hearing (including ISL referees allow him to remove his helmet on the field at times to adjust hearing devices), O’Leary said Cremers is no different than any other player.

“We treat him pretty much the same,” O’Leary said. “One of the minor things we’ve done is to have our quarterback (Jared Dupere) look at him in the huddle just to make sure he understands and can hear the play.”

Considering that in a span of six years, Cremers has lost and regained his hearing, moved from Germany to Nebraska to Byfield without his family (his parents, Louie and Morag, along with younger brother Jan still reside in Germany), he is a well-grounded young man. Cremers credits Governor’s for providing a seamless transition.

“I definitely don’t regret the choice, especially with coach O,” Cremers said. “The people here have been so supportive. If they see you are struggling, they are right there to catch you.

“It’s a great feeling to have that."

- Courtesy of Boston Herald and Dan Ventura

The Governor’s Academy Girls Varsity Field Hockey team won their second consecutive Class B New England (NEPSAC) Championship this weekend.  Under the leadership of Coaches Tracy Stickney and Danielle Kingsbury, they defeated St. Mark’s School, 3-2, in the championship game on Sunday, November 19 at The Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, CT.  

Coach Stickney said, “What this team achieved this year was remarkable. To win the ISL and a New England title in the same year has never happened for Govs Field Hockey. This was our goal at the beginning of the season. We won the ISL in 2015 and won New England’s in 2016. We wanted to put it all together and we did it! This team has grown so much over the course of the season and has literally conquered one team at a time. The contributions this senior class has made over their four years have been remarkable: their growth, leadership, and skill have been invaluable and they leave quite a legacy. This was a great team effort all the way.”  

On Wednesday, November 15, in the quarter-final game, Governor’s defeated a very strong Williston Northampton School, 2-1. Goalie Delaney Bashaw was outstanding in the contest earning 12 saves. Quinn Greer started off the scoring with just 4:21 gone in the first-half when she tipped a shot by Sky Caron. With 23:30 remaining in the second-half, Steph Tamasi finished a shot by Sky Caron. Williston mounted an attack in the second-half, and scored with 20:39 remaining, but the Governor's defensive unit of Alex Sterchele, Reanne Burgess, Rori Nugent, and Delaney Bashaw turned them away time-after-time.    

In the semi-final game on Saturday, November 18, Governor’s avenged a regular season loss and beat Rivers School 3-2 in overtime, advancing to the New England championship game. Rivers scored first and led, 1-0, at halftime. In the second-half, Sky Caron tied it up with 15:27 left in the game. With 3:02 remaining, Rivers scored again to take the lead, but Governor’s answered right back at 1:58 when Reanne Burgess turned away Rivers in the the defensive end, carried the ball out of the zone, and started up the offense. Governor’s quickly earned a corner and Quinn Greer scored on a corner pass from Sky Caron to make it 2-2. In overtime, Rivers had an early chance, but the Governor’s defense turned them away and with 4:26 remaining, Sky Caron buried a pass from Quinn Greer to propel them into the finals.  

The team advanced to the championship game on Sunday, November 19 against St. Mark’s School. Despite scoring opportunities by both teams, the game was scoreless at halftime. With 13:32 remaining in the contest, Governor’s earned a corner and Sky Caron set up twin Finn Caron who tipped one past the goalie. Governor's had the momentum, and Sky Caron scored an unassisted goal just a minute later to make it 2-0. Governor’s dominated play for the next four minutes, and Sky Caron scored the ultimate game winner with 8:38 remaining. St. Mark’s made a late run and scored two goals, but the Governor's defense anchored by Alex Sterchele and Reanne Burgess held off St. Mark’s late in the game to win their second consecutive New England Championship.

The Governor’s Academy is honored to feature the works of photographer Jessica Rinaldi on campus beginning Tuesday, November 28. Rinaldi is a photographer for The Boston Globe and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Feature Photography.

The show, titled “The Life and Times of Strider Wolf,” is comprised of sixteen photographs which earned Rinaldi the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography in 2016. The exhibit is a powerful photographic story of a young boy in rural Maine who strives to find his footing after experiencing physical abuse by those he trusted.

“The Life and Times of Strider Wolf” will be on display in The Remis Lobby of The Wilkie Center for the Performing Arts at The Governor’s Academy from Tuesday, November 28 through Sunday, February 11. The opening reception for this poignant exhibit is Friday, December 1 at 6:00 p.m. in The Remis Lobby. The reception is open to the public. 

To learn more about Rinaldi, click here. To view all sixteen of her photos on the Pulitzer Prize website, click here.

The Academy’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day programming began on Monday, January 15 with an engaging presentation by Daryl Davis, a blues musician who has spent the past 30 years befriending Ku Klux Klan members in an effort to find out the answer to his question: How can you hate me when you don't even know me? He discussed his encounters meeting with Ku Klux Klan members around the country and attending their rallies as an African American man. Mr. Davis told the community that after years of knowing different members of the Ku Klux Klan, over 200 of them have given up their “robes”. He wrote the book, Klan-destine Relationships about his experiences with the Ku Klux Klan.

To read and/or listen to NPR’s interview with Mr. Davis, please click here.  

The conversation continued after Mr. Davis’ presentation when students gathered in breakout groups across campus. Underclassmen took part in a social justice activity and workshop led by Academy Anti-Defamation League leaders, while upperclassmen met for workshops with “Boston Mobilization,” a group which develops and empowers teen leaders for social justice.

While students (and some faculty members) met in their breakout groups, faculty attended a workshop titled “The Language of Gender” with John Gentile. This workshop was a professional development opportunity for faculty to learn how to develop the language and cultural competencies around the topic of gender in ways that allow them to better serve their students while understanding the rapidly changing landscape of equity and inclusion at independent schools.

Students met in their advisory groups after lunch to process the day’s events, workshops, and activities in a smaller setting. The day concluded with an open-mic community gathering in the Wilkie Center. In the spirit of the theme of the day, empathy, students, faculty, and staff were invited to share a poem, a song, an experience, or a few words of meaning to them . The open-mic session, orchestrated by Governor’s students, was a wonderful way to wrap up the day. Students were affirmed, listening to one another and sharing stories that exemplified the inclusive nature of the Academy’s community.

Dean of Multicultural Education Jadi Taveras, who organized the day’s program, said "This year our MLK Day program was centered around empathy. On Monday we focused on the ability to work with and listen to those who have opposing views or perspectives while further educating our selves on gender identity and racial relations. Our community was moved by Mr. Davis' modeling of empathetic behavior and his message that ‘if you're talking to one another, you're not fighting.’ It was a meaningful day for all of us.”

Governor’s student Eljay Morris '20, was featured in the Newburyport Daily News on January 25.

The article, “British baller: London’s Eljay Morris taking game to new heights at Governor's Academy” chronicles Morris' recent appointment to England’s U-18 National Basketball Team and adjustment of playing basketball in the United States.

To read the Daily News article on their website, click here. You may also read it here:

BYFIELD — When the Governor’s Academy basketball team takes the court, you’ll find players who have come far and wide to elevate their games in hopes of continuing their career at a higher level.

Eljay Morris has traveled a bit farther than most.

A London resident, Morris transferred to the Governor’s Academy for his sophomore year this past summer. The 6-foot-4 small forward has already emerged as one of the top young players in England — he was recently named to England’s U-18 National Team — and now he’s settling in against the high caliber American competition found in the Independent School League.

“He came over here with a purpose, he’s focused on achieving greatness here,” said Governor’s Academy coach Jim O’Leary. “He wants an opportunity to play college basketball in the United States.

Discovering the game

Morris first discovered basketball at age 12, where it was introduced as an activity during physical education. Given his height and athleticism, Morris showed enough potential that his teacher suggested he join the school team, and before long Morris discovered he really liked the game.

“I really enjoyed it, started playing before school, after school, any time I could get,” Morris said. “My school is one of the only schools in town that didn’t have an indoor gym, so we’d play outside all the time until it got dark.”

Eventually Morris began taking the sport more seriously, so his mother found him a local club nearby and he started developing his game. As he progressed, he eventually got the attention of the Southeast England coach, and after playing for that regional team was eventually put in touch with Steve Bucknall, coach of the Lewisham Thunder Basketball club and one of the best players to ever come out of England.

Bucknall was a McDonald’s All-American at Governor’s Academy, graduating in 1985 before going on to play four seasons at the University of North Carolina for legendary coach Dean Smith. He was a co-captain at UNC as a senior in 1988-89, and he later spent two seasons playing with the Los Angeles Lakers before playing professionally at various clubs in Europe for 16 years.

As a coach, Bucknall had previous experience coaching the English National Team, and when he met Morris he quickly appreciated his talent and desire to improve as a player. Eventually, when Morris decided he was ready to try his luck in America, Bucknall recommended the Governor’s Academy in large part because of his own experience there.

“Steve Bucknall is probably in the top three players ever to play here, he was a force, they called him the beast cause he was that good,” O’Leary said. “He was a captain for Dean Smith and played for the Lakers for two years, so knowing that Steve had contact with a player like this and recommended him I was pretty excited for the chance to coach him.”

Adjusting to America

At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Morris has impressive size and athleticism. O’Leary said he jumps effortlessly, dunks with two hands and can defend and close out well. He said he’s still working on his ball handling and shooting, but he expects Morris will grow a couple more inches, which would help make him more of a true wing player.

Morris said his biggest challenge so far has been adjusting to the different style played in America.

“It’s very different from England,” Morris said. “The pace is different, the players are more competitive, the play is faster and the players are hungry. It’s more people, and it’s very different but day by day I’m working with my game and I think I’m developing and I’m trying to understand.”

While basketball has been growing in popularity all across Europe over the past 20 years, it is still considered a niche sport in England. Morris said it doesn’t get a lot of attention, though that has started to change since London hosted the Summer Olympics six years ago.

“It’s definitely becoming a bigger thing, especially after the 2012 Olympics,” Morris said. “We keep having NBA London Games, there’s been more programs within schools, within towns and the counties, Kobe Bryant came to London not long ago, so we have programs and visits, but it’s definitely on the come up. It’s definitely not where it needs to be but it’s definitely coming up.”

Morris is currently averaging 4.3 points per game, but he’s certainly benefiting from the tough competition, both against future Division 1 athletes from rival schools like Phillips and Brooks, but also from his own teammates. One teammate, D.J. Frechette, was a former New Hampshire Player of the Year at Nashua South. He’s currently averaging 23.5 points per game and has scored more than 1,500 career points. Another teammate, Joe Pridgen, is averaging 18.3 points per game and is projected as a future Division 1 athlete.

The hope is that this season will help prepare him for another goal when he returns to England after the school year. While making the England U-18 National Team was a big accomplishment, it doesn’t represent the highest level of international competition in the country. The next step would be for him to make Team Great Britain, which includes the top players from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well.

After that, Morris hopes to one day play Division 1 college basketball, and if he’s lucky embark on a professional career. In the meantime, he’s focused on getting better every day.

“I’m competing against the best players in my country for my age, and I’m very fortunate to be picked and I’ve put in a lot of hard work to get to this stage,” Morris said. “I’m really happy that I’ve gotten to this stage, and the work is just beginning.”

   - Courtesy of Newburyport Daily News and Mac Cerullo

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards winners have been announced, and Governor’s students once again received plentiful accolades.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program is the longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative high school students in the United States. Since 1923, the awards have recognized the vision, ingenuity, and talent of creative teenagers. Work is judged on originality, technical skill, and emergence of a personal voice or vision. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. More than 330,000 original works were submitted by students across the count in 29 different categories of art and writing.

Writing Awards

Governor’s writing students received 19 awards. Of the 23 students who submitted written work to the competition, an impressive 12 received awards.

Gold Key award winners in writing are: Charlotte Collins ‘18 for her personal essay/memoir, Maeve Corbett ‘18 for her personal essay/memoir, Rachel Cheng ‘19 for her poetry, Collethea Lambert ’18 for her poetry, Eli Anderson-Song ’18 for his short story, and Kevin Cho ’18 for his short story. 

Silver Key award winners in writing are: Charlotte Collins ’18 for her short story, Alondra Caceres ’18 for her poetry, Holly Zheng ’18 for her personal essay/memoir, Kyra Steck ’18 for her personal essay/memoir, Olivia Haouchine ’18 for her personal essay/memoir, and Bimba Carpenter ’21 for her personal essay/memoir.

Honorable Mention award winners in writing are: Collethea Lambert ’18 (3) for her poetry (2) and personal essay/memoir, Kyra Steck ’18 (2) for her short story and personal essay/memoir, Maeve Corbett ’18 for her poetry, Rose Robinson ’20 for her poetry, and Holly Zheng ’18 for her short story.

Art Awards

Governor’s student artists collected an extraordinary 59 awards this year made up of 12 Gold Keys, 15 Silver Keys, and 32 Honorable Mentions. Of the 64 students who submitted art to the competition, an impressive 41 received awards.

The Gold Key award winner in ceramics is Alexandra Sterchele ’18.

The Gold Key award winner in painting is Charlotte Collins ’18.

The Gold Key award winners in photography are: Claudia Solano ‘18 (photo portfolio), Britney Touchette ’18 (photo portfolio), Ken Minamoto ’18 (photo/mixed media), Sorieba Fofanah ’18, Rui Lin ’21, Foster Rose ’20, Abram Seigel ’19, Hayden Valas ’18, Tiger Wu ’20, and Kevin Zou ’18.

To view the complete list of art award winners, including Silver Key and Honorable Mention awards, please click here.

To view all of the award-winning art images, please click here. 

Congratulations to all of our talented Scholastic Writing & Art Award winners on this tremendous honor.

Landing page images from left to right clockwise:

Leo Lin '21, Family Feast: Gold Key 

Charlotte Collins '18, The Veiling: Gold Key

Alexandra Sterchele '18, Rosie's Child: Gold Key

Ken Minamoto '18, Line Study #3: Gold Key

Kevin Zou '18 National Gold Award-winning photograph, The Other Side, has been selected for the Art.Write.Now.Tour 2017-2018, a traveling exhibition of curated works from the 2017 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Only 50 pieces of artwork were chosen for this exhibit from the 320,000 pieces submitted last year in the Scholastic Art and Writing competition. Kevin's award-winning photo is displayed below. 

Kevin is the third student from the Academy who has been selected for this very selective exhibit. Paul Holloway '18 was chosen for 2015 exhibit and Kate Duval '14 was chosen for the 2014 exhibit. 

Congratulations Kevin!

Landing page image of Kevin Zou '18 by Sorieba Fofanah '18 

On Saturday, October 21, over 400 alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends gathered in an elegantly transformed Carl A. Pescosolido, Jr. Field House to celebrate the launch of With True Courage, the Campaign for Governor’s. This comprehensive fundraising campaign is the most ambitious in the Academy’s 255-year history.

The campaign is inspired by the family motto of the school’s founder, Governor William Dummer: “With true courage, nothing is impossible.” Head of School Peter H. Quimby, Ph.D. ’85, P’14 says of the campaign theme, “We chose it because we believe that it accurately describes what happens on our campus every day. Our world needs leaders with the courage to keep on learning and face new challenges, the courage to stand up for their ideals, even when they go against the status quo, and the courage to shape themselves and their world in ways that are true to who they are and the values they hold dear. We build these skills in our students every day, and that’s why this campaign is so important.”

The evening included a cocktail hour, a program featuring remarks from school leadership, two senior students and a faculty member, followed by dinner and dancing. During the program, the bold campaign goal of $75 million was revealed - $36 million of which has already been raised. The campaign is expected to span 3-4 more years. “Achieving the objectives of our campaign will change the trajectory of our school permanently,” said Board of Trustees President Jim Pierce ‘72, P’08. He added, “At Governor’s you learn how to think, collaborate, communicate, and succeed. I believe the 15-18 year old time frame is when these things really are learned and internalized, and that is why I love being involved with this school.”

The With True Courage campaign has three focus areas: endowment, annual fund, and capital projects.  Growing the endowment will allow the Academy to fund additional student financial aid and support the faculty’s professional development. The annual fund is needed every year to supplement tuition dollars and sustain the school’s programs, curriculum, and campus. Finally, there are four exciting capital projects planned: a new environmental research and classroom building along the banks of the Parker River, a renovated and expanded student center, a renovated foreign language classroom building, and new faculty housing. “At its core, this is a campaign about people. The Academy has been known for generations as a family school, and if we are to preserve this essential quality in the future, we have to invest in our faculty, staff, and students,” said Quimby.

The Academy’s last campaign, Campaign to Carry on the Work, ended in 2002 and raised $50 million. Key initiatives during that campaign included capital projects like a new library and program support.

Academy English teacher and department chair Karen Gold was recently featured in The New York Times online Lesson Plans section.

The article, titled, “Reader Idea: Teaching History and Classic Literature With Times Articles,” was posted on October 26. In the article, Mrs. Gold describes how she approached three texts- “The Great Gatsby,” “Julius Caesar,” and the Gettysburg Address by using resources from the Times. An avid New York Times reader herself, Mrs. Gold describes how she uses current events to make connections to the literature or historic time period her students are studying. She uses the Times’ Learning Network resources in her classes, and last summer, teachers were sent a survey asking for examples on how people were using the site. Mrs. Gold sent back her “Gatsby” ideas, and completely forgot about it, she says.

Then, two weeks ago, an editor from the Times contacted her with a request for more detail on the ideas she had provided on “Gatsby”. Then, they asked for more examples, which she provided- on “Julius Caesar” and the Civil War. Eventually, a full column was published, and when Mrs. Gold found out, as she puts it, “It was the best day ever!”

Mrs. Gold’s lesson plan will be featured in a webinar on Wednesday, November 8 called “Ripped from the Headlines and Applied to the Classics: Pairing Often-Taught Literary and History Texts with Times Articles and Multimedia.”

To read the article in The New York Times, click here. 

On Sunday, November 5, The Governor’s Academy hosted its 30^thannual Massachusetts Special Olympics fall soccer tournament on its campus. More than 800 athletes and over 500 volunteers from Governor's as well as the Landmark School and other local communities participated in the event. The athletes, who gather to compete in a series of round-robin soccer matches, represented 64 teams from across the state.  

This year also marks the 50^th anniversary of the Massachusetts Special Olympics games which further added to the festive spirit of the day. 

Students from The Governor’s Academy are responsible for arranging the opening ceremonies, registering athletes, running “Olympic Town,” organizing soccer skills and drills, and preparing lunches for the athletes. 

Highlights of the day this year included inspirational notes that Governor’s students wrote for the athletes, and tucked into their lunches, and a Governor's pep band which played throughout the opening ceremony and had all the athletes dancing and high-fiving the fans as they paraded by the cheering crowds.   

Each year, English faculty member Anna Finch organizes the program with two senior student co-directors. Former faculty members Patty Crowe and Susan Oleszko, and current faculty member Maud Hamovit preceded Ms. Finch as the faculty advisors to Special Olympics.

This year’s co-directors were Lauren Hayes ’18 and Kaitlyn Alimenti ’18. For Lauren, the tournament is personal. "My close family friend died of Downs Syndrome a few years ago. He was really into sports and I know he would love this event.”

Kaitlyn called the annual event one of her favorite days of the year. “The best part is during the awards ceremonies when the athletes' faces light up when they receive their medals. It makes all the work worth it and more."

Many Governor’s students and community members call the day one of their favorite days of the year. Ms. Finch, faculty advisor said, “Special Olympics is a part of my job that I truly love. Year after year I get to work intensively with wonderful students and a great team from Special Olympics Massachusetts (SOMA,) and I have the privilege of helping to coordinate an event that is one of the highlights of the year for more than 800 athletes and their families. The joy the athletes express before, during, and after their competition is something I reflect on all year long. And I also love being part of an international movement that makes life better for millions of people around the globe."

Governor's student Jos Cremers '19 was featured in the Boston Herald on Thursday, November 9.

The article, entitled “Hot Shots: Jos Cremers Hears Cheers at The Governor’s Academy,” describes how Cremers overcame losing his hearing at a young age in Germany and what led him to play football in the United States. The article features interviews with both Cremers and Governor’s Football Head Coach Jim O'Leary. It also features a video of Cremers' interview.

To read the Boston Herald article on their website, click here. You may also read it here:

BYFIELD — Jos Cremers knew from an early age that he was going to eventually lose his hearing.

That moment came in a German classroom when he was 10. A panicked youngster texted his mother to explain what had happened. Cremers was taken to the hospital where, despite numerous tests, there was nothing they could do at the time to restore his hearing.

The family eventually opted for surgery in which cochlear implants were surgically installed. Cremers celebrated the success by calling his mom, who was startled that she could carry on a conversation with her son via phone.

“She could not believe it,” Cremers said with a smile recently while recalling the moment at Governor’s Academy. “The next morning, I woke up, went outside and heard these loud noises which were birds. I couldn’t ever remember hearing them before.”

Shortly thereafter, Cremers discovered football. Because of his size — he’s up to 6-foot-5, 290 pounds — he tried out for the local club football team and was hooked on the sport. Football became so much of a passion that Cremers enrolled in a student exchange program so that he could play in high school in the United States.

“I watched film and YouTube of football here, and I wanted to do it,” Cremers, who came over from Germany and played in Nebraska for Exeter-Milligan High School. “There is such a big difference between football over there and here in the states.”

Once the yearlong exchange program ended, Cremers sought other ways to stay in America.

Fellow German and former NFL defensive lineman Bjorn Werner started an organization called Gridiron Imports in which he brings potential players from overseas to the United States. Like Cremers, Werner played some high school football at the Salisbury School in Connecticut before attending Florida State.

On behalf of Cremers, Werner reached out to several of the local prep schools in the area, including Governor’s Academy.

“We saw the tapes and started recruiting him,” Governor’s coach Jim O’Leary said. “He’s a talented player and an amazing kid. Before the season started, he gave a preseason talk to the team in which he talked about overcoming his own hardships and never to give up.”

Cremers has been a steady factor in the trenches for a Governor’s team that is 5-2 in the Independent School League. Other than a few minor adjustments made to compensate for his hearing (including ISL referees allow him to remove his helmet on the field at times to adjust hearing devices), O’Leary said Cremers is no different than any other player.

“We treat him pretty much the same,” O’Leary said. “One of the minor things we’ve done is to have our quarterback (Jared Dupere) look at him in the huddle just to make sure he understands and can hear the play.”

Considering that in a span of six years, Cremers has lost and regained his hearing, moved from Germany to Nebraska to Byfield without his family (his parents, Louie and Morag, along with younger brother Jan still reside in Germany), he is a well-grounded young man. Cremers credits Governor’s for providing a seamless transition.

“I definitely don’t regret the choice, especially with coach O,” Cremers said. “The people here have been so supportive. If they see you are struggling, they are right there to catch you.

“It’s a great feeling to have that."

- Courtesy of Boston Herald and Dan Ventura

The Governor’s Academy Girls Varsity Field Hockey team won their second consecutive Class B New England (NEPSAC) Championship this weekend.  Under the leadership of Coaches Tracy Stickney and Danielle Kingsbury, they defeated St. Mark’s School, 3-2, in the championship game on Sunday, November 19 at The Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, CT.  

Coach Stickney said, “What this team achieved this year was remarkable. To win the ISL and a New England title in the same year has never happened for Govs Field Hockey. This was our goal at the beginning of the season. We won the ISL in 2015 and won New England’s in 2016. We wanted to put it all together and we did it! This team has grown so much over the course of the season and has literally conquered one team at a time. The contributions this senior class has made over their four years have been remarkable: their growth, leadership, and skill have been invaluable and they leave quite a legacy. This was a great team effort all the way.”  

On Wednesday, November 15, in the quarter-final game, Governor’s defeated a very strong Williston Northampton School, 2-1. Goalie Delaney Bashaw was outstanding in the contest earning 12 saves. Quinn Greer started off the scoring with just 4:21 gone in the first-half when she tipped a shot by Sky Caron. With 23:30 remaining in the second-half, Steph Tamasi finished a shot by Sky Caron. Williston mounted an attack in the second-half, and scored with 20:39 remaining, but the Governor's defensive unit of Alex Sterchele, Reanne Burgess, Rori Nugent, and Delaney Bashaw turned them away time-after-time.    

In the semi-final game on Saturday, November 18, Governor’s avenged a regular season loss and beat Rivers School 3-2 in overtime, advancing to the New England championship game. Rivers scored first and led, 1-0, at halftime. In the second-half, Sky Caron tied it up with 15:27 left in the game. With 3:02 remaining, Rivers scored again to take the lead, but Governor’s answered right back at 1:58 when Reanne Burgess turned away Rivers in the the defensive end, carried the ball out of the zone, and started up the offense. Governor’s quickly earned a corner and Quinn Greer scored on a corner pass from Sky Caron to make it 2-2. In overtime, Rivers had an early chance, but the Governor’s defense turned them away and with 4:26 remaining, Sky Caron buried a pass from Quinn Greer to propel them into the finals.  

The team advanced to the championship game on Sunday, November 19 against St. Mark’s School. Despite scoring opportunities by both teams, the game was scoreless at halftime. With 13:32 remaining in the contest, Governor’s earned a corner and Sky Caron set up twin Finn Caron who tipped one past the goalie. Governor's had the momentum, and Sky Caron scored an unassisted goal just a minute later to make it 2-0. Governor’s dominated play for the next four minutes, and Sky Caron scored the ultimate game winner with 8:38 remaining. St. Mark’s made a late run and scored two goals, but the Governor's defense anchored by Alex Sterchele and Reanne Burgess held off St. Mark’s late in the game to win their second consecutive New England Championship.

The Governor’s Academy is honored to feature the works of photographer Jessica Rinaldi on campus beginning Tuesday, November 28. Rinaldi is a photographer for The Boston Globe and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Feature Photography.

The show, titled “The Life and Times of Strider Wolf,” is comprised of sixteen photographs which earned Rinaldi the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography in 2016. The exhibit is a powerful photographic story of a young boy in rural Maine who strives to find his footing after experiencing physical abuse by those he trusted.

“The Life and Times of Strider Wolf” will be on display in The Remis Lobby of The Wilkie Center for the Performing Arts at The Governor’s Academy from Tuesday, November 28 through Sunday, February 11. The opening reception for this poignant exhibit is Friday, December 1 at 6:00 p.m. in The Remis Lobby. The reception is open to the public. 

To learn more about Rinaldi, click here. To view all sixteen of her photos on the Pulitzer Prize website, click here.

The Academy’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day programming began on Monday, January 15 with an engaging presentation by Daryl Davis, a blues musician who has spent the past 30 years befriending Ku Klux Klan members in an effort to find out the answer to his question: How can you hate me when you don't even know me? He discussed his encounters meeting with Ku Klux Klan members around the country and attending their rallies as an African American man. Mr. Davis told the community that after years of knowing different members of the Ku Klux Klan, over 200 of them have given up their “robes”. He wrote the book, Klan-destine Relationships about his experiences with the Ku Klux Klan.

To read and/or listen to NPR’s interview with Mr. Davis, please click here.  

The conversation continued after Mr. Davis’ presentation when students gathered in breakout groups across campus. Underclassmen took part in a social justice activity and workshop led by Academy Anti-Defamation League leaders, while upperclassmen met for workshops with “Boston Mobilization,” a group which develops and empowers teen leaders for social justice.

While students (and some faculty members) met in their breakout groups, faculty attended a workshop titled “The Language of Gender” with John Gentile. This workshop was a professional development opportunity for faculty to learn how to develop the language and cultural competencies around the topic of gender in ways that allow them to better serve their students while understanding the rapidly changing landscape of equity and inclusion at independent schools.

Students met in their advisory groups after lunch to process the day’s events, workshops, and activities in a smaller setting. The day concluded with an open-mic community gathering in the Wilkie Center. In the spirit of the theme of the day, empathy, students, faculty, and staff were invited to share a poem, a song, an experience, or a few words of meaning to them . The open-mic session, orchestrated by Governor’s students, was a wonderful way to wrap up the day. Students were affirmed, listening to one another and sharing stories that exemplified the inclusive nature of the Academy’s community.

Dean of Multicultural Education Jadi Taveras, who organized the day’s program, said "This year our MLK Day program was centered around empathy. On Monday we focused on the ability to work with and listen to those who have opposing views or perspectives while further educating our selves on gender identity and racial relations. Our community was moved by Mr. Davis' modeling of empathetic behavior and his message that ‘if you're talking to one another, you're not fighting.’ It was a meaningful day for all of us.”

Governor’s student Eljay Morris '20, was featured in the Newburyport Daily News on January 25.

The article, “British baller: London’s Eljay Morris taking game to new heights at Governor's Academy” chronicles Morris' recent appointment to England’s U-18 National Basketball Team and adjustment of playing basketball in the United States.

To read the Daily News article on their website, click here. You may also read it here:

BYFIELD — When the Governor’s Academy basketball team takes the court, you’ll find players who have come far and wide to elevate their games in hopes of continuing their career at a higher level.

Eljay Morris has traveled a bit farther than most.

A London resident, Morris transferred to the Governor’s Academy for his sophomore year this past summer. The 6-foot-4 small forward has already emerged as one of the top young players in England — he was recently named to England’s U-18 National Team — and now he’s settling in against the high caliber American competition found in the Independent School League.

“He came over here with a purpose, he’s focused on achieving greatness here,” said Governor’s Academy coach Jim O’Leary. “He wants an opportunity to play college basketball in the United States.

Discovering the game

Morris first discovered basketball at age 12, where it was introduced as an activity during physical education. Given his height and athleticism, Morris showed enough potential that his teacher suggested he join the school team, and before long Morris discovered he really liked the game.

“I really enjoyed it, started playing before school, after school, any time I could get,” Morris said. “My school is one of the only schools in town that didn’t have an indoor gym, so we’d play outside all the time until it got dark.”

Eventually Morris began taking the sport more seriously, so his mother found him a local club nearby and he started developing his game. As he progressed, he eventually got the attention of the Southeast England coach, and after playing for that regional team was eventually put in touch with Steve Bucknall, coach of the Lewisham Thunder Basketball club and one of the best players to ever come out of England.

Bucknall was a McDonald’s All-American at Governor’s Academy, graduating in 1985 before going on to play four seasons at the University of North Carolina for legendary coach Dean Smith. He was a co-captain at UNC as a senior in 1988-89, and he later spent two seasons playing with the Los Angeles Lakers before playing professionally at various clubs in Europe for 16 years.

As a coach, Bucknall had previous experience coaching the English National Team, and when he met Morris he quickly appreciated his talent and desire to improve as a player. Eventually, when Morris decided he was ready to try his luck in America, Bucknall recommended the Governor’s Academy in large part because of his own experience there.

“Steve Bucknall is probably in the top three players ever to play here, he was a force, they called him the beast cause he was that good,” O’Leary said. “He was a captain for Dean Smith and played for the Lakers for two years, so knowing that Steve had contact with a player like this and recommended him I was pretty excited for the chance to coach him.”

Adjusting to America

At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Morris has impressive size and athleticism. O’Leary said he jumps effortlessly, dunks with two hands and can defend and close out well. He said he’s still working on his ball handling and shooting, but he expects Morris will grow a couple more inches, which would help make him more of a true wing player.

Morris said his biggest challenge so far has been adjusting to the different style played in America.

“It’s very different from England,” Morris said. “The pace is different, the players are more competitive, the play is faster and the players are hungry. It’s more people, and it’s very different but day by day I’m working with my game and I think I’m developing and I’m trying to understand.”

While basketball has been growing in popularity all across Europe over the past 20 years, it is still considered a niche sport in England. Morris said it doesn’t get a lot of attention, though that has started to change since London hosted the Summer Olympics six years ago.

“It’s definitely becoming a bigger thing, especially after the 2012 Olympics,” Morris said. “We keep having NBA London Games, there’s been more programs within schools, within towns and the counties, Kobe Bryant came to London not long ago, so we have programs and visits, but it’s definitely on the come up. It’s definitely not where it needs to be but it’s definitely coming up.”

Morris is currently averaging 4.3 points per game, but he’s certainly benefiting from the tough competition, both against future Division 1 athletes from rival schools like Phillips and Brooks, but also from his own teammates. One teammate, D.J. Frechette, was a former New Hampshire Player of the Year at Nashua South. He’s currently averaging 23.5 points per game and has scored more than 1,500 career points. Another teammate, Joe Pridgen, is averaging 18.3 points per game and is projected as a future Division 1 athlete.

The hope is that this season will help prepare him for another goal when he returns to England after the school year. While making the England U-18 National Team was a big accomplishment, it doesn’t represent the highest level of international competition in the country. The next step would be for him to make Team Great Britain, which includes the top players from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well.

After that, Morris hopes to one day play Division 1 college basketball, and if he’s lucky embark on a professional career. In the meantime, he’s focused on getting better every day.

“I’m competing against the best players in my country for my age, and I’m very fortunate to be picked and I’ve put in a lot of hard work to get to this stage,” Morris said. “I’m really happy that I’ve gotten to this stage, and the work is just beginning.”

   - Courtesy of Newburyport Daily News and Mac Cerullo

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards winners have been announced, and Governor’s students once again received plentiful accolades.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program is the longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative high school students in the United States. Since 1923, the awards have recognized the vision, ingenuity, and talent of creative teenagers. Work is judged on originality, technical skill, and emergence of a personal voice or vision. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. More than 330,000 original works were submitted by students across the count in 29 different categories of art and writing.

Writing Awards

Governor’s writing students received 19 awards. Of the 23 students who submitted written work to the competition, an impressive 12 received awards.

Gold Key award winners in writing are: Charlotte Collins ‘18 for her personal essay/memoir, Maeve Corbett ‘18 for her personal essay/memoir, Rachel Cheng ‘19 for her poetry, Collethea Lambert ’18 for her poetry, Eli Anderson-Song ’18 for his short story, and Kevin Cho ’18 for his short story. 

Silver Key award winners in writing are: Charlotte Collins ’18 for her short story, Alondra Caceres ’18 for her poetry, Holly Zheng ’18 for her personal essay/memoir, Kyra Steck ’18 for her personal essay/memoir, Olivia Haouchine ’18 for her personal essay/memoir, and Bimba Carpenter ’21 for her personal essay/memoir.

Honorable Mention award winners in writing are: Collethea Lambert ’18 (3) for her poetry (2) and personal essay/memoir, Kyra Steck ’18 (2) for her short story and personal essay/memoir, Maeve Corbett ’18 for her poetry, Rose Robinson ’20 for her poetry, and Holly Zheng ’18 for her short story.

Art Awards

Governor’s student artists collected an extraordinary 59 awards this year made up of 12 Gold Keys, 15 Silver Keys, and 32 Honorable Mentions. Of the 64 students who submitted art to the competition, an impressive 41 received awards.

The Gold Key award winner in ceramics is Alexandra Sterchele ’18.

The Gold Key award winner in painting is Charlotte Collins ’18.

The Gold Key award winners in photography are: Claudia Solano ‘18 (photo portfolio), Britney Touchette ’18 (photo portfolio), Ken Minamoto ’18 (photo/mixed media), Sorieba Fofanah ’18, Rui Lin ’21, Foster Rose ’20, Abram Seigel ’19, Hayden Valas ’18, Tiger Wu ’20, and Kevin Zou ’18.

To view the complete list of art award winners, including Silver Key and Honorable Mention awards, please click here.

To view all of the award-winning art images, please click here. 

Congratulations to all of our talented Scholastic Writing & Art Award winners on this tremendous honor.

Landing page images from left to right clockwise:

Leo Lin '21, Family Feast: Gold Key 

Charlotte Collins '18, The Veiling: Gold Key

Alexandra Sterchele '18, Rosie's Child: Gold Key

Ken Minamoto '18, Line Study #3: Gold Key