160th Prize Day Concludes Academic Year

Photo by Adam Richins Photography

St. Mark's School's 160th Prize Day on Saturday, June 7, marked the conclusion of the 2024-2025 academic year. This year, 102 VI Form students graduated from St. Mark's in a ceremony under the tent on Belmont FIeld. Lex Cooke ’06 delivered the keynote address, and Divi S. Bhaireddy ’25 was the valedictorian.

“Today is a day of individual and collective recognition,” said Head of School Dr. Ivory D. Hills, “but we should remember that none of us have done it alone. I want to thank the faculty, staff, and trustees who have helped to shape this learning environment with great care. Running a great school requires the right people, the right program, and the right place. These elements are interwoven, and none stands above the rest, so I offer my sincere thanks to all of you.” 

Following his opening remarks, Dr. Hills presented the student awards, concluding with the Founder's Medal, which honors the School's founder, Joseph Burnett, and is endowed in memory of Brigadier General Richard Townsend Henshaw, Jr., of the Class of 1930. It is awarded to the member of the graduating class with the highest academic standing over the last three years of their St. Mark's career. This year the Founder's Medal was awarded to Seunghyeon Kim. A full list of award recipients appears below.

After remarks by valedictorian Divi Bhaireddy ’25 and Prize Day speaker Lex Cooke ’06, trustee Tarah Donoghue Breed ’00 welcomed the Class of 2025 to the Alumni Association. Dr. Hills and Interim Dean of Students Rick DaSilva then presented the diplomas before Head Chaplain Rev. Katrina Solter offered a benediction. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2025! 

Prizes and Award Recipients:

The Brantwood Prize celebrates the strong bond that has existed for close to a century between St. Mark's School and Brantwood Camp. This prize is awarded each year to the St. Markers who have done the most for Brantwood. This year, the Brantwood Prize was awarded to Grace Pieper. 

The John A. Carey Prize is given in recognition of and appreciation for the 36 years of loving service John Carey gave to this School. It is given to that student who has contributed the most to the visual arts at St. Mark's and who has excelled in more than one art form. This year, the Carey Prize was awarded to Juyoung Pak.

The Carleton Burr Rand Prize is given in memory of Carleton Burr Rand, Class of 1946, and is awarded for excellence in journalism. This year, the Rand Prize was awarded to Hannah Cha and Tianyi Xu.

The Coleman Prize in English, endowed by Joseph G. Coleman Jr., Class of 1899, is awarded to that student, who, in the judgment of the English Department, has submitted the outstanding essay during this academic year. The winner of this year's Coleman Prize was Seoyeon Kim.

The William Otis Smith Prize for English Verse is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1907 and is awarded to that student who, in the judgment of the English Department, has submitted the outstanding verse during the past year. This year, the Smith Prize was awarded to Carey Huang.

The Redmond Prize for English Narrative, presented in memory of Henry S. Redmond, Class of 1923, is awarded to the student who, in the judgment of the English Department, has submitted the outstanding piece of narrative during this academic year. This year's Redmond Prize was awarded to Jangwon Yoon.

The Frederick A. Cammann ’47 Music Prize is awarded to that student who demonstrates the most talent in musical theory and composition. This year it was awarded to Kangdi Bao.

The J. Stanley Sheppard Music Prize is given in recognition of Stan Sheppard's 34 years of faculty service to the music program at St. Mark's and is awarded to that student who has contributed the most to the musical life of the School during the current year. This year, the Sheppard Music Prize was awarded to Jasmine Liu.

The Walter Irving Badger Prize in Dramatics is given in memory of Walter Badger's 13 years of service to the St. Mark's drama program and is awarded to the member of the VI Form who, during their St. Mark's career, has contributed the most to drama at the School. This year's Badger Prize was awarded to Yejee Hwang.

The Frederick R. Avis and Anna M. Pliscz Science Prizes honor two revered St. Mark's biology teachers whose love of teaching and learning set examples for both colleagues and students. The Avis-Pliscz Science prizes are awarded to two students who, through curiosity, determination, passion, and practical application of ideas, have acquired a deeper understanding of particular scientific processes. This year's Avis-Pliscz Science Prizes were awarded to Hannah Cha. 

The Philip Gallatin Cammann '14 STEM Prize is awarded to that student who has most successfully pursued breadth and depth of study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. This year the Cammann STEM prize was awarded to Lanxuan Xia.

The Edward A. Taft ’69 Computer Science Prize is awarded to that student who by interest, curiosity, original thought, and practical application of ideas has acquired a deeper understanding of the field of computer science. This year the Taft Computer Science Prize was awarded to Shengzhen Wang.

The John Suydam Mathematics Prize is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1904 who taught mathematics at St. Mark's for many years. It is awarded to that VI Former who has done the best work in mathematics, having also studied physics. This year the Suydam Mathematics Prize was awarded to Yiran Hu.

The Roy Irving Murray Prize for Excellence in Sacred Studies is given in memory of a St. Mark's chaplain from the 1920s and 1930s. This year it was awarded to Joya Xu. 

The H. Casimir De Rham Prize for Excellence in French is given in honor of a member of the Class of 1914. This year it was awarded to Eliza Visconsi. 

The Peter Bryce Appleton Prize for Excellence in Spanish was given by Francis Appleton, of the Class of 1935, in honor of Peter Bryce Appleton, a member of the class of 1961. This year the Appleton Spanish Prize was awarded to Meredith Dane.

The Chinese Language Prize is awarded to the student who has demonstrated extraordinary aptitude and passion for the study of Chinese during their career at St. Mark's. This year the Chinese Prize was awarded to Seoyeon Kim. 

The Henry P. Kidder Prize for Excellence in Latin is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1914. Henry Kidder is also the grandson of the founder of St. Mark's School. This year the Kidder Latin Prize was awarded to Xinyue Mi. 

The Morris H. Morgan Prize for Excellence in Greek is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1877 who was for many years a professor of Greek at Harvard. This year, the Morgan Greek Prize was awarded to Jingyuan Li.

The Frederic A. Flichtner Prize for Excellence in History is given in memory of a member of the faculty for 35 years. This year, it was awarded to Anouk Shin.

The George Hall Burnett Prize in History is given to commemorate the graduation in 1902 of a grandson of the founder. It is awarded on the basis of a special essay in American history. This year, the Burnett Prize in History was presented to Jingyuan Li.

The Ely Prize in Public Speaking, originally given by a member of the Class of 1892 in memory of his mother, is presented to the student who gave the best speech in the Global Seminar Public Speaking Competition. This year's Ely Prize was awarded to Ethan Mendez. 

The Shen Prize is awarded to the winner of a public speaking contest among Advanced United States History students on the topic of democracy. The prize is given by Y.L. Shen in honor of his daughters, Ing-ie (Ava) Shen of the Class of 1988, and Ing-Chuan (Judy) Shen of the Class of 1989. This year's Shen Prize was awarded to Annabel Zaterka. 

The Daniel B. Fearing Athletic Prizes, named for a member of the Class of 1878, are awarded to the two VI Form students who best combine athletic ability with good spirit, good team play, and sportsmanship. The prize was established to reward both the winners' contribution to the success of their teams and their wholesome and positive effect on the athletic life of the School. This year's Fearing Prizes were presented to Jaqueline Wright and Benjamin Howard.

The John and Elizabeth Munroe Prize, first given in 1949 in memory of a member of the Class of 1902, was renamed in 1990 to include his wife, a distinguished and inspiring figure in the field of social work. The prize is awarded each year, by vote of the faculty, to the underformer who has shown the greatest promise of intellectual leadership and who by their example has best fulfilled the ideals of St. Mark's School. This year's John and Elizabeth Munroe Prize was presented to Ingrid Namala. 

The Charles Willard Bigelow Prize is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1891. It is awarded for promise of character by vote of the faculty to the V Former who, throughout their St. Mark's career, has shown unusual determination in all their undertakings and who has continuously been willing to go beyond the call of duty to get the job done. This year, the Bigelow Prize went to Alexander Hodi. 

The St. Mark's Prize for Experiential Learning, selected by vote of the faculty, goes to that VI Former who has demonstrated, through action and reflection, a particular passion for applying knowledge gained in St. Mark's classrooms to challenges existing in the larger world beyond our campus The recipient of the St. Mark's Prize for Experiential Learning was Aurora Hutchins. 

The Bishop J. Clark Grew ’58 Community and Equity Prize, a new prize for 2024, is given in honor of a member of the Class of 1958 and former faculty member and Trustee who has worked steadfastly throughout his personal and professional life for social justice. Awarded by faculty vote, it is bestowed upon the VI Former who, in keeping with the School’s Episcopal values, has exemplified extraordinary leadership of—and a remarkable commitment to—the ideals of community and equity, and whose unwavering dedication and contributions have resulted in a lasting impact on the St. Mark’s community. This year’s Grew Prize was awarded to Sahra Maalim.

The Association of St. Mark's School Prize is awarded by vote of the faculty to that VI Former who best represents the ideals of St. Mark's School and who, through their service to the broader community beyond the St. Mark's campus, enriches both their own life and the life of the greater School. This year's Association of St. Mark's School Prize went to Charles Shifrin.

The Harold Hayes Prize, named for a member of the Class of 1907, is awarded by vote of the faculty to the member of the graduating class who has been of greatest service to the School. This year's Hayes Prize went to Divi Bhaireddy.

The Henry Nichols Ervin Scholarship is named for a member of the Class of 1936 who was killed in World War II. It is awarded by vote of the faculty to that student who best exemplifies the character of Henry Ervin who, while at St. Mark's, at Brantwood, at Harvard, and in service to his country, seldom missed an opportunity to do a kindness or lend a hand. This year, the Ervin Scholarship was awarded to Henry Wang. 

The Pierson F. Melcher Prize is given in honor of the founding headmaster of the Southborough School and is awarded by the St. Mark's faculty “to that student who through clarity of expression, effectiveness of logic, and sense of community well-being best exemplifies the tradition and spirit of the New England town meeting.” This year's Melcher prize was awarded to Hadley Gibbons.

The Douglas H. T. Bradlee Scholarship is named for a member of the Class of 1946 who was killed in the Korean War. It is awarded by vote of the faculty to that student who best exemplifies the qualities of Douglas Bradlee. In the words of his headmaster, what was special “was not so much (Douglas Bradlee's) keen mind or his frankness or his...physical courage or even his firm forthright moral courage; it was his spiritual strength.” This year, the Bradlee Scholarship was awarded to Jared Vilcina Brown.

The William Townsend White Scholarship is named for a member of the Class of 1886. It is awarded by vote of the faculty to a deserving student based upon academic achievement. This year, the White Scholarship was awarded to Diya Bhaireddy. 

The William G. Thayer Scholarship Fund Prizes were established by the alumni to honor the Thayers' first 25 years of service to St. Mark's. They are awarded each year to those students in each form with the highest academic average for the year. The recipients of this year's Thayer Prizes were Jeremiah Murphy (VI Form), Hei Tung Ng (V Form), Jiaqi Li  (IV Form), and Seunghu Lee (III Form).

The Dr. and Mrs. William Thayer Scholarship is awarded to the student, not in the graduating class, with the highest academic standing in the School. This year's recipient was Hei Tung Ng.

The Founder's Medal honors the School's founder, Joseph Burnett, and is endowed in memory of Brigadier General Richard Townsend Henshaw, Jr., of the Class of 1930. It is awarded to the member of the graduating class with the highest academic standing over the last three years of their St. Mark's career. The recipient of this year's Founder's Medal was Seunghyeon Kim. 

Remarks from Valedictorian Divi Bhaireddy ’25:

Good morning, and welcome families, friends, students, faculty, staff, and most importantly, the Class of 2025. My name is Divi Bhaireddy and I am honored to be speaking before Mr. Cooke and in front of the people that I have grown up with for the past few years. Before I start, I want to thank my friends, my parents, my sister Diya, my grandparents, and my advisor, Ms. McCann, for being my foundation during my time here at St. Mark’s. You all mean so much to me, and are what makes saying goodbye to this school so hard. 

Four years ago, a freshman with fewer social skills and two less inches wrote the following words as part of her Ely speech in the III Form Global Seminar class: “Everyone's life is like a painting. Each stroke and splotch is a decision made and a friend that is cherished. Each twist and turn is all created by the life I lead. And the person who is guiding that paintbrush is me. I may not have chosen the color palette I use or the type of canvas I start with, but the end result, a story, is ultimately my choice. And that last stroke you mark on the canvas, a signature, that name that you possess, is what calls that work of art yours. Your message and your meaning for those who will look at your life and think of the streak you left behind.” 

If you couldn’t tell, I thought I was going down in history for my words of wisdom. To be honest, when I wrote those words at the ripe age of 15, I didn’t write them down from experience, rather, I wrote them down based on what I thought one would feel when their story was complete. I thought I understood the feeling of signing my name onto the culmination of my life’s work. But in reality, I was just standing there as a freshman, with a clean paintbrush in hand, a straight row of paint tubes laid in front of me, and one large blank canvas. And even today, we still aren’t celebrating our stories' or lives ending. —today, we celebrate just a small part in our lives coming to a bittersweet transition.

Starting as a III Former at St. Mark’s, we went through freshman orientation, a time in our lives where we were bombarded with the feeling of “new”, where we can all remember breaking the ice, with endless icebreakers. Moving on, we experienced Groton Night, where we first laid eyes on the orange flames that feel barbaric when you explain the ritual to others, but feel just as warm and strong when you watch that zebra make it to the fire and cheer for our Lions’ success. Sometimes it took two tries or this year, a Mr. Chiasson intervention, but we trusted it would burn. We experienced Brantwood together, living in the woods unplugged and singing by the campfire, ending the week in each other's arms, ugly sobbing. Senior year, we donned white and tropicals for the first time in September, and today we sit together in white and not tropicals for the last time together. 

Over the years, we experienced losses as well, together as a grade. This year brought with it the loss of cherished members of our community, including Ms. Agosto, the trials of the college application process, and the quiet but persistent struggles of daily life in a boarding school. But new members joined our class and new friendships and kindness was uncovered every day, month, and year. How blessed are we to have experienced it all? All the good and all the bad. The sad and the happy, the scary, the unknown, the growth, and pride. 

I summarize each of these memories and moments to build a visual picture in your head that paints the class of 2025. Through green and golden days on the Athletic and senior quads, blue and white rallies in grassy fields rinks, hockey rinks, and courts, piercing dark evenings in the black box, the pink love and strength that was so evident in all of our chapel talks this year, the ochre wood in the dining hall, golden trophy of victory in our athletic games, and pearly smiles shared in the hallway—we used these colors and visuals as the paint of our pieces. We also used the colors of our emotions; the red frustration when a test score didn’t match a standard, the orange jealousy when a peer received the accolade we hoped for, the blue sadness that was only brought on my an endless New England campus rain, and the purple pride we felt spending nights laughing with friends. 

The way I spoke about signatures in my III Form speech, I thought you could only sign your name onto your life’s painting once. I thought one day, when you’re withered, aged and seasoned, you take one final look, maybe chuckle to yourself, and with one smooth motion, your painting is finally ready for display. I think back to my dreamy freshman self, the one who thought her only worry was getting barricade seats for school meeting, and wonder “how could she think that all these colors were just one streak on one piece of art? 

The answer to this question is the realization that St. Mark’s is not just one painting, but a gallery in the museum that is life. I walk into the Class of 2025 gallery, and I see a painting of the seniors on the football team, proud after having the best season they’ve had in years. I take another step and I see a depiction of students piled on couches in the faculty room, sharing dessert and laughs after an evening chapel service. I walk a little further and I see the Mamma Mia production, full of seniors who took a risk their final semester and found a new passion. You see, it’s all much more than just one streak, but too soon for just one signature. Today, we get to sign our names, because this experience, while it may be over, is ours. 

But hey, don’t cry. You know what the best part of signing your name is? You get to start a new piece. There are blank canvases ahead of us, galleries full of potential waiting to be filled. Some of us will go on to paint skyscrapers, some will paint sunsets, and some will probably invent a new canvas, and a lot of us might feel like we are finger-painting well into adulthood—figuring it out. We don’t know what our galleries will look like, but all we know is that signing this painting is just the beginning of the rest. 

So to wrap up, here are the same words I wrote as a 15 year old in III Form, revised with the growth and learning of four years in St Mark’s English and collected wisdom as a near high school graduate: 

“Everyone's life is like a museum. Each stroke and splotch is a decision made and a friend that is cherished. Each twist and turn is all created by the life that we, as the class of 2025 lead. And the person who is guiding that paintbrush is the collective you. You may not have chosen the color palette, but you have mixed and discovered new colors. You may not have chosen the type of canvas you started with, but the end result, a story, was ultimately your choice. And that last stroke you marked on a canvas in your St. Mark’s collection, once you have walked across the stage, shaken Dr Hills’ hand, heard your family and friends cheer for you, that last stroke is your signature — that name that you possess — what calls that work of art yours. Hang up the painting in the gallery, stroll through the works of your friends and peers. The accomplishments, the hardships, and the happiness of being a Lion. Hug your friends today, thank your teachers, look at the brick building and take a deep breath, as you won't ever be as close to your St. Mark’s experience like this again. Get excited for the blank canvases that wait after St. Mark’s and do not forget to be kind and do not forget to stay humble. These paintings all contribute to our message and our meaning for those who will look at our lives and consider the streaks we left behind. And cherish the signature you’ve started practicing, for this definitely won’t be the last time that you sign your name.  

So congratulations to the class of 2025 on a wonderful year. We did it! Thank you!