Thrive here,
then everywhere

Skylar Stepankiw is one of our new faculty members for the 2024-25 school year, and comes to Brewster after working closely with an award-winning cancer diagnostic and research lab at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Why the career switcheroo? “I grew up on a private school campus, and I wanted to be able to go back to where I feel at home. Brewster seemed to be just the place for me.” With her passion for science, she truly enjoys helping her students share the excitement of learning. We asked a few get-to-know-you questions of this great addition to our Science Department.

Q. How did your own boarding school experience shape you as a teacher? What makes boarding school life special and engaging to you? 

A. I grew up at Canterbury School in New Milford, Connecticut as a faculty kid! I think that this experience prepared me for the 24/7 job that is being not only a teacher but a dorm parent. [Editor’s note: “Ms. Step” as the students call her, lives in Kenison.] I am here to support my kids in the way that I was supported during my time as a student. I think the connections and support you get at a boarding school are unmatched anywhere else. This is the most influential time in these students’ lives, and what a blessing it is to get to be a part of it.

Q. What are you teaching this year?

A. I am teaching Biology and Freshwater Biology.

Q. Ooo…that’s such a great class, especially since Brewster has Lake Winnipesaukee at its doorstep! Which lesson or topic has excited your students the most this school year?

A. They were so excited to dissect hearts this year! They were so prepared and engaged with questions and curiosities for how the anatomy of the heart was connected, and getting to actually see it in person as opposed to digitally was such a great experience for them.

Q. What is your favorite spot on campus?

A. My favorite spot on campus is the Pinckney Boathouse. When it's warm, it is so calming to look out over the lake and just take a moment to take a breath.

Q. You’re not alone in that sentiment. All of us are lucky to live, work, and learn here with the lake as a backdrop! Okay, surprise question: What toppings go on your perfect pizza?

A. I like to keep it simple with just cheese on pizza!

Q. What has made you really laugh recently?

A. With all the snow we have gotten, my dog, Marlo, has been having a field day rolling around and burrowing into the snow. He is always doing something to make me laugh!

Q. You have some fun hobbies like paddleboarding, reading, crocheting, and hiking. What is something you'd like to learn, do, see, or experience in the coming year? 

A. I really want to start summiting some of the mountains around here. We are so close to places like Mount Major that it feels silly not to.

Q. Can you share some great life advice someone has given you that you want to pass along to Brewster students? 

A. I think some of the best life advice I have gotten is “wherever you go, there you are,” which is to say that you cannot escape who you are. You have to be comfortable with yourself and learn to love who you are.

By Suzanne Morrissey

For the second year in a row Brewster’s literary magazine, Outcroppings, has been recognized as a REALM First Class magazine by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Schools in 46 states and five countries nominated 422 student magazines from middle school, high school, and higher education. Just 125 magazines were awarded the contest’s highest distinction, REALM First Class—and Brewster’s magazine is the only publication in the state of New Hampshire to earn that top distinction. (See the lineup of state winners here.)

The winning issue, published in Spring 2024, was created by Editor in Chief Liam Fahey ’24 (of Wakefield, N.H., now studying at Boston University), Art Editor Logan Cliche ’25 (A Curvey Scholar from Alton, N.H. who serves as the editor this year), and Contributing Editor Audrey Burke ’24 (of Wellesley, Mass. who now attends Fairfield), all under the mentorship of advisor Jen Dumont, Brewster’s Director of Library Services.

“Editor Liam Fahey had a big challenge to meet: surpassing the artistry and success of the previous year’s issue, which also won the REALM award,” Ms. Dumont said. “He imbued his own work into many aspects of the magazine: For example, we see photos of his capstone project as an art scholar. Following the example of the editors from the last several years, he created the cover himself, carving the designs into rubber stamps and experimenting with different color ways before settling on the final image. I think this kind of unique, creative work is part of why we earned this honor.”

“I am so proud of Liam, Logan and Audrey, and the hard work they put into this issue. And I am so proud to showcase the creative spirit that is alive and well at Brewster. I hope that this award, and the recognition that comes with it, will encourage other students to submit their work and share their gifts!” Ms. Dumont said.

You can read the award-winning issue online here, and enjoy dozens of poems, photos, short stories, and more. The next issue of Outcroppings will be its 46th volume, coming out in Spring 2025.

The REALM program publicly recognizes excellent literary magazines produced by students with the support of their teachers. REALM, which stands for Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines, is designed to encourage all schools to develop literary magazines that celebrate the art and craft of writing.  Schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, Canada, and American schools abroad are eligible to nominate magazines. The NCTE is devoted to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. As the nation’s oldest organization of pre-K through graduate school literacy educators, NCTE has a rich history of deriving expertise and advocacy from its members’ professional research, practice, and knowledge. NCTE is the home of the Intellectual Freedom Center, the National Day on Writing, ReadWriteThink.org, the Build Your Stack initiative, and NCTE Verse. NCTE supports nearly 20,000 teachers across the preK–college spectrum.

On Sunday, January 26 students, faculty, family, and friends gathered for the 2025 National Honor Society (NHS) Induction ceremony. Returning to Pinckney Boathouse at the students’ request, the cozy event was hosted by NHS advisor Jen Dumont. 

“We are so proud to induct the newest members of the John Brewster chapter of the NHS. The organization’s central goal is to honor those who have excelled in the Society’s four pillars of scholarship, leadership, character, and integrity,” she said. (See list of inductees below.)

As is tradition, the current NHS officers (President Will Dumont ’25, Vice President Elsa Pueschel ’25, Secretary Heidi Broussard ’25, and Treasurer Abby Brodney ’25), handed each of the 16 inductees a certificate and pin, placed a tassel around their neck, and lit candles representing the four pillars.

“Being inducted into the NHS meant a lot to me,” Hanna Taylor ’26 of Bermuda shared, “because it does not only represent my academic achievement, but also my commitment to leadership, service, and character. I am honored to be selected and I can't wait to represent the NHS in the community and in the future.” 

Ms. Dumont, who is also Brewster’s Director of Library Services, explained that as a club, the chapter’s main focus is to provide as much service and assistance as it can to those in need and to our community. “This is because the NHS seeks to foster the instinct in people to help others and to try to make the world a better place,” she said. “As I always tell the students, good, smart people are supposed to do good things, and this is training for how you should conduct yourselves in the future. I look forward to working with our new members in the spring—we have a great community service project in the works with the Taylor Sugar Hill Retirement Community—and into next year."

Michael Figge, a member of the History and Social Sciences faculty, delivered the afternoon’s keynote address, which recounted the writings of Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius. “I was, indeed, quite flattered that I was asked to speak at the induction ceremony.  I am quite proud of the whole group, many of whom are students that I teach,” he said after the ceremony.

In his remarks, Mr. Figge noted that Marcus Aurelius’s reflections on leadership, honor, and merit continue to resonate through the centuries. “Admission to the National Honor Society is no small feat,” he began, then sharing, “At the heart of Marcus Aurelius’s leadership philosophy is the belief that a leader is not defined by power or titles, but by the integrity of his or her actions and the strength of his or her character. He believed that leadership is about serving others, not ruling over them.”

On honor, Mr. Figgee recited, “If someone can show me that I am wrong, I will gladly change, for I seek the truth, by which no one was ever harmed.” In this statement, he explained, Marcus Aurelius teaches us that honor lies in our commitment to truth and wisdom. “If we act with sincerity and pursue knowledge, then we are acting honorably. This idea frees us from the burden of living up to superficial standards or societal expectations,” he said. This led into his reflection on true merit being based not simply on external accomplishments, but on how we respond to the circumstances of life. “It’s how we act when no one is watching, how we behave when the world may never reward us. Our merit is found in the decisions we make when we choose to do what is right, not because we expect recognition, but because it is the right thing to do.” Closing his remarks, Mr. Figgee reminded the group that leadership is not about being served, but about serving others—ideally with wisdom, integrity, and a commitment to the greater good.

After new members recited the NHS pledge, they each held a yellow flower and shared a message of thanks to the person or people who have influenced them the most. Taylor noted that like others, she made sure to thank her parents for being her biggest cheerleaders. “Their unwavering support has meant the world to me, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”

Hiro Onoguchi ’26 of Tokyo, Japan, said the recognition of being inducted was meaningful. “When it came time to thank someone, I was especially grateful to my parents for their constant support and encouragement. They have guided me through challenges and motivated me to keep striving for success, but in truth, I was so nervous that I forgot almost everything I wanted to say. Still, I hope they know how grateful I am for them,” he shared. “These are some of the words I was trying to say during the ceremony: ‘I'm so thankful that you always believed in me, even when I wasn't sure of myself. Your love and all the things you've done for me mean so much. I appreciate everything you've done to help me do my best. Thank you for always being there for me, no matter what’.”

For Luke Smolan ’26 of Cumberland, Rhode Island, the message from Onoguchi, his former roommate, was loud and clear: “Hiro's parents weren't able to attend the ceremony, but you could tell how much they meant to him during the couple of minutes when he thanked them. That moment really touched my heart,” he said, adding “I was fortunate enough that my parents were able to attend. They will come up to Brewster five or six times throughout the year, typically for sporting events. It was nice that they were able to attend for an academic and citizenship achievement for a change.”

Smolan thanked his parents for the opportunities they have given him and for being the role models from whom he learned the values of character, service, scholarship, and leadership. But first, he thanked “my Lord,” later sharing that at Brewster he feels he has had the opportunity to grow in his faith independently. “Transferring over from a Catholic school was a little weird at first. However, I began going to church downtown, and a couple of my friends at Brewster go with me every Sunday. Continuing that tradition of going to Church kind of made the transition to Brewster easier for me,” he said.

Congratulations to all the inductees and the people in their lives who have supported their success!

The NHS inductees for 2024-25 are
Will Brochu ’26
James Hatzos ’26
Augustina McGillion ’26
Allie Moore ’26
Margo Morozova ’26
Jack O’Neill ’25
Hiro Onoguchi ’26
Sophia Rock ’26
Beck Rosenbaum ’26
Hannah Ruegg ’26
Casey Shea ’26
Anna Simon ’25
Luke Smolan ’26
Hanna Taylor ’26
Katherine Twombly ’26
Reika Ueno ’26

Please enjoy photos of the ceremony here.

Curvey Scholars Gracie Mouridian ’24 and Reid Demain ’21 took to the stage to present to the Brewster community about their Curvey Travel Fellowships. Each Curvey Scholar (awarded to Brewster day students based on their academic, athletic, and co-curricular accomplishments, as well as for their personal qualities of integrity, work ethic, and good character) applied for a Curvey Fellowship, which funded a transformative travel experience for them this past summer. Both alums happened to choose service-focused trips to Hawaii, although their trips—and the lessons they learned along the way—looked a bit different.

It’s always great seeing alums share what they learned with current students, as well as inspiring them to get themselves out of their comfort zones and prioritize travel. Thank you to Gracie and Reid for giving back to the Brewster community in such a meaningful way! We also snapped a few photos of them reconnecting with former teachers after their presentations.

Details for this Boston alumni networking event coming soon.

More details coming soon.

By Suzanne Morrissey

Cheers, applause, and even a few screams filled Brewster Academy’s Anderson Hall recently when Ball in the House, a Boston-based a cappella group, performed for the student body. Great Waters, a Wolfeboro institution bringing live music to the Lakes Region since 1995, made the event possible through its Community Outreach program. “Partnerships like this one are so important to a school that emphasizes learning from one another,” said Head of School Kristy Kerin. “The team at Great Waters has incredible relationships with artists from all genres, and anytime we can bring new experiences to our students through community friendships, we are grateful and excited.”

Delivering an engaging educational presentation that was part lesson, part high-energy concert, the five musicians (baritone Oscar Hall, tenor Tyler Nordin, bass Kevin Cincotta-Guest, high tenor Wallace Thomas, and founder/vocal percussionist Jon Ryan) amazed with their blended sound on R&B, soul, and pop tunes. The audience included all 347 students, many faculty, and members of the Great Waters Board. Ball in the House explained and demonstrated the roots of a cappella music, cultural influences in music, some of the technical aspects of producing a professional sound, how finding one’s voice can be a powerful tool in life—and threw in a beatboxing lesson as well. The group has performed internationally and can boast a long list of achievements, including opening for top-tier acts like The Temptations, Lionel Richie, The Jonas Brothers, and more. They have also appeared on America’s Got Talent and NBC’s Today Show.

Under the guidance of new Brewster music teacher Jeremy Mathison, an accomplished performer in his own right, Ball in the House  also took time to workshop a performance of “My Girl” with Brewster’s newly formed a capella group. Curvey Scholar Logan Cliche ’25 from Alton, Than Boonkrong ’25 of Bangkok, and Hannah Reugg ’26 of New Harbor, Maine took the stage alongside the pros and delivered the classic Temptations tune.

“They were awesome and generous with their time—very professional and had a lot of positivity,” Mathison said. “The students enjoyed working with them in the morning and they were great with the students. We will keep in touch and hopefully collaborate again in the future.”

Ruegg, who says she grew up hearing the song “My Girl” and performed a different arrangement of the song in her middle school chorus, took the lead among the student singers. “In our workshop with Ball in the House we learned about how they put together arrangements and blend everything together,” she shared. “It really impressed me how they had five very different and unique voices and were able to blend them together so well! I was also very impressed by the fact that the group travels all over the world to perform. They were all so nice and supportive; I think I can speak for all three of us student singers when I say that they were very fun to work with.” Ruegg and Cliche will be performing in Brewster’s upcoming winter musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” though Hannah’s dream song doesn’t appear on that show’s setlist: “One of my dream songs to perform is ‘Believe’ by Cher. I recently heard a really cool acoustic cover of it and I would love to try pulling off something like that!”

“We want to express our deep thanks to Great Waters for this wonderful opportunity,” Head of School Kristy Kerin said. To learn more about Great Waters and its upcoming season of performances at Brewster and Castle in the Clouds, visit greatwaters.org. And catch Ball in the House (and their upcoming tour dates) at ballinthehouse.com.

See photos and video clips from the All-School event here.