Highly Accomplished Class of 2021 Celebrates Commencement

In welcoming the crowd, Delinsky noted that the Class of 2021 had left an indelible mark on the school with their wide variety of talents and passions. “Here today, we have artists, researchers, singers, writers, thinkers, mentors, role models, athletes, and advocates. And, perhaps most importantly, we have a group of good, caring and compassionate young people who have the knowledge and the foundation to make a positive and lasting difference beyond Peck.”

Katerina Andersen ‘17, of Florham Park, NJ (The Pingry School ‘21), addressed the Class of 2021 as the Alumni Speaker, furthering a longstanding tradition of inviting a Peck graduate back to campus to reflect on his or her own journey in secondary school. Andersen shared stories of her own winding path post-Peck, one that has been marked by unexpected roadblocks and silver linings alike. Andersen told the graduates, “I can’t tell you exactly what your high school experience will entail. There will be so many uncontrollables and uncertainties, but if you search for your people, self-love, and happiness, you will have an incredible high school experience no matter what obstacles, changes, or unknowns lie ahead.”

Graduates Campbell Abbott, Matías Deicas, Max Kim, Kosi Okonkwo, Sofia Piljak-Hernandez, Kip Rand, Liza Rogers, Samantha Schnur, Danya Spoor, and James Welsh presented this year’s Eighth-Grade Address. Each speaker shared personal reflections on their experiences at Peck and what the school has meant to them as they navigated life’s challenges, big and small.

Academic honors and special awards for the Class of 2021 were announced. They are:

The John L. Hopkins Memorial Award is named in honor of a former Peck parent and acknowledges outstanding performance in English composition. The award was presented to Will Pertsemlidis. This fall, Pertsemlidis will attend The Pingry School.

The Caspersen Family Mathematics Award recognizes effort, intuition, and creative talents in exploring mathematical concepts and in understanding analytical procedures. Co-recipients of this award were Campbell Abbott and Gus Goyal. Abbott will attend The Lawrenceville School and Goyal will attend Delbarton School.

The History Prize recognizes an eighth-grade student whose scholarly achievement in history is matched by a genuine enthusiasm for the study of the past. This year’s prize was presented to Scarlette Liftin. Liftin will join Kent Place School.

The Malcolm E. McAlpin Memorial Science Award recognizes a high level of curiosity, scientific reasoning, and a commitment to excellence in science. This year, the award was presented to Harini Venkatesh and Carson Young. Venkatesh will attend The Lawrenceville School and Young will attend North Hunterdon High School.

The Foreign Language Prizes were awarded in honor of Yvonne Tyson, who brought her love of languages to Peck in 1960. They acknowledge outstanding effort, interest, enthusiasm, and academic performance in the study of languages. Sophie Cheng and Kosi Okonkwo were awarded the prize for French, Will Pertsemlidis and Kip Rand for Latin, and Campbell Abbott and Wyatt Pirtle for Spanish. Cheng and Okonkwo will both attend The Lawrenceville School. Pirtle and Rand will both attend Delbarton School.

The Peck School Technology Award honors the student who demonstrates talent, innovation, and creativity with technology, and who promotes and supports the respectful use of technology. This year’s award was presented to Scarlette Liftin.

The Eighth Grade Art Prize, given in honor of Marion Turrell Francis, recognizes outstanding artistic talent and a genuine love of art. This year’s award was presented to Dylan Weaver. Weaver will attend Gill St. Bernard’s School.

The Alys H. Olney Music Award is given for a dedicated interest in music classes and programs, as well as a genuine love of performance. This year, the award was given to Max Kim. Kim will be attending The Bolles School.

The Norman R. Lemcke, Jr. Memorial Drama Award honors talent, commitment and sense of creativity that results in outstanding accomplishments in dramatic arts. Samantha Schnur and James Welsh were the co-recipients. Schnur will join The Pingry School and Welsh will attend Berkshire School.

The Lyndsley E. Wilkerson Award is given as merited to a graduating student who has enthusiastically built a foundation for future success, who has demonstrated genuine curiosity about the world, and who has led by example. This year’s award went to three deserving students: Kosi Okonkwo, Gianna Piloto, and Dylan Weaver. Piloto will attend The Pingry School.

The Rudolph H. Deetjen Jr. InDeCoRe Award, named for a beloved former Head of School, is presented to the graduating student who best demonstrates “consideration of others” and the school’s core values. The award winner, selected by students in Grades 7 and 8, was Amparito Sanchez. Sanchez will attend The Madeira School.

The F. C. Reynolds Memorial Sportsmanship Award is presented for an outstanding sense of leadership, fair play, and good sportsmanship. This year’s recipients were Brice Crosby, Gus Goyal, Scarlette Liftin, and Liza Rogers. Crosby will attend The Pingry School and Rogers will attend Oak Knoll School of The Holy Child.

The Peck Loyalty Prize is given in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Lorraine T. Peck, leaders of The Peck School for 27 years. This prize is presented to that student in the graduating class who, in the estimation of the faculty, best exemplifies “consideration of others” and consistently demonstrates the qualities of leadership, loyalty to the school, and other attributes that make for successful academic, athletic and personal relationships. Four students shared the award this year: Campbell Abbott, Matías Deicas, Hadley Rand, and Kip Rand. Deicas will attend Delbarton School and Hadley Rand will attend Oak Knoll School of The Holy Child.

In addition to the awards, 18 students were recognized for high scholarship, which acknowledges those graduates who have earned an overall grade point average of 93 or better for the year. These students were Campbell Abbott, Hudson Bonetti, Jackson Breaks, Jack Buckley, Sophie Cheng, Matías Deicas, Gus Goyal, Max Kim, Scarlette Liftin, Kosi Okonkwo, Will Pertsemlidis, Wyatt Pirtle, Kip Rand, Priyanka Somaiya, Joaquin Stevenson, Harini Venkatesh, James Welsh, and Carson Young. Bonetti will attend Delbarton School; Breaks will attend Phillips Exeter Academy; Buckley and Stevenson will attend The Pingry School; and Somaiya will attend Kent Place School.

The Harriet Stratemeyer Adams Award for Highest Scholarship acknowledges the graduating eighth grader who has maintained the highest scholarship average for the year, including final exams. This year, the award was presented to Campbell Abbott and Will Pertsemlidis.

Following the student awards and recognitions, Delinsky announced the recipient of The Walker D. Kirby Faculty Award. The award honors a member of the faculty whose dedication to the school, its students, and its mission is an exemplary inspiration to the graduates and to the entire Peck community. Members of the Class of 2021 vote to determine the award winner. This year’s award went to first-year faculty member Mr. David DeBole.

Though DeBole is moving on from Peck to pursue a PhD in political science at Johns Hopkins University this fall, he left an indelible impression on the school—and the eighth-grade students certainly made their mark on him. “I am so lucky to have met you—a group of some of the kindest, most thoughtful, and courageous students I’ve ever met,” DeBole said. “I am so proud of all of you today, and know you will face high school with grace and heart.

Yes, with a new school in your future, you have a whole lot of uncertain moments ahead of you. Don’t panic. Stay here, for just a moment, and think: what are those things, who are those people that get you through the hard times, make you love living, here, now, and in all your nows? Care for them as they are, be there for them when you can, and see where following them leads you.”

The Peck School congratulates the Class of 2021!  See Photo Gallery