'A' Is for Appleseed: Faculty Cited at Opening Meetings

It has been wisely observed that while it’s easy to count the number of seeds in an apple, you can never begin to know the number of apples in a seed.

 

Such are the words of wisdom behind the Appleseed Awards, given in recognition of faculty members who have shown exceptional dedication to inspiring and encouraging Brunswick boys in their academic, athletic, and extracurricular pursuits.

 

The Awards also seek to recognize the vital role that faculty play in developing the character of Brunswick boys and in identifying, nurturing, and channeling the enormous potential within each Brunswick student.

 

Pat Meloni, Tim Ostrye, Jim Stephens, and Jaime Gonzalez-Ocaña are the inaugural winners of the Awards, which will be presented annually at opening faculty meetings in the form of a financial stipend.

 

The Awards were established by the family of Sam ’11, William ’12, and Jamie MacFarlane ’16 as a way of thanking Brunswick faculty members for their dedication, commitment, and positive impact.

 

“The Brunswick faculty has given so many Brunswick students, including my brothers and me, a tremendous gift by stimulating our curiosity and helping us find our passions,” Jamie said.

 

“They have planted the seeds for us to be lifelong learners, helped to shape our character, and given us the foundation to be positive forces for good.

 

“Some tried hard to encourage us to broaden our horizons and take risks to challenge us and make us uncomfortable. All have helped students identify their personal strengths, building concepts of self-worth and contribution while nurturing passions to allow each boy to come into his own.”

 

Although there is not a longevity component to the Appleseeds, the initial award winners have more than 100 years of combined Brunswick experience — in classrooms, on athletic fields, in the hallways, and in simple, day-to-day interactions with the students they encourage and love. 

 

“Specifically, this award seeks to identify teachers who are doing an extraordinary job of inspiring students to enjoy learning in the broadest sense, and who are building young men of character by bringing substance to the school’s motto of Courage, Honor, Truth,” William said.