Our Admission Office has been busy over the past few months reading a record-breaking number of applications from 71 countries and 33 states! We are grateful to all the families who took time to engage with our community over the course of the admission process.
This was a truly historic admission season at Berkshire. We are deeply humbled by the overwhelming interest from such compelling and talented applicants, making this our most selective year yet and leading to the lowest number of students admitted on March 10th. As we look ahead, we couldn't be more excited about our new cohort of Bears—they are bright, passionate, and ready to make an impact at Berkshire."–Director of Admission Allison Letourneau '07
Watch the acceptance video welcoming new Bears to Berkshire below! 🐾
Dr. Jarrod Spencer
Last month, Dr. Jarrod Spencer visited campus to speak during All-School Meeting. Dr. Spencer is a leading sports psychologist who’s worked with professional athletes and Olympians. He helps high achievers maximize their potential through his signature message: a clear mind leads to better performance.
His presentation to the community focused on the importance of sleep and tips to optimize sleep for peak performance in all high-achieving pursuits––from academics to athletics to the arts.
Dr. Spencer also met with students one-on-one during lunch and presented to parents over Zoom to continue the important conversations surrounding mental health, technology, and sleep.
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Spencer back to campus next month as part of Spring Family Weekend to share his thoughts on the "Mind of the Parent."
DECA Members Advance to State Competition
Berkshire’s chapter of DECA, led by Angela Pham ’25 and Jacob Lee ’26, recently competed in the Western Massachusetts District 7 event at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass. The nationwide nonprofit organization prepares high school and college students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. “It's a great opportunity to explore an individual career interest and then test your quick analytical response and related presentation skills in a competitive environment,” said CFO Robert Boyd, the faculty advisor to DECA.
Among 14 competing high schools, DECA members Claire Kim ’26 and Noel Yi ’26 both placed 2nd in the Marketing Communications Series and the Principles of Business Management and Administration events respectively. Claire and Noel’s scores qualify them to advance to the DECA state championship in Boston to compete for a spot in the Nationals.
DECA has taught me initiative and confidence. It also played a role in developing my pitching and speaking skills. [At the district competition], I only had a couple minutes to write notes for the interactive "business meeting" simulation with the judges, so I had to think quickly and sometimes that meant going with my intuition.”–Noel Yi ’26
Joining DECA helped give me a taste of real-world operations and how different people and systems interact with one another. I’ve realized the importance of pushing myself out of my comfort zone and finally understand the power of having faith in myself and just going for it.”–Claire Kim ’26
The Green and Gray is the student-led newspaper that chronicles life under the Mountain through articles, interviews, opinion pieces, photos, and more!
Along with its online presence, copies are distributed for free around campus and can be found in most academic buildings as well as Geier Library and Chase House.
Read the latest issue below!
Winter Dance Concert
Thank you to our dancers for delivering a captivating night filled with ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, K-Pop, and tap. Brava Bears!
Kellogg Grant Winners
Congratulations to the recipients of the 41st annual Kellogg Grant, Ken Sperl and Maura MacKenzie! The award is given each year to two members of the Berkshire community who contribute in a special way to the School through both their time and commitment. The award comes with a stipend for each recipient to spend on a well-earned vacation.
Mr. Sperl has been at Berkshire for 17 years and ensures that the technology network infrastructure on campus runs smoothly. Director of Technology Jason Epstein noted that, “Berkshire can count on his watchful eye to make sure we are connected and that everything works.” While much of his work happens behind the scenes, everyone depends on Mr. Sperl's experience and dedication in important ways each and every day.
Ms. MacKenzie has spent almost two decades at Berkshire and, during that time, has been an exceptional science teacher, advisor, volleyball coach, duty team member, and a community member who is at every game, performance, event, and celebration on campus supporting students and her colleagues. Science Department Chair Dan Cooper shared that her, “endless patience and positivity create a classroom where her students feel seen, supported, and challenged to grow.”
Bears had a blast last week in Berkshire's Pro Vita Winter Session. They chose from 60 hands-on, experiential courses taught on campus and around the local community. Some elected to embark on an off-campus trip to either Madrid, to study the language and culture, or to Craftsbury Common, Vermont, to study sustainability practices and to cross country ski. Twenty-three courses were taught by current Bears who shared their interests and passions with their peers.
Classes like Rube Goldberg: The Art of Complexity, where engineering meets creativity as students construct a chain reaction machine that accomplishes a simple task in the most elaborate and entertaining way possible, embody the Pro Vita spirit. Take a look below!
For coverage of the many classes offered, follow the Pro Vita Instagram below.
Scholastic Art Awards
Art students had great success in this year's Scholastic Art Awards regional competition. Thirty-three pieces (including 5 Gold Keys) were selected from 22 different students. Artwork included paintings, drawings, ceramics, mixed media pieces, and a total of 19 photographs! Allan Qi '27 received five awards, while Isabel Shen '27 was honored three times.
Congratulations also to Evan Ballard ’28, Olivia Feeley ’25, Tamana ’26, Andrew Miller ’27, and Sahar ’26 for earning Gold Keys, and to Wills McFadden ’27, Andrew Miller ’27, Dax Mutter ’28, Allan Qi ’27 (2), Isabel Shen ’27, and Simon Wang ’28 for earning Silver Keys!
Spanish IV students presented their interpretation of Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saaverda in the Atrium this winter. An elaborate production featuring over 30 students, musical interludes, and lots of good cheer, the timeless tale came to life with the help of the entire Languages Department, led by Sra. Fiori.
Honoring Wil Smith
Girls Varsity Basketball took on Ethel Walker on Saturday, February 22 coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the passing of beloved faculty member and basketball coach, Wil Smith.
The game was well attended with students, faculty, parents, and alumni who all came to cheer on the Bears and honor Wil Smith's legacy.
The timestamps for the livestream are as follows:
Pregame: Welcome from Head of School Pieter Mulder and a moment of reflection from Clay Splawn (00:57-5:30)
Interviews: Pieter Mulder (43:49), Kristalyn Baisden '15, and her father Christopher Baisden (47:11)
Post Game: Siblings Camryn Biasin Labier '14 and Madison Biasin '17 (1:45:37), Mike McCabe (1:47:32)
Tribute Video: Katie Stonecipher '15, Nicky Friedman '15, Francesca Ghi '14, and former Assistant Coach Julia Cohan (1:39:20)
Bears in the Playoffs!
The winter season at Berkshire was a thrilling one, with three varsity teams securing a spot in the NEPSAC Playoffs, and each earning home court advantage.
Boys Hockey defeated Groton (3-0) and Holderness (3-1) at the Jack before losing to Kimball Union Academy 5-3 in the Piatelli/Simmons Small School championship game at the University of Connecticut. Head coach Kevin Czepiel’s team finished the season with a 25-7-1 record.
Girls Basketball hosted Beaver Country Day in the opening round of the Class B tournament and came away with a 50-38 win. In a semifinal matchup with eventual-champion Rivers, the Bears led most of the way but lost 44-43. The team finished 21-6 under head coach Junior De La Hoz.
Girls Hockey skated against Kent at the Jack in the opening round of the Patsy Odden Large School tournament but fell 2-1 in overtime. Head coach Lisa Marshall’s team ended the winter 14-8-2.
Additionally, the Bears competed in NEPSAC Championships in Alpine Skiing and Boys Squash. Check out our Athletics Instagram for more coverage.
Varsity Soccer Updates
We are excited to welcome two new head coaches of the Boys Varsity and Girls Varsity Soccer programs for the Fall of 2025.
Kelvin Martinez has been named Boys Varsity Soccer Head Coach. Kelvin joins Berkshire after a successful seven-year tenure at Northwood School’s Black Rock Residential Academy, where he helped lead the U17 and U19 teams to national prominence, securing multiple tournament titles and achieving a No. 2 national ranking in TopDrawerSoccer’s prep high school poll. At Berkshire, he will also serve as the Dean of Inclusion and Belonging and teach Spanish, continuing his commitment to fostering an inclusive and dynamic learning environment.
With extensive experience coaching at nearly every level—youth, middle school, prep school, and college—Kelvin brings a deep understanding of player development, leadership, and team culture.
Megan Olszewski will be the next Girls Varsity Soccer Head Coach. Megan Olszewski joins Berkshire from The Winchendon School (MA), where she has been a faculty member and girls soccer and hockey coach. Megan was a standout Division 1 goalkeeper for UMass Amherst where she twice led the team to the finals of the Atlantic 10 Championship playoffs. Her Exeter High School team was undefeated under her leadership, resulting in the Division 1 NH State Championship title and earning Megan New Hampshire Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year.
Megan is committed to developing a competitive, well-rounded team, emphasizing individual growth, technical mastery, character, and discipline to help each player reach their full potential and build a strong team dynamic.
Spring Ahead
Preseason Training With Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) Coach Andy Towers
Once again, Berkshire welcomed PLL Coach Andy Towers to campus to host our Winter Lacrosse Clinics for both boys and girls. Head Coach of the 2021 World Champion Chaos LC, Towers has over 20 years of D1 college coaching experience.
Spring Travel
Bon voyage to our Boys and Girls Lacrosse, Baseball, and Crew teams, who will head to Florida and South Carolina for spring training over the break.
Spring Schedule
The spring athletics schedule is now available! Join us under the Mountain or on the road to support our Bears. We’re looking forward to a great spring season for all our programs!
Join us under the Mountain for Spring Family Weekend, Friday and Saturday, April 18 and 19! We're looking forward to welcoming families for the spring concert, athletic contests, and more.
Sixth-form parents are invited to join the Mulders at their East Campus home for a cocktail reception before all families gather for dinner and dessert in our beautiful Campus Center dining hall.
Following dinner, you're invited to attend our annual Spring Concert at 7:30 pm in Allen Theater.
Alumni Spotlight
Eli Merritt '12
Eli Merritt ’12’s art revolves around blending opposing elements into a unified form.
After graduating from Berkshire, he enrolled in art school at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 2019, Merritt founded the Chicago Maker Space with his brother, Sam Merritt ’14, to provide an equipped space for artists in Chicago.
Read more about Merritt's journey at the link below.
Alumni Return to Lend Their Expertise to Pro Vita
Top: Chef and owner of After Hours, Kevin Kelly '19 shared the importance of making dining an experience in his class, The Art of the Dinner Party with After Hours Dining.
Middle: Captain Stephanie Miller '08 coached students through possible flight scenarios on the Michael Lee flight simulator during her class, Air Disasters.
Bottom: Author Sydney Wray '19 led an evening workshop and also met with students to talk about the writing life and publishing world in the Pro Vita class, The Authors' Path.
Thank you to everyone who came and shared their knowledge and Berkshire spirit during Pro Vita!
Winter Bulletin
The Berkshire Bulletin Class Notes Winter 2025 issue is out with all the latest alumni news and events. It also includes updates from these Bears: Olympic gold and two-time silver medalist Kacey Bellamy '05; Andrew Mueller ’92, U.S. Marine Corps retired intelligence officer and foreign policy expert now in private equity; Lisa Roberts ’91, a leader in “Food as Medicine,” chef, and educator; Eli Merritt ’12, artist and founder of the Chicago Maker Space; Teresa Liu ’09, engineer at Apple; Johnson Cheng '05 and Matt Crowson '05, both pioneers in AI.
The new Campus Center, featuring the light-filled dining hall, the McLanahan Bookstore, the Music Center, Student Life offices, Shawn's Place, the mailroom, and the day student lounge, will be open when Bears return from spring recess. We'll celebrate this special new space––the heart and hub of campus––at a community-wide lunch on Friday, March 28th that you won't want to miss!
See below as the Class of 2025 enjoys a sneak peek of the new Campus Center during a special ice cream social in their honor.