On Tuesday, August 19th, students and faculty gathered in Benjamin Hall for the Awards Ceremony, a celebration recognizing academic achievement, community impact, and athletic success. 

For the first time, the event was held at the beginning of the school year rather than the end. In past years, the ceremony was squeezed into an already crowded May calendar or replaced with virtual videos during the pandemic. 

“We decided to push the program into the early days of the school year for two key reasons. Historically this assembly, which has always attempted to take into consideration students’ full-year accomplishments, was difficult to schedule round the AP exam period and never quite found a home in the video version originally driven by COVID concerns. Looking to try something new, we decided to hold the ceremony early in the academic year as a way to recognize our many wonderful students at a less stressful time and to start the year in a way that reflects the continuity of excellent work happening at the Upper school,’’ Head of Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr explained

English Department Chair, Mrs. Sharon Wendler was one of the members involved in the switch. She emphasized the value of holding the ceremony in person. “We already have so much screen time. If we are going to award people for their academic achievements, it should be done in front of the student body. We want the students to know that we are cheering for them and without the in-person element, the faculty felt that we couldn’t show them how proud we were,” Wendler said. 

For many students, the awards offer a boost for resumes and college applications. Director of College Counseling Mrs. Anna Wright acknowledges that the recognitions do play a role for seniors. “In terms of college applications, the awards help shine a light on our students. The academic awards help show proficiency in a subject, while the character awards speak to values. Hopefully, we are putting some wind in the sails of students who are doing a really nice job, while encouraging others to grow in those areas,” Mrs. Wright said.  

This year’s ceremony recognized achievements from the 2024 – 2025 school year, including AP Scholar distinction and state athletic awards. The assembly began with remarks from Mr. Carr, who highlighted the importance of academic, service, and athletic success in shaping the school community. Academic Dean Mr. Curtis and Director of College Counseling Mrs. Anna Wright then announced the AP Scholars, honoring students for their excellence in college level courses. Class and service awards followed, with student names appearing on the screen as department chairs read them aloud. 

While the presentations themselves were brief, faculty noted that the selections can reflect more than grades alone. “I give my award based on a combination of performance and contribution. You have to have been successful and done well in my class, but just as important is supporting other students and having a positive attitude each day,” Social Science Department Chair Mr. Graham Wik said. 

The academic portion of the ceremony was followed by a celebration of one of the most successful athletic years in school history: three state championships with girls’ soccer, boys’ lacrosse, and girls’ track and field, the FHSAA Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup for both boys’ and girls’ programs, and a #43 national ranking on MaxPreps out of more than 32,000 schools. Athletic director Mr. Smith introduced the three championship teams, whose members received their State rings on stage and posed for photos. 

The Awards Ceremony as a whole reflected the many dimensions of student life at Benjamin: academic excellence, character, service, and athletic achievement. 

Gallery • 3 Photos

Jeremy Ferris

Juniors Kayla Travers, Ava Bevevino, and Kallan Pasciuto, show of their Championship rings, Beyoncé style.