NCS Awards Honors to Students at Annual Flag Day

NCS celebrated one of its oldest traditions on June 3, holding its 116th Flag Day prize ceremony in the Washington National Cathedral. Seventy-three seniors were individually recognized before an audience of NCS students, parents, and friends, and 38 awards, touching on every department in the school, were handed out to students in five grades.

Alexandra Karppi '16 was chosen by her classmates to deliver the Flag Day address, and Head of School Kathleen O'Neill Jamieson presented NCS's highest academic honor, the Flag, to Abigayle Weymouth '16. The award recognizes the senior with the highest grade point average based on the average of the junior and senior end-of-year academic records.

The event also marked the transfer of student government leadership from Kelsi Okun '16 and Eleanor Frank '16 to Murphy Shorb '17 and Farah Emory-Muhammad '17.

Wet weather forced the ceremony from the East Terrace inside the Cathedral for the first time since 2013. But the change did nothing to dampen the excitement and energy surrounding the ceremony. 

Mrs. Jamieson recognized and thanked 20-year faculty members Vladimir Angelov, Jane Simchak, and Scott Wood, and retiring faculty and staff members Bridget Bean, Katey Craver, Leslie Eckmann, Nancy Ehrlich, Chris Farmer, Beverly Hill, and Maureen Miller.

In keeping with Flag Day's traditional patriotic theme, Elizabeth Crowdus '16 sang “America the Beautiful” at the opening, and Madeline Kushan '16 the National Anthem at its close.

The full list of Flag Day student awards follows (Note: All prize recipients are members of the Class of 2016 unless otherwise noted.):

Flag Winner: Abigayle Weymouth
English Prize: Joanne Mikula
Joye Pregnall Creative Writing Award: Carla Griffiths
Science Award: Danielle Horne, Meredith Sherman, Abigayle Weymouth
Virginia K. Robertson Award For Distinction In Mathematics: Abigayle Weymouth

Technology Prize: Diana Hla, Jennifer Owens
Martha Sharma Geography Achievement Award: Joanne Mikula
Elizabeth Fry Award: Charlotte Scott
Social Sciences Award: Mary Clare McMahon
French Award: Elizabeth Crowdus, Sabrina Sadeghian

Spanish Award: Margaret Dent, Blair Rianhard, Charlotte Scott
Chinese Award: Caroline Gibson
Japanese Award: Dhae'Sha Hughes, Skye Bork '17
Laub-Novak Award: India Ingersoll
Religious Studies Award: Hadley Irwin, Julia Messick

Art Prize: Caroline Gibson
Rhode Island School of Design Award: Alexandra Farje
Gwendolyn B. Coney Award for Excellence in Theater: Margaret Bader, Abigayle Weymouth
Jane emily Clymer Award in Drama: Anna Youngkin '18
Instrumental Music Award: Margaret Bader, Danielle Horne, Alexandra Karppi, Joanne Mikula, Nicole Nazario, Sita Strother

Choral Music Award: Caroline Reese Bobo, Elizabeth Crowdus, Mary Clare McMahon, Charlotte Scott, Sita Strother, Elizabeth Wiggins
Mount St. Alban Award: Grace Brigham, Madeline Kushan, Annabel Ricks
Cathedral Medal: Elizabeth Brogan, Bronwyn Redvers-Lee
Bruce Neswick Medal: Maya Millward '17, Eliza Poggi '19, Annalise Weber '19
Dance Award: Skye Bork '17, Veronica Merril '17

Runner-Up Cup: Lillian Keller '19
High Point Cup: Jordan Gasho '18
The Winning Team: Gold
Chester Community Service Award: Charlotte Saul, Meredith Sherman
Stuart Runyon Work Middle School Citizenship Award: Miranda Giambi '20

Middle School Academic Achievement Award: Avery Borgmann '20
Nancy Needham Goodrich Award: Naomi Davy '18
Helen Harker Award: Madeline Kushan
Geraldine Wharry Faculty Leadership Award: Kelsi Okun and Eleanor Frank
Sylvia Thompson Memorial Award: Sita Strother

Bishop's Scholar: Alexandra Karppi
Joshua Evans, Jr. Memorial Award: Elizabeth Crowdus
Head of School's Award: Morgan Thompson
Back
    • Siobhan Robinson-Marshall, right, and Lia Kapani, second from right, lead the procession into the Cathedral.

    • Alexandra Karppi delivers the Flag Day address.

    • Abigayle Weymouth, this year's recipient of the Flag.

    • Head of School Kathleen O'Neill Jamieson honors 20-year teachers (from left) Vladimir Angelov, Scott Wood, and Jane Simchak.

    • Mrs. Jamieson thanks retiring art teacher Leslie Eckmann on her 40 years of service to NCS.

    • The Class of 2016 gives a standing ovation to departing Assistant Head Sarah Pelmas.