Upper School Class Day 2024

On June 4, Baldwin recognized outstanding students at Class Day in celebration of their high academic achievements and demonstration of Baldwin’s ideals in their everyday lives. These students received the following awards in recognition of the many contributions they have made as individuals to the Baldwin community.

 

The highest honor, The Baldwin Award — given to a senior who has distinguished herself in pursuit of excellence in academics, the arts, leadership, service and sensitivity to others. This year’s recipient is described as having the highest level of internal motivation as both a student and an athlete. She is known as a fierce competitor while being a quiet and compassionate leader. She has the best sense of humor and an ease of connecting with all students - especially those younger than her. Her intelligence, combined with her dry wit, allows her to navigate discussions with ease and grace, often leading to moments of delightful surprise for those around her. She cares deeply about all around her and is generous with her time, whether it is helping them academically or just listening and being a good friend. As a leader in the Upper School, she makes everyone feel valued, heard and appreciated. Her Baldwin LAX Instagram posts are nothing short of incredible. Creating team spirit while getting everyone excited about the game made for a truly special season for the whole team and helped to build momentum for the team for years to come. This year, The Baldwin Award is given with pleasure and pride to: Lauren Halak ’24.

 

Other awards include:

 

The White Blazer is awarded to a girl who has played on at least two varsity sports in her senior year and who represents the best qualities of sportsmanship: the ability to win and lose gracefully, act with integrity, take criticism willingly and show loyalty to her team. This award is voted on by students who have played on a team in the Upper School: Allie Weiser ’24.

 

The Baldwin Class of 2003 Award, endowed by the members of the Class of 2003, commends an Upper School student for her dedication to academic pursuits, creative approach to leadership and strong sense of class unity. This year’s recipient is described as “a refreshing breeze that makes you feel good as it rolls in off the ocean.” She is mature, kind, responsible and bright. This year, she committed to creating a vibrant student life at Baldwin focused on community and connection. She helped to organize the Club Fair, the Homecoming carnival and the Homecoming dance. She supervised clubs, led assemblies and worked on the well-being of the student body by voicing concerns and making sure issues were resolved. Her strong ethical principles, kindness and compassion for others, approachability and honesty are perfect examples of the meaningful qualities of a student leader at Baldwin. She is mature beyond her years, a dedicated friend and school leader, and is someone capable of anything she sets her mind to. For someone who is liked and respected by her peers so much that she was chosen to lead the Senate, it’s worth noting that she’s also the kind of ‘unique individual’ who watches a hundred hours of ‘lore’ videos on horror game franchises on Youtube and develops baroque theories about them. She has set the bar high for future Bears that follow her, and her leadership and generous spirit will truly be missed. This year, the Class of 2003 Award was given to Caroline Parillo ’24.

The Baldwin Class of 2002 Award, established by the parents of the Class of 2002, is given to the senior who, through her personality and character, has made her class special for its members. The award recognizes the winner’s sensitivity toward others, kindness, dedication and approachability. This year’s award winner is a team player known for supporting her peers in and out of the classroom. She leads impeccably, by example, as a diligent student and problem-solver who loves to learn new things. She is known by the faculty as a true pleasure to have in class, and her delightful sense of humor, silly dances and infectious laughter are appreciated both in the classroom and on the field. Perhaps most notable, though, is her passion for service. She lives and breathes it – making it her life’s work, going above and beyond to do for others. She approaches this calling with an empathetic heart, a listening ear and a willingness to learn more about what it means to serve. She consistently models courageous vulnerability and deeply considered responsibility to those she serves, and always does so with such characteristic warmth and joy. This year, the Class of 2002 Award goes to: Zoe Levine ’24.

The Baldwin Class of 1998 Award commends an Upper School student for her achievement, perseverance, and determination in the face of challenges. This year’s recipient is known for being an incredibly curious, hard-working and compassionate young adult. She lights up a room with her generosity of spirit, and her ability to be vulnerable with peers and faculty alike. As a community member, her willingness to help others is one of her most genuine virtues. Her commitment to making a positive impact demonstrates her selflessness and dedication to the well-being of others. Whether it's offering a listening ear or simply being there for moral support, she always ensures that she contributes meaningfully to help a friend. She sets the standard for wholehearted presence and meaningful classroom engagement. Through each step of her journey here at Baldwin, she has always made sure to express her appreciation and gratitude to her teachers. She is a joy to teach and a force for good. This year’s Baldwin Class of 1998 Award winner is: Onie Hinnant ’24.

 

The Rachel Shao Sun Award is a memorial tribute to a Baldwin mom and Board of Trustees member. This honor is awarded to a senior who has exhibited academic excellence, leadership, warmth, good humor and the ability to be a true friend. This year’s recipient is described as always enthusiastic and energetic. She is a dedicated student who promotes all that is best about Baldwin. She is a true ambassador of her school and a thoughtful, gentle and compassionate friend to her classmates. As a class officer and leader during her time here at Baldwin, she has always gone above and beyond, even when no one is looking. As a lacrosse co-captain, she continually sought ways to build a positive team culture and have fun. She knows herself and moves with confidence and poise in every situation. She’s forthright about her ideas, always willing to express herself, and above all, eager to greet every challenge with a witty quip and a wry smile. She can always be counted on to make a positive difference in the lives of all around her. It is an honor to award this year’s Rachel Shao Sun Award to: Eliza Bryant ’24.

The Caroline Simon Award given in honor of Caroline Simon, a Senior Trustee, goes to the Junior or Senior who, in the judgment of the Upper School faculty, has completed during the academic year an outstanding project, activity or body of work that demonstrates creativity, willingness to take a risk and sustained effort in the pursuit of academic excellence. This year’s winner is known for being extremely thoughtful in all she does and demonstrating great attention to detail in her work. She is not only a student-athlete but also a multi-dimensional writer, artist and scholar. She weaves together a passion for poetry, film and music as she explores the kaleidoscopic aspects of her identity through these and several other artistic disciplines. She comes to such work not with bombast or an eagerness for flashy acknowledgment, but with seriousness, sensitivity and nuance. She thinks so highly and feels so deeply – and, what is more, helps others do so as well through her creations. One faculty member commented that she is “like a ray of sunshine on a dreary day, she is a great example to others. I am inspired by her kindness, deep empathy, exceptional creativity, unique style and her great sense of humor!” Congratulations to this year’s Simon Award winner: Emilie Xie ’24.

The Phi Beta Kappa Award is given to a student who embodies the ideals of academic achievement, character and a love of wisdom and learning. This year’s recipient models what it means to be a true Baldwin girl. She is thoughtful, genuine and known for asking the best questions during class discussions. She always thinks about the “why” behind what she is being taught and is willing to take risks by not only asking but also answering challenging questions. She recently remarked to a faculty member that she always signs up for new classes that appear in the course catalog to expand her knowledge in new ways. She makes teaching a complete joy. This year’s Phi Beta Kappa Award goes to: Eliana Jean ’24.

 

The Fourteen Year Club recognizes students who have been at Baldwin from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. This year there are seven new members: Sabine Ball, Lauren Halak, Joelle Pearlstein, Kylie Rubin, Eesha Sharma, Isabela Tobon and Allie Weiser.

The Thirteen Year Club recognizes students who have been at Baldwin from Kindergarten through Grade 12. This year there are seven new members: Sione Brown-Alexander, Eliza Bryant, Darya Dumon, Onie Hinnant, Eliana Jean, Charlotte Miller and Saranya Singh.

 

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognized six Baldwin seniors as finalists this year: Samantha Bramen, Eliana Jean, Vivian Palmer, Eesha Sharma, Saranya Singh and Emilie Xie. Winner of the National Merit Scholarship is Eliana Jean.

The Society of Women Engineers recognizes and honors high school women who have demonstrated excellence in the fields of mathematics and science for three years. Certificates of highest honors were presented to seniors Cassie Foo ’24, Rena Kaplan ’24 and Vivian Palmer ’24.

The Coughanowr Linguistics Award was given by Effie Natsis Coughanowr, mother of two Baldwin graduates, to honor the teaching and learning of languages. The award stipulates that the winner must take two or more years of Latin and at least two years of another language. This year's winner is an outstanding student whose love for learning languages, enjoying reading and analyzing literary work and immersing herself in different cultures is evident. During her Baldwin years, she studied Latin and French for four years and took the Introduction to Ancient Greek elective course in her senior year. She participated in the Latin trip to Rome in March 2024 where she discovered the impressive ancient ruins of Pompei and the Roman Forum. Furthermore, she participated in the French Exchange Program by traveling to France in March 2023. She experienced life abroad in a total immersion situation and genuinely embraced another culture. This year, she was thrilled to host her French correspondent in April. She has an unwavering passion for learning and a strong desire to deepen her knowledge of languages and literature and learn about the different facets of countries whether ancient or modern. This year’s award went to: Vivian Palmer ’24.

The Eva Macklis Award is presented to the student who has a profound interest in and dedication to the Performing Arts. This year’s recipient has been a dedicated member of the performing arts department in drama classes, theater productions, music theory and performing ensembles. Her creativity and leadership has enabled her to shine on stage, while also producing and directing her own projects, and encouraging others to fulfill their artistic potential as well. She is incredibly active in the artistic community outside of school and dedicated to continuing her studies in performing arts beyond Baldwin. As an actor, a B-Flat, a Masker and an advocate for the arts, her joy, humor, talent and hard work have left an indelible mark on our Baldwin community. This year’s Eva Macklis Award went to: Sione Brown-Alexander ’24.

Senior Lamplighter Heads Recognition: The Lamplighter Heads take on a special leadership role at Baldwin, applying and interviewing for the position as 10th graders, and committing to the role for two years, recognizing that they are not allowed to run for any other student leadership positions as either a junior or senior. They, along with the rest of the Lamplighters, give up their free time, join us for Open Houses and other special events, help with evening and weekend activities, and help run the largest student group at the school. We honor our Senior Lamplighter Heads and thank them for their dedication and service: Anna Altman, Megan Chan, Charlotte Miller and Eesha Sharma.

  

 

Most Valuable Manager Award: The most valuable manager award recognizes the essential role in the success of a team. This award is given to Annie Cahill ’25 and Marisa McKinley ’25.

  

The Margot Cunningham Award was established in honor of Margot Cunningham who was a member of the Physical Education Department for 28 years. She was a dedicated teacher as well as a demanding and successful coach. This award is given to seniors who have played three sports for 4 years (12 seasons): Laura Mantini ’24 and Allie Weiser ’24.

 

The Lois Harlos Award was established in 1980 in honor of Mrs. Harlos, who at that time retired after 16 years as Head of the Athletic and Physical Education Department. In her years as Head, Lois set high standards and she represented the finest qualities of integrity and professionalism. This year the award goes to: Lauren Halak ’24.

The Alice Comly Award was established in 1982 in honor of Mrs. Comly who was the Head of the Athletic and Physical Education Department for 17 years. This award commends wholehearted engagement and participation: Aubyn Mackey ’24.

The Pat West Award was established in 2002 by Sarah Goodstine, her family and friends of Pat West. Pat West was Director of Athletics and Physical Education for 21 years at the Baldwin School. The Pat West Award is given every year to a sophomore or junior girl who has played at least one varsity sport and aspires to play at the college level. In her team experiences at Baldwin, she has demonstrated dedication and strong sportsmanship: Addison Ford ’25.

 

The Ruth Davidon Elite Athlete Award was established in 2002 by Gwinn Heilner Scott ’58, in honor of Ruth A. Davidon ’82. Ruth was six time single and double sculler national champion and a member of the US National team for four straight years. She rowed in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA and in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. This year, the award honors an elite swimmer and diver: Bella Hu ’24 and Gemma Undercofler ’24.

 

The Tina Roak Award is also given by the Athletic and Physical Education Department. It commends whole-hearted participation in athletics throughout the years at Baldwin as well as creative and constructive leadership: Joelle Pearlstein ’24.

 

Inter-Ac League Athletic Directors’ Award is given by the league in honor of past Athletic Directors. The award is presented annually to a senior girl who has been a multi-sport varsity athlete and has exemplified the following characteristics: dedication to their team and school, outstanding representative of the Inter-Ac League, sportsmanship and leadership. Each Inter-Ac school nominates one senior girl: Allie Weiser ’24.

Bryn Mawr College President’s Book Award to a junior who exhibits an intense intellectual commitment, a self-directed and purposeful vision of her life, and a desire to make a meaningful contribution to the world: Emi Maeda ’25.

 

Smith Book Award is awarded to an outstanding junior who exemplifies academic achievement and leadership qualities. Student is from the top tenth of the class and serves as an example of scholarship and community service: Allie Meng ’25.

Harvard Book Award to a junior who is outstanding in scholarship, character and leadership: Avani Shah-Lipman ’25.

 

University of Pennsylvania Book Award to the junior in the most rigorous academic program (ranking within the top 5% of the junior class) and a recognized leader in one or more of the following areas: student government, music, drama, athletics, journalism, community service. She also demonstrates high personal and academic integrity and is highly respected by peers and faculty: Amelia Dennis ’25.

  

The University of Virginia Jefferson Book Award was established to recognize outstanding high school juniors who embrace creativity and innovation and embody the spirit of discovery, much like the University’s founder, Thomas Jefferson. This student is a demonstrated citizen leader who works to improve their community locally or globally: Greyson Walko ’25.

 

Rensselaer Medal is awarded to a junior who excels in advanced math and science courses, demonstrates potential for success in a challenging academic setting and has significant involvement in extracurricular activities. This year's awardee is Katie McCullough ’25.

Yale Book Award to a junior of outstanding personal character and intellectual promise: Emily Sidlow ’25.

  

 

Fackenthal Award in Fine Arts at Baldwin: Cynthia Zang ’24

Art Department Award for Two-Dimensional Media: Zoe Levine ’24

Jan Pethick Award for Three-Dimensional Media: Josie Grunes ’24 and Allie Weiser ’24

Carolyn Oscar Memorial Art History Award: Sydney Brabson ’24

Romelle Pethick Jewelry Award: Gemma Undercofler ’24

 

Lily Ross Taylor Cicero Award: Melina Intzes ’26

Sarah Morris Lyric Poetry Prize: Ellie Shin ’25

The Richmond Lattimore Vergil Prize: Caroline Fenton ’25 and Brooke Woo ’25

Marian Gamble Award: Cassie Foo ’24

 

 

Computer Science Department Award: Katherine Smith ’24

 

Marian E. Stearns Prize: Lighthouse Wu ’24

Diane Jarvis Hunter Prize: Andrea Alevras ’24

Baldwin Creative Writing Award: Ellie Aaron ’24

 

Marthe C. Melchior Award: Anna Altman ’24 and Blair Williams ’24

Pierrette H. David Award: Sydney Brabson ’24 and Marin Horwitz ’24

 

Mary Ellen Morris Prize: Paige Bailey ’24

Harriet Haslett Crane Term Paper Prize: Allie Meng ’25

 

 

Louise M. Hutchinson Memorial Award: Anya Berlanska ’25

Calculus Prize: Avani Shah-Lipman ’25

Extraordinary Achievement in Mathematics: Marin Alter ’24

 

Music Department Vocal Arts Award: Joelle Pearlstein ’24

Music Department Instrumental Award: Megan Chan ’24

Eleanor Roberts Award: Claire Hou ’24

Cornelia Otis Skinner Award: Chloe Watson ’24

Simpson Center Award for Theater Management: Jade Davenport ’24  

 

Suzanne Valutas Physical Education Award: Rena Kaplan ’24

 

AAPT Certificates: Marin Alter ’24, Cianni Hill ’27 and Hanne Li ’27  

The Elizabeth Chesick Prize in Physics: Aviva Kaplan ’27

ACS Certificate: Sabrina Cohen ’26, Laura Messemore ’26 and Violet Zhang ’26  

Elizabeth Cobb Prize in Chemistry: Ella Esplin ’26

NABT Certificate in Biology: Julia Baur ’25 and Avani Shah-Lipman ’25

Kathy Graub Prize in Biology: Allie Meng ’25  

The Science Research Award: Megan Chan ’24  

Rosamond Cross Prize in Science: Eliana Jean ’24

Escritoras del Mundo Hispano Award: Caroline Parillo ’24 and Isabela Tobon ’24

Katherine Bell Brown Award: Ruby Vogel ’25