An achievement (the completion of a task against an external standard whose reward is the next level of achievement) and accomplishment (the end point of an engulfing activity we have chosen whose reward) are fundamentally different. The ultimate goal of Proctor’s educational model is to encourage and reinforce accomplishment in an on-going, never-ending learning journey, not to simply produce students who can perform well on standardized tests or earn admission to the most selective colleges. Over the course of the academic year, we follow each student’s progress - and witness the combination of struggle and triumph, frustration and joy, and ultimately pride that emerges as they engage deeply in their own learning journey.
Adam Gopnik writes in THIS piece, “Self-directed accomplishment, no matter how absurd it may look to outsiders or how partial it may be, can become a foundation of our sense of self and of our sense of possibility. Losing ourselves in an all-absorbing action, we become ourselves.” This notion of self-directed pursuit of learning sits at the heart of our mission as a school as we seek to create opportunities for young people to discover and become themselves, to pursue accomplishment without focusing on achievement.
Our job as educators is to simply facilitate the process with a safe, supportive, and challenging community. We must always keep this perspective in mind, especially as we frame the giving of awards at the end of the year. Congratulations to the students below whose effort and ability has been recognized by our faculty during Friday’s assembly. Congratulations, also, to all of our students who have worked hard, overcome challenges, and pursued their very best in the classrooms and art studios. We see you and the entirety of your journey.
Underclass Awards - 2024-2025
- Frederick W. Johnson ‘56 Memorial Award | Kyara Cruz ‘26 & Axel Black ‘26
- Harvard Book Prize | Amena Martinez-Paris ‘26
- Rensselaer Medal | Hazel Curry ‘26
- Distinction in Performing Arts - Music (Instrumental, Vocal, Independent, Recording, Percussion) | Max Preuss ‘26, Aria Simmons ‘26, Ada Goren ‘26 & Luke Stiles ‘28
- Distinction in Performing Arts - Theater (Performance, Tech, Costuming) | Hazel Curry ‘26, Ember Morgan ‘28, Will Sommer ‘27 & Shayla Le ‘28
- Distinction in Visual Arts (Ceramics, Photography, Studio Art & Mixed Media) | Levi Silverstein ‘27 & Catherine Vierzen ‘28
- Distinction in Industrial Arts (Woodworking, Metalworking & Boatbuilding) | Annie Johnson ‘26 & Evan Houser ‘26
- Distinction in French | Lauren Kaswan ‘26
- Distinction in Mandarin | Huyen Nguyen '26
- Distinction in Spanish | Amena Martinez-Paris ‘26 & Riley Christopher ‘26
- Connie Appel Distinction in History Electives | Riley Christopher ‘26
- Connie Appel Distinction US History | Kenzie Blizzard ‘27
- Connie Appel Distinction in World History | Nicole Wong ‘28
- Distinction in English for Class of 2026 | Ada Goren ‘26, Amena Martinez-Paris ‘26 & Dylan Menard ‘26
- Distinction in English for Class of 2027 | Emily Alexander ‘27, Lydia Cressey-Dodge ‘27, Penny Mathison ‘27 & Teddy Wong ‘27
- Distinction in English for Class of 2028 | Ember Morgan ‘28, Bria Tremblay ‘28, Abbie Vlacich ‘28, Willa Walton ‘28 & Jonathan Windham ‘28
- Distinction in Science for Class of 2026 | Riley Christopher ‘26, Gigi Grabowski ‘26, Evan Houser ‘26, Hailey Pastel ‘26, Cooper Zapton ‘26
- Distinction in Science for Class of 2027 | Camden Allenby '27, Kenzie Blizzard '27, Sophie Molnar '27, Sonoma Wong ‘27 & Teddy Wong '27
- Distinction in Science for Class of 2028 | Sierra Reimer ‘28, Nicole Wong ‘28 & Abbie Vlacich ‘28
- Distinction in Math for Class of 2026 | Julia Elkind ‘26 & Lilah Fulham ‘26
- Distinction in Math for Class of 2027 | Camden Allenby ‘27, Tucker Infurna ‘27 & Teddy Wong ‘27
- Distinction in Math for Class of 2028 | Ember Morgan ‘28 & Abbie Vlacich ‘28
Read more about Proctor's Academic Model!
- Academics
- Arts
- Student Work