PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Miss Hall's School graduated 44 seniors, including 13 local students, on Sunday, June 4.

 

The school's 125th ceremony took place under a large tent behind the Elizabeth Gatchell Klein Arts Center on the school's Holmes Road campus and was shared worldwide via Zoom and Facebook Live.

 

Hosted by Head of School Julia Heaton, the ceremony included remarks from Senior Class President Jena Alam, of Dhaka, Bangladesh; School President Cherish Buxton, of Jersey City, N.J.; School Vice President Viola Quiles, of Dalton; and Board of Trustees President Nancy Gustafson Ault, Class of 1973.

 

This year's remarks were delivered by Wendy Garcia, deputy commissioner for equity and inclusion for the New York Police Department. Garcia was introduced by her niece, Jenelee Saldaña, of New York City.

 

Christopher Himes, the school's director of engineering and technology innovation and STEAM coordinator, was named the Leonhardt Family Teaching Chair. 

 

Bestowed every four years, the Leonhardt Chair recognizes a Miss Hall's faculty member who possesses the highest personal and professional ethics, who has made a lifelong commitment to young people, whose skillful instruction enlivens the experience of learning, and whose wise counsel and guidance to students extend beyond the classroom. Faculty, staff, and students submit nominations for the honor.

 

Among this year's graduates are the following local students: 

 

The following awards were also bestowed on members of the class of 2023:

 

Joseph F. Buerger Memorial School Spirit Cup: Jenelee Saldaña of New York City

 

Margaret Witherspoon Award: Yiyan Dong of Shanghai

 

Christine Fuller Holland '33 Service Prize: Viola Quiles of Dalton

 

Faculty Commendation Award: Annais Vallejo of Boston

 

Meus Honor Stat Keys Awarded for MHS Core Competencies: Vision: Viviana Lanphear of Hinsdale and Fernanda Morais Laroca of Curitiba, Brazil; Voice: Peiran Zhang of Beijing and Cherish Buxton of Jersey City, N.J.; Interpersonal Efficacy: Kali Sears of New York City and Lucy Garrison of Pittsfield; Gumption: Grey Carmel of Pittsfield and Bethania Robertson of Becket

 

Sylvia 'Rusty' Shethar Everdell '38 Prize: Bethania Robertson of Becket

 

Paul C. Cabot Jr. History Prize: Peiran Zhang of Beijing

 

Senior Prize in Engineering and Tech Innovation: Lily Rhoades of Tarrytown, N.Y.

 

Live Rouse Science Award: Kaiyue Wang of Beijing and Bethania Robertson of Becket

 

James K. Ervin Mathematics Prize: Fernanda Morais Laroca of Curitiba, Brazil

 

Horizons Prize: Malina Jackson of Sheffield

 

English for Speakers of Other Languages Award: Nguyê?n Hoang Thao Vy of Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam

 

Mansfield E. Pickett Latin Prize: Yiyan Dong of Shanghai

 

Spanish Prize: Xia (Emily) Meng of Beijing

 

Monique Jalbert French Prize: Ollie Walter of Lanesborough

 

Virginia Breene Wickwire '67 Reading Prize: Lucy Garrison of Pittsfield and Bianca Kerr of Feeding Hills

 

Doris E. Pitman English Prize: Lucy Garrison of Pittsfield

 

Photography Award: Ollie Walter of Lanesborough

 

Susanna McCreath Music Prize: Peiran Zhang of Beijing

 

Angela Kalischer Theater Prize: Performance: Yiyan Dong of Shanghai; Technical: Grey Carmel of Pittsfield

 

Ceramics Award: April Harwood of Lenox

 

Elizabeth Gatchell Klein Studio Art Prize: Viviana Lanphear of Hinsdale