Every fall, the National Advanced Placement (AP) Program recognizes high school students who have demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement through their performance on multiple AP Exams. The College Board recognizes different achievements including AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, and AP Scholar with Distinction. The Gunston School is pleased to announce the following students who received recognition from the AP Board (pictured below, in order).

The title of AP Scholar is granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams and for the 2021-2022 school year includes Julia Buchanan ’23 (Centreville), Grace Evans ’23 (Chester), Alana Grace ’23 (Centreville), GraceAnne Phillips ’23 (Stevensville), Brielle Tyler ’23 (Denton), Yinging Wei ’23 (Grasonville), Jiacheng (Jason) Ye ’23 (Centreville), Charlotte Cook ’22 (Easton/University of Rochester), Benjamin Cunningham ’22 (Dover, Del./Alfred University), Daniel Dang ’22 (Denton/Boston University), Isabella De Leon ’22 (Chestertown/University of Maryland College Park), Ashley Escobar ’22 (Cambridge/Washington & Lee University), Colin Lang ’22 (Trappe/U.S. Naval Academy), Samantha LeCrone ’22 (Preston/Monmouth University), Juyoung Lee ’22 (Centreville/University of Southern California), and Matthew Sharpless ’22 (Easton/University of Utah).

The title of AP Scholar with Honor is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of the exams. The 2021-2022 school year AP Scholars with Honors includes Nicholas Abell ’23 (Crownsville), Olivia Amygdolas ’23 (Wyoming, Del.), Thomas De Los Reyes ’23 (Annapolis), YaXin (Angelina) Lin ’23 (Middletown, Del.), Rui (Spencer) Liu ’22 (Easton/New York University), Leonardo Santoboni ’22 (Annapolis/Universiteit Van Amsterdam).

The AP Scholar with Distinction is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. The 2021-2022 school year AP Scholars with Distinction include Zach Mozher ’23 (Middletown, Del), Damian Rene ’23 (Easton), Sofia Angarita ’22 (Wye Mills/Amherst College), Lucy Bamford ’22 (Chestertown/Ursinus College), Abigail Miller ’22 (Easton/University of Rochester), and Magdalena Miller ’22 (Easton/University of Pennsylvania).

In addition, out of the 1.5 million entrants, Nick Abell and Damian Rene were recognized as Commended Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. In late September, more than two-thirds (about 34,000) of the approximately 50,000 high scorers on the PSAT/NMSQT received Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise.

Tickets are selling out fast for The Gunston School’s Bull & Oyster Roast on Saturday, October 22 from 5-9 p.m. on the school’s waterfront campus. In addition to delicious food provided by Phat Daddy’s BBQ (Chestertown) featuring a variety of oysters, pork, chicken, and beef BBQ, and fried chicken. An open bar will provide an array of wine, sweet tea, and fresh lemonade. New this year is Traveling Spirits Mobile Bar (Chestertown) serving beer from Centreville-based Bull & Goat Brewery and a signature cocktail. Guests will have the opportunity to scoot around the dance floor with Good Vibrations Entertainment playing everything from country music, classic rock, and all the favorites from the last few decades.

With both a silent and live auction planned, attendees can bid on an array of fantastic items including a Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 24 guitar, sports memorabilia, private yacht cruise, professional photography sessions, golf packages and getaways to Rehoboth Beach and Montego Bay, among others.

“We are still looking for additional auction items,” said Event Director Lynda Scull. “Vacation packages, excursions and outings, gift cards to local businesses and restaurants, memorabilia, memberships – those are all very popular.”

Tickets are on sale now at $100 per person from Oct. 1-22. Tickets for alumni as well as former faculty and staff are $65, with an option to also sponsor a ticket for current faculty and staff members. All attendees must be 21 years of age or older.

Sponsors this year include Grill Masters Dani & Rick de los Reyes, P’23 and Fred Frederick Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram (Janelle & Jeffrey Frederick, P’23’25). Rockefeller sponsors include Easton Dermatology Associates, LLC (Brigitte and Dr. Donald Stranahan, P’25) and Friends of Gunston (anonymous). Prime Rib sponsor includes Gillespie & Son, Inc, (The Gillespie Family, P’07’09’20’22’24) and What’s Up? Media. Choice sponsors include Cross Street Realtors, Shore United Bank (John & Amber Agustus, P’26), Dr. & Mrs. Michael Amygdalos and Family, P’20’23, and McAllister, DeTar, Showalter & Walker (Adele & Ryan Showalter, P’25 and Melissa & Doug Walker, P’25). Select sponsors include Class of 2021 Parent, Coopers Tavern (Rick & Kathy Cooper), and Dr. Laurie Lewis and John Lewis. Sirloin Sponsors include Charlie & Suzy Lutz, P’24 and Envision Wealth Planning, (Sarah & Edward Schut, P’17’21’22’25’26). Brisket sponsors include Grain Surfboards (Aynsley & Brian Schopfer, P’26), Susan & James Walker, P21’25, Ildi & Mory Watkins, P’26, Reliable Pest Control, Wrench & Socket LLC., (Tim & Beth Lavery, P’26), The Hansen Family, P’23, The Thomas Family, The Algier Family, P’23’26 and Attraction Magazine, (Allison Rogers, P’21’24).

Sponsorships are also available and range from a Brisket Sponsor ($100) up to a Grill Master Sponsor ($5,000), with a price point for every budget. Additionally, there is an option to become a Heron Hero, which combines the sponsorship benefits of all three Gunston fundraising events (Bull & Oyster Roast, Heron Hustle, Golfing fore Gunston) into a yearlong package. Along with community-wide recognition, Gunston’s sponsors are also listed on the school’s Green & White Pages, a directory of Gunston community-owned businesses and services.

Visit https://gunston.org/bullroast22 to purchase tickets, donate an auction item, or to sign up for a sponsorship (or do all three!). For more information, contact Event Director Lynda Scull at 410-758-0620, ext. 1200 or email [email protected].

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Gunston School is pleased to announce the Mid-Shore College Fair and Financial Planning Evening on Thursday, October 20 from 6-8 p.m. at Chesapeake College’s Health Professions and Athletics Center, Room 130 in Wye Mills, Md. This event is free and open to the public with no registration required. Participants are encouraged to browse the college fair at their own pace and have the option to attend one of two sessions on the Financial Aid Process at 6:15 and 7:15 p.m., led by Director of Financial Aid at Swarthmore College, Varo Duffins.

Mr. Duffins has worked in higher education admission and financial aid since 1995 and prior at Elizabethtown College at Franklin & Marshall College. He received his BA in biology from the University of Delaware and his MS in higher education administration and enrollment management from Drexel University.

“We still have colleges and universities signing up to participate,” said Gunston’s Co-Director of College Guidance Emily Coffey. “As of now we have over 20 signed up and expect quite a bit more.” Those attending include Washington College, Wake Forest University, Shenandoah University, UMBC, Towson University, Salisbury University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Providence College, Mount St. Mary’s University, McDaniel College, Lafayette College, University of Delaware, Harrisburg University, Elizabethtown College, Notre Dame Maryland, Chesapeake College, Catholic University of America, Clarkson University, and Dickinson College.

The Mid-Shore College Fair was made possible with support from the Mid-Shore Community Foundation. Contact Gunston’s Directors of College Guidance with questions: Emily Coffey, [email protected] or 410-758-0620 ext 3101 and Tony D’Antonio, [email protected] or 410-758-0620 ext 3100.

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Gunston School commenced its 112th year on Thursday, September 8, with the annual Embarkation tradition, welcoming a total of 65 new students and five new employees to the community by boat. After exchanging a handshake with the Head of School, newcomers signed the school’s Honor Code, and made their way up the hill to greet fellow students and current staff and faculty. Parents and family members were invited to watch from the shoreline as students arrived. The event, originally scheduled for the first day of classes on September 6, was postponed due to adverse weather conditions. 

Once all new students and staff arrived by boat, they made their way to the Field House for Convocation. Student Body President Mekonnen Sahle-Selassie ’23 (Easton, Md.) offered three pieces of advice to new students. “Find out who you are, get out of your comfort zone, and stay in the moment, for I promise you that these four years will go by so fast you won’t even notice it.” 

Gunston’s Chair of the Board Patrick Shoemaker ’03 recalled his first day as a 9th grader in 1999. “I was part of a small group of students from Annapolis […] I arrived on campus to Mr. Dize’s homeroom and was immediately welcomed. What previously seemed like a foreign place on the Eastern Shore started to feel like home on my very first day. In many ways, Gunston is a different place than it was that September 23 years ago, but our strong sense of community persists thanks to the dedicated faculty who make every student feel welcome.” 

After ringing an antique bell from Gunston’s days as an all-girls boarding school, Assistant Head of School Christie Grabis declared, “Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year, the bell has sounded, you may now commence the year!”

New students had the opportunity to get to know their peers well before the start of school during Gunston’s orientation and leadership retreats. Ninth grade students went on a two-day retreat at Camp Pecometh, where they spent the day and evening participating in various outdoor challenges and team building activities. They then returned to campus the following day, where they were joined by new upperclass students and current student leaders for informational sessions on central school values, technology, “Important Things You Need to Know,” environmental sustainability, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

Running simultaneously, Gunston’s 7th Annual Leadership Institute invited student leaders from various clubs, student government, and athletics to gather and learn about leadership practices, set goals for the year, and to help facilitate activities for 9th graders.

“Our orientation and leadership programs with their peer-to-peer learning and mentorship model are extremely important in creating bonds between students, a strong class spirit, and setting up a strong school year,” explains Head of School John Lewis. 

Gunston’s formal orientation is just one of many of the school’s initiatives that reinforce psychological “protective factors” which include “a safe and supportive peer culture and strong relational attachments to teachers and healthy adult mentors,” among others, with the goal of integrating academic, athletic, artistic, and social experiences in a beautiful natural location that promotes adolescent mental wellness and resilience. 

Faculty and staff were also busy preparing for the beginning of school with departmental retreats, new employee orientation, and annual CPR, First Aid/AED and various emergency response trainings. Gunston’s Math Department welcomes Linda Jayne, who most recently served as the Math Department Chair and lacrosse coach at Kent Island High School. In addition to her longtime experience teaching Advanced Placement AB & BC Calculus, Jayne has written curriculum at the county and state level, and she’s been an advisor for the Mu Alpha Theta math honor society. She earned her B.S. in Mathematics from Frostburg, and a Masters in Administration and Education from Western Maryland College. 

Also joining the Math Department is April Crandall. A recent transplant to the area from the Midwest, Crandall has nine years of high school teaching and tutoring experience, and recently taught a wide range of math courses at a high school in Missouri. She earned her B.S. in Secondary Mathematics from the University of Central Missouri and a M.S. in Math from Northwest Missouri State University. 

Simon Kelly ’05 joins the English Department after teaching writing courses at Villanova, Drexel, and Temple University. An avid cyclist who has spent time living abroad in Korea, he earned his B.A. from Guilford University in North Carolina, and a Masters in Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

Melissa (Mel) Skirkanich joined the Science Department as a Chesapeake Watershed Semester Environmental Science teacher in the fall and will continue to teach courses in the spring on campus. Skirkanich most recently taught Biology and Environmental Science at Manassas High School in Virginia, and her experience includes roles at Leesburg Animal Park, Pathfinder Ranch, the Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences, and the Science Museum of Western Virginia. She earned her B.S. from Virginia Tech, where she studied abroad in Australia and New Zealand. 

Caitlyn Creasy joined Gunston as the Assistant to the Head of School and Alumni Coordinator. She earned her B.A. at Washington College in Business Management and Communications and Media Studies with minors in Dance, and Art Management and Entrepreneurship. In addition to being elected Student Government Vice President, she held positions of responsibility in the school’s admission and alumni offices. Most recently, she worked as the Director of Neighborhood Revitalization at Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity. 

Gunston also welcomed five new trustees to their board of directors. Jim Shifrin, P’21 is the Director of Product Development and Innovation at Dixon Valve in Chestertown. He has a BSME in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and also serves on Gunston’s Buildings & Grounds Committee. 

Dr. Fernando De Leon, P’22 is a pulmonologist with the University of Maryland Medical Center in Chestertown. Dr. De Leon received his medical degree from Boston University and completed his fellowship, residency and internship at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. He is board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine and critical care. He also serves as a member of Gunston’s Health Advisory Team. 

Betsy McCown, P’11 is the Associate Director of Echo Hill Outdoor School in Worton, Md. She earned a B.S. in Community Leadership and Development from Springfield College, Springfield, MA. McCown is a former Gunston board member and a current Chesapeake Watershed Semester Advisory Committee member.

Jeff Frederick, P ’23 ’26 is the General Manager/Vice President of Fred Frederick Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-RAM in Easton, Md. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he is also a member of Gunston’s Development Committee.

Isabel Junkin Hardesty is the Executive Director of ShoreRivers and is a member of the Board of Directors for Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology. She received a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University, where she concentrated in coastal environment and management, and a B.S. from Bucknell University with a major in animal behavior. Hardesty has worked closely with Gunston for nearly a decade on various campus grant-funded research projects. 

Founded in 1911 and currently enrolling 234 students, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information. 

The Gunston School’s third annual Heron Hustle 5K/1M Fun Run will be held on Saturday, October 1 on the school’s 35-acre waterfront campus, offering participants beautiful views of the Corsica River and surrounding area. Partnering with Tricycle and Run, the race will begin at 8 a.m. and prizes will be awarded for those who choose to compete in the following categories: Male/Open – Top 3 ages 18+ and Top 3 under 18; Female/Open – Top 3 ages 18+ and Top 3 under 18 for both the 5K and the 1 Mile Fun Run. Additional recognition will be given for fastest 9th grader, 10th grader, 11th grader, and 12th grader. All who sign up, whether competing in-person or from afar will receive a limited edition Heron Hustle t-shirt with original design by Gunston alumna Alison Hansford ’96.

All proceeds benefit the school’s Heron Annual Fund which directly supports students and faculty by offsetting operating costs and making up the difference between what tuition covers and the actual cost of providing a Gunston education, as well as supporting the annual $1.5 million in scholarships awarded annually.

Entrants will have the opportunity to compete for fun prizes, such as a monogrammed jacket and other cool runner’s gear, gift cards and more (plus bragging rights!) Those who can’t attend in person to compete but still wish to show their support are encouraged to sign up and run virtually. 

Online registration is now open at https://www.gunston.org/giving/heronhustle22 and is $30 for general registration and $25 for students, alumni, and faculty/staff with an option to also purchase and donate a registration for faculty/staff. Sponsorships range from $150 to $3,500 and can be purchased online as well. 

Running concurrently with the Heron Hustle is Gunston’s Alumni Weekend, beginning Friday, September 30 and running through Sunday, October 2, 2022. 

For more information, please contact Event Director Lynda Scull at [email protected]. 

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information. 

The Bull & Oyster Roast will be held outdoors on Gunston’s waterfront campus, overlooking the Corsica River on Saturday, October 22 from 5-9 p.m. The evening includes delicious food provided by Phat Daddy’s BBQ and will feature a variety of oysters, pork, chicken, and beef BBQ, fried chicken and more. An open bar will provide an array of cold beer, wine, sweet tea, fresh lemonade, and a signature cocktail. This year’s event will have a dance floor with Good Vibrations Entertainment playing everything from country music, classic rock, and all the favorites from the last few decades. 

With both a silent and live auction planned, guests will have the opportunity to bid on an array of fantastic vacations, golf outings, professional photography sessions, artwork, and more. This year’s live auction portion will be limited to just five big ticket items, leaving more time to scoot around the dance floor and shoot the breeze with fellow parents, faculty, alums, and community members.

Tickets are on sale now with early-bird pricing at $75 per person until August 31, $85 from Sept. 1-30, and $100 per person from Oct. 1-22. Tickets for alumni as well as former faculty and staff are $65, with an option to also sponsor a ticket for current faculty and staff members. All attendees must be 21 years of age or older.

“The Bull and Oyster Roast is such a fun way to come together to support the school,” explains Head of School John Lewis. “The funds we raise go directly to the Heron Annual fund, making up the difference between what tuition covers and the actual cost of running the school.”

“We are in need of auction items for both the live and silent portion,” adds Gunston Parents’ Association (GPA) President Irene Hansen ’23. “We are looking for everything from vacation packages to restaurant gift certificate baskets, special experiences, artwork, services, and more.” 

Sponsorships are also available and range from a Brisket Sponsor ($100) up to a Grill Master Sponsor ($5,000), with a price point for every budget. Additionally, there is an option to become a Heron Hero, which combines the sponsorship benefits of all three Gunston fundraising events (Bull & Oyster Roast, Heron Hustle, Golfing fore Gunston) into a yearlong package. Along with community-wide recognition, Gunston’s sponsors are also listed on the school’s Green & White Pages, a directory of Gunston community-owned businesses and services. 

Visit https://gunston.org/bullroast22 to purchase tickets, donate an auction item, or to sign up for a sponsorship (or do all three!). For more information, contact Event Director Lynda Scull at 410-758-0620, ext. 1200 or email [email protected].

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information. 

The Gunston School celebrated its 111th commencement this past Saturday, June 11, honoring the Class of 2022 with a waterfront ceremony overlooking the Corsica River, as family and friends looked on. The procession began with Bagpiper Robert Wallace, followed by school faculty and staff, and then the graduating seniors.

Head of School John Lewis then introduced the commencement speaker, Kristen Greenaway, the President of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) in St. Michaels, Md. Under her leadership, CBMM has seen a healthy increase in attendance through the presentation of increasingly innovative exhibitions, and expanded education and Shipyard programming, as well as being awarded a grant of $5M from the State of Maryland to build a new Maryland Dove for Historic St. Mary’s City Commission. Additionally, Greenaway was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the National Maritime Historical Society in April of 2022.

“As each of you moves forward into the next phases of your life,” said Ms. Greenaway, “you will encounter incredible opportunities to explore and chart your own pathways. Some of you may have clear and focused journeys, while others may catch a strong breeze and head for new waters. Look for opportunity in whatever form it presents itself to you. And as you do that, I have three pieces of advice for you to carry forward: Have courage to take risks and make decisions; Be mindful, useful, kind, and show empathy for others; and Build the world you want to live in.”

Mr. Lewis and Gunston’s Vice Chair and Treasurer of the Board Joe Janney, P ’21 then presented each graduate with their diploma, individually handcrafted by faculty member Michael Kaylor on an antique letterpress.

This year’s senior class had a successful college admission season and worked hard to earn $7.8 million dollars in merit scholarships. The graduates are listed here with the honors presented to them the day before on Friday, June 10 during the school’s Green & White ceremony, which featured the valedictorian address, personalized comments about every senior, academic department awards, special named awards, and recognition from the greater community, as well as the much-anticipated announcement of the Green & White Cup.

Mr. Lewis began the previous day’s awards ceremony with thank you’s and one very special one in particular to the parents out in the crowd. “You’ve been extraordinary partners with us through some of the most difficult years in recent memory. This is a group of young people who possess a high level of responsibility, character, and independence.  Their future is bright, and they wouldn’t be here without you.”

And to the Class of 2022, “As a class, you’ve amassed as impressive an academic, extracurricular, social service, and athletic resume of any class in the history of Gunston—that’s not hyperbole—and you’ve done so with grace, fortitude, and fun. You’ve also pulled together impressively as a community of classmates, and thanks to you, I finish this year deeply optimistic, because Class of 2022—I know that your learning and leadership has just begun.”

This year’s valedictorian honor (also called the Samuel A. Middleton Award) was bestowed upon two very deserving students, Abigail Miller and Magdalena Miller, of Easton, Md.

“It goes without saying that Abbey and Maggie’s academic records are exceptional, having earned perfect grade 4.0 point averages across perhaps the most rigorous course loads ever taken at Gunston, including 11 AP courses where they have already been honored as AP Scholars with Distinction, and a math curriculum that includes AP AB/BC Calculus, AP Statistics, and a multivariable calculus course. Outside of the classroom, they are student-athlete-artists, having been on the Varsity Lacrosse and sailing teams, the Champions of the 2022 Eastern Shore Mathematics Competition Champions, National Spanish Exam Medalists, and honorees of the Congressional Art competition. They were both inducted into the National Honor Society, and they are both National Merit Scholarship Finalists, which means that of the 1.5 million American high school seniors who took the PSAT, they were in the top 7,500. That’s the top 1/5th of 1 percent.”

Abbey will be studying mechanical engineering at the University of Rochester and Maggie will be studying chemical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Our mom always tells us, ‘Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.’ It’s easy to see the truth of the matter once it’s over, but you have to stay focused on what is in front of you. That is why I look forward to seeing where life takes all of you in the next four years, and congratulations once again to the class of 2022,” said Maggie.

Presented by Assistant Head of School Christie Grabis, the prestigious Gunston Award, which began in 1969 and is “unique in that it’s chosen by the vote of the entire school community,” was presented to Lucy Bamford of Chestertown, Md. who is headed to Ursinus College in the fall. “Leader, scholar, athlete. This student completed 26 total credits, nine honors classes, six AP classes, participated in 12 seasons of varsity level athletics, and held leadership roles in student government, national honor society, diversity leadership, yearbook, and on our Green & White teams. A member of the National Honor Society, this student models the qualities of scholarship, leadership, service, and character both inside and outside of the classroom,” said Mrs. Grabis.

Graduating Seniors & Recognitions:
Sofia Angarita (Wye Mills) Leadership Award, Spanish Award, Sciences Award, Senior Paradigm Award, SGA President, CHSAA Memorial Scholarship, Lucy Bamford (Chestertown) Gunston Award, Captain Green Team, Senior Class President, The Anita Gruss Athletic Award, 12 Star Athlete, Curtis (Andrew) Baughman (Worton), Sebastian Borland (Easton) 12 Star Award, John (Jack) Brady (Galena) 12 Star Award, Gracie Callahan (Denton), Joshua (Josh) Campbell (Centreville) 12 Star Award, Anastasia Clair (Middletown, Del.) Community Service Award, Charlotte Cook (Easton), Robert Crow (Friendship) Engineering Award, Benjamin (Ben) Cunningham (Dover, Del.) Senior Class Vice President, 12 Star Award, Jian (Daniel) Dang (Henan, China), Isabella (Bella) De Leon (Chestertown) The Faculty Award, 12 Star Award, Ava Duvall (Queenstown), Ashley Escobar (Cambridge) Diversity Leader Award, Spanish Award, Senior Class Treasurer, Sen. Van Hollen Public Service Award, George B. Todd Scholarship, Woicke Family Scholarship, Nora FauntLeRoy (Annapolis) Fine Arts Award, James (Jimmy) Fraser (Annapolis), Nina Friedman (Easton), Noah Friel (Grasonville), Morgan Garner (Annapolis) Moore Award for Improvement, Georgia Gillespie (Chestertown), Sheila Groz (Grasonville), Evelyn (Evie) Hagan (Chestertown) Environmental Stewardship Award, Madison (Madi) Hanlon (Middletown, Del), Paige Holmes (Chestertown), Aidan Ireland (Annapolis), Kallena Kemp (Centreville) Theater Award, Senior Paradigm Award, Zachary (Zach) LaFleur (Chestertown), Colin Lang (Trappe) United States Naval Academy Appointment Recognition, History Award, 12 Star Award, Samantha LeCrone (Preston) Sciences Award, 12 Star Award, Juyoung (Ju) Lee (Seoul, South Korea), Engineering Award, Rui (Spencer) Liu (Beijing, China) English Language Acquisition Award, Cameron (Cami) Lord (Chestertown), Alexis (Lexi) Meiklejohn (Cordova), Abigail (Abbey) Miller (Easton) Valedictorian, Math Award, National Merit® Scholar, Magdalena (Maggie) Miller (Easton) Valedictorian, Math Award, National Merit® Scholar, Alexandrea (Lexi) Norman (Chestertown), Adam Papadopoulos (Townsend, Del.) Literature Award, Fletcher Parsons (Easton), Ainsleigh Pocock (Annapolis) 12 Star Award, Summer Salos (Stevensville) Senior Class Secretary, Alec Sanderson (Arnold) Music Award, Leonardo (Leo) Santoboni (Annapolis) Computer Science Award, Lilly Santora (Annapolis), Tessa Schut (Chestertown) English Award, Nicholas (Nick) Scribner (Easton), Ashton Seaman (Severna Park) 12 Star Award, Matthew Sharpless (Easton), Danielle Simmons (Chestertown) The Faculty Award, Ronald Reagan Leadership Medal, Chestertown High School Alumni Association Scholarship, Presidential Fellow at Washington College, Jude Smith (Stevensville) The Anita Gruss Athletic Award, 12 Star Award, Andrew Steele (Centreville), Thomas Umidi (Arnold), and Yutong (Vera) Xie (Kunming, Yunnan, China).

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Gunston School in Centreville, Md. celebrating its 111th commencement, celebrating the 53 members of the Class of 2022. This year’s senior class had a successful college admission season and worked hard to earn $7.8 million dollars in merit scholarships. 

Pictured: (Left) Commencement Speaker and Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum President Kristen Greenaway, Head of School John Lewis (Right) Assistant Head of School Christie Grabis and Vice Chair of the Board of Gunston Trustees Joe Janey, P’21. 

Front Row: Isabella De Leon, Yutong (Vera) Xie, Abigail (Abbey Miller), Madison (Madi) Hanlon, Ashley Escobar, Paige Holmes, Morgan Garner, Alexis (Lexi) Meiklejohn, Ainsleigh Pocock, Magdalena (Maggie) Miller, Danielle Simmons, Summer Salos. 

Second Row: Kallena Kemp, Tessa Schut, Nina Friedman, Lexi Norman, Georgia Gillespie, Nora FauntLeRoy, Evelyn (Evie) Hagan, Lilly Santora, Anastasia Clair, Samantha LeCrone, Gracie Callahan, Ava Duvall.

Third Row: James (Jimmy) Fraser, Joshua Campbell, Charlotte Cook, Lucy Bamford, Sofia Angarita, Sheila Groz, Cameron (Cami) Lord, Aidan Ireland, Nicholas Scribner, Matthew Sharpless.

Fourth Row: Ashton Seaman, Alec Sanderson, Andrew Steele, John (Jack) Brady, Jude Smith, Leonardo (Leo) Santoboni, Sebastian Borland, Juyoung (Ju) Lee, Jian (Daniel) Dang, Adam Papadopoulos.

Fifth Row: Robert Crow, Zachary (Zach) LaFleur, Colin Lang, Fletcher Parsons, Benjamin (Ben) Cunningham, Thomas Umidi, Rui (Spencer) Liu, Curtis (Andrew) Baughman, Noah Friel.

2022 G&W AWARDS

Valedictorian (Middleton) Award: Abigail & Magdalena Miller

Head of School John Lewis presents the Samuel A. Middleton (Valedictorian) award to Abbey Miller and Maggie Miller of Easton, Md. 

The Gunston Award: Lucy Bamford

Assistant Head of School Christie Grabis presents The Gunson Award to Lucy Bamford, Chestertown, Md.

Community Service Award: Anastasia Clair
Leadership Award: Sofia Angarita
Diversity Leader Award: Ashley Escobar
Moore Award for Improvement: Morgan Garner
Paul M. Long Award: Zach Mozher ’23
The Marie Whittico Award: Damian Renè ’23
Megan Virginia Batdorf Award: Aaron Sanderson
Clare Poussard Award: Cy Johnston ’23
Environmental Stewardship Award: Evelyn Hagan
The Faculty Award: Danielle Simmons & Isabella De Leon

The Anita Gruss Athletics Awards: Jude Smith and Lucy Bamford
12 Star Awards: Lucy Bamford, Sebastian Borland, John (Jack) Brady, Josh Campbell, Ben Cunningham, Isabella De Leon, Colin Lang, Samantha LeCrone, Ainsleigh Pocock, Ashton Seaman, and Jude Smith. 

English Award: Tessa Schut
Literature Award: Adam Papadopoulos
Senior Paradigm: Sofia Angarita & Kallena Kemp
Junior Symposium: Zach Mozher ’23
Immersion Award: Jan Serraviñals ’23
English Language Acquisition Award: Rui (Spencer) Liu
Spanish Award: Sofia Angarita & Ashley Escobar
History Award: Colin Lang
Math Award: Abigail & Magdelena Miller
Sciences Award: Sofia Angarita & Samantha LeCrone
Engineering Award: Robert Crow & Ju Lee
Computer Science Award: Leonardo Santoboni
Fine Art Award: Nora FauntLeRoy
Theater Award: Kallena Kemp
Music Award: Alec Sanderson

Greater Community & College Awards:
Colin Lang, United States Naval Academy Appointment Recognition
Danielle Simmons, Ronald Reagan Leadership Medal, Chestertown High School Alumni Association Recognition
Ashley Escobar, Senator Van Hollen Public Service Award, George B. Todd Scholarship, Woicke Family Scholarship
Sofia Angarita, CHSAA Memorial Scholarship
Nora FauntLeRoy, Senatorial Scholarship from Senator Ed Reilly

The Gunston School team, led by Abbey Miller ’22, (Easton, Md.) Maggie Miller ’22, (Easton, Md.) and Eli Moore ’25, (Annapolis, Md.) earned first place at the 37th Annual Eastern Shore High School Mathematics Competition that took place on Wednesday, April 27 at Salisbury University. Accompanied by Gunston’s Math Department Chair Millicent Sheets, team members had to solve challenging, open-ended problems. Each team had to  provide complete solutions to as many problems as possible, including justification of all steps and clear, concise explanations. Subject areas covered by contest questions include: algebra, geometry, functions and functional notation, exponents and logarithms, trigonometry, probability and statistics, logic and set theory, arithmetic sequences, geometric series, and number theory.

The goal of the Annual Eastern Shore High School Mathematics Competition is to promote and support mathematics in the secondary education community of the Lower-and Mid-Eastern Shore counties of Delmarva.

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Golfing “fore” Gunston III fundraiser on Monday, May 2 at the Prospect Bay Country Club in Grasonville welcomed 108 golfers including Gunston alumni, parents, past parents, and community supporters. A 9 a.m. shotgun start began the day, with teams competing for prizes while enjoying food, drinks and fun give-aways.

The day’s winners include: Men’s First Place with a gross score of 55, Creg Fleetwood, Casey Grieves, Scott Sturgill and Josh Johnson, and Women’s First Place with a gross score of 75, Janell Frederick, P’23 ’25, Andrea Brock, Karen Tengwall, and Liz Bristner received prizes of Under Armour jackets and gift certificates to Prospect Bay’s pro shop. The winner of the Men’s Longest Drive was Chris Eakins, and for Women’s Longest Drive, the winner was Jen Matthews ’05, with a prize of a MV2 Golf bag and gift certificate. Closest to the Pin winner was Dave Connelly, with a prize of a Bat-Caddy X3R remote control cart, and Last Place Winners were Ginni Biondi, Vicki Dean, Heather Bacher and Liz Verhelle with a prize of brand new pickleball racquets and ball and Dick’s Sporting Goods gift certificates.

“As we look to support the gift of education for our students, we enjoyed a large crowd and a beautiful day. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who played, sponsored, and volunteered,” shared Gunston’s Head of School John Lewis.

Additionally, a concurrently running online silent auction, the Gunston Biddersnest, offered items such as golf packages, weekend getaway, spa package, restaurant gift certificates and more. Together, the golf tournament and the auction raised $25,000 for the Heron Annual Fund, which allows Gunston the ability to offer more than 60% of its students financial aid, provide additional enrichment and hands-on opportunities that extend beyond the classroom for both students and faculty, and more.

Event Sponsors included Tournament Sponsors Atlantic Cruising Yachts (Dawn & Christian Bent, P‘25), Fred Frederick of Easton (Janell & Jeffrey Frederick, P ’23 ’25), Dani & Rick de los Reyes, P’23, and What’s Up? Media Company. The Crush Station was sponsored by Ms. Alice Ryan ’75 and the Grilling Station was sponsored by Friel Lumber Company (Gina & James Friel, P‘22). Ceremony sponsors include Sugar Doodles Sweet Shop (The Brown Family, P ’23 ’24), Gillespie & Son, Inc. (The Gillespie Family, P’20 ’22 ’24) and Friends of Gunston. Refreshment sponsors include Mirando Chiropractic Center (Kristy & Dominick Mirando, P’25), Dr. Laurie Lewis and John Lewis, KRM Construction, Shore United Bank, Kent School and Callahan’s Gas & Appliance (Dana & Mark Callahan, P’22). Contest sponsors include KRM Construction and Datalink Interactive.

Hole sponsors include Palmieri & Shannahan, Tony Drew, the McClary Family, P’21 ’23, the Umidi Family, P`19, `22,  Lona Sue Todd (Taylor Properties), Sara Jane Davidson, Tred Avon Family Wealth,, the Clair Family, P`19, `22, Irene & John Hansen, P`23, Glenn Michael, the Thomas Family, the Sanderson Family, P’22 ‘23, Dogwood Acres Pet Retreat, Datalink Interactive, Mark & Diane Freestate, P’98, Moorhouse Electrical Services, the Ceruolo Family, P’23, the DeLeon Family, P’22, the Algier Family, P’23 ‘26, the Myers Family, P’21 ‘24, and Reliable Pest Control.

A special thanks to Drapers of Centreville, for providing drinks and refreshments.

Gunston Biddersnest Auction Donors: Links at Perry Cabin, Prospect Bay Country Club, Serino Orthodontics, Ticklers at Wylder Tilghman Island, Dogwood Acres, Riverstone1730, Swan Cove, Bella Spa, Tastings Gourmet Market Annapolis, Gunston School Experiences.

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.