A host of Brunswick seniors were honored with distinguished awards at a ceremony in Burke Field House on Monday, May 16.
Upper School English teacher Evan Ciecimirski served as the keynote speaker, as chosen by the Class of 2022.
Ciecimirski focused his remarks on a personal mantra he has embraced throughout much of his 30-year life — “No Excuses.”
Beyond personal anecdotes, the Cornell graduate referenced his senior English elective, entitled “Mind Over Matter,” in which students learn about athletes who have made great athletic or cultural contributions at the highest levels against extraordinary odds — such as Joe Rantz, Louis Zamperini, Gino Bartali, Stelios Kyriakides, Wilma Rudolph, and Michael Oher.
He also shared the story of John “Jack” Reynolds Robinson, a senior at Cornell and Commodore of the Heavyweight Crew, who died in February, after an 11-year battle with osteo sarcoma.
“The purpose of these stories is not to sadden you, nor to make you feel like your accomplishments are not significant,” Ciecimirski said. “What is remarkable about these men and women — and so many others — is not that they showed such uncommon courage and strength, but that such uncommon actions are in many ways more common than we may realize.”
He offered the Class of 2022 — a group of young men he bonded with as an advisor, teacher, coach, and Vermont campus chaperone — one final piece of advice.
“Remember everything that you have accomplished up to this point, whatever the obstacles you have overcome to this day, and use them to put your next challenges into perspective.
“Some may be easier; some may be harder. But if you abide by the mantra, ‘No Excuses,’ you will know you have given it your best.
“As you move on from Brunswick, I encourage you to continue to embody our motto: Courage. Honor. Truth. All three pillars of the school motto have played and will play a large role in living a life of ‘No Excuses.’”
Cum Laude Certificates*: Samuel C. Guadalupe, Gregory P. Kapp III, Maximilian Konzerowsky, Edward A. Nagler, Lucas L. Pombo, Kaden R. Saad, and Myles E. Spiess
Theater Award: Tyler T. Wilson
Simpson Choral Award: Wells M. Faulstich
Randolph Band Award: Samuel D. Hall
Visual Arts Award: William M. Knight
Everett Prize for English: Jackson W. Schwartz
R. Scott Tucker Senior Essay Prize: Michael R. Montgomery
Bouffier Foreign Language Prize: Nicholas J. Accetta
Senior Classics Award: Felipe Leao
John Van Atta History Prize: Seth Yoo
Stephen A. Duennebier Social Sciences Award: Edward A. Nagler
McKinnon Global Studies Award: Walter W. Scott
Thomas A. Shields Mathematics Award: Seth Yoo
AAPT Science Award: Felipe Leao
Alan M. Turing Prize for Computer Science: Luke T. Apostolides
Gus Conrades ’86 Varsity Athletic Awards: John C. Belknap, Caleb A. Boateng, Henry M. Caponiti, William R. Donovan, Charles P. Johnson, Kyle J. Karas, Michael R. Neviera, William J. O’Connor, Benet W. Polikoff, Lucas L. Pombo, and Kaden R. Saad
Robert G. Sampson Prize: Charles P. Johnson
*Cum Laude members joined earlier inductees and classmates Luke T. Apostolides, Felipe Leao, Michael R. Montgomery, Jackson W. Schwartz, Tyler T. Wilson, and Seth Yoo